Friday, July 30, 2010

August Newsletter Published

It's not quite August yet, but we've finished our August Newsletter and thought we'd publish it a few days early. You can click on the link above or scroll down to our Newsletter button and it will take you to it.
One of our stamping friends, Wilma Johnson, shared with us this card she made. We've featured her and a few other stamper's wonderful cards in our newsletter this month. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A Few Tags

From Heidi...Each month I like to create a new tag to include as a little "Thank You" with my customer's Stampin' Up! orders. I thought I'd share a couple of them here. The challenge I make for myself each month is that I have to make them with scraps of cardstock. So the color combinations are made by what I have in a ziplock scrap bag...kind of fun! Thanks for stopping by and visiting us!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sharing My July Color Challenge Card

From Heidi...Well this little 3x3 card serves as my July Color Challenge submission, as well as the card I created for our August newsletter's Craft Room, which hasn't been posted yet. It has been great to have some new colors to create with. This color combo isn't one I would've thought to put together myself, but I really like all these colors together. I was SO glad that this stamp set "Fundamental Phrases" didn't get put on the retired list...we use it ALL the time. Most of the phrases fit in the Word Window punch... another item we use all the time.
We got ourselves a website where we can now store our newsletters and add tutorials to share with you. So, here's our 3x3 Color Challenge card Tutorial for you...Hope you enjoy it!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

New Color Combo Tool


If you've noticed on the side of our blog, we have a link called Stampin' Up! Color Combo...and if you've clicked on it over the last year, it hasn't taken you anywhere. This is because the site has been down. The good news is that this site is back up and running again. This site is very helpful when you're going to create a card or project, but you're not sure about which colors to choose. The site helps you put together oodles of color combinations in a matter of minutes, or if you draw a blank on colors, you can click "Surprise Me" and it will put together random color combination ideas. Anyway, we just wanted to let you know that this site is up and running again. Simply scroll down the side of our blog and click on the Stampin' Up Color Combo and it will take you to the My Create Ink-Color Lab. Have fun!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Upcoming Class at Tumbleweed

Here's our next class...
We'll be making 3 one-layer cards using stamping, sponging, masking and paper-piercing to embellish. If you'd like to join us you can set up an account at Tumbleweed Recreation Center and register online using the following codes: (Tuesday, 8/3, 10 a.m.-Noon - 309TW.430) and (Tuesday, 8/3, 7-9 p.m. - 310TW.430). We'd love to have you join us, hope to see you there.


Sunday, July 18, 2010

A Couple of Tutorials

From Heidi...
We had our New Catalog Open House today. It was a lot of fun to get together with everyone and do some stamping, eating and visiting. We had a special guest at our Open House...Allison Hong, who made her debut with all our stamping "buddies". Jacob and Kayla were in charge of our giveaways, they were our name drawers and giveawayers.
We wanted to share the instructions for the cards we made today and we thought it would be fun to share them with our blog friends, as well. Here's our Crumb Cake Tutorial. Here's the tutorial to our Elegant Cherry Cobbler. Thanks for visiting us and we hope that you enjoy the tutorials.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Masked Reject

From Adriel:

Okay, so I've been working on cards for a masking technique class (which I think is in August). This is one of the cards that didn't make the cut for the class. It's not that it turned out bad or anything, it is just too time-consuming. When my mom and I plan for classes, some of our ideas are great except for the fact that they would take way too long with a larger group of people. Anyway, I thought I would share it because it did come out cute. =)

For the masking on this card, what I did was cut out a few leaves using my Big Shot and the Little Leaves die cut out of computer paper. I adhered these leaves to my card front with temporary adhesive in the desired locations. Then I misted the card front with a shimmer mist mixture that I added a few drops of Old Olive reinker to. I guess you could call that Tinted Shimmer Mist! =) Let it dry for a minute or two and then remove the Little Leaves die cuts. From there I added a stamped sentiment from the Fresh Cuts stamp set, added some little flowers using the Itty Bitty Bits stamp set and Punch Pack and Melon Mambo ink, and finished the little scene with a few cute little butterflies using the Beautiful Wings embosslit die.

Masking Tip: Most of the time with masking, you want to use thin paper such as computer paper, because then your edges on the masked section are more crisp.

Make your own Tinted Shimmer Mist: Mix a small amount of alcohol, a few drops of shimmer paint, and a few drops of ink in the color of your choice in a small spray bottle, such as a travel hairspray bottle. Shake and mist away!

I'm looking forward to the Open House in honor of the new Stampin' Up! catalog at my mom's house this weekend! I'm sure I'll be seeing some of you there and I'll have the baby with me, so you can see her too. =)

Cya! =)

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Travel Scrap Album

From Heidi...We have some really fun projectclasses planned for the Summer and Fall. We have a Travel Album class planned for Tumbleweed in September, so I've been playing around with some album ideas. I found this fun album idea where you make your own book binding using stitching, so I tried it out and made this little prototype. It was fun to make, so I'll be using this idea to make a new one with some of the new Stampin' Up DSP and new cardstock colors. I used My Digital Studio for "All Aboard" image. I found a bunch of fun "travel-themed" digital stamps on MDS, so I'm going to add some digital elements to the album, too. Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

In-Color Open House Card

From Heidi...Here's another one of our fun Make-n-Takes for our New Catalog Open House, Sunday, July 18. We're offering a choice of hearts or stars, depending on your own preference. These cards use Stampin' Ups new "In-Colors": Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz. I've been enjoying playing around with all the new colors. With so many new color combination possibilities, it makes creating that much more fun!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Open House Card

From Heidi...We're hosting a New Catalog Open House, Sunday, July 18, 2-4 PM at my house. We'll be making a couple of "Make-n-Takes" using some of the new colors and new stamp sets from the new Stampin' Up 2010-11 Idea Book and Catalog. I thought that I'd post the Make-n-Takes throughout the week. We've got some fun door-prizes, featuring new catalog items. If you'd like to join us, let us know. It'll be fun!

Stamp Set: Elements of Style
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Big Shot: Textured Impressions Perfect Polka Dots
Punches: Butterfly, 1-1/4" circle, 1" circle

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Lacy Floral Card

From Heidi...In this month's newsletter I have this fun "how-to-make" flower in our craftroom. Since I only included a close-up picture of the flower in our newsletter, I thought I'd post the whole card here on our blog. I didn't come up with this idea, and I'm sorry that I can't find the person who posted it. I thought I saved the info, but I must have filed it in a place that I now can't find. You can check out our newsletter's Craftroom for more details on making these flowers. I thought it made a fun focal point.

Friday, July 2, 2010

July Newsletter and New Catalog

The New 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Catalog is here! Lots of new colors, new color collections, and new stamps and products.


Just letting everyone know that our July newsletter has been posted. You can click on the link below or click here. Hope you all have a Happy Fourth of July! Below is a picture of one of the gift card holders we'll be making in one of our classes posted in the newsletter.



Thursday, July 1, 2010

THS Color Challenge #6 for July

I'm super excited about the color challenge this month! I've been waiting for the new colors from Stampin' Up! to come out and they are finally here! Woohoo!

Here's this month's color challenge!

THS Color Challenge #6


Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso, and Very Vanilla (these are Stampin' Up! color names... use what you have, but try to keep it close).
Are you lovin' it? I know I am! =)


Here's my card for this month's color challenge.

Supplies: Elements of Style stamp set, Perfect Punches stamp set, Early Espresso ink, Concord Crush stampin' write marker, Early Espresso stampin' write marker, Very Vanilla CS (base), Concord Crush CS, Poppy Parade CS, Pear Pizzazz CS, Color Spritzer tool, Top Note die, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Scallop Oval punch, Corner rounder, Cream satin ribbon, adhesive half-pearls, dimensionals.

This challenge is open to all of our artsy, craft friends. Whether you make cards, scrapbook, knit, paint, make jewelry, or anything else in between, we'd love to have you join us!

Make something creative using our color challenge and use inlinkz at the end of this post to submit your creation or send us a picture of your inspired creation and we will post an inlinkz box on your behalf. We will choose 5 of the submissions to feature on our blog at the end of the challenge!


Sound fun? Join us!

Guidelines to participate:
  • Use the colors in the challenge as a springboard for your creativity.
  • Please keep submissions family friendly. =)
  • Challenge ends Saturday, July 31st @ midnight, Arizona time.
  • Have fun!
    We're looking forward to seeing what you have to share with us!
Let your friends know about our challenge, too!

Have fun!