May 12 2017

Happy Mother’s Day to Each and Every One of You!!!

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Mother’s Day to Each and Every One of You! Yes, I mean you! I honestly think every women should celebrate Mother’s Day and I wish you the best day ever!

Happy Mother’s Day…

…to all of those who have given birth!

…to all of those who have step-children!

…those of you with fur babies!

…to all of those who are wishing and hoping for a baby!

…to all of those who have lost a baby!

…And most of all to those who act motherly to those around them!

Each and every one of you falls into one or more of these categories! This year Mother’s Day is going to be rather difficult for me because I fit into 3 categories – the last 3. The last couple of months have been rather an emotional roller coaster with finding out we were pregnant and then finding out we would lose our baby. The whole time I really struggled with the thought of Mother’s Day coming up. While I am a Mother to my baby in Heaven, not everyone knows that or understands that. I really wish I had my baby in my belly or in my arms but it’s just not the case with this one. So I am back in the wishing and hoping for a baby category! So while I have always believed we should all celebrate Mother’s day, I really do this year because you just never know what someone is going through!

I wish you all a wonderful day celebrating YOU! Thank you for being kind, caring, and motherly to those around you and those you encounter! It’s not easy being a Mother but it is very rewarding! May you have all the rewards today and every day!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!

~Laura

May 11 2017

Fresh Florals, Color Theory, Stamps, & Bling!!!

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Fresh Florals, Color Theory, Stamps, & Bling are just a few of the amazing things I got in my Pre-Order for the New Catalog!!! Here is a few sneak peaks!!!

Oh my goodness this is just a pile of heaven!!!! Here are a few of my favorites that I quickly picked out!

This designer series paper is just stunning! It has the same patterns as the current Floral Boutique and I LOVE IT! Note: there are distressed looks to the paper where some spots are lighter or splotchy and this is suppose to be like that! The Ribbons are perfect because they aren’t too wide and they are soft and flexible for tying knots and using on projects! Love love love!!!

This is another favorite of mine – The Color Theory Suite! I love these colors – Berry Burst, Dapper Denim, Crushed Curry, and Old Olive. The cool designer paper, fabulous ribbon (which I realized is Bermuda Bay and doesn’t coordinate like the others) and those glimmer enamel shapes. YUM! Glimmer Enamel Shapes…..like WOW!!!!

These are some of the stamp sets. Many of these come as a Bundle with coordinating Framelits or Punches! Now I need to find time to PLAY!!!

And then there are amazing accessories. Bling, Bows, and Punches are some of my absolute favorites! I’m super excited about that label punch since my favorite Decorative Label Punch is retiring. Now you have bows made already for you! How amazing is that?!?!?! I flipped over the second one so you could see that they already have adhesive on the back, just peel off the sticky. Love it!!!!

Can’t wait till June 1st? You can always join Stampin’ Up and get these products in your Starter Kit! You get to pick out $125 in any product you would like (retiring, current items, and sneak peak items) for just $99 and FREE SHIPPING! Click here for more information or reach out if you have any questions at all.

If you want to see the complete unboxing and reveal of my New Catalog Pre-Order Haul, check it out below or click here to watch and enter the drawing! Don’t forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and be sure to subscribe if you are new. You don’t want to miss out on the fabulous project I create with all of this!

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite item is!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 10 2017

My New Big Shot Station!!!

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I got a new piece of furniture for my Stamp Pad and now I have a new Big Shot station!!! I am loving it. The white seem to have really lightened up the room and I love that I can have both of my Big Shots available to use! I can do embossing on one and framelits on the other or 2 sets of framelits.

I moved out 3 pieces of furniture and replaced it with this one piece! It’s the perfect fit!

On the top, I have my 2 Big Shots as well as all of the Embossing Folders and Dies. It is so nice to have plenty of room to use the Big Shot without having to move it side to side to allow the placed to slide through. On the shelf below, I have the Simply Scored Tool and the Big Shot Plates! Did you notice the catalogs on that shelf too??? It’s the NEW Catalog!!!

In the cabinet below, I have all of the supplies that were in the old cabinets. One the left side, I have 12″ x 12″ containers holding Heat Embossing Tools, Re-Inkers, and miscellaneous tools. On the bottom is various creations and table clothes. My greeting card containers are on the right side as well as a container with my business cards, paper pads and Paper Pumpkin Stamp Sets. My trusty label maker has it’s own spot on the shelf as well! The Cameo Silhouette is on the bottom shelf. Everything fits perfectly!

Here is a before and after photo! I am loving my new buffet cabinet in my stamp room! You can see an entire room tour with the piece before here!

Let me know in the comments below what you favorite part of your stamp/craft room is!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 9 2017

Technique Tuesday – Baby Bear Peek-A-Boo Glimmer!

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Tuesday!!! Today, I have a fabulous technique to share with you – Baby Bear Peek-A-Boo Glimmer greeting!!!

Isn’t he precious….or she?!?!?! That little teddy just looks so real with the 3 step stamping images. You can always do a blue card base and silver glimmer paper or even yellow for gender neutral! I just think this card has such a WOW factor to it!

I started with a Blushing Bride card base. Next I took a piece of Very Vanilla (4″ x 5-1/4″) and die cut the congrats greeting out of the top with the Sunshine Wishes Framelits! Now, before adhering it to the card front, I stamped little Baby Bear on there. Since this is a 3-step stamping technique, I stamped the solid image in Crumb Cake Ink (stamped off once). I stamped image #2 in Crumb Cake (full strength). Finally, the #3 image was stamped in full strength Tip Top Taupe Ink. A few tips for this 3-step stamping, be sure to ink it up well and press firmly all around the image since it is a larger image. When stamping, I always looked to line up that little rounded bum and the ears. If I had those 2 points lined up, I was golden. Another tip is that if you think you are right on top of the image and need to move down a bit, stay exactly where you are and it will be perfect. It’s when I think I need to go down a bit that I end up off a bit. You got this!

Now that Baby Bear is stamped, it is time to add this to the card front! I used a piece of Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper that was big enough to cover the greeting. This could vary depending on your greeting of choice. Next, I added adhesive to the back side of the glimmer and placed it behind the greeting (glimmer side up). Then I placed this piece onto my card front with the vanilla piece centered all around. Press over the greeting/glimmer paper so that the adhesive sticks. Now I know that my glimmer paper is in the correct spot. Then I took the vanilla piece off and added Stampin’ Dimensionals all around and placed it back over the glimmer paper. The dimensionals make it look a little more 3D and gives a little peek-a-boo glimmer look!

To finish off little Baby Bear, I added a Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon bow to his neck securing it with a Mini Glue Dot. Isn’t he precious?!?!?

Of course, if you would like to see this all in action, check out my Video Tutorial below or click here! I did the one in the video as a Baby Boy card! Don’t forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and be sure to subscribe if you are new. I post a new video every Tuesday and Thursday!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Some of the items used for this card are retiring as well as a lot of others. You can check out the complete list here:

2017 Retiring List – PDF

2017 Retiring List – Excel

These items are all while supplies last and some are sold out already! You can start shopping here!

May 8 2017

Brad’s 6th Anniversary Card!!!

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Today I’m sharing with you the card I made for Brad for our 6th Anniversary! I just love making cards for him that are super special! You can see some of the past ones I have made here, here, and here!

Okay so maybe this should have been a card for me since I’m the one who loves Monkeys but he loved it too!!! Brad got me that little Monkey Boo just last week to add to my collect. Her name is April, by the way! I decided that would be my inspiration for my card! 🙂

I started with a Whisper White card base and rounded all the corners with the Corner Rounder Punch for a soft look. Next I layered on a piece of Chocolate Chip (4″ x 5-1/4″) rounding the corners before adhering it on. I used the Layering Circles Framelits and Crumb Cake to create the face. At first, I overlapped all of them but thought it looked too bulky. To solve that, I laid the two circles for the eyes over top of each other and traced the portion of the circle overlapped. I could have cut it with scissors but since I wanted a smooth look, I slide it into a Circle Punch and lined it up. That worked perfectly. I added the two circles and overlapped the third one. Using the Early Espresso Marker, I created the adorable little nose and mouth.

For the eyes, I die cut the circles with the Layering Circles Framelits in Perfect Plum cardstock. I added some glitter with the Silver Dazzling Details. For the center of the eye, I used the 3/4″ Circle Punch to punch out Basic Black cardstock. Next, I added these to the eyes with a Stampin’ Dimensional. So that the eyes would look all glossy, I added lots of Fine Tip Glue Pen glue to the black centers. Once all of this was dry, I added the eyes to the card front. Now the little monkey has a face!!! For the ears and hands, I punched out Perfect Plum with the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. I cut the circles in half and adhered them to the card front. For a little sparkle like April’s, I brushed over them with the Wink of Stella Pen. Isn’t it just the cutest?!?!?!

I love coming up with a new idea for cards for my husband! It usually involves lots of punches as I am not the best with free-handing it. Do you like to make special cards for those in your life? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 5 2017

My Top 10 Retiring Items I’m Sad to See Go!

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

When the retiring list comes out I’m always sad to see certain items go. Here is my Top 10 retiring items I’m sad to see go this year! I always take a deep breath and know that while I’m sad these are leaving, that just means there is more room for fabulous new products to come out. I hope you feel the same way!

Decorative Label Punch – So my husband was reading off the list and I was marking everything in the catalog. When he mentioned this one, I screamed and just about cried. I love love love this punch and use it so much. I think I will hold on to mine even though I normally get rid of everything that retires. This punch just means so much to me. You can see samples using it here, here, and here. I really could go on and on with samples.

Tin of Cards Stamp Set – I love this set because it has the perfect size greeting especially to fit into the Decorative Label Punch. It also has a greeting for almost every occasion. I loved the Tin of Cards as well! My set is almost black because I used it so much and the stamps are stained. You can see samples here and here!

Mint Macaron – I have really fallen in love with this color. It’s such a beautiful soft green and even looks a little blue sometimes. I’ll miss you Mint Macaron!

Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper – Okay we all know I love pink and sparkle. Um…hello?!?!?! This is just that and I love it. Good thing we can always create pink glimmer paper with re-inkers and the Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper.

Bitty Butterfly Punch – This punch as well as the Elegant Butterfly Punch are just so beautiful alone and paired with the Papillon Potpourri Stamp Set.

Elegant Butterfly Punch – Again, I am sad to see this one go. I just love butterflies. You can see some samples using this here, here, and here!

Woodgrain Embossing Folder (Sold Out) – Okay, so I feel like I have fallen off the embossing folder train a bit but I still like this one for backgrounds and Man Cards! I tend to use certain products a ton and then not as much. I feel like I have gone from Embossing Folders to Heat Embossing more.

Perpetual Birthday Calendar Stamp Set – This set is perfect for backgrounds and memory keeping. I have done lots of quick and simple cards using this set. I have also created a Birthday Calendar even after the kit was no longer available. See more samples here and here!

Oh So Succulent Stamp Set and Succulent Framelits – I love flowers and this set was so much fun! The little flowers were perfect for cards and home decor pieces. Succulents are so in right now. Check out all these amazing samples here, here, and here!

So Detailed Framelits – I was just starting to really have fun with these. Check out some of my samples here and here! I guess I will need to start playing with the Detailed Floral Framelits!

So there are my Top 10 Retiring Favorites! How many of these are on your list? Tell me in the comments below what you are most sad to see go.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 4 2017

Loving these Anniversary Lace & Hearts!!!

