Stampin' Up Convention 2013 - Hello, Lovely Make & Take part 2

Here's the second of the make & takes from the kit (see previous blog entry).  The original pattern had the arrows in Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, and Old Olive.  The chevrons were made using the Hexagon Punch and Bermuda Bay and Old Olive card stock.  A little paper piercing added some dimension to the corners.

Supplies - available from www.creativeflare.stampinup.net

Hello, Lovely stamp set - set of 10 (wood mount item #130240 $32.95; cling mount item #130243 $24.95)

Note Cards (item #131527 for 20 cards and envelopes)

Bermuda Bay card stock (item #131197 $6.95)

Old Olive card stock (item #100702 $6.95)

Coastal Cabana classic ink (item #131175 $5.95)

Crisp Cantaloupe classic ink (item #131176 $5.95)

Old Olive classic ink (item #126953 $5.95)

Hexagon punch (item# 130919 $15.95)

Piercing tool (item #126189 $3.95)

Essentials Paper Piercing Pack (item #126187 $7.95)

Stampin' Pierce Mat (item #126199 $4.95)

Stampin' Up Convention 2013 - Make and Takes!

Hello, Lovely make & take part 1

This July, I went to my very first Stampin' Up Convention!  Talk about an amazing Girlz Weekend Out.  I went by myself and made 5 new best friends.

One of the many fun things about convention, is that we get to test new product through Make & Takes, Mini Classes, and Product Playgrounds.   They give us the stamp sets and consumable materials for all the sessions on the first night (in a very swanky convention bag - this year's model was a custom Stampin' Up back-pack complete with padded laptop carrying pocket - ooh!  Loved it!).  On "Expo Day" tables are set up with tools and volunteer demonstrators guide participants through making the projects.  Participants get to choose when they want to complete those projects... or if they want to be like our crew and go to the mall instead...  we skipped doing the projects at convention.  Hey, there was an amazing mall just across the street from the convention center - we just couldn't resist the allure of retail therapy!

Now that I'm back, here's the first card that I made using the same ink, stamps, and products that were in the make and take package, with a few added twists of my own.

This is a scan of the instruction and idea sheet that came with the make & take.  Included was 4 of the new 5" x 3-1/4" Note Cards and envelopes.  It is interesting to note that even though the cards have the same great finish of the Whisper White card stock sold individually, the card stock of note cards is heavier weight.

Supplies:  (available from www.creativeflare.stampinup.net)
Hello, Lovely stamp set, set of 10  (Wood mounted blocks: item #130240, $32.95.  Cling mount stamps: item #130243, $24.95) Acrylic Blocks C and H recommended.
Note Cards  (item #131527 - $5.95 for 20 cards and envelopes.)
Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Ink Pad  (item #131176 - $5.95)
Old Olive Classic Ink Pad  (item #126953)
Bermuda Bay Classic Ink Pad  (item #131171)
Coastal Cabana Classic Ink Pad  (item #131175)
Old Olive card stock  (item #100702- $6.95 for 24 sheets)
Whisper White card stock  (item #101730 - $8.50 for 40 sheets)
In Color 2013-15 Designer Series Paper Pack  (item #130136 $21.95 for 40 sheets)
Rhinestone jewels  (item #119246 $4.95 for a sheet of 150 self-adhesive jewels)
Stamp-a-ma-jig (item #101049 - $11.95)

Here was my retouch of the card on the lower left hand corner of the instruction sheet.  The original sheet had just the 4 stamp pattern on the plain card front.  I stamped them separately on a 1-3/4" square of Whisper White card stock, mounted it on a 2 x 2" square of Old Olive card stock, and cut a little banner of Crisp Cantaloupe Designer Series Paper that was 1/2" x 3".  The Rhinestone jewels were part of the make and take package, just hard to see in the first picture.

Hints:  Using the Stamp-a-ma-jig was essential to getting these stamps positioned.  Also, because my new ink pads were super juicy, it worked well if I stamped off the ink lightly on a scratch sheet of paper before stamping on my card stock.  When using clear blocks and cling mount stamps with the Stamp-a-ma-jig, I find it helpful to mark the corner of block that fits into the jig, that way I know that I'm holding my stamp the same way each time. I use a "Sharpie" marker to mark the block, and it cleans off easily with the "Staz-On" ink cleaner when I'm done.

Enjoy!

Card Swap I

In giddy anticipation of attending Stampin' Up's annual convention this month, I have been making card fronts  for swaps.  It's traditional to make cards to swap with other demonstrators, looking for fresh perspectives and new friends.  The dunes were traced from a french curve drawing tool onto Sahara Sand card stock and  sponged with ink.  The shell was a folded piece of Crisp Cantaloupe punched 3/4 of the way into the punch.

Supplies for this card are all available from my website: www.creativeflare.stampinup.net

Stamp Sets:  sentiment- World Treasures(132100w $$23.95/126767c $17.95)
seaweed - Papaya Collage (132055w $31.95/126612c $23.95).  Block E is recommended for both sets

Ink:   (131171) Bermuda Bay
(126959) Wild Wasabi
(126983) Calypso Coral
 (126976) Sahara Sand
(131179) Smoky Slate

Card Stock:
Background: (131297) Coastal Cabana
Seashell: (131298) Crisp Cantaloupe
Sand:  (121043) Sahara Sand
Oyster: (131202) Smoky Slate
Sentiment:  (131203) Soft Sky

Punches:  7/8" Scallop Circle (129404 $12.95)
Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack (118309 $16.95 set of 3 shapes)

Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine (113439 $99.95) with the Apothecary Accents Framelets (127003 $24.95)

Also used were Sponge Daubers (102892 $10.95 for 12), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430, $3.95 for 300) and last but not least, Pearl BasicJewels (119247 $4.95 for 150)

This too shall pass...

Sometimes out of all the stamps in one set, one stamp will speak to me "louder" than all the others...  That was this stamp.  It says "They say that 'This too shall pass' they just never say when".  It's from the From My Heart set (132007w $39.95/126557c$26.95)  It's also one of those sets that if you bought the clear mount set and Block E (118484 $11.95) together it would still be less expensive than the wood mount set... saves space and $$... and if you already have clear blocks, then.... :)

Supplies: In addition to the From My Heart set, 

Mixed Bunch set (128442w$27.95/125537c$21.95)

Card Base: Midnight Muse card stock

Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay

Raspberry Ripple, Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Crisp Canteloupe, Calypso Coral, card stock

Blossom, Scallop Trim Border, 3/4" Circle, 7/8" Scallop Circle Punches, 

Adorning Accents Edgelets die and Big Shot

Fan Fair Designer Series Paper (RETIRING - 126918)

NEW! Simply Pressed Clay (130685) and Buttons and Blossoms clay molds (131272) - this is really fun to play with.  For the little flower I dyed the clay with Wisteria Wonder ink, but the clay can be tinted after it's dry with markers for even stronger color.

You can get everything on this list from May 31 to June 3 - Both catalog offerings will be available for this brief window of time - check it out online at www.creativeflare.stampinup.net

Enjoy!

Kristine

Adorable Treat Bags

Here's an uber-adorable gift bag to make for sweet party favors ...

Supplies:

1 sheet 12 x 12 Designer Series Paper 

Stampin' Trimmer (126889 $29.95)

Simply Scored Scoring Tool (122334 $29.95)

Simply Scored Diagonal Plate (125586 $11.95)

Adhesive (SNAIL shown here - 104332 $6.95)

Paper Snips (103579 $9.95)

Ribbon and decor...

Step 1.  Cut paper to be 8-1/2" by 12".

2.  Place long-ways on the Simply Scored Board (aka S2B) and score 1" from the "top" and 1-7/8" from "bottom"

3.  Turn 90 degrees and score at 2-7/8", 5-3/4", 8-5/8", 11-1/2" - this will form the sides of the bag (2-7/8" square)

4a. Score the gusset (optional):  slide the paper 1/2 segment to the right and score at 1-1/2 and 7-1/4.  This will divide the first and third sides of the bag in half for folding when not in use. (score lines are at 1-7/16 and 7-3/16)

4b.  Score the bottom angles of the gusset:  Place the S2B Diagonal plate on the S2B and score from the 

1-7/8" score line (the bottom of the bag) to the center line of the gusset.  Do this for both side gussets.    

4c. Turn the paper 90 degrees, and score the other angle of the gusset from side center line to bottom line.

5.  Using scissors, trim along vertical score lines from bottom edge to 1-7/8" line.  This forms the bottom flaps of the bag.

6.  Mountain-valley fold the bag sides and gussets as appropriate, use adhesive along 1/2" side tab to secure bag together.

7.  Fold bottom tabs of bag under and secure with adhesive.  To make the bottom of the bag sturdier, you can place a 2-7/8" square of card stock in the bottom of the bag.   

8.  Fold top 1" edge down to create bag "top".  Punch holes for ribbon on non-gusset sides (optional). 

9.  Now you're ready to decorate! I used 3/8" Stitched Satin ribbon in Summer Starfruit (126846 $8.95) to create my bag handles.  Other embellishments are Calypso Coral card stock (flower -Blossom Punch 125603 $16.95) and Summer Starfruit card stock with "Dream" sentiment (Loving Thoughts set 125843w $29.95/125845c $23.95)

 It's a very versatile pattern, you can make them as tall or short as you like, add a decorative edge instead of reinforcing and ribbon, or keep it simple by stamping on 12 x 12 card stock and using that in place of the Designer Series Paper.

Enjoy!

    

Live the Life You've Imagined card...

At the end of the Stampin' Up catalog year, I sift through all my paper scraps and pre-cut items to get organized for the new trends in color.  Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red are retiring colors, and will only be available through May 31.

Colors - (in order of card base to flower)  Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, (mini-brad)

The stamp set Really Good Greetings will be available May 31.  Item (130330w $18.95/130333c $14.95)

    }cling mount set requires Clear Block C (118486 $6.95) or larger.

The "leaves" are the inner scraps from a Lattice die cut (115958 $21.95)

Embossing Folders:

Chevron (127749 $7.95)

Woodgrain (127821 $7.95)

Honeycomb (129378  $7.95)

Enjoy!

All these items are available from my Stampin' Up website www.creativeflare.stampinup.net  

Stampin' Up new 2013-14 Catalog Sneak Peek

Here's a card I "scrap-lifted" from our new catalog (pg 114), with a few of my own modifications.  Featured here are our new In-Colors for 2013-15.  The card stock color is Coastal Cabana, the flowers are inked in (largest to smallest) Strawberry Slush, Baked Brown Sugar, Pistachio Pudding, and Crisp Cantaloupe.

Stamp set:  Daydream Medallions (131976w $36.95/126467c $26.95)
     }cling mount stamp set requires Clear Block F (118483) $16.95
Stamp-a-ma-jig  (101049 $11.95)
Floral Frames Collection framelets (127012 $26.95)
     }for use with the Sizzix Big Shot (113439 $99.95)
Fabulous Phrases (128577w $37.95/120501c $ 26.95)
     }cling mount Clear Block B or larger 117147 ($5.95)
Bitty Butterfly Punch (129406) $15.95
Artisan Label (new!) (130920) $15.95
Mosaic Punch (new!) (131267) $15.95
In Color 2013-15 Card Stock and Pad Kit (131204) $29.95

Label Love (new!) 130619w $24.95/130622c $17.95

All of these supplies are available from my website: www.creativeflarecards.stampinup.net .  New Items will be available May 31, 2013. Other items are currently available.

Enjoy!