Sneak Peek Week!!! Day 2: Celebrate Today!

Are you ready for another sneak peek at what you'll find in the Stampin' Up! Occasions catalog? 

I'm over the moon with this set - Celebrate Today.  Not only is it a photopolymer set - so you can line things up when you're stamping, but it also has a coordinating framelit set - so you can easily cut out the balloons and the other fun things in this set.  And still even better - you can bundle the stamps and the dies for a discount!

For this card, I stamped the Happy Balloon image in Crushed Curry (this color is going to be getting a work-out this spring.)  and then stamped the birthday portion using Aquamarine Chalk Ink (Colorbox).  This ink is new to our lineup - and the color is left so true, even when stamped over the top of another color.  Once this was good and dry, I stamped the confetti image and embossed it in gold.  The other balloon is Calypso Coral with clear embossed dots.

I added a little designer paper from the Birthday Bash DSP collection.  Such fun bright colors. 

I hope you enjoyed this card today....stay tuned for tomorrow's project!

Supply List:

tams# 2042

Product List

Birthday Bash Specialty Designer Series Paper	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad
Versamark Pad	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder	Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine	White Signo Uni-Ball Gel Pen	Stampin' Dimensionals

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

SNEAK PEEK WEEK!!! Day 1 - Butterfly Basics

Are you guys ready for a really fun week?

The Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog is going to go live in a just a week....and one day.....but who's really counting?

Well - me!  

And this year Sale-A-Bration is getting an early start too!  It'll start Jan. 6th as well!  It couldn't get any better than that!  That means that with every $50 you purchase (pre-shipping and tax) you get to pick something from the Sale-A-Bration catalog for free. 

Let me tell ya - there are some GREAT items this year!  

Wanna see some???

Let's talk about this amazing butterfly die - Butterflies Thinlits.  There are actually 3 dies in the set and one is HUGE! The are so detailed and beautiful - they just scream spring!  I will suggest you use some wax paper between your cardstock and the die when you are cutting.  The cardstock will release from the die with ease that way.  And if you notice, I actually used the waxed paper image behind my butterfly!  I loved the soft vellum look that it gave. 

I followed the sketch from RetroSketches - it's been so long since I participated in a sketch challenge, but I really enjoyed doing this one!



The designer paper is from Best Year Ever - it's a Sale-A-Bration item - so YES! - it's a Freebie!  The button on top of the butterfly and the ribbon behind are part of the Best Year Ever Accessory pack - also a SAB item! And ALSO FREE!

Don't you just love the springy colors?  I could just eat 'em up!  We haven't really even had winter yet and I think I'm ready for spring!! 

Well....after ONE good blizzard that is.  Just one.

The butterfly was die cut from Crushed Curry cardstock.  A color that I often associate with fall.  And it did seem to have a lot of warm undertones for this card, but I really liked it.  So....to soften it up a bit, I used a Wink of Stella brush over the top to give it some shimmer.  It was JUST what it needed.

Hope you liked today's Sneak Peek - come back tomorrow for another!

tams# 2038

Product List

Butterfly Basics Clear Stamp Set	Butterflies Thinlits Dies	Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper	Best Year Ever Accessory Pack	Painted Blooms Cotton Twine	Sahara Sand 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	Calypso Coral 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock	White Signo Uni-Ball Gel Pen	Stampin' Dimensionals	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Zig - Wink of Stella Brush: http://amzn.to/1wYPLO5

Merry Christmas! I appreciate all of you and want to show my appreciation this year!  Let's extend the Christmas Giving Season a little!  From now until December 31st, when you purchase $50 in merchandise (before tax and shipping), you can choose any item valued at $9.95 or less for free as my gift to you!  You can either call me with your order, email me your order or order online by clicking here. If you order online, and your order is less than $150, please use Hostess Code: GKUQFGCZ   then shoot me an email with your freebie desire!  Simple as that. (limited to one free gift)

Have you received your new Occasions Catalog in the mail?  It's to die for isn't' it???  I'm in love!  And the Sale-A-Bration Catalog!!!  So many wonderful offerings - for FREE!!!  Now is the perfect time to schedule a fun day or evening with your girlfriends - not only because of the wonderful new things we have coming out, and the opportunity to earn even more hostess benefits....but because I have an additional special offer for you!!  If you contact me BEFORE Jan. 6th to schedule your fun day, I'm going to have an additional bonus gift for you!  A $15 merchandise credit that you can use on anything you want when you hostess your party.  That's on top of the already great benefits that you'll earn!  (You're private class must be held by March 31st). Your Private Class is customized to YOU!  Do you want to learn more about card making?  Maybe Project Life by Stampin' Up?  Or home decor projects?  What about gifts, or using punches or dies.....whatever YOU want to learn, is what I'll focus on. So what are you waiting for - contact me ASAP!

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

Big NEWS!

I don't technically have big news....other than the fact that I not only am I here....writing a blog post....
But I also created a video!!!  
However.  
My video ends with some not so great video quality and I get cut off.  
And.  I didn't want to do a take two....so I just left it.  Sorry folks.  
New blogging camera from Santa?  Maybe?  That and a new lighting set up....Gloomy winter days don't make for great photography!

For this card, I decided to use the snowflakes from PL December Wonder.  Love these flakes for some reason!  Here I used them to create a one of a kind background image by repeating them.  My video shows you how easy this is.

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

Stampin' Up! Online Extravaganza!

The Stampin' Up! On-Line Extravaganza Sale starts this Monday!

 

Preview items HERE

Get your wish lists ready!

Stampin' Up! is having a WEEK LONG BLACK FRIDAY sale!

 

• There are SOME items ONLY available on Monday, Nov. 24
• There are SOME items ONLY available on Monday, Dec. 1
• EVERYTHING else will be available the entire 9 days, from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2.
• Everything is "while supplies last", so don't delay!

 

All week long there are incredible deals on the things YOU want, some up to a 50% savings!  Don't miss out!

Do you know the best way to save money on Stampin' Up! products? 

From November 24th – December 2nd you'll get to take advantage of a two fold special offer:

• The Starter Kit will be 25% off the already discounted price! That means that you’ll pay just $74.25 +tax (it SHIPS FREE! Another savings!) for $125 worth of Stampin’ Up! Product of YOUR CHOICE!!!!
• You will get a 5% CASH BACK BONUS when you join during this week for ALL ORDERS you enter in December!!!! This is amazing! Normally, you get 30% off your 1st Order Placed in the first 45 days, but this means that if you place that order in December, you’ll get 30% off right away and an additional 5% back in CASH at the beginning of January! That ends up saving you 35% on that order!

Get your kit through me, right HERE and you'll become part of the Stampin' Up! family as well as my wonderful Stamp US Silly team.

This would make an excellent Christmas gift if you've ever thought about giving it a try.

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

Blended Bloom - a dramatic feel

I have a love for my Blendabilities markers.  And I'm really liking the look of them on Crumb Cake cardstock - especially with the white embossing powder.  

This was a card we created in one of my Blendies classes.  It gives such a striking look - rather dramatic.  We also colored the rhinestones to match.

We left the sentiment off of this one on purpose - because it works for anything - birthday, sympathy, anniversary, wedding.....it's an overall great card.  

Welp - that's all I've got for ya today....I've got some extra boys here for a sleepover, and it's 8:30, and I'm the one that is ready for bed!  Will I be able to sleep in tomorrow....prob. not!

Hope to check in with ya tomorrow!

***NEW! CRAFT CLASS: Embossing Paste***

Learn to create your own embossing paste, make your own stencils, and lots more!

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

Cheerful Christmas

Heeeyyyy!  Check it!  I'm back, and it hasn't been a full month.  It hasn't even been a week!  

Ahhh....I'm feeling like there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  'Cept I haven't come to reality yet that Christmas is right around the corner....ugh!  If I avoid it, will it go away?  Don't get me wrong - I love Christmas - the meaning of it, the time spent with family and the Christmas music.  I DON'T like the commercialization of it.  I do like to give - I just don't like the overspending that some feel they must do.  I'm too frugal.  I appreciate those heartfelt (and handmade) gifts.  Like the scarf my mom has been knitting for me - one that I picked the pattern out for - a not so easy pattern.  It's taken her a long time to do it - like the better half of a year! (she has Parkinson's, so some days I think it's difficult for her) - but all of that makes it mean so much more to me.  It's a gift that I won't ever part with.  THAT is what I think Christmas is about.  

