New Location!

I have a new location where I will be posting the cards and projects I create. I wanted to let you all know that I have started to blog about my card creations on my personal Stampin'Up website. I have decided to start blogging there because they offer a very cool feature now. The new feature is something that is quite handy. Every time I add a new post it gets announced both on Twitter and Facebook. I think that is just great!

So, if you love checking out what I'm making new you'll now have to go to Precious Designs


See you at my Stampin'Up website.

Weekend Creations

This weekend I had plenty of time to myself to stamp and create several 3 x 3 cards.
Since I spent last weekend re-organizing the new ink pads and card stock, this weekend I had time to make these cards. I purposely used new colour combination but with a few of my favorite discontinued stamp sets. These were so fun to make.

Inspired by re-organizating

Last Friday I received my updated kit with the new colours. I spent a good portion of last Saturday re-organizing my card stock and ink pads. I've set aside the discontinued card stock and ink pads which was sad but I have to admit I became very excited when I was done re-organizing. I couldn't wait to try out new combinations of colours with a few of the new stamp sets I had also just received. I love the new level one hostess set "Because I Care". I will post a card made with this set soon. I'm excited about using some new colours like Daffodil Delight and Pretty in Pink together and I know one of my new favorite colour combination will be Early Espresso and Whisper White because the two together look so sharp together. I'm looking forward to getting started.

I also wanted to share something new from the 2010/11 Idea Book & Catalogue. SU has re-designed the hostess rewards chart. The look is different but the rewards are just as good. If you want to try new colour combinations with the new colour additions to the colour families and earn wonderful hostess rewards contact me to set up your workshop.

A Piece of Jewelry...

This is a combo of old, new and returning colours/products. With this soft, lovely looking card I wanted to have lots of layers of texture but keeping it simple and I had to have a Dazzling Diamond presence that can stand out like a nice piece of Jewelry.

I don't think I need to describe too much with this card since the layout is very simple. The Big Shot is definitely on stage here. I used three different Big Shot elements to create this card. I dotted the polka dot butterfly with the 2-Way Glue Pen after I had adhered it to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I find the butterfly is too small to hold while trying to put Dazzling Diamond on it. I seem to get more on my fingers than on the butterfly. I sponged the Whisper White Textured oval with Soft Sky. The greeting is then popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. I also used a Corduroy Baja Breeze button. The hue of the button is just slightly darker than the Soft Sky card stock so it stands out just a little more to give a stronger colour presence.

The cute Rose Red butterfly reminds me of a stunning broach that defines an outfit. This little polka dot butterfly definitely stands out as the Bling Bling on the card and that's the effect I wanted.

Supply List

Feature Products: Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die; Original Dies Ovals; Texturz Plates Backgrounds 1; and Well Scripted stamp set

Card Stock: Soft Sky; Early Espresso; Whisper White Smooth; Whisper White textured and Rose Red

Inks: Early Espresso and Soft Sky

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds; Stamping Sponges; SU Ribbons Originals Fairy Tale; Corduroy Baja Breeze; 2-Way Glue Pen and Stampin' Dimensionals

Need a Bling Fix?

Here is a bright fun and sparkling card I came up with using one of my favorite Embosslits Dies, Beautiful Wings. The sparkles remind me of morning dew on wild grass. I used the stamp set Inspired by Nature. Using the grass, I stamped Wild Wasabi first then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to re-position the grass and stamped with River Rock, the close up image below shows the two colours.

To enhance the beautiful tiny butterflies I painted them with Crystal Effects which also served to help hold the shape of the butterflies once I folded them in half. To adhere the tiny butterflies I used SU's Mini Glue Dots. The SU's Mini Glue Dots also give some flexibility as to the way I wanted the wings to sit on the card. I popped up the wording on Stampin' Dimensionals.

By the way, when creating this card you must love using Dazzling Diamonds because not only will you be adding bling to this card but you'll also leave your work area sparkling like morning dew.

The Supplies

Feature products: Inspired by Nature stamp set and Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die

Card Stock: Whisper White; Wild Wasabi; Melon Mambo; Daffodil Delight; and Almost Amethyst [ sorry but couldn't help using Almost Amethyst:) ]

Inks: Wild Wasabi; River Rock; and Basic Black

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds; Crystal Effects, SU Mini Glue Dots; Stampin' Dimensionals; Stamp-a-ma-jig, 2-Way Glue Pen

New Colour Combinations

I have to be honest. I was very sad to see such a change in the colour palette of SU but excited at the same time of new colour combination possibilities. So, with that being said check out the three new cards I created with the "New Colour Collections".

Surfing Dude!

So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip

Stamp set: Extreme Surfboard

Used brayer on gloss white to create a sunset backdrop against the water. Roughed up the edges of Chocolate Chip and Baja Breeze.

Accessories: Chocolate Chip corduroy button, 1" circle punch (So Saffron faux suede technique), and hemp twine (roughed up)

Happy Mom Day!

Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White and Chocolate Chip

Stamp set: Messages for Mom

Accessories: 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon,

Filigree, Rhinestone Brad Clear, Blender Pen and Dazzling Diamonds

A Spring Happy Birthday!

Melon Mamba, Regal Rose, Old Olive and Whisper White

Stamp set: Eastern Bloom and A Little Birthday Cheer

Accessories: Simple Flower Embosslits, Markers, 1/16" handheld circle punch, 5/8" Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad Clear and Stampin Dimenstionals (under flower).
(This card will be one of the three we create at the April 25th Stamp & Stock class.)

Make these cards definitely helped me over come the shock of the colour changes. So, get out the colours you already have that are in the New Colour Collection and create a card or scrapbook page. Trust me it is very therapeutic.

Late Night Stamper

It is late and I can be a late night stamper. This is the time of night I get my best ideas and I just have to make the card. Can't help it.

I used two of my favorite background stamps, the Medallion and En Francais. I also cut the Medallion out again. Using So Saffron all over En Francais and then lightly sponging Old Olive in various spots. I direct sponge the Whisper White with So Saffron as well to add some depth to the piece before I stamped En Francais. I then used Itty Bitty Backgrounds with Elegant Eggplant to add some speckle to give it more depth. I stamped the Itty Bitty Background off so that the Elegant Eggplant was not to strong.

I added Dazzling Diamond to give it some sparkle. Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon. The Filigree Designer Brad with Clear Rhinestone Brad. The words at the bottom left is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

I attached the Elegant Eggplant flat against the card base but I place Stampin' Dimensionals behind the Medallion to give it a little lift and distinction between the En Francais background.

It's now very late and makes me officially part of a Late Night Stampers group. Hope you are inspired by this card whether it be late at night or any other time of the day.

Matchboxes

Here are two cute matchbox boxes I made this weekend to prepare for next weekends Stamp Class I'm holding (Sunday, Feb. 28th). I'll be teaching this box next week. I love the Sending Love Specialty DSP we'll definitely be using it.

You can really fill these boxes with anything you want and just for fun I thought I would fill the Just For You box with matching magnet bookmarks. They look so cute.

Interested in taking this class next Sunday just give me a call or email me.

Talking Wedding Card

Here is one of the cards I worked on this afternoon. It was a lovely sunny day and I was inspired to make this card. I had a request for a wedding card and my friend favours purple. I had another stamping buddy come over today to catch up on life and stamp a few cards. One of the stamps she brought was the Medallion Background stamp (SU pg. 133 #115223). It is such a lovely card and as soon as I put Orchid Opulence and Elegant Eggplant together I got inspired.

I sponged the two purple inks onto the Medallion. I also used So Saffron to add a touch of gold to the card. I embossed the word "Love" from Wonderful Words in white. (Yes, this set is discontinued but I know this is a classic set that many other SU stampers might have.)

I cut out the Medallion and added Dazzling Diamonds in around the pattern and around the pearl. The lovely swirls coming from out behind the propped up Medallion on Dimensionals is Baroque Motifs stamped in So Saffron. I lightly sponged Orchid Opulence over the swirls to give it some softness (hard to see in the picture).

I impressed the Orchid Opulence card stock with the Texturz Background 1 first and then embossed.

For wedding cards I like to make an 8.5" x 5.5" because I think they need to be substantial. Plus I still a half of pack of the Extra Large envelopes SU used to sell. I wish they would bring them back.

(Thanks Jenna for bringing this stamp!)

Vancouver Now - These are not the worst Games ever - Bruce Arthur

Vancouver Now - These are not the worst Games ever - Bruce Arthur

Ribbon Medallion Card

I hate throwing away any piece of paper and well, it has extended to keeping ribbon pieces too. So, this weekend I was determined to use up some of my scrap ribbon and this is what I created. A ribbon medallion with Chocolate Chip, Whisper White and Pretty in Pink SU Taffeta Ribbon.

February Stamp Club Cards

Above are the cards my Stamp Club members made this month, February. We used several different punches and the Big Shot. The Valentine's marshmellow chocolate box was a wonderful project I learned to make and had to share with my Stamp Club members who also adored it.

Below is a close up of my favorite card. It's a very girly birthday card. I Love the Pretty in Pink Corduroy button and the Sending Love Specialty DSP, really who couldn't love this sparkly paper.

I used Chocolate Chip behind the Sending Love Specialty DSP. For the first time I used the clear mount block with the SAB set Vintage Labels. Love this new product as well. I have the Block D which is much bigger but I found it was a good weight for the stamps. I placed the Top Note on Dimensionals and since I didn't want to waste the beautiful Sending Love Specialty DSP cutout I used it as a border.