321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

Christmas Card Time

I've been a slow blogger lately because of several Christmas card classes that have kept me very busy. This is one of the cards we made at class. It  features the Wandering Words set from the SU Holiday Mini Catalog. I love this set because there's a stamp for fall holidays, this one for Christmas and then another for Valentine's day. Each image features a pretty saying and graphic image and of course with omitting you could ink up just parts of each image as well and use them that way.

When designing this card I knew I wanted to use the 1 inch wide strip of Christmas Cocoa Designer series paper -- the white areas on that strip are flocked and it's such a pretty look. I also wanted a unique way to attach the ribbon accent that you see in the corner of the white strip.

I decided to use a Chocolate Chip 5/16" Jumbo Brad and the legs go right through one of the holes created using the Eyelet Border Punch. Here's a close up look at how the snippet of Mistletoe white and red stitched ribbon is simply pinched between the legs of the brad -- an efficient way to add the ribbon without creating the bulk of a large knot that would make it difficult to mail.

I'll be showing the other 3 cards from the class this week so check back and if you need any supplies just click the Online Ordering button.

Holiday Gift Guide is here!

From now through January 4 there's a great special that lets you collect your favorite Decor Elements items for free. You'll choose one item valued at up to $16.95 for each $50 you spend on items from the new Holiday Gift Guide. You can download that guide as a pdf by clicking on the Gift Guide box in the right column of this blog.

To see the Decor Elements catalog so you can browse the decorative vinyl wall art that you can choose from, click on the SU catalogs to download link over on the right and then choose the Decor Elements brochure from the catalogs.

Pull-up Gift Card Holder

I love giving gift cards and I love dressing them up so the recipient knows that extra thought went into the gift. This little card holder does just the trick. To make the gift card appear you simply pull on the little flower emblem at the top of the strip of Garden Green card stock. It's the same concept as the popular pull-up candy bar holders that use the same technique to have the candy rise out of the card stock sleeve.

The Real Red card stock sleeve starts as a 4&1/4" by 5&1/2" piece. Score that at 2&1/2" and 5" from one of the shorter sides. Stamp a design on the card stock -- in this case I used the poinsettia from the Berry Christmas set. Fold on your score lines and use Sticky Strip on the 1/2" flap to secure it to the other end so you make a "sleeve" that's 2&1/2" wide and 4&1/4" tall.

Use Stampin' Up's small oval punch to punch through both layers of the sleeve about 1/2" down from the top edge. Embellish the sleeve as you wish (I used more images from the Berry Christmas stamp set).

Fold a 1" wide by 11" long piece of Garden Green card stock in half and then insert one end through the oval opening so that one side of the strip comes out on the back and the other comes out on the front. Fold it up together and secure the ends. I stapled mine and then covered the staple with the little poinsettia stamped image layered onto a Scallop punched piece of Crushed Curry card stock. A second punched scallop attached right behind that one with Dimensional foam adhesive covers up the other side of the staple. Just insert the gift card inside the fold of the green strip, push it down inside the sleeve and position it so that it's ready to slide up when pulled.

My Digital Studio makes custom cards fun

I'm learning to use Stampin' Up's new digital crafting solution -- My Digital Studio. It will make lots of different things -- can't wait to make a custom photo calendar!

This card above is a simple photo Christmas Card that I whipped up thanks to using a designer template that comes with the software. Easy to use -- just drag the photo into the photo box, use the easy cropping tool to place it just where you want -- you can even add a drop shadow for some dimension. (FYI: I saved this very low resolution version so it's not as sharp as the higher res version that I actually printed. Next time I'll save at a higher resolution.)

I love how you can design the inside of the card as well. I added simple text and a few images to both panels on the inside so the card has a really finished look. You can see I used the inside top panel as a place to explain the photo on the front. Can't wait to get the printed version from SU's professional printing service. The colors will then be a match for the "real" embellishments I have so I can add those to the card front if I want.

Boo - somebody's watching you

I got the original idea for this cute little treat from Carrie Gaskin's delightful blog. I did some calculating to make it easy to get the most bang for your buck when cutting these out and came up with a quick and easy Halloween treat -- especially when you need something last-minute. The fun is when you open it.....

Look at those cute white Lifesaver eyes watching you. Here's how to make these:

- The Perfect Plum card stock base is 3" wide by 5 & 3/4" long. It's scored at 1/2", 3" and 3 1/2" from one short end.

- The strip of the Cast-a-Spell Designer Series Paper on the front (the stripes) is 3" wide by 1" tall. (see how you have very efficient use of a 12 by 12 piece of paper?)

- On the inside there's an accent mat of paper that's 2 3/4" wide by 2" tall. Adhere it in place so it goes down inside that little 1/2" flap that you fold up.

- Do your stamping and adhere paper before putting in the candy. For the front I used the Little Boo stamp (item #115558) stamped in black and then punched out with the 1 1/4" circle punch. A little Pumpkin Pie marker dresses up his pumpkin basket. It's matted onto a 1 3/8" Old Olive circle and then onto a black Scallop punched circle. Dimensionals pop it up over the striped paper.

- The black swirls on the background of the Plum CS are from the Tasty Sweet stamp set (item #111698) and that's also where I got the cute yum-yum-yum saying for the inside. Happy Halloween on the inside top flap came from Teeny Tiny Wishes (item #115370).

- I taped the bottom corners of my Lifesaver packages together as this made them much easier to hold in place under the matchbook-style flap as I stapled it, making sure to catch the candy's cellophane so it's held in there. Leave just enough room for your top flap to tuck in.

- Punch out two black card stock circles with a 1/2" circle punch and use a white gel pen for a little eye accent. Mini Glue Dots hold these to the Lifesavers.

These have been a hit with everyone who's seen them so I promised to share the how-tos. If something does not make sense just leave a comment or send me an email and I'll get back to you.

Flower Pins - and update

I'm loving the flower pins first shown in this post -- that's where you'll find a photo tutorial. I wanted to share a Halloween version that I made using some glittery fabrics, black tulle, etc. Lots of fun to turn scraps into these pins. Also wanted to pass along a link to a blog post by Stampin' Up founder Shelli Gardner who created this whole craze when she made a pin to show at our summer convention. You can see Shelli's tips for making these by clicking here.

And remember that University of Florida Gator pin I showed in my tutorial? Here it is all finished up and ready to dress up a jacket on game day thanks to a cute football button stitched in the middle.

These are so much fun to make and I've started adding Shelli's idea to glue a little felt circle over the stitching and pin on the back so it really finishes it off. The Big Shot Flower Folds die is the key to making these -- I used the three smaller sized flowers. It's item # 115970 and you can get one through my Online Order link in the upper right column.

It's finally cool here in Florida so happy fall y'all!

Pop-Up Gift Card Holder

The Look Here Pop Up die for the Big Shot die cutting system is one of the easiest pop up dies we sell. Once you make one it's really pretty easy and it's a very useful die for giving someone a gift card in a creative way. Gift cards are very much appreciated by the recipient -- but can seem impersonal so I like to dress them up when I can with a nice presentation.

This pretty white card is the elegantly sophisticated home for a surprise inside. First a version where I just dressed up one of the die cut's built-in arrows by covering it with a stamped and punched out Ornament using the great stamp set and matching punch from the Holiday Mini Catalog.

The die cut has a peek-a-boo cutout in the back so before adhering it to the inside top panel of the card, I attached a piece of the beautiful and very touchable red and white flocked designer paper called Christmas Cocoa Specialty paper from the Holiday Mini. Then here's a stepped up version with a few more stamped and punched out images dressing up the inside.

This die comes with directions and here's a tip that makes it so much easier: once you have your pop up insert ready to attach to the inside of your card, just attach the parts that adhere to the top panel of the card. Only put adhesive on those parts first -- none on the bottom section. Once you've attached the top section above the center fold, fold up the pop up part (you're folding the bottom panel over the top -- then add adhesive to the bottom panel and to attach it just close your card and it will stick where it's supposed to. Hope that makes sense.

Happy gift card giving -- and wouldn't you like to receive a gift card good for more stamping goodies? I do have gift cards available for purchase that are redeemable from me for Stampin' Up merchandise so be sure to let your friends and family know how they can get in touch with me to get you one for Christmas! Just send a note to my email link.

Deals of the Week

There is a special from Stampin' Up each week in October. Here is the latest announced today -- which runs through next Monday morning when a new special is announced.

There are three Big Shot related items:

* 115961 Perfect Setting Bigz XL die (Page 200 of main catalog - normally $42.95) on sale for $25.99 The die is a cupcake "skirt" and napkin ring. You can also get creative and cut it with felt and attach to headbands for some cute girl's princess crowns.)

* 114515  Flower Burst Embosslits die (Page 195 of main catalog - normally 11.95) on sale for $5.99

* 116760 Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die (page 201 of main catalog - normally $39.95) on sale for $25.49

You can order online through the SHOP NOW link to the right or send me a note if you want something. Some great savings on these.

Falling Leaves Peek-a-boo Window Card

I wish it would start to feel like fall here in Florida -- 90 degree days are definitely not fall like! I love making fall cards and this design is one I really like for any small stamp that will fit through the peek-a-boo window made with punches.

Start by layering your mat onto the front of your card (in this case my mat is the 4" by 5 & 1/4" piece of Soft Suede Card Stock.) But don't attach it permanently yet -- just line it up with the vanilla card front so that a small border of the vanilla is showing just the way you want when it's finished. You can use a temporary adhesive such as Dotto to hold this if you'd like. Then punch through both layers -- the mat and the caard while they're held together -- with the 1 & 3/8 inch Square Punch from Stampin' Up. Now take off the Soft Suede layer and stamp on it. You could of course stamp before punching but I like to know where the window will be as I place my leaves. I used Versamark ink and stamps from the Falling Leaves set, plus some splatter courtesy of tried and true set Itty Bitty Backgrounds.

For the little border that shows through the punch window, I punched a window in a scrap of Crushed Curry card stock with the 1 & 1/4" Square Punch. Attach this in between the Soft Suede mat and the Vanilla card, adjusting it so that a border shows evenly from the outside and when you open the card. It's a nice little detail touch that adds to the look of the card.

I use the window in these as a way to tie a bow or in this case linen thread around the card front and through the window. You have lots of options for this stage. You can tie it around just the mat layer; the mat layer after the Curry window accent's been attached (that's what I did here but I also really like it not wrapped around the Curry layer so you have more color showing); or around the whole card and mat once they're attached.

The Gratitude greeting is from the same set and was stamped in Soft Suede on Dusty Durango and then punched out with the Modern Label punch. I stamp right through the window to stamp the little Happy Thanksgiving circle greeting. The stamp blocks happen to be 1 & 1/4" for many of the small stamps so if your stamp is centered on the block then it's very easy to just line up the block with the window and stamp right through the window on the inside of the card. When adding an additional greeting like the one here, be sure it's low enough that it does not show through the window when the card is closed.

Happy fall y'all!

Trick or Treat -- it's a Sweet Treat!

One of my favorite items in Stampin' Up's Holiday Mini Catalog is the Sweet Treat cups -- little plastic cups designed to hold a bit of candy or whatever you want to put inside. (They're great for making shaker cards as well!) Also love the Sweet Centers stamp set designed to coordinate with these little cups, which fit perfectly inside a 1 & 3/4" circle (SU sells a punch that size.) Love the cups but hate for someone to have to tear their card apart to get to the candy inside. No problem -- SU demonstrator Mike thought up a great solution!

A little hidden door on the inside of the card -- that EEK accent?? It's really a pull up tag that when the card is open and you pull, the candy appears. Since I believe in giving credit where credit is due, here's the link to Mike's version and his instructions for how to make your own. I used the Sweet Centers set and added in Tasty Sweet for the inside Yum-yum-yum and Trick or Treat greetings. My card stock colors are Lovel Lilac, Green Galore and Black -- perfect since M&Ms were nice enough to make their Halloween candy a perfect match!