Stamping 411 is Here!

Good morning stampers! I have BIG news for all of you - I am honored to have been asked to be an inaugural design operator for a new Stamping Blog called Stamping 411! This is exciting news for all of us! The blog will focus on stamping basics for new and occasional stampers, but will feature tutorials, videos and weekly sketch challenges for everyone! I encourage you to visit the blog on a regular basis for fabulous inspiration and stamping advice.


The sketch shown here is our very first one! You are encouraged to play along with us and then share your creation by linking it back to the Stamping 411 blog by adding the link in your comment. Be sure to use the sketch number (SSC101) if you are posting your creation to SplitcoastStampers. We can't wait to see what you create!
This week, I got so excited about the sketch, that I made two cards! In the first one, I turned the sketch and expanded the center layers to accomodate the size of my image. An easy way to determine what size to cut your cardstock is to measure the block of wood your stamp is mounted on. Then cut your focal image cardstock that same size and expand your measurements from there.

I typically cut at 1/4" larger intervals, but here, I've also cut the Regal Rose layer at a 1/8"interval for just a touch of that color on the card.


This card and my second one also feature a technique called Paper Piecing or Painting with Paper. As you can see, I stamped the cupcake stand once on the Whisper White cardstock and colored it in with my markers - easy watercoloring! Then, I stamped the cupcakes again on Raspberry Tart Designer Paper and cut out just the cupcake wrappers and adhered them to the card. That's the technique! So easy and very fun!

For my second card, I used the sketch the "normal" way, but again, expanded my center layers to accomodate the size of my image and it's layers. I also cut the cardstock for the teddy bear the same size as my block. That really makes it easy.

Look at the Designer Paper I've used for the 'background', the one with clouds and dots on it. Well, since SU!'s Designer Paper is double-sided and coordinating, I simply used the flip side of this piece to create the teddy's gingham belly! It too is Paper Pieced as in the first card.

To create the layered greeting, I stamped once with Creamy Caramel on to Barely Banana, cleaned my stamp with the Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist -must have for getting your stamps truly clean - then inked up just the center of the stamp again with my Stampin' Write Markers. Simply use the brush tip and color directly onto the rubber of the stamp. After stamping, I used my Paper Snips to trim out the center square and there you have it, a multicolored, layered image.

Now, for the dimension view, I want to point out the height obtained by using Stampin' Dimensionals under the greeting and the teddy bear. They really add a wow factor to a project. For added interest on this card, I used my Bone Folder and lightly rubbed it along the edges of the clouds layer and the teddy bear layer to 'distress' it. Then I simply sponged on some Creamy Caramel ink along the edges and it gave the card an antiqued, vintage feel.

The ribbon that is used here is simply cut 1 1/2" longer than the piece of Barely Banana cardstock and adhered to the back of the cardstock layer with SNAIL adhesive.

I hope you enjoyed the cards today and be sure to click over to the Stamping 411 blog and check out all the other Design Team's inspiring work. Please leave me a comment here or there and let us know what you think of this new venture and what you'd like to see in the future!

Stamped Blessings,

~~Robin

Supply List: Card #1 - Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set; Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink cardstock; Black Staz-On ink, Stampin' Write Markers - Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip; Raspberry Tart DSP; Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 2 Way Glue Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, Ticket Corner Punch

Card #2 - Cute and Cuddly stamp set; Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, Barely Banana cardstock; Black Staz-On, Creamy Caramel ink; Stampin' Write Markers - Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand, Ruby Red, Bashful Blue; Sweet Slumber Specialty DSP, Bone Folder, Bashful Blue Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals, Scalloped Square Punch

All Supplies SU!

Shop 24/7 on my website at http://www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net/

Blogger's Challenge #101 - Graduation Theme

Howdy stampers! I have to begin this post by saying that it was TRULY a challenge! Wanna know why?

Well, I don't own a SINGLE Graduation Stamp! If you knew how many stamps I DO own, you'd be amazed. Yep, I know I was! So, I guess when the NEW SU! catalog comes out in July, I'll have to check out the Graduation sets and invest in one. Sheesh! Just add it to the list..............

You know what's really sad is that when I got the challenge, my first thought was "I don't know anyone who is graduating this year! WHAT am I gonna do with a graduation card?" Well, ahem, my daughter is graduating in two weeks from 5th Grade! Any self-respecting Mom would have remembered that, now, dontcha think? Actually, the whole idea of 5th Grade Graduation is quite foreign to me - we didn't do it that way in the old days. No ceremony until we were done with the whole shebang - oh, well, we're just making memories, eh?

So anyway, I actually like how the card turned out, and I think my daughter will like it too. Plus what I wrote inside will make her smile and cry at the same time. She has her momma's soft, squishy heart like that!

Her school mascot is the Cheetah, hence the ribbon and stamped star - I used the retired Leopard Background stamp on Creamy Caramel cardstock, then punched it out with the Star Punch. The ribbon is contraband - Offray Wildcat - from Wal-Mart. The school colors are Garden Green and Summer Sun (ok, not really, but they are green and yellow and those SU! colors matched perfectly!).
I used the cardstock to cut two alphabets with my Naturally Serif Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die and my Big Shot. Alternating the letters to make it fun, I adhered them to the Brushed Gold Star that I cut with my Stars #2 Die and my Big Shot. Notice I replaced the "t" with a "d" to make it "grads". Yeah, I know, so original! LOL!

So, about 7 layers later and using Whisper White and Basic Black cardstock; throwing in some Gold Brads for the bling factor, my almost stampless Graduation card was done. Hooray! If you like it or even have a pithy comment, I'd love to hear from you! Your comments make my day, really!

And be sure to check out all the other Blogger's Challenge Players by clicking on the link in my sidebar. They never fail to inspire me!

Oh, yes, one more thing, I have an exciting announcement to make tomorrow, so be sure to check back for some news that you won't want to miss - I promise!

xoxo,
~~Robin

Challenge Group Card

Hey everyone! I meant to come back and post this yesterday since I gave you a little sneak peek, but I got so busy and spent all day stampin' today that I forgot to until now! Sorry about that!

Anyway, I belong to an online group of super stampers and they issue weekly challenges that you can sign up for. This one was called the "Crystal Ball" Challenge because we were to make a card for our challenge partner with a stamp set that we think will be retiring on July 1st!

Don't forget - I get the Last Chance Lists on Monday, June 1st! Exciting times......!

For my card I chose to highlight the Doodle This stamp set. It's one of my all time favs, but I have a gut feeling that it's gonna go bye-bye in this next catalog. I CASE'd a layout that I'd seen Connie Babbert do for another challenge a while back - I hope you like my card Connie! Be sure to check out her original card here. To get the flower petals to curl for my card, I just ran each one in between my Bone Folder and my thumb like curling ribbon for packages. Easy-peasy!

The supply list for this card is below, but I want to make sure you knew that the brads in the picture are REALLY the lavender Rhinestone Circle Ice Brads. They did not show up well in any photo I took, but beginning tomorrow, the photos on my blog will look a lot different - and hopefully MUCH better! You'll have to let me know, ok? :)

Happy Trails!

~~Robin

All Supplies SU!

Stamps - Doodle This, Really Retro

Inks - Basic Gray, Certainly Celery

Paper - Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Tea Party Designer Series Paper

Accessories - Stampin' Write Markers: Pretty in Pink, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Rhinestone Circle Ice Brads, Large Oval Punch, Scalloped Oval Punch, Dimensionals

Just a Peek.........

Happy Wednesday! Just stopping by here to give you a sneak peek of a challenge card I completed this morning.

I'm headed out the door for an appointment, but if I have time when I get back this afternoon, I'll come back and show you the whole enchilada!

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

xoxo,

~~Robin

Sabrina's Color Combo

Hey there everyone! Today I'm sharing a card that I made last week during my daytime Just Cards class. One of my stamping friends, Sabrina was in attendance and told me about this cool color combo that she had seen somewhere, but she wasn't sure how to incorporate it into her stamping. So, never one to turn down a challenge, I pulled out the colors: Taken With Teal, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Basic Gray. I added Very Vanilla for my neutral and decided to CASE myself from this card here.

I took out my Baroque Motifs stamp set (do you own this one yet? If not, you need it, trust me!) and stamped the large swirl in Basic Gray ink onto the Vanilla cardstock. I used the small flower image and stamped it in the other three colors on the swirl. Then I stamped the large flower with Taken With Teal ink on to Vanilla cardstock and covered it with Versamark and embossed the whole image in Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder to make it sparkly! After cutting it out, I added a green Rhinestone Circle Ice Brad to the center and mounted it with Stampin' Dimensionals to the card front.

For the greeting, I used the stamp set that was out on the table, Garden Greetings, and stamped the sentiment in Old Olive on Vanilla cardstock. It's edged with Versamark and Iridescent Ice as well, but it's kinda hard to see in the photo. I punched it out with my Large Oval Punch before adding the bling and adhered it to a piece of Taken With Teal punched out with the Scalloped Oval Punch. This is mounted on dimensionals as well.

The whole Vanilla layer is adhered to a piece of Taken With Teal cardstock and then adhered to a folded Basic Gray cardstock base.

All in all, a very simple card, and I LOVE these colors together! Thanks for the inspiration Sabrina!

