Rubber Stamping & Card Making with Yapha

Paula is back with some great sketch challenges over at Stampin’ Addicts! This one is from the week before last, sketch #118. It’s okay though, because there is no time limit so you can play along whenever you have a chance!

I needed to make a thank you card for my fabulous downline Samantha who bailed me out of a total dog-sitting nightmare while we were out of town over the holidays. This sketch was perfect. This also gives you a sneak peek at the gorgeous designer series paper that you can earn for free during Sale-a-Bration! (SAB starts on Tuesday, January 24th!)

Stamps: D is for Dog, Delightful Dozen
Ink: Soft Suede, Pool Party
Paper: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Poppy Parade, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper
Other: Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Full Heart Punch, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit

The Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper comes distressed on the edges, so I sponged some Soft Suede ink around the edges of the pieces that I cut to match.

Did you get all of your thank you notes written? I am happy to say that I finished mine before Winter Break ended! I needed cards that would be quick to make and easy to mail, so I adapted one of my favorite Winter Holiday cards into a thank you note. To keep it flat enough for mailing, I used Dazzling Details in the center of each snowflake instead of the Basic Rhinestones.

Stamps: Perfectly Penned
Ink: Marina Mist
Paper: Marina Mist, Whisper White
Other: Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Dazzling Details

Good news about Dazzling Details! It is still available even though the Holiday Mini catalog has ended! Even better news — there is a Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details available in the Occasions Mini Catalog!

One of my colleagues at work is having some pretty significant surgery over break, and I know a lot of people are pitching in to help her out. I figured in light of this that she might need some thank you notes. I asked her what her favorite colors were, and she told me jewel tones in blue, green, & purple. So I made her a pack of thank you notes based on that, four each of three designs.

Here’s a look at each one separately.

Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz
Paper: Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
Other: Pear Pizzazz Poly Ribbon, 1″ Square Punch, Top Note Bigz Die, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Scallop Oval Punch, Punch windows Mover & Shapers Die, Big Shot

Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Elegant Eggplant
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Regals Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
Other: Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Top Note Bigz Die, Scallop Oval Punch, Punch Windows Mover & Shapers Die, Big Shot

Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Night of Navy, Garden Green
Paper: Garden Green, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Regals Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
Other: Night of Navy Satin Ribbon, Top Note Bigz Die, Scallop Oval Punch, Punch Windows Mover & Shapers Die, Big Shot

The Night of Navy Satin Ribbon is retired, but you might want to keep an eye on the Clearance Rack. Retired ribbon has been showing up often.

It’s funny, because when I first saw it, I really did not like the Spice Cake Designer Series Paper, but the more I use it, the more I love it! When I saw this gorgeous quilted card by Rita, I knew I wanted to make my own as well.

Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Soft Suede, Pool Party
Paper: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Other: Scallop Oval Punch, Punch Windows Movers & Shapers Die,  Top Note Bigz Die, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon

I love how rich and textured this came out!

I’ve been busy working on something special for tomorrow, so I have a great card  made by my friend Michelle to share with you today. She made this super cute thank you note for her son’s 4th birthday with the new I Dig You stamp set.  It almost made me get the set as soon as I saw it!

Stamps: I Dig You, Fabulous Phrases

Isn’t it just perfect? Thanks so much for letting me share it, Michelle! I hope you will come back tomorrow to see what I have up my sleeve!

Here’s another thank you card that I made for my mom. I saw this fabulous card by Mugsie, and switched the colors to Daffodil Delight and Lucky Limeade. I really love that combination for fun summertime cards.

Stamps: Awash with Flowers, Thank You Kindly
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Other: Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Printed In Color Designer Brads

One tip on this — you definitely want to stamp before you run the card stock through the embossing folder, or your stamping won’t come out clean.

Welcome to the Stampin’ Addicts’ New Catalog Blog Hop, featuring sets that are brand new this year in Stampin’ Up’s 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. You may have just arrived from Betty’s blog, where she featured the beautiful Sunflower background stamp, or you might be starting here. Either way, the links will take you around in a complete circle.

