Gretchen Barron

Saying Good-bye to Some Favorites!

Hi everyone! Only 2 days remains to purchse retiring stamp sets and accessories from the 2010 Idea Book & Catalog! Don't wait if there is anything you need. These old-friends will soon be gone forever!

Below are some of my favorites from the retiring stamp sets and some of my favorite projects created with them. Click on each subtitle to view the original post and more details! And let me know if I can assist you with an order before these favorites are retired!

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Priceless

 

 

Simple Birthday Thanks

 

 

A Cardinal Christmas

 

 

Cheep Talk

 

 

Kooky Spooky Originals Die

 

 

Harvest Home

 

 

Just Buzzin' By

 

 

Great Friend

 

 

Simple Friendship

 

 

All Holidays

 

 

Pick a Petal

 

 

Razzle Dazzle

 

 

Tart & Tangy


I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane! Thanks for stopping by ... and I do hope you'll be back soon for more ideas and inspiration!

New Holiday Class at UStamp with Dawn & Friends!

Hi everyone! I'm excited to share with you that Dawn Raspas has invited me to be a Guest Designer on her next UStamp class -- I Heart the Holidays!  What an honor and priviliage -- I'm really looking forward to it and hope many of you will join us there!

The class will be featuring projects for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas using Stampin’ Up! Products.

It should be fun with lots of great projects from lots of  designers all over the world!

Come join the fun – to register click on the blinkie below and it will take you to the sign up site.

Love & Care ... The Colorful Way!

Hello everyone and welcome to a new Tuesday Color Challenge from Utah Divas International!

 

Inspired by this gorgeous beach towel, this week's colors are Real Red, Ceretainly Celery, Old Olive, Peach Parfait and Whisper White -- talk about beautiful, summer colors -- WOW!

 

And here's the card that I came up with for this week's color scheme --- using the Level 2 Hostess Set, Love & Care, from the Summer Mini Catalog!

 

I used Stampin' Write Markers to color directly on the rubber and then stamped the images on crisp Whisper White Cardstock.

 

 

Other supplies used include the Big Shot, Elegant Lines Impression Folder, 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, the Eyelet Border Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Large Oval Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals and the Four Frames Stamp Set.

 

 

This is such a bright, cheery card and very quick and easy to make!

 

So, that will do it for today! Be sure and check out the UDI Blog to see what the other Design Team Members have been up to!

Thanks so much for dropping by today ... I do hope you'll be back soon!

Delicate Doilies Stained Glass

 

Hi everyone! I've got another Sneak Peek for you today of the Delicate Doilies Stamp set, soon to be released in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog from Stamin' Up!

 

When I first saw this stamp, I knew that I needed to make it look like a stained glass window. It reminds me so much of the Rose Window above the chancel in our church.

 

I stamped the image with Black Craft Ink (don't forget to use your Embossing Buddy first) and then embossed with Black Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool.

I used Watercolor Pencils and a Blending Pen to get these fabulous, vibrant colors. It's a quick, easy and beautiful result. If you haven't tried the Stampin' Up! Watercolor pencils, I highly recommend them!

 

I cut the image out and then mounted it on a Basic Black Circle (2.5") and then a Pumpkin Pie Circle (2.75") and then finally on a Scallop Circle Die Cut, Created with the Scallop Circle #2 Die and the Big Shot. I embellished each scallop and the center with a self-adhesive Basic Pearl. The entire piece is attachd to layers of Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black with an Elegant Eggplant Card Base. The Ribbon is 1 1/4" Stiped Grosgrain in Basic Black.

 

It makes for a striking card and image, don't you think?

 

Don't forget ... only 3 days remain to purchase Retiring Stamp Sets and Supplies! And then, on Friday, customers (and demonstrators) can order from the new catalog!

 

If you need help placing an order, just e-mail me. I'll be glad to assist you. And, if you want one of the new catalogs, I'll be glad to get one to you. There is no charge for local customers. It it needs to be mailed, I only ask that you pay $5 for priority shipping -- the catalog is free in either case!

Hope to hear from you soon and I'm so glad you stopped by today! Please come back soon!

Color Blocking with Love and Care!

Hello everyone! Welcome to another Saturday Sketch Challenge from the Stamping 411 Operators!

 

This week's sketch just SCREAMS for some color-blocking. Color blocking is when you take fairly large areas of the card and block it off in different colors that complement or contrast with each other.

 

For my card this week, I used three different patterns from Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper. This is one of the new Hostess Options in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog (which begins on July 1st). It's fun, bright and whimsical! Cardstock colors include Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeaide and Whisper White.

 

Other supplies and materials include the Big Shot and the Elegant Bouquet Impressions Folder, The Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die (another new treat awaiting you in the new catalog), Basic Rhinestones, Circles #2 Die, the 1 3/4" Circle Punch and Stampin' Dimensionals!

Are you ready for some measurements? Here you go ...

1. Layer One -- Melon Mambo Cardstock cut at 5.5 x 8.", scored and folded to form the Card Base.
2. Layer Two -- Lucky Limeaide Cardstock cut at 4 x 5.25".
3. Layers 3-5 -- DSP cut at 1.25 x 3.75 (bottom), 2 x 3.75 (left) and 1.5 x 3.75" (right). Once all the DSP is adhered to layer two, run it through the Big Shot with the Impressions Folder to emboss.
4. Layer 6 -- the Medallion is cut with the Big Shot and punches and stamped with images from the Love and Care Stamp Set. Attach with Stampin' Dimensionals and embellish with Basic Rhinestones.
5. Inside of Card -- Whisper White cut at 4 x 5.25" -- stamping is optional.

That will do it for today! I hope you'll find some time soon to experiment with Color Blocking -- it's great fun and a fabulous way to show off the great Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers.

Don't forget to stop by Stamping 411 and check out the projects that the other Operators have created this week. I promise, it will be a few minutes well spent!

And, of course, I do hope you'll stop by again! I'm so glad you visited today! Until next time ...

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 ...

Say HELLO to a new Color Challenge!

Hello everyone and welcome to Inspiration in Action. Utah Divas International have a new color challenge for you this week (actually, we have a new color challenge for you every week). Our colors this week are pulled from this cute little party dress -- Early Espresso, Rose Red, Crumb Cake and Pretty in Pink --- yummy!

I'm using a stamp set from the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog (available for customers beginning July 1st), called My Friend! Isn't it fun?

I stamped the "hello" on a piece of Whisper White Cardstock and then stamped just the curly-q at the end on Pretty in Pink and punched it out with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch, attaching it back on and matching the image up so you get this off-set look. How cool is that? I also stamped one of the images in Crumb Cake ink on the Crumb Cake background (not sure how well this shows up in the photo). After putting all the layers together, I embossed the entire thing with the Big Shot and the Square Lattice Impressions Folder (Imbedded Embossing). I used the new Lace Ribbon Border Punch (just letting a small portion of it peek out from under the bottom edge) and 5/8" Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon. It's a quick and fun card!

Now is the time to reserve your copy of the 2011-2012 Idea Book at Catalog! If you're a local customer, just give me a call and I can either drop it off for you or you can pick it up. If you would like me to mail your copy to you, there is a $5 fee for shipping charges (the catalog is free in either case). You can also receive a FREE catalog by booking a workshop with your friends, family and co-workers. It's a great time to get that workshop scheduled -- you are going to love the new hostess benefits which begin on July 1st as well. Interested in learning more ... e-mail me or call me. I would LOVE to speak with you!

Be sure and check out the fabulous projects that the rest of the UDI Design Team created this week. They are such a creative bunch of ladies!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I do hope you'll visit again soon!

A New Shade of Purple -- Wisteria Wonder!

Hello everyone and welcome to a new Saturday Sketch Challenge from the Stamping 411 Operators!

 

I 've got some Sneak Peeks of some new goodies from the soon to be released 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog for you today!

 

 

First of all, I used two strips of the new Lace Ribbon Border, punched out of the Flirtatious Speciality Designer Series Paper. I glued the strips down, inked the entire thing with Versamark and then embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool -- kind of a cool effect! Different, that's for sure!

 

 

The dimensional flower is constructed out of the DSP, Wisteria Wonder Cardstock and the Fun Flowers Die (with the Big Shot, of course). I also used the Big Shot and the Finial Press Impressions Folder to emboss the black layer (difficult to see in the photo). The sentiment is from the Fabulous Florets Stamp Set.

 

Other supplies include 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals and Basic Pearls (I love that off-centered look for the pearls - definitely will be using this again).

 

Here's my measurements for this week:

1. Layer One -- Basic Black cardstock cut at 5.5 x 8.5", scored and folded to form the card base.
2. Layer Two -- Whisper White Cardstock cut at 4 x 5.25"
3. Layer Three -- Wisteria Wonder Cardstock cut at 3 1/8 x 4 5/8"
4. Layer Four -- Basic Black Cardstock cut at 3 x 4.5" -- embossed with the Big Shot and Impressions Folder.
5. Layer Five -- Wisteria Wonder Cardstock cut at 2.5 x 3.75"
6. Layer Six -- Basic Black Cardstock cut at 2 3/8 x 3 5/8". Glue the lace strips on and then emboss, if desired.
7. Layer Seven -- layered flowers, embellished as desired.
8. Inside of Card -- Whisper White cut at 4 x 5.25"

I think that will about do it for today. I hope you have plans for a great weekend. Don't forget to include some time for stamping! Be sure and check out the other Stamping 411 Operator projects for even more inspiration with this week's sketch!

 

 

 

Butterflies for a Great Friend!

Hello everyone and Happy Friday evening to you! Goodness, it's been a busy week, as evidence by my lack of blogging this week! Whoever said that life slows down in the summertime evidently didn't walk in my shoes!

The Stamping 411 Operators have a new sketch challenge for you this weekend! Just look at this beauty? There's some wide-open space there for you to shine your creativity upon!

I used the soon-retiring stamp set, Great Friend and the beautiful, also soon-to-be-retired Sweet & Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper for this bright and fun card!

Other supplies include 5/8" Satin Ribbon in Pumpkin Pie, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, the Big Shot and the Scallop Squares Duo Die, Versamark Ink, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder and the Heat Tool.

Here's the measurements for this week's card:

1. Layer One -- Pumpkin Pie Cardstock cut at 5.5 x 8.5", scored and folded in half to form the Card Base
2. Layer Two -- Rose Red Cardstock cut at 4 x 5.25"
3. Layer Three -- DSP cut at 3 7/8 x 5 1/8". Apply the ribbon, adding two pleats on the right-hand side.
4. Layer Four -- Scallop Square Die Cut -- approximately 3" square
5. Layer Five -- Regal Rose Cardstock -- 2 5/8" square
6. Layer Six -- Pumpkin Pie Cardstock -- 2.5" square
7. Layer Seven -- Whisper White Cardstock -- 2 3/8" square -- stamp sentiment with Black Stazon Ink. Emboss butterflies, cut out and attach with Dimensionals. Add pearls as accents.
8. Inside of Card -- Whisper White Cardstock cut at 4 x 5.25" -- add pleated ribbon and a strip of Rose Red cardstock punched with the Scallop Border Punch.

 

Well, that's pretty much it for today. I do hope this week to come will allow me a little more stamping time! And don't worry, if I stamp, I will share it with you!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you come back soon. And, don't forget to check out the other Stamping 411 Operator projects this week -- they are AMAZING!

Farewell to Another Favorite -- All Holidays!

Hello everyone and Happy Friday evening to you! Remember when, just a few short weeks ago, when it was so cold and rainy and all we did was complain about the weather? LOL -- where here we are on June 3rd, still complaining because now it's so blasted hot and humid that you can't even go outside without your glasses fogging up! LOL -- I guess we'll never be satisfied!

 

Well, Friday night means another Weekend Sketch Challenge from the Stamping 411 Operators. Look at the beautiful sketch that Selene created for us today! Perfect to showcase another dear, departing stamp set -- All Holidays! I will admit, this particular stamp from this set is the one that I've used most throughout the years! I just love this ... My dear, kind & wonderful friend!

 

So today I have something old and something new for you. The old, retiring stamp set and the new Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper. This paper is just gorgeous and the colors are so vibrant and rich! I've paired it with Night of Navy, Baja Breeze and Whisper White Cardstocks. The butterflies are cut with the Big Shot and the Beautiful Wings Embosslet. I inked the edges just a little to help give them some contrast and added the beautiful Basic Pearls for their bodies. Popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, they almost look real!

I also used the Scallop Trim Border Punch on both the inside and outside of the card to make it even more special!  And, oh yess, notice the placement of the butterflies around the focal layer! They are strategically placed to cover up some smudge marks left by my fingers -- LOL.  You know what I always say -- there are no mistakes in stamping, only opportunities for creative embellishment! It's true!!!!

 

Here's this week's measurements:

1. Layer One -- Night of Navy cardstock cut at 5.5 x 8.5", scored and folded to form the Card Base.
2. Layer Two -- DSP cut at 4 x 5.25"
3. Layer Three -- Night of Navy cut at 2.5 x 4" -- use the Border Punch on one end.
4. Layer Four -- DSP cut at 2 3/16 x 4"
5. Layer Five -- Night of Navy Cardstock cut at 2.5 x 2.75"
6. Layer Six -- Whisper White cut at 2.25 x 5.5 -- embellish with butterflies
7. Inside of Card -- Whisper White cut at 4 x 5.25", Night of Navy cut at 4 x 1.25", DSP cut at 1 x 4"

That's it for tonight! I hope you have a great weekend and set some time aside for stamping! When you get  a few moments, check out the other Design Team projects on Stamping 411 for even more inspiration! You'll be glad you did!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you visit again soon!