I love making cards.  There are times when I'm creating one because I have to (birthday, holiday, etc) and then there are other times I create simply because I want to.  Today's card was a combination of both.  From a family of 7, I am the only girl which means I have to make a lot of masculine cards.  I struggle with them for so many reasons but with my brother's birthday quickly approaching I had to come up with something.  I'm also in a group swap where this month's theme was masculine cards! How lucky for me that I get a two for one deal!  

I debated what color to make the base of the card, but lately I have been drawn to neutrals.  I used Sahara Sand which is not a heavily used color for me, however it was perfect for showcasing a little pop of color in the corner with the paper flags.  And, because I love the bronzed buttons, it was a "safe" accessory to put on my brother's card.

The images, both from the Open Seas, have exquisite detail and one of my favorite sets. I hope to see the stamp set around for a long time.

I assembled the card like a shadowbox, having the image set back slightly from the forefront of the card.  Dimensionals do all the work and make shadow boxes easy to create.

I hope today allows you the chance to be creative.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Ann

I have five terrific cards to show you today.  These are all part of the swap that I began to showcase yesterday.

Nancy created a feminine card that showcases a lot of eye candy in the mini catalog; butterfly punches, fabric flower trim, designer builder brad and a doily!  

One of my favorite sets, Oh Hello.  Lori also added some dimension and texture by using pearls and the flower trim.

Cathi's card incorporates the Secret Garden stamp set and framelits along with the Sale-a-bration designer series paper for a big pop of color!

Linda created this fun, interactive easel card that uses the Oh Hello stamp set and Tea for Two designer series paper.

Karen's card highlights the Hearts a Flutter stamp set and coordinating framelits to create this pretty birthday card.

I hope you enjoyed viewing these cards as much as I enjoyed receiving them!

Mary Ann

I received some great cards from a recent card swap.  I am fortunate to be able to exchange card ideas with these talented women!  Each card was to showcase products from the Spring Mini Catalog.  Click on each card to enlarge.

This adorable card features the elephant from Henry Says (#128093C, #128090W).  Paired with the Parkers Patterns DSP, this card is bright and fun.

What a great masculine card!  Sandy incorporated the Dapper Dad stamp set (#129198C, #129195W) and the new Oval Framelits to create this handsome card.  

This gender-neutral card features the Parkers Patterns DSP and the sentiment from the Oh Hello stamp set (#130733C, #130730W).  Bold and bright, it will make the recipient smile.

If you like 3-D cards, then you will love this one.  This diorama card is stunning and interactive too. Featuring the By the Tide set (#129120C, #129117W) and some great brayering  this is definitely "thinking outside the box"!

Interested in seeing more?  Be sure to come back tomorrow when I showcase the rest of them!

Thanks for visiting!

Mary Ann

One of the cards my guests made over the weekend featured Sale-a-bration product and images from the Collage Curios and Mixed Bunch stamp set.  The color combination of Island Indigo and Tangerine Tango pop off the white background and draws attention to the beautiful, little butterfly in the middle of the bottle cap.  A simple, bright card that can be used for nearly any occasion.

The designer series paper (called Sycamore Street) and the ribbon/button pack are two of several items you can earn for FREE when you spend $50.  But, hurry!  This is for a limited time only!  Sale-a-bration, the biggest promotion of the year, will end on March 22, 2013.

Click below to look at all the products you can earn for FREE!

Download SAB 2013

Enjoy your day.  Thank you for visiting!

A long holiday weekend has afforded me the opportunity to spend more time in my craft room.  I love when that happens!  With some free time on my hands, I reached for a new stamp called Swallowtail (#129216-C, #129213-W).  I'll admit, it's a little intimidating at first because of it's size but once I started playing with it, I liked it!

The detail in this stamp is so beautiful.  Because of that I wanted to keep the rest of the card simple.  To add just a little color, I added three paper flags using the Print Poetry paper pack (#129312).  I also added a layer of Raspberry Ripple card stock to coordinate with the sentiment and a sweet little button with linen thread.  And finally, for some added interest, I took out the Color Spritzer Tool  (#107066) from my "Cool Tool" box and spritzed Raspberry Ripple ink from a marker to the card.

We are just about half way through the biggest and best promotion of the year...Sale-a-bration.  If you haven't taken advantage of this great deal, now is the time to do so.  For every $50 you spend, you will earn FREE stuff!  Yep, I said FREE!  Read all about it.

Have a great day.

Welcome to the weekend and to my Saturday Share.  This bright, Spring-like card showcases the Sunshine and Sprinkles designer series paper (#126922).  This paper just makes me happy!  With so many patterns and colors, this paper pack can be an excellent addition to your paper collection.

I've paired the paper up with the For the Birds stamp set (#126405 - W, #126407 - C).  This all-occasion stamp set is perfect for those who enjoy coloring.  With so many coloring options to choose from, there is a technique for everyone. 

I stamped the image in Black Stazon ink (#101406) - required anytime you are going to do some type of coloring.  Stazon ink is fast-drying, solvent ink.  Solvent ink is also waterproof, fade proof and perfect for stamping on non-porous surfaces.  In this case, the Stazon ink will not bleed when I color the image.

To color my happy birds and the rest of the image, I used Blender Pens (#102845) and my ink pads. The blender pens are easy to use, easy to clean and come in a pack of three, dual-tipped pens.  These will last a very long time.

I hope you are able to take time this weekend and create something fun. Be sure to come back tomorrow so I can show you the scrapbook page I made using this same paper!

Shop my online store 24/7

I don't mean to brag.

Wait...

Yes, I do.  I totally mean to brag!

Why?

I got a handmade Valentine from my husband!

Technically it's not the first handmade card I've received from him, but it is the first one he made by himself.  The previous card, ironically, also a Valentine, was also made by the dog.  This time around he was completely on his own.

When the Dude, You're Welcome Kitcame out, I bought one for my husband thinking that he would embrace the idea whole-heartedly.  NOT!  It was met with ambivalence and not nearly the excitement (or at least gratitude) that I was hoping for.  So, for the past month or so it has sat on my shelf collecting dust.  I was resigned to the fact that I would most likely be the one using it - perhaps to make a card for HIM. 

So, yesterday morning, I went to pull out the kit and begin creating a fabulous Valentine for my husband.  But, I couldn't find the stinkin' kit!!  Where the heck did I put it?  I looked everywhere!  Now, mind you, my craft room can be a little chaotic at times and to "misplace" items is not all that uncommon, but I do eventually find them.  Nope, not this time.

I suspect you know the ending.  At some point yesterday he came in to my room, grabbed and put it in his briefcase to take to work.

He was very proud of his work - and frankly, so was I.  He described in detail what he had to do to create this. From inking the stamp and making sure it was inked completely, to trying to clean the stamp when he was done.  I told him how impressed I was with the pink accent.  He told me it's a highlighter and he had an option of yellow or pink - and went with the pink.  Gotta work with the materials you have and, at work, highlighters were the only source of color.

So, there you have it.  If you buy the kit, it does get used...eventually.  And, honestly, this card means more to me than any Hallmark I could ever get.  Going forward, my husband will know exactly where to find the kit - just in case he is motivated to make another in the future.  I won't count on anything too soon, but at least now I all that all things are possible!

Thanks for letting me brag!

Interested in the Dude, You're Welcome Kit?  You can get it here.

Have a great day.

I had a lovely surprise waiting for me in my mailbox today.  My friend and upline, Pennie McCallum, sent me this fun and bright card.  The colors are so cheerful, it put an automatic smile on my face.

Does that stamp look familiar?  If not, perhaps you're not aware of Stampin' Up!'s new single stamps.  For a limited time only, 10 single stamps, with never-before-released images are available for purchase.  Click her to see all 10 images.  These stamps are only available through March 31, 2013.

If you like the ability to buy just one stamp versus an entire set, single stamps are a perfect option for you.  Inexpensive and versatile, any of these stamps are a great addition to you collection.

And, don't forget, Sale-a-bration is in full force!  For every $50 you spend (including any single stamps) you earn a Sale-a-bration item for FREE. This is a great opportunity to get the biggest bang for your buck.  Would you like to host a stamping party?  Hostess' truly get spoiled during Sale-a-bration with even more additional product.  Contact me to book your party today!

Have a GREAT day!

I finally had the opportunity to ink up a stamp I've had on my shelf for awhile  - the Just Thinking (#129940) stamp.  It's not often that I leave a stamp un-inked, but this one got over-looked.  It was time to put it to use!  Coupled with the paper from the Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper (#131021), I was able to keep this card gender neutral.  The Cherry Cobbler paper, ink and seam binding give it a nice coordinated look and a "pop" from the base of the card.

To add a little texture, I used the Fancy Fan embossing folder (#127751) and the Big Shot.  This is one of my favorite embossing folders and complements most stamped images beautifully.

One of the great features of this stamp is that is coordinates with the Window Frame Framelits (#129021).  Framelits take the hassle out of cutting images and create perfect die-cut elements. 

And finally, what's a great card without a little 3-D?  I added an antique brad and some pearls to add a bit of dimension. Quick. Easy. Simple.

So, what stamp or embellishment have you neglected lately?  I encourage to get it out and use it! 

Happy Stamping!

Happy Friday!  It's going to be a beautiful weekend here in Central Florida.  I love this time of year.  However, for those of you in the north, particularly the Northeast, this weekend could bring some trying weather.  My son lives in Boston so he will be keeping us apprised of the weather-related events in that area.  Stay safe!

My monthly stamp camps met this week and a couple of our projects focused on Valentine's Day.  We made a card and a little sweet treat to accompany it.  Both projects used the paper from the More Amore designer series paper pack creating a nice coordinated look.  See that awesome die-cut heart?  That, too, is in the More Amore paper pack.  Two awesome 12x12 sheets of heart die cuts in two colors.  

What really made this card come together was the Heart a Flutter Bundle.  The stamp set along with the coordinating Hearts a Flutter Framelits made this card a snap to put together.  And, who can resist the small fabric flower?  This flower comes on a strip of tulle making it easy to use one or several.  And, for only $6.95 you receive 6 feet of flowers!!  That is one serious strip of flowers!  No need to be stingy with this embellishment!

Inspired from a fellow demonstrator, Melissa Stout, we also made a matchbook valentine filled with a bit of chocolate.  These were a hit.  In fact, I made several more to hand out to the girls at my dental office.  Something so simple can have a great impact.

Interested in making a matchbook valentine for someone special?  It's easy...here's how:

• Cut a piece of card stock 2-3/4" x 8-1/2"
• Score along the 8-1/2" edge at 3/4", 4-1/2" and 5"
• Crease all score lines and fold card stock to create a "matchbook".
• Insert candy of choice and staple along the 3/4" fold
• Decorate cover as desired.

Have a great weekend!

More Amore DSP #129309   $10.95

Hearts A Flutter Bundle

Clear  #131097 $36.95

Wood #131098 $42.95

5/8" Flower Trim #126869 $6.95