Have you heard??

Stampin' Up! has really outdone themselves this month! If you've ever thought about becoming a demonstrator, October is the month to do it. When you join the Stampin' Up! family by October 31st, you'll get a FREE BIG SHOT or your choice of $100 worth of Stampin’ Up! products!!


The starter kit is already a great value - you receive more than $345 worth of products and supplies for only $175. And now it's even better!

I love what I do. How about you?

~~Marilyn~~

Glittery Goodness

I am so glad that Stampin' Up! is offering another color of glimmer paper in the new Holiday Mini Catalog! It's so incredibly sparkling, adding a lot of shimmer to your projects! The photo does not any justice to the glistening of the snowball or the shimmer highlighting Frosty's body but this card is so glittery. Dazzling Details is a new product in the mini catalog too - it's an iridescent glitter glue :-)


Tip: add a little extra dimension to your cards by layering the same color cardstock, raised with stampin' dimensionals, on your cardbase. Simple but effective!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Snow Much Fun
Cardstock: Poppy Parade, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Stazon Black, Poppy Parade, Basic Grey, Pumpkin Pie
Accesories: aquapainter, Basic Black striped grosgrain ribbon, Silver glimmer paper, Dazzling Details, 1/4" circle punch

Give Thanks

I have another card to share featuring the new Gently Falling stamp set from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog. I absolutely LOVE this set and will probably be using it alot! It coordinates so well with the new Spice Cake designer series paper, making it easy to create fabulous projects!


I softened the leaf a bit by stamping off once on scrap paper before stamping on the cardstock. This is a great way to get more bang for your buck with a single stamp pad. Sponging around all of the edges of cardstock and designer series paper also softens the look. The sentiment is from a retired stamp set, but I just love it and couldn't resist using it!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Gently Falling, Holiday Best (retired)
Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede
Accessories: Spice Cake designer series paper, sponges, stampin' dimensionals

Holiday Mini Sneak Peek

Stampin' Up! has really stepped it up with the new products in the Holiday Mini Catalog that debuts on September 1st. 40+ pages filled with fun new stamp sets and designer series paper, and lots of fabulous new accessories like buttons, fabrics, ribbon, mini jingle bells, glimmer paper and dazzling details (think stickles).

So let's start with a sneak peek at a Fall-themed stamp set, Gently Falling. The color combination comes from the new Spice Cake designer series paper.

I'll have more samples so be sure to check back. Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Gently Falling, Word Play
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Pool Party, Whisper White
Ink: Soft Suede, Pool Party, More Mustard
Accessories: Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, dotted scallop ribbon punch, color spritzer, stampin' dimensionals

Shoebox Swap Shares

I have some more projects to share from the shoebox swap this past weekend with my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators. This first card was designed by Kelly Skidmore and the color combination is fabulous - Lucky Limeade (new in-color) and Chocolate Chip.


The new Holiday Mini Catalog that debuts on September 1st has so many fabulous new products. You are going to LOVE the new Stocking Builder punch! Not only does it coordinate with the Stitched Stockings stamp set, it's works wonderfully with the silver glimmer paper! This Christmas card was designed by my upline, Sherrie Thomas.

To show you how fabulously sparkly the glimmer paper is, here's a close-up of the stocking:


You can now see why I love getting together with my stampin' sisters! We all love to share our ideas and I always come away from the meetings re-energized. If you want to be a part of a supportive network of talented paper crafters, consider becoming a demonstrator. I just celebrated my 6th anniversary and still love it as much as I did when I started.

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{thank you}}
Stamps: Creative Elements, Perfectly Penned
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Lucky Limeade
Accessories: Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon, Big Shot, Houndstooth embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals

{{merry christmas}}
Stamps: Stitched Stockings, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Garden Green, Early Espresso, Real Red
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: stocking builder punch, 2-3/8" scallop circle punch, modern label punch, Holly Beery Bouquet designer series paper, stampin' dimensionals

Stamp-a-Thon

What a fun afternoon! My upline held her annual Stamp-a-Thon for her downline complete with a potluck and a shoebox swap. We were blessed to have some "distant relatives" come from 2 hours away to participate - a shout out to Betty's Kentucky Contingency! :-)

Here is my contribution to the swap featuring new stamp sets, Best Friends Forever (got it free for attending convention!) and Friendly Phrases. I also used the beautiful new designer series paper from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog called Spice Cake.


For some reason, my camera doesn't want to be truthful with the cardstock colors. The strip of cardstock above the DSP is Early Espresso even though it looks black and the bright blue at the bottom is actually the soft Pool Party in-color.

I'll have some more projects to share from our get together so be sure to check back.

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Best Friends Forever, Friendly Phrases
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Pool Party, Very Vanilla
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Accessories: scallop border punch, large oval punch, scallop oval punch, Spice Cake designer series paper, stampin' dimensionals

Free DSP!

Have you heard?? Stampin' Up! is offering a special promotion on designer series paper this month: buy 3 packages of basic DSP and get 1 free - a $10.95 value! Choose from any of the following patterns on pages 184-186 of the Idea Book & Catalog:

122343 Nautical Expedition
122367 Paisley Petals
122357 Beau Château
122354 Pocketful of Posies
122355 Domestic Goddess
124339 Just Add Cake
122351 Frightful Sight
122352 Timeless Portrait
122350 Berry Blossoms
122342 Beyond the Garden
122359 Well Worn
122347 Nursery Nest
122349 Letters to Santa
122348 Big Top Birthday

Stampin' Up! offers a Designer Series Paper for every crafting occasion, every crafting project, and every creative mood so stock up today!

~~Marilyn~~

Punch It Up - Part 2

More unsanctioned punch usage from my $5 or Free classes this past weekend! Let's start with the fun new Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch (#122464). It's made to make - of course - flowers like this:

But with a few snips, the flower becomes an adorable bow to dress up any present!

Cute huh??

Now what about the extra large tag punch (#119866)?


Think it can only be used for layering tags? No way! Try flipping it upside down, adding a punched handle and you get a stinkin' cute coffee mug!

So have I convinced you to get out your punches and use your creativity? I sure hope so!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{new baby}}
Stamps: Button Buddies, Friendly Phrases
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, stampin' dimensionals

{{just because}}
Stamps: It's Your Day
Cardstock: Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride, Early Espresso, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Just Add Cake designer series paper, extra large tag punch, 1" circle punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals

{{magnificent}}
Stamps: Bold Blossom, Perfect Words
Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch, rhinestones, Daffodil Delight satin ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

{{happy day}}
Stamps: Perfect Words
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Island Indigo
Accessories: Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch, Flirtatious designer series paper, Island Indigo ruffled ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Punch It Up - Part 1

Hello! Is anyone still out there visiting my blog? Sorry for the long dry spell, but July was a crazy busy month. Summer camp for Evan, Stampin' Up! convention (my first!) for me, a nasty upper respiratory infection (still not 100% back yet). I also had 2 classes, my Big Shot club meeting and a group Stampin' Up! garage sale. But now I have some great projects to share!

My class this month was all about punches and using them in "unsanctioned" ways. I started with the ornament punch which is used for, you guessed it, ornaments. Like this:

A nice, simple, easy-t0-mass-produce Christmas card. But if you're like me, you want several ways to use a product. So how about turning the ornament into a fish?


Cute, isn't he?? The ornament punch becomes his body. The five petal flower punch becomes his fins, and his eyes are made with layered circles. I don't know if you can really see the bubbles well in the photo, so here's a close up of layered circles for another purpose.How's that for some "thinking outside the box"? So if you didn't buy the ornament punch (#119847) because you thought it was only for Christmas, think again!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for two more "unsanctioned" uses for punches! Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{merry christmas}}
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Four the Holidays
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Real Red
Accessories: ornament punch, stampin' dimensionals

{{thinking of you}}
Stamps: Trendy Trees
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point
Accessories: ornament punch, five petal flower punch, 1/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, 2-1/2" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals

More class samples

I have the last two cards from my Stamp-a-Stack classes to share. Enjoy!



Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{thinking of you}}
Stamps: Tart & Tangy, Best Dad Ever
Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: clear embossing powder, heat tool, stampin' dimensionals

{{happy birthday}}
Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Bring on the Cake
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Ink: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede
Accessories: Elegant Soiree designer series paper, 1-3/4" circle punch, extra large scallop circle punch, stampin' dimensionals

More last chances

I'm back with some more cards from my All Occasion Stamp-a-Stacks this month. They showcase some of the soon-to-be retired stamps when the new Idea Book & Catalog debuts later this week.

This first card was inspired by a one I received in a local swap. I switched things up by changing the colors - inspired by the fabulous color coach and done!


And this card is perfect for so many occasions - birthday, good luck, congratulations...
I tried to keep it gender neutral so it's very versatile.


I think this rocker is one stamp that I won't be parting with when it retires on July 1st. It's definitely a keeper so get yours before it's gone!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{rock}}
Stamps: Extreme Guitar, Extreme Elements
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Gray, Sahara Sand
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Gray, Sahara Sand
Accessories: postage stamp punch, rhinestones, stampin' dimensionals

{{thanks}}
Stamps: Pick a Petal, Thanks Kindly
Cardstock: Peach Parfait, Early Espresso, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Peach Parfait, Early Espresso
Accessories: Real Red satin ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Countdown to the new catalog

Sorry folks that I've been MIA. What can I say? It's just been busy. But I have some projects to share over the next few days! I had All Occasion Stamp-a-Stack classes this month featuring some of the retiring stamp sets. Don't forget to grab them before they're gone for good! We're only a few days away from the new Idea Book & Catalog and then you'll be able to see all the new goodies that Stampin' Up! has in store!!


The first card is appropriate for a wedding, shower, anniversary or general congratulations. The champagne glasses are nice and sparkly and adds some bling. Stay tuned for more stamp-a-stack cards!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Cheers to You
Cardstock: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Basic Black
Ink: Stazon Black, Pink Pirouette
Accessories: Big Shot, Elegant Lines embossing folder, 2-way glue pen, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, heat tool, Basic Black grosgrain ribbon, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch

Anchors Away!

Hiddy ho! Once again, I've fallen behind on blogging. It's been a busy month, adjusting to my son's summer schedule, starting up a Big Shot Club and prepping for a class this weekend! But I have a card to share featuring new products from the Summer Mini Catalog.


I hear so many people say that masculine cards are challenging but the "Sail Away" stamp set offers a nice option. I stamped the image with Stazon ink on neutral cardstock and colored it in using a blender pen. Then I tore one corner of the cardstock and sponged the edges. Creating a distressed background was easy with the soon-to-be-retired "Sanded" stamp. A sentiment (from "Best Dad Ever" set) at the bottom and some string tied around the top and done!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Sail Away, Best Dad Ever, Sanded
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Stazon Black, Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: blender pen, silver brads, paper piercer, sponges, string

Sail Away

Today's card was made for a neighbor who graduated high school last weekend. I opted not to go the school colors route (my usual "go to") and opted for a more mature approach.

I stamped the boat image once on Baja Breeze, once on Whisper White and once on Real Red. I trimmed the sails and flag and attached to the Baja Breeze panel. Then I used a Baja Breeze marker on the boat and waves to highlight them a bit. Baker's twine is great for adding some extra dimension to your project without adding bulk. It's a bit hard to tell in the picture, but I sponged all the edges to soften them up.

The inside (which I forgot to photograph) had a sentiment from the Word Play set ("Go confidently in the direction of your dreams") perfect for graduations!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Sail Away
Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Real Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon black, Sahara Sand, Real Red, Baja Breeze
Accessories: white baker's twine, sponges, stampin' dimensionals

Last minute teacher gifts

What does one do when one realizes it's the night before the last day of school and nothing has been done about teacher gifts?? Gift cards from Cincinnati's finest, Graeter's ice cream, to the rescue! And when one remembers the awesome ice cream cone creations made with punches, it's a fabulous rescue!


Graeter's, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure to indulge, is known for their Raspberry Chip ice cream. To recreate this notoriously wonderful flavor, I used some Rich Razzleberry cardstock, punched out the scoop of ice cream with the Build a Cupcake punch, stamped some chocolate chips with the retired Itty Bitty Backgrounds, and fashioned a cone with a star punch trimmed and run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder. Looks good enough to eat! Here's a close-up of the ice cream cone:
Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Really Retro
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Marina Mist, Naturals White
Ink: Basic Black, Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, large star punch, word window punch, 2-3/4" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals

Bright and Bold

Ready for another card made from the fabulous new products in the Summer Mini Catalog?? Pacific Point is a wonderfully bold blue and really packs a punch with the new Fabulous Florets stamp set.


If you like bright and bold, the new Beyond the Garden designer series paper will be right up your alley! The sheet I used was just Pacific Point and Whisper White on it, but the pack includes sheets with Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango.

I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but the flower bloom jumps off the card. I stamped the image, cut it out and applied it with dimensionals - a very simple way to add some oomph!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Fabulous Florets, Bold Blossom
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz stitched poly ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch, stampin' dimensionals

Postage Punch

Have you seen the new postage punch in the Summer Mini Catalog?? I used it with designer series paper to create the background and then again with a stamp to create the main image.

Fun, huh?? If you're wondering about the designer series paper, it's a sneak peek from the new Idea Book & Catalog that debuts on July 1st! Stampin' Up! will release it's list of retiring products tomorrow and then we're on a countdown to the new catalog. So don't miss out on any products that will retire - you can order them through June 30th and then they're gone for good!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Dreams du Jour, A Word for You
Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Marina Mist, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon Black, Cajun Craze, Bravo Burgundy, Marina Mist
Accessories: Paisley Petals designer series paper, postage stamp punch, small oval punch, Marina Mist satin ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Remember...

Remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice defending our country and our freedom.

Happy Memorial Day!

Here's my son carrying a garrison flag in our town's Memorial Day parade with his Boy Scout troop:


I'll be back tomorrow with a brand new project! :-) Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Birthday presents

I love the new triple layer punches in the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalog and so do my customers! They are the most popular new product and everyone wants them. There are three options in one punch - a great investment at $23.95. But if you think the Blossom Bouquet punch only makes flowers, think again! Here's one idea:

How cute are these "bows"?? And the fun color combination came straight from the fabulous Color Coach!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: On Your birthday
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Baja Breeze seam binding, Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch, word window punch, modern label punch, Love Letter designer series paper, stampin' dimensionals

Big Fun with the Big Shot!

This month, my $5 or Free class focused on the Big Shot. Here are a couple of the projects we did:

Using the Fancy Favor die and designer series paper, we made these cute bags that would be perfect for a baby or bridal shower. For reference: you can make 2 of these per sheet of 12x12 paper.


And then we made this adorable butterfly pin using fun foam with the Big Shot! Just attach them together with a rhinestone brad and a pin-back. How simple is that??

I'll be offering another $5 or Free class in July. Either pay the $5 class fee or place a $30+ order and get the class for free!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stampin' Birthday Party

A few weeks ago, I did a girls birthday party for a friend's daughter. The birthday girl and her friends wanted to make some stamped goodies and I modeled the projects after some I did a couple years ago. This time, the colors of choice were blue, green and purple so we used Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry - what a fun combination! Here's are the projects that Grace and her friends made:


Sorry for the blurry photo - just couldn't get a nice crisp shot - but it's enough to give you the idea. The girls squealed with each project reveal - they made me smile A LOT! They made their own goody bag and then filled it with party favors they made themselves - 3x3 note cards, tic tac holder, mini picture clip and a composition book.

When they were done, they took a group picture of everyone holding her party favor and wanted me in the picture with them! And all the girls gave me big hugs! I tell you - it just warmed my heart to see how appreciative they were! Thanks to Grace and all her wonderful, sweet friends for making my day :-)

Summer Mini Catalog

My stamp club members had fun with some new products from the Summer Mini Catalog that debuted this month. Here are two cards they made:

This new embossing folder was one of the first things on my wish list! Adding dimension to your projects is so so simple with embossing folders and the Big Shot.

This card came right out of the mini catalog. I made a few minor adjustments and voila! I loved the color combo and this new triple layer punch is fabulous!!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{birthday}}
Stamps: Bold Blossom
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Bashful Blue, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Blossom Bouquet triple layer punch, decorative label punch, eyelet border punch, Big Shot, Flower Garden embossing folder, stampin’ dimensionals

{{thank you}}
Stamps: Something to Celebrate
Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Big Shot, Flower Garden embossing folder, scallop edge border punch, Daffodil Delight satin ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Chocolate Bunnies

My nieces and nephew are in for a treat when they open their Easter cards this year! I found the cutest bunnies created from punches by fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator Jen Sannes.


I hope they love 'em! :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Something to Celebrate
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: wide oval punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 2-3/4" circle punch, small oval punch, paper daisies, stampin' dimensionals

Ribbon flowers

I shared my Father's Day card from a local swap, and now I'd like to share a Mother's Day card from that same swap. It was designed by Kelly Skidmore and was so elegant and beautiful!


Kelly taught us how to make these incredible vintage-y flowers from wide grosgrain ribbon. I bet you'd like to see the flowers up close, right?!


Isn't that beautiful?? And the "leaves" were made from satin ribbon. This card is just breathtaking!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Swap Share

Today's card is one that I made for a recent swap. The theme was Mother's/Father's Day. I'm always struggling for masculine cards that aren't hunting or sports related. As a demonstrator, I get to see the new products before they're unveiled to the general public and I was thrilled to find a new masculine stamp set in the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog!



My card came together quite quickly. I used markers to ink the ties (there are actually five ties on the stamp), punched out the image, and stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cardstock. The card still needed a little something more, so I used my beloved Big Shot and the square lattice embossing folder.

I used the "best dad ever" sentiment for my swap card so that people could then choose to use it for Father's Day or they could use it for a birthday card instead.

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Best Dad Ever
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi, Naturals White
Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, 2-3/8" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals

Easter projects

Easter cards were the focus in my stamp club this month. The first card featured Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink . With an applicator similar to nail polish, we colored in the blossoms to add some subtle shimmer. A quick and easy card - it's a great one for mass production. And wouldn't this be great for Mother's Day too??


The second card was a big hit with the yummy looking chocolate bunny. Shame on me though! I had forgotten that the stamp was retired so I unnecessarily tempted my club ladies! Sorry everyone :-) The Easter egg was created by using the wide oval punch with designer series paper - easy peasy! And lastly, the "grass" was created using just the top portion of the scallop envelope Big Shot die.


Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Chocolate Bunny (retired), Something to Celebrate
Cardstock: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Envelope die, wide oval punch, Playdate designer series paper, clear embossing powder, heat tool, stamping dimensionals

Summer Mini Sneak Peek!

Stampin' Up!'s Summer Mini Catalog is coming soon! Starting May 1st, you'll be able to enjoy some fabulous new stamps and accessories. Today I have a sneak peek for you :-) It's a card from my all-occasion stamp-a-stack class this weekend.


The beautiful "On the Grow" stamp set has 2 images perfect for watercoloring in addition to 2 sentiments. I chose this glass jar with flowers to make a sympathy card. Watercoloring is easy when you use Stazon ink on watercolor paper. We picked up ink from the lid of a stamp pad and colored the image with an aquapainter.

I'll have some more stamp-a-stack projects to share with you as well as some additional sneak peeks so be sure to check back :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: On the Grow
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, watercolor paper
Ink: Stazon Black, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz poly-stitched ribbon, aquapainter, scallop border punch, stampin' dimensionals

Free MDS Update!

A FREE update is now available for all My Digital Studio users with the packaged DVD software. The update provides you with new functionality and several new options for print products. Find the free update on MyDigitalStudio.net in the Updates section, and update your software for free today!

You’ll also want to get your hands on the latest downloads of fresh and irresistible digital designs to add to your My Digital Studio collection. Choose from a variety of exclusive artwork and styles for your next project. Order now by visiting my website and clicking on "shop now"!

Blissful Butterfly

When my design mojo is just not flowing, I cruise the internet looking for inspiration. And thanks to the fabulous Julie Davison, I found a CASE-able perfect for my stamp-a-stack!

Cherry Cobbler is at the top of my list of favorite colors - it's such a rich, deep red. It's so striking with paired with black. Another favorite on this card is the Sale-a-Bration stamp set, Bliss (free with a $50 order placed by March 31st).

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Bliss, Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Sahara Sand, Basic Black
Accessories: First Edition designer series paper, 1-3/4" circle punch

Daisy Thanks

I'm back with another card from a stamp-a-stack over the weekend. It's a little hard to tell from the photo, but the color combo is bright and cheerful. I based it on the Ice Cream Parlor designer series paper, another Sale-a-Bration freebie with a $50 order!


Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Thanks Kindly
Cardstock: Old Olive, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Accessories: Ice Cream Parlor designer series paper, scallop edge punch, stampin' dimensionals

Birthday Flowers

I had a great time this morning at a private stamp-a-stack. It's so much fun to see people get excited about my cards, and helping new stampers is especially enjoyable for me! The girls made 10 cards -2 of 5 designs - and personalized their envelopes as well. I'll be sharing my projects over the next few days, so be sure to check back!


The first card features a very girly color combo: Regal Rose and Pear Pizzazz. The floral images are from a Sale-a-Bration stamp set called Sweet Summer (FREE with a $50 order!). Using my favorite embossing folder, Vintage Wallpaper, adds some elegant dimension to the card. While it was designed as a birthday card, it could easily become a thinking of you or get well or thank you card.

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Sweet Summer, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon Black, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Pear Pizzazz stitched-poly ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Being You

Today's card features a fun color combination straight from the Color Coach (121620, $14.95): Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry and Tempting Turquoise. I don't know that I would have put these colors together, but they create such a funky vibe!


The "Bold Blossom" stamp set (123232 wood-mount $12.95 or 122232 clear-mount $9.95) in the Occasions Mini Catalog has nice, simple images. They're perfect for so many occasions...birthday, thanks, thinking of you, get well, etc. So I can see it becoming my "go to" set very often!

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Bold Blossom
Cardstock: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Big Shot, Framed Tulips embossing folder, rhinestone brads, stampin' dimensionals

Inlaid Embossing

My stamp club ladies had a ton of fun this month learning the inlaid embossing technique! :-)

Our first card featured the Square Lattice embossing folder which makes your cardstock look almost like fabric!


On our second card, the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder creates a very different look.


Just a quick tip: when you're do this technique, embossing folders with a tight pattern work best.

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

{{thinking of you}}
Stamps: Trendy Trees
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, Daisies #2 die, word window punch, modern label punch, stampin' dimensionals

{{thank you}}
Stamps: Bold Blossom
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Beautiful Butterfly die, Springtime Vintage designer series paper, Baja Breeze seam binding, wide oval punch

Blissful

I'm back with another card featuring the fabulous Sale-a-Bration "Bliss" stamp set. The flourish image is perfect for creating a custom background.

I love the clean, fresh color combo of Pear Pizzazz and Tempting Turquoise! To soften the flourish image on the panel, I stamped it off once on scrap paper. Then the sentiment stamped over it didn't compete with the full intensity of the Pear Pizzazz.

I have some fun projects to share from my stamp club, so be sure to check back :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Bliss, Because I Care
Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: Pear Pizzazz stitched poly ribbon, rhinestone jewels, stampin' dimensionals

C'mon Spring!!

So, is Spring here yet?? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm about done with Old Man Winter. To try to combat the Spring-will-never-get-here blues, I've created some bright and cheery projects. Here's the first one:

I love the flourish image from the Sale-a-Bration "Bliss" stamp set! It's such a versatile image that can be used for so many occasions. And the best part is that you can earn it for free through the end of March. :-)

Thanks for stopping by!

~~Marilyn~~

Stamps: Bliss, Because I Care
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: sticky strip, glass glitter, eyelet border punch, stampin' dimensionals