Blue Birthday Blooms

This is the first of several cards I made recently using The Greetery's Birthday Blooms stamp set and dies. It is so easy to make pretty cards using The Greetery's products!

The background was done by blending Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire distress oxide inks towards the center of a white card panel. I also used those same inks to add some splatters. Once that was dry I die cut it with the largest Crimped Frame die. 

The flowers were stamped in Bashful Blue and Blueprint Sketch inks, such a pretty combo! The greenery was stamped in Green Parakeet and New Leaf inks. The Happy Birthday sentiment and die cut are also part of the Birthday Blooms set. I adhered my Crimped Frame panel onto a white card stock base with foam tape and it was done. So easy!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps: Birthday Blooms (The Greetery)

Paper: Stamper's Select Card Stock (PTI)

Ink: Bashful Blue (SU!), Green Parakeet, New Leaf (PTI), Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire (Distress Oxide)

Dies: Birthday Blooms, Crimped Frame (The Greetery)

Wishing You a Sweet Day

I'll be sharing lots of birthday cards in the coming weeks. Now through March there is a steady stream of birthdays among my family and friends! This card is destined for a crafty friend from my church and uses the Cupcake and Sprinkles die-namic. My last card used the Mini Cupcake Maker die-namic, and today's card uses the full size cupcake. Both sizes are super fun!

The cupcake is adhered to an Essentials: Braided Oval die cut from Lilac Grace card stock. I love how pretty and intricate that die cut is! The cupcake wrapper was cut from pattern paper and the frosting was die cut from white card stock. I went over the frosting with a Wink of Stella pen to add some shimmer. The sprinkles are cut from Lilac Grace and gold card stock. 

I used the Twisted Crepe die to add a festive touch to the top of the card. I die cut the streamers from white card stock and, using a finger dauber, added Wilted Violet distress oxide ink. I alternated between full saturation and a very light tough to give it the variegated look. 

The background panel was created by splattering a white card stock panel with Shaded Lilac and Wilted Violet distress oxide inks and then I cut it down with the largest Crimped Frame die. Finally, I stamped the sentiment, from Sugar Coated Sentiments, with Wilted Violet ink at the bottom. The entire main panel is popped up with foam tape onto a Lilac Grace card base. It's been fun playing and getting some cards made!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps: Sugar-Coated Sentiments (MFT)

Paper: Lilac Grace, Stamper's Select White (PTI), Spots & Stripes Brights pattern paper (Sugar Pea Designs), gold

Ink: Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet (Distress Oxide)

Dies: Cupcake and Sprinkles die namic (MFT), Twisted Crepe, Crimped Frame (The Greetery), Essentials: Braided Ovals (Pink Fresh Studio)

Other: Wink of Stella

Cupcakes & Balloons Birthday Card

My niece turned 4 years old last week and this is the card I made for her. Only after I finished did I realize there is no stamping on this, only die cutting. That might be a first for me!

The background was created by blending Spun Sugar and Picked Raspberry distress oxide inks onto a panel of white card stock, getting lighter toward the edges. I also splattered some water and more Picked Raspberry onto the panel for interest. I then die cut that panel with the Crimped Frame die from The Greetery. I used the super fun Pumped-Up Alphabet die-namic by My Favorite Things to cut my niece's name from gold card stock. I was trying to mimic the oversized gold mylar alphabet balloons that are so popular for birthdays and showers. It is so pretty in real life!

The cupcakes were die cut using the Mini Cupcake Maker die-namic. I used a variety of pink card stock and pink pattern paper for the wrappers. The frosting is all white, and then I used more gold card stock for the sprinkles. I like that there are four cupcakes, and it was her fourth birthday. It just worked out that way because of her name, but I like it! The entire main panel is popped up with foam tape onto a white card base. Happy birthday sweet girl!

SUPPLIES:

Card Stock: Stamper's Select White, Sweet Blush (PTI), Brights & Stripes pattern paper (Sugar Pea Designs), gold

Ink: Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry (Distress Oxide)

Dies: Mini Cupcake Maker die-namic, Pumped-Up Alphabet die-namic (MFT), Crimped Frame (The Greetery)

Homemade Marshmallow Gifts

I have one last holiday project to share, homemade marshmallows! The idea had been rumbling in the back of my mind to try making homemade marshmallows this year so when King Arthur Flour posted a recipe on their blog around the same time it seemed like a sign! 

Surprisingly it wasn't that difficult to make the marshmallows and they tasted so much better than the store bought ones! The recipe also makes a ton of marshmallows. I had enough to fill these three pint jars and more than enough for my own family to enjoy as well. 

Of course I had to dress up the jars with some pretty packaging. With my pinking shears I cut some Christmas-y flannel I already had into circles for the lids. The tags were stamped with a sentiment from MFT's set Hug in a Mug and tied on with baker's twine. I also added little sparkly silver snowflakes I had leftover from other projects. 

These were delicious on their own and definitely a special addition to our hot cocoa. We even dipped them in chocolate fondue for a special New Year's Eve treat! Next time it would be fun to try some of the flavor variations King Arthur Flour suggests. Maple marshmallows anyone? :) 

Painted Poinsettias Thank You Cards

I didn't have a chance to play with this poinsettia set when I was making my Christmas cards this year so I used it to make some thank you cards to send out afterwards instead.  

I used Painted Poinsettias by Papertrey Ink, which is currently 60% off in their Blow-Out Sale section. 

I started by stamping and die cutting a big pile of flowers and leaves so I would have plenty to play around with and make multiple cards. I ended up using one large and one small flower per card, tucking in leaves behind them to help frame out the corner.

I layered my flowers onto a white panel cut with the medium Nordic Frame die then stamped the sentiment in the lower corner. This sentiment is actually included in the set, so it worked perfectly! I added the largest Nordic Frame behind that, this time cut from red card stock, and adhered everything onto a white card base. 

For the second card I kept it lighter and used two white panels and embossed the sentiment in gold. I can't decide which one I like better. Which is your favorite?

I hope you are having a good weekend and finding time to play with any new crafting goodies you may have received for Christmas!

SUPPLIES:

Stamps: Painted Poinsettias (PTI)

Paper: Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy (PTI)

Ink: Poppy, Cranberry, Sprout, Parsley, Evergreen (Concord & 9th), Scarlet Jewel, Harvest Gold, Bright Buttercup (PTI), Versa Mark, Versa Fine Onyx Black

Dies: Painted Poinsettias (PTI), Nordic Frames (The Greetery)

Other: gold embossing powder