For Love of Paper

The Evolution of a Card

So this is where it all began.  My mom printed out this card from Beate Johns Blog.  She was planning to incorporate some elements of it into her May Technique Club Swap. She did use several of the same elements (see her card here).

Then I saw Beate's card and immediately had visions of my May Technique Club Swap running through my head, and Beate's Card inspired this one.

From there I remembered the card I made for April's Technique Club Swap,

and combined the two together to get this card.

Walk In a Butterfly Park Card Recipe (one per page)

Walk In a Butterfly Park Card Recipe (four per page)

In the digital world we live in, ideas and inspiration fly around so quickly and yet we all still have those days, even weeks, when it seems our mojo has just up and left. One thing that seems to help me is to sit down with some type of inspiration, be it someone else's card (i.e. Beate's original card), a color scheme or even a magazine page. The inspiration or even straight CASE'ing seem to get my creative juices flowing again and give me a point to spring board from.

The next time you find yourself without any creative mojo try one of the inspiration points I mentioned above and see how much easier it is to get started.

Featured Product

 

Walk In The Park DSP 115123 $9.95

Order Online Anytime 24/7!

A Lovely Mother's Day Card

I so enjoyed getting a hand made card in the mail for Mother's Day and it wasn't from my son or my husband. This beauty was made by Alice W. She is a member of our Saturday Technique Club.

Things I really like about this card:

• Her use of patterned paper
• The main image is made up of three stamps.  The three inner flower pots are one stamp. Then Alice added the left flower pot and right watering can, which are separate stamps. But once she was finished it definitely looks like it was one stamp with five pots. This is one of those "why didn't I think of that"!
• One of my favorite elements on this card is the "for you" stamped and punched out with the Word Window Punch and then added in the corner of the main image using an eyelet and hemp twine.

Thank You Alice!

Blooming With Love 114936 $24.95

p. 30 Spring/Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog

Order Online Anytime 24/7!

May Technique Club Swaps

If you've been following my blog for long you know that each month at Technique Club I also host a swap between the members of the club. Each month I give them a different assignment or challenge they must use in their card.  For May the assignment was to create a 5 1/4" square card.

Here are the results.  I can really see each of these stampers abilities growing. It makes me so happy to know I've helped someone discover abilities they didn't know they had.

By Anna V.

Featuring the Sizzix Top Note Die and the Fifth Avenue Florals Stamp Set

By Becky T

Featuring Live Like You Mean It, a retired hostess set from last catalog.

By Belinda Z. (mom)

Featuring a ton of great products: Great Friend Stamp Set, Trio Flower Punch, Eyelet Border Punch and Matchbox Die to name a few.

By Chris Twing (Me)

Featuring Great Friend Stamp Set, Matchbox Die and Eyelet Border Punch.

By Deborah M.

Featuring Pretty Peony (retired).

If you'd like to make your own square 5 1/4" card here are a few things to keep in mind. Stampin' Up! does sell 5 1/2" square envelopes to mail these cards.  They are on page 157 of the Spring/Summer Idea Book and Catalog. Anytime you mail a square card it takes extra postage.

Give one a try and send me a photo. It might just end up here on my blog!

Check out the video tutorials!

Stampin' Up! has created several awesome video tutorials covering six of their newest products.  What could be easier than learning something new right at your computer, even in your PJ's!

The tutorials cover:

• Big Shot
• Sizzix Pop Up Ball
• Sizzix Pop Up Cake
• Decor Elements
• Decor Stencils
• Window Sheets

If you've been curious about these new products seeing them used and explained on video is a great way to learn about them.

On the right sidebar of this screen you'll see a link to all six of the new video tutorials.
Check them out today!

Two Great Deals for May

Click the image for a larger view.