Sep 26 2016

Perfect Paisleys!!!

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I just couldn’t help myself with this card! You all know I love Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay and now the new Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I love how you can use this stamp set with dark rustic colors for a fall look, bright colors for fun and flirty look, and subtles for a spring or baby look! Paisley print is so in right now and there are endless ways to use it!

I started with a Melon Mambo card base. Then I took a piece of Whisper White measuring 3-3/4″ x 5″ and placed it onto my work surface. I placed a strip of Post-It Note Tape 1/4″ from the left side edge and about an 1″ to an 1-1/2″ from that strip. This tape is perfect for masking because it is lightly sticky and it is thin. You could always use a piece of scrap paper but be sure to secure your cardstock and the mask down so they don’t move on your while you are stamping. Then I stamped in this open space with the Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set. I did 3 images in Melon Mambo Ink and 3 images in Bermuda Bay Ink. Be sure to start with your larger images first and then fill in with the smaller ones. Make sure that you are stamping over onto you mask because you want the pattern to look like it continues on. Once you are all done, you can remove your mask and finish the card. I stamped the greeting from the Tin of Cards Stamp Set. Also, I added a little circle in the lower right corner and placed an Enamel Shape in the middle of it. I love that little pop!!!! I wrapped some Bermuda Bay Stitched Ribbon around the cardstock and tied it into a knot. Now it is time to assemble. I added this layer to some Bermuda Bay cardstock and then to the card front!

I have been having lots of fun with masking and with the Paisleys Suite! Check out more samples here, here, and here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

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Sep 23 2016

Copper Craziness!!!

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Okay so when I first saw the Copper, I thought well that’s nice and I might start using it. Now that I have started using it, I’m in LOVE!!! It is like the perfect shade for anything! It isn’t yellowy like gold and it isn’t white like silver, it’s Copper! It looks amazing with the Regals Collection or typical fall colors. I say typical because lets be honest, any color can be used for any occasion or season.

For this card, I started with a Very Vanilla card base. I added a piece of Night of Navy cardstock (4″ x 5-1/4″) to the front. Then I took some Copper Foil Paper and die cut the floral images from the Paisley Framelits. I added each of them to the card front with the Fine Tip Glue Pen. This is the best adhesive because of the super fine tip and clear glue. I love it. For the greeting, I stamped it from the Number of Years Stamp Set in Night of Navy Ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock. I layered the greeting onto some more Copper Foil and added it to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals for a little texture and depth! Simple and yet fabulous! You could use this style for any occasion!

If you would like to see more samples using the Paisleys Suite, check out the samples here, here, and here!

Do you love Copper, Silver, or Gold? Or all 3? Let me know in the comments below! I have always been a silver girl and still wear silver jewelry but I have been crafting a lot with gold because it’s so “in”. Now we have copper so that might be my new favorite!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

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Sep 22 2016

Lovely Layers!!!

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I am loving these rich colors in the Petals & Paisley Specialty Designer Series Paper Pack. I am so not a fan of Delightful Dijon but together with these colors, I’ll use it!!! Thank you Stampin’ Up for helping me branch out!!!

I started with a card base of Rich Razzleberry and added the Petals & Paisley Specialty Designer Series Paper to the front. The paper does it all that you don’t need much more so I went simple. I stamped the greeting from the Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set in Rich Razzleberry onto Very Vanilla cardstock. Isn’t that greeting just amazing? I love it! It is perfect for an anniversary card or thinking of you card or random card you send to brighten someone’s day. Then for the focal point, I stamped various circle images from the same stamp set onto scrap vanilla paper and die cut them with the coordinating Paisley Framelits (Bundle & Save 10%). I stamped the first (biggest one) in Mint Macaron onto the greeting piece. The next layer is in Delightful Dijon and I adhered that one with Snail Adhesive. The next layer in is Rich Razzleberry and I added it to the card with a Stampin’ Dimensional for more texture and dimension. The last layer was stamped in Mint Macaron and added with Snail Adhesive. I finished it off with a Night of Navy Enamel Shape. It’s so beautiful and easy!!! I love it!

I added a few more Enamel Shapes around the greeting to make it pop more! The Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set is so versatile. There are lots of ways you can use it. Check out more samples here, here, and here!

If you would like to see this 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 videos every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe to my blog for a post every Monday through Friday!!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Don’t forget about the Paper Pumpkin BOGO Sale for new subscribers!!! Click here to get started and be sure to enter the Promo Code: BOGO

Sep 21 2016

Petals & Paisleys!!!

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Stampin’ Up really makes some amazing Designer Series Paper. It steals the show and makes simple cards like these stunning!!! The color combination in the Petals and Paisleys Designer Series Paper is making me work outside the box but I am loving it. I never cared for Delightful Dijon until now!

I started with a Mint Macaron card base. Then I layered some of the Petals & Paisleys Designer Series Paper (3-3/4″ x 5″) onto Delightful Dijon cardstock and added some Mint Macaron Ribbon from the Trio Pack. I just laid the ribbon across the front and secured the ends on the back side and adhered it to the card base. For the greeting, I die cut one of the labels from the Lots of Labels Framelits. I stamped the greeting from the Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set in Rich Razzleberry Ink. I thought it needed a little bit more so I stamped the leaf from the same set in Mint Macaron on the top and bottom! It is the perfect accent. I added the greeting to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals. Simple and fabulous!!!

If you would like to check out more samples using the Petals & Paisleys Suite, check them out here and here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Don’t forget about the Paper Pumpkin BOGO Sale for new subscribers!!! Click here to get started and be sure to enter the Promo Code: BOGO

Sep 20 2016

Technique Tuesday – Purple & Gold!!!

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Tuesday!!! That means I have a fabulous technique to share with you today – heat embossing! Many of you may know all about heat embossing but I thought I would talk about the tools, steps of heat embossing and tips along the way as a refresher and for those who have never done it before!!!

Purple and Gold are so rich and fabulous. I love that deep color…..and you know I am a “Brights” girl!!! I played with some masking techniques on this one and I have some tips for you.

I started with a piece of Whisper White measuring 4″ x 5-1/4″ and I masked off the square. This can be any size or shape you would like. TIP: Use printer paper and not a Post-It Note because the sticky from the Post-It stays on the cardstock enough to hold embossing powder. So just cut strips of paper and lay them in a square or cut a square out of a piece of paper. Be sure to secure your cardstock to your surface as well as securing the mask to the surface. You don’t want the cardstock to move underneath your mask and you don’t want your mask to move. For this card, I actually colored in the square with a Sponge Dauber and Elegant Eggplant Ink but you could always use a Sponge Brayer! You can add as much color as you want for the perfect shade. Keep going if you want a darker look. Be sure to allow the ink to dry before embossing since you are adding so much ink in one spot. After a minute or so of drying (or use the Heat Tool to dry it), now it is time to emboss. Start by running the Embossing Buddy over the cardstock to get rid of an static on your cardstock. Tap off an excess powder and then stamp your image in VersaMark Ink. I stamped the flourish from the Flourishing Phrases Stamp Set. After stamping the image, you will pour the embossing powder of your choice over the image. I used Gold Embossing Powder. Tap off the excess powder and heat the image with your Heat Tool. TIP: Don’t wave the heat tool over your image because that is just dispersing the heat and then it will take longer. Start on one side or corner and once it starts to melt, just move your way around the image slowly until it is all melted. The first time you use the tool each time will take a bit longer than if you embossed 5 at one time because it takes a bit to warm up. So if you are making multiples, the first one might take a minute to melt but the rest will take 45 seconds.

Now that you have your image embossed it is time to finish it off. I stamped the greeting from the Number of Years Stamp Set and added some Gold Metallic Thread for texture and a little more gold!

If you would like to see Heat Embossing in action, check out the Video Tutorial below or click here. Be sure to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and don’t forget to subscribe if you are new!

Do you like heat embossing on your projects? Let me know in the comments below! It is one of those techniques that looks amazing but sometimes you don’t want to haul out the tools or you forget because they are all in the drawer. I like embossing a lot on holiday cards because it looks so fabulous!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Sep 19 2016

Flirty Flamingo Flowers!!!

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

My obsession for pink and flowers continues!!! This card is such a beauty. I got the inspiration for it from a fellow demonstrator in the Netherlands – Tinie. Thank you for the amazing idea!

I started with a card base of Flirty Flamingo! Then I took a piece of Whisper White measuring 4″ x 5-1/4″ and stamped the jar and greeting from the Jar of Love Stamp Set in Basic Black Archival Ink. To get the light blue hue in the jar, I brushed over it with an Aqua Painter and some Pool Party Ink. For the flowers, I stamped them onto scrap white cardstock from the Jar of Love Stamp Set. The large background flower image was stamped in Flirty Flamingo Ink and the inside cup looking flower piece was stamped in Watermelon Wonder Ink. I added the 3 little dots for the center of the flower in Basic Black. I really think those little black centers really make this flower come to life. I love it!!! I die cut all six of the flowers with the coordinating Everyday Jar Framelits (Bundle & Save 10%). Before adding the flowers to the card, I stamped the greenery from the Jar of Love in Pear Pizzazz. I actually bent the end of the stem around the clear block so the stem wasn’t as long and stamping all over my card. For the flowers, I added 3 flat to the card and 3 were popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I love how that gives the bouquet dimension and texture. I stamped the bow in Daffodil Delight Ink and die cut it as well. I had to use some of the dimensional edge to pop up the bow!

If you would like to see more samples using the Jar of Love Bundle, check them out here, here, here, and here! I hope you are enjoying my love of flowers too!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Don’t forget about the Paper Pumpkin BOGO Sale for new subscribers!!! Click here to get started and be sure to enter the Promo Code: BOGO

Sep 16 2016

Fancy Flourish!!!

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Friday!!!! We made it through the week and are ready for the weekend! I thought I would share a quick and simple card that could be used for many different occasions. It can also be created in a large array of colors!!! It is all up to you….or what you have on hand!

I started with a Sweet Sugarplum card base. I took a piece of Whisper White (3-3/4″ x 5″) and stamped the flourish image from the Timeless Textures Stamp Set all over the background. I started with the image that is below the greeting. You want to pick a center location but not the exact middle. This is because starting at the side is hard to see a true pattern to follow and finding the dead center is too hard. So I picked the lower middle-ish area. Stamp the one down, then stamp above and below it. Then stamp to the left of it “centered” between the two in that first row. So it should look like you have up and down rows of the image that are off-set. I hope that makes sense! 🙂 For the greeting, I used a scrap piece of white measuring 1″ x 3-3/4″ and stamped the greeting from the Love & Affection Stamp Set. I thought it needed a little more to stand out so I brushed the edges with a Sponge Dauber and Sweet Sugarplum Ink. This is a great way to add color and make it look like it is layered cardstock but it isn’t. I added the greeting to the card and finished it off with a few Pearls! Simple and fabulous! I really like the monochromatic look of this card. It makes it super simple and a lot less items to pull out when creating.

Do you prefer monochromatic cards or ones with lots of colors? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Sep 15 2016

Masking with the Swirly Scribbles!!!

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I am loving this card and the super fun technique!!! I saw it at a Demonstrator Team Event and couldn’t wait to try it out! Thank you Kim Peck for sharing it with all of us! I was totally going for a winter snowy look here and love how it turned out. You could always do it larger and add a tree from Lovely As A Tree or another favorite set of yours!

I started with a piece of Whisper White (3-3/4″ x 5″) and masked off a rectangle. You can either cut out a rectangle from a piece of scrap paper like printer paper or this Post-It Note Tape which is super fun and easy. I tried to do it with Painter’s Tape and it was too sticky and ripped when I pulled it back off. You will want to use a thin mask and not cardboard because you will want the ink from the Sponge Brayer to go to the edge. Once you have your rectangle masked off, you will add Marina Mist to the entire section with a Sponge Brayer. Continue to roll over it until you get the shade that you would like. Remember that the harder you press, doesn’t mean the darker the color. Jut lightly roll over the ink pad and then over the cardstock and repeat as many times till you get the preferred color. Next, you will need to die cut the swirly image from the Swirly Scribbles Framelits. Place this over your rectangle and secure it on both ends so it won’t move on you while you are adding more ink. I rolled over this mask with Night of Navy Ink. Again, continue to go over the mask until you have the desired look. Once you are all done, you can take all of the masks off and decorate! You could do this same technique on a full piece of paper as a background as well…..so many possibilities!

For the decoration, I stamped the greeting in Night of Navy from the Flurry of Wishes Stamp Set. I also stamped the snowflakes in both Marina Mist and Night of Navy and punched them out with the coordinating Snow Flurry Punch. I punched another set of snowflakes in Silver Foil Paper and off-set them with the stamped snowflakes. I wrapped some Silver Metallic Thread around the masked background portion of the card for a little bit of texture and bling. Then I added the snowflakes to the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I layered this piece onto Night of Navy cardstock and then a card base of Marina Mist. This card is perfect for the Holidays and throughout the entire winter season! You could always change up the colors for lots of different looks!

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

To see more masking techniques, check out this one here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Sep 14 2016

Fireflies in Summertime!!!

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I found this sample on Pinterest and fell in love so hard, I had to buy the Star Confetti Punch just for this card! I wish I could give credit to the amazing person who created it but there wasn’t a watermark or link. So whoever it was, just know I LOVE it and thank you so very much for the idea!!!

I started with a Crushed Curry card base. Then I cut two pieces of Gold Foil Paper measuring 4″ x 1-1/2″ and two pieces of Night of Navy cardstock measuring the same. I punched out the navy piece with the Star Confetti Punch and then glued it onto the Gold Foil with the Fine Tip Glue Pen. Next, I took a piece of Whisper White cardstock (4″ x 5-1/4″) and stamped the green stem from the Jar of Love Stamp Set in Pear Pizzazz along the bottom 1-1/2″ up. I placed the navy piece to the side of the white as a guide for how high I needed to stamp. I stamped the jar and the lid from the Jar of Love Stamp Set in Night of Navy Ink. I stamped the fireflies/lightening bugs in Basic Black Archival Ink all over the card. I colored in the bug booty with a Crushed Curry Marker and then I took a Sponge Dauber in Crushed Curry and added the glow! Now that you are done stamping, you can adhere the stars to the top and bottom and then adhere this piece to the card base! How simple and fabulous?!?!?!

Lightening bugs remind me of summer. As kids, we always use to catch them and put them into a jar every evening. We played outside all summer long until it was dark out and then we had to go in to take a bath and go to bed. I love summer time so much and wish it wasn’t coming to an end!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

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Sep 13 2016

Technique Tuesday – Creating a Paisley Background!!!

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Tuesday everyone!!! I hope your week is off to a great start!!! We all know what Tuesday means on my blog….technique time!!!! The Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set is super fun and makes amazing backgrounds for cards, scrapbook pages, home decor, and so much more!!

Isn’t it beautiful??? I went with Calypso Coral and Night of Navy. I am loving that color combination for this card and that little bit of burlap adds the perfect rustic touch!!

SUPPLIES NEEDED: Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set, Ink color of choice

I started with a Calypso Coral card base. I took a piece of Very Vanilla (4″ x 5-1/4″) and stamped all over the cardstock with different images from the Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set in both Night of Navy Ink and Calypso Coral Ink. You will want to start with your larger images first and work your way down to the smallest image. You will want to be sure to stamp off the edges of the cardstock so it looks like the pattern continues on and on. I went back and forth between the two colors to try to avoid too much navy or coral in one spot. Of course, I don’t seem to be very good with “random”. I always feel like well if I add one here than I need one over there and soon it becomes a hot mess of too much! You can always have a super tight pattern or a wider, more spread out pattern. That is all up to you! Once you are done stamping the background, you can add it to the card base. You could even stamp an entire 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheet and then cut it up for multiple cards. For the greeting, I stamped it from the same Paisleys & Posies Stamp Set in Calypso Coral onto Very Vanilla. Each of the banners are 1/2″ wide and they vary in length depending on the greeting and how long you would like them to be. For the banner tips, cut straight up in the middle and then cut diagonal from each corner to that center cut. I layered the banners together with Snail Adhesive. For the Burlap Ribbon, I put down a strip of Tear & Tape and pressed it into the tape for a strong hold and then added the banners with Stampin’ Dimensionals. The dimensionals give texture to the card but also fall into the grooves of the burlap for a strong hold. I love it!!! You could do this in so many different color combinations! What colors would you use? 2 colors? 3 colors? 1 color? An all pink one would be amazing!!! Let me know your ideas in the comments below!

If you would like to see this 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!!

Be sure to check out the Stampin’ Up Clearance Rack as new things were just added this morning!!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Don’t forget about the Paper Pumpkin BOGO Sale for new subscribers!!! Click here to get started and be sure to enter the Promo Code: BOGO