Embellish Color Challenge :: Babies

I've been wanting to participate in Embellish Magazine's color challenge for a while. The colors they chose this month were so beautiful, so I decided that this would be the perfect month to start. I'm new to challenges, but I am quickly learning why they are so popular! This was really fun!

This card was created using Papertrey Ink's Baby Button Bits and Argyle Stamp sets. Both are favorites of mine.

Size:  4 ¼ x 5 ½”

Ingredients: Stamps: Papertrey Ink; Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Neenah; Button, twine, patterned paper: Papertrey Ink; Ink: Memento, Papertrey Ink; Die cut machine: Big Shot; Dies: Spellbinders; Ribbon: Offray

Instructions: 
Create a card base from kraft cardstock. Cut a peach patterned paper slightly smaller and adhere to card base. Stamp argyle pattern on green cardstock. Adhere to card. Cut a slit in card fold and pull ribbon through. Tie in a knot. Die cut flower shape from green cardstock and a slightly smaller flower from white cardstock. Stamp sentiment. Stamp bear on matching patterned paper and cut out. Tie twine through button and adhere to bear. Attach bear and flower to card.

A Little Break.

I've had a crazy week. I have loads to catch up on, including a magazine to send to press, a wedding invitation to design, 7 blogs designs to upload and 4 baby announcements to finish. Not to mention the 3 parties/dinners I am helping plan over the next two weeks. Life is a bit out of control. I thought summers were supposed to be lazy?

My cuties have been a tad neglected as I've been consumed with work and design jobs. I'm feeling a little guilty. I may be a little absent from my blog this week; feeling the need to cuddle my baby and play with my kids.

I will be stopping in a couple times this week to showcase some new stamps that arrived in the mail from Wplus9. Oh, my! They are cute.

Divine Twine & Jewelry.

I love a simple package. There is a certain charm to brown paper packages tied up in string. However, plain twine or string doesn't exactly stand out in the crowd. For a special occasion, I like to add a punch of color with some bakers twine. Red and white striped string makes me smile.

I was in complete heaven when I discovered Divine Twine a couple months ago, and even more excited when they sent me a sampling of each of their colors. My favorite? Yellow! Pink comes in close second. I've used these pretty colors on cards, packages and baked goods. They make a homemade gift look so pretty.

On Tuesday, I made myself 4 pairs of earrings. Pretty little flowers. I bought in bulk...so I made a few more once I was done with my own. And now...I am offering them to you. I packaged them up in cute little boxes I folded myself and finished them off by tying them with some Divine Twine. The perfect little gift. I have a VERY limited number in the Sherbet Shop, so if you want a pair, get em' quick!

Buy yourself a pair of these pretty in the Sherbet Shop*!

*The Sherbet Shop is a place where I occasionally sell my handmade goods. I do not keep it stocked regularly, so once these are gone, they may never come back.

Can't Stop Window Shopping.

Am I the last person on the www to discover CSN? I can't stop looking around. They have so much! I've been mulling over their dining room sets. (We are still using our mini-table from IKEA that seats barely four. Now that we are a family of 5, it is time to upgrade.) Am currently considering this one:

Other CSN items I've added to my wishlist:

Wheely Bug Bee Ride-On Toy Too cute! I can see my little kiddos zooming around on this darling bug!
Hardwood Kraft Tape Dispenser With 10 Assorted Rolls IN LOVE with this. I'm thinking of all cards and crafts I could make using these pretty colors.
Sweet Pea Tote Diaper Bag Love diaper bags that don't look like diaper bags.
Cutlery Set Okay...I'm really dreaming here, but I'd love it.
Floral Contemporary Rug So pretty.

1•2•3 :: Craft Books.

My craft room is in complete disarray with fabric and markers and paper piled high and 6 or 7 project in the works. Sometimes I just need to craft. It calms me. (I guess I've needed a LOT of calming lately.) I'm head over heels for three craft books in my collection. They are the cause of the overload of crafting comotion at the moment. Seriously beautiful books that inspire me.

Decorating with Papercraft by Clare Young

Sew Liberated by Meg McElwee

Bookcraft by Heather Weston

Decorating with Papercraft walks you through "25 Fresh and Eco-Friendly Projects for the Home." I want to make every.single.one! Some of my favorite paper crafts in the book are the party garland, hanging birds, holiday decorations, the adorable piñata, bookbinding, and paper flowers. Am currently working on making little take-out favor boxes.

Sew Liberated has 20 modern sewing projects. Most are appropriate for beginning seamstresses, like myself. The projects I've listed on my crafting queue are: Teacup Corset Apron, Wall Clock, Jersey Garden Skirt, Baby's First Book and the Camera Bag. All the patterns are included in a little pocket in the back of the book.

Bookcraft is all about binding, folding and decorating books. The instructions are thorough and easy to understand. It is a book that both the beginner and the experienced would enjoy.

What craft books do you completely adore?

Pretty Posters.

The cutest poster shop I've found to date. I love the quotes and thoughts this artists uses. They speak to me. I think I'd like one of each, hung all around my office as wallpaper. (Thank you, Meg, for pointing me in this shop's direction!)

All Eyes On...Ribbon.

Am back from a wonderful Father's Day jaunt to Idaho.  Every time we make our way to the in-laws house, I want to stay. We even picked up a home-for-sale flyer, dreaming. The wide open spaces; oh, I love them. I was wishing for those lonely farm roads for myself back when the babe had colic. They would have been much more pleasant than the smoggy freeways we drove as he slept by my home.

Before we left, I made this card for the Wplus9's monthly All Eyes On feature. This month the team is focusing on unconventional ways to use ribbon. No regular bows allowed!  I'm in the process of making ruffly ribbon pillows for my daughter's bed...so I decided to try the same technique on a card. I love ruffles!

Instructions on Ruffling your Bows...the Hannah Way.
I am not a sewing expert. I can do straight lines and make simple patterns. I do not, however, know if I do anything the correct way and I definitely do not know the correct terminology. But, even still, the results of this technique are pretty.

First, cut a piece of 1" ribbon about 2.5x's longer than your crafting medium. (For my 10 inch pillows, I cut the ribbon 25 inches long. For my 5 inch card, I cut it 12.5 inches long.) Mark the ribbon every inch with a pen on each side. (I marked the sample ribbon above with little black dots so you could see it better.) If you are a perfectionist, like me, use a ruler to draw zig-zags from one dot across to the next. Then follow those lines in a running stitch using a needle and a similar colored thread. (I find doing it in zig zags rather than straight across makes an especially ruffly and feminine looking ribbon. Perfect for a little princess pillow for my daughter or a pink and purple birthday card. I also like this technique best with satin ribbon.)
Yes, you can use a sewing machine, but the needle and thread make this process especially fun for me.

Gently pull the thread, allowing the ribbon to ruffle. Pretty, no?

Finally, add it to your craft. I am sewing it onto my daughter's pillow, but for the card, I used the strong adhesive in my ATG 700. Put the adhesive on the card first, then press the ribbon down firmly.

I think this ruffly ribbon looks so great with Dawn's Background Builders: Hearts stamps. For info on the card "ingredients" and the how-tos for this card, please visit my card portfolio blog later today.

Have fun with this pretty technique! You can use it on just about anything! I am thinking about making a ruffly bag next. Or maybe a shirt.

Orange Berry Green Salad

On a summer day, no food makes me happier than a nice, green salad. This one is as decadent as a green salad can be and the dressing is mmm mmm good.

ORANGE BERRY GREEN SALAD
Raspberry Vinaigrette
½ c. Frozen Raspberries
¼ c. Red Wine Vinegar
¼ c. Sugar
1 Small Shallot, diced
½ t. Thyme
¾ c. Vegetable Oil
¼ c. Olive Oil
Combine raspberries, sugar, vinegar, shallot, thyme in a blender. Slowly add oil to blender and add salt and pepper.

Salad
2 c. Mixed Spring Greens
½ c. Candied Pecans
3 Small Clementine Oranges, sectioned (I cut mine in half for easier eating.)
1 c. Berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
Sliced Brie
Mix the vinaigrette with greens. Arrange berries, oranges, brie, and pecans on top of greens.

Silhouette Glam

I made this card for the CARDS blog. Oh my, this is so much fun to do! The Silhouette is my favorite little cutter; I don't use it nearly enough. But, now that I have the Rhinestone Kit, I have a feeling I'll be using it a LOT more!

Size: 5 ½ x 4 ¼”

Ingredients: Stamps: Wplus9 (hearts), Papertrey Ink (sentiment), Hero Arts (Flower); Cardstock, ink, button, twine: Papertrey Ink; Patterned Paper: Stampin’ Up!, Papertrey Ink; Die cut machine, rhinestones: Silhouette by Quickutz

Instructions: 
Create a card base from brown cardstock. Die cut scalloped square from a green cardstock block. Cut a square from pink cardstock and a slightly smaller square from white cardstock. Stamp white cardstock with a heart background and a sentiment. Iron on rhinestones from the silhouette template. Stamp flower on pink patterned paper and leaves on green patterned paper. Cut out and adhere to top, right corner of card. Tie a bow with twine through a button and adhere to flower’s center.

Vintage Button Earrings.

I'll admit it: I have a button addiction. I keep my hundreds upon hundreds of buttons in little IKEA spice jars, all lined up and organized by color. I think they look adorable on top of my bookshelf in my office. I don't use them very often, and I know I will never use my whole stash in my lifetime. But, if only for decor, I love them.

I raided my grandmother's button collection last month. She was thrilled that I was interested in her box of beauties; I was excited that she told me to take as many as I wanted. One set of shank buttons made me especially excited. They were from my great-grandmother's collection and were bright, primary colored flowers. They were too cute to just be tossed into my yellow buttons jar. A friend of mine told me that she likes to turn her shank buttons into earring. Oh my. I had to try it.

Instructions:

Collect some shank buttons. (Grandmas are a great source for these.) Hand them trustingly off to your husband who will use a high-speed drill to cut off the shank. Pray that he doesn't break the hand-me-downs. You can also use pliers or what ever method words best to remove your kind of shank.

Hot glue buttons to flat earposts. (Or...if you are more professional...you can use jewelry glue.)

Tada! That was way too easy, huh? I think I'm going to make a dozen more in different varieties.

Birthday Boy.

I have a cute birthday boy in my house today; someone I don't talk about near enough on this little blog of mine. C is the comic relief in our family. When things get intense, C can make everyone smile. This little boy isn't your average 3-year-old, saying cute and funny things without meaning to be funny; this boy is a stand-up comedian. He knows how to charm and how to get a rise from the crowd. Seriously adorable...and naughty. Oh boy, is our boy naughty. And then, at the moment I am going to get mad at his mischief, he runs over, kisses my cheek and tells me that I am "the prettiest mommy ever." That sidewards grin and sparkly eyes melt me. Smart boy!

C is a joy. A complete charmer. A darling little muchkin that I can't help but squeeze until he says "MOM! STOP! Let.Me.Down! NOW!" Then I give in and watch him run off; wondering when he learned to talk and walk and pretend. I blinked one day, and when I opened my eyes, my little red headed baby wasn't a baby. He is an opinionated little person.

Today he turns 3. It hurts my heart to think about it. I miss my chubby little red-headed baby. He hasn't been a baby for a while, but I have been pretending. I cuddle him like I used to until he pushes me away. I call him "baby boy" until he insists "Mom! I not a baby!" Age 2 seemed to fly by, and I don't want to forget who he is today.

:: I don't want to forget the way he smiles with his whole face. You only have to see his eyes to know he is happy.
:: I don't want to forget his infectious giggles.
:: I don't want to forget that he uses "ever" at the end of any sentence that he really means. (It makes no sense, but it is completely hilarious.) "I don't want to eat peas! Ever!" "I want to go to the pool! Ever!"
:: I don't want to forget how stubborn he is. He knows want he wants. You will never persuade him otherwise.
:: I don't want to forget that his favorite color is "Lellow" just like his mommy. He insists on the "lellow cup" and the "lellow candy."
:: I don't want to forget the forts or the jumping piles he build. He loves to collect every pillow in the house, pile them up and jump from the table. I'm hoping he doesn't break a limb.
:: I don't want to forget how he adores his older sister. I watch him watch her. I watch him mimic her. He wants to be just like her.
:: I don't want to forget how he sorts his toys, lining up his Cars cars all in a row.
:: I don't want to forget how he pretends. I am amazed at his imagination. He loves to pretend to be a super hero, tying his favorite blanket around his neck for a cape and running around yelling "I'm SUPER!"
:: I don't want to forget how he loves spaghetti with sauce, frozen corn from Grandma Debi and pancakes with extra syrup.
:: I don't want to forget how he is all boy, but still loves to cuddle. Even though he has naughty times, he also incredibly sweet and affectionate.

Being his mother has been three years of pure joy. I love him more than I could ever say.

Oh, boy. I am getting teary. I'm off to celebrate with my little mischievous and adorable munchkin.

Color Cue.

I am having a blast being a guest on the WPlus9 design team for the summer. Dawn, the owner of WPlus9, does a monthly Color Cue. This month's colors were so fun, and again, I pulled out my Woodgrain Silhouette stamp set (I love that set) and made this little number:

Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4″

Ingredients: Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Ink: Stampin' Up, Papertrey Ink; Stamps: Wplus9; Electronic Cutter: Quickutz Silhouette ; Ribbon: Craft Supply; Software: Adobe Illustrator

Instructions:
Stamp woodgrain pattern in aqua on back and front of a blue card base. Score and fold. Adhere ribbon across the center of card front. Use Glue Dots to adhere a bow to the left side. Using the Quickutz Silhouette and Adobe Illustrator, cut frame out of brown and a slightly smaller frame out of white. Stamp leaves and stems onto white frame. Stamp flowers in orange on white cardstock, cut out and adhere to white frame block. Adhere frame to the right side of the bow. Stamp "for you" in bottom right corner of aqua card base.


Check out the other WPlus9 designers:
Dawn
Kerrianne
Savitri
Maile
Elise
Heather

Quick Thoughts on a Thursday.

::Received my first sunburn yesterday. I lathered my alabaster babies in sunscreen before they splashed in the water with their cute friends, but forgot about my own fair skin. Ow! We are so happy to be welcoming warm weather. The sunshine was worth the cooking my back received.

::Sent the monthly magazine I design to press today. Breathed a sigh of relief until I saw the pile of designs on my to-do list. Back to work I go.

::I had a few requests to have the weekly health focuses start on Mondays, so keep your journaling and exercise up for another few days. I'll be back Monday with a new focus.

::Designing my brother's wedding invites. He is engaged to a Scottish girl and the wedding is Scottish themed with a royal color scheme. She requested that all little boys be in Scottish garb. I wish I didn't have to wait until September to show off my cute boys in their kilts. Oh my. Too cute.

::My baby is officially 5 months old. I got a little teary when I realized that yesterday. My heart aches when I think of my cute kids growing up. I never knew that heartaches were literal. Baby giggles are the only remedy.

::So happy to have my husband back. I learned one thing while my husband was vacationing/working last week: mothering three kiddos alone is HARD. I don't ever want to do it again.

Giveaway: Mrs. Fields Cookies.

Father's Day is just around the corner. Are you ready?

My own dad's favorite treat is a cookie. He always has a stash hidden in his office. We used to raid his desk drawers to steal a few for ourselves. (We still do.) Mrs Fields is offering one lucky Sherbet Blossom reader a prize I know any dad would enjoy: the Dad's Trio Tray! Holy Cow...my dad would be in heaven! I know the father in your life will be too!

To win cookies for your dad, comment on this post by Sunday, June 13th. Tell me about your dad's favorite treat.

For extra entries: (A new comment for each entry must be left for these extras to count.)
01. Tweet, Facebook or Blog about and link back to this giveaway. (You get 1 entry for each.)
02. Follow Mrs. Fields via blog and twitter.

The winner of this Giveaway will be announced on this post.

Yum! Good luck!

Stamping on Stamps

My friend asked me to do a tutorial on a card I made, so I decided to post it for everyone. This is a really fun technique. The results remind me of tie-dying.

I used Wplus9's Background Buiders: Hearts set because I love it. The butterflies are from the Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions set.

01. You will need two stamps. One for the main image, and one for the pattern. These darling little hearts work great. I used Stampin' Up's Classic Ink in Melon Mambo.

02. Ink up the main stamp.

03. Using a clean, uninked pattern stamp, remove ink from your main stamp by stamping on it.

04. Stamp you image on your paper of choice. Voilà! Cute little butterflies.

Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4″

Ingredients: Cardstock, Twine, Buttons: Papertrey Ink; Ink: Stampin' Up; Stamps: Wplus9, Hampton Art; Punch: EK Success; Patterned paper: October Afternoon

Instructions:
Stamp hearts on orange cardstock block to make a background pattern. Attach to white cardstock base. Punch border onto pink polkadot paper. attach to card. Stamp sentiment in bottom right corner. Follow instructions above to make butterflies. Cut out with scissors. Tie buttons with twine and attach to butterfly's center. Adhere to card and bend up wings.

Background Builders: Hearts

I'm in love with background stamps, and Background Builders: Hearts by Wplus9 is especially fun.

Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4″

Ingredients: Cardstock, Twine, Buttons: Papertrey Ink; Ink: Stampin' Up, Versamark; Stamps: Wplus9, Papertrey Ink; Markers: Copic; Embossing powder: Whispers; Ribbon: American Crafts

Instructions:
Stamp hearts onto the left of the card base with Versamark ink. Emboss with white embossing powder. Stamp flower image on white cardstock block and mat with brown cardstock. Attach green ribbon piece to a brown ribbon piece. Staple to white block. Color leaves. Tie buttons with twine and attach to white block. Scallop edge of green cardstock strip. Attach white block and scalloped border to card. Stamp sentiment.

Stamping 101: Getting Started.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again: I love stamping. There is something magical about making a stamped image. It is a craft that ANYONE can do. (Without much effort, I might add.) If you want to get started on the craft there are three things you need: stamps, ink and paper. Let's talk about them.

STAMPS: the star of the show
Acrylic? Wood? Unmounted Rubber? It can be confusing and hard to choose. I know. It wasn't that long ago that I started stamping myself. There is no right or wrong answer, and I don't like to play favorites, so I have a little of everything.

Rubber stamps (wood or unmounted) seem to cling to ink best. The image comes out crisp and the color intense. However, placement is an issue. You can't see what you are doing. (This can be solved by using the stamp-a-ma-jig, a stamp positioner, but that takes more time and effort than I am normally willing to use.) I love the surprise of a perfectly stamped image when pulling the wood block away.

Acrylic stamps are clear, so you can see where you are stamping. Genius! However, clear stamps seem to resist dye or water-based inks. To solve this, I use solvant, pigment or embossing ink. Another great thing about acrylic stamps is the storage. They take up virtually no room! I store mine in jewel cd cases.

My thoughts on stamp type: buy the stamp images you like. Don't worry whether it is wood or acrylic. Both have positives and negatives; both will make great cards/crafts.

Starting-out Stamps: There are a few of stamp sets that I consider essentials and I would highly recommend buying when you are starting out. (Remember that you don't need to have ALL of these before you begin. I started out with one lonely wood-mounted stamp and one little green stamp pad.)

Backgroud Stamps: I adore making my own patterned paper with a background stamp. I really love Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Basics and A Little Argyle, Stampin' Up's Medallion, Wplus9's Woodgrain and brand new Hearts stamp sets.
Sentiment Stamps: Because I am a card maker, sentiments are a must. I love All Occasion Messages by Hero Arts, Signature Greetings by Papertrey Ink and Short & Sweet by Stampin' Up.
Flower/Nature Stamps: Wplus9's Woodgrain Silhouettes Bundle is a fabulous all-around nature set. It is both masculine and femine. Very versatile. If I could only own one stamp set, this might be it.
Birthday Stamps: I adore Lawn Fawn's bake me a cake set! So cute. Just ordered it yesterday.
Baby Stamps: Papertrey Ink's Baby Button Bits is my favorite baby set I own. Such a clever idea! I also love Wplus9's Kisses and Cuddles set, but I don't own that one yet.
*I am still on the lookout for a good wedding set & a sympathy set. Let me know if you have a suggestion.

INK
I must make a disclaimer before talking about ink pads: am not an expert. I am still trying to find my favorite brand.
Dye-based ink: Good on all paper, but fades over time. Not waterproof. I like Stampin' Up!'s dye ink a lot, especially with rubber stamps.
Chalk ink: Fabulous rich, matte finish. Stains clear stamps. I like ColorBox Fluid Chalk ink.
Pigment ink: Vibrant colors. Can be used on mediums other than paper, like fabric. Stampin' Up!'s craft line of inks are awesome.
Solvent ink: StazOn is so fun! You can use them on metal, plastic, acrylic, foil, leather and some even some glass surfaces.

*I use Memento ink when I color with my Copic Markers because it won't bleed. However, I don't feel like it is a very dark black. I am still looking for an alternative.

Paper
There are so many brands of paper out there, so I am not going to really get too into this. However, I do want to tell you my favorites. When coloring with copics, I prefer to use Neenah Solar White paper. I buy a huge ream at Xpedx for a great price. I also use Neenah's kraft cardstock. For colored cardstock, I like both Stampin' Up and Papertrey ink. They both have matching products, so it is fun to buy the inks, accessories and paper that go together. Papertrey ink's cardstock is really thick, so if you use a Silhouette or Cricuit cutter, it doesn't work as well. It does make a fabulously sturdy card, though.

Good luck with your new hobby! Comment or email me if you ave any questions.

I am Hannah.

I have been thrilled with so many new faces in the comment section of my blog. I feel that I should introduce myself to all you newbies. (And offer a warm, heart-felt welcome. It is so exciting to know that people actually read.)

I am Hannah.
I am madly in love with my husband.
I am obsessed with my children.
I am a daughter, granddaughter, niece, in-law, and sister.
I am a loyal friend.
I am a chauffeur.
I am a red mango groupie.
I am a wanna-be Hawaiian who dreams of moving back by my mom someday.
I am a list maker.
I am a graphic designer.
I am seasoned blogger who still gets a thrill when people leave a comment.
I am crafty.
I am a card-maker.
I am grateful and write monthly thank you notes.
I am obsessed with pretty handwriting and good pens.
I am an retired community-theater actress who still dreams of being on stage.
I am a collector of Broadway music.
I am a singer who needs desperately to practice her instrument.
I am a girl who loves to camp and get dirty.
I am also a girl who loves stiletto heels, has an accessory addiction, and collects purses. Go figure.
I am in love with polka dots.
I am a believer of good manners.
I am domestic.
I am insistent on healthy-eating and home cooked meals.
I am trying to get back in shape after 3 children.
I am one who loves loves a good vacation, but loves coming home even more.
I am creative.
I am thrifty.
I am a gardener.
I am a wanna-be photographer.
I am a recovering computer geek.
I am a perfectionist.
I am religious and have a deep faith in God.
I am a believer in prayer.
I am enormously happy to be me, living my life.

Thanks so much for reading, emailing and supporting. You all know how to make a girl feel good.

June Goal Calendar.

Here's this month's calendar...a day late. (Sorry.) Click to enlarge, save and print. My goals are all health related. Crossing my fingers for a good month.

Health Journey: Week 1

So, here's the skinny: I am ready to be healthy again. Did you know that I graduated from college with a degree in health? Or that I worked for a health clinic as a counselor for a couple years before my first baby was born? It makes me sick to think of all my healthy habits I let slide. Back then, the taste of butter was unappetizing because it was too rich. Grapes and berries were my favorite dessert. It is my mission to get those healthy-food-craving taste-buds back. And all it takes is a little discipline. Easy, right? (ha!) It's not just about eating. I want to be able to run and lift weights like I used to. I want to be able to play and hike with my kids. It is going to be a journey, and I'd love to have you join me. (I may even have a couple giveaways for participants!) I am not sure how long this will last. Perhaps through the summer? I'll go until these habits are ingrained.

Each week, I am going to have a focus. However, because this is the first week, I'm going to assign 2 to get the ball moving:

01. Journal Your Food: Become aware of everything you put into your mouth. Right down to every bite, lick and taste. Write it down. This is so important to changing eating habits. It will also help you with meal plans in the future.
02. Get Moving: Make a goal for yourself. If you haven't been working out, set an attainable goal. (Walking 30 minutes, 3x's a week.) If you have been exercising, bump up the intensity. Workout a little longer or add an additional day.

Good luck on your journey! Hopefully this will motivate me to be a little better.

You Are My Sunshine

I love the colors Dawn chose for the color cue! I had to take a stab at it myself.

Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4″

Ingredients: Stamps: Wplus9; Cardstock: Stampin' Up, Neenah, Papertry Ink; Twine, buttons, ribbon, die cut: Papertrey Ink; Ink: Memento, Colorbox

Instructions: Stamp clouds in blue on a white cardstock block. Attach to a yellow card base. Die cut frame in navy cardstock. Attach to card an adhere buttons to right and left side. Punch a 1 3/4 inch circle in white cardstock. Stamp yellow rays. Punch a 1 inch yellow circle. Stamp sentiment and ink the edges. Tie a ribbon around bottom of card. Add a button with twine to bow's center.

The Birds & The Bees

I was so excited when my Wplus9 package arrived in the mail with the June releases! The Birds & The Bees stamp set called to me and I immediately made this card. I can't seem to put this set down. It is so fun. Dawn also released a set called Background Builders: Hearts which is completely darling and so versatile.

Size: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4″

Ingredients: Cardstock, patterned paper: Stampin' Up!; Ribbon: Offray; Punches: Stampin' Up; Stamps: Wplus9; markers: Copic

Instructions:
Cut a piece of blue patterned paper slightly smaller than green cardstock base and adhere. Punch scallop border on the bottom of a white cardstock block. Round the two top corners. Stamp flowers, butterfly and sentiment. Color with markers. Adhere a few flowers and a butterfly with foam dimensionals. Adhere a folded green ribbon. Use foam dimensionals to adhere white block to card base.