Look What a Sharpie Can Do!

Well, who knew? My friend, Marge, did for one. :) The other day she showed me the best trick with a Sharpie. Just color on top of Stampin' Up Basic Rhinestones and you can make jewels in whatever color you need! That's how I made the little red ones on this card. Isn't it fun? I've been waiting for them to come out with different color jewels but I guess I just wasn't being creative enough. Now I don't have to wait at all! Today is the very last day of Sale-a-Bration, so I wanted to use a SAB exclusive set for my Color Throwdown. I love these colors and will have to make another card with them soon. This one won't even make my display board since the set will be gone for good after today. That's the hard part of SAB. Thanks to all of you for making my Sale-a-Bration wonderful this year! I couldn't keep my stamping business alive without all of your support. Never fear, I have all sorts of fun planned for us to keep the stamping excitement alive through the whole year. Sale-a-Braion may be over, but the fun is just getting started!

Fishes 4 You

Where have I been? Well it wasn't jet-setting, I promise. Nope, I have my posts all lined up for when I'll actually be out of town. Life just got in the way of stamping this week! Or, stamping got in the way of stamping, really. I had some great classes & I've been making cards for the Horseshoe Market in May. However, most of my Horseshoe cards are made from retired goodies or are cards you all have seen before. This one is no exception. You guys have seen my favorite little Ornament Punch fish, but there are a few things I wanted to share about this one. First off, the Bermuda Bay & Crushed Curry textured cardstock come from the Clearance Rack. It's such fun to hop over to shop SU online and find bargains! Just visit my SU site & click on "shop now". I recommend it for getting in your last minute Sale-a-Bration orders. Remember: SAB ends TOMORROW! On Friday it will all be over. Another bit I wanted to point out are the larger Tempting Turquoise circles. They are left over from the great Cheers to You Glitter Window cards we made in class. Using up our left over bits will be the focus of my Quarterly Quarter Party on Sunday. Let me know if you can stop in to make some cards!

Lattice Leftover Flowers

Do you know where these cute little flowers come from? The title of this post should help you out a bit... Yep, they are the little bits that are left over from making the Lattice Die. The other day, I made a batch of cards with an Eggplant lattice on each. So, I had about a million little pieces from that process. Knowing me, I couldn't just throw them away! I already had a use in mind for the left over frames (of course) & these little bits look like perfect flower petals. I tried to spice up the Wasabi background with textures, stamps, etc. but I found that leaving it plain was the best effect. Sometimes simple is just the way to go! Oh, and there's a "new to me" toy on this one too. :) I just added the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Boarder Punch to my collection. It's great because all of the 1/2 strips I keep from paper cutting fit into it perfectly to make my own little accents! I imagine you'll be seeing this one a lot. I tried backing the punched strips with So Saffron. The fit was great, but I really missed the bold contrast between Wasabi and White. It was another return to basics for this card. Keep it simple stamper! Having that simple mantra in mind would have saved me a bunch of time. :)

A Good Egg In Colors

I decided not to let another Easter season go by without A Good Egg in my collection. Isn't he just too cute? I know it's not a Mojo Monday card, but their new sketch wasn't up by the time I needed to go to work part 1 for the day and still not there yet during my break before work part 2. I'll go for Mojo on Tuesday. :) Besides, I needed to put together this little number for my Easter Theme class this weekend. Perhaps he'll find his way into my Lakewood classes as well. All the colors except for the So Saffron in this one are In Colors & the designer paper comes from the In Color Hostess Pack. Fun, huh? The spare eggs are one of my favorite tricks for Easter time. Just punch a bit of designer paper using the Wide Oval Punch and you have an instant Easter Egg. It's the easiest one to decorate! No need to even get dye on your hands. :) If I were to do this one over, I think I would pop out the little shell fragment at the bottom... However, it's time for me to head off to work so that will have to wait!

