Happy Birthday Balloons!

Did you know that many, many of my friends are in Orlando, FL right this minute?  They're enjoying 3 days at Stampin' Up!'s Leadership training.

That's okay .... I've been watching as main stage events are being streamed live by Stampin' Up!  Now that's a very cool way to watch the fabby morning sharing ... sitting in my jammies and sipping my cuppa coffee!  Hey ... if you can't be there ... make lemonade from those lemons!

'Balloon Bash'

Imagine my delight when I was watching one of the events while stampin' yesterday afternoon ... and discovered that Shelli was giving away a "Balloon Bash" stamp set to everyone in the auditorium!

As a matter of fact, I was actually using this stamp set at the very same time it was being handed out to the happy demos attending Leadership!  At least I smiled from the inside-out and felt like I was a part of the happy action at the moment.  

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My color choices were based on the colors in this foiled designer series paper from the 'Birthday Bash' collection.  Two of the 12"X12" sheets have scattered foiled images, for an extra special touch!  Such a fun paper group, with bold & happy colors that are just perfect for birthday greetings, and a great pairing with the Balloon Bash stamp set.
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The HB Happy Birthday sentiment was stamped with Bermuda Bay ink, and cut with the Labels Collection framelits.  As a fun match to the gold foiled images on the balloon paper, I used the Gold Baker's Twine for balloon strings.  I love those little fun finds during the creative process!   Don't you? 

Here's to a wonderful weekend, my friends!  I hope you've found something here today to stir your need to do some stamping.  Stay cozy and stay creative!

Inky {{{{hugggsss}}}}},

Punchy Lovin'!

Wow!   Where oh where has this week gone?
Whooooosh!   That's fassssssssssssssssst!

Here's my latest Valentine, featuring a couple of my favorite punches and new items from the Occasions catty!

This one is very easy, and it all started with the PPA237 sketch challenge this week.  

I knew that I wanted to use the new Stacked with Love Paper Stack, and those diagonal stripes seemed to insist on being used!   (I think it reminds me of oxford fabric stripes ... but enough about old faves.)

I just adore the itty bitty hearts in white on black from the paper stack, and that led me straight to the darling new Bow Builder Punch.  Honestly ... this punch is going to be one of my faves for a very long time.  Just so easy and cute!  You'll find the punch for these little red hearts as a part of the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack. 

The thermometer has taken a nose-dive here today.  Hopefully you're all cozy, and have found a bit of inspiration to warm up your stampin' table soon.   Stay warm, my friends!

Inky {{{{hugs}}}},

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Fishy Little Valentine!

Welcome to the brand new week!   I'm still wearing my weekend smile here ... as a grandson asked again to stay over the weekend.  That equates to 'Heart & Soul Food' for me.   ;)

Speaking of the heart, I have a heart-shaped 'fishbowl' to share today!

I couldn't keep this idea on hold any longer.   Does that ever happen to you?  After several days of ignoring the fishbowl thought, it finally had to get expressed in paper & inks ... and window sheets of course.  

To create the heart "frame", I laid 2 heart dies on Calypso Coral cardstock and rolled all through the Big Shot.  Then the colored image and window sheet were each cut separately, using the larger heart die from the 'frame'.  Dry adhesives work best with Window Sheets, and in this case I recommend Snail or Fast Fuse.  Just be careful not to place the adhesive within the area that is visible from the front view.

Little Rhinestone Jewels were colored with one of  the Bermuda Bay Blendabilities before using them as sparsely placed bubbles.  The fishies were colored with a variety of Blendabilities for colorful fun.  And that cute paper that seems to be "splashy"?   It's from the charming Birthday Bash 12"x12" collection found in the Occasions catalog.  Perfect colors to cheer up this gray Winter weather!

Remember!  During Stampin' Up!'s Sale-A-Bration, each $50 in product earns a free item of your choice! There's no limit on the free goodies, so it's a perfect time to finish your color collection in inks or cardstocks or to add on always-fun new stamps.  Please let me know how I can be of help to you as your demonstrator.  I'm always just an email away!

Inky {{{hugs}}},

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Products I used:

STAMPS:  Hey, Valentine  (Occasions 2015)

INKS:  Bermuda Bay, Memento Tuxedo Black

PAPERS:  Bermuda Bay, Calypso Coral, Whisper White;  dsp = Birthday Bash (137783 – Occasions)

ACCESSORIES:  Heart Framelits (125599), Blendabilities, Window Sheets, Rhinestone Jewels

SAB items:  Best Year Ever Ribbon #138974 Sale-A-Brations brochure

BLENDABILITIES:  Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Pumpkin Pie,  Pear Pizzazz

WEEKLY DEALS!! 
Jan. 20 - Jan. 26

2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers [131260] $14.95 $11.21	2014-2016 In Color Printed Clothespins [133630] $5.95 $4.46	2014-2016 In Color Stampin' Write Markers [133654] $14.95 $11.21	Basic Gray Baker's Twine [134587] $2.95 $2.21
Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine [134575] $2.95 $2.21	Box Of Chocolates Kit - Digital Download [133024] $9.95 $5.97	Crushed Curry Baker's Twine [134586] $2.95 $2.21	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Skin Tone Assortment [129370] $22.95 $17.21

Love is Kindness ~ with a Twist of Cantaloupe

Today was supposed to be a day for planning projects for next week's Technique Saturday class.  But .... I browsed around for some inspiration, and then a little side-track happened.

(Confession with a sigh:  This is not an unusual event for me.) 

But then, something that is unusual for me happened!
I found two challenges that inspired me!

This week's SCS Inspiration Challenge, IC476, features wedding cakes galore.  Oh my, oh my!!   Earlier I had noticed the Sketch Saturday #344 challenge.  Now I'm not one to combine challenges very often, so it was an enjoyable creative exercise!

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I really do like the new single stamp from the Occasions catty, Love is Kindness.  The sentiment rings so true, and I can easily think of people who would appreciate a card with this expression.
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Pick a set of Blendabilities for the tulips (I used Calypso Coral), add on Old Olive Blendabilities for the foliage, and this just-right sized image comes to life in a few inky strokes.

Add in a few Stampin' Dimensionals for some added depth, and this sketch works for clean and simple, or a more layered style ... whatever suits your creative needs!

Remember!   Sale-A-Bration is in progress right now.  That means for every $50 product purchased, you earn a free item of your choice from the Sale-A-Bration brochure!   Additionally, every $50 earns a punch on my year-round Customer Rewards Program.  It's definitely an exciting time to be a Stampin' Up! customer!

Hopefully you've found a bit of inspiration today.  I do appreciate your visit!  If you would like to order the products I've used for this project, I'd love for you to allow me to be your Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  My SU website is available for orders 24/7, and I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have if you contact me.  Just click the "Contact Bev" button in the left column of this blog to send an email.

Inky {{{hugs}}},

A Big Cabana Hello!

Hello m'friends!

I had so much fun during classes last week!  Thanks to those of you who braved the harsh winds & 30's to come out for some crafty fun with other terrific ladies!

I've created a very clean and simple (CAS) card to share today, for the CAS307 challenge over at Splitcoaststampers (SCS).  I love it when my day allows for some unplanned stampin' table time to just create whatever comes to mind or to participate in a challenge.  It's like 'welcome' exercise!  (Unless there really isn't such a thing as 'welcome' exercise??)

See what I mean?  Clean and simple for sure.  Have you already spotted the Hello You Thinlits dies in the new Occasions catty?   "Hello" is just one of the four great word dies you'll enjoy using in this new set.

Happily, these are words you can use for all sorts of 'everyday' card making and memory keeping as well!

I have a long-time love of Stampin' Dimensionals.  They add just a little happy ooomph to the front for a wee bit more visual impact.  It's SO easy to do, with so little product!

If you're hoping to recreate this happy greeting card, it's easy to order the products from my 24/7 SU website.  Or I will happily place your order for you, whatever you prefer.

Or, just hostess a party for you & your friends!  We can make these clean & simple cards together, and you can earn extra hostess items plus Sale-A-Bration goodies all at the same time!  Just click here to start planning!!  Let's have a fun and creative gathering of friends to brighten up this cold winter season!

Thanks a bunch for visiting today!  I appreciate your stopping by and hope you found a smile or some inspiration while you were here!

Inky {{{huggss}}},

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Products used to create this card:

Papers:  Basic Black, Coastal Cabana;   Designer Series Paper = Back to Black

Accessories:  Hello You Thinlits dies, Deco Labels Framelits dies, Stampin Dimensionals, Snail Permanent Adhesive

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It's in the Bag!

Happy Friday, m'friends!

I bring you another of my class projects from Thursday a.m. and p.m. classes and for tomorrow as well.

This delightful new die set has already become one of my very favorite goodies from the new Occasions catalog!  OMGosh!  I have bunches more of these to make before Valentine's day!

**No Stamps Required!**

My original plan morphed a little bit while creating this treat bag.  There are so many "extras" included in the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits dies, that I had more than enough choices to jazz up the treat bag itself!  Thus .... no stamping on this one.  

Here's all I needed to create it!

Mini Treat Bag Thinlits dies, Real Red 1/4" Cotton Ribbon, Typeset designer series paper, Basic Black cardstock, Real Red cardstock, 2-Way Glue, Dazzling Diamonds glitter
***NOTE:  The Typeset designer series paper happens to be reduced in price during the current Weekly Deals!  The sale price lasts through 11:59 p.m. MT, Monday, January 12.   If you're hoping to recreate this cute project, it's very easy to order the products from my 24/7 SU website.  Or I will happily place your order for you, whatever you prefer.

Or, just hostess a party for you & your friends!  You can make these cute Valentine bags, or another style equally as endearing.  Just click here to start planning!!

It's a great little Valentine treat bag ... with lots of future possibilities using the very same set of dies!

**Remember ... for every $50 spent on your orders, you'll earn 1 FREE selection from the Sale-A-Bration brochure!   Please let me know if I can help you with questions or ordering.  I'm right here!

Happy Friday {{{hugs}}},

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Wood You Be Mine?

Have you ever felt like masculine cards were difficult, or just not-so-easy to create?
Here's a stamp set from the new Occasions catalog that solves that problem:

Wood You Be Mine?

This great set even includes a bearded lumberjack, and a 2-step layer stamp so his plaid flannel shirt can easily be whatever color he wishes just by changing the ink pad color!  To add a bit more earthiness, the "white" layer is actually

 

Here's my so-quick interior view.  I couldn't resist adding some hand-cut "saw points"

 to the sentiment banner.  Local peeps, I created this card for my stampin' classes this week!  This is your sneak peek!  LOL 

This set easily pairs up with the Woodgrain embossing folder, or the Hardwood background stamp.  I've mounted the tree trunk slice atop a little "circular saw blade" shape created from a bit of Silver Foil sheet cut with a Starburst Framelits die.  The Natural + Old Olive Two-tone Trim adds a little more coordinating texture.  Blendabilities from the Skin Tone set were used to color the slab of tree trunk.

That's it for today ... It's time to get the classroom ready for tomorrow's classes!  Even if you're not signed up to attend, I'm happy to help you with online orders.  Please feel welcome to contact me at any time.

Inky {{{hugs}}},

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It's a Sale-A-Bration!

 

With so many ways to participate in Sale-A-Bration 

and get FREE products, you can't miss out!

Earn a FREE! Sale-A-Bration product for every $50 you spend 

between January 6, 2015 and March 31, 2015.

 

 

 

 

I'm delighted to assist you in any way that I can.  Please contact me via the "Contact Bev" button in the left column of this blog at any time.

Ready for a Sweet Tweet?!

Are you ready?
Very good, and oh-so-fun things are coming!

1. Sale-A-Bration begins this week .... Tomorrow!!!   (Tuesday, January 6, 2015)
2. The new Occasions Catalog opens up it's bountiful treasures to you tomorrow, too!

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Today I'm sharing a little taste of what's available ... as of tomorrow! 

These little tags were stamped with images from the new "Hey, Valentine" stamp set, found on page 8 in the Occasions catty.

*  Psssst!  If you're already a customer of mine, either online or local, you should have received this new package of delightful in the mail by now.  If not ... please let me know to send these new goodies your way, asap!

(Just click the image itself to see a little larger version.)
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Now this is a fun Valentines set for using your new Blendabilities.  And to sweeten that up??  Two new Blendabilities color sets are featured as free choices in the Sale-A-Bration catty!  Now we can add Pink Pirouette and Soft Sky Blendabilities to our Blendies palette ... and make those "free", please!  I used both of these new Blendabilities sets to color the little "sweet tweet" birdie tag.  And that cute little fox tag stamp?  It coordinates with the Note Tag Punch carried over and now available in the new Occasions catalog.  Definitely a great punch to have handy.

***Woooohoooooo Alert!   As of Tuesday, January 6, the Note Tag Punch used for my foxy tag has a reduced price as part of the latest Weekly Deals! 
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Ready?
Set ...
Go!
Here in Texas, there are just 8.5 more hours until we can begin ordering from the Occasions Catalog, and scooping up sweet new FREE goodies from the Sale-A-Bration mini!

If you don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, it would be my pleasure to serve you.  I'm always available via email or phone, ready & happy to help with your questions and creative ventures.   Happy New Year!

Inky {{{{hugggsss}}}},
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