~~Robin

Stamper's Showcase!

Wow, this is so cool! One of my cards made Stamper's Showcase today on the Stampin' Up! demonstrator website!

I feel like Sally Field - "They like me, they really like me!"

Stamped blessings,

~~Robin

Blog Awards on My Birthday!

Wow, what a wonderful way to celebrate! I received two blog awards last week from my friend Tiffany! She is an amazing stamper and friend and you should definately check out her blog here. Thanks so much, girlfriend!



The rules of the award (To pick up the Lemonade Stand Award):- Comment on this blog.- Cut and paste the award logo and use it in your own blog.- Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.- Link to your nominees within your blog post.- Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.- Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation.

My nominees for this award are: Kelly, Jaimie, Selene, Linda and Lisa! Thanks so much for inspiring me and for sharing yourself with us!



The Ladybug Award is for your blogging friends who make you smile, so for this one I nominate: Stacy (one of my new team members!), Ashley, Sheryl, Tiffany and Patti.

There are so many of my blogging friends who make me smile everyday and inspire me with their art. Stamping is such a wonderful creative hobby - it truly can be all things to all crafters! I am so glad you choose to visit my blog and I hope you come away inspired to pick up your stamps and create to your hearts content!

Have a wonderful holiday Monday and if you didn't see my Memorial Day tribute on Friday, be sure to check out this post here. We are so blessed to live in this Free, Christian Nation and I thank God everyday for those men and women who gladly put themselves in harms way to protect our freedoms. May God bless them, their families and may he continue to bless America!

~~Robin

It's My Birthday - But YOU Get the Gift!

Robin’s Happy Birthday to ME Special Sale!

Yes, Monday the 25th is MY birthday, but YOU get the presents!

I have to tell you some Stampin’ Up! News before I get to the sale – it’s important, so PLEASE read this!

On JUNE 1st, SU! will be publishing the Last Chance Stamp Set list AND the Last Chance Accessories list!
What does that mean for me you ask?! Well, it means that you will have the entire month of June to purchase those retiring stamp sets that are on your must have list. Because SU! produces all our own stamps – they will not sell out. We will produce enough to meet demand.

BUT – the retiring Accessories are NOT produced by SU! and once they sell out, they are gone, gone, gone! Now, I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do know that anything with a current In Color in it will be on that retiring list.
SO………………..

Between NOW and Tuesday, May 26th at midnight,
ANY item in the current Idea Book and Catalog that is an IN COLOR or has an IN COLOR in it will be on sale to you for 15% off the regular catalog price! This does include the designer paper which is currently on sale (Buy One, Get One FREE!)
and corduroy brads in the Occasions Mini catalog too.

The IN COLORS are: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango and Pink Pirouette.

Here is a list of all the affected products with Page numbers and Item numbers:

Card Stock Page 153
8 1/2 x 11 packs
111350 Pacific Point
111352 Baja Breeze
111353 Kiwi Kiss
111348 Riding Hood Red
111351 Pink Pirouette
111349 Tangerine Tango
111347 8 1/2 x 11 assortment
111346 12 x 12 assortment
111345 12 x 12 Textured assortment - part of the May Paper Special - Buy Three Get One FREE!!

Ink Pads page 153
111837 Pacific Point
111833 Baja Breeze
118356 Kiwi Kiss
111836 Riding Hood Red
111838 Pink Pirouette
111349 Tangerine Tango

Ink Refills page 153
111840 Pacific Point
111844 Baja Breeze
1118424 Kiwi Kiss
111839 Riding Hood Red
111843 Pink Pirouette
111841 Tangerine Tango

Designer Series Papers pages 158 - 161 - part of the May Paper Special - Buy Three Get One FREE - you can buy three at 15% off and get one FREE!!!
112156 Pink Pirouette patterns
112155 Riding Hood Red patterns
112150 Pacific Point patterns
112157 Baja Breeze patterns
112161 Kiwi Kiss patterns
112153 Tangerine Tango patterns

114039 Rockabilly specialty
113993 Parisian Breeze specialty
114037 Sweet Slumber specialty

112042 Urban Garden
112041 Bella Rose
113980 Candy Lane
113981 Bella Birds
112464 Manchester
113966 Good Morning Sunshine
113975 Raspberry Tart
112468 Sweet Always
113978 Urban Oasis
112461 Washington Apple

Cards and Envelopes Page 157
Carousel Notes 112139
Gift Notes 111337
Textured Love Notes 111338
Scallop Notes 111336

Simply Scrappin’ Kits Pages 162 - 165
Best Ever 112054
Hoppy Memories 113936
Sweet Nothings 113925
Sunshine Garden 113911
Love Stories 112179
Rock-A-Bye Boy 112172
Rock-A-Bye Girls 112165
2 Sweet 113943

Bright Delights Rub-Ons Page 172 113887

Designer Series Hardware page 175
Soho 114350
Hooray 114351

Corduroy Buttons Page 176
114338 Kiwi Kiss
114341 Pacific Point
114344 Baja Breeze (shown in the Occasions Mini Catalog)

Button Bouquet Designer Buttons page 176 112092

Fleurettes Crocheted Flowers page 177 114019

Flower Fusion Too Felt Flowers page 177 112006

Ribbon pages 178-179
Dress Up Ribbon Originals 114317
Pig Tails Ribbon Originals 114316
Valet Ribbon Originals 114318
1" Double Stitched Baja Breeze 111847
5/8 Striped Grosgrain -
111374 Riding Hood Red
111373 Pink Pirouette
111375 Baja Breeze
111370 Pacific Point
111372 Kiwi Kiss
111371 Tangerine Tango
1 1/4 Grosgrain Pink Pirouette 111363
Satin Kiwi Kiss 111879
Riding Hood Taffeta 111365

Blooms Again Die Cuts Page 181 112010

All these items will be retired – AND they will SELL OUT – especially the ink pads, refills and cardstock. I am encouraging you to stock up NOW at a DISCOUNT so you won’t be disappointed in June when they are gone FOREVER! I have seen it happen and I don’t want you to miss out!

All orders for this sale must be received WITH payment (MC, VISA, Discover) by midnight on Tuesday, May 26th. If you place your order with me via e-mail (stampwithrobin@yahoo.com)
you get your discount instantly. If you choose to order via my website (www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net) you will receive a rebate from me for the merchandise discount.

So, do you like your Birthday Present?! I hope so! Happy Birthday Everyone!

Have Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend!

~~Robin

Blogger's Challenge #100 - Patriotic Theme

Once again, Memorial Day is upon us and I, like many of you will be enjoying picnics and early summer fun with family and friends. However, Memorial Day is so much more than picnics and the pool - it's remembering the sacrifice of so many brave men and women who not only have fought and died for our amazing freedom, continue to stand in harms way for us every minute of every day.

My Blogger's Challenge card today is made in honor of all those who have nobly and honorably served our country. I can think of a few 100% Original Heroes in my life - my Father and Uncle Rudolph who served in Korea, our family friend Greg Rawlings who served in the Persian Gulf and has just returned from 15 months in Iraq and our friend Jake who is serving currently as well. Thankfully, they were not called upon to give the ultimate sacrifice, but their duty and burdens are and were the same - Protect and Defend our great nation.

If you have time this weekend, make a stop by one of our many national cemetaries. Visit a service or war memorial. Take the time to teach your kids about the real meaning of Memorial Day. When you fly your flag from your front porch, recall how that flag stands for freedom across the globe. Because freedom isn't really free - it comes with a cost. One that our service men and women gladly pay. God bless you and your families this weekend and God Bless America!

Card details: All SU!

Stamps: Godspeed (retired), Genuine Articles (retired)

Ink: Basic Black Craft

Paper: Always Artichoke, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain ribbon (retired), Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware (retired), Always Artichoke Stampin' Write Marker, Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals

Welcome New Team Members!

I'm so excited to welcome three new team members to my Trinity Design Stampers group! Yesterday, Julie, Ann and Stacy all joined my team of fabulous stampers! Way to go ladies and welcome aboard!

I also need to congratulate Jen for promoting to Supervisor with her first recruit! WooHoo, Jen!

All three of my new team members took advantage of the $75 Stampin' Up! Starter Kit Special that is going on all month long! Yes, it IS just $75 to be a demonstrator this month only! You can check out the details by going to my website at www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net
Click the Join Now button at the top right to find out more!
This is a wonderful opportunity to try Stampin' Up! with very little investment. Here are some of the great rewards of being part of our company and team:

* Enjoy a one time 30% discount on your first order
* See the Last Chance Stamp Set list before anyone else
* Get your copy of the NEW Idea Book and Catalog in JUNE with your 1st Demonstrator Order!
* Order Sneak peak stamp sets from the 2009/10 catalog before the public AND at an additonal discount!
* Monthly Full Color Stampin' Success Magazine with amazing samples and business training
* Fabulous Demonstrator Website with all the information you could ever want about running your business
* Chance to earn up to 9 additional stamp sets as part of the Stampin' Start program
* Regular team meetings with stampin' and sharing
* Team Yahoo site with regular updates and ideas
* Amazing friendships and camaraderie that is worth more than anything!

There is so much more, but I only have so much space here to share it with you. Contact me if you have questions, I'd love to help answer them for you to see if being part of Stampin' Up! is right for you! You really have nothing to lose by trying it out!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Another Butterfly - I am Obsessed!

Good morning everyone! I just wanted to pop in real quick and post this fun card for you. It is one that I designed last Tuesday for my May stamp camps and it was a HIT! I don't often do project in a monochromatic color scheme, but I may have to do it more often since I love how this turned out.

I started with the Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper as my inspiration and used one of the paisley print pieces for my small butterfly. (This paper is still on sale with all the others - Buy Three packs, Get One FREE!) Anyway, I pulled out the pink tones in the pattern and cut my large butterfly with Pink Pirouette cardstock. Both butterflies were made with the Beautiful Butterflies Die (SU! exclusive) and my ever faithful Big Shot! Yes, I cut them both at once on the same die, easy-peasy.

After edging the butterflies with Rose Red ink I used my Bone Folder to curl the wings a bit then set them aside and completed the card itself. The folded card base is Rose Red cardstock layered with a piece of Whisper White. I stamped the small flower from the Simple Friendship stamp set three times on the left side for a border of sorts using Rose Red ink. I then stamped the butterfly trail from the same stamp set on a smaller piece of Whisper White cardstock in Rose Red as well. This is mounted on another piece of Rose Red cardstock and adhered to the card front in the bottom right corner.

I then mounted the butterfly with Mini Glue Dots to the top of the stamped butterfly trail.

Now for the cool part - I used my always favorite Rhinestone Circle Fire Brads to create the antennae for the butterfly! Just open up the prongs and flatten them out with your Bone Folder. then twist them up a bit in a "V" formation, reflattening with the Bone Folder if you need to. This is attached with another Mini Glue Dot to the card front. I love this idea - necessity is the mother of invention, after all!

Lastly, I used my 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle punches to create the greeting, stamped with the Great Friend stamp set. It's just layered up and mounted on Stampin' Dimensionals. I also stamped the inside with the other greeting from this stamp set and some more flowers to liven it up.

I would love to hear what you think of this card and the new way to do antennae! Leave me a comment and speak at me! If I get 10 or more comments on this post I will draw a winner on Friday and send you one of these cards!

Happy hump day everyone! Get out and enjoy the sunshine - that's where I'm headed!

Oh, yes, be sure to come back on Friday - I'll be announcing a special offer for my Birthday Weekend - you won't want to miss out!

xoxo,

~~Robin

Blogger's Challenge #99 - CASE Yourself

Hello stampers! Are you having a good Tuesday? It's great here - I just finished up one fun Just Cards stamp camp and have another tonight AND the sun is shining and it's actually WARM outside today! Yesterday, it was so, so pretty outside, but boy was it cold! When I sat down to finally complete last Friday's Blogger's Challenge, I went for colors that made me feel like August - Hot, Hot, Hot!

Our Blogger's Challenge was to take an older creation and re-create it, changing at least two things! Well, as you can see - sorry if you need sunglasses - I changed more than two things! The first card pictured here was one that I'd actually cased in part from one I'd seen on a website somewhere about 6 months ago. I liked the layout and colors and just gave it my own twist.

Since I liked the layout so much, I decided to go with it again and see where these warm, wonderful colors would take me. I began by using two of the current In Colors, which will be retiring at the end of June - Riding Hood Red and Tangerine Tango.

(Hey, be sure to check back here on Friday, I am planning a big Birthday surprise sale for you since it's my birthday weekend! I promise, you won't want to miss it! It may have something to do with the In Colors but I can't give it all away now, can I?)

I added Summer Sun into the mix and pulled out my new, old standby Garden Greetings stamps. Do you own this set yet? Why not? It's a must own - I've made a ton of projects with it since January. It's just one of those that you can't make an ugly card with it.

The folded cardbase is Riding Hood Red cardstock and I've layered it with a piece of Summer Sun cardstock that's stamped with the small flower in Summer Sun ink. A piece of Tangerine Tango Striped Grosgrain ribbon wraps the left side. I stamped a piece of Whisper White cardstock in a flower collage with Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red and Summer Sun then cut it out with the Big Shot Top Note Die. The perforated edge is trimmed off with my Paper Snips and layered on another Top Note cut out of Tangerine Tango cardstock. These layers are popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals and once mounted on the cardfront, were trimmed off down the left side of the Summer Sun cardstock.

Then I used my Word Window Punch and added the window to the lower right corner for the greeting. I stamped it with Tangerine Tango on to Whisper White cardstock and just adhered it behind the window with SNAIL adhesive. THAT way it's straight, no guesswork!

Lastly, I stamped the large flower with Tangerine Tango ink on to Whisper White cardstock and colored it in with a Summer Sun Stampin' Write Marker. This was coated with Versamark ink and dipped in Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. After heat setting with my Heat Tool, I trimmed it out and mounted it with more dimensionals. I know, that all sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn't! Even my stamp campers this morning liked this card the best!

I know I am late with this weeks challenge, but I know my other Blogger's Challenge gals were not so be sure to check out all their great artwork by clicking on the link in my sidebar. Thanks for stopping by to visit today - I'd love to hear from you so post a comment so I know you are there!

~~Robin

Back in the Saddle Again!

Yes, hi there everyone - I'm Baaack! And feeling much, much better. Thanks to so many of you for your e-mails and commments with well wishes! Luckily the worst of my eye infection seems to be gone and best of all, I didn't give it to my family! Yay and Hooray!

Now, before I got sick, I told you that I'd been doing some stamping, so over the next few days I'm going to share those projects with you. PLUS, since I missed Blogger's Challenge on Friday, I'm going to go back and complete my project. Hopefully, I'll have that up for you tomorrow, ok?

Today's card is just very clean and simple - I like those cards, don't you? I started with a folded card base of Kiwi Kiss cardstock that is layered with Cameo Coral and Whisper White cardstock. The top layer is made with pieces of the Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper.

(Hey, don't forget, ALL the Designer Papers and 12 x 12 Textured cardstock are on sale this month - Buy Three, Get One FREE! You can shop for those on my website - www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net )

Anyway, I used two different patterns and just layered them on the Whisper White then covered the seam with a piece of that luscious Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon! Love it! You know, that will be for sure retiring in June because it is one of the current In Colors - so get it while you can, kwim?

The greeting medallion was created by punching out a piece of Rose Red cardstock with the Scalloped Oval Punch from the current Occasions Mini Catalog. Then I stamped my greeting from the Only Ovals stamp set, also in that catalog, in Basic Black ink. It is colored in with Stampin' Write markers - can't live without those - Cameo Coral, Rose Red and Summer Sun. It was then punched out with the Large Oval Punch and adhered to the scalloped Rose Red piece. This was mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals to the card front and THAT is it! All finished! A quick and easy card with the WOW factor.

The Designer Paper makes it so easy to create WOW cards like this. There is no guesswork on the colors, just go with the scheme provided, the patterns from one pack all work together so you can mix and match with ease and since they are in 12 x 12 sheets, you get a LOT of paper to work with. What could be better?

Have a happy Monday everyone! If you are registered for Just Cards stamp camp tomorrow, I'll see you then, if you are not registered, what are you waiting for? This is one of the cards we'll be making! So give me a call and I'll add you to the list!

~~Robin

Sick Blogger, No Artwork!

Hey guys, just a quick post to tell you that I've been suffering with a horrible eye infection since Wednesday and haven't been stamping at all. Actually, I haven't done much of anything these past few days.
I'll be back with some projects for you by Monday, I just need some time to get over this stuff!
Thanks for understanding!
Robin

Bad Blogger - Beautiful Rose!

Hi there stampers! Yes, I've been a baaad blogger! I was having such a great weekend with my family I forgot to post this card on Mother's Day for you. I had the photo all loaded, but I just didn't come back and add all the blah, blah, blah!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. The weather couldn't have been more perfect here and we got to sit outside and eat at one of my favorite restaurants. That was a highlight for me! Honestly, it's hard for me to stay inside when the siren song of the sunshine and warm breeze is calling my name. But, duty calls and I'm back in the studio today getting ready for a really fun Card Camp this Saturday!

The card I'm posting for you today was one that I initially made for a challenge exchange on a stampin' group I'm involved in and it was going to be my Mother's Day card, but I changed my mind when I created my Blogger's Challenge card last week.

The challenge exchange was to use four colors, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery and Regal Rose along with a neutral, I chose Whisper White. Cracking open my Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set, I heat embossed the medium flower in White EP onto the Certainly Celery cardstock. This was layered onto the Whisper White cardstock which was edged in Regal Rose ink. I wrapped some of that yummy Whisper White Organza ribbon around these layers and tied a faux bow to finish it off. Those layers were mounted onto an Apricot Appeal folded card base - 5 1/2" x 4 1/4".

To create my rose, I took my Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder for the Big Shot and brayered Regal Rose ink inside of it, coating the plastic. I inserted a piece of Whisper White cardstock and ran it through the Big Shot. The brayered ink colored the non-embossed areas of the cardstock and the white flower is actually the raised embossed image. How cool is that?! I'd seen this technique on several other blogs I visit and was anxious to try it on my own.
You can be sure that I'll be doing this in card camp with you all! Speaking of, are you registered yet? Just Cards classes are on Tuesday, May 19th at 10 am and 7 pm. AND I've just added a cool new event called Freestyle Stampin' to my calendar this month! Be sure to go to my website calendar and check it out!

Now, back to the card - I used my Paper Snips to trim out the large rose and simply mounted it on Stampin' Dimensionals over the Certainly Celery layer. It's actually a pretty easy card, but it sure turned out pretty if I do say so myself! LOL! I hope you like it too - if you do, leave me a comment and tell me so! Your comments always make my day a bit brighter!

I do have a couple of other new things created for you so, I'll be back to post them for you, hopefully tomorrow so stay tuned.............

~~Robin

Blogger's Challenge #98 - Mother's Day

TGIF! Oh, my goodness - it's been quite a week around here. My dd Emma finally went back to school today after being sick since Tuesday night. I think she was glad to go back and do something besides lay on the couch and cough! Besides, it's an exciting day at school for them, their school earned a visit from a player from the Washington Redskins today and he is there for an assembly. Emma proudly wore her jersey to school to show her team spirit! Go Skins!

I was able to do a little stamping, and thanks to my hubby giving me some uninterrrupted time tin the studio last night, I was able to create this special card. I actually made two of them and will be mailing them today to our Moms.

It all started with the dry embossed piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock that was laying on my counter. I'd been showing someone how the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die worked in the Big Shot and this was the piece I'd pulled out for the demo. So, using the color scheme from the Desinger Series Paper Bella Birds (thanks Tiffany!), I pulled this card together.

First I used my Paper Snips to trim around the top edge of the roses then used a Stampin' Sponge to add Pink Pirouette ink all around the edges and on top of the raised embossing. Then, I took a piece of Whisper White cardstock and stamped it with the Tres Chic background stamp in Bordering Blue. This piece was also sponged in Pink Pirouette ink. Both of these pieces were layered on a piece of Close to Cocoa cardstock and then wrapped with some of that luscious Whisper White Organza Ribbon. The card base itself is a piece of Bordering Blue cardstock.

The inside, not pictured, has a white panel stamped twice with the large rose from Fifth Avenue Floral in Pink Pirouette ink and is also edged with the same. I stamped Happy Mother's Day from the All Holidays stamp set in Bordering Blue. Now all that's left is to write our personal message to our Moms and pop them in the mail!

I actually had another card that I was going to post today for this challenge, but if you come back on Sunday, I'll show it to you then. It's using this same Textured Embossing Folder, but with a different technique and heat embossing as well!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday! The sun is out here for the first time in a week and I'm so happy to see the blue sky again! We are going to take a Chick-Fil-A lunch to Emma at school and eat with her there. Since she's in 5th grade, we won't be able to do this much longer - my baby is growing up! Love 'em while you got 'em!

Stamped blessings everyone,
~~Robin

The Cute Becomes Cuter!

Have I mentioned lately that I love Target's $1 spot? Well, I LOVE Target's $1 spot! I always find the funnest things to spark my creative streak. This notebook is already cute, I love the black and red, but it just NEEDED something, dontcha think?

So, here's what I did.

I divided the pages up in three sections and using my stamp set Totally Tabs, made tab dividers for the sections. I stamped in Real Red ink as it was the closest to the spiral coil on the notebook. These were folded up and attached with SNAIL, then the edges were sponged with some more red ink.

Then, I used some of that beautiful So Saffron Poly Twill ribbon and wrapped around the front cover. It's attached with some Sticky Strip behind the circle embellishment so the seam wouldn't show.

For the embellishment itself, I punched a 1 3/4" circle out of Real Red cardstock, then a 1 3/8" circle out of Basic Black cardstock. The top layer is Whisper White, stamped with the Friend stamp from "A Little Somethin'" in Real Red ink. It's punched out with the 1 1/4" circle punch and then edges with more red ink.

Of course it wouldn't be complete with out a little bling so I added a red Rhinestone Circle Fire Brad to all the layered circles.

Boom, bang, done! I love simple projects like this one and they make great gifts as well. It's amazing what you can do with a few stamps, ink, paper and ribbon!

Happy Thursday, everyone! I'll be back tomorrow with my Blogger's Challenge post.
~~Robin

Judy's Thank you card

Hey there! Just popping in with a quick post today - Emma is home sick with Bronchitis so I've established a temporary "office" in the kitchen! What that means though is that I can't post new pics from here because of some way my hubby has the computer set up that I don't understand.

So, it's a good thing that I had already uploaded this super cute card I got from Judy in my downline! I just love it and I know you will too. She used the new stamp set Trendy Trees with Whisper White and Chocolate Chip Cardstock. The ribbon is Chocolate Chip Double Stitched Grosgrain, yummy!

