Hello Cupcake

It's Thursday, so it's time for another Design Team challenge card.  This one is just yummy.

All month long at StampNation we are having photo inspiration challenges.  Here is the photo that inspired my card.  These cupcakes are almost too pretty to eat.

I decided to make my own cupcakes with plenty of texture.  First I punched out some scallop circle with Pistachio Pudding cardstock.  I ran these through the Square Lattice embossing folder, and layered them onto cardstock.  (Concord Crush-retired and Strawberry Slush)  From there I added some blossoms from the Boho Blossoms punch and the small scallop circle from Bitty Punch Pack.

 For the pink cupcake I layered several Pink Pirouette scallop circles in various sizes.  First I sponged the edges of each scallop with Strawberry Slush ink, then I wadded them each up into little balls so the circles would have some dimension and texture.  Next I placed a small Strawberry Slush scallop circle in the center.  Each flower is finished with a Basic Pearl. 

The Hello tag uses shadow stamping.   Basically I stamped "hello" from the Four You stamp set in Basic Grey then stamped it again using Smoky Slate.  The second time I stamped a little lower and to the right.  It's a fun easy technique to do.

The final touches are a couple of butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and Strawberry Slush Stretch Ruffled Ribbon under the banner.   I would love to see how this picture inspires you.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Supplies:
Stamps: Four You
Paper/Ink: Sahara Sand Textured Cardstock (retired), Pink Pirouette, Concord Crush, Pacific Point, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate
Misc: Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Basic Pearls, Various Punches, Strawberry Slush Stretch Ruffled Ribbon, Square Lattice Embossing Folder



Strawberry Slush Stretch Ruffled Trim





Four You



Beautiful Wings Embosslits



Happy 84th Donna ~ Mojo 246

 A very special lady will be celebrating her 84th birthday this weekend.  She deserves an extra special card for the occasion.  Here is what I came up with, thanks to some help from the current Mojo Monday sketch.

I flipped the sketch on its side and had to run the ribbon under my "tag" so you could read the sentiment, but I think you can still see how the sketch inspired me.



To be honest I really like the sketch just as it is, so I'm sure I will try it again.

Using the Apothecary Framelits made the tag super simple, but I fancied it up just a bit more.  The Very Vanilla was too stark for my card, so I sponged some Pink Pirouette all over it, then sponged the edges with Crumb Cake and very lightly, on the very edge I sponged Basic Gray.   Next I inked up the sentiment in Pink Pirouette (PP), stamped it, cleaned my stamp, inked it up again with Black Staz-On and stamped just slightly above the PP image.  This is hard to see, but it does give some depth to my card.

As you can see I had fun playing with even more of my new goodies.  ;)   My favorite thing is the teeny tiny stamp and matching punch set.  I'm in love with them.  I also used my favorite standby, Beautiful Wings Embosslit.

On a personal note, I've been enjoying the passing of time myself.  I find with my kids growing up time is passing a bit too fast for my taste, but this afternoon I took the time to look out on my balcony and see this tiny bird.  She/he was kind enough to let me take several pictures.

Can you spot it?  It's on top of that pole I'm using to train my Wisteria "tree".

I hope you can take some time to enjoy the passing of time.  Perhaps with a little creativity or bird watching. 

I think I am going to add some Basic Pearls to those butterflies and get this card in the mail for Donna.  Happy 84th birthday, sweet lady.


Creative Blessings,
Heather North

It might be easier to list what I didn't use on this card than what I did, but here goes.  :)  All items are Stampin' UP! unless otherwise noted.

Ink: Pink Pirrouette, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Island Indigo, Primrose Petals
Paper: Very Vannilla, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Fan Fair DSP
Stamps: From My Heart, Lovely Little Labels,
Misc.: Square Punches, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Little Labels Punch Pack, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Black Taffeta Ribbon

Fan Fair DSP

From My Heart

Lovely Little Labels

Little Labels Punch Pack

Apothecary Accents Framelits

Inspired to Thank

Which card did I make?

My sweet friend gave me the card on the right for my birthday.  She said she wanted to give me a handmade card because I love them so much.  Isn't she thoughtful?

This card was so pretty and delicate, and it was my inspiration for the thank you card I created.  I think the original used colored pencils, but I didn't have any in pink, so I went for my aqua painter instead.

I love the look of the soft pink flowers framed in black and layered on an embossed white mat.  It's very elegant.  It's hard to see in the pictures, but I did add some dazzling diamonds to make it sparkle.

When it came time to do the butterfly I was in a bit of a pickle.  I don't own any butterfly brads and I don't even have Stampin' UP!'s flower brads.  (Shocking, I know, for those of you who have seen my brad collection.)  My solution thrilled me!  It honestly did.  I used the Beautiful Wings embosslit and punched out my butterfly, then I adhered it to my page and used Crystal Effects on top of the butterfly.  It dried with a shiny, glossy finish.

Here's my challenge to you... next time you receive a card you love, use it as inspiration to create your own special card.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North






Crystal Effects

Beautiful Wings Embosslit



Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Elements of Style Stamp Set

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mom's and mom's to be.  I hope you know how special you are. 

My mother's day gift to you today is a quick card you can make in minutes, along with a video showing you how.  It's such a cute card with so many possibilities.  Best of all, for those of you scrapbookers, you don't need stamps to make this card.  Just use paper and your favorite punches.  :)

I liked this card so much that I came up with several variations of it.  Below are some pictures of those cards. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Would you like the new Stampin' UP! catalog delivered to your door for FREE?  Simply place an order of $25 or more in my online SU store this month and I will have one sent to you as soon as they are available.  :)

Various Punches

Beautiful Wings Embosslit

Cheerful Treat Designer Series Paper
Hostess Rewards Item

You're a Gem of a Mom ~ Try Stamping...

On Mother's Day is nice to remember some of the moms in your life who inspire and encourage you.  Do you have friends that are awesome moms, is there a co-worker you look up to for advice, is there a lady in your church that offers a comforting hug each time you see her?  Perhaps you could give these ladies in your life a card.  It doesn't even have to be on Mother's Day.  Think about your friend's mom that has been like a mother to your.  Remember your aunts and grandmas.  Perhaps you could give a card to your daughter or daughter in law letting them know how proud you are of the mothers they have become. 

I found a new challenge blog... Try Stamping on Tuesday.  I thought this week's challenge would be perfect for a Mother's Day card for my friend.  <3  Turns out, I like this better than both of the cards I already sent out to my mom and mother in law. 

Try Stamping on Tuesday

One of the things I love about this card is that the background paper takes center stage.  Even if you don't do stamping, you can make this card.  Leave the bottom blank, like the sample or use title stickers, abc stickers or even hand write a sentiment if you choose.

To get a wider ribbon, I just did 2 rows of the ruffled ribbon.  The Marina Mist ribbon you see running down the center was an afterthought.  I had finished the card and was attempting to clean off my craft space when I saw that piece of ribbon and decided to lay it across the Blushing Bride ribbons.  I love how it looks! 

Even the inside is decorated.  Originally I was going to take the You're A Gem sentiment and have it hanging from the ribbon like a tag, but I changed my mind and decided to put it on the inside of the card.  The background flower was stamped from Mixed Bunch with Blushing Bride ink.

I hope my friend likes this card.  If not she can send it back to me and I'll keep it.  :) 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

P.S.  Do you want to have the new 2012-2013 Stampin' UP! catalog sent to your door for FREE?  Simply place an order, of at least $25,  through my Stampin' UP store by the end of the month and I'll send you a catalog as soon as they are released.  :)

Beautiful Wings Embosslit

Beau Chateau DSP

Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

You're A Gem
Retiring

Mixed Bunch

Teeny Tiny Wishes

Basic Pearls

Daughters & Mothers ~ Mojo 240e

Remember when you were little and you would make mom a present for Mother's Day at school? Mom always said it was the best present because it came from your hands & your heart. <3 Why not make a card for your mom this week that comes from your heart. Sunday is Mother's Day, so my cards for the rest of the week are cards that I'm sure any mom would love to receive. 

First up is the card I made for my mom.  When I first saw this stamp set I knew I needed to get it to make a card for my mum.  Unfortunately it was retired before I purchased it.  (I didn't know that when a mini catalog ends those stamp sets in it can be gone FOREVER!  Yikes!)  Luckily my friend knew how much I wanted it and she saved it for me. 

For some reason this card took a long time to make, even though I used a sketch and I had a basic idea of what I wanted to make.

Somehow I got stuck on the blushing bride paper and the ribbon.  All the ribbon I had was either the wrong shade or so washed out that you couldn't see it against the light paper.  Finally I went really old school and pulled out some retired ribbon.  It was perfect! 

I hope mom will like it and it will remind her of when I was a little girl.  (Love you mom!)

To get the "Happy Mother's Day" from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set to fit in a circle, I used my stamp-a-majig and a Night of Navy marker to color the words one at a time.   The stamp-a-majig helped me line it up perfectly.  :)

You still have time to make a card for your mom, or some of the mothers & daughters you have in your life.  I'm sure she/they will be glad you did.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

P.S.  I'm shipping out the new catalog soon.  If you would like a FREE copy, just place any order of at least $25 in my Stampin' UP! store. 

Antique Brads

Beautiful Wings Embosslit

Pocketful of Posies DSP

Twitterpated DSP

Teeny Tiny Wishes