Alright - I'll jump off that bandwagon.....and let's talk about Cheerful Christmas!  I used the larger image for the card above.  I really wanted that Nordic feel, so stuck with that white and red combo.  I heat embossed the image so that it would really pop.  Love it!  FYI - I did mark the centers (horizontal and vertical) of my cardstock panel first so I could line up my stamp perfectly.  If you do this really lightly with a pencil, you can erase the marks easily and will never know they were there.  I put the panel on a Soft Sky card base, stamped the sentiment on white and added some buttons from the Nordic Noel suite.  

And that was that!

Next up - 
This time of year I create (and personally sell) a TON of pillow boxes.  They are great for all kinds of small gifts - jewelry, money, gift cards, cocoa packets.....you get the jist!  Plus, I just like to make em'!  They are stinking cute and I usually come up with some adorable ones.....and I kinda like this one!

For this one - I stamped the I Love Lace background stamp over the entire pillow box (cut with my Silhouette) using versamark.  Then, wrapped a piece of burlap ribbon around it along with some Real Red and White ribbon then tied those up tight with some linen thread, added a jingle bell.  Lastly, I stamped the image on Real Read and heat embossed with White EP, die cut it and added it to the front with dimensionals.  Easy, and cute!  Ready to gift with something fun inside....a small hand cream maybe?

Well.....will I make it back tomorrow?  Let's cross our fingers and hope so!  Gotta group of 7 year old boys coming over for a sleepover tomorrow.  Here's the funny - keep in mind we live on a farm, and are outdoor people.....
Tonight, we went to Aubrie's preschool program.  We were approached by one of the boys' dad.  He said, "Jen, Mike has told me that he needs to bring his b-b gun over tomorrow night."  I had quite a chuckle....I'm not sure what the boys have been discussing at school...but I'd love to have heard the conversation!  I told the father that his son could just borrow one of our b-b guns!

Good night folks....let's hope for tomorrow!

***NEW! CRAFT CLASS: Embossing Paste***

Learn to create your own embossing paste, make your own stencils, and lots more!

New Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!

Letterpress Winter - How to add interest with Blendabilities

Ever feel like you are stuck in a rut?  

Me?  Yes - In more ways than one lately!  I've been a quiet blogger - or how about a non-existent one.....Honestly, I typically did most of my blogging after the kids went to bed at night.  And lately, as soon as I sit down at the end of the day, I might start up the laptop, and I'm soon falling asleep.  YES!  I can fall asleep in the middle of typing a blog post....it's happened several times!  So, I'm going to try out a new little schedule and see if that works a little better.  

Afterall....I do miss interacting with everyone out in blogland and miss hearing your comments.  Most of all tho - I miss inspiring you!

But I'm back with a card that breaks the mold - hopefully!  

Speaking of ruts....while I really like this Letterpress Winter set, there isn't a LOT you can do with it.  Maybe it's just me?  I find it kind of limited.  

Here's something out of the ordinary tho that I came up with.  (We did this several months ago at one of my Blendabilities classes)

While the snowflake itself isn't your typical line art made for coloring, I decided to treat it as tho it was. 
I heat embossed the snowflake image in Whisper White and then colored in and around the nooks and crannies with the lightest of the Coastal Cabana Blendies.  Then I took the darkest shade and went just a teensy bit around the edges....barely at all.  I followed that with the medium shade, and again, just a teensy bit, and only pulled it away from the dark shade slightly.  One bit of warning when coloring on colored cardstock (as opposed to Whisper White or Very Vanilla).  You'll want to let each color really dry before adding the next shade.  This cardstock tends to bleed easier than WW.  I finished up with my lightest shade again and blended the two darker shades together.
I felt like this really added some dimension and, well. Color. to the snowflake.  

What do you think?  Does it pop?

Online Class - Envelope Punch Board Class

Create 5 boxes! Not envelopes!  Using the EPB!

Click here for details!