by Susan Itell | Feb 14, 2015 | Super Easy, Thank You |
You have heard me blog an endless amount of time that I adore being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and today's quick "Show & Tell" is another reason why!
Let me explain…as you already know, there are many advantages of being a SUD (mainly for most is to be able to get their products at a discount everyday and also be able to see and pre-order NEW product before customers) but another reason that I love it is for a bi-monthly publication that they send to us called Stampin' Success!
Mine came on Thursday and I did not tempt myself to look at it until I was ready to go to bed. (I adore reading cookbooks before I fall asleep – I know, that's a bit strange) and I was so focused on getting a project finished, that I kept this special time to read it for "me time" before I fell asleep.
When I opened up to page #17 I instantly thought…what a super sweet and easy card! When the new catalog came out last June, this single stamp, Watercolor Thank You…would be on my shelf! The minute I saw this simple, clean yet classic card – I knew that I needed to share it with you.
This IS a perfect card to whip up in a jif…a perfect card for a beginner stamper and tomorrow I will share with you a "STEPPED UP" version of it with basically the same elements. Remember what I have said, "When you have a keeper….KEEP IT – and this simple gem is such a sweet card; therefore – IT'S A KEEPER!
In this great publication, SU is wonderful about giving you step by step instructions with great pictures (another reason why becoming a SUD is a win-win) – this magazine is great and filled with great articles and ideas!
Let's get going but you really do not need me….
- Stamp the small flower in Crisp Cantaloupe and the vine in Pistachio Pudding. Both of these are from the Your Perfect Day Stamp Set (I love having small images like this to use as "filler" on clean and simple cards)
- Add a simple "pearl" to the center of the flower
- Before you clean up your stamps….add some simple love to the front of the envelope and then to the back flap…add a piece of DSP from the Something Borrowed DSP Collection and PRESTO! You have once super cute card!
Well that is my "Show & Tell" for you today….please pop back tomorrow an I will share more ideas using this single stamp! When I have people ask me when they are getting started…"What stamps should I buy" – THIS ONE is always one on the list as it makes up quick and clean cards!
Please do not forget…that becoming a Hobby Demonstrator is not only super easy, it is super smart for you as well….you can simply pick $125.00 worth of product and only pay $99.00 for it (and it ships free)….we are a very fun and healthy group of inspiring and talented Demonstrators and I would love for you to be on this fun journey with me! Feel free to email me if you have any questions!
I almost forgot….Happy Valentines Day to everyone….(When you are married to an Accountant….holidays from January 1st – April 15th become a blur" but have a special day as YOU are special! I am making one of John's favorites for dinner, braised Lamb Shanks with a Parmesan Rosemary Polenta! YUM…a great hearty meal for a cold night!
Stampin' hugs to all and until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Feb 13, 2015 | Thank You, Tips and Tricks!!! |
Good Morning! I decided yesterday to be focus and get caught up on the Thank Yous that I needed to get out to all of my wonderful friends that have sent the most yummiest dinners to us!
You have heard me take about the "Iguana's" before….well all of my lizard friends + more have been dropping a dinner off to John's office every 3 days since my fall (as we live in the boonies) and it is easier to drop it off in town so I am finally all caught up with the thank yous!
This card is sooooo darn tootin' cute and I will say, the darn camera does not do it justice at all! I told you that I was not going to do anymore heart cards….but I just could not resist as it was fitting that I needed to make more of the Top Note Chocolate Boxes!
Let's get going…..(please…please CASE this one as it is so fun to make!) Before we get going….I adore this sentiment and I must say….to me this sentiment is worth the Sale-A-Bration level as There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for!
It is called, You Brighten my Day (such an appropriate name)
- The card is a 4 /4" card in Whisper White
- The Crisp Cantaloupe is 4 1/8" square and then using the Hearts Framelits, (#4) I cut it out….(This is why I LOVE this card – you get a really BANG for your BUCK…as it really uses the paper)
- The Black piece is a 4" Square and I used the same #4 framelit to cut out the heart!
- "Piecing" the (2) together using Sticky Strip… I then used the Heart Embossing folder as shown to add the special touch!
- Layering this over the already "cut out" piece makes it a win-win with minimizing paper!
- The sentiment….WOW – isn't it just the best….was a cinch to pop out as we have a punch that fits it perfectly (thank you Stampin' Up!) Adding dimensional to the back and the simple flower was all that was needed!
- Well…not to fast – the envelope! = SUPER CUTE! I used the Lullaby DSP and also stamped the front with the cute sentiment from the Lots of Thanks Stamp Set (I also did this in the inside)
Well…as the saying goes…that's all folks! Well….can you see you trying this? I think that this technique would be great with all sorts of framelits that we have…I say "TRY IT..YOU MIGHT LIKE IT"
Today is a GREAT day for me as my middle "peep" drove home from Raleigh, NC last night for the weekend. It will be a joy to wake up having him home.
There is one thing that I always say about James…..it is….."If there were more James' in the world, this world would be a better place" – I truly mean that as he is the keeper of all keepers!
Please feel free to email me if you need any assistance….and feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the card today! I am excited to make other cards with this technique!
Thanks for popping in and tomorrow is Show & Tell – I hop you pop back!
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by Susan Itell | Feb 6, 2015 | 3-D Projects, Party Favors, Thank You, Valentines |
Today I had a different post planned but no worries as you will see it super soon…but I wanted to sneak this post in and I am going to call the my "Indulgence Post" hmmmmm……do I have you wondering what I am talking about!
I have had a lot of time to do a lot of thinking (which could be a good thing or a bad thing) and being stuck inside I have naturally had lots of time to reflect on things!
To learn the "low down" on how to make this gem, please click here to see my original post and then you can click here to see it again in another way! I was super happy with this one – the Stacked with Love Paper stack is simply fabulous and I adore the "thanks" framelit…so clean and classic!
I think as we get older we do not allow ourselves the opportunity to "indulgence" in something that we would not normally do for ourself…if you are like me – I would rather do things for John and the peeps….the animals….and I usually put myself last – does this sound familiar to you?
Yesterday I was super frustrated that I could not accomplish a task that to me I should have been able to do…yes, it was with the silly computer but after having a pity party which only Rosie showed up for I decided to switch gears and make some gifts to thank people for dropping off dinners to us…plowing our lane…just great acts of kindness as this is John's busy season….Tax time!
I have made these "old faithfuls" so many times and every time I blog about them I get many comments. This is where indulgence comes in. WHY? – Because it uses the Big Shot…..WHY does that matter?….well clearly the Big Shot is an investment…the Big Shot is basically $100.00 and when we see that we go…..OH NO…I couldn't do that!
Well that is exactly the way I thought about it….and when I finally broke down and purchased it (I used it as a 1/2 price item and that is definitely the way I would go if I were you), I still felt guilty….then you know what is next…you need to purchase dies, framelits etc….to use the Big Shot.
The Top Note Die was probably the 1st Die I purchased….I have no idea why – probably because someone told me I just had to have it…and this post is a testament to how thankful and grateful I feel that I allowed myself to indulge in something that brings me joy….
I simply cannot tell you how many of these "Top Note Boxes" I have made and each and every time I do…I am thankful that this incredible "hobby" has come into my life!
Little things like this box of Life Savers DOES make a difference.
You know how you feel when you receive a gift that someone took the time to make for you – especially something made from their hands…that in itself is a gift!
When the new Occasions Catalog came out I was like a little kid in a candy store and there were sooooo many things that I wanted…..again – here comes the "indulgence thing" again….I really – REALLY wanted the Crazy About You Bundle and yikes the photopolymer one is $42.25….and I was feeling a bit guilty but again, I did get it as a 1/2 price item and just look how many times I have used it over the last several weeks!
The moral of this story is embrace what makes you tick…we all have gifts and many of these inner gifts that we have make such a difference. If you doubt this, go back and read some of the comments that people left on the blog candy post….you all are great….
"THANKS"
p.s. – Good Morning ….I only have (2) spots left for my Stamp of the Month Kit….please click here to see the post on it and if you want a spot, please email me and put in the Subject Line FEBRUARY STAMP OF THE MONTH CLUB.
Tomorrow (Saturday) I will send a confirmation emails out to all that are participation along with the colors of ink that I am using for the kit. It is super cute! ( I am trying to be more organized!!!)
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by Susan Itell | Feb 1, 2015 | Thank You |
Good morning! Can you believe that the 1st month of this new year is already over!?!? YIKES…I think that the older I get, the faster and faster that calendar rolls! I will do another post later today for the BLOG CANDY winner….
A great BIG "thank you" to Mary Fish for having me be her guest stamper today! If you are popping over from Mary's blog…a BIG "welcome"…I think that we all can agree that Mary is one special person and it is always an honor to be a guest stamper!
Today's card is a super clean, classic and just plain FUN card to make! I made up a dozen of these the other day as my goal today while watching the Super Bowl was to get some "Thank You" notes written.
These are super easy to come together and if you follow my blog, you have heard me say before…DO THINGS IN STEPS! What do I mean by that?
Well…I knew that I wanted to make a dozen of these…so…break it up so you do not get stressed –
- One sitting, I cut all of my card bases (it is a 5" square card) and also cut the layers (Soft Suede is 4 3/4", the Blushing Bride is 4 1/4" and the White is a 4" square…..
- Next time I sat down (trust me….I have been doing a lot of sitting with my broken ankle), I ran all of the white pieces through the Big Shot with the Polka Dot Embossing Folder (remember, it's on sale through tomorrow evening)
- Next time I sat down, I did the framelit cutting of "Thank You" – these is from the Crazy About You Bundle and I will say…this is the keeper of all keepers… –
I definitely would purchase this as a bundle. You can see that the framelits sentiments are stellar and the variety of sentiments in the stamp set are endless – just love it!
I do realize that it is a pricey item but you will use this over and over….and you are sooooo close to a free Sale-a-bration item! (plus a "Paw Print" from my rewards program)
- You can see that the word is "thanks" – I just snipped of the "s" to make it work for my needs and also in the below picture, you can see that I do not waste paper!
- The next time I sat down…I wanted to save more paper as I have the space in the next layer…now I cut out the words "happy and hello" (Just think of all of the cards I can make by planning ahead)
- Next time….I cut out all of the paper for the envelopes and went ahead and put them together! That envelope punch board makes it a cinch and naturally I had to line my envelopes!
- Finally – time to put it all together…now I have all of the elements together…cut and ready to just be assembled! The key lifesaver to me is the green glue and the Silicone Craft Sheet.
TIP – remember, if you have too much glue on the sentiment…JUST LET IT SIT FOR A BIT…then it will go on – stay strong and there will be no "oozing"
- A couple of fun flowers to add some interest….remember to use your stylus to lift the petals up….it always gives such a fun and fresh look…and oh – a pearl is a must…the PERFECT touch!
Well…can you see how to break down a project to not only make it doable but something thing that you can accomplish! Please pop back tomorrow and you will see what I did with the "happy" I cut out!
It was super fun to make these cards n a variety of color combination! These cards just make me happy…and it is a card that will certainly make someone smile!
Thank you for popping by today and have a fabulous Sunday…..it is RIBS and lots of yummies for John and I today! (heck – why not….it's Super Bowl Sunday and Monday is tomorrow)
I will post another post later with the winner of the blog candy! Thank YOU for popping by and thank MARY for sharing her time with me!
Stampin' hugs….until tomorrow!
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by Susan Itell | Dec 27, 2014 | Sale-A-Bration, SNEAK PEEK!!!, Super Easy, Thank You |
Happy Saturday…I am super happy to share this great card with you today for many reasons…this is the type of card that I call a "formula" that you need to keep for future cards…for all different occasions – this is the kind of card that I refer to as a "keeper"
NOTE: I have had a terrible time getting a good picture of this card…I have taken pictures in 3 different lights and I am super frustrated with the end result. This is truly a beautiful card in person, sorry!
Several months ago I received the below card from Karen Hallam. Karen is one of my downline that lives in beautiful California and the minute I saw this not only did I fall in love with the layout…I knew that I would blog about ir in the future.
Karen makes beautiful cards that are always "clean and classic", she does not have a blog but I wish she did as I know that you would adore her work!
Today I am going to share with you the dimensions from start to finish as I really want you to make this card! Have fun with different DSP and your colors. The other thing that is great about this card is the fact that you do not have a bunch of "bulk" to the card – easily a 1 stamp card!
Let's get going! I will put in parenthesis the colors I used for today but I encourage you to keep these measurements for future cards!
- The base is 9 3/4" X 4 1/4" and then scored at 5 1/2". (Sahara Sand)
- The White inside piece is 5" X 3 3/4"
- The outer layers, solid color (Bermuda Bay) is a 3 3/4" square and the DSP (NEW Sale-a-bration paper, Best Year Ever, that is GORGEOUS)is a 3 1/2" square.
- The sentiment part…outer part (Sahara Sand) is 3 3/4" X 1 1/2" and the white is 3 1/2" X 1 1/4"
That is the formula now just have fun with your sentiment and your embellishments is desired!
Today I am using the Fabulous Four Stamp Set, I adore this set and it is simply a must have! I showcased this set for my Stamp of the Month Club this month, truly a very versatile set.
The punches I used today are the Petite Petals Punch, the Owl Punch for the centers of the flowers and the Itty Bitty Accents Punch…all 3 of these are "must haves" as they are super-duper fillers!
Well…thoughts?!?!? Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know how you like it! I can see so many different cards made from this formula…thinking of you and Birthday for sure! I think that this will be a card layout that I will use next month for the Breast Cancer Cards – the ladies will enjoy putting the layers together!
Are you as confused with the day of the week as I am? Wow, when a holiday hits everything gets all twisted around.
We are still having a great family time together making the most of everyday! Our 2,000 piece puzzle is slowly coming together and tonight is GAME NIGHT….I love playing games!
Feel free to email me if you have any questions and please remember to tell your family and friends about my Blog. I love what I do and I love inspiring you! You can hit the subscribe button and get a dose of Simple Stampin'…enjoy the day and until tomorrow!
Thanks Karen for your inspiration…I have this special card hanging in my work area!
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by Susan Itell | Dec 16, 2014 | Super Easy, Thank You |
With Christmas right around the corner I am going to be showcasing some of my favorite stamps that we have in the current Stampin' Up! line over the next several weeks. They will be new posts but I think that they are so darn special and practical, that they need to be front and center to bring this year to a close!
Also, I will be doing (2) blog posts on the Christmas Card Swap…the cut off was on Friday but I thought that I would wait for about 2 more days to blog about them in case someones was hung up in the mail! (I am super proud of myself, I have not opened one of them as I know myself way to well….if I did – I would get nothing done except admiring your work of inspiration!
Today's card is focusing on a single stamp called Vivid Vases! I love that we have many "single" stamp….why??? I think they are a great way to get started with stampin' and they are to me a great "secret weapon" as when in doubt….pull it out!
Coming out in the new Catalog, we will be having (4) new Blendabilities…..today I am showing you the soft sky….it is a beautiful blue and I paper pieced (3) of the vases with the Subtles Designer Series Paper stack. This is so simple to do – just stamp on the DSP and then "fussy cut" it out.
This is as simple as it gets and it is a great example of just keeping it clean works! You can change up the colors to get a totally different look and feel!
Here is a sneak peek of (2) of the Blendabilities….Soft Sky and Pink Pirouette….I am so glad that Stampin' Up! is coming out with softer, more pastel colors for Spring! With the new catalog, there are lots of new stamp sets that lend themselves to the blendabilities!
I realize that they are an investment, but most things in life that are worth it, are an investment. You can earn FREE Blendabilities as a "pick" for a freebie for Sale-a-bration reward (the ones that are in the catalog except the skin tones)!
The finale….the envelope. Carrying out the theme with the DSP on the vases seemed to be a perfect touch!Let's talk about the sentiment….it is from another favorite of mine, Lot's of Thanks Stamp Set. This is filled with perfect setiment fit for sooooo many cards!
I hope that this post brought back some memories of this great stamp. I think that when a new catalog comes out, the blogs are all filled up with the same stamp….and then it kind of gets "put away" It is my goal to remind you to use the many "keepers" that we have! This is a keeper in my eyes.
Feel free to email me and/or leave me a comment.I know that we are all getting super busy with the season../but I hope these flowers "brightened your day"
Until tomorrow….
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