August Blog Hop!

Hello Stamping friends!
It is time for our blog hop again!! Our theme this month is summer. You have just seen Mary's cute project.

While I have never been on a sailboat, it looks like fun. Except my fear of drowning, and not being able to swim, and my fear of being eaten by sharks...okay, sailing for me is a big red flag, but I have known plenty of people who have gone sailing and lived to tell about it! 

 My card uses the sailboat from Swirly Birds as well as the ribbon/waves/vine die from the coordinating die set. Each boat was hand cut. Each sail was hand cut. Luckily, with proper placement, the flags were stamped directly onto the card stock. I did "wink" the flags with Wink of Stella for a bit of sparkle!! The yellow ship and the peach/rust ship were popped up on foam dimensionals. The verse, "enjoy", is from the Endless Birthday Wishes set. There are so many great verses in that set, it isn't just for birthdays!!  

The actual colors I have used are:
Marina Mist ink and card stock along with Whisper White card stock
Soft Sky
Crumb Cake
Daffodil Delight
Crushed Curry
Wisteria Wonder
Sweet Sugarplum
Cajun Craze
Peekaboo Peach
Wild Wasabi
Garden Green
Basic Black

Sailing Regatta

 You can see the sparkle on the sun and on the flags!

Use the button below to hop to Melissa's Blog! She has an adorable project! We encourage everyone to hop all the way through, and we LOVE hearing from you!! Thanks for the love!!
Take good care!

July Class

Hello happy people!
I said in my last post that I would show you the cards the gals did in the class this month...only, I said maybe tomorrow...well, that didn't happen. I do try, but you know how it is...you think you have all blooming day and then WHOOSH, it is time for bed!! Ha! Here are the cards the gals did in the July class.

Fun card with an interesting folded focal piece.

The inside!

 Sweet die cut elements make this one POP! So does the paper!!

This was probably the most time consuming. Except for the verses, most of the stamping had to be inked off, which gives you two shades of the same color. This card was well loved, because they thought they would actually make this one again. 

 Looks like a normal birthday card...

But when you open it~~
WOW!

Love the sparkle! 

But when you open this tri-fold card...again, WOW!! The verse is on a piece of white card stock that isn't glued down on the top, making a perfect pocket to stow a gift card or fifty dollar bill! :) If the artist didn't want it as a gift card holder, I had other verses that they could use in place of this one.

I am working on preparing for the Fall Craft show...I am still recovering from the Spring Craft show! tsk! My card racks look like skeletons, there are so many empty pockets. But I have lots of cards to show you so I hope to be posting again soon...just not gonna say when! HA!
Take good care~
el

Thoughtful Branches Stamp Set and Dies

Hello happy Stampers!

I had a fantastic card class last week. The gals seemed to really like the cards they did. I will be posting photos soon...hopefully tomorrow. 

I am trying to remember to post my schedule here in my blog. For the class featuring the brand new Thoughtful Branches set with matching dies I will need to order the stamp sets and dies for each student prior to class. This set will only be available for the month of August! Stampin' Up has never done this before!! Exciting!!

I thought I would post some of the cards I am considering having in this very special class. If you are at all interested in this class, please call me immediately. This class will be very limited, because once they run out of the stamp sets and dies, that will be it. So please let me know as soon as possible. Also payment for this class will be due ahead of the class so I can order your bundle for you. If you are out of town, or at your summer home, let me know and I may schedule a class in January when everyone returns. I can hold the stamp set and dies for you. And now for a peek...

You will be creating these small multi colored leaves. LOVE!! The die cut leaves are made from matte finish copper card stock.

Love this dramatic black tree, and how it is hanging off of it's mat!

This one has so much going for it!! There are 4 die cut trees on this one, layered on top of each other!

Another thing they are doing for the first time ever, is with each $50.00 you purchase in July, you will get a code emailed to you that will give you $5.00 off your order in August!! 

Contact me for the class, and special supply list, then you can order what you need and get money off your next order. 
Happy Stamping my friends~ take good care!
El

Independence Day Hop!

Hello everyone and Happy Independence Day!
I am participating in a blog! What??!! These are all people on Diana's team. I hope this works! (thanks to Barb for all her hard work on this!)
If you are on the hop, you should have come from Mary's adorable project.  

My card is quite simple actually. I used Real Red card stock to make stripes from the Swirly Bird dies. Then I took a 3 1/4 inch square of Night of Navy and again used the "stripes" die to make the Navy piece look "wavy"! I think it works, what do you think??
Don't look too closely, my gluing technique is a bit off on this card. I wanted to re-make it, but I ran out of time!! Silver glimmer paper stars are the bit of sparkle this needs!!
I hope wherever you are, you have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Now I will swing you back to the beginning, Diana's blog and her adorable project with the Jar of Love Stamp Set and Dies!!

http://dianagibbs.typepad.com/stampin_with_di/2016/06/blog-hop-time-red-white-blue.html

July Class

Hello Everyone!  

I am having a class in July. Want to join the fun? I only have a few spots left. Monday and Tuesday classes are full! Three more people can join the Thursday, July 14, class at 10:00 a.m. We will make a total of 5 cards for $20.00. Full written instructions (to take home) are included as well as envelopes. Three of the cards in the class are ones I made for the Stampin' Up catalog party that I had on June 4th. At this moment I am not sure what the last two cards will be, but I am fairly certain that they will also be from the samples that day.  

This one is so easy, you will not believe it! But it looks amazing and still fits into a regular A-2 envelope! 

Love the sparkle on the Happy Birthday die cut! (I need a manicure...)

But then when you open it up there is a surprise pocket for a gift card or cash! Love all the balloons. What a party!! :)

This one also has a surprise!!

Isn't that fun!! Almost expect confetti to fall out! 

If you want to join the fun, send me an email at elstamper@cox.net. 

Until next time- take good care!

Brownie Cheesecake Recipe

Hello again!
I'm here with a recipe, not cards. I had this dessert at the party I had at my home on June 4th. The ladies all seemed to love it, and I promised the recipe. This is a rich decadent dessert, not gonna lie. 

I promise that you didn't gain an ounce looking at that photo. However if you make this and don't have at least 10 friends to help you eat it, you might be looking at some weight gain!! :)

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Brownie Cheesecake

1 box of brownie mix, and the ingredients needed to make package

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

8 ounces of whipped topping

1 cup mini chocolate chips

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Prepare the mix according to package instructions. I used Duncan Heinz fudge brownie mix and on the package it said for more cake like brownies, add an additional egg. I did that and it did make the brownie more cake like. So much so, that no one could believe that it was a brownie mix!

Pour the mix into a greased spring form pan. (this pan is used for presentation purposes, it your crowd isn't the fancy type I really don't think you need to make this in a spring form pan. An 8 by 8 square pan or a 9 by 9 pan would be fine, I believe. Just serve from the pan! I don't own a spring form pan, but was able to borrow one.) Bake according to package directions. ( I followed the round 9 inch pan directions because the package didn't have a spring form pan listed) Allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. (I think I would use 1/2 cup of sugar or maybe 3/4 cup rather than one full cup. This was extremely sweet. I don't think less sugar would be missed) Fold in vanilla and whipped cream, then fold in the chocolate chips. (I also think it would have been perfect with half of the whipped cream) Spread over the cooled brownie in the spring form pan. Decorate with more chocolate chips or fresh fruit or leave plain. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Remove pan and set on a pretty serving plate.

 Enjoy! 

Let me know what you think and if you make this, how did you like it??

Until next time, take good care!

So much die cutting going on!

Hello dear friends~
In my last post I said I was going to try to post again the next week...well here I am just about 4 weeks late! I really do hope I get better at this!

In May I had a class that was going to be the last one of the year. The ladies loved the cards. 

This one was a bit of work because they had to "build" the teapot. I have a die that cuts all the pieces out, but in order for the teapot to be supported, they needed to cut it twice (once in plain card stock and once in decorative paper) and glue the floral layer on top of card stock. The teapot is popped up on dimensional foam.

It is hard to tell but there are clear "bubbles" in the center of the flowers. The flowers are cut out using a punch. In order to get the clear bubbles, the class had to scrape off the white backing and adhesive. Then the bubbles were adhered with glue dots to the centers of the flowers, which sort of magnified the centers! This was a favorite card among the gals. 

This card was stamped first in black ink, which you cannot see, and then it was painted with a brush and Stampin Up ink rather than paint. Then they had to carefully glue on the white die cut piece over the coloring, covering up the stamped image. The tag was colored with a matching marker on the edge to give the illusion of a mat. The color matches the rose and the card stock mat.

This is called a shaker card. This was the very favorite card of the day. There is a window of acetate on the biggest balloon and behind it are sequins and metallic glitter bits. A very festive card!

The last card was one that looks complicated but in truth is quite easy. This is a gate fold card. It has a "belly band" which is the white patterned piece at the bottom. To open this card, the recipient pulls off the band and then the card opens on both sides.

Quite different don't you think?? They loved it! The big trick on this one was to get the vine die cut to line up across both front folds. (easy once you know how!!) They succeeded quite well!! This card came in a very close second to the shaker card. 

There is a rumor that I am going to have another class in July. It looks like there are quite a few people who are interested. These cards would be from the samples I shared at the party I had on June 4th celebrating the new Stampin Up catalog. If you would like to join our fun group, please contact me and let me know!! I will most likely have classes scheduled for the first or second week in July. 

Until next time~ Take good care! 

ellie