It's finally the first day of spring and I am so ready! Bring back the lovely temperatures to go with the later sunsets and I'll be set. 

The adorable Playing in the Rain suite is a perfect spring set. I used the cute turtle to create these two cards which I shared as my "this or that" on social media in honor of St. Patrick's Day last week.  
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The first card was done in Granny Apple Green. The backgrounds were created by stamping the image in the same ink color as the card stock.  I added strips of Designer Series Paper for a little extra something behind the tag. 

This card was done in Parakeet Party and I chose to put circles behind the tag. I am so glad we are getting circle punches back! If you haven't checked out the new Online Exclusives offerings you need to do so. There are some great offerings. 

I love using the Tailor Made Tags on a card. They don't have to be used only on packaging but look great on a card as well. 

Which card do you pick? 

I've had some fun creating with some of the new Stampin' Up! love themed products. There are so many ways to use these products. 

This first card highlights the fun dies in the Love For You Bundle.  I paired them with one of the pretty papers from the Sale a Bration reward Dandy Designs.  Remember you can earn this paper for FREE but only through February. I cut the paper to the full 5.5 x 4.25 inches to cover the front of the card base.  

I added some ribbon and embellishments from the Annual Catalog to finish it off. 

This card utilizes the products in the Country Bouquet Bundle. It's easy to create a fun card for a friend with this perfect sentiment. 

There's something about green and pink together!

I recommend the Stamparatus for creating with these two stamps for the focal point heart. It makes it so much easier to match up. 

I wanted to use my new mini blending brush with the Artistic Mix Decorative Masks. I thought it paired nicely with these items from the Country Floral Lane suite. The Pastel Adhesive Backed Sequins are definitely a new favorite.  They lay pretty flat but are such a great way to step up your card. 

I also highly recommend using the Adhesive Sheets when cutting out words or intricate dies. It makes it so much easier to adhere them. 

Which would be your favorite to give to a love? 

I overlooked Apple Harvest at first but when Stampin' Up! issued dies to go with it I was intrigued. After playing with it I'm in love! It's a great set for coloring.  

I used the thin brush Water Painter to color this one in. I chose Poppy Parade for the skin and Petal Pink for the blossoms and inside.  I used Granny Apple Green for the stems and leaves.  

The Artistic Mix Decorative Masks paired with a Blending Brush created a fun background on the card base. I finished the card with Matte Black Dots and Gingham ribbon. 

This was my second take with the same coloring but I wanted to add in the blossom dies as well. 

For this card I used sponge daubers to add the color to the image. It gives it a much more subtle look. 

When you don't have coordinating ribbon remember you can create your own with the Whisper White Seam Binding Ribbon and Blends. The Gingham Cottage paper pack includes 40 sheets of amazing paper. 

Remember these dies are only here for the month of September or while supplies last.  Happy crafting! 

I had a "Best of Bundles" class on Friday night and one of the bundles we used was the Your Biggest Fan bundle.  It's been requested that I add in some "anything but a card" projects to classes so I pulled out the Sweet Little Boxes that are in the January to June mini and we decorated it with the Your Biggest Fan suite. 

The boxes are very easy to put together as they come with the adhesive already on them. Simply fold on the score lines, line up and seal together. You can fill with candy but they'd also be perfect for giving a gift card! 

I think the cute little Resin Stars might be my favorite part. 

While I had all the supplies out for creating the box I also made up this quick and easy card. This would be perfect to celebrate a birthday or any other milestone someone had! The striped baker's twine really tied the card together for me. 

I also enjoy Monday Montage blog posts. Be sure to click next to see what Julie has created this week or back to see what Elizabeth has for you! 

It's time for another Monday Montage! This time I'm sharing a bunch of projects I've made with the new Amazing Thanks dies from the Jan to June Mini Catalog.  As you'll see, I am a bit obsessed with using these dies! They make it so easy to create great cards. 

The Daffodil Afternoon Designer Series Paper is a Sale a Bration item you can earn with a $50 purchase now through the end of February.  This paper is stunning. 

Another paper I am in awe of is the Symbols of Fortune. Paired with a die cut from Gold Foil it makes a gorgeous card.  I added a Basic Black frame to make it pop more but this is simple card making at it's best! 

Another card with the Daffodil Afternoon paper.  I've used the "thanks" die a lot more than the "you are amazing" dies but it really pops on this card.  

I switched to the Friendly Hello Designer Series Paper for this card. Again a simple layout that pops thanks to the black accents.  

My tip is to put your card stock and Designer Series Paper on adhesive sheets and then cut out a lot all at one time! Having them ready to go means faster card making.  

Here's another super simple card created from a die cut! 

Click next to check out my friend Melissa's amazing post or back to see Elizabeth's great creations! 

Do you ever have items you purchase, or find, that you hold on to for a LONG time because you just know that there will be a perfect project?? Or is it just me?

I've been holding on to these embroidery hoops for awhile knowing that I wanted to do wall decor with them.  I finally sat down and made it happen.  

First up was a fall themed piece.  Both the Stitched Leaves dies and the Harvest Meadow paper have been calling to me! Together, I think they made the perfect piece.  

For the background, I traced the hoop on my Designer Series Paper in pencil.  I then cut it out and added multipurpose liquid glue to the edge of the hoop.  I carefully placed the paper on the glue.  Using the liquid glue meant I had a little bit of time to be able to move and reposition the paper if I didn't get it quite right on the first try. 

The Bloom Where You're Planted paper did most of the work in creating this piece.  The images are so fun and bold that all it took was a little fussy cutting.  I added a few leaves from the Symmetrical Stems Border punch. 

I've admitted before that I often manage to overlook items in our catalogs.  The Shaded Summer stamp set is one of those.  I have a lot of flower sets and, as a stand alone stamp set, I passed it by.  When coordinating dies were added to the Sale a Bration offerings I took a new look at it and realized that besides beautiful images, it also had some wonderful sentiments! 

Below are two cards I made using these products.  I share a "This or That" on my social media every week and this week I used these two cards.  The white card won by a lot!  You can check it out on Facebook or Instagram if you want to add your vote! 

I've found myself reaching for Fresh Freesia more and more lately.  It's currently my go to purple.  

On both cards I paired Fresh Freesia with Soft Succulent.  I achieved the two color look by using my Stampin'
 Write markers directly on my stamps. 

PS Don't use Blends for this technique! The alcohol based ink dries too quickly and they are likely to stain your stamps.

Pulling in a few other items completed the cards.  I used the new Timeworn Type Embossing Folder for both background panels.  I also cut both of the background panels to 3 3/4 by 5 instead of my usual 4 x 5 1/4 size.  I liked the look of the extra space. 

You can earn the Summer Shadow dies for FREE with a $100 purchase through the end of the month.  My current Host Code is DFEUZWE2.

Happy stamping!

This suite is in my list of top favorite products in the new mini! The other thing I love?  How well it pairs with the Quiet Meadow bundle in the Annual Catalog.  Below are three ideas using the Nature's Harvest Bundle. 

Mixing Annual Catalog products with mini catalog stretches everything further.  I added the font background stamp and the Thinking of You sentiment from the Quiet Meadow bundle for this card.  

Don't be afraid to stick to neutral colors on a card! I used Crumb Cake exclusively outside of the pop of yellow from the Harvest Meadow Designer Series Paper pack.  

This card got a lot more color than the one above.  Bumblebee, Misty Moolight and Just Jade were my go to on this card. 

This card was one we made in my last class (Best of Bundles).  I liked the look of the Diamond Weave ribbon. 

TIP: To adhere it I added my adhesive to the card base and then folded the ribbon and pressed it to the adhesive.  It sticks better when you apply it directly to the paper instead of directly to the ribbon. 

Sponge some crumb cake ink the edges of your banner to create a more vintage look.  

I had so much fun with this class.  If you are interested in purchasing the the PDF ($10) email me.  It offers directions for four cards featuring this fun suite. 

The felt flowers add so much to the cards.  My tip is to use a glue dot to adhere them! Put the dot on your paper, peel the back, and add the felt piece to the card. 

The prickly pieces die adds so much to this card.  It's a fun way to add dimension. 

This card was CASEd from the catalog.  Don't forget to use our catalogs for your ideas.  Nothing wrong with CASEing straight from the pages. 

 A little mixing of the Designer Series Papers is fun to do.  Don't miss the fact that you can die cut some of the pieces straight from the Designer Series Paper! No need to fussy cut. 

The Art Gallery Suite is one of my favorites from the January to June Mini Catalog.  The Designer Series Paper is some of the most gorgeous paper I've ever seen!  I shared a video on my Facebook page that showed one of the pieces being created.  It was hand painted! 

The Poppy Parade stands out so nicely on this card.  TIP: Be sure to use the adhesive sheets when die cutting the words.  It makes adhering them so much easier than messing with glue. 

This card is a simple one but I love showing off the Painted Texture embossing folder. 

This card was one I received from my friend, Kim.  I love her fun fold idea and using the Designer Series Paper on the inside of the card. 

Stamping directly on my Designer Series Paper is something I often forget to do! I also chose to use the silver side of the Acetate Paper instead of the gold.