The dsp she used is retired, and I can't remember the name of it off hand, but it was in the last Idea Book. Fall Flowers maybe? Autumn something? Anyway, that's a good reminder to be sure to order all the Designer Series Paper that you want this month while it is on SALE! It's Buy Three, get One FREE! In all likelihood, the dsp that is in the Idea Book now will NOT be in the new one in July, so get it while you can and at a bargain too! You can shop at my website 24/7 by clicking on this link: www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.com
Just use the SHOP NOW button on the upper right corner and you are GOLDEN!

Have a great Wednesday evening everyone, I'll hopefully be back tomorrow to post some of the projects I've been working on!

~~Robin

A Thank You from Andrea!

Hey everyone, I just had to show you this adorable card made by my client and friend Andrea!

She sent this to me as a thank you for her baby shower gift and I love it! She used the Tea Party Designer Series Paper for her top layer which was a great idea - very little stamping required here! She punched out the sentiment from the Short and Sweet stamp set with the Large Oval Punch and layered it onto some Pretty in Pink cardstock punched with the Wide Oval punch. It's popped up on dimensionals for the wow factor. A little Certainly Celery Narrow Grosgrain ribbon and two Silver Brads and VOILA, beautiful card, simply done! Thanks Andrea, you made my day!

By the way, did you know that one of the Stampin' Up! May specials is All of the Designer Series Paper? Yep! It's Buy 3 packs, get 1 FREE! That's a savings of up to $11.95 because all of the Specialty Designer Series paper is included in the sale. (lowest price item is the freebie) Be sure to go shopping on my website at www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net to take advantage of the savings on our beautiful designer papers. The sale is good thru May 31st.

Happy Monday everyone!

~~Robin

Blogger's Challenge #97 - Sketch Challenge!

Good morning stampers! I can't believe it's really been a week since I posted here. I promise you that I have been stamping, but honestly, this week just flew by! We have been doing a multitude of things around our house and we are still recovering from having houseguests for two weeks as well, so I'm going to give myself a little slack - but I am sorry I've been absent here. I'll make it up to you, ok?

Today's Blogger's Challenge was to be based on this sketch by our challenge Mom, Lisa S. Actually, I used this sketch by accident in this post here when I got back from Hawaii. I got my weeks confused and since I'd already made the card, I went ahead and posted it then. On that card, I turned the sketch on it's side, but here, I used it as produced.

I'd been playing around with my Big Shot and Texture plates (I know, insert surprised face here!) and had a piece of Mellow Moss cardstock that had been embossed with the diamond pattern laying on my countertop. This became my starting point for the card. I also had a piece of the Riding Hood Red gingham design from the Bella Rose Designer Series Paper laying on the counter and I thought that would be a cool, kind of retro combination - reminiscent of my Grandma's kitchen. So, I pulled out my much loved, never used Puns from the Past stamp set and selected the antique grater stamp for this project. This stamp set has super images and I love the tongue in cheek quips that go along with them.

I stamped the grater on to Very Vanilla cardstock with Basic Brown ink then layered it onto a piece of Riding Hood Red cardstock and again onto Close to Cocoa cardstock. There is a dimensional in each corner to make it pop up above the rest of the layers.

This was mounted on top of the gingham dsp which was matted with more Very Vanilla cardstock. I used a piece of Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon as my accent here.

The Mellow Moss piece was trimmed off at the bottom edge with my Paper Snips a la tablecloth style and formed the left side layer.

Now as you can see, I was channeling my inner Patti Chesky yesterday and EVERYTHING in sponged! (Love you Patti!) If you are not a regular reader of my blog or haven't checked out hers in my sidebar, you should know that the Stampin' Sponges are her BEST FRIEND!

I sponged the Mellow Moss piece all over the top to pop out the dimension in the texture pattern and all the other edges are sponged with Chocolate Chip ink. I think it just gives this card the old fashioned feel that it needed.

Lastly, I pulled out one of my all time favorite, now retired background stamps, Canvas. This was inked up in Riding Hood Red and stamped on to the card front, also Riding Hood Red. It may be a bit hard to see in the photo, but it's there, I promise!

Thanks for stopping by today, I'm so glad you did! Be sure to check out all the other Blogger's Challenge Players by clicking on the link in my sidebar. They will have some great ideas with this sketch as well!

I hope to be back again tomorrow with another post - I do have some things ready to show you - but Emma has her Spring Ice Skating Exhibition tomorrow afternoon and my Mom is coming to visit today, so just send up a prayer for me that I find some time to stamp and blog!

Stamped blessings,

~~Robin