Valentine from my Hubby

Late last month, Jim made me a belated valentine. The best part was just getting to sit with him as he worked on it. I think he knew it was the time more than the finished card that I would enjoy, so it didn't really matter that it was late. He was inspired by this card, which I made for a group swap back in January. He wanted to color the outline and incorporate the flowers and brads like I did, but he changed the main image to the heart.

He stamped "Happy Valentine's Day" on the inside and left the front blank. I told him it needed a greeting, so he stamped "i love you", which is ((wincing)) contraband -- a Close to My Heart stamp. After he stamped it, I told him it wasn't a Stampin' Up! stamp and he responded: "What!? Why did you let me ruin the card with something that wasn't Stampin' Up!?" ((wink))

Supplies: Love You Much, Riding Hood Red cardstock, Close to Cocoa ink & cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Pink Pirouette ink, Blender Pen, Soft Subtles Brads, Trio Flower Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Sketch Series #3

Here's another sketch I find myself using over and over again. You may recognize it from the Frog & Flowers card or the Mr. Twigster card. I love the balance the card elements create with this sketch. It's also a great layout for using DSP. This card uses some of the Candy Lane DSP that was featured in the Love You Much Bundle.

Supplies: Love You Much, Candy Lane DSP, Pink Pirouette ink refill & cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Riding Hood Red cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Basic Brown ink, Certainly Celery marker, Blender Pen, Fire Circle Rhinestone Brads, Trio Flower Punch

Big Heart Card

Here's another sample from my Circle Scissor Plus demonstration last weekend. To make the ring, cut the smaller circle first, then adjust the size of the circle without moving the cutter and cut the larger circle. You can make rings any width you want -- thick or thin.

Supplies: Love You Much, Short & Sweet (greeting), Very Vanilla cardstock, Riding Hood Red ink & cardstock, Pink Pirouette cardstock, Candy Lane DSP, Circle Scissor Plus

Scallop Envelope Valentine Treat

I CASEd this project from my talented upline, Kim Peck. This was the make and take at our last group meeting. (Thanks to Margo for showing me how to make this since I couldn't attend the meeting.) I think the card is different from Kim's original, but the box is mostly the same.

The 3" x 2-3/4" card inside pulls out. A Ghirardelli chocolate also fits nicely in the box. (A small bag of M&M's would probably fit well too.)

I love the alternate use for these small scallop envelopes. The box is made of two envelopes glued together. Start by cutting two envelopes with the Stampin' Up! Exclusive Scallop Envelope die for the Big Shot. Cut the large end off so that it's about the same size as the side flaps.

Put Sticky Strip on all three flaps of one envelope. (Sticky Strip not shown in image below) Adhere the sides and bottoms of the envelopes together to form a box, like this:

One of the scalloped flaps stays up and the other folds down in the front. I covered this flap with my DSP belly band (1" x 8") and Hugs & Kisses scallop circle, but you could certainly put the belly band under it so that the scallop shows. Another tip: Adhere the belly band ends in the front so that the scallop circle covers up the seam!

I used the Love You Much Bundle for this project. Click here for details on how to get this Valentine bundle 20% off. Hurry: Sale ends Saturday! Click here for more ideas using the Love You Much Bundle.

Supplies: Love You Much, Riding Hood Red cardstock, Pink Pirouette cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Basic Brown ink, Candy Lane DSP, Scallop Circle Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals

Sketch Series #2

For the second year running now, I have sent my downline (the demonstrators I have recruited and those they recruited) a Valentine card instead of a Christmas card. I want them to be able to display and use the card past the Christmas holiday. Plus I usually don't get my cards out until the week OF Christmas (or after).

This year, I used some cardstock I had leftover from my Holiday Trinkets stamp-a-stack card. I wanted to use the Love You Much Bundle, since it is on special in January. (Click here to learn more about getting 20% off this special Valentine Bundle.) Here's my card:

Supplies: Love You Much, Real Red ink & cardstock, Basic Black ink, So Saffron marker & cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Kraft cardstock, Heart to Heart Punch, 3/4" Square Punch

Here's the pile of 40 cards before I mailed them:

I really like this layout, and apparently so did my downline! They CASEd the layout for their own cards. Here are two, from Barb and Cindy.

Barb's Card:

Cindy's Card:

Valentine Top Note Card

Here's a quick valentine using the new Love You Much Bundle. (Click here for details.) The card front uses the entire Top Note and is mounted on a Top Note card, which allows for a fold right under the top of the card. (Inspired by the stamping brilliance of Patty Bennett.)

Here's a side view, so you can see how the front adheres to the Top Note card.

And here's a photo of the folded cardstock on the die. I used the pink cardstock underneath so you could see the outline of the die and where to place your folded card. (You would not cut the red cardstock with the pink one on there.)

Supplies: Love You Much, Pink Pirouette cardstock, Riding Hood Red ink & cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Candy Cande DSP, Top Note die for the Big Shot, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch

Love Notes Tin Purse

I created this project to submit to Stampin' Up! for a Valentine's Day class idea contest, but as I was writing everything up, I realized that the mini Very Vanilla envelopes are no longer separately. Darn! It would not be the same with the white envelopes since the Candy Cane DSP has vanilla in it. Let me know if you would be interested in a class kit ("to go" style) and I'll finish putting it together! In the meantime, here it is!

The stamp set, Candy Cane DSP, and punch are all from the Love You Much bundle. (Click here for details.) You can get it 20% off in January. However, right now, it's unavailable in my online store, so email me if you want to order it!

The cover is my favorite part. I love the way it turned out!

The tin holds four 3x3 cards (aka Love Notes) and four stamped envelopes.

I used the skinny silver tin again (available from Stampin' Up!: item #108333 , $1.95/each). The Crop-a-Dile cut through the tin like butter to create the holes for the ribbon to make it into a purse.

Supplies: Love You Much, Wonderful Words, Taffy Alphabet, Pink Pirouette ink & cardstock, Close to Cocoa ink & cardstock, Riding Hood Red ink & cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Very Vanilla mini envelopes, Candy Cane DSP, Scallop Edge Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Skinny Silver Tin, 5/8" Very Vanilla Grosgrain ribbon, Crop-a-Dile, Silver Brads, Blender Pens

Love You Much Card

I'm stamping with some of my fabulous downline in Springfield tonight. We're doing a shoebox swap, so we're each bringing a project pre-cut and ready to stamp. We'll rotate to different stations so we get a chance to make all the cards. Of course, there will be plenty of chatting and eating yummy treats too.

Here is the project I'm bringing, a card using the Love You Much bundle. And it also happens to meet Stacey's latest Jewelry Color Inspiration Challenge!

I used the Pink Pirouette ink refill and a blender pen to create a marker and color in the word "Love". One other note, I trimmed 1/4" off the edge of the cardstock BEFORE I used the Scallop Edge punch. I wanted more of the DSP (which is adhered to the inside of the card) to show through.

Click here for details about the Love You Much bundle -- it's on sale for 20% off this month!

Supplies: Love You Much, Candy Cane DSP, Riding Hood Red cardstock, Close to Cocoa cardstock, Basic Brown ink pad, Pink Pirouette ink refill & cardstock, Certainly Celery marker, Very Vanilla cardstock, Blender Pen, Trio Flower Punch, Silver Brads, 1/16" Hole Punch, Riding Hood Red Taffeta ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch