Fun Friday! A Banner Welcome

Howdy!  Today's project is a little bit different than what I normally share!  
I've been collaborating with a local gift shop - our local version of Magnolia Market - our's is called The Market Place.  It's an adorable shop with the sweetest owner ever.  Anyway - I've been selling my cards and hand painted signs over there, and she's asked me to come up with a class - something they haven't offered before.  So, we decided on banners.  

They are still a bit trendy, and can really spruce up your decor without committing to an entire wall hanging that you'll likely have to store the rest of the year. (banners store much easier anyway!)  

So, I created the banner above.  I fashioned it from some burlap - although those that take the class will also have the option to use a canvas type material instead.  Then, using many Stampin' Up! dies, i created some flowers from wool felt. Wool felt cuts like a dream with most of our dies - especially the Bigz dies that can cut many layers of felt at a time!

Aren't those flowers fun and springy?  I purchase most of my felt from Benzie Designs, Taylored Expressions or Papertrey Ink.  They all carry really high quality felt.  And I like them all for different reasons.  The felt from Benzie can be purchase in yardage if desired.  Taylored Expressions and Papertrey Ink both sell their felt in rolls that are sized to go thru the Big Shot. 

While the Bigz dies are great for cutting the felt, I also cut felt with our Thinlets Dies.  However you can only cut one layer at a time.  I don't shy away from simply cutting some of the flowers by hand either.  

You'll also notice that I used ribbon in between each of the pennants.  Both ribbons on this banner come from the Occasions catalog - Watermelon Wonder 1" Stitched Satin Ribbon and Pool Party Glitter Ribbon.  The Watermelon Wonder ribbon is cut up the stitched lines and then tied with some bakers twine to create a tassel. And the Pool Party ribbon - I just used two strands of it and tied it in the same fashion.  Just love all the color that brings to the banner.

FYI - if you are local and would like to take this class - you can sign up over at The Market Place's Facebook Page.  All the details are there - banners are fully customizable - it can say what you want it to say!

I went to the dark side! Altenew Peony Bouquet

Once in awhile, I just can't stop myself.  I'm pretty good at sticking with Stampin' Up! only.  However, there are times when I just can't resist buying something from another company.  

It's kind of like being a loyal Yankees fan, but someone give you tickets to a Red Sox game.  Or, you really only shop at Ann Taylor's, but see something really cute at the boutique down the street that you can't resist.  

It's the same sometimes with stamps.  Once in awhile, I've just gotta change it up and live a little on the wild side.

In the end - the Peony Bouquet stamp set from Altenew is GORGEOUS!  And I'm SO glad I now own it.  The images look incredibly real, and I can change up the colors for a little different look.

Don't worry - I used all Stampin' Up! paper and ink.  I'm still a loyal SU fan, even tho I went to the Altenew stadium.  In this case, I think it helps my creative spirit.  It helps me to play with other kids to help me appreciate the kids that I have..... (you do get that analogy, right?)

I also created this in multiple - and my MISTI tool helped a TON with that.  I'm creating more multiples of cards since I'm now selling my cards at a local store.  Plus, I'm finding that I can create several in about the same amount of time it takes to make one.

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Balloon Celebrations - Congratulations!

Happy Monday!  I've got a super easy, quick and bright card to share with you today.  

We saw the sun in Iowa today - for about the first time in two weeks - so I was ready to create something bright and fun.  

Enter Balloon Celebrations stamp set.  The images in this set a fun and quite versatile - I went with a Congratulations theme.  But balloons are good for any celebration - from new baby, to engagement, to graduation.  Oh, and don't forget birthday!!!

This one was so simple to put together:

1. Sponge Daffodil Delight ink onto center of Whisper White card stock.  Use a circular motion, concentrating the ink towards the center and working your way out.
2. Rub an embossing buddy over the yellow area generously.  Then stamp the two cloud images using Versamark ink. Sprinkle with white embossing powder and heat with a heat tool.
3. Stamp the two graphic images with Smoky Slate ink - stamping off first onto scrap paper.  Wipe away any ink you get on top of the embossed images.
4. Stamp the balloons in Old Olive, Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo, punch with Balloon punch.  Adhere in place - using Stampin' Dimensionals on a couple of the balloons.
5. Stamp sentiment with Black ink. 
6. Adhere panel to Bermuda Bay card base.

This one was so easy - that I created several!  All in all, I think the four cards took me about a half hour - maybe 45 minutes at the most.

Have a wonderful day! Hope you enjoyed this card today!

Creation Station: Man Cards!

Howdy friends!  It's the first Sunday of the month (MAY! already!) and the Creation Station Design Team is ready to inspire you.  This month we are up for a real challenge - Masculine Cards!  I think all of us feel like masculine cards are some of the most difficult to create.  Let us show you that we can make things for the men in our lives with a little less stress.

First up - a treat box - a Baker's Box to be specific.

This one was pretty easy to whip up.  My husband is as I've sometimes referred to him - Prince Farming.  And this is farming season (as soon as Mother Nature turns off the water faucet).  My Prince Farming typically leaves the house at 7 am and comes home around 10pm when planting season gets going full swing. He takes a LARGE lunch with him so he doesn't have to stop to eat, and I imagine putting in a container like this as a surprise - full of goodies.

I kept this fairly simple - just watercoloring the deer image.  Don't be afraid of this - it's rather easy with an Aquapainter and ink pads. The key is to not worry too much about perfection.

My next card is VERY simple.  I took a piece of the map DSP from the Going Places Paper Stack as my focus.

When I looked at this piece, I saw all the different directions one could go, and instantly thought about the phrase 'you drive me crazy'.  It's something Prince Farming and I rather lovingly say to each other - in a sarcastic type of way.  

To depict that in this map, I made going from point A to point B the most indirect route that I could.  You'll also notice that my route is in somewhat the shape of a heart.  I used my Rotary Stamp to create the sentiment - using white embossing powder on black cardstock.  I happen to love this look - it reminds me of the old style label maker.  With my color scheme here - Pool Party, Real Red and Black - I think it's plenty masculine enough. 

My last card is also on a simpler styler.  I went with a watercolored Get Well card.  I did a quick search on Pinterest for masculine color palettes and found these colors, and knew they would work well together - Island Indigo, Delightful Dijon, Soft Suede, and Early Espresso.  I think this is the easiest way to change up an image to make it a little manly - just switch out your colors.  

I stamped this image on watercolor paper using Stazon ink.  Then I washed around the entire image with Island Indigo.  Again, you don't need this to be perfect.  I used the Dijon for the soup bowl and some REALLY watered down Espresso for the liquid.  Once I had everything watercolored the way I wanted I dropped splatters of water on top of the image.  Once that sat for about 30 seconds, I used a paper towel to soak up the excess.  This kind of "bleaches" the areas back out and you get those great droplet marks. 

Now.....once everything is good and dry - I went back over the stamped image with a black marker.  I did this because when you stamp onto watercolor paper, a lot of times your image is not solid. (the watercolor paper has a lot of texture)
I also added a punched heart - first I heat embossed a scrap of Real Red card stock with clear embossing powder several times - while it was still hot, I added more embossing powder to it and heated it again.  This gives a good thick coat of shine.

Well - I hope I gave you some ideas to work with. I'm sure you'll continue to be inspired as you hop along thru the rest of the design team blogs.  You won't be disappointed!