It's All About the Icing

Yesterday afternoon my latest SU! order arrived ... so exciting!!  I bought six new stamps sets and spent a little time mounting them and getting them ready to use.  Couldn't wait to try out the adorable set "Easy Events" with today's card - I know I'm going to get a lot of use out of the set!  This is another challenge card for yesterday's "Ways To Use It - Pink, pink, pink!" (use pink somewhere on your card).    This card is definitely better in real life ... the icing (or frosting) is the focal point and has texture and depth.  As with any cupcake, it's the icing that's the best part (in my opinion).    This was a fun, easy and quick card to make.  Hope you like.

"It's All About the Icing"

Stamps:  Easy Events (SU)

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White (SU!); scrap of DP for cupcake paper liner

Ink:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Pretty in Pink (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  MS Sparkle Texture effect, pink glitter, Big Shot, Cuttlebug "Happy Birthday" embossing folder, glue, sticky strips, adhesives, and dimensionals

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I stamped the image onto a small piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I colored the cake plate with Early Espresso and Crumb Cake Stampin' Write markers.  I stamped the image again onto a scrap piece of DP and cut out the paper liner for the cupcake.  I glued the piece on top of the stamped image using Tombow glue.  I added Sparkle texture to cover the top of the cupcake and sprinkled with pink glitter while it was still wet.  I left it to dry before continuing.

I ran a large piece of Whisper White cardstock through my Big Shot with the Happy Birthday embossing folder.  I mounted the embossed background onto a card base of Pretty in Pink cardstock.

I adhered the stamped image onto a frame of Pretty in Pink cardstock and then mounted the framed image onto the front of the card, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.

Pink Silhouettes

Today's challenge for "Ways to Use It" (WT344) is "Pink, Pink, Pink!".  I also added a challenge to myself to use up some DP that I've had for a couple of years.  And, I used a sketch challenge from a few weeks back (SC351) - I love the CAS style of this sketch.  This is a quick and simple card with a lot of impact because of the beautiful background paper.  Everything used for this card is from Stampin' Up!  Hope you like.

"Pink Silhouettes"

Stamps:  Pocket Silhouettes (SU!)

Paper:  Rose Red, Whisper White, Raspberry Tart DP (retired) (SU!)

Ink:  Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  1/4" Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon, adhesives, sticky strips, glue dot, and dimensionals

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I inked the stamps using Stampin' Write markers and stamped onto the three panels.

I wrapped the ribbon around the Raspberry Tart panel, tied a knot to one side and secured the knot with a glue dot.  I mounted the DP onto a front panel of Whisper White.  I mounted the three stamped panels, popping them up with dimensionals to add depth.

The whole front panel was mounted onto a card base of Rose Red (which you can't see).  It is just used for stability as I find the Whisper White cardstock really doesn't make a very strong card base.

Three Cards ...

I'm posting three cards today - whew!  Hope you like ...

Today I focused on Christmas cards.  Specifically Christmas cards using some more of the wrapping paper I just bought at Costco.  I love the design of the paper - it's so elegant and I wanted to use it instead of Christmas DP.  Here's two cards that I made today, one using the wrapping paper as the background and the other using it as the focal point.

"Wrapped Gifts of Christmas"

Stamps:  Gifts of Christmas (SU!)

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White (SU!); Christmas wrapping paper

Ink:  Early Espresso, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, BowEasy, red stickles, sticky strips, glue stick, glue dot and dimensionals

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I cut a large piece of Whisper White cardstock and glued a piece of wrapping paper on top (used glue stick) to give stability to the wrapping paper.  I cut it to size and cut another piece of Whisper White 1/8" larger to use as a thin frame in-behind.  I wrapped Cherry Cobbler seam binding around the background panel and then mounted it onto a card base of Old Olive.

I inked the stamp with Stampin' Write markers and stamped onto another piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I added red stickles on top of the poinsettias and buds and let it dry before continuing.  I framed the stamped image with Old Olive cardstock and  then mounted it on top of the seam binding, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.

I used the BowEasy to make a bow with the Cherry Cobbler seam binding and mounted it onto the card with a glue dot.

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No stamping on this card ...

"Wrapped Ornament"

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White (SU!); Christmas wrapping paper

Accessories:  ornament punch, Big Shot, Cuttlebug "Snowflakes" embossing folder, Mistletoe ribbon (SU!), gold thread, gold eyelet, hole punch, eyelet setter

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I cut two pieces of Whisper White cardstock (one large and one small) and ran them through my Big Shot with the Snowflakes embossing folder.

Using wrapping paper glued to cardstock for stability, I punched out an ornament.  I punched a hole in the top and added a gold eyelet.  I cut a piece of gold thread and tied it through the eyelet and attached it to the small embossed white cardstock, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.  I attached the main panel to a frame of Old Olive cardstock.  I wrapped Mistletoe ribbon around the main panel, tying a knot in the center.

I mounted the large piece of embossed Whisper White cardstock to the card base of Old Olive.  I mounted the main image on top, popping it up with dimensionals to add more depth.  The main image is "weighted", meaning it is centered side-to-side, but has a smaller margin at the top and larger at the bottom.

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Yesterday I spent a little time in the art studio making an invitation for an upcoming High Tea that I'm holding.  I am having Fran, Deb and Kelly (aka the Crafty Girls) over for High Tea this coming Sunday and the past couple of years I've always sent them a handmade invitation.  I don't know what happened this year??  I only thought about making the card a couple of days ago and it's too late to mail.  I was mad at myself for not thinking ahead ... but my son, Jer, suggested I make one and email pictures to them.  Good suggestion Jer!  This is the front and inside panel that I emailed to my friends. 

"High Tea Invitation for the Crafty Girls"

Stamps:  Marina (Heidi Grace), Sincere Salutations (SU)

Paper:  Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery, VersaMark (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, computer generated message, white gel pen, sponge

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I purchased the vine and flower stamp at my local $1 Store ($3 for a set of 16 stamps - what a deal!!).  I find with the clear stamps that sometimes I don't get a clean impression - the ink doesn't stick consistently.  So I find if I ink the stamp with VersaMark first, then re-ink with my colored ink, the impression is much better.  I stamped the vine in Always Artichoke ink.  I stamped the flowers in Elegant Eggplant ink.  I used the white gel pen to add white centers to the flowers.  I lightly sponged Certainly Celery for some background color just around the middle of the vines.

I stamped the sentiment "You're Invited" in Elegant Eggplant ink, using the Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement.  The inside panel was generated on my computer.

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I'm also doing a little experimenting in the kitchen today for the High Tea.  I make Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie in the summer (see the Baking section of this website for the recipe).  It's delicious!  I thought it would be fun to try revamping the recipe a little and make Pumpkin Mousse Tartletts for the High Tea ... it's the time of year for pumpkin!  So I made it today and the mousse turned out wonderful!  The crumb crust is really crumbly so I don't know if it's going to work.  I filled the shells with mousse and am leaving them in the fridge overnight to see if it softens the crust and helps to hold it together better.  Hopefully it works ... and hopefully I'll be able to see if it works - I just have to keep hubby and son out of the fridge tonight!! :) 

Stacked in Nature

Today's "Technique Lover's Challenge" (TLC346) from Splitcoaststampers is "Stack up the Background" ... meaning you must use at least two stamps (or more) for the background stamping.  I really had fun making this card!  I definitely am going to make more cards using this technique!

Hope you like.

"Stacked in Nature"

Stamps:  Inspired by Nature, En Francais (SU!)

Paper:  Always Artichoke, Old Olive DP (SU!)

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  copper metal sheet .005 thickenss (K&S Precision Metals), butane torch, Big Shot, Sizzix Embosslits beautiful wings, adhesives, glue dots and dimensionals

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I heated a copper sheet with the butane torch until it started to turn color and then immediately pulled the sheet away from the heat.  I let it cool and then ran it through my Big Shot with the butterfly embosslits.

Using Soft Suede ink, I stamped the En Francais onto a piece of Old Olive DP.  I stamped over top of the script with the Inspired by Nature stamp in Early Espresso ink.

I mounted the stamped panel onto a card base of Always Artichoke.  I added the copper butterflies using glue dots in the centers and a small piece of dimensionals on each wing to give the butterflies depth and appear as if they are in flight.