Friday, December 23, 2011

STAMPIN' UP: FROSTWOOD LODGE & LETTERS TO SANTA

Well I didn't think I would be posting again before Christmas, but wanted to show you this album cover that I decorated before I give it away for Christmas.  I decorated the 20 album pages a couple of years ago with a now discontinued Stampin' Up Christmas Simply Scrappin' Kit.  The actual album is our discontinued On Board 8 1/2" x 11" chipboard album.  But, I decorated it with our current Frostwood Lodge and Letters To Santa Designer Paper.  I hope she likes it.

And look, no stamping!!
Before I leave I want to say thank you to Nancy Dawson for honoring me with The Versatile Blogger Award.  It is always such a joy to know others like your blog and might go away with some ideas. 
Please take a moment to visit Nancy's blog here, she is a really talented stamper and I love her card using the new Gnome Sweet Gnome stamp set.


Merry Christmas!
Sandi
"Give me time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all your mighty miracles." -- Psalm 71:18
"Heavenly Father, thank You for the books, classes, workshops and groups of friends that help keep my mind active and my life punctuated with pizzazz."  -- Patricia Lorenz

Monday, December 19, 2011

STAMPIN' UP BELLS & BOUGHS

Happy Monday!!
Is it getting crazy at your place yet?  I think by tomorrow I will be in my "frantic" mode.  Still haven't even started making my gifts yet -- so many ideas floating around in my head.  My kids have mentioned so many different things that they want me to make for them, that it is hard to narrow it down a bit.  I guess I will start with the things they asked for last year, which I didn't get done and will keep me busy right up until Christmas Eve.  Thank goodness the guys in my family never seem interested in hand-made gifts.  Or could it be that "I" am not very talented in that area?  I think it is the later.

I have been fooling around for 3 days just completing cards that I started "last year."  Yep, don't even ask me to explain, but the short version is I completed about 60 Christmas cards from left over supplies and projects I started last year.  I am so tired of having this huge plastic wash tub full of stamp sets, cut card stock, accessories, etc. sitting in my storage area.  I have actually enjoyed doing them (maybe it is because it gives me an excuse to not start something new?).  So, because I have been fooling around and not creating "new" projects, I am showing you a couple of cards I have gotten this year and one of my cards (from last year) that I finished this morning (I had supplies for 10 cut and ready to go).

This is my card from last year, I just changed it a bit.  Everything but the designer paper is still current product:  Bells and Boughs Stamp Set, Belle Standard Wheel, Gold Embossing Powder, Cherry Cobbler Ink and Card Stock, Sahara Sand Card Stock, Very Vanilla 1/8th inch Taffeta Ribbon, Watercolor Brush with Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, and Tea Stain Ink.

This is a card I received from my sister Lois Purcell.  Love that Glimmer Card Stock!!

This card I received from my friend, neighbor, and customer:  Cheryl Tonkin.  And, no, she did not do this card at one of my classes.  She is a very talented stamper on her own!

This card I received from another friend, whom I am forever in debt to because of all the times she has typed her heart out entering product into my Automated Excel Workshop Forms.  And that would be Linda Tarolli, from New York.  Isn't it so cute with all the bling and Mica Flakes.
Thank you ladies for the beautiful cards.  I am being totally honest when I tell you that receiving hand-made cards really is the highlight of the holiday season for me.  It is so true, even for us stampers, that it truly brightens your day to get a stamped card in the mail -- forget the gifts, I'll take a card any day!!

I probably won't be posting again until after Christmas, so I want to express my gratefullness to all of you who visit my blog and take time to leave a comment (another thing I love).  And I leave you with these words from one of my very favorite stamps this year (it so expresses what I want to say and exactly what I would never be able to come up with on my own):  "May the miracle of Christmas find you safe in the Peace of God, warm in the Light of Christ." -- Stampin' Up Gods Blessing

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Sandi
"Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife."  -- Matthew 1:24
"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."  -- Chambers

Thursday, December 15, 2011

STAMPIN' UP CLEARANCE RACK BLITZ!!

Clearance Rack Blitz Begins Today

December 15, 2011


From December 15, 2011, through January 5, 2012, nearly 200 products are being added to the Clearance Rack in the Online Store--with some discounted up to 80 percent! Visit my Online Store and click on the "Shop Now" button to take part in the savings yourself!

Please note: Within the Online Store, in the Clearance Rack Blitz category, there will be some identical punches that have two different item numbers; this is because we are using inventory from both our American and our European warehouses. It will indicate which punches this affects in the product description.


Dates:   December 15, 2011-January 5, 2012
Details:  Nearly 200 new Clearance Rack items are being added to the Online Store at discounts up to 80 percent off retail--while supplies last!