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

First of all, I just love this card! The anniversary lace & hearts is just so elegant and soft looking which is perfect for such an occasion!!! <3

For this card, I started with a Crumb Cake card base. Next I layered on a piece of Flirty Flamingo (4″ x 5-1/4″) and a piece of Falling in Love Designer Series paper (3-7/8″ x 5-1/8″). I loved this paper because it’s has soft beautiful patterns. Unfortunately it is sold out already!

Now for the greeting, I used the So Detailed Framelits (on the retired list and on sale) to die cut the banner with the hearts it in. I used Very Vanilla cardstock! The greeting was stamped in Crumb Cake Ink with the So In Love Stamp Set (also on the retired list and on sale). To attach this to the card, I added adhesive to the far left, the middle spot where the greeting is stamped, and the little end tab. Then I took some Flirty Flamingo Ruched Ribbon and tied a bow. I attached it to the card with a Mini Glue Dot.

I love the simple and yet elegant look. This card could be used for a baby card, wedding card, or anniversary card because it is soft and simple. You could mix up the designer paper and go with any occasion.

Of course, if you would like to see this all in action, check out my 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. I post a new video every Tuesday and Thursday!

Some of the items used for this card are retiring as well as a lot of others. You can check out the complete list here:

2017 Retiring List – Excel

2017 Retiring List – PDF

Of course, these items are all while supplies last and some are sold out already! You can start shopping here! Less than a month till the New Catalog is out!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 3 2017

April 2017 Paper Pumpkin Kit – A Sara Thing!!!

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I love the April 2017 Paper Pumpkin Kit – A Sara Thing because I love watercolor pencils and black & which with a pop of color!!!! It was super fun to put this kit together! Look at all of the goodies. You can see the complete unboxing of this kit here!

I love the little mini Colored Pencils and I can always use these for future projects as well! To be honest, I actually used an Aqua Painter rather than a cup of water and the provided brush! Less mess and I tend to make lots of them! 🙂 Here are all of the cards completed!!!

Look at all of that beautiful color! This picture just makes me so happy and look at all of those cards from one kit! Amazing! Now let’s focus on each card set!

Okay so did you also notice that the envelope have that fabulous label and each set has a different inside pattern! How fabulous?!?!? So this set I had a little problem with it….can you guess? I stamped the greetings on the white panels and didn’t realize it needs to be placed low or high so the diamond doesn’t cover it. Oops! The lower right corner one is a little covered but I think it will be okay! I simply scribbled over each diamond with the pencils and then blended the colors together with the Aqua Painter! Next, I wiped off the top with a napkin to get any excess ink off the embossed portion. The flowers are a little chunky but I loved how they accented the card so I added them on!

This pattern was super fun to color with. My favorite one is the lower left corner. I just love it! The Black and White Washi Tape is the perfect accent on the bottom of the watercolor paper! Love it! The flowers add a little bling and texture too!

These were the most fun and my favorite set because it’s so easy to just swish back and forth to watercolor. Blending the blue and yellow to make green was super fun too! I love the little random dot stamp too! Another tip is that there are few greetings that fit on the banner because the “You” doesn’t fit. I just stamped the “You” onto the watercolor paper! It turned out perfectly!

Another reason I love Paper Pumpkin is because look at all of these leftovers I have to use on other projects!! I forgot to put the little paint brush in the photo as well! I just love Paper Pumpkin!!!

Which card set is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! Also, if you get Paper Pumpkin, what is your favorite part of it? I can’t wait to see what you say!

If you would like to join in the fun, be sure to sign up for your Paper Pumpkin Kit before May 10th! Click here to get started! For just $19.95 (plus tax), you get a complete kit with stamps, ink and supplies. Your first kit comes with a clear block! I think it’s worth every penny!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 2 2017

Technique Tuesday – Flip Fold Mother’s Day Card!!!

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Tuesday!!! I have a fabulous flip fold Mother’s Day Card to share with you today!!! Just in time to make for Mother’s Day which is on May 14th!!! You could also change up the designer paper and greetings to make this card for any occasion!

So of course you can’t see the flip fold part until you watch the video tutorial below. So stay tuned!!! I got this amazing idea from fellow stamper, Julie Davison! She is amazing! Let’s get started!

First, I cut 2 card fronts (4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″) and one card base (3-3/4″ x 11″). I did my card fronts in Watermelon Wonder and Mint Macaron and the card base in Whisper White. Next, I scored the card base at 1″ & 6″. I added adhesive to the bottom rectangle (3-3/4″ x 5″) and placed it in the center of the Mint Macaron card base. Then I folded the rectangle above that down and the little 1″ flap fold back/up. I added adhesive to this flap and placed the Watermelon Wonder card base over the top, lining up both card bases. You want to make sure you line up the card bases rather that place the on the Watermelon Wonder with a border so that it lays flat. Now your card base is complete and it’s time to decorate!

For the front of the card, I added a piece of Affectionately Yours Designer Series Paper (3″ x 4/1/4″) to the bottom. I tied some Mint Macaron Sheer Linen Ribbon around the card to cover up the seam of the 2 types of paper! For the greeting, I die cut an oval using the Stitched Shapes Framelits. I just love how fabulous these are! The greeting was stamped in Night of Navy Ink and the flowers in Watermelon Wonder Ink. I used the Love & Affection Stamp Set. The greeting was added to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Now for the inside panel, I added another piece of the Affectionately Yours Designer Series Paper (3-1/4″ x 4-3/4″). The copper accents really give a fabulous look to the card. I die cut another Stitched Shapes Oval and stamped the greeting from the Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set. You could also use another greeting from the Love & Affection Stamp Set as well. Using that stamp set, I stamped a few flowers on the bottom panel and left the rest open to write in. Another option would be to stamp the middle and bottom panel and leave a lot of space for writing! It’s the perfect Mother’s Day card!

If you would like to see this all in action, check out my 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. I post a new video every Tuesday and Thursday!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

May 1 2017

My Mother-In-Law’s Amazing Card!!!

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Today, I’m sharing with your my Mother-In-Law’s amazing card that she created when we stamped together! Isn’t it just precious???

This card is so amazing and Cindy did a wonderful job on it with all the amazing details! Let’s get started on it!

Cindy started with a Whisper White card base and layered on a piece of Bermuda Bay (4″ x 5-1/4″). Next, she took a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock to stamp the teddy bear on. She used the Baby Bear Stamp Set. The 3 step stamping was done in Crumb Cake Ink, Soft Suede Ink, and Chocolate Chip Ink. Then she fussy cut out the little bear. This is the crazy part. I am a horrible fussy cutter but she rocked it and it really did make him POP! Before adding the teddy to the card front (Whisper White measuring 3-3/4″ x 5″), she added a little color and texture using a Sponge Dauber and Bermuda Bay Ink. Next, Cindy added the teddy to the card from with Stampin’ Dimensionals. The little bow using Bermuda Bay Stitched Ribbon is the perfect accent which was attached with a Mini Glue Dot.

The greeting was stamped from the Rose Wonder Stamp Set in Bermuda Bay Ink! Finally, for the balloon, Cindy used the Balloon Adventures Stamp Set and coordinating Balloon Bouquet Punch. No fussy cutting necessary for that one! 🙂 The balloon was stamped in Rose Red Ink. To adhere it to the card, Cindy added some Whisper White Baker’s Twine to the back of the balloon. She secured it with a Stampin’ Dimensional and then added a smidge of Fine Tip Glue to the teddy bear’s hand to secure the tail because otherwise it would flop around.

This card turned out perfectly and Cindy created it especially for her Sister-In-Law! The teddy seems so snugly because of the layered stamping and little bow. I think she will cherish it forever!

Some of the items used for this card are retiring as well as a lot of others. You can check out the complete list here:

2017 Retiring List – Excel

2017 Retiring List – PDF

These items are all while supplies last and some are sold out already! You can start shopping here! Only 1 more month till the New Catalog is out!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura