Gretchen Barron

Takin' It to the Top with Pennant Parade!

Hello everyone and welcome to Takin’ It to the Top. This is my monthly feature here on my blog, Inspiration in Action, as well as on Stamping 411, where I take one basic card and step-it-up two times to fabulous and beyond! I hope to show you what a difference it can make in your stamping projects when you add just a few extra elements – texture, color, layers, dimension, embellishments, etc.

Today’s cards all feature the new stamp set, Pennant Parade, available from Stampin’ Up! beginning July 1st in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. It uses a bit of Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper (a new Hostess option) and the colors of Concord Crush, Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz!

Above is the first card. It’s basic and simple, but it’s also fine as it is. The scalloped pennant images are stamped directly on the Bashful Blue cardstock and the inset triangles are punched with the new Petite Pennants Builder Punch (also in the new catalog). The ribbon is 1/4” Certainly Celery Grosgrain and the sentiment was stamped with Black Stazon Ink.

Okay, ready to step this basic card up just a bit? You can see that I’ve added some dimension by punching out both pieces of the pennant (scallop backing and triangle) and mounting them with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I used the Big Shot and the Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder to give the Bashful Blue layer some texture. I changed out the ribbon to 1/2” Poly Twill in Concord Crush to add even more texture and contrast. And, I added an additional touch of whimsy and contrast by putting a Scallop Punch Border on the DSP layer in Melon Mambo.

And now, we’re ready to take this card to the top! Now remember, when you add elements it will take you longer to complete your cards and projects. But for a really special card for a really special person, isn’t it worth it?

Here we go ... to the Top!

And here’s the final card with even more texture, color, layers and dimension!

I inked the edges of the Bashful Blue layer with Concord Crush Ink. I switched the bow to the other side for more balance. I added some embossing to the triangle inserts in the pennants with the Big Shot and various Impression Folders. I stamped the scallop border on each of the scallop Pennant punched pieces and attached them so they look as if they are hanging on a line, using White Baker’s Twine, adding a tiny bow at each end. Finally, I added a couple of very tiny embellishments, a flower punched with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and a butterfly cut with the Beautiful Wings Embosslet and the Big Shot. Each of those are further embellished with tiny Basic Pearls.

So, there you go – three different cards using the same colors, stamp sets and basic design and stepping each one up just a bit to add interest and make it more special!

I’m so glad you stopped by today! I hope you’ll visit again soon for more ideas and inspiration! Until then ...

Takin' It To the Top Thursday with Flower Fest!

Hello everyone and welcome to another Takin' It To the Top Thursday on Inspiration in Action and Stamping 411! My goodness, how time flies. It seems like just a week or two ago that I last brought this monthly feature to you! But here it is ... time for another Takin' It To the Top. What I do with this feature is to demonstrate to you how easy it is to step up your cards and projects just a bit by adding a few extra, simple elements -- more layers, shading, texture, pattern, color, embellishments ... The goal is to not take it over the top, but to the top to make a card or project just a little more special!

All three cards today use the Flower Fest and Hodgepodge Happiness stamp sets; the colors of Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango and Whisper White. So here we go ...

This is our first card. It's simple but it's OK. It would be a great card for a beginning stamper, for a workshop or for those occasions when you need to make a bunch of cards quickly! I've used the Masking Technique to stamp the flowers and leaves and used the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches for the sentiment. This card has minimal layers, colors and texture. Let's see what a difference it might make to step it up just a bit ...

 

Okay, this second card has a little more going on. We've added quite a bit more texture and pattern with the stamped background. We've added an additional color, Daffodil Delight, in one of the flower ink colors. Do you notice as well that I've added some extra layers here and have cut them with a smaller border (cut with an 1/8" difference rather than a 1/4" difference). I added an additional punch behind the sentiment as well, the Designer Label Punch.

Now, let's add a little more texture and some simple but interesting elements to take this card to the Top!

 

Look what I've done here! First of all, I've added even more layers and color with the addition of some Tangerine Tango cardstock. I embossed the stamped background with the Big Shot and the Square Lattice Impressions Folder, really giving it some great texture and interest. I extended the Wild Wasabi mat out a bit wider to allow me to add a Scallop Punch Border and a bit of 1/8" Taffeta ribbon and a bow in Daffodil Delight. Instead of masking the stamped flower and leaves, I embossed them, sponged on some additional color, cut them out and attached them to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals, giving more depth and texture. And finally, I added the Extra Large Oval Punch in Tangerine Tango behind the sentiment assembly.

It makes quite a difference, doesn't it, to just add a few simple and inexpensive changes!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope I've inspired you to step up your projects just a bit and Take them to the Top! And I hope you'll come back again soon for more ideas and inspiration!

 

 

 

 

Takin' It to the Top Thursday with Hello Blossoms!

Happy Thursday morning to you and welcome to another monthly edition of Takin' It To the Top Thursdays! This is the monthly feature where I take one basic card and step-it-up two more times to show you just how easily you can dress up your cards and projects with a few simple additions. By adding extra layers, texture, and embellishments you can take your project from basic to beyond!

Today's cards all feature the darling new individual stamp from Stampin' Up! called Hello Blossoms. It will be available in the Summer Mini Catalog beginning on May 1st. I think this little stamp is destined to be a best seller ... it's happy and bright, fun and whimsical and perfect for a summer-time thinking of you note. Perfect as well for today's edition of Takin' It To the Top!

So, here's the first card for today. Basic with just a few layers and not a lot of embellishments. It's still a great card and perfect for beginning stampers or when you need to make quick multiples.



The card base is Daffodil Delight cut at 4.25 x 5.5", scored and folded. I added a layer of Melon Mambo Cardstock cut at 2.75 x 3.75" and then Whisper White cut at 2.5 x 3.5". I applied Stampin' Write Markers directly to the rubber using the colors of Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Perfect Plumb, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist and Melon Mambo. Add a bit of 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon and a bow and the card is complete!

But look what a difference just a few simple changes makes! For this second card, I added an additional layer with a Certainly Celery Cardbase and the Daffodil Delight layer cut at 4 x 5.25". I also dressed it up a bit with the Big Shot and the Tulip Border Impressions Folder. The Melon Mambo and Whisper White layers and the stamping are all the same. But I added a small strip of Old Olive Cardstock punched with the Scallop Border Punch at the bottom before applying the ribbon and bow. See, just a few smiple changes but what a difference it makes for this card!

Now here's the final card. Again, just a couple of additons are all I did to change this one up and Take It To the Top! I added a double bow, instead of the tied-on faux bow in the previous two cards. And I gave some movement and dimension to the card with a whole flock (is that the right word for a group of butterflies? If you know, leave me a comment!) of tiny, colorful butterflies cut with the Beautiful Wings Embosslet and the Big Shot. That's it ... those are the only additions for this final card. But those two additons make this darling little card even more happy and bright than before. And what a thrill this card will bring to the one who receives it!

Well, that will about wrap it up for this edition of Takin' It To the Top!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing how you can take one basic card and step it up with just a few simple additons!

If you get ambitious this week and decide to take on of your creations to the top, vist the Stamping 411 blog post and leave your link. We would love to see how you Take it to the Top this Week!

Thanks so much for visiting today!

I hope you'll be back soon! Until then ...

Takin' It To the Top with Paisley Petals!

Hello everyone and welcome to my monthly Takin' It to the Top feature here on my blog and on Stamping 411.  In this feature, I take a simple, basic (but still beautiful) card and transform it to a special and spectacular card by adding layers, texture, color and embellishments.

It's my hope that this feature will help you look at your cards in a new way and discover how easy it is to dress them up ... either a little or a lot!

Today's Takin' It To the Top cards use the fabulous, new Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper that will be available to customers beginning tomorrow, April 1st!

Now, here is our first card -- it's simple, yes, but it's beautiful and it's a great choice when you need to make a quick card or need to make multiples in a hurry.

The Card Base is Not Quite Navy Cardstock -- begin with a 5.5 x 8.5" piece of cardstock, score and fold in the middle. Next is a layer of Designer Series Paper cut at 4 x 5.25". I've added a length of Baja Breeze 1/2" Seam Tape Ribbon across the bottom (roughly 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the card). Fasten the ends of the ribbon to the back of the DSP and add a simple, faux bow (slip 6" of ribbon under the attached strip of ribbon, tie a simple overhand knot and pull tight and then trim the ends diagonally to the length that you desire). The sentiment, from the stamp set Word Play, is stamped on Whisper White Cardstock using Not Quite Navy Ink. The White layer is 2 x 2.75" and it's then attached to a Not Quite Navy layer that is 2.25 x 3". Attach to the card with SNAIL adhesive and the card is finished. This card is simple, easy, fast and a delight to anyone who might receive it in the mail. Another advantage for this simple, minimal layer cards ... no extra postage is required for mailing!

But we all have those occasions when we want to step our card up a bit -- to make it a little more special for a special person or occasion! So, now let's take a look at Card #2. Using the same basic layout and materials, here's what I did to step this one up.

First of all, you can see that I added another layer and another color -- the DSP is cut at 3.75 x 5", Pear Pizzazz Cardstock is cut at 4 x 5.25" and those layers are added to the same Not Quite Navy Card Base.

I also changed out the ribbon for a little more contrast -- adding Pear Pizzazz Poly Twill Ribbon and again, a tied faux bow.

To the stamped image layer, I added three Green Rhinestone Brads for a little sparkle and bling.

And finally, I pop-up the stamped focal layers with Stampin' Dimensionals which adds a little more interest and depth to the finished card. These changes were all fairly simple ... nothing drastic was done and you can clearly see that the same layout was used for both cards.

Now, when you want to put even more thought and time into a card, creating something that is even more special, then you can add a few more elements to really Take it to the Top. Realize, of course, that adding extra layers and embellishments may make this card more expensive to send in the mail. This may be a card that you want to hand-deliver, or include in a package or gift.

Adding to the additional layers of Card #2, I've now added a 1" strip of Pear Pizzazz cardstock at the bottom that has been punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. I've gone back to the Baja Breeze Seam Tape Ribbon, this time adding an actual bow, actually a double bow.

I've set the stamped focal image a bit lower and more to the left side on this final card, to allow room for the Daisy Die Cuts at the top. These were cut with the Big Shot and the Flower Daisies #2 Die, using Baja Breeze and Whisper White cardstock -- I cut two each of the small and medium sizes, sponged the edges with Not Quite Navy Ink and alternated them, gently curling the edges up using a Bone Folder. The center is adorned with an Antique Brad and the entire flower is popped-up with Stampin' Dimensionals. I've replaced the Rhinestone Brads with Self-Adhesive Basic Pearls at the bottom of the focal point.

So there you have it ... three cards all similar in design and materials but one simple and basic, one stepped up just a bit, and one that will really say "WOW"!

 

If you're interested in playing along with the Stamping 411 Takin' It To The Top Thursday Challenge, check it out HERE. Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing some time with me today on Takin' It To the Top. I hope you come back again soon!

Takin' It To the Top with Bold Blossom

Hello everyone and welcome to Inspiration in Action. I'm breathing new life into an old Blog Feature that you haven't seen here for quite some time -- Takin' It To the Top. Once each month, I'll be sharing a new Takin' It to the Top idea on the Stamping 411 Website as well as here on my blog. Click on the link to play along with the challenge that we have going on there.

You've asked for this feature to come back, and here it is! What's Takin' It to the Top? I'll make three different cards -- all similar in design, color and images. And then I'll show you how to take your projects from basic to stepped-up to beyond. Three cards which will show you the progression, and the difference, when you add basic elements to your cards to dress them up -- texture, layers, color and embellishments!

Okay, enough said! Today's Takin' It To The Top cards feature the adorable little stamp set called Bold Blossom. The colors for each card are Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo and Whisper White with just a touch of Daffodil Delight. Here's the first card ... the basic card. Now, there's nothing "wrong" with this card -- it's adorable, but it is basic. It would be a great card for a beginning stamper or if you need to make quick multiples. As you can see, I've stamped the leaves and flowers on a 3" square of Whisper White cardstock, mounted that on a 3.25" square of Melon Mambo, attached that to a 4 x 5.25" piece of Tangerine Tango and stamped the sentiment in the bottom right-hand corner, attaching the entire thing to an Old Olive Card Base (5.5 x 8.5", scored and folded).

Now, we're going to take that same, basic card and step it up just a bit! The dimensions, stamping and colors are all the same.

I've added some embossing on the Tangerine Tango Layer (using the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder and the Big Shot). I've added some 5/8" Satin Ribbon with a Faux Bow tied on it. I've stamped the sentiment on a scrap of Whisper White and punched it out with the Large Oval Punch. And finally, I've added a little butterfly at the top, attached with Stampin' Dimensionals.

 

 

These are all little things, simple things that you can do to step your card making up to the next level. If you don't want to do all four things, try just adding a couple of simple fixes to your basic card and see what you come up with.

 

 

 

 

Okay, are you ready to Take It To the Top! Here we go ... I had such fun creating this final card for my post today! It's bright and cheery and springy and full of whimsical elements and surprises. But as you can see, it's still begins with the same Basic Card that we started with. What's changed on this one?

To begin with, I created some fabulous flower embellishments using the Sweet Stitches Designer Big Buttons and some Pompom Trim. It's easy to do -- just apply Sticky Strip adhesive all around the back of the button (you kind of make "pleats" as you apply it in a circle). Peel off the red backing and stick the trim around the edge. I then stamped the flower image in Daffodil Delight, punched it out with the 3/4" Circle Punch and used a Stampin' Dimensional to apply it to the button. Click on the small image to view it larger.

Instead of putting 3 flowers on this final card, I just put two which allows more room for some additional butterflies -- one each in Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight.

Other small changes on this final card include adding a Scallop Oval Punchie under the sentiment and inking the edges of the Large Oval with a little Melon Mambo ink. And adding a real bow instead of a faux bow. And that it's. See what a difference just a few simple changes can make to take your cards from Basic to step-up and beyond!

 

That's it for now! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope that you've been inspired to try a few, basic techniques to take your next project to the Top! And ... I hope you'll be back soon! Until then ...

Takin' It To the Top with The Greeting Card Kids

Good morning, everyone! I was thinking the other day that it's been an awfully long time since I brought you a "Takin' It To the Top" feature on Inspiration in Action. Too long! So, today we are "Takin' It To the Top" with the delightful little Greeting Card Kids.

For those of you who don't know, "Takin' It To the Top" is a blog feature where I make 3 cards, each using the same Stamp images and colors, but step each one up just a bit to illustrate how easy it is to add a few extra layers, some shading, some texture and extra embellishments, taking a basic, but good card, to the Top!

As you can see from the picture above, this first card is a good, basic card. There is certainly nothing wrong with it. It's interesting and well balanced. If you find yourself needing to make several duplicates, this would be a great card to do. It would also be a fabulous card for beginning stampers to do in a class or workshop. For all three cards today I've used the Greeting Card Kids and Grateful Greetings Stamp Sets, Wicked Fun Specialty Designer Series Paper and Stampin' Write Markers. The colors are Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive and Whisper White. For this first card, I also used 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Pumpkin Pie and the 1 1/4 and 1 3/8" Square Punches.

Are you ready to take the basic card above and step it up a bit? ...

Here's the second card.  As you can see, it's the same images, same colors, same layout.

What did I do differently with this one to step it up? First of all, I embossed the spider web over the background of the card using the Big Shot and the Spider Web Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I changed the ribbon and used 3/8" Taffeta (again in Pumpkin Pie). I sponged some Rich Razzleberry ink around the edges of the focal image to frame it and highlight it a bit more. And finally, I replaced the 1 3/8" Square Punch with the Scallop Square punch for a little "ric rac" look around the sentiment.  None of these changes took a lot of time or effort, but you can see how they enhanced the card.

Okay, are we ready to Take It To the Top? ...

Here is version 3 of the card, taken to the top! Again, the changes are subtle and don't take a lot of extra time, but the result is significant!

 

I again embossed the spider web onto the background but this time lightly sponged over the raised image to bring it out even more. I sponged Rich Razzleberry ink over the bottom page on the striped DSP and sponged White Craft Ink over the part that is embossed on the Basic Black Cardstock. I also sponged the Rich Razzleberry ink around the edges of the striped DSP, around the focal image (as in version 2) and around the edges of the punched sentiment square. This time I used 5/8" Pumpkin Pie Satin Ribbon for a bit more pop and drama. I added an additional layer of Pumpkin Pie cardstock to both the little girl and the sentiment images. Doing this provided more contrast against the Basic Black layer and more contrast always means more pop and drama! The layer that I added behind the sentiment (punched with the 1 3/8" Square Punch), I put on the diagonal for even more interest. And finally, I dusted off my Color Spritzer (now that's a tool that I don't think to use very often) and using a Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker, added the delightful speckling to both stamped images.

For all three cards, I used the Web Standard Wheel to make the inside Whisper White layer a little more interesting. You could certainly step it up on the inside as well.

So there you go, basic, intermediate and stepped up ... three versions of one card and some fabulous ideas of how you can add extra interest and pop to all your cards and projects!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I'm so glad you did and I hope that you found some inspiration here today!

If you're looking for more Halloween ideas, you might want to check out my Frankie & Friends Kit and/or tutorial. These little guys promise to bring personality and attitude to all your Halloween Festivities. Click HERE for more information.

 

It's not too late to place orders for the new ribbon and DSP samplers from the BIG Idea Book & Catalog. I'm taking orders now for a new batch of ribbon and DSP samplers -- supplies will be ordered on Friday so get your order in soon to make the deadline! More information can be found HERE.

 

Also, the Test Tube Gift Card Holders have been very popular and I continue to send out kits as quickly as I can put them together. Have you ordered yours yet?

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you found some ideas and inspiration here and I hope you come back again soon!

Takin' It To the Top with Elements of Style

Hello and welcome to Takin' It To the Top, my occasional blog feature where I take one basic card, step it up a bit and then take it to the top, showing you how to add to your cards and projects with extra layers, embellishments, texture and pattern. No longer just for Tuesdays, and no longer every week, Takin' It To the Top will appear occasionally on my blog, probably 2-3 times each month.

Okay, with that said let me explain what I've done today with Elements of Style, a new set from the Summer Mini Catalog which will be available to order beginning Saturday, May 1st!

The colors are Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery,and Whisper White and I used Rose Red, Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink re-inkers and Blender Pens for the watercoloring.

As you can see with the basic card, I used 5/8" Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon with a tied-on faux bow, the Scallop Circle Punch and the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches. And that's it! It's a beautiful card but also very simple without a lot of texture and extras!

Okay, here is the second card, stepped up just a bit. As you can see, I stamped the flourish from the stamp set using Old Olive Ink, so that it peeks out from behind the focal image. I also rounded the bottom edges only, using the Corner Rounder Punch.

I kept the Satin Ribbon but instead of a faux bow, I added a real bow. See HERE for a tutorial on how to make a bow.

I added an extra layer of Rose Red on the Scallop Circle medallion to bring the color up to the top of the card, and used the 1", 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches.

And those are the only changes to the second card.

Okay, now, let's Take it to the Top ...

As you can see, there are only a couple of changes on this final card, but they add more drama and interest to the card and, when you want it to be a really special card, it's nice to add drama and interest.

I used the luxurious and beautiful 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon. If you haven't used this ribbon before, you will fall in love with it. It is so easy to tie and work with and definitely adds drama to any project. Another changes is that I sponged just a little chocolate chip ink around the edges of the focal layer. And finally, I attached three half-back pearls from the Pretties Kit, using Crystal Effects to adhere them.

And of course, you don't want to forget the inside of the card. Here, just stamping the beautiful flourish, is all you need to dress up the inside as well!

And that's it -- one, two, three cards, all using the same basic layout and materials and each one stepped up just a bit.

It's amazing, isn't it, what just a few extra touches can do to your projects!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed this latest Takin' It To the Top feature! Please come back soon for more ideas and inspiration!

 

Takin' It To the Top Tuesday with Bloomin' Beautiful!

Hello and welcome to Inspiration in Action and my Tuesday blog feature, Takin' It To the Top! Each week (well, most week's) I do three cards with the same basic layout, colors and Stamp sets and I show you how you can take your artwork from basic to beyond. It's truly amazing what a few extra layers, ink, texture and embellishments can do. So, with that said, let's Take it to the Top!

Here's the first, basic card. I've used a color scheme of Real Red, Only Orange, Glorious Green and Whisper White. I don't often use colors from the Bold Brights Color family and it's even rarer to use more than one color from that color family. But I think, because this winter keeps dragging on and has been so full of dreary days, that I am so ready for spring I'm jumping at the chance to use color ... and lots of it!

I do love the look of Only Orange and Real Red together and the Glorious Green seems like a great choice for an accent color.

I love this single stem poppy flower from the Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set. I've colored this one with inks and Blender Pens and love the way you can blend from one color to another with this technique. I used a bit of 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain ribbon and the Curly Label Punch and Curly Label Die (with the Big Shot and the Movers & Shapers Die). The sentiment is from the Sale-a-Bration set, Whimsical Words and was stamped with Black Stazon Ink.

Okay, let's take it up a notch ...

Here is the second, more intermediate version of today's card.

As you can see, I've added an additional layer to the cardbase, adding in some Glorious Green.

I've changed out the ribbon to 5/8" Satin in Real Red.

I added some light sponging with Real Red ink around the perimeter of the stamped floral piece.

And that's it ... a few simple changes can make quite a difference, don't you agree?

Alright, let's take it up another step ...

Here's the final version.

Look at the texture that I added using the Big Shot and the Finial Press Impressions Folder? And then to bring it out even more, I did some light sponging around the edges.

I added another two layers with the definition piece added behind the floral layers.

I framed the floral image using the Scallop Trim Border and Corner Punches. See my tutorial HERE for how to easily cut squares and rectangles using these two punches together.

And look what I did to the flower? After watercoloring it, as I did for the first two cards, I painted over it with Champaign Mist Shimmer Paint and a small paint brush. It gives  it a lovely luster and shimmer in real life (you might be able to see it better by clicking on the photo to enlarge it).

So there you go. Three cards -- all using the same basic layout and materials, but adding a little bit each time to Take it to the Top!

So, how are you going to change your stamping this week to step-things-up a bit?

I can't wait to see!

 
  

Takin' It To the Top Tuesday (er .....) I mean, Wednesday!

Good morning and welcome to Takin' It To the Top Tuesday... I mean Wednesday! I'm apologize that I'm a day late this week. I'm sure you can relate to the fact that sometimes there are not enough hours in the day and life moves along all to quickly! Before we get started with this week's feature, I want to thank so many of you for leaving comments last week about Takin' It To the Top! I love to read what you have to say and you left me valuable feedback about ways I can make this feature, and my blog in general, even more helpful for my faithful blog readers. And there was a little blog candy offer on the table as well. I had my daughter randomly choose the winner by selecting a number. And are you ready to hear who that winner is? Drum roll, please (rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr) ... and the winner is

Marianne Griffin, Congratulations!

Here's what Marianne had to say -- "Gretchen - thanks so much for taking the time to do these cards. When I see the first one, I think "I can do that", then I see how you explain the extra oomph on the second card and your explanation is so great that I think "I can do that, too" and when I get to the third one I'm totally blown away by how great it looks and again, with your guidance, I think I can do that one, too! I love Tuesdays now!!! Thanks so much!" And thank you, Marianne. Please e-mail me with your address and I'll have your prize package in the mail to you ASAP!

Okay, time to move on to today's projects.

I decided to go all-out with spring florals today but choose some perhaps unlikely colors -- Rich Razzleberry, Going Gray, Basic Gray and Old Olive. I saw this combination on some bed linens on a HGTV show (yes, I'm addicted to HGTV) and knew that I had to translate it into some paper art.

I used the stamp set, Embrace Life and just a bit of the 5/8" Gray Satin Ribbon for this first card.

This is a wonderful card -- elegant, simple and quick to make, easily duplicable (if you're making multiples) and quite striking on it's own.

But let's see what we can do if we step-it-up just a bit ...

Here's version Two! This time I added some embossing on Layer Two with the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder and the Big Shot. I added more ribbon -- putting a strip across the middle of the card (and attaching to the back of Layer Two) and tying on a faux-bow.

Instead of stamping the leaves, I added leaves that were die-cut with the Big Shot.

And I put three of the gorgeous flowers on the card rather than just one.

To create these flowers, I stamped the image on Whisper White Cardstock with Black Stazon ink and then sponged on Rich Razzleberry with a sponge, trying to position the sponge in the middle of the flower with my finger (you could also use a Sponge Daubber but I really wanted to avoid a perfect circle which is what you will often get with the Daubbers). I then cut the flowers out, using Paper Snips (perfect for tiny edges and shapes) and then applied more ink to the edges of the flowers. They are attached to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Ready to Take It To the Top?

This is what I came up with for the final version! Quite different from the first, wouldn't you say?

I went all out with this final card today. I kept the Elegant Bouquet embossing but highlighted it by sponging on Rich Razzleberry ink over the raised images and on the the sides of the card.

I tied a real bow and attached it using a Pop-Up Glue Dot

I used the Lattice Die and Going Gray Cardstock to create the backdrop for the flowers and leaves.

And look what I did to the flowers? I sponged on even more ink to give them more depth and color. I added the little white dots with the White Gel Pen. And I attached half-back pearls from the Pretties Kit with Crystal Effects for a stunning finished flower.

For this final version, I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of Whisper White, punched it out with the Modern Label Punch and added a mat to the back, cut with the Movers & Shapers Modern Label Punch and the Big Shot.

 There you go ... basic to more and beyond! And the great thing is that none of these cards is difficult to do. The last one takes a little more time, but not much. And the results can be absolutely stunning!

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today. There's no blog candy on the line this week, but I would still love to read your comments and feedback. Most importantly, take a second look at your cards this week and think of some simple changes you can make to take your projects to the Top! 

Marianne Griffin, Congratulations!

Here's what Marianne had to say -- "Gretchen - thanks so much for taking the time to do these cards. When I see the first one, I think "I can do that", then I see how you explain the extra oomph on the second card and your explanation is so great that I think "I can do that, too" and when I get to the third one I'm totally blown away by how great it looks and again, with your guidance, I think I can do that one, too! I love Tuesdays now!!! Thanks so much!" And thank you, Marianne. Please e-mail me with your address and I'll have your prize package in the mail to you ASAP!

Okay, time to move on to today's projects.

I decided to go all-out with spring florals today but choose some perhaps unlikely colors -- Rich Razzleberry, Going Gray, Basic Gray and Old Olive. I saw this combination on some bed linens on a HGTV show (yes, I'm addicted to HGTV) and knew that I had to translate it into some paper art.

I used the stamp set, Embrace Life and just a bit of the 5/8" Gray Satin Ribbon for this first card.

This is a wonderful card -- elegant, simple and quick to make, easily duplicable (if you're making multiples) and quite striking on it's own.

But let's see what we can do if we step-it-up just a bit ...

Here's version Two! This time I added some embossing on Layer Two with the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder and the Big Shot. I added more ribbon -- putting a strip across the middle of the card (and attaching to the back of Layer Two) and tying on a faux-bow.

Instead of stamping the leaves, I added leaves that were die-cut with the Big Shot.

And I put three of the gorgeous flowers on the card rather than just one.

To create these flowers, I stamped the image on Whisper White Cardstock with Black Stazon ink and then sponged on Rich Razzleberry with a sponge, trying to position the sponge in the middle of the flower with my finger (you could also use a Sponge Daubber but I really wanted to avoid a perfect circle which is what you will often get with the Daubbers). I then cut the flowers out, using Paper Snips (perfect for tiny edges and shapes) and then applied more ink to the edges of the flowers. They are attached to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Ready to Take It To the Top?

This is what I came up with for the final version! Quite different from the first, wouldn't you say?

I went all out with this final card today. I kept the Elegant Bouquet embossing but highlighted it by sponging on Rich Razzleberry ink over the raised images and on the the sides of the card.

I tied a real bow and attached it using a Pop-Up Glue Dot

I used the Lattice Die and Going Gray Cardstock to create the backdrop for the flowers and leaves.

And look what I did to the flowers? I sponged on even more ink to give them more depth and color. I added the little white dots with the White Gel Pen. And I attached half-back pearls from the Pretties Kit with Crystal Effects for a stunning finished flower.

For this final version, I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of Whisper White, punched it out with the Modern Label Punch and added a mat to the back, cut with the Movers & Shapers Modern Label Punch and the Big Shot.

 There you go ... basic to more and beyond! And the great thing is that none of these cards is difficult to do. The last one takes a little more time, but not much. And the results can be absolutely stunning!

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today. There's no blog candy on the line this week, but I would still love to read your comments and feedback. Most importantly, take a second look at your cards this week and think of some simple changes you can make to take your projects to the Top! 

Takin' It To the Top Tuesday with Chocolate Hearts

Good morning, everyone! It's Tuesday morning and you know what that means ... time to Take it to the Top! Today's cards are a delicious blend of Pretty in pink and Chocolate Chip. They remind me of yummy-looking cookies that I saw in the bakery section of the store yesterday. Yum! My version is ever better because THERE ARE NO CALORIES!!!! So, if you need a sweet, chocolate valentine fix, stick with me today as we take it to the top!

The Stamp Sets are Well Scripted and I {Heart} Hearts. The Designer Series Paper is Sending Love Specialty. The colors are Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. And for this first card I used the Full Heart and Heart to Heart Punches as well as 1/4" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon. I stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip Ink.

Okay, are we ready to step-it-up a bit? Here we go ...

Here's version two, showing you how just a few minor changes can make a BIG difference in your projects. For this intermediate version, I embossed the Chocolate Chip background layer using the Finial Press Impressions Folder and the Big Shot. I added an extra layer of Chocolate Chip under the Very Vanilla Stamped Panel and then put another mat of Pretty in Pink behind that. And I changed the ribbon to 3/8" Taffeta. Instead of a tied on faux-bow, I made a real bow with loops and adhered it using half of a Pop-Up Glue Dot.

Everything else is the same as the first card.

Okay, now are you ready to Take-It-To-The-Top?

Well, just look at what a few more simple changes can do to this card ...

Here you go! For this third and final version, I again embossed the background with the Finial Press Impressions Folder but this time also sponged a bit of Chocolate Chip Ink around the edges to give it some depth and contrast. I added a layer of Pretty in Pink cardstock behind the small DSP layer. And look what I did to the Pretty in Pink mat behind the focal layer! I took a strip of cardstock that was 2 x 4.5" and punched it three times with the Scallop Trim Corner Punch, pushing the cardstock all the way into the punch along the long flat edge (click on the photo to view it larger). I then trimmed off the side so the piece was 4.25" wide which left me with three perfectly centered scallop "drops". I attached this to the back of the Pretty in Pink mat which was cut at 2.5 x 4.25" and ran the gorgeous 5/8" Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon across it to hide the seams. I sponged the edges of the Very Vanilla layer before attaching to the mats. I spiffed up the Chocolate Chip heart by creating it with the Scallop Heart Embosslet and then punched out a Pretty in Pink Heart with the Full Heart Punch to put over the top of it. The small heart was stamped with the I {Heart} Hearts stamp and punched out with the Heart to Heart Punch. The hearts are attached with Stampin' Dimensionals as is the focal piece to the card. I created a bow with the Chocolate Chip Satin ribbon and added a Pretty in Pink Corduroy Jumbo Brad to the center and attached it to the card using a Pop-Up Glue Dot. Of course, I did a little stamping on the inside of the card as well.

So there you have it, three cards -- all the same basic design -- but each one stepped-up just a bit by the simple additions of layers, ink and embellishments.

I've heard from so many of you that tell me how much you appreciate these Takin' It to the Top features on my blog and how they have helped you make simple, yet sensational, changes in your projects. But I love to read your comments so this week I'm offering a little Blog Candy incentive! Leave me a comment before Sunday, February 14th (Valentine's day) at noon and let me know how you have or are changing your stamping to step things up just a bit. On Sunday afternoon, one lucky winner will be randomly selected to receive a 6x6 sampler of the Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper, along with 3 feet of each of the Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and Real Red Satin Ribbons (that's  9 feet -- 3 yards total), along with a sample of Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Real Red Corduroy buttons (3 each, 9 buttons/brads in all). So leave those comments. I can't wait to hear what you have to say and can't wait to see what you've created!

If you have't already done so, I invite you to check out my latest Kit-on-the-Go and Tutorial for this darling Whimsical Wings Gift Box and set of Mini Cards! It's perfect for spring and for those special occasions that's we'll all soon be celebrating -- Mother's Day, Easter, Graduations, Weddings, Birthday's and just-because days!

Do you want to see what else is available to purchase on Inspiration in Action? Check out all the Tutorials and Kits that are currently available HERE!