Think Spring: Fresh Cuts Notes

Fresh Cuts Notes (111882, $8.95 for 15 cards & envelopes) are one of my favorite springtime projects. In fact, I loved these little notes so much that they were featured in my Stamps in the Mail Club last year! The notes are die-cut so that the 5 petals punch out. You can layer colored cardstock behind them, plus you can save the punched petals for another card--check out my samples below.

Both of these cards feature the Fresh Cuts stamp set (111634, $21.95) and Lavender Lace ink and cardstock as well. On the top card, I punched out the petals from the Fresh Cut note, and placed a piece from the 5-Petal Flower Punch behind the card front, in the center. Then I layered another piece of Lavender Lace cardstock behind the whole card front.

Here's another trick--for the ribbon, I wanted a little bit of Lavender Lace, so I used my Lavender Lace Stampin' Write Marker to draw a stripe down the center of a piece of 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon. Gotta love those Stampin' Write Markers!!

For this card, I used the petal punch-outs from the original Fresh Cuts card, and attached them to a 3-3/4" x 7-1/2" piece of Lavender Lace cardstock, and layered it on a 4x4" square of Whisper White. This way I can get 2 cute flower cards from each of the cute Fresh Cuts die-cut notes!!

Simply Said Gift Card Holder

This Simply Said stamp set (115066, $28.95) has been around for ages, and I still find myself pulling it out to use! This card is designed to hold a gift card. Start with a strip of cardstock, then score it so that the inner flap will hold your gift card, and the top flap will cover up your surprise :-)

This little card has the flower attached with a brad so that the edge of the flower holds the top flap of the card closed.

Supplies:
Stamp Set: Simply Said
Inks: VersaMark (for the embossed greeting), Pink Passion, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Certainly Celery,
Accessories: Silver Brad, White Embossing Powder, Stamping Sponge, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, 2-Way Glue Pen, Corner Rounder Punch

Trying to figure out the leaves on the flower? It's a cool trick--stamp the solid flower in Certainly Celery on Certainly Celery cardstock, then trim off two petals to use as the leaves. This card is actually one of the demonstrator swaps I received back in 2006 on the Stampin' Up! Mexican Riviera Cruise. So if anyone recognizes it, let me know who gets credit for the original creation!

Snowmen Everywhere

One of Abby's favorite things to do is "make projects". Her favorite stamp set of all time is an old snowman set, with separate circles for each part of the snowman's body.

Here she is, hard at work on her creation. I was impressed that when she was 2, she could put the snowmen together and add hats, arms, etc. (these are some pretty old pictures ;-) You can see some of her work above.

Of course Abby took her stamping seriously back then. She still takes it seriously now, but fortunately she remembers to keep her stamped images mostly on her paper, now that she's 5.

If you look carefully here, you can see the blue circle that Abby stamped around her eye. Not sure what she was planning to do there, but she did look pretty cute :-) Fortunately those Classic Pads wash off easily!!

Butterfly Class Last Night

What's more fun than 10 women hanging out? Well, 10 women hanging out and stamping, of course! Last night was the class for my Beautiful Butterfly Cards, and we had a great time. Everyone's cards turned out beautifully.

The kits went in the mail today for the "to go" version of my class, so if you ordered one of the kits, you can expect it to arrive in the next day or two. Gotta love that Priority Mail shipping!

Good news if you didn't sign up--I still have 5 kits left! You can find the original cards posted here, and the details plus online sign-ups here. Just think how nice it would be to get everything pre-cut, ready to stamp & assemble, delivered to your doorstep!

Speaking of kits 'ready to go', I still have 5 spots open for the current round of my Stamps in the Mail Club. You won't want to miss the chance to sign up for this great stamping opportunity.
These are the first 4 projects for the Club, and you can still sign up! The great thing about this club is that it includes ALL the stamps and inks needed to make all the projects, PLUS the pre-cut cardstock, embellishments and directions with photos, ready for you to stamp. If you'd like to learn more (and sign up) you can find the details on my main website.

Big Shot Big Deal Club Inside Scoop Video

Yup, you have it here! It's an inside scoop on my Big Shot/Big Deal Club!! If you haven't signed up for my Club yet, it's not too late--you can still check it out and sign up. For 4 months, Club members can either attend a class and create 3-4 projects, or they can choose to have access to the Club projects on video via their computers!

So I'm sharing one of my latest videos here--just to show you what kinds of fun projects we've been working on. This video features the Movers & Shakers Curly Label Die for the Big Shot--I love it!!

One Night, 220 Scrapbook Pages

What do 220 happy little girls look like? I can answer that! On Friday night, I helped the Champaign Park District put on their annual Daddy Daughter Princess Ball. Over 400 dads and daughters filled two ballrooms at the Hilton Garden Inn, for dinner (kid-friendly fare!), dancing, princess visits, and crafts.

You guessed it, the crafts is where I came in!

Each girl got to assemble her own souvenir scrapbook page to take home. It's hard to see in the picture, but the background paper is embossed with the Big Shot Texturz plates swirl pattern, and the title was created with the Big Shot Top Note Die. The stars are from the Big Shot Stars #2 die. Without a doubt, the highlight for each girl was adding her own Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to the page. We used 2-Way Glue Pens, and I was impressed with the creativity of many of the girls--no simple glitter patterns here! We saw hearts, swirls, names and more.

Here's my daughter Abby making her own page--but her favorite part of the evening was definitely dancing with her dad. Awwww!

Dad's take on the event? He said he enjoyed the evening, and the food was great--best chicken fingers and rolls and potatoes he's ever eaten in a ballroom ;-)

And a big thank-you to my wonderful volunteers for the evening! It takes quite a bit of coordination to have 220 girls make scrapbook pages in 3 hours. By the end of the night we all looked like glitter queens! But the girls were happy and everyone had fun.

Valentine's Day: guy cards

My husband, Erick, is a wonderful guy, and he loves tools...power tools, hand tools, expensive tools, but mostly NEW tools. I can't say I feel much differently about my stamping tools...new things are ALWAYS fun to have!

This is a card I created for him (since TODAY is Valentine's Day!) using my new Totally Tools stamp set. It's a guy card. No pink, no bows, no frou-frou rhinestones. Just tools, corduroy and polka dots...in guy colors!

• Stamps: Totally Tools
• Ink: Basic Gray
• Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Urban Oasis Designer Series Paper, Basic Gray,
• Accessories: Blender Pens, Stampin' Pastels, Kiwi Kiss Corduroy Buttons, Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Memory Matching Game: Stampin' Style

Are you ever in need of a quick and easy stamping project to entertain a group of school-aged kids? This is a fun project that I created to take to a parenting group's Family Night in a town near me. Their theme was 'things to create with what you have at home'.

Well every family might not have a Wild About You stamp set at home, and a set of Bold Brights Classic Ink Pads, but I'd bet that everyone has a box of crayons and some paper, and this project could certainly work with those supplies.

Each child stamped a set of 16 'cards' with the animal stamps in the set, and stamped the "wild about you" greeting on the back of each. I pointed out that the matching game would be more fun if they made 2 of each animal in the same color :-)


Of course everyone needed a take-home baggie, so I scored a piece of Tempting Turquoise cardstock and they used Sticky Strip to attach the Medium Cello Bag to the inside.

Here's a sample game, ready to be dealt out and played! So next time you need a simple project, pull out your stamps and inks, and create your own Memory Matching game, stampin' style!!

Photo Frame Sale-A-Bration Project

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for cute and easy projects to make for loved ones like grandparents, my husband, special friends, and this is a great project that I've used in the past. I resurrected it to share at a local MOPS group event, where I was asked to come and be the speaker, plus provide a fun stamping project.

The theme for the MOPS day focused on marriages, and with Valentine's Day approaching, I thought it would be fun to make a small gift.

This frame sits perfectly on a desk at home or at work, and makes a wonderful and inexpensive gift. Here is the supply list that we used:

• Stamps: Upsy Daisy ('you're on my mind'), Polka Dot Punches SAB set
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Bashful Blue
• Paper: So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Delicate Dots SAB Designer Series Paper
• Accessories: Top Note Big Shot Die, Silver Brads, SAB Ribbon Bundle (Saffron), Corner Rounder, 5-Petal Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Round Tab Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Tombow Multiadhesive,
  

The coasters you can pick up in any restaurant or bar--usually the wait staff is happy to give you a couple of extras for your project :-)

And here's a sample with a picture of Tucker...all ready to give to my husband for Valentine's Day! (don't spoil my surprise...I don't think he reads my blog ;-)

Standing Pop-Up Card

I'm excited to share a fun card fold that I learned from my fellow demonstrator, Shari Caspers, in a swap last month. I adapted it to fit into a regular Medium Stampin' Up! Envelope, and I created some directions and posted them below in a 'photo' that you can download and print, or keep on your computer as a reference.

This was one of my "Stamp Club with Meg" projects this week.


We used the Bella Rose Designer Series Paper, the new Fleurettes crocheted flowers (a fun touch!) and the new Wonderful Watercolors stamp set to stamp the flowers and the words. The cardstock colors are Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette to match the Bella Rose paper.

Click here to download the directions as a pdf file...

Ribbon Club -- get 'em all!

Would you like to try all of Stampin' Up!'s ribbons, but don't feel you need a full spool of every color? Are you looking for a more affordable way to have all the colors? Would you like a FREE Sell-A-Bration Stamp Set along with your ribbons?

My Ribbon Club is the perfect solution! You'll get all the ribbons as part of the swap--all the grosgrains, organza, taffeta, satin, gingham and poly-twill, PLUS the Ribbon Originals. And with free stamps, what more could you want? You'll receive over 84 yards of 66 ribbon varieties, plus an invitation to a pizza party and a Sell-A-Bration stamp set.
Cost is $47.36 (plus $5 if you'd like your ribbons mailed) and available to the first 10 who sign up.

View the complete details (pdf file)...
Email me now to sign up...

Designer Series Paper Club -- get 'em all!

Stampin' Up! offers over 120 exclusive double-sided patterned papers perfect for all your card-making and scrapbooking needs. It would cost over $245 to buy them all on your own!

Participate in my Designer Series Paper Share and get 6" x 6" pieces of each of these 120 sheets (240 patterns total) for only $30!

Sign-up by February 17th and get a Sale-a-bration Bonus: 2 FREE 6x6" sheets of each of the Delicate Dots DSP (8 sheets total)!

Orders will be ready to pick up or mail (add $5 for mail) by February 28th.

Email me to sign-up for the Designer Series Paper Share and I'll send you a PayPal invoice. (Email me NOW, as this club is available to the first 8 who sign up!!)

To view these papers in detail, go to my online store at megloven.stampinup.net and click "Shop Now" and then browse "Paper" and "Designer Series Paper".

How to Join

To join any (or all) of the clubs, simply email me with your name, address and payment choice. I'll send an invoice and you can then pay either via paypal or credit card by phone. Any club that fills prior to February 17th will be ordered on February 17th. After that, orders will be placed as soon as I have enough members for the club. Papers/ribbons will be ready for pick-up approximately 10-14 days after the order is placed. Allow 4-5 extra days for mailing.

Beautiful Butterfly Class Reminder

About 2 weeks ago I posted a Beautiful Butterfly Class that can also be ordered as a 'to go' kit. You can make your own set of cards, complete with a designer tote to match!

You'll want to sign up by Saturday, February 13th to receive your Beautiful Butterflies at the class. Otherwise the final registration deadline is February 20th. I didn't want any one to miss out!

You'll want to sign up NOW for my February Class Kit--either attend in person on Monday, February 23rd at 6:30 pm in Champaign, IL OR sign up and get your very own Class Kit in the Mail!!

You'll make 6 cards (2 of each shown) plus the cute card tote and 6 large square envelopes. These cards are 5-1/4" x 5-1/4" and are perfect for ALL OCCASIONS--birthdays, thank yous, 'thinking of you'. Class cost is $25 to attend, or add $5 for shipping.

BUT IT GETS BETTER!! If you want to add the Beautiful Butterflies Big Shot Die to your kit, I'm letting you add it for only $13 more!! That's 40% off the retail price of $21.95.

All supplies will be included in the class or kit, except for adhesive (bring your own SNAIL). The Class Kit in the Mail will also include photos and detailed directions.

Sign up to attend or for the Class Kit in the Mail right now...
(register online and pay by check or online)

Polka Dot Punches and Sale-A-Bration Sample

What's better than using the Polka Dot Punches stamp set, the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper, and So Saffron/Certainly Celery Ribbon Bundle all on the same card?

Getting all 3 product for FREE, of course!! During Sale-A-Bration (Feb 1 til Mar 31) these three products are all among the choices that you can select for free when you order $50 in Stampin' Up! products from me.

I just love how the Polka Dot Punches stamp set matches perfectly with the Scallop Circle Punch and the 5-Petal Flower Punch. And how cool that the Ribbon Bundle choices match up with the Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper colors! Soft spring colors... certainly remind me that Spring is around the corner! (now to go shovel snow...) ;-)

Scallop Envelope Big Shot Die -- Candy Container

Wondering what to do with that Big Shot Scallop Envelope die, other than making cute little scalloped envelopes? Well here's a fabulous idea for you!! Cut out two of the Scallop Envelopes, trim the bottom flap so that it's the same width as the side flaps, then make a little box!

I learned this trick at our demonstrator group meeting 2 weeks ago, and just had to make another sample for one of my Big Shot/Big Deal Club samples for this month.

Aren't they cute? The sample on the left uses the new Good Morning Sunshine designer series paper, along with the Good Friend stamp set (one of those cool new 'bird' sets!). The sample on the right uses the new Candy Lane Designer Series Paper, along with the new Love You Much stamp set. I did a great Love You Much class last week--I still have some kits available, so feel free to check them out, then email me to order one!

Abby's Cupcake Artwork

In my last post I forgot to explain the green streamers hanging on my Stamping Studio cabinets. Our daughter Abby just turned 5 years old, and we held the craft part of her birthday party in my Stamping Studio. Yes, imagine that, the kids did crafts at our house! ;-) Ha... our god-daughter's favorite question when she comes to play is always, "Can we do a project now?" :-)

These are the thank you notes that Abby created for some of her friends. We used the Simple Birthday Thanks stamp on Whisper White cardstock. I cut out the cupcake, then Abby used regular Crayola Washable Watercolor paints to color in the frosting and cherry on each cupcake. When the paper was dry, I SNAILed the cupcakes to a Real Red background paper. Abby loved creating these little masterpieces, and I just wanted to share them with you!

My Stamping Studio

So where do I work, anyway? In my Stamping Studio, of course! About a year ago my wonderful husband, Erick, finished off my studio with these cabinets and counter top, and I LOVE them! It's so nice to have things behind closed doors. Of course I won't show you the mess that's BEHIND the camera ;-)

And yes, that's my video camera set up there, taping my samples for my Big Shot/Big Deal Club and my Stamps in the Mail Club, since I offer video tutorials for the projects that are included in those Clubs. I also do quite a few videos that I post here, and you can check out some past video tutorials on my blog.

As you can see, I love my Stampin' Up! Color Caddies (for my ink pads) and my Stack & Store Caddies (for my embellishments). They really help me keep organized. And yes, those are the Flourishes Decor Elements on the back wall by my Big Shot station. I'll have to get a better picture of those to post soon!

Cute Cupcakes by Big Shot

I think I've already said that this is one of my favorite new Big Shot products... yup, it's the Stampin' Up! Big Bold Cupcakes Sizzlit set (114509, $21.95). The frosting, cupcake holder and little heart are just a few of the die-cuts in this set. You can also use the candle, flame, little flower and polka dot dies!

This card also features the new Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates set (114512, $11.95 for a set of 6 plates). I cut the Top Note first with my Big Shot, then added the dot texture on the background. The little "let's celebrate!" image is from the On Your Birthday stamp set (111664, set of 12, $33.95). The Designer Series Paper is from the Sweet Always set, and the ribbon is the 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain.

This is actually one of the cards from my Big Shot Club--it's not too late to join! You can find more information on my website...

Disney Punch Ideas

When we were in Florida for the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference last month, my friend Mary Ellen and I spent a day visiting Walt Disney World. I'm a Disney-lover, but it was Mary Ellen's first time at the Magic Kingdom, so I was SO excited to show her all my favorites!! We arrived at 10 am and left at 11:30 pm--what a wonderful day of fun! And of course, just one more bonus of being a demonstrator--a tax-deductible trip to Orlando!

This is the card that Mary Ellen sent me after our trip--isn't it WONDERFUL!? She's a fantastic stamper, there's no doubt :-) You can't see it, but the Whisper White Top Note die-cut was embossed using the new Texturz plates (the checkered image). The Minnie Mouse was created using the 1-3/4" and 1" Circle Punches, and the little bow is the Real Red Gingham Ribbon. The larger ribbon on the Top Note is the Real Red Striped Grosgrain. And finally, the stamp set used is from the new Once Upon A Time stamp set.

Demonstrator Starter Kit Special -- 15% off PLUS free stamps!

From February 1 - March 31, become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and get your customizable Starter Kit--$355 worth of products, for only $169! That's 15% off the regular price of $199!
Also get a free stamp set of your choice (up to $47.95 value!) in addition to the 4 stamp sets already included in the kit! That raises the kit value to over $400!!

Enhance your kit by adding scrapbooking products with the Stampin' Memories add-on for only $50. And shipping is FREE!

Whether you want t a fun and flexible career with Stampin' Up! or simply some great products at a terrific discount, I can help you.

Jumpstart your creativity today with the Stampin' Up! Starter Kit!

Learn more about the special...
Contact me with questions about joining my Stampin' Up! team...

FREE STAMPS!! Sale A Bration is HERE!!

Stampin' Up!'s greatest sale of the year is here! Pick from Designer Series Paper, Ribbon Bundle or Stamp Sets... Order $50 and select a FREE Sale-A-Bration item of your choice. Order $100, get 2 FREE selections!

Be sure to check the Sale-A-Bration Mini Catalog (click to download the 1.1 MB file) and grab your Wish List.

Sale-A-Bration only lasts from February 1st til March 31st--don't miss out! Place your order online and get stamping!

Shop online... (click 'shop now')