Nutz about Stamping

I can't help nudging you with one last Sale-a-bration post

Tomorrow is it. Shocking. 

Sale-A-Bration is one of our biggest promotions of the year. It’s packed with perks, overflowing with opportunities, and filled with fun for everyone! 

Here's what you need to know: Sale-a-bration ends 28 February 2021 

A. Shop

 For every $50 or $100 you spend, you can choose between two purchasing levels of free products.

B. Host

During the Sale-A-Bration, host an online event with me or gather orders from your friends. All orders over $300 earn the exclusive Punch Party Stamp Set for FREE.

C. Join

Enjoy discounts and share creativity as a Stampin’ Up! independent demonstrator. Build a Starter Kit by choosing $125 of products for just $99. Join during Sale-A-Bration and you get a FREE, exclusive gift from the upcoming catalog—an assortment of five 6" x 6" (15.2 x 15.2 cm) stacks of our newest Designer Series Paper. Business supplies and free shipping are included.

Ready to place your final order? Hit that button!

Have you tried this easy trick for using your word dies?

It's an Art Gallery sort of week it seems. I love this bundle and so love to feature lots of ideas for those of you who have already purchased it from me.

When I first saw this bundle I was quite take with the large phrase. Funny, but in the past when I see a phrase die I usually avoided purchasing it and then regretted it when I saw so many cute samples using it. Do you do that too? 

So this time I thought: not going to happen again! I bought the entire product suite in the catalog and have had a blast since then. 

Here an easy trick when you have a large phrase die. Die-cut it out of your favorite card stock color and then cut it apart so that you can use it on more than one project. Or you can feature a bit of the phrase on a card - like here:

This card is actually very simple. If you don't own embossing folders (yet) then try a plain color strip of card stock. There are so many combinations of phrases in the Art Gallery stamp set so I hope you will have fun trying them all. 

Here's how to make this card at home. And if you want to see a completely different idea, using the entire phrase, watch for my Friday newsletter this week - I have a super cute project using the Art Gallery dies! (Not a subscriber yet? Join my mailing list on the right side of this blog!)

Supplies:

• Stamp Sets: Art Gallery Bundle - stamp set and coordinating dies (156227)
• Card Stock: Blushing Bride (131198), Terracotta Tile (150884), Old Olive (100702), Night of Navy (100867), Basic White (159276), Fine Art Floral designer series paper (154558)
• Ink: Poppy Parade (147050)
• Other: Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine (149653), Stitched Nested Labels Dies (149638), Fine Art 3/8” Ribbon (154561), Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder (154317), Stampin’ Seal (152813), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Paper Snips (103579), Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755)

Measurements: 

• Blushing Bride: 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”
• Terracotta Tile: 5 1/4” x 4”
• Designer Series Paper: 5” x 3 3/4”
• Old Olive: 4” x 1”
• Night of Navy: 3 1/2” x 3”
• Basic White: 3 1/4” x 2”

Instructions:

1. Attach the designer series paper to the Terracotta Tile cardstock.
2. Wrap the ribbon over the front of the card, securing it on the back of the Terracotta Tile cardstock.
3. Emboss the strip of Old Olive cardstock and attach it slightly overlapping the ribbon as shown.
4. Attach these layers to the Blushing Bride card base.
5. Die cut the stitched label from the Basic White cardstock.
6. Carefully apply Poppy Parade ink to only the words “Are Lovely” from the image that says “You Are Lovely”. You could instead use a post-it note to mask off the word “You” when applying the ink. Stamp the words (Are Lovely) in the bottom right corner of the stitched label.
7. Using the Night of Navy cardstock, die cut the words “JUST WANT TO SAY”.
8. Use Paper Snips to separate the letters Y O U and use Multipurpose Liquid Glue to attach them to the stitched label as shown.
9. Attach the label to the card using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Why not challenge your next card design with these 4 colors

Normally I find color challenges a bit intimidating (or overwhelming??) but this week I knew exactly what I was going to use! (whew, sense of relief)

I knew that my Fine Art Floral designer paper had all of these challenge colors so immediately headed to my designer paper stash to pick my design:

Now, I am convinced that there are more colors in these designs than what the catalog states: 

• Petal Pink
• Flirty Flamingo
• Poppy Parade
• Bumblebee
• Pool Party
• Where's the dark blue and dark purple and dark green???

But choosing from the posted colors and matching to today's challenge, I chose: Bumblebee, and for contrast I chose Crushed Curry, and finally Mossy Meadow. 

And of course I then decided to use the Art Gallery bundle for my card images and phrase because it is the perfect compliment to the paper. I love the versatility of this bundle! 

Here's my card. It is simple layers with the stamped and die-cut flower bits. Add a phrase on top and the card is complete.

If you don't recognize my card layout, check out this blog post for an identical layout and Art Gallery products but using different colors. 

Now it's your turn! Try our color challenge and see what you create at home. And if you want to see what the other Paper Craft Crew team members created, click here to head over to that site. 

Sale-a-bration ends in 6 days - don't miss out!

Sale-A-Bration is one of our biggest promotions of the year. It’s packed with perks, overflowing with opportunities, and filled with fun for everyone! 

Here's what you need to know: Sale-a-bration ends 28 February 2021 

A. Shop

 For every $50 or $100 you spend, you can choose between two purchasing levels of free products.

B. Host

During the Sale-A-Bration, host an online event with me or gather orders from your friends. All orders over $300 earn the exclusive Punch Party Stamp Set for FREE.

C. Join

Enjoy discounts and share creativity as a Stampin’ Up! independent demonstrator. Build a Starter Kit by choosing $125 of products for just $99. Join during Sale-A-Bration and you get a FREE, exclusive gift from the upcoming catalog—an assortment of five 6" x 6" (15.2 x 15.2 cm) stacks of our newest Designer Series Paper. Business supplies and free shipping are included.

Ready to place your final order? 

 

 

Do you want to learn the secret behind the Mirror technique?

I am going to show you two different ways to achieve the mirror technique using your Silicone Craft Sheet and the super fun Hey Chick stamp set. Each way is super easy but one of them helps you be a little more precise.

I have seen this technique many times but never tried it myself until this week. Now that I know how easy it is, I will be looking for many more opportunities to give it a try. 

What is key for the Mirror technique is that you have the Silicone Craft Sheet:

You may have seen me use my Silicone Craft Sheet and Multi-purpose glue to assemble embellishments and prevent making a sticky mess. But did you know this Silicone sheet can help you make magic on your cards too?

 

The first way I show you the Mirror technique is using the Stamparatus:

 

 

I think this is a must-have tool for avid stampers because it helps you perfectly align stamp images, stamp multiples of the same project quickly and precisely, and get complete ink coverage. And in my video below I show you how to use the Stamparatus for the Mirror technique. 

 

As I have already written, I used my Hey Chick bundle for my card as well - this is such a fun set and one of the images is perfect for today's technique:

 

I used some of the dies to create fun elements on my card. Here's my card - I hope you will watch my video below and give the mirror technique a try:

 

 

Here's what you need to make this card at home. And if you want to order any of these fun products, CLICK HERE or on any of the images above to head over to my online store. 

Stamp Sets: Hey Chick (bundle, 158627

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stampin' Blends:  Poppy Parade, Smoky Slate, Mango Melody

Paper and cutting dimensions:

        Smoky Slate: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2; 3 1/4" x 1 1/2"; scrap for sign
        Basic Black: 4" x 5 1/4: 
        Whisper White: 2 1/2" x 3 3/4"
        Fine Art Floral: 3 3/4" x 5

Misc: Stamparatus (148187); Chick dies (158199) Fine Art Floral (154558); Adhesive Sheets (152334); Multipurpose Liquid Glue; Stampin' Dimensionals; Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon (153658)

Here's my video: 

Do you want beautiful blossoms that last forever?

You'll get them in the Pretty Perennials stamp set!

The flowers, leaves, and greetings make this set wonderfully versatile. Use bright, bold colors or soft pastels - either way your card will be gorgeous! 

 

Here's how to make this card:

Supplies:

• Stamp Sets – Pretty Perennials (154435)
• Card Stock – Very Vanilla (144237), Highland Heather (146986)
• Stamp Pads – Highland Heather (147103), Balmy Blue (147105), Pear Pizzazz (147104), So Saffron (147109)
• Misc. – Stampin’ Seal (152813), Opal Rounds (154289)

Measurements: 

• Very Vanilla: 5.5” x 8.5”, 5” x 3.75”
• Highland Heather: 5.25” x 4”

Instructions:

1. Score and fold larger piece of Very Vanilla cardstock in half to create cardbase, set aside.
2. On smaller piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, stamp “happy” in Highland Heather towards bottom right; stamp “mail” in Balmy Blue underneath
3. Ink largest flower in Highland Heather, stamp off on scrap paper then stamp onto cardstock (“second generation image”). Repeat, surrounding the words with 5-6 images.
4. Stamp smaller flower in Balmy Blue onto cardstock, varying first and second generation images, filling in spaces.
5. Add leaf image in Pear Pizzazz, continuing to fill in gaps as desired, varying first and second generation images.
6. Adhere this stamped cardstock onto the Highland Heather cardstock, then onto cardfront.
7. Add Opal Rounds randomly as desired.

