Here's a bright, springy card designed by Sheila Edwards using the Sale-A-Bration Punch Bunch stamp set.

A soft, beautiful color combination using the Textured Impressions Framed Tulips and the new stamp set Button, Button.

Here's a new version of an older stamp set, Dreams du Jour, designed by Catherine Power.

Don't Forget!
To register for the March Stamp Shoppe – click HERE! 
Order Stampin' Up! products online 24/7 — click HERE!

This card was really hard to photograph because the Pink Pirouette and Basic Gray are such a contrast, and I used Very Vanilla card stock instead of Whisper White for the main image and accents.  I started with the Basic Gray card stock base, then cut a piece of Pink Pirouette card stock (back for sale on July 1st!) to 5-12"x4-1/4" and freehanded cutting the wave at the bottom.  I stamped it with Bella Toile background stamp with the same color ink.  The Border Scallop Trim Punch is also back from the Sale-A-Bration offering and will appear in the new Idea Book & Catalog as well!  To use the border strip on a curved edge, simple punch out a thin piece of card stock then make small slits into the edge that won't show.  Put adhesive on the larger card piece, in this case the Pink Pirouette.  As you carefully bend the paper around the curve, adhering it into place, the border piece will then lay flat.  Here's a picture of what I mean:

The main image is the Statement From The Heart from Stampin' Up!  I love what this mission statement embodies — "To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments . . . in this we make a difference!"  It certainly expresses well how I feel about my Stampin' Up! business!  It's stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed using Silver Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool and adhered with Dimensionals.  For the heart image, I ran a piece of Basic Gray card stock through the Big Shot using the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, then used the Full Heart Punch to punch it out.  I adhered it to a piece of Very Vanilla card stock and carefully cut around it to create the border since I didn't have a larger heart that would layer.

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Item No. 111598 Bella Toile $17.95
Item No. 113693 Full Heart Punch $15.95
Item No. 109131 Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder $4.75
Item No. 100005 Heat Tool $29.95
Item No. 102283 VersaMark Pad $7.50
Item No. 117335 Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder $7.95
Item No. 118402 Border Scallop Trim Punch $15.95

Don't Forget!

• To sign up for the June Scrapbooking class!  This is the LAST day to register!  Click HERE for details. 
  
• To purchase all of the retiring color products you need!  They're going fast!  Click HERE to order.
• To check out the Last Chance Stamp Set List! Click Here to View!
  
• To check out the Last Chance Accessories List! Click Here to View!
  
• To check out the Last Chance Decor Elements List! Click Here to View!
  
• To purchase the Mini Starter Kit for just $99! CLICK HERE for kit contents. Click HERE to learn more about the From the Heart Stampers Team and The Heartfelt Stampers Team.

I'm just lovin' the new Level 2 hostess-exclusive stamp set called Punched Posies found in the Summer Mini Catalog.  The four main images line up with Stampin' Up! punches for quick, easy stamping!  My color combo is Real Red, Old Olive, and Pacific Point!  Yes, this fabulous blue is making a comeback in the Color Renovation and will be available for purchase again on July 1st!  I stamped the flower image three times in all three colors then used the 1" Circle Punch and the 3/4" Circle Punch to layer the center, adding a Real Red Brad and adhering with Dimensionals.  The background piece of Pacific Point card stock is jazzed up a bit by running it through the Big Shot using the Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder.  The Border Scallop Trim Punch that was such a hit during Sale-A-Bration is now back and will be included in the new Idea Book & Catalog.  If you didn't have a chance to earn it for free, you'll be able to purchase it.  Before I layered on the Old Olive card stock strip, I punched it with the Modern Label Punch to create a window in which to place my sentiment which is from Short & Sweet.

We'd love to have you join our next Team Time!  And with the $99 Mini Starter Kit, you'll be able to get started making your own card swaps!  Our long-distance team members simply mail in their swaps and we mail their selection back to them!  I'd love to chat with you — read more HERE and contact me!

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Item No. 120030 Punched Posies Level 2 Hostess
Item No. 115060 Short & Sweet $17.95
Item No. 118402 Border Scallop Trim Punch $15.95
Item No. 107217 3/4" Circle Punch $10.95
Item No. 109046 1" Circle Punch $10.95
Item No. 117335 Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder $7.95
Item No. 116630 Modern Label Punch $15.95
 

Don't Forget!

• To sign up for the June Scrapbooking class!  Click HERE for details. 
  
• To purchase all of the retiring color products you need!  They're going fast!  Click HERE to order.
• To check out the Last Chance Stamp Set List! Click Here to View!
  
• To check out the Last Chance Accessories List! Click Here to View!
  
• To check out the Last Chance Decor Elements List! Click Here to View!
  
• To purchase the Mini Starter Kit for just $99! CLICK HERE for kit contents. Click HERE to learn more about the From the Heart Stampers Team and The Heartfelt Stampers Team.

Missy used the designer paper and stamp set contained in the Lovely Flowers Bundle, a Level 3 Hostess-Exclusive set and free with a workshop total of $500 or more.  It's a fabulous color scheme with Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Old Olive.  This card is all about using the Big Shot die cut machine to add quick and easy pizzazz to all of your cards.  The oval is cut with the Ovals Originals Die and the Big Shot, and the Melon Mambo scalloped circle is cut with the Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die and the Big Shot.  She did some fabulous dry embossing with the Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder and, you guessed it, the Big Shot!  She scalloped the edge of the Crushed Curry card stock with the Scallop Edge Punch and added some beautiful Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon. 

To order your very own Big Shot and dies, click HERE 24/7 and click "Shop Now".  There are just 2 short weeks left of the Sale-A-Bration promotion.  With ever $50 you spend, receive a FREE product from the Sale-A-Bration brochure!  That means with the purchase of the Big Shot die cut machine, you can earn TWO free products this month only!  Click HERE for more details on Sale-A-Bration, and get your order placed today!

Don't Forget!

To sign up for our Spring Stamping Retreat Weekend! Click HERE for more details and to register!

Both of the cards I made use the Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pad and Happy Moments stamp set, both FREE with a purchase of $50 or more during Sale-A-Bration.  And both of these cards use the same layout!  I wanted to show you how different a card can look using the same layout with different colors.

The first one uses a base of So Saffron card stock.  I ran a piece of the same color through the Big Shot with the Textured Impressions Folder Perfect Polka Dots and adhered it in place.  Next came a piece of Melon Mambo card stock with Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon knotted then wrapped around it.  The Bermuda Bay designer paper is from the Welcome Neighbors Sale-A-Bration designer paper pack.  The image is from Happy Moments and is stamped with Staz-On ink on Watercolor Paper and colored in with an Aqua Painter, then punched out with the 1-3/4" Circle Punch and adhered with Dimensionals.  The "thank you" is also from Happy Moments and is stamped in Staz-On Ink.  I really prefer this type of ink over our Basic Black Classic Ink for two reasons.  On any image you're going to use watercoloring, the ink doesn't run, and with sentiments, you get  fine, crisp lettering.

This card starts with a base of Rich Razzleberry card stock and is stamped tone-on-tone with the Pretty Petals background stamp.  Next comes a piece of Crushed Curry Textured card stock wrapped with a knotted piece of Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon.  I added a 1/2" piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock because it just looked like it needed a bit more color.  The designer paper is again from the Welcome Neighbors Sale-A-Bration paper pack.  I haven't used this terrific sentiment set in a long time — it's Heard from the Heart — but it was exactly the right size and the right saying for my birthday card.  It's stamped in Whisper White Craft ink and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder.  I stamped the image from Happy Moments on Watercolor Paper with Staz-On ink, but this time, I colored in the image with various stamp pads and a Blender Pen. 

Using Watercolor Paper really makes a difference!  It's a little pricey, but when you're using just a bit for an image, it's still economical.  And the results are fabulous!  I wanted to show you the images up close and also to show you the difference between using the Aqua Painter and the Blender Pen.

Here are the flowers colored in with an Aqua Painter.

And here's the birthday cake colored in with a Blender Pen.  Both use the ink from the Classic Stamp Pads.  There isn't a big difference, but people seem to definitely prefer one over the other.

Leave me a comment and let me know which tool you like to use!  It'll be fun to see the results!

 Welcome aboard the Occasions Mini Catty Cruise!  If you're sailing with the Catty Cruise, you've made your way here from Connie Collins's blog Constantly Stamping.  Weren't her projects simply fabulous?  I love everything Connie creates!  And Connie's blog has gotten a recent redo by Michele Laycock of Laycock Designs.  Isn't it gorgeous!

Well, we've assembled some of the top design artists in the stampin' field to share with you their favorite products from the Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini Catalog.  You're in for a real treat as you stop at all of the ports of call!

The minute I opened the catalog, I knew I just HAD to share the Eggcellent Eggs Kit with all my blogging buddies!  This little set packs a punch and at only $9.95, it's worth every penny!  Just the tiny little self-adhesive rhinestones are worth the price!  BUT, this fabulous kit is only while supplies last, so after you've looked at my projects and thought of all the wonderfully creative things you can do with it, you'll want to order it right away.

The catalog shows darling Easter eggs decorated with this kit, as well as a 3D project using the Big Shot.  But I wanted to show you how this awesome kit translates into card making.  I chose to work with 4" x 4" cards, since I wanted to incorporate the strips of paper designed for the egg holders as borders, and they measure 4-1/2" long.  So — are you ready?  Here goes!

CARD #1 Trendy Thanks

I began this card by running the bottom portion of my Pretty in Pink card stock through the Big Shot with the Textured Impressions Folder Perfect Polka Dots.  Man, do I love this little tool!  The polka dots are deeply etched into the paper — much better, in my opinion, than the texturz plates.  The top row of white flowers are rub-ons that come with the Egg Kit.  Then comes a piece of So Saffron card stock bordered with a Certainly Celery "egg holder" from the Egg Kit.  A piece of 1" Double-Stitched Grograin Ribbon is wrapped around the card, then tied with some Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon.  The circle was cut from the Circle Scissors Plus, and I used some of the "egg holder" on the bottom of the circle, then ran chipboard and designer paper through the Big Shot with the "t" from the Alphabet Simple Letters die.  I stamped "hanks" by using a Basic Gray Stampin' Write Marker and Thank You Kindly stamp set and finished off the tag with some flowers, leaves and a tiny rhinestone from the Egg Kit, all popped on Dimensionals.

Here's a closer look: 

CARD #2 Beautiful Bluebird

This card's base is So Saffron card stock, and I punched some extra branches and leaves from the Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch also from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  Those leaves created a tone-on-tone background effect.  The same punch was used to create the bird and leaf in the main image.  The Certainly Celery polka dot fringy strip on the right side is an "egg holder" from the Egg Kit.  The white border along the bottom comes from rub-ons, and all of the flowers and rhinestones are in the Egg Kit as well.  Are you starting to get the idea that this kit is packed with potential?!

Here's a close-up of the dimension on the card: 

CARD #3 Wonderful Whimsical Tag Card

This is my favorite of the group — I just love all of the different elements combining for what I hope comes off as a very interesting card.  The base is Certainly Celery card stock, and the top has yet another great rub-on from the Egg Kit.  I paper pierced below the rub-on for interest.  The pink scallop piece is, yes, you guessed it, an egg holder from the Egg Kit.  Now you're catching on!  The bottom third of the card shows a tone-on-tone flower motif; I punched Bashful Blue card stock out with the Trio Flower Punch and arranged them randomly on the page.  The tag was the really fun part!  I formed the base of the tag by using So Saffron card stock and the Tag Corner Punch.  I punched a hole at the top and threaded through some Linen Thread which is tied to a Small Metal Edge Tag.  Then I got to work decorating the tag.  I used flowers and rhinestones from the Egg Kit and attached a tag to a tag!  Can't have enough layers, now can we?  Behind the entire tag is a piece of ripped Certainly Celery card stock to get yet more dimension.

Ready for a close-up?  I'm sure I'll be putting extra postage on this one, but I just love the layers!

CARD #4 Stair Step Fold Happy Easter

I was going to show some decorated eggs in an Easter basket and then thought that my creative readers would be all over that on their own, so I opted for my fourth project to be a stair step card.  I've wanted to try one of these for a long time, and I thought this was the perfect opportunity.  This picture shows the card "closed" or how it would come out of the envelope when given to that lucky someone.

And here it is opened up!  Still not sure where the "stair step" is coming from?  Here's another angle:

Okay!  NOW we see the "stair step"!  If you'd like to make this type of card, start out by using a piece of card stock measuring 5-1/2"x10-1/2".  For my card, I cut the 5-1/2" down to 4-1/2" so that my "egg holder grass" would fit across the bottom.  Then score at 1-1/4", 2-1/2", 4-1/4", 6" and 8-1/4", and use your Bone Folder to get nice, crisp folds.  Then the fun begins!  This type of card offers endless design possibilities!  I paired A Good Egg stamp set with my Egg Kit, along with Well Scripted stamp set for the Easter greeting.  Oh, and don't get me started on how much I love my new Clear Mount Stamps!  They're just to DIE for!!!  Notice the darling little butterflies?  They're from the Embosslits Die Beautiful Wings, also from the Occasions MIni Catalog.  This little die is just $11.95 and cuts and embosses four different butterflies with just a crank of the Big Shot handle.

Here's a close-up of the Easter tag:

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:

Item No. 117335 Textured Impressions Polka Dot Folder Polka Dots   $7.95
Item No. 111848 Bashful Blue 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon   $8.95
Item No. 109067 Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon   $6.95
Item No. 109066 Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon   $6.95
Item No. 115960 Alphabet Simple Letters Bigz Dies   $89.95
Item No. 111700 Thank You Kindly   $13.95 OR FREE with purchase of $50
Item No. 117191 Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch   $15.95
Item No. 109183 Trio Flower Punch   $15.95
Item No. 107215 Tag Corner Punch   $6.95
Item No. 103374 Aluminum Metal Edge Tags   $4.25
Item No. 104199 Linen Thread   $4.50
Item No. 114974 A Good Egg   $23.95
Item No. 118601 Well Scripted clear mount   $14.95
Item No. 118138 Embosslits Die Beautiful Wings   $11.95
 

And, of course, the Eggcellent Eggs Kit
Item No. 117179   JUST $9.95

That's it for this port, folks!  I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of the possibilities with the Eggcellent Eggs Kit.  To order this and other Stampin' Up! products, click HERE then click the big "Shop Now" at the bottom of the page.

Next stop, Kay Kalthoff of Stamping to Share.  Wait until you see what this talented lady has in store for you!  Just click on the icon below to reach Kay, or go to stampingtoshare.blogspot.com.