Last Day!

Today is the LAST DAY TO ORDER FROM THE 2009-2010 IDEA BOOK & CATALOG! If there is a stamp set that you just can't live without and it's on the Last Chance retiring list, make sure you order it from my website today.

Homemade

This little bag uses another sheet of Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper. I used the Homemade stamp with Pear Pizzaz ink for the center and punched it out with the 1 3/4 circle punch. It is layered on a Pumpkin Pie Extra Large Scalloped Circle. I used a mini library clip to hold everything together. This will be a great project to make for the holiday season with some festive colors.

Sweet Centers Balloon

This card uses another stamp from the Sweet Centers stamp set. The designer series paper I used is from the new Idea Book & Catalog. When I saw this paper, I knew that it would be perfect as the balloon in this set. The cardbase is Baja Breeze. I wheeled the houses at the bottom in the same color ink to give it a subtle effect.

Because I Care

Here is a peek at a Level 1 set from the new Idea Book & Catalog. This card uses the Because I Care stamp set. This set will be available for hostesses to earn free with a qualifying party. I also used a few new colors. The card base is Concord Crush, a new In Color. I also used Daffodil Delight, a new color in the Brights Collection . The sentiment was punched using large oval punch and matted on Sizzix Sizzlits Lots of Tags Label 3. I made this card for my upline Joni. She went into the hospital for surgery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Sweet Centers

Do you remember this stamp set form the Holiday Mini last year? I absolutely LOVE it. Well, it has made it into the new Idea Book and Catalog. This set coordinates with the Sweet Treat Cups and the 1 3/4" circle punch. For this project I actually used the 1 3/8" circle punch, that's why it has the white ring around the hole. I found that the other hole was too big for the lollipops. One thing that makes me sad about this project is that the Double Rectangle punch used to make the slits for the ribbon is on the Retiring List. I guess I'll just have to tie the ribbon around the stick at the top now. The double rectangle punch reminds me of my wedding invitations. We used the rectangular slits to tie the printed vellum to the textured cardstock. I can't believe we picked those out 12 years ago. Wow, how time flies.

Computer Crash! Arg!

Well, it finally happened. Our home computer crashed. Poor thing couldn't even recognize Windows. I have been diligently making new projects and taking pictures. I was hoping to post a picture today but I'm still trying to figure out the programs on the netbook. For the next little while, my pictures will not be cropped and won't have the copyright mark on them. Just know that everything I post is a Stampin' Up! product unless otherwise noted. I am really looking forward to shopping for a new computer. If I'm lucky, we'll get a new tower for home and I'll get a laptop for my Stampin' Up! business. Keep your fingers crossed!

Happy Dad's Day!

I hope everyone has a great day today. This is a mini squash book I designed for my DH last year. It is 4 1/4" square when folded. Inside I decorated it with pictures trimmed to 4" square. I used Not Quite Navy as the base and the ink color. The mats are Creamy Caramel (retiring) and Pumpkin Pie. The stamped image is from the All Holidays set. That is such a versatile set. I tend to use it often. I'm glad it's sticking around.

Christmas Treat Box

This is a little treat box using the Hostess Level 2 set Christmas Punch. Remember, this is the last month to order products from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. The ribbon I used is Whisper White Organza. This is one of my favorit ribbons. I'm glad that it will continue to be in the new catalog!

Last of the 8 Great Greetings Series

Well, here is the last picture from this stamp set. I did the dad card in Not Quite Navy and Pumpkin Pie. Can you tell that my DH went to the University of Illinois? GO ILLINI! Check out the Father's Day post and you'll see this color combo again. : ) Even though these are on 3" square cards, you can use the same idea and transfer them onto a regular card by mounting on a strip of Designer Series Paper or textured cardstock.

Third in the 8 Great Greetings Series

This is a cute little bunny. I used my Stampin' Pastels to color him. I usually prefer solid images like the one on the right. Personally, I think I need to work on my coloring. : ) Practice makes perfect!

Second in the 8 Great Greetings Series

These cards are very simple. I tend to use clean lines when designing. I made these a-year-and-a-half ago (before I purchased my Big Shot). If I were re-doing these, I would probably add a little texture to the mats underneath the circles. The C in congratulations is puched with 2 different punches. After stamping in Not Quite Navy, I punched out the entire image and then punched out the inside. The notch was cut free-hand.

First in the 8 Great Greetings Series

This is the first entry in a series of cards I made with the Eight Great Greetings Stamp Set (retiring June 30th). These cards are 3"X3". I wanted to show how you can make cards with a pack of assorted neutral cardstock and a pack of assorted color family cardstock. In this series I used the Earth Elements with Sahara Sand as the card base.

Take me out to the ballgame!

Here is the outside cover of my baseball squash book. The cover is vinyl with the stitching painted on with fabric paint. Closed, this album measures 6" square. The inside is made using 3 - 12"X12" pages of cardstock. The inside pages are hand stamped on Whisper White cardstock to color coordinate with the team. I sold some of these to my friend's tee-ball team. I found it funny that he was on my favorite team, the CUBS! I used the stamp sets Just Baseball and Sporting. Both of these stamp sets are on the Last Chance List so you 'd better get them now while you have the chance! I got so much use out of these 2 stamp sets. I didn't have to worry about trying to find scrapbook paper to coordinate with the tee-ball team's colors, I just made my own! The lettering is done with the Varsity Alphabet and Varsity Numbers stamp sets. I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the letters and numbers.

Dahlia Cross

Here is a card that I made for a Spring/Easter swap. I decided against stamping on the front of the card so it could be used for a variety of occasions. The cross is made using the Tea Party Designer Series Paper (on the Last Chance Accessories List).

Bella Bleu Hanging Heart

Here's that Bella Bleu again. I found this idea on someone's blog awhile ago (sorry I don't remember whose). After seeing it, I HAD to buy the Petal Card Die for the Big Shot (also on the Retired Accessories List). This uses 2 die cuts, trimmed and put togther. I used Stampin' Up!'s Birds & Blooms sizzlet 4 pack to make the bird on the front. The labels are made with Stampin' Up!'s Lots of Tags sizzlet 4 pack. I also used Stampin' Up!'s large oval punch and scallop square punch. Isn't it great how the Elegant Thank You stamp can be used with so many different punches and dies? The mini cards are 2 1/2" square and fit inside the heart basket.

Bella Bleu Bag in a Box

This is one of my first Bag in a Boxes. They make great treat bags. I made a few of them at Christmas for Alex's teachers with candy and a gift card inside. I used the Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper here. I absolutely LOVE this paper. I think that is has a simple elegance. This DSP will be retiring this month. It had a good run, though. All of the colors in this paper series will continue in the new catalog with one little change. Kraft paper will soon be known as Crumb Cake. I am so excited about this. In July, we will offer a Crumb Cake ink pad and marker to coordinate with the cardstock!

Another Happy Heart

Here is another card I made with the Happy Heart set. The bad news is that after June 30th this stamp set and the black gingham ribbon will be gone. (The wheel I used on this card retired last June.) The good news is that the Pink Pirouette and the Baja Breeze on this card will be RETURNING in July, woo hoo!

A Happy Heart

The title should be "A Sad Heart." This is another stamp set we will be saying good-bye to at the end of this month. Are you tired of seeing this same layout? My demonstrator challenge was to copy a layout from the catalog but change the stamp set and colors. That's one of the reasons Stampin' Up! calls it our Idea Book & Catalog. Not only can you order GREAT products, the book itself can be used as a fabulous resource for techniques and layout ideas.

Color Change

I took the same stamp set and layout and just changed the colors. Oh, I added hearts instead of stars for the eyes. This card uses the black gingham ribbon which is on the Last Chance Accessories list. Which of the two color combos is your favorite?

Last Chance Favorites

The Last Chance List came out yesterday. Some of my go-to stamp sets are on the list. So, I've decided to pay homage to them by posting my favorite cards and projects.

This card uses the retiring Just Jawing set. The stars and ribbon are Bermuda Bay, which is also leaving us. If you think this card looks familiar, you're right. For one of my demonstrator challenges I was to copy a card directly from the catalog. You wil find it on page 83 of the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog.