Just Give Me Stamps...

How About Some Free Stamps!!

Free stamps...it doesn't get much better than that, right?  :-)  More about that in a minute.  First, I wanted to share with you a quick little Mini card Gift set that I made! 

I made two each of the three different 4 x 4 notecards.  I wanted them simple enough in design to be easily mass produced.

I then created a little box to hold both the cards and envelopes.

To make the box, I just modified the "2-5-7-10 box".  (Click on the link for detailed instructions...and my measurements are listed next).  I wanted the box to fit my 4 x 4 notecards.  I started with a 6" x 12" piece of double sided patterned paper (all patterned paper is from K & Co).  I scored at the following intervals:  1 1/2", 5 3/4", 7 1/4", & 11 1/4".  I then turned my c.s. vertically and scored at 1 1/2".  The rest of the box is assembled the same way as the instructions on SCS (again...click on the link above).

I used a different verse (all are from the Light of the World set from Our Daily Bread Designs) on each of the cards below.

For the mini notecards, I used a 4" square textured Very Vanilla c.s. base.  On the blue cards, I added a couple of Dew Drops.

I added ribbon and some piercings to the Rose colored cards.

On the Moss green cards, I added some Vanilla taffeta ribbon (it looks white in the picture...but it is Ivory), a rounded corner, and a small rhinestone.

All of the cards have some subtle shading around all the edges.  **Note - I've received a lot of emails asking how I sponge my cards.  I will share some tips with you in the next couple of days!

Now...on to the FREE STAMPS!!!  :-)  Kelley (owner of Our Daily Bread Designs) has graciously donated one Light of the World stamp set for me to give away!!  Wooohoo!

There are five stamps included in this set.  To be entered into this drawing, just leave a comment on this post! 

**Optional:  you can also tell me, in your comment, what you do to get out of stamping "ruts".  I'm sure we all have experienced this (I know I have...OFTEN) and I would love to read your ideas!!

I will pick the winner (using Random.org) on Wednesday morning!  Please...only one comment per person.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!  I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Light of the World (Our Daily Bread Designs)   Paper: Very Vanilla textured c.s., K & Co. patterned paper   Ink: Buckaroo Blue, Blush Blossom & Rose Red (I mixed them to achieve the right color), Mellow Moss, Versamark, Antique Linen Distress Ink   Other: Clear e.p., Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Vanilla taffeta ribbon, Ivory narrow grosgrain ribbon, Dew Drops, Rhinestone, Paper piercer, Corner Rounder punch

Beate's Weekend Sketch #41...

Happy Friday!!  :-)  Thanks for all the wonderful comments wishing my daughter a happy birthday!  She had a wonderful day!  We're heading out of town (just us "girls"...DH is on "boy duty" heheheee) to go see a Rebecca St. James concert.  After the concert...shopping!!  :-)

   

It's Friday....which means it's Beate's Sketch Challenge Day!!!  (That should be some sort of official stamping holiday I think :-)  I used some brand new sets (I just got them a couple days ago) I received from Inque Boutique.  I love, love these stamps!!  (I'm not affiliated...just a very, very happy customer!!)!  They are unmounted rubber...and come in these wonderful clear storage containers and include a stamping mat.  The coolest thing is...that the image is printed on the other side of the unmounted rubber...so when you put it on an acrylic block you can see exactly where you are stamping (kind of like a clear stamp)!! 

I stamped the the bird and flowers (from the Birdie set) onto watercolor paper using Palette Burnt Umber ink and used my Classic pads to watercolor it in.  After I had finished stamping the different layers...I stamped the Sanded background over each of them to "age" it a bit.

Make sure you check out what Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Mary Jo, Lori, & Sharon have made...they are sure to WOW you!!  :-)

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!!  Make sure to check back tomorrow for a fun give away!!  :-)   ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Birdies (Inque Boutique), Sanded   Paper: Watercolor paper, Creamy Caramel, Purely Pomegranate, Chocolate Chip   Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Various Classic Pads for watercoloring, Sahara Sand, Creamy Caramel   Other: Pomegranate satin ribbon, Decorative brads

She's Amazing...

Happy Thursday!!  This will be a quick post, because I am headed out the door soon.  Today is my daughter's twelfth birthday!  I can hardly believe it!!!  Am I really old enough to have a twelve year old???  LOL!!

I chose some of her favorite paper and colors (definitely a girl after my own heart!!).  The challenge today was to "Spray it On" (what we spray on was completely up to us).  I have had some Glimmer Mist for two months now (I'm blushing as I type this)...and this is the first time I've actually used it!  LOL!  I sprayed each layer with Snowflake Glimmer Mist.  I LOVE the subtle sparkle it gives (see the closeup photo).

I had to take this closeup picture at a strange angle because it's the only way I could capture the sparkle (I even sprayed some on the ribbon :-).

I hope you all have a great day!!  ~Laurie  P.S.  Be on the lookout for some Blog Candy!!

Recipe   Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment, Amazing to Zany   Paper: Soft Sky, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Fall Flowers DP   Ink: Chocolate Chip (Craft and Classic), Old Olive   Other: Clear e.p., Rhinestone brads, Felt Flowers, Sewing Machine, 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, 3/4" circle punch

Bloomin' Beautiful...

Happy Wednesday!  One of the sets that really stood out to me in the Spring Occasions catalog, was Bloomin' Beautiful.  Every time I'd flip through the catalog...I would always stop on that page.  I kept telling myself that it doesn't matter how pretty it is...I don't need another floral stamp set.  As you can see...I held out longer than I usually do!  LOL!  It's not all my fault though...after seeing all of the gorgeous cards that Christine Okken (aka ChristineCreations) has made with this set I knew I wouldn't be resisting too much longer!  :-)

I don't know if the timing for this week's Sketch Challenge could have been any more perfect!  The sketch specifically has a 1 1/2" strip on top...perfect for this flower that just happened to have arrived at my house last week!  Woohoo!

I stamped the flower onto watercolor paper using Palette Burnt Umber ink.  Both the flowers and leaves are cut out and popped up a little for some added dimension (see picture below).  I added some Diamond Stickles to parts of the flower (gotta get some sparkle in there somewhere...hehehee!).

For the background, I stamped the En Francais background stamp (inked in Close to Cocoa) onto some Ginger Blossom DP.  I layered another coordinating piece of DP (from the Ginger Blossoms collection) on top and instead of using cardstock for the horizontal panel...I used some ribbon.  Normally, I LOVE lots and lots of layers...but I really liked the look of the ribbon instead of more cardstock.  I intentionally did not stamp a sentiment on the front of this card as I like to have several "all purpose" cards ready for me to stamp on the inside as I need them.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!  We're expecting MORE snow today...can you believe it!!!  I'm hearing about...and seeing pictures on all your blogs...of the beautiful Spring  you all are experiencing....and here we are talking about going sledding again.  Sigh...   

Recipe   Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful, En Francais   Paper: Watercolor paper, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Ginger Blossom DP   Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Close to Cocoa, Antique Linen Distress Ink, Various Classic pads for watercoloring   Other: Diamond Stickles, Dew Drops, 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon

Technique Monday...

Happy Monday!  When I saw the fun Flap-Fold tutorial...written by none other than Rose Ann (A.K.A. CuttersCallous)...I knew I had to play along!  After finishing my first one...I have plans for two more!  I love this technique!!

I had some scraps of this patterned paper (Cowgirl collection by Crate Paper) left over and thought it would be perfect for this fun card!  I pulled out my Anniversary Birds set from Verve Visual and went to work!

I stamped the bird onto Soft Sky c.s. and paper pieced it onto my card.  The flowers are all cut out from the patterned paper (I didn't have any Primas to match...then realized that the paper was FULL of flowers)!!  :-)

I created all of the scallop borders with my Corner Rounder punch.  I decided to back my whole card with a piece of Soft Sky c.s....because I really wanted to draw that soft blue color out in my card.

My double stitched Soft Sky ribbon didn't really seem to work with this card...and I didn't have any other ribbon the right color...so I dyed my own by using a Copic marker and coloring some White taffeta ribbon.  It worked perfectly!  :-)

Here's a picture of the inside...   Often times I don't do much to the inside of a card...but I really like how this turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Anniversary Birds (Verve Visual)   Paper: Cowgirl patterned paper (Crate Paper), Soft Sky   Ink: Adirondack Espresso   Other: White and Kraft taffeta ribbons, Copic Marker (Frost Blue), Sewing Machine, Rhinestones, Corner Rounder punch, Magnetic closure (Basic Grey)