Libby Fens, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Libby Fens offering original and creative paper crafting projects. I host monthly Card Buffets, specialty classes and weekly inspiration for card making.

Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons

Cheerful Easter

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As I am designing projects for my March Card Buffet, I realized it will be Easter before we know it.

I’ve had the Cheerful Critters stamp set for a while and I have been itching to play with it. So I pulled it out and went to my card challenges on Pinterest. I like this one from CAS(E) this Sketch –

It’s very clean and simple.

After a few tries, I came up with something I liked. I went through several of those ‘critters’ before I like the coloring on the one I used here –

libbystamps, Cheerful Critters, Crazy About You, Painted Blooms DSP, Painted Blooms Cotton Twine, Fringe Scissors, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, Easter

I’m just tickled with how this turned out. It’s just too cute. A fun Easter card.

Ok, enough getting off track – or maybe I will use this one this month…..who knows?!? Some more playing around until I get just the right cards.

Thanks for stopping to take a look. I’d love to read your comments.

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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Everyone has a Rainy Day

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Friday. Friday. Friday. Yippee!

Got a card to share today. I managed to squeeze in a little ‘me’ card making time. That makes me H A P P Y !

I have SO many card challenges pinned and I just can’t keep up. I want to try them ALL!

Today, I went with The Paper Players. An awesome sketch to work with –

I had soo many ideas for this one. But, this 4×4 is what I went with –

libbystamps, Life's Adventure Hostess Stamp Set, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, 2 1/2 Circle Punch, Moonlight DSP Stack

I had been itching to use this Hostess set, Life’s Adventure. Check!

Play along with a card challenge. Check! Make a cute card. Check! You get the idea.

Pretty cute card with lots of dimension. I really like the umbrella. I played around with coloring the fox – it just didn’t look right. Plain worked better here. It created more of a focal point.

One thing special about this card? The faceted button has a tie through it in Lost Lagoon, a new color. You know what it is? It’s a very, very thin sliver of a card stock! I just tied it! Cool, huh?

Sweet card. Check! What do you think?

Happy Stampin’
Libby

Pink Polka Dot Christmas

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Think you’re seeing double? Well, you are. I have a double post of sorts today.

The first card shown is from my Christmas Card Class. It’s just so lovely, right?

It was made from the Season of Style DSP Stack, some retired Melon Mambo Ribbon, Christmas Messages stamp set, and the Chalk Talk Framelits. Easy peasy.  I always like to throw in an unexpected pop of color in these type of classes.

I had a kit or two leftover from the class. So. Waste not. Want not. Hence the gift card holder for my December Holiday Card Buffet was created! And, it was a popular choice.

The gift card holder could be Christmas or non-Christmas. I thought it was cool how it incorporated the Envelope Punch Board on a more narrow card creating the file folder style card. What do you think?

I once again used the retired Melon Mambo Ribbon, but this time added the Festive Flurry stamp set and coordinating framelits. The Vintage Designer faceted Buttons gave just enough of a ‘pop’ to this little gem. The Petite Pairs stamp set worked just perfectly for this smaller spaced greeting.

As you can see, when opened, the gift card holder uses the ‘W’ fold to form the slot to hold the gift card.

I love the challenge of recreating cards from extra supplies. In this case, it was nice to have the coordinating projects. Some like the matchy matchy Christmas stuff! Like me, of course!

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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Hexagon Folded Christmas Star

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Hexagon folded Christmas star, sounds intriguing.

It kinda is. After several tries to create this perfect, or nearly perfect scores and folds, I have created what looks like a Christmas Star. Scroll and take a look.

I made this card for two, three challenges today. First off, I saw this card here and could not find anymore information about it – like how to make it.  So, I figured it out myself. I included some of my steps below.

The second one was for a color challenge over at, Create with Connie and Mary . It’s their challenge CCMCWINTER13-02, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Crumb Cake. Nice, traditional colors for Christmas.

The third, was for the layout over at Sketch Frenzy Friday. SFF110113. A very nice layout to showcase this nifty star I made.

I started out practicing making this star. I punched out 6 Hexagon shapes and scored and folded them. I noticed a neat pattern as I did this.

So, I re-punched 6 shapes, all containing the same patterning, see photo below. I scored them twice, to form a ‘V”, all in the same place with the pattern the same way. It’s shown below in the blurry photos, sorry. I folded all of them up along each score line. I had an extra Hexagon shape that I used for my base to attach each folded shape to. It created a nifty little star.

Now you can go try this cool star too!

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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Recycled Mini Album

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You made what? Hard to believe isn’t it? I’m not a scrapper. But…..

This was one of the most adorable, I mean adorable things we made at an up-line retreat before Convention! It was SO clever.

We each brought a WOW or over the top shoe box swap to have everyone make. I haven’t shown mine, because it uses new products from the upcoming Holiday Mini. I’ll post it next week. And, some of the other projects, I need to finish…..I was too busy talking, lol!

In looking at my photos below, can you tell what this is made from? I know these have been around for a while, but I’ve never made one. You bet I’m making more of these now. Too easy. Too cute. Still thinking of what this made from?

I think this Gingham Garden DSP is a wonderful choice for this fun mini album. Bright and cheery. Five simple pockets contain a little tag that has been covered in DSP too and adorned with a designer button. I haven’t added any photos or journaling as I don’t know just what the ‘right’ occasion will be for me to use this mini album, but, I’m sure I’ll find one.

I am an avid fan of recycling. The ‘bones’ of this are get this, paper towel rolls or toilette paper tubes! Just flattened and recovered, that simple! The pullout tags are the cardboard supports from our DSP’s! Imagine that?

Carol, you were too clever in this project! You have inspired me. Thanks! Now, I hope I have inspired you.

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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In-Color Flowers

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Got any flowers lately?

I just love flowers. I don’t love that they fade and die so quickly though. So, I’ve taken a liking to making paper flowers! And, for my Open House, that was no different. I wanted flowers! I went with paper.

I ran across this blog posting a while back and decided I just had to make these. So I did! They’ve been patiently waiting to be shown off. I used them as table decorations at my Open House. It made the tables fun and festive!

These flowers were very easy to make. Got my glue gun ready and floral stems cut and bent at the end. For a single flower, I punched two flowers from the Fancy Flower Punch. One of the flowers, I cut a niche to remove a section of the petal. I manipulated the petals together, then secured the petals together with the hot glue. I placed that curved flower atop the flat flower. Done. That quick.

After all the flowers were assembled, I added the largest Vintage Faceted Designer Button to the center and attached the stem. (So glad I opted to get all these packs of buttons free during last Sale-a-Bration!) I arranged them in ‘vases’ and just went with it.

For my current display, I just combined the flowers together. Love the full look.

Thanks, Justin for your inspiration. I love them!

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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Bloomin’ Marvelous

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Don’t you just love pink?

Seems my customers do! And quite frankly, I’m not much of a pink person but, I love designing pink cards. They are just – sweet!

Lots made this at my last Card Buffet. It was an easy choice. And, an easy card to make. I try to have a mix of easy and more intricate cards at my buffets.

This one demonstrated, believe it or not, 4 different Sale-a-Bration products! I used the embossing folder, Vine Street, the stamp sets, Madison Avenue and Bloomin’ Marvelous, and the Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons. With the buttons, people didn’t realize you could get those free as well!

I must admit, this was not my original design. I pinned it some time ago and it seemed to be the perfect addition to my buffet for February.

Speaking of buffet, I’m already planning my March spread. Some cards carry over, some do not. I don’t think this one will be a return card. I have another pink design I would like to show. I try to mix up the colors as well! Oh, what a challenge!

Side note, I am really thrilled when someone attends the class, makes the projects and then tells me, ‘I gave my card to…’ or ‘I used it for a….’ . It thrills me to no end! So, thanks Erica for passing along your card. Your story warmed my heart.

After all, that’s why I make cards and share my creativity with everyone – I love the reaction. People are thrilled. People smile.

So, go get creative and share a card with someone!

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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Make’n Take Madness

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Let’s take a peek at the Dallas Regional Make’n Takes, they were awesome!

We started off with getting a packet, catalog and a blank pad of paper. Quietly, she said, “this is for one of the make’n takes”.

As the morning talk of creativity went on, many took notes on the newly acquired notepad! Lol, because we got time to complete the beautiful cover for said notepad during the morning session! And, make an interesting card.

I’ve never been successful with these flowers, but today mine turned out pretty good I thought!

Later in the day we were surprised with another project. A darling little box holding four 3×3 cards! Adorable!

I was just too excited about these projects. Quite honestly, I miss stampin’ time. As a demonstrator, I always have stuff to create, then clean up afterwards for others. I rarely just get to stamp at a function for fun.

Gee, after making these 3 items, I guess I want the Clockworks Stamp Set. I really never paid much attention to it until now. It made for some very versatile projects. Thanks Stampin’ Up!

Happy Stampin’
Libby

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