Friday, January 29, 2010

Easter Mini Milk Carton

How cute is this milk carton? This is a sample I saw at our Inkerbelles get together. It uses clear window sheets that have been given testure with the Big Shot and the Perfect Polkadots Textured Impressions Folder from the new Occasions Mini catalog. This will be fun to try!

Happy Stamping! Mary

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Weekly Mail


Ok, here's the card I'm mailing this week. It's for my mom, just for fun. We will be making a similar card in Friday's Big Shot class. I used a technique that changes the look of the Finial Press Textured Impressions Folder. It gives you a blank area for stamping. I'll try to show you a bunch of other samples I made with this technique after I've photgraphed them. This is a super fun card to make and so easy to vary it! I love those little quails from Happy Together, and you can get that set free when you place a qualifying SAB order! Contact me if you'd like to know more about SU's bigest promotion of the year.
Supplies:
set - happy together, well scripted, short and sweet
cs - whipser white
ink - bermuda bay marker & pad, melon mambo and crushed curry markers
access - Big Shot, finial press textured embossing folder

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Cards by Cheryl

Here are cards my friend Cheryl made recently and shared with me when we got together last Saturday.

Isn't this an adorable Valentine's card? We saw a similar card in the Stampin' Success magazine (for SU demonstrators). I don't have this set or punch. It was in the Holiday mini and I hope it goes into the new catalog next July.

I showed Cheryl how to make a Tri-fold Pocket card last month. We made them in Club last year. Here she's made one using the Cottage Wall dsp. I just love that paper! She glittered the brad in the center of the flower, but it's hard to see in this photo.

This is a brayered rose, using the Manhattan Flower Texture Impressions die, that Cheryl made. We'll be learning this technique in a roses class later this spring.

Markers or pastels? Cheryl and I both liked the pastels added to the textured flowers, but as a whole, preferred the card colored with markers.

Regular cardstock or dsp? Cheryl liked the regular cs, but I think the dsp is kind of nice, too. What do you think?
Happy Stapming! Mary

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Cards from Inkerbelles Gathering

I went to a SU demonstrator meeting for the Inkerbelle's group last Saturday and we made all these projects! Tami doesn't charge us anything, we get to try out the lastest product, make samples to show our customers and learn new techniques. Plus it's a lot of fun getting together with everyone, including my good friend, Cheryl. Tomorrow I'll show you some cards she shared with me. I've got photos of a ton of other samples to show you over the next week, so be sure to check back! I love this little Valentine mini milk carton, I should have photographed the other side, too.

We learned the technique to make this rosette and it's so easy! Last night I purchased the necessary supplies so I can teach my customers how to make one. I made a mistake and used the wrong side of the dsp. It's a little busy, but it's still cool.

This is an easel card. When you open it, a ribbon on the inside holds it up. So fun! I'll be teaching how to make an easel card at my SAB SAS class Feb 2nd.



The XL 2 Step Bird puch is so much fun to use. Here we punched it out of Bride Specialty paper (#115669 $13.95) and then colored the bird. branch, and wing with sponges and regular classic ink. The foil on the paper resists the ink, so you get a cool design. The greeting is from the free SAB Vintage Labels set. I like the way the bird fits perfectly on the scallop circle cut with the Big Shot.

These Glassine envelopes are cool and they can be run through the Big Shot to add texture. I love the satin ribbon in the Occasions Mini and the epoxy brads.

We actually used the Crop-A-Dile to punch a hole through a corduroy brad and put an epoxy brad in it on this card. The Sending Love dsp is absolutely gorgeous.


We tried a cool technique on this card. We mixed ink refill with shimmer paint and painted it on a piece of chipboard that was run through the Big Shot in the Finial Press Texture Impressions embossing folder. Even though Shimmer Paint isn't in the current catalog or mini catalog, it's still available. See the link on my right side bar.

The stitched felt Sweet Peas pieces add a quick focal point to any card. Mine looks more like a face than a flower. Oh well, lol.
Happy Stamping! Mary ~ Hope you can stop by again soon

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Mini Milk Carton Birdhouse


This Mini Milk Carton die for the Big Shot is too cool and too fun! I am just loving it! I saw a birdhouse that was demoed at leadership and couldn't wait to try it. First I made it out of cardstock an glued on dsp. The second time I just made it out of dsp without the cs. It was strong enough. I love the 2 step bird punch; it's very easy to use. I think the bird adds alot, don't you? Later today I get to go to a demonstrator meeting. I can't wait! Next week I'l post the samples we make.


Supplies:

sets- warm words

cs - vanilla, dsp from Holiday Mini, taken w teal, chocolate chip

ink - basic black pad

access - xl 2 step bird punch, big shot, mini milk carton bigz die, sticky strip, scallop trim and scallop border punches, dimensionals

Happy Stamping! Mary

Friday, January 22, 2010

Haitian Disaster Relief

Stampin Up just made an announcement today that from now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you buy will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Call me today to purchase your set! I will be putting in an order Sun night. Thanks for having a heart and for your support.

Item # 118571
Price $18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended)


I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount
Item # 117010
Price $26.95

Got Milk/Cash?

My 13 year old son had 2 birthday parties to go to last weekend. He's at the age where kids give money as birthday gifts. I woke up with a brainstorm of how to package it and try out my new mini milk carton die at the same time! I'm sure you've heard of the phrase "Got Milk?", well I put a twist on that and used the phrase, "Got Cash?". I printed the image on a half sheet of cardstock and then put it through the Big Shot. The clip on top makes it easy for the birthday boy to get to his money. I rolled the retired Happy, Happy Birthday wheel over it after masking the front panel and then put it together. The sample on the left is for me to keep. Wouldn't it make a cute bank for spare change?

Tomorrow I will post an adorable birdhouse I made so be sure to check back! I had something in mind and it came out just like I had pictured it ~ amazing, lol.

Supplies:

sets - on your b-day
cs- whisper white, garden green, very vanilla
ink- garden green pad
access- small and large tag punches, library clips, big shot, mini milk carton die, happy, happy birthday jumble wheel and handle

Happy Stamping! Mary

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Weekly Mail


I've decided as part of my New Year resolutions I am going to mail at least one card a week. I will post them, which means I'll post something at least once a week! It will be my "Weekly Mail" post, usually on Wednesdays. This week I have three cards to show you.
The above is a double slider card I made a few years ago with the now retired set, On Gossomer Wings. You can find my supply list on my SCS gallery here. This card will go to our neighbor Dorothy who moved away and is turning 91 years.

This card I also made a few years back for a technique class I held. It has a corrugated piece of pixie pink to add texture. There's a piece of certainly celery which is stamped with By Design (retired) for texture. The focal image (also retired; the name escapes me because I only borrowed it from my dear friend Cheryl) uses the spotlighting technique and is layered on almost amethyst. The card base is so saffron. This card is for Kim who lives in Washington.


Finally, you should recognize this last card. We made it in a class and the supplies are listed in this post. It goes to a very dear cousin of mine who is at the Veterans Hospital in LA recovering from a stroke. Please pray for Steve.

My two boys are home sick with the stomach flu today - Bleck! Hope I don't get it!

Happy Stamping! Mary

Embossing Folder Cards

This is a card using the Finial Press embossing folder and a special technique I saw awhile back. It creates a smooth inner area where you can stamp. I couoldn't wait to try it and only had time to quickly do one. I'll be playing around with it some more and we'll make a similar card in a class at the end of January. It's very simple, but elegant looking.


I love this card using the Elegant Boquet embossing folder and the new
Beautiful Wings embosslit. My friend Cheryl made it for me as a thank you. She loves to add glitter and added some dazzling diamonds to the flower centers. Isn't it adorable? We're both demonstrators and when we make cards for each other we write on a separate note instead of inside the card so we can use them as samples, lol.
Happy Stampping! Mary


Friday, January 15, 2010

Jan Club Projects

Hello, here are the January Club projects we made on Sun 1/10/10. The first one is a tote/purse envelope card holder. It's made from a single sheet of 8.5" x 11" cardstock, dsp for accent pieces and two .5" x 11" strips for handles, plus four .5"x 4.5" strips for handle extensions. I love it because it holds cards and envelopes. I've made many of these in the past for a variety of occasions ~ baby shower prizes, teacher gifts, etc. The "box" part of the tote is large enough to hold a variety of items. E-mail me if you'd like the pattern.

Supplies:
sets - Vintage vogue
cs - real red, pretty in pink, very vanilla, sending love dsp
ink - real red classic pad
access - sticky strip, 1/16" handheld punch, silver or gold brads, 1" circle punch






The second item is a Slider Holder. These are so great because they will hold a variety of fillings ~ bath salts, candy, seed packets, etc. I've made them as b-day gifts for for my son's friends. I'd wrap the cardstock around microwave popcorn and movie tickets. The possibilities are endless! Here are the basic directions:

  1. Score cardstock so that it will fit around object to place inside. Allow for thickness
  2. Use strong adhesive for back seam (sticky strip)
  3. Punch hole in center of one end (through front and back layers)
  4. Run ribbon through holes, so half is on each side
  5. Slide object inside; pushing ribbon down (hold onto ends)
  6. Tie off ribbon

Supplies:

sets - well scripted, Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories, short and sweet

cardstock - gable green, melon mambo, watercolor paper, whisper white

ink - basic black, lovely lilac, & green galore pads, markers

access - pinking hearts border punch, horizontal slot punch, cofrner rounder, bb & neutral watercolor wonder crayons, aqua painters, melon mambo poka dot gg ribbon, mini glue dots (to hold chocolate), Ghiradelli chocolate square

Happy Stamping! Mary

Monday, January 4, 2010

SAB & new Occaisions Mini Catalog

I CAN'T BELIEVE SAB STARTS TOMORROW - JAN 5TH. Sale-A-Bration (SAB) is Stampin' Up!'s biggest sale of the year. SU offers a catalog of exclusive items and you have three ways to get them for FREE! One way is you can choose one item for every $50 you purchase from Jan 5- Mar 31, 2010. The second way is to hostess qualifying a workshop (get an item for every $300 in workshop sales). Third, if you join SU during SAB you can choose ANY stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalog (valued up to $47.95) for FREE and you get a discount on the starter kit to boot!

The new Occasions Mini Catalog also runs from Jan 5- Mar 31, 2010. The Occasions mini catalog was delayed in shipping but finally went out. If you don't get your copy by Jan. 13th, please let me know so I can have SU resend it. In the meantime you can view it on my business website (see link to catalogs on the right side bar). There are some really cool items that I pre-ordered. I haven't had a chance to play with them yet, but will post the results of my "play session" soon!


My house is pretty much done, but we're still hanging pictures, curtains, etc. I'll post some photos when it's all done. More importantly, I'll schedule classes!

Happy Stamping! Mary

Hand Stamped X-Mas
















I just love all the handstamped cards I got this year. There are also a couple cute boxes that Pat made. I photo'd them and wanted to post them before Christmas, but I was having internet problems. So, alas, you get to extend your Christmas a bit when you look at this post.
Happy Stamping! Mary