Peaceful Pines in June

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Continuing on my mission of helping a friend find her creativity inspiration, I spent some time in my craft room last night playing with a stamp set that she purchased from the retiring products list a few months ago — Peaceful Pines.  Yes, my friends.  It is time for Christmas in July — I mean, June!  After all, there are less than SIX months to go before Christmas Day!

I wanted a card that would be easy to recreate in multiples, but had a “WOW” factor.  Since I also had the coordinating thinlits for this stamp set I opted to create a 3-D tree that will collapse and make this card mail-friendly.

Below are the current Stampin’ Up! products that are available for purchase and can be added to your shopping cart with a quick click on the thumbnails below:

I just realized I forgot to list the Big Shot in my used products/tools (a must have tool for every crafter!):

The following are the retired Stampin’ Up! products used in the design of this card:

140850
Peaceful Pines Photopolymer Bundle – 140850

Price: $45.00 N/A

141898
Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush – 141898

Price: $8.00 N/A

135824
Trim The Tree Designer Series Paper Stack – 135824

Price: $6.95 N/A

While these products are no longer available for purchase, there are many similar products  available for purchase in the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog that can be substituted in their place.  I would be happy to help you pick out some coordinating products — just ask.

You can create a 3-D tree or similar item by stamping 3 of the same item, cutting them out (preferably they have a coordinating thinlit/framelit), score all 3 pieces down the center and glue the 3 pieces together (1 to each side of your center piece).  By using 3 pieces, the item will fold flat for mailing and pop up when out of the envelope.  Give it a try and share your projects with me.

Speaking of Christmas in July, Stampin’ Up! just announced some really great promotions starting July 1 — and yes, it touches on Christmas in a round about way — so stay tuned for more information to come.  You will NOT want to miss out!

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

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Dragonfly Dreams in Daffodil Delight

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

One of the most popular suites from the 2017 Occasions Catalog was the Dragonfly Dreams and the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits.  I never really got the opportunity to play with these products during the sales period of the Occasions Catalog so I was “pleased as punch” when I saw that they were both carrying over to the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog.

This weekend I was contacted by a customer / friend to help her work through some card designs.  My never-ending migraine did not cooperate to allow this to work out this weekend, but I did have a few windows of time where my eyes could focus well enough to create two variations of one card layout.

In the design of this first card layout, everything is stamped directly onto the card base. It’s quick and simple; no muss, no fuss.

As you can see the second card design is the same exact layout; however, on this card I stamped the dragonfly on a scrap piece of white card stock and cut it out using the coordinating thinlit and attached it to the card base with dimensionals.  I also stamped the greeting on the front on a scrap piece of white card stock, then matted it with black card stock and attached it to the card base with dimensionals.

I could have taken this design layout one step further by introducing some designer series paper or heat embossing, but I think these two layouts show how easy it can be to step-up your cards by simply using dimensionals to raise your images up off the card base.  The photographs don’t pick up the use of clear Wink of Stella on the dragonfly on each of the cards, but the shimmer IRL is GORGEOUS!

Here are the Stampin’ Up! products I used in the design of these cards, all of which can be added to your shopping cart with a quick click on the thumbnails below:

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

Posted in Any Occassion, Cards | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Falling for You & Falling in Love

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Happy Friday friends.  For those of you in the path of Hurricane / Tropical Storm Cynthia, I hope you are safe and dry.  We have been lucky so far here in the Dallas Metroplex area, although the heat and humidity is a bit much at the moment.

I continue to battle headaches and had a visit with today my neurologist.  We are going to see if a nerve block injection will help break the cycle — now just need to wait for insurance to approve the procedure …

I wanted to share with you today a card I made last week at the request of a friend.  She had a family member who was getting married and asked that I make her a card for this special occasion.  I fell in love with the “Falling in Love” suite from the 2017 Occasions Catalog, and while the suite is now retired, I chose these products as the main elements in my design to achieve the design look I wanted.

The fold of this card is called a “gate fold”.  It is an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of card stock cut to 5.5″ x 11″.  The 11″ length is then scored at 2.75″ from both ends to create the two inward folds.  It is then held closed with a belly-band that slides on/off the card.

Below are the current Stampin’ Up! products that are available for purchase which can be quickly added to your shopping cart with a simple click on the thumbnails below:

Here are the retired products I used.  These are no longer available for purchase through Stampin’ Up!:

Tip Top Taupe 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 138336

Price: $8.00 N/A

Falling In Love Designer Series Paper – 142788

Price: $11.00 N/A

Falling For You Clear-Mount Stamp Set – 143109

Price: $21.00 N/A

So Detailed Thinlits Dies – 142751

Price: $33.00 N/A

Winter Wonderland Designer Washi Tape – 139609

Price: $5.00 N/A

This card can easily be duplicated with any of the coordinating product bundles now available in the 2017 – 2018 Annual Catalog.

Speaking of product bundles — the Daisy punch is now back in stock so you can now order either the punch on its own, or as part of a bundle with the coordinating stamp set.  I just ordered a bundle for myself!

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps, to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

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Just Add Text with Fresh Florals

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Happy Tuesday (or Happy Taco Tuesday if that’s how you roll)!  For those of you starting your summer vacation, what do you have planned?  There’s always time for stamping so be sure to take along a few stamp sets, ink pads and card stock just in case your creative juices come calling.

I am sharing with you today a card that I made for my “special friend” (an inside joke going back to the very first Stampin’ Up! work shop I attended).  I actually mailed this card to her yesterday and I hope she feels much appreciated when she checks her mail and sees a hand-made card among all the junk mail and bills.

Here are the Stampin’ Up! products that I used in the design of this card, all of which can be ordered with a quick click on the thumbnails below:

Not shown in the photo, but used on the inside of the card, is “Life is Better with Friends” a stamp from the Just Add Text stamp set.  For coloring on the front tag, I used the Berry Burst and Sweet Sugarplum In-Color Stampin’ Write Markers.

I also used two retired products:  Friendly Wishes stamp set; the ribbon was from the Succulent combo pack available in the 2017 Occasions Catalog.

I love that Stampin’ Up! now has the Thick Whisper White and Very Vanilla card stock. They make excellent sturdy card bases and add a more professional feel to my finished cards — no more flimsy cards!

Thank you for stopping by today.  If you have any questions regarding the design of this card or any other project on my blog, do not hesitate to contact me.  I am always happy to help if I can.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper and that whatever you create that you share it with your friends and family.  I always say a hand-made card is just like a big hug, it just has a fold in the middle!

Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

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A Wood-Textured Father’s Day

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

I’m back — sorry for the 11 days absence.  These pesky IGA infusions are not being kind to me and I have had a terrible headache (bordering on migraine status) for 10 days.  I feel slightly better today and was back at my day job.  I had short periods of time when I felt human enough to put my stamps to ink to paper, one such time was in the wee hours of Sunday morning when I quickly put together a Father’s Day card for my husband.

My Dad died suddenly of a heart attack while at work back in March of 2001.  There is not a day that passes that I do not think of him.  I was a “Daddy’s Girl” and this one particular day each year is really a tough day for me.

But my husband is an extremely wonderful dad and I know if my Dad had been around to meet him they would have been the best of friends.  Anyways, here is the card that I cobbled together for him — it’s nothing fancy but I did write a message on the inside that I hope meant a lot to him.

Below are the Stampin’ Up! products that I used in the design of this card, all of which can be ordered in a snap by clicking on the thumbnails:

I also used a retired stamp set — Crazy About You — for the banner text on the front of the card as I did not have any current stamp sets with this greeting.

As you can see, this was a very clean and “masculine” looking card.  It was also quick and easy.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  I have two other cards that I made over the last 11 days to share with you soon so come back again to check them out.  Until next time, stamp on my friends!

Linda

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Ribbon of Courage

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Last weekend my husband and I took our grandson out to Frisco to see the Rough Riders play a double-header (they are the Texas Ranger’s Minor League team).  The charity that they were sponsoring that evening was “Strike Out Cancer” and I immediately had thoughts of making cards using the new stamp set that was designed by Million Dollar Sales Achiever, Patty Bennett — Ribbon of Courage.

I finally had some time last night to play with this stamp set and came up with this rough design in a little under an hour.  I am not certain that this will be my final design on this card — I may tweak it a bit — but I wanted to go ahead and share it with you today.

I really need to get the framelits that coordinate with this stamp set — fussy cutting that ribbon center by hand was NOT fun or easy!  Below are the Stampin’ Up! products I used in the design of this card, all of which can be quickly and easily added to your shopping cart by clicking on the thumbnails below:

I also used a strip of retired DSP (the butterflies) from one of the recent paper packs, but forgot to jot down the name of the pack.  The gold twine is from the May 2017 Paper Pumpkin kit.

Creativity Starts Here with Paper Pumpkin Promotion

Your chance to save 25% off your first three months of kits when you become a new subscriber ENDS JUNE 10.  These kits keep getting better each month so don’t join the “Woulda Shoulda Coulda Club” by missing out on this great savings opportunity.  Visit paperpumpkin.com for more details or contact me for help on becoming a subscriber.  And don’t forget to select me as your demonstrator when you do subscribe!

NOW SHOWING:  Wood Texture Suites

Here is another video from the Stampin’ Up! Home Office to introduce you to another product suite — Wood Textures.  This little crate is so cute and can be used in so many different ways.  I have it and I love it.  This video will show you why.

I still have more new products to share with you so stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by today.  As always, I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  If I can help you get started, just ask — I am here to help.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

Posted in Bundles, Cancer Awareness, Cards, Paper Pumpkin, Suites | Leave a comment

Marquee Messages Birthday

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Today is my husband’s 60th birthday!  Wow – I just said that out loud (well, okay in my head).  Sounds strange.  First of all, the fact that I have a husband after swearing years ago I would NEVER get married again.  We just celebrated our third wedding anniversary in May.  Second, that I am married to someone who just turned 60!  Granted, he is a little more than five years older than I am — but still, seeing that number makes one stop for a moment and wonder “just where has the time gone?”

I wanted to make him a really special birthday card to mark this momentous occasion.  I thought and I thought and then Eureka inspiration struck!  I grabbed my Marquee Messages stamp set and started experimenting with some ideas and this is what I came up with:

I love it when a plan comes together!

This is a custom-sized card (5.5″ x 5.5″).  I also made him an envelope using my Envelope Punch Board to fit this custom-sized card (not shown).  The Stampin’ Up! products I used in the design of this card are as follows and can easily be added to your shopping card by clicking on the thumbnails below:

(I also used two retired products on this project:  Gold Wink of Stella on the stars and stripes on side of sign and medium and light blue Blendabilities® markers.)

If you have any questions about any other dimensions or techniques used on this card, do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  (And hey, you learned today that rhinestones can represent light bulbs!)  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

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Falling for You (even after 65 years!)

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Longtime family friends — Jim and Ruby Ewell — just celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary.  A special celebration was held at my home town’s town center to celebrate their milestone.  I had planned on attending with my Mom, but wasn’t up to going — but I did make them a card that was delivered on my behalf.

I used the Falling in Love suite from the 2017 Occasions Catalog (now retired) and made a matching envelope (not shown) with my Envelope Punch Board.  Pictures never turn out as pretty as the original card, but here is my best effort to share it with you:

While these particular products are no longer available for purchase, there are similar products in the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog that can be substituted in their place.   I have listed some suggestions below in addition to items I used that are available for purchase:

NOW SHOWING:  Soft Sayings All-Inclusive Card Kit

Here is another video from the Stampin’ Up! Home Office.  Say “Hello” to Holly, one of the trainers at Stampin’ Up!, as she gives you some tips and tricks for creating a stack of all-occasion cards with the all-inclusive Soft Sayings Card Kit.  This card kit makes 20 cards, two each of 10 designs, using the included Soft Sayings Stamp Set.  But that’s not all — there is also a refill kit so you can keep on making more of these super cute cards!

If you have any questions regarding the design of this card (or any other card I have posted in the past), do not hesitate to reach out and ask.  If I can be of assistance helping you get started on your creative journey, I would jump for joy at the opportunity!

Tomorrow I will share with you a card I made for my husband’s birthday — assuming I give it to him in the morning, rather than in the evening.  While he doesn’t follow my blog he does follow my Facebook posts and I sure don’t want to spoil the surprise.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

Posted in Anniversary, Kits | Leave a comment

Hello Sunshine & Something New

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Happy Monday.  Ugh, okay I’m with you — Mondays can be the pits.  The weekend is over and your 9 to 5 job (which is more like 8 to 6) awaits.  To help put a little “sunshine” in your day on this very cloudy and rainy day here in the Dallas Metroplex, I am sharing with you three cards that I made using an old Paper Pumpkin kit.  I am not sure just how old it is since it did not have a date on it, but I am guessing about May 2016 or so.

The kit is called Hello Sunshine and I have to say hands down it is my favorite kit I have worked on so far.  There were three card designs with enough supplies to make three of each design.  Here they are:

I did not change the design of these cards — I followed the instructions just as written as I thought they were perfect.  I just wish I could get my hands on more of these supplies … but alas they are gone, gone, gone.

But never fear, there is a new kit each month and if you subscribe to Paper Pumpkin before June 10, you will save 25% off the first three months.  This offer is available to new subscribers only and is not available for pre-paid subscriptions.  Visit paperpumkin.com for more information.  And don’t forget to select me as your demonstrator when you subscribe!

Introducing the Color Theory Suite

For those of you familiar with Stampin’ Up!, you will have noticed over the past several years their catalog has been broken down into product categories referred to as “suites”. Below is a video from the Home Office that introduces you to one of the new suites from the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog — Color Theory.

Your local Home Depot and Lowes stores will be thankful to Stampin’ Up! for coming out with their own Designer Series Paper in the form of paint chips — you know you’ve sticky fingered your share of those things to use on cards!

I absolutely love this suite.  So versatile and coordinates well with so many other sets in the Annual Catalog.  Keep your eyes out for upcoming samples I make using these products.  You can also see the Adirondack chair thinlit used on my “Just Breathe Beautiful You” card I posted a few weeks ago.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you leave here inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

Posted in Birthday, Cards, Congratulations, Paper Pumpkin, Products, Suites, Thank You | Leave a comment

Happy National Donut Day!

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Linda Tolson Yarbrough

Is it just me, or does it seem like we celebrate just about anything here in the United States?  Well, I for one LOVE donuts and would celebrate them every day if I could, but I know that they are not good for me so I only allow myself to enjoy one every once in a while.

Speaking of donuts — one of my many nieces (did you know I have 8!) graduates from Denton Ryan High School today.  She will be heading off to the University of North Texas this Fall.  In her graduation announcement there was a picture of her eating a donut with the caption “Donut know how … but I am graduating …”

(Sorry, my “puppy” Ella’s jaws of doom found the announcement.)

(But with those sweet brown eyes you can’t really stay mad at her for too long.)

I am a big punster myself and got a big laugh out of that one.  Then just a week or so later my May Paper Pumpkin kit arrived in the mail.  If you have not already heard and/or are not a monthly subscriber, the theme of the month was DONUTS!  I knew I had to make her a graduation card with this kit.

The stamps on the front and bottom inside are from another set, but everything else is from the May Paper Pumpkin kit.  You cannot tell from the photo, but I also added swipes of Clear Wink of Stella to the “chocolate swirls” so the card front shimmers when you move it.  The kit also included brown “bags” for envelopes.  We slipped the card in with some cash to complete our gift to her.

Here is the video for the May Paper Pumpkin Kit so that you can see the many different designs and options that can be made with the supplies.  There is also a website you can join once you become a subscriber which gives you “alternative” designs if you want to think “outside the box.”

I have seriously neglected my Paper Pumpkin kits and have begun to work on putting many of them together since they are quick and easy projects (they are designed to be completed in an hour or less).  So be on the lookout for more quick and easy projects from me soon.

There is still time to sign up to receive the June Paper Pumpkin kit AND receive the 25% discount for the first 3 months for NEW subscribers.  DEADLINE IS JUNE 10.  You can get more information by visiting my prior post HERE.  If you need help subscribing (and if you subscribe I hope you will consider selecting me as your demonstrator), just ask — I am here to help!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you leave inspired to put stamps to ink to paper.  Until next time, stamp on my friends.

Linda

Posted in Cards, Graduation, Paper Pumpkin, Promotions | Leave a comment