A Valentine Banner

Posted on January 16, 2013 by amyoneillblog

I have a Fall banner and a Christmas banner which I hang over the fireplace every year. I’m always a little sad when I have to take the Christmas one down because I think my mantle looks so bare. Never mind that it’s made even barer because all of the Christmas decorations are gone. I also have a Spring banner, but it’s too early for that right now, so I was determined to make a Valentines banner. Valentines Day is extra special in our house because my older daughter is a Valentines baby. I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on making a banner though, so I needed to keep it pretty simple. Here is what I ended up with:

I made each panel the same for simplicity’s sake.

I just fed each panel through my sewing machine to connect all of the panels (of course the one I photographed has a crooked row of stitching ;)). That makes it easy to store for future use and it makes it easy to hang.

I used the largest sized pennant from the Perfect Pennant Bigz die. The hearts are from the Hearts-a-Flutter framelits, and the buttons are from the Sale-a-Bration Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button pack, which will be available January 22nd.

Enjoy your Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: none (gasp!)
Ink: none (gasp!)
Paper: Real Red, Pool Party, Red Glimmer Paper, More Amore Specialty dsp
Embellishments: Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button pack (available Jan. 22), Pool Party Baker’s Twine, Hearts-a-Flutter framelits, Finishing Touches edgelits, Perfect Pennants Bigz die, Chevron embossing folder

It Doesn’t Get Much Easier than This

Posted on January 15, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Ok, this card is so simple I almost didn’t post it. But sometimes I need a super quick card and my brain needs something really easy. Well, that was me yesterday. Maybe you can appreciate that too.

To get my banners straight and evenly spaced, I lightly drew a line in pencil along where I wanted the top of the banners to go. I then used my grid paper to center my card and stamped the center banner first. Then I stamped the other two banners equidistant from the center one. That probably sounds more complicated than it really is. 🙂

I wanted to show you that the Hearts a Flutter set is not just for Valentine’s projects. The banners in this set are so versatile and can be used for lots of projects.

Well, enjoy your Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Sweet Essentials
Ink: Pool Party, Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red
Embellishments: Floral Fusion Sizzlits, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Pearl Basic Jewels, Black Embossing Powder

A Semi-Shabby Valentine

Posted on January 14, 2013 by amyoneillblog

While I adore the shabby-chic look, it’s not my natural style. I like clean lines too much. So this card is kinda a compromise.

I used some new goodies from the Spring catalog on this one, as well as some old favorites. I used Stampin’ Write markers to ink the stamp from the You Are Loved stamp set. I also used the new Designer Builder Brads on this one. I stamped one of the little hearts from the Oh, Whale! stamp set and punched it out with the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. I then adhered it to the brad and put one of the epoxy bubbles that comes with the brads on top. An easy custom made brad! Here’s a closer look:

The only real “shabby” part of this card is the bow. Jennifer Timko posted a gorgeous card last week with a beautiful shabby chic bow, and was so sweet to point me to LeAnne Pugliese’s blog, where she shared these instructions on how to make one. That is one of the things I love about the stamping community and the internet — everyone is so kind to share their ideas and techniques with each other.

I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week.

I hope you have a good Monday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: You are Loved, Teeny Tiny Wishes, and Oh, Whale! (heart on brad)
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pool Party, Real Red, Basic Black
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Real Red, Very Vanilla, In-Color DSP Stack, First Edition Specialty dsp, More Amore Specialty dsp (heart doily)
Embellishments: Designer Builder Brad, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Very
Vanilla 1/2″ Seam Binding Ribbon, Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Finishing Touches edgelits, Hearts Collection framelits, 3/16″ Corner punch

A Birthday Elephant — PP128

Posted on January 13, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Our challenge this week at the Paper Players is a fun color challenge from Anne Marie.

Now, I haven’t used the You’re Amazing set in a while, and I’ve missed it. So I had to pull the elephant stamp out when I saw that gray was one of the colors included in the challenge. I hope you love this stamp set as much as I do because I know I use it a lot. 🙂

I hope you’ll be able to participate in the challenge this week. I’d love to see what you do with these colors! In the mean while, you can go by the other designers’ blogs and see what they have done with their creativity:

Enjoy your Sunday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: You’re Amazing, Made for You
Ink: Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pacific Point, International Bazaar dsp, World Spectacular dsp
Embellishments: Large Scallop edgelits, Ovals Collection framelits, Brights Designer Buttons, Ticket Duo Builder punch, Daffodil Delight 1/2″ Seam Binding Ribbon, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Occasions Paper-Piercing Pack

Layered Hearts

Posted on January 11, 2013 by amyoneillblog

I’ve been having fun layering all of the different hearts that Stampin’ Up offers. On this card, for the large heart, I used one of the laser-cut doily style hearts from the More Amore Specialty dsp. I then used dies from the Heart a Flutter framelits set to die cut the First Edition Specialty dsp and some red felt. Then I punched a heart with the Small Heart punch from Primrose Petals card stock. I used the Hearts Collection framelits to die cut a Real Red card stock heart and an aqua felt heart for the smaller heart stack. The tiny heart on the sentiment came from the Happy Whale Clearlits die. Whew! That’s a lot of hearts!

