Friday, December 30, 2011

Stampin' Addicts 2012 Occasions Mini Blog Hop

Hello, and welcome to the latest Stampin' Addicts blog hop! We are featuring items from the new Occasions Mini catalog that starts January 4th, and boy oh boy are there some fabulous new goodies to showcase! If you started at the beginning, you just hopped here from Rhonda's blog, where she showed the Bordering on Romance stamp set. That hinged card was cute, wasn't it? I am stop # 5 on the hop. You can find a complete hop list here, in case you need it.

I chose the Mixed Bunch stamp set, which has a lovely Blossom Punch to match! The first card has a 3-D blossom made by stamping and punching the flower image three times, then moistening them with water and "scrunching". I think red, black, and white look so sophisticated together, don't you?
Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Thank You Kindly
Cardstock: Whisper White, Poppy Parade
Ink: Basic Black Classic
Accessories: Blossom Punch, Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper folder, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details, Basic Black 5/8" Satin Ribbon

The next card is kind of a cute, funky little thing, using one of the smaller stamps in the set. These flowers were punched using the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch.
Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Bring On The Cake
Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, and Lucky Limeade, Berry Blossoms DSP, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, and Lucky Limeade In Color DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, and Old Olive Classic
Accessories: Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, and Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine, In Color Designer Printed Brads, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, lollipop sticks (non-SU)

And the last project is a gift set of 3x3 cards (and envelopes) in a Scallop Envelope box. The butterfly was made by trimming down the punched flower and adding pearls for the body. Cute, huh? Glad you think so, because that gift set is blog candy! Just leave a comment and you're entered to win (US addresses only, please). Winner will be announced Monday.
Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Petite Pairs
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Island Indigo, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP
Ink: Island Indigo
Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Envelope Die, 1" Square Punch, Postage Stamp Punch, Pool Party Baker's Twine, Pearls Basic Jewels, Island Indigo 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Calypso Coral 1/8" Organdy Ribbon, Modern Label Punch, Decorative Label Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Blossom Punch

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you were inspired. :) Your next stop is Heidi's tea-riffic blog. (Teehee!)













When you have a chance, be sure to check out Stampin' Addicts, where the motto is "Positively creative! Positively Stampin' Up!"  Positive attitudes AND creativity abound there, and all Stampin' Up! fans are welcome, whether you're a stampin' newbie or a seasoned demo.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

"Occasion"ally, I Get an Idea


The 2012 Occasions Mini is chock-full of new products in addition to new stamp sets. One of those new items is the Hat Pins on page 18. Hat pins have been showing up a lot lately on vintage projects, mostly with pearls and beads threaded on, or trinkets hanging off. I wanted to see if I could make an easy ribbon blossom that could be used not only on a card or decorated box, but as a brooch or even *gasp* on a hat! (Imagine that!)


These little gems couldn't be much easier to make, and would definitely add some WOW to any project.  Start with a length of ribbon - how long depends on the type of ribbon. The heavier or wider it is, the longer you should start out with. For the light weight Seam Binding Ribbon, I used a 6" length. The Satin Ribbon was about 8-9", and the Striped Grosgrain about 14".  You can play around with it and see what works best for you.

Fold the ribbon in half to find the mid point and insert the hat pin there, very close to the edge. Now you will move down the ribbon and pierce with the pin, alternating sides. How far apart the piercings are again depend on the weight and width of the ribbon. The Seam Binding was about 3/8"-1/2" apart, The Satin a bit more, and the Striped Grosgrain about 1" apart.

Pierce from the top of the ribbon on one side, wrap the pin up and over opposite side and pierce from the top, and so on. Keep alternating sides until you get near the ends.

Near the bottom, pierce from the top, then bring the pin back up from the bottom about 1/4" away. When you scrunch up the ribbon to form the rosette, it will tuck the raw ends under. Do the same for the other end, too.

At this point you can add ribbon "leaves" if you want. To hold it all together, thread a bead on the pin and push it up to make the rosette. Add a drop of Crystal Effects between the bead and the ribbon, then poke the pin (all the way up to the bead) into something sturdy to hold it all in place until the C.E. dries. (I use the scrap rubber from a stamp set.)

After it has hardened, manipulate the "petals" into a pleasing shape and you're finished!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the Stampin' Addicts Occasions Mini Blog Hop, featuring more new products and fun ways to use them!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Punch is the Thing - SUO Challenge #35

Hello, Stampers! This week's challenge at SUO Challenges is another fun one.....make a punch the star of the show on your creation! At first I was a bit baffled, but then I remembered how many wonderful punches Stampin' Up!® has, and then it came easy.

With Christmas over, now my thoughts are turning to Valentine's Day, so naturally a Valentine's-themed card was necessary. It was hard just letting the punches be the focus, and not adding a stamped image or ribbon and embellishments! Three different punches were used on this card, as well as two items from the 2012 Occasions Mini.

This card is going to Operation Write Home!


Stamps: Take It to Heart (avail. 1/4), Curly Cute
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP (avail. 1/4)
Ink: Basic Gray Classic, Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories: Bird Builder Punch, Owl Builder punch (tiny heart),  Full Heart Punch, Rhinestones Basic Jewels, Square Lattice embossing folder, Big Shot

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!

This weekend I am spending time getting caught up on holiday baking, and preparing for the family feast for tomorrow's supper (prime rib, or "roast beast" as we call it). This card is for YOU, my blog followers! Thank you so much for taking time out of your life to stop by my blog sometimes. I truly hope you find inspiration (and maybe a few giggles) here.

May you find peace and joy this holiday season, and health and prosperity in the new year! Be creative!!!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

And, the OTHER Swap

This is the card for the Stampin' Addicts Sale-A-Bration swap. There are some fabulous things coming for SAB!  This card on Pinterest was my inspiration. I had to add some scored lines, though, for a more textured look. And some inking on the edges. :-)

Stamp: Outlined Occasions (FREE during SAB)
Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla, Everyday Enchantment DSP (FREE during SAB)
Ink: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details (available 1/4), Blushing Bride Button (available 1/4), Calypso Coral 1/8" Organdy ribbon (FREE during SAB), Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Pinking Hearts Border Punch

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

SA Swaps

In addition to an open forum for anyone who loves Stampin' Up!, Stampin' Addicts has a section that is just for demonstrators. (You can't get in unless someone tells you the super-secret handshake.) 
And one of the thing we demos like to do is swap card fronts with other demos, when we get to pre-order from the upcoming catalogs.  Being a swap junkie, naturally I signed up for a couple swaps that were due the week before Christmas.  The. Week. Before. Christmas.  What was I thinking?!
Thankfully, I only signed up for two swaps this time (I've been known to commit to 6-8 swaps, plus blog hops), so I managed to get them done without too much stress. This card is for the 2012 Occasions Mini Swap.


Stamps: Mixed Bunch (available 1/4), Word Play
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Twitterpated DSP (available 1/4)
Ink: Island Indigo Classic (I know - I need to re-ink my pad)
Accessories: Blossom Punch (available 1/4), Big Shot, Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Lucky Limeade 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Tempting Turquoise button (Brights Collection)

Next year, would somebody please come kick my behind if I sign up for swaps during the holidays?

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Happy Hanukkah!

To my Jewish friends, I wish you a happy Hanukkah! The sentiment inside reads:

Happy Hanukkah!
May the warmth and glow
of each candle you light
make your heart and home happy
and Hanukkah bright.

Stamp: Unknown ($1 bin at M's)
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, 1¾" Circle Punch, Nestabilities 2" circle die

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A Technique & a Sneak Peek!

Today's card uses the Double Embossed Enamel technique, as featured in this week's Weekly Inkling on Splitcoast Stampers. The video tutorial for this technique can be found here on You Tube. It's a fun, easy technique, yet it has a lot of wow factor.

This is also another sneak peek at two more 2012 Occasions Mini catalog items. The flower is from a set called Mixed Bunch, which coordinates with the new Blossom Punch! The flowers in this set are gorgeous; each one is completely different!

Stamps: Mixed Bunch (available 1/4), Word Play
Cardstock: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark, Basic Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder, Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Basic Black button (Neutrals Designer Buttons Collection), Calypso Coral 1/8" Organdy Ribbon (FREE Sale-A-Bration item, available 1/24)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

SUO Challenge 34 - Merry & Happy!

What a great theme for this week's challenge at SUO Challenges - all you have to do is make a card that celebrates ANY December holiday! It can be Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas; it's all up to you! My holiday of choice is Christmas, and since I don't ever have to deal with the fluffy white stuff, I just love snowflakes. I think Mr. Polar Bear does, too.  (I'm sure if I had to shovel it six months a year, and deal with frozen pipes, and snow up to my as...butt, derriere, my perspective would be a lot different.)
Free Smiley Courtesy of www.millan.net
This card is also a sneak peek at the Framelits Labels Collection coming in the new Occasions Mini January 4th! The card was die-cut using the largest Framelit, which measures 5½" at its widest, and is perfect for cutting a card on the fold. It's a 4¼" x 5½" card!

My inspiration for this card came from Sandy Murphy's card.

Stamps: Polar Party
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Pink Pirouttte, and Poppy Parade Classic Ink
Accessories: Big Shot, Framelits Labels Collection (avail. 1/4), Blender Pens, Baja Breeze 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon, Snowflake Punch, Baja Breeze Corduroy Button (retired), Jewels Basic Rhinestones, Stampin' Sponge

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Tea Light Holder Tutorial


Here's a quick and easy gift to make, perfect for tucking into a stocking or gift bag. The measurements given below are for tea lights ½" to " tall. Any more than that will require adjusting the measurements and scoring.

The nice thing about this project is doesn't involve any candle stamping, since my last attempt at that didn't turn out so well. (It may be a while before I try it again, lol.)

For the base, cut heavy cardstock 4" x 5½" and score at ½" on all sides. On the long sides, cut to scoreline, following the heavy lines as shown below. Crease all scorelines, fold tabs in, and glue or use Sticky Strip.

For the cover, score at 1⅝", 2⅛", 5¼", and 5¾". Crease on scorelines, wrap around base and adhere back flap with Sticky Strip. These can be dressed up so many ways! This one was embossed and punched before fastening the back flap. There is a little acetate "window", held in place with Mini Glue Dots, with a bit of bling in the middle.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

SNEAK PEEK - WAHOOOO!


Mr. Brown brought my 2012 Occasions Mini catalog and 2012 Sale-A-Bration preorder last night, and even though I should have been doing other things, I couldn't resist trying out some of the new goodies (yes, I am weak....I admit it), and using as many as I could on this card without letting it totally out of hand.

*Crickets chirping*

Well okay, maybe I could have toned it down a little bit, but I really wanted to show as much as I could on this one card! We Stampin' Up! demonstrators aren't allowed to post the products themselves ahead of time, but we CAN make something with 'em, and share that. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love being a demo? Getting to preorder new things and create with them, before everybody else, is one of the MANY great perks of being a SU demonstrator!)

So, on this one little card, you will see five items from the Occasions Mini and two items from the SAB catalogs. The first thing you may have noticed are all the die-cuts. Yep, Stampin' Up! is coming out with Framelits - something akin to Nestabilities, only they're even better because you can see exactly where the die will cut, making image framing a piece o' cake!  We will also have Edgelits dies to cut fancy edges AND there are embossing folders for the edges to match!  And you might have noticed the two little embossed hearts. That's from the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslit - it's just like the Beautiful Butterflies Embosslit, only hearts! I {heart} hearts.


Stamps: Bordering on Romance, Sweetheart
Cardstock: Whisper White, Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (FREE SAB item)
Ink: Calypso Coral, Blushing Bride, and Poppy Parade Classic
Accessories: Big Shot, Edgelits Adorning Accents, Framelits Hearts Collection, Embosslits Fashionable HeartsLarge (8 mm) Pearl Basic Jewels, Pearl Basic Jewels, Calypso Coral Everyday Enchantment 1/8" Organdy Ribbon (FREE SAB item)

In 2012 Occasions Mini catalog, starts 1/4 
In 2012 Sale-A-Bration catalog, starts 1/24

Monday, December 5, 2011

Swap Card

Last Saturday was the monthly stamp club with my upline. It's the end of the swapping year, and I won't be continuing next year, so this is my last swap card for the club.  I liked the pink Christmas card layout, and wanted to see how it looked in green. Turned out pretty cute, I think! Since I didn't have any green Scallop Dots ribbon, a button was substituted for the rosette. The addition of a sliver of silver Glimmer Paper added just the right amount of bling.


Stamp: Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Garden Green Classic 
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Stocking Accents Die, Perfect Polka-Dots Embossing Folder, Houndstooth Embossing Folder, Certainly Celery Twill Ribbon, Certainly Celery Button, Silver Elastic Cord, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Stampin' Sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Happy Birthday, Simon "the Tool Man" Callen!

Today is my son-in-law's birthday. He is a wonderful, hard-working guy, and since he and my daughter bought their house a few months ago, he's been acquiring lots of tools that are needed for their home renovations. I knew the Totally Tool stamp set would be perfect for his birthday card!
When I delivered the card, he was in the process of cutting the new baseboards they've bought (after having refinished their hardwood floors).

The tools on top are hanging on the wall on "nails", which are just the Silver Mini Brads. Since the tools were popped up on dimensionals, I had to make the brads stick out a little farther. To keep the from wobbling, they are secured on back with more dimensionals. Lots of layers on this card!


Stamps: Totally Tool, On Your Birthday
Cardstock: Whisper White, Early Espresso, plus Parisian Breeze (that I've been hoarding - he's worth it!) and Frostwood Lodge DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Copic Markers, White Gel Pen
Accessories: Silver Mini Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponges

Friday, December 2, 2011

Ribbon Rosettes

These adorable ribbon rosettes were something demonstrated at the Stampin' Up Regional in Henderson, Nevada, and they are so quick and easy to make using the Scallop Dots* ribbon! The holes are already there for you to thread the needle through. Easy-peasy!

1.  Start with a 3½" length of the dotted scallop ribbon. Using sturdy thread (like quilter's cotton), sew a running stitch in and out of every hole along one edge. (I take one stitch, then run the needle back through the loop by the knot to prevent the knot pulling through the hole.)
2.  Sew a running stitch in and out of every hole along one edge.
3.  Pull tight, take a tiny stitch back at the beginning, and knot.
4.  At this point you can just cut the thread, or whip-stitch the raw edges together, or use a bit of Glue Dot (shown) to hold the edges together.
So, there you have it!  Stampin' Up! Scallop Dots ribbon is available in these colors (and from me!):
* Basic Black
* Cherry Cobbler
* Chocolate Chip
* Elegant Eggplant
* Marina Mist
* Melon Mambo
* More Mustard
* Old Olive
* Pretty in Pink (shown above)
* Tangerine Tango

Thursday, December 1, 2011

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

First of all, I want to wish my baby boy a happy birthday! You can stop getting older now. Thirty-five is a good place to stop. No, really....I can't be the  mother of a middle-aged man! Love you, Sweetie!

In yesterday's post I mentioned seeing a lot of pink this Christmas. Pink seems to be the "in" color this year, as far as the holiday goes, so I wanted to make a card the really made me break out of my comfortable rut. I could have gone with blue....it would have been soooo easy to do something in blue! Liking the layers and textures from yesterday's card, I made another, and here is what resulted (and another entry for Our Creative Corner's Christmas tree challenge!):
It's got some hot-diggity bling-blingity! Seriously, I wish there was a way for the camera to show just how sparkly the Silver Glimmer Paper is in real life. I love it so much, I'm not even hoarding it! (I know, can you believe it?!) I'm also not throwing away even the teeniest scrap, because I know I'll use it someday.

Lest you think I wasted a whole bunch under the embossed Top Note, that is actually the leftovers from a Glimmer Top Note I had cut previously. I just inlaid the embossed white into the opening! See? Nothing will be wasted!

Stamps: Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Pink Pirouette Textured, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Rose Red Classic
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Stocking Accents Die, (can you see where I'm going here?) Perfect Polka-Dots Embossing Folder, Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder, Pretty in Pink Scallop Dots Ribbon, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Stampin' Sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals