Stampin' Up!

Create with Connie and Mary!

April 12, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

It's here! We are launching our third edition of Create with Connie & Mary, where we will be featuring products from the amazing Summer Mini Catalog. Yes…there is a slight name change. Mary Brown, Sr. Design Team member has joined Connie on the Create Team. This Edition we will again have our wonderful guest designers Monika Davis and Kerin Sylvester returning.

To kick of the start of the Early Bird Registration, Mary and I have each designed a special project to share with you. To view all the details of these projects you need to visit the Create with Connie and Mary site

The Summer Edition will run 4 weeks from May 2 – May 30. Each week we will focus on a different collection of products that can be found in the Summer Mini Catalog. Our goal is to show you some new and unique ways to use Stampin' Up!'s fabulous products. EVERY DAY there will be a new project posted and EACH WEEK there will be AT LEAST TWO TUTORIALS available for you to download. Our exclusive projects will include cards, scrapbook pages and 3D items – the quick and easy ones and the more complex larger projects.

In addition, our EXTRA Preview Week begins April 25, we will be focusing on the Elements of Style stamp set, Presto Patterns Designer Paper, Mostly Vintage Stencil, and the Rough Type Alphabet Stamp Set. During this time period, the site will be open to everyone, but starting on Sunday, May 2nd, only those who have subscribed will have access to the site.

4 week subscription to Create with Connie & Mary – $24.95 US.

SSSC64 Sketch Challenge

April 12, 2010 By Connie | 2 Comments

Here's a sneak peak at one of the sets in the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini called Tropical Party! I love this fun Coconut Drink image! I used the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge, SSSC64, to line up my coconut drinks…we'll REALLY celebrate you after drinking these! lol!

I started with a base card of Tempting Turquoise, cut into a 5 1/4 square card. I added a layer of Pumpkin Pie cardstock and stamped the small flower from Stampin' Up!'s Tropical Party randomly across the top with Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink. That piece is layered on Chocolate Chip cardstock. I wrapped Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon around and tied with a knot. I added a band of Tempting Turquoise Polka Dot from Island Oasis Designer Paper pack and a punched Scallop Edge from Old Olive Textured cardstock across the front. Behind those layers, I added the stripe pattern from Island Oasis on the base card. (The stripe is my FAVORITE!)

Finally, I stamped the coconut drinks three times on Whisper White with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink, colored them with my Stampin' Write markers and cut them out. I popped them up on the front of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. I added Celebrate You from Stampin' Up!'s A Little Birthday Cheer, stamped in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink on the bottom of the Pumpkin Pie cardstock layer.

Isn't this a FUN card? I love that sketch and will be using it again I can tell!

Remember…it is Early Bird Registration time for Create with Connie and Mary!

Stamping 411 – Greenhouse Garden

April 9, 2010 By Connie | 10 Comments

Time again for another sketch challenge from Stamping 411! This was another fun one! I decided to use one of the two-step stamping sets that is 20% off this month…Stampin' Up!'s Greenhouse Garden! I just got it with my hostess credits last month! I've always had my eye on it…but finally went and got it.

I started with a base of Lovely Lilac and added Almost Amethyst over top. Can you see the sneak peek of an item in the Summer Mini? Yep…the Square Lattice Impressions Folder will be in the new mini coming out May 1st! It really is pretty, I'm sure I'll be using it a lot!

I stamped the large two-step flower in Almost Amethyst and Lovely Lilac for the center, then cut it out. I stamped off with Rose Red ink twice for the small flowers and used the Rose Red full strength for the centers. The medium flower was So Saffron with More Mustard center. I added mini brads in the center and a Fire Circle Rhinestone Brad in the center of the large one. All of then were cut out and placed on Whisper White with Stampin' Dimensionals or adhesive.

I used the Boho Blossoms punch for the small leaves and the 5 Petal Flower punch for the large leaves. They were punched from Always Artichoke and I sponged around the edges. I layered the Whisper White on Always Artichoke, and then a larger layer of Rose Red cardstock. To finish, I tied a bow of White Satin Ribbon around the bottom of the Rose Red layer.

I like how this turned out! I hope you check out the rest of the Stamping 411 operators to see what they've done this week!

Have a great weekend!

NEW STAMPIN’ UP! COLORS!

April 8, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Did you hear the news?

Stampin' Up! is creating a Color Renovation! They are adding 5 brand new colors to the color collections AND bringing back 10 of the retired In Colors from preview years! Woohoo!

With the new catalog in July, here is what the color collections will look like:

CLICK on the chart to see a larger version!

The new color collections will be available beginning in July and the new Stampin' Up! catalog. All retiring colors and products will be available throughout April and May. In June, like all retiring products, they will be available only while supplies last.

I am beyond excited to get new colors. Of course, we all have our favorites that are retiring, but with all the new selections, I will have plenty of new colors to play with and those will become my favorites!

Oh, we will also get 5 extra new In Colors in the new catalog, too! And, they will stay around for TWO years instead of just one!

5 NEW BASE COLORS (see chart above):

Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze and Early Espresso

10 RETURNING IN COLORS (see chart above):

Baja Breeze, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry, Riding Hood Red, River Rock, Soft Suede, Tangerine Tango and Wild Wasabi

Current Colors that will officially Retire in June:

glorious green
green galore
gable green
yoyo yellow
only orange
pink passion
pixie pink
orchid opulence
lovely lilac
brilliant blue
close to cocoa
creamy caramel
really rust
ruby red
cameo coral
summer sun
bordering blue
brocade blue
ballet blue
taken with teal
handsome hunter
pale plum
blush blossom
apricot appeal
barely banana
mellow moss
sage shadow
almost amethyst
lavender lace
basic brown
going gray

Wow…that's a BIG deal, huh? I'm SO thrilled! I'm sure more information will be coming soon!

They are DONE!

April 7, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

Oh my gosh…you can't believe the relief I feel right now! The Wedding Invitations are DONE, packed up and flying their way home on the airplane with my son and future daughter-in-law this morning. Beth and I spent two solid 8 hour days on Monday and Tuesday finishing them. I must admit, they took MUCH longer than I anticipated, even with me doing the preliminary work on the outside portfolios before Beth got here! Only one mishap…I had printed out the Ohio Reception information, cut 180 of them and then realized that the date was WRONG! Oh my! I had to reprint them and recut all of those. Hopefully, now my blog posting will get more regular and back to normal! I feel like I've been neglecting you all! lol! And yes, I'll be showing off the wedding invitations after they have been mailed on May 1st.

So, today's post is a card that my Stamp Clubs made last month. I used Stampin' Up!'s Extreme Guitar stamp again on this one, with the Extreme Elements stamps in the background. It is similar to one I made HERE for the Stamping 411 challenge a couple weeks ago.

The base is Old Olive cardstock and I layered on the Sweet Pea Designer Paper in the houndstooth pattern. I stamped the background with Extreme Elements in Sahara Sand and Old Olive, then stamped the guitar player in Craft Black ink on top. I layered the Whisper White on Basic Black cardstock.

I stamped the greeting, Let's Celebrate, from On Your Birthday stamp set in Old Olive and punched with the Large Star punch. I added two Small Star punches in Old Olive and Sahara Sand, with a Black Mini Brad. There is a small Black Satin Ribbon tab along the left side. I think it makes a rockin' masculine birthday card! I know my boys would love to get it!

I hope you have a wonderful day. I have LOTS to catch up on…seems like a million emails, plus some major stamping and prep work for classes coming up!

Bloggers Challenge – Easter

April 2, 2010 By Connie | 21 Comments

I must admit that this is not my creation! I cased this card for my Easter Card this year (and, sorry, I can't remember whose it is…if it is yours, let me know!) I thought it was DARLING! I'm just didn't get time to make up one for the challenge this week, so thought I'd show this one.

The base card is So Saffron with a layer of Bermuda Bay over top. I used the Welcome Neighbor Designer Paper (from SAB) for the clouds in the background. The cracked egg is from Stampin' Up!'s A Good Egg…I borrowed the set at the Retreat a few weeks ago from my friend, Dina. I WILL buy this set if it isn't on the retired list! I end up using hers every year! lol

The chick is punched with the 1 1/4 circle from So Saffron cardstock, then I punched a strip of Whisper White with the 1" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches for the hat. The bunny ears are two petals from the 5 Petal Punch in Pretty in Pink, then I traced them on Whisper White and cut them out slightly larger. The wings of the Chick are the small heart punch and I just cut a piece of Pumpkin Pie for the beak. I sponged around the edges with More Mustard and used the White Gel Pen to highlight some areas. I just cut the grass from Certainly Celery free-hand and drew on the eye and legs. Finally, I stamped Happy Easter from A Good Egg and punched with the Word Window punch, then layered it on the Modern Label punch from Bermuda Bay!

Hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Happy Everything to You!

April 1, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

I love the greetings in Stampin' Up!'s set, On A Pedestal…they are so fun for a variety of different occasions! This time I used it with the house from Stampin' Up! Good Neighbors and Welcome Neighbor Designer Paper, a couple of the Sale-A-Bration selections that were just available. I figured I'd give my customers one more sample of using that set! I love the colors! My inspiration came from Amanda Coughlin's card in a recent newsletter from my upline, but I tweaked it somewhat.

This was one of the cards my Stamp Club made last month. It features some of the products still available in the Occasions Mini Catalog, too…the Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, the Pinking Hearts Corner Punch, the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder and the Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads. These are all available until the end of April.

I started with a base of Not Quite Navy cardstock and layered on Bermuda Bay cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. I punched the corner with the Pinking Hearts Corner Punch. I wrapped the Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon around to the back and secured. I stamped the house on Whisper White in Not Quite Navy and Bermuda Bay and cut it out, then placed the Epoxy Brad over the door. I used the Little Leaves Sizzlet for the leaves in Certainly Celery cardstock. I had Linen Thread to hang the "birdhouse" from the branch. I placed it on the Welcome Neighbor cloud designer paper pattern and layered that on Not Quite Navy cardstock. Finally, I stamped Happy Everything to You from On A Pedestal in Not Quite Navy on Certainly Celery and punched with the Square Scallop Punch! Hope you enjoy it!

My posting is going to be very sporatic over the next week. I'm deep in wedding invitations and not finding time to stamp anything else. My son and his fiance will be here over the next few days, and I have Easter dinner and a bridal shower this weekend that I still need to shop for. CRAZY! Things will get back to normal after Wednesday when they go home and hopefully take all the invitations with them! Crossing my fingers!

Daffodils in Spring Punch Art

March 31, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

My recent punch classes enjoyed making this Daffodil card from punches! I'm always amazed how easy it is to change the look of a punch by using it in a different way. I've noticed the warm weather has made all the daffodils pop out in my area! Love their bright yellow color!

The base of this card is Almost Amethyst and I layered on Lovely Lilac cardstock. I ran another piece of Almost Amethyst thru the Big Shot with the Top Note Die to cut the shape, then ran it thru again with Finial Press for the impressions embossing.

The greeting is from the Sale-A-Bration set, Vintage Labels (LAST DAY TO GET THIS SET FREE!) and punched with the scallop oval punch.

I free-hand cut the leaves for the Daffodil. The 5 petal punch was used for the yellow part of the flower and I used the dry embossing tool for definition in the petals. The center is the Boho Blossom from Pumpkin Pie and then I made a little "stamen" for the center. I think it looks pretty real!

I'm off to play with my stamping friend today. Taking the wedding invites with me to work on them. I did get the portfolio cut today, now it needs scored and the pocket put together. Slowly but surely!