Hello everyone! Did you miss me? I had a yard sale yesterday and I ended up taking the rest of the afternoon and evening off to clean up and recover! That was a LOT of work and it was very hot and humid here yesterday. It totally wiped me out! But I was able to finish up my cards for today's post and I can't wait to share them with you. Today's feature Designer Series Paper is Rainbow Sherbet! Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image of all 12 designs in this DSP pack. These papers are bright. happy, sunny and whimsical and can't help but bring a smile to your face and an uplift to your day! The coordinating colors are Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Apricot Appeal and Gable Green. Yummy! Looks just like ... well, Rainbow Sherbet!
I often get the question from customers, "Where do you get your inspiration". Well, I get inspiration from a lot of places. Sometimes from the papers or stamps themselves. The new Designer Series Papers in the Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalog and our wonderful stamp images provide great inspiration and color for your projects whether they be cards, scrapbook pages or other paper crafting creations. I get lots of inspiration from magazines and blogs and groups of demonstrators that share ideas together. I get inspiration from nature and books and billboard ads. And I get inspiration from our very own catalogs! I think we sometimes forget that ours is a IDEA BOOK and catalog. It's not just about selling product -- it's also about sharing ideas. Did you know that in the back of the Idea Book, beginning on page 199, are the "recipes" for every project and picture in the book? Every color, every stamp set, every embellishment, every everything is listed. So, the next time you need some inspiration, browse through your Idea Book and Catalog. You're sure to find something to stir your creativity. And if you don't have a copy, contact me to find out how you can get one!
Okay, now to put my money where my mouth is, I've selected three cards from the Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalog as inspiration for the three cards that I've made today using the Rainbow Sherbet DSP. Demonstrators often call this a CASE (Copy And Share Everything or Copy And Steal Everything). I prefer to say, "Create And Share with Enthusiasm"! My first card is a CASE of this one found on page 93 of the F/W Idea Book and Catalog. The stamp set is Bella's Blossoms. The large flower image was stamped onto Pink Pirouette cardstock, first coloring directly on the stamp using Regal Rose and Green Galore markers. I cut the circle with the Coluzzle Cutting System and the Tempting Turquoise scallop circle with the Big Shot and the large scallop circle die (Remember, it's coming September 2nd). I stamped the rose again on Whisper White Cardstock with Regal Rose ink and cut out just the center, applying Dazzling Diamonds glitter with a 2-way glue pen, for just a little sparkle. I attached that piece to the larger flower with dimensionals. The card base is Gable Green with a layer from the Rainbow Sherbet DSP pack. The ribbon and bow are 5/8" double-striped Pink Pirouette (In Colors). I trimmed off one edge of the scallop circle and attached it to the card base. I added the dots to the scallops with a Signo White Gel Pen and stamped the sentiment, from Best yet, with Black Stazon ink. Cute, don't you think?
Moving on, my second card was inspired by this one, also on page 93 of the F/W IDBC (Idea Book and Catalog). This begins with a card base of Apricot Appeal, a strip of Rainbow Sherbet DSP and a strip of Green Galore that was punched on both edges with the Scallop Edge Punch. A length of Tempting Turquoise ribbon runs from top to bottom. The sentiment from Flight of the Butterfly (I just love these curly greetings) was stamped with Black Stazon on Whisper White Cardstock and layered on Tempting Turquoise. The butterflies were first stamped with Apricot Appeal on Whisper White cardstock. The second stamp (this is a 2-step stampin' set) was applied using Tempting Turquoise ink (and the stamp-a-ma-jig). I cut the butterflies out and applied them with dimensionals. A bow was tied at the bottom of the ribbon. Fun and fast!
One more card, today (there's that 3-thing with me again). This is CASED from this one on page 101 of the Idea Book. The card base is Tempting Turquoise. The green stripe DSP is scalloped with the Scallop Edge Punch and the ribbon is Apricot Appeal 1/4" Grosgrain. The background "vine" from Eastern Blooms is stamped with Gable Green on Whisper White Cardstock and mounted on Gable Green cardstock. The flower image is stamped on Whisper White with Tempting Turquoise ink and cut out. It is applied to a 1 3/4" circle (punched in Apricot Appeal) and the decorative brad is from the Filigree Assortment. Finally, the sentiment from Best Yet is stamped with Black Stazon ink.
So, there you have it! Now that you know it's perfectly fine to CASE cards from the Idea Book and Catalog, I'm offering a new contest. This is for everyone -- customers and demonstrators alike. I want to see your creative work and what inspired you! Pick one card or project from the Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalog and CASE it. Change out the colors, the stamp sets, the embellishments ... but keep the overall design. E-mail me a jpeg picture of your creation with the subject line "CASE contest". Be sure and let me know the page number from the catalog of your inspiration card and give me the details for your CASED design -- stamp sets, colors, embellishments, papers, etc. I will pick my ten favorites from your submitted creations and will then ask my Downline to select 3 winners. Each of the 3 winners will receive a sampler pack of Designer Series Paper and coordinating ribbons. Deadline for submission is one week from today -- Sunday, August 31st. The winning cards will be featured here on my blog throughout the first week of September. I can't wait to see what YOU create!