Do I need another flower set?

Hi Stampers,

Today I am sharing a card made with a set I wasn't going to buy - Greenhouse Garden. I figured I had plenty of flower sets so why add another one. But the more samples I saw, the more I liked it and besides it's one of the 4 two step sets on sale until the end of April (see my left sidebar for info on that). I really like how realistic the flowers look and the infinite color combos you can find just by looking at all the flowers outside - at least the ones that have survived the cold weather we've had here in Chicago.

For this card, I used Rich Razzleberry and Pretty in Pink - a really pretty combination that I hadn't used before. I used Rich Razzleberry to stamp the insides of the flowers on the card base as well. I dusted off the Scallop Edge punch (I've used the new border punches so much I hadn't used it for a while). I used the Modern Label punch in Pretty in Pink (again I stamped the inside of the smallest flower on the Pretty in Pink) and the Word Window punch for the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes - my go to set for any occasion.

So look at your flowers and get inspired! Remember the 4 sets are only on sale until April 30, as are the items in the Occasions Mini.

Keeping You Organized..in style.

Hi Stampers,

I think that being organized is always a goal for me and this great portfolio will help you do that. This was a project that everyone who came to my Customer Appreciation in March got to make. It uses the Thoroughly Modern File Folders from Stampin' Up. There have been lots of versions of this on the web and this is the one I came up with.

You score and cut the file folder (these folders are really sturdy and great for this project because they are coated). I won't bore you with the directions, but if you want them you can comment below and I'll send them to you. I used the Serif Alphabet to add the initial to the front. I did round the corners with the Corner Rounder Punch and add a Corduroy Button to the front. The closure is Velcro.

The picture to the right shows the inside of the folder - I have made jr. legal pad holders before and always like to use a piece of DSP to cover up the unattractive top of the jr. legal pad. You use ribbon to make a loop for the pen and I used the great XL Flower punch (I used part of the file folder I had cut to make the flowers). I also used several circle punches and the Trio Flower punch as well. I used Pop-up Glue Dots to attach the two flowers around the Giant Paper Clips for the Bookmarks - I had the paper clips in my drawer for a while and never got around to making the bookmarks.

I also sold some of these at a fundraiser I participated in last weekend for Relay for Life. I think they are great for teachers, for moms,anyone who wants to be stylishly organized.

Same Design, Different Looks

Hi Stampers,

I hope that everyone is having a good week - lots going on here - I used to think May was busy but this year it's been April. I've been busy stamping and have 2 cards to share with you today - both are the same card, but different colors.

This week was my monthly meeting with my Stampin' Up demonstrator friends - we did a shoebox swap using a set from this month's "Two Step into Spring" special - don't forget to take advantage of this sale where 4 sets are discounted during April - see my sidebar icon for the details.

I decided to use Fifth Avenue Floral for my card. This is a 3X6 card in Bashful Blue. I stamped one of the flowers from this set in Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White inks. I used the Eyelet Border punch for the border and put a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock behind the Bashful Blue. I used the Big Shot Lots of Tags Sizzlit to cut the backing piece for the greeting, which I stamped in Chocolate Chip on Whisper White and then sponged the edges with Bashful Blue and punched out with the Wide Oval Punch. The Thanks is from the Thank You Kindly stamp set.

The second sample uses the same design only this time in Pretty in Pink and Basic Grey. This time I made it into a wedding card using Best Wishes from Short & Sweet on Whisper White, sponged with Pretty in Pink. I punched it out with the Large Oval Punch. The backing piece is Basic Grey punched with the Scallop Oval. I stamped the flower the same way using Basic Grey, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White and added some of Stampin' Up's Organza Ribbon as well.

I wanted to show you that you can use the same design to create many different looks for your cards. The original design for this card was one that I had actually done last year with different colors and it was great to re-visit it this year.

Happy Stamping!

Time is running out for Vintage Vogue...

Hi Stampers,

Today I'm sharing some of the projects that we completed at the Milwaukee Stampin' Up Regional I went to a week ago. All of the projects we made used the Vintage Vogue set from the Occasions Mini Catalog, which is only available until April 30. This card uses the flower stamped in Rich Razzleberry on Whisper White and punched out with the 1.75" circle punch. One of the buttons from the Latte collection is the center for the flower. I tied Linen Thread in the button. The greeting is stamped on the Crushed Curry card in Soft Suede, which is also the background piece for the card. The edge of the Soft Suede piece is punched with the Scallop Edge and some Old Olive Ribbon completes this square card.

This next card is also a different size - it's 3X6. The card base is Soft Suede and the background piece is Old Olive. The flower is stamped in Old Olive as well and the "F" is stamped in Rich Razzleberry and the "friends" is stamped in Soft Suede - the F and the friends are actually one stamp but it's easy to trim both and use them separately. The card is accented with a piece of Crushed Curry Polka Dot ribbon and a clip from the Clips Assortment.

I will be sharing the other projects we made soon because this set is only available until the end of the month, along with all of the other great sets in the Occasions mini catalog - let me know if you'd like to place an order. Don't forget -- to celebrate my 10 years with Stampin' Up - from now until the end of the month, if you make a purchase of $25 in Stampin' Up products, I will give you either one of the single stamps on page 208 of the catalog or any regular size wheel on page 205 for FREE. This offer is only good by directly ordering from me (not through on-line ordering). Thanks for your support of my business for the last 10 years!

Sending Love for Mother's Day

Hi Stampers,

This week has been a busy one as I am participating in a Relay for Life Fundraiser tomorrow so I have been getting ready for that.

Today I'm sharing a card I made a while back with the Sending Love DSP which is only available until the end of April. This DSP has some designs that are "glittery" and this is one of them. I made it a Mother's Day card using Teeny Tiny Wishes. This very easy card uses Real Red Cardstock and cut out glittery flowers from the Sending Love DSP layered with Stampin' Dimensionals. I used the Modern Label Punch for the greeting - a simple way to Say Happy Mother's Day.

Enjoy your weekend - first we needed the Air on for two days when it was in the 80's and now we almost need the heat - this week's weather has been crazy even for Chicago. Great weather for the Cubs home opener instead of the usual cold & sometimes snow!

What a great weekend of friends & stamping!

Hi there Stampers,

Well I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Milwaukee stamping both Friday night and all day Saturday - another wonderful perk of being a Stampin' Up Demonstrator. I even won a Stamp Set in one of the Door Prize giveaways - actually we were a very lucky table - 4 people out of the 6 at our table won door prizes. Pretty good when there were 500 demonstrators there! I'll be creating something using that set in the near future as well as sharing the projects we stamped too - need to spend some time scanning those into my computer. We had a really great time...friends, stamping, food, outlet mall...what could be better? Wouldn't you love to join my group of demonstrators? I'd love to share the information about joining Stampin' Up as a demonstrator...just ask! If you join between now and May 31, you will receive 2 great DVD's of Workshop Wows to get you started creating great projects - see my left sidebar for more info and contact me today!

I thought I'd share a sample I did a while back with one of the sets that's on special this month - 5th Avenue Floral. This card uses a cool technique called "Reinker Spread". The flower is stamped in Whisper White Craft Ink and heat embossed on Shimmery White cardstock. You use an Aquapainter to get the flower very wet and then use it to spread several colors of reinkers which then spread across the flower because of the water. You do need to let the flower dry which I like to do by leaning it upright so the extra reinker drips to the bottom - I like the effect better.

This card uses Pretty in Pink and Rose Red cardstock and inks as well as the Rose Red Wide Stitched Ribbon and Sincere Salutations for the sentiment.

Let me know if you'd like to take advantage of one or more of the sets on this month's special - you can see more about it if you click on the Two Step into Spring tab on the left side of my blog!

Color Renovation - Keeping Things Fresh!

Hi Stampers,

Today I will be sharing a spring sample with you but also telling you about Stampin' Up's announcement this week about our "Color Renovation" which will be happening on July 1. Some colors will be retiring and others will be coming back. To the left is a snapshot of the new color collections.

As you can see, there are some returning favorites from the past few years' In Colors are there as well as existing colors and some new ones as well. This is a great change because color preferences do change and this is a great way to stay current. We will still have new In Colors as well.

This does mean however that some colors will be going away on July 1st so I would suggest if there are colors you know you will be using to scrapbook, make cards etc. you will need to "stock up" before July 1. For instance, I know there are school colors, wedding colors, etc. that I will need to purchase to complete scrapbooks or make graduation cards and announcements.

Now on to today's sample - I actually made this last week before the changes were announced and it uses one Retiring color and one that's staying - Lavender Lace(retiring) and So Saffron (staying). I used the Flower Folds die for the Big Shot to made the flower. I ran one layer through the Polka Dot embossing folder after I cut out the flower and for another layer used So Saffron DSP. The flower's center is the 1 inch circle punch and a button from Fresh Favorites. The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes punched out with the Word Window punch and Modern Label punch. I used the Horizontal Slot punch to thread the White Satin Ribbon through the card. Makes me thing of spring although we have a chance of snow tonight - what is with this weather anyway?

Stamping & Chocolate...3 Easter Samples

Hi Stampers,

Just thought I'd share a few Easter Samples that I made this week - I had been meaning to use the Chocolate Bunny stamp and never got around to it until now.

This first sample is a 3X3 card - perfect for adding to a bouquet of flowers or an Easter Basket. The Chocolate Bunny stamp is stamped in Chocolate Chip Craft ink on Close to Cocoa cardstock and then heat embossed with Clear Embossing powder. The card itself is Certainly Celery and I used one of the stamps from Sprinkles for the background. I used "Happy Easter" from A Good Egg for the greeting stamped in Chocolate Chip and the backing piece is from the Tea Party DSP. Both greeting pieces are punched out with the oval punches. I used the Jewelry Tag punch from the Occasions mini catalog for the fenceposts - a very clever idea someone came up with (not me!).

This next sample uses the Milk Carton Die for the Big Shot and the Eggcoutrements set (both are also in the Occasions Mini). The milk carton is Lavender Lace cardstock which I ran through the Big Shot and then wheeled with the Fast Flowers wheel in Lavender Lace ink. I stamped the basket from Eggcoutrements in Certainly Celery on Whisper White, punched it out with the Large Tag punch and used a Barely Banana mini brad to accent it. I love how the stamps in this set match our punches! Fill it with M&M's or jelly beans and you have a great favor. I used one of the Library clips to keep it closed.

Today's third sample (I've been busy this week) also uses the same color scheme and the Chocolate Bunny stamp (again embossed Chocolate Chip on Close to Cocoa). I again used Certainly Celery for the card and Tea Party DSP for the background. I used the greeting from Eggcoutrements stamped in Certainly Celery and put it into the Silver Hodgepodge hardware that matches the stamp and the Designer Label punch. I used the Scallop Trim Border & Corner punches (yes I finally made them work together). Then I attached the bunny with Dimensionals and threaded a piece of Pretty in Pink satin ribbon through the scallops to finish off the card.

I hope that you enjoy this holiday weekend as we celebrate Easter. I hope that you enjoy time with your family & friends!