Stampin' Sunshine-Bringing Sunshine to Every Day

PPA27-Theme Challenge-Snowflakes

Happy Thursday, it's time for the Pals Paper Arts challenge.  This week's challenge was a snowflake-theme challenge.  And it seemed quite appropriate for a gal who lives in snowy Maine!! 

Here in southern Maine we've been having unusual weather lately.  One week we're getting back to back snow, with snowfalls close to 12", the next week it's a lovely 50 degrees outside.  Go figure!!  So my card combines the snow of the season with the hope of Spring.

I used some of my leftover Christmas Cocoa Designer Series Paper.  This paper has more of a wintry look, so it was perfect.  I also got to use one of my favorite new punches, the Extra Large Two-Step Bird, which is the new punch style.  FABULOUS!!  Using Taken with Teal card stock gives my card a nice little pop of color, and the bird provides the hope of Spring amidst a snowy background.  Perfect!!  Whisper White Craft Ink on the Taken with Teal cardstock gives a nice snowy effect, and punching out the snowflakes using the Boho Blossoms punch gives a nice chance to add to the layering.  Finish it all off with a sentiment from the Note of Thanks Mini Note Kit and some Hodgepodge Hardware. (Seriously, the most fun bling you'll find!!) 

Stamp:  Note of Thanks

Paper:  Whisper White card stock, Christmas Cocoa Designer Series Paper

Ink:  Taken with Teal Classic Ink, Whisper White Craft Ink

Tools:  Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Paper Piercer, Stampin' Dimensionals

Fun:  Hodgepodge Hardware, Sending Love Epoxy Brad in Chocolate Chip

Stampin' Up! Aiding in Haitian Disaster Relief-What Can You Do?

Making a Difference has long been an important part of Stampin' Up!  From now until February 28, 2010, you can partner with Stampin' Up! to make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of the devastating Haitian earthquake.

Stampin' Up! will set aside $2 from the sale of every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and donate that money to the American Red Cross' Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Product Name  Item #  Price  I {Heart} Hearts - clear-mount  (block D recommended)  118571  $18.95  I {Heart} Hearts - wood-mount  117010  $26.95

In addition, if you will send me an e-mail to place your order for this stamp set, I will donate 20% of my accumulated total sales of the I {Heart} Hearts set between now and February 28 to the American Red Cross . Please help make an immediate, and ongoing, difference, and please continue to pray for the people of Haiti. 

PPA25-Inspiration and Blog Candy!!

Mmmmm, candy!!  Play along with Pals Paper Arts this week and you could win some candy--blog candy.  A tasty treat for your paper craft creations.

This weeks' delicious inspiration

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a chocoholic?  Just in case I haven't, let's just say that I usually describe myself as "body by chocolate."  So when I see a picture of chocolate, you bet I'm inspired!!  I HEART chocolate .  Need I say more?!!

I had fun playing with some of the new products from the 2010 Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration catalogs.  The new Scallop Trim Border Punch was especially fun.  It adds a nice bit of "frou frou", which was perfect, because chocolate makes me all "frou frou"!! 

I used Whisper White Craft Ink to stamp the hearts on the Real Red card stock.  Pink Passion Classic Ink adds a nice bit of contrasting color, and what would a chocolate-inspired card be without something chocolate?  The new Satin Ribbon in Chocolate Chip adds a yummy bit of color, and just the right amount of chocolaty goodness.

I hope you'll play along with today's tasty PPA challenge.  And if you're anything like me, you'll be off to find some "inspiration."  I'm looking forward to seeing what you create!!

Stamps:  I {Heart} Hearts, Love You Much

Paper:  Real Red and Whisper White card stock

Ink:  Whisper White Craft Ink, Pink Passion Classic Ink

Tools:  Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch

Fun:  5/8" Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon

Hop on in for Some Valentine's Inspiration

Welcome to the Valentine's Holiday Hop!  If you've arrived from Margaret Moody's blog Margaret Moody, I'm stop number 4 on the hop!  I'm glad you could make it. Hop along with me and my fellow Holiday Hoppers and we'll direct you through the entire hop of wonderful papercrafted creations!  Should you become lost along the way, see the lineup below.

For today's hop I wanted to create something fun, cute, and quick.  I love the idea of a 3x3 card, and these are perfect to give away as Valentine's.  I used mostly "traditional" Valentine's colors, but threw in a little bit of Chocolate Chip as well.  After all, what's Valentine's without chocolate?! 

Start with 12x2 card stock.  Cut it half so you have (2) 12x6 pieces.  Then, cut each half into (4) 3x6 pieces.  Score each piece at 3" and fold in half.  You'll get 8 cards from one piece of card stock.  I cut cards from several different colors of card stock, and will be making a bunch more Valentine's with the remaining paper.

I used a number of punches to create different shapes for the Whimsical Words sentiments.  (stamp the sentiment first, then use the punch to cut it out.)  A little bit of layering, some ribbon and some brads, and you have these adorable Valentine's cards.  There are unlimited creative possibilities.  Won't you be my Valentine?  :)

                         


Stamps:  Whimsical Words

Paper:  12x12 textured card stock in Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, and Real Red.  Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper, Chocolate Chip Designer Series Paper

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry, Real Red, Pink Passion Classic Inks

Tools:  Punches-Scallop Square, 1-1/4" Square, 1-3/8" Square, Scallop Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, Curly Label.  Big Shot, Movers and Shapers Die, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack, Snail Adhesive

Fun:  5/5" Grosgrain Ribbon in Real Red and Chocolate Chip  (white ribbon from my stash).  Real Red Brads

*************************************************************

The Valentine's Holiday Hop continues with the next stop at Carla Bazhenow's blog.  Hop over and see what exciting creations Carla has in store for you!

HOLIDAY HOP LINE-UP

Click on any of the sites listed below to begin the Holiday Hop.  We're thrilled to have you visit and excited to hear what you think of our hop.  Feel free to leave as many comments as you'd like along the way!

1.   Kalshelia Lloyd -- www.stampinfabulousity.com     Stampin' Fabulousity

2.   Ann Schach -- www.stampinchic.com     The Stampin' Schach

3.   Margaret Moody -- www.margaretmoody.typepad.com     Margaret Moody

4.   Debbie Pierce -- www.stampinsunshine.com     Stampin' Sunshine

5.   Carla Bazhenow -- www.carlas-scraps.com     Carla's Scraps

6.   Mary Fish -- www.stampinpretty.com     Stampin' Pretty

7.   Kim Lampone -- www.kjskorner.blogspot.com     Stamp, scrap, get kreative

8.   Gina Shaw -- www.cardsbyginashaw.com     Cards by Gina

9.   Regina Mangum -- www.thestampinbean.blogspot.comThe Stampin' Bean

10. Lourdes Torres -- www.cozycraftycorner.blogspot.com     Cozy Crafty Corner

11. Kris Kilcoyne -- www.kweenbee.typepad.com     Kween Bee Kreations

12. Liz Hughes -- www.diypapercreations.com     DIY Paper Creations

13. Melanie Collins -- www.oopsadaisy.typepad.com     Oops a Daisy

14. Mike Funke -- www.stampin-style.com     Stampin-Style

15. Anne Beale Yancey -- www.mukibug.com     Mukibug

16. Martha Stewart -- www.seasonsofstamping.com    Seasons of Stamping

17. Jason Casper -- www.stampindad.blogspot.com     Jason's Stampin' Pad

Holiday Hop-Coming Soon to a Blog Near You

I'm thrilled to let you know that once again we'll be having a Pals Holiday Hop.  A group of talented Stampin' Up! Demonstrators are ready to show off their paper crafting skills with inspirational ideas for Valentine's Day using Stampin' Up! products!

