Candied cherries

For those of you that are attending my box class on September 16th, here's another one of the card boxes that we will be making.  With a base of Real Red, and some Summer Picnic designer paper, this is a great design for late summer bbqs. 

The class is currently full, but if you would like to be put on a waiting list for the next class, please e-mail me!

Enjoy!

W

Sleeping at Zzzzzzachary's house.

As you know, the A-Z album is all about 2007.  I'll be lucky if it's finished before the end of 2008!  One of last year's memorable events was a big sleepover down the street.  Fortunately Jen, mom of Zachary, took lots of photos.  This layout shows all of the kids in action.

I'd like to say that there is tons of Stampin' Up! stuff on these pages but... outside of the chipboard letter, I don't think there's anything.  The paper is part of a big slab that I have, the eyelets came from Michael's, the mat cardstock is from Michaels, and the letters were cut using my QuicKutz.  There's a bit of journalling beside the photos and this was done using my SU! journal pen.  

I've been working on a cute mini-scrapbook for the past couple of days.  Right now it's put together, using crappy non-SU! cardstock.  But... I'll try and put the real one together and post it as soon as it's finished.  It's all a question of time.  Tonight is stamp club, and I'm heading out to see Avenue Q with friends tomorrow evening so it may not go up until the weekend.

Happy stamping!

W

Back to the alphabet!

I've managed to get a bit of scrapping done in the past couple of weeks, so I've got more of the infamous A-Z album to share.  Today's installment showcases the letter "R" - Road Trip!!!

The paper is Dashing DSP (now retired), with Old Olive textured 12x12 paper as the base.  I've added some Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, and some thicker red ribbon that I found at Michael's.  I think that the brads are from the 'Rama, but I'm not sure.  The journalling was done on River Rock cardstock, and the mats have been done using Real Red.  The title was stamped using the Headline Alphabet (retired), and the date was stamped using the Short Order (current) alphabet.  All stamping was done using Real Red and Old Olive ink, and the chipboard letter was covered with Designer Series Paper and sanded.

I used a few tools on these pages - Scallop Edge punch, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" punches, Photo Corner punch, mat pack, and the Crop-a-dile (latter two are for making perfect holes in the photo corners).  I've also used my Creative Memories circle cutters.  Whoops!  Did I say that out loud???

There's a pile of journalling on these two pages.  Far more than what I normally add.  For these pages I needed it because even though it was only a day trip to Buffalo to watch a Bills game, lots of fun stuff happened.  When was the last time you saw a scalper drop a $20 bill on the street and keep on going?  We snatched that bill (to the chagrin of the people in the car behind us who saw what happened) and it payed for our parking!  

Happy stamping, and scrapbooking!

W

Crabby Birthday to You!

Oh, did I have fun making this one!  This Diorama card is the last card that my stamp club is making this week and it has lots of Wow associated with it!  It's a difficult card to photograph, because of the layers on the card.  

So... how do you make this one?  The first thing that you need to do is go to Splitcoast to print the directions.  Click here to take  you there.

The second thing you need to do is get some fun materials together.  This card was made using Kraft, Baja Breeze, and Riding Hood Red.  There's a bit of Pacific Point & Tangerine Tango on there as well.  I stamped the images using Basic Black ink right onto the coloured paper.  It was then easy to cut them out, and I didn't need to do any colouring!  As for the stamps...  why it's Crab and Company of course!  I also used the Sandy Shells wheel for the front.  Too cute!

Here's one more example of a Diorama card.  This one was made by Wendy Tompkins, another demo in my sideline!  The stamp set that was used has been discontinued, but it gives you more ideas of what you can do with this layout.

Enjoy!!

W

A familiar card with a new twist

Some of my stamp club members will recognize this card as being somewhat familiar, but almost the entire card is different.  

I don't have a copy of the original card that this is based on, but I can tell you that the flowers in the centre were stamped using Bud Basics, and that I have used both Well-Worn words and the Paisley background stamps for the background.  The original background covered the entire card, the sentiment was on the left, and there was no ribbon or Jumbo eyelet.

So, I guess it is a new card!  Only the basic outline and colours are the same.  This one uses the Stitched Exotics set for the big flowers, and the Stitched background stamp (isn't it amazing?!?) on the background.  The colours used are Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, and Very Vanilla.  I used a Pewter Jumbo Eyelet on the flowers, and then attached them to the Mellow Moss square.  The new Scallop Edge punch was used on the bottom of the background.  It is extremely easy to make scalloped edges using this new punch!!  The sentiment is from the Thank You Kindly set, and has been heat embossed in silver.  Finally, some Mellow Moss ribbon has been added to finish it off.

If you need the dimensions for the card, please drop me an e-mail.  

Enjoy!

W

Busy, busy, busy...

It's hard to believe that there's only a week until the start of school, and that the summer is almost over.  Aside from the constant rain, it's been a good one!  And a busy one.  I have found it really hard to stamp when you have lots of other things to keep you occupied.  

This weekend was a busy one.  We got a good chunk of the house cleaned, and to my amazement, it's still clean!  By 5pm tomorrow it won't be.  I also did a lot of stamping!  I've been trying to nail down some of my workshop samples for the coming months, as well as put together this week's stamp club projects and boxes for my upcoming box workshop.

Tonight's card is one the cards that my stamp club will make this week.  The colours are Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, and Basic Grey.  I was looking for something unique, and wouldn't have put these colours together, but when I had a look at the Stampin' Up! Colour Coach samples that include the new In Colour combos, this is one of the combos listed.  

The stamp sets used on this Matchbook style card are Priceless, and Best Yet (a current Level 1 Hostess set).  Inks used were Basic Grey, Baja Breeze, and Whisper White Craft ink.  I have also used the Scallop, 1" circle, 1 1/4" circle, and Boho Blossoms punches.  The brads are from the Vintage brads pack.   

Enjoy!

W

Stitchin' up some workshop cards...

I was very sad when Bodacious Bouquet was retired a couple of catalogues ago.  I really liked using the bold images in that set, and found myself using it a lot for workshops.  I finally "replaced" it recently with Stitched Exotics, and it's co-ordinating background, Stitched.  

When messing around with the stamps last week, I came up with this card.  I think that it may be one of my workshop cards for the fall workshop season.  I found the colour combination on Splitcoast - another stamper had created a card using these colours and I loved them together!

The background is So Saffron, and the mat is Tangerine Tango (one of the new In Colours!).  The mat has been stamped using Stitched and Chocolate Chip ink.  The swirls were stamped on Whisper White cardstock, and the edges were dragged through the Tangerine Tango ink.  The flower in the centre was stamped on scrap Whisper White cardstock (using Tangerine Tango ink), and then cut out.  I have put a Vintage brad through the centre, added some Dazzling Diamonds to the petals, and popped it off of the card using a piece of rubber.  The sentiment is from Hugs and Wishes, and was stamped on the So Saffron cardstock using Chocolate Chip ink.

Two of my three kids are leaving for tomorrow for Grandma's house.  They'll be gone for a couple of days so I might (stress the "might") get some fun stuff done while they are gone!  

Keep watching...

W

Celebrating birthdays!

This weekend was birthday weekend!  My husband's birthday was yesterday, my mother-in-law's birthday was on Thursday, and the daughter of a very good friend celebrated her birthday today.  In honour of all of these special days, I spent Friday evening making birthday cards!!  Adina's card hasn't been made yet simply because although her birthday is today, she's not having her birthday party until the beginning of September.  The other two received a version of this card:

The adorable people stamps are from All in the Family and the sentiment is from Hugs and Wishes.  I don't use the people nearly enough and really need to start incorporating them in more of my projects.  I think my stamped hairstyle will change on a regular basis as I NEVER have the same style for more than a few months!  

The background for the card is Real Red, and the mat is Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper.  The "grass" has been chopped using Old Olive cardstock, and I've added some Bashful Blue ribbon for good measure.  

Enjoy! 

Become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator for only $119!

Ask yourself these five simple questions to find out if Stampin' Up! is right for you:

• Do I love to stamp, and love stamping with others?
  
• Do I enjoy meeting new people and making new friends?
  
• Do I regularly buy stamps and accessories and would enjoy a minimum 20% demonstrator discount?
  
• Would I like the chance to contribute to your family's income while working from home?
  
• Would I like to get in on all of the FUN that demonstrators have?
  

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you'd LOVE being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, and this is the perfect time to join!

From August 11-October 11, you can become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator by purchasing one of three mini Starter kits at a special price of $119.  For those of you that already have a lot of the SU! tools, this is a great way to start at a lower price.  You can choose one of three kits with a focus on either stamping, scrapbooking or home decor.  

For those of you that need more of the basic tools, you can select our standard $249 starter kit, and choose an additional stamp set of your choice from the catalogue for free!!

By joining, you will become part of my team and I'll provide you with the help and support that you need - regardless of whether you are just trying to support your stamping habit, or whether you are trying to build a business.    

Call or e-mail if you'd like additional information.  If you think you're ready to take the plunge, write down this password: wendyfee.  You'll need it!  Then, click here to sign-up to become a demonstrator (click on the Join Now at the top of the screen).  You'll need to read, print, and agree to the Independent Demonstrator Agreement, provide your information, and purchase your Starter Kit.  After that, you will be sent a password so you can begin logging onto the Demonstrator website, where you can start managing your business.  

This is such an amazing opportunity, I'll be asking a whole bunch of you if you are interested, as I know that you'd all be great demos! 

A Bella Purse

One of my favourite sections of the new catty is the Embellishments section.  I'm soooo excited about the new Designer Series Papers (DSP), and can hardly wait for mine to arrive!  Which ones did I order?  Green Tea, Maine Blueberry, Holiday Treasures and Ghostly Greetings.  With any luck they'll arrive next week and I'll have even more fun stuff to drool over...

Speaking of DSP... check out the card purse that I made.  This purse was created using the Bella Rose DSP and some Chocolate Chip cardstock.  I have also used the very cool and very easy to use Scallop Edge punch (pg. 189 in the catty) to add some detailing.

If you like this and want to learn how it's created, you need to sign up for my Card Box class on September 16th (7:30-9:30).  The cost is $15, and when you leave you will have four different styles of card boxes that have been created from scratch.  These can then be used to hold cards and envelopes, and are an excellent way to package up your cards to give away as gifts.   

All of this rain has put a huge damper on our summer, but remember... when it rains you can stamp!

W

Never-before-seen Stamp Promotion

For the first time ever, Stampin' Up! is offering a discount on brand-new stamp sets!

From August 11th through September 30th, enjoy a 15% discount on select brand new, die-cut stamp sets from the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalogue - no additional purchase is necessary!

Item #	Page #	Description	Reular Price	Promotional Price
111690	32	Snow Swirled	$29.95	$25.46
111734	32	Folies de flocons (French Snow Swirled)	$29.95	$25.46
111586	55	It's a Stretch	$28.95	$24.61
111544	81	Putt Putt (available August 18)	$29.95	$25.46
111626	91	Eastern Blooms	$25.95	$22.06
111672	98	Pocket Silhouettes	$22.95	$19.51
111726	98	Silhouettes florales (French Pocket Silhouettes)	$22.95	$19.51
111710	101	Upsy Daisy	$22.95	$19.51
111746	101	Pensées en fleurs (French Upsy Daisy)	$22.95	$19.51
111556	109	Under the Stars	$35.95	$30.56
111644	145	Heard from the Heart	$26.95	$22.91
112875	145	Tout droit du coeur (French Heard from the Heart)	$26.95	$22.91
111570	157	Contempo Alphabet	$48.95	$22.91

If you are interested in purchasing any of these at the discount prices listed, please give me a call or send me an e-mail!  A couple of these have caught my eye and I just may have to take the plunge...

Happy stamping!

W

The new catalogue (aka catty) and some corrections

Today's been a busy day!  I was off delivering catties this morning, my doorbell and phone rang pretty consistently throughout the day, and I had the usual "kid summer vacation" things going on as well.  For those of you that have seen it, do you like the new catty?  I have only truly gone through it twice, and will take some serious time this evening to decide what I'm going to order.  

For those of you that haven't seen it,  you can download it in PDF form from the Stampin' Up! website.  Be prepared to wait though...  it's a pretty big document, and our website has been pretty busy over the past 24 hours.  The online catalogue that you're all familiar with has temporarily been replaced while SU works through the process of introducing Online Ordering.  That's right, you'll now be able to place orders online!  Details will follow as soon as they have been released.

A few corrections for the new catalogue have been posted:

Page	Item #	Description	Correction
56	113620	Always	The price is listed as $35.95. This is incorrect. The correct price is $33.95. Additionally, this set is now die-cut, and the symbol for this was inadvertently left off.
58	113622	Enjoy Every Moment	The price is listed as $40.95. This is incorrect. The correct price is $37.95. Additionally, this set is now die-cut, and the symbol for this was inadvertently left off.
90	113618	A Beautiful Thing	The price is listed as $25.95. This is incorrect. The correct price is $24.95. Additionally, this set is now die-cut, and the symbol for this was inadvertently left off.
116	113624	One of a Kind	The price is listed as $25.95.This is incorrect. The correct price is $23.95. Additionally, this set is now die-cut, and the symbol for this was inadvertently left off.
124		Sample A	This sample uses the Lots of Dots jumbo Stampin' Around wheel, which was an Occasions Mini Catalog product, and as such, is no longer available. To re-create this sample, customers can use Itty Bitty Backgrounds (item 101893) or Polka Dot background stamp (item 109276).
133	111616	Classifieds background stamp	The artwork for this stamp set was changed slightly after the catalog was printed. The change to the artwork corrected a misspelling and updated the phone numbers and web address listed so they would not look like real numbers. While we were unable to correct the printed artwork, the rubber your customers will receive is correct, and varies only slightly from that shown.
139		Sample A	This sample uses the Forever in My Heart stamp set, which was on the Fall-Winter Retired List. To re-create this sample, customers can use Something New to Love (item 111692) or Simply Said (item 106598).
142		Sample C	This sample uses the Artfully Asian stamp set, which was on the Fall-Winter Retired List. To re-create this sample, customers can use Eastern Blooms (item 111626), Embrace Life (item 111011), or Eastern Influences (item 111628).
144	113626	Sweet Serendipity	The price is listed as $25.95. This is incorrect. The correct price is $24.95. Additionally, this set is now die-cut, and the symbol for this was inadvertently left off.
150	111500	Full of Life stamp set	This stamp set is die cut. The icon indicating this was inadvertently left off.
167	111337	Gift Notes II	The description for this item states that it includes 30 Confetti White envelopes. This is incorrect. It includes 30 Whisper White envelopes.
167	112139	Carousel Notes	The description for this item indicates that it includes 30 cards; 10 of each color listed. This is incorrect. The packet includes 12 cards; 4 of each color, and 12 Chocolate Chip envelopes.

Happy catty snooping!

W

Wendy's Little INKlings crazy August newsletter

I spent a good chunk of the day waiting for my favourite Canada Post mail lady to show up.  When she did, she had 4 of my 7 boxes of catalogues.  I have since gone through one the catties, and I'm impressed!  There is some amazing Designer Series Paper in there, and I love the new stamp sets!!

The sad thing is that I have no decent photos to show you of today's projects.  I spent the afternoon stamping and finishing all of the cards that I had cut for this past year's workshops.  Many use stamps or paper that have been discontinued, so I can't use them for this year's workshops.  I decided to put them all together, so I will have a great supply of cards ready to go for when they are needed.  Did I take photos of them?  Heck no!  Maybe tomorrow when I clean up the mess that I made today.  

Tonight I wrote and sent out my August newsletter.  Tomorrow I'll tidy, post some of the August details, and then dig into fun new stuff!

If you get a chance (and you can actually get in!), have a look at the new catty online.  It's gorgeous!

 

Cheers!

A new blog to check out - "So Shelli"

Before I start... no, I don't have my boxes of the new catalogues yet.  They are arriving all around the city, but Canada Post hasn't dropped mine on my doorstep.  Patience is a virtue... I think.

Secondly... I will be updating the Retiring Accessories list as soon as I've finished this.

Last, but definitely not least...  here's something completely brand new for you to peruse - Shelli Gardner's blog "So Shelli".

Shelli is the co-founder and CEO of Stampin Up!, and as of yesterday she has her own blog.  She will be sharing some of her infinite wisdom with her fellow stampers, and will be posting creative challenges as well.  Have a look, join a challenge, and learn something new!  In addition, if you're interested, you can learn more about the fascinating history of the company by clicking here.    

Happy stamping!

W

E is for...

Fast blog entry today.  I've been preparing for a workshop tonight, and it's been slow going.  It's really difficult to get anything important done when you have kids chasing you all day!

I finished these pages last night.  Nothing fancy, but cute nonetheless.  The background paper is EK Success, and I've had it forever!  The matting paper is Chocolate Chip & More Mustard.  The chipboard letter on this page has been chalked, and has a very cute flower attached.  I've added a couple of the flowers from the Stampin' Up! Pretties kit, and it's done.

Lots of news in the Stampin' Up! world.  I'll start posting all of the goodies tomorrow.  If the kids will let me...

Happy stamping!

W

Christmas in July?!?

When you are a scrapbooker, you often find yourself working on things that are just a little out of season.  On Wednesday night I finished the letter "O" in my crazy book, with the title "O Christmas Tree".

Here are some pictures for you.  One of these days I'll figure out why on earth you cannot click and pull a larger version.  Maybe once the snow begins to fly and I don't have things like meadows to cut weighing heavily on my mind.

Now... did you find the new stamps on the page???  Let me know if you did!

Happy Scrapping!

W

Diagonal Double Pocket Card

The last stamp club project for July was a Diagonal Double Pocket Card.  This is a great WOW card as it looks complicated to make, yet it's really easy.  Once again, the Monday & Thursday crowds made different cards because of my lack o' paper.  Directions for these cards can be found here, courtesy of Split Coast Stampers.

Monday's club made the card using Berry Bliss Designer Series Paper along with Pretty In Pink & Close to Cocoa paper.  The ribbon is Chocolate Chip taffeta.  It looks really sumptuous on the card!  The birthday stamp on the front is from the It's Your Birthday set (retiring August 10th).  The tags are stamped using the Enjoy Every Moment set.

The tags inside both cards are the same design.  Here they are using the pink/brown scheme.

Thursday's club used Blue Bayou Prints Designer Series Paper (which as of today is sold out), along with Soft Sky cardstock, and Soft Sky & Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon.

Tonight's scrappy night so with any luck I'll have more pictures for you over the weekend.  I think that I may play with my Decor Elements flower that arrived in the mail last week...

Oh, one last note...  I have updated the retired accessories list.  Favourite things are really starting to disappear!

Happy stamping/scrapping!

Wendy