Oh Happy Day Pinspiration

No sneak peeks or retiring products to share with you today.  Instead, I'm sharing a card from my last class.  Everything on this card is available now and will continue to be after the new catalog comes out (and there isn't much from my last class I can say that about.)

However, I do need to credit Anne Keyes from the Pinspiration on this card.  I simplified mine to make it a little easier for my customers to make at a class (she used a fun technique for the background) but it was mostly her idea:

Colors: Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: Chevron Background, Gorgeous Grunge, Starburst Sayings, February Paper Pumpkin Kit. Big Shot: Starburst Framelits.  Accessories: Rhinestone Jewels.

The great thing about this card is it is perfect for a Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding, Graduation, Congratulations or any other happy day worth celebrating. It would even work for a baby.  I love cards like that.  This was probably the most popular card at my class just for that reason.

Like Anne Keyes, I used the stamps from the February Paper Pumpkin kit on this card too.  They work perfectly with the Starburst Framelits, don't you think?

Sneak Peek: Stampin' Blendabilities

I rarely venture away from Stampin' Up! products.  I love the coordination and the ease of using Stampin' Up! and honestly, I don't have time to even really know what else is out there.  So when Stampin' Up! announced we were getting alcohol-based markers called Stampin' Blendabilities, I didn't really know what that meant.  I knew that there were alcohol markers out there on the market, but I didn't understand the appeal.  But I got my first six sets of these this week and I get it now.

Colors: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and Coastal Cabana.  Stamps: So Very Grateful.  Accessories: Stampin' Blendabilities.

Blendabilites make it so easy to get that shaded look that everyone really wants to achieve.  I've never been very good at water coloring and getting that effect, but it is so easy with these markers.  Each set includes three different shades of the same color making it very easy to color coordinate with our main color families. There will eventually be 13 different sets of these markers, including a set of six flesh tones!! Demonstrators were allowed to order the first seven sets with their preorders last week.

Unfortunately, Stampin' Up! also let us know that these will likely not be available to customers when the catalog goes live on June 2 due to manufacturing constraints (they are trying to avoid a back order situation).  Stay tuned and I will let you know when they will be available to everyone. 

I also wanted to point out this stamp set: So Very Grateful.  It is in the Occasions Catalog and it is not carrying over into the new catalog.  I love the flowers in this set.  A friend of mine said they reminded her of a cross stitch pattern.  They remind me of the needle point my grandmother used to do.  This set is available to order until June 1 so don't miss out on it.

Vivid Vases

I finally broke down and bought the Vivid Vases stamp set from the Occasions Catalog.  I have come across so many cute cards using this set, I decided I did indeed HAVE to have it.  Last week I finally got around to using it:

Colors: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Crisp Cantaloupe, Wisteria Wonder, So Saffron and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: Vivid Vases.  Big Shot: Deco Labels Collections Framelits.  Accessories: Many Marvelous Markers,Crystal Effects, Neutrals Candy Dots, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack.

There are a couple of details that are hard to tell from the photo. After coloring the vases with the Pool Party marker, I put a layer of crystal effects over the top to make them look like glass.  And it's a little hard to tell, but for the paper piercing I did a zig-zag pattern by piercing every other hole in three rows.

This is just one of the projects you can make at my Spring Fling Stampin' Buffet next weekend. This card could work for Mother's Day, Thank You, Friendship or really any time you want to tell someone she is wonderful!

And don't miss out on FREE SHIPPING next week only, just in time for the retirement list release beginning Monday.  No minimum purchase required but expedited shipping is not included.  Check back on Monday for even more details!

Spring Card in a Box

Last week, I showed you my first Card in a Box I made using Heidi Bak's measurements. Today, I am sharing the Card in the Box that will be offered at my Spring Fling Stampin' Buffet:

Colors: Pear Pizzazz, Crisp Cantaloupe, Wisteria Wonder, Coastal Cabana, and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: Papillon Potpourri, Flower Shop, Petite Petals and Teeny Tiny Wishes.  Big Shot: Little Leaves Sizzlets.  Punches: Pansy, Petite Petals, Elegant and Bitty Butterfly, Word Window, and Large Oval.  Accessories: Afternoon Picnic, Pearl Jewels, Window Sheet.

The fun thing about these cards is they fold completely flat and fit in a standard-size envelope,but when you open them up, they explode with color.  I put a Mother's Day greeting on this card, but the greeting could easily be changed to just about anything thanks to the more than 20 greetings in the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set. 

This card features both the Flower Shop Bundle from the main catalog and Petite Petals Bundle from the Occasions Catalog.  Remember, when you purchase the bundles, you save and extra 15% versus buying the individual products.  These bundles are generally only available during their first catalog cycle, even if the individual products carry over into the next catalog.  So if you haven't purchased these bundles yet, now is the time. 

It's a Box. . . It's a Card . . .

It's both!  These cards became very popular a few months back and as always, I'm behind the curve with making one and sharing it with you.  But here is my take on it:

Colors: Basic Black, Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay, and Strawberry Slush. Stamps: Geometical, Yippee Skippee, Just Sayin', Peachy Keen.  Big Shot: On Film and Just Sayin' Framelits.  Punches: Small Oval, Banner, Triangle.  Accessories: Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper, Window Sheets, White Baker's Twine.

I made this for my birthday class, but it would also make a great card for graduation or anytime you needed a good, "Yippee-Skippee!"  It kind of feels like a party going on when you open this up.  And it's easy to leave up for the world to see too since it stands up on it's own.  Here's another view of it:

You've probably come across a few variations of this Card in a Box idea.  I used the measurements that Heidi Baks shared on her blog during the Chalk Talk Edition of The Stamp Review Crew.  I love hers because it fits perfectly into a regular envelope when closed.

Just this week I made a different version of this card for Mother's Day that will be featured at my next Stampin' Buffet on April 25 & 26. I will have all of these projects posted here and on Facebook this weekend so be sure to come back and check them all out.

Make a Wish Hexagon Card

I finally had a chance to play with the Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  At first I balked a little bit wondering if it was worth purchasing.  But I was hooked after one card:

Colors: Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, and Whisper White.  Stamps: Sweet Essentials.  Big Shot: Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die. Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Designer Series Paper and Rhinestone Jewels.

To make this card, I actually cut the Hexagon Hive Thinlit three times: one in each color.  I adhered the white base over the Designer Series Paper first and then used the punched out pieces from the Daffodil Delight and Smokey Slate to cover the solid pieces that were left on the white, popping some of them up on Dimensionals to give it a little more, well, dimension.  Finally, I added the random rhinestones which I think give the card that extra special touch.

One tip to using this (and other) Thinlet die: place a piece of waxed paper between the die and your card stock before you run it through the Big Shot.  The waxed paper keeps the thin pieces from getting stuck in the die and will save you a lot of wasted ruined cuts.  Consider yourself warned.

The Paper Players Challenge #187

Remember when I said I needed to squeeze in an extra post this week because of the challenges I've been trying out?  Here is another one. This time it was The Paper Players Challenge to make a clean and simple Spring card.  Very fitting for the first day of Spring!

And here is the card I made:

Colors: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Basic Black, Soft Sky, Coral Calypso, So Saffron, Pistachio Pudding, Pear Pizzazz and Sahara Sand.  Stamps: So Very Grateful.  Big Shot: Bitty Banner Framelits.  Accessories: Simply Scored, Many Marvelous Markers, Gold Sequin Trim, and Crystal Effects.

This one the second stamp set on my list from the Occasions Catalog.  I love these flowers (even though my customers don't like to color much). The one thing you cannot tell from this picture is that after I colored all the flowers and then outlined them in Sahara Sand, I covered them in Crystal Effects.  That is one of my favorite techniques.  It gives them dimension and shine.

And not only did I decorate the front of this card, I also did the inside:

No Crystal Effects on the inside but I did outline everything in Sahara Sand to give it a little depth.

Here's another look at the whole card:

I'll still be back tomorrow with a closer look at a project from my Birthday Bash Class so be sure to check back in then.

The Friday Mashup Challenge #151

I'm kind of on a roll with the challenge thing.  If I keep this up, I'm going to have to post more than three times a week.  Today, it's The Friday Mashup Challenge:

The Friday Mashup usually combines the sketch with an additional challenge.  This week it was to make something with a rainbow on it.  The first thing I thought of was the Watercolor Wonder Designer Series Paper, even before I noticed that someone else had used it as well.  Here's my creation:

Colors: Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White, Gumball Green, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo.  Stamps: Starburst Sayings.  Big Shot: Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Starburst Framelits, Circles #2 Die.  Punches: Banner.  Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Designer Series Paper, Gold Sequin Trim. 

The Stamp Review Crew: Happy Congratulations Bonus Edition

The Stamp Review Crew is sneaking in a little bonus hop this month featuring the Happy Congratulations stamp set from the Occasions Catalog and this is stop #1!

This was one of the first sets I purchased from the Occasions Catalog for sentimental reasons.  Just last summer, my aunt and uncle threw a party at the old family home in St. George, Utah.  They asked me to make the invitations for the party and wanted a Chinese Lantern motif for them and the party because my Great Grandparents used to decorate the house for parties with them.  Unfortunately, Stampin' Up! didn't have such a set then.  But at least I have the set now to make a scrapbook page from the party with it:

Colors: Basic Gray, Wild Wasabi, Real Red and Pacific Point.  Stamps: Happy Congratulations, Sketched Birthday and Remember This and That Rotary Stamp.  Punches: Decorative Label and XL Oval.  Accessories: White Baker's Twine.

My other project to share with you today is a card we made at my stamp club last week.  To me, this stamp set needs bold, bright colors and a Stamp-A-Majig.

Colors: Whisper White, Gumball Green, Pacific Point, Real Red and Daffodil Delight.  Stamps: Happy Congratulations.  Big Shot: Square Lattice Textured Impression Embossing Folder.  Accessories: Basic Metal Buttons and White Baker's Twine.

I hope you've enjoyed my projects made with this set and all the projects on the hop today.  To follow along, click the links below.  And be sure to come back next Monday for another edition of the Stamp Review Crew.

1. Paula Wright  paulastamps.blogspot.com/
2. Mike Funke    stampin-style.typepad.com/
3. Nancy Smith  iguanastamp.wordpress.com/
4. Adriana Benitez  escape2stamp.com
5. Tanya Boser   tinkerin-in-ink.blogspot.com
6. Heidi Baks  runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com
7. Mary Rindal   maryrindal.com/
8. Kerry Willard Bray  kerrywillardbray.com

Getting back to my "Jobby!"

Around here, we lovingly refer to my Stampin' Up! business as my "Jobby."  It's not really just a hobby, but it definitely more than just a job too.  However, for the past several months, a lot of energy that I previously spent on my jobby has instead been spent on politics.  I've been a district co-captain for a citizen initiative here in Utah to change the way candidates for office get elected.  I don't want to turn this into a political discussion because who wants to mix stamping with politics?  One is beautiful, and one just plain isn't.  All that is really important to know is that is winding down as a compromise makes it's way through the State Legislature and I can start to feel my life going back to what it was before.

This whole thing was kind of a test for me to see if I was ready to give up my jobby and go back to the career I left shortly after my first son came along.  The answer actually surprised me.  I really, really missed being creative and spending time making beautiful things.  I ♥ my jobby and I am so excited to get back to it on a more regular basis!

And to kick that off, I am actually going to play along in the Fab Friday Challenge for this week.  It's been a goal of mine to play in more challenges but I just never seem to get around to it.  Well, fortunately, a project I made for stamp club last week fits perfectly with this color challenge:

Colors: Bermuda Bay, Strawberry Slush, Basic Black, Whisper White and Crushed Curry.  Stamps: Starburst Sayings.  Big Shot: Starburst Framelits.  Punch: Banner and Envelope Punch Board. Accessories: Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper.

The basic directions for this box were found on Pinterest but when I went back to find the right person to credit, I found a million of these boxes in many different sizes.  For this box,  I started with an 8" square paper and then using the punched and scored on each side at 3" and 5".  (Instead of lining up the box with the previous score line when you rotate the paper, each side was scored at 3" and 5".)  And to hold the box shut, I made a belly band and used the Starburst Sayings Stamp Set and Framelit bundle to make the tag for the front.  And I just can't stop using that banner punch to make little accent pieces.  Everyone needs this punch!

Here is a side view of the box too:

Hopefully I will have lots of new things to show you over the next several weeks.  Come back Friday to see another Stampin' Addict Blog Hop featuring the Hidden Treasures Stampin' Up! has given us over the past several months (items not featured in any catalog).  And then next Monday is a bonus edition of The Stamp Review Crew featuring Happy Congratulations from the Occasions Catalog.  See you back here then!

Happy Valentines Day!

I'll admit, Valentines Day is not my favorite day of the year.  My poor boys are deprived of having cupid visit and bring them little gifts.  Or having their doors "heart attacked" or really any mention of the holiday beyond Valentine exchanges and parties at school.  But in the craft and card business, I go where the demand is so that means I do make Valentines Cards (even if I don't send them to anyone ;)).

Colors: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Real Red, Pool Party, and Primrose Petal.  Stamps: Language of Love, Banner Blast (SAB Exclusive), Express Yourself (Hostess Exclusive) and Hardwood.  Big Shot: Label Cards Thinlit  Dies. Punch: Banner, Petite Pennant Builder, Owl Builder,  and small Heart.  Accessories: Silver Glimmer Paper, White Baker's Twine.

Another Pinterest Inspiration on this one.  This time the original creator was Carol Lovenstein. I love how the Hardwood stamp from the Occasions Catalog makes the background of the card look like an old wood fence.  Perfect for hanging a Valentines Banner.  This is one stamps from the Occasions Catalog you are going to want in your collection for sure.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day, if in deed you celebrate such things, filled with love and laughter.  Enjoy!

Be My Valentine

Valentines Day will be here before we know it.  So how about a card for your Valentine?

Colors: Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White.  Stamps: Delightful Dozen and Perfect Pennants.  Big Shot: Banner Framelits.  Punch: Small Heart. Accessories: Tea Lace Doilies, Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack, Red Glimmer Paper, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon.

Apparently, I cannot get enough of the Banner Framelits and the Tea Lace Doilies lately.  If you stopped by during the Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop last weekend, you know what I mean.  But this card got many rave reviews at my Lots of Love Stampin' Buffet last week.  I don't know if the picture fully shows how much texture the doily adds and how much bling the glimmer paper brings to the card.

The Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper pack is a hidden gem in the Occasions Catalog.  The picture just doesn't do it justice. Each piece of paper in the stack is 4-1/2" x 6-1/2" making it the perfect size to cut in half or thirds for an easy layer on a card.  Or they are the perfect size to mat a 4"x6" photo on a scrapbook page.And I love the Coastal Cabana, Crumb Cake, Real Red and Whisper White combination of colors and the prints are all fabulous and on point with today's hottest trends.  You will want to order one or two of these packs on your next order so make yourself a note.  Or head on over to my online store and place that order right now, while you are thinking about it.

Valentines Banner

If you are a regular customer of mine or even just blog visitor, you know I love to make banners.  They are just so festive and fun.  So this year for my Lots of Love Stampin' Buffet, I came up with this one:

Colors: Cherry Cobbler and Pink Pirouette.  Big Shot: Hearts Collection, Hearts a Flutter and Banners Framelits and Typeset Alphabet Bigz.  Accessories: Whisper White Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Pink Pirouette Taffeta Ribbon, Red and Silver Glimmer Paper, Tea Lace Paper Doilies.

You might have to click on that picture to get a better look at it.  It has a lot of fun textures and bling in it. I just love these new Banner Framelits that are in the Occasions Catalog.  Such a fabulous shape and you get  6 different sizes with the set. 

If you want to make one of these for yourself, today is the last day to RSVP for the class.  If you can't come to the class, but would like the banner kit for yourself, send me an email at paulastamps@gmail.com and I'll get it to you. 

Coming up Friday is the Stampin' Addicts Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop!  Don't miss this festive look at all the fun items you can get free during Sale-A-Bration.  And then on Monday, it's time for the Stamp Review Crew Blog Hop featuring Hello, Lovely.  We'll see you back her then!

Lots of Love Buffet Sneak Peek

My Lots of Love Stampin' Buffet is coming up in two weeks!  That means sometime on this long holiday weekend, all of the projects for the class will show up here on my blog and on my Facebook page.  However, I still have a lot of work to do before I can get them all posted.

However, here is a sneak peek at one of the projects that will be available to make at the class, a Valentines Sampler:

Colors: Real Red, Coastal Cabana, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White.  Stamps: Banner Blast, Fabulous Phrases, Occasions Alphabet, Itty Bitty Banners, Perfect Pennants, A Round Array, and Tag It.  Big Shot: Hearts Collection and Bitty Banner  Framelits; Circle & Label Card Thinlits; Fancy Fan, Chevron, Adorning Accents, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Punches: Small Heart, Cupcake Builder, Little Labels Pack, Full Heart, Banner, Owl Builder, Large Oval, 7/8" Scallop & 1-1/4" Scallop Circle, 1" Circle.   Accessories: Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Pack, Neutrals Designer Buttons, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, White Baker's Twine, Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Candy Dots, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Delicate Details Lace Tape, and Basic Metal Buttons.  Other: 8x8" Shadow Box

Where do I even begin to describe this?  I have seen plenty of these around including one that was featured in the last Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop by Sara Mattson-Blume, but I tried not to look at any of them when I put mine together so it could be original.  You can see from the extensive list of products used in it, it really is a sampler of stamps, Big Shot items, punches and accessories.  I pretty much just pulled out anything Valentine's or love-related and went to town. And most people probably don't think of teal blue/green when they think of Valentines, but I love the Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Pack that is in the new Occasions Mini Catalog and knew that I had to use it in this.

I picked the 8x8 size because I have seen frames and shadow boxes this size at two different stores lately and I think it is the perfect size--not too big and not too small.  Each white square is 2"so it isn't a lot of real estate to work with, but sometimes that is easier.

It took me the better part of one day to put this all together, however at the class, you should be able to put it together in under 2 hours because I will have most of it cut out for you.  You will just need to stamp and assemble (or stamp and take it home and assemble).  Watch for more details on pricing in the class information in the coming days.

And I've joined a new blog hop group, The Stamp Review Crew,  and will be participating for the first time this coming Monday.  All the stops are featuring the same stamp set, Chalk Talk (one of my favorites!) so you will see just how versatile one stamp set can be.  We'll see you then!

Stampin' Addicts 2014 Occasions Catalog Blog Hop

Happy New Year! No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I worked part time for a few weeks, then there was a fabulous vacation and the holidays and pretty soon 12 weeks have come and gone.  But I am back just in time for another fabulous Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop and for the kick off of the Occasions Catalog!

There are so many thing to love in this new catalog.  If you are hoping in order, than you've arrived from Mary's Stamping Happenings and her clever creations with the Peachy Keen Bundle.  If this is your first stop, all the blogs are linked together in a circle so you won't miss a thing. You can also head on over to Stampin' Addicts for a full list of the hop stops or to chat it up!

I am featuring the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper and some of the matching Retro Fresh This and That items from the catalog.  I love the colors in this suite because it works well for a boy or a girl (and since you know I have boys, I need paper like this!)   I came up with three projects to share with you today: a scrapbook page and two cards.

First, an 8x8 scrapbook page featuring my boys (aka The Savages).  This paper is so fun for scrapbooking and that is probably why they created a matching This and That journal to go with it.  Here I've used three different prints from the Designer Series Paper and put it with the matching Retro Fresh This and That Stickers and Washi Tape.  And yes, the Chevron Punch carried over into the new catalog so I finally got a chance to use it here. :)

Part of the Retro Fresh Suite is a fun stamp set called Hip Notes.  It has this fun "Thanks" stamp in it and the arrow on it matches the Retro Fresh paper perfectly.  I added a couple more of the Retro Fresh This and That Stickers and just a touch of the 5/8" Natural Chevron Ribbon at the bottom to complete this fun card.

Last, I made a card that doesn't have the paper on it at all, but it does have the Retro Fresh This and That Washi Tape and Stickers and the Hip Notes Stamp Set from the suite.  Wouldn't this be as fun Valentine's card for the man in your life?

I hope you've enjoyed this look at the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper and matching Suite.  Next stop on the Hop is Deb's Heartfelt Inkspiration and her take on the very cute Life in the Forest stamp set.