I ordered the Ovals Originals Die just in time — it made perfect layered "eggs".  And at just $15.95 for three different sized ovals, it's even cheaper than punches!  I cut one in Pretty in Pink and one in Bashful Blue for each of the two cards, then cut the smaller size with the same die in white, stamped the chick image from A Good Egg, then colored them in with So Saffron, Pretty in Pink and Bashful Blue markers.  The strip of designer paper was left over from Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack.  I'm really going to miss that one!  Hope we get a replacement that's equally versatile soon!  I added a couple of So Saffron Brads from the Rich Regals Brads assortment pack with a Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool.  So simple yet so cute, don't you think?

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Item No. 114525 Ovals Originals Die  $15.95
Item No. 114974 A Good Egg   $23.95
Item No. 106953 Rich Regals Brads   $8.95
Item No. 105826 Mat Pack   $9.95
Item No. 116631 Paper Piercing Tool   $3.50

And here's a beautiful Easter card I received from my daughter Aly today:

She used one of my favorite stamp sets — Flower Fancy.  I love this two-step stamping set!  It's good for almost every occasion.  It makes the perfect Easter card here, but it's also wonderful for birthdays, anniversaries, get well and sympathy.  And this month is the perfect time to purchase this fabulous stamp set — it's 20% off!  Aly used a great stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog called Well Scripted for the "happy Easter" greeting.  Some Pretty in Pink tone-on-tone designer paper was added from the Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper pack, also from the Occasions Mini.  And I love her use of the White Taffeta Ribbon at the corners. 

Here's a close-up of the flower image.  A great way to adhere glitter so that it doesn't rub off is to apply a small circle of Crystal Effects then sprinkle on Dazzling Diamonds and let it dry for about 1/2 hr.  No glitter flake-off with this method!

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Item No. 111578 Flower Fancy stamp set $36.95 — 20% off or just $29.56
Item No. 118601 Well Scripted Clear Mount stamp set $19.95
Item No. 117160 Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper $9.95
Item No. 109070 Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon $6.95
Item No. 101055 Crystal Effects $6.25
Item No. 102023 Dazzling Diamonds Glitter $4.50

Here's a swap from Aly Schilling, my daughter and team leader.  I love her unusual color combination.  Here's Elements of Style again!  Doesn't it have such a different look?  View two other cards using this preview set from the Summer Mini Catalog HERE and HERE.  You can order yours beginning May 1st!

Next is a beautiful card by Phyl Lyons.  Phyl used Of the Earth Hostess stamp set, as well as Well Scripted, with a beautiful palette of Ruby Red, Bordering Blue, Old Olive and Whisper White.  She used the Texturz Plates Kit #4 to add dimension to the Bordering Blue card stock.

Next is a gorgeous card from Pam Kane.  Pam used the Level 2 hostess stamp set called Asian Artistry.  I love her layout, especially all the layering and the torn and folded corners.

Here's a fun card from Christine Luce.  Christine prepared her background by coloring with Watercolor Crayons in Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange and Pixie Pink, then used an AquaPainter to colorwash the background. She used Choo Choo stamp set and stamped the train image with StazOn Black Ink.  Great card!

Next up is Patty Braun's beautifully simple card using C is for Cat.  Notice that her special feline friend sports a blingy color made with Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds.  She embossed the background with the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder.

Jen Rios-Raner led our make-and-take project, and she showed us how to use the Tulipe Die with the Big Shot to make our own stencil.  Then add color to your card stock by sponging on inks with the Sponge Daubers.  We also added more interest to the stencil image by rolling it with the Very Vintage jumbo wheel found in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  We added some other darling little details with the Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon and Pretty in Pink Sending Love Epoxy Brad.  I always love Jen's deslgns!

Don't Forget!

• To sign up for our Spring Stamping Retreat Weekend! Click HERE for more details and to register!
  
• To sign up for the Spring Card Class!  Click HERE for more details and to register. Deadline is today, March 14th!
  
• To sign up for the March Card Kit!  Click HERE for more details and to purchase!  Deadline is tomorrow, March 15th!
  

I love the way this simple 3"x6" card turned out!  I used textured Gable Green card stock for the base, with Garden Green, Tempting Turquoise and Apricot Appeal accents.  I used watercolor paper to stamp the image from Garden from the Heart stamp set in Basic Gray Classic Ink, then watercolored with Classic Stampin' Pads and an Aqua Painter.  The sentiment is from Well Scripted — a wonderful new greeting stamp in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  Both of these great stamp sets come in the new Clear Mount Stamps; I'm just lovin' them!

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:

Item No. 118601 Well Scripted stamp set   $14.95
Item No. 118568 Garden from the Heart stamp set   $16.95
Item No. 106954 Soft Subtles Brads assortment   $8.95
Item No. 109040 Apricot Appeal 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon   $4.95
Item No. 105019 Watercolor Paper   $6.95

 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.

This is the first chance I've had to use my new clear mount stamps, and boy, can I just say, it's love at first sight (or use)!!!  Ladies, THIS is what we've been waiting for!  I used the new stamp set called Well Scripted from the Occasions Mini Catalog for the sentiment and was able to line it up just where I wanted it.  Here's how the stamp set looks and one of the stamps mounted on the clear mount block.

I used the Level 1 hostess stamp set, Out of the Box, to create the heart images.  The colors I chose are Crushed Curry, Brocade Blue, Old Olive and Melon Mambo.  Here's a close-up of how I got some dimension by stamping the Melon Mambo heart twice, cutting out one and adhering it with Dimensionals.

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Item No.115342 Out of the Box – Hostess Level 1 stamp set
Item No. 118601 Well Scripted Clear Mount stamp set   $14.95
Item No. 118486 Clear Mount Block C   $6.95
Item No. 112091 Scallop Edge Punch   $15.95
Item No. 104199 Linen Thread   $4.50
Item No. 112160 Old Olive Patterns Designer Series Paper   $9.95

Don't Forget!   

• To register for the Valentines (and more!) Class — click HERE!  Registration is due by January 22nd.