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    All content found at Stampin' by Genny is the sole responsibility of Genevieve Valdes, a Stampin’ Up! Independent Demonstrator. Stampin’ Up! does not endorse, edit, or otherwise contribute to this website.

Dreamy Owl Easel card

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

This week’s challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments is a color challenge of Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy and Neutral (Crumb Cake, Whisper White or Very Vanilla).  When I saw these colors together a cute dreamy owl came to mind.  As mentioned in my earlier post, my latest addiction are easel cards.  For this card I used the large Circle Scallop die to die cut the base in Marina Mist.  I also used the Mixed Bunch stamp set and punch.  I stamped the Very Vanilla with Marina Mist and Not Quite Navy to create the backgrounds.  I used the Owl Builder, Two Step Bird, Blossom, Punch Pack and Modern Label punches.  For some dreamy shimmer I smooched my card with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch.  I went overboard with the pearls but I think it made my card.  The sentiment is stamped with Not Quite Navy and heat embossed with Iridescent embossing powder.

Dreamy Owl Easel Card

click to enlarge

I hope these colors inspire you to create a project and post it on Hand Stamped Sentiments.  Check out the projects from our very talented design team for more inspiration.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Dreamy Owl Easel Card

Size:  approx. 4.50″ w x 5.00″ h

Stamp sets: Mixed Bunch, Loving Thoughts

Paper: Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy

Ink: Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circle die, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Striped Textured Embossing Folder, Owl Builder Punch, Bird Punch, Punch Pack, Bojo Blossoms Punch, Modern Label PUnch, Circle Scissors Plus, Basic Pearls

Filed under: Color Splash Challenges, Easel Cards, Friendship, Hand Stamped Sentiments Creative Challenge, Mixed Bunch | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Enchanted Butterfly Easel Cards

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

Okay, I admit it.  I’m totally in love with the Everyday Enchantment DSP in the Sale-a-bration catalog.  The colors of Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Lucky Limeade are…do I dare say,  so enchanting!  I can’t stop creating with these colors and paper.  Today my man in brown delivered my latest stash from Stampin’ Up!  With this order I received the Beautiful Butterflies Stampin’ Up! Bigz Die.  This is not a new die but it’s one that’s been on my wish list and I finally purchased it.  My latest card addiction is making easel cards so I created a small butterfly and large butterfly easel card.  I’m making the smaller one for my customers and the larger one is for me.  I’m putting it on my desk.  I think it would add a bit whimsy and color to my office.  What do you think?

Butterfly easel cards

click to enlarge

Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die

Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, 114507, $21.95

Sale-a-bration Every Enchantment DSP

click to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Butterfly Easel Cards

Size:  large butterfly card:  4″ w x 3″h, small butterfly card:  3″ w x 2″ h

Stamp sets: Loving Thoughts, Mixed Bunch, Taking Care of Business

Paper: Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Pool Party,  Calypso Coral;  Everyday Enchantment DSP

Ink: Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral

Accessories: Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Die, Elegant Lines Embossing folder, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, basic pearls

Filed under: Easel Cards, Loving Thoughts, Mixed Bunch, Stamp Sets | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

A Valentine gift from the Heart

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

After weeks of anticipation, it’s finally here–Sale-A-Bration is now in full swing! During Sale-A-Bration 2012, you can earn free products in three different ways.

Stampin' Up! Sale-a-brationStampin' Up! Sale-a-brationStampin' Up! Sale-a-brationTo celebrate  Sale-a-bration I’ve been creating projects with some of the products in the Sale-a-bration catalog.  This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments the challenge is gift items.  With Valentine’s just around the corner I made this heart box using the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper which you can earn with a $50 purchase.

Stampin' Up! heart box

click to enlarge

I used the Heart Framelits to create the box and I embellished it it with quill roses and butterflies die cut from the Beautiful Wi Sizzlit.  To make this box I adapted the tutorial from SCS.  I love the colors in the Everyday Enchantment DngsSP – Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla and Soft Suede.  These colors are so pretty together.

Stampin' Up! heart box

click to enlarge

I added some extra sparkle to the roses with Dazzling Details and embellished with basic pearls.  The sentiment and the heart on the sentiment are embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. To make this a sweet gift I filled the box with Hershey’s kisses.

Stampin' Up! Heart box

click to enlarge

I hope you’re inspired to join us at HHS for this week’s challenge of gift items.  Click here to see more inspiration from our very talented design team.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Valentine Heart Box

Size:  approx. 5.00″ h x 5.50″ w

Stamp sets: Delightful Dozen, Four Frames

Paper: Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, Everyday Enchantment DSP

Ink: Poppy Parade, Soft Suede,  Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Heart Framelits, Beautiful Wings Sizzlit, Bird Builder Punch, Scallop Circle punch, Decorative label punch, small Heart punch, Basic Pearls, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, Very Vanilla Satin ribbon, non- Stampin’ Up! lace trim

Filed under: 3D projects, Boxes, Delightful Dozen, Feminine Valentine projects, Four Frames, Hand Stamped Sentiments Creative Challenge, Theme Challenge, Valentine's | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Sea of Love Valentine Card

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

How these days in January make me long for the beach.  I guess I shouldn’t complain since the weather here has been sunny and in the 70’s but I just can’t help thinking of long summer days at the beach.  This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments we have a beach theme but I still have Valentine’s day on the brain.  So when I began to think of what to create for this challenge I thought of the sea…love…Eureka!!…The Sea of Love!  So here’s my interpretation of this week’s beach theme challenge.

Sea of Love Fish Punch Art Valentine Card

click image to enlarge

I used the Lots of Love Letterpress plate for the background.  I inked it up with Versamark then ran it through the Big Shot and to add sparkle I heat embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder.  The sentiment is stamped in Indigo Blue and also heat embossed with Iridescent Ice embossing powder.

Punch Art Fish Valentine Card

click image to enlarge

I hope you can see how the Sea of Love  shimmers with the Iridescent Ice.  The fish are made with various Stampin’ Up! heart punches.  I couldn’t resist the wiggle eyes.  The sand is Crumb Cake card stock sponged with Soft Suede ink.  This card would be perfect to give to your hubby or wife.  Either way love is in the air or rather the sea.

I hope you’re inspired to join us this week with your beach themed creation.  Hop on over to HSS for more inspiration from our very talented design team.

Sea of Love Valentine Card

Size:  4.25″ h x 5.50″ w

Stamp sets:  Short and Sweet

Paper: Card base:  Island Indigo, Card stock:  Pool Party, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake

Ink: Island Indigo,  Soft Suede, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Lots of Love Letterpress Plate, Full Heart Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, non-Stampin’ Up! branch punch, non-Stampin’ Up! wiggle eyes

Filed under: Big Shot, Feminine Valentine projects, Heart to Heart & Full Heart fish, Masculine Valentine projects, Short & Sweet, Theme Challenge, Valentine's | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Valentine Easel Shaker Card

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

This week’s challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments is a technique challenge – Shaker Cards!  I’ve never made this type of card but since I have the Stampin’ Up! Heart Framelits it was easy to make using two different sizes of heart dies to make the red heart frame for the window.  For the easel base I used the large scallop heart framelit.  The cute stamped image is from the Take it to Heart stamp set featured in the new occasions mini.  Can you guess how I created the background?  I used the Lots of Love Letterpress plate.  The letter press embosses and can also ink at the same time.  For a more subtle background you don’t have to ink it up.  The shaker heart is filled with the scrap small hearts after using the Pinking Hearts border punch.  A bit of mica flakes is also mixed with the small hearts to add  some additional sparkle.

Valentine Easel Shaker Card

click image to enlarge

Shaker cards are fun to make but also fun for the recipient.   I hope you’re inspired to join us.  For more inspiration go to HSS and see more shaker cards created by our talented design team.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Valentine Easel Shaker Card

Size:  5.00″ h x 5.00″ w

Stamp sets: Take it to Heart, With All My Heart

Paper: Card Stock:  Riding Hood Red, Whisper White

Ink: Riding Hood Red,  Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Heart Framelits, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Lots of Love Letterpress, Oval punch, Pinking Hearts Border punch, Window Sheets, Iridescent Embossing Powder, Gold Embossing Powder, Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Mica Flakes

Filed under: Easel Cards, Shaker Cards, Take it to Heart, With all my Heart | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Take it to Heart Forever & Always Valentine Card

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments the challenge is Pleats and Ruffles.  I’ve used lots of items from the new mini catalog to create this card.

Stampin Up Valentine Take it to heart card

click image to enlarge

I love the bird image from the Take it to Heart stamp set.  I used ink pads and blender pens to color the image.  To give the image a bit more sparkle I used the tiniest bit of Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details to the flowers.  I also heat embossed the textured background with touches of gold embossing powder.  Since the challenge calls for pleats or ruffles, I ruffled a piece of Victoria Crochet ribbon on a hat pin.  The top of the pin also features small punched flowers.  This is my first Valentine card of the season.  Let me know what you think and also what your favorite items are from the new mini.

Hand Stamped Sentiment ruffles and pleats challenge 100

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Take it to Heart Valentine Card

Size:  5.00″ h x 5.00″ w

Stamp sets: Take it to Heart, Loving Thoughts

Paper: Card Stock:  Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Watercolor paper

Ink: StayzOn Brown, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press, Paper Doily Sizzlit, Heart Collection Framelits Dies, Hat Pin, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Gold Embossing Powder, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details, Blender Pen

Filed under: Feminine Valentine projects, Hand Stamped Sentiments Creative Challenge, Loving Thoughts, Take it to Heart, Theme Challenge, Valentine's | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Elementary Elegance Birthday Card

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

I have quite a few friends with birthdays this month and one of the cards I made was inspired by PPA’s color challenge of Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy and Very Vanilla.  Beautiful colors!  For the Birthday stamped image here’s a sneak peak of the Elementary Elegance stamp set in the Sale-a-bration catalog.  Sale-a-bration begins later this month on January 24 through March 31.  During this event you earn free products from the catalog with every $50 purchase.  How cool is that!

The Birthday frame is heat embossed with pewter embossing powder.  The sentiment is stamped in Not Quite Navy and clear embossed.  I used the Elegant Lines embossing folder for the background and butterflies die cut with the Beautiful Wings Embosslits.

Stampin Up Elementary Elegance Birthday Card
click image to enlarge

Pals Paper Arts color challengeI’ll be posting the other birthday cards I created in the next few days.  So stay tuned.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Elementary Elegance Birthday Card

Size:  5.00″ h x 5.00″ w

Stamp sets: Elementary Elegance

Paper: Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze textured

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Versamark

Accessories: Big Shot, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Curly Label punch, Eyelet Border punch, Basic Pearls, 1/4″ Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Pewter Embossing Powder, Clear Embossing Powder, Baja Breeze Marker

Filed under: Birthday, Color Challenge, Elementary Elegance, Feminine Birthday, Pals Paper Arts | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

2011 in Review

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Genevieve Valdes

I would like to thank all of you for my 2011 blogging success.  I appreciate you stopping by to see my projects and to comment.  I had a total of 76,560 visitors to my blog in 2011!

Crunchy numbers

About 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year.  My blog was viewed about 76,000 times in 2011.  If it were the Eiffel Tower it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

In 2011, there were 124 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 225 posts.  There were 462 pictures uploaded.  That’s about 8 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was November 29th with 1, 716 views.  The most popular post that day was Fashion Inspired Bay Leaf Square Wreath card.  My goal for this coming year is to use more punches.  Stampin’ Up! is having a clearance rack blitz and of course I bought more.  With 40% off who can resist!

Stampin up crad

click image to enlarge - this post was viewed 1,716

Where did all my visitors come from?

Thank you to these top referring sites in 2011.  They were splitcoaststampers.com, paper punch addiction com, demosites.blogspot.com, stampinconnection.com and handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com.

My blog Attractions in 2011

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2011.

1

Pretty Christmas Tag December 2011
0 comments

2

Flirty Valentine Corset Card February 2011
25 comments

3

HSS Inspiration Challenge – Cupcakes December 2011
1 comment

4

Sexy and Sweet Valentine corsets August 2010
11 comments

5

Watermarks page

Again, a big THANKS to all of you for visiting and in celebration of a great blogging year I have some blog candy to giveaway (U.S. entries only).  All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post telling me to enter you.  If you are getting this post via e-mail, please CLICK HERE and then leave a comment.  I will use the random generator to pick a name and announce it on Monday, January 9.

Blog Candy Stampin' Up!

Enter to win this Stampin' Up! stamp set Silhouette Sentiments

If you’d like to stay updated every time I post, please subscribe to my blog by entering you email address in the box, Email Subscription, located on the left sidebar.

Filed under: 2011 Blog Summary, Yearly Blog Summary | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

A Mojo Monday Round Birthday Card

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

Sneak Peek Alert!  I created this card using the Mojo Monday sketch 221 and I got to use my new Sale-a-bration Everyday Enchantment DSP!  I’m so excited!  This paper is beautiful.  A pack of this gorgeous DSP is one of the items you’ll be able to get FREE with every $50 you purchase, starting on January 24, 2012.  I also used the  Lucky Limeade ruffle ribbon.  So pretty!

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Scallop Round Birthday Card

Approx. Size:  4.25”  h x 4.25” w

Stamp sets: Curly Cute

Paper: Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Poppy Parade; DSP: Everyday Enchantment

Ink: Poppy Parade

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circle die, Circle Scissor Plus, Eyelet Border punch, Bojo Punch, Doily Triple Layer Punch, 3/16″ metallic brads, Basic Pearls, Antique Brad, Bird Punch

Filed under: Birthday, Curly Cute, Feminine Birthday, Mojo Monday, Paper Flowers | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

I’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

My blog, Stampin’ by Genny, was awarded the VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD by Erin Gonzales, my SU upline and fellow design team member at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  She’s a good friend, always so helpful and super talented.

 There are just a few requirements for the Versatile Blogger Award:
1. Award 15 other blogs with this FUN mention -AND-

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

Fifteen blogs… hmmm.  I thought it would be difficult to come up with fifteen but I go to so many it wasn’t difficult at all.  Here are the 15 I came up with.  Please visit these wonderfully creative blogs and say hi.

1. Crafty Maria’s Stamping World

And now 7 things about me…

1.  I love to cook!  Not bake but cook! I don’t know if I’m lucky but desserts and sweets don’t tempt me.  Not only do I love to cook for my husband and friends but I love to eat.

2.  I have three fur children.  Chula (my beautiful Chihuahua), Chummy (a very communicative Bengal cat) and Rocco ( a sweet and loving Bengal cat).

left to right - Rocco, Chummy, Chula

3.  I live in the country so every day I see lots of deer and wildlife.  The photos below were taken in my yard.

4.  I’ve been married for 17 years to my best friend.  My husband is the best.

5.  I am so lucky to have wonderful friends.  Many I’ve met through paper crafting and work.  I wish we could spend more time together but life happens.

6.  I’ve always been creative and I truly think that my creativity and love of crafting comes from my grandmother.  She was a professional seamstress and during the depression she was able to earn a living because of it.  Not only did she know how to sew but she crocheted, embroidered and smocking.  She also was very crafty and made our piñatas for our birthday parties for me and my siblings.  Below is a picture of me and my brother in outfits she sewed for us.

7.  I love gardens.  When my husband and I go on vacation we always visit botanical gardens.  At home I have a beautiful garden that my husband planted for me.

I hope you liked getting to know me better and be sure to visit all the wonderful blogs mentioned above.

Filed under: Versatile Blogger award | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

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