Simple n' Sassy

Today's card is Simple n' Sassy. The requirements for Simple n' Sassy cards are that they take minimal time to create and use limited supplies.... less muss and fuss... simply sassy results.

Using the squares image from the Park Avenue Patterns set and my Stamp-a-ma-Jig I stamped tidy rows in Chocolate Chip on Kiwi Kiss card stock. No Designer Series Paper needed today -- I'm creating my own. TIP: I only stamped the image along the top and bottom edge. No need to waste time filling in the middle section when the plan is to cover it up -- remember minimal time is a requirement.

Next, I chose the circles pattern and stamped it (again using the Stamp-a-ma-Jig) in Chocolate Chip on Baja Breeze. TIP: I found it easiest to use an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock and stamp all the way across the shorter side. I then trimmed the strip from it so that I could choose the best section. I matted my strip on Very Vanilla and again onto Chocolate Chip. I then adhered this to my Kiwi Kiss background.

I love embellishments (they're sassy) and the Vintage Brads were the perfect compliment to these chic patterns. I randomly placed them into the squares pattern on both the top and bottom. TIP: I popped these in BEFORE sticking my Kiwi Kiss background onto its Vanilla matting. This way I was sure to avoid having a mess of brad backs showing on the inside of my card.

The focal point was made by stamping the squares again onto Whisper White and randomly coloring a few with my Old Olive and Bordering Blue markers. (very close matches to the Kiwi and Baja) The sentiment is from Lovely Labels and was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Kiwi Kiss and 'popped' using Stampin' Dimensionals. A few more mats for the center piece and everything was adhered to the Chocolate Chip card base. Voila -- Simple n' Sassy Stampin'!

Order Online anytime - it's simple. (and sassy too! ;)

Stamps: Park Avenue Patterns (114445), Lovely Labels (115028)
Paper: Kiwi Kiss (111353), Baja Breeze (111352), Whisper White (100730), Chocolate Chip (102128)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (100908)
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-Jig (101049)
Sassy Somethings: Vintage Brads (109109)
Other: Stampin' Write Markers in Old Olive (100079) and Bordering Blue (100070)

Park Avenue Patterns (set of 4)
(114445) $19.95

Welcome to 5th Avenue!

And welcome to Sassy Stampin'! I'm so excited to be a NEW Stampin' Up! demonstrator and to have an opportunity to share what I LOVE with you. The best way for you to keep up with the projects I will be featuring here is to SUBSCRIBE (right side bar) to receive blog updates.

As you probably know, Fifth Avenue is fashion central in New York City. Since my blog is THE place for stylish and sassy stampers it only seems fitting that today's project feature one of my favorite new sets from the Spring/Summer catalog: Fifth Avenue Floral

The layout is adapted from Splitcoast Sketch Challenge: SC217. I tend to work with a 5" x 7" template... more room for embellishments and showcasing Stampin' Up's! fabulous Designer Series Papers. My card base is Groovy Guava(In Color 2008) followed with a layer of Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip Designer Series Paper. I won't make it a habit to use retired colors or papers, but come on... surely I'm not the only one with leftovers! (NOTE: If you wanted to brighten up this color combo you could use Tempting Turquoise and Cameo Coral.)

The flowers are stamped in StazOn ink onto SU's heavyweight watercolor paper (a must to prevent bleeding) and were 'colored' using Aqua Painters and Stampin' Up! Pastels. The smorgasboard of 50 colors you receive in the Pastels package is truly lovely. Watercoloring is a very popular technique right now and the pastels couldn't have made it easier to obtain beautiful shading. (Did you know that Pastels are one of the MANY products you receive in the new demonstrator Starter Kit? Through March 31st the Starter Kit is discounted 15% - a $335 value for only $169. Plus, you get to choose an additional FREE stamp set and shipping is FREE. WOW! E-mail me to find out more about becoming a demonstrator and ALL the fun perks!)

I built my card layers up by adding a long strip of Baja Breeze topped with another layer of Guava (ticket punched). I added Vintage Brads and then topped that with some large Baja squares for matting my flowers. I snipped the flowers out and adhered them to my Chocolate Chip ticket punched squares using Stampin' Dimensionals. (A MUST to add interest, layers, and dimension to your projects.) TIP: For extra sass I used a gold gel pen to accentuate the flower's middles.

Lastly, I used a piece of Chocolate Chip ribbon across the bottom to highlight the sentiment: True Blue Friend, which really pops when framed with Hodgepodge Hardware.

The perfect bundle to get a Sale-A-Bration freebie: Fifth Avenue Floral ($24.95), Ticket Corner Punch ($6.95), Stampin' Pastels ($24.95) TOTAL: $55.85 (plus S/H and tax)

To order Stampin' Up! products on-line ANY time click here.

Stamps: Firth Avenue Floral (113734), retired Punches 3
Paper: Baja Breeze (111352), Chocolate Chip (102128), Chocolate Chip Designer Series Paper (112164), and retired Groovy Guava
Ink: StazOn
Coloring Mediums: Stampin' Pastels (105542), Aqua Painters (103954), Watercolor Paper (105019)
Sassy Somethings: Vintage Brads (109109), HodgePodge Hardware - currently available in Very Vanilla and Styled Silver, Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Gold gel pen