Shoebox Stampers

This is why I stamp!

For my holiday card class, I wanted to make something with pumpkin.  I have this boxed mix from Tastefully Simple called Nana's Apple Cake (Tina Sturm in Lincoln County, MO takes care of me - you can  email her for a catalog or to place an order). It calls for apple chunks, but also suggests replacing pumpkin for that with a cream cheese frosting.  While I was at the grocery store, I saw the cutest idea - a cake decorated as a pumpkin (though it was square, which was weird...the Frankenstein was MUCH cuter!).  So I pulled out my glass pie dish and prepared and baked the cake.  I took it out of the oven, not letting it cool much since my class was in about two hours, and iced it with tinted cream cheese frosting.  My daughter created the green, which was spooned into a sandwich and piped out one end to create the leaves and vines.  I used chocolate icing to create the face, which I evidently did lop-sided! 

So, sometimes people ask why I stamp.  This is why!  Happy Halloween!!!

Wish shoe stampin' (and bakin') fun!

Rebecca

Caution - what you see may cause a shopping itch!

With Halloween only two days away, I thought I'd post one final blitz of Halloween ideas.  The first is a spider made from the scallop, photo corners, and 1/4 inch circle punches.  The scallops create a sandwich which includes a peppermint patty!  Who wouldn't love to receive this???

I really like the simplicity of this idea - it's just a half sheet of basic black, folded in half and secured with black gingham ribbon through 1/8 inch holes.  The skeleton face from Just jawing is just perfect - did you know this set will be 20% off with a $20 purchase starting Dec. 1? 

I love this one!  It's so easy.  It's just a 6x6 sheet of paper folded using the Diaper fold technique!  Once the pocket is created, stuff it with a small candy bar wrapped in Designer series paper.  Very quick!

Of course, I have to show the owl!  We made this at my upline's get-together a couple weeks ago.  It simply uses the Top Notz die for the Big Shot.  Fold this in half and add eyes with our circle punches!  And don't forget to wrap the candy with Designer series paper and put in one of our cello bags.  I love these easy goodie bags that are so fun to receive!

And finally, my favorite! I know I've already shown this to you (and I've already made one), but I had to show you this one!  My friend, Chris, from book club, had an entire box of Yankee Candles sitting around that were empty.  She asked if I wanted them, and to tell the truth, I looked at those things for almost a month before deciding what to do with them!  Finally, I put that little spider on there from our Decor Elements line and I just LOVE it!  It uses the small one and is just perfect! 

I hope you've been inspired, and if you have, but don't have the supplies, just click on my Online ordering button and click "shop now" on my Stampin' Up! website to place your order.  Remember, that spider is gone tomorrow evening at midnight (kinda reminds you of Cinderella, but instead of a glass slipper, this spider has a glass candy jar!). 

Happy Owl-o-ween!

Wish shoe stampin' (and Halloween) fun!

Rebecca

Designer series cheat sheets

I feel like I've created Cliff Notes for our Designer Series papers!  My upline saw this idea at Founder's Circle, and coordinated a group of us to each create a set to show those great designs.  It makes for a great idea sheet too since you have the colors in the papers and coordinating ribbons as well. 

And when the papers have retired, I can use these as scrapbook pages!  I already have ideas for them!

If you would like to see other sample sheets, let me know.  Then you can use my online ordering to order your own Designer series papers!

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca

Winter swap card

This is my fifth holiday season as a demonstrator, and I can tell I have tired of the traditional holiday colors!  I really like the new In Colors, especially kiwi kiss, pink pirouette, and riding hood red.  Actually, riding hood red looks like the red on my fireplace wall, so I need to add it to creamy caramel and chocolate chip like my main floor and see what happens!

So I was contacted by Charlene, who received one of my swaps at convention, and invited to join her swap.  There are 15 of us, so I should have some great ideas coming - they will be mailed out Monday and I cannot wait! 

Anyway, this is my card for the swap.  As I said, I went with a twist on the conventional red/green scheme and came up with this one.  It's actually a CASE (copy and share everything) of a card that I had made at my Open House in August.  I simply swapped out the chocolate chip for more riding hood red and used the Punches Three hostess set with the scallop square punch for my focal point.  I think we'll be making this one for my November holiday card class, but I think we'll use the bold snowflakes jumbo wheel.

If you'd like this stamp set, simply book a workshop, a catalog workshop, or place a qualifying order.  You can email me for more information.

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca

Halloween goodies!

We live in a subdivision in Troy, MO where people actually drive their kids to trick-or-treat because there are many developing subdivisions and lots of houses on acreage.  Last year we stopped counting at 300! 

Anyway, this is a great opportunity to share what I love, so I created these little goodies to hand out.  Of course, after I started punching out these little guys, I realized that I would not be able to do 300, but I did about 50 (I have so many more to make!!!).  I think I might though give them to my children's teachers!  Wouldn't they be cute in a scrapbook?

Here's the punches I used: round tab punch (face in close to cocoa), scallop punch (body and wings in chocolate chip and close to cocoa), boho blossoms punch (small flower for feet in pumpkin pie), 3/4 inch circle punch (eyes in so saffron), and 5-petal flower punch (use just one petal for beak, also in pumpkin pie).

Wish shoe stampin' (and punchin') fun!

Rebecca

Card fix!

I took the card that I had agonized over (see last card in this post) to an upline event (I promise to show what we created over the next couple days) and asked several of the gals for ideas.  The consensus was that the top left corner needed something.  I didn't want words, so added stars using Itty bitty backgrounds!  I also added a punch of brushed silver to the focal star.  I think I'll add a bit of glitter to the gifts and maybe the star.  After all, isn't Christmas about the bling?!?

So what do you think?  It's much better than the original IMO.  I hope everyone likes it at the class!

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca

Project videos now on my Stampin' Up! website!

Now you can see videos on my Stampin' Up! website that take you through a complete project!  Each month, a new one will be available, so make sure to check back to see what's new!  This month, the featured project uses Just jawing, a great Halloween set!  The video includes a scrapbooking and 3-D item as well.  Plus, you can see all the supplies used to create the projects, and then, because I just know you're going to want to make the projects too, go to show now in the upper right corner to purchase all your supplies!

Don't forget to check out the other great projects as well! 

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca

Holiday card class

I promised some pictures of the cards for my upcoming holiday class to Vicki, so here they are!  I really had to stop myself from using Lovely as a tree for more than one, but I'll save a couple for workshops and my next holiday card class!

I just love the gingerbread from Deer friends, a level one hostess set!  So I pulled in some Riding hood red Patterns paper and put some emphasis on his buttons by using a 1/16 inch hole punch.  And the chocolate chip just makes this card good enough to eat (or at least to inspire me to do some baking!). 

I was super worried about this card since its colors are non-traditional, but everyone I've shown has just loved it!  It uses Lovely as a tree (which I have to use a lot since I have a feeling it will be retiring) with chocolate chip (at least that shouldn't retire) and creamy caramel.  It also employs stamping off, a simple technique - ink up the stamp and stamp several times (I stamped three times with each inking).

This card uses the new Snow swirled stamp set and Handsome hunter, sage shadow and riding hood red.  I really like the embossed tree in gold embossing powder with the snow flakes in the background (thanks, Catherine, for the CASE).

I think this card is even more non-traditional than the trees!  I used elegant eggplant, rose red, pink pirouette, and kiwi kiss with the faux silk technique.  For the class, this sample (which I actually used for a shoebox swap at an upline meeting) will be created with Snowburst, a great set we had in last year's holiday mini catalog.

The last card uses Season of simple grace from the Mini catalog, with bashful blue, brocade blue, and night of navy.  The star is stamped in Encore silver.  This one did not turn out the way I had pictured, so I will be tweaking it, but I promise it will be better!

This class will be held Wednesday, Oct 22 at 9:30 am or 6:30 pm, and Friday, Oct 24 at 6:30 pm.  We'll create 20 cards (four each of these designs) for just $25.  If you'd like to reserve a space (and Friday is filling fast!), use the buy now button below. 

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca

Husbandly help?

Last night, as I was cutting for today's technique class, I thought back to this past spring when my husband came down to help me cut for a really crazy class!  The class included a forget-me-not box and 20 cards, none of which I wanted to be the same!  So there I was, the two nights before the class, trying to cut and prep 20 different cards for 11 stampers!  My husband thought he'd be helpful, so he ventured into my craft room and helped to put supplies into envelopes.  The next night he comes into my room to help, and after only 15 minutes he explodes, "How can you like doing this?  It's so time consuming and frustrating!" 

I guess it's not your cup of tea, dear!

Anyway, I found this post about women who work with their husbands, women who are the boss!  It's interesting - I don't think my husband and I, regardless how much I love him, could work together!  We are, after all, both a Taurus, if that means much, but it seems to apply to us!

Wow Wednesday - mosaic, faux embossing, aquapainter

Can you believe it?  I've actually finished the cards for my technique class early!  Would you like a peek? 

The first one is a new favorite!  This is mosaic and reminds me of crushed glass tiles used to make tables, counters and such.  And it's so easy!  Just use sticker paper or apply adhesive using a sticker maker (like a Xyron).  Cut printed paper into small pieces and place on adhesive to create a mosaic pattern, leaving spaces in between for the "grout." Pour embossing powder over the whole thing and then heat emboss.  So easy and neat!  I can't wait to make one with cool blues to mimic a nautical style table!  Wouldn't that look great for a frame with a beach picture?

 

The second one looks so much better IRL!  Stamp the image first in a dye ink, then stamp again using a stamp-a-ma-jig with white craft ink.  Again, very easy.

The last one uses the aquapainter (which is part of a promotion this month) and our ink pads.  This is similar to using blender pens but is so easily refilled once the liquid is gone!  Plus you can put bleach in the barrel and use it to remove color!

Hope you find a new favorite technique!  And if you can make the class, the 6x6 instruction pages promise to be informative and "pretty!"  (You can reserve your space below for either 9:30 am or 6:30 pm, Wednesday, Oct 15.)

Wish shoe stampin' fun!

Rebecca