Time Well Spent

All active Stampin' Up! demonstrators received this level 3 hostess set a few weeks ago. I finally finished a card using this set. It's pretty simple but can be overwhelming when there is 12 stamps in the set. I used one of the sentiments and one of the flowers for the background. As most of you know how color challenged I am, I used the Color Coach (R) to pick out the colors.

Just an FYI, I received my copy of the new Spring/Summer 2008 Collection catalog. It's beautiful! I can't wait for you all to see it and the great stamps inside!

Have a Merry Christmas!

More Winter Bright Cards

Here are more of the cards from the Winter Bright Simply Scrappin kit class. All of the cards used the self-adhesive die cuts, card stock and double sided designer paper from the Stampin' Up! kits. Some of the cards also used Stampin' Up! holiday stamp sets like: Perfect Presentation, Glad Tidings and Holidays and Wishes.

Winter Bright Card Class

I was hoping to post these scans of my cards last night but ran out of steam. The snow was flying so I had to be out there with the boys!

These are the cards I did for a class using Stampin' Up!'s Winter Bright Simply Scrappin' Kit. We made 2 of each design with plenty of leftovers for more
cards or scrapbook pages.

This is definitely one of my favorite classes as I can get a large portion of my Christmas cards done with the class!

Thanks for looking!

Flaky Friends

Just waiting for the snow to fly soon! I put this card together using "Flaky Friends" stamp set, designer paper and my markers. This is the first time I used the shimmery white cardstock from Stampin' Up! It is similar to whisper white but has some subtle sparkle to it. The shimmer even comes through after coloring with a marker! Colors here are Old Olive, Real Red and the Dashing Designer paper. I also used Yo-Yo Yellow and Pumpkin Pie markers for the stars and carrot noses on the snow people.

I like to send a few different designs for my Christmas cards. That way I'm sure to use different stamp sets and cardstock.

The countdown to Stampin' Up!'s retired stamp set list is on. December 1st I will email the list to everyone. If you are not on my email list, leave a comment with your email and I will get one out to you!

Thanks for looking!

More Christmas cards

Here are 2 more Christmas card ideas. The first one uses Stampin' Up!'s "Hung Up on the Holidays" stamp set with Ruby Red and Sage Shadow cardstock and ink. The second card uses a hostess set called "Perfect Presentation" with Mellow Moss, Purely Pomegranate and So Saffron cardstock, Purely Pomegranate ink and Dots and Dashes designer paper.

Stampin' Up! posted some new catalog information today on the demonstrator website, (another reason to join my Stampin' Up! team). The Spring/Summer 2008 collection will have rub ons, a nursery themed simply scrappin' kit and of course fresh new stamp sets.

Did I mention there are perks to being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator besides the 20% discount? All active Stampin' Up! demonstrators are receiving a free level 3 hostess stamp set in the next couple of weeks. Don't worry, I will post a creation using this set as soon as the UPS man drives away!

Have a great Monday!

Christmas Card workshop

This weekend, I have a club workshop where the ladies each make one of 5 cards. This weekend is a Christmas theme. (If you ladies want to be surprised, don't look!)

I love to show new techniques. The snowflake card in the middle is an example of shadow stamping. The basic idea is to slightly overlap the stamped images. For this one, I inked up my snowflake jumbo wheel in brocade blue and rolled it onto brocade blue cardstock starting at the seam. After cleaning the wheel, I then inked it in white craft ink. Finding the seam again, I lined it up at the edge of the paper and rolled over the brocade blue snowflakes, giving the images a shadow look. I've seen this done with River Rock ink as the "shadow". Very cool and dimensional technque.

Noble Deer

It's hunting season again...This is a popluar set during this time. I use it constantly for masculine cards, scrapbooking those trophy deer and even seen it as a beautiful Christmas card.

It's a basic card with lots of stamping. I used Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, and Always Artichoke card stock; Close to Cocoa and Always Artichoke classic ink. The More Mustard button is adhered with a mini glue dot.

To make matching photo corners, use a square punch and cut in half or snip off one corner and match it up with the opposite corner for a guide and snip.

Calendar Pages

Here are 2 pages from a calendar that I do every year for my parents. Good thing they don't look at my blog! I just love the photo of Gavin, he's telling me about the dream he had while he waits for the school bus. He's always so animated, especially when talking about super heroes!

Chase is being his mellow self. It's been difficult to get a good picture of him lately, he's been using his cheesey smile.

I used the designer paper, Fall Flowers, punches and brads to finish off the pages. They will go onto a desktop calendar and a 6x6 scrapbook when the year is over.

Delightful

These are 2 quick and easy cards using designer paper, punches and Stampin' Up!'s "It's All Good" stamp set.

Confetti White & Bashful Blue card stock;
Cutie Pie designer series paper; Rose Red
Classic ink; Square, circle, scalloped
circle punches

Apple Punch!

This is a super neat card inspired by a card maker from splitcoast stampers. The apples and skins are made using the round tab punch and coloring in the seeds. I used the designer paper from Primary Colors Simply Scrappin Kit. There are tons of paper, cardstock and self-adhesive die cuts in these kits to keep you busy all school year!

Thanks for looking!

All products Stampin' Up!: Primary Colors Simply Scrappin Kit; Wild Wasabi textured cs, Real Red cs, Chocolate chip cs, Brocade Blue cs, Basic Black cs; Black Stampin' Write Journaler; Spring Bouquet punch, Round Tab punch; Real Red eyelets.

Autumn Apparitions Swap

This card is for tomorrow's swap in Wisconsin Rapids. My upline is hosting her annual event where her entire downline is invited. I can't wait! It's always great to see my "sisters" and the fun make and take projects we get spoiled with.

Anyway, I finally came up with an idea and quickly put the card together. I was inspired by a card maker on Splitcoast Stampers and couldn't wait to use my new white Stazon ink! I made 20 of these cards in about 2 hours, I still have a child at home who needs assistance on occasions!

All products Stampin' Up!: Basic Black cardstock; Autumn Apparitions stamp set; Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive markers; Stazon black and white inks; Creepy Crawly double sided designer paper; 1/16th punch; Ticket Corner punch; vintage brads

Build a Blossom Card

This is one of the cards that we did as a class on Monday using Stampin' Up!'s "Build a Blossom" tin. The clam shell tin is filled with die cut adhesive flowers for use on cards, scrapbook pages or anything else you can think of. We created 8 cards with plenty of leftovers. Thanks ladies, I had a great time!

All products Stampin' Up!: Bashful Blue cardstock; Build a Blossom flowers; Wild Wasabi double stitched ribbon.

The stem and leaves are made from the Wild Wasabi double stitched ribbon. The long stem is adhered with sticky strip while the leaves are doubled up first with a mini glue dot, then adhered to the card with another mini glue dot. There are four colors of flowers in the tin including: Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Lavender Lace and Wild Wasabi. They coordinate great with each other which makes putting together a card very easy.

I've heard chipboard and glitter are the trendy items now. So here is my take...I pulled out the old scallop scissors but the scallop edge can be done using a corner rounder without the guard! A multipurpose tool!

To adhere glitter to chipboard: I placed the chipboard heart onto my basic black craft pad and smushed, making sure the entire side and edges of the chipboard were covered in black ink. Then take heat and stick powder. Cover like you are using embossing powder include the sides. Heat the heat and stick powder (again, just like embossing) with a heat tool until it becomes clear. Then cover with glitter, here I used romantic red. Heat again with the heat tool.

All images copyright Stampin' Up!: Priceless and Hugs and Wishes stamp sets; Real Red and Old Olive card stock; Old Olive classic ink; Basic Black craft ink; On Board chipboard, Romance Red glitter, Heat and Stick powder, scallop scissors.

Apple Card

Watercoloring has taken over my cards...I have never taken an art class in my life (which probably shows) but I'm learning. Thanks to a wonderful teacher, I'm getting better at highlighting. Now, if only I can impove my photography skills?

All products copyright Stampin' Up!: Give Thanks, Canvas stamp sets; River Rock, Real Red, Watercolor paper; Going Gray, Real Red and Green Galore, River Rock classic ink pads; Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware; Red grosgrain ribbon; small watercolor brush

This is a page using the new "Pretties Kit" from Stampin' Up! These flowers in the kit are really easy to color. I used "Purely Pomegranate" classic ink refill and an aquapainter to paint the color onto the flowers. To give the flower more dimension, make the outer edges of the petals a darker color. The flowers dry very quickly, within 5 minutes and they are ready to use!

I used the ivory half-backed pearls and the rhinestone brads for the flower centers. There are lots of goodies in this kit...can't wait to put a hat pin together!

This is the only photo (that I know of) with my sister, my Grandma and myself. It was taken at her 80th birthday party. This was a quick and easy page to put together.

All products (c) Stampin' Up!: Baroque Motifs, Typeset Alpha lower and Letterpress Alpha stamp sets; Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip cs; Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip craft and classic inks; Pretties Kit; Aquapainter

Here is a baby announcement card. I love the "Zoofari" stamp set and can't wait to scrap with it! This is a simple card using up those pesky scraps that you just can't get rid of...

All products copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2007: Zoofari and Warm Words stamp sets; Barely Banana, Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White and Basic Black cardstock; Basic black ink

Finally, some alone time to stamp and get some things together. My husband and children are spending the day at the in-laws. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma.

Did you know that Stampin' Up!'s cello bags are FDA approved. I was always worried about placing unwrapped treats in the bags. Now I can place M&Ms in them, woo hoo!

I did get some cards done today, here is one of them...

All items Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted: Wild About You stamp set; Dotted bg; Holidays and Wishes stamp set; certainly celery, apricot appeal classic inks; certainly celery, whisper white, pumpkin pie; and apricot appeal card stock; celery grosgrain ribbon.

Giraffe spots are punched out using the 1/16" and 1/8" circle punches, then layered on pumpkin pie. Sentiment: "sweet little one" Ribbon is tied in a knot at adhered with a mini glue dot.

I have been thinking about this project for a few weeks and it's finally completed. This is a hostess gift for my sister. We enjoy sitting around a campfire in our backyards and of course making s'mores. Here is her s'more kit with all the fixin's.

The idea for the marshmallows is from Creative Memories (c). Punch a whisper white square using the 1 3/8" square punch, then round all four corners with a corner rounder punch. Toast the "marshmallows" using creamy carmel classic ink and a sponge!

All products Stampin' Up! (c) unless otherwise noted: Brocade Background DP, Twill tape, whisper white CS, close to cocoa CS, Big Deal Alpha, creamy caramel ink; sponge. Clear paint can by stampendous.com.