Team Tuesday

Welcome to a new segment I'm introducing to my blog!  Every Tuesday, I will feature a guest stamper from my 'Thinking of Inking' team.  Thanks to Becky Roberts over at Inking Idaho for the Team Tuesday idea! :)

Today the very talented Paula Stewart has made a scrapbook page using MDS. I'm super excited about this because I have yet to take the plunge into MDS so I love to look at the creations of others!

Here is what Paula has to say about her page:

"This scrapbook page was created using MDS2, if you don't have it already you can try it free for 30 days! Even better, from Oct 29th to Nov 5th there will be free downloads and 50% off all digital kits!The fun part of this project was actually searching for a fun Halloween-ish font to use. The font I used is called "You Murderer". Font names are so funny. One of my favorite features of MDS2 is re-colouring DSP. You can take any DSP and change the color with the click of your mouse. If the DSP is multicolored, you will end of with shades of the colour you choose. Like my background paper here, I re-colored to basic gray.  MDS2 is so easy to use, I hope you give it a try!"

Check out more of Paula's great projects at her blog Sweet Shoppe Cards!

Trick or Treat!

I'm busy, busy, busy today with the mega stamp sale Stampin' Up! is having (more details below) so this post will be super fast but I wanted you to have something pretty to look at!  And I'm also running out of time for Halloween posts.

This little gem is getting filled up with an assortment of candy and is headed, along with the coordinating card, to my oldest son's teacher.

The box is really my favourite and I went super overboard with products but it turned out so awesome...that I really, really don't want to give it away but the anti-hoarder in me says do it!!  I embossed directly onto the box and it worked perfect so don't be afraid to give that a try.  If you haven't gotten any of these awesome Kraft boxes, you definately need to!  And at only $3.50 for 4 of them, why wouldn't you? :)

 

Huge Sale Today Only!!!

For 24 hours only, almost every stamp we sell will be reduced 15% !

It's a Sell-A-Stamp Spooktacular!

 

Get your Christmas List ready and do some shopping!

Personalized stamps make perfect Christmas gifts!!

All new single stamps are available at the discounted price also!

Place your order HERE at my online store.

More details here 

Stamps: Toxic Treats (127901), Etruscan Elegance wheel (127868)
Inks: VersaMark (102283)
Paper: Crumb Cake (120953), Gumball Green (126840), Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP (126906)
Tools: Heat Tool (129053), Big Shot (113439), Labels framelits (125598), Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch (119275)
Embellishments: Tangerine Tango Scallop Dots ribbon (124144), Antique brads (117273), Neutrals buttons (119743, Black embossing powder (109133)

Promotion Commotion!

 

Sell-A-Stamp Spooktacular!

 

Mark your calendars!!! On Monday, October 29, from 12:00 a.m. (MT) until 11:50 p.m. (MT), Stampin' Up! is having a ONE DAY ONLY sale where every stamp and stamp set in the Annual and Holiday catalogues will be 15% OFF!! This is the best time of the year to be a customer and certainly the best time to stock up on the stamp sets on your wish list...and even get some Christmas gifts for friends!  You can order directly through my website or email me your order and I will process it for you.  PLUS, if you order is over $200 you will receive an additional $35 in FREE product...on top of the stamp discount! Please not that you must email me the order to receive the free product.

 

Stamps reduced to 15% off include:

• Almost ALL stamps in the current holiday and annual catalogs. View Stampin' Up! Catalogs On-Line.
• Personalized name stamps
• Cookie press stamps
• Single Stamp Promotion (new single stamp choices added on 10/25, including 3 never before seen stamps)!

Stamps NOT included in the sale:

• Hostess sets
• Bundled stamp sets
• Digital stamp brush sets

There is no minimum purchase and no limit to the amount of stamps you can buy

 

STAMPIN' UP! SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER: Get the Festive Paper-Piercing Pack FREE with a special holiday product purchase. Offer ends Oct. 31.  Find more details here.

 

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!



Witches and Goblins and Spooks

Halloween is almost here and I haven't made nearly as many spooky and tricky projects as I had planned.  Which is especially inexcusable given the totally rockin' Halloween stamps we have this year in the Holiday catalogue and the Howlstooth and Scaringbone (makes me giggle everytime I hear that name!) paper.  So from now until Wednesday I will share things that are strictly spooky...or cute spooky...you understand.

