Blossom Punch Out

I'm back to posting samples using the Mixed Bunch set :)

When I started this card, I had stamped one of the large flowers from Mixed Bunch and then punched it out with the fabulous new blossom punch.  I set the scrap down and found that it looked great and I had to use it (little did I know that the stamped flower was what I was going to discard this time around--I ended up using that for a different card).  I love how the punched out shape shows the bold Melon Mambo that is layered underneath.  The yellow center is actually the only part of this card that came from the Mixed Bunch set.  "Best Wishes" is from Short and Sweet.  As you can probably tell from so many of my card samples, one of my favorite products is the Patterns Designer Series Paper.  It comes in stacks of 20 sheets sold by color family and is a great value compared to the other paper.  I used a small scrap of Melon Mambo Patterns DSP and layered it onto some Melon Mambo card stock punched with the scallop edge punch.  The card base is Daffodil Delight.  This card just screams Spring or Summer to me.  Are you ready for warmer weather yet?  I am!

Monochrome Vintage Floral

I think I've done more stamping in the past three days than I have done in the past three months, and it has been nice.  I'm hooked and want to just keep stamping!  I've limited myself to a few stamp sets and it is fun to see what I can come up with using the three Sale-a-Bration sets and one set (Mixed Bunch of course) from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

This card was made with the Fresh Vintage Sale-a-Bration set.  I stamped the larger stamp all over the background in Poppy Parade, then stamped the smaller stamp, punched it with the 1-1/4" circle punch, layered it on the fabulous new blossom punch, and stuck a glimmer brad through it.  The best wishes greeting comes from the good old Sincere Salutations set.  I think I should try making this same card with another color to see how different it might look.  Challenge yourself to try a monochromatic card sometime, they're fun!

Gray & Daffodil Fresh Vintage

Okay, I decided to take a break from posting Mixed Bunch ideas (but not a long break, more to come).  Sale-a-Bration is in full swing with just over a month left.  For every $50 in product that you order, you get to select a Sale-a-Bration item for FREE (stamp sets, accessories, digital downloads).  This is a fantastic offer that you should take advantage of!

One of the exclusive Sale-a-Bration sets is called Fresh Vintage, which I used here.  I combined Basic Gray with Daffodil Delight to create this card.  The greeting is from Short & Sweet.  Hope you enjoy this little bit of inspiration!

Mambo Mixed Bunch

I am loving my new Mixed Bunch stamp set (you can probably tell from the number of posts I've done about it lately--and there are more to come)!  The flowers just lend themselves to great color combinations.  I'm looking at the cards that I stamped yesterday and bright colors are definitely calling out to me.  I'm ready for Spring!

This card uses the Mixed Bunch set and the Heard from the Heart set.  Colors are Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, and Basic Black.  I finished off the card with a little bit of 1/8" black taffeta ribbon.  I think I'll be using a lot more of that in the future, I love the boldness and the white edges of it!

Quick 3x3 Flower

Hooray!  I got a little bit of stamping in again today.  I still have so many ideas in my head and notes written about cards to make with the Mixed Bunch set, so hopefully I'll get more time to stamp again soon.

This is a quick 3x3 note card.  I actually had a few of the pieces already cut from an old project, so this was a cinch to put together!  The flower was made with a stamp from the Mixed Bunch set and with Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango ink.  First I stamped it in Daffodil Delight, then I rolled just the edges in Tangerine Tango for the effect (it's called Rock and Roll).  I punched it out with the scallop circle punch and then layered it onto a couple of pieces of paper from the Brights Designer Series Paper stack.  The "wish big" comes from the Short & Sweet stamp set.  I love quick and easy, I'll have to make up more 3x3 cards!

Baby Bundle

I love to go to Baby Showers.  Before I had children of my own, I thought they were fun to go to, but now that I've experienced the joys (and sleeplessness, and trials, and pain, and laughter, and craziness) of motherhood I enjoy them oh so much more.  It's fun to visit with the mother-to-be or new mother and share ideas, listen to her reactions to gifts, listen to other mothers share advice, and just get out and socialize.  I helped throw a baby shower a few weeks ago (see yesterdays post for the STAMPED snack) and this is the card that accompanied my gift. 

