Happy Birthday Card to Wrap Up a Fun Week

What a week it has been!  The only think that could possibly top Cricut's 5th Birthday Party and release of the Expression 2 was a Royal Wedding!  I may need the weekend to recover from this fun, fun week.  I thought I would wrap up the week with a fun birthday card.

The card was created using Imaginesce cardstock and chipboard stickers, the I-Top tool, Stampin' Up stamps, and a Stampin' Up punch.   I really like the bright and festive look of this card.  The cake and present chipboard stickers really pop off of the brown cardstock on the cover, but then I took the card to the next step.  I added a stamped and punch tag, color coordinating flowers, and an I-Top brad. 

I like the fold of the card.  Begin with a 12" strip of cardstock.  Fold the cardstock in half.  Then fold the top half of the card in half again, folding back toward the fold.  You will create an uneven Z fold.  You then attach a small rectangle to the top half of the card.  The photo above shows this fold far better than I could possibly explain it to you.

The top of the card pulls to the left to open.  Inside the card I stamped Happy Birthday again and left plenty of space to write a personalized message.

Stamps + Nesties = Quick and Cute Easter Cards

Blessed Good Friday to all who celebrate.  I thought I would take a break from my in-home projects I have had going part of this week and share my three final 2011 Easter Cards.  Earlier this winter I purchased this adorable little Easter girl stamp as party of a Stampin' Up set.  I just had to make a few cards with her before the season passed.

I used Stampin' Up Rose ink and stamped the image on smooth white cardstock.  I used classic rectangular nesties and one of the newer label sets to cut out my girl and her mattings.   I whipped up some quick cards using leftover Easter papers and white ribbon and pop dotted the stamped images on to the front of the cards.  I added a pink button with floss to each card.

I also stamped the image using Stampin Up "Almost Amethyst" ink and purple cardstock.  I did not show you the entire purple card because the purple looks horrid against my bright pink background. This pink/purple combination  was visually offensive!

I am excited because my younger son arrives in from Atlanta today.  The Easter bunny had to do a bit of last minute shopping this week.  I also have to finish Aaron's and Crissie's baskets, though I did get Crissie a Zoku frozen pop maker.  I have one and Doug and I love it.  Homemade pudding pops are wonderful.
With my family in town for Easter I probably will not post again until Monday - we have a lot of activities planned for the weekend.  I wish you all fabulous weekend and a very special Easter!! 

Merry and Bright Cards

What happens you combine Echo Park cardstock with a Stampin' Up stamp and Spellbinder's Nestabilities?  You get fun Christmas cards that are as cute as they are easy!  Including stamping, heat embossing, cutting out the elements and assembling, I made these two card in about thirty minutes!

I began by stamping the Merry and Bright Stampin' Up phrase in embossing ink on smooth white cardstock.  I topped the embossing ink with bright red embossing powder and heat embossed.  Using round nesties, I cut out the Merry and Bright phrase.  I used red chalk to highlight the edge of the white circles and then I used Nestie's Lacey Circles and cut out the lacey matting.

I affixed the Merry and Bright circles to a fun snowflake print by Echo Park atop a glittery blue mat.  Stampin' Up ribbon was added, as well as fun glittery corners and then the entire card front was mounted onto a red card.

The inside of the card was stamped with a Stampin' Up Christmas greeting and two little red snowflakes.  The cards have matching red envelops that were stamped with white snowflakes. 

And now I have to go wrap the two items that UPS delivered after dinner.... And I had foolishly thought I was finished wrapping!!  I checked my list and discovered that I have three more items due in this week and UPS confirms that they are on their way!  So five more packages to wrap and THEN I will be done!!

Mother's Day Cards By Andrea

Oh Hello!  Guess who entered her photos  but forgot to type in the text??  Yes, that would be me!

This is a lovely card designed by my neighbor, Andrea.  Andrea had the scrapping ladies over to make Mother's Day cards.  Andrea has a plethora of stamps and ink pads; the woman could easily start her own store!  Or maybe start giving stamping lessons!

I only made one change on Andrea's design, I added doodle dots.  But even then Andrea made suggestions.  I am so lucky to have such a talented and super-nice neighbor!!

Chocolate Cupcake, Blog Hop, and Fabulous Blog Hop Candy

Wow, what a great Monday morning! 

First - it is the monthly BBTB2 Design Team Blog Hop!  That means you probably arrived here from BBTB2.  The featured cut this week is one of the cupcakes from the Celebrations cartridge.  I cut my cupcake in chocolate brown paper with pink frosting and gem flower sprinkles.  I then added a birthday hat, a scalloped card front and a Happy Birthday tag made with Stampin' Up stamps and Spellbinders oval nesties to create this girly birthday card.  I topped the birthday hat off with a lovely prima flower and a larger gem flower and trimmed both the hat and the cupcake wrapper with Making Memories ribbon

In addition to the blog hop, we have a lot going on at BBTB2.  BBTB2 has a blog hop give away which is being sponsored by Everyday Cricut (formerly known as Holiday with the Cricut).  You can win the Sweethearts cartridge and package of SEI (Happy Day) scrap paper.  All you have to do to be eligible to win is leave a comment on BBTB2 blog AND sign up to follow the BBTB2 blog.  How easy is that?

I too have a fabulous blog hop give away/blog candy.  Custom Crops is sponsoring me this week with a $25.00 gift voucher for their store.  Just leave a comment below and I will select a winner for the gift voucher on Thursday, March 4th.  Thank you so much Custom Crops for sponsoring my prize this month!

After you leave your comment below you (because YOU KNOW you want the $25.00 gift voucher) you will continue on the BBTB2 design team blog hop.  Your next stop is at Lori's blog.  Lori is a very talented designer and I know you are going to love what she has made to share.  Happy Hopping!!

Gift Card Holders Featuring New Stampin' Up Toys

What a busy day I had in my scraproom! I cut and assembled two projects that you will get to see in a week or so, and I played with my new Stampin' Up toys! At stamp club last month I purchased a cute set of ornament stamps and a matching ornament punch. Tonight I finally opened the packages!

I made a few gift tags for the gifts I am making for the ladies at work. Then I moved on to my main event: Gift Card holders! Or should that be gift card cards? Which ever...

My cards were made using 4.5 x 11 inch cardstock, scored and folded. I looked at a few web sites for instructions on how to cut out the slot for the gift card, but in the end I made up my own way.

The card holders were super easy to cut and assemble. The most difficult part, oddly, was finding the right Christmas cardstock. I used the trusted "trial and error" method and only disposed of one card.

Stampin' Up - Cricut - Spellbinders Combo Card

Last Saturday our local Stampin' Up Demonstrator had a post-convention Open House. I dropped by to oohhhh and aahhh over her latest products, check out her (awesome!) make and take, and to hear about her convention. I found that Steph was selling some of her older stamp sets. All last year I eyed a specific stamp set, but kept finding other things I thought I needed when ordering. But guess who had that set on sale?

This card is the first made with my new stamp set; I love these tags. I did not have the correct punch for the stamp set.... But cricut had the correct cut!!! I found a square tag on one of my cartridges with the same number of scallops!! Wooo-hooo! I cricut cut my tags, then stamped!!!

There are three stamps in the set, so I still have two more stamps to use yet!!