Nutz about Stamping

See how bright paper can make your cards shine

You know those times when you make a card, you sit back and say - wow! I love what I made! That's what happened to me this week for this Paper Craft Crew card map challenge: 

At the same time this card map challenge was posted I was thinking of a birthday card that I wanted to make for my sister. I was digging through my designer paper stash and spotted the polka dots paper in the Trimming the Town paper pack. Immediately I thought that this bright paper would be perfect for the card background. 

Christmas paper can be used for so many other card themes - if you choose the right pattern of course. Polka dots are perfect for many occasions and I love the bright Poppy Parade color. Decision made. 

Next, the stamp set. After digging a bit more I chose my Painted Poppies bundle. 

I love poppies and know that if I used my Poppy Parade Stampin' Blends to color the larger poppy and make it the focal point on my card it would really pop. Everything fell into place quite quickly after this point. The 'happy birthday' phrase comes from the Timeless Tulips stamp set - I use this phrase a lot on my cards because it is the perfect size and I really like the font as well.  

Here's my card, what do you think? Do you love it as much as I do? 

If you want to see what the other design crew members created for this week's card map challenge, click here. We would love to your to try our map and invite you to add your card to the Paper Craft Crew site using the link we provided. It's fun to share our ideas!

The first time I heard of Stampin' Up!

Sometimes a customer or crafty friend will ask me how I heard about Stampin' Up! That is a funny story: 

I used to live in Albuquerque, New Mexico where I was the principal of two small private elementary schools, each with the same owner. The owner had a board of directors to help her with management and financial decisions. One of those board members was responsible to sign our pay checks each month.

I became quite close with this board member - I really admired her business sense and logical way to approach to solving problems that arose. One day, as we were chatting, she invited me to her home to attend 'a stamping party'. 

I remember my reaction vividly. I thought: this woman collects postage stamps? I used to collect postage stamps when I was a little girl but this is crazy. A stamping party about postage stamps? Who does that!

But then I thought: she signs my paychecks and she in on the board of the schools I work in - think 'contract renewal' here. So of course I said yes!

Two weeks later I went to her home, very worried that I had no postage stamps to bring. And I met a very friendly and fun person who talked about Stampin' Up! and introduced me to a world of crafting that I had never heard about before. 

One other important point here. Because of my art experiences in my own school life I honestly believed that I suck at art. I got failing grades in art at school every year so now I was at a stamping party freaking out because I know I am no good at art. 

I made the most gorgeous Christmas card at that stamping party. I couldn't believe that I could make somewhat that beautiful and I was immediately hooked. I bought everything that I needed to make the card to send for Christmas that year and when my supplies came that kind Stampin' Up! lady (called a demonstrator) came to my house and helped me design my own twist on that card. 

I have never looked back. I started hosting my own stamping parties with that same demonstrator and as I moved through different jobs in the next couple of years, she demonstrated more gorgeous card ideas to me and my friends. A few years later I joined Stampin' Up! (under her of course) and have never looked back. 17 years of fun, friendship and crafting. What an amazing ride it has been so far!

Why not join my team and all the fun too? There is a fantastic offer that you should know about if you are considering becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator too. 

I invite you to email me if you have questions or want to know more. Click on the photo below for all the promotion details. But hurry - this promo ends 30 September!

 

How to do the fabulous watercolor wash technique

It is a rainy and miserable day here today so what better thing to do than learn a new stamping technique! Once you know this technique you can use it for a variety of occasions!

For my card I use the Tasteful Touches stamp set. From the moment I saw this set, I was smitten! 

I love the designs and phrase font - I think this set is so unique. 

For the Watercolor Wash technique you need to use Watercolor Paper as it has the weight needed to take lots of color and not shred or disintegrate. 

Our Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper is a thick paper designed especially for watercoloring. It is cold-pressed, archival cotton paper. I show in my video below how to create a watercolor wash, along with some bonus tips for your design. 

Here's my card:

Here's what you need to make this card. You can click on the stamp set and watercolor paper photos above to link directly over to my online store. 

Stamp set: Tasteful Touches (152662)

Ink: Gorgeous Grape

Paper and cutting dimensions:
        Gorgeous Grape: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
        Whisper White: 5 3/8" x 4 1/8"; 3 1/4" x 3 1/2"
        Watercolor: 3 3/4" x 5"

Other: Watercolor paper (149612); Stampin' Dimensionals; Snowflake Sequins (150443); Stitched Labels dies (146828); Stampin' Spritzers (126185); Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding (151326); Fine Tip Glue Pen; Stampin' Seal; Clear Block; Stampin' Cut & Emboss machine, paintbrush

Here's my video - thanks for watching!

Here's how to get two free crafting ideas every week

All you have to do is subscribe! Each week I email two short newsletters sharing projects you won't see anywhere else! The products I use are featured in this seasonal (fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!) catalog...

or this Annual catalog:

Every project includes all the supplies you need (including ordering numbers!) and a full set of step-by-step instructions. I also share tips, tricks, techniques and products I am nutz about. 

Why join my mailing list? Here are 7+ great reasons:

• exclusive card samples with photos and step-by-step instructions
• stamping techniques
• tool tips featuring brand new products or my all-time faves
• customer Q&A's - perhaps some you have been secretly asking too!
• information on upcoming classes with registration and payment links
• card maps and challenges
• special offers and surprises sprinkled in
• and much, more

If you are not on my mailing list and would like to be, here's what you do:

1. Look for the Join My Mailing List heading in the right column of this blog

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3. In a few minutes, check your email. I use a confirmed opt-in subscription process to guarantee that you do want to subscribe. Please watch your email and respond to the confirmation notice that you will receive.

BONUS: As a thank you, I will send a link for you to download three exclusive project ideas 

Let all your crafty (and crafty wannbe) friends and family members know about my free newsletters and subscribe today to let the stampin', scrappin' and paper craftin' fun ideas begin!

Here's a peek at a card I recently shared in one of my recent newsletters, using the Beautiful Autumn set:

What autumn adventure would you create for this challenge

This week's Paper Craft Crew challenge is super fun - you get you create your own Autumn Adventure!

Normally challenges like this intimidate me and I stall out trying to figure out what to do. But not this week. I immediately decided to use the My Meadow set to create an autumn scene. 

 

I chose this set because it is perfect for creating soft and lovely outdoor scene with its images. As per usual, I started with my paper choice and colors. I love the Plaid Tidings paper pack and chose a strip that had colors that I consider to work well with this autumn themed challenge:

I chose a pattern that had Cajun Craze in it - that seemed a perfect color for my card base. Then the rest was pretty easy. I used my Stampin' Write markers to create my wheelbarrow image, and matched colors where possible to the paper. I chose to make my card a thank you so that I can mail it to a customer who placed an order at my online store. But you can certainly change the phrase to match an occasion you have coming up soon. 

Here's my challenge card - what do you think?

Why not look through your sets and see what Autumn Adventure card idea you can create using the supplies you have on hand. If you want to see what the other crew members created, click here to head on over to the Paper Craft Crew site. 

You don't want to miss our fantastic Flash Sale!

Stock up on stamp sets at a stellar price! For one day only, you can purchase select cling and photopolymer stamp sets at a 15% discount. This short, stamp-tacular sale only happens once a year—you won’t want to miss out on these super savings!

 

 

Click here for all the juicy details! 

 

 

Want to see the best nature stamp sets?

I love nature, and try to get out to the forest for a walk every single day. Which is odd. Because if you asked me a few years ago I would have clearly stated that I prefer beaches to forests.  

But I have completely changed my mind after living in this beautiful country. The Netherlands has both gorgeous beaches and beautiful forests. And over time I have begun to better appreciate walking in the forests.

Because they change. Every day I notice something new and slowly see the changes through the seasons. As I walk, I often stop to snap a quick photo of something that catches my eye. 

 Sometimes I have even scrapbooked some of these memories because I know over time they will be forgotten. Other times I am inspired to create a card that has more of a nature theme. 

What are some great nature themed stamp sets that reflect the loveliness of nature? Here are my top five, in no particular order:

1. Campology - Although I am not much of a camper anymore, the outdoor imagery and sentiments in this set is perfect for your masculine projects or projects about camping and the outdoors.
   
   
   
2. Rooted in Nature - This set celebrates nature and everything in it. You can layer images to create a natural scene, or mix and match the images to create natural collages
   
   
   
   
3. Nature's Beauty - what is nature without some quiet beauty? This is what a forest looks like in my mind:
   
4. Birds & Branches - perfect for creating custom die-cut birds, flowers, and nature scenes. (Tip: bird stamp sets are super popular right now!)
   
   
   
5. Walk in the Woods - a bit obvious from the title. This set combines messages of friendship with images from the great outdoors.
   
   
   

You will see that I did not show any floral stamp sets. That was deliberate on my part because I believe that most crafters have tons of florals they can use and I wanted to feature lesser know sets for you to consider. 

What about you? Do you prefer forests or beaches? What are your go-to stamp sets when you are nature inspired? I would love to know. 

Learn how to make your own gift tote projects

Want to learn how to make your own gift totes? It's easy and I am going to show you how!

I love making my own small boxes, totes, and bags. It is fun to coordinate colors, patterns, stamps and dies - and the best part is that it only takes a bit of time. Not to mention the cost savings!

This project can be adapted to suit any occasion, theme, or season for which you need a gift tote. I started off my choosing my designer paper and then let the colors in that paper guide me for the main base and handle color. I decided to use up a left over piece of the Forever Greenery paper. The patterns feature elegant greenery with painted watercolor patterns to give your projects an organic feel. One side of each sheet has large, leafy designs; the other side has painted patterns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love all the combinations of green in the paper designs:

• Old Olive
• Soft Sea Foam
• Garden Green
• Just Jade
• Pear Pizzazz
• Shaded Spruce
• Pretty Peacock

I have a lot of Soft Sea Foam so I chose a Forever Greenery pattern that had this color so that I could use Soft Sea Foam as my base color. That immediately made me think of using Pretty Peacock as my ink color - nice, dark contrast.

For the phrase and leaf embellishment, I chose my Forever Fern bundle and images:

And after these choices were made the project came together quite well! My final touch was to use three Woven Threads Sequins - this assortment has both Soft Sea Foam and Pretty Peacock sequins, the perfect match with the paper colors.

One tool that I feel is essential for any kind of box or bag project is the Simply Scored. This is the time of year to purchase a scoring tool as after seeing this video you will be making scores (no pun intended) of little boxes and can quickly and efficiently score all your holiday cards in one easy step.  

I use this tool in my video for today's gift tote projects so that you can see how handy this tool is. 

 

If I could do over two bits of this project, I would round the top corners of the gift tote and make the handle a bit longer. I might even stamp the Soft Sea Foam base for additional visual interest. What do you think?

Stamp set: Forever Fern bundle (154094

Ink: Pretty Peacock

Paper and cutting dimensions:
        Soft Sea Foam: 3 1/4" x 7 1/2"; 2 1/4" x 8 1/2"; 1 1/4" x 8"
        Whisper White: 3 1/2" x 2 1/2"
        Forever Greenery: 2" x 10"

Other: Forever Greenery designer series paper (152492); Tear & Tape Adhesive; Layering Circle dies; Simply Scored (   ); die-cutting and embossing machine

Here's my video - listen along for additional tips and suggestions. 

You need see how this amazing product adds sparkle and shine

Sometimes the smallest, inexpensive product can add that perfect final touch to a card, can't it? For example, the Celebrate Sunflowers card below is colorful, has texture and really draws the eye. 

But what you cannot see is the sparkle and shine added by the Wink of Stella. 

Wink of Stella is basically a 'Glitter brush' for accenting stamped images. The brush tip produces thick and thin lines, so you can  add a touch of sparkle and shine or just a little bit - where you need it to be! And this product can also be used on scrapbook pages because it is acid free and of archival quality. And although the photo doesn't properly show it, the liquid dries clear, leaving the sparkle to shine. 

This Celebrate Sunflowers card uses Wink of Stella to the sunflower and leaves. I love this bundle because it has bold images and is the perfect complement for the fall season that is coming our way. 

The font and sentiments are lovely are they? 

See full instructions below!

Supplies:

• Stamp Sets – Celebrate Sunflowers Bundle (154065)
• Card Stock – Whisper White Thick (140490); Crushed Curry (131288)
• Stamp Pads – Memento Black Ink (132708)
• Misc. – Little Details Embossing Folder (153127); Stitched Rectangle Dies (151820); Stampin Blends Daffodil Delight (154883); Shaded Spruce (154903); Mango Melody (154888); Soft Suede (154906); Playing with Patterns Resin Dots (152467); Wink of Stella Clear (141897)

Measurements:  

• Whisper White Thick card base:    8 1/4"  x 5 7/8”
• Crushed Curry card:                         3 3/4” x 3 1/4”; 4 1/8” x 1/2"
• Whisper White cardstock:               2 3/4” x 4 1/8”
• Whisper White card:                        5” x 4 1/2"        

Instructions:

1. Score and fold Whisper White Thick Cardstock
2. Stamp sunflower and three leaves in Memento ink onto larger Whisper White card.
3. Color sunflower and leaves with Stampin Blends, using the dark to create highlights and shadows
4. Die cut stamped images
5. Die cut Whisper White cardstock with Stitched Rectangle die
6. Emboss larger Crushed Curry card with the Little Details folder
7. Stamp sentiment with Memento ink on strip of Crushed Curry card
8. Adhere embossed card to card base with liquid adhesive
9. Adhere leaves to the back of sunflower with liquid adhesive
10. Using Stampin’ Dimensionals pop up Whisper White rectangle to card
11. Using Stampin’ Dimensionals pop up sunflower and adhere to card
12. Adhere sentiment to bottom of card with liquid adhesive
13. Scatter three Crushed Curry Playing with Patterns Resin Dots to card
14. Using the Wink of Stella brush add sparkle to sunflower and leaves

Feeling crafty? Let me help with a design challenge

This week's the Paper Craft Crew card map challenge is pretty easy and fun and I hope it helps you feel crafty. 

It sure did for me! I started off by choosing the paper strip and from that strip I chose my main card colors. The paper strip comes from the Plaid Tidings paper pack:

 

I absolutely LOVE this pack of papers because the colors are, in my mind, more masculine. Some plaids are even perfect for Halloween and Christmas. 

• Cherry Cobbler
• Melon Mambo
• Blackberry Bliss
• Shaded Spruce
• Pretty Peacock
• Bumblebee
• Pumpkin Pie

I chose Bumblebee and Rich Razzleberry as my main card colors. But then I was a bit stumped by which stamp set to use. After digging around in my crafting closet I spotted the Coming Home bundle and thought it might be kind of fun to use one of the houses on my card. 

It was fun making this card. I colored the house using my Stampin' Blends and then at the last moment, I added the 'congrats' phrase. 

Here's my Coming Home card - do you see the background stamp? Do you know what stamp set it is from? It is also from the Coming Home stamp set - but was designed to be 'smoke' coming from the chimney. 

Now it is your turn. Try the card map challenge for the wee using what you have on hand. If you want to see what the other design crew members created for this challenge, click here. 

Spread love and cheer with this elegant kit

Announcing the October Paper Pumpkin Kit!

 

 

 

The Joy to the World kit has been thoughtfully created for the season of spreading joy. October’s Paper Pumpkin kit was designed to bring people together—connecting them with one another and spreading joy with each other around the world! With die-cut sentiments in English, French, and German, you can send holiday cheer to your friends across the globe—in their language.

To connect and spread joy with international customers and demonstrators through the Joy to the World Paper Pumpkin Kit, Stampin' Up! has even created a Facebook group: Joy of Paper Pumpkin! When connecting with your new friends, don’t forget to share your experience with the #joyofpaperpumpkin hashtag.

The fine details:

• This kit contains enough supplies to create eight cards—four each of two designs—and coordinating envelopes.
• Includes die-cut pieces in English, French, and German. This will allow you to create cards you can use to connect with other customers and demonstrators around the world—in their language! To learn more about how to do this, read the “The Joy of Paper Pumpkin” section on this page.
  • Card size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" (10.8 x 14 cm)
  • Envelope size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4" (11.4 x 14.6 cm)
• Coordinating Colors: Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Just Jade, Soft Sea Foam

What is Paper Pumpkin, you ask?

Paper Pumpkin is our monthly subscription service that offers fun ‘n’ easy papercrafting projects for crafters of any skill level! Each kit is all-inclusive: subscribers receive pre-cut paper pieces, embellishments, ink, and an exclusive stamp set. As the subscription continues, you will quickly have a collection of cards and other creations for a variety of occasions, in addition to a stockpile of supplies!

***Subscribe to the Joy to the World Paper Pumpkin Kit between 11 September and 10 October.

Subscribe now to get your Joy to the World kit!

Click here to subscribe

Here's a peek of the June kit - just so you can see what Paper Pumpkin is like:

Here's how to get extra products in your starter kit!

Solution: join this month! September's promotion is perfect for those of you who want it all (or want to start a business). I am so excited that I finally get to share our Get & Go promo: 

PSST: click on the photo below to see the full flyer!

The Get & Go Starter Kit promotion is designed to give you additional products in your Starter Kit to help you get started right away. In this kit bonus you will receive precut paper, stamps, and embellishments to use in your first event. 

 

Details: For only $99, you will choose $125 worth of products and also receive enough cardstock pieces to make 16 cards, a pack of Rhinestone Basic Jewels, the So Much Love stamp set, and the Queen Anne’s Lace stamp set -- WOW. 

 

Why not join my team and all the creative fun? 

What's the catch? (hint, there is no catch)

• Free shipping – the kit ships to you FREE, for another 10% savings.
• There is no obligation to ever host a party, workshop or sell product and absolutely no pressure from me! It's your business!
• No Risk – You can enjoy all the benefits & discounts of being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator with no risk. No Catch. I Promise. 

GET SUPPORT

Just as Stampin' Up! demonstrators provide their customers with one-stop shopping and individualized service, Stampin' Up! will provide YOU with the opportunity to pursue your individual goals whether those goals are to enjoy a hobby, build a thriving business, or contribute to family income while spending more time at home.

Whether you'd like to earn money to pay for your stamping supplies, create a full or part-time career, or simply get a discount on your stamping supplies, Stampin' Up! (and me!) will help you do it. And if that isn't enough, here are 10 more reasons for you to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

1. Get ideas for handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and home decor projects.
2. Learn new, artistic stamping techniques on a monthly basis.
3. Gain first access to popular popular lines and exclusive, award-winning designs.
4. Get a 20 percent discount on ALL Stampin' Up! products.
5. Be your own boss, and establish a flexible business that meets your goals.
6. Spend more time with family when you work from home with a schedule that fits you and your family.
7. Be eligible to attend Stampin' Up!'s fabulous conferences and events.
8. Earn free exotic trips and other recognition (like free rubber stamps, cash awards, and other valuable prizes).
9. Meet new friends and enrich lives while sharing what you love.
10. Receive support and training from Stampin' Up!

If you’ve got questions, I am happy to provide the answers.  Email me today and let’s chat! ([email protected])

What's the catch? (hint, there is no catch)

• Free shipping – the kit ships to you FREE, for another 10% savings.
• There is no obligation to ever host a party, workshop or sell product and absolutely no pressure from me! It's your business!
• No Risk – You can enjoy all the benefits & discounts of being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator with no risk. No Catch. I Promise. 

GET SUPPORT

Just as Stampin' Up! demonstrators provide their customers with one-stop shopping and individualized service, Stampin' Up! will provide YOU with the opportunity to pursue your individual goals whether those goals are to enjoy a hobby, build a thriving business, or contribute to family income while spending more time at home.

Whether you'd like to earn money to pay for your stamping supplies, create a full or part-time career, or simply get a discount on your stamping supplies, Stampin' Up! (and me!) will help you do it. And if that isn't enough, here are 10 more reasons for you to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

1. Get ideas for handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and home decor projects.
2. Learn new, artistic stamping techniques on a monthly basis.
3. Gain first access to popular popular lines and exclusive, award-winning designs.
4. Get a 20 percent discount on ALL Stampin' Up! products.
5. Be your own boss, and establish a flexible business that meets your goals.
6. Spend more time with family when you work from home with a schedule that fits you and your family.
7. Be eligible to attend Stampin' Up!'s fabulous conferences and events.
8. Earn free exotic trips and other recognition (like free rubber stamps, cash awards, and other valuable prizes).
9. Meet new friends and enrich lives while sharing what you love.
10. Receive support and training from Stampin' Up!

If you’ve got questions, I am happy to provide the answers.  Email me today and let’s chat! ([email protected])

When is the last time you used the faux leather technique?

The technique I am going to share with you today is one that I learned many years ago when I first became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I haven't used this technique in a very long time so today's the day! Once you learn the Faux Leather technique you can apply it to all sorts of occasions that you may need in future. 

Today's Faux Leather card uses the Christmas Gleaming Variety bundle to make a Christmas card. I love that Stampin' Up! not only brought back the Christmas Gleaming stamp set and Gleaming Ornaments punch pack, but also the Brightly Gleaming Specialty paper! Bringing back paper is quite unusual especially a paper pack that was super popular in a previous catalog. I am delighted! Every class that I held last year (remember those pre-COVID days?) used this variety pack and all my customers loved the cards I designed, especially the ones using that festive paper! 

(Psst: click on the photo above to go directly to my USA online store; leave a comment for my European store link)

Moving on to the Faux Leather technique: this technique is really quite simple but packs a wow because of the look and texture it creates. As I explain in my video below, you can use this technique on die-cut images (as I did), or on entire card layers. Once you learn the technique you can apply it in many different ways.

Here's my Christmas Gleaming Faux Leather card. I explain the technique in the video below (easier than trying to type it out), walking you through each step and providing tips along the way. 

Christmas Gleaming Faux Leather card

Stamp set: Christmas Gleaming (150464) OR the entire Variety bundle (156082) 

Ink: Pretty Peacock

Paper and cutting dimensions:
        Pretty Peacock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"; 2 1/2" square
        Very Vanilla: two squares, each 2 1/2"; 1 3/4" x 2 3/4"; 2 1/2" x 6/8"
        Brightly Gleaming: 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"

Other: Brightly Gleaming punch pack (150647); Brightly Gleaming Specialty designer series paper (150429); Layering Circles dies (141705); Woven Threads Sequins Assortment (149498); Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding (151336); Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Bone Folder

Here's my video tutorial, thanks for watching!

 

How to remember your daily adventures in a fun way

COVID-19 has impacted so many of us for a very long time, hasn't it? Some countries are slowly opening up again and some schools have reopened for students once again. Other countries are taking a more needed cautious approach.

In the Netherlands schools have reopened but offices are encouraged to keep their employees working from home as yet. My office has decided that we will work from home until 4 January 2021 at the earliest - a bit of a surprise when I first head this news but I think it is the right decision as our office is open area for almost everyone. 

As an expat living away from home, my only social time was with my work colleagues so the past 171 days (yes I have been counting) has meant a lot of solitude and sometimes a bit of loneliness. A few weeks ago a colleague invited three of us to her place for Friday night Pizza and Games night. It was so much fun that we decided it would be a weekly event - a way to socialize a bit in safety. 

And so a pizza night tradition has begun and each week we show up at her apartment to make pizzas. But not any normal pizza, no way! Each week we try three different types of pizzas and stretch our culinary skills and imagination. 

When I saw this sketch challenge and three photos I immediately decided to create a memory page of Pizza Night as years from now looks at this page will bring a smile to my face. And that's what we want memories to do, right? 

What I like about the above sketch is all the different elements the page. I have always been attracted to splatter stamps and shapes so I was eager to get started. What proved quite challenging was the hexagons. I could have used another shape but I liked the elements. So [shock] I dusted off a required hexagon punch from a couple of Annual Catalogs ago to decided to use it. 

Next was the paper choice for the hexagons. I looked for color inspiration in the photos and chose Cherry Cobbler and Shaded Spruce which are two colors in one of the patterns in Plaid Tidings paper:

I used some splatter stamps from the Painted Poppies stamp set and I created the title from the Make a Difference stamp set. I did a second little cheat and used another splatter stamp from the retired Gorgeous Grunge stamp set. Remember that set? 

 

I am really happy with how my page turned out - it has a very different style from what I am used to creating and I love it!

What weekly events would you want to remember years from now? Choose one, take some photos and try this Sketch Challenge too. 

How to create a focal point on your cards

This week's Paper Craft Crew card map challenge is looks easy, doesn't it? Why not give it a try too?

As I was thinking about the oval image a thought struck me: I don't have to actually use an oval as long as I have something large as the main focal point. So I decided right away that I wanted to use my Daisy punch as I haven't used it in a long time and wonder if I will as we look to fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

After that decision was made I noticed that in the Daisy Lane stamp set (perfect coordination!) there was a stamp that I have never used - eek.

 

 

So I thought that I would use the leaf stamp as the background element on the map.

Next was the paper strip. I spotted a left over piece of the Playing with Patterns paper and that strip was the deciding factor to use Bumblebee as the ink color for my daisies.

The rest of my card fell together quite quickly and I am very happy with the tiny Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon as the final touch.

Here's my card:

I was happy with it, for use. But then I spotted my Elegant Faceted Gems. And of course and to add three of them to add some subtle bling! Can you spot them in the photo below?

If you want to see what the other design crew members created for this challenge, head here. And if you try this map too, enter your card on the Paper Craft Crew site for everyone to see and comment on. You don't have to use Stampin' Up products - use what you have on hand!