Quick Graduation Cards

I made some quick (relative term) graduation cards today using similar elements:  fresh, modern, patterned papers, dimensional butterfly stickers, a similar color palette, and a fabulous sentiment from Big Congrats by Inspired By Stamping:

I think the card above is my favorite.  Which one do you like better?

I'm entering the above card in the Lawnscaping challenge:  "Dimension and Layers".  I believe this qualifies with the different ribbons, popped-up butterfly sticker and various papers layered onto each other.  I'm also entering in a new-to-me challenge:  Word Play Saturday.  Their June challenge is "Summertime".  Graduations remind me of summer, for sure.

Big Congrats  has become a go-to set for me.  I can make New Home cards, Graduation cards, New Job, New Baby, and Engagement cards, all with one cute little set.  And if I use "Congratulations" all on its own, I can congratulate anyone for anything!

Well, my surgery creeps closer.  It's just a week away now.  Anyone else had a bunionectomy?  How long did it take you to heal?  The surgeon is putting some metal pins in a foot bone or two, also.  I'm trying hard to prepare things ahead of time around the house, but I've decided whatever doesn't get done, stays undone.  I can't worry about it.  It will all be waiting for me when I am up-and-around again.  :-)

Thanks for joining me today!

Inspired By A Wine Barrel

Happy Father's Day!  I'm sure I don't have too many dads reading this blog, but wanted to shout out to them just the same.  :-)

My husband makes delicious wines as a hobby:  chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, pinot grigio, valpolicella and more.  I gave a nod to that hobby by making this card the other night, while brownies were baking for my 15 year old's birthday party (just watch me juggle!):

I was inspired by this photo, found online:

Photo Credit

I used the grapes, the colors in the photo, and the lines of the wooden barrel are echoed in the striped paper.  I used a couple of metal brads, a reference to the bands around the barrel.  The round sentiment tag (that's a word from Technique Tuesday's Simply You) reminds me of the circular shape.

This is genuine vintage twine, found at a thrift store in North Carolina.  I love the creamy patina that time has given to it.  The grape stamp is one of my oldie-but-goodies from Stampin' Up! (Sun Ripened II).

Inside, I paired Technique Tuesday with some Verve.

I'm linking up at City Crafter:  "All About Him".

The Disney-themed costume birthday party was a hit last night, and I hope to post pictures sometime soon.  The birthday girl had lots of fun, and isn't that what it's all about?

Stamps:  Sun Ripened II - SU; Simply You - Technique Tuesday; Purely Sentimental  - Verve Paper: Crumb Cake, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Going Gray - SU; stripe - Julianne - K & Co. Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen, Walnut Stain - Ranger Fibers: vintage thread Accessories:  brads - SU; distressing tool - Tim Holtz; Copic markers; Classic Tags die - Memory Box; Postage Stamp border punch - EK Success

Dear Father(s)

Hello everyone!  I'm sharing some quick and easy Father's Day cards today.  Over the course of several days, I made some multiples of the ones below using scraps of retired papers from Stampin' Up!  These are a great way to use up some of those skinny 1" scraps we all seem to have.  I challenged myself to use some hardware that has been lingering in my stash for a long time, too.

On this card I used a sentiment from Well-Scripted (SU), dies from Spellbinders and Inspired By Stamping, hardware and twine.  I like the clean, elegant look of it.  Not every dad is a rugged hunter or fisherman!  LOL

Challenges entered:  City Crafter - It's All About Him; Crafting By Designs:  Anything Goes with a Twist (Masculine)

Stamps:  Well-Scripted - SU Paper: Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, patterned - SU Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories: Labels 25 die - Spellbinders; Fancy Labels 1 - Inspired By Stamping; corner rounder punch - EK Success; bronze brad and "other thing" - SU

Another clean and simple variety below, using another SU sentiment, this time from All Holidays.  More twine, more hardware.  (not rushing to use up my twine, but I wouldn't mind putting a dent in my brads!)  Other than the twine, this card is totally Stampin' Up!

Stamps: All Holidays - SU Paper:  Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, patterned - SU Ink: Close to Cocoa - SU Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories:  bronze brads - SU

A similar color palette was used on the card below (notice I'm using up some Sage Shadow paper, too), but this time I've added a corduroy button, grosgrain ribbon, and some leaves that were in my box of already-stamped-images.  The sentiment is from Something To Celebrate.  And THIS one is 100% Stampin' Up!

Oh, by the way:  when I stamped this sentiment, a bit of black smudge wound up next to "Happy", so I covered it with a hand-drawn bracket.  I didn't do the greatest job on that, but sometimes you just have to move on!

Stamps: Something To Celebrate, Natural Beauty - SU Paper:  Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, patterned - SU Ink: Chocolate Chip - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon - SU Accessories:  corduroy brad - SU

This past weekend, I took part in a special event at the store where I sell my cards.  Every second Saturday of the month, a few of their featured artists (and that was me) sit at a table outside the shop, while hundreds of folks walk the avenue looking at goods for sale, dining in the many fab restaurants, and listening to live bands playing on street corners.  The weather was great, the people were friendly, the music was mood-lifting, but the sales were kind of stinky.  Only sold 4 cards, and three of them were to my in-laws!  Ha!  I had a couple of glasses of red wine, compliments of the shop, so I was happy anyway.  ;-)

Ever feel like you're on a hamster wheel, just running and running and there seems to be no end in sight?  That's me right now.  My 5th grader will graduate next week, and there's been a flurry of school-related activities nearly every night and/or day that I've been involved with.  My now-15 year old is having a big birthday party this weekend, here at my house, and there's so much to prepare.  I had a job interview a week ago, and am keeping my fingers crossed to get a second interview.  And I'm having reconstructive foot surgery in less than two weeks, so there's been prep to do for that, too.  Aye yi yi!  Calgon, take me away!

Whoo Hoo Wednesday - Sponging with Dies

Hello everyone!  It's my turn at Inspired By Stamping for Whoo Hoo Wednesday, a weekly feature where our design team shares a technique or tip with you for inspiration.  It's also the basis for a challenge - and there's always a fabulous prize!  I hope you will play along with us.

Today, I decided to show how easy it is to sponge a frame and background using dies, and I sneaked in some coloring, too.  Just head over to the IBS blog to see my full project and the step-by-step photos.  Enjoy!

A Message from Joanna

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down one post 

to see the new Inspired By Stamping June Releases.  

Hello everyone!  I have a special message to share from Inspired By Stamping owner, Joanna Munster:

Welcome to our June 2013 Online Catalog!

This month we are introducing our New & FREE Online Catalog filled with our latest June’s 2013 stamp sets! Each page provides details of our stamp set! Plus, inspiration from our designers! This new catalog was designed to give you even more inspiration and interaction than ever before with Inspired by Stamping products.

Cool Features:
- Browse the catalog with ease on your tablet or computer.
- Get the entire release in one spot! Plus, zoom in on your favorite products, projects and cards.
- Watch video tutorials from our YouTube channel right inside the catalog!
- SHOP ONLINE! Order products by clicking on the stamp set which takes you directly to our online store.

Here’s a few peek at what is inside!

View the design team cards and projects that they used with each stamp set!
Where can you find our Online Catalog?  You can find the download HERE.  
All future catalogs will be available for download at our Store. 

Over the next few weeks, we will be putting together catalogs for all our releases from January 2013 to May 2013!

We’d LOVE to hear what you think! After flipping through our catalog, leave a comment at www.joannamunster.com or email me at customerservice@inspiredbystamping.com.
We hope you enjoy our new inspiration catalog!

Joanna

Inspired By Stamping - The June Releases Are In The Store!

I just love pulling back the curtain, so to speak, on new stamps every month.  :-)  At the Inspired By Stamping store, you will find all of these new goodies beginning today.  Just click on the pic or the caption to go directly to that item.

Summer Postcard Add-Ons

Big Congrats

Big Notes in French II

French Country

French Country Backgrounds

Summer Flowers

Do you have a favorite?  I do believe mine is French Country, but Summer Flowers comes in a reeaaal close second!

Some stuff to know before you go:  

• FREE shipping on all orders over $25 will be available 48 hours only, from June 10th at 7 p.m. - June 12th 7 p.m. Brisbane time (this converts to 5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time).  Just enter "June Release" during checkout for free shipping.  
• Save 15% when you buy all 6 stamp sets 
• Blog candy!  Check Joanna's blog every day from June 6th - June 10th for chances to win.
• IBS offers FREE cut files on their website!  Click on a stamp set and you'll see the Download button.

Thanks so much for checking out the new IBS goodies today!

Inspired By Stamping Sneak Peeks - French Country

Welcome back to the new release party at Inspired By Stamping!  Today, we're sneak-peeking French Country, one of my fave sets in the entire release.  It's got so many things I love in it!  You'll get to see the stamps in their entirety tomorrow when they go on sale.

I was inspired to make a Country French card, inspired by this dish.  I used a chicken wire background from French Country Backgrounds to create a subtle backdrop.  The rooster, diamond background, fleur-de-lis and flourish all come from French Country.  The sentiment is from Big Notes in French II, also from this release.

I do love the crochet laces from IBS.  This one is Scallop Crochet Trim.

Stuff to know:

• FREE shipping on all orders over $25 will be available 48 hours only, from June 10th at 7 p.m. - June 12th 7 p.m. Brisbane time (this converts to 5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time).  Just enter "June Release" during checkout for free shipping.  
• Save 15% when you buy all 6 stamp sets 
• Blog candy!  Check Joanna's blog every day from June 6th - June 10th for chances to win.
• Did you know IBS offers FREE cut files?  Just click on a stamp set in the IBS store and click the 'Download' button.

Our team has worked hard to make pretty things for you, too!

Joanna 

Colleen- you are here!

Deb 

Irit

Kendra 

Leah  

Pam -

Shani 

Shea 

Tina    

Vicki  

Thanks so much for dropping by!  See you tomorrow with the full release.