Will you give it a try? 

How to find joy in life's journey using this crafting kit

Three cheers for mountain air, a sky filled with sunshine, and finding joy in life’s journey! Adventure awaits inside this month’s majestic, mountain-themed kit. With enough elements and embellishments to create eight cards and coordinating envelopes, the Here’s to You Paper Pumpkin Kit is the perfect pick for celebrating life’s little moments and mountain-high milestones!

What makes March’s kit one-of-a-kind? The spectacular set of four free stencils—and a stamping sponge—that you’ll find inside! Pair this pack of stunning stencils with the kit’s contents to stamp a springtime scene, then store the set to stamp for any season in the future. Clean up your binoculars and dust off your hiking boots—the Here’s to You Paper Pumpkin Kit is ready to lead you on an excursion to explore your creativity!

Have a sneak peek!

ABOUT THE MARCH KIT

Name: Here’s to You

Details

• Kit contains enough supplies to create 8 cards—4 each of 2 designs—and coordinating envelopes. The kit’s contents include printed card bases, die-cut paper pieces, embellishments, adhesive, and more!
• Card size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" (10.8 x 14 cm)
• Envelope size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4" (11.4 x 14.6 cm)
• Coordinating colors: Bumblebee, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Petal Pink, Pretty Peacock, Seaside Spray
• Includes four free stencils and a stamping sponge!
• Arrives in a cute and collectible box.

 

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Subscribe to the March 2021 Paper Pumpkin Kit between 11 February and 10 March - HERE. 

How to layer paper to make a bright and colorful card

Do you ever look at a card map and know exactly what products you want to use for your next card? Although it doesn't happen often, that's happened to me this week. 

As soon as I saw this Paper Craft Crew card map challenge:

I knew immediately that I wanted to use my Art Gallery bundle:

And instead of a plain background layer I chose a colorful Fine Art Floral paper pattern:

Instead of a circular image on my card front, I chose a Whisper White stitched rectangle to help my flower image stand out. Add a phrase and ... it's done!

Do you want to see what the other Paper Craft Crew members created for this week's challenge? Click here. 

Which is your favorite product? We want to know!

The Jan-June Mini and Sale-a-Bration catalogs are live, and my online store is primed and ready for your orders! 

First, the Jan-Jun Mini Catalog:

Here's what you need to know about this fab mini catalog:

 

• 91 pages total!
• 8 new suites
• 2 kits
• 54 stamp sets
• 9 new paper packs
• Foil sheets
• Memories & More pack
• Hostess stamp set
• 6 new punches
• 2 embossing folders
• 7 ribbons
• 10 accents and embellishments (gilded leafing!!!)
• treat boxes

Want a FREE copy of this mini? Click here! 

Sale-A-Bration is one of our biggest promotions of the year. It’s packed with perks, overflowing with opportunities, and filled with fun for everyone! 

Here's what you need to know: Sale-a-bration dates are different this year: 

5 January 2021—28 February 2021 (almost over!!)

A. Shop

 For every $50 or $100 you spend, you can choose between two purchasing levels of free products.

B. Host

During the Sale-A-Bration, host an online event with me or gather orders from your friends. All orders over $300 earn the exclusive Punch Party Stamp Set for FREE.

C. Join

Enjoy discounts and share creativity as a Stampin’ Up! independent demonstrator. Build a Starter Kit by choosing $125 of products for just $99. Join during Sale-A-Bration and you get a FREE, exclusive gift from the upcoming catalog—an assortment of five 6" x 6" (15.2 x 15.2 cm) stacks of our newest Designer Series Paper. Business supplies and free shipping are included.

Want a free copy of this catalog? Click here! 

Which are YOUR favorite products in these catalogs? Leave me a comment to let me know!

Today's the day to try the colorful chalkboard technique

Most of the time I only use basic black cardstock as layers on my card, are you the same? I love how it makes the layer on top stand out but it can be a stand out on its own too. Today's the day to try the colorful Chalkboard technique to use with your basic black card stock. It takes only minutes and results in a bright, colorful card.

Are you ready to learn how?

Confession: I have never tried this technique before because I thought it looked very complicated. Not at all! It is super easy and fun too. 

For my card I decided to use the Painted Poppies bundle because it has line art images in it. 

That is the most important tip for this technique: you need to use line art images (not solid images) or this won't work. I don't have many line art stamp sets because I love to stamp, layer, embellish and be done. But sometimes it's nice to mix it up a bit, right? 

So I chose the larger poppy image and the smaller leaf image, along with my white embossing powder and heat tool. Then I used my Stampin' Blends which made this technique pop! 

Watch my video below for step-by-step instructions! Here's my Painted Poppies Chalkboard technique:

Stamp set: Painted Poppies bundle (153827)

Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black

Stampin' Blends: Granny Apple Green Combo Pack (154885); Poppy Parade Combo Pack (154958)

Paper and cutting dimensions:

        Basic Black: 5" x 3 3/4"
        Whisper white: 5 1/8" x 3 6/8" PLUS scrap for phrase,
        Poppy Parade: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
        Granny Apple Green card stock: 2" square

Misc: Heat Tool (129053); Multipurpose Liquid Glue; Mini Stampin' Dimensionals; Basic Pearls Jewels; White embossing powder (109132)

Here's my video, thanks for watching! 

 

A beautiful way to show comfort, care, hope, and love

Today is the final day to subscribe! Don't miss out on the February Paper Pumpkin kit!

What is Paper Pumpkin? Paper Pumpkin is our monthly One-Stop Box™ that offers a unique variety of paper projects for subscribers of any skill level to enjoy! These thoughtfully-themed and all-inclusive craft kits enable you to explore your creativity, try new techniques, and discover your papercrafting potential.

Why Paper Pumpkin? Paper Pumpkin introduces an impressive collection of Stampin’ Up! products, from our one-of-a-kind ink pads to our eye-catching embellishments. Plus, the carefully-chosen components of each Paper Pumpkin kit highlight the unbeatable versatility and coordination our products provide! This easy and exciting way to stock up on supplies—and create small-batch projects for occasions of any kind. 

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

February Kit

Name: Bouquet of Hope

Details

• Kit contains enough supplies to create 9 cards—3 each of 3 designs—and coordinating envelopes. Kit includes card bases, decorative die-cut pieces, embellishments, and more.
• Card size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" (10.8 x 14 cm)
• Envelope size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4" (11.4 x 14.6 cm)
• Coordinating colors: Basic Black, Bumblebee, Just Jade, Merry Merlot, Mossy Meadow, Rococo Rose
• Coordinates with the Flower & Field Designer Series Paper, an exclusive Sale-A-Bration item.

COORDINATING PRODUCT

155223 | Flower & Field Designer Series Paper

• Earn this pack of paper for FREE with a purchase of $50  or more during Stampin’ Up!’s Sale-A-Bration promotion! 

Want a peek as last month's kit? Have a look below:

Let your matching dies help you create playful elements on your cards

Have you ever looked at a card map and knew exactly which stamp set you wanted to use? That happened to me for today's challenge:

The only 'problem' is that then I needed to figure out what I would use to go with the Hey, Chick stamp set:

I am so excited that Stampin' Up! brought this set back into production, along with the new dies which makes card making a breeze. I decided right away to use Hey Chick but then, what of the other elements on this card? Hmmm. 

So I turned to the Chick dies to see what might work:

And look! The corn stalk would work for the 'branch' element. But the flower? That's when a fun idea struck me. What if instead of the star, I used a die-cut egg image? And that's just what I did. 

I also decided to stamp my phrase on the banner that is tucked behind all the card elements so I didn't have to sort that out somewhere else. 

Here's my card:

A few more pointers: 

• I stamped the chicken, colored the image with my Stampin' Blends (Poppy Parade, Mango Melody) and the die-cut it out
• I embossed the Mango Melody layer using my Old World Paper 3D embossing folder
• I added three Red Rhinestones to complete my card - they really sparkle, which you can't really see in my photo above

Why not give our card map challenge a try? If you want to see what the other design crew members created for this challenge, click here! Why not 'enter' your card into the challenge? We'd love to see what you made too 

Our heartfelt tribute to a very special person

Yesterday was a sad day for many Stampin' Up! demonstrators, due to the sudden death of one of our friends. Her passing was a shock to all of us and because of the pandemic most of us were unable to attend her funeral and offer our condolences to her family.

Ilona person was very special to me, but not because I knew her well. When I moved to the Netherlands I immediately reached out to Stampin' Up! demonstrators for friendship and support as I know from my many years of living in the US and Canada that joining Stampin' Up! is like being welcomed into this huge creative family. And sure enough the demonstrators in the Netherlands didn't disappoint. I found myself going to Illona's house within the first year of moving here, to attend a team meeting she was holding. 

Although there was a language issue, I felt immediately welcomed and comfortable and had a fabulous time at her event. Ilona was like that. Calm, funny, caring and oh, so creative. She was well loved (as you can see) and was happy to share her creativity at Stampin' Up! regional events. I always sought her out at these events, to trade sample card and project ideas; I knew I would come home with a gem of an idea from her creative mastermind. 

One of her Stampin' Up! team members, and very close friend of Ilona, suggested a card posting on our private Facebook group to honor Ilona on the day of her funeral. I think this is a wonderful tribute to a very special person, don't you? 

For my card I chose the Art Gallery bundle:

The large flower image in this set is perfect for the two-step stamping technique (leave me a comment if you want to learn this technique). I chose Flirty Flamingo and Poppy Parade for flower. 

The Art Gallery bundle has a matching designer paper pack, called: Fine Art Floral. I chose the patterned side of one of the floral papers for a background layer:

I spent of bit of time thinking about what to use for a phrase. I finally decided to use 'I'm thinking of you', because I am. Here's my card that I posted as a tribute to Ilona:

It is always a sad moment to have to create a sympathy card for a special person. Somehow creating this card helps to take a bit of the sadness away.

How to create stunning background layers for your cards

Are you looking for a way to create unique backgrounds for your cards? Would you like to try something other than patterned or plain paper layers? In this video I am going to show you how to take a plain piece of card stock and transform it into a stunning background layer for your cards. This technique is super easy, fun and packs a real wow factor.  Are you ready to learn how?

 

To create this stunning background, choose an embossing folder. For my card, I chose the Hammered Metal embossing folder:

 

For this technique you are also going to need your Sponge Brayers - these are the prefect tool to apply color to your folders, as I will show you in the video below:

 

Next pick your colors for your card and some images to add to the front. I am so excited that Stampin' Up! brought back the Hey Chick stamp set (only for a short time) so of course I chose this bundle for my card. You can create fun, whimsical chicken families with the variety of images in the Hey Chick set. 

 

 

Here's my card: 

 

Here's what you need to make this card at home:

 

Stamp set: Hey Chick (bundle: 158190)

Ink: Soft Suede, Memento Tuxedo Black

Stampin' Blends: Smoky Slate, Real Red, Bumble Bee

Paper and cutting dimensions:
        Smoky Slate: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
        Whisper White: 3 3/4" x 5"; 1" x 5"; scraps for eggs and hen; scrap for phrase
        Bumble Bee: 5 1/4" x 4"

Misc: Hammered Metal embossing folder #150646; Sponge Brayers #141714, Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine #149653; Multipurpose Liquid Glue; Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

 

Here's my video - watch all the way through for bonus tips and to see two other cards using different embossing folders with this fun technique. 

Want to know what I do every weekend, other than stamping?

The pandemic has really changed my weekends and, surprisingly, for the better! Living alone it can be very lonely to be in lockdown, away from my day job office for over a year. I have loved working from home. But, as I live so far from my family, every day of the week without seeing my colleagues has been difficult. 

That all changed about 4 months ago. One of my colleagues started making pizzas every Friday night and then she would share her pizza photos on her Instagram account. I would comment with my ohhhhs and ahhhs and one day she asked if I wanted to join her. Of course I said yes! 

I began joining her every week and what started out as a fun dinner together has changed into a super fun weekend challenge, especially as a few others have also joined in. Each week we meet up bringing toppings for a pizza. My friend crafts a unique dough (my fave is beer based) and then we add our toppings, bake and share. This pizza night extravaganza has morphed our basic cooking supplies into a special pizza oven stone, a paddle to slide the pizzas in and out, and more! 

At first I found choosing my pizza toppings challenging but as the weeks have passed I have turned this around into a really fun exploration into unusual and delicious toppings. 

Here are some highlights:

Can you identify some of the toppings?

This one has fried grapes on it! 

I can say that it is doubtful that I will ever order pizza in again. Our pizzas are so yum and I especially love the unique toppings we have come up with.

Two weeks ago our lockdown received an added bonus: a curfew PLUS only one person can visit per day. Did this mean that our Friday night fun would have to end? No way! We moved our Friday night pizza night to Saturday afternoon and one of us meets virtually. It has NOT been nice to have such restrictions placed on us but we have found a work around for the next month until (hopefully) things can get back to Friday nights again. 

What hav you done to help manage the pandemic? Leave me a comment and tell me what you do to pass the time, either with friends or alone.