Stamping Made Easy

Gotta love the UPS man!

My upline shared this adorable picture and I just had to share it with all of you.  I love the creativity of people - this punch art is just amazing.  Way to go Ellen!

Dress up your gift cards

I don't know about you, but gift cards are very popular in my family. People prefer to receive them because they get exactly what they want, when they want it. So we give a lot of gift cards for birthdays, special occasions and especially at Christmas.

I enjoy packaging my gift cards so it has a little more pizzazz than just giving the card in an envelope, or using the plain covers that some stores provide. This little project is a simple idea, easy to mass produce, and looks great! You can dress this up for different events just by changing the colors, designer papers and stamps used.

For this gift card, I used one of my retired gift card holders, but you can easily create your own with a piece of card stock cut 4" x 7 7/8" and scored at 2 3/8" and 5 1/8".

Fold your wrap along the score lines and determine which side you want to be the front. Stamp the front of your gift card holder as desired (for my sample, I used Brilliant Blue with the Serene Snowflakes).

For the belly band, cut a piece of Ballet Blue card stock 2.5" x 7.25" and score at 2.5" and 5.25". Now stamp the belly band using the Shimmer Paint and Brilliant Blue ink and the Serene Snowflakes stamps. Stamp the greeting with Brilliant Blue ink, if desired. Punch a strip of white cardstock with the scallop edge punch and attach to the left side of the belly band. Wrap the belly band around the gift card holder and attach in the back. Tie a ribbon around the belly band (and don't forget to insert your gift card – you can use the slit punch to create a place to slide your gift card if you don't have an existing gift card holder).

Isn't this much nicer than just a simple, small envelope?

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, All Holidays

Ink: Brilliant Blue

Paper: Ballet Blue, Whisper White, Sahara Sand gift card holder (retired)

Accessories: Platinum Shimmer Paint, scallop edge punch, red gingham ribbon (retired), slit punch (optional)

Teen Journal

Do you have a teen in your life?  I know my teen would love to have this journal to document her thoughts, ideas, dreams, photos, etc.

But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew, upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. –Lord Byron

Click on the picture for a supply list for recreating this awesome piece of artwork!

New Online Class - Test our your new Ornament PUnch

Don’t you love it when you give a gift that is so pretty that your friend almost doesn’t want to open it?  Well now you can give your friends that anticipation easily with the super-fast and versatile Treat Boxes from Stampin’ Up!  They are so pretty your friends will never know what a value they truly are!  To purchase the Treat Boxes visit my store page.

Products Used:

Stamps
•    Delightful Decorations

Paper
•    Whisper White
•    Chocolate Chip
•    Taken with Teal
•    Real Red

Ink
•    Close to Cocoa
•    Taken with Teal
•    Real Red

Accessories
•    3/4” Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon-Real Red
•    Elastic Cord-Gold
•    Treat Boxes
•    Ornament Punch
•    3/4" Circle Punch
•    Crop-a-Dile
•    Stampin’ Dimensionals
•    Sticky Strip
•    SNAIL
•    9” x 12” Catalog Envelope-Whisper White

Treat Boxes (115690) Highlight

Ornamental Bags & Tags is now available for download.  Click here for more information and to buy now.

Here is another sample of this class made with different colors and stamps:

Tri-Fold Memory Album

I am so excited about this new stamping class I am holding next month. Do you remember the Tri-Fold card I made here? This card was a lot of fun to make, and I shared it with my team. One of the very talented ladies on my team – Sheri – took this concept and turned it into this fabulous memory album and showed me how to make it!

 

This is the front of the album (using the Tailor Made Simply Scrappin' Kit). This album is perfect for almost anyone, but it is especially good for those hard-to-buy for guys in your life.

Here's a top view of the album so you can see how cool it looks open:

 

(Be sure to click on the pictures for a larger view.)

This album is so much fun to make and even more fun to play with! You can add pictures to most, or all, of the different panels in this unique album, along with journaling and embellishments.

I am offering this class on 2 separate days in October – Friday night, October 23 (6:30p), or Saturday morning, October 24 (10a) – and your choice of the Tailor Made or Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kits.

Get a jump on your holiday gifts and create this memory keepsake that will be treasured for years to come.

Can't attend in person? If there is interest, I will create this as a tutorial, with step-by-step directions and full-color pictures. Email me if you are interested or leave a comment.

Tri-Fold Memory Album - Choose the day and SS kit

Friday - Tailor Made $25.00 Friday - Christmas Jingle $25.00 Saturday - Tailor Made $25.00 Saturday - Christmas Jingle $25.00

This is a view of the Christmas Jingle Tri-Fold Memory Album.

Punch Your Way Into Hoppy Fun

I was reading the latest Stampin' Success magazine (this is a monthly magazine we receive free for being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator) and they showed how to make an adorable frog using some of our punches. I thought it was so cute that I just had to give it a try. Here's my version:

I used some old In Colors to play around - does anyone else do that?  Use up the "old" stuff so you don't potentially ruin your "new" stuff?

The box/bag I made is simply the 2-5-7-10 box (you score an 8.5" x 11" piece of card stock at 2", 5", 7" & 10", and then turn the piece 90 degrees and score at 2" and 7" – if you've never made one of these boxes you can find specific directions on Splitcoast Stampers, or email me and I'd be happy to give you more information). For the flap, I was playing around and decided to cut many slits to make it look grass/fringe-like. I also added a contrasting color behind the "fringe" to help it stand out.

The frog is made with the wide oval punch (body and head), small oval punch (arms), large oval punch (legs), trio flower punch (hands & feet), 3/4" circle punch (eyes), 1/2" circle punch (iris of eyes), and a regular hole punch (pupils). I also used the 1 3/8" circle punch to create the mouth. For a quick attempt to see how it worked, I thought this guy turned out rather cute! I think I'll have to fill it with something yummy and give it to my niece. Sometimes I wish Kyanne was still into frogs, but I guess 2^nd grade was just too long ago. :-)

Would you like step-by-step directions? Leave a comment or email me and if there's interest, I will post the directions.

 

Razzle Dazzle Gift Set Class

Are you ready to start creating your Christmas and holiday gifts?  Then you are going to love this class by email and/or Kit-to-Go!  You will be decorating a candle, a jar (can be used for a vase, or I think I'm going to make some bath beads to give as a gift), a coordinating card and picture holder.  And using the Rub-Ons makes these projects so easy and fast to create!  Click here to order.

Feel the cheerful warmth of the bold and rich new In Colors while you have a great time creating this beautiful gift set. Then pass on the cheer when you share the gifts with a friend, hostess or coworker to add heartfelt warmth to their home or office.

Products Used:

Paper
• Dusty Durango                            • Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper

Ink
• Rich Razzleberry                        • Dusty Durango

Accessories
• Autumn Harvest Rub-ons                    • On Board Chipboard Book Basics-Small
• Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Ribbon     • Sanding Blocks
• Stamping Sponges                            • Tearing Edge (optional)
• Horizontal Slot Punch                        • 3/16” Corner Rounder Punch
• Sticky Strip                                       • SNAIL
• Medium Envelops-Whisper White        • Mason Jar – 1 quart
• Pillar Candle – 3”

Framed Cupcakes?

Okay, not really – just trying to be cute (did it work?). I hope you enjoy creating this adorable framed artwork, perfect for the kitchen, craft/hobby room, kids' room and more!

Instructions

1. Stamp cupcakes image in Jet Black StazOn ink on both pieces of watercolor paper. 
2. Watercolor all cupcake images on one piece and one cupcake image from the second piece using Classic Stampin' Pads and Aqua Painter. You will need six total watercolored cupcakes for this project. 
3. Punch out watercolored cupcake images using 1" Circle punch. Adhere Pink beads and glitter to cupcake tops as desired.
4. Stamp "Sweetest ever" in Chocolate Chip ink on watercolor paper scrap, cut out, notching ends, and set aside.
5. Punch circles from Chocolate Chip and Rose Red textured card stock (1-1/2" x 1-1/2" each)
6. Loop crochet thread through holes in Pretty in Pink flower button, and adhere to Chocolate Chip circle.
7. Punch hearts from Pretty in Pink and Rose Red textured card stock (3" x 3" each).
8. Ink small piece of crochet thread using Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad. Adhere vertically to Rose Red circle. Adhere Pretty in Pink heart to circle, over top end of dyed crochet thread to create heart flower.
9. Slide end of 1" Circle punch over edge of Certainly Celery textured card stock, and punch out piece with one rounded edge. Snip flat edge using Paper Snips to create grass. Adhere to Rose Red circle, over bottom edge of crochet thread (heart flower stem).
10. Adhere all circles to Old Olive textured card stock in 3 x 3 grid pattern, leaving space at top center.
11. Adhere wide Rose Red heart in top-center position. Adhere "Sweetest ever" piece over bottom of heart so that middle of piece pops up in center.
12. Insert into frame without glass.

Stamps: The More the Merrier(hostess level 3)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise, Jet Black StazOn pad

Paper:

• Certainly Celery textured card stock: 1" x 1"
• Chocolate Chip textured card stock: 1-1/2" x 1-1/2"
• Old Olive textured card stock: 4" x 4"
• Pretty in Pink textured card stock: 3" x 3"
• Rose Red textured card stock: 1-1/2" x 1-1/2"; 3" x 3"
• Watercolor paper: two at 5" x 1-1/2"

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter, Pink Bead Duo, Sherbet Designer buttons, Aqua Painter, Heart to Heart punch, 1" Circle punch, Crochet thread, Frame without glass

Project created by Stampin' Up!

Do you like Halloween? Check out this theme room décor!

We're back from convention and had a fabulous time (as usual)! One of my favorite things to look at during convention is the 4 vignettes they create while we are there. They create these themed rooms from 4 "wall" in the shape of a plus sign (+), and have different themes in each room.

I really enjoy Halloween, and while I know this holiday isn't for everyone, but I think you can get some great decorating ideas from this room (remember that you can click on the pictures for a larger view):

On the left wall they used the Definitely Decorative Décor Stencils, specifically the Brocade Flourish. On the lamp shade –on the right - they used the Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil. And they used the Definitely Decorative Toil & Trouble vinyl wall art (which comes in 4 different colors and 2 sizes!).

It was fun watching them create the cupcakes with their cute little skirts and the coordinating tree and treat holders:

And this banner was a lot of fun (sorry the picture isn't more clear):

Doesn't this give you all sorts of ideas for decorating your home? How do you decorate for the holidays? Please leave me a comment or email me here.

Make a bookmark for your new catalog

For my Stampers' Club last month, we created these bookmarks to use in our new catalogs. I like these bookmarks because they are long enough to fit in any book I've found (e.g. text books, catalogs, regular paperbacks, cookbooks, etc.), but they are light weight and don't take up much room. They are great gifts to make for just about everyone.

Here's how to make one:

1. Die-cut a small scallop circle with the Scallop Circles #2 die and Big Shot from chipboard (I like to use the backs of the designer paper packs) and from Raspberry Tart designer paper (for the back).
2. Color the chipboard using Old Olive Craft ink and a sponge dauber. Set aside to dry.
3. Stamp the flower (I used Heartfelt Thanks) in Pink Pirouette and the outline in Rose Red on Whisper White card stock and cut out close to the image. Curl the flower petals with your fingers or scissors.
4. Apply sticky strip to the back of the scallop chipboard circle close to one edge. Attach a 20" piece of Pink Pirouette striped grosgrain ribbon to the sticky strip.
5. Cover ribbon and chipboard with the designer paper scallop circle you cut in step 1 (I like to use glue stick to get glue to all of the edges of the chipboard, but this still leaves me some "wiggle" room to get the edges of the scallops aligned perfectly).
6. Punch a 1 3/8" circle from the Raspberry Tart designer paper. Attach to front of colored chipboard.
7. Attach flower to circle using mini glue dots. Attach pearl half (from Pretties Kit) to flower center using a mini-glue dot.
8. To weight the bottom of the bookmark, place a strip of sticky strip along the edge of the ribbon. Slide on a piece of hardware (I used some retired hodgepodge hardware buckles here) and wrap ribbon around and attach to other side of ribbon with the sticky strip.

Here's a close up of the flower:

The new catalog has some fabulous new products you could use to make these bookmarks; be sure to check them out soon.