Lovely as a Tree Faux Cracked Glass

I designed this card using Lovely as a Tree stamp set from Stampin’ Up!. This is one of my favorite stamp sets. I think everyone owns it. I used a technique called Faux Cracked Glass and Thumping. I learned how to do the Faux Cracked Glass technique last year at the Stampin’ Up! Convention. How amazing and easy it is to do this. It is better than waiting while your image is in the freezer getting cold.

 

Faux Cracked Glass Technique:

1. Stamp your focal point on your cardstock and color if desired.

2. Take your Versamarker pad and press it over your entire piece of cardstock, covering everything including your focal point.

3. Pour Glassy Glaze Powder over entire piece of cardstock and heat with your heat tool.

4. Repeat number 2 and 3 again.

5. Now this is the most important step. Make sure you have lightly inked up the Weathered Background stamp before you Repeat number 2 again. Once you have heated your cardstock again with Glassy Glaze, WHILE IMAGE is still hot, press the lightly inked up Weathered Background stamp into the hot Glassy Glaze. If your Glasszy Glaze is not hot it will not work.

 

Thumping Technique:

1. Ink up your stamp with color of your choice, do not stamp image yet!

2. If you want to use more than one color for thumping – use your darkest color marker first. Tap with the side of the marker onto your image to add color.

3. Continue thumping marker on your image until you have a marbled look using another color if desired. I used More Mustard, Old Olive, and Really Rust Markers.

4. After you have thumped as much as you want, huff (breath heavily) on the stamp. Breathing on the image remoistens ink on the image. Now you can stamp on your cardstock. Viola!

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Lovely as a Tree, Season by Season, Canvas

Cardstock: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Really Rust, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Brads, Glassy Glaze, Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon, More Mustard, Old Olive, Really Rust Markers

Upsy Daisy Card from Convention

This card was demonstrated at convention. I loved the technique and the stamp set, so I had to try to duplicate it once I got home. I CASED (copy and share everything) the card but switched the greeting. I also tried it with Almost Amethyst and Bashful Blue inks. Those colors looked great too! All you do is ink up your sponge daubers using stamp pads of different colors. Tap on the rubber image in spots you want each color. Do the magic HUFFING (breathe on your stamped image to re-moisten)! Then stamp your image on Whisper White cardstock. Each image will come out looking different!

Stamp Set: Upsy Daisy

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Sponge Daubers, Hemp Twine, Designer Buttons

Haunting Halloween

This is one of the cards I will be doing for my Halloween/Thanksgiving Stamp-a-Stack coming up soon. Love the colors! Take your Polka Dot Background stamp, ink up with Basic Black and stamp on Whisper White cardstock. Stamp your bat image and punch out with 1 1/4″ circle punch, then layer with 1 3/8″ circle punch and scallop punch. Adhere with Dimensionals. Use Scallop Edge punch on Lovely Lilac cardstock. TaDa, you’re done!

 

Stamp Set: Haunting Halloween, Polka Dot Background Stamp

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Lovely Lilac

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Black Gingham Ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch, 1 3/8″ and 1 1/4″ Circle Punches, Dimensionals

 

Hope you’ll stop by again to visit!

Pocket Silhouettes

I just love scallops, can you tell? I designed this card using the new stamp set Pocket Silhouettes, Scallop Square and Scallop Edge punches. This is an unbelievable fast card to make. A simple card for your workshops! Stamp your images, then punch them out with the square scallop punch and adhere to cardstock. This stamp set is on sale now for 15% off. Call or email me today to order yours!

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Pocket Silhouettes
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Scallop Square, Scallop Edge, Word Window Punch, Black Gingham Ribbon

A Note of Thanks Box

This has got to be my favorite Make & Take from Convention this year (of course the gift bag too). How fabulous is this Pink Pirouette cardstock? My favorite NEW In Color this year. We used a rub on for the center of the flower along with a Rhinestone brad. Absolutely beautiful! My picture does not do this box justice. It really IS beautiful! The photo next to the box is a note card but you really cannot see the Pink Pirouette flowers stamped on it either, sorry! 

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Eastern Blooms, Thank You Kindly

Cardstock: Naturals White, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DSP

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette

Accessories: Silver Chunky Glitter, Pink Kirouette 1 ¼” grosgrain ribbon, linen thread, Pink Fire Circle Rhinestone brad, Hidden Garden Rub-Ons, crystal effects, mini glue dots, pop up glue dots, sticky strip, crafters’ tool kit, scallop edge punch, 1” circle punch

 

Instructions:

Score 9 ½” x 6” Pink Pirouette cardstock at 4” and 51/2”, then turn cardstock and score sides at 1”. Cut scored line a little ways to close box.

Stamp flowers in Pink Pirouette.

Use Scallop Edge punch along DSP. Wrap DSP strip around box and adhere using Sticky Strip.

Thread needle with linen thread and stitch along ribbon. Pull thread and gather ribbon in a circle to form flower. Tie knot to secure.

Apply crystal effects to edge of ribbon and add glitter.

Apply Chocolate Chip rub-on to Pink Pirouette cardstock and punch out using 1” circle punch, attach brad.

Stamp wording in Chocolate Chip on Naturals White and cut out like a banner.

Note card has flowers stamped in Pink Pirouette.

Adhere rub-on circle to center of flower with a pop-up glue dot. Adhere banner to rosette with mini glue dot.

 

Check back often as I’ll try not to forget to post!

 

 

Inspired by Nature Gift Bag from Convention 2008

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I keep forgetting! Here is another 2008 SU Convention Make & Take. How cool is this gift bag? I wasn’t really crazy about this stamp set (Inspired by Nature) at first, but now I LOVE it! I’ve got to run out and get some of these gift bags!

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Inspired by Nature

Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango Patterns DSP

Ink: Tangerine Tango, Basic Black, Whisper White Craft, VersaMark

Accessories: Gift Bag, So Saffron 7/8” poly twill ribbon, sticky strip, crop-a-dile

 

Instructions:

Stamp grass in VersaMark on Tangerine Tango cardstock

Ink flowers with Whisper White and stamp on Tangerine Tango cardstock

Adhere Tangerine Tango Patterns DSP to top of Tangerine Tango cardstock

Cut So Saffron ribbon into 3 pieces – 10”, 7” and 3”. Adhere 10” piece to bag and make a faux bow with 7” and 3” pieces.

Adhere Tangerine Tango cardstock to gift bag with sticky strip

Cut whisper white cardstock 6” x 3” and fold in half to make a 3×3 card. Stamp word image on card using Basic Black ink and stamp flower image in Tangerine Tango. Punch 3/16” hole in top left corner of card and cut a slit and attach to handle of bag.

 

Thanks for stopping by, come back again real soon.

Scrapbook Page from Convention

This is one of our EIGHT 2008 Convention Make & Takes. It is a 81/2” x 81/2” scrapbook page using On Board Loads of Letters, Flower Fusion Too Accents & Elements: Extra Large Baja Breeze 5-petal flower and Button Bouquet: Baja Breeze embossed flower. Isn’t this a great page! Keep checking back for all the make & takes with instructions!

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Flight of the Butterfly

Cardstock: More Mustard, Old Olive, Rose Red, Whisper White and Baja Breeze textured

Ink: Old Olive, Rose Red, Whisper White Craft, VersaMark

Accessories: On Board Loads of Letters, Rose Red ribbon, Linen Thread, 5-petal flower (flower fusion), Baja Breeze flower, dimensionals, mini glue dots, scallop edge punch, sponge daubers and stamp-a-ma-jig.

 

Instructions:

You color your chipboard letters in Whisper White Craft ink using a sponge dauber. Let dry.

Punch edge of Rose Red cardstock using scallop edge punch.

Stamp bold butterfly in VersaMark on Rose Red cardstock and then stamp polka dot butterfly in Rose Red ink over bold butterfly.

Adhere Baja Breeze textured cardstock about 1 ¾” from the bottom edge of rose red cardstock.

Stamp sentiment in old olive ink on Old Olive cardstock (making a stem).

Stamp small flower image in VersaMark on More Mustard cardstock.

Tie Rose Red Ribbon around Old Olive cardstock and adhere Old Olive to Rose Red cardstock

Thread linen thread through button hole and tie knot in back. Adhere to felt flower with mini glue dot. Use Stampin’ Dimensional to adhere felt flower to cardstock.

Attach chipboard letters to page with mini glue dots

Stamp small polka dot butterfly in Old Olive ink on Whisper White cardstock. Cut out and adhere to “U” with mini glue dots

Do your journaling with white gel pen under your picture.

Convention News, Clubs and Ribbon

Well, I guess you wonder why I haven’t posted in a while….I was in Salt Lake City, UT for the SU convention – no computer! Now I’m trying to catch up on emails, SU orders, and of course housework and wash, etc! The 

 

The NEW Fall/Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog should be online now. Check it out by clicking here. We received our catalog at convention……..It is spectacular…….. there are 5 new punches, 18 new ribbons, awesome buttons, brads and a clip assortment, plus of course NEW stamp sets! All new designer series paper except one – they kept Summer Picnic! I guess they couldn’t get rid of those cute little cherries! They kept Tart & Tangy too! Yipee, just love that strawberry! It is such an awesome catalog.

 

We took a tour of Stampin’ Up!s home office in Riverton. It was a beautiful place. I actually got to see employees filling orders in the distribution center. Everything was mostly automated, I was speechless! We also got to tour the Ideas Room (had a ping pong table and it looked like a “living room”), Legacy Musem (tells Stampin’ Up story) and Demonstrator Support. We got to take pictures of cards and projects that were sitting on everyone’s desk. Boy, that is one place I’d really LOVE to work!

 

I’ll try not to bore you – but Convention is really full of fun and friendships! I swapped 200 cards with other demonstrators. Ask me how you can join us next year in Utah! There were at least 6,000 demonstrators that attended convention. I must say – I’m glad I don’t have to stand in line for the restroom anymore! Of course the line went fast because we didn’t want to miss anything!

 

Okay, I know you guys are waiting for more convention news so here goes -

hold on to your hats!

 

- Phase 2 of the Decor Element product line will be released in the fall. Click here to see the Decor Element products that are available now.

 

-Online ordering will begin in the fall (this means if you can place your orders with me 24/7). More info to follow!

 

- Stampin’ Up! has partnered with Sizzix and will be offering the Big Shot and Exclusive Die Cuts! The Sizzix cuts through tons of materials – fabric, chipboard, felt, vinyl and lots more! This was the BIGGEST announcement. You should have heard everyone SCREAMING!

 

- Ronald McDonald found his way to the stage and happily accepted a giant check for $126,788. from Stampin’ Up! The new catalogs Ronald McDonald Charity stamp set is called “Say It with Scallops.” Stampin’ Up! donates $2 from the sale of this set to this great charity. This stamp set coordinates with our new Square Scallop punch.

 

- For the second time, SU will partner with Country Living magazine to offer an exclusive holiday kit. The Holiday Collection Stampin’ Kit will include exclusive stamps, a combination of Designer Series Paper, and coordinating accessories that will only be available by purchasing this kit! This kit and project ideas will be featured among 20 pages in the magazines December holiday issue!

 

- Shelli (our co-founder) will be unveiling a signature line of products soon – stamps, accessories, a little bit of everything – her favorite items!

 

- Six new 2008-09 In Colors:

    Kiwi Kiss    Baja Breeze    Tangerine Tango    Pink Pirouette    Pacific Point    Riding Hood Red

 

New Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog starts August 11th and ends January 18, 2009.

 

The specials listed in the catalog sampler are as follows:

- Aug 11 – Oct 11: RECRUIT INCENTIVE: Join as a demonstrator with the Standard $199 Starter kit and choose one stamp set out of the Catalog Sampler or Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog for FREE. I would love to have you join my team! You can sign up as a hobbiest – you don’t have to have a business! Call or email me for details!

- Oct 1 – Nov 30: HOSTESS INCENTIVE: Host a $350 workshop or higher and choose any stamp set from the catalog sampler free in addition to regular hostess benefits

- Dec 1 – Jan 18: PRODUCT OFFER: When you spend $20 you’ll receive 20% off any set in the catalog sampler.

 Click here to view the catalog sampler!

 

There is also a $99 recruit special happening. Check it out here.

 

Never-before-seen stamps, never-before-seen savings

Never before has Stampin’ Up! offered a discount on brand-new stamp sets! From August 11 – September 30th enjoy a 15% discount on select brand-new, die-cut stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog – no additional purchase necessary! There are 10 stamp sets on this list (and they are sooo cute). Click here to view the stamp set flyer.

 

Thanks for letting me share some convention news! I’m sure I forgot to mention something (there was such an overload of info). I took over 1,500 pictures. If you just renewed your club membership you will get your new catalog club night for FREE.

 

If you are not a club member and would like to join, call or email me now and get your catalog for FREE too! (INFO: When your stamping wish list is longer than your grocery list, this is a terrific way to budget your purchases over a 10-month period AND receive hostess benefits! By purchasing a minimum of $15 in product for 10 months (not including shipping and tax), not only will you be able to slowly build your stamping supplies while staying within your budget, you’ll also receive additional benefits!)

 

The following is information about club/swaps I’m offering. If you are interested, send me an email and I’ll get you on the list.

 

With the release of the new catalog comes new ribbons. Gotta love those ribbons! I will be offering two different ribbon swaps this time. Email me now if you’d like to participate. I will email you back when we have enough to start the swap. Details below:

 

“18 New” Ribbon Swap

The first swap will be for the 18 NEW ribbons only. For those of you who previously joined the ribbon swap, this swap is perfect for you. There are18  new ribbons in the 2008 Fall Winter Idea Book. Most of the new ribbons are listed on page 186 and there are 3 listed on page 187 of the new catalog. Details are pretty much the same as the last swap – Five spots to fill to get swap started – first come, first served! I will cut every roll into 5 pieces so each person will get either 2 or 3 yards of all the newly released 18 ribbons (yardage depends on length of roll). The cost is $33.98 with shipping and tax. That’s approximately 46 yards of ribbon for less than 74 cents a yard. Email me to reserve your spot, payment is due before order is submitted. I will send you an email once ribbon has arrived and has been cut for you to pick up. If you are an “out of towner”, no problem there – your ribbon can be mailed if you’d like to participate.

 

“59″ Ribbon Swap

For those who have never participated in a ribbon swap, this is not a club…it is a one time purchase to get a ’starter pack’ of all the ribbons on page 186 and 187 of the new 2008 Fall Winter Idea Book and Catalog. Our ribbon coordinates with all of our family colors so you get a nice professional look to your cards. There are 5 spots needed to fill for each ’starter pack swap’ so the first 5 people to email me will get their ribbon first.   Sign up early as I will fill spots on first come, first served…. if I get a total of 6 people, the last person on the list will not be able to get their ribbon until 4 more people have signed up.  Email me to reserve your spot, payment is due before order is submitted. 

Details: I will order all 59 ribbons that we carry on page 186 and 187  (striped grosgrain, grosgrain, taffeta, gingham and double-stitched grosgrain, striped grosgrain, poly-twill, and satin). I will cut every roll into 5 pieces so each person will get either 2 or 3 yards of all 59 ribbons (yardage depends on length of roll). The cost is $95.72 with shipping and tax. You will have 158 yards of ribbon for less than 61 cents a yard. Plus, you know you will have the ribbon you need to match your project. Again, this is not a monthly purchase, it is a one-time only purchase. I will place the order once I have 5 people who have reserved their spot.  I will send you an email once ribbon has arrived and has been cut for you to pick up. If you are an “out of towner”, no problem there – your ribbon can be mailed if you’d like to participate.

 

Marker Club

I have two customers interested, any other takers? We have TWO spots remaining to fill this club. If we have more than two people interested, I will start a third marker club. The details are:

Four people are needed to begin the marker club. For those that want to begin collecting the markers, this is the perfect club! It runs for four months and at the end you will have all 48 markers, the awesome case they come in and all four color families of assorted cardstock and one pack of very vanilla OR whisper white cardstock (your choice)! Each month, everyone will receive one color family of markers and cardstock (plus the hostess will receive one pack of very vanilla OR whisper white cardstock-hostesses choice). I will enter the ‘whole case’ of markers so we all get that which is normally only received when you buy the set at one time! Including shipping and tax the total is $47.72 each month for four months. In addition to the awesome case (it has a slot for each marker, plus color swatch in front of the case to see what color you want!) you will also receive a level one hostess set and $15 in free merchandise of your choice! This is a great way to collect all the markers but spreading the cost out a little and get free stamps! Please email me if you are interested – two spots available. Payment is due before order is submitted.

 

“Classic” Stamp Pad Club

This is a new club. It will run for 8 months. You will receive 6 pads each month of Stampin’ Up!s 48 colors. These will be the Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals and Soft Subtles color families. Must have 8 people to start this club. It is a great way to accumulate all the stamp pads from our four color families. The cost for this club will be $33.47 for 8 months. You must commit to the entire 8 months. In addition you will be hostess for one month and receive a level one hostess set and $20 in free merchandise of your choice!  Email me if you would like to participate. We may start this in September. Payment is due before order is submitted.

 

Take care and hope to see you soon! Drop by again!

“Always” Certainly Celery

This is another swap card I made to take to Convention in Salt Lake City, UT. I just love the saying “always on my mind-forever in my heart,” and belive it or not I still like the saying after making 75 of these.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Always
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Barely Banana, Whisper White
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Craft White, Certainly Celery and Basic Black

Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Light Pink Gingham Ribbon, Heat Tool

With Gratitude Convention Swap

Chocolate Chip With Gratitude

I was trying to come up with a swap card for the 2008 Stampin’ Up! convention using “With Gratitude.” Believe me, I must have been having a mental block. It took me three tries to finally come up with something that was satisfactory. This was my first try and for some reason I didn’t like it. I thought something was missing or just wasn’t the way I thought it should be. Notice the polished stone technique on the leaf.

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: With Gratitude

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Confetti Cream

Ink: Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Brads, Chocolate Chip 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon

 

Old Olive With Gratitude

Okay, here is my second attempt at making a convention swap card using the stamp set With Gratitude. This one is brighter using Old Olive, but again, something just wasn’t what I wanted. Designers block or just exhaustion! The leaf is the polished stone technique and embossed with gold embossing powder.

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: With Gratitude, Sanded Background

Cardstock: Old Olive, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Confetti Cream

Ink: Basic Brown, Versamark, More Mustard

Accessories: Brads, Vanilla 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon

 

This is the With Gratitude card I decided to go with.  I swapped these at the 2008 Stampin’ Up! Convention in Salt Lake City, UT. There are two easy techniques involved with making this card, although very time consuming when you are making 60 of these puppies. The first technique is embossing and the other technique is polished stone.

 

To emboss the leaf: I inked up my stamp with Versamark, rubbed my cardstock with the embossing buddy (very important – so powder doesn’t stick to places you don’t want it to), and stamped my image. Pour gold embossing powder on inked image and heat with heat tool. Watch it turn shinny but be careful not to burn your cardstock!

 

To make the polished stone background: Take a cotton ball and soak it with rubbing alcohol. Take two or three different re-inker colors and drop a couple of drops on your wet cotton ball. Dab the cotton ball on your cardstock until you get the look you want. Allow your cardstock to dry and attach your cut out image or stamp any image on the polished stone cardstock itself.

 

Recipe:

Stamp Set: With Gratitude

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Confetti Cream, Glossy White

Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Versamark

Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Gold Brads, 1/16” circle handheld punch, burgundy grosgrain ribbon

 

I will post the other swap cards I made for convention. Check back soon!