Sketched Birthday RMHC Retired

Here is another edition with my Guest Blogger!  After playing with the Sketched Birthday stamp set at the New Catalog Party last weekend, my Mom created this card.  She stamped the balloons and banner from the Sketched Birthday set using lots of colors from the Brights collection: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Real Red.  She combined this set with last year's Ronald McDonald House Charities stamp set called Moving Forward.  This is a great example of blending retired stamps with new stamps.

So while you are browsing the new catalog, don't forget to flip through the Clearance Rack online and add some items to your order. There are some crazy great deals on there right now! Shop anytime at www.HilarySmith.Stampin'Up.net

Happy Birthday Cupcake!

Sketched Birthday is a great new stamp set to play with. Here I have stamped in Island Indigo so I could use the new Island Indigo 3/4" Chevron Ribbon. The Chevron Ribbon is a new addition to the Stampin' Up! catalog this year and is offered in a dozen colors. The layered Pool Party card stock was given a little depth by using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder. It was layered again on Island Indigo and Whisper White.  The center of the card was given a little splash of bright color by adding another 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch in Strawberry Slush. The cupcake frosting was also colored in with a Blender Pen using the Strawberry Slush. 

Having a Birthday Party? The stamp above would be a great cupcake topper. You could even coordinate to match your party colors.  There are so many options with this stamp set. 

CASEd Stencilled Serene Silhouettes.

I love this idea - which was shared by one of the ladies at the stamping night I attended last week with some fellow demonstrators. Sue designed a card using a framelit cutout for a stencil.  She then had us stamp flowers in the center. Above, I used the Labels Framelits to create my stencil. I sponged the stencil in Smoky Slate. The stamp is from the Serene Silhouettes set inked in Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry.  The sentiment comes from the Petite Pairs set. 

So this is how CASE-ing can work. I loved Sue Oehler's card, but I did not have the same materials at home. So I swapped the items out to work with what I did have. Though I am seriously eyeing the flower she used from the Field Flowers stamp set. Here is the original design that I cased. 

 

I still like Sue's version better - the flowers have a lot more depth, though I confess I am quite bow challenged.  Another option would be a new set called Too Kind which is on page 71 in the new catalog.  It is a two step flower like the ones above.  If you feel like making any of the cards here, remember you can order any time of the day at www.HilarySmith.StampinUp.net

 

 

Flower Shop Bundle

Have you seen the bundle of the Flower Shop stamp set and the Pansy Punch? Go ahead take a peek, it is on page 94-95 in the catalog. What fun you can have with this set!  Make your own flower arrangements or just make a simple card like the one above. Easy and quick to whip up in a flash, but simply cute too.  The Crisp Cantaloupe Pansy is layered on Pistachio Pudding. Another layer of Crisp Cantaloupe and then finally Baked Brown Sugar. Hmmmm, anyone else getting hungry?  Okay, back to the card. The Thank You come from the Best of Greetings which was the June set for the Best of 25 Series.  If you have not caught all the sets released so far, you can always check the Stampin' Up! store. The Best of Series is listed under the Special Offers section.  If you missed one, you can still go back and get it!  Want to jump over to do some shopping, just click on the Shop Now button on my blog. 

2013-15 In Color Card

Here are two of the new In-Colors for 2013-2015, Coastal Cabana and Crisp Cantaloupe. The sentiment comes from the Bring on the Cake stamp set, inked in Crisp Cantaloupe on to Whisper White card stock.  A little trim off 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim adds a little depth to the card. Another pop comes from the Best of Butterflies set. I was able to punch them out with the Elegant Butterfly punch for some quick embellishments.  If you want more shine, add some Basic Jewels Rhinestones or Pearls to the butterflies. 

The colors introduced this year are really fun to work with. Have you checked them out yet? Shop any time at www.HilarySmith.StampinUp.net.

Triple Layer with the Labels Framelits

I had a wonderful group of ladies here yesterday for my New Catalog Party. Thank you all for coming!  We had a fun time chatting and stamping. While sharing some of the cards I have collected from different event swaps, we came across a Triple Layer card. Krysta and Elaine mentioned trying it with the Stampin' Up! framelits. Hmmm, well I had not done that yet, so I had to consider it a personal challenge to see if it worked. So here you go ladies!  It does not have the same full effect with the framelits because they cover up more of the stamped image, but I still like the final result. 

The card above was done with the Labels Framelits and the Flower Shop stamp set.  I stamped directly on to Whisper White card stock and added Island Indigo to layer it with.  The Thank You in the lower corner comes from the Best of Greetings set (25 year Anniversary Series) and was embossed using Pool Party Embossing Powder. 

Thank you again to everyone that came yesterday. I love being able to share new ideas with all my stampers, but also love being inspired by their ideas and creativity.

Simply Sketched Birthday

Here's another sample from the Simply Sketched stamp set. This is another "great to have handy" card for all occasions. Just get most of the card completed and leave off the saying. I have stamped the bird with both Crumb Cake ink and card stock.  I layered it on to Early Espresso card stock and inked the greeting in Early Espresso as well.  A little wrap of Linen Thread finishes off the card. 

Right now, I seem to be seeing this set in mostly neutrals. Or at least that is what I have had the urge to create with them.  Stay tuned though, I am sure they will be back soon with some more color involved. 

Simply Sketched Thank you

Here is another card using Stampin' Up!'s Simply Sketched Hostess stamp set.  I really enjoy the beautiful simplicity of this set. So I am leaning toward keeping the cards with very clean lines.  If you don't have the catalog yet to browse through, here is a copy of the set.

 

Ready to book your party yet? Email me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com to get your party booked and earn those Hostess Dollars.  Catalog parties are also an opportunity if you can't find the time to gather all your friends in one place.  Contact me for more information. 

Soho Subway and Swallowtail

One of the many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the opportunity to meet and become friends with other demonstrators. I am fortunate enough to be part of an amazing team that met last week to just stamp and chat. What a wonderful night. I was also able to invite my Mom along for a fun night of stamping. We did a shoebox swap, with each of us bringing a card design to stamp and assemble together. The card above is my Mom's design. The Swallowtail butterfly stamp was inked in Early Espresso directly onto Soho Subway Designer Series Paper. 

Here is a view of the paper. I just love the colors!

I hope you enjoyed this card. It was such a great evening to relax, catch up with friends, and of course get some wonderful card ideas. Keep an eye on the blog for the cased versions of the cards.  So with all our crazy lives going on, it really is healthy to take a break and do something creative. Even if it is only five minutes, try to make that time for yourself today. 

Stamp-A-Stack this Saturday

Join me this Saturday from 9:30-noon. We will be making a dozen cards, three each of the four designs above.  The class cost is only $15. Please RSVP by Thursday, June 20, through the events page option or by emailing me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com  Have a great morning stamping together and hopefully meeting new friends too! 

Simply Sketched

Time for you to look at your calendar and book a stamping party. Yup, go ahead and do it now!  This card was created using the Simply Sketched stamp set. This is one of the Hostess sets at the back of the catalog.  Love it!!!  I confess, it is currently my favorite in the new catalog. Here I have paired it with Primrose Petals and Crumb Cake cardstock and inks. 

So how does a party work? How do you get Hostess dollars?  You invite your friends over to stamp, we can work together to determine what you want for a party style. If you don't want to clean up your house for a party, just plan to have it here at my office.  If you invite only five people, and each of you orders just $25 worth of Stampin' Up! products (for a party total of $150), then YOU will earn 25 hostess dollars.  You can use it for any items in the catalog, but if you use it on specially marked hostess items, your dollars go even further. The Simply Sketched set is valued at $15.95 but only costs $10 Hostess dollars. Sounds great doesn't it?  So check your calendar and call your friends, then get your party booked! 

Sketched Birthday Simple Style

Sometimes you should get right to the point!  This card does exactly that. Using the Sketched Birthday stamp set, this card was really easy to make. Fast too which is always a help. I love the new colors of Baked Brown Sugar and Coastal Cabana together, don't you?  This would also be a super cute design for a 3x3" gift card.  Hope you enjoy it and are taking peeks at the new catalog. If you want a paper version, please email me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com 

New In-Colors Sampler

Here is a great look at the 2013-15 In-Colors from Stampin' Up!  The stamp set is called Sketched Birthday and I see a lot of cards being made with this set! 

 

If you have not seen the new catalog and colors you can see it online by clicking on the link  on my blog.  I think they must have been hungry when the decided on the final colors: Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, and Strawberry Slush. Yummy!

 

Ready to do some shopping or even just browsing, you can shop anytime at www.HilarySmith.StampinUp.net.

Birthday Cake Anyone?

Look! Cake with no calories!  Find a way to celebrate every day with this cute little tea light cake.  So easy to make, just attach a strip of your favorite Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper. Then punch out your circle for the top of the cake. Add a smaller punched circle in the middle for the candle to fit through.  Add a little ribbon to dress it up and there you have a cute little cake.  If you don't have time to make these, but want to order some, please contact me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com  Order a dozen and be ready for the whole year!

Wanderlust Photopolymer Stamp

Wow - another new stamp release from Stampin' Up! Just in time for any summer vacation travels, here is a great stamp set to help you record all those memories in your scrapbooks. 

 

Wanderlust is item 133452, priced at $13.95.  If you already have the This And That smash book, this stamp set would be a great addition. Journaling on the go is a great way to keep your trip documented while all the crazy fun moments are still fresh in your head. 

 

Keep creating, keep stamping, and keep making new wonderful memories! 

Fathers Day Card

Here's a quick card idea for Father's Day!  Yes, pop a few fishing hooks in there and he is good to go!  The base of the card is Baked Brown Sugar card stock. The pockets are Early Espresso and Soft Suede. Yes, I had a blast playing with my neutrals.  I even threw in some Crumb Cake for the inside.   To get the woven look on the outside of the vest, I used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. This would also make a great birthday card for your favorite fisherman. Here is another version.

 I thought about doing it as a sweater vest too but haven't had a chance to try it yet. You can also add some brads and eyelets and Natural Linen Thread to tie the vest closed. It adds a nice touch, however, I could only imagine some people ripping the card trying to get it open. I opted for the easy open card. 

Modern Medley & Really Good Greetings

Funny how cards work sometimes. When I pulled out the Really Good Greetings stamp set, I saw the one above and instantly knew it was going to be a black and white card. So I followed that path. I grabbed my new package of Modern Medley Designer Series Paper. What a great set of patterns, yes, all in Basic Black and Very Vanilla. While sometimes a black and white card can seem sharp, having the off white Very Vanilla in these papers softens the effect. For a touch of color, I added a layer of Cherry Cobbler in the framing around the stamped words.  The flower from the Love & Sympathy stamp set was inked with Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler. 

I hope you enjoyed this card, I really have a blast doing cards like this. Ones that come out of the blue but seem to just fall together.  There are some amazing new items in the new catalog like the papers and stamps above.  If you don't have your catalog yet, stop by my Open House on Saturday to get your copy and to play with some of the new products.  Email me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com for directions. 

Open House - June 8

Do you want to see some of the new products up close? Do you want to play with some of them? Well here is your chance. Join me on Saturday for a Welcome Party for the new catalog. We will be celebrating by creating a Make & Take. There will be door prizes and just some all around fun times!  This is a free event. If you need directions, please email me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com or call at 980-621-2202.  I hope to see you on Saturday. RSVP is appreciated but not required.

Daffodil Delight and Quatrefancy

This one should brighten someone's day!  Happy Happy Happy is what this one says.   The paper is from the new Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper.  I have paired it here with Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie.  I kept playing with the card design and finally realized that I did not want to cover up the paper with other embellishments. That is what led to the very simple design.  A little banner from a new stamp set called Sketched Birthday finishes the card. 

The new catalog is now available! If you prefer a paper version to browse through, please email me at MightyOakStampers@yahoo.com

Best of June Stamp Set

Here is the latest stamp set for Stampin' Up!'s Best of series. June is the Best of Greetings. I don't know about you, but I am very excited about this set!  What a great collection.  To order this set, you can shop my website at www.HilarySmith.StampinUp.net  The item number is 133485 and it is only $14.95 when you order through my site.