I'm So Square

I don't remember who I CASEd this card from.  They used different colors though.  And a different stamp set.  And different Designer Series Paper.  And a different ribbon.  Theirs was 3 by 5 squares so it would fit a standard card and mine is 5 by 5 squares so it will fit a larger, 6X6 card.  I just cut a sheet of 12X12 cardstock in half and folded it for the base. 

The DSP is cut into 1" squares.  Be careful to keep it straight or you will be figuring out a puzzle with all the pieces shaped the same! I started in the lower left corner and left just an eighth of an inch between each.  After I had all squares aligned and placed on a sheet of Chocolate Chip cardstock I trimmed it to where there was a border about 1/4" and then mounted it onto an Always Artichoke square and them a Baja Breeze square.

Add a piece of Scalloped Dot Ribbon in Chocolate Chip before adhering all these layers onto the card base.  I finished it off with a sentiment from the Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set.  This is a 2-case set of stamps.  I reckon there must be a sentiment for anyone's birthday in there.  There is even a late card sentiment that I'm sure I'll be using a lot!

Don't forget, Wednesday is the last day for:

The Summer Mini Catalog

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The Strength and Hope campaign

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Buy 3 get one free DSP

I'd be glad to help you with your stampin' and scrapbooking needs.

I Got A New Diamond!

OK, it's just a chip but it's still a diamond!  Every 5 years Stampin' Up gives it's demonstrators a pin to recognize their time with the company.  I joined 5 years ago so I got my pin this week.  It is very hard to photograph a gold pin so this is the best picture I could manage.  I reckon I'll hang around for the 10 year pin with 2 diamonds!

I had some time to play with a new stamp set I got about 2 weeks ago called Faith in Nature.  This is a hostess set in the new Idea Book and Catalog that I wanted from the second I saw it.  Isn't it a nice set?  I used some of the Spice Cake DSP that will be available next week in the new Holiday Mini Catalog.  This is great paper! 

The first card uses the pear image and the Thank You sentiment included in the set.  Using natural colors like Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke and Soft Suede compliments the stripe pattern paper.  Just a little Hemp Twine gives it the perfect finishing touch.

The next 2 cards continue the natural colors with the Spice Cake DSP.  I stamped the images and "framed" them with the new Designer Frames embossing folders.  Both these frames come in a package for just a dollar more than the larger single embossing folders.  I'm loving these frames!  I cut the rectangular one with my trimmer, stamped the flower and ran it through the Big Shot.  Smaller images you could stamp after you emboss but it is easy to make sure you have it centered since the folders are clear. 

I used just a strip of the Spice Cake behind the image which is raised up on Stampin' Dimensionals. 

On the last card I used the other Designer Frame folder, the oval one.  Instead of using the trimmer, I tore the paper outside of the dotted design and inked it up.  This one is also raised on Stampin Dimensionals.  I also love the new Lace Ribbon Border punch.  It is great for cards as well as scrapbook pages.

 Sadly, this Designer Series Paper isn't available until Sept 1st so it isn't included in the buy 3 get one free paper sale that goes until Aug 31.  But there are lots of beautiful paper that are included in the sale from the regular catalog as well as the Nautical Expedition and Beyond the Garden paper packs from the current Summer Mini Catalog!  Stock up now for future projects!  I know I'm ordering some extra while it is on special, only 5 more days!  Check it out here.

It's a Wrap - or is it?

There are 2 very cool new stamp sets that are designed to wrap around mini candy bars that I really like.  One is called It's A Wrap and is in the big Stampin' Up Catalog.  The other is called It's A Wrap Holidays.  I bet you already figured out that the Holiday one has wrappers that say things like Eek! and Give Thanks.  They go all the way to Happy Easter.  Since I don't have any mini candy bars I haven't done much with this set yet but I'm sure it will get lots of ink between now and Easter!

I try not to keep candy around because I know I'll end up eating it.  I guess I need to buy a bag, make some fun projects with them and give them all away before temptation strikes. 

This led me to be looking at the It's A Wrap set and try to think of something I could do with it that didn't involve chocolate.  The Get Well Soon one looks like a band-aid so I decided to use it as a  band-aid instead.  I used a Pacific Point/Soft Suede color combination I got from the Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper.  The "band-aids" looked best stamped in Crumb Cake ink. 

I love the new Stripes Embossing folder.  It makes a great background for cards and I'm sure I'll find lots of other things that it will be great for.  I just used a strip of Soft Suede cardstock across the bottom of the card and tied the 1/8" Taffeta ribbon around it.

That was my colors for the Stampin' Sisters meeting swap.  Earlier in August, I did a swap where we were supposed to use some of the new In Color colors.  I chose Calypso Coral and Pool Party for this one along with a little Chocolate Chip cardstock and Scallop Dots Ribbon which I pleated across the bottom.  I added 3 of our Basic Pearls to finish off the In Color get well card.  So, which color scheme do you like the best?  Blue is very popular but the coral one is bright and cheery.

Be on the lookout for more It's A Wrap projects.  There is a baby one, as well as birthday, thanks and wedding to name most of them.  They will be great to give as gifts or to use to decorate for these occasions.  Fun stuff!

Team Meeting Swaps, The Christmas Ones

I wish you could see the glitter in these cards.  It looks so pretty to see the glitter on the snow-covered lodge.  The lodge and the sentiment are from a great new set in the Holiday Mini catalog called Christmas Lodge.  It is also impossible to see on this first card created by Kathy Brown that the paper is the Shimmer White so there is shimmer on the paper as well as glitter on the snow.  Paired with the rich colors of Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler make this a wonderful card.

 

The second Holiday Lodge card was made by Patti Keitzman.  She used a different color scheme but it is so pretty too.  The simplicity of 2 colors, Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla make this a great card.  You can't tell that there is glitter on the snow but you can see the distressing along the edge of the Always Artichoke cardstock. What a nice touch, I love that vintage look.

Remember Jolly Bingo Bits from last year's Holiday Mini? It is in the new catalog along with the Bingo Card stamp.   Linda Cathy made this nice card with just a simple embossed jingle bell from the Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set.  Teamed up with Brushed Gold cardstock that is embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing folder and Mocha Morning Designer Series Paper this is an elegant yet simple card.

A simple technique she used on the card is to punch the Modern Label punch from the DSP as well as the stamped bell punched from Very Vanilla.  That way you can tie a smaller length of the Victoria Lace Trim through the hole before adding the stamped piece.

The last of the Christmas cards I got in the swap was made by Monica.  She used a very similar layout to the stocking card I posted Wednesday.  It is a great design and that Silver Glimmer paper is absolutely perfect for the stocking tops, toes and heels.  You can get an idea of how pretty the glimmer is in the picture but you can't tell that the Season's Greetings stamp is embossed in Silver Embossing powder.  I reckon I'll be making more projects with that fun Stocking Stitches stamp set and the Stocking Punch!
Don't forget 2 specials that end the last day of August.  The Strength and Hope stamp set that donates $2 per stamp set to Breast Cancer research is in the Summer mini catalog that expires Aug 31st.  Actually, there are tons of great products in the Summer Mini catalog, check it out before it's gone!  Click on the link to the right to see all the goodies in there.

The other special that ends on August 31st is the paper sale.  We have lots of beautiful patterned paper packs that are buy 3, get one free.  That is a 25% savings on beautiful, double-sided designer paper.  Let me know if you need to order some great paper!

Stampin' Sisters Team Meeting

 If you have been following my blog long you know that I have a big garden and I spend a LOT of time every Summer pulling weeds.  This is actually a chore I enjoy doing.  I know it will be worth it when the harvest comes.  Well, it's here!  I had been taking the little bucket out with me every morning the last couple of weeks and it was big enough.  Well, not anymore!  I'm getting lots of good produce now and we are enjoying fresh veggies for supper every night.   

You might not like my second picture as much.  I went to pick raspberries the other morning and found this long friend in the garden.  I think he was cold, he sure is kinked up!  By the time I finished picking he was gone.  He was just a chicken snake, I used to play with them all the time when I was a kid.

On to Stampin' Up stuff:  Saturday I went to my Stampin' Sisters team meeting in Nashville.  Stampin' Sisters is the name that my upline, Julie Salva chose for her Stampin up crew.  If you know Julie, you know that her meetings are wonderful and fun.  If you don't know her, look on the back of the new catalog.  Or on page 8 or 9!  She had no idea until she got the catalog that hers would be the picture chosen or that they were going to put 3 different pictures of her in it!  What a fun surprise for her. 

Anyway, after a short business meeting we were able to do 5 projects as well as a swap. Now I have lots more to share with you! We made 3 cards a little box and a stocking. We used products from the upcoming Holiday Mini catalog so you can have a little sneak peek at some of the new goodies you will be able to order soon for the upcoming holidays.
 Some of the products in the new Holiday Mini Catalog are Halloween goodies.  This stamp set is called Out On A Limb.  There is a limb in the set too, as well as a cat, owl, bats and jack-o-lanterns complete with mustaches. 

You won't be able to tell from the picture, but we used a new product called Dazzling Details on the cloud, moon and broom straw.  It is like Dazzling Diamonds mixed in Crystal Effects.  Quick and easy with no mess!  I hope we get other colors soon but I plan to experiment with reinkers and make my own colors in the mean time.

Next is a nice Fall card using a great new leaf 2-step stamp.  I love this set, it has 4 different leaves, all with outlines and fill stamps as well as an acorn and maple seed stamps.  12 great Fall stamps in all.  Actually, you could use green for the fill stamp and do Spring and Summer themes with them. 

And how do you like that paper?  It is called Spice Cake and I am so thrilled with it.  It has great designs and colors, you will see a lot more of it in the coming months.

Another great Fall project we did is the little Thanksgiving Matchbox filled with Hershey nuggets.  The turkey stamp is from a set called Gift Givers, a stamp set that coordinates with punches to make it so easy to create with them.  This set has the cutest reindeer stamp in the history of the world!  Well, you might disagree but you would have to agree that he is adorable. 

 The last 2 projects are Christmas ones.  We have a new Holiday Stocking Die that we used for the stocking box.  The front piece uses the Petals A Plenty Embossing folder to give the stocking extra texture and the top, toe and heel are cut from DSP called Holly Berry Bouquet. 

And last, a product I'm really excited about, the Stocking Builder punch and Stitched Stockings stamp set.  Aren't they wonderful!  As we get more and more busy with the approach of the holidays it is great to have products that will make creating fun holiday projects so quick and easy.  Did you notice the red and white baker's twine across the top of the stocking card?  It is still going to be available after the Summer Mini Catalog goes away at the end of August.  I'm so glad because it is great for creating Christmas projects!  did you notice the extra shimmery Glimmer Paper on these little stockings?  Now we have red and silver Glimmer Paper.  Isn't it perfect for jazzing up holiday projects?  And it takes so little of it for these little stockings!  You NEED a Holiday Mini catalog, let me know if you don't have one and I'll get one to you!

I reckon I should offer a Seasons Greetings to everyone!

Bookmark Card

Have you made a bookmark card yet?  I've been hearing about them for a couple of months but never took the time to figure it out and make one yet.  I was so pleased when I got a TAG from fellow Stampin' Up demonstrator, Lisa Bryan last week.  Not only is it a bookmark card but it is just beautiful!

She used the great new stamp set, Cherish Friendship for both the front of the card and the bookmark.  I love how she stamped the bowl of cherries in front of the goose (who looks like he has big plans for those cherries!) and especially how she used Crystal Effects on each berrie to make it more 3-Dimensional and realistic.  Very pretty.  The mat punched with the Scallop Trim Border and Corner punches looks great on this square card. 

When you open the card up you immediately notice the bookmark, it is perforated on the fold so you can easily pull it from the card and use to mark you spot in your latest book.  Then you can think of the person who sent you the card often as you read.  The chair with the basket of flowers is another great stamp in the Cherish Friendship set.  Another feature I love about this card is the Chocolate Chip Scalloop Dots Ribbon Lisa used.  This new ribbon comes in 10 colors.  I need to order a few more rolls of it, I just can't decide which colors I need the most!

Hey, don't forget, August is half over.  The buy 3 get one free special on Designer Series Paper is a great deal.  Get it while this great offer lasts!  What a great time to load up on the Christmas paper you know you will need!  Click on the icon on my sidebar to find out more and order while you can.

VC Bloghop

Back to Elizabeth's Stamp Room

Today is the day for the last VC bloghop of the year.  If you missed the last one, VC stands for Virtual Convention.  I joined the group since I didn't get to go to the Stampin' Up convention this year and it has been fun.  You should be coming to my blog from Elizabeth's Stamp Room.  She had several great cards using the new birthday hostess set.  I have that set so I need to borrow some of her ideas. 

My project is my August scrapbook layout.  It features the Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper with a neutral Crumb Cake background.  I used the large Hello Doily stamp on the background and the Delicate Doily stamps as accents on the lower left corner. 

After stamping the Hello Doily in Crumb Cake ink I added a Fleurette croched flower with an Antique Brad to the center of the main one.  I cut a piece of DSP into 2 X 11" strips and rounded the corners.  I placed these strips on the Crumb Cake paper before adding scalloped strips cut with the Tasteful Trims Die.  I really like these large scallops and feel they added a nice touch to the layout.  I sponged Always Artichoke ink on them to give them additional dimension. 

The layout went together fairly quickly and has space for up to 5 pictures.  The 5 mats were sponged with Marina Mist ink and the outside of the layout was sponged with Always Artichoke.