I bought the Baby Bundle set a couple of years ago when I was expecting #2--I just couldn't resist the adorable onesies!  I made the invitations for the shower, yet I forgot to photograph them and I didn't keep one for myself.  If I can find one, I'll post it here.  Since I stamped a row of 3 onesies on the invite, I decided to keep with the theme and stamp them on my card as well.  I chose a couple of this year's In Colors for my color scheme: Pool Party and Island Indigo (those names just sound fun, don't they)!  The dot background was made with a textured impressions folder and then I punched the sentiment with word window and modern label punches. Pretty straight forward and simple to do!

Cookie Stamps!

 Have you stamped on cookie dough?  Stampin' Up! has cookie stamps and they are a ton of fun!  I helped throw a baby shower a couple weeks ago and I stamped some cookies to go with the other refreshments.  The color is a little bold, but we had a whole blue/turquoise theme going on so I tried to match it.  There are 2 sets of Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps: one with a Jack-O-Lantern, snowflake, and a heart and one with a bunny, a shamrock, and a flower.  Each set comes with a nice wood handle and the 3 silicone (and dishwasher safe) stamps.  All you do is make up a batch of cookie dough (non-sticky and low rising cookies work best), roll it into balls, then press it down with the stamp.  There are a couple of recipes included, and the sugar cookie recipe is great!  Try them sometime!  They are way easier than regular sugar cookies, a lot of fun (especially for my 4 year old), and cuter too!

Mixed & Modified

I {think} I'm addicted to stamping.  Can you really be addicted if you only get 15-30 minutes total in a given week to stamp?  'd like to be addicted to it (in the sense that I'd like to spend more time doing it).  Now that I've started using some of my new Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration sets, I can't wait to stamp more.  I'd love to take hours to sit and explore the possibilities, but my kids have other plans for me at this time.  I have so many ideas bookmarked that I want to try, but it is the actual stamping that I just can't convince them to let me do.  On Sunday, I had a few minutes to stamp, so I didn't want to waste any time.  I looked through leftover pieces of cards from my previous card classes, and I came across the pieces that turned into this card.  I almost felt like I was cheating, because I already had the card base put together--all it needed were the stamps.  Score!  I was so excited that I could pull out a few ink pads and my new Mixed Bunch set and have this card finished and ready to photograph in UNDER 5 minutes!  Do you want to see what the card was originally going to be?  I had good intentions to make up a bunch of these and then never got around to it.  Now that the holidays are long past, it was fun to change it up and turn the same colors and layout into a bright springy card.  I used Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzazz, and Daffodil Delight.  Now I want to go see what else I can come up with for my leftover scraps.

Case's Mixed Bunch

I case'd (copy and share everything) this card from the talented Julie Davidson.  I just loved how simple yet how fabulous the design was, so I had to make one of my own and share it with you.  I used two of the current In Colors: Wisteria Wonder and Pool Party.  The texture on the card base was done with the paper crimper, a tool that I honestly haven't used in years, but I love how it adds to the card.  The greeting is a stamp that I got for FREE (from the Outlined Occasions set--part of the Sale-a-Bration promotion)!

Quick Mixed Bunch

I just ordered some new stamp sets and I am excited!  The Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-a-Bration catalog are available to order from right now and so I couldn't resist.  I LOVE this time of year when I can order cute new stamps and then pick FREE items with every $50 purchase--it is definitely a great time to stock up.

Anyway, my favorite new purchase is the Mixed Bunch stamp set that I used for this card.  It is bold, sassy, and fun!  I just stamped a few stamps in Poppy Parade and Pool Party, layered it on some card stock, and tied a ribbon.  It's quick and simple!  Yesterday I had 30 minutes without the kids, so I had to do a few cards as quick as possible and here is one of the cards I came up with.  I can't wait to steal a little more solo time so that I can stamp more with this fun set. 

Wisteria Flowers

I'm in the mood for Spring with the warmer weather we're having this weekend.  I've even spotted a few flowers trying to come up in the yard!  Here's another card with the Raining Flowers stamp set (I posted several this past summer).  I've combined a couple of In Colors: Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush along with So Saffron.  It's a quick and easy card to make, one that could be done in a variety of colors. 

Don't forget that Sale-a-Bration is going on right now!  If you spend $50, you get a FREE item (stamp set, paper pack, accessories, etc.).  Click on the link to the right for more details and for a brochure of what free items you can pick.