How did you like the spiffy projects at DawnMarie's blog? I am stop number thirteen on your Stampin' Addicts tour--but if you're just starting out, don't worry about going back to stop #1--just continue following the links all the way around and come full circle! Our tour begins at noon on Saturday and ends at midnight on Tuesday, so you have plenty of time to browse and bookmark your favorite sites to return to later for complete instructions and further elaboration on the great projects you are going to see today. Enjoy your tour!
For the theme of this tour, we each chose a retiring Stampin' Up set that is on the Last Chance List. These sets are no longer available after June 30th. My assigned stamp set was Great Grads, a great versatile graduation set that can be used to make fun and cute cards AND serious inspirational cards, that spans all the ages of the great grads in your life.
You knew I had to work my little award-winning owl in somewhere, right? Well, he IS just perfect for a graduation theme, after all. His banner/sash is stamped by using a marker to color just the saying I wanted from the stamp on the right--there's all sorts of cute congratulatory sayings on it in different sizes and fonts, or you can use it as a block stamp as well. It makes good backgrounds, too!
The four-inch tall box my little guy is perched upon has a lid made from the Scallop Envelope Big Shot die cut, and it's quick and cute to make. Stay tuned for a photo tutorial on it on Wednesday morning! This card is also stamped using markers to go back and change the hat to black after having inked it up with Kiwi Kiss. You just use a cotton swap with a little Stampin' Mist cleaner on it to remove the unwanted ink, and color it in with your marker. This works on wheels, too, by the way.
I used up a lot of leftover tiny strips of DSP by trimming the ends at funky angles and layering them like a picket fence on this card. Some black brads and narrow black grosgrain added texture and dimension, and as a final touch I added a Round Tab punch with just the word "bravo" inked from the block stamp in the previous photo. Inside is a mini envelope I stamped and sponged to match, which will hold a gift card just perfectly.
This third project is likewise a gift card holder, and a fun new size for me, 5.25 square. I shadow-stamped the main image, then inked just the "congratulations" that I wanted with edge of the awesome exclusively raised ink pads from Stampin' Up, and punched it out with the Word Window. A little bit of Good Morning Sunshine owl paper in Pacific Point complements the Bashful Blue base and Kiwi Kiss texturized cardstock that I ran through the Big Shot. Everything was sponged to soften, and a couple of dabs of ribbon stapled to the upper left hand corner, with a little paper piercing to embellish. I really like this fourth and final project for the blog hop. I ran my card through the Big Shot with the argyle texture plate so that only the lower two thirds of the card front got texturized/ Then I wiped my Gold Encore ink pad over it so the raised places picked the color up. The medallion is embossed with gold EP and mounted on a strip of Brushed Gold cardstock. The ribbon is DYED GOLD, made by pressing Whisper White taffeta ribbon into the Gold Encore pad. A little messy but the results are gorgeous! Just to be different, I tied several knots in the ribbon before I adhered it to the card.
So there you are! I hope you enjoyed this stop on the blog hop and I hope you will stay tuned to my site to see the photo tutorial for the owl box (along with three fun variations on the theme) after the tour is over.
Now for the blog candy! I bought this set primarily for the Shakespeare quote stamp above. You can win an assortment pack of the NEW IN COLORS '09-'10 8.5x11 cardstock for free by leaving me a comment below with your favorite inspirational quote. I'll go first. Mine is DREAM BIG! Check back Wednesday for the winner! Head now to stop number #14 on the tour-- A New Song.
First, I love your grad projects. Your owl is WAY cute, and I haven't collected all the stamps to make him yet, but I'm working on it!
Second, fav. quote I found on a Verve Stamps stamp. It is by Dr. Suess and says: 'If you never did, you should. These things are fun and FUN IS GOOD -Dr. Suess' Too fun! Thanks for a chance to win the 'in' colors! I still think your cards and projects are amazing.
Posted by: Rachel B | 06/13/2009 at 10:07 AM
Great job, Lyssa! You know we love the owl!
Posted by: amysings | 06/13/2009 at 10:59 AM
My favorite quote is "It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters." --Mother Teresa
I just love All of her quotes...
Debbie
essay18@verizon.net
Posted by: debbie essay | 06/13/2009 at 11:35 AM
Love the grad cards, and the use of the owls. Very adorable!
Question - how come your posted date says June 16, but today is the 13th?
Love your blog - I visit it all the time!!
Posted by: Jenny | 06/13/2009 at 11:37 AM
Great cards! Love the colors and techniques. One of my favourite quotes is "The most beautiful things in the world are not seen nor touched. They are felt with the heart" by Helen Keller. Keep up the great work =)
Posted by: G W | 06/13/2009 at 11:39 AM
Love your projects! I've been trying to resist this set, but you're making it hard.
One of my fav quotes, but don't know who said it is. I'm too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed!!
Deb
Posted by: Debadoo | 06/13/2009 at 11:41 AM
I love all of your projects lyssa. great work! And CONGRATS on the offical news!!
Brandi
Posted by: Brandi | 06/13/2009 at 12:06 PM
Great project Lyssa! I love the way you used the Sunshine Garden paper with this set. Congrats on cruise, you deserve it my friend!!
Posted by: Sharon Bridwell | 06/13/2009 at 12:06 PM
Jenny, my posting date is set that way so that this Blog Hop post stays at the top of my blog through midnight on the 16th. I don't know how else to make it stay when I plan to put up new posts after it. Good question--I'm sure people wondered!
Posted by: Lyssa Zwolanek | 06/13/2009 at 12:14 PM
Fun set and I love the Quote too. My favorite quote is "It's the special people in our lives thet make our lives complete!"Hugs from Michigan
Posted by: chrisd | 06/13/2009 at 12:16 PM
Amazingly cute projects Lyssa! Fantastic job!
Posted by: Rhonda | 06/13/2009 at 01:20 PM
I love your grad projects! I especially love the one with the argyle texture swiped with gold. Amazing!
My favorite quote is: "Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down!"
Thanks so much for sharing, and cogratulations on your cruise qualification!
Alicia
Posted by: Alicia | 06/13/2009 at 01:28 PM
Your projects are wonderful.I always struggle with grad cards. While mine always look boring, yours are amazing! Love your little punched owl too! My favorite quote...I always tell my girls that, "if they can dream it, they can be it!"
-Diane
Posted by: diane o | 06/13/2009 at 03:42 PM
Loved your grad cards, especially the punch owl! My favorite: "If it is to be, it is up to me!" Congrats on earning cruise!
Posted by: Connie | 06/13/2009 at 04:01 PM
Great projects, look forward to the tutorial on Wednesday. jmniffer
Posted by: jmniffer | 06/13/2009 at 04:26 PM
How cute your owl is. All your projects are wonderful.
Posted by: Dixie Finn | 06/13/2009 at 05:08 PM
What cute projects you made! Great job.
Posted by: Cheryl Wilcox | 06/13/2009 at 05:10 PM
what fun stuff to look at! I especially love the tip about dying the ribbon gold! I never would have thought to use the Encore pad. This is a GREAT stop in the blog hop.
Posted by: Kathy | 06/13/2009 at 05:12 PM
Super projects! Love the card with the DSP strips down the middle!
Posted by: Michelle Sturgeon | 06/13/2009 at 05:42 PM
That owl is too cute and I love the card with the gold! My favorite quote is "My God is big enough to hold the whole world in his hand and small enough to fit inside your heart"
Posted by: TABray | 06/13/2009 at 05:59 PM
Such fun to see my little girl creating such beautiful junk, er, stuff.
No offense to the others on the "blog hop", but you ROCK.
Posted by: Dad | 06/13/2009 at 06:16 PM
Great set, Lyssa. I love that last card! What a neat idea. Congrats on your FREE trip!
Posted by: Twila | 06/13/2009 at 06:35 PM
Flourishes just came out with a set that has several versions of one of my favorite quotes.
Peace be with you
I hear this every Sunday at Church and it always fills me with calm and joy and of course peace :D
I would love to see SU come up with this one too.
Terrific projects Lyssa and I'm looking forward to the tutorials.
Thanks for sharing the inspiration, creativity and the blog candy.
Hugs and blessings - Jean
Posted by: Jean Fitch | 06/13/2009 at 07:05 PM
Wonderful cards! The owl is awesome and I really love the last card! Great technique with the gold Encore ink!!
Posted by: Rhonda L. | 06/13/2009 at 07:16 PM
Fabulous projects! I love them all, but especially the owl!
Posted by: Yapha | 06/13/2009 at 07:21 PM
Oh my word, these cards are beautiful! I especially liked that last one with all the gold. Favorite inspirational quote:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:13
Posted by: Nicole Steele | 06/13/2009 at 07:46 PM
Great projects! I love the Kiwi Kiss card! I may have to case it....
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Margaret | 06/13/2009 at 08:47 PM
Beautiful cards! "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Corrie ten Boom
Posted by: Marla | 06/13/2009 at 10:51 PM
What a great variety of samples! I love how you did the collaging with the different stamps in green. Just wonderful!
Posted by: Stacy | 06/14/2009 at 12:40 PM
Oh my goodness, I love that little owl in his mortar board, Lyssa! The way you used the texture plate and gold Encore on the final card is stunning.
Posted by: Holly | 06/14/2009 at 02:53 PM
I think my favorite quote is from Psalm 27: "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" I just like that one, especially.
Love your projects here! Fun blog hop!
Posted by: Staci Miserlian | 06/14/2009 at 11:28 PM
Love your cards! When my children were young my favorite saying was "Patience is a virtue." I'm reminded of it often now that they're teenagers! Mary Jo
Posted by: mary jo | 06/15/2009 at 07:51 AM
Great cards, thanks for sharing.
My favorite inspirational quote -- "Dreams are almost always bigger than you, that's why you have to reach for them"
Posted by: Krista | 06/15/2009 at 10:13 AM
Forgot to give one of my favorite quotes! It's from Vince Lombardi:
"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."
Posted by: Jenny | 06/15/2009 at 11:58 AM
Great projects, really love the owl! It rocks :) You did a great job with this set!
Posted by: Holly | 06/15/2009 at 12:09 PM
too fun - love the quote in this set and all the ones commented. have to share one of mine
"with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come."
Shakespeare
Posted by: MaryR | 06/15/2009 at 01:42 PM
Your projects are great! I especially love your Bravo Graduate card! TFS!
Posted by: Comeka | 06/15/2009 at 01:56 PM
Love them all Lyssa but that Owl pouch is awesome. Thanks for sharing all your talent with us. I guess my favorite inspirational quote is "That which does not kill us, makes us strong." Not sure who said it first, but I first heard it in my favorite movie Steel Magnolias.
Posted by: Paula aka scrapshappen | 06/15/2009 at 02:56 PM
Love your cards- especially that little grad owl! I never get tired of seeing punches creations!
My quote: "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." James Barrie
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon Steinwand | 06/15/2009 at 06:11 PM
These are wonderful graduation cards - something I have a hard time getting creative with! Thanks for the great ideas!
Posted by: Pammy | 06/15/2009 at 07:33 PM
All your projects are great Lyssa! I'm so glad you could show off the owl. My favorite I think, is the one with the strips of DSP. What a great use for scraps!
Posted by: Debbi | 06/15/2009 at 07:37 PM
Great job with this set. My favorite saying is: "You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." Thanks for a chance to win your blog candy!
Posted by: Kathy Mc | 06/16/2009 at 12:06 AM
All your projects are sooo cute! I love the strips of DSP (and of course the award winning owl!)
Posted by: Dawnmarie | 06/16/2009 at 07:04 AM
Great Cards! I love your owl.
Posted by: Kat Menk | 06/16/2009 at 08:30 AM
You are so talented Lyssa! Love all these projects!
Posted by: Candace | 06/16/2009 at 11:34 AM
Great projects Lyssa! I couldn't wait to see what you did with your super owl on these, he's DA bomb!
Posted by: Angie (finger's inky girl | 06/16/2009 at 11:37 AM
Yep-your owl ROCKS!! Love the funky look of the paper strips on the black/kiwi Grad card & cute use of the wise 'ole owls on the blue/kiwi Grad card - and the gold Grad card...WOWZERS!! TFS!!
Posted by: Beth | 06/16/2009 at 01:24 PM
cute! Love the first project, how unique!
Posted by: Renée | 06/16/2009 at 03:45 PM
my favorite quote is "believe in your dreams". love your creations
Posted by: rush | 06/16/2009 at 04:26 PM
“Too much sanity may be madness. And maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be!” – Miguel de Cervantes in Don Quixote is my favorite quote (this week). Thanks for sharing your creativity - and as if that's not enough, you're giving away stuff, too!
Posted by: KatheD | 06/16/2009 at 04:33 PM
Hello Lyssa!
Your cards are awesome! I'm crazy about your owl. How cute:)
One of my favorite inspirational quotes is "It's the little moments that make life big."
Posted by: Julie A. | 06/16/2009 at 07:02 PM
Great cards! I especially liked the owl card. My favorite quote is "We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing. Guess that's why I love to play with my stamps! Thanks for the chance to win!
Posted by: Joyce Loy | 06/16/2009 at 08:29 PM