Nutz about Stamping

Personalized Stamps

I realized today that not once have I posted about our Personalized Stamps! Did you know that you can design your own stamps through Stampin' Up!?

The most obvious use of our Personalized stamp is for your return address. We have ones with images, and ones without images. You can even choose how many lines you want your return address to have and you also have a choice of the script used. Here's some stamps with images:

 

You can also have a two, three, or four line stamp without an image: 

And of course you don't have to have your home address on your stamp. You can put whatever phrase or phrases YOU want on your stamp. Think about that special anniversary, a new business you are opening, or a special phrase to say thank you. That's what makes them personalized! Check out page 147 in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog to see all the choices available for Personalized stamps.

Think about what kind of phrase stamp you need at home or at work, then contact me to place your order.

Happy Birthday from Stampin' Up!

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my un-birthday, remember? Well I was so surprised when I checked my mail and found this birthday card from Stampin' Up!

Isn't that cool? The card was originally created using My Digital Studio. But then Stampin' Up! made it a hybrid card - a card that is part digital and part not. They added a Rhinestone Jewel as the dot on the "i" in Birthday so it added a 3D touch and a bit of eye-catching bling.

And here's the best part: Inisde the card was a birthday sentiment and a promise for 15% off one item on my next demonstrator order. Yippee! I love a good discount so chose my discounted product wisely.

Speaking of birthdays, I would love to know when your birthday is too. If you are my customer, please add a comment in the comment section below this blog post and tell me the month and day of your birth (birth year not necessary).Then when it is your birthday month I can send you a special birthday surprise too!

Clearance Rack

If you love a good bargain on fabulous Stampin' Up! products, you will definitely want to check out my Online Store Clearance Rack:

 

And you will want to check out my Clearance Rack often as the products available change frequently. Here's a few items you can currently purchase:

Bashful Blue Double Stitched Ribbon - only $2.99!

Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons - only $2.99!

 

Primary Colors Simply Scrappin' Kit - only $7.99!

Stampin' Pastels - only $9.99!

And much more - in fact, as of today there are 69 items available at discounted prices! Want to view them all? Go here to my Online Store and have fun browsing. And when you are ready to order add the product items to your shopping bag and then proceed to the checkout. Remember, due to limited quantities, Clearance Rack items can only be purchased through my Online Store so visit my store often to see what is currently discounted. Contact me at [email protected] if you need assistance ordering Clearance Rack products.

Sundays with Sizzix: Fun Flowers

I love this new die! It arrived last week and so I decided to create a project for today's video tutorial. What I didn't expect is how easily the flowers pop out of the card stock and how striking each one is. This is one well thought out die!

Today's project uses the Fun Flowers BIGZ die along with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder to make this bright and cheerful birthday card.

Insert die photo here

Fun Flowers Birthday Card

Stamp Set: On Your Birthday (#111664)

Ink: Pacific Point

Card stock: Daffodil Delight (8 ½ x 5 ½", 5 ½ x 4 ¼", scraps), Pacific Point (5 ½ x 4 ¼"), Whisper White scraps, Ice Cream Parlor (5 ½ x 2")

Accessories: Big Shot, Standard Cutting Pads, Fun Flowers BIGZ die #121812, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Snail adhesive, Bone folder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch

And now for the video tutorial. Enjoy!

 

The fun part about the die is that you can run a couple different colors of card stock through at the same time to create a few different flower combinations. I mentioned in my video that I have a Facebook Business page and would post additional Fun Flower cards there in the coming weeks. To become a fan and see my samples, click here and then click the "Photos" button on the left side of the page.Check back often to see additions to my private art gallery.

Nature Walk

This week I received an order from Stampin' Up!and one of the new stamp sets that arrived was Nature Walk which I have wanted since I first saw it in the Occasions Mini catalog. One of my team members had used Nature Walk for a team meeting card swap and I decided to use it as a jumping off point for a card idea for my Raleigh card club meeting last night.

Here's the card I created:

This card was created using Versamark (for the background), Jet Black StazOn, Old Olive and So Saffron. My club members also used the Tearing Edge to tear the borders on the Basic Black layer and the Newsprint designer series paper.

Last night was the final meeting of this round of my Raleigh Card Club. A new round will begin in the next month so if you live in the Raleigh area and would like more information about my club and on how to make cards like the one above, contact me at: [email protected].

Most Popular Sale-a-bration Stamp Set

I bet you have been wondering what the most popular Sale-a-bration stamp set choice has been this year. Sale-a-bration ends on March 31st and so the choice could swing to a different stamp set but I can tell you that as of today, the number one choice for my customers is......................Punch Bunch!

Are you surprised? I'm not. My customers are busy people and they love to be able to stamp and go. And isn't it great that this stamp set coordinates with five of our fabulous punches?

Here's a card that one of my team members made for our team meeting card swap:

Tracie used two simple layers and a bit of ribbon to create this super cute Punch Bunch card. This would make a great "thinking of you" card for a special friend.

Remember, you only have until March 31st to take advantage of Sale-a-bration, Stampin' Up!s biggest sale of the year!

There are three easy ways to earn FREE products:

1. Spend $50 and earn one free Sale-a-Bration product of your choice.

 

2. Host a workshop of at least $300 and earn one free Sale-a-Bration product in addition to the generous hostess benefits.

3. Join Stampin' Up! by becoming a demonstrator during Sale-a-Bration and get 15% off your Starter Kit. Plus, get a bonus bundle filled with over $50 in free products!

Contact me at: [email protected] to place your order, book your party, or for more information on becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

 

Project 52 - Week 8

I love My Digital Studio and what it can offer to you, whether you are a digital scrapbooker or not. This program never fails to amaze me with its possibilities: blog headers, wedding invites, announcements, flyers, cards for all occasions, journals, DVDs and so much more! And Stampin' Up! constantly supports the program by continually adding download available for purchase every month.

Today I am happy to announce some brand new downloads available for My Digital Studio. Stampin' Up! just published a document called February Catalog that will show you all the latest downloads available. Click here to save and view this catalog (PDF format). If you want the entire catalog which shows all the downloads available since My Digital Studio was produced, contact me at [email protected] and I will be happy to email it directly to you.

This week offered another page idea for Project 52. I was out for my birthday brunch with my friends and realized that this would be another perfect occasion to preserve and treasure.

I used the Color Picker in My Digital Studio to match my background color and journal layer and used Together Forever to add a touch of stamped interest to my page.

Ready to try your own Project 52 yet?

Card Club

Last night my Holly Springs Card Club met for their monthly club meeting. This is a fun group of stampers who spoil each other with delicious snacks when it is their turn to hostess the club meeting and joke gently with each other as they stamp.

I love to design cards for this club. Recently the club members asked to begin learning a new technique each time they meet which was a suggestion I took on with gusto. When I think back to the first "wow" techniques I learned as a fairly new stamper one popped into my mind right away. So I decided to teach the club members the Crayon Resist technique.

Here's one of the cards the club members made, using the Occasions Mini stamp set called Easter Blossoms and a great phrase stamp called Curly Cute:

To create this card I used Marina Mist and Pear Pizzaz, a great color combo especially when paired with Basic Black.

Do you have a group of friends who would like to form a Card Club or a Technique Club? Or would you like to join a Raleigh Card Club that is starting in my home in April? Contact me for more information and to learn what my Card Clubs can offer you!

Clean & Simple Class

I have an upcoming class that is such a great value for your dollar. I'm calling it my:

Clean & Simple Card Class

At this class you will learn how to create Clean & Simple cards - each card is simple to create but also beautiful to look at. You will use different Stampin' Up! products to create 10 cards, two each of five different designs, for a variety of different occasions.

At my class everything will be cut and laid out for you. All you have to do is stamp and assemble - how easy is that!

Date: Saturday, March 26th
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 pm.
Cost: only $20

Registration Deadline: March 21st.

Please bring your Snail adhesive (paper adhesive) and paper snips to class. Remember, registration with payment holds your spot in my class.

 

The fun part I am having is trying to decide which cards you will make at my class. I have so many ideas I don't know which cards to choose for you to create.

Here's one of the cards I am considering, using the Bliss stamp set, a FREE Sale-a-bration choice with a $50 purchase, until March 31st that is:

Using my Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set at the class, you can change out the "happy mother's day" for any occasion you need!

What do you think: is this worthy of my Clean & Simple class?

Hostess Thank You

I love to spoil my Stampin' Up! hostesses and one of the ways I do so is to send them a thank you card after the event is over. Here's a card I created for one of my February club hostesses. It uses my favorite Sale-a-bration stamp set, Bliss.

There are so many easy and elegant cards that can be created using Bliss - why not hostess your own Stampin' Up! workshop this month so you can earn Bliss for FREE? I have only a few dates left open on my calendar so contact me soon so you won't miss out.

Sundays with Sizzix: Scallop Squares Duo die

A couple of Sundays ago I used my Big Shot and Scallop Squares die to create a card layer. This week I used the same die as the card base itself to create this beautiful notecard:

 

Scallop Square Note card

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch

Ink: Pacific Point Classic pad; Pacific Point and Crumb Cake markers

Card stock: Pacific Point (5 ½ x 5), Crumb Cake (2 6/8" square) , Blueberry Crisp designer series paper (2 1/2" square), Whisper White scraps

Accessories: Big Shot, Standard cutting pads, Scallop Squares die, Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Bone folder, Snail adhesive

And now for the video tutorial. Enjoy!

 

This cute note card can be easily turned into gift tag by simple punch a hole in the left corner of the note card and adding a strip of ribbon or hemp twine to attach to a gift bag.

Have you seen my Big Shot special which ends this month? If not, go here to learn more!

 

Team Meeting

Every month I hold a team meeting to support all the demonstrators who have joined Stampin' Up! and my team. I love meeting with everyone as we bounce great ideas off of each other, share stampin' techniques and project ideas and get to know each other in a fun way.

In the past few months I have included a card swap as part of each team meeting so we can showcase our creative talents. I love the card swap because we all end up with several new ideas to share with you, our wonderful customers, usually ideas using stamp sets, products and stamping styles that are different from our own.

 Here are a couple of cards that I received from two of my team members at our February meeting:

 

 

Laurie used Build a Blossom and the Blossom Petal punch to create this beautiful birthday card. The background paper is from one of the Patterns designer series paper pack - check out the top of page 175 in the Idea Book and Catalog - have you even seen this cool paper packs yet?

 

Denise created this striking Punch Bunch card for our team swap. Notice the Daffodil Delight Pom Pom Trim (page 35 Occasions Mini catalog) under the stamped layer? What a clever idea!

I have more team swap cards to share another day so check back soon! And if you'd like more information on joining my team and joining our fun, contact me at: [email protected].

Project 52 - Week 7

Still going strong on my Project 52 resolution: to scrapbook 52 My Digital Studio pages in 2011. Once again the idea for this page fell into my lap quite unexpectedly yet is a moment I cherish every year around this time.

The main page background is a very unusual color of pink, isn't it? It matches one of the color tones in the photo of the flowers on the right. I used "Picker", one of the components of My Digital Studio, to choose a color tone in a photo on a page to become the main page background color. How cool is that!

After adding the title and journaling the page seemed quite empty so I browsed through the stamp sets in My Digital Studio. I came across a brush stamp set, called Torn Edges (#118846), that I had not used before:

I used one of these torn edges to add a bit of interest to my page which was the perfect final touch!

If you have some special small moments in your life that you'd like to cherish forever, contact me to order My Digital Studio. I will provide all the training you need to become comfortable with creating your own Project 52 (or 51, or 50 or 30 or....!)

 

Scrapbook Club

I have a Raleigh and area Scrapbook Club that meets once a month for ten months. Each time we meet, the members create three different 12x12 scrapbook pages that I have designed just for them!Every month the club meets one of the members is the club hostess and earns the hostess awards based on the sales for that month (projects are FREE, minimum club order each month is $25 in products).

I love creating pages for this club. I have fun thinking about and designing the layouts and each time I try something different, like using a new punch or new paper or a technique for scrapbooking.

Here's one of the pages my Scrapbook Club made in February:

I used the Fancy Flower punch, the Scallop Edge Border punch and the Wonderful Favorites stamp set. Don't you love the color combination? This page is so simple in design but is still quite eye-catching.

I have a new round of my Scrapbook Club starting in April and the members get to choose the date and time we meet each month. Contact me at: [email protected] for more information about joining my club!

Three Great Things About Owning Your Own Business!

I have so much fun being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I just have to ask:  Have you ever thought of doing what I do?

Here are three great reasons to seriously consider joining Stampin' Up!

1. Add to your crafting knowledge. You will get tons of ideas for handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and home decor projects, from the monthly Stampin' Success magazine, demonstrator-only art gallery, and traveling to Stampin' Up! events. You will learn new artistic stamping tip, tricks and techniques and be the first to play with new product lines!

2. Be your own boss and work hours that make sense for you and your family. You can choose how many (or how few) hours you want to work each week and change these hours according to your family's needs. You can also take advantage of many tax deductions while you add income to help with your family budget every month.

3. Make new friends - more than you could ever dream of having! I have said over and over that I have never met a stamper I don't instantly have a connection with and my business has brought me so many friends I feel very blessed.

Even though I have shared three great reasons for you to consider joining Stampin' Up!, there are many other benefits. Once you become a demonstrator you are free to choose what areas you want to explore in your business and how you want your business to grow. I will always be here for you to help you on your path to success.

Wnat more information on becoming a demomstrator? Click here to watch an informational video on starting your own business and to see the Sale-a-bration Starter Kit special!