Terrific Tips Tuesday

Haven't you just loved this year's Holiday Catalog? There were so many great new products and projects inside that I know I will be revisiting it for a while. Well, today's tip is an important one: Don't miss out! The items in the Holiday Catalog will only be available until this Thursday, January 2nd. Click on the "Shop Now" button on the left to go to my online store to grab any last minute items you don't want to miss out on!

Flashback Friday

I know we are already looking at Christmas in the rear view mirror, but I have one more card to share with you. If you like it, pin it and remember it for next year! Enjoy!

I had so much fun creating this final card for Stamp Camp. It's very simple but the details make it. The key to this card: Punches. The card centers around the 2 1/2" circle punch right in the bottom middle of the Riding Hood Red card stock. All I did was center the punch at the bottom of the card stock and punch it out. Then the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle, 3/4" Circle and Ornament punches layer nicely on top. Using Pewter embossing powder for the Tidings of Comfort and Joy sentiment at the top along with the Simply Scorin' Tool add texture.

Stamp Sets:

Delightful Decorations, Word Play

Paper:

Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White

Ink:

Wild Wasabi, Riding Hood Red, VersaMark

Accessories:

Heat Tool and Pewter Embossing Powder, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 2 1/2" Circle punch, 3/4" Circle punch, Ornament punch, Dimensionals, Scorin' Tool

Terrific Tips Tuesday

Today's tip, in the middle of this hurried holiday season: Keep it simple!

I'm a planner, which means I've had my cards planned and made for a while now (getting them addressed and mailed was a different story this year!). I know how many I need and who I need them for. But life is always good at throwing us curve balls and I realized last week that I would need a few more cards for my husband to take around to his clients with gift baskets. We are busy not only with the Christmas season and all the activities 3 kids bring along with them, but we are also getting ready to move. I just don't have time right now for an extra card-making session! So, I kept it simple. With a basic background patterned paper (Season of Style Designer Series Paper Stack) as a jumping off point for color, I was able to easily throw these cards together. Deco Labels Framelits Dies nest perfectly to give me a border around the stamped image. I just love this log cabin from the Christmas Lodge set from last year. Add a little sponging around the edges for detail and - viola - done! You can quickly make a cute little stack of cards with this method. Not only will this be helpful for those last-minute cards you might need, but making a set of cards like this would also be a great gift this holiday season. You may not be the only one in search of that last-minute card.

This tip works for any occasion you might have come up. All you have to do is pick the DSP and change up the central image and this layout - or one similar - will keep you supplied with cards throughout the year! Remember, I love to see how people CASE (copy and share everything) my cards and change things up to suit themselves! Please share your ideas, too!

Flashback Friday

This card is just plain cute! Check out the Stylin' Snowfolk stamp set (Retired) and all the options you have. You can accessorize your snowman (or snow-woman!) almost any way you can imagine!

This set retired, but if you love the look, check out the Snow Day stamp set on page 25 of the Holiday Catalog. It's adorable! (W 131892 $26.95 C 131895 $18.95)

Stamp Sets:

Stylin' Snowfolk, Border Banter

Paper:

Bashful Blue, Gumball Green, Whisper White

Inks:

Bashful Blue, Gumball Green, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black

Accessories:

Dimensionals, Scallop Border Punch

Terrific Tips Tuesday

Christmas is right around the corner. I finally got my cards mailed last week, much later than I usually send them. I thought you might like a little reminder of some of the last dates to send your cards and packages, according the the United States Post Office:

- Last day to ship Standard Post was Saturday, Dec. 14.

- Last day to ship to most military posts is today, Tuesday, Dec. 17.

- Last day for most international shipping is Wednesday, Dec. 18.

- First-class mail needs to be sent by Friday, Dec. 20.

- Priority Mail Flat-Rate mailings need to go out by Saturday, Dec. 21.

- Priority Mail Express needs to be shipped by Monday, Dec. 23.

Don't forget that sometimes hand delivering a Christmas card may bring the most joy to both the giver and the receiver!

Flashback Friday

The next card is simple but turned out beautifully. I "CASED" this from another demonstrator. You can see her version of the card HERE. CASE stands for "copy and share everything". You will see subtle differences in our cards. People often ask me where I get ideas for cards. The answer is: Everywhere. Sometimes it starts from a color combination I see somewhere, sometimes the stamp set itself inspires me. And often I see a card someone else has made and I try to recreate it with my own spin. To be honest, I love it when I see what the ladies at my Stamp Camps come up with as variations to my cards. Our Creator created very creative people and I love that!

Products Used:

Stamps:

Four the Holidays, Northern Hearts

Paper:

Cherry Cobbler, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Ink:

Sahara Sand

Accessories:

Big Shot & Framed Tulip Embossing Folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Basic Rhinestones

New Photopolymer Stamp Sets!

Stampin' Up! has released two new photopolymer stamp sets. They are here just in time for planning ahead for Valentine's Day, but the countless sayings  in these sets make them useful all year long. Check it out:

Countless Sayings 2 Photopolymer Stamp Set

#135892 $13.95

Countless Sayings 2 Photopolymer Stamp Set

#135893 $13.95

Terrific Tips Tuesday

Today's tip is an exciting one - go check out the Clearance Rack! Starting today many retired products will be on sale for up to 80% off! Hurry over and check out the selection - items will only be available while supplies last!

Flashback Friday

I have been thinking it's time to revisit Flashback Fridays. I often go back to cards I've made in the past for inspiration, so it's my hope that you'll find inspiration in them, too. 

The temperatures are dropping and the days are getting shorter. It must mean it's almost time for Christmas! And with Christmas comes Christmas cards, so I thought I'd revisit the Stamp Camp cards we made last year this month.

I am so excited about this first card for several reasons. First of all, the stamp set Evergreen looks simple but offers many options. There is a solid evergreen tree background, an outline stamp of the tree and a shape of the tree in script with the words to Silent Night. It also has a perfect sentiment for inside the card. You have your Christmas card basics covered with Evergreen (W 127970 $25.95, C 127973 $18.95). I made two cards to show some of the ways you can make this card your own. You can also play around with the ink colors you use for the layers. On the left, I used Certainly Celery for the solid image and Old Olive for the outlined image. On the right I used Certainly Celery for the solid image again but Chocolate Chip for the words. You could play around with those colors, or any others for that matter, in almost any combination.

Supplies:

Stamp Set:

Evergreen

Paper:

Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Raspberry Ripple, Very Vanilla

Inks:

Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip

Accessories:

Star Punch from the Merry Minis Punch Pack, Champagne Glitter Paper, Big Shot & Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Baker's Twine, Glue Dots, Naturals Designer Buttons

Christmas Tags

I recently threw these tags together to add a sweet touch to some Christmas gift bags. 

The Window Frames Framelits Dies seemed like a perfect shape to frame a simple Christmas sentiment using That's the Ticket stamp set, the coordinating Ticket Duo Punch and the Label Love Bundle with the coordinating stamp set and punch. A little added texture from the Burlap Ribbon adds the perfect touch.

Terrific Tips Tuesday

Today's tip is brought to you again by the Annual Catalog. After many requests, Stampin' Up! added the name of some of the colors used in their sample pictures in the catalog. Now you don't have to go searching to figure out what colors to use if you see a project you like. Check it out! The catalog is an absolutely great place to go to find inspiration for all sorts of projects.

If you are still struggling with what colors to use or which colors coordinate and work well together, don't forget about the Color Coach. This is probably one of my all-time favorite "handy helpers". It is a swatchbook with every color in Stampin' Up!'s color collections. You can even add a pack of each of the In-Colors if you like. Each color swatch has a cheat sheet on the back giving you some color combination suggestions. There are even a couple cards where you can keep track of your own favorite color combinations.

A Whole Lot of Love!

Now that you've gotten started on your holiday preparations, it's time to start thinking ahead - to Valentine's Day! Too much, you say? A little early, you say? Well, that's why Stampin' Up! is here to help. With the Whole Lot of Love product family, you will find everything you need to get creative for Valentine's Day all in one place. Click HERE for more information and to get a head start today! Then, you can sit back and enjoy all your holidays to come for the next several months!

December's "Best of" stamp set is now available!

It's time to share the final "Best of" stamp set. It's been so fun to remember the various stamp sets these images have come from all year. As we look forward to Stampin' Up!'s biggest promotion, Sale-a-bration, starting in January, we can remember stamps from Sale-a-brations past. Each stamp in this set is from a past Sale-a-bration set. The best part? You don't even have to spend $50 to earn it! Click below for more information.