clean and simple

Sassy Salutations with Flowering Flourishes

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Let’s just say that my camera doesn’t always do me the best favors.  It is pushing ten years of heavy use, guess that is to be expected.  You get the idea though.

Sassy Salutations meets Flowering Flourishes

I was stumped for an idea, so I asked my youngest daughter for a little help.  All I asked her for was a color, something to get me started.  She said red, but not a love card.  I took her challenge and had fun with it.

Sassy Salutations meets Flowering Flourishes

I don’t normally work in red, but I do like the results.  I used two cut and ready card bases, retiring sad to say, for this set.  One for the card and the other for the box.  You could also make these from just one sheet.

Sassy Salutations meets Flowering Flourishes

I stamped on the velum with stazon and let it dry for a bit while I did the red stamping.  I hid my adhesive under the stamping and my embellishments.  Aren’t these just beautiful?  When they went on sale I broke down and bought a couple of containers.  So glad I did.  They are also retiring.

Sassy Salutations meets Flowering Flourishes

Even though my camera didn’t help out too much today, I think you get the idea.  Give yourself a challenge and see what happens.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Adventure Awaits on Sea Street

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I do enjoy it when a designer series paper set has a matching stamp set.  Everything just goes together that much better.  I thought this stamp from the Adventure Awaits set had the perfect sailor sentiment.  All kinds of happy here.

Adventure Awaits on Sea Street

I don’t know why I can’t just make one card, but I like everyone to have friends, even my crafting projects.  That sure does make extra stacks of cards to deal with.  I have taken to just giving people blank cards to play with.  It works for everyone.

Adventure Awaits on Sea Street

How about the cute little bag though.  It started out as a bag, I measured wrong, tried a box, then went bag to a modified bag.  What a busy bit of paper.

Adventure Awaits on Sea Street

Of course I had to do some inside stamping.  Those little flags are so adorable.  If I had more patience last night I would have colored them with markers, but I kept it one color for the sake of sanity.  Everyone needs some of that.

The designer paper is retiring, as well as the little oval punch I used to punch out my little anchor from the Sea Street set.  I use that punch a lot.  I will keep that one on hand for sure.  Too useful.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Ray of Sunshine CASE

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What happened to yesterday?  Well, it was absolutely all over the place!  It started out with finishing up this batch of handouts for a church youth lesson, 32 of them to be exact.  I had to enlist some family help to get them done in time.  They really looked beautiful all splayed out on the dining table.

Ray of Sunshine

We were off to church and it was so lovely.  My lesson went really well, because I have a great group of young ladies that I get to work with.  I made sure to share the extras before I came home, no need to add to the large stack of blog projects.  We went up the hill to have dinner with my husbands parents, spending much needed time there.  Only to return home to remember a church girls camp meeting that I had indeed completely forgot.  What a busy day.

Ray of Sunshine

I did CASE myself on this one.  But I needed a sunrise background to match the phrase which went perfectly with the theme of my lesson.  Inking up all of those backgrounds can give your hand a bit of a cramp.  But since I was all over the place I didn’t have a chance to share them with you.

Ray of Sunshine

So, I missed a day, sorry about that.  It should be a bit more calm today, I hope.  Let’s hope work is reasonable.  Oh, and I get to pre-order today in the new Stampin’Up! catalog!  It doesn’t go live for another month, but that is a perk of being a demonstrator!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Guy Greetings Thank You

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How do you say thank you to a man with a card?  Just like this.  Simple, a bit of elegance, and a touch of humor, but just a touch.

Guy Greetings

Denali requested a special manly thank you card for her prom dates father.  He is doing all of the driving for the two of them, neither one have a license, even as seniors, so they need a little help.  Hence, the thank you.  I thought that was adorable.

Guy Greetings

Also, it works for sharing with you today!  This set doesn’t seem to be carrying over to next year, so we have to say goodbye.  So sad, because it is a great manly set.  Well, I won’t stop using it.

Guy Greetings

This is a quick project day, because it is prom day!  When you have a young lady going to her first and only prom, you want to make it special.  There are still some things that have to be dealt with, like sharing some joy and some basic chores. Other than that, we are all about getting pretty.  Nails and hair are already done, so just enjoying the fun of makeup.  The next photos I take will be filled with a lovely young lady and her good friend.  Wheeeeee!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Petite Pairs and Punches Retirement Party

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Good morning to this retirement party!  Every time I get into one of those designer series paper stacks I get a surprise.  It is always something like, I don’t remember seeing this pattern, I should use this.  My poor brain.

Petite Pairs and Punches

I do really like this grouping here.  It is colorful but subtle at the same time.  Can you believe how many products will be retiring out of this?  The artisan label punch is one of my favorites.  It will stay in my stash for sure.

Petite Pairs and Punches

I also didn’t think to put this bright of a yellow with lost lagoon.  But I tried to use a daffodil delight card base to bring out the yellow, and it was too much.  Just a little bit then, not too much.

Petite Pairs and Punches

And to complete any card combo is a cute little bag.  This guy is made from one sheet of the stack.  A simple scoring, a bit of ribbon, and a flower from the other punching and it is just right.  And yes, a gift card will fit inside just right.  My cuteness must have an additional purpose other than being cute.  Who says that, right?  But it is true.

Petite Pairs and Punches

Have a creative day!

Moana

Blooming With Kindness Thank You Notes

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A quick, but special, project graced my desk today.  I wanted to make special thank you cards for the young ladies that I teach in a church class.  They were to write about things that they were thankful for concerning our gospel lesson.  It was a really great experience for them.

Bloom With Hope

I only recently got this stamp set at my daughters request, so I have used it a lot.  I was so sad to see it put on the retirement list.  I have enjoyed every project though.

Bloom With Hope

I think this flower image would look stunning no matter what color I used.  It is just that lovely.  I decided to use early espresso so I could pair it with the retiring seam binding ribbon.  These have become my go to products.  Only positive thoughts here though.  I know something equally amazing will come our way.

Bloom With Hope

The card assembly was really quite simple.  Just a basic card cut to measure 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 and scored at 4 1/4.  A very vanilla single layer on top measuring 4 x 5 1/4 with a length of ribbon tied in a know.  I stamped full strength in the four corners and then stamped off once to do the gaps in between.  It gave it a bit of dimension and was super easy.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Retirement Party for Bloom With Hope

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How did my morning get away from me?  Well, it goes along perfectly with the color choices for today’s projects.  These lovely cards had to wait for their retirement party until I had helped my oldest daughter.

Bloom With Hope

She is participating in a small business class that has a specific business competition today.  Her and another young lady were selected to represent their club and their school at this competition.  I just heard from her and they are finished presenting.  Just a few more and they will announce the winners.  How exciting is that?

Bloom With Hope

What is with the color choices then?  Their organization has these two colors, instead of strawberry slush it is a bit more magenta, but pretty close.  They were to dress exactly alike with these colors as their emphasis.  They look adorable!  So I thought I would use product with the same color choices.  Cool stuff there.

Bloom With Hope

I also dipped deep into a retired product from last year.  The coordinations line sure was a fun one, and I miss it.  However, I did get quite a bit of the paper when it hit the clearance racks.  As I have used down my stash of in colors, I have found myself out of a few, but have them in coordinations.  It works for me!

Bloom With Hope

If you find yourself in need of a few cards, why don’t you give these a try?  They actually went together pretty easily and they look great too!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pairs Retirement Party

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Well, after yesterday’s absolute shenanigans, I really wanted to keep it simple.  I think things went well enough.  These are two stamp sets that I will really miss, not to mention basic gray.

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pair

It is hard to tell in this photo, but I did stamp that adorable armadillo all over this basic gray paper.  The little lines of the stamp almost disappear, but not quite.  Perfect for a treat or a little gift card.

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pairs

I painted this adorable little guy with me aqua painter using basic gray, smokey slate, and a touch of blushing bride for his nose.  Really, how adorable.

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pair

I used one sheet of card stock for this trip.  I cut the paper to measure 5 x 8.5, just under  a half sheet, to make the little bag.  Then I took the 6 x 8.5 portion, turned it on its side and cut it in half so the two card bases measured 3 x 8.5 and then scored at 4 1/4.   The card fronts and inserts measure 4 x 2 3/4.

There, I even gave some measurements, I am trying to improve what I share.  One day at a time!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Chalk Talk Retirement Party

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How about this for an overdone party.  I really should set some limits with myself, because seriously, six cards and two bags for one blog post is just a bit much.  But hey, it is a party right?

Chalk Talk

The designer paper I used was so fun.  I guess that is why I ended up with two sets, because each side of the paper was too cute.  I am used to having paper around for a catalog year, but I do tend to get attached to the colors.  I really did enjoy the 2013-2015 In Colors.

Chalk Talk

The stamp set Chalk Talk is retiring, but the framelit isn’t.  So, maybe a new set will be available?  We will have to wait and see.

Chalk Talk

For a little throw back I used the stretch ribbon from last years catalog.  It was really fun to play with.  This is a reminder to me to get the items I want that are retiring before they run out.

Chalk Talk

Well, I am running behind for sure with all my crafting.  Off to another adventure!

Have a creative day!

Moana

That’s the Ticket Retirement Party

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What is with all of the product in this photo?  Well, I am beginning a series of posts that will last the next month.  It is a retirement party, and these products are invited.  I am trying to celebrate them, because I have had so much fun making beautiful projects with them.

That's the Ticket

When the new catalog comes out in June there will be tons of new product to oogle over.  But, some have to step aside to make room.  I really am bummed out about lots of them, but am trying to stay positive.  So, welcome to my party.

That's the Ticket

As you can tell, I still have babies on the mind.  Not for me, yikes!  Several of my friends are becoming grandmothers for the first time or enjoying the blessing of another grandchild.  It is infectious!

That's the Ticket

I used one sheet of wisteria wonder to make this trio.  I cut a large square 8 x 8 and used my gift box punch board.  I took the remaining strip, cut it in half and made two little gift cards to match.  Aren’t they adorable?  I chose the baby stamp from the stamp set and stamped tone on tone all over my paper before I folded it up.  Of course I had to sponge it a bunch.  Yummy.

That's the Ticket

All of the time I have used this ticket punch I have wondered how to incorporate the miniature tickets that punch out with the larger one.  I thought they fit perfectly below my favorite ribbon ever, weep weep, the lovely chevron ribbon.

With all that said, I love these products I have shown you.  Only a month left to get your own, unless they sell out sooner.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Ray of Sunshine with Perfect Pennants

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Color, color, and more color.  I obviously had color on the mind.  I have been wanting to make a card that felt like a sunrise.  This fit the need  nicely.

Ray of Sunshine with Perfect Pennants

It wasn’t easy for me to leave it alone with just ink and a sentiment, but I managed.  I have coordinating ribbon, but didn’t want to break up the colors.  My supporting committee backed me up and here they are.

Ray of Sunshine with Perfect Pennants

A friend of mine recently had an adorable little girl and I couldn’t wait to use this stamp for a baby card.  It feels like a warm cuddle, just like a baby.  Yummy.

Ray of Sunshine with Perfect Pennants

I took my inks and sponges and went to work.  I started at the bottom with crushed curry and sponged and swirled away.  I progressed across the card with the four different colors ending with night of navy on the top.  After the ink dried I stamped my sentiment where I wanted it to sit and embossed it with black powder.  I headed to the big shot and cut out my image.  Yes, that left a hole in my background piece.  But with my framed bit also done in night of navy, it was all covered up.  I just popped that up on dimensionals and called it done.  A great technique on both fronts.

Have a creative day!

Moana

You’re Wonderful

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What is wonderful?  Mothers are!  My mother is wonderful.  My mother-in-law is wonderful.  Paper crafting for both of them makes all of us happy!

You're Wonderful

After workshop I tend to have a bit of an empty brain, so I wondered what I could come up with for today.  As I put away my  materials and tidied my desk I cam across a couple of cards that were part way through.  Instead of just putting away the components to become something else, I added to them and made this set.

You're Wonderful

I love sending my mother cards to use and love.  She sets up the ones I personally send her around her house as decoration.  How sweet is that?  I also keep my mother-in-law supplied in birthday cards.  She is so nice to remember literally everyone in her family on their birthday.  Even down to the great-grand-babies.  Such a kind woman.

You're Wonderful

So I try to live up to their great examples and share what I can.  This pretty set is made from sahara sand, whisper white, and the lovely something borrowed designer paper.  I stamped my sentiment from the You’re Wonderful photopolymer set.  It is so fun because you can change out the wording that nests in the banners.  So awesome!

You're Wonderful

And what set of mine would be complete without an adorable matching bag?  It was made from a card base that was cut at 4 1/4 x 11″.  Simple scoring, stamping tone on tone with a smaller flower image from the same set, and adorned with velum flowers and rhinestones.  As you can tell, I stamped my sentiment on velum as well.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Flowering Flourishes with French?

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Saturday is usually my day to go all out with some totally extravagant project.  But today is workshop, so making sure I have everything just right takes priority.  I couldn’t not do something though.

Flowering Flourishes with French

Clean and simple cards may not be my strength, but I totally nailed this one!  I started out with the idea of stamping my background paper.  After the first two stamps up one side I fell in love.  I added one little flower in the top corner and stopped.  Such an interesting feeling.

Flowering Flourishes with French

I knew I needed a tiny sentiment, so I went on the prowl.  I came across a retired hostess set called Good Greetings.  I had earned a couple of free sets and put the wrong code in for one of them.  That was the french set.  But I couldn’t bring myself to exchange it.  And doesn’t it fit perfectly?  You know it does.

Flowering Flourishes with French

How did I choose these colors?  Well, I recently made an order to take advantage of that no shipping sale and stocked up on paper.  The heavy stuff for sure.  I added a few spools of cotton ribbon.  You guessed it.  Whisper white, blushing bride and island indigo.  There they sat it the box just telling me to do it.  Done.

Have a creative day!

Moana

All Abloom Gift Set

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Sometimes we go back to our beginnings when we aren’t even thinking about it.  Years ago when I first started paper crafting it was all about the paper and utilizing great tools.  I was pretty tired and just started without thinking.  Half way through I recognized where I was and just went with it.

All Abloom Gift Set

After I picked this patterned paper from the All Abloom dsp stack I literally had to scrounge for some coordinating pistachio pudding paper.  I try really hard to get through my in color stash before they retire.  I will be so sad to see this one go.

All Abloom Gift Set

Using the faintest of stamping, just color on color for the pistachio pudding strip, I enjoyed a little ribbon sewing.  So simple, yet it gives a lot of texture and interest.

All Abloom Gift Set

I used a couple of sheets to make the cute little matching bag.  Any more I give a card with a tiny gift or treat, it is almost compulsory.  I just love giving.

Have a creative day!

Moana

So Much Joy

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There is so much joy in every day life, why not in our cards and paper projects too?

So Much Joy

When I saw this weeks specials on the Stampin’Up! site I knew I had to break out some tools and make something special with them together.  Both framelits shown here plus the large pansy punch are all on sale.  Plus a few other goodies that I don’t have, yet.  I love a good sale!

So Much Joy

I grabbed a piece of paper from the birthday bash set to set the color stage and gave it some friends with crushed curry and tangelo twist.  Good friends.  I knew I wanted to make a gate fold card and decided to anchor the fold with a flower.  Since it was going to be layered, I knew it needed some strength.

So Much Joy

Enter the awesome huge designer vintage faceted buttons.  They are so fabulous!  Just when you think you couldn’t possibly use a button that large, bam!  The perfect choice!

So Much Joy

Lots of sponging, some glue dots, and a few dimensionals and here is another great set!  I love it when everything comes together to create beauty like this.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

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I wasn’t sure what I would come up with last night.  I had pulled some product to work with, but when I sat down to do it, I wasn’t feeling it.  Total do over.  How about this awesome stamp instead?  Absolutely!

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I had been waiting until closer to Mother’s Day to use this beauty, because it so reminded me of my mom.  She always makes flowers look beautiful, no matter how they show up. Even in rumpled newspaper.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I had to do echo stamping inside, but wanted my gift bag to mirror the stamp as well.  I think it worked out pretty good, don’t you?  Both the card and bag were made from one sheet of card stock, plus a little scrap to frame my stamped image.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I really couldn’t wait to make the little pretend newspaper on this image, like so many other stampers have done.  It was so fun, even if it was a bit tricky.  You should totally give it a try.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

Just looking at this set under my spotlights makes me smile.  I absolutely love them.  With workshop coming this weekend, I might have to change a project?  No, I will stay firm, but I don’t want to.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Crazy About You With Elegance

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“When you feel terrible, can you still create something beautiful?”  That is what I asked myself last night.  I had an endodontist appointment yesterday that I thought was headed one way and took another.  So, I wasn’t feeling very creative.

Crazy About You with Elegance

Or so I thought.  I knew black was my base, I had been wanting to make something with black for several days.  But the flower I wanted to stamp with I had just used and didn’t want to just create another card in another color.  I pulled the Crazy About You set out and picked this flower out of it.

Crazy About You with Elegance

I was reaching for my momento tuxedo black ink when I saw the silver.  I thought it could be cool to layer the stamping.  Was I right or what?

Crazy About You with Elegance

I love how this turned out.  I did learn, and please trust me on this one, that you have to clean your stamp after each layering stamp.  I stamped in silver first and let them dry for a while.  I went back in with the black, but it was picking up silver and then I was putting it back into the pad and getting silver in it.  Not fun.  So I ended up cleaning the stamp after each black flower was stamped.  Not too tiring, but necessary.  And yes, my ink pad survived nicely.

Crazy About You with Elegance

I placed just a few of the large basic rhinestones in the centers of the black flowers. It is kind of hard to tell with my photos, but they are the perfect touch.  I added a touch of ribbon and left the sentiment out of it.  They turned out very elegant.  My matching gift bag has an angled purse look to it, and I absolutely love it.

Sorry for the long post, I was apparently feeling a bit chatty.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Mother’s Love

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This card is clean and simple, but perfect.  I just got back from a trip visiting family and getting my second ready for university.  I just had to make a Mother’s Day card right away.  I wish I could just walk it over instead of mail it.

Mother's Love

I am normally a stamp, punch, lots of layers kind of girl.  But this stamp set just didn’t call for it.  The stamps go so nicely together.  I can see myself using these flowers all of the time.  But I made myself wait until now.  I hate waiting, but I love the feeling of something new to work with.

Mother's Love

I also don’t usually stamp sentiments inside.  I like to leave them blank for whatever I want to write, which is usually lots.  But this set had such a perfect companion sentiment that I just had to, and then show you.  Isn’t it wonderful?

Mother's Love

Mom’s are the best, so they deserve beautiful things like this to know how much they are loved.  I have many friends whose mothers have already passed, but don’t we all know a mother we can celebrate?  Of course we do!  Truly a great project.

Get out there and have a creative day!

Moana

Cheerful Critters Party

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There are never enough birthday cards to be made, never.  Sometimes I just dip into my stash of designer paper, pick a sheet, and get working from there.

Cheerful Critters Party

That is exactly where these two came from.  Of course I love the Cheerful Critters stamp set.  I know I teased it at first, but I have fallen in love with it every time I use it.  Really, how cute are these guys!

Cheerful Critters Party

I absolutely love my inside stamping to coordinate with the my card front.  It makes me very happy.  To the point that I have a hard time leaving the inside blank.  Kind of like doing your hair.  Everyone can make the front look nice, but the back needs just as much attention, or so my brain says.

Cheerful Critters Party

I had a fun time using my stampin’ write markers on this guy.  I have such confidence issues with them and making it look smooth.  But I have to say, this one didn’t turn out too bad.  Maybe I can do it after all.

And let me just say one more time, the perpetual birthday calendar stamp set is so absolutely wonderful.  I use those little guys all of the time.  Since they are designed to accent different months of the year, they go with everything.  How perfect is that!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Blooming With Kindness Trio

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This set started with an experiment, had some problems, then turned the corner and gave me something beautiful.  Pretty fun experiment there.

Blooming With Kindness

I started out wanting to use pink pirouette, saraha sand and very vanilla.  The papers looked lovely together, however, the way they looked on the very vanilla compared to whisper white made all the difference.

The pink looked so different on the vanilla that it made it look like my card stock was the wrong color.  That was odd for sure.  But I loved the paper I had created using the huge flower from the blooming with kindness set, so I had to get creative.

Blooming With Kindness

I made other cards using the front and inside bits I had stamped on the very vanilla.  Then I made another background piece on whisper white and the pinks were much more friendly.  And I ended up loving the secondary cards more than my original.  How about that?

Blooming With Kindness

Even though my results went a bit off, I do love the look I made.  I stamped the flower with versamark ink onto the card stock and quickly sprinkled iridescent ice powder on the wet ink.  I heat set it and while it was still tacky I hit it again with the powder and heat set it again.  You can kind of see how shiny and sparkly it is.

Blooming With Kindness

Each card got a different sentiment, and they are all so beautiful.  My daughter is the one that said we had to have the set.  She was so right, my creative buddy.

Remember, there are no mistakes in art, only opportunities.

Have a creative day!

Moana