Month: April 2016

Steaming Hearts

Posted on by darlaso

This swap card was created by fellow demonstrator, Dianne Teslak. Sadly, the Cup & Kettle framelits are already sold out! But, my blog is really about Creating.Inspiring.Sharing. and if you end up purchasing something from me as a result of that: BONUS! It will totally make me get all steamed up and I will start steaming hearts just like this little teapot! Come to think of it…I am short and stout…the similarities are amazing! Okay, let’s move on…

There were just a few things that I loved about Dianne’s card:

  • How the designer series paper and doily create the look of a table
  • How she embossed the teapot (which kind of coordinates with the doily)
  • How she tilted the lid…just a wee bit
  • And the heart…have I mentioned that I heart this heart?
For your convenience I have listed most of the supplies that Dianne used creating her card. Keep in mind that the framelits are no longer available and several other of these items are also on the retired list and are only available while supplies last. Clicking any of the images below will take you to my 24/7 online store where you can place an order to see if I really can steam hearts! Thanks so much for stopping by.

You Are Tea-riffic in Pink

Posted on by darlaso

This tea-riffic swap card in pink was created by fellow demonstrator, Teri Bean. She used the, A Nice Cuppa bundle to create this card. However, the Cup & Kettle framelits are no longer available. You can still get the stamp set – but fussy cutting will be required to make this card if you were not lucky enough to purchase the bundle before the supply of framelits ran out. Just about everything, with the exception of the card stock, ink and rhinestones, is set to expire!

I will let you in on a little secret. My favorite thing in this whole set/bundle? The heart! I absolutely love the heart.

For your convenience (just in case you can’t live without it), I have provided a list of most of the supplies that Teri used in creating her card. Clicking any of the images below will take you to my 24/7 online store where you can purchase whatever it is you need to go on living! Thanks so much for stopping by.

A Do-it-Yourself Tea Bag

Posted on by darlaso

This swap card, with the amazing do-it-yourself tea bag, was created by fellow demonstrator, Dianne Teslek.

I am sad to report that the, A Nice Cuppa framelits, which were on the retired list, are all sold out! However, you can still get the stamp set, which in my humble opinion, is only half the fun (but at least it is still fun!)

I love taking a nice spot of tea in the afternoon…it’s a soothing and relaxing moment; especially in the midst of retired lists and visions of new catalogs and printing out multiple wish lists because one is just not enough!

But here I go chasing red balls again…leaving you hanging with the question, “How do I make my own tea bag?” So I’ll try to stay on point…

According to Dianne, she used a 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2 piece of Filter Paper to make her tea bag. She didn’t go into details about precisely how she folded it – but the picture looks pretty self-explanatory along with the dimensions she provided. Here I should mention that the Filter Paper is also on the retired list, while supplies last. So if you want to make your own tea bags (and who would not?) don’t delay in visiting my 24/7 online store and add them to your order of things that you need (or want) right away before they too are no longer available!

For your convenience, I have provided a list of most of the supplies that Dianne used in creating her card. Clicking on any of the images below will take you to my 24/7 online store where you can place your order! Thank you so much for stopping by.

Going Retro With the Love Bug!

Posted on by darlaso
Beautiful Ride Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!
Back to the 60’s! 

This fun retro throw back swap card was created by fellow demonstrator, Anita Watson.

Yeah, I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s so Anita’s card makes me just a little nostalgic. It was an interesting time; hippies, tie-die, flower power, peace signs, rock and roll, “The Love Bug,” and so much more!

I love how she gave the bug a “tie-die.” To do this she used what is called the Baby Wipe Technique. This technique is very easy, all you do is take a few baby wipes and turn them into an ink pad of sorts! Re-inkers are used to randomly create a pattern of ink on the baby wipes after which you lay your card stock over the top (or vice-versa) and pick up the “tie-die” color from the baby wipe!

Anita picked her colors from the designer series paper (this particular paper was a Sale-a-bration reward so it is no longer available but any colorful, flowered paper will do, as long as it is Stampin’ Up!, of course!) Just follow her lead and use the colors from whatever designer series paper you use!

It is hard to see in the photo but the entire bug has a metallic flake in the paint job thanks to our awesome Wink of Stella pen! Plus, the windows have window sheets behind them giving them a real look of glass!

For your convenience, I have listed most of the supplies that Anita used in creating her card below. This fun, retro style stamp set called, Beautiful Ride is on the retired list and will be leaving us soon so don’t wait – click any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store and get yours now before they are gone for good! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Life is a Beautiful Ride – Oh the Memories!

Posted on by darlaso
Beautiful Ride Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!
Memories of Slug Bug – Life is a Beautiful Ride!

This fun swap card was created by fellow demonstrator, Jill M. Arenovski.  Doesn’t it make you want to play a little game of, “Slug Bug?” My siblings and I used to play this on little road trips all the time! We may have gotten a little rambunctious with our slugging and shouts of, “Slug bug can’t slug back!”  But, I digress…

Things that I love about this card:

  • Nice neutral background accented with a little tone-on-tone Gorgeous Grunge 
  • The twine layered on the little banner flag over the tone-on-tone which gives it a little “pop”
  • The soft and pretty designer series paper that anchors the bottom of the card and gives the illusion of a road
  • The bug is cut out and layered on with dimensionals giving depth to the card
  • Nice soft water-coloring
  • It’s easily duplicated
Now that you know all that…I will digress again with a fun little factoid about myself! I learned to drive in a ’59’ bug. (It was not nearly as pretty as this.) That old clutch and I did not get along. A few tears were shed, but my dad was patient! I prefer the convenience of an automatic, but at least I can say that I know how to drive a clutch! 
This fun little retro style stamp set is going into permanent retirement so if you would like to duplicate this fun card, I suggest that you act now to add it to your collection before it is gone! For your convenience I have listed most of the supplies Jill used in the creation of this card. Click any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store and add them to our collection now before they are gone! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Look Who’s Turning 29 (Again)

Posted on by darlaso

This humorous swap card was created by fellow demonstrator, Teresa Apperson.  She selected her color combo from the Birthday Bouquet Designer Series Paper that she used to accent the sides of the card. The color combo is soft and pretty and the confetti in the paper adds a little pop of extra color. Teresa used the Number of Years bundle which is on the retired list so if you would like to create this card, don’t delay in visiting my 24/7 online store to purchase what you need as items on the retired list are only available while supplies last!

For your convenience I have listed most of the supplies that Teresa used in creating her card below. Clicking any of the images below will take you my 24/7 online store where you can purchase what you need to recreate this card. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Birthday!

Posted on by darlaso

I picked this swap card, created by fellow demonstrator Jannette Santamarina, to share with you today because I love the pretty simplicity of it and I turned another year younger (meaning that it’s my birthday…and when you are going down the hill…isn’t it the same as going backwards?)!

For your convenience I have posted a list of most of the supplies that Jannette used in the creation of this card. Simply click on any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase the supplies you need to recreate this simple and pretty birthday card. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Make A Wish!

Posted on by darlaso

This is a swap card created by fellow demonstrator, Jayne Hansen. She used a nice simple layout and took her color combination from a piece of designer series paper. Dies were used for a couple of the layers giving it a nice polished look.

Other details that are hard to see are:

  • The rhinestone on the center of the bow colored with a black sharpie
  • The flames on the candles shimmer a bit with a touch of clear Wink of Stella

For your convenience I have listed most of the supplies Jayne used in creating her card. Simply click on any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase the supplies you need to recreate this card! Thanks so much for stopping by.

Links to the Live Retired List and PDF!

Posted on by darlaso

The Retired List is Live on my Demonstrator Website!

Hello Stampin’ Friends! I am sorry that I could not get the PDF out to you yesterday! A tablet, a phone, and coffee shop WIFI was getting me nowhere! But hey! My tax business got taken care of by the deadline so I won’t go to jail…and my teeth are squeaky clean! Plus, even though I had to drive in quite a bit of rain, none of it was too heavy and I managed, obviously, to spend 8 hours on the road without incident! I haven’t really had a chance to absorb the retired list…and I start my new job today…so absorbing probably won’t happen until tomorrow when I can take the PDF, sit down with some coffee or tea and go through my catalog and put a big R on retired items! 

To stay abreast of what is really available from the retired list…you will want to click on the live link to my demonstrator website by clicking on the Farewell photo below! If an item is sold out…it won’t be there! 











For the complete list of retired items on PDF that you can print out to put with your catalog, mark it all up (like I do) you can click the Gone photo for the link below. Just do a a right click and save as to save it to your computer!




Could it be Christopher Robin?

Posted on by darlaso

Now that it has been put in my head, I can’t get Winnie the Pooh out of my head when I look at this set! This is a swap card created by fellow demonstrator, Angie Brailsford. I love how she created the large square window out of the square framelits and added the window box for a big open window rather than a window with panes. What a great idea!

For your convenience I have added a supply list of most of the products that Angie used in the creation of this cute card; simply click on any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase the supplies you need to create your own “Christopher Robin” card! Thank you so much for stopping by!

It’s a Good Day!

Posted on by darlaso

This fun card was created by fellow demonstrator, Kendra Richardson. According to her, “This card was inspired by Winnie the Pooh characters.” It does look like it came right out of Winnie the Pooh! I fell immediately in love as I love all things Winnie the Pooh!

I think that the Washi Tape she used may be no longer available, or I just missed it when looking for it. Either way, I have substituted a similar style that will work just as well. However, you may want to switch up your ink colors a bit if it doesn’t coordinate the way that you want. I haven’t been able to play with it to see if that is necessary as I have been under the weather, again. Luckily, it is easy enough to plan a post with a pen and paper in an easy chair during some of my better moments and then use another better moment to type it into the blog! Thank goodness for ibuprofen, and other symptom managers!

For your convenience I have provided a list of most of the supplies (along with said suggested substitution) Kendra used to create this fab “Winnie the Pooh” card. Please click on any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase any of the items you need to create your own “Winnie the Pooh” card! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Simply For You With Birthday Blooms

Posted on by darlaso

This simple, pretty swap card was created by fellow demonstrator Lorraine Duran. Her card was created with the Wildflower Fields Designer Series Paper which was a Sale-A-Bration reward and is no longer available. However, don’t despair! I am suggesting that you just substitute some paper from the Love Blossoms Designer Series Paper Stack.

I love this card because it is easily duplicated and has a pleasing layout! For your convenience I have provided a list of most of the supplies (along with my suggested substitution) that Lorraine used in the creation of her card. Clicking on any of the images below will take you to my 24/7 online store where you may purchase whatever items you need to duplicate this lovely card! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Sending Wishes Your Way

Posted on by darlaso

This cute swap card was created by fellow demonstrator, Lynn Lypchak.

I don’t know why, but I keep wanting to put this bunny in the Playful Pals set. Does he not look like he belongs there?

I won’t be chatty today. I have caught another bug. I rarely get sick…but I was sick last month and now I have the sniffles again! I guess I may be overdoing it. But how else do things get done? Sigh.

For your convenience I have provided a list of most of the products Lynn used in the creation of this adorable card. Click on any of the product images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase what you need to recreate this cutie! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Birthday Blooms For You

Posted on by darlaso

This pretty card is another make and take from my Sale-A-Bration Open House.

I am so happy that Stampin’ Up! brought back the Softly Falling Folder. It just makes a really pretty textured background. Don’t get stuck thinking that it has to be used as snow!

To color this floral image I chose to use sponge daubers and ink. I really miss the soft muted look of coloring with chalks and this is a close second! plus, I am not a big fan of coloring large areas with markers.

I just trimmed the top of the label cut from the label die to give it a little different look and topped it with some Metallic Glitter Tape daubed in Mint Macaron. This tape was a free Sale-A-Bration reward so if you missed out, you can substitute Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper.

I did the inside of this card too, you can take a peek at it here:

It’s kind of fun to jazz up the inside of your cards and do a little something to the envelope to make it all coordinate!

For your convenience I’ve listed most of the products that I used creating this card. You may click on any of the images below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to purchase what you need to create this card. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Final Week of Weekly Deals!

Posted on by darlaso

The Weekly Deals will be ending on April 18th (the same day as the RETIRED LIST comes out)! Don’t miss out on these great deals while they last! 

The Stars Framelits Dies are a good deal and will work great for graduation cards! I love the price on the Sweetheart Punch and it has a very pretty shape! I love snow friends but I can’t imagine not having the set to go with it and the bundle is still a better deal!

Don’t forget to check out the Clearance Rack, too! Click on the Weekly Deals button below to be taken to my 24/7 online store to get in on the last week of deals! Thanks so much for stopping by!