Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Perfect Punches

I am so excited to show you some of the new products that go on sale tomorrow, July 1st, in the new Idea Book & Catalog. From the beautiful new colors of cardstock, ink, ribbons, and designer series paper, as well as wonderful new stamp sets, embellishments and Big Shot Accessories, I know you are going to fall in love with the new catalog too!


For today's card I used two new colors of cardstock - Marina Mist and Early Espresso as well as paper from the Greenhouse Gala pack of Designer Series Paper. I also added some Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon which is so light and thin that I don't think I will need to add extra postage when mailing this card. The stamp set is called Perfect Punches and I trimmed around the layer stamped on the Whisper White cardstock, because I wanted to add a layer of the Greenhouse Gala paper behind that. This saying goes perfectly with the Curly Label Punch. Note - you could just punch the first layer and eliminate the cutting step if you just wanted to place it on the card by itself. To add a little extra to the Early Espresso layer I ran it through my Big Shot with the new Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. To finish the card I used my Photo Corners punch to add some dimension and color to my layer of DSP, and added some dimensionals to my saying to make it stand out.



If you want to purchase your own 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog you can go to my online store to place your order, or book a workshop through me to receive yours for free.



Reminder: Today is the last day to order from the last chance stamps, paper, and accessories list. So hurry and place your orders for any retiring products that you want to add to your inventory. If you have any questions about retiring products, or the new line of products available tomorrow don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.



For todays card I used the following:

Cardstock: Marina Mist #119682, Early Espresso #119686, Whisper White #100730

Designer Series Paper: Greenhouse Gala #117167

Ribbon: Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta #119257

Stamp Set: Perfect Punches #117022 wood mount, #120516 clear mount

Punches: Curly Label #119851, Photo Corner #119878

Ink: Marina Mist #119668

Accessories: Big Shot Machine #113439, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder #120175

Embellishment: Dimensionals #104430



Monday, June 28, 2010

So Thankful

I had to make a Thank You card to show my appreciation to everyone who has been praying for my grandson to make a full recovery from his illness. I have been so fortunate to have friends from all over the world praying for him, and I am happy to report that he continues to get better every day. So thank you everyone and I hope you like the card made in your honor.




I brought out the background on the Presto Patterns Specialty Designer Series Paper by inking my brayer with Regal Rose Ink and rolling it over the paper. This vintage patterned paper has a glossy design which you can reveal several ways. In addition to the brayer you can use an Aqua Painter, Smooch Spritz, an inked sponge or dauber. You receive 12 sheets of 12 x 12 paper - 6 single-sided designs.



To make this card I used the following:
Cardstock: Whisper White #100730, Basic Black #102851
Designer Series Paper: Presto Patterns #117175 (Summer Mini and 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog)
Stamp Set: Thank You Kindly #111700
Punches: Wide Oval #112082, Scallop Oval #114889
Ribbon: Whisper White Taffeta #109070
Accessories: Brayer #102395



Thomas is home!

My grandson finally came home after 13 days in the hospital. He will continue to receive outpatient therapy at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Center five days a week to help him get back to the active little boy he was before this virus took over his body. He can now sleep in his own bed and wake up in familiar surroundings which we all believe will be the best healer of all. Thank you everyone for your prayers. I truly believe it was the power of prayer along with the wonderful doctors and nurses at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that got him through this.

I look forward to being able to once again start up my blog and sharing with all of you the new and exciting things happening at Stampin' Up!. I won't be able to make daily posts just yet, but will try to post a few times weekly.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Power of Prayer

I will not be making any Stampin' Up! post for awhile. My grandson Thomas is very ill and was taken to the hospital yesterday. So far the diagnosis is Mono and Encephalitis. He is only 2 1/2 and fighting to get better. I ask anyone that reads my blog and believes in the power of prayer to please pray for that little boy and his family. We all need to hear him laugh again.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Bridal Shower Favors



Now that my niece's shower is over I can finally post a picture of the favors that I made for her. Her sisters were going to fill the bags with Skittles, so I used bright colors of cardstock to try to match the colors of the candy. I made 45 of them pretty quickly using my Big Shot Machine, the Flower Daisies #2 Bigz Die, using the small and medium daisy, and the Top Note Bigz Die. The Daisies were glued together using the 2-Way Glue Pen and were placed on the Top Note Frame using snail adhesive. The Top Note Frame was folded in half and attached to a small cellophane bag by punching small holes with my Crop-a-Dile and tying the bag and frame together using bright colored 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon. They really looked great in person. So bright and colorful, and just what the girls wanted.

Stamping Tip: Save your small pieces of cardstock. To make the oval thank you I went through my scrap pieces and had enough to punch all of the thank yous that I attached to the bags.

To make the favors I used the following:
I am not going to list all of the colors of cardstock and ribbon, just the tools -
Big Shot Machine #113439, Flower Daisies #2 #114520, Top Note #113464
Small Cellophane Bags #103104, 2-Way Glue Pen #100425, Snail Adhesive #104332
Crop-a-Dile #108362, Small Oval Punch #107304

Friday, June 11, 2010

Pendant Notes



Today's card was made using another die-cut note set. Pendant Notes feature a detailed, formal design and includes 15 Kraft 4 x 4 cards and 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 envelopes. Another great set for making quick but elegant cards. Like the other die-cut note card sets, you remove the die-cut pieces and embellish with your favorite stamp set or cardstock. I used a piece of 4 x 4 Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper. Because Stampin' Up's Designer Series Paper has coordinating patterns printed on both sides, when you open up your card you have a really nice image on the inside too. A Filigree Brad placed in the center of the design and a piece of Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon were all that I needed to dress up the card. The design does all the rest. The sentiment is from the Pendant Park Stamp Set.

So now that you have seen all three of the die-cut note sets do you have a favorite? Unfortunately I like them all and really like having them on hand for that card I need in a hurry. You don't cut back on elegance, just time.

Note: Cards not made for placing in U.S. mail.

For today's card I used the following:
Pendant Notes #116449
Designer Series Paper: Cottage Wall #115671
Ink: Rich Razzleberry #115658
Stamp Set: Pendant Notes #115456
Ribbon: Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain #115613
Embellishment: Filigree Brad #112577

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Fresh Cut Notes



For another quick card I like to use the Fresh Cut Notes. They coordinate with the Fresh Cut Stamp set and include 15 Whisper White 4 x 4 cards and 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 envelopes. First I removed the die-cut flower pieces. I then stamped the large image from the Fresh Cut Stamp Set on a piece of 4 x 4 So Saffron cardstock using Chocolate Chip Ink and placed it behind the flower. To dress it up a bit more I punched some flowers in Chocolate Chip Cardstock with the BoHo Blossoms punch, and used Whisper White cardstock and the 1/16" Circle punch for the center of the flowers. A little bit of Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, a sentiment, and the card is finished. Quick, simple, and elegant. What more could you ask for. But remember, the U.S. Postal Service will not process or deliver this size card so use it when you deliver your card in person or attach it to a gift.

Stamping Tip for Fresh Cut Notes: This set coordinates not only with the Fresh Cut Stamp Set but also the 5-Petal Flower Punch #109041. It looks really nice when you use the punch and layer it over the die-cut flower.

To make this card:
Fresh Cut Notes: #111882
Cardstock: So Saffron #105118, Chocolate Chip #102128, Whisper White #100730
Ink: Chocolate Chip #100908
Stamp Set: Fresh Cut Notes #111634
Punches: Boho Blossoms #110711, 1/16" Circle #101227
Ribbon; Chocolate Chip 1/4" Grosgrain #111367

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Elegant Notes



When I need a card in a hurry, I like to choose between one of the three 4 x 4 die-cut note cards with matching 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 envelopes that Stampin' Up! offers. Today I used Elegant Notes. It comes with 15 Very Vanilla cards and envelopes. All you need to do is remove the die-cut pieces and embellish with colorful cardstock and ribbon. I took a piece of 4 x 4 Bermuda Bay cardstock and placed it behnd the front of the card so the die-cut image stands out. When the card is open you see the colorful cardstock on the inside. To dress it up a little bit more I added a piece of Bermuda Bay Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon and used Bermuda Bay Ink for my sentiment. That's it, your card is finished and it took only minutes to make! Later this week I will post cards using the Pendant Notes and Fresh Cut Notes.

Note: U.S. Postal Service will not process or deliver this size card, so make sure you use them for cards that you hand out in person, or attach to a gift.

To make this card:
Elegant Notes #116450
Cardstock: Bermuda Bay #115317
Ink: Bermuda Bay #115655
Ribbon: Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain #115610
Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts #111634

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Trendy Trees


When I need a masculine card I usually shy away from using ribbon, but I thought I would be a little daring and use some Old Olive ribbon to dress up this card I made for a male family member. I don't think it makes it too feminine, but adds just enough since I kept the stamping and layering simple. At first I just punched one Designer Label punch but felt it wasn't enough, so I added another one in Old Olive and layered the two. Just adding that one extra punch gave me the look I wanted.

To make this card I used the following:
Cardstock: Soft Suede #115318, Old Olive #100702, Whisper White #100730
Stamp Set: Trendy Trees #113258, Teeny Tiny Wishes #115370
Ink: Old Olive #102277, Soft Suede #115657
Ribbon: Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain #109054
Punch: Designer Label #107590

Monday, June 7, 2010

Tart and Tangy Cards and Gift Box


I love giving gifts of handmade cards. Everyone sends them, and having a supply on hand not only saves time but also money. Store bought cards are so expensive, and I just don't think they are as nice as handmade cards. I use them as Hostess thank you gifts, or add them to birthday presents for that little extra something. I coordinate the cards with the box and try to vary the sentiments. When the retired list of stamp sets came out I was glad to see that Tart and Tangy was not on the list. It has become one of my favorite sets and I use it often.
To see the dimensions needed to make your gift box look at my post on May 1st titled Medallion Stamp Set Gift Box.

For the gift box I used the following:
Cardstock: Old Olive #100702 for the bottom of the box, Whisper White #100730 for the top
Stamp Set: Tart and Tangy #111514
Ink: Old Olive #102277, Pumpkin Pie #105216, Summer Sun #100537
Punch: 1 1/4" Circle #104403

For the cards:
Cardstock: Whisper White #100730, Kraft #102125, Old Olive #100702, Pumpkin Pie #105117, Summer Sun #103124
Stamp Sets: Tart and Tangy #111514, Sincere Salutations #115068
Ink: Old Olive #102277, Pumpkin Pie #105216, Summer Sun #100527
Punches: 1 1/4" Circle #104403, Wide Oval #112082, Ticket Corner #107214
Ribbon: So Saffron 1/2" Striped Grosgrain #113699, Old Olive 1/2" Striped Grosgrain #113883, Pumpkin Pie 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain #115616, Old Olive 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain #115618, Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain #109054
Accessories: Big Shot Die Cut Machine 3113439, Top Note Bigz Die #113463, Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder #117335
Embellishment: Rich Regal Brads #106953 (Used So Saffron)

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Circle Punch Card



I love how Stampin' Up's! Cardstock, Designer Series Paper, and Ribbon coordinate. It makes it really easy to make a card using just a few tools. I started by using a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock for the card base, and then added a piece of Certain Celery Cardstock for my layer. I punched out circles in Basic Black cardstock using the 1 3/8" Circle Punch and then Cottage Wall Designer Paper was layered on top of the black circles using my 1 1/4" Circle Punch. A little flower from the BoHo Blossoms Punch was placed on top of a circle of Whisper White Cardstock. The Fabulous Friends sentiment is from the Oval All Stamp set, and as you can see it can be used with more than just oval punches. Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon was tied on the side.

Did you know: When looking at the Designer Series Paper in the Idea Book and Catalog, a list of coordinating cardstock colors is printed next to the name of the paper. This makes it really easy to select the coordinating colors.

To make this card I used the following:
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry #115316, Certain Celery #105125, Whisper White #100730
Designer Series Paper: Cottage Wall #115671
Ink: Rich Razzleberry #115658
Stamp Set: Oval All #113780
Ribbon: Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain #115613
Punches: 1 3/8" Circle #104401, 1 1/4" Circle #104403, BoHo Blossoms #110711
Embellishment: Dimensionals #104430 (for the small flower_

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Top Note Die Frame



When you make as many cards as I do you don't want to throw anything out. So when I make a card using my Top Note Bigz Die I get a bonus of having the cut out frame as another piece to use for my projects. These frames make a cute embellishment on your cards, or scrapbook pages. Layer it on top of a piece of cardstock, stamp your image and you are finished. Another quick card to make and I love knowing I didn't waste any paper.

While the Big Shot Machine might seem like a large investment, it is the one tool that I use the most often. It has so many accessories to go along with it and has really expanded my range of what I can create on my cards, 3D projects, and gifts. It is easy to use, and if you purchase one through me I will gladly set up a time to come demonstrate all of its features, and let you play around with my dies and folders to see how they work. If you want to receive yours at 20% off just let me know and I will tell you how you can get this and all of your Stampin' Up! merchandise at a discount. The Big Shot Machine was one of the first items I purchased when I started my business, and I am so glad I did.


To make today's card I used the following:
Cardstock: Kraft #102125, Elegant Eggplant #105126
Stamp Set: Fifth Avenue Floral #113734, Thoughts & Prayers #113252
Ink: Elegant Eggplant #105210
Accessories: Big Shot Machine #113439, Top Note Bigz Die #113463
Punch: Large Oval #107305

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Beary Best Friends





Beary Best Friends is a great stamp for making cute cards for girls and boys. It is listed in the Summer Mini Catalog, and will be carried over in the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog. The sentiments from Beary Nice Wishes and Pawsitively Prints Designer Series Paper help you coordinate and finish your card with just the right saying. On each card I stamped the image in Chocolate Chip Ink and then used markers or blender pens to color them in. The balloon and the Corner Frame on the boy bear card were made with the Pawsitively Prints Designer Series Paper. I think this would also be a fun stamp set for young children to use to make their own cards to send to their family or friends.

Stamping Tip: If you don't have the marker in your color choice for your card or project, but have the ink pad, you can use your Blender Pen to pick up the color on your ink pad and transfer it to your cardstock.

For both the Girl and Boy Bear Card I used the following:
Stamp Sets: Beary Best Friends #118052, Beary Nice Wishes #118050
Designer Series Paper: Pawsitively Prints #118060
Cardstock: Whisper White #100730
Ink: Chocolate Chip #100908, Creamy Caramel #103220 (diluted with blender pen for fur color)
Accessories: Blender Pens #102845

For the Girl Bear I also used:
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink #100459, Certain Celery #105125
Ribbon: Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain #109032
Ink: Pretty in Pink #101301, Yo Yo Yellow #102717

For the Boy Bear I also used:
Cardstock: Ballet Blue #100613, Only Orange #102837
Ink: Only Orange #102696, Ballet Blue #100907 (diluted with blender pens for lighter shade)
Punch: Photo Corners #109042

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Retired list is here!

Updated from this morning: New Link for Retired Products - Left column under Shop Now - Promotions! Or see below -

Click on Specials listed under the Quick Links section of my blog (right hand column) to see the list of Retired Stamps, Accessories and Home Decor. Stamps and accessories are available while supplies last, and Home Decor from June 1-30th. Order your favorites today before they run out.

In addition to the retired list - check out the new $99 Starter Kit also available from June 1-30th. During this limited time special you can start your own Stampin' Up! business for just $99.00. The kit has a retail value of over $180.00. Let me know if you have any questions about any of the retired products, or how you can join my team of Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrators.

Further updates will be coming - so excuse the quick post today. I am on my way back from the beach and I can't wait to see the retired list myself. I know there are some things I will definitely have to order too!