I’ll start with saying that today’s card is one that no one should ever have to receive (or make).  It is for a family at my children’s school who are suffering the loss of their 9 day old baby girl.  Certainly no words can ever come close so I thought that making a beautiful card might be meaningful.  Again, not sure this comes close but I hope it will at least let them know that we are thinking of them and praying for them.

I had no idea how to approach this card and had been wanting to use the colors from this Stampin’ Celebration Challenge all month.  I am too late to link but I thank them for the inspiration.  Make sure you go see the winner’s card.  Heidi’s creation is beautiful.  I chose the hydrangea from the retired Because I Care since it is one of my favorite stamps. I hope the tone of this isn’t too “sunny” but it seems more subdued in person than in the picture.  I layered some retired Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon on top of the Victoria Crochet Lace and I think it gives a pretty effect.  The sentiment is from my old go-to Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Thanks for stopping in today.  I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

Stamps:  Because I Care (hostess, retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper:  Twitterpated DSP, Polka Dot Parade DSP, Very Vanilla, Basic Gray; Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray; Accessories:  Victoria Crochet Lace, Basic Gray Taffeta (ret), Neutrals Buttons, Dimensionals

 

Stampin’ Celebration is back with a new challenge for May.  What a fun set of inspiration pictures, don’t you think?  I just love all the bright happy colors!

I thought it would be fun to incorporate all the colors into a card using my circle punches and this cool technique.  I have seen it called both embedded embossing and inlaid embossing, either seems appropriate.  I used every circle punch I have to make this one and just randomly punched the awesome Summer Smooches DSP (available again on June 1st), then played around with the pattern.  Once I attached them to a Whisper White layer they were run through my Big Shot using the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.  I let the one big circle hang over the edge for extra dimension.  Then I attached the embossed layer to another Whisper White layer and tied it up with Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine.  The twine goes really well with the Real Red in the DSP (and also with Cherry Cobbler, of course).  I added some little tags using just part of a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and the Jewelry Tag Punch.  I popped the layer up on Dimensionals and it was done!  I liked it so much that we made these at my Customer Appreciation Class last week.  They loved it too.  Perfect for kids and grown-ups alike!

I was so happy to see Stampin’ Celebration back from their break.  Make sure you go visit and give this one a try.  You have all month so there is no excuse!!

Thanks for stopping in today.  I hope your day is fantastic!  See you again soon!!

Stamp:  Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper:  Summer Smooches DSP, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive; Ink:  Real Red; Accessories:  Big Shot, Square Lattice EF, Circle Punches (1-3/4″, 1-3/8″, 1-1/4″, 1″, 1/2″), Jewelry Tag Punch, Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals

I got an order last week and I have been playing with my new products!!  Oh what fun!  Tonight is my 3rd Quarter Hostess Club Meeting and the club ladies will be making this.  I can’t wait!!  First things first, this card is a CASE from the very talented Debra Burgin over at Heartfelt Inkspirations.  I knew I had to make it as soon as I saw it.  In the effort to add my own touch, I did change the colors and the sentiment plus added a layer.  My colors were inspired by this week’s Stampin’ Celebration piece…a great Valentine’s Day palette! 

I pulled out my Framed Tulips Embossing Folder and my Big Shot and rolled the frame right onto the base.  I then added Whisper White Craft Ink.  I did not use a brayer like Debra did (although that would work, of course).  Instead I used another technique that I will cover in an upcoming Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop (Feb. 25th – Feb. 27th).  I cut a section of the First Edition DSP that talks about Cherry Blossoms.  Somehow that seemed appropriate with my use of Cherry Cobbler!  The Be My Valentine heart was stamped in Cherry Cobbler and cut out (cutting off the banner) and I stamped the “valentine” from my Teeny Tiny Wishes “happy valentine’s day” stamp in Basic Gray on a 1/2″ strip of Very Vanilla and just snipped the corners.  Aren’t Stampin’ Write Markers handy??!!  The Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding and Victoria Crochet Trim were tied together with dyed thread (again with a marker) and a Basic Gray Button.  I used a barely inked flower from Fresh Cuts to add a little color to the First Edition paper.

Thanks to Debra for allowing me to CASE her.  Be sure to take a look at her many beautiful creations using the link at the beginning of the post!  I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest SU Only Challenge.  I hope your day is great!

Stamps:  Be My Valentine (122045), Fresh Cuts (111634), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370); Paper:  Cherry Cobbler (119685), Basic Gray (121044), Very Vanilla (101650), First Edition DSP (121878); Ink:  Cherry Cobbler Classic Pad (119669), Basic Gray Marker (120966), Whisper White Craft Pad (101731); Accessories:  Big Shot (113439), Framed Tulips Folder (121809); Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (120992), Victoria Crochet Lace (118481), Neutrals Buttons (119743)

All products are Stampin’ Up!

Happy Monday, everyone!  For those of you returning after the blog hop…welcome back!  I promised further details about the Ghirardelli candy box and here they are.  I realized that the black paper used in my original box was difficult to photograph so I made a different box for simplicity.  Since I was looking for lighter colors, it seemed like a great time to use the Stampin’ Celebration challenge for this week.  Just look at this beautiful picture:

It fits with my project perfectly!!  Now the original instructions for this box come from Splitcoaststampers and this tutorial.  I have altered some of the dimensions slightly and used my available tools instead.  You can click on any picture to see it larger.

Start with a 4 1/4″ by 7 1/8″ piece of Certainly Celery paper.  Using my paper cutter, I scored 1″ away from both short sides.

Then I scored at 2″, 3″, 5″ and 6″, using my paper cutter again.

Now you have an end with a long rectangle and one with a short.  Use your paper cutter to remove the outer two sections on the short rectangle side.  The picture explains it better!

Cut the 1″ score lines and it will look like this:

Add Sticky Strip to the flaps as shown, attaching the little flaps first the then the rectangles so that the flaps folds towards the back.

Once the box is together, I used the corner rounder punch on the flap.  Then use a 2″ by 7 1/2″ strip of DSP (I used Tea Party), attaching it around the box with Sticky Strip.

Where I used my Scallop Circle punch with the lady bug on my Blog Hop box, today I decided to use the puffy flower made with the Scallop Circle.  Corie over at Creations by Corie has a great tutorial on the flower.  I made sure that my bottom layer was not crumpled, however.  Using scraps from the Tea Party DSP, I made the flower and secured it together with a 5/16″ white Jumbo Brad.  Put dimensionals on the bottom of the Scallop Circle to attach it to the box (using those edge pieces is really useful here).

You can see that 4 pieces of the Ghirardelli chocolate fit in perfectly here.  Just tuck the little flaps on the packaging toward the back.

Here are the finished box and the two boxes together.

Thanks for dropping by!  Have fun with this little box…it is a cinch to put together!!