Photo Card Class

Each year since I've become a demonstrator for Stampin' Up!, I've made my own Christmas Cards. Prior to that I used to send photo cards. Well, I've come across an idea to combine both of them! Here it is:


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

These 9 x 4" cards fit into our Large Open End Envelopes. They fit a 6x4 photo. You can always trim your photo to leave a colored border around it like I did. They open up so that you can write a message inside. I've deliberately left these cards fairly simple so that you can recreate a bunch of them easily. You can always jazz up your own cards by adding glitter or ribbon or other embellisments! Here is what the inside looks like:


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

How fun! So, I am offering three options for you to make your own photo cards for the holiday season.

1. Take the class on Sunday, November 25 at 1:00 pm. You will make 20 cards for $30--5 of four designs (envelopes included). Add $5 for an additional set of 4 cards. Want 8 more cards? Add $10 and so on. You will need to bring a paper cutter with scoring blade and your own adhesive. RSVP and PAYMENT due November 13.

2. Choose a card, purchase the Card Kit($30) and stamp set(s), add additional supplies as needed. Each card kit will make 20 cards (envelopes included) and will have all pieces cut and scored for you. You will just need to pick up your supplies from my Miamisburg home. Orders will be available for pick up starting November 26. Need more than 20 cards? Each additional set of 10 cards/envelopes will cost $12. Orders and payments must be received by November 13.

3. Pick a card and purchase the supplies for it. These orders will be shipped directly to you. Add and delete items as needed. With a purchase of at least $60, I will email you a direction sheet for the card you choose. See Cost Breakdown below.

Here are the other 3 cards:


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Cost Breakdown for Cards

*note that on the Merry & Bright Snowman card, you can earn hostess benefits ($15 free and a level 1 hostess set) if you purchase all of the listed supplies!

Fall Candy Dish

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

This was a quick and easy project I put together for my Grandma, who just loves Andes Mints. I told her about the fancy Andes mints that are molded and found some at WalMart.

This glass dish is from the Flower Factory. I used the Autumn Leaves stamp set and stamped colors that coordinated with the mint wrappers--More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, and River Rock. I cut out the leaves and embossed over them with Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder. I attached them together with a gold brad and used the fantastic gold cord from the Holiday mini to add a little more decoration. I anchored the leaves to the glass with our mini glue dots.

Cards for the Troops

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Here are the cards I am donating to the troops with the help of my World Card Making Day participants and some additional cards I made. Thanks to all of you who helped with this project! We made the Moose You card at the WCMD stamp-a-stack on October 6.

The cards are being sent to a group called "Support America's Armed Forces." www.supportamericasarmedforces.com They collect donations and send various packages to troops overseas. Check out their website for additional information.

Homemade Christmas Fudge

Now that my Christmas Stamp Camp is over, I can share this fun project with you! Each of my guests received one of these just for coming. This little gift is perfect for your co-workers!

ETA: I just realized that you can't see that a Hershey Bar is inside the sleeve--that, of course, is your homemade fudge! :)

Directions:

1. 7 ¼” x 5 ½” cardstock. Score at 2 ¼, 2 ½, 4 ¾, and 5”.
2. Adhere overlap.
3. Decorate as desired.
4. Insert Hershey Bar.

I used the shorter version of the poem. Here is the entire version:


Dashing from the malls
With groceries yet to buy,
Lessons, work and housecleaning,
Life’s so crazy! Why?

Bells on our telephone ring,
The machine will take the call,
We have not time for family or friends,
It drives us up the wall.

How are you? How’s your life?
We really want to know.
Hope you’re ready for Christmas,
Now maybe it will snow.

A day or two ago,
We thought we’d make a treat,
For all our special friends-
A Christmas gift to eat.

Our intentions were top notch,
But our schedules would not budge,
Hence, here’s this year’s edition
Of homemade

Christmas Fudge.