I am pleased to be featuring the new Occasions Alphabet, a 26 piece set with each letter of the alphabet and cute saying to go along with it. They are all fun and alliterative, which I love. The first project I have to show you today is a thank you card. I really like the K is for Kindness stamp. It’s a close fit, but it does work in the 1 3/8″ Circle Punch.

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Old Olive
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Old Olive 5/8″ Satin Ribbon, 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, 1 3/4″ Circle Punch, Perfect Pennants Bigz Die, Big Shot

My second project is somewhat similar. I needed a pack of cards to give as a thank you to the Assistant Head of School. I paired this set with the alphabet paper from the Just Add Cake designer series paper for a look that really said “elementary school” to me. I picked 6 different letters, so she would have cards for a variety of occasions. (You can click on the picture for a closer view of the sayings.)

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper
Other: 1 3/8″ Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

My third project would make great favors for a baby shower. Fortunately, most of the stamps fit inside the Four Frames stamp set, though some are too long. You could use the other stamps to make these cute little boxes for a variety of occasions. (Curious about what is inside the boxes? Stop back on Monday to see!)

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet, Four Frames
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo
Paper: Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Other: Chocolate Chip Scallop Dots Ribbon, Melon Mambo Scallop Dots Ribbon, Designer Label Punch  Matchbox Bigz XL Die, Big Shot

For my final project, I used the Stampin’ Write markers to ink up only the letter on the stamp. It is a super cute font! And guess what? It is just the perfect size to fit in the Petite Pennants Builder Punch! I used it to write the word “party” below, but you could use it for any three, four, or five letter name to personalize a card!

Stamps: Occasions Alphabet
Ink: Peach Parfait, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight
Paper: Peach Parfait, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper
Other: Petite Pennants Builder Punch

Thank you so much for hopping with us today! Your next stop is the incomparable Holly! She makes the most amazing creations out of punches and Big Shot dies, and she does not disappoint with the new Perfect Pennants Die! My personal favorite is the Hanukkah spinner card she made! I love it!

I needed to make a really elegant Thank You note for someone whose favorite color is red, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to try out my new Cherry Cobbler embossing powder. Wow! It is so rich and gorgeous! (Sorry about the glare in the picture, at least you can tell how shiny the embossed are is.)

Stamps: Medallion, Thank You Kindly
Ink: VersaMark, Early Espresso
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Other: Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder, Early Espresso 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Antique Brad

I am really loving the new colored embossing powders. I think I have to get the Tempting Turquoise one too!

Take a look at this fabulous clean and elegant sketch from Stamping 411 today. Isn’t it lovely?

Since we are leaving to head back East in a few days, I figured that I had better get cracking on the Thank You notes for my mom. So of course I had to use Daffodil Delight! As I was figuring out what to put in that wonderful shape at the bottom, I remembered that one of the stamps from the Four Frames set matches the flowers from Elements of Style. And the rest came together from there!

Stamps: Elements of Style, Four Frames
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper
Other: Designer Label Punch, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Beautiful Wings Embosslit

I am really loving this new In Color, Lucky Limeade! I think that it is my new favorite green!

It’s Carmageddon weekend here in LA, where they have completely shut down 10 miles of the 405 freeway. Luckily, I don’t need to go anywhere near there today, but hey, any reason to stay home and stamp, right? I decided to combine this week’s Stamping411 sketch challenge with the Color Lab Color Challenge:

My mom mentioned that she needs some more thank you notes, so I put this together for her. I left the ribbon off the top, since I don’t have any Island Indigo ribbon. Yet.

Stamps: Perfect Punches
Ink: Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Designer Series Patterns Stack (Brights)
Other: Top Note Bigz Die, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Scallop Oval Punch, Punch Windows Movers & Shapers Die, Lace Ribbon Border Punch

I really like these colors together! Island Indigo is great. Someone described it as the baby of Not Quite Navy and Pacific Point. It’s a great way of thinking of it!