A Favor to Ask

I have a small favor to ask all of you. I already asked folks on the Accidental Stamper Facebook Page, so I apologise if you've already seen this request once. :) I'm putting together cards for my booth at the Horseshoe Market in May & am brainstorming which cards I should make. Some are brand new designs that I feel will fit the venue, but others are batches of cards we've made in classes. Do you have any favorites that you've made in class or that you've seen on the blog? (I know some folks live way too far away to get to play with us at classes...) If you do have favorites, please leave a comment on this post & let me know! That way I can add them to my "for sure" list. I thank you in advance for banishing the guess work & for all your support!! Happy stamping. :)

Hostess Sets Go Baby

I know, I know, it's St. Patrick's Day and there isn't a spot of green on my card. So sorry. I intended on making a fun charm or card this morning, but what I really needed was a baby card. Given the state of my head this morning (oh how I hate migraines!), I'm going to stick with making what I actually need today. Call it self preservation. I did have lots of fun making this one though! I had to concentrate a bit more than normal & go with less light, but those are accommodations I can handle. I couldn't handle the high school band sub job that was offered on the phone this morning. The thought just makes me cringe!

I used a couple of my hostess sets this morning for a little baby fun. I also used my Scallop Rectangle Clearlits die which gets shockingly little use. We were talking about it in class last week & just how useful it can be. So I decided it was high time it got more use. The best part of this die is that you can stamp your image first & then cut it out using the Big Shot. The die itself is clear so you can see exactly what you're going to get. It's like using our punches upside down. You can aim perfectly! Such a fun option for precision with the Big Shot. Goodness knows I hate to aim using the stamp!

Bunny Basket

A tisket a tasket it's time for a basket! Easter is just around the corner & my Spring/Easter Class is even closer. That means it's time to get going on some baskets! My Basket & Blooms die for the Big Shot makes creating cute little baskets super quick and easy. I ran though some textured Soft Suede cardstock with a bit of So Saffron for the embellishments that are included on the die. Then, I just stamped my little bunny using my latest Sale-a-Bration set, Forest Friends. I'm ever so excited about all the new toys I've gotten for free thanks to SAB! I now have more stamps than shelf space. That's a pretty fun problem to have. My basket is all ready to fill with some Easter grass & treats. You can make one of these fun little baskets in class at the end of the month. I hope you'll join me!

Funky Four Flowers/PPC #52

The ladies over at PPC had a great selection of colors this week: Always Artichoke, Tangerine Tango, & Elegant Eggplant. I've realized lately that I've been neglecting Eggplant ever since Concord Crush came around. Perhaps it's time to design a card that includes both of these great colors? Maybe next time... Today's card features two stamp sets I got for free thanks to Sale-a-Bration. Aren't they fun together? I really wanted to do a textured background, but I just wasn't feeling like any of my folders fit the bill. Then, I remembered my Texturz Plates! So, I inked this one up with some Always Artichoke & gave it a shot. Ever since I discovered the great look these plates give when inked, they became a much better product in my mind. The ink just makes everything pop! Time to clean up the studio and get my act together. :) Happy Stamping!!

Two in One Challenge Card/ LBNL #2 & Mojo Monday 182

I don't usually combine challenges, but today's combo came naturally. I finished up my Mojo Monday before I headed out this morning...or so I thought! I added the little flower & small circle when I got home. Then I thought I was finished, so I took pictures and got ready to make my post. It just didn't look finished when I looked at my picture though. It needed something. At that point, the requirements for this month's Last But Not Least challenge came to mind: embossing folder, edge punch, designer paper, and a trio of brads. I had the embossing folder & designer paper take care of already & the something extra I needed ended up being the brads & boarder punch. Excellent! I'm much happier with the finished product & am so glad I took part of the card apart to get there! I've been wanting to add texture to designer paper & try embossing two pieces already glued together. I've seen lots of cards using this technique and really like what it adds to the card. You'll have to check it out in person to get the full effect, but I think you'll like it! Oh, and I got such a kick out of making glitter brads in class this week that I was excited to make a few more for this card. It's amazing what you can do with a little Heat and Stick Powder & Dazzling Diamonds Glitter!

Dotted Fabric Goes Floral

I knew that the fabric would be no match for my BigZ dies, but I wasn't sure if I could use it with my Sizzlits too. The fabric was so thin that I decided to give it a shot with my Floral Fusion Sizzlit. It worked like a charm! It was a little less of a clean cut than with my BigZ Top Note Die, but I was able to cut any hangers on using my scissors. That way I got clean flowers each time. The black, white, and yellow pattern from the paper really seemed in need of some shocking pink. I decided to pair it with Mellon Mambo textured cardstock to fill that need. Then the bling was a clear choice. Mellon Mambo, Rhinestone bling, and crazy patterns, how can you go wrong? The inside is stamped with one of my favorites from Occasional Quotes: "One day just isn't enough to celebrate someone as wonderful as you...let's party all week!" All in all a very fun birthday card. Hope you enjoy it too. :)

Dotted Fabric Top Note

Okay, this was super fun! I bought a BUNCH of this kinda crazy fabric at a yard sale a long time ago thinking that it would be fun to make into cards. Then, I just could get a feel for what I wanted to do with it. So it just sat. And sat. And sat a bit more. Yesterday I decided to boycott my computer all together and just make cards all day. What a great choice! I had an excellent day and came up with a couple of fun uses for this super funky material. Of course, the Big Shot can cut through darn near anything. That made it a natural choice when working with this stuff. I also found that this fabric doesn't have the tendency to fray unlike others I've used in the past. It also gave me a chance to use the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp that I just got for free from Sale-a-Bration. I have lots of this fabric left, so look for more posts using it soon & let me know if you would like to make one of these cards in class!

Simply Adorned Charm

Here's something a little different...stamped art you can wear! I finally broke down and got myself a Simply Adorned Charm & Chain. I love the idea that I can change the image inside whenever I want. That way I can have a necklace for all seasons & I get the fun of making it happen. For the first time around, I decided to keep it simple. I inked this lovely little image from Tiny Tags using my makers & just added a tiny accent with a small circle (love my Punch Pack) and a pearl. It was so fast and easy! I've already gotten compliments on this one. It makes me excited to try again. The charm is 1" x 1" so I'm looking forward to challenging myself with a tiny canvas. I'll wear this one at classes this month so you can check it out up close & in person!

A Clearance Rack Creation!

I know, I know... it looks like I'm showing off a card made with all sorts of retired goodies. The best part is, I am but I'm not all at the same time! The Tall Tales designer paper hasn't been around for quite a while, but it lives on in the Clearance Rack! In fact, it's offered there at the excellent price of $3.49 a pack. You can't beat that. Oh, and my ribbon is retired as well. It's another Clearance Rack find. This So Saffron ribbon comes in a two pack with Certainly Celery ribbon. You get both rolls (10 yrds each) for just $3.49. There is all sorts of ribbon, chipboard, and the like waiting for the bargain hunters of the SU world. Just visit my webstie, click on "shop now", & then "clearance rack". I went Clearance Rack shopping to stock up on supplies for my Horseshoe Market cards. This little number is one of them. I think he's funky fun enough to fit the bill, don't you? Check out the Clearance Rack and snag some great deals of your own!

Springetime Vintage Vogue/ Mojo Monday 181

Have I told you lately how much I enjoy Mojo Monday? Thanks again to Sharon for first hooking me up with this sketch challenge! It's just such a great way to start the week. I'm especially fond of this week's sketch and a bit proud that I interpreted things a bit this time around. Doesn't this card just shout "spring"? It's a good thing the card does, because the weather outside is still insisting that it's winter! I haven't used Vintage Vogue in a while, so I decided to play with it this morning. I don't think I'll ever tire of these flowers & leaves. It's kind of fun to use five stamps from the set & not even use the sentiments! Thank goodness I got it at the SU regionals last year. I don't think I would have been brave enough to get it on my own, but I've made some of my very favorite cards with it! I think this one may add to the list!!

Punch Potpourri Color Challenge/ Curtain Call #71

Today I decided to have fun with some of my level one hostess sets. I grabbed some color inspiration from the Curtain Call Color Challenge. Their colors for this week are: Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Cherry Cobbler, & More Mustard. A very fun group that I don't usually mix together. It's always fun to give a new combo a try! They are a super rich group when placed together. I think my natural inclination is to add a bit of Night of Navy to this group, so I really had to restrain myself from adding that one. It's been forever since I used my XL Bird Punch & I've missed it a bit. So, out he came. I've never even inked the flower image from Punch Potpourri which made that a must this time around! I love the way in which sentiments that just don't quite fit in my Word Window Punch work perfectly inside the Modern Label Punch. Some times I use that one as just a back ground layer & other times it's great all on its own! The elegance of the "thank you" from Because I care makes it a favorite of mine, but I found I didn't use it as much as I could have because it didn't fit my punch. That was until I got the Modern Label of course. I'm such a punch addict! The little circles with the rhinestones add just enough glitz to my sentiment so it stands out well on its own without having to use any Whisper White to make it pop. All in all a fun card for a Friday!

Tiny Butterfly Bliss Thanks

I find myself in need of little cards all the time. Perhaps I want to leave one on the teacher's desk after I substitute or I want to stick one into a bag of stamping goodies or I want to just leave one around to be unexpectedly found. They're super fun to make because they are so small. Don't let this fool you though, they can be some of the best cards! This little guy is just 3"x3" but it's full of goodies from three stamp sets! It all started with a scrap So Saffron Circle that I found in my collection of punched left overs. (That's how many of my tiny cards start out.) Everything else just fell into place. I'm particularly pleased with my use of the large background image from the Bliss Sale-a-Bration set. It works nicely with this smaller format. So, brighten some one's day and leave a little TGIF card for them tomorrow. It will leave you both smiling!

Detachable Frame/ Color Throwdown #131

I've said it in class about a million times: "We have no mistakes, just creative opportunities". Well, I had a whole bunch of creative opportunities on this card! When I saw the great colors over at the Color Throwdown this morning, I knew that was the starting point for me today. Not Quite Navy is one of my seldom used colors and it just looks so lovely with the Pink Pirouette and Baja Breeze. Colors = done. That was the easiest thing this morning. I decided that I also wanted to try out the simple frame technique I saw on Splitcoast the other day. We'll come back to that in a bit. First I needed an image. I found one I thought would work in the A Slice of Life hostess set from the Occasions Mini. A set I haven't even used yet! Out it came. No problems. Until I tried to get my Crystal Effects to work. Sigh. It's super clogged. So, I switched over to a Versamarker & thick embossing powder. Of course, it doesn't show up here, but trust me when I say it looks pretty cool. I sponged some Baja Breeze on my Whisper White cardstock & added accents with the Priceless set. Focal image = almost done. All I needed was the frame. Sigh. There's where the problems came. I totally failed at the tutorial. It happens. So, after MUCH deliberation, I just decided on a modified version. The best part is, I actually like it! The most excellent part of it all is that the thread can just slide off my Antique Brad so you can hang it up all on its own if you like. I almost didn't even make a card for the little frame once I got it finally finished. Then, the detachable idea came to me. Great fun! Besides, the card itself is simple. Just run a little Pink Pirouette through the Big Shot with the Perfect Details Texturz Plate, add a brad, and glue it on your Not Quite Navy base. Whole card = done. This little number rose up like a phoenix from the ashes!

Sweet Summer Watercolor

In my last order, I finally got my very own Watercolor Crayons. I decided to start with the Brights collection since water coloring tends to lighten colors anyway. I'm so glad I'm switching over to the crayons! My Watercolor Pencils were okay, but these were a real pleasure to use. I love that they come in all the colors...not just a few general ones. Out came my water color paper & my Stazon ink so I could make the most of my new toys. I colored in the little butterfly using Daffodil Delight & Pumpkin Pie, but the end result looked so much like Peach Parfait that I decided to use that as the card base & accent color. I don't think I would have normally thought to pair it up with Rich Razzleberry, but they really seem to work together. My sentiment is courtesy of Tiny Tags while the background is my new big stamp obsession, Sanded. It's just so versatile that I find myself using it all the time on different types of cards. I can't believe I waited this long to add it to my collection!