Gretchen Barron

Birthday Polka Dots

WOW! Aren't these polka dots fun! This is one pattern from the Stampin' Up! Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper Pack and I decided to use it today for this bright and cheery birthday card! This is another card made for the Paar-tay Challenge this week at Late Night Stampers (if you're a demonstrator, click HERE to join).

The card base is Real Red with a second layer of Cameo Coral which has been run through the Big Shot using the new Backgrounds I Texturz Plates (click to enlarge and see the embossed polka dots in the background). To carry the polka dot theme even further, I added a strip of this great DSP from Pink Flamingo and mounted it on Real Red which is punched on both top and bottom with the Scallop Edge Punch. I made the tag the length I wanted and punched the top with the Tag Corner Punch. The balloon image is from Crazy for Cupcakes and I replaced it with a heart punchie for the balloon. The Happy Birthday is one of the new individual stamps that you can purchase from Stampin' Up! and I finished off the tag with a bit of 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain ribbon and bow! Oh yeah, the inside is stamped just a tiny bit in the corner using the Short & Sweet Stamp set.

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

I'm so glad you stopped by today. Please come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

Monarch at Sunset

When I saw this week's Inspiration Challenge on the Utah Divas International website, I knew I had to give it a try! Isn't this a beautiful sunset? It makes me want to hop on a plane and head for a warm beach on the ocean!

Enough dreaming! Here is what I created using this photo as inspiration! I may not be on a warm beach at sunset, but this card sure brings a warm glow to my heart! I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. I used the level 1 Hostess Set, God's Beauty and Inspired by Nature (on the Dormant List but still available for purchase). I used Pacific Point for the water and simply sponged it on the card, moving back and forth horizontally until it was the color I wanted. I sponged the sun with what else, Summer Sun, simply moving my sponge in a circular motion. I then used my new hand-made Cloud Template (see below) to sponge on the clouds in Baja Breeze and Lovely Lilac. I stamped the grass with Versamark and embossed with Black Embossing Powder. The butterly was stamped with Black Stazon Ink, colored in with a Summer Sun Marker and then sponged over the ends with Pumpkin Pie ink. Somehow in the process, I got a smudge on my work so the Seagulls were an easy cover-up made with a Black Stampin' Write Marker (LOL -- there are no mistakes in stamping, just opportunites for creative embellishment!). I stamped the sentiment on Whisper White cardstock and punched it out with the Wide Oval Punch and then punched another from Basic Black and layered it so that only half the oval is showing. Finally, I did some Paper Piercing in the bottom right corner using the Crafter's Tool Kit. The butterfly is attached using Stampin' Dimensionals. I mounted everything on layers of Pacific Point and Basic Black and did some sponging on the inside of the card as well.

Okay, the Cloud Template idea came from Roseanne Knowles. It is such a great and simple idea. You simply punch out several Scallop Circle Punches and tape them together in a random fashion. To sponge on clouds, begin at the top of your paper, sponge the color on lightly and move the template, making sure not to duplicate the scallop pattern to make it look like random clouds. Work from the top of your paper to the bottom and then you can go back and add more colors if you wish. It's really very fun and addictive. You will find yourself wanting to put clouds on everything once you make one of these handy little templates. Thanks, Roseanne, for this fabulous idea!

Have fun with the template and the inspiration today! Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon!

Blessings, Gretchen

One Sketch ... Three Cards!

Oh my goodness, what a week! Just today, I've finally had an opportunity to use the great MoJo Monday sketch from ... well, Monday! I liked this sketch so much that I decided to use it for three different cards. I know I've said this before, but I LOVE working from sketches and often turn to them first when I'm trying to design a project! There's just something about them that help me in the creative process!

This first card today uses the absolutely delightful Rockabilly Specialty Designer Series Paper and shades of Basic Black, Real Red and Old Olive! I used the Tart & Tangy and Morning Soft stamp sets along with the new Eyelet Border Punch (love it), 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches and the Scallop Circle Punch. A bit of Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon is tied around one of the layers with a bow added. To make the inside just as interesting as the outside, I added another bit of DSP and the Eyelet Border on the inside of the card.

 

Next, the same design with a vastly different color scheme and look, is this beautiful card using the Parisian Breeze Specialty Designer Series Paper. The cool blues and browns are so delightful together. Colors include Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel and Whisper White. I used the Botanical Blooms Sale-a-Bration set along with Say it With Scallops (this year's Ronald McDonald House Charities Set). Other accessories include the Eyelet Border Punch, 3/8" Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Square Punch, Flower Fusion Too and Vintage Antique Brass Brads. Again, I've dressed up the inside of the card as well. It's so nice to open the card up and find even more eye candy inside!

Okay, one more card today (here I go with the three's again). WOW, this is bright, isn't it? I love purple, it's one of my favorite colors. But for some reason, I don't use it often. This card uses Orchid Opulence (from Bold Brights, can you guess), Whisper White and Basic Black. Stamp sets used are Lovely Labels, Sweet Stems, Boho Blooms Background and the It's Beautiful Jumbo Wheel. I used Stampin' Write Markers to color in the flowers, the Scallop Border Punch, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches and the Scallop Circle Punch. The ribbon is the new Stampin' Up! 5/8" White Organza Ribbon which has been died. I simply held the ribbon against the Stampin' Pad with a paper towel, and slowly pulled it through the color. Make sure you blot it well to get out the extra color. I also hit it with my heat gun to help dry it out and even thought about tossing it in the dryer for a few minutes. Prepare to get messy hands when you do this but didn't it turn out beautifully. This really is such a lovely color that I definitely need to use more! And yes, I again embellished the inside of this card. Certainly didn't want it to feel left out when all of its cousins created today were decorated inside and out! LOL.

Well, that will do it for today! I hope you have as much fun with this sketch as I did! It is definitely one to keep and use again!

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

I'm so glad you stopped by today. Please come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

Spring and Summer SWAP Cards!

I've participate in three different SWAP's for the new Spring and Summer Idea Book and Catalog and now that they've all gone postal, I'm anxious to share them with my blog readers! SWAP cards are samples that demonstrators make (sometime just a card front) and then we SWAP and trade them. So if I make 20 of the same card, I then come away from the SWAP with 20 different cards showing various stamp sets, color themes, Designer Papers and Embellishments. It's a lot of fun and you always get some delightful surprises when you SWAP! I may show you some of the SWAP cards I received at some point in the future but for today, I'm going to show you the three that I made and traded with others!

This first one was made for Robin Merriman's Go-Divas SWAP and what a wonderful package of cards I received back from this SWAP. Just stunning, each and every one! My card uses the Simple Friendship Stamp Set; Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red and Whisper White Cardstock; 3/8" Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon and a ribbon slider from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware Kit. The butterfly is inked up with Kiwi Kiss ink and then Rose Red ink was applied to the edges with a Sponge Daubber. The butterfly is cut-out and mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals. The wings can be folded up just a bit to give it even more dimension. The Rose Red layer is embossed with our new Stampin' Up! Backgrounds Texturz Plates and the Big Shot (click on the photo to see more detail).

My second card today was created for the Control Freak Swappers SWAP, hosted by Lisa Martz. Notice how the design layout on both these cards is basically the same! This card uses the beautiful new set (my favorite) called Thoughts & Prayers. The card base is Chocolate Chip with a layer of Baja Breeze on top and just a small piece of Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP. The interesting shaped mat under the focal image is the Big Shot Top Note Bigz Die which has been run through the Die Cut machine twice, turning it 90 degrees before the second cutting. It makes this delightfully shaped square which is perfect for framing your stamped art. I used a bit of 1" Stitched Baja Breeze Grosgrain Ribbon and tied it up with some Linen Thread!

My final SWAP card today was made for the Stampahowalics New Catalog SWAP hosted by Cherie Murphy. Holy Cow ... I hadn't realized this but now that I look at it, it uses the same basic layout as well. Humm, are we detecting a pattern here? This fun card uses the stamp set, Cheep Talk, a bit of the Good Morning Sunshine DSP, colors of Summer Sun, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss and Whisper White, and some 5/8" Double-Striped Kiwi Kiss Grosgrain ribbon! To make it even more fun, I decorated the inside as well! I sponged some Baja Breeze ink onto the Whisper White cardstock to give the illusion of clouds!

There you go! Three great cards for Spring and Summer, using all new products from the newest Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog!

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

Thanks for stopping by today! I do hope you'll come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

Happy, Happy Birthday Cards!

Good Morning, everyone! I've got some Birthday cards to share with you today. The Late Night Stampers challenge this week is Celebration so I thought I would add some Birthday greetings to my supply of cards to send! I dusted off one of my favorite sets from last year, Bloomin' Beautiful, for this little gem. I used a bit of the fabulous Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper. I love the combination of Only Orange, Real Red and Regal Rose. It's so bright and festive! The watercoloring was done with reinkers and a Blender Pen! The ribbon is 3/8"  Pink Taffeta. I used one of the SU Backgrounds Texturz's Plates and the Big Shot. And look at the cool effect that I got on the inside with the So Swirly Wheel (click on thumbnail photo for larger image). I inked it up with Only Orange and then took a Sponge Daubber with Real Red and just dabbed on color randomly for this great two-tone effect. Will definitely need to remember this little trick for the future! It makes for a great surprise when you open up the card!

This next card actually uses the same basic layout but it is a far different look in bright Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Apricot Appeal and Rainbow Sherbet DSP! Such fun for that next child's birthday party! The animals are from Wild About You, the balloon is from   Crazy for Cupcakes, the party hat is from Sock Monkey and the sentiment is one of the new single stamps that you can now purchase from Stampin' Up! I paper-pieced the party hats and inside balloon and added lots of shimmery Fine Cosmo glitter on the cover balloon. I think these little guys are ready to Paar-tay!

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

Thanks for stopping by today! I do hope you'll come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

A Touch of Spring in my February Workshop Projects

Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. It may be cold outside but it's been a gift to see so much sunshine the last day or two in Central Illinois! Spring may not be here yet but it feels like spring with the cards that we've made in my February workshops. I thought you might enjoy a little look-see!

I love the soft look that this card has to it. It uses some of the Sale-a-bration goodies -- the Yummy Stamp Set, the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper and the Ribbon Bundle. The card base is So Saffron with a layer of DSP. I used the Big Shot and the Top Note Bigz Die to cut the Bashful Blue Top Note (cut it in half and make two cards from one die cut). The Yummy sentiment and flourish are stamped with Basic Black Ink. The Big Shot was again used to cut out the leaves and Flower Embosslet's (the Workshop participants all loved trying out the Big Shot to make these gorgeous embossed flowers). A little sponging in the center and on the edge gives the flower a little more interest and dimension. Are you thinking spring yet?

I don't know where this color combination came from except I knew that I wanted to use the Certainly Celery PolyTwill Ribbon in the SAB Bundle. Somehow I decided upon Pumpkin Pie as the Card Base and I really like the way these two colors play off each other. The So Swirly Jumbo Wheel was used to add the Certainly Celery flourishes to the Whisper White Cardstock. The bottom edge is punched with the Eyelet Border Punch (such a pretty, lacy look). The stamp set is the Level 1 Hostess Set, God's Beauty (what a knock-out set for our hostesses to earn). The butterfly was stamped with Black Stazon ink and then two colors, Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie were sponged on. It looks amazingly real, doesn't it? You can see from the close up that the wings are slightly curved and it's attached to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals! The little star flower was stamped with So Saffron ink, cut out and attached with Stampin' Dimensionals.

If you like the February Workshop projects, wait until you see what I have in store for March! Wouldn't you like to get together with a group of friends for a creative time making projects like these and earning great hostess benefits for FREE? Contact me today to schedule your workshop in March and take advantage of the extra benefits that come during Sale-a-Bration. Don't live in the  Decatur area? No problem, I can you send you supplies so that you can hold your own Workshop-in-a-basket. Catalogs and brochures, order forms and even a simple Make-N-Take project will be included so that you can host your own workshop in your home (or even at work) or simply have a catalog party and take orders. Either way, the benefits are your's!

I will be glad to assist you with any order so that you can earn FREE Sale-a-bration products! To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

And finally, don't forget to check out my DSP samplers. I've extended the deadline for ordering these through February 22nd. You get a BIG 6x12" sheet of each of the DSP papers in each sampler, enough to make dozens of cards and scrapbook pages, without the expense of purchasing entire packs of each collection. You can check out all my DSP samplers HERE or by clicking on my Online Store Window in the left side-bar.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you'll come back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

Just For My Daughter ...

My daughter's teacher has asked all the parents to bring a card and a note of encouragement for their children that will be given to them on the first day of ISAT testing in a couple of weeks (Standardized State Testing). Since my daughter's favorite color is pink and she loves everything with BLING, I created this little card just for her! It certainly has bling and I think it's just perfect for a nine-year-old girly-girl! Hope this will put a smile on her face as she begins her first day of testing!

Stamp Set: Just Buzzin' By

Cardstock: Lovely Lilac, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose, Whisper White

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, 1/4" Black Gingham Ribbon, Rhinestone Brads, Sticky Cuts Sweet, Sticky Strip (for the stem), Fine Cosmo and Fine Supernova Glitters, Tag Corner Punch, Crop-a-dile, Stampin' Write Markers, Black Stazon Ink.

Sale-a-Bration is in Full Swing!

Sale-a-bration ... the BIGGEST Stampin' Up! Sale event of the year is in full swing and you don't want to miss out! Through March 31st, every time you spend at least $50 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you get a FREE (yes, that's right ... FREE) Stamp Set or Accessory from the Sale-a-Bration Brochure. This year, there are 4 FREE stamps sets, one pack of Designer Series Paper and a Ribbon Bundle which includes 10-yard spools of gorgeous ribbon! You get your pick of any or all of the free items. Click HERE or on the Sale-a-Bration brochure to see all the freebies in detail and to view beautiful project samples and tips!

I've got a few project samples and tips to share with you myself today! This first card begins with a So Saffron card base and a layer of Bashful Blue with a 2-inch strip of the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper (the FREE SAB DSP). I tore the bottom edge of the DSP to give it a little more interest and texture. The beautiful 5/8" So Saffron Grosgrain ribbon is tied across the middle and a bow attached. The sentiment is from the new Hope Happens stamp set (one of the items you can purchase to help you earn FREE SAB sets). The heart, from Polka Dot Punches (a FREE SAB set) is stamped on So Saffron Cardstock with Whisper White Craft Ink and embossed with White Embossing Powder and then punched out with the new Full Heart Punch. I love the look of the embossed dots (click on the thumbnail close-up to see more detail).

Okay, on to my next project, an idea that I borrowed from Patty Bennett. Isn't this little pocket card just adorable? And it fits perfectly into a standard card-size envelope! You cut two Top Note Bigz Die-cuts using the Big Shot -- one with cardstock and the other with one of the Delicate Dots DSP patterns. Fold down the top edge of the DSP about 1 1/2", stamp on the front with the flourish from the Yummy stamp set (another FREE SAB set). SNAIL the two pieces together and add a bit of ribbon and a bow. Make a simple tag to fit inside the pocket to write your message. I stamped mine with a sentiment from Elegant Cheer. And that's it! Instant (well, almost) charm and a great little note to let someone know you're thinking about them.

Okay, here's a tip for you! The ribbon in the Sale-a-Bration bundle (you get two 10-yard spools -- one is 5/8" So Saffron Grosgrain and the other is 5/8" Certainly Celery PolyTwill) is a bit stiffer than our other Stampin' Up! ribbon. For some reason, it must have more sizing in it or something. Well, I've discovered an easy and quick tip for softening it up and making it easier to work with and tie! Simply run the ribbon between your thumb and your bone folder two or three times (like you would with curling ribbon). It breaks up the sizing and makes the ribbon soft, flexible and much easier to work with!

One more great SAB project to share with you today! Isn't this Botanical Blooms stamp set (yes -- FREE SAB) just gorgeous! It reminds me of a watercolor painting! For this simple card, I stamped the images on a small square of Whisper White and mounted it on another square of So Saffron. The Certainly Celery medallion is so simple to do with the new Eyelet Border Punch. You begin with a 2 3/4" square of cardstock and simply center each side in the punch and punch it out. It leaves just a tiny bit connected in the corners and makes this beautiful frame which is then very easy to attach ribbon to! I love this look and it's very quick and easy. Try it, you'll see! The sentiment here is from Heard from the Heart. I also stamped some of the beautiful watercolor flowers on the inside of the card for a happy surprise inside as well.

There you go, a great look at some fun and fast Sale-a-Bration projects. And did I mention, you can earn many of these stamp sets and supplies for FREE! Oh yeah, I think you get my point!

I will be glad to assist you with any order so that you can earn FREE Sale-a-bration products! To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

And finally, don't forget to check out my DSP samplers. I've extended the deadline for ordering these through February 22nd. You get a BIG 6x12" sheet of each of the DSP papers in each sampler, enough to make dozens of cards and scrapbook pages, without the expense of purchasing entire packs of each collection. You can check out all my DSP samplers HERE or by clicking on my Online Store Window in the left side-bar.

Have a great day, everyone, and thanks so much for stopping by! I hope to see you back soon!

Blessings, Gretchen

Tea Party is Today's Featured Designer Series Paper

Tea Party Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! is sweet, delicate and full of fresh, spring colors like Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, Almost Amethyst and So Saffron! It's just plain cute and oh, so pretty! For this first card I used this week's MoJo Monday sketch. The card base is Almost Amethyst with a layer of So Saffron on top and a layer of the Amethyst DSP which has been texturized with the Big Shot and the exclusive Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate.  A bit of the DSP is mounted on Certainly Celery and off-set from center before adding the focal image, from the Level 3 Hostess Set Dream a Little (ask me how you can earn it for FREE) is stamped on Whisper White and mounted on So Saffron. I colored in the flower using Blender Pens and ink. The bird is stamped in So Saffron and the sentiment is punched out with the Large Oval Punch. A bit of 1/4" Certainly Celery Grosgrain ribbon finished off this happy little card.

For my second card using Tea Party DSP, I switched gears a bit to the elegant Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp set. I stamped the rose using Black Stazon On directly onto the Saffron pattern from the DSP pack and did a little shading with a blender pen and some Certainly Celery ink on the inside of the flower to give it a little depth. The stripe background is cut using the Big Shot and the Top Note Bigz Die. The PolyTwill ribbon is from the Sale-A-Bration catalog (yes, you can earn it for FREE -- ask me how). The leaves are punched with a Large Oval Punch, shaded a bit with some ink on the edges and run through the Paper Crimper to get the corrugated effect. I stamped the inside of the card and the envelope with flower images from the Stamp Set. The sentiment is from the set Bella Blossoms (on the Dormant List but still available).

Finally, I have the perfect little project to use with Tea Party Designer Series Paper! It is an adorable little pocket card with what else ... a tea bag in the pocket! The darling little pocket is created using the Big Shot and the Scallop Envelope Die and a bit of the DSP. It creates a perfect place to tuck in a tea bag, pack of gum, wrapped chocolate wafer, gift card or even $$$! On the outside of the card, I used the Yummy Set for the sentiment (Sale-A-Bration) and the new Simple Friendship set for the Butterfly. I also used the new Eyelet Border Punch at the bottom for a lacy effect.

So, what do you say? Is it time for tea yet?

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

And finally, don't forget to check out my DSP samplers. I've extended the deadline for ordering these through February 22nd. You get a BIG 6x12" sheet of each of the DSP papers in each sampler, enough to make dozens of cards and scrapbook pages, without the expense of purchasing entire packs of each collection. You can check out all my DSP samplers HERE or by clicking on my Online Store Window in the left side-bar.

Thanks for stopping by today! Please stop back again soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

Taste of Textiles of Today's Featured Designer Series Paper

Taste of Textiles is something new in the Stampin' Up! line of products. This pack of Designer Series Paper contains five different designs of single-sided DSP that are richly varied in color, style and texture. There is a Not Quite Navy Dotted Swiss Vellum design, a black linen texture cardstock, a Kraft pinstripe, a beautiful opalescent white stripe and a metallic bronze cardstock.

For this first card, I layered the Metallic Bronze with our Shimmery Gold Cardstock. The bronze is stamped with Fifth Avenue Floral using Black Craft Ink and Clear Embossing Powder. I then cut around the flowers before attaching to the Brushed Gold layer. The sentiment is from A Beautiful Thing, stamped and embossed on Brushed Gold and punched out with the Wide Oval Punch. This is then mounted on a label of Bronze Metallic cut using the new Sizzlets Lots of Labels set. The scrumptious Black Velvet ribbon is from the Valet Ribbon Originals. I was going for an elegant look with this card. What do you think?

My second and final project today from Taste of Textiles uses the elegant shimmery white stripe pattern. I decided to go for an all black and white card and wanted to use my new set called Music Expressions. I stamped the image on Whisper White with Black Craft Ink and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. I punched the corners with the Ticket Corner Punch and added it to a layer of Basic Black. The layers of DSP and Whisper White are mounted on a layer of Basic Black and tied with another bit of the Black Velvet ribbon from Valet Ribbon Originals. I stamped the sentiment inside the card using Black Stazon Ink.

If you would like to order any of the stamp sets, papers and supplies that you see presented on my blog, and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to assist you, I will be glad to help you with that. To order, you can e-mail me or call me and place your order directly with me or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up website here. Just click on "shop now" at the top of the page. Your order will be shipped direct to your door!

Don't forget as well that Sale-a-Bration is on! This is the Stampin' Up! BIG sale of the year. With every $50 purchase, you receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration product from the brochure (includes Stamp Sets, Ribbon and Papers). Click HERE to see the brochure online!

And finally, don't forget to check out my DSP samplers. I've extended the deadline for ordering these through February 22nd. You get a BIG 6x12" sheet of each of the DSP papers in each sampler, enough to make dozens of cards and scrapbook pages, without the expense of purchasing entire packs of each collection. You can check out all my DSP samplers HERE or by clicking on my Online Store Window in the left side-bar.

Happy Monday, everyone! Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon. Until then, blessings -- Gretchen