We Create Blog Hop--Step it Up!

We have decided that our readers would probably appreciate something different, so we will be doing "step it up" posts for the remainder of this year's blog hop posts.  We will all be creating a simple card or project and then step it up by adding a few more details.  We hope that will get your juices flowing.

Today's card is the one I made for this years Stampin' Up! North American Convention. I usually don't make a lot of swap cards, but I was asked by my friend Jeanna to join an "organized swap" which is one that is planned ahead with a set amount of people.  We met at Red Rock Brewery for some yummy dinner and passed our swaps around the table.  It's always fun to meet new people and share some great ideas.

I started with Hello Honey card stock and used my circle Framelits to punch out the opening.  I stamped the candles from Build a Birthday Photopolymer stamp set with Pear Pizzazz, Bermuda Bay and Tangerine Tango on Whisper White card stock.  I added a "Celebrate" stamp from my favorite birthday set Endless Birthday Wishes which I punched out with my new Washi Label Punch. (You totally need this one!)  For a little bit of dimension, I layered with another piece of card stock in Pool Party.  Easy peasy and only took me a couple minutes!

The "stepped-up" card added the Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (TIEF), stamped some dots on the Pool Party cs, curled the Washi Labels with the bone folder to add more dimension and glued some Pear Pizzazz 1/4" cotton ribbon and a little star punched out of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper .  This took me a few extra minutes than the first one and has much more texture and dimension. Doing 20 of these for a swap took a bit of time, but I was pleased with the outcome!  It was nice to have some extra help as well! (Thanks Jeanna B!!)

Convention was so much fun, but it has come to an end in more ways than one! Stampin' Up! has decided to change the way they gather with all the demonstrators throughout the world and as the company grows, change is inevitable.  I'm anxious to see the new directions SU! is taking, I'm sure it will be a blast!

Time to see what the rest of the "hop girls" have to share!  I'm sure it will be great!

Hope your weekend is filled with some creativity!

Julie