Friday, December 26, 2008

Love You Much Promotion

Hope everyone had a great Christmas! I know Grant and I were spoiled! Unfortunately, I don't have any crafts to share because I've been pretty busy with the holidays, but Stampin Up is offering another new promotion to get ready for Valentine's Day! This offers a "Love You Much" bundle of products that will be available in the new catalogue. They have bundled up (for this promotion only from December 23-January 31) the new Love You Much stamp set, new Candy Lane designer paper, and the new Heart to Heart punch for 20% off. You get all of it for $50.28! Once this promotion is over, the items have to be purchased separately for a total cost of $62.85.

Click here to check out the details in the flyer.

One of the stamps in the Love You Much bundle even lines up with the hearts in the Heart to Heart punch for making quick decorated heart punches!

Currently this promotion has already sold over 9000 bundles! Because of thordee overwhelming response to this promotion, the Candy Lane designer series paper has sold out but they will be getting more that will begin shipping the week of January 5th.

Friday, December 12, 2008

One More Christmas Tag and a Tip

Here's the last tag I have done so far for Christmas. I still have quite a few to go, but finding time to stamp, even for these small projects, is difficult this time of year. For that same reason, my posts will become more random until after the holidays - I hope you'll stick with me though! I love the look of this tag!

Tip: I don't own any silver paper so I created the silver piece in the back by rubbing silver ink around the edges of a piece of whisper white cardstock. I think it looks great! You can do this with any colour of ink if you don't have the colour of paper you want.

Supplies:

Stamps: SU A Holly Jolly Christmas, Snow Swirled
Ink: Brilliance Sterling Silver
Paper: SU real red, ww
Misc: SU real red brad, SU silver cord

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Santa Tag

Here's another Christmas tag I've made - I think it's one of my favourites so far. I just love this Santa image from the SU A Holly Jolly Christmas set. I'm just so happy about how well the SU cardstock matches my Christmas papers I bought. I'm really picky that way and if they didn't match I was just going to use store bought tags.

Supplies:

Stamps: SU A Holly Jolly Christmas
Ink: SU Real Red
Paper: SU ww, real red, green galore

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Simple Scallop Christmas Tags

Here's a couple more Christmas tags that I've made. These two were really simple but when they are going on such small presents I thought they needed to be. They both use the SU Season of Cheer rub-ons and SU scallop circle punch. The red and white tag is actually punched on the fold of the white paper so that it opens - inside it has the "to" and "from" stamped image from the A Holly Jolly Christmas set. The green tag did not need to open as the rub-on has the to/from right on it!

Red Tag Supplies:

Stamps: SU A Holly Jolly Christmas
Rub-ons: SU Season of Cheer
Paper: SU real red, ww
Punches: SU Scallop circle, 1 3/8" circle

Green Tag Supplies:

Rub-ons: SU Season of Cheer
Paper: SU green galore, ww
Punches: SU scallop circle, 1 3/8" circle

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Retiring Stamps, Discounts, and Free Shipping - Oh My!

Scroll down for another post from today to see some Christmas tags I've been working on.

Lots of Stampin' Up! news to share today. As the end of the current catalogue is coming near (it ends January 18, 2009), Stampin' Up! releases a list of stamps that are going to be retired and not carried over into the next catalogue. This list is released early so if you've been contemplating about a stamp set that is on the list, NOW is the time to get it. Click here to read the retiring stamp sets listed Alphabetically.

Click here to read the retiring stamp sets listed Numerically (by page number).

Plus, Stampin' Up! is offering these retiring stamp sets at 10% off from Dec 9 - Dec 23!

On top of this limited time 10% off retiring sets, Stampin' Up! is celebrating the Holiday season again with free shipping on all orders over $100 (Canadian orders only) from Dec 9 - Dec 23. Don't miss out on these great deals!

Email me if you are interested or have any questions!

Pacific Point Christmas Tags

I've been working on making Christmas tags for all of the Christmas presents I have to give. I'm making them fairly simple just because of the quantity that I have to make, but I still think they look great.

Christmas Tag 1:Christmas Tag 2: These are two that I have had in mind for a while, but only just finally got to make. I love how well the SU Pacific Point matched with these papers! They turned out better than I had hoped - especially the first one! It uses the reverse masking technique in which I used my SU sponge daubers dipped in pacific point ink and sponged it in a 1 3/8" circle punch. You can read more about how to do this technique here. I then inked the snowflake stamp in Versamark and used white embossing powder to make it pop.

Supplies for Tag 1:

Stamps: SU Snow Swirled, A Holly Jolly Christmas
Ink: SU Versamark, Pacific Point
Paper: SU ww, pacific point
Punch: 1 3/8" circle punch to create mask
Misc: SU white embossing powder

Supplies for Tag 2:

Stamps: SU Deer Friends, A Holly Jolly Christmas
Ink: SU Versamark, Pacific Point
Paper: SU ww, pacific point
Punches: SU 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circles, scallop circle
Misc: SU white embossing powder

Monday, December 8, 2008

Wedding Cards

I've been in the "wedding" mood since starting to get going on my wedding invitations, so I thought I'd test out some new wedding rubber too!

Both of these cards were so easy to make. I love the look of red, white and black wedding cards. They just look so classic to me (although I did also add a bit of green for the stems too but it's quite subtle).

Supplies:

Stamps: Stamping Bella Hitchedafellabella, SU Best Yet (Hostess set)
Ink: SU basic black, real red, old olive (I used the SU markers to colour the flowers, stems, lips and sentiment)
Paper: SU ww, real red, real red dp
Punches: SU 1 1/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle




These use a stamp I had purchased a while ago but had yet to use from Stamping Bella called Hitchedafellabella - check out their stamps if you haven't yet, they are so cute!


Supplies:

Stamps: Stamping Bella Hitchedafellabella
Ink: SU basic black, real red, old olive
Paper: SU ww, basic black, real red
Punches: SU corner punch
Misc: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

Sunday, December 7, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 12

I've saved the best for last on my 12 Days of Christmas! No, it's not Stampin' Up! stamps (I didn't bother with that because I felt that was a given - I became an SU demonstrator because I found their stamps to be a much higher quality and love the images and sentiments they come out with) but rather Stampin' Up! papers. This is a long post but worth the read (if I do say so myself)!

Stampin' Up! card stock comes in colours exclusive to SU:

  • 4 colour families ( Rich Regals, Soft Subtles, Bold Brights and Earth Elements)
  • Neutrals
  • In Colours (exclusive trendy colours available for one year only)

These papers are all 80-lb. cover weight of acid and lignin free, high quality, smooth card stock. They are available in 12" x 12" (textured or non-textured) sheets or 8 1/2" x 11" (non-textured) sheets. Depending on which type they can be sold in a variety package (ie. all 6 colours) or in a single colour pack - check pages 163-165 of the catalogue to see what is available in what you are interested in.

But, what is THE BEST THING about Stampin' Up! card stock? It coordinates with Stampin' Up! exclusive inks, pastels, markers, ribbons and designer papers! All of the guess work is removed. There is no more buying inks or papers that you hope will match. Stampin' Up! colour coordinates everything. The catalogue tells you which of their exclusive colours are used in the designer papers so you know exactly which inks and card stocks to use for it all to match!

Stampin' Up! not only removes this guess work but it is even of comparable price to your local retail store. Card stock is often sold for $0.35-$1.50/sheet in stores; with SU you can buy 24 sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" for $6.50 (that's only $0.27 per sheet). The textured and 12" x 12" sheets are similarly comparable.

Stampin' Up! designer papers are similarly comparable as well, but again have the added bonus that the catalogue tells you exactly which colours of ink, card stock and ribbon will match exactly! SU designer papers are acid and lignin free and come in 12" x 12" double-sided sheets. They are very affordable at 12 sheets for $11.75. I've yet to find papers in my local stores for that price - let alone of that quality too!

I don't know if I've convinced you, but I know you'll love it if you give it a try! Remember, if you are shopping for Christmas, Stampin' Up! recommends you order no later than today! Email me if you are interested in placing an order.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 11

I'm going to do these last two days early as Stampin' Up! recommends placing your orders by Dec 7 to receive them in time for Christmas!

Many crafters recommend having a good pair of scissors for cutting around images, however, I recommend having a good pair of scissors specifically for cutting ribbon. As someone who LOVES to use ribbon on cards and scrapbooks, I used SU's Craft & Paper Scissors once on ribbon and have been hooked since. I use these scissors just on ribbon and they stay sharp and make nice clean cuts every time without fraying the ends!

These are some of the more expensive scissors at $35.95 but I find them worth it, and would recommend them if you are a crafter who uses a lot of ribbon. Features of the SU Craft & Paper Scissors are:
  • 3 3/4" blade length to work for wide ribbons
  • stainless steel blades
  • ideal for cutting paper and ribbon
  • ergonomically designed (for right-handed individuals)
Note: These should not be used for cutting wire (including wired ribbons) or rubber.

Friday, December 5, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 10

One of the tools that I LOVE is the Crop-a-dile. It is a silent eyelet setter and hole punch. I have to admit I don't use eyelets as often as I would like to but pull this tool out for hole punches too. Features of the crop-a-dile ($37.95) are:
  • punches 3/16" and 1/8" holes
  • punches through cardstock, chipboard, fabric, leather, tin and other materials
  • silently sets eyelets
  • silently sets snaps
  • comes with instructions
The Crop-a-dile is so easy to use! There are instructions that come with it to tell you what settings to have the top and bottom blocks on depending on what size eyelet/snap you are setting. This tool is one of the first tools that I purchased and it remains one of my favourites!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Christmas Reindeer for a Cause

My Mom bought me these adorable reindeer from one of her co-workers for a great cause and I just had to share them. They are so cute and look amazing with all of our Christmas decorations. To respect their privacy, I will just tell you that the woman my Mom bought them from is selling these great reindeer to raise money to help send her daughter to the United States for medical treatment for a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

If you are interested in these reindeer, let me know and I can share the information. They come in a set of these three different sizes and different ribbon options are available.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Festive Centerpiece

This picture does not do this project justice at all. Grant and I had extra ornaments leftover after decorating our Christmas tree because there were SO many deals on ornaments over the weekend) and I found this extra vase we had when we were tidying up. I thought it would be really cute to fill the vase with the extra ornaments and tie a ribbon around it.

It looked really nice just like that but it seemed like something was missing. Since I had the rubons out from creating the glitter ornaments and snowflake candles, I thought I would try to put one on the vase and see how that looks. Grant picked out the Merry & Bright sentiment from the SU Season of Cheer rubons and we think it looks amazing. We've got it sitting as a table centerpiece but it could go just about anywhere!

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 9

It's kind of funny, but typing up these 12 Days/Posts of Christmas I realize how much stuff I put off buying for so long and how much $$ I've ended up spending over time! But, once I came to accept that I was going to be doing this seriously and actually sticking to it, it's so worth it. I dont' know about you, but I find paper crafting so relaxing and almost therapeutic!

Anyways, on to the real post. Another thing that I was cheap about buying was a good stamp cleaner. I had just used water and an old cloth or paper towel to clean my stamps before. Now I use Stampin' Up! Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist. I can't even begin to describe the difference. My stamps don't get totally stained like they did before and the rubber works so much better.

Stampin' Up! Stampin' Mist ($4.75 for 2 oz; $10.75 for 8 oz refill) cleans and conditions your rubber stamps. Features are:
  • cleans all types of ink off rubber
  • comes in a nonaerosol spray container
  • can spray directly on stamp or Stampin' Scrub
For best results, the Stampin' Mist should be used immediately after stamping. Note that dark ink may still stain rubber; Stampin' Mist cleans but does not eliminate stains (It is recommended to use a specially formulated StazOn cleaner when using StazOn ink).

Stampin' Up! Stampin' Scrub ($17.95; 2 Scrub refill pads $10.25) is a dual sided tray that contains black fibre scrubbing pads. You clean with Stampin' Mist on one side and dry the stamp on the other side. Features of Stampin' Scrub are:

  • holds two removable scrubbing pads
  • replaceable pads
  • heavy duty case
  • large enough to clean large background stamps
  • umbrella label for drying side
  • three water drops identify wet cleaning side
To use the Stampin' Scrub, spray Stampin' Mist on the wet pad, then rub your stamp on the wet pad. Then rub the stamp dry on the dry side of the Stampin' Scrub to remove any leftover ink or moisture. If the removable pads become heavily soiled themselves over time, you can simply remove them, run them under water and airdry them until they are ready to use again (do not put them in the dishwasher).

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Snowflake Candles

I'm really getting into the Christmas spirit and have more Christmas decorations to show you! These were super simple. I just bought some red candles from Pier 1 and just rubbed snowflakes from the SU Season of Cheer rubons all over them (the ribbon was already on them). I made two because I am obsessed with symmetry so these stand on either side of our TV stand. Our whole living room is so festive.

I've got more Christmas projects to show you over the next couple of days as well!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Pink Glitter Ornament

Scroll down for more posts from today!

After seeing these gorgeous ornaments that Amy made I knew I had to give it a try. The directions are on that page too. Since I made a few ornaments I made a few with just reinker and a few with some water and reinker to get a few different shades of pink. I love how they look like a bubblegum pink. These were pretty easy to make once I got the hang of it (I'll admit that I did ruin a couple). I decided to make them all using SU Pink Pirouette because it reminds me of an ornament that my parents have that my sister and I would fight over every year as to who gets to hang it (we still fight about it) because we both thought it was the most beautiful ornament we had ever seen! I'm now trying to convince them to let me have it for my tree!

To jazz up the ornaments a bit more I used a snowflake rubon from the Season of Cheer rubons. I found that because of the round ornament I had to be careful rubbing it on so that it turned out nice (I did have to scratch my first one off because it looked so bad).

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 8

Just a reminder, today is the last day to purchase any of the Holiday Extravaganza bundles. The All in the Family Bundle is sold out. Click here for more details on this promotion. Check the post below for an additional product promotion that is starting today.

Edited to Add: Bags & Tags Bundle, Santa's Stocking Stuffer Bundle, Star Struck Bundle, Mission Embossable Bundle and the Curly Label Punch Bundle are now SOLD OUT.

As I mentioned on Day 1, something you should invest in is a scoring tool if you are going to be making cards. I personally use the Scor-Pal but as it is quite expensive, I will share details of the SU bone folder as well (which is what I used prior to my Mom buying me the Scor-Pal).

The SU bone folder costs $8.75, is made of sanded and polished cattle bone, and is used to score paper and make clean crisp folds. You use the pointed end to score the paper and then burnish a smooth fold using one of the two beveled sides.

Scor-Pal is not an SU product but it is amazing. The Scor-Pal can be purchased directly from their website http://www.scor-pal.com/ with many different packages avaible depending on what else you are in need of (such as carrying case, tapes etc).

The Scor-Pal alone costs $39.95. It is a 12" x 12" scoring surface with raised rulers along the top and right sides which allows you to align your paper. Grooves are all across the board at varying intervals including every 1/2" and every 1" as well us other areas unique to various types of cards. The Scor-Pal comes with its own scoring tool that snaps in to the top of the board so it can be kept together at all times.

I use my Scor-Pal for every single card that I make! Just making the center fold on every card goes so much faster with this tool! With the number of cards I make, this was such an awesome gift. It can be used for scoring any paper so you can use it for 3D projects as well, not just cardmaking!

Stampin' Up! Product Offer

You may recall seeing this Fall-Winter Sampler catalogue earlier in the year but I am posting it again because located in it is another promotion that Stampin' Up! is offering starting today! SU is just full of promos for the holidays!! This promotion runs from Dec 1 - Jan 18. Click here to take a flip through this catalogue. Spend $20 on Stampin' Up! products and you get 20% off any stamp set in this catalogue. Note too that once you spend the $20, there is no limit to the number of discounted stamp sets you can purchase!
DescriptionRetail20% off
Flight of the Butterfly$37.95 $30.36
Sur les ailes d'un papillon (French Flight of the Butterfly)$37.95 $30.36
Puns from the past$32.95 $26.36
Just Jawing$30.95 $24.76
Je t'ai en tête (French Just Jawing)$30.95 $24.76
Dreams du Jour$22.95 $18.36
Rêves au menu (French Dreams du Jour)$22.95 $18.36
Thank You Kindly$16.50 $13.20
Tous mes remerciements (French Thank You Kindly)$16.50 $13.20
Wow Flowers$15.50 $12.40
Bonheur fleuri (French Wow Flowers)$15.50 $12.40
Bella's Bloom$15.50 $12.40

Lots of great deals going on right now. Email Me if you need anything!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 7

There are 2 days left in the SU Holiday Extravaganza sale!

Even if you are not purchasing the Mission Embossable bundle, I'm going to show you one of my favourite embossing tools because at only $5.95 it is affordable on its own.

Do you find that when you try to heat emboss an image you get unwanted flecks of embossing powder that stick to the paper? If you do, you'll love the Embossing Buddy. By rubbing the Embossing Buddy over your paper prior to adding embossing powder or glitter, you eliminate the static that causes these unwanted flecks to stick. I used to get frustrated at how stray embossing powder particles would ruin an image but not anymore since purchasing the embossing buddy!

It is also great to rub on your fingers first too as it will reduce moisture on your fingers that embossing powder or glitter may stick to!

Grant's Birthday

Today is Grant's 25th birthday!! A quarter of a century (it sounds so much older said that way)! His family is down visiting so I have prescheduled my posts for today so I hope it all works out well!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Holiday Extravaganza Bundles

Quick post to let you know that one of Holiday Extravagaza bundles is already SOLD OUT! All in the Family is sold out. Act fast if you are interested in any of the other bundles available as quantities are limited!

CASEing Mary

As you have probably guessed, I've not been feeling too creative lately so I've been CASEing cards that others have created. Today is no different. I loved this card that Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty made a while ago and put it in my favourites folder to CASE. I keep a favourites folder of cards I'd like to CASE when I'm not having stamping mojo of my own!

I made two versions of this card. This is the more similar one to Marys(although I think I like hers better). This is the second in which I used pacific point since I've hardly used it all since I bought the In Colours package. These cards are great to show you how nice heat embossing looks so you can consider purchasing the Mission Embossable bundle going on right now in the Holiday Extravaganza sale (see this post for more details). Both of the main images on these cards are heat embossed using SU heat embossing tool and white embossing powder (note the white embossing powder is not in the package but can be purchased for $5.75; gold, silver and iridescent ice embossing powder come in the bundle). Check back for tomorrows 12 Days/Posts of Christmas to read about the Embossing Buddy which also comes in the Mission Embossable bundle!

Supplies:

Tangerine card
Stamps: SU Kindred Spirits, Upsy Daisy
Ink: SU Versamark, Tangerine tango
Paper: SU ww, tangerine tango
Misc: SU white ep, SU heat tool

Pacific point card
Stamps: SU Kindred Spirits, Lots of Thoughts (retired)
Ink: SU Versamark, pacific point
Paper: SU ww, pacific point
Punch: SU corner rounder
Misc: SU white ep, SU heat tool

Thursday, November 27, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 6

Do you do anything to your cards so that people know you hand-made them? If you don't, you definitely should. My family tried to convince me of this for a long time but I saw personalized stamps as a waste of $ that I could spend on something else. Well finally about 6 months ago, I bought one.

Let me tell you, it was the best decision. I wish I had listened sooner. For such a reasonable price, it makes your cards look so professional. Let's be realistic too - how is it a waste of money when it costs $12.95 - $24.95 (depending on what you want it to say) and you will use it on EVERY card you make? It would make an excellent gift for any crafter on your list because it is the gift that most crafters won't buy for themself!

I love mine! Come May, I'll be ordering a new one since I will no longer be Allison Frandle but rather will be Allison Bertamini!

I personally use the one pictured ($22.95) and when I make non-SU cards, I just don't stamp the copyright portion of the stamp!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

CASEing Jodi - Get Whale Soon

When I saw this card by Jodi Collins from Stamping A Latte, I knew instantly I would CASE it in the near future. Now I finally have and I love the results! Be sure to check out her blog - it's amazing!
I changed a few things from Jodi's original card including: the stamped image, the way the sentiment was set up and a different shade of gray cardstock and a couple other minor things. Really, I didn't change too much!

This is the type of card that I used SNAIL adhesive on because of all of the layers! It turned out to be quite a heavy card as a result. This was my first time using the In Colour Pacific Point and I really like it - I don't know why I've ignored it for so long.

Supplies:

Stamp: SU Pun Fun
Ink: SU Basic Black, Pacific Point
Pastels: Going gray
Paper: SU ww, going gray, pacific point, certainly celery, spring fling dp (retired)
Punches: SU scallop edge punch, word window punch
Misc: SU blender pens, SU Dimensionals

Stampin' Up! Holiday Extravaganza

Stampin Up! is having a great Holiday Extravaganza sale. They have bundled some of the best selling items into great packages for purchase from 20-50% off.

To see the available bundles, check out the Holiday Extravaganza flyer HERE. The sale is short though - if you want any of the bundles you have to act fast. These bundles are only available November 26 - December 1 while quantities last. Contact me to place your order.

Don't miss the Mission Embossable bundle - it's amazing! I already own most of it!

Combine these great bundles with the 20% off rubon promotion that ends November 30. Click here for details.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

SU Holiday Extravaganza!!

Check back tomorrow to see what is to be one of the best promotions Stampin' Up! has ever had! From November 26 - December 1 get select holiday bundles for up to 50% off. This promotion has been kept under wraps and us demonstrators won't even find out until tomorrow what is available.

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 5

For $14.95 the Stampin' Up! Stamp-a-ma-jig is another best buy in my opinion for stampers! I have to admit I only recently purchased that stamp-a-ma-jig and wish I had purchased it a long time ago. If I had bought this a long time ago, I probably would have actually saved myself money from all the paper I wasted by stamping images crooked!

The stamp-a-ma-jig allows you to precisely line up a stamp exactly where you want it on your card and it is SO easy. I thought it would be difficult so I put off buying it for this reason, but it really isn't!

Features of the Stamp-a-ma-jig are:

  • allows for fast and precise stamp alignment
  • non skid base
  • perfect for lining up sentiments
  • includes washable plastic sheet
  • instructions included
  • designed for left or right handed use

I'll share the instructions with you too (they sound more complicated than they really are so perhaps I'll share pictures later):
  • place the imaging sheet securely in the corner of the stamp-a-ma-jig
  • align your stampin the corner and stamp onto the imaging sheet (textured side for craft inks and smooth side for classic inks)
  • position imaging sheet on paper where you want to stamp
  • line up the stamp-a-ma-jig with the imaging sheet
  • hold the stamp-a-ma-jig in place and remove the imaging sheet
  • align the stamp in the corner of the stamp-a-ma-jig and stamp your image

The imaging sheet cleans easily with a damp cloth, baby wipe or Stampin' mist for re-use.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 4

Scroll down for another post from today again!

In keeping with the topic of adhesives that I posted about on Day 3 of my 12 Days/Posts of Christmas, I wanted to talk about the SU Adhesive Remover.

For only $2.50 the SU Adhesive Remover is one of the best buys in the catalogue in my opinion. I have to admit when I heard about what it could do, I was very doubtful but decided to purchase it anyway since it is so cheap and I am a messy gluer with my anywhere glue stick.

Features of the SU Adhesive remover are:
  • removes unwanted adhesive residue
  • works like an eraser
  • works best at removing SNAIL adhesive
The Adhesive Remover is 2" x 2" x 1/2" and can be used many many times. Once the surface area becomes gummy with adhesive, just slice off the top layer.

I can honestly tell you that when I have got the anywhere glue stick or SNAIL adhesive on an unwanted area on my cards, I used the adhesive remover and now you would never know there was ever adhesive there! For me it is a must because I am so messy with glue!

You're on my Mind

Here's the last of the cards from the Upsy Daisy class planner. I'm not too sure how I feel about this one but oh well, it looks great with the set.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Kiwi Kiss Daisy & We're Engaged!

YEAY! Grant and I "officially" got engaged last night! We've had everything planned for the wedding but due to other circumstances I hadn't got an engagement ring yet - but not anymore! It's such a beautiful ring and Grant was so romantic. I couldn't be happier!

This is another card that I designed while having all of the supplies out for the Upsy Daisy class. I love the striped paper so I wanted to use it more and I had created two cards using the baja breeze ribbon so I thought I'd make a second one using the kiwi kiss ribbon too! I just can't get enough of these colours and this stamp set!

Supplies

Stamp: SU Upsy Daisy
Ink: SU Kiwi Kiss, not quite navy
Paper: SU not quite navy, ww, urban garden dp
Brads: SU silver brads
Ribbon: SU kiwi kiss
Misc: SU dazzling diamonds glitter

Friday, November 21, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 3

This will be a long post because of the many varieties. Scroll down for other new posts.

Another essential tool for paper crafting is adhesive. There are many different options out there and each has its own place for use. I will mention the different types and let you know which I prefer to use and what I use them for as I go through them. You can also scroll to the bottom of this post for a summary and then work back to read about the one that most applies to you!

SU 2-Way Glue Pen ($4.50 for 10 grams): A versatile acid-free adhesive that creates a permanent or temporary bond. Features of the 2-Way Glue Pen are:

  • dries quickly
  • blue when wet - adhere now to create permanent bond
  • clear when dry - once clear this glue is temporary like a sticky note
  • great for adhering glitter
  • chisel tip - allows you to apply just as much as needed
  • washes off with soap and water
I personally use the 2-way glue pen for adhering glitter.

SU Anywhere Glue Stick ($4.95 for 2-20 gram sticks): This is my personal adhesive of choice. It is acid-free and nontoxic. Features of this glue stick are:

  • odorless and permanent
  • economical choice - since you get 2 sticks for less than $5.00
  • square corner edge for hard-to-reach areas (especially corners)
To prevent this glue stick from drying out store it in a plastic bag (I personally go through mine quickly so mine never dry out and I don't store it in a bag). This is the adhesive I use for classes when applying designer paper to cardstock.

SU Dotto Adhesive ($16.50; refills for $8.25): These tiny repositional adhesive dots come in a handy dispenser and are safe for use on scrapbooks and photos. Features of Dotto are:
  • 49 feet of temporary, self-adhesive dots on paper backing
  • dispensier rolls dots from paper from backing onto card stock, photos, or embellishments
  • solvent free
  • refills available
These are great for scrapbookers as they are safe for photos and repositionable. by being repositionable, gone are the days of ruining a page because you placed your photo or embellishment on crooked since you can just lift it up again and move the element to the correct spot. Plus, if you apply too much, just rub your finger over the dot to remove it!

SU SNAIL Adhesive ($8.75; refills for $5.75): Other than the anywhere glue stick, this is my adhesive of choice for adhering ribbon and layered images. I also use this for my classes. This is a double sided permanent, scrapbook safe, adhesive that is dispensed continuously. Features of SNAIL adhesive are:

  • 472" of double-sided adhesive
  • keeps fingers and elements free of messy glue
  • refills available
  • permanent for a strong bond - this is the reason I use this on heavy elements such as ribbon and multi-layered cards
  • affordable and neat
SNAIL adhesive applies a controlled amount of adhesive and a small amount creates a strong bond so the cartridge lasts a long time. This adhesive is used in the same way that you would use dry-line white out.

SU Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive ($4.75 for 0.875 oz.): This is a temporary or permanent adhesive that has a dual-tipped applicator. Features of Tombow are:

  • latex rubber acrylic resin adhesive
  • temporary when allowed to dry before adhering
  • permanent when applied while wet
  • great for adhering cardstock, designer paper to chipboard
  • great for applying glitter
  • dual-tipped applicator - allows you to apply a small amount with the small tip or spread it over a larger area with the wide tip

SU Glue Dots (Mini glue dots $5.95 for 300 dots; Pop-up glue dots $4.75 for 75 dots): These are a super sticky acid-free adhesive used primarily for adhering 3-dimensional accents. Features of glue dots are:

  • bond instantly to a variety of materials - therefore great for attaching embellishments
  • photo safe
  • 2 sizes available: Pop-Up (1/2" diameter and 1/8" thick) and Mini (~3/16" diameter)
  • double sided adhesive
The best way to place glue dots is to press your project against the dispenser so you do not have to touch the glue dots as they are very difficult to get off once adhered (including to your hand).
I use these mostly for adhering the center paper to build-a-brads.

SU Stampin' Dimensionals ($4.95 for 300): These are 1/16" thick acid-free, double-sided, adhesive foam dots. Features of dimensionals are:

  • double-sided, self-adhesive foam mounts
  • add height for multilevel projects
  • great for layering
Stampin’ Dimensionals are the easiest way to give your projects an instant 3-D look. I use these often to pop up the center image of a card.

SU Sticky Strip ($8.25 for 10 yards): This is a double-sided extra tacky strip to adhere micro beads or ribbon or have 3D items stick tightly. Features of sticky strip are:
  • double-sided acrylic adhesive
  • 1/4" wide
  • very strong - which makes it perfect for 3D items
To use Sticky strip: cut Sticky strip to your desired length and lay it on your project, then remove the red liner to assemble your project.

IN SUMMARY:

There are many different adhesives available and you need to discover which you prefer to use based on what you are using it for.

For beginner crafters, I would recommend the anywhere glue stick and SNAIL adhesive or Dotto adhesive (Dotto if you are primarily scrapbooking).

As you become more skilled in your crafting, you may want to incorporate glitter or beads and therefore want things like the 2-way glue pen or Tombow adhesive. If you are wanting to add more dimension to your cards or scrapbooks through layering you may want to invest in SU Dimensionals or Glue Dots. If you prefer to create more 3D items you might want to invest in Sticky strip.

Daisy Thanks

Here is another card from Andrea's Upsy Daisy class planner. Again, I modified this slightly as well by creating the not quite navy card base. I like the look of how the center panel is matted the same as the card itself (if that makes sense)! I also modified this by not using the ticket corner punch on the corners of the center panel and by adding the brads to the left of the sentiment.

I'm finally trying to use my brads more - I tend to buy a lot of them because I love them but then hoard them and rarely use them!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Upsy Daisy On my Mind

When I had out my supplies to be making the cards from Andrea's class planner, I thought of this very simple card and love the way that it turned out. I love the look of this paper because it's got such a great design I didn't need to add an image stamp. I had a hard time just leaving this card alone because I wanted so much to add ribbon and brads but I thought it would take away from the classic look of it.

I love the "You're on my mind" sentiment because it can be used for so many different occassions.

Supplies

Stamp: SU Upsy Daisy
Ink: SU baja breeze
Paper: SU baja breeze, ww, Urban Garden dp

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

12 Days/Posts of Christmas - Day 2

Note: This is the second post for today.

You'll notice the change in the title of this post! Well, Grant was reading my blog and didn't like that I called it 12 "days" since I'm not posting 12 consecutive days so he suggested I change it to 12 "posts" of Christmas. Is this a compromise - may as well start now before we get married!?

Anyways, for Day/Post 2 I am going to talk about the importance of getting a good paper cutter. I say "good" because I have to admit that when I first started paper crafting I was pretty cheap so I have tried several different brands/types of paper cutters before finding one that I really liked - which happens to honestly be the Stampin' Up one.

Many of the other paper cutters I have tried did not actually cut straight because the track for the blade was not designed well so the blade could actually wobble as you cut. The SU paper cutter has a unique design to provide straight and precise cuts and it actually works!

For $30.95, the SU paper cutter has many great features including:

  • 12" cutting length

  • Measures widths up to 15-1/2"

  • 2 cutting blades

  • Swing-out arm for easy measuring

  • Aluminum surface marked with accurate measurements


  • This paper cutter is very popular because it is light weight, small enough to store
    easily and yet large enough to cut papers for 12" x 12" scrapbook pages. The swing-out arm is so handy for getting exact cuts on large pieces of card stock.

    You can also purchase replacement blades for the cutter at 2 for $7.25. There is also a combination pack of one cutting blade and one scoring blade for $7.25 available. (For those who are unsure, a scoring blade is used in the same manner as the cutting blade but it is used to score paper where you want to fold it so that the fold is placed exactly where you want it and straight. This is especially useful for cardmakers to create the centre fold of their card base). For another option to the scoring blade stay tuned for information about the Scor-Pal on a later post!

    Basic Gray Birthday

    This is another card that I can't take credit for because it too is from Andrea Walford's Upsy Daisy class planning service. This is my favourite card from the class! Basic gray is such a great shade of gray and looks fantastic with the dazzling diamonds glitter. Looks great with the baja breeze too!

    Tuesday, November 18, 2008

    Snowy Scene Tree Box

    I finally got around to making a Christmas Tree box which was last weeks technique challenge #194 on SCS. Check out this link for the template and tutorial. This was really easy to make and so cute! There is also a version on the link that shows you how to make this box into an ornament!

    I tore the whisper white paper to create a natural line to the snow then used SU glitter to add shine to the snow and snowman. I also used my blender pens in the baja breeze ink to colour the scarf the same colour as the background.

    Supplies

    Paper: SU baja breeze, ww, ski slope dp
    Stamp: Inkadinkadoo snowman
    Ink: SU basic black, baja breeze
    Misc: SU dazzling diamonds glitter, sticky tape

    Monday, November 17, 2008

    12 Days of Christmas - Day 1

    Note: This is the third post for today, so scroll down for the other posts.

    Many people have asked me what I believe are the essentials to paper crafting. Therefore, rather than focus on a specific product for day 1 of my "12 Days of Christmas" I have decided to discuss what products are essential to be able to START paper crafting. Some of these products will be featured on future days to highlight the benefits of each!

    At its most basic, these supplies are essential for all types of paper crafting:
    • Cardstock - heavy weight paper used as a card base or scrapbooking page
    • Adhesive - comes in many varieties depending on its intended use (whether scrapbooks or cards) to adhere papers, pictures and embellishments together
    • Paper cutter - to ensure straight cuts

    Depending on the type of paper crafting you are interested in, there are a few additional items that you should invest in (therefore, the are not essential to all crafts but I will tell you what they are useful for).

    • Bone folder - scores paper and creates a clean fold for cardmaking
    • Designer paper - patterned paper to create interest on cards/scrapbooks
    • Stamps and Inks - if you are interested in stamping on your cards or scrapbooks
    • Embellishments - include a variety of materials (flowers, buttons, ribbons, etc.) to add interest and dimension on your paper crafts

    Stay tuned for more specific information on some of these products on the remaining days of Christmas feature. If you are in need of information quickly, feel free to send me an email.

    Christmas Gift Guide

    With the holidays fast approaching, Stampin' Up has come out with two documents to help you shop for the crafter/stamper/scrapbooker in your life.

    The Holiday Gift Giving Guide helps you easily find the gifts you can get for any budget for beginners, teens, kids, your wife/girlfriend or stucking stuffers.

    The Holiday Gift List helps you find the perfect gift for any budget by categorizing all SU products by gifts under $10, under $25, under $50 and under $100.

    To celebrate the holiday season, I am also going to be featuring a "12 Days of Christmas" in which I will feature 12 specific products that I use the most and find the most useful for crafting. These will be of all price ranges. I will try to post 3-4 times/week so as to end early enough for you to place and receive your order before Christmas.

    Upsy Daisy Friendship

    Well it's been a while since I last posted but I've been busy designing my wedding invitations! Now I just have to make them all. Since I have been busy with that, I decided just to use Andrea Walford's Upsy Daisy class planner to get making some more cards. I love the cards in this class so I've been making several at once to save time and paper! This is one of the cards from the class. I did make one change to the card as Andrea planned it by making the card base night of navy instead of whisper white.

    This card was also my first time using the SU dazzling diamonds glitter and I love the way it looks! It's so easy but makes the card look so much more elegant.

    Monday, November 10, 2008

    SU Rub On Some Cheer! Promotion

    Starting today, SU is offering the Rub On Some Cheer! Promotion. From November 10-30 get 20% off rub-ons when you spend $20. They will cost $10.36 rather than the regular price of $12.95 (Canadian orders only). Click here to learn more information. To see views of all the different available rub-ons, check out the catalogues to the right then email me to place your order! For some ideas on how to use rub-ons on your cards, check out these posts:

    Christmas Card Class

    This weekend I did a Christmas card class for my Mom and her coworkers and it went great. It seemed as though everyone had a great time. There were three tables of people (for a total of 14) so it was a big group! We made the cards I posted here (Christmas Set) and here (Christmas Set 2).

    Check out some of the pics from the class. It was great to see the way people changed up some of the cards to make them their own (I liked some of them better than the way I designed them)! That's the great thing about all of the SU products but especially the designer papers! I ended up making a couple more sets for myself with the leftover materials as I had cut extras in case they were needed.