12 x 12 Cardstock

Exciting news from Stampin' Up! today! When the new Spring/Summer Collection comes out in January, we will be getting all 48 colors back in single packs of our 12x12 cardstock!! You've got to love a company that really listens to the needs and wants of it's demonstrators and customers.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about----this current catalog does not give you the option of purchasing all 48 colors of our 12x12 cardstock in single packs like we've had in the past. You can buy assorted color family packs that contain 3 sheets of each color, but not whole packs (20 sheets) of one color. This makes it a little more difficult for me to plan my Scrapbooking classes and for my Clubbers to plan their swaps. I never realized the true benefit of having all 48 colors until they were taken away!

Santa is Coming to Town!

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Or is he?! Do you want stamps under your tree this year? Then be sure to download my wish list form from here. Fill it out and give it to your husband or mother or whoever buys you gifts. All they have to do is call me to order your goodies. They can pay with cash, check, or charge. When the order arrives (beginning Dec. 12), they just have to pick it up from my house. I even gift wrap! Simple, easy. Be sure to get what you want for Christmas this year--fill out a wish list!

In order to beat the Christmas shipping rush, I am asking that your gift giver contact me no later than November 25th. Orders will be available for pick-up from my Miamisburg home beginning December 12.

Plus, for each person contacting me to buy you gifts, I will enter you into a drawing for 4 stamp sets from my basket. So, if 3 people contact me, I will put your name in 3 times!

November & December Scrap Classes

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Here is the layout that we will be doing at my November Scrap Class on Wednesday, November 14. The cost of the class is $10 or only $5 with a $25 purchase that night. Techniques: watercoloring with the watercolor wonder crayons and aquapainters, and faux stitching. RSVP for this class by November 7.

Scrap Classes begin at 7:00 PM and go until 9:00 PM. These classes are great for scrapbookers who want to learn new techniques without the Club Commitment. Usually, we do the same layout as my Scrappin' Clubs.


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

I orginally had this Christmas layout planned for November, but have moved it to the December Class on Wednesday, December 12. Techniques: Craft Ink--color and embossing, hidden journaling box RSVP by December 5.

Halloween Page

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

This is a page we made at Tammy J's workshop this month. It uses my favorite alphabet of all time---the Big Deal alphabet. I just love it!

If you would like to make fun projects like this, be sure to schedule a workshop with me. My workshops are hands-on. You and your guests get to make a project or two. Don't want to clean your house? Have your workshop at mine. Plus, when you have your workshop at my house, you will get to choose a stamp set from my basket with a qualifying workshop of $150 or more. Call me today to schedule your November workshop!

Halloween Baskets

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Okay, I said I would post directions on how to make these cups, but I bet most of you already figured out how to make them! Take a 5 oz dixie cup and carefully pull it apart at the seam. The bottom of the cup will come off completely. Use this cup as your template. Trace template on your designer paper and cut out. Use sticky strip to adhere it to a new cup. You will need to trim a little off the bottom. Stamp and embellish as you wish! You can make a handle from ribbon or cardstock, like I've done on these. Handle measures 6 1/2 x 1/2 (black) and 6 1/2 x 1/4" (pumpkin pie). Attach handles to the cups using brads.

The Great Pumpkins!

Don't you love these pumpkins? They're great for putting on a table as a centerpiece or hanging from the ceiling or stringing them togther to make a garland. Can you tell I'm on a garland kick?

Directions:

1. Cut 10-12 1" x 8" strips of double-sided designer paper.
2. Stack them together and use your Crop-a-Dile to punch a hole through all of them. If you don't own a C-A-D, then you need one. Or just punch single holes through each strip making sure to line the holes so they're even.
3. Repeat at the other end of the stack.
4. Cut a piece of ribbon---oh, I don't know how long, I just guessed! Maybe 6-8 inches. Put it through one of stacks and tie a knot at the top so that you have a stem.
5. Thread the ribbon through the other end and tie a knot so that you have a C shape.
6. Spread out each of the papers, make some leaf shapes, and curly cues and you have a pumpkin!

* you can play with the measurements of the strips, but I don't recommend going larger than 9". If you want to make tiny pumpkins, be sure to adjust the width of the strips.

Holiday Glitz Promotion

October 1 until supplies run out!

Make your holiday cardmaking easier this year with a little help from the Holiday Glitz Card kit. With our precut & scored cardstock and Designer Paper, festive zigzag ribbon, and Rhinestone brads, spreading handmade holiday cheer has never been this easy. These kits are designed so that you can use any stamp set that you own or choose one of the sets used in the samples above. The kits make a matchbook style card. You can purchase this fantastic kit two different ways:

1. Purchase one of 4 special holiday stamp sets (below) and get the Holiday Glitz card kit (110286) for the special price of $24.95 each, or
   
2. Purchase the Holiday Glitz card kit (110286) for $28.95 each with no additional purchase required.

Each Holiday Glitz card kit makes 15 cards and includes:

• Precut card stock and Designer Series paper (15)
  
• Whisper White Envelopes (15)
  
• Rhinestone brads (15)
  
• Real Red zigzag ribbon (15)
  
• Full-color instruction sheet (1)

Item	Page #	Stamp Set	Price
109234	45	Snowfall	$23.95
106786	36	The Snowflake Spot	$20.95
109266	35	Big on Christmas	$18.95
110359	5*	Love & Joy	$23.95

*Holiday Mini Collection 2007

Halloween Baskets

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Again with the Batty for You set, you ask! Yes, I just love this set and can't seem to stop using it for all of my Halloween projects. Aren't these the cutest baskets?! They're made from Dixie Cups. Who comes up with these things?!

These baskets are for everyone attending my World Card Making Day Stamp-a-Stack this coming Saturday at 10:00 am. They're a little empty, but that's nothing that a little chocolate won't fix! I'll post directions after the stamp-a-stack, so be sure to check back next week. Wednesday is the last day to sign up for this class, so contact me asap for one of the few spots left.

World Card Day Stamp-a-Stack Details
Date: Saturday, October 6
Cost: $17, includes envelopes
Time: 10:00 - 1:00
RSVP: October 3--SPOTS STILL OPEN!
You will make 10 cards, 2 each of 5 designs ranging from Birthday to Christmas! PLUS, make one extra card to be donated to the troops. Please RSVP by October 3 so that I can prepare your project supplies. I will have plenty of prizes to raffle off. Earn extra raffle tickets for being one of the first 5 to RSVP, bringing a friend new to me, dressing in red, white, and blue, placing an order, etc. This is sure to be a fun-filled day!

Merry & Bright

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Are you familiar with Stampin' Up's Simply Scrappin' Kits? Available in 9 different themes for only $19.95, these kits are a bargain. Each kit contains 8 sheets (2 each of 4 colors) of our textured 12x12 cardstock, 6 sheets of our 12x12 Double Sided Designer Papers (3 each of 2 designs), and 6 sheets of 6x12 self-adhesive die cuts (2 each of 3 designs).

While preparing for Tammy's workshop next week, I started playing with the Merry & Bright Simply Scrappin' Kit. This kit has a winter/Christmas theme using the unusual color combo of Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Pretty in Pink, and Bashful Blue. Working with only half of the kit, I used four sheets of the 12x12 textured cardstock and some of the self-adhesive cardstock die cuts to make these 8 long cards. You can get 2 cards (measuring 6 5/8" x 6" when open) from one piece of 12x12. I still have plenty of the die cuts left and didn't use any of the double-sided designer papers. Plus, I still have the other half of the kit that I'll use to add some quick 6x6 pages to my Christmas Album.

Why did I decide to make this size card? Well, besides being the completely trendy thing in cards right now, I can turn this card into a quick money holder by using the Slit Punch (item# 104388 $5.95). Slip it into our Small Open-End Envelopes (pack of 20 for $7.50), add some cash or a check, and you have a quick and easy gift!

October Project of the Month

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Aren't these adorable! These sucker covers are a really easy treat to make for some special friends. Purchase flat suckers (I found some suckers with skulls and pumpkins on them at a card store by the Mall). Use Stampin' Up's fantastic Scallop punch along with the 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" circle punches and a Halloween stamp of your choice. I used the Batty for You set for these. It is perfect for this project!

Add details with a white gel pen or pierce each scallop with your paper piercer. Attach the cardstock to both the front and back of the sucker with mini glue dots. Add some ribbon and your finished!

Spooky Banner

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

I got this idea from a very talented demonstrator named Jenn Balcer. I saw her version and copied it as much as I could! What is great about this is that you can make this banner with the left-over letters you'll have from my Fall/Noel Wall Hanging Class in Novmeber. With a few creative cuts, you can turn the Q into an O and use the outline shape of the O for another O.

Details:
Stamps: Booglie Eyes
Papers: Old Olive, Elegant Eggplant, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Inks: Black Staz-On, Black Craft
Accessories: Corner Rounder (to make the scallops), Aquapainter with WWC, Celery 5/8" grosgrain, Black Gingham, Iridescent Ice EP, Heat Tool

Upcoming Class

I attended Stampin' Up's Regional Event in September. One of the projects they shared with us was a fantastic wall hanging that could be used for Fall and Christmas. I worked with my upline Lisa and my downline Christine to come up with our own version. Here it is:


Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Class Details:
Date: Sunday, November 4
Time: 1:00 PM
Cost: $30

Make this fantastic garland to compliment your home decor! Using 4 CDs, fun stamps, fantastic designer papers, and lots of ribbon, you will make a dual decoration. One side says "FALL", the other says "NOEL." You will LOVE this project! PREPAYMENT DUE October 20. We will use the On Board Simon Upper chipboard letters for this project. You will take home the extra pieces. Pictures in the gallery!

World Card Day Stamp-a-Stack

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

Here are four of the 5 cards that we will be making for my stamp-a-stack on October 6. I think I'll keep the 5th card as a surprise. If you have not signed up for this class, it's not too late. Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, October 6
Cost: $17, includes envelopes
Time: 10:00 - 1:00
RSVP: October 3
Join me for a fantastic stamp-a-stack in celebration of World Card Making Day! You will make 10 cards, 2 each of 5 designs ranging from Birthday to Christmas! PLUS, make one extra card to be donated to the troops. Of course, you are welcome to donate some of your cards also, but I will provide materials for 1 card for the troops per person. Please RSVP by October 3 so that I can prepare your project supplies. I will have plenty of prizes to raffle off. Earn extra raffle tickets for being one of the first 5 to RSVP, bringing a friend new to me, dressing in red, white, and blue, placing an order, etc. This is sure to be a fun-filled day!

Popcorn Holder

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin’ Up!

If you receive my newsletter you have already seen this project, but I need to see how this blogging works! Halloween is a month away! You will want to start planning your Halloween projects. This year I am making popcorn holders for my son's pre-school class. They are super easy to make: take a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" sheet of cardstock. Score at 3 3/4" and 7 1/2". Adhere with the little flap inside. Decorate as you wish! You can buy the snack size microwave popcorn bags from Sam's Club in a pack of 40 for around $8.

Supplies:

Stamps: Batty for You, Batty Jumbo Wheel

Cardstock: Only Orange, Basic Black, Whisper White, Creepy Crawly Designer Paper

Inks: Basic Black

Accessories: Black Grosgrain, Scallop Punch, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" circle punches

Welcome!

Well, I just couldn't resist! I've jumped on the Blog bandwagon. I hosted a website for my classroom for a few years and figured this would be the same type of thing. My hope for this blog is to provide you with additional ideas for your stamping projects as well as keeping you up to date with Stampin' Up! Specials and my events. Eventually, I hope to phase out my monthly newsletters. With this blog, you'll be able to check back periodically to see what's happening! So, stay tuned for exciting (and maybe not-s0-exciting) updates!