Cool Colors for a Valentine

What's your favorite color for Valentine's Day? A Valentine doesn't always have to be red or pink. The hearts on this card are lookin' good in Crisp Cantaloupe.

This card is a pretty simple design: a strip of Designer Paper down one side and 3 hearts arranged vertically. The thing that dresses it up is the texture embossing and the rhinestones.  

Stampin'UP!'s rhinestones are self-adhesive, which I really appreciate.  It would be such a challenge to try to apply adhesive to such a small embellishment.

The vertical line of embossed scallops was created with one of the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders.  Its a simple addition to the card, but "wow!" it really makes a difference in how sophisticated the card looks.

The finishing touch is the petite little flower on the middle heart. The flower was made with a new punch: the Petite Petals Punch.

So what do you think of the color?  acceptable?  This card would look good in red or in a strong pink.   Leave me a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you've been inspired
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• Sale-a-bration starts TODAY! . . . Read the Details HERE
  Download your Wish List and Start Sale-a-brating!
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Paper Roses with the New Spiral Die

Do you like adding a 3D element to a project?  Have you ever tried making paper roses? Look what a gorgeous embellishment the flower makes on this card.  

Your friends will just gush in amazement when you hand deliver this stunning card.

If you've tried making 3D flowers in the past then you've probably punched or cut a lot of pieces. Stampin'UP! has just released a new die that cuts the paper with one pass through your die cutting machine. One quick crank and you're ready to roll the flower.

This sample was made by a fellow demonstrator: Norma Artman.  Norma brought an amazing variety of projects she made with the new Spiral Flower Die. 

Norma's projects included hair bows, cards, a flower in a vase, a decorated lamp shade, place cards, wall art and more.

These cards are so, so pretty.  We all got to try making one - and I must say, it was really easy to roll the paper into the flower shape. I think using the die cut paper makes all the difference because its sized and shaped correctly.  

The die works with all kinds of paper and with fabric. Look at this beautiful wall art Norma made for Valentine's Day. Norma colored our Rhinestones with a red Sharpie to add to the white felt flowers. This was my favorite project, I loved the single red rose amongst all the white ones.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you've been inspired
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• Sale-a-bration starts TODAY! . . . Read the Details HERE
  Download your Wish List and Start Sale-a-brating!
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Affordable Embossing: a Comparison of the Big Shot and the Texture Boutique

I love the look of texture embossing. It really takes a card up a level. Don't you just love how it feels in your hand? The card on the left is cute, but see the difference when you add some bumps that look like alligator skin!

The cute little alligator is from a Sale-a-bration set called See Ya Later

The embossing folder and the stamp set are both choices you could get FREE with a Sale-a-bration purchase.

Are you someone who loves embossing too, but just doesn't see a need for the cutting feature of the Big Shot?  If so, I'm so excited that Stampin'UP! has just added the Texture Boutique embossing machine which is perfect for you. item #132657

This cool little machine only does embossing. And while it does only half the work of the Big Shot, its priced at a full 2/3 less. This machine is only $29.95 (compared with $99 for the Big Shot).

Watch this 2.5 minute video to see it in action

Stampin'UP! will have these in the next catalog, however,

there are a limited number available right now.   

Minus the one I ordered this morning.

Of course if you order  this embossing machine you are going to need embossing folders.  Here's a way to get a free embossing folder. If you order Texture Boutique Embossing machine (#132657) at $29.95 and 3 embossing folders of your choice (pages 190-191 of the Annual Catalog or see the folders online here) your order will be just over $50 and you'll qualify for a FREE Sale-a-bration item.  You could choose the Decorative Dots embossing folder I used on the alligator card in this post.

If you want your free folder - which is available through March 31st - I'd say order sooner rather than later.  While the machine will be in the next catalog, Stampin'UP! says that a "limited supply" is available now.  Last time they offered a limited supply of this machine it sold out in 3 weeks.

I hope you've been inspired

Thanks for stopping by,
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• Sale-a-bration starts TODAY! . . . Read the Details HERE
  
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Petal Parade in Bright Colors

Is anyone else ready for spring? The temperature in southern Wisconsin this morning was minus 5! Time for some cheery colors.


These three strong colors:
  *Pacific Point
  *Daffodil Yellow and
  *Real Red
are bright enough to bring a much needed smile. 

Do you like the font on this sentiment? The "hello" is from a stamp set called Four You. This set has 4 versatile sentiments in very stylish fonts.

This set is a nice addition to a sentiment collection 

- or -

 a great set if you're just starting out.

The flower images and the scallop underscoring the sentiment are both from a Sale-a-bration set called Petal Parade. The scallops are separated from the word by a thin strip of black paper.

Sale-a-bration starts tomorrow - WooHoo!

Read more about Sale-a-bration HERE

 

Here are a couple of STAMPING TIPS:  

First: Here's a tip for lining up images 
If you use clear mount stamps . . . Line them up on the block BEFORE you stamp on the paper.

Second: to get multiple colors on a single stamp
color directly on the stamp with your markers. 

Supplies:
Stamp Set:
   Four You (clear #130538) (wood #130535)
   Petal Parade (sale-a-bration set)
Punch: Postage Stamp

I hope you've been inspired

Thanks for stopping by,
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• Sale-a-bration starts Jan 28th . . . Read the Details HERE
  
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Gorgeous Grunge Baby Punch Art Card

Here's a sweet pair of baby shoes all ready for baby's first steps. My granddaughter is just learning to walk so these baby shoes are images near and dear to my heart.

The splotches stamped along the side of the card are from a stamp set called Gorgeous Grunge and they seemed like the perfect image for the background of this baby card.

These helter skelter splotches remind me of my granddaughter's first attempts at walking.

She's just a year old and watching her move around you definitely know where the word "toddler" comes from. Its so much fun watching her transition from crawling to walking.

The shoes were easy to make using 2 punches. First I punched a 1/2" circle in a sheet of pink paper. Then I positioned the small oval punch over the hole and punched out the oval with a hole in it.

To make the oval with the hole look like a baby shoe I just added a small bow. Stampin'UP!'s 1/8" Black Taffeta Ribbon looks so sweet on these baby shoes. I can just see my little sweetie toddling around in these.

The tiny white flowers were made with a punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. They're randomly placed because that's what babies do, they leave a random trail of stuff.

The sentiment is from a stamp set called Teeny Tiny Wishes and it really seems more like a "welcome" statement to me. I guess the shoes and my granddaughter's first steps just make me think of a 1 year old. Of course you can get cute baby slippers for newborns too.




So how would you use this card? Would you use it as a birthday card or a card to welcome a new baby?  

1 year old birthday  - or - newborn?

Of course adults call each other "baby" too. So maybe if we replace the baby shoes with hearts this could be a Valentine!  

What do you think?   Please leave a comment . . . 

Baby Card or Valentine?

Either way, I hope you've been inspired

Thanks for stopping by,
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• Sale-a-bration starts Jan 28th . . . Read the Details HERE
  
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Champagne Glimmer Paper and Embossed Snowflakes

Leave me a comment below if you like snow.  Depending on where you live you may have a little more of the "fluffy white stuff" right now than you really wanted.  

New snow has such a pretty sparkle, and a little sparkle on a card can really make a project eye-catching. Glimmer paper is the perfect way to add some sparkle without the mess of trying to glue glitter. 

Stampin'UP! sells glimmer paper in 3 colors: red, silver and the champagne which you see here on this card. The glimmer paper comes in packages of 12x12 paper with 2 sheets to the package. At just $4.95 its easy to add a strip of sparkle to lots of cards.

• Red Glimmer Paper  . . . . . #121790
• Silver Glimmer Paper . . . . . #124005
• Champagne Glimmer Paper . . . . .  #127885

This card is full of rich texture. The embossed snowflakes were made with the Northern Flurries Embossing Folder. Adding texture embossing to a card is an easy way to really take a project to the next level. 

Do you have a Big Shot embossing and die cutting machine? Is the Big Shot is on your wish list?  If so then you should know about 3 ways you can maximize your hobby dollars.  

Sale-a-bration is the perfect time to invest. 

Read more about Sale-a-bration here. 

Sale-a-bration starts Jan 28

1. The basics of this event are that each $50 purchase earns you a FREE item from the Sale-a-bration brochure.  If you buy the Big Shot and the Northern Flurries embossing folder during Sale-a-bration you would get to choose 2 items free from the Sale-a-bration brochure.

2. If you buy the Starter Kit during Sale-a-bration you'd get to choose $50 worth of embossing folders and dies for free.  The Starter Kit costs $99 and is completely customizable. So you can buy the Big Shot for $99. Normally you'd get to choose $25 of additional product for free, but during Sale-a-bration you have an additional $25 to spend.  So for $99 you get $150 worth of product.

3. Hostesses earn an extra $30 of benefits for any party over $300. A $300 party would earn you $50 in benefits, and with the extra $30 during Sale-a-bration you could end up spending just $10 for the Big Shot.

So get out your catalogs, add up your Wish List and mark your Calendar for Jan 28.

Get a Free Set of Markers

Special Promotion
January 11 - February 10
Get a FREE set of the 2012-2014 In-Color Markers!
when you sign up for the
"My Paper Pumpkin" Monthly Craft Kits

These colors are right "on trend". Just listen to these names:
Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, 

Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple and Summer Starfruit

And now you can get the whole pack (a $14.95 value) for FREE.  

What a sweet deal!  

I am a subscriber myself and here's what I like about the kits

• They are only $19.95 a month (+tax, . . . . and shipping is already included in that price)
• The kits have everything for the project except adhesive
  its all pre-cut, and pre-scored;  ribbon, buttons, stickers and brads are all included
• Its fun that the project is always a surprise: it could be cards or an album or something else.
• I can put the subscription "on-hold" if I ever want to quit for a while
• There are no minimums and no contract - I can quit anytime. 
• Its super easy to subscribe - just grab a credit card and subscribe here!

Stampin'UP! is offering a really great deal here with the FREE MARKERS

But I'm going to add my own incentive. 

I have a limited number of  

full rolls of matching ribbons

Right now I have ribbons in each of the 5 colors and when you sign-up with me as your demonstrator you can pick your favorite color and I'll send you a Free Roll of Ribbon.  The first 2 people who sign-up are guaranteed their choice of color.  After that its what ever is left.

Need a little more convincing about the Monthly Craft Kits?

Here are the cards the paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit is supposed to make

  

And here are some other ways you can use the stamps in the Welcome Kit

For this one I used a marker to ink just the word "friend" on the sentiment stamp

And I love, love love! the "splotches" stamp.

This was super quick and easy, 

again I used a marker to ink up just one of the words on the sentiment stamp.

The splotches even look good on a Valentine!

There is so much you can do with the stamps in the Welcome Kit. The Kit alone is worth $19.95. Take advantage of Stampin'UP!'s promotion now and get the FREE MARKERS from Stampin'UP! and  FREE RIBBON from me.

Sign-up HERE now

Thanks for stopping by, 
I hope you've been inspired
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Petite Petals Punch Decorates a Snowman Punch Art Card

Are you a fan of Punch Art?  Its such a quick easy way to make some really cute images.

Punch Art lets you make a real "WOW" project. You'll love the reaction you get when you give punch art cards.

See the difference in the 2 flowers?  The flower on the scarf is from the Boho Blossom Punch. The flower on the hat is from the new Petite Petals Punch. This punch has a matching stamp set which is also called Petite Petals. If you buy them both you can save 15% by buying them as a bundle.

#133322   $12.95  Petite Petals Punch

#133152   $15.95  Petite Petals wood mount Stamp Set

#133155   $11.95  Petite Petals clear mount Stamp Set

#134821   $24.50  Punch & Stamp Set wood mount bundle

#134822   $21.25  Punch & Stamp Set clear mount bundle

Bundled Products are Great! 

Everyone loves to save money.

Order them from my website HERE

Other details of this Punch Art Snowman:

• Stampin'UP!'s Extra-Large Oval punch makes a great body for this Snowman. 
• The Head is a 1-3/8" circle.
• The hat brim is the Word Window Punch
• The Owl Punch, was used for the HAT (upside down and with the feet cut off) as well as for the EYES, BUTTONS and CENTER OF THE FLOWERS
• The large flower on his hat is the Boho Blossom Punch and the small flower on the scarf is the Petite Petals Punch.

Do you like his scarf?  The ends of the scarf were punched with a new punch that you can get for FREE during Sale-a-bration.  Click here if you don't know what Sale-a-bration is.

Thanks for stopping by, 
I hope you've been inspired
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Delicate Designs Texture Embossed Valentine

 
Do you have the Delicate Designs Embossing Folders? These embossing folders make a lovely lacy pattern for a Valentine Card.

On this card the delicate lacy look of the Delicate Designs texture embossing is accentuated by paper ribbon made with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.

You can also use this border punch to make a square piece.

Watch my video showing how you can make 

a gorgeous dotted frame using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.

Add these two items to your Wish List as you get ready for Sale-a-bration 2014.  This once-a-year Sales event starts January 28. The Delicate Designs embossing folders (#127023) are $8.95 and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch (#119275) is $15.95.  That only adds up to $24.85.  A Sale-a-bration order is $50. Have fun browsing the catalogs, download your Wish List, and start planning your Sale-a-bration.

Thanks for stopping by,  I hope you've been inspired

Are you looking for more Valentine Products?

View Stampin'UP!'s "Whole Lot of Love" Valentine products here.  Available December 1-January 27 or while supplies last. These are exclusive products that will not be available after the promotional period ends.

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week  . . . Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)

Valentine Cards with the Hearts Framelits

Its mid-way through January . . .  time to start thinking about Valentines. Here's a group of Valentine cards shared by a customer. 

Gloria bought the Hearts Framelits dies and has really been making good use of them. She brought these to our class this morning to share with the group.

 

 

 

Are you local to the Madison Wisconsin area?  We'd love to have you join us at one of our next events.  click here to see my events calendar. 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you've been inspired
 

• Reduced prices on Retired product
  - Check the Clearance Rack HERE
• Special Savings: Deal of the Week
  -Click here to see The Deal of the Week 
  - New items post each Tuesday
• View our Catalogs On-Line
  -The Annual Catalog (expires May 31) . . . also in Spanish
  -The Occasions Catalog (January - May)
  -The Sale-a-Bration Brochure (Jan 28-Mar 31)