Stampin' Saturday: Free As A Bird

 Good day and welcome to my humble blog. I'm an Independent Demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm here to offer you inspiration and encourage you to get into your craft space to get creative. Saturdays are made for stampin'. Don't you agree?? Most people have that day off, so why not take a little time for yourself and get creative.

Here is today's card:

 I'm surprised that the Free As A Bird stamp set didn't get much love from me. They are beautiful images, perfect to colour (and I love colouring) and the sentiments use a nice font with a great message. Well it got some lovin' this week. I created a class of six cards that I'll post for sale when I'm done with all the details. So this is a sneak peek of sorts.

Here's a  close up for a more detailed view:

 

 Just about everything on this card is using retired products. I vowed to destash and use up my craft supplies that have been collecting dust. Only things current are the Basic White card stock, Linen Thread, Memento ink, couple Stampin' Blends and the Stampin' Dimesionals.

 

I had to zoom in and show off my bow. Many people have issues tying a nice bow, I am not one of them. At my classes, there's at least one person that wants me to tie their bow. They just can't get it to sit nicely on their card.

**Tip: if you remember, add a strip of Adhesive Sheet (152334) before dies cutting "friend". It makes adhering to your project quicker and easier. You could always use the Fine Tip Glue Pen (138309) or Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755) if you forget or don't have any.**

Supplies used:

• Free As A Bird stamp set
• Soft Sky card stock
• Soft Suede card stock
• Basic White card stock (159276)
  
• Bird Ballad DSP
• Merriest Trees dies (tag die cut)
• Well Written Framelits- dies (friend die cut)
• Memento ink pad (132708)
• Stampin' Blend Daffodil Delight (154883), Pumpkin Pie (154897)
• Linen Thread (104199)
• Stampin' Dimensional (104430)
  

I'm all about decorating the inside of the card and the envelope. I keep it simple and let the spotlight shine on the front of the card. Here I used the Bird Ballad DSP. It's a good way to use it up!

 That's all for today! I hope you liked my creation and it inspires you to get into your craft space today. If you do CASE this card or find inspiration to create something, please share with Diane's Craft Space on Facebook, we love seeing what you are up to.

Friday Inspiration: Playing In The Rain

 Good day and welcome to my humble blog. I'm an Independent Demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm here to offer you inspiration and encourage you to get into your craft space to get creative. Every Friday in my Facebook group, Diane's Craft Space, I post an inspirational card. I try to keep it simple so even a beginner can CASE it (Copy And Share Everything).

Here is this week's card using all current product except the Stitched Circle die but you can use Stylish Shape Dies (159183) or the 2 3/8" Circle Punch (161354).

I created two versions of this card. The one above is using all current products and horizontal. The other below (scroll down a bit) uses almost all retired products and created vertically but same sketch layout.

I used the following products:

• Playing In The Rain stamp set (160542)
• Playing In The Rain dies (160550)
• Most Adored DSP (162976)
• Fresh As A Daisy DSP (161289)
• Copper Clay card stock (161721)
• Copper Clay ink pad (161647)
• Memento ink pad (132708)
• Stampin' Blends: Light Cherry Cobbler (154880), Dark Daffodil (154883), D&L Crumb Cake (154882), D&L Old Olive (154892), D&L Soft Sea Foam (154902)
• Stitched Circle (retired) but can use 2 3/8" Circle Punch (161354) or Stylish Shapes dies (159183)
• Opaque Faceted Gems (162979)
• Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

And then the decorated envelope and inside of the card. Keeping it simple with DSP and Mr Turtle.
 

Now here is the version of the same layout turned vertically using mostly retired products:

After seeing Helen's card this week on the Krafty Chicks Challenge blog, I had to dust off my pandas. This stamp set is the retired Party Pandas, it was a FREE SAB set a few years back and I just couldn't part with it. 

I finished the inside the same as the previous card. I'm really that simple!

 

 So tell me, which version do you prefer?? Are you Team Turtle or Team Panda??

 

That's all for today! I hope you liked my creation and it inspires you to get into your craft space today. If you do CASE this card or find inspiration to create something, please share with Diane's Craft Space on Facebook, we love seeing what you are up to.

Krafty Chicks Challenge #699: CAS

Happy Krafty Chicks Thursday to you!

 Are you ready for this week's challenge? On the third week of the month, I'm the hostess and we are looking for CAS. There's a wide interpretation to CAS (Clean And Simple), but just have fun with it.

 Now, here's my CAS Challenge card: 

As you are aware, next month's " holiday" is Valentine's Day. I don't normally make a card for my sweetie but this year with the Supremely Awesome stamp set (161560) from Stampin' Up!, I just had to create this lovely CAS card as we own and work in a pizzeria.

I coloured my pizza slices using lots of different Stampin' Blends. I love when I get to play with these. I own almost the whole collection of Blends! Anywoo! I'll list the colours I've used:

• Crumb Cake                  (154882) for the mushroom
• Daffodil Delight            (154883) for the mozzeralla
• Cherry Cobbler              (154880) for the pepperoni
• Cajun Craze                   (154879) for the pepperoni
• Old Olive                       (154892) for the basil leaf
• Granny Apple Green     (154885) for the green peppers
• Natural Tones Medium  (159462) for the crust
• Natural Tones Light       (159465) for the crust

I finished of the card with a sentiment, a few rhinestones and of course to make it lovey-dovey, I added hearts. One heart is punched and the smaller ones are left overs from an old Paper Pumpkin kit. 

