My Magical Inkery Tour

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T17:04:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love handing out smiles? I do! I made these treats for my coworkers for Valentine's Day.I used some retired DSP to put inside of a clear envelope before stuffing it with my favorite Valentine treat - Hershey's Marshmallow Hearts! Then I sealed the envelope, and made a band with some retired grosgrain ribbon and stuck a tag inside! I love these tags, there are so many things you can do with the Two Tags Die ( Did I say that I love this thing?!). Emma even made her class Valentines using the other tag - but - ooops I forgot to photograph her Valentines before sending them off to school! Here's a close up of the tag stamped with my favorite Valentine set P.S. I Love You: Thanks for stopping by. Hope you had a great Valentine's Day ~ I know I did!

Those Designer Cuts Cards

2012-02-10T03:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a card I made to send to a friend who recently lost a close family member. I'm a little late in getting it out, but I want her to know I'm still thinking of her. For this card I used a combination of Blushing Bride and Pretty In Pink (still my favorite shade of pink!) and a retired stamp set called thanks for caring. I love the softness of that little butterfly, don't you?

February Thank-Yous

2012-02-08T18:15:00.000-08:00

I am always in need to Thank You cards! Here are the ones I made to use this month! This Everyday Enchantment Paper is to die for. Did you know that you can only get this for FREE with your Sale-A-Bration Order? Call me today for your catalogs!

And check out this doodling - perfect to disguise those edges you didn't notice on your inked stamp - that somehow showed up on your stamped image! Or in other words - an "oops" covered up!

Another 411 Sketch!

2012-02-07T03:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted an interpretation of this week's Stamping 411 Sketch. I needed two Sympathy Cards so I in order to wrap up these cards quickly on Super Bowl Sunday, I used the same sketch for both cards.

On this card I used Soft Suede, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla as a color combination. The stamp set is Just Believe.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Time for Another Sketch!

2012-02-06T02:55:00.000-08:00

Here is this week's Stamping 411 Sketch. You can see other fabulous creations using this sketch by going here. This is my version of this week's sketch and I hope you like it!

One of my Stamping Goals this year is to use as much of my supplies as I can while they are still current. I sometimes have ALOT of designer papers left in my stash when things are retired. Yesterday I broke out my Paisley Petals pack - to make this card to play along with this week's Stamping 411 challenge.I also used one of my Beau Chateau Side Notes as the focal point on the card front. These accent pieces are perfect for quickly adding a finishing touch to a project or card. Of course I seem to find it difficult making any card quickly, so I added some touches of Log Cabin Smooch with my Aqua Painter to accent the leaves on the main image.

One thing I've been doing to get more mileage from my Smooch Sprays is them to paint and stamp. You can see on the inside that I stamped the image using the Log Cabin Smooch rather than a traditional ink. I love the look I get from using this spray as an ink! Stop by later this week, and I'll share how I did this!

A Very Special Thank You

2012-02-01T19:48:00.001-08:00

Have you ever had the opportunity to meet someone who has unknowingly inspired you in some way? Recently I had the opportunity to meet someone who has touched my life in many ways over the years, and continues to be an inspiration. Long story short - this card is for that person!

I needed a Thank You card, and found this perfect sketch on Stampin Addicts. I used the Thank You from this year's Sale-A-Bration Set Outlined Occasions to create this card. I have always thought shades of Green and Purple look great together!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you find something that inspires you!

Snow Much Christmas

2012-01-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Okay I admit it's a bit of an early start for Christmas Cards, bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifut I joined a challenge on Stampin' Addicts: Christmas/Hanukkah 2012 Challenge and needed to make a few holiday cards before the end of the month. I used this week's Stamping 411 Sketch as a jumping off point and came up with this:
I think holiday cards are so much fun when they are "out of the box" or done in not so traditional colors. This card uses Snow Much Fun stamp set along with my SAB Everyday Enchantment DSP, and my favorite In Colors - Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, and Pool Party!

Thanks for stopping by today to see what's new!

It's Time for A Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop!

2012-01-27T03:41:00.001-08:00

Thank you for stopping by for the Stampin' Addicts Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop. If you have been following this blog from the beginning you have arrived from Sharon's Blog Created By You where she was showcasing one of my most favorite stamp sets ever - Kindness Matters. Did you see her incredible Mixed Media Canvas? I have GOT to try that! I am super excited that I can finally share the projects I have been working on for this blog hop! Today I am showcasing the Designer Frames Embossing Folders. When I first laid eyes on these babies my mind's eye started picturing all kinds of things I could make with them and they were a "must have"!Up first is this card was made using some of my favorite accessories. The Window Panes fit just perfectly inside this rectangle frame. The Lucky Limeade Ribbon from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack is divine, and the Basic Pearls added just the right finishing touch.
Of course no Gift Set is complete without a box to go with it! These Kraft Gift Boxes are sized to fit small gifts and treats. I used the rectangle frame to create a matching tag with a layered center I stamped using the Elementary Elegance Stamp Set that coordinates perfectly with Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper, both can only be found in your Sale-A-Bration Catalog. I think this little box is my favorite out of all these projects I'm sharing today! Here's a close-up of the top:
My final project is this set of Valentine Tags. I sure enjoyed coming up with some fun ways to embellish these frames and they will eventually be attached to some sweet Valentine Treats! I used a lot of Occasions Mini Catalog goodies to decorate this set of tags - Wysteria Wonder and Blushing Bride In Color Baker's Twine, More Embossing Folders, PS I Love You Stamps and Candy Conversation Heart A la Carte, and my favorite new spray Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz, and Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details.

Thanks for stopping by My Magical Inkery Tour. I hope you enjoyed my projects. The next stop on the hop is Shelly's Blog: Miss Mad Stamper. You are going to love the projects she made with the Elementary Elegance Stamp Set!

Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop Starts Tomorrow!

2012-01-26T16:35:00.001-08:00

Come back tomorrow and see the projects I've created using the Designer Frames Textured Embossing Folders - one of Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration Items! I can't wait to share them with you, and I really can't wait to see all the other creations my friends over at Stampin' Addicts have created

Mission Re-Organization

2012-01-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

I decided last week to give up my stamp room for my son to use as storage space- it was getting cold in there anyway - and decided to try and hide my business away in the rest of my house. I started by weeding out my old and retired stamps. A couple of very nice people walked away with some amazing deals! Then I moved my newly organized stamps into a new home:

And put my desk into an empty corner of our dining room. The ink pads on top are easy enough to tuck into a closet if we decide we need the dining room for a party or get together. Unless of course we are stamping, which takes place at the table behind it! Anyway here is where all my magic happens!

Onto storage for other stuff. I think I did pretty good here. (Please ignore any cobwebs you might spy) There are stamping supplies stored on every shelf and in each basket, bucket and repurposed drawer. In the small photo storage boxes I have ribbons sorted by color, markers, watercolor pencils, smooch, pearls and crystals, reinkers, etc. All neatly organized and easy to find - for me - not so easy for curious grandchildren....well on second thought at least they are easy to put on top! There are two of these, one on each side of our front window:

The only drawback about living in an old house is teeny and unheated rooms!
I'm thinking of using another deep antique picnic basket I have for my Big Shot, and I still need a paper solution....but I'm working on that. Its nice to be able to work on projects and still interact with my family...the heat is a nice feature too. Anyway, I guess you can see why I haven't posted any new projects in the past week or so!

another Valentine....

2012-01-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the last prepared sample I have from my Designer Cut Card Pack, I guess I'll be making more tomorrow, and I'm glad I saved a few because today I saw a totally cool technique I am going to try on one of those cards! Can't wait - but until then, here's one to hold you over. Enjoy!

Another Designer Cut Card

2012-01-15T15:37:00.001-08:00

Seriously, for as long as I've been a SU Demonstrator, I have never bought a package of pre-made cards of any kind, but when I saw this set in the Occasions Mini, my imagination started running with all the things I could do with these! On this card, I began by using my new heart shaped Framelits dies to cut out the gorgeous laser cut heart from the center of the card (there are 4 in this package!) and layered it onto a Real Red heart cut from the same die. Then I layered both onto a larger heart cut from the same die set out of Real Red Glimmer Paper - again this stuff is awesome - no messy glitter in your hair, on your clothes, all over the floor - well you get the picture! Next I pleated some Silver Waffle Paper, another fun thing to work with, around the back of my heart and stuck it onto the extra piece of Very Vanilla Card Stock that I had left over from the card I just pulled apart (I am a Queen of Scrap!)

Speaking of the scraps from this card, I also used the remainder of my card to run through the Big Shot again with the Hearts folder from the Adorning Accents Textured Embossing Folders, and the banner from my Petal Cone Die, which was stamped with a greeting from the new PS I Love You Stamp Set! Lastly I used a few scraps of First Edition Specialty Paper. This stuff is great on any project, and a little goes a long way, I bought a package of it almost a year ago and I think I still have half of it left after using it almost weekly on various projects!

Here's a close-up of that adorable laser cut heart for you:

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great week!

Designer Cuts

2012-01-14T05:20:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite picks from the 2012 Occasions Mini is the Designer Cuts Cards and Envelopes Set. I really liked the simplicity of the card pictured in the catalog, so I had to make one for myself!

I started by layering a sheet of Real Red behind the heart cut out. Then I stamped the greeting from PS I Love You, threaded a piece of Calypso Coral Baker's Twine through a Twitterpated Button and stuck it onto the heart with a Mini Glue Dot. I finished by giving the whole card a generous spritz of Blushing Bride Smooch. I am really appreciating how the products and colors from these collections really blend and coordinate with each other.

Stop by again this week to see how many different looks you can get with this package of cards!

Thoughts and Kindness

2012-01-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

Sympathy cards are never an easy thing to send, but I know the people receiving them appreciate the thought. The Beau Chateau Side Notes are useful for any card you might need, including sympathy, birthdays, thank yous and much more. I like the layers they add to a card or project, and they coordinate with so many stamp sets.

For this card I began by running some Baja Breeze through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wall Paper Embossing Folder, then stamped a combination of images from Thoughts and Prayers and Kindness Matters Stamp Sets on the Post Card from the Side Notes Collection in Baja Breeze and Soft Suede Classic Inks.

The butterflies were cut with the Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die from Very Vanilla Card Stock and Smooched with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz that I customized with a few drops of Mambo Melon and Pink Pirouette Classic Ink Refills. Did you know that you could color your Smooch with that stuff? That's right - I also have some in Lucky Limeade and Baja Breeze!

I then embellished the post card with some Basic Pearls, Quilted Satin Ribbon (retired) and an antique brad. I adhered all the layers together and ended up with this sweet card. I only wish I hadn't needed a sympathy card that day.

Thanks for stopping by today!

New Dies!

2012-01-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

Well I did it! I finally escaped to my cave and broke out some new dies to make this card. Isn't the edge of this card fabulous? The new Edgelit Dies and coordinating Embossing Folders really give cards and boxes a great edge.

I paired up a Crumb Cake card base with some Everyday Enchantment DSP and the coordinating Ribbon and Brads Pack. Both are exclusive Sale-A-Bration items from this year's SaleABration Catalog and will be available beginning January 24th. The doily was cut from a sheet of flirtation DSP, and eeven the sweet flower in the center was cut out of the Everyday Enchangment paper, proving once again that you can make great cards without breaking out the ink...of course I would never make a habit out of that!

Thank You Medallion

2012-01-07T06:30:00.000-08:00

This is a goodie I made using stamp sets from the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. The main image was stamped using the Blossom from Friends Never Fade. I used my Stampin' Write Markers in Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso and Lucky Limeade to get the multi colored image from one stamp. I find this works best when I condition my bold stamps by lightly sanding the image with a sanding block. This only needs to be done once and then your stamp is good to go. For whatever reason it helps the ink to stick better. Any white or lighter spots can then be blended with the marker, a blending pen or a small watercolor brush.

Next I embossed the image with a designer frame from the Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Set. This folder is transparent, so it makes it super easy to center your pre-stamped image on the inside, then I cut it out and layered it over some DSP from the 2011 Holiday Mini (now retired)that I cut into a banner.

I stamped "Thanks" in the lower right hand corner of my Lucky Limeade CS with one of the phrases from the Kindness Matters Stamp Set, also in the IBC - and soon to be offered as one of the FREE Stamp Sets in the upcoming Sale-A-Bration Catalog! I finished the card front off with a line of Basic Pearls under the phrase and layered it onto a 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" piece of Naturals Ivory scored and folded in half.

A fun trick you can do with your envelopes is to seal your A-5 Envelope closed and trim off the end in order to turn it into a 4 7/8 x 4 7/8 square. Then using a 4 7/8 x 3 1/4 scrap of coordinating DSP scored 1/2" from the end, you can create a coordinating flap for your card, making the perfect sized envelope to fit a 4 1/4" square card. Just round off the corners and you're done. Easy-Peasy!

For more cards using this sketch check out this Stamping 411 Challenge!

Special Notes

2012-01-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

I made this A2 Cardbox to hold a set of notecards. After making this box, I created two layers using Pool Party and Very Vanilla with my Delicate Doilies Stamp Set. Then I used my distressing kit to give them an aged and vintage look. The butterflies were cut out using chipboard and Newsprint DSP, then embellished with Glass Glitter in Champagne and Baja Breeze. The punched flowers were created with the Scalloped Circle Punch, and the Five Petal Punch. The 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon was colored with my sponge dauber and Island Indigo Ink Pad, then the whole project was assembled and spritzed with Silver Smooch.

I wanted to keep the notecards plain - they are more of a card front than a note card, but I am considering working on them some more, adding stamps and a few layers in order to jazz them up a little!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Birthday!

2012-01-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight we are celebrating one more birthday in our family. Rick will be....well lets just say he's getting old enough that birthdays are starting to hit hard! Last night I had a brilliant idea - nothing like waiting til the last minute, huh? - to invite his sisters and their families over for a surprise celebration. hopefully they will arrive here just before he gets home - teehee - I think even Emma kept this one a surprise!

Anyway this is the card I made for him. It didn't turn out quite like I expected but I had no time to go back and fix it up, you know with needing to clean up the house after a week of mad stamping, and cooking a dinner for 15 on a day's notice. All I can say is thank goodness for oblivious husbands who walk by dining room tables in the dark, not noticing the three bowls of dip. And thank goodness too for cold New England nights and old houses with unheated pantrys! hehe

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

One More Sneak Peek!

2012-01-02T13:24:00.000-08:00

This card uses a Sweet Sunday Sketch from waaay back in November. Sometimes I enjoy taking other people's designs and making them my own and this was one such card. I used the Sweet Shop DSP from the upcoming Occasions Mini - available starting January 4th and the coordinating Jelly Bean Brads also from the Occasions Mini! I love this paper, the white polka dots are dry embossed and the other pages have some of my current favorite colors. I am even liking Pool Party once again!

Thanks for stopping by today. Stay warm I hear its about to get really cold outside!

A Trillion Gazillion Thank-You's!

2011-12-31T06:47:00.000-08:00

Is that a real number? According to Emma it sure is and this year I need that many Thank You cards when I return to school on Tuesday! I couldn't think of a better way to use my scraps and left overs from this year's Holiday Mini-Catalog. I am always sad to see some of the items in these mini's retire. I will miss the Holly Berry Designer Series Paper and the Stocking Punch the most. This was a fabulous grouping of items.

However I am also looking ahead to a great Occasion's Mini Catalog - ready to go "live" on Wednesday! As you might have noticed from my previous posts this week, I have been trying out some of those new items and stamps. I love the new dies, and the Sweet Shop Product Suite is hands down my new favorite - I might even order the coordinating sticker sheets!

Anyway - that's my post for today. Best Wishes to everyone for a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Printer's Tray Club

2011-12-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

Join me this year in a series of classes to decorate your favorite Printer's Tray or Shadow Box. This first class will take place on Saturday February 4th @ 1:00 and will feature a Valentine's Theme. I am planning for Easter, Patriotic, Fall and Holiday classes to follow. This design leaves plenty of room for you to customize with your favorite photos or mementos. All materials are included in the class fee. Contact me for more information.

January Stamp A Stack

2011-12-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the samples for January's Card Club. The first is called Be My Valentine. It uses the PS I Love You stamp set from the 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog and will be available on January 4th. I used a combination of Pink Pirouette, Calypso Coral and Chocolate Chip. Who would have thought that Calypso Coral would coordinate so nicely with a Pink and Chocolate combination?

The second card is called Be Mine and features the Hearts Collection of Stampin' Up!s new Framelit Dies. I used the little girl from Greeting Card Kids, a much under used favorite from the current Idea Book and Catalog. It features the new Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz, Silver Waffle Paper, and Vintage Glass Glitter. I thought she was cute with the Soft Suede card base, but this might not be everyone's cup of tea so participants may choose between the Soft Suede or a Pink Pirouette Base.

The last card I called Love. This card uses the Framelits Hearts also, along with some punches and many of the images from the PS I Love You stamps set, as well as the Candy Conversations A la Carte Stamp from the upcoming Mini, and the Outlined Occasions Stamp Set from this year's Sale-A-Bration Catalog - available January 24th - March 31st.

My 2012 Monthly Card Club will resume on Thursday January 12th and will run the 2nd Thursday of each month. This year's club will feature 3 cards each month and attendees will Stamp A Stack of 3 of each version for a total of 9 cards. Class starts at 6:30pm and will be taking place in the Play Room at Life's Memories and More. Call or email me to reserve your space!

Come back soon for an upcoming Valentine Project and more information about this year's Sale-A-Bration!

Happy Hanukkah and Peace on Earth

2011-12-20T13:22:00.001-08:00

I needed a Hanukkah card this week, but sadly there are no Hanukkah Stamps in my stash of stamps, so I used the Peace on Earth greeting from my Peaceful Season stamp set (retired) and the flourish from this year's Pines and Boughs to create a blue and silver shimmery card. Gotta love that Glimmer Paper - Hope they like it!

Happy Birthday Zoey!

2011-12-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

I managed squeeze in a little time to stamp this morning getting ready for Zoey's 4th Birthday, and made two banners, one for her birthday cake and a holiday banner that her parents could keep after. The cake banner was stamped using the candy piece from my Jolly Bingo Bits stamps set in Wild Wasabi and Real Red Classic Ink and the snowflakes were cut from the Norther Flurries Sizzlet Strip Die. I used a combination of white baker's twine and silver tinsel trim (retired SU)with white organdy ribbon from my stash.

For the holiday banner I used Holly Berry Boquet DSP, Stocking Accents Die and the Stocking Builder Punch. The snowflakes were cut from silver glimmer paper, and I added some crystal snowflakes (from my stash) and Mini-Jingle Bells. I finished the whole thing off with Champagne Glitter - wish you could see it on the snowflakes, it looks great IRL!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Holiday Clearance Rack

2011-12-15T02:21:00.000-08:00

This is something worth checking out - lots of great items - ribbon, card stock, punches, dies, and 3-D items, a personal favorite of mine! I have my list made...Holiday Keepsake Boxes, Design A House, Gusseted Envelopes, Punches! Can't wait for that box to come in, it's going to be like Christmas!

You can shop by visiting the clearance rack at the online store. Don't forget to add me as your Demonstrator to get the preferred pricing.

Candy Cane Lane Gift Set

2011-12-15T01:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun gift set I made using Stampin' Up!s Candy Cane Lane Simply Scrappin' Kit. These kits make it super easy and quick to make scrapbook pages, but they are great for other projects as well. The tag box is not my original idea, but came from Lisa Young's Splitcoast Stamper's Gallery.

Have a great day!

Snow Much Bling!

2011-12-14T02:50:00.001-08:00

Hi Bloggy Friends!I've been missing for awhile, but I haven't stopped stamping. Things have been busy around here, but I'm back! Today I wanted to share these cute snowman cards I made recently as Thank You's. It was inspired by a card that Joni Maki made. You can view her blog here: Stampin' Joni Presents I love the Glimmer Paper tags - a little of that stuff really does go a long way - and the Baja Breeze Glass Glitter. Can you believe I have had this in my stash for almost a year, and it's the first time I broke it out?

I will try to make it back in the next few days to post some more holiday goodies that I have been working on. Don't forget to stop by during Christmas Vacation, when I will be posting some samples made from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration!

Enjoy your holiday season!

You've Been Boo'd

2011-10-27T18:16:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been BOO'd? Weeks ago someone (not really sure who...or am I?) began Boo-ing at work. Okay it was me, but I couldn't make it obvious so I left a store bought bag (shh don't tell the Stampin' Up! fairies - I mean what respectable stamper leaves a treat for someone in a store bought bag??) it finally came around and I walked into my office yesterday to find a bag of treats waiting for me...who snuck those in there when I wasn't looking I wonder?? Anyway I think there is only one person left who hasn't been BOO'd - so at this point in the game, I think it's okay to make it obvious that the last Boo was left by me and is this not the cutest bat you have ever laid eyes on? I wish I could take the credit for all this awesomeness, but the original design came from the fabulous Shelli Gardner....Do you think they'll ever figure out who left the first??

Gearing Up For a SPOOKY Halloween!

2011-10-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

Today I worked on Thank You cards for my customers this month, along with a few for some very thoughtful volunteers who helped me get ready for our Fall Festival at school this coming week. I have lots of Halloween projects I am trying to wrap up including a sweet little black crow who's just waiting for a Halloween costume - can crows even be considered sweet? Well maybe just this one as soon as I am finished with him!

All About R-einkers

2011-10-18T16:32:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to share these fun cards with you at my Stamp Club this month! Each of them is made using Stampin' Up! Re-inkers with different techniques. I still have time to prep for more people if you would like to join in!

Candle Boxes completed!

2011-10-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Back in you June you may have viewed a picture of a box I had designed to be used as a wedding favor - sized just right to hold a Yankee Candle Votive. Today I finally finished all 96 of these little babies - Sorry Kim I am keeping two - Rick and Emma deserve a treat for entertaining themselves for the past two days :) If you missed June's post, you can view it here! It was hours worth of work, but I loved every minute of it - and I hope Kim and Pat like these little boxes as much as I do!

I put together a brief tutorial with the measurements and directions - cut on the solid lines and score on the dotted lines (except for the error!) please don't mind my horrible writing, and take note of the error on the box top where it's noted to score and not cut! I added a picture of a cut box top to help.

Thanks for stopping by today - GO PATS!

Beau Chateau

2011-10-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

I have had this package of die cuts called Side Notes (#122379 $5.95) from the Belle Chateau Product Suite since July and just opened them this past weekend. Can you believe that I held onto these little darlings for this long? I needed a quick Birthday card the other day and these worked to make a perfect collage on the top of this card. I quickly put them together with a piece of Beau Chateau designer paper, a quick punch, a few pearls and a spritz of Log Cabin and Vanilla Smooch, and I was good to go....I think the recipient loved it too - well.... who wouldn't?

FREE Big Shots!

2011-10-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Join Stampin' Up! as a Demonstrator during the month of October and receive your choice of a FREE Big Shot or $100 in Stampin' Up! Products in additional to all the fun supplies you can choose for your Kit!

Not sure you want to commit to a business? A Demonstrator Kit is also a great way to build your personal Stamp and Paper Craft Supplies at a fabulous price. For only $175 you will receive $375 worth of Stampin' Up! Products of your choice plus business supplies, a one time discount of 30% off of you next Stampin' Up! Order, access to our exclusive Stampin' Connection Demonstrator Only Website that is full of great stamping, scrapbooking and paper crafting ideas, and a free subscription to Stampin' Success - Stampin' Up!'s monthly publication for demonstrators only. Contact me today to learn more about joining my team!

World Card Making Day

2011-10-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Did you know that today is world card making day? I can't think of a better way to spend a dreary October afternoon inside than pulling out my stamps and paper supplies to make something fun and special, and I know that many of you feel the same! In honor of World Card Making Day I wantl to let you know that I have accepted a challenge of booking three Workshops in November. I have decided to offer an incentive - book your workshop in November and receive a *FREE* package of Winter Wishes Stitched Felt Accents. If you have $100 in outside orders on the night of your workshop you will also receive a *FREE* package of Mini Jingle Bells. You have to see these to believe how cute they are, it's a fun way to add a little Jingle to your holiday cards, tags and projects. All this is in addition to Stampin' Up!'s fabulous new Hostess Plan which gives you more options that they've ever offered before, plus the opportunity to purchase a Half Price Item. This is a great way to purchase the new Simply Scored scoring tool for only $14.98 - making your 3-D projects easier than ever before. You can see it HERE

Join my Stampin' Up! Team during the month of October and get a FREE Big Shot or an additional $100.00 in Stampin' Up! Products. This is a fun way to earn some extra income just in time for your holiday spending! Visit my Stampin' Up! Website for more information and let me know if you're interested in starting your own business!

I have been busy working on some 3-D projects for a friend's wedding, but in Celebration of World Card Making Day today I decided to share this past card with you. This little cutie was made using Fabulous Florets, and the 2010-2011 In Colors - Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait. I spiced it up a bit using Vanilla Smooch Spritz. Have you tried this stuff on your paper crafting projects yet? It's something you definitely will want to add to your collection!

A Big Shot Christmas - 2011 Edition!

2011-09-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

I must be on a roll because I just scheduled this class for November 6th @ 1:00 and my samples are already made and ready for a pre-view! I have been really having fun making Stocking Banners for the upcoming holiday season and I thought I should share them with YOU! Join me for this class on Sunday November 6th where we'll be making this Stocking Banner using some of the 2011 In Colors, two Petal Cone Ornaments and a stack of Match Boxes. I can just imagine some moss and a teeny little Cardinal in there, so I will most likely be making a trip to the craft store this week too!

I think the top of this match box is just the cutest thing, don't you?!

August Card Club

2011-09-17T04:35:00.001-07:00

This month's Holiday Card Club was all about Fabulous Folds. We folded a Big Shot project with the Mini-Milk Carton Dies, made an easel card, and folded with some new quilted satin ribbon.

It took awhile to get these posted - guess I got a little busy with the start of a new school year!

Fabric Embellishments

2011-09-15T03:49:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Stampin' Up! has a line of fabrics that can be used to spice up your cards and projects? Here I used some fabric from the new Holiday Mini to dress up these cute little bags. The tags were inspired by a card that Sandi McIver recently posted to Splitcoast Stampers. I love the color combination of Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, and Island Indigo that she used on her card - so I brought it over to my tags. They aren't necessarily traditional fall colors, but I like the different look it gave to my French Foliage Stamps.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Layered Punches

2011-08-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have been coming across these cards recently and thought it was time to try making one of my own. Unfortunately it ended up that I needed two this week, but of which were not for happy occasions. I hope they touch someone's heart in a positive way - even if it's just to let them know I'm thinking of them!

Out On A Limb For You

2011-08-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today I cased a card by Lydia Fiedler who is the featured stamper this week at Split Coast Stampers. You can see Lydia's card here or visit Lydia's blog to see what else she has conjured up. Whenever I need to lighten my mood I like to pop over to read Lydia's latest post and if you stop by her blog you might understand why!

I especially like the way Lydia includes her Fur Babies in her posts. This past weekend my cat has taken up residence in my stamp room - she likes the corner behind my desk when she's not sitting right on my work space. So I altered this card a bit in honor of my cat Salem - and Lydia's babies as well!

Hope everyone stayed safe during Irene's wrath - or her teeny little hissy fit, as we witnessed here in Western Mass!

Haunted House with Matching Card

2011-08-27T17:34:00.001-07:00

I love making these little houses - they can be decorated to match the season and easy enough to make more than one to give away as gifts! Today I decorated mine with items from the upcoming Holiday Mini-Catalog available for purchase starting Sept. 1st.

On this project I used the new "Out On A Limb" stamp set, new In Colors,and some favulous Glimmer Paper. You can make one of these houses with the matching card for yourself at my upcoming class on Saturday September 24th @ 12:30. Call me to reserve your spot today!

One For The Weekend!

2011-08-19T12:58:00.001-07:00

Here is a bottle I made for a friend of Rick's who recently got married. It was fun, quick and easy to create, using Nature Walk, and the Just Believe stamp sets, along with Crumb Cake, Early Espresso and Soft Suede inks and the Beautiful Wings Embosslit. It's probably hard to see, but there are butterflies and bumble bees stamped on this in Smooch Illuminate Ink.

I love the signs behind them too - Rick made those - pretty neat, huh?

Birthday Banner

2011-08-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Today's post was inspired by a project that Andrea Walford recently made. In my version I used up some of my retired DSP to make Emma's Birthday Invitations! I think the banners are adorable on this card....and I also find it so hard to believe our baby is going to be 8 in just two weeks!

I combined lots of elements and accessories to create this card - Create A Cupcake Stamp Set, Just Add Cake DSP, 1/2" & 3/4" Circle Punch, Pennant Punch, paper piercer, Stampin' Dimensionals, Build a Cupcake Punch,and Crochet Thread. Do you just love it?

Kindness Matters

2011-08-09T04:10:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with this set last weekend, can you tell? I am in the process of putting together baggie books to showcase the many ways you can use just one stamp set to get different looks and styles. On this card I used a layered marker technique similar to the one I used here. Karen Barber, one of my favorite bloggers recently posted a video tutorial using this technique on her blog A Stamper's Diary..

On this card I used a combination of fun stuff from the current Idea Book and Catalog - you can download a copy of this from the toolbar on the right or call me to book your fall workshop and get your own catalog for FREE! Here are the supplies I used:

Designer Frames Embossing Folder
Silver Foil Smooch Spritz
Always Artichoke Seam Binding
Linen Thread
Beveled Windowpanes
Stampin' Write Markers: Blushing Bride, Pretty in Pink, Mambo Melon
White Gel Pen
Always Artichoke Classic Ink Pad
Basic Black Classic Ink Pad

Thanks for stopping by to peek!

More Kindness

2011-08-07T06:32:00.000-07:00

Kindness Matters is absolutely one of my favorite sets from this year's Idea Book and Catalog. It's one of those teeny stamp set with big possibilities. For this card I paired it up with the Designer Frames embossing folder, some punch art and a few embellishments. Here it's paired up with the Flower Garden embossing folder, Log Cabin Smooch Spray, punches and vintage embellishments.

Mega Halloween Class Part I

2011-08-05T04:52:00.000-07:00

Join me next Saturday @ 10:30 for my Mega Halloween Class Part I - part two to follow next month! This was an awesome class last year, and I have some great new projects for this coming year. It is $15 to attend and I will take $10 off your Stampin' Up! order of $25 or more on this day. Call to save your spot!

Doilies and Frills

2011-07-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

An August WOW! Here is a preview of one of my August Workshop Make & Takes. The Fabulous Folds on this card, combined with some raised elements on the inside creates an easel to display your card. I have to take a moment to send a big Shout Out to a mentor I have been working with this summer - Saralinda Labrose who has spent countless hours at my dining room table week after week as we have reviewed policies, Quality Improvement Plans, and a number of other items on the agenda as I plan for a new school year at work! She will be the lucky recipient of this shimmery madness!

If you would like to have one of these cards for yourself all you need to do is book your August workshop to earn free products from the new Idea Book and Catalog and preview samples from the upcoming Holiday Mini-Catalog. You won't believe how fabulous Stampin' Up!s new Hostess Rewards Program is and as an added bonus I have a surprise for my August Hostesses - call or email me to find out how booking your August workshop will really pay off!

Kids Stamp Camp Day 2

2011-07-19T07:31:00.001-07:00

Here is project #2 for my second day of the Kids Stamp Camp 2011 August 3rd/4th and 5th.

This class includes punch art projects, and shading techniques appropriate for 2nd Graders and up. It will include 2 of each of the cards shown, plus a mini pizza box to store them in.There's still room for your kids to have fun, and for you to take a little break! Snacks provided!

Kids Stamp Camp

2011-07-16T19:28:00.001-07:00

This is the first project we'll be making at my Stamp Camp for Kids which will be held August 3rd, 4th and 5th. We'll be making this explosion box using lots of different embellishments, punches and die cuts as one of the three projects at Life's Memories and More. Come back tomorrow to see another project - contact me to save your space!

Have you been thinking about joining Stampin' Up!?

2011-07-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here is your perfect opportunity....for a limited time, Stampin' Up! is offering a Demo Kit for only $99! You will receive everything you need to get started, plus this exclusive Holiday Keepsake Box and Stamp Set only available to new demonstrators who sign up before July 31st. Call me for more information!

Look here for more information!

Candle Boxes

2011-06-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been much stamping going on around here lately as I've been wrapping up some end of the year projects at school - but this morning I did make this box that will fit a Yankee Candle votive perfectly. I used a combination of Always Artichoke and Pool Party, and broke out a new stamp set from the upcoming IBC called Four Frames.

An Extraordinary Lunch!

2011-06-25T10:10:00.001-07:00

As I was making Emma her lunch today, so told me about a quote she recently read "a little extra turns something ordinary into Extraordinary" so I had to reach form some left over banner and label pieces and quickly turned the toothpicks holding her sandwich together into something Extraordinary! It had to be quick - she had a riding lesson to get to - or it would have been fancier....gives me an idea for my next party...anyway - hope you have an Extraordinary Weekend!

June Holiday Card Club

2011-06-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a holiday card made using the new Pennant Punch and Pennant Parade Stamp Set that I got in my Demo Sneak Peek Pre-Order. In addition to this card we'll be making a two others, one of which is a treat box card perfect for fitting 4 or 5 Hershey Nuggets. There are a couple of seats left if anyone would like to try it out. We start at 6:30 on Thursday night, new members are always welcome and there is no purchase commitment. Hope to see you then!

Cherish Friendships

2011-06-12T07:32:00.001-07:00

I think I found my favorite card in the new Idea Book - I love the colors and layout of this card, I just had to change out the stamp set to one I already had. This new Cherish Friendship set fit the bill exactly!

I dusted off my blender pens to color in this image, using as many of the new colors that will be released soon as I could, and threw in a whole slew of others just for good measure!

Enjoy!

The Man in Brown Stopped By Today

2011-06-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

....and look at what he left behind! A box full of NEW Stampin' Up! Treats. These stamps are from a set called Cherish Friendship, and was my first choice from the stamps available on my Demonstrator Pre-Order. I just finished drooling over the new Idea Book and Catalog and though I'd like to take one of each, please! I am not sure that I'll have the time to use absolutely all of it - so I'll have to narrow my choices a bit!

But back to my card...these cherries are the reason I just had to have this set. For this First Stamp I wanted to see if I could get the blended look of Copic markers using Stampin' Up! products. What I've decided is that you really don't need those ultra expensive markers to get this cool blended look on your cards and projects. It can really be done with ink pads or markers and a blender pen! For this image I used both - ink from the lid of my stamp pad, and a little ink from a marker placed on a plastic lid. Once you choose the colors you want to use simply start with the lightest color and work your way up to the darkest using scrap paper as needed to lighten some of the ink on your blender pen.

This card is a hint at what's inside this fabulous new book - lots and lots of banners! It seems that banners are all the rage right now, and they are coming in all sorts of shapes and sizes. As such I think that it is only appropriate to show you a few of the ways you can add them to your current projects using items you probably already own, as you make sure you are able to purchase any LAST CHANCE items you might like to have.

I will be hosting a Mystery Hostess Workshop at my house on Saturday June 25th from 12-2. RSVP and find out the various ways you can get your own copy of the new catalog for FREE!

Retro 70's Style

2011-06-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

If you remember the early 70's you might remember these super cute mushrooms being emblazoned on just about everything - my mind remembers them shimmery and covered with red and white sequins on a pair of bell bottom jeans!

The card will be part of a Stamp a Stack I will be teaching at my Stamp Camp for Kids in July. Super cute huh?

The Land of the Free

2011-06-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

I had some fun playing in my Stampin' Space this past weekend using the Land of the Free - one of the fun A La Carte stamps from this years Summer Mini Catalog. I used it on both the pieces. This is a fun way to embellish items for your 4th of July barbecue or get together! Apologies for the color - I guess I will have to go back to photographing my items outside in the sunshine!

These nesting boxes are a pattern I have been using off and on for awhile. They will also be one of the projects offered in my Holiday Big Shot class that begins in September - let me know if you would like me to save you a spot in this class, and I'll send you the information.

The card was made using a Double Embossing technique that was featured in Stampin' Success Magazine this past month. To recreate this effect you can use your brayer, or rub your Versamark ink pad directly onto the debossed side of your embossing folder, place your DSP into the folder and run it through the Big Shot. You will want to immediately sprinkle your embossing powder onto your DSP while the ink is still wet, and heat set. Isn't this a cool look?

Stop back later this week, I will be posting some cards made with sneak peek items from the upcoming Idea Book and Catalog! Hope you all enjoy the beautiful day.

Stampin Space Made-Over

2011-06-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

After my determination that my Stamping Space was in sore need of a make-over (I could not even work in here!) I decided that I needed to reorganize and purge. I actually found 4 empty boxes were taking up valuable space! So here is what I came up with:

This is my reorganized and newly positioned cutting station. Now that it's right beside my desk, I can easily reach whatever I need! I am no longer concerned about blocking off this door - it never gets used, and leaving a path to it obviously wasn't working either!

These metal containers used to live on my front porch as window boxes, but after two seasons exposed to the rain and sun, it was obvious that they would not survive another summer. However - they do fit all of my dies nicely, including the extra long ones. Its nice to no longer have to rummage through various drawers to find what I need!

The desk in this position makes it great to reach anything I need in the drawers underneath. Previously I would have to push in my chair just to open those drawers! As an added bonus sitting in front of all those windows allows me to watch Emma when she is outside playing and riding her bike!

I love my new ink pad storage - these are the little containers that used to fit inside those metal window boxes turned die storage! They nice fit the ink pads and coordinating markers nicely. No more pulling drawers out to find my ink pads!

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Stamping Space Makeover ?

2011-05-22T13:31:00.001-07:00

I spent the day organizing my Stamping Studio. I know it doesn't look very clean but if you saw the piles of paper stacked everywhere before I started you would understand. I am waiting for my new copy of Creating Keepsakes Creative Spaces to arrive, maybe I can get some ideas on how to work with this space! I think it's surely in need of a makeover don't you?

Graduation Gift

2011-05-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have been itching to make one of these bottles since I saw this one!

It was just perfect to hold a printed copy of Mary Schmich's speech titled Everybody's Free

Congrats to all the graduates this weekend!

Enjoy

Tea Set

2011-04-22T20:32:00.001-07:00

Isn't this tea set the cutest? I can't wait to teach this class - we'll be making a Tea Bag Holder using the Paisley Petals Designer Paper from Stampin' Up! That is available this month only for $9.95 with your $20 order or free with a $350 workshop! It will not be available again until the new Idea Book and Catalog is released in July! Just a few folds, a paper trimmer and some glue is all you need to create this beauty!

We'll also be completing this Tea Cup Card and Treat Bag with Topper to match. All this is just in time for Mother's Day. The class is taking place on May 1st at 1:00. Call or email me for details!

Don't you just love this flower on top of the box??
TTFN and have a Happy Easter!

Paper Mache Eggs

2011-04-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Still getting ready for the upcoming visit from the little guy with the big Hop! Here are some paper mache eggs I've been working on. They were cased from other eggs I have seen around, including the eggs that Shelli posted on her blog here. If you have never been to Shelli's blog, it's worth a visit - she shares some amazing projects and has a great style.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Recycled Bunnies

2011-04-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back Emma and I decided to use some of our cardstock scraps to make bunnies for Easter. We recycled the cardstock by tearing it into tiny bits, then adding it to the food processor with a big of water and blending it all together to make one mushed up mess! After squeezing all the extra water out of the mush, we smooshed it into chocolate lollipop molds to create these 3-Dimensional bunnies. It was fun putting them all together, and a great way to recycle some of our left-over papers!

The Art of Illumination

2011-04-10T07:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I attended a class on Illumination that I had really been looking forward to. Illumination is the lavish artwork that was produced during the Medieval Period-first by Monks to illustrate manuscripts. The process was very involved, and usually included a parchment maker, a scribe, and one or more artists or illuminators.

The class was based in spirituality and attendees were encouraged to pick a favorite bible verse or spiritual quote, write it down, and then decorate it by hand using a variety of mediums. Some of the pictures people came up with were amazing - I wish I had taken pictures! - and many were intended as gifts. That morning when I re-read the class description I noticed that attendees were invited to use the mediums supplied or bring their own. Well that was all I needed to know, and I promptly packed my crop bag. I did try to limit myself by picking out a color palette ahead of time, and I packed a few stamp sets though I was pretty sure I was going to try and stick with the Fabulous Florets coming out in Stampin' Up's new Summer Mini-Catalog. The other set I brought along was Nature Walk - one that proved quite popular as other artists borrowed the flowers and butterfly to embellish their garden themed projects.

Having an abundance of Poppy Parade card stock - I have had a hard time warming up to this one - I knew I was probably going to be using it with the Poppy type flower included in this set. At the last minute I also grabbed my bag of Smooch and Shimmer Paints - though I had no idea that the word Illumination is also thought to refer to the Gold Leaf that was part of this art form. Here is what I came up with:

On the card fronts I used a combination of Stayz On ink, Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride, Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz Stamp n Write Markers, my Aqua Painter, Log Cabin Smooch (in the center of the poppies) applied with a paint brush, Vanilla Shimmer Mist, and Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

On the insides I used the Leaf Stem stamp with Poppy Parade that I misted with Vanilla Shimmer before stamping. The pictures really do not do these cards justice - the shimmer is beautiful!

Anyway the idea was that whatever was created during this class comes from inside, and though I did not necessarily follow the directions by picking a verse from one of the many wonderful books provided I did create something beautiful that came from within. And that is how I like to share my art with the world!

A Blog Award!

2011-04-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

I was given this Blogger Award by Jennifer Campbell. THANKS JENN!!! This was a surprise - and fun to meet all the "criteria"!

When you win a Stylish Blogger Award there are 4 things you must do:

1. Thank the person that gave you the award and link back to their blog (above). Thanks Jenn
What a surprise this was!

2. Share (8) things about yourself:
1 - I love being a Mom, it leads to other great and amazing things, like being a grammy!
2 - Being a grammy is equally as great as being a mommy!
3 - I really love spending time with my husband both with our family and alone - he's a pretty fun guy to hang around with!
4 - I really enjoy my job as a Preschool Director, and the variety of things I get to do though out the day, from working with the kids and teaching my afternoon class, to helping and supporting the teachers, children and families I work with, to event planning!
5 - I find pleasure in doing things that make other people smile!
6 - When I am stamping in my studio (ahem - closet!) I love creating 3-D items and figuring out how to put things together.
7 - What I love the most about Stamping and Paper Crafting is the process of putting things together and completing projects at my own pace.
8 - I really enjoy sitting by a fire in the back yard, and roasting marshmallows with Emma.
9 - I think that people watching from Leffingwell's Martini Bar is quite fun!
10 - I am one of the most unorganized people I know - but I'm always trying to improve on that!

3. Pass this award on to (8) other Stylish Bloggers:
1. Gail I love visiting Gail's blog to see what she's been up to. The first time I met her she told me I was her "idol" lol that's pretty neat and I don't think I'll ever forget that comment! Gail and I belong to the same Stampin' Up! Group - Love at First Stamp
2. Cindy Schuster Cindy always has some neat things on her blog. Lately she's been working on MDS videos, it seems!
3. Susan Susan belongs to Love at First Stamp also!
4. Kim I love checking in to see what Kim has been working on lately - I saw a really neat scrapbook she made yesterday!
5. Ingvild Bolme Ingvild creates some pretty amazing things - I love to look at her blog for inspiration - I recently did a class inspired by her art!
6. Patti Lee Patti Lee often posts tutorials on her blog, sharing her techniques with everyone. I have seen so many people case her great ideas!
7. Shannon Hebert Shannon makes all kinds of things - and shares great projects on her blog!
8. Alison from Nice People Stamp - I stumbled across her blog one day and had to save it in my favorites, probably just because of the title, but I am never disappointed when viewing her blog!

4. Leave a comment on their blogs so they know your passing it on to them. Congratulations All!

So I'm off! Not sure I'll get to all of them, it was a VERY early morning...thanks for visiting everyone!!

Sneak Peek!

2011-04-01T13:22:00.001-07:00

I have a sneak peek for you!

Stampin' Up! is offering this great promotion for April! You can purchase this with your purchase, or get it for FREE with a qualifying workshop during the Month of April. Order yours quick because these fun new items won't be available again until July!

Customer order option

* Orders may be placed on any order type (customer, demonstrator, workshop, or online).
* Customers must spend $20 to be eligible to purchase the Four Frames stamp set and/or Paisley Prints Designer Series Paper from the upcoming 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog.
* Both items can be purchased once the $20 minimum is met; there is a limit of five per product once the $20 minimum is met. Ordering another $20 of Stampin' Up! products resets the limit and allows the customer to purchase another five Designer Series Papers and/or stamp sets.

Hostess option

* Orders must be placed on a workshop, customer, or demonstrator order to qualify. Online orders are not eligible for this part of the promotion.
* Customers will receive the Four Frames and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper FREE if they host a $350 workshop (net sales before tax and shipping).
* You must use the special bundle item numbers above when ordering the Four Frames Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper as a reward for hosting a qualifying workshop.
* There is a limit of one Four Frames Set and Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper per workshop.
* Workshop must meet $350 minimum to be eligible for sneak peek products. Reward is for reaching the $350 level and is not incremental.
* Hostess may choose either the wood-mount or clear-mount set. Clear blocks are not included in the clear mount set.

Easter Baskets 2011

2011-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

This class is chock full of fun Easter baskets and containers for the adults in your life. Class will be held this coming Sunday at 1:00. The cost of the class is $15, and includes all the items pictured here, plus an additional card. There are still spots left so contact me if you are interested in attending!

~Katherine

Summer Mini - Sneak Peek!

2011-03-20T17:20:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was a lucky winner of this Fabulous Florets stamp set from the upcoming Summer Mini-Catalog. I had to make at least one card to share, but have to pack the stamps away for a couple of weeks while I wrap up a couple of work-related projects I have been involved in.f you follow my blog I will be taking a couple of weeks off. I have some projects to finish up - and if I don't pack away the temptation they will never get done!

Here are my scheduled classes for the next month:

April 3rd - Easter Printers Tray Encore Class
April 11th - Monday Madness - Summer Product Preview
April 21st - Christmas Card Club

Call me for more information on any of these. Have a great week!

Banner Recreated

2011-03-20T08:04:00.001-07:00

The banner project at the Regional yesterday was so over the top, I had to come home and make one for a friend!

Hartford Regionals

2011-03-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

Many members of our Love At First Stamp group met up at the Regional and spent the day stamping together. I came back with lots of new ideas and techniques I can't wait to work into my classes!

Smooch Spritz Gets Reinked

2011-03-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

I love having Mondays off! Today I got together with some friends and scrapped and stamped. My good friend Kimmie K. - a past demonstrator (I am on a mission to get her back! teehee) helped me to distress the backgrounds for some of these cards, but I wanted at least one to show off the Re-inked Smooch Spritz I made using my reinkers and a bottle of Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.

I am also in love with the Cupcake Punch and coordinating Create a Cupcake stamp set. They are so darn cute! I have seen some wonderful cards created with this set, but for some reason whenever I make a cupcake card they always have to be in my favorite color combination of Pretty In Pink, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip and Early Espresso. I can't share how thrilled I was when Stampin' Up! brought my Pink Pirouette back out of retirement!!

Well I am off to finish my group swaps for the Stampin' Up! Regional in Hartford next weekend!

If you aren't too busy this week, please join me for my Holiday Card Club being held this coming Thursday at 6:30! I'll post pictures later this week!

Desk Top Box Set

2011-03-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

How cute is this box? This set can be viewed in person at Life's Memories and More, where I will be holding the class in May. The class will consist of the Desk Top Box, complete with 6 cards inside, and a note pad (not shown). We will be using some distressing techniques and Smooch Sprays to give your project a Vintage appearance, but if Vintage is not your style it is easily adaptable. Attendees will also get to take home a Tutorial written by me with Colored Pictures illustrating how to recreate this baby again on your own. Don't you just love the crinkly seam binding ribbons? I know I absolutely love this stuff!!

Easter Printer Tray Class

2011-02-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

Join me on Saturday March 5th @ 10:30 to make this Printer's Tray with an Easter Theme. We will be using the Easter Blooms Stamp Set from the current Mini Catalog - one of my personal favorite items in the book! I will show you how to make those adorable Sweet Pea flowers in the upper corner - originally designed by Jennifer Campbell.

Choose your color scheme of Marina Mist/Pear Pizzazz, or Rose Red/Pear Pizzazz!

Space is limited to 6 people for this class, so save your space soon!

Water Color Techniques

2011-02-02T07:49:00.001-08:00

I am working on planning a series of classes I will be offering through Top Floor Learning on Rubber Stamping. My first class will feature water color techniques. It's going to be hard to step away from using the ink pads and aqua painters to talk about other mediums to get a similar look when I am getting this effect:

Even Emma is inspired to try some new techniques:

Christmas Card Club

2011-01-29T15:55:00.001-08:00

Here is one of the cards we'll be making at my Christmas Card Club on February 17th and continuing the 3rd Thursday of each month after. We will be making 3 cards or projects each month leading up to the next Holiday Season. The cost of this club is $8 per month for a materials fee. There is no obligation to purchase any products, but if you place a $50 I will deduct the cost of the class from your order. Please let me know if you'd like to sign up for this and be ready to send out all of your Christmas Cards before the next holiday season is upon us!

Valentine Mailbox Class

2011-01-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love going to the mailbox to find a card waiting - or even better - CHOCOLATE??

We'll be making these little cuties on February 12th - just in time to give away to your favorite Sweetie! I will even be passing on a copy of the template to recreate it later!

Once the chocolate is gone, your giftee can use the clothes pin as a paper clip or attach it to your refrigerator to hold a favorite photo or card with the magnet that's attached to the back! Aren't they adorable? I CASEd them from Becky Roberts Blog Inking Idaho She does come up with some really neat ideas!

Let me know if you would like to join me on the 12th!

Vintage Bliss

2011-01-18T08:54:00.001-08:00

I cased my card today from this one by Sage Kimball.

I changed mine a bit and used the Vintage Wallpaper Folder and Bliss Stamp Set from Sale-A-Bration. It was fun playing with the Distressing Kit though - I love seeing what I can do with that thing. I love the way this turned out, I used the files on the edge of the Pear then broke down the fibers even more with my bone folder causing the card stock to split apart a bit. The effect is simple and stunning. Even Emma enjoyed experimenting with the files as she was making her own "Flower Soft".

It's going to be hard leaving my stamps to return to work after all these snowdays!!

More Great Ideas with the Petal Cone Die

2011-01-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

The girls and I spent the morning playing with the new Petal Cone Die. They combined their pages to make Valentine books ~wow~ did they have fun with glitter and sticky pages!

I used my die cuts to make cards using the Bliss Stamp Set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. Want to get this great set for free? This is just one of the cards we will be creating next Sunday at 3 for my Sale-A-Bration preview and Kick-Off event. I will be giving away FREE STAMP SETS on this day. Everyone who places a $50 order will have their name entered into a drawing to win stamp sets including an exclusive hostess set, and a Sale-A-Bration Set of your choice!

Valentine Houses and Blog Candy Giveaway!

2011-01-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

Here is a sample of one of the Valentine Houses that we made yesterday. We mixed some of the old papers with new products - the Decorative Label Punch and the Scallop Rectangle Clearlit. I love both of those items, they make fabulous tags!

Leave a comment telling me what your favorite item is from the new Occasions Mini Catalog or Sale-A-Bration Catalog by January 23rd, and your name will be entered into a drawing to receive this little house filled with some great items to feed your stamping and scrapbooking addictions!

What's On Your Wish List?

2011-01-15T07:53:00.001-08:00

I love this new Petal Cone Die from the new Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini. It is much bigger than some of the other Big Shot boxes, though those are just as stinkin' cute. This was one item on my wish list that I recently treated myself to. Have you been holding out on any big ticket items such as the Big Shot or the My Digital Studio? MDS and the storage tower for my ink pads are the two items I have been holding out on. With Sale-A-Bration starting on January 25th it is just about time to treat myself to both of these items! In addition, I will be able to order the Digital Content CD with all the Sale-a-Bration items the Punch Bunch Stamp Set and the new Decor Elements Chalk Board.

Do you have items on your wish list? Join me next Sunday January 23rd @ 3:00 to complete three FREE make and take projects and to place your Sale-A-Bration Preorder. With the cold of January setting in, I bet you can't wait to stay inside and play!!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #99

2011-01-09T13:47:00.001-08:00

It's Sunday, and time for the Sweet Sunday Sketch over at The Sweetest Thing . I have been saving these Love Impression rub-ons from the new Occasions Mini (item #121886) because I couldn't figure out how I wanted to use them. When I saw this sketch today I knew exactly how I was going to use a few of them - and here it is! I also dug out the Silver Waffle Paper that is a carry over from the Holiday Mini - woohoo - there is so much you can do with this stuff!

I then had to dig my trusty Circle Scissor Plus from under the deep freeze currently taking up residence in my stamp room to create these graduated circles. This is a really cool tool to have in your collection, I think it's one of my favorite tools, and I can quickly cut bigger circles than I am able to get with my punches or Big Shot - though I love my Big Shot too!

This is one of the cards we'll be making at my Sale - A - Bration Kick-Off on January 23rd!!

Thanks for Caring

2011-01-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

I ordered this set because I love the butterfly and flower that came wit it. It's a versatile set with a Sympathy greeting, but it also great for spicing up little treat boxes and thank you's.

I stamped the flower with Old Olive and colored it in using an aqua painter. The detail was added with Silver Fox Smooch Ink. After the image was colored in and touched up I spritzed it with water for a softer, more muted look.

I used a card stock and inks in Rose Red, Old Olive, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip. Items from the new Mini Catalog include - the Vintage Flower Adornments, and Rose Red Seam Binding, Springtime Vintage DSP and the Thanks For Caring Stamp Set.

Thanks for stopping by today!

All Snowed In!

2010-12-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

Did I ever mention that I love snow days? Being forced to spend a whole day inside during a blizzard leaves me with plenty of free time to stamp. This set uses one of my favorite stamp sets from the Idea Book and Catalog, Artistic Etchings and Tiny Tags.

Now that the Holidays are winding down, I am thinking ahead to Valentine's Day and this set would make a perfect gift item. If you would like to make one of your own, you can join me on January 22nd for the class. Class begins at 1:00 and the cost is $12. In this class I will show you some uses for the new Stampin' Up! Distressing Kit. Paper supplies are included in the cost, but please bring your basic kit plus a bone folder, Glue Dots and Sticky Stip Adhesive. A printed tutorial will be available so you can recreate this project at home.

Sale-A-Bration begins the following week, so I will have some sneak peek items on hand, as well as the new Mini-Catalogs. Order both stamp sets, plus the distressing kit used to make this project and choose a free Stamp Set or Accessory from the Sale-A-Bration catalog. Can't wait to see you at class!

Call me to reserve your space and for more details!

One More Pink Christmas Card

2010-12-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

Pink Christmas Cards are among my favorites! This card was CASEd but when I tried to go back and find it, I couldn't locate the original. If you're stopping by to visit and it's yours, please "lay claim"!!

Christmas Cards

2010-12-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

It might not look like much in this picture, but this card is stunning with Santa's hat completed in red glitter. Santa was stamped using the Jolly Old St. Nick Stamp Set, the candy cane is found in the Bingo Bits Stamp Set, and the verse comes from Just Believe.

This snowman is also one of the images in the Jolly Old St. Nick set. The snowflakes come from the Northern Flurry Die and are covered in silver glitter from the Fine Galaxy Glitter collection. Doesn't it all fit so well with the Marina Mist color scheme and the Tinsel Trim?

Recordable Accordion Album

2010-12-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

How do you make the most adorable Accordion Album ever?

First you start with a cute kid:

Have her (him or them) say something especially adorable! Next use a piece of 5 ½ x 4 ¼ Card Stock and estimate where the play button will be when you adhere this sheet to your card, and adhere a Big Designer Button over the play button. Stamp “Push Here” above the button using the Got Merry Stamp Set and a marker. Adhere to the inside of the card using Sticky Strip:

Score one 8 ½ x 5 ½ piece of paper at 4 ¼ and 4 ½. Adhere it to the outside of the card. One side will be a little short for the card, make sure this side is on the front, cover it with the second piece of 5 ½ x 4 ¼ cardstock:

Adhere two 8 ½ x 5 ½ pieces together accordion style. Adhere the accordion strip to the inside cover of the card. Sponge the white edges with matching ink:

Embellish as desired:

A Season of Peace

2010-12-08T03:37:00.000-08:00

You might notice a theme among my holiday cards each year - I love Pink Christmas Cards! They have a bit of a contemporary feel to them, and even though I love the vintage look when it comes to the holidays, I guess it's a little bit of wild and crazy that's sort of fun!

I used the Vintage Wall Paper Embossing folder, Platinum Shimmer Paint for the Dove, and stamped the image in Mambo Melon.

Enjoy!

A Quick Tuesday Tutorial

2010-12-07T15:39:00.001-08:00

This is one of the most recent cards made at Cindyrae's Stamp Club. This is called an emerging color technique.

First you would stamp an image or your verse onto your card stock. We used Presto Patterns Specialty Paper. This DSP comes already embossed, and you can add the colors of your choice using sponges, spray bottles, etc.

Here I stamped Peace On Earth in Soft Suede. The next step is to stamp a larger image over the image you want to show through in Versamark ink and emboss using Clear Embossing Powder with your heat tool. Lastly you would cover your entire image in a contrasting ink color. I used the Silver Foil Smooch Spray liberally here, then rubbed in the color using a sponge. You could also use a brayer and ink pad instead of spray and a sponge, it's really up to you and the tools you have on hand.

Hope you enjoyed this card and directions today. Have a great day!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

More Halloween Projects can be found on my new blog - paperinkandmagic

Play Date Projects

2010-09-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

I have really been having fun with the Play Date DSP. This is a set of picture frames I created using frames bought at the Dollar Store. The frame with the four animals was cased from a card I found on another blog - silly me did not save the link.

I love the Lollipop Flowers on one of the pages in this sample, but didn't want t waste an entire 12x12 sheet from this pack to cut one out - so I made my own using the Circles #2 Die from SU and Sizzix. I have a few workshops to prepare for this week, so it might be awhile before you see me back here :)

Have a great week everyone!

12 x 12 September Club Page #2

2010-09-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely in love with the new two step Owl Punch and the Playdate Designer Paper! This was the 2nd 12 x 12 page that we made at the other night's club. I am pretty fond of the retired Epoxy Brads too, sure wish those had made it into the new Idea Book and Catalog....

A Wicked Cool Halloween

2010-09-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

As a true New Englander when I first saw (sawr!) this new set by Stampin' Up! I had to get my hands on it right away! :) Love it! Still waiting for my new paper order with my Halloween DSP ~ the reason for the non-SU paper....I just can't hold off any longer!

Design A House

2010-09-09T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here is my first attempt at the new Design A House from Stampin' Up!

I am still waiting for my most recent paper order to arrive but couldn't wait to give this house a try, so I used paper I had on hand from a previous class. The plan is to gift it to a friend who seems to be in need of cheering up. Cards are great to get in the mail, but haunted houses are even better at this time of the year! I am still working on the Gingerbread house that will be far more involved and detailed so is taking a bit longer to complete, but pictures will be up soon.

I had a little trouble getting the Sticky Strip to adhere in the humid New England heat wave we had last weekend, so had to try a couple different techniques to keep it together. My next attempt will definitely involve the hot glue gun. My favorite thing about Stamping is how easy it is to cover mistakes. Once it was completed, you can hardly tell where the boo-boos are.

Thanks for stopping by today to see what's new!

Stampin' Up!'s Table Setting Die

2010-09-04T09:06:00.001-07:00

This place setting was created for a class I am offering in October. The set includes a gift box, a place setting for six including napkin rings, place cards, and favor tags along with enough die cut leaves to scatter across your table or use to accent a centerpiece. Class will be held on October 2nd at Life's Memories and More. Call to reserve your space!

BIrthday Party Ensemble

2010-08-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Emma's 7th Birthday! It is a bittersweet thing to watch your baby grow up! I am so proud of her new accomplishments, but know that time flies so quickly and it will only be a matter of time before she doesn't want to cuddle before bed each night - although she tells me differently.

Anyway before they were all gone I wanted to post a picture of the fun things we made - the card toward the back was her invitation. I bought the bright green paper at Life's Memories and More because I didn't think my SU colors were bright enough. When it came time to make the favors though, all I had on hand was Certainly Celery and Pear Pizzaz. We went with the Pear and I guess I like the look after all...I will definitely keep that in mind for the next time!

The Mini Milk carton was made by running the paper through the Big Shot to cut out the milk cartons, then I had to run it through twice more using the embossing folder. It's fairly easy to line up those dots for a second run through the machine, and I only made a boo-boo on one of them! We filled them with Sour Watermelons and used the 1 3/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches to punch the watermelons on top of the box. The white was drawn on with a Gel Pen, and we drew the teeny seeds with a Stampin' Write marker in Basic Black.

The Thank You Cards were made using the new 2 1/2" circle punch that will be available on Sept 1st, and the 1 3/4" circle punch, along with the Sweet Treat Cups, and Sweet Treat Stamp Set. The little gifts inside the balloons are Silly Bands. (This was so much fun to do, I think I will keep my eye out for Halloween Silly Bands to make Halloween Treats for Emma's Class this year - we have a wellness policy so we can send actual treats - but it sure makes coming up with new ideas lots of fun!!)

The invitation was made using my Circle Scissors Plus to cut out the bigger circles, and the Tiny Tags Punch and Stamp Set from the new IBC. The ribbon used was the last of my Mambo Melon from last year's catalog. I love those polka-dots!

Enjoy your weekend everyone :)

Hello Kitty Class

2010-08-24T16:27:00.001-07:00

Have I shown you these yet? I made them awhile back, and wanted to use them for a class, but the opportunity never came around. Now I need a project for September at Life's Memories and More - so here it is! The dies were ordered directly from the Sizzix Website - and I got them on clearance! Who can resist a bargain!?!

12x12 September Club Page #1

2010-08-15T08:29:00.001-07:00

If you are joining my 12x12 Scrapbook Group - Beginning September 8th - you will be making this Tropical themed page using the Island Oasis DSP from the Summer Mini. It was case'd from Buffy Allen's Blog. The design is based on the page below, that was originally created by another member of Love at First Stamp - Mabel Marello

If you want some of this paper for yourself it will need to be ordered before the first class, as it's only available until August 31st. I do have a small stash I would be willing to part with, but when it's gone it's gone!!

First Day of School Pencil Holders

2010-08-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I saw pencil holders on Jennifer Campbell's Blog:
Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life

I couldn't wait for her to come back and post the measurements, so I did a little research and found one similar SCS. Unfortunately when I went back to do a search to link it - I couldn't find it :(

So to make a long story short - it's not my idea!

On another note, I am thinking positively! As the Summer is winding down, I decided to send out a few applications for some classroom teacher openings nearby. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will have a group of First or Fifth graders to share these with at the beginning of next month. And if not well....I am sure I have a group of new Kindergarteners at my After School Program who will like them! Wish me luck!

Late Night Stampers Blog Find of the Day

2010-08-03T17:11:00.000-07:00

My back to school gifts made it to the Blog Find of the Day.

Thank you Kelly!

Back to School Teacher Gifts

2010-08-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun making the Holiday Memo Holder, that I put the leftover precut card stock to good use and made a couple of Memo Holders for Emma's teachers!

Customer Appreciation Open House

2010-08-01T17:04:00.001-07:00

Here is one of the items we made at my Open House yesterday. I think I need to lighten the load when I hold these events. We only made two projects and it took two hours - I had originally planned on three!