by Susan Itell | Jun 9, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday |
Woot-woot….it is Monday and that is our time to have a personal challenge with ourselves in trying to do a sketch! Don't let this one stress you…you can do it – if you do not want to do like I did …no worries – what about circles…hexagons…the sky is the limit!
Here is the sketch for this week…I did a search for clean and simple sketches and this one caught my eye – it was designed by Pamela Young in 2012!
Before we go any further…the winner of the hostess loot is Mary Beth from Maine….and she wins $115.00 in free products and also gets to get 3 items at 50% off! WOOT-WOOT…..I am going to do this again this week since the catalog is so fresh and new!
This week….this is the hostess code for you is YJ4EWY3C just put in if your order is UNDER $150.00. If your order is more that $150.00 -you are already a hostess and get can get free goodies for yourself (but please know, I still will put your name in the pot for the week…WHY am I doing this…easy – because – I thank you for your support to my Stampin' Up! fun and want YOU to have a chance to win).
This week…everyone that places an order with my this week….will receive a Decorative Mask (page 205) – I will be doing a post on this great product…
Let's get to this card for the day and please…try the sketch at home…it was fun to do but I will say, the "key" product for me was the "green glue" – made it soooo easy to properly place the squares!
I am sending this to (2) fine young men that are identical twins that have just graduated from high school with honors and have such an exciting future ahead They both are heading to Johns Hopkins for College and they will thrive!
I have a bunch of pictures for you and I wanted to make this card open on the side – just to change things up! A ruler, the green glue and the stampin trimmer are your friends for this card! I decided to use the trimmer just in case you did not have a square punch and the squares are 3/4" – easy-peasy with the trimmer! ( This is a MUST HAVE tool is you do not have it….)
You can see that this was the start and the most important part to this card…simple when you think about it! Start in the center and work your way out! The "green glue" allows you the "wiggle" room to get perfect placement every time!
From the above photo you can see how I worked the squares (in the school colors) …the "over hang" I simple snipped off and erased the pencil lines! Again, easy -peasy!
Now for the sentiment….do you remember this stamp set from yesterday? Well…it's a keeper and I am going to do a post on it tomorrow…just love it! It is called Bravo…and I adore it as it is a Photopolymer Stamp Set – making it oober easy to stamp!
To stamp the image, I used the Memento Ink…why? – It is a great ink and it is easy to clean – you know that I love the black staz-on…but this is easier to clean! WOOT-WOOT!
This sentiment makes a BOLD statement and I thought that the balance of the Real Red Candy Dots was the perfect touch to the card!
From this angle you can see that it is a flat card….wowzers – 2 days in a row! Not tomorrow though….it's another cute and practical card for the Grandparents of this fine young men!
The liner is from my favorite – the Designer Series Paper that are in each color family – this is from the Brights Collection! The envelope framelit is another must have….what in the world would we do without it!?!?
Go have fun….stretch yourself and if you want….email me your take on this sketch! Remember, this is the hostess code for this week – YJ4EWY3C…from today until Sunday, June 15th at 8 p.m. (Eastern time) and I will announce the winner next Monday!
What do you have to loose…nothing – I am sure that Mary Beth is SUPER EXCITED to be the winner this week – this is my way of thanking you for being so great and inspiring to me! Other great news….MISSION ACCOMPLISHED – I finished all of the ribbon shares and they are in the mail today!!!!
Woot-woot to Mary Beth….woot-woot to you for trying this sketch…woot-woot to a GREAT week~
Until tomorrow…remember, I am an email away!
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by Susan Itell | May 26, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday, Photopolymer Stamps, Thank You |
Happy Memorial Day to everyone! I hope that you are enjoying the weekend and I hope that each of us can take some time today to think, thank and be grateful for the men and women who served and have served in the Armed Forces for our wonderful country!
It is Make it Monday and here is your sketch for you to play around with! There are a couple of "challenges" (websites) that I like and this one was a past sketch from Freshly Made Sketches…. I hope that you can find some time for yourself and create a masterpiece from this sketch! Here's my take…..
If you have subscribed to my blog for a while….you always know there is a story behind the cards that I make! We just celebrated my Mother in Laws 80th Birthday and it was wonderful to have a special dinner with my in-laws!
Sitting there – looking at how amazing my MIL looks with all that she has on her with taking care of my Father-in-law that is not in the best of health I realize how blessed I was. My FIL loves Memorial Day and his little town always has a parade. In the past he always went and was so proud.
My FIL was in the Korean War an has some very repressed memories of his time serving for our country. Sitting there I realize how much we take for granted…and this card is for him…to thank him for being so brave!
How can you go wrong with these colors and so fitting for this day!
- The card base is a note-card size, 3 1/2" X 5" in Real red.
- The Whisper white piece is 1 3/4" X 3 1/2 and then the Not So Navy from the Regals Designer Series Pack and is cut at 2" X 2 3/4"…love these papers!
- For the sentiment, the stamped piece is 2" x 3" and then I stamped it with the MUST HAVE "Thank You" set and it is in the new catalog….
Comment: – I am so happy that with the new catalog that Stampin' Up! is offering more and more photopolymer stamp! I am doing the happy dance as they are so easy to see when you need "quick placement" –If you go to my Shop Now you will see that this stamp set does not show up…it is on backorder but it is in the NEW CATALOG!
- After stamping the sentiment from "Another Thank You", I did a quick mat in the red 1/8" larger, and then the white is 1/4" larger – I thought a quick stitching in night of navy was appropriate to "break up" the white!
You know what is left – the envelope! Easy-peasy with the Big Shot and the Envelope Liner framelits! Please pop back tomorrow to see my offering for the Color Collections Paper swatch offerings and also ribbon…WOWZER – we have some GREAT NEW ribbons!
Today is a special day…one that I truly hope that's "reflection" touches your heart1 After seeing my FIL and seeing his love for his family and so excited to be "out" with family…..it made me STOP and reflect how we take many things for granted…if you can…thank someone that has had the courage to honor their country!
Until tomorrow….
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by Susan Itell | May 19, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday |
It's Monday and that means that I have another sketch for you to have fun in learning to develop a style that is comfortable and represents your style! If you are new to my blog…1st – Welcome…now let me explain what we are doing on Monday's!
I find a sketch out on the internet that I feel would be a great sketch for you to play with at home and just have fun! If you want to send me a picture of your "work of art", I would love it and I must say I am so proud with how many of you have been doing this! This is our 4th Monday!
Here you go…let's get to it!
Before we get to the "in's and out's" of today's card I want you to know the inspiration behind this! I am sure that you all know Mary Fish and not only is she one talented lady…she is the sweetest and not only am I proud to call her my friend – she is my upline!
I can remember that 2 years ago I saw a card that she did and I just found it to be adorable…please click here to see Mary's great card. I knew that I was going to have some fun with it as well….in my own way! I have so many graduations this year and this was so much fun to make these little owls!
TIP ALERT: When doing this like I am (I made 10 cards) just do it in an assembly line fashion. I find it easy to do it this way and I changed the color if the paper and Owl's body with the school colors of the person I am making it for! They are sooooo darn cute!
Looking at the sketch I thought that you could do it either way…opening from the side or vertical like I did it! I thought using crumb cake as my base would really make my accent colors POP and it does! It is a regular A-2 card .
The polka dot piece calls for a rectangle and the white is a simple square! I hope that when you look at sketches you can see that you can literally take "your vision" of it to be your own.
I must admit, when I look at a sketch I take it to heart…if I see a rectangle…I do a rectangle…remember – it is a shape and there is nothing wrong at making both of the squares (for example)
One thing that I need to say and I mean it from the bottom of my heart ….
Stampin' Up! has the best punches on the market…
I know what you are thinking – you could spend a good chunk of change with the punches…and you are right but I say…."You pay for what you get!" and I feel this sums it up with our punches! Here are my thoughts!
- I say – go through and find the punches that you really feel that you will use over and over again with your style of stampin' and then start there and grow!
- Let you someone special….husband, mom, dad……whomever email me with a wish list and I will make it happen and you will smile!
- Join my cyber Stamp Club and you will be able to take advantage of hostess benefits twice a year from doing nothing but lovin' Stampin' Up!….click here to see more of the scoop!
- Take a "test drive" with Stampin' Up! and me…your 1st order you will be able to take a 30% discount off of your entire order and also earn Hostess Benefits – (that is double dipping at its best) and then if you decide to return your "demo car" – no problem…no penalties….email me and I will call you to answer your questions!
Sentiments are so great and when you get the right sets that you know you'll be able to "tuck in here and there" it's a winner…just like today I am using the 1 simple word = bravo! There is a reason that this set (A Dozen Thoughts) is on the carry over list…IT'S A KEEPER and if you do not have it…add it to your wish list!
Let's go to something that I am going to admit that I had a "road block" with….that darn hat….don't over think it and if it totally frustrates you – I say "BAG -IT" as he is adorable without it…but you can do it…just DO IT! I made a template and just kept tracing and cutting – easy peasy!
The envelope, I lined the outside of the envelope and I have been asked – "how do I do this" – EASY= I just run snail adhesive around the edges and then add paper, cut off excess – BAM done!
Let's look at the envelope more….did you see the part to make the mailman smile twice – the front and the back! I love doing this and the below picture will give you some tips and tricks on how I do it…I realize that it is an extra step, but it does not take that much longer and I will say it makes a difference!
Well…I hope that you are inspire and will be smiling after seeing this super cute card but more importantly, I hope that you will try this sketch….I truly found that reaching out of my comfort zone and doing sketches is a HUGE help in building your confidence and style!
I am honored by being on the design team for the PALS and I will say that if you can try this sketch, than the sketch on Thursday will be a breeze – it's a keeper as I say it!
That's it…go grap your Stampin' fun supplies and let me see your take on this sketch. The sky is the limit and I am so proud of each of you!
This is going to be a great week with my blog – I am excited to share with you some FUN posts – my inspiration was flowing over the weekend!
Remember, all you have to do is click on the pictures below and the product will go right into your shopping cart – so easy. Also, feel free to hit the shop now button if you are looking for other items than I am showcasing in the pictures below!
Until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | May 12, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday, Super Easy, Thank You |
It's Monday and that means lets have fun with a sketch! I was surfing around on pinterest and I found this sketch and I immediately said YES – this is it for this week? Ready for your own personal challenge?
Now this is the type of card that you will want to print off the sketch…hang it on your work area, as it is a “keeper” as I call it. This card is the best to use up scraps and to use a multitude of different sentiments.
The other thing I like about this is – it would be perfect for so many color schemes – think about it for a baby…use a soft sky or pink pirouette card base…this would be super for a 4th of July card with Red, White and Blue…a birthday, an anniversary, a thinking of you – the sky is the limit!
When I became a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator I can remember asking Mary for some advice about which stamp sets to invest in. She gave me great advice and one that I remember and I will share with you …when you are on the fence between stamp sets – buy the “sentiment” one!
When she shared this with me I had to think about it…my take on it is there are so many things that you can do with paper, think about it – we have embossing folders, framelits to cut out shapes and if we have “sentiments” we can do just about anything! Today’s card is a perfect example.
Before we get to today's post….the lucky winner is #44 – sorry, I do not know your 1st name…sooooo happy for you….please email me with your info!
My favorite memories are of time spent with my mother and sister. We travel somewhere every year or two; sometimes close to home, sometimes far away. The memories we've made are treasures to me. We've seen so many great things and have a great time together making memories we will always hold close.
This is so straight forward that you do not need me to give you dimensions…just pull out the scraps and have fun! For the Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper I looked at it and wanted to make the width be “2 of the columns” of the pattern – just have fun!
This sentiment came from the Four You stamp set and I am super excited that it is carried over…you can clearly see that this is a must have set in your collection. Again…using up scraps is the best!
Adding simple things like “stitching” and Stampin’ Dimensionals just makes this simple card have a little bit of fun!
Well…how about it? Pull out your paper and have fun! I have been so tickled with several of you that try these challenges and share with me your work. I truly hope that it is helping you figure out a style that you are comfortable with! Way to go – I am proud of you.
Again, woot-woot to lucky #44 for winning the blog candy! I loved reading each and every one of your comments and it is so clear to me that you also enjoyed going down Memory Lane! Please email me with your info so I can mail you the goodies….
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions and I know that you are getting excited for the new catalog to begin! I mailed my catalogs out on Friday so you should be receiving them any day!
If you do not work with a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator I would be happy to mail you a catalog – just please email me.
When the new catalog starts…I am excited to share with you a ribbon share as well as Designer Series Pack Paper swatches (I was not able to order the new In-Colors with the pre-order) but once I can, I will offer the swatches in the collections (Brights, Neutrals, Subtles, Regals and In-Color)
To me, these are such a “must- have staple” of paper and having them in a swatch format will be a lifesaver for you to flip through to see the colors (PERFECT for lining envelopes).
With the new catalog, I will be starting some new and fun programs and offerings for you. As I said, I will be doing ribbon shares & paper swatches as well as offering online stamping clubs – please feel free to email me with any questions you might have.
This new “stampin’ up!” catalog year is very exciting to me! I can hardly wait to dive in and create with new stamps. Yesterday was a great day and with being in the car for over 7 hours, I finally had a wonderful block of time to take the new catalog in – very exciting and I will anxiously wait for June 2nd to be here!
Ted was GREAT and so happy to have many of his friends and family be together for a beautiful Mother’s Day Brunch. A “life lesson time” for John and I as his strength, positive outlook and love shines so strong.
Let’s all have a wonderful week! You all are the best…until tomorrow…
p.s. – I have sat hear and read all of these amazing comments about memories with their Mom. If you need some inspiration, laughs and total "feel goods" – than please read some of these wonderful comments!
I miss my Mom so…but I try to keep her memories alive each and everyday…just like many of you do!
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by Susan Itell | May 5, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday, Super Easy |
Woot-Woot!!!! It's a new week and let's all have a great week!
I have some great posts for you this week and today…I am super excited to see the "Brown Truck" come down my driveway as the NEW goodies will be making their way to their new home…my pre-order will be here today!
Last week I started something new with you on Monday's…calling it Make it MINE Mondays~ Last week my blog was still "wacky" so for those of you that did not see it….click here – ( I think it is a very cute card)…but what I am trying to do is…teaching you to delvelop your own style…
I often get asked where do I come up with my ideas and how have I learned to develop a style with my cards? Well…from LOTS of places…from YOU…from PINTEREST…from the WEB…I take On-Line Classes….from the PALS Gallery… but I will say that once I started to really reach out of my comfort zone and try to work from sketches…I learned 2 things!
- It saved me a BUNCH of TIME…and TIME is soooo darn tootin’ precious to all of us….why? I was not “surfing around"…pinning here and there….taking bits from this and bits from that etc…
- I am on the Design Team for the PALS challenge every Thursday and one week is a color challenge and the other is a sketch challenge! You have heard me blog before that I prefer the color ones….but I have come to realize that the reason I say that is because I am not "stretching myself out of my comfort zone”
SOOOOOO…..I have decided to dedicate Monday’s to “Making it Mine Monday’s” where I will share with you a sketch and then show an interpretation from it….
I highly recommend YOU to challenge yourself with these Monday sketches I will share with you…look at them….see what stamps you have…and just try it!
Below you will see a past sketch from the PPA and I have BLOCKED OUT the date not to confuse…this is a PERSONAL challenge for YOU….and if you want…please send me a picture of your work…you can do it…I know you can! Take a picture and email me…I love to see your work!
This sketch is from PAL Margaret Moody, and I adore her work – clean and crisp!
Last week I had several people email me their take on the sketch and they were woot-woot…fabulous! I truly believe that if you "give it a whirl" – you will not only learn about your own style…it will teach you that you can look at a sketch….limit yourself to work with "what you have"…and then simply GO FOR IT!
I can honestly say that after I picked the sketch for you today…I literally looked over at the new catalog and it was opened to the Just Sayin Stamp Set…I looked at it …..and BINGO….done!
The best tip I can give you is do not stress…just go for it….if you are having a mental block – stop fighing with yourself – walk away and come back….trust me – this is not worth getting stressed about – it's all about having FUN!
- The card base is the Whisper White Notecard and Envelopes….my go to and the Pool Party is just a "smidge" smaller……4 7/8" X 3 3/8"…I did a quick stitch around the edges…..
- The Neutral Designer Series Paper Stack is my "fun paper" for today's card….both for the card and I decided to line the outside of the envelope – this makes the mail man happy!!!
- The black piece is a scrap ….2 3/4" X 2 1/4" and then I used the Word Bubbles Framelits and POPPED it out! Taking another piece of scraps….I simply stamped the fun sentiment, gee, thanks with Black Staz On Ink…stitch with the White Gel Pen….
TIP: – Put Stampin' Dimensionals on the back of the Black piece….(also this is a great time to use up the long and skinny pieces left over on the Stampin' Dimensionals!…This will LIFT up the black piece and give your card an instant WOW!!!
Tip #2 – Do you remember I shared with you that Stampin' Up! offers bundles which will save you an instant 15%….well – this stamp set and framelits is carried over to the new catalog…but it is NOT offered as a bundle…so the moral of the story is…if you do not have this….#1 – YOU SHOULD and #2 – but it now as you will save 15%!!! (just trying to help you out!!!)
I think from all of the pictures I took you can clearly see the fun dimension and crisp lines this card has! I saw Jeanie yesterday and I showed her this card…(as this is Breast Cancer Week and I wanted her to see the layout and then adapt it for our needs on Wednesday with another sentiment!!!)…and SHE LOVED IT!
So….how about it….wanta give it a whirl! I hope that you do try this sketch!
It is super easy and straight forward…you have nothing to lose and I would love to see your work! It's ME….I am not going to publish your work…I am here with my Pop-Poms cheering you on!!!!
Please make sure that you continue to pop back this week as there will be some BLOG CANDY in celebration of my 2nd anniversary with Stampin' Up! I am having the time of my life and the best way to sum it up is….I am fulfilled…my heart is full!
Until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Apr 28, 2014 | Make it MINE Monday, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Super Easy |
Here’s to a NEW and FRESH week! Last week was a tough one with the Blog situation and also with being under the weather!
Here’s the scoop on both of these things!
- I will be making a change with my blog moving from Feedburner to Feedblitz – (It all sounds “Dutch” to me) but as I am sure you are aware of…many SUD are doing this! Patsy will get to my blog as soon as she has time….so for now – if you are not getting your daily subscriptions automatically to your computer every morning…you might just need to type in my blog address….and you’ll be good to go! I’m still here…and I’m not going anywhere! I appreciate you patience and understanding through this!
- I am feeling LOTS better – still have a bad cough but I could hardly wait to go to bed last night as I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve….WHY???? Today is the day that Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators get to “preview” the NEW catalog in a movie theatre! Doesn’t that sound like FUN…I am oober excited to make the trek to Alexandria, Virginia with 3 of my downline to see!
Now to the Post for today….you saw that the title was “Making it Mine Monday’s”….well let me explain!
I often get asked where do I come up with my ideas and how have I learned to develop a style with my cards? Well…from LOTS of places…from YOU…from PINTEREST…from the WEB…I take On-Line Classes but I will say that once I started to really reach out of my comfort zone and try to work from sketches…I learned 2 things!
- It saved me a BUNCH of TIME…and TIME is soooo darn tootin’ precious to all of us….why? I was not “surfing around"…pinning here and there….taking bits from this and bits from that etc…
- I am on the Design Team for the PALS challenge every Thursday and one week is a color challenge and the other is a sketch challenge! You have heard me blog before that I prefer the color ones….but I have come to realize that the reason I say that is because I am not "stretching myself out of my comfort zone”
SOOOOOO…..I have decided to dedicate Monday’s to “Making it Mine Monday’s” where I will share with you a sketch and then show an interpretation from it….
I highly recommend YOU to challenge yourself with these Monday sketches I will share with you…look at them….see what stamps you have…and just try it!
Below you will see a past sketch from the PPA and I have BLOCKED OUT the date not to confuse…this is a PERSONAL challenge for YOU….and if you want…please send me a picture of your work…you can do it…I know you can! Take a picture and email me…I love to see your work!
This is a very clean and simple sketch from PAL Nicole Watt – she is OOBER talented and a MDS gu-ru…I am always in awe of her work!
Here is my interpretation of this…and the funny and honest thing is…I NEVER went back to the post that had this challenge (it was in January) – I encourage you to LOOK at the SKETCH….see what "speaks" to YOU…and then GO FOR IT!!!
When I see a sketch…I step back and look at it…I look at the area that I feel I want my "focal stamping and/or sentiment" to go…This space dictates to me what stamp set I am going to use! For this card…I saw that rectangle (#4) to me my "focal" point and when I looked at my stamps – I thought – "I have not used Timeless Talk in a long time" and the shape is perfect and I let my card start from here!
Also, you know I adore paper…if I have an "itching" to use a certain Designer Series Paper, that I will also let that play a huge role as to what stamps/theme I am going to go for…
To me – working from a sketch is the BEST way to help develop YOUR style…we all have our own "feel" – when we go out of the box on our comfort zone…it is when WE get frustrated and doubt ourselves!
O.k. – we have got to get to this cause' I am Cinderella and need to go to bed to go see a movie today!
- This is an A-2 card in Very Vanilla as I am using the BEAUTIFUL Modern Melody Designer Series Paper… the DSP is cut at 3" X 4" and then the Black piece is 2 1/4" X 5 1/2".
- The"stamped piece" is 3" X 2 3/4" and then the Stamp Set is Timeless Talk – very classic!
- Naturally I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig for PERFECT placement of the "bike" and the same for the sentiment! I actually "stamped" this bike twice as I cut out the "simple circles" to add a bit of POP!
- I am on a roll with these Candy Dots and Brad Bases….(thanks to KATE)…I used a glue dot to hold them in place! A simple dash with the basic black marker is all that is needed! I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals!
- Envelope time…time to make the mail man smile! I stamped the front of the envelope as well as lining the envelope with the help of the Envelope liner frameit!!!
Well….I know that this has been a L O N G post but…how do you like the card? I hope that you enjoyed and embraced this concept that I am trying to convey to you…
YOU can do it…..I KNOW YOU CAN….I would love to help you discover the "Inner Picasso" that it within you!
Please make sure that you POP back tomorrow…as I will share with you the FUN card I made for my downline for the movie!!!
I am SOOO excited! Stampin' Up! never lets up down…and I am sure that the new catalog will not disappoint you…and if you are a customer of mine, you will automatically receive a NEW catalog from me!
Have a great day…a great week and until tomorrow!
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