CSS Sneak Peek...

Just a quick note to let you know I have a card featured today on the Clear & Simple Stamps App for the iPhone/iPad.  Hope you enjoy!!!

Have a great day!

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CSS Group Post, Borders!

Hey there!  It's been a while, huh?  Well, there is a reason for that.  This is my very last post as a member of the Clear & Simple Stamps Design Team.  Wow, that was hard to write.  I've had an amazing experience with CSS, they are the BEST!  Lately I've just been feeling burned out.  It is hard work being on a design team and there have been a lot of days I just haven't had mojo, you can see how that can take it's toll.

Not only am I resigning from the CSS design team, but I'm taking a little blogging break.  When I come back, I'll hopefully be renewed and have my passion for all things crafty back.  

Okay, onto the card.  This card was created for the CSS group post, beyond borders.  I used the Edgers 4 die and stamp combo for my card.  I just love these colors!

The sentiment "Thank You So Very Much"  is really for Nicki and Reenee from CSS and all the design team gals I've come to know and develop friendships with.

I'm really, really, really going to miss you guys!

See you soon-ish!  Have a great day!

{Thank You}

Stamps: Edger 4 Combo, All Occasions 1 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Say Yellow to All Your Fans (CSS)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Brown Leather Satchel (CSS)

Dies:  Edger 4 (CSS)

Accessories: Yellow/White Twine, Foam Dots, Mini Hole Punch, Button

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CSS Group Project: Shades of Mardi Gras...

Hey there!  Today the Clear & Simple Stamps Design Team and I are sharing projects made using the shades of Mardi Gras, which is purple, yellow, green, and gold.  This was totally an intimidating color combination.  But, I was up for the challenge.  The card you see here was actually my second attempt, the first one was horrid, trust me.  

I created my own sort of patterned paper by cutting yellow, green and cream strips of card stock and then gluing them down on another piece of card stock on a diagonal.  I then stamped the arrows from Air Mail in purple.  

I used alphabet dies (Uppercase & Lowercase) for the sentiment.  I used the negative space on my card.  I don't have any gold/metallic paper (yet!), so I cut a small rectangle of card stock, covered the entire front with From An Anonymous Source watermark ink and then sprinkled gold embossing powder on it, which I heat embossed.  

Make sure you check out all the Mardi Gras fun from the design team!!!

• Audrey Tokach
• Jennifer Rzasa
• Kim Duran
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Hi!}

Stamps: Air Mail (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Cre'me de la Cream, Purplicious, Say Yellow to All Your Fans, Glamazon Green (CSS)

Ink: Purplicious, From an Anonymous Source (CSS)

Dies: Uppercase Alpha, Lowercase Alpha (CSS) 

Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Foam Dots

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CSS Party Hop!!!

Hey there!  Today is the Clear & Simple Stamps Party Hop!!!  The design team and I are creating ensembles perfect for a party or get-together.  For a small get-together with friends, I created a card and treat to take home.

I just love those air-mail stripes!  The twine is a perfect match.

My take-home treat is to-die-for!  It's toffee on the bottom, a layer of chocolate and then a sprinkle of sea salt and walnuts.  So good!  If I know my friends, these will be gone before they get home.

I used Mini Tri-Fold 2 to package a little "the best things in life are handmade" card.

Some more twine keeps everything in place.  
You won't want to miss what the other design team creations!!!

• Laurie Willison
• Audrey Tokach
• Kim Duran
• Laura Bassen
• Tracy Schultz
• Lori Tecler
• Elena Roussakis
• Jennifer Rzasa
• JJ Bolton <------- designer="" guest="" li="">
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Hello, Friend}

Stamps: Air Mail, Crafty Sentiments, Cloudy Days Sentiments (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, True Blue Fan (CSS)

Ink: Your Style Blue Me Away, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS), White

Dies: Notebook Edge, Mini Tri-Fold 2 (CSS) 

Accessories: Red/White/Blue Twine (CSS), Foam Dots, Sticky Tape

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CSS Release in Review, Day 1...

Hello!  Today is the first day of Clear & Simple Stamps release in review.  Today I'm focusing on two new stamp sets that were released last month: Air Mail and Alpha Clear.

Since I made a Valentine's Day gift for my daughter, it's only fair I make one for my son as well.  I tried to keep it as masculine as I could but still use hearts for Valentine's Day.

The card uses a Pressed Greige Linen card stock base, one of my new favorite neutrals.  I used the arrows from Air Mail, the letters from Alpha Clear, the heart from Shapes: Hearts Combo, and the little heart that replaces the "o" in Colin's name is from Love Cupid.  

I used the Party Favor #3 die for the box in True Blue Fan card stock.  I trimmed a thin piece of Glamazon Green card stock for the handle.  Before I folded up the favor box I die cut a heart (from Shapes: Hearts Combo) and adhered a piece of clear acetate behind it.  The strip that says "colin" uses the same stamps as the card, with the colors switched up a bit.   

You won't want to miss the other projects from the design team:

• Elena Roussakis
• JJ Bolton <------- designer="" guest="" li="">
• Clear and Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Colin's Vday Card & Treat}

Stamps: Air Mail, Alpha Clear, Shapes: Hearts Combo, Love Cupid (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Pressed Greige Linen, True Blue Fan, Glamazon Green (CSS)

Ink: Glamazon Green, Dare to Be a Diva Red, True Blue Fan (CSS)

Dies: Party Favor #3, Shapes: Hearts Combo (CSS) 

Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch

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A {Birthday Wishes} Card...

Hello!  I have a fun card to share that I made using the new Doily stamp from CSS.  I paired it with Rounded Squares Trio to create all those window panels.

This card looks all CAS but honestly, if you flip the window panel over it looks like a mess!  It is six hand cut squares that are trimmed and scotch taped in place.  Whatever works, and you'll never see it.

 The whole cream panel is popped up on foam dots.

I love when you stop by for a visit!  Hope your day is wonderful!

{Birthday Wishes}

Stamps: Doily, Trinket Sentiments (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Cre'me de la Cream (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Orange You Fabulous, Purplicious, Glamazon Green (CSS)

Dies: Rounded Square Trio (CSS)  

Accessories: Foam Dots

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An {I'm here for you} card set...

Hey there!  I've had this new stamp set from A-Muse for a while now and sadly just now inked it up for the first time.  It was a limited time only set that supported Breast Cancer Awareness.  

My card is so simple that I decided to make a set of four.

So easy, right?

Thanks for stopping by!

{I'm here for you...}

Stamps: Fight Like a Girl (A Muse)

Card Stock: I'm a Princess Pink, Cre'me de la Cream (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Paint the Town Pink (CSS)

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An {I Love You} Card...

Yep, more lovey-dovey Valnetine's Day stuff.  I think you guys will be happy when I stop using red on every single card I make.  Lol, too much of a good thing?

Anyway, I made another Valnetine's card, but this one can double as a simple "I love you" card.  Lot's of fun stuff going on here.  I die cut the heart in kraft card stock first, then embossed it with the woodgrain impression plate.  

I took a piece of cream card stock, stamped the sunburst image using red ink, then placed it under the heart, once in place I stamped the black heart outline.  

Check out the black faux stitching!  I haven't done that in for-evah!

TIP: The sentiment stamp "I Love You" is all one piece, however I didn't want to cut my stamp apart if I didn't absolutely need too.  So I stamped the full sentiment in cream ink on the black card stock strip, then cut apart the strip in the center of the word "love" and stacked the two strips on top of each other so that only one or two letters of the word "love" were showing, just enough that the heart would cover them and the spacing looked right.

Have a great day!

{I Love You}

Stamps: Sunburst, Love Cupid, Shapes: Hearts Combo (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Perfect Little Black Dress, Kraft Like a Rockstar, Cre'me de la Cream (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS) Vintage Cream (PTI)

Dies: Imprints 4, Shapes: Hearts (CSS)

Accessories: Foam Dots, Stamping Sponge, Mini Circle Punch, Black Fine Tip Pen

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CSS Release Week 4...

I'm so excited to share the very last products that Clear & Simple Stamps is releasing this month.  Have you spotted what's new in the ensemble above?  Today I'm focusing on a new edger die, Edgers 4 Combo that you can see on the bottom half of the card (this is a combo set that includes stamps and dies).  The entire card is stamped with a new Doily stamp that is about 4.5" in diameter, it is beautiful!  And that cute little package next to the card is a new Mini Tri-Fold 2 die that is like a card and envelope all in one!  Here I used it as a gift card holder.  

 Let's take a closer look at the card.

I stamped the cream card base and the "Mr. & Mrs." panel with the Doily stamp and Say Yellow to All Your Fans ink.  I used Edgers 4 to make the curve along the bottom of each panel.  The yellow panel is also stamped with the Doily image using From an Anonymous Source watermark ink.

Here's a closer look so you can see the stamping on the yellow panel.  The "Mr. & Mrs." panel is popped up on foam dots and over top of the twine.  I used Perfect Little Black Dress ink to stamp the sentiments, but I stamped it lightly on scrap paper first to remove some of the ink before stamping my final image.  Now the sentiment is more grayish than black.  I just love yellow and gray!

I know you are dying to see the inside of this package!  I wanted it to be easy to open so I tied it closed with the same twine from the card that you can just slide off.

This Mini Tri-Fold 2 Die is two parts, it's the folding envelope and the rectangular panel you see adhered in the center, which is also stamped with the Doily image.

This card/envelope perfectly holds a gift card.  I can tell I will be using this A LOT!  

Please check what the creations the design team came up with, using even more newly released products.  You won't want to miss it!

• Audrey Tokach
• Elena Roussakis
• Lori Tecler
• Jennifer Rzasa
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

To see all the items released this month in one place, click here!

Hope your weekend is amazing!

{Mr. & Mrs.}

Stamps: Doily, All Occasions 1 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Say Yellow to All Your Fans, Cre'me de la Cream (CSS)

Ink: Say Yellow to All Your Fans, Perfect Little Black Dress, From an Anonymous Source (CSS)

Dies: Edgers 4, Mini Tri-Fold 2 (CSS) 

Accessories: Gray/White Twine (CSS), Foam Dots, Stamping Sponge

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A {Congratulations} Card...

Hi there!  Just a quick post today.  This card is a CASE of this beautiful card I saw yesterday on Dawn McVey's blog.  I loved her card and had to see how I could make it using my stamps.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, although it still pails in comparison to Dawn's card, which is utter perfection.

I really do like the touch of black, it really grounds the card.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit, have a wonderful day!

{Congratulations}

Stamps: All Occasions 1, Love Cupid (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Cre'me de la Cream (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Purplicious, VIP Purple, Coral Necklace, Paint the Town Pink (CSS)

Accessories: Purple/White Twine (CSS)

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CSS Group Project: Favors

I have such a fun project to share!  Today's group project from Clear & Simple Stamps is to make party favors.  I decided to make these party favors for my daughter and her friend so they can have an American Girl Valentine's Day Party.  Each favor is filled with mini valentine's they can trade between their dolls and stuffed animals.    

I started my pulling out my Cuttlebug, Cube die and new Tiny Note + Envie dies.  I die cut the cube using red card stock (2), the envie using white printer paper (5) and the note using red card stock (5).  I cut two extra notes using white card stock for the fronts of each cube.

Each cube contains 5 valentines.

I had so much fun dressing up my daughter's doll.  She noticed right away that her doll had mysteriously changed clothes while she was at school :)

You won't want to miss the fun party favors some of the other DT members created:

• Audrey Tokach
• Laurie Willison
• Lori Tecler
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Doll Party Favors}

Stamps: Taglines, All Occasions 2, Love Cupid (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: A Blanc Check, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Dies: Tiny Note + Envie, Cube (CSS)

Accessories: Red/White Twine, Sticky Tape, Stamping Sponge, Mini Hole Punch, Printer Paper

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CSS Release Day! Week 3...

Hello!  I hope you are having a great weekend so far!  Clear & Simple Stamps is releasing some super fun items this weekend, including stamps and dies.  One of the newest stamp sets is called Air Mail and is so versatile.  You'll see!  I used it to create the above ensemble.  Let's take a closer look.  

I started with a kraft card base and stamped those "short diagonal lines" around the perimeter of the card and then the "Air Mail/Fragile" wording along the upper right and lower left hand sides.  Check out that cute envie!  It's a new die called Tiny Note + Envie.  I used vellum so you would be able to see the heart through the envie.  

I adhered the envie to the card with foam dots and then stamped the sentiments in black.

The heart is removable, making this card interactive.

For the favor, I used the same stamps as I used on the perimeter of my card.  The favor was made using the Party Favor 1 die and kraft card stock.   I made a tag by punching a small hole in the "tiny note" from Tiny Note + Envie dies.  I used the "to and from" stamp from Trendy Tags 2 and the heart is from Love Cupid.

I cannot wait to see what the other ladies created!  They are always such an inspiration!!!

• Elena Roussakis
• Audrey Tokach
• Kim Duran
• Lori Tecler
• Laura Bassen
• Laurie Willison
• Tracy Schultz
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Sending You My Love + Favor}

Stamps: Air Mail, Love Cupid, Trendy Tags 2 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Dies: Tiny Note + Envie, Party Favor 1, Shapes: Hearts (CSS)

Accessories: Red/White Twine (CSS), Foam Dots, Vellum

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Another {Valentine's Day} Card...

Hi!  Yep, another Valentine's Day card.  I'm running so low on red card stock that I'm starting to get nervous!  I only have scraps left.  I need to reorder, stat!  

I started working on this card Sunday, I had the perimeter of the card done and then it just sat for a couple days, not knowing where to go.  I finally decided on a Valentine's theme.  The scroll and sentiments come from Love Cupid, which has been seeing a lot of action lately.  And the little randomly stamped heart is from Taglines: Critters, but any little heart will do.  

Designer Lines is definitely one of my favorite  background building stamp sets.  Its so versatile and the images are so bold and graphic, my favorite.

Have a great day!

{Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart}

Stamps: Love Cupid, Designer Lines, Taglines: Critters (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Cre'me de la Cream, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Accessories: Foam Dots

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