Farewell Journal

This is a journal I'm working on for as part of a farewell project for someone retiring at work. I'm gathering messages from our group and will print them on cardstock to fill the pages.

The book itself is made out of chipboard using the Big Shot. The DSP used is from the neutral pack and the colour of this sheet is soft suede. I used soft suede, not quite navy and always artichoke classic ink and the stamps used come from the following sets: Sense of Time, Definite Your Life, Notably Ornate, Artistic Etchings and Vintage Vogue. Cardstock used is soft suede, very vanilla and crumbcake. Accessories include: vintage brads, jumbo eyelets and narrow taffeta ribbon.

Open Sea Birthday Cards...a closer look

Just thought I'd give a closer look at some bday cards made with the Open Sea stampset from the Summer Mini. These are similar to the ones made at last week's stamp a stack, but with a bit more dimension...mostly by way of the banner greetings added with a brad on each.

What I love about this stampset is how well it works to collage the images...with collaging, the possibilities are practically endless! This stampset is so versatile. It's perfect for masculine cards, but it would also be perfect for travel cards, scrapbooks or journals. I will be having a journal class on June 23rd which uses this stampset, and I'll post a picture soon, so be sure to let me know if you are interested!:)

Stamp a Stack Birthday...feminine cards

This was the other end of the room on stamp a stack night, feminine birthday cards. We used the Paisley Petals DSP which is coming out in the new Idea Book & Catalog in July and it was from the DSP that we got our colour scheme of old olive & baja breeze. We also used the fun flowers die for the Big Shot which is still available along with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder. For new products, we got to play with postage stamp punch and the coordinating new stampset, Pretty Postage which are both in the Summer Mini. We also used the swirl stamp from Baroque Motifs...probably my most used stamp of all times!:)

Stamp a Stack Birthday...masculine side

This past Thursday I hosted my first stamp a stack. We did birthday cards...4 designs, 2 of each. This was the masculine birthday card station. I set up 2 ends to the room, one with feminine cards and one with masculine cards. For these, we used the Open Seas Stampset and the Nautical Expedition DSP from the new Summer Mini Catalog.

Another Purse/Tote

Another purse/tote like the one I posted on the weekend, but this time the flower was made with paper and cardstock. I like making these. You can fill them with cards, a small gift, stamps...

AND - I absolutely love the fun flowers die - it's a must have...how I waited so long to get it, I don't know?!;)

I'm starting to plan for the summer and I think I'm going to do a stamp camp in July or August, depending on interest. It would be a 3-4 hour afternoon where I would have 3-4 projects for everyone and I'm thinking that this needs to be one of the projects!:) If you're interested, let me know and I'll keep you in the loop!:)

Happy Mother's Day

I made one of these bouquet cards a few years ago, but had to revisit the design now that I have my fun flowers die. The pot is made out of early espresso cardstock and has been rolled with the very vintage jumbo wheel although te picture doesn't pic that up well. DSP was the springtime vintage that just retired and I also used the rose adornments that just retired with the occasions mini too (as I thought my MIL would like them). Cardstock for the larges flower is old olive, and ribbon is the pear in colour striped twill. All supplies are SU except for the seedpack charm with is ACP.

Purse/tote and Floral Pin

I was inspired to make the pin I've attached to this tote by the one I saw pictures of after SU Leadership. I was just waiting for my fun flowers die to arrive to play with it. My fun flowers die was backordered and so I only received it this last week, but good things come to those who wait;) Also, this die along with the fabric I used to make the flower is carried over from the Occasions Mini (the trinket keys & beveled windowpanes are too, if memory serves me correctly). To make the pin (which can be detached from the tote to wear on a lapel), I just cased the pictures I had seen and winged it!;)

The flower is made with layers of fabric flowers, 3 different sizes, cut out with the fun flowers die. I have also layered in a couple of cardstock flowers which I've sprayed with vanilla smooch spritz and some scallop circles punches from the first edition DSP. The fabric is springtime vintage from SU and is still is available (as are the fabrics from the Holiday Mini I believe).

