Weather Together 3 Ways - Simple to Stepped Up!

Do you prefer simple or stepped up cards?  I find I don't make many simple cards - I like lots of layers and embellishments!  At 35 weeks pregnant with 3 other little ones - one would think that I would choose the simple route - but I just love all of the embellishment options that SU! offers.  But sometimes time or budget is a factor, so I have an easy simple card to show you too. 

Today I have 3 different cloud backgrounds - from simple to stepped up - to give you some options the next time you stamp.  Today I'm focusing on one my favorite stamp sets from the Annual Catalog - Weather Together (141543).  The images, font and die cuts make this a great bundle to own.

For the simple card, it really just involves stamping.  There's no need for a Big Shot - a quick and easy card.  For the background I stamped the larger cloud stamp with the white Craft Stampin' Ink & Refill.  On a 4" x 2.75" piece of Whisper White Cardstock, I stamped the umbrella in Lemon Lime Twist and Smoky Slate ink pads and colored the handle with the Peekaboo Peach Stampin' Write Marker.  A little bit of Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine and Pool Party washi from the Basic Pack 3 Washi Tape finishes off the card.

For the next card I wanted to step it a little and use the coordinating Umbrella Weather Framelits.  I took a layer of Pool Party Cardstock and used the 2 cloud framelits to cut out the background.  I then used Pool Party ink and stamped the clouds onto the white cardstock.  You can either adhere the layers first or hold them together with a little bit of washi tape.

I really like the detail the diecut clouds give to this background.  I also stamped and cut out the umbrella for this card, added a little Pool Party splatter with my Aqua Painter and added a few of the Pool Party embellishments from the Subtles Enamel Shapes pack.

For the final card of the three, I wanted to show the new (and amazing) Embossing Paste with the cloud decorate mask from the Pattern Party Decorative Masks pack.

This card is my favorite of the three - so many fun details on one card!  Definitely "stepped up".  (May I say though, the paste was way quicker and much easier than the diecut clouds!)

After the paste dried, I added the pretty peach bow with Peekaboo Peach 5/8" Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon.  I really love how this ribbon looks on a card!  The umbrella is stamped and diecut again and adhered to a piece of Shimmer White Cardstock.  You can see that I added a watercolor wash and splatter to the background as well using an Aqua Painter.

I hope that you enjoyed these three similar yet different cards.  I'd love to hear which background technique is your favorite!  

I'd love to help you with your next Stampin' Up! purchase too!  You can purchase the stamp set and matching framelits for $46 (USD) before tax and shipping.  If you purchase $50 before the end of the month, you will earn a $5 coupon to use next month!  Shop here and use hostess code VCEN44XB

Wishing you brighter days!

-Holly

A Carrot Colored Card for My Friend

I know what you're thinking - two cards in one day??  I actually had a moment to sit down and create a card this afternoon. I needed to make a card for a fellow demonstrator who has done so much for me and my small team over the last month.  I also have been wanting to participate in a card challenge for The Crafty Carrot Collective. 

It's a team of 5 worldwide demos that bring lots of techniques and tutorials.  I've enjoyed their first month free - you can still check them out on facebook.  Here's the challenge site.

The ladies in the group have been focusing on the stamp set Weather Together.  I absolutely love this set.  It was one of the first I saw back in June and I've enjoyed making a lot of umbrella cards with it.  This time I wanted to try something different.  I still used the stamp set - but I focused on the little hearts for the background.  I wanted to combine two of the techniques shown this month...

Susan Wong created some really neat cards with a repetitive background and Cindy Schuster created a lovely watercolor look with ink & the clear blocks.

This sentiment comes from the Suite Sentiments stamp set from the Occasions Catalog.  This set has 11 sentiments that coordinate with 7 different suites from the catalog.  It is a MUST HAVE set!  I love it!

I embossed the "friend" in gold which really gives this card an extra beautiful detail. 

The hearts were embossed in clear before I added the watercolor background.

I hope that you like this card!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Holly

Red, White & Blue for TGIFC62

Well summer is officially here in the US.  The 4th of July feels like the true beginning of summer for me.  It also feels like the end too, because before we know it, autumn will be here and we will be picking apples in the cooler weather!

But let's not get too far ahead.  I hope that you have something fun planned for the weekend.  We won't be doing much.  The only family we live near is off doing a tradition at their friends cabin on the lake, so we most likely will just be grilling, toasting some marshmallows and lighting a few sparklers.  

Before we head into the weekend, we have a challenge over at TGIF Challenges perfect for the festivities!  So before you head out camping or visiting family, join us in making a card (or project) with these colors!

For my card, I wanted to use the splatter from the Touches of Texture stamp set.  I thought maybe I would get a fireworks kind of look?  My 5yo said it looked like sparklers, so I guess it kind of worked!

I decided to make a thank you card with my brother in mind.  He's currently serving in the Air Force (and he's the reason I joined the military too).  He recently passed a big test and I'm pretty proud of him.  I'm also grateful for all he's done.

I added some silver thread and silver sequins to bring it all together.

And what's the 4th without sparklers??  I liked the idea of dividing them up (avoid the fighting) and adding a little festive tag! :)  These would make a cute favor at a wedding too!

Hope you can join us this week at TGIF!  Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Blessings,

Holly 

Celebrate 89! GDP042

My grandfather "Pap Jake" is turning 89 next Tuesday. Since Monday is a holiday here in the US, I had to be somewhat quick this morning so that I could get the card in the mail today.  (I actually set my alarm early to stamp before my kids woke up!  But.. yeah, that didn't happen..)

I was inspired by the Global Design Project sketch this week.  

Pretty simple.  I love sketches - my kind of thing when I'm in a hurry! :)

I wanted to use these little presents for awhile now.  The Weather Together stamp set is one of my new favorites and it has these 2 little presents in the set.  Not sure how to tie them with the umbrellas quite yet, but for now, I think the present looks cute as a background stamp, don't you?

I love the addition of the little fussy cut present too - wrapped in the Emerald Envy solid baker's twine.  The splatter on the 89 is from the new grungy set called Touches of Texture - another great set from the new catalog!  And the numbers are from the Larger Numbers Framelits.

For the inside, I carried over the Emerald Envy DSP, the splatter and the little present.  The sentiment is from the Feather Together set.

Don't forget to stamp your envelope too!

Thanks for stopping by!  If you still have your grandparents (or parents) around - give them a call or visit!

Have a great weekend!

-Holly

Weather Together Sympathy Card for PCCCS200

Let's just start off by saying this is very last minute!  I've been meaning to play this challenge all week and well, life happens!  But, I did need to make a sympathy card and I had this sketch brewing in my mind all weekend!

Here's the sketch - make sure you head over to the Paper Craft Crew blog and see all the other talented designer's and challenger's entries! Oh and wish PCC a happy 200th! :)

I took the sketch and flipped it upside down! I wanted to use clouds as one of the strips in the sketch but ended up adding DSP and ribbon anyway.

I absolutely love this set from Stampin' Up! called Weather Together.  It was one of the first sets to catch my eye and the matching framelits are so cute!

So there you have it! With 25 minutes to spare, I got a card made for the challenge! :)

 If you haven't seen my Stamps in the Mail kit for this month, there's not much time left for that either!  I will be ordering Thursday!

Have a great Tuesday!

-Holly 

Hang in There Claire! with Fox Punch and Weather Together - TGIFC59/GDP039

Gosh, I feel like I haven't stamped in so long!  We have been gone since late May on a trip to visit family in Texas.  I had a few posts scheduled ahead of time, but I still feel like I haven't "blogged" or stamped for awhile!

I received my box of goodies yesterday from Stampin' Up!  I waited all day for the UPS truck with no luck only to see him passing as we left for our son's t-ball game.  When we came home it was dinner, the Penguins game.  Yes, I cared more about watching to see if the Pens would win the cup than I did opening stamps.

But after the game, kids went to bed and I stamped until 12:30 in the morning!  I would've went longer, but mornings come early with three little boys!  Anyway, I needed to make a card for my 4 year old niece Claire.  She spent last night in the hospital after having a tonsillectomy and her ear tubes replaced.  She's a tough cookie, but I'm sure she was scared and didn't want to be there.

It's also Friday which means a new challenge over at TGIF Challenges!  We have a fun sketch for you all this week.  I actually made a few cards with this sketch, so look for another reminder this week!  I'm playing along with the Get Well theme from the Global Design Project too.  Make sure to check out both challenge sites and pin my card (please?) :)

I originally had this card with the umbrella upwards by itself until I had the idea of putting this cute little cat inside the umbrella!  I punched the cat (uh.. card stock cat) out using the Fox Builder Punch and Crumb Cake card stock.  I then sponged it with Soft Suede ink.  I also add the ears and face with the stamp from Foxy Friends.  (You can bundle and save with the stamp set and punch).



I added a little Peekaboo Peach enamel dot for a little heart. Too cute!



I gave the background of the white oval a watercolored wash using my Aqua Painter and Pool Party ink.  I also added clouds to the oval and the Crumb Cake strip.  The sentiments from Weather Together are great, but I really liked the "Hang in there" from Here for You.

I carried over the watercolor wash, the A Little Foxy DSP and another sentiment from Here for You.

I challenge you to play along with our sketch challenge at TGIF!  Hope to see you soon!

-Holly 

Check below for the list of items used and don't forget to check out my product shares tab! :)