TIP: Originally tthe small hearts were pink but I used my Cherry Cobbler Blends to make them red.

 

No card is complete without finishing the inside with a coordinating image. Same goes for the envelope. I did however use the Stampin' Write markers though as I didn't want the colours to bleed through as Blends are known to do. So the colouring is a little off. I also added stamped hearts to the envelope flap. I found those in a past Paper Pumpkin as well.

Want some more inspiration?? Go check out the Krafty Chicks Challenge Blog to see what the Design Team have created. Hope you play along and upload your project so that we can see what's happening in your craft space.

Here's a direct link to our wonderful Design Team's personal blogs:

 

Leanne's Blog

Denise's Blog

Lori's Blog

Helen (Guest Designer)

 

Dear Doily For Friday Inspiration

 Good day and welcome to my humble blog. I'm an Independent Demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm here to offer you inspiration and encourage you to get into your craft space to get creative. Every Friday in my FaceBook group, Diane's Craft Space, I post an inspirational card. I try to keep it simple so even a beginner can CASE (Copy And Share Everything) it.

Here is this week's card:

 I started off by finding a sketch that I wanted to use; easiest way to find your mojo and get your creative juice flowing. I chose (and I often do) Freshly Made Sketches #618. The Design Team offers you even more inspiration, so go have a look.

Freshly Made Sketches #618

 

My word of the year is DECLUTTER, or destash. I'm looking to simplify my life and that includes destashing my craft space. Most of my makes will now use mostly retired products. If I can't sell it, I might as well use it. 

Can you guess all the retired products used?? With the exception of the Thick Basic White card stock for the base (item 159229), the Gorgeous Grape ink pad (item 147099), the Dark Highland Heather Stampin' Blends (item 154887), and the Iridescent Pearl Basic Jewels* (item 158987), everything else on this card is retired.

* TIP: If you look closely, you'll notice the pearls are purple, not at all the same as in the catalogue. Here's my trick to a different coloured pearl, or rhinestone, or gem, or sequin, or ribbon, or twine: colour THEM with the Stampin's Blends colour of your choosing. Tada!

Here's the list of retired items used: Dear Doily stamp set, Doily Builder thinlits, Layering Circle dies, Dandy Designs DSP.

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I do not leave the card inside or envelope bare. I like a little something, something simple as the start of the show is the card front. Here I used the DSP again (cuz I have lots of it, it's a 48 sheet package that I've barely made a dent into) and a doily image with sentiment for the inside. The doily on the inside of the card was stamped off three times (that's usually enough) but it's still too dark. I recommend you stamp off  as many times as you need on scratch paper first and see which "shade" is the beast for you.

 That's all for today! I hope you liked my creation and it inspires you to get into your craft space today. If you do CASE this card or find inspiration to create something, please share with Diane's Craft Space on FaceBook, we love seeing what you are up to.

Supremely Awesome Winter Card

 Hello! Welcome to my humble blog. Today I'd like to share with you a card I created just for fun and as part of my #24for24: create and blog at least 3 times a week.

I am playing with two challenges today.

Freshly Made Sketches #617

Color Throwdown #774

Only, I went with craft colour instead of Ivory in the colour combo.

Here I'm showcasing most of the products I used to create this card. Although many products are retired, they still have a lot of life left to them and they should be used up not ignored (as I've done in the past). Another part of my #24for24 is to use up my stash, so you'll see many more cards created with retired items.

No card is complete in my opinion if one doesn't decorate the inside and the envelope. I do keep it simple with a bit of card stock and DSP.

Hope you enjoyed my make for today. I had fun creating it. See you again soon!

I Really Appreciate You Card

 Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog. This is my second post this week. Shocking!! One of my #24for24 challenge is to create at least 3 blog posts a week. It's doable, so I'll do my best.

Here's my card:

I am play with two challenges with this gorgeous card. 

Global Design Project #426

TGIF Challengers #454

 

Here I'm showcasing most of the products I used to create this card. Notice the Most Adored 12x12 Specialty DSP (162570)! One side of each sheet has a gold element to it and the other side have reds and pinks; perfect for Valentine but not just for this holiday. Think Love and Anniversary too. And you can get this Specialty DSP for FREE when you buy from my online store (Shop With Me) or from the catalogue.

Another part of my #24for24 is to use up my stash. As a Demonstrator for 15 years, I have accumulated a lot, I mean shelves upon shelves, of product from stamp sets to card stock to DSP to punches and then some. I've used a few retired products in the past but this year, I aim to do even more. Just because it's retired doesn't mean it's useless. All Stampin' Up!'s products are high quality and made to last. So use it as often as you can. Can you spot the retired items in this pic (look on the card too)??

Here's a close up. See all the sparkle! From the silver glimmer paper and the silver cord. And what about all that shine from the gold strips (132622), the gold on the DSP (162570) and the gold embossed (155555) sentiment which comes from the Timeless Arrangements stamp set (161521) and die cut using the coordinating dies (161525).

Then I finished off the inside and the envelope with a bit more DSP and a little sparkly twig that I needed cut off from the die cut.

I hope you enjoyed my make for today, I had fun creating it.See you soon!