Piano Notes

Emma's piano teacher over at Junior Music Academy celebrated his birthday last week and I had wanted to create a card using my Newspaper Print DSP because on one side of it has music notes.  It was fun to stamp a "manly" greeting since I so often lean toward the feminine side of creating. 
Scrapbook Club is meeting tonight and I'm just finishing up the little touches of the pages.  Hope to share them with you in the next couple of days!  I'm also gearing up for my Scrappin' Mania for this Saturday and have lots of little gifts for everyone.  It's going to be a great day of stamping and scrapbooking!

I'm off to conquer my Monday...with the Lord's help!

Have a fabulous day!

Supplies UsedStamps:  Perfect Punches
Cardstock:  Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Newspaper Print DSP, Bashful Blue
Accessories:  2"x1-3/8" Oval Extra-Large Punch, Round Tab Extra Large Punch, Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Marina Mist 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Marina Mist Ink

September Club Project

One of our club cards for the month used the embossing technique that allows you to not emboss in the center but emboss all around.  This has been floating around on the web for months but many of you may never have seen it and I've never personally tried it.  So, I thought it makes for a great club card AND I really wanted to use some new stamps that I received from the Holiday Mini Catalog.

Peaceful Seasons stamp set is a Level 2 Hostess set in the current Holiday Mini Catalog!  That means you can earn it for FREE when any combined orders come to $300.  It is a set of 6 and it comes in the clear or wood mount.  Isn't it gorgeous? 

Okay...know don't start critiqueing me...I know "Seasons Greetings" is crooked and it drives me nuts just looking at it, but I will go forward!  :-)

So, here is how I do it:

Die-cut an oval or circle shape from on our On Board so it makes for a thick template.  Then you want to layer the following:

Multipurpose Platform on Tab 1(comes with the Big Shot)

Oval template from the On Board

Embossing folder with your choice of cardstock inside

Cutting Pad

Roll that through the Big Shot and it may seem that it is rolling through WAAAY to smoothly and easy, but when you take it out on the other side, I promise you'll have a beauty! Here is the front and back before I add my ink:

Front of cardstock

Back of cardstock

I then took ink on a sponge and sponged around my cardstock using my inside oval piece of On Board as a cover up so I wouldn't get any ink on the inside of my oval.  Clear as mud?  Wonderful! 

These are things you learn at my clubs throughout the year!  And the clubs are free! You place a minimum $30 order and you get to create 3 projects for free every other month!  I have an opening coming up in October and would love to have you join...contact me for more information or click up at the top under clubs to read up on the fun!

On a side note, I had the chance to join Zoe (my little kindergartener) on a field trip to our local Kalispell Kreamery this morning. 

How enjoyable they made it for all the kiddos and it was so informative.  The lady made butter right in front of us and it tasted heavenly! 

Just so you all know, I'm giving up stamping from here on out to buy a cow, milk it so I can make my own ice cream, butter, milk, buttermilk and cheese!  :-)  How Zoe wishes.  :-)  There was this little male calf that was just born in the last few days and it was for sale for $150+.  Zoe asked if we could buy it today.  Oh, sure, Zoe...a family pet.  :-) How innocent can little ones be?  I love it!  Oh, by the way...a milking cow is about $5000 so rest assure that I'll stick with my stamping.  :-)

Reminder...tomorrow, Friday the 24th is the LAST day to get your registration in for the Scrappin' Mania next Saturday, the 2nd!  Send your $35 to Scrappin' Mania c/o Alisha Linn 309 Montford Road, Kalispell, MT 59901 or paypal it to me at thelinns@centurytel.net.  I have some great gifts to give away that day and I have found out our dinner menu...heavenly, as always! 

Happy Thursday to you!

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Peaceful Season
Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Ink, Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Markers, Chantilly 1/2" Crochet Trim Ribbon, Big Shot, Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Paper Snips

Pumpkin Season

Hello friends!  Thinking you need centerpieces for the fall?  Look no futher than your own crafting materials!  How cute is this?  Wish I could take credit for it, BUT the reason I have them in my house is because I stole them from my sister.  ;-)  Shhhh...she may ask for them back if you say anything. 

My dear friends and fellow demos Beverly and Amy cooked these up for my sister Emily when she moved into her new home last week.  I thought they were so cute that I needed to duplicate them (you know, COPY and SHARE everything!)  :-)  Amy even created the tray with 12x12 cardstock, pulled the corners up with twine and voila...you got yourself a cute-cute centerpiece or pumpkins for display. 

All the curly "stuffing" is excess cardstock/designer paper first crinkled with the Crimper, cut into thin strips and then wrapped around a pencil to get the curly look. 

The leaves were cut out using the Leaves #2 Die-Cut and the Big Shot and the pumpkin is created with stripes of miscellanous designer paper and held together at the top and bottom with brads. 

My goal is to create a ton of these...okay, maybe not a "ton", but enough to have as center pieces at our upcoming Scrappin' Mania and then give them away at the end of the night! 

I'm off to create some birthday cards!  Lots to accomplish today! 

Hope you enjoyed the inspiration today!  As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.  I love to hear from you!

A bucket full of Ideas!

A few of the ladies in my Stampin' Up! team got together last night to swap ideas.  A Shoebox Swap to be exact.  We all come prepared to make each other's cards and so by the end of the night we have some wonderful ideas and we get to play with items we may not otherwise own.  What CUTE-CUTE cards!  I just have to share them with you!!

Created by Judy Bennett!  This is the 2nd year in which she will be teaching my little girls in Kindergarten.  Emma had her last year and Zoe is in her class this year.  One of the sweetest sincere ladies I know!

We got to play with Glass Glitter and Shimmer Paint, two items I own but haven't broken into yet! I can see that Glass Glitter is going to be a favorite of mine and we'll be using it in future classes.  Here is a close up of the Glass Glitter and Shimmer Paint. 

I applied the Shimmer Paint by applying it to a sponge and lightly spreading it on my Basic Black embossed cardstock.  What a sparkle...it's hard to tell from the photo!  I applied Glass Glitter around the little girl by outlining the circle in Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue (the stuff in the green lid) and poured the glitter onto it...it adheres perfectly! 

Isn't this little girl adorable?  I've been eyeing this set since it came out and after using it last night, it's on my order form!  It's called Greeting Card Kids and it's so cute I want to squeeze the little cheeks of each of the kiddos.  :-)

The next card was created from Crystal Allison.

She used Friends Never Fade with the coordinating Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper and Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon.  Crystal is definitely a friend who I hope never fades.  I met her several years ago when she found me searching for wedding invite ideas.  I count it a blessing to know her!

Here's my card I designed for the night:

The Seasonal Sentiments in the Holiday Mini Catalog is perfect for the upcoming holidays. 

As you can see you have yourself a greeting for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines Day all in one and the clear set is only $11.95!  How "sweet" of a deal is that?  Here is a close up of the Basic Pearls I used to highlight the greeting. It adds a bit of elegance.  The paper I used was Deck the Halls Designer Paper and by cutting it perfectly it made for a wonderful card front without a lot of hassle.  :-)

Last but definitely not least was Robbie's card. It's so wonderful that she is a demonstrator.  I knew her when I was a wee little tot and, yes, she could be my mom. :-)  I love her dearly and I love the fact that we share the same passion now.  Her ideas are always fabulous!

So I saw this French Foliage in the Holiday Mini and it didn't do anything for me.  I'm telling you, these Shoebox Swaps are bad (in a good way)...after creating all the cards, my wishlist has grown a 100 fold!  I LOVE this card Robbie created and now French Foliage is a definite must.  Stampin' Up! did an amazing job on the detail of each leaf and the coordinating stamps make a great combination.  She also used the new 1/2" Seam Binding Always Artichoke Ribbon from the Holiday Mini.  After using it, I love the texture of it.  It comes in Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and Always Artichoke.  PERFECT FOR HOLIDAY PROJECTS as it has a touch of elegance to it's look. 

I don't know if you can see from the above photo, but can you see it's texture?  Once again...a must for my future stamping!  :-)

Because there is a large variety of items used in all the cards, I won't be able to list all the supplies, but if you see something you are curious about, shoot me an email, make a comment or give me a call and I'll point you in the right direction.  :-)

You can join our next Shoebox Swap in November!  Become a demonstrator now and take advantage of the free Craft Tote that I've mentioned above!  Every other month we meet to swap ideas and on the off months, I provide the ideas for everyone as well as tips to enjoy SU to the fullest and how to build a thriving business from home!  SU is always hiring...no one is turned away!  :-)

Happy Tuesday to you!

P.S.  I forgot to add that I created another card last night from Meghan Brester, but she is using it as a make n take at one of her events this week and wanted it to be a suprise so no posting was allowed!  :-) 

Trick or Treat Decor

As we turn the page of the calendar, we quickly realize that fall is, indeed, upon us. And with that, Halloween! Did you know that Halloween is the 2^nd most popular holiday for decorations? If you are looking for cute, unique, and maybe even ghouly decorations, look no further than your stamping supplies.

