Did You Know?

Stampin' Up! offers combinations of stamps and accessories specifically designed to work together to create a pleasing, consistent feel. These combinations simplify the project-making process--you can choose a theme, select its coordinating products, and plan your project. Here we present projects to demonstrate various project types you can make with one style.

Each year we're excited to share our exclusive collections inspired by the season's hottest trends. We consistently refresh our Style Watch lines to make sure we're providing up-to-date stamp sets and embellishments that fit your style and coordinate effortlessly.

Product Coordination
Each collection features products that coordinate in colour, texture, and theme. You may see different components in each line, but you'll always see several stamp sets, a coordinating alphabet or wheel, and several embellishments (think Designer Series paper, punches, ribbon, Accents & Elements, Rub-Ons, and more) to put the finishing touch on your projects.

Ten Card Class Preview

*WATERCOLOUR WEDNESDAY WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK*

I'll be teaching my first class as a Stampin' UP! demonstrator on April 30th and I couldn't be more thrilled. Creating the cards I'll be showing you is SO much fun!

Today, I thought I'd show you one of the cards we'll be making.  It uses our Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper.  I'll admit that when I first saw this paper, I was SURE it wasn't for me.  Having seen samples using it and now making cards using it myself, I've fallen in love with it!

If you can't make it to class, here are the step by step instructions to make this card:

• Cut a piece of Daffodil Delight Cardstock to 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and score it at 4 1/4". Fold it in half.
• Cut a piece of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper to 4" x 5 1/4" and adhere to the front of the card base.
• Cut a different pattern of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper to 1 3/4" x 4 3/4" and mat it on a piece of 2" x 5" Chocolate Chip (yes, it looks like Basic Black in the photo - I promise it's Chocolate Chip!).
• Cut a piece of 2" x 3" Whisper White Cardstock on which you will stamp your focal image.  For this card, I used Aviary. Mat your Whisper White piece on 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" piece of Daffodil Delight and again on a piece of 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" of Chocolate Chip.  Adhere to front of card, using Stampin' Dimensionals.
• Stamp just 4 you (or sentiment of your choice) from Hodgepodge Happiness in Chocolate Chip on Whisper White Cardstock. Punch out using Word Window Punch. Mat in on piece of Chocolate Chip Cardstock punched with the Modern Label Punch. Adhere to front of card using Stampin' Dimensionals on ONE end and adhesive on the other.

Now...if you want directions for the other NINE cards we'll be making, you'll have to come to class!

Class will be held on April 30th at 1 p.m.  There is only enough space for 10 stampers, so you want to register EARLY!

COST: Register and pay by April by April 17th and pay only $25; after April 17th and up to including the 24th, pay $30.

SPECIAL OFFER!!!  Bring a friend and when you register and pre-pay for BOTH of you, you'll pay only $20 each!!!

Contact me directly to register for class and I'll send you a PayPal invoice.

Happy Stampin'!!!

Strength and Hope for a friend in need

The Strength and Hope Stamp set will be available in the Summer Mini beginning May 1st, 2011.  It's sale will see $2 per set donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In my travels through cyber space, I have seen a LOT of cards made with this set and, in my opinion, you just CAN'T make a bad card with this set. It's just not possible!

When I found a GORGEOUS card by Lianne Carper, I just KNEW I would have to CASE (Copy and Share Everything) it. It will be going to a friend's sister who is battling cancer.

Here are some of the bits and pieces:

I love the butterfly that comes with this set. I especially love cutting it out and layering several of them. I learned this trick from a fellow demonstrator named Tana. I've seen her do it with the butterfly punch, but it works with this one too.

In this next photo, you can see that I used Stampin' Dimensionals on the wings. By adding Glue Dots to the centre of the butterfly and squishing all three butterflies together, you can achieve the illusion of  a flying butterfly. LOVE THIS!

Here's the bow detail. If I'd had some of the new Whisper White Baker's Twine that will be available in the new Summer Mini, I would have used that.  I haven't finalized my Summer Mini order as of yet, but when I do, you can be sure the Baker's Twine (in all three colours!) will be on it!



The sentiment in this set is the letter "H" and the word "hope".  There's also three rows of words. I stamped these behind the "H" in River Rock Ink on Whisper White Cardstock. I had to stamp it twice - this was easy to do since I have the clear mount version of this set. I used more Stampin' Dimensionals for the sentiment.

Here's the completed card:

What do you think?

STAMPS: Strength and Hope
INKS: River Rock, Not Quite Navy
PAPERS: Whisper White and Not Quite Navy Cardstock; Paisley Prints DSP
ACCESSORIES: Ribbon, Punches, Linen Thread, Button, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

MDS Monday - Photo Background

Imagine my excitement when I discovered that you could actually use a WHOLE PHOTO instead of background paper!  If you figured this out months ago, please don't laugh at me!

I whipped this one up in a couple of minutes (OK, maybe like 15 or so...) while I was hanging out with my most awesome downline Diana before her OSW (that's one sheet wonder) class.

My favourite part of July 1st festivities has ALWAYS been the fireworks show at the end of the night.  I've had to cover the kids ears for a few years, but I still don't miss it!

This layout is VERY simple!  One photo for the background and three smaller photos at the bottom, matted with Whisper White.

Have yourself a great MDS day!

Stamping 411 in Bright and Cheery Colours!

The temperature is up to 13C where I am!!!  That's about 55F for my American friends - WOOT! So, today's card brings bright and cheery colours ready for summer.  Yes, I KNOW spring has BARELY started, but I am SO ready for warm summer weather!

For my card, I decided to play along with the operators at Stamping 411!

 What do you think of this?  I just love this bow! And how's that for bright and cheery? Nothing says happy like Real Red! Our taffeta ribbon is one of my favourites to use.  It's so soft and supple - it makes FABULOUS bows!

You know what else? It come is 11 colours! You can see them all here.



If you know ANYTHING about me, you know how much I LOVE layers!  If I was ever down to only one package of Stampin' Dimensionals, I think I might start having heart palpitations - LOL! When I place my demonstrator orders, there's ALWAYS at least one package on there! Good thing I can get them for 20% off...you can too if you join my team!  All your favourite Stampin' UP! products for at least 20% off as long as you remain an active demonstrator. Cool, or what?

The sentiment, in this case, wasn't attached with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I simply added a bit of Snail under the end that was on top of the image panel and let it "float" off the edge.

And now...without further ado...the full card front! Like I said - BRIGHT AND CHEERY! I didn't have any DSP with the colours I wanted to use, so I just made my own! Love, love, LOVE that I can do that!

I stamped the flower from Bold Blossom using Real Red, Tangerine Tango and Tempting Turquoise Ink on a 4 x 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White Cardstock before adhering it to my Tempting Turquoise Base.

This is such a fun little stamp set! And it's inexpensive too - only $15.95 for wood mount and $11.95 for clear mount.  You can't beat that!

Tips from the Heart for making your own Designer Series Paper:

• Start with the largest stamp first. In this case, that didn't matter as I was only using one image. Your smaller images are GREAT for filling in gaps, so save them till last.
• Start with the lightest colour first. If you start with darker colours, you're going to find the piece overwhelming.
• Fill in the gaps.  The best Designer Series Paper is COVERED. You want your Designer Series Paper to be the same.
• Make a WHOLE sheet!  For my card, I only made one panel, but you can make a whole sheet of your own Designer Series Paper.  This is known as a "one sheet wonder" and is often cut into smaller pieces to get many cards from one sheet of paper.
• Have fun! Don't try and be too precise or your paper will look like it was store bought.  You want it to be fun and whimsical. You want it to be a part of you!

When I first started making cards, I almost NEVER finished the inside of the card. But after awhile, I started thinking that all the cards you can BUY in those card stores are all finished on the inside.  Sometimes it's only a sentiment, but still.  Most of my cards DON'T have a sentiment inside (unless it's specifically requested by a client), but I do like to finish them on the inside now.  Sometimes it's a stamped image.  Sometimes it's an extra strip of Designer Series Paper. Just a little extra something to show again how much you care.

I hope you enjoyed my little bit of summer!  Why don't you leave me a quick comment and let me know what you think?

STAMPS: Bold Blossom
INKS: Old Olive, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise
PAPERS: Whisper White, Real Red, Tangerine Tango and Tempting Turquoise Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Real Red 3/8 Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Punches

Happy Stampin'!

Tiny Tags for a friend - Simply Adorned

Have you experienced Stampin' UP!'s jewelry line, Simply Adorned?  It's simply GORGEOUS!

Here's just one sample from the Stampin' UP! website:

Isn't it darling?  The set used is Tiny Tags - it's not JUST for tags! It's the perfect size for these tiny little charms, which are available in sizes from 5/8" (square and round) up to 1 1/2" X 2" (rectangle).  The size shown here is the 1" square charm.

Each charm comes in a plain brown box which can be EASILY decorated, making it just perfect!  What's more, you could even create a matching card!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Tiny Tags

INK: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Sahara Sand; Crushed Curry (retired, but could be replaces with Daffodil Delight)

PAPERS: Very Vanilla and Rich Razzleberry Cardstock

ACCESSORIES: Simply Adorned Line of Jewelry

Happy Stampin'!

Watercolour Wednesday - The Nicest Things

I love doing nice things for people...especially friends.  One of my favourite things to do (of course) is send/hand deliver a card.

This morning, I noticed a friend was having a pretty rough day (gotta love Facebook!), so I let her know that I would be in her area and if she needed an afternoon pick me up in the way of a visit and coffee that I would make myself available.

She had a meeting that she had to take over her lunch, so she had NO spare time. I really wanted to brighten her day, so I made a card and dropped it off with the receptionist at her workplace.

My card did the trick because when I was on my way home, I received a notification (again, gotta love Facebook!) that she had received the card and was absolutely thrilled with it.  She said I had made her smile in what was an otherwise bad day.  Mission accomplished!

Wanna see?

Look at all those layers!  YUMMY!  And dimensionals?  Oh yeah baby!  I used 14 of those things on this card!

Here's the inside (before I wrote all the mushy stuff!):

And now...what you've been waiting for!!!  The card front!

It's Sketch Challenge day over SplitCoast Stampers, so I used that as my starting point.  The main image panel was PERFECT for an ATC sized image and these two sweet little girls from "The Nicest Things" were a great fit!

The first thing I did was cut down my watercolour paper.  It comes in 3 3/4" x 5", but since I wanted an ATC, I cut it down to 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".  You can get TWO ATC out of one sheet of watercolour paper! Then I stamped the girls in Staz-ON ink as this is the best ink for watercolouring.  It doesn't matter how much water you use, this stuff just DOES. NOT. RUN.

Then I just went to town with my watercolour crayons and aqua painters. I used colours from all four families on this one, so I don't think I can list all of them.

Once my image panel was completely dry, I matted in on a piece 2 5/8" x 3 5/8" piece of Baja Breeze Cardstock.  Then, I just started adding layers like on the sketch till I was happy with the results and stuck it all down.

On the inside of the card, I layered a piece of Whisper White over some Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper (DSP) and stamped the sentiment and little bunny in a pot from the same set. Is that bunny not the cutest thing you've ever seen?

What do you think?

STAMPS: The Nicest Things
INK: Staz-ON, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
PAPERS: Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze and Whisper White Cardstock; Paisley Petals DSP
ACCESSORIES: Watercolour Crayons, Aqua Painters, Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Love a Deal? Get it NOW!!!

Stampin' UP! has restocked the Clearance Rack and it's LOADED with goodness!  There are even some Grab Bags available where everything is a surprise! And, really...who doesn't love surprises?

Just imagine...you spend $18 and get $72 worth of product!  And it's not like we're talking penny candy here...we're talking the genuine article! 100% Stampin' UP! awesomeness!  You can't beat that!

Don't wait though!  Head on over to the Clearance Rack now, before it's all gone!

Please note: Clearance Rack merchandise can only be purchased through an online order.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

MDS Monday - It's just a little makeup!

Last year, my daughter had to opportunity to be part of a series of one act plays at her school.  She had a part in "The Devil and Daniel Webster" as one of the "jury members".

Of course, before the play could take place, there had to be dress rehearsals, set work, make up trials...there's lots to do as I'm sure you can imagine.

So, one day, she came home from school, looking like this:

What's a mom to do?  Take pictures of course!

I used MDS once again, because of course...it's MDS Monday! My background is textured Concord Crush cardstock and I "stamped" using Extreme Elements in the same colour as well as Whisper White on which I reduced the opacity.  The text was added using Whisper White.

Happy MDSin'!

Four Frames and Some Tiny Wishes

My apologies for the late day posting! It's the first day of pre-orders for Stampin' UP! demonstrators, so things are little hectic to say the least!

I haven't had the chance to finish up my card using the ATC posted here, but I didn't want to leave you hanging, so here's a little card straight from the Stampin' UP! website:

This little note card is SO adorable and perfect for showcasing the Four Frames Stamp Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper. It would be PERFECT attached to a small gift or a bouquet of flowers.

Want to learn how to make it? Sign up for my 10 card class on April 30th and I'll show you how! It's just ONE of the ten fabulous cards we'll be making in class!

It uses the Decorative Label Punch as well as the Boho Blossoms and 2-Step Bird Punch.  A little 1/2 circle punched out of the focal image makes a spot for the flowers.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Four Frames, Teeny Tiny Wishes
INK: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Old Olive
PAPERS: Cherry Cobbler, Watercolour Paper; Paisley Petals DSP
ACCESSORIES: Aqua Painters, Punches, Ribbon

Happy Stampin'!

Watercolour Wednesday - Back to the Well

When I first saw the Countryside Stamp Set, it made me think of my Grampy and his farm. This card, reminds me of his truck. At least I think he had a truck...probably not in his later years, but I'm pretty sure I've heard stories about riding in his truck as a little girl.  In my imagination, his truck looks just like that.

I KNOW he had a well...the whole house was on well water and it was COLD! My sister and I used to "swim" in old wash basins when we were little and Grampy would fill them up for us.  BRRR!!!  My Dad used to go into the house and sneak out some warm water for us so it wouldn't be so cold.

I KNOW the well wasn't the pump variety shown in this ATC:

but it still reminds me of him. If I close my eyes and imagine he did have a pump, I can see him at it, getting water to water his big garden.  I can see him carrying the bucket out to the garden. I can see Kimmy (his dog) following along behind him.

In his later years, he didn't garden so much, but the picture I see is the way I saw him as a little girl.

He passed away 25 years ago this April and I still miss him.  I wish he could be here to see his grandchildren...I wish he could have been at my wedding...I wish...well...I wish a lot of things.

I hope you like my ATC.  Tomorrow will be SUPER busy (especially since it's the LAST day to order for SAB), so I won't be able to update.  Come back on Friday though, and I'll show you how I turned my ATC into a card.


STAMPS: Countryside, Clearly for You
INK: Staz-ON
PAPERS: Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery and Marina Mist Cardstock; Elegant Soiree DSP; Watercolour Paper
ACCESSORIES: Word Window Punch, Metallic Brads

Happy Stampin'!

Summer Mini Sneak Peek - Strength & Hope

Can you believe it?  The Summer Mini is right around the corner!  How exciting!

Of course, with the Summer Mini starting up in just over a month, that means that Sale-A-Bration is just about finished - just three more days (if you count today)! So, if there's anything you've been meaning to get to earn free product, NOW is the time!  Just click here to get started!

Here's my Summer Mini sneak peek for today:

Want to see the whole thing?  I'm doing a count down to the mini special edition newsletter for which you can sign up.  You'll need to click on the "sign up" box in the top left corner and select the "summer mini" option in my newsletter list.

I'll also be revealing how I made the butterfly look like it's flying off the page in my newsletter.

Happy Stampin'!

MDS Monday - A Favourite Field Trip

These pics are from last year, but I just got around to MDSing them!

This is just a quick post today as we JUST got back from a weekend getaway and I have a PILE of laundry to do!

Happy MDSin'!

Watercolour Wednesday - Bundle of Joy for Jill

Recently my friend Jill and her husband Mark added a new little bundle to their family.  Well...what's a card maker to do?  Make a card of course!

Here's what I made:

Would you believe that I DIDN'T own ANY baby sets? How did such an oversight happen? Fortunately, I needed to submit a customer order and added "Teddy and Train" to the list for myself - problem solved! And just in the nick of time too - PHEW!!!

So, I stamped this ADORABLE little teddy on our watercolour paper using Staz-On ink and coloured him in using our Watercolour Wonder Crayons in Crumb Cake and Soft Suede.  You may remember that I used them last on this card. By heading over to that post, you can find all the tips I posted on ways to use the crayons.

I stamped the sentiment using Early Espresso Ink.

I wanted to keep the card simple and elegant, so I didn't add a lot of extra stuff to the image panel.  I used a piece of Paisley Prints DSP (available in the NEW 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog) and added a piece of Marina Mist 3/8" taffeta to finish off the card.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Teddy and Train
INKS: Black Staz-On, Early Espresso
PAPERS: Watercolour Paper, Marina Mist Cardstock and Paisley Prints DSP
ACCESSORIES: Ribbon, Watercolour Wonder Crayons, Aqua Painters

Happy Stampin'!

MDS Monday - Reasons to join my Stampin' UP! team

One of the most amazing things about being part of this fantastic company are the events.  And let me tell you: Stampin' UP! knows how to put on a show!

Last year, I had the opportunity to attended a Regional Event in Hamilton with my most awesomest upline Caroline (F) LeBel! I got to hang out with "Canadians, INK!" which is the name of Caroline's team and our "mommy" team to "Canadian Blossoms".

Here are just a few reasons to join my team:

Good Friends: Just because Julie and Caroline aren't on the same team, doesn't mean they can't be friends!  We're just one big happy family!

Shannon West: This girl is cute, cute, CUTE!  And she's super dynamic.  Any chance you get to hear her speak is one you should most DEFINITELY take!

Swapping Cards: At any Stampin' UP! event, there are demonstrators swapping: cards, card fronts, 3-D items. It's SO much fun to gather ideas from other demonstrators by swapping!

Shelli Gardner: Last, but certainly NOT least, is Shelli Gardner, Co-Founder and CEO of Stampin' UP! This girl is a dynamo and it's contagious!!!  I came away from this spectacular event energized and ready to do more, more, more in my business!

And now, during Sale-A-Bration, is really the BEST time to join my team and Stampin' UP! The starter kit is on SALE for $182.75 (that's 15% off!) and as added bonus, you get an extra $60 worth of goodies from Stampin' UP! In addition, as an EXTRA bonus, if you join now, I'll give you your choice of ANY regular stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalog (this does not includes Hostess Sets).  That's right - ANY stamp set. Even the really expensive $58.95 set Define Your Life if that's the set you want.

For my MDS layout above, I used Textured Poppy Parade Cardstock for my background and then stamped using the Medallion Stamp Brush in Whisper White.  I achieved the effect of transparency, by reducing the opacity of my stamp brush to 10%.  I added photos, text and embellishments and had a scrapbook page in under half an hour.  That's the beauty of MDS - quick and easy.  The BEST part?  NO CLEAN UP!!!!

So, what are you waiting for?  No time like the present!  Just click here and you can get started right away! As of this morning, there's only 10 more days to take advantage of this great offer!

Happy MDSin'!

Back to Basics with Paper and Ink

I love embellishments, don't get me wrong. But sometimes, you need to let the paper and the stamped images speak for themselves.

For this card, I used three different stamp sets, two of which are from the Sale-A-Bration brochure and will only be available for the next 11 days!  The other stamp set that I used is "Clearly For You" and it's in the Occasions Mini which is available until April 30th when the new SUMMER MINI takes effect!

And...speaking of SUMMER MINI, I'll be putting out an additional newsletter every Tuesday for the next 6 weeks to introduce you to the goodness that will be in the SUMMER MINI beginning May 1st.  You're going to LOVE IT!!!  In order to receive this newsletter, you MUST sign up for it.  If you're already receiving my semi-monthly newsletter, you'll need to change your preferences.  Because this SUMMER MINI newsletter will be weekly for the next six weeks, I will NOT be sending it out to my regular newsletter subscribers without their permission.  If you have ANY difficulty whatsoever updating your preferences, please email me and let me know.  I can make the changes for you, at your request.

Now, for today's card:

I read a FaceBook status update of a very close friend this morning and it was somewhat disturbing.  This girl has the most amazing, generous, giving, kind spirit and to see her hurt breaks my heart.  We chatted a little bit and I decided that she needed a more tangible reminder of just how awesome she is.

So, I picked up my colour coach and decided on: Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso and Pretty in Pink.  I threw in some Regal Rose for a little brighter Pink.

I started off by stamping the Early Espresso Base using the large image from the Bliss Stamp Set (available with a $60 purchase only for the next 11 days!) and Versamark ink. Then I stamped the images from Sweet Summer (also available only for the next 11 days!) on Whisper White Cardstock using Garden Green, Regal Rose and Rich Razzleberry Inks.

The sentiment (from Clearly For You) is stamped in Regal Rose on Whisper White Cardstock, punched out using the Word Window Punch and matted on a piece of Rich Razzleberry Cardstock punched out using the Modern Label Punch.

There's an appropriate amount of mush on the inside.

What do you think:

STAMPS: Bliss, Sweet Summer and Clearly For You
INKS: Garden Green, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry
PAPERS: Whisper White, Early Espresso and Rich Razzleberry Cardstock, Pretty in Pink DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

MDS Monday - What You SEE is what you get!

Ever wondered what exactly is ON the My Digital Studio discs you get when you order this fantastic product?

Stampin' UP! now has a catalog where you can see it all!  Everything on the disc and ALL the downloads up to and including January 2011.  You can see the catalog by clicking on the link in my right side bar.  How awesome is that?  It's kind of big to print up (76 pages!), but you could if you wanted to at least print up the download pages and keep track of what you've purchased so you don't accidentally purchase the same thing twice *coughcough* not that I know ANYTHING about THAT *coughcough*

And, since it's MDS Monday, here's a 12 X 12 page that I created of my DD.  It's VERY simple, but sometimes simple is JUST RIGHT and it lets the photos speak for themselves.  Besides, not that I'm biased or anything, but she's GORGEOUS!

What do you think?

I used Wild Wasabi for the Background Paper and added a layer of Whisper White for the vellum effect.  I chose two VERY simple embellishments, opting for Garden Green buttons and Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon.

Happy MDSin'!

Sunny Sunday Sketch - Week 23 - REVEAL!

Yes, I KNOW I haven't been consistent with my sketches, but I'm still going to keep them in numerical order rather than trying to figure which week is which.  So...we'll call them "sketch weeks" instead of actual weeks - LOL!  And...in two "SKETCH WEEKS" I'll have some blog candy, since it'll be "Sketch Week" 25.  Sound good?

So, yesterday I gave you a sneak peek of some new papers and a new stamp set that will be released in the new Idea Book and Catalog.  I've only had to papers and stamp set for a few days and I can tell you that I LOVE IT!  I'm sure you will too!

Here's the front of my card:

Isn't this paper GORGEOUS?  And that's only ONE of the TWELVE patterns that are in the pack!  You get 12 pages of Designer Series Paper, 2 each of six designs and it's all double sided.  Trust me when I tell you that you're going to want more than one pack of this paper! I ordered three packs with my pre-order and I can't WAIT till April 1st so I can get MORE!

Want to get it during the pre-order?  No problem!  All you have to do is sign up to become a demonstrator. It's just one of the many perks you get by joining my team.  You'll also get the starter kit at 15% off, so you'll pay only $182.75 instead of $215.  As another added bonus, during Sale-A-Bration, you also get a product bonus of $60 including the Colour Coach! This really IS the BEST time to become a Stampin' UP! Demonstrator!  And there's no pressure to buy anything ever again!  If you just want the kit, GREAT!  You'll still maintain active status till the end of June and still be able to receive at least 20% off every single order. If you place a $200 order in the first 60 days, you'll get 30% off that order.  You just can't lose!

If you need even MORE incentive, you'll be able to get first crack at all the retiring stamps/accessories when Stampin' UP! announces the retired list around the middle of May.

I stamped the Four Frames onto my Whisper White Cardstock and then chose one of the sentiments from Silhouette Sentiments (a Level 1 Hostess Set) to stamp inside the frame.  This set is perfect if you just want a little something in the way of a sentiment.

To finish off today's post, I'll show you the inside of my card:

It's simple and elegant and adds just the right touch.  I like finishing the inside of my cards with just a snippet of something from the front. I think it makes it looked more "polished".

What do you think?

STAMPS: Four Frames, Silhouette Sentiments (Level 1 Hostess Set)
INK: Not Quite Navy, Versamark
PAPERS: Whisper White and Baja Breeze Cardstock; Paisley Prints DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

There's a new paper in town - you're gonna love it!

Here's a little sneak peek:

This is a new paper and stamp set that will be in the NEW 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog...but YOU can get it beginning April 1st - a full THREE MONTHS before it's released. How fantastic is THAT?

Today, I'm just showing you a little sneak peek.  You'll have to come back tomorrow to see the whole thing. It'll be my Sunny Sunday Sketch for this week!

The paper is called Paisley Prints and the Stamp Set is called Four Frames and coordinates with the Decorative Label Punch.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Four Frames
INK: Not Quite Navy
PAPERS: Whisper White and Baja Breeze Cardstock; Paisley Prints DSP
ACCESSORIES: Decorative Label Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Happy Stampin'!

Ornament Punch Available for Ordering

We're happy to announce the Extra-Large Ornament punch (item 119847) is available to order. The quality problems we were experiencing with the punch have been resolved and our supply is ready to go.

Thank you for your patience as we work to provide you with high-quality products.

Ornament Punch  119847
Price: $23.95

Punches are a quick and easy way to add interest, dimension, and color to your cards, tags, and scrapbook pages. You can glue punched shapes directly onto your projects or layer a sheet of card stock that has been punched over a coordinating card stock for a reverse effect.

■ New, sleeker body style
■ Larger surface area offers precise cutting and leverage
■ Locks to store

Happy Stampin'!

Stampin' UP! Petal Cone Die

Have you had a chance to shop the Occasions Mini Catalog yet? If not, why not?  There's less than two months left to order all the goodness from it and then it'll be gone! April 30th, 2011 is the last date for this mini!

One of the FABULOUS things in the Occasions Mini is the new Petal Cone Die.  If you're coming to my Ten Card Class at the end of the month, I'll have some samples of the fun things you can create with it to show you then!

Hope you can join me!!!

Ten Card Class - Coming at the end March

I hope you'll join me as I start introducing classes to my schedule!


My first class will be a ten card class featuring all occasions stamp sets using several different stamp sets include Apple Blossoms, the Level 2 Hostess Set seen here:


Join me on Sunday March 27th, 2011 at 1 p.m. and we'll make 10 all occasion cards, using a variety of stamp sets, including the Level 2 Hostess Set. If orders on the day of class total $395 or more, I'll choose a lucky winner to receive the set!

Early Bird Cost: $25 - Register and Pay prior to March 15th

Regular Cost: $30 - Register and Pay prior to March 20th

Place a $60 order on class day and your $25/$30 class fee will be applied to your order as a discount!

SPACE IS LIMITED TO 10 STAMPERS, so reserve early to avoid disappointment.

Pricing

Early Bird Pricing $25.00 Bring a Friend Price (per person) $20.00 Regular Price $30.00

Love What You Do and Share What You Love with Stampin' UP!

There has never been a better time to join Stampin' UP!  SALE-A-BRATION means a 15% discount on the kit and Stampin' UP! has added a bundle of goodies worth $60!

Need MORE incentive?  Join my team and I'll give you $50 worth of embellishments including the Adornments, Rosettes and both sets of buttons in the Occasions Mini which you can see by clicking the link on the right sidebar.

Still looking for a BETTER deal? If you're just joining for the discount and would like the benefits of being a Stampin' UP! demonstrator but don't want to sell, I'll buy the business supplies back from you for $40 in product of YOUR choice.

What are you waiting for?

Click here to join now and get immediate access!

You've got to hurry!!!  This offer is incredibly time sensitive and will expire at 10 p.m. EST on February 28th, 2011.

I can't WAIT for you to join my team!

SALE-A-BRATE with Sweet Summer

If you liked BLISS, you're going to LOVE Sweet Summer!

Check out Stampin' UP!'s own Carrie Cudney as she shows us step by step instructions to create the Sweet Summer note card featured on page 8 of the SALE-A-BRATION brochure.



Don't have your OWN brochure?  Contact me TODAY and I'll get one out to you!  But hurry!!!  There's only a few more weeks left to SALE-A-BRATE!

Explore Your Creativity!

Don't be stressed - DISTRESS!

So, you had a rough day...your boss was annoying you all day long, you got home from work and the kids hadn't completed their homework and hadn't done any chores.

You get them fed, bathed and off to bed and now it's FINALLY your turn! But you're still so STRESSED you don't know WHERE to start. Well...don't get stressed, DISTRESS!!!

Now, of course, you need to be careful. We're dealing with sharp objects here...wouldn't want to cut yourself while you're trying to shred the edges of that paper with scissors.

Let's get started:

• For my card base, I've chosen a piece of Not Quite Navy Cardstock cut to 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and folded at 4 1/4". As a rule, I don't distress my card base...but that's just me.  If you want to distress your card base, go to town!  After all...it's YOUR card! And really, it's just a little extra therapy - who doesn't need that?
• Next, you're going to want to choose your background Designer Series Paper, if you're using any.  For this card, I'm going to use a piece of Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper.  True, a lot of this paper tends to lean towards the "girlie" side, but a couple of the designs are neutral enough to use on a card for your man. And that's what I'm making today. Cut it to the size you like (in this case, I used a piece that is 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" and matted it on a piece of Pear Pizzazz cut to 4" x 5 1/4") and then take your scissors or cutter kit to the edges.  Rough it up as much as you like.
• Next, choose your stamp set - I chose "Countryside" because I'm in a watercolouring kind of mood. PLEASE don't be intimidated by watercolouring! Most of the Stampin' UP! stamps that are "designed" for watercolouring have the shadows added to the stamp. So, just add more colour to the shadows and VOILA! MASTERPIECE! As a side note, our watercolour paper is sized to fit as the second layer up from your card base.  Because I've already got two layers that are fairly close in size, I've trimmed it down just a bit. My watercolour paper is 3 1/4" x 4 3/4".
•   I started off by stamping the image using STAZ-ON ink.  This is a GREAT ink for watercolouring images as it won't run if it gets soaked!  I then coloured the truck using Baja Breeze and Not Quite Navy.
• After the truck was coloured, I coloured in the apples.  I used Real Red and a LOT of water because I wanted an "antique" sort of look.
• Once I had the truck and apples coloured, I started in on the grass and sky.  This required a LOT of water and warped my paper.  BUT! Not to worry!  Once it's dry and I mat in on a piece of Not Quite Navy, it'll lie nice and flat.

While it's drying here are some Tips from the Heart:

• There are many options for watercolouring your images.  My favourite is to use an aqua painter and wet the tip of one of the watercolouring crayons and colour in my image.
• You can also use the ink from your ink pads. DON'T put your aqua painter directly onto your ink pad as this dilutes the colour. Here's what to do: Before opening your ink pad, gently squeeze it.  What this will do is transfer some of the ink from the pad onto the lid.  THIS is the ink you will use to colour your image. This is especially helpful if you don't have the watercolour crayon in the colour of your choice - for example, the "In Colours" are not available as a watercolour crayon.
• For a deeper, more intense colour, use a few drops of re-inker.  Put these into the lid of the matching colour ink pad and use the re-inker to colour your image.  The result will be a much deeper colour.
• If you need to cover a big area of your design, you can also colour using the watercolour crayon directly onto your paper. Then, use your aqua painter to spread it around. Caution: this will require a LOT of water to spread around, otherwise, you'll end up with lines from the crayon on your paper.

OK, now that our focal image is dry, here's the final product:

What do you think?

STAMPS: Countryside, Teeny Tiny Wishes

INK: Staz-ON, Not Quite Navy

PAPER: Pear Pizzazz and Not Quite Navy Cardstock; Watercolour Paper; Springtime Vintage DSP

ACCESSORIES: Cutter Kit, Aqua Painters, Watercolour Crayons, Punches

Happy Stampin'!

MDS Monday - SALE-A-BRATION style!

Can you believe it?  FREE!!!!



Yes, it's true, you can receive this whole CD for FREE when you place an order of $60 or more during SALE-A-BRATION. What are you waiting for?  Place your order today by using the ORDER NOW button at the top left of my blog.

Happy Stampin!

Have you placed your February order yet?

If not, maybe this will help...

It's my Thank You Card for this month!  That's right! Everyone placing an order with me in February will receive one of these FABULOUS cards.  Special thanks to Angie Kennedy Judy of Chic 'n' Scratch for the inspiration.

NO NAKED ENVELOPES!

And, thanks to my AWESOME upline Caroline LeBel, here you have NO NAKED ENVELOPES!

My favourite part of the WHOLE card (other than the fact that YOU will receive one if you place an order with me this month), is the butterfly that I added. It's popped up on one of my all time FAVOURITE accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals!

Close up of the dimensional element

Don't miss out on receiving one of these FABULOUS cards!  Click on the shop now button at the top left of my blog and you'll be taken right to my Business Website where you can shop to your heart's content!  The best part?  It's SALE-A-BRATION BABY!!!  That means with every $65 order, you get FREE stuff - yes FREE!!!!




I can't WAIT for you to get one of these FABULOUS cards!

STAMPS: Thanks for Caring, A Word for You
INK: Not Quite Navy
PAPERS: Very Vanilla and Baja Breeze Cardstock; Springtime Vintage DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches and Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Have you SALE-A-BRATED yet?

If not, what your waiting for?

Here's a super cute video with super cute Shannon West demonstrating my FAVOURITE set from this year's SALE-A-BRATION: BLISS!!!



Come back tomorrow and I'll have a Bliss project of my VERY OWN to show you!  If you don't want to miss a single one of my blog posts, be sure to follow me!

Happy Stampin'!

