Just Because, Butterflies and Bright Blossoms

Hi there, my stamping friends. Has a stamp set ever caught your eye and you just didn't get it because you just didn't. Well, that happened to me. Just Because was one of the sets that caught my eye last year when the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog debuted in June. Before I re-uped as a SU Demo in late June, this set was at the top of my list and I never got it. I had been attending my upline, Elizabeth Hurst's, stamp classes and was chosen to pick a set to be spolighted as a "Stamper's Choice" stamp set. Well, the class never made and I never got the set.

When the Summer Smooches pre-view was introduced early last week, I took another look at the Just Because set because I was preparing for today's workshop/class and wanted to make an Easter card, but not in the traditional sense with rabbits, flowers, crosses, eggs or chickens. Soooo, I looked through the catalog again and kept coming back to this set. I finally broke down and said it was time to order it. When I received it Thursday evening with all of the other products, I pondered and contemplated "what am I going to do?"

I had no idea how I was going to design an card with this set, but plunged along anyway and got as far as picking out the colors I wanted to use, embossing and layering the cardstock, stamping the image, layering it and applying the ruffled ribbon. Once I got to this step,I took a look at the card and decided it needed more that what I had ended up with; and I thought "butterflies." So I took out the Beautiful Wings embosslet and played with the colors and ended up with the card below. I was pleased as punch with how it came out.

Cardstock: Lucky Limeade, So Saffron, More Mustard, Pool Party and Wisteria Wonder
Stamp Pads: Crumb Cake and Black Stazon
Big Shot
Embossing Folder: Finial Press
Embosslets: Wild Wings
Ribbon: Lucky Limeade Ruffle
Dimensionals


The Bright Blossoms came together rather quickly. I decided to spotlight the image by using the label punch as if it were a picture frame or a window and came up with the completed card below. I wanted to draw all the colors together that were in the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper and create a "splash" of Spring. I picked Rich Razzleberry and Lucky Limeade as the base colors. Needless to say, and once again, I was pleased as punch with the end results.

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Peach Parfait, Whisper White and Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper.
Punches: Label Punch, Word Punch and Modern Label Punch
Ribbon: Cherry Cobbler Scallop Dots
Stampin' Markers: Pacific Point, Old Olive, Real Red and Tangerine Tango


Last but not least in my creativity; I played with the new Petite Purse Bigz Die Cut featured in the Summer Smooches pre-view brochure. This die is so quick and easy that my 8 and 10 year old granddaughters had no problem putting it together. You know how kids are, the get frustrated real easy or loose all interest in what they are doing. Not these two young ones...my oldest granddaughter helped make 4 of them last night lickety-split. She had so much fun. One of my customers today made a boo boo and din't emboss the whole die and was having trouble deciding what to do. I took the embossed die cut project and just whipped it up and into shape in no time. I added some little butterflies to give the purse some pizzazzzzz. See below:


Cardstock: Pool Party, Pacific Point, More Mustard, Wisteria Wonder, Daffodil Delight.
Bigshot and Finial Press Embossing folder and Beautiful Wings embosslet
Accessories: Summer Smoochees and Summer Smooches Designer Brads
Adhesive

To order supplies to make this project, please visit my SU Demonstrator Website at http://laclem.stampinup.net 24/7 or you can send me an email at ladyl.crafter@gmail.com.

Color Challenge

My upline, Elizabeth Hurst, issued a color challenge to  our group using Stampin' UP's Concord Crush, Marina Mist and Old Olive and the first person to submit their card by email and the first person by snail mail would win a prize.  When I saw Elizabeth's challenge, my first thought was "Those of us who work during the day have no chance in ------------." and that's the response I emailed to Elizabeth  with an LOL, just joking included.  My second thought was "Just how am I going to incorporate Concord Crush, Marina Mist and Old Olive into a card challenge?"  Elizabeth emailed me back and said that was why she included that the first person to submit a card by email and the first person to submit a card by snail mail would both be winners.  The rest of her email response basically said that it's not always the ones who stay at home who come in first.

When I got home, I approached the challenge with an open mind and went full steam ahead ... this is what I came up with:

The picture does not  do the card justice and isn't very good here, but I used a crayon resist technique that I was reintroduced to about a week ago at a technique class that I attended and taught by Kayleen Clements.  Thanks Kayleen for the inspiration for this card. 

Products:
Cardstock:  Marina Mist, Old Olive, Concord Crush, Whisper White and Glossy White.
Ink:  Marina Mist, Concord Crush and Lucky Limeade and White Crayon.
Ribbon:  Concord Crush
Accessories:  Stampin' Dimensionals, Finial Press Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder and sponges.

