As You See It Challenge #015 - Using Up Your Bits

Well, it's Friday again and that means another As You See It Challenge and this time the challenge was a tough one.  But it looked to me like a good opportunity to use up bits and pieces of my Christmas DSP before the season was over.  It was also a good opportunity to use some of the seasonal stamp sets I hadn't used yet.  Here's Amanda's great sketch:

And here's what I did with it:

• I used Season of Style scraps plus a little Champagne and Cherry Cobbler Glimmer Paper and some Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso cardstock for the colour scheme of this card.
• The two stamps sets I made use of were Warmth and Wonder, a hostess set from the Holiday Catalogue and A Banner Christmas.  Those small images were perfect for this project.
• I trimmed and arranged small pieces of Cherry Cobbler cardstock to figure out sizes and placement for all the little boxes on this card.  Then I measured and cut the DSP or other paper to fit them.

• I love the deer and cardinal images from the Warmth and Wonder set and even the small Noel that usually goes with the bird but I stamped it separately.
• The JOY letters come together like three banners strung together, but I separated each one by cutting around it and cutting off the banner end to make it fit on the small squares.  Each one is popped up with dimensionals.
• I used two different types of Designer Buttons -Regals Collection and Naturals.  The dark brown medium Naturals Designer Button has been threaded with Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine and a bow tied.
• The little fork bow above the Noel in the bottom right corner is just the right size for this square.

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• Warmth Wonder Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Warmth Wonder Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• A Banner Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• A Banner Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Champagne Glimmer Paper
• Red Glimmer Paper
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper Stack
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper
• Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Early Espresso 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad
• Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
• Cherry Cobbler Stampin Write Marker
• Early Espresso Stampin Write Marker
• Regals Designer Buttons
• Naturals Designer Buttons
• Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine
• Early Espresso 1/8 Inch Taffeta Ribbon
• Large Oval Punch
• 1/2 Inch Circle Punch

Thanks for dropping by today!  Please try the sketch at As You See It Challenges.  I can hardly wait to see your take on this sketch!

My Favourite Stamp Set from AYSI Challenges 013

Well, hey!  Welcome to Black Friday!  But even more significant than that, it's As You See It Challenges 013!  And this time Amanda has challenged us, the Design Team to come up with two projects using our current favourite stamp set!

Well, my current favourite set is Joyful Christmas, with that gorgeous poinsettia, and so I came up with a card and an 8 x 8 scrapbook page using this set.

• I previously used this stamp set to create a silver and black card, so I wanted to try it with gold and black.  
• I love the Brushed Gold cardstock from Stampin' Up and decided to combine it with one of the Gold Foil sheets to give a matte/shiny contrast.
• I stamped the image in StazOn Jet Black ink, but another alternative would have been to emboss it with black or gold embossing powder, like I did with the sentiment.

• The center of the poinsettia was embossed with Gold Stampin' Emboss powder.  To accomplish this, I used a cotton swab to put a dot of VersaMark ink for each stamen in the middle.  I then covered it with the embossing powder and heat set it.  I added a little black Sharpie maker around each one to increase the contrast. (Our Stampin' Write markers are water based and wouldn't stick to the embossed surface without smudging off.)
• The Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon adds a splash of colour without taking away from the golden overall appearance.

• Joyful Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joyful Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Brushed Gold 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Gold Foil Sheets
• Basic Black 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Jet Black StazOn Pad
• Versamark Pad
• Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder
• Cherry Cobbler 1/2 Inch Seam Binding Ribbon
• Mini Glue Dots
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Paper Snips
• Heat Tool

This is my second project, an 8" x8" scrapbook page.  Now that I've tackled a couple, I may do them more often.  I like the 8" x 8" format.  You can fit more on it than on a standard sized card, but it's not as overwhelming trying to fill up the space as a 12" x12" format.

• It's a photo of my daughter, many years ago, dancing her dream role of Clara in the Nutcracker.  It was such an exciting year for her and for us.  I used the Season of Style DSP as a background on Early Espresso paper.  I picked up the Old Olive and the Cherry Cobbler in the background for my images.
• I stamped the poinsettia on some Whisper White and cropped a square with the largest Square Collection Framelit die; the one with the scalloped edges.  I then cut out some of the petals of the poinsettia, using my Paper Snips with the sharp point to start inside the square rather than cut away any of the  Whisper White.  I also stamped and fussy cut the three leaves on the bottom right and adhered them together and on to an Antique Brad.
• The Joy to the World sentiment is from the stamp set of the same name and it fits this style perfectly.  I cropped it using the Chalk Talk Framelits.

• The bottom seemed the perfect spot for some more of that Burlap Ribbon, layered with some Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon.

So there you have the two projects and I hope you will enter your favourite creation with your favourite stamp set in our Challenge this week at As You See It Challenges!

• Joyful Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joyful Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Joy To The World Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joy To The World Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper
• Early Espresso 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Old Olive 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
• 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon
• Cherry Cobbler 1/2 Inch Seam Binding Ribbon
• Neutrals Candy Dots
• Antique Brads
• Squares Collection Framelits Dies
• Paper Snips
• Chalk Talk Framelits Dies
• Mini Glue Dots

And it's BLACK FRIDAY today!  Have you started your Christmas shopping yet??  Why not let me be your source for all the crafting supplies you want to give and get?  I gift wrap!  December 10 is a good date to aim for to get your orders in so they will be on time for Christmas!  Here's the link to my On-Line Store.

Talk with you again soon!

Salt Lake City for the Rising Star Trip

Well, I'm here in Salt Lake City for the Rising Star Trip!  So far it's been a blast and we haven't even officially started yet!  Stampin' Up really knows how to treat it's demonstrators, for sure!  I hate to sound provincial, but I travelled first class for the first time ever!  I'm not sure if that was planned or not, but it was...roomy!

We're staying at a Hilton hotel in Sandy, Utah, which is close to Stampin' Up Head Office, where we'll be training for the next two days.  Look what I got all to myself:  Woo hoo!

It's a small suite!  Two TVs. Separate sitting room.














And Stampin' Up left us some milk and cookies as a welcome gift.  And they were welcome after a day of flying with not much to eat except those desicated airline peanuts!


I met the other Rising Stars after I arrived. (I was the last one to get here.) We all went out to dinner and got to know one another.  I felt comfortable right away!  Such friendly people!

Tomorrow we are up early and at the head office all day!  More on that later!

I brought a gift for my fellow Rising Stars and I used the same design (different DSP) as I did for my roomie gifts at Convention in July.  Here's a photo or two:

Sorry for the bad photos, but I don't have my usual editing program on my hubby's laptop.  You get the picture though.  I used Season of Style DSP for these.  A whole 12 x 12 sheet!  No cutting, just scoring and folding and it is easy peasy!

The cool thing is, you can store it flat for travelling, and then open up the folds to create the box and add the belly band once you fill it with whatever! (See picture below!)

I have to sign off to get ready for my day of training!  Talk to you soon!

Stamps:  Label Love (w130619; c130622); ABC123 - Sketched Alphabet (c130565)
Paper: Season of Style DSP (132340); Old Olive (100702) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Baked Brown Sugar (131174) and Cherry Cobbler (126966)
Accessories:  White Tea Lace Paper Doilies (129399); Cherry Cobbler 1" Stitched Edge Grosgrain Ribbon (132135), Sticky Strip Adhesive (104294)
Tools:  Simply Scored Scoring Tool (122334); Artisan Label Punch (130920)

As You See It Rustic Christmas

Can you believe that over at As You See It Challenges, we've done 10 challenges so far!  It's been so much fun and this week's challenge is a great one:

I decided to choose colours and techniques to make a rustic Christmas card:

• I seriously love the combination of Cherry Cobbler and Soft Suede, with Very Vanilla as a buffer and a little Old Olive for accent.
• My favourite DSP of the season is used here:  Season of Style
• The tree image from Special Season was inked in Old Olive and I tried tap-dancing with my Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write marker on the stamp before stamping it on the paper, to add some depth and extra colour.

