Some More Valentines Projects

Hi everyone.  What a great week it's been, and it's sped by so quickly..... absolutely can't believe it's Friday again.  I had a chance to play with a couple more of the great tutorials on UStamp with Dawn and Friends "With Love 2010" this week and wanted to share the results with you. 

This first project was based on Jenny Moors Love Card in a Box tutorial.  Jenny is one of the most talented designers I've seen and I absolutley love everything she does.  This little box which measures 2 x 2 is certainly no exception.  Quick and fun to make it  could be used for any occasion.   Here are a couple of other views of it ... one from the top and the other looking at the treasures inside the box.  The unique thing about this box is the lid is completely built in so you're only working with one piece of cardstock.  If you're interested in this tutorial you still have time to sign up on Dawn's blogspot just click here for more information:

My second project was designed by another fabulous Design Team Member, our only Canadian member I might add............... Jennifer Picard.  Jennifer's style is so wonderful.  Her tutorials are always so easy to follow and she always completes projects that are clean and easy to complete.  I just love all that she does and can't wait to stamp with her when I get home this month.   So here's what I made using Jenn's tutorial for a "Love You Fun Fold Out" picture folder album:

The really cool thing about this album is that at first it just looks like a card, but it's really a card and album combined. How clever!   The front cover which is held in place with a button or brad opens up to reveal your message.  The inside holds two photos.

What a great little card/album........ I loved making this with the new Sweet Pea DSP paper pack paper from the Mini Occasions cattie.  I can see using it for so many occasions including Valentines Day, Mother's Day, to name a few.

Let me know what you think...................enjoy!

Stationary Box Gift Set

What a full and exciting day this has been.  Today I played golf for the first time since before Christmas.  My back held up and I had a great game......... for me!  I so love walking the course and soaking in all the wonderful sights....... truly beautiful.  Bob and I invited over all the other players from our group for appies and drinks following the golf game and we had a wonderful couple of hours entertaining in our back yard.  Such great folks.  The last of our guests left around 3:30 and we quickly tidied up and then headed off for a wonderful roast beef dinner at Margie and John's place.......... what wonderful hosts and such an awesome meal!
And, as if that wasn't enough fun and excitement for one day I turned on the computer and discovered that my Stationary Box Tutorial had been posted on UStamp with Dawn and Friends "With Love 2010" series.   There's still time to join the "With Love 2010" series so if you're interested pop on over to Dawn's website to check it out.  All the fabulous comments and encouragement I received from the members of UStamp just sent me over the moon!...............here's some pictures of my project. Hope you enjoy.

Here's a view of the outside of the Stationary Box.  I used Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Card Stock and Cottage Wall Designer Paper (115671) in this project. 

I used one of my favourite all time stamp sets Great Friend (113792) to do all the stamping for sentiments and design elements.  I love how feminine and sweet the images are.

Here's a view of the inside of the stationary box and stationary. 

The stationary has been hand stamped withe a flower and sentiment and is held together with a little band of DSP.  For a little bling I have used clear rhinestones both on the butterfly and the band. 

And finally, here is a picture of the finished project, which included a 3 x 3 gift card and a little notebook.  This set would make a great gift for Mother's Day or as a Teacher's Gift.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures of my latest project.  I'd love to hear from you if you did!

Valentines Workshop

Yesterday I had a wonderful day attending Cheryl Lefore's Valentines Day Workshop. I always enjoy Cheryl's events.  Not only is she such a great Stampin' Up Demonstrator but she's a superb hostess.   She made the most awesome Red Velvet Cupcakes for the occasion and they were simply awesome!  A good time was had by all.   

As you can see from this picture we made four awesome projects, based on Cheryl's recent involvement in Regionals and Leadership in Phoenix.  Here are some pictures of the projects we made.

