Sunday, January 14, 2018

A Passion for Watercoloring

Yesterday was an awesome class.  There was a lot of creativity and a lot of great conversation. One thing I have noticed through my 14 years as a demonstrator is that crafting women just tend to get along.  You put all of them in one room and they can almost always find someone to talk to.  I'm very lucky that my customers are fantastic and find each other enjoyable as well.

Since I was putting them through a colorful camp already with Stampin' Blends and Brusho, I decided to throw Watercolor Pencils into the mix.  This was mostly a Hail Mary pass - my order gets here on Monday with the supplies for last Saturday so I needed a quick fill in project.

I think that the Petal Passion DSP might be my favorite product in the Occasion catalog since you can do all sorts of techniques with it.  This time I put a 6 x 2 strip at an angle on a Whisper White card and added a 6 x 1/4 strip of stripes on top and below using adhesive.  Cut the ends that hang over the edges.  I colored the DSP using the watercolor pencils and tried to use the colors that were in our past Paper Pumpkin kit since everyone at my camp had it.  Then I had them blend them using a Blender Pen which has just the right amount of water for coloring on the DSP.

I stamped a saying from the Lots of Happy Card Kit stamp set on Thick Whisper White and punched it out with a 1 3/4 Circle.  It's mounted on a Basic Black scallop circle from the Layering Circles Framelits.  It's popped up on dimensionals.  While it would look great just in black and white, I like the pops of color!  A few sequins would be great too - if they were here......


Supplies:
  • Cardstock/DSP: Thick Whisper White, Basic Black, Petal Passion DSP
  • Ink: Archival Black
  • Stamp Set: Lots of Happy Card Kit Stamp Set
  • Stampin' Blends: None
  • Big Shot: Cutting Mats, Cutting Platform, Layering Circles Framelits
  • Accessories: 1 3/4 Circle Punch, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Dimensionals, Adhesive, Scissors.


It's Sale-a-Bration time!  That means for every $50 you spend on merchandise, you can earn a free Level 1 product from our Sale-a-Bration offerings.  And, if you spent $100, you can earn a Level 2 offering or two Level 1s.  It's the best deal of the year and it lasts until March 31st.

Earn your free product by shopping in my ONLINE STORE.


Hostesses during Sale-a-Bration have an opportunity to earn extra hostess rewards with a qualifying party.  Wouldn't an extra $25 worth of free merchandise help get you through those winter blues?  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting an in-person or online event.


Paper Pumpkin is creativity in a box.  It costs $19.95 plus tax and ships to your mailbox once a month.  It contains everything you need for your own creative escape.  Besides the instructions and pieces for the cards or project, it also contains ink and photopolymer stamps and usually the adhesive you need as well.  My subscribers will also get a project sheet with tips and additional ideas and instructions that they can make with the supplies in the kits and sometimes some supplemental supplies.  Plus I try to send one of the alternative ideas out to everyone in the mail so you get two fun surprises in the mail each month!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit! 

There are two ways to sign up. 
Subscribers can also have access to all my past project sheets!


Another great product is out from Stampin' Up! in time for Sale-a-Bration.  Our Stampin' Blends are our new and improved alcohol markers that make for vivid images and are relaxing to use.  Find out what colors are available via my ONLINE STORE.


You can order any of these products on my ONLINE STORE.  Please use hostess code NWU39JUB when ordering during the month of January!


Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've made in life.  I have met some wonderful people who offer incredible inspiration and I believe in the quality of the product. Plus there is always something special about making and receiving homemade cards or décor from people.

If you are interested in joining my team, contact me today or go here to sign up!  You can get $125 in free merchandise that you choose yourself for only $99 plus tax.  If you sign up during Sale-a-Bration, you can add any two stamp sets (not bundles) to your kit for free! 

Being a demonstrator doesn’t mean you have to have parties – it means you can buy from yourself at a discount!  And if you don’t hit your minimums, there is no penalty!  Contact me today if you are interested in trying this out or sign up directly at https://ida.stampinup.com/en/?demoid=80380.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy


Saturday, January 13, 2018

Brushing Up on Brusho Powders

It's impossible to play with Brusho without discovering and embracing your inner artist.  These pigment powders are easy to use and create a unique look each time they are deployed.  I cannot wait to offer up my technique class on this one but am looking forward to teaching this card today to some of my dearest customers and friends.

Couple of tips with Brusho.  First, you have to use Archival Black ink so that it doesn't smear when the water is used.  Second, you really need to use either watercolor paper, Shimmer White, or Thick Whisper White cardstock.  Anything else will warp and ruin your look.  Finally, these things are MESSY if you try to open the lids so you will just want to puncture the top with a pushpin and then tap out the powder onto your project.

There are many ways to use it but my favorite is just a wash with an aquapainter.  It's magical to watch the Brusho hit the water and fan out in a one-of-a-kind design.  If you want more of a splatter look, you can use a spritzer tool or you can color using a paintbrush.

For this project, I used a Very Vanilla Notecard and Envelope.  Our Watercolor Paper is 6 x 9 meaning that you can get four 3 x 4 1/2 pieces from each sheet.  Mount that on a piece of Basic Black and you have filled the card front.  I stamped the images from Perennial Birthdays and then colored all over the paper with plain water.  I tapped on the Prussian Blue Brusho first and then added a little of the Yellow and spritzed it with a Spritzer.  Once it dried, I layered it on my card with Tear and Tape and added the sentiment and a few pearls.


Supplies:
  • Cardstock/DSP: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Watercolor Paper
  • Ink: Archival Black
  • Stamp Set: Perennial Birthday
  • Stampin' Blends: None
  • Big Shot: Cutting Mat, Magnetic Platform, Stitched Shapes Framelits
  • Accessories: Dimensionals, Pearls, Adhesive, Tear and Tape, Vanilla Notecards and Envelopes, Aquapainter, Brusho Crystal Colour, Spritzer


It's Sale-a-Bration time!  That means for every $50 you spend on merchandise, you can earn a free Level 1 product from our Sale-a-Bration offerings.  And, if you spent $100, you can earn a Level 2 offering or two Level 1s.  It's the best deal of the year and it lasts until March 31st.

Earn your free product by shopping in my ONLINE STORE.


Hostesses during Sale-a-Bration have an opportunity to earn extra hostess rewards with a qualifying party.  Wouldn't an extra $25 worth of free merchandise help get you through those winter blues?  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting an in-person or online event.


Paper Pumpkin is creativity in a box.  It costs $19.95 plus tax and ships to your mailbox once a month.  It contains everything you need for your own creative escape.  Besides the instructions and pieces for the cards or project, it also contains ink and photopolymer stamps and usually the adhesive you need as well.  My subscribers will also get a project sheet with tips and additional ideas and instructions that they can make with the supplies in the kits and sometimes some supplemental supplies.  Plus I try to send one of the alternative ideas out to everyone in the mail so you get two fun surprises in the mail each month!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit! 

There are two ways to sign up. 
Subscribers can also have access to all my past project sheets!


Another great product is out from Stampin' Up! in time for Sale-a-Bration.  Our Stampin' Blends are our new and improved alcohol markers that make for vivid images and are relaxing to use.  Find out what colors are available via my ONLINE STORE.


You can order any of these products on my ONLINE STORE.  Please use hostess code NWU39JUB when ordering during the month of January!


Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've made in life.  I have met some wonderful people who offer incredible inspiration and I believe in the quality of the product. Plus there is always something special about making and receiving homemade cards or décor from people.

If you are interested in joining my team, contact me today or go here to sign up!  You can get $125 in free merchandise that you choose yourself for only $99 plus tax.  If you sign up during Sale-a-Bration, you can add any two stamp sets (not bundles) to your kit for free! 

Being a demonstrator doesn’t mean you have to have parties – it means you can buy from yourself at a discount!  And if you don’t hit your minimums, there is no penalty!  Contact me today if you are interested in trying this out or sign up directly at https://ida.stampinup.com/en/?demoid=80380.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy


Friday, January 12, 2018

Blending Sale-a-Bration and Occasions Catalogs

Writers get writer's block and crafters get crafter's block.  I assume it's the same for both creative types - too many ideas to focus in on the perfect thread to take to paper.  I had a great idea in mind for my camp Saturday (yep, tomorrow) but then I lost track of time and didn't place my order in time for it to get here.  Thank goodness I had designed two of the projects to coordinate with products I knew my mother was getting for Christmas so I could borrow her Blends, but it left me boxless and without magic.

Now, the good news is that when it comes in on Monday, I'll get to execute my idea and post it to my blog.  But, in the meantime, I'm typing away on my blog hoping inspiration with hit so I can prep and sleep before tomorrow's class.

So what were the projects that I designed with my mom in mind?  Glad you focused on that thread and here is the answer - this AWESOME card.  It is seriously one of my favorite creations in years because it was just so much fun to make.  Time consuming?  Yep.  Will some moan at the idea of cutting out antennae?  Yep.  Will whoever receives it LOVE it.  YEP!

Stampin' Blends are such a great product to work with.  They are relaxing to use and blend perfectly depending on how much blending you are trying to achieve.  Paired with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, you will get fun stamps and vivid colors every time you try.  And, at $4.50 a marker, when you run out of ink, you just buy a new shade so you don't have to hoard them!

For this card, I used the Basics Pack 1 Washi Tape paired with the Light and Dark Rich Razzleberry Blends.  The butterfly is from Beautiful Day, a great new set in the Occasions catalog.  After I cut it out and colored it, I used a Black Marker to color in the thorax and color any white showing on the antennae.  Once it's mounted on the card with the Petal Passion DSP, I used the markers to color in some of the dots to draw the butterfly and paper together.



Supplies:
  • Cardstock/DSP: Whisper White, Petal Passion DSP
  • Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
  • Stamp Set: Beautiful Day
  • Stampin' Blends: Light and Dark Rich Razzleberry
  • Big Shot: None
  • Accessories: Basics Pack 1 Washi Tape, Scissors, Black Marker, Dimensionals, Adhesive


It's Sale-a-Bration time!  That means for every $50 you spend on merchandise, you can earn a free Level 1 product from our Sale-a-Bration offerings.  And, if you spent $100, you can earn a Level 2 offering or two Level 1s.  It's the best deal of the year and it lasts until March 31st.

Earn your free product by shopping in my ONLINE STORE.


Hostesses during Sale-a-Bration have an opportunity to earn extra hostess rewards with a qualifying party.  Wouldn't an extra $25 worth of free merchandise help get you through those winter blues?  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting an in-person or online event.


Paper Pumpkin is creativity in a box.  It costs $19.95 plus tax and ships to your mailbox once a month.  It contains everything you need for your own creative escape.  Besides the instructions and pieces for the cards or project, it also contains ink and photopolymer stamps and usually the adhesive you need as well.  My subscribers will also get a project sheet with tips and additional ideas and instructions that they can make with the supplies in the kits and sometimes some supplemental supplies.  Plus I try to send one of the alternative ideas out to everyone in the mail so you get two fun surprises in the mail each month!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit! 

There are two ways to sign up. 
Subscribers can also have access to all my past project sheets!


Another great product is out from Stampin' Up! in time for Sale-a-Bration.  Our Stampin' Blends are our new and improved alcohol markers that make for vivid images and are relaxing to use.  Find out what colors are available via my ONLINE STORE.


You can order any of these products on my ONLINE STORE.  Please use hostess code NWU39JUB when ordering during the month of January!


Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've made in life.  I have met some wonderful people who offer incredible inspiration and I believe in the quality of the product. Plus there is always something special about making and receiving homemade cards or décor from people.

If you are interested in joining my team, contact me today or go here to sign up!  You can get $125 in free merchandise that you choose yourself for only $99 plus tax.  If you sign up during Sale-a-Bration, you can add any two stamp sets (not bundles) to your kit for free! 

Being a demonstrator doesn’t mean you have to have parties – it means you can buy from yourself at a discount!  And if you don’t hit your minimums, there is no penalty!  Contact me today if you are interested in trying this out or sign up directly at https://ida.stampinup.com/en/?demoid=80380.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy


Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Kicking off Basketball and Sale-a-Bration

So I mentioned that I love how the Epic Celebrations stamp set works for the musical men and children in my life but it also fit nicely into the start of basketball season tonight.  This little card came together great and was so much fun to color.  Featuring the Light and Dark Night of Navy Stampin' Blends, along with a Chalk Marker, this card is sure to please.  Or I hope it does since it's one of my class cards for Saturday!

I really like that you can use the Stampin' Blends to color paper, rhinestones, ribbon, etc.  But you can also use them to wash over words like this card.  Cute, eh?




Supplies:
  • Cardstock/DSP: Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, True Gentleman DSP
  • Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
  • Stamp Set: Epic Celebrations (Level 1)
  • Stampin' Blends: Light and Dark Night of Navy
  • Big Shot: Cutting Mats, Magnetic Platform, Stitched Shapes Framelits
  • Accessories: White Chalk Marker, Dimensionals, Rhinestones, Adhesive


It's Sale-a-Bration time!  That means for every $50 you spend on merchandise, you can earn a free Level 1 product from our Sale-a-Bration offerings.  And, if you spent $100, you can earn a Level 2 offering or two Level 1s.  It's the best deal of the year and it lasts until March 31st.

Earn your free product by shopping in my ONLINE STORE.


Hostesses during Sale-a-Bration have an opportunity to earn extra hostess rewards with a qualifying party.  Wouldn't an extra $25 worth of free merchandise help get you through those winter blues?  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting an in-person or online event.


Paper Pumpkin is creativity in a box.  It costs $19.95 plus tax and ships to your mailbox once a month.  It contains everything you need for your own creative escape.  Besides the instructions and pieces for the cards or project, it also contains ink and photopolymer stamps and usually the adhesive you need as well.  My subscribers will also get a project sheet with tips and additional ideas and instructions that they can make with the supplies in the kits and sometimes some supplemental supplies.  Plus I try to send one of the alternative ideas out to everyone in the mail so you get two fun surprises in the mail each month!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit! 

There are two ways to sign up. 
Subscribers can also have access to all my past project sheets!


Another great product is out from Stampin' Up! in time for Sale-a-Bration.  Our Stampin' Blends are our new and improved alcohol markers that make for vivid images and are relaxing to use.  Find out what colors are available via my ONLINE STORE.


You can order any of these products on my ONLINE STORE.  Please use hostess code NWU39JUB when ordering during the month of January!


Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've made in life.  I have met some wonderful people who offer incredible inspiration and I believe in the quality of the product. Plus there is always something special about making and receiving homemade cards or décor from people.

If you are interested in joining my team, contact me today or go here to sign up!  You can get $125 in free merchandise that you choose yourself for only $99 plus tax.  If you sign up during Sale-a-Bration, you can add any two stamp sets (not bundles) to your kit for free! 

Being a demonstrator doesn’t mean you have to have parties – it means you can buy from yourself at a discount!  And if you don’t hit your minimums, there is no penalty!  Contact me today if you are interested in trying this out or sign up directly at https://ida.stampinup.com/en/?demoid=80380.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy