Blooming with Kindness

A beautiful new set called Blooming with Kindness - what a pretty name! Did you notice the saying? "Hope is a wish with a little more clout." I love it!

I began this card by stamping the  flower randomly onto Crumb Cake card stock, heat embossed it in White and then further embossed it with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. It was trimmed with the Finishing Touches Edgelit.

I stamped the flower again using Crumb Cake ink onto Whisper White card stock, die cut it using the Labels Collections Framelit. To frame it , I used the same size Labels Collections Framelit, die cut from Whisper White card stock, which I then ran through the Big Shot! one more time centering the next smaller Framelit inside. I took just the frame it created, embossed it using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder and adhered it to the card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.

The sentiment - it's using the smallest die in the Apothecary Accents Framelit, which I then recut as pictured below. Embellish with a new Vintage Faceted Designer Button tied with Linen Thread.

First stamp the sentiment using Early Espresso ink onto Whisper White card stock with a flower from Everything Eleanor in Crumb Cake.  Die cut centering the sentiment in the lower portion of the die. Recut by moving the die down on the sentiment as shown. You've just created a brand new shape!

A Great Chance to be Hostess!

June is a fantastic month to be a hostess! Stampin' Up! has a wonderful incentive going on... the brand new catalog is here.... and I have some very cute projects I'd love to share with you!

Click here to learn more about the benefits of having a good time stampin'! Then.... contact me @ stampsnsmiles@gmail.com

Check back tomorrow for a project from the new catalog!

Love those Scalloped Mini Envelopes!

I love this Scalloped Envelope Die! Isn't it just too cute?

It all started with wanting to make some of those office-y kind of envelopes - you know, the tie kind. I realized I could make it from the Scalloped Envelope Die - just make sure the scalloped side is under when adhering the envelope closed and adhere the two side flaps last!

So then out came my Itty Bitty Shapes punch - because circles are okay, but.... well, then I had to try it with cardstock in Island Indigo and Lucky Limeade. Cute, cute!

Finished them up and then tho't - what's an envelope without a card? So along came the little 2" x 3" card. I'm happy now!

I'd like to share the directions with you - these seriously take minutes to make!

For envelope:

1) Using the Scalloped Envelope Bigz Die and your Big Shot!, create an envelope from

     card stock or DSP, 5" x 6". Crease with bone folder.

                   

2) Mark and punch holes for Mini Brads using 1/16" Circle Punch. Note the measurements   

     shown in picture to center holes.

Note: Here's the dealio - if you're using the envelope the way it was intended. Hole is punched at 1-1/4" and I would use 3/4" down. For top flap, it's easy to line up with the center scallop.  For this one, fold in side flaps first, then Snail Adhesive on side edges of bottom flap, fold up and adhere in place.

3) Using the 1/16" Circle Punch, punch two holes in card stock, then punch out shape. This

     makes it real easy to center the hole! I always use my punches upside down so I can see

     what's going on.

4) Punch two shapes using Bitty Shapes Punch Pack from complementing color card stock.
    Attach shapes to envelope with Mini Brads. If you'd like you can place a piece of clear tape

    on the underside, so that cards, fingers, etc. don't get caught on the prongs.

5) Now, place Snail Adhesive on the front side of the scalloped edge, fold that side over

     and then the straight side over on top. Here's the great thing about tutorials - we've already

    done it wrong at least once and that's how we know what to tell you, ha! Adhere bottom flap

    by placing Snail Adhesive on the inside of bottom flap (not the envelope!) A note about

   adhesives: If you place your adhesive in the wrong spot - no worries! Use the Adhesive

   Remover #103684 sold by Stampin' Up! - works like a charm!

6) Using a 6" length of Baker's Twine, tie it first in a knot under the top fastener. (Hard to show
    a pic of that!) Trim the end and then twist it around both the fasteners to close.

Now for the card!

Very Vanilla card stock:  3" x 3-7/8"  Fold in half to create an (about) 2" x 3" card. Crease
                                           with bone folder.

Island Indigo card stock: 1-3/4" x 2-7/8" Adhere to card front using Snail Adhesive.

First Edition DSP:            1-5/8" x 2-3/4" Using Itty Bitty Shapes Punch, punch a heart in the

                                            lower right hand corner. Adhere to card front using Stampin'

                                            Dimensionals. Adhere Rhinestone in place.

Banner:                               Stamp sentiment onto Very Vanilla card stock using Basic Grey ink

                                            (I pretty much always use Basic Grey for sentiments - it's just a bit

                                            softer looking than black.) Die cut banner as noted below and adhere

                                            to card front using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Die cut banner using Bitty Banner Framelits and your Big Shot! I stamp the sentiment first then hold the Framelit in place using a Sticky Note while running it through the Big Shot! Turns out perfect every time!  Now that was worth staying until the end of the show, wasn't it? Smile!

Supplies:

Very Vanilla card stock        101650                  1/16" Circle Punch             101227

Island Indigo card stock       122923                   Bitty Shapes Punch Pack 118309

Lucky Limeade card stock  122926                   Bitty Banners Framelits    129267

First Edition DSP                 121878                   Rhinestone                         119246

Basic Grey Ink                       126981                  Mini Brads                          122941

Adhesive Remover (yep!)    103684                  Baker's Twine                    125572

An Apple a Day!

Welcome, Renee, as a brand new Stampin' Up! demonstrator! It's so great to have you as part of my team - it's going to be a wonderful journey!
Check out her new blog at Cup-O-Stampin'Up! What a great name for a blog!

I saw  this idea on Splitcoast Stampers and loved it so had to run up to my "room" and make it! As I understand, original credit goes to Amanda Corbet. Thank you Amanda, for the inspiration.

I created it using First Edition DSP and the Hearts Collections Framelits Die. Use any heart punch you choose - punch about ten of them. Trim the bottom just a tad.  I sponged the top of the "apple" with Lucky Limeade and the bottom with Rose Red.. I laid them in a neat pile and stitched right up the center of the heart. Fan them out - I used a bone folder to crease them well at the center, and you have the cutest apple ever! The leaf is the "wing" from the Bird Builder's punch.  The banner is from the brand new Bitty Banners Framelit Die.  I also scored the edges of the card front to give it a frame. 

There are some wonderful incentives for becoming a demonstrator right now - Stampin' Up! is pulling out all the stops! Click here for more info!

New Stampin' Up! Ink Pads!

                                    

With the introduction of the 2012-2013 annual catalog, Stampin' Up! has made a very big change to their Stampin’ Pads.

Introducing firm foam pads! They change your stamping experience for the better.

I know you’re going to love these new Stampin’ Pads just as much as I do - just look at all the exciting benefits listed below:

• Provide better ink coverage for your stamps!
• Light-tap stamping produces flawless images!

In addition, our new Stampin’ Pads

• Create wonderfully solid images. The Firm Foam releases more ink onto your rubber stamp than the felt pads. When using the Firm Foam pad, your stamp will get an even, solid covering of ink that you may not have been able to achieve with the felt pads. Please note: if you are using the ink pad frequently you may need to re-ink your Firm Foam pad more often.
• Have a crisply printed, glossy label on the top of the pad that is easier to read and that will not fade or chip off!
• Come with color name labels in all four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German)--just choose your language, peel it off the back, and add it to the side of the pad for easy identification! 
• Use the same patented flip-top case design that stores the inking surface upside down, so the pad surface stays moist!
• Are available in all colors, including our exclusive In Colors!

                                                       Shop 24-7 online today!

It's here! The brand new catalog!

It's here, it's here! The brand new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! catalog. It's full of brand new products that you will love!  Click here to view!

 

And here is today's card - simple and fun, using some brand new Designer Papers along with a funky flower. Keep Calm is from a brand new hostess set you can earn. There are some beautiful new sets that you'll want to use over and over again.

The Great Just Got Better!

This is over the top great, great news!

During June, when you sign up as a demonstrator, not only will you get to choose $125 of products for your fully customizable Starter Kit, you'll also get products from the brand-new Patio Party Suite for FREE, including the Make a Cake Set, Patio Party Designer Series Paper, and the Patio Party Digital Collection DVD! That's up to $48 in additional FREE products!

So, to recap - sign up in the month of June for only $99 and you choose $125 of Stampin' Up! product (your choice of product from the hot-off-the-press new cataglog) AND receive an additional $48 worth of Patio Party Suite for FREE!

Your first order after signing will receive a 30% discount, and every order following will enjoy a nice 20% discount. What a wonderful way to get started!

There are so many perks for becoming a demonstrator - access to demonstrator only sites, a monthly magazine chock full of ideas and ongoing support and discounts.

Click here for more info!