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I'm not sure that they showed the Build-a-Bear Olympics Figure Skating competition last night on TV, but this bear surely was the winner! I've had this idea in my head since the Olympics started, and once I finally made my Build-A-Bear with my Big Shot Die-Cut Machine and Stampin' Up! Bigz Dies I was thrilled with how she turned out! The "skating outfit" is just the Build-A-Bear skirt and top, with a little "altering" on the neckline and sleeves...and lots of bling added with Tombow Multi glue and Stampin' Up! Chunky Essentials Glitter! To make the ice skates, I just traced the bear's foot onto Whisper White and cut it at the height I wanted. For the skating blades I traced the bottom of the shoe and just added the little attachments, all cut out of Brushed Silver card stock. I hope you've been enjoying the 2010 Olympic Games!
Right now there are several thousand trail riders, who have been out on thirteen trails in Texas during February recreating the Old West, heading back into Houston to signal the start of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The rodeo is a huge event in the Houston area and kicks off tomorrow when the trail riders converge on Memorial Park in the covered wagons and on horseback!
To make this card, I started with Soft Suede for the base. I used the Stampin' Up! stamp set "Wanted" to make my own designer paper for the background, stamping various images in the trendy In Colors Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Bermuda Bay, and Crushed Curryand afterwards sponging some Soft Suede around the edges and around on the paper.
To make the horse panel, I stamped the horse from "Wanted" in Soft Suede, then continued to stamp it without reinking to produce the lighter images. I distressed the edges with the tool in the Cutter Kit (#106958). You could also use the edge of scissors or just your fingernails!
I haven't used my "Wanted" set in awhile but I sure had fun with it today! So if you are looking for a western stamp set, this would be a good one from Stampin' Up! You can shop at my Online Store 24/7! Email me with any questions.
We didn't get any snowflakes at my house yesterday although I think areas about an hour outside of Houston did get an inch or two. The most winter weather I noticed was a few seconds of sleet hitting the car windshield. Today it is chilly out, but the sun is shining....a beautiful day! I decided to play with My Digital Studio again and make a sunshine-y, happy card! I started with one of the "Designer Kits" inside the program for the card front (Sunny Day).....which is the same as one of our "Simply Scrappin' Kits". I could have just opened up the page it provided and been done, but I wanted to play so I added ribbon and bows and added more buttons to the flowers. Next I "inserted" another page, colored it with Designer Series Paper, and added a flower. Notice that the stem and leaf is really a bird leg colored Old Olive and flipped upside down! I "inserted" one more page for the greeting and added the bird. The options are endless, you could play forever!
Wouldn't it be cheery to find this card in your mailbox? If you haven't purchased My Digital Studio yet, this is the perfect time as you can get a Sale-A-Bration reward with it! Spend $50 during Sale-A-Bration and choose one product free from the special Sale-A-Bration catalog. You can shop any time day or night at my online store!
What can be more exciting than hearing the words "Snow" and "Winter Weather Advisory" in a Houston, TX weather forecast??! While some other areas in Texas might actually get several inches of snow today, we will be lucky if we see a few snowflakes here in southwest Houston, but I'll take what I can get! Any day now the cold weather will be completely gone and it will be so smotheringly hot that we won't be able to imagine that we ever felt chilly! So we might as well enjoy even the possibility of snow! If we get something, I think it will be the third time this winter which is amazing. So with the possibility of seeing some microscopic snowflakes that will not even stick to the ground, I decided to play with My Digital Studio and make one more winter card!
Here's a portion of the Yahoo Finance page from last night (and it is still there this morning!) which shows my son's first article to appear there! His article is the one entitled Warren Buffett's Worst Investing Mistakes. He's following in his sister's footsteps writing personal finance articles for Investopedia.com, and sometimes those articles get picked up by Yahoo Finance. It was a very exciting moment for him, and of course for us! I don't know how long that link will work. But here is his article on Investopedia!
This is a card I made for a bridal shower. I got the idea from a card I saw by another Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Heather, on our great new Stampin' Connection site for all Stampin' Up! demonstrators. See, if you want to be a demonstrator, don't worry that you will have to come up with all your own creative ideas! Besides Stampin' Connection, there is also the monthly Stampin' Success magazine which we all LOVE! I thought this month's really had some great ideas for stamping. But then I could probably say that every month! We all wait (im)patiently for our issues to arrive....but we can also read it online! Just one of the many perks of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!! And right now through the end of March during Sale-A-Bration, another BIG PERK is FREE STAMPS! Sign up to be a demo and choose a free stamp set (up to a value of $47.95)!
Find out about being a demo and watch a video on my website. Then contact me and let me answer all your questions!
It may be past Valentine's Day, but really you could use this card for other special occasions, like an engagement or wedding....or just extra-special card. It is called an Easel Card because while it folds flat like any card, it can be propped up as if it were on an easel for display. And what a great idea to be able to display your handmade card!
It's easy to make this card.......just make a regular card front...this one is
5 1/2" x 4 1/4". For the base, make it twice as long as the card front (in this case 11"" and the same width (in this case 4 1/4"). Fold that base in half (at
5 1/2") and then fold one of those halves in half (in this case 2 3/4"). Then you adhere the card front to the front of that 2 3/4" portion.....you'll see when you fold it! Decorate the base, putting a little something popped up that can act as a stopper for your card front. And there you go!
Some Supplies on this card:
The beautiful Bride Specialty Paper #115669
Sending Love Specialty Paper #117153.....comes glittery!
Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch #117191
Full Heart Punch #113693
Word Window Punch#105090 and Modern Label Punch #116630
Beautiful White Satin Ribbon #114616
New Pinking Hearts Border Punch #117649
New Sale-A-Bration Scallop Trim Border Punch #118402 (free with a $50 order!)
Please contact me if you have any questions about making this card and visit my online store if you want to order the stamping supplies!
I know we always hate to see a mini catalog end and not know if any of those items will show up in the next new Idea Book & Catalog....and not be able to order from the mini again. While we knew the Holiday Mini catalog was a little bit different with some of its products this time, it's nice to have the list put out by Stampin' Up! These products are STILL available now from Stampin' Up! and will also be available in the next Idea Book & Catalog. There could also be additional products from the mini, besides these products, that may appear in the next big catalog. Happy Shopping!!!
Now that Valentine's Day is over, it is time to start thinking about spring! No matter how cold it still is outside! Even here in Houston it is close to freezing every morning, although the day usually turns out nice if the sun comes out!
This is a fairly easy card to make, except for cutting out the little butterflies! But don't worry about it, just do it. Even if they are not perfect they will be fine! Paper Snips (#103579) make cutting out much easier! For a change, I used the Confetti White card stock (#102028). It used to be one of my favorites, but I haven't used it in awhile. It's also pretty good for watercoloring and just has a little more elegant look maybe than Whisper White with the little flecks in it.
Get out that fantastic new set in the Occasions Mini, Vintage Vogue, and stamp a few green vines and leaves going across the paper. Then I went back over with a little flower from Flight of the Butterfly in the Idea Book & Catalog and stamped in various colors. I used the little butterfly stamp in that same set for the three little butterflies which are then cut out by hand and mounted on Dimensionals. Tie a pretty Whisper White Organza Ribbon around, stamp a sentiment, and you've got yourself a card!
It's time to get started on spring stamping projects, so contact me to help you with your selections!
Wow! I didn't even remember having so many and such great Mardi Gras beads! And I haven't even been to New Orleans! These are mostly from a company Mardi Gras party we used to go to every year here in Houston, which was always fabulous! Those people from Louisiana know how to have a good time and the food is beyond fabulous!
I decided to make a little bag with the Fancy Favor Die for the Big Shot out of Elegant Eggplant card stock to help display my beads. It was so easy and took only minutes! The swirls are from the Swirls Scribbles Sizzlit Die so no cutting involved in those!
I also used Crushed Curry for the yellow and Garden Green. The square rhinestones were just perfect for this project!
Last night I decided to play around with My Digital Studio to see what I could come up with for a Valentine. This is a VERY SIMPLE card, took only minutes to do. I was even able to email it so that the pages of the card would turn....at least I hope it is working for those I sent it to! But I don't know how to do that in this blog post!
My Digital Studio (#118108) is the new papercrafting software from Stampin' Up! You can create cards, scrapbook pages, calendars.....any kind of digital projects.....and it isn't too hard to do! This card was exceptionally easy. Good for a quick project late at night! Not only are endless options included with the software, but Stampin' Up! periodically comes out with new downloads you can add to your program. If you already have another digital program, you can still purchase just the downloads you like from Stampin' Up!
Let me know if you want more information about My Digital Studio and you can also read more about it on the My Digital Studiopage on my website.
This was a very easy little Valentine treat bag to make and you can fancy it up as little or as much as you want! I went back to an older technique of using an envelope! Take a Stampin' Up! envelope (#107301) (once you use a Stampin' Up! envelope you won't want to go back to those plain ones!!), seal it, then punch down the sides with the Tag Punch (#105934) to form the handle. Wheel the envelope (or stamp) to decorate. I used the I "Love" Love Jumbo Wheel (#117084) in the Occasions Mini. I decorated with some ribbon, a punched out heart and a little border with the new Scallop Trim Border Punch (#118402) in the Sale-A-Bration Mini (get the punch FREE with a $50 order!) Fill with some candy and you've got yourself a nice little Valentine treat!
If you're ready to place your $50 or more Sale-a-Bration order and get some free products, just email me!
