Lovely as a Card

Recently I decided to start checking items off my house "to do" list.  Not things like pulling weeds or decluttering, but big items.  Like getting the house painted and getting a landscape crew to come out and give our trees a haircut.  Plus we had a hard winter and lost a few trees due to the arctic temps.

We were recommended to Chavco Tree and Landscaping Services by a friend of ours.  I cannot recommend them enough.  If you are in Boise and need work done, give these guys a call.  Not only did they come out in the 100+ degree heat to do our work, they did it all in two hours with two of them and cleaned up so well, you wouldn't know they were ever here.  The work they did was top notch and I plan to use them to replant trees in the Spring.

Here's the other thing that I noticed during this experience.  I tipped both Joshua and Mike because they were here doing something I couldn't do and didn't want to do.  When I tipped them, it wasn't very much but enough to buy themselves some more water and lunch or a little something.  I was grateful.  It was interesting to hear them say that no one tips for services like this anymore.  Really?  Have we forgotten how to be grateful?

So, as I work on paying it forward and being mindful of the moment, I decided to make the guys at Chavco a homemade card to send back my payment.  I have a rule that I can't use my Stampin' Up! envelopes for anything if there isn't a card in them and since this invoice was online, it was the perfect way to say thank you one more time.

Thank goodness we will NEVER retire Lovely as a Tree because I finally needed it for a TREE card instead of a holiday or fall card! 

I stamped the trees in Archival Black on watercolor paper.  Then I colored the trees with Crumb Cake using an aquapainter and used Night of Navy for the sky.  Once the trees dried, I went back over the branches with Always Artichoke and a Blender Pen.  Then I did the grass with the aquapainter and added a little linen thread.  The result is a very masculine card that looked much more difficult than it was.

Hope you enjoy and don't forget to say thank you to those that are helping you out, using skills you don't have, doing things you don't want to spend time doing, or just being good people which we need in the world.

ONLINE HOSTESS CODE

To purchase these products, please visit my Online Store and use hostess code 4R3DF9YC when checking out.

BONUS DAYS ARE HERE

For the month of July, you can earn $5 in bonus dollars each time you spend $50.  Then in August, you can redeem them for more fun product.  Bonus dollars are sent via email so don't delete them!

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

Subscribers can also have access to all my past project sheets!

JOIN MY TEAM

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.  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. 

But for the month of July, the deal gets even better.  You also get an Essentials Gift Pack for FREE.  This kit includes 2 clear D blocks, Grid Paper, Paper Snips, SNAIL Adhesive, and a Bone Folder for FREE.  That’s a $52 value.  And, though I’m already jealous of this deal, you will also get the clear mount Carols of Christmas set ($20 value) for free.  That deal is too sweet to pass up especially when it’s so easy to find $99 worth of stuff you would buy anyhow from the new catalog! 

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 http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stacymccain/jointhefun!

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy

Birthday Thanks

So that happened.  On Tuesday, I crossed over into the next decade.  I'm looking forward to the 40s - they seem like the decade where you can celebrate because you are stable.  I look at my life and feel honored.  I have my family, my health, my financial security, my home.  I have my friends and my business and my mind.  I have aspirations that I can see strive for and successes each time I look at my kids.  I am honored and grateful.

For my birthday, I went to the spa and used the gift certificate my wonderful husband gave me last year for a massage, pedicure, and manicure.  It was heavenly.  I wanted to send a thank you card to the folks that helped make my birthday so happy and memorable and lucky me, I sell a stamp set just for that.  Plus I can use the same one for my family!

For this card, I used the Cupcakes and Carousels Designer Series Paper Stack.  This card is super simple and fast to make because I wanted to leave time to write a heartfelt note on the inside.  I love that you can use the larger images to punch out smaller images like the balloon.  Can you tell it's a Ferris wheel?  I also love that you can flip the string in the Balloon Adventures stamp set and get two different looking strings from the same stamp!

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Very Vanilla, Pool Party, So Saffron, Cupcakes and Carousels DSP Stack
• Ink: Early Espresso
• Stamp Set: Balloon Adventures, All Things Thanks
• Accessories: Balloon Punch, Triple Banner Punch, Dimensionals, Adhesive

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

January Paper Pumpkin Subscriber - Thank You Card

Today's post is my thank you note that went out to my January Paper Pumpkin subscribers.  I wanted to use the opportunity to both thank them for supporting the program and my business but also to show how well the products in the kits coordinate with our other product lines.  Because the stamp set was lovey dovey, I paired it up with more Sending Love products.

I always encourage my Paper Pumpkin subscribers to have a package of these Notecards and Envelopes on hand.  Regardless of what is in the Paper Pumpkin kit, you can make cards out of the pieces if you have card bases and envelopes ready.  For $6, you can get 20 Notecards and Envelopes and they are a perfectly mailable size!

For this notecard, I mounted a 4 3/4 x 3 1/4 piece of Real Red on the front of the notecard.  This actually happened because I stamped my copyright stamp on them first and did the wrong side so I had to cover that up.  :)  Oops!  But I liked it better on the red anyhow.

The rest of the card is a 3 x 1 piece of Sending Love DSP with one of our lace doilies cut in half behind it.  I cut apart one of the goody bags and used the 1/2 strip on the DSP to bring the gold in.  The cord is behind the saying which was punched using the Big Shot and the Stitched Shapes Framelits.  I finished it off with a few gold sequins left over from past pumpkin kits.  This layout would work great regardless of the saying but the Adoring Arrows stamp set is perfectly sized for these types of cards.

If you want to get a Thank You card in the mail next month with a new layout idea, sign up today for Paper Pumpkin.  The February kit is a card kit which means even if you don't love the sample they include, it's easier for me to send you multiple ideas on how to use it for some great projects!  If you want the kit, which looks like it might be birthday themed, you have to enroll in the program by tonight!  Otherwise you won't get the February kit!  Sign up HERE!

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Whisper White Notecard and Envelope, Real Red, Sending Love
• Ink: Real Red
• Stamp Set: Adoring Arrows
• Accessories: Big Shot, Cutting Mat and Magnetic Platform, Lace Doilies, Gold Sequins, Gold Cord (from kit), 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!

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 

Countdown to Christmas - Day 18

I've mentioned often that I'm a big fan of thank you notes.  I think telling someone thank you for hosting a gathering, for a gift, for that perfect word or gesture when it was most needed, for being kind -- I just don't think you can say thank you enough.

I try really hard on this with my children.  Now that Callie is sounding out words and writing, there is no reason she can't say thank you with a short message.  This year at kid camp, we designed this project together featuring the Seasonal Decorative Masks.  We taped off a tree on the template using painter's tape.  Then I drew lines on it so she could line up the cardstock.  We sponged the tree shape onto the Whisper White cardstock and then adhered it to the folded Crumb Cake card.

The kids also used the "Thank You" and "You're the Best" sayings from the All Things Thanks stamp set, coming soon in the 2017 Occasions catalog.  I then took all my extra Paper Pumpkin sequins and random sequins and had them adhere them to the tree with glue dots.  They punched out a gold star out of glimmer paper and viola - a handmade holiday thank you that they had lots of fun doing!

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Crumb Cake (8 1/2 x 5 1/2, 1 x 1), Whisper White (5 1/4 x 4), Gold Glimmer Paper (scrap)
• Ink: Garden Green
• Stamp Set: All Things Thanks (sneak peek!)
• Accessories: Seasonal Decorative Masks, Paper Pumpkin Sequins - October kit, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (retired), Glue Dots

ORDER ONLINE

To order supplies for these projects, please visit my online store here.  Please use this hostess code when checking out when you find something to order if ordering by December 24th. 

• December Code:  The code through Christmas is WEEMARQ7.

CURRENT PROMOTIONS

It’s our Year End Closeout Sale – take a look at these great specials!  These include discounts up to 60% on retiring holiday products, clearance items, and high inventory items.  Those placing orders through my Web site will be put into a drawing for a doorprize – hint – it’s something new from the new occasions catalog!

Link to Online Store: https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryid=10600&dbws=80380

Just a few notes:

• High inventory items are on discount through January 3rd.
• Retiring accessories are while supplies last.
• Retiring items will all discontinue as of January 3rd.
• Retiring holiday stamp sets are guaranteed through December 21st.

WHAT IS PAPER PUMPKIN?

While we have many great products on closeout, there is one program that you really should check out as well.  I only sell things I'm passionate about and this product line is definitely one of my favorites!

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 Playdate 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

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 Occasion catalog is coming out and you could pre-order from it as a demonstrator!  Contact me today for more information!

Come back tomorrow for more ideas!

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy

Celebrating Creativity - Day 5

 

I am happy to report that our 4th of July was fire and injury free.  It meant a lot to me that I was able to spend the holiday with my favorite people - my family and my dearest friends.  How many people can say their friends feel at home at their parents' house?  It's testament to the type of people I am priviledged to love - the kind that are always welcoming and the type that are always willing to put on a prop for a good photo.....

Today's project is one of my general convention swaps.  When I think of a good Convention swap, I think of something that will help me in my business.  Either it gives me a project to create at a camp, a sample of a stamp set that I didn't intend to buy and my customers would, or something I need like a thank you card or 3D gift for a hostess or customer.  I love using strips of paper on cards to provide color coordination and a little diversity of patterns.

This swap uses the Hostess set, A Whole Lot of Lovely, so it's a good business sample since you can send it to your hostesses that book with you if you are a demonstrator.  The sentiment works perfectly with the 2 1/2 circle punch and a little bling goes a long way in the center of the flowers.  I used the markers to ink up the saying so the flowers stood out from it.  After putting the strips through the Triple Banner Punch, I adhered them with adhesive and then mounted the stamped sentiment up on dimensionals.

That English Garden Designer Series Paper (DSP) is gorgeous.  It says it coordinates with Melon Mambo but that's one of my least favorite colors so I went with Rose Red instead.  I love the look.

Supplies:

• Cardstock/DSP: Whisper White, Rose Red, Mossy Meadow, English Garden DSP
• Stamp Set: A Whole Lot of Lovely
• Ink: Mossy Meadow and Rose Red Markers
• Accessories: 2 1/2 Circle Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, Banner Triple Punch, Scissors, and Adhesive

This card is one of the free make-n-takes that my Stampin' Up! team will be making in July.  If you are interested in more information about joining us or getting more information, please leave me a comment or email me at stacy @ acrophile . net.

If you are interested in ordering any of these supplies online, please visit my online store and enter E9K9QN9B as the hostess code upon checkout.

Have a craftastic day,
Stacy

Classic Gratitude

Do you know what never goes out of style?  Gratitude. 

The easier it is to communicate, the less some seem to communicate their thanks for those around them and the things they do.  I'm as guilty as anyone else.  I always have good intentions but sometimes the expression of those ideas gets lost in my daily shuffle.

Recently, a few friends helped me run a test party online to see if it was a good addition to my business.  I was hoping for a way to communicate to my friends and customers when I'm either out of town or if my kids were sick (which they seem to be all the time now!)  These friends lent me an hour of their time to help me fine tune my "script" for my live event.  Their input was priceless.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  In keeping with my balance resolution, I feel I need to give something up that really is a crutch, an indulgence, and a waste.  While I cannot give up coffee, I can give up Starbucks for six weeks to increase my health and increase my pocket book.  Since I pass one several times a week, this is a good check for me.  However, my friends aren't giving that up (hopefully) so I decided to give them gift cards for helping me out.

I really liked playing with product for these.  The heart pieces are the washi tape that comes with the So You Mini Book kit in the Occasions catalog.  The Happy Hearts embossing folder add a nice touch and I finally got to use my Perfect Blend stamp set.  You could easily substitute out a message for the coffee cup and have a great wedding or anniversary or birthday card!

The card is a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 card that is scored 3/4" at the bottom.  The left scored area is cut off and the right is folded up and stapled.  The gift card slides in there, though it could be on the other side and leave more room for sentiment.  I included a piece of cardstock in my card with my message so they could reuse the card if they needed one!

 

Supplies:

• Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake
• Stamp Set: Perfect Blend
• Ink: Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Big Shot & Cutting Mats, Happy Hearts TIEF, Gold Baker's Twine, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, So You Mini Book kit (washi tape), Adhesive, dimensionals, and scissors

 

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy