Christmas stenciling!

Hello all! I've have been in the christmas crafting mode for days now. I signed up for a bazaar in December so I have a lot of stuff to make. Plus I have classes and a My Digital Studio presentation coming up. I absolutely love the MDS software! It is so cool. I've had some cards printed already and very soon I will have a photo album done as well. Very exciting!

Here's a little project for you. If you need any of the supplies, click on the Shop Now link on the right. Enjoy!

	First step was to make a stencil using the ornament punch and acetate (transparency). You can get that at any office supply store. I laid my new stencil over a piece of Whisper White cardstock that measures 4 x 5.25".
	I masked the top of the ornament and sponged the rest with Sahara Sand. I added more color to the left and lower left and very little color to the center and upper right to give the ornament some depth.
	I moved the mask so that I could sponge the top with Soft Suede. I sponged it heavily to give it lots of color.
	Next I stamped one of the stamps from the Holiday Best Hostess Level 1 set in Old Olive. I used a blender pen to remove the color from the cardinal at the top.
	Here I used a Real Red marker to color in the cardinal. I used the huffing technique to moisten the stamp. Yes, huffing is a technique - have you ever gotten the stamp too close to your mouth and ended up with ink on your lips?
	Take a look at the ornament all stamped up and pretty. You can use a Stamp-a-majig but I just eyeballed it.
	The base of the card is 5.5 x 8.5 Old Olive textured cardstock. There is also a piece of Old Olive that is 1.25 x 4". Embellishments are a vintage brad, a mini library clip and ribbon from the Masterpiece Ribbon Originals.
	In this photo the card is put together but it's missing a little something.
	I punched a 1" circle out of Whisper White cardstock. Then using the same stamp and Old Olive ink I added a little flourish to the bottom of the circle. I used my Sizzix Bigshot and the Merry Details Sizzlit to cut this cute little bird out of Real Red cardstock. It's clipped to the strip of Old Olive.

Viola! The finished card! Simple, easy, yet so pretty!

I hope you enjoyed this step-by-step guide. I am thinking of doing them more often. I'd love to get inot video like some of the other bloggers out there however I don't have a video camera nor the funds to buy one. So for now it'll just be one photo at a time!

Have a great weekend!

Happy crafting!

Desiree

Halloween Hoot - Acetate Box

This is a great box to make for Halloween. Although mine is filled with kisses, imagine it filled with chocolate eyeballs or gummy fingers!

The instructions to make this box are on Splitcoaststampers. The bottom of the box is Basic Black cardstock. I stamped the sign and frog in black stazon then colored them with markers. I cut them out and glued them on to the box.

The top of the box is Old Olive cardstock witha ribbon tied around the top. I made a crunched up flower for the very top. Cut a 2x6 inch strip of Cast-a-Spell dsp. Then cut fringe all along the long edge about 1 1/2 in. Roll it up and glue the end. Bend the fringe outward then crunch it up. Next I used an x-acto knife to cut a criss-cross in the top (I pushed a pencil through to make it easier to insert the fringe flower).

The green ooze is made with Crystal Effects. Lay out a piece of wax paper and glob out the CE in the shape of ooze. I made sure to make it about 8 inches. Then I sprinkled it with Dazzling Diamonds and colored it with drops of Old Olive reinker. Let it dry overnight. Peel it off and glue it on to the acetate just below the Old Olive lid.

Isn't it a cute box?

Thanks for taking the time to stop by. I enjoy sharing with you.
Desiree

Halloween Hoot - Triangle Box

Here's a cute little treat box!

The triangle box and acrylic smash technique instructions are on Splitcoaststampers. The box is made from Basic Black cardstock and uses plum grosgrain ribbon to tie it closed.

To do the acrylic smash, take a piece of acetate (transparency) and stamp it with stazon. Here I used the Halloween Hoot stamp set. Flip the acetate over and use a sponge bruch to dab acrylic paint on it. Before it dries lay it on a piece of glossy white cardstock. The acetate will stick to the glossy paper. I also added silver brads in each of the corners.

Next I stamped the witch on a piece of Whisper White cardstock and colored her in with markers. Punched her out with a 1 1/4 circle and then adhered that to a 1 3/8 black circle. Lastly, I adhered the entire triangle to the box. It's plenty big enough to fill with a handful of mini candy bars.

Have fun making your own triangle boxes!

Thanks for visiting!

Desiree

Halloween Hoot - Tri-Shutter Card

Check out this tri-shutter card that is part of my Halloween Hoot class. I've never made one before and it's fun! It looks harder than it really is - just two cuts and four scores. Then you decorate each panel. The base of the card is the Day and Night Specialty dsp and I used Cast-A-Spell dsp for three panels. For cardstock I used Perfect Plum, Only Orange and Whisper White. I used black stazon and markers for all the stamped images. I also used my Sizzix and the Billboard alphabet for the "BOO!" on the front. The bats are black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.

Have a great day!

Desiree

Halloween Hoot!

Hi all! I can't believe that I let an entire month go by without posting....

Here are some Halloween projects for a class that I have coming up. We'll be making decorating a clipboard for this year's fab costume photo, a tri-shutter card, an acetate box and a triangle box using the acrylic smash technique.

All projects use the Halloween Hoot stamp set. Other supplies are Cast-A-Spell designer paper, Night and Day specialty designer paper, Black Stazon, acetate, Basic Black cardstock, Old Olive cardstock, Ony Orange cardstock, Perfect Plum cardstock and Whisper White cardstock, acrylic paint (banana, kiwi, purple) and markers in Old Olive, Only Orange, Sahara Sand, Perfect Plum, Creamy Caramel, and grosgrain ribbon in black, plum, orange and olive and lastly, silver brads.

Making all these things was super fun especially with a pile of Halloween candy at my finger tips!

I hope that you had a great weekend and got lots of crafting done! Thanks for stopping by!
Desiree

Emma's getting married!

Wow, it feels like a century since I last posted... Of course high school has started, college starts tomorrow. Lots of stuff going on in my family life, I haven't even been creative lately. I'm behind in my class samples and generally behind in all of my crafty pursuits!

Ok, so I don't know who Emma is but that's the name I picked for my wedding swap. I might have mentioned a while ago that I was doing this with some other SU! demonstrators... We were to make a save the date card, bridal shower invitation, wedding invitation, rsvp card and a thank you card. Here is what I made:

My thoughts were that this would work well for a garden wedding in the summer. I tried to keep my supplies to a minimum.

• For All You Do stamp set
• Whisper White, So Safron, Ruby Red cardstock
• So Safron, Ruby Red, Old Olive and Versamark ink
• Whisper White 1/4 grosgrain dyed with Ruby Red reinker
• Very Vanilla 5/8 grosgrain
• Clear rhinestone brads
• Silver brads
• Clear embossing powder
• Curly Lable Punch
• Sizzix Big Shot and textured plates and butterfly die

I need to get to bed early tonight to get a good start on the week. Have a great Monday!!!

Desiree

The Holiday Mini has arrived!

Without further ado... I present the 2009 Holiday Mini Catalog!

You can see it here. A couple of things I would like to point out to you:

• Two new exclusive hostess sets  
• Sweet Treats and Sweet Centers - make some super cute cards full of goodies (see photo below)  
• Christmas Cocoa Designer Series Paper - metallic and flocked!  
• Ornament Punch, coordinating set and rubons!  
• More exclusive Sizzix dies: Table Setting and O Christmas Tree Pop Up  
• Make your own jewelry (see photo below)  
• Build a Bear!!! Stamps, paper and Sizzix dies (see photo below)  
• My Digital Studio - available Oct. 1

 Yeah, I pretty much want one of everything! Look!!!!

These sweet treats will be fabulous for all kinds of cards and projects! Fill them with candy, buttons, glitter, beads, etc. The coordinating stamp set includes stamps to make a flower, hot air balloon, Halloween scene, heart and ornament. Use these products all year long!

I can't wait to make necklaces and ornaments with these beautiful jewelry findings! They come in three sizes with two lengths of chains. Or use ribbon to hang them on. The beveled glass front opens so you can change out your handcrafted creation whenever you want. Too cool!

Who doesn't love these awesome little bears? SU convention goers had the opportunity to buy exclusive Stampin' Up! bears dressed in cute SU aprons. These little cuties can be dressed up for Halloween, Christmas, school or playdates. Choose from stamps, dies and paper. Use the dies and magnetic sheets to make a set of bears and clothes for the kids in your life!

So, go download your catalog now! Here's the link: www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Holiday09_US.pdf 

Enjoy!
Desiree

Flowers and trucks and bears, oh my!

Pretty soon I'll be teaching a 3D card class. These are my samples. This one is my favorite! I used the Live with Passion set which was perfect to make a garden scene. The base is Old Olive cardstock.

It's an 8x8 square scored at 4" both ways. Score a diagonal line from the center to one corner. Then cut one of the score lines from the edge to center - see diagram.

The background is Kraft stamped with Old Olive and the flowers are stamped on Confetti White. I inked the flowers in Crushed Curry, then colored the stems with an Old Olive marker and sponged the flower centers with Chocolate Chip.

After cutting out the flowers, I played around with the placement and which ones will be popped out. I cut thin little strips (1/8 x 1") of Kraft and folded thim in a zigzag shape then adhered them to the backs of the leaves/flowers.

Adhere the two flaps together to make the sides. Now the diagonal score line will fold up and the card will now fit into an A2 envelope.

The second card was made with the Look Here Sizzix die in Bermuda Bay and Rich Razzleberry. I used the Loads of Love set for the image and colored with chalks and markers. There is a spot that will hold a gift card or in this case a truck! In this case, the cardstock is so bright that the truck is lost - it looks much better in person.

Since this will be a class, I tended to keeping this one simple in the interest of time. However I can imagine all kinds of fun things that could be done to spice up a card made with this die.

The third card is a shadow box card. Take two equal sized cardstock pieces and score at .5 and 1" on each side. Create your scene - I used the Under the Stars set and colored with watercolor crayons. I wish that I had used Creamy Caramel for the front piece of cardstock. I used Confetti White for the back piece of cardstock.

That's it for tonight! Oh, and Stampin' Up! softened it's restriction just a bit so I don't have to delete as many blogs off my blogroll as initially required. Regardless, the post where I've listed my favorite blogs will always be just a click away in the "labels" section.

Have a great day!!! Happy crafting!
Desiree

Great blogs to visit

These are just a few of the blogs I love to gaze at. Enjoy!

• {capture the moment}
• 2 Sketches 4 You
• 52 sketches, 52 weeks
• Amazing Paper Grace
• Clean and Simple Stamping
• Confessions of a Naptime Stamper
• Confessions of a Ribbon Addict
• Fat Cat Stamper
• Flutter by atomicbutterfly
• Follow Your Bliss...
• Hands, Head and Heart
• Hemidemisemiquaver
• i{heart}2stamp
• It is what it is...
• It's Not All Black & White
• Jenn Balcer
• Just Dandy
• Just Give Me Stamps...
• kwernerdesign
• Lilybeans paperie
• Linda's works of Heart
• Mish Mash
• Mother's Little Helper
• Moxie Fab World
• My Blog by Cammie
• My Life
• My Little Piece of that Azure Sky
• No Time To Stamp?
• Paper Blessings
• Paper Cuts
• Paper Delightz
• Paper Hugs
• Pickled Paper Designs
• pine is here.
• Poetic Artistry
• Running With Scissors...
• Savor the Journey
• Simple Things
• Stampin' When I Can
• Stamp talk with Tosh
• susiestampalot
• Taylored Expressions
• The Scalloped Edge
• Thinking Inking
• Twisted Chick Creations
• Walkin' on the bad side

Changes

The truly great thing about the web is the ability to click from place to place and see so many different things. We can all connect in so many ways (blogs, twitter, facebook, communities, etc) and create great friendships. The internet has brought a lot of joy to many people through this fabulous ability to share.

Today I learned that Stampin' Up! has just started a new policy for all demonstrators that participate in electronic media (blogs, twitter, facebook, etc). We are no longer allowed to promote competitive products by providing pricing or retail information. Completely makes sense businesswise and I had been doing this for awhile already.

Unfortunately, we cannot have links to web sites or blogs that promote competitive products. So, that means that I will be removing most if not all of the links in my "What's New?" section. So now is the time to add those to your favorites if you haven't already or subscribe so you get their posts directly in your email. There are some great SU demonstrators out there and I will be adding their blog links instead.

I will also be removing the badges for the sketch blogs since they are attached to competitive companies.

Hmmmm. Not too happy about this. I can imagine that lots of others are disappointed as well.

Meanwhile I will continue to post projects since I primarily use Stampin' Up! products so all is well there.

Nighty night,
Desiree

Nouveau Chic Book

This is the Nouveau Chic book that my Crafter's Club gals made. It was fairly easy with no a bunch of steps or supplies. It's 6x6 which is such a nice size for a scrapbook about a single event or person. And I LOVE the Nouveau Chic dsp from Stampin' Up! It's a departure from their usual styles. It features a nice color palette: Sage Shadow, Basic Grey, Apricot Appeal (a color I havent' used in ages). It's the same paper I used for my banner, twitter page and SU web site. So this book is  a CASE from a project in the Stampin' Success magazine that demonstrators receive every month.

For the cover I used textured Basic Black because it has such a nice feel to it. It's 6x12 with a half inch spine in the middle. The Sage Shadow wraps around it to give extra strength.

The inside pages are divided into three "signatures" which is a grouping of pages. You can kinda see that at the bottom edge of the binding in this photo. If you look in your book collection at a hardbound book, you will see the signatures in the binding - paperbacks are not bound in the same way. The are individual pages glued into the cover.

The pages are Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla and Nouveau Chic cut to 11.5 x 5.25 and folded in half.

Anyway, each signature is pierced about half an inch in and threaded with black embroidery floss which is tied with a bow inside. When I bound the middle signature I added a button and to hold it in place I used a glue dot.

For the front we added our monogram with the Lovely Letters alphabet stamp set in black ink. The we used Versamark and a stamp from the For All You Do set and clear embossed that. The chipboard frame is naked and it's a chipboard collection that is retired. On the side we looped black grosgrain and tied with apricot grosgrain.

Have a wonderful day and thanks for sharing a few minutes of it with me!

Desiree

A safron embrace

I loved making this card! Its a bit different with the recessed center but oh so easy to make. Instructions are on SCS Resources page. I pulled out the Embrace Life stamp set which I love and don't use ofter enough and some Chocolate Chip cardstock. I used the Bella Birds designer series paper and cut it so that the bird is partially in the framed area and partially in the recessed area. I also used a stamp from the Friends 24-7 set to add to teh background. The flower was stamped on watercolor paper with Timber Brown stazon and then colored with Watercolor Crayons. I colored, cut and curled (sounds like a hairdresser, heehee) two flowers and popped them out with lots of dimensionals. For embellishments, I used chocolate tafetta and clip from the retired antique copper HodgePodge Hardware and in the upper corner are some gems - I think from K & I. I wish that Stampin' Up! would bring on gems to match their colors. Wouldn't that be fun?

This Sunday is brunch for my hostesses from the past year. We'll also make a couple of projects. That reminds me... I need to share the book we created in Crafter's Club. We used the Nouveau Chic papers, Sage Shadow, Basic Black and Very Vanilla cardstock. It turned out pretty cool. I'll post it tomorrow.

So, for those interested in Stampin' Up! August specials, you only have a few more days. Check out the details on my Web site http://www.desiree.stampinup.net/!

Country Living Cookout Kit - 40% off

The Country Living Summer Cookout Kit gives you everything you need to hold a fantastic summer party, including:

Creative invitations

Fun food wrappers

Customizable coasters

And more!

Now only $14.95 (refill $9.95), the Country Living Summer Cookout Kit will ensure your summer party is a hit. Available through August 31, or while supplies last.

Button, button who's has the button? YOU!

Get a free package of buttons when you purchase $35 of merchandise from the Growing Up section of the Stampin' Up! catalog.

Last but not least.... I would love for you to be a part of my team. As your upline I will help you with creativity, business ideas, group events and lots more! Stampin' UP! offers flexibility and fun. I can't imagine a better way to connect with friends, share what I love and express my creativity!

You can choose from just saving money on personal purchases, earning some Holiday cash or starting to build a business that will generate steady income. All are possible!

There are no requirements except $300 in sales a quarter if you wish to remain active - and your own purchases count. No mandatory training, no mandatory recruiting, no mandatory starter shows, no nothing. JUST lots and lots of options for stamping, scrapping, crafting and home decor.

As a demonstrator you can choose to focus on:

1. Supporting your personal habit
2. Just stamping
3. Just scrapping
4. Just Digital Scrapbooking
5. Just Home Decor
6. Just crafting
7. Building a business
8. Dabbling around your priorities
9. One day at a time
10. Or any combination there of - again there are NO requirements other than $300 a quarter.

With our $85 and $199 low priced starter kits, Our Buy Back Guarantee on anything new and used within 12 months and me - what do you have to lose?? You only have great product that you select in your starter kit to gain, as well as friends, fun, pre-public access to product, discounts, tax benefits, travel, full color monthly magazine, 2 FREE months of your demonstrator website, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Again I personally invite you to give Stampin' UP! a try. Consider it a gift to yourself that will keep on giving.

$85 Kit Special Ends August 31. Sign up today on-line and let the fun begin!

http://www.desiree.stampinup.net/ and click on "join now" - Recruiter Authorization Password: desiree

Have a great day and see you here tomorrow!

Desiree