New Catalog goes live at 1:00 TODAY!

The new catalog goes live today at noon mountain time!  That's 1:00 for me! How fun!! My wish list is long!  And, today only both catalogs are available, so you can get items from the old catalog as well (some may be out of stock by now but many are still available).

NEW CATALOG

Click here to view the

New Catalog

 

 

Crepe Paper Puff

I love the soft look of the flowers made with Crepe paper.  Stampin' Up! started selling Crepe paper in the spring mini and I went through it pretty fast.  I did notice that it was very similar to coffee filters so I decided to try them.  I had recently bought a new coffee maker that has a re-usable filter basket, so I happened to have an almost new pack of coffee filters on hand.  I cut TONS of these with a scallop die that I have.  I made tags for the flowers that were given out at church on Mother's Day.  For this card I thought I would just free hand some flowers and I think they look really great.  I grabbed two coffee filters and layered them, giving me four layers.  I used my paper snips to cut wavy circles in two sizes.  I think the uneven edges of the circles make for pretty flower petals, more natural, if coffee filter flowers can be natural :) 

I then used my paper piercer to poke holes.

I used my dental flosser to thread my button and flower holes.  You can find these little dental flossers in the toothpaste aisle by the picks.  It really makes threading things SO easy!!  Its a trick I learned from a Stamp Camper named Lois and I use it all the time!! 

Once you have your flowers attached together with a button or brad, gather the circles up toward the center layer by layer.

Once you've gotten all the layers proofed  up, spread out the center a bit to reveal your cute button or brad. 

Now just attach you flower to your card! yea! pretty!!  These are so simple and fun I think you'll find yourself making them all the time. 
You can add flowers to gift bags and presents.  Look for sales on Coffee filters next time you are at the grocery store.  The paper here is Rose Red with Garden Party Designer Series Paper.  The stamp set is Curly Cute, which retires at the end of this month.  This is one of my most used stamp sets, the size of the font is just so perfect.  Get it while you can!



Thanks for stopping by today!!
 

Paper Pumpkin

Have you joined My Paper Pumpkin yet?  If not, I thought I would show you some of what you get.  In the first month you get the "Hey Friend" card kit, which included a clear block for you to use on all your future Paper Pumpkins.  You also get some fun exclusive stamps, and a Stampin' Spot.   You will build up a fun variety of stamps and a variety of ink colors as your months of My Pamper Pumpkin subscription goes on.  The splatter stamp from the first kit will be  great for creating backgrounds on lots of future projects.  After the first month, your kits will be a mystery.  They go out on the 15th of the month and are a fun surprise, a creative escape, with every thing you need to make the projects except the adhesives.  These kits had buttons, twine, stamps, ink, stickers and envelopes. 

Here are the projects from the first two months...

 

This is the kit that came on Saturday.  It is a fun scrapbook.  You get a chip board "brag book" to cover and embellish with lots of papers and die cut stickers.  There are frames and fun tags and words to use.  So many in fact, I am sure I'll be able to make a scrapbook page or two as well. 

 

 

I got two of each page! Yea!  The monthly kits wont be repeated, so if you join now, you wont get these kits, but I wanted to show you what I've been getting so that you have an idea of what sorts of things you will get.  You can cancel at any time. 

Oh, and I came across a blog by another demo that shows samples of what else you can do with the kits, so if you don't want to make 4 of the same card for example, you can make other things.  Here is that blog: My Pumpkin Challenge. 

Contact me if you have any questions!! 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                              

More Monograms

I am the Guest Blogger again for the MDS Blog hop at my Digital Cuts Blog.  I thought I would show what I made for the digital blog here because it also uses a fun box that you can make to fit standard sized cards.

I made a pack of 16 monogram note cards recently for my Mother.  They were easy and fun, so  I made some more for myself!  I used My Digital Studio to design them and printed the front panels onto designer series paper.  I then layer the card fronts onto Soft Suede card stock bases and added some embellishments.  My Digital Studio is great for more that just scrapbook pages.   Click on over to my "Beth's Digital Cuts" blog to see step by step how to make these fun monogram note cards!  And, check out the Blog Hop to see what the other bloggers made!
Isn't the box fun, too?!   I used the  new Printed Window sheets  for the lid of my box.  I love them!  You could also use Stazon Ink to stamp onto clear window sheets  (but these printed sheets are fantastic). 

I got the dimensions for the box at SplitcoastStampers.  Love that site for their tutorials! 

I added some buttons and bows, rhinestones and pearls and other embellishments to my cards.













I hope you like my project today!   If you don't have My Digital Studio, why not give it a try? 

Another Stampin' Success case

If you've read my blog before you have heard me mention the bi-monthly magazine that demonstrators get called "Stampin' Success".  I really enjoy getting this magazine.  I have copies going back to 2005.  They give fun tips and tricks and great project ideas.  This card comes from the May/June issue.  I didn't have the cake that they used, but I did have this cute cake which is similar.  I changed the colors up a bit too.  If you are not sure what "CASEing" is, Case stands for Copy And Share Everything.    I love that there are so many fun sites out there to "CASE" from.  I like to browse the galleries at Pinteset and SplitcoastStampers for things to CASE. 
I needed a quick card and this one fit the bill.  I used markers to ink the stamp, giving the layers each their own fun color.  The little flower with the rhinestone center adds a fun touch.  

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm the Hostess

OOPS!! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TOP POST TILL MONDAY!  I can't figure out how to unpost, and I'm in a hurry, so I guess you get a sneak peek!!
Today is my first time as the Hostess at MDS Monday.  I created a page sketch and I hope that you will join us in the challenge.  With the new price of My Digital Studio, just $19.95, its a great time to purchase and be ready to scrap those summer vacation photos, beach photos, picnics, you name it!  You can still do the free 30 day trial too!   The trial is available as a download for those of you who like instant gratification, yippee, or I have some 30 day trial disk I could send you too.  To get the download trial go to my store (tab under the blog header) click shop now (right hand corner) and enter the item number #130910, it will not ask for any payment at check out because its FREE ! Yippee!!  Stampin' Up! also releases free downloads from time to time, so you could check those out too.  Last week it was a cute backpack template (#134687)!
Here is what I did with the sketch.  Go to MDS Monday to see what the other designers did.

Use the extra large photo box for the main event, then add smaller photos and some journaling underneath. I hope you like my sketch!
FYI, some of you have asked if you can join the challenge even if you don't have a blog to link to, and the answer is yes and please do!!   All you need to do is finish your page.  Then click the "project" button at the top of your MDS tool bar.  It will give you a few options, click "Share" and then that will give you a few more options, click "export pages".   If you don't already have one, create a folder to store your exported pages to.   I just call mine MDS Projects.  This is were I store MDS projects that I want to share on my blog, or email a picture of, or share on facebook or the mds.net site, etc.   Next, upload your creation to the Mydigitalstudio.net site.  This site is a great source of inspiration for everyone, and anyone can add projects to the gallery.  And it's free.  Join the site and add all your projects.  You can ask for opinions, get advice, and show of what you did with my sketch (that would make me happy).  If you  add something, let me know. I would love to go check it out.  And, if you play along with my sketch, link it to the MDS Monday blog.  There is a place to do that at the bottom of the challenge post. 
Thanks for stopping by!!

retired stamps

In getting ready for the new catalog, I have gone through some older stamp sets.  I updated my garage sale page with some sale stamps, some as low as $0.99.  These are older stamps, retired more than a year ago.  Take a look!   Once the new catalog comes out, I will update again with the newly retired stamps.  I have a "Garage Sale" planned for June 1st in Lombard Illinois!  check for more on that soon!

ripped paper and ink splatters

One of the fun perks, and there are many, about being a demonstrator with Stampin' Up! is the bi-monthly magazine we get called Stampin' Success.  There are always pretty projects to case in the magazine, and I always look forward to getting it.  The past issue had a really pretty cover that I thought was just lovely.  I kept looking at it, and so I finally decided to make something that was inspired by the cover.  Here is my first attempt. 

Here is the cover I am referring to.  Isn't it pretty?  Well, I didn't reproduce the projects exactly, I wanted my project to be a little simpler, and more mailable.

So that my petals were similar in size, I cut a scrap strip of paper in to even lengths.   I tried making them more random, but they just didn't look right.  Some were too long, some too short or wide.  This way the petals are all different, since I hand tore them, but they work nicely together.

This is the first one I made.  I made the splatters by inking up an Aqua Painter with Calypso Coral. I then squeezed the Aqua Painter so that the brush tip was saturated and about to drip.  I held the Aqua Painter over the paper and tapped it with my finger to make the little drops fall onto the paper.

Here is my second attempt.  Along with the random splatters I added some random rhinestones.  I love the shaped clips so I added those too.  These were really fun to make, not my usual style, but I like them for sure.  

Thanks for stopping by!!  

 

 

 

MDS Blog Hop Guest Designer!

Hi Everyone!! I am a Guest Designer at the MDS Blog Hop this month!!  YEA!  It's my first time being a part of a blog hop!!  So, even though this is my paper cuts blog, I would love it if you would hop on over to my Digital blog and check out the blog hop!!  I may just get you hooked on Digital crafting yet!!

Monograms

I decided to replenish my note cards this week.  I usually have some monogram note cards to use for thank you notes or just to send a note to fiends.  I make them by the dozen so I usually keep them somewhat simple.  They also make really nice gifts.  This one uses the new Strawberry Slush paper and Basic Grey.   I embossed the background with the Fancy Fan embossing folder, and used punches to highlight my initial, made with the Morning Post Alphabet Stamps. 

The flower is sponged around the edges to make it stand out a bit more.  The Rhinestone just gives it a touch of sparkle. 

Wrap some monogram note cards up in a cello bag with a pretty ribbon and you have a sweet gift in no time. 

Thanks for stopping by today!!

remember this post?

 

This fabulous flower petal punch is getting discontinued!!!  So Sad!!  I bought an extra one just in case mine jams or something.   The punch normally costs $16.95 but it's on the retiring list for just $10.17 (item #121808).   Here is the list of retiring products.  They are "while supplies last".    See if there is any thing else you wanted.  The Ornament punch is on the list too!!  I made the cute bunny candy bars with that one!!  The new catalog is just around the corner, so that is the good news, but, if you are a punch fan, you should jump at these punches while  you can!

 

You can make other flowers too.  Use the fat petals to make a posy or use the wide short ones to make a Christmas Poinsettia.  Add them to cards, scrapbooks, home decor or a hair clip!

 

 

Teacher Appreciation

I made this fun note card and holder set for my daughter's pre-school teacher.  I made the note cards in My Digital Studio.  I love that My Digital Studio allows me to make personalized gifts for the people in my life.  At $19.95 you should really check it out, if you haven't already!

Here are the note cards and envelopes that are inside.

I wanted to make the front panel of my box look like a chalk board.  I used Basic Black card stock and ran my Embossing Buddy over it a few times.  The Embossing Buddy is filled with a fine powder that helps keep static down when you are using embossing powders.  In this case, I just wanted it for the powdery dust it makes :)

I used the invoice proof sheet that comes with your print order to make this label.  Its like a smaller version of the cards.  Cute, huh?  I cut out a mat with the Apothecary Accents Framelit Die, and tied it to my box with some ribbon.

 Here is a close up of my box front.

I made a simple tag with a piece of 3 x 6 card stock, folden in half.  I made an apple with a heart punch and a leaf from the Bird Builder punch.  The tiny heart button is just for added cuteness :)   I wrote a thank you note in the card and tied it to my cello bag.  Let me just say a note about cello bags.  I love cello bags!  I make cookies, cards, tons of small gifts.  Having a variety of cello bags on hand is always a good idea for any crafter.  Stampin' Up! has a few sizes and I always make sure to  have them.  They also have craft boxes, another great thing to have on hand.  And, here's a hint, there are some new gift giving items in the new catalog, coming out soon!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

 

 

 

 

 

What to do with your scraps...

I needed some thank you cards this month and noticed that I had a lot of thin paper scraps laying around.  I was going to make some more of the same cards I made with my thin scraps a few weeks ago (click here to see), but then thought I would try something new.  I saw a few cards with rays of paper on them, and wanted to give that a try.   They were pretty simple and a fun way to use up scraps.

First I cut the strips into wedges.  I just cut from corner to opposite corner. 

I used some grid paper to glue them onto, it just helped me keep them in line. 

I glued the strips down onto the paper. 

Then I cut the edges off.

Here is my finished block.  I layered it onto a piece of Riding Hood Red.  If you want to cover the bottom a bit, if it is not quite perfectly even,  you could add some ribbon. 

I mad the little Thank you with the "A Round Array" Stamp set.  This set is on special right now.  I used it in my last post, but in case you missed it, here are the details...

If you buy the stamps and the punch together, you get 15% off.   Stamp item # 129090 $14.95.    Punch item #129404 $12.95.   Or, buy them together for $23.95  Bundle item #133899.

I layered the tiny scallop with the next size up scallop, 1 1/4 inch, item #127811 for $15.95.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope I've shown you some fun ways to use up your small strips of left over paper!