How's that for a title!  lol!  First, Julie and I are getting ready for the next session of Create with Connie & Julie featuring the Occasions Mini and Sale-A-Bration brochures!  We're very excited that the Holiday Edition has been so successful and want to expand!  So, we are looking for 3 Guest Designers to help us with projects for 9 weeks starting in January!  Here are the details.

Are you enthusiastic, fun and talented? That’s what we’re looking for!

Contest is open Wednesday, November 18 – Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Winners will be notified no later than Saturday, December 5, 2009 via email.  We are looking to fill 3 positions.

Please put Guest Designer Submission in the Subject of your email to info@createwithconnieandjulie.com

Please also send a introductory paragraph of why you would like to be chosen for the Guest Designer.  Include your name, how long you have been a demo with Stampin' Up!, a link to your blog, and attach 3 of your favorite Stampin' Up! projects that you have created.

Requirements:

• Must be a US or CAN demonstrator so products are the same as we are using
  
• 9 week commitment – one challenge project per week, plus one additional project every 3 weeks (total of 3).  A list a challenges and product schedule will be provided at acceptance so you can work ahead, if desired.
  
• All projects must use Stampin' Up! only products – exception being altered items
  
• Compensation will be discussed upon selection
  
• DT members should use the Create with Connie & Julie Guest Designer blog badge and promote CCJ where ever and when ever possible!  Maintaining an active Blog is strongly desired.  We want each guest designer to be proud to be a Guest Designer!

Please note that this is not a creative contest, so we are not necessarily looking for the BEST projects. Rather, we are looking for the best designers who fit into our friendly and encouraging style and are interested in helping us GROW and add new members to the site!

We would love to have you apply!

To see more about our program, visit these preview pages for the Holiday Edition going on now:

        Connie's Preview

        Julie's Preview

OK…now here is my creative card for today!  My Technique Class did this technique called Bingo Blast a few months ago!  It is from Technique Junkies Newsletter and a very fun technique!  You use actual empty Bingo Daubers and ink refills to create it!  Isn't it fun?  I thought the bright colors of Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry complement the giraffe from Stampin' Up!'s Animal Stories really well and made a cute baby card in non-traditional colors!  The Hello Baby stamp is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (of course!).  I also like the Scallop Square Punch placed behind the corners for an added detail!

Don't forget…tomorrow is the Tour de Freaks!  Stop by and take the tour!

INKspired Treasures Blog

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This week’s Design Team Challenge on Late Night Stampers has us creating a Kid theme card from a card we CASED (Copy and Steal Everything) from the Catalog!  I chose to CASE the card on page 129 of the catalog.  We were supposed to change at least two things.  I decided to use the layout, but changed up the colors and set that I used!

I started with a base card of Not Quite Navy.  I added two strips of Crushed Curry Polka Dot Ribbon around the Thoroughly Modern Designer Paper and layered that onto the base.  I cut the "water" from the Swirly Long Strip Die with my Big Shot and used the left over piece from the Bermuda Bay cardstock instead of the Swirl itself.  It is layered over Not Quite Navy and then layered on an extra wide piece of Going Gray cardstock.  I wrapped the tag from Lots of Tags Sizzlit around the Going Gray and placed a button from the Sherbet Designer Buttons package (tied with Linen Thread first).  Finally, I stamped the whale from Animal Stories Stamp Set with Versamark, then Going Gray ink and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder for a shiny finish!

I was going to add a greeting under the tag, but decided to leave it blank until I needed a card.

Mary Brown, my awesome stamper friend, also played along with this challenge.  Make sure to check out her Blog.  You will be amazed that we both used the same layout, but the result is TOTALLY different!

REMINDER:  The deadline for my August Card Kit of the Month is August 21st!  Reserve yours today!  Click HERE for details.

INKspired Treasures

It’s time again for the Tour de Freaks Blog Tour, this is Stop #1.  You may have just come from our fabulous Control Freaks Swap Mom, Lisa Martz’s blog…welcome to my blog, Inkspired Treasures!  At the bottom of this post, you will be directed to the next blog stop, the awesome Mary Brown!  There is a total of 12 stops on this month’s tour. 

