by Susan Itell | Mar 8, 2019 | Just Because..., Uncategorized |
Happy Friday to you and I know that you are as excited as I am as…WOOT-WOOT….we change the clocks this weekend and for me…that is simply MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!
As much as I always am looking for that 25th, 26th etc….hour in a day to do more things that bring me joy…I willGLADLY lose an hour to gain more sunshine!!! I am sooooooo ready for Spring!
I have a beauty for you today that I have just been itchin’ to share with you! I know that many of you enjoyed my last post of beautiful flowers and today I have another one but with a totally different feel! I made this several weeks ago and every time I see it…I smile so I decided to take some time this morning and type up a post.
As my subject line used the word “elegance” I googled the definition of it and below you will see what came up and YEP….I think that this card deserves this special word….as to me, it shines simple elegance!
noun
- the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner; style.
- the quality of being pleasingly ingenious and simple; neatness.
The star of todays post is the Wonderful Romance Bundle! YEP, I am going to share with you the answers of the “why’s” that I had when I asked myself…..do I need to purchase this bundle!
I have been sharing with you the thought process of how I decide to hit the button as trust me, I GET IT as we cannot simply have everything and I am no different even if I get it at a 25% discount or at 50% off discount (like I did with this one)!
I know that the below thoughts take up a bunch of reading for you but I do hope that you find them helpful – it not….please share with me in the comments (the good and also the bad) as it does help me in hen-pecking on the computer! My goal is to be honest and upfront with you in helping you make a decision!
- IT IS A MUST BUNDLE….I say this because there are many times that I do not find it useful for my needs to get a bundle. There are times that I just feel the stamp would be all I need and/or vice versa with the dies…..but for this one – the BUNDLE is a must!
- The images of the stamps are just beautiful. Today I used the blends to color it in and that was total “easy peasy” as I was with some of my stampin’ friends and knew I wanted to work on something that I could do 2 things at once…..TALK & GET SOMETHING DONE = mission accomplished!
- The sentiments are fab-o and the font speaks to me as I adore when there are 2 styles of fonts together on one sentiment.
- I ADORE the (2) secret weapon stamps in this set that I bet most of you overlooked…..(1) is the little scattered dots and (2) is that wee little flower – WHY DO I LIKE THESE???…. easy = they are great little “something-somethings” to add to a card quickly when you look at something and say….it needs just something else…trust , having simple images like this will do the trick!
- FRAMELITS – not much to say here as they are AMAZING! When I saw the card sample on page 10 in the Occasions Catalog (image below) with the Soft Sea Foam card….I caved, as that did it for me…..just look at the detail! To me, this vertical die is just a show stopper and again, timeless and classic!….2 elements that are always important to me!!
- Remember what I said about the wee little flower? Well….you can see that there are (4) dies to cut out that little guy (THANK YOU Stampin’ Up! – that is soooo appreciated and also so smart!)
- Lastly about the framelits….this beauty below – a total keeper! I know you can easily visualize a sentiment with this gem….or even it tucked behind another element as a layering piece! You know me….I love my paper!!!
Ok – there you go…..let’s get to some pictures of this beauty! I hope that the camera does justice in your crafty eyes as I just adore this clean and simple card! Hopefully Ramsey will chime in on the comments as she was sitting with me when I made this and when I finished it said to her….well….what are your thoughts about this?
I loved her answer….”Did you just make this?”….I laugh and said, YEP!
As I said above, I used the Stampin’ Blends to color this…you can see below the colors that I used. I am often asked….what blends do you recommend to have?….and I am so sorry as you are not going to like the answer but here you go…..you need to have all of them!
YEP….all of them and the reason is…how in the world can you make a decision as to what color you are going to work with on a given day? I know that there are many of you that might be taken back by this comment and I get it….but again, I am being honest.
Stampin’ Up! was super smart to come out with the Blends. An alcohol based marker are dream machines and I have shared many times that I love and have an obscene amount of Copic Markers personally and I LOVE THEM…..but I also have all of the Blends as well so I can showcase them for you with Stampin’ Up! projects!
Again, being able to get the Blends at a 25% off discount is a no-brainer for me and as I simply cannot say enough, well over 90% of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators are hobbists and Stampin’ Up! make is ridiculously easy to become a Hobbiest Demo with no penalties to drop ever….even if you are getting a starter kit and filling it with all blends!!!!
Trust me…I love a deal and I think that I am a pretty savvy shopper….and I am probably just like you and shop from MANY different Stamp Companies and guess what….that is OK – there will not be someone knocking on your door arresting you that you have other companies goodies – if that was the case….I would have a LIFE TIME SENTENCE WITH NO POSSIBLE CHANCE OF GETTING OUT!!!!
I just HAVE TO point out some things below and I have them watermarked on the picture for you…..DO NOT OVERLOOK simplicity and layers when you create! I just ADORE the sprigs when I use both vellum and paper together…..and GO OUT OF THAT BOX that we get stuck in….look and use what you have – little bits here and there make a project!
WHEW…..well, do you agree…???? is it a “keeper card”
I am sorry that my posts are always so long….I just can’t seem to help it as… I am what I am. For me, it is way more important for you to understand and get a feel of where I am coming from…I love to craft, I love to create…and I love to share…I never started this”gig” to pay a mortgage or tuition….I do this for ME and I do this for MY CRAFTING HABIT!
Feel free to email me if you want any more details or have specific questions – this IS the best time of the year to make that decision as during Sale-A-Bration…..you will be able to get soooooo much more for your starter kit……you can pick $175.00 worth of ANYTHING and just pay $99.00 and it SHIPS FREE!!! (shipping fees REALLY make me grumpy) and this is another $17.50 discount
Remember, you only have until March 31st to take advantage….of getting this extra $50.00 of free goodies for the starter kit – I say – click here and get going!
Now can you see…..that is a GREAT DEAL – even if your heart just wants the blends…..look at it this way – you can get 19 SETS OF BLENDS COMBOS ($9.00 each) as your starter kit and just pay $99.00 – (***I only recommend that you purchased the combo packs as lets face it….you are getting 2 different colors even if you never care to “blend”)
We all look at things in different ways and that’s what makes us all tick! I just love to share with you what I create and share how you too can get things at a discount. It honestly makes no difference to me….as with or without you as a SUD….this gal is gonna craft until I simply can’t hold my scissors!
Now go and have a GREAT DAY and don’t forget to change your clocks!!!!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 27, 2018 | 3-D Projects, Gift Set Ideas, Just Because..., Super Easy |
Happy Monday….Happy New Week…can you believe that this is the LAST WEEK of the month! Yikes, the calendar is putting age on us! When I hear the word “September”…I think of kids going to school….and then I think of….here it comes….hang tight… as the next 3 Months will be the “trifecta” time of the year !!! Let the holidays roll!
Friday just simply did not happen but have no fear…I am here to sow you how you can make the perfect compliment to the Note Cards and Envelopes that I blogged about using the Abstract Impressions AMAZING Stamp Set! I really do love this little gem and yes, I did cave in and bought it as a bundle but honestly….if you like super clean designs, just get the stamp as it is one that you will use over and over….
I am going to share with you the colors that I used for the Note Cards when I stamped them. I had lots of comments and emails about that so keep reading as I will share!
Here is a great tip that I recommend that you do…PLAY and just have FUN with all different color combinations. I think that you will be amazed with how even just stamping off and also double stamping a color will give you a great effect if you do not have a bunch of ink colors!
I can remember a great little tip that a wonderful elderly man gave me when I was gardening one day just after I was married…..decades ago! 🙂 I was very young and did not know a thing about gardening and colors etc…This tip stuck with me stuck with me as I was trying to be a perfectionist.
Sweet little Mr. Kunkleman came over and said….looks like your having a hard time deciding what to plant? I said, yep….I just do not have the same amount and the color won’t match and be balanced. He sweetly and kindly looked at me and said…it really doesn’t matter because God loves and splashes all colors…everywhere with all sorts of textures and heights…just plant them and you will see how the mix beautifully and will pop with color!
Where does this go with stampin’? EASY…do not stress!!!
I admit, I think of him and this advice often when I get stressed out with finding the perfect colors when I stamp. When you really stop and think about it…it doesn’t matter, what matters is that you are having fun creating! Here is another thing that I often will say to myself – does it really matter???….my cards and the images I stamp and color are my own little imaginary world…the important part to always remember, is to have fun!
Here are the colors that I used for the above sweet notecards!
Remember….no rules – just have fun!
- Top left – The grass/stems are Granny Apple Green and Garden Green. The flowers Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape were both STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Top right – The grass/stems are Mint Macaron and Tranquil Tide. The flowers Petal Pink (full strength) and Calypso Coral was STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Bottom left – The grass/stems are Lemon Lime Twist and Pear Pizzazz.The flowers are Coastal Cabana and Bermuda Bay were both STAMPED OFF ONCE and then I stamped the color.
- Bottom right – The grass/stems are Granny Apple Green and Garden Green . The flowers Daffodil Delight STAMPED OFF ONCE and the stamped in the same color FULL STRENGTH.
Now I know what you are also going to want….the SCOOP on making the Box! I have blogged about this before and you can click here to see a more detailed post on the box….but below you will see quick bullet points that will give most of you the details that you really need.
If I were you….I would make a box today and then write the measurements and scoring scoop down. Trust me, you will make this over and over….another reason that a “formula concept” always works!
For the Box:
- Granny Apple Green Cardstock – 8″ X 11″
- Score on the 8″side (shorter) at 2″ & 6″ I do use and suggest the Simply Scored Tool….I always think that leave a deeper impression than the trimmer…again, it is a basic tool that we all need and will use!
- Turn Paper to the 11″ side (longer) and score at 4 1/2″ & 6 1/2″
- Fold In and use Bone Folder to give a great crease
- Cut in the scored lines
- Use Tear & Tape as shown and fold in sides
Decorating the box: (these below are correct – in one of the pictures I had them mixed up…!)
- The White piece on the front is 3″ X 3 3/4″ and then I did score some lines as I think this adds a bunch! You can see that I only stamped one grouping of flowers as on the notecards I did use 2 groupings for each notecard.
- The DSP on front is 2″ X 3 3/4″
- The DSP on back is 2 1/2″ X 3 3/4″ and remember to only put adhesive on 3 sides as this is just a pocket to put 12 stamps in! If you do not want to put any stamps on your project, simply leave the back plain. Sometimes I put DSP all around the box but really….it is not necessary – it looks great as it!
I want to chat about the envelopes! You know that on Wednesday I shared with you that I used the 6″ X 6″ DSP paper found in the Annual Catalog on page 191! I ADORE THESE PAPERS and I am just so happy that Stampin’ Up! decided to bring them back! I love them so much because they take the guess work out of having to find a perfect match with DSP to your project!
I know that many of you LOVE TO HOARD your DSP and trust me, I get that. I am offering these again on my PRODUCT SHARE that is going on right now – IT IS ADD ON #2 (yep, you still have time to place a share order) as these handy 6 X 6 sheets come in each and every color of our color collection and they are in fun polka dots and stylish stripes!
Scroll back up to the picture that has the notecard samples and you can see that I used the different stripes and polka dots on each of the samples! If you want to take advantage of these in the Product Share or any other shares for that matter…..please email me and put in the subject line HOLIDAY PRODUCT SHARE and I will reserve it for you!
For these envelope I simply cut the paper to 1 1/2″ X 6″ and then use a 1/4″ strip of cardstock. you can see above that there is a week pit of envelope showing! No worries, just trim the envelope a wee bit shorter!
This is kinda getting back to that thing that I say to you…..DO NOT STRESS….do not worry about perfection…..just do it and have fun! By cutting the paper this way, you can cover (4) envelope flaps per sheet of paper!!!! Another reason why I love these papers – I had many requests to offer these again in a share….so here you go – your chance to get each and every color and design!
I hope that this post has brought you inspiration and smiles and I also hope that it brings to you a gentle nudge to not be so hard on yourself. Trust me, this is something that I have to work on each and everyday as self care for myself is a SUPER HARD thing to do! I am definitely one that likes to give and give to others before doing something kind for myself!
This is one of those reasons why I love stamping so much….it gives me some “me time” and is truly a therapy for me…there is nothing like paper, ink, stamps…..
If you were to poll my peeps and ask them what is one of the all time “MOM things/quotes” that I have said to them OVER AND OVER as they were growing up and experiencing situations…growths….obstacles etc….it would probably be this…
“If there is no joy in the journey…than there is no joy at the journey’s end!”
I invite you to read this and then re-read it and then think about how true it is in many aspects of our lives! Let’s take stamping for example…I adore stamping…I adore creating….but if I came to a place that it was stressful, not fun, making me grumpy and resentful than I would do this – simply stop it…now this WILL NEVER happen with me as I adore expressing myself with handmade love.
I think that you get where I am going…we all have choices in life and let’s face it…it is so much easier and rewarding doing something that you get joy from than having to do something that stresses you….life is just to darn tootin’ short!
OK — enough of LIFE STUFF….I think you all know me well enough by now…I love what I do and I share with you through my blog snippets of who I am and what makes me roll! Speak of making me roll….this type of project makes me roll and it is something that I make often with all different stamps!
One last picture of this gem….I do not know about you but I adore these new Mr. Rogers Stamps that the Post Office has. I am a stamp hoarder (yep, I admit) and between these and the new Scooby Doo Stamps…..I am smiling! My sweet little Post Office often sells out of new stamps as they do not get a bunch in….so remember, check the USPS Website…they will have all stamps!
Well…there you go – inspiration… “how to’s” to make a perfect, useful and practical gift! Have a great day and remember that we are on the LAST WEEK to take advantage of the Bonus Days where you will get a $5.00 Coupon Code from Stampin’ Up! for every increment of $50.00 that you spend! You can use them in September and if I were you…..I would wait until the 5th – when the new holiday catalog goes live!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 20, 2018 | formula, Just Because... |
Good Monday to each and everyone of you and I hope that you had a great weekend! We did and I was able to be quite crafty over the weekend, which made me feel super good, and John and I also went to see the new Mamma Mia movie. There is just something about seeing a musical that makes you skip a beat – it was a cute movie!
Now how about some inspiration? I admit, I was super happy with the end result of this card and I can see myself making many more cards using this same basic “formula” and simply change up the stamp set and DSP.
Before we get into the “nuts and bolts “ of this card I need to share and give credit where this AMAZING card idea came from today. I “jump started” today’s card from fellow demonstrator Sandy Carlson from Minnesota. I can’t even remember how we began our connection with one another but wow; Sandy is so darn sweet and also so darn talented.
Sandy sent me this card after we returned home from the Alaskan Cruise. Now you know me and my style….fun folds and lots going on usually stress me about but when I opened this card from Sandy, I beamed from ear to ear as I just loved the colors and also the “mechanics” of this card! I thought….WOW, I could even make this!
So as we say in the good old Stampin’ world…here is my version of CASE-ing ….and I hope that you find it fun and give it a try! As I always share with you….when I give you a “formula” with all of the measurements etc…I strongly encourage you to try it…even if you do not have the stamp and DSP that I am using….
WHY??? Easy, by trying it (physically) with following the measurements etc….it is the BEST way to give the formula a “test drive” and see how you like it, see if it is a style of card that you would make again.
I would also encourage you to write down (or print off) the measurements and also jot down the date of this post. WHY? Easy (again) as this way you will be able to pop back to my blog and refer to it in the future!
OK…you can see clearly that Sandy’s card is just fabulous…and the changes that I did were not huge and after you see my dimensions you will clearly be able to figure out how to make it just like Sandy did….all I did was add some “Susan touches” to mix it up a bit….so a HUGE thank you to Sandy for not only inspiring me with today’s card but also for always being that ray of sunshine!
Now to the “formula” and a bunch of pictures for you. I hope that you enjoy and I also hope that you will go and make one…and as the sentiment says…kindness changes everything!
- Piece of Thick Whisper White 4 ¼” X 5 ½” – this will be the back of the card. I chose to do this, as I love to hide the mechanics of a card as much as I possibly can.
- You will need a Blueberry Bushel Card Base….go ahead and make it an A-2 card size but then take it to the trimmer and cut off 1/8” from both sides making it a card that measures 4 1/8” X 5 3/*’…..later this will make sense to you…..hang tight!
- Cut a piece of Whisper White (I use the regular weight for the insides of my cards) to 4” X 5 ¼”
- The DSP for the card from is from the Garden Expressions 6 X 6 paper stack (love this paper) and trim it to 3 ¾” X 5”
- Cut a mat of Whisper White to go behind the DSP 3 7/8” X 5 1/8”, (you could skip this but I think matting the DSP really adds a special touch…)
- The dimensions of the banner part is in Blueberry Bushel at 1” X 6” and then I scored it twice starting at 4” and then one notch over (4 1/8”)….score and burnish the score lines. (the why I did this will be later…hang tight!!!)
- For the envelope…same drill as Simple Susan loves to do, 1 /4” of a solid card stock and then a 2” piece of DSP….this way you can do 3 envelopes from a sheet of 6” X 6”.
Now let’s chat about stamping this card! I used the Stamparatus as this is the single BEST WAY to make sure that you have not only a good clean and crisp stamped image but it makes it a breeze to make up multiples of cards at one time.
Another amazing thing that is super helpful about the Stamparatus is…you can go ahead and cut multiples of shapes (like I used the stitched Ovals to stamp on) and just crank them out without having to line up the stamped image.
In the below picture the light will shine for you…..and let me guess what you are thinking…..a great idea…right!?!? Yep it is, this is a template for you to use over and over. (I keep all of the ones that I make up in a stamp case)
I stamped the sentiment on the white stitched over and then matter it with an oval that it a bit bigger from the Ovals Collection Die Set. I want you to think about this….as once again, what am I using……THE BASICS!!!
The other thing that I stamped was a super sweet sentiment on the inside of the card from the Varied Vases Bundle. This is one of those Bundles that are a MUST HAVE for every stamper. It is just so unique and classic!
I think that it is pretty straight forward in how this card all came together but I want to shed some light on you as to why I made the changes. Again, the card was perfect from the start that Sandy did but I wanted to bump it up some and make it my own as after all, that is what CASEing is all about…..
Copy And Share Everything while giving the credit to the creator and then possibly making small changes to make it reflect your work and style. I know that these are more steps than I usually do but heck, I adore it and I thought it totally reflected my style of card making!
My main objective was hiding the folds on the banner and also having a solid front panel. The reason that I scored the banner lines in 2 measurements (just one notch over) was to allow for the thickness of all of the paper.
I used fun foam to pop up the DSP Element of the card. You know that I blog often about using fun foam. I like it for a solid mass like this as it gives the card such stability when you hold it in your hands.I know that this is just a personal preference of mine but it is one of those things that I do just about all of the time when I have a larger area to pop up…..I am not a fan of sagging and I also do not want to peel off a ca-zillion release papers from the dimensionals.
I just buy fun foam in white from Amazon and you will be shocked with how long it will last you. For this I cut the fun foam to 3 ½ X 4 ¾”. I keep a container for all of my scraps of fun foam as you can use even the teeniest of pieces! For smaller areas and odd shapes, I would use the Stampin’ Dimensions” as well as the Mini Stampin’ Dimensioals.
You adhere the finished “blueberry card part” to the piece of Thick Whisper White and presto….you have a beautiful card that you cannot see the seams of the ovals/strip of Blueberry and also you cannot see the adhered back part of the strip as you have the white back to hide the back fold of the banner strip.
Call me “type A” and yep, I admit it and agree but this is how I roll. I am just like you…I love to create and when I create I simply get “lost” in the process. I know you agree with me, it’s a fun journey to be on!
Little finishing touches of the white gel pen on both the card and the envelope made the whole thing come together! Remember, it’s the little touches that add up to be biggies!
There you go….a bit of inspiration to jump start your week! Thoughts..comments…..ideas & suggestions? Please feel free to leave a comment as we all love to read them and I truly think that this is how we learn and grow.
I feel blessed to have a strong community of old faithful blog followers and trust me; your comments really do make a difference. On Wednesday I have another cutie that will make you smile….I look forward to seeing you then!
On Friday I shared the Product Share offerings that I will be having with the new upcoming Holiday Catalog. I have NOT emailed confirmations out yet so if you emailed me….no worries – I will be sending confirmations out starting Wednesday.
With the way that the upcoming months will go…just ZOOMING BY….I would try to get in the first wave of the product shares….then you will be getting out of the gate in style and hopefully less likely to experience any delays with backorders…..SHAME on me….I should not even think of that…..we know….things like this can happen!
See you in just 2 short days….and do not forget – this is the time to stock up on the basics….for every $50,00 you spend, Stampin’ Up! will give you a $5.00 code (via email) that you can use next month to get off your September purchase…..WOOT-WOOT….as the NEW Catalog will be live!!!!
Thanks for spending some time with me today and remember, Kindness DOES changes everything! Yesterday I was on my way home from Yoga and on the back country roads there was a car stopped…..I thought that perhaps his car broke down and I was going to offer to see if he was ok….and YEP – he was ok…..he stopped to pick up a Turtle and put him on the side of the road so he didn’t get hit…..
I smiled….and thought…..YES, this simple act of kindness warms my heart! Now go and make someone else smile!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 13, 2018 | formula, Just Because... |
Good Monday to all! Many, MANY thanks to all of you that popped on the blog over the weekend and left a message for the BLOG CANDY! It was super fun to read the comments and wow…we are all over this beautiful country! (I have my eye of you stampers in the Pacific Northwest….you never know when I might pop in as I do love your area and with Hannah moving there for at least the next 6 years…..hmmmmmm – sounds like a stampin’ fun time)
Before we get to the winner, I need some help. It has been brought to my attention that some people are having a difficult time leaving a comment on my blog. Some say it is an error message, some say that I have blocked you….not we all know….I would NEVER block you…so please send me an email if these have happened so I can communicate to Intergrant Services (they take care of the behinds of my blog)
Ok – enough housekeeping (I will put the broom away) – Let’s get to the fun stuff….who won and this super fun and layout that I have for you today! The WINNER-WINNER Chicken Dinner for the 7 new Holiday Catalog Swatch Books is…..
WANDA BEERS from Delaware
Woot-Woot and I hope that you PUSH THAT CHAIR AWAY and get up and DO THAT DANCE…the HAPPY DANCE as we all should never go a day without a little dance in our day! (Trust me, if my dogs could talk – they would tell you what a pathetic dancer and singer I am but heck…in my own home it makes me feel good and no one else will know)
Please email me with your address and I will gladly send you this card today with your DSP Swatches! Later in this week I will blog about the next Product Share….from the NEW upcoming Holiday Catalog that will be making its debut on Wednesday, September 5th!
There is one thing that is common with us stampers and Wanda touched on it with her comment….many of us love to make our Holiday Cards… and – I get it – as it is a reflection of your love for creating with your own hands to celebrate and unite with family and friends! The new upcoming catalog will get your creative juices flowing….
On to this SUPER CUTE CARD…..I am just bonkers over it as it looks like a Designer Series Paper on the front of the card but NOPE…it is just SIMPLE stamping…using the super simple (and a lot of times forgotten) stamping off technique. For you newbies….saying WHAT THE HECK is stamping off??? Let me shine the light for you….is is just this – plain and oh so simple!!!
Stamp FULL STRENGTH and then WITHOUT INKING…stamp again…
I told you that was easy….right??? I do forget about doing this and now that I have all of the NEW Ink Pads…they are good and juicy so the effect is ever that much better. I did CAVE IN and purchase all of them as I not only love how they stamp, but I love the new way of opening and shutting them.
CONFESSIONS of an honest stamper….(I always try to give you the good, bad and ugly) as face it – we all have certain preferences in what we like etc. At first I was a bit grumpy with how tight the new ink pads are but hang in there, the more you open and close them…they DO GET much easier so now my frown turned into a smile!
This fun and colorful card is made using the Tropical Chic Bundle. Is that font beautiful or what! Right up my classic and clean alley! The colors that you could use with this bundle are simply endless but today I was also working with the Tropical Textures DSP stack (for the envelope back flap ONLY) so I kept it super clean and classic just using white, granny apple green and good old basic black!
I do want to point out the (5) elements that MAKE this card. I am pointing them out as you might miss it in the pictures and you know me, it is the little touches that make the difference! (as always, all of the products that I use will be at the end of the post)
- I know that I have already touched on this but the stamping off of the granny apple green and turning the stamp to a different angle when I stamped of really made a difference and also gave the card a bit of depth.
- I scored a line on all 4 sides of the granny apple green card front. I always use the thick whisper white as my card base as I am a stickler for a heavy/solid card foundation and then if I am using a solid color (like I am doing today) I simple cut that to the size of the front, 4 1/4″ X 5 1/2″ . (I wish that you could see my simply scored board….it has so many wear makes as I reach for it ALL OF THETIME – I sooooo much prefer scoring like this over the trimmer as I think you can get a deeper score line with this tool)
- I sprinkled clear embossing powder over the black stamped sentiment and heat set it with the heat tool. It is super easy to do and YES, if you work quickly all you have to do is sprinkle the clear embossing over your stamped image and POOF – a super classic and added touch that will make the recipient run their hand over and over with a WOW – how did she do that?
- Check out that BEAUTIFUL die-cut geometrical piece! It is from the Stained Glass Thinlit die offering. I rarely and I mean rarely do this but I did NOT purchase the bundle for this offering…..(as truth be told I did not like the style of the font for the sentiments) but I was WOWED by the die-cuts. Look how fun this is as I took the ribbon and weaved it simply in and out…..LOVE IT!!!! Here is a tip that will make you smile….I used the multipurpose adhesive sheets on the back of the white cardstock…PRESTO no sticky fingers!
- I used the stitched shape circle on the large one and then did a quick and simple black dot accent around the sentiment circle and also added larger black dots randomly around the stamped leave background!
Hopefully this all make sense to you but I invite you to read and re-read the above points and then think about this….are the imperative to do? NOPE, not at all but I will say….try them and they ask yourself again…..and my hunch is….you will agree with me, the little extras DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Trust me, I totally “get it” that there are many times that we simply do not have the extra time (especially with the heat embossing) but I am pointing them out to you as it is my hope and desires to continue to teach you that there are many ways that you can bump it up a bit.
Once you start integrating adding little touches to your work, it will become a habit. (I have to smile as many cards that I receive from blog readers will come with a “fun envelope” and you say….thanks for getting me started in not sending out a “naked envelope”)
Last week I shared with you that I think that many of you forget about using the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets for projects you work on and I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you to try them…..once you understand and practice with them you will never be without them.
Here is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to get try the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets…
I usually offer an incentive with orders of the threshold of $75.00 + but this month I will do it for orders of $50.00+. I will send you (12) 6 ” X 6″ pieces of the multipurpose adhesive sheets along with THIS FANTASTIC geometric border so you can see your for YOURSELF how wonderful it is to be able to peel back the adhesive sheet and adhere to a project!
Why am I change the threshold this month??? – well I thought that this is fair as it would be like “peanut butter and jelly” with the incentive that Stampin’ Up! offering…for every $50.00 you spend (before tax & shipping) they will send you a $5.00 off coupon code that you can spend next month!!!
WOOT-WOOT – I do not know about you but I’ll take each and every $5.00 off that I can get…..(I am racking mine up myself) but please remember……KEEP THE CODE …you’ll need it next month!
One question I have been asked….(for example)…if I spend $110.00 will I get (2) coupons….and the answer is YEP….you will be able to take $10.00 on your order next month.
There you go my friends! I hope that you found this post informative and I hope that you do take the time to think about how you can add some simple steps into your creating to make a difference. The biggest walkaway I want you to have is…
Whatever you do…it DOES make a difference as YOU DID IT and that in itself is a gift that no one can put a price tag on. Simply kindness is ALWAYS in style and we all know how proud we are when we send a homemade card of love to others!
Let’s all have a GREAT week….I will be sending out the Holiday Catalogs out to my customers that have ordered $50.00 + from me over the past 6 months along with something that will make you say….well – I just HAVE TO HAVE THIS……starting towards the end of the week. Yep, HAPPY MAIL from Maryland….
I am playing catch-up on incentives from June (the simply shammy) and July (the natures twine) so they will also be with your catalog (and depending on the orders this week….I will go ahead and send you THIS MONTHS incentive of the (12) 6″ X 6″ sheets of multipurpose adhesive sheets and a sample of the geometric thinlit with the adhesive on it)
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by Susan Itell | Jun 19, 2018 | Blends, Bundles, Just Because... |
Happy Tuesday to you and I admit….I was fearful that I was going to forget how to blog!!! I think that this is the absolute longest that I have gone from blogging but please do not think that I have not been busy…as the Product Share Orders kept me full time each day and they are all complete and OUT THE DOOR! (whew, a great feeling !!!)
Life on Randall Lane has been busy and I feel like there are sooooooo many “funnies” to share with you and I will on another day as I think you will laugh….BIG TIME with some of the shenanigans that have been going on with the critters! Poor Daisy Mae…she is a grumpy piggy with the heat and my family thinks I spoil her with air conditioning….heck I say – a girl has to do what a girl needs to do! I promise I will share as I know you enjoy my animal stories!
Today I have for you a card that I think is going to make you smile, well at least I hope so! When I am woking on Product Shares, I get to know the new products really well! I watch sooooo many videos while cutting and sorting! It is funny, products that I did not give much emphasis to clearly make me look at it differently and this bundle is one that perked my interest…the Serene Garden Bundle.
You have heard me blog about this before but here it is again…I adore looking at the catalog for inspiration as the amazing pictures of projects in the catalog will make you have a “spring board” to start your creative juices to flow! (page 166) I think the thing that intrigued me about attempting to make todays card was the Pool Party pop of color around the stamped image.
The coloring on this card was all done with the Stampin’ Blends. They make coloring a breeze. One question I am asked many times is…what colors do I need? Hang tight as you might think I am being over board on this one but here you go….YOU NEED THEM ALL! Yep, you heard me…you need them all as I just cannot imagine sitting down to work on a project and being limited to waht you can do and what you cannot do because of the color options!
The Blends (page page 205) are an alcohol based marker that makes coloring as fun as the day when you were a “grasshopper” and got the new box of Crayola Crayons (now THIS IS a great memory as getting a new box felt like you hit the jackpot). They come in a light and a dark but I would just look at the column on the right and purchase them as a combo pack as you DO WANT both the light and dark of each coloring offering!
WHY DID THEY DO THIS LIKE THIS??? Easy….you will see that you will gravitate and use certain colors more than others, just like we do with our cardstock and stamps that we use. The great thing is that YOU WILL be able to purchase just what you need in case you have to reorder on one Blend….not having to get it as a set.
Using an alcohol based marker allows you to color without marker streaks and here is a myth…as many of you think that you need to understand the whole blending and shading scoop…NOPE – you can get GREAT results without knowing any of this stuff! I did all of this with straight forward putting the Blend to the paper! Once you get comfy with the Blends, then you can experiment with shading etc….
There is SOOOOOO much to chat about this new catalog and darn it, I wish that we all lived in the same town so we could chat in person (the reality is…our families would NEVER see us cause’ we would have a BIG OLD TIME together) But for me, a NEW CATALOG takes time to settle in and get to know! I am looking so forward to sharing you things that I love in a clean and simple way!
One thing that is FOR SURE is…
Stampin’ Up! ROCKS IT with DSP and the color coordination across the entire product line!
I am just goo-goo over the Garden Impressions DSP Stack! It is just over the top beautiful and truth be told, I am drawn more to the flip side of this paper that I am using today but I wanted to stretch my comfort zone and use this side…and I learned a lesson – I loved the end result!!! When I showed my best critic (my sweet hubby John) he smiled and said – this is great and what makes it is that background! (and then I smiled)
I often like to cover the entire panel of a card front. To me, it makes an instant impact. Speaking of impact…the new color of Gray Granite is my new favorite Neutral! I invite you to play with this color as it is one that makes a subtle project rock, a bold project rock etc…I did a wee mat of it around the focal portion of the card today! Just a little goes a long way and IT’S WORTH IT!
You just cannot go wrong with paper…I love to layer, I love to pop up – taking that extra step, taking that extra time will clearly show up in the end result. I like to look at layering as an accessory…just like when we dress ourselves, a scarf can make a fun outfit a wow outfit…just like paper does with our card designs!
Speaking of extra touches…how about this Linen Thread? It’s like a crisp white blouse in your closet…you ALWAYS need this! I love to wrapped several strands of the Linen Thread around when I create as I think the texture and effect makes a difference.
I like to run my Linen Thread (and also I do this with Bakers Twine) through a Bees Wax thingie???? (I have linked it for you from Jo Ann’s Fabric) but I am sure you can get them many places….I might be creative but I cannot sew worth a lick! I do this because it make the thin stands “behave and make a perfect bow with both texture and substance” I secure my bows with a simple glue dot – works every time!
The sentiment….super cute, right?!?! The font is right up my alley and this is from the amazing bundle, Varied Vases! I wish that Stampin’ Up! would share with us what products are on the tops but I would wagger to say that this one…has to be in the top 3! It is super special as not only is is a clean and oh so versatile bundle but the price point is perfect!
I know that you all have seen many amazing projects with this set and it is one that will be a classic through the test of time! Perfect for all occasions…and paper piecing….one of my favorite techniques to do (watch for future posts with this technique). I am also super “family proud” as this bundle was created by my upline, Mary Fish for becoming a million dollar SU seller….you can see her clean and classic style! I guess I could say, I’m proud of my SU Mama!
I simply took a 1/2″ piece of Calypso Coral cardstock and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. This IS a technique that I never get tired of as the WOW comes back to you just as it was the first time you did it! This is funny….I can remember that after I purchased the Heat Tool I could hardly wait for John to get home to show him the magic! (kinda silly that as an adult things like this makes us feel giddy)
The 2 most important tips I can give you for great Heat Embossing results are….get the Heat Tool good and hot before you bring it to the project to set…and you DO NEED the embossing buddy…this helps with stray pieces of embossing powder to your area that you are heat setting. Both of these products are a one time investment!
I often get emails about how do I get the embossing powder off of my darker cardstock after heat embossing. Here you go – I keep Swifter Clothes in my work area and use them often! (You can get them at any Grocery Store but I linked you to Amazon for convenience) and I cut them into smaller sizes and use them for many things….cleaning off the white reside from the embossing buddy…removing any excess embossing powder that is on my work area etc….
I love the look of white embossing on a color cardstock…clean and classic!
Speaking of things I love…I love my envelopes!
This is something that I do with each and every card I send out… to me, it is all about first impressions and when you receive a card in the mail and see some envelope love to it….I know what happens, you smile! Trust me, I “get it” as I am the same way and it is funny that when John brings the mail in and sees that I have some “happy mail” from someone….he will SPOT OUT THE ENVELOPE and say….this will make you smile – it’s a pretty envelope!
With this card today I wasn’t feeling the love to put this DSP on the outer flap like I usually do so I thought – make your own envelope in Pool Party to pull it all together! This IS a great example of envelope love! There is an instant WOW with a colorful envelope and making one with the envelope punch board is a cinch. (you have heard me say this….but this IS the best piece of plastic you can buy for $20.00)
It just took an 8″ X 8″ square of cardstock to create this smile! For those of you that like to make square cards like I do…you can easily whip up any size using the trusty guide on the front.
Are you hanging in there???? I am sorry that my posts are so darn long but I cannot help it sometimes – it is always my goal to inspire you and help you “see where I am coming from” with my projects! Remember, it’s ME…..SIMPLE SUSAN so I do not showcase anything that I do not like personally and I am just who I am with my style of blogging!
I am sooooo happy that many of you enjoyed the Blog Post of how I organize my Cardstock….I am going to pop in there today and respond to your comments! Being organized just makes this whole process of this “addiction we have” so much more enjoyable and it also allows us not to over buy.
The next post I am going to do is how I organize my Designer Series Paper! Trust me, you will be SHOCKED with how little room it takes up and I have every offering that Stampin’ Up! has! It is all about the process and all about having the right products!
Enjoy the day and I am sooooo hoping to have more “me time” today in my studio! I just wanna play with the new kids on the block! All of the products that I used to create this sweet card will be found below!!! See you soon!
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by Susan Itell | Mar 27, 2018 | Birthday, Just Because... |
Happy Tuesday and I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend!
Before we get to this post I need your help with some feedback if you have been experiencing issues with my blog. I was having some computer issues and I have received emails that there are issues with the comment section and also delivery. If you have experienced this, please email me so I can properly try to see what is up!
WHEW…you know me and computers…not a happy marriage – let’s get to the fun!
Can you believe that this is the last week of the Month….and that is NO April Fools! We are blessed with a glorious sunny day and the card that I have for you today is perfect to go with this perfect day of sunshine! You know we have been talking about using up the DSP we have stashed….so here you go, more inspiration!
Today I am going to the Annual Catalog with the Bunch of Blossoms Photopolymer Stamp Set. I do not know about you….but there are many times that I feel the Annual Catalog gets a bit “back-burnered” …and we are always so excited to see the newbies from the Holiday and Occasions Catalogs that we forget about many of the “keepers” that are on the Annual Catalog!
This stamp set has been around a while and you can see below that there is a punch that coordinates with it. Do you remember last week we were talking about the ease and speed of the punches? Well today….is a perfect example of that !To me, ease and speed are 2 key ingredients that speak to me when I am card making!
You might be wondering why it is not a bundle? Well….it WAS a bundle eons ago when it was first introduced to the Stampin’ Up! line but always remember, they will not always stay as a bundle – that is why it is a great idea to snatch them up before a new catalog comes out.
No worries…as you can still get them separately and YES – I would definitely get the Blossom Builder Punch as it does save a bunch of time. Another thing that I want to point out to you today is……when you are short of ideas and inspiration…..just google the name of our Stamp sets and I am sure that you will find a ton of inspiration
Do you also remember last Monday that I share with you that it is time to use up paper? We….I am doing that today as well because the reality of it is that we are going to be tantalized with many different new offerings really soon when the New Annual Catalog comes out on June 1st. Now THIS IS a very exciting time when we see the new kids on the block but darn, please do not forget to give that big & beautiful Annual Catalog love throughout the year!
The paper is the Petal Garden Paper and it was used a BUNCH when it first made its entrance last June but then…..I think it was pushed away. With the sunshine and Spring here…let’s pull it back out and use it! I was so happy to see how easy it was to coordinate 2 different prints with ease on the focal part of the card.
I can remember my initial thought about this paper…it was “I think it’s pretty but is it too fussy for my style” – Yep, I pre-judged how the end result would be if I could make it work for my style and I think that todays card will prove it to you that I was wrong. It IS a Susan type card and actually I was so pleased with the end result that I am going to make it in the Calypso Coral as well!
This stamp set it super fun to work with because it is a photopolymer stamp which makes it super easy to look through and line up. The stamp allows you to build up layers of colors but building on top of each other. The ink colors that I used today were Sweet Sugarplum and Rich Razzelberry.
It appears that I have 3 colors but there is only 2. I stamped the 1st layer in Sweet Sugarplum and then for the 2nd layer, I stamped it “off once” in Rich Razzelberry before stamping it over top and lastly the 3rd layer was Rich Razzelberry in full strength. That “stamping off” a color really works super and it is something that I think we all forget about.
Did you notice that the pattern of the DSP also matched the Trellis Garden Embossing Folder? Yep, it does and that added texture on both the rectangle on the card front as well as the envelope flap is the icing on the card. (I wish that you were holding it in your hand as it is just stunning)
I am trying to remember to use the embossing folders more often as they are a super quick and easy way to add pizzazz to a card with little expense and little effort Here is a tip….I always keep a spray mister bottle of water by Mr. Big and mist my paper before I run it through with an embossing folder. It help the paper fibers get a nice and deep emboss.
The other tip that we all know to do….it add layers of paper with different dimensions. We can do that easily with dimensionals but we can also do that by simply adding movement to the edges of the paper with the bone folder. WHAT? Yep, look below and you can that I curled the petals of the flowers.
The 2 base ones are adhered on with green glue at the base but I left the free edges tipped up a bit and just the middle petal is lifted with a dimensional. Please do not be afraid to work your paper with the bone folder – by going back and forth with it will break down the fibers and allow it to be supple.
That’s it for today….one beautiful card that used 2 different prints from the same DSP Collection….one big and bold covering the entire panel of the card….the other just a quick accent to add interest to the stamped image. I hope that you stretch yourself and try using more than one print to a card, the effect is super and when you also throw in an embossed piece….I say…
“bases load and the envelope fun is the homerun!”
The hour glass has DEFINITELY turn for the end of Sale-A-Bration……remember, you only have until Saturday to swoop up the FREEBIES with purchases but to me the best deal, the 2 Free Stamp Sets that you could have with being a hobby demo…..I know that this seems to scare the heck out of you….but it is as easy as saying, I get a minimum of a 20% discount each and everyday! Email me, I would love to be able to answer any questions you might have!
Have a great day and I will do my best to be back on track tomorrow, I need to take my Dad to Baltimore today so we all know how that might be….enjoy the day and thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me, I deeply appreciate it and I hope that this card showed you that “Today is the perfect day to be happy” …….xoxoxox
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