The purse/tote was inspired by Amy Celona and since the flower pin I was going to attach was using springtime vintage fabric, I used the coordinating DSP which has now retired, but this project is easily adaptable to any DSP you have. The base of the tote is 9 x 12 and you score across at 1", 5 1/4", 6 3/4" and 11" and then the other way at 1 1/2" and 7 1/2". The handles are 1" wide with a 3/4" strip of DSP. It's that easy!:)

Strength & Hope Mini Album Class

Tomorrow (Thursday) is the registration deadline for the Strength & Hope Mini Album class (identical classes are being held on May 21st & May 26th). There are just a few spots left, so email me by noon on May 5th if you want one of them. Cost is $27 and includes the stampset in clear mount plus the class or $33 including the stampset in wood mount plus the class. The picture above is a sneak peek at the class project:)

Strength & Hope and some ribbon and hodgepodge...

Today's card is another one made with the new Strength & Hope stampset. This time with an unusual colour combination for me... cardstock is garden green, not quite navy, so saffron and very vanilla. The ribbon is retired baja breeze, but is still available on the clearance rack if you want to get some (available for online orders on my website...see sidebar).

As mentioned in my last post a portion of every purchase of the strength & hope stampset will got to the BCRF.

Also the deadline for registration for the Strength & Hope classes I'm holding on May 21st and 26th is this Thursday May 5th, so be sure to contact me in advance if you want to register so I can order your stampset, and if you can't make the class but want the stampset, let me know by Thursday as well as I have a big order of them going in!:)

Strength & Hope Campaign

Today marks the start of the new Summer Mini Catalog and with that the Strength & Hope Campaign.

"Offer stregnth & hope to those dealing with breast cancer by purchasing the Strength & Hope Set or the Strength & Hope digital kit.

Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from this purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrcure.org."

The card I made above was made with this new darling stampset. I just love that butterfly! The swirl design is so beautiful too... Actually all the images are beautiful to play with and I'll be posting a few more projects using this stampset in the days ahead!

Contact me if you would like to order one and support the campaign or if you would like to be part of my Strength & Hope class which is being held on Saturday May 21st at 2 pm and Thursday May 26th at 7pm (both classes are identical). In the class we'll be making a very special mini album and purchase of the stampset will be part of the class fee in order to support this worthy cause! Contact me soon if you are interested in the class as both classes are almost full already!

National Scrapbooking Month Promotions

Starting today and going throughout the month of May, Stampin Up has some great promotions to celebrate National Scrapbooking month - starting with several stampsets perfect for scrapbooking and some scrapbooking bundles at 30% off. Click here for the promotion brochure!

In addition, Stampin' Up is also discounting the cost of printing hard cover & soft cover photobooks as well as individual pages by 30% as well. Check out the listing and sales prices here! I'm so exicted...I want to finish the digital scrapbooks I'm working on right away so I don't miss out on the sale!!

If you would like to order any of these products, you can do so on my Stampin' Up Website or contact me to place an order or book a workshop!:)

Occasions Mini Last Call

The Occasions Mini ends tomorrow (April 30th) and the cutoff for my order going in will be noon; however you can place an order on my website (use this link) into the evening if you miss that.

This card was made with the botanical gazette paper which I'm so going to miss with the end of this Occasions Mini. I have the short list of the few items that are carrying over from it if anyone is interest, just email me.

This card was inspired by one Kimberley made last month using the two tags die for the Big Shot...I created the 3 little envelopes form that:) The buttons are from the sprintime vintage jumbo buttons in the Occasions Mini which I'm also going to miss. The ribbon, however, is the in colour pear pizzaz ribbon that carries over in the Idea Book & Catalog...this ribbon is one my favourites to work with...love the texture and the edge trim!:)

This card was made for one of the challenges over at A Charming Place this month and that is where the charm came from. The only stamp I used on this card was my en francaise backgroun stamp. I love background stamps and the en francais is probably my favourite. I use that one and the medallion one probably the most!:)

Easter Wishes...another basket!

Easter blessings to you all! Today's project is my daughter's Easter basket. I posted one of these earlier this month with the dimensions here.

This one was made from a sheet of baja breeze cardstock, the elements of style and something to celebrate stampsets, some chocolate chip ink & ribbon. Butterflies from the embosslet for the Big Shot, pearls from the jewel pack and rose adornments! I'm in love with the adornments, it will be sad with the Occasions Mini ends at the end of this month and they are no longer available!

