Chocolate Cards

So, these cards aren't made of chocolate......sorry!  I loved all the greetings from the new Lovely, Amazing You photopolymer stamp set, but I was really looking forward to the "love you more than chocolate" saying.

Lovely, Amazing You Photopolymer Stamp Set

 

I started by using aquapainters to watercolor on watercolor paper with crumb cake, soft suede, and early espresso re-inkers.  I found that it was best to use a small amount of water when using shades of brown.  Too much water caused the colors to break down so that there was a lot of red, blue, and yellow mixed in. 

The next card is based on this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  You can see it here.

On both cards, I stamped the greeting with Versamark, then heat embossed with Early Espresso and White embossing powder.  If you'd like to purchase any of the items used to make these cards, a complete list of products is below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Print Recipe

Product List

Lovely Amazing You Photopolymer Stamp Set [140594] $14.95	Versamark Pad [102283] $7.50	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $4.95	Early Espresso Stampin' Emboss Powder [128980] $4.95
Heat Tool [129053] $29.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $6.95	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119686] $6.95
Watercolor Paper [122959] $4.95	Early Espresso 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon [134582] $6.95	Aqua Painters [103954] $16.95	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [121029] $2.95
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [115663] $2.95	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [119789] $2.95	Big Shot [113439] $99.95	Hearts Collection Framelits Die [125599] $26.95
Fashionable Hearts Embosslits Die [125596] $11.95	Scallop Edge Border Punch [119882] $15.95	Neutrals Backgrounds Designer Series Paper Stack [130132] $21.95

SSINK HEARTS Blog Hop

Thanks for joining us on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop.  Love is in the air and this month, we are featuring projects made with Hearts.

As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on every blog! We are always excited to hear from our followers! You should have just left stop number 7 on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop ~ Cynthia at Ink-A-Doodle Creations. If so, you are in the right spot.  If a link doesn't work or you get off track, you will find the full blog hop lineup below.

 

 I wanted to create a very soft, romantic card for Valentine's Day.  I started with Shimmery White card stock and die cut 3 rows of hearts with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits.  I added a small amount of color to the bottom 2 rows with an aquapainter and Pink Pirouette ink refills.

 Next, I stamped "Love" from the So You stamp set in Pink Pirouette.  I layered a second piece of Shimmery White card stock behind the die cut piece, before placing it on a Pink Pirouette card base.

The focal point was created with strips of Silver Foil, a die-cut arrow, punched hearts, and some white baker's twine that was separated into individual strands.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Click the NEXT button to view all of Shellie's awesome projects!

Blog Hop Participant List:

1. Jennifer C. at Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life
2. Jennifer G. at Jenny G Paper Crafts
3. Laura at Crafty Chicks Creating
4. Diana at Stampin Fun with Diana
5. Kathy at Katrina P's Creative Corner
6. Darcy at Dj's Stampin Place
7. Cynthia at Ink-A-Doodle Creations
8. Melissa at Stamp Doc
9. Shellie at Craft Smashup
10. Breelin at Craft-Somnia Momma
11. Heidi at Stuck on Stampin'
12. Kim at Stamping with Kim
13. Tonya at Stampin' with Tonya

EOS Lip Balm Valentines

I'm not trying to freak you out, but did you know that Valentine's Day is next week?

The designers at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration have you covered.  Hop on over to the blog to see some great Valentines Day ideas.

My youngest is still in grade school, so that means there will be a Valentines party and card exchange.  There are only 7 kids in her class and most of the parents agree on limiting sugar/candy.  We (my daughter and I) are always on the lookout for creative non-candy treats and I think we've got a winner this year.

Are these not the cutest things ever?

The centers are those EOS lip balms that you can pick up at many stores.  We created the treats with the Silhouette Cameo, some Lori Whitlock files, and Stampin' Up! card stock.  I was able to put them together in a very short amount of time.

Each design has a hole in the middle.  You just unscrew the lip balm, place it through the hole, and then screw the top back on.  So simple!

My favorite is the bear!

Bella's favorite is the butterfly.  We'll probably add a little bling to this one.

Which one is your favorite?  Comment below and I'll be selecting one person to receive a Valentine from us.  I'll announce the winner on Saturday.

If you like what you've seen here today, make sure to follow me on your favorite social media.  All the buttons are in the right-hand column.

 Thanks for stopping by!

Floating Window Card

I am ALWAYS up for trying new things, so I was very excited about the Technique Tuesday post over at Stylin' Stampin' INKSpiration.  The designers (including me) have created a variety of Floating Window cards.  If you haven't seen this technique before, we have a great video on the blog.

This looks like an ordinary card from the front, but several of the elements are "floating" in the middle of the card.  See for yourself...

I used the Wood You Be Mine Stamp Set and Adventure Bound Designer Series Paper for this card.  All of the supplies used are listed at the end of this post.  You can print the recipe and can view the items in my online store by clicking on them.

Be sure to FOLLOW me on social media.

On Facebook you can see a view of the inside of this card, as well as ALL the pictures I took at Leadership this past week. 

And on Instagram, I shared my secret for cutting out my stamps quickly and easily.

Happy Stampin'

 

 

 

Print Recipe

Product List

Wood You Be Mine Photopolymer Stamp Set [137134] $23.95	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $5.95	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $6.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131202] $6.95
Adventure Bound Designer Series Paper Stack [137780] $6.95	Squares Collection Framelits Die [130921] $26.95	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Skin Tone Assortment [129370] $22.95	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Crumb Cake Assortment [131004] $11.95	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Night Of Navy Assortment [131001] $11.95
Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Old Olive Assortment [130999] $11.95	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $5.95

Monday Montage 36

Welcome to the Monday Montage blog hop!  Every other Monday, my friends and I share inspiring projects.  Be sure to visit all 10 stops.....you don't want to miss anything!

 

I tried to create a somewhat-masculine Valentine's Day card using this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.  I started by stamping various shades of Early Espresso with a stamp from Snuggles and Smooches, then split the front panel.  I placed a small strip of Gold Foil Paper behind the split area.

 

The focal point was popped up with dimensionals and I added a swirl of linen thread behind it to add some texture.  All of the supplies for this card are listed at the end of this post.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to click the NEXT button to see what Wendy has in store for you OR you can go BACK to view Kaitlyn's marvelous creations.

 

 Happy Stampin'

    

Print Recipe

Product List

Snuggles And Smooches Photopolymer Stamp Set [140326] $15.95	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [126974] $5.95	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $5.95	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650] $8.50	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119686] $6.95
Gold Foil Sheets [132622] $3.95	Linen Thread [104199] $4.50

Heart to Heart

This card cracks me up.  I used so many die cuts on it.....it's amazing that it didn't turn out to be a hot mess!  I started with this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

It's easy to overlook the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies in the Occasions catalog, but there are so many little treasures in that kit.  I used the Heart to die cut the center of the Crumb Cake panel, then embossed the panel using the Happy Heart Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  You definitely want to do it in that order....trust me!  I also cut the mini heart border with the Mini Treat Bag dies.

The "xoxo" is from the Circle Card thinlits dies and the arrow is from the Label Card thinlits dies.  Remember, I said this card cracked me up?  Well, if you total all of the supplies for this card, assuming you already own a big shot, this card will only set you back about $150.00.

And I didn't even use any stamps!!!

  Of course, you'll have enough to make 20+ cards.  Plus, you'll get 3 Free Sale-a-Bration items and $25 in hostess rewards with your order.

Don't you just love stamp math?  My online store is open all the time. You'll find a complete list of supplies for this card at the end of this post.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Print Recipe

Product List

Crumb Cake Note Cards & Envelopes [133766] $5.95	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $6.95	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $6.95	Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack [137779] $6.95	Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper [135315] $4.95
Silver Glimmer Paper [135314] $4.95	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies [137547] $39.95	Circle Card Thinlits Die [133480] $32.95	Label Card Thinlits Die [133479] $32.95	Happy Heart Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [137364] $7.95
Big Shot [113439] $99.95

Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Card Sketch

 We have a great sketch for you over at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration.  Make sure you check it out to see what the designers have created.  You are welcome to play along and upload your card to our blog, too!

I started by die-cutting a partial heart from Real Red card stock.  After using a paper piercer and white gel pen to create stitched lines around the heart, I layered a window sheet behind the Real Red panel.  I placed dimensionals between the red and white layers to create a floating window.

I die cut a bunch (5 or more) "you"s from Whisper White card stock and layered them together to create a very thick "you".  I absolutely LOVE the Hello You Thinlits dies and the coordinating Crazy About You stamp set.  It's wonderful that you can get both in a bundle for a 15% discount!

All of the supplies for this project are listed below.  Don't forget!  You'll get a FREE sale-a-bration item with every $50 purchase from now until March 31, 2015.  It's a great time to add to your stamp and die collections.

 

Print Recipe

Product List

Paper-Piercing Tool [126189] $3.95	Window Sheets Base Material [114323] $4.95	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $6.95	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $6.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50
Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $6.95	Hearts Collection Framelits Die [125599] $26.95	Crazy About You Clear Bundle [139325] $54.25	White Signo Uni-Ball Gel Pen [105021] $3.95	Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad [101731] $7.50
Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [133739] $7.95

Monday Montage 35

Welcome to the Monday Montage blog hop!  It's so good to be back after the holidays and we can't wait to share some inspiring ideas with you!

 

I've had a lot of requests lately for a Bokeh technique tutorial.  There is a significant amount of drying time between some of the steps, so I didn't want to do a video tutorial.  I decided to create a picture tutorial that you'll see below.  You can click on it to see the full-sized image and you can even PIN it for future reference.

TIPS for picking your background colors:

• Pick the main color you want to feature.  For this card, I chose Real Red.
• Select a similar color in a much lighter shade.  I used Pink Pirouette.
• And finally select a neutral shade.  I used Smoky Slate.

Once your colors have blended, they will no longer resemble any Stampin' Up! color.  However, you'll find that the background will still coordinate nicely with the colors you selected.  I generally use the neutral shade for my card base.

You can see another Bokeh card here and here.

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to click the NEXT button to see what Wendy has in store for you OR you can go BACK to view Julie's marvelous creations.

 

 Happy Stampin'

    

Print Recipe

Product List

So You Photopolymer Stamp Set [137165] $24.95	Confetti Hearts Border Punch [137415] $21.95	Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131202] $6.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Watercolor Paper [122959] $4.95
Silver Foil Sheets [132178] $3.95	Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [111843] $2.95	Real Red Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [103287] $2.95	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [131159] $2.95	Versamark Pad [102283] $7.50
Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad [101731] $7.50	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $4.95	Heat Tool [129053] $29.95	Sponge Daubers [133773] $4.95	Window Sheets Base Material [114323] $4.95
Circles Collection Framelits Die [130911] $26.95	Big Shot [113439] $99.95

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Hello Life

It's not too often that I'll pull out my sewing machine, but this week's sketch from Freshly Made sketches just called for something a little extra.

I used the Hello Life stamp set for the hearts and the greeting.  Apparently there isn't a punch or die for the hearts, so I had to cut them by hand.  I randomly stitched them across the front panel.

The background papers are from the Stacked with Love Designer Series Paper stack.  You really should pick up a pack or two of this fun paper!

All of the supplies for this card are listed below.  Don't forget, you'll get a FREE Sale-a-Bration item with every $50 purchase from now until March 31st.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Print Recipe

Product List

Hello Life Photopolymer Stamp Set [137136] $24.95	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad [126980] $5.95	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $5.95	Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad [126956] $5.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $6.95	Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack [137779] $6.95

Because You Care

I am just in love with the Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper stack.  It features red/pink designs on one side and black/white designs on the other.  Not only will I be able to use it for all of my Valentine's projects, but I'll be able to get even more use from the neutral patterns after the holiday.

I chose to showcase 2 different ways to use the paper with this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

The first one is a traditional red card featuring a chalk board inspired focal point.

But I really like the pop of the black & white with the red accents.  Which one is your favorite?

You may find that you spend enough during Sale-a-Bration to earn hostess benefits (minimum $150).  This makes you eligible to purchase exclusive hostess stamp sets such as the Because You Care stamp set featured on these cards.

All of the supplies used are listed below.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Print Recipe

Product List

Because You Care Clear Stamp Set [138847] $10.00	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $6.95	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $5.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Whisper White Craft Stampin' Ink Refill [101780] $4.25
White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $4.95	Heat Tool [129053] $29.95	Big Shot [113439] $99.95	Chalk Talk Framelits Die [129983] $24.95	Real Red 1/4" Cotton Ribbon [134563] $5.95
Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack [137779] $6.95