Busy as a Bee

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   When Stampin' Up revealed the "Dragonfly Dreams" stamp set and matching framelits, everyone just loved it.  I loved it, too, but I really had to have the set because of the awesome bumble bee stamp and framelit.  I don't know what it is, but I really love bees--on cards, not so much IRL if they're buzzing around trying to sting me.

I'm heading to the OnStage Local event in Richmond, Virginia, this weekend, and I've joined in an organized swap.  I needed to make some quick and pretty cards to swap with other stampers and I settled on this design.  Isn't the bee adorable?!

I'm really sad that the 2015-2017 In Colors are retiring in June, but I'm looking forward to 5 new colors! I would have used Delightful Dijon on this card, but since I wanted the recipient to be able to use it as an example into the new catalog period, I used So Saffron instead.  I haven't used that color in a while, but I think I need to pull it out now that spring is here!

I stamped a sentiment from "Dragonfly Dreams" in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto a 3-3/4" by 5" So Saffron Card Stock panel.  I adhered this to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Basic Black mat.  Next, I wrapped some Basic Black Baker's Twine three times around the panels and tied on a bow before adhering everything to a So Saffron card base.

I used the Stitched Shapes Framelits to cut a circle of So Saffron and the Layering Circles to cut a scalloped circle of Basic Black.  Then I embossed the So Saffron circle with the Hexagons Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I adhered these two circles together with Fast Fuse Adhesive and then attached them to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I cut a bunch of little bees from Basic Black Card Stock scraps with the bee framelit from the Detailed Dragonfly Framelits dies. I adhered the bee to the circle with a Glue Dot.

For a finishing touch, I added three Basic Rhinestone Embellishments to the card.  

I can't wait to see what I get in return for these swaps.  I'll be sure to share some with you next week!

tams# 12698

Product List

Dragonfly Dreams Photopolymer Bundle [144728] $46.75	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $6.00	So Saffron 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [105118] $8.00	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $8.00
Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Layering Circle Framelits Dies [141705] $35.00	Hexagons Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [143231] $9.00	Basic Black Baker's Twine [134576] $3.00
Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments [119246] $5.00	Fast Fuse Adhesive [129026] $10.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Sunrise, Sunset

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday--OK, it seems like only a few years ago--that my first baby was born.  But time flies when you're having fun and my "baby" just turned 23!  Yikes!  Look how cute he was!

He's pretty cute, now, too! But I think I'll leave you guessing....and I'll keep looking at that cutie pie face.

Anyway, Mom had to make a card for her big boy man, right? I knew he'd get a kick out of the monsters in the "Yummy in my Tummy" set.  I stamped the monster in Emerald Envy Ink onto a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White Card Stock panel.  I also used Emerald Envy to make the strings for the balloons--those images come from the "Balloon Adventures" stamp set. The sentiment, also from "Balloon Adventures," is stamped in Calypso Coral. I adhered this panel to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Pacific Point Card Stock mat, and then onto an Emerald Envy Card Stock card base, cut lengthwise.

I stamped two balloons from "Balloon Adventures"--one in Pacific Point and one in Calypso Coral--and punched them out with the Balloon Bouquet Punch.  I adhered them to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

The inside of the card (not shown) is stamped with another great sentiment from "Balloon Adventures"--Here's to Another Year Full of Adventures!" 

I think I did well--the card brought a smile to my sweet boy's man's face. You'll have to take my word for it. ;-)

tams# 12655

Product List

Yummy In My Tummy Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143623] $17.00	Balloon Adventures Photopolymer Stamp Set [142823] $26.00	Emerald Envy Classic Stampin' Pad [141396] $6.50	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad [126983] $6.50
Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad [126951] $6.50	Emerald Envy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141415] $8.00	Pacific Point 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [111350] $8.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00
Balloon Bouquet Punch [140609] $18.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Creation Station: Nurture & Nature, From Showers to Flowers

#stampinup   #creationstation   #faithfulinkspirations   Happy Spring! It's finally here! The flowering trees in our yard are blooming and the daffodils are starting to peek their heads out. Spring is such a pretty time of year when everything starts to grow again.

Our theme for the April 2017 Creation Station blog hop is perfect for spring:  "Nurture and Nature, From Showers to Flowers."  Stampin' Up makes so many great stamp sets that feature flowers--and I have a bunch of them, so it took me a little bit of thinking before I choose the set I would use.

"Penned & Painted" was one of the first sets I bought when the 2016-17 catalog came out. I really love the watercolor effect of these three-step stamps.  And it's as easy as one, two, three to achieve--especially when each stamp has a little tab on it so you can align each image perfectly!

I stuck with a monochromatic theme, using Sweet Sugarplum and Rich Razzleberry.  On a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White Card Stock panel, I stamped four of the large flowers from the "Penned & Painted" set in Sweet Sugarplum (one).  Then I stamped the outline image onto each flower in Rich Razzleberry (two).  Finally, I inked the middle image in Rich Razzelberry, stamped it off once, and then stamped it in the middle of the flower (three).  The sentiment is from the "All Things Thanks" set and is stamped in Rich Razzleberry.

I adhered the Whisper White panel to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Sweet Sugarplum mat and then tied on a length of Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon.  I adhered this to a Rich Razzleberry Card Stock card base, cut lengthwise. For a finishing touch, I colored the center of the flowers with Gold Wink of Stella.

I don't normally stamp inside my cards and I rarely stamp the envelopes, but this is a creative blog hop, so I need to step outside my lazy comfort zone. 

I stamped the other 3-step flower onto a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White panel and another sentiment from "All Things Thanks" in Rich Razzleberry.  I adhered this to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Sweet Sugarplum mat and then to the inside of the card.  I also stamped a flower onto the envelope.  The center of these flowers are also colored with the Gold Wink of Stella Brush.
I always try to make a 3D item for the Creation Station blog hop and this hop is no exception. And, I gotta tell you, this gift bag was supes quick and easy to make!

I put a quarter sheet of Sweet Sugarplum Card Stock inside a Glassine Giftbag to give it some substance.  I cut a 2" strip from a piece of Blooms & Bliss Designer Series Paper and a 1-1/5" strip from another piece of the DSP.  I flagged the ends with the Banner Triple Punch.  I had a 1/2" strip of yet another piece of this DSP in my scrap pile and I just snipped the end off.  I clipped these DSP pieces to the bag using a Gold Binder Clip.

I wrapped a length of Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon around the bag, tied a knot, and slipped it under the Gold Binder Clip.  Then I colored part of a stamp from the "All Things Thanks" set with a Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Write Marker--that way I i could stamp just the "thank you" and not the rest of the sentiment.  I stamped this onto a Whisper White scrap and cut it out with one of the Stitched Shapes Framlites.  I punched a circle of Sweet Sugarplum Card Stock with the 2" Circle Punch and adhered it to the white side of a Lace Doily.  I adhered the doily to the bag and the stamped circles to the doily. For a finishing touch, I added a heart-shaped Rich Razzleberry Enamel Shape to the design.

I hope you liked my creations.  Please use the buttons below to continue to be inspired by the awesome Creation Station creative team. See you next month!! 

tams# 12614 Penned & Painted Card

Product List

Penned & Painted Photopolymer Stamp Set [141938] $25.00	All Things Thanks Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143097] $19.00	Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad [141395] $6.50	Rich Razzlebberry Classic Stampin' Pad [126950] $6.50
Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [115316] $8.00	Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141418] $8.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Sweet Sugarplum 3/8" (1 Cm) Ruched Ribbon [141428] $8.00
Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141898] $8.00

tams# 12615 Thank You Gift Bag

Product List

All Things Thanks Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143097] $19.00	Many Marvelous Markers [131264] $110.00	Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141418] $8.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00
Blooms & Bliss Designer Series Paper [141654] $11.00	Glassine Gift Bags [141700] $4.00	Sweet Sugarplum 3/8" (1 Cm) Ruched Ribbon [141428] $8.00	Gold Binder Clips [141673] $7.00
Lace Doilies [142793] $4.50	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	2" Circle Punch [133782] $18.00	Banner Triple Punch [138292] $23.00
Brights Enamel Shapes [141680] $9.00