Step it Up and Shine Blog Hop

As I was contemplating what I wanted to use for my blog hop and was thumbing through my new stamps I found my Star of Light stamp set.  My mind immediately went to one of my favorite movies, Stardust. If you haven't seen it, put it at the top of your list.  I have read the book as well and guess what...the movie is way better!!!!

I don't know that my samples will be any different that the many that are all over the internet, but navy, white and silver are so striking I thought I would throw my ideas into the pot.

The basic version is just the base of whisper white with the star cut out of navy and silver foil.  Popped up.

The second version provides more layers, wink of stella sparkle, and a few rhinestones.  And what do stars do best?  They Shine!

Hop on over to Lynn Streifert to ooohh and ahh and her designs.  She always has great samples to see.

Blog Hop Steppin Up and Over

I can't believe October is upon us.  I usually have all my Halloween decorations up by now.  For some reason I got a really bad cold and when I get them I go down hard with sore throat and usually a fever the next day.  What follows is a week of clearing out my sinuses and very little sleep.

I am so glad I am at the tail end and finally feel like sitting down to stamp.  Nothing is worse than actually having an excuse to stay home from work and not being well enough to sit at my craft desk to play with my toys.

I have taken the so cute Fresh Fruit Stamp and created a floral note card on rose red with accents of elegant eggplant.  The flowers were stamped in flirty flamingo and sponged the edges with rose red.

The Step Over was done with the Hang Your Stocking stamp and die set from the Holiday
Catalog.  I used the read red DSP for one of the layers along with Emerald Envy.  It is the PERFECT bright green for Christmas.  I love the details in the dies for the stockings.

I had to do Christmas because I have not yet gotten the cute Halloween stuff yet.   Crazy since Haloween is my second favorite holiday.


Well hop on over to Jeanna's blog to check out her projects.

Steppin It Up With Swirly Scribbles Blog Hop

We have hit the dog days of summer.  The hottest weeks in Utah are upon us.  Our poor little swamp cooler is getting a workout.  Our bulldogs are not getting workouts.  They can't handle the heat!  Sleep is the best solution

This month I once again went to my swirls and scribbles set.  I cut a square frame from crumb cake and stamped the dots from the set as a background.  I then die cut several of the flowers and leaves that I stamped and arranged them.  I put the sentiment on and that was great. 

To step up the image I added the cut leaves and vines from the floral phrases coordinating die set, to

add a little bit of a wow factor.

Here is the final with the bow of ruched ribbon and a few sequins.  Sometimes More is just More and it would look great either way.

Hop on over to Jeannas blog to check out her creations

Steppin It Up 4th of July Style Blog Hop

I love this time of year.  Next to Thanksgiving, the 4th of July is my favorite holiday.  I love the parades, get-to-gethers to have BBQ or family outings, fireworks, sunny weather.  My family always treated it as a holiday to spend time together doing things we enjoy.  Sometimes it was heading farther up into the mountains to go fishing and have a picnic.  Sometimes is was hanging around our small town community with a little town parade and fireworks/dance.

I also love it because I am so grateful to live in a country where people fought for their freedoms to worship God how they chose to and that those privileges are still protected and defended today.
My projects are pretty much stepped up already, but I will comment on what I did to add the pizzazz.

This little project was inspired by Pam Morgan's creativity.  I made a bakers box out of a window sheet and filled it full of patriotic skittles and M&M's  A little favor for my 4th of July shindig on Monday.  The tag was made with the circle framelits.  Tied with a little dapper denim ribbon and accented with some cute little star shapes.  I will say that if you want to do these in the window sheets...BUY the clear tiny treat boxes already cut.  It turned out to be more effort than I had intended on putting into the project. 





The next creation is a card using the swirly bird dies, star framelits and, the Number of Years stamps and framelits.  Layering the "4" with white really made the number pop.  The white gel pen stitching also added a pop to the night of navy star.  I added some rhinestones and tied some bakers twin in a bow. 


I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend.

Keep on Hoppin to check out Jeanna's blog for more inspiration

Step It Up with Moroccan Nights Blog Hop

That title makes it sound like I have been to some exotic location.  Oh how I wish!!!!
This is the name of one of the new stamps sets in the Stampin UP 2016-2017 catalog.
I love looking through the new catalog and making wish lists.  There are so many fun things in this catalog.


I have a good friend that is retiring for, in fact, the second time.  I wanted to let her know how much I loved her with a hand made card congratulating her.  I went with a black and white classic look.  The background strip is actually stamped multiple times to create the columns.

Here is the stepped up version with ribbon more black layering and a pearl accent in the middle of the circle design

Head on over to Jeanna K for some more ideas and peaks at the new catalog.

Stamp a Stack Steppin it UP

It doesn't seem right to still be running the heater on May 1st.  We have East winds that are cold.  I am still wrapped up in sweatshirts and soft blankets to watch TV or relax.  CRAZY

I don't know about you, but I am always scrambling for a cute little gift, or card to give someone when they do something wonderful for me or to someone who needs a pick me up.

I decided to create a little pack of Thank You Cards that can be easily tied with a ribbon and gifted to someone.  Or even better used at the last minute for a quick appreciation for something nice they did.

I started out with a simple floral stamp from Number of Years stamp set and a nice greeting from One Big Meaning Stamp set.  I love single layer cards.

A perfect 4x3-1/2 card for writing a note to let someone know they are appreciated.

Then I decided to step it up with a border.

I couldn't stop there because I am addicted to the linen thread.  I love the natural texture and it adds a slight rusticness to the card.  Is rusticness a word?  Probably not but it fits.  I also added a couple of yellow enamel dots to the blue flowers.  It really makes them pop. 

I contemplated pearls and white ribbon which would also look good. 

Wink of Stella painted on the petals would add a nice shimmer. 

Another idea would be to change the border to match the colors of the flowers so that there is a variety in the gift pack. 

The options are endless.

So easy but super cute.  And who wouldn't want a stack of those as a gift.  Plus they make up it just minutes.

Pop on over to Jeanna K's for some more great ideas.

A Nice Cuppa Stampin Up Blog Hop

The Calendar says that spring is supposed to be here, but I am not really feeling it except for the April showers that we have been getting.  Oh..by the way the showers are snow/sleet/rain showers.  Typical for Utah.  One minute it is 33 degrees and the next day we have a high of 71.  Go figure.

Anyway - We are hopping today

One of the stamp sets that didn't really speak to me from the Occasions catalog was the A Nice Cuppa set.  I have a couple of tea cup stamps and dies that I am perfectly happy with and didn't feel the need to get the set until I noticed the little cut out heart and how cool the dies were that went with the stamp set.  All of a sudden I had to have it.  They get me every time - darn it!

Here is the first version.  To be honest I like this one better than the stepped up version you will see below.  But I think I prefer a clean stamped card to lots of extra stuff.

Here is the Stepped up Version with more layers and extras.  The hearts kinda look like antlers.  Maybe I'm just super tired. LOL

Hop on over to Jeanna B for some more stampin fun!

Step it Up Going Global Blog Hop

Time sure does fly whether you are having fun or not these days.  I sure am excited about the good weather we have been having.  I love opening the windows and letting the crisp cool air in knowing that there will be enough sunshine to keep the house warm and still let in some fresh air.

Todays hop along I decided to use the Going Global set from the Occasions Catalog.  It is a great masculine set that look classy and yet fun.

Here is the basic card with the globe and sentiment.  I added a pop of silver foil cardstock and ribbon to pop the window sheet as well as the sentiment.

Hop on over to Jeanna's to see what she has created.

Step It Up for Any Occasion Blog Hop

Whew  I feel like I have jumped from the holidays back into work at full speed.   Nothing like closing the year after everyone has been on holiday.  Somehow lack of planning on their part has created a crisis on mine.

Go Figure!

If something could go wrong today...it did.
I had a horrible first day back at work - lets just say I didn't get home until after 8:00 pm.  Normally I am home by 4:30 pm.  The time I had allotted for card making was taken.  I just about had my fabulous card finished and the little flower die that I needed for one more flower sprouted legs  and it can't be found.  So I had to scrap the card and start over.

In the process of hurrying to get done...I neglected to take pics of step one.  So you get verbal steps..

I started out with the washi tape, flower, leaves and sentiment all from the the new Occasions catalog.  Coordinating Botanical blooms Stamps, Washi tape and flowers dies.

To step it up I popped it up a layer with dimensionals and added two strips of washi tape on each end of the card to emphasize the layering and bring the eye to the card center.  I also added a linen thread bow.  I can't stay away from the linen thread.

The sentiment is from Enjoy the Little things stamp set - also from the occasions catalog.

Hop on over to Lynn Striefert for another amazing project