Clearance Rack Blitz!

Stampin' Up! is having a great Clearance Sale December 15, 2011 - January 5, 2012. Check out the savings...up to 80% and the selection! Shop early as many items have already sold out! (Hint: once you get to the clearance rack change the number of items shown on each page to ALL. Then you won't have to flip back and forth from page to page and can view all the items just by scrolling up and down.)


Click here to start shopping!

There are some great deals on the old style punches, retired Designer Series Papers, ribbons, buttons, Simply Sent card kits and lots more.
Happy Stamping!



Christmas Card Ideas

Every year I think I'll have my Christmas cards made and in the mail by now but, I never seem to make that December 1st deadline. So, I'm working on them...but I'll keep them a surprise for now. In the meantime here are some great ideas for Christmas cards that are quick and easy but nice. Some were CASE'd from other cards that I've seen on Stampin' Connection and some I've done at workshops or my Christmas Card Stamp-a-Stack.

This is one of my favorite Christmas cards this year. It was inspired by several similar cards that I saw on Stampin' Connection (the place for Stampin' Up! demonstrators to share their ideas...love it!)

This card was copied from fellow demonstrator Kathy Kalthoff. I colored the pearls with a red permanent marker. So, quick and easy to add a WOW! to your card.

This cute card was CASE'd (copy and share everything) from Sandi MacIver. I left off a second layer of punched lace and added some color on the berries for my version. It's all done in Soft Suede. The berries are watercolored in Real Red.

I've done this card several times and I still like it! Sponged in Bashful Blue and dressed up with Rhinestones.

This card was shamelessly copied from Lyssa Zwolanek. Made with the Stitched Stockings stamp set and the new stocking punch that coordinates with the stamp set.

I've seen several versions of this card go by. I think Debra Currier made the original. I went with a nice clean look.Whisper White and Cherry Cobbler seem to be my go-to Christmas colors this year. The wreath is made with a stamp from Delicate Doilies with the center punched out. I colored the Rhinestones with a permanent marker (just like the pearls) before adding them to the wreath.

One last idea. This one was inspired by a fall card that my downline, Shelly D. gave me that used Rich Razzelberry and fall leaves. I changed the colors and the stamp set and came up with this Christmas version done in Cherry Cobbler with Early Espresso accents.

Enjoy! and Happy Stamping!

Gently Falling

I just love this card designed by Pat Conry that I received in a swap (on the left). I decided it would make a great workshop project. I added some Spice Cake Designer Series Paper and left off the sentiment. My version is on the right. Love the textured look added to the leaves with the Lattice Square Impressions Embossing folder. Inside there's more leaves! Thanks for the great idea, Pat!

More Gently Falling leaves and Spice Cake Designer Series Paper...this time with a Pool Party card base. This was my first version of this card. Later I decided to add a button and some linen thread. I used the 1" square punch to punch out the stamped leaves.

Blessings,



Summer Mini Sneak Peek

There's only three more days to order from the Ocassions Mini catalog! Don't miss some great stamp sets and accessories! That said...here is a sneak peek of what's coming up in the Summer Mini catalog. Both of these cards I made for swaps. I guess I was really into butterflies for some reason.

The first card uses the new Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper and the words from the Fabulous Florets stamp set. The second card uses the new Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and Happy Greeting stamp set. All will be available May 1.

Bridal Shower Invitations and Favors

I love creating special cards and invitations for friends! When my friend, Risa asked if I would help her with her daughter's bridal shower invitations and favors- I was on it! Here we are having our shower invitation work day. Angie and Risa are busy taping and punching. While I worked on the dresses.

I gave the Very Vanilla cardstock to Risa before hand and she printed the inside of the invitations before I cut the card bases. The dresses are made from Very Vanilla cardstock cut out with the Scallop Circle die then embossed with the Elegant Lines embossing folder. They're dressed up with Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper (from the Occasions Mini Catalog), and Basic Pearls. The edge of the invitation is punched with the Scallop Edge Border punch and the word stamp is from the Sincere Salutations stamp set and stamped in Baja Breeze ink. We finished all 80 invitations in one afternoon!

I forgot to take pictures of the shower favor work day. We had a little more help and managed to put together 80 cute little favors. This is a little custom made box that fits a pack of gum. I used Daffodil Delight for the box. Angie choose Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper for the front and we tied it in with the shower invitations with more Whisper White Organza Ribbon and a Pearl. The box is held together with Sticky Strip -love that stuff! - and the top is held closed with a glue dot.

Happy Stamping!



WatercolorWonders Ohio Group Gathering

I love being part of a wonderful group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators called Watercolor Wonders. My 5th upline, Jan McClurg, who is the head of the group, recently came to Ohio to visit her Ohio downline. Friday evening, April 15th several of us got together for a charity stamping event. Linda L. from our group is the contact person for the Akron Ronald McDonald House. She and Sue H. brought a stack of journals for us to cover and decorate. These will be donated to the Akron RMHC to give to the families who stay there. Families can make notes and jot down questions to take to their appointments in these journals. We all brought supplies and got quite a pile of journals covered and decorated.

Here we all are with the finished product.

Here are the two journals I did. I use a retired Simply Scrappin' kit.

Laura Milligan (top) shows off her journal while Judie Nill watercolors images to go on the fronts of some of the journals.

The night was topped off with a chocolate - strawberry dessert buffet. There were lots more goodies but these were a couple of the highlights. Strawberry cupcakes with strawberry picks make from Stampin' Up! punches made for me by my friend Julia and cream cheese filled chocolate covered strawberries made by Beth M. Yum!

Happy Stamping!



March Stamp Club

It's been quite awhile since I posted. I've missed a few stamp club posts but I hope to get caught up. I'll have to work backwards a little. Here is one of the projects from the March stamp club. A friend of mine, and fellow demonstrator, attended a birthday card class that our upline was having and this was one of the cards from her class. (Thanks, Judie!) I'm not sure if she designed it or case'd it from somewhere else. Either way...I totally copied it! Love the little purses made with the cupcake punch turned upside down. The purse handles are made with the two smaller oval punches.



The second stamp club card was case'd from a card I received as a swap at the Leadership conference in January. The original was made by Lisa Gray. Just can't get enough of that cupcake punch!

Each month my stamp club get a little extra treat. This month was a carrot filled with chocolate goodies. The carrot is made with the petal cone die from the Occasions Mini catalog. This carrot cone came courtesy of Kay Kalthoff. You can see her video of how to make the carrot top here.

Shelley brought these yummy snacks. Carmel Apple Fluff...the recipe is quick and easy. She served it in cupcake wrappers to stay with the theme. Isn't that creative!



Carmel Apple Fluff (source unknown)

1 bag of Snickers bite size candy bars finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 large granny smith apples corded and finely chopped

1 - 8oz tub of whipped topping

Chocolate chips

Mix candy, apples and whipped topping together in a large bowl. Top with chocolate chips. Chill. Serve cold. Or, place in cupcake wrappers, top with chocolate chips, chill and serve. Enjoy!

Happy Stamping!