Happy New Stampin' Up! Year!  Yes, today is the day for the new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog!!  Out with the old and in with the new! Right this minute Stampin' Up! is changing everything over online to the new catalog, so if you wait until this afternoon ( 1 pm Central time) you will be able to shop online and view all the new catalogs.

Here is a project I made with the new products!  I used the Big Shot (#113439) to die cut the Box #2 (#114518) out of the new card stock Daffodil Delight (#119683) and then decorated it with the Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper (#117167).  I used the same sheet, both sides, for the little band of paper around the middle and from the other side I cut out several flowers and leaves with my Paper Snips (#103579) (which make such cutting easy!).  You MUST put this Greenhouse Gala DSP on your first order from the new catalog because it is beautiful!  It will put you in a good mood just to look at it!  For a finishing touch, I added a little of the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (#119254).  When I first saw this ribbon I wasn't sure I liked it because it is so very narrow, but when I used it today I just loved it!

Such a fun little project that just brightens up your day to make it!  Think what it would do for someone if you put a little treat inside and gave it away!

Check back later when Stampin' Up! is up and running with new, new, new products!!!!

The other day I showed you some Build-A-Bear gals I had made.  Well, they were going on the sides of gallon paint cans that I decorated as a gift container.  It is so much fun to use the Big Shot (#113439) and an assortment of dies to do projects like this!  Be sure to check pages 194-202 in the current Stampin' UP! Idea Book & Catalog for information on all the Big Shot products as well as in the mini catalogs.

 Some of the Designer Series Paper is Tea Party from the current catalog and some may be retired.  The ribbons are assorted ones I had on hand.

It is easy to do these paint cans.  I used Stampin' Up! Glue Sticks on both the can and paper to adhere.  The rest of the decorations were adhered with whatever was appropriate, either Tombow Multi, Mini Glue Dots or Stampin' Dimensionals.  You do need two sheets of paper, preferably Designer Series Paper since it is thinner than card stock.  You can make your own pattern by using copy paper first, just fitting around and really indenting where the handle things are on the paper.  Then use a hole punch of the appropriate size to punch where you see the "indentation" in the paper.  Cut a slit to slip over the handle.  Easier than it sounds.

This really is a fun project, once you get the paper on the can VERY SIMPLE to decorate to any theme, and plenty of room for a gift inside.  Try it!!  Let me know if you have questions!

Granted, the fabric was still laying out and I still had a lot of precut flowers handy, but I made these two flowers yesterday in practically no time while I was waiting for dinner to finish cooking.  Recently, I went to a resale shop and bought a pair of jeans for only $3 so I would have some denim material to add to the flowers.  You could purchase all of your fabric this way, just purchase clothing at a resale or thrift shop….and you might get some nice buttons to use out of the deal as well!  I think the different textured fabrics make the most interesting pins.  All you need is a Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439) and the Flower Folds Die (115970), some glue or needle and thread, and a button or one of our Stampin' Up! Corduroy Buttons.

If you want to purchase a Big Shot Die-Cut Machine so you can make these fabric flowers and SO many other great projects, be sure to order it during Sale-A-Bration and get FREE PRODUCTS too! Only two weeks left!

I found this glittery basket in the Dollar Spot at the store….there were multiple colors for Easter…I just happened to pick green…..got home and realized I could do something for St. Patrick's Day first instead of Easter!  I've loved seeing the shamrocks made with our Full Heart Punch (#113693) and also the Stampin' Up! Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die (#117332) in the Occasions Mini.  I wanted to use the new Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder (#117335) to emboss my card stock before punching out the hearts, but since I could not find it (!) I used the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate (#114512) instead, just to add a little interest to the paper.  Of course the little button in the center of the shamrock is from our collection of Playground Designer Buttons (#116313). In the photo is a shamrock wired garland, not part of the basket.  Very quick and easy project!!