I Ink, Therefore I Am

Retiring Items and a New Catalogue

2011-06-14T21:21:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe, but it's that time of year again! Stampin' Up! is retiring products to make room for some AMAZING new products! The following links will take you to lists of retiring items. You'll want to make sure that you order your products ASAP, as they will no longer be available after the end of this month - not even to demonstrators. I will be placing my last order for June on June 27th. If there are items that you want to order, please let me know before that date, or as always, you can place your order online from my demonstrator website at any time before the end of the month.

Retiring Stamp Sets PDF
Retiring Accessories PDF *
Retiring Definitely Decorative PDF

NOTE: Retiring accessories are on a "first-come, first-served" basis, so don't delay!

The new catalogue will be released July 1. If you are interested in a catalogue, please let me know so that I can pre-order the right amount of catalogues. Catalogues will be $10 each or free if you host a party or catalogue party.

Last chance to SALE-A-BRATE!

2011-03-29T20:09:00.001-04:00

Wow! Has it really been two months since my last post! Yikes! I have to pick up my socks! I have finished one of my courses, but there is one still on until the end of May, so things may continue to be spotty on the blog front. I have managed to stamp a wee bit in the last little while, so I'm hoping to post something for you soon. Maybe I'll get my act together this weekend! I've done some reorganizing of supplies, 40 wedding shower invites and a bunch of birthday cards. Surely to goodness I can find a few pictures to share!

Anyway, the reason that I am posting is that I wanted to put a reminder out there about Sale-A-Bration. This fantastic promotion officially ends on March 31st (Thursday), but I will be putting in my last order on tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. If you would like to take advantage of this great promotion, be sure to email me your order by that time and I will look after it for you. Remember - for every $60 you spend BEFORE shipping and taxes, you'll earn one free item from the SAB brochure. $120 gets you 2 items and so on. Want the order delivered directly to your door? Have an order that qualifies for hostess benefits as well as SAB freebies??? Why not place your order online through my Demonstrator Website!? It's simple to do and you can pay with your credit card!

it's time to sale-a-brate!

2011-01-29T09:41:00.001-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Many people think that refers to the time when kids go back to school, but they are mistaken! It's Sale-a-Bration time - the most wonderful time in the Stampin' Up! calendar!

From now until March 31st, customers, hostesses and recruits reap the incredible rewards that Stampin' Up! offers. They spend 6 months of the year planning for this wonderful promotion! There are three easy ways to earn FREE products from this great Sale-A-Bration Mini!

SPEND...Spend $60 (before shipping and taxes) and earn one FREE Sale-A-Bration product of your choice. This applies to all of your purchases, so if you spend $120, you earn 2 products, $180 gets you 3 and so on.
HOST...Host a workshop of at least $395 (before shipping and taxes) and earn one FREE Sale-A-Bration product in addition to your regular hostess benefits.
JOIN...Join Stampin' Up! by becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator during the promotion and get 15% off of your Starter Kit. You'll also receive a special bonus bundle filled with over $60 in FREE products!

The SAB products that Stampin' Up! is offering this year are AMAZING! There are 4 exclusive stamp sets to choose from in wood and clear mount (several languages as well), a bundle of DSP and coordinating Quick Accents, a Ribbon & Button pack, Chalkboard Decor Elements, and a Digital Content CD with digital versions of all of the above! WOW!! As if that wasn't enough to tempt you, they are also offering a large selection of regular catalogue sets as free SAB items - see page 11 of the mini for the list, which includes wood mount and clear mount sets.

There are a few different ways to take advantage of this great promotion. You can email me with your order, as always, or order online through my Demonstrator Business Website and it will be delivered directly to you along with your free SAB rewards that you qualified for. You could also do a catalogue party and reap the rewards of being a hostess! The next couple of months are really busy for me with the 2 courses that I am taking, but if you'd like to have a traditional workshop on a weekend with your friends, let me know and we can set something up.

Sidenote: I apologize that this post is so late in going up. The promotion began on Tuesday, but I ran into several problems with my internet this week. Rogers disconnected our internet on Monday as they said one of our computers had a virus on it. It ended up that my laptop from work was causing all of the problems, but it wasn't until Thursday night that everything was cleared up. You never realize how much you rely on the internet until you are without it for several days! I now have lots to catch up on with my online course, but I'll hopefully have some more stamping and scrapbooking to post next week!

fenway scrapbook page

2011-01-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

Onwards and upwards with MDS (My Digital Studio). Literally upwards - The Green Monster is 37 feet above the ball field...but I digress...

When Craig and I were planning our trip to Boston, there were so many things that we wanted to do. The top of my list? Anything to do with seafood. The top of Craig's list was Fenway Park where the Red Sox play. It's not that he's a fan of their ballteam - it was the park itself and the atmosphere. Just one of those things that you have to see as a sports fan.

While I love hockey and believe it or not, watch it voluntarily (GO LEAFS GO), I just can't seem to get into other sports unless they are live. I think it's the crowd watching that I enjoy, not the actual sport! :) Well, Fenway was such an interesting ballpark and had such interesting people in the crowd, that I must say it was the highlight of the trip for both of us. We took a tour of the park prior to the game, which was very cool. I highly recommend reading up on some of its quirks! Of course, the most famous quirk is the Green Monster in left field. I have many more pictures of the Monster, but this one was a good one to start with. We were right on top in the front row seats during the tour. Yes, I really am that much shorter than Craig - I'm not sitting or anything. Oh well - the height difference makes a great spot for the title!

taking a crack at digital

2011-01-19T06:00:00.006-05:00

Well, I am finally getting around to posting something digital! I have had Stampin' Up's My Digital Studio software for a little while and I have started many a project, but now I'm finally finishing whole pages! I am loving MDS! I was even successful updating my blog design with it! For some reason I can't see the cute borders if I'm looking at the blog on my iPod, but that's okay. Still working out the kinks!

My other project has been scrapbooking our trip to Boston and Cape Cod. Craig and I spent 5 days there this past summer and and loved it! Just thinking about the seafood we had makes me drool! I'll be showing the album gradually over the next little while, but to begin, here is the cover. Stampin' Up! has plenty of print options available. This will be a 5x5 hard cover album once it's finished!

quick and easy thanks

2011-01-17T06:00:00.019-05:00

Stamps: So Many Thanks (from the A la Carte section)
Paper: Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Real Red
Tools: Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Paper Snips
Accessories: Real Red Narrow Taffeta Ribbon,
Dimensionals

As a housewarming gift, my aunts and uncles, parents and cousin went in on buying us a new freezer. It was wonderful to have that extra space, especially for the holidays, as I had all kinds of Christmas baking and goodies that needed to be frozen.

I wanted to make special thank you cards for them to show our appreciation, and this is what I came up with. I love the bright, vibrant colours!

more birthday wishes

2011-01-15T06:00:00.002-05:00

I have been loving the Big Shot lately. The embossing folders make a quick and easy background or cardfront that doesn't need a whole lot more.

For this card, I wanted to use some of the paper daisies. I bought them quite a while ago now, but haven't played with them much. I would like to eventually try dying them with ink refills, but for this project, leaving them white meant that I didn't have to wait around for them to dry and I didn't have to pull out my heat tool either.

Stamps: On Your Birthday
Paper: Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Certainly
Celery, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Very
Vanilla
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Tools: Circle Punches, Big Shot, Polka Dot
Embossing Folder
Accessories: Paper Daisies, Hemp Twine,
Retired Buttons, Glue Dots

After I made a couple of these cards, I left them out on my desk while I moved on to another project. The more that I looked at them though, the more I thought that they needed something else - a little more colour or something. Here's what I came up with - nothing major, just a couple of different sized circles in bright colours to make the embellishments stand out a little more. It wasn't the colour combination that I had started out with in my head, but I think that it works.

birthday cupcakes

2011-01-13T06:00:00.012-05:00

Stamps: Create a Cupcake
Paper: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point,
Crumb Cake, Glossy White, Chocolate Chip,
Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: Early Espresso
Tools: Circle Punches (1 3/8", 1"), Corner
Rounder Punch, Build a Cupcake Punch
Accessories: Early Espresso Narrow Taffeta
Ribbon, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

I must say that I am completely in love with this new punch from Stampin' Up! - the Build a Cupcake punch. It has motivated me to get quite a few birthday cards made in the short space of time that I've had it, which is fantastic. I made a card organizer last year and had great intentions, but I missed many a birthday. Hopefully now I'll finish filling the organizer and start sending out more cards!

This punch is from the new Occasions Mini Catalogue (email me if you'd like a copy - I missed the mailing deadline but I have them here, along with the Sale-A-Bration minis). It is the Build A Cupcake Punch and it sells for $23.95. There is also a matching stamp set, which is completely adorable - It's called Create A Cupcake. I used the cupcake bottom image and the sentiment image from the set on this card. The punch itself is incredible. You can punch all of the images from one colour cardstock and then mix and match the pieces, or you can punch each piece individually with different colours of cardstock. This one punch includes the cupcake bottom and top (which would also make great clouds), a cherry, a candle, and round sprinkles or confetti. Super cute! For this card, I punched the cupcake top out of Glossy White Cardstock to make the icing look shiny and I punched the cherry out of the new Glimmer Paper (also in the new Occasions Mini). Love, love, love these new toys!

BTW - I found this colour combination in the new Colour Coach. There are some incredible combinations and ideas in this little tool - it has been great to get the creativity flowing again! The layout of the card was from the same page that the cupcake products are on in the new mini - another great place for inspiration!

baby boy card

2011-01-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

Here is a card that I made a little while ago - just found it on my camera!

Stamps: Family Phrases, Fox & Friends
Paper: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla
Ink: Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy
Tools: Big Shot, Lattice Die, Sponge Daubers
Accessories: Retired Buttons, Rhinestone Jewels, Glue Dots

I never seem to have enough baby cards on hand - at least never in the right colour. I usually need a boy card whenever I only have a stash of pink, or I need a pink card when all I have is a stash of blue! Oh well - this was a nice chance to sit down and make a card on demand. A friend of mine had a little boy in the fall and this is what I came up with. Mind the retired buttons - I think everything else is current!

new studio

2011-01-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

Well, I have yet to hang anything on the walls, but everything has been unpacked and organized in my new ~~craft room~~ studio. Now that I actually have a window in my craft space, I'm going to call it a studio. Sounds much better.

I actually unpacked and set up everything in here the day after we moved. I remember waking up at about 5 am, so excited about being in our new house and the first thing that I wanted to unpack that day was all of my stamping things. It was a good thing that I did, as shortly after, I was working on wedding invitations for my sister-in-law, items for the November craft fair and our Christmas cards. I figure that in the three months since we moved in, I've made 80 wedding invitations, 80 reply cards, over 120 Christmas cards and various things for the craft fair (although much less than last year). Now I'm on to birthday cards, which you'll see in the next few days.

I must say that the best thing about this room is the fact that it has a door. In our apartment, it was a little 8x8 room off of the entrance and the first thing that you saw when you came in. I could never leave projects out and if I did, it was the first thing that people saw when they came to visit. At least now, I can close the door and worry about it later!

eiffel tower

2010-09-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Itty Bitty
Backgrounds (retired)
Paper: Early Espresso, Creamy Caramel
(retired), Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso, Log Cabin Smooch
Sptriz
Tools: Cutter Kit (Distressing Tool), Craft &
Paper Scissors, Paper Snips
Accessories: Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta
Ribbon

When I saw this stamp set in the new catalogue, I knew that I had to order it. It's hard to believe that the time has passed so quickly, but it's already been two years since our honeymoon! Craig and I had a blast in Europe and saw so many incredible things while we were there, but nothing compared to the Eiffel Tower. I would have to say that it was my favourite part of the trip! What an incredible structure! We walked up to the first level, and then took an elevator to the second level and enjoyed the amazing view - so beautiful!

Anyway, back to the card - the stamp set is so adorable! I chose to buy the clear mount set - I love this option and will be buying clear mount from now on through Stampin' Up!. They're easy to store, easy to use and clean and take up so little room.

Here's a picture of the real thing that I took in Paris while we were there - it's one of my favourite pictures from the trip. (I look over 900 pictures!):

school treats

2010-09-10T07:00:00.003-04:00

I picked up a package of the Pillsbury School Bus cookies to bake for Ava to enjoy on her first few days of school, but then I had nothing to put them into. I grabbed a Window Sheet measuring 8 1/2" x 11" and scored it at 2", 4", 6", and 8" on the 8 1/2" side, then turned it and scored at 2" from the bottom and then at 8 1/2" and 9" along the 11" side. I then cut up for the bottom flaps, like you would for a 2,4, 6, 8 box. On the other end, I cut up for the top flaps, cut one off completely (which left two side flaps for the top and one main flap that would then tuck into the box). I cut down the two top side flaps a little, as they don't really have much of a purpose. Sorry - this is probably clear as mud. The box was put together with Sticky Strip to keep it from falling apart. If you have a box with a tuck flap handy that you can look at, the instructions might make a little more sense.

Anyway, the cookies fit inside perfectly, as they were pretty small. I added a length of Real Red Grosgrain, as well as Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain and tied them on top. The decoration was made with the Scallop Trim Border and a strip of Real Red cardstock that measured 1" x 11" prior to punching the border. I then scored the strip at every little bump between the scallops. Here is a link to the instructions that I followed for the little decoration, although I chose the Scallop Trim Border punch to make it a little bit fancier. I think the rest of the decoration is pretty straightforward, although I'll tell you that I used dimensionals to fasten the decoration to the box - I had to stack 4 together on each side of the ribbon knot though - I needed a lot of height to match the height of the knot!

Stamps: Family Phrases
Paper: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White Window Sheet
Ink: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Staz On Jet Black
Tools: Craft & Rubber Scissors, Craft & Paper Scissors,
Scallop Trim Border Punch,, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1" Circle
Punch, Sticky Strip, Sponge Daubers
Accessories: Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Pumpkin Pie
Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Pop Up Glue Dots (retired)

school punch art

2010-09-06T12:15:00.004-04:00

Paper: Lovely Lilac, Melon Mambo, Whisper White,
Close to Cocoa (retired), Blush Blossom (retired)
Ink: Close to Cocoa marker (retired)
Tools: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/4"x7/8" Oval Punch,
Word Window Punch, 2"x1 3/8" Oval XL Punch,
Heart to Heart XL Punch, Trio Flower Punch (retired),
1/2" Circle Punch, Pinking Hearts Border Punch,
Two-Step Owl XL Punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch,
Large Tag Punch, 3/16" Corner Punch, Two-Way
Glue Pen, Dimensionals
Accessories: Rhinestone Jewel

I saw this idea on a blog that I visit quite often and knew that I wanted to give it a try and make something special for my niece who will have her first day of junior kindergarten tomorrow. Here's a link to Ellen Kemper's school girl, but I know you'll want to check out the other beautiful creations that she has designed. Wow!

Anyway, I'm so pleased with the way that it turned out and resembles Ava, and hope that she likes it. It made me realize just how many punches I have and how I need to pull them out more often to see what I can come up with.

Here's what the final card looked like. I just added it to a Melon Mambo card front and added a piece of retired DSP behind to make the punch art stand out.

rhinestone christmas

2010-08-30T22:11:00.001-04:00

Stamps: Holiday Happiness
Paper: Handsome Hunter (retired), Whisper White, Summer Sun (retired)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard
Tools: Small Star Punch (retired), Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Basic Jewel Rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals, Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

I just can't seem to get enough of these rhinestones! They add so much to a card for so little! The package comes with rhinestones in three different sizes, as well as strips of the smallest size so that you can make lines and designs. I opted to split up one of the strips so that I could make these cards - it makes the package go a lot further! Love the simple tree in this stamp set!

christmas??? seriously?!

