Distressed Heart Tutorial

February 16, 2011 By

Here is a quick tutorial on how to create the Distressed Heart used in the Valentine’s Day post:

I keep an old empty Stampin’ Mist bottle filled and marked with water so it’s always at hand.  This technique works great with several other of your great Stampin’ UP! punches so be sure to have some fun and try a variety of them.  (My Large Heart Punch has not yet been updated with our new style punches introduced recently, but I’m getting there! :)

Don’t skimp with the water, and be sure to spritz BOTH sides of your card stock.  (Note to those of you who are tempted to use just any ‘ol card stock…it might just fall apart on you!  I’ve had consistent success with the weight and quality of Stampin’ UP! card stock, but I can’t say the same with other product lines!)

Crumple, crumple, crumple…YES YOU  CAN!

After you’ve sufficiently crumpled your card stock into a ‘wad’…gently, pull it open and flatten it to dry.  Drying time is lightening fast when you use your Embossing Heat Tool!  Just remember to use your tweezers or some other long object to hold it to the mat or you’ll be chasing it like paper in the parking lot that’s been picked up by a breeze!

There you have your distressed piece of scrap ready for the punch of your choice!  Don’t be afraid to flatten it good, the crevices will remain and it will fit into your punch better if it’s not too bumpy!

There she is!  Ready for your card or scrapbook page or your creative art project!

After all the time and money many of us spending trying to remove our wrinkles it’s nice to have a use for some of them!

Enjoy yourself and stamp someone you love a card and try using this Distressed Heart!

Blessings on your week!

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Cards, Most Recent, Stampin' Up! Tagged With: , ,

Stampin’ UP! Just a Note Holder

January 25, 2011 By

Over at the Stampin’ Connection site (just for Stampin’ UP! Demonstrators) these darling Just a Note Holder boxes have been all the rage, so I thought I’d share it with my fellow bloggers!

They’re the perfect note holder for your desk, counter, or near your phone, just about anywhere you find you’re reaching for a piece of paper to write on!

I couldn’t wait to create mine this afternoon and get you the directions for them, they’re surprisingly quick and easy.  I think you’ll find that they’d make great Teacher’s Gifts for Valentine’s Day!

One end of the Stampin’ UP! Just a Note Holder has a half circle made with the 3/4″ Circle Punch for ease of removing your piece of paper.  You need to fold this end over and punch that out BEFORE you stick your end down using the Stampin’ UP! Sticky Strip.

Here’s the dimensions for the basic box.  The finished Just a Note Holder size is 3″ x 5″ x 3/4″.

Cut a piece of Stampin’ UP! card stock 6″ x 8″.  Score each side of your box base at 1 1/2″ and at 3/4″ as shown in the picture below:

I found it easier to work with the “tabs” attached to the narrow ends of the box rather than the long sides.  You will remove three of the four cubes that are created in the corners of your box base when you do your scoring, and you will need to slit the remaining tab so that it folds under the long side.  Remember to fold over and punch your half circle out of one end of your box base.  Attach your Stampin’ UP! Sticky Tape to all edges and starting with one end secure the tabs from the short ends of the box under the folds of the long sides and there you have your Stampin’ UP! Just a Note Holder bottom.

Making the “Belly Band” is just like any other wrapper or band.  You need a 2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Stampin’ UP! Designer Series Paper.  This is a great opportunity to use those scrap pieces left over from scrapbook projects!  On the underside of the band mark the center of the strip at 4 1/4″.  Then measuring off of that mark,  score your paper at 1 1/2″ & 2 1/4″ from the center to fold around the box bottom more easily. Slip it around our box and secure the ends together WITHOUT sticking it to the box.  You will want this band to be movable so it is easier to put in your paper into the box.

I had so much fun creating my Stampin’ UP! Just a Note Holder, I know you will too.  It’s one of the fantastic ideas I get from fellow demonstrators over at the Stampin’ UP!  Stampin’ Connection that is available to me as a member of the Stampin’ UP! community.  During the Sale-A-Bration promotion you too can join me as a Stampin’ UP! Independent Demonstrator and receive additional discounted products and save 15% on your Starter Kit. I hope you decide to join me in this exciting and rewarding business, I look forward to working with you!

I hope you’re having a blessed and rewarding week, thanks for stopping by!

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Most Recent, Stampin' Up!

Stampin’ UP! Valentine Treats

January 22, 2011 By

What could look more scrumptious than a collection of  Stampin’ UP! Valentine Treats all nestled together on a lovely plate?

I’m in the midst of a huge project for my sweet hubby that involves sending little tokens of appreciation to his referral  offices staffs, and so I couldn’t resist taking a few of the “extras” and share them with this weekend’s guests over at My Bluebonnet Cottage!

What would a night of paper crafting and scrapbooking be without CHOCOLATE?  They are quick and easy to put together using the Birthday Bakery Level 1 Hostess Stamp Set from the 2010-2011 IBC, page 10.  It’s a fabulous 5 piece stamp set that should be on everyone’s must have list!

Other products used in this quick project are: Stampin’ UP! Whisper White and Real Red Card Stock;  Stampin’ UP! Classic Ink in Real Red; Stampin’ UP! Large and Extra Large Tag Punch; and Stampin’ UP! Silver Cord.

As a Level 1 Hostess reward it is easy to achieve, all you need to do is host a  Stampin’ UP! Workshop with sales of $150, and it’s yours…PLUS $15 of other great FREE merchandise from any of the current catalogs.  Workshops are a fun way to get together with your friends and sample a lot of the great Stampin’ UP! products, plus everyone gets to take home two paper crafting items that they have made themselves.  It’s so easy!   If you’ve ever thought of hostessing a  workshop there’s no better time than now,   give me a call or drop me a note and we’ll put your date on the calendar!

Thanks for stopping by today, may you be richly blessed!

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Bluebonnet Cottage, Most Recent

Stampin’ UP! Gift Tags

January 17, 2011 By

This past Saturday, you had to be a duck to enjoy the weather here in Central Texas. . .Honestly!  It has drizzled rain the entire day, alternating between light showers and a fine mist. . .and it looks as if tomorrow we are in for more of the same.

I was in the mood to create something other than a card and thought what better opportunity than to spend the day in my Stamp Room!  I was inspired to make a set of Vintage Gift Card Tags and set to work putting them together.  (Once the first set was finished, it was easy to replicate them:))

The tags measure 2″ x 4″ and are constructed on Stampin’ UP! Sahara Sand Card Stock using pieces of Stampin’ UP! Very Vanilla Card Stock, Stampin’ UP! Newsprint Designer Series Paper, and Stampin’ UP! Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper.

Stampin’ UP! Stamp Sets used are: Artistic Etchings, Charming, and Tiny Tags.

Punches used are: Scallop Circle, Jewelry Tag, Dotted Scallop Ribbon, 1 1/4″ Circle, 1″ Circle, 1/2″ Circle, 1/16″ Circle Handheld Punch.

As you can see there are lots of fabulous Stampin’ UP! Embellishments that have been employed, most of them are self explanatory, so I won’t belabor the point by listing them all here!

Spending an afternoon in your Stamp Room is GREAT therapy!  Especially after the hectic holiday season that’s just past.

I hope this is just  a little reminder that Stampin’ UP! is so much more than beautiful hand made cards.  All the supplies used are right at your fingertips and so easy to use, affordably priced, and  it all helps to make the creative process that much more enjoyable… . . .

If you could use some extra money, or simply would like to get a discount on your Stampin’ UP! supplies, drop me a note or give me a call and we’ll get you signed up as an Independent Demonstrator today!  I’d love the opportunity to have you on my team.  Some of my best friends and most creative inspirations come from my fellow demonstrators.  It’s a wonderful company to work for and they have lots of wonderful people developing products for them.

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend and look forward to the second half of our first month of 2011!

Blessings on your week, thank you for stopping by to catch up!

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Featured Projects, Most Recent, Stampin' Up!

Happy Valentine’s Day with Stampin’ UP!

January 8, 2011 By

What a clever way to wish your love Happy Valentine’s Day! and nothing says I love you like a wagon load of Stampin’ UP! hearts!

This great 3-D pop-up card was created by a new Stampin’ UP! demonstrator using only her supplies from her starter kit.  (From the looks of it, this demonstrator is well on her way to success!)

Here’s how she says the project came together…”I made the body of the wagon from Early Espresso card stock. It’s a rubber band activated 3-D box that pops up automatically as soon as the card is pulled out of the envelope. I used my Stampin’ UP! “I {Heart} Hearts” Stamp Set for the load.  For the wheels I rubbed the Real Red, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive Stampin’ Classic Ink Pads on Whisper White card stock to achieve the brown color with some wood texture. For the brads on the wheels I used Stampin’ UP!’s “My Digital Studio”,  printed and cut them to use as embellishments. For the banner I also used “My Digital Studio” to print the “Loads of Love”.  the banner is mounted on toothpicks. ”

It just goes to show you how easy it is to be creative and unique with Stampin’ UP! products.  Another super great aspect of this project is how it highlights the flexibility and versatility of Stampin’ UP!’s “My Digital Studio” suite is for adding those special effects to your creative endeavors.  Stampin’ UP!’s “My Digital Studio” is so much more than just a scrapbooking program! It’s perfect for digital card making, birth announcements, Party invitations, personalized calendars, posters, the list goes on and on.  It’s a great value priced at only $79.95.

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend, and try to find a little spare time for stamping…you’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for stopping by,

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Cards, Most Recent, Stampin' Up!

Charmed with Stampin’ UP!

December 14, 2010 By

Everywhere you look these days, charms are all the rage.  But look no further, for you can satisfy  all your lovely charming needs with the Stampin’ UP! exclusive Simply Adorned Jewelry line:

2010 Staff Christmas gifts

Each one of the ladies from my sweet hubby’s office received a Simply Adorned 24″ Nickel plated chain with the 1 1/4″ x 1″ Beveled Crystal charm and handcrafted insert at our Staff Christmas Party last night.  The inserts were patterned after one I’d seen on the Stampin’ UP! Demonstrator’s website; (one of the fabulous perks for being a demonstrator is access to hundreds of ideas and projects!)  They were so fun to put together the other day, I just love how all the Stampin’ UP! products coordinate and come together so easily.

Back of locket

And of course, the backside is as lovely as the front.  One of the truly unique designs of the Stampin’ UP! charms is that they are interchangeable from necklace to a bracelet change the inserts to fit your mood, and you can add baubles and crystals as well, easily because of their lobster clasp.  They are also very modestly priced which makes them even more so affordable.  See page 31 of the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog.

Of, course it would be unthinkable to put a beautiful handcrafted gift in a plain store bought bag….sooooo …………..bring on the adorable Stampin’ UP! Mini Lunch Sacks!  They are just the cutest little trinket gift bag ever!  They come pre-scalloped in packages of 10 for only $4.95 (Item #121031,  2010 Holiday Mini Catalog).  I used the Stampin’ UP! Decor Stencil Vintage Frames with Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin Ink and a Sponge Dauber to decorate the outside of mine, but you can use whatever stamp set you have on hand.  the Oval tag was created using the Stampin’ UP! Extra Large Oval Punch on Whisper White card stock and the greeting is from the 2009 -2010 Stampin’ UP! Idea Book & Catalog  Christmas Punch Hostess Set. Fold over the top, punch a set of holes and slip your ribbon through to tie the bow and you’ve got an “Oh so cute!”  gift bag!

Putting a little thought behind your gift giving isn’t really all that hard.  Stampin’ UP! makes it even easier by coordinating so many great products for you!  Be sure to include a gift certificate from Stampin’ UP! on your Santa Wish List this year!  Tell your hubby to follow the link and drop me a note for a personalized gift certificate!

I hope you’re getting your Christmas spirit filled with JOY this year!  Thanks for stopping by, till next time!

Blessings on your week…

Katherine

Filed Under: 3-D Projects, Most Recent, Stampin' Up!
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