Happy Stampin' Anniversary!

One of the members on my demonstrator team members, Rene, had her Stampin' Anniversary this month. Rene is a wonderful addition to my demonstrator team as well a fantastic friend! I am so proud of her! This is the anniversary card that I sent her.

I used the Beautiful Day butterfly card on the front of the 2018 Occasions Catalog as my inspiration for this sweet anniversary card.

Instead of stamping the butterfly, I heat embossed it with copper embossing powder. I also changed how the butterfly was colored in. Instead of Stampin' Blends or Stampin' Write Markers, I used ink refill bottles and an aquapainter to create a faux cloisonné effect.

First swipe your cardstock with the embossing buddy to lessen the static. Shimmery White cardstock, Thick Whisper White cardstock, and watercolor paper work well with this technique. Then stamp your image with Versamark ink. Sprinkle the stamped image with copper embossing powder and heat set with the heat tool.

Next, add a drop or two of each of the following ink refill bottles to a painter's paint well tray or into shallow bowls - Pool Party, So Saffron, Wisteria Wonder, Peekaboo Peach, and Flirty Flamingo. Add a drop or two of water from an aquapainter into each well and swirl together.

Then, using an aquapainter, pick up some of the ink from the well and paint each section of the butterfly. When you are ready to change ink colors, flood your aquapainter brush with water onto a paper towel or cloth to clean out the last ink color.

Continue painting until your image is all painted. If you paint over the embossed lines, simply wipe up the extra ink with a tissue or a paper towel to remove the excess ink. The embossed areas act like a resist, making clean up easier.

Set your butterfly aside to dry for a few minutes. This will dry fairly quickly.

Next, stamp the three flower image with Versamark ink randomly, all over the front of the card base. Then adhere the blue circle patterned paper from the Picture Perfect Party Designer Series Paper onto the card base. Afterwards, add dimensionals to the back of the butterfly image and adhere the card base slightly tilted.

Stamp the greeting strip with the Happy Anniversary sentiment from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set with Wisteria Wonder ink. Punch each end with the Triple Banner Punch or snip banner tails with scissors. Add dimensionals to the back of the greeting strip.

Adhere a 2-7/8" long piece of the Peekaboo Peach striped ribbon to the card front as shown in the photograph and layer the greeting strip on top of and slightly offset from the ribbon.

For the inside of the card, stamp the "Wishing you a day of love..." sentiment from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set with Wisteria Wonder ink on the inside matte. Stamp the three flower image in the upper right corner and the lower left corner in Pool Party ink. Adhere the inside matte to the inside of the card base.

Try changing up the colors. Here is another color scheme using more jewel-toned colors (Fresh Fig, Pacific Point, Lemon Lime Twist, and Tranquil Tide).

The faux cloisoné effect works very well with stamps that have larger section to paint, but I have done this technique with smaller areas. How gorgeous would a flower look?!

Beautiful Day Faux Cloisonné Anniversary Card Measurements
	Paper	Dimensions
Card Base	Flirty Flamingo	8-1/2” x 5-1/2”; scored at 4-1/4”
1st Matte	Picture Perfect Party Designer Series Paper	4-3/4" x 3-3/4"
2nd Matte (Butterfly)	Shimmery White	4-1/4" x 3-1/4"
Greeting Banner Strip	Whisper White	3-3/4" x 5/8"
Inside Matte	Whisper White	4” x 5-1/4”

I hope you give this technique a try! What stamp sets would you use the faux cloisonné technique with?

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Beautiful Day Faux Cloisonné Anniversary Card Supply List
Stamps	#145912 Beautiful Day (Wood-Mount) #145915 Beautiful Day (Clear-Mount) #143666 Beautiful Bouquet (Photopolymer)
Paper	#100730 Whisper White Cardstock #101910 Shimmery White Cardstock #141416 Flirty Flamingo Cardstock #145559 Picture Perfect Party Designer Series Paper
Ink	#102283 Versamark Ink Pad #126985 Wisteria Wonder Ink Pad #126982 Pool Party Ink Pad #122933 Pool Party Ink Refill #105225 So Saffron Ink Refill #122931 Wisteria Wonder Ink Refill #141403 Peekaboo Peach Ink Refill #141402 Flirty Flamingo Ink Refill
Embellishments	#144228 Peekaboo Peach 3/8” Striped Grograin Ribbon #104430 Stampin’ Dimensionals
Tools	#126199 Stampin’ Pierce Mat #103954 Aquapainter #103083 Embossing Buddy #129053 Heat Tool #141636 Copper Embossing Powder Painter’s paint well tray #138292 Triple Banner Punch

I Heart Stamping Party Favors

We had a fabulous time at my 2018 Occasions and Sale-A-Bration Catalog Launch Party last weekend! I love getting together with my customers, family, and friends! We played Bingo Stampin' Up! style, created some beautiful cards, and won a ton of fantastic prizes!
 

We had some amazing food, including two types of chili, cheesecake mini cupcakes, chocolate covered pretzels, and the hit of the party - maple pecan shortbread bars. Yummo!

For attending the party, I gave each of my guests an I heart stamping apron party favor. How adorable are they?!?

This sweet party favor is made using the new Apron of Love Bundle (#145986). The Apron of Love Bundle truly spoke to me. I look to cook and bake. My husband loves to grill. And, it reminds me of the Stampin' Up! apron I wear at craft shows, workshops, and get togethers. Plus, I couldn't resist the "I heart stamping" stamp!

The Apron of Love Bundle was on my top three must have bundles from the 2018 Occasions Catalog. I was so excited about it that I overnighted my order!

This apron party favor consists of an open topped box sandwiched between two aprons. The aprons are wide enough to fit a box large enough that you can fill with all kinds of sweet treats. Here I added a handful of tie-dyed foil wrapped chocolate kisses.

I die cut two aprons - one for the front and one for the back. Then I attached the apron strings on top of the apron, stamped the I heart stamping image, and adhered the apron pocket.

The apron pocket is from the Picture Perfect Party Designer Series Paper Pack. I have to say this Designer Series Paper was the inspiration for the colors of the aprons - Bermuda Bay, Berry Burst, Lemon Lime Twist, and Peekaboo Peach. The color scheme/palette is so happy and festive!

The box was made in two pieces using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool. Start with a 4-1/2" x 1-3/4" piece of cardstock. With the 4-1/2" edge along the top of the Simply Scored Scoring Tool, score at 1-3/4" and 2-3/4". This piece will be the base of the box. The first scored section is glued to the back of the first apron. The second scored section is the bottom of the box. And, the third scored section is glued to the back of the second apron. Once the base is attached, the party favor will have a u-shape.

Then score a 5-1/2" x 1-3/4" piece of cardstock. With the 5-1/2" edge along the top of the Simply Scored Scoring Tool, score at 1", 2", 3-3/4", and 4-3/4". This piece will act as the sides of the box. Starting the center scored section (between the 2" and the 3-3/4" scored sections), adhere the cardstock to the center of the back of the apron (over top of the box base).

Fold the side panel between the two aprons (the area between the 1" and the 2" scored sections). Glue the 1" scored section to the left side of the 2nd apron. Bring the 4-3/4" scored section to right side of the 2nd apron and secure it with glue.

The chocolate kisses were stacked in a 2" x 8" cellophane bag and tied with Lemon Lime Twist Ombre Ribbon and with Calypso Coral Ombre Ribbon. I found the tie-dyed foil wrapped chocolate kisses at my local grocery store. I think they really add more pops of color and brightness.

You could alter the front of the apron to suit your party theme or gift theme. For a more masculine look, try using the True Gentleman Designer Series Paper (#145593), adding the grilling utensils to the apron pocket, and changing the sentiment to I heart BBQ. I hope you give this apron party favor a try! I look forward to seeing you at the next Catalog Launch Party in June!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Apron Catalog Launch Party Party Favors Supply List
Stamps	#145986 Apron of Love Bundle (Photopolymer)
Paper	#145559 Picture Perfect Party Designer Series Paper #144243 Berry Burst #144245 Lemon Lime Twist #141417 Peekaboo Peach #131197 Bermuda Bay
Ink	#140931 Archival Basic Black
Embellishments	#144234 Lemon Lime Twist Ombre Ribbon #144235 Calypso Coral Ombre Ribbon #141703 2” x 8” Cellophane Bags
Tools	#126199 Stampin’ Pierce Mat #143263 Big Shot #122334 Simply Scored Scoring Tool

 

Two New Catalogs Debut Today!

The 2018 Occasions and Sale-a-brations Catalogs debut today! There are some amazing new stamps, thinlits, embellishments, and Designer Series Papers in these two fabulous catalogs!

The 2018 Occasions Catalog will run from January 3rd, 2018 through May 31st, 2018. It contains new products that celebrate all kind of occasions, including Valentine's Day, birthdays, spring events, Mother's Day, Father's Day, weddings, anniversaries, friendship, Easter, and more.

Check out the digital catalog online here.

Check out the products in my online store here.

The 2018 Sale-a-Bration Catalog will run from January 3rd, 2018 through March 31st, 2018. A second mini-catalog will come out around the middle of February 2018 with a few more Sale-a-Bration treats. All of the products in the Sale-a-Bration catalogs are FREE with a qualifying purchase. This year products can be earned with qualifying purchases of $50USD or $100USD or more. Some products earned at increments of $50USD and some are earned at increments of $100USD. For example, if you purchase $100 in products before tax and shipping, you earn 2 Sale-a-Bration products at the $50USD level or 1 Sale-a-Bration product at the $100USD level. Each of the products are labeled in the catalog with their level $50USD or $100USD.

Check out the digital catalog online here.

Check out the products in my online store here.

There are some amazing promotions during Sale-A-Bration too! If you sign up to be a demonstrator between January 3rd, 2018 and March 31, 2018, you can choose $125 in Stampin' Up! products for just $99USD and choose TWO additional FREE stamp sets (excludes bundles)! What a great deal! I would love to have you join my demonstrator team!

If you host a party or place a single order of $250USD or more during Sale-A-Bration, you will also earn $25 more in Stampin' Rewards. That is an extra $25USD for products from the Annual and the Occasions Catalogs! Who doesn't love free stamping products!? I know I do!

Check out my online store for all of the new products. Be sure to stop by my house on Saturday, Janaury 13th, 2018 from 1-4pm for the Catalog Launch Party to experience many of these products in person! RSVP by January 8th to earn extra raffle tickets!

There is another great promotion this month called the Red Box Challenge. Create an alternative project using a past unused Paper Pumpkin kit (December 2017 and earlier) or buy a past kit that you've had your eye on and post it to Facebook or to Instagram using the hastag #redboxchallenge to enter in a random drawing for a chance to win the March 2018 Paper Pumpkin Kit before anyone else! The March 2018 kit will celebrate Paper Pumpkin's 5th Birthday. Can you say gorgeous and collectible!?

Here are the details:

Note: Some project ideas will be selected from the entries and featured in Paper Pumpkin's monthly newsletter and on our Facebook and Pinterest pages. Past alternative Paper Pumpkin projects you and posted on social media are not eligible for this contest.

Red Box Challenge Rules (Terms and Conditions)

Ready to take the Red Box Challenge? Here are the rules!

• By using the hastag #redboxchallenge with your entry, you agree to the terms and conditions below.
• Choose a past Paper Pumpkin kit (an kit prior to January 2018) and create an alterative project. If you wish, you may use other Stampin' Up! products to enhance your creation.
• Post a photo of your past kit alternative project on Facebook or Instagram and use the hastag #redboxchallenge
• One entry per person
• Must be 18 years of age or older to enter the drawing.
• Open to everyone
• No purchase necessary
• Submissions must be posted by January 31st, 2018 at 11:59pm (MT)
• Ten winners will be randomly selected from the entries
• Winners will be notified by email or instant message no later than February 5th, 2018 at 11:59pm (MT)
• The March Paper Pumpkin kit prize is valued at $19.95USD/$26.95CAD
• By submitting an image of your project with the hashtag #redboxchallenge, you are giving Stampin' Up! permission to use, post, and share the image in Stampin' Up! publications
• Giveaway is not available in Quebec

Download the Red Box Challenge Flyer here.

Spread the word about the Red Box Challenge, and have a blast putting a new twist on a past kit! Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Silly Sweater Matching Game

 
My last Holiday Catalog project featuring the Christmas Sweater stamp set (#144893 Wood-mount / #144896 Clear-mount). I thought this crazy Christmas sweater stamp set would be perfect for a fun memory card matching game for one of my nephews.

It was simple and easy to create. I cut 24 2-1/2" squares of Thick Whisper White cardstock and stamped 4 of each sweater design. Then I pulled out all of my Stampin' Write Markers, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Stampin' Blends, Ink Pads, and Aquapainters and had a blast coloring the tacky sweaters!

On the back I randomly stamped snowflakes and swirls in Pacific Point, Pool Party, and Smoky Slate ink from the Snowflake Sentiment stamp set.

My nephew absolutely loved the sweater game! We had a great time playing over the Christmas vacations!

I created the box using Real Red cardstock and Christmas Around the World Designer Series Paper. I cut a 7-1/2" by 3-1/2" piece of Real Red cardstock.

Then I scored it with the 7-1/2" edge along the top of the Simply Scored Board at 2-3/4", 3-1/2", 6-/4", and 7". Next I rotated the cardstock 90 degrees and scored at 3/4". Then I cut the bottom score lines up to the 3/4" score line, added Tear & Tape to the flaps, and folded into a box.

For the lid, I started with a 3-13/16" by 1-13/16" piece of Christmas Around the World Designer Series Paper. Then I scored each side at 1". I cut the score lines up to the 1" score line, added Tear & Tape, and folded into a box.

I can see this stamp set made into a cute garland or a tag to top a gift! What projects would you make with the Christmas Sweater stamp set? I would love to see what you make!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

Happy 2018!

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone had a wonderful day! I can't believe we are starting a new year. For my husband and I, the new year begins with a fresh start. We spent the day cleaning the house and washing. The floors, rugs, air filters, refrigerator, and linens are all nice and clean. I also spent the evening cleaning my craft room. It is a complete wreck from making Christmas projects. There are ink pads, papers, and stamps all over the room!

As I was putting away stamp sets and cardstock, I finalized my 2018 stamping goals. I would like to continue my washi tape goal from 2017 and add using up older Designer Series Paper and making the craftroom presentable for a tour. I LOVE Designer Series Paper! I have multiples of almost every current Designer Series Paper stack and retired paper stacks. I think it is just so beautiful. I have a difficult time cuting into new sheets of patterned paper. My goal is to use up or as much as I can of my older as well as newer Designer Series Paper.

My second new stamping goal is to have either a photo tour or a video tour of my craftroom. Last year I redid the layout and replaced some of the furniture, including doubling my desk space. The new set up works so much better!

What are your stamping goals for 2018? I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth