Gift Card Slider

My cousin is getting married today. Here's her gift card...

I saw the tutorial for this fun slider card here.

Do you want to learn more fun cards that have moving parts?? Join me for March's stamp camp to make six cards with a little "spring!" Contact me for more info.

Crazy for Cupcakes Birthday

I love this stamp set. I think I've used it for most birthday cards I've made since I won this stamp set at Convention. It's perfect with the Top Note Die cut with the Big Shot. Have a happy weekend! I'm hoping to get a little time to myself to stamp today...we'll see how that goes :)

Card Recipe: CS: Really Rust, More Mustard, Confetti White; Ink: Basic Brown, Really Rust, More Mustard; Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes; Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Standard Cutting Pads, Aquapainter

Challenge Thursday--Firsts

Today's challenge is a fun one...scrapbook a "first" and/or use a new product for the "first" time. This page does both. This was a picture take in Aug. 2006 when Sierra received her first haircut (she's probably only had one other haircut since then). This was the first time I ever used my new fleurettes. I LOVE them! They are so cute! Challenge yourself to scrap a "first" or use something new you have for the "first" time :) Post a comment here so I can see your project! Have fun!

Page Recipe: CS: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DSP; Stamps: Schoolbook Serif Alphabet; Ink: Riding Hood Red; Accessories: Fleureetes, Glue Dots

Perfect Fit Card

Sometimes it's hard to create a card just using a wheel. This last weekend I helped more with the index cards for SCS. I have three wheels they were missing indexes for so I did them. My favorite one was the "Perfect Fit" wheel. I think this is the first time I've even used this wheel. I LOVE how this card turned out!! I'll add a greeting when I decide who to send it to and for what occasion. :)

Card Recipe: CS: Kraft, Real Red, Whisper White; Ink: Real Red; Stamps: Perfect Fit Wheel; Accessories: Red Gingham Ribbon, Crafter's Tool Kit (paper piercer & mats), Standard Wheel Handle

Family Pennant Banner--Technique Tuesday

The last project to share from last weekend's stamp camp since I already showed you the "Yummy Box" we made at the first of the month...the family pennant banner. I absolutely love how this turned out. Everyone's banner turned out so fun. Each banner was different but yet reflected everyone's one personal touch and taste! I just let everyone have at all my designer series paper and create their own banner. Most chose to do "family" but some chose their last names. They were beautiful!

After doing this particular project I realized that everyone could probably use a "Technique Tuesday" just on the Stampin' Up! Pennant Die.
Here's the step-by-step instructions to using your Pennant Die.
1. Fold the designer series paper or cardstock in half.

2. Place one extended cutting pad under the Pennant Die.
3. Place the folded edge of the paper on the edge of the lines of the banner image (this does not mean the edge of the foam).


4. If you're doing a small pennant on top, you might as well run them through the Big Shot at the same time...so line up a small piece of designer paper or cardstock on the bottom small pennant with the fold on the edge of the lines of the pennant.

5. Place your second Extended Cutting Pad on top of the die and roll through the Big Shot.
6. Unfold the pennants.
7. Adhere the two pennants together. I chose to cut off the top straight edge but you can just fold them over if you choose.
8. Decorate your pennant as desired.
I used the Serif Essentials Alphabet dies to create the letters for this banner. It's the perfect size for the pennants. Have fun creating your own personalized pennant banners. Don't own your own Big Shot and/or SU! exclusive dies??? Now's the PERFECT time to buy to get the most for your money! During sale-a-bration time, I'm offering a special on the Big Shot....buy the starter kit for just $195.95 (plus tax and shipping) and I'll give you a $4.95 sizzlit...which will qualify you for 4 FREE sale-a-bration items. If you're ordering on your own or you are the hostess, you'll also receive a Level 1 stamp set PLUS $20 of FREE merchandise. Contact me today for more info. This offer is valid through the end of March 2009.
Pennant Recipe: CS: Delicate Dots DSP (SAB), Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Kraft; Accessories: Big Shot, Extended Cutting Pads, SU! Pennant Die, Serif Essentials Alphabet Dies, Bashful Blue Grosgrain, Metallic Eyelets, Crop-a-dile

Heart Pouch

This fun pouch is made with two petal cards put together. I thought it's a perfect little treat holder for any time of the year...not just Valentine's Day. We used the texturz plates and the Go Go Alphapbet on this fun creation.

Top Note Card

Here is another project from the FUN Big Shot class last night. I know that the Top Note Die is definitely my favorite...so versatile. This card was created by folding a piece of 4 1/4 x 11 CS in half and then laying it on the Top Note Die just under the top of the Top Note. Then we cut one full Top Note Die that had DSP attached to the bottom of it, layered the two together and created a Top Note Card :) The flower is the Simple Flower emobsslit die. Love the new Jumbo Brads (that's what's in the center)!

Photo Frame with Raw Vinyl!

Tonight is the much anticipated Big Shot stamp camp. I'm so excited about the projects we're making. One of the new things I learned while preparing for this class was how to use the raw vinyl with the Big Shot. My favorite is the White Vinyl...you can create your own colors and designs of vinyl using the craft inks! Here's the photo frame will be doing tonight with the vinyl...although, everyone can custom make their own colors, design, and choose their own die to cut the vinyl with. I love it!!! The button die was just a quick add-on to my last order...I'm so glad I added it! It's the perfect accent for this scallop vinyl flower :)

Starring You

I've been stamping some index cards for SCS this past week. I did a card for "Starring You" and thought it actually turned out kind of fun for a birthday card. Index cards are cards that are stamped with the entire stamp set on the card front...somewhat complicated but fun nonetheless.

Card Recipe: CS: YoYo Yellow, Whisper White, Basic Black; Stamps: Starring You; Ink: YoYo Yellow, Basic Black; Accessories: Black Gingham, Mini Library Clip

Challenge Thursday--Collage Scrapbook Page

My BIL and his wife challenged me a few weeks back to a "collage" scrapbook page. I have actually really been looking into this type of scrapbook page for Sydney's scrapbook. I saw something similar in Creating Keepsakes magazine awhile back and LOVED the idea. So what I'm aiming for is one collage page to match her monthly calendar page. I've only done one page so far...but I love it!


Try out this challenge for one of your memories you want to scrapbook...you'll love the results!

Gift Bag Topper

I'm very in to bag toppers recently. Here's a bag topper I created for a gift bag. After I folded the Whisper White CS in half. I cut the top one inch from each end to allow the topper to fit over the handles. All stamps used on this topper are retired.

Technique Tuesday...Heat Embossing

Sorry this post is so late today...it's been a very heavy mommy day today with lots to accomplish before I could stamp. Guess that's why I have the "job" I have :) I really love heat embossing. The effect you get when you heat emboss on either the gold or silver brushed cardstock is amazing!!!

This was a simple card I created by stamping the image in versamark on the Brushed Gold cardstock, pouring on gold embossing powder, tapping off the excess, and heating the powder...ta-da! Beautiful accent for the front of the card. Try heat embossing on gold or silver cardstock today! You'll love the results!

Card Recipe: CS: Brushed Gold, Night of Navy; Stamps: Wanted; Ink: VersaMark; Accessories: Crafter's Tool Kit, Heat Tool, Gold Embossing Powder

Surf's Up!

Considering where we live, I had to get the new stamp set "Just Surfing." I see it not only useful for cards but also for some fun scrapbook pages.

Card Recipe: CS: Pacific Point, Close to Cocoa, Apricot Appeal, Very Vanilla; Stamps: Just Surfing; Ink: Pacific Point, Close to Cocoa, Apricot Appeal; Accessories: Sponge, Small and Large Oval punches

Teacher Gifts

One day after school this past week, the kids made chocolate pretzels for their teachers. You can see the fun they were having here. They looked great in their cello bags and the treats were tasty!!! We put the pretzels in cello bags, folded them over, and stapled them shut. The designer series paper (retired) is cut at 4" x 4", folded in half, and the bottom edge is punched with the eyelet border punch. We attached the DSP to the top of the cello bag using SNAIL adhesive. The large tag was punched from Chocolate Chip CS. The small tag was stamped with the tag image from Happy Heart Day stamp set stamped in Regal Rose ink on Whisper White CS. It was then punched out with the small tag punch, attached to the Chocolate Chip tag, and attached to the bag topper with a dimensional.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Card Recipe: CS: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink; Stamps: Polka Dot Punches, A Happy Heart; Ink: Chocolate Chip; Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Full Heart Punch, Heart-to-Heart Punch, Dimensional, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon

Princess Bedroom--Thanks SU!!!

Thanks to Stampin' Up! my girls' room is looking more and more like a princess room. With the release of the new catalog, they introduced these FABULOUS new decor elements. My MIL had found the castle at a local event and shipped it to us. It was a perfect match for the girls' room...but a bit lonely since it was the only thing on the ball besides the border. As soon as I saw the new decor elements, I ordered them. As soon as they came, we put them on the wall.

It was somewhat of a last minute decision to put the frog on the opposite wall so that's why the dragon looks a bit out of place but I still like the frog here. As soon as Stampin' Up! starts offering custom wording, I'll have something printed about princesses to put above the frog and between their Disneyland mouse ears.

Be sure to take a look at the decor elements brochure today and figure out how they'll work for your decorating needs.

Challenge Thursday--Progressive Scrapbooking

We all scrapbook different size albums at times. One of the quickest ways I've found to switch in between sizes is to do progressive scrapbooking. At last weekend's workshop, one of the make-n-takes was this fun 6x6 scrapbook page.

I then showed it bumped up to an 8 1/2 x 11 by just adding some sponging on the Whisper White edges and adding a die cut title.

Lastly, I showed it put on a 12x12 page by stamping the left edge and adding 3 square pictures.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for your scrapbooking!

Kiddos' Valentines

Thanks to the rain on Monday valentines were completed for classmates...

Sydney's was made with retired designer series paper that I cut with the Big Shot Scallop #2 die. Just simply wrapped it around the pencil, stapled it, and covered the staple with the tag from the stamp set "Happy Heart Day" that had been punched out with the small tag punch that was popped up with a dimensional. (The other two wrote her name on all the tags, thankfully!!)

J.R.'s was probably the fastest valentine. He stuffed the jar of playdough in the cello bag, folded the bag over, and stapled the top. I cut 4"x4" pieces of a retired designer series paper (boy colors that he insisted on), folded them in half, and adhered them to the top of the cello bag with SNAIL adhesive. He then added a tag from the stamp set "Happy Heart Day" that had been punched out with the small tag punch that was popped up with a dimensional.

We had actually started Sierra's valentines last week but then when she got sick she just didn't have the motivation to do anymore. We cut the Box #2 die using the Big Shot. We were going to wheel hearts all over the box but just didn't have the time or energy to do it so we just went with plain boxes. I put the boxes together for her with just one little piece of sticky strip. She added the playdough jar, closed up the box, and attached a popped-up heart tag that she had punched out with the Full Heart punch that she wrote her name on.
Now we're ready for the Valentine Day celebrations!!!

Technique Tuesday

Often at Monday Madness, the ladies want to make birthday cards. This card has been CASEd quite often in one way or another. The "key" to this card is the "sprinkles" that are created with the beads on top of the frosting.

First we stamp the cupcake in a waterproof ink. Next, watercolor the image in the colors desired. The next step is to apply Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive to the sprinkle stamps. The last step is a bit time consuming but worth the effort...place a bead over each spot of adhesive. You could also just apply the adhesive all over the frosting and then pour on the beads for more of realistic sprinkled-cupcake. Make a sprinkled cupcake and then comment here so I can see your creation.

Bleach as a stamp pad

This original idea came from a demo meeting a few years back at Melissa's house (my upline). I've always enjoyed using bleach on background stamps...each color of cardstock is so different when you bleach it. I like to apply bleach to a background stamp with a sponge. The key is to not apply too much bleach. The front medallion can either be stamped on a paper towel that has drops of bleach on it or use the sponge method like the background stamp. Bleach makes an awesome "distressed" look so I find I use it most for masculine cards.
Card Recipe: CS: Basic Black, Bravo Burgundy; Stamps: Sanded, Baroque Motifs; Ink: Basic Black; Accessories: Metallic Brads, Crimper, Dimensionals, Sponge, Bleach

Twin Skaters

My son attended a birthday party for his friends that are twins. The sketch for these cards came from Taylored Expressions TECC54. I always love Taylor's sketches...but time hasn't allowed me to play with the sketches for awhile. Here are the "twin" cards I made for the skater boys...

I love the new "Family Accessories Too." I already LOVE "All in the Family" so this was the PERFECT addition to this stamp set! I can't wait to use the crown on a girl card or scrapbook page.
Here's the wrapped gifts w/ their matching envelopes...
Cards Recipe: CS: Really Rust OR Summer Sun, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White; Ink: Really Rust, Summer Sun, Close to Cocoa, Going Gray, Basic Brown, Blush Blossom; Stamps: All in the Family, Family Phrases, Family Accessories Too; Accessories: 1 3/4" circle punch, Circle Scissors Plus, Glass Mat, Aquapainter

Gift Wrap Recipe: Stamps: Happy, Happy Birthday Jumbo Wheel (retired); Ink: Creamy Caramel Jumbo Cartridge; Accessories: Jumbo Handle, White Wrapping Paper (retired)

Bleach Shadow Stamping

As I was preparing to teach my bleaching class this week, Stampin' Up! posted a new "how-to" video tutorial about bleaching...perfect timing or what?!?!

This is stamped first in Chocolate Chip and then again in bleach. It doesn't matter where you line the stamp up to stamp over your first image because it creates a beautiful shadow no matter where you use it!
Card Recipe: CS: Regal Rose, So Saffron; Ink: Chocolate Chip; Stamps: Upsy Daisy; Accessories: Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Cutter Kit, Bleach

Bleaching

The next few days you'll see projects created with different bleaching techniques. This was the focus of our club technique night this month.

One of the easiest ways to use bleach is to emboss an image and then "highlight" inside the embossed image using bleach. You can apply bleach with a q-tip, a dried-up blender pen, or even by filling your aquapainter with bleach. Just be sure to rinse your blender pen or aquapainter after you project is completed. The bleach will eat away at whatever you "store" it in so be sure to only store it in it's original container.
Card Recipe: Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron; Stamps: Dreams du Jour; Inks: Versamark; Other: Big Shot, SU! Backgrounds I Texturz plates w/ matching pads, Elegant Eggplant ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon, DRIED blender pen, bleach, dimensionals

Challenge Thursday--Song Title

Today's challenge is to use a song title to inspire your project. Of course, it was easy to use as a title for a scrapbook page.

It worked perfectly for these pages from my grandpa's funeral. It's exactly what I wanted to say..."I Will Remember You." Be sure to comment on this post when you take the song challenge so I can be sure to see your work! Happy Thursday!

Scrapbook Recipe: CS: Kiwi Kiss, So Saffron; Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black Marker; Stamps: Short Order Alphabets; Accessories: 5-petal flower punch, eyelet border punch, Flower Asst. Brads, Paper Piercer, Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, dimensional

Cello Bag Toppers

Sorry for the late post...I have a sick little lady today. I'll spare you of all the yucky details. Last night I attended a women's church event where we made treat baggies to share with those whom we love. Lucky for me, the lady who did the event loves Stampin' Up! so I was able to create with paper and stamps.

I just added four cookies to each baggie (which were delicious!) and then folded over the top of the cello bag. I cut the Designer Series Paper (it's retired paper) at 4"x4", folded it in half and then adhered it to the top of the cello bag with adhesive. The only punch that was available was a 1/16" punch so I opted for the hemp twine in the one I punched holes and ribbon around the other one. The tag was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink and punched with the Tag punch, punched w/ the 1/16" punch, and tied on with hemp twine. All finished! Super easy project...but very fun to give to those I love :)

Birthday Wishes

Today is our niece's birthday. Since her birthday is close to Valentine's day, I pulled out my "Happy Heart Day" and came up with this card from scraps on my desk:

Since this is Technique Tuesday, I'm teaching how to add a little sparkle to your projects with a 2-way glue pen! I love how easy this technique is....stamp your image, apply 2-way glue, and then dip in Dazzling Diamonds glitter (or any glitter of your choice)...and you're done! Add some glitter to your project today!
Card Recipe: CS: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane DSP; Stamps: Happy Heart Day, Hugs & Wishes; Ink: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red; Accessories: 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter, clear rhinestone brad, crafter's tool kit

Bag w/ Scallops Die!

I'm loving all my new dies I got with my first order!! So of course, I had to order MORE dies with my first SAB order! Can't wait until that package arrives!!!!

This box is die-cut into three pieces and you just stick them together w/ sticky strip. I've decided that for sure I'll do the Box #2 for the kids' valentines just because they're quicker to assemble. :) For this sample, I lined the outside with DSP, stamped the scallop flap, and added ribbon...how simple is that!
Box Recipe: CS: Kraft, Candy Lane DSP; Stamps: Happy Heart Day; Ink: Riding Hood Red; Accessories: Big Shot, Bag w/ Scallops, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Sticky Strip

YEAH!!!! Sale-a-bration time is here!

This is one of my FAVORITE promotions Stampin' Up! offers. You should have received your sale-a-bration mini catalog in the mail this past week. If you did not and don't currently have a demo in the US, contact me and I'll be glad to get a SAB mini to you. There's something for everyone this year...Congrats stamp set, Ribbon Bundle (2 of my favorite colors...Certainly Celery & So Saffron), Yummy stamp set, Delcate Dots Designer Series Paper, Polka Dot Punches stamp set (of course, each stamp set matches a punch!!!), and Botanical Blooms stamp set.

As a customer, for every $50 you spend, you'll receive one of the above mentioned items for FREE!!! Doesn't get much better than that!

As a hostess, you receive a FREE SAB product for every $300 in addition to all the other AWESOME hostess benefits.

As a recruit to my team during sale-a-bration, you'll receive a discount of 15 percent on the starter kit ($335 worth of product for $169!) PLUS ANY stamp set from the Spring-Summer 2009 Catalog for FREE.

Want to make this adorable box and four other Big Shot projects? Sign up for February's Stamp Camp on Feb. 21.

Box Recipe: CS: Kraft, Vanilla; Ink: Real Red; Stamps: Yummy; Accessories: Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain, dimensionals, sticky strip, Big Shot, Box #2 Die