The Occasions Catalogue Goes Live Today and Lots of Arrows!!

Well, it's finally here!  The first day that you can order from the Occasions Catalogue!

                        

There is so much cool stuff that I know I kind of overspent my budget in the pre-order period for demonstrators. So I know it's going to be hard for you to put a limit on it!  (Make sure you save a bit for Sale-A-Bration starting on January 28, though, because then, for every $60 you spend, you get a free Sale-A-Bration product.  Let me know if you would like a Sale-A-Bration flyer.)  I will be by the phone and email today, if you want to give me your order.  Or you could order through my On-Line Store any time, day or night, and it will be delivered straight to you!

                                                   (Just click on the catalogue to download.)


Today is also a new As You See It Challenge!  Number 018 to be exact and it's a theme challenge.  The theme for this week is ARROWS!

Here's my Design Team Sample:

• This card uses some Watercolour Wonder DSP for the back panel mounted askew on a Smoky Slate cardstock card base.  
• I used a new photoframe framelit from the On Film Framelits* set.  It's so neat because it embosses as well as diecuts.  It's a little hard to see on this darker Island Indigo cardstock.
• The images come from two different stamp sets, Peachy Keen* and Off the Grid.  The ink used is Smoky Slate, Crushed Curry and Island Indigo.
• The little ribbon flags are made with Naturals 7/16" Trim, stamped with an image from Gorgeous Grunge.

• In compliance with the theme, we have two different kinds of arrow, both stamped from stamps from the Peachy Keen stamp set.  The larger ones are also cut with one of the On Film Framelits.
• This is a great example of the grunge style, which is so on trend these days.  It's also a lot of fun to do.

Come back and visit me tomorrow when I will unveil a new customer rewards program, designed to help you earn free stamp sets through your customer loyalty!  

Experimenting with Peachy Keen and the On Film Framelits

I love movies!  My favourite activity besides stamping is watching videos with my hubby.  So I was really excited to see the On Film Framelits, bundled with the Peachy Keen Stamp Set in the new Occasions catalogue.  I've tried before to make a film strip and it was difficult.  Now we have a framelit to do that for us, and it looks so much better!  And there are other great framelit shapes in the set as well.

I set out to experiment last night with some of the new products and this is the result:

• I found out a lot about these products in my explorations.  First, the Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum.  Beautiful product!  Those embossed gold dots not only look great, but they serve a very useful purpose - they hide the adhesive, whether it be a glue dot or snail or a Dimensional. So no worries about how to adhere the vellum without exposing the adhesive!
• The tag was made from Basic Black cardstock using the new Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. This punch is used a bit differently from other punches. Be sure to read the instructions.  You should know that you are restricted to a tag that is two inches in width or it won't fit into the punch. Otherwise, very easy to use.
• The filmstrip framelit needs to have some waxed paper between the Brushed Gold cardstock and the framelit to make it easier to remove from the framelit after running it through the Big Shot.  Then it works like a dream.  Just make sure to remove the layer of waxed paper from the framelit each time, otherwise it will build up and eventually cause the framelit to be unable to cut because the built up layers of wax paper become too thick.

• The camera framelit.... well, it is backwards to the stamp, unless I am using it wrong.  I think you would have to use it on it's own. This framelit is very unique because it embosses as well as cuts, but the camera is not symmetrical and so, if you try to die cut the stamped camera image, It doesn't line up properly.  You would have to do it from the back of the paper, and you wouldn't get to see all the embossing.  That's also rather difficult to line up.  Too bad, because it's an awesome die.
• The gold sequin trim gives a great flashy accent when used like ribbon.  It is easy to separate the individual sequins as well and those would make great accents on their own.  I found that the best way to adhere it was to press glue dots to the spots where you wanted the sequin trim to be and then press the sequins onto the glue dots.  Trim the thread well and you can even add a glue dot to the underside of a stray sequin and affix it over the leftover thread to hide it.
• I think Peachy Keen is a very versatile stamp set and I'm looking forward to using the other images soon.

Hope you enjoyed that Sneak Peek!  I have one more entry tomorrow and then I will be taking a week off to spend with my family over Christmas.  I will still have posts for you, but I will be highlighting my favourite designs of the past year.  I will return with fresh material on Sunday, Dec. 29th, just in time to say good-bye to the Holiday Catalogue.  There are some products from the Holiday Catalogue that will be carried over and still available after Jan. 2 until June 1.  You can see the Carry Over List here.

Thanks for allowing me to share with you.

• Crisp Cantaloupe 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad
• Brushed Gold 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Jet Black StazOn Pad
• Basic Black 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Gorgeous Grunge Wood-mount Stamp Set
• Gorgeous Grunge Clear-mount Stamp Set
• Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad
• Peachy Keen Stamp Set *
• On Film Framelits*
• Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum*
• Gold Sequin Trim *

*From the Occasions Catalogue, available for purchase Jan. 3