My First ezine article

I just had my first ezine article published. I wrote about the Grated Paper Fluff I was making last fall. You can read the article here.

Thanks for checking

--Katie

US Postage

First I wanted to remind everyone about the link at the top of my blog here where you can buy stamps online. There are actually a lot of services you can get on-line at the US Postal Service. http://www.usps.com/

 

Given the recent financial woes of the postal service we should all do our part to help keep them  financially solvent. My family will tell you that I've been a bit lax recently in keeping the post office budget "in the black". So I am hereby resolving to pay closer attention to my calendar of important dates and be sure everyone gets their birthday and anniversary cards in the mail and on time.

--Katie

I'm Entering the World of Social Media

The time has come to take my business to the next level. I've created a Facebook Page for my stamping business.  Click Here to see my Facebook Business Page  and please "like me".  To those of you not on Facebook this will sound sadly funny to hear someone say "please like me" but it is the appropriate phrase for an on-line business in the Facebook world. So . . . go to the page, "like me" and you'll receive notices when I update the gallery there and notification of my calendar of events.

--Katie
BTW: I like you too!

Easter Candy Holder

  

I needed a little thank-you something for a friend and and I wanted to play with some Easter ideas. So this is the result. I'm hoping she'll think its cute too. This little candy holder was so quick to make. I just cut a piece of Daffodil Delight paper 7.5" long and scored it at 2.25" and 2.5" from each end. The middle section is slightly wider than the two outside flaps which creates the overlap that you see on the front of the gift. Its a little hard to see in the photo but I stamped the Daffodil piece with the flowers from the stamp set called A Good Egg. They can be used in that stamp set to decorate the egg stamp. I used the Wide Oval Punch  to make the hole for the candy to show through and Sticky Tape to hold the candy to the cardstock. I was so happy that the punch was the perfect size for the candy. The card is tied together with the 1/8" Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon. The little sentiment was hand written on a piece of Very Vanilla that I punched out with the Jewelry Tag Punch (#117190).

The Good Egg stamp set(#114974) is $23.95 (wood mount)
the Wide Oval Punch(#119859) is $16.95
a package of Daffodil Delight Paper(#119683) is $6.95
The 1/8" Daffodil Taffeta Ribbon(#119766)  is $6.95
The Jewelry Tag Punch ((#117190) is $10.95

An order for these supplies would qualify you for a FREE Sale-a-Bration Stamp Set from the list (see the brochure for choices). See all the catalogs here.

Contact me to purchase the supplies for this project or with any stamping questions you have.
You can also order on-line 24/7 from my website.

Thanks for checking here for inspiration and education
--Katie

Why You Should Host a Workshop

There are many different types of stamping events - some people pay to attend and some are intended as sales parties. The Workshop is a sales party and you should host one in your home because its a fun way to introduce your friends to stamping and to Stampin'UP! and to earn FREE product for yourself based on sales at your event. Its like having a Tupperware Party or Papmered Chef Party, except people get to make stuff and take home something they created. If you have fun stamping, you'll have even more fun sharing the hobby with your friends. Imagine how fun if you owned the same stamp set as a friend and you could share ideas for how to use it. And NOW is the time to schedule your event. During Sale-a-bration hostesses earn an extra Sale-a-bration item if the party sales are over $300.

Tell each of your prospective guests about Sale-a-bration. Tell them that if they purchase $50 in product they earn a FREE STAMP SET from the sale-a-bration list. Tell them they can easily put together a $50 order just by stocking up on paper, ribbon and embellishments for the year. You'd need just 6 guests each placing a sale-a-bration order to reach the $300 level. You would then qualify for an exclusive hostess stamp set, $35 in free catalog product and a free Sale-a-bration item.

You may be worried that you couldn't find 6 people to attend. I can help you make your  list. But seriously, this just isn't a problem. Take some cards with you to work and as you run errands. Show them to your friends and family and tell them about sale-a-bration. You'll be surprised at how many people either do stamp or would like to learn more. I can suggest starter bundles to your guests who are new to stamping to help them reach a sale-a-bration order.

And if having an actual gathering doesn't work for you, then you can do a "Book Party". Show the catalog to your friends and gather orders from them. If you gather over $150 in sales you earn hostess benefits. If you gather over $300 in sales you also earn the sale-a-bration hostess benefit. Contact me if you need catalogs to show. I can place your order for you. Or you can place it yourself online at my Stampin'UP! website.

Contact me today to schedule your event. But do HURRY because Sale-a-bration ends at the end of March. Call 608-220-3450 or email me.

I can't wait to show you and your friends some of the great Stampin'UP! product. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

--Katie

Technique Tip: Bleached Bug

Here's something a little different. Usually we are concerned about adding color. This technique is all about removing color. The wings of the dragonfly have been bleached!

Yes you heard right. I used an AquaPainter because I wanted better control of exactly where the bleach goes. The Aquapainter delivers the bleach in a controlled way and I love the way the fibers on this tool stay together in a nice sharp point. I have in the past used some of the cheaper paint tools (the knock offs) - I owned them before I ever joined Stampin'UP! But the quality of the "wanna be's" doesn't even come close to what Stampin'UP! sells. The plastic body is thicker and you have better control of the flow. The bristles are more lush and have a better point. And (this is really important: the gasket is very high quality so it can hold bleach without damaging the parts. I leave water in my Aqua painter indefinitely without any worry of a leak. You can do the same with bleach, with no damage to the Aquapainter - I know this because I've done it. But, you don't want to leave the bleach in because the bleach will actually begin to deteriorate chemically when its exposed to light. So leaving it out for a week, you come back to something considerably less potent.

The dragon fly is from a Stamp Set called Bugs and Kisses. This is such a cute set - one of my favorites. To make this card I heat embossed the dragon fly in black. The bleach won't affect the embossed lines but would take out any color you tried to stamp with. BE CAREFUL painting the wings. The bleach pulls out the color. Here the Always Artichoke cardstock bleaches to a lovely yellow. If I'd added more bleach it would have gotten much lighter. Now, the caution again - BE CAREFUL! For 2 reasons. (1) Any tiny fleck of bleach that gets on your clothes will permanently alter them, yes I have personal experience with this. (2) Any tiny fleck of bleach that gets somewhere on the card you didn't plan for will permanently alter the card in that unwanted place.

You can place an order for these items or any Stampin'UP! product from my SU website.
Remember to check out the Clearance Rack too - there are some amazing deals there.

Thanks for checking the blog, contact me if there's any way I can help you with your stamping.

Happy Stamping
--Katie

Punch Art Purses

Here's a cute punch art card I made for my daughter. The purse shape is made with the Round Tab Punch, cut in half. The flap of the purse is the Small Oval Punch, cut in half. To make the handle of the bag I centered the Large Oval punch over the hole left by the Small Oval punch. It created an oval ring. Cut this ring in half to make the handle. A silver brad finishes off each purse. I used Designer Series Paper for the purses but you could use any paper. This could look so cute with any color combination.

The sentiment is from a stamp set called On Your Birthday which fit perfectly in the Large Oval Punch and is layered on a piece punched with the Scallop Oval Punch. The ribbon is the White Satin Ribbon, which actually holds very well with just a single knot. Just pull it tight.

I hope this inspires your creativity. Its a great way to use up some small scraps too.

If you don't have these punches yet then why not put together a Sale-a-bration order. Every $50 order during Sale-a-bration earns you a selected FREE item. You can check out the catalog online and order 24/7 from my Stampin'UP! website. Or call (608-220-3450) or email me with any questions or to place an order.

Happy Stamping

--Katie

5th Avenue Gate Fold

 

This card is called a "gate fold" because it opens in the center, like a gate. Its actually very easy to make. The card base is 1/4 of a regular sheet of paper so it is 5 1/2" by 4 1/4". The gatefold part is cut 8" by 5 1/4" and then the two edges are folded to the middle. I scored the card at the 2" mark from each end to help with the folding. Its such a simple design and so-o-o easy to make. I hadn't ever tried this design before but I got a trade card from Joyce Hall (one of my uplines) at convention last week and was inspired to make this cad. I'm so glad I went to convention, this card is really fun.
The card itself is Very Vanilla on a Peach Parfait base and Peach Parfait Designer Series Paper. It uses the Fifth Avenue Floral Stamp set. The sentiment is from the same set. I did add a little bling, some Dazzling Diamonds in the center of the flower. I love it when a card comes together so quickly. And with the unusual shape its sure to WOW the person who receives it.

Happy Stamping
--Katie

Inspired by Nature

The Inspiration: Wisconsin is getting more snow today but we've been warm enough this last few days that the grass has been visible through the snow. Of course its also been very muddy. With the darker colors and the grass, this card definitely reminds me of my yard.

Actually the card design was inspired by a trade I got at the Minneapolis Regional Conference from Amy Lauter. (see my conference pictures here) I changed it a little, I changed one of the colors, I added the grass stamp, moved the vanilla piece lower on the card, put the flower on the left instead of the right and used a pearl instead of a rhinestone, and a ribbon instead of a sentiment.

OK, it sounds like I really changed things. But still, its where I got the idea. One of the great benefits of being a demonstrator is all the connections you can make with others and the ideas that we share.

Have you ever thought about being a demonstrator? Some people choose to join for the discount - others sign-up as a career move. (Actually some people just buy the Starter Kit because its a great deal all by itself.) I can honestly say that I absolutely love what I do, it is so much fun to share my cards with others and to help them unleash their own creativity. If you've given it any thought at all, NOW IS THE TIME - for 3 reasons.
(1) Stampin'UP! has a special during Sale-a-bration, 15% off the Starter Kit. Where else can you start your own business for less than $150???
(2)Stampin'UP! is also offering an extra $50 worth of materials if you join now

(3)and this is a LIMITED TIME OFFER - for those of us who did attend the Minn Regional, I can give an extra FREE STAMP SET. But this is only in the 2 weeks following the regional. One week is already past, so if you have any interest at all, call (608-220-3450) or email me today  to talk and get your questions answered.

About the Card: The base of this card is Very Vanilla. The front has layers of Concord Grape and Always Artichoke. I used the Scallop Trim Border Punch(118402) on the vanilla strip. The grass is stamped in Always Artichoke from the stamp set Inspired by Nature. The flower is made with the Big Shot die cutting machine using a little embosslet die called Simple Flower(114514). And I love that Stampin'UP! now sells the pearls (and rhinestones) as Self Stick! (119247)

CALL ME if you want more information about the Starter Kit or being a demonstrator. And feel free to contact me with any stamping questions.

Thanks for checking the blog

Happy Stamping

--Katie

Did Somebody Say "Free Product"???

If you love stamping  then consider introducing this great hobby to your friends. Imagine the fun you can have stamping with friends. Imagine how great it would be to share ideas and projects with them. You'll learn from each other as you explore new lay-outs and new products and new techniques. Host a party for your friends to share the fun of stamping.

And there are other great benefits besides the social aspect of having a shared hobby. Hostesses earn exclusive free stamp sets and free catalog products based on sales.

You may be worried that you don't have enough room or don't have enough friends who may be interested. I can help with all of that. I can help with all the planning to make your party as successful as you want it to be. And if you book during Sale-a-bration you can earn a Sale-a-bration item just for having a qualifying event. Contact me today to schedule your event. 608-220-3450 or by email

--Katie

Pure Bliss!

Wow, I really like this image.
The card turned out so clean and crisp - of course part of that is the color choice. This card uses Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White. The border on this card was made with the Lace Edge Border Punch.  I did add a Self-Stick Rhinestone to the center of the image.

This great image is from one of the Sale-a-bration stamp sets called Bliss. There are 5 stamps in the set including a tiny little bird, a butterfly and a flower that I'm eager to try using as a pointsettia. You can browse the whole Sale-a-bration catalog here. Be sure to check the back page which has a long list of regular catalog items that also qualify as a SAB reward.

This image is really suited to multiple styles.
Other than the lace and the little bit of sparkle on it, this card is very clean and fresh. Now check out the video below. The speaker is Shannon West. This is one of Stampin'UP!'s YouTube Videos. In it Shannon shows how to make a "vintage" card using the Aqua Painter to create the distressing. Its a very cool technique!

What did you think - I just found this video and it looks so easy. I'm really eager to try this technique.

Thanks for checking this blog. Please let me know if there is any way I can help with your stamping needs. Remember, Sale-a-bration is the time to restock. If your order is over $50 you could choose this cute stamp set called Bliss.

--Katie

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

There are many ways to highlight your main image. This sample showcases 3 ways to frame the image.

Using the card base as a framing layer:

A common technique on cards is to cut a piece 1/4" smaller all around than the card base itself. On this card the card base is the Rose Red and it frames a white piece.

Dry Embossed Frame:

Another way to frame a focal point is to impress or dry emboss a frame of some sort. On this card I used the new Framed Tulips Embossing Folder that goes with the Big Shot.

Sponged Edge:

This card has a white piece layered on top another white piece. To set them apart I did 2 things. First I raised the center focal point up on Dimensionals. Second I sponged some color around the edge.

The images on this card are from a stamp set called Because I Care. This is a Level 1 Hostess Benefit which you could earn FREE for hosting a qualifying workshop. And Sale-a-bration is the perfect time to host because you'll earn other FREE items too.  See yesterday's post. The flower image is a single stamp and to get the 2 different colors I inked it with markers instead of ink pads. I can show all these techniques and more at your party. Think how much fun it would be to introduce stamping to your friends. Call  or email today to book your date (608-220-3450).

--Katie

Time to Sale-a-Brate!

Check out the Special Deals during Sale-a-Bration

January through March is Stampin'UP!'s special customer appreciation promotion. Earn FREE product 3 different ways.

Earn FREE product with every $50 catalog purchase you make.
Every $50 purchase you make earns you another free item - there is NO LIMIT. Choose from exclusive items in the Sale-a-Bration catalog or selected product from the main catalog. Call (608-220-3450) or email me to place your order. You can also order 24/7 from my website.

Earn FREE product when you Host a qualifying workshop
Your workshop qualifies for a free Sale-a-Bration item if the net sales are over $300. This is in addition to the regular hostess benefits. Call (608-220-3450) or email me today to set up your workshop. Stampin'UP! has great Hostess Benefits and I have lots of ideas to help you have a successful party.

Earn FREE product whe you Join Stampin'UP!
During Sale-a-Bration the Starter Kit is 15% off.  For only $148.95 you get over $300 worth of stamping supplies and business supplies. AND as a Sale-a-Bration bonus you get an additional set of stamping supplies worth over $50 that includes the Color Coach, and additional stamp set and a large punch. And, for a limited time you can earn another new (not yet released) stamp set if you join with me. This is offer is good only until February 25th. If you are interested you should Call (608-220-3450) or email me today.

Sale-a-Bration is the perfect time to inventory all your supplies and re-stock. Its easy to put together the qualifying $50 order when you re-supply on paper, adhesives, inks and embellishments. Its also the perfect time to invest in additional tools or to make that "big ticket" purchase you've been saving up for. This is definitely the time to SALE-A-BRATE!

 

I hope to be talking with you soon

--Katie

Upsy Daisey

This is a quick little card made using a stamp set called Upsy Daisey. I was trying to use up old DSP (designer series papr). The card base is Very Vanilla cardstock. The designer paper I used is a light pink with a lighter pink image that didn't really fit with a white card. The daiseys are stamped in Rich Razzleberry. Isn't the bow sweet?  I really like the 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon and it looks perfect on this card - it really dresses it up.

Upsy Daisey is a great stamp set because it offers a choice of three sentiments.  This card uses the birthday sentiment but this set also has a thinking of you option and a thank-you option.  And of course, one of the big advantages of the Stampin'UP! model for creating stamp sets is that they're all the same size sentiments. You can design one card and then make the same card for different occasions.

Contact me if you have any questions about stamping or if you'd like to purchase the supplies for this card. You can order 24/7 from my website.

Happy Stamping

--Katie

Minneapolis Regionals Offer for New Demos

Valentine's Day  - I LOVE ♥ my job! I just had a GREAT weekend in Minneapolis at the Stampin'UP! Regional Conference. It was wonderful in so many ways. If you've ever thought about joining Stampin'UP! as a demonstrator or thought about buying the Starter Kit for the discount now is the time. Demonstrators who attended this convention have an extra incentive to offer to new recruits. I'll explain more at the end of the post. But first let me tell you a little about my great weekend.

First the hotel was great! We stayed at the Hyatt (thanks Karen for booking our reservations there) - its by far one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed at. And the skywalk to and from the convention center was so cool. Actually I should say it was not cool, as in it was warm. We didn't have to go outside where it was cool (i.e.cold). Picture shows me enjoying the ambience of the hotel lobby. Second reason I had a great time: These Regional Conferences are a great opportunity to re-connect/strengthen my relationships with other demonstrators. I went up with a group of 8 other demonstrators. Four of us drove up together from the Madison area. We had dinner in Hudson Wi at the home of another demonstrator who was part of our group. The other 3 joined us from different parts of the state. When you join Stampin'UP! you are becoming part of a Network Marketing Business. You own your own business and work as an Independent Contractor for Stampin'UP! For some people starting your own business presents a risk of isolation: both in terms of your growth as a business person and isolated creatively. The advantage of the Network Marketing model is the support you get from the person who recruited you and others also recruited by that person. And, Stampin'UP! is a great company to be associated with because they do a LOT of demonstrator support. The regional that I just attended was one of over a dozen they offer throughout the year - and thats in addition to the yearly convention.



Third reason it was great was the activities at the conference. We got lots of business tips, information about new product, exclusive offers made only to those of us in attendance (sorry to those of you who are other demonstrators reading this post, but if you attended a different Regional then you got some other special exclusive offer that I didn't get). We also had a chance to grow our skills by doing some Make and Takes. I've been a demonstrator with Stampin'UP! for about 5 years and its been a very rewarding experience for me.

So - the special offer for recruits: During the month of February Stampin'UP! already has a great recruiting special - 15% off the regular price of the Starter Kit. In addition, right now you also get over $50 of additional product free when you buy the Starter Kit. That is for anyone anywhere. Click here to see some of the details.

AND for the next 2 weeks, there is a special offer to those of us who attended this Regional, our new recruits will also get FREE a brand new stamp set that will be in the new catalog in July. This gives you the opportunity to play with the set and make some samples with it before the catalog goes live and gives you the advantage of being able to demonstrate that set right away. This offer is very limited so please contact me RIGHT AWAY if you'd like more information about the offer or if you're ready now to join Stampin'UP!  608-220-3450 or by email.

I really hope you take advantage of this offer. Five years ago I joined because I wanted the discount. I planned to make one huge purchase and then drop. But as I got to know the ladies in my group I formed some really strong connections. AND, the group meetings offered me the chance to really grow my skills as a stamper. Then, as I listened to the business discussions at the meetings I began to see the business potential here. I can offer you the same things: business skills, growth in your stamping skills, new friendships and the discount on personal purchases.  Call me today (608-220-3450)!

--Katie

Sparkly Snowman

What do you think of this little guy? He looks just like he's made of real snow - he'd fit in well with the rest of the scene out side.

To make my snow man I used 3 different circle punches. The largest at the bottom to make the base of the snowman. Then I turned the cardstock and used the medium size hole punch and then the tinyest hole punch.  Then spread glue on the white base, attach the heart and sprinkle with Dazzling Diamonds. Then glue on the blue piece and top off with the ribbon.  I'm almost done with a photo tutorial of this process. I plan to attach it to an email Tuesday night to everyone on my mailing list. Be sure to sign up if you'd like your copy of the tutorial. The sign-up box is at the top of this blog.

Thanks for checking the blog. Let me know any questions or concerns.

Happy Stamping
--Katie

Red Glimmer Medallion with the Scallop Edge Punch

This card is one of my favorites with the Red Glimmer paper.  This paper is so great, its thick and sturdy yet thin enough to be punched. and the glitter does not come off.

I used Naturals White as the card base. The large black square is 3 1/4" on each side. The Red Glimmer square is 3" on a side. The heart was punched using the Full Heart Punch. It is sitting on a 2" black square that is on a 2 1/4" white square.

There are 2 special tricks to this card.
To create the medallion, center the paper in the Scallop Edge Punch and punch once on each side, but NOT going to the edges. The little bit left in the corners leaves this wonderful medallion shape.
To stick the white piece to the glimmer paper I put a full dimensional in each corner. The hope was that the dimensional would make a strong contact on the exposed black strip through the medallion. Adhesives don't stick very well to the glimmer paper. The back side sticks well, but the front is bumpy and does not glue well.

Let me know if there is any way I can help you with your stamping needs. Thanks for checking the blog.

--Katie

Four Square Valentine

Just a very quick note today. As I made yesterday's card the colors really struck me as Valentine colors. So here is the same card, this time stamped with hearts. And for a little bling a self stick Rhinestone. I can't say often enough how much I love and appreciate the self-stick Rhinestones and Pearls. I'm so glad Stampin'UP! decided to carry this product.

Actually yesterday's card and this one were made a while ago, I'm just now getting around to uploading them. We did this card at the Valentine's day Stamp Camp so some of you actually made this card.

As I said, just a quick note today. I have to go finish my trades for Regionals. We're leaving for Minneapolis on Friday afternoon. I'm so excited - I love the big demonstrator meetings. 

--Katie

Priceless Four Square

The most frequent  concern I hear from new stampers is "How do you get your ideas?" There are lots of places to get ideas. Sometimes you'll see something that reminds you of a stamp set you own. Sometimes you'll see a color combination on something that you think you can re-create on a card. Another way to come up with card ideas is to use the lay-out from one card and change the colors or the stamps used.  The card to the right is a very versatile lay-out, in fact you just saw it on Monday's post. I changed the colors and the stamp sets.

The colors on this card are Rich Razzleberry and Pretty in Pink. The sentiment on this card is from a stamp set called: Heard from the Heart and the flowers on this stamp set are from a stamp set called: Priceless.

Click through some of my older posts - you'll get the idea about re-using lay-outs.  Sign-up for my email list and get mailings about company specials and extra how-to tips and card ideas.

Let me know if you have any questions about this card. Be sure to check-out all the catalogs for even more project ideas and great product.  You can order online 24/7 or call (608-220-3450) or email.

Happy Stamping

--Katie

Big Shot BookMark Card

Today's post features the Big Shot machine. This versatile machine is used to die-cut shapes and to impress images into cardstock.  Embossing shapes and cutting shapes is so easy with this machine, I'm amazed each time I use it and I can't even remember what my stamping life was like before I bought it. To think ... when it first became available I considered not buying it because I couldn't imagine what I'd do with it. Now I can't imagine what I'd do without it!

The snowflakes on this card were created using an embossing folder and the blue strip with the scallop circle at the end was cut with a die. The cool thing is that the blue strip is a removable book mark.  Whoever you send the card to will remember you long after they read the card. This is a really easy project to assemble.

The white piece: Place a 4"x5.25" piece of white cardstock in the embossing folder and run it through the Big Shot. The sentiment is from a stamp set called: Thank You Kindly.

The blue strip: Use the Two Tags Die to cut the blue strip. Cut a piece of Marina Mist paper 2 1/4" by 8 1/2" and fold in half. Place it on the die just below the top cut mark so the fold will not be cut. See the image below. The snowflake is from a stamp set called Serene Snowflakes, stamped in Marina Mist.  remember to stamp before you punch!!  Punch the framing layer from Bashful Blue.

Contact me if you have any questions about this project or if there is any other way I can help you with your stamping projects.

Be sure to check out the Sale-a-Bration catalog to see all the great FREE product available right now with every $50 purchase.

Do you have a Big Shot yet? Sale-a-Bration is the perfect time to invest in this great machine because with it you'd get 2 FREE Sale-a-bration items. Call (608-220-3450) or email me for more details.

--Katie

Because I Care - Markers on the Stamp

This card is made with one of the Level 1 Hostess sets: Because I Care. The sentiment in this set is perfect for a get well or sympathy card. Yet its non-specific enough that is could just be a Thinking of You, or birthday or gift card too.

The flower and leaves are a single stamp, so this calls for a little creative inking to get the 2 different colors like you see on the card. First ink the flower itself with Pink Pirouette. Then go back over the stem with the Pear Pizzaz Marker. Remember to "huff" before stamping.

The 5/8" black statin ribbon is pleated in the front and a Self-StickPearl added for a little bling. I used Mini Glue Dots to hold the pleats.

As I said, this is a Hostess Set, which means you can NOT buy this set, it is available only to Hostesses based on sales at their party.  Call me for more details or check out the Hostess Benefits on pages 10-16 of the Ideas Book and Catalog.  By the way, all this month is Stampin-UP!'s Sale-a-bration promotion. This means that every $50 purchase earns you a free item from the Sale-a-bration brochure. Check out all the catalog brochures here. And hostesses will earn an extra free item if their party sales reach over $300. Contact me to schedule your home party. Call (608-220-3450) or email for more information. I'd love to show you and your friends how much fun you can have stamping and all the great new products.


--Katie

Subtle Snowflakes

Still have snow on the brain. After last week's two big storms we were getting another 1-2 inches this morning. Its great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. We do both around the farm, Dave has made a nice track for us around the pond and the back field. Not so great of course for driving. There was one spot on my drive in to work that was just 1 lane for 3 days. We got the big snow on Wednesday and by Friday on my way in to work it was still 1 lane. They finally got it cleared during the day Friday. In my post about Dave delivering the order by pony I said we got 14.5 inches, the actual count was 18.7 inches. In case you missed it you have to see him holding the Stampin''UP! bag sitting on the horse. Its great!

The colors on this card are Elegant Eggplant and Always Artichoke. The card base is Naturals Ivory - I felt that a white card base was too crisp and white, I wanted something more muted. The snowflakes are from a set called Jolly Bingo Bits.

This is an easy lay-out to re-design. The green base is 3" square, the purple is 2 3/4" square, the white is 2 1/2" square and the 4 colored pieces were punched with the 1" square punch. Think about your stamps and which ones would be small enough to fit in the punch. Then decide which colors would go well with the image. You can add a ribbon or some brads. This is an all-purpose design that goes well for many occasions and with many stamp sets.

Let me know if there's any way I can help with your stamping needs.  Be sure to check out the rest of my blog for more creative ideas.

--Katie

Pick-a-Petal Color and Design

There are lots of things to consider when designing a card.

• MOOD: whimsical, classic, serious, fun, peppy, masculine, feminine,
• IMAGES: choose a stamp to fit the mood
• COLOR: colors can help set the mood or distract
• OCCASION: birthday, sympathy, wedding, these all influence the mood and your other choices

And of course everything depends on the materials on hand! What stamp sets and paper and ink colors you have.

This card is a simple study in black and white with just a splash of yellow. The images are all line art from a stamp set called Pick-a-Petal, which is my SSOM (Stamp Set of the Month). Look at the image of the set itself in yesterday's post. You can see why I think this stamp set is so versatile. On this card the same stamp is used for both the petals and the leaf. See how many petal choices are in this set! And there are 4 different choices for the center of the flower. Keep watching this blog to see how many great designs you can make with these stamps.

BTW: the stem was just hand-drawn using the Basic Black Marker. I love how Stampin'UP!'s markers have 2 ends, one a brush end and the other a fine point. The fine point is suitable both for detailed coloring as well as adding line art to your projects.

This card was actually made last year with YoYo Yellow, before Stampin'UP! changed their color Pallettes. Do you have all the new colors?  Have you bought your Color Renovation Kit (item #120951 / $94.95) or the set of New In Colors (item #120952 / $29.95 ). Now is a great time to buy them. Remember that during Sale-a-bration each $50 you spend earns you a FREE item from the selected list. You have an amazing list of choices: some exclusive Sale-a-bration only sets as well as selected items from the main catalog (check the last page of the Sale-a-bration catalog).

Call (608-220-3450) or email me to place your order, or you can order on-line 24/7 from my Stampin'UP! website. Better yet, schedule a home workshop with your friends and earn even more free stuff.  Contact me for details.

Let me know if there is any way I can help you with your stamping needs. I love sharing ideas. 

--Katie

Pick-a-Petal

For those of you into acronyms how does this sound:  SSOM or Stamp Set of the Month.  During February I'll be focusing on one of my favorite stamp sets: Pick-a-Petal. This set is truly amazing, both in the variety of flowers you can make and in the wide range of other images you can create with it. For example, check out these super easy ghosts from an October post. To make them you use the solid petal upside down and samped 3 times.

I love the color combination on this card: Regal Rose and Certainly Celery. Its very soft and very feminine. This card uses 2 other petals from the set, one to make the petals and the other to make the leaves. The stem is actually the Certainly Celery 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon. This card goes together easily, the ribbon stem is easily held on with the regular SNAIL adhesive and the separate knot it attached with a Stampin'UP! Mini Glue Dot.

Check back again over the next several days to see more cards made with this set.  And remember that Stampin'UP!'s SALE-A-BRATION sales spromotion has now started. This yearly event allows you to choose a selected FREE item with every $50 purchase.

Add Pick-a-Petal to your shopping list while you re-stock your papers and ribbons. Download the Sale-a-bration catalog here to check out your options for the FREE items. Be sure to check the last page of this little catalog because there's a huge list of regular catalog items that are also choices.

As always, let me know if there is any way I can help you with your stamping needs: physical supplies, technical help, creative ideas.

--Katie

 

Big Shot Owl

Here is a cute idea for a little Valentine Candy Treat Bag. No frilly colors here so its perfect for that special guy. And is so easy to make! The owl's head was made with the Top Note Die and the "throat" was made with the Large Scallop Circle Die. The eyes are three circle punches: white, bashful blue and white.

The center of the eye was made using the Heart to Heart punch. And, surprise, so was the beak! Look at the image of the punch below. You can see that the eyes are the small heart. The beak was made by punching the largest heart and then cutting off the top scallops. I love getting double duty from my tools.

The bags are also sold by Stampin'UP!. These are the small Cellophane Bags which sell for $3.95 for a package of 50.  And with how easy this project goes together it wouldn't take much time to actually make that many. 

Let me know if you have any questions about this project or any Stampin'UP! product. You can place orders by emailing me or calling 608-220-3450. You can place on-line orders 24/7 on my Stampin'UP! website.

--Katie

Serene Snowflakes on Confetti Paper

Another card made with Serene Snowflakes. And who can blame me for having snow on the brain after the "blizzard of the decade" just hit Wisconsin. If you didn't have to be driving in it, the snow was really very pretty as it was coming down.

Technique tip: I wanted this card to have the feel of falling snow. To get the variation in the colors on the snowflakes I first inked them in Bashful Blue and then very  lightly sponged on some Marina Mist just on parts of the snowflakes.

I used Confetti White Paper as the card base, because the color flecks in the paper reminded me of falling snow. The background color is Marina Mist and the scallop edge was made with the Scalloped Edge Border Punch. The background for the sentiment was punched with the Scallop Oval Punch. The sentiment is from a stamp set called On Your Birthday.

Technique Tip: Always stamp the image first and then punch. That way you can look through the hole in the bottom of the punch to be sure your image is perfectly centered in the opening.

The card was finished off by adding just a little bling, 3 Self Adhesive Rhinestones.  I love the self stick, its so much easier than trying to fit them onto the mini glue dots.

Thanks for looking. I hope you found something useful. Please contact me if you have any questions about stamping or if you need any of the supplies to make this card. Let me know if there is any way I can help you with your stamping needs.

--Katie

Dave's Pony Express!

Two posts in one day - I love Snow Days! The airport says that Madison got just over 14.5 inches of snow. Here in Stoughton we had drifts that were over 4 feet high. But the end result was a day off from school.  I'd love to tell you I spent the day working on curriculum and correcting papers, but the truth is I hardly left my stamping room.  I got so much done: made some samples, got a new class idea and packaged up the new order that just came yesterday.

The UPS man delivered my order just as the snow was starting to fall on Tuesday. We woke up to snow as deep as our porch is high! Yikes! and my neighbor up the hill had just emailed to ask when her goodies would arrive. So, Dave to the rescue. Thought you'd enjoy the picture.

The snowplows have been busy all day so all should be clear for stamping this weekend. There is still room left for you in the February Stamp-a-Stack. Your choice of dates, Sunday afternoon starting at 1:00 (you bet we'll be done by the time Super Bowl starts), or Monday night starting at 6:00.  Just call: 608-220-3450 or email to reserve your spot.  Bring a friend and bring a camera.

Hope to see you there

--Katie

A Sketch Challenge

When designing cards the inspiration can come from many places. Sometimes you try to re-create on paper something you've seen. Sometimes you take an old card and re-do it with new colors, different bling or a different stamp set. Here's another idea: take a sketch challenge.  Begin with a lay-out and then find stamps and colors to make it work. So here's the sketch challenge.  The card will be horizontal and will have 2 layers at right angles to each other.  Then you get out the stamp sets, check what your color options are and see what you end up with.
 

And here is the final card. I used a Stamp Set called Trendy Trees. This is really a fun stamp set. It comes with 2 size tree trunks and 4 different shapes to use for foliage. Its kind of hard to see in the image but I used one of the foliage shapes just as background interest on the vertical brown piece. As a stand alone set this one is pretty useful. It comes with 2 sentiments - a thank-you and an all purpose "thinking of you".  This set is an older one so it comes in only wood mount. I'll admit that I did use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the images although the trial card I made with out the alignment tool wasn't too bad.

I think this card turned out pretty good. Not bad for starting with a lay-out idea instead of an image idea. although now I wish I'd used just a little more yellow on it - in support of the Packers! Anyway, consider drawing up some sketches yourself and then designing cards based on which set fits the sketch.

Thanks for checking the blog and for choosing me as a source of inspiration and education. If you are in the Madison/Stoughton/south east Dane County region you should check out my event calendar. The February Stamp-a-Stack is this weekend. Not to worry, you'll be done in time to watch the Packers win the Super Bowl.

 Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding stamping.  Let me know if your interested in the supplies to make this card or if you need any stamping supplies. Your support is appreciated.

--Katie

Vellum Butterflies Again

This is just a quick post to show how you can re-do an old design to spice it up a little. Back in July I posted this card where I used the Butterfly Punch (119848) to make vellum wings for the butterfly.  With this version I added a pearl body to the butterfly. What do you think? I really like the addition, I think it just fills in something I didn't even realize was missing from the first card.  And I absolutely LOVE the fact that Stampin'UP!'s Half Pearls (119247) are self stick. The half-pearls in the old "Pretties" kit were nice, but you had to line them up perfectly on the glue dots. None of that messing around now. Just lift and place, super easy!

By the way, this IS Stampin'UP!'s Vellum Paper (101839). I stamped the image with White Craft Ink (111731) using the Belle Toile Background Stamp (111598). The craft ink is a pigment ink so it takes longer to dry than regular ink. Actually ANY ink on vellum takes forever to dry. Vellum paper is non-porous so the ink does not sink in. I just stamped the day before I wanted to use it so it dried over night.

Thanks for choosing me as a source of inspiration and education.  I hope you found something inspiring and useful. Please contact me if you have any questions about this card, about supplies needed to create this card or any questions about stamping.

--Katie

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