Welcome to another Wacky Watercooler Blog Hop! This one is all about spring. From what I’m hearing from my friends, we’re all ready for spring!
If you’re hopping “in order,” then I’m the first. WOOT! (Ok, really, though – this is a lot of pressure!) Of course, with any hop, you can start with any blog and just keep clicking the “forward” button until you get back to where you started. Easy! If you started somewhere besides my blog, you probably arrived here by way of Kath Ricks’s blog. Isn’t she amazing? Kath has some of the most beautiful projects, and she’s one of my favorite bloggers. She always adds little details that make a project extra special.
Here are my projects.
For this hop, we created one or two projects of our own, and we CASEd a project from another hop participant. I realized when I finished that all three of my projects had ideas from others.
I used the Adventure Bound Designer Series Paper Stack for this card. I love the photo images in this stack. I used the weathered fence, then stamped images on a window sheet overlay. I stamped images from World of Dreams in White StazOn. My idea was to color the images with Stampin’ Write markers, but they just didn’t do a great job over the StazOn. The color wasn’t bold enough. So, I thought – no problem. I’ll color on the back with Blendabilities. Oops. Problem!! StazOn is opaque, so you wouldn’t see my beautiful coloring. I screwed up all my courage and used the Blendabilities markers right on the StazOn, and, as you probably have guessed, it totally obliterated all details from the stamped images. Because, of course, StazOn ink and Blendabilities markers both are solvent/alcohol inks, so you can’t use them together. I considered doing it over using Whisper White craft ink and heat embossing the images before coloring with Blendabilities, but I really didn’t think it looked that bad. The only image that didn’t look good was the birds’ nest. All of the “nesty” parts got smeared and it looked like a big Crumb Cake blob in the tree. So I took a tip from Heidi Weaver and used cut pieces of Burlap Ribbon Trim to recreate the nest. It added a little texture to the card. It still needed something, so I added some washi tape and more burlap ribbon trim.
My second project is a little treat bag. This idea is from the wonderful Deborah Smart. Deborah made some of these for a swap at Leadership, and when I saw them, I knew I wanted to make one. I used the beautiful Flowerpot Designer Series Paper with the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies. Cute, right? You just use two of the larger pieces to create the bag. Mike, of course, loved it, because it has his favorite treat – peanut M&Ms. I inserted a little piece of cardboard into the bottom of the bag, just to keep the M&Ms from falling out. I used the Ornate Tag Topper Punch and some In Color Clothespins for the tag. (The “For You” sentiment comes with the treat bag thinlits.)
If you’re wondering why I didn’t link to Heidi or Deborah, it’s because I want you to keep hopping! You’ll see their beautiful creations as you continue on the hop.
My final project is my official “CASE” (Copy and Share Everything) project. My CASE partner was Priscilla Ivler, and this is her card.
Pretty, right? I love the ribbon/tag punch closure, and I decided to go with the butterfly/flower combination. Here’s my card.
I chose the Indescribable Gift set from the Stampin’ Up! Occasions catalog. I colored the flowers with Blendabilities (Pink Pirouette, Pear Pizzazz and Crumb Cake) and stamped the butterflies in Perfect Plum on Whisper White, then blended the ink with an Aqua Painter. I added some Night of Navy designer series paper with Blushing Bride, Perfect Plum, and Night of Navy card stock. The closure is the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch with Blushing Bride 1/4″ Cotton Ribbon.
I kept the inside fairly simple –
The butterflies seemed a little “blah,” so I added some Dazzling Details to perk them up a bit. (Glitter always makes things better, right?)
That’s it for me. Your next stop on the hop is my dear friend Jackie Susnik. Jackie’s another amazing artist. Her projects are so classy and elegant.
Thanks for stopping by Stamping with Buffy. Have a wonderful day!
Stamping with Buffy 
Your project are wonderful and your CASE is lovely.
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I love what your projects!
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Fabulous projects, Buffy! I haven’t opened my Adventure Bound DSP pack yet – now you’ve got me inspired! Love your burlap birds nest – it’s perfect. Great job on your ‘case’ card; and I’m so glad you liked my inspiration of the expanded mini gift bag – yours is too cute 🙂
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Simply awesome projects Buffy! I really like the bird’s nest card and all the trials you went through to get it just right. The gift pouch and your CASE cards are wonderful too. I never really looked at the Indescribable Gift stamp until I saw your card. It’s stunning! TFS.
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I expected your projects to be wonderful, Buffy and you didn’t disappoint me. I think what I’m enjoying most about our little CASEing project is how we become inspired by each other and yet come up with projects that are very much our own. I love your take on Priscilla’s card. The little treat bag is sweet and I’m sure is being enjoyed by your Mike.
And now I come to your first project which is my favourite. It is really hard to believe that those little birds began with the World of Dreams image because you’ve made them come to life with your colouring. Each little detail is a delight. I love this card and will likely try my hand at something very like it. You’ve inspired me and challenged me. Thanks so much for being part of the Blog Hop again.
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Oh, Buffy, beautiful post! Your Adventure Bound card has such fabulous texture and composition–I love it. And thank you for turning my card into such a beautiful CASE. Lovely colors and coloring–really pretty! I enjoyed every project.
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Wow, Miss Buffy. A wonderful start to the hop. Spring flows from each project. Super save on the nest. I love learning about other stampers saves. It turned out very cool and with a different look that’s very artistically creative and wonderful. I’m with Mike on the peanut m&m’s and the bag’s not bad either. Joke. The bag is also wonderful. The Ornate punch you used on the tag really makes the tags shape pop against the darker colors of the bag. I’m hearing yet another siren song…as if the singing from the bags super die wasn’t bad enough. {grin}.
The Indescribable Gift card really knocked my socks off. The subtle colors and textures really make this a stunning card and a beautiful CASE. This is a sample that really should have made the catalog. It will sell lots and lots of sets once your stampers see it.
Thanks for starting off the hop so beautifully…and “enabling” us all to think Spring…and buying stamps! 😀
Hugs and love – J.
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I love your “nesty” card. Genius to use an overlay of window sheet and I think the “save” is wonderful.
The treat bag is gorgeous. Something that could contain prizes at classes. If I tried to put M&Ms in the bag it would be one of those, one for me, one for the bag, one for me, one for the bag……
All I can say is your Indescribable Gift card is the prettiest I have seen that set used for.
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This is why you are an awesome stamper. You are the only person I know that can take a big Crumb Cake blob and turn it into something beautiful! 🙂
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Buffy, spectacular projects. Love the treat bag and the Indescribable Gift card is so very elegant!
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I can’t get past or backwards on Penny Token Blog. but everything looks great so far.Janet
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Oh, dear. I heard the links were a little wonky there. Heidi is after Penny, and here’s her link -http://heidistampinalong.blogspot.ca/2015/02/wacky-watercooler-spring-fever-blog-hop.html
After that, you should be able to see the rest.
Thanks for checking it out, Janet!!
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Thank you all so much for your sweet comments. And special thanks to Priscilla (and Susan), Heidi and Deborah for inspiring my projects! I can’t wait to go back through and really look at everyone’s projects and comment!
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Love all your projects, but those little birds are just darling!
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Wonderful Buffy. I had forgotten about that cardbase which can be madw with the scallopped tag topper punch. Thanks for the reminder.
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Beautiful projects, Buffy!
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Beautiful projects.
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