Crafting Elegance

Technique Tuesday - Inking Emboss

2011-10-18T05:14:00.000-04:00

Hello Crafters,

Welcome to Technique Tuesday at Crafting Elegance. Each week on the blog, I will provide you with a paper crafting technique that you can use in your stamping. This week's technique is what I call Inking Emboss. Please don't confuse this technique with the inking an embossing folder technique. Although these two techniques are similar, this one has a slight twist.

Inking Emboss is where you take a piece of solid color card stock, place it inside one of your favorite Stampin' Up! embossing folders, run it through your big shot machine to create a embossed design, then ink the raised embossed area using a brayer.

Today's inking emboss was made using the Stampin' Up!'s vintage wallpaper embossing folder, a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of pool party card stock and chocolate chip craft ink. The effect the ink gives on just the embossed portion of the card stock is amazing. I am a true fan of making you own backgrounds and designer series paper, so if you are like me you the inking emboss technique will become one of your go to techniques for creating backgrounds for your cards.

This card also used the perfect polka dot embossing folder, some chocolate chip satin ribbon, and the Sincere Salutations stamp set for the sentiment. I Hope you 've enjoyed today's creation. Be sure to post a comment on your thoughts of today;s technique. Also sign-up to follow my blog, so that you don't miss out on any of my regular postings.

Happy Stamping!

Marvelous Monday - Elements of Style Stamp Set

2011-10-17T07:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday Stampers!

Today's project features the Elements of Style stamp set. This elegant card is made with chocolate chip, blushing bride and whisper white cardstock. The framed flowers embossing folder was used to outline the blushing bride piece which I sponged the edges with regal rose ink to give it a more distressed appearance.

The floral flourish image is my absolute favorite stamp from this set. The image was inked in both regal rose and chocolate chip ink using my Stampin' Write markers, then stamped onto the whisper white cardstock. The bird image was inked in chocolate chip, then cut out and popped up with stampin dimensionals.

The sentiment comes from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, and the bow is some old striped chocolate chip ribbon. The card wasn't complete until I added an antique brad to the center of the bow for a stunning polished look. As many of you who know me, pink and brown is my favorite color combination and in my opinion a very elegant way to wish someone special a very happy birthday.

Hope you've enjoyed today card. Please leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts on this creation. See you here again tomorrow for Technique Tuesday.

Happy Stamping!

6 Weeks of Christmas Newsletter

2011-10-14T06:57:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday!

In preparation of the upcoming holidays, Crafting Elegance would like to present to you our 6 Weeks of Christmas Event. Once a week for the next six weeks beginning this Sunday, you can receive samples of great Christmas projects that can help prepare you for the upcoming Christmas Holiday. Each e-mail newsletter will contain step-by-step instructions on how to complete the featured projects designed exclusively for this event. All the projects showcased in the 6 Weeks of Christmas Event will not be displayed. Only subscribers to my newsletter will receive these designs.

I know there are several other blogs out there advertising their 12 weeks of Christmas Newsletters, but Crafting Elegance is putting a twist on this very popular event. Each e-mail will contain not one project design with instructions, but instead two project designs with instructions, giving you twice as many samples in half the time. So while other blog readers will be waiting until December to receive all 12 project ideas, you will receive 12 project samples all before Thanksgiving. Now isn't that awesome!

Best of all the 6 Weeks of Christmas Event is absolutely Free! So join my mailing list today so that you don't miss out on this exciting event. The first e-mail will be released this coming Sunday!

Happy Stamping!

Patterned Party

2011-10-13T11:09:00.001-04:00

Hey Stampers,

Boy did the Glitter Queens and I have so much fun hosting our October Blog Hop! If you happened to have missed it, just take a look at my last three blog posts to see what a blast we all had. So to keep the momentum going, I decided to showcase a very bright and cheerful card today. And nothing makes me smile big than bunches of balloons, bright colors and Stampin' Up's new patterned party stamp set.
Today's card also showcases the new Big Top Birthday designer series paper and the black and white striped ribbon. I hope you all like today's project and I am wishing really big for each of you to have a great...no... awesome day.

Happy Stamping!

Glitter Queen Blog Hop Day 3

2011-10-12T00:00:00.003-04:00

Hey Stampers,

Welcome to the third and final day of the Glitter Queens October Blog Hop!
First and foremost I want to thank each and everyone of you for participating in this month's hop. I sincerely appreciate you stopping by each day to see my creations and posting the wonderful comments.

Continuing with the autumn theme, today's project is another creation featuring the Gently Falling stamp set. I used the same water coloring technique as yesterday to stamp and color the leaves on today's project. After coloring the leaves, I then cut the leaves out with my paper snips and attached them onto the card with stampin dimensionals. The background of the card uses only one of the leaf images from the set which is stamped in versamark ink onto a piece of Pool Party cardstock. The sentiment is from the Sincere Salutations stamp set inked in Chocolate Chip, then sponged with the Tim Holtz, Antique Linen ink.

I hope you have enjoyed all the projects that I have shared with you during the hop. Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think of today's project.

Don't forget to sign-up for my 6 weeks of Christmas Newsletter that starts this Sunday.

Although the hop is coming to an end at midnight tonight, I do hope that you will continue to visit my blog for more inspiring Stampin' Up! creations. So that you don't miss any of my blog updates, be sure to follow my blog. Click on the Follow My Blog link in my left hand side bar to begin following today.

Hop on over to Anji Clements blog by clicking here to see what she has in store for you today. Hope to see you again real soon.

Happy Stamping!

Dawn Griffith
Deidra Williamson
Dee Slater
Joan Robertson
Bridgett Owens
Stephanie Lorenz
Jennifer Kay
Cely Havens
Tamara Gadberry
Candice Crawford
Anji Clements

Glitter Queen October Blog Hop - Day 2

2011-10-11T00:00:00.004-04:00

Hello and welcome to day two of the Glitter Queens October Blog Hop! Today is Tuesday and that means it is Technique Tuesday at the Crafting Elegance blog. In honor of Technique Tuesday and the Glitter Queens Blog Hop, today's project features a fall themed greeting card using the the famous water coloring technique.

Water coloring is one of my favorite ways to color. Although it may seem intimidating it is quite an easy technique to coloring stamped images. Today's card uses the new Gently Falling stamp set which is featured in the 2011 Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini catalog. This stamp set comes with two sets of stamps for creating beautiful leaf images. One set of stamps is the solid image of the leaves, while the other set is the line art image of the leaves.

Water Coloring Technique Instructions

The water coloring technique was used to make the background designer paper. To make the background, take the line art image set and stamped various leaf images in black Stazon ink into a random pattern onto Stampin' Up!'s water color paper. It is always best to use Stazon Ink when water coloring so that your outline image does not run when it gets wet. I also highly recommend using water color paper when doing this technique, so that your paper does not buckle when painting your images with water.

Next I took my aqua painter paint brush, squeezed a small amount of water to the tip of my brush, then dipped the brush into the selected SU classic color ink pads to paint my leaves. To insure the color of the leaves were variegated, I colored only small sections of the leaves at a time until I achieved my desired color pattern and intensity. To soften the intensity if the color, simply add a bit more water to your brush when coloring.

After coloring in the images, I then took my En Fancis background stamp and stamped the entire paper with Crumb Cake Classic ink. Then I stamped and water colored a few extra leaves, cut them out and attached them to the card with Stampin dimensionals. Finally I added the greeting, a piece of ribbon and an antique brad to finish the card. Leave a comment below to let me know what you think of today's project.

Before you hop onto the next blog, Crafting Elegance would like to present to you our 6 Weeks of Christmas Newsletter as our free Blog Candy for everyone!

Once a week for 6 weeks, you can sign up to receive my Christmas Newsletter filled with Holiday projects and step by step instructions to help you prepare for the upcoming Christmas holiday. All the projects showcased in the 6 weeks of Christmas newsletter will not be displayed on my blog. Only subscribers to my newsletter will receive these exclusive project samples. Best of all the 6 Weeks of Christmas Newsletter is absolutely Free!

To join my mailing list, click on the sign up for my newsletter link located at the top left hand side bar of my blog. You don't want to miss out on this exciting event. The first e-mail will be released this coming Sunday!

Thanks for joining me today. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for another Fall creation. Next on the hop is Anji Clements. Click here to visit Anji. If you happen to have missed a few Glitter Queens along the way, check out the links below.

Happy Stamping!

Supplies
Stamp Set: Gently Falling, Sincere Salutations
Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, SU Water Color Paper
Ink: More Mustard, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Basic Grey, and Old Olive Classic Ink Pads;
Black Stazon Ink
Accessories: Victoria Crochet Trim, Antique Brads

Dawn Griffith
Deidra Williamson
Dee Slater
Joan Robertson
Bridgett Owens
Stephanie Lorenz
Jennifer Kay
Cely Havens
Tamara Gadberry
Candice Crawford
Anji Clements

Glitter Queen October Blog Hop - Day 1

2011-10-10T00:00:00.006-04:00

Welcome to the Glitter Queens October Blog Hop!

For the next three days myself along with the other Glitter Queen Team members will be hosting a blog hop featuring Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving inspired projects. Each day when you visit the hop, you will enjoy some amazing creations designed by some very talented Stampin Up Demonstrators, along with chances to win some fabulous Blog Candy!

Today's project is a card set showcasing the Always Thankful stamp set, located in the 2011 Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog. The details in this stamp set, combined with the awesome patterns and colors in the new Spice Cake designer series paper makes these autumn cards true beauties.

To make these cards, I started with a base of Chocolate Chip cardstock measured at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" for each card. Then I layered a 5 1/4" by 4 " piece of More Mustard cardstock on top of the base, trimming the left edge with the scalloped trim border punch. Attached to the More Mustard piece is a 1 1/2" by 5 1/4" strip of Spice Cake designer series paper for card one that is displayed vertically and a 3" by 4" piece of designer paper adhered to card two that is displayed horizontally. Each card was then wrapped with some Pool Party ruffled ribbon for some added color contrast.

Both focal images for the cards were colored in with my Stampin' Write markers. Card one used the colors of Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, and Old Olive. While card two used the colors of Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Basic Grey, and So Saffron. Then each focal image was matted onto coordinating cardstock and attached to the card. For image one the mat measurements are 3"by 4 1/2" for the chocolate chip piece, 2 3/4"by 4" for the More Mustard piece and 2 1/2" by 3 3/4" for the Whisper White piece. The Happy Thanksgiving sentiment, from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set was then stamped in chocolate chip ink.

For image two, the mat measurements are 4" by 3" for the chocolate chip piece, 3 3/4 " by 2 3/4 " for the More Mustard piece and 3 1/2" by 2 1/2" for the Whisper White piece. The Grateful sentiment also from the Always Thankful set was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink, punched out with the large oval punch and matted onto a piece of chocolate chip cardstock that was punched out with the large scallop oval punch.

I hope you've enjoyed today's project. Please let me know what you think by posting a comment below.

Before you hop onto the next blog, Crafting Elegance would like to present to you our 6 Weeks of Christmas Newsletter. Once a week for 6 weeks, you can sign up to receive my Christmas Newsletter filled with Holiday projects and step by step instructions to help you prepare for the upcoming Christmas holiday. All the projects showcased in the 6 weeks of Christmas newsletter will not be displayed on my blog. Only subscribers to my newsletter will receive these exclusive project samples. Best of all the 6 Weeks of Christmas Newsletter is absolutely Free!

To join my mailing list, click on the sign up for my newsletter link located at the top left hand side bar of my blog. You don't want to miss out on this exciting event. The first e-mail will be released this coming Sunday!

Thanks for joining me today. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for another Fall creation. Next up on the blog hop is Anji Clements. Click here to see the lovely creations from Anji. If you happen to have missed a few Glitter Queens along the way, check out the links below.

Happy Stamping!

Fabulous Friday - Elegant Thank You

2011-09-16T07:37:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday Crafters!

Well here in Michigan we are starting the weekend with 45 degree temperatures and highs around 60 degrees. Of course we are all not too thrilled with the sudden cold temperatures. The weather we are feeling today is more like the weather we experience in mid October or November. Despite the frigidness that has suddenly come upon us, I am ecstatic that its another Fabulous Friday!

For today's card, I am showcasing the Elements of Style stamp set. This stamp set is one of my favorites and each time I use it, I find more and more ways to reveal its beauty. For this card, I created my own patterned paper with the flourish stamp from the set using basic back ink. I then continued the theme by making the flourish the actual focal image of the card. Of course to make the card a true beauty I used the elegant, yet simple color scheme of basic black, whisper white, and cherry cobbler cardstock.

Then enhanced the image with a little embossing from the lattice embossing folder and finished the card with the thank you sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

This same design could be used for a wedding card or even a femenine birthday card. The possibilities with the Elements of Style set is endless. Hope you enjoyed todays card feature.

Let me know what you think of today's design by posting a comment below.

Until next time happy stamping.

Supplies

Stamp Set - Elements of Style, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock - Basic Black, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Lattice Embossing Folder, grosgrain ribbon

Card Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4

Stampin' Up!'s - Patterned Party

2011-09-13T00:00:00.002-04:00

Hi Stampers,

Today I thought would be a good day to play with the new Patterned Party stamp set and the new Big Top Birthday designer series paper from Stampin' Up! Isn' this card cheerful and bright! I just love how Real Red and Tempting Turquoise coordinate so well together. Paired with a neutral solid like Basic Black, this A2 card really looks stunning. Best of all this stamp set is great for juvenile birthday greetings, masculine birthday greetings and even feminine birthdays.

A list of supplies needed t make today's card are listed below.

Supplies
Stamp set: Patterned Paper
Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White
Designer Paper: Big Top Birthday
Accessories: Black grosgrain ribbon

Hope you enjoyed today's festive birthday card.

Glitter Queen Blog Hop Winner

2011-09-10T19:15:00.001-04:00

Hey Crafters!

I first and foremost want to announce the winner of my Blog Candy for the Glitter Queens September 2011 Blog Hop.

Drum Roll Please!!!!

And the winner is.......Lisa808!!!

Congratulations Lisa808. You have just won yourself 6 sheets of Stampin' Up! cardstock. 2 sheets each of Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, and Whisper White Cardstock, 1 Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Right Marker, 1 package of Stampin' Dimensionals, and 1 package of White Bakers Twine. Lisa I hope you enjoy your Blog Candy care of Crafting Elegance Blog.

Now for today's card. In honor of my birthday today, I made this beautiful birthday card using the new Stampin' Up! Pennant stamp set and punch. The supplies used to make this card are listed below.

Hope you liked today's card.

Card Supplies
Stamp Set: Pennant Stamp Set
Accessories: Mini Pennant Punch, White Bakers Twine
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Glitter Queen Blog Hop - Day 5

2011-09-09T02:22:00.000-04:00

Hey There Crafters,

Welcome to day 5 of the Glitter Queen Blog Hop. Thank you so much for hopping with me and the team of Glitter Queens all week. I have truly appreciated all the wonderful comments, subscriptions to my blog and newsletter, and most important each one of you for visiting with me each day. I hope after today you will continue to visit my blog to see all of the wonderful card designs and video tutorials I make.

The Glitter Queens will be doing another Blog Hop coming up in October, so check back with me here at Crafting Elegance for details.

Now for today's card. Continuing with the Stocking Builder Punch, today I created a birthday card using the cuff and heel portion of punch. Don't you just love the versatility of this punch. I hope by now I have convinced you that this punch is a crafters must have. To build this card simply punch out the heel and cuff the stocking in cherry cobbler, lucky limeade, and daffodil delight, then assembles the pieces to form a lit candle and voila!

Thanks for hopping along with me and the other Glitter Queens today. Be sure to join my site and leave a comment below as your entry for my Blog Candy! The winner of the Crafting Elegance Blog Candy will be announced tomorrow.

Next stop on the hop is the talented Tamara Gadberry. Click here to visit her site. If you are just now joining the hop and missed the stop before me click here to visit Anji. A link to all the Glitter Queens participating in the Blog Hop is listed below, just in case you miss someone along the way. Until next time.....Happy Stamping!!

Glitter Queen Blog Hop - Day 3

2011-09-06T23:59:00.001-04:00

Hi Crafters,

Welcome to Day 3 of the Glitter Queen Blog Hop! As you all know, this week I am showcasing projects using Stampin' Up!'s new Stocking Builder Punch and Stitched Stocking stamp set that debuted September 1, 2011. From the moment I saw this stamp set and punch in the 2011 Holiday Mini Catalogue, I just knew I had to have it. The versatility of this stamp set and builder provides endless creative possabilities.

For today's project, I created a baby shower card using the stitched line stocking stamp, from the set, and the stocking builder punch. I first stamped two stocking images onto whisper white cardstock in blushing bride classic ink then punched out both images with the punch and trimmed the tops of the stockings to create a set a baby booties. The booties were then enhanced with some white twine to create the laces, then adhered to the card front with some stampin dimensionals. This card was such a joy to make and very easy to do. The versatility of taking a christmas stamp set and punch and making a baby theme card is just another reason why I love these two new products by Stampin' Up!.

Thanks for hopping along with me and the other Glitter Queens today. Be sure to join my site and leave a comment below as your entry for my Blog Candy! Each day you leave a comment increases your chances of winning the blog candy. Hope you return tomorrow for another project using the Stitched Stocking stamp set and Stocking Builder punch.

Next stop on the hop is the talented Tamara Gadberry. Click here to visit her site. If you just now joining the hop site and missed the stop before me click here to visit Anji. A link to all the Glitter Queens participating in the Blog Hop is listed below, just in case you miss someone along the way. Until next time.....Happy Stamping!!