Pals Paper Arts Colour Challenge

I know, I know...last minute again!  With just a couple hours to spare I decided to participate in the Pals Paper Arts Colour Challenge.  It was a doozy, let me tell you.  Riding Hood Red, Rich Razzleberry and Certainly Celery - HUH?

I decided to use Riding Hood Red as the accent colour and that seemed to do the job.  Here's the card front:

I started with a Certainly Celery base and then used some of the new First Edition DSP from the Occasions Mini.  I LOVE this stuff!  You get 24 sheets in a package and it's ALL double-sided!

Now, normally with this colour combination, I would use Whisper White.  However, because of the Very Vanilla in the First Edition DSP, I went with Vanilla for my main image panel. Because I was using Very Vanilla instead of Whisper White, I did a LOT of sponging.  I find that sometimes Very Vanilla goes with certain colours and Whisper White goes with others.

Anyway...enough rambling - LOL!

Here's the inside of the card:

 I sponged around the Very Vanilla Cardstock with Certainly Celery Ink and did the same around the First Edition DSP. I stamped another image from the Thanks for Caring set in  Rich Razzleberry.

I used the sentiment from the same set and OF COURSE stamped it crooked, so had to improvise just a little - LOL!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Thanks for Caring
INK: Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry, Riding Hood Red
PAPERS: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery and Rich Razzleberry Cardstock; First Edition DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Sponge Daubers

Happy Stampin'!

Life is a matter of moments

I may have mentioned before that when I first saw Elements of Style, I pretty much turned my nose up at it.  Vintage?  SO not for me! Or so I thought...

5" X 5" Art Journal

Turns out I like vintage - A LOT! So, when I saw this altered art journal on the Stampin' UP! site, I knew I had to make one for myself!  I haven't ordered the journal yet, but you can be sure that it'll be on my next order! I just LOVE the way this journal has been decorated!

Do you know how to get the paper all the way to the EDGE through the rings?  Easy peasy!  Just order the Spiral Punch along with all the supplies and you'll be good to go!

Want to see what I do with my journal when I get it?  Sign up for my newsletter and I'll share it with you in my next semi-monthly newsletter.  You can also shop for all the products you need to create your OWN altered art journal by clicking on the scalloped circle just above my newsletter sign up box.

Happy Stampin'!

It's time for another SUDSOL BLOG HOP!

If you've come to my blog from Cynthia Stevenson, you're in the right place!  Thank you for stopping in!

I became a SUDSOL member when I first joined Stampin' Up! last year and have found it an invaluable resource! The patterns library alone is worth EVERY penny! These days, you can find me hosting the Chat and Challenge twice a month, where we chat in our very own chat room and make cards based on sketches or inspiration. Need a class in a hurry?  Just access the Class and Workshop Planners. Demonstrators like to share, so you'll find LOTS of information there. Need a flyer for a special event? I'll bet one of the demonstrators on SUDSOL has created one already - just check out the Advertising and Marketing section! I invite you to check out SUDSOL for a FREE 2 week trial membership! Just click here to give it a try!

My cards for this blog hop feature what else but VALENTINES!  It's that time of year after all!  These are perfect for kids to take to school because they are "love note" size - 3" X 3".

The first card uses no stamps at all, but is nonetheless SUPER cute!

I cut my piece of Real Red Cardstock to 3" X 6" and folded it in half.  I added a piece of Love Impressions Designer Series Paper and a piece of Whisper White Cardstock to which I adhered three little glimmer hearts.

A Basic Rhinestone adds a little bit of dazzle to the DSP and I finished off the card by punching a tag from another piece of Love Impressions DSP and attaching it with a piece of white twine.

My second card uses the "LOVE" stamp from the set "XOXO".  I stamped the image on Whisper White using Real Red Ink and punched it out using my 1 1/4" circle punch. It was matted on a piece of Real Red Cardstock punched with the 1 3/8" circle punch and then matted again on Pink Pirouette Scalloped Circle.

I added some glimmer paper at the bottom of the card for a little bit of bling.  The cards are being made by my DD and her friends and what teenage girl doesn't like a little bling?

My third card uses the hugs and kisses stamp from the "XOXO" set.  This time, I stamped it in Versamark Ink on Real Red Cardstock and embossed it using White Embossing Powder.

My "detail" comes from some Real Red Designer Series Paper with torn edges.

Recently, I was on the SUDSOL design team - what an HONOUR!  You can check out all my cards in my SUDSOL gallery here.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my blog and hope you come back soon!  If you'd like to keep up to date with what's going on, sign up for my email newsletter (top left of blog) and follow my blog (over to the right).

And now, the summary:

STAMPS: XOXO

INK: Versamark, Real Red

PAPERS: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette and Real Red Cardstock; Love Impressions and Real Red DSP

ACCESSORIES: Glimmer Paper, Punches, White Embossing Powder, Basic Rhinestones

Happy Stampin'!

THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP TILL FEBRUARY 1ST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO!!!

I had so much fun doing the last blog tour that I'm doing it again!!!