September Stamp-a-Stack Projects

We just got back from our family vacation to Disney World and while we had a blast we're still trying to get rested from all the running around.  I did manage to complete all the designs for our upcoming Stamp-a-stack and I think you'll really like them.

Christmas Card Option

Stamp Set:  Peaceful Season

Stamp Set(s):  Paisely Prints, Paisely Wheel, Thank You Kindly

Stamp Set:  Word Play

Stamp Set(s):  Elizabeth, Tiny Tiny Wishes

Stamp Set:  Wicked Cool (Isn't this a great new Texture Embossing Folder for the Big Shot???)

Stamp-a-stack will be September 12 at 2:00 PM.  Please RSVP by Thursday to let me know you'll be attending (and let me know if you're interested in the christmas card option).

Have a happy labor day and hope to see you Sunday!

Diana

Good morning ladies! With the start of Labor Day weekend you know what that means…all the kiddos go back to school (if they haven’t started already). This year Aidan starts Kindergarden and I’m more nervous that he is (he’s super excited). In honor of the start of school for another Holiday mini swap I’m in I made a card perfect for teachers using the new Season of Hugs stamp set from the Build-a-Bear Collection.

These bears are soo cute and the little lunch box and apple make a perfect card any teacher would love.

Stamp Set(s):  Beary Best Friends, Season of Hugs

Ink:  Basic Black, Early Espresso, Tempting Turquoise, Various Stampin' Write Markers

Paper:  Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Pear Pizzaz, Pawsitively Prints II DSP

Accessories:  Stamp-a-majig, 1/2" Pear Pizzaz Poly Ribbon

Now as much as the little girl bear is cute I had to make a boy version for my little kindergardener, he even helped pick out the colors to color the shirt.  He's so excited to give it to Ms. Fowler.

The Build-a-bear products are definately growing on me, they are too cute!

Have a great day,

Diana

Holly Greetings!

So I was lucky enough to attend my first Stampin' Up! convention last month and I had a blast.  At the end of the last general session Shelli announced that everyone in attendance was receiving a free gift pack which included the new Peaceful Season Level II Hostess Set, Deck the Halls DSP, Glass Glitter, and an Ink pad (you can only imagine how loud 2,800 women are when they find out they get FREE SU product!)

Unfortunately I was so busy when I got home that I had get to even take the plastic off my new goodies, this had to change.  This is a really simple but elegant card using some of the new items. 

Did you notice that wonderful new ribbon???  This is the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon.  When I first saw this in the catalog I thought it was for use in sewing but I really wanted some Cherry Cobbler ribbon for my holiday projects so I thought I would give it a try.  I have to tell you I love this ribbon!!!!  It's kind of translucent but it ties the greatest and easiest bows I have ever made and it looks so rich.

Enjoy and just think the Holiday Mini Catalog was officially released this morning so you too can order some of the items I've been teasing you with.  You should have received your catalog in the mail by now, if you haven't please let me know and I'll get one mailed to you.  You can also check it out here.

New Product Added to the Clearance Rack!

So I was just on the Stampin' Up website and saw that a TON of new items have been added to the clearance rack.  You've got to check it out!  There are packs of retired cardstock for $2.49 and tons of new accessories.

Check it out here!

Make sure to shop online from my website to ensure you get preferred pricing!

Have a great day,

Diana

A Snowy Santa Tag

So I decided to use the same Santa from last weeks Stampin 411 sketch card for a swap I recently completed.  I started by running a piece of Baja Breeze cardstock through the Big Shot with the new Northern Flurries Embossing Folder.

I stamped the image from the new Jolly Old Saint Nick stamp set with Basic Black ink and colored it in with various Stampin' Write markers.  Now I wanted to try to make this look like a tag and then I realized that the Tag Corner punch was retired (so bummed!)  So I decided to use the Scallop Trim Corner punch to create the look of a tag on just the top corners.  Then I punched a hole in the top with the Crop-a-dile and threaded a piece of 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon. 

The final touch was a small piece of striped paper from the Candy Cane DSP from the new Holiday mini catalog (you may not be able to tell from the picture but this print (as well as one other) has glitter, which I just love.

I don't know what it is about this Santa but he's sooo cute!  Hopefully this gets you ready to start thinking about the upcoming holidays.

Have a great day!

Jolly Old Santa

Good morning!  Where has the summer gone?  It seems like school just ended and now we're getting ready for school to start in a couple of weeks which means the holiday season will soon be hear.  I really enjoy participating in the Stamping 411 challenges and this one definately had me thinking.

Since my holiday mini preorder arrived last week I've been looking forward to spending some time playing.  I decided to use the Jolly Old Saint Nick stamp set for this challenge, the santa is oh so cute!  The card base is Baja Breeze and I used the little snowflake stamp to create a snowy background.  For my circle element I cut out a large snowlake with my Big Shot and the White Shimmery paper.  I stamped the Santa with Basic Black ink and then colored him in with various Stampin' Write Markers before matting him on a piece of Garden Green Cardstock.  I added a pice of the new Candy Cane Christmas DSP (love this paper and this design reminds me on candy canes).

The ribbon element is a piece of 3/8" Real Red Taffeta ribbon wrapped around the corner and then I tied a bow with the same ribbon and attached it with a Glue dot.  The greeting is stamped with Early Espress in on Real Red and punched with the Oval punch.  I used dimensionals to help it "pop."

I love how festive this card turned out, it makes me want to cuttle up with hot cocoa (if it wasn't 94 degrees outside). 

I have a bonus today.  When I had all the paper sitting on my desk it was just screaming for me to try out the new Candy Wrapper Bigz die.  I used real red for the wrapper and then used another piece of the striped DSP to wrap around the center.  I used 2 pieces of 3/8" Whisper White Taffeta ribbon to tie around the ends (it's not required to hold the box shut I just liked it.  The stamp is from the new Tags Till Christmas set and is puched out of Baja Breeze cardstock with the 1 1/4" square punch and them mounted on a piece of Wild Wasabi cardstock cut with the scallop square punch.  YUMMY!

I hope you are as excited as I am for the new mini catalog and all the great projects we can make.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Diana

Gala Thanks

Do you ever feel like your running and running but not going anywhere? That's how I've been feeling this week, I'm constantly on the go but my list of things to go is not getting any smaller. We have our monthly stamp-a-stack tomorrow and we'll be having a full house, I can't wait to share the great projects with the ladies but I definately wanted to participate in this weeks Stamping 411 challenge.

When I first saw this Greenhouse Gala DSP I didn't particularly care for it, but now it is one of my favorites! I used the Perfect Punches stamp set stamped on both Pear Pizzaz and Marina mist and punched out to make layers. The ribbon accent was created by layering a piece of Daffodil Delight 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon on top of Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon. The final accent is a rhinestone added to the greating before mounting it to the card with dimensionals.


I a cheery, cute card that will definately brighten someone's day. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and our cooler weather!

Thanks,
Diana

August Stamp-a-Stack

Good evening! Hope you all survived the storm earlier today (that was really impressive!) I'm so proud of the fact that I have all the projects for this months stamp a stack (a week early to boot). Below are the projects we'll be making on August 15 at 2:00 PM. If you haven't RSVP'd there's still time, just let me know.

Stamp Set: On Your Birthday

Stamp Set: Because I Care

Stamp Set: Just Believe

Stamp Set(s): Sweet Season, Christmas Greetings

Stamp Set: First Day, Thank you Kindly

You will absolutely love this great technique using a standard envelope. I Cased this layout from Robin Merriman, check her design out here.

Hope you have a great weekend and happy stamping!

Diana

Hostess Promotion

I'm so excited to announce a special hostess promotion! Between now and August 31 any hostess with a workshop totaling $350 or more will receive an additional $25 in hostess benefits (on top of the regular free sets and $$). This is a great opportunity to stock up on all the great items from the new Idea Book and Catalog.

Please contact me to book your inhome or catalog workshop. You don't want to miss out!

Christmas Snowflakes

What a crazy weekend! I feel like my life as been non-stop since before convention. I loved this years Stampin' Up! convention and can't wait to share all the great things I learned. Unfortunately with everything that's been going on I haven't been able to participate in the Stamping 411 sketch. I loved this weeks sketch for it's simplicity and and immediately thought of using the snowflake punch as the main focal image.

The card is pretty straight forward, I used Whisper White, Bashful Blue, and Night of Navy cardstock. After punching out the snowflakes I misted them with Champagne Shimmer paint (I love adding the shimmer to the snowflakes). I stamped the greeting from the Warm Wishes stamp set (I forgot it recently retired until after the card was completed) and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Polka Dot Embossing Folder. I used Silver brads to attach the snowflakes to the card.

This is a pretty and simple card, perfect for making multiples.

Have a great week!

Convention Roommate Gift

Today I'm traveling home and I've had an amazing time at convention. I'm definately looking forward to next year. As my last project share I wanted to show you the roommate gift I made for my hotel roommate Patty. It's a turquoise lunch box I got at a local craft store and decorated with the Island Oasis DSP and Tropical Party Stamp set. I cut out her initial and then added some texture to it with the Lattice embossing folder.


nside the box was an assortment of items to help make convention a little easier, including Kleenex, lip gloss, jelly beans, and a notebook and pen. Additionally, I made a set of really quick and easy thank you note cards with matching envelopes. These cards are so fun and quick to make and are the perfect gift.

Convenion Swaps Day #3

It's amazing how fast the week is flying but I'm having a blast. This morning I get start off with a breakfast with a group of demonstrators who have have been working on recruiting with Stampin' Up. I'm super excited because not only with Shelli Gardner and the rest of the SU! executive team be at the breakfast but we get priority seating for this mornings general session so I'm hoping to be right up front.

As the swaps continue today I'm swaping another 3D item along with my two cards.

Stamp Set: Party Hearty

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red, Pacific Point, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Old Olive, Real Red, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Celebrations, DSP

Accessories: Bitty Box & Envelope Bigz XL Die, Whisper White, 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Word Window Punch

Stamp Set(s): Holiday Lineup, Four Holidays, Santa's Lineup Jumbo Wheel

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Early Espresso, Assorted Stampin' Write Markers

Paper: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede, Garden Green

Accessories: Crystal Rhinestone Round Brads, Snowflake Punch, Crystal Effects, Champagne Mist Shimmer Spray

Note: I sprayed both the snowflake and cardbase with Champagne shimmer spray so it really sparkles in real life.

Ink: Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker

Paper: So Saffron, Poppy Parade, Wild Wasabi, Soft Suede, Crumb Crake, Tempting Turquoise, Pawsitively Prints II DSP

Accessories: Poppy Parade 1/2" Poly-Stiched Ribbon, Misc. Build a Bear Big Shot Dies

This card came out so cute but boy is it a lot of work cutting clothes and dressing 25 bears (thanks Michelle for everything). Kids love these great cards.

Convention Swaps Day #2

It continues to be hot, hot, hot here in Salt Lake City, and I'm not just talking about the weather. Convention is such an amazing experience and I can't wait for our first general session today. I wanted to make sure to share today's swaps with you.


Stamp Set: Because I Care
Ink: Old Olive, Night of Navy, Marina Mist
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Marina Mist
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Scallop Oval Punch, Oval Punch, Dimensionals, Faux Pearls

Stamp Set: Kooky Spooky

Ink: Old Olive, Versamark

Paper: Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Wicked Fun DSP

Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Black Embossing Powder, Oval Punch, Dimensionals, Rich Razzleberry Taffeta Ribbon

It seemed really out of place to be stamping halloween cards in July but this is a great new stamp set and I love the flocking on the designer paper.

Have a great day!

Convention Special!

As you read this post I'm on an airplane heading to Salt Lake City for Stampin' Ups annual convention. This will be my first and I'm so excited!



To help share the excitment I'm offering a special to all of my customers so between now and Sunday night every online order of $50 qualifies you for a free roll of 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, purchase $100 get 2 rolls of ribbon, etc. To begin shopping, just click here!



I'll have lots of news and samples to share when I get back so stay tuned!



Thanks,



Diana

Convention Day #1 Swaps

I'm currently sitting in the airport waiting to board my plane to convention and I can hardly sit still. I've spent the past several weeks making almost 250 swaps (thanks Michelle for all your help!) and am ready to start trading with all my fellow demonstrators. My plan is to swap a couple of different items each day. Today I'm swapping 2 cards which I think turned out great and are great for making a statement. The details are below each picture.

Stamp Set(s): Sweet Season, Christmas Greetings
Ink: Early Espresso, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Jolly Holiday DSP
Accessories: 2 Tags Bigz Die, Old Olive Taffeta Ribbon, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Gold Brad, Dimensionals

Stamp Set: Occasional Quotes

Ink: Pear Pizzaz and Pumpkin Pie Stamin' Write Markers

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzaz, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP

Accessories: Pear Pizzaz 1/2" Poly-Stiched Ribbon, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch

Note: I changed up the colors and ribbon on this card based on the different sheets of DSP I used.

What a great start to a fabulous week, check back tomorrow for the next projects.

I'm Still Here

It's been forever since I've posted. It's not for lack of stamping however. I leave on Wednesday for my first ever Stampin' Up! convention and I'm SOOO excited! What I wasn't prepared for was all the prep work that went into getting ready for convention, I've never seen so many swaps neatly lined up in baggies. I'm not quite done but the finish line is in sight (if I don't decide to add more). But I didn't want to neglect you so below are two cards I made last month with new stamp set Baby Bundle. While the paper and ribbons are now retired I thought you would love to see how cute this new stamp set is.

Make sure to check back this week, I'm posting my convention customer special Wednesday morning and I'll be posting my swaps each day so you can see what I'll be swapping in Salt Lake City. I can't wait for all the new news and ideas I'm going to get and bring them back to share!

July Stamp-a-Stack

Happy Thursday!

I know you have all been waiting anxiously for this months stamp-a-stack projects, and here they are.

Stamp Set: Wellness Wishes

Stamp Sets: Awash with Flowers, Because I Care

Stamp Sets: Punched Posies, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Stamp Sets: Tropical Party, It's Your Birthday

Stamp Sets: Snow Swirled, Teeny Tiny Wishes

You're going to love this months creations so I hope to see you on Sunday. If you haven't RSVP'd there's still time so just let me know.

Thanks!

Diana

Baby Greetings

I hope you had the opportunity to spend some time with friends and family this holiday weekend! We celebrated the 4th of July out at Great Meadows with a fantasic fireworks display and BBQ's. I was able to break away from all the festivities to play with this great new sketch challenge over on the Stamping 411 blog.

For this weeks challenge I used one of my favorite color combinations and mixed a great new color (Early Espresso) with a color I'm glad to welcome back (Pink Pirouette). I also decided that the new Baby Bundle stamp set would fit this sketch perfectly. Check out the new 1/8" taffeta ribbon which is great for tying bows which lay flat, perfect for mailing.



I have several friends that are due in the next couple of weeks so this cards for them and I'm so excited to meet the new babies.

Have a great week!

Happy New Year!

I don't know about you but I've been looking forward to July 1 for weeks! Today is start of a new Stampin' Up! year which means the new Idea Book and Catalog is being released (whoo hoo!) I'm in love will all the new colors, including 5 fabulous new In Colors, designer paper, stamps, you name it.

As a demonstrator I had the opportunity to purchase some of the items early so this way I can share with you some great new samples. Below are two samples using the new Perfect Punches stamp set, you know how I love stamp sets that coordinate with our punches, as well as the new Greenhouse Gala DSP and 1/8" Early Espresso and Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon.

I think I also forgot to mention the new Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder....I'm officially in love.

Enjoy and contact me to your copy of the new catalog.

Time is Running Out...

Good morning! Today is officially the last day to place orders for items in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog and the new catalog is officially released tomorrow (I can't wait to show you all the great new items!) I thought it was only fitting to use one of our last chance stamp sets for this weeks Stamping 411 sketch challenge.

One of my favorite stamp sets has been Humor in High Heels but I don't seem to use it as often as I should. I stamped all the images with Black ink on the Whisper White cardstock and then stamped them again on various pieces of Thoroughly Modern DSP and cut them out with Paper Snips to create all the different pattern dresses.

Pretty much everything on this card is retiring, including: Thoroughly Modern DSP, Rose Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Soft Suede Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (flipped over under the Rose Red Ribbon), and Bermuda Bay ink.

Pretty cute and I know any girl would be sure to love it. I hope you enjoy and come back tomorrow for your first chance to see some of the beautiful items from the new catalog.