Baptism Invitation

I was so honored to be asked to be the godmother of my best friend's newest daughter, Rosemary Grace. Of course, I wanted to make the baptism invitations - and the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions embossing Folder came immediately to mind. The rose images are so pretty - and they go perfectly with our beautiful little Rosemary! I CASE'd this design from fellow SU! demo Patty Bennett.

It uses the retired In Color Pirouette Pink and Whisper White, along with the Sincere Salutations stamp set sentiment heat embossed in white. The Eyelet Border Punch and Whisper White Organza Ribbon add a lovely delicacy and class.

ENJOY!

Designer Series Paper Invitations

Have you taken advantage of the SUPER SCRAPBOOKING SALE? In celebration of May being national scrapbooking Month - Stampin' Up! is offering the FABULOUS Designer Sereis papers (DSP) and 12 x 12 Textured Card Stocks Buy 3 Get 1 Free! There is also a Sneak Peek NEW Alphabet Stamp Set for 20% Off! You can order online via My Website or contact me with your order. Or why not Host a Workshop or Catalog Shop and spread the DSP joy with your paper-crafting family and friends?

This is a bridal shower invitation I made at a dear friend's request. I used th Patterns DSP in Riding Hood Red to coodinate with the bride-to-be's wedding color. Then accented with gold and white. The focal image and sentiment are heat embossed in Gold on Riding Hood Red, then layered on Brushed Gold Metallic card stock.



The invitation is a Double Pocket Card, which consists mostly of a special way to fold the DSP. This picture shows the pockets, and their inserts. The larger insert is the invitation wording. The smaller insert is the bridal registry information. Both inserts are embellished with gold, organdy ribbon and a red staple. A picture of the engaged couple, accented by the Photo Corners Punch, is the finishing touch.

The Double Pocket Card has so many possibilities! I think it would be AWESOME as a wedding invitation! I covered up the left, inside flap of the open invitation for this picture, however, the invitation wording could go there layered on, keep the pic of the couple, then use the larger insert for RSVP card and map/directions, and the smaller insert for bridal registry information. Or how about for an Anniversary invitation? Or a Baby Shower? Or just a super nice WOW card for a special someone with surprises tucked in the pockets? ENJOY!

Stamps: Wedding Elegance (retired SU!), Sincere Salutations (SU!)
Card Stock: Riding Hood Red Patterns DSP and card stock, Brushed Gold Metallic, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Photo Corner Punch, Narrow Gold Organdy Ribbon (retired SU), red staples (Office Max)

WANTED: Party Girls

This is the birthday invite I came up with for my daughter's 7th birthday party. She wants a horse theme party - so all the decor has horses on it - most a mother horse and baby foal - she loves baby animals! It's going to be a small gathering with just three girlfriends - who have all had the date on their calendar for over a month because I *knew* I wouldn't get the invites made in time. (The party is a week and a half from today!)

I really like how this design turned out! I especially like the little touches of embellishment - the Rope Twine (retired SU!) is kept in place by a few Mini Glue Dots (I ADORE the mini glue dots!) and the pink rhinestones (self-adhesive, of course, and by KaiserCraft) on the Word Window punches (which are popped up on Dimensionals.) I sponged Chocolate Chip Classic Ink around the edges of the Close to Cocoa base to create a framing efect without adding another layer of card stock. As always, am lovin' my Classic Oval Nestabilities Set! I used the scallop to help keep the feminine touch in the design, same idea for the Loves Me DSP and the pink rhinestone bling. My girl isn't a true "girlie girl", but she isn't a tom boy either. She liked the design - so I guess I did good! :)

How about the horse "galloping" along the inside of the invite? For those who haven't seen this done before - this effect is achieved in a very simple way - stamping off! I stamped the first horse fully inked, then stamped twice more to achieve the 'in motion' effect.

Stamps: Wanted (SU!) and Rough Edges Mini Alphabet(retired SU!)
Card Stock: Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose, Taken with Teal, Whisper White, Loves Me DSP (retired)
Ink: Chocolate Chip and Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Word Window Punch, Oval Nestabilities, Rope Twine (retired SU!), Rhinestones (Kaiser Craft), Mini Glue Dots and Dimensionals.
ENJOY!

Baby Shower Onsies

I'm back on the blog - though next week will be the true return to normalcy - whatever that is! LOL I have so many projects to catch up on - and look forward to stamping and posting those next week. Here are the Baby Shower invites I promised last week. Aren't these A-DOR-A-BLE??!! I found this tutorial on Lauren Meader's Blog a few months ago and knew it would be perfect for my niece's shower when it came up. Woohoo - another great-grandchild on the way for my parents!

