The Open Sea

Hi Stampers,

Well now that May is nearly over, I feel like I'm getting caught up on things again - May is such a busy month at the Dickinson house, that's for sure.

I'm back to trying some challenges and so I've created this card for the Create with Connie & Mary Sketch Challenge for this week. I decided to use the new Summer Mini Stamp set called The Open Sea - the colors here I pulled from the Nautical Expressions DSP - Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, Basic Gray and Naturals White. I also used circle punches and the Circle Big Shot Die for the world, anchor and compass. Both the map background paper and striped paper are from the DSP and I used a piece of Basic Gray punched with the spiral punch for the accent under the stripes.

A perfect card for Father's Day or a masculine birthday card.

Enjoy the summer weather (at least here in Chicago - where it has gone from winter to summer in two days).

Keep Stamping,

Saying Thanks!

Hi Stampers,

Hope everyone is enjoying the Memorial Day weekend! I was reminded by a post from a friend of mine whose son is a Marine serving in Afghanist
an right now what we're really celebrating this weekend and that is to thank our brave servicemen and women around the world and especially those who have given their lives so we can live our lives in freedom (Thanks Dee for that reminder).

With that in mind, I created the card I'm sharing with you using one of my favorite techniques - Inlaid Embossing. The colors for this card are Night of Navy, Whisper White, Real Red and Silver Metallic. The card base is Silver and then I used the Big Shot Stars #2 die to cut out the stars in Red and White. Then I attached them to a piece of Night of Navy cardstock and used the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing folder and actually made it Inlaid Debossing by turning the single "So Many Thanks" stamp. I used another favorite technique for this stamp. I inked up the whole stamp in Night of Navy and then used a cotton swab to take the Navy ink off the parts of the stamp I wanted Real Red and then colored them with the Real Red marker. Such an easy way to get two colors on a stamp.

So Thanks to all those who are serving or have served our country in the military! Hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend!

Keep Stamping,

May Showers - Springtime Flowers

Hi Stampers,

Well here in Chicago, we've had lots of rain for our springtime flowers - too much rain in the last week or so. But the flowers and grass look good, that's for sure.

Today I thought I'd share a few flower cards with you - they are made with the new Fabulous Florets set from the Summer Mini Catalog. The first card was created by one of my talented downline Barbara and she brought it to a shoebox swap I was at last month and then it was one of the projects at my recent Spring Stamp a Stack Stamp Camp. It also uses the Flower Garden Embossing Folder for the Big Shot. The colors for this card are two of this year's In Colors - Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz as well as Whisper White. The leaf is stamped full strength in the center of the White and then stamped off on the sides. The flower is stamped on a separate piece of White and then cut out and attached with Dimensionals. The Poppy Parade piece is punched with the Scallop Border punch. The greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes is stamped in Poppy, punches out with the Word Window Punch and attached to a piece of Daffodil Delight punches with the Decorative Label punch. Very tiny pearls are attached to the sides of this piece.

Then I changed up the idea for this card for a challenge on the VC Rocks website and here is that card. I uses the same idea but in Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi & Pretty in Pink. The background on the Early Espresso card is Wild Wasabi DSP from the Subtles DSP stack and the ribbon is the 1/8" Taffeta ribbon in Early Espresso. The Thank You sentiment is from All Holidays.

Keep Stamping,

So proud of our graduate!

Hi Stampers,

Our oldest son graduated this weekend from college and so today I'm sharing the card I made for his graduation - that's twice in one week he's been featured since his birthday was last week.

I had to bring a few things out of retirement for this card. His college colors are Maroon and Gold so I used Bravo Burgundy and Summer Sun. I also used the Happy Graduation stamp from last year (although it is currently available as a My Digital Studio download). I used the Classic Stars Jumbo wheel for the background in Bravo Burgundy on Whisper White which I then used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. Then I punched out a double star also in Bravo Burgundy using the small and large Star Punches. I used the Big Shot Naturally Serif Die for the "11" (actually it's the small 'l' but it works for this).

We are really proud of him (and glad he's home)!

Happy 22nd!

Hi Stampers,

Well, seems like spring is not here after all, but winter is back - I don't know about you, but in Chicago I am sick of turning the heat back on - not to mention that last week when it was 85 degrees, I decided to put all the winter hats, gloves and coats away, only to need them Saturday when we went to my son's track meet.

Anyway, on to better news and that is that my oldest son's birthday is today so Happy 22nd Birthday Jordan! The card I'm sharing with you is the one I sent to him. I decided that one of the perks of making cards is to tailor them to the person you are sending them too and so the DSP I chose for this card reflects his interest in history (soon to be his Bachelor's Degree in History). The colors I used are Basic Black, Real Red and Very Vanilla. The DSP is from the Newsprint collection and I sponged Real Red around the outside. I attached that to the Basic Black and Real Red card base and then attached a ribbon of Real Red across the front. The HB is from the Engraved Greetings stamp set and I colored the stamp with Real Red and Basic Black Markers. In order to get the shapes for the greeting and backing piece, I used the 2.5" circle punch for the greeting and then cut off the top and bottom of the circle. I did the same for the Basic Black piece, using the 3" Big Shot Circle Die, but I attached the Very Vanilla piece to the Black Circle before I cut the top and bottom off to make sure I didn't cut off too much. I sponged the greeting with Real Red and I was finished.

Hope everyone has a great day and especially Jordan!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi Stampers,

Well, since it's almost Mother's Day, I'm thinking flowers since we spent the last few days getting the flowers for our yard this year - as soon as they are planted, I will post pictures of those.

The card I'm sharing today is actually a reworking of a card I shared in March which was done by one of my talented downline Julie (hers used different DSP and stamps). For this card, I used the new Paisley Petals DSP which was available on last month's special and the Four Frames Stamp Set from that special as well. Both of these items will be in the new Stampin' Up catalog in July.

For this version of the card, I used Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Marina Mist cardstock. I took two different patterns from the DSP and put them on Chocolate Chip before attaching them to the card - this card is 4.25 X 5.5" and is scored at both 5.5 and 2.75 and then the front is folded back. I stamped the image from Four Frames in Black StazOn on Confetti White cardstock and then watercolored with Marina Mist and Old Olive. After stamping "Happy Mother's Day" from Teeny Tiny wishes, I punched it out with the Decorative Label punch. Then to get the Marina Mist frame around the sentiment I punched 2 more of the decorative label punch and cut each of them in half (one horizaontally and one vertically) and attached them together and onto the Chocolate Chip. Before I attached that piece to the front, I accented the left hand side with a piece of the narrow taffeta ribbon in Marina Mist.

I hope that my mom and all the other moms out there enjoy their Mother's Day weekend!

Keep Stamping,

Summer Mini StartsToday!

Hi Stampers,

Since today is the first day of the new Stampin' Up Summer Mini Catalog, I thought I'd share a simple card that I made for a shoebox I participated in yesterday.

This card uses Whisper White & Melon Mambo and the new Strength & Hope stamp set from the Summer Mini. First I stamped 2 butterflies at the top and bottom of the right side of the Whisper White card in Melon Mambo. Then I stamped an additional butterfly, cut it out and attached it to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I added a pearl as well. For the left side of the card, I took a piece of Melon Mambo cardstock and put it through the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder and then punched one side with the Scallop Trim Border punch. Then I added a knot with the Organza ribbon and attached that to the side. Voila - a quick and easy card that supports a great cause - $2 from the sale of this stamp set goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation so order yours today!

Keep stamping,