Tag: Friends

The Versatility of a Fabulous Kit

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Stampin’ Up! has the #bestcraftingkit (or kits) on the planet. Whether you just want to dip your fingers in the paper crafting ocean, or you want to commit to creativity each month…there’s a kit for you!

I wanted to showcase how amazing the July Paper Pumpkin kit “Painted Petals” was, and encourage you NOT TO WASTE A SECOND in subscribing for the August kit (and beyond).

After assembling one of the cards as intended from the kit, I created an “alternate” card by just adding a bit of Basic Black card stock. You may enjoy simply following the instructions, but if you want to stretch your artistic muscles, kits are a superb starting spot:

Fold the printed card base with the printed images INSIDE the card, then trim 1/4″ off the bottom and open side, making it 4″ x 8 1/4″ when open. Fold the front (colored) flap back on itself, add a 3″ x 4.25″ black card stock to the front left side of the card and attach your details. Adhere the card to a 5.5″ x 4.25″ black card stock base and voila:

Try turning your kit into scrapbook pages for your memory albums! The back side of the card became a faux strip behind my photo mats, and I added a simple floral border at the bottom:

Finally, don’t forget the box! On the months when the box matches the contents (usually Paper Pumpkin kits arrive in Poppy Parade boxes), you may want to gussy it up and use it as gift wrapping:

For the box top, I used one of the envelopes and the special Add-On Every Celebration Dies, which coordinate with the July, August AND September Kits:

Once your kit is completed, you are left with a small ink spot and the photopolymer stamps. With some basic supplies, you can create more fantastic cards, tags, gifts, etc.

So what is the August 2024kit going to be? Birthday Cards!

The “Time for Cake” craft kit will be shipped around the 15th and features the following, but you must subscribe by August 10th

🎂 Rose gold foil
🎂 Accordion card folds
🎂 A festive color palette
🎂 A birthday sentiment stamp set

Subscribers will also receive a gift with their kit: an additional stamp set! 🥳 Those number stamps will become an indispensable tool in your stamping arsenal.

Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin NOW!

We have MORE INCREDIBLE a la carte kits that you won’t want to miss – stock up for yourself, to make with friends, or to give as gifts! The selection is always growing, so check back every month to discover your inspiration.

Explore the Kit Collection NEXT

Traveling with Stampin’ Friends

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Stampin’ Up! offers a reason to travel with friends: Two weeks ago, a few of my Sprinkled Ink team (& friends) flew to Houston, Texas for OnStage (the SU! version of convention). We went a day early and did a bit of sightseeing at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, followed by lunch at our new favorite mediterranean restaurant “Fadi’s” (there is *always* good food involved on vacation).

The next few days were filled with fun like stamping, learning, greeting friends from all over the world, celebrating milestones, eating more good food, winning Prize Patrol, hearing the vision and strategy of the company, seeing the new catalog and enjoying (enduring?!) so much togetherness!

This was the card I created to trade with other demonstrators using the Filled With Happiness bundle (I will show how to create this fun-fold in a future video). Swapping is an essential part of stamping events, and I came home with 30 different samples to display at upcoming events.

It’s fun to feel spoiled by all the SWAG you receive at these events~ I snapped this photo at our hotel of the amazing backpack and gifts we received on check-in. In addition, we took home rubber stamps, Designer Series Paper, a color wheel and the catalog (it’s important to leave extra room in your luggage for all the goodies)!

Next year, OnStage will be in Raleigh, NC (March 2025) and I’m already looking forward to it! What would you suggest are things we MUST SEE in/near Raleigh? Best food?

Would you like to come with us? There is room at our table for more stamping friends… invest in yourself with a Starter Kit and we’ll happily save you a seat!

Carried By Your Kindness

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It’s been 2 1/2 months since my brother passed away unexpectedly and my mother had a heart attack on the same day (mom is doing well after they put in a stent), and I have been holding on to the beautiful cards, messages and thoughtful service rendered by my friends near and far.

You brought me homemade bread, soup, paper goods and flowers. You hugged me and physically held me up when I literally didn’t think I could stand. You visited with me and helped me laugh when it felt like all I could do was cry. You mailed me paper hugs and gift cards. You absolutely carried me through my first visit of grief, and I couldn’t forget to express my deepest gratitude for the love you offered!

I know there is life after death, thanks to the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This surety has helped me keep an eternal perspective through the most difficult days, knowing that I will see my brother- and other loved ones- again. You appeared as angels in your comfort and kindnesses to me. My heart is overflowing with appreciation for you.

Dog Days of Summer

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We are in the “Dog Days of Summer”, but do you know what that means?

It refers to a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during the summer months of July and August. In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days were believed to be a time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat. This heat wave coincides with the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star toward dawn.  The name “Sirius” even stems from Ancient Greek seírios, meaning “scorching.”

For the ancient Egyptians, the dawn rising of Sirius (known to them as “Sothis”) also coincided the Nile River’s flood season. They used the star as a “watchdog” for that event.

Of course, the appearance of Sirius does not actually affect seasonal weather, but because it rises near dawn during the hottest part of summer, the star lends it’s lore to the hot and humid season.

Now you know the history, let’s make a fast and simple card using the Dog Builder punch!

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Download the Tutorial Here

Order the Dog Builder Punch here

The best way to stay cool during these “Dog Days of Summer” is to craft in your air-conditioned craft room. Take my advice and make something to mail to a friend 🙂

 

Disney Dog Daydreaming

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Disneyland is my happy place: Just thinking about a day in that magical park brings a smile to my face! Yes, I’m over 50, but like Peter Pan…I won’t grow up if it means I can’t enjoy the delight and wonder that is the happiest place on earth, and I never miss a Disney movie, live action or animated.

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Thus, I’ve been noodling on the TGIF Challenge #195 since it was announced last Friday, and had a brainstorm when I was creating with the Happy Tails bundle from the 2019 Occasions Catalog, I had a jolt of inspiration! I think it’s “spot on”:

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You may recall from 101 Dalmations how the pet owners’ personalities were all reflected in the dogs they owned…it’s become a habit to observe how often that is true! What do you think: Does Tiger look anything like me??

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If we don’t share any physical resemblance, we certainly share the “easily distracted” trait!!

To make the letters stand out, I used the Real Red Stampin’ Marker and just rubbed it along the edge of the letter…sometimes I ran over and marked up a letter, but just use a black marker and make a bigger “spot” to cover your mistakes. I’m a “close-enough” crafter, so I don’t mind a few marks to indicate that “I cared enough to make you the very best card I could”:

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If you’d like to create your own, you may order the supplies from my Stampin’ Store below, and I’d wag my tail AND send you a thank you card! Don’t forget that for each $50 you order through March 31, 2019, you earn a FREE Sale-a-Bration product, too.

Product List

Happy Tails Photopolymer Bundle

$31.50

Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies

$35.00

Large Letters Framelits Dies

$99.00

Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$9.75

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

$6.00

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

$7.50

Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00

Simple Thoughts for a Friend

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Do you ever avoid sending a note to a friend because you think you have to create a artistic masterpiece to carry your thoughts? I’m guilty of this, but I’m working on sending a message or a card *AS THE INSPIRATION HITS ME*

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When I saw the sketch challenge on TGIF Challenges today, the Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack came to mind and I decided to make a simple card for a friend:

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Nurturing a friendship takes time and effort and sometimes a quick card to say, “I’m thinking about you” lasts longer than a text or even a phone call. Some things you could include in your card may be a bullet list of 5 things you love about your friend like:

  • Thanks for seeing the best in me and others.
  • You never let me wallow in self-pity and I appreciate your honesty.
  • Of all your features, your curly hair and dimples are what I see when I imagine your lovely face!
  • When I’m with you, I know I’m going to laugh heartily and it feels so good!
  • Isn’t it great that we can pick up right where we left off even if we haven’t seen each other in years?

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My original card was 4.25″ square, but I had another piece of leftover Pool Party card stock, so I made a 3.25″ note card that would be perfect on a gift, too.

Product List

Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00
Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack

$10.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$9.00
Silver Glimmer Paper

$5.00
Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50
Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50
1-3/8" Circle Punch

$16.00
Wood Words Clear-Mount Bundle

$46.75
Mini Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00 

Now I’m going to mail it to a friend today because my goal for the year has been to mail a card each day and I’m almost there!

Come Play at the Fall StampFest!

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Sometimes you just need to run away to play for a day and come home with glitter in your hair! And I’ve got the perfect event(s) to help you do that:

Fall StampFest with Dates

Along with my Sprinkled Ink team (and friends), twice a year we offer a day filled with crafting, food, card swaps and friends…and as our name implies, we sprinkle plenty of prizes, glitter and gifts throughout the event!

Here are a few highlights from our last few StampFest days:

I hope you’ll join us for a day of crafty fun in Utah!

View details for the St. George event HERE. Registration closes September 18th, so hurry to register!

View details for the Spanish Fork event HERE. Early bird pricing ends October 1st, so you’ll want to get your tickets ASAP.

 

Get Togethers & Card Starters

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I’m blessed to have so many great friends on my Stampin’ Team and in August, some of us met up for lunch and stamping one Saturday:

Swapping ideas is a staple activity at any meeting, but we chose to exchange “Card Starters” this time: Some crafters call them card candy, but they are just small focal points you use on a greeting card and I’m sharing a few of them today.

Mary McGill used this Adirondack chair from the Seasonal Layers thinlit dies, which captures the last sunset of summer in perfect form. Used on three different cards, it’s fun to see how a card starter can inspire many different ideas!

Next is Chelle Scott’s gorgeous version of “Deck the Halls” from the Carols of Christmas stamp set: The layer of Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper catches your eye when you see it in person and no matter which way you look at it, it’s a fabulous focal point for a Christmas card.

Mine was a simple label from the Merry Little Label bundle in the new Holiday Catalog, punched and layered on a silver glimmer paper layer. I love how the new Everyday Label punch layers beautifully on the Lots of Labels Thinlits dies.

While my Stampin’ Team is named “Sprinkled Ink”, we have a larger group that meets together in person and online called “Stitched Stampers” which encompasses demonstrators in the Utah area and beyond: We include any demonstrators (and potential demonstrators) who would like to work on their business with like-minded, positive and uplifting folks and there is always room at our table for more stampin’ friends.  Join my team anytime!

Check back for more card starter samples soon…

Girl~ You are Fabulous!

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My friend and teammate Amy *is* pretty fabulous (just check out her work on Lilypadstamper.com to see for yourself) and just promoted to SILVER, so it is time to recognize her complete awesomeness…how nice that TGIFChallenges made the #tgifc121 theme this week all about her!

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And with a sassy finger-snap, I fancified this card to be included with a gift to recognize her marvelous achievement:

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Of course, I added a little SILVER bling to commemorate the occasion and make it extraordinary. The Label Frame is a sneak peek at the “Labels to Love” set coming in the Holiday Catalog on September 1st, and coordinates with a new punch! Together, they look lovely layered on top of the Lots of Labels Framelits, don’t they?

Product List

Labels To Love Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$21.00
All Things Thanks Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$19.00
Whole Lot Of Lovely Designer Series Paper

$11.00
Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00
Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.00
Silver Foil Sheets

$4.00
Everyday Label Punch

$18.00
Lots Of Labels Framelits Dies

$27.00
Soft Sky 3/8" Classic Weave Ribbon

$7.00
Silver 1/8" Ribbon

$5.00
Big Shot

$110.00
Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder

$5.00
Heat Tool

$30.00


If you are cutting the card stock in half to create a card, you may as well make TWO cards, so I have another waiting in the wings for the next team member who promotes~ It’s such a delight to see my Sprinkled Ink Stampin’ Family progress and promote, and there is always room at our table for friends to join our team
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Easter Eggs and Memory Albums

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Look at me! I actually finished a project BEFORE the holiday! Feeling pretty good right now 🙂 These little Easter Egg “thrones” are such fun to make with a few punches, stamps and the Big Shot!

So I don’t have time to make a lengthy tutorial, so let me give you a few tips for making them:

  • Cadbury eggs are too small. I found some larger eggs at Costco (they are hollow)
  • Cut a 8.5″x2.5″ strip from one end of your card stock and score it (down the long edges) at 1/2″ and 2″ (the Simply Scored board–item #122334–makes all your scoring SUPER SIMPLE). Then chop it up into 2″x 2.5″ pieces and punch a hole using the 1-1/4″ circle punch (#119861) in the middle like this—–>>>>
     
  • Cut the rest of the card stock into 2″x8.5″ strips. Score them at 3.5″ and 5″. Punch the ends with the Scallop Tag Topper Punch (133324). 
  • Line up the Designer Frame embossing folder (#123130) with the first score line from one end and run through the Big Shot —>>>>>
  • Punch the middle of the embossed frame out with the Large Oval Punch (#119859)
  • Adhere the “throne” piece between the two sides with SNAIL adhesive, add egg and embellish as desired! I used the flowers and punch from the Petite Petal bundle (#134821-wood or #134822-clear mount). As always, you can purchase these supplies from my Stampin’ Up! store!

And in upcoming events, if you have a mother, friend or grad that you need a thoughtful gift for, come to my Mini Memory Album class! You can bring your own pictures or come to create the book and add photos later. The cost is $17 and you MUST bring your own Scissors, SNAIL adhesive and Glue Dots. If you forget your adhesive, I will let you buy new ones from me 🙂 Please register below.

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