Thanks for stopping by to see my layout.  Your next stop on the blog hop is Carolyn Sharkas' blog, http://inkingthenightaway.blogspot.com/.  She has a very cute idea for a mini album in a tin.  I love how she made the labels for the pictures so the bride can decide which one to put where as she creates her album of treasured wedding photos.

Next Blog, Carolyn Sharkas

I Won!!!!

I entered a contest on Seaside Crafts and won 2nd place, a $30 gift certificate for Stampin' Up products!  Yay, I need more things from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog!  I've placed my pre-order but wanted a lot more things than I bought.  I've got until Jan 4 so I can spread it out a little.  This little mini catalog is loaded with great and wonderful stuff, ask and I'll send you a copy too.

OK, so you want to see my winning project?  It is a bookmark with a bottle cap center that I ordered from Seaside Crafts.  Actually, I got the big paperclip from them too.  These will be in an upcoming class so keep your eyes open  :~)

I used Perfect Plum, Pumpkin Pie and Pacific Point cardstock to cut flowers from the Fun Flowers die and them embossed them with embossing folders.  I also ran the bottle cap through the Big Shot to flatten it down some and that helps with sharp edges.  I used a scrap of So Saffron and stamped one of the Circle Circus stamps on it and punched it out for the middle of the flower.  You can't tell in the picture but there is an epoxy covering on it so it is nice and shiny in real life.  These make a fun gift for book marks or to hold papers together.

 I also entered this card in the contest but it didn't win anything.  I used the new Stripes embossing folder, I really like that one!  I had bought the metal (that matches our Melon Mambo) from Seaside Crafts also.  I like using metal, it makes a handmade card even more special.  The hearts were punched first and then embossed.  I used Stampin' Dimensionals to attach them to the card front.

In case you want to see the first place winner, check out Linda Keel's great project here:
http://olivestamps.blogspot.com/2011/08/collaged-butterfly-gift-card-holder.html
This is a great project and got my vote!  (it wouldn't be right to vote for myself would it?)

Gail Etchie came in 3rd with a cute and colorful Halloween Card that also used a bottle cap.

Tax Free Weekend!

It's Tennessee tax free weekend, and some of your favorite Stampin' Up! items are eligible for savings!! It's a great time to stock up on adhesives, markers, pencils, and more! Here's the complete list!! As always, you can order any of these items online from my demonstrator website  http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/elainestamps Simply click "shop now"! (Free sales tax items can be combined with clearance items and regular priced items on an online order!)  Don't forget that the Designer Series Paper is currently on sale too!

Item Number	Description	Price
100425	2-Way Glue Pen	$ 3.50
100902	Dotto Refill	$ 6.50
101879	Watercolor Pencils (24)	$ 19.95
102845	Blender Pens (3)	$ 9.95
103179	Craft & Rubber Scissors	$ 19.95
103305	Dotto	$ 12.95
103579	Paper Snips	$ 9.95
103683	Mini Glue Dots	$ 4.95
104045	Anywhere Glue Sticks (2)	$ 3.95
104294	Sticky Strip	$ 6.95
104331	SNAIL Refill	$ 4.50
104332	SNAIL Adhesive	$ 6.95
104430	Stampin' Dimensionals	$ 3.95
105021	Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen	$ 3.95
105394	Basic Black Stampin' Write Journaler	$ 3.50
108360	Craft Scissors	$ 29.95
110755	Multipurpose Liquid Glue	$ 3.95
Varies	Stampin' Write Marker	$ 3.50
119700	Subtles Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10)	$ 28.95
119701	Regals Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10)	$ 28.95
119702	Brights Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10)	$ 28.95
119703	Neutrals Collection Stampin' Write Markers (8)	$ 22.95
119801	2010-2012 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (5)	$ 14.95
119802	Subtles Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10)	$ 16.95
119803	Regals Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10)	$ 16.95
119804	Brights Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10)	$ 16.95
119805	Neutrals Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10)	$ 16.95
120962	Stampin' Pastels	$ 24.95
123002	2011-2013 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (5)	$ 14.95

Card Portfolio

 I learned how to make this fun card portfolio a few months ago and enjoyed making a few more for a craft fair last weekend.  It is simple to make, just an 8 1/2 X 11 piece of cardstock, folded at 2 1/4" on the long edge and then fold in half.  Stamp a design, decorate the cover, punch some holes for the ribbon tie and it is that simple!  I filled mine with 4 cards but you could easily get 6 in it.  I used Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and So Saffron cardstock as well as some retired DSP.  I reckon this would make a pretty nice gift for nearly anyone!

Click here for easy ordering!

Speaking of DSP, did you notice the new link on my right side bar?  Yes, this month you can get free paper from Stampin' Up!  What a great time to stock up.  Order as  many packs as you need