Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. Some people think vanilla is boring but today I am going to share with you Very Classy Very Vanilla. I have made a very elegant monochromatic card combining the Festive Florets dies and the Merriest Moments Hybrid Embossing folder. Add in some gold embossing and the result is rather stunning if I do say so myself!
Very Classy Very Vanilla
Did you know that the oval dies in the Festive Florets collection layer together beautifully? The insides of the detailed ovals cut out for plain ovals on which to stamp your greeting and the detailed ovals can be layered as well with a stunning effect. I was inspired by Gail Ellis to layer these oval over the Merriest Moments Hybrid embossing folder. It’s a little counter intuitive since that folder has a rectangular opening in the middle but it works perfectly as you will see for yourself.
Tone on Tone Poinsettias
For this Very Classy Very Vanilla card I kept the poinsettias monochromatic as well. I stamped the poinsettias in Versamark on very vanilla cardstock and embossed with white embossing powder. A few pearls were added to the centre of the flower for a lovely effect.
Prime Time With the Pampered Stamper
When COVID started I began Prime Time as a way to keep my business afloat. Members pay ten dollars a month in three month increments and in exchange they get a weekly exclusive video tutorial and a monthly 16 project pdf tutorial. The videos are posted each Thursday and the supply list and measurements are posted on Wednesdays. Members tell me that this is like a weekly class and because they pay a small monthly fee, they take it seriously and it keeps them stamping and using their supplies. It makes me so happy to hear that! You are also most welcome to join! You can do it here. This was the card that we made this week.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today, it’s always nice to see how many people come and read my blog posts each day. Did you know that I also have a YouTube channel? Every Tuesday and Wednesday I post videos there at 10am EST. Teaching the joy of card making is what I love to do and I hope you join me and subscribe! Just click on the red subscribe button on the bottom right hand corner of the video.
Well, isn’t that a bit of a tease? Nothing’s Better Than is actually the name of a pretty fun stamp set. I would say that nothing is better than being loved and loving that person back and both of you feeling like you’re the lucky one! Today I am sharing a card that I made using Nothing’s Better Than for the first time. This card was made for next month’s Create With Us International tutorial bundle which has the theme of Heat Embossing.
Nothing’s Better Than Cocktails
Cocktails are a lot of fun, but they are so expensive!! I made this card not just because I really do love a good cocktail, but I also love the cheerful colours that we want to hold on to while summer is becoming a distant memory. First I’ll show you the card and then I will tell you about the different ways that I have used heat embossing to make it.
Here is a closer view of the card.
Heat Embossing Three Different Ways
First I used heat embossing to create an emboss resist technique with a stencil or decorative mask. Place the mask over your cardstock and press all over with versamark. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder and then sponge on your ink for a beautifully patterned background.
Second I used versamark and clear embossing powder directly on the die cut to make the cardstock glossy and almost three dimensional.
Lastly I used masking paper and clear embossing to create some texture for the liquid in the cocktail glasses. Embossing doesn’t always have to be in metallics or colours. Clear embossing is super versatile and can be used quickly over top of any stamped image to make it look like it has been embossed in colour.
Get Your Own Discount
Did you know that you can get your very own discount on Stampin’Up! products by getting the starter kit? The starter kit is always a great deal but this month it is even better. Rather than me writing a big long story about it, grab a cup of coffee or tea and watch my short YouTube video. I wish someone had shared this with me earlier!
Belgium and Ireland
Did you know that Stampin’Up! has now expanded into Belgium and Ireland? I can now recruit people from these countries too because I have a European team through my Dutch demonstratorship. Please reach out to me if you are interested or you can simply sign up here incognito if that is more your jam.
Nothing’s Better Than….
With a title like that I just had to share a picture of Gerard and me. We had such a wonderful, romantic evening last Saturday and my cousin took this photo of us. I had to share both photos because the first one highlights the dramatic entrance with the red carpet. It really makes you feel like a movie star. I was happy that I chose to wear my little black dress!
You can’t tell in the photo, but my lovely scarf actually has a squirrel on it. Next time I will share a photo of it. My friend Tracy had this exact same scarf and I complimented her on it so many times that she gave me one for my birthday. It is still one of my favourite scarves! Do you have a favourite gift that you still treasure?
Happy stamping and thanks for joining me today! Oops, almost forgot, the Create With Us International tutorial group has a new Fancy Folds tutorial just out. It’s amazing!! You can get it for free with a $60 purchase or you can buy it here on my blog.
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Creating with Waves of the Ocean gives a feeling of peace. That is definitely something we need more of these days. Blue and yellow are the colours for the Ukraine and both of these colours are found in my card today. I made this card on Tuesday for my weekly Parcels in the Post tutorial.
This card was NOT my original idea. I totally cased it from the talented Australian demonstrator Linda Dalke who is also a fellow design team member for the International Create With Us Team. You can find Linda’s blog post here to see her gorgeous work.
