Look what's coming!

As you say goodbye to 2010 and welcome in 2011, join 24 of my favorite stampers for a Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop featuring products from...the Occasions Mini Catalog! Look for stamps, accessories, and designs for Valentines Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and just plain old wonderful spring! See amazing projects by amazing demonstrator designers and fall in love.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Actually, I could happily live without any more snow, but isn't this a fun card??? Really easy to make, so if you still need a few more Christmas cards, this is a great one to copy! The card base is Old Olive, then a layer of Cherry Cobbler (my favorite red for Christmas), then the Jolly Holiday Designer series paper. The ribbon is Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding from the Holiday Mini. The snowflakes are from the new Decorative Strip die Northern Frost, also in the Holiday Mini. Add a few brads and it's finished.

Hope your Christmas preparations are going better than mine!

A Pocketful of Tags!

Don't forget our special Club Celebration on Tuesday, December 7 at 7 pm! We will be making Christmas Tag Pouches. Each club member will get to make one for free, and guests can make one for $5 or free with a $30 order. If you haven't already RSVP'd to make this project, please do so by midnight Friday (Dec 3).

{6 x 6 tag pocket copied from the talented Kay Kalthoff.}

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US. And thanks to all my readers for coming to my blog and sharing the love of stamping with me!

Stampin' Up! Online Spectacular!

During this one week only, you and your customers can get incredible discounts--up to 50 percent--saving big on your favorite products, as well as qualifying for FREE SHIPPING with online orders of $150 or more.

Click on the banner "find spectacular deals" now to go to my Stampin Up online store!

Discounted Products

• Discounted products (except My Digital Downloads) are available on all order types (customer, workshop, and online).
• Discounted digital downloads are only available on online order types.
• There is no minimum purchase required to participate in the discounted products promotion.
• For product bundles, you must use the bundle item numbers provided. Bundle discounts will not be applied if individual item numbers are used.
• Additional products from current catalogs may be purchased on the same order.
• Discounts range between 20 and 50 percent.
• Deadlines: Online Store:  Tuesday, November 30, 2010; 11:50 PM (MT)

Free Shipping

• In order to receive free shipping, orders must be $150 or more before tax and shipping.
• Free shipping is available for qualifying online orders only. Other order types will not qualify for this promotional offer.
• Deadlines:
  
  • Online Store:  Tuesday, November 30, 2010; 11:50 PM (MT)

Tags for Christmas!

Join me at the December Club Celebration on Tuesday, December 7, and make one of these great 6 x 6 tag pockets! (I copied this wonderful idea from the talented Kay Kalthoff.)

If you're already a club member, you'll get to make one tag pocket for free; otherwise, the cost is $5 or free with a $30 order. If you haven't already, please RSVP for how many pockets you'd like to make by Friday, Dec 3. I have a limited number of pockets available!

All I want for Christmas!

Are you hard to buy for??? Stampin' Up! has a GREAT gift idea! Become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for only $87.50! That's half off the regular $175 price. It's an amazing opportunity, but hurry--offer ends November 30. Tell your family what you really want for Christmas--to become a Stampin Up demonstrator! 


Make new friends! Buy your favorite products at a discount! Earn extra cash to help with bills!

Go to http://amybell.stampinup.net/startyourownbusiness

and use the password cardbuffet to join online--it's quick and easy! 

Music notes

My mom has been asking for some notecards that she could use for any occasion and that would reflect her specifically. Soooo, it had to be music. I gave her a big pile of these for her birthday last week, and she loves them! Hope you like them, too! I used the Polka Dots Embossing folder to add some texture and embossed the flaps of the envelopes to match!

Hope your day is noteworthy!

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Paper: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake
Ink: Marina Mist, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Music Notes Wheel ( p 125), Big Shot, Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Custom Rag Quilt Purses for Christmas

After many requests, I've decided to offer custom Rag Quilt Purses for sale in time for Christmas! I'm only taking the first 6 requests, but the rest will be put on a waiting list! The cost is $35 plus shipping. If you'd like to order, please contact me by email at cardbuffet AT gmail DOT com and I'll send you a Paypal invoice. These will be guaranteed to ship by Dec 17. At this time, I can only take orders for within the US.

Here are a few samples--you can request any colors and I'll do my best. Click on the pictures to see a larger image.

Thankful for leaves

This was my swap for November's club meeting last night. I used individual images from the Jumbo Wheel "Bright Blessings" (p 28, 115626). I love cutting apart the wheels to get a BUNCH of images at a low price! I'm starting to really like the color Cajun Craze for fall. And I didn't think I'd like it at all! Give it a try! 


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Stamps: Bright Blessings Wheel
Paper: Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Ink: Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, More Mustard
Accessories: 1 1/4" square punch, scalloped square punch

Do you smell pumpkin????

Scratch-n-sniff is always a favorite technique at my events, and everybody had fun making this yummy pumpkin! We mixed a tiny bit of Allspice into clear embossing powder, then stamped the pumpkin from Paisley Prints in Pumpkin Pie Craft ink and embossed it. The room smelled GREAT! 

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Stamps: Paisley Prints
Paper: Old Olive, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Whisper White
Ink: Pumpkin Pie Craft, Early Espresso Classic
Accessories: Big Shot, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder,

Monster Candy

I forgot to upload this last week!

We made this at October's club meeting using the Make a Monster set and the Candy Wrapper die. So easy and fun! One of the great things about the clear mount Make a Monster set is the ability to build a "face" on a clear block, and then apply it to the monster all at once! Super fun! We used the Illuminate Top Coat Smooch to give the eyes a spooky shimmer.

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Stamps: Make a Monster
Paper: Basic Black, Peach Parfait
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Staz On Black
Accessories: Big Shot, Candy Wrapper die, 1/8" Old Olive ribbon, Illuminate Smooch Pearlized Accents

Modern Speckled Daisies

I made a stack of these for my sister-in-law's birthday recently. I've been trying to be more conscious of making cards that are easy to mail. These are very flat in the envelope, but the flowers and centers give them some depth anyway.

M&M Owls

About a year ago, I bought some of these cellophane tubes, but they just sat in my drawer. Then my friend Paula did some with the owl punch, and I had to copy her! Aren't they cute?

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Paper: Early Espresso, More Mustard, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red
Accessories: Owl Punch, glue dots, cello bags 1 x 8

Downline Swaps

These are some of the cards we made at my October downline meeting. We had a great time together, and aren't they fun designers??? Amanda made the two 3x3 cards, and Malinda made the Snow Swirled gift card holder.

Moonlighting

Look! A card I made just for fun! I need to do more of that. I stamped the tree on Whisper White, then brayered So Saffron ink over the whole piece. Then masked a "moon" and brayered More Mustard over the top. I used a sponge to add the Chocolate Chip ink. Then I took off the moon mask and stamped my little owl in Chocolate Chip Craft ink and embossed him with clear embossing powder.

You can blame my best friend Brandi for the doodling.

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Stamps: Season of Friendship, Animal Stories
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard
Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic and Craft, So Saffron, More  Mustard
Accessories: Sticky Notes, 1 1/4" circle punch, brayer, clear embossing powder, Chocolate Chip Taffeta (retired)

Happy Birthday Leiane!

 

This is the Rag Quilt Purse I made for my sister's birthday today! She's always been the pink girl, and she's a disgustingly fabulous pianist and singer. Music and pink were the order of the day. Happy birthday, Leiane!

The faces of Halloween

This card was inspired by an ad for trick-or-treating bags. Very rarely do things click into place like that for me, so I enjoyed making this one work! I used the new Decorative Label Punch (Holiday Mini p 25) and then added the faces.The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (of course).

I made this card for my club swap this week. Try making your own holiday faces with the Decorative Label Punch!

Letterpress Snowflakes

 

This is the card I designed for my downline meeting last week. I wanted everyone to get a chance to try out Stampin' Up!'s new Letterpress plates.  (page 42 of the Holiday Mini Catalog)

It was easier than I thought! This is the Northern Trim plate, which coordinates with the Level 1 Mini Catalog Hostess Set Northern Hearts. The letterpress image uses Night of Navy Craft ink and Watercolor Paper. We added a few Clear Rhinestone Brads, because snowflakes need bling, right? 

Give Letterpress a try! It's a fun new idea for your Big Shot! 

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Stamps: Northern Hearts

Paper: Watercolor, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue

Ink: Night of Navy Craft and Classic, Bashful Blue Classic

Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Trim Letterpress plate, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Dimensionals

It's a clearance sale!

Don't you just love things on clearance??? Stampin' Up! has a sale for you!

Get there by going to my Stampin' Up! website. Orders must be placed through my website--clearance items can't be placed on a regular or club order.  There are tins, brads, cardstock, ribbons--and lots, lots more! Have fun!

More wedding stuff

Bridesmaids gifts. Times 6. {smile}

Where do the years go?

My niece was married last week. She was a darling baby at my wedding, 20 years ago. {sigh}

She couldn't find a guest book anywhere that she liked, soooo, I altered one for her. Her colors were butter yellow, navy, and light blue. Did you know it's very hard to find butter yellow fabric in stores in September???? Fortunately, I had some in my stash. Not enough, so I had to sew two different pieces together. lol But it worked! Added some navy 5/8 grosgrain and some flowers from the Flower Layers Die.

Here's the inside page:

The rest of the pages were stamped with a watercolor flower image. . . I forgot to take a pic of that part.

So just look out, because those little darlings in your life will be all grown up SOON! {sniffle}

October Card Buffet

It's time for a Card Buffet! 

Thursday, October  21 6:30 pm

The cost is $15, and you choose any 8 cards you'd like to make! Additional cards are $2 each. The sunflower pin/magnet is available also. I'll have all the materials cut and ready for you, and you make the projects!

Please email me with your choices by midnight Thursday, Oct 14! I will send you a paypal invoice as soon as I receive your request. You can also pay by check. All payments are due Oct 15.

Now for the cards!

Falling Leaves.

 Three Butterflies.

White Hydrangea.

Three Red in a Row.

Lattice Birthday.

Sunflower pin or magnet (please specify). $5 if you make it. $8 made to order.


Let me know which 8 (or more) cards you'd like by Oct 14!

Silk Flowers

I have 4 daughters, so we're always interested in the newest accessory trends! These are what I officially call "melty flowers." :-) We used the Big Shot and the Flower Folds die to cut all kinds of black fabrics that contain polyester--then held each flower over a candle flame till it's all melted. Sew the layers together with a button/brad/bauble in the middle, add a pin back or hair clip, and ta da! Give it a try! Super easy!

My favorite mushrooms

When I first saw this set, Funky Four (120438), I HAD to have it! What says early '70s more than these babies??? Ahh, the memories.

Anyway, we made this card at our Club meeting on Tuesday, using the make-your-own-ink-pad technique with white felt and re-inkers. We also had fun with the Tasteful Trim die (120893), and made this adorable Early Espresso ric rac behind the main image.

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Stamps: Funky Four, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: More Mustard, Ridinghood Red, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive Classic, Re-inkers: Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, Old Olive, Ridinghood Red
Accessories: Big Shot, Tasteful Trim Die, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Brights Brads (Old Olive), dimensionals

See ya later, alligator

Every month at club, we do a swap. This month's swap theme is animals. I {heart} the Level 1 hostess set Longfellows, and decided this was a perfect opportunity to show it off! I used the faux alligator skin technique, which is an old favorite! If you'd like to learn how to do it, let me know!

Be on the lookout for a card buffet next month! {gasp} I know, it's been a year since the last one!

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Stamps: Longfellows
Paper: Old Olive, Peach Parfait, Early Espresso, Greenhouse Garden DSP
Ink: Versamark, Old Olive, Early Espresso
Accessories: Clear EP, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Neutral Brads 3/8", 1 3/4 Scallop Circle Punch, White Gel Pen, Dimensionals, Stampin Sponge

Join Stampin Up!

If you've been thinking of becoming a Stampin Up demonstrator, I'd love to talk to you about it! In addition to getting a discount on products I love, I have made dear friends with demonstrators from all over the United States and Canada! This month, new demonstrators will receive this fabulous tote FREE with purchase of a starter kit! Let me know if you'd like more information.

Dates: September 1-October 18, 2010, or while supplies last

Details
New recruits who join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator during the promotion period will receive a FREE craft tote (valued at $39.95) with the purchase of their Starter Kit.

Watercolor just for you

I didn't make it to the Stampin Up Convention this past summer, but I made this card inspired by one most Convention-goers made!

It uses the fabulous stamp set Just Believe. I inked it up with my markers, then spritzed with a bit of water to give the watercolor effect. How about those Brights Buttons! I love 'em. I edged the card with the Scallop Trim Border punch, and then put a line of Old Olive cardstock on the inside of the card to highlight it.

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Stamps: Just Believe
Paper: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Naturals White
Ink: Old Olive and NQN markers, Not Quite Navy classic pad
Accessories: spray bottle, 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain, Brights Buttons (Old Olive), Linen Thread, Scallop Trim Border Punch

A fish story

I wanted to post a close-up of one of the fish I did for last week's blog hop. I like this one, because you can see the Smooch Spritz on it! This really is one of my favorite projects in a long time.

 

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Paper:  Concord Crush, In Color DSP 6x6 hostess pack
Ink: Concord Crush
Accessories: Big Shot, Tasteful Trim Die, Neutral Buttons, Rhinestones, 1/8 White Taffeta, White Gel Pen, Stampin Sponge, Mono Multi Glue, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz

Check out what's on sale!

Stampin Up has listed some great buys on the Clearance Rack of my Stampin Up website! These items cannot be added to a regular order--they must be purchased online. Be sure to catch them before they're gone!

Here are a few samples:

Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon
Price: $3.99
Catalog Price : 9.95 Real Red Corduroy Buttons Price: $3.99 Catalog Price : $9.95 Little Felt Flurries Accents & Elements Price: $5.99 Catalog Price : $13.95

Stampin Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop!

Welcome to stop #11 on the Stampin Addicts Blog Hop! 

Click here to go back to #10, Kitty Stamp

As long as you keep clicking on to the next blog at the bottom of each post, you'll get to see a parade of projects from the wonderful stampers at Stampin Addicts! This time, we're featuring all new products from the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog. If you've come from Betty's blog, Kitty Stamp, you've seen her great ideas for the new Stampin' Up fabrics! 

My projects feature the new Bigz XL die, Tasteful Trim. You know how I love my Big Shot! One of my favorite features about the Big Shot dies is that they cut such a variety of materials!

We have had many invitations to bridal showers the last few months, and still a couple more to go, so my thoughts were leaning in a kitchen direction when my Tasteful Trim die arrived. I used iron-on, lightweight interfacing behind all the fabric cut with the Tasteful Trim die.

The napkins are embellished with the bead trim from Tasteful Trim. I ironed our Deck the Halls fabric onto lightweight interfacing, cut, and then appliqued (which is just a fancy word for sewing it down securely with a sewing machine!) it across the corners of the napkins. I think it looks lovely! The coaster set features the large and small ricrac trims. I used fabric glue to attach it to cork, and then put the cork through my Big Shot with the Scalloped Square die.

Sorry for the shadows on this one! These are super-soft white dishtowels I purchased and then added the large ricrac trim (again with applique)! What a great way to personalize a gift or just to dress up your kitchen for the holidays! Fortunately for me, the Deck the Halls fabrics already match my kitchen colors. {smile}

I think we'll be making more of these personalized kitchen ensembles for future shower gifts. They were easy to do and will make a fun gift.

There is ONE more trim from the Tasteful Trim die I haven't shown you yet.

Aren't they the cutest fish on the block??? I admit this idea came to me in the middle of the night {laugh} And it came out even better than I had visualized. How often does that happen???

I used the In Color Hostess Color Pack and cut about 8 pieces 1 inch by 6 inches from the scalloped edge trim. The Tasteful Trim die cut easily through all the layers! Then I sponged and curled my strips (they had a hot date with a cold fish!) and added them one by one to my fish shape. A few brads, buttons, ribbon, and a spritz of Vanilla Shimmer, and they're all off to the "school" dance!

There are SO many possibilities with this die! I hope you'll give it a try and let me know what you make with it!

Click here to go on to #12, Kim's Stitchin n Stampin!