Loving the new stuff!

Life has been very busy this past week. After I got my order, I had to make a whole bunch of cards, do Christmas shopping and usual life things. I did not take the photo I had intended of my pile full of goodies! And now that it's all put away, it's a little late. :/

So far, I have used the Polar Party set a LOT.

(All images borrowed from Stampin' Up website and link back to the product.)

I absolutely love it! I've made a bunch of cards with it and the combinations are really endless. I use watercolour pencils and a Blender Pen. When I first tried using watercolour pencils, I was using a little jar of water and a paintbrush. Then I had seen a video where they were using the Blender Pens. I decided to try it and it works fantastically!

I also love the Snowflake Punch. No more attempting to cut out every little crevice!

 But it turns out that the product I love the most of everything I got in is the Frost White Shimmer Paint:

I don't have any photos to upload just yet, but applying the Frost White Shimmer Paint to a dauber, then using the "inked up" dauber on a stamp and stamping with the paint gives an amazing look. I did up a card using Night of Navy card stock and the Serene Snowflake set (gorgeous set!) inked up with the shimmer paint, and it's just lovely. I also tried the Simple Snowflake stamp with the paint just on Whisper White card stock and it's a very neat effect. What I haven't tried yet is mixing the paint with some ink refill--a technique I saw in a YouTube video. You get your colour with this shimmer to it. It's really quite something. There are two other colours available, as well.

Well, you know, there is a tie, actually: between the shimmer paint and the Texturz Plates that I bought for the Big Shot. ;)

I got a whole bunch of other stuff. New demonstrators get an extra 10% off their first order over $200 and since I was acting as my own hostess, too, that meant I got the extra 10% plus hostess benefits. (If you're at all curious about being a demonstrator, email me!) After doing some calculations, I realized that just buying a little more meant I would get a whole lot more! So I went all out and now need to restrict myself a bit. ;) I figure I can at least share what I got.

As part of my FREE hostess benefits:
*Simply Soft hostess set (only hostesses can acquire this with their hostess dollars)
*Flower Fancy stamp set
*Heart to Heart punch
*sponge daubers pack
*Frost White Shimmer Paint
*Scallop Edge Border Punch
*Heart Treat Cups (thinking ahead to Valentine's Day and little projects with the kids!)

Merchandise I got at 50% off because of hitting a certain sales level for the order:
*Big Shot Originals Circles #2

On top of that, I ordered:
*Silver Glimmer Paper (available for a limited time in the Holiday Mini--Jan. 3 is the last day to order it)
*Dazzling Details glitter glue (also from the Holiday Mini; I got 2 of these. So far, I am really liking that it is SO less messy than the usual way of adding glitter!)
*the Texturz Backgrounds #1 plates mentioned above
*the pads needed for the Big Shot to use the Texturz Plates
*the Snowflake Punch
*the Polar Party stamp set
*Mini Silver Brads
*the Paper-Piercing Tool and the Mat Pack to be able to use the brads more easily
*Basic Rhinestones
*I {Heart} Hearts Bundle--this was a special promotion that week to get the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel and I added to it the jumbo handle, since I didn't already have one
*Many Merry Messages (this was on sale, too)
*both the English and the French stamp sets for On Your Birthday--it was 50% off at the time!
*the Four the Holidays stamp set
*Creatively Yours stamp set
*some gifts for people
*different colours of card stock and Classic Stampin' Pads, and some envelopes

I can say that I met my quota for the quarter. ;)


I now have on the top of my Wish List:
*things for embossing
*the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig--I've had too many things be stamped crooked. The Stamp-a-Ma-Jig gives you a way of making sure you stamp it straight, regardless of how crooked you put the rubber part of the stamp on the wood block! ;D
*more ink colours and card stock colours, especially some textured card stock: so many projects I look at and like use textured card stock! The stuff I already have has the white core and doesn't withstand texture plates well :(.

That's it for now!

My order is on its way! And paper cutters

I'm so excited! I placed my order after supper last night and received notification this afternoon that it is now on its way. I love how quickly it was taken care of! It means I should have everything before next weekend. I'm supposed to have a mini Christmas card-making stamp-a-stack with a friend next weekend, so I hope it shows up in time for me to prepare all the materials! There is a bunch of card stock to cut.

Speaking of cutting, this could be a good time to talk about paper cutters/trimmers. When I was working on a scrapbook project, I decided to get myself one. I went to Michaels and bought a Cricut paper trimmer. I was in heaven! I had used it to make my own cards before getting much in terms of Stampin' Up stuff.

Then I had to prepare for a workshop. And the Cricut was shredding the edge, not leaving it nice and smooth like my demonstrator/upline's cards were. I knew she took card stock in sometimes to have professionally cut (I think it's laser cut!), but some were done by hand and definitely did not look like what my Cricut was doing.

I figured it was because of a dull blade. I was desperate, we were in the middle of a snow storm, so I went to Staples (very close to me) and ended up buying a Fiskars. After I got it home, I discovered it didn't have the fold-out arm, which is a shame because that measuring arm is so useful when cutting for card-making. In any case, it worked well and I was happy. I decided to buy some replacement blades for my Cricut anyhow, thinking it couldn't hurt to have 2 paper trimmers, especially one with the fold-out arm.

I then discovered something.

The new blades were cutting card stock the way the old blade was.

The blade wasn't dull. The Cricut just can't compare to the Fiskars.

I wondered what the Stampin' Up cutters were like, but didn't spend too much time thinking about it--now that I had 2 paper cutters and replacement blades for them both. When trying to figure out my final items for my order yesterday, I was looking at the options for paper cutters. You can see them on page 208. As I looked at the first one, the one that's $35.95, I noticed the cutter blade. It looked oddly familiar. It hit me that it was a Fiskars blade! I looked it up in the online store and zoomed in on the picture:

 

It says Fiskars on the top. :)

Hey, why don't I show you a comparison shot? I'm not sure how well this will come out, but here goes.

Can you see the difference between the two edges? The right side was cut with my Cricut cutter; the left with the Fiskars. What you can't see is that the Cricut also kind of bends the paper more where the cut is compared to the Fiskars.

Now, if you want to have a serious paper cutter, this is probably the one to go for at home:

Stampin' Up's Tabletop Paper Cutter 106959

In the description, it says it won't fray card stock. The Fiskars one doesn't say that. My Fiskars does fray the card stock lightly, but not even close to as noticeable as with the Cricut. This is one of those ones that you raise the handle, then slice down. They're amazing. I think once I go through all of my replacement blades, this is the one I will get. I will still use my Cricut, but for little things, making strips for things to use in punches, etc., NOT for cutting the card stock into the cards themselves. It's pricier, but when you go through a couple of replacement blades a year (at least, if you are cutting a lot), those replacement blades add up!

Occasions and Sale-A-Bration are coming!

The Holiday Mini will soon be expired--if there's anything you want, you have until January 3rd to get it!

After that, it is being replaced by the Occasions Mini. There are some very nice things in it. To the point that after having placed my large order yesterday, I'm thinking I should have gone for the smaller order so I could feel okay about buying things I want in the Occasions Mini. lol.

Since it's not yet active, I don't have a catalogue link to share with you just yet.

I have to figure out just how much I will let myself buy. I think I will wait until closer to the time that it's actually available. (Yes, as demonstrator, you get to purchase some things ahead of time! One of the perks! :D)

*sigh* It's hard having a hobby that you like that involves so many wonderful things available to buy. lol.

I mentioned the Sale-A-Bration in the title, didn't I? The Sale-A-Bration is another mini catalogue that will be out soon. The way it works, if you make a purchase of $60 (before shipping and taxes) during the qualifying period, you can pick ANY item out of the Sale-A-Bration catalogue *for free*. Yes, for free. There aren't any prices listed next to the items. Some items are available through the main catalogue, others are exclusive to the Sale-A-Bration and the only way you can get them is to place that minimum $60 order. It's not hard to get to $60, I tell you. lol

I will share more once I have more!

Placed my first order!

I just placed my first order as a demonstrator! It was absolutely nerve-wracking! lol

What made it nerve-wracking is that your first order as a demonstrator, you get an extra 10% instant income off your first workshop order. Kind of makes you want to make it really worth it! With orders I received, then calculating how much I was willing to spend, then looking at all the discount possibilities both as hostess and demonstrator... It took forever comparing the different things and what would work best. Once I determined what amount I was going to spend, then the tough part was figuring out the free hostess items!

Now the tough part is going to be to wait. :D I will share about my delightful items once they come in! It's a good mix of things:

• 4 things from the Online Extravaganza
• things for the Big Shot
• ink pads
• paper
• some stamp sets
• some embellishments
• some punches
• the paper-piercing materials for brads
• a few gifts for people
• Frost White Shimmer Paint and sponge daubers (this lets you shimmer up your ink so that when you stamp, the image is colour mixed with shimmer/glitter!)
• heart-shaped treat cups--with Valentine's Day coming up, these will be particularly fun!

I will take a picture when it gets in!

Angel Policy

As I progress through this Stampin' Up adventure of mine, I find myself wanting to make all kinds of cards, but won't necessarily have many people I can give them to.

This has led to the natural thought, "Well, what if I tried to sell them?" I could see doing this. Maybe you have, too. If so, there's something you should know about.

Stampin' Up images are copyrighted. This means there are certain restrictions in place in terms of how people can use them. You CAN sell cards or other projects you've made with Stampin' Up images, but somewhere on the project, there needs to be a stamp that satisfies the Angel Policy.

What is the Angel Policy? You can read the full details here, and should read them if you plan on selling items using Stampin' Up images. One of the aspects of the Angel Policy is that you need a copyrighted indication on your project. This is available in the Digital Studio, but there are also stamps you can purchase. I'm about to purchase this set:

(Image borrowed from Stampin' Up site. Copyright belongs to Stampin' Up.)

Three stamps in this set, the Creatively Yours set on page 162, satisfy the Angel Policy. The others are neat stamps to have when giving away home made gifts, especially treats. :D There is another option in the form of the personalized "hand stamped by" stamps on p. 172. If you are going to be making a LOT of cards, having your name ready to stamp, instead of writing it all the time, could be a good thing!

Last Day! The little things :)

Last day of the Virtual Party! You do have tomorrow and Tuesday to get your order in on this party. :) (Well, you can always order from me, but if you live in the Edmonton area, it will likely save you shipping if you order for the party!) And don't forget: The Online Extravaganza ends on the 30th and the Holiday Mini ends January 3rd!


Let's talk today about all the extras that are needed. Stamps are glorious, ink and card stock a clear necessity. But what else do you need?

• Well, you need to think of things like envelopes. You'll be making your cards, right? What are you going to put the final product in? Check out page 182 for the variety of envelopes you can purchase. The medium envelopes are the standard envelopes for cards made by cutting an 8.5x11" sheet of card stock horizontally. Just a note that using one of the stamps used in your card, or something similar, and putting the image on the corner of the envelope can really add something special. :) 

• What about how you are going to get everything stuck together? I used to use glue sticks and the typical tape dispensers of double-sided tape. Then I discovered the Recollections version of the "snail" and was in heaven--until I tried the Stampin' Up SNAIL (p. 206).
  Now I can't stand my Recollections "snail" and can't wait until it runs out. While you are on that page, you might check out the other items and see what you might like. I really like the Stampin' Dimensionals; such an easy way to add some dimension to a card. I just made a card for my niece for her birthday (and forgot to take a picture for here! bah!) and put a cupcake from the Cupcake Punch on the front of it, using Dimensionals. My husband, of all people, looked at the card and was really impressed by the fact that this cupcake was like ones you see in cards from the store, all 3D. Dimensionals can really make a difference to a card! As for other adhesives, the 2-Way Glue Pen is a very easy way to get glitter to stick.

 

(All images taken from Stampin' Up online store)

• Speaking of glitter... On p. 201, you will find Dazzling Diamonds glitter. This is all I have used up until now for my cards. I use the 2-Way Glue pen where I want the glitter to be added, then you can use a big Ziploc hard container to hold the card over while you sprinkle some glitter onto the card, then shake off the excess glitter. If you want less mess, go for the Dazzling Details glitter glue available in the Holiday Mini. It will not be available to order after Jan. 3! Personally, I'm buying a couple of bottles and hoping it will make a reappearance later next year or even in next year's Idea Book and Catalogue.

• On  p. 207 in the Idea Book and Catalogue are some really great tools. If you have decided to buy brads, you will need a way to poke the hole without damaging the card, right? That's where the Paper-Piercing Tool and the Mat Pack come in. You need both--the Mat Pack protects things so the Paper-Piercing Tool doesn't poke holes into the surface you are working on. The Grid Paper can be very helpful to line things up when preparing a card.

• And, let's face it, you need a way to safely and effectively clean your stamps, which is where the Stampin' Mist Stamp Cleaner comes in, along with the Stampin' Scrub. The Stampin' Mist helps condition the stamps and keep them in good shape so they have the longest life possible. The Stampin' Scrub, now that I have one, is truly something you will love. You can get by with just the Stampin' Mist and a cloth or some paper towel, but with the Stampin' Scrub, it makes life that much easier--and the stamps clean better.

 
Well, I think I've covered a lot this past week. If you have any questions, post a comment, send me an email, anything! :) Thank you for visiting during this party!

If you have figured out an order, let me know!

Hostess Benefits

It's Day 6 and I'm trying to think of things that would be covered in a workshop! So today, let's cover a bit of "shop talk", shall we?


Let's talk Hostess Benefits.


Hostess Benefits start at as little as $200 in orders (before shipping and taxes). All it takes is to find a few friends who are willing to add onto your order and you could qualify for hostess benefits!

What kinds of benefits?

First of all, with a workshop order (whether you have held an in-person workshop or whether you are adding friends' orders onto your own; any kind of group order counts as a workshop order) of $200 or more, you get exclusive access to certain stamp sets. You will see in the catalogues pages with little titles that say, "Hostess." Even the mini has hostess items.

These are not products that you can buy; these are products you can get for free. Yes, for free.

With an order of $200, you earn 35 hostess dollars, which is the same as $35. You can choose the hostess dollars from the hostess sections of any active catalogue (be it the Idea Book and Catalogue, Holiday Mini or whichever catalogue is current) or non-hostess items from the rest of the active catalogues. You can use those $35 toward embellishments, paper, Big Shot plates, stamps, whatever you wish. As the workshop order reaches different levels in sales, your free earnings go up. Here are the different levels:

At $200 in workshop sales, you earn 35 hostess dollars.
At $265 in workshop sales, you earn 40 hostess dollars.
At $330 in workshop sales, you earn 55 hostess dollars.
At $400 in workshop sales, you earn 70 hostess dollars.

Until December 15th,  the rest of the level are extra special: at $450 in sales, you start earning an additional $45 in free product at each sales level!

I can do in-person workshops in and near Edmonton. If you don't live in Edmonton or if you would prefer to not do an in-person workshop and would just like to place an order in which you earn hostess benefits, contact me!

It's Day 5!

Day 5 of our week-long Virtual Party! What shall we have a look at today?

Let's talk about punches!

I love the punches. I wish I had many of them. They make life SO easy.  Not only that, but the cut-out shapes look so much nicer with the punch than by cutting them out with scissors. Okay, well, at least in my case.

There are so many projects in the catalogues and that I find online where there are nice circles, squares, other shapes, so clearly punched and perfect, that I sometimes think I should scrap everything else I think about ordering just to get more punches. Especially since I only have one right now. lol.

If you follow the link, it will take you to Stampin' Up's current punches. They are really so easy to use. I only have the Stampin' Up Cupcake Punch at the moment:

I will, however, be getting this one with my next order:

Both of these punches, as well as other punches, coordinate with a stamp set (or several!). The Cupcake Punch can punch some of the stamped images from the Create a Cupcake set:

If you look in the catalogue on p. 68, you will see that 3 of the images in this set have light outlines around them. Anytime you see that in the catalogue, it means that there is a punch that you can use to have a cut-out of the shape rather than just the stamp! (Also note that in the bar with the price and name, there will be a little note about where to find the coordinating punch or punches.) Of course, you don't have to stamp to use the punch--you might just want to use the punch with coloured card stock or a specific paper. You can see how to use a punch through many YouTube videos. Here is one about the Cupcake Punch. As you can tell, the potential combinations are ENDLESS.

You can see all the shapes you can make with the punches starting on p. 209. If you are looking at the catalogue online, keep in mind that the actual catalogue, the one you can hold in your hands, has the images at the size they will punch out. Online, keep in mind that the actual catalogue pages are 8.5" x 11". If you can get the catalogue to show up that large on your screen, you will have an idea of how big the punches are.

It's getting close to the time to order! What I will need you to email me (those who know my personal email or know me in Facebook can contact me that way, or even just phone me!) are:
*the item code (the little number that goes with the item),
*the name of the item, 
*your phone number and address (so I can make arrangements to drop the items off when they come in!) 
*and how you intend to pay. I can accept PayPal, I can take your credit card information or for people I know personally, I am willing to get payment by cash or cheque when I drop off the order. If you are placing an individual order online, you can just go through my site.

Not All Card Stock Is Created Equal

First time at the Virtual Party? Please have a look at the posts from Nov. 20 up to yesterday to get the low-down!

I'm going to take a bit of a different track today. I would like to talk about Stampin' Up's card stock.

That might seem like a strange thing to do, but it's very well worth it.

I have a lot of card stock that I've purchased in recent years for scrapbooking (which I only ever did one big project for and kind of stopped), for occasional card embellishments and just for crafty stuff. After I bought Stampin' Up stamps earlier this year, I just used my old card stock and even bought more things from a popular craft store (I think I'll keep it nameless).

I now somewhat regret the many card-making-related purchases from that craft store, as well as other stores, over the years.

Why? First of all, the quality of most of the card stock available there. Having used the Stampin' Up card stock more recently and being able to compare as I try to make some family birthday cards with my old materials, I am somewhat put out by the cheapness of the materials obtained from that and other stores--and I'm not talking the price. Some of the fancier paper and card stock is really good, I admit. But a lot of it, the stuff you see most... It just can't compare. The feel, the thickness, the way the ink sets on it... I wish all of my base card stock were Stampin' Up card stock.

Another thing that really hit me when I went to this craft store recently and went down the scrapbooking aisles to compare a bit, was that their base card stock collections are not nearly as varied as Stampin' Up's. If you have a look at pages 2 and 3 in the Idea Book and Catalogue, you will see all the lovely colours you can get through Stampin' Up. The collections are organized so that you can get a pack of a single colour or you can buy packs with all of the colours available from that collection, 10 colours per collection (5 colours for each of the In Color series). Now that's variety! In 50 different colours! The card stock colours are the same ones used in other Stampin' Up products, such as the ink pads, the Patterns Designer Series papers, Stampin' Write markers, watercolour crayons and all kinds of embellishments, like buttons, ribbons and more (see pages 176-180; the link will take you to 176-177). This kind of colour coordination at your fingertips is just wonderful. There are also Specialty and Designer Series Paper packs which match with the Stampin' Up colours. You can find those on pages 183-186.

When I first looked at the Stampin' Up designer stacks, I thought, "Oh, they're too expensive." Looking at the prices recently, I realize that I must not have paid too much attention to the price in the store: it's pretty pricey no matter where you go! I'm not sure why I've had in my mind that Stampin' Up was more expensive, but it's not always. It really is designed for just the average person who wants to make cards, scrapbook or do related crafts. Sure, their basic card stock is slightly more expensive than the basic brand at the craft store, but the basic brand, I have discovered, is really crummy in comparison! I don't want to buy that card stock anymore.

I feel like I'm on a soapbox here, but really, it's just my testimonial. I am a cheapskate, I admit it. I don't usually easily spend money on myself. My husband might not think twice about dropping down $60 for a new PS3 game he wants, even though he might have bought another one a few weeks earlier, and I agonize over whether or not I can justify a $60 stamp purchase--even though it's been months since I last purchased something. (Don't even ask me about my agonizing over which new cell phone and plan to get...)

Enough of that. Just think about it, go have a look at your popular craft store and see what I'm talking about. Of course, you can't feel the paper there and compare it to the Stampin' Up while you're there, nor can you see the difference once stamped. Or can you? Let me see if I can get photos on here that show the difference between using, for example, Whisper White and the white card stock from the local craft store:

 I want you to take a look at the quality of the stamped image.

Now take a look at this one:

Do you see the difference??

The second image is done on the Whisper White from Stampin' Up. While I had noticed a bit of a difference when making cards recently, I did not notice just how much of a difference the paper makes until I did this up for you all. I did nothing different for each one: I inked the stamp as usual, put the same amount of pressure, I actually tried repeatedly with the first paper (on the other side and even another piece) to try to get the image to stamp as nicely, putting more pressure, trying to dab on the ink pad longer before stamping. It would not do any better than what you see.

If you visit the particular store I keep talking about (I know at least some of you will know which one I'm talking about), you can see what's available for colours there in their basic card stock packs. Then I would encourage you to go back to the Stampin' Up catalogue and have a look at all the lovely colours available. And truly, they are lovely! I now have some card stock from "the" store that I didn't want in the first place because I don't find it a nice colour, but it came in a multi-pack with other colours I did want. I think all of the Stampin' Up colours are definitely usable.

All right, enough of that for today. See you tomorrow!

As always with this Virtual Party, keep looking through the catalogues, writing down what you are interested in--item code and name--and get closer and closer to making your final order decision! You are welcome to send in your order anytime and I will confirm it with you a day or two before I actually send it in.

The Big Shot

Yes, today, the third day of the Virtual Party (please check out previous days if you don't know what I'm talking about :D), the focal topic will be the Big Shot. Before we get started, I just want to remind everybody of the Online Extravaganza: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/daisys/promotions . I finally got a chance yesterday to really look through everything and see the savings on some items that I really like and, well, gosh darn it, it's having me replan my own order for next week! There are some items that just seem too good to pass up, like the On Your Birthday stamp set (both in English and French) for 50% off, the Many Merry Messages, also for 50% off, and the Joyful Season Letterpress--after the 50% off, it's only $3.48. WOW!

Of course, you mustn't forget to keep looking at the Holiday Mini and Idea Book and Catalogue. :)


For today's "workshop presentation" part, I am going to talk about a product I love: the Big Shot.

I love the Big Shot. (Yes, I realize I'm repeating myself, but doesn't that say something?) I first used it earlier this year when I went to a friend's workshop. There is just something so cool about it. lol.  And yes, I took part of a promotion in October where you got one free if you signed up as a demonstrator. (Alas, that promotion is no longer available.) How could I pass that up? Or, in my 14-year old daughter's words: "What's there to think about?" As you can see in the link above, there is so much you can do with the Big Shot. You can:

• cut shapes in a variety of materials: paper, Stampin' Up wood sheets, cork sheets, magnets and even fabric!
• cut out shapes while embossing them at the same time (see the Embosslits Dies on p. 216 of the Idea Book and Catalogue)
• have ink *debossed* effects (see p. 217 for the Letterpress Plates)
• there are all kinds of embossing folders available (see p. 218-219 for those)
• the Texturz Plates are fantastic--they give a very subtle embossing
• just cut a variety of shapes with the Originals Dies (p. 220) or with the Bigz Dies (p. 222) or the Sizzlits Dies
• use dies and folders from other companies! Yes! You can use your Cuttlebug accessories with the Big Shot!
• do even more, like dies that help you make little gift boxes (no, not joking!) but I will stop linking the pages now. ;). Check out pages 216-225 (yes, that is 10 pages of Big Shot accessories!) for all the details.

The Big Shot is really easy to use and, really, just a lot of fun for some reason. My 14-year old daughter loves the Big Shot, too, and my 11-year old son likes to be the one to "build the sandwich" and turn the handle. I just showed it to my 6-year old niece this week and she is not only able to use it on her own for texture plates, but wants to keep going and going and going! It's just a fantastic product and so easy to use. Here are some videos for you to check out to see it in action, but do check out others:

• The Big Shot with Letterpress Plates http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJpeQ7fL5mw  (Don't pay attention to her mention of what's in the catalogue--the video is a year old!)
• The Big Shot with Texturz Plates http://youtu.be/JNFQq6opMpg
• Make a box template with the Big Shot http://youtu.be/2mpGfN0aqZM
• Setting up the Big Shot (for the dog! lol; so cute) and using it with dies http://youtu.be/llWG4nhS52E

If you decide to get the Big Shot and some dies, folders or plates, do make sure to see the description of the dies, folders or plates in the catalogue to find out what else you need to get. While the Big Shot comes with two plates, some of the dies, folders and plates require special platforms or pads to work properly. I will check your order and ask you if you have the required items, but it's always best for you to know ahead of time just what you need to buy to be able to use a product!


So, how about a project to share for today? Since Christmas is so close, how about another Christmas card?

(Not sure why my phone is leaving a smudge on the right-hand side. 

It did that to another photo. Hm... 

In any case, I believe this card was designed by Tamara Bertram. 

I made it at her house, anyhow.)

Another nice, simple Christmas card. The standard Whisper White for the card itself (you just take an 8.5" x 11" sheet, cut it in half horizontally, then fold each half; voilà! two cards!). For the purply colour, it's all done with Elegant Eggplant from the Regals Collection, both the card stock and the ink. The decorations image is a stamp from Merry & Type and the sentiment comes from the Word Play set. Use a 2-Way Glue Pen and some Dazzling Diamonds glitter and that's it! Very easy to do, yet just lovely.

As previously mentioned for Edmonton and area residents participating in next week's group order, when putting together your order list, write down the item, the item code and how many you want! I can take your order anytime, but I won't be sending it in until Nov. 30.

Deals to know about!

The Every Little Bit set that I mentioned in my previous post and showed my stamping with the gift stamp from that set is on sale with the Online Extravaganza:

The wood set, instead of being $48.95, is presently 40% off and you can get it for $29.37!

If you want this set and are in the Edmonton area, just add it to the order you will be placing with me. If you are elsewhere in Canada, you can order it online! Do make sure that you've chosen everything you want before ordering--each order has the shipping charge added.

The Classic Stampin' Spots Getting Started Collection I mentioned earlier today is also on sale for $16.17 instead of the regular price of $26.95!

Virtual Party - Day 2

Welcome to the second day of our Virtual Party! (If you are dropping in just now, please see the pre-party information http://stampinupadventure.blogspot.com/2011/11/virtual-party.html, as well as yesterday's post.)

In a typical, in-home workshop, I would be spending time showing you various things and giving you the chance to make your own projects for which I would provide the supplies. I can't do the latter, but I can at least show you throughout the week different projects and let you know what was used.

I can also highlight specific things I would be highlighting or explaining during a workshop. I thought today I would spend a little time discussing the Classic Stampin' Pads (the regular ink pads).

The Classic Stampin' Pads are nice and big and most Stampin' Up stamps (even large ones) fit just fine on the pad when inking the stamp. The pads are kind of like a puzzle to open, but once you know how, it's a piece of cake. (Ok, the odd pad, when new, can be a little stiff. Just open and close it repeatedly and it gets easier. I have one pad out of all of my pads that's been ornery and opening and closing it a lot has put it in its place!)

They are designed so that when you store them right-side-up, the ink pad inside is facing down. Why? So that the ink stays at the surface instead of settling down into the bottom where your stamp can't reach. To open, you hold it upright, find the 3 dots on the top with your other fingers below, your other hand holding the sides, you press against that edge (where the 3 dots are) horizontally, the top will slide back, then you flip it around. To show you better, since I can't demonstrate for you in person, here is a video I found: http://youtu.be/l0gCmLI-KXs . Now, she doesn't focus on the 3 dots like I said, but you can see the 3 at times. And I don't put my whole hand over--I find it harder to do how she shows it. There is a little "edge" underneath that helps to press against while you push with your thumb on the 3 dots. (This is so much harder to explain without the accompanying visual! I might have to take up doing videos! lol)

These ink pads come in all of the card stock colours (well, except Whisper White and Very Vanilla, understandably)--that means that there are 48 different colours to choose from. Yes, that's a lot of colours! If you find it hard to choose, a common recommendation is to get one of the sets of Stampin' Spots. The Stampin' Spots are like mini Classic Stampin' Pads--or about the same size as many "full-sized" ink pads I've seen in stores. Same ink, just in a smaller package and you get 10 or 11 colours at a time. You can get the Getting Started Collection of Stampin' Spots on page 174 or look on the following pages where you will see that each of the sets of the Collection colours (not the In Color series) have their own set of Stampin' Spots you can order. **You can get the Classic Stampin' Spots Getting Started Collection for 40% off right now: only $16.17 instead of $26.95!**

On to some projects...

Christmas is on its way and this is the perfect time to share with you the Serene Snowflakes stamp set from p. 36 of the Idea Book and Catalogue. I love this stamp set. I bought it back in May or June, deciding to get some things ahead of time for Christmas card-making. Since it was for Christmas, it got hidden away with other Christmas stamps. As I prepared a fall stamp order, as soon as I hit the page with the Serene Snowflakes stamp set in the catalogue, I wrote it down as a must-have. I had completely forgotten that I had already bought it! What a joy to discover it among my stamp sets! lol. Good thing I checked what I had before placing an order. ;)

Here is one card I've created with this stamp set:

I took Whisper White card stock and stamped the front with the smallest of the stamps, just kind of here and there, making sure to hang over the edge in some places, then I put it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. I then used a separate stamp from the set (unfortunately, it doesn't show up well in the photo at all) and stamped the Night of Navy card stock with Night of Navy ink, kind of like a watermark feature. The VersaMark can give the same effect. The snowflake on the topmost level is the largest stamp. There is no punch; I had to trim it by hand. I then put a Basic Rhinestone (not sure which size) in the middle of that snowflake. I'd like to try this card with glitter or embossing sometime on the snowflakes that are stamped onto the blue card stock or the focal snowflake. I think it would really make it pop. You could also turn the card 90 degrees and present it horizontally, move the long blue band to another spot...

Here is one of the Christmas cards I made at my demonstrator's home for her Stamp-a-Stack:

She used the Snowflake Punch (p. 210 of the Idea Book and Catalogue) for the 3 snowflakes (I tried to make my own without the punch, just using the accompanying Simple Snowflake stamp and cutting around the image--it didn't work very well and took a lot of time to cut; the Snowflake Punch is on my list of things to order next). She used Wisteria Wonder card stock from the 2011-2013 In Color series, Concord Crush from the 2010-2012 In Color series (see p. 176 for both) and the silver Glimmer Paper available in the Mini. The stamp is one of the stamps from the Delightful Dozen stamp set and is stamped with the Concord Crush ink. It doesn't show up very well in the picture, but there is a beautiful light embossing on the topmost White Whisper card stock made with one of the plates from the Backgrounds 1 set of Texturz Plates. Specifically, if you look at the catalogue at the Texturz Plates section, it is the plate on the far left, but the flip side (the triangle image to the right). Does that make sense? lol. There are also Mini Brads to hold the snowflakes in place rather than glue or tape.

Since I feel like still sharing today ;), here is a card I'm working on. Or rather, part of a card I'm working on.

(Eek! Sorry for picture quality! I'm using my phone! lol)

I've used a stamp from the Every Little Bit stamp set. This is another of my favourite stamp sets. Every time I flip by it in the catalogue, I am pulled toward it. It's just a wonderful set and with so many stamps (28 in the set!), you can do so much with it. I just used the Basic Black ink and then watercolour pencils to colour the presents. Stampin' Up does sell a set of watercolour pencils, as well as watercolour paper (watercolour paper can sometimes be a necessity when doing watercolour effects--the water can cause regular card stock to bubble or deform!). The Stampin' Up pencil pack is a better price than what my current set is, but has just as many colours. My set is probably about 5 years old and barely touched, so I do admit to using that! I will get the Stampin' Up ones sometime to compare.

That's it for today. See you tomorrow!

Have you been looking through the catalogues at all? Working on your list of things you'd like to have ordered and delivered before Christmas? If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to contact me through Facebook or email: emicolas@yahoo.ca.

P.S. Don't forget about the Holiday Extravaganza!

Extra! Extra!

I have extra information for today's leg of the party!

When I had the idea about doing an online party mainly for local (Edmonton and area) residents, I wasn't really paying attention to an upcoming online sale that my demonstrator had given me a heads up on. There just wasn't enough information shared yet (they like to surprise even us demonstrators a bit ;) ), so it slipped my mind.

Paying attention today, now that the Online Extravaganza has begun, I see it actually coincides with my party dates perfectly and means that for many items, you can get them for a reduced price!

We're talking 20-60% off!!

These items, except for the online-only purchases, can be part of your workshop/party order that I will submit next week. Some of the things can only be purchased online (like Digital Studio downloads) and other things can be purchased online or you can place your order through me. The same principle applies: $9.95 shipping for individual orders (I imagine not the downloads, but don't quote me on that) or 10% shipping charge when placed in my group order.

Where can you see what's available? Have a look here! http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/daisys/promotions.  Just a note while looking through the items online: the *original* prices show up before clicking on them, not the sale price.

 **20%-60% off* That's a lot of savings! There is a one-day sale going on today, but you'll have to act quickly and order directly online if you want to take advantage of those sale items if you are in Canada and not in the Edmonton area. (Edmonton and area residents, if you want those items, unless you are placing an online order of over $100, it's best to just add them in, regular price, to the party order going out next week--remember, $9.95 minimum shipping charge on individual customer orders.)

To sum up:

*Order Digital Downloads directly online. Doesn't matter if you are in the Edmonton area or elsewhere in Canada.

*If you are in the Edmonton area, do like the regular party tips and write down what you would like to order--item code and name--to send into me when you are ready to submit your order. I will place the group order on Nov. 30.

*If you are not in the Edmonton area but elsewhere in Canada, please just order directly online. And don't forget today's special sale items!

Let's get the party started!

Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming! If you have a desire to make some Christmas cards or buy some stamps for someone for Christmas (even for yourself, hehe--you can say that Santa brought them for you), now is the time to select and buy! It can take 10-12 days for the orders to come in once they are placed. 

For our first full day of this Virtual Party, let's have a closer look at the Holiday Mini Catalogue, shall we? There are some great products available in the current Mini. You can download the .pdf from the right sidebar or you can flip through it, like a catalogue, with the flash version.

First of all, there is the Simply Scored being introduced. You can find it on pages 6 and 7. This is a fantastic product to use if you score paper at all--no more moving the paper bit-by-bit to do the scoring! Simply place your paper, decide the distance you need between score marks, and away you go! I tried scoring with just my paper trimmer and a scoring blade the other day. I suck at it. If I'm going to be serious about making things that require scoring, this will be the product for me.

There is a whole bunch of Halloween stuff, which you can still get and use next year. Like I said in my previous post, this Mini ends January 3, 2012, and there is no guarantee that these products will be available again. (Well, the Simply Scored, yes; stamps and papers and all that, no.)

You ought to go on and look through the catalogue, page by page, and take note of the things you like. Some of my favourite things are the Hand-Penned Holidays set on p. 15, the Specialty Designer Series Paper on p. 20, The Sounding Joy stamp set on p. 23, the Forest Festivities stamp set on p. 27 (it's just so cute, isn't it?), the Stitched Stockings stamp set, with the accompanying Builder Punch on p. 34 (I could see how versatile this set could be!) and, drum roll please ;), the Glimmer Paper and Dazzling Details on p. 41. (The red Glimmer Paper is also available in the Idea Book and Catalogue.) I went to Michaels recently and saw that they had glitter paper. It seemed of similar quality to the Stampin' Up Glimmer Paper, but it was $3.49 at my local store for one sheet. You get two for $5.95 in the Holiday Mini Catalogue--that's a savings of $1.03. It might not seem like much, but it's still a savings! (And don't get me started on the price of stamps at Michaels! A single stamp at Michaels for the price of some of the Stampin' Up stamp sets!!)

I have made some Christmas cards with some of these products.

(Sorry, my photo-taking skills require some work. This was my third and best attempt.
This card was designed by my up-line, Tamara Bertram.)

This card used the Merry Christmas stamp from the Hand-Penned Holidays set (p. 15), some Night of Navy card stock and ink, Whisper White card stock, Dazzling Diamonds glitter (p. 201 of the Idea Book and Catalogue) stuck on the trees with 2-Way Glue Pen (p. 206 of the Idea Book and Catalogue--a shame the glitter isn't showing up properly in the photo; it really makes the card) and with the Lovely as a Tree stamp set (p. 114 of the Idea Book and Catalogue). It is by far my favourite Christmas card made so far this year.

Another card made with a stamp set from the Holiday Mini:

This used 2 stamps from The Sounding Joy stamp set (p. 23) and I'm not sure of the colours. The card was designed by my demonstrator and I made it at her house. I believe it is Cherry Cobbler ink, ribbon and card stock for the red parts; looks like Sahara Sand for the other coloured card stock and the background stamp. The white is Whisper White card stock and the background texture is the Framed Tulips embossing folder on p. 218 of the Idea Book and Catalogue. Of course, you have to use the Big Shot for that. ;) (I love my Big Shot! I'm not ashamed to admit I joined Stampin' Up as a demonstrator because of a special promotion at the time to get the Big Shot for free! I might just talk about it more during the Virtual Party this week!)


Keep looking through the Holiday Mini and writing down what you would like. As you write items down, especially those you think you might order from me, make sure to write down the item code and the name--it will make things a whole lot easier! I'll be moving onto the Idea Book and Catalogue tomorrow.

Just a note: While the party ends on Nov. 27 and closes on the 29th, ideally, orders will be in by Nov. 28 to give me a chance to contact people on the 29th, if needed, to clarify or make sure they have everything they need. For example, someone might buy glitter, but don't have a glue pen to have the glitter to stick to. It's my job to make sure you have everything you need so you can sit down and have fun making cards once your order gets to you!

Virtual Party!

My Virtual Party week begins tomorrow!

What's my Virtual Party?

Well, instead of having an in-home workshop for an afternoon or evening, I am hosting a week-long Stampin' Up party where people can explore and order Stampin' Up from the comfort of their home! Like the in-home workshops, you will get to see some products throughout the week, get a chance to look through the current catalogues, you make your wish lists and by Nov. 29, you send in your orders to me. (NOTE: Since I am a Canadian demonstrator, I can only take orders which will be sent to a Canadian address. If you are from another country and reading this, please check with Stampin' Up and see if a demonstrator is available where you live.)

Let's have a little preview! :D

Check out the current Stampin' Up Mini Catalogue.

Or use the flash link to flip through the book online

There are some wonderful stamp sets, papers and other items available. This catalogue ends soon (Jan. 3, 2012), which means that some of the items will not be available for a while--or at all--after that date!

Check back daily for more information, to see some card samples and more!

Welcome to my Stampin' Up blog! I am a very new demonstrator--so new, in fact, that I haven't yet received my Stampin' Up starter kit yet--and thought I would track my adventure in this new venture! I have created some cards with materials other than just Stampin' Up materials; if I have pictures, I may just post them sometime. As I create things with my Stampin' Up materials, I will definitely share them here. Happy Stampin'! :)