Check out these cute projects! I made them recently at a Demonstrator Extravaganza in Framingham, MA. These projects were all created by Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and Artisan Award winner, Robin Desko. I love everything about this set for a summer party. The invitation is so easy to put together and it is so bright and cheery that everyone will HAVE to come to the party!

Here is a close up of the pinwheel. Let me just tell you that this was a lot easier to make than I originally thought. This is just a decorative pinwheel and doesn’t actually spin, but so cute to use in a centerpiece at your party… I’ll have to make up a tutorial for that one real soon!

Last but certainly not least…the cute little party favor made with the Big Shot. The bucket was created using the Baskets and Blooms die.

Here you will see a close up of the decorative strip that runs through the center of the basket/pail. I used Crystal Effects to accent the sunglasses that were stamped across the Pumpkin Pie strips.

Check out this cute little shovel which was created entirely with Stampin’ Up! punches…

The handle of the shovel is created with the Word Window punch and the Horizontal Slot punch. That piece is glued to a strip of paper, which is then glued to a piece punched using the Tag Punch. The shovel is tied onto the basket/pail with a cute bow. Finally the sun is accented with Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.

All of these projects were very quick and a lot of fun to make. Thanks Robin for my new summer party set up!!

If you would like to recreate these projects…here is the recipe:

Stamps: Life’s A Breeze, Hugs and Wishes
Paper:Barely Banana, Ballet Blue, Whisper White,
Ink: Barely Banana, Ballet Blue, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: 1/4″ Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Lazy Days Jumbo Wheel, Sticky Strip, Dimensionals, Paper Piercing Tool, Paper Trimmer, Silver Brad, 3/4″ Punch, Wooden Skewer/dowel, Big Shot, Baskets and Blooms Die, Small Tag Punch, Word Window Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch

Click Here to Order your Stampin’ Up! Products Online 24/7

Happy Stamping!

I ordered the “Crazy For Cupcakes” stamp set special for her birthday this year after I learned this really cool technique from Donna Centamore a while back to make puffy frosting or snow. I thought this technique would be perfect for Emma because she loves to eat the frosting off cupcakes! She really got a kick out of the puffy frosting!

How about a tutorial?

Supplies:

• Crazy for Cupcakes Stamp Set (#111618)
• Hugs and Wishes Stamp Set (#109383)
• Chocolate Chip Card Stock (#102128)
• Pink Pirouette Card Stock (#111351)
• Whisper White Card Stock (#100730)
• StazOn Ink Pad Jet Black (#101406)
• Pink Pirouette Classic Stamp Pad (#111838)
• Close to Cocoa Classic Stamp Pad(#10139), re-inker(#102444), or Marker (#100072)
• Creamy Caramel Classic Stamp Pad(#103220), re-inker(#101478), or Marker (#100078)
• Going Gray Classic Stamp Pad (#103274), re-inker(#102521), or Marker (only in neutral pack #109126)
• Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker (#100052)
• Aqapainter (#103954)
• Pink Pirouette re-inker (#111843)
• Heat Tool (#100005)
• Salt and All-Purpose Flour

Gather your supplies and Pre cut your card stock pieces as follows:

• Pink Pirouette (5.5″x8.5″)
• Whisper White (5″x3.75″) and (2.75″ x 4″)
• Chocolate Chip (3″ x 4.25″)

Step 1: Random stamp balloons all over card front using Pink Pirouette Classic Ink.

Step 2: Using StazOn, stamp images on Whisper White Card Stock (2.75″ x 4″). I used Timber Brown StazOn, which has been retired from our catalog. the StazOn resists bleeding when you watercolor the cupcake bottoms. You can also use Basic Brown Classic Ink or Jet Black StazOn for the cupcakes and Chocolate Chip Classic for greeting.

Step 3: Stamp invitation information onto whisper white insert (5″ x 3.75″) using Chocolate Chip Classic Ink.

You can barely see it in the picture, but I also stamped a large cupcake in the center with Pink Pirouette Classic Ink. This will look like a watermark behind your writing.

I used my Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write marker to write in the rest of the information.

Step 4: Now for the fun part! Take a small container and add equal parts of All Purpose Flour and Salt. I used a Sponge Dauber to measure. Mix well.

Add a few drops of water and mix to the consistency a little thicker than school glue. Add 3 drops of Pink Pirouette Classic Ink to this mixture.

Step 5: Color each cherry with a Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker. Color the stand with Going Grey, and the bottoms of each cupcake were watercolored using an aqua painter, Creamy Caramel, and Close to Cocoa Classic Ink.

When watercoloring, I very quickly and lightly colored each bottom with creamy caramel starting at the top left hand corner and working to the right. You want white spots here and there so don’ worry about that. Then do the same with Close to Cocoa Classic Ink to add a shadow. You can see the detail in the next picture.

Step 6: Using a small spatula or screwdriver, carefully place the salt and flour mixture on each cupcake. You only need a little frosting on each cupcake, just make sure you push it from the center out to the stamped outline.

Using a heat tool dry the backside of the card stock until the mixture turns from shiny to matte finish. Then use the heat tool on the front of the card stock and heat each cupcake until the frosting puffs up.

Step 7: Assemble your card, and don’t forget to use your personalized name stamp on the back of your card so the receiver knows it was handmade by you!

I hope you have fun playing around with this technique. I suggest using some of those card stock scraps that you have lying around to play with this. If you add too much mixture It might not dry in the middle. If you add too much water the puffy accents might crush because they are too delicate.

Come back for more tutorials soon!

Happy Stamping!

This weeks challenge was to create a project using Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, and So Saffron. As I was unpacking the my stamping cart from vacation, I grabbed the first stamp set I saw…Eat Cake. This stamp set is great for any birthday, so if you like it make sure you contact me soon…It is going to retire on August 10th! The card I came up with is actually very simple to make and has a little bling to “Kick It Up A Notch”.

The card base is So Saffron cardstock random stamped with So Saffron Classic Ink using a sparkly stamp from the set. “Happy Birthday” is stamped in the lower right-hand corner with Wild Wasabi Classic Ink. Wild Wasabi Striped Grosgrain Ribbon is tied around the card with a basic knot.

This stamp set is a 2 Step-Stamping set, which means, you use two or more stamps to create the completed stamped image. 2 Step-stamping is so much fun a very versatile. To make the presents on the front of this card I first stamped them on Whisper White Cardstock with Almost Amethyst and Wild Wasabi. Then using Versamark Ink I stamped the decorations over the present, added Heat-N-Stick Powder, heat embossed, then sprinkled with Silver Glitter. I used Paper Snips to trim around each present and attached them with dimensionals to the card front.

I just love how the glitter sparkles in the sun! I hope you liked this one. Make sure you come back tomorrow…the retired accesories list will be announced tomorrow and all items listed are only available while supplies last! See you tomorrow….