The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada kicks off tonight with the Opening Ceremonies! It's always fun to watch the Olympics, so we've been looking forward to this for awhile. Here's a simple card inspired by the Olympic rings.
Supplies
Stamps: Well-Scripted (#117072, #118501)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Brilliant Blue, Basic Black, Yoyo Yellow, Garden Green
Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1/2" Striped Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon
Ink: Stazon Black
Don't forget, you'll be able to shop online any time during the Olympics at my Stampin' Up! Online Store.
Here's a quick tip for when you are using brads on a stamping project: After taking the little bitty brads out of the container that you are going to use, PUT THE LID BACK ON. Then move the brad container away from your arm. Especially when you are in a hurry to finish your valentines to get out in the mailbox before the mailman comes. But if you like picking up things the size of a mosquito off your kitchen floor, then this tip is not for you!
Here's another quick tip....if you have any inkling that a holiday is approaching, let's say...oh...Valentine's Day.....and you already have most of your cards made, go ahead and put those cards in envelopes and address and stamp them, just so you don't have to do it as the mail truck is coming down the street and it is pouring down rain outside. Because getting an umbrella out of the closet will slow you down.
It's a cold, rainy day in Houston, TX but with hearing all the news reports on TV about the snow all over the country, particularly the East coast, I almost feel like I should look out the window and see snow piled up here! An impossible reality, if you have seen my snow pictures of the "blizzards" we have had here in Houston resulting the grass barely being covered! However, I did observe SLEET yesterday afternoon! It was quite rainy and the temperature was about 48 degrees, but when I got out of my car I could HEAR sleet and if I looked against my black jacket sleeve and squinted, I could almost SEE the little sleet pellets and I could see them bouncing and rolling off my neighbor's roof! So that was pretty exciting to have a minute amount of winter weather here in Houston!
But in thinking about all the snow elsewhere around the country, I decided to make a snow card! I used the Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder (#117335) to create the "snowy" background in the Occasions Mini, page 35. Then I tore some card stock to make the snowdrifts, punched out some circles for the snowman, cut out his hat, nose and arm and stamped a few snowflakes from the Hostess set Christmas Punch. (Did you know the Boho Blossoms Punch #110711 fits that trio of snowflakes? You don't even have to cut them out!). And what snow card would be complete without Dazzling Diamonds Glitter?
If you are snowed in and like this card, please leave me a comment telling me about the snow! I wish I could zap myself to all that snow just for a little while!
I think that is almost a tongue-twister! I have really been enjoying making these fabric flowers with theBig Shot and the Flower Folds Die! The Big Shot makes it so easy to cut out your flowers, so I've been using my Big Shot like crazy!
If you want to purchase the Stampin' Up! supplies to make these lovely flowers, please contact me today! It's a great deal during Sale-a-Bration!
Want to see a Stampin' Up! video of Bonnie Thurber demonstrating how to use the new Borderand Corner Punches in the Occasions Mini and Sale-A-Bration catalogs? I knew you would!
I know you'll enjoy Bonnie on this video! I've seen her on stage at Convention and not only does she do a great demonstration, but she can sing also!! She doesn't sing on this video though!
Anytime is a good time to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, but right now is a GREAT time! Read about it HERE.
Did you know that Sale-A-Bration is in full swing and continues on until March 31? To become a Demonstrator, all you have to do is purchase one of the Starter Kits, a great value in lots of stamping product. And right now, during Sale-A-Bration you can buy a Starter Kit for 15% off!! Choose theStandard Starter Kitfor 15% off the regular price of $199.....OR if you are interested, the new Digital+ Starter Kit with the new My Digital Studio software for 15% off $185. Free Shipping on either kit!
AND.....during Sale-A-Bration choose a free stamp set (up to $47.95 value) when you purchase a Starter Kit!
Now that's a deal! And a fun one at that! Contact me if you are interested or need more information! I'd love to tell you how much fun it is to be a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator! But if you're very spontaneous and want to sign up on your own, just go to my website HERE, click on "Start Your Own Business", watch the video if you like, and then click on "Join Now" on the left. The password you need is "karenstamps".
Splitcoaststampers puts out a tutorial every week and this treat bag cover was from last week. It's very easy and you could vary the dimensions according to whatever your own treat is. I cut the Real Red card stock at 3 3/8" x 10 1/2" and scored at 4", 4 1/2", 5", and 9". Then just accordion-fold what will be the base of the treat holder and fold the top flap over. Fill your cello bag with your treat, attach with a little SNAIL to the inside, punch some holes for some ribbon to tie through if you want, decorate the front and you are done!
To decorate the front of my Treat Bag I used the I "Heart" Hearts Stamp Set in the Occasions Mini Catalog. If you want to know you are doing some good while you are stamping, purchase this stamp set and Stampin' Up! will donate $2.00 to the American Red Cross for Haitian Relief. Already 6694 stamp sets have been sold as of a couple days ago.
