Jun 4, 2009 | Heartfelt Thanks, Retired List, Stamps |
Every year when Stampin’ Up! puts out the retired list of stamps sets – I go through the list to see which of my sets are now leaving the catalog. It is sad that because stamp sets that I love to use and show are now not available for everyone to buy any more. So before you miss the chance to get a great stamp set – I want to showcase some of my favorites on my blog this month.
First is Heartfelt Thanks – this was one of the stamp sets I got in my starter kit when I signed up to be a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. It was the first set I used to demonstrate at my first workshop and one that I have used every year since I joined. I was not a good photgrapher way back then and do think that my camera and my skills in that area have improved – so some of these older pictures aren’t that great. And I’d like to think my stamping skills have improved over the years too. Heartfelt Thanks is a beautiful 2-step Stampin’ Set and here are some of the cards I have made with it over the years.
If you are interested in purchasing the Heartfelt Thanks stamp set – you can order online at my website – www.monika.stampinup.net – click on the SHOP NOW button or send me an email to place an order for you.
Here is a view of the complete stamp set – Heartfelt Thanks – set of 9 – $32.95:
I hope you have a wonderful evening. I am creating the projects for the stampers club meeting that I have tomorrow night. It is always so hard to decide which projects to do – there are so many great ideas to choose from. Back up to the craft room for me…..
To see all the items on the Last Chance list – click on the link in my side bar under Helpful Information.
Jun 3, 2009 | Game Night, Stamps, SU Ribbon |
Last night I made these candles that we will be using for our table center pieces this weekend at the couple’s pokeno party. I posted the invitations earlier.
These were quick and easy – using the In the Cards Stampin’ Around Wheel and a Real Red ink cartridge. I wrapped the candle with the So Saffron ribbon (from Sale-A-Bration) and then added a black brad (from the Vintage brads assortment). I went back later and punched with the Round Tab punch from Real Red card stock – folded them in half and stamped “Big Winner” and “Game Night” from the Game Night stamp set in Basic Black. I added that to each candle. I had the same type of element on the invitations so I thought it might tie them together.
If you want to learn more about stamping on candles – find some friends and sign up for my new Me & My Friends Classes. My June newsletter went out to all my customers with information about this new type of class.
I have to get my shopping list together for the party on Saturday. And I’m making a little surprise for all the ladies in our group.
Someone asked how Aspen was doing – he is doing great and seems back to normal. But I checked the calendar and it has only been 3 weeks (I was sure it had been longer than that) so he still needs to take it easy. He is ready to play and has been bringing us toys to tug and toss. I have been letting him outside in the yard by himself off of the leash. I keep Magnolia in so she can’t chase him and make sure all the chipmunks and squirrels have left the yard so there isn’t anything for him to chase. So far he just walks around, does his business and comes back in. He pretty much sticks close to me as it is – he is a “mama’s boy”. That’s how it is right now.
Have a great Summery Day!
Jun 1, 2009 | Catalogs, Decor Elements, Designer Series Paper, Retired List, Stamps, SU Ribbon |
going, going . . .
A new Stampin’ Up! Catalog is right around the corner, which means it’s time to say farewell to dozens of stamp sets and accessories in the Spring Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog and Decor’ Elements. Don’t miss this opportunity to get the last chance products! Check the list to see if any of your favorites are there – then buy them now, before they are going, going … gone.
Stamp sets and Decor Elements will be available until June 30, 2009.
Click here to see the Last Chance list of Stamp Sets.
Click here to see the Last Chance list of Decor Elements. Decor Elements are 25% OFF.
Accessories (including Stampin’ Around wheels) will be available while supplies last (and some are already gone!). Some accessories are discounted – see the list on my Last Chance page – click here. Stampin’ Up! will update each day – and I plan to update this page at the end of each day also. SOLD OUT ITEMS – will be crossed out like this
The current In-Colors will be retiring and along with that everything that has an In-Color in it. Those 6 colors are Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette and Tangerine Tango. All Hostess sets will also retire – you can earn a Level 1 set with $150 order (workshop), Level 2 at $300 and Level 3 at $500.
There is a Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion:
- Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
- Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
If you have any questions please ask me!
May 31, 2009 | Lifes a Breeze, Masking, Occasions Mini 2009, Stamps, Wild About You |
My share for today is one of those projects that covers several things that I wanted to accomplish this weekend. As it turned out I didn’t do any stamping yesterday – I cleaned the house, did laundry and then we went to a graduation party and then ended up at another party until late. So no stamping and no blog post for yesterday. 
Today I wanted to stamp and decided to combine my ideas. First the Late Night Stampers group had a weekly challenge to create a summer themed card. Then there is a new blog – stamping411.blogspot.com – with a weekly sketch challenge that I wanted to try. And I had an idea from a friend that I wanted to turn into something too. So combining those three things here is my card that I just finished:
A few weeks ago I met a new friend, Patty, that came to one of my classes and she came up with an idea to combine the float from the Life’s a Breeze stamp set with the Giraffe from the Wild About You stamp set but she didn’t know how to do that. “I can do that and what a great idea!” I told her. I used the “masking technique” to create the float by stamping the float first on a piece of Whisper White card stock and then on a piece of post -it note. I cut out the post-it note and stuck it on top of the one that I stamped on the card stock. Then stamp the giraffe image over it so the head is where you want it on the float – and the body and legs are on the post-it note. When you peel up the post-it note you end up with a giraffe float! I cut it out to add to my card. A trick for cutting out the center of the float is to first punch a hole in the center with a handheld punch and then use your paper snips to cut. I do this instead of trying to poke a hole with the tip of my scissors which always bends the card stock.
The dock-post is one slat from the wagon in the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set. It is watercolored (actually a left over from a different project.) I tied linen thread around the float – using a knot I learned as a girl at sailing camp – yes we took knot tying as part of camp which helped later on when I was a cub scout leader for my boys – I taught them all how to tie basic knots. And now I use some of those knots in my stamping projects!
Here is the complete list of supplies for this card:
- Pacific Point card stock and classic ink
- Pumpkin Pie card stock and classic ink
- Bashful Blue card stock and classic ink
- Whisper White card stock
- Life’s a Breeze stamp set
- Something Fishy jumbo wheel and handle
- Wild About you stamp set
- Wagon Full of Fun stamp set
- Linen Thread
- Stampin’ Dimensionals
- Aqua Painter
- Close to Cocoa classic ink
- Paper snips
I think I accomplished all three tasks – now I need to go add my entries in the appropriate places and I have one more that I’m trying to do today. I’ll be working on my newsletter – so look for that tomorrow if you are on my email list and the Last Chance list will be out tomorrow too – I’ll add that to my blog on the Last Chance page and send via email to my email list.
We are having a beautiful weekend and I hope you are too!
May 27, 2009 | Big Shot, Celebrate Everything, class, Designer Series Paper, Sporting, Stamps, SU Buttons |
I thought I posted this card already – but couldn’t find it on my blog – but I finally figured it out – I posted the information for this one on my Stampin’ Up! website. This was the other card that we made at my class this month. So if you want the details for it go visit my website – www.monika.stampinup.net – I really like this card but it was not my original idea, it was an idea I had saved while searching around on various blogs and websites or it might have been in a magazine. I added the textured panel and if I remember I used different colors than the original card that I saw. I think the actual layout could be great for many things – birthday, teens, boys – just change the colors as needed and the words to match the occasion. How about a graduation card in the school colors and replace a button element with one that looks like a cap.
I have several ideas for Father’s Day cards ready to go and I’ll have to decide which one to use for my Father and then the boys can pick what they want to give to Greg for Father’s Day. I guess it will be here soon as June is right around the corner.
I’m excited for June to get here because we (Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators) get to see the new Stampin’ Up! catalog! I’ll be ordering mine on June 1st and waiting patiently (well maybe not so patiently) for it to get here. And if you want to know what is in it – well you will have to come see me in June because I can’t post any information about it until July 1st. I’ll also be taking pre-orders for the new catalog – I’ll have more information about that in my customer newsletter for June. So if you want a peek in June when I have my catalog make sure you come to a class!
Two more days of school left – well really 1 and a half – since they are all done by 10:30 am on Friday.
I should make that card into a Celebrate Summer card – then I could send it in for the Late Night Stampers challenge for this week.
I have been working last night and part of tonight on the ribbon share. I’ll have it all done tomorrow. It is taking me longer to put the little packages together than I expected but they sure are cute. I’ll post that tomorrow.
Good Night!
May 24, 2009 | Card Games, Designer Series Paper, Game Night, Stamps, SU Ribbon |
Today I have been working on invitations for a game night that some friends and I have coming up in about 2 weeks. We are 12 ladies that get together once a month to play a game called Pokeno. We have alot of fun – some of us have been part of this group for more than 12 years – when we started we played Bunko but switched many years ago to Pokeno because it didn’t matter how many people played. About once a year we like to include our husbands so we have a Couples Night. Well the time is here for our Couples Pokeno party and I wanted to make invitations using the Card Games and Game Night stamp sets. Pokeno is played with a deck of cards and a card like a bingo card. I think this would make a great invitation for a birthday party – teens, boys, adults, or just a get together with friends.
The invitation is a pocket card – I love using this style of card for an invitation. 
The photos aren’t the best. I like to take them when the sun is shining – well it happens to be pouring down rain!
So this is how I made it:
- Cut So Saffron card stock 11″ x 4-1/4″. Then score at 5-1/2″ and at 1-1/4″. Fold in half and then fold the small flap toward the front of the card. I used a corner rounder on the top corners of the back of the card.
- Cut Real Red card stock to 4″ x 4″. Cut a piece of Jackpot Designer Series paper to 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ (I used the black piece with the poker chips) and adhere to the center of the Real Red. Adhere these to the front of the card underneath the flap. Cut a piece of Jackpot Designer Series paper to 1″ x 4″ (I used the red diamond design) and adhere this to the front of the flap. Use a stapler to staple the flap on each side to the back of the card. The staples will get covered.
On the back of the card I also added a piece of Jackpot Designer Series paper which was cut 4″ x 5-1/4″ and the top two corners were corner rounded. Adhere this to the back. This wasn’t necessary but I thought it made it look like an actual card.- Now tie a piece of ribbon around the flap and cover all the staples and tie in a knot on the front of the card. Trim the ends of the ribbon. I used the So Saffron ribbon that we had during the Sale-A-Bration promotion. There is also a 1/2″ striped So Saffron ribbon that you could use or the Real Red 1/2″ striped or 5/8″ grosgrain.
- To create the decoration on the front I stamped the card images on Very Vanilla card stock with VersaMark ink and covered with Black Embossing Powder and then heat set it with the heat tool. Then I colored in some sections with the So Saffron and Real Red Stampin’ Write markers. I trimmed around each card with my paper snips. Punch out a Round Tab punch from Basic Black card stock. Fold in half and tuck the corners of the card inside. I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch a small hole, then insert a Red Eyelet and set with the Crop-A-Dile. I added it to the front of the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
- To create
the insert for the pocket I set up a Word document to print my information on 1/4 sheet of card stock – and then printed it on a sheet 4 times – I turned my card stock each time so it would print in a different corner. I’m sure there are other ways to do this more efficiently but this is how I did it. Then I cut the full sheet into quarters – 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″. Then I took each printed quarter and trimmed 1/2″ off the top – so it was 5″ tall. And 3/8″ off of each side – so it is 3-1/2″ wide and my text stayed centered in the middle. I corner rounded the top corners. - To finish the insert I stamped the bottom edge with the 4 card symbols all the way across. Then stamp two images on each side at the top. I cut a 2 inch piece of ribbon folded it in half and used a bit of snail to hold it in place on the back while I added a Red eyelet. Then put the insert into the card.
- Stamp a matching envelope. I could have used the wheel on the envelope – but honestly I forgot I had it and already had the stamping done by that time.
I hope you like the invitation and I hope the ladies in my Pokeno group like them too. I’ll get them all delivered tomorrow.
Have a great rest of the Holiday Weekend!
