Yes It’s HERE! The 2018 Holiday Catalog is now available!
Contact me if you would like your own copy! I’ll mail one out. If you would rather have a PDF version, the link is HERE.
Not ready for the Holidays yet? The Special Edition Halloween My Paper Pumpkin is available NOW!
Subscribe from now through the 10th to get your box!!!
Comments Off on It’s HERE!
Posted in Cards, Inspiration, My Paper Pumpkin, Products
Pantone just released their Spring 2020 Color Palette – the Sea! While it makes sense for planning…WAIT. WHAT???? We’re in 2020 already??? <sigh>
It is beautiful…and I’m a water girl at heart! Here’s their description:
“From inky blues and bio-luminous neons, to summer browns and seaweed greens, colors for Spring/Summer 2020 display depth and complexity. Reflecting tribal like behavior, each palette seems to live in a sea of its own, not necessarily related to the world around it. Color harmonies and cross-fertilization step forward to display harder color contrasts: turquoise with a lagoon grey or a bright orange with taupe. Mirroring the mood of Spring Summer 2020, we offer a variety of options so you can explore all color depths from cool blue watery shades to the red-hot thermal bed of underwater volcanos.”
Stampin’ up retires 5 colors each year and adds 5 new ones, so we will have some new colors by then, but the 2018 colors will not retire until June 2020, 
so we sill still have these to play with:
and I think Call Me Clover and Blueberry Bushel will fit right in, not to mention the other 7 Blues and 6 Greens in our regular color collection. Hey! What about the Pineapple Punch too!
Can YOU think that far ahead? My mind is already aswirl with The Sea colors~
Comments Off on Pantone Spring 2020
Posted in Inspiration
A few weeks ago I talked about having a “To Go” stamping kit. Well, I had TO GO to that kit for today’s card because I was away from my studio! I also had just received my “goodies” from the new catalog – I always order all the paper, inkpads, reinkers and markers from the new colors, along with a stamp set or two and maybe a few of the new embellishments. So I was well set to make a card, but a Christmas card?…uhhh not so much! I did have some Dapper Denim cut into card layers, a piece of watercolor paper, Very Vanilla cut into A2 cards, and a Dapper Denim inkpad, a versamark inpad, an empty spritzer, white embossing powder and my embossing gun in my kit. I also had the Foxy Friends Stamp set – it is so cute and I have been wanting to use it for a while. I had purchased the new Colorful Seasons stampset which has a couple of snowflake stamps, which I stamped and embossed on the watercolor paper. Then I spritzed the water color paper with a good drench of water, pressed an acrylic block several times on my Dapper Denim inkpad, spritzed that with water and let it drip onto the watercolor paper, and spritzed the watercolor paper again just to get that blue ink moving all over the paper. I dried it with the embossing gun and set it under a book to dry flat. I used the Trees from the Foxy Friends stamp set and stamped with the new Tranquil Tide inkpad, fussy cutting them out. (I am going to LOVE that Green/Blue shade this year!) I cut a little banner using a sentiment from Colorful Seasons, and tied a bow using the new Mini Chevron ribbon in Old Olive, and Voila’! A Holiday Card! A note about the ribbon – it is one of the nicest ribbons Stampin’ Up! has offered – so soft! Sadly only 3 colors so far, though (Old Olive, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry). I am definitely going to use this ribbon on some of my sewing projects!
And that’s it! Another holiday card, “on the go” this time, totally unplanned, but it didn’t take long to come together once I paired the snowflakes with the trees. Click on the “Shop Online” button to order Colorful Seasons and Foxy Friends if you want to recreate this card – or just about any card – they are both so versatile! …and remember, a $50 purchase will earn a $5 reward to spend in August!
Comments Off on Christmas in July Colorful Seasons
Posted in Cards, Christmas in July, Crafty Techniques, Inspiration, Products
“Christmas in July?”, you ask… Not one but TWO Christmas presents in July! First, start earning Bonus Days coupons to use in August! Here’s the deal: for every $50 you s
pend July 1–31 (before shipping and tax), you’ll get a $5 Bonus Days coupon that can be used August 1–31. Second, start your holiday cards HERE! I’ve got holiday card ideas galore coming your way this month!
Here’s one with the Flurry of Wishes Stamp set and dies, Real Red cardstock, Gold Glimmer Paper, Vellum and Pearl Basic Jewels, and Mini Sequin Trim! 
And here’s what’s coming in August! You’ll be able to PRE-ORDER a brand-new holiday card BUNDLE for 10% off, AND use those Bonus Days coupons too!
Are you ready for Christmas in July? Contact me or click on the Shop Online button to start earning Bonus Days Coupons!
Comments Off on Christmas in July?
Posted in Cards, Inspiration, Products
Tagged Carols of Christmas, Christmas in July, Flurry of Wishes, Holiday Cards
Who knew? June 1st is “Say Something Nice Day”! The nicest thing I can say today (with some crazy excitement thrown in) is that it is the first day of our NEW CATALOG!
Sooooo… new STAMPS, new DIES, new EMBOSSING FOLDERS, new PUNCHES, new DESIGNER PAPERS, and …. New COLORS!
Yes, every year Stampin’ Up introduces 5 new colors, that will stay around for 2 y
ears. Sometimes they come back and go into the “Permanent” collection, but they are here for at least 2 years. This year’s new colors: Powder Pink, Fresh Fig, Berry Burst, Lemon Lime Twist and Tranquil Tide! – Just LOOOOVE the Lemon Lime Twis
t!
Last year’s colors are still good for another year (Thank Goodness – because that Flirty Flamingo is so NOW!)
Would you like something nice? Message me and I’ll send you a CATALOG!!! Then you can say something nice TOO!
The March Paper Pumpkin is just stinkin’ cute! If you have been thinking about getting a subscription, now is the time to sign up for the April kit! In fact, there is a special on a 3-month subscription, AND you will qualify for a free item from the last few days of Sale-A-Bration (through March 31st)! Our 3-Month Prepaid Subscriptions (item 137859) are just $55! The April Paper Pumpkin has been designed by Stampin’ Up’s CEO, Sara Doug
las. Make sure you’re a subscriber by April 10 to receive April’s exciting box. Watch this video from Sara to learn more!
What could be more fun than 30 minutes of pure creation each month? Everything you need to make the project is in the box – ink, stamps, supplies and instructions. From Cards to Gifts to Decor – a crafty surprise every time! Are you ready? Contact me to sign up by March 31st to qualify for a free stamp set or 
other goodies from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.
When will you get your Paper Pumpkin on???
Comments Off on My Paper Pumpkin
Posted in Cards, Crafty Techniques, Inspiration, My Paper Pumpkin
Today I am V
ERY thankful! I just received my Stampin’ Up! order and APPARENTLY I had ordered both of these stamp sets! At first I thought, Well THAT’S a LOT of Thank Yous!, but then, really, I am Thankful for so many things – and I should send Thank You cards more often! (just like birthday cards!!!) I’ve always liked having LOTS of fonts at my disposal, and there are so many lovely ones with these stamps! I know I’ll be embossing the BIG Thank You in GOLD and spritzing or stenciling a pretty background. What can YOU create with these sentiments…and what are you So Very Thankful for???
Comments Off on So Very Thankful!
Posted in Cards, Inspiration
Sheltering Tree is a stamp from the Annual Stampin’ Up! Catalog – I was reminded of this stamp when I was
driving today on N. Charles Street in Baltimore – the trees are in BLOOM and are soooo beautiful! I immediately thought about how I could recreate these beautiful trees on a card using the Sheltering Tree stamp set. Stamp the tree base in Early Espresso (on my favorite card stock, Shimmery Wh
ite), stamp the “leaf” part in versamark ink and emboss with white embossing powder. Either leave the background plain or spritz or lightly sponge the background with several blues. The embossing powder will resist the ink and the blue will just show in the background.
While this stamp is in the Annual Catalog, you can STILL order it (Photopolymer $25), along with Shimmery White paper ($8/10 sheets), White Embossing Powder ($5), Early Espresso Inkpad ($6.50), Versamark Inkpad ($7.50) and with your $52 order, get a FREE item from the Sale-a-bration catalog through March 31st! Spring is officially here! Is there a “Sheltering Tree Inspiration” in your yard or your travels this weekend?
Comments Off on Sheltering Tree Inspiration
Posted in Crafty Techniques, Inspiration, Products
In honor of Valentine’s Day, here is a fabulous Boho Hearts Inspiration Photo. I want to make these, eat these and WEAR these. So COLORFUL! But wouldn’t these make a great CARD, too? Stamp or draw your favorite heart outl
ine and fill in with doodles or even Zentangle. Different color markers would make this so easy.
You could also take this idea and “marker” your stamp – below is a perfect image from the Bordering Blooms stamp set in the 2015-2016 Catalog for this technique. Embellish the stamped image with dimensional dots or crystal effects to add texture and bling! What will YOU do with this Boho Heart Inspiration?
Comments Off on Boho Hearts Inspiration
Posted in Inspiration
One of my fave’s from Stampin’ Up!, Shannon West, has come up with a brilliant idea, called #imbringingbirthdaysback! The premise is that we have gotten away from sending birthday cards and become more dependent on the quick and easy social media way. Now who doesn’t LOVE a birthday card (or any card, really) that you receive in the mail??? I used to send a ton of them out, and I have gotten out of the habit, too! Stampin’ Up! thought this was SUCH a good idea that they are now going to issue a stamp EXACTLY as Shannon made her own above. As soon as it is available, I’ll post a link, but no need to wait to jump onto this great idea – start your own revolution! If you want a great stamp set with birthday sentiments and images, too, “Endless Birthday Wishes” would be a great start! If you want a hand-stamped birthday card from ME, just comment with your request, and message me privately with your name, birthday and address, and VOILA! your card will hit the US Mail when the time comes! #imbringingbirthdaysback – how about you???
Comments Off on #imbringingbirthdaysback
Posted in Cards, Inspiration