• Everything is sponged in Soft Suede to add to that rustic look, and the Antique Brad also lends a rustic air.
• The sentiment is from More Merry Messages, which is still available to order even though it is not in the catalogues.
• Our Pearl Basic Jewels are white.  The red is added by colouring the pearls using a red sharpie marker. 

And that's all there is to it!  Great sketch, Amanda!

Stamps:  Special Season (w131766; c131769);  More Merry Messages (w126400; c126402)

Paper:  Season of Style DSP (132340); Soft Suede (115318) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Soft Suede (126978) and Old Olive (126953); Stampin' Write Marker in Cherry Cobbler (119681)

Accessories:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247); red Sharpie marker; Antique Brad (117273)

Tools:  Stamping Sponges (101610);  paper snips (103579)

More Merry Messages Stamp Set

Pearl Basic Jewels

Season of Style Designer Series Paper

Antique Brads

Special Season Stamp Set

Stamping Sponges

Twelve Weeks of Christmas and a Mojo Design

It's time for another sneak peek at the second in a series of 12 projects designed to help you with your Christmas preparations.  The tutorial for the first design was emailed out today and I will get the second tutorial out tomorrow.  Then I'll be ahead of the game! Woot!

This card is based on the Mojo Monday Challenge #314 sketch this week:

I wanted a simple design that makes it easy to put together a quantity at a time.  Here's what I came up with;

If you would like to get the step-by-step instructions on how to make this card, plus a list of supplies needed, then all you need to do, if you haven't already, is to subscribe to my mailing list.  I'll make it easy for you. Look below:

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It's Thursday today, and you know what that means don't you?  It's Thank You Thursday, where Stampin' Up has a One Day Only Thank You Sale in honour of their 25th Anniversary!  Every Thursday in October you need to look for the sale items for that day.

Today, it's Designer Series Paper that is 25% off:  

Epic Day This and That Designer Series Paper    Regular Price: $13.50   Sale Price $10.12 

25% off TODAY ONLY

Soho Subway Design Series Paper    

Regular Price:  $13.50   Sale Price: $10.12

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I Am Me Design Series Paper    

Regular Price:  $13.50   Sale Price: $10.12

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Etcetera Design Series Paper    

Regular Price:  $13.50   Sale Price: $10.12

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Mystery Hostess Week and The Paper Players Entry

I bet you know what this means!  Yes, this week marks September's Mystery Hostess Event!  From today, Monday, Sept. 23 until Sunday, September 29, any order you place with me or on-line will earn you an entry in the Mystery Hostess draw.  By ordering $50 or more you earn an extra entry for every $50 you spend.  You can email me or call me with your order, or go to http://heathercooper.stampinup.net and order online.  Make sure you name me as your demonstrator and use the following Hostess Code: DCW4Q3U9  (If you are making an order of $200 or more, don't use the hostess code, because you will be getting your own hostess rewards due to the size of your order!)  The amount of free product you can earn if you win the draw makes it well worth while to make even a small order.  The more orders I receive, the better the rewards are for the winner, and it only takes one entry to win!

The Paper Players' latest challenge is a sketch, shown here:

Here's my take on it:

• I was excited to use the Love & Joy stamp from the Holiday Mini, mostly for that lovely ampersand in the middle.  Ampersands are very big in paper crafting these day!
• I created a mask for the ampersand by stamping that image on a Post It note, being sure that part of it is on the adhesive part of the Post It note.  Then I cut it out, carefully where it mixes with the words and loosely elsewhere.  I added it to the stamp itself, covering up the ampersand.  
• Then I inked up the "Love" with Old Olive and the "Joy" with Cherry Cobbler.  I removed the mask and stamped the image on Whisper White.  
• I used the fourth largest Circles Collection Framelit to die cut a circle around the words.  I used the third largest Circle Framelit to cut out the Old Olive matte.

• The card base is Baked Brown Sugar, then the next Chocolate Chip layer has some Cherry Cobbler DSP from the Designer Series Paper Stacks, some Season of Style Chevron design DSP and some Crumb Cake card stock embossed with the Pretty Print embossing folder and wrapped with some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine.
• As you can see from this photo, the ampersand was die cut from some Crumb Cake DSP using the Typeset Alphabet Dies and mounted on some Stampin' Dimensionals.  The whole Love and Joy sentiment is popped up using Dimensionals also.
• I "Love" how it turned out  & I get a great deal of "Joy" from creating the design!

Thanks for dropping by and don't forget to enter the Mystery Hostess Event!

Stamps:  Love and Joy (w131865)

Paper:  Cherry Cobbler DSP from the Regals Collection Designer Series Paper Stacks (130139); Season of Style DSP (132340); Baked Brown Sugar (131296), Chocolate Chip (102128), Crumb Cake (120953), Old Olive (100702) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Old Olive (126953) and Cherry Cobbler (126966)

Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine (123125)

Tools:  Circles Collection Framelits (130911); Typeset Alphabet Bigz Dies (127553); Pretty Print Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (132175); Post It Notes for mask

Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine

Circles Collection Framelits

Love & Joy Stamp

Pretty Print Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Season of Style DSP

Back to Routine

There can be something comforting about getting back into routine.  As much fun as summer vacations can be, when there is very little in the way of scheduled activities, after a while it does get boring and the body feels the need for a little structure again.

Fall is the time for most people when that structure resumes, with kids going back to school and many people returning to home and work after taking advantage of the warm weather for vacations.



In our family, we have many fall birthdays starting in October and carrying on through to December.
Because I'm going to need a lot of them, and many masculine cards among them I designed a fall themed birthday card for the Paper Players Challenge #161.


This is what I came up with:

• I wanted to feature products from the Holiday Mini catalogue because that's the theme of my Technique nights this month, so I chose the Season of Style Designer Series Paper for the background panel on my base of Baked Brown Sugar.
• I decided to echo the large polka dots on the DSP with a couple of circles cut with the Circles Collection Framelit from Chocolate Chip and Old Olive cardstock.
• I used the Magnificent Maple Stamp  to collage stamp several leaves using Crumb Cake, Old Olive and the new Metallic Gold Encore Inks.

• The sentiment is from Bring On the Cake stamp set and it is stamped in Chocolate Chip ink.  
• To embellish I used a Designer Button from the Neutrals Collection and added a snippet of Natural Trim.
• I was wondering how well the metallic ink would clean off the stamps, having had some unfortunate results with metallic ink prior to becoming a Stampin' Up demonstrator, but this Gold Encore ink cleaned off like a dream with the Stampin' Mist Cleaner and the Stampin' Scrub!

So enjoy your routine, but make sure to save some time for creativity!  It cleans the dust off your soul!

Stamps:  Magnificent Maple (w131868); Bring on the Cake (w128490; c121958)

Paper:  Season of Style DSP (132340); Baked Brown Sugar (131296), Chocolate Chip (102128), Old Olive (100702) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock

Ink:  Metallic Encore Pad in Gold (132141); Classic Stampin' Pads in Crumb Cake (126975), Chocolate Chip (126979), and Old Olive (126953)

Accessories:  Designer Buttons in Naturals Collection (130031); 7/16" Natural Trim (129287)

Tools:  Circles Collection Framelits (130911);  3/16"Corner Rounder Punch (119871)

Bring on the Cake Stamp Set

Circles Collection Framelits

Magnificent Maple Stamp Set

Natural 7/16" Trim

Season of Style Paper Stack