This card was somewhat stressful, I couldn't decide which DSP to put where!  But once I finally settled on that it came together pretty quickly.  I snipped off the prongs on the gold glimmer brad and attached it to the button with a glue dot.  Then attached the button to the ribbon.  My original plan here had been to go with a fancy bow but that was covering the words and we simply couldn't have that.

I gave it the full treatment with a decorated inside as well.  I've been dying to use that creepy little frog but couldn't make it work on the front of anything.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!

 



Stamps: Toxic Treats (127901)







Inks: Basic Black (126980), Basic Gray (126981), Versamark(102283)

Paper: Basic Black (121045), Basic Gray (121044), Whisper White (100730), More Mustard (100946), Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP (126906)

Tools: Heat Tool (129053), Big Shot (113439), Perfect Pennants (123126), 2 1/2 Circle punch (120906)

Embellishments: Neutrals Designer buttons (119743), Basics Glimmer
                                    brads (121003), Basic Black taffeta ribbon (119962) 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Lots of Fluff

Lots of fluff: that's what I say about cards with hardly any stamping!  Here is a sleek and simple card that I put together in less than 10 minutes.  The parts that used the Big Shot are really what took up the most time.  This is a card that can be mass produced...hmm, potentially a good Leadership swap?  Lots of dimension keep this card from being too plain.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!

Stamp Sets: Sweet Essentials (126457
Inks: Baja Breeze (126960)
Paper: Whisper White (100730), Rich Razzleberry (115316), Floral District DSP (126919)
Tools: Elegant Butterfly punch (127526), Big Shot (113439), Fancy Fan folder (127751), Bitty Banners framelits (129267)
Embellishments: Pearls (119247), Metallic Brads (119741)

Watercolor Winter

The first Christmas card of the season is always a lot of fun to make and always being a little more glitzy than any card I would send out!  You know the type: lots of techniques, specialty paper, tons of embellishments, too heavy for the mail, etc.

Watercolour Winter is such a gorgeous stamp set and so simple to use for a two step set!  I stamped the holly and leaves and the other fan looking thing (someone want to help me out with what that is called?), and then rolled over that with the Music Notes wheel...love that one!  Then I stamped the poinsettia and used gold embossing powder for the overlay.   It's popped up with a dimensional to make it the focal point.  A little Champagne glitter paper is super stunning on the side!

It's a little hard to see but I stamped my greeting in Versamark before inking it up and then embossed it to give it some shine.  I love that I can keep the colour I want but still have that pretty, embossed look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! product online 24/7!

 

Stamp Sets: Watercolour Winter (129727), More Merry Messages,(126402), Music Notes wheel (120327)

Inks: Cherry Cobbler (126966), Always Artichoke (126972), Old Olive (126953), Soft Suede (126978)

Paper: Soft Suede (115318), Old Olive (100702), Very Vanilla (101650), Champagne Glimmer (127885), Festival of Prints DSP (126904)

Tools: Heat Tool (129053), Decorative Label punch (120907), Scallop Trim Border punch (118402)

Embellishments: Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (120992), Early Espresso 1/8 Taffeta (119959), Naturals buttons (127554)

 

With Love & Caring

I know I had promised another Holiday Mini sneak peek but yesterday got away from me.  My day became consumed with last minute cutting for my Basic & Beautiful class yesterday evening. 

This card is one that I made a month or so ago but every time I look at it I fall a little more in love!  Everything about it turned out just the way I hoped.  This very rarely happens!  The sentiment is from the retired set With Sympathy...so sad that one didn't carry over.  :(

Tips & Techniques:

• After colouring on your stamp with your Stampin' Write markers, spritz a little water directly onto it before stamping to give it a slight watercolour effect.
• Curling the wings of the larger butterflies makes them look like they are about to take flight off the card!
• Scrunchy ribbon across the bottom of the card provides the perfect base for a vintage safety pin and a little linen thread which creates a softness.
• Does tearing freak you out?  Let it go!  The torn edge here adds so much texture.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp Sets: Just Believe ( 120453), With Love & Caring (retired)

Inks: Old Olive marker (100079), Baja Breeze marker (120965), Crumb Cake (121030), Basic Black (101197)

Paper: Concord Crush (119792), Baja Breeze (111352), Crumb Cake (120953), Whisper White (100730), Neutrals Patterns DSP (117157)

Tools: Big Shot (113349), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138), Decorative Label punch (120907)

Embellishments: Baja Breeze Seam Binding (122331), Linen Thread (104199), Vintage Trinkets (118764), Bitty Buttons (118761), Basic Pearls (119247)

Fast & Fun!

Yesterday evening was spent putting together these sweet little cards.  They are actually invitations for Skyeler's upcoming birthday party.  He gave his input on colours and his consent to the button! Boy they get opinionated, don't they? ;)  Ever since I saw the I Dig You set in the new catalogue I had to have it...with three little boys I'm pretty sure it's going to get regular inking!

Tips & Techniques:

• Need a background in a snap?  Embossing folders are always up to the occasion! Here I've used the new Stripes folder for added texture.
• Create a colourful image easily using Stampin' Write markers directly on your rubber stamp. 
• A brights button adorned with some white Baker's Twine provides the finishing touch...and a little extra fun!

Tomorrow will bring another sneak peek from the Holiday Mini...it just has so many fun new stamps, beautiful paper and fabric, and, my favourite, embellishments!

Need a copy of the new Holiday Mini Catalogue? If you are in Canada and would like a FREE copy of the Holiday Mini Catalogue sent to you, please email me your address.


Going, going...Don't forget that the Summer Mini will be gone at the end of this month...click here to shop for your favourites before they are gone!  Don't forget that the gorgeous Designer Series Paper in the Mini are included as part of the Buy 3 Get 1 Free Promotion.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!

Stamp Sets: I Dig You (122722)

Inks: Stampin' Write Markers in Real Red (100052), Pumpkin Pie (105115), Pacific Point (120968), Daffodil Delight (119677), Wild Wasabi (120975), Marina Mist (119679), Basic Gray (120966)

Paper: Marina Mist (119682), Real Red (102482), Whisper White (100730)

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Strips Embossing Folder (123128)

Embellishments: Brights Designer Buttons (119747), White Baker's Twine (124262)





Spice Cake? Yes Please!

First off I must apologize for the quality of my photos.  I don't know what is going on with my camera!

When my "Top 10" list for the new Holiday Mini posts on September 1 you're going to see the Spice Cake paper and fabric really close to the top.  The colours are so yummy and soft.  This card also features the Gently Falling stamp set coming soon!

Tips & Techniques

• The leaf was watercoloured using an Aqua Painter and More Mustard, Soft Suede and Pool Party ink pads for a truly lifelike look.
• I dusted off the sewing machine for the edges of this card. It is such a seemingly small thing that packs a mighty punch!
• Use paper snips to piece out your sentiment for a more unusual word display. 
• You can't tell from the pictures but this card is 'dimensionalized' to the max...each layer is popped up for pizazz!

BUY 3, GET 1 FREE!  Stock up on your favourite Designer Series Paper with this fantastic promotion.  Don't delay, this offer will expire on August 31...use the link below to shop directly from my website today!

Need a copy of the new Holiday Mini Catalogue?  If you are in Canada and would like a FREE copy of the Holiday Mini Catalogue sent to you, please email me your address.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!

Stamp Sets: Gently Falling (coming soon), Occasions Alphabet (123598)

Inks: Soft Suede (115657), More Mustard (103162), Pool Party (122938)

Paper: More Mustard (100946), Soft Suede (115318), Spice Cake DSP (coming soon)

Embellishments: Linen Thread (104199)

Tools: 1 3/8 Square Punch (119877), 1 1/4 Square Punch (119865), Aqua Painters (103954), sewing machine

Tone-on-Tone Texture

This card is all about texture...it's just exploding with it!  Here I've used a Baja Breeze base, then layered it with Baja Breeze DSP, then topped it off with Baja Breeze lattice work.  Remember what I said yesterday about loving tone-on-tone?  :) 

I attended a downline meeting on Monday night and realized something interesting about my cards.  I love to stamp, absolutely, unequivicolly LOVE to stamp.  But looking at my cards makes me laugh because on many, there is only one stamped image.  My upline Genevieve and I were laughing about this because she is a stamper who struggles to embellish and I am a stamper who struggles to stamp because I am addicted to embellishing! LOL!  So, my card for tomorrow will have at least two stamped images.  Hold me to it, okay? 

Here I go, off to actually stamp....I will burn some serious rubber today!

Click to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7! 

Stamps: Occasional Quotes (120142 - Hostess Level 3)

Ink: Pear Pizzazz (119784)

Paper: Baja Breeze (111352), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Very Vanilla (101650), Tangerine Tango (111349), Greenhouse Gala DSP (117167)

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Lattice Die (115958), Scallop Ribbon Punch (119275) Decorative Label Punch (120907)

Pretties: Antique Brads (117273)

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's my card for today...finally, the very last Valentine's project.  I do love this day but must admit to being pretty sick of seeing red and pink and hearts!  I'm very excited to start stamping in the soft pastel shades of spring and Easter...strange for me, a die-hard Brights Collection girl!

Sorry about the bad colouring in this photo.  I had to turn off the flash because there was a lot of glare for some reason.  Anyways, this card uses the Love Letter DSP as the background.  I used markers to colour the heart from the Love You Much set, stamped it on Very Vanilla and cut it out using my paper snips.  The sentiment comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes (this set is such a must have!) and was embossed with gold embossing powder.  I used the biggest scallop circle punch and then the 1 1/4 circle punch to layer.  Notice the pattern on the piece of Riding Hood Red?  I inked up the Fine Flourish stamp in Versamark just to give it a little extra interest!  Everything except the DSP is popped up on dimensionals. 

For those with big plans tonight with your significant others, enjoy your evening!

Stampy Saturday

Ah, the peace and quiet of a Saturday where Thing 1 and Thing 2 are off for a visit to grandma's house.  That leaves me and Ashton here to do what we love most: stamping and not being sat on by Thing 2, respectively.  :)

I have so much to share with you today so let's get started with a card that was supposed to be posted on Monday!

Um, gorgeous!  I love this card for so many reasons but it definately didn't come together quickly.  It was started and restarted 2 or 3 times at least before the idea of stencilling on it popped into my head and after that it was finished pretty fast.  I used the Tulip Frame embossing folder on the base then cut a top note from old olive and from the Botanical Gazette DSP.  The small pieces of DSP were punched with the 1 1/4 square punch and then had the corners rounded on two sides.  I stamped the birdcage image from Nature Walk and then trimmed it out and put an Antique Brad through the centre.  The stencil is from the 3 pack in the Decor Elements catalogue, the name is escaping me just now.  I added the pearls for the always needed 'bling'!  Next came the Crochet Trim lace along the bottome and the final touch was to stamp the 'enjoy' from Fabulous Phrases and attach it with linen thread to the brad.  I stepped back to look at it and it still needed something....so I smooched it with a very liberal dousing of Smooch Spritz....love that stuff!  Definately my favourite product right now.

Now as promised, BLOG CANDY!  Leave me a comment on this post letting me know what your favourite product to play with is right now.  I'll draw a name and post the winner on Tuesday.  If that is you, you'll get the Eggcroutements stamp set, a stack of 6x6 DSP sheets, and a packet of embellishments from the Pretties Kit!

And now I have to share these adorable babies...only they're not really babies anymore!  My ever more mobile 9 month old Ashton and the "Things", Skyeler and Calum.  Skye likes to see himself on my blog...*sigh*, ahh, children of the technology age! :)

That's it for today!  Check back Monday for a final Valentine's project.

IT'S HERE! Sale-A-Bration is here and it is fabulous!  Earn your free products one of three ways: place a $60 order, host a $395 workshop, or use this as an opportunity to join my team and get the starter kit at a 15% discount PLUS an extra bundle of product worth $60! 

COMING SOON!  March 1-5 will be 'Anything But A Card Week!' and I'm so excited to bring you 5 different projects that are completely unrelated to cards...but are still using all Stampin' Up! products. 

MOJO MONDAY will feature the sketch of the week with a Valentine's theme....so if you procrastinated on a card for your special someone, check it out first thing for a great idea!

Valentine Week - Day 4

How sweet is this little set? I am still nutso over the Love Impressions designer paper and will be so sad when it's gone. Guess where I got the little candy container? It's a $0.34 salt shaker from Dollarama that I took the salt lid off of...LOVE IT!!

Tips & Tricks:

• Don't forget about your white gel pens! They write so smoothly and look spectacular on Crumb Cake cardstock.
• Simplicity is superb on this card...sometimes less really is more!
• The pretty in pink button with linen thread adds the finishing touch on both the card and treat holder and ties them together as a set.

Click here to shop Stampin' Up! products online 24/7!

Love Discounts & Freebies?

During Sale-A-Bration you can purchase the Starter Kit at a 15% discount....and receive an additional bundle of products worth up to $60 FREE!

I welcome hobbyists and business builders to my team and can't wait to help you get started on your journey, whatever it may be. Learn about the benefits of being a demonstrator here.

For more information on becoming a demonstrator or to get started today click here, and use my password recruit2009. Or if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to help you!