Christmas in July?

Yes, I'm about to share with you some new Holiday products that will be available starting September 1!

This was my prototype for a swap that I recently participated in. (I'll post the cards that I receive when I get them back.) I say prototype because I realized I didn't have enough of the wonderful twinkling sheets (silver glimmer paper) so I skipped that and replaced with glass glitter for my final swap. I was going to find a way to add my bling! (The photo does not do justice to how sparkly and beautiful these sheets of paper are!)

This stamp set (Festive and Fun) is great for water coloring and it comes in a set of 3 for other holidays: halloween and valentine's day! Can't show you the set (SU policy) until September but if you're on my mailing list, you may have gotten a copy of the Holiday Mini Catalog already and have seen how fun this set is and can be with your creativity.

One of my most favorite detail of the card is the folded medallion/flower. It was made using a new tool (available...yes, September 1) called Simply Scored. It has etched grooves every 1/8" to help you create perfectly measured score marks.  It's great for creating multiple projects or projects with a variety of score marks!

To create this medallion/flower, I took 1 3/4" x 12" strips (2) and scored every 1/4".

Adhered them to each other and punched the center of each fold with the crop-a-dile.

Then, I thread baker's twine through the holes and tightened. Heather Summers, a sweet and talented Canadian demonstrator, made a video on this technique so please take a look here for more information.

Next, I adhered the medallion/flower to the card with Tomboy multipurpose adhesive.

Finally, I needed red rhinestones for the holly berries. But Stampin' Up! doesn't carry red rhinestones small enough you say? I took the basic rhinestone jewels and colored them with a red sharpie! (Another fun little tip!)

It was fun to make and can't wait to share with you more Holiday Mini products!

{Project Details}
Stamp: Festive and Fun (123742-W/123744-C)
Ink: Basic Black, Lucky Limeade, Real Red, and Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink Pads; Real Red Stampin' Write Marker.
Paper: Lucky Limeade Textured Card Stock; Real Red, Soft Suede, and Very Vanilla Card Stock; Silver Glimmer Paper.
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note and 3" Circle Dies, Stripes Textured Impressions Folder; Simply Scored, Whisper White Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, and Blender pen.


To order on-line 24/7 click here.

DVD Notebook Class

I learned how to make this wonderful DVD Notebook and wanted to share them with you through a class.

Inside, you'll find a matching notebook to keep all your special notes, to-do list, or whatever you'd like. *The designer paper used in class may vary from what is shown.*

When?

Thursday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. 

Where?
Stamp Ink Diva Studio in Corona, CA

Cost?

$10 or FREE with a $75 product order

RSVP by February 10

Click here

To order on-line 24/7 click here.

Benefits of Tea

Over the years, people have been learning the great health benefits to drinking tea. But how about the benefits of making a teapot for charity? I think its just as healthy...for the soul!

There's nothing better than the gift of giving and especially when its for a good EXCELLENT cause! Stampin' Up! has partnered with Ronald McDonald House as its charity of choice. So, demonstrators who live close to one can volunteer and help. The methods and commitment vary from house to house but I just love ours. The house brings comfort and provides a “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost.  But they provide a lot more! To continue these various programs and in maintaining the house, the OC Ronald McDonald House is having their annual High Tea. We've been asked to make party favors for their guests.

Aren't these just clever? Our fearless leader, Karen Moody, drafted this sample to use at the Orange County Ronald McDonald House High Tea Event. (And by the way, not all McDonalds contribute to this charity and wasn't even started by McDonalds, the fast food chain. Just a fact I learned.) Anyway, I'm having an event where you can come and help me make some of these to send off. As a thank you, you'll also get to make one for yourself to take home with you.

Stamp Ink Diva Studio in Corona, CA

Monday, September 20, 2010 at 10 a.m. 

Please RSVP.

If you aren't already involved, I highly suggest you find a charity and give a little bit of your time. It's a gift multiplied by 2: for the recipient and you.

{Project Details}
Stamp: Elements of Style and Oval All
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Basic Black and Whisper White Card Stock.
Accessories: Large Oval and Scallop Oval Punches; Big Shot, XL Matchbox Die, Top Note Die, Floral Fusion Sizzlet, and Silver Brads.

Also, did you know that for every Tag Alongs (120513--C; 117018--W) stamp set sold, $2 of it goes to the Ronald McDonald House?

To order on-line 24/7 click here.

Thanks for stopping by today! If you are already volunteering, I'd love for you to leave a comment about your choice of charity/cause.

Halloween Card Swap

My downline and a couple of Stampin' Up! Fanatics (our loving customers and friends) have started to gather for card swaps and shoebox swaps. The following are samples from our Halloween Swap. Please note that some of the products are retired products and may no longer be available for purchase.

Elisa White:

Leti Marquez:

Nikki Molina:

Yvonne Norman:

My swap: 

KWerner Design Color Challenge

I just love these color challenges. I especially love this one because it reminds me of summer, which I can't wait for! But for my Stamp "IN" Fellowship Group meeting, we were asked to bring a Father's Day or Graduation Card, so I elected to use this color combination for graduation cards. I used it to make this money holder. 

I decided to let this greeting be the focal point. Using a variety of the alphabet stamp sets that Stampin' Up! offers, I used it to stamp CONGRATS. Also, I used the So Saffron button from Button Latte as my "o". I like how these mixed up letters seem to work together.

Besides, what graduate wouldn't love a card that reminds them of summer to come and find inside a little extra spending cash!

{Project Details}

Stamp: ABC Alphabet Upper, Big Deal Alphabet, Taffy Alphabet, and Eight Great Greetings Stamp Sets

Ink: Baja Breeze, So Saffron, and More Mustard Classic Ink pads

Paper: Sahara Sand and Whisper White card stock; Baja Breeze and So Saffron Patterns DSP

Accessories: Big Shot; Top Note Die; Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate; Corner Rounder and 1/16" circle punches; and More Mustard Brads (Earth Elements).

Tip *Top Note* worthy Purse & Card

Its another special event for Mother's Day at the Ronald McDonald House. And as always, I got a little help from my friends to make a Top Note purse (which will hold a mini manicure gift set) for the mothers. The original idea of the top note purse came from Becky Roberts, please click on her name to see her blog for directions and many other wonderful ideas she has. Our group changed the dimensions to fit our purpose but as you can see, its GORGEOUS! I love the weight and texture of the new Parisian Breeze Specialty Designer Series Paper. And once again, I used my handy dandy Big Shot machine, Top Note Die, and the Scallop Circle Die. There is so much you can do with the Big Shot machine! 

To accompany the gift, we made these Mother's Day Cards. I've seen similar ideas for making the dress but you can read Patty Bennett's directions on how to make this dress from the BIGZ Scallop Circle #2 Die. I couldn't resist making one of my own. I then stamped a Happy Mother's Day greeting from the "All Holidays" stamp set (114916) to the inside of the card. It was quick, easy, and turned out beautiful! The simplicity of it makes this so versatile. You can make it more elegent or casual by the accents you add. Try one of your own and have fun!

Thank you to Jag, Nida, and Julie for helping me make these beautiful gifts!

Additional info. :  chocolate chip, baja breeze, riding hood red, and whisper white cardstock; very vanilla hodgepodge hardware (antiqued by using chocolate chip craft ink); kiwi kiss/very vanilla  satin ribbon, riding hood red taffeta ribbon, and chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon; circle scissors plus, jumbo eyelets, crop-a-dile. and velcro dots* (not  SU!). 

Valentine's Day Workshop

I have been having so much fun playing with all my new goodies!! Did I mention that Stampin' Up! has come out with its Spring/Summer Catalog?!!!! I LOVE IT! Some of the things I've been doing is making Hostess gifts. Since Valentine's Day is coming up and I have a workshop based around this theme, I made my hostess a Valentine's Day box filled with large tags and chocolate. Yummy to look at and eat, right?! Thanks to Becky Roberts for her tutorials. 

The next project is a mini magazine holder for storing 3x3 birthday notes. This project was quick and easy to do. You always need a good stash of  birthday cards, you can never have enough. 

Ronald McDonald House Christmas Project

Sorry, its been a crazy whirlwind around here. I've got all these photos and haven't updated.  But I have finally gotten around to updating this blog. Here is the party favor that I made for our RMH Christmas party. I got this idea from Patty Bennett but instead of using small paper bags, I made a box to make it a little bit more sturdy. I used the Big Shot (my favorite die cutting machine) and the top note die. I punched the handles out using the oval punch. As usual, all stamps and supplies were from Stampin' Up! 

Happy Halloween

One of my goals this year was to join a non-profit group and be a volunteer. I was fortunate enough to join the Ronald McDonald House through Stampin' Up!

Demonstrators get together and bring our craft ideas to the home and help the families try to get their minds off of what's going on and have fun making paper crafts. We also make treats throughout the year for the families staying at the home.

These were my contributions this year for Halloween. I love how it turned out and I hope whoever got my creations enjoyed it.

Best Wishes & More

This is my swap for our Stamp "In" Fellowship group meeting. I LOVE the bird die cut and stamps with birds that Stampin' Up! have developed. What do you think?

Card Recipe: 

Stamp: Best Wishes & More and Always

Ink: Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, and Chocolate Chip Classic Pads.

Paper: Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, and Chocolate Chip Card Stock.

Accessories: 1" double stitched ribbon (Choc. Chip), Sizzix Top Note Bigz Die (SU exclusive), and Sizzix Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die (SU exclusive).