Gretchen Barron

Dotted Delicates with MoJo!

Good morning, everyone! I got busy with the MoJo Monday sketch and pulled out my new Dotted Delicates Rub-ons for today's card. For quick and easy cards, Rub-ons are such a great alternative to stamping and so very easy to use! If you haven't tried Stampin' Up! Rub-ons yet, I encourage you to try some soon. In my (humble) opinion, Stampin' Up! has some of the best Rub-ons out there -- they go on easily and you don't have problems with them flaking off the cardstock once they are applied!

In addition to the Dotted Delicates Rub-ons, I used Bravo Burgandy, More Mustard and Very Vanilla Cardstock. The ribbons are 1/4" grosgrain in Bravo Burgundy and Always Artichoke. The sentiment is from the "Sense of Time" stamp set.  I used a bit of To the Nines Specialty Textured Designer Series Paper for the Vertical stripes and did some paper piercing down both sides of each stripe. I used the Big Shot and the Large Scallop Circle Die as well as the Circle Scissor Plus to cut the circle. And of course, I put a little something-something inside the card as well!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope yo'll come back soon!

Blessings, Gretchen

The Control Freaks are at it Again -- Blog Tour #2!

Yes, that's right -- it's the 20th of the month and that means another fantabulous Control Freaks Blog Tour! If you're already taking the tour, that means you arrived here by way of Patty Bennett's blog. If you're just starting, jump on the bus here and then enjoy a great ride as you visit a total of 12 Great Control Freak Blogs, each one filled with amazing projects using new Stamp Sets and Accessories from the Stampin' Up! Fall and Winter Idea Book & Catalog! I've taken the tour and believe me, you won't be disappointed!

Okay, are we ready to leave? Here's my first project for your inspiration today. I love the new set Greenhouse Garden -- it's one of my favorites from the new catalog. It's a two-step stamp meaning each of the four flowers in the set can be stamped in two different colors making for an endless combination of beautiful flowers. For this card, I used a base of Rich Razzleberry with layers of Dusty Durango and Whisper White. The DSP at the bottom is Razzleberry Lemonade, edged with the Eyelet Border Punch. I made the vase by cutting a scrap of Soft Suede with the Wide Oval Punch, trimmed off the bottom and top flat and then embossed it with the Perfect Details Texturz Plate and the Big Shot. I stamped the flowers in Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry and stamped the centers with Black Stazon Ink. The stems are stamped in Old Olive. The sentiment is from the A Beautiful Thing Stamp Set and the ribbon is Dusty Durango 5/8" Polka Dot Grosgrain. Some more colorful flowers embellish the inside of the card.

From summer to fall, my second card uses the beautiful new set, Autumn Days. The cardbase is Crushed Curry and the first layer is Soft Suede. On the Whisper White layer, I used a technique called "Faux Torn Vellum" -- this is one of my favorite techniques to use -- I just love the way it looks. You mask off part of your cardstock with torn post-it notes and then just begin stamping, layering images and colors until you get the look you want. I stamped En Francais in Rich Razzleberry and then added the Berry Stamp from Autum Days in Soft Suede. Finally, I stamped the tiny maple leaves in Dusty Durango and Crushed Curry. I then sponged on three colors in a random pattern -- Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry and Soft Suede. Once you have the look you wanted, peel off the post-it-notes and Viola! You have a delightful torn vellum look.

Also used on this card is a Very Vanilla Jumbo Grommet, Soft Suede 5/8" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set (for the sentiment), the Modern Label Punch and the Modern Label Movers & Shapers Die and Big Shot, and Antique Brass Brads. The label is attached using Stampin' Dimensionals.

One more project to share today and then it's time to hit the road and travel on to the next stop. This next little bag is all about fun! I cut out a quick bag using the Big Shot and the Stampin' Up! Fancy Favor Die, punched out the star opening with the Large Star Punch and then attached a piece of clear acetate on the inside (so all the treats won't fall out). The little bag goes together quickly using Sticky Strip adhesive. The little Robot is made by piecing together several punch shapes cut from Brushed Silver Cardstock -- Word Window (x4), Curly Label and Small Tag. I drew on the details with a black Stampin' Write Marker. The Star Balloon is the punched-out image from the middle of the bag, attached to a bit of copper wire using Stampin' Dimensionals! I sponged all the edges of the punchies with Black Ink before putting them together. The label was stamped with the Oval All Stamp set and punched out with the Scallop Oval Punch. Quick, easy, and fun and what a great little treat bag for parties and gatherings of all kinds.

Well, that's it for this stop but you've got a scenic journey ahead of you! Click on the image below to go to the next stop, the blog of the fabulous Cindy Majors!

Have a great trip! Blessings, Gretchen

A New Saturday Sketch Challenge from Stamping 411

That's right -- Saturday morning means a new sketch and challenge from the operators at Stamping 411! This week's sketch is super simple but sometimes, simple is great and less is more! I can't wait to see what you create with this sketch! To play along, create your card, post it to your blog or to an online Stamping Site, and then go to Stamping 411 and link back to your site using Mr. Linky on today's post. Easy Smeeshy! We're waiting and excited to see what everyone creates this week.

Well, here's what I came up with. Because this ketch is so simple and there's so much "white space" on the card, the challenge is to find creative ways to add color and texture while still staying true to the sketch (at least that's the way I approached this sketch). There's no tutorial this week -- I'll just walk you through the details right in my post.

I began with a card base of Real Red cardstock. The next layer is a subtle polka-dot print in Sahara Sand that comes in the new Patterns Pack III (a Level 1 Hostess Gift). I stamped the sentiment, from Heard from the Heart, directly on the DSP using Black Stazon Ink. The Heart was punched with the Full Heart Punch, adhered to the card with SNAIL adhesive and then for a little more texture and interest, I pierced tiny holes all around the heart using a Paper Piercer Tool and Piercing Mat. There's no template for this, I just did it freehand. Take your time and try to make sure your spacing is as even as possible. Next, I attached two tiny buttons from the Playground Designer Buttons Kit, using Crystal Effects (just a tiny dot will hold the buttons on -- don't use too much). And that's it! Simple card, yes! Pretty card, yes! Will someone appreciate receiving it in the mail, definitely! Sometimes less is more!

Thanks for stopping by today! You'll want to check out the Stamping 411 site to see what the other operators have created using this sketch as well. And don't forget ... we're waiting to see what you create!

Until next time -- blessings, Gretchen

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream ... for Ice Cream!

Hello everyone! The Design Team Challenge this week on Late Night Stampers is to design a card that is ANYTHING but the regular size. So I put together this fun little Birthday card today that is unusual in both size and shape ... and, looks good enough to eat!

The first time I saw the new Stampin' Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate I immediately thought "ice cream cone"! Isn't it perfect (no pun intended) for this! I cut the cone from Creamy Caramel Cardstock by simply folding a 8.5 x 5.5" piece of cardstock in half (like you would do to make a regular card) and then cut on a diagonal (with my Paper Trimmer) from the top right corner to the bottom at the fold. You have to trim a little off the top when you're done to make an even triangle. I ran it through the Big Shot, using the Perfect Details Texturz Plate, cut another piece of Whisper White for the Inside and stamped it with the Birthday Sentiment Stamp.

Now for the delicious Ice Cream recipe (click for a larger image)! I inked up just the frosting part of Simple Birthday Thanks with Black Stazon Ink and stamped it on Pretty in Pink Cardstock and cut it out. I stamped the Cherry again on Whisper White, colored it in with a Real Red and Chocolate Chip Marker and then covered it with Crystal Effects and set it aside to dry. I love how shiny and dimensional it looks -- very realistic. Using a 2-way Glue Pen, I applied Dazzling Diamonds glitter in swirls on the frosting cut-out. I put tiny little dots of Crystal Effects on each of the "dots" on the frosting and then, using tweezers, applied a single Glass Bead to each of the dots. Once the Crystal Effects was dry on the cherry, I cut it out and attached it to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I attached the Ice Cream to the Cone with SNAIL adhesive. Yum, yum ... I think I need to make a trip to the kitchen!

I hope you come back soon for more inspiration and ideas. I've got lots of wonderful projects in store for you!

See you soon! Blessings, Gretchen

Find out more about my 6x12" Designer Series Paper (these are big enough to use for your 12x12 scrapbook pages) and Ribbon Samplers by clicking HERE. Join a Marker Club and earn a FREE set of new In Color Markers as a Gift from me. Check out my latest Class-on-the-Go Kit and Tutorial HERE!

One MoJo Monday Sketch -- Three Cards!

Hello everyone! It's time for another MoJo Monday Sketch (Okay, I know it's Wednesday -- give me a break, okay!), and I created three great cards for you today from this one sketch. I've said it so many times, but I LOVE working from sketches. It gives me a starting place from which to launch my creativity. When I'm stumped or blocked, I always turn to a sketch for inspiration! This week's sketch, in particular, gives lots of choices for using a variety of patterns and textures.

For this first card, I used two different patterns from the new Kaleidoscope Designer Series Papers and the colors of Regal Rose, Apricot Appeal and Bermuda Bay (not the recommended colors for this DSP collection but I think they work very well together). I embossed the Apricot Appeal layer with the new Stampin' Up! Perfect Details Texturz Plate. I also used the Movers & Shapers Curly Label Die and the Curly Label Punch, along with the Scallop Border Punch. The Ribbon is 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain in Bermuda Bay and the Stamp Sets are Greenhouse Garden and Great Friend. Of course, I had to embellish the inside just a bit with some stamping as well! I stamped the inside of the flowers (this is a 2-step stamp set) with Black Stazon Ink.

I am in LOVE with this new Stamp called Dasher. It's one of our new individual stamps and priced at just $8.95 and isn't it beautiful? I envisioned doing just this silver embossing with this stamp the first time I saw it. You can bet this little guy will show up often on my Christmas Cards this year! I used a rather unlikely color combination for a Christmas Card -- Lavendar Lace, Night of Navy, Whisper White and Brushed Silver. The sentiment is from Many Merry Messages and stamped in Black Stazon Ink. I tore two layers of Whisper White and overlapped them to make the snow banks, also sponging just a little Going Gray ink on the edges for some more definition and contrast. Then I tucked my stamped layers down into the snow. The back stamped rectangle uses the new Sparkling Jumbo Wheel with Versamark Ink and Silver embossing Powder. The snowflake is punched using the new Jumbo Snowflake Punch on Brushed Silver cardstock. The background layer of Night of Navy is embossed with the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate and the Big Shot. Does this get you in the mood for Christmas?

Okay, one more for you today! I had fun with this one using the new Cottage Wall Designer Series Papers, the Simple Friendship Stamp Set and the colors of Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Old Olive and Whisper White. I had fun with this one, putting three tiny half-back pearls (from the Pretties Kit) on the body of the butterfly, attaching them with dots of Crystal Effects (click on any photo for a larger image). I used the Eyelet Border Punch along with the 1 3/8" and Scallop Circle Punches and the 5/8" Whisper White Satin Ribbon. Two simple flourishes adorn the inside of the card!

Well, that's going to be it for today. I hope I offered you a bit of inspiration and hope you'll come back soon for more!

Happy Stamping, everyone!

Blessings, Gretchen

Nouveau Chic -- a study in Gray, Black and White

Good morning, everyone! I've got a card to share with you today that I made using the new Nouveau Chic Designer Series Paper. Now I admit, when I first saw these papers, I didn't quite know what to think. With the colors of Basic Black, Basic Gray, Sage Shadow and Apricot Appeal and Big, Bold designs, they are a far cry from the vibrant colors and floral themes that I so often gravitate toward. But that said, I LOVE these new papers. This morning's card is just one sample of what I will be creating with this new paper collection! I hope you'll come back for more soon!

In addition to the DSP, I used the Kind & Caring Thoughts Stamp Set, 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon, a Jumbo Grommet in Shiny Black and Black Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool. For an added extra touch, I did some paper piercing just around three sides of the stamped image layers and of course, stamped a bit on the inside of the card as well.

I hope you enjoyed this sample of the new Nouveau Chic DSP! Stop back soon for more Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

New Saturday Sketch Challenge for Stampin' 411!

WOW -- can you believe that it's time for a new Sketch Challenge -- #7! Seven weeks since I and some stamping friends started the Stamping 411 Blog as a resource to help new and beginning stampers learn the basics. If you haven't checked out the site, please do so. We have a growing library of resources, helps and inspiration. You'll also want to see what the other "operators" did with this week's great Sketch!

Well, here's what I did this week -- I broke out the Pretties Kit and Hodgepodge Hardware and came up with this beauty using the new Medallion Background Stamp and two of the new In Colors -- Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede -- such beautiful colors together. I also used Very Vanilla cardstock, a Jumbo Grommet and the new 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (the dots are just on one side so you can use the solid side for a different look). The sentiment is from the Thank You Kindly Stamp set.

As always, I have provided a detailed step-by-step tutorial for this card. The tutorial has a list of all supplies used, measurements for each layer and photos and instructions for each step in the process. The tutorial may not be for everyone -- it's very detailed and for those that can simply look at a picture and copy it, you may not want it. But for others who can't do that and for beginning stampers who are just starting out, I hope you find these tutorials helpful. Sometimes it's nice to just peek over someone's shoulder and see how they do things and that's the way I've tried to write these tutorials -- as If I were sitting across the table with you in my studio, teaching you the basics of cardmaking in a class. You can download and print this week's Tutorial HERE.

Be sure and check out the Stamping 411 Blog and play along with our Challenge this week. Link your creations, using Mr. Linky, by Wednesday evening to be entered into our weekly contest!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll visit again soon!

Blessings, Gretchen

Simple, Sweet, Scallop Notes

Hey, Hey! I had some time to play this morning with my new Stampin' Up! Scallop Square Die and the Big Shot and look what I came up with! These super simple and very sweet Scallop Note Cards! These go together incredibly quickly and make not only great individual cards for you to send out yourself, but a set of 4 with envelopes and tied with a bow would make a great and quick gift suitable for anyone! The finished size on these cards measures approximately 4 x 4.5" so they are a little smaller than a typical card but can still be placed in a regular card-size envelope so you won't need additional postage.

Here's how I made them! I began with cardstock cut at 4.75 x 8.5" and scored and folded it as I would for any card. I then placed the folded edge right at the points of the first scallop on the Big Shot Die (you can see in the photo). When you run this through the machine, your fold will stay intact at the top of the card and the other 3 sides of the card will be perfect scallops, front and back! The smaller photo (click to view as a larger image) shows what it looks like once the cut is made. I tried running two cards through at a time and found I was happier with the results when I just did them one at a time. When doing two, the cards tended to shift just a bit, making them lopsided and uneven. As you can see, there is very little waste left that needs to be thrown away. Next, all that's left is the decorating!

I cut Whisper White cardstock at 3.25 x 3.75", stamped my floral image and sentiment from Kind & Caring Thoughts (a level 3 Hostess Set -- ask me how you can earn this for FREE) using Bermuda Bay Ink. The next step is to apply a 1.5" strip of Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper. Next, I attached a length of Polka Dot Ribbon, using SNAIL adhesive, and then tied on another length, creating a faux bow. This assembled layer is then attached to the scalloped card base using SNAIL adhesive. I cut another 3.25 x 3.75" rectangle of Whisper White for the inside and stamped the floral image on it as well, using the Stamping Off technique (stamp once and then without reinking, stamp again in a different position).

Here's another example that I created using Melon Mambo and Apricot Appeal Cardstocks (what a delicious color combination this is), Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper and Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon. Such fun!

These little cards would make a great workshop project -- customers could cut their own using the Big Shot and then with just a little DSP and ribbon, create a great card to take home!

I've got some great samplers, specials and incentives being offered right now that you may want to check out.  Here are some highlights!

Click HERE to find out how you can get a FREE set of the new In Color Markers by joining my Marker Clubs!

Click HEREto see my DSP And Ribbon Samplers from the New Catalog!

Take a look at some of the great Control Freaks SWAP cards HERE. More will be posted soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope I offered you a little inspiration! Come back soon for more ideas from Inspiration in Action!

Blessings, Gretchen

One sketch -- 3 Cards!

Good morning, everyone! I've had a little time to begin playing around with some of the new things I ordered from the new Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalog! All I can say is, so many ideas ... so little time! This catalog is packed with great new stamp sets, papers, ribbons, embellishments and Big Shot Dies! If you don't have your catalog yet, let me know -- I'll be glad to get one to you. The catalog is free but if you live out of my area, there will be a fee for S&H. You can find more information HERE! I decided to use this week's MoJo Monday sketch for my cards today. I always get inspiration working from a sketch! So here you go -- One Sketch ... Three Cards!

I fell in love with this stamp set, Greenhouse Garden, the first time I saw it! I just love 2-step stamping -- it's so much fun and makes me feel like a real artist! I used lots of color on this card, as you can see -- Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Real Red, Orchid Opulence, Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive. You can also see two of the new Storybook Specialty Designer Series Paper patterns. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday; the ribbon is Melon Mambo Polka Dot Grosgrain and I used the Large Oval and Scallop Oval Punches. Of course, there's a little stamping on the inside as well! What fun!

 

From height of summer to Christmas, wow, where does the time go! This set, Gifts of Christmas, is another new one from the catalog. I stamped it in Versamark ink on Night of Navy cardstock and then embossed with Silver Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool. I stamped again on Whisper White Cardstock, embossed and cut out the dove and set it up on Dimensionals to help it standout more. The snowflake is a Sizzlet Die, cut from Brushed Silver Cardstock and then sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. Cardstock colors are Night of Navy, Bashful Blue and Brushed Silver. I already have lots of ideas for this beautiful new stamp set! And yes, it's time to begin thinking about Christmas Cards!

This last card today not only goes with the MoJo Sketch, but I also did it for this week's Late Night Stampers Challenge, Here Comes the Brides ... and Grooms! Utilizing another new set from the Catalog, Wedding Sweet (one of Shelli's Signature Collection sets), I used Very Vanilla and Brushed Gold Cardstocks and embossed the images with Versamark and Gold Embossing Powder. It's difficult to see in the photo, but I used the new Stampin' Up! Perfect Details Texturz plate on this card as well. The ribbon is 3/8" Very Vanilla Satin and the Large and Scallop Oval Punches were used. A bit of stamping on the inside of the card makes it so special when you open it up!

There's a lot going on right now and some great special offers! Here are some highlights -- be sure to check them out!

Click HERE to find out how you can get a FREE set of the new In Color Markers!

Click HEREto see my DSP And Ribbon Samplers from the New Catalog!

Take a look at some of the great Control Freaks SWAP cards HERE. More will be posted soon!

Well, that will be it for now! I hope you were inspired to see some of the great new products that Stampin' Up! offers. Come back soon for more ideas and inspiration! Until then, blessings, Gretchen

Another Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge!

Hello everyone! Another week has rolled by and here it is, time for another great Sketch Challenge from Stamping 411. You'll want to make sure and visit the Stamping 411 blog to find all the great cards that the operators have created for you this week, along with a growing library of resources for the beginning stamper!

For this week's card, I decided to focus on making my own Designer Paper (or patterned paper). Since we're all anxiously awaiting the things that we've ordered from the new catalog, it seems like the perfect thing to do!

My card this week uses the new sets Autumn Days and Teeny Tiny Wishes. The colors are Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, and Whisper White. Ink colors include Soft Suede, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, and Crushed Curry. I've used the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Square Punches along with the new Modern Label Punch. And finally, the wonderful 1/2" Polka Dot Ribbon in Soft Suede put the perfect finishing touch on this great fall card.

As always, I have provided a detailed step-by-step tutorial for this card. The tutorial has a list of all supplies used, measurements for each layer and photos and instructions for each step in the process. The tutorial may not be for everyone -- it's very detailed and for those that can simply look at a picture and copy it, you may not want it. But for others who can't do that and for beginning stampers who are just starting out, I hope you find these tutorials helpful. Sometimes it's nice to just peek over someone's shoulder and see how they do things and that's the way I've tried to write these tutorials -- as If I were sitting across the table with you in my studio, teaching you the basics of cardmaking in a class. You can download and print this week's Tutorial HERE.

Be sure and check out the Stamping 411Blog and play along with our Challenge this week. Link your creations, using Mr. Linky, by Wednesday evening to be entered into our weekly contest!

Please come back again soon!

Blessings, Gretchen