Blog Hop: Step It Up Occasions Style!

Welcome to a new month, and a new Blog Hop!!

This month I decided to play with the Going Global stamp set in the Occasions Mini. I love this set and have since the minute I saw it!
By now you know we do a Step-It-Up blog hop, where we design a project, then show you a stepped up version. Well, all this time I have been making multiple cards to show you. However, I learned that other stampers are making one creation, then adding and taking apart to make their final project! ha! Smart!!!
In today's case, I wanted this card to be special, and not have a duplicate. My husband has been a tremendous support thru a wild few weeks and has been definitely pulling more than his share of the work in all aspects around here. I wanted to make this card for him. I'll stick it in his lunch box later this week.
So I was all over the idea of just one card! But...that means the light changed between me taking pictures, and I didn't realize how different the shot was, so I apologize in advance for that.

This card is kept pretty basic. I did stamp the compass image on a post it to mask part of it and make it look like it was on top of the globe.

Supplies:
Stamps: Going Global
Ink: Bermuda Bay marker, Mossy Meadow, Real Red marker
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla card stock
Accessories: Bermuda Bay stitched ribbon

Then I added some DP, a strip of card stock, actually cut out the compass, and actually popped it up over the stamped globe. I also made the greeting a strip with flagged ends. And yes, the globe was also die-cut with a circle die, and then glued back down on the vanilla base, haha...
Best of all, I am very happy with how this card turned out and I know my husband will like it too!

Supplies:
Stamps: Going Global
Ink: Bermuda Bay marker, Mossy Meadow, Real Red marker
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Very Vanilla card stock, Going Places DP
Accessories: Bermuda Bay stitched ribbon, Hexagon Punch, Dimensionals

And since I used Occasions Mini products, I get to link up with the Nacho Average Challenge blog again!

That's it for me! Now hop along and see what Cheryl has created to inspire us! Then be sure and hop along to everyone else and leave your thoughts- we all love comments!!

More Cards In The Mail!

I have had zero crafting time this week! I'm hoping that will change this afternoon but I make no promises...
Fortunately, I did get three new cards in the mail, which I will share with you now to keep YOU inspired while you are creating! ...you are creating, aren't you??
...me either.

But these ladies did! Their names are on their creations for proper credit.
Enjoy!

Stars!!

I really enjoy looking at the night sky. I find it extremely calming. Growing up, my parents always pointed out the Big and Little Dippers in the night sky. I took an astronomy class in college, which was fascinating and I'm sure I would have done great if it wasn't at 8am, in a dark room with the night sky, and an old professor with a calm, quiet, {monotone?} voice. My first baby's room had a star/moon/sun theme. On our camping trip this summer I hauled my kids over to a big meadow at like 11pm to show them the moon and stars. (and we don't even live in a truly well lit area!)

So a set with a globe, a fancy compass, sweet sentiments, AND stars??? Oh yeah. It's mine. hahaha!

I used the latest Mojo Monday sketch and played with the star DP and the Big Dipper stamp thinking about for the upcoming class, but I voted against it. That's why I kept them small. And realized the long way that 3x3 was smaller than I wanted. haha...
I still like them a lot tho, and I even know who to give them to!

Supplies:

Stamps: Going Global

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Delightful Dijon

Paper: Elegant Eggplant & Very Vanilla card stocks, Going Places DP

Accessories: Regals Candy Dots, 1" Circle Punch, Dimensionals 

The star print is on Delightful Dijon and I was glad the Eggplant goes so nicely with it, to imitate a night sky! I had a hard time deciding how to do the greeting circle, so here is my creative process in action: I photo'd the three ways to decide which looked better! haha!

In the end, I went with one of each color ink, on the Vanilla card stock.

Valentines - Round 5

Today's card uses half the stamps in the Going Global set, because I really love this set, haha! Everything about it!!
I used the first January sketch from the Viva La Verve blog for the layout.
I cheated, giggle, in that I used a retired circle die to punch out the three large circles. I don't even care - it's what I own that fits! You (and I!!) could (should?) get the Circles Collection Framelits to make it work, and have a slightly smaller one for the compass and words!
And I stuck to an In Color palette for this one.

Supplies:
Stamps: Going Global
Ink: Mint Macaron, Tip Top Taupe, Watermelon Wonder
Paper: Whisper White card stocks, In Color Envelope Paper
Accessories: Sweetheart Punch, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Seasonal Frame Thinlit Die (retired!)

Once again, I can't decide if this will be a part of my card class or not....I know I really like it! But...maybe its too much stuff?

haha! ...too much, too little...I just can't be happy here, haha!
What do YOU think? 

Valentines -Round 4

Today's card is pretty simple but I really like how it turned out.
However, because it is so simple, I may not use it in my class after all... If I get a chance to create something else, I might swap it out-we'll see!
And again, this doesn't have to be a Valentine's card, it could go to anyone, any time!
This one also used last week's sketch from the TGIF Challenge blog.

Supplies:
Stamps: Going Global
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Soft Sky, Whisper White card stocks
Accessories: Love Blossoms Embellishment Kit, World Traveler Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Hexagon Punch, Glue Dots