Favorite Accessory or Tool

Do you have a favorite Stampin' Up! tool or accessory?   Oh, I have so many.....SO, I thought I would share some of my favorites with you. 

Little known.....but oh so essential.

Grid Paper ..p207 of the Idea Book and Catalog.   This pad of grid paper, does several things.   It protects your work area.  Is great for practicing stamping on....aligning stamps when mounting to blocks.   It is has a center area marked, a ruler edge around all sides of the paper.  One one side of the paper, card dimensions for various cards are listed.   There is a "don't forget list" and a "wish list"--- which is not long enough, but works for short term...like when you are working on a project, stamping and need to write a note to remember to order some card stock, DSP, inks, markers, ribbons or accessories, no need to look for that "scrap" of paper. 

The pad of Grid Paper has 100 sheets and costs just $9.95...That comes to just  $  .12 per sheet, that includes shipping and tax.  I use one sheet for over 2 months before I replace it.  

What some Grid Paper and don't want to purchase a whole pad?   Contact me and I will add your name to the Grid Paper Share...  10 Sheets for $1.20.

Faith in Nature Card and more

This week was Stampers Club - where a group of ladies gather at my house to make some cards, learn new techniques, see new products, learn to use those stamps and accessories you have accumulating at home.   There is room for others to join stamp club or come to stamp club dates and not get any member benefits.   What are Member Benefits?   When you join stamp club, you commit to 10 consecutive months of membership.  Each member will receive the hostess benefits for one of the months.   Want to learn more??  Contact Me and I will give you all of the details.

Here are the projects we made this month in stampers Club:  

This card uses the Faith in Nature Hostess Stamp Set.  One of the sets you can choose when you are a hostess as part of your hostess benefits.  I colored the pear image with pastels.  Pastels are so easy to use and quick and come in the core 40 colors of Stampin' Up!.  The image was stamped in Soft Suede classic ink, and chose colors in the Spice Cake DSP to color in the pear.  I use a clip and some pompoms to color with my pastels to blend easily.  I added the Victorian crochet ribbon.   Check out the sentiment....I used the Word window punch and a technique to make it smaller.   Maybe I will be able to do a tutorial or video on how to make the punch smaller.  

 This card is a CASE of one of the 160 3x3 swaps I received at Convention in July.  AND it isn't a Christmas set either......The tree is made from pennants from the set, Pennant Parade in the Idea Book and Catalog, pg 69.   The card maybe small but the wish is big...  Notice the dazzling shimmer on the tree?  That is the new dazzling details glitter glue, in the Holiday Mini catalog, a great deal at $2.50 a bottle.

 Here is the inside of the card.  The verse is from the set, many Merry Messages.

The last project, an extra TREAT.... Is a nugget purse.  This cute little purse holds a Hershey's nugget.

Here's the wrapped nugget...I used  the stamp set, Petite pairs and stamped "sending a KISS"  several times on a 1 x 3 1/4" strip of whisper white card stock with Wisteria Wonder ink, same color as the purse and wrapped it around the nugget, applied a little snail adhesive on the bottom and stuck it in the purse using a mini glue dot.  These would be cute for a shower favor, sweet 16 party or any occasion.

Tuesdays with Carol, Coffee, Cake and Cards

Join me on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 10-12noon for some coffee, cake, and some stamping.   The next one will be held this coming Tuesday, Sept 27th (my oldest daughter's birthday!)  Happy Birthday Aimee!!!.   Here is the card you will be making.

This is a very simple, but elegant Easel Card and it uses one of my favorite sets....I know, they are all my favorite sets....I can't help it... The set is called Field Flowers and I just love it.   You will also make a little Halloween (or anytime) treat holder.   The cost is only $5 and that includes making the card and the treat holder, and of course coffe and Cake.  RSVP no later than Monday, noon Sept 26th.

Inspiration

Sometimes when making a card, I search several places for inspiration....One of those is a Yahoo group that I belong to that is made up of a great group of Stampin' Up! demos.   Tonight  while checking the emails, there was a card that I really liked, done by Wendy Hawkinson.   Here is my take on her card.   Just a little different, used a different stamp set for the flower, changed the ribbon and added a filigree brad with a circle ice brad in the center of the filigree brad.   I also added a flower at the top of the card.....cause I dropped the inked stamp and it landed up at the top and I needed to hid my mistake.....

ENJOY!

Making Cards for the Troops

Cards for the troops.    I had a card making day today for making cards for the troops.   One gal came and made the cards to give to some local "hero's".   I did check out some sights that accept cards for the troops and the one I will donate to is  http://www.fromourhearts.info/  they accept cards, card fronts, card stock and donations too.  Check them out.

Here is the first card we made.    I used some retired DSP and the card stock I used for the image, layer and butterfly were all out of my scrap folder.  Ribbon is retired too.   I love the DSP, Elegant Soiree from last years catalog and the colors are baja breeze, craft, confetti cream and chocolate chip (for the greeting).  The image is stamped using the rock and roll technique and is a fun and easy technique.  My club members will be making this card next week.  

This 2nd card I copied from a swap I participated in at my up line's monthly meeting.  I am trying to use my stash of DSP that is retired.   I also changed a few things and used a Miss You sentiment (really old and not Stampin' Up!) YIKES....  This card uses a bunch of punches too.  

ENJOY!

The Holiday Mini is HERE!!!

The new Holiday mini catalog is here!!! Oh my, where do I start.......Since there are SO many things that I NEED!!!! I am going list my Top 10 Items that I had to have from the mini catalog....

#1 - the new Simply Scored.....I know there are others out there, but this one has a little more.    I love the stylus for this one so much more user friendly that others.  It has Place markers, these neat markers can be placed along the top so that you can mark where you need to score....this is a great feature if you want to make a bunch of one item....so you can just mark it once and score as many times and don't have to figure it out each time.....a time saver...It also has a compartment (bigger than MS's) that holds extra stylus and place markers. AND I betcha I can fit a piece of chocolate in there..you know for when you want some chocolate and don't have any in the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#2  The Cellophane bags size 1" x 8"   These are great treat bags for M&M's, skittles, and more....use them for Halloween, Birthday parties, Showers and more.  and such a great price $2.50 for 50 bags!!!

#3  Out on a Limb - a cute cute cute Halloween stamp set....not scary, just plain cute.

#4  It's a Wrap - Holidays...These are stamps that when stamped and cut, wrap around a chocolate nugget,    Halloween, Give Thanks, Christmas, St Patty's day, Easter, Love, and For you....check 'em out, pg 14.

#5  Hand Penned Holidays - Elegant Holiday Greetings, lovely script.

 #6  Spice cake  designer series paper and matching fabric - OK, what's not to like...

#7 Holly Berry designer series paper  and matching fabric too. 

#8  The Sounding Joy stamp set - I just love this set, so elegant.

#9  Holiday Stocking Bigz die - This beautiful die for the Big Shot machine makes a cute stocking to fill with goodies...

#10 Glimmer Paper - I have the red from last Valentine's, Occasions Mini catalog and now they have Silver Glimmer Paper...

These are just my Top 10 Items in the Holiday Mini Catalog.    There is SO much more in this little book.   Check it out!!!  and tell me what are you top items!!!

Hello, Doily Swap Card

Here is the card I made for my up up lines meeting.   I borrowed the doily stamp from one of my club members, Rosemary....Thank You Rosemary.  I stamped the doily background stamp on Crumb Cake card stock with Vanilla craft ink and let it dry.   Then I took the leaf stamp from the set, French Foliage and inked it in Cajun Craze and rocked it onto Soft suded and stamped 4 on the card.  Then I decided to emboss one of the leaves.   SO, I dug my versamark pen out, and drew versamark all over one leaf, poured clear embossing powder and heat set it. 

ENJOY!

Swap Cards From Group Meeting

Last night was my up upline's monthly meeting.   I usually do not make swaps for the meeting, I am just too busy....SO, this time I decided to make some.   My ride to the meeting should have taken me just over an hr, but because of some freaky traffic it took 3 hrs!!!!    BUT it was so worth the drive.   My downline member, Jessica was there (we were supposed to ride together), my up line and lots of sidelines were there too.  The make and take cards were fantastic.  Connie always has a fun filled meeting.    I will share the cards in a later post.   Today I am sharing a couple of the swap cards....

The first card, made by Edith Graybill, use the stamp set in the New Holiday Mini, Gently Falling... This set has 12 stamps, it is a two step stamp set and is really a great set for the Fall. 

This next one also uses the same stamp set...This was was made by Sondra Jumper...she used some great new toys for the Big Shot

 This next one was made by Cam Miller, and it got the most votes of the favorite swap card.   It is really elegant looking, bossed in gold embossing powder on black card stock..  She used the set, Merry & Type, pg 31 of the Idea book and catalog.

 This one is so cute....made by Cindy Fodor uses the set, Snow much Fun, pg 35 from the Idea book & catalog. 

I will be holding a Snow Much Fun Class later this month using just this set.  Watch for more details in a few days and if you are on my mailing list, check your email boxes for an invite.   Of course everyone is invited!!!