Tag Archives: Stampin' Up!

Love these little boxes

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I love containers of all sorts.  Fortunately for me, the company by that name does not have a store on Maui.  If they did, it would be a very dangerous thing for my wallet.  Knowing that, it’s clear how quickly the Stampin’ Up! Bitty Box and Envelope Bigz XL die (115967, $42.95) would catch my eye the first time I browsed through the new Idea Book and Catalog back in July.  The envelope is just right for a tiny 2″ x 2″ gift card, and the little box is sized to hold the cards and envelopes.  It’s also just the right size for a favor box.

Tower o' Bitty Boxes

Tower o' Bitty Boxes

I’m not even going to begin trying to tell you what all these papers are.  Not one of them is current.  I’ve been diligently trying to use up my hoard of retired Designer Series Papers and this seemed the perfect way to do it.  The Big Shot is pretty cool that way – it takes odd bits and scraps and grinds them up and gives you cute little playthings in return.

These boxes are for the members of my Hostess Club.  There’s a little something that fits perfectly inside to give them sustenance, and then they get to embellish the box and bring it to the next club for Show and Tell.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai

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Today Hawaii – and the rest of the world – celebrates the canonizaton of Saint Damien de Veuster.  His life as a priest who came to serve the Hansen’s Disease community exiled on the Kalaupapa peninsula is a testament of love, compassion and service that is inspirational and humbling.

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  • Branch Out, Thoughts and Prayers, and En Francais stamp sets
  • Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip and Real Red Classic Stamp pads
  • Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Kraft cardstock
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig, Real Red narrow grosgrain ribbon, Double rectangle punch

When you need a little color…

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This year’s In Color collection is a lot of things, but honey, it’s not subtle.  These are colors that pop.  They stand up and shout!  My color preferences tend to be more muted or rich tones but this bunch just vibrates with intensity.  It’s taken a little getting used to for me.

I made this card at a shoebox swap at a demonstrator meeting.  If there’s anything I like more than stamping, it’s stamping with friends.  We’re usually kinda noisy, and sometimes we get distracted and have to hurry up to finish, but we always have a great time.

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  • Hello Again stamp set
  • Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo Classic ink pads; Bermuda Bay and Melon Mambo Stampin’ Write markers
  • Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo cardstock
  • Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon
  • Gold brads and 1/16″ handheld circle punch

You can’t help but feel cheery when you’ve got colors like this in your face.  They insist that you smile.

Four calling birds

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I’m not much of a morning person.  If there was no outside influence on my schedule, I would be up late into the night and sleep well into the morning.  Life, however, has determined that I need to be up with the birds most mornings, and thank goodness for those birds.

If I’m awake early enough, the first bird to sing in my neighborhood is a cardinal.  It’s usually a male perched in the top of a tree – often the tall coconut in my neighbor’s yard – calling out to the rising sun.  His brilliant red color makes him easy to pick out, and his distinctive song is enough to banish the fog from my brain.  Soon the doves add their cooing, the mynahs start to scold, and the francolins…well, if you’re not awake by the time the francolins start in, they’ll do the job.

This little quartet doesn’t sing out loud, but I think there’s music here all the same.

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  • All Holidays stamps and Cornelli Lace wheel
  • Chocolate Chip, Bermuda Bay, and Very Vanilla cardstock;  Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Rose Red Classic ink
  • Big Shot and Merry Details Sizzlet
  • Scallop Square punch

This little fellow is found as both an exclusive Stampin’ Up!  Sizzlet (Merry Details, 116823, $5.50) and a stamp (Berry Christmas, 116509, $22.95).  I think he performs well outside the holiday arena, don’t you?

Halloween Branches

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My kids are old enough now that they don’t do those little goodies bags of candy for their classmates.  They don’t come home with backpacks stuffed full of sugary loot, either, and then head out as soon as the sun goes down for more.  It’s a good thing, because like all devoted mothers, I felt obligated to save them from all of that candy, especially the dark chocolate.  Well, and the Butterfingers.  And maybe a Snickers or too.

Oops.  Chocolate Detour.  Back on track.

I don’t buy Halloween stamps much anymore because I just don’t use them.  A couple of cards and I’m done.  I have friends (not to mention any names, Robbie – you too, Claudine) who adore anything and everything Halloween, and I can enjoy Halloween cards vicariously through them.  All the same, as October rolls in I start to think about stamping a Boo or two.

Were you paying attention yesterday?  Didn’t I tell you Branch Out was an all-purpose stamp set?

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  • Branch Out and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie Classic ink pads;  Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive Stampin’ Write Markers
  • Naturals White, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black and Old Olive cardstock
  • Old Olive 1 1/4″ stripe grosgrain ribbon
  • Slot punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig

This card was inspired by one that Claudine brought to share at our last club.  She had spiders in the tree, which I actually liked better.  But the bird from Branch Out is a raven today and that will have to do.

Trick or Treat!

How can I stamp thee?

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Let me count the ways!

I think Branch Out is one of the most versatile stamp sets Stampin’ Up! has produced.  I have used it for all four seasons, multiple holidays, and a variety of “just because” occasions.  It’s not currently in the catalog, but it’s on the dormant list (113200, $22.95)  and you can order it.  Matter of fact, I wish you would – I would be thrilled if  Stampin’ Up! would choose to take it off the dormant list and return it to the Idea Book and Catalog next July.

I saw a beautiful card – and I confess I cannot remember the location – where the crafter used another tree set with the In Colors to create a vibrant autumn card.  I’ve made a few changes but I’m pleased with the results.

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  • Branch Out Stamp Set
  • Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry , Crushed Curry and Rose Red Classic ink pads
  • Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, RIch Razzleberry, and Apricot Appeal cardstock; Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Big Shot and Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texture plate
  • Soft Suede Polka Dot Ribbon
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig

This is as close to Autumn Colors as we’ll see here on Maui.  It’s nowhere near the same as seeing the colors change in real life, but it makes me think of Autumn all the same.

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Branch Out 113200 $22.95

A generous soul

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My wonderful friend and upline Crystal is one of the most generous people I know.  I think “Give” is her middle name.  If that isn’t enough, she’s also more fun than a case of wine, a full box of chocolates, and the entire Stampin’ Up! catalog rolled into one! (OK, maybe not the entire catalog.)  When we get together to stamp, we always laugh more than anything else.

This card is one of a number of samples she made for me when the Idea Book and Catalog preview came out.  That’s how she is – if she makes a card for herself, she’ll make one for me too.  She makes the cutest cards and I’m always thrilled when I show up at her door and she holds out a little stack just for me.

Little Fat Owl Just for You

Little Fat Owl Just for You

  • Animal Stories and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Melon Mambo, So Saffron, and Whisper White cardstock; Tall Tales Designer Series Paper
  • Chocolate Chip Classic Ink pad
  • 1 3/8″ and Scallop Square punches, Soft Suede polka dot ribbon
  • Big Shot and Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds I

Can I tell you a secret?  It’s her birthday today.  Happy Birthday, Crystal!

Keeping track of stamps

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Keeping stamps with their respective sets used to drive me crazy.  I realize that driving me crazy isn’t a difficult thing to accomplish.  There are a number of people in this world who are experts at it (and may or may not be living in my home).  The point is that when I take a stamp out of it’s cozy little plastic box and mix it up with a bunch of other stamps on my workspace, when it’s time to put everything away my brain inevitably shorts out.  Where does this “thank you” belong?  Is that snowflake from Snow Swirled or Delightful Decorations?  And worst of all,  how do I get all these stamps back into that box???

I found a trick, a simple trick designed to avoid such a minor crisis.  Before I assemble my new stamps, I photocopy the sheet of decals that identify the set.  I trim the image to the size of the box and put it in the bottom facing out.  If I’m looking for particular stamp I can flip the box over and see what should be there, even if it’s not where it belongs.

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I can’t tell you how often this simple step has saved me.  I’m kind of picky about organization.  I like to be able to find things.  Strange, I know.  Having a record in the box works for me.  I hope it will work for you, too.

Spooky Expressions

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I’ve always decorated for holidays.  It started when the kids were small and would bring home seasonal projects from school.  I’d put their projects up, then little by little add to them as the month wore on.  I’ve actually saved some of my favorite projects through the years.  Now that they’re nearly all grown, I have to make my own projects!

I almost missed these goofy pumpkin faces in the Decor Elements catalog.  Three great faces for $4.95 – you can hardly beat that, can you?  It was a 5 minute project to put a face on my candle jar – and that included washing and drying the glass first!

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  • Spooky Expressions (117568) $4.95
  • Decor Elements Applicator (114285) $1.95

Kinda reminds me of the Koolaid Pitcher.  You remember that, don’t you?

This would be so easy to do on so many things…a window, a bowl, a notebook….shoot, even a pumpkin!    Trick or treat!

Make a card, send a card

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Today is World Card Making Day.   I would hasten to add that I don’t need a designated day to make a card.  It’s something I enjoy doing (I know, News Flash!) and it’s something that I especially enjoy teaching others to do.

If we’re brutally frank about the matter, World Card Making Day is  a marketing idea.  It’s a great idea, but in my opinion, there should be more to making a card than selling cardstock, ink and paper.  Everyone makes cards for different reasons and with different motivations.  Some make cards for their own pleasure, satisfied with participating in the creative process.  Others make a card with a recipient in mind, carefully selecting colors and images that are designed to bring happiness, comfort or inspiration to a special person.  Some people may even choose to make a card simply because it’s more economical, although if you were to inventory my card making supplies you might question that premise.

In the end,  it doesn’t matter why you make a card.  The important thing is that the process satisfies you.  It’s a very forgiving craft, with near-infinite options.  The basic materials are inexpensive enough that if you finish your card and you really don’t like it, you can let go of it.  It’s just paper.

Your hand made card, whether simple or complex, holds the potential to bring you to someone else.  Make a card – and send it.  A card is really just paper and embellishment until it is given away.  Then it becomes a message of love and caring straight from your heart to another.

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  • Inspired by Nature and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Sage Shadow, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White card stock
  • Sage Shadow, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink and Rose Red Classic Ink pads
  • Sponge daubers, Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Champagne Mist shimmer paint, and Stamp-a-ma-jig

Happy World Card Making Day.