Taking Time for Stamping

Amazing Deal brings me out of retirement! 50% off!

2010-11-11T12:41:00.006-05:00

I know it has been way to long, but I just couldn't keep quiet about this one!

What do you call it when you get over $375 in Stampin' Up! crafting & business supplies for only $107.50? You call it Simply Amazing!

From November 15-30, you can purchase ...either the Standard or Digital + Starter Kit at 50% off the regular price... plus free shipping!

PLUS - enjoy there great benefits as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator

Earn additional income while sharing creativity
Make new and lasting friendships
Enjoy access to unlimited creative ideas
Receive a free subscription to an exclusive monthly magazine
Receive two free months subscription to your own business website
Opportunity to earn free products and incentive trips!

For more information :
Print the flyer for 50% off the starter kit
Contact me anytime for more information on signing up for the Amazing price of $107.50!
Or sign up online starting Monday, November 15th, contact me for the password!

Card Class Sneak and Birthday Open House

2010-06-14T10:06:00.003-04:00

Here are some sneak peeks of what we will be making this Saturday. There is still some spots left so make sure to email me by Wednesday, June 16th to reserve your spot.

The cost is $15.00 or free with a $25 purchase.

It is from 10am to 1pm and will be held at St. Michaels school on Donald Street in the East End of Ottawa.

For more info be sure to go to my Stampin' Up! Website - link is on the right.

Also, my birthday is fast coming up and I wanted to share it will all my Stampin' friends.

I am having a birthday open house on Sunday, July 4th from 1-4pm.

Come and see the new catalogue and make 2 cards with some new goodies! There will be cake and prizes. As well, I have to make room for new stuff so I will be having a rummage sale, and you get first crack at stamp sets, paper, ink and so much more. For more information please go to my Stampin' Up! website. And please RSVP by June 21st, so I have enough cake for everyone!

Anna

Last chance list starts today! and I am in trouble!

2010-06-01T00:01:00.005-04:00

In preparation for all the new colours, stamps sets and fun accessories coming out July 1st, the Last Chance list is here!

Click here! to see all the great products that are going away. There is a discount from 25-50% off some of these items and it's great stuff!
Remember these products sell out fast so if there is something you really want call, email or shop online through my website to snap them up before I do.

To shop online go to my website, and click on shop now!

Here's a card to keep it interesting!

This card uses the Punched Posies, the Level 2 Hostess set in the Mini. When I saw it I had to have it. Such a fun set with images that match some of the most popular punches. Quick, easy and so fresh looking! If you would like this set, give me a call to book your summer stamping party. Summer is coming up and I have lots of stamping time on my hands!

Busy, busy and a card

2010-04-23T18:47:00.004-04:00

So I am almost done with my April of craziness. I just finished a great presentation on the "Basics" of scrapbooking and cardmaking for 25 support staff in my school board. My great friend Tina came along and gave a fantastic presentation of scrapbooking and I could not have done this without her! Thanks Tina!

Above is one of the fun cards we did at my friend Vanessa's workshop. We used a lovely stamp set called "A Flower for all Seasons" and we coloured using our blender pens and ink pads. I love Certainly Celery , although at first I always just called it "Certain Celery" because I was certain that was it true name! So to finish this card we used the Certainly Celery Designer Paper and the Sating ribbon from the mini - I do love my ribbon! The card base is Orchid Opulence and the yellow is Apricot Appeal. These last two colours will be leaving at the end of June so if you love them like I do remember to stock up on anything in those colours. See the post below for a list of colours staying, coming and going. I got some samples of the new colours and they are fabulous!

My next Quick 6 card class will be May 15th from 10 am to 1 pm. Go to my Stampin' Up! Website for all the info and send me an email if you want to Join in the fun! We will be cracking into some new things from the newest summer mini coming out on May 1st! Again I am in trouble!

These are the 6 cards we made this month! Thanks to my friend Maggie for letting me borrow some of her designs!

Colour Renovation! Less tears and more colour than a home reno!

2010-04-08T13:56:00.007-04:00

Stampin' Up! made a big announement the other day! They are doing a colour renovation! When the catalogue comes out on July 1st there will be some big changes. Some of your favourites will be returning including some retired colours you may have been missing, plus some new colours as well!
This means that some colours will not be coming back but the new colours are gorgoeous so it is a little sad until you get excited about the new colours.

So here is the new Stampin' Up! colour palette coming out July 1st! :

Click Here to see a close-up view

Notice that the color families will be changing. Some colors have been grouped with different colors and the names have changed.

Brights Collection: Regal Rose, Melon Mambo (current In Color), Rich Razzleberry (current In Color), Pacific Point (former In Color), Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight (new!), Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango (former In Color), Real Red

Neutrals Collection: River Rock (former In Color), Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Early Espresso (new!), Crumb Cake (formerly called Kraft), Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Regals Collection: Elegant Eggplant, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Always Artichoke, Garden Green, More Mustard, Cajun Craze (new!), Riding Hood Red (former In Color), Cherry Cobbler (new!), Bravo Burgundy

Subtles Collection: Pink Pirouette (former In Color), Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Perfect Plum, Marina Mist (new!), Bashful Blue, Baja Breeze (former In Color), Wild Wasabi (former In Color), Certainly Celery, So Saffron

To be retired on July 1: Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Pale Plum, Orchid Opulence. Lovely Lilac. Lavender Lace, Almost Amethyst, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Ballet Blue, Brilliant Blue, Taken with Teal, Glorious Green, Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow, Mellow Moss, Green Galore, Gable Green, Barely Banana, Yoyo Yellow, Ruby Red, Cameo Coral, Blush Blossom, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Going Gray

Some important notes:

You'll notice that Neutrals has been added as a color collection (formerly called family) and Earth Elements has been eliminated (although many of the colors have been reorganized into different collections).

Kraft has been renamed Crumb Cake. This also means that this color will not only be available in card stock as before, but you will also be able to purchase the ink pad and marker!

A new stamp pad design will be phased in to reflect the changes in the color collections. These changes will take place over time and not all at once.

Don't stress if you have items that come in a set like the markers, watercolor crayons, pastels, etc. Stampin' Up! will be coming out with Color Kits to fill in those items with the new colors as well as some more new fun products!

Stampin' Up! will continue offering brand-new In Colors! This year we can expect 5 new colors and they will last 2 years, instead of one! This means that after this first year we will have 10 new In Colors at a time. Remember that new colors probably mean new accessories too!

Two-Step into Spring Promotion - Stampin' Up!

2010-04-05T12:50:00.005-04:00

Stampin' Up!'s Two-Step Stampin' sets allow you to quickly and easily take your creativity to the next level. And now, from April 1-30 only, you can purchase the brand-new Awash with Flowers Two-Step Stampin' set--or get it FREE when you host a $460 workshop!

Item Description Price
117062 Awash with Flowers (wood-mount; set of 18) $52.95
120549 Awash with Flowers (clear-mount; set of 18) $36.95

Plus, get 20 percent off a selection of perfectly springy Two-Step Stampin' sets from our current catalogue:

Item Page Description Regular Price Sale Price
113824 94 Greenhouse Garden $34.95 $27.96
113734 98 Fifth Avenue Floral $32.95 $26.36
111578 101 Flower Fancy $48.95 $39.16
113258 112 Trendy Trees $23.95 $19.16

Sneak peek at the Quick 6 Card Class & a card

2010-04-02T19:24:00.006-04:00

I'm back, and so quick! I wanted to post a few sneak peeks for the Card class I am having on April 17th. Plus I wanted to show you a card just to let you know I have been papercrafting!

This class will be 6 cards for $15 dollars or free with a $25 purchase. Please go to my Stampin' Up! website or email me for an evite. Unfortunately, I am only accepting online RSVP's to ensure that I can keep track of everyone who is coming.

Thanks!

This is a card I made for a friend who is going through a difficult time healthwise. I used a colour challenge to start me off and the rest came together. I also used some Champagne shimmer paint on the white panel that gives it an elegant sheen. I love that they carried the shimmer paints over, so if you are like me and love it, you can still get it!

Hope to stamp with you soon!

Anna

MIA!!!

2010-04-01T14:02:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the extremely LONG absence but the past few months have been very busy and April is going to be incredibly busy!
The good news is that a lot of this busyness has been papercrafting! I just got back from a scrapbooking weekend where I had the best time and finally got to do some playing just for me!
There are lots of other things taking over my time and again most of them are crafting. I am very fortunate that I have some friends that thought of me!

I am going to be doing a scrapbooking and cardmaking basics presentation for the luckily few that got into my workshop at the "A Better Me, A Better You" conference my school board puts on for support staff on the 23rd of April. This led to me teaching a course on "Cards for All Occassions" on the 24th for the Continuing Education Program as well. I have my Quick 6 Card class on the 17th of April and on the 16th my new friend Vanessa (totally awesome chick!) is having a workshop at hew place. The best part is that I get to spend time designing all these great projects! The worst part is cutting all the paper, but that's okay since I watch tv while doing that.

Another great thing is that Stampin' Up! is helping me stay organized, I got my own Stampin' Up! website, which helps you guys shop with me 24/7, keeps track of all my events and lets everyone know about all the great deals.

I will still post events here, but I will be sending evites through the website and doing online registration that way as well. This site will mostly be a place to post all my fun projects for you to ooh and ahh over, so you better!

To check out my SU website, click here!

It is Easter Weekend, so I don't have to go to bed early so I will be posting new projects as soon as possible!
Anna

Overdosing on glitter! Thanks to Heat & Stick Powder

2010-02-13T17:20:00.006-05:00

I LOVE sparkle, I'm a bit of a magpie, my eyes seeking out the shiny things in the world. Way back when my friend Maggie showed us how to use the sticky pages and glitter in the IB&C, I was hooked. Then I realized, they are great but I sure would like to make all my stamp sets and well, everything glittered. Strangely, I never owned a bedazzler.

Well, there is something you can use that makes it so easy to glitter up everything your little heart desires. Heat & Stick powder! Yay!!!

At our last demo meeting Maggie asked for someone to volunteer to demo Heat & Stick Powder and so I took on the challenge. This is the final card that everyone made after I showed them how to glitter three different ways. So pretty and sparkly! I love that the colours are subtle but it still sparkles.

The first thing we glittered was the vine from Vintage Vogue. The important thing with Heat & Stick powder is that is has some buddies it always works with - Versamark, Heat tool and to take care of any static the Embossing buddy.

To stamp with just glitter you

1. Rub the surface you are going to stamp with the embossing buddy.

2. Stamp the image in versmark, and then stamp onto your paper. Sprinkle with Heat & Stick and then heat with heat tool until just shiny.

3. Sprinkle with glitter, really pile it on, and then tap off the excess.

4 Re-heat with the heat tool, and yes, this is the necessary step, it sort of reactivates the sticky powder and then sets the glitter in it!

We also glittered the flower from Vintage Vogue as well but used colour behind as this makes the glitter really pop! Filling in any background that the glitter might not totally cover.

To stamp with colour and glitter,

You do pretty much the same as just stamping with glitter but in step 2 stamp into an ink colour of your choice AFTER stamping in the Versamark. If you stamp into the ink before the versmark you ruin your versmark pad! Then proceed with the stamping, glittering and heating! So easy!

The last thing we glittered was a brad, and this was so easy and created such a stunning effect! For this you need a brad, your sanding blocks, Heat & Stick, glitter, versamark and heat tool.

Glittering a brad :

1. Use the Sanding block to sand the top and sides of the brad to take off any varnish and to create a nice surface for the heat and stick.

2. Dip your brad into the versamark pad (I used the cutest little pink pliers) and then sprinkle with heat and stick.

3. Heat with the heat tool until shiny (this actually is better than on paper because you can see the powder turn shiny so much easier.

4 Dip into glitter until fully covered and then heat set again. Your glitter brad is ready for use.

Isn't heat & Stick powder so easy? Doesn't it make you want to glitter everything in sight? I did! I have 2 more cards to show you later that show what else you can glitter. I would show my husband and cats, but they aren't talking to me since I glittered them!

So let me know if you want to buy some glitter and Heat & Stick Powder!~

My Matroyshka - Tent topper Card

2010-02-01T17:32:00.004-05:00

Quick post today, fighting a cold and I am pretty tired.

This card totally cheers me up every time I see it!

I made 7 of these for a swap at my Upline's later in the week and I had soo much fun.

I used the "My Matroyshka" Stamp set from the New Occasions mini. and I actually cheered when I saw it the first time in the catty - I'm Ukrainian, it's nice to see something that can have a little sentimental value. I did send a card made with this stamp set to my Grandma and it now has a place of honour with the family pictures.

I stamped the dolls with black Stazon and coloured them with a combo of watercolour crayons, markers, ink and blender pens. I then cut them out and coated them with Crystal Effects. That stuff is sticky, so be careful, once it's on it is on!

This is an unusual colour choice for me as I generally do not like orange (Might explain my dislike of carrots), but this colour combo just worked so well. Plus I have all this orange paper, I might as well use it. The patterned paper is also from the Paper Stack in the mini as well. Every piece in that stack is gorgeous! And so is the Satin Ribbon! So lush and fancy, and so easy to work with!

Now this is a new style of card for me called a "Tent Topper Card" and it was surprisingly quick and easy to make.

The card base is 41/4 x 81/2, this is folded in half. I used the Clear circle die for my background.

I decorated the circle and the base of the card.

To attach the circle, I placed my card base on scor-pal, at 51/2, I then centred my circle on the front so it hit the top edge of the scor-pal (You can also use your grid paper) and now my card will fit in a regular A2 envelope!

February Card Class!

