Congratulations to Jennifer H. on winning the January SOTM!

Jennifer won the Creatively Yours stamp set.

CARDScraps gives away a FREE Stampin’ Up! stamp set each month.  Each registered member’s order placed during the month automatically earns you an entry into the drawing.  Simply order online, by email or phone me any time this month to qualify for the next SOTM.

Get more details here.

Will you be our next SOTM winner?

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

I have done it again..I was inspired by another of Connie Babbert’s cards..I just couldn’t help myself! The color scheme definitely caught my eye.

I did change my card up a bit and used some different tools.

The card base is Peach Parfait. Next, is Crumb Cake which I ran through a Hearts embossing folder (not sure who makes this one).

Then I took a strip of the Everyday Enchantment designer paper (in the new SAB catty) and ran it through the Square Lattice embossing folder and backed it with a strip of Lucky Limeade.

Next, I used the Full Heart punch on Calypso Coral and also ran it through the Square Lattice embossing folder.

I stamped the small hearts with the Candy Conversations stamp set in Peach Parfait, Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral and punched out the hearts and attached to the Everyday Enchantment ribbon bow and streamers.

Here you can see a closeup of one of the small stamped hearts and also the Square Lattice embossing.

OK, I am going to TRY to not make any more Valentine Day cards. I think it is time for me to go play with the new Edgelits and Embossing Folders!

Happy Stamping

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

• Stamps:  Candy Conversations
• Paper:  Everyday Enchantment DSP, Peach Parfait, Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral CS
• Ink:  Peach Parfait, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral
• Other:  Big Shot, Square Lattice and Hearts embossing folders, Full Heart and Small Heart punches, Everyday Enchantment ribbon, snail, glue dots, Dimensionals

A FREE project sheet with instructions has been posted on this card in our Resources section.  ENJOY!

Happy Stamping

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

Here’s another sneak peek at some of the items that are going to be available in a couple of days when Sale-a-Bration starts!  I’m so excited!  The Everyday Enchantment designer series paper just makes me swoon.

Our club ladies will be making a card very similar to this next month!  I hope they like it.  I have to say that I’m kinda diggin’ the antiquey look with the extra pop of color.

Here’s a shot at the inside.  Yes – I see that smudge of Soft Suede ink right in the middle.  I didn’t really notice it until I saw it in the pic.  You know the camera shows everything!  I guess that’s where I’m going to either stamp a sentiment or make sure my writing covers it when I go to use this card.

Anyway – it’s Friday – hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Stamping

Lianne Carper
CS partner and DTM for Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator

I have to tell you that I jumped out of my comfort zone on this card! Not that the card was difficult, but that I was trying to take a non-Stampin’ Up! card and convert my card to totally utilize Stampin’ Up! products and I did it!

The card that I was inspired by can be seen HERE.

And, here is my rendition of that card.  I was able to implement all Stampin’ Up! products and loved the ending result! What do you think…how did I do?

I used Black Stazon ink and sprinkled black embossing powder on it to get a bold image, while only stamping the top half of the Hello Doily stamp. Then I ran it through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder in the Big Shot.

Then I punched the eyelet border and cut the Regal Rose heart with our new Hearts Framelits. I took this heart and the punched strip and ran it through the Finial Press embossing folder and the Big Shot.

The black scalloped heart was created using the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit and the Big Shot.

The sentiment was also stamped with Black Stazon and embossed with black embossing powder. I used the 1-1/4" square and the scalloped square punches to complete the sentiment block.

All that was left remaining to do was the assembly and PRESTO a very pretty Valentine’s Day card.

Happy Stamping

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

Just a quick posting to show you what I like doing with my scraps – whatever the season or holiday!

Using the 1-1/4″ square punch, punch out 16 complementary designer paper scraps and adhere to a 4″ x 5″ piece of scrap paper or cardstock and then run through the Big Shot with the Top Note die. You can also run the die cut piece through the Big Shot with the Lattice embossing folder to give it a more quilted look.

Attach a ribbon, if you wish, and any other embellishments. Affix the die cut composite to a 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ card base.

This card will not likely suffice for your special guy on Valentine’s Day, but I am sure that a good friend would enjoy your handiwork.

Happy Stamping

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

Well, let me go ahead and say that I really like the way this card turned out. I had my doubts along the way, but in the end, I think it turned out fabulous!  I was inspired by a card created by Amy O’Neill, but I changed it up considerably. 

I knew I wanted a bright card base, so I chose Daffodil Delight which was the same as my inspiration card.  From there, the rest of my color palette came from one of the new designer papers in the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog called Attic Boutique.  Next, I went searching through my designer papers looking for prints that were only Daffodil Delight.  The Beyond the Garden designer paper had two different ones that I used and then I grabbed a third one from Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack – Brights Collection.

I wanted a sentiment on the front, so I had to change up the configuration of the pennants.  Having them angled the way they are now was a better balance for the sentiment in the bottom right corner.  Of course, this also left me with more white yellow space at the top so for filler, I used a retired stamp set called Itty Bitty Backgrounds.  It gave it that extra something that I was looking for.

To string my pennants, I punched a hole in the top corners of each one and the threaded them onto some Early Espresso Baker’s Twine with knots at each end.  Where the pennants overlapped, I just tied on a little bow.  I repeated the knot look on the punched sentiment.  I tried adding a bow there too, but it didn’t look right.

For the interior of the card, I kept it simple.  I just repeated the filler stamp and punched border at the top of the designer paper.

Brenda will be teaching a simplified version of this card to the ladies at the nursing home next month where she volunteers.

Happy Stamping

Lianne Carper
CS partner and DTM for Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator

Each month, I go to the Ablemarle Nursing Center and teach a card making class (yes, it is a basic class).

Anyway, I draw tickets and each resident gets to pick out a free card that has been donated for this cause.

If you have any cards that you have made that you can part with or extras on hand, please send them on this way.

Brenda Cook
4012 Main St
Tarboro NC 27886

Thanks for your help.

Happy Stamping

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

Happy New Year!  Did any of you make any new crafting resolutions?  I did – get back to crafting as posting!  I got some new goodies to play with and I know you’re as excited as I am about the upcoming Sale-a-Bration catalog which comes out on the 24th of this month.  Although there are some really cute stamp sets in there, I have to say that my favorite items are the Everyday Enchantment designer paper and the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack.  I’ve used both of those on this card along with the Outlined Occasions stamp set which is also available in the upcoming SAB (Sale-a-Bration) catalog.

The only paper I used from the Everyday Enchantment DSP pack is the multi-color floral one on the center panel.  The top Pool Party print dsp is from the Spice Cake DSP which just retired and is no longer available.  Maybe one day it will show back up in the Clearance Rack and you’ll be able to stock up if you didn’t get a chance to.  The bottom Old Olive polka dot dsp is from the DSP Patterns Pack – Brights Collection. 

I think this card is pretty multi-purpose.  The sentiment on the front really doesn’t tie you down.  I think that this would work for a birthday, congratulations, mother’s day, or even just a congrats card.  I love versatile cards – and I have to say, I just can’t get over how cute this card turned out.  I just love that new designer paper!

Do you see those adorable brads and that gorgeous 1/8″ Organdy ribbon that I used? Those are part of the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack. I’m going to try and score as much of this stuff as I can for FREE during SAB because I absolutely love them along with the DSP. The colors are fabulous!

The card design is a stepped up version of the cards our Stamp Club gals will be making next month. I decorated the inside of this one as well. For some reason, I tend to forget the inside sometimes. I’m going to try to make it my goal to remember the card interiors this year .

Happy Stamping

Lianne Carper
CS partner and DTM for Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator

• Stamps:  Outlined Occasions
• Paper:  Everyday Enchantment designer paper, Spice Cake designer paper, Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack – Brights Collection, Pool Party card stock, Poppy Parade card stock, Very Vanilla card stock 
• Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Soft Suede ink, Many Marvelous Markers (Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade and Pool Party)
• Other:  Scallop Trim Border Punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack, Stamping Sponges, Glue Stick, Dimensionals

Congratulations to Barbara B. on winning the December SOTM!

Barbara won the Perfectly Penned stamp set.

CARDScraps gives away a FREE Stampin’ Up! stamp set each month.  Each registered member’s order placed during the month automatically earns you an entry into the drawing.  Simply order online, by email or phone me any time this month to qualify for the next SOTM.

Get more details here.

Will you be our next SOTM winner?

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC