Birthday Balloons!!!

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Blue.Green Balloons, www.LaurasStampPad.com

A new year has begun and that means Birthdays will happen!!! I love sending Birthday Cards because it is the one event that we all partake in!!! I tend to struggle with man card since I love PINK and flowers and bling but this one is perfect!!!

I started with an Emerald Envy card base! Then I took a piece of Whisper White measuring 4″ x 3″ and punched the right side corners with the Corner Rounder Punch. I stamped the balloons from the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set in Pacific Point Ink and Emerald Envy Ink. I stamped the strings of the balloons in Basic Black Ink. I made this card first but since I have made a few more and I like the squiggle string better for this card. It makes the strings not look so straight and blah. I added this piece to a Emerald Envy card base in the middle of card. Then I added a piece of Party Animal Designer Series Paper measuring 1″ x 5-1/2″ along the left hand side of the card. This covers the gap between the edge of the card and the balloon piece! Then I added some Emerald Envy Taffeta Ribbon around the card and tied into a knot. The ribbon goes to the inside of the card! For the greeting, I stamped it in Pacific Point Ink onto Whisper White. I punched it out with the Decorative Label Punch. Then I punched out another one in Pacific Point and cut it in half. I put half behind the upper part of the greeting and the other hand on the lower portion of the greeting. Check out the video on how to do it here! I added the greeting to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals. Love it!!!

If you would like to get a Birthday Card this year, send me you name and address here! I would love to send out tons and tons of cards this year! #imbringingbirthdaysback

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


Technique Tuesday – Balloon Background!!!

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Happy Tuesday!!! Today I have a fabulous technique to share with you that you could use with lots of different stamp sets!!! Creating backgrounds is perfect for all types of projects from cards, scrapbooks, 3D projects and more!!!

Year of Adventures, www.LaurasStampPad.com

All the shades of purple are used in this amazing balloon background card – Sweet Sugarplum, Perfect Plum, and Elegant Eggplant!

I started with a Perfect Plum card base! Then I took a piece of Whisper White measuring 3-3/4″ x 5″ and stamped the greeting from the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set in Basic Black Archival Ink. I love this set for the amazing greetings and fun balloons!!! While waiting for the greeting to completely dry before watercoloring it, I worked on the background. I started with the border/outline balloon images from the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set. There are 5 total balloons stamped with the outlines. I stamped the top left corner in Elegant Eggplant Ink and then stamped the bottom right balloon with it as well (without going back to the ink). This gives even more color variation to the card besides the 3 colors already. I stamped the middle balloon and bottom left balloon in Sweet Sugarplum Ink (both full strength). The balloon on the upper right is Perfect Plum Ink. After the 5 base balloons are set, I filled in the balloons with the solid balloon stamp. I stamped each of the balloons and then stamped a few of the solid ones along top of the cardstock to resemble more balloons in the background. You can play with the color variations by stamping off on scrap paper for some or using full strength! One big tip – when using the 2nd stamped image be sure it is only after stamping the first image completely. What I mean by this is that if you stamp the image and half of the balloon is falling off the cardstock, don’t stamp it again completely on the card. If you do it, it will stamp as a dark image on the half that was “falling off” and light on the half that was stamped before. To avoid this, you can stamp off directly on a piece of scrap paper before stamping onto your project so it is an even stamp off. Now that the background is all complete, I colored in the letters of the greeting with an Aqua Painter and ink from the ink pads – Elegant Eggplant and Perfect Plum. Once it was dried, I adhered it to a piece of Elegant Eggplant (4″ x 5-1/4″). I tied some of the Sweet Sugarplum Ruched Ribbon around the bottom of the cardstock and added it to the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I liked using dimensionals when I have ribbon wrapped around because it makes it look nice and smooth and I just love the added texture. It is purple perfection!!!

If you would like to see this all in action, check out the Video Tutorial below or click here! Don’t forget to subscribe if you are new and give it a thumbs up if you liked it!

Also, you can get the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set with the Balloon Pop Up Thinlits as a Bundle and Save 10% and you can pick out a FREE Sale-A-Bration item!!!! I love this time of year!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


Love Hearts!!!

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Sending Love Hearts, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Quick and simple card ideas are always good to have in your back pocket. This design is not a new one! You might remember it from a few months ago when I created a holiday card! You can check it out here! I had some leftover pieces cut already so I thought I would make up the cards but updated to fit the upcoming holiday – Valentine’s Day! Some of the items used in this card are no longer available but you might still have them on hand from the Holiday Catalog or you can always change them up to fit what you have on hand!!!

I started with a Whisper White card base and stamped the greeting in the lower right corner in Real Red Ink. I used the Sealed with Love Stamp Set for this card! This stamp set is geared totally for Valentine’s Day but has great images and greetings for lots of occasions – anniversary, wedding, just because, and more! I took a small piece of the Candy Cane Lane Designer Washi Tape and placed it on the card front! Then I layered 3 squares – Candy Cane Lane Designer Series Paper (2-1/4″ Square), Real Red (2″ Square) and Whisper White (1-3/4″ Square). I stamped the heart from the same stamp set in Real Red! I layered the squares with Snail Adhesive but added it to the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals. Quick, simple and super adorable!!!

I just love this card and can’t wait to make tons of them to share my love with others on Valentine’s Day! I just love that holiday because I enjoy sharing my love and telling those that I love that I love them! I know many think that Valentine’s Day is all about teddy bears, chocolate, roses, and having a significant other but that’s not what it is to me. To me, it’s the perfect day to let others know they are loved! 🙂

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


Thank You For Your Kindness!!!

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Thank You For Your Kindness, www.LaurasStampPad.com

You all know I make and send tons of thank you notes and I LOVE a good scroll-y font. Well this card is just amazing. It is quick, simple, and yet stunning!!! You can do it in any color you wish!!

I used a Whisper White card base and stamped the giant Thank You greeting in Emerald Envy. This greeting is from the So Very Much Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set. It also comes with 4 little greetings that coordinate – For Your Kindness, For The Gift, So Very Much, and From All Of Us! These just just perfect for all your needs. I added some ribbon at the top for a little more color and texture. This card uses the Emerald Envy Silky Taffeta Ribbon from the Holiday Mini Catalog which retired on Tuesday. You might still be able to pick some up from the Clearance Rack! You can always use any of the ribbon you have on hand. Once I finished up that spool, I used the Emerald Envy Ruched Ribbon but you can use anything you have on hand! Quick, simple and amazing! Don’t you think so???

You can earn this stamp set for FREE with every $50 order you place. You can check out all of the Occasions Mini Catalog items and Sale-A-Bration items! Then click here to start shopping!!!

Happy Stampin’!!! See you back here on Monday!

~Laura


Pretty Pocket Sale-A-Bration Card Kit!!!

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Hello.Thank You, www.LaurasStampPad.com

The Pretty Pocket Card Kit is one of the Sale-A-Bration Promotion items that you can earn for FREE with every $50 order you place! That means that if you order $100, you can pick 2 items for FREE! This kit is adorable, simple, quick and doesn’t need any other supplies! Love it!!!

Pocket Card Project Kit, www.LaurasStampPad.com

The kit comes with all of the supplies to make 8 pocket cards and the envelopes! There are 4 So Saffron pockets and 4 Pool Party pockets! The little inserts even have lines on them which making writing your message super simple! I’m horrible at writing downhill for sure!

Decoration Pocket Cards, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Here are all of the stickers provided in the kit! You can see they say Thank You and Hello in different languages as well as the flowers at the top. I took this photo after making a few so that is why some are missing! 🙂 You can always use the extras in other languages for other projects!

Thank you Note Card, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Here is the final look of the pocket and the insert! I love how the Pool Party pocket has a So Saffron polka dot insert and vice versa! I love it. Also, the greeting has a border on the insert so you know exactly where to place the sticker. For the flower at the top, I suggest placing the insert into the pocket and then placing the flower down. This way you know that the flower will be peaking out of the top and placed high enough!

While some may think these are too simple, I think they are perfect to have on hand for a quick grab and go! Sometimes you just need something now and don’t have time for intricate ideas or pulling out all of your supplies! Don’t forget about the Occasions Mini Catalog which just started this week as well. When you have $50 or more in supplies to order, you can pick out any Sale-A-Bration item for free like this kit!!!

To see the reveal of this kit in action, check out the Video Tutorial below or click here! Don’t forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and be sure to subscribe if you are new!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


On Cloud 9! The Occasions Mini Catalog is here!!!

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Cloud 9, www.LaurasStamppad.com

It’s here! It’s HERE! IT’S HERE!!!! Today is the day that the Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Promotion begin!!!! I’m so excited to start sharing all of these goodies with you and you can get them now too!!! Bright colors, beautiful patterns, new tools, and so much more! AND with all of this new stuff to buy, you can earn FREE Sale-A-Bration items with every $50 order. That’s even better! I love this time of year!

This card uses some items from both catalogs and yet they all coordinate together!!! I started with a Peek-a-Boo Peach card base. Then I took a piece of Whisper White (4″ x 5-1/4″) and stamped the clouds all over the top portion in Night of Navy Ink. The clouds are from the Lift Me Up Stamp Set from the Occasions Mini Catalog! Then I stamped the greeting from the same set in the middle on the bottom! There are lots of fun greetings in this set! I cut a piece of Carried Away Designer Series Paper into a 4″ x 2″ piece and adhered it across the cardstock. I love how this Designer Paper is a Sale-A-Bration item that coordinates with one of the bundles from the Occasions Mini Catalog. Just fabulous!!! Also, I wanted to point out that I picked the dimension of this strip to be 4″ x 2″ because that is an even number for a 12″ x 12″ sheet of paper. Now you can use up every inch of that paper!!! After adhering the Designer Paper on, I tied some Mint Macaron Sheer Ribbon around the card and then adhered it to the card base! Love it!!

Stay tuned as I have tons of samples and reveals of these new items coming soon! You can see my Haul Video of some of the Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration items here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


Occasions Mini Catalog & Sale-A-Bration Begin!!!

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The best promotion ever has begun – Sale-A-Bration!!! You can enjoy the benefits as a customer, hostess, and even when you join Stampin’ Up!!!

~Every $50 you spend, you can pick out a FREE item from the Sale-A-Bration Brochure. Click here to see all of the items you can pick!

~Now is a great time to hostess as well. When your party or order reaches $250, you will earn an additional $25 in Hostess Benefits!! That means you get $50 in Free Product!! You can also use that $50 to join Stampin’ Up!

~There is a fabulous special for joining during Sale-A-Bration too! You can use your hostess benefits towards your kit or you can join without having a party! It is $99 to join and you get to pick out $125 in any product you would like PLUS 2 FREE Stamp Sets of any value! Go for the highest value sets and that’s an additional $104 in product!!! WOOT WOOT! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out! I’m always happy to chat about it! Click here for more information!

Occasions Mini, www.LaurasStampPad.com

And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, they came out with some AMAZING new items!!! Ice Cream Cones, Balloons, Flowers, Tools, Dancing Girl, Dragonfly, Hot Air Balloons and so much more fill this Occasions Mini Catalog!! Have fun checking out all of the goodies and you can start shopping here!!

3-Month Prepaid Subscription (137859) $59 $55
Get a discount on 3-month prepaid subscriptions and instantly qualify for a FREE Sale-A-Bration item!

12-Month Prepaid Subscription (137861) $215 USD
Save over $2/month with the everyday awesome price, earn $21.50 in Stampin’ Rewards, and instantly qualify for 4 FREE Sale-A-Bration items!