Summer Smooches - Stampin' UP! Sneak Peek

Oooh La La, Stampin' UP! is having a sneak peek at some of their beautiful new productsto debut in the new 2012-2013 Idea Book & Catalog on June 1, 2012. As a demonstrator, I have a chance to preorder these items to make samples using the products to show you before the new catalog is revealed! ISN'T THAT GREAT!!!!! WHOA there, that's not all...the really cool thing about the new products is that Stampin' UP! doesn't want to wait to introduced the Summer Smooches line to our customers in June. Sooo, beginning April 1 through April 30th, Stampin' UP is offering a promotion where you can purchase the new coordinating products from the Summer Smooches line for a limited time. To take a sneak peek at the new Summer Smooches line click here: http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/summersmooches_Flyer_mar2012_US.pdf to see the limited-time offer Stampin' UP! has for you. Aren't these the neatest colors and products you have ever seen? Here is the line-up of new products that you will see on this flyer:

• Daffodil Delight 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon
• Bright Blossoms Stamp Set-available in Clear or Wood Mount
• Summer Smoochies Decor Stencil
• Summer Smoochies Designer Fabric
• Summer Smoochies Designer Paper
• Petite Purse Bigz Die
• Summer Smoochies Digital Kit
• Summer Smoochies Photobook Template

Now that you have seen the new lineup, how would you like to be able to purchase and pre-order items 30 days before their debut? Interested? Well just contact me and I'll be happy to place the order for you. How would like to receive a 20% discount toward Stampin' UP! products? Sign-up today to become a demo...ask me how. If you sign up today or before March 31, the starter kit is only $125.

Also, while you are at it, take a look at my new blog: http://lorettastampinmenagerie.blogspot.com. I hope to keep this updated at least on a weekly basis if not more often.

Remember, I am only an email or phone call away or you can go to my online store 24/7 to place your orders at: http://laclem.stampinup.net.

Until later, Stampin' Hugs my friends!

Loretta

Spring Fling - Spring is in the Air!

Spring is in the air and right around the corner.    I love spring ... it's a breath of fresh air and natural wonderment as nature paints her magic with bright colors as new buds begin to grow on the trees and flowers start to bloom.   Today was no exception as the weather was perfect for my Spring Fling class. I shared a little happiness as we made the following card using Happiness Shared and Creative Elements stampsets.

I thought this card turned out perfect to welcome spring.  It can be used as a "thinking of you,"  "birthday," or even as a "welcome" card.  Yes, that is Stampin' Up!'s Whisper White organza ribbon.  I just took a strip of it , placed it on the stamp pad  with a Stampin' UP! sponge and ran it across the Wisteria Wonder stamp pad...voila!...perfectly coordinated ribbon to accessorize the card.  I did a watercolor technique with markers, stamp pads and blender pens.  Another technique I did was color the Stampin' UP! pearl using a Sharpie to put in the center of the flower.

Stampin' UP! Products:

Stamp sets:  Creative Elements and Happiness Shared

Cardtock:  Concord Grape, Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder

Stamp pads: Stazon Black, Wisteria Wonder, Wild Wasabi

Markers:  Wisteria Wonder, Concord Grape, Lucky Limeade

Accessories: Edgeletts, Stampin' UP! Pearls and Dimensionals

Another card just bursting with color reminding me of the bold bright hybiscus blooms in my flower bed.  The Poppy Parade stamp pad is the same color as the hybiscus.  I love the Fabulous Florets stampset I used to make this card.  The 2011-2012 In Colors are perfectly coordinated and make this card "Pop!"  You can't see it too clearly here, but I wrapped the ribbon around the card twice and tied a square knot then popped up the flower with Stampin' UP! dimensionals.

Supplies:

Stampset:  Fabulous Florets

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzaz and Peach Parfait

Stamp pads:  Pear Pizzas and Poppy Parade

Accessories:  Finial Press Embossing Folder, Stampin' UP! Pearls, Lucky Limeade 1/8" organdy ribbon from the Ribbon & Brad Pack "Everyday Enchanchment" from the Sale-A-Bration catalog and Dimensionals.

Last but not least, this card reminds me of when I was a little girl watching my father fly his box kite in the air.  I felt like a bird watching it fly in the air without a care in the world.  I vividly remember the bright color of red and wondering how in the world can a kite soar in the air like that.  Back then breeze and wind didn't make sense to me that it would keep a kite in the air.  I just knew that the kite was flying.  Every now and then, I see small children and their parents out flying their kites and remember the peacefulness and joy it brought to me as a child.  So, let's all soar in the air together with this card.

Supplies:

Stampset:  Send me Soaring - Occasions Mini

Cardstock:  Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White and DSP Paper Pack.

Stamp pads:  Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade and Bashful Blue

Accessories:  Designer Buttons which are a regular product in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog, but you can get them free with a $50 order during Sale-A-Bration; Edgelets Stampin' Sponge, Curly Punch, Dimensionals and Stamp-a-majig.

Visit my online store 24/7 at:  www.laclem.stampinup.net to order the supplies to make this card.