End of Year Thank You projects - Part 1

It's the start of summer but the end of some things.  Not only was school coming to an end, soccer was finishing up too.  I realized at the last minute that I needed something for a thank you for our wonderful soccer coaches.    I used a retired stamp set called Goal for this card:

This image is supposed to indicate a soccer ball in motion, on it's way to a goal.   I used basic gray for the first two images by stamping off on scrap paper before applying to the card stock.   The second last image is basic black stamped off once and then the last is full basic black.   The card base is basic black with a layer of basic gray that has been embossed with one of the new embossing folders, the Argyle folder.   I love the pattern this new folder makes and, unfortunately, covered up too much of it on this card.    Throw in a Tim Horton's gift card and we're good.

This thank you card was created using one of my favourite new stamp sets, Blooming with Kindness:

There were so many beautiful samples using this new set that it made it to the top of my must have list.   The flower gives such a rich stamped image and using the new style ink pads makes it even richer.    The card base is rich razzleberry layered with whisper white.   Thank you is stamped with rich razzleberry on whisper white and then cut with the Labels Collection Framelits.   A larger layer of rich razzleberry is cut using this framelit as well.    Embellishments are the basic pearls and some new 1/4 stitched grosgrain ribbon in rich razzleberry.

These were some quick and easy thank you cards to make.   My next post will focus on the teacher thank you's we gave this year.    Thanks for stopping by.

Pat

Grad 2012

Our local Grade 12 Graduation was last night.    I have seen some pictures posted on Facebook and wow - there are some stunning young ladies wearing absolutely gorgeous dresses.   My neighbour's second oldest daughter graduated this year.    They came over to take some pictures in our backyard and she looked so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes.     I'm having enough trouble dealing with my son moving on to Grade 2 so I can't imagine what I'm going to be like when he actually graduates high school!  

One of my favourite customers requested a special order grad card for her daughter.   Thank goodness for My Digital Studio which came to my rescue again:

This hybrid card uses MDS for all of the printed portions.    I used parts of several different digital sets here.  The best things about MDS in my opinion are the options to size and colour your images.   The card base uses retired concord crush with a layer of  basic black and then the printed whisper white.   Another layer of concord crush is trimmed using the big shot and the Adorning Accents Edgelits.   This layer is then embossed with the coordinating Adorning Accents Folder.    The congrats daughter image is whisper white cut using an Apothecary Accent Framelit.   It's hard to see in the picture but the framelit is paper pierced using the new Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack that coordinates with many of our framelits and punches.   Love it!!   A grad cap was paper pieced, popped up with a dimensional and given a tassel of whisper white bakers twine.   Of course some bling needed to be included in this card so some punched stars (retired) and the grad cap received some basic rhinestones.

Here is another grad card I made as another option:

 This hybrid card also uses MDS and is given a different fold.   The colours are the same as the previous card.  A trim of basic black is added to the top flap by using the Big Shot and the Tasteful Trim die.   Black floral buttons from the neutrals pack and some punched flowers with rhinestones finish off the card.

These two cards were full size cards which makes it challenging to fill up so much more space.   Once again, thank goodness for My Digital Studio!

Thank you for stopping by.

Pat

Stylin' Stampin' Squad June Blog Hop

I say it every time but I'm saying it again - man does time fly!! How can it be June already? At this rate summer is going to be over in a blink if an eye. My son can hardly wait to be done school and I'm thinking once school is done, the summer really will go fast. So it's time for our June Blog Hop. Our themes this month are new catalogue items, Father's Day and Graduation. You may have just come here from Dawn's blog. Please make sure to leave comments for our blog hop contributors so they know their work is appreciated.

Here are a couple of clean and simple cards that showcase some new product from the new catalogue:



This card base uses baja breeze layered with some new DSP from the Patio Party pack. A strip of Starfruit card stock is punched with the scallop edge border punch. Whisper white stitched grosgrain ribbon tops off the DSP layer. The image comes from the new Make a Cake set and is stamped using some of the new in colours: starfruit, primrose petals and midnight muse. The whisper white piece is layered on midnight muse and popped up with dimensionals. Happy birthday is from the new Itty Bitty Banners set which is cut using the Bitty Banners Framelits. This is stamped using midnight muse on whisper white.



This card uses some bright combinations that I think worked out well together. The base is rose red layered with daffodil delight and whisper white. Some more new in colours were used to stamp the images: the bird and flower are stamped with raspberry ripple and the leaf is gumball green. The sentiment is stamped with daffodil delight. The floral image is punched out using the 2 1/2" circle punch and popped up with dimensionals. Some new daffodil delight stitched grosgrain ribbon is used to top off the image and to centre the flower.

Both of these cards meet the card challenge in that they each use the new in colours together with an exclusive "sneak peek" stamp set. They are very clean and simple and worked great as make and takes for my Open House last week. It was a great way to have everyone use the new ink pads and were they ever impressed!! I love the new ink pads and will have to start gradually ordering the new sets.