Waves of the Ocean
What is your favourite part of creating? I love what happens when you play with colours and I really get into the feeling that a card evokes. Each card is different. Some are cheerful and bubbly. Other times it is really serene. This one takes me to beautiful beaches that I have been too as well as the deck of a cruise ship. The beautiful blues of the Caribbean, or the azure of the Aegean Sea by Greece. Sometimes my cards take me back to my childhood.
‘Nuff said. Let’s take a look at this great card. I was going to take a picture of all three of the cards that I made, but I gave one away spontaneously to my postwoman. She was heavily laden with mail and I thought, I’ll bet she feels unappreciated!
After looking at these cards I realize that I did indeed give my favourite card away. It is the one that I made in my video, so that is good news. That means you can check it out and see it for yourself. In that card I perfected the blending brushes for the sky and I remembered to sponge the so saffron on the water BEFORE adding the blue, so there is no hint of green. It’s the little details!!
Video Tutorial
Here is my video tutorial. I am on a relentless pursuit of growing my YouTube following and I truly hope that you will also help me out. Click the red subscribe button on the bottom right corner of my video and if you feel like I deserve it you can also give me a thumbs up. For the video below, click on the box on the left side that says “watch on YouTube”. Yay!! Thank you so much.
Never A Dull Moment
I am writing this blog post at 8pm because I got an SOS call from my son late this afternoon. He, his wife and their daughter all have a nasty flu bug. They say they haven’t been this sick to their stomachs since childhood! So I am on “oma duty” for the littlest one. We had lots of snuggles since he was not happy to be alone at oma’s house. So happy that I am here to be able to help since that is not always the case!
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, so I did go outside for a walk in a nearby conservation area. I met a lovely old gentleman who personally showed me where the male great horned owl was roosting in the upper branches keeping an eye on his mate who was sitting on their eggs. Apparently great horned owls mate for life. Be still my heart!
Deal on the Mini Die Cutting Machine
Did you know that there is 20% off our adorable mini die cutting machine? This little gem is great for taking along when you are crafting away from home. There is also a great selection of stamp and die bundles on sale. See the images below. I really do hope that if you are Canadian and you follow my work that you will shop with me! I appreciate you very much.
Please note that the above images are just screenshots, so you cannot click on them and be taken to my online store. Those links are below for your convenience. Just click on the images in the product list and you will end up in my online store, it really is so wonderfully simple.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today. I am grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, creative community. Have a super day!
Hello stampers and happy Monday to you! Today I am featuring Happy Mail in Holland: Whimsical Trees. It’s a perfect day for happy mail because your squirrel is under the weather. As Gerard likes to stay “my tail is hanging low” but of course he says in adorably in Dutch. “Je staartje hang laag vandaag!”. Thanks to Karen Silvester for this beautiful card.
Karen’s Card
The blessing of this card is manifold. First of all it made me happy to open happy mail. Second it gave me a bit of a break for my blog post. No need to create a card, a beautiful one was given! Third, this card can now inspire you. What a wonderful hobby.
I purposely included the envelope so you can see my address here in the Netherlands. If you want to participate in the Happy Mail in Holland contest, then please send me a card before January 15. I am here until January 29 so that will give enough time to get in here. If you send me a card, I will blog about it AND your name will go into a draw for the Friendly Hello stamp set and paper sampler. This stamp set is free with a $120 purchase during saleabration, but you can get it for FREE with happy mail if you are the lucky winner.
Non-Traditional Colours
Wouldn’t you agree that Karen really rocked the non-traditional Christmas colours by choosing Fresh Freesia? It wouldn’t have occurred to me, but I love it! Karen Silvester is a fellow Stampin’Up! demonstrator from Chaplin, Saskatchewan. I hope to someday go and visit her together with Gerard. Our dream is to travel from coast to coast in a camper some day and when that happens I hope to visit some great stamping friends along the way!
I have one more picture showing all the great detail in this monochromatic card.
To see all the wonderful products used to make this stunning card, check out the product list below. If you want to add any of them to your own personal collection, just click on the photos and you will be in my online store. Happy shopping! Remember, Whimsical Trees will no longer be available after January 4, 2022.
Chaplin, Saskatchewan
Just where is Chaplin, Saskatchewan? Well, first of all, it is in Canada, but Canada is a very large country. I have never been to Saskatchewan which is one of the prairie provinces west of Ontario. You can read more about Chaplin in this blog post but I also want to share some details here today.
Chaplin is famous for its salt flats. It looks like there is snow in summer except it isn’t snow, it’s salt! I have seen this when flying into Salt Lake City, Utah but I imagine it is similar in Chaplin. Did you know that they also mine for salt?
From what I have read it sounds like Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals is doing an excellent job with sustainability and the environment. You can read all about it here.
Thanks!
Thanks for joining me today! I am placing an order today, there are still some great deals on the clearance rack and on the Last Chance List. You can check them out here yourself and place your own order online. Any orders placed in December will be in a draw for the Amaryllis Blooms host set. I will be doing a video with that set today for my Cheer Corner card. Please use the current host code when you order. Your business is much appreciated! Have a super day.
Hello stampers and happy Friday to you. I love you to the moon and back! Have you ever said that? If so, this card might really resonate with you. I just love the big moon in this stamp set, or is it the earth? Doesn’t matter, it is open to creative interpretation! Either way this is a fantastic card and I am so glad that I came across it online. Thanks so much to Julie Petrie for the fabulous inspiration! I made some minor adjustments but the idea certainly wasn’t mine. Does it remind you of E.T. Comes Home?
A Funny Story
If you look carefully you might notice that my bear looks a little different than the bear in the stamp set. Do you know why? I cut off his back leg!! For the life of me I couldn’t figure out what this was until I did a video showing this stamp set and asked people to help me out. I thought it was something in his pocket, or a big seat, I had no idea! Now of course it looks obvious! Here is the original card and link to Julie’s blog.
A Few Instructions
I first stamped the dots from Time of Giving (I forgot to add that one to the supply list at the end of the blog post!) The dots were stamped in versamark and clear-embossed. After that I sponged on Misty Moonlight with blending brushes over the entire white panel which measures 4 1/8″ by 5 3/8″. The trees are from Mountain Air and I used the Stamparatus to stamp them in Memento black to make sure they were nice and dark.
The moon was stamped in Smoky Slate and cut using the layering circles dies.
The bear was stamped on shimmery white cardstock and coloured with a waterpainter. See the colours in the supply list below. Don’t forget to cut off his leg!!
The sentiment was die cut using a die from the Seasonal Labels dies in the holiday catalog. Remember, if you want to purchase any of these things, just click on the images in my supply list! I’ve made it so easy for you.
Love You To The Moon
This is not the only wonderful saying in this set. I also love “Always reach for the stars” and “more thanks than stars in the sky”. There is a row of images of the moon in its different phases with the saying underneath “enjoy this new phase of life”. Lastly there is a beautiful “congraulations” in a gorgeous handwritten font.
I absolutely love books and have been addicted to reading ever since I could put two letters together. When I see this stamp set I am reminded of these two classic children’s books. Do you love to read?
Time to Evaluate
Be sure to have a good look through the holiday catalog. Many sets, accessories and paper are retiring. It’s so much easier to order them before they disappear rather than search for them on Facebook sites later. With a $60 purchase you will also get a free pdf tutorial from me. If you have a preference as to whether it be a Demo Design Dream Team tutorial or an International Create With Us tutorial, just let me know!
I hope that you have a super day and a good weekend. Christmas is almost here! It looks like it will be a subdued celebration again this year with COVID numbers and the variant alive and well and governments raising the alarm bells. I know that I am thankful for this hobby, this business and all of YOU!!
Hello stampers and happy Wednesday to you. Hybrid Embossing Folder. Do you know what this is? Have you tried them? At first I was a little mystified myself, but these beauties cut and emboss at the same time. The die fits inside the embossing folder and with one run through the die cutting machine you accomplish two things. Yesterday I tried it with a brand new one from the 2022 mini catalog.
Hybrid Embossing Folder: Almost Ruined!
Well, I wanted to take this hybrid embossing folder to a new level. I had a baroque theme in mind for my heart card. Originally I was trying to combine the Strong of Heart fundraiser stamp set, but then I went off on a tangent. You see, I love castles and brocade and rich colours. The colours I was using were Real Red and Basic Black. Why not go bold? Guess what I did?
Yes, I inked up the folder in black ink, laid the heart die inside, added my red cardstock and put it through my die cutting machine. Wow! It turned out even better than I thought. Such rich depth of colour and texture, it was beautiful. But there was a definite problem. I could smell the distinct smell of almond extract. I knew right away that I had used Stazon instead of Memento black.
If any of you know about Stazon ink, it stays on!! It is meant to be a permanent ink on fabric, plastic, metal, you name it. I tried rinsing it off. Nope. Tried Stazon cleaner. That worked minimally. Then I got out the big guns: GooGone. That stuff stinks like the dickens, but it worked. I had to use a dish brush and some elbow grease, but my embossing folder is clean again!
Embossing With White Velvet
While we are on a regal, baroque theme, why not add velvet paper into the mix. Now be forewarned, you will never quite get the look that I got on this card. Why? Because no matter how hard I scrubbed and cleaned my embossing folder, there was still some GooGone residue and this transferred to the white velvet paper giving it an authentic vintage look!
Here you can see the lovely detail up close. I am really, really impressed with this hybrid embossing folder.
Strong of Heart Fundraiser Stamp Set
Did you know that Stampin’Up! is donating $4 to heart health for each Strong of Heart stamp set sold? In Canada these funds are going to our very own London Health Sciences Centre. The reason behind this is the tragic story of Anne Granger who lost her husband at the age of 40 to a rare heart condition. You can read about it here.
One More Peek
Can you believe that this was once plain red cardstock? I am just so very impressed with how beautifully this turned out. Ink up your embossing folder with black ink and wowsers!!
The sayings on all of these cards come from the Strong of Heart stamp set. I really hope that you are inspired to purchase this set and help raise money for heart health. It is so wonderful that Stampin’Up! keeps the money that is raised in each country in the same country. Support local!! Thanks for joining me today, as always the links to shop with me are at the end of the blog post. Have a super day.
