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. 

• Receive it monthly
• Purchase pre-paid subscriptions and earn Sale-a-Bration rewards for each $50 spent!

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

My Gorgeous Friend and Inspiration

Today's sample is actually yesterday's sample.  One of my dearest friends had a birthday yesterday.  We have been friends 15 years and have seen ourselves go from recent college graduates to wives to mothers.  We have had job changes, family challenges, and times when we didn't see each other at all because life just took hold of us.  She will always be one of my favorite people in the world and this was the card I created just for her.

Of course, now that her birthday helped me break through my creativity block on this Inside the Lines designer paper offered only during Sale-a-Bration, I can't stop thinking of all the ways it can be used for paper piecing.  This project uses the sheet with all the tiny flowers.  I wanted to teach with it in my class but I didn't want it to be a 30 minute card.  Now my customers and friends can experience watercoloring with this paper without moving into my house for the weekend!

You just stamp the woman's silhouette on the Whisper White and run it through the Big Shot using the Stitched Shapes framelits (seriously, what did I do before I bought these?!?!)  Then you mount that on the Basic Black and put that on a folded Whisper White card.  I stamped the saying on the strip of Whisper White and then tied a piece of the Silver/White Metallic ribbon (also a Sale-a-Bration offering) around the end. 

I colored the flowers and leaves using the Watercolor Pencils and then covered it with a little Clear Wink of Stella for a nice splash of bling.  For the second dress, I colored the background using the Daffodil Delight and then colored over that with the Calypso Coral pencil.

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Whisper White, Basic Black, Inside the Lines DSP
• Ink: Archival Black
• Stamp Set: Beautiful You
• Accessories: Big Shot, Cutting Mats and Platform, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Clear Wink of Stella Pen, Blender Pen, Watercolor Pencils, 3/8 Metallic Ribbon (SAB), Dimensionals, Scissors, and Adhesive

Speaking of Watercolor Pencils, these are back in stock!  The demand for them is high because they are great quality and coordinate with our Stampin' Up! colors.  They will likely go on backorder again so if you are interested in purchasing, please do so soon!

IT'S TIME TO SALE-A-BRATE!

It's time to Sale-a-Brate!  From 1/4 through 3/31, you will be able to select an exclusive Sale-a-Bration (SAB) offering for each $50 in merchandise you purchase in a transaction.  Check out the great offerings by clicking the catalog link to the right and stop by my Online Store to earn them today!

Please use hostess code F4UZMXAN when checking out!

If you are interested in hosting, you can earn an additional $25 in free merchandise with a party of $250 or more.  Contact me today if you want to bring the party to your place!

WHAT IS PAPER PUMPKIN?

They tell you to sell what you love and I love Paper Pumpkin.  It lets me show people that I am thinking of them while taking much needed time for myself to do something I love.  I'd love to see if it's the crafting solution for you as well! 

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.  They also are invited to participate in a free Paper Pumpkin Playdates to make their kits using any of my additional supplies like framelits and punches!  It's a wonderful program and I'd love for you to try it out!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit!

You can sign up here: https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/?demoid=80380

During Sale-a-Bration, you can also purchase a 3 month pre-paid subscription for only $55 and pick out a Sale-a-Bration offering of your choice!

JOIN MY TEAM

If you are interested in joining out team and participating in monthly meetings with free make-n-take projects and outstanding company, 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.  During Sale-a-Bration, you can pick out any two stamp sets of your choice and add them to your kit for free!  With the 2017 Occasion catalog out now, it's not hard at all to find stamps and accessories that you will want to play with. 

Contact me today for more information or sign up here: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stacymccain/jointhefun

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy 

Beautiful You - So Much Potential

So this week I'll be featuring samples using the Beautiful You stamp set.  My first reaction to this stamp set was falling in love with the sayings.  We know I'm a quote junky and there are great ones in this set.  I like that this set makes me think of my girlfriends.  It just makes me smile since there is a saying for everything.  I also thought it was a good take on a sympathy card - sometimes you need something that says I'm here without actually saying With Sympathy.

This first card I'm sharing this week was originally a card for one of my swap groups but then I realized I didn't have enough vellum.  As I type this, I realize I still haven't ordered the vellum!  Anyhow, I stamped the woman in Archival Black so I could use my watercolor pencils and aquapainter with her.    Once I was done coloring and blending, she was still a little too bright to go with the Cupcakes & Carousels Designer Series Paper Stack (DSP) that I had picked out so I used a black marker to make little doodles around the edges of the watercolor paper and then layered a piece of our vellum on top. 

Next I stamped the umbrella on the DSP piece where it would be hidden under the watercolor paper (always trying to save my DSP) and cut it out.  It's layered on top of the vellum with dimensionals.  Everything else is just layered on the So Saffron card base using adhesive!

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: So Saffron, Watercolor Paper, Cupcakes & Carousels Designer Series Paper Stack, Vellum
• Ink: Archival Black
• Stamp Set: Beautiful You
• Accessories: Basic Black Marker, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Scissors, Aquapainter, Watercolor Pencils

IT'S TIME TO SALE-A-BRATE!

It's time to Sale-a-Brate.  From 1/4 through 3/31, you will be able to select an exclusive Sale-a-Bration (SAB) offering for each $50 in merchandise you purchase in a transaction.  Check out the great offerings by clicking the catalog link to the right and stop by my Online Store to earn them today!

If you are interested in hosting, you can earn an additional $25 in free merchandise with a party of $250 or more.  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting!

WHAT IS PAPER PUMPKIN?

They tell you to sell what you love and I love Paper Pumpkin.  It lets me show people that I am thinking of them while taking much needed time for myself to do something I love.  I'd love to see if it's the crafting solution for you as well! 

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.  They also are invited to participate in a free Paper Pumpkin Playdates to make their kits using any of my additional supplies like framelits and punches!  It's a wonderful program and I'd love for you to try it out!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit!

You can sign up here: https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/?demoid=80380

During Sale-a-Bration, you can also purchase a 3 month pre-paid subscription for only $55 and pick out a Sale-a-Bration offering of your choice!

JOIN MY TEAM

If you are interested in joining out team and participating in monthly meetings with free make-n-take projects and outstanding company, 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.  During Sale-a-Bration, you can pick out any two stamp sets of your choice and add them to your kit for free!  With the 2017 Occasion catalog out now, it's not hard at all to find stamps and accessories that you will want to play with. 

Contact me today for more information or sign up here: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stacymccain/jointhefun

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy 

Watercolor Hot Air Balloons

So we all pin more than we create but sometimes you come across a pin on Pinterest that makes you stop what you are doing and try it.  That is what happened when I came across this card by Emma Goddard.  Check out her blog entry HERE.

I had a lot of scraps left around after my online party so I loved that I could use the leftovers to make something new.  So this card is like next day soup.  :)

My version is done just on a 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece of Whisper White.  I used the stencil left over after I cut out my balloon parts using the Up and Away Thinlits.  Using my Watercolor Pencils, I traced each layer and then lightly colored in the center.  Then I used a blender pen to shade them in.  The saying is stamped on a 1" strip of Whisper White and layered on the card using dimensionals after creating a banner end using the Triple Banner Punch.  Such a fun card and can't wait to try it on Watercolor Paper too!

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Whisper White
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Stamp Set: Lift Me Up
• Accessories: Big Shot, Cutting Mats and Platform, Up and Away Thinlit Dies, Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Triple Banner Punch, Dimensionals

IT'S TIME TO SALE-A-BRATE!

It's time to Sale-a-Brate.  From 1/4 through 3/31, you will be able to select an exclusive Sale-a-Bration (SAB) offering for each $50 in merchandise you purchase in a transaction.  Check out the great offerings by clicking the catalog link to the right and stop by my Online Store to earn them today!

If you are interested in hosting, you can earn an additional $25 in free merchandise with a party of $250 or more.  Contact me today if you are interested in hosting!

WHAT IS PAPER PUMPKIN?

They tell you to sell what you love and I love Paper Pumpkin.  It lets me show people that I am thinking of them while taking much needed time for myself to do something I love.  I'd love to see if it's the crafting solution for you as well! 

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.  They also are invited to participate in a free Paper Pumpkin Playdates to make their kits using any of my additional supplies like framelits and punches!  It's a wonderful program and I'd love for you to try it out!  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit!

You can sign up here: https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/?demoid=80380

During Sale-a-Bration, you can also purchase a 3 month pre-paid subscription for only $55 and pick out a Sale-a-Bration offering of your choice!

JOIN MY TEAM

If you are interested in joining out team and participating in monthly meetings with free make-n-take projects and outstanding company, 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.  During Sale-a-Bration, you can pick out any two stamp sets of your choice and add them to your kit for free!  With the 2017 Occasion catalog out now, it's not hard at all to find stamps and accessories that you will want to play with. 

Contact me today for more information or sign up here: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stacymccain/jointhefun

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy