Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!

Two things that are hard to see in the photo (it was a last minute idea late last night) - the card base is Early Espresso and the Daffodil Delight panel is embossed with the paisley Sizzix texture plate.  We couldn't let the holiday pass by for another year without a final Halloween wish for 2010.  The pumpkin image is from the Paisley Prints stamp set in the Holiday mini catalog (another one of the included sets in our Convention registration fee).  The happy halloween sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  The white piece was cut using the Top Note die for the Big Shot - cut once and then turned 90 degrees and run through again.  The card is completed with a touch of Early Espresso 1/8" taffeta ribbon.  We wish you a fun, safe, and Happy Halloween and hope your day is filled with wonderful treats!  

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Fall Luminaries

Fall is a great time for decorating - the beautiful and rich colors that are seen in nature add warmth to any home, especially when you live in Las Vegas and don't get much of that outside.  These luminaries were made using vellum cardstock stamped with leaf images from the French Foliage set.  The borders are scalloped with the edge punch and incorporate each of the coordinating three colors - Always Artichoke, More Mustard, and Cajun Craze.  Battery operated tealights will illuminate them perfectly!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Spooky Top Note Banner


It's so hard to believe that Halloween is almost here, where did the month go already?!  Here is a home decor banner we made last year, and how great that it can be used year after year!  As you can see, it uses the Top Note dies, which are threaded together using the 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon.  The spider was made using the round tab punch (legs) and the 1" circle punch.  Sorry, the die cut letters and scalloped ovals are not Stampin' Up!, but something similar can always be substituted.  We wish you and your family a safe and Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Early Thanksgiving Wishes

This card features an image from the Leaf Lines stamp set.  People will frequently ask us how images are stamped in multiple colors.  The answer is simple - you use Stampin' Up!'s beautifully coordinated Stampin' Write markers and color directly on to the stamp.  It's recommended to start with lighter colors first and color it the way you like.  Once you apply the ink, go ahead and stamp!  The More Mustard "flap" is attached on the back side of the card, folded around to the front, and secured with a punched word window, and stamped with the Happy Thanksgiving greeting from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Healthy Treat Topper

Here is a quick and simple idea for a healthy treat topper.  We were going to put the popcorn into a cello bag, but then just decided to attach it right to the wrapper that already comes around the popcorn - DUH!!  Why add extra cost and time to it?!  As Tim Gunn (Project Runway) would say...make it work!  So we did!!  You can get this popcorn in large quantities (40) to be exact from your neighborhood Costco.  The shadowed owl and bat idea came from Mary Fish's blog.  The simple part of the whole thing is that it's a 4" x 4 1/8" piece of Old Olive cardstock folded in half and then stamped with the Happy Halloween greeting from the All Holidays set, and the rest of it comes from punches - owl, bird, bat, and 1 3/4" circle.  QUICK, EASY, INEXPENSIVE, and HEALTHY!!  Of course, these are being made for adults, and they hardly want healthy popcorn, so you can imagine that trick-or-treaters would probably give you THE LOOK.  Oh well, take it or leave it - HA!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Faux Suede

This is one of the cards we did for card class last week.  The leaf background (using retired Taken With Teal cardstock) was done with an embossing folder.  The 'faux suede' comes in when we sanded the embossed panel using a Stampin' Up sanding block, which some class participants didn't realize that we sold in the catalog in packages of two.  Although you can't see it as well as you can feel it, it really adds a great look to embossed images.  The card is completed with a sentiment from the Sincere Salutations set and a beautiful leaf image (stamped off first) from the Lovely As a Tree set.  The So Saffron striped ribbon is also retired, but the 5/8" white organza ribbon would make a nice substitution.  The sentiment was punched out using the jumbo oval punch. 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

No Tricks, Just Treats!

These were done using some scraps of Wicked Fun Designer Series Paper.  The pieces measured 4" x 3" to cover snack size Hershey bars.  The paper was taped around them using Sticky Strip and then each end was crimped.  They are finished off with an image from the Wicked Cool stamp set and some Basic Black 1/8" taffeta ribbon.  One has a punched bat and the other has some basic rhinestones.  Wouldn't all of the "goblins" in your life love to find these in their treat bags for Halloween?  We would! 

Friday, October 22, 2010

Trick-or-Treat? Definitely a TREAT!

Receiving this card would definitely be a TREAT in our book!  The sweet treat cup is filled with new Stampin' Up! In Color Glimmer brads!  Once again, we LOVE how they coordinate perfectly with the other In Color products like cardstock and ribbon.  The "Trick or Treat" was done using the new letterpress plates for the Big Shot.  We won't lie, using those is a bit of a project, as it's recommended that you use a brayer and craft ink with watercolor paper, which is how we did it.  The pumpkins are made with punched circles (2 1/2" and 1 1/4"), and the sweet treat cup fits into the 1 3/4" size.  A snip of Pear Pizzazz ribbon was looped for the pumpkin stems and a snip of Concord Crush ribbon was used for each corner of the Trick or Treat.  In hindsight, we probably should've inked the edges of the circles for shadowing on the pumpkins, but otherwise, we think any stamper or crafter would be happy to get this treat! 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Kick-It-Up-a-Notch

OK, here is the "kicked-up" version.  This one features Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake instead.  We added some Log Cabin Smooch Spritz to the tree image and some ribbon to the square lattice embossed panel.  Otherwise, still a simple "thank you".  Thank YOU for visiting our blog, we appreciate YOU!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Lovely As a Tree Simple Thank You

This is the "simple" version of one of our club cards this month.  We'll post the "kick-it-up-a-notch" version tomorrow.  This card uses a beautiful image from the Lovely As a Tree stamp set.  The color combination is simple as well, Always Artichoke and River Rock, a "dynamic duo" according to the Color Coach!  It's hard to see from the photo, but the base of the card folds only to the center and then only half of the panel with the trees is attached.  The side panel of River Rock was embossed with the square lattice folder in the Big Shot.  The "thank you" sentiment is from the All Holidays stamp set.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Sweet Centers Halloween Treat


This was one of our club projects from last year.  The image from the Sweet Centers set is embossed in black on brushed silver cardstock, then the center was punched out using the 1 3/4" circle punch to make way for the sweet treat cup.  The image is layered on to a square of Real Red cardstock and then Basic Black cardstock, with the popsicle stick sandwiched in between.  A piece of 5/8" Basic Black grosgrain ribbon finishes it off. 

Monday, October 18, 2010

French Foliage Scrapbook Layout

These pages will be part of our November scrapbook page class (yet to be announced).  The pages feature the French Foliage stamp set from the Holiday mini catalog.  The pages are accented with patterned paper from the Love Letter DSP collection.  The "Family" stamped image is from the Fundamental Phrases set and the quote is from the Leaf Lines set.  The Very Vanilla small rectangle metal holder is from the Hodgepodge Hardware set.  Photo corners were punched out with the XL Photo Corners punch, and the quote is layered on a 1 3/4" circle and Decorative Label. 

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Fall Fancy Favor Box


This is one of our October club projects - won't it look great with a bag of trail mix of a variety of mixed nuts for the fall season?!  This is the Fancy Favor die cut using the Big Shot.  The box was stamped using the jumbo Bright Blessings Stampin' Around wheel and the Falling Leaves set.  "Grateful" was punched using the modern label punch and then layered on a die cut from the Magnetic Movers & Shapers Punch Windows.  The handle was done using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch.  Although you can't see them, the handle is held on with two of the coordinating glimmer brads, which are available in the Holiday mini catalog.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

A Positive Negative

This card uses the negative die cut left over from yesterday's posted card.  This is just a simple card using a sentiment from the Four the Holidays stamp set and accented with a cardstock "ribbon", which was done with the dotted scallop ribbon border punch.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Testing 1...2...3

After our Big Shot Club workshop this week, we were curious as to whether or not the Sizzix permanent multipurpose adhesive sheets would work with the Designer Material.  So, we decided to test it!  We cut a piece of the material and put a piece of the adhesive on the back, ran it through the Big Shot, and then peeled off the backing  and stuck it to a piece of cardstock.  This is the result.  Tomorrow's post will feature a card using the negative piece of the material.  This card also includes some of the coordinating "Deck the Halls" Designer Series Paper.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes, punched out with the word window and layered on an oval.  The card is further complimented by some 3/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon and gold mini brads.  The colors are Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, and Very Vanilla.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Holiday Celebrations

The "Celebrations" Designer Seriers Paper found in the 2010-11 Stampin' Up Idea Book & Catalog easily lends itself to birthday projects as an obvious "celebration"; however, these Christmas/Holiday cards incorporate the paper into their designs.  The variety of sentiments used are from the Grateful Greetings and Many Merry Messages stamp sets.  The additional layered elements are done using different sized circle and scalloped punches. 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Herb Expressions

Here are some nice and simple coordinating cards using the Herb Expressions stamp set.  The layer behind the image is embossed with the square lattice folder.  The images are colored in using the blender pen, and the cards are finished off with some of the beautiful 1/8" taffeta ribbon.  The colors are Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Rich Razzleberry, and Old Olive.  Who says elegant cards have to be difficult??  Not us!!  We are all about SIMPLE!! 

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

It's SEW Easy!

Well, yes, it would be 'SEW EASY' if we knew how to sew!!!  OK, so we cheated and used strips of the new Big Shot multipurpose adhesive sheets to adhere two scalloped squares cut out of the new Designer Fabric using the Big Shot!  "It cuts material", you ask?  OF COURSE, the Big Shot cuts over 50 different types of materials (check with us for the list).  We agree that it would be a quick project for those of you who sew, as you could whip many of these out in minutes!  What a great gift idea!  There is one of our medium flat cello bags tucked inside filled with snack sized Hershey bars, and tied up with our coordinating ribbon.  Each of our Designer Fabric bundles have three designs, all of which coordinate perfectly with the Designer Series Paper of the same name.  The striped material is from the Candy Cane Christmas bundle, and the other one is from the Deck the Halls bundle.  The tags were stamped using our new Tags til Christmas set in the Holiday mini catalog.  The Tags til Christmas set makes it easy, as all of the images coordinate with punches!  This is another project that we'll be doing in our Big Shot club this month.

Monday, October 11, 2010

A Card That Keeps Giving


Today's card is one that we'll be doing for Big Shot club this month.  The first photo shows the assembled card and the second photo shows the card with the magnetic butterflies removed.  The butterflies were cut out of a magnet sheet (we sell packages of 3 6" x 13" sheets in the catalog) with the Beautiful Butterflies die.  We placed scraps of the magnet sheets behind the DSP to hold it to the card, but then the butterflies can be removed and used as a refrigerator or memo board magnet.  The butterflies are stamped with an image from the Vintage Vogue set.  The sentiment is from Curly Cute and the polka-dot paper is from the Love Letter DSP collection.  One of the Very Vanilla 5/16" jumbo brads was used inside a 3/4" circle as an accent. 

Saturday, October 9, 2010


This is the other two-page layout that we'll be doing in our "Simply Wicked" scrapbook class later this month (details will be posted and e-mailed soon).  This layout also uses the Wicked Fun DSP, along with the Wicked Cool stamp set.  We've used the Top Note die for the photo mounts along with the 2 1/2" circle and bat punches.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Haunted Scrapbook Pages


Here is one of the two-page layouts that will be offered in our "Simply Wicked" scrapbook class later this month (details will be posted and e-mailed soon!).  "Haunted" was stamped using the Broadsheet Alphabet set.  The background paper is from the Wicked Fun DSP pack.  The haunted house is embossed with a folder in the Big Shot and then cut out.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Check Out the Stampin Up Clearance Rack

 

Today's cards were designed by a fellow demonstrator friend, Dan.  Dan said not to give him credit, but the cards he did are so nice, that we just had to recognize him.  The coincidence is that when he sent the photos, he indicated that he had used some discontinued items like the Riding Hood Red striped ribbon and some ribbon from the Beachfront originals pack, but those items can be found in the 'Clearance Rack' section on our Stampin' Up website!  The "Loving You" card is embossed using the Backgrounds 1 Texturz plate.  The stamps are Artistic Etchings, En Francais, and Seasonal Sentiments.  He used the small heart and decorative label punches.  The "Friends" card uses the Vintage Vogue stamp set and coordinating Very Vintage jumbo wheel.  The embossing is done using the Backgrounds 1 Texturz plate.  As we have mentioned in the past, one of our favorite things about being Stampin' Up! Demonstrators is the wonderful people that we have met and the amazing friendships that we have formed.  Thanks Dan for sharing your talent and friendship!  Please be sure to visit the Clearance Rack by clicking on the link on the right side of our blog to see these and many other greatly-reduced high-quality products!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

To Brighten Your Day

Isn't this beautiful?  Another card designed by our talented friend Patty!  This card demonstrates the Fast and Fabulous level 2 (images) and Occasional Quotes level 3 (sentiment) hostess sets.  The sentiment was cut out using the scalloped rectangle Clearlits die.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Simple Fall Greeting

This card was another one of the make & takes that we did at the Regional seminar we attended last month in St. George.  We love the simplicity and elegance of it, all stamped in a single color and accented with a nice greeting and touch of ribbon.  The stamps are from the Day of Gratitude set, and the sentiment was punched out with the new Decorative Label punch, both are available for a limited time in the Holiday mini catalog.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Goblin Greetings

Today we feature a Halloween card designed by our grea frien (inside joke) and fellow demonstrator Kevin Theesen.  He used the spider web embossing folder for the front "panel" (another inside joke, sorry) of the card.  The "Goblin Greetings" sentiment is from the Grateful Greetings set and the bat image is from the Batty For You set.  A huge thanks to Kevin for sharing his creative talent with us (and you)!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Wood Sheet Wonder

This is one of the cards that our Big Shot Club members will be doing at this month's workshop.  The Lattice die was cut out from one of our wood sheets.  Prior to running it through the Big Shot, we put it onto one of the multipurpose adhesive sheets, which are available in the Holiday mini catalog.  The wood grain is a nice touch with the lattice die cut.  We saved the "petal" shapes from inside the lattice to make other designs, like flowers with a brad in the center.  The background was embossed with the Elegant Bouquet folder, and of course, the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The bird was done with the punch and the edges were sponged with Soft Suede ink to make it stand out.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Happy World Card Making Day! Happy Fall!



Today we celebrate World Card Making Day!  Make sure you take the time today, even if only a few minutes, to sit down and make a card!  This time of year in some parts of the country marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  Here in Las Vegas, we are still experiencing triple-digit temperatures (you'd think we'd be used to after 40+ years!).  We love the colors that are associated with fall and the amazing images of leaves, trees, and nature in general.  The colors are so rich and warm.  One of the MANY things that we love about being Stampin' Up! demonstrators is the wonderful resources we have available to us.  Each month, we receive a demonstrator publication - Stampin' Success.  It is packed with a variety of information that we need to know to conduct our business, but it also contains some great card and project ideas made by fellow demonstrators and company employees.  The first photo shows an idea that was featured in this month's edition by Lyssa Zwolanek.  We took the simplicity of it and transformed it into our own version for Thanksgiving using the Day of Gratitude set and our favorite Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  The original colors used by Lyssa were So Saffron, Cajun Craze, and Soft Suede.  Our version uses River Rock, Cajun Craze, Wild Wasabi, and Chocolate Chip.  Enjoy your day!   

Friday, October 1, 2010

Halloween Top Note Mini Album

This Halloween mini album was created for a workshop we have scheduled next week.  The Wonderfully Worn background stamp was used on the base of each page.  Accents of the Wicked Fun Designer Series Paper is used throughout, as well as images from the Batty For You stamp set.  The covers were embossed using the spider web folder for the Big Shot.  A variety of punches were used, including the new Decorative Label from the Holiday mini.  The sentiment on the cover is from the Grateful Greetings set.  Keep an eye out, as these mini album kits may show up for sale right here on our blog in the near future! 

Snowflake Wishes Thank You Card

Everyone needs to say "thank you" during the holiday season. The Snowflake Wishes bundle makes it easy! The die-cut image creates ...