Sweet butterflies! We have some lantana in our backyard that attracts a particular kind of butterfly (Not a bermuda bay butterfly… but still) Zeke and Hannie love to watch and chase them. So, this Butterfly Basics stamp set creates the ‘perfect backyard’ on paper…. I love the leaf stem. I’ve used it multiple times on projects. Makes a great central image as well as a great background image!
The butterfly punch makes punching butterflies out a breeze!
Here is ANOTHER use for that Build A Birthday Set (that I know you decided you needed after you saw last week’s post. You’re welcome).
It’s another easy to put together card.
The little banner in the top corner is from the delightful Pretty Petals DSP paper stack. And it has LOTS of designs so this same layout could be used and you can change the colors to make all kinds of designs. You can’t really see, but the card base is black, and then I used calypso coral
I get asked a lot about making masculine cards. MASCULINE CARDS is a phrase that really isn’t in my vocabulary. But, you could easily turn this masculine by changing the colors. And maybe taking the little bow off the top (use the staple only). There. My version of a masculine card. 🙂 Okay, I promise. I will work on that…
I love PARTIES. And decorating for parties and banners and ALL OF IT. I would LOVE being a party planner when I grow up. (hee hee). So, when I saw this set in the catalog, I just knew I needed it.
I LOVE the cake pedestal and the fact that you can build your cake however you need. And, I need to let you know that I TOTALLY CASED this card. I cannot remember now from who, but it is not my own. But, it is too fabulous not to share…. so there.
The colors I used were crumb cake (paper) Bermuda bay, pool party, and soft sky. Added come flowers and rhinestones and it’s done!! It is a happy birthday cake that you can MAIL!!
I feel as I am growing up in my cardmaking (I suppose, if you are counting by years in SU, I am now a teenager…oh my), I do notice my tastes changing. This probably has a lot to do with current trends in just about everything, but more and more I find myself reaching for neutrals and creating simplicity. This card is that. Neutral simplicity.
I love this set called Bordering Blooms. It is a FABULOUS border set. And EASY. I used TWO stamps on this card. TWO. The thanks comes from Endless Thanks (also a set I love, and it’s companion, Endless Birthday Wishes). I digress.
I used Tip Top Taupe and Sahara Sand and White (Sahara and Taupe are the monochromatic pairs… I just LOVE how SU gives us those options in their papers and inks). And, I colored in the selected flowers with the white gel pin. Added a some bling and THERE YOU GO. Instant Thank You. You can make a bazillion of these in no time. It’s good to make several at once… then you have a stockpile for when you need. OH… I didn’t get a pic of this… but that Bordering Blooms is also a GREAT stamp to put across the bottom of envelopes. To add pizzazz. Cause we all need pizzazz… even with Neutral Simplicity.
This is a cute little set from the Spring Occasions catalog. Apple of my Eye. This time of year I start getting real excited about spring and all the ‘new’ that comes with it… And the fact that spring means summer. I guess, since I am a teacher in real life, I’ve never really outgrown that glorious anticipation that is summer vacation. And for some reason, I can’t really explain why, this set embodies that.
The little bit of DSP there is from the Love Blossoms paper stack and the texture stamp on the bottom is from Timeless Textures (Oh my… do you have this stamp set yet?? cause you need it. I prefer to call it the new Grunge set.) That ribbon is the white jute ribbon. I LOVE this stuff too. It has a fabulous texture. Though it is wide, you can easily cut it to make it thinner… which is what I did in the tag. Big Shot a tag out from the Tags and Labels framelits and you have a card!! It is so much fun!!
Like March, April reminds me of blooming and budding trees and flowers! And, the Lighthearted Leaves stamp set (retired) allows me to accomplish BOTH for this month (a blooming tree… well, kind of…)
I love the Lighthearted Leaves set… and the little flower punch is perfect here. Pink Pirouette and Wild Wasabi give the perfect spring time color combination for this month.
Go see what Anne and Cheryl have for you!
I’ve lived in Hawaii long enough that I am now able to recognize the subtle change in seasons. (I admit, the first couple of years, I really couldn’t tell much difference.) And, although there isn’t the drastic vision of a tulip emerging from the cold ground as a sign of spring on it’s way, that idea of spring flowers still seems to be a ‘March’ image in my mind. SO…. I just had to use these flowers for March!
These are from the Garden in Bloom stamp set. It’s a 2 step set, so it is super easy to get the insides and outsides of the flower 2 different colors.
And, that little stapler will continue to be one of my most favorite tools. It’s perfect for attaching the banner punch out here… 
And spring always makes people ‘happy happy’!
I’ve been having fun playing with watercoloring.
What I like about it, is that you can just slplutz some color on the paper and smear it around and you have art. (and, yes, that is a technical term). I’m sure actual artists would beg to differ and I am in NO way a watercolorer, but I can pretend.
The Hello stamp from the 2016 Sale-A-Bration offerings made this just a FABULOUSLY fast and simple card. And, it’s bright and cheery. Perfect for sending a ‘Hello’.
Hello!!
Here’s a little treat bag for your crafting pleasure. I made this last month in my Stamp Clubs. Wanted something to celebrate the Valentine holiday, but not too ‘in your face’. I wanted it to be able to be used any time.
I love the little kraft treat bags from Stampin’ Up! You can get a pack of 10 for $3.50! It’s a steal! And, I made up a handful to have on hand…just so they were available when I needed to give a little gift … or treat…
The ‘A Nice Cuppa’ stamp set was a lot of fun to play with. I love tea cups. I wish I enjoyed hot tea more. Well, I do enjoy it. When it is cold out. Its just that I am rarely cold enough to feel the need to drink hot tea… anyway…
The framelits make cutting the cup and the tag and the steam out VERY easy. And, a little glimmer paper for the heart… I used Wink of Stella to add the accent to the cup and to the steam. (HAVE YOU TRIED STELLA YET???? You NEED TO.)
Anwyay, super fun, super fast. EASY!!
I realized Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but I want to share a little of the decor I made for the house. Actually, I made 13 of these… sent to family on the mainland for Valentine’s!! What a wonderful piece of HAPPY mail!
Even though I made it pink and hearts, I really tried to keep it from being TOO Valentine-y just cause I wanted people to be able to leave it up past the holiday. Just cause it is very cheery…
Love the Blushing Bride Glimmer paper. It’s fabulous. I actually thought it would be too pink for my liking, but when it came, I was wonderfully surprised. It seems to go well with everything.
I cut the banners out on the big shot… cut out the dsp and photos alike. The big shot makes the easiest banners… (and many other things.)
Our little heart punch lines up very well with the Hearts TIEF… The glimmer cut outs glued in real well.. (oops, looks like one of my hearts is a little crooked…)
I had a very hard time getting pictures without glare…
One of my favorite card sites (for making digital cards) is Pear Tree Greetings. I saw the idea of sending a Valentine’s Banner on their site. But, it was about $3 EACH. To order! And, I figure, with this banner, I spent less than a dollar! And, it came together in minutes! You could modify for any occasion!
Ok. Homework: Go make some spring banners. And send me some pics!! I wanna see. They are so much fun!!
hanniejoy&co 