Stampin' Up!

Garden Whimsey – Stamping 411

February 12, 2010 By Connie | 12 Comments

It's Saturday and time for another Stamping 411 sketch challenge! I always love to see what the other Operators create. I'm amazed at how different our cards normally are, even using the same sketch!

I'm desperately wanting SPRING to get here and warm weather to get rid of the snow, so I thought I'd help it along by posting a spring card! I always love seeing the tulips pop up thru the ground.

This set, Stampin' Up!'s Garden Whimsey, hasn't been used for a LONG time, so I thought I'd give it a little ink. I also have a package of bright Kaleidoscope Designer Paper that I wanted to use.

I started by using my Stampin' Write markers to ink up the tulips in Pixie Pink and Melon Mambo, the stems in Certainly Celery and Garden Green. They were stamped three times on Whisper White and layered onto Garden Green. I used the dotted background paper in Kaleidoscope to tie the two greens together. I used the Eyelet Border punch along the bottom of a strip of Whisper White, then wrapped the Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon around the top portion of it and adhered to the back. This all was placed on the Pixie Pink base card. The butterflies were done using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and Pixie Pink cardstock. I used a sponge dauber to add the darker Melon Mambo color around the edges. For their bodies, I used the little sticky rhinestones in the Eggcellent Egg Kit (I am LOVING those rhinestones!) It really makes them sparkle!

I hope you take a minute to check out what the rest of the Design Operators on Stamping 411 did with this sketch! Then make your card creation, upload it to your gallery or blog, and add it to Mr. Linky over on the Stamping 411 blog.

Have a great weekend! I'm going to be sorting stuff to get ready to do my taxes next week. Yuk!!!

New Border and Corner Punch Video

February 12, 2010 By Connie | Leave a Comment

Yeah…two posts from me today and none yesterday! What's up with that? lol!

I know several of my customers have questions on how to use the new Border and Corner punches from Stampin' Up! And…I'm not always there to help. I thought I'd share a video that Stampin' Up! created from one of our trainers, Bonnie Thurber! I hope it answers your questions and gives you a few pointers!

Have a great weekend!

Bloggers’ Challenge 138 – Valentines!

February 12, 2010 By Connie | 19 Comments

It's Valentine's weekend and what is more appropriate than the Friday Bloggers' Challenge to be a Valentine theme, too!

My Technique Class made this card last week in Class. They loved it!

I used Stampin' Up!'s With All My Heart stamp set for this card. I love that the larger image fits in the new XL Fancy Flower punch perfectly! I stamped it in Real Red on Whisper White, then punched it. I adhered it with Stampin' Dimensionals to a tag made with the Tag Corner Punch. In the center, I punched the Small Heart from Faux Diamond Dust technique Pretty in Pink cardstock…it sparkles so pretty! The tag is tied on with Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon around the Pretty in Pink base card.

The background I made using strips of the Sending Love Designer Paper. it is called the Herringbone Technique. I learned how to make it from Technique Junkies Newsletter. I added a row of the Scallop Trim Border from Whisper White. Then I stamped Friend and trimmed it with my Paper Snips, added it to the front of the tag.

I'm very happy with how it turned out!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Notepad holder

February 10, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

Well, schools are out here again today, not so much from the snow (although they are saying 1-3 more inches possible this morning on top of the 5-6 inches we got yesterday), but it is FRIGID COLD! It's a winter wonderland for SURE!

I thought you'd like to see a file folder that I altered to make into a Notepad Holder. I shared how to make these with Stampin' Up!'s Thoroughly Modern File Folders at my Last Minute Gifts Class last December and when I ran across these brightly-colored folders, i knew I had to get a couple! My son's girlfriend had a birthday on Monday and this is the gift I made her. I tucked a couple Gift Cards into the inside pocket for her, too! Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the inside with the notepad!

To decorate the front, I used my Big Shot and the XL Flower Folds BIgz Die in colors of Confetti White, Pixie Pink and Only Orange cardstock. I stamped the letter A (for Allie) from Jayne's Alphabet in Basic Black on Whisper White, then punched with the 1 1/4 Circle Punch and layered on a 1 3/8 punched circle of Pixie Pink.

The store had the matching pen so I didn't need to do anything to it (ribbon kept falling off), but they did have these Binder Clips that I used a scrap piece of the folder to cover the purple base and then stamped the letter A again and punched with the 1" circle to fit on the top of the binder clip.

I think this made a FUN gift for her…hope she liked it!

Inspired by Nature

February 9, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

More snow! I can't believe we are getting more snow! The last winter storm dumped 14 inches…now we could get anywhere between 4 to 8 inches. Schools have already called off today. I'm ready for SPRING!

My Technique's Class last week made this card using the technique, Newspaper Reveal, from Technique Junkies! I'm showing you because it also fits my LateNightStampers Design Team Challenge for Who's the Boss…embossing techniques! It is fun stamping and recycling at the same time…we always have tons of newspapers around the house.

The base of the card is Old Olive with a strip of designer paper from Tall Tales and I added a strip of Close to Cocoa punched with the Pinking Hearts Border punch along the left side. Stampin' Up!'s Inspired by Nature image was used for the Newspaper Reveal technique. I layered it on So Saffron and wrapped the Barely Banana striped Ribbon around it and tied. I cut the tag from Lots of Tags Sizzlet Pack with the Big Shot and So Saffron cardstock, then stamped Happy Birthday from Stampin' Up!'s Well Scripted on the tag and added two small Clear Rhinestone Brads on top and bottom.

It's a fun technique and my stampers really liked it!

Since it is snowing today, I plan on staying home and stamping all day! Woohoo!

Ooh la la, it’s Tote-ally Tess

February 8, 2010 By Connie | 6 Comments

Pals Paper Arts has a color challenge going on this week (PPA28) and I thought I'd play along because the colors are so dramatic and fun! I decided to glam up my Tote-ally Tess with a sparkly dress for her night out on the town! Julie Dinn, Mary Brown and I also did a little mini challenge…each of us coming up with a card using "Tess"! You can see their cards their cards on their websites here:

Julie Dinn

Mary Brown

Stampin' Up!'s Tote-ally Tess was on the top of my list when the new Occasions Mini came out. I have the older set, Stella Stamper, that I've used for demo meetings and swaps. But, this is the updated version! I think anyone that stamps can related to all the tools that she has!

I used the Scallop Square Clear Die and cut a piece of Melon Mambo with the Big Shot. In each of the scallops, I added a tiny Rhinestone Brad from Eggcellent Eggs Kit. I layered a square of pink houndstooth from Sweet Pea Designer Paper to fit inside the Scallop Square. I wrapped some of the luscious Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon around it.

Tess I stamped with Black Craft Ink on Whisper White and embossed with Clear Embossing Powder. On a piece of Melon Mambo Cardstock, I stamped and embossed her again, then added a thin layer of Tombow Multipurpose Glue all over the front of her, following the outline of her legs to make the dress. I sprinkled on the Rose Pink colored Fine Cosmos Glitter. After it dried, I cut out the dress and adhered it over the Whisper White Tess. I added some of the tiny Rhinestone in her hair in a flower shape! The words are from You and Moi, one of the stamp sets you can get FREE for Sale-A-Bration! I added two more tiny rhinestones on each end of the greeting.

We are also featuring Tote-ally Tess this week over on Create with Connie and Julie. We are starting Week 5, but it's not too late to join! The projects and tutorials will stay up indefinitely for you to enjoy and refer back to when you wish.

We thought we'd give you a little peek at a few of the projects we have done so far! We've shared over 18 tutorials, with step by step instructions and pictures that you are welcome to use in Stamp Camps and Classes. In addition, we share daily projects that contain instructions, tips and a full supply list for you to duplicate the project. We also have weekly challenges with our subscribers who can win fabulous Stampin' Up! products!.

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We have a great time on the site and we would love to have you join us. To find out more about the site or to purchase your subscription please visit us HERE.

CCJC5 – Color Challenge

February 6, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

Every Saturday on the Create with Connie & Julie site we issue a challenge. Our subscribers are encouraged to enter the challenge to win fabulous prizes! Last week's challenge winners were Robin and Sandra with Jeannine having an honorable mention! Congratulations, ladies!

Well, Julie certainly came up with a BRIGHT color combination challenge for us over on Create with Connie and Julie today! Our challenge was Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie. I actually asked her…"what were you thinking?" However, Stampin' Up!'s Welcome Neighbor Designer Paper from the Sale-A-Bration brochure, does have papers with those colors, so…it worked out! I'm not sure that I LOVE this card, but it think it came together pretty well.

I started with a base card of Crushed Curry, then added the Melon Mambo. On the Old Olive layer, I used the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. I added a strip of Welcome Neighbor Designer Paper with the Crushed Curry hearts. Then the center houses are part of the Designer Paper, too. I just cut a rectangle that had 3 houses on it. That was layered on Pumpkin Pie cardstock. I punched the XL Flower from Melon Mambo cardstock and added little dots around the edges with my White Gel Pen. I punched a 1" circle for the center from Pumpkin Pie and added more dots. The center I stamped Best Wishes from Vintage Labels…another FREE Sale-A-Bration selection. Finally, I added a Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon across the bottom, then a bow with a Square Fire Rhinestone Brad!

Make sure you check out the rest of the Create with Connie and Julie Design Team's projects this week!

If you haven't checked out the Create with Connie and Julie site yet now is the time to do it! We feature new Occasions Mini product every week. There is a new project posted every day and there will be a minimum of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Julie.

Stamping 411 – Something Sweet

February 5, 2010 By Connie | 10 Comments

I've always wanted a stamp set with a gumball machine in it. Stampin' Up! used to have one, but I missed out on getting it. Stampin' Up!'s Something Sweet stamp set is just as cute as can be! What is fun, too, is that you can use the Sweet Treat Cups in them, too!

Usually with sketches, my cards come together pretty quickly. This one took a while. I think because the focal panel was SO big. I'm anxious to see what the other Stamping 411 Operators came up with this week! And…what you all do with it playing along. You can add your card to Mr. Linky on the Stamping 411 site!

I didn't want to use a red base for my gumball machine, so decided to make it Brocade Blue and Crushed Curry. After I stamped it, I cut it out, then adhered it to some Welcome Neighbor Designer Paper. I stamped "that was so sweet of you" directly on the Designer Paper in Basic Black. The Designer Paper was adhered to a layer of Melon Mambo, and then the layer of Crushed Curry cardstock. I wrapped the Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon to the back of the Crushed Curry layer. Then stamped Thanks so Much from Happy Thoughts in Basic Black and punched with the 1 1/4 circle punch. It is layered on a punched 1 3/8 circle of Brocade Blue. I added a Summer Sun Corduroy Button brad to the center and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. The gumballs I used Brocade Blue, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry for the colors and punched them out with the 1/2 circle punch.

I love the bright colors and how it ended up, even though it took me longer than normal. I hope you check out the rest of the Stamping 411 Operators to see what they have done this week!

We are getting BLASTED with snow! We've had at least six inches so far and expected anywhere from 8 to 12 inches. I was out with the snowblower twice already and my hubby just did it again. I'm glad we don't have anywhere to go this weekend! We can stay in nice and warm!