Presto Pumpkins for As You See It Speed Challenge #283

 It's another As You See It Challenge and this time it's one that I used to loathe, but now I'm getting pretty proficient at it, so I don't dislike it as much! It's a speed challenge and the theme of the challenge is pumpkins & gourds, hence my title, Presto Pumpkins (the only alliteration I could come up with!) I accomplished this one in 8 min 11 sec so I had time to spare. Mind you, it was a fairly simple concept without anything too fancy, but due to the busy nature of the background, I didn't feel anything too fancy would be appropriate.

Because gourds are included in the theme, I was keen to use the Rustic Harvest Designer Series Paper from the Jul/Dec Mini Catalogue because there is one design that has gourds as well as pumpkins on it. Then I thought I'd mirror the DSP by stamping a couple of pumpkins from the Hello Harvest stamp set in black Memento ink on both Pumpkin Pie and Cajun Craze cardstock then die cut them with the Rustic Harvest Dies. 

The ribbon is a retired one, Crushed Curry Seam Binding ribbon, but it was perfect for this project. The sentiment is stamped on Basic White with Memento Ink and die cut with the banner die from the Rustic Harvest dies. I also die cut a matching Cajun Braze backing for the sentiment. Everything was mounted on the Crushed Curry card front. Finally I added some leftover Amber Gems from the Leaf Label/Amber Gem Combo Pack. And I stopped the clock at 8 minutes and 11 seconds. Not too shabby!

For the month of September, you can purchase any of these 6 brand new die sets that match current stamp sets in the Annual or Jul/Dec Mini Catalogues!

If you live in Canada, and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator,  I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the right side bar at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in Canada by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top menu or clicking on any of products below from my Online Store.

Product List

Hello Harvest Cling Stamp Set (English) [159634] $32.00	Hello Harvest Bundle (English) [159644] $68.25	Rustic Harvest 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [159633] $16.50	Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131199] $12.75	Cajun Craze 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119684] $12.75
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276] $14.00	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $8.25	Leaf Label & Amber Gem Combo Pack [159969] $11.00	*Crushed Curry 3/8" (1 Cm) Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon [149444] $9.50	Rustic Pumpkin Dies [159643] $44.00
Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $170.00	Take Your Pick [144107] $13.75	Stampin' Seal [152813] $11.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $6.00

*Retired Product - no longer available

Wild & Sweet for As You See It Challenge #277

 Didn't we just have a Speed Challenge at As You See It Challenges?? I'm sure we did - just the other day! But here we are again - a speed challenge with the theme of belated birthday wishes. I had to really hunt for a sentiment that would work. I had nothing in my current stamp sets, so I went to my retired stash to find one from my latest retired Sale-A-Bration sets called "In Your Words". But once I had that, the rest didn't matter, so I chose a new set I haven't used yet called Wild & Sweet along with the Pretty Prints DSP to create a Peek-a-Boo card.

Here's the Challenge Banner for Challenge #277:

For a speed challenge you have to make your card in under 10 minutes, once you begin stamping or cutting paper or die cutting. You can plan and assemble all materials ahead of time, however. Here's how mine turned out:

• After planning and assembling my materials, I started by cutting a piece of Evening Evergreen cardstock in half lengthwise and scoring it at 5 1/2".
• I took a piece of this design of paper in Early Evergreen and cut it at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and glued it on the front of the card. I then cut a circle in the center using a Layering Circle die just slightly smaller than the largest Stylish Shapes dies Circle.
• Using Basic Gray ink, I stamped the Koala Bear image from Wild & Sweet on a piece of Basic White cardstock and die cut that with the largest stitched circle die from the Stylish Shapes dies. I mounted this on the inside of the card, so it would be just behind the circle.
• I die cut a finishing circle frame from Evening Evergreen cardstock. First, I die cut a circle using the Layering Circles die just smaller than the largest Stylish Shapes Stitched Circle. Then I took the Stylish Shapes Dies and centered it around that hole that it left and die cut again to get the frame. It was glued onto the card front, matching the outside edge of the circular hole.
• The first sentiment, from In Your Words stamp set at the top was stamped with Basic Grey on Basic White cardstock and die cut using a Stitched Rectangle Die.
• The sentiment at the bottom, also from In Your Words, was stamped in Versamark ink right on the DSP and covered with White Embossing Powder then Heat Set.
• The final touch was adding some of the Classic Matte Dots in White and Gray.

This process took me 9 minutes and 51 sec. Only 9 sec to spare! Wow! If I hadn't added the dots I would have had 33 sec. left over, but I thought it needed a little something.

As usual though, when I try to do a speed challenge, I have problems that come up, that never happen when I'm just stamping normally. First my glue bottle was clogged up and wouldn't open up as it normally does. I had to pause my clock and work at it for awhile! Then, as I was die cutting, the screw and washer dropped right off the handle of my Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine! Again I had to pause my timer to reattach my handle! Only during a timed speed challenge!!🤦

July's Paper Pumpkin kit has a nautical theme! Hooray! I'm on board for sure! As well, there's a quiz game you can play called "Sea If You Know Paper Pumpkin" giving you an opportunity to win a month's free prepaid subscription. You can enter HERE.

To get this great kit, make sure you subscribe or resubscribe before July10. You can do that with this link: Paper Pumpkin (if you live in Canada).

If you live in Canada, and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator,  I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the right side bar at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in Canada by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top menu or clicking on any of products below from my Online Store.

Product List

Wild & Sweet Cling Stamp Set [158775] $33.00	In Your Words Host Cling Stamp Set (English) [156619] $31.00	Pretty Prints 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [159245] $16.50	Evening Evergreen 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [155574] $12.75	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276] $14.00
Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad [149165] $11.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $13.00	Basics Embossing Powders [155554] $25.00	Classic Matte Dots [158146] $9.50	Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053] $41.00
Layering Circles Dies [151770] $48.00	Stylish Shapes Dies [159183] $41.00	Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [149653] $170.00	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [110755] $5.50	Stampin' Seal [152813] $11.00

In the Moment for As You See It Challenge #271

 This week, for As You See It Challenges, it's the infamous Speed Challenge and the theme for this one was chosen by our newest design team member, Heather H.! She chose the interesting theme of Staying Dry, which has many nuances! Challenge #271 is called Flash Dry, to incorporate both speed and dryness! The Speed Challenges, as you may recall, have to be completed within 10 min., once you have gathered all your materials and thought out your design.

I had a shortage of umbrella and gumboot stamp sets, so I had to get creative. As I surveyed my stamps, I found the In the Moment stamp set which had a woman sitting on a window seat, looking out the window. I immediately thought, "Well, if she is looking out at a rainy day, she's staying dry by staying inside! Right??" The downside to this set was that I would have to colour the image, but I decided to do a trial run to see how long it would take to see if it was feasible. It took me almost 6 minutes, which left me 4 minutes for the rest of the card. I already had the pink and yellow scalloped rectangles in my stash so I didn't have to die cut them, so I decided to go ahead with the design.

• I stamped the image from In the Moment on Basic White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink as well as the sentiment from the same stamp set below the image.
• I used the sprinkle image from Nature's Beauty to stamp raindrops around the window pane areas using Balmy Blue ink. Some overlapped the image where it couldn't be helped, due to being in a hurry but colouring over them helped to hide them.
• I coloured in the area using Stampin Blends Combos in Soft Suede, So Saffron, Balmy Blue, Flirty Flamingo, and Night of Navy, plus Naturals Blends 800. I had to work pretty fast.
• I wrapped the right side of the image panel with Night of Navy Baker's Twine.
• On the Balmy Blue card base I added a layer of DSP from the Pattern Party collection, which reminded me of raindrops. Then I layered on and overlapped the Flirty Flamingo and So Saffron Scalloped Rectangles that were in my stash, die cut from Stitched So Sweetly dies.
• Finally I added my image panel and was done at the 9 min. 34 sec. mark.

I thought it was a pretty good solution to a puzzling problem!

Why not head over to As You See It Challenges this weekend and play along! It will really "challenge" you!

The Last Chance Retiring Items from the 2021/22 Annual Catalogue have been identified and listed and will be available, while supplies last, until May 2,2022.  

Here is the link to the list:

The best place to look, though is on my Online Store, where items are updated as to availability in real time, and what you see is what is left!!

If you live in Canada, and don't have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator,  I'd love to be yours. I can help you with ideas, get you catalogues and provide you with Stampin' Up products. You can leave a message in the comments or contact me using any of the methods listed in the right side bar at the top of the page. You can shop with me from anywhere in Canada by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top menu or clicking on any of products below from my Online Store.

Product List

In The Moment Cling Stamp Set (English) [157987] $33.00	Nature's Beauty Cling Stamp Set [150528] $29.00	Pattern Party 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Host Designer Series Paper [155426] $24.00	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982] $12.00	Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141416] $12.00
So Saffron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [105118] $12.00	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276] $13.25	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $8.25	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad [147105] $10.25	Soft Suede Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154906] $12.00
So Saffron Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154905] $12.00	Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154884] $12.00	Night Of Navy Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154891] $12.00	Balmy Blue Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154830] $12.00	Natural Tones Stampin’ Blends Collection [160940] $61.25
Fan Bakers Twine [158143] $10.25	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690] $44.00	Stampin' Seal [152813] $11.00