Our topic of the month is NEW stamp sets in the NEW catalog!  I’ve fallen in love with several sets and I’m excited to see the ideas the gals have come up with showcasing these sets!  I know I’ll have several more sets on my wishlist when I’m done with the Tour!

My first card starts out with one of the first sets I had on my wish list, Herb Expressions!  This is such a VERSATILE set with the images and verses it contains.  This card is 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 and uses two of the new In Colors!  For my focal element, I cut an oval template from the Oval Shapes die with my Big Shot and used the reverse image to sponge So Saffron in an oval shape on Whisper White.  Then I stamped the "I’m Here for You…" verse in Basic Black in the center of the oval.  I over stamped the Thyme image with More Mustard within the oval, too, so it stays as a background behind the verse.  I punched the corners of the Whisper White with the Ticket Corner Punch and layered it on Crushed Curry, punched the corners of that layer, too. I started with a base card of Crushed Curry and added a layer of Dusty Durango.  I used some of the designer paper from Razzleberry Lemonade and layered it on Dusty Durango.  Then I wrapped two lengths of Crushed Curry Polka Dot Ribbon and adhered to the back of the Dusty Durango.  I colored the silk flower from the Pretties Kit with Dusty Durango and Crushed Curry reinkers, then added a Crystal Rhinestone brad in the center.  It is popped up with Dimensionals on the front of the card.

My next card is a sneak peak for Christmas!  Everyone who knows me, knows that I love snowmen!  My house is decorated with them from the day after Thanksgiving until the end of February.  So, of course, the minute I saw the new Level 3 Hostess Set, The More the Merrier, I just HAD to have it!  Luckily, Stampin’ Up! allows demos to preorder one of the Level 2 and Level 3 sets before the new catalog takes effect, so I’ve had this gem in my hands for a while! 

One of the things I wanted to do is to make a Snowglobe from the Snowmen.  The images of the 5 snowmen was just a little too large for my 1 3/4 Circle Punch, so I used the marker omit technique and only inked up three of the snowmen with my black marker.  Then is used the colors from the Holiday Lounge Designer Paper (Taken with Teal, Real Red) and colored their scarves and hats with my markers.  For the base of the snowglobe, I inked up Warm Winter Wishes from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and  used the NEW Modern Label Punch (doesn’t it look like a real base?) to punch it out.  At the bottom, I layered the Holiday Lounge Designer Paper onto Kraft cardstock, then a layer of Real Red.  I wrapped some 5/8 Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon and tied a knot in the front to hide the seam.  I also added a couple Real Red Square Rhinestone Brads to the bottom right corner.  Finally, I added my little snowglobe to the top with dimensionals and adhered everything to the base card of Taken With Teal!  I’m thinking that this just might be my Christmas Card this year!  Too fun!

Finally, I’ve included something for the kids.  Except that I’ll be the one carrying this around in my purse!  I’m always needing something to take notes on.  I like this pad of paper because it doesn’t have lines on it…this allows me to make sketches for designs if something catches my eye while I’m out shopping!  (Yes, I really do scribble on the backs of receipts, etc., when I spot an idea!)  

This picture shows how I made a folder to surround the paper pad and covered the outside with the new Tall Tales Designer Paper…the whales are just too cute!  The DSP was layered onto So Saffron cardstock that I scored to size around the pad of paper.  I added the reverse Stripe print from the same DSP on the bottom and wrapped some Chocolate Chip 1/4 grosgrain ribbon around to the back to secure.  I added a Filigree Brad.  Then I inked up the whale image from Animal Stories stamp set in Close to Cocoa Craft ink and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder on So Saffron cardstock.  I punched it with the 1 3/4 circle punch.  I layered it on the Whisper White Scallop Circles cut with the Pennant XL Die on my Big Shot.  I LOVE how the scallops are large enough to fit behind the 1 3/4 circle punch!  I also used the same Tall Tails Designer Paper to decorate the inside of the folder.

Of course, if I were to give it as a gift, I’d need a card to go with it.  So I created a little 4×4 card in the same design to go with my little memo pad holder!  Just for You is from the Teeny Tiny Words stamp set.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my creations and bookmark my site in your Favorites file.  Or, sign up to receive email updates in the upper left corner.  It emails you every time I post something new!

Next stop is the awesome, Mary Brown!  I’m sure she will WOW you with her creations!

Have a great day!

INKspired Treasures