i {heart} papers GD post 10/CS210 - Happy Birthday to You!

Here's my card for the current CASE Study challenge, where we are inspired by this pretty Christmas card by Debby Hughes:

I flipped the layout upside down and changed it to a birthday card, swapping out the gold for some yellow and black. After stamping and colouring the balloons, I used a Versamark pen and embossed them in clear for some shine.

Supplies (all from i {heart} papers)
Avery Elle Handwritten Notes
Winnie & Walter Big Bang Confetti
Paper Smooches Metropolis
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Wow Clear Embossing Powder

i {heart} papers GD post #9/OLS#9 - Hip to be Square

Looking for Bev's birthday party? Link up here.

It's last call for this month's One-Layer Simplicity Challenge, where I'm hosting "Hip to be Square". The deadline is midnight on Wednesday, September 24.

Making this card, I was reminded of two things about stamping:

1) All you need is ink and paper to make a really fun and festive card;

2) Add grey to any colour combination and it will look very 'in'.

Ironically, I created my square out of circles. I wanted to create a fun bouncy frame (similar to Bev's birthday card here) and looked around for a colour combination. I stamped the sentiment across the card and then used a 2 1/2" mask in the centre, to create my frame. I stamped in yellow, green and aqua starting with the largest dots first, then filling in with the next size. I took my mask off and added a few more dots on the inside of the frame, so I would get a kind of random feel. Then I took a look at it and decided to add some grey - not only did it fill the frame in nicely, but I do think it changed the feeling of the card slightly - here's what it looked like before the grey:

What do you think?

Supplies used (all from i {heart} papers)

White Cardstock

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Avery Elle Ink: Mimosa, Aquamarine, Fog, Lemongrass

Winnie&Walter: The Big, The Bold and the Happy

Winnie&Walter: Big Bang Confetti

i {heart} papers GD Post #8 - Happy (Birthday) Dances, Bev!

Today is a very, very special day. It's a day that we'll all be Happy Dancing because today is Bev's birthday! Darnell is hosting the party and I'm hosting the link - it will be open for two weeks so that you can come to the party too!

When I was looking for inspiration for this card, I went no further than the Happy Dancer herself. In fact, my card was influenced by no fewer than FOUR of her cards!

this one for colour, dots and curve (May 2012 - can't figure out how to link it)

add in some yellow (and more dots)

double-stamp the sentiment for dimension

and celebrate like CRAZY with more dots!

As for supplies - I used the following from i {heart} papers:
MFT Stamps - Celebrate Big
Winnie&Walter - Big Bang Confetti
Avery Elle Ink - Lemongrass, Mimosa, Raspberry
Memento Ink - Paris Dusk
White Cardstock

Last year I was lucky enough to meet Bev in person. And as sweet as you think she is, she's even better in real life! Selfless, kind, talented - AMAZING!

Bev, I hope your birthday is as wonderful as you are and that many wonderful things are coming your way this year!

An InLinkz Link-up

i {heart} papers GD Post 7/CASology 111 - Under

Here's my latest Guest DT creation for i {heart} papers. I had a lot of fun with some colours I don't use very often and a couple of stamp sets that, even though they come from different companies, work really well together.

This fun, bubbly background that I created carries on UNDER (CASology 111) the white popped-up circular panel. And UNDER the card (if it's lying down on the table) is a surprise - I stamped the background on the back too! No reason for the party to stop at the border of the front of the card!

Supplies:
Avery Elle: Brushed
Winnie & Walter: Big Bang Confetti
Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black, Dandelion, Lilac Posies
Hero Arts Ink: Pale Tomato
LawnFawn: Circle dies
Dimensional dots
White Cardstock

i {heart} papers GD Post 6/CTS90 - So Happy for you

My new Avery Elle goodies arrived from i {heart} papers just in the nick of time. My sister just got engaged! And what better supplies to use to make a card for her and her fiance than 'We Go Together', 'So Happy' and the 'Happy' die!

I used the sketch from this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge.

It took me a little while to choose the colour scheme of white and Lost Lagoon. I wasn't comfortable making an overly feminine cards since there's a man involved, but I didn't want it to be too masculine either. Simple and elegant is a perfect compromise!

I actually cut the sentiment stamp (from So Happy) before I stamped it in Memento black so that I could use the die in place of the stamped happy. To add some shine, dimension and also to ensure that the white-on white was still legible, I used Wow clear embossing powder on the die cut. I stamped the little hearts from 'We Go Together' in Versamark and embossed them in silver and then coloured them in with a clear Wink of Stella so that they look like champagne bubbles coming out of the 'y'.

i {heart} papers GD Post 5/CTS 89 - You!

A quick, CAS post for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge, using some i {heart} paper products in a fun way.

Here's the sketch:

I wanted to create my rectangle using words. It could be tricky to line up all these words if you wanted them perfectly straight and centred. I think it's easiest just to make it look like it wasn't intended to be straight! Plus it adds some movement and fun!


I also tried a fun new mask/sponge technique that I saw on this card by Jasleen. I love that your eye sees the whole frame, even though there are only 4 little bits of it.  The distressed look of the sponging matches the 'old fashioned' feel of the type-writer font, and the frame provides some grounding for the floating words.

Products used:
Winnie&Walter - The Big, the Bold & the Happy
Winnie&Walter - The BIg, the Bold & You
Paper Smooches - Sweet Hearts
Memento Ink - London Fog & Lilac Posies
Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock

i {heart} papers GD Post 4 - Cutting Edge 7/FMS149

Here's a fun multi-challenge card using products from i {heart} papers. I used the inspiration from the latest Cutting Edge card by Jackie Rockwell and the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

I love pink orange and yellow together - the ultimate summer colour combination, if you ask me!

Here's what I used:
Paper Smooches Gently Seasoned stamp set (dots)
Paper Smooches thanks die
Hero Arts Unicorn White ink
Lawn Fawn circle dies
Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock
Dimensional Dots

i {heart} Papers GD Post 3/ATCAS 44- Golden Thanks

Another I {heart} Papers post today - this one to play along with the current ATCAS challenge, Gold.

You know how a rainbow ends in a pot of gold? Well that was my inspiration for this card. I cut part of the the rainbow die and coloured it with copics before laying it back into the panel. I stacked the thanks die with gold mirror card on top.

I used
MFT Rainbow die
Paper Smooches thanks die
White Cardstock

i {heart} papers GD Post 2 - I love you

I'm back with my second post for my GD gig at i {heart} papers. I went ultra clean and simple with this one! But CAS doesn't have to mean dull.

To add some interest and express ever-lasting love, I continued the line of hearts right onto the card base. The top panel is popped up to create some dimension and the hearts are covered with Wink of Stella for some sparkle.

I used
Paper Smooches Sweet Hearts
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Hero Arts Red Royal Ink
Wink of Stella 
Dimensional Dots
and Ultra Smooth Premium White Card Stock

i {heart} papers Guest Designer

This is my second post for today. For my Festive Friday post, please scroll down.

Now, here's some big news! I'm so excited to have been asked by Kate to be a Guest Designer for her online store, i {heart} papers for August and September! This makes me happy, happy, happy!

Here's my first project, using

• No Picture from Technique Tuesday, (I flipped the face stamp over to apply the solid yellow ink)
• Shenanigans from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps, 
• Hero Arts Butterbar ink, 
• Lawnfawn circle dies, 
• dimensionals, 
• white cardstock 
• Memento Tuxedo Black ink

and Avery Elle Fog cardstock and Fruit Punch Stickles.

Kate's shop recently moved, but they're gearing up and restocking even as we speak! I'm looking forward to playing with some of the great products she carries over the next couple of months!