Weekly Deals for March 31

Today is the last day you can earn Sale-a-bration benefits 

on your order of $50 or more!

Weekly Deals are here, and there are some GREAT bargains for your Big Shot! If you don't have a Magnetic Platform for your thin dies, you don't want to miss this deal! And the Word Bubble Framelits are some of my very most used! There's one that makes a perfect cloud, and they're all great for adding a sentiment to a card or project.

Sale-a-bration coming to an end March 31

Sale-a-bration is nearly over, and I still have lots of cards I need to share! Don't miss your chance to get the fun Sale-a-bration products FREE with your $50 purchase. Check out this post for all the SAB options. 

 

This one features the amazing Irresistibly Yours Designer Series Paper and the set Big Day. We sponged on colors in a rainbow style and colored the "birthday" with markers.

Use the Sheer Perfection Vellum to make a Mini Treat Bag!

More Project Life--choose the This Day Project Life pack and make easy, colorful cards OR scrapbook the fast way!

Chalkboard Birthday Tag

We made this card at Club last month, and it was so fun! The Chalkboard Paper is yummy to work with, especially with the Chalk Inks. Time is running out to get your Sale-a-bration sets! Tuesday, March 31 is the last day you can place an order and qualify for a free Sale-a-bration item with your $50 order.

The stamp set (Big Day) and the Designer Series Paper (Best Year Ever) on this card are both available only as Sale-a-bration items.

Here's a close-up shot of the chalkboard tag: 

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Stamps: Big Day (SAB)  
Paper: Crushed Curry, Pool Party, Best Year Ever DSP (SAB), Chalkboard Paper      
Ink: Yellow Citrus Chalk Ink  
Accessories: Banner Framelits, Large Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim, Gold 1/8” Ribbon, Calypso Coral Pompom Trim, Crushed Curry Baker’s Twine, dimensionals

Awesome!

Told you I went a little crazy with the Sale-a-bration Project Life kit! 


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Stamps: Alphabet Rotary Stamp
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Soft Sky, Tangelo Twist, Whisper White, This Day PL Mini Card Collection (SAB)
Ink: Tangelo Twist
Accessories: Banner Punch, Hello You Thinlits, Rhinestones

You Are Loved

I shared this card last week on Facebook and thought I'd put it here for those who didn't see it. The heart was a print on a white Project Life full-size card, and I die-cut it with a heart framelit. Love those flowers! Maybe I'll have to get out my stamps and see if I can make a print similar to it. {smile}

I embossed the Happy Hearts embossing folder down the middle of the cardfront, then doodled a word border ("you are loved") with my Project Life pen. The tiny bow is a die cut from the Mini Treat Bag set, and I colored a pearl with my (now retired) Rich Razzleberry Blendabilities. The sentiment comes from the set Four You--one of my most used stamp sets. I die cut it with the banner from the Gift Card Framelits set.

Three different framelit sets contributed to this card! Hahaha! Don't forget about the great little details that come in each die set--they can add a lot to your other projects, too!

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Stamps: Four You
Paper: Whisper White, This Day PL Mini Card Collection (SAB), Pool Party
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, PLxSU Journaling Pens
Accessories: Hearts Framelits, Mini Treat Bag Thinlits (bow), Gift Card Thinlits (banner for sentiment), Happy Hearts embossing folder, pearls

Weekly Deals March 24

Check out the Weekly Deals here:

Sheer Perfection for Spring

This card is CASED from Kay Kalthoff. What a lovely idea--to put Designer Series Paper behind the Sheer Perfection Vellum!  Time is running out to get the fabulous Sale-a-bration offerings this year! Get yours before March 31!

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Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Mossy Meadow, 2013-2015 In Color DSP Stack (Pistachio), Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White, Sheer Perfection Vellum (SAB)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Spring Flower Embossing Folder, In Color Accessory Pack (SAB) Mossy Meadow Twine

Project Life makes cards--Hip Hip Hooray!

I love using Project Life for cards! I got on a real kick this week making them, and I can't seem to stop.

Drag out your larger sentiment sets and start using your Project Life! All I added here was the Hello Honey Twine (In Color Accessory Pack--SAB only), a layer of Hello Honey cardstock, and a sentiment (from Bravo!) in Coastal Cabana.

Be on the lookout for more PLxSU cards here in the next week!

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Stamps: Bravo
Paper: This Day PL Mini Card Collection (SAB), Whisper White, Hello Honey
Ink: Coastal Cabana
Accessories: Hello Honey Twine (SAB In Color Accessory Pack)

Vellum Butterflies

Tonight is Stamp Club! Among other things, we'll be making this:

And come on, who doesn't love butterflies??? This card uses the Sheer Perfection Designer Vellum Stack, which is available this month only as a Sale-a-bration bonus! You can choose it for free with your $50 purchase.

We will be coloring with Stampin' Write Markers to make all the vivid colors. I can't wait!

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Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Sheer Perfection Designer Vellum (SAB)
Ink: Smoky Slate, Stampin Write Markers
Accessories: Square Framelits, Basic Gray Baker's Twine

March Paper Pumpkin Kit

More Paper Pumpkin! This card is from the March kit, which just arrived a few days ago. I'm so in love with the stitching! It only took about 12-15 minutes (and remember, I have a toddler helping me) to stitch, and the stamp set is so versatile!

Here's the whole kit--you get 3 of each style card, 9 punched-for-sewing "YOU" cards, 9 Soft Sky envelopes, needle and Crushed Curry thread, Soft Sky epoxy stickers, Basic Black ink spot, and the stamp set.

Don't miss out on any  more kits! Sign up for your prepaid subscription now! 

Sale-a-bration Round Up

So many choices for Sale-a-bration this year! Here's an overview:

 All Sale-A-Bration items (with the exception of stamps) 

will be available while supplies last.

First, the original Sale-a-bration catalog contains 6 stamp sets, 2 Designer Series Papers, 1 Project Life Pack, and 1 Accessory Pack of ribbon and buttons. (Blendabilities are no longer available.)

Then in March, 4 new items were released:

And today, even more options! 

Weekly Deals March 17

Check out the Weekly Deals here! 
It's another chance to round out your embossing folder collection. 

Paper Pumpkin Challenge

If you've been a follower of my blog or Facebook page, you know how attached I've become to my Paper Pumpkin subscription!  Every month, a fabulous, self-contained kit arrives and I get to make something someone else has designed and cut! 

In addition to the great original projects included in Paper Pumpkin kits, there are all the great ideas for alternative creations! You can follow my Pinterest board for Paper Pumpkin here and see many, many ideas from around the internet that use Paper Pumpkin supplies for innovative, amazing new projects! It's a great way to stretch the value of each Paper Pumpkin kit.

I'm participating in a Paper Pumpkin Challenge, and I need to sell at least 2 more months of prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions by the end of March to meet my goal. When you order a prepaid subscription, you'll receive an email with a message like this: 

• Your Paper Pumpkin subscription is all paid for, now you just need to tell us where to send it each month.
  Your prepaid code: 99999999-9999 Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription 3-month
  Enter the code at PaperPumpkin.com/en/signup and follow the steps to start receiving your kits.

You can keep the subscription for yourself, or send it on as a gift!  We all know someone who could use a gift of creativity, right? A student, a teacher, a retiree, a busy young mother, or someone recovering from an illness or injury. What a great present--a chance to create something beautiful to keep or give away!

During Sale-a-bration, Stampin Up is offering a discount on 3-month prepaid subscriptions, but any size will make a great gift and help me with my challenge! 

Go here to purchase a prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscription in my online store. Don't forget, you can earn Sale-a-bration rewards on your order!

  

Birthday Wishes with a Bow on Top

This little custom notecard (which only means I cut the notecard myself--5x7, scored at 3 1/2) is bright and cheerful! Of course I love the Bow Builder Punch, and the Best Year Ever DSP from Sale-a-bration is perfectly spring-y!

The notecard size is so fun--a small canvas sometimes makes creating easier--that I often cut a few out of different colors of cardstock to play with! 

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Stamps: Four You
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Calypso Coral, Best Year Ever DSP (SAB)
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Bow Builder Punch

Sad Blendabilities Announcement

This week, Stampin Up issued an update on the Blendabilities problems. Unfortunately, it's not good news.

"A number of you have experienced quality issues with the Blendabilities product line. Due to the nature of the defect, we have concluded that difficulties, dissatisfaction, and product returns will only become more widespread. The manufacturer is unable to correct the problem in a manner that we are certain would meet our high quality standards and provide us with a stable, long-term solution.

Therefore, after a great deal of deliberation and in order to prevent further disappointment, the Blendabilities product line has been discontinued."


If you have ordered Blendabilities through me in the last 90 days, I have attempted to contact you already. If you have any questions, please contact me for more information.

Big things come in small packages

I posted this sweet little box on my Facebook page, but forgot to share it here. The Tiny Treat Boxes are 2 inches on all sides--perfect for a jewelry gift or to fill with candy. At $6.95 for 25, you can't go wrong!

I like to decorate these with whatever pretty things are hanging around my desk--bits and pieces that I can't bear to throw away but don't have a plan for. This one uses the Best Year Ever DSP from Sale-a-bration, the Bow Builder Punch, Gold Sequin Trim, Calypso Coral Pompom Trim, and some Coastal Cabana Thick Baker's Twine.

Weekly Deals March 10

 Check out the Weekly Deals!

Nautical Best Day Ever

I love finding a way to make a masculine card! This card is inspired by a card by Alexandra Agelean of the UK. I think the color scheme is quite nautical--it reminds me of harbors and signal flags. The rhinestones are colored red with the Cherry Cobbler Blendabilities. The trim on the upper left is the Natural Chevron Ribbon, but the "natural" brown didn't really work with my colors. So I used my Smoky Slate Blendabilities to make it match! Yay for Blendabilities!

If you love this set as much as I do, be sure to get it before the end of Sale-a-bration (March 31!). Hosting a party is better than ever during Sale-a-bration: if your party reaches $250, you get an additional $25 host benefits!

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Stamps: Best Day Ever (SAB)
Paper: Smoky Slate, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Pacific Point, Real Red, Blendabilities in Cherry Cobbler and Smoky Slate
Accessories: Natural Chevron Ribbon, Rhinestones

Pastel Pompom Boxes

Remember the post about re-inking your ink pads??? Well, this is what those pretty papers turned out to be!

I will admit that this picture makes me smile, but not as much as petting those little pompoms makes me smile! I'm a sucker for texture, and boy, do pompoms qualify as texture!

The boxes are tiny--1 3/4" on all sides, and I made them with the Gift Box Punch Board! It only takes a 6x6 piece of paper, and I think it's so fun to be able to make boxes in many different sizes!

The pompoms are made with baker's twine--lots of white, and then some accents of Thick Baker's Twine or whatever twine I had on hand that seemed to coordinate. I wrapped all the twine around 2 or 3 fingers--wrap about 60x--then pulled off the loops and tied (tightly) around the middle. Snip all the loops, trim up, and you're done! I think the pompoms make the boxes extra special! These boxes (and more just like them) are headed for baskets the first weekend of April.

Want to make cute little boxes like these? Here's the tutorial for the Gift Box Punch Board--it's EASY, I promise--and a link to buy the Punch Board in my store. What a great way to make a tiny giftie into something really special!

You made my day--a CASE of copying

In the stamping world, we use the acronym CASE (Copy And Share Everything) when we use someone else's idea to make a project. It's considered acceptable. {wink} Of course, some of us can never leave well enough alone--we have to put our own little touches in!

This darling card was CASEd from page 5 of the Sale-a-bration catalog. I totally love this sentiment, and I had so many ideas for using it (and the rest of the stamp set), that I was overwhellmed and stumped. Soooooo, I decided to start CASEing all the ideas I liked.

When I got to this card, I started out just like the sample, but I liked the Gold Glimmer Paper better than the Silver used in the original. And I didn't want to make the card unmailable by using a button (this is my justification for only buying--never using--buttons), so I substituted some Hello Honey Thick Baker's Twine from the new Sale-a-bration offerings. Then I thought the greeting circle needed "a little something," so I added some doodling with my Soft Suede marker.

Ta da! There you have it, a CASE with my own little touches. What set are you stumped by? Try re-creating somebody else's project--maybe even from the catalog!--and see if that jumpstarts your creativity!

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Stamps: Best Day Ever (SAB)
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Best Year Ever DSP (SAB), Gold Glimmer Paper, Whisper White, Bermuda Bay
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Calypso Coral marker, Soft Suede marker
Accessories: Circle Framelits, Banner Punch, In Color Accessory Pack (SAB)

How inky are your ink pads?

Last week I was playing with my Irresistibly Yours Designer Series Paper from Sale-a-bration, and something was just "off." I didn't like the colors--they weren't going on smoothly. Sooo, it dawned on me that they might need to be re-inked. The photo above shows the "before" on the left and the "after" on the right. Big difference! My poor Pistachio Pudding ink pad was super dry!

Here are a few others I re-inked: 

I seem to use my colors seasonally:  brights in the summer, pastels in the spring, etc. So it should be no surprise that many of my Subtle family ink pads were dried out! Here you see Calypso Coral, Pistachio Pudding, and Soft Sky  all inked up and pretty.

Check your ink pads, and then check your ink refill stash. Do you need to brighten up a few ink pads like I did? The lighter colors will need to be re-inked more often than the darker colors, so March is a good time to check out your Subtles family!

Click to order your ink refills here. They cost $2.95 each, or you can save a bit and buy a whole family at once for $24.95.  Either way, you'll be happy to have good depth and coverage on your favorite colors of ink for such a low price! I generally don't have to buy a refill more than once every 2-3 years. It's a good investment.

Curious what I did with all that pretty paper? Come back later this week and I'll show you what I made!

Weekly Deals and a Blendabilities Announcement

Check out the great deals this week! 

Blendabilities Update
There has been a production error on some of the latest batch of Blendabilities. For now, Stampin Up has put a hold on any ordering until they get a resolution from the manufacturer. Sadly, that means we cannot order any Blendabilities at this time. I will keep you updated.

A Sale-a-bration Vellum Sneak Peek!

Have you heard about the new Sale-a-bration items available this month???

Just when you thought you had it all planned out . . . Four new items to add to your wishlist!

Available just until March 31, you won't have long to get what you need! Hasn't this been a fabulous Sale-a-bration??? So much to love! Remember, you can host a party and if it reaches $250, you get a bonus $25 in host benefits! Contact me about your party now--it's easy to set up an online party for all your friends.

Oh, the vellum. I mean, really, the VELLUM! You need it. Trust me on that! It's so dramatic and dark--none of this gentle, sweet, and subtle stuff! And you know how I feel about Baker's Twine, right?

The notecard up above is colored with Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry Blendabilites, paired with the yummy Blackberry Bliss twine and cardstock.
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Stamps: And Many More
Paper: Whisper White notecards, Blackberry Bliss, Sheer Perfection Vellum (SAB)
Ink: White Craft, Blendabilities in Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: In Color Accessory Pack (SAB), Bitty Banners Framelits