Stampin' With Michelle Pepper

Oh, my, this "card in a box" is popping up on the internet quite a bit lately, and I had so wanted to make one ever since I saw a video tutorial on this card style. Here is my first attempt and it won't be my last I tell ya, so be warned in advance you may see quite a few from me in the next little while :-) Or maybe not because...while the construction is the easy part, the decorating slows me right down. I had all this space to decorate and found it hard to decide on which DSP to use, whether it be a Birthday card or Valentines card, etc...It is the same "problem" which is the reason I don't (yet) scrapbook. Anyhoo, I did it, I decorated it all. It is such a fun card to make and to receive. And the other cool thing about this card is that it folds flat into this: How awesome is that?! See what I mean, that it would be so much fun to receive this? You think you get a standard card, but then it turns and surprise, all these things pops out at ya f...

I {heart} these little sweetheart treat bags! I have had so much fun playing packaging with these cuties, look at some of the different ways these bags have been "dressed" - lol, it was indeed a bit like playing dress ups. Tutorials for these can be found via Connie Stewart's blog (Connie is a fun loving US demo that I follow.) Alternatively, I can show you how if you want to book a workshop, or request that we do these at Stamp Class/Club nights. There's only one little, but important thing to note. These bags are only available til January 27, 2014. So you have 3 days to stock up on these limited edition treat bags! And stock up you might want to for these aren't just for Valentine's Day. They make great birthday party favours. To place an order now, click here. With just one score line and a fold, you get this look - a treat bag with two pockets! One to hold a little treat like a Whitaker Dark Chocolate Square, and the one with the banner tab...

Today's card is one for the Stamp Nation's Birthday Bash Challenge #111 which was to create a card inspired by the Stamp Nation Logo.  My take was inspired by the colours and instead of a shower of flowers, I created a shower of hearts and of course the sentiment naturally fits...and it all naturally fits the theme of I {heart} Stamp Nation and all the lovely supportive sistas there. The design of the card is a CASE of Case Study Challenge #173 :-) Hmm...the card didn't turn out the way I imagined it in my head...I particularly didn't like how the upside down heart took focus inside the "O" of "Love" so I tweaked it up using a giant rhinestone jewel and then since I have a rhinestone, why not sprinkle a few more, lol. Yup, I think I like it better now :-)

This was my CASE attempt and to put to practice what Chupa (Iwona Palamountain) taught us at Stamp Nation this month. Heat embossed the image (I used the Hydrangea image from SU's retired set Because I Care) with white emboss powder on Whisper White card stock. Using reinkers (here I used Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding and So Saffron), colour with regular paintbrush the image, going over the outline for that watercolour effect. I then used the large framelit from Apothecary Accents to cut out the tag shape and added the white twine. See that Woodgrain embossed piece? That was salvaged from a failed watercolouring experiment. You wouldn't know that, if I hadn't told you, would you? I turned that piece over, and splatter the ink (the above colours plus Crisp Cantaloupe) on - yes, you read that alright...just flick the brush with ink over the paper to get the random splotches of ink. Messy, but F.U.N.! Then I put through the Big Shot with the woodgrain emboss folder. I...

Stamp Nation is a community of fabulously caring and supportive crafters and is the brain child of Catherine Pooler. Stamp Nation turned 3 on Jan 11th, so it's party time and with that comes prizes to win! Check out Catherine's youtube video here .  We are also celebrating at Stamp Nation this week with daily challenges. This one is for challenge #3 which is to participate in one of the SN challenges that were in the month you joined up. I chose the Colour My World challenge, which was to use a spectrum of colours. Naturally, one thinks of the rainbow for "spectrum of colours" but I wanted to challenge myself to use a colour combo that aren't immediately obvious to me. So I went on pinterest and was not disappointed.    This card relies on the Stamp-a-ma-jig tool to line it all up. This is an awesome tool that I would consider a Must Have.  SU Colours used were: So Saffron, Smoky Slate, Tempting Turquoise, Island Indigo, Always Artichoke, with a...

Just having a play with this stamp set which I have had for a couple of months at least. Finally mounted the stamps today and had a play. I used SU markers to highlight the letters on the hexagons to spell "Birthday." As I said, I was having a play :-)