Crafting Up the Coast

Have you noticed the This Little Piggy Stamp Set (item 143922) in the annual catalog (US/CA)? If you are anything like me, it did not take you long to add it to your wish list.

I happen to know lots of people who love pigs, including my brother, who inherited the “piggy” nickname when he was little. My husband also loves them with a passion.

Needless to say, I could not pass up on getting this stamp set. So without further ado, let me show you what I created!

I love the flying pig and the little kisses from this set, so I started by putting together a Cupid-themed card, with a pig in place of the cherub.

If you like background stamps but aren’t sure how to use them, here’s an idea: stamp the image on Vellum 8-1/2″ Cardstock using VersaMark ink (item 102283) and heat emboss with the powder of your choice. The patterns really stand out and the Vellum Cardstock adds a wonderful touch to your project. I used the Tree Rings Background Stamp with the wood rings. (I love the circles of various sizes!)

For the circle embellishment, die cut the biggest one from the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (item 145372) and use the new Pattern Party Decorative Masks (item 144103) and a Stamping Sponge (item 141337) or a Sponge Dauber (item 133773) to make the clouds. By moving the mask and sponging, you’ll get a sky full of clouds. (Try to make the clouds on top a little darker.)

I wanted a rounded shape for my gift tag, so I used only half of the Stitched Shapes Framelits large oval and ran my cardstock through the Big Shot (item 143263); in keeping with the theme, I added a hole using one of the cloud dies from the Up & Away Thinlits Dies (item 142748). For the background, I used the new Marbled Background Stamp (item 144772).

Do you like the 1/4″ Copper Trim (item 144179)? I don’t know if it’s possible to appreciate its true beauty by just looking at the catalog, but the mesh trim gives you all kinds of different options. Here I stretched the wiring to create a little copper net. Fast and easy!

I considered two different types of paper for stamping the pigs: Shimmery White Cardstock (item 101910) or Watercolor Paper (item 122959) (used on the project). In general, I prefer Watercolor Paper, but the shimmer of the cardstock can really add a nice touch to small surfaces like the pigs. It’s just a matter of personal preference.

Here’s another tip for background stamps, which are large and tricky to handle: ink the whole surface (or part of it) with the ink pad, then place the paper on the part of the image you’re interested in. Use your fingers to apply pressure on the whole surface without moving the paper. It’s that simple!

For the gift packaging, I created a Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730) pocket using the Gift Bag Punch Board (item 135862) (size M/ 6″ tall). To get more volume, I played with the 1/4″ Copper Trim bows to make them wider. I wanted to make the pig look as if he were leaping, so I cut out the grass and placed it all around him.

We should always keep embellishments in mind when finishing projects. I used the new Metallics Sequin Assortment (item 144214) to add shine. As for the small hearts, they come from the Everyday Jars Thinlits Dies (item 141490).

Those little piggies seem so blissful! I hope they will make you as happy as they make me!

Have a nice day!

Aurélie FABRE
2017 Artisan Design Team

Hello, stamping friends! It’s Rochelle Blok here coming to you all the way from Melbourne, Australia. I’m so very excited to be showing you my creation today and the love (obsession) that I have with the ribbons that Stampin’ Up! has to offer this year in the new annual catalog (US/CA).

If you’ve been following me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll know that my first order from the annual catalog was pretty much all Stampin’ Up!’s new ribbons. Swoon!!! They’re just stunning and I for one am a very happy girl with what they’re offering. There’s something for everyone and every occasion. So with that I’ve made two ribbon photo mobiles and accented them with the Daisy Delight Stamp Set (item 143669) and the Daisy Punch (item 143713).

I made the blue version first and then thought: Why not make a pink one, too? My original idea when I first started thinking about this mobile was to create a blue one and accent it with the Daisy Delight Bundle (item 145361).

Making the mobile is pretty straight forward.  Find a stick from your backyard, cut it to the desired length, and sand it down with some sandpaper until you get your desired look and feel. Cut the ribbon to the desired length. I just measured three times the Stampin’ Up! Grid Paper (item 130148) for the length of each ribbon. This ended up being 3.9 feet for each length. I then found the middle of each length and tied the ribbon on to the stick.

Once all the ribbon is on, you then decorate and embellish it how you want. I cut some Designer Series Paper and cardstock to the size of a Polaroid photo so I could clip it to the ribbons later with the new Gold Library Clips (item 144130)—or you could use the Gold Binder Clips (item 141673).

The blue version was inspired by the colors in the Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper (item 144137). The ribbon colors for the pink version came from a picture of a baby blanket that I saved on Pinterest because I love the color combination so much. I did try to use this color combination for another creation a while back but I just couldn’t get it quite right. I think it looks stunning in this instance, though. I may be a bit biased, however!

The ribbons used here from left to right:  Daffodil Delight 1/4″ Double-Stitched Ribbon (item 144116); Night of Navy 1/2″ Gingham Ribbon (item 144232); Pool Party 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon (item 144152); Whisper White 3/8″ Classic Weave Ribbon (item 144159); Old Olive 3/8″ Mini Chevron Ribbon (item 144196); Linen Thread (item 104199); and Night of Navy 5/8″ Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon (item 144189). I just love the array of color!!

On some of the “Polaroids” I added some Gold Glimmer Paper (item 133719) hearts to make it a bit more pretty. The heart comes from the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies (item 137547). When making this project I realized that I don’t have any heart Framelits except that one. Time to rectify that!

I stamped four of the daisy images from the Daisy Delight Stamp Set in Daffodil Delight ink (item 126944) on Shimmery White Cardstock (item 101910). I then punched them out using the Daisy Punch. Tip: To give each daisy a fuller, more realistic look, bend each petal back by running the side of the Bone Folder (item 102300) along the back of the petal. (This breaks up the fibers in the cardstock a little.)

Once the petals are curled, adhere two of the daisies together with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (item 110755) to make a fuller daisy. For the daisy centers, I stamped on Daffodil Delight Cardstock (item 119683) with Daffodil Delight ink, punched them out using the 1/2″ Circle Punch (item 119869), then glued the punched circles to the flower centers. So that the “white” parts of the petal didn’t look so stark, I used a Blender Pen (item 126185) to pull a light wash of ink over the petal.

Don’t you just love the colors in the pink version? This one I thought I might give to my daughter to hang in her room and then she can add photos of her friends as she wants. I used the following ribbons from left to right: Calypso Coral 1/4″ Ombre Ribbon (item 144235); Basic Black 3/8″ Shimmer Ribbon (item 144129); Powder Pink 1/2″ Finely Woven Ribbon (item 144134); Peekaboo Peach 5/8″ Crinkle Seam Binding Ribbon (item 144192); Basic Black Solid Baker’s Twine (item 141682); Flirty Flamingo 3/8″ Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (item 144227); and Silver 3/8″ Metallic Edge Ribbon (item 144213).

I wanted the daisies for this one to look a little bit more like gerberas. I stamped Powder Pink Classic ink (item 144084) on Powder Pink Cardstock (item 144244), again making sure that I curled the petals with the Bone Folder. I love the soft, pretty look of the tone-on-tone ink and cardstock. The centers this time are the new Clear Faceted Gems (item 144142). They’re super gorgeous and are available in gold, as well.

To make this one a bit more fun I stamped the letters for the word “Friends” using the Letters for You Stamp Set (item 141968) and Flirty Flamingo Classic ink (item 141398), then die cut them using the Large Letters Framelits Dies (item 141712). You can change the letters or leave them off altogether as I did with the first mobile.

Again, I used cardstock to make some “Polaroids” and then (when my daughter is ready) she can add the photos she wants. This time I used Smoky Slate Cardstock (item 131202) for the “Polaroid” backing and flicked the Smoky Slate Stampin’ Write Marker (item 131261) over it for some fun splatters. The hearts are again from the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies, this time die cut from Flirty Flamingo Cardstock (item 141416). So fun and so pretty!

Thanks so much for joining me today. If you have a love for the Stampin’ Up! ribbon and trims but hoard them away in a drawer because they’re too gorgeous to use . . . don’t! Get them out and use them!! I’m sure they’ll be that thing that you were looking for that your creation was missing and they’ll give it a lift. Or get them out to make some sort of mobile. Its superfun to do and you’ll be surprised by how quickly it comes together.

Rochelle Blok
2017 Artisan Design Team

Hello, dear stampers! I am a huge fan of both home décor items and handmade things. So why not combine the two? A picture frame is great for adding pizzazz and a pop of color to a room.

However, this time I didn’t want to use a boring standard frame and then just decorate it. After a little bit of thinking, I remembered the beautiful kraft packaging used for the Soft Sayings Card Kit (item 145466) or the Oh Happy Day Card Kit (item 142725)—which is often left over after creating the cards!

I decided to use the bottom half of the card kit box and turn it into a “picture frame.” The best thing about it is that you can color and customize it however you want!

First of all, I used a piece of Designer Series Paper for the background. The one I picked was a Night of Navy sheet from the Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper (item 144137). I simply trimmed it to the size of the gift box and adhered it directly to the inside of the box using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (item 110755).

As I didn’t want to use a photo for this picture frame, I went for a gorgeous butterfly instead.  But before I got started on this one, I created some more elements and details: I took a piece of Powder Pink Cardstock (item 144244) and punched the left and right sides using the Ticket Tear Border Punch (item 143718). Then I stamped the words “You are my” from the Sunshine Sayings Stamp Set (item 141594) on the same piece of cardstock. I also used the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (item 145372) to cut shapes from Basic Black Cardstock (item 121045) and Vellum Cardstock (item 101856). Additionally, I die cut the word “Sunshine” from Gold Glimmer Paper (item 133719) using the Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies (item 141489).

Then I went to work on the butterfly. Using the Watercolor Wings Stamp Set (item 139424), I first stamped a pattern on Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730), which I then cut out using the coordinating Bold Butterfly Framelits Dies (item 138135). I also die cut a second butterfly of the same size from Powder Pink Cardstock.

Now I just needed to layer all these pieces on top of each other. To adhere them, I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue and Stampin’ Dimensionals (item 104430). After arranging everything where I wanted it to be, I just embellished my frame with some Gold Faceted Gems (item 144141) for a final touch. And then I had my own customized picture frame!

I hope you like my idea and feel inspired to re-create your own picture frame using this concept. What theme would you choose for it? Let your creativity run wild! I hope you have fun and enjoy making this project!

Maike Ulbrich
2017 Artisan Design Team

I love a good party. It’s also no secret that I love hosting them! Today I really want to show you how anyone can easily create a Pinterest-worthy party using Stampin’ Up! products.

The tropical theme is on trend at the moment—which means you can rest assured that Stampin’ Up! will have a stamp set to help! I used the versatile Pop of Paradise Stamp Set (item 141578) with the fun pineapples, flamingos, and tropical leaves to create a cheerful party table setting.

This little cutlery pocket is a quick and simple project to make—and even the kids can help! I used the perfect color for this theme, Flirty Flamingo Cardstock (item 141416), one of the 2016–2018 In-Colors; I then cut and scored the cardstock using the Stampin’ Trimmer (item 126889) and adhered the sides using Tear & Tape (item 138995), leaving the top open to insert the cutlery.

I stamped the flamingos with none other than the Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin’ Pad (item 141397) and used my Paper Snips (item 103579) to cut them out; after that I adhered them to straws with Mini Glue Dots (item 103683). These are so cute! LOL.

I made the pineapple “Party” banner using the Large Letter Framelits (item 141712) and colored the pineapples with Daffodil Delight and Old Olive ink from the Brights Collection Stampin’ Write Markers (item 131259). Using the 1/16″ Handheld Circle Punch (item 134363) I made holes at the top and threaded the banner together using Whisper White Solid Baker’s Twine (item 124262). Tip: Use a needle to help you thread the holes quickly and easily.

No party is complete without a party favor, right?! These cute Clear Tiny Treat Boxes (item 141699) were the perfect finish to this party table. I stamped the “Hello” from the Pop of Paradise Stamp Set and used the coordinating 1-3/8” Circle Punch (item 119860) to cut them out. I adhered it to the top of the box using Stampin’ Dimensionals (item 104430).

Give your stamps and cardstock a workout and create your own themed party with Stampin’ Up!’s fabulous products. The sky’s the limit!!

Now all I need to do is get my grass skirt on and stop eating all the party food before the guests arrive! Thanks for visiting today. I hope I’ve inspired you to get your party on with Stampin’ Up!

Hugs,

Louise Sharp
2017 Artisan Design Team

It’s finally June and time to get our hands on the new products in the 2017-2018 annual catalog (US/CA). I’m a big fan of anything cute, so the Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper (144163) is high on my list.

Stampin’ Up! makes my life easier by offering product suites since they allow me to coordinate my projects quickly. The Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper is part of the Pick a Pattern Product Suite. #gofigure

The first order of business was to cut out as many of the cute little forest friends that I could before my favorite television show ended. As I cut, I was creating a pile of animals. It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted these creatures to be the focal point of the card.

Next I began embossing some sentiments with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132) on Basic Black Cardstock (121045). Because the animals are so small, I decided to use the Tabs for Everything Stamp Set (143907). It couldn’t have been a better fit as “Happy life” is certainly a motto for many campers.

In order to allow the background to look like a soft sky, I used Watercolor Paper (122959), Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill (101041), and an Aqua Painter (103954) to quickly brush a watercolor sky. Once dry, I adhered the cuties and added a layer of Sahara Sand Cardstock (121043) as well as a piece of patterned paper from Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper.

My second card uses the moose cut out from the Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper as well as the sentiment from the Pieces & Patterns Stamp Set (143843). With the help of the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (145372) I was able to add several layers to create a simple and fun card. These Framelits are a favorite of mine so I have plenty of extras cut out; that way I can grab them whenever I am working on a project.

How cute is the little raccoon in the Adirondack chair? That cute little chair was die cut using the Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies (143751). It’s the perfect size for our little pals.

With plenty of creatures to spare, I’ll be sure to whip up some more cards soon.

Thanks so much for dropping by!

Cathy Caines
2017 Stampin’ Up! Artisan Design Team