Flutterby

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm obsessed with butterflies.  I have them on my walls, in frames, on the back of my laptop, on my back :)  Those same people will also tell you, I can't stand the cold weather.  Chicago is a great place for me, huh??  Butterflies always make me feel happy, especially butterflies in bright, happy colors like the Stampin' Up! In Colors!

Super Set Sunday in February is just what I'll need for a little happy pick up on what I'm sure will be another cold winter day.  Inspired by a card design I learned at one of Jackie B's stamp camps in Michigan, this set of 6 matching cards and envelopes come in a quick and easy storage box.  Each card comes with a special surprise for the recipient.  What's the surprise, you ask?  You'll have to come find out!!

Super Set Sunday is February 21.  Cost for non-club members is $13.  Please bring your own addhesive.  I recommend Tomo Multi for this project.  Email me to register for your spot today.  Can't make the class?  This class is being offered as a Kit To Go.  $13 includes shipping.  You provide your own stamps and ink.

Here's hoping we'll be seeing the real things fluttering by our windows sooner rather than later!!

Happy Stamping!!

Special Guest Stamper!!

I have the distinct pleasure of introducing a special guest stamper on my blog today...my son, Dahlin!  Through a little coercing, he decided to stamp a card for a special friend for her birthday.  This Build-A-Bear is stamped on watercolor paper and colored with markers.  I'm not 100% sure of the marker colors. There were quite a few out on the table.  I do know there is some use of Bashful Blue and Pumpkin Pie...since those are the colors he chose for his background.  Notice the Crystal Effects he used on the balloon??  I have to say, his card turned out better than I ever expected!  I think he was pretty impressed, too.  Now if only I could get him interested in Mom's hobby more often :)

Everything Always

Everything - defined in one of my favorite stamps sets as Define Your Life as "All things that are meaningful to you. All that you know; the whole world".  With Valentine's Day approaching, I start thinking about my Everything. 

Inspired by the love of my children, this Valentine's Day card was so much fun to make.  Using a mix of my favorite pinks and reds - Pretty In Pink, Pixie Pink, Ruby Red, and Bravo Burgundy, the background of the card was brayered and sponged to get that cool graded effect. The White Organza ribbon was "dyed" to match the graded color by adding a touch of all colors.

The stamp sets used for this card are Always and Baroque Motifs.  Both have become great go to stamp sets for me whenever I'm feeling a need for some loving inspiration.  What inspires you?

Technique Thursday was a hoot!

I love simple water color projects.  This past Thursday, I introduced a class full of students to some simple pencil and crayon projects.  Using Stampin' Up!'s Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Watercolor Pencils makes watercoloring your favorite images a breeze!

Everyone in class did a great job making these three quick and easy cards.  I was even lucky enough to welcome a new student to class.  HE did a great job!!  The ladies were pretty impressed that this new stamper was able to come to class and catch on to everything we were doing.  I have a feeling we'll be seeing lots more of him :)

Happy Stamping!

Vintage Versamark

Ok...I'd admit this up front.  This card is a total CASE from Leadership.  It was shown in the Workshop Elements class I took and I totally fell in love with it.  It uses both the Watermark and Versamark Resist techniques (see my brief tutorial here).  The one thing I changed between my card and the one I saw is the bottom border.  Instead of using the vine stamp from Vintage Vogue, I used the Very Vintage roller in Versamark.  Same concept, tho.

I would love to give credit to the originator of this card but I can't find my materials!  If you know who created this card originally, please email me so I can update this post to give credit where credit is due.  I think this is just too totally cool to go unnoticed!

Happy Stamping!!

Shabby or chic?

Ok...feel free to click on the picture to get a bigger view.  I'm torn.  I've now made several fabric flowers but I don't know which version I like better.  On one hand, I like the ease and simplicity of the "chic" version on the left. On the other hand, I really love the "shabby" frayed and currled edges of the version on the right.  The kids aren't any help to me today.  They're being just as indecisive as I am!

Bonus on the "chic" version...once it's done, it's done.  No waiting on the wash/dry factor.

Bonus on the "shabby" version...I'm getting a lot of laundry done!  It would be a crime to just wash a couple fabric flowers.

What do you think?  I'm really looking for some opinions here.  I have a pile of flowers that I either need to wash or walk away from.  Actually, I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with all of the pins I've made so far!   Oh what to do, what to do.  Opinions, please!!  :)



**Note to yesterday's blog readers...I tried the folded vs. stacked version in the washer and have decided I like them both, unfortunately!  I will probably continue to use the stacked version when I have 3 fabrics to use as opposed to 2 or 4.  Easy way to distinguish at least that part of my flower pin dilema :)

You're right. I don't sell fabric, but...

I do have this fantastic flower die for the Big Shot that makes the coolest fabric flowers you've ever seen!

While I was at the SU leadership conference last week, I saw tons and tons of fun flower pins and embellishments made with the Stampin' Up! exclusive Bigz XL Die Flower Folds.  Who knew you could cut multiple layers of fabric with the Big Shot?  I've had a very good time cutting fabric.  So much fun that I really want to place an order for just about every die in the catalog :)

These flower embellishments are actually quite simple to make.  The purpleish pin on the left is made using all four flowers from the Flower Folds die.  I cut three coordinating fabrics in each size and layered them all together.  I hand stitched the middle and added some Stampin' Up! clear buttons to the center.  I threw it into the washing machine then dryer to get the frayed and currled edges.

The pink pin was made without fraying the edges and using a pretty simple folding technique to get the flowers placed just right.  The buttons in the center are from the Playground Designer Buttons and Button Latte.  They work really well with this project, don't they?  I can't wait to make pin in this particular style and throw it into the washer just to see what happens!  I really like the shabby chic style of the frayed edge but i also love the clean edge of the folded look.  At least I know I have options!

The Flower Folds Bigz XL Die is exclusive to Stampin' Up!  If you'd like to learn to make these shabby chic flowers on your own, shoot me an email!  I'll happily give you a free Flower Folds pin class with the purchase of the Flower Folds die!

Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration is going on now!  Purchase the Flower Folds die plus an additional $7.05 in merchandise and you will qualify to receive an item from our exclusive Sale-A-Bration catalog!  Can it get any better???  A great die, a free class, and free "stuff"!!  Email me today to reserve your die, schedule your class and pick out your free stamps!

Happy Stamping!

Basket Full of Valentines

My youngest son is a Boy Scout.  At summer camp this year, he was introduced to leather working for the first time.  He absolutely loved it.  Now, this is my son who thinks "crafts" are totally "uncool".  He humors me on occasion when I'm kinda lonely in my stamp room.  He'll add his finger so I can tie a bow or tell me how great one of my projects is.  He's just NOT interested in stamping.  So be it.  He is a boy's boy after all!

The other day, we were looking through all the different merit badges he can earn.  One of them happens to be basket making.  He was intrigued. (Seeing a trend here??)  "How might one create a basket", he asks.  I felt it was my duty as his mother to show him how a simple basket weave, one piece atop another, was how to start a simple basket.  The child, genius I tell you, says, "Why don't you do that around that stupid paper box thing and make a paper basket?" (Yes, the craft unappreciation is back.)  He was totally kidding but I thought it was a great idea and the Basket Full of Valentines was born!!

Join me in Kelli's Korner on Sunday, January 31 to make your very own Basket Full of Valentines.  I will teach you the fine art of turning Stampin' Up! exclusive designs into a fun basket that can hold your 12 mini Valentines or a treat for someone special.  Can't make it on the 31st?  A Kit-To-Go could be the answer!  Get full instructions and all the pieces you need to make this fun basket.  Email me today to reserve your spot in the class or order your Kit-To-Go!

Bucket Full of Valentine Treats

A couple years ago, my mom, Mickey and I attended an event where we altered a paint can for someone special at Valentine's Day.  My kids really enjoyed the crafty candy filled tin.  One more thing for them to fight over...the chocolate, not the crafty can :)  My dad, on the other hand, carried his treats all around the house in the special bucket from his sweetie!  I promise you, if I were to ask for him to produce it today, it wouldn't be far away and I'm sure it's been restocked with something sweet.

Give your sweetie a sweet treat this Valentine's Day with a custom bucket full of love!  (Yes, I know how cheesy that sounds...humor me!)  On Wednesday, February 3 from 6:00 - 10:00 in Kelli's Korner, we will be embellishing buckets all night long.  Come when you can.  Stay as long as you like.  You will have creative control over your very own bucket.  Choose from bunches of different Designer Series Paper patterns, punches, stamps, and ribbon to make your bucket perfect!

