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

Read more...

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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A {Hello Friend} Card...

Hey there!!!  It was so nice to sit and craft this morning in my little craft studio with a big mug of coffee, that is until the utility tub overflowed!  Thankfully our laundry area is right by my craft area so I heard it as soon as it happened.  Something was clogged in the drain where the water that the washer uses is drained.  Minimal clean-up!

So, there is another great post from CSS's Style Watch this week all about One Layer Cards.   To me, one layer cards usually mean masking.  That's just what I did here with the heart.  I die cut the heart on a post-it note, placed it on the card stock and then stamped the woodgrain over it.  Easy peasy!

I knew my kids made a gigantic mess in my craft area over the weekend.  They even got out my dies *cringe*.  At least they know what paper is off limits.  So, they cleaned up their mess yesterday and this is what I found when I went to craft this morning.  I love that my kids are so creative.

And yes, that is Ellen on my iPad.  I'm about a week behind and trying to play catch-up today.  Watching shows on my iPad while I craft is one of my favorite things to do.  

Things have been really busy around here, but good busy.  I got the iPhone5 on Friday and I'm totally in love with it!  I've never had an iPhone before and I'm in heaven.  The photos today were all taken with the iPhone since it has such a nice camera.  We'll see if it's better than my regular point-and-shoot camera.  

Have a great day!

{Hello Friend}

Stamps: Tweet Notes, Tag Lines, Background Basics 1, Shapes: Hearts (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar (CSS)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Green With Envy, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS)

Dies: Shapes: Hearts (CSS) (used as a mask)

Accessories: Red/Green/White Twine (CSS)

Read more...

A {Thank You} Card...

Hello & Happy Friday!!!  I have a fun little card to share with you today.  Once I picked the colors of card stock I wanted to use, the card came together rather quickly.  I used dies from the combo set Shapes: Squares from CSS.  It's a set that included stamps and dies.  I just used the dies here.  

The green layer and the green heart are popped up on foam dots.  This card was so plain until I added the heart.  The heart is from another combo set called Shapes: Hearts.  

Have a weekend!!!

{Thank You}

Stamps: All Occasions 1 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Trendsetter Blue, Creamsicle Cardigan, Glamazon Green, Orange You Fabulous, Green With Envy (CSS)

Ink: Orange You Fabulous (CSS)

Dies: Shapes Hearts, Shapes Squares (CSS)

Accessories: Foam Dots, Orange Gem

Read more...

One More {Birthday} Card...

Hey friends!!!  Before I get to my card, I just wanted to share with you a little about my day.  So, I donated blood for the first time back in May.  The process went as planned, but I failed to read the list of things you should and shouldn't do afterwards.  I went right home and started to be a mom again, making dinner, checking homework, cleaning the house.  Within about half an hour of getting home I was sweaty, dizzy and puking.  My husband had to finish cooking dinner because I was either puking or laying down with my feet up.  It took about two hours to feel somewhat back to normal.

It's been over three months and not feeling discouraged about my prior experience, I scheduled an appointment for today to donate blood again.  I remembered how horrible I felt afterwards so I really planned my day so I could just lay down and only have this blog post to write and then I would just take it easy and watch tv until it was time to pick up the kids from school.  I made this card first thing this morning, photographed and edited it and also got down to business on a little project you'll see in a few days.  I even started dinner in the crock pot and straightened up the house a bit so I wouldn't have to worry about it later.

Well, I went to donate blood and my iron level was 1 point too low!  Darn it.  I was so disappointed because this is something that is really important to me and I'm glad I can contribute to society in this manner.  This might be TMI for some of you, but the phlebotomist said that she was sure it was because it was my special time of the month.  Well, I'll know better next time.  So, my afternoon is wide open now.  What to do, what to do?

Okay, enough about me....

I love this card.  I probably love it so much because I love the card it's based on.  Usually when I CASE a card, I try to change as much as I can to make it my own, but I just loved the original card so much, I didn't want to change too much.  The color combo of gray/blue/orange came from this outfit I found on Pinterest.

Since I don't have gray ink, I used black and stamped it on some scratch paper and then on the card (this technique as also called Stamping Off).

I hope you are all enjoying your day.  I'll be sure to report back next time I donate blood, probably it two weeks.  Thanks so stopping by!!!

{Birthday Wishes}

Stamps: Trinket Sentiments, Shapes: Hearts (Clear & Simple Stamps), Mehndi Medallion (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Such a Gray-cious Host, True Blue Fan (CSS)

Ink: Orange You Fabulous, Perfect Little Black Dress (CSS), Vintage Cream (PTI)

Dies: Tags 2, Shapes: Hearts (CSS) 

Accessories: Orange Floss, Glue Dots, Foam Dots

Read more...

An {I Love You} Card...

I've been really smitten with gray and yellow recently.  I decided to throw some turquoise in the mix today.   The patterned paper that I chose is gray and silver, so kinda shiny.  

It's such a dreary day here, although it's great for taking photos.  I just can't wake up even though I slept great last night.  Maybe too much sleep?  I don't know but I think there is a nap in my future.


Check back tomorrow for the Clear & Simple Stamps release party!
Have a great weekend!!!

{I love you so much}

Stamps: Shapes: Hearts (Clear & Simple Stamps), Signature Greetings (Papertrey Ink)

Card Stock: Say Yellow to All Your Fans, Simply Blue-tiful (CSS)

Patterned Paper: Silver Valley (SEI)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Simply Blue-tiful (CSS)

Dies: Shapes: Hearts (CSS) 

Accessories: Foam Dots, Stamping Sponge

Read more...

"It's A Party!" CSS Release Review

Hello!  Since Clear & Simple Stamps releases are so big that they're going bi-monthly, the DT and I are taking this opportunity to work with a few sets you may have overlooked.  We each created an invitation and a party favor.

For my card I created an invitation style, one layer wonder.  I took a standard A2 size piece of Trendsetter Blue card stock, I masked an off-center square and stamped the wood grain image from the new Background Basics I set in Dish All the Dirt Brown.  I removed the mask, stamped the sentiment from Critters Party Elements and colored the word "party" in using a pink copic marker.  I stamped the kitty image on I'm a Princess Pink card stock, cut it out and adhered it to the card.  I filled in that cute little heart nose using that same topic marker used on the letters.  I decided to do some faux stitching around the masked square for a fun finishing touch.

Flipping the card over you can see that it's divided in two the way of a regular postcard.  I love the sentiment "for one cool kitty" followed by my daughter's name.  The kitty on the back of the card is an even smaller version of the one on the front, but uses the same paper-pieced treatment.  I used Alpha Duo to create Halle's name, colored in with the same pink topic marker like the word "party" on the front.  I stamped place, date, time, etc. using Critters Party Elements.

Now for the most fun, the party favor!  I used the Party Favor #2 die with the fancy lid.  Once I die cut the lid, used a Shapes: Hearts Die and die cut a heart in the center of the lid.  I used a small square of clear transparency to create a window.  I stamped the "window" using the stamp set that comes with the Shapes: Hearts Dies.

You can see here where the box base was stamped with a woodgrain stamp, just like the invitation.  Once the box was put together, I filled it with chocolates and wrapped it up with some brown embroidery floss.  The little circle tag uses that same mini kitty from the flip side of the postcard.  


I hope you've enjoyed today's little card/favor combo.  For even more ideas making invitations and favors, please check out the rest of the design team:

Tracy Schultz

Stephany Zerbe 

Lori Tecler

Laurie Willison

Laura Bassen

Kim Duran

Clear & Simple Stamps

Have a great day!

{It's A Party!!!}

Stamps: Taglines: Critters, Background Basics I, Alpha Duo, Shapes: Hearts, Critter Party Elements (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Trendsetter Blue, Kraft Like a Rockstar, I'm a Princess Pink (CSS)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Perfect Little Black Dress (CSS)

Accessories: Shapes: Hearts Dies, Party Favor #2 Die, Clear Transparency, Circle Punch, Foam Dimensionals, Stamping Sponge, Brown Floss, Black Pen, Sticky Tape

Copic Markers: W3, R85 

Read more...

An {I Love You Always} Card...

Hi there!  It's nearing the end of the month and I just realized I haven't shared very many of the projects I created for the Clear & Simple Stamps January release.  Although I have been using the stamps a lot in my everyday posts.  So here goes one!

I started this card with a layer of patterned paper that is very much in style with how my Grandma decorates her place (very Victorian), but not really my style.  But I think it works in small amounts.  I covered that layer with some Kraft Like a Rockstar card stock with Hearts die cut out using the new Heart Dies from Clear & Simple Stamps.  I also die cut out a smaller heart in Coral Necklace and stamped it with Dish All the Dirt Brown ink (the outline heart stamps come with the heart dies, so cool!).  Those hearts are popped up on foam dimensionals, and you can see just a tiny bit of the patterned paper peaking out.










I stamped and applied the brown card stock stripe before I cut the hearts out.  It's much easier that way :)  


I hope you enjoyed today's card!  I had a very productive Girl's Craft Night on Saturday.  I finished all my February DT projects, which is highly unusual since I'm a last minute kind of girl.   


By the way, my back is 100% normal.  I can resume walking, but not running yet (still not sure if I'm going to start back, the hubby and I have been talking about getting an elliptical machine (anyone have one and love it? Hate it?  Please share your thoughts!)).  


Have a great day!

{I love you always}

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

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Coral Necklace, Dish All the Dirt Brown (CSS)

Patterned Paper: TC Cottage (K & Co.)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Coral Necklace (CSS), Cream

Accessories: Shapes: Hearts Dies (CSS), Foam Dimensionals, Pink Baker's Twine (CSS), Stamping Sponge

Read more...