Some days you just have to breathe deep. When there is so much going on, it’s good to take the time to relax and breathe. Reflected In Nature is a stamp set that makes me want to do just that. I want to be in that cabin by the lake and breathe deep. Maybe without the snow!
Reflected in Nature
For this card I used up some of my stash. Love it when I can do that! I used Soft Suede Ink to stamp the images on Very Vanilla Cardstock. Then I used up some old paper, ribbon, and brads. When was the last time you used brads?! I had fun going through my stash to see what I could use. I finished it up using the Treasured Tags Punch.
I didn’t use the reflection part of the image for this card. I wanted to try something different and I like the results. But the full image is stunning. I know I will be using that on future cards. And this stamp set can be used for so many different kinds of cards, such as masculine or Christmas. So, breathe deep, and go make some cards!
Don’t you hate it when you get done making a card and then, all of a sudden, an ink blob happens! You spend all that time working on it, only to have it ruined!
Or is it?
That happened at a recent card class I held. My customer finished her card and then accidentally bumped her card into the ink pad! Arrrg! Some quick thinking came up with a solution that saved the card and actually made it better! Here is the card without the ink blob.
The card was cute but the ink blob wrecked it. So I pulled out the High Tide Set and we added some birds right over the top of the ink blob. It worked perfectly. I actually like it so much that I added them to the card without a mistake!
So next time you make a mistake on your card, there may be hope for fixing it and you might even come up with a better design!
I love this time of year when the flowers start popping up and there is color in our world again! The black and white of winter has it’s beauty, but I am ready for some color.
I have been wanting to try the dry brush technique again since I received the My Meadow stamp set. So finally, here is the result of my playing with it. I love how it turned out! The Highland Heather, Granny Apple Green, and Balmy Blue colors go so well together!
I have an old milk can sitting around at my house, and I can just see it planted with flowers like this, sitting by my front steps. A little too early to plant for around here, but hopefully soon.
This fun technique can be done with any number of stamps. Here, on my old blog, is a card I did using a swing stamp.
This is a fun way to get a watercolor look. I posted a video on YouTube showing how I did it. I hope you will go watch it and try this technique too. If you need any of the supplies, you can click on the links below to order them or contact me. I would be happy to help.
The holiday season is upon us, and you’re on the hunt for gift ideas for your crafty friends and family members. We’ve all been there, standing in an aisle at a craft store, wondering if the new tool we found will be useful—or if it’ll end up in the trash a month later.
Thankfully, you’ve landed on a gift guide for crafters, created by an avid crafter and StampinUp! Demonstrator. AKA, an expert in all things scrapbooking and card making.
So let’s get started. This gift guide is full of ideas, from stocking stuffers to those die cut sets that your loved one has been drooling over. The best part? I’ll do my best to keep this post up-to-date on the most recent holiday deals so you can get the best price on your crafty Christmas gifts.
Stocking Stuffers for Paper Crafters ($10 & Under)
Sometimes, the smallest gifts are the best ones. Check out these inexpensive gift ideas for the card maker, stamper, or scrapbooker in your life. Most of them are everyday necessities, and they’re sure to be used frequently.
Paper Snips ($10.00) – These tiny scissors are perfect for delicate edges, like the ones needed for so many craft projects.
Take Your Pick Tool ($10.00) – This is a must-have for working with tiny elements like sequins and paper accents. It makes the life of any crafter much, much easier.
Take Your Pick Die Brush Tip ($9.00) – If you have a die cutter machine, you need to have one of these. No more fishing out little pieces of paper with your fingernails! Use this tool instead.
Bone Folder ($7.00) -This is a scoring tool to help crafters make perfect folds on their paper.
Simple Shammy ($8.00) – Stamping is messy. This reusable cleaning cloth is durable and will help keep stamps clean!
Stamp Cleaning Pad ($7.50) – This handy pad will remove Classic Stampin’ Ink and Craft Stampin’ Ink from photopolymer and rubber stamps.
Cleaning Pad Refill ($3.75) – Make sure your crafty friend never runs out of cleaning solution for their pad!
SNAIL Adhesive ($7.50) – This dispenses the permanent, double-sided adhesive that’s used in many paper craft projects.
SNAIL Refill ($4.50) – Buying the SNAIL Adhesive cartridge? Grab a refill, too.
Stampin Spritzers ($3.00) – This is the perfect tool for lightly spritzing color over paper for a paint-splatter effect.
Shimmer Paint ($8.00) – This will add a light shimmer to cards, scrapbook pages, etc. for a sparkling design. You can buy it in Champagne or White.
VersaMark Pad ($9.50) – Usually used for heat embossing and resist stamping, this tiny is a go-to tool for creating textured designs.
Sponge Daubers ($5.00) – It’s finger painting (or finger stamping) without a mess! You can use these to lightly dab ink onto projects or to partially-color a stamp.
Sponge Brayers ($8.00) – With a Sponge Brayer and some ink, you can use a lot of techniques to create things like watercolor or ombre effects.
White Chalk Marker ($3.50) – This little marker may look like chalk when applied, but it’s permanent. Great for teacher gifts or for white accents.
Stampin’ Dimensionals ($4.00) – These foam dots have double-sided adhesive, so you can make paper crafts that pop up from the page.
Looking for something bigger than everyday crafting essentials? Check out these great tools, stamp sets, and die sets that pair well with many of the items listed above. Any paper crafter would be happy to have these in their craft room!
Watercolor Pencils ($16.00) – Get 13 watercolor pencils that come in Stampin’ Up! Colors, so they’ll go perfectly with paper and ink sets.
Paper Trimmer ($25.00) – This is a literal must-have for paper crafters. Make cutting and scoring paper a breeze for all your scrapbooking and paper crafting adventures.
Stamparatus Bag ($29.00) – This bag was designed specifically to hold the Stamparatus and its accessories.
Heat Tool ($30.00) – This quiet tool will melt embossing powder and dry ink quickly.
Layering Ovals Dies($35.00) – Oval dies are great for images and sentiments. 15 different sized dies.
Stitched Rectangles Dies ($35.00) – Create cute frames and detailed edges with these dies. 13 different sized dies.
Layering Circles Dies ($35.00) – Add an extra touch to scrapbooks and cards with detailed frames and circles. 16 different sized dies.
Itty Bitty Greetings ($36.00) – For making greeting cards of all kinds, this is a versatile stamp set. The perfect gift for a card maker!
Stamparatus ($49.00) – This tool will help streamline the stamping process by allowing for the perfect alignment of stamps, creation of patterns, and much more.
A Wish for Everything Bundle ($67.50) – This is a set that has interchangeable stamps so you can create greetings for tons of holidays and special occasions.
Clear Block Bundle ($71.50) – Grab some clear stamping blocks that can be used with photopolymer stamps. This bundle comes with blocks of all sizes for easy stamping!
If you’ve ever stepped foot into your loved one’s craft room, you probably wondered how they manage to find more stuff to buy—and how you’re going to figure out what to get them for Christmas. Well, you’re in luck! These gifts were picked for you (and your crafter who has everything) in mind.
Most of these gift ideas are kits, meaning you can create sets of differently-themed cards, etc. From stamps to envelopes, these kits contain everything you need to make unique cards and fun projects (sometimes excluding things like ink).
Paper Pumpkin Subscription ($22.00/mo) – Since this is a monthly subscription box, it’s perfect for the crafter who has everything. Why? Because every box is something unique that hasn’t been seen before. It’s perfect for the paper crafter who has everything!
Looking Up Card Kit ($27.00) – With this kit, you can quickly create cards that will fit for any occasion. There are 5 designs and 15 card bases, so you’ll make 3 of each design.
For the Love of Felt Project Kit ($30.00) – This kit makes 12 cards that can be decorated with felt flowers and cute accessories.
Lots of Happy Card Kit ($35.00) – This cheerful kit comes with the tools to make cards fit for any occasion. You’ll be able to make 20 cards (5 different designs) and color them in with the included watercolor pencils.
Bird Ballad Suite ($94.25) – Make classy and sweet cards with this Suite. It includes everything you need to make tons of cards, and you get many of the needed tools at a discounted price.
Magnolia Lane Suite ($134.75) – Similar to the Bird Ballad Suite, the Magnolia Lane Suite offers a selection of Stampin’ Up! products that all go together to create beautiful, floral cards.
Stampin’ Up! Gifts for Crafters Who Have Everything
Paper Pumpkin Subscription ($22.00/mo) – The Paper Pumpkin Subscription is a monthly paper craft subscription box. Every month, you get a fun kit that gives you everything (yes, EVERYTHING) you’ll need to make a seasonal, cute little project.
Stamparatus ($49.00) – This is a must have for every stamper. You can do up to 4 images at a time for the perfect stamped image. Best on the market!
Stitched Rectangle Dies ($35.00) These stitched dies add that little extra something to your die cut, whether for a sentiment or an image. Definitely steps up you project.
And that’s it! I hope this guide helps you find the perfect gifts for the paper crafter in your life! If this helped you out, or if you’re a crafter looking to give people ideas for gifts for you, feel free to share this with your friends and family, or on your Pinterest!
I had fun making bath salts the other day. You know how it goes. You’re trying to clean your craft room and stumble upon a cool item and get sidetracked. In this case, it was the test tubes that I picked up on the clearance rack a while ago. I never know what to put in them so I never did anything with them. Then I thought Bath salts! So no more cleaning and actually made more of a mess!
I had some dried lavender and rose petals and just added them to some epsom salt with a little lavender essential oil. It smelled wonderful and I am looking forward to trying them.
I wanted to show you another card I made with the Tea Together set. I used vellum paper and notecards to make this and am very pleased with the way it turned out.
The picture doesn’t show how pretty it really is. My daughter just got married and she was my photography help! So I guess I’m going to have to learn to take my own now.
I embossed both the teapot and the flowers and leaves and then colored the teapot on the back with alcohol markers. Coloring on vellum can be a challenge because it doesn’t soak into the paper but rather sits on top of it. So I tried to leave little “pools” of ink to give it a old look. Then I centered the note card and glued it to the back of the vellum card. I love the lacy elegant look of the card.
This card would be perfect for the tea lovers among you.
I hope you will try this card. It is a little time consuming with the background embossing, but it is well worth it for the final product.
More Sale-A-Bration
There are now more options for FREE product during Sale-A-Bration! Starting today until the end of the month the list below has items that you can earn for free. Just be sure to use the numbers under the pictures when ordering and not the regular catalog numbers.
3rd release of free product for Sale-A-Bration
I think some of these products will disappear fast so don’t wait. Head over to my store and earn some of this product for free!
I just love the new embossing folder that is available in the new releases for Sale-a-bration! It is one of the most gorgeous ones to date and you are going to want it! I can’t wait to show you what you can do with it! It is called the Country Floral Dynamic Textured Embossing Folder and it is only available with a $50 purchase through the end of March. Hopefully it will be carried over into the new annual catalog. But just in case it isn’t, don’t miss out on it.
It makes a deep beautiful image that is perfect for a background. But I wanted to step it up a bit so I inked it up before running it through the Big Shot. I used the same color ink as the paper and this is how it turned out.
It is so beautiful! It adds more depth and is stunning. My pictures don’t show how pretty it is. Here is a card I made with it.
The embossed image is so pretty and the rose on it deserved the spotlight so I had an idea to cut the teapot out of it and came up with this.
It fit so perfectly. I’m sure I will be playing with this folder a lot more in the future.
Product List
Thanks for stopping by and looking. Don’t forget to buy this folder before it is too late!
Today is Inspire Your Heart With Art day! What a great idea for a day. If it wasn’t so cold outside (we’re up to single digits now!) I would go to our local art museum. But if I don’t have to go outside, I’m not going to. So instead of looking at art, I decided to make some.
I have had this stamp set since it first came out. I loved the look of it and the die cuts, coordinating paper, and embellishments are awesome. But somehow it got pushed aside and I never used it. I actually used the embellishments on another card which made me decide to pull it out. Here is the card I made.
When I first saw this set I had a vision in mind for those little beads so it was fun to try to create it today.
Supplies
The actual card that made me pull out this set is one of the Sale-A-Bration sets that you can earn for free. If you purchase the the Sea of Textures bundle and buy either the DSP or the Sprinkles you would qualify to get the Hello Cupcake set free.
I just love that cupcake! The possibilities are endless for the different flavors you could use. Chocolate is next on my list.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope your heart is inspired by art today!
Did you know that today is National Polka Dot Day! Who knew? Well, obviously people who like polka dots. Polka dots are so much fun. They are so light, refreshing and…well, just fun! So I decided to do a card using them.
First I had to find paper.
Luckily Stampin Up! has a wide variety. Polka Dots come in all the color families we have, including the in-colors. They come in the handy 6X6 size
Product List
I decided to do a Valentine’s Day card using the notecards and the Hey Love set. I’m going to be doing this card for a group of 10 -12 year olds, so I wanted something cute and that stamp set fits.
Such a quick and easy card if you need to make a bunch for a child’s class or event. And that skunk is too cute, as are the other images in the set. Makes me sad that my kids are past the age where they need cards like this.
Product List
If you need some quick and easy valentines, this is a great set. It’s simple enough that your kids can help . Thanks for stopping by and visiting. Stop by again.
Did you ever see something and just know you had to have it. I felt that way when I saw the Floral Romance Specialty Designer Series Paper. I love the look of vellum and the two designs in this pack are just gorgeous. I’m also a sucker for leaves so the other two patterns grabbed my attention too. Plus you get three of each sheet instead of the normal two. It quickly made it’s way into my shopping cart.
I was anxious to use it so I decided to use hearts since that was the theme of my class this month. Here is the card I made.
The stamp set Part of My Story is a Sale-A-Bration item so you can get it free with a $50 purchase. There are other wonderful item that you can earn too. Contact me if I can help or you would like a catalog. Or go to the Shop Now button and get this beautiful vellum for yourself.
I hope you enjoyed my card. Thanks for stopping by.
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? I used to but I stopped a few years ago. In reality though, I think I’ve always made them in the back of my mind. I just wanted to avoid not keeping them. Most of them involve organization! So this year I am again going to try to get organized.
I love the planner Stampin Up! has come out with. I used their old one for over a year before they came out with this one. I wasn’t going to switch but this one has a holder for a pen and I’m always loosing them.
You can start in any month because the dates are blank. I decided to start this one in January because it’s the beginning of the year and that goes with new resolutions.
I love the weekly pages because you can use them in so many different ways. I divide mine into three sections for the different things I want to keep track of. Some people use them for journals and they would be so fun to decorate.
Since I used the old one for quite awhile, I’m sure this will help me keep to my organizing resolution.
The Love Today Planner is on sale in the clearance rack. But I don’t know how long it will be there. I hope your New Year is a good one and you can get organized if you are not (like me!). And I just wanted to mention that my daughter took the pictures!
One of the perks of being a demo is that you get the new stuff first! I just love opening my boxes from Stampin Up! Of course I love opening any package that has good things in it, but when I know it has new product to try, I’m extra excited.
Here is my latest!
It has some new product that will only be available during November. I can’t wait to share some ideas with you! So stay tuned for some fun cards and projects.
And if you’re interested in more of the benefits from being a demo check out my link here. I would love to have you join my team and start enjoying the benefits now.
Happy World Card Making Day! I hope you get to spend the day crafting. Unfortunately I won’t get to spend as much time as I would like. To many things to do (like housework) that I have been neglecting lately. But I did want to share another card I made using Country Home.
I even used little pieces of a Q-tip to make cotton! Love this set!
I was playing with the stamp set Country Home and wishing they would have made it with all the different seasonal stamps. I love the milk jug and pitcher. I have some of those around my house because I love the look. It is right up my alley. So I went digging to see what I could find to make it something I could use all year long. Here are the cards I came up with.
Autumn
I used the watercolor pencils on this one and embossed the Galvanized paper with the new Tin Tile Embossing Folder. You are going to want this one!
This one uses the Designer Series Paper Joyous Noel. This paper is fabulous. Pictures don’t do it justice. I also used the stamp set In Every Season for the next 3 cards. It was a prize patrol at our last Onstage event (perks of being a demo! ask me how) and I hadn’t used it yet. Absolutely perfect to add the different seasons.
This month only you can order the bundle Blended Seasons. It is a great set for year round crafting and I have been having fun playing with it. Since fall is coming up on us, I made the following card.
I love the look of the three different colors of foil paper. Sorry the picture quality isn’t good. My camera died and I can’t find the charger! So I used my phone. But you get the idea. I love how it pops on the blackberry bliss DSP.
After I finished it I thought that it would make a great Christmas card too, so I pulled out the glitter paper and here is what I came up with. Same basic layout with a different die and a different season!
Both of these cards look so much better in person. They shine and glitter and look so nice.
This set is very versatile and it is only available in August. The best part is that during the month of August, Stampin’ Up! is having their Bonus Days! For every $50 you spend you get a $5 coupon good in the month of September. And guess when the Holiday Catalog goes live. That’s right. September. So take advantage of both specials and save.
Look for more ideas for this set in upcoming posts too.
