A Special Graduation Card

Today's card is one made by my friend, Martha. She made a bunch of these view master cards for a convention swap last year and was kind enough to give me one.

To see more of her wonderful creations, view her blog Seasons of Stamping.

To see the tutorial for this card, click here.

Organization, part 2

Another "share" for you on Organization. :)

Our Forget-me-not Keeper is the perfect solution for storing finished cards! I didn't think I had that many (I tend to give them away....), but I did manage to fill the box. (Maybe I'll even decorate the outside one day, lol)

The Keeper does come with it's own index tabs, but I decided to copy an idea seen at convention last year and make my own monthly calendar. This way, I can write down birthdays and other important days and make sure I send a card on time. I stamped our Calendar background stamp with Basic Black ink onto Whisper White card stock, then filled in the months with our Full Calendar stamp set. The month names were stamped with Bold Brights Classic Inks; I then matted the calendar with matching card stock.


Now I can take a look at the month and see what cards I need to send.

I used the index tabs that come with the box to sort the remaining cards by use (Thinking of you, Get Well, Baby, etc.) Now there's no excuse to miss a birthday or other event!

To order your own Forget-me-not Keeper or other Stampin' Up! merchandise, click here or on the catalog shown in the right sidebar. Either will take you to my official Su! site where you can shop 24/7. Thanks for your support!

Think Pink

Today's card is one I received in a swap last year. Unfortunately, the crafter didn't sign the card so I can't give her credit..... but it's a great card, isn't it? I love the way she used real ribbon to make the symbolic ribbon for breast cancer; very creative and very meaningful!

The card also reminds me: Although I can't show you (yet), I can tell you that we have a new stamp coming out in the new catalog (July 1st). It's the image of a ribbon, much like the ribbon made above. It's called Ribbon of Hope and will be sold as an individual stamp for only $7.95. I'm very excited about that stamp - it will be great to use it for a variety of cancer-related projects. And with our variety of colors, we'll be able to stamp it with the different colors related to the different cancers. Go, SU!

The new stamp is one of many Under $10 items featured on page 208 of the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. To get your copy of the catalog, contact me, or click HERE to be directed to my SU! site where you can view our merchandise and shop 24/7. Thanks for stopping by!

Organization, part 1

Some times I sit down to work on projects and they just won't come together. When the "mojo" doesn't seem to be flowing, I'll sometimes take time to clean up and reorganize. That way, when I'm ready to go again I'm able to find what I'm looking for - and sometimes stuff I'd forgotten about.

These white bins (found at Target and Michael's among other places) hold my Stampin' Around wheels, most of my embellishments, chipboard, embossing supplies and 12x12 papers. My father built the support shelf underneath bringing them all up to a better height. My big shot rests on top along with a few background stamps and decorated tins.


On an adjacent wall, this shelf holds my 8-1/2" x 11" paper, a few tools and my lovely stamps. The bins hold the stamps, sorted by theme (nature related, sentiments, cute/funny, etc.)
Notice the box in the top right corner? That's where I sort my scraps. Here's what it looks like inside; plastic bags sort the colors into their respective families making it easy for me to find what I'm looking for and keeps me from cutting into a full sheet of card stock.

Notice I didn't show you my work surface.... I got a few ideas for cards while I was cleaning up and the surface is now laid out with my next project - a box to sort my finished cards! I'll share that next time! Thanks for stopping by!

Summer slow down...

Just wanted to check in and let you know that I'm still alive :)

We have been enjoying a fun visit with family this week and are preparing for a week "off" at home next week. I'm not sure how much I'll post, but I promise I'll be back with more projects, new products and more information to share.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

DivaSC35

Happy Saturday and welcome to another sketch challenge with my Diva friends at Utah Divas International.

I had a lot of fun with this one and hope that you will give it a shot, too. Seems like that large circle could be a lot of things: huge flowers, scalloped circles, what else? I'd love to see what you come up with!

Still having family in town, I'm keeping this post short and sweet. The supplies are listed below the card in case you need them. Enjoy!

Supplies:
Stamps: Just Buzzin' By, Sanded (background)
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Brocade Blue, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White textured cardstock
Other: Crystal Effects, Paper Snips, Chipboard circle

Summertime, Homeschooling, Anytime Lapbook!