2010-08-26T07:00:00.008-04:00

Stamps: Holiday Happiness
Paper: Kraft (now retired, but Crumb Cake is its beautiful
replacement), Whisper White, Summer Sun (retired)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard
Tools: Craft & Paper Scissors, Small Star Punch (retired)
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Basic
Rhinestone Jewels, retired buttons, retired Bravo Burgundy
1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

I've never been one to get a head start on my Christmas cards, but I have to admit that I was really motivated once I bought this stamp set. I love the simplicity of the set, as well as the fact that it is available in clear mount. I find it so much easier to line up images using the clear blocks and the clear mount stamps. They also take up less space in my craft room, which is definitely a bonus in my tiny space. If you're wondering what clear mount stamps are all about, check out this link for more information. Don't worry thought - Stampin' Up! will continue to offer a choice between clear mount and traditional wooden mount.

Anyway, I wanted to make things pop a little on these Christmas cards, so I pulled out some old retired buttons from Stampin' Up! to replace the stamped decorations on the tree. I love the way that it turned out and while the buttons add a fair amount of depth, the card can still be sent by regular mail. I'll post another variation on this one in the next couple of days using the Basic Rhinestone Jewels that I've fallen in love with! :)

a favourite colour combo with a sparkle

2010-08-24T22:28:00.001-04:00

Stamps: Whimsical Words (Retired Sale-A-Bration set)
Paper: Concord Crush, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery
Tools: Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Mat Pack,
Paper Piercer, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Extra-Large Punch,
1 3/4" Circle Extra-Large Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch,
Sponge Daubers
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Rhinestone Jewels

I've really enjoyed getting back into stamping and taking some time out for myself to do it, although I must admit that everything feels rusty! There's a lot of time spent staring at stamp sets and supplies, unsure what to create. After being stumped for a fair chunk of time, I decided to try some new products with an old/revised colour combo that always seems to work! I love the new impressions folder (square lattice), as well as the beautiful rhinestone jewels. While I enjoyed the challenge of taking apart the rhinestone brads for the jewel in the centre, I was always sad that I had to sacrifice a brad in order to do so. With Stampin' Up!'s new Rhinestone Jewels and Pearl Jewels, I no longer have to sacrifice rhinestone brads or purchase an entire Pretties Kit. Haven't checked out these new, inexpensive jewels? Check out page 188 in the new catalogue!

P.S. Many thanks to everyone who placed orders for the Mystery Rewards. I'll let you know as soon as the order comes in! Congrats as well to Jessica, who won the hostess stamp set, and Beth, who won $80 in free product thanks to the August hostess promotion from Stampin' Up!

and the winners are...

2010-08-23T22:21:00.000-04:00

Congratulations! Please send me an email with your level 1 or level 2 hostess stamp set selection!

Congratulations! Please send me an email with your selections for $80 worth of free merchandise!

mystery rewards

2010-08-19T09:54:00.001-04:00

I will be placing an order with Stampin' Up! on Monday. I would like to pass the rewards on to you.

Here's how the mystery rewards will work. There will be two draws: One draw will be for the free Hostess Stamp Set and one draw will be for the free Hostess Merchandise. For every $25 that you order before shipping and taxes, your name will be entered into each of the draws. For example, if you order $25 worth of merchandise before shipping and taxes your name will go into the stamp set draw once and also into the free merchandise draw once. If you order $50 in merchandise before shipping and taxes, you'll receive two entries into each draw. $75 will get you three entries into each draw and so on. The even greater news is that Stampin' Up! has a hostess promotion on where orders totaling $450 will earn the hostess an extra $35 in rewards! Wow!

Winners will be contacted on Monday so that they can select their free items before the order is placed.

If you are interested in participating, please send me an e-mail with your order by no later than 4 PM on Monday. I will also post the names of the winners on the blog on Tuesday. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me.

whooooo was stamping again???

2010-08-18T07:00:00.001-04:00

Stamps: none!
Paper: Real Red, Barely Banana, Chocolate Chip,
Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, retired DSP
Ink: Basic Black Marker
Tools: Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Mat Pack,
Paper-Piercing Tool, White Signo Gel Pen,
Two-Step Owl Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch
Accessories: Dimensionals

Well, here it is! I was in desperate need of birthday cards the other day and these were what I came up with. I have seen so many beautiful and creative ideas for the new Two-Step Owl Punch, but I figured that I would stick with the originally intended use of the punch for this one, as I am still just getting back into the swing of things. Now all I need is a stamp set of owl sayings to go along with it!

let's try this all over again

2010-08-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

Wow! Has it really been almost a year since my last post??? So many things have happened in the last year, but unfortunately little of it has had to do with stamping! I apologize for being out of touch, but I am hoping to gradually change that over time. One of the major things that has happened in the last month is that Craig and I have bought a house in Guelph! We don't move in until September 25th, but after we are settled, I am hoping to start workshops and classes again, as I've really missed getting together and creating with others. Living in Oakville has been great, but I am so very excited to be moving closer to home and out of our condo into a house. The wheels are already turning for my craft studio!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I am back in the saddle and have been playing with some beautiful new products from Stampin' Up! I'll be posting pictures soon, once I have a chance to upload them! In the meantime, if there is something you would like to order, or if you would like me to order you a catalogue, please just let me know!

Lots of Circles!

2009-09-30T21:00:00.000-04:00

I got some really cute polka dotted cellophane to wrap a gift the other day and needed to create a card to match. This is what I came up with - a super easy way to create a colourful, textured background!

Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment

Paper: Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, Bashful Blue, Whisper White

Ink: Night of Navy, Brocade Blue
Tools: Heart to Heart Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors, 2-Way Glue Pen

Accessories: Brocade Blue Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Bashful Blue Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Stampin' Dimensinoals

Anniversary Butterflies

2009-09-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

Woohoo!!! Three days in a row!

More fun with the Big Shot today! I needed a bunch of anniversary cards for the end of August/beginning of September, so this is what I came up with! I love the 6x6 card for a change, although I think that I would make the butterflies smaller next time. They take over the card! :)

Stamps: Together Forever
Paper: Take with Teal (textured cardstock), Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Retired DSP
Ink: Basic Black
Tools: Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Scallop Circle Die, Clear Circle Die, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Craft & Paper Scissors, 2-Way Glue Pen
Accessories: Fine Cosmo Glitter, Circle Rhinestone Brad, Silver Elastic Cord, Mini Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

New Wheels

2009-09-28T21:00:00.004-04:00

More catching up! At the beginning of August, Craig's old car went to car heaven and he got a new set of wheels - a new model 2010 Chevy Equinox! It was a long process and I think it was hard for Craig to let the "old girl" go, but it was time. I am just so glad that he has something safe and reliable to drive! Anyway, while we were waiting for it to arrive at the dealer, I wanted to make Craig a card to acknowledge the moment! I had just gotten the new accessory kit for Loads of Love (Loads of Fun) and thought it would be fun to try and create an Equinox! It was a bit of work masking off the back of the Loads of Love truck and drawing in the back of the Equinox, but I am pleased with the way it turned out. One of a kind!

Stamps: Loads of Love, Loads of Fun, Say It With Scallops
Paper: Taken with Teal, Basic Black, Whisper White, Summer Sun
Ink: Taken with Teal, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Real Red, Only Orange, Going Gray, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Aqua Painters, Blender pens, Sponge Daubers, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Real Red Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Only Orange Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

So simple!

2009-09-27T20:44:00.003-04:00

I have been having so much fun with my Big Shot lately. I had seen a sample posted online using aluminum foil and texture plates and I wanted to give it a shot. It's such a simple and inexpensive idea, but it looks so nice when added to a card! I prefer the matte side out, but both look amazing with the texture plates!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Tools: Big Shot, Texture Plates, Scalloped Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (I used the non-dotted side!), Stampin' Dimensionals

Holiday Mini and Promotions!

2009-09-10T20:40:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the delay - the Holiday Mini has been in effect since September 1, but it was also the first day of school - way too much excitement and lots on the to-do list!

Anywho - here is a link to the Holiday Mini. It is a huge one - jam-packed with amazing new products! There are new stamp sets, accessories, paints, rub-ons, sweet treat cups, jewelry, Big Shot dies, and most exciting - a sneak peek at Stampin' Up!'s new "My Digital Studio" software program which will allow you to digitally create a print a wide variety of craft items - scrapbook pages, calendars, greeting cards, and more! You will definitely want to make a big cup of tea or coffee before you take a peek at this mini - ejnoy every page!

You might also want to keep a few promotions in mind as you look at the new mini:

Sweet Rewards Hostess Promotion
From September 1-November 30, host a $330 Stampin' Up! workshop, and choose any one item* from the Holiday 2009 Mini Catalogue for just $14! Choose from our award-winning stamps, beautiful new Simply Adorned jewelry, exclusive Build-A-Bear Workshop products, or latest dies for the Sizzix Big Shot. With so much to choose from, you'll feel like a kid in a candy shop! Make plans today to host your own Stampin' Up! workshop and enjoy this sweet reward. Contact me to book a workshop!

Just for Kids Promotion
During September, Stampin' Up! is celebrating kids, and we've a great deal for the young and the young at heart. From August 1 - September 30 only, get the exclusive Décor Elements Growth Chart--plus, receive a free applicator tool! This very sweet item is only $33.95 while supplies last! Contact me today to order yours! A picture can be found here.

Don't forget that your online order is just a click away! You can order directly from my demonstrator website and your order will be shipped to your doorstep via UPS! Click here for more info!

We have a winner!

2009-08-16T10:01:00.002-04:00

Sorry ladies - Craig and I headed up to the beach for a few days and then I forgot to post the winner of the draw! Congratulations to Diana, who won the free stamp sets! You will love the cute images and versatile greeting stamps as well! I'll linclude them in the bag with your order!

Thanks so much for your orders ladies! They should be arriving soon!

Special Order!

2009-08-10T13:07:00.004-04:00

I will be putting in an order tomorrow evening after 6 p.m. (Tuesday) and I wanted to sweeten the deal a little! If you place an order of $50 or more directly through me (before shipping and taxes), I will throw in a free Classic In-Colour Ink Pad in the colour of your choice. Your name will also be put into a draw! The winner will receive two brand new, unmounted stamp sets - Darling Dots and Sweet Little Sentiments. These are two retired level 1 hostess sets from the Spring/Summer Catalogue and coordinate with each other beautifully - a great addition to your collection and a fantastic prize!

Anyway, if you are interested in placing an order, please let me know by 6 p.m. Tuesday!

Catty CASED Butterfly

2009-07-28T08:03:00.003-04:00

I saw this layout in the new catalogue on page 108 and just had to give it a try. A few elements are different than the original - added ribbon, no stitching, darker background image, different background image, different butterfly, different button, different sentiment set... I think that's about it.

I must say that I have really been enjoying the butterfly die for the Big Shot - they are so cute and it's so easy to punch out multiples with the Big Shot. Don't have a Big Shot? Have you seen the
butterfly punch? Very sweet, too!

Stamps: Branch Out (on the Dormant List, but still available!), Best Wishes & More, Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Barely Banana, Rose Red
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Rich Razzleberry, Apricot Appeal
Tools: Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Scallop Edge Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Crop-A-Dile, Sponge Dauber, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Button Bouquet Buttons (Retired), Hemp Twine, Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Sticky Strip

Like the new tunes? I'm listening to a lot of 70's at the moment - I love the Max Trax/Galaxy Stations on our Cogeco cable - lots of great tunes! :) Craig just chuckles at me rockin' out to the tunes, but they are great to stamp to!

Happy Razzleberry!

2009-07-16T20:36:00.002-04:00

Here's a card I made the other day using my new favourite In-Colour - Rich Razzleberry. I made one for my mother-in-law and another for my grandmother who turned 91 on the same day.

I just love this new colour Rich Razzleberry - such a gorgeous, deep colour and amazing coordinating ribbon. I also love the new set, On A Pedestal, but I chose to only use the bottom of the pedestal image for this card, as a stamped cake would have been too tall. I used a strip of Soft Suede punched with the Scallop Edge punch for the top of the pedestal and then pierced holes with my Mat Pack and Paper Piercer. The cake is actually a Scallop Oval of Rich Razzleberry that I trimmed (3 edges) and then stamped with dots from Itty Bitty Backgrounds. I thought it would tie together all of the dots everywhere else - the background, the cake trimmings, the new ribbon. I'm drooling over this new catalogue!

Stamps: Polka Dot (background), Itty Bitty Backgrounds, On Your Birthday, On A Pedestal
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Kraft, Whisper White, Rose Red, Soft Suede
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede
Tools: Scallop Oval Punch, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Craft & Paper Scissors, Scallop Edge Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Signo White Gel Pen

Bits and Pieces

2009-07-04T11:52:00.006-04:00

Happy Saturday! It's hard to believe that July is here and already in full-swing! I know it doesn't seem like summer is here, give the cooler weather, but I LOVE it! I'm enjoying the holidays but still managing to keep busy. I am taking an online course for work this month and although it is very interesting, it's rather time consuming. Oh well - I am getting a little stamping time in as well, which has been fabulous! I was playing with the new In-Colors this morning and will have to post my creation this week. In the meantime, I have a lot of samples from weeks ago that I hadn't had the chance to post. I will be playing catch up!

I had a few birthday cards to make a little while ago and came up with this. I love the colours! I ended up using bits and pieces left over from a Card Elements Kit, Flower Power Simply Sent Card Elements. It was in the last catalogue and is in the new catalogue as well. The kit is a fabulous deal at $21.95, and what's more - there's a stamp set to match for just $16.95 (WOW Flowers)! The kit comes with everything that you need to make 9 beautiful cards (three each of three designs) - textured cardstock, ribbon, brads, self-adhesive die-cuts and designer series paper. When you have completed all of the cards however, you are left with some fairly large scraps. I loved the DSP in this kit, so I've used it on a few cards since and can't get enough of the colour combination. It matches so well with the Felt Fusion Flowers, so I added a few of those as well. I had received the "On Your Birthday" stamp set free from Stampin' Up! for my Sale-A-Bration sales, so I added a sentiment from that set and popped up the "&" on Kraft Cardstock and a Build-A-Brad (minus the acrylic bubble).

Stamps: On Your Birthday
Paper: Rose Red Textured, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Kraft, DSP from the Flower Power Card Elements Kit
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Tools: 1/2" Circle Punch, Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool
Accessories: Felt Fusion Flowers, Pewter Build-A-Brad, Antique Brass Brad, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

By the way - have you checked out the new buttons on my sidebar? ----->

As I mentioned in my July Newsletter, which was e-mailed out yesterday, Stampin' Up! has a fabulous promotion going on for the month of July. Every week on Monday, a new DEAL OF THE WEEK will be announced. That item will be available for a fabulous price for one week only! This week's deal is a real steal - the Scallop Edge Punch is 30% off! It's only $15.99 until the next deal is announced on Monday though, so be sure to placed your order before the deal changes! Remember that you can order online and have it shipped directly to you, or you can order through me, so long as I have your order by Sunday at 6:00 p.m.! Many thanks to those of you who have placed online orders this week!

Adorable and Simple Project

2009-06-15T21:53:00.004-04:00

We did a super cute and fairly simple project at Regionals a while back and I loved it so much I had to try it again! I think it makes an adorable gift for anyone - who doesn't like to receive handmade cards that they can mail!?

The only sad thing about this project is that these cute Scallop Notes are retiring! Why not order a set for yourself so that you can try this project?! They come cut and scored in a package of 30 with matching envelopes, which would make you 10 of these adorable card holders!

To decorate the cards, I used the Level 3 hostess set Goody-Goody Gumdrops. To decorate the holder, I used the Love You Much set as well as a 2" Aluminum Metal Edge Tag. I stamped the images and sentiments in Jet Black StazOn ink. I used Watercolour Paper, markers and an aqua painter to watercolour the images and then they were punched out with a 1 3/8" Circle Punch. I popped them up on Dimensionals and added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter with a Two-Way Glue Pen. A cherry was stamped on Real Red cardstock, decorated with glitter and adhered to the sundae.

The envelopes were lined with Baja Breeze Designer Series Paper, which is such a sweet detail. Not all that difficult to do, either. I cut pieces that measured 4 1/4" x 3" and inserted them into the envelope so that they just stuck out to the edge of the flap. I traced the shape of the flap on the wrong side of the DSP with a pencil, slid it out of the envelope and trimmed it with my Paper Snips. I then added SNAIL to the underside of the DSP, slid it back into the envelope and then carefully adhered it just below the envelope seal. You only need a little adhesive, that way the paper can move as the envelope is opened and closed.

To create the holder for these cards, I used a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock measuring 9 3/4" x 6". I scored it at 4 3/4" and 5" along the long edge, rotated it 90 degrees and scored at 2 1/2". When those lines are done, you should be able to fold along the score lines and create the folder. The front was decorated using Pink Pirouette cardstock, Baja Breeze DSP, Dimensionals, Rode Red cardstock, Heart to Heart Punch, Two-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds and Kraft Taffeta Ribbon. The ribbon closure was adhered to the folder using Sticky Strip. For extra security, it was fastened under the layer of DSP on the front of the folder.

If you have fallen in love with these cute little Scallop Notecards, don't forget to place an order, as they are only around while supplies last! I will be placing an order on Tuesday evening, so be sure to e-mail me ASAP!

Need Anything?!

2009-06-14T21:40:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post. I will be placing an order on Tuesday evening - if there is anything that you would like, please send me an e-mail and I will add it on. Order forms can be found here.

Don't forget that this is a great time to order your favourite In-Color products and retiring items before they are gone!

Let me know if you have any questions!

A Few Changes!

2009-06-03T06:15:00.002-04:00

There have been slight changes to the Last Chance stamp and accessories lists.

The following stamp sets have been removed from the Last Chance stamp list and will be available for purchase from the dormant list during the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog sales period.

114494 Forever
114492 Beautiful Baby
114486 Birthday Wish
114490 Glad Friends
114498 Flowers in Silhouette
114496 Celebrations
114488 Fun Flowers
114032 Acurelas Maravillosas

Also, the following items were added to the Last Chance accessories list and are available for purchase only while supplies last.

114528 Embosslit Flower
116209 Note of Thanks *
116210 Birthdays Count *

* Be sure to order these cute stationary sets quickly! They make a beautiful, inexpensive gift and are great for beginning stampers, so they're bound to go quickly! Check page 208!

Last Chance!

2009-06-02T20:25:00.003-04:00

Well, it is that time of year yet again! Sets and accessories are retiring from the current catalogue! :( The good news? These "Last Chance" lists will only be seen once a year from now on as Stampin' Up! is moving back to a yearly catalogue! The even better news? Some Last Chance accessories are now being offered at a discount! Check out the shopping area of my demonstrator website for more details!

Here are the lists for your convenience! Remember that while the listed stamp sets are available until the end of June, the accessories are only available while supplies last! Act quickly to avoid disappointment! Online orders can be placed here!

CLICK HERE for the "Last Chance" list in alphabetical order
CLICK HERE for the "Last Chance" list in order of page number
CLICK HERE for the Decor Elements “Last Chance” List

Retiring Accessories are not listed in a PDF, but you can look at the items and check their current availability through the shopping page of my demonstrator website! Click here and then select "SHOP NOW" from the top right-hand corner. You will find the retiring accessories by clicking on "SPECIALS" on the left. They've got them separated into categories based on the discount, as well as a list of all retiring items, whether discounted or not. If all else fails, e-mail me and I will e-mail you a list! :) It is just difficult for me to type them all in here and align the columns!

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions or if you would like to place an order!

A Special Book for a Special Girl!

2009-05-31T19:13:00.004-04:00

We just finished spending the day with my amazing parents, sister and niece and had a fabulous time. The girls headed shopping while the boys watched sports and went to the European grocery store near our place. It was such a fun and relaxing time - a great way to spend a beautiful sunny day! We topped it off by heading to the pond in front of our building to feed the ducks and Canada geese. What a blast! I'm sure you'll be able to catch some pictures later on tonight on my sister's blog.

In the meantime, I realized that there was a special book that I forgot to share with you. The last time Ava visited our condo, we ended up going to Disney on Ice to see some of her favourite characters. We had a fabulous time and I decided to make a little memory book for Ava, filled with pictures from the show. Here's what the cover looked like. I used Pink Flamingo DSP, Longboard Chipboard for the cover (punched with the Big Shot and the Scallop Circle Die - it went through the chipboard and 2 layers of DSP all at once - a beautiful clean edge)! I added in some layered circles cut with every circle punch I own (Whisper White, Cameo Coral and Real Red cardstock). The letters were chipboard covered in Chunky Essentials Glitter, to which I added a flower brad with a Mini Glue Dot (the prongs were removed with the pliers from the Crafter's Tool Kit). I filled the petals of the flower with Crystal Effects mixed with Real Red reinker. The centre of the flower is the gem from a yellow Circle Rhinestone Brad that I had taken apart. To bind it all together, I used my Crop-A-Dile and a ring with a piece of Wide Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon.

The centre pages were just Cameo Coral Scallop Circles cut with the Big Shot and then layered with pictures that I had cut with the Clear Circle Die, which allowed me to crop the pics perfectly! So much fun!

Super Simple Birthday Wishes

2009-05-24T22:00:00.003-04:00

Here's a super quick birthday card I put together. Not a colour combination I would usually use, but I love the bright colours! I started with a Taken With Teal card base cut at 4 1/4" x 11" and then scored it in half. I then stamped the background using Taken With Teal ink and the Polka Dot background stamp. I added a strip of Tangerine Tango that had been punched with the Scallop Edge Punch and then tied a length of Riding Hood Red Ribbon around the card and covered the straight edge of the Tangerine Tango. Before I tied the knot, I slipped the ends of the ribbon through one of the new Basic Jumbo Grommets (from the Occasions Mini catalogue) and tied a knot. In order to fasten the grommet to the card, I used my Mat Pack and Bone Folder - super easy to fasten.

The sentiment (from Wow Flowers) was stamped in Basic Gray ink on Whisper White cardstock and then punched with the Large Oval Punch. I layered it onto a piece of Taken With Teal punched with the new Scallop Oval and a piece of Riding Hood Red punched with the new Wide Oval Punch. All of the layers were popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals to add some interest!

News, news, news!

2009-05-21T06:15:00.004-04:00

So much excitement going on right now - here's the scoop (which will be followed by some samples in the coming days!

1) I will be placing an order on Saturday evening, so if there is anything that you would like, please send me an e-mail or a completed order form and I will look after it for you!
Remember, you can always order directly through my demonstrator website if it's more convenient. It gives you the option of paying by credit card and your order is delivered directly to you.

2) The Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalogue will be on the way shortly, with the launch date set for July 1st! I will be pre-ordering them on Monday, May 25th, so be sure to reserve a copy of the catalogue by dropping me an e-mail. Catalogues will hopefully be arriving from Stampin' Up!at the very end of June/beginning of July! Catalogues are $10 each (payable upon delivery) and will be available after July 1, but pre-ordering guarantees that your catalogue will be in that first batch of catalogues I receive and means you won't have to wait for a second shipment!

3) Our fabulous In-Color products will be retiring at the end of June to be replaced with another 6 gorgeous colours. Remember that this is a great time to purchase reinkers, ribbon, embellishments and extra paper before these beautiful colours are gone for good: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss and Pink Pirouette. Don't forget to include them in your orders!

4) A list of retiring stamps, now called the "Last Chance List" will be out on June 1, along with a list of retiring accessories. Remember that the items on the retiring accessories list are on a first-come, first-served basis!

As always, please e-mail me if you have any questions!

A Little Somethin' from the Big Shot

2009-04-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

Okay - this is getting ridiculous - I can't get enough of the ideas in the catalogue! This one comes from page 201 although I used different colours, a different stamp set, and I added some sponging. I am really pleased with the result, although Soft Subtles aren't usually my thing! Love the panel of Bashful Blue with the little flower heads all over it - such a cute idea! I seem to use all of my large dies for the Big Shot, but these Sizzlits are adorable!

Stamps: A Little Somethin' (Level 1 Hostess Set)
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Garden Green, Mello Moss, Kraft
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Apricot Appeal (shows up better than Barely Banana!), Bashful Blue, Garden Green
Tools: Big Shot, Birds & Blooms Sizzlits, Sponge Daubers, Crafter's Tool Kit
Accessories: Button Bouquet Button, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Old, New, Simple and Blue

2009-04-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

I found a great, simple layout in this year's Sale-A-Bration mini catalogue (page 10) and wanted to tweak it - colours, accessories, stamps, etc. Here's how it turned out.

I am still so upset that Soft Sky is retired. It never fails that I fall in love with at least one of the In Colours - last year it was Soft Sky, this year it's Pacific Point. Doesn't help that our wedding colours were Soft Sky and Not Quite Navy! Anyway, I thought I'd bring the old and the new together on this card - Soft Sky and Baja Breeze. Love them with Chocolate Chip, especially those gorgeous corduroy buttons!

Stamps: God's Beauty (Level 1 Hostess Set), All Holidays
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky (retired), Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Tools: Crafter's Tool Kit, Corner Rounder Punch, Ruler
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals

Back in the Saddle

2009-04-23T20:32:00.003-04:00

Perfect card to get back in the saddle - a thank you - for hanging in there and still reading!

I started this card wanting to use bright colours and a great layout from page 139 of the catalogue. I'm really pleased with the way that it turned out, although I wish the quality of this picture was much better - my apologies! :)

I can't get enough of Stampin' Up! punches these days and seem to use them any chance I get! I also seem to have moved away from layering and prefer a simpler look - often not even stamping the card base. Isn't it funny how you change your style over time? I wonder what my next stamping habit will be.....

Stamps: Love You Much, A Little Somethin' (Level 2 Hostess Set)
Paper: Pacific Point, Real Red, Glorious Green, Apricot Appeal, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray, Basic Black
Tools: Scallop Edge Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Trio Flower Punch, Crafter's Tool Kit, Signo White Gel Pen
Accessories: Rich Regals Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Bright Birthday

2009-04-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

It's not very often that I create a card using just one colour family - particularly Bold Brights, so this card was a nice change from the usual! I can't get enough of accessories these days and these cute clips from the Clips Assortment are so much fun to play with! You can use them on their own to accent a piece of cardstock, or add a piece of ribbon to them as I did here. I wrapped the ribbon around the whole top piece of the clip rather than feeding the ribbon through the centre and tying off on the side. You will want to do this after the clip has been put on the card though, as the ribbon may slide off while you are clipping it to the card.

Stamps: Sweet Celebrations, Cute & Curly
Paper: Only Orange, Real Red, Lovely Lilac, YoYo Yellow, Whisper White
Ink: Only Orange, Real Red, Basic Black, Lovely Lilac
Tools: Paper Snips, Small Star Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Sponge Daubers, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Basic Black Gingham Ribbon, Clips Assortment

Happy Easter!

2009-04-13T15:15:00.004-04:00

Okay - a little late, but today's Easter Monday, right? :) I hope that you had a fantastic Easter with family and friends! It sure was a beautiful weekend!

Here's a quick Easter card that I made up last week - simple but elegant. This was inspired by the Spring/Summer Catalogue - p 107, although I used a different colour combination and stamp set. I love the way that ribbon is used on this card - I just swapped out the polka dotted ribbon for Wide Chocolate Grosgrain instead!

Stamps: All Holidays
Paper: Barely Banana, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Baja Breeze Patters DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Tools: Wide Oval Punch, Crafter's Tool Kit, Boho Blossoms Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Pretties Kit, Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Need Anything?!

2009-04-06T22:17:00.002-04:00

I will be putting an order in on Wednesday of this week. Please let me know if you would like me to place an order for you. Simply fill out the order form found here and e-mail it to me! Don't forget the great promotion in effect for the month of April! For every $50 in product you order from the new Occasions Mini Catalogue, you will receive a free item from page 208 of the Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalogue! Haven't noticed this page before??? It's fabulous! Such cute, reasonably priced items for you, or for someone you love!

P.S. Have you checked out the awesome project videos on my demonstrator website lately? Some very talented, creative staff at Stampin' Up! have been filming some fantastic projects with some of the new products featured in the Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalogue as well as the new Occasions Mini Catalogue. The videos are fabulous and definitely worth watching! They can be checked out here! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

An Old Standby Colour Combo

2009-04-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

Oops! Sorry - there was no text here for a while. I had started this post on Thursday night and was planning on finishing it before it went live yesterday! What a crazy week!

When I first started stamping, this was one of my favourite colour combinations - Perfect Plum and Mellow Moss (I added in the Apricot Appeal and Elegant Eggplant). It has been a while since I have used these colours, so I thought I'd pull them out. I really like how it turned out. The Sweet Stems stamp set is so much fun to play with. They are all line images, so it leaves a lot of options open!

Stamps: Sweet Stems, Cute and Curly
Paper: Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Apricot Appeal. Mellow Moss, Whisper White
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Pale Plum, Apricot Appeal, Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke
Tools: Scallop Edge Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch (retired), Designer Label Punch, Crafter's Tool Kit, 2-Way Glue Pen
Accessories: Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware

From Mini Card to Full-Sized!

2009-04-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

As you can tell, I have been drooling over my catalogue as of late. I have always appreciated the gorgeous samples in the Idea Book and Catalogues that Stampin' Up has released in the past, but this Spring/Summer catalogue just has me in awe. Such different layouts and some very creative ways for using different products! I liked the mini card that this full-sized card is based on (page 174), but was in need of something bigger, so I changed a few things. There are things that I like about each card, but all in all, the catalogue one looks much better. I think the proportions are much better on the catalogue card. Will have to give this card another try and see if I can improve on my first attempt!

Stamps: Define Your Life Alphabet

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Rockabilly Specialty DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Tools: Tag Punch, 1/16" Circle Handheld Punch (retired), Heart to Heart Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors, 2-Way Glue Pen

Accessories: Blooms Die Cuts, Chunky Essentials Glitter, Stampin' Dimensionals, Hemp Twine, Mini Library Clips

Congratulations!

2009-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another card inspired by the catalogue - page 134 this time. I have so many chipboard letters that I have been hoarding, so I figured that it was time to bring them out and start using them up. I have also been hoarding buttons, but my newfound love of "threading" them with a very thin strip of cardstock seems to be helping. I just can't get enough of threaded buttons!

Stamps: Hugs & Wishes
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Kraft, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White Craft Ink
Tools: Flower Trio Punch, Sponge Daubers, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: On Board Timeless Type, Silver Brad, Riding Hood Red Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Fresh Favourites I Buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue-Dots

With Love

2009-03-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

I loved this card when I saw it in the catalogue (page 133) and just had to make one myself. I admit - it is shamelessly copied - just a few minor changes to accommodate the supplies I had on hand. I swapped out the "Outlined for Fun" set for the soon-to-disappear "Yummy" set. If you've had your eye on this stamp set, now is the time to get it, as Sale-A-Bration ends on April 1 - no joke!

Anyway, there are three other changes from the original: 1) I used my retired Soft Sky cardstock, as I still have a few sheets to use up; 2) I used a different piece of Designer Series Paper - Soft Sky DSP in a different pattern than the one in the catalogue and 3) I stamped a different image on the heart punch outs. I love the simplicity of this layout - super quick to create. I would love to try it out again with a different colour combo!

Stamps: Yummy, Seeing Spots
Paper: Soft Sky, Real Red, Barely Banana (I think - my memory is failing me!), Whisper White, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky DSP
Ink: Soft Sky, Real Red, Apricot Appeal, Chocolate Chip
Tools: 3/4" Circle Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Paper Snips
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals

All that glitters...

2009-03-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

...is on this card!

I decided to try a square card this time around and wanted to make something that would show off all of the sparkly products that Stampin' Up! carries. I ended up using Fine Cosmo Glitter, Silver Embossing Powder, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Brushed Silver Cardstock and Rhinestone Brads. What's that? Rhinestone Brads? Where? Check out the square in the bottom right-hand corner. At Regionals, they showed how to take apart the Rhinestone Brads so that you are only left with the gem inside. Such a cool idea and a neat look! To do this, I spread apart the prongs on the back of the brad. You will find 2 tiny prongs that are folded over to hold the gem in place. Simply pull those back and the gem will pop out. Just be careful that you don't scrape off the silver backing on the gem while you're fiddling - that's what makes the gem sparkle!

The other neat things that you may not be able to tell from the pic: I used the new Texturz Impressions plates from Stampin' Up! on the Basic Gray Cardstock and then added the glitter to the raised areas. I used a stylus on the vellum cardstock to add that frosty white look to the flower image - I stamped the flower image in StazOn ink and then placed it on top of the foam mat from the Crafter's Tool Kit. I used the fine tip end of the stylus to rub the flower petals. It seems to break the fibres in the paper, making it look like you've coloured the flower in with white somehow - a pretty cool look in person. The other 2 squares? Cardstock layered with punched out hearts and regular embossing. Nothing too difficult, but a cool look.

Here's the recipe:

Stamps: Sweet Stems, Seeing Spots
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Pacific Point, Rose Red, Brushed Silver, Vellum Cardstock
Ink: StazOn, Silver Encore Pad
Tools: Heart to Heart Punch, 2-Way Glue Pen, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Powder Pal Trays, Big Shot, Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, Stylus, Crafter's Tool Kit
Accessories: Fine Cosmo Glitter, Stampin' Dimensionals, Silver Embossing Powder, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads, Glue Dots

Spring has sprung, the grass has ris...

2009-03-28T23:48:00.005-04:00

...here's where all the birdies is!

It was such a beautiful day today - sunshine, milder temperatures... Did I get outside to enjoy any of it? No - I wanted to stamp instead. At least I was able to open the balcony door and let some warm fresh air in. Birds were chirping, I was listening to my favourite John Mayer tunes... Life was good and productive this afternoon!

I found the layout for this card on page 68 of the catalogue. The card that they designed is really cute, but I am not a fan of the sock monkey stamp set, so I traded him out for these sweet little birds and used brighter colours - so springy!

Anyway, I got quite a few projects completed today which was great. I have been trying to get some cards done for my own stash, as well as getting some done for a store in my hometown. I will keep you posted on that - I'm so excited at the opportunity to sell some of my cards! Any suggestions on what to charge per card?

Here's the recipe for this simple card:

Stamps: Love You Much, Seeing Spots
Paper: Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Staz On Jet Black
Tools: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Pacific Point Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Fresh Favourites I Buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Birthday Wishes

2009-03-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is another card from February - I made it for my brother-in-law. I love the colour combination on this one, and I remember being super excited to use this new stamp set and the new corduroy buttons. They are so fabulous! I would love to have them in every colour! Oh the wish list I have.....!!!

Here's the recipe:

Stamps: Branch Out, Wow Flowers
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa
Tools: Crafter's Tool Kit, Cutter Kit, Sponge Daubers, Signo White Gel Pen, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Hemp Twine, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pop-Up Birthday Cards - Part 2

2009-03-25T06:00:00.001-04:00

As promised, here is the pop-up birthday card I made for my niece, whose birthday is over the Easter weekend. I hope that she likes it. As soon as I saw this new 3-D Die from Stampin' Up! I thought of her. It makes such a cute card. I'm hoping to make a few more of these, as it would make a sweet wedding card, too. There is actually a little bride and groom on the die that you can punch out to decorate the cake with, as well as the candle that you see on top of this cake. This die will be available for customer purchase beginning April 1st, along with a very sweet 3-D Pop-up Ball die. You can check them out in this flyer. They are a little bit trickier than the other dies that are available, but once you put one together, it's super easy (and addictive)!

Here's the recipe:

Stamps: Yummy (get yours free!), All Holidays, Happy Everything
Paper: Regal Rose, Raspberry Tart DSP, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Rose Red
Ink: Staz On Jet Black, Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker, Rose Red Stampin' Write Marker
Tools: Big Shot, 3-Tier Cake Die, 2-Way Glue Pen, Craft & Rubber Scissors, Paper Snips, Circle Scissors Plus, Glass Mat, Scallop Edge Punch, Heart to Heart Punch
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, Silver Brad

Pop-Up Birthday Cards - Part 1

2009-03-24T06:00:00.001-04:00

I made these pop up cards back in February for my adorable twin nephews, Ethan and Owen, who celebrated their first birthday on Valentine's Day. You can check out these very handsome fellows by clicking here. I can't believe that they are already a year old. Seems like just the other day I was sneaking in to the nursery at the hospital to see them for the first time. Now they are walking and climbing and exploring! I don't know how my sister is still standing at the end of the day with 3 kids under 3, a very busy dog and a part- almost full-time job to boot - you're amazing, Jen!
This first card was for Owen, who is usually dressed in green, while the second one was for Ethan, who is usually dressed in blue.

I had a blast working with the "All in the Family" stamp set for these cards. I love how these little people look when they are masked and added to letters and numbers - super cute. I did some paper piecing and added pop-up elements to the inside of the cards - it was a very fun challenge. No regular cards for these kids! I even decorated the envelopes with some paper pieced balloons on kraft envelopes - I love the look of the kraft!

Here's the recipe:

Stamps: All in the Family, Big Deal Alphabet, Sweet Celebrations, Seeing Spots, Family Accessories
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Brilliant Blue, Glorious Green, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White Craft Ink
Tools: Paper Snips, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Hobby Blade, Craft Mat, Signo White Gel Pen
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

NOTE: Part 2 will be coming tomorrow - I made a pop-up card for my niece, too, whose birthday is coming up soon!

Princess For A Day

2009-03-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

On Saturday night, Jennifer, Ava and I went to see Disney on Ice: Worlds of Fantasy at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. We had a fantastic time - it was great to see the look on Ava's face. I think I watched her reactions more than the show!

Before we left for the show, I gave Ava a princess jewelry box that I had made for her, complete with princess jewelry inside. I found the instructions for this project on JanTink's blog. It's actually the second time that I tried this project. The first attempt was a year or two ago and it was somewhat disasterous. I tried using my Coluzzle at the time, but the measurements on the Coluzzle don't match the measurements in the instructions and nothing fit together right. I was so excited this time around, as I have the new Circle Scissors Plus and Glass Mat from Stampin' Up! - it is fabulous and you can be extremely precise with the measurements - anything from 1" to 6". I had great success with the project this time around and would almost consider making another, althought it is a lot of work!

Thanks for a great time, Jen and Ava!

Congratulations to Krafting Karen!

2009-03-22T20:25:00.003-04:00

Wow! I was blown away by how observant everyone was! Fantastic! We will have to try that again but next time I will have to try a little harder to stump you!

Congratulations to Krafting Karen, whose observations were most accurate! Way to go Karen! Please e-mail me with your mailing address so that I can mail you your Big Shot pieces! I've got them all ready to go! Thanks for playing everyone!

Krafting Karen said...
#1 Leaf on flower is now pointing down instead of up
#2 Birthday is stamped on a more narrow piece of cardstock, and looks like it's now been sponged maybe just the shadow I'm seeing though
#3 The Green layer has been moved over and placed underneath the punched white strip
#4 Looks like the Birthday greeting has been moved down a bit but it may be an illusion as the cardstock is now smaller (see #2)
#5 Looks like the holes on the white strip have been placed farther over than the first card. WHEW!!! I must say that I like both of the cards!!!
1:50 PM

Can you spot the differences?

2009-03-22T06:00:00.003-04:00

As promised, I've got a game for you today!

Here are a couple of simple cards that I made a little while ago. I made this one first and just didn't like the overall look - too simple.

I decided that I would try it again and step it up a little.

There are 5 changes that I made between the first version and the second version. Some changes are obvious while others are a little more subtle. Can you spot the changes? Post your answer in the comments section. The first person to list all 5 changes correctly will win an assortment of items that have been popped out with the Big Shot! I'll even include the pieces for a 3-D Pop-Up Cake! Have you heard about this new product? It will be available to customers on April 1st! Here's a flyer to show what it looks like - there's also a 3-D Pop-Up Ball, which is adorable for turning into a soccer ball or beach ball or embellishing with pictures! I've been playing around with this die so stay tuned for a few pictures!

Current Promotions

2009-03-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

SALE-A-BRATION
Sale-A-Bration is still in full swing! You still have time to sale-a-brate, as this fabulous promotion runs until the end of March. For every $60 in purchases (before shipping and taxes), you can earn a free item from the Sale-A-Bration Mini Catalogue! Contact me today to place your order! You can also take advantage of this promotion by placing an order online from my demonstrator website! It should ask you for your free selections before you enter your payment information. Hostesses and recruits can also benefit from this great promotion, too! Hostesses earn a free SAB item with a workshop of $350 or more, while recruits can select ANY set from the Spring/Summer Catalogue absolutely free! E-mail me for more information!

FREE IDEA BOOK & CATALOGUE
Stampin' Up! will be offering free idea books with the first 2,000 online orders or until April 30, 2009, whichever comes first. Place your online order through my demonstrator website by clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the top right-hand corner. Your order and free catalogue will be delivered directly to you!

OCCASIONS MINI SNEAK PEEK
Get a head start on your Easter and spring cards by pre-ordering some beautiful stamps from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalogue! This has never been an option for customers before!While I can't show you the shole Occasions Mini, Stampin' Up! has released a few pages from the mini for you to enjoy. You can pre-order any of the sets from these pages before the actual mini is released! Simply use the item numbers below when ordering through me or online! Happy Easter stamping!

113196 An Egg-cellent Easter $27.95
113262 Wagon Full of Fun $46.95
113822 Eight Great Greetings $37.95
115421 Ocho saludos geniales (Spanish Eight Great Greetings) $37.95
114643 Huit souhaits sympas (French Eight Great Greetings) $37.95
113833 Egg Hunt Stampin' Around wheel $7.75

STARTER KIT PROMOTION
Along with the free stamp set you would receive from the SAB promotion mentioned at the beginning of this post, March recruits have the opportunity to pay only $209 for their Starter Kit! Even better, they have the option to pay that in three easy payments instead of one lump sum. The incentive to sign up has never been this fantastic! The starter kit is filled with over $410 worth of product and business supplies and will start you on a fantastic journey and business opportunity. Please e-mail me for more information or check out page 14 of the Spring/Summer Catalogue.

Keep in mind that this discounted starter kit is only available until the end of March. In April, the Starter Kit will be back to the regular price of $249, but you will still have the Three Easy Payments option.

Sponged Thanks

2009-03-21T10:12:00.002-04:00

Back on track! March Break has worked wonders! My back is better than it has been in a long time and I've had plenty of time to get some stamping done! I've also got a new battery for my laptop, so I'm hoping to set up a string of posts, as I know that I've been lacking. I can't believe that so much time has lapsed since my last post! I promise to make it up to you. I've got a fun game to play tomorrow, new products to show, and pictures from Regionals to share in the next little while!

This is a card that I made quite a while ago. While I was doing some housekeeping with my computer files, I realized that I had forgotten to post it. I love the difference that a little sponging makes when you are layering multiple papers on a card. I have used both the round yellow sponges and the sponge daubers from Stampin' Up! and I have to say that the daubers are by far my favourite. They last longer and give a nicer look to the technique. I have little plastic stamp containers that I keep my daubers in - one for each colour family. I have them all labelled too, which is a great way to make sure they don't get mixed up.

Stamps: Elegant Thank You (from p. 208) - one of the "Under $12 Items" - have you seen these???
Paper: Kraft, Pretty In Pink, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Candy Lane Designer Series Paper
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa
Tools: Sponge Daubers, 1/2" Circle Punch, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Dimensionals, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware

Nine Minute Tuesday

2009-02-17T20:12:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Feeling awful that I missed yet another Five Minute Friday last week. I am still having problems with my back. The doctor told me that there is mild degeneration in my spine, which is rare for someone my age unless they play high impact sports. For those of you who know me well, you will get as much of a chuckle out of that as I did - the last sports related thing I did was bowling on the Wii and it didn't last long!

I am beefing up on calcium, Vitamin D and glucosamine to prevent things from deteriorating further, but haven't really found a solution for the pain yet. Anyway, my stamping seems to come in very brief stints these days, so I will try to do my best, but stamping and posting will be sporadic. As a bonus today, thanks to a weekend of resting, I have a very simple card for you. I was hoping that it would be suitable for Five Minute Friday, but alas - I was longwinded! :) Anyway, Happy "Nine Minute Tuesday" instead! ;)

Enjoy!

How cute are these?

2009-02-10T22:33:00.002-05:00

Just had to post a picture! I had mentioned in a previous post that I was so excited to use the new Fleurettes from Stampin' Up! to make hair clips for my favourite niece and I finally got around to it this weekend! I love how they turned out. I just picked up some simple hair clips and "Mono Filament" from Wal-Mart. I found the mono filament in the craft section near the beads. Basically it's fishing line. I was thinking of using the clear stretchy beading thread, but figured that it would have too much give. I think the mono filament worked like a charm and they should be fastened on to the clips quite well! I hope she likes them!

Five Minute Friday!

2009-02-07T23:51:00.009-05:00

Okay - I'm a little late. Again. Haven't been able to sit or even stand for long these days, as I've had a ridiculously sore back. I had a few x-rays on Wednesday to see what's causing the pain, so hopefully I will have some answers once I meet with the doctor on Thursday. It was a pretty rough week, but I rested all evening Friday and most of the day today, so that helps.

Anyway, enough belly-aching - let's get to the stamping! Fortunately I have a couple of videos stored on my computer, so I just had to edit and narrate this one to get it up and running. I didn't want you to have to wait another week for the video!

My first bundle of new items from the catalogue came this week and I have big plans to use it all once I'm feeling better. One of the things that I bought was the new Circle Scissor Plus and the Glass Mat. I refer to it in today's video, as the Coluzzle is no longer available. There are many video tutorials out there that explain how to use the new cutter. Here's a great one! What a fantastic product!

Well - here it is at last! Enjoy!

Five Minute Friday!

2009-01-30T06:00:00.003-05:00

Well, after a brief break from Five Minute Fridays, I'm back! I apologize - the date on the sketch is a little out of whack as a result of my slacking!

This is probably my favourite Five Minute Friday card thus far. The idea came from the Fall/Winter 2008-2009 catalogue. I thought it was such a simple, but elegant layout. I don't usually use colour combinations like this one, but I think it came together nicely! Enjoy!

P.S. The library clips are too large to go through the mail with regular postage - you'll need 2 stamps!

All In the Family!

2009-01-27T21:11:00.003-05:00

Friends of ours had a little boy last Friday and of course, it was a great excuse to make a card. I thought that "All in the Family" was a great set to use! I love how much you can personalize things with this set. Height, appearance, outfit and then all of the colouring possibilities. Such a cool set!

Anyway, I started with Pacific Point for the base and stamped the Polka Dot background stamp in Pacific Point. I used the Top Note Die and the Big Shot to cut out the Certainly Celery, which was then sponged with Certainly Celery ink and a sponge dauber. I cut one side of the die cut off so that it would fit across the front of the card. This layer was popped up with dimensionals.

The next layer is Whisper White and was stamped with Basic Black ink. I used my Stampin' Write markers to colour in the family, using darker colours for the shadowed areas and lighter coordinating colours for the rest of the image. It almost makes the image look watercoloured, but without all the work!

The sentiment was stamped in Bashful Blue on Whisper White cardstock. I then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the sentiment again in Pacific Point but slightly off of the first impression, this time creating a shadowed look. I continued the shadow by punching the Whisper White and Basic Gray with the Curly Label Punch. The two pieces were adhered together slightly off of one another. This was popped up with dimensionals. I tied Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon around the top of the card front and trimmed the ends with my Craft & Paper Scissors. The last step was to use Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive to adhere some Fine Cosmo glitter to the star in the sentiment. It just gave it that 'little extra' I was looking for!

More Winners!

2009-01-25T20:01:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Sherry and Beth, the winners of the "Create-A-Calendar '09" kits! Here are their 'must-haves' from the new catalogue:

Sherry said...
I was really excited to see all the fun new embellishments .. corduroy buttons, fleurettes, punches, texture plates, ribbons.. How is a girl to choose just one?! .. I really love the texture plates and newest sizzix dies the most though.. I think!

Anonymous said...
I love the corduroy buttons, and I have to have both the Quilt Quips stamps and the Great Grads stamps. Of course, if I ever get my hands on an order form, I doubt if I'll stop there! --Beth

Ladies, please e-mail me with your addresses and I will mail out your prizes this week! Thank you so much to everyone who posted - it is always interesting (and dangerous!) to see what has caught someone else's eye. I am going to have to extend my wish list!

Thanks again ladies and look out for a new creation soon! I actually got a chance to sit and stamp this morning!

P.S. Mary - please e-mail me with your address so that I can mail out your prize from the first giveaway!

Giveaway Game Winner...and Another Giveaway!

2009-01-24T08:10:00.006-05:00

Congratulations to Mary, who correctly guessed my favourite new accessory - the Accents & Elements Fleurettes!

Mary, please e-mail me with your mailing address so that I can send out your "Create-A-Calendar '09" Kit!

In case you haven't checked out the new Fleurettes, they are on page 177 of the new catalogue. I have seen similar products out from other companies, but I especially love Stampin' Up!'s, as I know that the red and pink will perfectly match my inks and cardstock (I love that about SU!). The other thing that I am excited to try with them is making the sweet little hair clips seen on page 65 in the catalogue. What a fantastic idea! I think they'd be a beautiful gift for a little someone!

Anyway, here is the rest of my Wish List (first edition), in case you are wondering what else has caught my eye in the new catalogue. The highlighted items are the ones that I put on my first order! I can't wait for it to come in so that I can play with it ALL!!! I am hoping to plan an Open House around the end of February/beginning of March so that you can check the new toys out for yourself!

SOOO EXCITING!

So what's the first thing on your Wish List? Post a comment and let us know! I have 2 more "Create-A-Calendar '09" kits to give away, so I will draw 2 names randomly from those who leave a comment! The deadline is Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. ET.!

New Catalogue and a Giveaway Game!

2009-01-20T20:50:00.009-05:00

Sorry for the absence lately. Can you tell that I've been drooling over the new catalogue?!? If you haven't seen it yet, I HIGHLY recommend you head on over to my demonstrator website where you can browse it online. If you're like me and you just have to have the real paper copy in your hands, send me an e-mail - I've got a few copies left!

I must say - Stampin' Up! has really gone the extra mile with the new catty. It is filled with some amazing stamp sets as always, as well as a tonne of new accessories! This is always my favourite section of the catalogue and this one is no exception! New ribbon, brads, embellishments, die cuts, Scrappin' Kits, glitter...the list goes on an on (as does my wishlist!)

Anyway, I don't want to spoil the fun and the surprises for you, as it's so great to check these things out for yourself, so go ahead...check it out and be sure to come back when you're done...I have a little challenge for you!

Are you back? What did you think??? Amazing, isn't it? Drooling yet?

I know I was and I'm not afraid to admit it. Craig can vouch for me as he was laughing the whole time I checked it out!

Anyway, now that you've checked it out, I thought we'd have a little fun with this...I have a little giveaway!

The first person to answer this question correctly will win the "Create-A-Calendar '09 Kit" featured in the Winter Mini catalogue:

Which NEW accessory am I most excited about between pages 151 and 192?

Post a comment below with your guess. I will post the winner once the correct item has been guessed! Remember, it is a NEW item, so be on the lookout for the N symbol beside the description (if you're looking at a paper copy)! Don't have the paper copy? Go to my demonstrator website and click on Shop Now. It will take you to the online version of the catalogue. Look under "Embellishments"!

NOTE: I will be placing my first order from the new catalogue on Friday, January 23rd! Please let me know if you would like to place an order! Don't forget - you can always order directly from my demonstrator website so that you can use your credit card and have the order shipped right to you!

A Super Quick One

2009-01-15T06:17:00.006-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick post before I head out into the frosty air! It's -16 here in Oakville, but by the time I get to work, it will be -21! Not as bad as yesterday though. En route to work, the thermometer in my car registered -27 outside without the windchill!

Anyway, I created these super easy cards last week as Christmas thank you cards and I have yet to fill them out and send them. Hoping to take care of that tomorrow!

I used Kraft cardstock for the base and Whisper White for the layers. The sentiment (from Fresh Cuts) was stamped in Basic Black, as was the flower from the new set, Sweet Stems. I used Certainly Celery, Bravo Burgundy and Pretty in Pink markers to colour in the flower and then used Rose Red and a blender pen to add the darker bottom portion of the flower (Using the blender pen allowed me to shade a little). I punched the flower layer out with a 1 1/4" Square Punch and then sponged the edges with Sahara Sand ink and a sponge dauber. This was mounted to another square, which was punched with the 1 3/8" Square Punch. I didn't use any SNAIL on this card, just dimensionals (as you can tell from the lighting in the picture - oops!). I love how it gives this simple card some depth!

Five Minute Friday!

2009-01-08T23:08:00.010-05:00

Well, it's hard to believe, but it's already that time again! I'm not quite sure where this week went, but I am definitely glad that the weekend is about to begin!

Here's the next Five Minute Friday video. I hope that you enjoy it - I just love this new In Colour "Pacific Point"! Such a bright, vibrant colour!

Note: Please don't look too closely at the timing on this video - it's over 5 minutes! Oh well - blame it on my slow fingers!

Updated Retiring Accessories and an Inventory Blowout!

2009-01-07T21:10:00.002-05:00

(UPDATED Thursday, January 8). If there is anything that you are interested in, be sure to place your order quickly, as they are only available while supplies last. I will update this list again tomorrow, as items will retire quickly. Orders for these items can be placed through my demonstrator website, or by e-mailing me with your order.

In addition to the retiring accessories, Stampin' Up! is holding an Inventory Blowout with some great retiring/retired products at a reduced rate. You will also notice that some of last year's In-Color products are available! A great opportunity to pick up beautiful products at a reduced price! Check out the hodgepodge hardware and the ribbon originals! :) Click here for more information on this great promotion!

Please let me know if you have any questions about the promotions and if there is anything that I can do to help!

RETIRING ACCESSORIES:

111377 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS ROOF GARDEN
112012 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS SEASON TO SHARE
112088 ACCENTS & ELEMENTS TRUE ELEGANCE
102782 ALBUM LEATHER BLACK 12X12 Not Available
104188 ALBUM LEATHER BLACK 6X6
105384 ALBUM LINEN POST MELLOW MOSS 6X6*
104516 ALBUM LINEN POST NAVY 6X6
105381 ALBUM LINEN POST REAL RED 6X6* Not Available
103977 BUTTONS BOLD BRIGHTS*
103978 BUTTONS EARTH ELEMENTS
103981 BUTTONS EARTH ELEMENTS & NEUTRALS
105446 BUTTONS RICH REGALS
105445 BUTTONS SOFT SUBTLES
103604 DAYS-TO-REMEMBER CALENDAR 12X12
102174 DAYS-TO-REMEMBER CALENDAR 8 1/2X11
112465 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER BANBURY Not Available
112462 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER GEORGIA PEACH
112463 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER GHOSTLY GREETINGS
112040 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER GREEN TEA
112470 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER HAIKU
112460 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER HAWAII PAPAYA
112469 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER HOLIDAY TREASURES
112458 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER JUNIOR VARSITY
112459 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER MAINE BLUEBERRY
112466 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER MUIRFIELD
112149 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PARISIAN SUMMER
112467 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PRESTWICK
111355 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER SUMMER PICNIC
112039 DESIGNER SERIES PAPER WINDSOR KNOT
106523 ENVELOPE TEMPLATE FIVE-IN-ONE CARD COVER
104104 ENVELOPE TEMPLATE MINI
107298 ENVELOPES CONFETTI WHITE MEDIUM
110695 ENVELOPES OPEN END KRAFT SMALL
109115 ENVELOPES OPEN END VERY VANILLA SMALL
103372 METAL EDGE TAGS ALUMINUM WHITE SQUARE
107925 ON BOARD BITTY BOOK*
109190 ON BOARD CLIPBOARD 9X9*
109180 ON BOARD SIMON UPPER
112086 ON BOARD SOMETHING SEASONAL
107923 PAGE PROTECTORS RING 3.25 X 3.25
104942 PUNCH 1/4 INCH CIRCLE Not Available
104943 PUNCH 1/4 INCH SQUARE
107273 PUNCH 3/4 INCH SQUARE
104389 PUNCH DOUBLE CIRCLE*
100391 PUNCH HANDHELD 1/8 INCH CIRCLE Not Available
104830 RIBBON GINGHAM CARAMEL
104829 RIBBON GINGHAM LIGHT BLUE
104828 RIBBON GINGHAM LIGHT PINK
104831 RIBBON GINGHAM MOSS
109037 RIBBON GROSGRAIN MORE MUSTARD 1/4 INCH
110282 RUB ON ANCHORED
111806 RUB ON CHILLS & THRILLS
111805 RUB ON SCHOOL DAYS
111417 RUB ON WORD FLURRIES
110283 RUB ONS TAKE NOTE
112193 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN I WISH
112186 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN PINA COLADA
112068 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN SUMMER HOME Not Available
112043 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN U R SWEET
112061 SIMPLY SCRAPPIN WINTER RETREAT Not Available
112016 SIMPLY SENT CARD ELEMENTS HANDMADE HOLIDAY
109868 SIMPLY SENT CARD KIT LIFELONG NOTES
103647 STAMPIN STORE MINI
105813 WRITE ME A MEMORY FONT CD VOL II

RETIRING WHEELS:
107212 MATEYS MAP
106749 BRIGHT BULBS
109672 BRONCO Not Available
104100 MAKING TRACKS
108978 SANDY SHELLS
110332 SNOW
101233 SNOWFLAKE
109694 SWEET STARS
111249 TAKE A NUMBER

*This item is discounted and included on the Inventory Blowout.

Placing An Order

2009-01-03T09:29:00.002-05:00

I will be putting in an order Sunday morning - there are some things that I just can't live without! :) Topping the list: Mini Library Clips (p. 184), Designer Button Bouquet (p. 187), and the Create-A-Calendar Kit (Holiday Mini - video tutorial coming soon). If there is anything that you just can't live without and would like to order, please let me know and I will order it for you. Order forms can be found here. Simply fill out the form, save it and e-mail it back to me!

Did you enjoy the new DSP featured in yesterday's video? You can order that, too! It's part of the "Love you Much Bundle"! Click here for more information! Don't forget that you only have a few more weeks to purchase from the retiring stamp set list! Click here for more information!

An added incentive: If you place an order with me before tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. EST, your name will go into a draw to win the "Best Yet" Level 1 stamp set! I will announce the winner tomorrow!

NOTE: I am able to personally deliver orders to my local customers (anywhere between Arthur and Oakville). If you are outside of this area, but still within Canada, please send me an e-mail first and we can arrange something!

And the winner is.......

2009-01-02T22:21:00.003-05:00

I apologize that this post is so late. We had company for dinner tonight and I'm just sitting down now - sorry to keep you in suspense! I used the random integer generator from Random.org and the winning comment is number 6......Marilyn! Marilyn's comment:

WOW! Oh, WOW! all this coming to your blog soon! {happy dance!} I can't contain my excitement... You teaser you {wink} PLUS videos! Yeah, you go gal! I am so here - Marilyn
6:57 AM

Thanks so much to everyone for your support and well-wishes. I hope that you enjoyed the first Five Minute Friday video and that you have a wonderful weekend! Let me know if you get creating this weekend!

Marilyn, please send me an e-mail with your mailing address so that I can send you your goodies!

Thanks everyone for playing along!

Five Minute Friday!

2009-01-02T08:27:00.017-05:00

As promised, it's Five Minute Friday!!! I hope that you enjoy this new feature - please let me know what you think! If you try out the sketch, let me know! I would love to see your spin on it! Feel free to leave a link to your creation in the comments section of this post so we can see your beautiful creation!

Here is the sketch that I used for today. Thanks to my sister for the great notepad that she put in my stocking for Christmas this year - it has come in handy already! A great place to keep track of ideas!

And without further ado - here is the video! Sorry - no music on this one, but feel free to turn on your own music to accompany! :) Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post for your chance to win some Blog Candy! I will be drawing a winner at 6 p.m. EST tonight! :)

Look What's New!

2009-01-01T10:36:00.004-05:00

NEW YEAR, NEW FEATURE, NEW PROMOTION, NEW CATALOGUE, NEW GIVEAWAY!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you had a great time ringing in the new year with family and friends last night. It's hard to believe that 2009 is here already! I don't know where the time goes anymore, but I do know that I need to take advantage of the slower days! It's been an adjustment commuting to work every day and I don't think that I've factored that into things. In total, I spend 2 1/2 (sometimes 3) hours driving to and from work each day, and it does cut in to the time I have for other things, particularly stamping. I don't mind the commute at all, as I love where I work and the people I work with, it just means a little adjustment in the time I have for other things. I have been extremely inconsistent with my posts over the last few months, which I am really apologetic for, but again - it's been an adjustment for me. I genuinely appreciate your support of my blogging and stamping and it is my hope that I will be more consistent in the new year. I owe it to you, and I also owe it to myself to spend time unwinding and creating. I can't promise posts every day, but I'm hoping for a few a week, which leads me to a more exciting "new"...

New Feature! FIVE MINUTE FRIDAYS! Each Friday, I will post a five-minute video for a quick and simple card that you can recreate. Each one will begin with a sketch that I've picked up from the Stampin' Up! catalogue. The great thing about including the bare-bones sketch is that you can create something similar or make it completely different just by changing a few elements - colour, images, supplies, etc. Consider it a bit of a springboard for yourself! I always love to see what you're creating, so feel free to leave a link in your comment if you post a creation using the sketch! I'm sure other readers would love to see what you've come up with!

New Promotion! From now until the end of January, you can order the "Love You Much Bundle" at a savings of 20%! The bundle includes a beautiful 6-image stamp set, a package of Candy Lane Designer Series Paper, and the new Heart-to-Heart punch - all products from the new Spring & Summer Idea Book & Catalogue! Click on the link above to view the flyer and see these gorgeous products for yourself. Remember that you can place a direct order by visiting my demonstrator website, or simply by e-mailing me with your order. Here are just a few ideas for using the items in this beautiful bundle:

Little candy containers using the Sizzix Pillow Box die and Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
Handmade Valentine's Day boxes for school or home.
Candy bouquets with stamped accents.
Candy jar with a Designer Series paper belly band and stamped tag.
Sweet words jar: Take a glass jar and decorate it with paper and stamps. Then put a bunch of slips of paper into the jar that say why you love the recipient. The recipient takes out one slip of paper each day.
A decorated photo frame.
A Valentine's gift wrapped in Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
Confetti made from punched out hearts; good for putting on tables or beds, or in a cello bag as filler.
Place settings (napkin holder, name tents, etc.) for a special Valentine's dinner.
A 50 Reasons I Love You book.

Look for another project featuring this bundle in tomorrow's Five Minute Friday Video!

New Catalogue! It's almost here! The new Spring & Summer Idea Book & Catalogue will be released on January 19th and is full of gorgeous new products - delicious new DSPs, punches, stamp sets and more! I have pre-ordered 2 boxes of catalogues, but they will be reserved on a first-come-first-serve basis, so be sure to e-mail me to reserve your book ASAP! Catalogues are $10 each, payable when you receive it. I will order more catalogues as needed, but they may take a little while to come in. Please e-mail me to reserve your copy!

New Giveaway! A little blog candy to start the new year right! The winner will receive the "Best Yet" Level 1 hostess stamp set, a roll of Bravo Burgundy Grosgrain Ribbon and the Level 1 Hostess "Patterns Pack" DSP! In order to be entered in the draw, please leave a comment on this post. I will draw a winner on Friday at 6 p.m.!

And finally - a reminder - don't forget about the retiring stamp sets! An alphabetical list can be found here and a numerical list can be found here! Get your favourites before they are gone for good!

PROMOTIONS and RETIRING SETS!!!

2008-12-15T21:50:00.003-05:00

WOOHOO!!! Christmas has come early! So many wonderful things happening over the next few weeks!

First things first, Stampin' Up! has a free shipping promotion on until December 23rd. From now until the 23rd, you will receive free shipping on orders of $100 or more (before taxes). Feel free to contact me to take advantage of this great promotion, but also remember that you can order online through my demonstrator website and have the order come directly to you - what ever you prefer!

The other great promotion involves the retirement list that Stampin' Up! has released for the current catalogue. I know that it is always a sad time when our favourite sets retire, but there is an extra perk this time around! For the first time, Stampin' Up! is offering a 10% discount on all retired sets, but this promo only lasts until the 23rd of December. Why not pick up those sets you have had your eye on before they are gone for good!? Free shipping and a 10% discount?! WOW! The alphabetical retirement list can be found here and the numerical retirement list can be found here.

As if that weren't enough already - there's one more! To help celebrate Stampin' Up!'s 20th anniversary, when you spend $20 on any Stampin’ Up! products you will get 20 percent off any stamp set from the Fall-Winter Sampler—no limit! Click here and scroll down for a list of sets in the sampler!

Sorry for the quick post - it's a hectic week, but I just had to pass on the info! Please e-mail me if you have any questions or if you would like to take advantage of these promotions!!

Hey, Santa Claus!

2008-11-29T10:12:00.003-05:00

I filmed this tutorial weeks ago when I was preparing for last weekend's craft fairs. I have yet to add him to a project, but I hope to in the next few weeks. I think it would make a great card for my niece and nephews. Oh how I love Christmas!

Please let me know if you give this project a try! I would love to see what you create! If you have a blog and you post your project, be sure to link back here! Enjoy!

Great promotion and a sweet deal from me!

2008-11-26T08:03:00.015-05:00

Sorry for the long absence. It's been an insane month. Here's hoping that December is a little bit slower. I know that sounds strange, but it could be true!

Anyway, I have a lot to share with you in the next few days. My last few weeks have been filled with craft fairs, report cards, 700 fundraiser cards and just every day "stuff". I haven't had time to post anything, but I have been saving up some pictures to share, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, here's the HUGE news for today: Stampin' Up! is offering 20-50% off of some of their fabulous products - just in time for holiday shopping! They are offering several fantastic themed product bundles at an unbelievable savings! Act quickly as this promotion only runs until December 1st and supplies are limited!

Here are the bundles:

All in the Family Bundle (item 116217) – 50% Off
The Manly Man’s Bundle (item 116224) – 50% Off
Seasonal Stamper’s Bundle (item 116221) – 40% Off
Alpha-Betcha Need This Bundle (item 116226) – 40% Off
I’m On Board Bundle (item 116218) – 30% Off
Bags & Tags Bundle (item 116216) – 30% Off
Curly Label Punch Bundle (item 112966) – 30% Off
Star Stuck Bundle (item 116220) – 30% Off
Sticky Situation Bundle (item 116222) – 30% Off
Mission Embossable Bundle (item 116223) – 30% Off
Scrapbooker’s Dream Bundle (item 116227) – 25% Off
Wild Thing, I Think I Love You Bundle (item 116225) – 20% Off
Ribbon Storage Bundle (item 116228) – 20% Off

The best way to take advantage of this AMAZING offer is through online ordering, which you can do through my demonstrator website. Click HERE and then click on SHOP ONLINE in the top right hand corner. The rest is super simple! The bundles (and the contents of each bundle) are listed under SPECIALS>HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA on the right-hand side so that all you have to do is select them to add them to your cart. Don't forget that online ordering means that orders are shipped directly to you by UPS! These bundles make a great gift for anyone, but they can also end up in YOUR stocking! Pass this information on to your significant other so that they can surprise YOU this Christmas! Why not pass along your wish list!? They can have the order delivered to themselves without you knowing! Don't forget that orders over $200 will also receive HOSTESS BENEFITS!

Okay - let me sweeten the deal! The first five customers who place online orders will receive a FREE stamp set, which I will mail to you directly:

First Customer: "Best Yet" - Level 1 Hostess Stamp Set AND a spool of Bravo Burgundy Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon

Second Customer: "Best Yet" - Level 1 Hostess Stamp Set

Third Customer: "For A Friend" - Retired Level 1 Hostess Set

Fourth Customer: "For A Friend" - Retired Level 1 Hostess Set

Fifth Customer: "So Many Scallops" - Retired Sale-A-Bration Set

Please note that I can only take orders from Canadian customers. I will update the above list as orders are placed. Get in on the action early!

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you need any help with online ordering! These orders are also available through me as a regular customer order, but will not qualify for the free stamp sets from me!

Simple Thank You

2008-11-01T08:18:00.004-04:00

I stumbled across this card on my computer this morning and realized that I completely forgot to post it! I made 6 of these the other day for the upcoming craft fair season and they took no time at all to make.

I used Kraft cardstock for the base and added a piece of Kiwi Kiss cardstock to the bottom (I had stamped Itty Bitty Backgrounds on the Kiwi Kiss with the same colour ink.). I layered on a piece of Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon and then trimmed the ends with my Craft & Paper Scissors. I used the Curly Label stamp set and the Curly Label punch (sold as a bundle) to create the little label. It is stamped in Basic Black on Whisper White and then popped up with dimensionals.

For the focal point, I layered two of the Felt Fusion Flowers on top of one another and then used my Crop-A-Dile to secure a Silver Brad in the centre. This was then adhered to the label with a Pop-Up Glue Dot. Super easy!

Don't forget - You can order any of these items directly from my demonstrator website found here. Simply click on SHOP NOW in the top right corner! Orders will be delivered directly to your house!

Stamps: Curly Label Punch Bundle Set; Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Paper: Kraft, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black
Tools: Craft & Rubber Scissors, Curly Label Punch, Crop-A-Dile
Accessories: Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Felt Fusion Flowers, Silver Brad, Dimensionals

The Diaper Cake!

2008-10-28T21:27:00.006-04:00

We had a baby shower last week for a very dear friend and co-worker of mine. I wanted to do something very special for her and for her precious little girl. I had seen pictures of diaper cakes before, but really didn't have any idea how they came together.

I turned to YouTube and found more than what I was looking for! One video that I came across gave me the basic instructions for the cake, while another video helped me to figure out the centrepiece! It was a clip from Martha Stewart's show and a woman was showing the cutest flowers made out of baby items - bibs, socks, facecloths, hats and even onesies! I didn't attempt the onesies, as the bibs were bulky enough as it is. I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out! Not to mention the fact that it made our den smell like baby powder for the couple of weeks that it was there!

So many friends are having little ones these days - I can't wait to make the next cake! :)

(I will post the Wish Book and Thank You cards that I made for Sue later on this week!)

A Quick Creation

2008-10-26T21:08:00.001-04:00

Here's one of the projects I made during a creating frenzy the other day. The next few weeks are pretty nuts, so I've been trying to get as many items made as I can. I have back-to-back craft fairs on November
22-23, so I want to have as much made as I can. I've got these cards bundled in packs of 6. Hope they're a hit!

Stamps: Best Yet

Paper: East Coast Prep DSP (retired), Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi (reitred)

Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi (retired)

Tools: Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Square Punch, Crop-A-Dile, Craft & Paper Scissors, Sponge Daubers

Accessories: Wide Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

Yikes! I know it's too early to be stamping when...

2008-10-19T19:35:00.007-04:00

...my craft area ends up looking like this!

I got up early on Saturday morning (hence the empty coffee mug), as I needed to make a card for the wedding that Craig and I were attending. I always like to make the card match the bride and groom's invitations, so my parameters for this card was that it had to be in Earth Elements - particularly Chocolate Chip and Really Rust. Chocolate Chip is a colour that I use quite often, but I think it was the Really Rust that was throwing me off. I made 2 other cards before I was satisfied with the result. I pulled out everything - daubers, embossing powders, punches, gel pen, DSP, my cutter kit, crafter's tool kit...you name it, it was out! The only thing that I ended up using on the final card were the daubers!

I was very pleased with the final result, but it was a long time coming and it took me quite a while to tidy everything up afterward. I had every drawer of my organizers pulled out, not to mention embossing powder on the floor and the heat tool in the kitchen! AHHHH! Anyway, here's the final card. The wedding was beautiful and we had a great time at the reception - great friends - definitely worth all of the mess yesterday morning! :)

NOTE TO SELF: When making a large card, make sure that your card base will fit in the envelope BEFORE you start building the card! :) I had measured accurately for the first and second cards, but by the time this one came into being, I had forgotten the card measurements and made the card the exact same size as the envelope I had! D'OH! I ended up having to make my own envelope out of a sheet of acetate! AHHHH!!!

Stamps: Together Forever; Forever Flowers Standard Wheel
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust
Tools: Sponge Daubers, Craft & Paper Scissors
Accessories: Wide Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon (Retired); LOTS of Stampin' Dimensionals!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-10-11T09:49:00.003-04:00

Here's a quick and cute Thanksgiving project, just in time! Have a wonderful weekend with your family and friends!

Promotions and Celebrations!

2008-10-08T20:49:00.013-04:00

Fantastic promotions in October! Read on! If you would like to take advantage of these promotions, I will be placing an order on Thursday evening! E-mail me with your order today!

Celebrate World Card Making Day!
From October 4-11, in celebration of World Card Making Day, get 20 percent off Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Sent® card kits and Card Elements—no additional purchase necessary! World Card Making Day celebrates the art and creativity of handcrafted cards, and these kits contain everything you need to create and embellish beautiful cards every day. Click here for more information!

Happy Birthday, Stampin’ Up!
Stampin’ Up! is celebrating their twentieth birthday by giving YOU a 20 percent discount on a selection of birthday stamp sets with a $20 purchase of any Stampin’ Up! products. Birthday stamps are some of the most popular and widely used, so take advantage of this special offer before it ends October 31! Click here for a list of the discounted sets and more information about this promotion!

Extra Hostess Benefits!
From October 1-November 30, host a workshop of $460 or more and get a FREE stamp set from the Fall-Winter 2008 Catalogue Sampler in addition to the already fabulous hostess benefits! Space and time are limited, so schedule your workshop today! Click here to view the catalogue sampler!

Special Product Offer!
From October 1-31, you can get a single large-tip Aqua Painter® for only $8.50. The Aqua Painter is an easy-to-use watercolouring brush that gives fantastic results. A single Aqua Painter has never been offered before, and may never be offered again, so be sure to take advantage of this special offer today!For more information on any of these limited-time offers, contact me today.

Spooky Spider Décor Elements
Spooktacular Spiders Just in Time for Halloween!
Make your home and Halloween projects spooktacular this year with Spooky Spider Décor Elements! Decorate your candy jar to thrill the treaters, or adhere it above your door to scare off the tricksters. Spooky Spider comes in three sizes and is priced low so it won’t break your candy budget. These spiders won’t hang around long, so contact me today to get your Spooky Spider Décor Elements before they vanish into the night!

114761 Black Décor Elements Spooky Spider (S) $6.95

114764 White Décor Elements Spooky Spider (S) $6.95
114762 Black Décor Elements Spooky Spider (M) $12.95
114765 White Décor Elements Spooky Spider (M) $12.95
114763 Black Décor Elements Spooky Spider (L) $17.95
114766 White Décor Elements Spooky Spider (L) $17.95

Project Video: September/October

2008-10-05T19:05:00.005-04:00

Thank you so much to those of you who have already placed your first online order through my demonstrator website. I am so excited for you to receive your first order, as I know how excited I get when I know that Mr. Brown (UPS) is on the way with new toys!

As a special thank you from me, you will receive a package of project materials in the mail. Inside, you will find all of the supplies that you need to make these adorable projects! The only tools that you will need - SNAIL adhesive and your favourite pair of scissors! Here's how it all comes together:

Let me know if you have any questions! I can't wait to set up the November/December projects!

You're On My Mind

2008-09-29T06:26:00.005-04:00

Here's a fairly quick card that I did the other day using my new Big Shot. I love this machine! I've been having a lot of fun with this Top Note Bigz Die and the Baskets and Blooms Die. There's just something so neat about creating your own accents out of any sort of material! I have bought some fun foam to try with it - as long as you're using a Bigz or Originals steel-ruled die, there are 50 materials that you can cut through! WOW! Here's a link to the list, as well as a link to more info about the Big Shot.

Well, without further ado, here's a little video tutorial for you! Sorry about the closeness of the camera. I have my webcam strapped to my desk lamp, so I can only be so far away from the desk! :) Hope you enjoy the music! I'm such a big New Kids fan all over again! I went to two of their concerts when they were in Toronto and I'm hooked! :) Gives me something to listen to while I'm creating!

Don't forget - ONLINE ORDERING is now available through my demonstrator website! Click on SHOP NOW in the top right corner! Your order will be shipped directly to you! Every online order entitles you to 2 of my free project kits! Instructions to be posted shortly and materials will be mailed out to those of you who have already taken advantage of online ordering! You're going to love the projects - so many new products to try out!

Wow! Did you know...

2008-09-27T10:15:00.005-04:00

...that you can now place an order with me online!?! Completely online from the comfort of your own home, at any time - day or night! 24-7! Here are a few details! Hang on til the end - there's a perk when you place an order with me through my website!

How does it work?
You will find a link in the top right corner of my Demonstrator Website that says "Shop Now". When you click on it, it will take you to the shopping area, which works the same as other online shopping websites. You can use the categories on the left hand side to find what you are looking for, or you could enter a search into the box above. All current catalogue products are available through the online catalogue, so if you know the item number from the catalogue, you can find your items that way as well by entering it into the search box. When you find the product you want, simply click on the item and it will give you more details, as well as pictures of samples made with that item! How cool is that?! To add it to your 'shopping bag', click on "Add to Bag". It's that easy! You can check your shopping bag at any time by following the link in the top right corner. You can change the quantity of items and remove them, if needed.

When you are finished shopping, click on "Checkout". If it is your first time ordering online with me, you will need to create an account. Simply fill in the information, select your method of payment - VISA or MasterCard and follow the rest of the instructions. The best part? Your order will be shipped DIRECTLY TO YOU! How cool is that? Shipping costs are $9.95 for orders under $100 and 10% for orders over $100.

Stampin' Rewards
If your order totals $200 or more, you qualify for Stampin' Rewards (Hostess Benefits), just as you would with a regular order! The reward breakdown is the same as it is in the catalogue, so with a $200 order, you receive $20 in free merchandise and a free Level 1 set! Can't get to the $200 mark by yourself? Ask a friend if they would like anything! You can't set up a separate order for them, but you can combine your two orders together and enter it as one qualifying order in order to get your rewards!

Promotions
Many of Stampin' Up's promotions will be available to you online! Contact me or check the Promotions page of my Demonstrator Website to see if it is being offered through online ordering!

On occasion I offer my own personal specials to customers. Unfortunately I cannot offer these on online orders. Please contact me directly if you would like to take advantage of my personal offers.

AND FINALLY...
As an incentive for those who decide to order online...I will send out two mini project kits to you each time you place an order online through me! For the remainder of September and October, the projects will be a Christmas card and a mini basket project! November and December will bring two new projects!

Please contact me if you have any questions. I'm more than happy to help!

Need Anything?!

2008-09-15T20:30:00.002-04:00

I will be putting in an order on Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. If there is anything that you would like to order, please let me know! Order forms can be found here! Don't forget to check out the latest promotions so you don't miss out on anything!

Stay tuned for information about online ordering - I will post more details tomorrow! :)

Cards for a very dear friend

2008-09-14T20:49:00.008-04:00

A very dear friend of mine is expecting a little bundle of joy to brighten her world any day now. I am so excited for her and for her husband - they are such wonderful, wonderful people and will be fabulous parents! I am so excited for the little one to arrive and I'm prepared now that I've got a few cards on hand!

I made these cards last weekend, after I checked out Kristina Werner's blog (one of my favourites). She had created this cute baby card with a onesie stamped repeatedly (every other one was raised with dimensionals). I decided to try my hand at something similar. You can't really tell from the picture, but the middle onesie is raised on each card.

I really wish that this Stampin' Up! set was still around - it's from last year's Spring Mini, but it didn't make the cut for this latest catalogue. My fingers are crossed for the next catalogue, as it could still make it in - all is not lost!

Stamps: Polka Dot, By Ones & By Twos
Paper: Rose Red/Regal Rose, Pacific Point/Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Vellum Cardstock
Ink: Rose Red, Pacific Point, Basic Black, Jet Black Staz On
Tools: Scallop Edge Punch, 1/16 Handheld Punch, Paper Snips
Accessories: Dimensionals, Signo White Gel Pen, Blender Pens

Brace Yourself...

2008-09-08T20:36:00.007-04:00

...I finally stamped!

It had been WAY too long since I had stamped last and boy did I ever feel it - everything seemed awkward! I didn't know where to start or what set to use, especially since my stamping room has been relocated and rearranged! After a lot of experimenting and awkward pauses, I came up with something that I was pleased with, but I can't wait to take a little more time and get back into the swing of things - my mojo has to be packed away in these boxes somewhere! :)

I made this card for my parents' anniversary, which was this past Saturday - September 6th. They have been married for 33 fabulous years, which I am very proud of - they are a fantastic couple and are an inspiration! Love you guys very much!

I started with Pacific Point for the card base (What an unbelievably vibrant colour! Amazing in real life!) For the image, I inked the flowers from Upsy Daisy (p. 101) in Bashful Blue and then added Pacific Point ink to the stems and tips of the petals with a sponge dauber - a neat effect - just be sure to start with light colours and then do the dark. I breathed on the rubber before stamping it to remoisten the ink and then stamped it onto the Whisper White cardstock. This was layered onto Bashful Blue cardstock and then punched with the slit punch to create an opening for the ribbon. I put a small slit in the spine of the card with my hobby blade and fed the Pacific Point Striped Ribbon through. I also fed the ribbon through the slit in the layered pieces and fastened the layers to the front of the card with dimensionals once I had the ribbon all sorted out. I tied the ribbon in a double-knot and trimmed the ends. The final touch was the raised circles which were created with the Crop-A-Dile and then decorated with little circles that I drew with the White Signo Gel Pen.

More changes!

2008-08-13T22:59:00.002-04:00

I have changed the URL address for my Stampin' Up! business website! If you have it bookmarked in your browser, be sure to change the address to
http://melissa_downey.stampinup.net
Let me know if you have any problems! I have changed the links on the left of my blog, so they should all work properly and should take you to the places listed!

Thanks!

Special Offer Extended!

2008-08-13T06:54:00.004-04:00

I apologize about the online catalogue. I am not quite sure why it is promtping you to download the PDF file, as the old catalogue did not work that way. I ended up having to download the file twice before I was able to get it to open. It was soooo worth it though! I have yet to make my official wish list, but I will soon! Here is a longer version of the wishlist if you would like to print one off! I know I will be doing just that!

In light of the problems with the new online catalogue, I am extending the special offer until next Wednesday (August 20th) at 9:00 a.m. Those who submit their order by that time will be entered into a draw to win a special prize pack valued at over $50! If that isn’t enough incentive, there’s more! Orders of $50 or more will receive one of the new In-Colour Ink Pads as a thank you from me! Be sure to let me know which ink pad you would like when you order! You can add it on the order form found here - just put $0.00 as the item price!

Don’t forget - my new e-mail address is melissa_downey@rocketmail.com! Be sure to add it to your address book so that you will receive my e-mails! My Yahoo account will no longer be used!

I'm back!

2008-08-11T07:33:00.009-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope that you are still there! I know that it has been quite a while since I last posted, but it has been an exciting few months!

First things first, Craig and I were married on July 26th! I am now Melissa Downey! It was a beautiful day, a lot of rain in the morning and crazy weather all around us, but the sun was shining by the time the ceremony began and it stayed for the rest of the day! We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful and magical day. It was unbelievable! I can't tell you how much fun we had and how much we enjoyed spending the day with family and friends. I will have to post more pictures for you later, as there was a lot of stamping that happened before the big day - Save-the-Date cards, invitations, favour boxes, programs, wine bottle labels, reserved signs, placecards, gift cards, gift tins, thank you cards, wish notes, a picture display - I even had the cake decorator add the stamped image to our wedding cake! Stay tuned for more pictures! Thanks to my very talented sister, Jen, for these pictures!

Craig and I spent our honeymoon in Europe. We landed in Amsterdam (Holland) and spent time with my Uncle Kevin. From there we took a train to Brussels and Bruge (Belgium), Paris (France), Cologne (Germany) and then back to Amsterdam for the remainder of our trip. We had an amazing time! There were so many beautiful things to see and delicious food to be eaten! It went by far too quickly, as did the wedding, but it is so nice to look back through the pictures and reminisce! I took over 900 pictures in Europe, so there is lots to scrapbook! I will show those to you as I go along, but here's one of my favourites - the Eiffel Tower at night. We climbed up to the second level earlier in the day (half way up - 150m) and then returned in the evening to see it lit up. It was breathtaking!

We are settling into our new condo (or I should say that I am, as Craig has already been here for a couple of months). There is still so much to be moved, including my stamping stuff, but I hope to have some creating time in the next little while. I spent so much time stamping things for the wedding that it will be nice to use some of the new toys that I ordered from the Catalogue Sampler (read more below!). So much to do, but I've got a bit of time to get it done, so I can't complain.

In stamping news, I have so much to tell you - please hang in until the end - there's a special offer! :) Here we go:

Catalogue Samplers
Stampin' Up! has started a new publication that replaces the Catalogue Sneak Peek - it's the Catalogue Sampler! It's a great way to take a peek at some of the beautiful new products that will be available in the new Idea Book & Catalogue being released today at noon! It will also be a great way to introduce your family and friends to stamping, scrapbooking and papercrafting, as the big catalogue can be a little overwhelming at first! I have mailed Catalogue Samplers to my customers, but if you can't wait that long for it to arrive, send me an e-mail at melissa_downey@rocketmail.com and I will send you the PDF file so that you can take a peek!

Big Shot
Unbelievable news! There's a new big shot in town--the Sizzix Big Shot for Stampin' Up! The Big Shot is a sturdy manual die cutting machine used to die cut materials for use on crafts, home décor projects, and even clothing--it's a big deal! You'll love what the Big Shot machine, a 6-time winner of Creating Keepsakes Reader's Choice Award for best die cutting equipment and dies, can do for you.

It is an unbelievable tool for your stamping, papercrafting and scrapbooking, but there's also more - Design your own custom pillow appliqués using the Tulipe Bigz die or make custom fabric flowers to embellish a quilt. From sewing to quilting to home décor, the Big Shot is the perfect tool for many types of crafting. Use our Stampin' Up! exclusive dies to create die cuts and stencils with our artwork and designs for all your craft needs. You'll be able to cut and score 3-D items in seconds, or create embellishments for cards, scrapbook pages, or any other type of project by cutting multiple images at once.

The Big Shot works with ALL competitive dies, and the steel rule dies can cut through an impressive list of 50 different materials, including fabric, foil, and chipboard! A rule of thumb - if you can cut it with your Craft & Rubber Scissors from Stampin' Up!, you can cut use your steel rule die to cut it!

It's important to note that there are different types of dies.
- Originals, Bigz, and Bigz XL dies. These steel ruled dies cut through virtually any material and multiple sheets of card stock and Designer Series paper.
- Sizzlets dies (or chemically etched dies). These dies are small and detailed, often creating scored or perforated details. These dies cut through thin materials, and multiple sheets are not recommended.

Stampin' Up!'s Big Shot Machine and Dies will be available to customers beginning September 2nd! If you would like to see the brochure for more information or to check out the line of products that will be available, please send me an e-mail at melissa_downey@rocketmail.com and I will send you the brochure!

$119 Starter Kit Promotion
From August 11-October 11, potential recruits will have the option of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator by purchasing one of three special mini Starter Kits* priced at $119.

Stamp-Focused Starter Kit*:
109515 Fun & Fast Notes stamp set $36.95
100730 Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11") $8.95
105548 Bold Brights card stock assortment (8-1/2" x 11") $9.50
101179 Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad $6.25
104332 SNAIL Adhesive $8.75

Scrapbook-Focused Starter Kit*:
111570 Contempo Alphabet stamp set $48.95
113059 Simply Scrappin' Petal Party $23.95
105212 Pixie Pink Classic Stampin' Pad $6.25

Home Décor-Focused Starter Kit*:
111656 Inspired by Nature stamp set $28.95
114088 Décor Elements Chocolate Classic Ff $4.75
114126 Décor Elements Medium Chocolate Long Stem Silhouettes $20.95
114285 Décor Elements Applicator $2.25
111835 Kiwi Kiss Classic Stampin' Pad $6.25

*Each kit also includes the same business supplies that are found in the standard Starter Kit (the Home Décor-Focused Starter Kit also includes 25 Décor Elements brochures). While all items in the Starter Kits are recommended, a new demonstrator may substitute a like item of equal or lesser value.

Contact me today to find out more or to sign up - the possibilities are endless and these fantastic kits allow you to tailor your business to your own crafting preferences!

Fall-Winter Catalogue Sampler Promotion
New Recruit Incentive: From August 11-October 11, 2008 when you join as a demonstrator with the standard $249 Starter Kit you can choose one stamp set out of the Fall-Winter Sampler or Idea Book & Catalogue for free. Contact me for more information!

Never Before Seen Promotion
From August 11-September 30, Stampin’ Up! is providing never-before-seen savings on brand-new stamp sets: 15% off select new, die-cut stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue--no additional purchase necessary. Select items are listed below:
111690 Snow Swirled - NOW $25.46
111734 Folies de flocons (French Snow Swirled) - NOW $25.46
111586 It's a Stretch - NOW $24.61
111544 Putt Putt (Not available until August 18) - NOW $25.46
111626 Eastern Blooms - NOW $22.06
111672 Pocket Silhouettes - NOW $19.51
111726 Silhouettes florales (French Pocket Silhouettes) - NOW $19.51
111710 Upsy Daisy - NOW $19.51
111746 Pensées en fleurs (French Upsy Daisy) - NOW $19.51
111556 Under the Stars - NOW $30.56
111644 Heard from the Heart - NOW $22.91
112875 Tout droit du coeur (French Heard from the Heart) - NOW $22.91
111570 Contempo Alphabet - NOW $41.61

THE NEW IBC!
The electronic copy of the catalogue will be available through my demonstrator website as of 12:00 p.m. MT! Be sure to check it out as soon as it launches! If you are like me and you are waiting for the paper copy, you won’t have to wait too much longer. The cases of new Idea Book and Catalogues that I ordered are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday! Those of you who pre-ordered your catalogues will receive an e-mail once they arrive! As always, catalogues are $10 each. All of the catalogues that I have pre-ordered are spoken for, but I will be ordering another case shortly. If you would like to purchase a copy, please let me know and I will put your name down for the next shipment!

Last, But Certainly Not Least - The Special Offer!
I am anxious to place my first order of goodies from the new catalogue and plan to place it on Wednesday morning! I know that no one will have a chance to look at their paper copy by this time, but remember - the online catalogue will be available HERE later on today! If you place an order with me by 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, you will be entered into a draw to win a special prize pack valued at over $50! If that isn’t enough incentive, there’s more! Orders of $50 or more will receive one of the new In-Colour Ink Pads as a thank you from me! Be sure to let me know which ink pad you would like when you order! You can add it on the order form found here - just put $0.00 as the item price!

Don’t forget - my new e-mail address is melissa_downey@rocketmail.com! Be sure to add it to your address book so that you will receive my e-mails! My Yahoo account will no longer be used!

Retiring Items Up For Reservation!

2008-07-04T19:59:00.009-04:00

I have finally gone through my stamp collection and sorted out the sets that will be retiring once the new catalogue comes out on August 11th. I have to make room for new sets and it means fewer things to pack when I move to Oakville! I am not able to sell these sets until they are officially retired on August 11th, but I am going to put out the list in case there are some sets that you would like me to reserve for you. I will put your name on the set and then it can be yours as of the 11th of August. I have priced them at 1/2 of the original cost, which is a great deal. They have all been very well cleaned, conditioned and cared for and the wooden blocks were all sprayed before I trimmed and assembled the sets!

If you would like me to set aside one, two or more of these items for you, please e-mail me with the names and prices of the sets you would like. Items will be set aside on a first come, first served basis. I will update this list regularly so that you know which items are still available. Without further ado - the list!:

p. 59 All Through the Year - $11.50
p. 138 Amazing to Zany - $27.00 - KAREN McD
p. 110 Background Basics - $8.50
p. 48 Be Happy - $13.50 - RUTH ANNE S
p. 143 Circle of Friendship - $11.50 - JENN R
p. 135 Dotted - $11.50
Frosty (retired from the last catalogue) - Brand new, never mounted - $12.50 - KAREN C
Glad Tidings (not in catalogue - was on the dormant list) - $18.00 - BETH McC
p. 52 Greetings Galore - $20.00 - JENN R
p. 116 Little Pieces - $11.50
p. 86 Polka Dots & Paisley - $12.00 - KAREN McD
p. 135 Print Pattern - $11.50
p. 159 Rough Edges Mini Alphabets - $13.50 - DIANA M
p. 35 The Snowflake Spot - $13.50 - KAREN C
p. 97 So Much - $20.50 - KAREN McD
p. 129 Stamp of Authenticity - $20.50
p. 56 Tagger's Dozen - $11.50 - BETH McC
p. 61 Unfrogettable (with Lily Pad wheel) - $20.50 - NANCY D
p. 88 Wild Rose - $23.50
p. 136 Word Search - $11.50 - NANCY D
p. 19 Make it Count - $8.50 - RUTH ANNE S
p. 24 Time Well Spent - $17.50 - RUTH ANNE S

I'm sooooo in love!

2008-07-01T07:26:00.013-04:00

So much exciting news!!!
First of all - I'm in love! Stampin' Up! has officially launched their Decor Elements line of home decor items. I can't wait to get my desk for my new stamping space - I'm going to put decor elements right on the desk! :) They can be applied to walls, mirrors, windows, or other hard, smooth surfaces. I will keep you posted and show you what it looks like when I'm done! In the meantime, if you're curious about the product line, you can check out the brochure here. There is a great introductory video, complete with instructions, on my demonstrator website. Click here and then click on the area that says LEARN MORE to access the video! Let me know what you think. You'll be amazed at how easy they are to apply as well as remove! Check out what she does with the centre of that frame!!!

The best news? Decor Elements items can be purchased NOW! Check out that brochure that I mentioned before and let me know if there is anything that you would like to purchase. Remember that the last order I will be placing before my wedding is on July 7th. If you'd like to fill out an order form, one can be found by clicking here!

In other news, Stampin' Up! has a fantastic promotion happening for the month of July. Hodgepodge Hardware is being offered at a 25% discount while supplies last! That means $25.08 CAD after the price adjustment and the discount! What an AWESOME deal! Hodgepodge is already a great value when you consider the variety and quantity of items included in each tin! Don't miss out or the supply will be gone for good! Here's the ordering information you'll need:
105532 - Aged Copper Hodgepodge Hardware - $25.08
105531 - Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware - $25.08
105515 - Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware - $25.08

Don't forget that the current In Color Collection will retire with the current catalogue. Be sure to stock up on ink pads, reinkers, paper and coordinating accessories before they're gone forever! Ordering information for papers and inks can be found on page 163 of the current catalogue. Here are the current colours:

Don't forget to order any retiring stamp sets that have caught your eye before they too are gone for good! Here the lists are in alphabetical order and in numerical order by page number. Just click on each link and the file will show in a separate window. Be sure to contact me and place your order before the chance passes you by. I am offering my customers a special - for every 2 retiring sets that you purchase, I will throw in a FREE SNAIL REFILL! Don't forget to add it on to your order form with $0.00 in the price column!

REMEMBER: My last order for July will be going in on the 7th of July, as Craig and I will be getting married and heading to Europe for our honeymoon. Don't worry though - I will return for the unveiling of the new catalogue and will be back in business!

16 cards in an hour is a BREEZE!

2008-06-25T22:14:00.004-04:00

I had a bunch of thank you cards that I needed to make and I figured that the quickest way to make them was to use some of the Designer Series Paper that I have been hoarding. I am sure that some of my DSP will be retiring with the new catalogue, so I had better start using it up! It's such beautiful paper and is a quick and easy way to jazz up a card.

All of the cards that I made use Bali Breeze DSP, a coordinating cardstock base, Whisper White and Kraft cardstock, dimensionals and various types of SU! ribbon. I can't specifically recall the inks, but I know that I used Earth Elements, Rich Regals and Bold Brights - no Soft Subtles this time around! Anyway, from the beginning until the end, it took just a little over an hour to complete them all. Quick and easy!

The Long Lost Update!

2008-06-23T18:46:00.025-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA for so long, but I will make up for it with lots of info and a few pics!

RETIRING LISTS

It's already that time of year and there are some absolutely adorable sets that will be saying farewell! The sets on this list are available through August 10th, and then they will say goodbye forever!

For your convenience, here are the lists in alphabetical order and in numerical order by page number. Just click on each link and the file will show in a separate window. Be sure to contact me and place your order before the chance passes you by. I am offering my customers a special - for every 2 retiring sets that you purchase, I will throw in a FREE SNAIL REFILL!

In related news, Monday, July 7th marks the last order that I will be placing from the current catalogue, due to our wedding and honeymoon. If you would like to order any items, including any retired sets, be sure to e-mail me your completed order form by July 7th! This will allow me to get the last order, package it and deliver it to you before the wedding! :) We return from our honeymoon on August 9th/10th. It doesn't give me enough time to place an order after I sleep off the jet-lag, but it does mean that I'll be home for the official unveiling of the new catalogue on the 11th! I will keep you posted and will let you know as soon as I have the new catalogues! (which leads me to talk about...)

THE NEW CATALOGUE!

The Fall/Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue will make its first appearance on August 11th and is chock-full of fantastic new sets, a new In Color selection, and new exciting products! What's more exciting is that the unveiling is more secretive than ever! Customers will not be seeing a sneak peek as they have in previous years, which makes sense - it was always a tease, as customers couldn't order from the preview brochures that we used to mail out. I know that suspense is difficult to bear, but it will be worth it in the long run!

I will be pre-ordering my cases of catalogues from Stampin' Up! next week. If you would like to pre-order your catalogue please let me know by Monday, June 30th so that I can order the appropriate number of catalogues. You don't want to have to wait around for a second shipment! Catalogues are $10 each!

NEW PRODUCT LINE!

Stampin' Up! has announced that they will be manufacturing and selling a new product line to compliment their existing offering - home decor items! Décor Elements is vinyl artwork for walls, mirrors, windows, or other hard, smooth surfaces. Picture rub-ons, but larger and more durable! Whether you want to spice up the walls of your house or frame a piece for display, Décor Elements is easy to apply, easy to love, and easy to remove. These fantastic products will be available for purchase beginning July 1st and will be offered in different sizes, colours and designs. What's even more exciting is that these items will coordinate with other catalogue products - stamp sets, rub-ons, etc.! Why not two-step and three-step wall art that will really catch your guests' attention? Apply a frame, then choose a letter to go inside it. There are many exciting possibilities with this line of products and I am so excited for you to see a visual! Stay tuned for July 1st! It's just around the corner!

RECENT PROJECTS

Here are a few cards that I made the other day. The first two were Father's Day cards for Craig's side of the family.

I loved the look of the dotted circles as a background, so I decided to use them for my dad's card. I was pleased with the way they turned out, but it was a struggle to come up with something when I first sat down to stamp. After all of the wedding stamping that I've done lately, my mojo seems to have left me momentarily. Hoping it returns soon! I had a lot of fun watercolouring with my markers, aqua painter and watercolour paper, so I decided to make some Get Well Soon cards. I'm starting to come around again!

IF YOU HUNG IN TIL THE END...

...1) I appreciate you still reading and 2) as promised a while ago...here are some condo pics!

After a lot of mishaps with furniture delivery, and assembly, we now have a place to sit, a place to sleep and a place where we can relax and get some fresh air! Craig is such a sweetheart for surviving on an air mattress and a lawn chair until we could book the elevator! What's even more encouraging is that we were able to assemble this wall unit from IKEA using a flashlight and the light of a TV late one Saturday evening! If you can survive putting one of these 150+ piece units together and not fight, you can survive anything! Amazing! :)

P.S. Many thanks to everyone who came out to our Stag and Doe on Saturday. It was a fantastic time and it was so wonderful seeing all of you!!

Well, I should let you go for now. Thanks for hanging in!

Wedding Shower Invites

2008-06-09T20:58:00.003-04:00

'Tis the season for weddings! A girl at work is getting married the week before Craig and I and we are holding a wedding shower for her at the school next week. These are the invites that I came up with for the shower. I was really pleased with the way they turned out. I bought this stamp set (Together Forever) and the matching wheel (not used here) a while ago, but haven't played with it a whole lot. I love that flower image in the set - it works nicely on its own and also as a background image. Here's what I used:

Stamps: Together Forever

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Bravo Burgundy

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Bravo Burgundy (I stamped off with the Chocolate Chip ink on the ampersand sign, that's why it looks more like Close to Cocoa!)

Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals

Lots to Celebrate!

2008-06-04T22:48:00.002-04:00

There is so much to celebrate! Wedding invitations are finished and mailed, hockey season is over, we have a place to live and third term report cards are being written as we speak! What better way to celebrate all of this than to offer a deal to my customers!?! Place an order before Thursday, June 5th at 6 p.m. and I will pay the shipping! Don't miss out on this opportunity - fill out the order form and e-mail it to me by Thursday at 6 p.m. to save a little cash! Order forms can be found by clicking here. Fill it out, save it and send it back - it's that easy!

Okay - on to the condo details! Here's a picture, but I apologize for the quality. My new digital camera was on the fritz and this is the only picture from the weekend that really turned out okay. The camera has been replaced (thanks mom and dad!) and is ready and raring to go for the weekend so I will take more pictures and post those after I visit. We have yet to move in any large furniture, but hope to do so in the next week or so. It is all so exciting!

Our condo is so cute and both Craig and I are really, really happy with it. It is a one bedroom + 1 den unit and is brand new. It has hard wood floors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and in-suite laundry. It is just the size that we need for now and it has a beautiful, large balcony that overlooks a 75 acre park with 2 ponds. It's almost like being out in the country rather than in the city! Apparently the ponds freeze over in the winter, so Craig is very excited about the hockey potential! I'm more excited about the stamping den! I'm hoping to look for a new desk and a shelving unit so that I can set up my stamping studio in there. I will have to post some pictures once it is all set up! YIPPEE!!!

June Promotions!

2008-06-03T21:23:00.008-04:00

It's hard to believe, especially with the weather cooling off lately, but the month of June has arrived! It means new promotions from Stampin' Up! and an opportunity to save a little cash! Be sure to read down to the bottom of this post! Here are the details:

Fresh Cut Sneak Peek

Customers: When you purchase the brand new, die-cut Fresh Cuts stamp set (Item 111634) for $25.95, add on the coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes* (Item 111882) for only $5.95!

Hostesses: Host a $525 workshop during the month of June, and receive the Fresh Cuts stamp set and coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes FREE--over a $35 value--in addition to your regular hostess benefits!

Contact me TODAY to participate in this special, limited-time offer!

*Fresh-Cut Notes include 15 4" x 4" laser-cut notecards with envelopes.

eScape With Stampin' Up!

On June 25, 2008, Stampin' Up! is taking the day to unplug and unwind, and reconnect on a personal level with friends and loved ones through handmade cards. And we invite you to eScape with us throughout the month of June! Take advantage of the 25 percent discount on products in the eScape bundle to help you create that special message from the heart.

The eScape Bundle (Item 113700) is only $38.75 ($36.05 after the 7% price adjustment) and includes:

- Love Notes assortment
- Circle of Friendship stamp set
- Very Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon
- Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad®

What a fantastic deal and what a fantastic way to keep in touch with friends and loved ones! To take advantage of this special offer, contact me today!

Want to save a little cash?

Place an order before Thursday, June 5th at 6 p.m. and I will pay the shipping! Don't miss out on this opportunity - fill out the order form and e-mail it to me by Thursday to save a little cash! Order forms can be found by clicking here. Fill it out, save it and send it back - it's that easy!

I'm still here and posting something new!

2008-05-28T22:01:00.004-04:00

Well, I finally have a chance to post something new! I know that it has been quite a while since I posted something, and I'm so grateful if someone out there is still checking in. You have no idea how much I have missed posting and creating something for fun and I'm so glad that things have finally slowed down a little. Since I last posted, so many things have happened! I have finished 125 wedding invitations and matching envelopes, 75 wedding shower thank you cards, 22 cards for a friend's bridal shower and a few other projects in between. It's been a little crazy, but things are coming together. Craig and I finally have a place to live - a beautiful new condo in Oakville. I'm very excited to take a look at it on Saturday when we get the keys. I know exactly what the layout is like, but it will be so nice to see the colour choices, etc. I will let you know how it goes.

Anyway, enough babbling - just wanted to explain where I've been. I'm hoping to post a little more regularly now and don't worry - I haven't forgotten about the promised giveaways and Stamp-A-Stack pictures. Keep your eyes peeled and don't forget to subscribe to my blog if you haven't already so that you can receive updates when I post.

This card is one that I made for a wedding that Craig and I went to at the beginning of the month. It is not a standard sized card (4 1/4"x4 1/4"), but it fit quite nicely into a clear envelope, so I just folded the extra part of the envelope over when I sealed it. It matched the gift bag perfectly, which was great! Here are the materials used:

Stamps: Essence of Love (Occasions Mini); Warm Words

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Vellum Cardstock

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Bashful Blue, Brown Staz-On

Tools: Hobby Blade, 1/16" Handheld Punch, Empressor Stylus, Sponge Daubers

Accessories: Wide Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (behind the vellum), Silver Brads, Dimensionals

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T12:15:00.007-04:00

Happy Mother's Day everyone! Love you mom! You're the greatest and I am so blessed to have you in my life! You are such a beautiful person inside and out and I treasure the time that we spend together!

Just a quick post today to show you a couple of the Mother's Day cards that I made this year. I started out with a design in mind and then had to change it a little, as I ran out of the large flowers from the Pretties Kit. I will have to get another tin - I just love those!

Anyway, I used the following:

Stamps: Polka Dot, All Holidays, Thanks for Everything
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Purely Pomegranate, Rose Red, Blush Blossom, Whisper White
Ink: Creamy Caramel, Blush Blossom, Rose Red, Purely Pomegranate, Chocolate Chip
Tools: Sponge Daubers, Crafter's Tool Kit, 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Pop-Up Glue Dots
Accessories: Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, Pretties Kit, Heidi Swapp Bling (non-SU!)

Gift Card Tri-Fold Tutorial

2008-05-07T21:25:00.005-04:00

Well, it took me a while to get it set up, edited and uploaded, but it's here! I hope that you find it helpful and that you have fun with it. Let me know if you give it a try - I would love to see yours! Let me know if you have any questions!

P.S. I will be away for a couple of days at a conference, but bear with me - I'll respond to your e-mails when I return!