Stamps: this little ducky is from a SU! incentive stamp set that was only available to demos
CardStock: Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, Almost Amethyst, Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: Y00, Y02, Y21, YR00, YR04, YR18, RV10, RV 23, B21, B63, YG11 & C2
Accessories: SU! Scallop Circle & 1 3/8" Punches; Stickles in Cotton Candy & Baby Blue; Ice Stickles in Grape Ice
ENJOY!

Cruisin' the Big "50"

This is the birthday invitation for my brother's 50th birthday. Hope he doesn't look at my blog - it's supposed to be a surprise, but I think he knows anyways! :) The 'life preservers' are two Round Tab Punches - cool, huh?

Stamps: Something Fishy Jumbo Wheel

Colors: Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue & Whisper White.

Accessories: Round Tab Punch, Word Window Punch, 1 3/8" & 1" Circle Punches, Crop-a-dile, Gold Eyelets, Cutter Kit, Mini Glue Dots. ENJOY

First Holy Communion

This invitation is for our son's First Holy Communion. It's hard to believe he his old enough for this beauitful Sacrament already! Wasn't it just yesterday that he was Baptized and we spent our days happily nursing, playing and napping together?!

And I am having great fun using my NEW Glimmer Mist and Cuttlebug and Embossing Folders too!! Woohoo - don't you just adore playing with new toys and bling? I believe the Glimmer Mist is STILL ON SALE at CreativePlayStamps through the end of this week only! Go check it out - they have the limited edition Spring Releases along with a large variety of other colors.

This Design has the Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist sprayed all over the card as a final touch. Though let me NOTE: DO NOT spray Glimmer Mist on stamped vellum or the ink will run! lol - you guessed it, I learned the hard way so you don't have to - isn't that sweet of me?! LOL

This invitation got a thumbs up and a "Cool" from my son - so I guess it is good, huh? :) I used a sentiment from the CreativePlayStamps First Communion set - and used the technique of Direct to Stamp Omitting - i.e. using a Stampin' Write directly on the stamp to only ink up the words I wanted. I really like the choice of typestyles in this set - CreativePlayStamps did a nice job touching on a variety of typestyle preferences for this important Sacrament.

Stamps: Refuge and Strength (SU!) AND First Communion (CreativePlayStamps)

Cardstock: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White and Vellum Paper

Ink: Bashful Blue

Accessories: Stampin' Write Marker in Night of Navy, Irirdescent Gold Glimmer Mist, Cuttlebug and Spots & Dots Embossing Folder, Dimensionals, Night of Navy Eyelets

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

This weekend I accomplished two of my stamping goals - using my new Cuttlebug and Embossing Folders AND designing Confirmation invitations for our niece, plus a card to send to her made from the trial pieces. "Trial pieces?", you may ask. You know, when you try out different color combos, layouts, etc. until the *right* ones come together and you say, "That's the one!" It's really not that different from finding your wedding dress!! :)

I wasn't that interested in the Cuttlebug UNTIL I received a card, then started seeing on my fav blogs, designs using the Embossing Folders. Thanks to a Sudsol Sister who shared a link to a site that was offering the Cuttlebug for $35!!!! - I got in on that deal - then went a little eBay crazy and picked up several Embossing Folders for both very good prices and average prices. So - hopefully I'll be using these more often. This Confirmation invitation needed some kind of background on the Lovely Lilac layer and the Cuttlebug came to mind. It was exactly what I was looking for - no additional color or shading, just some added texture.

But I must admit that the focal piece you are looking at, is not the one I went with. Why? Because my scanner wouldn't pick up the Almost Amethyst Classic Ink. I *almost* chose the colors from the focal pieces you are viewing, but decided for my niece, a softer look was better. PLUS, I liked how the Cross was more subtly in the background, an ever-present shadow, part of everything - like the breaths we take or the beats of our hearts. The Dove, of course, is a long time symbol of the Holy Spirit. So - on the actual cards that will be sent, the Cross is in Almost Amethyst, and the Dove is in Lovely Lilac.

On *these* samples - the Cross is stamped off in Lovely Lilac, and the Dove is stamped in Elegant Eggplant.

Stamp Sets: Refuge and Strength, Peace Be Unto You (retired)

Colors: Lovely Lilac, Almost amethyst, Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Designer Label Punch, Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug and Swirls Embossing Folder.

ENJOY!