Stay tuned as I have tons of samples and tutorials coming soon featuring these new products!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


Technique Tuesday – Stamp-A-Ma-Jig!!!

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Happy Tuesday!!! I hope you are all recovered from the New Year festivities and ready to get back into the swing of things! Today I’m sharing a fabulous technique using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig! This is one of those handy tools that makes stamping perfect!!!

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Are you wondering where that fabulous Thanks greeting came from??? It’s in the Double Take Stamp Set in the Occasions Mini Catalog which starts TOMORROW!!!! I’m super excited to start sharing with you all of the fabulous new products!!! This stamp set is a 2-step stamping set which allows for you to create those amazing drop shadows with different colors! I love it!! The stamp set is photopolymer which makes it super easy to see through to line it up. If you want to make sure it’s perfect every time though, you can use a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig!!!

For the greeting, I took a piece of Whisper White (1-1/2″ x 3-3/4″) and stamped the solid Thanks greeting from the Double Take Stamp Set in Mint Macaron. That’s the easy one! Then I took the other Thanks image (the one that’s more broken up and not as solid) and inked it in Night of Navy Ink. If you ink it lightly and don’t get ink on your block or all around the stamp, it is much easier to line up with the mint image and stamp it down. If you would like a sure fire way to know it’s going to be perfect, you can use a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig! This is a tool to help you line up your stamping images every time whether it be a perfectly straight and centered greeting or a 2 step stamping set. There is a “T” shaped plastic piece as well as a clear imaging sheet that is square. You will place the imaging sheet in the corner of the “T” shaped piece, either on the left side or the right depending on which you are more comfortable with. I am right handed and I place it on the right side. Then stamp your image onto the imaging sheet making sure that the block of the stamp is pressed against that “T”. So if you are doing it like me, your stamped image would be in the lower left corner of the imaging sheet. You want to make sure to use the “T” as a guide as you stamp your image down because this is creating your guide for the actual stamped image. Now place the imaging sheet over your white cardstock greeting exactly as you wish to stamp this 2nd image. Place the “T” in the corner like you did before, remove the imaging sheet without moving the cardstock, then place the stamp in the “T” corner and stamp it down.

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig Tutorial, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Your image should have come out perfectly! A few tips – be sure to slide the block down along the “T” evenly and not at an angle. If it is angled it will hit the paper in a different spot and can move the cardstock. If you wish to add a small dab of adhesive to the back of your cardstock to ensure it won’t move that can be handy! Make sure you press the block against the “T” and not just close to it, otherwise your image won’t be lined up exactly. It’s okay if your stamp is on the block diagonal or crooked because the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig will help correct that and make it right. Just be away that it might look crooked when you are stamping, don’t over correct that. Trust the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.

Now that you have your perfect greeting, you can finish the card! I layered the greeting onto Night of Navy cardstock (1-3/4″ x 4″). My card base is Daffodil Delight. I took a piece of Affectionately Yours Designer Series Paper (3-3/4″ x 5″) and layered it onto Watermelon Wonder cardstock (4″ x 5-1/4″) and wrapped some White Baker’s Twine around it! I added this piece to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I added the greeting to the card with them as well. To finish it off, I put a few Enamel Shapes randomly on the card for texture. I just love this look and all of the layers – both in cardstock and stamping!!!

To see this all in action, check out the Video Tutorial below or click here! Don’t forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and be sure to subscribe if you are new!!

Don’t forget that the Holiday Mini Catalog ends tonight! Tomorrow the Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Promotion begin!!! WOOT WOOT!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


December 2016 Paper Pumpkin Kit – Another Great Year!!!

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The December 2016 Paper Pumpkin arrived and I was super excited as always because I love the surprise and excitement. It is all wrapped up like a present. You can check out the unboxing of the kit here as well as see all of the contents. I was super excited about the Basic Black Marker because you always need one of those. They are perfect to journal with or use on your stamps or color in! The Rotary Stamp is super cute too and has lots of great greetings for memory keeping. I will be using that in my albums for sure! I thought the concept for the little mini album was adorable and all but when it came time to make it I just didn’t think I would use it. I could have made it and given it away but I thought I would do cards instead! So here is what I came up with…..Washi Tape Cards, www.LaurasStampPad.com

I created a total of 24 Cards using the supplies in the kit. I used Whisper White and Crushed Curry for my card bases and I used the Number of Years Stamp Set. I like how it had Birthday and Anniversary so I could use the numbers in the kit too! Also, I always need lots of those styles anyway! All of the patterned background came from the kit as well as the stickers and washi tape! The greeting pieces were cut from the leftover designer paper pieces. I just used the ones that had a white back and I cut off the design if there was a border.

Window Sheet Cards, www.LaurasStampPad.com

I used the Window Sheet designs that were in the kit for all of these cards. Window Sheets can be tricky to use since the adhesive shows through them so I just used the Washi Tape provided to secure them down! Simple and fabulous!

Birthday Age Cards, www.LaurasStampPad.com

I used lots of stickers on these since there were so many in the kit. I went through my Birthday list to see the ages of upcoming birthdays. After I had all of those done, I did a few saying Happy 21st Birthday (again). I can give those cards to anyone! 😉

Anniversary Cards, www.LaurasStampPad.com

I love that gray flower/twig pattern and thought it was super elegant for Anniversary cards. I added a little Silver Ribbon to give it some texture. And while 24 cards is A LOT…..look at all of the leftover pieces.

December Paper Pumpkin, www.LaurasStampPad.com

So most of those scraps on the far left, I’ll probably toss but that is what I used for the greetings. There are still some numbers left and 3 Window Sheets which I’ll save for my memory keeping! The entire sheet of lines to journal on are still there too which I’ll save for memory keeping as well. 24 cards and all of these goodies! I just love all of the stuff that comes in a small little Paper Pumpkin Box!

Start your year off right with Paper Pumpkin. You can sign up to get the January Kit by January 10th. Click here to get started! Don’t forget that you can save with you purchase the Pre-Paid Subscription! Check those out here! Can’t wait to open our boxes together later this month!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura


The Best of 2016!!!

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Happy Friday everyone! This is the last post of 2016 so I thought I would share some of the Best Posts and Videos of the Year!!! Are they some of your favorites too? Let me know in the comments below!!!

THE TOP 5 BEST BLOG POSTS (based on views in 2016)

Something Borrowed Card Set, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Something Borrowed One Sheet Wonder – this post is viewed many times every day! You all must really love this set!!!

December Paper Pumpkin 2015, www.LaurasStampPad.com

December 2015 Paper Pumpkin Kit – I took the calendar pieces and made them into cards!

Birthday Bouquet OSW, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Technique Tuesday – One Sheet Wonder Flower Bouquet – you all really love One Sheet Wonders!

Work of Art Wreath, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Work of Art Holiday Cards – this set is so versatile. I really need to get it out again to play!

Birthday Roses, www.LaurasStampPad.com

Technique Tuesday – Rose Wonder – I love everything about this Stamp Set and coordinating Framelits!

THE TOP 5 BEST VIDEOS (based on views in 2016)

Stampin’ Up! Rose Garden Framelits – tutorial for the #5 Sample above!

Watercoloring with the Flowering Fields Stampin’ Up! Stamp Set – I really feel like I have mastered watercoloring more this year!

One Sheet Wonder Technique – this video actually isn’t from either of the ones listed above but still popular!!!

One Sheet Wonder Technique with the Birthday Bouquet Paper – this is #3 from above!!!

Ways To Use Your Butterfly Thinlits – I love butterfly!!!

I hope you enjoyed this little recap! Are these some of your favorites or do you have one of your own? Let me know in the comments below! I always loving hearing from you! I wish you all a wonderful weekend and close to 2016! I’m super excited about 2017 and all of the adventures and possibilities that await! Let’s make it amazing!!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura