Have you ever struggled to find a good design for your handmade cards? Here's a hint – just copy the layout of a card you've already made! Take a look at this thank you card I made…now look down the page a bit (if you're on the yamstamps blog itself..) and take a look at the masculine ship card a couple of posts ago….see?! Same layout, different feel! Both feature the same basic design, including the notched strip of designer series paper, the focal element and the extra design feature at the bottom right of the card 🙂 Easy peasy. This version uses the Patio Party Designer Series Paper, the Papillon Potpourri set and the Curly Cute stamp set, all from Stampin' Up. I also used the large oval punch and the Elegant Butterfly punch for the accents.
We made this card in our Stampers club get together the other evening. If you're interested in joining the Stampers Club and earning free hostess dollars, see the event page or contact me for more information.
There's a great hostess special for November…and I still have a few openings for in home classes! Contact me if you want first choice of dates; I'll be looking to fill my calendar by the end of this week.
woohoo! Even though I said this would be a "semi-regular" thing, here I am with another Tuesday Tip 🙂
This is another organizational Tuesday Tip…gee, you'd think I was really organized wouldn't you…*cough*
Anyway – I thought I'd show you how I have started to store my framelit dies. Those skinny thin dies come in a great folder, but I find this works better for me. I have some extra clear mount cases, and adhered some magnet strips inside. The dies are held in place by the magnet, and then I insert the information in the case as well. If you have some of the Stampin' Up! Big Shot magnetic sheets left, they work well for this; other options include adhesive business card magnets (get them at office supply stores) or some dollar stores carry photo adhesive magnets. I find this system easy to use – I can get the dies in/out without much effort, and easy to store (and not lose…).
Hope that helps! If you have a crafting or storage tip you'd like to share, please let me know!
Heads up if you're in the Burlington area – registration is now closed for the Thursday Christmas Stamp a Stack with only a few spots left for the Sunday afternoon Stamp a Stack – contact me ASAP if you'd like to attend!
Stampin' Up!'s The Open Sea stamp set is great for non-flowery cards! Here's a great masculine card done in Basic Gray, with a touch of colour from the Howlstooth and Scaringbone Designer Series Paper. I love that the colours are Hallowe'en-ish but the design can be used for other occasions. When you use strips of DSP, you can stretch your stash really far as well.
I'll be prepping for the monthly gathering of the Stamp Club members, as well as for the upcoming Christmas Stamp a Stacks. For October, Stamp a Stack attendees will be receiving a package of Glimmer Brads to dress up their cards. If you're interested in attending, please contact me or sign up on the Events page. Dates are Thursday, October 18th and Sunday, October 21st. The projects are different each month, so if you attended in September, you'll be getting a stack of new ideas!
By the way, if you record the date in month-day-year format…today is 10-11-12! One of my Facebook friends pointed that out! Thanks Laura 🙂 Hope it's a good day for all of you.
I'm here with another Tuesday Tip – designed to make your crafting more quick and easy!
I love the fact that Stampin' Up!'s colours all coordinate – you know that the Real Red cardstock will match the shade of the Real Red Ink Pad and the Real Red Stampin' Write marker, and the Real Red ribbon etc etc – or at least you know it won't be a totally different tone of red.
I admit that I am a bit of a lazy crafter as well – why should I go to all the trouble of figuring out what colours go together when I could use my Colour Coach…or even better, just use the colours that Stampin' Up! uses in the Designer Series Papers?! To that end, here's today's Tuesday Tip, that some of you organized types may have already figured out. I think I've mentioned in the past that Oprah has her "aha" moments, and I tend to have my "well, DUH" moments…
Stampin' Up! very nicely tells us what colours are used in the Designer Series Paper images – it's listed in the catalogues under each DSP. My tip – write those colours down on the backing sheet in the DSP package! That way, you don't have to (a) look at the paper and try to guess what colours they used OR (b) try to find your catalogue that's buried under the avalanche of discarded cardstocks that don't match the DSP when you thought they did.
Simple and easy, makes crafting so much more enjoyable!
Hope all my Canadian friends and family (and ex-pats!) were able to enjoy the beautiful colours of the long weekend while celebrating Thanksgiving.
Don't forget that I have an Opportunity Night tomorrow at 7pm here in Burlington ON. If you're interested in attending, please RSVP ASAP! It's a great time to start your own Stampin' Up! business. (I know, I say that all the time, but it's true!!). For my other upcoming events, don't forget to check my events page. Hope to see you soon!
Happy World Cardmaking Day! Hope that you are able to spend a moment today to make a card and send it to someone special – "just because". That's the beauty of cardmaking, I think – it's a craft that is based on sharing with others.
Here's a video I created (look at the fancy title and end bits!) to show you how to make a card using a technique that some call "Triple Time". If you saw my clip on CH Morning Live yesterday, it was the card at the top of the card tree. If you didn't see that clip, I'll include a link of it below as well. I had a great time as always on the show, and Annette Hamm is a crafter for sure! Despite my "epic time fail" I think it went pretty well. My epic fail was that I hauled my Big Shot along to show some fancy embossing and die cutting…..and we totally ran out of time before I even got to use it on air!!! Ah well, that means I have something to show next time, and I will be SURE to do that FIRST!!!
Without further ado – here's the video – enjoy, and if you make something with this, I'd love to see the results! Email me or post it to my page on facebook – www.facebook.com/yamstamps
OK, here I go again…LOL…I'm getting ready for my appearance on CH Morning Live tomorrow (Fri 5 Oct, approx 9:15 am), and this is one of the projects I'm taking along with me. I'm planning on showing that card making is not a scary venture! Not sure if I'll have time to show much of it…so here it is for your viewing pleasure 🙂
One week until the start of my annual 12 Weeks of Christmas mailings! Can you believe it?!
For the past few years, I've been doing a 12 weeks of Christmas countdown. Exclusively for my email list subscribers, I send a weekly project idea complete with supply list and instructions. By the end of the 12 weeks, you'll have received 12 tutorials for creating some wonderful cards, gifts, and packaging for your holiday needs! The mailings will start ONE WEEK TODAY – Wednesday, October 3rd at 1pm. Please be sure to have signed up for my mailing list by that time so that you don't miss a single project! Only mailing list subscribers will be receiving these free project ideas and instructions – this is a "THANK YOU' to all of you!
Sign up so you don't miss out – CLICK HERE or fill in your information in the box at the top right (under newsletter sign up). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
This is the card I showed a sneak peek of earlier this week. We had a lot of fun at the Stamp a Stacks this week, and everyone went home with 8 cards and 2 tags ready for the holiday season – plus the remainder of Basic Rhinestone "bling" that they didn't use on their cards in class.
I love the Ornament Keepsakes Bundle from Stampin' Up!'s Holiday catalogue. Every single image has a coordinating framelit that you can use with your Big Shot to perfectly cut out the image. We paired a couple of ornaments with the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder, added the bling and created a beautiful, elegant card for someone special. Well, for those who came to the Stamp a Stack, TWO someone specials since they get to make two of every card and tag.
If you're interested in building up your Christmas Card stash, the next Christmas Stamp a Stacks are in October – Thursday, October 18th in the evening (doors open at 6:30 pm), or Sunday, October 21st 1pm start. See the events page or contact me to register. Payment due in advance please & thanks.
A little peek at one of the cards we'll be making during this month's Christmas Stamp a Stack. There are spots still available, and two dates to choose from – this Thursday evening (arrive 6:30 – 7pm as you can) or Sunday afternoon 1pm start. For your $40 fee, you'll be provided with all the supplies needed to create 8 cards and 2 tags, including envelopes for the cards, envelopes plus an accessory – this month, you'll receive a package of the Basic Rhinestones to embellish your projects and take the remainder home with you. This fee also includes adhesive.
Have you ever struggled to find a good design for your handmade cards? Here's a hint – just copy the layout of a card you've already made! Take a look at this thank you card I made…now look down the page a bit (if you're on the yamstamps blog itself..) and take a look at the masculine ship card a couple of posts ago….see?! Same layout, different feel! Both feature the same basic design, including the notched strip of designer series paper, the focal element and the extra design feature at the bottom right of the card 🙂 Easy peasy. This version uses the Patio Party Designer Series Paper, the Papillon Potpourri set and the Curly Cute stamp set, all from Stampin' Up. I also used the large oval punch and the Elegant Butterfly punch for the accents. 