Because I need to ensure we have enough supplies for everyone, all RSVP's must be in to me no later than January 17.

Sale-A-Bration and Technique Thursday

Sale-A-Bration is here!!  Isn't this birthday card a great way to celebrate!!

This card is made with the exclusive Sale-A-Bration set, Happy Moments.  Aren't those packages just darling?

This card will also be a featured project during January's Technique Thursday class on Thursday, January 14.  This month's technique class will cover Watercoloring with pencils and crayons.  Don't be afraid to give watercolor a try.  You may find it to be easier that you might think!

To register for Technique Thursday in Kelli's Korner, simply send me an email or join my Meetup group.  The link is on the right side of my blog a little further down.  Happy Stamping!!

Vintage Versamark Resist

Another swap I'm taking with me to the Stampin' Up! Leadership conference is this fun Vintage Vogue card featuring a new stamp set of the same name from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I'll be honest, this set really didn't do it for me when I first saw it.  I've never been all that into the old world vintage looking style.  I really couldn't quite picture exactly what I'd do with it.  Once I started playing, however, I fell in love!

The background of this card was made using a technique called Versamark Resist.  This is a fun and easy way to create your own custom backgrounds to match any of your projects.  I love this technique for scrapbooking, too!

To create a project using the Versamark Resist technique, you need Versamark Ink, a paper with a glossy finish, a brayer, and ink.  For my paper, I simply used Stampin' Up!'s Whisper White. It works really well with this technique.  Our glossy paper is great for this also but does require additional dry time.

Stamp your image all over your paper using the Versamark Ink.  I tried to get a good photo of the Versamark on the paper and if you click on the photo, you should be able to see it.

Ink up your brayer using Stampin' Up! Classic Ink in whatever color you want your background to be.  Roll over your piece several times in multiple directions to get an even coat of ink on your cardstock.  Depending on the paper you've used, you may need to let it dry for a while before you try to move it to avoid finger prints.  When I use the Stampin' Up! glossy paper for this technique, I like to let it sit for a good 2-3 minutes before I try doing anything else with it.  Dry time will also depend on how much ink you put on the image.

Once your piece is dry, use your beautifully stamped background image to create your card, scrapbook, or other work of paper art.  This can be a very addicting  technique!  Go ahead...try it! :)

BUNCO!!!!

I love playing Bunco!  I am a part of a Bunco club that meets every month and it is definitely one of my favorite "non-stamping" activities.  There are 12 of us plus a couple of subs that have really found an affection for not only the game but also the bonding only crazy women fighting over that last fuzzy die can really understand.  If you're a player, surely you'll understand what I mean :)  dIf you're not a player, you can learn more about playing Bunco here.

I thought it would be kinda fun to share my love of Bunco with the new friends I'm sure to meet at the Stampin' UP! Leadership conference this week.  I created this super awesome hand held Bunco game as one of my swaps!  I'll admit, I went through multiple iterations of this design before I got to this one but I'm super pleased with how it turned out!

You can shake this baby to your heart's content and the little dice will toss and turn and (hopefully) give you the Bunco you need to take that fuzzy dice.  Slap a magnet on the back and try your luck everytime you walk past the fridge :)  Just like my monthly Bunco club, my bunco's have been pretty few and far between but I'm gonna keep shaking cuz I'm sure one will roll out here on the next roll...or the next one...or the next one...

Why we don't let that sweet dog into the stamp room....

I've been very hard at work creating fun new projects for the new year.  It's been tons of fun!  I have absolutely loved playing with the new products from the Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration brochures that are launching on January 5!

Many of my customers have asked me why I don't let that ever so sweet dog down into the stamp room when we're having our classess and stamp sessions.  Well, here's why!  Her 65 pounds wants to think she's still a 10 pound puppy!  She's definitely not shy about hopping right up into the lap of whomever she'd like to sit with.  Here, my darling friend, Mickey, is the receiver of a little extra Stormy lovin!  She really just wants to be a part of the action.  If we are having so much fun, you know she wants to be a part of it.  Crazy, crazy dog!

Until she learns to be a "real dog" and stay on the floor where she's supposed to be, we'll keep stamping with the door closed!  Happy Stamping!!