Gretchen Barron

Still More Pansies on Parade!

Hello everyone! I've got still more Pansy projects to share with you. I hope you're not growing tired of these! My plan this weekend is to give some attention to my yard and flowers outside, so soon I hope to have blooming pansies inside and out! Today is the last day of Pansy projects, with the exception of the Mother's Day card that I made for my mom which will be posted on Sunday (Happy Mother's Day, Mom ... you'll have to wait until your card comes in the mail to see it).

If you haven't already done so, you might want to Check out DAY ONE PANSY PROJECTS and DAY TWO PANSY PROJECTS.

This first project today is an adorable little matchbox, perfect for tiny treats and gifts! I used the Big Shot along with the Matchbox Die, the Two Tags Die and the Elegant Bouquet Impression Folder.

Cardstock Colors are Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White and I added a bit of Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon. The sentiment is from Great Friend, stamped with Black Stazon Ink.

Moving on to Project #2, is a simple thank-you card, created with the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper.

I did a little punching on Elegant Eggplant Cardstock with the Eyelet Border Punch and then attached some 5/8" Old Olive Satin Ribbon, along with making ribbon leaves for the flower.

The sentiment is from Thank You Kindly (love that set).

Isn't it nice how the one little pansy flower makes a big pop on this simple card and makes it truly something special!

One last project, again a very simple and quick card which is made very special by the addition of the Pansies.

I rarely do one-layer cards but I think this one turned out so beautifully. I used the striped pattern from the Bride Specialty Designer Series Paper, folded it in half and cut it out using the Scallop Square Die and the Big Shot to make a Scallop Square Card.

Next, I embossed it with the Elegant Bouquet Impression Folder and then stamped on the sentiment from Watercolor Trio using Black Stazon Ink.

Finally, I attached the single Pansy with Stampin' Dimensionals! and added a tiny little bow created with 1/4" Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon. Perfect! And so simple and quick! So quick, in fact, that I made an entire set of these and sent them off this week to a special friend as a thank-you gift! I packaged them in an acrylic card box and tied them up with some more 1/4" Eggplant Grosgrain ribbon. I hope she is thrilled when she opens her special package!

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by and looking and spending some time with my Pansy projects. I keep seeing pansies springing up everywhere in cyberland so I know you've been inspired to create your own as well. And, that's what it's all about, isn't it!

Thanks so much for stopping and spending some time with me today!

I hope you'll come back soon for more ideas and Inspiration!

Journaling 101 Online Scrapbooking Course -- Get Ready to Take Your Scrapbooking to the Next Level!

I was honored recently when Erika Martin asked me to join her Design Team for another round of Journaling 101, her popular online Scrapbooking Course!

While it's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, if you are like most of us, you find it difficult to put words on your scrapbooking pages which help the pictures tell the story. Perhaps you ...

• Don't feel like you have anything to say
• Don't feel like you're a writer
• Don't want to take the time to do the journaling
• Just plain don't know where to begin

If any of these excuses sound familiar to you, then Journaling 101 might be just the ticket to help you take your scrapbooking to the next level. Throughout this 12-week course, you will discover the writer within you. Through weekly journaling exercises and scrapbooking assignments, you will practice ways to add the important words to your scrapbook pages which will truly tell the story that you want to pass down to future generations. If you want to create artistic and creative albums and want to tell the stories but need help to get started, then you will enjoy this 12-week course.

 

Each week, you will receive a PDF document in your inbox with exercises to help you get started; tricks, tips and ideas to explore; an assignment and challenge which will help you explore different ways to add journaling to your pages; examples from Design Team Members; Sketches to stir your creativity; a gallery to upload your creations and share them with other Journaling 101 participants and Design Team Members; an interactive forum with discussions on each week's tasks

 and lots of support and encouragement from Erika and the other Design Team Members. You can take the course at your own pace. If things get busy and you don't have time to get to it for a week or two, it's no problem. The weekly PDF documents can be printed out or saved for future reference. All the classes will be available to you through October 4th, so you can come back to them when you're able.

 

 

If you're already a scrapbooker or even if you've never scrapbooked before.....this course has something for everyone! It doesn't matter where you live or what you scrapbook with, this course has been created for everyone!

 

Here's what previous Journaling 101 graduates have had to say about this course ...

 

"Thanks for the inspiring questions and photos, and for allowing me to feel not guilty about making scrapping only about embellishment after embellishment (at times I think it seems that over the past few years it has become a competition about how much decoration you can fit on a page, not the photos and the story). This is a insightful journey, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart". -Jo K.

"Thanks Erika - By being involved in this I am finding that I can get so much more done as well as get a page or two done each week. The anticipation as well as the thought processes are great"! - Joanne M.

 

The course begins Monday, May 10th although since you have the ability to work at your own pace, you can begin it anytime. If you decide to register, please be sure and let Erika know that you heard about it from me by putting my name and a note in the comment section of the registration form.

 

I'm excited about this journey that we're about to embark on and would love to take it with you! Check out the registration page today and if you have questions, don't hesitate to let Erika or myself know!

 

Happy Scrapbooking, everyone!

I was honored recently when Erika Martin asked me to join her Design Team for another round of Journaling 101, her popular online Scrapbooking Course!

While it's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, if you are like most of us, you find it difficult to put words on your scrapbooking pages which help the pictures tell the story. Perhaps you ...

• Don't feel like you have anything to say
• Don't feel like you're a writer
• Don't want to take the time to do the journaling
• Just plain don't know where to begin

More Pansy Projects to Share!

Hello everyone! Yesterday, I shared with you some of the darling Pansy projects I have been making and as promised, I've got more to share with you today!

Also, I want to give credit to Tina Sieben who first came up with the idea to use the Butterfly Punch to create flowers. You can see her original post and her beautiful flowers by clicking on her name above. Tina's technique is quite different from the one that I've used but I'm anxious to try out her idea as well! Thanks, Tina, for sharing your fabulous idea!

Make sure and visit yesterday's post for more information on how to make these beautiful flowers, along with a link to Dawn Olchefske's video tutorial!

My first project today is this darling little gift box, made quickly and easily with the Big Shot and the Fancy Favor Die. I used the Striped Pattern from the Bride Specialty Designer Series Paper and embossed it with the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder.

The Ink colors used on the Pansies are Rich Razzleberry and Summer Sun -- just beautiful, don't you think?

Additional accessories include 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon in Rich Razzleberry, the Scallop Oval and Large Oval Punches, the Watercolor Trio Stamp set (for the sentiment), A Stampin' Write Marker, Stampin' Dimensionals, Rhinestone Brads and Sticky Strip Adhesive.

One more project to share today but I've got more planned for later in the week so don't forget to stop back!

How about a beautiful Mother's Day card for this weekend! I just love the way this turned out -- simple yet elegant!

The pansy was created with Brocade Blue, Elegant Eggplant and Summer Sun Inks.

The sentiment is from Well Scripted. I used the Big Shot to emboss the card front (Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder) and to cut the Tiny Leaves Sizzlet Die.

Additional accessories include 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon in Brocade Blue, a yellow brad, and Stampin' Dimensionals. Card colors are Brocade Blue and Whisper White.

Okay -- that's it for today! Come back though! I'll be looking for you!!!

Don't forget that the Garden Giggles Kit (as well as others) are still available, along with $5 Tutorials for some of my most popular projects. A complete list can be found HERE!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you were inspired for your own creative stamping!

Pansies, Pansies, Everywhere!

Good morning, everyone! I absolutely FELL IN LOVE with these darling little Pansies that Dawn Olchefske showed us a few weeks ago.

Dawn made them with Shimmery White Cardstock, the Butterfly Punch and the Floating Reinker Technique. She's got a great video on her blog to show you how to create the flowers.

Since I first saw them, I have been going crazy making Pansies in all different colors. I've got a whole garden of pansies in my stamp room and have used them to create some fabulous new projects and ideas to bring you today using these realistic-looking flowers.

Are you ready?

Here's a beautiful easel card for Mother's Day (or it could be made for any occasion).

For these flowers, I used Brilliant Blue ink only. As the ink spreads across the paper, you get a variation in tones and colors that is just beautiful and quite natural looking!

Card colors are Brillliant Blue, Green Galore and Whisper white.

I used the Big Shot and the Scallop Square Die to create the card. The big flourish from Baroque Motifs provides a pretty background. The sentiment is from All Holidays.

I finished it off with some 5/8" Organza Whisper White Ribbon!

Moving on to the second project, look at this darling little envelope, perfect for a Ghiradelli Chocolate Square.

This project is easy and quick with the Scallop Envelop Die, the Big Shot and the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder.

And look how that chocolate just tucks right in there.

I used Elegant Eggplant, Brocade Blue and Summer Sun to create this Pansy.

What a delightful little gift for anyone and any occasion!

Next, is a beautiful Thank-You note using a sentiment from the new Watercolor Trio set.

The ink colors on these flowers are Summer Sun and Elegant Eggplant. Isn't it just amazing how realistic the flowers look?

Cardstock colors are Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron and Old Olive.

I again used the Big Shot with the Two Tags Die and the new Square Lattice Impressions Folder. Punches include the Scallop Circle, the Scallop Oval and the Large Oval (and of course, the star of the day, the Butterfly Punch).

I added a bit of 5/8" Old Olive Satin Ribbon for the bow, connecting it with a Pop-Up Glue Dot.

I hope you try your hand at making these delightful new flowers! They are so much fun and addictive!

I've got more projects and ideas to show you tomorrow so make sure and come back then!

All In a Flutter Pop-Up Card

Hello everyone! Today's card features one of the new individual stamps in the Summer Mini Catalog -- All in a Flutter. I've been told that this lovely little winged creature is really a moth, not a butterfly. Either way, it makes a beautiful accent to use on your cards and other projects!

For this card, I stamped the winged-creature on Cardstock Vellum, using Black Stazon Ink. I used Stampin' Write Markers in a rainbow of colors to color in the image, working on the back of the vellum. I then used a Versamarker and Black Embossing Power (with a Heat Tool, of course) to emboss just the body of the insect.

The other stamp sets are Greenhouse Garden and Inspired by Nature. I stamped the blades of grass with Always Artichoke ink and the flowers are Melon Mambo, Cameo Coral and Summer Sun. Card colors are Old Olive, Always Artichoke, So Saffron and Whisper White. I used Mini Glue Dots to attach the vellum pieces and fluffed up their wings. Other accessories include the Scallop Trim Border Punch and 5/8" Satin Ribbon. The clouds are sponged on with Brocade Blue ink, using my homemade Cloud Template.

And look what happens when you open up the card!

It pops up!

This type of pop-up card is really very easy to do. You need to "line" the inside of the card with an additional layer of cardstock. Fold it in half and then measure the vertical cuts that you want to make. I made cuts about 1.5" tall, using a Craft Knife and Metal Straight Edge ruler.

Stamp your images, sponge in the sky and adhere the whole thing together with SNAIL adhesive. That's it! The sentiment is from Hope Happens -- "Do Not put off until tomorrow what can be enjoyed today". Seemed like the perfect sentiment for such an enjoyable card!

I hope you enjoyed it! I'm so glad you stopped by today and I hope you'll be back soon!

Welcome to the 2010 Summer Mini Catalog!

Hello everyone and Happy May Day! May 1st also means the reveal of the brand-new and fabulous Summer Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! Goodness, what eye candy awaits you as you explore the pages of the great new mini catalog!

Click on the catalog below to open up the PDF file and see all 32 pages for yourself. Or, if you would rather have your own hard copy to mark-up, dog-ear, and drool-over, drop me an e-mail at [email protected] and I'll put one in the mail to you today! Check back at Inspiration in Action often for lots of project ideas, pictures and tips for using these fabulous new products!

Happy Stamping!