The phrase “Bird in a Gilded Cage” popped into my head today. I don’t know why I even thought of it. However, it provided me with the inspiration for today’s card. “Chic Boutique” has become one of my new “go-to” sets of late, so I inked up the “Birdcage” in preparation for a little heat embossing. Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper and custom made “gold” brads were the perfect complement, with just a pop of color provided by Bermuda Bay.

• Prepare a standard card base from Chocolate Chip, and score at the top. Round all four corners with the Corner Rounder.
• Layer with a selection from Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper, once again rounding all four corners.
• Run a strip of Bermuda Bay card stock through the Big Shot, along with the “Small Dot” Texturz Plate from Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds 1. Mat onto Chocolate Chip. Add a snippet of Chocolate Chip ribbon from Masterpiece Ribbon Originals, and adhere to the card base.
• Ink the “Birdcage” image from Chic Boutique with VersaMark ink. Sprinkle with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder. Tap to remove the excess, and heat with the Heat Tool. Round opposite corners, and mat onto Chocolate Chip, once again rounding opposite corners. Adhere to the card base.
• Ink the “Flourish” stamp from Chic Boutique with VersaMark, and follow the same procedure for heat embossing. Snip out with Paper Snips. Mat onto Chocolate Chip and snip out again.
• Ink the “Merci” stamp with Chocolate Chip and use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to place it perfectly in the center of the gilded flourish. “Pop” onto the card base with a Stampin’ Dimensional.
• For the final “Midas Touch”, gild two Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware Brads by coating them with VersaMark ink, dipping them into Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder and heating. (Be careful, as the Heat Tool gets incredibly hot. I actually held my brads with tongs.) Position as illustrated to add balance.

Stamp Set: Chic Boutique (113744)
Designer Series Paper: Thoroughly Modern (115673)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Chocolate Chip (102128), Bermuda Bay (115317)
Inks: VersaMark (102283), Chocolate Chip (100908)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Corner Rounder (109047), Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates (114512), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615)
Embellishments: Masterpiece Ribbon Originals (116230), Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (112454), Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109129)

If you want to know why reading can be hazardous to your health, the answer is at the end of this post. But first…there is still time to participate in the first Pals Paper Arts color challenge. Incorporating two of my favorite In-Colors (Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo) with a touch of Chocolate Chip for added flavor, this week’s challenge is a treat to create. Mr. Linky will not close until Noon (CST) on Tuesday, with the Pals Picks being released on Wednesday. Of course, new challenges will always be announced at 5:oo am (CST) on Thursdays. Rumor has it that our second challenge will be a …Oops! You will just have to wait a few more days to find out!

Do you love card making and scrapbooking? Would you like to receive a 20% discount on all your favorite Stampin’ Up! products? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you may want to consider taking advantage of Stampin’ Up!s Mini Starter Kit Special. Until August 31st, you can start your own Stampin’ Up! business for only $85. Here is what you will receive for your investment:

For All You Do stamp set

• All six In-Color Classic Stampin’ Pads (Bahama Bay, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede)
• Whisper White Card Stock (8-1/2” x 11”)
• In-Color Assorted Card Stock (8-1/2” x 11”)
• Business Tools including (8) 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalogs, 8 Holiday Mini catalogs, 50 Customer forms, Getting Started DVD and more!

And if this is not enough, the Standard Starter Kit is available for $199…with incentives including all 6 In-Color Stamp Pads plus a package of 8-1/2” x 11” Assorted In-Color Card Stock…a $43.65 value! The Standard Starter Kit contains:

• Four Stamp Sets: Fun & Fast Notes, On a Pedestal, Eastern Blooms, Fundamental Phrases, Teeny Tiny Wishes, plus Elegant Thank You (Note: You can substitute for sets of your choice up to the value of the substituted set)
• Stampin’ Around Wheel: Fast Flowers (or standard wheel of your choice)
• Stampin’ Around Wheel Handle
• Stampin’ Around Ink Cartridge in Pixie Pink (or color of your choice)
• Stampin’ Pastels
• Blender Pens
• VersaMark Ink
• 5 Classic Stampin’ Pads (Basic Black, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, Pixie Pink or five colors of your choice)
• Stampin’ Scrub and Stampin’ Mist
• 2 packages of Bold Brights 8-1/2” x 11” Card Stock, or color family of your choice
• Whisper White Card Stock or color of your choice (up to $7.50)
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Décor Elements Medium Chocolate Eastern Blooms and Décor Elements Applicator
• 8 Catalogs, plus forms and business tools

All of this, plus the incentives, is only $199, plus tax…SHIPPING IS INCLUDED!

You might be thinking, “I would love the products, but I really do not want to do workshops.” There is no obligation to hold workshops and no penalty for dropping your demonstrator status. However, to keep your demonstrator benefits and discounts, you will need to reach a $300 quarterly minimum. This can be achieved either through workshops or personal purchases. If you join my group, I will be there every step of the way to coach you and answer your questions. The first TEN people to contact me for the necessary password to order your Starter Kit will receive a free, retired unmounted SAB stamp set from my “collection” AND if you are among the first FIVE to join my group, I will provide you with a free set of In-Color Markers, too! Email me if you have questions about becoming a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. I would love to talk with you about this opportunity!

And now for the story you have been waiting for! I am sorry that I have no card to post today! I always feel guilty when I don’t make a card. But I do have a reasonable excuse…I have some “rib” issues! In a freak accident, I fractured a rib while reading in bed! I never knew that reading could be hazardous to your health. I was spending a few leisurely minutes reading before retiring the other evening. Of course, after a busy day of stamping, I was exhausted…so exhausted that I fell asleep with my book. Everything was fine until my husband was getting ready to leave for work the following morning. As is the routine, I rolled over to bid him goodby and rolled right onto the corner of the book, which jabbed me in the ribs. I suffered through the day before I admitted to myself that there really was something wrong. (You know how we women are!) I had a pretty good idea of what the problem was when it hurt to laugh, move, and breathe. This will be a story I’m sure will be passed down to future generations in our family! What a klutz! Until next time…

For this week’s Splitcoast Sketch Challenge, I selected the barn image from the Farm Life set. I had been looking for just the right sketch to showcase this stamp, and I think this one fits it perfectly. Since I envisioned a rustic look, I used Stampin’ Up!s new Texture Cuts Wood Sheets, and inked the edges for a more distressed look. Enjoy this peek at “Farm Life”.

• Prepare a standard card base from Creamy Caramel. Round the lower corners with a Corner Rounder and ink the edges using a Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink. Layer with the “Always Artichoke Vine” pattern from Autumn Days Designer Series Paper.
• Cut two 1-1/8″ x 3-1/8″ strips from the “Wheat” pattern from Autumn Days Designer Series Paper. These will form the vertical mats. Ink the edges using the Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink. Mat onto Texture Cuts Wood Sheets, once again inking the edges.
• Add four Antique Brass Vintage Brads in the corners of each matted strip. These vertical mats are now ready to adhere to the card base as pictured.
• Ink the “Barn” image from Farm Life with Basic Brown ink and stamp onto Stampin’ Up!s Watercolor Paper. Color with Blender Pens and the following inks: Bordering Blue (sky); Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Mellow Moss (trees, grass, hay bales); Creamy Caramel (silo, hay bales); Close to Cocoa (silo shading); Basic Grey (barn roof, windows, silo roof, barn shading); Real Red (barn)
• Crop to 3-3/8″ x 2-1/8″, ink the edges with Soft Suede, and mat onto Always Artichoke with Stampin’ Dimensionals. Add snippets of Linen Thread to the corners, and adhere to the card base.

I hope that you enjoyed today’s card, and my “new look”. Michelle Laycock, of Laycock Designs is the creative mastermind responsible for my re-design. Michelle does fabulous work! I can still hardly believe this is my blog! Your emails and comments are important to me. Please leave me a comment, or use my new “Email” button, and let me know what you think! Of course, I am always here to answer any questions that you may have! Until next time…

Stamp Set: Farm Life (114411)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Traditions (115668), Texture Cuts Wood Sheets (116309)
Card Stock: Watercolor Paper (105019), Creamy Caramel (102514), Always Artichoke (105119)
Inks: Soft Suede (115657), Basic Brown (104315), Bordering Blue (102265), Always Artichoke (105219), Old Olive (102277), Mellow Moss (102774), Creamy Caramel (103220), Close to Cocoa (103139), Basic Gray (109120), Real Red (103133)
Tools: Corner Rounder (109047), Sponge Dauber (102892)
Embellishments: Vintage Brads (109109), Linen Thread (104199)
Other: Blender Pens (102845), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)