Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday and as we all know, birthdays during covid times are a bit different, a bit quieter. So I decided to use part of my day to work on increasing my stash of birthday cards. I used a lot of retired products to case a fantastic card by Amy Koenders.

Using Parisian Blossoms Specialty DSP

Using Hydrangea Hill DSP

Using All My Love DSP

Using Floral Romance Specialty DSP

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Happy Birthday To You Stamp Set (152308) retired
• Stampin' Up! Basic White 8.5x11 Paper (159276)
• Stampin' Up! Basic White 12x12 Paper (159231)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink 8.5x11 Paper (146985)
• Stampin' Up! Misty Moonlight 8.5x11 Paper (153081)
• Stampin' Up! Flirty Flamingo 8.5x11 Paper (141416)
• Stampin' Up! Fresh Fig 8.5x11 Paper (144242) retired
• Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (132708)
• Stampin' Up! Parisian Blossoms Specialty DSP (151192) retired
• Stampin' Up! Hydrangea Hill DSP (154570) retired
• Stampin' Up! All My Love DSP (148576) retired
• Stampin' Up! Floral Romance Specialty DSP (148586) retired
• Stampin' Up! Stitched Rectangle Dies (151820)
• Stampin' Up! Whisper White Organza Ribbon (145590) retired
• Stampin' Up! Highland Heather Organdy Ribbon (149623) retired
• Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (141897)
• Stampin' Up! Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154904)
• Stampin' Up! So Saffron Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154905) used dark blend
• Stampin' Up! Soft Sea Foam Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154902)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154893)
• Stampin' Up! Pool Party Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154894)
• Stampin' Up! Old Olive Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154892) used light blend
• Stampin' Up! Misty Moonlight Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (153108)
• Stampin' Up! Highland Heather Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154887)
• Stampin' Up! Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154884)
• Stampin' Up! Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (144602) retired

Halloween Came Early...

I started working on some Christmas cards in July and I thought I should get a jump on Halloween cards this month as October would be here before I knew it.

I was actually inspired by these Chirstmas cards and used the download available here to cut my halloween paper. I made two versions of each layout, just switching up the papers.

Layout 1 - Ghost Version

Layout 1 - Pumpkin Version

Layout 2 - Haunted Houses Version

Layout 2 - Candy Version

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Cute Halloween 6x6 DSP (156479)
• Stampin' Up! Word Wishes Dies (149629)
• Stampin' Up! Thick Basic White 8.5x11 Paper (159229)
• Stampin' Up! Basic Black 8.5x11 Paper (121045)
• Stampin' Up! Highland Heather 8.5x11 Paper (146986)
• Stampin' Up! Old Olive 8.5x11 Paper (100702)
• Stampin' Up! Pumpkin Pie 8.5x11 Paper (105117)
• Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (141897)

Double Wonder Cards

I have a confession, I had never heard of Double Wonder Cards until I came across this blogpost by Creative Chelsey. I copied the measurements listed on her blog but used different papers, stamps and supplies. I love when I can make a batch of cards out of pretty paper as it makes any anxiety I might have about cutting into the pretty paper much easier to deal with if I know no piece will go to waste.

Don't know if I've ever mentioned this before but I make at least 2 of ever card I make. I do this in case I give away a card without taking a picture first (happens way too often), because then I have a backup card to photograph. In this case, I decided to use balmy blue for the first card and highland heather for the second card. Which color do you prefer?

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Hand-Penned DSP (155499)
• Stampin' Up! Beautifully Penned DSP (156630)
• Stampin' Up! Balmy Blue 8.5x11 Paper (146982)
• Stampin' Up! Highland Heather 8.5x11 Paper (146986)
• Stampin' Up! Basic White 12x12 Paper (159231)
• Stampin' Up! Basic Black 8.5x11 Paper (121045)
• Stampin' Up! Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder (152718)
• Stampin' Up! White Glittered Organdy Ribbon (156408)
• Tuxedo Black Memento Ink (132708)
• Stampin' Up! Sunny Sentiments Stamp Set (155034)
• Stampin' Up! Enjoy The Moment Stamp Set (154452)
• Stampin' Up! Strong Of Heart Stamp Set (156376)
• Stampin' Up! Nothing's Better Than Stamp Set (152507)
• Stampin' Up! Many Happenings Stamp Set (155001)
• Stampin' Up! Biggest Wish Stamp Set (155052)
• Stampin' Up! Everyday Label Punch (144668)
• Stampin' Up! Lovely Labels Pick A Punch (152883)
• Stampin' Up! Label Me Fancy Punch (151297)
• Stampin' Up! Tailored Tag Punch (145667)
• Stampin' Up! Label Me Lovely Punch (151296)
• Stampin' Up! Messages Die (154422)
• Stampin' Up! Wild Rose Dies (149547) retired

Covid Brides

My heart goes out to all the Brides who had weddings originally scheduled for 2020. Many of those weddings were rescheduled, canceled, and rescheduled again during those first nine months of the pandemic. Some of those weddings are finally being happening this summer/fall. The weddings don't necessarily look the same as originally planned but those Brides finally get to celebrate finding the love of their lives with their closest friends and family.

One of my coworkers is getting married next week. I don't know her very well and was having a hard time figuring out what style of card to make. After doing a quick google search, I found her wedding website. No wedding party details, no signs of a color scheme, all those little things that would inspire a more personalized wedding card. Her wedding website was beautiful though, classic with a twist of modernity. So I did some more googling, this time for cards created by other crafters and found this classic with a twist created by Stasia.

Stampin' & Scrappin' with Stasia

Here's my version of the cased card.

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Basic White Thick 8.5x11 Paper (159229)
• Tuxedo Black Memento Ink (132708)
• Stampin' Up! Wonderful Moments Stamp Set (147529) retired
• Stampin' Up! Cheers To That Stamp Set (150557) retired
• Stampin' Up! Ivory Stampin' Blends (154922)
• Stampin' Up! Cinnamon Cider Stampin' Blends (153105)
• Stampin' Up! Soft Succulent Stampin' Blends (155521)
• Stampin' Up! Fresh Freesia Stampin' Blends (155518)
• Stampin' Up! Fresh Freesia Open Weave Ribbon (155615)
• Stampin' Up! Whisper White Pola Dot Tulle Ribbon (146912) retired
• Stampin' Up! Subtle Embossing Folder (143706) retired
• Stampin' Up! True Love DSP (154281) retired
• Wink of Stella Glitter Brush (141897)

Office Birthdays and Return to Work

So I'm back in the office a few days a week, which means we're back to celebrating office birthdays and I needed some quick cards asap (nothing like waiting till the last minute to make a card).

When searching for inspiration online, I came across the perfect card by the Paper Pixie so I decided to case it. She has all the paper measurements at her site (see link below) and I of course, had to create the card in two different color palette. Do you have a favorite?

The Paper Pixie

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Rainbow Glimmer Paper (153056)
• Stampin' Up! Brights 12x12 Paper (147001) used Bermuda Bay and Mango Melody
• Stampin' Up! Basic White Thick 8.5x11 Paper (159229)
• Stampin' Up! Basic White 12x12 Paper (159231)
• Stampin' Up! Brights Stampin' Write Markers (147157) used Granny Apple Green, Bermuda Bay, Gorgeous Grape, Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight
• Stampin' Up! 2020-2022 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (153125) used Magenta Madness
• Stampin' Up! White Glittered Organdy Ribbon (156408)
• Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (154885) used light blend
• Stampin' Up! Magenta Madness Stampin' Blends Combo Pack (153106) used dark blend
• Stampin' Up! Stitched So Sweetly Dies (151690)
• Stampin' Up! Happiest of Birthdays Stamp Set (152539)

It's Been a While....

It's been a while since I've crafted.... as with so many of us, life's been getting in the way. I have a new job and I'm still learning to balance my hours and I've been dealing with some issues at home so I've been dealing with some stress and anxiety. ... but I forgot that crafting helps me deal with stress and anxiety so I spent a few hours yesterday at my craft table.

When I'm too burnt out to create a card from scratch, I like to case another design or do a One Sheet Wonder to get back into the swing of things so I cased Stamping Jill.

Hope you remember to take time to de-stress.
 

Card 1 - Happy Birthday

Card 2 - Thank You

Card 3 - Beautiful

Card 4 - Mind

Card 5 - Amazing

Card 6 - Dear You

Card 7 - Proud of You

Card 8 - Thinking of You

Card 9 - Here for You

Card 10 - A Beautiful Person

Card 11 - Always Thinking of You

Card 12 - Happy For You

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Perennial Essence DSP (149100)
• Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla Thick Cardstock (144237)
• Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla 12x12 Cardstock (144239)
• Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral Cardstock (122925)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink Cardstock (146985)
• Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral Ink Pad (147101)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink Ink Pad (147108)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink Metallic Edge Ribbon (151194)
• Stampin' Up! Petal Pink Organdy Striped Ribbon (149441)
• Stampin' Up! Gold Metallic Edge Ribbon (144146)
• Stampin' Up! Beautiful Day Stamp Set (151257)
• Stampin' Up! Butterfly Gala Stamp Set (148580)
• Stampin' Up! Band Together Stamp Set (149231)
• Stampin' Up! Fanciful Fragrance Stamp Set (149281)
• Stampin' Up! Modern Heart Stamp Set (149328)
• Stampin' Up! Royal Peacock Stamp Set (149464)
• Stampin' Up! Very Versailles Stamp Set (149275)
• Stampin' Up! Banner Triple Punch (138292)
• Stampin' Up! Everyday Label Punch (144668)
• Stampin' Up! Pretty Label Punch (143715)
• Stampin' Up! Timeless Label Punch (149516)
• 1-3/4" Circle Punch - other brand
• Clear Wink of Stella Brush (141897)
• Stampin' Up! Champagne Rhinestones Basic Jewels (151193)

Make It Work!

I used to watch Project Runway and sometimes it would frustrate me when Tim Gunn would tell a designer to "make it work" ....

because the designer had a vision and I could imagine the designer's frustration on wanting to execute that vision.

But "waste not, want not" and I had stamped this wonderful sentiment for another card but it was just too big for that particular layout... so a new card was born. It took me less than a minute to complete this card because I changed the focus to this wonderful sentiment for #simplestamping.

Supplies Used

• Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650)
• Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral Cardstock (122925)
• Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral Ink Pad (147101)