Nutz about Stamping

Sundays with Sizzix: Valentine's Petal Card Pocket

Today's project features the Big Shot and the Petal Card die to make a cute Valentine's treat pocket. This project was a huge hit at my Anything but a Card club meeting on Friday night so I decided not only to create a tutorial showing how to make it but also it will be one of the projects at my Be My Valentine Class on Saturday, February 6th.

Here's a close-up photo of the Petal Card pocket:

 

Valentine's Petal Card Pocket

Stamp Set: Short & Sweet #115060

Ink: Real Red Classic ink or marker

Card stock: Pretty in Pink (4 ½ x 2 ¼”, scraps), Real Red (2 ½” square, 5” square), Sending Love designer series paper (4 ½ x 1 ½”)

Accessories: Big Shot, Standard cutting plates, Big Shot Platform, Petal Card die #113467, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embossing folder #117332, Small Oval punch, Scallop Trim border punch #118402 (FREE with a $50 order), Stampin’ Dimensionals, Sticky Strip, Snail Adhesive, Paper Snips

And now for the video tutorial. Enjoy!

To place an order for the supplies needed to make this cute pocket, or to become a demonstrator on my team, email me at [email protected] To register for the Be My Valentine class, click here.

Chat and Challenge: Sweet Pea Stitched Felt

I caught the tail end of a Stampin' Up! demonstrator Chat & Challenge this past week and really loved the card I created using the card map we were challenged with. For those of you who are new to my blog, a chat and challenge is an online chat room for Stampin' Up! demonstrators only. One member in the chat room shows us a card map and we chat online in the chat room while we work on creating our own version of a card using that map. It's a fun way to connect with demonstrators around the US and Canada and see what creative ideas we all come up with during the hour we spend in the chat room.

Once the chat time is up, we upload our cards to a demonstrator-only art gallery for other demonstrators, who may have had other commitments during the chat room time, to see. I really love these challenges as I find I can instantly envision what I want to make once I see the card map. And I always love the card I end up creating.

Here's the card map for this week's challenge:

And here's the card I created following the map:

 

Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Birthday Card

Stamp set: Well Scripted

Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic pad

Card stock: Chocolate Chip, Sending Love designer series paper

Accessories: Corner rounder punch, Wide Oval punch, Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, mini glue dots, 1 3/8" Circle punch

It may look like I have three strips of Sending Love designer series paper as layers on the card front, but I actually have two 1/4" strips of Chocolate Chip card stock adhered on top of one large layer of Sending Love paper. It's kind of an optical illusion.

What can you create using this card map? I challenge you to make a card this weekend following the map I used for my chat and challenge. Send me a photo by email as I'd love to see your creation. And don't forget you can order the supplies I used to make this card – contact me at: [email protected]. Long distance orders welcome!

Anything but a Card Club

I am very excited about tonight's club meeting which focuses on projects that are not cards or scrapbook pages. This club gives the members some different ideas for the Stampin' Up! supplies they may have at home but not know how to use them. The club members meet every second month on a Friday evening and each time they meet, one member gets to be the hostess and earn free hostess stamp sets and other products.

Here's one of the projects they will make tonight. (I hope I am not spoiling the surprise!)

 

This super cute heart pocket was made using the Big Shot and the Petal Card die. I also used the Sending Love designer series paper and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit die. Wouldn't that make a nice Valentine's candy holder for someone special to you?

To get a demonstration on the Big Shot or to learn about my Anything but a Card Club, please email me at [email protected]

My First class just for Men!

Now you can just stop laughing right now because I am very serious! I am actually having a class just for men but I promise that you will reap the benefits.

This class will help your man make YOU a beautiful Valentine's Day present and card.

A Valentine for my Valentine Class

 
Now you didn't really expect me to show you what your man is going to make for you, did you? I promise you will LOVE what he will make for you and cherish that he spent the time doing so.

Date: Thursday, February 11

Time: 7:00 pm (to about 8:30 pm, depending on your man) 

Cost: $50 (all supplies included in this class - if you have Snail Adhesive you can send that along with him)

Your fella must register with payment by February 1st so I can order the supplies for this class.He is welcome to call me at (919) 518-0607and I will email him a photo of the gift before he signs up for his class.

So what are you waiting for? Sit your man down at the computer and show him this blog post!

One tool I can't live without

As I think of all the stamp sets, accessories and tools that I own, I can honestly say that one tool I can't live without is a punch. Or should I say all my punches!

Punches make quick and easy layers, add interest to edges of card stock, make holes to peek through and add color coordination to designer series paper. There is seldom a card or scrapbook page I create that doesn't use a punch, right?

And do I love the new punches in the Occasions mini catalog! My fave punch-of-the-week is the Two-Step Bird punch.

Oh, my gosh, do I LOVE this punch:

 

It is so easy to use (punches like a breeze!) and can be used in so many different ways on paper crafting projects, cards and scrapbook pages. At my birthday card Stamp-a-Stack last weekend everyone got to play with this new punch to create this card:

 

Don't you think this would be a fun birthday card to receive in the mail? Yes, in case you are wondering, I will be having another Stamp-a-Stack, on Saturday, April 17th at 1:00 pm. This time you will create a variety of Occasion cards, 15 in total, with envelopes for only $25. Want to reserve your spot now? Click the buy now PayPal button below:

Bitty Birthdays

Happy Australia Day to all my down under Stampin' Up! demonstrator friends! And in honor of this special day I have created a special birthday card using Bitty Birthdays:

 

Ok, ok, just kidding.

Here it is for all my Northern Hemisphere friends:

 

I used watercolor paper, my aqua painters and my So Saffron and Old Olive reinkers, along with a piece of Tall Tales designer series paper. And no birthday is complete without some bling, of course, so I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter too.

Have you learned how to use aqua painters yet? If you'd like a demonstration, email me at [email protected] and I'd be happy to give you a personal demo.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Tonight I return to the Chapel Hill Ronald McDonald House to stamp with the families in residence. Although I know the families there are under a lot of emotional stress it is my way to give back for the success of my business and give them a distraction for a couple of hours.

Did you know that Stampin' Up! is a national sponsor of Ronald McDonald House Charities. As part of the commitment to support this organization, Stampin' Up!:

• Makes an annual contribution of $100,000 to RMHC.
• Designs an exclusive stamp set each year; a portion of the proceeds from the sale of that set will be donated to the organization. This year's set is Very Thankful.

 

I am proud to be the lead demonstrator for the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill and I love to create a card just for that evening. Here's the card the residents will make tonight:

 

Isn't that stinkin' cute? This card is a great way to use up retired designer series paper as I did in this card. I also used the brand new Small Heart punch from the Occasions mini catalog to cover up the heart image in the stamped phrase, taken from the Beary Nice Wishes stamp set #118050. This stamp set was introduced in the Holiday Mini catalog and was brought back with the Occasions mini catalog. Check out pages 38-40 for all our Build a Bear products.

Wouldn't this card make a cute sleep-over invite card? Or as a get well card?

If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and live in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary or Chapel Hill area and you would like to volunteer with me at the Chapel Hill Ronald McDonald House, please email me at: [email protected] 

If you love Stampin' Up! products and want to support Ronald McDonald House Charities, email me to purchase Very Thankful because two dollars from the sale of this stamp set goes directly to this charity.

Sundays with Sizzix: Beautiful Wings

Last week I introduced the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions folder and showed you how to use it to make a beautiful Valentine's Card. Today I am going to use that same folder but also introduce a Big Shot Embosslit, called Beautiful Wings, to make a stunning birthday card:

    

Stamp Set: Short & Sweet #11506; On Your Birthday #111664

Card stock: Bravo Burgundy (5 ¼ x 4 ½", 2 ½ x 2"), Very Vanilla (two pieces: 4 x 5 ¼", scraps)

Ink: Bravo Burgundy

Accessories: Big Shot, Platform, Standard cutting plates, Beautiful Wings embosslit #118138 , Perfect Polka Dots Impressions folder #117335, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Bravo Burgundy ribbon (two strips: 5 ½" and 5"), Ticket Corner punch #107214(forgot to mention this in my video!)

And now for the video tutorial. Enjoy!

 

 

To order the Beautiful Wings embosslit and to earn FREE Sale-a-Bration products, email me at [email protected].

Three things they won’t teach you at that big craft store

Here are three things they won't teach you at that big craft store:

1. Card techniques: you may have lots of products for making cards, but would you like to add to your bag of stamping tricks? Join my Techniques Club or my Card Club and each month when we meet, I will show you lots of new and different ways to create cards, complete with full color handouts! That way when you are stamping at home you will have a sample of each technique and instructions to follow so that when you pull out your own products you will have a starting point. And if you are the club hostess for the month, you can request what you'd like to learn!
   
    
   
   
2. Paper crafting projects: I hold classes, camps and even have an "Anything but a Card Club" to focus on unique project ideas, perfect for gift ideas. Projects may include bags, book marks, boxes, scarves, quilt blocks, and other ideas. If you and your friends want to learn a specific paper craft idea, I will tailor a class to meet your needs. And I will even bring the class to you!
   
    
   
   
   
3. Video tutorials on how to use new products. Every Sunday I post my "Sundays with Sizzix" videos to show you different ways to use your Big Shot. And when a new mini catalog goes live I show you what is now available and how you can use these new products along with your Big Shot to make some really beautiful projects.

A bonus to becoming my customer is that I email monthly newsletters full of exclusive card and project ideas, tips and tricks and answers to customer questions that I won't be posting to my blog. Not only do you get a free newsletter, but anyone who places orders with me is also added to my catalog mailing program to receive free catalogs too. If you haven't signed up for my customer newsletter yet, do so today through the sign-up box on the top left corner for my blog. You can even invite your friends to sign up and when they purchase from me, I reward you!

And finally, when you purchase something from me too, either at a workshop, class or through my 24/7 online ordering system, you get me to go along with it! I will check in with you regularly, invite you to special events, and see if you need new project or accessory ideas. Happy stampin'!

 

Haiti Relief

You know how much I LOVE being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and here's just one more reason why. As soon as we heard about the disaster in Haiti, many demonstrators in the US and Canada immediately asked Stampin' Up! what we could do to support the relief effort.

And in no time at all, we got a response that I want to share with you today:

Haitian Disaster Relief

January 21, 2010

Stampin′ Up! demonstrators have a long history of making a difference in the lives of others--especially when disaster strikes and the need is greatest. So it was not surprising that so many demonstrators have contacted us in the past week asking what the plan is for helping to provide relief for those who continue to suffer from the effects of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12.

Here is the plan:

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you sell (or buy) will be donated American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount  (block D recommended)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

Stampin' Up! has even developed a special flier to advertise their relief effort. Here's what it looks like and if you want to download it to your desktop to share with others, please do! (Click the flier photo under my photo on the right-hand sidebar to download to your computer)

 

So the plan is simple: the more I {Heart} Hearts stamp sets I sell, the bigger the difference we can all make to Haiti. Won't you support this worthy cause? Email me to place your order today.

Last Day to Register

Today is your last chance to register for my Birthday Card Stamp-a-Stack!

   

Attend this class and make 15 birthday cards with envelopes using a variety of stamp sets and accessories, including some from the new Sale-a-Bration and Occasions mini catalogs!

Date: Saturday, January 23
Time: 2:00 pm
Cost: $25

Think about how nice it will be to have a pile of birthday cards set aside for the year and how delighted friends and family will feel when they see the card you hand stamped just for them!

Register now:

New Stamps, Two Choices!

By now you should have received your Occasions mini catalog and your Sale-a-bration mini catalog and I am sure your wish list is as long as mine. Did you notice that Stampin' Up! had come out with Clear-Mount stamp sets and Clear Blocks? Don't worry, we are not doing away with Wood-Mount stamps. We are just adding to the menu of offerings to meet every stamper's needs.

You may be wondering whether to go with the Clear-Mount stamps or stay with Wood-Mount stamps so I have some photos of each to share with you as you make your decision:

Here's what the Clear-Mount stamp sets look like. Each comes in a DVD case with a picture of the stamps complete with instructions on how to mount them. There is a label sticker sheet and a sheet of rubber stamps, both of which are die-cut for easy removal.

 

This photo shows the front and back of the Clear-Mount stamps, after the stickers have been applied to the stamps. (Notice the instruction sheet on the left)

 

Each stamp is temporarily mounted onto a Clear Block when stamping. You can purchase each block individually or you can buy a set of different sized blocks:

 

Storage is a breeze for Clear-Mount blocks and stamp sets and so is stamping as you can see through the Clear Block for perfect placement:

 

Here are the Sale-a-Bration stamp sets, offered as Wood-Mount and Clear-Mount. You can earn one for FREE for every $50 purchase:

 

 Here are some new stamp sets in the Occasions mini catalog. They, too, come in Wood or Clear mount.

 

Did you love the Sweet Cups which were announced in the Holiday Mini catalog? Here's a new set with more Sweet Cup ideas!

