Hey Macarena!

#stampinup  One of the fabulous new In Colors (2015-2017) is Mint Macaron. Not "macaroon," but the more hoity-toity, Frenchified "macaron." Except that every time I think about this color, I start singing, "Hey Macarena!" I don't know why. I'm silly like that.

Today's card is a clean and simple and quick and easy card that really showcases Mint Macaron and the "Blended Bloom" stamp. This stamp is gorgeous when colored in using the Aqua Painters and ink, but I think it's stunning left on its own as line art. I also used the "Work of Art" set for the sentiment, aligning the two pieces with my Stamp-a-ma-Jig and stamping them separately. Both the flower and sentiment are stamped directly onto the Mint Macaron panel.

The card base is also Mint Macaron and I added a Basic Black mat just for that monochromatic pop! Finally, I added a row of small Basic Rhinestones at the top and bottom of the card--and then colored these with a black Sharpie(TM).

tams# 3470

Product List

Blended Bloom Wood-Mount Stamp Set [135906] $11.95	Work Of Art Wood-Mount Stamp Set [134111] $29.95	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $5.95	Mint Macaron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [138337] $7.00
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $6.95	Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments [119246] $4.95	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig [101049] $11.95

Fab Grad

#stampinup  Yikes! I didn't realize how many graduate cards I needed to make. So it looks like I'm spending this week coming up with a few designs. Today I'm playing along with the Fab Friday challenge--which is a color challenge this time. These colors are great for any occasion, but I think they're especially nice for a clean and simple grad card.



I started with a Night of Navy card base and added a Marina Mist mat. Next, I embossed a Whisper White panel with the Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder and adhered it with Stampin' Dimensionals to give it, well, dimension.

I cut out a Hello Honey open heart using two nested Star Framelits dies. I cut a 1" x 4" Marina Mist strip, flagged the end with the NEW! Banner Triple Punch and stamped the sentiment from "Pictogram Punches" in Night of Navy. I used my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to position the sentiment right where I wanted it. I punched a small star in Hello Honey with one of the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack punches and adhered it with a glue dot. I adhered this banner with three Stampin' Dimensionals right down the center. (Sometimes I go a little "dimensional crazy.")

Finally I put the open star onto a scrap paper and used snail adhesive to get it sticky and added it to the card. I used the Adhesive Remover--the best tool and best bargain in the entire catalog--to remove any adhesive residue.

I think I might mass produce this card in a few other color combos for my other grads. It came together pretty quickly and turned out nicely (if I do say so myself--and I do).

tams# 3460

Product List

Pictogram Punches Clear-Mount Stamp Set [134264] $16.95	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [126970] $5.95	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100867] $6.95	Marina Mist 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119682] $6.95
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Hello Honey 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133678] $6.95	Stars Framelits Dies [133723] $26.95	Banner Triple Punch [138292] $23.00
Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787] $16.95	Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [132174] $7.95	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $3.95	Glue Dots [103683] $4.95
Adhesive Remover [103684] $3.50	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $6.95	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig [101049] $11.95

Graduate Money Holder

It's really easy getting a gift for a graduate--high school, college, grad school. Money is always the best gift! And what better way to present a gift of money than a money holder!

I've seen a few money envelope examples online and they looked easy enough to make--and I was right!

I started with a 8-1/4" x 7" piece of Pacific Point card stock. On the long end, I scored it at 3" and 6". Then I used the envelope punch board to make the tab. I  adhered the tab to the card with Fast Fuse so that the moolah will stay safely inside! On the top flap, I adhered a Basic Gray panel. I stamped two sentiments in Basic Gray from the "B.Y.O.P." stamp set onto 3/4" strips of Whisper White and flagged the ends with the Banner Punch. I adhered these to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I punched some stars from the star punch from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack and adhered them with glue dots.

On the outside, I cut a Basic Gray panel and embossed it with the Lucky Stars Embossing Folder. I added a Whisper White mat to give it a little pop. Next, I made a belly band from a 7" x 2" strip of Pacific Point card stock. I adhered it with some more Fast Fuse. I stamped the sentiment in Pacific Point onto a 1.5" Whisper White strip and flagged the end with the NEW! Banner Triple Punch. I adhered this to the belly band with Stampin' Dimensionals. I added some more stars with glue dots, and that was it!

 

tams# 3452

Product List

B.Y.O.P. Photopolymer Stamp Set [137159] $24.95	Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad [126951] $5.95	Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad [126981] $5.95	Pacific Point 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [111350] $6.95
Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121044] $6.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Lucky Stars Textured Impressions Embossing Folders [135817] $7.95	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787] $16.95
Banner Triple Punch [138292] $23.00	Envelope Punch Board [133774] $19.95	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $3.95	Glue Dots [103683] $4.95
Fuse Fast Adhesive [129026] $9.95	Stampin' Trimmer [126889] $29.95

Congrats, Jake!

There are several high school graduates in my life and, of course, I'm going to make each of them a card. This simple card took me. all. night. long. Well, it didn't start out simple. The first card I made turned out to be a hot mess. I hate that. I have an idea. I sit down to create and I just can't bring my vision to life. I spent a lot of time on the hot mess, but I don't think any of it is salvageable.

Take Two. Three. OK. Four.

I started with a Pacific Point card base. I added a Whisper White mat. I added another mat in Basic Gray that I embossed with the Stylish Stripes Embossing folder. So far so good.

I had a "Congrats Grad!" tag from one of my rejects that I'd made with the "B.Y.O.P" and "Gorgeous Grunge" stamp sets. Actually, it was the only part of Take Three that I could salvage by using the Note Tag Punch. I mounted the tag onto the card with Stampin' Dimensionals and I liked it. But it was a little too plain. 

I thought about adding some Silver Taffeta Ribbon or some Basic Rhinestones, but this card is for a dude and I didn't think he'd like that. Ugh. In my desperation, I started punching some Pacific Point stars with the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack star punch and they landed randomly on the card. I liked it! (Hey Mikey!) I popped each star onto a glue dot and put them back on the card where they'd landed. I added a couple more stars to balance it out. 

Whew. One card down. Umpteen more to go.

tams# 3446

Product List

B.Y.O.P. Photopolymer Stamp Set [137159] $24.95	Gorgeous Grunge Clear Stamp Set [130517] $17.95	Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad [126951] $5.95	Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad [126981] $5.95
Pacific Point 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [111350] $6.95	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121044] $6.95	Note Tag Punch [135860] $16.95
Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787] $16.95	Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [132174] $7.95	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $3.95	Glue Dots [103683] $4.95