Hey There Friend Geometric Card

What kind of shapes do you favor when stamping?  Current fashion is trending towards the more geometric images like banners and arrows. 

The stamps and trim on this card are from some of the My Paper Pumpkin Kits. If you're looking for pumpkins you can stop.The name "My Paper Pumpkin" is Stampin'UP!'s name for the craft kits - which do not actually make pumpkins.

The kits are a great intro experience into stamping and paper crafting.  Each month you get a few stamps and an ink spot along with all the paper and embellishments needed to make super cute projects.  

The projects are always a surprise, they may make cards or mini albums, or home decor or something else.

And you'll always have leftovers like I used on this card. The arrow stamps and the blue and gray strips of paper came from the December Kit. The yellow Starfruit ink came from one of the summer kits and the sentiment came from the Welcome Kit.

The Welcome Kit comes with the sentiment used on this card and a clear block. You save the block to use with all future kits. Each kit comes with a little 1" ink pad - which you can use with big stamps too! and as time goes on you'll find yourself accumulating quite a collection of different colors. 

And speaking of colors, check out this sweet deal.

 

Special Promotion
Through March 31st
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!

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Punch Art Flower made with Hearts

This simple punch art flower has 3D petals. Its a very simple construction, but the dimensional effect really catches the eye.

Each petal is a small heart folded in half. It may take just a minute to fold all the hearts but then the card goes together very quickly.

As a paper saving technique I punched all 8 hearts from the middle pink layer on the card.  The pink is sandwiched in  between the card base and the front, no one will even know the holes are there.

Do you like punch art? Be watching for more heart punch art coming in the next few days.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Remembering Your Birthday with the Banner Blast Bundle

Have you seen the Bundles in the 2014 Sale-a-bration brochure?  The Sale-a-bration brochure is full of samples, just like always. But now they are grouped by sets of product all used to make sets of samples. 

Yay! Bundles make it so easy 

to "sale-a-brate" this spring. 

This bundle includes 

• Markers: the 2013-2015 InColors
• Paper: a package of White Cardstock
• A stamp set: Remembering Your Birthday
• Envelopes
• Self Stick Rhinestones
• Some White Baker's Twine 
• and a FREE Sale-a-bration stamp set: Banner Blast. 

(Sale-a-bration is a great time to stock up on consummables like white paper and envelopes)

At our last demonstrator meeting we played around with making the cards in the brochure. These projects are super easy.

• The wavy lines for the background on the first card were made by dragging the tip of the marker across the page. (don't look too close, I should have started my marker off the paper, but you get the idea)
  
  And look how easy it is to make a matching envelope
  
• The birthday sentiment on the 2nd card is from the Stamp set: Remembering Your Birthday - and the cute banner stamps are from a Sale-a-bration set called Banner Blast.
   
• The sample in the brochure was done in pinks but we made our card in blues and browns.
  
  Cool. This could be a masculine or feminine card, either way, depending on the colors you choose.
  

Do you just love those sweet little banners!

That's the FREE stamp set: Banner Blast.

 

What's your choice? Wood Mount or Clear Mount? The Birthday Bash Bundle is available in either one.

wood mount #135316 for $61.80

or clear mount #135317 for $55.80

The suggested stamp set is called Remembering Your Birthday. Just look at the cute sentiments in this set. 

You may be wondering if you HAVE to get this group of product in order to get the Banner Blast Stamp set for Free. - Absolutely not. Any $50 purchase gets you a FREE Sale-a-bration item. 

Do you have a Wish List?  Sale-a-bration is a great time to start filling it because you can get lots of FREE stuff.  EACH $50 purchase gets you a Free item from the Sale-a-bration Brochure. This year your choices include 3 stamp sets, an embossing folder, some drop dead gorgeous Designer Paper and more. Check out the Brochure and start filling in your Wish List now.

Oops! Almost forgot to mention, if your order is over $150 not only will you get 3 Free items, you'll also earn Hostess Benefits. Its all built into the on-line ordering system. You just make your choices and it won't let you finalize the order until you've chosen your FREE Sale-a-bration items and your Hostess Benefits.

 Contact me if you have any problems placing your order, I'm here to help.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Alligator Eyelashes with Fringe Scissors

I got this cute alligator card from Terry Schultz, a demonstrator here in my local Madison area group. Don't you think its just inspired!

I love the lumpy skin. Terry made the bumps with the Decorative Dots embossing folder. This embossing folder is one of your choices for a free item during Sale-a-bration.

Those perfect teeth were cut with the Tasteful Trim die  Do you sew or quilt? This die was designed with fabric crafts in mind. But paper crafters can find plenty of uses for the scallops, rick rack and pinking designs.

And did you notice the alligator's eyelashes! . . . Now that was real inspiration. Terry made the eyelashes with the Fringe Scissors. I've seen some wonderfully creative projects made with these scissors - but Terry's use as eyelashes with this giant googlie eye is brilliant.

You can get the Tasteful Trim die and the Fringe Scissors from my on-line store. Together they qualify for a Sale-a-bration gift which means you could get the Decorative Dots embossing Folder (item #133520) for FREE.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Punch Art Birds

I'm still playing around with my heart punches. Each of these punch art birds is half of a heart. Its a little different, but I kind of like it. What do you think?

The whole card is really simple.  

• For the bird body I used the Full Heart punch.
• The wing is half of the Small Heart punch.
• The beak is the tip of the small heart punch.
• The legs and eye were drawn on.
• The nest is the Scallop Oval Punch
• I cut the tree branch free-hand

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Gatefold Card with Red Glimmer Paper Hearts

Looking for something a little unusual?  Try a Gatefold Card.  A gatefold is one that opens in the middle.

This style card is super easy to make.  Just score at 2-3/8" from each side.  These cards usually impress people because they aren't expecting the card to open this way.

You can see another version of the gatefold template on this Jacob's Ladder card I posted a few days ago. 

Today's card was jazzed up with two embossed panels and two sparkly red hearts.  I love using Glimmer Paper to add sparkle to a project.  The glitter is part of the paper and doesn't make a mess in my house.

If you think you're seeing lots of hearts recently you're right. I've made over 35 cards with hearts in preparation for the Heart Punch Art Class this weekend.  If you're local to Dane County we'd love to have you join us. Sign-up Here.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Punch Art Vase with the Ornament Punch

The holidays may be over but don't put away the Ornament Punch.

Create this punch art vase with the ornament punch. Just see what a pretty vase it makes when you snip off the bottom. Then jazz it up a bit by stamping on some foliage.

The foliage and sentiment on this card are from a set called Thoughts and Prayers.  This stamp set has some really lovely "sympathy" and "get well" sentiments. 

The foliage on the vase is from the side of the tree. I love the contrast in colors between the black ink and the Rose Red vase.

Are you wondering how I got 2 colors on the stamp for the flowers and stem? I used markers - I just colored right on the rubber with the markers and then stamped.

This color combination has such a warm rich look: Crushed Curry and Old Olive.

You can get the supplies to make this card at my on-line store.  

While you're there be sure to check the Weekly Deals and the Clearance Rack. 

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

If you love Punch Art 

and if you're local to the Dane County Area 

then sign up for this Sunday's Heart Punch Art Class. 

 Read more about it and register here.

Happy Day with Butterflies

Butterflies are a great image to include on a card. They're so colorful and seem so carefree. Butterflies make me think of happy days. They make a really cheery "hello there".  

The sentiment and the lacy doily used as background stamping were both stamped in Versamark. This ink leaves a subtle watermark image on colored paper.

Both the doily and sentiment images are from a stamp set called Happy Day.

The butterflies are from a set called Papillon Potpourri.  I stamped them in black ink on colored paper and then punched them out with the Bitty Butterfly punch. 

This is one of the things I really like about Stampin'UP! I love the fact that there are so many matching stamp sets and punches.

Scissors v. Punch: I know some people are great with a pair of scissors but not me. I really appreciate the more professional look of the punched image. 

 What about you?  Leave a comment below. Do you enjoy cutting out images?  Do you own tons of punches?  If I know your preferences then I can post more of what you like.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Masculine Card with Woodgrain Background

Here's a masculine card that's really easy to CASE. CASE means Copy And Share Everything.

Do you like the Woodgrain background stamp? 
Its so cool how it looks like lumber. Gosh just think what this could be: . . . a wall . . . a fence . . . flooring.

Clear Mount Woodgrain Background Stamp = $13.95,
the clear mount stamp needs the size "F" block - be sure you have the right size clear block

Wood Mount Woodgrain Background Stamp = $17.95

You may not have the same materials I used, but you could make a version of this with what you do have.

1. Use any background stamp
   - or some pretty Designer Print Paper
2. Add a horizontal strip with the sentiment of your choice
3. Add some bling: a button or brad; or a punched shape like a heart or flower or star.
4. Cut a couple of vertical banners from solid paper or from a designer print.

How to make the Banners:  banners are very trendy right now. They add a festive look and with the right paper they can fit any occasions. Need a masculine card?  Banners are perfect!

1. You can cut them by hand with a scissors 
2. Or use a square punch to notch the end of a strip of papr.  Click HERE to see how to cut banner tabs with a square punch.
3. Stampin'UP! also sells a set of banner framelits to cut perfect shaped banners in a variety of sizes
4. And there is a sweet little banner punch to make small banner tabs like this. 

The banner punch is one of the items you could get for FREE during Sale-a-bration. And like I said, banners are very "in" right now. They're so popular that the Bitty Banner Punch will actually be for sale when Sale-a-bration is over.  But hey, if you can get it for free, why not!   

Download your Wish List here 

and start planning your Sale-a-bration purchase 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
• Sale-a-bration 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Partial Embossing with the Textured Boutique Machine

Do you love texture embossing as much as I do?  This card would be so different without the texture embossing. Texture takes a project from plain to wow!  

This texture pattern was made with Stampin'UP!'s Square Lattice embossing folder.  Don't you think it looks like gauze, or a bandaid?  Perfect for a "get well" card.

But . . . have you ever tried to stamp on textured paper? I love the look of a texture embossed background - but it is challenging to stamp on it. The ink covers the raised areas but doesn't get into the low areas.

You can see the solution on this card 

. . . . only emboss part of the paper!

And, its super easy to do partial embossing.  Just leave the paper partway out of the folder when you pass it through the machine.

Stampin'UP! sells 2 machines for texture embossing:
   1.  The Big Shot - which does BOTH embossing and die cutting
   2.  The Texture Boutique - which only does embossing.

You want the Big Shot if you think you'll be doing any die cutting. There are smaller machines on the market, but I'd recommend going with this one because at some point you're going to fall in love with a larger die that won't work in your smaller machine and then you'll be kicking yourself for not choosing the Big Shot to start with.

You want the Texture Boutique Machine if you just want an affordable way to do texture embossing. And I do mean affordable - it does only half what the Big Shot does but it costs a full 2/3 less!  At $29.95 this is definitely affordable!

Its easy to do partial embossing with either machine.  This photo shows how I made this card with the Texture Embossing Machine. You just insert the paper only partway into the folder and then roll it through the machine - voila!

Oh, and an added bonus: if you take your crafting with you when you travel you're really going to love how light weight the Texture Boutique is. 

This video shows how easy it is to use the Texture Boutique (item #132657)

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Jacob's Ladder Card

Put your thinking caps on - see if you can figure out how this card works. 

All 4 of these sentiments are used on this card. The thing is, when you open it you only see the "you can do it" and the arrows.  

Most people mistakenly try to pull out the white strips. I usually have to explain how it works, and then it really gets a "WOW!"

Its called a Jacob's Ladder Card and here's a hint: it works just like the kids toy.  Remember that toy on a stick with the pieces of wood held on by ribbons.  Think about that as you try to figure this out.

Here's a view of the "first" inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and here's a view of the "hidden" inside

 

Not obvious from this view?  Try looking top down.

While this card may be conceptually challenging to open, structurally its very easy to make!  This is one of the cards we're doing at the Community Center events this month.  Check here to see my events calendar.

If you like Punch Art be sure to sign up for the Heart Punch Art class Feb 23rd

and you may be interested in the Envelope Punch Board class on March 23rd.

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)

Thinking of You on Valentine's Day

Hearts are so versatile. You could use this card for a valentine, but it could also simply be a "thinking of you" card. Or you could use it for a birthday or wedding or anniversary. 

Are you familiar with Stampin'UP!'s colors? These colors from the Brights Collection:

Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive.  

Check out the other great
Color Collections HERE.

This card is super simple to make and it doesn't require a lot of tools. Besides the paper, its just a sentiment, the self-Stick Rhinestones and the 2 different heart punches: the Full Heart Punch and the Small Heart Punch. 

Don't put your heart punches away just yet. While today is Valentine's day that doesn't mean you should put your heart punches away until next year. You can make some really cute punch art projects with heart punches.

  

Join me for a Heart Punch Art class on Feb 23rd

Cost is $15 (bring your own adhesive)

You'll receive directions to my house when you register

(in the Rural Stoughton area)
Click HERE to register

I can't wait to show you these totally awesome projects. 

Dare I say it?  You're going to LOVE them!

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 2014: Jan28-Mar 31 . . . 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)