No, I'm not going anywhere, but the 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog is.  Today is the last day to purchase products from that catalog.  All retiring stamps and accessories are available only through the end of the day. For a complete list of last chance items, please refer to the links on the right side bar. Click here to visit my on-line store.

While I'm sad to see some of my favorite things go I am excited about the new products in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog...and you will be too! Just a bit of housekeeping before I show you today's project.  My online store and demonstrator website will be down for maintenance on July 1st from 7am to noon (MT).  This will allow all the new catalog information to be updated.  The store will be back in business 2PM (EST)!  I will also be updating my blog with new information over the weekend too, to include access to the catalog on-line.  And finally, if you want need a new catalog, please let me know.  I will make arrangements with locals for a pick-up.  If you are not in the Central FL area, I ask you pay the $4.95 priority shipping cost (US residents only).

Ok, on to today's project.  This is a continuation from my previous post - all about pretty packaging. 

I already had my sewing machine out and I had some "fun" fabric laying out so I grabbed my Island Floral die (#118871) and Big Shot machine (#113439) and cut out this flower and petals.  I really like this fabric and the bright, bold colors are eye-catching.

The flower is adhered to the box with mini glue dots and the box itself is another Big Shot die called Box #2 (#114518).  In order to match the blue color on the fabric, I  used some retired card stock (do you remember Brilliant Blue??).  The corduroy brad is also retired but available in the Clearance Rack section of my online store.  (There are some GREAT bargins in the Clearance Rack section - you need to check them out!).  And to tie things up, I used 5/8" Real Red grosgrain ribbon - which, by the way, is also retiring as of today. To add that final, personal touch, I added two sentiments from the Tiny Tags stamp set (#118592) and punched them out using the Jewelry tag punch (#117190) and wrapped them around the brad using white Baker's Twine (#124262).  To make this projects from beginning to end took less 20 minutes including the flower!

I encourage you to break out alternative materials and try them with your Big Shot.  You won't be disappointed.  Wait...what?  You don't have a Big Shot?? Luckily, I can help you with that too!

Thank you for visiting.  See you next time with a brand new catalog!!

The Big Shot has opened an entirely new world of crafting to me. I never get tired of using this fabulous machine. While I classify myself as a die hard papercrafter, the Big Shot has allowed me to introduce other materials into my projects.  My favorite alternative material is fabric.  I am not a seamstress, but I do own a sewing machine and know just enough to get a few stitches down. 

I was going through some old files that I saved over the years and found a project originated by Angie Juda in 2009.  I had to case her fabulous idea.  Take a look at these fabulous package toppers:

Several colors of the 1-1/4" wide grosgrain ribbon are going to retire on Friday, two of which include Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive. I love this ribbon and am happy to say new colors will be introduced in the new catalog. They add such a "wow" factor to this project. Here is a photo of the topper in action:

I duplicated Angie's idea by using Kraft wrapping paper (or you can use paper garbage bags). This turns an ordinary bag into a party! Look how fun this present looks now! Here's a close-up of the flower:

So, how were these created?  With the Big Shot, of course!  The flowers were created using the Flower Folds die.  The best part about it is the Big Shot can cut multiple layers of fabric at one time.  I ran it through ONE time and that was it. Once the batting and fabric was sewn together, I used the Crop-a-dile to make a hole in the center of each flower and knotted the 1-1/4" grosgrain ribbon to create the center of the flower.

On this particular topper, I used all four flowers, but on the other three samples I only used three flowers.  It's just a matter of personal preference.

You really need to give these a try.  They're easy, quick to make and make such an awesome impression to the gift receiver.  The wrapping becomes another gift!

So, here's what you need to do...click here to go to my on-line store before Friday.  Get some of this fantastic ribbon before these colors go away for good! The retiring colors are:

119749 Pumpkin Pie $9.95

119752 Rich Razzleberry $9.95

117228 Certain Celery $9.95

117292 Old Olive $9.95

119961 Early Espresso $9.95

119768 Real Red $9.95

119773 Night of Navy $9.95

Of course, the Big Shot and Flower Folds die is also available in the current catalog and the new catalog. Those order numbers are:

Big Shot # 113439 $99.95

Flower Folds #115970 $42.95

I have another cute packaging sample to show you this week.  Be sure to come back to see it for yourself!

Thanks for looking!

It's been a long time coming, but we finally made it - the last installment of my Ain't Love Grand showcase. I hope you have enjoyed seeing the great images available in this soon-to-be-released set. I have definitely had fun playing with this set and so will you!  I highly recommend adding this set to your stamping arsenal.

Without further ado...

The layout is very simple.  I kept it simple because the designer paper is a little busy.  Much like yesterday's post, this card uses fabulous dsp that will be making it's exit on Friday. The Celebrations DSP is/was so versatile and gender friendly.  Hurry...you have until June 30th to call it your own.

Do you see that scalloped circle behind the main image?  It's new - it's part of a new Big Shot die called Perfect Pennants. It has five pieces and oh so many possibilities!  Look for it in the new catalog (page 221).  The rest of the card recipe is below.

So, do you remember my sneak peak from yesterday?  You have to come back tomorrow to see what I have been working on for the last 4 days straight.  Let's just say I'm a bit obsessed at the moment.  Here's another little peak...

See ya tomorrow!

Card recipe:

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand; Ink: Basic Black and various markers; Paper: Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White, Celebrations DSP; Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, scalloped edge punch, circle scissors plus.

I am nearing the end of my Ain't Love Grand showcase.  After today, there is only one more card.  The last card will post tomorrow night so be sure to stop by to see the final image.

Today's card is an adorable couple on their wedding day.  My parent's will be celebrating 59 years of wedded bliss in a few weeks, so I made this into an anniversary card. 

 If you look close enough you can see a bit a "bling" on the bride's veil.

 There are plenty of fun products on this card.  I used a piece of DSP from the Elegant Soiree pack since it will be retiring on Friday :( I love this paper, but I can assure you there are awesome new papers in the new catalog). For a list of all the "ingredients" see the bottom of this post.

And now for my sneak peak.  It's not a sneak peek of new product, it's a peek into my recent semi-stamping related obsession.  I'm still working on the final product, but here's a quick look of one of the elements:

 
I know, I know, it's a small picture, but I promise once it is finished, I will show you the whole thing in addition to the other similar project.  SO cute!

Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to come by tomorrow for the Ain't Love Grand Finale!

Oh, and don't forget...time is running out to get your hands on retiring stamps and accessories.  Click HERE to go to my on line store.

The new catalog goes LIVE on July 1st!  

 
Card Recipe:

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand; Ink: Basic Black and various markers; Paper: Elegant Soiree DSP, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White; Accessories: Framed Tulips and Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Big Shot, Decorative Label punch, 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, and Cherry Cobbler seam binding.

 

(This post was suppose to show up yesterday, but it appears I mis-scheduled it.  Sorry!)

Welcome to part 4 of my Ain't Love Grand series. Today's card makes me chuckle - I think it is so stinkin' cute.  This card is called a spinner card because it really does spin and  move!

 
 
I have been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator a long time (since 2002) and I can recall making a spinner card in my early years.  I was so fascinated by this "technique" I made quite a few of these.  Several years have gone by since I made my last one and I have to admit -  it was a lot of fun to make this type of card again!

The mechanics of the card are very simple - a couple of pennies and a few dimensionals.  What makes this card SO easy to make is the Word Window punch (in the "old days" we cut a slit with our cutter).  The punch is what creates the "track" for the pennies to slide along.  Here's a close-up of how the pennies and dimensionals are assembled:

 This is very easy to assemble.  Here's how: 1) Place a dimensional on the image (in this case the 1 1/4" blue circle). 2) Place a penny on that dimensional 3) Add another dimensional on top of that penny then stack another penny on top of that.  So, you end up with two dimensionals and two pennies.

To secure it to the card, you will place the "track" between the two pennies.  This is what allows the object to spin. Here's a close-up of the penny on the track:

 
I hope you enjoyed today's very brief tutorial. This type of card can have such a "wow" factor.  Let me know if this tutorial helped you or if you have any questions.

Have a blessed day!

 
Recipe:

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand (new hostess set); Ink: Bashful Blue, Black and various markers; Paper: Bashful Blue and Whisper White; Accessories: Word Window punch, 2 3/8" scalloped punch (this is what I used to create the clouds), sponge, 1 1/4 circle punch, silver brad, dimensional, and pennies (2).

Hello Stamping Friends!

Today is day three of my Ain't Love Grand showcase. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I really like this soon-to-be new hostess set and I wanted to make a set of cards showing its versatility. Today's card uses the umbrella and the "get well" sentiment.

 
The colors on this card are bright and upbeat - Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight. Besides the Melon Mambo DSP, the only other elements I added were ribbon.  The 1-1/4" wide ribbon in Daffodil Delight and the Mambo pom poms (leftover from the previous mini) add a bit of dimension.

We are less than 2 weeks away from the release of the new Stampin up! Idea Book and Catalog! That also means you have less than 2 weeks to shop for retiring items.  Shop today to get them items you want before they go away.  Click here to visit my online store.

Thanks for visiting!

Card recipe:

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand; Ink: Black Stazon, various markers; Paper: Melon Mambo DSP, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White; Accessories: Mambo pom poms (ret) and 1-1/4" wide Daffodil Delight ribbon

I'm really enjoying the new hostess stamp set called, "Ain't Love Grand". These images are so much fun to color.  This set will be available on July 1st when the new catalog goes into effect. 

 
This horse image is so adorable. It reminds me of the rocking horse my nephew received as a gift when he was a toddler. I paired the image with the soon-to-be-retired Elegant Soiree designer paper and the Curly Verses stamp set.  See the recipe below for the rest of the card's ingredients.

Just as a reminder, I am showcasing cards from this new stamp set all week.  Stop by again to see another card using Ain't Love Grand.

Recipe:

Stamps: Ain't Love Grand, Curly Verses; Ink: Soft Suede, Black Stazon; Paper: Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Vanilla, Elegant Soiree DSP; Accessories: Crumb Cake button, Baja Breeze seam binding, gold brads, owl punch (heart).

Have a GREAT day!

All this week I will be showcasing cards made from the soon-to-be-released Stampin' Up! Hostess set called Ain't Love Grand.  This set will be in the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog which will be available on July 1st.  This set is perfect for those of you who like to color.  It is a set of 6 line images - one for every occasion.  They are adorable images.

 
 My first card features the hot air balloon image with a sentiment that reads, "Sending love your way".  I can see using this type of card similar to a "thinking of you" card.   

This card is going to my mom so I wanted "girly" colors and a little bling. I used Melon Mambo and Gable Green (ret) to accent my balloon and the same colors for background accents on the card. I used my Circle Scissors Plus to make three circles in various sizes to place behind the main image.  I also punched a small strip of scallops in Melon Mambo card stock and added a few rhinestones.  I also used the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder on the Crumb Cake card stock for some dimension.

Come back again several times this week as I will continue to use this same set.  And, don't forget...time is running out to get your hands on retiring merchandise.  Once it's gone, it's gone.  Be sure to check out my on-line store here.

Enjoy this wonderful Father's Day weekend.

There is a flurry of activity in the blogging world now with samples made from the soon-to-be-released Stampin' Up! catalog.  One of the benefits of being a demonstrator is the ability to pre-order product and get samples made.  Now that my product has *finally* made its way to me, I'll join in on the excitement.

 
Today's card is a 3x6 card that features the new Stampin' Up! punch called Petite Pennant Builder. This new punch has so much potential and is a lot of fun to work with.  The scallop pennant is a perfect fit for the straight edge pennant and we stampers love our layers!  The punch also corresponds with several sets in the new catalog.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

This card also uses new designer scrapbook paper called Just Add Cake.  It has great color combinations along with some fun patterns.  The lighting on this card is a bit off, but the colors in the DSP are Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, So Saffron and Peach Parfait.  It's a great combo for either gender.

Join me again on Monday when I will show another sneak peek from the new catalog.  In the meantime, time is running out to purchase the retiring stamps and accessories from the current catalog.  Get them while you can! 

Visit my online store today to check out some great values!

Click here to Shop now

The anticipation is growing.  The new Stampin' Up! Catalog is going to be released in just a few short weeks and I can hardly wait!  My stamp club members are getting excited too because to thank them for their friendship and loyalty over the last few years, they are getting their catalog for FREE.  In addition to the catalog, I will also be giving them a bookmark to mark their favorite pages! 

 
(click on the photo to enlarge)

 
How fun are these? These were made using the Big Shot die cut machine and the Fun Flowers die. I also ran them through the BS using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. They are assembled by using Stampin' Dimensionals (a lot of them) to give them some height. I also sponged the edges of each flower with a contrasting ink. On the top flower, I added a silver grommet and inserted a Fabric brad (now retired).

The ribbon is Stampin' Up!'s 1-1/4" striped grograin ribbon and it comes in various colors.  It has so many great uses, especially on packages.  Or, in this case, great bookmarks!

Today's cool tools:

			Basic Jumbo Grommets #114348   Regular Price: $1.66 Preferred Price: $1.49 LEARN ABOUT PREFERRED PRICING Catalog Price : $6.95 Custom designed, these large grommets add some real spunk! These grommets can even frame small images for real art appeal. ■ Colors:  Basic Black, Silver, Very Vanilla and Whisper White ■ 5 each for a total of 20 pieces         CLOSE CLOSE PREV | NEXT         PREV | NEXT Fun Flowers Bigz L Die There’s no end to the appeal flowers have for all kinds of craft projects. Our Fun Flowers Bigz XL Die only adds to the flower bed of possibilities. These petal and flower center shapes can be layered in all kinds of combinations, as well as with other die cut flower shapes, to produce blooms and blossoms of all kinds of new species in phenomenal floral abundance. Cut them from fabric, card stock, and Designer Series Paper and layer together to create even more variety with patterns, textures, and dimension. ■ Die measures 6" x 8-3/4" ■ Use with Big Shot and standard cutting pads Fun Flowers Bigz L Die #121812   Regular Price: $36.61 Preferred Price: $32.95 LEARN ABOUT PREFERRED PRICING ■ Die measures 6" x 8-3/4" ■ Use with Big Shot and standard cutting pads Thanks for stopping by!