Join us on Tuesday January 12, 2010 at 5:00 AM CST for a Valentine's Holiday Hop as we showcase all that Stampin' Up! has to offer - from rubber stamps, designer paper, embellishments, and much more!  Mark your calendar now!  You don't want to miss out!

Be sure to check back here tomorrow for the Pals Holiday Hop lineup. 

PPA24-Simple Sketch

Yay for Pals Paper Arts on Thursdays!!  I just love all of the inspiration and creativity.  I never know what I'm going to come up with, but it's always fun getting there!!

For this Simple Sketch Challenge, (sketch courtesy of the amazing Margaret Moody) I knew that I wanted to use Stampin' Up!'s In Colors.  I haven't used them much, and this turned out to be a great opportunity to showcase them.

One of the things I'm learning as I continue to create is that open spaces are OK. I thought for a long time about what I could put in the upper left of the card.  After looking at it for awhile, I realized that it was lovely just the way it is.  Embellishments are always fabulous, but also give yourself permission to leave open spaces.

Tip:  I cut a piece of the Rich Razzleberry ribbon in half, length-wise, and threaded it through some of the fabulous Hodgepodge Hardware.  I just have to say that these are some of the best embellishments you can invest in, and certainly have made it to my list of top favorites.  (The Big Shot, of course, still being #1 in my heart!!)

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you.  And I'm looking forward to seeing what you create!!

Stamps:  Close as a Memory

Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, and Crushed Curry card stock

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink

Tools:  3/16" Corner Rounder Punch

Fun:  Rich Razzleberry 1/2" Polk Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware

It's Official . . . .

 . . . you can now order from the fabulous new 2010 Occasions Mini catalog, and earn free products from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  See?  Good things DO come to those who wait!!

Sale-A-Bration

Join the Sale-A-Bration!

It's Sale-A-Bration time again at Stampin' Up!  Every year Stampin' Up! gives customers, hostesses, and new demonstrators the opportunity to earn fantastic, FREE, limited-edition products they'll enjoy for years to come.

Here's how Sale-A-Bration works:

Spend
When you spend $50 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward. There's no limit--for every $50 you spend, you can select another FREE Sale-A-Bration reward!

Host
When you host a workshop of at least $300 (before tax and shipping), you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward in addition to all of the regular hostess benefits!

Join
There's no better time to join!!  Whether you're just interested in getting the starter kit at a fabulous price, interested in becoming a career demonstrator with unlimited earning potentional, or anywhere in between, we have something for you.  During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set (in addition to those in your starter kit)--a value of up to $47.95--from our current Idea Book and Catalog or Occasions Mini Catalog. Plus, for a limited time, get 15% off the price of the standard Starter Kit or Digital+ Starter Kit!

Starter Kit	Regular Price	Sale-A-Bration Price (15% off)
Standard Starter Kit	$199	$169
Digital+ Starter Kit	$185	$157

E-mail me with any questions, or to get started today!!

Plus, this year's Sale-A-Bration event gives you more free products than ever before! Choose from our exciting selection of exclusive Sale-A-Bration products, or choose a $15.95 set from the Idea Book & Catalog--you've got over 80 choices!

The Sale-A-Bration promotion starts today and runs through March 31, so don't miss your chance to earn free products!   E-mail me to book your workshop or learn more about this promotion. I would also be happy to mail you a full-color Sale-A-Bration brochure full of beautiful project ideas you can make using these limited-edition Sale-A-Bration sets. You can also view the Sale-A-Bration catalog here.

2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

This new mini promises to be the best ever--with fabulous new products to suit any crafter!

In this mini, you'll see additions to our new Simply Adorned jewelry line. Since introducing this new line in the Holiday Mini Catalog, we've been experiencing quality and production issues. As a result, the new Simply Adorned products in the Occasions Mini may or may not be available for purchase when the catalog goes live. Please know that we are doing all we can to resolve these issues and we'll let you know when these products will be available as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience as we work to offer you the very best Simply Adorned product possible.

E-mail me to receive a free 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.