BRING ON THE CAKE BIRHTDAY WISHES

Today I started with the Create with Connie and Mary  color challenge to design my birthday card.  Bring on the Cake stamp set was used for my sentiment.  The Framelits label collection along with my Big Shot was used for the large frame and my decorative label punch was used to punch out the smaller label.  I always stamp, then punch; that way you can line your stamp image up to look like it was stamped perfectly straight, even if it wasn't.  A little bit of baker's twine in pool party and a retired rhinestone brad and this card is complete.  I have a busy week of crafting ahead of me, this is my girls' last week of school, and I want to show their teachers and the staff at their school what a great job we think they did this year!

 ENJOY!

MANY THANKS THANK YOU CARD

My card today features the soon to be retired Many Thanks Sizzlits Die.  I have used this little die a lot and it only cost me $5.50!!!  It includes the word thank you, as shown, and an additional "s" so you have the option of writing "thanks" also.  Everything else on this card is long retired, but you can see that making a card doesn't always have to include ink or a stamp!

I {HEART} HEARTS

Okay, I was disappointed when I saw this set listed as retiring, but I am hopeful that it will be replaced by another really cute heart set!  For this simple card, I used a kissing technique.  I used two images and inked them up with different colors and then pressed them together (kissing), then stamped using one of the images.  I didn't completely cover either image with ink and I liked how it came out.  It is something you have to play around with a little, but it really produces a unique look.  I punched the image out with the Full Heart punch and then placed the stamped friend image inside another heart image that I stamped creating a little frame effect.  The rest of the card I left simple! 

ENJOY!

THE NICEST THINGS HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I remember when this stamp set, The Nicest Things, was released.  These cute little girls immediately made me think of my girls.  I made a birthday card for my Mom with this set, because I knew it would also remind her of them.  Although this stamp set is retiring this month, I think it will stay in my collection.   At least these little girls won't grow up so fast!!  I used a little paper piercing on this card to get the design on their dresses.  I stamped on DSP and then cut out just the areas I wanted to use and glued them to the stamped image on my card.  It is tedious, but I love the effect.

ENJOY!

DAISIES #2 DIE HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY WISHES

So again today I am combining a couple of challenges  The Paper Players and Twisted Sketches and displaying a few soon to be retired items.  For my stamp set, I chose a hostess set from the catalog called Happiest Birthday Wishes.  It is a great set with 11 images.  I love that with last year's catalog, Stampin Up changed the way hostess dollars can be spent.  They give you more of a choice, you can purchase hostess sets or you can spend your hostess dollars on any item in the catalog!  My little daisies are from the Daisies #2 die that I quickly ran through my Big Shot.  I ran all 4 pieces of card stock through at the same time, which makes mass production a quick process.  This die will stay in my collection after it retires this month, at least until all my little Daisy Girl Scout scrapbook pages are completed!!  ENJOY!

SWEETHEART AND PETITE PAIRS HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I came across a new challenge blog, the dynamic duos challenge, and decided to play along.  The sketch is from this week's stamping 411 challenge. For my image, I used the Sweetheart stamp set and yes, it is also retiring this month.  I added crystal effects to the stamped image to add a little shine and then stamp my sentiment from the Petite Pairs set.  The little brad is from the 2011-2013 In color brad set.  I have been quite busy over the last week in my little craft room and I am enjoying every moment.  ENJOY!

WISH BIG BIRTHDAY

I played around a little with the color throw down and freshly made sketches challenges and this card is the result.  I needed a card for an 12 year old boy that loves to play football.  I don't have a football stamp, but I used a circle punch once for the circle and then again to crop the circle to make it resemble a football.  I am not much of an artist, that is why I love stamps, but I did my best free handing the strips on the football.  Hopefully, he will be pleased!

Stamp set:  Word Play and Happiest Birthday Wishes