by Susan Itell | May 30, 2017 | Just Because..., Uncategorized |
Good Monday….oops Tuesday to you! I hope that you had a great Holiday Weekend but if you are anything like me….when there is a Holiday on a Monday than I feel like I am playing catch up all week trying to figure out what day it is! It was a great weekend but reality is here!
This is a BIG WEEK… and a fun week for us as the NEW CATALOG launches in just 2 days!
I know that you totally understand that it is a great upcoming week because of new catalog…but then that must mean that it s a week where stamps and lots of FUN STUFF are getting ready to walk the plank!
With that said….please do not forget to check out the items that are leaving us! There are many “keepers” in there that to me are “true blues” !
Even though this “stamp & framelits” are being carried over to the NEW CATALOG…..it WILL NOT be carried over at a discounted price. For those of you that are new…..let me fill you in – when we have a BUNDLE (which means that it is an instant 10% off) they will not always be priced that way….soooooo, the moral of the story is – you have today and tomorrow to decide!
I have blogged about this bundle many times and I will hold true to what I have said….Stampin’ Up! did a fantastic job on this bundle as the stamps are SPOT ON but the framelits – AMAZING! The details are just the best!
If you are anything like me ….you will agree that we all need more encouragement. I know that that seems so simple but really is something that I think it is fair to say – that we all need more of!
Today…I paired it up with the fun photopolymer stamp, Over the Rainbow that IS walking the plank into the Stampin’ Up Sea of Retirement and I think that you can see….it is another keeper! I love the fact that it is a Photopolymer and for today. I used So Saffron but stamped it twice to get a heavier coverage of ink…and it was super easy to do as you can see right through!
I have a confession….I am super picky about clouds. I know that this seems strange but clouds are a hard thing to look “ok” – I like these clouds because they come in 3 sizes and they are perfect for many cards we make!
Many times, I use a dauber to sponge the sides but today – I decided to leave them plain. Think about how many project that we make that these little gems would be the perfect “tuck in” ? I like to adhere some flat and then some popped up for more interest.
There is a Retiring Bundles list and here are my top picks for bundles (or should I say products that ARE being carried over) into the new catalog but they WILL NOT BE A BUNDLED DISCOUNTED PRICE.
I know that when we have a NEW Catalog coming….naturally that means that some of us are going to be sad with the retirement of products. I can honestly say that the big “hole in my heart” item that is leaving are the DSP Paper Stacks. Many of you remember that I always had them on my product shares and I am sad about that because they were just the BEST go to’s!
Many of the color families sold out ZOOM FAST but the In Color DSP Stack that I used for today’s card is still available. These In Colors will be with us for another year so if you do not have this gem, I would take a hard look at it. I think that main reason that I adore these stacks are they do the work for you….how fun and classic are the prints!
Here is your “picture ti PIN” – just hover over it and hit that familiar “P”!
Well there you go! A “keeper” of a card if I must say so myself! With the balloons the color combinations are endless and we all know the feeling inside when we see a beautiful Hot Air Balloon – one beautiful sight! So as we bring this Stampin’ Up! Year to an end…I am sure that we will continue to soar together!
Remember, you have just have today and tomorrow to order any of the items that are leaving us. One product that I would toss into the cart (and I will have no problem with multiples) is Bakers Twine. You can never have too much Bakers Twine and even though I used Crushed Curry on this card…IT WORKS….This is on sale for just $1.80 –
Here is a great idea – you can click here for the Ribbon & Trim and see all of the offerings – who would not love a basket of ribbon and also throw in some Embellishments….what a great gift for a crafty friend….and the card that I would put with that gift….
EASY = Pop back tomorrow and it will be FRONT and CENTER!
Now go have a GREAT day!
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by Susan Itell | May 28, 2017 | Step it up Sunday! |
Good Sunday to YOU! I hope that you are having a wonderful Holiday Weekend and here is your “stepped” up version for our 2 day fun that we have on the weekends. This is a card that I wish was in your hands because darn…the camera is just not giving it the love that it sooooo deserves!
I adored yesterdays card as it was sooooo clean and simple but it is that wonderful sentiment that just makes this card. I will say that today I let my “Inner Picasso” have fun and I thought that it was a fun “take” on the sentiment…
We ALL are truly artistic so don’t be afraid to shine!
