Monthly Archives: April 2017

Road Trip … Birthday … and OnStage

Posted in Uncategorized by

Hello Stampin” Friends ~

Only have a minute as we were on the road most of the day heading to Shreveport for the Stampin” Up! OnStage event.

Last night I was invited to the Center Stage event for demonstrators at the Silver Elite level or above. They host a training session, key note speaker a delicious dinner, gifts and the new Stampin” Up! catalog!

Oh yes … and the entire staff, crew and fellow demonstrators sang Happy Birthday to me and another birthday girl. A great night …

I’ll be back to soon with updates and pictures.

Have an awesome day and celebrate just for the fun of it!

Time for Easter Crafting

Posted in 2017 Occasions Catalog, HOLIDAYS by

Hello Stampin’ Friends ~

While I’m away I’m going to share another fantastic post from our “Get Inspired” blog. This post is from Martha Inchley – 2017 Artisan Design Team member. Her projects are just out of this world cute … You must see!

BY: Martha Inchley / 2017 Artisan Design Team

I’m really excited that Easter is in April this year. Why? Because it means more time for Easter crafting!

I don’t know why, but I absolutely love Easter (even more than Christmas)! Maybe it’s because my birthday is in the spring, or it could be the craftiness of egg painting—or it might even be the challenge of finding every last hidden egg. I don’t know. But either way, it’s fun, colorful, and makes me happy.

Before Valentine’s Day was even over, I had a ton of ideas for the Basket Bunch Photopolymer Bundle (item 144731). The Basket Bunch Stamp Set (item 143186) is absolutely adorable and it just screams “Design a scene with me!” It really does! So I couldn’t resist and decided to make little Easter egg dioramas.

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Now, before you get too excited, I have to say: I used fake eggs. They don’t break (they actually bounce, if you really want to know), you can cut into them with scissors, and oh yeah, there is no messy center to deal with. So it was the obvious choice. They’re called DIY Easter Eggs and you can find them pretty much anywhere Easter stuff is being sold.

To begin, I drew a “window opening” on my egg, poked a hole with my Paper Piercing Tool (item 126189), and cut it out using my Paper Snips (item 103579). To color my egg shells, I simply used the ink pad of choice and a Sponge Dauber (item 133773) to rub it on the outside. I let them dry overnight.

Now, you’re probably thinking that designing inside an egg is pretty tedious and if I had to guess, I would agree. You see, I didn’t design or assemble my little scenes inside the egg. I designed everything on a cardstock circle, punched using the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch (item 119861). Once my design was complete, I placed the scenery (bottom first) into the egg and turned it.

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I love all the different images in the Basket Bunch Stamp Set and the coordinating Basket Builder Framelits Dies (item 143228)—which make it quick and easy to cut them out. The possibilities are endless with this bundle. You can have a bunny in his carrot garden, a basket of flowers, or even little chickadees hanging out at the farm.

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To finish off my little egg dioramas I added the Whisper White Mini Pompom Trim (item 141486) to the opening. This trim is absolutely perfect to complete the look.

Thank you for joining me today and Happy Easter crafting!

Martha Inchley
2017 Artisan Design Team

Now do you see why I had to share Martha’s post … These are just the cutest little hand-crafted Easter Eggs I’ve seen. I’d like to thank Martha for sharing these little treasures with us.

Thanks for stopping by today~

On the Road Again …

Posted in Incentive Trip / Travel by

Hello stampin’ Friends ~

Today is the day (finally) that I head out to Shreveport, LA for our Stampin’ Up! OnStage event. I’m so excited … I also get bonding time with my daughter.  She signed up as a demonstrator and now we are heading out together!

No flying out this time … we are taking our time and exploring our great country on the way down. I’m on the road again!!  This photo is from an escape this January, when Eileen and I retreated to Door County for our annual planning event where we work on upcoming events and our Spring Retreat.

I love this road … you usually see photos of it in a frenzy of fall colors, so of course … I had to catch this snowy view! We shouldn’t be seeing any snow on our trip this time, however …

Another photo while we were out and about around Baileys Harbor … I love taking pictures of unique things. I was hoping to find an ice covered Lighthouse but so such luck. It had been a pretty cloudy day but then …

We got a blast of sunshine, so I had to get another shot.  Little did I know at the time I took the photo that there was such a beautiful display of color.  My favorite … the little heart in the center of the photo. It just warms my heart!

So … I’ll be sharing pics from my Roadtrip to Shreveport when we return. Thank you for spending your time with me today as I reflected on my last escape.

Have a warm and wonderful day ~

Easter Treats for Some Bunny ….

Posted in 2017 Occasions Catalog, 3-D Projects, HOLIDAYS by

Hello Stampin’ Friends ~

Sometimes things are too good to pass up, like a fine glass of wine or decadent chocolates! Today I have such a blog post to share with you. This is not me … this is from our Stampin’ Up! “Get Inspired Blog” and the talented Paula Dobson from our 2017 Artisan Design Team!

Here is Paula’s post and beautiful creations …

With Easter only a couple of short weeks away, I’ve decided to make a cute Easter project for my daughter using the Basket Bunch Stamp Set (item 143186). I travel two-and-a-half hours once a month to stay with her while I teach classes, so it will be hand-delivered just in time for Easter!

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One of my passions (besides stamping, of course) is coloring—and this super-cute stamp set is full of line art images to satisfy that need. I stamped a heap of Easter egg images and the cute little bunny rabbit on Shimmery White Cardstock (item 101910) in Basic Black Archival ink (item 140931). Shimmery White Cardstock is perfect for coloring, particularly if you want to watercolor your images without the texture of Watercolor Paper (item 122959), as it can stand up to a fair amount of moisture without pilling.

I used the Watercolor Pencils (item 141709) to color my images and then blended the colors using a Blender Pen (item 102845) to create the shade and fade on each image. I die cut all the images with my Big Shot (item 143263) and Magnetic Platform (item 130658) using the coordinating Basket Builder Framelits Dies (item 143228). P.S. Stampin’ Up! bundled together the stamps and dies as the Basket Bunch Bundle (item 144731), saving you 10% on your purchase of these great products! (I love a bargain!)

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I added a strip of Designer Series Paper from the Pop of Pink Specialty Designer Series Paper (141648). I love the stark contrast of the black and white zig zag design against all the white. I added color to my background using Sponge Daubers (item 133773), Sahara Sand ink (item 126976), and Soft Sky ink (item 131181). I popped the die cut Easter images up with Stampin’ Dimensionals (item 104430), and the whole piece was finished with the gorgeous Gold 1/8″ Ribbon (item 134583). I love to carry themes to the inside of my cards, as well.

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No Easter card is complete without chocolate to go with it and I wanted to create my own packaging to tie the whole gift together. I don’t often make 3D items and it can be a bit of a trial for me! I found these cute little chocolate bunnies and wanted to make a simple crate to put them in, using a Window Sheet (item 142314) sleeve to slide over the top so you can still see the bunnies.

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I designed a template for my crate and used the Stampin’ Trimmer (126889) to cut and score my Sahara Sand Cardstock (item 121043) card. I stamped the card in Sahara Sand ink using the Hardwood Stamp (item 133032) to get a woodgrain effect for the crate.

Then I discovered a wee bit of a problem—my crate template was too big to go through the Big Shot no matter which way I turned it! I fixed that by folding one side of the crate and used that edge as a guide for my square Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (item 145372) so I didn’t cut too low on the front of the crate.

I used the same design elements from the card to decorate the box sleeve, adding just a few strands of Melon Mambo Thick Baker’s Twine (item 141689) as well. Then I used the Tags & Labels Framelits Dies (item 138282) to die cut the tag topper. Here are a few photos of the process I have described in this post (which I hope you’ll find helpful)!

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So if YOU are looking for a fun way to create an Easter treat for somebunny sweet—try the Basket Bunch Stamp Set and coordinating accessories! It has everything you need.

Paula Dobson
2017 Artisan Design Team

So … what do you think? Did you not fall in love with this bundle and the cute projects that Paula Dobson created!! I also grateful that she shared her “how to’s” with us. That simple sponging technique that creates the barrier between sky and ground add so much dimension to the the card.

Thank you for checking out my blog today, and I’m happy you got to see Paula’s beautiful projects.

