In Wilderness

First of all, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped with the Preschool Fundraiser, either by attending one of the classes or making or purchase (or both), on January 26 and 27.  We had a fun time helping out a wonderful program.

I recently got this Stampin' Up set, In Wilderness.  I've been looking at it since it first came out in July and I finally bought it.  It's a fantastic set for masculine cards.

This card uses the three animal images from the set.  There is also a saying, which I'm sure you'll see in a future post.  The cardstock is Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip.

Since it's a masculine card, I intentionally kept it simple.  You can use it as a notecard (either blank inside or with the nature saying from the set) or make it a birthday, thank you, anniversary, etc. card by adding an appropriate sentiment inside.



Eat Chocolate with Movers and Shapers

This card, made with Eat Chocolate, has a fun twist -- the heart is cut out using the Punch Windows Magnetic Movers and Shapers which is used with the Movers and Shapers Curly Label die for the Big Shot.

The die is called that because it comes with a Curly Label to cut out, but any of the movable pieces from the Punch Windows or Holiday Windows can be used with the die.  When you make a card with the Movers and Shapers die you also get a shape that is the perfect size for layering with the corresponding punch.

Valentine Defined with Holiday Best

A simple card using Valentine Defined, Holiday Best and Things I Love (the individual hearts).

Colors:  Real Red and Whisper White

Holiday Best is a retired hostess set, but I have one for sale if you want it.  It's a useful little set with a stamp for each of four different holidays.



Eat Chocolate - Regal Rose

It's hard to go wrong with chocolate, even if it is on stamps and therefore not edible.

This uses the Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack.  It's such a versatile pack of DSP -- four different designs in each of the colors in a color family for a total of 40 sheets in the pack.  Since the striped paper is Regal Rose, it came from the Brights pack.



Sale-a-bration begins today!

FREE GIFTS FOR EVERY $50 YOU SPEND!!!!

Between January 25 and March 31, 2011, earn a free gift for every $50 you spend.  Spend $100, get two free gifts.  Spend $150, get three free gifts plus hostess benefits!

It's a great time to have a party, because in addition to all of the wonderful hostess benefits, you can earn a free Sale-a-bration gift (with qualifying party) -- and each person still gets the free gifts they earn with their $50 purchase.

Extra party bonus:  Have a party with at least 6 guests and get a free stamp set (in addition to all of the other free items).  This offer is only available through Sue Root, Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator.  (You can choose stamp set from among several retired sets that I have.)

Join Stampin' Up and save 15% on your Starter Kit and get a FREE product bundle worth $50.

As a demonstrator you can:

get a discount on your purchases

earn extra money

share your love of stamping with others

earn free stamp sets

buy new items before your customers can.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

Click on the link below to go to the Stampin' Up website so you can see the current catalogs:

http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/16192.asp

You should be able to see the Sale-a-bration catalog out there, too, though at the time of this posting it doesn't seem to have been added yet.  If you go to the SU site and can't find it, let me know and I'll try to help.

Please contact me if you have any questions or want to take advantage of Sale-a-bration.  You can contact me by leaving a comment on this post or using the e-mail in the header.

Masculine Valentine

I'm very happy with this card.  It came out just how I wanted it to.

This card uses stamps from many different sets.  The letters are from Varsity Alphabet, the heart is from Simply Said, the word love is from Things I Love and the word you and it's definition is from Define Your Life.  I used a retired set on the Real Read cardstock, but Wonderfully Worn would give it a similar look.  I think Sanded would also work there.  The brads are from Hodgepodge Hardware.

Sew Suite - Melon Mambo

A fairly simple card made with Sew Suite

I used the Aqua Pen on the spool of thread to try to give it some highlights.  I can leave it the way it is or when I decide who I want to send it to and why, I can add a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes under the thread.

Button Button

We made this card at the Open House today.  We had a good time stamping, socializing and sharing ideas.  If you missed this one, maybe you can make it to the next one or to one of my classes.  See the Classes page for information on upcoming events.

This is a variation of the previous card.  I really like the basic pearls in the button holes.  I used my white gel pen on the other Tempting Turquoise button (though it's kind of hard to see in this picture).



Accordion Album

I just made this 3 x 3 accordion album.  It's the first one I've ever done and there was definitely a learning curve involved! :)  I CASEd a design that was sent to me through Stampers X-press, a Stampin' Up! group.  If you sign up to be a demonstrator, you could be in this group, too.  They send lots of great ideas and provide tons of business support.  And, Sale-a-bration (which starts 1/25) is a great time to join SU!  Check back on 1/25 to see why.

Want to see how this accordion album works and what it looks like inside?  Come to my Open House on Saturday between 10:00am and noon.  I'll also have a make and take.  Need directions?  E-mail or leave a comment on this post.

Sew Suite and Button Button

This card uses two new sets from the Occasions Mini Catalog -- Sew Suite and Button, Button.  Each set is great on its own, but the two coordinate wonderfully, as well.  The So Saffron background was textured with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

See this card and many other samples Saturday at my Open House.  Details are on the Classes page.

Viewmaster Card

This is my version of a viewmaster card.  It's different than most, but that's because I kind of made it up as I went.  I had seen a viewmaster card a long time ago and filed the idea away in my head.  When I tried making it, this is what I came up with.

You start out with the punched opening at the top.

As you spin the scallop around, the opening reveals different items that are loved.

This is the last spot...



The stamp set used is Things I Love -- big surprise there, huh :)  The hearts were punched using the heart to heart punch and a rhinestone brad holds the scallop to the card and allows it to spin.

Another Valentine

One reason I love jumbo wheels is that it's so easy to make a background with them.  This card uses the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel, the tree from Valentine Defined and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, all inked in Rich Razzleberry.  Card stock is Whisper White and Melon Mambo.

Valentines using the I {Love} Love wheel

 I've got two Valentines for you today, both using the the I {Love} Love jumbo wheel.  Both are Whisper White and Real Red.

The first card also uses 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and Holiday Best, a hostess set from last year.  Holiday Best is great because it has a stamp for four different holidays.  And, I happen to have extra available for sale or as a choice when I offer the chance to win a free hostess set.  Keep your eyes peeled because I do that often.  Or, contact me and I'll sell you a set -- no waiting, no leaving it to chance.

The second card also uses a stamp from Love You Much (the three hearts, which are punched out using the heart to heart punch) and one from Valentine Defined.  I also used the Full Heart punch and

dry embossed it with polka dots (they don't show up too well here, but they look cute in person) from the Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates.

The bottom of the wheel design isn't that curved in real life.  Guessing it has something to do with my photography :)  Kind of like why sometimes the layers look crooked in the photo when they are straight on the card.

Eat Chocolate (Tempting Turquoise)

I'm going to take a break from Valentine's Day cards and share a card I made using Eat Chocolate, another new set from the Occasions mini catalog.  This set is so cute.  I love all the little sayings and really, it's hard to go wrong with chocolate.

After reading the To Do List, you open the card and it says, "At least you'll get one thing done today."

I'll be back tomorrow with more Valentine's Day cards, but you'll see more using this set in the coming days, too.  Can't wait?  Come to my Open House on Jan. 22nd and see all these samples and more in person.  Plus, you can make your own card using yet another new set from the Occasions mini catalog.

Valentine Defined Baby Card

This card uses the heart tree from the set Valentine Defined.  The cute little baby image is from Love Bug, a hostess set from last year and the sentiment is from Whimsical Words, a set I got for free last year during Sale-a-bration.

Speaking of Sale-a-bration, it starts on January 25th.  For every $50 purchase (before shipping and tax), you can earn a free item (choose from stamp sets, designer series paper, and more).  Contact me or come to my Open House on Jan. 22 for more details.

Even though Love Bug is no longer available, you could use stamps from other sets -- maybe the carriage from Fun and Fast Notes (and use the words under it in place of Small Wonder).  Although I don't post much from Fun and Fast Notes (looking at the Category list it looks like never, but that doesn't seem right), I use it a lot.  It covers many events and you can mix and match the words with the images to get even more variety.

The DSP is retired, but it's very, very similar to one of the patterns in the Soft Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack.  What a great value that is:  40 sheets of high quality, double sided designer series paper for $19.95

Valentine Defined (with Very Vintage Wheel)

Today's card uses the Very Vintage jumbo wheel inked in Bashful Blue for the background.  The circles are from the Circles 2 die for the Big Shot.  The biggest circle is 2 1/2" so you could use the new extra large punch for that.  The images on the Whisper White circle are from Valentine Defined (ink colors:  Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink and Real Red).  I used the Scallop Edge punch on the Pretty in Pink cardstock and the Word Window and the Modern Label punches around the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

As with yesterday's card, and many other cards, this does not have to be limited to a Valentine's Day card.  Neither does the Valentine Defined set need to be limited.  Check back tomorrow for a baby card using an image from this set (and some other sets).

Same Card, Different Sentiments (Valentine Defined - Crumb Cake)

Today I'm going to show you a little something different.  Often I say that you can use the same card for many occassions just by switching the sentiment.  But sometimes that's hard to visualize, so today I'm going to show you the same card three different ways.

The first card has no extra sentiment on the front.  Use it for a notecard, add the occassion sentiment on the inside, or put it on the front when you decide what to use the card for.  The second two use a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, which you know I love.  Change it out and it goes from a Valentine's card to an Anniversary card.  You could also make it a birthday card.  You get the idea.

Did you notice the difference between the first card and the second two (besides the added sentiment)?  The first was scanned and the second two were photographed.  I'm thinking I like the photos better, even if they do take a little more work.

Valentine Defined (Bashful Blue base)

Another card done with Valentine Defined, from the new Occasions mini catalog.  The base of the card is Bashful Blue.  The ink is Rose Red and Regal Rose.

I've updated my Classes page -- be sure to check it out.  I'm having an Open House on Jan. 22.  I'd love it if you could come!  Let me know and I'll send you directions.

Valentine Defined (Melon Mambo)

This card, made with the set Valentine Defined from the new Occasions Mini Catalog, is made with Melon Mambo.  Since the base of the card is Whisper White, it's kind of hard to see the edge of the card itself, but if you look closely you can make it out.

This image was scanned rather than photographed.  I'm still trying to decide if I like using scanned images.

Valentine Defined (Rose Red)

Hi Stampers!

I've just started working with the set Valentine Defined.  Very cute!  Lots of possibilities.  I'll be posting a series of cards made with this set.  Enjoy!

Sue Root, your Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator

You know I've mentioned before that my photography doesn't always do the cards justice, so I tried scanning this one (and the ones you'll see in the next several posts).

There are no lighting and shadow problems and the image is fairly straight, but the colors seem even further off than in the photos.  This card was done in Rose Red.

What do you think -- are the photopraphs better or the scanned images?  Leave a comment and let me know.  Thanks!