Big news announcements from Stampin' Up!

Here are some of the “Big News” announcements coming from the Demonstrators at our Leadership Conference.

Our current Idea Book & Catalog will retiring a month early ~ on May 31st!   Stampin’ Up! is installing an exciting new catalog plan, which will include larger mini catalogs twice a year.

 

The other news…the Simply Adorned and Decor Elements lines are being retired with this catalog.  If you love ‘em, don’t wait!  When they’re gone, they’re gone ~ and that could happen before the catalog retires.

 

Beginning February 1st, anyone can download a FREE 30-day trial of My Digital Studio – Stampin’ Up!’s awesome digital design software.

 

Stampin’Up! announced a “NEW” diagonal scoring product.

 

I’m sure there will be more…stay tuned.

 

Happy Stampin'

Debbie

Another 2nd Saturday Stampin' Card

This set uses the new Apothecary Art (so pretty!) stamp set, the new Labels Collection Framelits (so cool!), an Edgelit Die from the Occasions Mini, and some new DSP from the upcoming Sale-a-Bration catalog.

Remember -- the Sale-a-Bration campaign goes from  January 24th to March 31st.  For every $50 in products you order, you can choose an item from the SAB catalog for FREE!


What could be better than FREE???

Happy Stampin'

Debbie

A Fun Saturday

Yesterday was our Second Saturday Stampin' and we had a blast!  We made this Valentine's Day card:

Everyone's card looked a little different because we used Sharpies to color the Silver Glimmer Paper, so everyone's fishies were different colors!  The hearts were made using the red Glimmer Paper and the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslit, which has 5 different sizes of hearts.

(I always say there are no mistakes in stampin, just opportunities for embellishments!  A well-placed heart or butterfly can cover up an oops!)

We used Night of Navy card stock that was run through the Big Shot with a texture plate, then we used a sanding block to lightly bring out the pattern.  It's supposed to look like the fishes are underwater -- do you think it does??

I wish you could see how shimmery this card is.  I. Love. Glimmer. Paper!!!!

Second Saturday Stampin'

Mark your calendars for the first stampin' event of 2012 -- January 14th, at 1:00pm.  I'll have some new items from the Occasions Mini to show you, and we'll FINALLY get to do the Ornament Fish Valentine card!

The Ornament Punch was not available for awhile, and we've had to wait a long time to make this card!  Well, we're not going to make this one exactly, but something similar.  We'll be making it a Valentine card, but it could totally work as a wedding card -- wouldn't it be cute using the colors of the wedding??



I'm looking forward to seeing all my Stamping Divas!  Be sure to let me know whether or not you will be attending on 1/14.

Hope to see (and stamp!) with you soon!

Debbie

Out with the old...

and in with the NEW!!  The new Occasions Mini Catalog, that is!  Starting today through April 30, 2012, we can order from the mini.  Hopefully, you have all received your catalog in the mail.  If you haven't, please get in touch with me right away. There are some exciting new items in this catalog -- Framelits and Edgelits help you really make a statement with your cards.  I love the new pleated ribbon, which comes in 4 colors!  What's YOUR favorite??

I have to say that I was really happy to put away all the holiday stamps, paper and ribbon.  I had guests here that arrived the day after Christmas, so it forced me to put away the wrapping paper and tags, and clean up my stamping room.  There wasn't an inch on two tables that wasn't covered!

It seems like one of my resolutions each new year is to be more organized!  How about you?  I found some great tips on Lyssa Zwolanek's website.

Tips for a stress-free stampin' new year

1. Start the new year off right by putting away all of the Christmas stuff strewn about in the haste to get your cards, gifts and last minute tags done. Make a goal to put away the previous project before you start in on the next one. If the first project isn't fully completed, put it and everything you need for it in a basket or large ziploc bag, and it will all be together when you do go to complete it.

2. Sort your scraps for maximum efficiency. I have all my scraps sorted by color in cello bags and stored with the paper. I check there before I cut into a new sheet of cardstock. Store your main stash out of direct sunlight--preferably in a cupboard with a door that can be closed.

3. Make sure you have a comfortable chair and good lighting in your stamp room. Paint it a warm, inviting color. If area room is cold, drafty, or dark, you will naturally find reasons not to stamp in there. Get some music or a little TV in there. Add a motivational saying or some pretty Decor Elements. This is the room where you create beautiful things--you should be surrounded by inspiration.

4. If your table’s surface is not perfectly flat, get a piece of custom-cut glass or a 12x12 stone tile. You will be amazed at the difference a truly flat surface will make in your stamping.

5. Store your products correctly. Pads should be stored label-side up. Markers should be stored on their side. Stamp sets should not be stacked more than eight high due to  pressure—store them on their sides if you can. The new punch style can be stored on end or stacked flat. Check to make sure the locking mechanism is all the way over to lessen strain on the parts.

6. Make sure you are stocked up on adhesive and have the correct adhesives on hand for different projects. Nothing’s more frustrating than running out in the middle of a project! There is an excellent adhesive chart on page 206 of the current Idea Book & Catalog that will help you figure out the proper adhesive for your needs.

7. Stop working inefficiently. De-gunk your sticky scissors, rinse out the pads on your Stampin’ Scrub, sharpen your watercolor pencils, and pitch any crumpled or ripped papers. Throw away dry markers, faulty gel pens, dull or chipped scissors. sharpen old punches with aluminum foil and lubricate sticky ones with wax paper.

8. Finally, mail what you make! Don’t just be a collector. Take a photo to preserve the idea, and send the card on the way to brighten someone’s mailbox. It will bless both of you!

Mark your calendars for Second Saturday Stampin' on January 14 -- details to follow!

Happy Stampin'!

Debbie

HAPPY 2012!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES!  May your new year be filled with peace and many blessings!

Happy Holidays!

I want to wish all of my stampers, faithful blog followers and your families the happiest of holiday seasons!

3 Ornaments Card

I was making a couple of pop-up gift card holders tonight, and I got stumped on what to put on the front.  Lately I've been making rosettes, or lollies, but these were for men, so lollies were definitely out.  I love, love, LOVE Stampin' Up's Glimmer Paper, so I grabbed my ornament punch and this is what I came up with:

What's that you say -- Stampin' Up only offers red and silver glimmer paper?  Did I go rogue?? 
NO!  I used Sharpies to transform the silver glimmer paper into gold and green!  You can also use re-inkers to change the color, too, but I didn't want to wait that long for them to dry.

I wish you could see how sparkly they are in real life!  I hope the guys like them.  I KNOW they'll like the Home Depot gift cards that are inside! 

Happy Stampin' (and colorin' and punchin')!!

Stocking Builder Punch NOT being carried over!

Stampin' Up has decided NOT to carry over the Stocking Builder Punch in the next catalog!  I am very sad about that, as I was looking forward to showing you how to use the punch to make some adorable baby booties and a hobby horse!  Oh well...I know I have gotten a lot of use out of it this holiday season, and if you don't have it, contact me right away because it will only be available until January 2nd.

Here are two of my holiday cards that featured the Stocking Builder Punch:

Hand surgery

As some of you know, I had carpal tunnel release surgery on Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving.  I think my hand is healing nicely; there is minimal pain now, but it is still all wrapped up.  One week from today, the stitches will come out -- yippee!!

However, somehow I contracted conjunctivitis, more commonly known as pink eye.  So, more days out of work, can't stamp, can't read, can't watch tv -- bright lights really hurt my eye.  All I can do is think about the things I need to be doing!!

More soon, hopefully a lot more positive!  In the meantime,

Happy Stampin'!

Debbie

Gobble Gobble!

This cute little guy is a napkin ring I made using fake flowers, foam sheets, card stock and Spice Cake Designer Series Paper.

A group of turkeys is called a rafter, or sometimes, a gang.

My daughter, Courtney, is having 8 people for Thanksgiving dinner, so here is my cute gang of 8 turkey napkin rings!

Here is the napkin ring from the side.  My sweet hubby cut a toilet paper tube (we got 3 rings from 1 tube), and I covered it inside and out with More Mustard card stock and the DSP.


Aren't they just stinkin' cute??!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my wonderful stampers and your families!!

Hugs,

Debbie

Stamper's Workshop projects

Here are the super cute projects we made at Saturday's workshop. 

Kat's adorable gift card holder using the Holiday Stocking Big Shot die.  Shh...I used the wrong piece for the stocking cuff -- don't tell her!

Love this snowman gift card holder -- do you see how the Top Note die was used here?  So cute!

And who doesn't LOVE these M&M treats?!  Such a versatile project, great for so many occasions!  Santa's mustache was created using the wings from the Bird Builder punch, and his beard is the Ornament punch.  Mr. Reindeer's head uses the Owl Builder punch, upside down, with the feet cut off. The antlers are pieces cut from the Snowflake punch.  I LOVE when punches can be used for more than one thing.

This card was made using the Petite Pennants Builder punch, the Lace Ribbon Border punch and the Frostwood Lodge DSP. 

Lanette's other project was a Bag O' Tags, but sadly, I didn't get a picture of it.

This Three Stocking Card was one of my projects -- that Silver and Red Glimmer Paper is sooo sparkly!  Love them!

And finally, the second of my projects -- the Stocking Wine Charm.  Everyone made two of these.  Doesn't the Silver Glimmer Paper look great in this picture?? 



If you didn't get to attend the workshop, but you'd like to make any of these projects, contact me and we'll order everything you need.  We have instruction sheets for all the projects, or better yet, have some friends over, and they all can have fun learning how to make them.

HAPPY STAMPIN'!

Debbie

The day after Santa's Stampers Workshop

Yesterday was the first annual Santa's Stampers Workshop, and what a fun time we had!

Felice and Linda making the Three Stocking Card.

Sisters Glenda and Linda making the Stocking Gift Card Holder.

Demonstrator Lanette and her daughter, Isabella










Tomorrow, I will post all the cute projects we made.  Until then,

HAPPY STAMPIN'!

Debbie

Veterans Day

Today is 11-11-11 -- a once in a lifetime date.

Today is also Veterans Day.  Make it part of your plan for the day to find a Vet, tell him or her "Thank You," make a donation, and get a poppy!

Happy Birthday, Tracey!

Today is my good friend, Tracey's, birthday.  She is starting a new life as a single, independent woman, and I'm so proud of her!  Our good friend, Yvonne, and I bought her a gift card to Target.  As you know, sometimes it's a little boring to just give a gift card, but not when you put it in this Pop Up Gift Card Holder!

(Sorry for the blurry photo, I tried multiple times, but this was the best I could get!)

The base of the holder is Pool Party, and the DSP is the fabulous Spice Cake -- love it!

The gift card sits in the slot in the middle, and "pops up" when you open the card.

This is the front of the card -- I made a rosette (sometimes called a "Lolly," I have NO idea why) from one of the pieces in the Spice Cake package. 

Lollies are pretty easy to make; use a 1", 1-1/2" or 2" x 12 strip of DSP (depending on the size of the lolly you want), and score at every 1/4 inch (or 1/2" inch).  Then fold on all the score lines, mountain fold, valley fold, over and under.  The key is that at the end you have to make sure that a mountain and valley fold meet, or you get this weird...thing...and it makes it very difficult to get the lolly to lay down.  Ask me how I know...

If you want to make a lot of lollies at once, take a 12x12 piece of DSP and score the whole thing, then cut it into strips.

Happy Birthday, Tracey!!

Keep stampin,

Debbie

View Master

Are you old enough to remember View Masters?

The official Wikipedia definition is this:  View-Master is a device for viewing seven 3-D images (also called stereo images) on a paper disk. Although the View-Master is now considered a children's toy, it was originally marketed as a way for viewers to enjoy stereograms of colorful and picturesque tourist attractions.

Well, now that I'm older, this is MY kind of View Master:  this is called a View Master card.  I sent this to my niece and nephew for Halloween.  They can see 6 different images by turning the "wheel" on the side.  This was a really fun card to make.  I used a retired set for the images, but the set Spooky Bingo Bits would work great, or Jolly Bingo Bits for a Christmas View Master card. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!