Glitter Queen Blog Hop - Day 2

2011-09-06T02:37:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Day 2 of the Glitter Queen Blog Hop. Hope you enjoyed yesterdays project. If you are coming from Anji's blog then you are on the right track.

Continuing with the Christmas theme, todays project is a set of gift tags using the new Stampin' Up! stocking builder punch and the new Stitched Stockings stamp set. The tags are made with three layers of colored cardstock including Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade and Whisper White. The snowflakes on the tags were stamped using the Snow Swirled stamp set then embossed with white embossing powder and accented with a little dazzling diamonds.

These gift tags coordinate perfectly with yesterday's Christmas card. If you missed it, check out that blog post and video tutorial Here.

Today is another opportunity to enter to win my BLOG CANDY. Which includes 6 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, 2 sheets each of Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade and Whisper White cardstock, a package of White Bakers Twine, a package of Stampin' Dimensionals and the Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Marker.

To enter, simply begin Following My Blog. Select the Join this Site button in the scroll bard to your left, complete the listed instructions, then post a comment at the end of this post to let me know you are following me. The winner of the BLOG CANDY will be announced on Saturday September 10, 2011. If you are already following me blog, simply place another comment on this post as your entry to win.

Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to return tomorrow for another project using the Stitched Stocking stamp set and Stocking Builder punch. Next stop in the hop is the talented Tamara Gadberry, as the Paper Crafting Stamper. Click here to visit here site. A link to all the Glitter Queens participating in the Blog Hop is listed below, just in case you miss someone along the way. Happy Stamping!!

Dawn Griffith

Glitter Queen Blog Hop

2011-09-05T00:00:00.013-04:00

Hello and welcome to the Glitter Queen Blog Hop. A blog hop featuring all Stampin' Up! demonstrators from the downline of Dawn Griffith. If you are coming from Alteredscraps.blogspot.com then you’re on the right track. If you just joined us, you can go back to the beginning HERE and hop along with us.

For your fourth stop on the Glitter Queens Blog Hop, I created a Christmas card using the new Stampin' Up! Stocking Builder Punch. This punch allows you to create a christmas stocking, complete with toe, heel, and cuff accessories to design your stocking to any theme or decor. The Stocking Builder Punch is featured in the new Holiday Mini Catalogue and is a must have addition to your crafting supplies. For details and instructions on how to make this festive holiday card, please view the video tutorial HERE.

Of course your fourth stop on the hop would not be complete without a chance to win some BLOG CANDY! My featured Blog Candy is 6 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, 2 sheets each of Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade and Whisper White cardstock, a package of White Bakers Twine, a package of Stampin' Dimensionals and the Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Marker. This BLOG CANDY is just enough material to to get started making four of your very own Christmas Stocking cards.

From now until Friday September 9th at 11:59 EST, you have a chance to enter to win this BLOG CANDY. To enter, simply begin Following My Blog. To follow my blog you must select the Join this Site button in the scroll bar to your left, complete the listed instructions, then post a comment at the end of this post to let me know you are following me. The winner of the BLOG CANDY will be announced on Saturday September 10, 2011.

Thanks for stopping by today. Please be sure to visit all of the talented Stampin' Up! Demonstrators featured on this hop. Each stop on the hop will provide you with a different crafting project featuring items from the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalogue or the new 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog, and more chances to win BLOG CANDY!!

Next stop on the hop is the Tamara Gadberry as the Paper Crafting Stamper. Click Here to visit her site. A link to all the Glitter Queens participating in the Blog Hop is listed below just in case you miss someone along the way. Happy Stamping!!

Dawn Griffith
Tracy Bradley
Eileen Cassisi
Anji Clements
Candice Crawford
Tamara Gadberry
Cely Havens
Jennifer Kay
Stephanie Lorenz
Bridgett Owens
Joan Robertson
Dee Slater
Deidra Williamson
Gina Wrona

Stampin' Up!'s - Elegant Soiree

2011-07-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

Hey Stampers,

Happy Friday! Boy do the weeks fly by. So much has been going on with me lately that I can't believe its Friday already. Of course I'm not complaining. I love the weekends. Weekends give me a chance to relax and the opportunity to catch-up on tasks that I may not have completed during the week.

Tomorrow I will be attending the inspection for the new home I am planning to purchase. I am so excited to have made it to the point in the home buying process. I am a first time home buyer so I have no idea what to expect, but I am praying for a good review. God has been so good to me thus far, so who am I to doubt him at this point. I'm sure everything will go according to his plan. I am just so thankful for all that he has provided me. God is so good.

Well on with today's card. Today I've decided to showcase a card I made awhile back but just forgot to post. This card features Stampin' Up!'s SU's Elegant Soiree designer series paper, and the Elegant Lines embossing folder. Although the hostess stamp set and the patterened paper that make up this card have since retired, I still thought this would be a beautiful card design to highlight today.

If you still have the Elegant Soiree designer series paper and the stamp set in your collection you can certainly recreate this design. I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to my designer series paper so if you are anything like me, I am sure you too laying in your craftroom somewhere. Well that's all for now. I wish all you a happy and blessed weekend.

Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Stampin' Up! -Artistic Etchings

2011-07-22T16:24:00.000-04:00

Smile...its Friday!!!

Today I decided to show you all a card design I made several weeks back using Stampin' Up!'s Artistic Etchings stamp set. This beautiful yet versatile stamp set is great for any occasion. I am extremely happy Stampin' Up continued this stamp for the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog.

Tonight is my monthly Stampin' Up! card party. I can't wait to join the girls with a night full of good food, good friends, good chatter and of course lots of stamping. I will try and show you the cards that we make tonight in my upcoming blog posts.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Stampin' Up!'s Just Believe Continued

2011-07-21T19:10:00.002-04:00

Hi Stampers,

Continuing with the the Just Believe stamp set, today's card design is another Crafting Elegance original highlighting the beautiful images in this adorable stamp set. Don't you just love the color combination of pear pizzaz, poppy parade and whisper white? I think these three colors compliment each other just wonderfully. When I started out making this card, I was at a lost for ideas. But I simply started layering the colors on top of each other and viola... an instant creation. All the layers in this card just really seem to make a statement. Don't you just love it when you when you let your creativity flow and come up with a card design that is so beautiful!

