Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! I wanted to write a quick post today to show you the card I made for my mom. (I hope she doesn't read this before she sees the actual card!) I saw a card very similar to this on splitcoast and wanted to make my own. The original was made by Cindy Major. I think it was the color combination that drew me to this card. I did change it up a little bit by using Concord Crush in place of the usual Perfect Plum, but it's still the same idea. I promise that I will post some cards that use a different color combination soon.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! If you are a mom, I hope that your kids will be extra sweet and appreciative of you today. If you have a mom, I hope that you will get the chance to tell her how much she is loved!

Take care!

~Marla

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Something to Celebrate (retired hostess), Love and Care (level 2 hostess- Summer Mini)

Paper: In Color DSP (level 1 hostess), Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink: Concord Crush, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories: Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Scallop Trim Border punch, Big Shot, Beautiful Wings embosslit, Basic Rhinestones, Baja Breeze seam binding, shimmer spray

Techniques: Marker to Stamp

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Teacher Appreciation Week

Hello! Were you beginning to wonder if I would ever post again? April was an exceptionally busy and crazy month at our house and blogging, stamping, and a whole lot of other things had to get pushed to the back burner. I don't like it, but it's life. We are all back to normal now, so I hope to be posting a little more often.

Did you know that it is Teacher Appreciation Week? I am a former teacher and I just don't think it is possible to thank teachers enough for all that they do for our kids. I made a couple of little handmade gifts to kick off the week and thought I would share them with you. The picture above is a set of ten thank you cards that I made for my son's Kindergarten teacher and aid. I used five different color combinations (two cards of each combo) and the one shown is one of my all time favorites- Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, and Pear Pizzazz. If you look back through my blog posts, you will find this combo used more than once! I used the marker to stamp technique to get the different colors on the stamped image. Don't you just love Stampin' Up's markers? They are so versatile!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: So Many Thanks
Ink: Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz markers
Paper: Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White
Accessories: Cello Bags, Big Shot, Top Note die, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, 1 3/4" circle punch, 2 3/8" scalloped circle punch, 2 1/2" circle punch
Techniques: Marker to Stamp



This is the gift that I made for my son's specialist teachers. I know that they sometimes get forgotten so I always try to do a little something for them as well. I made this bag topper using the Petal Cone die in my Big Shot. The white circle layer was punched using the 2 1/2" circle punch. The sentiment is from "Thank You Kindly" set. I filled the bag with M&M's and put a little poem that I found on splitcoast on a slip of paper inside the bag. Here is the poem:

Green is for the inspiration you give each day.
Blue is for your patience in showing the way.
Orange is for your warmth and caring style.
Yellow is for the way you always smile.
Red is for the lives you have touched this year.
You're a very special teacher, that is clear.
You place knowledge into our children's hands
And melt into their heas and lives forever.


Supplies Used:
Stamp: Thank You Kindly
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Cello Bags, Big Shot, Petal Cone die, 2 1/2" circle punch


Have a great evening! I'm so glad that spring weather has finally arrived! Hope you're enjoying it too!

~Marla Pin It

Sneak Peek!

Hello! I have a little sneak peek to share with you today! This is a card that I CASE'd directly from Ronda Wade's blog. I love her style- she makes uncomplicated, but very pretty cards. Anyway, this stamp set is called "Four Frames" and it is from the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog (coming in July), along with this beautiful Designer Series Paper, which is called, "Paisley Petals". Demonstrators were able to preorder this set and DSP in March (just one of the things I love about being a demonstrator- we get to see and buy things before anyone else!) and customers have the opportunity to purchase the stamp set and paper in April. April hostesses can earn both for FREE!

Here are the details of the promotion...

In the month of April, customers who place a $20 (before tax and shipping) order will be eligible to purchase the "Four Frames" set for $20.95 (wood-mount) or $15.95 (clear-mount) and the "Paisley Petals" DSP for $9.95.

Hostesses will earn both the stamp set and the DSP for FREE when they have a $350 workshop!

This promotion is for April only. This set and DSP will not be available again until the new Idea and Book and Catalog is released on July 1st. You don't want to miss out!

I have the last weekend in April open for a workshop. If you would like to be a hostess and earn these free goodies, give me a call. I'd love to do a workshop for you and your friends!

Have a great day!

~Marla

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Four Frames, Silhouette Sentiments (level 1 hostess set)

Paper: Crumb Cake, Bravo Burgundy, Marina Mist, Whisper White

Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Marina Mist

Accessories: Big Shot, Beautiful Wings embosslit, 3/4" circle punch

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Technique Club Cards #2

Good Monday afternoon! I hope you had a great weekend! My technique hostess club met for the second time on Friday night and we had a wonderful time. I have been blessed with a really fun group of ladies in my club! We even had two new ladies join our group this time. It really was so much fun! At this meeting, we focused on techniques using heat embossing. The card above uses heat embossing only and the card below we used a technique called emboss resist. I was really happy with how these cards turned out. I hope my club members liked them too!

This card was a CASE of a card made by Michelle Hamilton that I found on splitcoast.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Because I Care (level one hostess)
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper EF, Heat Tool, Black Embossing Powder, Basic Black Satin Ribbon

This was the second card we made. It is a redo of a card I posted back in November. I really loved that card and thought it would be pretty redone using bright, springy colors. This card was used to teach the emboss resist technique. The larger flowers were embossed using clear embossing powder and then we sponged Sahara Sand ink over the embossed image giving it the soft shadow around the edges. This is called emboss resist because once you emboss an image, it resists ink so it doen'st stick to the image. There is also a new set that will appear in the new Idea book and Catalog that will be released in July. It is called Four Frames. I used it on the sentiment image. I love that this set coordinates with one of my favorite punches- the Decorative Label punch. Customers will have an opportunity to purchase and hostesses will be able to earn it for free during the month of April only! Contact me for more information!

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Four Frames

Paper: Rose Red, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Ink: Sahara Sand, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Decoratvie Label punch, Heat Tool, Clear Embossing power, Basic pearls, sponge dauber

Techniques: Dry Embossing, Heat Embossing, Emboss Resist

Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop back by soon!

~Marla

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Concord Crush Sympathy Card

Happy Sunday! We are having a rainy Sunday here and I've always thought that Sundays should be sunny, but oh well! Sunday is also the day of rest and that's all I feel like doing on a rainy day, so I guess an occasional rainy Sunday isn't too bad.

This is another card that I made using the new Build a Blossom stamp set and Blossom Petals punch. I used Concord Crush ink to make the flower. To make the two-toned flower, I inked up the solid flower petal stamp in the ink, then stamped once on scrap paper (a technique called stamping off) and then stamping again on my Whisper White cardstock. I then used the petal accent stamp full strength (without stamping off) over the full petal. I then punched them out and layered them over a circle that I punched out using the 1 3/4" circle punch.

This is a sympathy card because I had a friend request a set of sympathy cards, but it could easily be made into any type of card using the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set in the Word Window punch.

We will definitely be using this stamp set and punch at my upcoming flower-themed classes on April 9th and 15th. If you have not already registered and are interested in attending, I have several openings for the April 15th class, but the April 9th class is full. Please RSVP and send me your $20 ($15 for members of my stamping club) class fee by March 18th.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Stop back by sometime soon!

~Marla

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Build a Blossom, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Concord CrushPaper: Concord Crush, Basic Black, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Accessories: Blossom Petals punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch

Techniques: Two-step Stamping, Stamping Off

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Blue and Gold Baby Thank You

Hello! I hope that you are having a great weekend. Mine has been a blast! I had a card class on Friday night and there were eleven fun and fabulous ladies here andwe had a wonderful time.

My kiddos were away overnight last night, so I stayed up late and did some stamping. A friend of mine requested some baby thank you cards for her little one that is arriving this spring. She and her hubby graduated from WVU and are huge mountaineer fans, which inspired the color combo for this card. I used Night of Navy and Daffodil Delight to create the Mountaineer Blue and Gold. This is what is so nice about making your own cards- you can customize them to fit your personality!

This is a pretty quick card to make, which is the perfect type for mass production. The little baby outfit is from the level one hostess set in the Occasions mini catalog called "Slice of Life". I colored it with a blender pen in Night of Navy and Daffodil Delight ink. The card base was run through the Big Shot in the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. I really liked the way this sweet little card turned out and I'm glad my friend did too!

Have a fantastic Sunday! I have more cards that I will try to get posted over the course of the week. Check back soon!

~Marla

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Slice of Life, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, 1/8" Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, Blender Pen
Techniques: Watercoloring with a Blender Pen Pin It

Build a Blossom Birthday

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I last posted. So sorry! I have been stamping, but I just haven't had much extra time to get pictures and write the posts. I will try to do better- how many times have you heard that?

We are having beautiful weather here today and I thought that this bright and sunny card was fitting to share on such a pretty day. I hope that you are having nice weather where you are, too!

I have been having so much fun with this new set from the Occasions Mini catalog called, "Build a Blossom". It also has a matching punch (Blossom Petals Punch) that punches out all of the beautiful petals and leaves. At first, I didn't think I needed this set, but my sister convinced me otherwise (thanks, Marcy!) and I'm so glad she did. I think it would be very difficult to make an ugly card with this set and punch. Did you notice the pretty frame around the border of the Daffodil Delight cardstock? It was made with the new embossing folder also in the Occasions mini. It is called, "Framed Tulips". These products will all be available until April 30th. Make sure to order everything that you want by then!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful evening!

~Marla

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Build a Blossom, Create a Cupcake
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo
Ink: Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Big Shot, Framed Tulips EF, Blossom Petals punch, Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Poly-Stitched ribbon Pin It