Feb 26 2016

Fabulous Friday!!!

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

Happy Friday everyone! What a week is has been in Illinois…..last Saturday it was 77 degrees and then we had a snow storm on Wednesday and then the sun and warm weather is coming back this week! Just craziness!

There has been lots of fun going on at my place though! Did you see the Glitter Tape Video that I posted here??? The Glitter Tape is one of the NEW Sale-A-Bration items!!! I am super impressed with it now that I have seen it in person and I can’t wait to play with it! Be sure to subscribe to my Channel so you don’t miss out on any future videos!! Don’t forget that Sale-A-Bration runs through the end of March! You can earn Free Sale-A-Bration Items for every $50 you spend!!! As a Hostess: You earn $25 additional in Stampin’ Rewards when you party reaches $250.00. This could be a single order, an in home (or my home) party with friends, a private class, or even an online party where you gather orders from friends and everyone enjoys the comfort of their home! If you just can’t narrow it down and want it all, you can join Stampin’ Up and my Fabulous Friends Stamp Team!!! You will get to pick out $155 worth of product and you will pay just $99 (plus tax, free shipping)! How amazing is that? There are no obligations once you are a demonstrator to do anything! Enjoy the goodies, make the most of your discount and have fun with all of us stampers at our team events!! You can check out more information here! If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m more than happy to quickly respond to anything you are wondering about!

Also, I wanted to do a shout out to Vel S. for the donation of cards for Ronald McDonald House!!! Thank you so much! It is greatly appreciated!

And of course it wouldn’t be a Friday without the Weekly Deals!!!!

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

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 25 2016

Pop of Color!!!

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

You know how I love me some Black and White with a pop of color…..especially when it’s PINK! Check out this beauty using the Botanical Builder Framelits!!! I love it and it’s really simple. You could always change the color to be your favorite color as well!

I started with a Whisper White card base. Then I used 3 pieces of cards – Basic Black (3″ x 4″), Melon Mambo (4″ x 2″), and Whisper White (3″ x 4″). I ran the Whisper White piece through the Big Shot with the Botanical Builder Framelit. You will place the framelit along the 4″ side and make sure that the solid leaves are on the outside. Once you have cranked it through, you can use the Big Shot Die Brush to help pop out the cardstock and brush away all of the little pieces of cardstock. Now is the when you will want to stamp your greeting on. I used the Happy Birthday Everyone Hostess Stamp Set with Melon Mambo Ink. Then you will place your Melon Mambo cardstock behind the Whisper White, popping through on those leaves. You will notice that the die is curvy and not straight across so your Melon Mambo pops out in spots that it shouldn’t. I just held the Melon Mambo behind my Whisper White and trimmed those spots showing with my Paper Snips! Then add adhesive to the back of your greeting piece and attach the Melon Mambo. Now you can adhere your black and white pieces to your card base. I used Stampin’ Dimensionals…of course! 🙂 First place your black piece down and then your white since the white can overlap. Also, be sure to not place any dimensionals real close the lower edge of the white piece so that it lays flat on top of the black. You are all done now!!!

Here I did another sample using Elegant Eggplant! It doesn’t POP as much but I do love it! If you would like to see this in action, check out my Video Tutorial below or click here! Don’t forget to subscribe because I will be posting a lot more videos using the Botanical Builder Framelits soon!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 24 2016

Shabby Chic Roses!!!

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I have been having so much fun with the Rose Wonder Stamp Set and coordinating Rose Garden Framelits (Bundle & Save 15%)! I really wanted to make a card like this with Blushing Bride and Gold and after assembling it, I thought it needed some lace for that rustic look. It really isn’t my style but I do like how it turned out!!

