Missing you in the forest

Sometimes, people move on from your life, and you just can't fill the hole they've left. This spring, I've lost a couple people who--while not family--were important in my life. I guess I was thinking of them when I made this card.


*****************************
Stamps: Just Sayin, Life in the Forest
Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Gumball Green (retiring!)
Ink: Black, Gumball Green, Project Life black marker

Join for only $50!

Have you ever considered becoming a Stampin Up demonstrator??? It's a great way to get the products you want at a discount, to meet new amazing people, and to nurture the artist within you!

I never considered myself any sort of artist at all--I still don't! But I love creating things--there is something very fulfilling about making beautiful things and then giving them away. The best part of being a Stampin Up demonstrator is the people--the customers who become your friends, the other demonstrators who become like sisters. I have so many wonderful relationships in my life, that I would have missed out on without Stampin Up!

For a limited time you can join Stampin’ Up! for just $50 US/$60 CAN! This amazing opportunity will only last until June 30, 2014, so take what you already love doing—stamping and crafting—and make a little money while you're at it!

When you join Stampin’ Up! during this limited-time offer, you’ll receive:

    $55 US/$65 CAN worth of products
    A 30 percent discount on your first order*
    A 20 percent discount on all your orders
    Free Paper Pumpkin Kit
    Free entrance to our annual Convention* (must be registered by the 20th of June)

Create friendships that will last forever and enjoy the benefits of fun, friends, and creativity—become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator today.

*Certain restrictions apply; see your demonstrator for details.

This offer is only good until June 30, so take advantage while you can!
During this offer, the special $50 starter kit will include $55 in free products; the regular $99 starter kit (includes $125 in free products) is also still available.

You're how old???

I couldn't send this card to just anyone--although my  younger siblings might be on the receiving end of one. :-) And it works well for those milestone kid birthdays! I just really like how this card came together. The colors please me, and the simplicity pleases me. Have a great Wednesday!

Stamps: Just Sayin'
Paper: Basic Gray, Watercolor Wonder DSP, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Word Bubble Framelits, Banner punch, Project Life black marker

Graduated technique

It's that time of year--do you have cards made for your favorite graduates?

This was our technique card for May's Stamp Club. We started out with the splatter technique--use a sponge dauber to add streaks of color to white cardstock, then add "splatters" by dripping water on the colors--and then used a Word Bubble Framelit as a stamp and embossed it!

It kind of looks like we cried on our cards. :-)


************************
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Bermuda Bay
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Versamark
Accessories: Word Bubble Framelits, White Embossing Powder, White Baker's Twine, Sponge Daubers, 1/8" Old Olive taffeta ribbon

Retiring List Blowout!

Be sure to check the retiring list--lots of things marked down now until they sell out! Click here to see the list, or go to my online Stampin Up store and look for "Retired List" in the left menu. Get your favorites before they're gone!

Big Shot dies, embossing folders, ribbons, twine, pretty papers, cardstock, ink, buttons--check out the great deals!

Perhaps a Paper Pumpkin--Deadline Friday!

Stampin' Up! has made a LOT of changes to the Paper Pumpkin program recently, and you have a chance to check it out for half price!

How do you get June’s Kit for JUST $9.95 delivered to your door?

• Visit MyPaperPumpkin.com/signup  or click HERE
• Enter the promo code SHELLIDEAL to receive half off June's Pumpkin
• Be sure to select Amy Bell as your demonstrator, if prompted. Thank you!  

Check out this video about the new Paper Pumpkin from Shelli, Stampin' Up founder and CEO!

Honeycomb You're the Best

Need a male teacher gift? or how about a Father's Day card? You're in luck! We made this fun card at May's Club meeting. Stamp the raccoon from Life in the Forest on Basic Gray cardstock in black ink. Use the white gel pen to add accents, then cut out. The greeting is from the set Just Sayin'.

***********************
Stamps: Just Sayin', Life in the Forest
Paper: Midnight Muse, Quatrefancy Specialty DSP, Basic Gray
Ink: black
Accessories: Honeycomb embossing folder, Midnight Muse stitched ribbon, white gel pen

Fresh Prints sour cream treat holder

"Why is it called a sour cream  container????"

I get asked this a lot. By people much younger than I am. :-) In the eighties and early nineties, when you bought a baked potato or taco salad at Wendy's, your sour cream came in a little paper container shaped just like this! You tore off the end and squeezed your yummy sour cream all over your deliciously unhealthy lunch. Now you know.

We made this classic treat holder at May's Club meeting. It's easy with the Fresh Prints stack, because it's perfectly sized! No cutting, just a little Sticky Strip and a crimper. You still have yours, right?

Roll your paper a bit, till it curves into a roll. Use Sticky Strip along one edge to form the paper into a tube. More Sticky Strip closes one end, followed by the crimper. Fill with small treats.

Now comes the slightly tricky part: Squeeze the top together so the closure will run in the opposite direction of the first closure.  (Perpendicular, since we're being all educational here today!) Use your handy Sticky Strip again, and crimp to close securely.

This cute tag uses a stamp from Starburst Sayings, the 1 1/4" scallop circle punch, and the Artisan Label punch. We all need little (or big) thank you gifts this time of year, right? Now you can whip up lots of cute "sour cream containers," AND you know why they're called that! Win, win.

************************
Stamps: Starburst Sayings
Paper: Fresh Prints DSP Stack, Whisper White, Real Red
Ink: Coastal Cabana
Accessories: Sticky Strip, Crimper, 1 1/4" scallop circle punch, Artisan Label punch, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine

Banner, banner, who wants a banner?

 

I made a banner by request. The owner has received it, so now I can show you. Or I could if I could get a decent picture! I can't tell you how difficult it is to get a picture of an entire banner!  Close-ups are a bit easier. You can click on any picture to see it larger on your screen.

Center:

Sides:

Both sides are the same, so I only posted one picture. You're welcome. :-) This banner was a lot of fun to make. I tried lots of different things, and ended up changing it at the last minute, anyway!

I used the Venetian Romance Designer Series Paper, along with the printed acetate from the Quatrefancy suite. Silver Glimmer Paper gives it some sparkle, and of course the Spiral Flower takes the center stage! Lots of little embellishments--some current Stampin' Up, some not--fill out the details. 

I am taking a limited number of orders for custom banners. You can choose the number of pennants, the colors, and the theme. Please email me if you'd like more information.

Watercolor Wednesday: May edition

Stamps: Blooming with Kindness
Paper: Naturals White, Venetian Romance DSP
Ink: Black, Pool Party reinker, Soft Sky reinker
Accessories: copper twine (retired), black 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Banner punch, rhinestones

Coredinations Tags

You know I love tags! We used the Coredinations Brown Sugar cardstock and the 2013 In Color Ruffled Trim (both retiring!) to make these easy, all-occasion tags. I love the way you can emboss and sand the Coredinations cardstock, so get it while you can!

Mosaic clothespins

I made these several months ago, when both the Designer Series Paper (Quatrefancy Specialty) and the clay were new to the catalog. Now the Designer Paper is retiring, and it's time to clear out my photo cache.

These are pretty obvious, I think. We just adhered paper to the clips and sanded the edges smooth. Then we used the clay molds to make buttons and flowers to match. Layer them on any way you please. We added magnets to the back, and we've been using them on the fridge ever since. Get your favorite retiring papers and accessories soon, before they're gone!

A little treat for you

This little treat holder is simple to make--and it's the time of year when we need little gifties! I think sweet Becky Roberts was the first one to do this type of treat pocket.

Cut DSP 2 ½ x 5 1/2. Score at 3 ½. Use edge punch on short side. Fold on score line and place inside Chalk Talk tag die. Adhere to cardstock cut at 2 3/8 x 3 5/8, leaving room for twine to slide underneath DSP. Trim corners. Place candy in pocket and tie ribbon, attaching tag. Punch hole and tie Chevron ribbon through top of tag. Tie with twine.

Stamps: Chalk Talk   
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Sweater Weather DSP   
Ink: Chocolate Chip   
Accessories: Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Chevron ribbon, Baker’s Twine, 1 ¾ scallop circle punch, 1 ¼ circle punch

Weekly Deals May 6-12

Weekly Deals

	Hearts A Flutter Clear-Mount Stamp Set Item # 129252 Regular Price: $18.95 US/$22.95 CAN Discounted Price: $14.21 US/$17.21 CAN
	Holiday Ornaments Framelits Dies Item # 127816 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	I Am Me Designer Series Paper Item # 130138 Regular Price: $10.95 US/$13.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.21 US/$10.13 CAN
	Real Red 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Item # 126875 Regular Price: $4.95 US/$6.75 CAN Discounted Price: $3.71 US/$5.06 CAN
	Pacific Point 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon Item # 132981 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$9.38 CAN
	Alhambra Stampin' Around Jumbo Wheel Item # 126940 Regular Price: $8.50 US/$10.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.38 US/$7.88 CAN
	Card Base Pop' N Cuts Item # 130099 Regular Price: $39.95 US/$48.95 CAN Discounted Price: $29.96 US/$36.71 CAN
	The Man, The Myth Board Book Designer Template - Digital Download Item # 130104 Regular Price: $14.95 US/$16.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.97 US/$9.90 CAN

Stampin' Up! and Project Life!

Get ready for a scrapbooking revolution with Project Life! It helps busy people (so basically all of us) document life using photos and journaling in a quick, simple, and fabulous way. We've partnered with Becky Higgins, creator of Project Life, to offer a complete line of elite products.

Becky explains, "It's called Project LIFE because it's about YOUR LIFE. Whatever your life is. Whatever your stage of life. Whatever your family circumstances. Whatever your lifestyle. Project Life is designed to help anyone and everyone get their pictures into a book."  In a nutshell, it's all about spending more time making memories and less time scrapbooking them.