• Prepare a standard card base from textured Very Vanilla card stock and score at the top.
• Layer with textured So Saffron.
• Cut a strip of Night of Navy textured card stock and punch the edge with the Eyelet Border Punch. Layer with So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon. Attach to the card base as shown.
• Ink the “Birds” stamp from The More the Merrier with Basic Gray and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color using a Blender Pen and the following inks: Melon Mambo (heart), Night of Navy (wings) and So Saffron (beaks). Use a Blender Pen and Going Gray Stampin‘ Pastel to create the shadowing below the row of birds. Mat onto Kraft and adhere to the Night of Navy strip.
• As a finishing touch, ink the “so happy to have a friend like you” sentiment from The More the Merrier and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Punch with the Large Oval Punch and layer on top of a Night of Navy Scalloped Oval, using a Stampin‘ Dimensional. Offset this onto a Kraft Scalloped Oval. Attach to the card base.

The Stampin‘ Schach Ramblings: Card making is like a steeplechase, with a variety of hurdles to jump. There are margins that need to be equal and straight. Stamps need to be evenly inked. Layouts need to be balanced. And the list goes on! In the case of blogging, the camera picks up details that I never seem to notice with the naked eye. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times that I have finished a card and photographed it only to discover as I was cropping the print that something looked amiss. So back to the drawing board I would go, making changes and trying to salvage as much of the original card as possible. Did anyone notice that yesterday’s card originally started with Turquoise Square Ice Brads? After looking at it in My Gallery for several hours, I decided to make a change. It now has Pink Circle Fire Brads. Although the Turquoise was beautiful in person, in digital they clashed with the Bermuda Bay Scallop Oval. But you know what? Each one of my mistakes is a learning experience. Don’t let your mistakes get you down. Rare is the paper artist who has not made one. Even the most talented of designers have had to stamp a sentiment more than once, so I never feel badly about the two…or…three…or…Oh, alright…the six times I have had to re-ink a stamp. Instead embrace your mistakes for what they are…ways to help you grow in your card making skills!

Are you ready to earn Hostess Rewards? Consider these options: 1) Hold a catalog party…I will be happy to explain to you how you can do this! 2) Start an online Hostess Club! Contact me today, and I will share the details with you! And if you would love to receive your Stampin‘ Up! products at a discount, join me as a demonstrator today. I would love to have you join my group. With the new catalog complete with new products, plus an exciting press release that I will share with you tomorrow, could there be a better time to be a Stampin‘ Up demonstrator? Please Email Me today!

Your comments are very important to me, so please feel free to leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you! Until next time…

Order Your Stampin‘ Up! Supplies Now!

Stamp Set: The More the Merrier (115322 Level 3 Hostess)
Ink: Basic Grey (109120), Melon Mambo (115656), Night of Navy (102977)
Card Stock: So Saffron Textured and Night of Navy Textured (108696—Rich Regals 12” x 12” Textured Assorted Pack), Kraft (102125), Very Vanilla (101650)
Tools: Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Scallop Oval Punch (114889), Large Oval Punch (107305)
Embellishments: So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon (SAB)
Other: Blender Pens (102845), Stampin’ Pastels (105542), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)

• Prepare a standard card base from Very Vanilla textured card stock and score at the top.
• Layer with textured Rich Razzleberry card stock.
• Cut a 3-1/8″ x 3-1/8″ square of Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper. (I selected the Melon Mambo “Small Squares” pattern.)
• Add a snippet of Melon Mambo Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon. (Tip: Since this versatile ribbon is two sided—polka dots on one side and plain on the other—a Mini Glue Dot was used to keep the Polka-Dot side showing.)
• Punch two strips of Melon Mambo card stock with the Scallop Edge Punch and adhere to opposite edges of the pattern paper.
• Ink a section of the “Floral Vine” image from the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set using Always Artichoke and Rich Razzleberry Stampin‘ Write Markers and stamp onto Very Vanilla card stock. Mat onto Melon Mambo, and adhere to the pattern paper base. The image block is now complete!
• Position and adhere the image block to the card base.
• Ink the “For You” sentiment from the Great Friend stamp set with Melon Mambo. Stamp onto Very Vanilla. Punch with the Large Oval Punch and adhere with Stampin‘ Dimensionals to a Bermuda Bay Scallop Oval. Position and adhere to the card base.
• For a touch of bling, three Pink Circle Fire Brads are added. Notice how well the Pink coordinates with the Melon Mambo and draws the eye to the gorgeous texture of the Rich Razzleberry card stock.

Order Your Stampin‘ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Thoughts and Prayers (113252), Great Friend (113792)
Ink: Melon Mambo (115656—Available July 1st), Rich Razzleberry Stampin’ Write Marker (116329—In-Colors Assortment Set—Available July 1st), Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write Marker (105113)
Designer Series Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade (115675—Available July 1st)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla Textured (108693—Neutrals Assorted Pack), Rich Razzleberry Textured (115538—In-Colors Assorted Pack—Available July 1st), Melon Mambo (115320—Available July 1st), Bermuda Bay (115317—Available July 1st), Very Vanilla (101650)
Tools: Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Large Oval Punch (107305), Scallop Oval Punch (114889)
Embellishments: Melon Mambo Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115611—Available July 1st), Circle Fire Brads (109111)

As much as I love Bella Bleu, I have a new friend in Razzleberry Lemonade! Here is the recipe to make your own Razzleberry Lemonade confection!

• Prepare a standard card base from Rich Razzleberry card stock and score at the top. Use the Corner Rounder on the two bottom edges.
• Select two selections from Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper and a strip of Crushed Curry card stock for layering. Use the Scallop Edge Punch on the Crushed Curry, and place it between the two patterned papers. Use the Corner Rounder on the bottom corners to mirror the card base.
• Add Crushed Curry Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon as illustrated in the photograph.
• Position and adhere the Razzleberry Lemonade pattern papers, with ribbon and scallop edge strip, to the card base.
• Ink the “Baroque-Style” stamp from the Friends 24-7 stamp set with Rich Razzleberry, and stamp onto Whisper White. Mat onto Rich Razzleberry and Crushed Curry. Position and adhere to the card base.
• Ink one of the “Small Circle” stamps from the Circle Circus stamp set with Rich Razzleberry and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Punch out using the 1/2″ Circle Punch. Adhere this to a Pewter Build-A-Brad base, and attach the acrylic cover disk. Place in the lower right hand corner of the card.

What would I consider “Must Buys” from the new catalog? The In-Color Assorted Cardstock Pack (115315), In-Color Stampin’ Write Markers (116329), Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper (115675) and one or two of the In-Color Grosgrain Ribbons would be good choices with which to begin. But if you are like me, you will want it all! The new catalog goes “live”, July 1st!
Your comments are very important to me, so please feel free to leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you! Until next time…

Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Friends 24-7 (113218), Circle Circus (115778—Available July 1st)
Ink: Rich Razzleberry (115658—Available July 1st)
Designer Series Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade (115675—Available July 1st)
Card Stock: Crushed Curry (115319—Available July 1st), Rich Razzleberry (115316—Available July 1st), Whisper White (100730)
Tools: Corner Rounder (109047), 1/2” Circle Punch (104390), Scallop Edge Punch (112091)
Embellishments: Crushed Curry Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115614—Available July 1st) Pewter Build-A-Brad (109128)