Stamp to the MAX New Catalog Blog Hop

Hello Stampers and welcome to the Stamp to the MAX New Catalog Blog Hop. If you are following along, you probably arrived here from Sharon Loring's blog. If not, the blogs are listed below along with each blogger's address.

I have created two colorful notecards for you today. When I say "notecards" I mean that I did not include a sentiment on the front of the cards so I can use these anytime to drop a line to a friend. Both cards feature heat embossing techniques and, of course, new stamp sets from the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog.

The first card features the Pleasant Poppies background stamp embossed on Whisper White cardstock using Tangerine Tango embossing powder. This is the first background stamp that is available in clear mount (to the best of my recollection). The card base is Baja Breeze cardstock layered with Tangerine Tango cardstock and a scalloped Baja Breeze border trimmed with Adorning Accents Edgelits and texturized with Adorning Accents Folders. A fun strip of Floral District DSP gives this card a bit more color while a slip of Pool Party Seam Binding finishes it nicely.

The next card features the butterfly from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set stamped in Summer Starfruit on Whisper White cardstock and then embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder to give it lots of sparkle. Each butterfly is embellished with a cute little 5-cent postage stamp which I made using the new Lovely Little Labels stamp set and coordinating Little Labels Punch Pack.

You will see that I did a new fun fold on this Marina Mist card by using the coordinating Large Scallop Edgelit and Delicate Designs Folders. The cool thing about the edgelits is that you can trim two pieces of cardstock at one time. This makes it easy to trim both the front and back of the card so they match up perfectly. No more guessing :)

To stabilize the card somewhat, I attached it to a 4-1/4 inch x 5-1/2 inch piece of Midnight Muse cardstock. Lastly, I would like to mention the Summer Starfruit Stitched Satin Ribbon adorning this sparkly treat. The Stitched Satin Ribbon is available in all five 2012-2014 In Color choices.

I hope you enjoyed my card creations. The next stop on the blog hop is Elizabeth Harris. Thank you for stopping by and happy stampin'!    

Martha Haddock - www.stampinmartha.blogspot.com

Kim Stewart - Kimberskrafts.blogspot.com

Sharon Loring - www.stampinginthewind.com

Edie Bunting - www.ediestamps.blogspot.com

Elizabeth Harris - www.elizabethloves2stamp.com

Stamp to the MAX Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog and stop #7 on the Stamp to the MAX Blog Hop. We are celebrating the release of the new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog. You may have arrived here from Christina Mansker's blog. If you did, this is the last stop for our blog hop. If not, the blog list is below for your reference.

I made for you today two cards featuring the Bright Blossoms stamp set. I love this set because you can mix and max the images to make different flowers. The first card is a cute birthday card which features the Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper, the Elegant Lines embossing folder and Petite Pairs sentiment stamp set. I embossed the first layer of the Crumb Cake cardstock using the Big Shot and the Elegant Lines embossing folder. It is so easy to add texture and interest to your background by adding a little dry embossing to your design. The new catalog has quite a selection of folders! Check them out on pp. 188-189. 

The next card is a note card Bright Blossoms again, as well as the Curly Cute sentiment set. Curly Cute is a carry over from last year and is my favorite sentiment set. It seems to go with everything and the swirly font is fun. I used the 1" square punch to punch out the flower images and then layered them on cardstock punched with the postage stamp punch. Putting this card together is easier than it looks. Just start at the top center to aline the top row of flowers and then just follow beneath once the top row is to your liking.

I can see that the Bright Blossoms stamp set will be one of my go to sets this year since it is cute and fun to mix the images.

Thank you for stopping by and celebrating the new Stampin' Up! Catalog with the Stamp to the MAX team!


#1 Maxine Conrad - http://www.stamptothemax.com
#2 Martha Haddock - http://www.stampinmartha.blogspot.com
#3 Kim Stewart - http://www.kimberskrafts.blogspot.com
#4 Stephanie Bradley - http://www.stamplikeyoumeanit.blogspot.com
#5 Elizabeth Harris - http://www.elizabethloves2stamp.com/
#6 Christina Mansker - http://www.crazystampmom.blogspot.com
#7 Edie Bunting - http://www.ediestamps.blogspot.com

You're Invited!

You're invited to Lake Effect Stampers Summer Stamp Camp at the Zukor Club in Erie, Pennsylvania on Sunday, June 13, from 1:00 pm -5:00 pm. If you're not far from Erie and you're ready for a road-trip, please join us. We are planning a busy day of stamping fun, food & friendship. :)


You will make 12 unique greeting cards and envelopes, as well as the Tropical Party gift bag and note card pictured here. Pizza, snacks & door prizes are all included. There will be six Stampin' Up! demonstrators on hand to help with your projects, so all levels of stampers will enjoy this stamp camp.

Space is limited. Contact me today to RSVP (edie.bunting@yahoo.com). Your reservation is confirmed with receipt of your pre-payment of the Summer Stamp Camp fee of $35.

Hope to see you there! Happy Stampin' and thank you for visiting.

Daisies #2 Bookmark Card

This card is a CASE (Copy And Share Everything) of an original design by Mary Fish which you can see here. I love Mary's card with its multiple layers of flower petals and decorative center. The In Color Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon is a fun accent. Mary finishes the look with a lovely lined envelope.

I'd been wanting to make a Bookmark Card which I found under the Resources section of SCS. I thought Mary's design would be perfect for the cardfront.

As you can see, I made my Bookmark Cards in a variety of colors: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Pacific Point - all accented with Basic Black & Whisper White. I added a layer of matching Prints Designer Series Paper to the cardfronts and two Basic Black leaves for more drama.

The card is a tri-fold. The right fold is scored using the Perforating Tool of the Cutter Kit so you can just rip and tear away the bookmark portion of the card! It is a perfect "gift" in a card.

Bermuda Bay Daisies #2 Bookmark Card closed.

I decorated the bookmark and inside the card to compliment the design of the cardfront. I used the Big Shot and the Stampin' Up! Birds & Blooms Sizzlits 4-Pack to make the flowers. I used the Crop-A-Dile to set a Jumbo Eyelet at the top of the bookmark and tied ribbons through the Jumbo Eyelet leaving a generous portion of ribbon

tied at the top.

Bookmark Card open.

Happy Stampin'!

Card Shares

I received many beautiful cards when I was ill earlier this year. I can't thank you all enough for sending cards, prayers and words of encouragement. It really was wonderful to see cards in the mail every day. I am feeling better each day and hope to return to work soon. I miss my office family very much. In the meantime, I would like to share pics of a few of the cards I received.

This card is from my good friend Jennifer Bell. The Top Note is not only a beautiful quilt pattern, but Jen also embossed it using the Big Shot for extra texture. I love the colors of the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper.

The next card is from Johanna & Whitney Frost and features the SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, both available in the Occasions Mini Catalog through April 30. I love the ribbon through the heart and the double-scallop border. The colors are bright and cheerful. Just what the doctor ordered.

This next beauty came to me all the way from Australia from one of my UDI sisters, Alisa Tilsner. Alisa is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator down under. Check out her blog here. For this card, Alisa stamped the flowers from the Embrace Life stamp set with Staz-On ink on watercolor paper and then inked colored with a lovely combo of Rose Red and Real Red.

I will try to post more RAK's tomorrow. Happy Stampin'!

Friends 24-7

I would like to share with you two thank you cards I designed using the Friends 24-7 stamp set (113218). Both cards feature Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper accented with Not Quite Navy and Whisper White cardstocks, Not Quite Navy brads from the Earth Elements brad collection and Whisper White Satin Ribbon.

The focal images of both cards use the collage stamping technique which is simply layering a variety of stamped images. Rule of thumb, no matter the technique, is to stamp images using the lightest colors first and progress to darker colors. For the cards here, I first stamped the filigree image from the Friends 24-7 stamp set in Sahara Sand ink on Whisper White cardstock. I then inked the bird and tree limb image using Sahara Sand and Not Quite Navy Stampin' Write markers direct-to-rubber. Use the brush end of the marker when applying ink direct-to-rubber.

The scallop square die cut is four inches square and it is cut from Not Quite Navy cardstock using the Big Shot and the Stampin' Up! Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die (115950). This is an exclusive Stampin' Up die which you can order on-line on my Stampin' Up site. The Friends tag is stamped using the Tiny Tags stamp set available in the Occasions Mini catalog and only through April 30. Don't think I hand trim those cute little tags. I use the Medium Jewelry Tag Punch (117190) which is also in the Occasions Mini catalog.

The second card measures 3" x 6" and fits in Stampin' Up's small Open-End Envelopes. The focal image is stamped using the collage method as on the previous card. I first laid down a layer of Shara Sand filigree images and then stamped the sprig of flowers in Not Quite Navy over top. The Thanks (so much) sentiment on this card also is from the Tiny Tags set. I used circle punches to make the tag and popped it up using Stampin' Dimensional.

Thank you for visiting and Happy Stampin'!

More Sweet Pea Stitched Felt

As promised (although a few days later than intended), I am sharing two different takes on my card from the previous post using the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt and Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack from the Occasions Mini. The card recipe details are the same but the sentiments are different. "Hi There" is from Fundamental Phrases and "Thank You" is from Thank You Kindly.

Don't forget that these products and other products in the Occasions Mini catalog are available only through April 30. Shop on-line now!

P.S. Be sure to pick up your Stampin' Up! exclusive Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder when you place your next order too.

Thank you for stopping by and Happy Stampin'!