Christmas in July

This month our theme was Christmas in July for my Club Swap. We decided it would be the perfect time to start thinking about those Christmas cards and we'd get several ideas from each other. Here is my card...I just love this set!! So vintage ~ which I love for Christmas! Pretty basic design...Let me know if you have any questions. For the background I used Versamark for the postage stamp and Always Artichoke for the snowflake, plus I stamped off on some of the snowflakes so you actually end up with 3 shades in the background.

Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:
Stamps: Winter Post
Paper: Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke, Versamark
Accessories: Bravo Burgundy 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon, Designer Label punch, Dimensionals

Flight of the Butterfly doing the jig...

This is a card I did for a workshop last week. We used the Stamp-a-ma-jig for the butterfly in order to place the dots right where they should be. I love how the Crushed Curry is so bright on Whisper White card stock. I was worried about how it would show up...most of the time yellows just don't look too good next to whites ~ but I love this! Hope you like it, too!

Have a great day!

Supplies:
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly, Inspired by Nature
Paper: Kraft, Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Crushed Curry, Real Red, Old Olive, Basic Black
Accessories: Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Tearing & Spritzing

For my club this month I had a request to show a tearing technique and some spritzing (with the Color Spritzer). This is the card I came up with:

I'm loving this new set Autumn Days ~ it makes such great masculine cards. I just tore the edge (about 1/2" in) on the Chocolate Chip. I then layered it onto a Naturals Ivory base after stamping the leaf image from this set using Chocolate Chip ink on the Chocolate Chip card stock...makes a great background! We stamped the pheasant in Chocolate Chip on the Naturals Ivory card stock layered it onto the Always Artichoke and used the Color Spritzer with the Chocolate Chip marker to antique/distress the two layers. Do you like the notches in the Always Artichoke? Well that's done using the Horizontal Slot punch. Just slide it about halfway in and punch on each side ~ makes a great "catch" for the Hemp Twine which always seems a little uncontrollable to me but is the perfect touch to a masculine card...we just circled the card stock twice with the hemp twine and tied it in a knot on the front. Hope you like it!!

See you tomorrow...

Supplies:
Stamps: Autumn Days, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Hemp Twine, Horizontal Slot punch, Color Spritzer

What kind of demonstrator would you be??

Join Stampin' Up! today for only $85!!

Whether you want to purchase your own stamping supplies at a discount, to earn some extra money from your hobby, or to build a business, Stampin’ Up!® provides you with the opportunity to reach your goals. There are all kinds of demonstrators, and Stampin’ Up! needs each of them! What kind of demonstrator would you be?

Discount Demonstrator: You like the idea of buying stamps and supplies for your personal use at a 20 percent discount and occasionally selling to neighbors, relatives, friends, etc.

Seasonal Demonstrator: You work hard for a short period of time or season to earn a specific amount of money or to achieve a specific goal, and then you maintain minimum orders and sales during the balance of the year.

Hobby Demonstrator: You love doing workshops and earning extra money when it is convenient. You work a lot some months and very little other months. You will do workshops if they are easy to book, and maybe have a regular group that meets together once a month. You enjoy the rewards that being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator brings, but you don’t plan to make Stampin’ Up! a career.

Career Demonstrator: You view Stampin’ Up! as a viable business with long-term career potential. You pursue a management role, and you want to continue moving up with your Stampin’ Up! career. You love attending Stampin’ Up! events and have close relationships with other demonstrators. You work at your business in a consistent and outgoing manner.

As you can see, this is a fun, flexible business you can build to suit your Individual needs and goals. While anytime is a great time to join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator, joining during July and August is especially sweet! Starting your own Stampin' Up! business means free and discounted products, plus a little extra cash--and who couldn't use that? From July 15 - August 31, you can become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for only $85! The special, limited-time Mini Starter Kit contains many of the items you need to get started in your new business, including

• For All You Do stamp set
• In Color Classic Stampin' Pads (6)
• Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• Business forms and tools

Or if you want to buy the standard $199 Starter Kit, in addition to the supplies listed below, you'll get all six of the new In Color Classic Stampin' Pads and one pack of In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")--a $43 value! The standard Starter Kit includes

• Four stamp sets
• A Stampin' Around wheel, handle, and ink cartridge
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• Card stock
• Eastern Blooms Décor Elements and applicator tool
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• VersaMark Pad
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• Blender pens
• Business forms and tools

These special offers--the Mini Starter Kit and the In Color add-on to the standard Starter Kit--are only available for a limited time, so you must act fast!

Benefits of Becoming a Demonstrator
Whether you just love to stamp, or you want to grow a successful, thriving business, the Stampin' Up! opportunity is the right fit for you. Stampin' Up! demonstrators enjoy many benefits, with just a few listed below:

• Product discount. Demonstrators get a 20 percent discount on all Stampin' Up! products, including stamp sets, paper, and accessories. It's a great way to support your love of stamping and paper crafting.
• Extra income. You'll earn extra income based on your sales and recruiting--how much extra income is up to you. Maybe you just want enough income to pay the electric bill every month, or maybe your goal is bigger--the monthly payment for your new car--it's your decision!
• Flexible schedule. This is your business, so you can put in as much (or as little) time as you'd like.
• Support from Stampin' Up! We love our demonstrators and it shows through our demonstrator support materials, including a monthly magazine, workshop ideas, and audio and video trainings on all kinds of topics available on our Demonstrator Web Site.

For more information about becoming a demonstrator, contact me today! Ready to sign up? Just click here to Join My Team, then click Join Now in the lower left. Click on "Acknowledged", then use Password: "ilove2stamp". You have the choice of the $85 mini starter kit or the $199 starter kit.

My swap...

I participated in a mail-in swap this month and this is the card I did. We had to use a new set out of the catalog that was NOT in the preview. I chose the set Falling Leaves. On my card I decided to use one of the new WIDE ribbons. I've had several customers comment that they don't know why we (SU!) started selling such wide ribbon ~ what can you use it for? ~ you can't use it on cards...and so on. So, I had to show how I envisioned using it on cards...so simple and I think it adds such a nice feature to the card. Just make it the part of the focal point rather than an accessory on the card. Hope this inspires you to try something new in the catalog that you think just can't possibly be used on a card!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Supplies: Stamps: Falling Leaves
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, So Saffron
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Chocolate Chip 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon, 5/16" Chocolate Chip Jumbo Brad, Slit punch

I'm on the wagon!

Well, I decided to jump on the band wagon last month and used Patty Bennett's Brayered Roses technique (be sure to check out the link for written instructions and a video!) for my club swap. I love the look this creates! It was so easy...just try it!!!

Enjoy!

Supplies:
Stamps: Oval All
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (an exclusive available only from us!), Sizzix Big Shot, Paper Snips (to cut around flowers)

A handmade card can mean so much...

Last year I donated some cards to my CBS (Community Bible Study) Children's Department to use as Thank You's for ladies that had helped out with the kids. At the start of the year, our Children's Director had not used handmade cards, then when some of the ladies received the handmade cards, everyone was so quick to comment about how they loved them and those that had not received them were quick to point out that "I didn't get a hand-made card!" So...the Children's Director and I continued to make cards last year so no one got "left out."

We got smart this year and decided that all of Leadership could help out...so I prepped the cards and we got together as a group and made the Thank Yous. I hope they all enjoyed making them this year and we can all say we each had a "hand" in the Thank Yous for our members! Never underestimate the power of a handmade card!!!

Anyway...here are the cards I designed and we all made. They all had to be quick and easy...


Supplies:
Stamps: Thank You Kindly
Paper: Tea Party DSP, Almost Amethyst
Ink: Lovely Lilac
Accessories: So Saffron ribbon (retired ~ part of Sale-a-bration earlier this year)


Supplies:
Stamps: Le Jardin Botanique, En Francais
Paper: Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
Ink: Always Artichoke
Accessories: 1/4" Always Artichoke Grosgrain ribbon, Eyelet Border punch


Supplies:
Stamps: Eastern Blooms, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Dusty Durango, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Dusty Durango (marker), Chocolate Chip (marker & Classic ink pad)
Accessories: Cutter Kit (to distress edges), Dusty Durango 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon


Supplies:
Stamps: Curly Label Bundle stamp set (retired)
Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry
Ink: Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Curly Label punch, Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Flower Fusion Pumpkin Pie Felt Flower, Silver brad

A Wedding Card...

Sorry for the delay the past few days...I had to finally just make myself go downstairs and take pictures of cards I've been working on! Actually, my husband and I are going to a wedding tomorrow and I "HAD" to go downstairs to my room and make a card, and then I knew I needed to take a picture so I could show all of you before I took it and gave it away. Then I decided to just make a bunch of pictures of all the cards I've been working on so now I'll have stuff to post over the next few days!! Yippee!!

Anyway...onto the reason you stopped by. I've had a headache most of today and just wasn't in the mood to think something up for a wedding card. I had to get the invitation out to check on the directions and realized that I could use the invitation as inspiration. I'm not sure who made these invitations, but I'm pretty sure they were hand-stamped...here is the invitation ~


And a close-up of the stamped part...


And here is my wedding card for them...


Using the invitation for inspiration made the wedding card so easy to create. Hope you like it!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Frames with a Flourish (retired), Lovely Letters Alphabet, Pocket Silhouettes, Together Forever
Paper: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig (for lining everything up!!!), Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals

Last of the Swaps!

You made it to the end!! This is the last of the swaps that I received last month using the preview merchandise from the new catalog. Enjoy! I'll see you soon with some of my creations from classes I've been doing lately...

by Stacie Clark

by Robin Merriman

by Julie Salva

by Dianne O'Connor

Swaps ~ Take Ten

More swaps...Let me know if you have any questions on any of the swaps I've been showing. I know sometimes it's hard to capture everything in a photograph and you might not be able to tell exactly how something is done...just let me know and I'll answer any questions!

Thanks for stopping by...

by Kimber Millard

by Cherri Gustafson

by Tiffany Cline

by Ruth Anne Lilley

Swaps ~ Take Nine

I'm slowly running out of swaps for you to enjoy...just a couple more posts and it'll be back to some of the projects I've been up to.

Thanks for stopping by!

by Karen Trelfa

by Jodi Reinert

by Michelle Rahal

by Ruth Bingle

A Summer Invitation

I needed to make an invitation to our CBS Summer Luncheon. Here is what I came up with...


I thought this turned out very summery and very girlie ~ Love the new Razzleberry Lemonade DSP! This is simple...but elegant ~ very easy to recreate. Hope you like it!

Supplies:
Stamps: Razzle Dazzle
Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade DSP, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Ink: Melon Mambo
Accessories: Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon

Swaps ~ Take Eight

More swaps to share!!

Enjoy!

by Jan Rodrian

by Selene Kempton

by Kathy Morgan

by Carol Stelzer

Swaps ~ Take Seven

More swaps...Are you in love with all this new product yet?? I don't know how you can resist when you see so many great ideas!

Thanks for stopping by...

by Deb McCahan

by Karen Kurz

by Kelly Acheson

by Tiffany Bauer

Swaps ~ Take Six

Still more swaps! Enjoy...

by Tepa Farias

by Jen Bailey

by Wendy (sorry I don't have a last name!)

by Lisa Bowell

Back to our regularly scheduled program...

Here are some more swaps! Thanks for stopping by...

by Susan Auyer

by Jennifer Weide

by Sharon Cline

by Suzanna Hake

Downline Project & My Swap

Here is the project Catherine did with us at my downline meeting ~ love it!! It uses the Movers & Shapers die to make the outside "wrap" of the box, then you make a "bottom" to slide into the "wrap." Isn't it great when you can use a die in so many different ways ~ it's not just for a card! The bottom slides out (just like a matchbox) ~ it works great for Hershey's Nuggets, mini candy bars, gift cards, etc.


Also, here is the card I did for my downline swap. Did you know that all of the shapes that come with the Movers & Shapers die layer perfect with the coordinating punch? Genius!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Supplies:
Stamps: Autumn Days, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Crushed Curry, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Crimper, Dusty Durango 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Modern Label punch, Movers & Shapers die (Punch Windows ~ Modern Label for layering under the Modern Label punch)

WooHoo!! Just had to share...

I'm on Stamper's Showcase! That's twice in the past couple of weeks! For those of you out there that don't know what this is, it's a place on Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator website that shares samples sent in by demonstrators. All demonstrators have the option to send in samples and these two are the only ones I've ever sent in (actually I didn't send them in...they got sent in with two different Rising Star Swaps I participated in ~ so thanks, RSs, for sending them in on my behalf!). Employees at SU! (not sure who or how) pick out samples to "showcase" every day ~ there's usually around 6 a day. I had this card shown on July 27th...


and then this card was shown on Friday...


Just had to celebrate! Thanks for sharing in the excitement with me...

We interrupt the regularly scheduled program...

I just wanted to take a quick post and mention my downline. We had a meeting last Thursday. I had 2 of my first level and 4 of my second level attend and we had a guest speaker. Catherine Harwood, a demonstrator from Florida was here visiting family and offered to speak at our meeting and share a project with us. Catherine and I met a couple of years ago. She was visiting here right when the new catalogs were being delivered. She found me through the Stampin' Up! website and called to see if she could have one of my catalogs if they came in since she was 800 miles from home and had no way of getting her copy. Of course, knowing how exciting it is to get your hands on that new catalog, I let her have one! That would have been cruel punishment to say no! ;D Anyway, we've kept in contact and try to get together whenever she's visiting here. At the meeting Thursday we swapped samples, ate, talked, and made the project together! It was a great evening. Anyway...I just thought I would share the swaps that everyone brought. I'm so proud of them. Enjoy!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow when I share Catherine's project ~ I just know you'll love it!!

by Katy

by Melanie

by Karen

by Lynndorian

by Jamie

by Dana