Wonderful You

I love Crumb Cake and Blushing Bride together, so thought this was a great excuse to put something together with those colors.  I used one of the die’s from my Apothecary Accents collection, but I didn’t cut the cardstock.  Instead, I stenciled the inside of the die and pierced using the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack.  The sentiment is from Loving Thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings and Inky Hugs;
~Shawnie B.
Shawnie@CardsByShawnie.com

Good Luck Owl

My Aunt has a friend who is into owls and has decorated her bathroom with that theme. She asked me if I could make something with owl’s. So, it’s time to put on my creativity hat and see what I can come up with. I tried to add a sentiment that would be uplifting, because if it’s in the bathroom, her friend will look at it while she’s getting ready to start her day.

Hmmm, why would someone put a card in their bathroom you may ask?! Well, my Aunt brought up a very good point that most people oooh and ahhh over cards they receive, but the card ultimately ends up getting thrown in a junk drawer or sometimes they even find themselves in the garbage. Why not frame the card in a picture frame?! That way it can hang on somebody’s wall as a decorative piece and it will last forever where everyone can view and appreciate it?!

This card was created using the following supplies:

• Brayer (Used the Brayer to apply ink to the texture plate, which left the inked design on the cardstock)
• Wood texture plate from Fiscars
• Bird Builder Punch for the branches
• Owl Builder punch
• So Happy for You stamp set

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings & Inky Hugs;
~Shawnie B.

Sympathy Roses

Good evening Stampers!

Here is a Sympathy Card in blue’s.  I used Patterns Stack Designer Series Paper in Neutrals.  Roses are stamped with Marina Mist and sponged with Bashful Blue.  The mat is Early Espresso and the leaves / branches are Crumb Cake.  The DSP (Designer Series Paper) is Crumb Cake as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Shawnie B.

Thinking of You - Guest Designer

I am humbled to announce that I have been asked by the lovely team from Sunny Challenges and Creations to be their Guest Designer for the month of July.  I couldn't resist this great opportunity!  The first week is a Color Challenge that includes River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, and Marina Mist.  I have never considered using these colors together and I am so pleased with how they compliment one another.  I now have a new favorite group of colors I intend to use every chance I get!

And here is my interpretation of the colors:

On this card I thought I would break up the background mat behind the focal image by tearing the paper in half and piecing it together.   Thinking of You is embossed with Cherry Cobbler embossing powder, the bird's wing is embossed using the Square Lattice embossing folder. There's not really anything spectacular about this card, I was shooting for a clean layout. 

This card was created using the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Stamp Set/s:
• You Are Loved
•  Simple Friendship (image stamped on the bird)
• Punches:
• Bird Builder Punch
• Oval Punch
• Lace Ribbon Border Punch
• Decorative Label Punch
• Big Shot:
• Square Lattice Embossing Folder
• Designer Frames Embossing Folder
• Framelits Labels Collection
• Misc:
• Bling Gem (bird's eye)
• Brads from Subtles collection
• Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder
• Colors Used:
• River Rock
• Cherry Cobbler
• Marina Mist

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I look forward to presenting next week's challenge so stay tuned!

Blessing sand Inky Hugs;

~Shawnie B.

Kind Thank You - For the Birds Challenge

Greetings Stampers!

Sorry I have been of the grid for a while.  Have been devoting my time on family things.  My Mom's health is going down hill and her Dr. isn't expecting her to be with us too much longer.  Her organs are shutting down and she is unable to feed herself, sit up, etc... Her right arm is turning black because she is unable to use it.

Today's project I completed is a challenge from SU - Only Challenges where the focus is For the Birds.

Now, to the card.


This card was made using the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Stamp Set/s:
• Vintage Vogue
• Because I Care
• Punch/s:
• Bird Builder Punch
• Oval Punch
• Scalloped Oval Punch
• Misc:
• Halfback Pearls
• Bling Gem
• Satin Pleated Ribbon
• Dimensionals
• Colors Used:
• Blushing Bride
• Old Olive
• Very Vanilla

So, there you have it.

Thank you for stopping by.  I look forward to hearing back from you!

Blessings & Inky Hugs;

~Shawnie B.

Stockings are Hung with Great Care

Good evening Stampers!  The only place I have stockings hung is here on this cute card!  lol  I'm trying to get in the Christmas Mode, but having a hard time getting started.

I figured I would start making Christmas cards so I can get them sent off in a timely manor so people can actually get them on time before Christmas.  lol

This card was inspired by Leonie Schroder.  

Items used to create this card:  

• Stamp Set:  Stitched Stockings
• Bird Builder Punch for the flames
• Circle Punch for the Hearth
• Simply Scored for scoring the bricks
• Square Lattice Embossing Folder
• Daubers 
• Brads
• SU Designer Paper

This was a really fun card to make.  I'm glad I came across it. 


I hope everyone has a safe & happy evening!


~Blessings & Inky Hugs
Shawnie B

Mr. Blue Bird

Hello Stampers!

This was a quick and easy card to create. 

"How did she punch out and color in that perfect looking bird" you must be asking?!  Well, with Stampin Up it's easy!  The stamp set is Language of Friendship.  It comes with a stamp that perfectly matches the punches from the Bird Builder punch!  All you need to do is decide what color you want your bird to be, ink your stamp, stamp the image, line up the image in your Bird Builder paper punch and squeeze!  Out pops a perfectly colored & detailed bird!  (with the stamp set are also two little bird feet in case you want your bird to be standing instead of sitting on a branch)  There is also a flower set that perfectly matches the Boho Blossoms 3 flower punch as well so the flowers you punch out will have more definition and design than just the punched image.  There is also a sentiment included with this stamp set as well.

So, what else was used to create his card?:

• Framed Tulips embossing folder
• Ribbon

 I didn't want a sentiment on this card because I'm not sure what it's going to be just yet.  I have a lot of cards made up in advance, and have decided to just create the card and add the sentiment later in case I start to run out of Thank You cards, I can throw a Thank You sentiment on this baby and send off! 

Have a great day!
Blessings & Inky Hugs
~Shawnie B

To Be Believed

I am practically jumping up and down I'm so excited (I never have been one for patience).  I am expecting a huge order from Stampin' Up! that was ordered last Thursday thanks to my generous son, Danny, but with the Pre-order of a new Holiday Mini that was released, they were behind on the orders.  grrrr!  I've NEVER had to wait this long for a Stampin' Up! order in my life because I always seem to time it before when there was not really anything going on.  It would kill me to live somewhere back east, where it usually takes 6-7 days for orders to be delivered.  That's my reward for living so close to Utah where Stampin' Up! is based out of.

Anyway, while impatiently waiting for my order to arrive, I have had a really hard time trying to make anything because my Mojo is all thinking about the 12 beautiful stamp sets, 2 die's for my Big Shot, 2 punches, and 5 re-inkers for the new In Colors for this year.

Here is what I have struggled to come up with:

The rose buds were made from the wings of my Bird Builder Punch.  The outside of the bud (green part) not sure what they are called in a flower, but it's the part that connects the flower to the stem, anyway that was made from the wing and the tail of the bird punched out.

The bouquet of rose buds is in front of lattice that was rolled through my Big Shot with the lattice die.  Rolled out some butterflies with my embosslits die that embosses & cut's 5 different shaped butterflies.

Sentiment is stamped from the Just Believe stamp set and punched out from my Curly Label punch.

All of that was put on a Top Note mat.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Blessings & Inky Hugs!
~Shawnie

Birthday Bird on a Branch

I suppose this could be a birthday card for either a man or a woman, it might be a bit too girly for a man, though.

To get the top note mat to look like it was matted, I trimmed the faux stitched border so the white background was just a smidge smaller than the Melon Mambo in the back.

You can't really see because of the lighting, but the white background is distressed with yellow around the top note die. 

Birdie Thanks

A thank you card with the sentiment on the bird's wing with the background embossed with the Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder.

Friends

I decided to bring out my Manhattan Flower embossing folder and use it for a change. Colors used on this Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, and Crushed Curry. Stamp set is from the Vintage Vogue.

LoveBirds

This card was CASED a while back. I wish I could remember who I got the idea from so they could get credit for it.  This would make a great Wedding Congratulations card, too.

Top Note Trinket Gift Boxes

I made some adorable gift boxes for a few friends who have been supportive of my Demonstratorship with Stampin' Up!  Though I am not in it for the money, the discount is what I have been focusing on, I am still having workshops that are in a classroom/type environment.  The workshops keep me motivated to keep my mind active and they challenge me to keep coming up with new and exciting projects.

I especially enjoy seeing the look on people's faces when they and not very confident in the first place and they start to see their project come together.  One younger girl, a new mom who attended a workshop a few weeks ago just beemed with pride when she finished a Mothers Day card that she was going to give to her mother in law.  "I made this!" she kept saying.  She definitely looked forward to giving the card to her mother in law for Mothers Day.

So, not only am I sharing my knowledge but I am also helping to increase self esteem.  Another guest at the workshop was a long-time friend of mine and my Stampin' Up! upline mentor.  Along with creating a new project, she also shared her knowledge and wisdom with the group which was very valuable.

My best friend, who always attends these functions to support me but rarely participates actually put together a complete project on her own!  She generally floats around and assists the other ladies with their projects, which is a valuable contribution, but I was very impressed to see that she was actually puting together her own project!  I am most certainly not going to expect it of her all the time, but the times she does this gives me an added sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Oh my goodness!  Back to the Thank You Treat boxes!  lol

Rosebud Thank You Trinket Box

 

The petals from this one was created with my Extra Large 2-Step Bird Punch, which was released in the Stampin' Up! Spring Occasions Mini Catalog.  I got the idea for the rose buds from a creative crafter named Lynette.  Her blog is located at:  http://nzlyn.blogspot.com/2010/04/rosebud-tutorial.html if you could stop by her blog and take a look, you'll find that she's quite creative.  I just had to give her credit for giving me the idea to create rose buds like this.

Thanks So Much Handmade Paper Flower Gift Box 

 This one was created with the same box design, however, the paper flower took a bit more detail than the above rose buds.  After stamping a definition sentiment on the cut out flower shapes, I distressed, cut, and added glue and twisted and fussed over it some more.  The flower took a lot of time and patience to make, but was certainly worth the effort.  

Here are some additional shots of the trinket boxes for you to view:
As you can see in this trinket box, I cut a lot of filler and added some tiny butterfly shaped note cards so the person I am giving this to can keep on giving.  :)  She's just that kind of person.