Halloween home décor couldn’t be easier with the Definitely Decorative line. You can use the Décor Elements to accent your walls, frames, and even your candy jar. The Décor Elements Spooky Bats are just one of the Halloween designs available. Check them out here!  You can also add to your hauntingly cool décor by decorating candles with Designer Series Paper, like Wicked Fun (#117400), (see the designs here) ribbon, and other accessories.

Did you know you get treats for shopping with me?  For qualified orders you receive rewards for additional products and spending sprees.   Know any friends who enjoy Halloween as much as you do? Put together a couple of orders into one and receive even more rewards.  Just ask me about my Catalog Workshop special.

Happy Monday to you! 



Supplies Used:

Paper
Basic Black, Confetti White and Pumplin Pie Textured Card Stock
Ink
Basic Black Craft Stampin’ Ink Refill
Rich Razzleberry Craft Stampin’ Ink Refill
Accessories
Rich Razzleberry 1-1/4” Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
Rhinestones Basic Jewels
Stampin’ Dimensionals 
Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Big Shot
Trick or Treat Letterpress Plate
Shadowbox frame
Candy corn

Never too early...

It's never too early to start thinking of your holiday projects, especially if you're creating!  I've already mentally starting designing my Christmas Photo Card (will be using My Digital Studio this year!) and thinking about Thanksgiving placecards (hmmm...the new Candy Wrapper Die from the Holiday Mini catalog is looking mighty cute for that), Christmas gifts for teachers, neighbors, friends and family.  Oh, goodie-goodie gum-drops...I LOVE this time of the year! 

All my lovely club gals are creating this box in September!  Isn't it so sweet?  It is simply the Fancy Favor Die-Cut but I added some crinkled DSP to the top to give it that tissue paper look.  Here is a closer look at the top

The Deck the Halls DSP (120810) is one of my favorite in the new Holiday Mini Catalog.  It being 2-sided you can choose which side suits your fancy!

I picked up this idea from one of my favorite demonstrators.  Her name is Kimberly Van Diepen and she just so happened to earn the #1 Demonstrator of the year and walked across stage at Convention this year to receive a $25,000 check from Stampin' Up!  Now, that's a lot of stamps and accessories...how cool is that?  Stampin' Up! is sooo good to their demos.  She radiates happiness and cheerfulness and I love her style.  You can check out a video of how she created the above box HERE! I used my own preference of DSP and ribbon, but other than that it's close to the same.

Can you imagine this box in the new Autumn Spice DSP, crinkled above with our new Waffle Paper from the Holiday Mini and filled with pumpkin candies?  Oh...I'm just going to have to do it and show you soon!

Happy Tuesday to you!

Daffodil Delight Birthday

My little Emma's birthday is on Sunday!  Unfortunately, I'll be out of town until Monday afternoon so I wanted to create a card that she'll open on Sunday along with one of her most-requested gift items. 

Her favorite color is yellow so Daffodil Delight was the lucky color! 

She was thrilled that she'll be celebrating her 7th birthday twice in a period of one week.  Matthew and I are in Seattle enjoying time with family and the kiddos are hanging with my lovely parents.  They love their Grandy and Grandpa and oh, how I love them too!

Hope your Friday is MAAAArVELous!  :-)

Supplies used for your convenience:

Stamps

Birthday Bliss (115442 - $15.95)

Accessories

Daffodil Delight CS (119683 - $6.95)

Pumpkin Pie CS (105117 - $6.95) 

Whisper White CS (100730 - $7.50)

Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack-Brights (117155 - $19.95)

Fancy Flower Extra Large Punch (118073 - $16.95)

Scallop Edge Border (119882 - $15.95)

Flower Brads - Brights (119734 - $8.95)

Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (109054 - $6.95)

Decor Elements Makes it Pop!

Today is an organizing tip for you!  Most of you know by now that SU came out with clear-mount stamps back in January.  Well, with those clear-mount stamps we need the clear blocks to mount the stamps on, right?  Well, it was a no-brainer for me.  I knew I would be needing all the sizes eventually so I bought the bundle, which offers all the clear-mount blocks in one purchase saving me 10%.  For 6-7 months I carried my clear blocks around like this:

In July, Stampin' Up! brought the new Clear Block Storage Caddy to the new Idea Book.  YAHOO!!  I'm all about making things easier and looking better!  Here is how your clear blocks could be stored now:

The foam inserts holds blocks in place with finger holes to easily remove the blocks.  I wasn't content in keeping it looking all plain on the outside though.  :-)

I took our Real Red and White Decor Elements Sheets and placed them through the Big Shot using the Top Note Die-Cut and the Serrif Essentials Die-Cut.  These Decor Elements Sheets are vinyl sheets.  Each package comes with 2 sheets of vinyl in specified colors!  And there are 19 colors to choose from!!

Basically cut your piece to fit over your die-cut. Run it through the BIG SHOT and remove the backing and VIOLA...you got yourself a vinyl self-sticking image.  Create a sentence for your wall, images for your mirror and/or furniture or your very own Clear-Mount Storage Caddy! 

And, when you order your very own Clear-Mount Storage Caddy until the end of September, I'll personalize it for you!  Just tell me your initial you want and I'll get 'er done for you for FREE!  :-) 

Hope you have an excellent day!

Supplies used for your convenience:

Clear Block Storage Caddy - 120279 $16.95

Real Red Decor Elements Sheets - 118802 - $12.95

White Decor Elements Sheets - 114335 $12.95

Miscellaneous Self-Adhesive Die-cut from a Simply Scrappin' Kit

Two-Step Owl Punch

Look at all the things you can do with the Two-Step Owl Punch (#118074). This punch is going to quickly fly to the top of your wish list. In one quick move, our Two-Step Owl punch cuts out all of the pieces you need to build an owl. It couldn’t be easier to create a great accent or focal point: just punch and then layer the pieces.


Earlier this year, Stampin’ Up! released an updated punch design. This new design takes up less room, now has labels on top of the punch as well as on the end, can be locked shut for easier storage and for safety from little fingers. These time-saving features make these punches a must-have whether you need a circle punch or you go batty for bats.

The Owl Punch is available in a punch but also in a digital format as well. Find out more at my store => http://embraceink.stampinup.net. 

Have a wonderful weekend my stamping friends!

FREE Craft Tote...SWEEEET!!!

Stampin' Up! has just announced that starting today until October 18th if you join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator you'll receive the new Greenhouse Gala CRAFT TOTE for FREE!!!

I purchased mine while I was at Convention this past summer and ABSOLUTELY LOVE it!  I have carried it to friend's homes to scrapbook, workshops and to different meetings...and it holds a ton!  I paid $39.95 for mine and you can have it for FREE when you join Stampin' Up! this month. 

What does it take to be a demonstrator? 

Glad you asked.  :-)

Simply purchase one of two starter kits priced at $175 (valued at over $300) and you can choose the path you take with Stampin' Up!

1).  Be a demonstrator as your sole business.  This is ME!  I hold workshops, clubs and classes in my home and at other homes teaching people how to scrapbook and stamp.  It's that simple.  Do you love to scrapbook?  Stamp?  This is your GOLDEN ticket...if you LOVE what you do, this will be the best job ever all while paying your monthly bills!

2).  Be a demonstrator for the sole reason of saving $!  As a demonstrator you'll receive an immediate 20% off of all your purchases and everyone else's purchases. You can purchase the starter kit and never have workshops or classes.  Just purchase for yourself and close friends and NEVER pay full price!   20% is just the icing on the cake though because if you choose to do more, you'll receive an additional percentage off, demonstrator only savings, access to thousands of ideas on our Stampin' Connection and monthly magazines filled with ideas and tips. 

What are you waiting for?  I'll hold your hand until you're tired of me :-) and you can join online on my Stampin' Up! website at www.embraceink.stampinup.net.  Click on "Join Now" and enter the password "embraceink". 

No questions are silly, so email (embracelife@centurytel.net) or call me (406-253-0175) and I'll answer any questions you have. 

I've been a demonstrator for over 8 years and LOVE WHAT I DO!  (you can too)  ;-)

Now, my upline who lives in Seattle (upline in "demonstrator" terms is the person who "recruited" me 8 years ago)  :-) recently held a contest for everyone.  If we joined and completed the contest she would send us some of her cards that some of her customers created last month.  Aren't these cute?  I received them in the mail from her two days ago and wanted to share them with you!

Just one more reason to be a demonstrator...the support, encouragement and friendship you'll receive from other demonstrators! 

Join now...the starter kits alone are an amazing deal, but now the FREE Craft Tote??? 

Totallly AWESOME!! :-)

Happy Wednesday to you!