Cards by Gina

PPA #35--I {Heart} Birthday Book

Welcome to PPA #35! This week's challenge is Anything But a Card. Hope you'll join us and play at PPA! 

I was so excited to receive my On Board Heart Book from the Occasions Mini Catalog. I couldn't wait to start decorating it immediately. I chose my  papers from the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack as well as from the Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper. I love the way the Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers all complement each other. I used different papers on the backs and fronts of each page.

I thought this heart-shaped board book would make a great birthday album for someone special so I stamped Happy Birthday from the Vintage Labels Stamp Set in Real Red onto Whisper White cardstock inside of the Curly Label stamp using my Stamp-a-ma-jig. I then punched out the label with my Curly Label Punch. (Gina's Tip: Stampin' Up! does a great job of matching the stamp sets to the punches to get a beautiful, finished look on every project.) As a final touch, I colored in the sides of the board book pages using my Real Red Stampin' Write Marker. Please note: The key ball chain comes with the board book pages to hold them all together.

Now, this book is ready to hold photos, inner-most thoughts, decorations, etc. I only hope I can part with it!

Hope you enjoyed this project! If you did, please feel free to leave me a comment. I love hearing from you. And, please don't forget to play at PPA!

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Vintage Labels

Inks: Real Red

Designer Series Paper: Sweet Pea DSP Stack, Sending Love Specialty DSP

Cardstock: Whisper White

Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Curly Label Punch, Pop-up Glue Dot, SNAIL Adhesive, Real Red Stampin' Write Marker

PPA #34--Tea Party Birthday Card

   

Ooh! I love a good tea party … so this paper seemed so perfect for today’s Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge. Here’s the terrific sketch provided by Pal Margaret Moody. I love her sketches! And, if you do too, please join us and play at PPA!

 

Here’s what I did:

I created a 6” by 4” base using So Saffron cardstock. Following the sketch, I chose the Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron striped pattern from the Tea Party Designer Series Paper and cut it down by ¼” all around. Then I took the similarly colored floral pattern and layered that on top of the striped pattern. (Gina’s Note: I love the way all of the papers coordinate in each Designer Series Paper pack.)

Next, I cut a 4” x 2-1/2” piece of So Saffron for the middle of the card. Before placing it on my card, I punched two slits 1” in from either side using my Slit Punch and threaded my Certainly Celery/Whisper White diagonally striped ribbon through the slots, attaching them with mini glue dots at the back of the card. I also added two Pink Circle Fire Brads at the top of the card and then I adhered this piece using Pop-up Glue Dots.

I stamped my sentiment from the Whimsical Words Clear-Mount Stamp Set in Chocolate Chip onto Pretty in Pink cardstock and punched it out with my Curly Label Punch. And then to pop it, I punched out another one in Certainly Celery, cut it in half, and placed it behind the pink one. I used another Pop-up Glue Dot and adhered my sentiment to the card.

I think the colors of this card put me in such a good mood. It was pouring here in NY when I created it, but I had a smile on my face the entire time I was working on it. I hope I’ve brought one to you.

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Whimsical Words

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Designer Series Paper: Tea Party

Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink

Embellishments: Pink Circle Fire Brads, District Ribbon Originals

A Cardmaking Workshop at My Niece's House

Last Saturday, I had a wonderful time at my 11-year-old niece's home with some of her friends. For the holidays, I had given Jordana a gift of Stampin' Up! supplies since she is a very crafty young lady and loves doing artwork, making jewelry, knitting, etc. She recently asked her dad if he thought I could teach her how to make cards since she likes receiving the ones I send her. So, of course, I was more than thrilled.

The girls were a dream to work with. I decided to teach them how to layer cards with cardstock and DSP and they ran with it! They loved all of the stamp sets and inks I brought, but I think the punches were their most favorite items to use. (Please note: I did bring some non-SU! items with me since I know young girls love stickers, ribbons, etc.)

Here's a sampling of the cards they made. They worked straight through from 2 PM to 5 PM, without a break! I was totally amazed by their creativity, their ideas, their love of color, and, most importantly, how they would try anything! There's a lot to be learned from children who don't criticize themselves, but bring the joy they have inside of them to whatever they do. I watched them all in awe...and probably learned more from them than they did from me!

I hope you enjoy their creations. Here's a sampling.

I truly love working with children so if you or anyone you know is interested in having a children's cardmaking workshop or a birthday party, please e-mail or call me. I would love to hear from you.

  

 

 

PPA #33: Go Fly a Green Kite--A Shamrock Kite, That Is!

It’s March and spring is in the air. There’s one more week until St. Patrick’s Day so the Pals decided upon a Go Green theme for this week’s challenge. Here are the colors. You can use them or go in a different direction and make a St. Patrick’s Day Card…or you can combine both, as I did here. Won't you play at PPA today? We'd love to have you join us!

 

Here’s how I made my card:

My base is Kraft cardstock and I layered it with Garden Green Patterns Designer Series Paper and Certainly Celery cardstock.

I didn’t have any shamrocks so I created my own by punching out hearts using my Heart to Heart Punch and placing four together as shown. When I placed it on my card, it reminded me of a kite flying high in the sky so I added a tail of linen thread and made the kite’s stabilizers with three strips of the DSP.

My sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set. I stamped it in Garden Green onto Whisper White and punched it out with my Curly Label Punch. I punched out another one in Garden Green, cut it in half, and backed it behind my sentiment. I used Pop-up Glue Dots behind my shamrock kite and my sentiment.

To embellish the card, I added a strip of Certainly Celery and punched it out with my Scallop Trim Border Punch. I then created three smaller shamrocks for the bottom of my card and added three green brads as accents. (Unfortunately, the green brads are not SU!)

Thank you so much for visiting! Have fun making your own St. Patrick’s Day cards and have a great holiday!

Just a quick reminder that March is the last month of Sale-a-bration so if you need anything and you spend $50, you can choose one free item from the Sale-a-bration catalog for each and every $50 you spend. Please e-mail me, call me, or visit my website to place your orders. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Inks: Garden Green

Designer Series Paper: Garden Green Patterns Designer Series Paper

Cardstock: Kraft, Certainly Celery, Garden Green

Tools: Heart to Heart Punch, Curly Label Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pop-up Glue Dots, SNAIL Adhesive

Embellishments: Linen Thread

Pals March Hop 2010--Spring into Spring Birthday Explosion Card

 

Welcome! If you've hopped over from Barbara Furlong's The Love of Stamping blog, I'm stop number 12 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in!  I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find inspirational ideas for papercrafted creations from Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty Pals!  We'll be showcasing all that Stampin' Up! has to offer!  Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP below and you'll be back on track!  We're thrilled to have you visit and excited to hear what you think about our Spring and/or Easter themed hop!  Please feel free to leave as many comments as you'd like along the way!

We have 18 Pals participating in this month's hop and the finalized line-up is posted below! 

Here's what I created--a Spring Into Spring Birthday Explosion Card. This is the front view.

 

And this is the interior view.

 

Recipe:

Stamp Sets: Birthday Bliss, Eastern Blooms, Happy Moments

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Designer Series Paper: Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper

Embellishments: Pretty in Pink 5/8" Satin Ribbon

Tools: Curly Label Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Modern Label Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Pixie Pink Stampin' Write Marker, SNAIL Adhesive

I hope you enjoyed your visit here. I had a great time making my Explosion Card--just for you.
 

More inspiring ideas await you at Kim Lampone's Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative blog, stop number 13 on the Pals Hop.   Hop on over! I know you'll love what you see there.  Thanks for "hopping" by! 

PALS HOP LINE-UP

Click on any of the sites listed below to begin the Pals Hop. 

Regina Mangum -- The Stampin' Bean
Mike Funke -- Stampin-Style
Martha Stewart -- Seasons of Stamping
Anne Beale Yancey -- Mukibug
Liz Hughes -- DIY Paper Creations
Mary Fish -- Stampin' Pretty
Jason Casper -- Jason's Stampin' Pad
Melanie Collins -- Oops a Daisy
Kris Kilcoyne -- Kween Bee Kreations
Tricia Gillam -- Soul Stamper
Barbara Furlong -- The Love of Stamping
Gina Shaw -- Cards by Gina
Kim Lampone -- Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative

Debbie Pierce -- Stampin' Sunshine
Ann Schach -- The Stampin' Schach
Kalshelia Lloyd -- Stampin' Fabulousity
Lourdes Torres -- Cozy Crafty Corner
Carla Bazhenow -- Carla's Scraps

PPA #32--Spring Ahead, I Hope! Theme Challenge

Whoosh! Where does the week go? Each week, I think I will blog more than once and then it's Thursday again and time for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge! But this one is a true breath of fresh air--spring air, I hope! The theme this week is to create a spring card. And, I think all of us just couldn't wait to participate in this one. We all want the winter to be o-vah!

So, of course, what better designer series paper (DSP) to choose than Shades of Spring with those beautiful Pretty in Pink and So Saffron colors? 

My card was actually very simple to create since I chose the Pretty in Pink cardstock as my base and layered the Pretty in Pink Floral DSP from the Occasions Mini Catalog on top of it. But before I did that, I tucked the Pretty in Pink 5/8" Satin Ribbon around the DSP and adhered it at the top.

Then, I stamped my sentiment from the Whimsical Words Stamp Set (from the Sale-a-bration) catalog in Chocolate Chip onto Pretty in Pink and punched it out with my Curly Label Punch. While I was at it, I punched out another Whisper White piece from the DSP, cut it in half horizontally, and adhered it behind my sentiment. Using a Pop-up Glue Dot, I placed it on the ribbon.

Since I loved the colors so much, I chose to cut out several flowers from the DSP using my Paper Snips and I popped them onto my card as shown. Voila, my card is finished!

I'm going to drop it in the mail for a special Pal who hasn't been feeling too well. (My thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery, MM!)

Here's to spring coming very soon and the days getting longer! I need more than 24 hours in my day! Is time flying by as quickly for you as it is for me? If so, I would so appreciate hearing from you and letting me know this--you know, "misery loves company"! :) And if you do have the time, please join us at PPA!

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Whimsical Words

Ink: Chocoloate Chip

DSP: Shades of Spring

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink

Embellishments: 5/8" Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon

Tools: Curly Label Punch; Pop-up Glue Dots; Paper Snips