Hope you all enjoyed today's card design.

Until next time....happy stamping!

Stampin' Up!'s - Just Believe

2011-07-20T18:56:00.004-04:00

Happy Hump Day Everyone,

The dog days of summer are truly in effect and these record 90 degree temperatures will continue to linger around the Southeastern Michigan region for a few more days. I am truly hoping by the weekend, things will cool off and we can all get some relief from the heat and humidity. Nonetheless, I am not complaining. It could be worst, it could be
snowing!!! LOL!

Over the weekend I was playing around with the Just Believe stamp set and put together this really stunning card. The base of the card is a 4.25 x 11 inch piece of black cardstock scored at 5.5 inches with a 4 inch piece of whisper white cardstock embossed with Stampin’ Up!’s lattice embossing folder stacked on top.

The focal image of the card is the signature flower image from the stamp set, stamped in Basic black ink and matted onto a piece of real red cardstock. To give the card a little dimension I popped up the matted focal image with some stampin’ dimensions and placed the entire piece to the card base. To complete look of the card, I stamped the circular floral outline image in real red classic ink and popped it up as well with dimensionals for a
classic finished look.

The sentiment of this card really touches me and is why I decided to make this card in the first place. I have been believing in God for awhile for several blessings to manifest in my life. It wasn’t until I became really
serious about my prayer life and allowing God take full control of a few areas I have struggled in for years that I really began to see the manifestation of my prayers.

God is so good and he continues to show his goodness to me each and everyday. I sincerely thank him every morning when I wake and just before I close for the night. This sentiment could never be so true for me in my
life at this time!! I truly give God all the glory and the praise.

Until next time... Happy Stamping!!

2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog

2011-07-01T18:50:00.001-04:00

Well it is officially here. The 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog that is, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Stampin' Up has out done themselves once again. The new catalog has tons of new stamps, designer series papers, a brand new set of In-colors for 2011 and an array of embellishments, ribbons, and accessories to make your next crafting project coordinated and complete.

One of the newest features to the Catalog this year are the hostess rewards. As a hostess you no longer are restricted to purchasing hostess stamp sets and designer papers based on the level of sales you party achieves. Instead Stampin' Up! now allows you to earn hostess dollars from the sale of your home party that can be used on dedicated hostess items or any item within the catalog. This new concept of hostess rewards program is so much better than the previous program and the flexibility to purchase what you want with your hostess dollars no longer limits your buying selection.

Another new addition to this year's Idea Book and Catalog is the fact that the Decor Elements are no longer in a separate catalog. Instead SU has placed the Decor Elements products right inside of the IBC. No longer do demonstrators like myself need to carry two catalogs to workshops for crafters to view.

If you would like to receive your own free copy of the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog simply purchase $100 in Stampin' Up products from my website, and I will ship one to you for free.

If you would like to browse the catalog, simply click on the Catalog picture on the left hand side bar to view all the new pretties, Stampin' Up! has to offer.

Until next time, Happy Stamping!!

Diaper Cakes

2011-06-30T05:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Thursday!

I'm so excited that the week is almost over and the long holiday weekend is vastly approaching. Lately I have been planning a couple of special events that are scheduled to occur next month. The first event is my cousin's baby shower that will be taking place on Saturday. Myself and one of my cousin's dear friends have been planning the shower for weeks and now together we are put the finishing touches on this very special event.

Today, I thought I would share with you the centerpieces I have created for the party. These miniature diaper cakes are so adorable and festive that I am sure they will be the highlight of the decorations. Diaper cakes are pretty simple to make, yet can be quite time consuming when you need to make a half dozen or so of them for centerpieces. Nonetheless, these little babies were fun to assemble and I enjoyed every little minute of the process.

In addition to the diaper cake centerpieces I also individually decorated 28 mini bags of microwave popcorn as the guests party favor. The mother-to-be chose this idea and the cute little saying that dressed each of the bags "She's About to Pop."

I'm really looking forward to this Saturday. I will be sure to post more pictures of the event and event decor later next week.

Until then, happy crafting!

Simple Birthday Thanks-Stampin' Up!

2011-06-28T05:16:00.000-04:00

When I first saw the Simple Birthday Thanks stamp in the Stampin' Up! catalog, I just knew I had to have it. One huge cupcake stamp that could be used for greeting cards, juvenile thank you notes and even as an embellishment for a scrapbook page. Simple Birthday Thanks is a very versatile stamp that should be apart of every one's collection.

On June 30, 2011, Stampin' Up! is retiring this set and it will no longer be available for purchase. If you would like to own your own copy of Simple Birthday Thanks, visit my online store today. Hurry now while supplies last!

Until next time, happy stamping.

Sail Away!

2011-06-24T03:07:00.000-04:00

Hi Stampers!

I know I have not posted in several weeks and that is mainly due to my focus on other projects. Juggling a full time job, my Stampin' Up! business, event planning, and the daily responsibilities of life is not an easy task. Some of my project demands have now become less of a priority which is allowing me more time to focus back on blogging. So before the month a June comes to a close, I want to share with you two masculine card designs that I just think are so adorable. For each card, I used the Sail Away stamp located in the 2011 summer mini Stampin' Up! catalog.

The card designs shown today are not my original designs, but instead have been cased from two very talented stampers. The design on the left was originally designed by Mary Brown and the card on the right was designed by Anne Marie Hile. Click on their names to visit each of their blogs for more inspirational card creations.

Hope you've enjoy today's cards. Until next time, happy stamping.

Blossom Flower Petals

2011-06-02T06:47:00.002-04:00

Today's gorgeous card samples both use one of my favorite punches from Stampin' Up! The Blossom Petals stamp set and punch were first introduced during the release of the 2011 Occasions mini catalog. These item are still available to purchase as one of the carryover items in the 2011 Summer mini catalog. From the examples today, you can see this punch allows you to create three demensional flowers in a variety of styles.

The flowers on the first card sample uses two of the largest petals from the punch with one of the petals top cut off and the edges of the petal sponged with ink. The stems of the flowers were cut freehand and the leaves were punched out using the thin petal on the actual punch.

The flowers on the second card sample also use the largest petals of the punch but are not manipulated in anyway. Simply ink three large petals using the Blossom Petals stamp then punch out the images to form the gorgeous flower. Punch out out your leaves, then attach two buttons to the center of your flower and you are done. Simple, elegant and fun. For the listing of supplies used to make tis card please check out my supplies list below.

Hope you enjoyed today's card sample. Don't forget to leave me a comment.

Supplies
Stamp Set: Blossom Petals
Cardstock: Concord Crush, Blushing Bride, Old Olive and Whisper White
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Regal Rose
Designer Series Paper: Blushing Bride
Accessories: Blossom Petals Punch, Paper Piercing tool

Last Chance Stampin' Up! Items

2011-06-01T05:15:00.001-04:00

It's time to say goodbye! To the old Stampin' Up stamps, accessories, and definitively decorative products from the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog. From now through June 30, last chance items will be available for purchase while supplies last. Hurry because products will sell out fast!

Click on the links below for a listing of the last chance items. To make a purchase, visit my website.

Last Chance Stamp List

Last Chance Accessory List
Last Chance Definitively Decorative List

Stampin' Up!'s Greenhouse Garden

2011-05-27T04:20:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for the weekend? I know I sure am. A long break from the full time job and a lot of relaxing will be much appreciated as I celebrate the upcoming Memorial Day holiday with family and friends.

Today's card features a two step-stamping technique using Stampin' Up!'s Greenhouse Garden two-step stamp set.
If you are not familiar with two-step stamping, this is where you stamp your focal image, which in this case is the base of he flower, in a lighter color and then stamp directly over the focal image with a accent stamp image, which is the lines of the flower, in a darker color.

The base colors I used in to make the flowers were, Peach Parfait and Daffodil Delight, and the accent lines of the flower were stamped in Chocolate Chip ink. I am dedicating this card to my dear friend Zondra. She is one of the sweetest and inspirational people I know. Thank you Zondra for being such a good friend to me, I always look forward to our chats and your words of wisdom. Hope you all enjoyed today's card.

Happy Stamping,

Stampin' Up!'s - Artistic Etchings

2011-05-26T11:45:00.000-04:00

Hi Blog Friends,

I know it has been a minute since my last blog post and the reason for my missing in action is truly attributed to the many projects I have been working on in addition to stamping. For the past several weeks, I have been helping my brother and his fiance' with their upcoming wedding and wedding reception plans and my dear cousin with the planning of her upcoming baby shower. Both projects have required a lot of my attention which has temporarily pulled me away from stamping and blogging.

Instead of letting another day go past, without me blogging, I decided to take some time this morning to post one of my recent card creations.

Today's card features Stampin' Up!'s Artistic Etchings stamp set from the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog. This fun, yet versatile stamp set is great for stamping very simple designs and is perfect for creating collage stamping projects. Recently I have become a big fan of the vintage style card designs. So I decided to pratcie this technique and create today's feature card representing this style of stamping.
Hope you have enjoyed my recent creation. To purchase the supplies to make this card, simply visit my Stampin' Up! website.

Till next time...Happy Stamping!

Supplies
Stamp sets: Artistic Etchings, En Francis
Cardstock: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, and Basic Black
Designer Series Paper: Love Letter
Accessories: 1 1/4 inch Black Striped Ribbon

Stampin' Up!'s - Elements of Style Stamp Set

2011-05-06T07:00:00.007-04:00

Happy Friday!

Today's featured card comes from one of the most beautiful stamp sets in the 2010 -2011 Idea Book and Catalog, called Elements of Style. This stamp set is perfect for lovers of Vintage and Shabby Chic designs.

If you are in need of a Mother's Day card, Birthday card, or a Thank You greeting, this is the perfect image for just about any occasion. The creating possibilities with this stamp set are virtuously endless.

To make this card, I stamped the roses in Stampin' Up!'s black classic ink and then colored them in with the Stampin' Write markers. To soften the image, I used the Stampin' Up! blender pen to decrease the color intensity of the markers. The background of the card was stamped using the flourish image from the stamp set. I texturized the paper using Stampin' Up!'s Lattice embossing folder and my Big Shot machine.
The lattice embossing folder has recently become one of my favorite accessory tools for embellishing my cards.

To purchase the materials of this card, visit my Stampin' Up! website today. I'm sure you will just love designing projects with this stamp set. Don't forget to post your comments below.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stampin' Up!'s - Always Elegant Stamp Set

2011-05-03T02:13:00.005-04:00

"Many fine things can be done in a day if you don't always make that day tomorrow" - Anonymous

Today's quote is words of inspiration to stop procrastinating. Often times I find myself not accomplishing tasks related to my goals of running a successful Stampin' Up! business simply because I fear the results will not be perfect. What I did not know it that the stress and anxiety I often feel to have a perfect business is a direct link to my procrastination. Since making this self discovery I am now making strides to avoid the perfectionism trap. I am learning to focus more on completing the necessary tasks of running my Stampin Up! business and less on how perfect my Stampin' Up! business really is.

What I have learned is that no matter how hard I may work at my business, it will never be perfect. Perfection is an idea not a reality. People were born to make mistakes and to learn from the mistakes they make. So rather than berate myself for not being perfect, I will continuously remind myself that building any successful business is a journey. The only way to reach the end goal of that journey is to take the necessary steps to get that business up and going.

As I work through the trials and errors of my Stampin' Up! business I will come to see that the mistakes I make will actually be little gifts in disguise. Because each mistake I make, will teach me what not to do and help me do a better job the next time around.

I hope this blog post on my self discovery for procrastination is inspiring enough for you to tackle your habits of procrastionation. As I embark on my journey towards being a better person, I hope the testimonies I share with you each week, will inspire you to work at being a better person as well.

Today's card uses the Always Elegant stamp set and Elegant Lines embossing folder, found inside the 2010-2011 Stamin' Up! Ideas Book and Catalog. This stamp set and embossing folder is perfect for wedding cards, anniversary cards, and even for bridal shower invitations. Visit my website to purchase the stamp set, embossing folder and cardstock used in today's featured card.

Happy Stamping!

Supplies
Cardstock: Baja Breeze and Whisper White Cardstock
Stamp Set: Always Elegant
Accessories: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder
Ribbon: 1/4 inch white grograin
Non-Stampin' Up! Products: Martha Stewart border punch

2011 Summer Mini Catalog

2011-05-01T19:55:00.005-04:00

Well it's finally here, the 2011 Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalog that is. From May 1st, through August 31st, 2011, you can purchase new and exciting products from Stampin' Up! This mini catalog features new tools, stamps sets, ribbons, and accessories that will give your stamping and scrappin' projects endless creativity. Click on the link below to see what all Stampin' Up! has to offer.

Click here to Download

To make a purchase, simply visit my Stampin' Up! website. Shop now while supplies last. Items found in this mini catalog are available for a limited time. After August 31, 2011 these products will no longer be available for purchase.

Want to earn free Stampin' Up! products? Host a workshop with a minimum sales volume of $150.00 or more, and you can choose from one of the many hostess level stamp sets from both the New Summer Mini Catalog and the 2010 -2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog. Book your workshop today by e-mailing me at craftingelegance@gmail.com.

Don't want to host a workshop in your home, but still want the opportunity to earn free stamps? Then simple purchase a $150.00 or more in products from my Stampin' Up! website and take your pick from the variety of free items made exclusively for you.

Not only does the new Summer Mini Catalog have an array of new stamp sets and accessories that you will absolutely adore, but the catalog is also loaded with full color projects and sample ideas to inspire your creativity. Download your copy of the new 2011 Summer Mini Catalog today and get stamping and scrappin' with new products from Stampin' Up!

Happy Stamping!

Stampin' Up!- Tail Spin Stamp Set

2011-04-21T07:03:00.013-04:00

Hey there stampers!

Today's card is a birthday design using Stampin' Up!'s new Tail Spin stamp set and game spinner hand, all found in the 2011 Occasions Mini catalog.

This card was super easy to make and the game spinner piece was a cinch to assemble. To set the spinner onto the card, simply punch a hole using your 1/16" circle punch, then layer the spinner hand, on top of the washer, and secure both pieces with a brad.

This simple yet whimsical design, uses the Celebrations designer series paper, and pacific point, real red, and old olive card stock. If you are looking to build a set of fun and whimsical card designs for your next stamping project, then the new Tail Spin stamp set and game spinner head is a must have for your craft collection. To purchase these products visit my Stampin' Up! website today. Remember products from the Occasions Mini catalog are only available for a limited time. So shop now while supplies last.

Hope you've enjoyed today's card. Be sure to leave a comment about today's project.

Happy Stamping!

Stampin Up! - Because I Care Hostess Set

2011-04-06T08:00:00.011-04:00

Hi There Stampers,

This clean and simple card uses the stamp set Because I care, which is a level one hostess set in the 2011 Idea Book and Catalog. To achieve this stamp for free, you can either host a workshop with sales totals of $300 or purchase product of $300. To make this card, I stamped the Hydrangea in Stampin Up's! Concord Crush classic ink onto a piece of Whisper White card stock, then colored the image with the matching stampin' write markers. To give the card more flair, I added some white dots to the centers of the flowers using my white gel pen. Then matted the hydrangea piece onto a piece of concord crush card stock and topped it off with the matching concord crush stitch ribbon. The sentiment was stamped in the matching concord crush ink and punched out using a half inch oval punch. I mounted the stamped sentiment onto a piece of concord crush card stock that was punched out using the coordinating scallop punch. This card design was cased from the talented Kristy. Hope you enjoyed today's card.

Sale-A-Bration Stamp Set-Bliss

2011-04-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday,

To start the week off on a good note, I decided to post one of the beautiful cards I made at our monthly Stampin Up! card party. Today's card was designed by the talented Kritsy Hickson. This card uses the Bliss stamp set which was one of the many free stamps featured in the 2011 Sale-A-Brations catalog. I am so happy that I chose this stamp set as one of my free gifts of a purchase of $50.00 or more. I love this adorable set and truly hope Stampin Up! makes Bliss part of the 2011 - 2012 Idea Book and Catalog.

Medallion Thank You

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

Today's card is a very simple yet elegant design that combines basic stamping and embossing. I used Stampin' Up's! Medallion stamp as the focal image and the basic embossing technique to create this card.

Here is how I made this card:

1. Cut a 4 1/4 x 11 piece of early expresso card stock and score it at
   5 1/2 for your card base.
2. Cut a 4" x 5 1/4 piece of real red card stock and set it aside.
3. Cut a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of crumb cake card stock and set it aside.
4. Ink up the Medallion stamp in real red craft ink. Be sure to ink up
   the stamp very well. You do not want to miss any areas or the image
   will not come out vivid.
5. Stamp the Medallion stamp onto the edge of crumb cake card stock
   leaving some of the image off of the paper.
6. Sprinkle clear embossing powder over the stamped image and tap
   off any extra powder.
7. Use your heat tool and emboss the medallion image. Be sure not
   to leave the heat tool in one area for a long period of time or otherwise
   you will scorch your paper.
8. Stamp the thank you greeting onto the crumb cake card stock in the
   left hand corner in the early expresso ink.
9. On a scrap piece of crumb cake card stock repeat steps 4 and 5.
10. Cut out the center of the Medallion image using your paper snip scissors.
11. Adhere the cut out center of the Medallion image onto the original
   stamped and embossed Medallion image using Stampin' Dimensional,
   trim any excess that hangs over the edge of the paper.
12. Place a large cream half back pearl onto the center of the raised
   medallion using a mini glue dot.
13. Mat the 4" x 5 1/4" piece of real red card stock onto the early expresso
   card base using snail adhesive.
14. Viola, you're done.

