Quick and Easy Cards Using Thinlits and Punches

I was in the mood the other day to make some simple of cards using only framelits or punches. I love the Floral Phrases designer paper, especially the blue package from last year.  I think this was the first time that I have used this pretty cut out from the Florish thinlets.  I found this idea on Pinterest by Kirsten Aitchison.  I added rhinestones in the flower buds to make it sparkle.

The pretty blue punch-based card was made using assorted blue scraps and several flower punches that I have acquired over the years.  I found this idea on Pinterest also, but I didn't see a name associated with the card.  The top half is embossed and the bottom half is left plain for a saying.  I love how the butterfly is just a bit on the teal side to set it apart from the flowers.

This card can be made using any colors.  It was fun and easy to do.  I added rhinestones to the center of some of the flowers to give it some bling. 

Do you sometimes like to make easy cards that don't require a lot of stamping?  Which do you prefer, thinlits or punches?

Pretty Kitty

I love the Pretty Kitty set and Bella & Friends dog stamp set in the current catalog.  Although I don't have a dog, I do share my daughter's kitty Ginger.  I need to take these sets out and use them more.  \

The colors?  Why Rose Red, of course paired with Basic and Smoky Grays.  The little kitty is painted on watercolor paper. 

Painting with Rose Red

I've had the stamp set Rose Wonder for a couple of years and haven't really used it much.  I found some really nice samples from Jackie Bolhuis and decided to give Rose Wonder a try!

For this card, I stamped the images using black ink onto watercolor paper and colored them in using paint brushes.  I was going for a watercolor look, but in reality mine are colored in the lines too well.  I need to learn how to just swish on the color!  LOL

Here is another technique using the same colors, Rose Red and Wild Wasabi green.  I embossed the image onto glossy paper with white embossing powders and then painted them with the paint brush.  The leaf cut out is from Flourish thinlits. 

Here are a couple more samples.  I was trying to paint a bit darker so that the white embossing lines would show up more.  It's hard to see in the photos, but the glossy paper and the white embossing lines are so shiny and really add to the card.

I realize that Rose Red is about to become a discontinued color.  I guess I will just have to replace my favorite color with another.  

Rose Red, My Favorite Color

Rose Red is my favorite Stampin Up color.  I have used in a LOT of my cards in the past years.  It always seems to brighten up the room and put me in a good mood, well, as much a color can.

I made this card as a Make & Take for my once-a-year demonstrator Shoebox Swap Day that we set up at the local firehouse.  We get together and each demonstrator brings one Make & Take for everyone to make.  At the end of the day, I returned home with almost 20 stamping projects!  It was so much fun making each girl's project without having to come up with all of the ideas myself.  :)

The heart is from Sunshine Wishes thinlits and the flowers are from Jars of Love stamp set.  I used assorted sayings to finish off the cards.  I have to say that this card represents my colors and my style.  It's like a little piece of artwork that is perfectly me.  :)

Sale-a-Bration Cards

I wish that Sale-a-Bration would last longer.  Don't you?  I love being able to earn free stamps and crafting supplies from Stampin Up.  Here are a couple of cards that I made using the Lots of Lavender stamp set. 

I colored in the lavender with some paint from the stamp pads and then cut it out.  For the background piece, I used the Stitched Shapes framelit and the scallop that matches it.  I thought the card needed a little something, so I put the tiny "for you" on it in the corner.  I'm happy with how it came out. 

I'm very fond of lavender and hope to grow some in my garden this summer.   Have you tried to grow lavender?  Have you had success with it?

Here is card made with the peacock stamp from the Sale-a-Bration catalog.  I don't usually use these colors but I love how the Lemon Lime Twist brightens up the card. 

I added some rhinestones and a bit of Wink of Stella to make the bird come alive.  He's so regal looking, don't you think?

Decorating with Teal

Recently I had all of the rooms of my house painted.  It was quite the undertaking and I'm not sure if I'd ever do the whole house at the same time again!  I had to move all of my crafting supplies out of the sewing and stamping rooms (and you know that I have a LOT!)  and it's still not all put back yet.  It's like moving all over again, only this time nothing is even in boxes.  :(

Slowly, I am sorting and putting things back together.  I look forward to when I get both of my crafting rooms all set and I can just go in and sew or stamp without having to look for all of the supplies. 

Anyway, I have added the color teal in all of its shades to my decorating palate for this house.  I had the kitchen painted a soft teal, sort of like Soft Sky.  Today I set out a table runner that I made using some teal-colored Waverly home decor fabrics that I had purchased from Walmart.  They're just the right thickness for only $3.97 per yard.  Who would have thought that you could buy such nice fabrics at Walmart? 

I put the runner on the center island to add a bit of color.  It goes nicely with the shabby chic tray and assorted decorating balls.

I also cut up some large squares from the fabrics and hemmed them to use as centerpieces for the tables.  Pretty much the entire downstairs is a mix-and-match for changing out the decor in each of the rooms.  I forgot to take a photo of this to show.

One of my friends painted this hutch and I put it in the dining room where people come over to make crafts.  It is the perfect accent color for the teal decorating palate. 

I will be using it to display some of the my current craft items.  And I found the card rack along the side of the road one day while driving to visit a friend.  Some man who was in the area helped me get it into my car.  It needed a bit of spray paint to freshen it up but now I think it looks great next to the hutch. 

One thing I'd like to do is put a banner along the top of the hutch.  What do you think?

It's a Panda Birthday Party!

I's always sad when Sale-a-Bration is over for another year.  This year's stamp sets and accessories were a lot of fun to work with.  I especially liked the Panda Parade stamp set.  What cute images they are - perfect for making some whimsical birthday cards. 

I'm finally back to having regular stamping classes in my home.  I had to take a few months off because I had hand surgery over the winter.  I made a set of 4 birthday cards all using the Panda Parade set.  In this first one, the panda is juggling balls that are actually tutti-frutti sequins.  So colorful and cute, right? 

I love the colors in this bright and cheery card.  The paper is from the Bubbles and Fizz designer paper.  This card could be given just anyone- boy, girl, man or woman.  Don't you just love the tiny little heart on his notecard?

Next up is a fun shaker card filled with a mixture of shiny sequins.  The circle is supposed to be a balloon that the Panda is holding.  I added the stitch marks by hand using a coordinating marker.

And last up is a bright red card with star cut-outs and rhinestones for some bling.  The balloon is 3D, made using 3 balloon punch cut-outs glued together. 

Which one is your favorite?