Spring is Blossoming:)

Just a reminder about the Spring is Blossoming promotion which ends on April 30th. With a $25 you are able to advance purchase this sneak peek stampset (Four Frames) that will debut in the new Idea Book & Catalog later this summer and/or a special designer series paper. OR if you host a workshop and achieve a certain level of sales you can earn both for free! See this post for details!

Today's card features the Four Frames stampset which I've stamped on naturals ivory in espresso and then coloured in with cherry cobbler and always artichoke using my blender pen and my ink pads. The 'thanks' sentiment is from the Fabulous Phrases stampset and is stamped on crumbcake. The flowers are punched with the boho blossoms punch and I've placed a pearl from the jewels collection in the centre of each. I freehand cut the stems and leaves, but you can also you a leaf die for your Big Shot or the leaf from the bird punch. The card base and seam binding ribbon are both cherry cobbler and the patterned piece is from the neutrals DSP pack (this sheet being river rock):)

Stencilled Gratitude

The fleur de lis on this card was done using the stencils in the Decor Elements catalog. I love using stencils on cards. I just used a sponge to shade the image and then I stamped right into it as well using my gratitude stamp from the Define Your Life set.

Recipe (all SU):

Cardstock - not quite navy, crumbcake, very vanilla

DSP - neutrals stack

Ribbon - cherry cobbler seam binding

Accessories - rhinesone jewel & spritzer tool

Easter Basket

Tonight I hosted a 'Sippin' with Sherri' night. Sippin' with Sherri is a more informal evening that will happen once every 4-6 weeks where I try to keep the number of people a little lower so that I can interact more with each of them (and we sip on some decaf or a pot of tea...hence the 'sippin') and we do one make & take. For this one we made this adorable little easter basket...well actually if you take off the little banner, it can be an all occasion basket. This one was made from one sheet of old olive cardstock cut into a 7 1/2" square and then scored evenly around at 2 1/2". I cut the handle to 3/4" and framed it with some satin chocolate chip ribbon. I also gathered satin ribbon around the top of the basket and finished it off with one of the big designer springtime vintage buttons from the Occasions Mini. That's where I got the 'easter wishes' stamp too. It's in the hostess level II stampset called 'Something to Celebrate'. These items from the Occasions Mini are only available until April 30th, so be sure to contact me if you're interested in ordering them or anything from the Mini!!

MIL Bday!

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday and this was her bday card this year! I used the new strength & hope stampset that premiers with the summer mini next month. For the butterfly I used the rock & roll technique and then clear embossed it. I added pearl jewels for the body of the butterfly, and the ribbon is attached by a mini-library clip. The DSP is vintage springtime which is only available until the end of April when the Occasions Mini expires. I finished the card off by using the spritzer tool. (Inks & cardstocks used were in the following colours: crumbcake, rose red, marina mist, old olive, early espresso). Oh & the birthday greeting comes from the level 2 hostess set in the Occasions Mini which will only be available until April 30th as well. If you need/want anything from the Occasions Mini, be sure to contact me before the end of the month!:)

Vintage Card Box

This is the box from last weekend's class. Dimensions are 8" x 12". Score at 1" and 7" along the 8" and score at 1", 5 1/2", 6 1/2" and 11" along the 12"

Recipe (all SU):

Card stock - very vanilla, basic black

DSP - first edition

Stamps - hodgepodge happiness, clearly for you

Ink - basic black, versamark

Punch- scallop circle, designer label

Accessories - hodgepodge hardware

Big shot - vintage wallpaper embossing folder

Butterfly Card

One last card to show you from the weekend...

Recipe (all SU):

Card stock - very vanilla, basic black

DSP - first edition

Ink - basic black

Punch- scallop trim border, oval punch & scallop oval punch

Ribbon - linen thread

Big shot - vintage wallpaper embossing folder, butterflies embosslet

Charm - ACP

Another card from the class this past weekend...

Recipe (all SU):

Card stock - very vanilla, basic black

DSP - first edition

Stamps - clearly for you

Ink - basic black

Punch- scallop trim border

Ribbon - black satin

Bigshot - bird sizzlet, vintage wallpaper embossing folder & top note

Brad - filligree