Christmas Card Class

I am excited for my upcoming Christmas Card Class. It will be on Saturday, November 20th at 9 a.m. I will provide enough for you to make 24 cards. You will be able to make more with the supplies you have. This is just a small sample of the cards which have been made. You will be using Holly Jolly Designer Series paper and Rub Ons. Come, have a great time and get one more thing off your Christmas "to do" list! Cost is $20. Please RSVP by Friday, November 5th so I can be sure to have your supplies.

Big Shot Letterpress by Stampin' Up

Had Some Time to Play!

I just love it when I find a few minutes to try something out and it works! I wanted to try doing a two page spread in My Digital Studio of our Zoo trip. I actually got these two pages done in a half hour. Needless to say it made my day. They are all done and in my book!

Acrylic Calendar Gift class

Today we had fun doing an acrylic calendar class. Everyone decorated their 12 months and you put the current month into the frame and save the remaining months in a cello bag with a bow. We had a great time visiting and stamping. What can get better than good friends and great relaxation! Thanks everyone for coming!

Looking for Input!

I decided to make myself a Definitely Decorative chalkboard calendar. I just love the possibilities and the fact that I can add my own cute magnet embellishments for birthdays, vacations, appointments, etc. I had it as something I wanted to play with to see how it would come out. I finally got the time to try it out. I still have to come up with my magnetic embellishments but I already have it hanging in my room and I love to see it as I walk in.

The input I am looking for is if this is something you would like to do for a class. The cost would be about $20 or $25. If so, is it something you would like to do before the end of the year or look at doing the beginning of next year. Well I can't wait to hear what you have to say! Have a great week!

At What Temperature Do Watercolor Crayons Melt?

I don't know about you but I am just absolutely loving this weather. It is perfect--Not too hot and not too cold! It won't be long before we will adorn ourselves with those wonderful things called coats. The gardens are slowing down, the leaves are starting to turn and Old Man Winter is soon is around the corner.

While I was out this morning about 9ish it wasn't that warm. I would say it was about in the 70's. Although I don't know what the exact temperature was, apparently it is too hot for the Watercolor Crayons. So I have learned the combination of temperature and time do not bode well. A half hour left in a car is too long for these wonderful colors to remain separate. They begin to meld together and mingle with one another creating the most beautiful designs and color combinations. Thank heavens these crayons go a long way. When it is all said and done only one (brocade blue) really contributed too much of itself to all the others and is no longer available. But with a little doctoring there is still a lot of life left in the rest. They just will be a little shorter, but not much.

I actually can find a little humor in this whole thing. I don't know what that says about me, but if you can learn from my mistakes then here is a valuable lesson. Hope you have a great day!

Fall Stamp Camp

Saturday, October 16th either 9-12 or 1-4. Limited to 12 people per session.

Come and make 4 great paper crafting projects. Great gift ideas. We will do two 3D items and 2 cards with a different technique or fold. All for as low as $20. You can also bundle items such as Designer Series paper, stamp sets or textured embossing folders. There will be door prizes and lots of fun! Reserve your spot soon. Payment due by Saturday, September 25th. For all prices and information see my Stampin' Up Website!

Upcoming Stamp A Stack

I am really excited about the upcoming stamp a stack tomorrow. I decided to mix it up a little and having some things with retired product and some with current product. This way you can have additional ideas of what to do with some of your leftover retired stuff and you can easily take the same idea and use it with current stuff. Of course even though I didn't make it to convention this year. . . through my connections I was able to see pictures of things they had on display, etc. So I cased all of these but I added my own touches to them so they are exact copies. I hope you are inspired and try and recreate at least one of them.



Oh and on an aside note. . .
I have been working on Stamp Camp and I am very excited! At least one of the cards is sooooooo stinkin' cute!!!! If you want to mark your calendars, Saturday October, 16th.

I Pulled out the Big Shot Again!

Well my granddaughter was having her birthday and I wanted to make something special for her. I took her with me to pick out what fabric she would like and then I began to make this little blanket using the Bigz Scallop Square Die. Another demonstrator, Kathy Morgan, gave me the idea. It will work for the mats they use when they go to Kindergartern. She isn't in Kindergarten this year but she can take it with her next year. I put a little handle on it and there is elastic on the ends. I only had to show her once how to roll it up and put on the elastic. I think she likes it. When she spent the night she had to sleep with it.

Newest My Digital Studio Project!

I have been playing with My Digital Studio. I have seen these swatch books around and I wanted to try my hand at making one. This week my husband and I decided to take a vacation (still at home but I choose if we want to answer the phone or just play). I have actually got a lot done but I think I really need a month. LOL Anyway, I got together with another demonstrator, Erica Bass and we just sat down and started playing. After 4 hours we came up with what I think is cute template. Later that evening I came home and dropped pictures into the template to come up with my swatch book. Erica will do the same with her pictures just to see the versatility and the different looks. So be sure to check out her blog as she will probably post pictures after she gets hers done. This is the front covers.

Here are what some of the inside pages look like.

The possibilities are endless. Hope you have a great day! Now go and create!

My New Catalog Party Projects!

Okay I know this puppy looks really cute and innocent. Well he is cute but I am not so sure about the innocent part. I have to keep an eye on him all the time. His name is Jedi and he loves to come into the scrapbook/stamping room. The only trouble is he also likes to "help" like tear up cardstock, etc. You will see he actually helped add some texture to one of the projects below.

These are the projects we did for the new catalog party. I went and got some flashing from the local hardware store and used the Flower Folds Bigz xl sizzix die to cut out the flowers. I used the largest 3 and saved the last one to use on a card somehow, later on. I stamped the bottom flower using white Stazon and a stamp from the Priceless set. I think it came out quite beautiful. I have been wanting to try this out. You can also see where Jedi got a hold of it and added his little teeth mark texturing to it too. Thank you Jedi, NOT! I'm just grateful it wasn't more damage.

These last two cards I cased from Splitcoaststampers. I changed them up a little but I really liked the look of these cards.

If you would like to host a party or order any new supplies from the new catalog, please let me know or go to my online shopping.

Have a great day and hope your summer is going good. Mine is--just going way too fast!!!

Monica

Experimenting and Having Fun!

I have been wanting to my granddaughters some cute accessories for their hair. This summer I have finally had some time to play a little more. I had already been gathering different fabrics (cotton and chiffon and other similar fabrics). I pulled out my big shot and some different dies. I used the Bigz xl Flower Folds with a cotton fabric and on a few stuffed with batting and then sewed along the edges. Then on one I just folded the flowers and layered them together. I also used the Bigz Scallop Circle #2 and Circles #2. On these last two die I used my heat gun to shrink them up and get some dimension to them. I put a brad or ribbon in the center and then used felt and the Circles #2 again to add my clip and backing to the flowers. Now my dauther-in-law can just clip them into their hair or on the stretchy elastic headbands I made from cute stretchy ribbon. They were alot of fun to make and not one of them is the same.

Samples from Shoe Box Swap

My Upline had a Shoebox swap Monday night. They are always fun because I get to see people I haven't seen for awhile not to mention the food and fun. As a result you get to see the spoils. I am sorry to say I am not sure who made which card so I cannot give credit to everyone so I am going to leave names off this time around. The two I did I totally cased from Splitcoaststampers.com. I changed some of the colors to keep it with what would be in the new catty and on the other I added the touch of the butterfly just to add some pop of color.

Recycling-But Cute!

I had a bunch of empty stamp containers and a friend suggested recycling them. So here is a project I did as a thank you gift. I put 6 handmade cards and envelopes inside. I used up retired products and I think it came out quite cute!

Color Renovations

I am so excited about this change and can hardly wait to see projects and samples using these new colors! I can hardly wait to see the new in colors for the July catalog. Patience was never my strong point.

Here are your new color collections. There are 5 new colors added in to the basic color collections. They have also brought back some past in colors and made them ones in our basic color collections. We will still have in colors but they will now be around for 2 years! But every year we will also get a new group of in colors. So each year we will have 10 in colors in addition to the 4 basic color collections. For example this year's in colors will stay in next year's catalog. But there will be 5 more new in colors in next year's catalog for the total of 10 in colors.

I am really excited about this new change and can hardly wait to see the new in colors they are coming out with in July! On a sad note these are the colors which will be leaving. However, Craft Stampin’ Pads will only be available in Basic Black, Very Vanilla, and Whisper White. Craft Stampin’ Spots will be available and Craft Stampin’ Ink refills will still be available in all of the basic color collections to use for embossing, coloring chipboard, and scrapbooking.

Be sure to stock up on stamp pads, ink refills, cardstock or Craft Stampin' pads you would like to have before they are gone. If you purchase during May you will be able to get what you would like but starting in June, it may be only while supplies last.

Stamp Camp Projects

These are the projects we made for our Spring Stamp Camp. We made two cards and two 3-D items.

This one is an Easel Card using Sweet Pea DP Stair, wide twill tape, build a brad, Wanted Stamp Set, Sincere Salutations and various punches.

This is a Stair Step card made using So Swirly, Sizzix die and embosslits. I got the idea from another demonstrator's Christmas card, Erica Bass. I just loved the concept

This is a notepad using Thoroughly Modern DP and a calendar and pen to match. We also used coordinating paper to put in the pen. I cased this from Jen Sannes.

Last but not least a box using the small Scallop Envelope die we made a box and 4 coordinating cards to match. This was cased from Jen Sannes.

Scallop Square Purse

I am so excited! I just made my own Scallop Square purse using the Big Shot Scallop Square die. I really like the colors and think it came out quite cute. I am thinking about doing a class on it. Let me know what you think or if you are interested in a class. This bag is sewn together with a some batting sandwiched in between each square and the handle.

Latest Card Swaps

Okay, so these first pictures don't look like cards and you are so right! But he is our latest addition. Isn't he so cute! His name is Jedi and he is 4 months old. He is a lot of fun and sometimes has me just cracking up. We have had him for 1 week today.

Now to move on to the awesome swaps I just got in the mail! They are from the girls I met at Leadership. I think they are great and I hope you enjoy them too.

This is the one I did. I will list who the other ones are from in order. Connie Maestas love the dress and purse to match!

Easel card by Kathy Morgan and a sachet by Angie Dimenna what a great way to use the twill

Sandy Elliott and Amy Cloncs. I just love all the elements on these!

Diane Sarkine and Susan Dempsey using movers and shapers punch windows

Jennifer Taylor and Sharon McNeely. I love the use of the DP paper on these!