ONE OF MY FAVOURITE STAMPIN' UP! TOOLS

There are many tools I love and use regularly, but one of the best is the annual Idea Book & Catalogue:

Not only is it full of wonderful things to buy, but there are many other uses for it as well:

1. Card Ideas - hundreds of ideas for creating cards
2. Scrapbook ideas - samples of different sizes of scrapbook pages, in different styles
3. 3-D ideas - samples of boxes, bags, flowers, etc. to coordinate with your projects
4. Colour combinations - every set of facing pages uses a different colour combination - lots of great ideas
5. Tips and hints printed throughout the book
6. Plus there is a downloadable list of product used in every project so that you can recreate it

Take a second look at your IB&C - it has a lot to offer. And if you live in the Truro area and would like a free copy of the catalogue, just let me know!

MOJO MONDAY CHALLENGE

I've mentioned before how challenges get me working. It helps to force me to try new things, or look at things in a different way. On Mojo Monday - The Blog they post a new sketch challenge every Monday. This is the sketch for today:

I chose to make the square card and here is the result:

I've used the Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Mini, and I cut my circles with the Circle Scissors, which after a bit of a learning curve, I've learned to love! The cardstock colours used are So Saffron, Orchid Opulence, Certainly Celery, and Pretty in Pink. The satin ribbon is Old Olive (got to order the Certainly Celery!!) The sentiment is from Whimsical Words (Occasions Mini) stamped in Orchid Opulence on Very Vanilla.

I don't usually make 5"x5" cards because they use more cardstock. But the size is impressive and great for those Very Special cards you want to send. You can envelopes to fit them on page 168 of the Idea Book & Catalogue.

Please leave me a message to let me know if listing the materials and their item numbers is helpful (see below for an example). Thanks!

Cardstock: ppg. 155-157 Idea Book & Catalogue
So Saffron #105118
Pretty in Pink #100459
Orchid Opulence #100969
Certainly Celery #105125

Designer Series Paper
Shades of Spring #117160 (p. 25 Occasions Mini Catalogue)
Ribbon
5/8" Satin Old Olive #117292 (p.27 Occasions Mini Catalogue)

MASCULINE BIRTHDAY CARD

This is another one of the cards we made at the Emergency Birthday Kit class. The stamp set Inspired by Nature is great for making 'outdoor type' cards that are often perfect for men.

I sponged the sun with the Summer Sun pastel and a sponge dauber (using a 1 3/8 inch Circle punch to punch out the stencil). The grass is stamped in Old Olive and the 'Celebrate' in Chocolate Chip. The cattails are punched with the Horizontal Slot punch. The image is stamped on Whisper White mounted on Chocolate Chip cardstock.

It's a good card to have, and easily replicable, and will suit many men in your life!

So get stamping!!

Stamp Sets:
Inspired By Nature #111656 (p.96 Idea Book & Catalogue)
Celebrate Everything #114942 (p. 144 IB&C)
Pastels #105542 (p. 154 Idea Book & Catalogue)
Sponge Daubers #109892 (p.192 IB&C)
1 3/8 " Circle Punch #104401 (p. 186 IB&C)
Horizontal Slot punch #105089 (p. 187 IB&C)
Old Olive Classic Ink #102272 (p. 156 IB&C)
Chocolate Chip Classic Ink #100908 (p. 156 IB&C)
Whisper White Cardstock #100730 (p. 155 IB&C)
Chocolate Chip Cardstock #102128 (P. 156 IB&C)

IF IT WASN'T FOR THE LAST MINUTE....

Nothing would get done, my husband says! So if you've been waiting for the last minute to place an order during Sale-A-Bration, the last minute is here!

Only One Week Left of

SALE-A-BRATION!! 

Don't miss your chance to earn free products from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue: stamp sets, paper block, new punch!

There are three ways to do it:

 

1. For EACH $65 you spend you will earn one FREE Sale-A-Bration item of your choice.


2. Host a workshop of at least $395 and earn one FREE Sale-A-Bration item in addition to the regular hostess benefits.

3. Join my team of Stampin' Up! Demonstrators during Sale-A-Bration and choose a FREE stamp set from the Idea Book & Catalogue (valued up to $63.95) Click on "Join Our Team" above for more details.

Just click on "Order Online" on the top left column, or send me an email, and you're set to go. Have fun!

LAST WEEK FOR INTRODUCTORY PRICE ON MY NEW CLASS PLANNERS

This is the final week for the special introductory price 

for my new monthly class planners! 

The regular price of $14.95 will take effect on April 1st. 

Express Yourself with

HERBAL EXPRESSIONS

Four Cards & Co-ordinating Box

Herbs and flowers have a long history of expressing things we find hard to say.

This set provides both images and verses that create

beautiful sentiments for friends or family.

Suitable for birthdays, anniversaries,
remembrance, and hellos.

This class is sure to be popular with everyone.

Features of this class:

• Specialty Bridesmaid Paper

• Scallop Trim Border & Corner punches

• Herb Expressions Stamp Set

Class kits include photos, straight forward instructions, supply list, cost per person analysis, printable handouts, marketing flyer, blog post, and more.
Special Introductory Price: $5.00 (Regular price $14.95 to commence April 1st)

TOP OF THE MARNIN' TO YA!

A Blessing to all who read this:

May the road rise up to meet you, 

may the wind always be at your back, 

may the sun shine warm upon your face 

and the rain fall softly on your fields 

- Irish Blessing

And my favourite toast:

May those that love us, love us.
For those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping.

- Irish toast

And because I may possibly have some Irish blood in me

A very Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day 
to you all!

IS "BURNS" AN IRISH NAME?

My wonderful, funny, kind, bootlegging (yes) grandfather's last name was Burns. Now I think of Burns as a Scottish name but he insisted it was Irish (maybe he was a wannabe?). Anyway if you know of any Irish Burns, please tell me!

 Grandad Burns 1898 - 1972

Which is a somewhat unusual lead-in to my St. Patrick's Day card. But here it is:

This one is dedicated to Grandad!

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive

DSP: Shades of Spring

Stamp Sets: Leaf Lines, Cheers to You

Ink: Old Olive

DON'T FORGET...IT'S TIME

To move our clocks ahead one hour tonight ( 2am, Sunday, March 14, Atlantic Time). Spring forward, Fall back.

And now that you're here, please help me with this card. I made it to look like a mantle clock - antique face, black woodgrain housing. But it's still 'flat'. Please help! What would you suggest? I'll collect your suggestions and make a new card using the ones I like best. Thanks!
Carol

THE BEES' KNEES

I'm not sure where this expression originated but I love it. To me it means 'the absolute best'! So in honour of bees' knees and bees in general (we need you little guys!!) here is my card for today:

This adorable stamp set is Just Buzzin' By, and I love to watercolour the images. The papers used are Chocolate Chip cardstock, Watercolour paper, and So Saffron DSP. I used the wondercrayons for the watercolouring - So Saffron, Summer Sun, Really Rust for the hive and the bees, and Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue for the rest.

Inside it says:

And I hope you do!!
Be sure to leave a comment if you find anything you like!

EASTER CHICK

Here is another card I will be doing at the upcoming child's birthday. He's a cute fellow and popular with most everybody. His body is made using the Large Scalloped Circle die, and I folded the paper placing the fold down just a bit from the top of the die. This allows the card front and back to stay attached.

The whites of his eyes are made from 3/4" circle punch, the black pupil is made with the 1/2" circle punch. The lids are one 3/4" So Saffron circle cut in two. His beak is punched from Only Orange with the 1 1/4" square punch. The top knot of hair above the bow is three petals from the 5 Petal Flower punch, and his feet are punched with the Trio Flower Punch. His wings are 1/4 of the largest scalloped circle in the Scalloped Circles #2 Die. His blushing cheeks were sponged with Pretty in Pink ink.
Now don't ask me why I keep calling it a him/he/his. Because I don't know!!

POLKA DOTS ARE PRETTY!

I think anything made with this soft polka dotted paper from the Shades of Spring DSP would look great. I used it for a Thinking of You card, and used one of the herbs from Herb Expressions.

The cardstock is Orchid Opulence, and I also used a butterfly from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits die (cut from another piece of the Shades of Spring paper). Simple but effective!

COMPUTER ILL AND ON STRIKE

Yesterday my computer got zapped with a bug, NOT a virus - as the super helpful techie made clear to me (along with a lot of other things - he was really good!). Fortunately he healed it within two hours but did mention something to the effect that my 8 year old computer was a dinosaur and on its last legs. Which is just what I wanted to hear because I've been wanting (dare I say needing) a new computer and now I have an official, professional opinion to use as an excuse! Stay tuned!

While I was 'virtually' incapacitated, I tidied up my craft room - yes, this is tidy, what do you mean?!! And made this card - continuing on my spring theme:

The flower medallion is cut from the Tea Party DSP, the Certainly Celery is made using the Ovals die. The 'happy easter' is from the A Good Egg stamp set, and the beautiful dots were made with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder.

HAPPY SPRING!

It's in the air!! I can smell it! Winter might take a few more "kicks at the can" but Spring is almost here!
And as much as I love Christmas and Valentine's with their intense reds and pinks, golds and white, I'm ready for some pastels. So here is the "Happy Spring" we made at the class in Elmsdale last night:

We used "Tea Party" Designer Series Paper, and a ton of punches, eleven to be exact, including our new Extra Large Two Step Bird Punch, and the Small Heart punch - both from the Occasions Mini catalogue.

We needed some glitter of course so you will find it on the Almost Amethyst hearts...

And the basket of tulips between the two words...

Here is the "Spring"

And here are the ladies with their banners!

FLOWER POT CARD

I've seen this style of card in several places and never got around to making one myself. Well, I've been asked to 'do' a little girl's birthday party where they make 3 different cards. So I chose the Flower Pot Card for a Mother's Day card for them to make. I love it because it looks so hard, and it's sooo easy!

Of course using the Extra Large Fancy Flower punch to punch out the flowers from the With All My Heart Stamp set sure helped a lot.

Here's the part that 'pulls' out of the pot:

I'm so pleased with myself!! I hope the kids will be as pleased when they make theirs.

BEARY BEST FRIENDS

I had a children's class today and we made 10 cards using the Beary Best Friends and Beary Nice Wishes. The children's ages ranged from 5 to 10 and they did a great job with very little help from their Moms. Here are the cards we made:

I used the Pawsitively Prints Designer Series Paper, it's so cute! The pictures can either be coloured in by the giver or the recipient. Everyone was very proud of their stack of special handmade cards.

MORE SWAPS = MORE IDEAS!

Here are more swaps from Leadership.

I really love the simplicity of this first card, the layout could be used with so many different stamp sets.

The Vintage Vogue stamp set used is so versatile.

If you haven't made a card using this technique before here's how you do it:

Choose an open shape such as this rectangle, or the outside of the top note once you have removed the cut section. Place it over your Very Vanilla or Whisper White cardstock and hold down firmly while you sponge inside the frame with a light colour such as So Saffron used in this card. 

Remove the frame and stamp over the sponged area with a darker image. You can also embellish with cut out flowers, buttons, etc.

MORE SWAPS!

Here are some more swaps that I got at Leadership, I just love seeing other demo's creations!

Aren't they super!

OUTSIDE MY 'COLOUR BOX'

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, shades of pink are my 'go to' colour, and often I get stuck there - well I don't consider it stuck (I love it!), but really - there are so many colours to use it's a shame to stick to a few. So here's my go at something bright and bold - inspired by my team mate Maree!

Now I realize I'm coming out of my box slowly and carefully - red is awfully close to pink afterall! This is Real Red and Summer Sun. I ran the Summer Sun through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder. The border on the picture is made by running a strip of the Scallop Trim border through the Crimper to make it gather easily outside a circle or oval. The ribbon is Real Red Satin from the Occasions Mini, and the stamps are the Level 2 Hostess set in the Occasions Mini.

I love to watercolour and I used the aquapen and ink from the Classic pads (squeezed onto the inside lid cover). The ink colours are Real Red, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Summer Sun, Brocade Blue, Old Olive, and Bashful Blue. I also used watercolour paper so that I could blend the colours.

I promise I'll get farther out of the box next time!! :0)

WHAT IS A WORKSHOP AND WHY DO I LOVE THEM?

Stampin' Up! workshops are a chance to play with products, learn how to use them, and make a project that you can take home. As a demonstrator I quickly show you two or three items that I've created with Stampin' Up! products, show you how to use the products, then I will provide everyone with supplies to make a project themselves. My job is to help you make your project a success and your evening enjoyable. You'll have a chance to look over the catalogues and place an order. You'll also have a chance to ask any questions you may have.

 Here are some of the items we have made at previous workshops:

I really enjoy doing workshops - meeting new people, introducing them to the fun of paper crafting and seeing how happy they are with their final project. Plus I always learn a new tip from every workshop - sharing is part of the fun!

I'm now booking workshops for April, May and June in the Truro and Elmsdale areas. Spring workshops are a lot of fun because it gives friends a chance to get together after a long, cold winter. If you'd like to do a Spring workshop, please feel free to contact me!

ORGANIZING EMBELLISHMENTS

Do you have a tidy, organized craft area? I'm fortunate to have a designated permanent space for my crafting, but that doesn't mean it's tidy all the time. In fact - if I'm working on a project I can go from neat to disaster in less than 15 minutes!

One thing that was always a problem was keeping my buttons/brads/eyelets/clips/etc. tidy and accessible. I used to stack them on top of each other in rows. But inevitably I'd knock them over, or not be able to find the ones I wanted because they were in the back of the row.

So I finally bit the bullet so to speak. I didn't want to spend money on 'storage' when I could spend that same money on stamps or paper or embellishments. But I broke down and purchased the Stampin' Stack & Store (#109127  $46.95    p.203) and I'm so glad I did for several reasons:
1. It takes up less space!
2. I can find exactly what I'm looking for quickly and easily!
3. And as a result I'm using the items more often!

It holds 24 of the stack and store containers (48 mini containers), all on a turn table that moves easily and securely. I love it!