 

You won't want to miss out on getting FREE stamp sets and product during Sale-a-bration. Email me to book your Sale-a-Bration party and I will show you and your friends what fun Clear-Mount stamps can be!

Announcing Crop Nights!

So many of you have mentioned that you want to play more with your stamp sets and accessories but it is just so hard to find the time to do so. Well, grab your calendars because I am announcing a brand new opportunity on my Calendar of Events every month:

Crop Nights

Do you have photos gathering dust in a box that need to be preserved on scrapbook memory pages? Do you have great card ideas that you haven't had time to create? Do you need a space to spread out on to create paper craft projects?

  

(see that cute Build-a-Bear die on my page? It is made of felt, using my Big Shot!)

Announcing Crop Nights, designed to afford you the time and space to create. You bring photos, paper, accessories, other projects, etc and work the night away. I will provide liquid refreshments and am asking everyone to bring a snack to share with the group.

Cost: only $12 (includes use of my punches, inks and stamp sets)

OR

$15 (includes use of my punches, inks and stamp sets AND my Big Shot and dies).

Time: 5 pm to 1 AM

Crop Night Dates:

January 23

February 20

March 20

April 17

May 15

June 19

July 17

August 21

September (a surprise event!)

You are welcome to bring a group of friends for a fun girl's night out. Please have all friends register with payment to guarantee a spot near you.

Note: If Crop Nights become too big for my home space I will rent a space nearby to accommodate everyone!

Register now for January 23rd:

January Crop Night

Basic $12.00 With Big Shot use $15.00

Stamps in the Mail Club

I am quite excited about my January Stamps in the Mail club as I am not only going to offer you brand new kit products, but two options to choose from too!

For January, the stamp set in the club kit is With all My Heart, featured on pages 12 and 13 in the Occasions mini catalog. I chose this set because of its versatility - you can use it to make friendship cards, thank you cards, wedding cards, and love cards. The flower images go way beyond this stamp set for many other paper crafting projects.

Here's what the stamp set looks like:

 
And here's a card sample you can create with this set:

 

Your kit will be comprised of two parts:

Part One, coming directly from Stampin' Up!, will include:

• With All My Heart stamp set (wood mount)
• Extra Large Fancy Flower punch (brand new!)
• these products are valued around $34

Part Two, comes in a package from me and will be mailed by me. The package will include everything you need to complete four exclusive projects: ribbon, Epoxy brads, accessories and a full color handout (downloadable) with a list of supplies and measurements so you can make many more projects in the future.

OR:

Are you interested in trying out our brand new Clear-Mount stamps and blocks? Well, my January offer is also available that way too so you have an additional choice:

Part One, coming directly from Stampin' Up!, will include:

• With All My Heart stamp set (clear mount)
• Clear-Mount Block D (all clear-mount stamps in With All My Heart will fit on this block)
  
• Extra Large Fancy Flower punch  
• these products are valued around $39.00

Part Two, is the identical package in Part Two above which will be mailed by me.

WAIT! This gets even better: if you want to earn a FREE Sale-a-Bration stamp set, you are welcome to add additional product to your Stamps-in-the-Mail kit to make the order coming from Stampin' Up! total $50 or more. Please contact me directly at [email protected] (instead of choosing an option below) to take advantage of Sale-a-Bration.

Choose your stamp set option below

Wood stamp set kit $45.00 Clear-Mount stamp set kit $50.00

Sundays with Sizzix: Love You Much Card

If you haven't used the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions folder, you are going to want to get it after seeing today's video tutorial. It creates a deep impression and a quick and easy "wow" background layer.

Here's the card I created:

  

Love You Much card

Stamp set: Well-Scripted #118601 (Clear Mount), I {Heart}Hearts #118751 (Clear Mount)

Card stock: Whisper White (5 ½ x 4 ¼”, 2 6/8 x 1 7/8”), Basic Black (4 x 5 ¼”, 2 ¾ x 2”), Melon Mambo (3 x 2 ¼”), Pretty in Pink (3 ¾ x 5”)

Ink: Basic Black, Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Real Red Epoxy brads #117270, Melon Mambo Polka-Dot ribbon (5 ½” strip), 1/16” hand held punch, Big Shot, Platform, Standard Cutting plates, Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder #117335

And now for the video tutorial. Enjoy!

To place an order for the supplies needed to make this card, email me at: [email protected] With every $50 order, you get FREE Sale-a-Bration product between now and March 31st!