The Retired Lists Are A Comin'

Monday, June 1st. Yikes, what a day that will be! All of the retired items for this catalog will be released. Retired stamps, retired accessories, everything! And, if you have been around for previous retired lists, you know that when the items are gone, they are gone! My suggestion - order ASAP so you do NOT miss out!!

I will be having a special for the month - for every order - get a gift certificate for 15% of your order (of retiring products). That gift certificate can be "spent" in July on things in the new catalog. Fun, fun!! For example, place a $50 order of retiring product, you will get a gift certificate for $7.50. Spend $200 on retiring products, get a $30 gift certificate.

The special goes for the whole month of June on ALL orders, but remember, the supplies of retired items is limited. Order soon for best selection!

Orders can be placed directly with me, online, or at a party. Whatever works!

Orders can include retiring and non-retiring products - only the retiring product totals will be figured in for the gift certificate amount. Gift certificate amounts will be subtracted from order total (just like cash) when they are used. Gift certificates must be used in July, during the new catalog premier!

To get your retired list, mailed directly to you as soon as I get, leave a comment on this post!

Add texture to your stamped image or paper with sanding

June Workshop Specials

Dates: June 1-30, 2009

Promotion Details:

The Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion has two parts:

• Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
• Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.

Email me today to book your June workshop!

Make your own glue dots

I found these fabo videos on you tube. Fellow SU demo, Linda makes her own glue dots, various ways and the second video will show you her results with various materials. Check it out!





It looks like, in a pinch, these fantastic glue dots will hold almost as well as the Stampin' Up! Glue dots. Have you tried to make your own glue? What do you think?

Graduation Cap Money Holder

Monika from Stamping together at Monika's place came up with a new idea over the weekend

She took the new Matchbox Die and used that to create a graduation cap

Slide a check or some cash inside the drawer part. Add a tag. This was super quick.

Use a piece of the cardboard backer from a package of Designer Series Paper – it is 12″ x 12″. Create a template by measuring 5-1/2″ from each side and drawing a line to the center. Once you have all four sides marked you end up with a small square in the middle – cut this out and throw it away. Now on your card stock lay down your template and trace out the small square – this will help you cut your card stock. Line up each side a 5-1/2″ and cut down to the square. Turn and repeat for all four sides – you end up with four pieces that are 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″. Use two of these pieces on your Matchbox die to cut the base of the box and the cover plus the three tags. Here is a picture of the template:

The Matchbox Die is longer than 12″ so if you just cut a 6″ x 12″ piece to cover the whole thing – it won’t fit!

Isn't it adorable! I love al the versatility of sizzix dies, you can really do a lot with them once you add a little imagination! Don't have the new matchbox die from sizzix or Stampin Up yet? You can grab it right here! Hurry, the mini occassions catalog ends on June 30!

6 Ways to Water Color Class

Learn how to paint your textured Love Notes like a pro in my next class to go kit.
In this kit, you will get a blender pen, an aqua pen, six cards and envelopes and full-colored instructions to start water coloring like a pro!

You will learn six different water color techniques using, water color crayons; markers; pastels, water color pencils, a blender pen and an aqua pen.

Your class fee includes the blender pen and aqua pen. If you need to stock up on markers, reinkers, pastels, water color pencils or water color crayons, you can order them with this class for 10% off. (must be ordered at the same time as the class)

To purchase large quantities or whole color family sets, please email me for discount price.

Water Color Class

Water Color Class only $30.00 Stampin Pastels $22.45 Water Color Pencils $17.95 Watercolor Wonder crayons (Indicate color set below) $17.95 Reinkers- original - (indicate color below) $2.65 Craft ink refill (indicate color below) $3.82 Markers (indicate colors) $2.92

Enter your color selections

The Winner of the Stamp sets

The winners of the Free and the Brave stamp sets are:

Hopper: SuzAnn said...

Hope you have to make A LOT of cards :-)
May 24, 2009 8:32 PM

I have to check with CFH to see who the winning blogger is, I will get back to you with that one.

SuzAnn, please contact me so that I can order and send the stamps to you.

I have to make 90 cards this week to send to CFH, so I better go get busy!!!! Thanks for all of your support and comments this weekend!prize winner

The versatility of stamps

I am so amazed by this, this is all done with a set of stamps and ink, doesnt it look like a painting, stamping really is art. To check out more of Lisa's work or how she created this fabulous art, check her out here

Cards for Heroes

If you landed here by accident, click here to get back to the start of the CFH blog hop:

I made these cards for the Cards for Heroes Blog hop in celebration of Memorial Day.

Their Mission: To support our nation’s armed forces by sending blank greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.

The first card, I made with CHF's new set "We Remember" I just got it, I love it, isn't it fabulous?

The next two cards are made with SU's "Free and the Brave" set, another perfect set to use for military promotions, retirements, deployments, etc!

I am really excited to be a part of this great cause! What a fantastic way to spend Memorial Day Weekend, then honoring those who serve as well as creating cards for those who lose sleep waiting for their personal heroes to come home, both equally heroes in my book!

To my fellow service members, THANK YOU! To those who came before us, One thousand times THANK YOU! To those who love us, we couldn't do it without your love and support and To those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, so that we can sleep in peace, we are forever in your debt, this is for you!!!!!!

In Honor of Memorial Day, I am giving one lucky blogger this fantastic Stampin Up Set,

AND, if you sign up for my newsletter over Memorial Day weekend and leave a comment on this post, I will draw a lucky hopper's name to win this patriotic set as well!

Also, in honor of all my fellow service members, if you want to place an order for this set, for this weekend only, you can get a 15% discount, that's only $18.65 +S/H

*** I am working on my second go-around through the tour (I started a little to early this morning and missed so many great blogs!) I decided to make one card to donate to CFH this weekend, for every comment you guys leave me!!!


Happy Blogging and Remember:
Freedom Isn't Free!

To go to the next stop, Click Here:

Introducing: Sweetie, digital stamp

I haven't been stamping long, scrapbooking has always been my thing, but, I bit into stamping and I am hooked, I haven't really scrapbooked in a long time now. Anyway, now there is a fabulous new trend, called digi-stamps, it's kind of like having all these fantastic coloring book images you can print right on your computer and color. Stephanie Mullins over at owlwhimsy is a graphic designer and she is starting her own line of digital stamps. When I saw sweetie, here, my copics were screaming out to get there inky paws on her, she is so cute! So, I stayed up late, just so I could color her, what do you think?

Adding colored pencils to a stamped image

Today's video technique is by one of scrappin's biggest names, Jennifer McGuire created this video using colored pencils to add dimension and interest to a stamped image. The supplies aren't SU (cuz JG is workin for Hero arts in this video) but, of course, you can get a similar image and all of these supply equivalents from me, if you are interested in trying out this technique.



Happy Stampin!!!

"Magic Card" tutorial

Any little guy, would be thrilled to get a card like this!!! Isn't it fantastic? To see a video tutorial on this card, click here.

Unclogging gel pens tutorial

I found this step-by-step tutorial on Captain Craft, I haven't tried it myself yet, but, when you are desperate, you are desperate and I am sure I will give it a try next time I need to use one of my white gel pens and it doesn't cooperate. I do know that you should store the little buggers upside down, to help prevent clogs in the first place (No, of course I don't follow my own advice, lol) So, without further ado, the fabulous: Captain Craft

Here's the long anticipated gel pen repair tutorial. I know I'm not the only one that loves and hates the white gel pens, and I know I'm not the only one out there with a stack of white gel pens that don't work. So I have developed a crude way to fix these pens and get what we paid for; WHITE GOLD!!!!!!

There's a few things you need to gather to do the repair. You need a white eraser, a craft knife, and the white gel pen (of course). In the first picture you can see that I cut a piece of eraser just bigger than the hole of the ink insert.

In the second picture shows the piece of eraser that will be a plug. I have just inserted the eraser plug into the ink insert. I know what you are all thinking square peg round hole, trust me it will work and save you money. Also in this picture you can see other plug that I have inserted, I just put another one in to show you it looks like upon insertion. You'll only need one maybe two plugs.

In picture three, I'm showing what I use to push the plug down deeper into the ink insert. So each time you push the plug, and ONLY A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME, your pen will work once again. If you push too much the ink will flow out quickly and destroy you work so test on a scrap piece of card stock.

In this last picture you can see a before and after. Now remember push the plug just a wee bit.

One last bit of info, I use the ink insert as the pen (I don't reassemble the pen) and I toss the rest of the pen bits.

Well there you have it, I hope this fix (not a pretty fix, but, a fix just the same)works for you.

Thanks for looking.

Good Luck! I will come back and let you know when I have tried this myself

Stamping with Bleach tutorial

I stumbled across this fantastic video on the memorial day blog hop, I have been a fan of using bleach with my stamps for some time now. Dapple Designs created this video, enjoy!

Support the Ronald McDonald House

As part of the Making a Difference program, Stampin' Up! is a national sponsor of the Ronald McDonald House Charities. In addition to an annual contribution of $100,000, Stampin' Up! designs a stamp set to promote the partnership.

To find out more about this worthy cause, visit the Ronald McDonald House here

This year's stamp set, Say It With Scallops (#111678, $17.95) is about to retire! Buy it before June 30 and Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the sale of that set to the RMHC. These multi-purpose images are perfectly sized for use with the Scallop Square punch (#112081, $15.95)! you can get both, through June 30th, right here for only $30.00, that's almost a $4.00 savings!
Purchase yours now, to donate to a great cause!

Ronald McDonald House

Oval All Stamp set $16.95 Scallop Oval Punch $15.95 Stamps and Punch Bundle $30.00

Simply Scrappin Album-in-a-day

12" x 12" Scrapbook Album in a Day Class

That's right! An ENTIRE beautiful scrapbook, 20 pages (10 two-page spreads), completed in just a few hours! Let me show you how it's done! When you get this kit, you will be ready to complete a 12x12 album, ready for photos, AND a "scrap map" so that you can duplicate this great book over and over again with different designs and themes! Just select the Simply Scrappin' kit (2) of your choice from pages 162–165 of the Stampin' Up!^® Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog.

2 Sweet Simply Scrappin'	Best Ever Simply Scrappin'	Hoppy Memories Simply Scrappin'	Lo Mejor De Todo Simply Scrappin'
Love Sparkles Simply Scrappin'	Love Stories Simply Scrappin'	Petal Party Simply Scrappin'	Rock-A-Bye Boy Simply Scrappin'
Rock-A-Bye Girl Simply Scrappin'	Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin'	Sweet Nothings Simply Scrappin'	Tailor-Made Simply Scrappin'

Class Fee: $60

Which includes: 2 Simply Scrappin' kits of your choice*, additional 12" x 12" card stock, scrap map handout, and adhesive.

Optional add-on: Don't have an album? Get one with your class supplies for an additional fee. Select from the following colors of linen albums: Natural, Mellow Moss, Real Red, or Navy. Normally $35.17 for post-bound or $31.64 for ring-bound, but $30 with this class.

* Simply Scrappin Kits include 3 sheets each of two different 12x12 papers, 2 sheets each of 4 different coordinating color cardstock; 2 sheets each of 6"x12" adhesive die cuts

Simply Scrappin Kits

12 x 12 Complete Album in a day $60.00 Optional Linen-covered Album (indicate color pref. in comments) $30.00

Indicate your Simply Scrappin Kit Choices

Petal Party Best Ever Love Sparkles Tailor Made Hoppy Memories Sweet Nothings Sunshine Garden Love Stories Rock-a-bye Boy Rock-a-bye Girl

Enter your album color here

What's the big deal about copics?

If you are a paper crafter, I am certain you have heard about copic markers, they are a to-die-for addition to any crafter's stash! I found this on one of the copic websites:

Copic Glossary

ABS/Airbrush System- Copic Airbrush System. Works with either a compressor or Copic aircans. Uses either Sketch or Copic Markers. 1 2 3 4 Troubleshooting

Alcohol Markers- Copic markers are alcohol (ethanol) based dye markers, that are known for being low-odor and giving smooth, vibrant colors. Since they are a dye, they will fade in bright lights, but they are acid free on most surfaces. Anything with alcohol in it will react with these inks. Any Copic marker type is refillable with replaceable tips. They will not cause paper to pill when going over it many times, nor will they dissolve photocopies.

Blender- The Copic Colorless Blender pen/ink. This is ethanol based and is not the same as blender pens from other companies. Used for fixing mistakes, making colors lighter and for special effects.

Booster- A needle that attaches to an ink bottle that makes it easier to refill dry or empty markers.

Ciao Marker- Round body Copic Marker. Super Brush nib/Medium Broad nib standard, Medium Round nib optional. Refillable. 144 colors. Cannot airbrush.

Color Family- The letter at the beginning of your color name (B, BV, V, RV, R, YR, Y, YG, G, E (earth), F (Florescent), Grays & Blacks: C (Cool Gray), N (Neutral Gray), T (Toner Gray), W (Warm Gray) 100 Black, 110 Special Black

Color Saturation- This is the first digit on a color name. Colors that are 00's, 10's, or 20's will be more vibrant (B05, G16, R29), while colors that are in the 70's, 80's or 90's have more gray added (B95, BG78, G94) and are closer to the neutral/earthy end of the color spectrum. Note: E (Earth) markers don't necessarily follow this rule.

Color Group- A sequential group of colors within one color family with the same first digit (i.e. E30, E31, E33, E34, E35, E37, E39) where numbers ending in 0 are the lightest and 9 is the darkest, also called Natural Blending Group

Copic Certification- These are classes for teachers, store owners, or designers who want to learn techniques and advanced tips on using Copic markers, Airbrushing, etc. for papercrafting. Each class is about 7 hrs, and will be held regionally. Check here for listings of upcoming classes.

Copic Marker- This is the original, square body-style marker. Standard Broad/standard fine nibs, 7 optional nibs. Refillable, holds the most ink to start with. 216 colors, empty markers available. Airbrush Compatible

Multiliner- Fine Line inking pens by Copic in 9 different sizes, 5 colors, plastic disposable body design. Pigment based, archival, acid free. Will not bleed with Copic markers (on non-glossy paper)

Multiliner SP- Fine line inking pens by Copic in 10 different sizes, 12 colors in two sizes. Aluminum body, refillable with replaceable tips. Pigment based, archival, acid free. Will not bleed with Copic markers (on non-glossy paper)

Opaque White- Thick white, waterbased paint applied with a brush after you are done coloring with markers. Used for adding highlights and accents into a completed picture.

Sketch Marker- The most popular marker type. Super Brush/Medium Broad nibs standard, Medium Round nib optional. 322 colors, empty markers available. Airbrush compatible- 2 spray patterns

Spica Glitter Pens - also called atyou Spica pens. These fun, pigment based pens are filled with micro glass flakes, giving a very subtle, elegant sparkle. Keep stored flat, though if they are giving you troubles, try storing them point down overnite.

Wide Marker- Large, background marker. Extra Broad nib standard, Broad calligraphy nib optional, 36 colors, empty markers available

Various Ink- Also called Refill Ink or Re-inkers. Each bottle holds 25 cc's of ink. 322 colors available, empty bottle for mixing custom colors also available. Great for making alcohol ink effects, such as Faux Stone or covering large areas. When you see streaking in your work it's time to refill. You can refill directly from your bottle of ink, or you can use a booster needle. Try not to overfill.
For refilling dry markers: Ciao- add 1 to 1.5 cc's ink Sketch- 2 cc's Copic 2-3 cc's Wide 3-4 cc

Sizzix Big Shot Video

I found this video on you tube, demonstrating the big shot cutting the Bigz dies. Stampin Up has several exclusive dies that you can't find anywhere else. With the new catalog coming out this summer, one can only guess that some of these babies might be retiring. Hurry and order yours now, before they are gone. If you place a $50.00 order between now and the end of May, I will throw in an advanced copy of the new catalog ($10.00 value) To purchase any of these exclusive dies and get a free catalog, click here