A challenge for you!!

wild wasabi, pretty in pink, silver brads, scallop and circle punches, paper piercer
old olive, groovy guava, night of navy, old olive poly ribbon, silver brads
Soft sky, chocolate chip, real red, soft sky stitched ribbon

Many of you have new stamps and paper from recent SAB purchases. My challenge is for you to use them!! These three cards all have the same basic design template. You will notice that I used different accents on the cards, and I used both square and rectangular cards, but the template is still basically the same. The template is below. I would like to see what you can make using this template. If you email me a picture of your card I will post it on my blog!

Have fun with the challenge!!

If you like this you should definitely check out the challenges at Splitcoaststampers.com They have different challenges everyday!

stamper's block

I haven't posted any cards this week because I've had a bit of stamper's block. Every time that I went down into my basement to stamp, I would play a little but never actually finished a card because I didn't like the way it looked. Last week I really needed to make Easter cards to send to my family, but I couldn't think of anything. So I went on Splitcoast Stampers and found a couple cards that I liked and CASED them. Usually I get inspired by someone else's card and change things a bit, but in this case it is almost exactly the same. Here's the link to the card I cased http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/811729?cat=500&ppuser=85613.

However I'm happy to say that yesterday afternoon instead of making myself try to stamp I went into my basement and started cleaning and organizing my area, and I was inspired and made several beautiful cards last night. I will be posting them later today, along with a challenge for you. :)

So I guess I learned that the best thing to do for writer's block was to start cleaning so that you remember what you have!

Stamps: fancy flexible phrases

Paper: Soft Sky cardstock, Very Vanilla Cardstock, Afternoon tea DSP

Ink: Wild wasabi

Accessories: Wide Vanilla Ribbon, small oval punch, silver hodgepodge hardware.

Lots of Thoughts the most popular SAB set??

Well according to Stampin' Up! Lots of Thoughts was the most requested stamp set out of the Sale-a-bration catalog this year. According to our little poll, Birthday Whimsy was voted favorite.

Now that it's over I feel a little like I do after planning a big event, a little let down. I was so busy and excited about this special that now that it's over I'm not sure what to do with myself. Thankfully Stampin' UP! has given us two new promotions to help deal with the transition from Sale-a-bration to real life.

The first is for Hostess that have $350 in sales at their workshop, they will be given an additional $25 in free product of their choice. This means if you host a $350 workshop you will receive a level 1 or 2 hostess set for free and $65 in free product of your choice. Isn't that awesome?

The second is the Free Wheelin' promotion, purchase any of the following 6 stamp sets, and you will receive the coordinating Jumbo wheel free! The sets include:

Wonderful You stamp set and free Stems & Silhouettes jumbo wheel ($33.95)
Life's a Breeze stamp set and free Something Fishy jumbo wheel ($29.95 )
Pun Fun stamp set and free Sweet Stars jumbo wheel ($30.95 )
Year after Year stamp set and free See You Around jumbo wheel ($30.95)
Stitched Exotics stamp set and free It's Beautiful jumbo wheel ($33.95)
Enjoy Every Moment stamp set and free Daisy Dash jumbo wheel ($29.95)

I currently don't have any of these wheels or stamp sets so I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to put on my next order :)

Which do you think I should get?

Big Thanks, too cute

Isn't this card too cute. I sometimes have a hard time using sentiments stamps with other stamps (I like it when the sentiment comes with the image, then there's no thinking). But I really loved the sentiments in the new stamp set in the Occasions Mini catalog. I thought the giraffe was a cute addition to the saying. This was a really simple card to make.
Stamps: Wild About You, Full of Life
Paper: Real Red, Real Red designer prints (from the free hostess print pack), Ballet Blue, Whisper White
Accessories: buttons and 3/4" circle punch, blender pen (I didn't have a red marker so I used the blender pen, dipped it into the ink pad and colored on the stamp with it.)

more samples

Here's a card I made using some scraps laying on my table. The card measures 5 1/4 x 5 1/4. I picked this size to go with envelopes that my mother-in-law found for me. Someone had donated three boxes of envelopes to her church rummage sale and knowing my love of cardmaking she knew I would want them.
Stamps: Lots of thoughts
Paper: So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Prints in Real Red and So Saffron. Wild Wasabi print is a left-over from a retired simply scrappin' kit.
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Scalloped punch and circle punch

The Joy of Rub-Ons

I know it sounds a little dirty, but I promise this Blog is rated G or at the very least PG.



I've only played with the rub-ons a little, I didn't order them when they first came in the catalog because I thought I didn't "need" them. Well I received a pack of the Sale-a-bration rub-ons and now I'm in love. I especially love the chocolate chip colored ones.

I love one layer cards and this rub-on was perfect, Super quick and Super Easy.


Stamps: none!! SAB rub-ons
Paper: Naturals Ivory
Ink: None!!
Accessories: Chocolate chip poly ribbon




I decide to bump it up a notch for this card. Instead of one layer I used two, with the black rub-ons. I also used the butterfly rub-on on the guava cardstock and cut it out. I then used a dimensional to adhere it to the card, I love the 3-D effect but it's really hard to see in the picture.



Stamps: None
Ink: None
Cardstock: Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories: Black gingham ribbon, rub-ons

Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas?

I was playing with scraps and wound up with this color combo, I tried to put in a third color so that it wouldn't be so Christmasy, but I just didn't find one I liked. So I kept on the Christmas theme and used the season's greeting stamp from the So Many Scallops set.

I don't have the corner punch so I made one using scissors. And the circles in the scallops on the red are made using the versa marker. I'm really starting to love that little marker.

Stamp Set: So Many Scallops
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi Textured Cardstock, Real Red, Real Red Designer Prints
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: wide red ribbon, corner rounder punch, versa marker, scalloped circle punch.

Friendship Blooms Inspiration Problems

I have had a really difficult time getting inspired to use this set. The flowers are nice, the sentiment is good but, every time I try to use it I don't know what to do. Should the flower be colored in or cut out? How in the world do you line up the swirly thing right? I know most of you are probably thinking, Mandy that's what we usually ask you for. So here you have it my admission to not liking a particular set and being stumped. After spending a total of about 2 hours (on different nights) this is the only card that I'm even remotely satisfied with. And to be honest I don't love it. I think the big flower looks a little weird where I put it.

But if you love it, here's the particulars:
Stamp: Friendship Blooms
Cardstock: mellow moss, purely pomegranate, soft sky, groovy guava
ink: purely pomegranate
accessories: groovy guava ribbon

While the boys are away, the girls will play

Emma and I were stamping again last night when the boys were at their Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. Emma and I didn't go because she was still contagious. According to Steve we didn't miss much. Caleb's car didn't do very well, but he seemed to take it really well.

Emma's Card was made using scraps that were on my table, and she made it all by herself. The card base is purely pomegranate (not a scrap and I cringed when she asked to use it but said okay). The circle punch colored in yo yo yellow is the sun. She used the white gel pen to draw the clouds, the chocolate chip is supposed to be dirt that the flower is growing in. She didn't explain the presents (except that I was making a card with those colors and presents). When she first stamped wishing you Love on the chocolate chip it was crooked, so she got a new piece of chocolate chip cardstock stamped it again and glued it right on top of the one she messed up on. I think she's brilliant!!

I was making a card using some of my level one hostess benefits. The stamp is from "For a Friend" and the paper is the real red prints from the paper prints set you can earn as a hostess. I also used Kraft cardstock as the card base. I haven't ever used it and now I love it. Friday I got in the Neutral Club order and separated it. Well I was one of the club members so I got a lot of new neutral paper and accessories to try. I love the kraft and the naturals white cardstock. Oh and the blue is soft sky and soft sky ribbon. I'm going to be teaching this card at the classes I have this week at the Indpls-Marion County Library, the classes are free if you want to attend call your library branch to register.

By the way my pictures are a little fuzzy, I'm sorry. I'm working on taking better pictures of the cards so you can see all the details.

Retired Sets for Sale

Here is a list of retired sets for sale. . .

Alphabits $8
Wish you were here 10
Sidekick Sayings 10
The world over 5
Wishing you 10
Fine Frames 7
Christmas Carolers 9
Large Monogram H 9
Jumbo Leaves awash wheel 4

Stampin' UP! makes a mistake--We get a good deal

Every now and then Stampin UP! makes a mistake and we get to benefit from it. This is the case with the Wild Wasabi Cardstock Pack.

Read below for details:

Purchase a special-offer Wild Wasabi card stock pack for only $3.95 .
The pack includes 16 sheets of 4-1/2" x 11-1/2" Wild Wasabi textured card stock that has been scored at 1-1/8" and 5-5/8".
This special product offer is the result of a miscalculation in cutting and scoring on one batch of Wild Wasabi textured card stock for the Holiday Glitz promotion; while this paper did not meet specifications for the Holiday Glitz kits, it is excellent for creating other fun and exciting projects (see flyers for several great ideas).

Click on the link below to see other great projects and directions on what you can do with the wild wasabi card stock pack.
http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/PROMO_USWildWasabi_SuppliesInstructions.pdf

Sale A Bration Recruiting Promotion

From now until March 17th you have the opportunity to get the Demonstrator Starter Kit for only $159. This is $30 off the regular price and includes everything you need to start your own business. In addition to that savings you will also get to pick any one stamp set out of the Spring/Summer catalog FREE!!

There is no better time to become a demonstrator than right now, so why not take your tax return and start your own business.

Thankful for Chicken Pox

As many of you know I've been working as a Substitute at my kids school for the last 6 weeks. What I originally thought would be 2-3 days a week part time job was turning into an everyday full time job. I have a very hard time saying no :) But all that changes Monday, in the morning Emma woke up with little spots on her face, she's always breaking out so I didn't think much about it. When we went to school I told her teacher to let me know if it seemed to bother her. at the end of the day when I got her there were more spots, we went to the school nurse and she said--chicken pox. The diagnosis was confirmed by dr. grandma who came over for dinner that night. Tuesday morning she had more spots and a slight fever. so why am I thankful, well I've now been home for three days and I've gotten so many things done (including laundry there is NOTHING on the basement floor). Emma doesn't feel too bad, in fact I think she's enjoying it. We've had lots of mom and daughter time, and what's our favorite thing to do together. . .STAMP!!

I made the birthday whimsy card using some scraps that were on my table. I love the stripes in the summer picnic paper, I think it's perfect for a boy birthday. And the new silver hodgepodge is so easy to use because the frames are made to fit our punches!!

This is a card I made as a make-n-take at a workshop on saturday. I love pastels and I think some people over look them. on this card I used the live your dream stamp set, with versa mark then took a q-tip and rubbed so saffron and always artichoke lightly over the versa mark. The image just pops out like magic. The ribbon is tied in a knot and adhered with a glue dot, this is a great way to use extra little pieces of ribbon. I know no one wants to waste anything.

Well, Emma probably won't be back at school until at least Monday, so hopefully I'll have more to show tomorrow.

Occasions Mini Try It club

This mini Catalog is full of great new products like paper, hodgepodge hardware, ribbon and rub-ons. We want them all but who can afford that?? So I'm offering a Try-It club. This way you will get a taste of several different products without breaking the bank!!

Here's what you get:

Chunky sprinkles (one color)

Love Birds Rub-ons (1/2 Sheet)

Perfect Day Rub-ons(1/2 sheet)

Carousel Notes(2)

Silver Hodgepodge hardware

Chocolate Chip Poly ribbon (2 yrds)

Old Olive Poly ribbon (2 yards)

Die Cut Blooms

Summer Picnic Designer Paper (1 6x6 sheet of each design)

Afternoon Tea Designer Paper (1 6x6 sheet of each design)

Cost is $25

This Club will close on March 16th! If you want two orders you can choose a free Sale-a-bration Set.