Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tuesday News

Hi Stampers!  Here is your Tuesday news!

  • Stampin' Up! has done extensive testing with the Blendabilities and Classic Pads.  While they still recommend using them with the Memento pad for best results, they have compiled a list of Classic Pad colors that work well with the Blendabilities.  Remember that your image should be dry before coloring with Blendabilities!

    Always Artichoke, Baked Brown Sugar, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, Crumb Cake, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Hello Honey, Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, Lost Lagoon, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Pink Pirouette, Pistachio Pudding, Pool Party, Pumpkin Pie, Sahara Sand, Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Soft Sky, Tangelo Twist, Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi, Wisteria Wonder

  • It's Tuesday which means Deals of the Week!  Remember, you can order these through me or in my online store, but they are only available while supplies last from Sept 30-Oct 6!

  • There's only one month left to get the exclusive hostess set, Good Greetings!  Host a qualifying workshop (minimum $325 sales) and you will get the Good Greetings set in addition to the regular hostess rewards!  Contact me today to schedule your par-tay so you can get this fab set!

  • It's Stamp, Stock & Save time!  From October 1-6, you can stock up on your fav colors of ink and cardstock, envelopes, Fast Fuse and select stamp sets at a discount!

  • Pick a Pack of Paper...DSP to be exact!  When you join Stampin' Up! during the month of October, you can pick a pack of DSP for FREE each month from November through April!  That's 6 free packs of DSP...a value of $81!
Specialty and DSP Stacks are not included.  Free packs are redeemed on Demonstrator orders (shipping charges will be applied), one per month for six months.  Demonstrator must remain in active status to get the free items.




Have an inspired day!










Sunday, September 28, 2014

Simple Card Sunday 6-Mingle All the Way

Happy Sunday stampin' peeps!  I'm on a bit of a Christmas card kick as I design cards for my upcoming Stamp-a-Stacks and classes, so today I have a simple Christmas card to share!


For this card I used the Mingle All the Way stamp set from the Holiday Catalog.  This is a great little sentiment set with something for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  I also used the Endless Wishes set, which I love, love, love!


Step-by-step:
  • Fold the Soft Sky cardstock (5 1/2 x 8 1/2) in half.  Sponge edges with Soft Sky ink.
  • Stamp medium and small snowflakes from Endless Wishes set with Smoky Slate ink on Smoky Slate cardstock (4 x 5 1/4).  Sponge around the edges with Smoky Slate ink.  Apply strips of All is Calm Washi Tape.  Stick Smoky Slate piece to card base.
  • Stamp Mingle All the Way with Island Indigo ink on Soft Sky cardstock.  Punch out with 2 1/2" Circle Punch.  Sponge edges with Soft Sky ink.  Put Stampin' Dimensionals on back and stick it to the card over the Washi tape.
  • Stick 3 Rhinestones around the sentiment.
Here's the video so you can see me make this card in real time!


And, finally, I have another card to share made with the same layout but rather than a Christmas card I did a fun one using the Flamingo Lingo set and Retro Fresh Washi Tape!  Did you know that Stampin' Up! supports Ronald McDonald House Charities?  Each year there's a special RMHC stamp set (this year's is Flamingo Lingo) and for every set sold, Stampin' Up! donates $3 to RMHC!


Everything you need to create both of the cards today can be found in my online store!  Head on over there for some creative retail therapy and place your order today! 

If you are Canadian and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator yet, I would love to help you out!  Contact me and I can send you a catalog ASAP!

Have an inspired day!











Thursday, September 25, 2014

Mason Jar Madness

Hi Stampers!  Mason Jars are all the rage right now and there are so many ways you can use them.  In August, at my Stamp & Share with my downline, we decorated some mason jars in a super fun way!



Step 1:  You want your jar to be CLEAN!  Because we were decorating the inside of our jars, we swirled some rubbing alcohol around the inside of the jar and then poured it out.

Step 2:  Pour some Mod Podge and some ink refill into the bottom of the jar.  You need about a toonie sized blob of Mod Podge.  The amount of ink refill you use depends on how saturated you want your color...lots of ink results in a darker color, a little ink results in lighter color.

Step3:  Set your jar upside down to drain out the excess Mod Podge/Ink Refill.  Here's what ours looked like draining.


We covered a sheet pan with some parchment paper, paper towel and then set the jars on popsicle sticks to drain.

Step 4:  After all the excess stuff has drained out of your jars, you need to bake them.  Put your oven on warm (or a low temperature) and bake upside down for about 10-15 minutes.  We took them off the popsicle sticks and removed the paper towel for baking so they just sat on the parchment.

Step 5:  Turn them right side up and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until all the streaks are gone.  This is what ours looked like just out of the oven.


Step 6:  Embellish!

We had some pooling of the Mod Podge/Ink Refill mixture around the tops of the jars which resulted in some goobers around the tops of the jars.  After they cooled, we put the rings on the jars and embellished which covered up the goobers at the top!

You can see we used some Color Me Autumn DSP to make a fall flower with a gold button in the middle.  We also tied some Old Olive Baker's Twine and Autumn Wooden Elements around the top of the jars.  Super cute!

These jars are not washable (other than wiping the outside with a damp cloth) and also not suitable to hold food because of the way we altered them on the inside.

You can find the products we used to embellish our jars in my online store.  Head on over there and place your order for some great fall stuff today!  And, if you like what you see, are Canadian and need a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator please contact me.  I would love to send you a catalog and help you unleash your inner creativity!

Have an inspired day!











Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Work of Art Plaid Half Sheet Box

Hi Stampers!  It's officially fall and I LOVE IT!!!!  This past weekend I attended a Stampin' Up! conference in Calgary.  My day started waaaay early, but it was a beautiful, clear drive up to Calgary.  It was so clear we could see the mountains the whole way!  And, my chauffeur got me there just in time for breakfast with some of my fellow demonstrators, Dale (the manager of Stampin' Up! Canada) and two other staff members from Stampin' Up! (who made the trek from Salt Lake City!).  I had a wonderful time chatting with friends and making new ones over a delicious breakfast!  After breakfast we headed to the conference room for a business session which was very informative and I even got to speak!  More on that in an upcoming post!

Whenever there's a Stampin' Up! event that my downline is attending, I like to make a little something for each of them.  Five of my downline attended the conference with me this weekend and this is what I made them!


I can't even remember where I learned how to make this fun little box, but I do know it was a loooong time ago!!!  It's a super easy box made with a half sheet of cardstock.

  • Cardstock:  5 1/2 x 8 1/2
  • Score at 1 3/4, 3 1/2, 5 & 6 3/4
  • Turn and score at 1 1/2 & 4
  • Cut out the four corner pieces and make some cuts along the 3 1/2 & 5 score lines to make the box flaps
  • Fold up, glue the flaps and you have a super cute little box!

I also made up a video for you to see how it all came together!


 Don't you just love that plaid look made with the Work of Art set?

During the afternoon session it was a demonstrator party with make & takes, games, loads of prizes and lots of fun!  For one of the sessions I was a volunteer and was in charge of the embossing station for one of the make & takes.


It was so much fun to meet new friends and chat with demonstrators I've known for a long time!  We also got a pic of me and my downline (except for one...I'm not sure where she was when we took this pic!).


And, here's one final look at that cute little box I made for them!


You can find everything you need to make these little boxes in my online store (except for the chocolate I put inside them!).  Head on over there with the shopping list and place your order today!  And, finally, if you like what you see and don't already have a demonstrator, I would love to send you a catalog!  If you are in Canada, please contact me to get a catalog or place an order!

Shopping List
Stamps:  Work of Art, For All Things
Ink:  Crumb Cake, ,Cajun Craze
Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Old Olive
DSP:  Color Me Autumn
Accessories:  Hello Honey Ribbon, Autumn Wooden Accents, Linen Thread, Color Me Autumn Washi Tape, Regals Buttons
Tools:  Banner Punch, Small Oval Punch, Paper Trimmer (with scoring blade), Stampin' Sponges, Scallop Tag Topper Punch

Have an inspired day!












Thursday, September 18, 2014

Festival of Trees Swap Card

Hi Stampers!  On Tuesday, I showed you one of my swap cards from when I got together with my downline for our Holiday Catalog Shoebox Swap.  Today I'm going to show you my other swap card.


You all know that my favorite set from the Holiday Catalog is Wonderous Wreath, but I think the Festival of Trees set is a close second!  I love the variety of trees and that there's a coordinating punch so I can punch out all those fun trees!


Blackberry Bliss, Always Artichoke and Sahara Sand...one of my new favorite color combinations!  Here's a little tip for this card, punch the tree out of Blackberry Bliss cardstock and then cut it out in a circle shape with the Circle Framelits and voila, you have a tree shape in a circle!  You can then stamp your tree on your background cardstock and have it perfectly fit in the tree shape you punched.  Another thing I love about this set is that it's photopolymer so it's super easy to stamp the tree with one color (Always Artichoke) and then stamp the decorations with another color (Blackberry Bliss) and get them perfectly lined up!

You can find everything you need to create this super fun card in my online store.  Head on over there with the shopping list and place your order today!  Bonus...the Festival of Trees set is bundled with the Tree Punch so when you order them together you save 15%!

Shopping List
Stamps:  Festival of Trees, Gorgeous Grunge
Ink:  Blackbery Bliss, Always Artichoke
Cardstock:  Blackberry Bliss, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand
Accessories:  Gold Sequins
Tools:  Stampin' Sponges, Tree Punch, Big Shot & Circles Framelits

Have an inspired day!










Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Holiday Cheer Shaker Card

Hi Stampers!  I'm in a shaker kind of mood lately (check out my star shaker box here) and decided to make a shaker card for one of my swap cards.


Every time a new catalog comes out I get together with my downline members and we stamp!  Everyone signs up for 2 different stamp sets and then designs cards (or other projects) with those 2 sets.  Then they prep the projects so they can be completed in 10-15 minutes and bring everything needed to create the projects.  As a group we all sit around a huge table and make the projects.  It is SO FUN and we get to go home with loads of cards from a lot of sets in the catalog without having to buy all the sets ourselves!  If you've been to one of my events lately, you've seen some of those projects on display....I have an uber-talented group of girls in my downline and I love showing off their creations as well as getting ideas from their creations!

This card was one of my swaps.  I signed up for the Project Life set Holiday Cheer!  Even though the PL sets are full of smaller images, they are still perfect for making cards!


I used 2 images from the Holiday Cheer set, the snowflake and the "Baby It's Cold Outside" stamps.  The shaker was made with the Shaker Frames, which are awesome circles of double sided sticky foam.  They're kind of like the Stampin' Dimensionals in circle frame form!  I used the super fun Frosted Sequins for the shaky stuff.  You get what seems like millions of silver sequins (2 sizes) and white snowflakes in the container.  Very fun!

You can find everything you need to make this fun shaker card in my online store. Head on over there with the Shopping List and place your order today!

Shopping List
Stamps:  Project Life Holiday Cheer
Ink:  Lost Lagoon, Basic Gray, Pool Party
Cardstock:  Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Soft Sky, Basic Gray
DSP:  All Is Calm
Accessories:  Frosted Sequins, Shaker Frames, Rhinestones, Window Sheets
Tools:  Circle Punches (2 1/2", 1 3/4", 1 1/4", 1"), Stampin' Sponges

Have a inspired day!











Thursday, September 11, 2014

Confetti Celebration Shaker Box

Hi Stampers!  When I saw the new Confetti Stars punch in the Holiday Catalog, I immediately thought of shaker cards which then morphed into the idea of doing a shaker box!  So I set out to make a fun shaker box full of stars for a club project in August!


I used the Kraft Gift Boxes and altered away!


I started with the Confetti Celebration DSP and went from there.  The sides of the box are covered in Bermuda Bay cardstock which was stamped with stars from the Perfect Pennants set.


Star Framelits, Window Sheets and mounting tape were used to make the shaker which was fulled with punched stars (Confetti Stars Punch) and In Color sequins.  This was such a FUN project!

You can find everything you need (except the mounting tape, which I found at my local big box office supply store) in my online store.  Head on over there with the Shopping List and place your order today!

Shopping List
Stamps:  Perfect Pennants, And Many More
Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Basic Gray
Cardstock:  Bermuda Bay, Strawberry Slush, Crushed Curry, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White
Accessories:  In Color sequins, Window Sheets
Tools:  Big Shot, Stars Framelits, Confetti Stars Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (star), Bitty Banners Framelits

Have an inspired day!











Sunday, September 7, 2014

Simple Card Sunday 5-Autumn Wooden Elements

Hi Stampers!  It's Simple Card Sunday and I have a super fun and easy card to share featuring the Autumn Wooden Elements from the Holiday Catalog.


Remember, for a card to be part of Simple Card Sunday it has to be able to be made in 10-15 minutes, require very few supplies and be completed in 5 simple steps.

 Step by step:
  • Start by folding the Crumb Cake cardstock (4 1/2 x 11) in half.
  • Make a line 1 1/2 inches up from the bottom of the Cajun Craze cardstock (4 x 5 1/4). Punch a 1/2 circle our of each side of the Cajun Craze cardstock using the 3/4" circle punch.  Line up the 3/4 circle punch so that the line you drew is in the middle of the circle horizontally and the edge of the cardstock is in the middle of the circle vertically.
  • Wrap some Crushed Curry Baker's Twine around the Cajun Craze piece where the half circles are.  
  • Sponge 3 Autumn Wooden Elements (Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Old Olive) and stick them on the Baker's Twine with Glue Dots.  While you have your ink and sponge daubers out, sponge the edge of the Crumb Cake cardstock with Soft Suede ink and the edges of the Cajun Craze cardstock with Cajun Craze ink.
  • Stamp a sentiment with Soft Suede ink below the wooden elements, and stick the Cajun Craze piece on the Crumb Cake card base.
And, here's a video so you can see me make the card in real time.  This week I also included a fun tip for how I store my Baker's Twine!


 Here's another card made with the same layout.  For this card, I used the fantastic Festival of Trees stamp set from the Holiday Catalog! Check out the blingy decorations on that tree!!!  I stamped those with Crushed Curry and then went over them with Gold Glitz Dazzling Details .


You can find everything you need to create both of these cards in my online store!  Head on over there and place your order today!  If you like what you see, and are Canadian, contact me...I would love to send you a catalog!

Have an inspired day!











Saturday, September 6, 2014

Seasons of Wondrous Wreath

Winter, spring, summer & fall...Wondrous Wreath can do it all!  I don't usually post on Saturdays, but today is an exception because I have a super fun announcement.  I'm starting monthly online classes called "Inky Fingers" classes.  You can find all the information on these classes up at the top right below my title banner...just click on the Inky Fingers Classes tab!

I'm kicking off this program with a class featuring my favorite set from the Holiday Catalog this year, Wondrous Wreath.


This class includes the Wondrous Wreath set and Framelits, supplies to make the 4 cards shown, written instructions and access to an exclusive video so you can see how to make the cards!





See how versatile this set is?  And, I have loads more ideas that I will be posting over the next few months!  Here's the best part!  I'm kicking off these monthly classes with a super fun contest over on my Facebook page.  You are definitely going to want to head over there and enter!

So, if you like what you see, check out all the details on how the Inky Fingers classes will work here and then contact me to order the Inky Fingers Wondrous Wreath class!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the regularly scheduled Simple Card Sunday...I have a super fun and easy card for you tomorrow!

Have an inspired day!










Thursday, September 4, 2014

Flower Shop and Blendabilities

Hi Stampers!  Today I have a fun card to share that my clubs did in August.


My club ladies got to play the the Blendabilities and everyone colored a flower from the Flower Shop set to use on one of their cards.


I love this card!  The combination of Rich Razzleberry and Smoky Slate are one of my favs!  Did you notice the faint grid pattern on the white piece?  That's one of the Project Life Grid Cards!  Yep, that's right, those little beauties make a great layer on a card!

After all my club ladies cutting their leaves for this card with the Big Shot and the Flower Frenzy Bigz die, my die was covered in little paper pieces.  I made a super quick video to show you how I cleaned it off (and how I clean all my Bigz Dies when they need it!).




And now you know why every crafter needs a sticky lint roller in their craft room!

You can find all the supplies needed to make this card in my online store.  Head on over there with the shopping list and place your order today!

Shopping List:
Stamps:  Flower Shop, Dictionary, Perfect Pennants
Ink:  Smoky Slate, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Memento Ink
Cardstock:  Smoky Slate, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Accessories:  PL Grid Cards, Rich Razzleberry Cotton Ribbon, Gold Sequins, Blendabilities (Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight)
Tools:  Stampin' Sponges, Pansy Punch, Big Shot, Floral Frenzy Bigz die

Have an inspired day!











Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Pucker Up Buttercup....Kissing Technique How To

Hi Stampers!  It's the first Tuesday of the month which means it's discount day at the grocery store and it's technique day here at LA Stamper!  Today I'm going back to basics and showing you the kissing technique.  This is a super easy and fun technique where you kiss two stamps together so you end up with one image on the other when you stamp them.

Basically you need one larger solid image stamp (ink in a lighter color) and one smaller image stamp (ink in a darker color).  Then you kiss the two stamps together and stamp the solid image one on your cardstock.  The result is so fun!



For this project, I kissed the letter a from the Larger Than Life Alphabet (inked with Blackberry Bliss) with the Positively Chevron background stamp (not inked).  So, I kissed off some of the ink from my letter and then when I stamped it I ended up with a fun chevron a!

I was inspired by Becky Roberts for this project and did these fun little note rings with my downline at our last Stamp & Share.

Here's another example on a card.


On this one, I inked up the small solid butterfly from the Papillion Potpourri set with Pink Pirouette ink and kissed it with the find splatter from the Gorgeous Grunge set (inked with Strawberry Slush ink).  Here's a close up of the butterflies so you can have a better look.


I also did up a quick video for you so you can see the different ways to do this technique.


Kissing is a fun and easy technique that you can use to add a little something extra to your stamps!  Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you!

You can find everything you need to make the card shown today in my online store. Head on over there with the shopping list and place your order today!

Shopping List
Stamps:  Papillion Potpourri, Yippee Skippee, Gorgeous Grunge
Ink:  Strawberry Slush, Pink Pirouette
Cardstock:  Strawberry Slush, Pink Pirouette, Smoky Slate, Whisper White
Accessories:  Paper Doilies, Whisper White Seam Binding ribbon, Whisper White Baker's Twine
Tools:  Big Shot, Starburst Framelits & Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Bitty Butterfly punch, 2 1/2" Circle Punch

Have an inspired day!