Have a Happy Day!

    

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT INGREDIENTS:

 

A Sara Thing ….

Posted in Paper Pumpkin, Promotions / Deals by

Hello Stampin’ Friends ~

Exciting news! The April Paper Pumpkin kit was inspired and designed by Stampin’ Up! CEO, Sara Douglass. Her style is, “bold, vibrant, and artistic—with a little bit of sass,” which is exactly how she described the kit. Discover creativity through the eyes of our CEO while having an experience that is uniquely YOU! Get ready to embrace your inner artist and skip to the fun with Sara.

 

As if a kit designed by Sara is not reason enough to sign up, there’s more! Every kit will include a FREE gift! We’re keeping it a surprise, but you won’t want to miss it.

What do you need to do? It’s simple—sign up at PaperPumpkin.com by April 10. And if you’re already a subscriber, now would be a great time to grab a few extra kits by increasing your monthly quantity—just sayin’.

Learn more about the kit from Sara herself in the video below.

Let me know if you have any questions.  I have added some links below or click on the Paper Pumpkin.com link so you can choose the way you’d like to begin your Paper Pumpkin experience!

Be sure to check your e-mail & retrieve the code to activate your Paper Pumpkin by 4/10!

Have an awesome day, and thanks for dropping in.

    

Paper Pumpkin Subscriber Choices …

Simply Sunday: You’re Sweet

Posted in 2017 Occasions Catalog, Birthday by

Hello Stampin’ Friends ~

Hope your Sunday is treating you well. Sunday’s are usually more on the relaxing side for me, but not today … had to go into work to make sure things are done for both stores before going on vacation as I head for Shreveport to the Stampin’ Up! OnStage event.

Today’s card however is truly in line with our Simply Sunday! A fun and cute card that has color and texture and just looks yummy! And it’s easy to make 🙂

I’m using the “Cool Treats” stamp set from the Cool Treat bundle, and the coordinating “Tasty Treats” Specialty Designer Series paper. You can see by the angle that the treats are embossed, that gives you the raised feel and the glossy finish.

The inside is decorated with a strip of the the specialty paper … just for the fun of it!

I heat embossed the cone that I cut out so it had the same gloss as the specialty paper. The greeting was done in Watermelon Wonder and I used the coordinating mat and cardstock to compliment the project.

A quick and easy that card that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Thanks for spending some of your Sunday with me!

Have a great day, and I wish a sweet week ahead for you ~

     

TODAY’S STAMPIN’ SUPPLY LIST ….

 

 

Day at the Beach …

Posted in 2017 Occasions Catalog, Techniques by

Hello Stampin’ Friends ~

Before I begin today, I’d like to send out a big …

THANK YOU!

to all of you that participated in my March Madness: Sale-a-bration Celebration.  You’ve got some great stampin’ supplies, fun Sale-a-bration stamp sets, and 10 great cards with instructions!  I was busy working on those last night! Keep an eye on your mailbox within the next couple weeks for your cards and instructions!

I’m also in the process of packing and getting ready for another Stampin’ Up! OnStage event. This is where demonstrators gather for some training, stampin’ and a whole lot of fun. I’m actually going with my daughter Sarah this Wednesday … and we’ll be headed to the Shreveport, LA event.  They are being held all over the world!

This is from our November 2016 OnStage where we got a sneak peak of the new Occasions catalog (actually we got to take it home!) the one you have now.  This time we’ll get our hands on the New “ANNUAL” catalog!! I am so excited!! I need to chill a bit … I don’t want any speeding tickets on our Road Trip to fun!

I thought it would be fun to highlight and share with you some of the fabulous stamp sets in our Occasions catalog. Today we’re going to pull out the flip flops and get ready for a “Day on the Beach”.

Here are the images we saw at our OnStage …

Choose the look you want to create with our Watercolor Pencils.  The “Hello Friend” card uses the pencils with the Aqua Painter; the “Hoping” card uses them with the Blender Pens; the “Brighten” card uses only the pencils.

My favorite part … THEY ARE FORMULATED IN STAMPIN’ UP COLORS!!!

Thanks much for stopping by today.

Hoping your day is a warm & sunny one!

     

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PRODUCTS …