Enjoy your Friday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Real Red
Paper: Real Red, Primrose Petals, Very Vanilla, More Amore Specialty dsp, First Edition Specialty dsp
Embellishments: Small Heart punch, Hearts Collection framelits, Hearts a Flutter framelits, Happy Whale Clearlits die, Pool Party 3/8″ Ruffled Ribbon, Pool Party Baker’s Twine, Bitty Buttons, Pearl Basic Jewels, felt (non-SU)

Thanks a Ton

Posted on January 10, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Here’s another card with that cute whale. The coordinating clearlits die has several images other than the whale. This anchor is one of them. This is a fun little set.

Enjoy your Thursday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Oh, Whale!
Ink: Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Paper: Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Sunshine & Sprinkles dsp, Silver Glimmer Paper
Embellishments: Basics Designer Buttons, Happy Whale Clearlits die, Marina Mist 1/8″ Taffeta Ribbon, Pearl Basic Jewels, Scallop Edge Border punch

A Valentine with a Little of This and a Little of That

Posted on January 9, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Here’s another Valentine’s card for you with lots of pretty new products in the Spring catalog. I can’t decide if my favorite new product is the flower trim or the honeycomb embossing folder, but I’m pretty sure it is one of the two (at least today). 🙂 Do you have a favorite new product?

Enjoy your Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, That’s the Ticket
Ink: Real Red, Pool Party, Primrose Petals
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla, Primrose Petals, More Amore Specialty dsp
Embellishments: 5/8″ Flower Trim, Pool Party 1/2″ Seam Binding Ribbon, Pool Party Baker’s Twine, Ticket Duo Builder’s punch, Pearl Basic Jewels, Hearts a Flutter framelits, Finishing Touches edgelits, Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Color Spritzer Tool, Sycamore Street buttons (available Jan. 22 with Sale-a-Bration)

Phone Booth

Posted on January 8, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Here’s a sneak peek of a stamp set that will be included in the Sale-a-Bration offerings starting January 22nd. This set includes three detailed vintage-style images and a sentiment, and I love them all.

When my husband peeked in on me as I was finishing this one up, he told me he “didn’t get it.” He didn’t understand what the “thanks” ticket, two cent stamp, ruler and phone booth had to do with each other. Hmmm…. I told him that they were all things that I like — simple as that. Maybe I won’t be sending this one out in the mail. 🙂

Have a great Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (available Jan. 22), That’s the Ticket, Postage Due, Fabulous Phrases, Measuring Stick
Ink: Riding Hood Red, More Mustard, Island Indigo, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake (sponging)
Paper: Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Island Indigo, Very Vanilla, Fan Fair dsp
Embellishments: Delicate Doilies Sizzlits die, Postage Stamp punch, Ticket Duo Builder punch, Naturals Designer Buttons, Island Indigo Baker’s Twine, 5/8″ Victoria Crochet Trim, Natural 7/16″ Trim Ribbon

A Crossword Valentine

Posted on January 7, 2013 by amyoneillblog

Here’s another new stamp set in the Spring Catalog. It is called Cross My Heart and has several different sentiments in a crossword puzzle format. It’s a fun set. Here are all of the images in the set:

Enjoy your Monday! I’m kinda bummed this morning, because my children all went back to school today. Maybe I’ll at least get a little extra stamping time. That should cheer me up! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Cross My Heart
Ink: Basic Gray, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink (sponged on newsprint paper)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, Brights & Neutrals DSP stacks, First Edition Specialty dsp
Embellishments: Hearts a Flutter framelits, Finishing Touches edgelits, 3/16″ Corner punch, Pearl Basic Jewels, Pretty in Pink 1/4″ Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon

Love is in the Air — PP127

Posted on January 6, 2013 by amyoneillblog

I was recently asked to be a guest designer on the Paper Players blog. I’ll be designing cards for their weekly challenges for the next six months along with their talented designers and other guest designers. I’ve been playing along with their challenges since I found their blog a few months ago and I love their challenges and what their team creates each week. I’m really looking forward to this assignment!

So here’s the challenge for this week:

I knew I wanted to use hearts, and I just love the crisp look of Real Red and Very Vanilla together, so that is what I used.

I hope you’ll check out what the other designers did with this theme, and that you’ll play along at The Paper Players! Enjoy your Sunday! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Hearts a Flutter, Field Flowers (sentiment)
Ink: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake (for sponging around top layer)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Pretty in Pink
Embellishments: Brights and Subtles Designer Buttons, Hearts a Flutter framelits, Needlepoint Border Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 3/16″ Corner punch, Real Red 1/4″ Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Sponge Dauber