My Paper Pumpkin Escape!

Won't you join me?

Today is the very last day to enroll for the March edition of Paper Pumpkin!

Paper Pumpkin is a monthly subscription from Stampin' Up! that enables you to receive brand new product each month along with directions to help you create fun projects quickly and easily.

You'll receive stamps, ink, paper and embellishments in each kit. In addition, I'll be offering a free tutorial each month so you can continue to use those same stamps in new creative way. The tutorial is available to anyone who signs up for Paper Pumpkin and uses my name, Penny Smiley, Star ID 83669, as your demonstrator.

I'll be receiving my "pretty red box" filled with goodies to create an amazing project. I'll be sharing my creation with you shortly, but today is the last opportunity for you to receive this months edition.

Escape with me here! You can find all the details here and please, if you are enrolling, I'd love for you to list me, Penny Smiley, Star ID 83669, as your demonstrator (because you don't want to miss your free monthly tutorial) 

Thanks so much! 

Homegrown Washi Tape!

Would you like to make some Washi Tape with me today? I love how it adds just the right touch to a card and I also love being able to create just a strip at a time. So, let's get started!

For this card I created two different tapes using Lucky Limeade and Early Espresso ink. I think the top layer was done in Crumb Cake rather than Early Espresso - just checked it and, yep, it was.

Here's the tape I begin with - 'Self-adhesive Abacasa Hinging Tape'. I found it at Hobby Lobby in the art section and used my 40% off coupon. (I love being able to do that off my phone now! Slowly but surely I'm getting a bit more technologically up-to-date!) There are other similar tapes that work well - it just needs to be translucent and have a peel off backing.

I like to tear off the length of tape I'll be needing and adhere it just slightly to Stampin' Up! Grid Paper #102787 using a touch of Snail Adhesive to keep it in place while I stamp.  I love being able to work on a grid and double check measurements, find the center of my card stock, etc. How about you?

Then.... stamp just as you would on card stock, making sure to stamp off of the tape so it looks random. Peel off the backing from the tape and adhere to your card front. Easy, easy! No, actually peeling off the backing can sometimes be tricky. If you have trouble, just tear the tape a bit and you'll be able to peel it right off.

The diagonal stripes come from the banner in Hearts a Flutter. The Paris postal mark and background from French Foliage.

Hearts a Flutter

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French Foliage
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CASE'ing and new downloads!

I'd like to share a card with you today that was shared with me by Lynn Adornato. Passing the creativity on!

 It's always great to see how stampers have taken a card.... changed it up a bit and made it their own. It's also a good reminder that you don't need to have the exact stamp sets - use what you have, even if it's retired! See the original post here. It's wonderful to get lots of mileage out of the product you purchase. Thanks so much for sharing Lynn - I love how you colored in the flowers to make them stand out. 

Celebrate Easter Ensemble 133734

And, did you know that each Tuesday Stampin' Up! releases  brand new downloads? It's awesome and here are two that are new this week. Receive a free 30-day trial of MDS (My Digital Studio) here!

Ex Libris  Brush Set 133014

        Need to shop? Here's a great place!

Ten Minute Tuesday!

 Welcome to a Ten Minute Tuesday!

It's the day I present two cards that can be completed quickly.... or take your time if you like.

Light and fun and well, just happy! Showcasing a few stamps from Bloomin' Marvelous - did you know the only way to get this stamp is for free? Yep, with each $50 order during Sale-a-bration, you may choose one product for free from a great selection of stamps, embossing folders, paper and embellishments. This great stamp set happens to be one of them. Learn more here!

 This set was created using the Notecard & Envelope set -
I love the size, 3-1/2" x 5", with matching envelopes which we stamped up right pretty!

Your free tutorial download awaits!

                                                                           

See Bloomin' Marvelous in the Sale-a-bration flyer here!

Madison Avenue

Happy Monday!

I have a new card for you today that has a bit of a background, literally. I decided to play around with the Honeycomb Embossing Folder this afternoon  ... after a very non-productive hour of fussing with another card that I had in mind. Do you ever switch gears mid-stream like that? 

See the  delightful pic at the end of the post to show what it takes sometimes to come up with something simple in my "studio". Seriously - and I'm (supposed to be) packing to leave on vacation in the morning! 

To create the background I used an embossing folder as my stamp. A great way to make your products go a little further! I inked up just some of the honeycombs on the bottom layer of the embossing folder using a Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Marker.  I then pressed my card stock down on it to transfer the ink. A brayer works great for this also.

I completed the card by stamping the element from Madison Avenue (free during Sale-a-bration!) in Cherry Cobbler and Midnight Muse. The Travel Post stamp - Midnight Muse on Very Vanilla. It's from one of my favorite sets.... Postage Due. 

I tried adding ribbon, then a tag, then a ... but no go. It just needed to be simpler than that. The longer I stamp the simpler my cards get it seems.

Now off to  grab some books on CD from the library ..... have you read Richard Paul Evans book, The Walk? We'll be listening to the third in that series as we head on down the road ..... 'til soon.

Honeycomb Embossing Folder 129378

I AM SO EXCITED....

I am so..... excited!

Stampin' Up! has just introduced it's first clear photopolymer stamp! I'm excited because it's clear.... how easy is that going to make it to line everything up perfectly?  I also love the stamps, especially the banner, word bubble and arrows.

And did you know this set is available for ordering today - right here! Toss a Paper Pumpkin subscription into your basket while you're there (because they're shipping in March) and another small item or two and you'll qualify for a free item from Sale-a-bration (until the end of the month)

Purchase yours today - here!

And don't forget to add Paper Pumpkin! Learn more here!

Choose Your Clouds...

Clouds...

So, in life you can actually have some control over the clouds, true? Not the clouds in the sky so much, but you can choose who you associate with, how you spend your time, what you read, your attitude ..... the things that make life sunnier!

And then there are some clouds that just come along without invitation and hang around for a bit and then your attitude is what makes them a little less grey.

Well, today I have another card where I chose the clouds.

Look at this sweet trio of puffy white ones! 

Here's how we do it:

1. Emboss a piece of card stock using the Cloudy Day Embossing Folder. Cut out just the piece of cloud you want to show. Trace around it onto a piece of heavy card stock like the backing in the Glimmer Paper Pack... or the Window Sheet Pack. Each Big Shot is a bit different so you may need to play with the thickness on this. Cut out your template and tape it in place on the outside of your embossing folder.

 I also add another strip of cardboard to the lower edge so it's even as it runs through the Big Shot! You will not use the  top Standard Cutting Pad.

To build your sandwich: 

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Embossing Folder with card stock inside

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Standard Cutting Pad

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Multipurpose Platform - all tabs closed

Run through your Big Shot! and only the areas where the cardboard has been will actually emboss. 

I did learn a trick - if a little embossing inadvertently shows up where you don't want it, turn the card stock over and smooth out with a Bone Folder. Works pretty well!

And the sweet pinwheel! It's a new die in the Spring Catalog. So sweet! It has a coordinating stamp set of sayings that are just, well, happy!

Pinwheel Sizzlits S Die 129411

Cloudy Day Embossing Folder127022

Wishes Your Way
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Now off to create a super hero costume (for myself!) to wear to lunch with the grandsons today!

Yikes.... one hour and I don't have a clue!

Super stamper???

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