Color Smash Masculine Card

I sat down and played a little with two techniques from last week, COLOR SMASH and COLOR RESIST.  I went with a masculine look and a simple design.



I must confess, the card I originally envisioned turned out terrible!  It happens all the time, a vision doesn't quite work in reality.  Well, that happened with this card!  I had planned on adding a butterfly over this background, but it was too busy and didn't look quite right.  So, I improvised and added a simple sentiment turning this into a fantastic masculine card!



The background has leaves embossed from Butterfly Basics then color added with the COLOR SMASH technique.  I only used two colors for the color smash, Mint Macaron and Wild Wasabi.  I added in a bolder sentiment in Mossy Meadow so it would stand out from the background.



Of course I had to add a leaf to the envelope, I love to coordinate!  I also added a nice sentiment inside with the hostess set Happy Birthday Everyone but forgot to take a pic...oops!  Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this masculine version and give these techniques a try!



Also, today the NEW MINI SESSION from Create with Connie and Mary is available and I am so excited!  For only $8.95 you get 5 step by step tutorials, 3 card sets and two 3D items!  We even have a sneak peek snippet for you and the sets featured.  For all the details visit Create with Connie and Mary....I hope you'll join us!

CLICK HERE to SHOP anytime and earn FREE STAMPS!

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Alphabet Soup

Welcome to another Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Bog Hop!!  We've got a super fun theme for you today, ALPHABET SOUP!!



You should be arriving from Mary Brown’s amazing blog Stamper Camper’s Corner, wasn’t her card wonderful!!  If you are just starting out here, welcome and enjoy the ride!  Be sure to stop at each blog to check out all of the cool cards we have for you today.

For ALPHABET SOUP, we got to choose an alphabet set or Hello You thinlets to feature.  I LOVE the thinlets, so I used them in a different way than usual.



First off, did you catch the butterfly in the background that I made with fun foam??  I think this is such a cool way to get the most from my die cuts.  But what I really want to know is if you saw what's different about the Hello You Thinlets!



I layered TWO die cuts to create a cool shadowing effect.   Early Espresso on the bottom then gold on top slightly off center.  It really makes the word POP!



I wanted a little bit of color against the Tip Top Taupe, so small Calypso Coral flowers were placed in the center of each stamped butterfly.  I used the Tree Builder punch for the sweet little flower and added a tiny pearl to the center.



I had so much fun making this card, I hope you enjoyed it too!  Now it’s time for the next stop, Debbie Henderson’s gorgeous blog Debbie’s Design’s to see her amazing card for today.  Don’t forget to continue through all of the blogs, you won’t want to miss a thing!

Thanks for hanging out with us again!  See you next time!

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Envelope Paper Mini Treat Bag

One thing I really love to do is find new ways to use a product.  We all want to get the most for our money and using an item for multiple purposes helps us do that.  My stamping friend Cindee Wilkinson used the new Envelope Paper with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlet and I just loved the idea!  She found another way to use the envelope paper and the treat bag, how cool!  I sat down and did a version of my own that I think you'll enjoy.



Isn't this fun and happy!  I went with the wood grain pattern in Tip Top Taupe and added a pop of color with a flower made with the new Cotton Paper.



Lisa Rhine, another great stamping friend, was my inspiration for the cotton flower.  It was super easy to make, maybe I should do a quick video to share....what do you think??



I also added in a sentiment with Hello You Thinlets, so there is NO stamping on this bag....just die cuts!  Sometimes it's fun to just sit and create with no stamps involved.  I really don't know how I ever lived without the Big Shot, I use it for just about everything I make!



Don't forget that the Mini Treat Bag Thinlet is on sale through Monday, be sure to take advantage of the great price!

See you tomorrow for the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge!!

CLICK HERE to SHOP anytime and earn FREE STAMPS!

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Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop: Fun Backgrounds!

Welcome to another Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Bog Hop!! All during May we are featuring different techniques and this week is all about fun backgrounds with decorative masks and embossing folders.

You should be arriving from Mary Brown's amazing blog Stamper Camper's Corner, wasn't her card wonderful??!!  If you are just starting out here, welcome and enjoy the ride!  Be sure to stop at all the blogs to check out all of the cool cards we have for you today.

I love using decorative masks and embossing folders on my cards.  They give you so many options and are super affordable..... you can't go wrong!   How about two unique ways to use these great products??

Let's jump right in and take a closer look at the first card featuring the Happy Heart embossing folder.

Did you know that you can do more than just add texture with these little gems??  You can add INK too!  Just tap your ink pad lightly over the embossing folder on the RAISED side then tuck your paper inside and press down gently.  I love this not-so-perfect look, it adds a lot of character to your cards!

The rest of the card pretty simple.  I partially stamped a sentiment from Lovely Amazing you on a Melon Mambo heart.  To finish the sentiment, the word "you" in silver foil paper is stapled underneath.  A couple of fun extras - doily, silver ribbon and banners - and my card is done!

Ok...on to the next look using the Hearts decorative mask.

Instead of sponging on color, I drew in the hearts with my Stampin' Write marker.  Just use the fine point to trace in the heart then draw quick lines diagonally.  I didn't pay too much attention the the lines, it has a fun doodled look when they aren't perfect.

Like the first card, I kept the embellishments simple.  A bit of doily, silver ribbon, a silver foil heart and a strip of Melon Mambo hearts are tucked behind the sentiment.

Now, lets hop on over to Debbie Henderson's beautiful blog Debbie's Designs to see what fabulous idea she's come up with for us!!

By the time you've traveled through I think you'll be ready to pull out your embossing folders and decorative masks and try out these great techniques!  Thanks for hanging out with us again this week!  See you next time!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop: Fun Backgrounds!

Welcome to another Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Bog Hop!! All during May we are featuring different techniques and this week is all about fun backgrounds with decorative masks and embossing folders.

You should be arriving from Mary Brown's amazing blog Stamper Camper's Corner, wasn't her card wonderful??!!  If you are just starting out here, welcome and enjoy the ride!  Be sure to stop at all the blogs to check out all of the cool cards we have for you today.

I love using decorative masks and embossing folders on my cards.  They give you so many options and are super affordable..... you can't go wrong!   How about two unique ways to use these great products??

Let's jump right in and take a closer look at the first card featuring the Happy Heart embossing folder.

Did you know that you can do more than just add texture with these little gems??  You can add INK too!  Just tap your ink pad lightly over the embossing folder on the RAISED side then tuck your paper inside and press down gently.  I love this not-so-perfect look, it adds a lot of character to your cards!

The rest of the card pretty simple.  I partially stamped a sentiment from Lovely Amazing you on a Melon Mambo heart.  To finish the sentiment, the word "you" in silver foil paper is stapled underneath.  A couple of fun extras - doily, silver ribbon and banners - and my card is done!

Ok...on to the next look using the Hearts decorative mask.

Instead of sponging on color, I drew in the hearts with my Stampin' Write marker.  Just use the fine point to trace in the heart then draw quick lines diagonally.  I didn't pay too much attention the the lines, it has a fun doodled look when they aren't perfect.

Like the first card, I kept the embellishments simple.  A bit of doily, silver ribbon, a silver foil heart and a strip of Melon Mambo hearts are tucked behind the sentiment.

Now, lets hop on over to Debbie Henderson's beautiful blog Debbie's Designs to see what fabulous idea she's come up with for us!!

By the time you've traveled through I think you'll be ready to pull out your embossing folders and decorative masks and try out these great techniques!  Thanks for hanging out with us again this week!  See you next time!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop: Punch Art

Welcome to another Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Bog Hop!! All during May we are featuring different techniques and this week's is PUNCH ART!

You should be arriving from Mary Brown's amazing blog Stamper Camper's Corner, wasn't her card wonderful??!!  If you are just starting out here, welcome and enjoy the ride!  Be sure to stop at all the blogs to check out the cool cards we have for you today.

I love punch art but don't find myself using it much in my cards.  So when I sat down to work on today's card I had to ponder it a bit!  I hope you will enjoy what I came up with featuring my favorite Berry Basket die and a heart punch!

Strawberries are a favorite of mine and I was so hungry by time I finished this card!  Aren't the heart strawberries sweet?!  I think adding embossing with the Decorative Dots folder really made them convincing!

With the strawberries being so bold, I felt like a bold greeting was necessary to balance things out.  So, in comes the awesome Hello You thinlets to the rescue!!  I can't say enough great things about these dies.  If you are intimidated at all about getting these thinking they are hard to work with...DON'T!!  Just be sure to use the dryer sheet technique and the die cut pops out easy peasy!

And of course a gorgeous card like this deserves a fun envelope, so I added a strawberry to it as well!

Now, lets hop on over to Debbie Henderson's beautiful blog Debbie's Designs to see what fabulous idea she's come up with for us!!

By the time you've traveled through I think you'll be ready to give a little punch art a try next time you stamp!  Thanks for hanging out with us again this week!  See you next time!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Blog Hop: Punch Art

Welcome to another Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Bog Hop!! All during May we are featuring different techniques and this week's is PUNCH ART!

You should be arriving from Mary Brown's amazing blog Stamper Camper's Corner, wasn't her card wonderful??!!  If you are just starting out here, welcome and enjoy the ride!  Be sure to stop at all the blogs to check out the cool cards we have for you today.

I love punch art but don't find myself using it much in my cards.  So when I sat down to work on today's card I had to ponder it a bit!  I hope you will enjoy what I came up with featuring my favorite Berry Basket die and a heart punch!

Strawberries are a favorite of mine and I was so hungry by time I finished this card!  Aren't the heart strawberries sweet?!  I think adding embossing with the Decorative Dots folder really made them convincing!

With the strawberries being so bold, I felt like a bold greeting was necessary to balance things out.  So, in comes the awesome Hello You thinlets to the rescue!!  I can't say enough great things about these dies.  If you are intimidated at all about getting these thinking they are hard to work with...DON'T!!  Just be sure to use the dryer sheet technique and the die cut pops out easy peasy!

And of course a gorgeous card like this deserves a fun envelope, so I added a strawberry to it as well!

Now, lets hop on over to Debbie Henderson's beautiful blog Debbie's Designs to see what fabulous idea she's come up with for us!!

By the time you've traveled through I think you'll be ready to give a little punch art a try next time you stamp!  Thanks for hanging out with us again this week!  See you next time!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin