Holiday Inspirations Valentine Inspired Blog Hop!

       Hello and welcome to the Valentine’s Day Blog Hop brought to you by the Inspiration Crew. You should have arrived here from Misty Buck's blog.  We are a group of crafty blog friends making projects we like, using products we like and some of us are also offering prizes!!

  
  To create my card I used patterned paper, and coordinating washi tape from the Sweetheart collection by Doodlebug Designs. I used a metal die from the Papertrey Ink "Quick Stitch" die collection. I made sure to use dark card stock behind the punched holes to make sure the sentiment was easy to read.  I finished off my design with a sentiment stamp from the Avery Elle stamp set "Lots Of Love".  

  Your next stop on the hop is Ardyth Percy-Robb's blog.  Be sure to check out all the blogs for tons of crafty Valentine’s Day inspiration!

Donna Bowman 

Rachel Kleinman

Ceal Pritchett

Lalo Ik

Misty Buck

Veronica Zalis

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Susie CraftHappy

Geri Greening

Jennifer Cuthbertson

See Ya Later, Alligator!

 

After months of living in our house, I FINALLY found the perfect spot for capturing the noon-day sun. It has been driving me crazy, seriously!  Okay, so I'm excited about the picture, AND the card. I couldn't wait to show you! I've never created a banner card with as many banners as this one. After about 20 minutes of arranging, and re-arranging I finally decided that my banners needed a little something extra. Sooo, I dusted off one of my oldest paper crafting tools, my Fiskars Paper Crimper! It added exactly what I was looking for, and I won't keep it buried in a drawer any more.

 

  I used See Ya Later, and Sweet Sorbet DSP, both FREEBIES you can earn during Sale-A-Bration at Stampin' Up!

 

 

 

All you have to do is spend $50 (before tax and shipping) and you will get to pick out one of  11 items for each $50 you spend.  If you would like to place an order today, here is a link to my online store:

 

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/veronicazalis/promotions

 

As an added bonus, all orders placed through ME will be put into a drawing at the end of SAB for a chance to win two SAB items, which happen to be my favorite:

 

Banner Blast  AND the matching punch!

 

I am so happy you stopped by today and I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

Sale-A-Bration Is Here!

 

It's that time of year again, Sale-A-Bration time at Stampin' Up! Today I created a card using the stamp set "Banner Blast", and the coordinating punch. Both of these items are FREE with  qualifying purchases. I stamped my banners using Brilliant Blue, Coastal Cabana, and Gumball Green. I glued them to my stamped card base (Hardwood Background stamp and Crumb Cake ink and cardstock.)

 I added lines of machine stitching to tie my flags together. Super simple! I finished my card with a simple stamped sentiment from the stamp set So Very Grateful. If you would like me to be your demonstrator here is my ordering website. Remember, for every $50 you spend you will be able to pick one of  13 SAB items available including stamp sets, a punch, kits, and digital kits! Something for everyone. 

 

Here is the link:

 

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/veronicazalis/promotions

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Lighting It Up Blue For Cameron, My Son

 

      Friends, today is a different kind of post then my usual. Last Friday we received confirmation that my beautiful, sweet, newly turned 6 year old boy has Autism. Just typing that out seems surreal.  It wasn't a surprise as the word "Autism" has been spoken on a number of occasions the past few years since my son is non-verbal, but very, very smart.  Our move to Arkansas over the summer gave us access to one of the best Autism Centers in North America, that is funded in part by the Autism Speaks organization. Last week was one of the most difficult weeks I have ever had to endure, and I'm certain it won't be the last.  Over the weekend there were lots of extra hugs, and extra love, as we try and come to terms with what this means for our family. Today I am dedicating this card to my Beautiful Cameron.

 

I created this card using stamps from Technique Tuesday, and the Text background stamp from Papertrey Ink.

 

I would love to hear any stories you may have from personal experience involving Autism, or special needs kids in general. If you wish to do so my email address is    alwaysctr @ yahoo.com

 

 I will be creating a "Team Cameron" Walk For Autism Speaks Team very soon and would love for you to join our team.

 

Thank you for stopping by today, and thank you for letting me share this with you today.

Papertrey Ink January Blog Hop - Grateful Heart

Good Morning! Today I am excited to be playing along with this months Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

 check out our beautiful inspiration:

To create my card I used the 2013 Anniversary Set Birds and Blooms. I really enjoy stamping in layers, a little stamping here, a little stamping there and voilà you have a mini masterpiece!

I stamped my sentiment first, and then embossed using the SU Wood Grain embossing folder. I was worried the wood grain would make the sentiment difficult to read but it looks fine to me!

I am glad you stopped by today, and I am looking forward to seeing all of the beautiful cards created for today's hop!

Playing With New Stamps And A Challenge

 

     Hello! Yesterday I received my box with the just released  Papertrey Ink stamp set "Doodle-Doo". I bought the coordinating dies as well. I think these will be my new favorite floral set! I stamped the flowers using Colorbox White ink. There is no heat embossing or powder. This is plain stamping on card stock. Isn't that white the best?! I stamped the leaves onto green cork card specialty paper from DCWV. I found this at Joann's. I stamped and colored my flowers using shades of purple. 

 

Today I am playing along with this weeks Papertrey Ink Maker-It-Monday challenge: Glitter Embellishments. I used Diamond Stickles to accent the center of my flower! It looks like I missed a few, but they are just a little flatter then the others and didn't show up in the picture. :)

 

I'm happy you stopped by and I hope you have a great day!

 

 

Flashback Friday #2 - Before Foxes Were Cool

 

Yikes, Friday is here again already! It's time again for another installment of Flashback Friday!

Today I used a two Stampin' Up! sets that I have had for a long time, Fox and Friends and Little Angel. Fox and Friends was one of the first sets with a cute Fox to hit the market 4 years ago, and now foxes are all the rage. Kinda funny isn't it?  Anyways, I stamped my little fox in Crisp Cantaloupe, and added a few die-cut layers of card stock behind him. I used designer paper from the upcoming SAB 2014 catalog that you will be able to earn FREE with a $50 SU purchase. I love this collection, seriously. I embossed my Crisp Cantaloupe Core-dinations card stock using the Bigz Woodgrain embossing folder. I added a cute banner at the top using the new Banner punch, another super fun SAB item you won't want to miss out on!!  Sale-A-Bration starts Jan. 28th, and I would be thrilled to be your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator! I will be offering the chance of great prizes to all orders placed through me during the SAB sales period.

 

I am happy you stopped by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to dust off those old stamps and make something!!

Playing With Color

 

 

Today I have a card that I created for the sheer fun of it! (As if all other card making isn't fun.) My card features the Stampin' Up! stamp sets Stippled Blossoms,  See Ya Later (A Sale-A-Bration set that will be available for FREE on Jan. 28th with a $50 purchase.) and Hardwood, a beautiful wood grain background stamp. I stamped the roses using Strawberry Slush, and Cherry Cobbler. The leaves were stamped using Pistachio Pudding and Gumball Green. I stamped the wood grain background using Crumb Cake that I double stamped. to give it a lighter appearance.

 

 Double stamping is stamping in ink, and stamping "off" on a scrap piece of paper, and without re-inking stamp again to achieve a lighter version of the color.

 

I finished off my card by adding machine stitching and enamel dot accents.

 

I am happy you stopped by, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

 

Papertrey Ink Make It Monday - Generation Stamping

 

Hello friends! Today I have a card to show you created for this weeks Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge.

 

To create my card I used the PTI stamp set Mighty Oak and matching dies. I stamped the leaves and trunk using Stampin' Up! Ink.  I added stitching accents to the corners, and mounted the card and on black card base. I love the way it makes the colors pop!

 

I'm happy you stopped by, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

Flashback Friday - Love Ya Bunches!

 

Hello and welcome to my very first installment of Flashback Friday!

What is Flashback Friday you ask? Well, we all have stamp sets that we hold dear, and have been in our stamp collections for a long time. I thought it would be fun to feature a card using my oldest, but still very much loved, stamp sets every week on Flashback Friday!

 

I created this card using one of my oldest stamp sets from Stampin' Up! - Monkey Business.  This set really is fun to stamp, and the solid color means no coloring! I stamped my monkey using Early Espresso, and the vine was stamped using Pistachio Pudding. I stamped the heart using Calypso Coral. Cute! To "update" the card I added some super trendy sequin accents.  The patterned paper is a sneak peek of the FREE Designer Series paper collection you can earn during the upcoming

Sale-a-bration promotion.

 

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope I have inspired you to dig out some of your older stamp sets!

A January Publication!

 

Hello hello! Today I am sharing with you a card I have in the current issue of Create:Stamping magazine by Cards Magazine.

 

I've been waiting for SO long to see this card in its published form. I love the décor they chose to go along with my card. The peacock feathers are real, and they were a hair piece accessory that I picked up by Simplicity in the fabrics dpt at Wal-Mart. I used the Papertrey Ink Knitting background stamp to create my glossy black embossed background. The card stock is also from PTI. The sentiment is from the PTI Cutting Garden stamp set.

Thank you for stopping by and for letting me share my card with you! Have a wonderful day!

Stamping Makes Me Happy!

 

Do you have a card or project that you just can't wait to share, well this is one of those times for me! Today I am very happy to be playing along with the very first Fusion Challenge!

 

                                            I decided to use the card sketch to create my card.

 

 

 

To create my card I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Happiness In Bloom. I used Stampin Up new formula ink to stamp the flowers and leaves. The colors I used are Gumball Green, Soft Sky, and Coastal Cabana. I used the making technique to create the 1 layer floral stamping. After I finished stamping I embossed the card layer using the Linen/Canvas impression plate by Papertrey Ink. I added machine stitching to the edges and used the new addition to my card making stash, DCWV Spring Summer corrugated paper stack, Oh I how LOVE this stack! I am going to have fun with this for sure.

I am happy you stopped by, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Papertrey Ink Make It Monday - Congratulations!

 

  Hello! After several weeks of missing it, I am happy to be playing along with this weeks Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge - Angled Backgrounds! To create my card I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Bigger Blooms, and patterned paper from the Pink Paislee Cottage Farms collection. (Part of my  Paper Crafts and Scrapbook magazine WCMD prize package!) I used the Papertrey Ink Aida Cloth impression plate and Stampers Select White card stock.

 

I used Stampin Up ink to stamp my flowers and leaves.

 

I'm happy you stopped by and I hope you have a great weekend!

     

Wishing You Joy!

 

 

    Hello and Happy New Year! Today I have a CAS card to show you that I created using stamps from Technique Tuesday and Papertrey Ink. I used the masking technique to stamp my background. The fun gold letters are by Momenta. I added a little extra pop to my card by mounting my card on a black card base. I just love the way this card turned out!

 

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you a year of joy and happiness!

 

HUGS,

    V-