Stampin Up with Lovely As A Tree

Did you know that Stampin Up’s “Lovely As A Tree” set has been around since 2006?!  Generally, sets are retired about every two years.  THIS set has made the cut year after year, and I can see why!!

Not only is it truly ‘lovely’, but it can be used for so many different occasions and holidays.  I can’t think of any other set in my craft room that is as versatile as this one.

I just received this set last week, and I knew I had to tinker with it!  Based off a tutorial by Dawn I used a piece of window sheet (clear acetate) to create this card:

Lovely As A Tree Reflection Technique

Lovely As A Tree Reflection Technique

Here is what I used to create this card:

  • Stamps:  Stampin Up:
    • Lovely As A Tree (Page 78, #127793 clear mount),
    • Teeny Tiny Wishes (page 44 #127802 clear mount)
  • Ink:
    • Soft Suede (trees)
    • Old olive (‘grass’ area)
    • Marina Mist ((water / reflection area)
  • Card stock:
    • Crumb cake
    • Old olive
    • Chocolate chip
    • Naturals very vanilla (for inside panel)
  • Other tools:  Wood grain embossing folder, window sheets / clear acetate, linen thread, 1/16″ hole punch

Like this card?  YOU can make it too! Contact me anytime to place an order – I can have it delivered anywhere in Canada in as little as 4-5 days!

Stampin Up Cake Pops

Hi Stampers!

Here is what I have been up to lately:  CAKE POPS!!

Cake Pops with Stampin Up for Father's Day gift treat

Cake Pops Stampin Up style for Father’s Day gift / treat

These were actually for my partner, who was returning from a week long business trip – I wanted to make something special for him, and I knew he had a sweet tooth.

It occurred to me while I was making them that this would also be a GREAT Father’s day gift as well.  It could be a fun thing for Mom’s to do with kids to make the cake pops, then Mom could get in there with her Stampin Up gear and make the labels.

These are a great manly / masculine gift period – I found the trick is to make sure you use ‘manly’ colors – like the brown sprinkles and neutral colored tags etc.

I pretty much used half of my craft room for this – but you could really use ONE stamp set and they would still look great!

Here is the list of Stampin Up tools I used:

STAMPS:

  • Postage Due
  • Chalk Talk
  • ** I’m missing a few – I will have to check the exact name – stay tuned **

INKS:

  • Crumb Cake
  • Night of Navy
  • Real Red

PUNCHES:

  • Postage stamp
  • Petite curly label
  • 1/2″  circle
  • Chalk talk framelits
  • XL oval
  • Small & large tag punch (retired)

 

The cello bags came from the dollar store along with the curly ribbon. The candy melts & lolly sticks we got at Michaels.  I made the cake pop stand out of a styrofoam block (also from Michaels) and I wrapped it in kraft paper (meant for sending parcels) and put a ribbon around it to cover up the tape a little bit 😉

 

**HELPFUL HINTS & TRICKS FOR THIS CAKE POP PROJECT**

  1. The recipe on the Duncan Hines website states to use half the icing tub – I actually only used a QUARTER of the tub.  Using half would probably make your cake pops a little too moist and they may fall off the stick while you are trying to coat them.  Try adding a tablespoon at a time until the mix is moist enough to make a into ball.
  2. To melt the (Wilton) candy / chocolate: use the DEFROST button on your microwave if you do not have a double boiler.

Both of these tips are crucial to the success of your cake pops!  I tried to make cake pops before and it was a disaster.

 

I am happy to share any info you would like that I may have missed here – simply leave me a comment!

Until next time stampers!

 

 

 

Home Sweet Home with Lawn Fawn

I have been SOOOO busy lately that I haven’t had time to post my latest creation using my Home Sweet Home set by Lawn Fawn!!  I love this set – it is so versatile that you can use it for “We’ve Moved” cards, new baby cards, or like my example – all occasion / just because!

Summer is hte time for new releases it seems, and Lawn Fawn will be debuting their new line May 4th.  *does happy dance*  There are sneak previews all this week on their blog – you should check out the nifty paper tearing tool that they feature today.  Very cool.

 

 

Home Sweet Home with Lawn Fawn

Just Because ~ Home Sweet Home with Lawn Fawn

 

As always, your comments are welcome & appreciated!

Until next time stampers!

Stampin Up: May Flowers Workshop for Mother’s Day

I am pleased to say that this weekend marks another successful workshop!  I had the pleasure of running a private workshop with Leyla – it was a great experience for us both. As she is new to paper crafting, card making and Stampin Up in general, I really loved having the opportunity to work one on one with her to show her all the tips & tricks that I have learned along the way.

When I was planning the workshop, I tried to put a lot of thought in to which techniques would be good to work with for beginners while still making fun & appealing projects.

The theme of the workshop was “May Flowers” so I wanted to make a card similar to one that my upline had made with the Fancy Flower punch.  I found this video tutorial from Dawn on how to make a different style of a paper flower and LOVED the look of this technique.
I added an extra step to Dawn’s tutorial and sponged the edges of each flower layer with crumb cake ink;  it is a bit time consuming to ink / sponge the edges, but it REALLY makes a difference and give the flower so much more dimension.  You could also use the coordinating ink to match your card stock, or use a contrasting ink to give it an extra punch of color.

Stamp Right Up Mother's Day Paper Flower Card

Mother’s Day Paper Flowers Card

Here’s what we used to make this lovely card:

  • Crumb Cake card stock (4.25 x 5.5)
  • Very Vanilla card stock (4 x 5.25)
  • Pretty in Pink ink (background stamped image)
  • Crumb cake ink (sponged on edges of flower petals & along edge of very vanilla mat layer)
  • Fancy Flower punch
  • Itty Bitty Banners
  • En Francais background stamp
  • Pink Pirouette card stock (flowers)
  • Champagne glimmer paint (on flowers)
  • Pearls
  • Twitterpated buttons

 

As always, your comments & feedback are welcome and appreciated!

 

Until next time stampers!

 

I love Lawn Fawn!!!

I love Lawn Fawn!!!  These are my creations from the new “Home Sweet Home” stamp set.  I really love that there is a matching die for so many of the stamp images too!!  And, the dies are unique in that there is a little bit of white space around image when die cut to look like they were fussy cut too.

This Home Sweet Home set is SOOOO versatile! I really love the assortment of ‘decorations’ in the set, it really allows you to create a unique, personalized project.  Check out Kelly’s intro video showing all the stamps, coordinating dies & different examples she shows.

Here is what I made with this great set so far:

3×3 Note Card

3x3 Note Card Home Sweet Home ~ Lawn Fawn

3×3 Note Card using Home Sweet Home stamp & die set from Lawn Fawn

3×3 Note Card supplies:

Scallop All Occasion Card

Scallop Card Home Sweet Home ~ Lawn Fawn

Scallop Card using Home Sweet Home stamp & die set from Lawn Fawn

This card was pretty much a direct case from Kelly’s card from the intro video; here is what I used:

  • Stampin Up Pool Party ink (to sponge background color)
  • Colored pencils using blending technique here
  • Lawn Fawn Home Sweet Home Stamp & Die set

There are two more cards-in-progress on my work table right now too.  I also have stamped a bunch of leaves, branches and many different houses – that way I can just go crazy designing cards.  It’s much easier once all the elements are all done to design cards layouts – I just place all the bits & pieces on with tweezers, then move tham around until I get a layout I love.  **Fun** !!!!

I have ordered the Summertime Charms stamp & die set as well.  I cannot WAIT to get it!!

Until next time stampers!

** Your feedback & comments are welcome and appreciated, so don’t be shy!**

Midnight Musings

I have been so busy with life the last week I *finally* got to sit down at the crafty table! *does the happy dance*

I just got my Sale-A-Bration goodies and I thought I would tinker with a technique that I will be using in one of my workshops. I don’t know what it’s called – bit when done correctly it gives the appearance of movement to an image

Here is what I made:

20130306-222822.jpg

I cropped the background out (read: my messy craft table)- so it’s hard to see the crumb cake sponged edges that add to the vintage look & feel of this stamp set.

This was my first attempt with this technique & this stamp set so I think I will have another go at it… Tomorrow

Until later Stampers

🙂

Crazy for Coloring:  Penny Black ~ Cat with Balloon

Crazy for Coloring: Penny Black ~ Cat with Balloon

Penny Black – Cat with Balloon from “It’s Your Day” clear mount set. Clear mount rubber acrylic stamp Colored with Crayola colored pencils using the blending technique I posted here

Some brilliant and VERY useful tips on how to get a perfect stamped image from your stamps & Stampin Up ink pads every time!

periwinky's avatarperiwinky's cloud

Last month, I excitedly gifted myself four sets of the foam Stampin Up ink pads. I fell in love with the pads’ smooth deep finish at a stamp camp last fall and when Kim Morris offered a 15% rebate on her blog, I pounced. (Kim provides amazing customer service – even though she lives halfway across the country, she spent so much time helping a total nube – me! – figure out how to use all these ink pads! If you don’t have a demonstrator, I highly recommend her.)

So… the last few weeks have been frustrating for me because my solid images would come out with even coverage but very smudgey lines OR crisp lines with incomplete images. As I mentioned in a previous post, this awesome fellow stamper who just happened to be in line behind me, gave me an impromptu tutorial yesterday and by jove, I…

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Crazy for Coloring!

Coloring.  Not just for kids anymore!  I just recently acquired a set of 48 Prismacolor markers.  These are very similar to Copic markers – they are alcohol based ink which allows for blending and non-streaking when filling in.

Image

Thanks to the brilliant Darlene Devires and her tutorial post showing step-by-step instructions on how to color with copics markers (or Prismacolor in my case) I was able to color this Mouse stamp that I had got to make boyfriend a Valentine’s Day card with.

And here is my first colored image using alcohol markers:

Image

Those penciled notes you see in the top left corner are my notes with each of the colors I used to create this image so I know for next time what the best colors are to use.

Yay!

So you want to be a Stampin Up Demonstrator

Did you know that Stampin Up! has been around for over 25 years?!  I did not even know about it until November 2012 when I met a demo at a craft fair who was selling their finished works.  She gave me a catalogue and I was hooked!! I poured over the book for DAYS.  Literally! It was like I was a kid again combing through the Consumers Distributing book for Christmas toys! When I spoke to the demo on the phone, she told me about being a ‘demontrator’.  I didn’t realize it’s not as easy as it sounds.

First:  Do you want to be a demonstrator?
Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Do I have at least three people who I know I could rally up once a month to do a ‘make & take’ demo class with?
  2. Would these people be willing to spend $25 per person to participate?

When I first signed up I did NOT know at least 3 people, but I thought I would save tons of money so I signed up as a demonstrator anyway.

(Now here’s some info most demo’s WONT tell you)

However, to be absolutely honest, the discount is only 20%, then you have to add shipping and taxes. Which eats up the discount… THEN you have to sell your quota – it’s around $400 every three months. So unless you have the money to buy that much every quarter yourself, here are some things you might want to consider to ensure you will be a successful demonstrator:

1. Buying items that you know you could mass produce some cards & sell the finished cards to stores, cafes, friends etc.

2. Hold an event – either a group or one time event. Create three items to make at the event. If you have people register in advance and give a deposit you can then buy the items you will need

3. Sign up when there is an incentive promotion for new recruits. I signed up when there was a free set of ink pads (the whole set!). Then place a one time order and stock up, and if you can place another order then yay, but if not, at least you have some goodies added to your crafting creation tool repertoire!


Other things to consider if you’re going to sign up as a demonstrator:

  1. How close to you live to your “upline” (the person who signed you up)
    This is CRUCIAL – there is SOOO much to learn, even for a seasoned crafter – that it really helps having your upline accessible to you
  2. Ask your potential upline HOW they will support you.
    What I provide:
    * Monthly meetings to check in on progress.
    * Extensive advise on what to include in your starter kit
    * Examples of items to demo in classes
    * Access to my resource list of references for designing & techniques (Hundreds of hours of research)
    * Support with creating a social media presence – including twitter, blog creation & maintenance, and creations & maintenance of a Facebook page

I continue to work with Stampin Up because I LOVE to craft & create.  I love it when I meet new people – and getting together you always learn from each other!  New techniques = new inspiration, which = lots of fun projects to make  🙂

There is SO MUCH I didn’t know when I signed up, that I wish I did.  Hopefully this has helped you, and maybe clarified some questions for you.  Feel free to contact me anytime if you too have been ‘orphaned’ by your upline, no matter WHERE you are, I will do whatever I can to help you out.

I would love to hear *your* experience – good or bad! Comment below  😀