2010-01-26T11:19:00.001-05:00

What a deal! We will be making 6 different cards for a variety of Occasions including a Sympathy card, Thank You and a get well card. Stock up on cards quickly and easily and have fun too! The cards are designed for beginners and for those who want to make quick but lovely cards.

When : Saturday, February 27th, 1pm
Location : St. Micheal's School Ottawa 437 Donald Street.
Cost: Free with a $25 order placed that day, or a $15 flat fee

Bring a friend and make 2 extra cards for Free!

Please RSVP by February 17th so I can order and prep all the supplies! In the coming weeks I will be posting sneak peeks of some of the cards! See you soon!

Two step bird punch - the best punch ever?

2010-01-24T10:48:00.003-05:00

So in the Ocassions mini are a ton of fabulous new toys. One of them being the Two Step Bird punch!
This is one of the cards we made yesterday in our Spring card organizer class and because of the bird punch one of the easiest! The hardest part is deciding which colours to use.
We also gave the Big Shot a workout by using the Scalloped Heart of Hearts embosslit and the Perfect Polka Dots Textured impressions folder. The Scallop Trim corner punch added just that little touch extra! The only stamping on this card is the greeting and we used the new clear mount sets and they are just fabulous!

I do like the new punches, they are easy to store and the guides on them are really helpful in lining up your paper.

The second card is one I did for a swap. I made 21 of these babies and I loved doing it because I love getting to watercolour. I used the watercolour crayons and my blender pens, but you can also watercolour using pencil crayons or markers and your water pen. You can also watercolour with your Stampin' Pastels as well.

I used the Scallop Trim Border (FREE with a $65 purchase) and the Scallop Trim Corner to punch out the rectangle. I found a fantastic tutorial online that helped immensely. The greeting was stamped onto the Woodsheets and then punched out with the Modern label punch. I love that the woodsheets can be used both in the punches and the bigshot.

Supplies :

Bird Card : Two Step Bird punch, Scallop Trim Corner, Heart of Hearts Embosslit, Perfect Dots Impreesions folder, Well Scripted Clear Mount Stamp Set (all Occasions Mini!), Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Naturals Ivory Cardstock, Melon Mambo DSP, Melon Mambo Ribbon.

Abundant Hope card : Abundant Hope Stamp Set, Scallop Trim Corner Punch (Occasions Mini) Scallop Trim Border (Sale-A-Bration), Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Orchid Opulence, Rich Razzleberry Cardstock, Watercolour paper, Wood sheets, Apricot Appeal Ribbon, Perfect Plum ink.

Remember, for every $65 you spend you get something free from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue including some fantastic sets from the Idea Book and Catalogue! Book a workshop and you get to make some fabulous stuff and get free stamps and punches!

2010-01-22T12:03:00.003-05:00

From now until February 28th, $2 from every "I {Heart} Hearts" stamp set (shown above) purchased will be donated to theAmerican Red Cross' Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Set of 8 Stamps Wood Mount: $35.95 Clear Mount : $24.95

Contact me today to order your set.

Dreaming of Spring Card Keeper Workshop Sneak peek

2010-01-14T17:50:00.004-05:00

Well, this week illustrated why I need to make some spring themed cards.

Join me and some stampin' friends to make 6 cards ( 2 each of 3 designs) and a card keeper. All are in Spring colours and themes and are GORGEOUS! We will also use some different techniques, including watercolouring.

This little picture is just a snippet of the whole card! Isn't that bird and branch cute? All made with ONE Stampin' Up! punch, now available in the new Occassions Mini. All the projects we will be making will include items from the Mini catalogue and from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue, so you can try them out before you get them for free!

To join in the fun, here is all the info you need!

When : January 23rd, 2010 - 12pm – 4pm
Where : St. Michaels School 437 Donald St. Ottawa
Cost : $35.00 includes the card keeper and all supplies
Contact me : Anna Crossley
(613)774-5753
Annacrossley@persona.ca

Space is limited to 12 spots. To ensure your spot Please register and pay by January 18th. You can pay by cheque, cash, or paypal. This is insure I have materials for you as I have to purchase them to have them for you!

We will be using the new clear mount stamps to personalize your cards, you get to choose your sentiments and greeting, so you can have all the Birthday cards, or Thank you cards you want or mix and match as you please.
Please bring your own adhesive and scissors if you have them.

Sale-A-Bration is Here!

2010-01-06T12:40:00.005-05:00

January 5-March 31, 2010

What is Sale-A-Bration? A chance for you to get more Free products from Stampin' Up! Check the Sale-A-Bration Catalogue to see the exciting products that you can get for every $65 purchase (before tax and shipping). This year is exciting because included are stamps sets from the Idea Book and Catalogue!

Not sure where to start? We also have a new Occassions Mini Catalogue, loaded with gorgeous new products including punches, ribbon and stamp sets. Introduced in this catalogue are Clear Mount Stamps! What are clear mount stamps? We've taken our eclsuive Stampin' Up! rubber stamps placed the image on the back of the rubber. You then attach these to the new Stampin' Up! Clear Blocks. This allows for exact placement of images while still retaining the crispness of the rubber stamped image! They are fantastic!

Another great deal is the paper! I am a lover of paper and the Occassions Mini and the Sale-A-Bration do not disappoint!

Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Stack

Preferred Price: $32.95
.■ 48 sheets total, 2 each of 24 double-sided designs
■ 12" x 12"
■ Coordinates with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Sahara Sand, So Saffron, and Taken with Teal

Sending Love Designer Series Paper
Preferred Price: $15.95
■ 12 sheets total, 2 each of 6 double-sided designs
■ 12" x 12"
■ Coordinates with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive colors: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, and Very Vanilla

This paper is embossed and glittery, it is soo pretty and I cannot wait to use it! It coordinates with the Satin ribbon, corduroy buttons and the embossed brads!

Book a party between January and March 31st and get in on the fun free stuff!

Join me on January 23rd, as we will be using products from the 2 catalogues to create a year round card keeper and 6 occassion cards! Space is limited so register before January 18th to reserve your place. Cost for the class is $35 and includes a card keeper. Contact me today to reserve your spot! See you soon!

Christmas Fish?! - making fish with the decoration punch

2009-12-15T19:43:00.006-05:00

Sorry for my extremely long absence, but everyday life has been insane! This will be quick post but I wanted to say "Hi".

I seem have a tradition and it is not a fun one. When the first snow of the season comes a long I always seem to ditch the car. I missed last year due to being home recovering from surgery and my excuse 2 years ago was that I didn't have snow tires. This year no excuse, snow tires were on and I was going very slow due to passing 3 accidents. I hit a patch of ice and so it went. That combined with everyday job stuff taking over and the Christmas season being here, I am overwhelmed and unfortunately, stamping has taken a bit of a back seat.

Enough about me- more about the card. See those cute little fish? They are made using the ornament punch. I saw these done on the web somewhere and I was sold. I have quite a few people in my life who like fish and this is just too much fun! This card I made for my friend Debbie for hosting a very fun workshop! She loves fish and when we used the punch for our Christmas Cards I mentioned we could use it to make fish, so I made her this card.

If you love the punch and don't want to miss out make sure to order before January 4th because then it is gone for good when the new mini comes out (which is just too awesome to describe!)

This gorgeous card is made using the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit! I have made 2 scrapbook pages, 2 scrapbook boxes and 5 cards and I still have more die cuts and paper to use! I did use some stamps on this one and of course some glitter with heat and stick powder but some of the cards have virtually NO stamping at all! How cool is that? I resisted these kits thinking they might look cheesy or cheap but the images are great, they stick nicely and most definitely are not cheap looking! I can't wait to buy more!

Since my Christmas break is almost here, I cannot wait to do more crafting and more blogging! I f you need any last minute gifts or ideas give me a call or email. Book a workshop in January or February and you will receive free great stuff!

Back soon! Anna

Stamp Club Starting in January 2010!

2009-11-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

Space is limited!

Join a Stampin’ Up! Hostess Club and receive free stamps!

Membership Benefits

Receive a FREE Stampin’ Up! Idea Book and Catalog! (A $12.00 value.)

See and learn new ideas and techniques!

Slowly build your Stampin’ Up! collection!

Get together with friends and do something that you love to do!

Each member of the club takes turns being the hostess so that each member has the opportunity to earn FREE stamps and accessories.

Get IDEAS!!

The club will meet six times a year to learn new techniques and enjoy different make & take projects. Each member is required to order a minimum of $25.00 in Stampin’ Up! Merchandise (this enables each hostess the minimum hostess benefits).

We will be meeting the 4th Saturday of every month at St. Michael's School on Donald Steet in Ottawa from 10 am to 1 pm. Each months hostess chooses a project or technique to do for their month. Please sign up as soon as possible to ensure your space! Can't wait to craft with you!

If you have questions or would like to sign up
contact your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator:

Anna Crossley
613-774-5753
Email: Annacrossley@persona.ca
http://taketimeforstamping.blogspot.com/

Stampin' Up! Online Extravaganza! Awesome deals!

2009-11-24T10:54:00.006-05:00

Yahoo! Stampin' Up! has got some great deals going from November 23rd - November 30th! Below is just some of the great kits you can get!

Ultimate Stampers' Starter Bundle* only $76.62!!!! 40% off!

Best Wishes & More stamp set
Eight Great Greetings stamp set
On a Pedestal stamp set
Earth Elements Stampin' Spots
Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
Old Olive 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon
Flower Designer brads

Corduroy Button Bundle only $24.88!!! 50% off!

Kraft Corduroy buttons
Pumpkin Pie Corduroy buttons
Summer Sun Corduroy buttons
Basic Gray Corduroy buttons
Chocolate Chip Corduroy buttons

Four Square Bundle only $15.45!!! 50% off!

Four Square stamp set
Scallop Square punch

But this is just a sampling. Go here for more deals. Then call or email me to place your order! Remember, this sale only lasts until next Monday, the 30th. So get your order in quick!

Don't forget to also check out the Holiday Gift Giving guide - If you purchase $65.oo you will receive a Decor Elements for Free! (up to $22.95 value).

Also, spaces are available in January and February to host a workshop and earn free Stampin' Up! products - we will have a new Mini Catalogue and Sale-a-bration is coming too! Way too much cute stuff to pass up! Give me a call!

Ornament punch, not just for Christmas anymore!

2009-11-14T20:18:00.012-05:00

Sorry I've been so absent, but I've been very busy getting ready for the super Christmas class I am holding next Saturday. I have about 2 spots left so if you still want to jump in, let me know! You do not want to miss out. The picture above is just another taste of what we will be making!

Check out the Holiday Gift Giving Guide on the side of my BLOG! Buy something for everyone on your list OR show it to those in your life who always get you the handcreams and pretty soaps and show them what you want. They can email or call me with your Christmas gift and I will even gift wrap it for them!

Now onto the main event! When I got the Holiday Mini I wasn't so sure about the ornament punch. It's really cool yes! but is it limited to just Christmas? Heck no!

Here the punch is used in a traditional Christmas card:

Pretty and cute, I love it! The Delightful Decorations stamp set that goes with it is FABULOUS! But, as you can see, you can use it with or without a stamp set. I also used the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing folder and the shimmer on the decoration is from the Champagne Shimmer Paint. The shimmer paints are the best new thing and I use them all the time. I love that a little goes such a nice long way and there are so many ways to use it. They also come in Frost White and Platinum which you might see used somewhere on this post. We will be using the shimmer paint 2 ways at the Christmas card class and I can't wait for all the sparkle.

Now the second card is in no way a Christmas card but I did find a great way to use the ornament punch!

Isn't that cool! Now it's a vase! All I did was punch out the ornament from a piece of designer series paper and then just cut the bottom off to make it flat. GENIUS! You don't have to use Designer paper, you can randomly stamp an image on paper and punch it out. You can emboss the vine from Baroque Motifs in white onto black paper and punch it out and then use the flowers from Eastern Blooms or Embrace Life for an Asian Flavour.

I also have one more way to use the punch coming up that is SUPER cute!

The punch is only $22.95 in the Holiday Mini Catalogue so give me a call to order yours today~

Supplies :

Christmas card :

Berry Christmas Stamp Set, Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder, Ornament Punch, Champagne Shimmer Paint, Versamark, Close to Cocoa Specialty Paper, Real Red and Old Olive Card Stock and Ink , Silver Elastic Card, Modern Label Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Corner rounder punch.

Vase Card :

Friends 24-7 Stamp Set, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Bermuda Bay and Old Olive Ink, Blender pen, Ornament punch, Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper, Kraft Card Stock, Soft Suede Ribbon, linen thread and a button.

Wow!

2009-11-05T12:45:00.004-05:00

This is a quick post to let you know that there are only 2 spots left for my Christmas card class! Tomorrow is also the last day to pre-register and do the special Christmas project for free! If you haven't already contacted me to say you are coming and have paid, please do so and don't miss out. The cards are great (just ask my husband!) and I hope to have a sneak peek of the special project tomorrow! For all those that have registered already I can't wait to see you on the 21st!
Anna

Christmas Card Class Sneak Peek

2009-11-01T14:47:00.002-05:00

I'm really excited about the Christmas Card Class on the 21st, especially as I have another sneak peek to show you of a card we will be making! As you can see I didn't show the whole card, but I love it! Can't wait to see you there! Remember, Friday is the last day for early registration and a 5th project for free! So give me a call or an email to sign up!

It's coming!!!

2009-10-28T11:08:00.017-04:00

Christmas that is! Let me help you with one thing off your list! Come on out for ...

The Joy of Giving

Christmas Card Class

We will be making 12 fabulous Christmas cards with Envelopes (3 each of 4 different designs). See those new sets you've been drooling over in the Mini and catalogue in action. There will be prizes and other goodies as well!

One of the cards we will be making features 3 awesome products from the Holiday Mini, can you guess which ones?

Time : Saturday, November 21st 1-4pm

Place : St. Michael's School

437 Donald Street Map

Cost : $25.00

Call me @ 613-774-5753 or email to register today!

I accept cheque, cash or Paypal (check out the link at the side bar!)

Spaces are limited so sign up early!

Payment is required at time of registration to cover cost of supplies.

Please bring your own scissors and adhesives to shorten wait times.

Breaking out the Bling! - Deals of the week.

2009-10-19T12:25:00.009-04:00

Space still available for the Stampin' Class on Saturday, October 24th! Give me a call if you would like to come!

This weeks deals of the week are all about embellishments and the lovely things you can use to add just that extra little touch to your projects. I have every one of these embellishments and I love them. To be honest I hoard them a little, but with this deal I can break them out and use them and then buy more! The sale for these items runs from today, October 19th - October 26th!

Give me a call to place your order today! Don't forget to book a party in the next month and a half to get something from the Mini Holidays Catalogue for just $14!

Basic Jumbo grommets
Reg. Price : $9.50
Sale Price : $6.49

Mini Library Clips

Reg. Price : $18.95

Sale Price : $12.99

Circle Designer brads

Reg. Price : $8.50

Sale Price : $5.49

1/2" Library clips

Reg. Price : $9.75

Sale Price : $5.49

Deals of the Week - Week 2!

2009-10-13T11:12:00.008-04:00

Hey Big Shot owners, these deals are for you! From October 12th until October 19th, the following items are available at a great price! Contact me to place an order!

Flower Burst Embosslits die
Reg. Price : $15.95

Special Price : $7.49

Perfect Setting Bigz XL die
Reg. Price :$57.95

Special Price : $34.99

Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die

Reg. Price : $53.95

Special Price : $34.99

Cracked Glass Technique with a unusual colour combo

2009-10-09T15:05:00.004-04:00

It is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, so Yay! to time off and my mom's Turkey (everyone says it, but really uh uh! my Moms is the best) It even converted staunch turkey haters into desperate turkey lovers. I hope to actually get some time to stamp this weekend but we are doing the usual travelling Thanksgiving so who knows what will happen. The card I am showing today turned out to be one of my favourites even though the colour combo is very dark and brooding to me.

Both the colours and the layout are from challenges on a favourite website called Splitcoaststampers, where crafty people get together and share their creations, ideas and issue challenges, which is perfect for those days when you just don't know where to start.

One of the techniques I learned ages ago and haven't done since then is the Cracked Glass technique and it is truly one of the easiest techniques to do that has such a wow factor.

To do the cracked glass technique you need to:

1. Stamp you image onto a piece of Whisper White or Very Vanilla Cardstock.

2. Coat your whole piece of carstock in versamark and then coat that with a layer of Glassy Glaze.

3. Heat emboss the glaze and let dry.

4 Repeat Steps 1 -3 at least 2 more times until the image has a nice, thick clear coat of the glaze covering the whole piece. The fun part is you now stick it in the freezer for at least 10 - 20 minutes. The longer it stays in the harder it gets.

5. Take your frozen piece of cardstock from the freezer (it will curl a little from the freezing) and then crack it like chocolate bark. It makes a cool snapping sound and the glaze cracks. It does warm up quick so if you need to you can put it into the freezer again. And then you are done.

Card Recipe :

Stamps : En Francais, Of The Earth (Hostess)

Ink : Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry

Paper : Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White Cardstock.

Extras : Circle Fire Brads, Versamark, Glassy Glaze, Heat tool, Mat pack & paper piercer, Sponges, SNAIL adhesive.

I had a lot of fun revisiting this technique. I can always show you how, just ask!

Remember : The Stampin Spa Day is October 24th and space is limited so if you would like to take part, please give me a call by the 14th of October.

Happy Thanskgiving!

Stampin' Spa Day - part 2!!

2009-10-07T21:33:00.004-04:00

For all my friends who wanted to come on the 3rd for the Stampin ' Spa day and missed out, do not despair! My friend Marcelle and I are holding a part 2 just for you!

We will be making this lovely treat bag and a purse bag with 3 mini cards, plus one more fantastic paper craft!

When : October 24th, 2009

Where : St. Michael's Catholic School (437 Donald St.) off of St. Laurent. Click here for directions.

When : 12:30-4pm

Cost : $30.00

Pre-Registration is required to ensure we have supplies for you. Please let me know by October 14th if you are coming and we can work out payment. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Can't wait to see you there!

Deals of the Week are Back! Woohoo!

2009-10-02T13:28:00.021-04:00

Stampin' Up! is offering great deals again! From now until October 12th, the following punches are being offered for a great discount!

5-Petal Flower Punch

Reg. Price : $22.95

Sale Price : $15.99

Trio Flower Punch

Reg. Price : $22.95
Sale Price : $15.99

My Way Punch

Reg. Price : $22.95

Sale Price : 16.99

These punches will only be available until October 12th, so give me a jingle if you want to order these at such a great price!

Punch tip #1: To keep all your punches in great condition, you can alternate punching through waxed paper (to keep them sliding through material well).

Punch tip #2: When your new punches arrive take some old copy or junk mail paper and punch several times to make sure you have any machine oil from the manufacturing and storage process out of the punch so you don’t stain your nice Stampin’ Up papers.

If for some reason your punch is a bit sticky you can stick it in the freezer for a short time remove and let thaw and this should take care of the problem.

Also don't forget the Sweet Rewards Hostess Promotion : Host a $330 workshop and get any item* in the Holiday Mini Catalogue for just $14!

*Excludes hostess sets and My Digital Studio

Workshops availabe includes Christmas Cards and Tags, Fall and winter cards, candles and grams, and gift bags and boxes for that little something.

For a fun afternoon with friends give me a call!

Anna

Save Big!

2009-09-29T13:58:00.003-04:00

While supplies last, Stampin' Up! is offering amazing deals! To take a look at what Stampin' Up! is offering click on the banner above and do some shopping. For these items you can order them online to make sure you don't have to wait for me. If you do place an order online, list me as your demonstrator and receive a special gift from me!

There is no end date to this sale , this is a new permanent feaure for Stampin' Up! but the items won't always be the same. If you see something you like buy it quick, before I get there!

Coming soon : a new blog post and some info on upcoming events!

Twick or Tweet Diorama Card

2009-09-25T18:54:00.008-04:00

I'm back, but really quickly! As promised I bring you halloween! I tried a new card fold called "Diorama" and it is so neat! It's a little tunnel card. I used the "Twick or Tweet" set from the holiday mini. I am not a huge halloween girl, living in the country I don't even hand out candy. I decided I needed at least one halloween set and this won the challenge, cute but also not too cute. I used a lot of both white and black embossing powders and the new Night and Day DSP. It's not just for halloween but I couldn't resistusing it here instead of just plain black! The pumpkin friend is coloured with markers and then given a lovely coating of crystal effects. How I went for this long without this stuff is beyond me, since I seem to use it all the time!

The skeleton actually has a dog attached to his leg, but I just wiped the versamark off the dog and then made a straight line with the versamark on the leg and voila, no dog!

For this stamp set the images also have the sentiments attached. What I did was cut the sentiments off and put them on the end of the wood block, so then I can either use just the sentiment or the image. You can do this with most Stampin' Up stamps, and that way you get double the use out of your stamps.

I had leftovers though from making the little holes, and I just didn't feel satisifed so I made a "leftovers" card.

Seriously, How cute is this? And I used extra bits and pieces so this card took less than 5 minutes to make!

I will be back soon, Sunday is supposed tp be nice and rainy so maybe I can sit for more than 5 minutes.

Lucky you, sad me... Great Deal on Stamp Sets

2009-09-13T12:55:00.037-04:00

There comes a time in a young stampers life when they have to go through the goodies and say goodbye. It's a sad time, but also a happy time. I get more space to fill with new goodies and you get new stamps to play with.

Here is a list of the stamps I am parting with, most are from the last catalogue and sale-a-bration. (Click on pictures to see full image).

Also see below for a new card I had to share!

Sweet Little Sentiments (Never used) $15.00

Yummy $12.00

Polka Dot Punches $12.00

Darling Dots $12.00

Cute and Curly $12.00

Scandinavian Season (Never used) $20.00 Sold

Big Bold Birthday $20.00

Sending Happy Thoughts (Never used) $12.00

Three Thoughts $15.00

Congrats (Never Used) $15.00

Lots of Thoughts $15.00

God's Beauty $15.00 (This is a hard one!)

Botanical Blooms $12.00

For a Friend $20.00 (Great for colouring with blender pens)

So Many Sayings (Never Used) $12.00

As you can see they are all great, and the ones I did use, some I did not get to use very often. If there are any you would like please call or email me anytime and I will get them to you. Unfortunately, I can only ship within Canada.

Also, as promised, here is card I just made using fabulous items from the new Holiday Mini Catalogue! The little red bird spins in the card!

This was so easy to make!

1. Cut Real Red cardstock to make a card 41/4" by 51/2".

2. Using one piece of Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Paper, cut it 41/8x52/8 and then cut in half lenghtwise.

3. Stamp the bird from Berry Christmas, Stamp twice onto Whisper White CS and punch out with the 11/4" circle punch.

4. Lightly adhere one of your DSP pieces to the front of your card. Using the 13/8" punch, punch through the Real Red card stock and the DSP.

5. To make the spinner card: Place 2 pieces of sticky strip on the back of one of your stamped bird circles. Take 2 pieces of twine, linen thread or here I used the Silver Elastic Cord and attach to the top and bottom of the bird image. Attach the 2nd bird image to the other side, making sure both birds are mirror image. Use more sticky strip to attach the spinner to the outside of the card, centering it in the punched circle. This will be covered by your DSP Layer.

6. Adhere the Real Red Ribbon to the two pieces of DSP, flipping the top piece over to show the alternate pattern on the DSP. Glue this to the front of your card, making sure the circle on your DSP matches the circle on your card stock.

The Sentiment panel is stamped onWhisper White from the Berry Christmas stamp set, The branch is Old Olive and the berries and sentiment are in Real Red. I sponged the edges in Real Red and then layered onto a piece of Soft Suede Cardstock. This was popped up using dimensionals. The cute little birdie is from the "Merry Details" Sizzlits.

My favourite things! The Christms Cocoa Paper is so cool! It has a flocking on some of the designs that makes it feel all velvety and also some of the designs are shimmery!

Next up : My first attempts at a scrapbook page and some Halloween goodies (guess who's order came in Friday!)

Remember : Book a party with me within the next 2 months and get one of the stamp sets from the Holiday mini for just $14 including Berry Christmas! That's more than 50% off!

Stampin' Spa day Sneak Peek #2

2009-09-10T18:39:00.003-04:00

So, even though I have had my Occassions Mini Catalogue since July, I haven't gotten everything yet! This stamp set "Autumn Splendour" has been calling me!

Well, as you can see it's gorgeous and we are going to be making this beautiful gift bag with it on October 3rd! Contact me soon for your spot!

I promise in the next couple of days I will be posting actual cards, it's been a crazy few weeks!

Spa Day Sneak Peek!

2009-09-09T18:40:00.005-04:00

The Stampin' Spa day is coming up! Make sure you reserve your place now! My friend Maggie posted a sneak peek and I thought I would share it with you.

Who knew you could make such gorgeous jewellery with stamps and some hardware? Ok, I did!

This is just one of the cool projects we are going be making, so make sure you get your spot.

To register you can give me a call or an email and I will set you up.

Can't wait to see you there!

Anna

Just a Quick "Hello" and a Big announcement

2009-09-04T08:36:00.001-04:00

I am nearing the end of the first week of school with the kids, so I am exhausted but I wanted to share a fun little card I made.

I had a paper play date with my friends Maggie and Kym, which was a lot of fun and I was totally covered in glitter by the end of the afternoon. Maggie kindly let me try out a stamp set I've been eyeing for a while (gee, could it be the butterfly or the flower that calls to me?) called Hello Again. The only stamp I didn't use was the heart. I love how with 4 separate stamps in one stamp set I made such a cute little card.

And now for the BIG announcement....

October 3rd is World Cardmaking Day and the team I am on "Papercraft Princesses" will be hosting a Stamping Spa Day, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Dundas County Food Bank!

We will be making five different projects for you to keep or if you can bear too, give away as gifts!

When: Saturday October 3rd, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Metcalfe Community Christian School, Glen Street, Metcalfe
Cost: $40 (pre-registration required).

For more information or to register please give me a call or email me.

Happy Labour Day Weekend!

Spend some of it stamping!

Anna

The Holiday Mini is here!

2009-09-01T07:05:00.001-04:00

And why is that a BIG deal? Because Stampin' Up has jammed this mini with gorgeous stamp sets, ribbon and paper and other amazing accessories that goes with every holiday. You can check out the awesome products here. However, the online pictures do not do it justice! If you would like your own free copy of the Holiday Mini, let me know and I will be happy to get you one.

This Mini catalogue has products that will be available from September 1st, 2009 to January 4, 2010!

Coming up in the next few days I will samples of just how much fun you can have with the Mini catalogue.

Host a party in September and you can earn any one of the stamp sets in the Mini for $14! That is a crazy deal! Book your party and you get free stamps sets, catalogue merchandise and this mini also has 2 hostess sets you can also choose from!

Thoroughly Modern in Two Ways

2009-08-26T08:53:00.003-04:00

In the catalogue, there are quite a few new Designer Papers. Some I wasn't to sure of including this one called "Thoroughly Modern". Then I started to see some projects done with it and also actually saw the paper in real life and I decided that I loved it!
The main colours in the Paper series are : Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Rose Red and Sahara Sand.
The first card is one I recently did at a workshop and everyone loved it!
Now the theme of this post is that each card used the Thoroughly Modern paper. So you might be asking where the paper is on this one. Well, behind the stamped vellum is a piece of the DSP that also has daisies on it and it matches really well. I kept this to a two colour palette of Bermuda Bay and Soft Suede and we stampe the floral image from Fifth Avenue Floral using Craft White ink. The had part when stamping on vellum is hiding how you attached it to your backing paper. For this card I placed glue dots behind the centers of my flowers and that hid them. It's a very simple and elegant looking card.

This second card also used the Thoroughly Modern DSP, but only a small strip on the side as an accent.
The medallion stamp which is another favourite, was stamped with versamark and I used the Stampin' Pastels to colour it in. I love this effect, it gives it a nice soft look with a dreamy quality.
Sometimes layering different coloured card stock or DSP's can be all your card needs to jazz it up. I find that this card is just a little more vibrant but still elegant.

Recipes :
Card 1
Stamps : Fifth Avenue Floral, Thank You Kindly
Paper : Thoroughly Moder DSP, Vellum, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Naturals Ivory CS
Ink : Whisper White Craft, Chocolate Chip
Extras : Glue dots, Bermuda Bay 1/2" PD Grosgrain Ribbon, Neutrals Brad

Card 2
Stamps : Medallion
Paper: Thoroughly Modern DSP, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo CS, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Circle Ice Brads.

Embossed Crushed Curry

2009-08-22T19:34:00.004-04:00

Here is a lovely card I made after seeing someone else use Crushed Curry and Clear Embossing powder on vellum.

The card I saw was monochromatic but I thought I would add just a dash of the Dusty Durango. I am not a huge fan of the colour orange but I am making myself use it more.

To emboss in colour, what you have to do is use your stamp first in the clear versamark and then into the colour ink of your choice. This way you get the Versamark you need for embossing but also don't ruin your versamark pad with ink.

I used Clear Embossing powder but you could also use Iridescent Ice for extra sparkle or Glassy Glaze for a thicker shell.

I also embossed the flower on to vellum, flipped it over and coloured the center spots with the Dusty Durango marker. This was then cut out and popped out onto a dimensional. I like that is is a fairly clean and simple looking card. It actually makes me like orange just a little bit.

I also wanted to change up how I presented my sentiment. This is actually the words but not the design from one of the stamps in the Oval All stamp set. I stamped it in Dusty Durango onto the Crushed Curry, and cut it out with the FABULOUS Modern Label punch, it was nice but I wanted more. So I cut another piece from the punch in the Dusty Durango and offset it behind the Crushed Curry one and I like it soo much better. I think I might become a fan of orange jsut yet (don't get to excited!)

Recipe :

Stamps : Eastern Blooms, Oval All
Ink : Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango
Paper : Crushed Curry, Dusty Durano, Vellum Cardstock
Extras : Crushed Curry 1/2" polka dot grosgrain ribbon, Clear EP, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Modern Label punch

Shaker Card a la PEI

2009-08-19T20:11:00.004-04:00

I love to experiment! New techniques, new colors I love to try it all. When we went to PEI the cottage we rented was lovely and perfect. In the rush to leave home I neglected to grab a Thank You card to leave behind, and could not make myself buy one when I knew I could make a nice one at home.

The two things that everyone knows about PEI is the gorgeous red dirt and the lovely Lupins blooming all over the place. We missed Lupin season but you couldn't miss them on eveything from towels to jams. Of course, we brought home a giant bag of PEI dirt and I thought a card that included these two elements would be perfect.

This is a shaker card and the red dirt is from our stash. You can't see it but there is even a little shell too. This came together so quickly and easily. I have to work on cutting out the centre of the square, but I didn't want to use a punch as that would be too small.

I also got to use my new brayer, and that can either be water or a night sky, you decide! It's sparkly!

This is the inside. I used one of the Pocket Silhouette flowers with Rich Razzleberry and Orchid Opulence markers to make the Lupins and I LOVE them! I will definitely make this type of card again! I really hope the person I send it too likes it as well.

Recipe :

Stamps : Pocket Silhouettes, Thank You Kindly

Ink : Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Bashful Blue, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Versamark

Paper : Whisper White, Orchid Opulence CS

The extras : Iridescent Ice EP, Scalloped Oval Punch, Sponges, Acetate, Mounting Tape, PEI Red Dirt.

Bird on a Branch Beauty

2009-08-10T13:35:00.004-04:00

Sorry I've been away for so long, but I was working like crazy at my real job, then we had some vehicle drama and then we took off for vacation to lovely P.E.I. It took me a week to recover but I am back now.

The lovely card seen here was so quick and easy to make but I just love the colours.

Bird on a branch was one of my first must-haves in the Spring-Summer 2008-2009 Idea Book and I was delighted to see it made it's way into the new catalogue as well. What I love about Stampin' Up! is that they will often co-ordinate their Designer paper with the stamp sets. Here the paper is Flock Together. The colours in the paper are : Tempting Turquoise, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, and Garden Green. I wasn't sure of the combo at first but I find it is very fresh and bright but still classic looking. I am such a paper freak.

Recipe

Stamps : Bird on a Branch

Paper : Whisper White, Certain Celery, So Saffron Card Stock, Flock Together DSP.

Ink : Certain Celery, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turqouise Classic Ink.

Accessories : The Tearing Edge, Dimensionals, Circle Ice Brads, SNAIL Adhesive.

If you are in love with Stampin' Up products like me and would like to get a great mini starter kit and a discount, you might consider becoming a demonstrator - Stampin' Up has a promotion this month.

Also check the links on the side for our great Just for kids and the kid in you program.

2009-07-19T11:05:00.005-04:00

Yes, I know another butterflies and flowers card. But I did get two new stamps sets and I had to give them a work out. The flowers are from the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set that I resisted buying forever and finally broke down and bought. I have seen so many amazing things done with this stamp set. What I did is stamped the flowers on patterned DSP and then embossed with white embossing powder. You can also do the same with Black Sta-zon, other embossing powders. I also broke out my Great Friends stamp set. Another one where even with just 5 stamps the possibilities are endless. It also goes great with the Matchbox Messages Die and Stamp set. Another new purchase and probably for me the most exciting is the scallop circle die. I resisted buying this since I first bought my Big Shot and can't understand why I waited so long. That's what happens though when there are just so many things to love. Want to know my Must Buy List? It's called the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalogue!

I also realized that Old Olive and the new In-color Soft Suede go together really well. I also used one of the Soft Subtles colours, Blush blossom for the backing of the embossed butterfly and the butterfly cut using the Beautiful Butterflies die. Take the Butterflies off and this could be a nice masculine card too.

Razzle Dazzle Spotlight

2009-07-14T08:33:00.000-04:00

I got some new goodies last week including the new "Razzle Dazzle" stamp set and on Saturday I dived in and had some fun. This was actually a colour combo challenge issued by my friend (and upline) Maggie to use Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango together. I kind of cheated because there isn't a whole lot of the Dusty Durango there.

I also tried a new technique for me called "Spotlighting". I stamped my image in Black Stazon, which gives a great crisp image and a contrast colour (although I was toying with using Chocolate Chip to match the card stock). Then I coloured part of my image with my in-colour markers (awesome!) using a circle punch to cut it out and adhere on top of my stamped image.
I do like all the Chocolate chip cardstock peeking through. The other colours are so bright that it tempers them but also makes them pop. The sentiment was from the new stamp set Teeny Tiny Wishes, it comes with 24 different sentiments and all in different fonts so there is such a lovely variety.

I'm shocked I didn't use the Big Shot. Oh well, I made other things that more than make up for it. I also got the Matchbox die and it is pretty cool. Here is what I made (but I had to use the no longer available Raspberry Tart paper and pink pirouette cardstock (but I had to try it!) and I also used to it make tags on another 2 cards. The matching stamp set Matchbox Messages is also a great product.

Thanks for looking! If you have any questions about my projects or Stampin' Up Products feel free to email me.

Anna

Big Shot + Free Stuff! Yes please!

2009-07-10T21:35:00.003-04:00

I love my Big Shot, in fact I think every entry in this blog uses the tag for the Big Shot. I even used it today to test out my new Matchbox Die.
Where does this lead? One of my favourite websites is Stampin' Addicts where they have tons of ideas on how to use the Stampin’ Up! Big Shot

Right now they are running a contest to win a Big Shot Die Pack. I love all of these dies and you will too. Now anyone can enter and all you have to do is post on your blog about Stampin' Addicts and the contest and let Stampin' Addicts know! Good Luck! (but not too much, because I want those dies, they are too die ;) for!

In Color embrace AKA meet the new SU in-colours!

2009-06-30T13:47:00.008-04:00

Every year Stampin' Up says goodbye to 6 colours but is nice enough to introduce 6 more.

I got a chance to try out the new inks, paper and ribbons(!) and made this at 2am the day I got my order since I couldn't wait.

I used one of my favourite stamp sets "Embrace Life" and another favourite, Dazzling Diamonds to make the edges of my flowers all glittery.

I love the new ribbon, because one side is polka dotted and the other side is plain, and it is thick enough that you can use either side. The two new in-colours I used here are Rich Razzleberry (the gorgeous deep purple) and Crushed Curry (the jewel toned yellow).

This is another card I made with the in-colors and a new hostess set (that you can get for free when you host a workshop!) called "The More the Merrier"

The ribbon on this one shows the polka dots, which are so cute! This uses the new blue colour called "Bermuda Bay", the pink is called "Melon Mambo" and the brown is called "Soft Suede"

I also finally got to use my Movers and Shaper die and the Big Shot again!

I can't wait to make tons of stuff with the new colours of paper and inks. One great thing is this time you can get the in colors in marker form!

Here is all the in-colors!

To order your own catalogue ($12) let me know!

Tomorrow I will have links to the new catalogues.

Anna

Quick and Easy Summer party! and last day for ordering from the Spring/Summer '09 Catty

2009-06-30T10:38:00.013-04:00

If you are like me and like to have people over but the thought of making it decorative just stresses you out, Stampin' Up! and Country Living magazine are making it super easy to make your bar-b-q (or summer party) look fun and pretty.

What do you get? (Click the photo for full pictures!)

The exclusive Country Living Summer Cookout Kit includes the following products:

8 die-cut table tents (2 each of 4 colours)
Die-cut components, bamboo skewers, and envelopes to create 8 shish kabob invitations
12 die-cut coasters (3 each of 4 colours)
16 die-cut tags (4 each of 4 colours)
24 12" x 12" printed food wrapper sheets (12 each of 2 colours)
4 printed recipe cards
5 yards linen thread
Ruby Red Classic Stampin' Spot
Night of Navy Classic Stampin' Spot
Dig In stamp set (item number 116700)
Note: the kit does not include tablecloths, plates, or flatware.

For $32.95

Available until Aug 31st or until supplies are available.

Also, today is the last day to order from the Last Chance Lists and from the 2009 Spring and Summer catalogue, so let me know if there is anything you would like to order.

For tomorrow :

Happy Canada Day to my Peeps! And Happy new Catalogue to all my other craftin' friends! One more sleep!

Bella Bleu Sympathy Card Now with Watercolour Crayons!

2009-06-30T09:03:00.000-04:00

I love the stamp set "Thoughts and prayers", it has such pretty images and sentiments. I saw something I had to try in the new catalogue (Coming July 1st!) and so I pulled out my new watercolour crayons. They haven't gotten a lot of rest since I bought them. Then the package of Twill tape that has never even been opened was brought out and gave this technique a try. Another new purchase that I cracked open was the Bella Bleu Designer Paper and it is beautiful. I Love Stampin's Up Paper! Well, most of it and strangely enough even the ones I don't like initially I learn to love! (See Rainbow Sherbert)

I coloured the stamp with the crayons, spritzed the Twill tape with a water mister and then stamped the image on to that. The image came out a little light but I think for a sympathy card and with the gorgeous paper, it works really well. I will definitely be using the twill tape more often since it ties really nicely, can be stamped on and comes in 3 different widths.

This is the inside of the card -

I will definitely try this idea again!

Supplies :

Stamps : Thoughts and Prayers

Paper : Kraft, Very Vanilla and Not Quite Navy Cardstock, Bella Bleu DSP (Gorgeous!)

Ink : Not Quite Navy, Watercolour Crayons (Earth Elements)

Accessories : Big Shot, Top Note Die, Twill Tape, Water mister, SNAIL, Sponges, Scallop oval punch, large oval punch, wide oval punch, paper piercer and mat, dimensionals, Button Bouquet (Last Chance Accessory!)

Big Shot Butterflies

2009-06-28T17:31:00.006-04:00

Someone recently accused me of 'loving' flowers and butterflies for stamping. This project does not prove them wrong. I do love it though. I bought this lovely shadow box at the dollar store and wanted a way to use it. I also bought the cheap acrylic paint to paint the outside there as well.

It started as a project for a Wow! Swap, but 39 of these would have killed me. It now hangs out at one of my schools to look pretty in the library.

Supplies :

Stamps - Dreams Du Jour, Pretty Petals.

Paper -Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White cardstock, Parisian Breeze DSP.

Ink - Whisper white craft ink, Cameo coral, Baja Breeze.

Accessories - Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Stampin' Pastels, Dazzling Diamonds, Sponges, Blender pen, Dimensionals, SNAIL, Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Corner Rounder Punch.