DIY Paper Creations

A sneak peek and a fond farewell

The Design Team at Pals Paper Arts has have given us a wonderful trio of colors to work with this week – Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay and Soft Suede.   I fell in love with Crushed Curry and Soft Suede the moment I saw them – it took some time for me to warm up to Bermuda Bay, but I eventually did.  I’m going to miss both Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay when they are phased out on July 1, 2010.   The sentiment on this card is from two beautiful new hostess stamp sets; Because I Care (level 1) and Occasional Quotes (level 3).  Both of the sets are an excellent reason to host a workshop this summer. Don’t be shy, come play with the PPA!   Stampin’ Up! supplies are optional; you can use whatever crafting supplies that you have on hand.

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DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

• Shimmer Paint, which was in the Christmas Mini catalog is in the new Catalog and Idea Book!  I used Frost White to make the pearly dot in the middle of the flowers.  Just dip the tip of an embossing stylus into the Shimmer Paint and then touch the tip onto the paper.
• You can heat emboss with any color of Stampin’ Up! Classic Ink by first dipping your stamp in VersaMark Ink and then dipping it in the Classic Ink.  Stamping your image, dust with clear embossing powder, remove the excess embossing powder and then heat emboss!
• It doesn’t get any more exciting than this - For just $99 (plus sales tax) you can indulge your hobby or start your own business with the Mini Starter Kit.  Interested?  Please contact me for more details.  Don’t wait, this offer ends June 30, 2010!

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Pocket Silhouettes (111672), Because I Care (Level 1 Hostess 118474 wood mount, 120127 clear mount 2010-2011 Catalog and Idea Book), Occasional Quotes (Level 3 Hostess 117048 wood mount, 120142 clear mount 2010-2011 Catalog and Idea Book).
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay card stock
Ink:  VersaMark and Soft Suede Classic Ink
Gear:  Embossing Stylus (100663), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005), Stamp-a-ma-jig, (101049), Big Shot (113439), Stampin’ Up! Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138 Occasions Mini catalog and carried over to new catalog), Itty Bitty Shapes flower punch (118309, Summer Mini catalog)
Bling:  Frost White Shimmer Paint (116845) and Soft Suede 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon (115612)
 

Pals Farewell Tour Blog Hop

 

Welcome to the Stampin' Pretty Pals June hop!  This month, we're bidding a "Fond Farewell" to some of our old friends, the 30 retiring colors of Stampin' Up!'s Color Renovation!  

 

I'm the first stop on the PALS HOP and I'm glad you hopped in!  I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find inspirational ideas for papercrafted creations from Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty Pals!  Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP below and you'll be back on track!

 

 

In honor of the retiring colors, we're offering BLOG CANDY at each stop on the hop!  Visit each of the 17 Stampin' Pretty Pals and leave a comment to their specific posted question and you'll have a not one, but 17 chances to WIN some great Stampin' Up! goodies!

 

 

FOND FAREWELL HOP LINE-UP

1.     Liz Hughes     diypapercreations.typepad.com   

2.     Gina Shaw     www.cardsbyginashaw.com

3.     Barbara Furlong     www.theloveofstamping.com

4.     Nina Dee     deesignsbyninadee.blogspot.com

5.     Debbie Pierce     www.stampinsunshine.com

6.     Ann Schach     www.stampinchic.com

7.     Melanie Collins     www.oopsadaisy.typepad.com

8.     Kim Lampone     www.kjskorner.blogspot.com

9.     Mike Funke     www.stampin-style.typepad.com

10.   Regina Mangum     www.thestampinbean.blogspot.com

11.   Linda Callahan     www.stampinseasons.blogspot.com

12.   Anne Eicher     creativecardsbyanne.blogspot.com

13.   Mary Fish     www.stampinpretty.com

14.   Carla Bazhenow     www.carlas-scraps.com

15.   Joanna Munster     www.inspiredbystampin.com

16.   Margaret Moody     www.margaretmoody.typepad.com 

17.   Martha Stewart     www.SeasonsOfStamping.com

 

 

 

I’ve chosen to give a final farewell to several Stampin’ Up! products.  They include:

 

· Stamp Set:  Welcome Home  (113433)

· Paper:  Close to Cocoa, Sage Shadow & Barely Banana

· Masterpiece Ribbon Originals (116230)

For your chance to win all of the goodies pictured on the right, please leave me a comment and answer the question below that is in red by 3:00 PM CST, Friday, June 11th, at which time I'll choose a random winner. Shipping to US addresses only, please.

 

 

Are your projects "Stampin' Up! Only" or do you use supplies from different brands?   I’m 99% Stampin’ Up! only, but on rare occasions I’ll find something that isn’t “SUO” that I just have to try!

 

 

·   Here's what the winner will receive:

 

Whimsical Words Sale-A-Bration clear mount stamp set, Ribbon Originals Jersey ribbon package  and two sets of brads – Chocolate Chip epoxy and Real Red epoxy

 

 

·  I'll announce the winner of my blog candy package here on my blog on Sunday, June 13th, 2010.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me after their name is announced.

 

 

More inspiring ideas and another great blog candy package awaits you at Gina Shaw’s blog (www.cardsbyginashaw.com), stop number 2 on the "Fond Farewell" PALS HOP!  Hop over and see Gina Shaw’s wonderfully creative ideas!  Thanks for "hopping" by!

  

PPA45 – A Portion of Thyself

 Pals Paper Arts is carrying the relaxed feeling of this past three-day weekend over into this week’s challenge.  What does this photo inspire in you?  For me, the hammock with the pillows and the colors made me think of my gardens.  The Pals Paper Arts Design Team members use only Stampin’ Up! products for our weekly projects, but anyone can participate in our challenges using any brand of supplies.  Don’t be shy, get inspired and come play with the PPA!

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

• Have you checked out the Stampin’ Up! Last Chance Accessories list yet? The cute little buttons that I used on this card (Button Latte Designer Buttons, 114333) are 25% discounted! But, you better get them while you can because when they are sold out they will be gone forever.
• It doesn’t take a lot of “stuff” to make a card. I used paper, a stamp set, 1 ink pad, 1 punch, some thread, buttons and some adhesives to make my card. However, if you have a Stampin’ Up! wish list then June is the perfect month to sign up as a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator! For just $99 (plus sales tax) you can indulge your hobby or start your own business with the Mini Starter Kit. Interested? Please contact me for more details. Don’t wait, this offer ends June 30, 2010!
Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Of the Earth (115336, Hostess Level 1)

Paper:  Old Olive, Kraft, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue and Basic Gray card stock

Ink:  Basic Black Classic Ink

Gear:  Corner Rounder punch (109047), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)

Bling:  Linen Thread (104199) and Button Latte Designer Buttons (114333)
 

The PPA gets “sketchy” with challenge #44

I really enjoy doing the weekly PPA challenges because they often take me out of my comfort zone.  This week my fellow PPA Design Team member Margaret Moody has given us a wonderful sketch to play with.  Remember, you can use any brand of paper crafting supplies that you have on hand and it’s fun to Play with the PPA! 

 

Today I’m not going to have any DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!  Instead, I’d love to hear from my loyal readers their favorite way to organize and store their stampin’ supplies.  I love seeing and learning about how others organize their space.  My favorite is the spice racks that I use to organize and store my embellishments and embossing powders.  I’ve spent the past couple of days cleaning up my studio and making space for all the fun new items that will be coming in July.  Tomorrow I’m headed for Ikea to buy some towel racks.  After seeing firsthand how Mary Fish is using them to store her paper punches I’ve just been itching to create the same system.  Maybe while my room is organized I’ll take some photos and post them to my blog

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Pedaling Past (116972 wood mount and 120069 clear mount, Summer Mini catalog) and Sentimental Journey (118513 wood mount and 120075 clear mount, Summer Mini catalog)

Paper:  Kraft, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie and Very Vanilla card stock; Travel Journal Designer Series Paper (117156, Summer Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink

Gear:  1” Circle Punch (109048, 1 1/4" Circle Punch (104403), Word Window Punch (105090), Modern Label Punch (116630), Spiral Punch (108341), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercing Tool (116631)

Bling:  Twill Tape (105245) and Silver Brads (104336)

 

In honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice

Formally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day to remember the U.S. men and women who died during military service.  Many Americans believe that Memorial Day is also a day to give thanks to all service members and their families for their many sacrifices.  Pals Paper Arts wants YOU as they honor our nation’s military this week.  I hope you join in on the fun and when your card is done please consider sending it to Operation Gratitude, a non-profit, volunteer organization that provides Americans a way to express their support and appreciation to active military service men and women. Operation Gratitude welcomes your hand made cards.  You can leave them blank inside so the airman, soldier, marine or sailor can write in their own message or you can provide an upbeat (and nonpolitical) sentiment.  Send cards to:

 

 

Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, California 91406

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

· I love using my Stampin’ Around Wheels and making them multi-colored.  It’s easy to do using a blender pen to “erase” the color from any part of the wheel and then coloring that part with any color of Stampin’ Write marker.  It’s quicker to do then you think!

· The Stampin’ Around Wheel Guide takes away the worry of crooked or overlapping images and the inked or unlinked cartridges insure an evenly inked image everytime.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  July Fourth ( 118523 wood mount and 120063 clear mount, Summer Mini catalog), So Many Stars Stampin’ Around Builder Wheel (118620, Summer Mini catalog) and Service & Sacrifice (115992)

Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red and Brilliant Blue

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Real Red and Brilliant Blue Classic Ink

Gear:  Large Star punch (110710), Star punch (109045), Scallop Edge punch (112091), Corner Rounder punch (109047), Stampin’ Around Wheel Guide (104834), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercing Tool (116631)

Bling:  Bold Brights Brads (106957) and 1/2” Real Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (110714)

PPA42 ~ Punched Posies

The colors for this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge are gorgeous! Old Olive, Real Red and Tempting Turquoise work so well together. Do you Love to Play with the PPA? You can use any brand of paper crafting supplies to play and this week the PPA Design Team has added some yummy blog candy. The lucky winner will be randomly chosen from all who participate.

My trip to Tucson and visit with Mary was amazing! Mary was a wonderful host and it really was sweet of her to share her “pinch me” moment with the Pals. Those of us that were able to attend had a fantastic time getting to know each other and enjoying a weekend that was both relaxing and exciting. Shelli is so warm and genuine. Chatting with her was like chatting with an old friend and the time just flew by. I think I speak for all of us who were there – we didn’t want our time together to end. I’m really looking forward to going to convention in July and spending more time with Mary and the Stampin’ Pretty Pals!

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·    Do you like the Rick Rack? It’s easy to make using the Stampin’ Up! Scallop Edge Punch. Start with a strip of paper any length that you need, but it needs to be at least 1” wide so you can effectively use the guides that are on the punch. Punch the border like you normally would, moving your paper through the punch until the length has a scallop border. Then, turn your card stock around so you can start punching the scallop border on the opposite edge. To get the Rick Rack look you’ll need to punch this border off center. Use the guides on the punch to help line up the paper.

 

·       I added some dimension to the 5-Petal flower by using one of the acrylic bubbles that are part of the Build-A-Brad set in the center of the flower.

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets: Punched Posies (118535 wood mount, 120030 clear mount Summer Mini catalog) Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive card stock Ink: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive Gear: Chat Room Rub-ons (117199), Extra Large Fancy Flower Punch (118073), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), 5-Petal Flower Punch (109041), 3/4” Circle Punch (107217), Scallop Edge Punch (112091), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Big Shot with Standard Cutting Pads and Multipurpose Platform (113439), Stampin’ Up! Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976 Summer Mini catalog) Bling: Filigree Designer Brads (112577), Circle Ice Brads (109111), Build-A-Brad (109128), Playground Designer Buttons (116313), Real Red 1/2” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (110714) and White Thread (not Stampin’ Up!)

 

 

PPA41 ~ Inspiration & National Beverage Day

Pals Paper Arts has given us an Inspiration challenge this week.  What does this photo inspire in you creatively?

 

 

 

 

I decided to use the colors and the pitchers as my inspiration and I made a card celebrating National Beverage Day.  I’m kind of short on time today because I’m headed out to the airport and on my way to Tucson, Arizona!  I’m finally getting to meet my wonderful friend and mentor Mary Fish!  You’ll need to check back to get all of the details because something really exciting is happening on Saturday!!!

 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

· When you need a card in a hurry you can’t go wrong using Stampin’ Up! paper punches. 

· The Stampin’ Up! Color Coach solves any questions concerning what colors go together.  I use mine all the time!  Look for the new Color Coach coming out in July…it’s really cool!

 

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Pun Fun

Paper:  Whisper White, So Saffron, Bordering Blue and Dusty Durango card stock

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn

Gear:  1 3/4" Circle Punch (112004), Word Window Punch (105090), Mat Pack (105826), Paper Piercing Tool (116631)

Bling:  Silver Brads (104336) and Elementary Ribbon Originals (116231)

PPA40 ~ Singin’ the Blues

 

The Pals Paper Arts challenge this week is to design a Monochromatic card using any shade of blue.  I’m very jazzed that Pacific Point is making a come back in July so for this challenge I rummaged through my stash of Stampin’ Up! goodies and found a couple of sheets of Pacific Point card stock and ink pad. 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     Don’t have any Designer Series Paper in your favorite color?  Use background stamps and an ink pad to make your own!  It’s easier to ink up the background stamps if you lay the stamp down on a flat surface with the rubber side up and dab your open ink pad onto the rubber.  You can save yourself some supplies if you only ink up the part of the stamp that you are going to use. 

 

·     Rub-Ons are a nice alternative to using stamps and ink.  I’ve found that stapling the sheet of Rub-Ons and the backing together helps keep the Rub-Ons from sticking to each other and making a mess.  I store my Rub-Ons in a plastic shoe box size container with a lid.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Pretty Petals (111008) and For All You Do (115360)

Paper:  Whisper White and Pacific Point card stock; Pacific Point Textured card stock

Ink:  Pacific Point

Gear:  Autumn Harvest Rub-Ons (115731), Empressor Stylus (100716)

Bling: Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon (109070)

PPA39 ~ A Tropical KISS

This week the Pals Paper Arts challenge is to keep it simple and what could be simpler then running a piece of the beautiful Island Oasis Designer Series Paper (Summer Mini catalog available May 1, 2010) through my Big Shot.  The result is a note card that makes me long for the tropics! 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

·     I love the clear mount stamp sets!  With a wood mount set I would have used a Stamp-a-ma-jig to correctly place the sentiment, but with a clear mount set I can just “eyeball” it and it’s perfect!  A real time saver and a space saver too!

·     The template in the Stampin’ Up! Mat Pack will help keep your paper piercings even and straight.

·     To create a matching envelope flap simply cut a piece of paper a little larger then the flap and use SNAIL to adhere it to the front of the flap.  Then, turn the flap over and trim the excess away.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Pedaling Past (116972 wood mount, 120069 clear mount Summer Mini catalog)

Paper:  So Saffron, Rose Red and Whisper White card stock; Island Oasis Designer Series Paper (117173 Summer Mini catalog)

Ink:  Tempting Turquoise

Gear:  Big Shot with standard cutting pads (113439), Stampin’ Up! Blossom Party die (115971), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling: Playground Designer Buttons (116313) and 5/8” Old Olive Satin Ribbon (117292 Occasions Mini catalog)

 

Pals Paper Arts Challenge 38

 

This week we have another wonderful sketch done by fellow Pals Paper Arts Design Team member Margaret Moody!  Her sketch called for a trio of images and the first stamp set that came to mind was Eastern Blooms.  It’s kind of difficult to see in the photo, but I dry embossed each of the flowers using the Stampin’ Up! Classy Brass Floral Frenzy template which is made to coordinate with the Eastern Blooms stamp set.  There’s also a sneak peek of a new stamp set on this card ~ the sentiment is part of the Watercolor Trio which is in the new Summer Mini catalog and will be available on May 1st. 

 

  

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     Use Stampin’ Up! punches to quickly punch out perfect squares every time.

·     When I use a darker color as my card base I usually stamp a coordinating image on a piece of lighter paper and adhere that to the inside of the card so the message that I write is easier to read.

·     When is doubt just about any color coordinates with Basic Black and makes a striking combination.

 

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Eastern Blooms (111626) and Watercolor Trio (117050 wood mount, 120084 clear mount Summer Mini catalog)

Paper:  Rose Red, Basic Black and Whisper White card stock; Rose Red Patterns Designer Series Paper

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; Rose Red Classic Ink and Rose Red and Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write markers

Gear:  1 1/4” Square punch (104400), Large Oval punch (107305), Scallop Oval (114889), Classy Brass Floral Frenzy template (111807), Light Table, 102888), Empressor Stylus (100716), Paper Piercing Tool (116631) and Mat Pack (105826)

Bling: Black Vintage Brads (109109) and Black Gingham Ribbon (104832)

 

 

 

A Peek at the New Summer Mini and The Farewell Tour Begins

 

 

With everything that I have going on right now (my husband is still having health issues related to the staph infection that he developed a month ago) I decided to go back home to my card making roots – the Clean and Simple card for this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge ~ PPA37.  When I looked at the new Summer Mini and was pondering which sets to buy there was one set that I knew I “had to have”…Bouquet Bunch.  The possibilities with this set are endless.

 

While choosing Barely Banana, Tempting Turquoise and Pink Passion as the color palette for today’s card my desire was to create a sunny card for my best friend who is celebrating her 50th birthday this month.   It is truly a coincidence that two of these three colors are being phased out by Stampin’ Up! in July.

 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     The Stampin’ Up! Paper Cutter (104152) comes with both a cutting and scoring blade that are interchangeable and takes up very little space.  I used the scoring blade to score the two lines that my ribbon is nestled between and to score the fold for this card.

·     You can use VersaMark and Classic inkpads or Stampin’ Write markers to heat emboss.  Just dip your stamp in the VersaMark pad first and then use any color of Classic ink or Stampin’ Write marker that you like!  Sprinkle some clear embossing powder and use a heat tool.  Pretty cool!

·     For a crisp image or sentiment I always reach for Jet Black StazOn.

 

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Messages for Mom (Occasion Mini Catalog 118580) and Bouquet Bunch (Summer Mini Catalog 120039)

Paper:  Barely Banana, Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion card stock and Watercolor paper

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; VersaMark; Always Artichoke, Pink Passion and Taken with Teal Stampin’ Write markers; Watercolor Wonder Crayons

Gear:  Paper Cutter (104152), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005), Corner Rounder Punch (109047)

Bling: Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon (109038), Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware (111325)

It’s a Color Renovation!!

Stampin’ Up! announced that with the release of the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog on July 1 they will be reorganizing and reenergizing their color palette.  I know I’m sad to see some of the 30 colors retire, but the new color palette is fresh and vibrant and some of my favorite In Colors from the past will be staging a comeback as part of the permanent Stampin’ Up color collection.

 

 
  

 

Click to download Color Renovation Chart

 

Click to download Fond Farewell Chart

 

When you look at the new color palette the first thing that you will notice is there are fewer colors (40) and they are grouped into four collections:  Brights, Neutrals, Regals and Subtles; with 10 core colors in each collection.

 

Five gorgeous colors are making their debut:  Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and Marina Mist.  Kraft has been renamed to Crumb Cake and will be available in an inkpad, re-inker, Stampin’ Write marker and paper. 

 

Some past In Colors are coming back and some current In Colors will become regulars.  They are:  Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, River Rock, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Soft Suede.

 

In July Stampin’ Up! will release 5 new In Colors ~ I’ll be giving you a sneak peek in June.  The new In Colors will be available for 2 years!  Every year 5 new In Colors will be released and after 2 years the oldest In Colors will be retired.  I hope that made sense!!

 

Does this mean that you’ll have to buy all new Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Stampin’ Pastels?  No.  Stampin’ Up! will be offering kits that you can purchase which will have new tins (for Watercolor Wonder Crayons) or plastic case (for Stampin’ Pastels) along with inserts and product in the new colors.  A new Color Coach will help you mix and match the new colors to get the most out of your card making and paper crafting.

 

Colors that are being retired:  Almost Amethyst, Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue, Barely Banana, Blush Blossom, Bordering Blue, Brilliant Blue, Brocade Blue, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Gable Green, Glorious Green, Going Gray, Green Galore, Handsome Hunter, Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Mellow Moss, Only Orange, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Summer Sun, Taken with Teal and Yoyo Yellow.

 

 

Pals Paper Arts Challenge 36

Think spring with this challenge and the beautiful combination of colors!

 

I’m so excited!  This cute little easel card that I made for my great-nieces’ birthday is my first project as a member of the Pals Paper Arts Design Team.  It is an honor to be part of such an amazingly talented group of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators.

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

·     The Stampin’ Up! Build-A-Brad set makes it easy to create bards that coordinate with any project.  Just use the 1/2" Circle Punch to pop out the image of your choice, use adhesive to attach the image to the brad base and attach the acrylic bubble.  The perfect personalized touch for any project

·     Rub-Ons are a quick and easy way to add a sentiment or design to your project.  I think the Stampin’ Up! Rub-Ons works exceptionally well when used on textured paper.

·     Easel cards are fun and easy to make.  Click here for the Splitcoaststampers tutorial.  I increased the size of my card to a 5 1/4” square.

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  None

Paper:  Naturals White, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace card stock; Barely Banana, Certainly Celery and Lavender Lace Textured card stock; Certainly Celery Patterns Designer Series Paper; Shades of Spring Designer Series Paper (117160 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker

Gear:  Big Shot with standard cutting pads (113439), Stampin’ Up! Blossom Party Originals Die (115971), Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch (117191 Occasions Mini catalog), Scallop Trim Border punch (118402 Sale-A-Bration catalog), Trio Flower punch (109183), Chat Room Rub-Ons (117199 Occasions Mini catalog), Paper Piercing Tool (116631) and Mat Pack (105826)

Bling: Pewter Build-A-Brad (109128) and Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon (109070)

 

Happy Moments – going…going…

 

This versatile stamp set will not be available after March 31 and it’s free until then with any order of $50 or more!  You can place your order on line here.

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     I used Stampin’ Write markers to color my gift boxes so they looked like gift wrap

·     I love the clear mount stamp sets!  Because I can see where I’m stamping I didn’t need to use a Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the Happy Birthday sentiment exactly where I wanted it.

·     Using VersaMark ink you can add a little zip to background paper like I did using the Sprinkles stamp set (which is another one of the sets you can earn as a freebie until March 31) on Taken With Teal card stock

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!  

Stamp sets:  Happy Moments (118671 wood mount, 119137 clear mount; Sprinkles 120241,  Sala-A-Bration catalog)

Paper:  Whisper White, Certainly Celery and Taken With Teal card stock; Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (117161 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn; Taken with Teal, So Saffron and Certainly Celery Stampin’ Write markers

Gear:  Big Shot with multipurpose platform (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Large Dots Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds 1 (114512)

Bling: Elementary Ribbon Originals (116231)

 

March Blog Hop!

 

If you've hopped over from Anne Beale Yancey’s Mukibug, I'm stop number 5 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in!  I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find inspirational ideas for papercrafted creations from Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty Pals!  We'll be showcasing all that Stampin' Up! has to offer!  Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the PALS HOP LINE-UP below and you'll be back on track!  We're thrilled to have you visit and excited to hear what you think about our Spring and Easter themed hop!  Please feel free to leave as many comments as you'd like along the way!

 

 

 

My Stampin’ Club made this fun Easter card at our last meeting.  I love the Chocolate Bunny stamp; he’s just so sweet!  Dipping the stamp into Versa Mark and then in Chocolate Chip ink before embossing him with clear embossing powder really brings out all of the fine details of the stamp.  The unique way that we folded the card added a little extra fun!

I’m going to keep this post short…I’ll post the details about this card later this week when I have a catalog in front of me.  At the moment my husband is in the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona (we live in Ohio) with a severe infection in his leg.  It’s not every day that the passengers at Sky Harbor airport get to see the pilot of their flight get taken away via ambulance!  I’m hoping we can get him home or up to his mother’s house in Salt Lake City by Wednesday or Thursday of this week.  Hospital “appreciation” time just isn’t any fun.

More inspiring ideas await you at Mary Fish’s Stampin' Pretty, stop number 6 on the Pals Hop.   Hop over and see Mary’s wonderfully creative ideas.  Thanks for "hopping" by! 

PALS HOP LINE-UP

Click on any of the sites listed below to begin the Pals Hop. 

 

Regina Mangum -- The Stampin' Bean
Mike Funke -- Stampin-Style
Martha Stewart -- Seasons of Stamping
Anne Beale Yancey -- Mukibug
Liz Hughes -- DIY Paper Creations
Mary Fish -- Stampin' Pretty
Jason Casper -- Jason's Stampin' Pad
Melanie Collins -- Oops a Daisy
Kris Kilcoyne -- Kween Bee Kreations
Tricia Gillam -- Soul Stamper
Barbara Furlong -- The Love of Stamping
Gina Shaw -- Cards by Gina
Kim Lampone -- Stamp, Scrap, Get Kreative
Debbie Pierce -- Stampin' Sunshine
Ann Schach -- The Stampin' Schach
Kalshelia Lloyd -- Stampin' Fabulousity
Lourdes Torres -- Cozy Crafty Corner
Carla Bazhenow -- Carla's Scraps

Wood Mount vs. Clear Mount

 

 

So just how do they stack up against each other? 

 

Size & Storage:  There are 17 stamp sets in the Occasions Mini that are available in both wood mount and clear mount.  The stack on the left represents those 17 sets in their clear mount storage cases; while the stack on the right represents the same 17 sets mounted on wood and in their traditional storage cases.  I think the space savings is obvious!  Not only do they take up less space, but they are all the same size (the size of a DVD storage case) which makes storing and transporting them much easier. 

 

Cost:  If you were to purchase all 17 sets on wood mounts your cost would be $352.15 (not including taxes and shipping).  However, if you were to purchase the same 17 sets in clear mounts you would save yourself $89.00.  That’s enough to buy the complete set of acrylic blocks with money left over for some cool embellishments and paper!

 

Performance:  Both types of stamps are die cut; which means you can start stamping with them right away.  Clear mounts are made of the same high quality rubber as the wood mounts so the images are just as clean and crisp.  The one advantage that the clear mounts have over the wood mounts is you can mount multiple images on an acrylic block and reposition them into any configuration you desire.  And, because you can see through the acrylic blocks, you can see where you’re stampin’ so it reduces the need for a Stamp-a-ma-jig!  The acrylic blocks feel good in my hands and are a dream to work with.  All it takes to clean the acrylic blocks is warm soapy water, so no more stained wood blocks!

 

My Conclusion:  When it comes time to place your order the choice is up to you, but I hope that everyone gets a chance to take the clear mount stamps out for a test ride.  As for me, I’m clearly on the side of the new clear mount stamps.  From here on out I’m going to purchase whenever possible 100% clear mount stamp sets.  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the new clear mount stamp sets.  I’d love to here your thoughts and opinions!

 

P.S. ~ I really need to get a new yard stick.  The one used in this picture refers to S&H Green Stamps and the phone number on it only has 5 digits!  Yikes!!!

PPA32 - Spring Flowers

 

Ah, Spring!  The time of year when “Let it Snow” turns to “Let it Melt”!  The theme for the PPA challenge this week is spring or anything that makes you think “spring”.  I chose to use the spring stamp from the A Flower for All Seasons stamp set.  During Sale-A-Bration; you could earn this set for FREE with any order of $50 or more! 

 

DO IT YOURSELF TIPS!

 

·     The Perfect Plum mat was easy to make using my 1 3/4” Circle punch and one of my favorites; the Ticket Corner punch.  I used some Stampin’ Dimensionals to give it some lift.

·     I water colored my image on watercolor paper.  I love the texture of it and it doesn’t “pill” as easily as regular card stock does.

·     To give the colors more depth I placed a drop of each color from my re-inks on a small dish and then I used a Blender pen as my paint brush.  Doing it this way makes it so easy to control the amount of color!

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  A Flower for All Seasons (111592) and Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)

Paper:  Water color paper (105019); Whisper White and Old Olive card stock; Perfect Plum Textured card stock and Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (117161 Occasions Mini catalog)

Ink:  Jet Black Staz-on; Re-inkers in Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Old Olive, Perfect Plum, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue and So Saffron

Gear:  Blender Pen (102845), 1 3/4” Circle Punch (112004), Ticket Corner Punch (107214), Small Oval Punch (107304)

Bling: Old Olive Ribbon from the Elementary Ribbon Originals package (116231) and Pewter Mini Library Clip (109857)

Go Green!

 

There’s no doubt that this card is GREEN! But I love the look of Kraft paper with Always Artichoke and the Mellow Moss Designer Series Paper which is in the Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper III and is a Level 1 Hostess gift.  Add a little masking and embossing and I’m sure this cards recipient will be charmed.

 

Do It Yourself Tips

 

• Use the smallest heart in the Heart to Heart punch to punch out 4 hearts to make your shamrock.  To pop the shamrock up off the paper I used a SNAIL to adhere the hearts onto a 1/2” circle and then used Stampin’ Dimensionals to attach the circle to my card.
• The branch made with the Extra Large Two-Step Bird made the perfect stem for my shamrock after I snipped of the leaves.
• To remove the Rhinestone from its setting I just opened up its “legs” and then lifted up the two prongs that hold the Rhinestone in its setting.

 

Click here to order Stampin’ Up! product online 24/7!

Stamp sets:  Go Green (117074, Occasions Mini catalog)

Paper:  Kraft, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke card stock, Always Artichoke Textured card stock and Mellow Moss Designer Series Paper (Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper III)

Ink:  Versa Mark and Always Artichoke

Gear:  Big Shot with Multipurpose Platform and Standard Cutting Pads (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Large Dot Texturz Plate (114512), Heart to Heart Punch (113694), Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch (117191 Occasions Mini catalog), 1/2" Circle Punch (104390), Word Window Punch (105090), Double Rectangle Punch (105088), Embossing Buddy (103083), Heat Tool (100005), Clear Embossing Power (109130), Powder Pals (102197), Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826)

Bling:  Whisper White Organza Ribbon (114319) and Green Rhinestone Brad (Circle Ice Brads 109111)

Lucky Number 13!

Congratulations to Karen McAlpine who is the winner of the Sweet Pea Reusable Shopping Bag!  Karen, please e-mail me your address and I'll get your bag in the mail to you on Monday.

 

My sincere apologies to all of my blog readers for not posting the blog candy winner on Wednesday when I said I would.  I spent most of this week doing what I lovingly call “Waiting Room Appreciation Time” – in other words, I spent hours in doctor’s waiting rooms.  Nothing serious, just regular doctor visits for my dad that all happened to take place the same week.  Combine all those hours spent waiting around with my Stampin’ Club meeting this week and I haven’t had the opportunity until today to post the winner.  Thanks for your understanding!

 

Congrats again to Karen!

 

Hugs,

Satin Ribbon Sampler Package

Did you look at the gorgeous new 5/8” Satin Ribbon in the Occasions Mini catalog and say to yourself “I want it all!” only to have reality set in.  To purchase spools of all nine colors would cost you more then $80.  However, by purchasing my Satin Ribbon Sampler Package you will get 3 yards of each of the nine colors for just $24.95.   You can have it all!

 

o    Basic Black

o    Real Red

o    Chocolate Chip

o    Certainly Celery

o    Pretty in Pink

o    Bashful Blue

o    Old Olive

o    Basic Gray

o    Very Vanilla (sorry this color doesn't show up very well on my website so I left it gray)

 

The Satin Ribbon Sampler Package is available for immediate shipping and I’ll even pay for the postage (U.S. addresses only, please)!  I accept PayPal or checks, but your check will need to clear the bank before I’ll ship your ribbon out, so PayPal is the fastest method of payment.  To purchase the Satin Ribbon Sampler Package e-mail me