Things to Remember:
  • Only online orders qualify for this promotion. Orders can include non-Clearance Rack items, as well.
  • The Clearance Rack Blitz includes old-body style punches.
  • There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this promotion.
  • Qualifying Clearance Rack orders are eligible for hostess benefits/Stampin' Rewards.
  • Following the Clearance Rack Blitz sales period, some blitz items may remain in the clearance rack; others may be removed and reappear at an undesignated time in the future.
  • Clearance Rack Blitz items are only available while supplies last. There are no refunds or exchanges on Clearance Rack items.
  • You may view Clearance Rack Blitz items by going to my Online Store here then click on the "Shop Now" button. (Make sure my name is indicated on upper-right as your demonstrator so you get the lower "preferred" price.)
  • Deadline: Thursday, January 5, 2012; 11:50 PM (MT)
If you have any question please give me a call or e-mail me. I hope to update my blog again soon with some new projects, just started Christmas shopping yesterday (finished in 2 hours) and still have a lot of gifts to make. Hope you are all are having a merry holiday season (I know it is hard sometimes with all the things on our list, but actually I am!!).

Until next post,
Sandi
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" -- Romans 12:18

Monday, December 5, 2011

GIFT CARD TUTORIAL

I finally remembered that I promised you a tutorial on the gift card my ladies did at my Stamp-A-Stack.  The idea for this card came from a RubberQueen make'n take (I just designed differently and changed measurements so it fit in a Stampin' Up Open End Envelope).  I would have had this posted yesterday, but no juice in my camera!  Because this is so lengthy, I’m getting right down to business (pick yourself up!). You can use the card to insert a gift card or picture(s), or both!!  That is why I love the design.  This is what you will be making (doesn’t look like much, but so cute in person).   


STAMPIN' UP PRODUCT USED: 
STAMPS:  Jolly Jingles Jumbo Wheel and Snow Much Fun
CARD STOCK: 
      6" x 8" Crumb Cake (card base)
      1 ½" x 6" Cherry Cobbler (punched with Scallop Edge Border)
      1" x 7" Cherry Cobbler (belly band)
      Two pieces of 2 ½" x 4" Crumb Cake (inside note cards)
      Whisper White (1 ¾" circle punch) and Cherry Cobbler (2 Round Tabs) scraps.
INK:  Black StazOn and Night of Navy

ACCESSORIES: 
Markers (Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie, & Marina Mist; Punches (Scallop Edge Border, 1 ¾" Circle, Round Tab, & 2 3/8" Scallop); Medium and Open-End (#107286) envelopes; Sticky Strip; Dazzling Details; and Dimensional.
DIRECTIONS:

Instructions 1 and 2
1. Score 6" x 8" Crumb Cake at 2 ¾" and 5 ¾". 
2. Fold so the long end (2 ¾") folds inside and the short end (2 ¼") folds down on top for front of card.

Instructions 3 & 4
3. Unfold and turn card stock to the front, with short end at bottom, to decorate.
4. On the short end (2 ¼") wheel the Jolly Jingles Jumbo Wheel in Night of Navy.
 
 
Instructions 5 & 6
5.   Punch the 1 ½” x 6” Cherry Cobbler Card Stock, using Scallop Edge Border Punch & adhere to front panel (short end).
6.   Stamp the long end top-fold (2 ¾") with Snow Much Fun Stamp Set and color with markers.

Instruction #7
7.   Seal a Medium Envelop and fold it in half. With the fold at the bottom, cut ¼" off from the top (gives you 2 pockets).
  
Instruction #8
 8.   Apply 3 pieces of Sticky Strip (approx. 2 ½") long to the front, center, and back of envelop – making sure each strip is centered in the middle (see picture). If you tape around the edges it will be too tight. Adhere to inside of the card.


This is what the inside will look like after attaching the pocket.
  
Instruction #9
9.   Assemble belly band using 1" x 7" Cherry Cobbler (I used small piece of Sticky Strip to tape together); punch a scrap of Cherry Cobbler Card Stock with the 2 3/8" Scallop Punch; and stamp the snowman on Whisper White scrap, punch with1 ¾" Circle Punch, and color with markers. I used a dimensional to adhere to belly band and used a drop of Dazzling Details on each scallop.



Instruction #10
10.   Stamp one of the 2 ½" x 4" Crumb Cake note cards and leave the other note card blank to adhere the gift card. You can use these note cards to attach pictures also. For class purposes, I had them stamp one of the note cards so they could adhere a picture over the top when they got home if they wanted. Punch 2 Round Tabs from scrap Cherry Cobbler Card Stock and adhere to tops.
Finished card on outside and inside.




Wow, there must be an easier way to add instructions than the way I just did.  I sure hope with all these pictures that I didn't leave anything out -- if nothing else, I think these are over-kill!!  However, if for some reason I did, please let me know so I can edit this post.  Thanks for hanging in there!!

Until next time,
Sandi
"Most people don't realize that writing is a craft.  You have to take your apprenticeship in it like anything else."  --  Katherine Anne Porter