Quick Thank Yous

Tonight Alex and Larry wrote some Thank You notes for their birthdays. So, I made some quick Thank You cards for them. I didn't want to make them too girly, or too time-consuming, so these fit the bill!

They are both made on a Sage Shadow card with Designer Series Papers from the Nouveau Chic pack. I thought the styles were not overly flowery, kind of a nice in between that meet a lot of styles. Anyway, I kept them simple by just putting one wrap of some Taffeta ribbon and simple layers. I also used the Kind Thanks stamp set.

Hope you had a nice weekend!

Julie

I Couldn't Wait Any Longer!!

So, I had told you in post a few days ago that last weekend we made some awesome projects at my uplines' house. Well, most of them were from new products that will be offered in the new Holiday Mini catalog. And, since that catalog doesn't start until September 1st, I didn't want to tempt you too early. But...I couldn't wait any longer!

This is a card/treat that, once again, my friend Elizabeth made! And, this is one of my favorite things I can't wait to use in the new Mini Catalog - the Sweet Treat Cups, with all it's parts!! The Sweet Treat Cups are the little plastic thingys that hold the candy (it doesn't hold a huge amount of candy - but they are just the cutest and most clever thing to actually make yourself!). Then, the Halloween stamp that surrounds the cup is part of a new set called Sweet Centers. - And I LOVE this set because it has stamps that make these cups perfect for Halloween (the one shown above), Valentines (a heart), Christmas (an ornament topper), and just everyday (flower petals and leaves, and a hot air balloon). These are going to be so fun!! And the little cups are only 2.95 for 12 - about a quarter each! What can you get for a quarter anymore?!

Anyway, back to the cute Card/Treat Liz created - We sponged some Halloween colors, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive, onto the stamp itslef. Then we just stamped that onto Whisper White cardstock. Then we trimmed it down and roughed up the edges. Then we layered it all together, using some Dimensionals so there was enough sliding room for some Pixie Stix! And how cool is that?

You can bet we'll be making a card/treat with these at our next class!

Have a great weekend!

Julie

From the Crypt!

These are a couple of swap cards I received from my Awesome stampin' friend, Liz. I was pawin' through my basket of cards this morning and these cards made me feel like getting ready for Halloween. I like the cutsie stuff at Halloween, but I LOVE the spooky and scary stuff even more!

Both of these cards were made with the set, From the Crypt. Wouldn't the card on the left make an awesome placecard at a Halloween party?? It almost looks just cool enough to set out as a home decor item all on its own! Not sure if the picture shows it very well, but it's embossed in black, and all the scallop detail on top has chunky glitter on it! Love those details!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Quick Medallion Card

I was surfing some of my favorite blogs this morning, and I came across this card. I was looking for one more quick card for a class I'm doing this week - and I think this was just what I was looking for! I found it on Kimberly VanDiepen's blog. She's a demonstrator who presented at Convention - and she makes some awesome stuff. I really like her style!

Anyway, on my last post I had mentioned that Dasher, the Under $10 single stamp, was one of Stampin' Up!'s top sellers for the new catalog. Well, this stamp, Medallion, was Stampin' Up!'s number 1 top seller so far! It's such an elegant stamp! By the way, it's not under $10, but it is only $17.95!

For the card, it was stamped in Sage Shadow onto Kraft cardstock. Then I layered a small piece of Sage Shadoww cardstock with a piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock (that was run through the Big Shot with the Finial Press Embossing Folder). I stamped Kind Thanks from the Thank You Kindly set, and tied a piece of Kraft Taffeta ribbon around it.

Simple, but very pretty!

Hope you're having a good week,

Julie

Dasher!!

Today, I spent most of the day at my upline, Tami's house. What a fun way to spend the day!! I don't know how a Sunday could have been much better than this??! We made cards, talked about the great times we had at Convention, and made more NEW awesome and stunning cards (you'll definitely be seeing more in the days to come!)!!

This card was one of eight make and takes we made, which focused on the new products coming out on September 1st. It was one of my favorites, because it was easy, but awesome!! And, the "set" we used on this one is actually one of the single set stamps (Page 208 of the catalog) - Dasher!! He is only $8.95, and very popular! I think he is one of the top sellers in the catalog, according to Stampin' Up!'s sales fron the current catalog so far (I don't think I made that up either - someone (?!) at Convention said that!)! Anyway, back to the card - my friend Elizabeth designed this card.

It was stamped with Dasher in Soft Suede, and the greetings set Grateful Greetings (which will be availbale Sept. 1st in the Holiday Mini). Then she used a Big Shot Die, Swirly, and made a template out of it. We sponged Brocade Blue on the template to create the 'swirly' and snowy hill that he stands on. Then, of course, what would a Christmas card be without glitter?! So, of course, some glitter on his antlers! And, I know on Liz's original she added a little better detail with sponging and some of the new Shimmer Paint - you'll LOVE!! - but it's not very evident in my picture. This is definitely an easy, but WOW! card!

We also made some other AWESOME projects that I can't wait to show you - from the Holiday Mini! New products...New sets...New product Lines coming in the Holiday Mini!

There will be more samples to come, and some COOL Halloween ideas (I'm not just skipping right to Christmas! I have lots of Fall and Halloween ideas to show too!); so, be sure to stop by again soon!

Have a good one,

Julie

Fancy Favor Box

Today my mom came by to borrow the Fancy Favor die to make some little boxes for a table setting thing she's doing this coming weekend. So, I made her one of the boxes; and since I had gotten her a personalized Handstamped by stamp (you can't see it because it's in the box!), I decided to cutsie up the box and put it in there for her. On the outside of the box, I put a little Tall Tales DSP and a smidge of scalloped So Saffron cardstock. I also added a "just for you" from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set - love that set!! - and punched it with the Word Window and the Modern Label punches. For the handle I used a little Old Olive grosgrain and attached it through some Jumbo Eyelets.

Gotta love the Big Shot, and how the dies make little giftables so fast and easy!!

Hope you're having a great weekend!!

Julie

Christmas Already?!

I know it's not Christmas yet, but it's not too early to start making your cards for Christmas (I speak from experience - many times! A few days before Christmas- still making cards - and wondering if the card will arrive before Santa does!!). It does sneak up on us! Anyway, these are a couple more Convention make and takes that we made with TWO more FREE sets we got! The sets are on pages 28 and 29 of the catalog, where they display the Christmas Collection! - Some great stuff!! The sets are Tree Trimmings and Sweet Season. I especially like Sweet Season, lots of cute gifty ideas you can use it for when you make some yummy Christmas goodies for firiends and family - it's all about the sweets!!

But back to the cards - They are both pretty quick ideas and both use the super cool new Polka Dot Red Grosgrain ribbon. The one on the left has the polka dots underneath though! Kind of nice that you can use it either way! And, both add a little bling with the Clear Rhinestone brads.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Autumn Days

I just got this set today (and actually I'm getting it again tomorrow - you how you think you just liked it, but haven't ordered it and then you order it again! yep, I do it too!) Anyway, tomorrow is Larry's birthday. He's leaving on a 6 AM flight - no, I'm not going to take him to the airport - so, tonight I'm giving him his gifts and this card!!

I love this set!! - It came out as one that demonstrators could preorder before the new catalog was released. Of course, I thought I'd never use it and didn't buy it then; and here I am using it (and ordering it twice!). Anyway, it is a great masculine set, and it has some nice pieces thtat I know I'll use later for Christmas (a nice real-looking pinecone with a branch piece).

So, tonight I whipped out this card for Larry. It's a pretty basic card with some sponging of So Saffron, Old Olive and Really Rust on Vary Vanilla - all layered on a Chocolate Chip card. But, you know, men like basic. Plus, I can place a pretty safe bet that I'll find this masterpiece on the coffeee table with a nice "glass-ring" around the pheasant! Maybe that's his way of recycling!?!

Oh, plus a little hint - when you make a dark background card, it's helpful to put a lighter cardstock color inside so you can put a message in it!

Have a good one,

Julie

Hello Again Convention Samples

These are a couple cute Make N Takes we made at Convention. We got the set Hello Again as one of our "freebies." I like the bright colors they chose on them. The card is Crushed Curry, Old Olive and Rose Romance. And even though the colors probably look the same on the little box, they are Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay. The box was just two 4" x 5 1/4" pieces of Old Olive that were scored in at 1" on each side. Then we just folded up the scored edges and Sticky Stripped to create the box. I love those easy kind of box templates - nothing to trace or cut out!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Very Thankful Again!

So I'm finally getting back to posting my last two Very Thankful cards from the swap I participated in. I did get them out to those I swapped with back in July, I just haven't gotten to posting them to show you here. Anyway, I love the set - it goes from elegant to kid-like to everyday - it meets many "thank you" needs!! These last two samples are a little more kid-like, but can be adapted too. One little surprise on the turtle card was that I used the scallop circle punch (times two) to create an oval scallop background for the wide circle punched turtle. I know I've shown that before, but thought I'd point it out again!

Hope you're having a good week!

Happy Stamping!

Julie

Happy Birthday Alex!

Happy Monday! Sure, it's a happy Monday for those of us who aren't going back to school today! Yesterday we celebrated Alex's 14th birthday, but it's not really until tomorrow. We had a small family barbeque, and I thought I'd share the card I made him. I used the new Extreme Elements and Extreme Skateboard sets. I also used Think Happy Thoughts for the circular Happy Birthday, and Wanted for the larger star inside the circle. I used the colors Soft Suede (I'm really liking this color a lot now - it goes with a lot!), Sahara Sand, Old Olive and Not Quite Navy.

The inside was fun (and quick!!) to do. I used the Stampin' Up! Pop-Up Look Here Big Shot die. A few turns of the Big Shot handle and this super fun gift card holder inside was created. I'm not sure it was made to hold four gift cards (it was a bargain buy from Cotsco), but it held together! I coordinated the stamping on the inside to match the card front.

Thanks for stopping by! My goal this week is to post something everyday - so I hope you'll check back! - You know when you put it into writing it makes you have to stick to it. So we'll see if that works!!

Happy Stamping!







Julie

Shutter Fold Card

So here's a Sneaky Peeky for Friday's class. This card seems to be the rage on the stamping sites over the past few weeks! This is the front of it...

And this is probably why everyone thinks it's so cool...

The inside has all kinds of fun stuff!! Lucky for those of you coming to class on Friday, I'll be cutting all your little pieces to "cutsie" it up! But really a lot of them are duplicate sizes - not really that much work! And the cuts and fold are not as difficult as the finished card makes it look! Anyway, can't wait to show you how to make it. By the way, it is one of my favorite new sets, For All You Do along with my favorite new Designer Series Papers, Cottage Wall.

Hope to see you Friday,

Julie

Back from Convention!

I'm back from Convention, and it was awesome!! - Stampin' Up! always knows how to put on a great event! I have so many great new ideas that I can't wait to show and share. - But all in time... I also have lots of great pictures, except they're on my new camera disk - which is not liking my computer for some reason - so those will have to come later! But I thought I'd show you the little gifts I made for some of my friends that were also at Convention.

The gifts started out as some snack things and other fun stuff I gathered and thought would be practical for the Convention...

Then I decided how to "Stampin' Up!" them to be cute for gifts...

Kind of my little Stampin Up! before and after commercial there!! Anyway, all the little goodies fit inside the covered bag, and that was how I wrapped them all up - I made twelve sets. I think the presentation of how you give a gift says more than what the gift is - especailly when you spend the time to make it special!!

Anyway, I got some cute gifts from friends too - and I'll share those with you soon...

I better get back to "work" on our projects for Friday's Class - Check back soon for a Sneek Peak!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Convention Swap Card #2

So I did make another set of swap cards! Yesterday I busted out about 50 of them!! I was tempted to start a third one today, but I found other things I needed to do! I can't wait for Convention though!! I leave tomorrow - and will hit the ground running when I get there! I'm going to a little pre-convention get together with some of my uplines/sidelines - I can't wait to see their ideas. Then somewhere in between I'll be checking in to my hotel and picking up my convention bag and goodies... I'm sure I'll have lots to show and tell when I get back. So, stay tuned...

On to the details of the second swap card though. I used a piece of Designer Series Paper from Cottage Wall to help me coordinate the colors. It is Rich Razzleberry and Pale Plum (although I used them together before - and really like them!). I put in a layer of Kraft cardstock to help tie in the Natural Hemp I used on the Butterfly's body too. I used the Great Friend set, another "not new" set but it is a returnee from the Mini Catalog. Other than that I kept it pretty simple - easier to make 50!!

I'll be off to Convention, but will post when I return.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie

Convention Swap Card

This Wednesday I'll be leaving for the Stampin' Up! Convention, so here I am finally working on cards that I'll swap when I'm there. Every year I wait till almost the last minute before I get started on making them. I think I;m always going to be one of those "work better under pressure" kind of people. No matter How much I plan in advance, it just seems like things come together better for me later than earlier. Anyway, we just make card "fronts" for general swapping at Convention. And even though it always a real mixed bag of swaps you get in return (cause we all do have different styles and perceptions of what's "nice"!!) - I really do like the swapping! It wouldn't be the same Convention experience without it! So, even with my procrastination, I'm almost done with 60 of the card fronts above and I'm going to create one more design. We'll see how many I get done, hopefully at least 100 all together.

This card isn't anything new, but it's all current! The card is Old Olive, Barely Banana, and Chocolate Chip. The set I used is Cheep Talk. Even thought there lots of pieces in the set, I used the smallest parts. I really like that little pear - and I like how it ended up fitting just right into the large oval punch! I wasn't super happy with how the size of the "hello there" fit onto the card front - and I thought of using a bigger size saying - but I do like to show how your card can be made from only stamps that come in one set.

Well, off to get busy on more stamping!! Thanks for stopping by,

Julie