Stamp Journey

Card Ideas: Framelit Openings

We had such a good time at our Stamp Divas meeting last night! (My team meets to talk business, learn techniques, share ideas and create projects once a month -- just a perk of being in my downline.)

We did four projects based on the very first presentation last Saturday at the Chattanooga Regional meeting. Here's the original project:

The presentor ran the card base through the Big Shot with a Framelits die, added Designer Series paper behind the opening and used the cutout piece inside. She finished it with a tag to go on the front and embellished with a bow and brad.

So, using that card as a template, we did two cards and two mini cards.

This one uses the same Framelits die, but we used the card in a vertical format.

Stamps
Seasonal Sayings (Wood #128006 ; Clear #128009)

Ink
Cherry Cobbler

Paper
Naturals Ivory card stock
Be of Good Cheer DSP

Accessories
Big Shot
Labels Collection Framelits Dies #125598
Gumball Green Stitched Ribbon (free with the September "Back to Spool" promotion)
Dazzling Details

The next card is the same format but with a very different look...we've flipped it horizontally and used a different Framelits shape.

Stamps
Loving Thoughts (Wood #125843; Clear #125845)

Inks
Midnight Muse

Paper
Midnight Muse card stock
Comfort Café DSP #126898

Accessories
Big Shot
Floral Frames Framelits Dies #127012
Basics Glimmer Brad
Pool Party ribbon

Two quick 3" x 3" mini notes -- suitable as gift tags -- use the same idea, but we created the cutouts with punches instead of Framelits. Super quick!

The Designer Series paper is Fan Fair (#126918). The note on the left uses Teeny Tiny Wishes (Wood #115370; Clear #127802) and Clockworks (Wood #127290; Clear #127292) stamp sets. The one on the right uses Papillon Potpourri (Wood #123757; Clear #123759).

If you'd like to make some of these projects at your very own Stampin' Up! party, call or email me. I'm booking November dates now!

Cheers,
Kathleen
678-467-1330
maccreative@me.com
www.stampjourney.com
www.kathleeninnes.stampinup.net

 

World Treasures: White Peacock

This peacock from the World Treasures stamp set is very special to me.

I am a member of the Periwinkle Peacocks...a group of nine women who travel twice a year for extended weekends, camp in the summer, celebrate the holidays, and attend an annual scrapping/cardmaking retreat each spring. These are the friends I can call in the middle of the night for well, anything! We've been together 20 years.

In those years, we've laughed, loved and supported each other...we've helped each other through weddings, divorces, births, graduations, illness, tragedy and joy. Also through those years we've delighted in finding peacock jewelry, figurines, pictures and of course, stamps.

This stamp set was the first one I pulled out to play with when my new catalog stuff arrived this week. I'm in peacock heaven!

Stamps
World Treasures Stamp Set (Wood #126765; Clear #126767)

Paper
Baja Breeze CS
Whisper White CS
Midnight Muse CS

Ink
Midnight Muse Classic stamp pad
Versamark (or White Craft stamp pad)

Accessories
Whisper White 5/8" Organza Ribbon (#114319)
Basic Pearls Jewel Accents (#119247)
White Stampin' Emboss Powder (#109132)
Heat Tool (#129053)
Scallop Trim Corner Punch (#118870)
Dimensionals
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (#113439)
Fancy Fan Embossing Folder (#127751)
Apothocary Accents Framelit Dies (#127003)

I do have a confession to make...I hand cut the framed saying before I realized I had the framelit to cut it out. I was that excited to get crafting with the World Treasures stamp set, I didn't finish unpacking the shipping box. Sheesh!

Cheers,
Kathleen
678-467-1330
maccreative@me.com

Build A Blossom Meets Primrose and Starfruit

Don't you love having a coordinating punch for a stamp set?

The Blossom Petals Builder punch pairs perfectly with the Build A Blossom stamp set.

I've used two new In Colors in this sample, Primrose Petals and Summer Starfruit.

This is a fast, easy card to make -- and the inspiration came right out of the new catalog. Check it out on page 94. You don't have a catalog? Drop me a email with your full name, mailing address and phone number and I'll send you a FREE catalog by Priority Post.

Stamps
Build A Blossom (Wood 121923; Clear 121994)
Teeny Tiny Wishes (Wood 115370; Clear 127802)

Paper
Naturals White - cut base to 4-1/2" x 11", score and fold in half
Summer Starfruit - cut one strip 4-1/2 x 1/2"

Ink
Primrose Petals Classic Stampin' pad
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' pad
Basic Black Classic Stampin' pad
Summer Starfruit marker

Accessories
Blossom Petals Builder punch (121808)
1" Circle punch
Stampin' Dimensionals
Ruler

I drew the stem using a ruler and the Summer Starfruit marker.

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter list (sign up box is at the top left of this page) to see more samples, techniques and product tips from the 2012-2013 catalog.

Cheers,
Kathleen
678-467-1330
maccreative@me.com

Celebrate the New Catalog!

Oh, my -- I'm just downright giddy! Who cares about champagne and singing Auld Lang Syne???? THIS is MY "New Year's!"

So there I was at noon placing my first Stampin' Up! order of the new stampin' year. Have you seen the cool new punches? Embossing folders for your Big Shot? And, for those of you who know me well, there is a stamp set called World Treasures with a gorgeous peacock. It was the first stamp I ordered today.

I also spent time this afternoon talking with several of YOU about your choices for this first day of our stampin' year. Although the customers who ordered today have shown quite a diversity in stamp set choices, early favorites seem to be Daydream Medallions on page 117 (Wood 126465; Clear 126467) and Papaya Collage on page 75 (Wood 126610; Clear 126612).

As for Designer Series Paper, the new Natural Composition Specialty paper appears to be an instant hit (page 162, item 126917). In accessories, the In Color Dahlias on page 175 (item 127556) was on nearly every order I took today!

I'll be glad to place your order any time. Just email or call me to get your hands on the yummy new stuff.

My customers received a complimentary catalog from me earlier this week, as my customers always do. I'd LOVE to send you a catalog if you don't yet have one....FREE. Simply send me an email and include your full name, mailing address and phone number. I'll happily ship off a catalog to you by Priority Post so you can drool along with the rest of us!

Meantime, you can find the online catalog posted here at my website.

Cheers,
Kathleen

maccreative@me.com • 678-467-1330

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Y'all!

With a name like Kathleen Shannon I couldn't let St. Patrick's Day slip by without posting a project!

 

Although this card was created in My Digital Studio, you could easily construct it in the traditional manner with Stampin' Up! supplies.

Stamps
Best Wishes & More, #111602
Holiday Blitz, #115364
Simple Friendship, #113397

Paper
Textured Basic Black card stock, #108693
Glorious Green card stock, #101697
Certainly Celery card stock, #105125
Apricot Appeal card stock, #105124 111602

Ink
Basic Black
Glorious Green
Certainly Celery
Apricot Appeal

Accessories
Full Heart punch, #113693
Small Oval punch, #107304
Large Oval punch, #107305
Modern Label punch, 116630
Black brads from Vintage collection, #109109
Dimensionals (or Drop Shadow effect), #104430

One of the real "tricks" in using My Digital Studio is drop shadows. Shadows give elements dimension, lifting them off the page...a digital substitute for Stampin' Dimensionals.

See the shadow under the shamrock? And the oval label...even the words!

Want to learn more tips for digital crafting? Sign up for my FREE newsletter at the top left of this page. You'll enjoy techniques, samples, tutorials and more in the Stamp Journey newsletter, delivered right to your emailbox.

Éirinn go brách!

Punchy Over Punches

Stammpin' Up!'s new line of punches are easy to store, easy to transport and make borders a snap. Bonnie Thurber demonstrates the new corner and border punches in this video.

Valentine: {Heart} Times Three

Here's another card from Jini Merck.

Stamps
With All My Heart, item #118134 Wood-mount; #118623 Clear-mount
I {Heart} Hearts, item #117010 Wood-mount; #118571 Clear-mount

Paper
Whisper White card stock
Melon Mambo card stock
Regal Rose card stock

Accessories
Pinking Hearts Border punch, item #117649
White ribbon
Clear embossing powder
Heat gun

Jini is a demonstrator in our Simply INKspertional group. It's wonderful to have the support, advice and friendship of other demonstrators, whether you're brand new or an old hand. We gather once a month to discuss business, swap projects and share ideas.

Our next meeting is February 20th at 10 a.m. in Duluth, GA. Want to see what it's all about? Come as my guest to the meeting and see firsthand the joy we share. Give me a call at 678-467-1330 for specifics.

Technique: Emerging Color

I love the Emerging Colors technique on this card because it combines two of my favorite things -- the Medallion stamp and embossing.

Stamps
Medallion, item #115223

Paper
Bella Bleu Designer Series paper, item #113974
Brocade Blue card stock
Soft Suede card stock
Naturals Cream card stock

Ink
Versamark stamp pad
Soft Suede Classic stamp pad
Brocade Blue Classic stamp pad
Brocade Blue Stampin' Write marker
Soft Suede Stampin' Write marker

Accessories
Clear Embossing Powder
Heat Gun
Scallop Oval punch
Oval punch
Brocade Blue ribbon
Half pearl from Pretties Kit
Tombow Multi-purpose glue
Stampin' Dimensionals

Start by stamping the Medallion image in Versamark ink on a piece of Bella Bleu paper. Immediately cover with Clear embossing powder. Heat using a heat gun just until the image is raised.

Brayer over the entire piece of embossed Bella Bleu paper using Soft Suede ink. Repeat until the background color is even and the intensity you like. Use a tissue to wipe away the ink from the embossed portion, revealing the paper color below. It's like magic!

Finish constructing the card as you wish. In this sample, I used markers to ink up a greeting stamp from the Well Scripted stamp set in two colors. I stamped it onto the Naturals Cream paper and punched out with the Oval punch, then punched out a scallop oval to go behind it.

The card is finished off with ribbon and a half pearl. The Tombow Multi-purpose glue works great to securely attach the half pearl, or you could use Crystal Effects.

To learn more techniques to use in your scrapbooking and cardmaking projects, join my Techniques Club. Details of club membership are here. Make your own mini scrapbook of super techniques and build your supplies on a budget. This month, the Technique Club meets on Thursday, February 18th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call or email me to reserve your spot.

Hope to see YOU there!

Got Yours?

Ooohhh, there are so many fun things going on with Stampin' Up! right now that it's hard to keep up.

If you're on my catalog mailing list, you should have received the new Occasions mini catalog and a Sale-A-Bration brochure in the mail last week. Please let me know if you have not received it yet -- you do not want to miss the excitement!

If you're not currently on my catalog mailing list, just drop me an email with your full name, phone number and address and I'll be happy to add you.

The Occasions mini features two particular products that are creating lots of buzz.

If you love rubber stamps as I do but you've just run out of space to store them, we've got you covered...with the new Clear Mount stamps.

The same deeply-etched rubber that we love ensures crisp, detailed images but in a format that allows you to store them in thin plastic cases about the size of a CD. These are "unmounted" rubber stamps you temporarily mount onto acrylic blocks...so now you have a choice...wood-mounted or unmounted. Too cool!

And then there's the punches in a new style that's again easy to store without giving up the quality Stampin' Up! is known for. One punch in particular is flying off the shelves. It's a two-step punch called Extra Large Two-Step Bird -- catchy, huh? LOL!

Look at all the images you get with just this one punch and do you see how the new punches stand up on their ends? Easy-peasey storage.

 

Can you tell I'm excited?

Let me share the excitement with you. Email or call me to receive your own copy of the Occasions mini catalog and Sale-A-Bration brochure. Can't wait? Go to my catalog page to download the Occasions mini now.

Friday the 13th List

Andrea became a fan of the Stamp-a-ma-jig at last weekend's workshop and asked me to name my favorite paper-crafting tools. It was easy for me!

My Top 13 Stampin' Tools

1. Stamp-a-ma-jig
2. Big Shot Die Machine
3. Daubers
4. Table-Top Paper Cutter
5. My Digital Studio software
6. Dimensionals
7. Spritzer Tool
8. Craft & Paper Scissors
9. Scallop Circle punch
10. Top Note die
11. Aqua painter
12. Crystal Effects
13. Heat gun

What are your favorite Stampin' Up! tools? Why?

Nominate your favs by leaving a comment on this post.

Just For You

Here's a cute card using one of Stampin' Up!'s new Big Shot dies, the Lattice Bigz die (item #115958).

 

This next card also uses the Big Shot, but only for the textured background. The snowflakes are punchouts from our new Jumbo Snowflake punch. (Item #116628)

 

And here's another creative use of dies and punches...the Top Note die, Scallop Circle and Boho Blossoms punches.

 

As the owl above says, "You've got a friend in me!" I'd like to be your upline friend, too.

Stampin' Up! is running a signup special for new demonstrators this month and I'd love to chat with you about it. If you'd like to receive a small packet of information about working for yourself in a job you love, email or call me. Join my team!

Hopping Cute

Yes, I know I promised a tutorial for the mini pizza box, but I'm still working on it. I'll have that tutorial up soon (no, really!).

Here's another sample to keep you going till then. :-)

Punches
Small and large ovals (ears)
1 3/4" circle (face)
3/4" circle (cheeks)
Heart to Heart punch (nose)
1/2" circle punch (eyes & feet)
1/4" circle punch (pupils & feet)
Scallop edge punch (front edge)
Corner rounder

Cardstock
Whisper White
Pirouette Pink
Bashful Blue

 

 

Also Used
Black Hemp Twine (whiskers)
So Saffron Ribbon (a Sale-A-Bration free selection)
Designer paper for sides (another Sale-A-Bration freebie)
Dimensionals (under cheeks)
Mini glue dots
SNAIL adhesive

This is a quick and easy project. Start with half a sheet of card stock measuring 4 1/4" x 11"…cut it down the middle in portrait position.

Score at 3" and 5" and round the top corners. Use the scallop edge punch on the other short end and crease score lines.

Cut two pieces of designer paper or card stock 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" and score 1/4" from the edge on two opposing edges. Put sticky strip or adhesive on these narrow ends and attach to box.

Don't forget the fluffy tail on the back – it gets a laugh every time someone turns the box around!

And don't forget that Sale-A-Bration ends mere days from now. Call or email me to get your order in before Tuesday and earn those Sale-A-Bration freebies!

Who Isn't Irish Today?

Whether your family tree sprouts from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland -- or it's merely wishful thinking on this most Irish of days -- there's a bit of the blarney in all of us.

Did you wear a shamrock today? Or tacky green beads? Or a green shirt? If you did, there were millions of people keeping you company today.

Along with my 100%-genuine-sold-only-in-Ireland shamrock (really!), I sported a distinctly Irish package of TicTacs.

This was made with Stampin' Up! punches and a bit of ribbon. Aye, tis too much fun!

Punches used:
1 3/8 inch circle, 1/2 inch circle, 3/4 inch circle, scallop punch (the orange hair), word window punch (for the hat brim and the ears), 5-petal flower (used two of the petals for the moustache), key tag (hat), 1/4 inch square (retired) and 1/4 inch circle (retired).

The eyes were highlighted with Stampin' Up!'s white gel pen – which is the only gel pen that has never gotten "plugged up" on me! I used 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon on the hat.

The Irish gent is attached to the wrapper with dimensionals. Here's my wee lad undressed, as it were…

You can find these wonderful punches on page 184 and 185 of the Spring/Summer catalog. Pick out a few for your collection – click here to go to my website to order now.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sweet, Baby!

These so-called "Onesie" cards are so easy.

What a cute shower invitation it would make!

This card is all about punches. I used the following punches:

• Scallop punch
• 1 - 3/8" circle punch
• 1/4" circle punch

The trim paper is Rose Red Prints, from Stampin' Up!'s beautiful Prints Designer series papers. These double-sided prints come in sixteen standard SU colors.

The moon is highlighted with silver micro beads. I used our new Multipurpose glue for the beads -- worked great! The micro beads are the tiny ones in the Silver Duo double-pack.

The only stamping on this card is the center image from the So Many Scallops stamp set in Rose Red. This is a limited-edition Sale-A-Bration stamp set you can only get with a qualifying order...and that special offer expires tomorrow -- March 17.

I'll include an illustrated direction sheet for the Onesie card with every order. Call or email me by 9:00 p.m. EDT to beat the deadline!