More Happy

Everything about this card says 'happy' don't you think?  I made it using the large stamp from Hello Life, from the Occasions Catalogue and now carried over into the Annual Catalogue. Initially I resisted buying it, but not for too long! {wink,wink}
It's big, bold and bright, so I used a Designer Series Paper Painted Blooms, with the same big. bold, bright feeling.  Its also from the Occasions Catalogue, so unfortunately no longer available, unless it turns up on the Clearance Rack, you never know your luck. Even I have to take a look from time to time to see if there is some embellishment or ribbon that I just 'have to have.'



I stamped some Painted Petals around the greeting and another pair of flowers inside the card, along with a strip of those lovely bright spots, you'll notice.

Don't forget to regularly check the Clearance Rack, we never know when it will be updated, and there are new Weekly Deals every Wednesday morning. Have you checked this week? I'll add the link to my online shop and you can take a quick peek, and if you choose to purchase any of your supplies through me and use the Hostess code, 36JSEMF6 I'll send you a small gift from my stash during September.

Cheers
Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Love and Sympathy CTC#36

This week the CASE-ing The Catty Crew are CASE-ing the section of the catalogue titled Love & Sympathy, pages 19-30. You may be starting here with me, or perhaps you have come from Alison's blog. If you've started here, you can continue to blog hop your way right around for plenty of CASE-ing The Catty inspiration by clicking on the link at the end of my blog. If you happen to get lost along the way, you can get back on track at Case-ing The Catty.


My idea for this card came to me in the middle of the night, and I could hardly wait for some free time to try it out! It was inspired by a card on page 20 using the same stamp set, Groovy Love. I liked the way the front of the card was raised, with a heart placed behind the punched out heart. I also loved the Linen Thread tied through the heart, to the outer edge.




The line with 'love' is from Hello Life and underneath is 'you' from Endless Birthday Wishes. Both these stamp sets are photopolymer, making them easy to place accurately, as they're see-through, and slightly cheaper too.Two great points in their favour. The 'Mum' and 'Dad' stamps are from a retired stamp set, For My Family. It hasn't had a lot of use, but I knew it was one I should hang on to when it retired.



I made the card for my littlest grandson to take home to his parents after he had spent the day with me. One of my team, Carmela, gave me the idea, after she shared some of the crafting she does with her grandsons. I've snuck a little picture of Oliver and me onto the page. I must try stamping with some of my older grandchildren, when they come to stay. Naturally, since Oliver is only 13 months old, it was all made before he arrived, and I drew around his chubby little hand. When I gave him markers to draw on the inside, he hardly connected with the paper, but almost poked my eye out!!!




Next blog along the loop is Bronwyn's Addinktive Designs,  she will have something wonderful to share.

Cheers,
Rachel

You can shop anytime in my online shop and don't forget that there are great Weekly Deals every Wednesday morning.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

More Of What Makes You Happy CTC#17

Each week at CASE-ing The Catty we turn to our Stampin' Up! Catalogues for inspiration. We'd love it if you joined us in CASE-ing The Catty too!

This week we are seeking inspiration from the Occasions Catalogue, the Valentines pages. You can copy exactly, use a sketch or layout as an inspiration starter, or maybe a colour combination to create a card, scrapbook page or 3D item. Your card or project doesn't need to be a Valentine, just share in your write-up which sketch or colour combination inspired you.

Our challenges close at 5pm Thursday (AEDT)

• Create a new project for the challenge
• Mention CTC in your blog post and link back so others can join us
• Mainly SUO products (retired or current) to be used for these challenges

For my card, I CASE-ed page 7 of the Occasions Catalogue and that crazy Wood You Be Mine?
picture at the top of the page. It has a hardwood background, totally suitable for a woodcutter, but I chose the gorgeous Happy Heart Textured Impressions Embossing Folder in Cherry Cobbler. I used the last of the Hello Life sentiments that I stamped at my Team Leader's, so now I have to decide whether to order Hello Life stamp set too. I certainly like this huge sentiment, and paired with the "you can never have too much happy" sentiment from Yippee-Skippee makes a perfect match.


I don't usually remember to use Washi Tape, but I buy enough of it, so very glad to remember to put some on here. I echoed the small banner at the bottom of the woodcutter card,with gold foil and instead of twine I went big and used  the lovely, soft (retired) Cherry Cobbler tulle.

On the inside of the card, I used a sheet of paper from the Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack, the Yippee-Skippee sentiment and a couple of Pictogram Punches hearts. There are hearts in the Hello Life stamp set, but since I don't own it...yet, I've had to improvise.

What inspires you from the Valentine section of the Occasions Catalogue? Will you share it with us in the CASE-ing the Catty Gallery?

Hope to see you there...

Rachel



                                                                                                                           

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Happy Sentiments PP228

I'm feeling like I'm "off my game" lately. Can't really put my finger on why, but my creativity has been holidaying somewhere else. I have all these lovely new 'toys' but the inspiration is missing. The solution is to go check out some challenges, and this one at The Paper Players to 'make the sentiment the feature' tickled my fancy today. Thanks LeAnne for giving me a kickstart!!!



A few weeks ago,  I had a chance to use some of the stamps I haven't purchased when some of our team met up. Since I am mainly a hobby-demonstrator, who runs one or two classes per month, I have to think about the dollars. I'd seen Painted Petals used a lot since the Occasions Catalogue was released, but I hadn't been convinced that I needed another floral stamp - until I played with it! It now sits on my shelf, along with the Happy Heart Textured Embossing Folder that I wasn't going to buy either. I also used, but haven't yet purchased the biggest stamp from Hello Life.

I stamped the Painted Petals over the greeting at the time, but I brought home two card-front sized pieces to think about. For this card I've chosen to cut the sentiment out with the second largest oval Framelit, layered onto the largest Deco Label Framelit in Melon Mambo, which in turn sits on the largest plain oval in Blackberry Bliss. Still have one plain sentiment to use somewhere, before I decide whether Hello Life joins my stash too.

Because my card is 5¼ inches square, the embossed sheet had to be taken through twice. I love how crisp those hearts emboss, just gorgeous! You could do so much with this folder, I now have an idea brewing for my almost-two-year-old grand daughter's birthday card. You have to love it when those ideas start to pop into your head!!!!

Hope you're creativity is alive and well too!

Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog