Blog Candy and Easter Bunny Punch Art

Hello! I am celebrating the 2 Year Anniversary of my blog and what better way to say "thank you" than some Blog Candy to show my appreciation! The lucky winner will receive the unmounted stamp set Polka Dot Punches, a sampler of misc. Stampin Up Designer Papers and a Black Stampin' Spot!

How do I enter you ask? It's easy! First, subscribe to my blog if you don't already. Then simply leave a comment on this post, that's it!

On Friday, April 2nd I will pick a winner by drawing a name from this post and will announce the winner on my blog. The winner will have 24 hours to *email me their mailing address. If there is no response within 24 hours from the announcement, I will choose another winner so be sure to check back!
*Email me: imastampingnut@aol.com

Christy Fulk

Now, onto today's card! I saw this Punch Art Bunny on Christy's blog and couldn't wait to try making one. Isn't it cute?!? I used Melon Mambo for the main card and Certainly Celery on the bottom half. After I assembled the bunny, I attached it to the card front using dimensionals to give it some depth. I also popped up his cheeks with dimensionals after sponging them with Melon Mambo ink.

Punches used for this card:
Head: Ornament Punch
Cheeks: 3/4" Circle
Eyes: Large hole punch on Crop A Dile
Nose: Heart to Heart
Ears and legs: Large and Small Oval
Body: 1 3/4" Circle
Tail: Boho Blossom

The stamp set is Well Scripted. The punch used on the Certainly Celery card stock is Eyelet Border.

Thanks for stopping by today and good luck with the drawing!
-Laurie

Masculine Birthday Card

Inspired by Julie Davison

I don't know about you, but I sometimes struggle with masculine cards. So, when I came across Julie's card, I knew I had to try it! I love the simplicity and classic look of this card. Thanks Julie! The main card is Always Artichoke, isn't it perfect for this card? I always reach for Old Olive, so this was a refreshing change. The faux ribbon is made with Sahara Sand and the scalloped circle is stamped with Soft Suede ink. I was also excited about this card because I wanted to use the Vintage Labels stamp set, which I also love! Finally, the Medallion background was stamped with Always Artichoke to achieve a tone-on-tone look. I am going to make some more of these to have on hand in my stash box....they are easy to make and good to have on hand ;)

OH! Just to let you know...tomorrow is the LAST DAY for the Sale-a-bration promotion! If you want to receive the VINTAGE LABELS set for FREE...email me at imastampingnut@aol.com so you don't miss out. All you have to do is place a $50.00 order (before shipping and handling) and you will get it delivered right to your door! I would be more than happy to help you with your order.

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Vintage Vogue Sympathy

Hello! I made this card using the set Vintage Vogue that can be found in the Occasions Mini Catalog. First, I stamped the floral border at the bottom on Certainly Celery using White Craft Ink and embossed with white embossing powder. Then I stamped and cut out 3 flowers using Certainly Celery, Real Red and So Saffron inks. I curled the petals using a pencil, and popped them up with Pop-Up Glue Dots. The main card is Very Vanilla Card Stock and Very Vanilla Ribbon. The word image on the front is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

TIP: I recently learned a great tip on embossing! If you emboss from the bottom of the card stock, the embossing powder will not "scatter" from the heat gun, making those annoying unwanted "dots" on your card stock. Try it, it works!

The color inspiration came from this photo.


Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!
-Laurie
If you are interested in placing an order, please email me at imastampingnut@aol.com

Vintage Friends 24-7

Inspired by mum of 2+2

Happy Thursday! Here is the card I promised you for our Thursday sketch challenge. Thanks Jan for the great sketch! I love the stamp set Friends 24-7, isn't it pretty? To make the main image, I simply inked up the background stamp in Sage Shadow ink and "stamped off" to make the image softer looking. Note: The Stamp-Off technique is simply stamping the image onto scrap paper before stamping your cardstock.

For the Sage Shadow layer I simply stamped with Sage Shadow ink to create a tone-on-tone look. Colors used for this card are Creamy Caramel, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla.

For those who are interested, here is a peek at the sketch we did.

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Picture This Punch Owl

Inspired by Kylie-Jo Bertucci

Thank you Kylie-Jo for recently sharing your punch owl :) As soon as I saw it I immediately thought of the owl stamp in the Picture This stamp set, and couldn't wait to whip up a card! I think this owl is adorable, doesn't he just put a smile on your face?!? Love it!

Recipe for this card:

Cardstock: Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Soft Suede, Choc Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White and Basic Black

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Soft Suede Polka Dot Ribbon, Bird w/ leaves and flower die (for branches), Scallop Circle Die

Punches used to make owl: Round Tab, Scallop Circle, Boho Blossom, 1/2" Circle, 3/4" Circle

I did pop up the owl on the card with Dimensionals. Thanks for looking and be sure to stop back tomorrow...our blog challenge this week was a sketch challenge. Gotta love that!

Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

p.s. For those who are interested, Lady was diagnosed with allergies and a yeast infection by the doggy dermatologist today. With all the meds they gave us, she should be feeling better very soon. Poor baby!

Tiny Tags Flower

Inspired by Becky Roberts

Happy Tuesday! Isn't this color combination great? Real Red, So Saffron, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip, love it!!! These darling flowers are popping up all over, so I was excited to finally try one for myself. If you have a circle scallop punch, you are set! All I did was punch out 6 scallop circles and then crumpled each one into a small ball. Then I simply opened each one up, punched a hole in the middle and held them all together with a Build A Brad. After that I just lifted the petals up a bit for some dimension. The little tags hanging from the ribbon are made using the new Medium Jewelry Tag Punch and the stamp set Tiny Tags. Both can be found in the Occasions Mini Catalog and are available until April 30th. And to add some interest, I used the felt leafs from the Sweet Pea Felt Flowers pack, also in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

I'm off this morning to take our dog, Lady to the vet...she is licking obsessively and we are going to the doggy-dermatologist. When I get home I am going to finish up the swaps I have been working on for a Demonstrator meeting this Thursday. I will post some of the swaps I receive from other demonstrators later, can't wait to share them with you!

Wish us luck at the vet and Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

In Color Fancy Favor Box

Isn't this cute? I made this at a Big Shot class I attended at my friend (and upline), Dawn Olchefske's. It reminded me of Springtime, and here in Minnesota, that is something we definitely look forward to...ha ha. Today's high is 59 degrees and the snow is melting, both sure signs spring is almost here!

On to the project.... We made this box using the Fancy Favor Die and the Scallop Circle Die for the Big Shot. For the flowers, we used the Flower Daisies #2 and simply layered them for this colorful effect. I thought this would be fun to put a cello bag of candy in (or anything) and give as a gift...how fun is that?!? The cardstock is Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Pumpkin Pie.

Thanks for stopping by today and stay tuned, Blog Candy is coming soon ;)
Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day! Today's card is clean and simple.....and easy using Stampin' Up's punches! My demonstrator group is doing a blog challenge and tomorrow's challenge was to post something green. I decided to share with you a day early to celebrate St Patrick's Day!

The base of the card is Certainly Celery and the designer paper is from the Sweet Pea pack. Love it! The smaller hearts are made using Old Olive cardstock. The card measures 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square. Thanks for looking and have a happy day!
-Laurie

Supplies used for this card:
Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Sweet Pea DP
Accessories: Punches: Full Heart, Heart to Heart, Boho Blossoms, Large Oval

Happy Together

Layout inspired by Stacey Schafer

Hi Stampers! Today's post is using another stamp set I got FREE for ordering during the Sale-A-Bration promotion. Isn't it cute? It is called Happy Together, I just adore those little birds! The embossed cardstock is made using the embossing folder, Petals a Plenty and is retired from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I just happen to have a scrap of it and thought it would look cute on this card :) I colored the birds with my Melon Mambo and Taken with Teal markers, and used the Scallop Square die for the base of the card. I think the scallop square makes such a cute card, don't you?

Note: To assemble the card, start with 2 scallop squares. Score 1/2" on one edge of one square. Fold it inwards and attach to the back of the front of the card. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to stamp something today :)
-Laurie

Forest Friends

Happy Monday! Isn't this stamp set cute? It is called Forest Friends and I got it FREE during the Sale-A-Bration promotion (that ends this month). In the back of the Sale-A-Bration Catalog, there is a list of SEVERAL stamp sets available in the main catalog that you can get for free too! Click on the Sale-A-Bration catalog to the left of this page. If you are interested in learning more about Sale-A-Bration contact me at imastampingnut@aol.com and I would be more than happy to help.

The base of my card is Kraft cardstock. All I did was trim off 1/2" on the bottom of the front flap to make room for the scallop trim. Easy! Layering the 2 squares is super simple using Stampin Up punches. All you do is stamp, punch and layer! This is a good example of a 5 minute card, and a good layout for demonstrators to use at a Stamp A Stack event. The word stamp is from the set Happy Together.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Sending Love Notes

Did you happen to see the Sending Love Notes on page 19 of the Occasions Mini Catalog? The two cards today are made with the "Hugs" Love Notes. They are a great value at just $4.95 for 20, and you can literally make a card in minutes! The first card is made using the Big Shot Daisy Flower Die #2. All I did was make three flowers, off set them and layered them. Then pulled the petals up just a little bit to create some dimension. The middle of the flower and the leaves are Sweet Pea Felt Flowers and the stamp set is Teeny Tiny Wishes. The base of the card is Pretty in Pink.

Next is another card I made using the Sending Love Notes. I just love this little bunny from Eight Great Greetings. The color I used in this card is Rose Red. To color in the bunny, I just used my Stampin Up Markers, a MUST for all stampers! LOL! Oh, and to make the envelope clasp, I simply attached two 3/4" circles with brads and some linen thread to close it shut.

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Happy Moments Birthday

Inspired by Jen Sannes

Thank you everyone for your kind words about our dog, Lady. I took her in for her yearly exam today, and I found out she is 93 in people years! Wow! She is doing great for a 93 years old ;)

Today's card I made for a friend's birthday. For some reason, I can't get enough of the new set, Happy Moments. And, you can get it for FREE from our Sale A Bration promotion! But don't wait too long, this promotion is for a limited time only, and ends March 31st. Contact me today at imastampingnut@aol.com and I will be happy to help you with your order.

Oh, I almost forgot! The inside of the card was done simply by stamping the image on white cardstock and repeating the stamped image on 3 different patterned papers. I simply cut out the flowers and used adhesive to place them on top of the already stamped image. It's called Paper Piecing and is super simple! Give it a try ;)

See you next time and thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping,
-Laurie

Materials used for this card:
Stamp Set: Happy Moments
Cardstocks: Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Whisper White, Sweet Pea DP
Inks: Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Basic Black
Accessories: Blender Pen, Old Olive Ribbon, Scallop Trim Punch, Paper Piercer, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder

I M A Mutt Nut?

Hello! Some people have asked me about my Splitcoast Stampers user name, Imamuttnut. My husband and I have always had dogs, lots of dogs. I volunteered in dog rescue for 14 years and we fostered for MANY dogs and adopted 6. We have thoroughly enjoyed all of our dogs, and as time went on they all aged and all but one has passed on. So, now we have one dog, Lady, a sweet german shorthair pointer. She is 15 years old and pretty much deaf (although, she has ALWAYS had "selective" hearing...lol). She is such a good girl and LOVES to lay on her bed next to me at my stamping table when I am "busy at play"...ha ha! I work from home, so we keep each other company during the day, which is good for both of us ;) So, that's the story behind my user name!

The above photo is Lady as a "young adult" when we first adopted her.

Below is a recent photo of her relaxing, gotta love her "snow white face" :)


And finally, a doggie card to share with all of you :) This is made with the stamp set, "D is for Dog"....I love this set! (go figure..lol). You know those stamp sets you will hang onto long after they retire? Well, this will be one I will hang on to. I love the tail wags on the dog stamp..too cute! Thanks for stopping by today and stay tuned this week for more projects I have to share with you...can't wait!




Happy Stamping!
-Laurie

Extra Large Fancy Flower

Inspired by Mary Haugen

For those who know me, know I LOVE Stampin Up Punches, and the new ones are no exception. I made this card using the Extra Large Fancy Flower Punch. I simply attached a Jumbo Grommet in the center of the flower and used a glue dot to attach a knot made with Chocolate Chip Ribbon. Easy Peasy! The designer paper is called Sweet Pea and the stamp set is a Level One Hostess called Picture This. Both the paper and the stamp set can be found in the Occasions Mini Catalog, good through April 30th. Check out the catalog at the left side of my website...there are some darling things in there you won't want to miss!

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to stamp something today!
-Laurie

Punched Circle Border

Hello! Today's card is made using the Scallop Trim Border Punch to create the Punched Circle Border technique. The card measures 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square.

To make the scallop border trim I started by punching a strip of designer paper (1" x 12"), then ran it through my crimper to make it more elastic. Next I cut out a 3" circle with my Circle Scissors Plus and applied sticky strip around the edges of the backside of the circle. I just started adhering the border around the whole circle. When the ends met, I trimmed off the excess of the strip and that's it!

Materials used for this card:
Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Sweet Pea DP
Accessories: Tow Step Bird Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Build A Brad, Dimensionals

Simple Happy Moments Birthday

Hello Stampers! One of my favorite techniques is paper piecing. Simply stamp image on cardstock, in this case the cute stack of presents from the Happy Moments Stamp Set found in the Sale-a-Bration catalog. Then stamp the same image on Designer Paper, cut out as desired and adhere Designer Paper pieces over the cardstock image. This is a super simple technique that even the kids will enjoy doing!

The card shown is 4" x 4" square. I used the Sweet Pea Designer Paper available from Stampin Up in the Occasions Mini Catalog for a limited time. Emaill me at imastampingnut@aol.com to place and order, I will be happy to help.

For the ribbon, I simply layed 3 pieces of silver cord on top of the knot before tying, that's it!

Thanks for looking and be sure to stop by on Thursday for a card I made using the new Stampin Up Punches, you're gonna love 'em! See you then!

Medallion Pocket Card

Okay, I warned you...I am on a pocket card kick...LOL! I love this color combo, don't you? I am including the instructions below on how to make a pocket card so you can make your own if you want. If you haven't made one before give it a try, you'll be glad you did! (material list for this card follows instructions)

One piece of 4 1/4" x 11" cardstock for the pocket

One piece of 3 1/4" x 5" cardstock for the message insert

Step 1

Score the 4 1/4" x 11" piece of cardstock at 5 ½ " and 1 ¼”

Step 2

Corner round all four corners of the cardstock.

Step 3

Place Sticky Strip inside the pocket's outer edge from the score under the flap to the bottom of the pocket. Remove red liner and adhere the front of the pocket card to the back. The flap will be face out.

Step 4

Decorate the front of the pocket card.

Step 5

Run ribbon around the flap and tie at the front.

Step 6

Adhere underside of flap to card with Sticky Strip and adhere to card front.

Stamp Sets: Medallion, Friends 24/7, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock and Inks: Sahara Sand, Black, Very Vanilla
Accessories, Very Vanilla Ribbon, Tab Punch, Circle Punches, Brads, Dimensionals