Last Day to Sale-A-Brate Free Stamps

You'll have to wait til next year... that's 2011, before Sale-A-Bration comes around again!


Two choices to get your order with free Sale-A-Bration gifts today:

1. Order online through my ordering website
2. Send me an email with your Shopping List. Be sure to include:

• Name
• Shipping Address
• Phone Number where I can reach you today
• Payment choice: credit card by phone or PayPal Invoice
  

Remember that today is the last day! Did you see all the samples I've posted with Sale-A-Bration ideas this past few months? If you missed any, be sure to check out the ideas!

This is also the last day to take advantage of the discount on the "I Want It All" Kit, aka the Demonstrator Starter Kit! If you're still considering, be sure to see the details on my website, along with some answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Then you'll need to email me today to get the password to sign up and become part of our LovenStampfuls Group! I'd love to have you join us!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Decor Elements: Wise Men Seek All Year Long

Last week I helped a friend hang the Decor Element saying that she had ordered from the Decoratively Decorative catalog.

We put it up over her front door, and it looks fabulous! The phrase originally had a Christmas Star between the 'E' and the 'N' in 'MEN', but since she wanted to leave this up all year long, we just removed that part from the backing paper before applying it to her wall.

That's another of the great things about Decor Elements--they're easy to adapt by omitting parts that you don't want, or moving things around as you wish.

Click here to see how I've used Decor Elements in other places recently.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Butterfly Class "To Go": 4 kits remain!

Did you mean to sign up for the Beautiful Butterflies Card Class but forget?
No problem--I still have 4 "to go" kits left.

Just visit my class site and sign up!

The class fee ($30) includes 6 fabulous all-occasion cards and envelopes plus a cute designer tote: use them for birthdays, thank yous or "thinking of you" cards! Each card measures 5-1/4" x 5-1/4".

Include the Chit Chat Rub-ons & Fine Flourish stamp in your class kit for just $14 more (normally $20.90!!).

"TO GO" Kits will include pre-cut cardstock and embellishments (including pre-cut butterflies and scallop circles), plus detailed assembly instructions. Just provide your own inks and stamps (or get the BONUS kit and you'll have the stamps & rub-ons you need!).

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Stampin' Tools: Paper Snips

Last week I showed a project that my mom created. She's actually a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in our LovenStampfuls group, too, and she's been a demonstrator for 7 years this month!

And when they say that Mom knows best, I have learned that "they" are pretty accurate. I actually remember the moment when I figured out that "they" were right and Mom really did know what she was talking about. I was in college, and it dawned on me that Mom's words were true... if I didn't pick up my own mess, no one else was going to do it for me.

Since then, I'd like to think that I listen a little bit more to my mom. Or at least I try to pay closer attention!

So when Mom suggested (way back 7 years ago) that I really needed to try the Stampin' Up! Paper Snips, I went ahead and placed my order.

Of course it pained me to spend $9.95 on a pair of scissors, especially when I didn't really like to cut things out, but if Mom said they were good, then I had to get them.

I am happy to say that I changed my tune--7 years ago! No--I still think Mom is right--that part didn't change.

But I decided I LOVED to cut things out, thanks mostly to my Paper Snips (and Mom). When the scissors are sharp, lightweight and maneuverable like the Paper Snips, it makes a big difference, and cutting out small flowers no longer made me cringe in fear (or change my card layout to avoid cutting at all).

I even created a recent Stamping 101 Video Tutorial on how to cut things out. You might find it useful if you have yet to catch the fever on using Paper Snips.

(and yes, the scrapbook page above was from the Stampin' Up! Convention last summer, and it was created in My Digital Studio).


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Paper Snips: 103579

Easter Tree: Big Shot Beautiful Butterflies

You might have seen the Valentine's Day tree that I created with my mom and daughter this past February. It featured one of the new Embosslits for the Big Shot from the Occasions Mini Catalog: the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit.

Well for Easter, the tree my mom created features another embosslit--the Beautiful Wings Embosslit.


In addition to the teeny Embosslit butterflies, she also used the Beautiful Butterflies die, which has been one of my favorites! (today is the last day to sign up for my Butterfly Card Class!)

Mom cut the butterflies from Patterns Designer Series paper in light colors, then attached them to lightweight eggs from the seasonal decor section of her local craft store.

She used Mini Glue Dots to adhere ribbon loops to the tops of each egg, then strung all the eggs onto decorative branches in a vase.

Thanks for sharing, Mom!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Big Shot (113439), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138), Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die (114507)

My Digital Studio for Spring Break

I want to share with you a few signs of a 'real life' scrapbooker, a sort of "you might be a scrapbooker if..." list with a bit of reality check thrown in:

• you are already planning layouts in your head WHILE you're still taking photos
• you plan to get your pages done 'right away' before you 'forget the details'
• you follow through on none of this, barely get the photos off your camera's memory card, and then watch folders and folders of jpgs fill up your hard drive, still not scrapbooked (is that even a word?)
  

I'll go out on a limb here and say that I might not be the ONLY one with this problem. Yes, I know it's a stretch to think I might not be alone, but let's just pretend someone else might have this sad issue ;-)

What I'm finding is that the digital papercrafting program from Stampin' Up! --My Digital Studio-- is really making it much easier for me to follow through with my best intentions.

Here's a page, created in about 10 minutes using the Sweet Pea Designer Pack (yup, the same one I used recently for CD holders). The layout for the 8 x 8" scrapbook page was created for me as part of the Sweet Pea Designer Pack (gotta love those Designer Layouts!).


Since I started with the Designer Template already included with the Sweet Pea Download, the steps were simple:

• add some quick journaling
• drag and drop my photos from the Zilker Botanical Gardens
• change all the Rose Red papers and embellishments to Ruby Red (I'm thinking that when Tucker is 12, he'll thank me for keeping pink off his scrapbook pages)

I may still have gigs of photos still to tackle, but at least our recent family adventures have been making their way onto actual scrapbook pages much more quickly, thanks to My Digital Studio.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
My Sweet Pea Digital Kit -- Digital Download (119978),
My Digital Studio (118108)

Thinking Ahead to 4 Fabulous Stamp-Filled Days

This evening I was chatting with a group of demonstrator friends from our LovenStampfuls group. We don't get together very often, since we live about 1000 miles apart, but we do usually get to see each other at big Stampin' Up! events, either Convention or the Leadership Conference.

Of course we started to talk about attending Convention this coming summer in Salt Lake City, and how excited we were to get together with our friends, get to know some of the new demonstrators in our group and to spend 4 fabulous days with a hobby we love!

So I thought I'd post a few of the My Digital Studio scrapbook pages that I created using pictures from our Convention in 2009.

If you've ever considered becoming a demonstrator, right now is a GREAT time to sign up. The fabulous special on the Demonstrator Starter Kit ends soon (March 31st), and as a demonstrator, you'll have the chance to sign up to attend Convention with us this coming July in Salt Lake City!



Like the journaling on the scrapbook pag says above, we have more demonstrators from our LovenStampfuls group attend Convention every year, and I'd love to have you join us, too!

I'm sure you'll have questions about being a demonstrator. Here are a few of the most common questions I hear--if you don't see your questions answered there, feel free to send me an email.

All 3 of the pages above were created using the Sunny Day Designer Templates in My Digital Studio. All I had to do was move a few embellishments, add my pictures and fill in some journaling. Click here to see more of my recent My Digital Studio projects.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Supplies: My Digital Studio

Really, Just One More Thing

Often when I'm demonstrating a card, I hold it up to show everyone, but then remember that there's just 'one more thing' I was planning to add. It actually gets to be a joke with stampers who know me... there is ALWAYS 'one more thing' ;-)

Here are two samples of the same card, one with a nice simple layout and set of easy-to-follow steps. The card on the left is the 'one more thing' version, with a few extras added.


Can you spot all the 'one more thing' additions to the stepped-up card? (ha ha... I just realized that the card is actually 'stepped up' in the photo!)

• Use the Paper Crimper to add texture to the Bermuda Bay card stock strip
• Use a Corner Rounder punch to soften the corners of the Sahara Sand layer
• Add a Library Clip as an extra embellishment
• Include a metallic accent such as the stamped and heat embossed medallion from the With All My Heart stamp set
• Step up the background by stamping in Versamark Ink on the Sahara Sand card stock.
  

**COLOR TIP** When I sat down to make this card, the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper caught my eye, so I used colors from that paper: Rose Red, Taken with Teal and Sahara Sand. Remember that the Designer Series Papers and Simply Scrappin Kits make great color idea sources!

**PRODUCT TIP** Versamark Ink is always one shade darker than whatever card stock color you're using--so if you have all 48 colors of Stampin' Up! cardstock, a Versamark Pad is like having 48 colors of matching ink :-) (and yes, the Versamark Pad is part of the "I Want It All Kit", on sale until March 31st!)


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Stamps: With All My Heart
Ink: Rose Red, Versamark (for embossing)
Paper: Rose Red, Taken with Teal, Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Accessories: Extra Large Fancy Flower Punch, Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper Crimper, Heat Tool, Silver Embossing Powder, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Library Clips

What Every Pre-Teen Cheerleader Needs

This crafty idea came directly from Stampin' Up! Yes, one more way to cut fabric for fun projects with your Big Shot die cut machine. And they're just what every elementary school cheerleader needs!

It seems like every time I pull out my fabric stash and my Big Shot, my daughter appears and asks if whatever I'm making is for her. She's going to have quite the stash of Big Shot fabric projects by the time we're finished! So needless to say, these projects have terrific kid-appeal.

I used the same fabric selection for the key chain here that I used for my Scallop Square purse and my LOVE Pennant Banner, if you want to check out those projects.

The flower is actually quite large--it's nearly 5 inches across. I started out thinking that I'd make a keychain, but I think mine is actually going to be an embellishment for a purse strap (good thing it's a perfect match for my Scallop Square bag!).

The original idea from Stampin' Up! was for a ponytail holder. Can't you picture a herd of little cheerleaders wearing cute Big Shot flowers to match their team colors? Too cute!

Instructions

1. Use the Big Shot to cut 10 large scallop circles from the Scallop Circles #2 Bigz Die. Trim one side of each circle, removing 8 scallops. With a needle and doubled thread, gather the scallops together across the straight side, about 1/4" from the edge. Tie off the thread.
   
2. Use the Big Shot to cut 10 of the smaller circles from the same die. With a needle and double thread, gather the circles across three of the scallops. Tie off to form a smaller flower.
   
3. Cover a Corduroy Button with a scrap of fabric by gathering the fabric across the back and stitching together.
4. Assemble the flower by sewing through all layers of fabric. Add button to center and catch fabric with same thread. Stitch onto doubled striped grosgrain ribbon to make keychain.
   

The supplies for this project are pretty minimal-- just the Big Shot, the Stampin' Up! Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die, a Corduroy Button and your fabric, needle and thread!

By the way, if you're looking for fun Easter ideas, the Scallop Circle #2 Die will definitely come in handy. I used it last year for a sweet Easter bunny basket treat!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Accessories: Big Shot (113439), Stampin' Up! Scallop Circle #2 Bigz Die (113469), Corduroy Button Brad (114339),

Satin Ribbon Choices at Your Fingertips

Add instant elegance to your projects with satin ribbon in Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors!

Would you like to try the new Stampin' Up! Satin Ribbons? Are you looking for an affordable way to have all nine colors to match whatever projects you dream up? Would you like a FREE Sell-A-Bration Stamp Set along with your ribbons?

Then you'll want to sign up for my Satin Ribbon Share!

These gorgeous ribbons are 5/8" wide, and you'll receive ribbon in the following colors:

• Basick Black
• Real Red
• Chocolate Chip
• Certainly Celery
• Pretty in Pink
• Bashful Blue
• Very Vanilla
• Old Olive
• Basic Gray

Two Ways to Play:

3 yards of each color for $19 plus $2 shipping
-- OR --
6 yards of each for $37 plus $2 shipping, PLUS a Sale-A-Bration gift of your choice

How to Sign Up:

Send me an email to let me know that you're interested
As soon as we have enough people signed up, I'll send you a PayPal request or you can pay with a check by mail

Sign ups will be accepted only until March 29th. I'll place the order on March 30th and your ribbons will be ready to mail around April 9th.

You'll receive all your ribbons at once (either in 3 or 6 yard pieces as you choose). Your ribbons will be wrapped to prevent crushing or creasing.

You're going to love having these to use on all your paper crafting projects!!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Perfect Polka Dots with the Big Shot: A Stamping 101 Tutorial

I don't know about you, but I love open space on my cards. Sometimes judicious use of blank card stock can nicely set off a simple embellishment.

But sometimes I like to 'dress up' my blank spaces just a bit. My favorite tool for that purpose right now is the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder for the Big Shot.

Here's a card that uses the folder as well as a couple of punches and some Designer Series Paper--shown from start to finish.



And if you really like this card & the Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder, don't miss my Big Shot Die of the Month Club for March! Sign up by March 22nd: Click for details online.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Stamps: With All My Heart
Ink: Orchid Opulence
Paper: Barely Banana, Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Accessories: Clear Rhinestone Brads, Extra Large Fancy Flower Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder

Signs of Spring Butterfly Class

Last year I had a fabulous time creating a set of beautiful spring butterfly cards.

Well this year I couldn't resist repeating my scallop butterfly cards, but with an updated twist--the new Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog!

You can participate in this year's butterfly class by attending in person, or by ordering a kit "to go" that will be mailed to your home, with all the pieces ready to assemble. Registration is due by Thursday, March 18th.

Beautiful Wings Butterfly Class
Monday, March 29th
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Za's Restaurant by Marketplace Mall, Champaign, Illinois

You'll make 6 cards (each measures 5-1/4 x 5-1/4") and a matching designer gift pouch. Your class fee of $25 includes all the pre-cut, pre-embossed cardstock and Designer Series Paper, plus buttons, ribbons, square envelopes and printed detailed directions with photos. Just use your own stamps and inks for the greetings.

Or if you'd like to get the BONUS kit, you can add on the Chit-Chat Rub-ons and Fine Flourish stamp to finish your cards as I've created them. Plus you can add the BONUS kit at a great discount--only $14 extra (normally $20.90!).

Be sure to register by March 18th!

If you can't attend, your kit will be ready to mail on March 30th, and your goodies for the class projects will arrive at your doorstep.

It's easy to sign up online--you can pay via PayPal online or mail a check to me instead. Just visit my Butterfly Class sign-up page.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Spring Into Stamping with Egg Ideas

Our annual Spring Into Stamping demonstrator training event was held this past Friday night and Saturday in Champaign, Illinois. What a fabulous chance to get together with my demonstrator friends, share some stamping tips and be inspired by other talented stampers!


Here's a shot of part of our Main Stage area, where we gathered for presentations, Make N Take projects (there's one up on the screen!) and displays.


Here's me (in the pink shirt) with my demonstrator friends Cheryl Camp, Leslie Sollars and Jan Burnett. We invited Jan as one of our event speakers--she was wonderful.


Here are a few items on display--recognize the LOVE banner? While I love seeing the ideas from other demonstrators (some fabulous artists!), I have to admit that my Wish List always seems to get longer and my pocketbook suffers ;-)

For example, I saw these clever Easter eggs by Rachel Chamberlain and now I *need* a new Big Shot alphabet die set so that I can make my own.

Rachel created these by punching letters using the Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Alphabet from Sticky Pages--the same material I used recently for the flower base on the Eyelet Flowers.

After attaching the letter to the egg, she poured glitter over the adhesive, shook off the extra, then repeated for the stars or other decorations. SO cute!! I just had to share them--thanks Rachel!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Technique Tip: Painting Perfect Polka Dots

Looking to stretch your Big Shot supplies? Here's a fun tip that works perfectly with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.

First cut out a flower using the Flower Folds Bigz XL Big Shot Die. Here I cut flowers in both Melon Mambo card stock and in a page from the Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pack (one of the Sale-A-Bration free gifts).

I put each flower in my Polka Dots folder and ran them through my Big Shot to add the texture to the flower die-cuts.

The I flipped my Chocolate Chip Classic Pad upside down and gently ran it across the top of the textured flower. The raised dots picked up the ink, and they really stand out visually.

The flowers stack perfectly on each other and I added a Pretty in Pink Corduroy Button with a cardstock thread (check out that recent stamping lesson) to match the card.

Want to get more ideas for the Perfect Polka Dot folder? Or get your own Perfect Polka Dot folder? Be sure to learn more about my Big Shot Die of the Month Club for March!


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pad, Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Flower Folds Die, Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Pretty in Pink Corduroy Buttons, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon,

Let Your Stamps Do the Work

Sometimes there's a stamp set with art that's so sweet or cute or funny, that only three steps are required:

• ink it
• stamp it
• send it

The card doesn't require a lot of extra layers, bling or Designer Paper--just the stamps will do.

Forest Friends is one of those fabulous stamp sets, at least in my book! Even better, it's one of the sets you can pick for free when you order $50 in product during Sale-A-Bration (til the end of March!).


So the stamps speak for themselves here--what a cute notecard!

**TIP** Here's a simple trick for adding ribbon though... when you want a vertical ribbon around your card but don't want to tie the card shut, just punch a simple hole in the fold of the card and tie the ribbon through.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Stamps: Forest Friends (113748, or 120232 as a Sale-A-Bration gift)
Ink: Old Olive, Soft Suede
Paper: Whisper White
Accessories: 1/4" Circle Punch, Soft Suede Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon

Formerly: Back-To-School Bargain, Now: Designer Notebook

Who doesn't love a good sale? These spiral notebooks were $0.01 each in the back-to-school bargains last fall, and I couldn't resist adding them to my "stamp-ables" collection.

Recently I posted one idea for covering the spiral, and here's another suggestion: create a flexible spine by breaking all the cardstock fibers.

"Whaaa?" Don't worry, I hear you :-)

The trick with card stock is that it wants to crease when it bends, rather than being flexible, like fabric would be. But because Stampin' Up! card stock is so high-quality, you can actually get a material that acts more like fabric than card stock.


To get your card stock "fabric", you are basically going to work your cardstock back and forth to break up the fibers in the cardstock and allow them to flex against each other. Not sure what I'm talking about? Just try it... you'll see :-) All you need to do is run your card stock through the Paper Crimper about 4-5 times. You can smooth out the crimps if you want (as I did here) but the fibers will be much more flexible, and perfect for the flexible spine here.

What else can you do with card stock "fabric"? You can make Faux Suede!! Yup, just keep working your cardstock back and forth (I like to run it against the edge of my Bone Folder, as if I were using that curling ribbon stuff you put on presents). When the edges of the card stock begin to separate, gently peel them apart. You'll end up with two pieces of suede-looking paper.

My flowers here are punched from Faux Suede pieces.

Finally, I wanted to add a little bling to my notebook. Here's where the Sticky Cuts Letters and the Fine Cosmo Stampin' Glitter come in! The letters are a double-sided adhesive sheet, and super-easy to use. Just peel the backing, stick the letter, peel the top sheet and dump on the glitter.

Finally, the beautiful brocade design on the notebook front was created with the Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil from the Definitely Decorative catalog supplement. These stencils are a great way to cover large areas in a snap.


To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!
Stamps: Define Your Life (114950), Very Vintage Stampin' Around Wheel (117693) Ink: Basic Gray Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Basic Black Accessories: Sticky Cuts Letter (111109), Fine Cosmo Stampin' Glitter (108796), Kind Thoughts Brocade Stencil (Small - 116572), Paper Crimper (101618),