This was super easy and super fun! If you are looking to change things up and have some FUN…than do this technique. All I did was take scrap piece of paper and cut our 2 circles from our nesting circle dies. If you have some punches, they would work great as well – I just had Mr. Big out for the other pieces.
I like to blend with Tim Holtz Blending tool, just a personal preference as the foam/sponge piece just velcro’s on the base. The link that I shared also has a pack of extra sponges…I like it this way because I put my used sponges in a small zip bag and label the color so I can easily grab and blend away.
I think the reason that I prefer the “tool” is the handle. I tend to be very “heavy handed” with color and I think that this blending tool allows me to have a more even pressure.
After I tap it into the ink, I tap it on my grid sheet and tap…tap…tap some of the ink off so that when I bring it over to the circle stencil there will not be a blob and harsh line. You can see that there appears to be some shading int he circles but there really is not – it was just the amount of ink I put down.
Work in a circular motion to give you the most natural results and also try many colors….you will love the blending of “new” colors when you play. I chose to stick with Pacific Point to keep the monochromatic look!
After I had the FUN of playing and blending with ink…I added the clear Wink of Stella over the pacific point Circles. It is super hard to see the beauty in the pictures but trust me, it is a perfect amount of subtle BLING without being too fussy.
The Wink of Stella Clear is a product that is a must have. It is a secret weapon to pull out to add that little “something-something” to a card.
If you have never watched this video…please watch it before you fool around with your Wink of Stella – once you follow the “how to’s” in getting your Pen primed….you are good to go! A great product for a little cost! It also comes in gold…but I rarely use that one, the clear does the trick for me!
I just think that this is a super FUN card! Just look at the layers and the textures. I added some “Droplets” to the card for a fun feel. I love these little accents and I do have them in colors as well but I tend to use the clear ones often.
Stampin’ Up! does not have these and you can pick them up at craft stores….here is link to Pretty Pink Posh – while you are there – check out this area where you can see how to help you store your BLING….do you remember I blogged about that on a Tuesday Tip last year? – It truly is a game changer! A container that you can GRAB and GO!
Here hopefully you can see the glimmer on the circles from the Wink of Stella Brush Pen. I thought that the droplets would be perfect as I knew that I had dimension on the card because of the layers and face it – there are times that a bit of bulk is WORTH IT!
Yesterday I received a card that was “extra in dimension” like this card would be to mail and even before I opened it up I knew that it was special….and trust me it was! I ask you….We take the time to create….we put our time and love into it – why not spend some extra on postage if you have bulk – the recipient will LOVE IT!
One more look with the fun envelope! I knew that this paper with the FUN polka dots would be a favorite for me. It would be super cute to make a background like I did here with the colors that are in the DSP. I hope that you can see that there are so many different ways that you can mix up techniques and come out with a fun card that is clean and simple!
You all are going to just go bonkers over the new ribbon in this catalog. Stampin’ Up! really….REALLY out did themselves and it was sooooo hard for me to “pick & choose” what to add to my Ribbon Share as I just could not include everything….but I think that the ones that I picked will be keepers for you! Look at the variety of colors that I chose…if you which to participate in a share, email me.
Hopefully your weekend is going great! Yesterday was a full day but a fun and rewarding day. After the strawberry fun we went to a Memorial Day celebration and I will say – I walked away feeling so blessed and proud. The speaker was amazing and truly was able to communicate how special this Holiday Weekend is and how we need to be proud and thankful for all of the men and women that have served our great country.
Thanks for popping in and taking a peek! I can’t wait to hear how you liked this weekend post. Sometimes it is fun to do something a bit different – isn’t that what all creative people do – they try new things to see if they like them….or if they don’t! I just love the fact that you can take simple products that we all have….(our stamp pads) and then use them with shapes and HAVE FUN!
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by Susan Itell | May 27, 2017 | Simple Saturday |
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I have a SUPER simple card for you today but a card that has a BIG punch with the quote! By now you all know that I adore sentiment stamps and as I have learned from my fearless leader and friend, Mary Fish….I take her words of wisdom to heart. She shared with me…when in doubt – go with the sentiment sets. (That link that I hyperlinked for Mary is a video that she has today on her blog about making a perfect bow and ironically…we are using the same stamp!)
This stamp set, Just Add Text is a NEW stamp on the block and it is definitely an “A list” stamp. (that means…it’s a keeper) 😀 Just look at the 6 amazing sentiments in this set. I think that you can quickly see the possibilities of many cards.
There are a couple factors that make my heart skip a beat when I am creating….this card has many of those elements…
- I love white space (or heck, Very Vanilla space) as I think that there is something clean and oh so classic about it!
- I love clean lines….the stitched framelits add just a wee bit of pizzazz but still keep it super clean
- I love layers…to me, layers are like that extra dollop of icing! It just “feels good” when you hold it in your hand
- I love fun and practical ribbon….this is a new one that is just beautiful. You all are going to go nuts with the ribbon selection in the new catalog….remember to check out my Product Shares…
- I love a card that less WORKS and this card is a perfect example of that! 😉
There is also something super special on a monochromatic card. I invite you to try to stick to one color or color family. For many, it is a challenge and they simply do not like the “restrictions” but I think that it is very impactful……
For the ribbon, I first anchored it down with the Fast Fuse and then added a bow on the front secured with a simple glue dot. I think that the stitching on the ribbon and then the stitching on the framelit just makes this card – it is as SIMPLE as that!
Now may I ask you….are you smiling with the fun Polka Dot Paper? It is just adorable and it is from the Birthday Memories DSP Collection and this is a super unique paper offering for Stampin’ Up! as there are framelits that match many of the designs on the paper.
Because I am working with a limited supply if the new DSP’s that are in the new catalog….I found this one and it actually turned out perfectly. Just think – this time next week you will be able to order any of these products!
There you have it….a super simple card that carries a big message. I would not feel guilty one bit that this card literally took minutes to pull together. You betcha that whomever is lucky enough to receive it will be clickin’ their heels!
I hope to see you back tomorrow to see what is up my sleeve – it will be totally different so be prepared!
John and I are probably picking Strawberries while you are reading this with your coffee. We love doing that but we really – REALLY love when it is Blueberry season….(that will be in about 3 weeks) There is something so rewarding and fun to go into a field and pick fresh fruits and vegetables and then coming home and enjoying them.
Speaking of enjoying….I hope that you enjoy your day whatever you are up to and be safe if you are traveling!
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by Susan Itell | May 26, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Do you like to play games…..??? Well...I DO but I have a confession, there are not many people that like to play games with me because – I am…simple in many ways – so face it, I am SIMPLE SUSAN! The words I make in scrabble are small…when playing charades sometimes I get too frustrated that I talk or write a clue on a piece of paper…. 😳
Yesterday I shared with you to bring your calendars today…and here is my method to my madness – pull out the calendar and mark down June 8th – if you are a subscriber to my blog that you will have the FUN GLORY to see the 1st challenge and guess what – I HOPE THAT YOU PLAY WITH US! Please click here to visit the website and then POP back on the 8th and see what the debut challenge tic-tac-toe board is!
The Teams are amazing filled with fun, clever and unique challenges to bring to you. I invite you to take a minute and read the bios on the designers cause’ wowza – lots of talent in this game and that is why I am encouraging YOU to join us on Thursday’s! Playing a fun game of tic-tac-toe will be a great “something-something” to your crafty time. I truly feel honored and blessed to be a part of this game!
We have all played Tic-Tac-Toe for years (well actually decades and decades) so why not still play. 😀 Games are FUN….Games are ADDICTIVE….Games bring out the BEST OF US! I am here for you to be your biggest cheerleader and having a unique challenge will help your creativity.
Let’s get to the card that I made to share with you the SCOOP for the new challenge and I have a funny for you – when I was typing and showed the card to my best critic and hubby – He immediately said – THAT IS A CUTE CARD! I just love it when that happens!
The card was made from the old and the new….but guess what – it is not BLUE! Just think of possibilities that you could have with this card….stamp a fun & quirky sentiment….or just write a note from your heart and you will win the old, the young because everyone loves Tic-Tac-Toe!
I the new catalog we have this fun bundled called Wood Words (hint-hint….we have 24 NEW BUNDLES in the new catalog) but today I am just sharing with you the stamp set….The minute I had the idea to do a TTT Card with you…I knew the 2 stamps I was going to use! I just smile when I see the little images with the rustic sketched lines and that rooster – too darn cute!
The other stamp that I used is an old faithful that has been around a while….Work of Art. It has been a while since I have used this classic and yep…it is carried over – YIPPEE! There are so many unique cards and projects that you can make with this stamp…..this is a set that your inner Picasso will really come alive!
The overall size of this card is a 4 1/2″ square. The “jig” came back out to help me with perfect placement for my TTT Board (he’s been busy this week) I was smiling with this as I thought – hmmmmm….wouldn’t this be fun to make with felt…with other small stamps for the game pieces – the sky is the limit!
I know that we are going to see many super cute cards with this stamp set. I can see the floral stamp heat set with white embossing powder and the quickly watercolored with the aqua painter or the watercolor pencils.
The matting in black helped to POP the game card and to me, it allows your eye to soften the stark black lines of the board. You can see how this tip goes back to what I shared with you yesterday….when you create – stand back and look at it – make little changes to accent not over power!
You can see why I chose this color scheme for todays fun….yep – it is that FUN NEW DSP, Pick a Pattern. It is just too cute than words and I think you will agree, at a first glance you say – it is just too whimsical – NOPE, not at all! It does have some unique patterns (like I used today) but thanks to the flip side…there are classic options! I know that this paper collection will be a huge hit.
I hope that you are smiling when you see the adorable envelope. This is another “piece of plastic” that needs to be in your home. The Envelope Punch Board not only makes super custom envelopes for any size you heart desires but it also makes other fabulous crafty projects – google it and you will be surprised!
How adorable is this paper and that mouse…..I just thought that when I am camping or away having a casual weekend…I love to play games and I thought – the colors are FUN….the paper is FUN….a great choice to pair up with this simple card!
There you go….a great and oh so fun to get you excited for the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge that will be starting on June 8th. This is a Holiday weekend and I hope that you are going to do something fun. Be safe and make lots of memories. Summer is around the corner but I hope that we all reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day.
I will see you in the morning for our 2 day weekend fun. The hourglass has officially turned for the retiring products…. you can click the below image to see what’s there and then shop away! The gift with purchase this month are the Foam Adhesive Strips…a must have in our stampin’ box!
Enjoy the day and remember, sharing kindness in any form will not only make someone happy, you will be beaming as well! 😀
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by Susan Itell | May 25, 2017 | Birthday |
Here is the SCOOP….I have a fun card for you using the same technique that I shared yesterday with a new orientation (vertical) and a more masculine feel with the DSP and color choice. Please click here to see yesterdays post!
I hope that you can sit back and view both of them to see what versatile bundles I used to make a fun card that has a great “foundation” for many card opportunities you have throughout the year. I think that it is fair to say that Birthday Cards are a card that we send out….A BUNCH!
As I shared yesterday, the Window Shopping Bundle IS being carried over but you will not get the instant 10% discount after May 31st and the Biggest Birthday Ever IS LEAVING US on May 31st . I hope that this 2 day post has shown you the potential of these bundles!
The Moroccan DSP is the fun for the day. This paper is on sale right now for just $7.70 and it is a great choice for rich and masculine cards. It truly has a wonderful depth of yummy colors and I love the fact that it coordinates with Very Vanilla. (I love that when SU does that)
This card was as easy as yesterdays card because of the “JIG” – If you missed my video on the “JIG” – please click here and you can see 1st hand how I broke it down to share/show you that it really IS your friend….not just another gadget that you have and do not use!
You can also see below how I carried over the thread in black. A simple touch like this gives your project a texture and depth with minimal effort or cost.
You all know that I do not use doilies often but this was a great addition to break up the cone. I invite you to stand back and “look at” where you are with a project…and when you think it needs a little “something-something” – just try to find an addition that will “enhance” rather than reinventing the wheel with a dramatic change (hope this makes sense)
To me, this little touch also gives a “texture” to the overall feel of the card!
Now that I have played with the stamps in the window shopping bundle….I need to do some fun posts with the adorable box/3-D that this bundle offers!
You can see how those 6″ X 6″ scrap squares are coming in handy after I re-organized my DSP getting ready for the NEW Catalog debut which is one week from today!!!! WOOT-WOOT!!!
It is not to late to take advantage of my Product Shares that I am offering for the NEW Catalog. You can click here and/or go to the drop down box (Product Shares) on my Blog Header. I will do a 2nd wave of shares…but that will not be until June 19th so if I were you…I would HOP IN NOW!
Enjoy the day and I will see you in the morning….please have your calendar handy as I am some FUN NEWS for you to jot down!
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