Love of Chocolate & Friends

I needed a little friendship appreciation card for someone who is always helpful, kind, and makes my life easier whenever she can!  I always have it in the back of my mind to use old stuff in my stash whenever I can probably because of the Splitcoaststampers' Use It Challenge, which requires just that...bring out the dusty old stuff and use it!   Read on to find out why that's just what I did for this card.

My friend and I have a love of chocolate, plus we are both involved in Stampin' Up products and cardmaking.  Thinking about chocolate, brought to mind a stamp set from way back when...2011 as it turns out!  Pulling out these old stamps led to using other old and retired items as well!  Take a peek below at the inside and outside of the finished already mailed and on its way!

Ingredients:  SU Cardstock--Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip & Pretty in Pink (retired).  Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede (ink distress).  Retired SU products: Stamps--Eat Chocolate (2011 Occ.-retired); Decorative Label punch; Polka Dots Embossing Folder; 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (stash).  Zutter Corner Rounder punch.  Size: 3" x 6" Mini Slimline.

Hugs for a Friend!

One of my good friends is always so good about making sure she touches base, lends an ear, and brings cheer when I need a little "pick-me up."  She did just that when my brother had his heart attach while I was away visiting my Mom.  I wanted her to know how much I appreciated her and her thoughtful ways, so I made her a little friendship hugs card.

The original design for this card was from Darla Watson's October Stampin' Up card kit.  I loved the basic color design, the country-style flowers in a can stamp, and the puff paint, but I wanted larger, with more layers and colors, plus some personal touches to make the card fit my occasion and reflect more of my style and design.  I added an Early Espresso cardbase with a Crushed Curry mat layers beneath the original Granny Apple Green cardbase/ front, creating a three layer base rather than one and add more bright colors as well.  I corner punched the curry and green with two different styles of corner punch designs.  I cut down the size of the flower can white background to eliminate some white space and allow for a sentiment to be added, and  I rounded and design punched the corners to add interest.  I incorporated the puff paint idea from the original card, and I colored my flowers and the can to incorporate the bright colors of the added cardstock layers, plus shadow-colored the blooms with a  pale yellow-green. 

 

The original card did not have a sentiment, but I added an Early Espresso, rectangle mat-layer beneath my water can with my "hugs & kisses" sentiment...just the right message for my friend.

Prior to starting my card and design changes, I have reviewed some Splitcoaststamper challenges to see where this card might fit.  I will be posting later to my Splitcoaststamper gallery and to challenges.  Take a peek below at my finished inside and outside design.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks--Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Granny Apple Green, Whisper White.  Stamps--Country Home, Good Greetings (sentiment- Oct. 2014).  Ink--Soft Suede.  Punch--Curvy Corners (retired).  Snowfall Accents Puff Paint (2019 Holiday).   Other:  WRMK--Deco Corner punch.  Zutter Corner Rounder punch.  Copic Markers.  Colorbox Ink--Chestnut Roan Edge Distressing.  Inside--Douglas Pagels verse.  Size--4-3/4 x 6 inches.

Thank You for a Great Training!

Several of my cardmaking buddies and I went over to Liz Thayer's for a Stampin' Up training using the new Blendabilities alcohol markers.  Liz had just returned from convention all revved up and ready to spread the word!  Not only did we learn lots, but we got to use all the colors as we desired from Liz's personal stash in addition to the set of our own provided with the cost of the class.  But, the goodies didn't stop there, we had a delicious potluck dinner and dessert with the main course provided by Liz.  And still more wonderfulness...let me go on.  It was such a fun-filled evening with great laughter and joking around, so much so that I'm surprised we got anything done or learned anything, but fortunately, this wasn't true...we did learn three different techniques in how to apply colors and blending.  To top it all off, we got to make two card using Blendability coloring, and one was a sneak-peek at an ornament in the new Holiday catalog.  We were all stoked and came away with new-found knowledge and skills to put to work in our own cardmaking. 

It was such a delightful time that I got busy and completed a thank you card kit designed by my sister and first cardmaking mentor, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) to send to Liz letting her know how much I appreciate her technical expertise, but also how much I enjoy learning from her because she is such a fun person to be around and laughter is never at a minimum!  I colored my little sunflowers with Blendabilities.  I tweaked the card just a bit by adding an Early Espresso card base instead of leaving just one cream layer, and I made my green sentiment back layer peaking out  twice as large to add more color.  I also I hope Liz enjoys her little flower card shown below.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up: Early Espresso cardbase, Very Vanilla, Mossy Meadow.  Patterns: unknown/ provided in kit.  Papertrey stamps: All About You Additions.  Papertrey dies: Photo Finish Strips, Tiny Tags.  Stampin' Up Ink: Early Espresso, Stampin' Up Blendabilities: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Skin Tone Asst.  5/8" Offray Satin ribbon.  SU: Linen Thread, Neutrals Button.  Stash: Copper Glitter.