#handmade

Adorable Owls By Stampin’ Up

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The Adorable Owls stamp set is one of the many Sale-A-Bration offerings this year. This stamp set can be chosen as your free gift with your qualifying purchase during the months of January and February 2023. Of course, this offer is while supplies last.

Today’s Video

Did you like this fun fold card? First, I love it because it is so incredibly simple to make! Second, it has a little unexpected opening action. Finally, it uses minimal supplies.

More Cards Using Adorable Owls

With the exception of the card with the flying owl, all the cards feature the Dandy Designs Designer Series Paper. That DSP is another Sale-A-Bration offering. And it is probably my favorite one! The flying owl card was made using the new Hand-Drawn Dots background stamp. It can be found in the January-April Mini Catalog.

None of these cards were difficult to make. But those cute little owls just make me happy. Hopefully, they will make those who receive them happy too! 🙂 As always, remember to be kind, send a card, and do something creative!

Sally

Card Supplies

Shop My Entire Online Store: https://www.thepolkadotlife.com/shop/

Card Measurements

  • Calypso Coral Cardstock: (2) 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″, Largest Scalloped Circle Die Cut
  • Basic White Thick: 11″ x 3″, scored at 2″ and 6 1/2″; 3 1/4″ x 4 1/2″ Die Cut using Tailor Made Tags
  • Mango Melody Cardstock: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″; Scrap for inside
  • Vellum Cardstock: Die Cut Largest Layering Circle Die
  • DSP: 4″ x 5 1/4″, Scrap for inside

Introducing The Flowering Fields Suite

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Oh my goodness! The Flowering Fields Suite is simply amazing. It features not just one bundle, but two! Both the Flowering Tulips Bundle and the Tulip Fields Bundle are made up of a photopolymer stamp set and a die set. Watching the video today is an absolute must to see all of the possibilities of the suite.

Today’s Video

Bundle One: Tulip Fields

Using these stamps and dies, you can transport yourself to the Netherlands! You can create row after row of your favorite color tulips. Additionally, with the dies, you can design your own windmill. How fun is that! The designers really hit it out of the park with this bundle.

Bundle Two: Flowering Tulips

The second bundle featured in the Flowering Fields Suite is called Flowering Tulips. The floral stamps are two-step stamps. As a result, you will get great definition in your images. You can even use two different colors for more variety! These dies will not only cut out your stamped images, but they will also cut out blank petals for you to assemble.

In today’s video, I chose to cut out Basic White images and color them using Mango Melody chalk. But I could have also cut them out of DSP or colored cardstock. Inks, Stampin’ Blends, or Watercolor Pencils could have been used to color the cardstock as well.

As for me, this suite of products unleashed a joyful spirit and sense of creativity in me that I hadn’t experienced for quite some time. I hope and pray that the year 2022 will do the same for you! As always, remember to be kind, send a card, and do something creative!

Sally

Supplies:

Shop my entire online store here: https://www.thepolkadotlife.com/shop/

Flowers of Friendship

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The Flowers of Friendship Bundle can be found in the 2021-2022 Annual Catalog on page 78. It is made up of a stamp set and a coordinating punch. I love punches! They are a great time-saving tool.

Today’s Video

The cards that I made today are for my upline team’s monthly color challenge. We were given the colors of Blushing Bride, Highland Heather, and Garden Green. At first, I was a little stumped because there isn’t much to pick from as far as DSP goes. We do have the DSP of our color families but I haven’t purchased the new ones yet. So, I had to dig deep. Much like a beginning stamper that might not have a ton of supplies yet.

I have enjoyed playing with many of the new products. At first glance, I felt this set might be a little boring. However, I certainly do not feel that way anymore! It just lends itself to so many different techniques! Be sure to watch the video to see what everyday tool I used to shape the flower petals.

More Flower of Friendship Cards

This card is where I started. I made my own DSP for two of the tags. I used Blushing Bride ink on Blushing Bride cardstock for one of the tags, On the other tag, I used my Stampin’ Blends marker in Highland Heather and my Stampin’ Write Marker in Garden Green to make stripes. Stampin’ Write Markers are often ignored. They aren’t flashy products. They are a standard workhorse! These markers come in every color in the line. You can use them for fixing mistakes, coloring images, and writing on our cards and envelopes.

I love the clean and simple feel of this card. Now I just need to decide who will receive it. I feel very led to share the love of Christ with others through my crafting. Do any of you feel led in that way?

This card is my favorite of the three. I embossed three pieces of Basic White Cardstock with three different embossing folders. I used our Blending Brushes to color each sheet. Next, I cut each sheet into 1/2″ strips. And last, I adhered each strip to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ panel of Basic White. You will need to use liquid adhesive for this process. Cut the strips even to the edge of the panel and then you can adhere the panel to your card. I chose to use an additional panel of Blushing Bride before adhering mine together.

I hope that you have enjoyed today’s color challenge cards. If you decide to try the challenge, please post a picture in the comments. It would be wonderful to see your creations! As always, remember to be kind, send a card, and do something creative.

Sally

Card Supplies

Shop my entire online store: http://www.thepolkadotlife.com/shop/

Card Measurements

  • Blushing Bride: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″ and scrap for flowers
  • Basic White: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″, and scrap for sentiment
  • Highland Heather: 4 ” x 5 1/4″, scrap for flowers
  • Garden Green: scrap for leaves

A Note Card Fun Fold

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A super cute fun fold card is on tap today. With this layout, you can use any stamp set, die set, or color of your choice. It clears the way for any creative block that might get in your way!

Today’s Video

I have been dying to play with the Art Gallery stamp set and Fine Art Floral DSP. This blue paper was really calling my name today. This is weird because blue is one of my least favorite colors. I really need to be in the mood to use it. However, I could not be more pleased with how this card turned out.

Have you ever colored in a stamp with your Stampin’ Write Markers before? It is a technique that I enjoy using every once in a while. It is fun and not messy.

More Fun Fold Cards

Whale of A Time is such a fun set to play with. The Bright Collection is my favorite and I tend to always use these colors when I use this set.

The same thing can be said for the Zoo Globe set as well. I love these animals! Remember, if you are going to use Stampin’ Blends, you must use an additional layer and adhere it to the notecard. This type of marker will bleed through your cardstock!

I used the Tin Tile Embossing Folder on the top layer of this card. Simply by opening the folder and dragging my ink pad across it, I was able to add some color and added dimension. This embossing folder and this stamp set are both retiring. Don’t forget to jump on my website to look over the Last Chance sale. You can do that here if you like: http://www.thepolkadotlife.com/shop/

Paper Pumpkin Stamps

This is a perfect example to remind you to use your Paper Pumpkin stamps! Again, this card is easy to use with any stamp set or color combination. Don’t forget that April 9th is the last day to sign up to receive the April 2021 Paper Pumpkin kit. You won’t want to miss it!

As always, remember to be kind, send a card, and do something creative.

Sally

Card Supplies

Card Measurements

  • Basic White Thick: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″
  • Bumblebee Cardstock: 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″
  • DSP: 4″ x 5 1/4″ and scrap for inside, if desired

A Merry Hello

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A Merry Hello friends! I hope that you are all doing well. This stamp set was so much fun to use for creating cards. I could hardly stop! This particular stamp set by Stampin’ Up is a host set. For example, whenever you host a party or simply spend $150, you earn Stampin’ Rewards. As a result, you can then use part of your Stampin’ Rewards to purchase this set if you choose.

Today’s Video featuring A Merry Hello:

More A Merry Hello Cards

Do you have a favorite color scheme for Christmas? I am typically a red and green girl but I have enjoyed experimenting with other color combinations as well. Additionally, I love that with Stampin’ Up we even have several red and green combinations. I wish that the Wink of Stella that I used on the greenery would show up on camera. Not only is this a low cost tool for your crafting, but the sparkles add such a pretty touch.

A greeting card on a Whisper White base. Then there is a Cherry Cobbler plaid layer. There is a picture of a long stocking.
A photo of a handmade Christmas card. It has a Whisper White base with layers of Crumb Cake, Old Olive, and Cherry Cobbler. There is an image of a long stocking on it.

Baby’s First Christmas

I just couldn’t resist creating a Baby’s 1st Christmas card! A handmade card makes an exceptional keepsake. Also, this combination of Balmy Blue, Granny Apple Green, and Night of Navy might be a new favorite for me.

A photo of a handmade Baby's First Christmas card. It is Whisper White with Balmy Blue, Night of Navy, and Granny Apple Green. There is an image of a cable knit stocking on the front.

A Challenging Color Challenge

My upline gives us a different color combination to use for creating each month. Of course, we do not have to participate but I find them enjoyable and they teach me new things. And this month’s challenge was just that…a challenge! We were told to create with Shaded Spruce, Soft Suede, and Bermuda Bay. This is not a combination I would have ever considered. However, in the end I liked the cards that I created. I guess you never know until you try.

This greeting card has a super cute vibe. It is Bermuda Bay in color and it is covered with polka dots.The focal image has three stockings hanging from some greens.

This was the card that I entered in the challenge. I was happy that I had another opportunity to use Stampin’ Up’s beautiful Shaded Spruce ribbon. It is just dreamy! Of course, I didn’t have any DSP to use that had all three colors on a light background to fit in with the idea in my mind. So I took a piece of Thick Whisper White cardstock and used my Stampin’ Blend alcohol markers along with a ruler and created my own DSP.

The thing that I have enjoyed the most in my Stampin’ Up journey is the relationships and the friends that I have made along the way. If this is something that you would enjoy, you can join my team here: http://www.thepolkadotlife.com/join-my-team/. You are not required to sell anything. You can achieve our low quarterly minimums simply by buying supplies for yourself. Joining to gain a product discount is perfectly acceptable! 🙂

This handmade Christmas card was made using Stampin' Up products. It has a large ribbon bow in Shaded Spruce and has an image of three stockings on the front.

Card Supplies

Card Measurements

  • Whisper White Thick Cardstock: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, scored at 4 1/4″
  • Crumb Cake Cardstock: 4″ x 5 1/4″
  • DSP: 2′ x 4″
  • Old Olive Cardstock: 2″ x 5″
  • Cherry Cobbler Cardstock: 1 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
  • Whisper White Cardstock: 1 1/4″ x 4 1/4″, also a scrap for sentiment

I love the clear and crisp images that you get when you stamp with this set. The designer gives us many greetings, several focal images, and then the little stamps that fill in several of the images. This stamp set was not one of my favorites when I first saw it in the catalog. However, when I saw cards that other people were making using this set, I was won over.

Thanks again for joining me. As always…Be kind, send a card, and do something creative!

Sally

A fall card using Stampin Up products.

Banner Year

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It’s a Banner Year! Wait…2020? Really? Ha, ha. Maybe not exactly but the stamp set by Stampin’ Up is a really good one. I teamed it up with the Gilded Autumn Designer Series Paper to make some pretty fall cards. Stampin’ Up has done an excellent job with making sure that their products can be paired together so easily.

The Gilded Autumn Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up is featured in this card.

The colors in the Gilded Autumn DSP are Cajun Craze, Early Expresso, Mint Macaron, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla. They are perfect together! However, I did find that if I was stamping an image in Mint Macaron, it is best to stamp off first as the color kind of comes off dark on the Very Vanilla. And I find that I don’t use Cajun Craze very often. Stampin’ Up uses some color combinations in their papers that I would never have the courage or idea to use together. But I will definitely use this combo again!

Today’s Video:

The stamp set is bundled with the Banner Year punch. That means that when you purchase the bundle you will save 10%. Aren’t we always looking for ways to make our crafting budget stretch a little bit more?

A greeting card on Early Expresso cardstock. It has images of a squirrel, an acorn, and a pumpkin on the front.

As I mentioned in my video, please leave a comment and let me know which of the four cards is your favorite. These cards came together very quickly. Mostly because of the DSP! A great paper is one of our greatest tools!

Supplies Used:

Card Measurements:

  • Cajun Craze Cardstock: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4″
  • DSP: 4″ x 5 1/4″
  • Very Vanilla Cardstock: 2 1/2′ x 2 1/2″
  • DSP or Cardstock of your choice: 1″ x 3 1/2″
  • DSP or Cardstock of your choice: 1/2″ x 3 1/4″
  • Very Vanilla (Inside): 4″ x 5 1/4″

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today. As always – be kind, send a card, and do something creative.

Sally

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