I decided to do a scrap layout for my Father's Day themed item:



I used My Digital Studio to create the inner layer using the MDS version of the Best Dad Ever set. The ties are in marina mist, certainly celery, chocolate chip and basic gray. This layer is placed on a 12 x 12 crumb cake which is embellished using an early espresso layer cut with the Big Shot and the Tasteful Trim die. A peek-a-boo window is made from crumb cake and whisper white using the Peekaboo Frames die. Here is a close up of the frame:



and inside the frame (from Pretty Postage):



And finally, for graduation:




This card/gift box starts out with an 6 x 6 piece of black card stock, scored at 1/2" on all four sides and formed into a box. The front piece of the box is removed and another small box fits inside. The inside box starts as a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of card stock scored at 1/2" on all four sides. A "to open" tab is created using the Got Treats seat stamped in basic black on whisper white card stock. This tab is adhered to the smaller box with sticky strip. The top of the box represents a grad cap and is made from a 5 1/2 piece of basic black card stock. Congratulations is from the new Layered Labels set and is cut with the coordinating Apothecary Accents Framelit. A small circle is punched out using the 1" circle punch and popped up with dimensionals. The tassel is whisper white bakers twine.

Inside the box a 4 x 4 piece of whisper white is stamped with the image from Word Play using basic black ink:



This box could hold a gift card, money or small item.

I hope you enjoyed the hop this month. Make sure to continue on by using the next stop button below. Thank you for stopping by.

Pat

Heather's Blog

Blog Hop Participants:

Blog Hop Participants:

1. Annie L. of Love Me Cards
2. Pam S. of Stampin' in the Sun!
3. Rose C. of Stamp with Rose
4. Tonya B. of Stampin' with Tonya
5. Dawn S. of Dawn's Creative Chalet
6. Patricia T. of Sunnyone Stampin'
7. Heather W. of Heather's Stampin' Blog
8. Linda O. of Stamp at Linda's
9. Darcy J. of DJ's Stampin' Place
10. Pam S. of Sunny Girl Scraps
11. Kim R. of Stamping with Kim

It's almost time!!

Yep - it's almost time for the Stylin' Stampin Squad June Blog Hop.    Make sure to check back in on Thursday, June 7th to see what the squad has prepared for you.

See you Thursday!

Pat

Creative Crew Challenges for June

I love the challenges that I am receiving as a Creative Crew member on Splitcoast.   Here are the projects that I created for this month's challenges:

DSP/Colour Focus - use just three colours:  basic gray, white and one new In Colour:

The card base uses primrose petals and the basic gray layer has been cut using the big shot and the new Oval Accents Bigz Die.   Polka dots on the basic gray layer are from the polka dot embossing folder.  The cake comes from the new set Make a Cake and the happy birthday banner is from the new set Itty Bitty Banners.   The banner is cut using the big shot and the Itty Bitty Banner framelit.    Flowers are created with the boho blossoms and itty bitty shapes punches using primrose petals and basic gray card stock.   Some new whisper white stitched grosgrain ribbon and basic pearls add the final touch.

Catalog focus - use one "new" item in combination with one "old" item:

I used a few different new with old combinations.   The card base uses chocolate chip with a layer of the new gumball green card stock.  The gumball green layer is punched with the ticket corner punch and embossed with the square lattice embossing folder.    This old big shot product is combined with a new big shot product - the Apothecary Accents framelit.    An old stamp set - Lovely as a Tree - has been around as long as I have been stamping.   This old set is combined with the new Itty Bitty Banners set and cut using the Itty Bitty Banners framelit.   Finally, some old whisper white organza ribbon is combined with some new gumball green satin stitched ribbon.

Holiday Focus - Manly Men:

We were given the lyrics to a Brad Paisley song and then required to base our project on a line from the song.  Well these are the lines that I associate with my husband:

Yeah, with all of these men linein' up to get neutered its hip now to be feminized. I don't highlight my hair, I've still got a pair. Yeah, honey I'm still a guy. Oh my eyebrows ain't plucked there's a gun in my truck. Oh thank god, I'm still a guy.
 
LOL    Anyone that knows my husband knows that he is a manly man and these words definitely apply to him.   Once again My Digital Studio came to my rescue.    I love being able to find a digital download when I need a particular stamp.   This truck comes from the digi Countryside and is exactly like an old truck that my husband owns.   Another great option of using digital is the ability to adjust the size of your image.   This image was printed out using basic black on whisper white and then cut using the new Oval Accents Bigz Die and the Big Shot.    The image is coloured using Stampin' Pastels in real red, certainly celery, garden green, chocolate chip, so safron and basic black.   The oval layer is applied to the Early Espresso card base which has been embossed using the houndstooth embossing folder.   Happy Father's Day comes from Teeny Tiny wishes stamped in early espresso on whisper white and embellished with an antique brad.    Love it!!

Finally, the scrapbook focus:

A layout of my two favourite guys!!   My husband isn't too impressed with me that I'm posting pictures of him for all the world to see.    I guess I wouldn't be very happy if he posted a pic of me in my bathing suit and another of me eating a huge bowl of ice cream.  hehe   What can I say, I had to meet the challenge.  :)   This challenge was based on the classic strawberry shortcake.   We needed to use the colours real red, crumb cake and very vanilla; there needed to be at least one group of three and there needed to be something soft.   All of the required colours were used in this layout.   There are two groups of three:  three pictures and three hearts.   The something soft is the torn edges of the very vanilla pieces.  


I hope you enjoyed these projects.   My next mission is to prepare for my Open House on Thursday.   I will try to post pictures of the make and take projects we will be working on.   Also coming soon is the Stylin' Stampin' Squad June blog hop.   Check in again soon to see what I've been working on.


Thanks for stopping by.


Pat