Stamper's Block - A Tale of Woe!

Welcome to Tuesday here on the ol' blog!
Before I tell you my tale of woe, let me tell you what a wonderful time I had shopping with my girl yesterday! We went with one of my BFF's Lissa and her daughter Bethany who is one of Emma's BFF's to Tysons Corner Mall - one of the best clothing shopping malls in our area - and shopped til' we dropped! We had such a great time checking out the stores, trying on clothes and eating yummy cupcakes we were kind of reluctant to leave. But, dinner sounded pretty good and the girls cooked up a scheme for a sleepover so at least their fun didn't have to end!
I just love that Emma and I can actually shop together and have fun doing it - we don't often have the angst filled dressing room sessions I've heard about and she really considers the things I suggest before she rejects them - guess I can't ask for much more, huh? But, even with her at 12, I've learned which clothing hill I choose to die on so as long as what she chooses follows the rules and the budget, I don't say a whole lot. She usually figures out once she gets something tried on what I already know most of the time looking at it on the hanger - it's going to suit her or it's not. I LOVE being right, but I don't say I told you so! :)

Now, after you see these two cards and read my tale of stamper's block woe, you might be saying I told you so, but let's find out, shall we?

I have a great friend in Arizona - Diana - who is an amazing stamper. Earlier this year, she invited me to be in her swap group (and she joined mine) and just recently, our Holiday Mini Catalog round was due. Well, we choose what stamp set we are going to work with at the beginning of the swap each time and since we were all given the new Paisley Prints at convention, I volunteered for that because frankly, my budget doesn't always have room to buy the new stamps I want and I figured I'd at least have that one!

So, I'd set aside a chunk of time to design and produce the swaps for Diana's group and sat down at my counter to do it - and nothing happened. I took out the stamps and mounted them, unmounted them and re-mounted them, one at a time, hoping that by touching them some magic would happen and this magnificent idea would come to me. Nothin'! Nope, no magic here.
I really, really wanted to use either the pumpkin or the leaf from the set and tried coloring them with markers and sponge daubers and succeeded in making - no, not nothing - a mess! Ugggh!

I finally decided to go an entirely different route and try making these whimsical designs a bit more elegant so I pulled out my Gold Embossing powder and heat tool. Now we're talkin'!
But after stamping with Versamark and heat embossing it, I didn't know what to do with it. I finally stamped a background with the Woodgrain background stamp on Soft Suede cardstock and did some layering with Brushed Gold cardstock and Rich Razzleberry. Ok, now it's going somewhere, but how to finish it?
I took out my Gold Brads and added some of them and then decided to layer some ribbon across the middle and do a little Smooch Spray. I still wasn't satisfied - it just seemed to be missing something - and not a greeting, because I wanted to leave it all-occasion on the front.

So, I was talking to my friend Tara on the phone and she says "It can't be that bad." and I said ok, wait, I'll send you a picture......

and while I won't tell you exactly what she said (actually it was very kind), I will say that I love being right - remember, I said that earlier in this post! :)

But, the one thing she did say is that she loved the combination of Rich Razzleberry and Pear Pizzazz together and that got me thinking what a cool, non-traditional combination that would be for a Christmas card! And VOILA! - this card was born:

I love it so much better than the first one - and those colors are AWESOME together for a Christmas card!
Here 's a close up of the focal point:

Gold Brads, Gold embossing and Whisper White Satin ribbon combined to up the elegance factor of this card, but it still kept the whimsy suggested by the stamp itself and the polka dot designer paper.
Whew! Stamper's Block cleared - and Diana got her swap package on time last week!
I hope everyone likes them!
I shared that whole long story with you as an encouragement - even someone like me who stamps a LOT can sometimes have difficulty, actually probably more often than you realize! But, either just keep messing with it, or walk away for a while and you can most of the time make your ideas take shape on paper - even if it's entirely different than what you started out with!

Have a wonderful day stamping friends - I'd love to hear your thoughts on these cards - just be kind like my friend Tara! :)
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Asian Influenced Elements

Happy Monday stampers!
Did you have a good weekend? Mine was very full (busy!) but good as I got to be home or near home all weekend! My Sunday afternoon nap was VERY satisfying this week! :)

Today I'm headed out to Tyson's Corner Mall to hopefully finish up back to school shopping with Emma. I swear that girl has grown two inches this summer! She has outgrown all of her clothes, is almost an inch taller than me and now has a bigger shoe size than me. I love that she is going to be so tall - maybe it will keep the boys away! :)

Anyway, my card for you today is one that I created last week for my classes and parties - all the stampers loved it and I hope you do too!

It's so very simple - I took the Elements of Style stamp set and heat embossed the floral spray image with Gold embossing powder and my heat tool on Whisper White cardstock. I laid down a piece of Sticky Strip on the cardstock and finger pleated a piece of Whisper White Organza Ribbon across the front. It's not perfect, but it's not meant to be; it's supposed to be 'elegantly random'! :)

This cardstock was mounted on a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock then mounted on a folded Whisper White card base. The greeting was gold embossed as well and punched out with the Large Oval Punch and layered on a piece of Cherry Cobbler punched with the Scalloped Oval Punch. I popped it up using Stampin' Dimensionals and that's the whole card!

You really don't have to throw everything on a card to create something lovely - sometimes less is more and I feel that way about this card.
Soon, I'll be posting a monthly special feature on the Stamping 411 Blog highlighting Clean and Simple Stamping. It will post on the 4th Wednesday of each month so be looking for more "less is more" cards to come!

Have a wonderful Monday stamping friends!
Be sure to stop by my Stampin' Up! website today - there are many new items on the Clearance Rack - retired colors of cardstock included, so don't miss the chance to stock up!

Stamped Blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

Good evening stampers!
I'm back tonight with this week's sketch from the Stamping 411 Blog and I took the opportunity to make a very special card for a very special friend.

First, here is the sketch:

It's a great one for so many designs, but it really was perfect for what I had in mind - a birthday card for my BFF Tiffany's 40th Birthday!!!
Her big day is tomorrow, 8/28 and since I can't be with her to celebrate this milestone, I thought she needed a big, gaudy card to mark the occasion.
Tell me what you think!

I didn't follow the sketch exactly, but that's what a sketch is for - it's a guideline, a blueprint for your creativity. You can take it in any direction you choose!

The cardstock is really only three layers, Basic Black for the card base folded to make a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card. Brushed Silver cut at 4" x 5 1/4" and Whisper White cut at 3 3/4" x 5". I ran this layer through the Big Shot with my Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder to add a little whimsy to the more formal look of the black and white.

My focal point sits on three layers of ribbon, Basic Black Satin, Whisper White Satin and the new Basic Black lace coming out in the Holiday Mini Catalog. I added six of the new Rhinestone Jewels to the Whisper White Satin ribbon for a punch of bling!

The focal point itself is entirely cut with the Big Shot. I used the Ovals Die with Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock. The Big 4 -0 is cut with the Simple Numbers using Basic Black cardstock. I then heat embossed them with Sterling Silver Embossing Powder. I glued them to the ovals with Tombow Multi-Adhesive and then used Stampin' Dimensionals to attach the whole thing to the card front.

I was thrilled with the end result and I so hope Tiffany loves it too! It's currently in a Priority Mail package headed her way so we'll know soon enough!

Be sure to check out all the other Stamping 411 Operators designs by visiting the Stamping 411 Blog. You'll see Tiffany's project there too!
Have a great evening everyone and have a wonderful Birthday Tiffany! Love ya girlfriend!

Blessings,
~~Robin

Farewell to Summer.....

When I sat down on Monday to finish designing projects for my camps and classes this week, it hit me that summer is almost over! Wow, it sure has flown by and has been filled with some truly wonderful moments. I've spent time with friends both near and far, had an exhilarating and wonderfully surprising experience at our Stampin' Up! convention, spent a wonderful week with my family at the beach and enjoyed lots of fun stamping time too!

So many of you have had your kids head back to school already; Emma goes the day after Labor Day, and your vacations are a wonderful memory now. But you can still be in Summer mode with this card I designed:

I started the Summer Mini Catalog season off with two full packs of this gorgeous Island Oasis Designer Paper and when I pulled it out to make this card, I discovered that I'd used almost all of it! How this beautiful flower design escaped cutting until now is a mystery to me! But, I was glad, because I LOVE how this card turned out and so have all the stampers who have been here this week!

The entire card is created with the Big Shot with the exception of the greeting which is punched out with the Modern Label Punch. I made the card base by cutting a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock at 4 3/4" x 9 1/5". It's folded in half and then laid on the Scalloped Circle die with it covering all but 4 scallops. This allows the Big Shot to cut a folded, shaped card. I did use my White Gel Pen to mark the scallops for perfect placement.
Once I had cut the card, I randomly stamped the large flower image from the Tropical Party stamp set in Pumpkin Pie ink. The edges were sponged as well.

(Can I just tell you that this stamp set was NOT on my original list of must haves from the Summer Mini? Nope, it wasn't. But I got it as a freebie and folks, I ended up using it more than any other set from the Mini except for Elements of Style! I am not usually a 'cute' stamper, but what I loved about the Tropical Party set was that it can be used in vintage or masculine or elegant styles with ease. I guess you can't always judge a stamp set at first glance, eh? It is leaving us for good next Tuesday, so you still have time to order it if you haven't already. I know you'll be glad you did!)

Anyway, back to the card.....
To make the flower, I used the Big Shot Island Floral Bigz Die from the Summer Mini and cut all three pieces at one time by layering them on the die. I put down the Island Oasis paper first, then the Pumpkin Pie flower center, then the leaves. I love that you can do this with the Big Shot - it saves so much time!
Once the pieces were cut, I used my Bone Folder to curl the edges and then sponged ink on each piece - tone on tone for the Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red on the floral dsp. The best thing about using this die is that it punches the center hole for you! So all I had to do was stack my flower and add one of the 5/8" Brads to the center. So easy! The whole flower was attached to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals and my greeting was added with a dimensional as well. I used Teeny Tiny Wishes for that and it worked wonderfully for my classes as everyone used the greeting they needed for their card.
The card was finished by tying a piece of Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain around the top and knotting it off. It fits perfectly in a Stampin' Up! Medium envelope so you can mail it with ease - how great is that? :)

So, take a last glance or two through your Summer Mini catalogs or check out the offerings on my Stampin' Up! website. There are some real treasures in there that are retiring next Tuesday, 8/31 and I don't want you to miss them.
Want to know my favorites besides what I used today?
Well, Favorite Thoughts - the set of 'women's' quotes is awesome and you only need one clear block (H) for the whole set so it's a bargain at just $11.95 for the clear mount!
Blissful Bride is such a sweet bridal stamp set, I used it for two swaps and several cards and just love the simplicity of the images. It would work well for all occasion cards too with the cute cake and flower images. That one too is a steal at just $16.95 for the clear mount.
Sweet Scoops was a fabulous set for making fun birthday and kids cards. I can't tell you the number of swaps I received with this set and the samples I've seen with it. It was one of the most popular sets from the book and with good reason. And again, a great price at just $14.95 for the clear mount. Everyone needs a set like this in their stamping tool box!
Lastly, there are two Satin Ribbons that are NOT carrying over into the new Idea Book and Catalog - Chocolate Chip and Basic Gray! In fact, neither of these colors are in ANY of the new ribbons, so if you want Chocolate Chip ribbon, at least this year, this is your shot so don't miss out on stocking up on a couple of rolls. Both of these are just $8.95 for 15 yards on a roll - that's a deal!

As always, you can shop 24/7 from my Stampin' Up! Website, or just contact me to place your order. I'm happy to help you out, just remember that Tuesday at midnight ends the Summer Mini party! :)

Have a wonderful stampin' day!
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge - Calling My Name....

Once a week, I open my e-mail to find an inspiration photo for the UDI Blog Inspiration Challenge. We get a large group of pictures at one time to cover several months worth of challenges, but I don't look ahead from week to week. I like to open the photo at the time I've set aside to create the project because it is all that is in my mind and allows me to really think about what it's inspiring me to make.
Well, this week when I opened the photo file, I was immediately transported in my mind to one of my very favorite spots on this planet - Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay. This is the private island maintained by the Disney Cruise Line and the Serenity Bay beach is simply put - amazing in it's beauty. I've been fortunate enough to have visited there 3 times over past 8 years and honestly, I'd leave tomorrow if Mark told me to pack my bags. I'm having a hard time even writing this because I can so smell the ocean and feel that soft breeze and the sand between my toes. Aaaahh.......... can't you feel it too?

So, here is the photo that took me on my mini-vacation in my mind today:

I KNOW, don't you just want to be there too?!!
Well, maybe my interpretation will help:

I took my inspiration from the colors in the photo and meshed it with my memories of our wonderful family cruises.
Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue and Marina Mist all combined to make this card light and refreshing. I used the Sentimental Journey stamp set from the Summer Mini for my focal image. It's stamped with Whisper White Craft Ink and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder on Marina Mist Cardstock. Even the name of the stamp set was serendipity for making this card!

The compass image is stamped with Marina Mist ink (stamped off once) onto Bashful Blue Patterns Designer Series Paper. I also added it on the inside of the card as an accent.

I added the greeting from the In a Word stamp set, also in the Summer Mini. First, I inked it with the ink pad, then stamped off once. I then used the Stampin' Write Marker to color in the "me" part of the image to give it a duo-tone effect.

My focal image was matted on two layers of cardstock and then popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals over a piece of Marina Mist 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon.

As a final accent, I added a silver clip to the top left corner, tying it with a piece of Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon and a piece of Hemp Twine.
I was delighted with how my vision turned out on this card and I'm considering using it as the cover piece for one of our cruise scrapbooks. This color combo would be great to use throughout the book as well, keeping it simple so the photos really stand out. When I get that book done, I'll be sure to post some of the pages here for you all to see.

For now, be sure to visit the UDI Blog and take a look at what the other design team members created - I know you'll love their projects too!

The two stamp sets I used today are going to be retiring next Tuesday - they are in the Summer Mini and did not carry over to the new catalog. So, if you want to add them to your stamping toolbox, be sure to visit my Stampin' Up! website where you can place an order 24/7 from my online store. Let me know if you have any questions on how to order from there, I'm happy to help you! And remember, every order from my website this month gets you a handstamped Thank You card from me!

Have a wonderful day and happy sailing!
~~Robin

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful!

Hey there stampers!
I've got a busy, busy day ahead but I didn't want to miss a chance to share a new card project with you all - here is a card I designed for my hostess Sheli's party this month and we created it in my Just Cards classes yesterday too! Everyone just loved it - the color combination is gorgeous and the best part is that it's a very simple card to create!

The card base is Marina Mist folded lengthwise. I ran it through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. I LOVE the beautiful, deep texture this folder gives, it not only looks gorgeous, but just feels elegant! For this card, I tore a bit off the front and added a cardstock border of Early Espresso that was punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch.

All the layers on the card front are so easy to assemble. I used a piece of Greenhouse Gala matted with a piece of Early Espresso cardstock. These were wrapped with a piece of Marina Mist 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon and popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

For the focal point, I punched a piece of Early Espresso cardstock with the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch. It's layered with a circle cut out of Marina Mist with the Big Shot and my Circles #2 Die. The greeting is stamped on Whisper White cardstock with the lotus blossom stamp from the Friends Never Fade stamp set. I used Pear Pizazz ink and stamped off twice. I added the words from the Because I Care stamp set in Early Espresso ink right over top and then punched it out with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch.
You may have noticed a little floral image peeking out from the inside in the first picture. That image is also from Friends Never Fade and I just stamped it in Marina Mist ink to add a little interest there.

The best part of this card is that you can make 12 of them with just one sheet of the Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper. Cut your paper in 3" x 4" pieces and you get 12 from one sheet! If you used this layout with that whole pack of designer paper you could make 144 cards with just one package! Now that's making the most of your supplies!

Be sure to visit my Stampin' Up! Website where you can Shop 24/7 for all these supplies to make this card design. Remember, all online orders this month will receive a special handmade Thank You card from me!

Have a great day everyone!
~~Robin

Blushing Season of Joy

Good morning stamping friends!
Did you miss me yesterday? I didn't intend to not post, but I was out most of the day and when I got home, life just hit me and said "pay attention!" Do you ever have those days?! :)

So since I got no stamping done yesterday, I'm showing you one of the Christmas Cards we did at my Christmas in August class. This one was a favorite of everyone's.

I apologize for the dark ink smudge on the top of the card, I didn't photograph it before the class and it got dropped on the Crumb Cake ink pad! I don't think my Mom will care if this is the one she gets for Christmas, do you? :)

Anyway, I used Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizazz and Whisper White cardstock for this card and pulled out an old favorite stamp set - Season of Joy. This set has been around a number of years and never fails to create beautiful cards each time.
The collage image was stamped with Pear Pizazz ink on the white cardstock and then we used our Stampin' Pastels to highlight a few of the words.

All the layers were put together and before they were adhered to the card base, we used the Paper Piercer and Mat Pack to add some piercings to the opposite corners. It's amazing what this does to spice up a card front.
The flower stamp was inked in Blushing Bride ink and stamped on white cardstock. I trimmed it out with my Paper Snips, added a Gold Brad and attached it to the card front with a Stampin' Dimensional. For a final touch to the card, I sprayed it with some Gold Glimmer Smooch Spray - it looks fantastic in person!

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope you liked this non-traditional look for Christmas, a little something different sometimes is a good thing! :)
Have a blessed day!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

It's time again for another great sketch from Stamping 411 - and this one is a doozy! Even though it doesn't look simple at first glance, it isn't as complicated as it may look - it's good to challenge yourself from time to time! At least that's what I said when I saw it! :)
So, here is the sketch:

And here is my card:

For those of you who read my blog all the time, I really didn't intend to use the same stamp set as the card from two weeks ago - it just ended up that way!
What I DID intend to use was the new FABRIC that is coming your way in the Holiday Mini Catalog! I'm not much for sewing, but I love the idea of using fabric on my paper projects! And the best part - it matches the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper! Yeah!

So, for my card project, I folded a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock in half lengthwise to make a card that measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". It is sponged with Cherry Cobbler ink. I added a piece of Always Artichoke cardstock cut at 4 1/8" x 4 7/8" and sponged it with Always Artichoke ink before adhering it to the Crumb Cake.
Next, I cut a piece of Deck the Halls Designer FABRIC at 4" x 4 3/4" using my Paper and Craft Scissors. They are perfect for cutting fabric and ribbon! Before adhering it to the card front with SNAIL, I frayed the edges of all four sides giving it the shabby chic look I love so much! I also crumpled it a bit when I adhered it to the cardstock.

For the next layer, I cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock with my Big Shot and the Scalloped Circles Die. It was stamped with matching ink with the holly leaf from the stamp set and I sponged the edges with ink as well.

The greeting layer is Very Vanilla which is sponged as well with the Cherry Cobbler ink. It's layered on a piece of Always Artichoke cardstock. I stamped my greeting with Always Artichoke ink and then added three Rhinestone Self-Adhesive Jewels to the lower left corner.
Before I added it to the card front with Stampin' Dimensionals, I wrapped the right side of the card front with the new Cherry Cobbler Seam Tape.

I love the sheen of this new ribbon option - it makes beautiful bows too and as you can see, I added one to the top right. I frayed the ends to continue the shabby chic look and then added one more piece of bling to the top above it.
For a final touch, I sprayed some homemade shimmer mist (Champagne Mist mixed with spray hand santizer - see this post here) on the card front, then used my Color Spritzer Tool to add some flecks of Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Marker.
This card made me so happy when it was all done - I'm going to LOVE using that fabric, I can already tell! :)

Be sure to check out all the other Stamping 411 Operators takes on the sketch too - I know they will have beautiful things to show you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Bucket O' Stampin' Fun!

Hooray! It's Friday!
Actually, even though my weekend should be officially beginning this evening, it won't because Mark has to work tonight and Emma's skating team is having their end of camp exhibition tonight. So as you are reading this, I am probably either driving to the rink, at the rink or coming home from the rink because that is my WHOLE day today! I haven't seen the girls skate since Sunday and am anxious to be there today to watch their practice as they pull together the last of their performance program for the season. If you've never seen synchronized ice skating, it's really an amazing sport! I don't know how they all do what they do, skating on the ice all close together like they do without just completely running into and over each other. Well, they do sometimes, but rarely! And the girls on Emma's team are all between 9 and 12 years old - really amazing! If you want to see video from last season to see what the heck I'm talking about, check out the National Blades website. Emma skated on the Pre-Juvenile team last year, so if you want to see HER team, that's the one to watch! The 2010 Reflections Invitational is at the top of the page, and it's a great look at what they do!

Now, enough about skating - I know you came by to see a cute project, didn't ya?!
Well, how's this?:

Isn't that just adorable?! Don't they look good enough to eat?! Even though they might, don't because each one has a fun Stampin' Up! treat inside! I made these for my stampin' party the other night at Sheli's house and the ladies loved them!
The little treat boxes are made with Real Red cardstock and the new Candy Wrapper Big Shot Die that comes out in the new Holiday Mini Catalog on September 1st! It's a wonderful die and so easy to use and assemble the boxes - I just love it!
The designer paper wrapped around each box is just a strip of NEW Designer Series Paper that is also in the Holiday Mini called Candy Cane Christmas - it has special pieces that have glitter built right onto the paper - so awesome!
The ribbon I used is some retired Wild Wasabi and Real Red that I had in my stash, but the colors were perfect and I just couldn't resist!

So, do you want to make one of these cute treat boxes too? Well, just come on out to my Just Cards classes this month and make it as a fun little bonus project!
Yep, I love my stampers!

Have a wonderful day everyone and be sure to stop back this evening or tomorrow morning for the new Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge project. I have another wonderful Sneak Peek for you from the Holiday Mini - something so unexpected, you might just have a conniption when you see it! :)

Blessings,
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge - Lemon Lime Lattice

Hey stampers - it's Thursday in my little corner of the world and you know what that means - the UDI Blog Inspiration Challenge!
Do ya'll know how great this type of challenge is to get you out of a stamping rut, or creative block? It's AWESOME for that! Because the whole premise of the challenge is to be creative based on what YOU see in the picture! You can truly go wherever your imagination takes you. So I have a challenge for YOU this week - Play Along with me and the rest of the design team over at UDI! Do what we did, take a look at the inspiration photo and come up with YOUR interpretation of it! And then show us! Leave a comment either on this post here or on the UDI Blog with a link to your creation! I know you can do it!

Here, let's take a look at the inspiration piece:

Now, here's how my creation turned out:

Would you believe that I almost made a football themed card? I know - crazy, huh? But I saw the shape of the lemons, the texture of the napkin and thought it would be cool to go that direction. BUT, when I went into the studio to stamp, I saw the pieces of Old Olive, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White laying on one of my tables left over from Christmas Card camp last Saturday and thought to myself "Self, those are the colors in that photo! Hmmm...."

So, no football today, but you never know when it might pop up!
And, I'll post the original Christmas Card for you that these pieces came from later today so you can see how I got two completely different projects from the same pieces!

For now, let's talk about this card, ok?
I texturized the Old Olive cardbase by running it through my Big Shot with the Lattice Embossing Folder. Next, I pulled out two stamp sets - Favorite Quotations from the Summer Mini (which ends on August 31st!) and Friends Never Fade which is in the new Idea Book and Catalog. I inked up the flower stamp with Daffodil Delight ink and stamped it on the left side of the Whisper White cardstock. Then, I chose my quotation and inked it up in Old Olive ink and stamped it collage style over the flower image. This cardstock piece was layered onto the Daffodil Delight cardstock. I added four Stampin' Dimensionals to the back of it and mounted it on a piece of Pear Pizzazz cardstock (an addition to the Christmas Card pieces).

Using my Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, I added three holes below the stamped piece and inserted three Daffodil Delights Brads from the new Brights Collection. For a finishing touch, I wrapped a piece of Pear Pizzazz Poly Twill Ribbon around the Pear Pizzazz cardstock and secured it on the back side. I took a 9" length of the ribbon and made a small bow, attaching it to the wrapped ribbon with Mini Glue Dots. The Pear Pizzazz layer was mounted on the card front with more Stampin' Dimensionals and that was it!
In the end, I was really happy with the way this turned out and it was so funny to me to see what a creative journey I went on to get to this result!

So, where will your imagination take YOU this week?! Don't forget to share if you take my challenge! And be sure to visit the UDI Blog and see what the other designers created - I know you'll be inspired!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

To purchase all of the supplies I used for this project today, please visit my Stampin' Up! website where you can Shop 24/7 for every one of your stamping needs! Remember, you'll receive a handmade card from me for every online order you place this month on my website!

Sneak Peek - Christmas Collage!

Hi everyone!
Remember the other day when I was kind of wishing for snowflakes because it was so blazing hot here? Well, we've got stuff falling from the sky today, but it's definitely NOT snowflakes! I guess it's more like a torrential downpour! It's supposed to rain, rain, rain all day long and they are even calling for flash floods! Ai-yi-yi! Sounds like a great day to stay in and STAMP! :)

I've got a little sneak peek for you all today!
I'm so excited about the new Holiday Mini Catalog that begins on September 1st - it is jaw-droppingly gorgeous! If you are a regular client of mine, you'll be finding your copy in your mailbox pretty shortly, but if you need one, or don't receive your copy by the end of August, please let me know, ok?

The card I'm sharing today was one that I designed for my team meeting a couple of weeks ago. I love to get together with my downline team and stamp - we always do projects that they can turn around and share with their clients - so this month, we used supplies from the upcoming Holiday Mini!
Here is the card:

Would you believe that this gorgeous collage is actually all ONE stamp?! I know - get out! Well it is! It's called the Christmas Collage and it's the size of a large Background stamp. For this card, we inked it up with a Brayer and Crumb Cake ink and then used a Sponge Dauber to add the Old Olive ink to the stamp, highlighting the 'ornament' area. When it was stamped onto Very Vanilla cardstock, you had an instant two color image!

To make the '25' stand out, we stamped it again on a scrap piece of Very Vanilla using the yummy Cherry Cobbler ink. It was punched out with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch and the edge was sponged with a bit of the Cherry Cobbler as well. It's popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals to make it stand out a bit. This entire layer was sprayed with two colors of Smooch Spritz - Log Cabin and Gold Glow, giving it a definite vintage look! Once it was smooched, I layered it onto a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock and then on an Old Olive card base.

The ribbon bow accent was created with the new Cherry Cobbler Seam Tape - coming in the Holiday Mini! I cut a length of about 9" and tied my bow. This seam tape is so easy to work with and has a gorgeous sheen to it - very elegant! For this card, I frayed the ends of the seam tape and then dipped them into the Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. This not only stops the fraying, but it gives the bow a little sparkly end! As a final touch, I added one of the new Rhinestone Jewels to the center of the bow.

I hope you've enjoyed your little sneak peek today! I have lots more to share with you, so stay tuned. Tomorrow is the UDI Blog Inspiration Challenge, I hope you'll come visit me and see where inspiration took me this week!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Just a Word....

Hey there friends, this isn't a stamping related post, but read on anyway, ok? I know it's the middle of the day and all, but a friend of mine from church had this posted on her Facebook page just now and I felt compelled to share it with you - right now!

It's a video to a song we adults are learning in church now. I say we adults because our youth group brought it back with them from XFuge Mission camp last month along with some pretty awesome life change and testimony! It's a humbling and awe inspiring experience seeing how God is using the youth among us to show us our way back to Him - as a church and individually. We are experiencing the presence of God among us in a way that I've never seen in all my years at Emmanuel. It's my prayer that He continues to move and work until we are completely changed and completely His.

I don't know why I feel like I have to share this song with you now, but I've learned not to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit and maybe there are some of you who just need a fresh, loving word from God right now. If so friend, I pray that this will bless you and bring you peace.

Love to you all -
~~Robin

Daffodil and Espresso Just A Note

Hello everyone!
I have two quick cards to share with you today - both made with the Three Leaves A La Carte stamp. I'm telling you, these single stamps are so versatile - it's amazing what you can get out of them! Just take a look:

This card was created with Daffodil Delight cardstock that I dry embossed with the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder and my Big Shot. I simply layered it with a piece of Early Espresso cardstock and a piece of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper. After wrapping these pieces with Old Olive Satin and Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta ribbons, I popped them up on Stampin' Dimensionals on the card front.

For my focal point, I punched a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock with the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, layered it with a piece of Early Espresso that was cut out with the Big Shot and my Circles #2 Die and then the stamped piece was punched out with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch.
To color my image, I used Stampin' Write Markers in Old Olive and Early Espresso to color right on the stamp rubber so when I stamped it on the Whisper White cardstock, it created a multi-color image. So easy!
This entire focal point was popped up on a few more Stampin' Dimensionals and that finished off the card! How do you like it?

Next, I took a piece of Early Espresso cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" and folded it to make a square notecard. It's layered with a piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock.

The Whisper White layer was stamped by inking up just the leaves on the stamp and stamping them in a row across the cardstock, re-markering between each impression. I added a strip of Daffodil Delight cardstock and a piece of knotted Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon for decoration. After cleaning my stamp, I colored the greeting with the Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker and added it just below the cardstock strip.
Again, a very easy card which uses very limited supplies. You really can get a lot of looks from just a few products!

All the products I used with the exception of the Big Shot materials came from the colors in the Getting Started Collection - even the colors in the Greenhouse Gala DSP are in that collection!
Be sure to visit my Stampin' Up! website to place an order for what I used today, simply click the Shop Now button in the upper right corner. You'll find these and many more fabulous, fun things to play with there and you can shop 24/7!

Thanks for stopping by to visit today, I'll have more creative fun for you tomorrow, so come back, ok?
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Coming Soon - Paper and Ribbon Shares!

That's right stamping friends - due to popular request, I'll be announcing Designer Paper Shares and Ribbon Shares over the coming weeks but only to my clients through my private e-mail listing!
If you are signed up for my newsletter you will receive the information and have the opportunity to participate - but you must be on the list! I will not be posting them publicly here!

I'd love to have you join my share groups if you are not currently working with a LOCAL demonstrator. If you DO have a LOCAL demonstrator, please continue to support them - they do an awesome job for you in servicing your Stampin' Up! needs and I know they appreciate your business!

You can sign up for my newsletter by using the link in my left sidebar - so don't delay if you want to receive the share information! It's a great way to sample a little bit of wonderful products at a time while keeping your cost at a minimum!

Have a great stamping day!
~~Robin

Ready for Snowflakes?!

Well, if you live along the Mid-Atlantic coast right now, maybe a few snowflakes would be welcome! It's been terribly hot and humid - even for August and there have been a few (very few) moments that I was wishing for a little of that snow we got this past winter. In fact, I was thinking about that snow when I designed this card for my Christmas in August class this past Saturday.

It's a super simple card to re-create, so if you are mass producing this year, this is a great idea for you. You could change up the colors easily to suit you or just go with the ones I've used here - Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy.
I took the Serene Snowflakes stamp set and utilized the two middle snowflake stamps and randomly stamped them in both colors on Whisper White Cardstock. This was layered on a piece of Not Quite Navy and then again on a card base of Baja Breeze. Is anyone else thrilled to see this color back in our Stampin' Up! palette? Yeah!

Here is a close up of the greeting and ribbon:

I simply wrapped a piece of Whisper White Taffeta around the top two layers, adhering it on the back. Then a second piece was knotted around the first in a faux bow - super simple!- and I trimmed the ends with my Paper and Craft Scissors.

The greeting was done with the new Perfect Punches stamp set - an all purpose greeting set that has each image coordinating with a Stampin' Up! punch. Again - super simple! I inked the stamp up twice, once each in both colors and stamped it on more Whisper White cardstock. The Baja Breeze one was punched out with the Scalloped Circle Punch, the Not Quite Navy one was punched with the 1 3/8" Circle Punch. I simply layered them with SNAIL adhesive and added Stampin' Dimensionals to the back.
For a final touch, I spritzed the whole card with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spray. It doesn't show up well in the photo, but it's super glittery in real life!

So, if you NEED all the supplies to make this card for your Christmas Cards this year, make a visit to my Stampin' Up! Website and you can Shop there 24/7! You can get 48 card bases out of one package of Baja Breeze cardstock! Now that is maximizing your investment!
Remember, all online orders on my website this month receive a special Thank You card in the mail from me!

Have a wonderful Monday stamping friends!
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

Here we are again stamping friends - another wonderful Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge! At first glance, this sketch may not seem as full of possibilities as last week's, but if you take the scalloped edge as a suggestion for a border, then the sky is the limit! Now don't go thinking that I don't like scalloped borders - I've done plenty of them, but I just think it lends itself to some styles better than others. So, here is the fun sketch for you to ponder:

And here is where my imagination took me:

This is another card that had me doing the stampers happy dance! I LOVE how it turned out!
I started with a piece of Old Olive cardstock that just happened to be lying on my workspace. I thought, "Oh, Old Olive, how 'bout a Christmas card?". So, I pulled out the FREE stamp set that we were all given at the end of Convention this year (it's a new Hostess set in the Holiday Mini!) and got to work!

I stamped the Old Olive card base with the pretty holly leaves from the stamp set in Old Olive ink. The two paper layers are Cherry Cobbler and Newsprint Designer Series Paper. I sponged the edges of both papers with Cherry Cobbler ink after tearing them and distressing the torn edge.

For the greeting, I used my Big Shot and the Ovals Die to cut a piece of Naturals Ivory cardstock. The greeting was stamped with Cherry Cobbler ink and then I overstamped it with the holly leaves in Old Olive. This was stamped off 2 times before stamping it on the greeting. I sponged the edge of this piece with Old Olive ink and added one of those AMAZING Antique Brads to the top edge.

Now, for my ribbon treatment, I place a piece of Sticky Strip across the layered cardstock before adding the greeting layer. Taking my Old Olive Satin Ribbon, I softly pleated it across the Sticky Strip. Once it was down, I trimmed the ends in a flag and then frayed them a bit. The little safety pin is from the new Pewter Trinkets and the brad is from the Vintage Brads. I added these not only because they are pretty, but they help keep the ribbon in place on the ends.

Once I had the ribbon in place, I added the greeting layer with Stampin' Dimensionals and for a final touch, took out my Smooch Spray in both Log Cabin and Gold Glow, spritzing the whole card with both colors.
Isn't it a cool effect?

I hope this card puts you in the Christmas Spirit - it sure helped me get ready for my Christmas Card class on Saturday morning! Even though we aren't doing this card, I needed a little Christmas to help me make a little more! :)

Be sure to leave a comment if you like the card - and then make sure you visit the Stamping 411 blog to see what the other Operators created with this sketch! I know you'll be inspired to play along with us this week!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Elizabeth in Black and Daffodil

Hooray! It's Friday!
I love Fridays - even though I work from home, there is something about the promise of the weekend that just makes me happy. Maybe it's because I know that Mark will be home with us or maybe it's because I feel more free to relax and enjoy my time. Either way, I dearly love my weekends!

Today's post is yet another card done with the fabulous Elizabeth A La Carte stamp - are you tired of this one yet? I hope not, because I love it so and I know you'll be seeing a lot of it!

My card is using Daffodil Delight, Basic Black and Whisper White. I used a piece of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper as an accent panel. It's layered on a piece of Basic Black cardstock then wrapped with a piece of 1/8" Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon tied up in a little knot. Simple and elegant!

The Daffodil cardstock base is stamped partially with the Elizabeth stamp in Daffodil Delight ink, just to give it a little emphasis. I then stamped Elizabeth with Black Staz-On ink on Whisper White cardstock. This was layered on pieces of Daffodil Delight and Basic Black cardstock.
The greeting is from the Three Leaves A La Carte stamp and I've just stamped it on a scrap piece of white cardstock and punched it out with the Small Oval Punch. It's popped up on one of my favorite Stampin' Dimensionals! :)

For a final touch, I placed three of the new Rhinestone Jewels in a row at the top of the stamped panel. These Jewels are simply fabulous and add just the perfect accent in so many places! Plus the price point is amazing - just $4.95 for a package of 150 pieces!

I'm really glad you stopped by again today! If you love this card and need the supplies to make it for yourself, simply visit my Stampin' Up! Website to place your order. You can shop from home 24/7 for the Stampin' Up! supplies you need! Remember, all online orders this month receive a special Thank You card in the mail from me!

Be sure to check back tonight for the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge! I've got a Christmas Card project to show you with a sneak peek from the New Holiday Mini Catalog!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge #108

Hi stampers!

Well, here we are back at Thursday and that means it's time for another Inspiration Challenge for the UDI Blog. Before we get started though, I thought I'd share a photo of my office area here in the studio - pretty spiffy, eh?

Ok, you got me! It's not REALLY my office area! Those of you who have been there know that! But man, what I wouldn't give for my desk to be that clean, neat and ORGANIZED! I am actually a pretty organized person in some ways, but I can't keep my desk clean to save my life! I know I get it from my Dad, who for as long as I can remember never saw the wood top of his desk! But he swore that he knew EXACTLY where everything was. Yeah, me, not so much. BUT, I still manage to make it all come together on most days! :)
So, now that you know that the photo above is the Inspiration Photo we were given this week, take a look at what I created because of it:

Can I just say that I LOVE this card?!!! I had just finished stamping it when my friend Selene called me to chat and she caught me in the middle of my stampers happy dance! It's the little dance you do when everything comes together on cardstock just as you pictured it in your head! Yeah baby!

I started with a card base of Marina Mist and layered it with a piece of Basic Gray cardstock. The top layer is a piece of Newsprint DSP (totally LOVE how this dsp doesn't HAVE to be vintage!). I used the FYI stamp set and Marina Mist ink to stamp the header on the top of the 'ledger' area. I then used two definitions from the Define Your Life stamp set - Wish and Happy. These were inked in more Marina Mist then stamped off twice each to give a muted effect for the background. My trust Stamp-a-ma-Jig was used for ALL the stamping - I wasn't taking any chances with those ultra straight ledger lines!
The edge of the DSP was punched with the Spiral Punch, giving it the notebook design.

After I adhered the DSP to the Basic Gray cardstock, I used my Mat Pack and Paper Piercer to add holes for the Brads I used. Take a look:

The Silver Brad next to the FYI greeting is from the 5/8" Jumbo Brads package and the 4 others used are regular Silver Brads.

For the greeting, I used the new stamp set Word Play. I really love all the greetings in this set and how they make a project just pop because of their boldness. It's going to become a go to set, I am sure! For this card, I colored the image with Basic Black and Marina Mist Stampin' Write Markers. It's stamped on a scrap of Very Vanilla cardstock and punched out with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch. For the layer, I used a piece of Basic Gray Textured scrap and my Circles #2 Die with the Big Shot. It gave me the perfect size circle for a layer. I adhered them together, mounted them on two layers of Stampin' Dimensionals and added the Silver Clip as a final accent.

And then I stood back and did my stampers happy dance!
WooHoo! Oh, yeah! I LOVE this card!

So, three things: first, if you want to see what the other design team members have created from the inspiration piece, be sure to visit the UDI Blog and check them out.

Next, if you like the card too and it made you dance, even a little, leave me a comment and tell me what you like about it!

Then, if you just can't stand it and HAVE to own what you need to make this card yourself, make an online visit to my Stampin' Up! website store and Shop Now for the supplies you need to make it happen! Remember, all online orders this month receive a special Thank You card from me! If you need any assistance just send me an e-mail and I'll help you out! stampwithrobin@yahoo.com

Thanks for visiting me today - be sure to come back tomorrow for more creative fun! I've been very busy lately! :)
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Elegant Bouquet Meets Paper Lace

And it's a lovely marriage, don't you think?
Back in January, my good friend Jan McClurg taught us how to not only make beautiful paper lace, she turned it into gorgeous flowers too! When I was creating this card for a recent event, I was so glad I learned this technique because it is the perfect accent for this card!

This entire card is really pretty simple to complete and the best part is that it uses just one stamp - the a la carte image called "Three Leaves". I colored the leaves with Daffodil Delight ink and the greeting with Early Espresso. I did use the 1" square Stampin' Spots which make it easy to ink up a small image. It was stamped onto Whisper White cardstock and punched out with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch. I layered it on a piece of Old Olive cardstock that had been punched out with the Large Scallop Punch. It's mounted on two Stampin' Dimensionals over a length of Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon wrapped around the dry embossed Daffodil Delight layer.

Do you see the color contrast on the embossing? Well, that's because after I used my Elegant Bouquet embossing folder and my Big Shot to make it, I sponged some Daffodil Delight ink over the raised areas, making them pop out a bit from the background. It's a really simple technique!

Now, check out the paper lace!

All I did was take a piece of Whisper White cardstock 1 1/2" x 11 " and punch the entire length of it with the Eyelet Border punch. Next, I ran it through my Crimper several times to break down the fibers in the paper making it malleable. I sponged the scalloped edge slightly with Daffodil Delight ink and then simply gathered and scrunched it along the Daffodil Delight cardstock layer on a piece of Sticky Strip that I'd attached earlier. It's so, so easy - you have to try it!
Tell you what - if you attend either of my Just Cards Classes this month, you can do just that and I'll be here with you to walk you through it! Be sure to register with me though to make sure there is space for you! You'll make 5 beautiful cards for just $15 and that includes all your supplies - just come ready to have a great time!

And for those of you who can't come, you CAN purchase everything you need to make this project on my Stampin' Up! website! It's open 24/7 for your convenience and for everyone that places an online order this month, I'm sending you a special handmade Thank You card!

So glad you stopped by today - be sure to check back tomorrow for the UDI Blog Inspiration Challenge!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Elizabeth Lives the Simple Life

As any self-respecting fan of Elizabeth and Darcy knows, Miss Elizabeth is the epitome of simple elegance. I'd like to think that if she was one of my stamping friends today, Elizabeth would create something simple and elegant like these notes.

Here, I've taken Stampin' Up!'s Note Cards with Envelopes pack and created some easy-peasy note cards for just about anyone. I'm not kidding when I say easy! You don't even need adhesive besides a couple of Stampin' Dimensionals!

On this card, I stamped the Elizabeth a la carte stamp in Marina Mist directly on the folded Note Card. I then stamped it again on a Whisper White scrap and used my Paper Snips to trim out the oval frame. The greeting is from the Three Leaves a la carte stamp and was colored with the Not Quite Navy Stampin' Write Marker before stamping just the greeting in the oval. As Elizabeth herself probably would, I added just four little Pearl Jewels to the card, one under the greeting and three tiny ones on the swirls in the image.

On this Note Card, Elizabeth was stamped in Basic Black and I again markered the greeting from Three Leaves, this time in Marina Mist and stamped it on a Whisper White Scrap. For this card, I used my Small Oval Punch and simply punched out the greeting, popping it up on a Stampin' Dimensional for emphasis. It doesn't get any easier or more elegant than this! Just add three little Pearl Jewels and you've got a card that anyone would love!

So, have Elizabeth and I convinced you yet? You NEED this stamp! And when you visit my Stampin' Up! website to place your order, don't forget to add a pack of Note Cards and Envelopes and some of those gorgeous Pearl Jewels - you'll be creating simple elegance in your own home in no time! Remember, all orders online at my website this month will receive a special handstamped card in the mail from me! Maybe even one of these! :) I love surprises, don't you?

Have a wonderful day - take time to stamp something beautiful!
Blessings,
~~Robin

Two Days in Paris - If Only!

Happy Monday stamping friends!
Today, I am dreaming of what it would really be like to enjoy springtime in Paris - that is a trip that is on my 'Bucket List' along with many other travel destinations. I was born with a love for travel even if I wasn't born with the means to make it happen! :) So, "someday" I hope to see the City of Lights at what is arguably my very favorite season of all - Spring!

For today, I'll just settle for two cards that for me, really evoke the spirit of what I think Paris would be like. The two cards I have for you today are two versions of the same, but the first one I'm showing you is a stepped up version of the second. I created the original (2nd) card for my Just Card classes in July and then re-created it for a private swap that I participated in at Convention. I used my new stamping bff stamp set Artistic Etchings for both cards - that Eiffel Tower image is just da' bomb! The neutral cardstock is Very Vanilla and I paired it with Basic Black and Blushing Bride. LOVE this combination!

Here's a look at the stepped up version:

On this one, I used the En Francais Background stamp in Blushing Bride ink, the overstamped it using Black Staz-On with the flourish stamp from one of the greatest stamp sets EVER, Baroque Motifs. The flourish was then treated to a dusting of Dazzling Diamonds glitter - sparkling like the City of Lights should!

Here is the original version:

I love the simplicity of this one - the only added wow factor was the dusting of Silver Foil Smooch Spray. It gives it more of a vintage look as opposed to the sweetly feminine look of the stepped up card. What is really cool to me is that the Basic Black Striped Grosgrain ribbon lends itself to both cards equally, even though they are different.

Don't you love seeing how many different looks you can get with basically one set of supplies? I love tha Stampin' Up! makes it so easy for us to do that!
So now, if you find yourself needing any of the supplies you've seen me use today, you can hop over to my Stampin' Up! website and Shop Right Now for them! Just click the link on the top right of my website homepage and it takes you to my online store.
Each and every online order this month will receive a special handmade card in the mail from me!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone! So glad you came by to visit!
Blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge

Hi there stampin' peeps! It's almost Saturday and around here that means it's time for this week's take on the Stamping 411 Blog Sketch Challenge.
Here is this week's sketch from our sketch Mom, Selene:

I loved the crisp, clean look of this sketch, but when I sat down to create, this gorgeous Hydrangea image kept popping into my head which meant that I'd better use it or I'd never stop thinking about it! I was also led to pair it with this beautiful new background stamp Teahouse. When I first saw the vintagey wallpaper look of this stamp, I KNEW I had to own it! I have so many possible uses for it, I'm not going to be able to stamp with it fast enough! So, what started out for me as crisp and clean, turned into something weathered, sweet and vintagey! Oh well - love those creative rabbit trails!

For today's card, I stamped my focal image from the Because I Care Hostess stamp set onto Whisper White cardstock. I used the Regal Rose and Pear Pizazz Stampin' Write Markers to color directly on the stamp. I colored the Regal Rose on the flower first, then folded my grid paper over it and removed the first impression of ink. I then went back with the same color marker and colored in just some of the flower again which created the darker areas when it was actually stamped on the cardstock shown. The Pear Pizzazz on the stem and leaves was just one inking, the stamp has nice shading on those areas so stamping off once is not necessary.

Now, to get the flower on top of the Teahouse background image, I stamped the image again onto a sticky note and very carefully cut it out, creating a mask for the whole image. If you do this, be careful around the stem and leaves - ask me how I know....... :)

Once my mask was cut, I placed it over the flower I'd stamped on the cardstock and then inked up my Teahouse stamp with Pink Pirouette ink. I stamped off one time to create kind of a faded pink tone and then stamped the background on the Whisper White cardstock. The mask protected the stamped flower and allowed it to appear like it's on top of the background. Isn't that cool?!!

After stamping all that, I distressed the edges of the cardstock with my Bone Folder - it's not just for folding cards you know! This was layered on a piece of Early Espresso cardstock which was similarly distressed.
The other card layers are Pear Pizazz DSP from the New In Color paper stack - you will LOVE the value in these packs of paper! - and the card base is Early Espresso cut at 4 1/4" x 11" and folded at 5 1/2" to make the finished card.

To make the ribbon accent, I took a length of Pretty in Pink ribbon - I didn't measure it, just used it directly from the roll - and separated one end of strands and pulled on just one from the center. Actually, this was a pain in the patootie, but the final result was SO worth the effort. I just love how it all turned out!
Once I had all the ruffles formed, I placed the entire piece of ribbon down on a piece of Sticky Strip that I'd attached earlier. Lastly, I took 3 of the new Pearls Jewels and added them at intervals on the ribbon - just gorgeous!

The inside is finished with a simple piece of Whisper White cardstock stamped with the leftover ink on the hydrangea stamp. Soft and pretty.

So, there you have it, my first 411 effort in two weeks! I can't believe I was away from my challenges for two weeks, but the break was nice and I feel like I have new, exciting mojo! Yay!

Be sure to check out the other Operators projects over at the Stamping 411 blog. I know you'll love what they've created with the sketch as well!
Have a great evening everyone - go stamp something fun this weekend!
Blessings,
~~Robin