Friday, March 29, 2013

Fly Away with Faux Canvas

I'm like many Stampin' Up demonstrators when it comes to Swallowtail, the Giant Behemoth Butterfly!  I love butterflies - don't get me wrong!  But old Swallowtail is just SOO big!  It doesn't even fit on a standard sized card!  I couldn't imagine how to use it.


But a couple of months have passed, and I have had a chance to play around with it a bit, and see how others have used it, and now I kinda like the big fella! 

For my next Technique Night Classes, the theme is Crystal Effects and one of the projects we will be tackling uses the Faux Canvas technique with Crystal Effects.  I learned how to do this technique from Lyssa Zwolanek's blog, and it is fairly simple and works REALLY well!

Here's my version of it:


For once, the photograph does the technique justice and you can see the canvas-like texture created by the Crystal Effects.  I love the Basic Gray image with the Pool Party and Island Indigo card stock.  I hemmed and hawed about what embellishments to add:  brads, buttons, punched butterflies, but in the end I decided that less is more and I let Mr. Swallowtail be the "stah of the show!"


The canvas effect is created by adding Crystal Effect and brushing with a toothbrush first vertically, then horizontally.  Make sure your ink is completely dry before adding the Crystal Effects.  My Island Indigo was not completely dry and bled a tiny bit, but the Basic Gray had been stamped before and was totally dry and there was not a problem with it.  Give it a try!



Another amazing recent announcement from Stampin' Up is that the awesome Starter Kit Deal that you got if you joined Stampin' Up during Sale-A-Bration, has been continued until March 31!  That means, if you sign up to get the Starter Kit, which is already a good deal - $155 worth of any Stampin' Up products you choose for only $125 with free shipping - you get $194 worth for only $125!  Even if you just want to get started stamping, this is your best deal! And you would have at least 3 months of a 20% discount even if you didn't make your minimums (but I can help you with that, too!)  You can't lose with a deal this good!  

I would love to have you join my team!  Give me a call if you are interested or even if you have questions.

Stamps:  Swallowtail (w129213; c129216); Perfectly Penned (w122890; c122892)
Paper:  Pool Party (122924), Island Indigo (122923) and Whisper White (100730) card stock
Accessories:  Crystal Effects (101055); Sycamore Street Button and Ribbon Pack (from Sale-A-Bration; no longer available)

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Fabric Frenzy



During the last week in March, Stampin' Up is offering 50% off all it's designer fabric!!!  But maybe you're not a sewer.  So what the heck do you do with a bunch a fabric, 50% off or not??  Well here are some ideas:




I've got some ideas to show you as well, for card making.  Remember this card? This card was made by cutting out the cloth with different Floral Frames Framelits, and layering them.














And how about this one?

These two cards use Rolled Fabric Flowers and I have a video tutorial to show you how to make them.



So, let me know if you want to take advantage of this amazing 50% off sale, and order some Stampin' Up Designer Fabric.  Look on pages 170 - 171 of this year's Idea Book and Catalogue, and then check out these prices:


Page
Item
Description
Retail Price
Sale Price
170
126892
Essentials Designer Fabric
$36.95
$18.48
171
126893
Floral District Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
126894
Comfort Café Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
125411
Summer Smooches Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
125412
Twitterpated Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
122337
Timeless Portrait Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
122336
Beau Château Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
124066
Spice Cake Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
171
122335
Flirtatious Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
6*
129308
Tea for Two Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
13*
129307
More Amore Designer Fabric
$12.50
$6.25
*From the 2013 spring catalogue


Go ahead!  Have a fling with Fabric from Stampin' Up!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Horse Frontier

Beautiful spring day today!  I love when the sun wakes you in the morning!  The day just seems so much better for it.  And so much more productive than dragging yourself around in the gloom!  I think I should move to a sunnier climate in the winter.  Today I am going Western on you:


I got a new stamp set a couple of weeks ago, called Horse Frontier, and I wanted to try it out for my Beginner's class.  We were covering Heat Embossing, hence the shiny silver horseshoe in front.  I actually inked up the horse stamp using Stampin' Write markers in Early Espresso, Crumb Cake and Old Olive but after I decided to heat emboss the horse image as well in Silver embossing powder.  Both versions looked great, but I liked this one just a tad better.  Parker's Patterns DSP is perfect for this Western look, with it's Southwest designs making it look like a horse blanket.  And the Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon was also made for this card.  I have to apologize for the retired Ribbon Slide from the Holiday Mini catalogue.  I rarely use the retired products, but there was nothing else that worked the way this did.


The Woodgrain embossing folder created the proper rustic background for this masculine card.  Happy Trails!

I wanted to remind you about the Big Shot Club that I have started.  I am looking for 6 people who want a Big Shot!  To get one without breaking the bank all at once, the 6 people will start a Big Shot Club, where they commit to contributing $25.25 a month for 6 months.  Each month, one of the members will get their Big Shot until, at the end of the 6 months, everyone will have it.  The first ones to join will be the first to get their Big Shot and your month will be assigned by the order you sign up, so be one of the first in order to get yours soon!  I can't start the club until I have all 6 people, but if more of you show an interest, I will start another club.  You don't have to be local, just as long as you live in Canada!

It doesn't necessarily mean another class to attend.  We can just agree to send our cheques by the same date each month, but I am happy to get together as a group as well to learn more Big Shot Techniques and How Tos or to mail a tutorial once a month for non-local folks.  Phone or email me soon to let me know you're interested and include your contact info.  Here's a link for more information:  Big Shot Club


Stamps:  Horse Frontier (w126345; c126347)
Paper: Early Espresso (119686), Not Quite Navy (101722), Cajun Craze (119684) and Very Vanilla (101650) Card Stock; Parker's Patterns DSP (131021)
Ink:  VersaMark (102283); Stampin' Write Markers in Early Espresso (119680), Crumb Cake (120967) and Old Olive (100079)
Accessories:  Stampin' Emboss Powder in Silver (109131); Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon (129287); Ribbon Slides (retired)
Tools:  Woodgrain embossing folder (127821); Heat Gun (129053); 1" Circle Punch (119868); 1 3/8" Circle Punch (119860); Big Shot (113439)                                                                                                                                    
 
Horse Frontier Stamp Set
Big Shot Die Cut Machine


Natural 7/16" Trim Ribbon

VersaMark Ink

Stampin' Up Heat Tool



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

A Night Owl's Revenge

What do President Obama, Winston Churchill and Elvis Presley have in common?  They were all night owls!  A new study suggests that the 15% of the population that find it hard to get up early, but hit their stride later in the day are more likely to exhibit the kind of intelligence that leads to more prestigious jobs and higher income!  At last! Vindication!

I've told you before that I have been a Night Owl living in a Lark's world!  I was always on the wrong side of that old adage:  Early to bed and early to rise, make a man healthy, wealthy and wise!  I would struggle to get up in the morning, but always managed it.  I could function fairly well if I didn't have to do too much deep thinking.  I'd be dead tired come 5 pm, but at 7 pm I would hit my stride with an amazing second wind, and could be extremely productive and creative well past midnight.  I would force myself to bed so I could get up in the morning, but it was always difficult to get to sleep!


Now, this new study suggests that night owls score higher on inductive reasoning, lateral thinking and creativity than their early bird counterparts, leading to jobs requiring creative thinking and new ideas, which often get the big bucks!

I wonder how many of us papercrafters fit that bill!  I bet there is a higher than average proportion of Night Owls among the stamping community!  But thank heaven for retirement!  It allows me to exercise my right to be a Night Owl without the social disadvantages!

Today was like that!  I worked hard all day on designs for one of my upcoming classes, but things were just not coming together.  A little freaked by dinner time, because the class was the next day,  I gave up and made dinner and chatted with my DH a while.  Then I headed to my craftroom to try again, and....
just like that, I finished all 3 designs without a problem!

The first one was created for my Beginner's class with a theme of Heat Embossing.  It also fits the criteria for Dyamic Duos Challenge #45 this week:


One of the uses for heat embossing is to provide a water proof outline for water coloring.  One of my favourite stamp sets for that purpose is Elements of Style.  It looks like a complex image, but the extra lines allow you to water colour fairly simply and have it look like you spent SO much more time on it!  I inked up the stamp in VersaMark and stamped on Whisper White card stock.  Then I added Black Stampin' Emboss powder and heat set it.  I used Stampin' Write markers in Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink, as well as a neutral, Crumb Cake, and blended the colours a bit using a Blender Pen.  When using a Blender Pen on Whisper White cardstock, instead of watercolour paper, be very careful not to overdo it and have the paper pill or get soggy.

I added some Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon and used the Needlepoint Border Textured Impressions Embossing Folder to add the design to the bottom of the Pretty in Pink panel.  I stamped the little hummingbird in StazOn Jet Black and fussy cut it out and popped it up on dimensionsals.

Great fun and such pretty colours!  Thanks, Dynamic Duos! 


Please leave me a comment!  Tell me if you are a Night Owl or a Lark!  When do you do your most creative work?

Stamps:  Elements of Style (w118611; c120045)
Paper:  Regal Rose (105130), Pretty in Pink (100459), Crumb Cake (120953) and Whisper White (100730) card stock
Ink:  StazOn Jet Black (101406); VersaMark (102283); Stampin' Write Markers in Regal Rose (119702 -with all the bright colours), Pretty in Pink (100045) and Crumb Cake (120967)
Accessories:  Stampin' Emboss powder in black (109133); 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Crumb Cake (122966)
Tools:  Heat Tool (129053); Blender Pens (102845); Needlepoint Border Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (129383)

Monday, March 25, 2013

Good Morning!

Hello!  It's the start of a shiny new week!  As it is the week before Easter, I wanted to post at least one or two Easter cards and I have to get some packages off in the mail to my daughters and their families.  If you have read my daughter Kristen's blog recently, you would know that my two youngest daughters have been visiting each other this past week and having a blast!  Here's a couple of fun photos:

s


















I made some Easter cards for the adults, but I had the most fun making some cute Easter bunny cards for the two grandsons:


I love pastel colours and the spring-like feeling they give.  Here I used Pool Party, Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink.  I was following the sketch for The Paper Players Challenge #138.



There are many examples of punch art bunnies when you google it, so I had my pick to choose from and I had to improvise when I was missing a punch or two, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out.





 Here's the punches I used:
Owl Builder Punch for cheeks and eyes, paws (118074)        Large oval Punch for ears and feet (119855)











Blossom Petals Builder Punch for inside ears and paws          
          (121808)                                                                                         1 3/8" Circle Punch for head
                                                                                                                          (119860)
                                                                           

1 3/4" Circle Punch for Body (119850)

Stamps:  Delightful Dozen (w122650; c122652)
Paper: Sent with Love DSP (132182); Pool Party (122924), Certainly Celery (105125), Pretty in Pink (100459) and Whisper White (100730) card stock
Ink:  Pool Party (126982), Pretty in Pink (126955), Craft Whisper White (101731), Stampin' Write Marker in Basic Black (100082)
Accessories:  Subtles Collection Designer Buttons (119745)
Tools:  Punches (see above); Large Scallop Edgelits (127019); Delicate Designs Embossing Folders (127023) 

Stampin' Up  has also announced some exciting offers!  



First, starting today until March 31st, all our designer fabric is 50% off!!
Secondly, Stampin' Up has announced a new line of product called This and That!

This includes a Smash book journal, new designer series paper, a very cool rotary date stamp, stickers and washi tape!  Watch this video for an introduction to This and That!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Sale-A-Bration Farewell!

I don't like good-byes!  Never have!  I don't think anything should change - anything good that is, and Sale-A-Bration was definitely GOOD!  But today is, indeed, that last day of Sale-A-Bration, so let's have a moment's silence for it's passing!



Okay!  Minute is up!  So let's have one last look at some of the Sale-A-Bration products before we close the book for 2013.  I made this card for my upline's birthday!  I'm a little late (Well, a lot late because I haven't had time to get my calendars updated for the year!)  I know she loves Sycamore Street DSP, and Island Indigo, and the Blackboard technique so I put all those elements in my card:


Besides the Sycamore Street DSP, can you spot any other Sale-A-Bration items as part of the card?

Right!  The sentiment is from Vintage Verses!  I'm going to have a hard time NOT using these images!  I didn't get near enough time with them!  I used this one with the faux blackboard technique, embossing with white embossing powder and sponging on a little white craft ink!  Any thing else? Look carefully!

Yes, I see a hand in the back!  It IS ribbon from the Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button Pack - the Island Indigo ribbon.  Very pretty!


I found some of the Delicate Details Lace Tape in the back of one of my drawers, that I thought I was out of, so was able to use that and some of the 5/8" Flower trim, both sponged with Soft Suede.  They add to the vintage look and the pearls give the final touch.

By the way, I did make my 9 bookings for the contest so here is the field of blooming daffodils:


If you missed my midnight deadline last night for Sale-A-Bration orders, and you still want to put in a last minute order, give me a call or email me and I will send it along to Stampin' Up for you.  I just can't guarantee that it will make Stampin' Up's deadline with the increase in cyber traffic the end of Sale-A-Bration will bring!  

What's next for Stampin' Up??  Why the new 2013-14 Idea Book and Catalogue coming out June 1.  As a demonstrator I will start to get sneak peeks in May and will be able to order some of the products so I can show you.  This is one of the greatest perks of being a demonstrator!  It really isn't hard to be a demonstrator!  Give me a call if you want to sign up!  Best to do it now, because you get $49 dollars more product during Sale-A-Bration!

Have a great weekend!

Stamps:  Vintage Verses (w129633; c129636);  Kindness Matters (w122900; c122902)
Paper:  Basic Black (121045) and Island Indigo (122974) card stock; Sycamore Street DSP (127540)
Ink:  VersaMark (102283); Whisper White Craft Ink (101731); Classic Stampin' Pad in Soft Suede (126978)
Accessories:  Stampin' Emboss Powder in White (109132); Delicate Details Lace Tape (130966); 5/8" Flower Trim (126869); Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button Pack (130812); Pearl Basic Jewels (119247), Large Pearl Basic Jewels (125577)
Tools:  Stampin' Up Heat Tool (129053); Window Frame Collection Framelits (129021); Embossing Buddy (103083); Stamping Sponges (101610); Big Shot (113439)
5/8" Flower Trim

Window Frame Framelits
Delicate Details, Lace tape
Kindness Matters Lace Tape








Yawn!!!

I know I owe you a new post today, and I honestly would do one....


if I had a ready made card, and if I wasn't so darn tired.  It is almost 1 am and I just finished putting through my last huge Sale-A-Bration order after doing a Stamper's Dozen tonight (which was a blast!  Thanks for the fun, ladies!)  I think I'm going to have to go to bed and write a better post later today when I'm awake and can do it the justice that you - my valued readers and customers deserve!


Just want you to know that I put in my orders just after midnight to avoid the cyber jam that will take place tonight as everyone and their dog try to get their SAB (Sale-A-Bration) orders in under the wire.


Just want you to know that if you forgot and still want me to try to place your order today, I will.  I just can't guarantee that it will go through in time due to the high traffic on the Stampin' Up site.  Just call or email.

Now I'm going to take myself off to bed and I will do a better post in the morning!  But let me thank all of you for a very successful Sale-A-Bration 2013!  I can hardly wait for next year's!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

My Paper Pumpkin Has Arrived


Look what arrived at my door yesterday!!  I love the line on the side of the box, because it means that when the box is opened...


...you're in store for some papercrafting fun!  Not too difficult, but enough to make you a project you'd be proud to pin!


Inside is everything you need to create the project, even (in your first kit) a clear mount block to mount the stamps that come with each kit!


Here is what you will be creating, and behind that photo are clear and detailed instructions!  But you don't have to do exactly what they tell you.  Once you get your confidence (and it won't take long with these kits), you can try the alternative projects that I will supply if you have signed up through me, and even create your own ideas!   


Here are some ideas from my upline, Desiree Spenst.  I will be emailing tutorials to those who have signed up for My Paper Pumpkin through me.
Are you kicking yourself for not signing up in time to get the first package?  No worries!  You can still sign up any time you want.  Just register here, and I will call you for your info. It costs $24.95 a month and you can stop your subscription any time or even put it on hold for a month or two.  Otherwise, your credit card would be charged monthly and each month after the tenth of the month, a new package is delivered right to your door!


In other news, I am starting a BIG SHOT CLUB!  What is it?  I am looking for 6 people who want a Big Shot (133439).  Once a month, each person would commit to contributing $25.25 (includes shipping and tax) to the club for 6 months and each month someone would get a Big Shot, first come, first served.  Big Shot Club will be held on the third Tuesday of each month, starting April 16 at 7 pm.  After 6 months, everyone would have their Big Shots, and some great ideas and techniques for using it.

We could get together to do some Big Shot Projects, or just decide to send in our payments by the third Tuesday of each month.  

Out of town folks, as long as you live in Canada, this is open to you as well!  You would just need to send me an email, indicating that you would like to join, with your contact info and I would call or email you to set up your month.  Then by the third Tuesday of each month you would send me your payment, and I would send you a kit containing the projects for the month.  When it is your Big Shot month, I would order it and have it delivered RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR!  I'm really excited to be able to offer my blog readers from out of town this opportunity! 

Finally, remember the goal I set to book nine new classes.  I had 2 booked and each photo represents two booked classes, helping the daffodil to grow.  I'm happy to report that I'm almost there... 1 more is needed:


        4 booked                                                          6 booked                                                8 booked

All that's left is 1 more booking!  How about helping me reach that goal?  All you have to do is invite a few friends for a fun night out (or morning or afternoon!).  If you don't like baking and cleaning up, let me do that for you and host your class at my house!  So easy and so many benefits for you!  Your name will go into a draw with the other hostesses that booked during this week for a FREE stamp set!  Plus you will get hostess benefits from all the orders that go in from your class.  You can even get out of town friends and relatives to take part by ordering on-line with a special Hostess Code!  Plus you will get some hand stamped cards and a hostess gift from me!  I need to know by tomorrow night so call or email me right away!

Thanks for all your support!  You are wonderful readers!