For this card I went back to the Big Shot and the embossing folders, this time choosing a floral pattern.  I also highlighted the embossing by brushing my sponge (in Summer Sun ink) along the raised portions of the design to help them stand out more.

I went back to the original mat of Basic Black, then Regal Rose.  I also stamped the inside of each of my cards (but I forgot to take a picture for you to see that).  I did stamp the envelopes and color them with my blender pen - you can see the envelope for this card peeking out to the left.  Additionally, I sponged the edges of my card with Regal Rose ink.

I hope all of my "Moms" had an extra special day!  Love you all!

For this card, I embossed the background using my Big Shot and the dots embossing folder.  Because the background was dry embossed, I couldn't stamp my greeting directly on the background, so I stamped on a window sheet using black StazOn ink.  I attached the window sheet using pink brads.

For this OSW, I only matted it with Basic Black (leaving off the Regal Rose).  I really like the embossed background with the greeting floating on top.

(You can click on the picture to bring up a larger view).

Here's how I made it:

1) Cut Rich Razzleberry card stock at 5.5" x 4.25".

2) Cut Whisper White card stock at 8" x 5.25" and score at 4" (so folded card is 5.25" x 4").

3) Dry emboss card front using the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Folder and the Big Shot (love the deeply etched images these folders create!).

4) Water color the flowers using an Aqua Painter and Rich Razzleberry and Crushed Curry ink pads. Add a bit of foliage color with Garden Green ink.

5) Stamp greeting from Sincere Salutations with Garden Green ink in upper right corner of card front.

6) Attach embossed card front to Rich Razzleberry card base. Stamp birthday greeting on inside using Rich Razzleberry ink.

Leslie - I hope your birthday was as special as you are!

Stamps: Sincere Salutations, Full of Life

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Garden Green

Paper: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Manhattan Flower Impressions die, Big Shot

Dates	Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
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	114515	195	Flower Burst Embosslits	$11.95	$5.99
	116760	201	Bigz XL Cake 3 Tier Die	$39.95	$25.49

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Unfortunately you cannot see the texture this card has. Once I made my "quilt", I texturized the piece by running it through my Big Shot with one of the texturz plates, and then cut it out with the Top Note die. It looks really cool in person. And don't you just love that Modern Label punch? It's so cute!

Here's how I made this card:

1. Punch 1 ¼" squares from the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP. You need enough to cover a piece of Whisper White card stock that is 4" x 5.25". Attach the squares as desired to the white card stock (note: you don't need perfect coverage on the edges, because you are going to die cut this piece with the Top Note die).
2. Using your favorite Texturz plate, dry emboss this piece using the Big Shot (tip: spritz your cardstock with a little water before dry embossing in the Big Shot – it helps create a deeper impression)
3. Die cut this piece using the Top Note die and the Big Shot.
4. "Stitch" the blocks together with a black pen (this is faux stitching).
5. Tie a piece of Rich Razzleberry polkadot ribbon around the Top Note piece.
6. Attach a 4" x 5.25" piece of Melon Mambo card stock to the front of your Rich Razzleberry card (5.5" x 8.5" folded in half).
7. Attach Top Note piece to the front of the card.
8. Stamp happy birthday from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Rich Razzleberry ink on a scrap piece of Crushed Curry card stock and punch out with the Modern Label punch. Sponge edges with Rich Razzleberry. Attach to front of card in desired location.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black marker

Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP

Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Rich Razzleberry Polkadot ribbon, sponge dauber, Big Shot, Top Note die, Stampin' Up! backgrounds 1 texturz plates

This card uses our new In Color – Soft Suede – which is a great color for guys. Not quite green, not quite brown, but definitely not a "girly" color. The golf tee is made from the letter U in the Big Shot Serif Essentials alphabet die. Clever, huh? Wish I could take credit for it, but I learned it from Jennifer Randall (thanks!). The golf ball and the "sky" background both use Glossy white card stock. I love using glossy card stock but sometimes I just totally forget about it (crazy – I know). Glossy card stock gives such a shiny quality to any image you stamp on it – or in this case sponge on it.

Directions:

1) Create card base – 8.5"x5.5" textured Soft Suede card stock folded in half. Sponge edges with Soft Suede ink using.
2) Sponge a piece of glossy white card stock (2.5"x3") using Ballet Blue card stock. Leave some white space towards the bottom of the panel.
3) Mat this glossy card stock with a piece of Dusty Durango card stock (2.75"x3.25"). Attach this to the front of the card.
4) Run a piece of glossy white card stock through the Big Shot with the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 texturz plate (using the dotted background to give the golf ball it's dimples). Punch out golf ball using 1 1/4" circle punch.
5) Create golf tee by die-cutting a piece of Real Red card stock using the Serif Essentials alphabet die (the die with the letter U – you only need a piece big enough to cover the U). Trim off one half of the letter U, leaving the side that looks like a golf tee.
6) Attach the golf tee to the glossy panel, and then attach the golf ball on top of the tee.
7) Fringe a piece of Old Olive card stock (1"x3.25") – be sure you only cut about half way down the strip, or you may accidentally cut off part of your grass. Attach over the golf tee, hiding the bottom of the tee.
Stamp Happy Birthday with Soft Suede ink on Whisper White card stock and punch out using the small tag punch.
9) Using the large tag punch, punch a tag from Dusty Durango card stock. Layer the 2 tags and attach a metallic eyelet using the Crop-a-Dile. Attach to front of card as desired.
10) Tie a piece of Soft Suede polkadot ribbon around the left side of the card.

Give to your favorite golf fan and watch how happy you make them!

I don't know how well you can see it in the picture (you can click on the picture to bring up a larger view), but I textured the Soft Suede card stock using my Texturz impressions plates and my Big Shot. The texture adds so much dimension and interest to the card – love it! I stamped my silhouette images with Crushed Curry ink on Whisper White card stock and punched them out with the 1 ¼" punch. I sponged the edges with Dusty Durango ink and a sponge dauber. Then I punched Crushed Curry squares using 1 3/8" square punch. When I auditioned my squares on the designer paper I found that they were getting "lost". So I cut some 1 ½" squares from the Dusty Durango and that popped them off the paper. Sometimes just one more layer is all it needs to make an okay project into a wow project.

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Elegant Thank you, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Ink: Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango

Paper: Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede

Accessories: Scallop oval punch, word window punch, sponge dauber, Big Shot, Textures Plate Kit #4, scallop edge punch, paper piercing tool

I purchased the Just K Simply Sent kit a couple of years ago, and for whatever reason I haven't been using it – how silly is that? So, I pulled it out today to create a thank you card for a customer. But I decided that it needed something a bit modern, so I turned to my favorite embossing tool – the Big Shot and the Manhattan Flower textured impressions die folder to create some texture and dimension on my Chocolate Chip card before adding my stamped embellishments. I decided that I preferred the debossed side to the embossed side and here is how my card turned out:

I used all of the pieces from the kit and followed a template that was provided in the kit (though I modified it a bit to suit my new card). This was incredibly quick and easy to make, and I think it looks quite elegant with the Manhattan Flower embossed in the base card stock. I also ran the envelope flap through the Big Shot and the Elegant Bouquet impressions die to give a little something extra to the card.

Stamps: Just K Simply Sent (retired)

Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss

Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss

Accessories: Manhattan Flower impressions die, Big Shot, Vintage brads, 1/16" hole punch, chocolate grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals

I really enjoy Halloween, and while I know this holiday isn't for everyone, but I think you can get some great decorating ideas from this room (remember that you can click on the pictures for a larger view):

On the left wall they used the Definitely Decorative Décor Stencils, specifically the Brocade Flourish. On the lamp shade –on the right - they used the Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil. And they used the Definitely Decorative Toil & Trouble vinyl wall art (which comes in 4 different colors and 2 sizes!).

It was fun watching them create the cupcakes with their cute little skirts and the coordinating tree and treat holders:

And this banner was a lot of fun (sorry the picture isn't more clear):

Doesn't this give you all sorts of ideas for decorating your home? How do you decorate for the holidays? Please leave me a comment or email me here.

Here is the jumble of invitations before sending them out:

I love playing with my Big Shot, and using it made these cards a snap to make. I cut out all of the "frosting" in just 2 cuts (4 pieces of designer paper were cut with each pass through the Big Shot).

The card base was quite easy to make. Take a piece of card stock 3 5/8" x 8 ½" (this way you can get 3 from one piece of 8.5" x 11" card stock), and score at 2" & 6". Fold up the card stock on the 6" line and make a simple angled cut from the fold to the top of the card stock through both layers of card stock. This forms the cupcake bottom (where the liner will be).

You can click on the diagram above to bring up a larger view.

Want to make some cupcakes yourself? Here's how I made mine:

1. Cut Pacific Point card stock 3 5/8" x 8 1/2". Score, fold and cut as described above and in diagram to form cupcake "frame".

2. Create the liner - cut Walk in the Park designer paper at 2 1/2" x 4" and run short end through the crimper (so the crimped lines are parallel with the short end).

3. Attach the liner to the bottom of the Pacific Point card stock (the piece that you cut at an angle). Turn the paper over and cut the liner along the same lines you cut the card stock (you want the liner to be the same shape as your cupcake).

4. Fold the Pacific Point card stock along the 2" score line so that it overlaps the liner. Set aside.

5. Create the "frosting" - die cut a piece of Walk in the Park designer paper using the Scallop Circle die and the Big Shot. Then cut off the bottom of the circle leaving approximately 3 1/4". (I actually cut my designer paper to 3 1/4" to begin with and only scalloped the top part of the paper.)

6. Attach the frosting to the top flap of the Pacific Point card stock (the 2" flap).

7. Add whatever greeting/invitation to the inside. I used my computer to create all of the details and printed it on Whisper White card stock.

These were so much fun that we are going to make them again at my August Inspiration Club!  You can register online here.