Love You Much

There are only a few days left to purchase the Love You Much bundle at 20% off! All of the items are still available in the new catalog, but not at a discount after Jan 31! See below for the details of the promotion. This is a card using the Love You Much bundle that I originally made to use as a swap card for Leadership.

I embossed the hearts and the sentiment with white embossing powder and then punched out the hearts with the Heart to Heart punch. The hearts and the sentiment are all up on dimensionals. I also added little bit of Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds on some of the hearts to give it a little sparkle.

This is also one of four projects we are making at my class on Saturday. If you purchase the bundle from me, you can attend for FREE! Contact me for details.

Stamps: Love You Much

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Candy Lane Designer Paper

Accessories: Heart to Heart punch, Word Window punch, white embossing powder, heat tool, embossing buddy, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds, Linen Thread, 1/16" circle punch, corner rounder, dimensionals

New Catalog!

The new Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog is here! Lot of gorgeous new stamp sets, accessories, and tools! To see the new catalog online, click HERE, or to browse the new products, click HERE.

One of the new sets from the catalog is called Sweet Stems. I've already had a chance to play with this set, and I'm loving it! This card is what I made for my floor swaps at Leadership. I'll admit that I was in a little of a rush to get all my swaps done beforeI left (you can't imagine me procrastinating can you!!), so to speed up the process I actually took an old idea of mine and just changed it up a bit.

So HERE is a card I made over two years ago (my very first card I posted on Splitcoaststampers!), and then below is the 'updated' version. Hopefully I've improved a bit in my stamping over the years! At the very least I've learned to love dimensionals. ;-)

Note: The black for the flowers and the word are embossed to give the card an extra little 'bling'. A little trick I learned a while ago, is to use Black Craft ink and then emboss with clear embossing powder (EP)--MUCH easier to use than black EP! Stray specks of clear EP just don't show as much as stray specks of black EP.

Stamps: Sweet Stems, Wonderful Favorites

Ink: Basic Black Craft, Rose Red Kiwi Kiss

Paper: Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White

Accessories: Clear EP, Blender Pens, 1/4" Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, cutter kit, heat tool, embossing buddy

I also thought I would show another fun picture. One of the reasons I've been so quiet lately is that I was very fortunate to attend Stampin Up's Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida earlier this month. It was a wonderful experience! Among the many highlights was being able to meet Shelli (CEO and co-founder of Stampin Up). Shelli was truly one of the kindest, most sincere, down-to-earth people I think I've ever meet. Also very photogenic! It was truely a pleasure to meet her!

Lots of Holiday

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season!! I still can't believe it is already 2009! I always look forward to a new year and the excitement it brings. I haven't done any posts in awhile, but I thought today I'd at least move all of these projects (projects we made at the 1st Annual Los Angeles Holiday Stampers' Meet-Up) from the event page to my main blog page. So if you haven't already seen these, here they are. :-)

Tree Threesome

Stamps: Baby Jesus is Born (for the sentiment)

Ink: Kiwi Kiss

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Kraft, Whisper White Kiwi Kiss Patterns Designer Series Paper

Accessories: lots of Dimensionals, (dimensionals are double-stacked between the Kraft layer and the Kiwi Kiss base), Rope Twine (from the Holiday Mini Catalog)

Snow

Stamps: Snow Jumbo Wheel

Ink: Pacific Point

Paper: Pacific Point, Whisper White

Accessories: Pacific Point 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon

Simple Nativity

Stamps: Season of Simple Grace (from the Holiday Mini Catalog)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue, Summer Sun

Paper: Bordering Blue, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Alpine Ribbon Originals (from the Holiday Mini Catalog), dimensionals, cutter kit, sponge

Note: the ribbon slides off to open the card.

Hanukkah Sayings

Stamps: Shalom Sayings

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Night of Navy, Brushed Silver, Whisper White

Accessories: Silver Stampin Emboss Powder, Heat tool, Silver Brads, 1/16" circle hand punch, dimensionals

Nugget Boxes


Stamps: Snow Swirled, Best Yet

Ink: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Brushed Silver, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Ski Slope Designer Paper

Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Sticky Strip, Hershey's Nuggets candy

Note: I found the idea for these boxes on the Stampin Up Demonstrator Website. The idea was part of a Halloween Class idea submitted by Hillary Fetzner.

Gift Card Holders

Stamps: Snow Swirled, Punches Three

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Versamark

Paper: Kraft and Riding Hood Red Gift Notes, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Bella Rose Designer Paper

Accessories: Clips Assortment, Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Wide Oval Punch, Cutter Kit, Sponge, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Square Punch, dimensionals

Retiring Stamps!

Once again it is time to say goodbye to some stamp sets! The retiring list for the Fall-Winter Idea Book & Catalog is here. The sets on the list will be discontinued after January 18, 2009. Click HERE to see the list, or HERE to see pictures of all the retiring sets.

The best news is that from now until December 23rd ALL of the stamp sets on the retired list are 10% off! And, if you order $70 or more, shipping is FREE! Can't beat that. :-) But remember both promotions end December 23rd.


One of my favorite stamp sets that is retiring is Baby Jesus is Born. This card is actually what I made last year for all of my Christmas cards. I basically just copied the sample that was shown in the Fall-Winter 2007 catalog. This card shows off the Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Aqua Painter. A fun technique if you haven't tried it before!

Stamps: Baby Jesus is Born
Ink: Basic Black, Close to Cocoa (for sponging)
Paper: Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Bordering Blue, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons (Ruby Red, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Blush Blossom, Going Gray), Aqua Painter, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Cutter Kit, Sponge

Way too long. . . .

Obviously it has been WAY too long since I've posted!! In an attempt to make it up at least a little, :-) I thought I would post some pictures of a couple of the things that have been keeping me busy over the last while.

This year I participated in two Holiday Boutiques--one at an elementary school and one private show. My overall best seller for this year were votive candles--the candles and glass are from Ikea. I first created these to fill a special order, and have since made quite a few more! I used the stamp set Deer Friends and lots of punches.


Stamps: Deer Friends
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Brocade Blue, Real Red, and Old Olive
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Brocade Blue, Real Red, and Old Olive, Whisper White
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Brocade Blue 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, scallop circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, and the 1" circle punch, 1/16" circle punch

Another project I did with the stamp set Deer Friends were some Martinelli bottles. I found these 'mini' bottles of sparkling apple juice at a local grocery store and knew they would be good for something. :-) I originally made these up for gifts for the members of my Stampers 25 Club, but made a few extra as well to sell. As you can see the tag part is almost the exact same as I did for the votive candles above.



Stamps: Deer Friends
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red Patterns Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, dimensionals, 1" Double-Stitched Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, 3/4" Twill Tape, Alpine Ribbon Originals, 1 1/4" Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla ribbon, Linen Thread, scallop circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, and the 1" circle punch, cutter kit

Another best seller this year were some jars that I decorated with the bulk Decor Elements. I got the taller jars (back row--hard to see in the picture) at Michael's and the smaller ones at Ikea. Sorry for the strange picture, but I can't take another one as I sold all of them. . . . :-) This will be a project I will definitely do again as they were so quick to make. We also made these jars at my Technique Club last month.

Accessories: Rose Red and Chocolate Chip Decor Elements, 1/4" Rose Red grosgrain ribbon, 1/4" Chocoloate Chip grosgrain ribbon, 1/4" Whisper White grosgrain ribbon

Crazy Cupcake Birthday

Here's another one of the cards we made at Technique Club this month. This card highlights one of the birthday stamp sets that is on sale for only one more day! See the flyer HERE.

This card uses the set Crazy for Cupcakes. Stamp the cupcakes with black StazOn ink on glossy white paper, and then color with blender pens and ink pads (for the Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette) and Going Gray marker. Next add glitter to the cupcake frosting by first adding Crystal Effects and then pouring Dazzling Diamonds Glitter on top and tapping off the excess.

The scallop border is actually 6 Scallop Square Punches glued together. You can also create a scallop border with the Scallop Edge Punch of course, but this just gives you another option. :-) Use the Slit Punch and a silver brad to create a fun little closure for the card. Happy 20th birthday to Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Ink: Black StazOn, Going Gray marker, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Blender Pens
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Glossy White
Accessories: Scallop Square Punch, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Slit Punch, silver brad, dimensionals