The End…or the Beginning?

January 2, 2013April 26, 2017Leave a comment

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” ~ T. S. Eliot

I took the Christmas tree and decor down this morning and my oldest daughter left to fly back to where she lives back east…and while it was a little sad to leave the holidays behind and say goodbye to one of my best friends, there were some things that perked me up: a clean living room and the knowledge that she is moving forward with her life and becoming a wonderful woman! I guess it’s true that when you walk out of a room through one door, you are really walking into a new room and a new adventure!

The same is true when we transition from one “season” at Stampin’ Up! into another: While we hate to say goodbye to some of our old favorites, we are delighted to say hello to fresh, new products! But before the Holiday Catalog exits, let me remind you that TODAY is the last chance to order a few stamps that you may want to snag before it’s too late:

Too busy during the holidays to send cards? Well, if your weather is like ours in Utah today (-2 degrees this morning at 6 a.m.!!) then you could easily create cards from the Winter Memories stamp set (Holiday Catalog pg 19) like the one above created by the talented Pam Clyde!

Or looking forward, send a valentine, which is what we do, since we are the SpendLOVE’s! This LOVEly card uses a unique color palette: Pool Party, Real Red and Calypso Coral and the Affection Collection stamp set (HC pg 35) and was made at Jill Olsen’s stamp day in Dixie:

And WHOO could forget this cute little critter and the Owl Occasions stamp set (HC pg 13)? Dress him up for Christmas or Birthdays! While the Woodgrain Textured Embossing Folder (127821) will still be available for purchase in the new Spring Catalog, the Early Espresso Core’dinations Card Stock (127848) will not be…and see how realistic it looks when the white “core” shows through? WHOO “wood”n’t want some of that in their craft stash?

Finally, if you need any Champagne Glimmer paper (127885) for upcoming projects, order it today too…for while I’m hoping it makes it into the next catalog coming out in July, it’s not carried over into the Spring Catalog, as far as I can see….

And of course, new items have been added to the Clearance Rack at AMAZING prices (up to 80% off), so click the image below to start shopping before the Holiday Catalog and Clearance Rack Items are gone for good!

Two-for-One Challenge: Feeling Autumnal

November 9, 2012April 26, 20177 Comments

Serendipity! I made this card yesterday for the Create with Connie and Mary color challenge and woke up to discover that it kind of fits the Clean & Simple sketch #216 scallop challenge too 🙂 Since I haven’t made nearly enough fall/autumn cards, I was very pleased with how it turned out and the champagne glimmer paper makes me so very warm inside:

I adore the Autumn Accents Die for the Big Shot to make my own leaves and I used the Simply Scored to give the leaves veins. The DSP is from the Comfort Cafe package.

It was so fun to create last night, but here is what my desk looks like this morning:

And my kids think there should be food in the fridge, so I guess I’ll be cleaning and shopping today instead of crafting 😦 As my Father-in-Law is fond of saying, “Just when you teach ’em to eat dirt, they up and die on you.” No bueno!

Jolly Christmas Card Video Tutorial

October 12, 2012Leave a comment

Break out your Simply Scored and join along as Stampin’ Up! shows you how to make a fun Holiday Card!

October 11, 2012Leave a comment

Want to play with this set? Reserve your spot in my Big Shot Holiday Class next week!

Lovely Leaves

October 10, 2012April 26, 2017Leave a comment

“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on
the feelings, as now in October.”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne

Thanks to my friend Beth Martin for sending me this BEAUTIFUL card in the mail! How did she know that fall is my favorite season? What a joy to receive!!

Celebrate WCMD!

October 6, 2012April 26, 201711 Comments

Apparently it’s not just National Card Making Day, it’s WORLD Card Making Day (WCMD)! My bad…
But this is good! I combined the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary:

with my Facebook Color Challenge:

(Bashful Blue, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Soft Suede, So Saffron)

to come up with this masculine birthday card:

Card Recipe (all supplies from Stampin’ Up!): card stock and ink colors listed above, You’re Amazing Stamp Set (catalog page 33), Apothecary Accents Framelits (#127703), Big Shot (#113439), 1″ circle punch (#119868), Subtles Glimmer Brads (retired). It’s good to have a spring-board for creativity sometimes and I was happy with the way it turned out!

If you are making cards this weekend, try my sketch challenge or FB color challenge (or combine them!) for a chance to win a prize 🙂 then go ahead and send a card to a friend…just because.

National Card Making Day Challenge

October 5, 2012April 26, 2017Leave a comment

Tomorrow (October 6th) is National Card Making Day and to celebrate, I have TWO challenges for you and that means TWO chances to win a prize! I have posted a COLOR challenge on my Facebook page and here on my blog is the SKETCH challenge. Play along! Here is the basic sketch, a basic 3 panel card:

And here is my 3 panel card:

Card Recipe (all from Stampin’ Up!): Whisper White and Midnight Muse card stock, Summer Starfruit and Midnight Muse ink pads, Brayer, Flower Garden embossing folder (item #123113), Big Shot, Midnight Muse Stitched Satin ribbon.

Feel free to add embellishments to the basic sketch and have fun with it! Share your cards with the link tool below through Monday, October 8th at noon for a chance to win a spool of the Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon I used on my card AND a copy of my card! Happy National Card-Making Day/Weekend!

UPDATE 10/25/12: Congratulations Heather for winning the Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon!

Satin Rosette & Ribbon Roll Control (Blog Candy!)

September 27, 2012April 26, 20175 Comments

Today’s card features a rosette created with the Stitched Satin Ribbon (Summer Starfruit #126846). To create this flower, I used a Jumbo Sticky Round (#127852) and started on the outside of the circle with the end of my ribbon, gathering (or “scrunching”) the ribbon as I went around the circle, spiraling into the center and finishing it with a Midnight Muse Dahlia (#127556). Since it’s “Back to Spool” time, you can get your ribbon FREE….

My *favorite* way to store my ribbon is with the Ribbon Roll Control system, shown here wearing all the In-Color Stitched Satin Ribbon:

And THANKS to Trish of RRC who has kindly donated one of these cool acrylic stands to be given to one lucky visitor (no ribbon included)! Leave a comment below by September 30th and you could be the winner. If you don’t win, head on over to Ribbon Roll Control and order a few of these to hang on your wall and keep your ribbons corralled!

Wait…that would be TWO chances to win, because someone will also receive the card I created, too!

UPDATED: The winners are Heather B~Ribbon Roll Control and Kathy Mc~Card! Thanks for visiting and commenting. We bloggers love to hear from our readers, it means so much! Kathy Mc: I need your snail addy to send this card to...email me 🙂

Holiday Card Class: SATURDAY

September 24, 2012April 26, 2017Leave a comment

I used to think that someday life would slow down…now I’ve decided that’s never going to happen, so I had to choose to give up something. I chose housework. I mean, you clean a room and then someone comes along and messes it up or you wash the dishes and then it’s time to eat again. Sheesh. I’d much rather stamp something…at least I know that nobody is going to come along and take it apart!

That said, I’m late in posting this here (but it has been on my event calendar for a while).

HOLIDAY CARD CLASS

Saturday, September 29

1:30 p.m.

Spanish Fork, UT

Create 6 beautiful cards: 2 each for Halloween, Thanksgiving (shown above) and Christmas. You will have one to keep and one to share with a friend! Each comes with an envelope and I’ll do most of the work for you…you can simply come and stamp 🙂 Bring SNAIL adhesive and scissors. If you need to order a SNAIL refill, let me know when you RSVP.

Here’s the key: You need to RSVP by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 (yes, I know that is tomorrow, but I need time to order supplies and cut them!) so call your best friend and make a creative date to come play together!

NOTE: I CASED the Thanksgiving card shown from Jill Olsen…thanks for the fun time stamping in St. George, Jill!

Ribbonista

September 13, 2012April 26, 2017Leave a comment

If you love embellishing with ribbon as much as I do, you are sure to enjoy the “Back to Spool” promotion in September: A FREE spool of Stitched Satin ribbon with each $40 purchase (a choice of 5 In-Colors for 2012). Of course, a $200 purchase would get you all 5 colors shown here: Raspberry Ripple (126845), Primrose Petals (126844), Summer Starfruit (126846), Gumball Green (126848) & Midnight Muse (126847).