Playing with Papercrafting

Friday, February 21, 2014

As You See It Challenges #025

Well, we've reached a quarter of a hundred challenges now at As You See It Challenge Blog! The time has sure flown since September, and we've seen so many delightful ideas from the design team and all of you who have participated! If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go this week. Amanda has created a charming sketch for us:

I had great fun designing mine:

I finally was able to break open my Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stacks and use this beautiful distressed polka dot paper in Coastal Cabana. These Paper Stack are a great deal. For $8.50 (CAD) you get 48 sheets of double-sided paper - 4 each of 12 double-sided designs. The sheets are 4 1/2" x 6 1/2"- plenty for a card front with a little trimming, or use them full sized and make your own envelope. The colours used are Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Real Red and Whisper White, and you can see I've used them all here.
I used Banner Blast and Hearts a Flutter for all the garland pieces and See Ya Later for the sentiment. I used the rounded banner stamp for the half circles, but punched out a 1" circle with the 1" Circle Punch and cut it in half.
I wanted to sew the garlands, but wasn't sure how I would feed the little pieces through the sewing machine and keep them aligned. I came up with a brilliant (okay, maybe just clever) solution. I used a tiny bit of snail to adhere each piece on an arc pencilled on a piece of paper. (The arc matches the arc of the doily.) I made sure each piece overlapped slightly. I sewed them right to the paper and then I cut the paper away behind them. The little bit of Snail on the backs helped to adhere each garland to the card front. Whaddya think?

The flag garland was stamped using Banner Blast stamps and punched with the Banner Punch. Banner Blast and the Banner Punch are both Sale-A-Bration items. You can earn either with a $60 minimum order before tax and shipping all during Sale-A-Bration, which ends March 31st!
I added a Tea Lace Paper Doily, some Designer buttons and an In Colour Boutique Detail in Coastal Cabana!

So get out your paper and stamps and embellishments and give this week's sketch a try! You'll get plenty of positive reinforcement and it's a chance to show off a little. Don't be intimidated. Stampers are the most encouraging and positive people I know and we all remember when we were just starting out! I'm looking forward to seeing what's in that creative brain of yours.

To purchase any of the products listed below used to make this project, simply click on the links which will take you directly to my On-Line Stampin' Up! Store, where you can view the products and make a purchase if you like. You can have it delivered right to your door!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Make a Wish Upon a Star with The Paper Players

What would you wish if you could wish upon a star? I think I would wish for an early spring this year. Too bad it doesn't really work. Neither do those wishes you make when you blow out your candles on your birthday cake. But that doesn't keep us from making wishes, does it?

This week, The Paper Players have stars in their eyes. That is, their theme for The Paper Players Challenge
#183 is Stars.

It's also supposed to be a CAS (Clean and Simple) project. I don't know if mine is clean and simple enough, but it is what it is and here it is:

I love the look of Bermuda Bay against Basic Black and decided to use that as my main colour scheme with pops of Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry, with Whisper White. This is definitely a cheerful, eye-catching look!
The DSP is from the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack and is a perfect background for a "starry sky"!
At first, I didn't think that I had any stars to work with in my stash, but then I realized that I had a star stamp in the Perfect Pennants stamp set. I also decided to check my Label Card and Circle Card Thinlits, and I found a smaller star in the Circle Card Thinlits dies. See, there's another reason to keep a picture of all the thinlits in this set as well as in the Label Card Thinlits handy, so you can remember all the shapes they contain.

Not only does the Perfect Pennants stamp set have a circle, but it also has the perfect sentiment, "Make a Wish", wish upon a star! I added a Melon Mambo flag and stamped the sentiment a second time in Crushed Curry so I could punch out the "a" using the 1/2" Circle Punch and popped it up on a dimensional on top of a Bermuda Bay star. The sentiment and its backing were die cut with Banners Framelits.
The other large stars I stamped with the Perfect Pennants stamp and hand cut leaving a narrow edge of Whisper White around them. The smaller stars were just another large star stamped and the middle die cut with the thinlit star. I wanted to stamp them rather than just die cutting them out of cardstock because I wanted them to have the same quality of colour as the stamped stars. I could have stamped any solid shape and die cut with the thinlit, but the star was already inked up. Might as well stamp two as just one.

The smaller stars are mounted on dimensionals and a Jumbo Rhinestone added for sparkle.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Dynamic Duos Meets Mojo Monday

It's Black Tie week over at Dynamic Duos this week, with a dessert option of a shaped card, but I also wanted to complete the Mojo Monday sketch this week because I really like all the elements of it, so a compromise - Dynamic Duos meet Mojo Monday!!

Here's the Dynamic Duos Challenge #90:

And here's Mojo Monday Challenge #333 sketch:

And when you put them together, here's what I came up with:

I love the bold statement, these two colours make, but they also make me immediately think of bees. That brought to mind the Hexagon Hive Thinlits die, new in the Occasions Catalogue, so you can see where my mind went from there.
It was a good opportunity to use some of my less frequently used Design Series Paper from the Modern Medley collection and the Quatrefancy Specialty DSP on the back panel and underneath the Hexagon Hive. I was able to repeat the quatrefoil design in each paper.
I needed a bold flower design that would look great in black and yellow and the flower from Blooming with Kindness stamp set was ideal because you are actually stamping the shadows and leaving the highlights unstamped. When I inked it up in Jet Black StazOn ink and stamped it on Daffodil Delight cardstock, the results were just what I had hoped. I punched it out with the 2 1/2" Circle Punch and created a matte for it with the Circles Collection Framelits.

The little bee from Springtime Hello in the Occasions catalogue would have been fun to use but it was too small scale for this card and the black and yellow wouldn't have been as obvious, so I went to Backyard Basics for this bee, and the great thing is, there are framelits to match so I didn't have to cut it out by hand. Perfect fit!
I didn't use the full Hexagon Hive framelit die cut and so there were some unattached ends, but when I mounted the Quatrefancy DSP on a matte of Basic Black cardstock, the ends blended in with the matte and everything looked nicely framed and finished.
Instead of a ribbon, I stamped the birthday wishes sentiment from Blooming with Kindness on Very Vanilla (to match the vanilla on the Modern Medley paper) and used one of the framelits from Chalk Talk to die cut it. It was rather long with the bracket only on one end, so I used the framelit to die cut a longer piece but kept the bracket close to the beginning of the sentiment. Then I flipped the framelit and positioned it close to the end of the sentiment and die cut a second time with the Big Shot.

Check the Clearance Rack

Just a reminder to check out the Clearance Rack, which has been restocked and there are some great deals to be had while supplies last. You can order on-line, or contact me and I will put in an order for you.

Thanks for popping by today and come visit again tomorrow for a star-struck card for The Paper Players.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

On the Fringe

I used to watch a TV show called "Fringe"! It had some great characters and huge underlying mysteries to be gradually revealed as the seasons went on. Then I got really busy and didn't have much time for TV so I lost track and when I tuned back in months later, I was hopelessly lost. I hate that! I know, I could have caught up with past episodes on line, but it was just too much, so I stopped watching!

There was another fascinating show along the same lines called Flash Forward, where everyone on earth lost consciousness simultaneously for two minutes and 17 seconds and had a flash forward - a glimpse of their futures. I loved it, but unfortunately, just as we were getting close to some explanations, the show was cancelled! So frustrating!

So, "Flash Forward" to today! I have a video tutorial for you and I promise it won't get cancelled and all mysteries will be fully revealed! It even has "Fringe" in it! Well, Fringe Flowers that is. Like the spiky ones on the Burlap and Blooms Wreath, here:

And you'll find out that they are created using a new Stampin' Up! product called "Fringe Scissors"!

Now, without any more hype, here's my latest Crafty Clues by Heather:

New Announcements by Stampin' Up

If you are a CURRENT PAPER PUMPKIN subscriber, you will be able to purchase some past Paper Pumpkin kits and some refill kits without the stamps and ink. Here are some full kits you can purchase at $20.95 each:

From April 2013: The Seriously kit (132603) From June 2013 Hello to You (132602)

From July 2013:- Party Pennants Kit (132604) From Sept. 2013: Pedal Praise Kit (132922)

There are also several refill kits you can purchase. Refill kits do not contain stamps and ink.

April 2013 Seriously refill kit (131518) $9.75

June 2013 Hello to You refill kit (131521) $9.75

July 2013 Party Pennants refill kit (131519) $7.25

August 2013 Pedal Praise refill kit (132630) $9.75

September 2013 Wahoo refill kit (132637) $9.75

November 2013 Noel refill kit (132766) $9.75

These offers will be while supplies last.

Items Added to Clearance Rack

Also Stampin' Up has added new items to the Clearance Rack. Order today because items are only available while supplies last. My recommendation is the Artisan Embellishments kit from last year's Occasions Catalogue.

Weekly Deals

3/16 INCH CORNER PUNCH

Price: $8.95 $6.71

A ROYAL DAY ENSEMBLE - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Price: $16.50 $9.90

ETCETERA DESIGNER SERIES PAPER

Price: $13.50 $10.13

GOLD & SILVER STAMPIN' GLITTER

Price: $9.95 $7.46

IN COLOR DAHLIAS

Price: $9.95 $7.46

LABEL INSERT POP' N CUTS DIE

Price: $26.95 $20.21

PETALS-A-PLENTY TEXTURED IMPRESSIONS EMBOSSING FOLDER DIE

Price: $9.95 $7.46

SILVER METALLIC ENCORE PAD

Price: $12.95 $9.71

Monday, February 17, 2014

Blessings and Thank Yous

How was your weekend? Mine was full of blessings and thank yous! I had a big order to sort and deliver and some of it was for some new customers and new members of my Stamp Club so I wanted a nice way to thank all my customers for their business. The weekend was also full of blessings as we went to a wonderful church service and then attended a World War II era presentation of Pilgrim's Progress. It was very well done and I'm actually going to have to read Pilgrim's Progress now I think. Then we learned we were getting a surprise, quick visit from my youngest daughter and her family, including little Parker, so that is a very big blessing still to come!!

Here's how I expressed my thanks to my customers this week:

These little 3 x 3s were fun to make using the Easter Blessings stamp, masking the Easter sentiment and inking up using Melon Mambo and Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Right Markers.\
I used the colour combination from Gingham Garden Design Series Paper, some of which you see here. The colours used in that DSP include Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz.
The sentiment is from Express Yourself, a hostess set which you can order if you are the hostess of a workshop, or for your month as Hostess in my Stamp Club. It is priced lower than regular sets so that your Hostess dollars stretch a little further.
I added some Melon Mambo or Daffodil Delight Candy Dots to add balance and interest. I love the way the darker stripes of the gingham look like shadow under the image panel and make it look as if it is raised on dimensionals, even though it isn't.

Papercraft Cat Rewards Program

Inside each thank you card for orders of $30 or more before tax and shipping, I was able to include one or more Papercraft Cat Reward Tokens for customer loyalty. As my customers record and keep track of these points, when they reach 20 points, they will receive a $50 Stampin' Up! Gift Certificate to redeem through me.

If you live in Canada, you can also participate in my Rewards Program. Just visit my On-line Store which is available 24/7 and place an order, choosing me as your demonstrator. If you make sure to indicate that you'd like me to contact you, I will be able to send you a thank you card similar to the ones above, with the appropriate numbers of Papercraft Cat tokens as well as a Tracking Sheet to record your points. Then you will be able to redeem them for a $50 gift certificate when you reach 20 points!!

Be a Member of My Stamp Club

I am also looking for some people who might be interested in being part of a Stamp Club. The idea behind this is you commit to spending a minimum of $20 a month for 12 months to gradually build your stamping supplies and equipment. One month you would be named Hostess and you would receive all the Hostess rewards from all the orders of the other members. You are guaranteed at least $35 in free product, but it is usually from $40 to $55 and more. I am starting a second club and so all the months are open. The first to sign up will get the best choices of months for their Hostess Months.

There are other perks to belonging to Stamp Club including special treats from me in your Hostess Month and at Christmas and just for the heck of it, reduced rates on classes, all the catalogues mailed to you and Customer Appreciation events. Stamp Club members can attend any classes of their choice at a reduced rate.

Live Out of Town?

If you don't live in my area, you can still be a member of my Stamp Club. You can sign up for stamp club by downloading the Stamp Club agreement and emailing it back to me along with your name and email address.
Instead of attending classes, I will give you special private access to a monthly project tutorial, both PDF file and You Tube Video, including a list of all the supplies you would need for the product. Think about signing up and be one of the first, so you can choose the month you want most!

Thanks for dropping by, and see you tomorrow with a new video introducing a new product from Stampin' Up this spring!

Here is a list of all the supplies used in this little 3 x 3 Thank You card. Click on the links below to view the products and you can also purchase from this link as well.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Just a quick video to share with you from Stampin' Up today! I just got my February Paper Pumpkin on Friday and I'm definitely going to play with it today sometime! Tell me what you think. Do you think the quality has improved?

Let me know if you want to subscribe to this. As a bonus, until March 31, you can get a pack of markers free for first time subscribers!

Friday, February 14, 2014

As You See It Challenge #024 Coordinated with The Paper Players

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope it's a romantic day for you, or not, if you are one of the Valentine's Day Haters in the world. We have a sketch challenge this week from As You See It Challenges and it is a very CAS diagram and, at first I didn't quite know how to make it unique.

Pretty straight forward, like Yin and Yang! But then I remembered The Paper Player's Colour Challenge that I had not done yet.

I thought this colour scheme would give the sketch a unique look. At first, I thought posting my AYSI design on schedule for today would be too late for The Paper Players, but I squeaked in under the wire! This is my design:

I used the Gold Foil Sheets for the left panel and embossed it with one of the narrow Delicate Designs embossing folders. I used some of the Crisp Cantaloupe twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessories Pack in the Sale-A-Bration brochure to tie a random little bow around the gold panel.
The Midnight Muse card base is layered with some of the Gold Fancy Foil Vellum. I found it a little more challenging to adhere it because the gold foil elements are smaller than a glue dot and so can't camoflage them as well. I cut a couple in half to accomplish the task.
The sentiment is from the Just Sayin' stamp set and I inked it up in Crisp Cantaloupe and Midnight Muse using Stampin' Write Markers. The Word Bubbles Framelits die cut the thought bubble.

Now, speaking of Sale-A-Bration, I know I've mentioned that it is a great time to hold a workshop with your friends, because Stampin' Up has increased the Hostess Rewards by $40 for all parties with sales of $400 (before tax and shipping). Plus your friends will get free product for every $60 they spend. I have had several people book a workshop during Sale-A-Bration and my time is getting booked up. I have more time available in February than in March, but if you're interested in taking advantage of these great rewards during Sale-A-Bration, then please contact me soon, as Sale-A-Bration ends March 31st.

If you're from out-of-town, then we can do an On-Line Workshop for you. You simply get catalogues to your friends or get them to go on-line to my Stampin' Up website to order using a Hostess Code. I will provide some tutorials that only you and your friends can access, along with packs of consumable materials minus the stamps and inks (which they could order if they wanted or use their own.) You would get the hostess benefits just as if the workshop was in your house and all you have to do is invite your friends to take part and get the materials and their orders to them! How's that for easy?

If you are from my area, then you can hold the workshop at your house or mine. At my house, I would do the cleaning and baking. All you have to do is invite your friends. Again, easy peasy!

Call me at 250-768-7379 or email me to get started with the planning.

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Friday, February 21, 2014

As You See It Challenges #025

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Make a Wish Upon a Star with The Paper Players

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Dynamic Duos Meets Mojo Monday

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

On the Fringe

Monday, February 17, 2014

Blessings and Thank Yous

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Friday, February 14, 2014

As You See It Challenge #024 Coordinated with The Paper Players

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