by Susan Itell | Nov 29, 2017 | Baby |
Happy Hump Day! I have a cutie for you today! I can see you smiling right now as that is always what happens to me when I see this sweet little lion…..heck when I see any of these 3 images from the A Little Wild Bundle.
This has been a super popular bundle from the annual catalog and it’s cousin, Seasonal Chums from the Holiday Catalog has been just as popular (head’s up….you will see this one next week) I think that Stampin’ Up! was oh so smart in the design of these bundles – you can see that today, I snipped it off to just use the front of the sweet lion.
When a loved one asks me to make them a card...I JUMP ON IT and that is what today’s card is about. Ashleigh, my peeps sweetie is going to a baby shower this weekend and was in need of a card for a sweet little baby that will be entering this world soon….and being that she is super clean and classic herself, this card was super appropriate!
This is a great card to call a …“Let’s Break It Down Card” – aka, LBIDC!!! Are you saying WHAT THE HECK????? Well, hang tight!
To me, this is “my kinda card” as it is clean and simple but it has texture, a bit of bling and dimension….to me, a PERFECT COMBINATION for a sweet card!
I do not make a bunch of baby cards….but the (2) stamps sets that I am using today…..are FAB-O ones to have in your stampin’ stash. The sentiment inside of from Moon Baby and I think that you can agree…that is a KEEPER and check out this card that I made from that set back in August…..a love them both – super stamps set as they are super practical and classic!
Let’s break some of the basics here…and then you can step back and see….YEP, it IS a simple card!
We haven’t chatted lately about “style” – Let’s face it…we all have a certain style that we gravitate to and if you are on my blog, you probably are pretty clean and simple. I often hear…”I don’t know what my style is” – here is a tip and I hope that you take this to heart…..
START WITH A SKETCH and just GO FOR IT!!!
This layout would be a great one to play around with….how about it??? – give it a try?!?!?! This card is all about simple shapes. The size of this card is a 4 1/4″ square but feel free to give it a try with a regular A-2 card.
I shared with you that I stamped a sentiment on the inside….well, here it is….very simple, yet classic and a wee bit of fun with adding some stars. Remember, less is best many times. Just look how simple yet so sweet.
There you go…something to brighten up your HUMP DAY! I was super happy with the end result and you know that you could ealiy flip this to be a boy card.
I admit, I am having a “creative block” as I am still not in the full swing of things….but I’m getting there…..I miss creating daily and I miss my creative mojo – it’s coming….I’m being patient but I hope that this sweet lion perked you up today!
It feels great to blog….I have missed you guys…..see you Friday!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 13, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Good Sunday morning to you! I was so excited for the post to roll around as I am smiling…..really smiling! I know that this weekend post is a very simplistic one but I think it is great one to share and show you that simple DOES work.
I love todays card….in my eyes there is nothing more that needs to be done as the message is across – welcoming a sweet baby into the world! I hope that you can follow me on this one.
Do you remember seeing pictures of yourself and saying “Who dressed me or what in the world was I thinking about when I bought that” hmmmm….I am sure many of you are smiling and some are probably giggling. 😀
When I paper craft there are times that I think of that…I want people to hopefully save the cards that I have made for them. I know that I do as there are those that just “touch your heart” …inspire you and make a memory continue to live!
With that said…the reason that I adore this card is the oh so classic and super sweet image from the stamp set and the classic twinkle, twinkle little star! (Can you guess what I bought the new sweet boy?…My baby staple – books…and yep the classic twinkle, twinkle made the cut)
So the moral of this story is I adore them both but side by side, you decide!
The changes for today were not many but if you see them side by side, I say take the wee bit of extra time! Here are the changes for todays card. Please remember to go back to yesterdays card as the coloring and actually just about everything else is the same!
- I stamped additional single stars and added my trio of dots
- I used a piece of Post It Note to mask around the moon to stamp 2 of the stars
- In the center of the stars, I used Glossy Accents to add some extra shine and bling. This is a product that we used to carry and one that I know many of you have around. It is funny..when we had it – I never used it but I have been finding that I have been playing with it and I really like the wee bit of bling and umph it gives to a project.
- I broke up the sentiment into 2 lines. Because I already had the stamp a ma jig out…why not? I simply put a piece of washi tape over the line that I did not want to have inky…inked up the sentiment and then peeled off the washi tape and stamped! (Yep, you could use the markers and just isolate just the words that you wanted to have inked…but I like to have a good coverage of ink…just a personal preference)
- The envelope is different…I adore it and we will chat about that below!
Masking is something that I think we forget about and/or are afraid to do. Look how simple this is! The end result is sooooo worth it – just taking an extra step make a “how did she do that” happen!
Let’s chat about the envelope! If this doesn’t make the mailman smile….than we need to find a new mailman! You know that I usually cover the back flap of my envelope with a fun DSP or embossed image etc….but after making the changes on the card today I thought – I am not crazy about the same envelope for today…so POOF – how do you like it!
I stamped the other super fun image in this set on thick whisper white, just like I did for the card and then used the same color palette to color! The actual envelope was made using the Envelope Punch Board and I placed Tear & Tape across the flap…held my colored piece up to the light to see through and POOF (again) I centered it!
I added a sliver of So Saffron over top of it (this was an after thought) but I think that it made the images POP even more! I hope that you can see in the pictures that I did the same as I did on the card, I used the Sahara Sand around the entire image to help POP the animals – this is a great tip and one that does make a difference….just go super light!
Well…thoughts???? I can’t wait to hear how you like these little changes. I am going to stick with what I said yesterday, this is one FABULOUS baby set. I admit, even though I do not make many baby cards…I found this to be super fun and truly – I would make this over and over!
I am now itchin’ to make some of the more detailed cards that I saw when I googled the image. It truly came down to that darn “time thing”.
Hear me out…IF you have a bunch of time to create a card there is nothing more FUN and REWARDING than creating something you set your mind to…(I get that) but then again, there is nothing more frustrating to NOT HAVE THE TIME and stress yourself out that you need to make this amazing…over the top….work of art! (I get that as I have been there)
This is why is it great to have simplicity up your sleeve!
There is nothing wrong whatsoever in making a simple card. Think of it in this way – would you rather HAVE a card to send or would you rather stress each day that passes by and you say, “tomorrow I will make that card” and your tomorrow comes and goes!!! We all keep thinking that the extra time will be in that tomorrow!!! (sound familiar to anyone) – We have ALL BEEN THERE!
Now go and enjoy your day!I am super excited as this afternoon John and I are going to a local Peach Festival! I am super excited because I turn into a peach when they are in season – I just cannot get enough of them! My mouth is already for an amazing Peach Dumpling with homemade Vanilla Ice Cream! YUMMERS!
I will see you on Tuesday….and hopefully I will be able to inspire you! I do hope that you can find some “me time” and get inky – we all know that it is the BEST therapy one could ask for!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 12, 2017 | Baby, Simple Saturday |
Happy…happy to you and there is nothing more happier than the joy of a baby! I do not make a bunch of baby cards but I will say, they are fun! But then again…anything is it you have the right things to work with!
Today I am using the super sweet stamp, Moon Baby! You know that the end result is going to come out…“just right” when you look at an image…have an instant smile because you can say…“all I need to do is stamp and done”!
Before I started to design this card…I surfed! I think that we have all done this many times but one thing that happens to me (actually many times is) I get overwhelmed and time FLIES out the door and I end up ultimately feeling like I have gone in a circle! Does that ever happen to you?
There are so many AMAZING….simply AMAZING clean and simple cards with this set. I encourage you to google it as I saw some “keepers”. In the end I thought – Susan…just get it done, That is what works for me as I knew that I needed a baby card and I needed it now!
I am serious, the internet is an AMAZING tool that naturally we all love and appreciate BUT….I think that you will agree with this – it can be the BIGGEST VACCUM OF TIME…now does that ring a bell with you?
I learned a lesson from the above…WHAT WAS IT? Well this is easy….I have had this stamp set for a while now and I have know for a while that there was going to be a baby born and we all know that there are 2 ways to go…Girl or Boy! Just get it done, That’s my motto and that is what I did!
Super simple I went – making it to a square card I at least felt that this would be special for the new arrival as there is just something unique about seeing and feeling a square card. The overall size of it is a 4 1/4″ card.
Out came the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement and out came the Aqua Painter (the colors I used are at the end of the post) but here is a funny – this guy just about made it into the “Circular File” in my work area, the TRASHCAN!
WHY??? Let’s call it patience and that was something I was short on. I thought that I ruined the little babies face.
I first put a layer of Blushing Bride and I thought he looked too pink. I then added some Sahara Sand over top….now he was a weird brownish icky color (this is when he just about made it into the circular file) and the phone rang…I yacked and saw that the sun was out (it had just rained) so I ran outside with my camera…as I am a rainbow chaser and YEP – there was a rainbow!
After walking away from my little cherub and returning, I looked at him and thought – He deserves a life line….he’s not too bad! A bit more Blushing Bride for the cheeks and he was all set!
I am telling you all of this because it shows…we need to walk away sometimes. I know we all know the feeling of not having “mojo” or being frustrated that something doesn’t work etc….WE ALL HAVE BEEN THERE.,,but when this happens – WALK AWAY as when you come back, you usually have a fresh set of eyes and things work out! Remember, this is made from YOUR HANDS…not HALLMARK!
Another tip and addition I did was to take a wee bit of Sahara Sand and outline the entire image…I think it makes it POP a bit more and adds a subtle depth to the card. I think that you will find this to work in your advantage when you watercolor….try it, I think you will smile!
And here is my rainbow. I know that it is not super brilliant but it was there. There is something just magical about a rainbow to me…every time I see one I think of my Mom and she adored them as well. I think that they appear for me to STOP and enjoy and this is exactly what I did and in the end – I loved the card!
I cannot believe that it is the middle of August and we are have grass as lush as it is in May. We are mowing constantly and the horses have some fat grass bellies!
I learned a lesson…the lesson of why did I put off doing something that I knew was going to happen and the lesson of patience. My card turned out and I am happy that it didn’t get tossed. 😆
I wish that I had the time to play with and make a more detailed card…but I knew I just needed to roll with what I felt comfortable with. There will always be times in the future to “play with my stamps” and create something more technical.
This is a super sweet and oh so special baby stamp set and we all know…baby cards are something that are inevitable!
I honestly do not have a bunch of baby stamps but I knew that this one would be a classic one to have. The sentiments are a classic with the sweet and simple images…SOLD!
I could have put this card in one of our regular envelopes and it would not only fit but it could have mailed with a regular stamp but you know me, I needed to make a custom envelope so out came the Punch Board.
Playing up the idea of stars, I took the Oh My Stars Embossing Folder and added that little bit of detail to the back flap and also ran the Aqua Painter over it with a super quick wash of So Saffron!
That’s it for me today! Now don’t get your hopes up for an “over the top” transformation for tomorrow….I think that I had already painted the “time factor” to you and I really needed a card and that is just what I did. Please pop back tomorrow as you will get another dose of this card….just changed up a bit!
My job and hopes for you is to teach you and inspire you to be realistic with what you can do. For me, it just wasn’t in the cards for me to take oodles of time and in the end….I love this card just the same! Now go have a great day!
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by Susan Itell | Jul 9, 2016 | Baby, Simple Saturday, Uncategorized |
A baby always touches your heart strings…and it is super fun to make a special card in the celebration! Last weekend when Hannah was home, she shared with me that a co-worker was getting ready to have a baby and they knew that it was going to be a girl!
Naturally…..I HOPPED ON IT and said, “Can I make you a card?” – I was so excited as I admit, I broke down and purchased this ADORABLE stamp set, Made with Love because of the sweey sample that was in the catalog (page 59). I knew that I wanted to CASE this card and thanks to Hannah’s friend having a baby…you get to see it for this 2 day post!
This stamp set goes with the Baby’s First Framelit Dies and I admit, I have not used them as much as I thought I would when it first came out to coordinate with the Something for Baby Stamp Set…. but now…new story with this stamp set! 🙂
When we have the opportunity to have a set of die cuts that will help us make the “cutting process” not only easier but faster ~ I say, YES ~ sign me up! Remember, it is that time thing that gets us every time!
This has been around for a while and the shapes are classics! I do not know about you…but when I see a “onesie”, I smile with great memories of the PEEPS being BABY PEEPS!
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I used the Crumb Cake, taking the lead from the sample in the catalog and I adore it! It has a very natural and clean feel to the card but the real FUN was the heat embossing!
When you look at the above picture of the stamp set, you will see that there are many small images…I ADORE when a stamp set has little classic images!
You can see that I used to the max the dots (go figure, I adore dots) and also the super sweet flower! I simply took the Blushing Bride marker to color in the “onesie stripes” and also the centers of the flowers!
Trying to let the embossing and the stamped images be the shining star, I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of paper ~ flagged the ends and PRESTO …a super cute card!
I ask you….when was the last time you used the heat tool and embossed? I admit, I forget about it as my heat tool is in a drawer and you know the saying, “Out of sight….Out of mind” but I will say I never, EVER get tired of Heat Embossing, it is a HANDS DOWN rewarding technique.
I hope to see you tomorrow…as I do have another version of this card~ I am excited to see how you like it and which one “suits your fancy” A new baby in the world deserves a fun and special card. I think that I have the baby cards that people sent to me when I had a baby (yikes, that was decades ago but I bet there is a box that has them), it is always a special time….and one that is always cherished as it is an amazing miracle!
Please do not forget that we are “IN THE TRENCHES” with the BONUS DAYS and with the heat we have been having, I say that it is much more fun and comfortable to stay inside, shop….stamp & be proud of yourself!
PLEASE remember to keep the email voucher that Stampin’ Up! sends you because there is no way for me to see your codes for you to redeem you $$$$$ off in August! I would suggest printing off the email or writing the codes down in your calendar to remind yourself! 😎
Please click here to see the scoop of the promotion but the best thing is…..
DOUBLE PAW PRINTS
(click the drop down link underneath my blog header) to see the incentive and the Paw Prints Program that I offer! I appreciate YOU and it is my way of saying woot-woot, oops ~ woof-woof!
Enjoy the day and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, I think that you will like the changes!!!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 16, 2015 | Baby, Step it up Sunday! |
Well…well – I am so glad that you liked yesterdays card and I hope that this one will make you smile as well! Happy Sunday to all…here is “Mr. Elephant" stepped up a bit. Not drastic changes but changes that I think him look a bit spiffier! The changes are stars…stars and his ear!
Let’s get to the changes and then you can see if you think that it is worth the extra effort. I think it is and really the only one that was a bit of a “pain in the drain” was the little stars. (you can click on the collage to make it super big)
I was hoping to use the star from the itty bitty accents pack but the scale of it was too large so PLAN B = the confetti stars border punch came in handy!
The card was created just the same as yesterdays post but I used the star from the Tin of Stamps Set with Versamark to randomly stamp around. I love the effect as I think that it is subtle enough but it also does the trick to add some pizzazz.
Let’s get to the ear….don’t you just love Elephants BIG ears!?!? I just stamped it 3 more times (just the ear area) on scraps and fussy cut them out. For 1 of them, make sure that you leave a little edge that you can fold over and adhere with green glue – (the pictures will help you)
I know that this might be a bit overkill but what the heck – it really does not take too much extra time and I think the end result is super cute.
For the stars….those darn, tiny stars. It really is not bad and this is what I did…I put a small amount of green glue on the edge of the “elephant area” and let it dry a bit so when I used tweezers to place the little stars on there would be no oozing from the glue.
Yesterday I did not show you the back of this card but how do you like the little pocket I added to the back? It is perfect to tuck a note in and then the recipient can just stand their card up! The sweet sentiment is from the Happy Happenings Stamp Set but I am sure that you have many sentiments that would be appropriate!
Well…there you go – I hope that you liked this card and I hope that I have inspired you to give it a try. It really is a fun twist and you will get rave reviews!
Other ideas that work great with this card is to add Bakers Twine and the sentiment hanging down across the top of the card . I would use a simple glue dot to hold it in place.
I did have a couple of emails yesterday asking if it will still stand up after it goes through the mail? YES….because you have used your bone folder well…the card will pop right back into place. (I have had one on my office since February and it is still standing strong!!!
Thanks for your time today and please feel free to email me if you have any questions. You will see the products that I used in the scrolling store below or you can hit that SHOP NOW button and go to town in your jammies!
Have a fabulous day and go make some memories!
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