Simple Is Best...and Fast!

Hey all! I'm tuckered out from a 35-hour week at Starbucks. I know; some of you work that plus 5 every week. You do not, most likely, work in the food service industry. It's a WORKOUT! Normally, I work around 25 hours, but with 3 partners out this week, there were more than enough hours to go around! I have a sore knee and I've had to wear my arm brace to combat the inflammation of my cubital tunnel syndrome (carpel tunnel of the elbow, for those who care). But, I survived, and to treat myself, I wanted to stamp!

The card was inspired by this layout at Clean and Simple Stamping. This blog specializes in layouts, and it's great when someone else volunteers to do the thinking for you! Vicki from It's A Stamp Thing made a card using this layout, and attached a link, so thanks, Vicki!

I used the sweet circle flower stamp from Flower Power to create the focal images. I paired Pretty in Pink with Soft Suede. It's a yummy combo! I can't tell you how happy I am that SU! finally manufactured Stampin' Write Markers for the InColor collection! They're fantastic for small images.

The circles are 1" and 1.25". I created a 2.75" x 4" template from cardboard, rounded the corners, and traced around it to create the border. "Best Wishes" is from the Level 3 Hostess Set Kind & Caring Thoughts.

One of my stampers requested birthday cards, so this is for next Sunday's SAS. The little detail in the middle of the center flower is a clear 3/8" button tied with linen thread and mounted with a glue dot. To save time, I think I'll tie these ahead of time for my friends, since some are intimidated by bows--you know who you are! :-)

After the week I've had, I'm going to finish this day reading, relaxng, (okay, doing a little laundry--we have to have clothes!), and letting my dear husband cook. If you don't live local, but would like the cards featured in this month's SAS, I can mail you all the pieces-parts; all you have to provide is the stamps. The cost is $25 for 10 cards/envelopes or $12 for 5 cards/envelopes, plus the cost of postage.

Flower Power to the People!

I am NOT a child of the '60's. I was a child IN the '60's. IN, not OF. So, to me, Flower Power is all about cards!

Let me explain. Flower Power Card Elements is a new product by SU! that has supplies to make 9 cards. Sold separately, but that coordinates with this, is a stamp set called Wow Flowers. These two items are in a line called Simply Sent, introduced by SU! in 2007 to help new stampers be able to create cards quickly and easily. The supplies set and the stamps used to be sold together, but this catalog marks the debut of them as coordinating, but not joined at the hip tools.





The Flower Power Card Elements comes with the following items:
6-8.5" x 11" sheets of textured card stock
2-8.5" x 11" sheets of designer series paper
brads, buttons, and ribbon
2 sheets of self-adhesives (otherwise known as stickers)
step-by-step instructions

I bought the coordinating set, although you could use any sentiment stamp sets you already own. Once I organized everything, the biggest challenge was deciding what to do first! I am really bad when it comes to stuff like this, because there's a limited amount of it. That means I want to hoard it and not use any of it frivolously. Oh the choices! Finally, I decided to make one of the cards using the instructions.

What I like about these is that there are words AND pictures. So, if you're not the type to read, but can figure out something by looking at a diagram or a photo, you're golden. This came out exactly like it was supposed to, and that inspires confidence.

When making the second card, I wanted to follow my own whims...well, sort of. Having already stated for the record that I get paralyzed by too many choices and it also being a well-documented fact that I like getting inspiration from those in cyberland, you should not be surprised that my second attempt was my own interpretation of this card by Diane Gilbert that I found on SCS.


I liked how she used one of the flower stickers and the sentiment from the Wow Flowers set to make a stem for it, thereby creating a focal point. What I did to kick it up a notch was use the stamp that looks like a 1000% enlarged asterisk and added glitter to said sticker. I was really stoked to figure out that that image fit inside that flower perfectly. Whoever designed this stuff was thinking! I was even more excited when the sticker didn't curl or freak out when I applied the heat tool to it to melt the Heat and Stick Embossing Powder so that the Dazzling Diamonds could stick to it!

I used some scraps of More Mustard and a rectangle of Perfect Plum to create a matting for the striped DP (oh, how I love STRIPES!), and the ribbon from the kit finished it off. The little leaves are a cut up felt flower from my Felt Flowers Accents and Elements kit.

I bought extra card stock in the colors of this elements kit because I really like the combination of Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Old Olive, and More Mustard. If you'd like to own either of these items, just contact me and I'll be happy to tell you how you can have them delivered directly to your doorstep!