A whole lotta Stampin' Up! News!

Stampin' Up! has been keeping us demonstrators on our toes for the last month or so.  If you blink you miss all sorts of interesting news!  As always, if you have any questions don't hesitate to give me a shout….I know it's a lot of information!

  First, Paper Pumpkin is starting to mail soon!  If you sign up by March 10th you'll be in the first mailing for "crafting goodness" delivered right to your door.  Sign up and every month receive a paper crafting kit to make some adorable projects.  How easy is that??  Everything is included in the kit except for adhesive.  And the best part….it's a surprise!  You never know what it will be.  For me that's super exciting since I'm always the one to do the designing.  It's nice to have all the work done for me.  And another thing, if you're tight on space for your crafting Paper Pumpkin is great because you don't need anything else (except adhesive) make to the projects…Fast, Easy and Portable!  And did I mention inexpensive?  Only $19.95 each month!

 
  Head over to the Paper Pumpkin site and get signed up.  Get your girlfriends to sign up too and have a girls night in to make your projects!  When you sign up it will ask you who your demonstrator is and if you don't have one already I'd be thrilled if you choose me.  Amanda Mertz, Glen Allen, VA.  I'll be joining in on the fun too and making the projects right along with you!  And as always I'm here to help if you have any questions.


  Next up from Stampin' Up! is a whole new kind of stamp!  Stampin' Up! is introducing Photopolymer Stamps.  I know it's a mouthful but these look like they are going to be great!  They are totally clear stamps that were made to be used with the new Firm Foam ink pads.

What makes them so great?

• They're entirely transparent for perfect placement every time! 
• They are durable. The photopolymer material is designed to last. 
• Can you say sticky? (Don't worry; in a good way.) These stamps stick amazingly well to our clear blocks.
• They're age tested. They won't yellow or cloud up over time. 
• They use FDA, food-safe material. How far can you stretch your stamping creativity? 
• All photopolymer will be packaged in cello bag w/insert, but don't forget you can store them in our clear cases.

 These stamps will be offered on a trial basis so if you like this design, don't wait to put it on your next order.  And speaking of orders…this set is priced at just $13.95.  Holy Cow!  If that doesn't get you interested I don't know what will.  You can bet these will be on my next order for sure.  

  Here are the ordering details:  Designer Typeset Photopolymer Stamp Set  Item #132956  $13.95

  To see the whole set head over to my online store! Designer Typeset Photopolymer Stamp Set

 Next is a limited time special stamp set and coordinating Designer Series Paper that also comes in a money saving bundle!  Check out the Sent With Love special offer:

The colors are so fun and bright, I know I am going to be using the DSP and stamp set for many occasions!  

131847	Sent with Love Stamp Set (clear-mount; English only)	$17.95
132182	Sent with Love Designer Series Paper	$10.95
132851	Pretty Bundle Includes the Sent with Love Stamp Set, Sent with Love Designer Series Paper, and Calypso Coral Baker's Twine	$25.50 20% off retail value!

  The Sent with Love Stamp Set and Sent with Love Designer Series Paper are only available during this special offer. After April 30, they'll both fly away!

In addition, you may purchase the Sent with Love Digital Kit (item 132914; $9.95). Please note that the digital kit is not included in the bundle.  

  Check out the whole set at my online store: Sent with Love stamp set  and the adorable coordinating Sent with Love Designer Series Paper.  20% off is a good deal for the bundle so don't wait!


  And the stamping goodness just keeps going!  In celebration of Stampin' Up!'s 25th anniversary they are releasing a "Best Of" set each month during 2013.  Each month will have a different theme with favorite images from past sets with some new, never seen before images added to the mix!  While a new set will be released each month they will continue to remain available until March 31, 2014.

 
  So far the themes that have been released are:
            -Birthdays
            -Flowers
            -Love

  Check out the full sets here at my online store.  And to make the 25th anniversary celebration even sweeter you can win a free stamp set by collecting 6 of the "Best Of" sets!  As a special incentive to collect the Best of stamps, we're including a collector's card and 25-year proof of purchase sticker with every Best of set. Collect six stickers, and send it in to redeem a FREE set of your choice valued up to $14.95! Free sets must be redeemed no later than April 30, 2014.


  And last but not least is the new online stamping class designed to walk you through 30+ projects with lots of great tips and techniques to get the most out of your stamping supplies.

There are 34 different projects with instructions and complete supply lists, and everything is printable so you can work on them at your own pace and file the sheets in a binder for later use. There are even coordinating You Tube videos!

The online class is divided into six categories:

• stamping basics (seven projects)
• the Stamp A Majigg (four projects, video)
• masking (four projects, video)
• embossing (seven projects, 2 videos)
• markers & watercoloring (six projects, video)
• Big Shot and punches (six projects, 2 videos)

Each section is designed to take you from the simplest, most basic use of the technique or tool and gradually layer on more advanced techniques, with tips along the way. The instructions are simple and precise, and you can view the videos an unlimited number of times, stopping at starting at will.

So whichever way you like to get your inspiration, it's there. And at only $14.95 and downloadable to your computer or laptop, it's easy and affordable to have inspiration at your fingertips wherever you go!

 Another great product from Stampin' Up!  Again, you can see it in my online store HERE.  It's item # 133385.

  If you have questions about any of these special offers, new products or how to order just leave a comment or send me an e-mail (mandysurovy@yahoo.com) and I'll get right back to you.  If you made it this far you should get a prize! 

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Summer Seahorse

  I hope everyone had a great weekend!  It was a relaxing one for our family as we didn't have many plans other than having friends over for dinner on Saturday night.  We made ribs and mac and cheese.  Yummy!  Good food tastes even better when you get to share it with friends.  And the brownies sundaes for dessert weren't too shabby either!

  This card was one my stamping ladies made at my stamp-a-stack last week.  I didn't have a good summer beachy stamp set so when I saw By the Tide in the spring catalog it made its way onto my pre-order (great perk of being a demo!) very quickly!

  The color combination was not one that I would have done if not for seeing it some place else.  I saw it on Pinterest while I was poking around looking for something else entirely.  Turns out it was a card made by a fellow design team member over at Fab Friday, Amy O'Neill!  Small world huh?  She makes beautiful cards and she has a winner in this card.  I liked these colors so much I used the same ones when designing for my stamp-a-stack and this is what I came up with…

 A Pool Party base with the coral stamped in Pool Party ink and then Crumb Cake ink spritzed with the color spritzer tool all over the base.  There are score lines on either side of the Calypso Coral DSP which has some linen ribbon wrapped around it.

  The seahorse is stamped in Crumb Cake, punched out with the wide oval punch and spritzed.  I used the new mini scallop circle punch and punched out 1 in Summer Starfruit.  I cut it in half and put one at the top and bottom of the oval.  2 silver mini brads finish off the accessories.  The seahorse is popped up with dimensionals.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: By the Tide

Ink: Crumb Cake, Pool Party

Paper: Pool Party, Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, In Color Calypso Coral DSP

Accessories: Spritzer tool, oval punch, mini scallop circle punch, linen ribbon, mini brads, Simply Scored, dimensionals

Blue Bird Love

  Is everyone else as excited for the weekend as I am?  We don't even have any plans other than dinner with friends but I am ready to just relax.  I've felt like I've ben running to and fro all week and accomplishing very little for all my effort.  We need to do some work around the yard and I have piles of stamping stuff to put away after my stamp-a-stack on Tuesday but other than that there is nothing on the "to do" list which is grand in my book.  Once the stamp room is back in order I would love to sit down and create.  

  If you're planning to stamp over the weekend your first stop should absolutely be at Fab Friday to check out our awesome sketch challenge.  This is a fun one for sure.  Think of all the possibilities for that butterfly element….it can stay a butterfly or you can make it into anything at all!  

  Here is my interpretation of the sketch.  I've been in the mood for some fun bright spring/summer colors since we've had some rain and cold weather here in Richmond lately.  We get teased for a day with sunshine and warmer temps and then the next day is cold and rainy…  I'm not against cold weather but it's the back and forth that gets me!

  I used a lot of different things on this card but it's not a difficult card by any means.  It took me longer to decide on the ribbon/button element than to do the rest of the card.  It's all in the details isn't it?

  The image is watercolored with an Aquapainter and ink pads and then cut and layered with Oval Framelits.  Isn't that bird just the sweetest?  The rest of the supplies are pretty basic so I won't bore you with the details.  If you have questions just leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

  Head on over to the Fab Friday site to see all the design team samples.  I always get so many ideas from looking at the ways others interpret a challenge.  And don't forget that you have 2 weeks to enter the challenge; mull it over and then get some ink to cardstock and then share it with us!  Can't wait to see your creation!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: For the Birds

Ink: Island Indigo, Calypso Coral, Soft Suede

Paper: Pool Party, Pool Party Core'dinations, Sycamore Street DSP, Calypsp Coral, Sent With Love DSP, watercolor paper

Accessories: Oval Framelits, Window Framelits, Woodgrain e.f., corner rounder, oval piercing template, Sycamore Street button, large rhinestone, linen ribbon, dimensional, aquapainter

Nature Walk Collage

  My stamping class this month was a stamp-a-stack where the ladies made 12 cards, 4 each of 3 designs.  I wanted to focus on designs that could be for any occasion.  So often I need to put a card in the mail right away and when I look in my box of cards they are all very specific and just don't fit for what I need at the moment.  So a birthday, thank you, get well or thinking of you sentiment can be added when the need arises.  Or just leave the sentiment off for a nice note card too!

  This card comes together really quickly for an elegant vintage collage inspired card.  I used the new Ovals Framelits to cut out an oval from the center of a piece of scrap cardstock and then used the negative as a stencil to sponge a Crumb Cake oval onto the top layer of the card front.  I used a bit of re-positional adhesive to keep the frame template from moving.

 Next, for the stamping I grouped all but 2 of the stamps together onto one clear mount block and inked it up with Chocolate Chip ink and then stamped it right over the top of the sponged circle.  Then with the new distressing tool from the spring catalog I roughed up the edges of my image panel.

  The final touches are the Summer Starfruit stitched ribbon across the corner with a little knot of linen thread.  All that is mounted on a layer of Chocolate Chip and then the Island Indigo card base.

  And there you have it…a nice blank card for any occasion!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Nature Walk

Ink: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Island Indigo, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Oval Framelits, linen thread, Summer Starfruit stitched ribbon, distressing tool

Henry Says…Again!

  One again another week has passed us by and I've failed to post regularly.  We went away last weekend to Washington D.C. to play tourist with the boys and didn't get back until Monday afternoon and then it seemed like I was playing catch up the rest of the week.  Am I the only one that gets thrown off by long weekends?

  Anyway I do have a project to share that I made quite a while ago.  It's another card made with the new set Henry Says which can be found in the Spring Catalog.

 
  Isn't this a sweet congrats card for a new baby boy?  No fancy techniques or anything but I did use up some of my stash.  Does anyone recognize that So Saffron ribbon?  I think it was a Sale-a-Bration reward 3 or 4 years ago!  I also used up some DSP from this past Holiday catalog.  It's the Howlstooth and Scarringbone DSP…doesn't look very Halloween-y or fallish here!

  Henry was stamped with Basic Gray ink onto Baja Breeze cardstock and then cut out.  I used a white gel pen to color in his toe nails.  I used markers to ink up the banner.  The Word Window punch was the perfect fit for the sentiment.

  I hope you all have a great weekend!  I'm off to cut more cardstock for my Stamp-a-Stack on Tuesday.  I'm excited to see my ladies!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Henry Says

Ink: Basic Gray  Markers: Baja Breeze, Basic Gray, So Saffron

Paper: Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Howlstooth & Scarringbone DSP (retired)

Accessories: Perfect Polka Dot e.f., brads, So Saffron grosgrain ribbon (retired SAB), Word Window punch, white gel pen

Easter Bunnies - Fab Friday Challenge

  As soon as I saw the color combination for this week's Fab Friday challenge I knew I wanted to do a spring or Easter card.  Perfect Plum and Wild Wasabi have been sorely neglected in my cards this winter.  This trio is perfect for fresh spring cards!

  How pretty are these colors??

  And this is what I came up with!  Aren't these bunnies the cutest thing?  I didn't have a really good Easter set and didn't want to order one when I know I'll probably only sent 2 or 3 Easter cards.  This Ears to You set is one of the new Single Stamps being offered by Stampin' Up!  It's a great way to get a few images without buying a whole set.  Ears to You is a brand new, never seen before, limited time stamp so if you love it as much as I do don't forget to put it on your next order.

  I used the new Cloudy Days embossing folder again for the background.  It's just a great design for a subtle hint of texture.  I stamped the bunnies twice, once to cut out with my paper snips and again to cut out with the Labels framelits.  I used my markers to ink them up both times.  Once they were cut out I popped them up on the label with dimensionals.

  I added some pearls, a button and seam binding bow and the Easter sentiment banner.  Now it's your turn to join us at Fab Friday for this weeks challenge!  Go check out the fabulous design team inspiration and then get started on your project!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Ears to You, Delightful Dozen

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum

Paper: Perfect Plum, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP

Accessories: Labels framelit, Cloudy Days e.f., button, Baja Breeze seam binding ribbon, pearls, dimensionals, corner rounder

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's day everyone!  Hope you've got some sweet people in your life to give a kiss to today.

  I just can't seem to get my act together to both stamp and post and I apologize for my long absence.  But I do have some projects to share with you today just in time for V-day.

  I designed this little treat tube for my customers.  I stuck them in their orders bags a few weeks ago.  I have some leftover and those will go to the teachers, aides and office staff at my sons elementary school.

  I had some of the banners and hearts leftover so I made some treat bags for my family.

  You can't go wrong with chocolate!

  I added the guys first initial to the center of the chalkboard heart.  

  These treat were super easy to make with the coordinating stamp set and framelits.

   I noticed that I have several new followers to my blog so welcome to Did You Stamp Today!  Also, I was getting terribly spammed over the last several weeks with bogus comments.  I finally had to turn off the option to leave a comment anonymously.  I apologize to those of you who leave legitimate comments as anonymous.  If you have a comment or question please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail directly to me.

  For information on how to do the chalkboard technique please see my post HERE.

   Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Hearts a Flutter

Ink: Versamark, White craft

Paper: More Amore DSP, Primrose Petal Core'dinations, Basic Black

Accessories: Hearts a Flutter Framelits, baker's twine, dimensionals, Pool Party embossing powder, cello bags (1x8 & 4x6), white colored pencil

Up in the Air Oval

  Happy weekend!  I hope everyone is doing something fun today.  We just got back from a hike along the James River.  It was pretty cold but it was fun seeing the river rushing past due to the rains of this week.

  I thought this cheerful card might brighten this now cloudy day.  We made this last week at my stamp club.  I wanted to show the ladies the new Cloudy Days embossing folder and the new Oval framelits from the spring catalog.

  Not the best photo but you get the idea!  First we cut the oval out of the center of the Whisper White panel.  Then we embossed with the Cloudy Days folder.  We embossed second so the cloud impressions would be smashed when we cut out the oval.  Then we adhered the cloud panel to the Tempting Turquoise base.

  The balloon from Up, Up and Away was stamped and cut out and popped up with a dimensional.  All the greetings in this set fit into the 1 1/4" scallop circle punch but I used the happy birthday one for this sample.  An Old Olive button and Tangerine Tango ribbon (Sale-a-bration reward!) knot finish off this sweet and simple card.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Up, Up and Away

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake, Tangerine Tango

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White

Accessories: Oval framelits, Cloudy Days e.f., 1 1/4" scallop circle punch, button, Sycamore Street Tangerine ribbon (SAB), dimensionals, glue dots