I started with a Blushing Bride card base. I stamped the Watercolor Wash Stamp Set in Blushing Bride onto Very Vanilla Cardstock measuring 4″ x 5-1/4″. I adhered this piece to the card front. Using the Rose Die from the Rose Garden Framelits, I die cut Gold Foil Paper. I love using the Die Brush to pop out all of those little pieces. It works like a little miracle!!!! I adhered the rose to the card front with the Fine Tip Glue Pen! To finish it off, I added some Venetian Crochet Trim in a knot around the card. For the greeting, I used the Rose Wonder Stamp Set. I punched it out with the Large Oval Punch and layered it onto a Scallop Oval in Blushing Bride! I added the greeting with Stampin’ Dimensionals! 🙂

What do you think – love it? Not your style? Light Pink and Gold is fabulous?? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Feb 23 2016

Technique Tuesday – Easter Lamb!!!

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

Happy Tuesday!!! You all know what that means!!!! I have a fabulous…and adorable…technique to share with you today!!! This little Easter Lamb is just precious!!! When I first saw him in the Occasions Mini Catalog, I knew I had to have him! My favorite holiday is Easter so that is perfect. Plus I thought you could omit the Easter greeting and use it for Baby, Baptism, and Children’s Birthday Cards!!! He’s just so cute!!!

See what I mean??? I love it!!! Let’s get started!

SUPPLIES NEEDED: Easter Lamb Stamp Set, Blender Pens, Archival Basic Black Ink, and Ink Pads of your choice

I started off by stamping the Easter Lamb Stamp in Archival Basic Black onto Whisper White cardstock. You will want to use this ink or Stazon Black Ink because these won’t run when you are coloring. Then I took the Blender Pens and little touched them into the ink to color in the scene! I used Pear Pizzazz for the grass. I used Blushing Bride for the ears and cheeks. I used Chocolate Chip for the hooves. I used Pool Party for the background. I will say it was all really easy and fun except for the background. I really struggled with that on each one because it came out different each time. You really need a light touch and be okay with random streaks. 🙂

I really like how this one turned out and I think I like the grass colors just on the sprigs and not all filled in. They are both super cute though. I layered the lamb onto Pool Party cardstock. I added Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back. I added a small piece of Whisper White Seam Binding and just added dimensionals on top to hold it in place. I placed this onto a piece of So Saffron. I did use some of the Sale-A-Bration Artistically Yours Designer Series Paper but there wasn’t enough to make multiples. I put it all onto a Whisper White card base!

If you would like to see this in action, check out the video below or click here!!! Don’t forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and Subscribe so you don’t miss out on future videos!

Do you send out Easter Cards? How would you use this stamp set? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 22 2016

On Your Special Day!!!

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

The more I look at this card, the more I love it! This card is perfect to have on hand for those random occasions that you might not have a greeting for like Confirmation, Baptism, getting a Promotion, the Anniversary of something special. This card could also be used for the occasions we are all familiar with as well like wedding, and birthday. Everyone needs to know that they are special and mean the world to someone because it’s so very true! I feel like I need to go make 10 more of this card now! I love it!!!

I started with a Crumb Cake card base. I took a piece of the Love Blossoms Designer Series Paper measuring 3-7/8″ x 5-1/8″ and layered it onto Rose Red measuring 4″ x 5-1/4″. Sometimes that smaller little border makes the greatest look on a card. I’m don’t typically like to cut in anything besides 1/4″ and 1/2″ but every once in a while it just needs it! 🙂 I layered this onto the card front and started on the greeting. I stamped the greeting from the Botanicals For You Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set in Rose Red onto Whisper White cardstock and punched the banner tips with the Banner Triple Punch. I layered it onto a piece of Garden Green and added it to the card. I wanted a little something to pop out and add texture so I punched out some hearts with the Itty Bitty Accents Punch. I adhered the hearts with Stampin’ Dimensionals. You could always change up the accents to be stars or flowers or just a few pearls or rhinestones. It’s all up to you!

Don’t forget that your leftover pieces of the Love Blossoms Designer Series Paper can be used a for a quilt card! You can check out how to do that here! Love it!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 19 2016

Fabulous Friday

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

Happy Friday!!!! I know that Valentine’s Day was last weekend but I thought I would share with you the card I created for my Sweetheart! We have this little toy that we have named Bluepy and he hide him around my Stamp Room. Once I find him, I hide him and then my husbands finds him and hides him. It goes on and on. I thought that would be fun to make for his Valentine’s Day Card! So here it is!!!

I think it turned out really good! I used Pacific Point Cardstock. The eyes were created with a 3/4″ Circle Punch and 1/2″ Circle Punch. The face was created with a 2-1/2″ Circle Punch and then 1″ Circle Punch and 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. I used the Tree Punch for the ears. I used the Corner Rounder Punch for the body and the legs! The hearts are from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack!

I have told you how much I love the greetings from the Rose Wonder Stamp Set and I thought they went very well for this card as well! The Happy Valentine’s Day greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes!

Now I have a fabulous TIP that I would like to share with you!!! I have shown you how I love the Photopolymer Stamps the best because they stick to the clear blocks perfectly and you can see through them! I don’t like that they stain though! I was given a fabulous tip from a fellow stamper and it works amazingly! When you receive you stamps, ink them up really well in a light color like Pink Pirouette. Ink and Stamp and Ink and Stamp. Get that ink all over the stamp. By doing this, you are pre-staining it in a light color so that when you use Real Red or Melon Mambo, it won’t stain in that color. It totally works and I had to share with all of you!!! Enjoy!

Of course it isn’t a Friday without the Weekly Deals!!!

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

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Feb 18 2016

Feeling Warm & Cozy!!!

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

I’m not a huge hot tea drinker or coffee drinker (although I love the smell of it) but I do know that a warm cup of tea screams cozy and warm! This card makes me think of warm, cozy, loving feelings and that is sure to make you smile! 🙂 This one was fun to make and give since it was for my Mom’s Birthday last month!!!

For this card, I started with a Whisper White card base. I used the Have a Cuppa Designer Series Paper for the tea pot! I cut out the mug, tea pot, heart shaped steam and tea bag using the Cups & Kettle Framelits. I stamped on the cup and stamped the tea bag (prior to die cutting it) with the A Nice Cuppa Stamp Set (Bundle & Save 15%) On the mug, I stamped the heart in Basic Gray. The tea bag was also stamped in Basic Gray. I placed one end of the Linen Thread behind the tea bag and added a Stampin’ Dimensional to the back to hold it on. I placed the other end of the thread on the back of the mug and added a Stampin’ Dimensional to the back to hold it in place. I added a few more Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back of the mug and attached it to the card front! I adhered the steam with the Fine Tip Glue Pen! This is the perfect adhesive for those small intricate pieces!!! Love it! For the greeting, I used the Botanicals for You Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set!

This is the inside with some hearts and then I inked up the greeting with a Basic Gray Marker so I could omit the “and” on the stamp. I wanted it to say “heart/love” spending time with you but the stamp coordinates with another stamp and says “and.” No problem here since I just omitted it! Love that!

You can check out a full video on the Cups & Kettle Framelits here and see another sample using it here! I can’t wait to use this for Mother’s Day and many other fabulous occasions!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 17 2016

Masculine Flowers!?!?

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Looking at the Flowering Fields Stamp Set, I start dreaming of all the beautiful colors of flowers I can create. Then I saw this fabulous sample from fellow stamper Rae Anne and thought it was amazing!!! It’s blues and greens and no foo foo ribbon or bling so that means it is a man card, right???

I started with a Crumb Cake card base. I added strips of cardstock in Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Garden Green, and Cucumber Crush. The strips measure 4″ x 1-1/2″. Each strip is stamped with one of the images from the Flowering Fields Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set in the same ink color as the cardstock. I love the subtle outline. Then I took a piece of Crumb Cake measuring 5-1/2″ x 1/2″ and stamped a greeting from the A Dozen Thoughts Stamp Set. I added my own flare with some Candy Dots since they add a little texture and fun!

What do you think – is it masculine??? Who else thinks it would be fabulous with shades of yellow, pink, red, or orange? Let me know in the comments below!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Feb 16 2016

Technique Tuesday – Floating Watercolor!!!

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

Happy Tuesday!!! I have a super fun technique to share with you today!!! It includes watercoloring so remember that each one will turn out differently and it requires some patience….but the look is AMAZING!!! Check this out!!!

I honestly think this blue one is my favorite even though I don’t know if I have ever seen a blue rose like this. I just love it!!!

Okay so let’s get started. You will need a piece of Shimmery White cardstock for the rose. This cardstock is thicker than regular Whisper White but not as thick as Watercolor Paper so it works perfectly. It always has that beautiful shimmer which is fun! I stamped the rose from the Rose Wonder Stamp Set in VersaMark onto the cardstock. No need to worry about the leaves since you will cut them off. Then you will pour White Embossing Powder over the it and using the Heat Tool, set the powder. Now you will need to pick your colors and add a little drop of re-inker to a clear block or press the block into the ink pad to get some color. Then you are all set with your image, you will spritz the heck out of it with water. I mean like puddles on top of your image. Using an Aqua Painter, lightly touch the ink and then touch the tip of the Aqua Painter into one of the puddles on the flower. You can start with a light color on the outside or inside whichever you prefer. For the rose above, I used Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, and Night of Navy. When you touch the color to the water, you will see it spread out all over. If it doesn’t but instead seem really dark and like it soaked into the paper, you need more water. You can either squeeze the Aqua Painter or spritz again. Add color as much as you would like. A good tip for myself is….If you think it needs a bit more, STOP! I tend to do a little more here and then there and it ends up messing up. Also, it will dry differently then it looks right now too! You can either set it aside to dry OR you can tip it a bit and allow it to dry like that. This allows the excess water to run to one side and dry darker in those spots. I prop it up on a clear block.

Once it is all dry, you can cut it out along the border of the embossing flower and add it to your card front. I used the Rose Garden Framelits (Bundle & Save 15%) to die cut the leaves in Cucumber Crush. I used a Whisper White card base and some of the Artistically Yours Designer Series Paper from Sale-A-Bration! I stamped the greeting from the Rose Wonder Stamp Set!

For this rose, I used Real Red, Tangerine Tango and Daffodil Delight. I love how it turned out. The leaves on this one were die cut in Pear Pizzazz!

For this one, I used Blushing Bride, Watermelon Wonder, and Elegant Eggplant. You can see those really dark purple spots….that was where I didn’t have enough water and the paper just soaked up the color strongly. I used Mossy Meadow for the leaves on this one. I also used the Curvy Corner Trio Punch as well.

If you would like to see this technique 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 subscribe so you don’t miss any future videos!

Which color combination is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below! The blue one is my favorite!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Feb 15 2016

Masked Bouquet of Flowers!!!

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

I just love flowers and everything you can create with them. A simple single flower, a bouquet in a vase, a full arrangement, and so much more! It is just so much fun and the color combination is endless. I used the What I Love Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set for these flowers as well as a little masking!

I took a piece of Whisper White measuring 3-3/4″ x 5″ and placed a 1-1/2″ strip of scrap paper in the center. You can add a dab of adhesive to hold it in the place if you wish. Then I stamped the flowers above and below that scrap piece of paper. Not so high that it doesn’t touch the scrap piece. You really want them close to that center line. I only used the flower outline (stamp 1) and the big solid piece (stamp 2) for these flowers. I also only used one color per flower – full ink for the outline and stamped off once for the inside. The colors I used for the big flowers were Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, and Island Indigo! The little flower that I stamped around was done in Perfect Plum and the greenery was done in Old Olive. All of these images are from the What I Love Stamp Set that you can earn through Sale-A-Bration with a $50 order. Once you are done with your flower bouquet, you can remove the mask. For the greeting, you can use the one in that set but I decided to use the greeting from the Rose Wonder Stamp Set since it was a bit bigger. The greeting was stamped in Basic Black. For the greenery on either side of the greeting, I stamped off once to get a lighter shade. I just love how clean and simple that center line is. Love it!!! I layered this piece onto Basic Black (4″ x 5-1/4″) and then using Stampin’ Dimensionals placed it on a Whisper White card base.

What colors would you use for your bouquet? Let me know in the comments below! If you would like to see this in action, check out this Video Tutorial. You can also see the other sample shown in the video here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura