September Classes - Come on Out!

Hello my friends!

Yes, I'm still going to do Try It Thursday but I wanted to post the dates of some the classes that I will be offering for the month of September.  If you are interested in attending any of them, please let me know so I can order the supplies needed to complete the class.  I am so excited because a lot of the products that we will be using is from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue.

Saturday, September 3 - 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Button Buddies class based on the stamp set "Button Buddies"
Set of 3 x 3 cards (8 in total)
If you bring a friend, you will get a FREE set of buttons that are also needed for the class - a $10.95 value!
Class cost:  $35.00

Friday, September 9 - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Girls Night In
Come join me for an "all girls" night with coffee, snacks and cardmaking.  Learn a technique and bring home a finished product OR the stamp set that is being used that night.  "Under the Big top" is the stamp set that is being featured.
If you bring a friend, you get a special gift from me to say thanks!
Class cost:  $35.00 OR class is free if you purchase the stamp set from me ahead of time

Saturday, September 17 - 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Chicks and Chocolate
Did I get you at "chocolate"? Come to a chocolate themed class that features the "Up, Up & Away" stamp set.  Nobody is going home until the last piece of chocolate is gone!
If you bring a friend, you will get a special gift from me to say thanks!
Class cost:  $35.00 OR class is free if you purchase the stamp set from me ahead of time

Friday, September 23 - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Learn a Technique Class
Impress your friends and family with techniques that will make your card projects awesome!
Embossing, Faux Silk and Watercolouring will be featured
If you bring a friend, you will get a free gift from me to say thanks!
Class cost:  $30.00

I really hope that one of these classes catches your attention and that you'll want to come out and have some fun playing with me! It's always nice to get something homemade in the mail and it's always fun to send it.

Let me know what times and days work for you and we'll get started on this journey together.  Thanks for reading this blog and making my journey with Stampin' Up a rewarding one!

Stampin' Up Beveled Windowpanes - Ta Da! Tuesday

Hello my friends!

In thinking of what to amaze and inspire you with today, I looked around and found a package of these beveled windowpanes that I had purchased and then did nothing with.  Well, I tore open the package and decided that today was the day!

You can find these beveled windowpanes in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue on page 198.  They come in three sizes.

I chose the middle one to "experiment" with.  These come in a package of 12 and the purpose of these little acrylic frames is either to highlight a stamped image or to layer it with Designer Series Paper.  I decided to do a stamped image.  I used the tea bag stamp and the sentiment from the "Morning Cup" stamp set (page 54) and I used the standard stamp wheel called "Take a Sip" (page 54 as well). I used a piece of retired ribbon (Kiwi Kiss) to finish it off.  I used Peach Parfait cardstock as the cardbase and Pear Pizzazz cardstock that I put through the Big Shot (page 215) with a Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder to give it some texture.

I really like the look that these little windowpanes give a project.  I think I will be using them more often not only on cards but scrapbook pages as well.  It just gives it a more unique look.  Give them a try! Let me know when I can order them for you.....

Under the Big Top Stamp Set

Happy Monday!

Remember that card I did yesterday using the Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper? Well, there is a really CUTE stamp set that goes with it perfectly.  It's found on page 63 of the Idea Book and Catalogue and it's called Under the Big Top.  As you can imagine, it is a circus theme that will fit any occasion yet still keeping true to being fun and adorable.  I think this stamp set will be one of my favourites.

I made this card today using Poppy Parade cardstock, the Big Top Birthday DSP and a stamp from the set.  I embellished with a piece of Cherry Cobbler/Early Espresso baker's twine.  I really like how it turned out.  The design of the card is simple and probably a repeat from most of the cards I've done so far but I just wanted to showcase the product instead of a technique. 

If you are interested in ordering the stamp set or the Designer Series Paper that coordinates with it, let me know and I can place an order for you.  Remember, this month's promotion is if you buy three packages of DSP of any theme, you get the 4th one free.  It's definitely a good deal to stock up on.

Stay tuned for upcoming classes that I will be holding in September.  I'm really excited about them! And I'll have an awesome incentive if you choose to bring a friend! I'll post them soon, I promise!

Big Top Birthday DSP - Scrapbook Saturday

I purchased some great designer series paper called "Big Top Birthday" that is full of colour and fun.  I have the coordinating stamp set "Under the Big Top" (page 63) that I will showcase tomorrow.  Really, I LOVE this paper.  And I used an alphabet stamp set which I think is one of the important things to get.  It makes scrapbook pages more easier to put together.  It can really make the title stand out.

I wanted to scrapbook about our family going to the fair and no better paper would make this a more fun scrapbook page.  As I have mentioned before, all Stampin' Up designer series paper is two sided so you can do so much with a package. 

I kept the embellishments simple - a brad and some buttons.  With colourful paper like this, you don't want to clutter your layout with too much "stuff".  I made the title banner out of Island Indigo cardstock (love, love, love this colour) and attached it on...a toothpick.  But you wouldn't have known that unless I told you so that's our little secret...shhh.

I hope you like this layout.  It came together fast but also captured a fun moment that our family shared together which is what scrapbooking is all about. 

Try It Thursday - Belated naturally

One of these days, I'll get myself on track.  I know I'm a day late with this post but I hope it was worth the wait.

As a Stampin' Up demonstrator, we get monthly magazines that showcase different products and techniques that we can use to inspire and share.  One of the ideas that I found in the July 2011 issue that I really liked is this one. It's called a Matchbook Album.  And it's super easy.  The premise is one piece of cardstock (in this case, I used Concord Crush) and simply folded it twice, one side longer than the other so that it resembles a matchbook.  I used an embossing folder with my Big Shot to give the cardstock some texture and to make it look a little bit more than a piece of cardstock.  I stamped the definition of gratitude from a retired stamp set and the profile pictures of the little girls come from the new stamp set called Forever Young (page 79).  I used some Melon Mambo pom pom ribbon for the edge.

Because of how small the final product is, I didn't want to stuff it full of pictures.  This is the kind of album you should be able to carry around in your purse or bag if you want to show friends and family the latest picture of your little one or family.  So I chose only 3 pictures that I matted on Wisteria Wonder cardstock which I embellished with ribbon on the sides.  I chose to keep the embellishments to a minimum so it wouldn't be bulky.

I really liked how the final product turned out.  I was able to slip it into an envelope so the album would be able to withstand the chaos of my purse.  The next time you see me, ask to see it so I can show you what it looks like.

Happy Friday!

Ta Da! Tuesday - A Day Behind Schedule

Hi everyone.  Sorry for the belated post.  I was working on this card all evening because it used a special technique that I found on Splitcoast Stampers which is a website devoted to stamping and cardmaking.  The technique that was used on my card is called Paper Beads.

First, I used some of the beautiful Timeless Portrait Designer Series Paper (page 78 in the new Idea Book and Catalogue $13.50 for 12 sheets of double-sided paper) not only as the background but also as the paper beads that were easily made of small strips of the same paper, only the reverse side.  I like the way it turned out but I can tell that if I had to mail it to someone, it will be a little bulky and so I would want to put it in a padded envelope just so that the paper beads don't get wrecked in the mail.  The one thing that I would change? I wouldn't have put the glitter on the paper beads.  I felt it looked a little clumpy yet it seems to make them stand out which is a good thing too.  I guess I'll have to iron that technique out a little more! Hey, WE'RE all learning.  That's the fun part.

The sentiment is from the Word Play stamp set which is a great stamp set for any occasion (page 156 in the Idea Book & Catalogue) that might come along.  Definitely my go-to stamp set when I need something specific to say.  The twine used on the card is my favourite baker's twine that I finally have in the 3 colours it comes in:  Cherry Cobbler/White, Early Espresso/White and White.  It's a simple yet delicious touch (as the names imply!).

I will be also sitting down this week to plan for some cardmaking classes coming up in September.  I hope you will join me in having some fun for an evening of learning techniques, using great products, and just have an evening where you don't have to do anything but play with paper.  So watch out for that exciting news coming soon.   If you're interested in getting the new 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue, please drop me a line and I'll get it out to you as soon as possible.  And one more thing...Stampin' Up has a new promotion this month that if you buy three packs of any Designer Series Paper, you will get the fourth pack free! You can go to the website to see what they all look like or you can refer to the catalogue itself on pages183-185.  It's a great deal and it's really beautiful double-sided paper which gives you more bang for the buck.  If you would like to take advantage of this promotion, just contact me and you will also get a free gift from me to say thanks.  It's a win-win situation so give me a call or  e-mail me!

Holiday Monday - Timeless Treasures

Happy Holiday Monday! This holiday snuck up on me...didn't even know it was coming! But it was a perfect day to do a little bit of  cardmaking.  Today, I used one of my favourite stamp sets called Timeless Treasures (item #118748 $25.95 for wood and item #120615 $19.95 for clear).   I wanted to use the colour combination that I used on my scrapbook page on Saturday:  Lucky Limeade, Elegant Eggplant and Wisteria Wonder. 

I don't know who I'm going to send it off to yet but I hope whoever it is, they'll like it.  Because the sentiment is definitely true.

Tomorrow is Ta Da! Tuesday and I have what I hope, is a real Ta Da! I saw it on a website and thought "that is so cool!".  Well, let's see if it works out! See you tomorrow.