your last chance!

Today is the last day for the current catalog - get your favorites before they are gone. My card today was made in honor of the retiring products...

Retiring stamp set: Flight of the Butterfly

Retiring card stock: Peach Parfait and Blushing Bride

Retiring DSP: Nursery Nest

Retiring Accessories: Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon, Merry Medley chipboard, In Color Glimmer Brads

Retiring Tools: Butterfly Punch, Crop-A-Dile

Click here to see all of the retiring products. 

Happy shopping!!  :}

So, what can you do with chipboard?

That's the question we answered last night at my Technique Tuesday class. You can... 


...stamp directly on it

Stamp Set: For All You Do

Card Stock: Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist

...color it a solid color by patting the chipboard with a Craft Ink Pad

Stamp Set: Trendy Trees

Card Stock: Blushing Bride, Bravo Burgundy Textured, Tempting Turquoise

...cover the chipboard with VersaMark® Ink, sprinkle on colored embossing powder, and heat emboss

Stamp Sets: Delicate Doilies, Create a Cupcake

Card Stock: Concord Crush

...cover it with Designer Series Paper

 Stamp Sets: Autumn Days, It's Your Day

Card Stock: Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Always Artichoke

...cover it with fabric
...die cut a variety of shapes

Stamp Set: Fifth Avenue Floral

Card Stock: Blushing Bride, Garden Green 

** Note - the stamp sets in green are on the Retiring List. **

Just a reminder... tomorrow is the LAST day to order from the current catalog. Be sure to get your favorites before they're gone! You can even order in your PJs from my online store and it ships right to your doorstep!  Happy shopping  :} 

 

digital scrapbook page

I've been working on a scrapbook page for my husband, and while this one is more suitable for Veteran's Day than Memorial Day, I thought I would share it today anyway... 

I created this page using My Digital Studio and the following Digital items: Number One Digital Kit, Downtown Grunge Photobook Template, Keep this Memory Photobook Template, and Staples (included on MDS content disc).

I really like how this scrapbook page turned out... it's a nice tribute to my husband's family's commitment to serving our country. Chris's brothers also served in the Marine Corps, so I might end up working on some pages for them... after I finish my own projects - HA! I am so thankful for the men and women who have fought and continue to fight to keep America free. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their brave loved ones. I can't even begin to imagine that kind of pain.

As America celebrates Memorial Day, let us take a few minutes to pay tribute to those who have given their lives in our nation's wars.

My Digital Studio "hybrid" project

Hello, stamping friends! I hope you are enjoying a nice weekend with your family  :}

I have a pretty "hybrid" project to share with you today... 

I created the background (the "picture" inside the frame) using My Digital Studio. I also used MDS for the scripture piece.  Then, I used real DSP and embellishments to make the project extra pretty  :} 

the details: 

I started my project in MDS as a 5x7 card, with a Melon Mambo background.
Over the top of the background, I layered a square punch, which I "paper-filled" with one of the Twitterpated DSP patterns (Blushing Bride - "Fancy Fan" design), and lowered the opacity to 40%.
The top layer is a stamp-brush from Eclectic Overlays in Early Espresso.
I printed my background onto photo paper.

*Tip: to make sure I was working within the measurements of my 4x6 frame, I added two rectangle punches to cover an inch at the top and an inch on the left. By color-filling them with Whisper White, it saves a tiny bit of printer ink  ;)

*Tip: in order to type my text the correct size for my frame, I started with the Digital Flag Punch. I added my text box over that, so I could choose the right font size. Before printing onto Very Vanilla card stock, I deleted the Flag Punch.

After printing the scripture onto the Very Vanilla card stock, I cut it to the size I wanted. For subtle detail, I stamped the background image from the Creative Elements stamp set in Crumb Cake ink ("stamping off" first for a lighter image), and used the same ink with a Sponge Dauber to sponge a hint of color onto the edges.

The background layer is framed behind the glass, and the card stock and DSP strips are adhered to the glass (using SNAIL adhesive), with the left edges tucked under the frame.

1/8" Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon and Linen Thread are strung through one of the new Naturals Designer Buttons (available to order June 1st), which is adhered to the frame using Mini Glue Dots. A tiny string of Pearls adds an elegant finishing touch. 

Thanks for dropping by my blog today! I hope you and your family have a blessed day!

Ribbon Wreath

I finally finished a project on my "really-really want-to-make" list!!! For those of you who have a 2010-2011 SU catalog handy, my inspiration comes from the ribbon wreath on p190. It's not like it takes a long time to make a ribbon wreath - I finished in a few hours. I probably would have finished sooner if I didn't take breaks to draw outside with chalk, lose a lightsaber battle, and have a snack in the shade... but those are some of the best parts of working from home  :}  It's just one of those projects that kept getting pushed to the side, but I had time today since I didn't want to get a ton of supplies out while the drywall was being sanded. For this project, all you need is a hoop, ribbon, and Craft & Paper Scissors. I have two of these high quality scissors - one for paper, and one for fabric and ribbon.

Isn't it pretty??? Since I have several miles spools of ribbon in my craft room, this is the perfect project for me! All of these ribbons are from Stampin' Up! ... some are current, some are old, some are really old. I chose a variety of pinks, yellows, oranges, and greens for a bright, summery look.

I started with a hoop (approximately 13" diameter) that I purchased from my local craft store (I think I found it in the same aisle as the mirror pieces). Then I tied all my ribbons on... that's it! So easy!! 

A few tips for you: 
I used approximately 1 to 3 yards of each ribbon.
Push the tied ribbons close together as you're working.
Trim the ends as you go; don't wait to trim them all at the end.
Use a good amount of the wider ribbons first; it's much easier to fill in with skinny ribbons.
Try to use a variety of ribbon textures (satin, twill, grosgrain, scalloped edges) on your wreath for visual interest.
Mixing solid, striped, stitched, and dotted ribbons of varying widths is fun!
If you are using Pleated Satin Ribbon, pull gently when tying.
Ribbons with a heavier stiffness hold up to being cut longer; floppy ribbons should be cut shorter.

I bought more than 1 hoop because I have plans to make more. I will definitely create a Ribbon Wreath for Christmas... what else... oooh! Fall colors would be pretty!!  :}  What colors do you think I should try next?

new, new, new!

Well, a super busy weekend has turned into a super busy week... I'm really looking forward to the upcoming 3-day weekend! Hopefully I will have all of the drywall dust mess cleaned up by then. That's right, home repair... yuck! So let's look at some prettier things, shall we?  :} 

For my May team meeting, I prepared a Color Chart "sampler" page, and designed three cute projects using tons of new goodies. It's always fun to try out all the new products from the upcoming catalog!  So... what's new???

Two new stamp sets: Itty Bitty Banners and Papaya Collage. Three new colors: Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green, and Midnight Muse. Two new Framelit Collections: Apothecary Accents and Bitty Banners. New DSP and Ribbon, too!  :}

New stamp set: Betsy's Blossoms. New stampin' wheel: Betsy's Blooms. Three new colors: Summer Starfruit, Raspberry Ripple, and Primrose Petals. New DSP and button, too!  :}

New stamp set: Betsy's Blossoms. Three new colors: Summer Starfruit, Raspberry Ripple, and Primrose Petals. And new DSP!  :}  *Note: I planned this 8x8 page to go with the new 8x8 Scrapbook Albums in the upcoming catalog!!

I have to say, I prefer the creating of the new projects in my stamp room over creating new sections of drywall in my ceiling and walls, but a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do! And by that I mean, calling a handsome fix-it guy to do the repairs!  ;)

You know, you could be stamping with these brand new goodies too! There are all kinds of perks to joining the Stampin' Up! family. I would LOVE to have you as part of my team. Click here to learn more  :}

And last but not least, you can find full views of the front of each project - as well as other projects from my team meetings - on my Facebook Page. Thanks for stopping by today!!  :}

a busy day!

Holy Moly! I can't believe how busy my rummage sale was today... I can't even imagine how busy tomorrow is going to be! I was worried that I wouldn't get time to stamp at all today (again), but there was a little break around lunchtime. Sooooo, I had a few minutes to whip up a cute little card  :}

I am in love with the new "In Color" Raspberry Ripple... and it looks so great paired with Summer Starfruit and Early Espresso. Then I threw in a touch of Primrose Petals, just for fun  :}

The images from the Betsy's Blossoms stamp set are so stinkin' cute! Snipping out the branch image was a little fussy, but totally worth it!

Well, I better whip up some supper and get to bed early... tomorrow is probably going to be crazy!

introducing Gumball Green

It's funny how tastes change... even when it comes to color preferences. When I was younger, I really did not like the color green. Now, I can't get enough of it! I was happy to see a "green" in the new In Color Collection - Gumball Green. Oh, I'm going to have so much fun using this color!! Here's a cute card I whipped up last night for a friend:

I dry embossed the Gumball Green layer using the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder. My image/ sentiment - from the Easy Events stamp set - is stamped in Early Espresso ink, and then colored in using Gumball Green and Summer Starfruit markers. I layered Summer Starfruit card stock (die cut through my Big Shot using one of the Apothecary Accents Framelits) behind the focal point for added oomph.

I wanted "just a little something extra," and while my friend loves details and embellishments, ribbons and bows aren't really her "thing." So I grabbed one of the new Naturals Designer Buttons and some Linen Thread for the perfect finishing touch.

Oh, I have so many yummy plans for this new color... but I better tackle my "To Do" list first. Our annual subdivision rummage sale is this weekend, and I'm not quite ready yet...

Betsy's Blossoms sneak peek

Did you ever end up almost late for something because an idea jumped into your creative brain, that you just had to make right then? That's totally what happened to me this morning! While I was eating breakfast, an idea for a card flew into my head using the new Betsy's Blossoms stamp set.

I could picture this pretty little creation and each detail, and I knew it would only take a few minutes...  I stamped a simple background using Raspberry Ripple ink and card stock. Then I tied two pieces of Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon around that layer. For added interest, I adhered the background layer to the Early Espresso card base using Dimensionals.

For my focal point, I stamped the largest flower in the Betsy's Blossoms stamp set in Summer Starfruit ink onto Very Vanilla card stock. I wasn't crazy about how it looked punched out with a circle punch, so I took a few seconds and hand cut this pretty blossom with my Paper Snips. After adhering it to the card with Dimensionals, I added a Large Basic Pearl to the center for that perfect finishing touch.

Luckily I made it to my youngest son's Mother's Day program at school... just in time. The 4K teachers at the school do such a wonderful job! The kids sang songs about Mommies, sat with us for a story time, and served us muffins and juice. We even had a lovely "corsage" waiting for us when we arrived!

Such a clever project! Who knew you could make a styrofoam cup so cute??! Love it  :}

Happy Mother's Day...

...to my mother...  

...to my mother-in-law... 

... and to all of the mothers in our homes, our hearts, and those watching us from above.

Create

Happy Friday!! I have a quick post for you today... a pretty card that I made just for fun.

Lots of wonderful new goodies on this card! The Layered Labels stamp set and the Apothecary Accents Framelits are going to get lots of use in my stamp room!

For those of you who know me personally, or have been reading for a while, you know how much I LOVE playing with color! So when SU releases new In Colors, I'm like a kid in a candy store! I used Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals, and Raspberry Ripple on this card. I also added Early Espresso and Very Vanilla to help pull it all together.

Speaking of creating... it's always fun to watch the delight and enjoyment children get from paper crafting.

Yesterday afternoon, I had a good time working with my boys and my neighbor's children. They each got to make two cards for Mother's Day. They did a fabulous job of listening and following directions, and the teamwork was wonderful! It's always nice to see kids helping each other, especially when they do it on their own. There will be some happy Moms and Grandmothers on Sunday!!

a Sketch Challenge & a Sneak Peek!

I woke up this "morning" at 3am... no idea why. It's not like I'm not tired! After tossing and turning for an hour, I decided to get up and do a little blog surfing. Once I saw Connie and Mary's sketch challenge, my brain was fired up and ready to create.

I took Mary's suggestion and started with a 4-1/4" square card (closed), and cut the Early Espresso layer to 5-1/2" wide. So, this card will fit nicely into a Medium Envelope... yay!  :} 
There are lots of new goodies on this birthday card!!! I used two new stamp sets - Make a Cake and Memorable Moments. One of the advantages to using the clear-mount stamps, is that I can place two sentiments on the same block, which makes my stamping easier. In this case, I aligned the "happy" and the "birthday" next to each other on block H. I still used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to make sure I spaced them evenly.
Did you spot two new colors? My card base is the new Summer Starfruit, and I used a tiny strip of Primrose Petals card stock. If you look closely, you will also see a strip of the new Patio Party DSP.
I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE the new pad inside the ink pads - they are AWESOME!! When you order your new stampin' goodies on June 1st, you have to try them. Since you will be ordering the new In Color Collection anyway, you will get your chance!  ;}
Well, I better slam a few more cups of coffee before my little one gets home from school... it's going to be a looooong day. Do you think I could convince him to take a nap with me???

Kraft Gift Box

Today I'm sharing the third project from my "Three in 3D" class...

Isn't it pretty??? I started with the Kraft Gift Box (124106  $2.95 for a set of 4) and added a piece of Designer Series Paper to each side. (The DSP layers measure 3"x2") Then I wrapped a piece of Chocolate Chip 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon around the box with the seam in front. A faux bow covers the seam and adds a super cute touch.

I wanted something really pretty to decorate the top of the gift box, and I was inspired by a flower that was on a card from the talented Mary Fish. I used the Build A Blossom stamp set to stamp 16 medium-sized petals and 8 small petals in Peach Parfait ink onto the same color card stock. Each petal is punched out using the Blossom Petals Builder punch. To add a realistic touch, I curled the edges of the petals against the side of the Paper-Piercing Tool. Each "layer" of the flower is adhered to a punched circle, starting with the bottom "layer" and building up. I used a lot of adhesive, which needs a good amount of drying time.
To create the flower center, I die cut two pieces of Chocolate Chip card stock using the Daisies #2 Bigz die and my Big Shot. A Dimensional holds the flower onto the box lid.

The next time you're placing an order, be sure to add at least one set of Kraft Gift boxes. They're great to have on hand to wrap up cute little gifts for co-workers, friends, and teachers.

Mini Scrapbook album

Today I have another pretty little project from my recent "Three in 3D" class... a mini scrapbook album! This album is perfect for scrapping a small event, sharing a few photos and notes with a friend, or a lovely Mother's Day gift. And what grandmother wouldn't love to have one of these in her purse???

This is the front of the album, which is tied closed using Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. After stamping the sentiment from the Language of Friendship stamp set in Bravo Burgundy ink, I punched it out using the Extra Large Oval punch, and layered it onto Old Olive card stock punched using the Decorative Label punch. Three Old Olive brads add some nice detail, while a layer of More Mustard card stock - die cut using one of the Framelits in the Labels Collection and sponged on the edges - pulls it all together.

Inside, three coin envelopes (3-1/8"x5-1/2") make the pocket-pages of the book. The Bravo Burgundy card stock on the front and back are cut 1/4" larger than the envelope measurements to help protect the edges of the album from getting squished.

The coin envelopes are glued end-to-end, with the flap trimmed from the last envelope. After adhering the layers of Paisley Petals DSP, I used the 1-3/4" Circle punch (old "whale" style) to create a notch in the front of each pocket.

I created three "pages" to pull out of each pocket, where photos and journaling can be added to both sides. Don't those Paper Daisies add a cute touch???

Whether a mini album or larger scrapbook pages, traditional or digital, I hope you find some time this month (May is National Scrapbooking Month) to preserve and share your favorite memories. Feel free to contact me if you need project ideas or product recommendations. Happy stamping!!  :}

Box in a Bag

Hello, stamping friends! Do you ever make something that's so cute, you want to squeal with delight, like when you were little??? That's how I felt about my projects from my Technique Tuesday class - Three in 3D. Here's one of the adorable little cuties we made:

Oh my goodness, super cute, right?! I think these would be fabulous to wrap up little gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week (which is next week already, yikes!) I wish I could take credit for inventing this awesome gift bag, but I can't. I found the directions (from the mega-talented Diana Gibbs) on Splitcoast Stampers. And because I love my readers so much, here's the link to the directions for you  :}

Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz play so nicely together, don't you think?? The flower image from the Mixed Bunch stamp set is stamped in Concord Crush onto the same color card stock, and punched out using the Blossom punch. The flower center (also from Mixed Bunch) is stamped in Pear Pizzazz ink onto Pear Pizzazz card stock, then punched out using the 1" Circle punch. A Concord Crush Glimmer Brad takes the cuteness level "over the top!"
For the "handles," I stamped the tab image from Perfect Punches, and punched that out using the Round Tab punch. I'm sad to see the Round Tab punch retiring... it's quite handy!
After punching holes in my handles with the Crop-A-Dile™, I loosely tied the bag shut with a piece of Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding. Over that knot, I added another piece of Seam Binding and a bow of Concord Crush Stitched Poly Ribbon.
*** Technique Tip - if you want to add a punched border (or ruffled ribbon - that would be cute!!) peeking out from the top of the gift bag, attach that piece before adhering the DSP to the box-bottom. On this gift bag, I used the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful evening, and a great start to your weekend!  :}

calling all scrapbookers!

Just a reminder to my local friends... tomorrow is the last day to register for Saturday's Scrapbooking Camp.

We will be making FIVE 12x12 layouts, each using different color combinations. Plus, we will have some yummy snacks to keep up our energy  :}  Email me (stamp_pad@wi.rr.com) to register or ask questions. Hope to see you there!

Framelit meets Embossing Folder :)

At one of my recent Technique Tuesday classes, we played with the awesome Embossing Folders. I thought it would be fun to make one of our cards a little more masculine.

A simple design and "manly" colors are important elements in creating masculine cards. For this card I chose to use the Well Worn DSP, and I pulled my colors from there (Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla).

After die cutting Cajun Craze card stock on the Big Shot using a Framelit from the Labels Collection, I dry embossed the center using one of the little Designer Frames Embossing Folders. For some simple detail, I sponged Cajun Craze ink around the edges, and very lightly on the dry embossed oval. Using an image from the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set, I inked it up in Cajun Craze and then "stamped off" onto my Grid Paper before stamping the image onto Very Vanilla card stock. I like how the image is more muted - it works well for this card. The sentiment - from this same stamp set - is stamped in Not Quite Navy. The Extra Large Oval punch is the perfect size to fit in the center of the dry embossed oval. I sponged the edges with Cajun Craze ink before attaching my focal point with Dimensionals.

Oh, how I will miss the Well Worn DSP... it has great colors and patterns for masculine/boy themed cards and scrapbook pages. But everything must retire eventually... even the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set (sigh). On the flipside, that just means more goodies to buy when the new catalog is released June 1st!! Yay  :}

more projects...

Oh my goodness, my camera's memory card is full of projects I haven't shared yet. I can't believe how quickly things pile up when you get busy! Since I know you are still recovering from yesterday's loooong post, I'll just share a couple of things today ;)

I made simple "thank-you" cards for my oldest son's birthday. I really like this color combination: Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz, and Chocolate Chip. The sentiment from the Thank You Kindly stamp set is stamped in Chocolate Chip ink onto the Pear Pizzazz DSP. I will definitely miss this stamp set when it retires at the end of this month!!

Lots of retiring goodies on this card, too. I will miss the Blushing Bride and Concord Crush, but at least I will have five new colors to play with! The sentiment is from the retiring Sweetly Said stamp set, and the three doily shapes are from the retiring Doily Triple Layer punch.

How about some things that are still available on the Carryover List? If you haven't already added these to your supplies, you can still order the Blossom punch and the Twitterpated DSP - yay!! And while you're ordering, you have to add these 3-1/2x5" Notecards! They're great for making quick and easy cards... pre-cut, pre-scored, and envelopes included!!  (107311   $5.95 for 20)

Here's the rest of the Carryover List:

Ok, so three projects and a list... that's still a "couple of things," right??  ;)  If you have a question or need to stock up on your stampin' goodies, you can always reach me from my Stampin' Up! website. Have a fabulous day!!  :}