Bursting my Creative Block

We are currently in process of getting our house painted.  The first step was finding the contractor and the next was finding the colors we wanted.  I went to Sherman Williams and was overwhelmed by all the options.  Sometimes you just want a white, you know?

In this case, I've been soul searching for a card featuring Berry Burst for my June workshops.  Even if it has a Color Theory strip that reminds me of those pesky paint swatches, it didn't eliminate the stress of trying to design a card!  So when I opened my mailbox and saw my Stampin' Success, our demonstrator magazine, I was hopeful.  And I found just what I needed on page 19.  I knew how to put together all my supplies!

And this card was born!

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Color Theory DSP Stack, Whisper White, Berry Burst
• Ink: Berry Burst
• Stamp Set: Window Shopping
• Big Shot: Big Shot, Cutting Mats and Platform, Polka Dot Basics TIEF
• Accessories: 5/8 Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon, Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine, Dimensional, Adhesive, and Scissors

Hope you like it!

ONLINE HOSTESS CODE

To purchase these products, please visit my Online Store and use hostess code XWR3T6SJ when checking out.

Sign up for PAPER PUMPKIN!

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.  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

JUNE HOSTESS SPECIAL

During the month of June, you can get $35 extra in free merchandise with a $350 party or order.  Contact me today if you are interested in being a host during June!

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.  With the new 2017-2018 Annual Catalog, 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

Keeping Birthdays Quick and Easy

When trying to name a card that is both quick and easy and perfect for the party animal in your life, you have to be very careful how you label the post....  Lesson learned!  Today's card is super fast and will work great for any gender because everyone loves cake, right? 

This is my ice breaker card for my workshop today.  I always try to have a straightforward warm up card to get everyone in the crafting mood.  For this card, you simply stamp the Designer Tee message on the Whisper White and punch it out using your Big Shot and Stitched Shapes Framelits.  I pre-stamped the Tangerine Tango cake so my ink pad wouldn't get the colors mixed.  My crafting friends cut that out and mounted it on the Whisper White.  Then you mount a piece of 3 x 4 Party Animal Designer Series Paper on Crumb Cake.  Add your stamped image in the center using dimensionals.  Add a 6" piece of the Sending Love Whisper White ribbon and adhere on the back of the Crumb Cake.  Then thread a second piece through the first and tie once and trim for the bow.  Add to the Tangerine Tango card using adhesive or dimensionals!

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Party Animal DSP
• Ink: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango
• Stamps: Designer Tee (SAB)
• Accessories: Big Shot, Cutting Mats & Platform, Stitched Shapes, Adhesive, Sending Love 1/8 Whisper White Ribbon, Scissors, 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!

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 

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, Beautiful Paper Piecing

Short post today - kiddos are both sick and I have my hands full! 

This sample came from playing with the Beautiful You stamp set that I'm featuring on the blog this week.  I wanted to use the stamp on designer paper to make an outfit and landed here after several versions!  I love these Stitched Shapes Framelits - have I mentioned that before?

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Sweet Sugarplum, Falling in Love DSP
• Ink: Archival Black, Sweet Sugarplum
• Stamp Set: Beautiful You
• Accessories: Big Shot, Cutting Mat and Platform, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Scissors, Dimensionals, and Adhesive

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 

A Dapper Birthday

I really try to get birthday cards out on time but those at the first of the month really throw me for a loop!  I always think I have time and then they always end up being late.  June is no exception but in my urgency to create the perfect card for a perfect friend, I ended up with this beauty. I love how manly it looks but also great the color combo is!  I also love that since he's my good friend, he won't mind that it's not perfectly stamped - or maybe that's just the photo!

New In Color Combo: Crumb Cake, Dapper Denim, Very Vanilla

This layout could easily be modified for a different sentiment so don't be surprised to see it again when my new supplies get her next week.  It would also make a great Father's Day card (if my father were a car guy or a handy man!)

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Dapper Denim (2 x 5 1/2), Very Vanilla (2 3/4 x 2 3/4), Crumb Cake (8 1/2 x 5 1/2, 4 x 1/2)
• Ink: Dapper Denim
• Stamp Set: Guy Greetings
• Accessories: Triple Banner Punch, Dimensionals, Adhesive

ORDER ONLINE

To order supplies for these cards, please visit my online store here.  Please use one of these hostess codes when checking out if you find something to order. 

• Early June Code: The online code for June 1-June 4th is EQTKHYYC.
• June Code:  The code for June 5th-June 24th is YZZ2RW72

BE A HOSTESS

During the month of June, you can earn an additional $35 in free merchandise when you host a workshop, stamp camp, or catalog party that reaches $350 in sales.  Contact me today to get your event on my calendar or to learn more about in person and online options!

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.  The new catalog is a great time to sign up.  If you sign up between June 1st and June 30th, you can add TWO additional stamp sets to your already customizable kit!  What a savings! 

But it gets better!  Since you can use hostess benefits towards the purchase of your starter kit, if you have a workshop in June and reach $350, you can get your starter kit for $29 or less plus those extra sets.  Contact me today for more information!

WHAT IS PAPER PUMPKIN?

Paper Pumpkin is $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 Play Date 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!

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

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy

Happy Birthday during the Holidays

We have never been a family with Christmas birthdays but I remember one of my best friends having a birthday right around Christmas and how the number one rule was NOT to wrap her presents in Christmas paper. 

This card is modeled after one we did at Convention but I changed mine up to use some of the holiday papers that didn't scream holiday.  The trick to these types of cards is to stamp the bow first in the upper right corner of the card and then stamp and place the pieces downward and to the left. 

The big present is one of the papers in the Season of Cheer DSP.  The gold cord is also from the holiday mini as well and gives a great contrast to the Hello Honey pattern.  I also like that the color scheme in this card reads winter but doesn't read Christmas.  Mission accomplished!

The stamp set, Your Presents, works so great for holiday cards and tags but also works for other gifting occasions.  Saturday I'm posting a project for a bridal shower using it and the same Tin of Cards stamp set.  I like that it also has the patterned stamps in it so you can ink up the patterns and stamp on the present stamp to get the diagonal lines.  It's just a fun set to play with - maybe that's why it has a Joy stamp in it!

I used the white accents and the Tin of Card stamp set on this bonus card because several of my customers purchased it a few months ago and I wanted to make sure I kept giving them good ideas to use with their sets.  After all, that's what being your demonstrator is all about - keeping you using what you have and telling you what you must have next and how to use it!

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Whisper White (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, scrap), Season of Cheer DSP (2 x 1 3/4)
• Ink:  Mint Macaroon and Hello Honey
• Stamps: Your Presents
• Accessories: Gold Cord, White Accents, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, and Adhesive and Scissors

This card is the bonus card for those attending my Christmas in October classes this month!  You can purchase all these items at my Online Store and use hostess code FKPNYCW6 at checkout.

Some of my favorite items are on sale this week.  Check out the deals HERE and use hostess code FKPNYCW6 at checkout.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy

A Bash of a Card

As mentioned yesterday, I have fallen for the Balloon Bash stamp set in the Occasions catalog.  The stamp is photopolymer (137144, $25.95) so you can place it where you want it and lends itself to birthday cards for any gender and any age.

Today's card was another sample that came out of the Creative Convention Online training that I recently participated in.  It was a make-n-take designed by Ronda Wade and Maggie Patterson.  I love how quick the card is and the color combo too.  Who wouldn't love to get one of the in the mail, eh?  I really like the popped up banner on the card and also the addition of the candles at the bottom.  The designer series paper (DSP) is from our Sale-a-Bration brochure - Best Year Ever!

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Best Year Ever DSP, Smoky Slate, Whisper White
• Stamp Set: Balloon Bash
• Ink: Smoky Slate, Calypso Coral
• Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Scissors, and Adhesive.

It's Sale-a-Bration time.  For every $50 you spend in merchandise, you can get a free item from the Sale-a-Bration brochure.  This promotion lasts until March 31st so work on your wishlist and check out the exclusive merchandise here.

Interested in hosting a workshop?  During Sale-a-Bration, when you host a $250 party, you get $25 free in merchandise.  That means you get $65 FREE in hostess benefits!

Ever thought that maybe becoming a demonstrator might be a good fit for you?  During Sale-a-Bration, you can sign up for $99 and get $125 in free merchandise.  You also get to either pick a kit from the Occasions catalog or any two Sale-a-Bration products for free.  If you are interested in learning more, let me know!

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy

Celebrating in Circles



Have you ever seen a stamp set and thought "Not for me" only to see a sample that makes you buy $100 worth of product to make it?  This is one of those cards for me.  The Balloon Bash stamp set from the Occasions catalog did not speak to me when I pre-ordered.  I didn't instantly have ideas and I try to use that as my guide to keep me from going overboard.

 

Then I participated in the Creative Convention Online with Ronda Wade and Maggie Patterson.  This was a set that obviously spoke to them and they used it for one of their make-n-take packages.  Once I started playing with it, I couldn't stop.  I have taught several of their cards for my workshops and it's gaining fans like crazy.  It's even made me like the color Crushed Curry! 

 

The only change I had from their card was that I colored the brads with the Coastal Cabana Blendabilities Marker. 

 



Sorry for the shadow - until recently, Spring days have been at a minimum and I'm still working on my picture taking of samples outside!

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party, and Best Year Ever DSP
• Ink: Crushed Curry
• Stamp Set: Balloon Bash
• Accessories: Big Shot & Cutting Mats, Magnetic Platform, Basic Rhinestones, Coastal Cabana Blendabilities Marker, Circles Framelits, Scissors, Dimensionals, and Adhesive

It makes for great gender neutral cards, which is great since we have an obscene amount of February birthdays to celebrate this month!  Come back tomorrow to see my favorite card with this set!

 

It's Sale-a-Bration time.  For every $50 you spend in merchandise, you can get a free item from the Sale-a-Bration brochure.  This promotion lasts until March 31st so work on your wishlist and check out the exclusive merchandise here.

 

Interested in hosting a workshop?  During Sale-a-Bration, when you host a $250 party, you get $25 free in merchandise.  That means you get $65 FREE in hostess benefits!

 

Ever thought that maybe becoming a demonstrator might be a good fit for you?  During Sale-a-Bration, you can sign up for $99 and get $125 in free merchandise.  You also get to either pick a kit from the Occasions catalog or any two Sale-a-Bration products for free.  If you are interested in learning more, let me know!

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy