You Make Me Happy!

This is another card I made for the Display Boards at convention.  I was looking through the pictures I took of those projects and this one caught my eye to share with you today.  Probably because of the bright cheeriness of it. 

Colors: Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush and Whisper White. Stamps: Hello, Lovely.   Big Shot: Chalk Talk Framelits. Punches: Pansy.  Accessories: In Color Boutique Details, 2013-2015 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack. 

I just love this "You Make Me Happy" stamp.  It's so darn cute.  And the Chalk Talk Framelit just adds a little tiny detailed point to the end of it and makes me happy too.  I don't use these Boutique Details enough.  This reminds me I need to break them out and use them more!

Is it Spring Yet?

It's has been the strangest winter.  Here in Utah, we had bitter cold weather in  December and piles of snow that are just now almost gone.  But while the rest of the country has bitter cold and piles of snow the past few weeks, we've had rain and 50 degree days.  (And no, I am NOT complaining about that.  I prefer rain and 50s to snow and below zero any day!)

This weekend, we had the chance to go down to southern Utah where the temperatures were right around 70 and I did see some crocuses coming out of the ground.  It was beautiful!  My uncle was clearing his land and getting ready to plant and my cousin broke out the rototiller for her garden.  But my favorite thing was just sitting out in the sunshine and reading or watching my boys run around and get some pent up energy out of their system.

So it's with thoughts of Spring and planting that I share this card with you today:

Colors: Coral Calypso, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Basic Gray and So Saffron.  Stamps: Tag it!  Big Shot: Oval Collection Framelits.  Punches: Bitty Punch Pack.  Accessories: Mini Brads, Occasions Paper Piercing Template, 2013-2015 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack.

This is another project I made for the display boards at convention last year.  The recent Stamp Crew Review Blog Hops reminded me that I still have plenty of samples from the boards to show here on my blog.

I really do hope that Spring is just around the corner for all of us everywhere.  (Of course, we have snow in the forecast today so I'll just keep right on dreaming.)

The Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop: Gorgeous Grunge

It's the third Monday of the month and that means it's time for another The Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop.  Love hopping along with these talented stampers.  Today we are featuring the Gorgeous Grunge Stamp Set.  Haven't all the projects been just amazing?  This is another set that I got to work with for the Convention Display Boards so I already had some projects to show you today.

This set was a little out of comfort zone at first.  Layering stamp images on cards doesn't come naturally to me.  But after playing with this a little bit, I think I might be starting to get the hang of it.  I didn't actually make this first card for the display boards, but I did make it for a convention swap and then never got around to sharing it on my blog:

Colors: Crumb Cake, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Basic Gray, Whisper White and Pool Party.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge and Really Good Greetings.  Big Shot: Chalk Talk and Oval Framelits.  Accessories: Gumball Green Core'dinations Cardstock, Mini Silver Brads.

This inspiration for that card actually came from this scrapbook page. I did make it for the convention display boards but it didn't end up on the boards. That's my oldest boy there, A.J.

Colors: Crumb Cake, Coral Calypso, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green, Basic Gray, and Pool Party.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge.  Big Shot: Deco Labels Framelits and Typeset Alphabet Bigz.  Punch: Hexagon.  Accessories: Epic Day This and That Designer Series Paper. 

And last but certainly not least, the Tag a Bag Gift Box.  Here I took the striped stamp and stamped a border all around the bottom of the box.  Inside the box are a couple of pairs of baby booties.  So cute, right?

Color: Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse and Pumpkin Pie.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, and Zoo Babies.  Big Shot: Oval Framelits.  Punch: Modern Label and Word Window.  Accessories: Tag a Box Bundle, Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon, Whisper White Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon.

I hope you have enjoyed my take on this fun stamp set.  If you like what you see, please follow my blog here or on Facebook.  Don't miss out on any of the other great stops on this hop today.  Click the boxes below to go through the hop forward or backward or check out all the links at the bottom of this post.  Happy hopping!

Rita Wright

Kerry Willard Bray

Blog roll

1. Heidi Baks  runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com
2. Cindy Beach stampspaperandink.typepad.com/
3. Beth Beard   mylittlecraftblog.com/
4. Adriana Benitez  escape2stamp.com
5. Tanya Boser   tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com
6. Debra Burgin  heartfeltinkspiration.com/
7. Jill Coleman  jillstamps.com/
8. Deb Currier  artfeltimpressions.blogspot.com/
9. Mike Funke    stampin-style.typepad.com/
10. Shana Gaff   stressfreestamping.blogspot.com
11. Holly Krautkremer  rubberredneck.typepad.com
12. Mary Rindal   maryrindal.com
13. Martha Stewart  seasonsofstamping.com/
14. Dawn Tidd   tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com
15. Lisa Young   addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/ 
16. Kerry Willard Bray  kerrywillardbray.com
17. Paula Wright  paulastamps.blogspot.com/
18. Rita Wright  ritascreations.blogspot.com/
19. Betty Traciak kittystamps.blogspot.com
20. Nancy Smith iguanastamp.wordpress.com

The Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop: Hello, Lovely

Welcome to another fabulous Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop.  This time we are featuring the set: Hello, Lovely.  Haven't all the projects just been amazing so far!  I feel so lucky to be hopping with this talented group of demonstrators from all over the country.

I may or may not have been cheating with this post.  Last summer, I got to be a display stamper for Convention and I never finished showing all of the projects I created for the display boards here on my blog.  So today, I get to show you three very different projects and I didn't even have to break a sweat to do it:

Colors: Midnight Muse, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Sky and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: You're Lovely.  Big Shot: Tasteful Trim XL Bigz, Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Accessories: Candy Dots and Candy Dot Bases.

This is kind of a fun masculine Thank You card.  It's primary colors would make it great for a teacher too.  I love this little "Thank You, You're the Best" stamp.  Probably because I use that "you're the best" phrase a lot.

Colors: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, So Saffron.  Stamps: Hello, Lovely.  Big Shot: Apothecary Accents Framelits.  Punches: Decorative Label, Artisan Label and Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  Accessories: Pear Pizzazz Chevron Ribbon, Baker's Twine, Candy Dots, and Window Sheets.

Hello, Lovely makes me think of something the English would say.  And that makes me think of Tea so I made a cute little box that holds some tea bags. 

Colors: Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, Smoky Slate and Whisper White.  Stamps: Hello Lovely and Label Love.  Punches: Artisan Label, Blossom and 7/8" Scallop Circle.  Accessories:  2013-2015 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack, Coastal Cabana and Crisp Cantaloupe Ruffle Stretch Trim, In Color Boutique Details, Smoky Slate Embossing Powder.

I always struggle to get good pictures of scrapbook pages so you'll have to just assume that it looks a little better IRL than it does here. :)  This is my cute cousin Carol and her husband Dave at their beautiful wedding in Grafton, Utah (just outside of Zion National Park).  Here I used some of the accent images from the Hello, Lovely set to make border on the page and elements.  It's a very versatile set.  (And of course a Stamp-a-ma-jig was required to get them even sort of straight.)

I hope you've enjoyed this stop on our hop today. Feel free to become a blog or Facebook follower so you can see upcoming posts or even just leave a little love in the comment section. Enjoy!

Rita Wright

Kerry Willard Bray

Blog Roll

1. Heidi Baks  runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com
2. Adriana Benitez  escape2stamp.com
3. Tanya Boser   tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com
4. Jill Coleman  jillstamps.com/
5. Shana Gaff   stressfreestamping.blogspot.com
6. Holly Krautkremer  rubberredneck.typepad.com
7. Yapha Mason   yaphamason.com
8. Mary Rindal   maryrindal.com/  
9. Dawn Tidd   tiddbitsfromdawn.typepad.com
10. Betty Traciak kittystamp.blogspot.com
11. Kerry Willard Bray  kerrywillardbray.com
12. Paula Wright  paulastamps.blogspot.com/
13. Rita Wright  ritascreations.blogspot.com/

Convention Display: I Dig You Seed Packet

It's been a couple of weeks since I shared one of my Display Board creations.  There are just so many fun things to share that I haven't had time.  Here is one of the 3D items that I made:

Colors: Gumball Green, Marina Mist, Strawberry Slush, Daffodil Delight. Whisper White.  Stamps: Tag It.  Big Shot: Chalk Talk, Bitty Banners and Oval Framelits, Adorning Accents Edgelits, Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Accessories: 2013-2015 In Color Designer Paper Stack, Mini Brads, Occasions Paper Piercing Pack, Many Marvelous Markers.

I had an idea for this stamp that involved an entire little garden set.  But I couldn't find the cute little pots I needed so it morphed into this.  And unfortunately, I didn't write down the measurements I used to make this little pocket.  But I know this Cocoa Packet Holder was the inspiration for it. I just changed up the measurements to work for the seed packet. 

I did run it through the Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder after I put it together.  Then to get the rounded top, I used the Adorning Accent Edgelit, carefully lined it up on the pocket and ran it through the Big Shot.

And here it is on the actual display board at convention with some of the other wonderful projects made by some very talented stamper:

Next week, I'll have some samples showing off the new Thinlet Card dies.  They are seriously addicting!

Convention Dislay: Happy Big Day!

I have another project from my convention display samples to share with you today.  This one I really felt like I stretched outside my usual comfort zone to make.  And I was surprised how much I liked it in the end:

Colors: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Island Indigo and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Dictionary and Chalk Talk. Big Shot: Chalk Talk and Deco Label Framelit Collections.  Accessories: Candy Dots and Stamp-a-ma-jig.

First of all, I always struggle with stamp layering.  I just don't feel like I do it right.  But I think with this card, I'm getting a step closer to getting the hang of it.  Second of all, I also had to master the use of a Stamp-a-ma-jig to get those lines down the side even close to lined up. This is a wonderful tool that helps you get your images straight and exactly where you want them on the page.  I just don't use it very often. But since I undertook the display stamper projects, I find I reach for it more and more. 

My next class is coming up in two weeks.  We will be making a version of this card at that class.  It's ever so slightly simpler and adds Pool Party to the color scheme and a little less sponging (although I think the sponging adds a lot to it so class participants can choose to add that step.)

I will be posting the rest of the projects either today or tomorrow so watch for them. All of the projects are inspired by something I learned or some swap I received at convention so stay tuned!

Convention Display: You're the Best

Here's another card front I made for the display boards at convention this year:

Colors: Early Espresso, Baked Brown Sugar, Crumb Cake.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge and Hello Lovely.  Big Shot: Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Punch: Decorative Label.  Accessories: Naturals Designer Buttons, Natural 7/16" Trim, Early Espresso Core'dinations Card Stock.

Here I paired the Thank You, You're the Best from Hello Lovely with the diagonal stripe stamp from Gorgeous Grunge for a masculine look.  And I love this Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

And any Textured Impressions Embossing Folder is even better when you pair it with the Core'dinations Card Stock. Did you notice that this fun card stock is now available in all the color families including the In Colors?  Click on the Shop Now button and get some of it for yourself!

Convention Display: Gorgeous Grunge Scrapbook Page

This year, I had the honor of being an Event Display Stamper and got to create samples that went on the actual display boards at the actual convention.  I was so excited to be asked and then so overwhelmed by the task.  But I would definitely do it again if given the opportunity.

Over the next few weeks (and maybe months) I will be sharing the projects I made.  Today, I'm sharing one of the three scrapbook pages I submitted:

Colors: Gumball Green, Crushed Curry, Pool Party, Basic Gray, Whisper White.  Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge and Hello Lovely.  Big Shot: Labels Collection Framelits, Tasteful Trim Bigz XL.  Accessories: Hung Up Cute Clips, Pool Party Seam Binding.

The Gorgeous Grunge stamp set should be on everyone's wish list.  It is perfect for adding some interest to the background of any card, scrapbook page or any other project.  And that "You Make Me Happy" from Hello Lovely is perfect for so many occasions.

One of the fun parts of being a display stamper is finding your name on the big "Thank You" board:

And then seeing your projects actually on the board is a bit of a thrill too:

I have plenty of swaps to be sharing with you over the next few weeks too so be sure to check back each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.