Senior Photos Mini Album

This post is image heavy but there are so many details in this project to show you! I wanted to make a mini album showcasing my favorite photos from my oldest girl's senior photo shoot.  Here's the cover and a peek at how the inside pages are assembled:

The pages are 6"x12" pieces of cardstock, scored at 4" and 8" on the long side.  This gives you three 6"x4" panels to each cardstock piece.  I folded them accordion style, then glued the last panel of each piece to the first panel of the next piece.  I then cut DSP to 6"x4" and glued those to each cardstock panel.  I then went crazy with embellishing!

 I made this two months ago so my album uses Stampin' Up! products that are retired but Stampin' Up! has so many current beautiful papers and embellishments in the new Annual Catalog that can work for this album.  

Tips and Tricks:

• Don't overthink!  This project flowed wonderfully because I did not allow myself to fret over placement.  I just "went for it".
• Pull out just a handful of supplies that all coordinate.  For this project, I went with one pack of DSP, its matching cardstock colors, and Stampin' Blends.  I added a few dies and a pack of wooden embellishments to the pile, and proceeded to make this album using only those supplies.  This also helps with not overthinking.
• Create with love.  Working with my daughter's senior photos was a joy and that translated into easy creativity.  It was fun reminiscing about raising her as I cut and glued.

Stampin' Up!'s New Annual Catalog is Live!

SO many gorgeous offerings in this catalog!  It truly is the best I have seen and I have been using Stampin' Up!'s products for 20 years!  Check out this short and sweet video that highlights some of the amazing new products!

                                     

Get comfortable and have a browse through the catalog, dream up a wish list, then click here to shop! I will send you a Joyful Stamper Thank You package with your first order to show my appreciation.  And if you need a hard copy of the new 2019-2020 Annual Catalog and don't already work with a demonstrator, contact me now.  I'd love the opportunity to earn your business. 

My Top 3 Must-Haves:

• Bird Ballad Suite pages 90-91

• Woven Threads Suite pages 12-13

                                     

• Come Sail Away Suite pages 144-145

This is going to be a fantastic crafting year.  I hope you'll join me here on The Joyful Stamper blog as I show you projects to give you lots of inspiration, fun classes, and joyful moments spent creating.  If you see anything you must have now, remember to shop here with The Joyful Stamper!   

Tea Together Card

I CASEd this card from Stampin' Success, a quarterly magazine Stampin' Up! sends its demonstrators.  It is one of my favorite perks of being a demonstrator!

I changed the color and size of the card because I wanted to use a color I don't normally reach for (purple) and I wanted the card to be a standard 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  I also added a stamped background to my card base as I love patterns.  There are a couple of fun techniques here - embossing paste and watercoloring.  Here's a close-up of the focal image:

Tips and Tricks:

• Use embossing paste with a stencil.  Spread a thin layer over the stencil using a palette knife.  Make sure your fingers are clean of ink (notice the areas of color?  Ink stains on my fingers transferred to the paste!)
• Ink pad reinkers are great for watercoloring.  Squeeze a drop into the lid of your ink pad, or onto another plastic surface such as an embellishment container lid, and dip a wet brush to pick up color.  To add layers and shades of color, let each layer dry before adding another.
• Don't like fussy cutting?  This stamp set has dies to do the cutting for you!

You Can Make It!

• Stamps: Tea Together
• Ink: Versamark, Staz-On Black
• Reinkers: Highland Heather, Petal Pink, Pool Party, Old Olive
• Paper: Highland Heather, Shimmer White (great for watercoloring)
• Embossing paste
• Palette Knife
• Linen Thread
• Tea Time Dies
• Aquapainter
• Pearlized Doilies
• White embossing powder
• Heat gun
• Stencil (non-SU!)  

Lilypad Lake Serenity

Serenity now!  Anyone else remember that Seinfeld episode?  Seinfeld was truly "must-see TV" for me on Thursday nights in the nineties.

Thinking of You cards are ones I always like to have in my stash as they can be used for pretty much every occasion.  The colors used here (Pool Party, So Saffron, and Blushing Bride) create a serene and calm mood that pairs perfectly with the images in the Lilypad Lake stamp set.  My monthly stamp group should enjoy creating this card tomorrow when we meet.  I will be opening up spots in that monthly stamp group soon, so watch for my announcement!  You'll want to join us for the fun and friendship AND to build your own card stash.

Tips and Tricks:

• Warm up cooler colors by adding a touch of gold (notice the Gold Cord tied vertically on my card).
• Add interest to a cardstock panel by tearing the top portion away, as I did with my sentiment piece.

You Can Make It!

• Cardstock: Pool Party, So Saffron, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
• Lilypad Lake stamp set
• Lakeside dies
• So Saffron ink pad
• Memento Black ink pad
• Gold cord
• Seaside embossing folder
• Stitched Shapes dies

Graduation Cards using Punches

My oldest daughter graduated from high school this past Friday and she asked me to make her cards for all the parties she'll be attending.  This first design is for the guys.

I used Brusho pigment powders on watercolor paper, then punched the shapes out with the Balloon Bouquet punch.  I love that it punches out two sizes at one time!  You could also use a Real Red ink pad swiped over Whisper White cardstock to create red balloons.  To fill in the pattern a bit more, I used a fine tip journaling pen and ruler to draw lines on the white stripes.  The sentiment was heat embossed with white embossing powder.

This next card is for the girl graduates.

The same techniques were used here, but with the addition of a white twine bow.  Don't forget to stamp the envelopes, too!  That just adds to the fun!

You Can Make It!

• Stamps: Lilypad Lake (sentiment), Birthday Backgrounds (envelopes)
• Paper: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black, Neutrals DSP (retired) 
• Ink: Versamark, Memento Black, Real Red (envelopes)
• Balloon Bouquet Punch
• Brusho pigment powder (retired); Use a Real Red ink pad to substitute
• White Embossing Powder
• Journaling Pen
• Heat Gun
• White Twine

Need a Stampin' Up! catalog (a brand new one just came out!)?  If you aren't already working with a demonstrator, I'd love the opportunity to earn your business.  Contact me to request one!