Leadership SWAP

I'm off to Stampin' Up's Leadership convention this week! With the help of my mom and my friend Chris, I made 220 swaps to trade at convention!!!!! We have a tradition that when you meet someone, you trade a card front.

I have about 50 of this design to trade.

Sooooo.... I will be coming home with 220 new card ideas. Wooohoooo!

I was inspired by our winter weather for this card. This monochrome card includes two layers of embossing and features the "Always" stamp set. (Did I mention that you NEED a Big Shot so you can do this embossing too? LOL)

More Embossing with the BigShot...

I had to try posting from my phone, which is why the previous post of this card showed up sideways. :) This post looks much better.

I am totally addicted to embossing with the Big Shot. Over Christmas vacation it seemed that I couldn't make a card without embossing at least one layer. This card has four layers of embossing.

Layer 1 - Framed Tulips Embossing Folder ($7.95) on Very Vanilla Card Stock

Layer 2 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder ($7.95) on Pear Pizzzaz Card Stock

Layer 3 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (again!) on Very Vanilla Card Stock

Layer 4 - Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (yes, again!) on Baja Breeze Card Stock. Flower Petals punched with the NEW Blossom Petals XL Punch ($16.95). Flower leaves stamped in Pear Pizzaz ink on Pear Pizzaz Card Stock using the NEW Build-a-Blossom Stamp set!

The greeting is from the Simply Said Stamp set.

Sock Monkey Card Box!

Stamps
Sock Monkey ($26.95, 111550)

Ink
Basic Black Classic Ink ($5.95, 111179)
Early Espresso Classic Ink ($5.95, 119670)
Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink ($5.95, 119669)

Paper
Cherry Cobbler Card Stock($6.95, 119685),
Early Espresso Card Stock($6.95, 119686),
Whisper White Card Stock ($8.50, 100730)
Crumb Cake Card Stock ($6.95, 120953)

Sizzix
Embossed with Square Lattice Embossing Folder( $7.95, 119976),
Sizzix Top Note Die ($21.95, 113463)
Big Shot ($99.95, 113439)

Accessories
Antique Brads($5.95, 117273)
1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Early Espresso ($9.95, 119961)
1/8" inch Tafetta Ribbon - Daffodil Delight ($5.95, 119254)
Blender Pens ($9.95, 102845)
Brayer ($12.50, 102395)
Stampin' Write Marker - Daffodil Delight ($3.50, 119677)
Stampin' Write Marker - Pear Pizzazz ($14.95, 119801 - full set of In Color markers)
Stampin' Write Marker - Cherry Cobbler ($3.50, 119681)

To create the texture on Monkey, brayer Early Espresso Ink onto the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. Emboss using the Big Shot!

This card uses the paper piecing technique. I stamped the monkey once on Whisper White card stock and again on Crumb Cake card stock. Then I brayered Early Espresso ink onto the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and embossed using the Big Shot! I cut out the monkey from the Crumb Cake and pieced it on top of the monkey stamped on the Whisper White card stock. Time consuming, but a really cool effect!

I colored the flower with Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Cherry Cobbler markers, and cut the flower very carefully. :) The monkey's mouth is colored with Cherry Cobbler Classic ink and a blender pen.

This was TONS of fun! Wait until you see the cards that fit inside!

Stay tuned....

I admit it... I binged Easter morning on chocolate....

Chocolate chip ink that is! I took a joy break on Easter morning as the family was lazing around the house and went on a creativity binge with chocolate chip ink. A piece or two of actual chocolate MAY have passed my lips as well, but who's counting?

This stamping extravaganza features a sneak peak at the "Elements of Style" stamp set coming in the Summer mini catalog in May!

The heat gun was out too and look out.... I was embossing everything! This was the first time I played with clear embossing powder. I used a Versamark pen to color on the flowers and then embossed with clear embossing powder over the top. The "china blue" background is really a light wash of sage shadow. The background of the humming bird is done with a brayer and a few random shades of blue.

As I was playing, I pulled out my an old in-color and was thinking.... wouldn't it be nice if some of the in-colors came back...... (If this was a novel, this would be foreshadowing... hint... hint.... tease... tease... more news tomorrow!)

Dreaming of Spring...

When I had the heat gun out the other day, I had to try this technique too -- embossing on vellum.

Whisper White craft ink, Card-stock vellum (not the thin stuff), White embossing powder, heat gun... Voila... Dreaming of Spring!

Stamps:
Pick a Petal
Tiny Tiny Wishes

Punches:
Large Oval
Small Oval
Scallop Border


Color Combo: Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Whisper White

Just Playing...

I was playing in my craft room last weekend and decided I wanted to try a Tri-shutter card. I've been in love with the vintage style stamp sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog ever since I saw Shelli demo at Leadership.

Stamps:
Vintage Vogue
Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel
Vintage Labels (FREE with a $50 order this month!)

Card stock:
Kraft
Mellow Moss
Whisper White

Ink:
Encore Gold
Regal Rose
So Saffron

Other:
Regal Rose Ribbon
Gold Embossing Powder

It's funny. I don't get my heat gun out that often, but when I do I emboss everything in sight!