Awesomely Artistic-Fall card buffet

     I decided this card would fit into any season, but since I wanted to make it fall was as good a season as any to feature it.  This was one of my favorite swaps from convention.  The only parts of the card that are not one of the stamps in the stamp set is the word hello from the Endless Birthday stamp set and the thin Delightful Dijon strip from the Butterfly Basics stamp set.  The card was a big hit at my card buffet.

Wetlands-Get Well card buffet

     Can you figure out what stamp sets are used in this card?  Wetlands for the birds, Kinda Eclectic for the sun, and You've Got This for the background.  After stamping all the images I used Lots of Labels framelits to cut out the image.  This was based on a swap I received at convention.  And I love it. How about you?

Christmas Through the Year-Lovely as a Tree

    

     I love my Christmas Through the Year card class.  It is my favorite holiday and I get to think about it every month of the year.  Each month the ladies, I  would welcome some guys but so far none come, make 3 cards from the same design.

   I needed a last minute idea for the card for July due to some bad planning on my part.  I thought for a bit and decided to check out my convention swaps for ideas,

    This is the card I swapped with Jody my downline.  I checked my supplies and had to change some things.  Do you see what I had to change?

1. I have not purchased the Lots of Labels thinlits yet so I used the ovals.

2. I wanted some texture on the background so I embossed the background with the stars embossing folder.

3. I did not have enough of the Cherry on Top paper stack to use so I used the Pretty Petals paper stack.

   Thanks to Jody and her great card idea, I had a design for my Christmas card in a really short time.  Swapping is created for just that reason.

Convention Swap-Marbled Leaves

    Each year at convention I like to make cards that I swap with demonstrators all over the country.  Rather than leave this task to the last minute like I usually do, I have been trying to make a few cards every week or so.  I make 20 of each design so that I do not get easily bored.

    I looked at a card I made at the last technique class and tried to see if I could make it any easier and turn it into a swap.  I decided to used the design of this card but instead of the floating re-inker technique, I used the marble technique.

1. Take an old stamp box and place 5-6 drops of one color of re-inker in the bottom of the box. Roll  5-6 marbles in the re-inker until they look coated with ink.

2. Put some removable adhesive on the lid of the box and attach your card stock to the lid.

3.  Tip the box upside down and roll the marbles all over the paper.  For additional colors you will need another box set up the same way as this one. Keep on rolling until you get the look that you want.

   Do you know why you need 3 boxes for 3 colors?  I do. I tried putting all the colors in one box and I guess you know what color ended up in the box.  If you guessed muddy brown, then you were correct. Another lesson learned the hard way.

Simple Sunday-Mason Jar Swap card

   Do you love finding new uses for items as much as I do?  Well, when I was looking at the Internet the other day I found a card that looked like a Mason Jar that was made using the envelope punch board.  What a find!!! That is a great simple card I will be swapping at convention this year.

New Supplies Used:

Moonlight Designer paper stack
Envelope Punch board
Feel Goods stamp set
Blackberry Bliss ink
Whisper White and Crushed Curry card stock
Linen Thread

   I have had a great week and half attending a Davis Family Reunion, and visiting with my granddaughter Abbi.  Yes, we stamped together. She made some adorable cards for her family and silly me forgot to take pictures.  Now, I am in the last stages of getting ready for convention.  Can't wait to see what I will learn this year.

  

3-D Thursday, convention swap

   One of the things I love to swap at convention are 3-D items.  So, this is the item I have made this year to swap.  I used the hostess set called Bloom with Hope which was just perfect for experimenting some more with my Blendibilities.  There is a spot inside to hold a special candy.  I am thinking a truffle of some sort. 

New supplies used:

Bloom with Hope stamp set
Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive  Blendibilities
Strawberry Slush thick baker's twine

Returning supplies used:

Pistachio Pudding chevron ribbon
White embossing powder
Versa mark
Pistachio Pudding card stock
 
  What would you make for your 3-D swap?

Miscellaneous Monday- Ronald McDonald Convention Swap

 

Submitted to the Card Concept as a Clean and Layered card

 

     Do you know what a swap is?  When I go to any Stampin'Up! event, I take card fronts and trade them with other demonstrators. And that is called swapping. Since I do not like making a lot of the same card fronts, I usually make 20 of each design to keep the process enjoyable. I love coming home with lots of new ideas.
   This card uses the current Ronald McDonald stamp set called Flamingo Lingo.  I love the versatility of this stamp set, baby card, breast cancer awareness, or a congratulation card are some ideas that I can think of right now. For what occasion would you use this card?
   Each year SU designs an exclusive one year only stamp set for the McDonald House.  $3 from the sale of the stamp set is then sent on each quarter to the house.  My first year of being a demonstrator was the first year that SU developed this partnership.  And in that time we have donated over $1,000,000 to this special charity.  The current McDonald stamp set is always on my first order of the year.

New Supplies used:

Flamingo Lingo stamp set
Delicate Dots embossing folder

Returning supplies used:

Starberry Slush,  Crisp Cantalope , Smoky Slate ink
Smoky Slate, Whisper White card stock
Bitty Banners framelits
Scalloped Oval, and Petite Petals punches
Rhinestones

   The visitors to my new catalog open house were able to create this card for their own use.

  

Miscellaneous Monday-Swapping

  Whenever I go to a Stamping Event I try to participate in the swaps that are offered.  What is a swap you might wonder?

1. You make as many card fronts as you wish of a design.  I usually make no more than 20 of one design because I get bored doing the same thing over and over. 

2. You find someone who is also swapping and trade one of yours for one of theirs.

3. You come home with lots of new ideas. This card is based on a swap I got at the Convention this past summer.

Washi Tape Fun

     I decided that one of my swaps for convention needed to be a Washi tape swap.  I love using the tape.  In just a short time I had 20 swaps made using the new Season of Style Washi tape that is featured in the Holiday Catalog.  I was able to preorder the tape and customers will be able to order it starting August 1.  Look for your catalog in the mail soon if you are one of my customers.

    Now that I was inspired, I decided to use the new Witches Brew Washi tape also in the Holiday catalog to make a similar card.  I love using the same template to make several different cards.

    Which card do you like the best?  I wonder what other Washi tape cards I can make using this same template?

A Sketch for a New Card

     How do you find a new idea for a card?  If one has not appeared to me in my sleep, I often try a blog that features card ideas.  Here are a few I like.

1. freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com
     These sketches are very simple, but detailed.  There are some rules to follow if you want to submit your sketch.  I used sketch #93 for this card I made today.

2. SUO Challenge
  The challenge for this site this week was to make a card using your favorite SU product.  This site is for StampinUp products only

3. Pals Paper Arts
   The challenge for this week was to use three current colors.  You are not limited to SU only stamps, just the colors.

There are a lot more challenge sites out there and they really help get your creative juices flowing.   I am going to try this simple sketch with different card stock, DSP and embellishments to see how I can change up the look.  Why don't you try to make a card of your own.