Creating With Carol

26 Jul 2016

A Special Stampin' Up! Treat Available August 2nd!

Believe it or not, August 2nd is only one week away! So you won't have too long to wait for this beautiful new Stamp set and Die Bundle that is only available while supplies last during the month of August... unless it's so popular that Stampin' Up! will have to bring it back in a future catalogue!

It's called "Thoughtful Branches".

Just read those sentiments - aren't they great! And such a variety! And I love all the different trees and things to go with them.

The dies make cutting so much more fun!
Note the tree trunk and branches, and the stem and leaves - you'll see what you can do with them below!

Here are some cards that I've made using this set...

All of these cards use the same style base in different colours. A 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" card base, a 5 1/4" x 4" colour mat, and 5" x 3 3/4" Whisper White sheet for stamping.

Colours used in the first card are Chocolate Chip and Soft Sky.

Colours in this second card are Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, and Garden Green.

Colours used in this third card are Garden Green and Chocolate Chip.

In this last card I used Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Cajun Craze to get the autumn leaf colours, and Chocolate Chip for the trunk with Garden Green for the grass.

This makes a set of four very different cards from the same stamp set.

Contact me right away so I can order your bundle first thing August 2nd, or you can order it on-line on that day. Bundles are only available while supplies last...

Happy Stamping!

25 Jul 2016

Hand stamped Magic using the Woodland Embossing Folder

This was a technique that we did at our last team meeting, and it's amazing how simple it is! You can use it with any Embossing Folder, but it is especially effective with the Woodland Embossing Folder that is now in the new Annual Catalogue, p. 195,

Here are samples:

This first one is made using the bridge from the Wherever You Go stamp set p. 144, and the sentiment from Rose Wonder stamp set p. 132.

Sponge the inside of the Woodland Embossing folder with Soft Sky ink, adding extra just below the middle to make it darker. (Make sure you sponge the inside of the folder that has 'sizzix' printed on the outside of it.)

Then ink up your bridge stamp with what ever colour you want to use (I used Basic Black) and stamp it directly onto the inside of the embossing folder that you have just sponged.

Now place your Whisper White cardstock carefully inside the Embossing Folder lining it up on the side opposite the sponged side. Close the folder and run it through the Big Shot.

Open it carefully and... MAGIC... the bridge is behind the raised trunks of the trees.

The next one uses a single tree from Lovely As A Tree stamp set, sponged with Soft Sky and stamped with Night of Navy.

This one uses deer from In the Meadow and is sponged with Crumb Cake and stamped with Chocolate Chip and Garden Green.

Finally this one uses the trees from Lovely as a Tree stamp set stamped in Night of Navy, and sponged with Night of Navy.

It's fun to try whatever stamp sets and Embossing folders you have to see what you can come up with!

Please let me know what you think!

Happy Stamping!

24 Jul 2016

Handmade Summer card with Best Birds Bundle by Stampin' Up!

I'm sitting on my back deck watching the birds at the feeder and bird bath - what a show! It's such a beautiful summer morning... I wish I could stop time for a while and continue to enjoy it a few more hours.

So I thought I would share with you a card with birds using the Best Birds bundle on page 53 in the new annual catalogue. There are so many temptations in this catalogue it's hard to settle on one before you want to try another!

The Best Birds stamp set has 13 stamps and the Birds & Blooms Thinlits have 9 dies in the set, enough to create a whole variety of cards from "thoughts for you" to "Happy Anniversary" and more.

Best Birds Photopolymer Bundle	#142315
Price: $54.75

I stamped the birds on Daffodil Delight cardstock which made it very easy to add the remaining colours.

Here are the details to make the card:

Daffodil Delight cardstock cut 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", plus extra for birds
Flirty Flamingo cardstock cut 5 1/4" x 4"
Whisper White cardstock cut 5" x 3 3/4", plus extra for branches, leaves, and flowers.

Using more Daffodil Delight cardstock stamp and die cut the two largest birds. Add colour with Basic Black and Old Olive markers. Remove their legs and feet.

Use Whisper White cardstock and Chocolate Chip ink to stamp the branches. Colour the branches with Chocolate Chip and Garden Green markers. Stamp and cut out extra leaves if desired.

Using the 4" x 3 3/4" piece of Whisper White, stamp the burlap square twice from the stamp set in Crumb Cake (stamped off). Stamp the sentiment in the bottom right hand corner using Flirty Flamingo ink.

Using Whisper White cardstock stamp and die cut seven of the single blossom.. Colour with Flirty Flamingo marker. Add medium sized pearls to the centre of each.

Attach branches, birds, and flowers with Foam Adhesive Strips, trimmed to required size.

Attach Whisper White completed sheet to Flirty Flamingo mat, then attach to Daffodil Delight card base. Add 5 1/4" x 4" Whisper White cardstock to inside of card for sentiment.

I hope you have time to enjoy these beautiful summer days too!

Happy Stamping!

23 Jul 2016

Stampin' Up! Bonus Days and my (surprisingly) favourite bundle!

Hello Everyone!

It's half past July already, and all of my family has been home for a visit plus I've had my prerequisite summer cold but now I'm baaaaack!!!!

First of all Stampin' Up! has a bonus program going on - for every $60 purchase in July you will receive a $6 bonus coupon to use in August. (August 2nd - 31st)! You can place your order directly on-line or contact me.

Now when the absolutely wonderful, amazing, bank breaking annual catalogue came out in June I had my list of MUST haves, NEXT Must haves, MIGHT haves, and DON'T THINK I'LL EVER HAVES (of which there were very few...) and no where on those lists was the Swirly Bird Stamp Set and Die Bundle (p.152)

Too modern I said (I like traditional). Too cutsie (I like romantic). Too functional (I like lace, and scrolls, and magic...)

Well, what is more magical than this!

Or this?

Or THIS!

And those are just using the die cuts!! I am in Swirly love... There are so many possibilities with this set - boats, kites, butterflies, roses, bird's nests, and more that haven't even been thought of yet. This is a year round set that I know I will use often!

How about these:

And if you're wondering how I ended up with the bundle since it was no where on my list zone, well you can blame Pinterest ... (don't go there... it's enabling!!!)

Happy Stamping!

Swirly Bird Stamp Set & Swirly Scribbles Thinlits Dies

Photopolymer

#142353

$59.25

8 Jun 2016

Great Paper Pumpkin Deal - Check it Out!

Get ready for a flash sale! Starting at 8:00 PM (AT) on Thursday, you can get your first Paper Pumpkin kit for only $7 CAD. Don’t miss this one! (First time subscribers Only)

This amazing offer starts Thursday, June 9 at 8:00 PM (AT) and ends Saturday, June 11 at 2:50 AM (AT).

Technically that’s just shy of 31 hours—a little more than one day, but it will go by in a blink!
Take advantage of this offer to grab your first Paper Pumpkin kit for practically pennies.

Just visit my Paper Pumpkin page here, and click on subscribe. Use the PROMO CODE: ONEDAYDEAL to get the reduced rate. Please choose me as your demonstrator.

I've been a member since Paper Pumpkin started and I love it! I've also given it as a gift to my daughter and granddaughter. You can try it out for a month, and then decide if you want to continue.

Happy Stamping!

1 Jun 2016

It's Here! It's Here!

The NEW 2016-2017 ANNUAL CATALOGUE IS HERE!!!

You can see it and order from it today!

Click here to see it on-line. Contact me to make arrangements to pick yours up!

Here are some of MY absolute MUST HAVES!!!

(1) FLORAL PHRASES CLEAR MOUNT BUNDLE #142355 $56.50
7 Stamps, 3 Dies

This bundle is so beautiful I could not resist!

(2) FLOURISHING PHRASES CLEAR MOUNT BUNDLE #142323 $78.25
18 Stamps, 10 Dies

So delicate! And the stamp set sentiments cover almost every occasion.

(3) FOXY FRIENDS BUNDLE #142326 $50.75
29 Photopolymer Stamps, 1 Punch

This one is just plain fun! I love that you can make foxes and raccoons and cats, and more I'm sure.

Now take a look and tell me YOUR favourites!!

Happy Stamping!

29 May 2016

Sneak Peek of Love & Affection stamp set and 2016-2018 In Colours

It's only a few days now until the new Annual Catalogue goes live!! If you would like to have your own copy just drop by my craft studio - I have one waiting for you!

Today I'm going to share a card made with the new Love & Affection stamp set. It includes 16 stamps, three are sentiments and the rest are flowers, leaves, and flower centers.

There is also some of the new In Colour 3/8" Ruched Ribbon, this one is called Flirty Flamingo. The smaller flowers are done in Dapper Denim, while the leaves are Emerald Envy. The base of the card is Sweet Sugarplum. The only In Colour I didn't use was Peekaboo Peach.

This card was based on a design by Sandi MacIver, with a few little changes. The flowers were stamped on watercolour paper using the Masking Technique. The bottom of the flowers was fussy cut.

If you've been planning to order something from the retirement list, you have only 3 days left (including today, Sunday!)

Happy Stamping!

24 May 2016

Only One Week Left!!!

That's right - only one week left to get the retiring products from the 2015-2016 catalogue! Some things are already sold out, but there are still deals left. AND some prices on regular products are going up.

Don't let this happen to you....

I can't believe I missed ordering my favourites

from the retirement list!!!

Contact me or order on-line before it's too late.

Happy Stamping!

23 May 2016

Soft and Easy Thank You Card

Yes, it has been a long time since I've posted, and I hope you will excuse my absence! I have good reasons and bad reasons.

On the happy side I spent three weeks in France with my husband and two other couples (it was amazing!)

On the sad side my Mom passed away after suffering from Alzheimer's for thirteen years. Mom never gave up, and while she lost her memory, couldn't put together a sentence, or take care of herself, she was smiling and loving to family and the staff at the nursing home until the end. She has always been an inspiration to me.

So today I want to share with you a card I cased from Stampin' Up! Demo Lisa Young. I added a little more sparkle but the basic card design is all Lisa's.

The cardbase was cut from the Heavy weight Whisper White 4 1/4" x 11", and scored at 5 1/2".

Sahara Sand cardstock was used for the matting, cut at 5 1/4" x 4".

Regular Whisper White cardstock was used for the stamping sheet, cut at 5" x 3 3/4".

All of the background colours have been stamped off to make them even softer. I started with the largest rectangle from Work of Art and Soft Sky ink and stamped it in approximately the middle of the cardstock. Then I stamped Mint Macaron above using both of the smaller rectangle stamps in Work of Art. Last I used cleaned those two stamps and used them below the Soft Sky image in Sahara Sand ink. You can practice on scrap paper until you get the combination you like.

The sentiment is from Cottage Greetings, and the flowers are from In the Meadow, all stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

You will see a list of supplies I used below this post, but both the flowers and the sentiment could easily be exchanged with other sets.

I added some extra sparkle with clear Wink of Stella and rhinestones. It really gives the illusion of warm sand and sea.

When I make cards for my own use I like to make several of the same - it's faster for one thing, but I like to have a supply on hand and once you're set up for one card, making more of the same is a no-brainer (as we used to say!)