Flourish

All supplies SU unless noted: A Beautiful Thing and Thank You Kindly stamp sets, cardstock in basic gray, baja breeze, kiwi kiss and very vanilla, ink in so saffron and close to cocoa, photo corners punch, flourish texturz plate, sizzlits birds and blooms die set (for the leaves), ribbon in very vanilla, stampin’ dimensionals

Hello Tuesday!

I think that Tuesday is automatically better than Monday because you've already gotten used to being a little dazed on Monday after all the fun that you've had on the weekend. Therefore, by the time Tuesday comes around you're ready and rearing to go.

I have a mini-tutorial below on how to use Stampin' Up!'s Texturz plates with the Big Shot. It's pretty nifty how you can turn a normal piece of cardstock into something that gives your card a bit of oomph all with a turn of a crank!

Place your cursor on the pictures in the slideshow below in order to see the instructions for that step.

Enjoy!

Bella Toile

All supplies SU unless noted: bella toile background stamp, thank you kindly stamp set, cardstock in kraft, chocolate chip and very vanilla, bella rose designer series paper, ink in chocolate chip and red riding hood, scallop edge punch, stampin’ dimensionals

It's interesting how different people can perceive beauty differently. However, I do think that we are trained to see beauty in things that seem to be harmonious with one another.

One thing that I like about Stampin' Up! products is that paper, ink, and stamps coordinate. For example, the small strip of Bella Rose designer paper coordinates pretty well with the look and feel of the Bella Toile background stamp. Given that both of them are given the adjective of "bella" it was a snap to connect the dots.

With this card it was my first time using a background stamp. You ink up this huge stamp, put it down on the paper and BAM! instant sophistication and beauty. The stamp turned a plain piece of kraft paper into something truly beautiful. You can make out every detail of the design.

I reinked a small portion of the background stamp in red riding hood in order to stamp the small blossom as an accent. The background is so huge you could potentially pick and choose what design you wanted to stand out depending on how big your paper area is.

K.I.S.S.

All supplies SU unless noted: short & sweet stamp set, textured card stock in baja breeze, cardstock in basic gray and whisper white, walk in the park designer series paper, ink in basic gray, small oval punch, scallop oval punch, stampin’ dimensionals

K.I.S.S has come to be known as a mnemonic device for "Keep it simple, stupid" or "Keep it short and sweet".

When it comes to making cards K.I.S.S. can also be used to remember to "Keep it simple and sensible". With busy schedules and long to-do lists sometimes making time to stamp is difficult. However, whenever I do sit down to make something I like to keep it simple and let the paper speak for itself. If I were to add anything else it would just seem like a detraction from what's already great on its own.

Simplicity aids to higher productivity as well as increasing the enjoyment of being able to create something with little stress involved. :) With beautiful paper this card was quick and easy to make.

Think Pink

All supplies SU unless noted: short & sweet stamp set, textured card stock in pink pirouette, cardstock in pink pirouette and whisper white, walk in the park designer series paper, ink in basic gray, taffeta ribbon in pretty in pink, small oval punch, scallop oval punch, stampin’ dimensionals

This card reminds me of the movie "Funny Face" starring Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, and Kay Thompson. Kay Thompson plays a fashion magazine editor who becomes suddenly inspired to "Think Pink" for the upcoming fashion season. After having sung an entire song about the virtues of Pink , she's asked why her gray-clad-self isn't wearing pink and she retorts, "I wouldn't be caught dead!"

So this card is dedicated to "Maggie Prescott", a mix of pink and gray

Thanks So Much

All supplies SU unless noted: Trendy Trees set, card stock in kiwi kiss, pink pirouette, baja breeze, ink in kiwi kiss, baja breeze, close to cocoa, rose red, double stitched ribbon in rose red, stampin’ dimensionals

Today I am thankful for the internet, we've been disconnected from the internet at work this week and it has caused me to truly appreciate it. I've realized that I use the internet to look up definitions of words, historical events, current weather conditions, recipes for dinner, current news, send e-mail, look up phone numbers and much more. To me, the internet is my passage into another world. You can read other people's blogs and learn what they're interests are, and you're even allowed to comment! In real life I probably would have been too shy to openly comment, but with the internet I've been complete freedom from inhibition.

What aspect of the internet are you thankful for?

Thank You For Your Friendship

All supplies Stampin' Up! unless noted: Upsy Daisy and Frames with a Flourish stamp set, card stock in kraft, baja breeze, chocolate chip, ribbon in chocolate chip, stampin’ dimensionals

This card reminds me how blessed I have been to have many wonderful friendships. By "wonderful" I also mean brutally honest. The friends who are brave enough to tell you that it is time for you to pluck your eyebrows, or let you know that your brown suede shoes do not go with black dress pants are the ones that are worth keeping around. These are friends who look out for your well being and to point out the error of your ways. Especially, the whole brown shoes-black pants faux pas.

Give Thanks

I love to give sets of thank you cards to people for their birthdays. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have all of the supplies already on hand. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that after a birthday you often have to write Thank You cards. :)

Thank you cards are definitely something that all people need at any given moment. My mom would always make us write notes to our relatives after Christmas to thank them for our Christmas gifts, and I never understood why it was so important. That is until I received my first handwritten thank you note from a friend who had just gotten married, and I got to feel that warm feeling of affirmation and appreciation. A thank you card is inexpensive, but yet so wonderful to receive.

(all supplies SU unless noted): Fifth Avenue Floral, Thank You Kindly stamp sets, card stock in baja breeze, kraft, and whisper white, ink in kiwi kiss, baja breeze, and basic gray, stampin’ dimensionals