SAB - such a great bundle!

Finally sharing this beauty I made with the Basket and Emboss Folder bundle that was available in Sale-a-bration.  The basket is gone now, but I am so glad the Emboss Folder is continuing on in our new upcoming Annual Catalog.  It is a Dynamic folder and make such a deep nice impression.

My flowers waterclolored using an aqua painter and the ink on the inside of the lid of the stamp pads.  And I fussy cut and popped up the little butterfly from the set.

Below you can see how I finished the inside of the card.

The pretty shimmery ribbon was also a freebie during Sale-a-bration and coordinated just beautifully.

Hope you like the inspiration - stop back soon for more.  ~Maureen

Challenge from our downline meeting...

Trying to catch up on my posting - so far behind.  This retiring and packing is hard work - lol!  So the creative challenge at our last downline meeting was to create a card using an image designed for coloring and show an alternative way to color it now that blendabilities are no longer available.  So here were the entries - 

Heidi's card with a broad-stroke watercolor wash and a few splatters.

Paula's card with watercolored image of tulips.

Sarah's flowers using a puddling watercoloring technique.

Close-up of Sarah's image.

All of these cards are beautiful and show that using Stampin' Up's inks, pads, brushes, and aqua painters you can achieve amazing looks on your hand-crafted cards.  Hope you enjoyed and got some inspiration!  ~Maureen

In Color Bookmark

One of the projects at our Open House was an In-color bookmark to keep in their catalogs.  We used the Art of Watercolor set and the five new In-colors to make it.  This set is amazing - we actually had customers asking where the brush was so they could make the swooshes - it really give the watercolor look to your project.

 Customers got a chance to make them at one of our three make and take stations.

Sandy and Joanie stamping and chatting!

Here are a bunch of them made up - my customers who didn't make the Open House will get them as a thank you in their orders this month.

Stop back for more of our Open House pictures and product.  ~Maureen

May Christmas Card 2

So here it is - our May Christmas card number 2.  For this card we used the Polka Dot Parade Real Red DSP; and Daffodil Delight cardstock.  We watercolored the Poinsettias with Real Red and blender pens and added the verse.  I really like the bright colors (and a little non-traditional) on this one.  Hope you like it too.

Stop back soon!  ~Maureen

Stamp Camp Card 2

So here is the second card we made at this month's card camp - isn't it lovely!  We used the Core'dinations cardstock in Island Indigo run through the Big Shot with the Beautifully Baroque embossing folder.  Then sanded it lightly over the top to give that shabby yet elegant look.

The sets we used were Apothecary Art and Loving Thoughts.  After stamping the flowery image we cut it out using the Labels Collection framelits.  Then using our blender pens added a little bit of watercoloring.

Finally a Summer Starfruit Marked was added to the center of the flowers.  Like I said - Lov-e-ly!  Third card coming soon.  ~Maureen

So sweet - card from Stamp Camp

Today I'm sharing the second cute card we did at my last Cards Stamp Camp - this one was designed by my daughter Heidi, but it is sooooo my style - clean and simple.  The little lamb is just perfect to welcome that new little baby - and the neutral colors - allow it to by used for boy or girl.

Here's a close up - you can see we ran the Crumb Cake layer through the big shot, and water-colored the little lamb.  Inside is says "welcome baby."

I hope you like it - stop by soon to see the third card we made.  ~Maureen

Watercolor Class - Part III

The final project we made at the Watercolor class was this little gift bag. Heidi had us make it using the Stampin' Up! watercolor crayons, and we used them direct to stamp - spritz stamp with water, color with crayons directly onto stamp, spritz with water again and stamp on your cardstock. Soft and Lovely!!! Hope you enjoyed seeing some of the things you can create with different watercoloring techniques. See you soon!

Water Color Class - Part II

Today I'm going to share two more of the projects we made at the recent Watercolor Class - the first was this adorable little treat box - we used Stampin' Ups! watercolor paper, reinkers and Stampin' Ups! aqua painters to create a beautiful fall landscape - Next we used watercolor pencils and blender pens to make this adorable little birthday card for baby! Stop back tomorrow when I'll share the final project we made.

Convention 2011 Cards

So I've been busy, busy getting ready for my downline appreciation luncheon this weekend, and for Convention next week - woo, hoo!! There are some things I don't want to share yet, but I did want to share these. They are my cards for an organized swap I entered in for Convention. I used the new Hostess set "Faith in Nature" which I absolutely love. It's perfect for watercoloring - very "artsy" look to it - Here's a close up of the card - using Pear Pizzaz, Blushing Bride, Soft Suede, Basic Black and Vanilla. Each one was watercolored so they vary a bit - but I think they all came out great. And an even closer close-up of the water-coloring - isn't it pretty. I used watercolor paper, and found if you bend the corner a bit it will split and you can seperate it in two pieces - it makes it go twice as long, but even better, it is lighter and thinner then and adds less weight to your cards. Let me know what you think.