OnStage Swaps

What is it about a looming deadline that gets creativity flowing? I really would like to know! Why is it that, as time is running out, I suddenly become laser-focused and ideas start popping? Case in point: on Wednesday I woke up with no clue as to what I would make for swapping with my peers at the Stampin' Up! OnStage in Atlanta this weekend. That's one of the joys of being a demonstrator - getting together with stamping sisters and brothers (yes, there are male demonstrators!) at Stampin' Up! events, exchanging ideas and card samples, and playing with new products before they come out in the catalog.

I had been in my craft room for the past week trying to think of something, trying half-baked ideas and discarding them, not really happy with any of them. While picking through a container of Metallics Sequin Assortment, a couple of black sequins fell out onto the Moroccan DSP cluttering up sitting on my craft table. I really liked the way the black "popped" on the DSP, and this card was born. You never know when inspiration will strike; I just wish it wouldn't wait until the last minute!

That Copper embossing powder is so pretty! I sure hope it's going to carry over to future catalogs, along with the Copper Foil Sheets!

Since I'm in a time crunch, I'm not posting the "How To" for this one. I think it's pretty straight forward how it was done.

Product List

Frosted Medallions Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Frosted Medallions Wood-Mount Stamp Set

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Moroccan Designer Series Paper

Copper Foil Sheets

Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad

Versamark Pad

Heat Tool

Embossing Buddy

Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder

Very Vanilla 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Lace Trim

Metallics Sequin Assortment

Fine-Tip Glue Pen

Stampin' Dimensionals

Easy Peasy Peace This Christmas

Somehow, in all the excitement of the new Holiday catalog being released, I completely forgot that I had ordered Christmas things from the Annual catalog. Whilst digging through my hoard (cough) collection of DSP, I found the pack of This Christmas Specialty DSP that coordinates with the Peace This Christmas stamp set.

I had such great plans to get all my Christmas cards out of the way at once, and this pack of paper was going to help me do it! I loved the fact that there are FOUR sheets each of the six double-sided designs, because too frequently two sheets of a DSP design aren't enough when making Christmas cards. I also loved that one of the designs was sheet music. I have big plans for that one!

This is a very quick and easy card, which is nice if you have to make a bunch of them. I did use one of the Mini Pinecones Embellishments on it, which will require extra postage since it's rather thick. But it's so dang cute, and just the perfect accent for the little pine branch!

Here's the "How To"
 Greeting/image: Very Vanilla 2-3/4" x 3"
 Mat: Cherry Cobbler 3" x 3-1/4"
 DSP: This Christmas Specialty DSP 4" x 5-1/4"
 Mat: Cherry Cobbler 4-1/8" x 5-3/8"
 Card base: Very Vanilla 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" scored and folded at 4-1/4"

1. Stamp greeting in Cherry Cobbler ink and pine branch in Garden Green ink on smaller Very Vanilla cardstock. Adhere to smaller Cherry Cobbler mat.
2. Adhere DSP to larger Cherry Cobbler mat and then to card base.
3. Adhere greeting to card. Tie Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine around pine cone embellishment and adhere over pine branch with a glue dot.

See how easy that was?! If you want to save on postage, you could stamp the berry from this set in Cherry Cobbler where the pine cone would be, and glue the bow on top. That would be no problem for the postal sorting machine.

Product List

Peace This Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Peace This Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

This Christmas Designer Series Specialty Paper

Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad

Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad

Mini Pinecones

Baker's Twine Trio Pack

Glue Dots

SWEET Stitched Shapes Framelits!

They're here! They're here!!! Starting today you can order the Stitched Shapes Framelits that will be coming in the new annual catalog next June. I am so darn excited about them, I'm practically beside myself! I just adore the look of the faux stitched lines around the edges of things, and these are going to add so much WOW to everything! I can see using them with our Layering Framelits for even more visual appeal. Oh the ideas!!!

This is the sweetest little video - you've got to watch it!

I'm ordering them today, and expediting my order so I get them in time to make swaps for the Stampin' Up! OnStage event this weekend. There are blog posts already scheduled for while I'm away, but I might have to switch things up in the schedule if there are any earth-shattering announcements from Stampin' Up! (Which is entirely possible, knowing Stampin' Up!)

Here are the approximate cut out sizes, so you can plan YOUR next project while you're waiting for them to arrive. The stitch lines are ~1/16" inside the cutout, so plan accordingly. Remember, these are approximate, and your mileage may vary.

Circles:  1-3/8",  1-7/8",  2-3/8",  2-7/8"

Squares:  1-3/16",  1-5/8",  2-1/8",  2-5/8"

Ovals:  13/16" x 1-3/4",  1-5/16" x 2-1/4",  1-13/16" x 2-3/4",  2-5/16" x 3-1/4"

Oh, and don't forget, today also starts the 25% off sale on select stamp sets that coordinate with the Framelits! This stamp sale is only for the month of November. (The Framelits will still be available for purchase after this month.)

Have a CREATIVE day!