Leap Day Bonus!

 Leap Day Bonus!

Happy Leap Year!   
I have a one-day - Leap Day Bonus for everyone!  Here's the scoop:

I'm sending a fully inclusive kit for you to create a Kraft Bag Gift Card as seen in this tutorial video to ...
  • everyone who orders the Botanicals Bundle today, Feb. 29 ... Leap Day!  SU headquarters is in Utah, so the orders must be submitted & received there before midnight, Feb. 29, Mountain Time.  
  • Prefer a different bundle?  That's okay!  I'll still send a kit to you if you order any bundle from the Occasions catalog, or any bundle from the annual catalog!  
  • Please use this Host Code on your order that includes this Bev Bonus: CGQUVJ97
  • NOTE:  I'm not permitted to stamp items for kits, so the insert, tag, etc. will not be stamped.  i.e. Stamping fun for you!
  • I will mail the kit from my studio here in Texas, so your order and kit will arrive separately at your shipping address.
  • And remember ... there are free Sale-A-Bration goodies for all $50 order increments!
Happy Leap Day, everyone!
Inky (((hugs))),

Bloomin' Celebration of You!

I was a little tempted to title this one, "A Little Bit Country" ... but then you might have wondered, "Why?"    Okay.   I'll explain any way.   

I'm guessing that many of you realize how we can read someone's post on Facebook, click on a link, then another link or a video, and soon we're no longer on FB, but on an entirely different website and some topic as far away from the original as the imagination can reach.  

For whatever reason, this card seems a little 'country' in its overall look.  That's totally okay, especially when you consider the roots of this paper crafter.  However, I was not aiming for 'country' in the least!  I wasn't even planning on such a traditional stamping look either.  But, what you see is what we've got.  And thanks to one of those cyber-meanderings mentioned above, I considered the alternate title because within the past 48 hours I ended up watching a little video of the 'Donny 'n Marie' TV show from many years ago.  We shall not discuss 'how many' years ago, but suffice it to say that it was a musical family show that you could still watch today with children in the room.  One of their cute segments allowed Donny to sing a pop-rock song, and Marie would get to present a much more 'country' song.  Enough TV history ... fast forward to rubber stamping today ... with a little 'feel' of yesteryear.  


More history on this solitary paper crafting journey.    I've been loving the relaxing feeling of using my Aqua Painters with my SU inks in just free-play time here at my stampin' zone.  Sort of like the joy little girls and grown-up girls get when coloring in a color book with crayons, or stamped images with colored pencils or markers.  I enjoy the Aqua Painters, and often just color for the trash, i.e. color just for the fun of it with no true purpose of using said playtime result.  If you get all stressed out over not feeling like your color work is good enough or whatever else isn't as perfect as you wished ... tell yourself you're just doing it 'for the trash'.  And let it be.  

I realize that there are pages left in a paper stack that have been completely ignored, so I started using the Pacific Point ink pad for these blossoms a few days ago.  Look through my previous blog posts, and I'm not sure you'll find that color being featured.  It's just a little more than I typically care for in blues, although I do have some very favorite blues that I use easily!  This one isn't my fave ... and that's totally okay.

Then I spotted this week's sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers, SC581.  I've had that hiding in my thoughts ever since it was posted, and today the ignored dsp, the water colored blossoms, and the sketch just seemed to come together.  All I really did was get adhesive, some framelits, and assemble. 

Hope you're enjoying a weekend of enjoyment ... whether with family, friends, or the simple joys of quietly expressing your own creativity.  

If you haven't treated yourself to the free treats during Sale-A-Bration, you still have 4 more weeks of SAB shopping fun!  And if you've been considering the ultimate bundle of $155 worth of your choice of Stampin' Up! goodies for just $99 ... please remember that you have NO obligation to do anything more than to enjoy your discount.  Right now, you'll get to use that discount until the end of June.  Email me at any time.  I'm happy to help in any way.

Inky (((hugs))),

Kraft Bag Gift Card!

Good morning, stampy friends!   
Today I'm sharing a fun, yet truly easy-to-create idea for giving a gift card, or maybe a gift of game tickets, concert tickets, or even a super-special little photo-treasure.  

Of course, if you're giving sports tickets to your favorite date, you could change up the tag embellishment to something more in tune with the team or the occasion.  




This gift presentation is super easy.  Take a look!

I'd love to see your versions of this gift card presentation, so do  come back to share a link to yours!  

Inky (((hugs))),



Supplies for this version:

PAPER:  Kraft Tag a Bag Gift Bags, Cardstock = Basic Black, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Whisper White;  DSP = Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper

INKS:  Archival Basic Black, Crushed Curry

STAMPS:  Birthday Blooms

ACCESSORIES:  Tags & Labels Framelits, Botanical Builder Framelits, Banner punch, Gold Metallic Baker's Twine, Glue Dots, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Trimmer, Simply Scored, Bone Folder, Big Shot

Pleated in Pink. Please!

Remember "pleated" skirts?  Maybe not, depending on your generation.  They made girls look "bulky", so thankfully the trend passed a long time ago.  But 'paper pleats'??  Now that's better!  I was in need of a 3rd class project when the Splitcoaststampers' Tutorial was posted, and knew that day that it would become a part of that class.  Here's what we did ...


I was near the crunch line for class designs, that day and happen to have a lot of Blushing Bride cardstock on hand.  A super-easy choice for coordination is the Birthday Bouquet designer series 12" X 12" paper from the Occasions Catalog.  It's such a lovely collection that I've ordered another package, which is pretty rare for me to do.   Not having any ribbon to coordinate wasn't an issue, as I simply cut 1/2" strips of Mossy Meadow cardstock, then added texture by running the strips through the Big Shot with the Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Folder.  It works perfectly as the focal division between the pretty paper and the card base.  And the final little touch for the front is white sequins from the Metallics Sequin Assortment.  These go with everything because they include white, black, silver, and gold circles, stars, and hearts!

Both sentiments and the floral images are from the Grateful Bunch stamp set.  I've really enjoyed using these two sentiments especially .... I like the phrasing and the fun font mix, as well as the sizing!  These fit perfectly on my Decorative Label punch, which I've also used as a layering element on both the inside and the front.

Did you know that right now I can help you purchase your Stampin' Up! wish list for a savings of $56 and get free shipping as well?!   If you have a wish list at all, this is really the time to treat yourself by purchasing the starter kit from me for $99.  You get to choose $155 worth of SU goodies - every item.    Then, it comes to your door via free UPS shipping.  Anything that you wish to order after that is at your own discount if you choose to do so.  My email is here for you at any time and I'm very happy to answer any of your questions.  

Hope y'all had a smoochy-huggy Valentines day weekend (or whatever version of that puts a sparkle in your eyes)!  Thank you so much for your visit today.  It's my pleasure to share inspiration with you!

Inky (((hugs))),



Make a Wish? You Got It!

Have you been wishing to find something 'on sale' that you can use over and over again, sharing fun in countless ways?   Perhaps this is just for you!  


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This gift box project features the Baker's Box Thinlits ... and if you've noticed the Weekly Deals you know that this set of dies is temporarily reduced in price!   
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The sentiment stamp is part of the new Party Wishes stamp set.  Since I was making the box with the much-fun Shine On Specialty Designer Series Paper, I opted to emboss the sentiment in gold.  Mmmmm!  After all these years, I'm like a kid .. I still love the process of heat embossing as well as the look!  And I have to
share ... this beautiful new paper collection is noticeably heavier than typical 12"X12" papers ... so it stands up beautifully for your 3D creations, boxes, etc.  One side of each sheet is silver-on-kraft, while the reverse sides vary in design color.  Local customers and class participants, please feel free to ask to see these papers next time you're here.  

I used the yummy Silver Foil for the layer behind the sentiment, then brought it all together with 1/8" Silver Ribbon.  

Take a look at the Baker's Box Thinlits in action...



I hope this has tweaked your creative spirit today!  It's my pleasure to help you in any way that I can!

Inky (((hugs))),

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Have You Wandered Through the Roses?

Have you wandered through the roses with the beautiful Rose Wonder stamps and coordinating Rose Garden thinlits dies?   I'm re-sharing one of my class projects from my 1st Saturday class in January, because I want to share the many new ideas found in the video added below!



Very clean 'n simple ... 3 cardstocks, 1 ink, 1 stamp set with coordinating framelits, and the Big Shot!  Voila!  The Rose Wonder stamp set offers 8 sentiments  ... yes, 8!   I've used it 3 times so far this year for sympathy needs, and will be using "You're in my thoughts 'n prayers" yet again in the next few days.  

Check out the Rose Wonder Bundle more completely in this video:


Now you can see why I feel the Rose Wonder bundle is truly value-packed with lots of options for your creativity.  Plus, during Sale-A-Bration you can add just 1 item to your bundle order and earn a free choice from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  If your wish list goes farther ... please touch base with me via email.  I want to be sure you get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.  

Remember to take a look at the latest Weekly Deals, too.  They're always listed over in the right-side column, and last only from Tuesday mornings until Monday nights.  

Inky (((hugs))),


Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Changing Your Address?

Are you or is someone you know facing a move?
Want to make sure your birthday or Christmas cards get sent to the new mailbox?  
Here's an idea for sharing the news!


I was inspired by a photo in what turns out to be an old challenge from the Always Playing with Paper challenge blog.  Didn't realize that it's a week old until I searched for the link a few minutes ago.  LOL   The stuff that keeps us going, right?!  

Anyway ... perhaps it will inspire you in some way today.  That's my purpose 'n I'm stickin' to it!

The charming VW Beetle image reminds me of a year of commutes to college. I still cringe at the thought of the color of my actual car. Yikes!  This cool 'wrap' look was achieved by stamping the image with Archival Black ink atop the very cool Going Places designer paper stack.  The windows?  That's just a strip of Vellum adhered behind the cut out windows.  For a little roadway look, I smudged a bit of Smoky Slate ink here 'n there on the Chevron-textured strip of Lost Lagoon card stock.  Fun find:  The 'We've moved' sentiment fits perfectly with the Word Window punch!  I added a few leader dots with a Basic Black Stampin' Write marker and scooted the sentiment over to the edge of the punched layer.  

Time to get cracking on creations for my next class!  If you're nearby, I have 2 seats left in Saturday's basic class.  Reply here or email me directly to jump in.  

And remember ... Sale-A-Bration is in full swing!  Free items with every $50 purchase, even online.  OR, if your purchase is going past that $50 area ... please consider my offer of purchasing a starter kit for $99.  You'll select and receive $155 product and get free shipping as well with no obligation to do anything other than enjoying your new bounty of stamping goodies.  Truly a worthy purchase, and you'll purchase your future Stampin' Up! products at a discount through June 2016.

Inky (((hugs))),


Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog