I just have to share this. . .

When I first started this blog, my intention was to reach customers who I might only see once or twice a year. Life is so busy and schedules sometimes just don't coincide, so I wanted a way to share little tips or ideas that could referenced anytime. I really didn't think about the possibility that people that I don't know would read it--but I've found that they do!! A truly unexpected-but-wonderful "side effect" of all my chattering here is that I hear from people that I've never met in person, and they sometimes share projects inspired by something I posted.

Lorree Bosworth sent me pictures of a fantastic pop-up card she made using the accordian-fold and window plastic strips method that I posted a couple of weeks ago after I showed my stamp clubs that technique. Just wait until you see it! Here's the front. . .


Now get ready, because it's just about the cutest thing I've ever seen . . .

She covered the accordian-fold with scallop circle punch bushes, created a woodland backdrop with stamped images from the "Season of Friendship" set, and colored the bear and raccoon (from the "Under the Stars" set) using watercolor pencils, an odorless mineral spirts product called Sansodor and paper blending stumps. (Of course, being the great enablers that all of us stampers are, I had to head right out and pick up those last two items so I could give it a try too! I'm going to need to play with it a little more before I get as good as Lorree.)

A big thanks to Lorree for letting me share her work here. I absolutely love it, don't you?

One other little thing to share today. . .

Seems that even if I'm not actually stamping, I'm still using stuff from my craft room for the other things I have to do around here. Was hanging a mirror last week, and I needed to mark EXACTLY where my screw had to start. What's better at poking a precise hole that a paper piercing tool? Now that they're available individually in the Stampin' Up! catalog (p. 191--yippee!) I have several of them, so I've designated the oldest one for such non-crafting purposes.

Another odd job on the list last week was finding a better way to hang the bell that the puppy uses to tell us she wants to go out. I wanted something that would sort of blend in with the woodwork. The new Dusty Durango 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon to the rescue!!!

It's kind of neat that these fun In Color ribbons only have the dots printed on one side--it's like two ribbons in one. I cut a few inches, folded the dots to the inside, and made quick work of the job! I LOVE stamping!

Hope you have a great day!

Yippee!! Today's the Day!!!

The Stampin' Up! Spring/Summer '09 Catalog "goes live" today at noon Mountain Time!! That means that at 1 PM my time I can take my new spreadsheet and translate it into NEW TOYS!!! I've made myself a to-do list to help me stay focused this morning--not that unusual of a thing for me--but I really need something to keep me on task today! I know, I know, even with expedited shipping (something I treat myself to only 2 or 3 times a year), the new stuff won't be here until Thursday, but I'm still excited about putting in the order for new stuff!! You'd think that after this many years, this many new catalogs, I'd be able to contain myself. NOPE!

Another good thing about the catalog starting today is that I can show you swaps that I made using new sets and accessories! This first card uses a new hostess set called "Goody-Goody Gumdrops." Although there is a gumdrop stamp and a greeting that says, "goody-goody gumdrops!," the name doesn't really do a lot to describe this 19 piece set (9 images and 10 greetings). No, I don't really have a better name, but for a set that can be used for just about every occasion except maybe Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, it could use a different name.

Anyway, I made this little 3" X 6" window card using the flower and the greeting "thoughts of you. . . are happy thoughts." Those of you who know me can see that I've moved into my "winter doldrums" selection of colors already. Only colors and layouts that are warm and cheery will be finding a space on my desk for the next couple months!

I embossed the flower with black powder onto vellum cardstock, used my stylus and paper-piercing pad to dry-emboss the petals and leaves of the flower, giving the flower more texture, and then used markers to color both the front and back of the vellum so the flower looked the same from both sides of the window. The vellum piece then gets sandwiched between the white card base and the piece of Bashful Blue cardstock on the front. The trick to making the window line up the way you want it to is to lightly adhere the blue piece onto the front of the card in the position you want and then use the wide oval punch to punch through both layers at once. Pull away the blue a bit, slide the vellum in, add some more adhesive and you've got it!

Added a Barely Banana cardstock square that I stamped with the "Polka Dots" background stamp (currently on the dormant list, but still available!), some of the 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, and one of those darling little clips with a bit of white taffeta ribbon to finish off the front. I stamped the greeting in Basic Gray ink because black was just a bit stark for this Soft Subtles card. I actually cut the 2-line greeting apart and mounted one line on each side of a wood block so that stamping was quicker. Of course, you can color one line with a marker, stamp, clean, and then color the second line and stamp, but when I'm making swaps I like to streamline the process if possible.

This next card is a swap I made using the set called "Sweet Stems." I like this set because it has lots of different stamping possibilities including watercoloring, and isn't too expensive, but I was really drawn to it because it has a Big Shot "Embosslit" that coordinates with it. An Embosslit is a small folder die that embosses an image AND cuts it out AT THE SAME TIME! How cool is that??? I just had to try it out:

For this 4" X 4" card, I stamped the flower image that goes with the Embosslit onto Apricot Appeal and Very Vanilla cardstock with Apricot Appeal ink. (Notice--WARM colors again!) Then I embossed the "thanks" from "Thank You Kindly" onto vellum using Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink and clear powder. (Yes, I seem to be on a vellum kick--the swap I'm currently working on uses it too!) Embossing with Classic ink (dye ink/water-based) works with vellum because the ink doesn't soak into the vellum, allowing more time to get the embossing powder onto the ink. Tied a little linen thread around the Embosslit cut-out, adhered it to the vellum with Mini Glue Dots, and the card was done.

Here's a close-up of the Embosslit. Getting such a detailed piece in one step is so great! Can't wait to see what some of the other new Big Shot accessories in the Spring/Summer catalog do!

If you'd like to get one of the first peeks at my new toys, come join me at the Birthday Bonanza stamp-a-stack this Friday and Saturday. I still have a spot or two available in each session.

Another way to get to play with new things from the catalog is to join a Stamp Club. I currently have openings in the Wednesday morning club, and will open more clubs as necessary.

Off to tackle that to-do list. . . I'm going to be watching the clock CLOSELY!

Love You Much #3

Back again with another of the samples I received from the Love You Much swap I participated in. Unfortunately the artist did not give herself credit on the swap nor upload her card on the website where we post our work, so I can't give her her due credit, but I really like the combination of elements she used in her design.


The large cut-out is, of course, the Top Note die cut, cut from Pirouette Pink card stock. Then another Top Note is cut from the Candy Lane Designer Paper, cut in half, with the narrow perforated edge removed. The hearts were punched with the new triple heart punch, again from the Designer Paper. The "hugs & kisses" design was stamped 3 times: once on Riding Hood Red cardstock with Riding Hood Red ink and punched out with the Scallop punch; once on Close to Cocoa with Close to Cocoa ink, punched out with the 1-1/4" punch; and finally on Pirouette Pink with Close to Cocoa ink, cut out with scissors, and topped with pink seed beads from the Pink Duo Bead Duo collection (p. 190 in the SU catalog). Crystal Effects or the Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive (in the green and white tube--that I sometimes just call "green glue!") can be used to easily adhere the beads. The ribbon on the card is the Pink Pirouette 1-1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon. At first this ribbon might seem overly-wide, but just a few inches tied once turns into that nice "bow" detail. It can be added to the front of the card with a few Mini Glue Dots or a 1/2" piece of Sticky Strip.

I was having a hard time catching the beaded detail on the little pink heart, but you'll get the idea.

Hope you have something fun to fill your Saturday!

Happy 2009!

Happy New Year! Hope you had a fun celebration--but not too fun!! For the first time in maybe ten years I actually saw the ball drop at midnight--but that's only because I woke up about 11:54 after about a three hour nap on the couch!! I'm such a party animal!!

I'll blame needing a nap on my husband! He doesn't cook much, but the few things he does make are AWESOME--and we were treated to two of his signature creations last night. We traditionally have fondue for dinner on New Year's Eve and Mike's cheese fondue has us watching the clock, counting the minutes until dinner's ready! Mmmmm!! We topped that off (a little later in the evening) with his Crème Brulee for dessert. That recipe, a rich vanilla custard with a baked brown sugar topping, has had more than a few people wanting to lick their plate clean. I'll keep making the mundane, everyday stuff, Honey, if you'll keep making the ABSOLUTELY AWESOME stuff!!

Uh, okay. I need to come out of my yummy food-induced euphoria and remember that this is a stamping blog, not a cooking blog!! I've actually gotten quite a bit of stamping done in the days between Christmas and now, but I'm not sure if getting a few extra Christmas cards done AFTER Christmas should really be reported! I also got a good number of birthday cards out too, but I can't show those because the surprise'd be ruined for the recipients!!

What I can show you (finally) is a swap that I made using the new "Love You Much" stamp set and Candy Lane Designer Series paper that is included in the special "Love You Much" product bundle that Stampin' Up! is offering right now. The "bundle" includes the 6 pc. Love You Much stamp set, a really neat triple heart punch and the Designer paper and until January 31st, it's going for $41.48, 20% off the retail price. Click on the picture at the top of the page for more details.

So if anyone's wondering why in the world a SU demo would NEED to be stamping Christmas cards after Christmas, it's because she's cranking out valentines in the weeks BEFORE Christmas! This little square card uses 2 of the designs from the pack of paper and the "hugs & kisses" stamp that fits in the scallop punch. The stamped image is actually peeking out from inside:

I used Riding Hood Red cardstock to make the "frame" for the stamped image, added Crystal Effects to the heart after I colored it, and "cheated" with the brads on the front of the card. Whenever I add brads to ribbon, invariably I end up snagging the ribbon. So to avoid that this time, especially with this nice Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon, I snipped off the "arms" of the brad and adhered the brad head to the ribbon with a Mini Glue Dot that I "smushed" on the back of the brad. The glue dot is a bit bigger than the brad head, thus requiring the "smushing."

Enjoy the parade, taking down the tree, or whatever might fill your New Year's Day, and come back tomorrow to see another card made with this set.

Today's top headline: "Paper-piercing Tool Saves Flurry of Snowmen!"

I know, I know, these little snowmen keep showing up in my blog, but it's only because they've been "living" at my house all month! As cute as they are, all the little pieces that are needed to put them together could cause some major frustration without a few tricks. Here's what "we've" learned:

1. Mr. Snowman's face is a whole lot easier if a few circle punches are used to "cheat."
a) Punch a 1-3/8" circle from Shimmery White (or Whisper White) cardstock.
b) Pencil in where the eyes and mouth should go and punch those out with a 1/8" punch.
c) Punch a 1-1/4" circle from Black cardstock and adhere to the back of the "head."
d) Add nose. Viola! No muss, no fuss face!



2. Mr. Snowman's hat is SOOOOOO much easier with the assist of a paper-piercing tool! Arranging the little "berries" on the holly leaves was probably the most frustrating part of assembling these snowmen when we did them during stamp club.

Quite by accident I discovered that the ever-sticky nature of Mono Multi glue has its advantages. With just a touch of a paper-piercing tool (a large needle or pin would work too) to the "dried" glue on the outside of the bottle tip, I created the perfect "berry mover!" I put 3 small dots of glue where I wanted the berries to be on the hat, and then with my sticky paper-piercing tool, placed the little red circles on the dots of glue exactly where I wanted them. I was able to make a whole "flurry" (that's what I've decided a whole bunch of snowmen would be called) quick as a wink!



With as much fun as paper piecing can be, this trick should come in handy a lot!

Off to tackle today's to-do list! A quick reminder: tomorrow (the 23rd) is the last day to take advantage of Stampin' Up!'s free shipping offer!

47 Shades of White!!!

Some of you have inquired as to how our bathroom redecorating project is going, and I can only say, "slow and steady wins the race." This project, like any home "fix-it" task, had us spending an inordinate amount of time in the hardware store this weekend. We ended up changing the shade of green we thought we'd use about four times, but when it came to choosing what we were going to use for the ceiling and two "accent" walls, we simply picked a shade of white and called it done.

Yeah, that's what we thought until we started putting the white on the wall. . . and then it was off to the store again. After collecting a whole deck of paint chips, all of them proclaiming to be white, it took an hour of decision-making to finally pick what would work! (Do we REALLY need 47 different shades of white???)

Anyway, I decided to turn the whole rather-frustrating process into another "excuse of the day" and went to work making this card that only uses shades of white.

I grabbed some Whisper White, Very Vanilla and Shimmery White cardstock, my "Priceless" stamp set (only because I hadn't used it in forever), checked the ribbon drawer to see what my options were, and set out to see what might happen. I used white craft ink, stamped on the vanilla cardstock, and embossed with white embossing powder.

Then to add some texture while staying within the parameters of my "excuse," I ran some Shimmery White cardstock through my crimper twice, once in each direction, to produce sort of a "waffle" look.


To create "wide" taffeta ribbon, I placed two lengths of vanilla taffeta next to each other and then added a piece of white taffeta over the top to hide the "seam."


I used Dimensionals to adhere my center piece over the ribbon. A trick to use if you have difficulty getting the backing off of Dimensionals: push your thumb nail into the Dimensional to create a crease in the backing paper.

Don't know if I'll use this card for a wedding, or if it'll just be a notecard, but I was pleased with the results of "going all white."

Guess I'd better get back to my paintbrush!