Peony Garden Class

Have you seen the Peony Garden Suite from the new Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog?  The entire suite is just gorgeous!!  And it is my featured Suite this month for my online class.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 29 at 1 p.m. eastern time and at 8 p.m. eastern time (so 11 a.m. or 6 p.m. mountain time).

WHERE: Online through Google Meets

WHAT: We'll be making three cards with items from the Peony Garden Suite, featuring the Prized Peony Stamps and matching dies.  The kits will include all the paper pieces, embellishments and envelopes as well as basic instructions and an invitation to the online class.  The kit does not included any stamped images. 

COST: Free with purchase* or $8 for the first set of three cards and $7 for each additional set of cards

*Purchase the Prized Peony Stamp Set (item 152504, $24) from me and you'll receive one free set of card kits.  Purchase the the Prized Peony Bundle (item 152504, $57.50) and receive two sets of card kits free. Purchase the Peony Garden Suite Collection (item 154129, $97.50) and receive three sets of card kits free.

And it's Bonus Days!  Between now and August 3 and you will receive a $5 coupon to spend in August for every $50 you purchase in July.

Additional items you will need to put the cards to put the cards together which you might already own:

• Gray Granite Stamp Pad (item 147118, $7.50)
• Clear Blocks B (item 117147, $6)
• Clear Block D (item 118485, $8.50)
• Clear Block E (item 118484, $12)
• Dimensionals (item 104430 $4)
• Basic Craft Tools and supplies (Scissors, adhesive, bone folder and Take Your Pick tool) 

I also used the Dainty Diamond 3D Embossing Folder (item 

I also made a step-up version of each of these cards using all the same pieces that come in the kit:

To do these, you will also need:

• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad (item 132708, $6.00)
• Petal Pink ink Pad (item 147108, $7.50)
• Petal Pink Stampin’ Blends (item 154893, $9)
• So Saffron Stampin’ Blends (item 154905, $9
• Old Olive Stampin’ Blends (item 154892, $9)
• Stampin’ Sponges (item 141337, $4)

Another way to participate in the class would be to use the kit items with the Magnolia Mornings stamp set (item 149298) and Magnolia Memory Dies (149578). Please give me a heads up if you plan to use these so I can make sure your kit contains the right shaped papers.

You might know that I hate making videos.  But I'm trying to branch out, so I made a video that will show you more details of each of the cards.  Enjoy!

My Inky Friends Handmade Holidays Blog Hop

Welcome back to another Inky Friends Blog Hop.  This time we are focusing on our favorite holidays and handmade projects that you too can make. If you hopped here from Sharleen's blog, then you have already seen some great projects featuring the Making Everyday Bright set.  So much fun!

It's not much of a secret that my absolute favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving, probably because it focuses on family, friends and food.  (Some might add football, but that's not really my thing).  Also, my birthday is always close to Thanksgiving, so that's an added bonus.  I have loved playing and creating with the Country Home Suite in the Holiday Catalog.  It's perfect for Thanksgiving decorations and maybe even a cute little favor to set on your Thanksgiving table.

Colors: Gray Granite, Mint Macaron, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Smokey Slate, Daffodil Delight.  Stamps: Country Home.  Big Shot: Tin Tile and Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folders and Stitched Shapes Framelits. Accessories: Stampin' Blends, Festive Farmhouse Designer Series Paper, Galvanized Metallic paper, Chicken Wire Elements, Braided Linen Trim, Clear Embossing Powder, and Heat Tool..  Other: 12" Wooden Box Frame

Stampin' Up! featured a beautiful framed piece made with this suite and so many of my customers commented on it, I felt like I needed to offer something similar at my class last month.  I had this frame in my stash from a local unfinished wood craft shop.  After staining and sealing it, I added a layer of wood grain paper from the Festive Farmhouse to the background.  After I ran the Galvanized Metallic Paper through the Tin Tile Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, I applied Gray Granite and Crumb Cake ink to it to draw out some of the details.  Then I matted it in Mint Macaron and Gray Granite cardstock.  I stamped the milk can and flowers in Memento ink and colored them with the Stampin' Blends. I stamped the greeting in Gray Granite and then added a little clear embossing powder and heat set it to add dimension.  I layered those with a bit of the Chicken Wire Elements and the Braided Linen Thread.  So cute, right?

Colors: Copper, Merry Merlot, Crushed Curry, and Whisper White.  Stamps: Country Home.  Big Shot: Takeout Thinlit Dies, Merry Christmas Thinlits, Tin Tile Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Punches: Sprig Punch.  Accessories: Galvanized Metallic Paper, Bright Copper Shimmer Paint, Merry Merlot and Copper 5/8" Reversible Ribbon and Suite Seasons Specialty Washi Tape.   

This little favor box came about while I was just playing around with the Galvanized Metallic Paper, the Tin Tile Embossing Folder and the Bright Copper Shimmer Paint.  I originally envisioned that I would just rub a little of the shimmer paint on the paper to highlight the embossed image.  But then I rubbed more on and I loved that it was a beautiful dull copper finish, perfect for a Thanksgiving tablescape.  And this ribbon is super yummy.  If you haven't had a chance to use it yet, what are you waiting for?

Here's another view from the top so you can see the tag.  I used a marker on the stamp so that I could omit the "happy" from the "harvest blessings" stamp in the Country Home stamp set.  Then I die cut it with the larger label from the Merry Christmas Thinlits.  I took the copper striped tape from the Suite Seasons Washi set to had a little sparkle to the die cut.   Finally, I added a sprig punchy in Crushed Curry to add a bright pop of autumn color.   To see even more projects using the Takeout Thinlits, be sure to check out Rhonda's stop on this blog hop.  It really is such a fun little box.

Thank you for stopping by on the Inky Friend's Homemade Holidays hop.  Now you are off to Mary's take on Merry Christmas to All which is another one of my favorites from the Holiday Catalog (I have too many favorites to count.)

BLOG HOP ROLL:

Mickey Robert: Paper Conversations
Sharleen Luciano: Stampin' with Sharleen
Paula Wright: Stampin' with Paula
Mary Haugen: Center Stage Stamping
Rhonda Griffin: The Stampin' Bunny
Cindy Elam: Heart's Delight Cards

My Inky Friends 2018 Holiday Catalog Showcase

So happy to be hopping with the Inky Friends and showing off the fabulous products from the 2018 Holiday Catalog.  I love so many things in this book.  It was really hard for me to pick what I would feature in this hop.  But I settled on the Cauldron Bubble Bundle.

I'm one that can really take or leave Halloween.  Some years I go all out and decorate for it.  Other years I just ignore it.  But when I saw the witch in the Cauldron Bubble Stamp set, I fell in love.  I don't know how many years I dressed up as a witch for Halloween as a kid.  I know my mom made me at least two black witch dresses so that means it was likely four years in a row.  And the witch in this set just reminds me of a cute dress up witch.  Isn't she adorable?

Colors: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Mango Melody, Granny Apple Green,  Smokey Slate, Rich Razzleberry and Blackberry Bliss.  Stamps: Cauldron Bubble.  Big Shot: Cauldron Framelits,  Stitched Shapes and Layering Ovals.  Accessories: Toil and Trouble Designer Series Paper, Stampin' Blends, Metallics Sequin Assortment.

The other fabulous thing about this bundle is how well the Framelits match up with the Designer Series Paper.  For this Hand Sanitizer Holder, I cut the witches hat and the cat out of the Designer Series Paper with the Framelits.

Colors: Gorgeous Grape, Basic Black, and Daffodil Delight.  Stamp: Cauldron Bubble.  Big Shot: Cauldron Framelits, Stitched Shapes and Layering Circles.  Accessories: Toil and Trouble Designer Series Paper, and Basic Black  3/8" shimmer ribbon. 

For this banner, I used the new Black Foil Sheets that are also featured in the Suite to cut out the letters and the webs.  The witch, cat and cauldron were cut out the Designer Series Paper with the Framelits again.  The Ghost was stamped and shaded with Stampin' Blends.  Click on the picture to  get a better look at the details.

Colors: Basic Black, Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, Cajun Craze, Whisper White, Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie.  Stamps: Cauldron Bubble.  Big Shot, Cauldron Framelits.  Accessories: Stampin' Blends, Toil and Trouble Designer Series Paper, Black Foil Sheets, 1/8" Whisper White Sheer Ribbon, and Gorgeous Grape 1/4" mini striped ribbon.

I hope you have fallen in love with the Cauldron Bubble Bundle and Toil and Trouble Suite as much as I have.  Be sure to check out all the stops along the hop for more fabulous projects featuring items from the Holiday Catalog.  You can also check out the My Inky Friends website for more information and for some fun challenges.  Happy Stamping!

My Inky Friends:

Cindy Elam: Heart's Delight Cards
Mary Haugen: Center Stage Stamping
Twila Davis: Stamp A Little Longer
Mickey Roberts: Paper Conversation
Sarah Willis: Sarah's Ink Spot
Rhonda Griffin: The Stampin' Bunny
Tanya Boser: Tinkerin' in Ink
Sharlene Luciano: Stamp with Shar
Betty Traciak: Kitty Stamps
Paula Wright: Stampin' with Paula

My Inky Friends Design Challenge #9

I told myself that once school got started I would get back into keeping this blog a little more updated.  It's been over a week and this is my first post.  Oops!

I knew if I got back into blogging, I would have to join in with the Inky Friends.  This group grew out of the old Stampin' Addicts blog hop group.  They are a fun and talented group of stampers and I'm thankful they are still going strong.  Now besides hosting blog hops, they also host challenges.  And this week, it's a design challenge based on a card featured on page 16 of the 2018-2019 Annual Catalog. 

This is what I came up with:

Colors: Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, and Mango Melody.  Stamps: Buffalo Check and Country Home.  Big Shot: Stitched Shapes Framelits.  Accessories: Chicken Wire Elements, Basic Black 3/8" Shimmer Ribbon, Stampin' Blends.

The Buffalo Check and the Country Home stamps and the Chicken Wire Elements are in the brand new Holiday Catalog which goes live September 5.  I admit these weren't on my first preorder, but I just got them this week and I am loving them!  I know you will too.  Trust me.  

This was also the first time I used the Stamparatus on a background stamp and it made the whole process so much easier.  I will never use a block again for that kind of stamping.  And I feel like the Stampin' Blends make everyone look like a pro.  Notice how I used the blends to add some shading to the milk can?  I stamped that straight onto Smoky Slate card stock and then used the Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends to add some shadows.  Easy peasy!

I make no promises about the frequency of my blog posts, but I'm aiming for a couple of times a week at least.  Fingers crossed!

You really should play along with the challenge too.  Be sure to share your creation on the My Inky Friends site so we can all enjoy it. Happy Stamping!

Blended Seasons Card Class

Stampin' Up is offering a special limited-time bundle in the month of August called Blended Seasons.  It features twelve images that are perfect for stamping projects all year long and a set of coordinating Stitched Season Framelits. They are both fabulous! To mark the occasion, I'm holding a class featuring the above set of four cards made with the bundle.

This class is a bit different than previous classes I've held.  I'm offering the class for free if you purchase the stamp set ($39 for the clear mount set, $53 for wood mount, plus shipping and tax).  If you purchase the bundle including the Framelits, ($64.75 for clear mount, $77.25 for wood mount, plus shipping and tax) you can make two sets of the cards for free.  Club purchases count for free cards too, for those of you who are in my clubs.  If you'd like to just come and make the cards without a purchase, each set of four cards will be $10. 

WHEN: Saturday, August 25 from 10:30 to 1 p.m. or Tuesday, August 28 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: My house in Farmington, Utah

COST: $10 per set of four cards, or FREE with purchase (see above)

RSVP: Please let me know which class you'd like to come to and how many sets of cards you'd like to make before Tuesday, August 21.  If you'd like to order the stamps or bundle before the class, please let me know ASAP.  They are only available while supplies last. It may or may not be possible to order them at the class depending on supply.  Call or Text 801-557-3439 or email to paulastamps@gmail.com

You can see all the images and information about the stamps and framelits here: