by Susan Itell | Sep 3, 2014 | Tips and Tricks!!! |
Good Morning! Today is a different post for me as I am out of town and did not plan on being away.
If you follow my blog, I have blogged about my friend Ted that has been very ill. Well sadly, he has taken a turn for the worse and being that it was his son Birthday on Monday, (Brandon –remember I did a card for him)I drove down to Ted's hometown to be with the family and I needed to stay for another day to help the family! It truIy meant a lot to Brandon that I came down.
Have no fear – this is what I love about being a part of Stampin' Up! – I can blog from wherever I am and the best thing I am able to watch videos and share them with you with some comments….so I hope that you find something useful from today's post!
I want to touch on some of the great resources that Stampin' Up! has that I truly find useful…Please go to You Tube and subscribe to Stampin' Ups! You Tube Channel….there is a wealth of information there and I am going to highlight some of the products that I simply think are going to be a huge hit! Let's go!
Please click here and watch this video. I find that watching these videos are a HUGE help before I tackle trying to figure it out myself…(that type A person in me sometimes does not have the patience!)
- The sky is the limit of the sizes you can make…the color you choose and the new Under the Tree Speciality Paper works GREAT with this as it is a "heavier" weight of paper…plus it is super cute!
Next…a product that has been and will continue to be SUPER popular – the Wonderous Wreath Bundle! This is a fantastic bundle and I am sure that you have seen many samples with it! Please click here to see a post I did several days ago!
Please click here to watch another great Video on this product! Here are some of the things that I love about it!
- You are not limited to just the holiday season, you can make it a fall wreath a beautiful Spring Wreath is pink, yellows and greens etc…
- These framlits of joy and noel as fabulous…keep things super simple…let the word be your focal point!
Lastly for today I wanted to point out something on my shopping website that I have not played around with as I never noticed it before and WOW – I like it….it is a section called "Shop By Solution" Click here to see it! Why do I like it?
- I like the way it breaks down products to specific themes
- Remember to also use the search space to look up specific stamp sets etc…just type in the key words!
Another tip…if you have a specific stamp set you want to use and you are just having a mental road block…simply google that specific stamp name and PRESTO – ideas galore and then there is Pinterest….oh my we all love pinterest!
Thanks for popping in and I hope that you check out the videos and enjoyed the tips I shared with you! I am hoping to be back home tomorrow but no worries – tomorrow is PPA Challenge and I already had that post completed!
Please keep Ted in your thoughts…he has fought a courageous battle…
Until tomorrow!
by Susan Itell | Sep 2, 2014 | Fall Cards |
Here’s another Fall card for you to get in the mood…cause’ Fall is right around the corner! It sure doesn’t feel like Fall as it is super hot in Maryland and it is making me miss the beautiful weather we had in Cape Cod!
Yippee-Skippee is a great stamp set that fits so many cards that you can make. This is a sentiment that makes me smile…”You can never have too much happy” and how true – how true!
At this time of the year I like to use Very Vanilla as it is a bit “softer” and I feel like it lends itself to Fall and the colors.
The Honey Comb Embossing layer started to set the tone of the card. The Film Framelits held the sentiment and I suggesting the “green glue” to place the behind the frame! (gives you the wiggle room to get your sentiment straight)
I know that I have been using the Fall Fest a bunch but as I have posted before…I adore the fact that this bundle has these leaves…I have been using fall colors in scraps to “stock pile” a bunch of leaves! The colors I used today are Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede and Meadow Moss
I really did not have a plan for this card I just let the leaves do their own thing…after all – that is what fall is about leave blowing here and there! Just love it!
Before I popped up the sentiment I did put some adhesive with the snail on the back and then loosely took the linen thread to create some loops. (Don’t stress about how to do the linen thread – just do it and it will work…)
I am lovin’ all of the new DSP and this envelope liner is from the Color Me Autumn and this works perfectly. Once again, the Big Shot and the Envelope Liner Framelit to the resque!
It’s weird that we are already on Tuesday…having the holiday throws me off! Click here to see Stampin Ups! Weekly deals…remember, these are just for one week!
Please feel free to leave me a comment or email me if I can be of help. Oops…I almost forgot….drumroll…drumroll…
The winner for the (2) DSP Packs and the handmade cards from me is…
Sharon Haster with her 2nd order…WOOT-WOOT….please send me an email and let me know which DSPs you want! (on a side note…Sharon is AMAZING and does incredible work – she participates each and evey week with the Monday challenges)
I thank each and everyone that placed an order with me. I love the feedback that I have received about the new catalog and it is a keeper and I love the simplicity…
Enjoy the day! Until Tomorrow…..
by Susan Itell | Sep 1, 2014 | Birthday, Make it MINE Monday, Watercoloring |
Today is a special day for many reasons…it is my dear friend and godfather to our children; Brandons 51st Birthday…today makes a year to the date that John had his accident and he is amazing – doing all of the things he did before….and it is a Make it Mine Monday, a day for YOU to have fun playing with a sketch!
Please feel free to send me "your take" on todays sketch. I love to see them and I am just amazed at how amazing you all do…this is a fun, rather straight forward sketch!
I can remember that when this stamp set came out…I burst out laughing and I still love it today! I know that you all are seeing lots and lots of new goodies from the Holiday Catalog, I thought that I would throw in goodies from the Annual Catalog! This stamp set is called Giggle Greetings!
Today's post I am using the water-coloring technique using the Aqua Painters but today I filled them with alcohol…a tip that I learned from fellow PAL Ann Schach when reading her blog…she is one talented lady! The reason I did this is that alcohol dries much faster and the paper was very, very flat! I also liked the coverage!
I realize that some of you are a bit skeptical of using the aqua painters…but I say – try it…it is a very rewarding technique and the end result is always a smile on your face!
As far as tips go…I say start with just the "right amount" of "liquid" on the tip and squish together your ink pad to get a smear of ink on the top part to work with. If you start "lighter", you can always go back to darken it up! Make sure that you have a paper towel handy to dab and also clean the brush to use a new color!
I let the DSP of Flash Back dictate the color scheme of today's card! I often do this…let my paper be my guide! The Neutral Candy Dots were the perfect embellishment to follow the sketch!
"Stitching" the Smoky Slate piece I felt did the trick to break up the card and added dimensions. Please do not stress about doing this – just do it…no matter if you do not like it….trust me – the recipient will appreciate your work, time and true love in your card-making!
Thank you for popping in and this is such a special day to me…we all have so much to be thankful for and trust me, I try to tackle life without taking things for granted. John's recovery is amazing and it is hard to believe that it has been a year!
Please email me if you have any questions about today's card and I hope that this made you smile!
Until tomorrow!
p.s. – Guess what Brandon is getting for his Birthday…yep! A nice piece of GREAT cheese and a GREAT bottle of wine….!!!!
by Susan Itell | Aug 31, 2014 | Halloween, New Product |
Yesterday's card I used the same stamp/framelits as today card and can you see how totally different they are? This is a keeper set and for the fall/Thanksgiving season, it needs to make it to your work area! It is the Fall Fest Bundle!
I know I have been “square” this week…but here again is another square card for you. Today’s card is a 4 ½” square and I think that this card is just adorable!
From many of the comments and emails I have received I realize that many of you have “fall themed” stamp sets already on your shelf and you know what I say…if you LOVE them and they work for YOU….than I say do the “happy dance” and use them BUT….if not – this is a keeper bundle!
I think the thing I love about this is … – true you can use it for Halloween but you are not limited to just jack-o-lanterns….pumpkins are totally fall and I adore the 4 different leaves for so many projects!
This card came about with things that I just had not but away when I was making all of my cards for the week! Let’s get going!
- The card is very vanilla (4 ½” square) and then the next layer is soft suede just a “smidge” smaller! (Remember…. use the inside of this piece as it will be covered up…save your paper)
- Taking a 4” square and running it through the Big Shot with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder, the fun and texture POPS and the card is coming together!
- Scraps…scraps…scraps – I love using up scraps! Stamping the Pumpkin in Tangerine Tango and the leaves are in Crushed Curry…use the matching framelits to pop them out!
- The Starburst Framelits were out…so what the heck – out came a shape and then I used the circle punch to accent the focal part of the card!
- Speaking of focal…I used the Hardwood Stamp (as I had that out for a card next week) and I stamped a scrap piece in Sahara Sand and used the Banners Framelits to cut the shape out!
- Still not quite sure how to pull it all together, I played around with it and PRESTO – it worked! Taking some linen thread, I tied a simple knot around the stem of the Pumpkin!
- The sentiment is from the And Many More Stamp Set and then popped out with the Word Window Punch!
Did you notice…I did not use 1 stampin’ dimensional on this whole card (that is very unusual for me) I highly suggest for you to use the “green glue” for this card…when I am adhering pieces that I am not 100% sure where they are going to go…I like this adhesive as it gives you some “wiggle room”
- Envelope time…to the punchboard we go – I am still amazed at how this $20.00 tool does soooo many things! The DSP is from the Flaskback DSP; I love that this paper coordinates with Very Vanilla.
Well…whatcha think? Think about this – you could change up the sentiment for a fall birthday or a thinking of you…. thanksgiving…. wow – many options! To me the simplicity and just “clean” lines of this card make it a keeper!
I realize that I have used a bunch of product but I will say that all of the products that I have used are great basics of clean and simple card making. You have heard me say before, using the basics and then slowly adding onto your collections of punches and framelits is the best tip I can give you!
With that said, today is the last day for the Big Shot promotion. This tool is amazing! I thank you for popping by today! Please feel free to email me if I can help you with this card!
We had a text from Hannah and she has arrived safely in India…I cannot wait to hear from her and hear all about the host family she is staying with! Many thanks for your thoughts and emails about her journey!
Monday….MONDAY – yep – Make it Mine Monday is tomorrow!!! I was so touched that many of you missed it last week…it’s back and I cannot wait to see what you come up with!
Have a SUPER Sunday and until tomorrow!
