At our team meeting this weekend we made garden stakes with metal decorations made with the Big Shot. Everyone made what they wanted – but we agreed that Ann’s was the most creative. 
Here’s one I did for the graduates this year – 
And here’s what I found while cleaning my kitchen! I’m not kidding! It’s April and I just noticed that this is still hanging there!
Here it is – the Retiring Stamp Sets! Accessories and Decor Elements will be posted April 25th. Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Category: Techniques
The Star of the Show
This is the weekend for my daughter’s last high school musical (and mine too!) So I used my Big Shot to make her a “banner” to hang on her mirror in the dressing room!
I used the Stars #2 die and metal flashing to die cut the stars – and hooked them together with split rings. The letters are die from the white Decor Element sheets. Added ribbon and it’s ready to go. Should I just hang it up when she’s not looking or tie it onto a bouquet opening night? Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Polished Best Friends
This card is based on a swap from Lisa Bowell. I changed the stamp set and paper – but kept the layout and colors. I used the Polished Stone technique on the glossy white piece using only Lucky Limeade and Always Artichoke to create the color.
Supplies
Stamp set – Best Friends Forever
card stock – Lucky Limeade, Always Artichoke, Glossy White, Whisper White, Basic Black, Rich Regals DSP
Ink – Versamark, Lucky Limeade and Always Artichoke reinkers
Etc – Black embossing powder, Wide oval punch, Scallop edge punch
This is tech week for Samantha’s last high school show (Into the Woods.) I have lists all over the place so I have a chance of remembering what I’m suppose to be doing, bringing, organizing! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Party This Way
There are several sets in the Sale a bration catalog from the Idea Book and Catalog – and you can get them free with a $50 product order! One of them is Party This Way – a favorite of mine! (You may hear this a few more times from me because several of my favorites made the SAB mini!) Here’s a 3 x 6 using Party This Way –
I made a mask out of a Post It note and stamped the front of the card with lots of balloons. On a separate piece of Whisper White, I stamped more balloons and cut them out. Before I adhered them with Dimensionals, I drew the lines for the strings. Then I added a few popped up balloons.
Supplies
Stamp Set – Party This Way
card stock – Whisper White (!)
Ink – Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink
Stampin Write Marker – Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight
Etc – 1/8 Daffodil Delight ribbon, spritzer
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Warmest of WIshes Tag
This little tag or tie on is made with the Holiday Mini hostess set Warmest of Wishes. The bottome medallion is made with a 2 x 12 inch piece of Holly Berry Bouquet and the next medallion is 2 scallop punches. It mades a nice size tag. 
Supplies
Stamp Set – Warmest of Wishes
card stock – Holly Berry Bouquet, Very Vanilla
Ink – Real Red
Etc – Simply Scored tool, Scallop punch, Designer Label punch
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Bling Tree
Here’s a totally different take on the Medallion Christmas Tree – bling! I made this one with the First Edition Designer Series paper and Champagne Glass glitter. (The cutting and assembly for this tree can be found here.) 
I applied the glitter with Tombow Multipurpose glue after the medallions were made – but before they were assembled. 
The star on top is an ornament. I just snipped the loop off the top and hot glued it down. The base is a hurricane candle holder tied with Whisper White organza ribbon. Tomorrow I’ll show you another “look!” Enjoy – Hugs, Fran
Medallion Tree
I’ve seen lots of cute things made with “lollies” or medallions – scored strips of paper – so I decided to try a Christmas tree. This is made with retired Old Olive Designer Series paper (tons of this stuff!) Isn’t it cute?
Here’s the medallion “trunk.”
The star on top is two star punches, slit so they fit over each other.
So now I need to find some more little buckets so I can have a forrest of these! Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Pastel Leaves
There are so darling A La Carte stamps at the back of the Holiday Mini – and I bought several! Leaves of a Tree is the set that I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it as soon as I saw it. So here it is!
This is the Poppin Pastels technique. Stamp the image in Versamark and then use a cotton ball, sponge dauber or sponge to “pounce” the Stampin Pastels onto the image. It pops! The Designer Series Paper is the new Spice Cake. It has Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz in it (which aren’t in the Pastels) so I used Not Quite Navy and Garden Green as a coordinating colors.
Supplies
Stamp Sets – Leaves of a Tree, Hand Penned
card stock – Early Espresso textured, Spice Cake DSP, Very Vanilla, Garden Green
Ink – Versamark, Jet Black Stazon
Etc – Scallop Trim punch, 5/16, Jumbo Brads, Vanilla Seam Binding
One More Bleaching
This is the mock up for the Marina Mist bleaching card I showed you here. While I was waiting for the stamps to get here for my presentation, I did this card with Crumb Cake and some retired DSP. Crumb Cake is a very subtle color for bleaching – and I think it’s a very pretty look. 
Everything is done the same way – emboss with black embossing powder and bleach the open areas. Even the sentiment is done the same way! 
But it gives a different look
. 
Supplies
Stamp set – Elements of Style
card stock- Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
Ink – Versamark, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Etc – bleach, black embossing powder, Victorian lace ribbon, Antique brad, pearls
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran
Bleaching Elements
On this card I used bleach to color the image. One of my favorite things about SU card stock is the amazing look you get with bleach. To do this I heat embossed the image with Black embossing powder and painted on the bleach with a tiny paint brush. 
After the bleach dried, I sprizted the front with the Spritzer tool and added the Victorian Lace ribbon. (Really, I thought I’d ordered both crocheted ribbons but ended up with two of the same! You will see lots of this ribbon, I’m afraid!)
I stamped off the smaller image in the set and punched it out with the Designer Label punch and then added the sentiment and pearls. 
Supplies
Stamp set – Elements of Style
card stock – Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Beau CHateau DSP, Very Vanilla
Ink – Versamark, Marina Mist, Early Espresso
Etc – black embossing powder, Designer Label punch, Spritzer tool, Victorian Lace ribbon, bleach, antique brad
Enjoy! Hugs, Fran