Only 149 days....

until Christmas! Yes, I know it's entirely too early to think about it, but I'm challenging myself to get a head start on my holiday cards this year. The last 2 years, I made about 100 cards each season, and being a notorious procrastinator, I waited too late and subjected myself to a Christmas card cram session. So when I was checking out the latest Make a Card Monday video on KWerner's fabulous blog, I was totally inspired to pull out my Baroque background stamp that has only been inked once since I bought it. The new In Color, Riding Hood Red, paired with Handsome Hunter, is perfect for a traditional holiday card. It may be hard to tell in the photo, but the background image is clear embossed and adds such an elegance to the card. Enjoy!
Stamps: Baroque, Holidays & Wishes
Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Handsome Hunter, Whisper White, Brushed Silver
Ink: Versamark, Handsome Hunter
Accessories: clear embossing powder, heat tool, Boho Blossom punch, silver brad, stampin' dimensionals

Please stand by

I'm having technical difficulties with Blogger tonight!! After trying to post numerous times, I still cannot get my entire entry to post. Ooooooh, I am SO AGGRAVATED!!!! I'll try again tomorrow...

Bella Rose

Finished two stamp-a-stack classes this weekend and wanted to play with my new goodies from the Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog that's coming out next month. Here's a super simple card that took me no more than 3 minutes. I can appreciate a very detailed, intricate card, but I seem to be drawn to the more simplistic but elegant these days when I'm designing. I have to admit that I didn't get overly excited when I initially saw this new designer series paper (DSP) but fell in love after seeing some of the fabulous projects made with it. Hope you like it!!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Dreams du Jour

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black

Accessories: Bella Rose DSP (coming soon!), photo corner punch, stampin' dimensionals

Stamp club project: accordian card

Back in April or May, I came across a blog with this fabulous little project but silly me didn't write down the URL! So I apologize for not being able to direct you to my inspiration source. I used this project for my stamp clubs this month. Here's a picture of it closed and sealed:

And this is it opened:

Super cute, huh? Using a 12x12 sheet of designer series paper, you score at 2" and 6" and 10" on one side and 3" and 6" and 9" on the other side. Turning the paper so the 2" scored panels are to the left and right, cut down the 6" score from one end to the last score line. Fold the 2" panels up to create pockets and then fold the back sides together. Adhere the 2 panels that are still attached at the score line and then adhere all the open ends. Then just fold back and forth like a fan starting from the center panels to create the accordian pockets. Insert it into a piece of 4-1/4" by 7" cardstock (scored at 3-1/4" and 3-1/2" and 3-3/4") and decorate.

It's a perfect giftable item that can be filled with little notes or wallet-sized photos, so try making one today!

Stamps: none
Cardstock: Blue Bayou
Ink: none
Accessories: Western Sky DSP, Blue Bayou double-stitched grosgrain ribbon, sticky strip, scallop circle punch, paper trimmer

3x3 box and notecards

While blog surfin' today, I came across this adorable 3x3 box complete with a template (originated by Kelly Lunceford) and decided to give it a try. It holds 3x3 gift cards and envelopes and would be perfect for a hostess gift! Instead of a closure on lid, I decided to make the lid fit inside instead. Hope you like it :)

Stamps: Absolutely Fabulous, A Little Birdie Told Me, Baroque Motifs, One of a Kind, Deer Friends, Pun Fun
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Summer Sun, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Whisper White, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Basic Black, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise, Stazon Black, More Mustard, Old Olive
Accessories: East Coast Prep DSP, 1" circle punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punch, scallop edge punch, Three for You punch, ticket corner punch, aquapainter, More Mustard grosgrain ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Refreshing my sample board

It's nasty hot outside and I have absolutely no desire to leave the comfort of my air-conditioned home. So after making some thank you cards for my son to send for birthday gifts he received at his party last weekend, I started to straighten up my craft room, but was quickly sidetracked with some card making (if you can imagine!). With the new Idea Book & Catalog coming out next month, I'm clearing out all the card samples I have with retiring stamp sets or in colors, so now I have some holes to fill in on my sample board. I had started this cardbase about a month ago and wasn't feeling inspired. So today I pulled it out and decided on a monochromatic scheme. Nothing fancy, but it served a purpose and filled another spot on the display board. Since I needed the large oval punch to encompass the entire sentiment, I couldn't layer it with a larger oval punch, so instead I punched out 2 more from cardstock and layered them behind the sentiment to create a frame.

Stamps: Fresh Cuts, Heard from the Heart (NEW stamp set on 8/11/08!)
Cardstock: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla
Ink: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: corner rounder, large oval punch, stampin' dimensionals

The Power of a Card

I love being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator because I truly love to create and encourage others to create handmade cards and gifts. But the friends I've made through this journey have been a true blessing in my life. Look at this beautiful card I received from a fellow demo Sheryl Braun:


About a week ago, we had to make the decision to put down our 17 year old pet, Carly. That dog had survived many challenges in her lifespan. My mother-in-law liked to say that she was like a Timex watch - she took a lickin' and kept on tickin'! :) She survived eating an entire one pound box of Fannie May chocolates when she was a mere 10 lbs. herself! She was diagnosed with kidney disease about 5 years ago and we kept it at bay with a special diet. She lost most of her eyesight and was just about completely deaf. And in February, she took a tumble down our hardwood stairs and injured her back. She was a fighter so we made special accommodations for her and helped her with every movement. She even began walking independently again even after the vet said she would probably never walk again! After continuing to lose more than 30% of her body weight and having more and more difficulties, we finally set her at peace on Saturday July 5.

Well, I shared my sorrow with some local demos and was touched to receive Sheryl's thoughtful card today. Thank you Sheryl!! It reminds me about the power that a handmade card can have on people. It's just re-affirmation that my hobby has a special place in this world. I can only hope that my cards will bring someone else a little joy, comfort or just lift their spirits. Keep stampin'!

Great Dreams

A little more playtime today with my new catalog goodies! I just LOVE the new Pink Pirouette in color! It's lighter than Pretty in Pink, but darker than Blush Blossom. And it looks great with the new Kiwi Kiss in color as well. I'm having lots of fun with the new scallop edge punch too. Here's a sample I came up with....hmmm, wonder if I should use this card in my stamp-a-stack class this month...

Stamps: Dreams du Jour

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black

Accessories: blender pen, scallop edge punch, black grosgrain ribbon, stampin' dimensionals

Flower Power

I did manage to sneak in a little creative time today and created two cards in a short amount of time by using the Flower Power Simply Sent Card Elements Kit (seen here). The first card uses only supplies provided in the kit. I am lovin' the designer series paper in this kit!! Just a little bit of layering of the die cuts, add some ribbon and a brad and DONE!

This second card started with the textured cardstock from the kit and some of the die cuts. But then I added some poly-twill ribbon, leaves made from the 1" circle punch, and some embossing.

card #1
Stamps: none
Cardstock: Rose Red
Ink: none
Accessories: Flower Power Simply Sent kit

card #2
Stamps: Warm Words
Cardstock: Perfect Plum, Old Olive
Ink: White Craft ink
Accessories: white embossing powder, large oval punch, 1" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals, Old Olive poly-twill ribbon, corner rounder

New Catalog Goodies!

It felt like Christmas today! No, the weather is still in the 90s and there are no holiday decorations (although the stores will be filled with them before you know it!). But I got to tear into a box of new stamping goodies from the upcoming Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog! One of the many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! :) With the new catalog right around the corner, demonstrators can pre-order a sampling of new products being introduced so we can start enticing our customers of the good things to come. I ordered a few stamp sets, some new buttons, the new scallop edge punch (woohoo!) and this new product, Simply Sent Card Elements Kit:


In what I hope is just one of many such options in the new catalog, this kit includes textured cardstock, designer series paper and self-adhesive die cuts that coordinate with a new stamp set, Wow Flowers. Here's a close up of the kit with the color combo of Perfect Plum, More Mustard, Rose Red and Old Olive:

I'm still mounting my new stamp sets but wanted to share these goodies with you! I hope I'll have a few minutes to actually play with my new toys today! Hopefully I'll be back later with some fabulous new samples to share as well!

Sweet Hippo

I just love the Pun Fun stamp set -those little animals are so darn adorable! I didn't feel like coloring in the hippo image, so I stamped it onto Whisper White and then onto Certainly Celery and Apricot Appeal designer series prints paper. I cut out the images from the designer series paper and layered it on the Whisper White. The little bow around her neck kind of melted into the pattern on the paper, so I colored it in with a white gel pen and it turned out so cute! A little run of the Sweet Stars jumbo wheel and another simple, easy, fast card. Enjoy!

Stamps: Pun Fun, Sweet Stars

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Basic Blac

Accessories: designer series paper, white gel pen, stampin' dimensionals

Stamp-a-Stack Preview

I'm offering a stamp-a-stack at the end of the month, so I'm doing some design work on the projects. I'm planning to use the new In-Colors being introduced in the Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog, but don't have them yet (boo hoo). I wanted to make a nice, bright and colorful card and was totally inspired by the layout on vickavicka's card on Splitcoaststampers. I just substituted some brighter colors and ... voila! Hope my customers like it :)

Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment

Cardstock: Gable Green, Barely Banana, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Ink: Gable Green, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: Three for You punch, Tempting Turquoise grosgrain ribbon, silver brad

Tag!

Fellow blogger and Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Marilyn Moseley (check out the fabulous projects on her blog) tagged me earlier this week. In case you've been living under a rock recently, blog tag is quite the hot sport right now. And not one to walk away from a fun challenge, I present my 7 random/wierd facts:

1. I am incapable of driving a stick shift (and refuse to try again to learn).
2. I am an extremely picky eater (just ask any of my co-workers).
3. My all-time favorite song in the entire universe is "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves (I'm an 80's music junkie).
4. I am deathly afraid of bees and all their relatives.
5. I've had 4 kidney stones since I was 17.
6. One of my biggest pet peeves is people not using their turn signals.
7. I'll watch every Law & Order episode ever made (even if I've seen it a dozen times already).

So who will be the lucky 7 I tag? Check out the line-up below:
Sherrie
Joanne

Jenni
Michelle
Denise
Stacie

Tiffany

Well, now that I've fulfilled my tagging obligation, back to stamping... :)