My friend and SU! team-mate Martha Stewart has made a video sharing an awesome project! The Lapbook she shares here is awesome for homeschooling projects, but also for summer-time with the kids. I think it would also make a great special event scrapbook!

Here's her video - Enjoy!

Shredding your ribbon

Hello! Today's card shows a technique Jaron Winder shared with us last summer at convention. The grosgrain ribbon has been "shredded" and now it looks like my hair used to after a bad perm! Just kidding, more like I took a crimping iron to it :)


To get this effect, you simply take nice sharp scissors and trim off the binding on the edges of the ribbon. You'll want to do this on both sides. You'll then be able to pull away some of the ribbon fibers that run horizontally across your piece, leaving only the fibers that run the length of the ribbon.

One note on the scissors: I always recommend that you keep an extra pair of them that are ONLY used for ribbon (or cloth). This is something my Abuelita (grandmother) told me ages ago and I truly believe that it is good advice. Do not use the same scissors that you use for paper or you'll soon notice that they don't want to cut anything! Mark them, too - clearly label them or put a piece of ribbon on the handle so that you remember what they are for. I literally took a sharpie and wrote "RIBBON ONLY" on my scissors so that anyone grabbing them will know what they are for. Even scissors that you find at the dollar store will last longer and perform better if you stick to this tip. :)


Supplies:
Stamps: Love you much, Dias Felices
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black
Paper: Going Gray, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Parisian Summer Designer Series Paper (ret.)
Other: Silver Brads and Ribbon Slide from our Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit

Good Luck

I'm lucky enough to have family in town this week, so today's post is gonna be quick!!

This is a card we make at one of our Friday card classes a while back. The stars are cut using our Sizzix Stars Bigz die and the Big Shot. Although we used paper here, the Bigz dies will cut through a lot of different materials (chipboard, cloth, fun foam, thin wood, etc.) so you could really have fun with this one. Enjoy!

Mid-Month reminder

It's almost mid-month - can you believe it? That means only 2 weeks left to take advantage of our Last Chance promotion. For additional information regarding the retiring items, you can either click the promotion box (first item in right hand column) or click HERE for an up-to-date accessories list.
Thanks for stopping by!

DivaSC34

Welcome to another sketch challenge with the Utah Divas! Today's sketch is very clean and simple making it another great one for a variety of larger images, patterns or sentiments.

Instead of spending a lot of time coming up with a color combination, I decided to stick with colors from our Earth Elements group plus So Saffron and a neutral (Very Vanilla). Our color families are meant to coordinate (within the group) making it VERY easy to put a project together. And our embellishments, in this case Taffeta Ribbon and a Corduroy Button are made to match, too. Perfect for people like me who sometimes... well, okay often... need help!
Thanks for stopping by - see you again next week!

Supplies:
Stamps: Inspired by Nature
Ink: Earth Elements Craft Spots, So Saffron Classic Ink
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Old Olive
Other: Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button, Sponge Daubers, Stampin' Pastels, Cutter Tool Kit

Concertina Card

Today's card, shared previously with my Diva friends at UDI, is sort-of two shares in one!

First - see the dots in the corners of the card? These were made with the Gems & Dots idea share HERE. Cool, huh?

And second is the main feature of the card, the concertina. This portion can be made by cutting cardstock to 2-1/2" x 10" and then scoring every 2-1/2". (Of course, a larger card could accommodate a larger "book".) After scoring a decorating your concertina, you will secure it onto the main body of the card sandwiching a long piece of ribbon between. The ribbon will hold the book closed until your recipient opens it. This ribbon didn't tie very well, so I used a library clip instead. The frame around it is actually a "left-over" piece from when I die cut some Top Notes for a different card... who said only the main cut could be used?! (I love it when I can even use my scraps - woo hoo!)

This card would be a great way to send a series of little pictures, phrases or other coordinating images. But I had a lot of fun using stamped images from our Sock Monkey Accessories stamp set and all of our current In Colors! I can't wait to make another of these cards using some of our upcoming stamp sets.... just a few more days 'til I can share some of those with you!


Supplies:
Stamps: Sock Monkey Accessories
Ink: All In Color (08-09) Classic Inks
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss
Other: Pigtails Ribbon Originals, Clips Assortment, Big Shot, Top Note die

For the little artists

I've got a great little kid-inspired project to share with you today - a sketch book! Flip open the matchbook style cover, and you'll find blank paper ready to be filled with your little artist's creations. (Or keep it on hand for when you get bored at a restaurant - just think: it's a doodle pad, tic-tac-toe board, sanity-saver!)

To make this book, cut a piece of card stock to 4-1/4" x 11". Score your paper at 1", 6"and 6-3/8". Fold and press these score lines to create your cover.

Here's a picture of the inside to help you visualize it better. The one inch flap goes on the bottom and will fold over to secure your sketch paper inside and the front cover. (I used inexpensive copy paper cut to 4" x 4-1/2 for the drawing paper inside.) Tuck the copy paper under the 1" flap, then punch 2 holes with a Crop-a-dile and run a piece of narrow grosgrain to secure.

To add the carrying strap to the top, punch a hole between the 6" and 6-3/8" score lines, 1/2" away from each side. Set an eyelet in each hole then run additional grosgrain through the holes to create your strap. Tie a knot at each end to keep the ribbon from sliding through.

And that's it - the rest is just decorating! I hope you enjoyed this project, and don't forget to check back - I have some more kid-inspired projects in the works!

Friday's Card

This Friday, I'll be sharing a great technique with my ladies. The Faux Alligator technique is one that was shared at Stampin' Up! Regional Seminars this year and has been used with some great projects. I thought it would be fun to use it on a card; this particular one was inspired by some purses created by Gretchen Barron.

To make the faux alligator look, simply press Versamark ink onto your paper. In this case, I'm using Bravo Burgundy cardstock that I've die cut using our Top Note die and the Big Shot. Once inked, pour clear embossing powder over the paper. Run a stylus across your paper to make your lines, flick the paper to remove the extra powder and heat set with your heat tool. That's it! Slick, huh? I used mine for the topper of the card, but it would also make a great looking background.

For my Friday ladies, please be sure to RSVP and I'll have your supplies ready and waiting! Thanks for stopping by!

Saving for Christmas goodies!

Playing with the re-inker bottles and thinking about recycling made me think about other items around the house and my office that could be reused. I had set aside a little International Coffee tin, just knowing that I'd be able to use if for something....

The "something" became a little Christmas savings bank. My boys always beg to buy gifts at their school's holiday shop (and I usually resist.) My plan is to encourage them to save their change and a few dollars between now and December so that they can spend their own money at the shop. (And if they don't save any money, I have an out! lol)

I decided to cover the tin with some of our retiring Riding Hood Red Designer Prints paper and then added some fun to it with (retired) Old Olive ribbon, chipboard and Filigree Brads. A look at the top shows how I used a Hobby Blade to cut a slit into the cover to insert the money; each end of the slit is also punched with a Handheld 1/8" punch to keep the slit from ripping open.


Here's a close up of the front, just for kicks :)
Hope you enjoy this idea - Thanks for stopping by!

My take on a great technique!

Today's post is based on a VIDEO by Michelle Tech. In the video she shares how to make your own dew drops and stickles. I came up with a little variation on her technique and, with her permission, am sharing it here with you today.

In Michelle's video, she puts drops of Crystal Effects onto a sheet of waxed paper and then submerges a drop of re-inker into the dot to give it color. After leaving the dots to dry, she is then able to peel them off the paper and apply them (with a glue dot) directly to her projects. She also mentions that you can mix Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds to make your own clear stickles. (Woo-hoo!)

Well, last week I was adding re-inker to a number of my ink pads and ended up with a bunch of little (almost) empty re-inker bottles - then I remembered her video.

Putting the crystal effects and dazzling diamonds directly into the bottle made it very easy to make my own dew drops. The color spread very nicely throughout the mixture and has a nice shimmery look due to the glitter. I didn't put enough of the dazzling diamonds to make it thick like stickles, but I like my finished product because it leaves nice dimension to each drop. If you click on the picture for a larger view, check out the center of each flower - I have a nice rounded drop in each flower.

So now I have dew drops and gems in my beautiful Stampin' Up! colors - yeah baby! And I'm re-using something that would have ended up in the garbage. (I'm so green! lol)

Feel free to share this idea, but if you do - please do the honest thing and give both Michelle and me our due credit. Thanks!

DivaSC 33

Welcome to another sketch challenge with the Utah Divas. This week makes number 33 (already!); Alicia has come up with a very "user friendly" layout that can be used in a number of ways. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other Divas came up with.

I pretty much stuck to the layout of the sketch this time... didn't even flip it or anything... but I do like my card. I would love it if you play along. Try your hand at making a card based on this sketch and link to it in a comment here or on the Utah Divas Blog.
My card this week uses a couple of "last chance" (aka retiring) items. The card base is made of Baja Breeze card stock which is one of our retiring colors. The adorable flower buttons are from our Button Bouquet; they're so cute that they are already out of stock! (Side note: I've attached a current copy of the Last Chance List in the upper right corner. Just click and you'll retrieve a word document detailing what's available and what's gone.)

Instead of running ribbon through the buttons, I used my guillotine paper trimmer to slice a very thin piece of Cameo Coral card stock. I didn't think about it until it was already done, but wouldn't it be cute to run the paper through a crimper first? The lines would be a little squiggly and add a little fun to the mix! Here's a complete list of the supplies I used:

Stamps: Mark the Date, Full Calendar
Ink: Baja Breeze Classic Ink, Chocolate Chip Classic Ink
Card stock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Cameo Coral
Other: Button Bouquet, Big Shot, Flowers (decorative strip die)

To order any of the supplies listed above click HERE to be directed to my SU! website where you can "SHOP NOW".

Tying a flat bow

Have you ever been frustrated by bows on your projects that have the tails going in all directions? Me, too!

I found THIS tutorial a while back, printed it out and taped it over my desk until I could learn how to get it right! I apologize for not providing the name of the person who wrote this... unfortunately the file doesn't have her name on it. But thank you nameless person - we love ya!

Would you rather have a one page .pdf file of the tutorial? E-mail me and I'll be happy to send it to you! (Sorry - google documents doesn't allow me to attach a pdf file to this blog; but just e-mail me and I'll send it to you...)

Another offering - Stencils!

I love making cards - it is absolutely my favorite hobby! But I also love projects that help to turn my house into our HOME. Stencilling has been out for quite a while and is a great way to add decoration to your walls. One of my favorite reasons to decorate this way is that it's just paint - you get tired of it or change your style and you can just paint right over it!

Here's a video of Shelli (our SU! co-founder) showing you one of our beautiful stencils and some tips & tricks in using them. Enjoy!

Changes to the Last Chance List

There have been slight changes to the Last Chance stamp and accessories lists.

The following stamp sets have been removed from the Last Chance stamp list and will be available for purchase from the dormant list during the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog sales period. These stamps are on page 208 of our current catalog and are "Under $10".

114494 Forever
114492 Beautiful Baby
114486 Birthday Wish
114490 Glad Friends
114498 Flowers in Silhouette
114496 Celebrations
114488 Fun Flowers

Also moving to the dormant list is one of our spanish language sets - 114032 Acurelas Maravillosas (pg 85. $39.95). Items on the dormant list can be purchased but will not appear in our next catalog.

Also, the following items were added to the Last Chance accessories list and are available for purchase while supplies last. (These are the 2 kits featured on page 28)

116209 Note of Thanks
116210 Birthdays Count

Click here to be directed to my Stampin' Up! website where you can shop 24/7.

Home Decor in a frame!

Want an easy way to make something stylish for your home? Try our Decor Elements line of vinyl images. Often we think of these images as wall decor - and they do look fabulous there - but today's project shows how you can use them with a simple frame, making a great project for your home or as a housewarming gift!

Stampin' Up! personalized this project by using chipboard letters from our Onboard Timeless Type set, a few brads and an olive felt flower (from Flower Fusion). A jaunty little bow was added with Kraft Taffeta Ribbon.

To download our brochure and view other Decor Elements selections, click here . Or contact me to request a printed brochure. If your item is on our "Last Chance" list (formerly called our "retirement" list) you'll want to order it right away; once the current inventory is sold, that's it... no more!

Get 'em while you can!

Time to say bye-bye to the 08-09 In Colors as well as other stamps and accessories. The stamps will be available during the entire month, but the accessories and embellishments listed are only available while they last. And, guess, what - many are discounted up to 50% off.... better hurry!

Let me know if you would like for me to e-mail the list to you and keep you advised of the status of any merchandise.

Click HERE for the retired accessories list. This list will updated each evening to reflect current inventory levels.

Click here to be directed to the SU! site where you can see the items that are retiring.