Hope you enjoyed today's card tutorial.

All Occasion Card Set

2011-03-06T19:54:00.000-05:00

This weekend I was lucky enough to spend time in my craft room doing what I do best...making cards. Since my stash of all occasion greeting cards was running low, I decided to whip up a batch to have on hand.

The card set I made today uses the Die Cuts with a View glitter paper pack and coordinating cardstock, along with stamps from Inkadinkado and Hero Arts. The designer paper and cardstock is a stash of supplies I've had in my craft room for months.

I must admit, I like many of us papercrafters am guilty of being a paper hoarder. Sometimes it is just really hard for me to use those pretty packs of paper. However, I was able to overcome my condition and use one of the beautiful sheets of designer paper and one of the sheets of the coordinating blue cardstock to make this all occasion greeting set.

Supplies
Stamps: Hero Arts Layered Flowers, Inkadinkado
Patterned Paper: DCV At Home Paper Pack
Cardstock: DCV At Home Paper Pack, AC Black Card Stock, AC White Cardstock
Embellishments: Black Dew Drops, White AC grosgrain ribbon

Masculine Birthday

2011-03-01T23:42:00.000-05:00

Masculine cards have always been a challenge for me. Mostly because there are not a lot of designer stamps on the market made to create masculine cards. Typically the stamps that are designed to create masculine cards are generally ones I do not like.

So since I don't really own too many masculine stamps, I decided to use a generic, gender neutral stamp to create this somewhat manly birthday card. The birthday balloons stamp comes from the lovely creators at Stampendous and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.

To make the patterned background, I used strips of scrap cardstock in the colors of blue, orange, and red and laid them diagonally across a base piece of white cardstock. Then I ran the completed cardstock through my Cuttlebug machine using the Stampin Up lattice embossing folder layered to create this inlaid embossed background paper.

I found this card very simple and easy to make. The inlaid embossing technique is quite fun. It just may become one technique I use more often in my clean and simple projects.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Friendship

2011-02-27T02:55:00.000-05:00

As we grow older, its a fact that the friendships you make and keep become more and more important. Some people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. As I grow older I truly appreciate the friendships I have kept throughout the years as well as the new friendships I have made.Today's card is a reflection of my appreciation for the friendships I have maintained and have made throughout the course of my life. This card uses the new Stampin Up stamp set from the Sale-a-brations catalouge. In order to receive this adorable stamp set, one must purchase a minimum of $50 of Stampin Up products to get this set as a free gift. Stampin' Up's Sale-a-brations time is the perfect excuse for anyone to get as much product as they can with the perks of free gifts.
Hope you enjoyed todays card design. Visit with me tomorrow to see more creations using the Stampin Up's Sale-a-Brations stamp sets.

Birthday Bash

2011-02-26T19:58:00.001-05:00

Make a wish and blow out the candles. Today's greeting card is a Birthday design using Imagenisce Birthday Bash designer paper and rub ons.

Get Well Soon

2011-02-21T19:27:00.000-05:00

Hey Stampers,

Today I am sharing with you my BRIGHT and Cheerful Get Well card, featuring more Hero Arts stamps. The background stamp I am using today is a new stamp from Hero Arts called Woodgrain.

I really like the image on this stamp, because it gives the appearance of a real wood but only slightly distressed. I lightly stamped this image in the Tim Holtz Antique Linen distress inks, then stamped and colored the flowers with my prisma colored pencils. I topped this card with a Get Well Soon sentiment from Inkspirations for a complete polished look.

Hope you enjoyed today's creation. Thanks for stopping by.

Sophistication

2011-02-20T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hey There Crafters!

Today's card is an elegant Black and White color combination featuring the darling Chandelier stamp by Hero Arts. This card design is so versatile that it can be given to a recipient as a birthday greeting, wedding card, or even as a Girl's Night Out invitation.

To make the card, I simply stamped the Chandelier image onto a piece of SU Whisper White cardstock in SU Black craft ink, then attached adhesive jewels in various places to emphasize the hanging crystals of a real chandelier. The jewels not only add a cool dimension to the image, but they also make the card pop.

For the background design, I used a technique called "letter-press" technique. By inking up my Spellbinders Impressabilities impression plate and dry embossing the inked design onto a piece of white cardstock, I was able to create my very own patterned designer paper. The effect of this background technique in my opinion is what gives this card so much character. To finish, I topped the card off with some white satin ribbon and a bow.

Hope you enjoyed today's creation. Visit me tomorrow for another card design using Hero Arts stamps.

For Baby

2011-02-19T11:39:00.002-05:00

Hi Crafters!

Today's card design is showcasing the baby shower card and gift I will be giving to a good friend of mine who is expecting her first baby. Since it's a girl, I decided to create the card using my favorite color combination of pastel pink and chocolate brown. The card was created using my Cricut Expression machine and Cricut Cartridge Create A Critter. There are so many adorable images on this cartridge that your card and scrapbooking ideas are virtuously endless.

Welcome

2011-02-11T22:39:00.000-05:00

Hello and Welcome to the Crafting Elegance blog. My creative outlet where I will share my love for paper crafts and handmade gifts. Since 2004, rubber stamping and paper crafting has become my passion. I discovered rubber stamping and card making while walking the aisles of a local scrapbook store.

Upon first glance at the beautiful handmade creations, I immediately signed up for a beginner’s card making class to learn more. Much of my crafting ability has been self taught. I read dozens of craft magazines, and search the internet for tips, tricks, and techniques to stretch my crafting skills. I love experimenting with different products, mediums and techniques to create greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and invitations.

Learning this craft has truly been a pleasure. My hope is that by sharing my creations on this blog I will inspire and encourage others to explore their own creative abilities, just as I have done.

Besides stamping and card making I also enjoy designing gift baskets and silk floral arrangements. Throughout this blog, I will periodically share with you some of my gift basket designs and other handmade creations.

Visit often to see my latest creations as I take you on my journey through the wonderful world of handmade crafts.