Unfrogettable Stamping!

Owl for a friend and Top Note how-to...

I have a good friend who was having a tough week and while out shopping I came across a super-cute coffee mug with an owl image on it that said "night owl."  It was perfect for her because she loves owls and also she is one who stays up late at night and gets a lot done once her kids are in bed, much like myself.  I bought it for her and filled it with some yummy Moose Munch caramel popcorn and gave it to her along with this card.  I forgot to take a picture of the mug - it was so cute! 

The owl is from the now-retired Sale-a-Bration stamp set Punch Bunch (I was in a hurry and didn't have time to paper-piece him with the owl punch).  After stamping the image with the new Island Indigo In Color ink I punched him out using the owl punch and set him on a branch created with the 2-step bird punch.  The background DSP is peach parfait from the 2010-2012 In Color stack (love these!).  I stamped "my friend" from the My Friend stamp set (love it, too!) and embellished it with a knotted piece of organza ribbon.  Do you see the chocolate chip card stock piece that the owl is on?  Do you know how I got that?  It starts out as a Top Note die-cut...

Without lifting it completely off the die once you've run it through, rotate the piece 90 degrees and run it through again (here's a GREAT tip:  use a ruler and your white Signo gel pen and draw a line from point to point in both directions - that helps to line things up when you're creating this shape).  Running it through once, you'll end up with a shape like this... the parentheses are great and can be used also! Bonus!!

Next, rotate it again 90 degrees and you end up with this shape.  Cool, huh?!  Plus, now you have two photo corners or accent pieces as well.

Again, rotate it 90 degrees to end up with this final shape.  Don't you just love the versatility of the Top Note die?

Thanks for visiting today!  This just goes to show how easily you can brighten someone's day... why don't you spread a little sunshine with your creations?!

March 2011 Stamp-a-Stack

On Thursday night I held my monthly Stamp-a-Stack class... everyone who came made four each of four different designs for a total of sixteen cards.  It was a cold and rainy night and I appreciate everyone who came out for the class!  This was my final event during Sale-a-Bration and it was my last opportunity to focus on some of the wonderful offerings this year as well as feature some products from the Occasions Mini catalog.

This card was my favorite - I just {heart} the Baby Blossoms stamp set!!  A few weeks ago I designed a card with a pink palette for my two-step stamping technique project for Fabulous Friday but this time I decided to go with some blues... isn't it pretty?  The color combination is baja breeze, not quite navy, crumb cake and pear pizzazz with a little chocolate chip for the sentiment.  Adding the Sanded stamp with crumb cake ink over the focal piece made it appear to be a vintage piece of fabric.  I also put the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set in the box of supplies for this card so everyone could make whatever themed cards they wanted. 

Because Easter is right around the corner I wanted to have an Easter card for this stamp-a-stack... I just had to use the Easter Blossoms stamp set from the Occasions mini catalog because the little girl silhouette image is one of my favorites.  The colors are so soft - pink pirouette, sahara sand, always artichoke and very vanilla - I pulled it right from my Color Coach!  I think the crochet trim just makes the card - it is so beautiful!  You may not be able to see it very well because it is so subtle, but the pink pirouette mat piece is stamped with the Pretty Pattern background stamp using pink pirouette ink.

For more bold color, here is a great Spring card... there is so much yellow all around with forsythia and daffodils in full bloom here in Central Virginia so I had to go with a daffodil delight card.  I also wanted my stampers to have an opportunity to play with aqua painters and the stamp-a-ma-jig, perfect for lining up the sentiment!  I must say that watercoloring with aqua painters is something that I love to do.  The flower image is from Flower Fancy and the sentiment is from Word Play.  I added a bit of whimsy to the real red card stock mat by running it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder.  And because my glitter queen Carolyn was in attendance I had to have some dazzling diamonds on this card!

Here's the last card of the night - I absolutely love the First Edition specialty DSP and have featured it a lot on cards the last couple of months.  Here it is paired with very vanilla and basic black with a hint of certainly celery in the satin ribbon.  Did you know that Engraved Greetings (the Happy B'day sentiment) was a Sale-a-Bration selection - it was listed on the last page of the SAB brochure.  If you left off the butterfly, this could be a masculine card, don't you think?  The butterfly was punched out from a quarter sheet of basic black card stock that I had run through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper impressions folder.  Added a basic pearl and ta-da... a quick and easy embellishment!

If you'd like to join me at my monthly stamp-a-stack this month on the 28th, contact me to reserve your spot.  I limit my class size to 8 and these fill up quickly!  Thanks for stopping by - enjoy the rest of your weekend!  I am looking forward to my private Mom & Me Easter class with a church group tomorrow and I'll be sharing those projects with you soon. 

March 2011 punch club projects

On Monday night my Punch Club met for our March meeting and they made several punch art projects including this cute chocolate Easter bunny card above.  I saw this idea on Angela Purdie's blog and had to CASE it! The ribbon, button and DSP on the egg are from the Ice Cream Parlor line designed exclusively for our Sale-a-Bration promotion.  You can earn these products for FREE with a $50 qualifying order... but hurry - the promotion ends TODAY!!!  Contact me to place your order!!

The second project was this cute doggie card - this idea comes from Ellen Kemper.  She had posted a card on Stampin' Connection, an aweseome site full of thousands of ideas for Stampin' Up! demonstrators only - what a great reason to join my team!  Join today while Sale-a-Bration is still going on and you can get the starter kit for 15% off AND a bonus bundle valued at $50!!

The last project of the night was this fun bookmark idea that I had seen on Traci Gentry's blog.  I always like including a 3D project and was able to include the tulip idea that I have seen on many projects featuring the wing from the 2-step bird punch.

Would you like to join a club with me?  I have a waiting list started for my Card club right now - you'll commit to placing a minimum $25 order for six months and in return you'll get to come to a free card class each month for those six months, getting hands-on time with a variety of stamps and accessories including the Big Shot, learn some great techniques, form some wonderful friendships with fellow stamping enthusiasts and get hostess benefits one of those months.  What have you got to lose?

Be sure and come back for a visit tomorrow for Fabulous Friday!!

Rachel's private stamp-a-stack

I met with Rachel and her friends at their church last month for a private stamp-a-stack class and these are the cards that they made (2 of each).  Above is a card that I CASE'd from Jennifer Cotton - I received her swap at Leadership and thought it was beautiful.  It features the Bliss stamp set (SAB - earn it for FREE with a qualifying $50 order through March 31st) with not quite navy, early espresso and crumb cake.

This card is a CASE of one that my downline Jamaica Conner designed for our team shoe box swap meeting last summer.  I love the Always stamp set and it is so beautiful with the color combination of naturals ivory, baja breeze and soft suede.  The Framed Tulips impressions folder for the Big Shot is one that I can't live without now... get yours while it's still available in the Occasions mini catalog!

The final card was this Valentine's card that I CASE'd from my downline Sherri Gough.  It features the Valentine Defined stamp set from the Occasions mini catalog and the heart is punched out of red glimmer paper, also found in the mini!!

If you would like to host a private stamp-a-stack class for your and your friends give me a call! 

March 2011 Downline Swaps, part 2

As promised, here are the remainder of the cards from this month's swap for your inspiration...

Michelle Arthur created this beautiful card using the Big Shot (Top Note bigz die and Beautiful Wings embosslit) along with the dotted scallop ribbon border punch.  The colors were pulled from the Lap of Luxury DSP and she embellished with pretty in pink grosgrain ribbon and basic pearls - gorgeous!

This card was created by Darlene Crockett - I love it!  She CASE'd the magnifying glass idea from a card designed by Ros Davidson.  Inspired by Nature is a stamp set that I don't use often enough and it is great paired with the texture added by the Big Shot.  What a great reminder that spring is right around the corner!

Sherri Gough created this cute cupcake card featuring the In Colors and the Build a Cupcake punch.  Polka dotted texture was added to the concord crush background with the Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder.  This is a great birthday card that could be for a boy or girl.

This last card is mine - I used my favorite layout along with the Two Tags Bigz die for the Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dot impressions folder.  The apple image is from the Tart & Tangy stamp set - one you can choose for FREE with a qualifying $50 order during Sale-a-Bration.  It's available for purchase, too, in the big catalog - if you want it as your SAB selection, be sure you use the item number found on the back page of the Sale-a-Bration brochure!

Next month's swap is based on a challenge on my sister Cindy's blog.  Can't wait to get started on that one!!

Thank you, Shirley!!!

My wonderful stamper Shirley Pace brought me a large jar of homemade apple butter on Monday night to my stamp-a-stack class and I created this thank you card to send to her to show my appreciation.  It is yummy!  Recognize the layout?  After 3 days of posts using it I am sure you realize how much I love it!

When I first met Shirley she asked me about stamp sets in the Stampin' Up! catalog that featured apples because she always scrapbooks her family apple-butter making weekend each year.  I believe Tart & Tangy was the very first stamp set she purchased so I had to use it for her card!  Did you know that this is a stamp set that you can earn for FREE during Sale-a-Bration with a qualifying $50 order?!  Yes it is!!  Just use item #123923.  The color scheme of the card is from the In Color collection - poppy parade, peach parfait and pear pizzazz and the "thank you" sentiment is from With All My Heart.  I used the Perfect Polka Dots impressions folder with my Big Shot to add the texture and the ribbon is the peach parfait polystitch ribbon that is so fun.

I like this card so much it may end up as my swap for next month's downline meeting... maybe I'll change up the colors just to tweak it a bit.

Happy 50th Birthday, Stacey!!!!

My friend Stacey Childress is turning 50 today and I made this birthday card today to give her at swim practice later this afternoon.  I wanted to make a bright and cheerful card because this is a B-I-G one!  But as our fellow swim Mom Renee put it yesterday, she's looking "Hot at 50!" so that's a great reason to celebrate!!

I am loving this card layout (check it out from my stamp-a-stack here)... I just changed the color scheme to one of melon mambo, pretty in pink and whisper white - pulling the colors from the SAB Ice Cream Parlor DSP piece that I used with the Two Tags die (you can earn this DSP for FREE with a qualifying $50 order now through March 31st!!). 

I die-cut the "50" using my Big Shot and Go-Go Boots sizzlit set out of melon mambo card stock and then added BLING with a 2-way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  To finish off the card, I added a piece of pretty in pink taffeta ribbon and the "Happy Birthday" sentiment from the Hostess level 2 set Something to Celebrate found in the Occasions mini catalog, which was punched out with the modern label punch and popped off the card with stampin' dimensionals.  The texture on the bottom half of the whisper white panel was added with the Big Shot and Finial Press impressions folder.

I hope Stacey is having a good day and I can't wait to wish her a Happy 50th birthday later today!!

February 2011 stamp-a-stack cards

I held my monthly stamp-a-stack class last night and the theme for the month was BIRTHDAYS!  That seems to be the most popular request for cards besides Christmas cards.  I decided to focus on four types - masculine (the hardest to create in my opinion), whimsical, teen and feminine.

Here is the masculine card - it features the beautiful deer from Nature Silhouettes.  The scene was created very easily with stampin' sponges and so saffron, pumpkin pie and early espresso ink pads.  The card also features the large pine tree from Lovely As a Tree (a must-have stamp set for your collection!).  Some of my stampers chose to use the wolf image from this stamp set - here is an example of that...

I used the "Happy Birthday" sentiment, punched out with the modern label punch, from the On Your Birthday stamp set and added texture to the cherry cobbler mat using the Square Lattice impressions folder with my Big Shot.  I realy like this warm color combination and will be using it again!

For the whimsical card I turned to my favorite stamp set Aviary from the Idea Book & Catalog.  I saw this layout on my friend LeeAnn Greff's blog here and this card by Diane Cramer and had to CASE them!  Funny thing is, LeeAnn's CASE'd one of my cards for her birthday stamp-a-stack class, too!!  The color combination is bright and cheery, don't you think?  I used pacific point, daffodil delight, rich razzleberry and whisper white.  The tag is from the Two Tags bigz die and was cut out with my Big Shot, which served double-duty because the top half of the white panel was embossed using the Finial Press impressions folder.  Don't recognize the birthday sentiment?  It comes from the Full of Life stamp set.

Now that my girls are getting older, I have found myself in need of some teen birthday cards... this Extreme Elements stamp set works so well with the Extreme sports line of single stamps - I chose to use the Extreme Skateboard stamp.  What do you think?  I like the way this one turned out!  The color scheme is sahara sand, not quite navy, real red, whisper white and soft suede.  I used the "true friend" and "Happy Birthday" stamps from the Punch Bunch stamp set - one you can earn for FREE during Sale-a-Bration (SAB) with a qualifying $50 order.

And here is the last card of the night - I've had the First Edition DSP for quite a while and finally broke the seal on it for these flower embellishments for this card.  It was created with 2 Scallop Circle punches and the large and small flowers from the Boho Blossoms punch which were crumpled then sponged with crumb cake ink.  The layers are all held together with an old olive brad and attached to the pear pizzazz polystitch ribbon with a stampin' dimensional.  The very vanilla panel was run through the Big Shot using the Framed Tulips impression folder with the Big Shot.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the Curly Cute stamp set - I really like this one and find myself using it a lot lately!

I hope you found some inspiration in my birthday cards!  Thanks for visiting.

Wooo hooo - my team is growing!

Can I tell you again how much I *L-O-V-E* Sale-a-Bration (SAB)?!  I personally have added two new demonstrators to my team in the last week - Kris Sennett and Gerin Martin - and my downline are signing up new recruits as well.  Wooo hoooo!! Welcome to all my new team members - I know you're going to be as happy as I am that you've taken this opportunIty to purchase your favorite products at a discount and build a business if that is your desire.  I'm here to mentor you and be your biggest cheerleader... I have to warn you, though, that I am quite the enabler so beware!

Did you know that during SAB our starter kit is on sale 15% off for just $148.75 with FREE shipping?  You'll receive a kit valued at $310 (that YOU get to customize) PLUS you'll receive a special bundle that is your gift from Stampin' Up! now through March 31st that is worth an additional $50 (also customizable!).  If you do the math, you'll see that it is quite a deal to join now!  My 6 year anniversary is coming up in a few weeks... yes, I joined during SAB, too!

So what have you got to lose?  If you are ready to join, you can click here to be taken to my demonstrator business website (DBWS) - choose "Join Now" and you can get started right away. 

Click here to download the regular starter kit form

Click here to download the My Digital Studio starter kit form

If you are interested in finding out more about the opportunity to join my Stampin' Up! familiy, I'd love to chat with you about it.  Please give me a call or send me an email!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year... Sale-a-Bration begins TODAY!!!

Are you as excited as I am about Sale-a-Bration beginning today?  It is my FAVORITE time of the Stampin' Up! year!!!  And we have such an awesome selection to choose from this year.... wooo hoooooo!!  Click here to view the SAB catalog... you've got limited-edition stamp sets, awesome accessories, a My Digital Studio download and a list of stamp sets in the Idea Book & Catalog to choose from this year!!!

There are SO many ways to benefit from this promotion:

1) Place a qualifying $50 merchandise order (online orders, single orders and workshop orders all count as long as you meet the minimum qualifying $50 amount!) and you will get to choose a FREE exclusive Sale-a-Bration item (no limits - the more you spend, the more you get FREE!)

2) Host a workshop (in-home workshops AND catalog workshops count!) with orders totalling $300 and choose a FREE exclusive Sale-a-Bration item *in addition* to the regular hostess benefits (it's a great time to host - your friends are going to want to spend at least $50 to earn an SAB item for FREE, won't they?!)

3) Purchase the demonstrator starter kit at a 15% savings ($148.75 for a kit valued at $320) and free shipping and receive a $50 customizeable product bundle for FREE (including a punch, Color Coach and Simply Sent kit and stamp set)!!!  I'd love to have you join my team!!!

So what are you waiting for?!?!  Let's Sale-a-Brate!!  Contact me today to place your order, book your workshop/private class or join my team!!!