Graveyard Gala Swap

This fun card was stamped by fellow demo Cindy Williams. Her color combo is Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, and Very Vanilla. The accessories used were 1 1/4" circle punch, pumpkin pie 1 1/4" striped ribbon, black brad, sponge, and the wheel, Web. A great card for a Halloween party invite!

Halloween Hoot Swap

Halloween is a hoot! I have always loved seeing little kids get dressed up in cute costumes and get their favorite treat, candy! This card was stamped by fellow demo Sharon Roeder. The color combo on this card is Pumpkin Pie, Elegant Eggplant and Old Olive accented with Basic Brown, Going Gray, Creamy Caramel, and Summer Sun. There are some great details on this card! She knotted the hemp...which adds to the texture of hemp as an element. She used Itty Bitty Backgrounds and the Sanded Background stamp to add some interest to her layers in the background.

Scary Skeleton Swap

This fun halloween card was stamped by fellow demo Ashlee Forscher. The color combo used is Basic Black and Olive; both from the Cast a Spell designer series paper used! This card is easy, quick, and cute!

Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper Featured

Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper
115671
Price: $9.95

Our Designer Series papers are absolutely beautiful and use our palette of colors and original images. Designer Series paper makes it easy to create a card or scrapbook page with coordinating background paper, card stock, and stamped images. It also covers On Board chipboard beautifully. ■ 12" x 12", 100-lb text-weight paper ■ 12 sheets per package (2 each of 6 designs) ■ Exclusive designs and colors, with patterns based on Stampin’ Up! art ■ Coordinates with Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors: Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, and Rich Razzleberry

This background paper is absolutely gorgeous! And...it has my current favorite color combo! With this paper it will take only seconds to create a beautiful card or scrapbook page!

Saturday Sketch

Here is a card sketch for you. Enjoy your weekend!

Pony Party Swap

This beautiful card was stamped by fellow demo Angji Pruente. Her color combo is striking! She used Basic Black, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry. The Designer Series Paper is Thoroughly Modern. Accessories used were Top Note Die (Big Shot), Large Oval, Scallop Oval, and Ticket punches.

Card Making Class

We will be using this stamp set:
Falling Leaves
115368
Price: $21.95
Crunch, crunch, crunch . . . don't you love the sound of those fallen leaves under your feet? These leaves won't crunch, but they will help you celebrate the harvest season in style.
Set Quantity: 9

Class Information:

Saturday, October 3rd
10 am – 12 p.m.
My Home
We will be making 5 cards with the Falling Leaves Stamp Set
Class Cost is $15
Please RSVP HERE by midnight Thursday Evening, October 1st!

Please note – the projects pictured are for your viewing pleasure only – we will not be making these in class!

For All You Do - Thank You

This card makes me feel, well, undecided! I have moments that I look at it and I think, "I like this card!" Then, other moments when I look at it and I think, "Do I really like this card?" And, most of you know I consider myself to be a "lazy" stamper - so the bottom line here? Just not enough WOW factor here for me after all the effort it took to put it together! I do have some that I created that we made in card making class - that provided me with my WOW. I just need to take pictures of them yet...so stay tuned!

For All You Do Rough Draft

Do you ever work on a card and just not feel satisfied with it? Yep, this is one of those cards! It really makes me feel off balance for some reason (and yes, I know, I am out of balance most of the time - but that is why I stamp!) So, I am going to work on this a little more and see if I can make it feel better!

For All You Do Mom

Last week I had my card making class, a stamp day with friends, and it was my mom's birthday. I made this card for all three events! I'm having a love affair with this color combo! There is just something about Orchid Opulence paired with Rich Razzleberry that makes my color motor purr! Are you still looking for the flowers with the polka dots, and the flowered flower in the For All You Do stamp set? Well, you won't find them unless you know how to kiss! I used a technique that has been around for years called the kissing technique...it's a great way to put more variety and patterns into your stamped images. How do you like my flower centers? I sabatoged an old olive felt fusion flower to get them! I'm not particularly fond of the 4 petal flowers (I don't know why, but as a result they are what I have a lot of because I don't use them) and it occurred to me that I could get some mileage out of them as cool centers for stamped flowers! I couldn't get a regular punch to punch through them - so out came the crop-a-dile which is supposed to punch through anything (ok, that may be a slight exaggeration!) and it worked quite well.

Mini Library Clips Featured

Mini Library Clips
109857
Price: $12.95
Let your inner librarian run wild when you clip a tag to a project with one of our adorable Mini Library Clips. These clips are 1/4" x 1/2" and each package contains 12 each of 4 colors (Black, Silver, Antique Brass, and Pewter).

To see a mini library clip in use...click on the title to this post!

Saturday Sketch

Here is a scrapbook page layout for you...enjoy your weekend!

Circle Circus Goes "Office"

The Mini Library Clips can take any card to the office! The canvas for this card is a Dusty Durango background. My focal point pops in Bermuda Bay! I've used the rule of 3 on my focal point and over the card as a whole. The Jumbo Brad off to the bottom right creates the "2nd triangle" using the rule of 3. Plus, I have used the color Bermuda Bay 3 times on the card. Other items used were Scallop, Small Oval, 1/2 Circle, and Spiral punches.

Circle Circus Goes Filigree

I just love this color combo! I used Soft Suede and Dusty Durango. (I just love the names given to our In Colors this year!) Other items used are Scallop, Small Oval, 1/2 Circle, and Spiral punches, Dusty Durango grosgrain ribbon, and Filigree brad. The stamps from Circle Circus were embossed - but it could be done without the embossing, also.

Circle Circus You're One of the Good Ones Swap

This swap was stamped by fellow demo, Dinaa Julian. Her color combo is Creamy Caramel, Real Red, and Chocolate Chip. She used the Smarty Pants stamp set for her sentiment. Other items used were 5/8 Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Circle, 1 1/4 Circle and 3/4 Circle punches. While looking at the card it hit me that Circle Circus would be a wonderful stamp set for backgrounds and accents on Christmas Cards!

Circle Circus On Your Birthday Swap

This soft, subdued version of Circle Circus was stamped by fellow demo, Julie Saylor. Her color combo is So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, and Whisper White. She used the Finial Press embossing folder, Scallop Punch, 1 1/4 and 1, and 1/16 Circle Punches, Gold Brad, and White Grosgrain Ribbon.

Operation Write Home

Operation Write Home is a group of crafters from across America (and beyond!) who have a heart for our nation's armed service members. They make handmade cards and send them to deployed warriors so they can keep in touch with their loved ones at home! They serve all branches of the military in all deployed locations, including those stationed aboard ships.
The project began in 2007 with just a few cards sent by friends on a message board; eventually cardsforheroes.org started, and in September 2009, they became Operation Write Home - to better focus on what they are all about: helping heroes keep in touch with home!
The crafters range in age, location, and level of skill - but all have a desire to help those who serve us. Cards are made by individuals, groups, schools, scouts, and sent to volunteer shippers in quantities both small and large! Shipping donations of any size are appreciated - from $1 to any amount - and can be included with card donations to any shipper, or mailed separately, or via Paypal.

Please consider partnering with Operation Write Home!

Thank you.

Big Shot Featured

Another product that I can't believe I haven't featured yet is the Big Shot! It was very much worth the wait! I love being able to add texture and shapes to my stamping projects. It adds a whole new level of sophistication to them without taking away the fact that they are handmade! The Big Shot is; easy to use, portable, and can replace all the other die cutting machines you may have purchased along the way because all the dies you bought for that machine can be used in the Big Shot! The Big Shot cuts through many different materials so it's use is not limited to just stamping!

Approved Materials List for the Big Shot

Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
113439
Price: $99.95
With the Big Shot machine, you can create die cuts with any of our exclusive Stampin’ Up! dies—or any Sizzix die. The Big Shot machine comes with Standard Cutting Pads and a multipurpose platform so you can start cutting immediately.

Saturday Sketch

Use this simple card sketch to stamp up storm this weekend!

C is for Cat Swap

How true! Tabitha thinks the whole house belongs to her! LOL! This lovely card was stamped by fellow demo, Amand Coughlin. Her color combo is a classic! Basic Gray, Basic Black, Real Red, and Whisper White.

Peace Within Swap

This peaceful card was stamped by fellow demo, Jan Mengel. Her main color combo is Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay, and Confetti Cream. She watercolored the images...just gorgeous! My cat, Tabitha, looks like this most of the day!

Lots of Bots Shine At Get Well Wishes!

Isn't this bot adorable! I love the little old fashioned water bottle on his head! The color combo used on this card is Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, and Bermuda Bay.

Look Who's Turning 6 Swap

This fun birthday card for a 6 year old was stamped by fellow demo Bobbie Ganley. She used the Look Who's Turning stamp set. Colors used were; Taken With Teal, Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, and Kraft. She pulled her colors from the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper that she used...and accented with the Bermunda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon which goes well with the Taken with Teal cardstock...don't you think?! She used the 1 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, and 3/4 inch circle punches and the Scallop Circle punch. She also used the pennant Bigz Die...which means I need to go look at my catalog again! Everytime I think I have seen it all...I find out I am missing stuff! LOL!

Tabletop Paper Cutter Featured

Not too long ago I had a customer ask me what was the one thing that I had in my stamping supplies that I could not do without. It surprised me...as I really had not thought about it! However, I did not have to think about it too long. The one thing that I use everytime I stamp is my Tabletop Paper Cutter. I love it! I seldom use my Fiskars cutter for cutting anymore. I use it occasionally for scoring...but that is all the workout it gets anymore! I love the nice crisp cuts that I get with my tabletop. It easily cuts through 2-3 layers of cardstock. It is portable (just not as skinny as the fiskars...but then...neither am I and I take me everywhere! LOL!)

Tabletop Paper Cutter 106959
Price: $45.95

The Tabletop Paper Cutter is a must-have! The cutter is so precise, and it won’t fray card stock. The Tabletop paper cutter can make project preparation easier to prepare—you’ll be amazed at how much faster and easier it is. ■ Very precise, won't fray card stock■ Has safety blade■ Trimmer measures 17-3/8” x 7-1/8” x 2-3/4”■ Detachable measuring arm and handle can be stored in the back storage area

Saturday Sketch

Here is a simple, uncomplicated scrapbook sketch to help you get those back-to-school pics scrapped and in a book!