Ahhhh – Winter vacation is over!  The Christmas decorations are put away, the kids are back in school, Mom and hubby are back to work and I once again have the house to myself and can get back to stamping!  Heaven I tell ya!  I look forward to the holidays every year and get very excited when it’s time to pull out the tree, but I have to admit that it’s nice to have peace and quiet again once they’re over.  Oh – and guess who knocked on my door this morning?  My UPS man with another delivery from Stampin’ Up!  Can the day get any better?  I think not!

Anyway, I wanted to show off the cards I made this morning.  I played with a lot of the new stuff from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.  I am IN LOVE with the new Sending Love Specialty designer series paper.  Every sheet is glittery!  Unfortunately, it’s hard to see the glittery details in my photos but it reminds me of embossing with the Iridescent Ice embossing powder by Stampin’ Up!  In fact, I added some Iridescent Ice to the heart my raccoon is holding and he matches perfectly!

The whimsical raccoon stamp I used makes this playful card perfect for one of your kids or a lighthearted love note to that special someone.  The slide out is ready to be personalized with a stamped or handwritten sentiment.  Don’t forget that you can click on any of the pictures to view them larger.

FYI – One of these cards will be in the Love or Valentine’s Day card swap here on CARDScraps.  Signups are closing today, so you’d better hurry if you’d like to participate.  If not, there are always new swaps going on and we’d love to have you participate!  Just check out our card swaps forum.

Here’s how I did it:

Note:  The photos show two different variations.  The tutorial will be for the one shown here on the right – the version without the buttons in the bottom right corner.

1. Score a 4-1/4″ x 11″ piece of Kraft card stock at 5-1/2″ and 1-1/2″.  Fold the card base in half and then fold back the flap.
2. Sponge all of the edges using Very Vanilla Craft Ink including both edges of the folded flap.
3. Glue a 4″ x 2-1/4″ piece of the red floral designer paper to the bottom of the card base leaving a 1/8″ border around the edges.
4. Glue a 4″ x 1-1/4″ piece of the small vanilla print designer paper to the flap.
5. Using your sewing machine, sew a straight stitch along the two sides and the bottom.
6. Tie a piece of Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon around the flap.
7. Cut a 2-3/8″ square of Very Vanilla card stock and punch all four corners using the Pinking Hearts Corner Punch.  Glue a 1-3/8″ square of Pretty in Pink card stock to the center just inside the punched hearts.  Glue a 1-1/2″ square of Real Red card stock on top of the pink card stock.
8. Stamp the raccoon and sentiment from the Love Bandit stamp set using Basic Black Classic Ink onto a 1-3/8″ piece of Very Vanilla card stock. Color the image using Close to Cocoa and Real Red Stampin’ Write markers.  Using the Versamarker, color over the heart and emboss using Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  Glue the stamped image to the Real Red card stock layered in Step 7.
9. Attach the layered image to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals as shown.
10. Cut a 3-5/8″ x 4-5/8″ piece of Very Vanilla card stock and round the top two corners using the Corner Rounder Punch for the card insert.
11. Use the Round Tab Punch to punch out a tab from Real Red card stock.  Fold in half and glue to the top edge of the insert.  Use a standard stapler to add a staple to the center.  This is mainly for decoration, but it will also add to the stability since it will be used to pull the insert out of the card.
12. Cut a piece of Kraft card stock to 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ and glue to the back of the card.  This covers the stitching as well as the ribbon ends if you didn’t tie your ribbon all the way around your card.
13. Use the Corner Rounder Punch to round the top two corners of the card.

I hope you enjoyed these two cards.  If you have any questions, just let me know.

Happy Stamping

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

Supplies:  (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted)

Stamps:  Love Bandit (WM#117086 – CM#118577)
Paper:  Kraft, Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink and Real Red card stock, Sending Love Specialty designer series paper
Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink
Other:  Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Round Tab Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Pinking Hearts Corner Punch, Glue Stick, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Write Markers, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Sewing Machine and Stapler (non-Stampin’ Up!)

Here we are at the final sneak peek in this series.  This is the third card made for the class Brenda will teach at the nursing home next month although this is the stepped up version.  Theirs won’t be too different though as the only thing I did to step this up a bit was add the paper piercing.

Some of you may have noticed that at the end of the previous two posts, there was more than one item number for the new stamp sets.  Are you wondering why?  Have you heard?  Stampin’ Up! is finally going to offer unmounted stamps that you can use with acrylic blocks.  I am soooooo excited.  You will now have the option to get either the standard wood mount or the clear mount.  The clear mount have a special cling backing that adheres to your acrylic blocks.  However, none of the quality is sacrificed as they are still rubber stamps.  The stamps come in dvd sized cases, so you can be sure this is going to save a ton of room!

Something else making it’s debut in this card is a new border punch.  Stampin’ Up! is releasing all sorts of new punches with the new 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog and they are a new design which makes them much more storage friendly.   I know you’re going to be excited to see those as punch storage is always a hot topic.  Want more excitement?  How about the fact that you’re going to be able to get this one for FREE during Sale-a-Bration!

Here’s how I did it:

1. Glue a 5-3/8″ x 1-1/4″ piece of the green floral print designer paper from Flock Together to the top of a standard A2 (5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″) So Saffron card base.  Glue another strip the same size to the bottom of the card base.
2. Cut a piece of So Saffron card stock to 5-3/8″ x 2-7/8″.  Use the Scallop Trim Border punch on both long edges.
3. Glue a 5-3/8″ x 1-1/2″ piece of Very Vanilla card stock to a 5-3/8″ x 1-3/4″ piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock.  Glue these to the scalloped strip created in Step 2.
4. Tie a piece of So Saffron Ribbon around the strips as shown.  Use a paper piercer to punch holes along each long side approximately 1/8″ from the edge.  Glue to the card base overlapping both of the green print designer paper.
5. Cut a 2-3/4″ circle using the Circle Scissors Plus out of Very Vanilla card stock.  Stamp the hat image from Garden from the Heart stamp set using Basic Black Classic Ink and color using the Stampin’ Write markers.
6. Cut a 2-7/8″ circle from Tempting Turquoise card stock and a 3″ circle from So Saffron card stock and layer as shown.  Use the paper piercer to punch holes around the outer edge.  Attach to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals.
7. For the interior, I used scraps of Tempting Turquoise to cut two 5-3/8″ x 1/8″ strips.  I glued these on the outside of a 5-3/8″ x 2-1/2″ piece of Very Vanilla card stock.  On the bottom edge, I glued a 5-3/8″ x 3/4″ piece of green print designer paper.

I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek series!  I’d love to get a few comments from you.  Also, don’t forget that you need to comment on Brenda’s New Year’s card before Jan 1st for a chance to win some Blog Candy!

Happy Stamping!

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

Supplies:  (all Stampin’ Up!)

Stamps:  Garden from the Heart (WM#117004 – CM#118568)
Paper:  So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise and Very Vanilla card stock, Flock Together designer series paper
Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink
Other:  So Saffron Ribbon, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Paper Piercer, Glue Stick, Stampin’ Write Markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

Welcome to day 2 of my sneak peek series.  Today I’m showing the first card I made with the Garden from the Heart stamp set which will be debuting in the upcoming 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog by Stampin’ Up!.  This dried flower arrangement can be colored in any color combination to match your paper, so this is going to be one that is used often.  I paired it up with the Flock Together designer paper from the current 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog as well as the Delicate Dots designer paper (retired) from the 2009 Sale-a-Bration event.

This is a relatively simple card, but I thought I’d run through the directions anyway just to share the dimensions of the cut pieces.  Here you can see the two different versions I made.  The only difference is the paper on the back layer.  The bottom one is made using Flock Together paper and the top one is using Delicate Dots paper.

This is another one of the cards that Brenda will be teaching at the nursing home in January.  I didn’t step this one up like I did yesterday.  The ladies there will be able to make this one without any problems.

Here’s how I did it:

1. Glue a 5-1/8" x 3-7/8" piece of the branch print designer paper to a 5-1/4" x 4" piece of So Saffron card stock.
2. Glue a 4" x 2-3/4" piece of yellow designer paper to a 4-1/8" x 2-7/8" piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock.  Glue this to the center of the matted paper from step 1.
3. Glue a strip of Certainly Celery ribbon to the center of the matted papers as shown.  Glue this to a standard A2 (5-1/2" x 4-1/4") Tempting Turquoise card base.
4. Stamp the dried flower image onto a 2-7/8" x 1-5/8" piece of Very Vanilla card stock.  Color using the Stampin’ Write markers.  Glue this to a 3" x 1-3/4" piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock.
5. Attach the stamped image to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Here’s the individual shots.  You can click on them to view a little bit larger image if you’d like.

Hope to see you back tomorrow for the last Sneak Peek in this series – another card made with this set although a different stamp.  Also, don’t forget you can enter to win Blog Candy by commenting on Brenda’s New Year card post.

Happy Stamping!

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

Supplies:  (all Stampin’ Up!)

Stamps:  Garden from the Heart (WM#117004, CM#118568)
Paper:  So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise and Very Vanilla card stock, Flock Together and Delicate Dots (retired) designer series paper
Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink
Other:  Certainly Celery Ribbon, Glue Stick, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Write Markers

For the next three days, I’m going to show you a sneak peek of a couple of the new upcoming stamp sets from the Stampin’ Up! 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog which goes live on January 5th!  The cards I’m going to show you are “stepped up” versions of the cards that Brenda will be making with the gals at the nursing home, so they are all going to match.

The first one uses the new stamp set called Well Scripted.  This set comes with 6 different sentiments all in the same fonts as seen here. A beautiful little set and a must have for your stamp collection.  Although I didn’t notice it until I got to looking at the close-ups of my cards, I got a little smudge on the b in birthday – oops!

I used the Flock Together designer series paper from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog which I’ve been wanting to play with for quite some time.  The spring colors are fabulous!  And now with Christmas behind us, I’m looking forward to Spring before Winter really even sets in.

Here’s how I did it:

1. Cut So Saffron card stock to 4″ x 5-1/4″ and glue to a standard A2 Tempting Turquoise card base.
2. Cut the blue branch print designer paper to 3-7/8″ x 5-1/8″ and glue to the card front centered on the So Saffron matte.
3. Glue a 1-1/4″ x 4-1/2″ strip of blue designer series paper to a 1-3/8″ x 4-5/8″ strip of Tempting Turquoise card stock. Tie a piece of So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon around it lengthwise and glue to the card base a little to the left of center as shown.
4. Glue a 3″ x 2″ piece of yellow designer paper to a 3-1/8″ x 2-1/8″ piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock.  Stamp happy birthday in the bottom right corner using Basic Black ink.  Attach it to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals.
5. On a scrap piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock, stamp the polka dot butterfly from Flight of the Butterfly stamp set using Versamark.  Use the Butterfly punch to punch it out.  Using the Two-Way Glue Pen, glue the butterfly’s body to the card front in the top left corner of the yellow designer paper.
6. Punch an additional butterfly from a piece of blue designer series paper.  Glue the body to the top of the other butterfly body using the Two-Way Glue Pen.  Curl the top butterfly’s wings up.
7. Add a couple of half pearls to the center of the butterfly for the body.
8. Cut a 1/2″ x 4-1/4″ strip of So Saffron card stock and glue to the inside of the card approximately 1/2″ from the bottom.  Glue a 3/8″ x 4-1/4″ piece of designer paper to the center as shown.

I hope you enjoyed today’s Sneak Peek.  Come back tomorrow to see another card showcasing another set coming in the new 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.  Don’t forget to leave a comment on Brenda’s New Years card for a chance to win some Blog Candy!

Happy Stamping!

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

 Supplies:  (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted)

Stamps:  Well Scripted (WM#117072 – CM#118601 shown right) and Flight of the Butterfly (#111564)
Paper:  So Saffron and Tempting Turquoise card stock, Flock Together designer series paper
Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink; VersaMark
Other:  Butterfly Punch, So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Glue Stick, Two-Way Glue Pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Half Pearls (Kaisercraft)

 
I never get bored with Stampin’ UP! products because they are always coming out with something new which pleases the creative side of my brain! These new stitched felt embellishments are so soft and cute and a definite must have item for your stash and will be available as of January 5. Be sure to check out your new Occasions mini catalog, which should be arriving the later part of December.

This is another quick 10 minute card – simple, but very cute. To make the grass, I took a piece of Old Olive CS and first cut a slightly rounded edge because I did not want a straight edge at the top. Don’t know about your yard, but mine is not perfectly even! To further add realism and give it a FUN look, I snipped the entire top section of the grass and then cut out a few chips. I made the stems with an Olive Green marker. Lastly, I stamped my sentiment (from the On Your Birthday set) with Chocolate Chip ink, using my Stamp-ma-Jig. Then I put it all together.

Brenda Cook
Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator
Tarboro, NC

Supply List

Stamp: On Your Birthday
Paper: Old Olive, Regal Rose, Whisper White CS
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Other: Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Old Olive Marker, 2 Way Glue, Snail, Snips