Don't you love receiving those little heart boxes at Valentine's with the chocolates in them?  I always have, and now thanks to Cheryl I can make my own!  Isn't this just adorable.  It was a little time consuming to make, but really rewarding when completed.  How do you like the shabby chic flowers made using the new Extra Large Fancy Flower punch (118073), corderoy buttons and felt flowers?  Here's a look at the interior of the box.

The next project, a Heart Card, was really a card within a card.  Very fun and easy to make and the kind of card that really delivers the WOW factor.  This card utilized one 12 x 12 sheet of regal rose cardstock for the exterior card.  The inner card was made using

Old Olive textured cardstock for the base, pretty in pink for the layer and awesome Old Olive Striped 1/2 in Grosgrain Ribbon.  I {Heart} Hearts Stamp set was featured on the inside.  The A to Z Stamp (115711) pg. 41 Mini Occasions Catalogue, was used with Chocolate Chip Ink on  the Heart cutout on the front of the card as well as on the bottom of the Old Olive interior card.  I really liked this stamp as it added just a bit different look for a background.  I also had a chance to work with the Stampin' Up Embosslits Die - Scalloped Heart of Hearts (117332) pg. 15 of Mini Occasions Catalogue, and I've immediately added it to my "Wish List".  Wow is it nice to work with.   Here's an interior view of the Heart Card so you can see the full effect.

The green heart is embellished with Certainly Celery Chunky Sprinkles Stampin Glitter  (11343) and a small Chocolate Chip button from the Button Latte (114333) Designer Buttons featured on pg 180 and 181 of the IB&C.  A small piece of velcro was used on the back of the cover heart to hold the card envelope closed.  So there you have it, a card in a card.  I think this was an awesome project!

The 3rd project was a scrapbooking page that was very quick to make but had several elements that were new to me.  A 12 x 12 sheet of Real Red Cardstock was used as the base and a piece of the Sending Love Specialty DSP (117153) was torn and mounted on the base.  Prior to mounting the DSP we used the jumbo roller I {Love} Love (117084) pg. 15 Mini Occasions cattie, with Real Red ink cartridge on the Real Red base.   The LOVE letters were cut on the big shot using the Serif Essentials die cut (113464) pg. 199 IB&C.  Another Big Shot first for me was cutting out the felt flowers using the Stampin Up Flower Folds die cut (115970) pg. 201 of the IB&C.  I couldn't believe how simple it and fast it was to make these flowers...........another "must have" on my wish list!!!  The rest of the embellisments on this card were layers of Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Very Vanilla Cardstock and some hearts made again from the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Sizzlit.  Another new item to me was the Glassine Small Square Envelope (117226) pg. 19 of the Mini Occasions.  This housed a number of little hearts punched out with the Heart to Heart punch.  The final touch is a picture of Murphy my little bichon cross dog and me at Christmas enjoying a moment of pure "Love"! 

The final card was made with the Sweet Treats Heart Cups filled with deliscious pink, brown and red M&M's............ one of my favourite snacks.  A layer of Pretty in Pink was added to the Real Read cardstock base and the stamped image was on Very Vanilla.  Once again strips of the Specialty Designer Series paper were used and strips of Chocolate Chip cards stock were punched with the new Pinking Hearts Border punch (117649) pg. 11 of the Mini.  A beautiful 5/8" Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon was added as a finishing touch.  This is just a beautiful card and very fast and easy to make.

So thanks Cheryl for a great day and for all the inspiration you give me.  You are a fabulous demonstrator and I will be sad when I go home to miss any of your coming events.............. oh well next year! 

Matchbox Frame

Matchboxes seem to be all the rage these days and can be used in many ways.  Betty Traciak one of the very talented Guest Designers on UStamp with Dawn and Friends "With Love 2010", designed a really great "Matchbox Frame" using the "Love Bandit" stamp set 117086 from the Occasions Mini Catalogue.   Betty's version used the Matchbox Die cut. Since I don't have my Big Shot here in Southern California, I made my matchboxes from a template I found on SCS.

Recipe:


Cardstock:  Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Old Olive and Soft Suede
Stamps:  Vintage Vogue 117690, Very Vintage Wheel 117693 and Three Little Words
Ink:  Rich Razzelberry
Accessories:  Scalloped Heart Punch, Heart to Heart Punch and Heart Punch, Rhinestones and Ribbon non-SU

Just Add Ink Challenge - Just Add Hearts

Tonight while I was blog hopping I came across a wonderful new challenge blog from the land down under called Just Add Ink.    The design team have made some fantastic creations to get you inspired.   Anyone can participate!
This week's challenge ends on February 3rd, so there's lots of time for you to join in if you feel inspired and want to play along.
So, to that end, I am including a post of a card I made for my UStamp photo gallery, as it meets the criteria. for this week's challenge #JAI2

Kirsty Brown a Dream Team Member for UStamp With Dawn and Friends designed a fabulous Valentine Card and Matchbox set for her project for "With Love 2010".  I really loved Kirsty's version which used Kraft Cardstock, and an unusual ribbon detail.  I decided to incorporate "ribbon on ribbon" for my version and chose to add the new Stampin' Up designer series paper called "Sending Love Specialty" 117153.   It's a bit more expensive but certainly worth purchasing as you get 2 each of 6 double-sided 12x12 sheets of paper in beautiful patterns with glittery designs on one side.  These papers are truly gorgeous and so if you love working with Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Pretty in Pink this DSP is for you. I love it so much, that I'm going to order more so I don't run out, before the Occasions Mini Catalogue expires on April 30, 2010.

So here is my Heart Valentine Card and the matching Matchbox.  I used the "Heart" and "Heart to Heart" punches for the hearts which I mounted on chocolate chip and then cut free hand to get the little border.  I really loved the feminine look achieved by combining Pirouette Pink (PP)  from last year's In Colour selection and Chocolate Chip cardstock and so I decided to use the PP for the box lid and the first layer on my card.  To jazz it up a bit I scored in 1/2 inch increments across the face of the cardstock. The inside of the card is also done in Pirouette Pink. 

If you enlarge the picture you can see the beautiful glitter on this card and the scoring.  The ribbon and buttons are non Stampin' Up.  Leave me a comment if you enjoyed this card and matchbox gift set. 

Clear Mount Stamps - Now You Have a Choice

"Over the past few years, some customers have asked for Stampin’ Up! to “switch” to clear-mount stamps. Well, now Stampin’ Up! is about to do the impossible and PLEASE EVERYBODY!”  Available in the Occasions Mini Catalogue and the 2010 Sale-A-Bration brochure, Stampin' Up is offering exclusive stamps in BOTH traditional wood mounted and new clear-mount sets.


The new clear-mount stamps are the result of extensive research with the intent to maintain the very best image quality (because that is what makes Stampin’ Up! so great), while at the same time offering the ease-of-use and storability of clear-mount stamps.


Here are some features of the new clear-mount stamps:

• nine different sizes of clear blocks available individually or as a discounted bundle
• blocks have ergonomic grooves on all FOUR sides for easy grip and traditional wood-mount feel (THEY FEEL SO NICE TO WORK WITH!!!)
• stamps and blocks and DURABLE and easy to clean just like your wood-mount stamps
• optional image labels on stamp backs let you decide if you want to see the image through the block or not. (YOU WANT TO SEE IT!)
• tight die-cutting for easy image positioning
• same high quality rubber and foam you expect from Stampin’ Up!
• large clear blocks can be used to create collages or spell words with alphabet sets
• stamps store easily in standard DVD type cases with artwork on front and spine"

Haitian Disaster Relief and Stampin' Up

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. As a Stampin′ Up! customer, you can help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of this earthquake by purchasing, the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set sold will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need."

Product Name Item # Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount (block D recommended) 118571 $24.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount 117010 $35.95