Stampin' UP! is Celebrating 20 Years

To celebrate Stampin' UP!'s birthday they are offering 20% off select birthday sets when you spend $20 on catalog merchandise.

The following sets will be on sale:

Big Bold Birthday
Party Hearty
Bitty Birthday
Crazy for Cupcakes
Simple Birthday Thanks
time to Party
Crab & Company

Christmas Stamp A Stack #1

It is not too early to start thinking about Christmas. In fact I think October is the best time to make your Christmas cards, then you can address them later and have them in the mail by December 15th (did you know that is the date the the postal service says you should have your cards mailed?)

I will offer 4 Christmas Stamp-a-Stacks in October and November. I use current and retired stamp sets. Most of the cards are simple so that you are able to make 20 in two or two and a half hours. There are 5 designs and you will make 3 of each. cost includes envelopes.

Monday October 13th
6:30-9pm
My house
$20 for 15 cards

Please RSVP by October 6th

Bring a friend and you both get a gift!!

Kids Stampin' Class

Kid's Stampin' Class

Sunday October 12th 2-4pm

Cost $ 15

Please RSVP by October 5th

If you'd love for your child to have their own stampin stuff you can also buy this as a "class to go" for $40 you get the sock monkey stamp set, pack of white note cards and envelopes and a black stamp pad. (they can use their own markers to color). This would also make a great gift!!

Party Hearty!!

I love how all the colors work together in this card. Of course the buttons are awesome and look at the cool little clip to hold the ribbon. This is a great birthday set. (and guess what you'll be able to get it on sale in october. . .watch for more info)

Fall is in the air

Here are a couple projects I made while stamping with my swap sisters last Thursday. the first is a bag made out of an envelope--yes that's what I said out of an envelope. Here's what you do:
1. Seal the envelope and score on both long sides and one short side at 3/4 inch
2. use your tag punch to each side of the envelope top that is not scored.
3. Decorate now before you open it up.
4. now you have to fold your score lines back and forth and then open up your envelope. This part is a bit frustrating because you feel like you are really wrinkling up your bag but it will be okay.
5. You'll have two little tabs that get folded down on the bottom you can adhere those to the bottom of the bag or cut a little slit and tuck them in.

I'm afraid I might be forgetting a step, so if you try this and it doesn't work email or call me.

I think this will be great to fill with goodies for the kids class!!
Isn't the moon on the bottom card awesome!! To do this technique you need a brayer (I don't currently have one but it's now on my wish list) The brayer allows you to roll the ink onto your paper. We rolled more mustard ink onto whisper white cardstock. Then punched a circle out of a post-it note and put it where I wanted the moon. Then we rolled over the cardtock with pumpkin pie, sponged the edges with ruby red. Then when you take off the post-it there was a beautiful moon!!

Man Card with Cool Fold

Another card from Thursday nights training!

I don't usually do a lot of different kinds of folds because I just don't think about it. I like the way this one uses the designer series paper and you get to see so much of it.
The top two layers are essentially flaps that are glued to the back of the bottom layer of designer series paper, then you adhere that to the card base.

when you open it you open both flaps. Isn't that cool. Great new paper!! the stamp set we used was BoHo backgrounds

Pocket Silhouettes. . .how easy

Here are two cards made with pocket silhouettes (currently on sale). This set is so simple and easy to use. It has four images and two sentiments. It is at the top of my wish list and will be on my order this month!!

Also notice the great designer paper and beautiful buttons. I love to use buttons because they are quick and easy. Use a mini glue dot to adhere them and your done. You don't have to poke a hole or find a tool.

BIg Shot Samples

Here are the two projects we made Thursday night using the big shot. The first card we used the big shot with the Top Note die cut which creates a great layer for the focal point of your card. That's what the flowers are stamped on. We used the inspired by nature stamp set (beautiful) I thought this was a fun take on the stamp set, most of the samples I've seen have been very sedate, I loved using the the new in colors on this. We applies the ink using sponge daubers which was a lot quicker than if we used markers and it give a great look because the colors blend a little.
Also notice the new ribbon (striped kiwi kiss) the silver brad and the sentiment was punched using the wide oval punch!

The bottom card uses a stamp set that is in the Occasions mini catalog. You can begin ordering from it on Oct 1st. This set comes with the tree and leaves, snow flakes and I think a bird. It's called season of friendship. The bird on the bottom was cut using the Big Shot.

the chocolate chip felt ribbon and the designer series paper are both in the occasions mini catalog.

Best Friends

You can't read the sentiment very well but it says "a best friend brings out the best in you" that is so true. I love these little guys from the wild about you set. When I got the set I was thinking about the kids birthdays and things like that. But now I realize I use it for a lot of adult cards too.

Animals are from "Wild about You" sentiment from "Full of Life" and the background is the Paisley background stamp cut with the coluzzle.

Oh I'm so inspired!!!

I went from stamper's block to stamping overload in 60 seconds flat!! Thursday I spent the day with my swap sisters stamping, talking, eating and playing with the BIG SHOT!! What some of you don't know what this incredible toy is??? It's a super cool die cutting machine and stampin' up is now selling it with exclusive dies. Check out the Big Shot catalog on the side of my blog. I'm in love!!

Thursday evening we had a more formal training event put on by my up up up line, Tami. She lives in California and has been a stampin' up demonstrator for 18 years (mind you this is Stampin' UP!'s 20th anniversary). She had great business ideas, class ideas and projects to share with us. I got to play with a lot of the new stuff that I hadn't seen yet, like buttons and ribbon and designer paper and brads and clippy thingys and stamps and oh yeah the BIG SHOT! I love being a demonstrator!!!

I can't wait to share some the projects with you.
this one uses the faux watercolor technique. Super easy. Stamp your image with classic ink onto watercolor paper then go over it with the aqua painter. We used the Happiness Always stamp set. The designers series paper is called Holiday Traditions and it's in the big catalog, it's really beautiful, but a few of the patterns (like this one) aren't super Christmasy.

I used a build a brad for the first time. That is the center of the flower. It's so easy to do, you simply punch a 3/4 in circle of the paper you want on the brad, then use a little glue or snail to adhere it too the brad and then stick the clear dot on top. I really liked that. (Build a Brads aren't new by the way just not something I'd played with before.)

I'll post more pic of the stuff we made later, right now I'm going to stamp!!

Color Blocking

I love the look of color blocking. It's a simple yet striking background. The hardest part is doing the math to get all of the white showing through evenly spaced. This is a great color combo, you will are probably getting sick of it. I was inspired by a comforter at target!!

The image is "Happiness Always" but the sentiment is from "occassions"

First try at swap card

This was my first attempt, I love the flowers but not sure about the summer sun scallop on the corner. This is my new favorite set, Happiness Always!!

I should have lots to show you in the next few days--I hope to be inspired when I come home.

Stamper's Block

For two days I've been trying to make swaps for a training event that I'm going to tomorrow. I feel so uncreative. I came up with several different ones--I didn't love any of them. But this is the one I decided to use as my shoebox swap. Simple but with fun accessories

Stamp set: Heard from the Heart
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Card stock: kiwi kiss, baja breeze and chocolate chip
accessories: scalloped edge punch, ice rhinestone brads, pretties kit. I dyed the flower using the baja breeze reinker.

Time spent canning not stamping

I'm sorry there haven't been any posts in a few days. I've been canning for a few days. My husband and I made apple sauce, apple butter, plum apple chutney and plum preserves. Steve and I have a lot of fun doing this together.

All together we put up (I love that phrase) 17 half pints and 17 pint. And I'm making a summer fruit cobbler for dinner tonight with plums apples and peaches--yummy.

Retired set--side kick sayings

Okay, here's one more set that I'm selling. It's a hostess set from last year called "

Side kick sayings". it's easy to use because it's got an image and a greeting together on one stamp. This set has three different stamps in it and I'm selling it for $10.

Online Ordering is Here!!

Online ordering is finally here! I am so excited to be able to finally make this announcement! Whether you wake up in the middle of the night with the perfect plan for the perfect project, you need to make cards with no time for a workshop, or you want to shop for the perfect gift for the crafty person in your life, it’s no problem! Now you can order Stampin’ Up! ’s awesome products from me day or night from the convenience of your own home. All you have to do is visit my demonstrator’s web site http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mholzhausen/ , click on the shop now button at the top right hand side of the page and order what you need.

Even if you don't want to shop, check it out because there are some great project ideas with supply lists.

The first 10 people to place an online order of $50 or more will receive a special gift from me!

Selling Retired Sets--So Much

You guys know that I'm selling most of my retired stamp sets for about 50% off the catalog price. I'm hoping to sell enough of my retired stamps to buy the big shot (I just love it).

This is one of the sets I'm selling it's called "So Much" I've used it for cards and scrapbook pages. One of my favorite things about this set is stamping the circles in white and using a paper piercer to create a faux stitched circle. It's very easy (the friend card shows an example of this.)

I'm selling this set for $15. Let me know if you are interested.

Challenge Winner--Chrissie

Chrissie, your my challenge winner. Email me your address and I will send you this set of 10 cards and envelopes! Use them for your personal use and inspiration!!

if you want to see Chrissie's card check out her blog www.chrissie-chrissiesworld.blogspot.com

Thanks to all THREE of you who participated in the challenge. I hope to get more people stamping with my next one.

Cleaning out my stamp area

So in cleaning out my stamp area I found lots of things that I've purchased to alter. Many I've used in classes and now I just have a couple left, not enough to use at a workshop or class. This is an example of a covered notepad. These notepads were purchased on clearance at Target and they were completely plain. They are about 3 x 4 inches so they are the perfect size to have by the phone or throw in your purse. For these three I used a retired simply scrappin kit, rub-on's and some designer series paper. I really love using the simply scrappin kits for altering projects because they have self adhesive elements that are so easy to use! If you decide to make your own than here's a tip, use a glue stick. I'm not the glue stick's biggest fan, but that and a good bone folder and the paper is not going to move. The trick to using a glue stick is to go over the top of the paper with the flat side of the bone folder so that all the glue gets spread around flat. This works for covering chipboard too.

Find an old notebook ( a cheapo spiral notebook will even work) and cover it to make it beautiful!

Okay gals, get stampin'!

Challenge Reminder

don't forget about the challenge (if you don't know what I'm talking about scroll down and check out the post called Labor day Challenge). Make sure you either post a comment of send me an email with a link to your picture by friday. right now there have only been two submitted so you have a great chance a winning a prize!!

2-4-6-8 boxes

Recently I've been showing a lot of cards. But one of my favorite things to make is gifts, and goodie bags. I love making little goodie bags for the kids classes, wedding showers, baby showers and just little one to say hi I'm thinking about you. These 2-4-6-8 boxes are the perfect size to put a few pieces of candy in and make some one's day. Here are two versions: The first one is one I made. And I punched holes in the top so I could tie it together to give it a milk carton look.

This one I got from one of my very talented swap buddies, Christy. Isn't it beautiful. She put a handle on hers with brads on each side then tied a tag on top. Wouldn't this be cute at each persons place setting at Thanksgiving? (Okay I know I go over the top sometimes...but it would really be cute)

Here are the basic instructions:

1. Cut cardstock to 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 (the size of a typical card)

2. Score lengthwise at 1 1/2 inch (this will be the bottom)

3. Score widthwise at 2 in, 4 in, 6 in, and 8in (now you see where it got it's name)

this will give you a 1/2 inch flap to adhere the cardstock to.

4. Decorate the card as you see fit

5. attach sticky strip to the 1/2 flap , adhere that to the other side of the cardstock.

6. Cut the score lines from the bottom to the score line you make lengthwise, fold those up and adhere to each other using sticky strip (this will make the bottom of your box.

I'm not really great at instructions so let me know if you have questions. I hope you will try one yourself.