Santa Bag With Scallops

Today I went to my friend Susan's house. we are working on a "Christmas in July" stamp camp. So today we worked on making various Christmas projects. Unfortunately we did not have the new Christmas Designer Papers and stamp sets to use . July 1 can not come soon enough because we both have lists a mile long for the new products. But anyway, we made projects with supplies that we had on hand. This was one of those projects. I thought it was cute but this is not one that we will be making in July. It is a bag made by using the Bag with Scallops Big Shot XL Die. I thought that I could add Santa face on the scallop flap. The face is placed on top of the flap. As I am looking at this now, I realize that I forgot to put punched circles on for the buttons. I got the idea of putting a Santa face on the flap because of all the Santas that I have seen people do using a scallop punch. The supplies that I used for this project were:

PAPER: Real Red, Brushed Silver, Whisper White, Blush Blossom, Basic Black

ACCESSORIES: Scallop Punch, Trio Flower Punch, 1- 3/4 Circle Punch, 1/4 Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, White Gel Pen, Velcro, Sticky Tape

I am really happy the way this turned out. I am really in the mood now to come up with more projects for the Christmas season. We had a good time today and can't wait until we get the new products from SU so we can play some more.

Oops!! It is number 92

Sorry, I guess I am still tired from all the walking we did this weekend for Relay For Life. The card for the challenge is for week 92 not 91!

Mojo Monday 91

This is the card that I finished today for Mojo Monday. I received this stamp set at Leadership and for some reason have not used it much. When I saw the rectangle for this challenge, my mind went immediately to this set, "Good Friend". I also decided to use really bright colors for this card. I looked at the last few cards that I made and they all seemed so dark. I made a real effort to go bright! The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SETS: Good Friend, All Holidays
PAPER: Green Galore, Pixie Pink, Yoyo Yellow, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
INK: Pumpkin Pie, Pixie Pink(stamped off), Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black
ACCESSORIES: Black Gingham Ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Square Punch, Flower Brads, Dimensionals, Texturz Plates

This card is so bright in person and that is what I was going for. This card is also more whimsical than what I have been doing lately. I don't know if you can see it but I ran the Yellow and Turquoise papers through the Big Shot using the Texturz Plates. In person, it really made a big difference. I adore the Texturz Plates and think that they can really add a pop to your project.

A Rich Razzleberry Thank You

Today in the mail I recieved this card from Pennie who I think is three uplines above me. She made this card and sent it to me for recruiting. She is such a nice person and is very good at what she does. I enjoy going to her training. This is such a simple card but it is so nice. This is an example of a simple card that makes a big statement. She used the new In Color, "Rich Razzleberry" and the new Polka Dotted Grosgrain Ribbon in the new In Color Rich Razzleberry. The stamp sets are "Three Little Words" and "Pocket Silouettes". I have had a very busy day with running down to Philly to pick up my daughter from the airport and also waiting to hear from the Vet about the dog. I did not get done what I needed to. Tomorrow starts the Relay For Life that my stamping group"LOVE AT FIRST STAMP" is involved in which will last until Saturday at noon. I think that I will be exhausted by then. So please don't expect any more posts this weekend. I will post again on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Another Sneak Peek

I really love the new In Colors this year! I can't wait to use them in my classes this year. While at Susan's, we came up with this card. We had seen one and cased the main layout of it. I love all the earthy colors together. I also am in love with the polka dotted grosgrain ribbon in the In Colors! Here, I took the earthy colors and the ribbon and put it all together using the "CIRCLE CIRCUS" stamp set. The new "TEENY TINY WISHES" is another great set if you want to have a lot of different greetings on hand. I really enjoyed just playing around with the set to see what colors worked well together and placing the pieces different places on the card. I think this card could be used for a masculine birthday card. The supplies that were used for this card were:

STAMP SETS: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Circle Circus
PAPER: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Whisper White
INK: Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry
ACCESSORIES: Modern Label Punch, Silver Brads, Scallop Circle Punch, Fire Rhinestone Brad, Crushed Curry Polka Dotted Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

The nice thing about the In Colors this year is they can be divided into many different groups of colors and each group looks nice. I took the Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango and Soft Suede and they look great for an autumn card or a card with an earthy feel to it. If you added Old Olive with this group of colors it would be a dynamite combination. So when you start using the new In Colors this catalog. Don't be afraid to fool around with making various color combinations because you will love what you come up with.

I'm Back

Well I am back from a weekend mini vacation. I was in Gettysburg with my cousins from Connecticut. we had a great time together. We enjoy getting together because we really don't get to see a lot of each other. This weekend was delightful, I can't wait until we get together again for another road trip. I did not have time to stamp but...I still have cards from when I was stamping with Susan last week and thought I would share another one of those cards. This is another sneak peek of the new In Colors and new Designer Paper and a new stamp set. I really am blown away at the new In Colors. They are really so vibrant and exciting to look at! This card uses the stamp set "CIRCLE CIRCUS". It has a number of shapes and designs of circles. When I worked on this card, I just starting stamping every circle in each of the new In Colors. I then played around with the circles, changing colors, changing positions, changing circle from designs to just plain punched out circles of the new colors, changing sizes....I could go on and on but you get the idea. I just kept doing that until I came up with a layout that I liked. I was left with A LOT of different circle pieces but I can always use them some place else on another card. The supplies that I used on this card were:

STAMP SETS: Circle Circus, Teeny Tiny Wishes

PAPER: Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper

INK: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Rich Razzleberry

ACCESSORIES: Silver brads, Various sized Circle Punches, Rhinestone Brad, Modern Label Punch, Dimensionals

All the supplies are new and will be in the new catalog. Today is the last day that you can preorder a catalog from me for $5. Please contact me today if you still would like to preorder a catty. Remember after today, they will go back up to the regular price. The Rhinestone Brads, Silver Brads, Dimensionals and Circle Punches are in this catalog and will be in the new one as well.

I enjoy getting together with friends and stamp. It was so much fun and Susan's last week. I think it is good to do that sometimes because you can always bounce ideas off each other. I think that is a good way to stretch yourself when stamping. I am off now to start working on the Mojo Monday Challenge. Hopefully I will be able to post what I came up with tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Graduation Invitations

Last Fall, at one of my technique classes, I demonstrated to my class how to make Diagonal Double Pocket cards. After we made the card, one of my customers/friends remarked how much she liked the card and technique. She said that she thought it would make the perfect invitation for her daughter's graduation party. So in the Fall, she bought all the paper she would need for the invitations. This past weekend she came to class and showed us the finished invitations that she had made. Here is a picture of the graduation invitations she made for her daughter. If you are thinking that they look like Halloween invites, it is understandable since her school colors are orange and black. She was kind enough to email me a picture of what they all looked like. I think they look great! I know the other people who attended my class last weekend also thought she had done a great job on them. The supplies that were used for this card were:

STAMP SET: none

PAPER: Patterns Designer Paper-Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Whisper White

INK: none

ACCESSORIES: stickers, ribbon

My friend did the wording and the school's emblem on the computer. I think it looks great! The neat thing about this invitation is, I know Katie. When I was teaching I taught Katie from Kindergarten through Sixth Grade at the Elementary School. So these invitations have a special meaning for me. Congratulations Katie!

Midnight Madness #5

This is the card I came up with for the Midnight Madness Challenge this week. I like this card. I think it is because of the paper I used. I love the "Bella Birds" Designer Paper and I am very sad to see it retire. I found this paper to use soothing colors and patterns much like the colors and patterns on my Grandmother's quilt. Maybe that is why, when I look at that paper, I feel a calm. But anyway, I am pleased with how it turned out. I tried to make a card that was very soothing and did not have a lot of contrast in it. The stamp has the words "DREAMS" on it so I thought the card should use very soothing and subtle colors. That is how I decided on the color combination and paper. I wanted to give it a calm look. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Dreams du Jour
PAPER: Bella Birds Designer Paper, Bordering Blue, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Whisper White
INK: Bordering Blue, Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink, Certainly Celery, Old Olive
ACCESSORIES: Blender Pens, Pink Rhinestone Brads, Blue Rhinestone Brads, Pretties Kit, Circle Cutter, Dimensionals

I really think it is good to try these challenges. It can only make you think a little harder and try new things. And it is a really good idea to try new things. It is raining here and it is really gloomy out. I hope the weather is better where you are. Go out today and try something new. I bet you will be glad you did.

Mojo Monday 90

I had this card finished on Tuesday but did not get a chance sooner to post. This really looks better in person. The Chocolate Chip background shows up way too dark. The Chocolate Chip background was run through the Big Shot using the Polka Dotted Texturz Plate. I used the "Just Buzzin' By" stamp set for this card. I water colored the hive but it looks more washed out in this photo than it looks in person. The bottom diamond shape, I took bubble wrap and inked it up with More Mustard and then printed that onto Whisper White cardstock to get that funky honeycomb look. At the top, instead of a circle, I used a flower from the Pretties Kit and died it a color and attached it at the top with a dimensional. I stamped one of the bees from the stamp set and colored it and then covered the whole bee with Dazzling Diamonds and also attached it with a dimensional. For this card I wanted to use colors that were earthy but had a lot of contrast. For this card I used:

STAMP SET: Just Buzzin' By

PAPER: Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Whisper White, Watercolor Paper

INK: Black Staz-on, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Summer Sun

ACCESSORIES: Blender Pens, Dazzling Diamonds, Pretties Kit, Dimensionals

I like this card better in person and was disappointed to see how it photographed. I am enjoying these challenges. I think that I am growing each time I try one. I hope you enjoyed this one. Now go and enjoy the rest of your day!

Sunday's Play Date

Yesterday, my friend Susan invited me over to her house to play...with the new sneak peek products from Stampin' Up. The new In-Colors are absolutely beautiful! I used them on this card. Although the the picture does not do the colors any justice, the colors are much more vibrant than shown here. The two of us were glued to the new catalog yesterday while we were writing down our wish lists of new products, stamp sets, Designer Papers, ect. We had a great time. Really, the time was too short! We finished a couple of cards but were not able to get through all the new items she had. I can hardly wait until July 1 to be able to share all the new products with you. I know you will enjoy them. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SETS: Razzle Dazzle (new), Thank You Kindly)
PAPER: Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper(new), Whisper White, Old Olive, Rich, Razzleberry(new)
INK: Rich Razzleberry(new)
ACCESSORIES: Rich Razzleberry Marker(new), Old Olive Marker

I love going to Susan's because she has a great basement that she has EVERYTHING you can think of! She was kind enough yesterday to let me play with her supplies because my sneak peek order did not come in yet. Thanks Susan! Enjoy the day!

June Technique Card- Part 3

This is the last card that we will be making for the June "VELLUM" technique classes. I had vellum written on my calendar for a couple of months. I also knew I was going to do Vitalized Vellum. A number of uplines above me, Pennie, had done this technique at a Regional Seminar and was on the Workshop Wows DVD. But when I was checking out Flowerbug's Inkspot last month and saw this card using the technique I was going to use, I just had to CASE it. It is beautiful card and I give full credit to her. I did make a few minor changes. I simply fell in love with this card after I saw it and I know that my customers will love it too. The stamp sets that were used were "God's Beauty" and "Great Friend". "God's Beauty" is a level one hostess set and "Great Friend" is from the Occasions Mini. My entry today is going to be very short. I have a Midnight Madness card to work on and I need to get prepared for my technique class on Saturday morning and a Stamp Camp that is coming in the afternoon. Busy, Busy, Busy. Hope you all have a great day today!

June Technique Class- Card 2

This is the second card of three that we will be making during the June "VELLUM" Technique Classes. This card uses two techniques, Stained Glass and Dry Embossing. It is hard to see how they were used on this card in the picture. But I assure you that I used both. I used colors on this card that I rarely use and that is Elegant Eggplant and Lovely Lilac. I really don't know why I don't use them much but I decided I need to go outside my comfort zone and try something different on this card. I used A LOT of both of these colors last year at this time. The reason being that my daughter was getting married and these were the colors for her wedding invitations and wedding favors that I made. I made over 140 of each. Maybe that is why I haven't used it much since. I was on purple overload! The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Morning Soft
PAPER: Vellum Cardstock, Kiwi Kiss, Elegant Eggplant, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White
INK: Versamark
ACCESSORIES: Bone Folder, Silver Brads, Eyelet Border Punch, Lovely Lilac Marker, Old Olive Marker, Mellow Moss Marker, Always Artichoke Marker, Elegant Eggplant Marker, Black EP, Heating Tool, Dimensionals, Adhesive

This card looks better in person. I think the paper is too dark for you to see what it really looks like. This one has a much different feel than the card I made on Monday's post, even though I used the same stamp. I am working on my Midnight Madness card for this week. Hopefully, I will post that later in the week. Have a great day!

June Technique Class- Card 1

Just got back from my upline's house and saw the NEW catalog. I am really happy about it. She has all the new In Colors and they are gorgeous. Can't wait until July when I can start using all the new things. I am very excited! I was working on my blog when she called to ask me over to look at everything. So I stopped working on this post and ran right over. So now it is back to work. Today's card is one we had made with my upline at her house. I think it is simple and elegant. It makes the perfect bridal or wedding card. And I should know since last week I gave one of these cards to my friend for her wedding and I gave one to my daughter's best friend for her bridal shower. Everyone loved it. This is a really easy way to dry emboss vellum although I will also be showing you another way to dry emboss vellum in the class. I used the Big Shot and the Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die. The White Satin Ribbon, Oval Scallop Punch, and "Oval All" stamp set can all be found in the Occasions Mini. I will show you the other cards we will be creating during the week. I can't show you all at one time, I want to keep you in suspense. If you need to check dates and times for the classes this month, you can check my SU website. www.dereag.stampinup.net. Have a great rest of the day. I know I will. I can't stop smiling from seeing the new catalog.

Mojo Moday 89

With everything going on today, I can not believe that I was able to finish a Mojo Monday sketch on a Monday! That never happened before. Of course I was online this morning trying to get the Last Chance lists out to my customers. I wanted to make sure they had an opportunity to get retired accessories before they were gone. But after lunch I sat down, relaxed and worked on this sketch. This card was made with one of the retiring sets "MORNING SOFT". It is a beautiful set. I happened to borrow it from one of my friends from work last week. I used it to make one of the cards we are going to make in technique class this month. This is not the card, I will post that one later this week. The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Morning Soft
PAPER: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Whisper White, Parisian Breeze, Vellum
INK: Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Almost Amethyst, Old Olive Kiwi Kiss, Black Stazon
ACCESSORIES: So Saffron Marker, Pumpkin Pie Marker, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Kiwi Kiss/ Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

A lot of items that were used in making this card are retiring. They are: Parisian Breeze Designer Paper, Morning Soft stamp set, Kiwi Kiss/ Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Baja Breeze ink and paper. So if you would like or need any of these supplies make sure you order them as soon as possible. I am going to miss them BUT..... I saw a sneak peek of the new In Colors and some new Designer Paper and I will say you are going to love them too. Check out the list of retired Stampin" Up products which you can obtain by clicking on the icon on the sidebar of my blog. Now go out and enjoy the rest of the day! It is a gorgeous one!