June links – don’t get overwhelmed!

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First things first – click on the image to download your electronic version of the new Stampin' Up 2012 catalogue!  If you want the fancy flash version, click HERE instead.

I personally love the clean and artistic look of the new catalogue, not to mention all the new items inside!

As if the new catalogue isn't enough reason to celebrate, Stampin' Up! also has a couple of specials this month!!

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For those starting a Stampin' Up! business in June, you'll receive extra bang for your buck!  Not only is the totally customizable starter kit a great deal ($125 for $155 worth of product PLUS business supplies), for June, you'll get extra product in your kit!  Each new demonstrator will receive items from the Pool Party suite of products – stamp set, designer series paper plus a DVD of digital design products for use with My Digital Studio (or a photo editing product).Click on the image to download the flyer with product images.

If you're interested in hearing more about the Stampin' Up! business opportunity, please RSVP for my Information Night, Monday, June 11th at 7:30 pm here in Burlington.  If you're unable to make that evening, contact me to make alternate arrangements – we can chat by phone or set up another date to meet in person. I would love for you to join my growing team of demonstrators across Canada!

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Next, for June and July, if you host a workshop, you could earn extra hostess dollars! Earn an additional $60 in hostess dollars if your workshop sales are $575 or more – so that means in total you'd have $150 hostess dollars to spend on product – plus you may select one item for 50% off!  I have some dates available for you to take advantage of this special – contact me ASAP to book a private class for you and your friends.

Last but not least, once again, thank you to everyone who was able to make it to my new catalogue Open House and retired product sale. If you weren't able to attend, please contact me to arrange to get your complimentary copy of the new Stampin' Up! 2012 catalogue, or pick one up when you attend a class with me. Look forward to seeing you soon!!

 

It’s here! It’s here!

20120601_AnnualCatalog_en-USThe new Stampin' Up! Catalogue is now in effect! I love the clean, artistic look of it :)  Ordering will not be available until noon Mountain time today, June 1st, but in the meantime, you can still look it over and start making your wish list 😉 Click on the image to download the pdf/reader version, or click on the text link above to go to the fancy flash version.

Of course, there's NOTHING like having the hard copy in your hands, so please RSVP and drop by my Open House TOMORROW from 1-3pm here in Burlington. You'll also have a chance to pick up some retired product, set a date for your own in home class and sign up for upcoming classes and clubs.  Plus there's food, did I mention that?! LOL.

Butterfly punch is fluttering away….

Butterfly-punch-cardI was going through my files and realized that I don't think I had shared this card with you….and now the punch is retiring LOL!

This Stampin' Up! butterfly punch is retiring in 2 days on May 31st.  I used Pretty in Pink and Whisper White cardstocks, and Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper, plus the scallop edge punch. A little "bling" (although is it truly bling if it's not sparkly?) with the pearls.

Shop the retiring product HERE and remember only until May 31st. If you entered my retiring list contest, remember that you have until May 31st to save $5 on your $50 order. 

Finally, my Open House and retired product sale is happening this Saturday, June 2nd at 1pm – RSVP to reserve your free copy of the new catalogue! You will also earn a gift certificate for use this summer based on your retired product purchases!

All in the Family – retiring stamp set

All-in-family-fatherThis is a card I created a while back using Stampin' Up!'s All In the Family stamp set. This is a fun set that has interchangeable heads, bodies and limbs so that you can create your own characters that resemble your own real-life characters!  This set will be retiring at the end of the month, so don't miss out if it's been on your wish list. It makes a fun activity card – you can stamp out images and the recipient (or creator!) can colour them in.  This was a Father's Day card from last year.

Here in Canada we are enjoying a long weekend. We celebrated our Victoria Day weekend by hanging out with some friends, making S'mores (yum!!) and watching the fireworks. Oh – and I also spent some time cleaning out my craft room. It was a long neglected duty and while I know it's still an ongoing process, I'm thrilled with the results so far (I tweeted an instagram photo of it earlier in the day – did you see it?! Not sure how (or if) I can get an instagram photo embedded here…). I can't wait until my new catalogue open house & retired product garage sale – should be fun! Saturday, June 2nd – RSVP to get your copy of the catalogue that day!!

Hope to see you there!

Happy Mother’s Day!

DSC_1651Here's a view of the prototype for the easel card that Annette & I made together on CH Morning Live (see the video here if you missed it). Easel cards are so much fun and not that difficult!

Quick instructions: I used a "regular" card size cardstock (8.5" x 5.5"), folded in half, then simply folded the front of the card in half again. You create your main image or use a photo, apply adhesive to the BOTTOM portion only, and adhere it to the bottom folded portion of the card front.  (If you were watching closely enough on the video, I actually messed this portion up because I was trying to do this so quickly!). Then, add a little stopper to the inside/bottom of the card to hold everything in place. In this card, I used a punched out flower with a button. On the photo card I showed on Morning Live, I used a punched out sentiment that I adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I hope that all the mothers out there have a happy Mother's Day! I know that I am so grateful to have such a supportive mother, and am lucky to be able to celebrate with my grandmother as well.

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On facebook, I loved how many mothers were posting images of handmade cards that they'd received from their children.  Here's mine :)  (well at least the outside of it) – custom made for me in my favourite colour. Don't ever doubt the power of a hand crafted item!!

Photo Bouquet Quick Instructions

Flower-bouquetJust to hit the highlights for you, in case you'd like to create one for your mom this weekend!

You will need:

a styrofoam ball or floral foam ball available at craft stores

brads – I used Stampin' Up! silver mini brads plus you can use the clear rhinestone brads for the larger flowers. These will anchor the flowers in place plus will be safe for little hands to use (and occasionally clumsy larger hands which is where I fit in LOL)

Cardstock – for my example, I used Bashful Blue, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White and So Saffron

Punches, dies or cutting tools – I used my Big Shot and the Flower Folds Bigz XL Die for the larger flowers, and my 5 Petal Flower Punch for the smaller flowers. You could also free hand cut flower shapes. You will want a circle punch for the photo centres.

Designer Series Paper – to cover the container

Container- to rest your ball on – I used a clean can that I had opened with my safety can opener (leaves no sharp edges)

Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive or other liquid/white glue – helps to anchor the larger flowers in place

SNAIL or Sticky Strip – to adhere photos to your flowers and DSP to the container

Photos of loved ones or loved places, stamps with sentiments – I used stamps from the set Family Reunion and Bashful Blue Classic Ink Pad

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HOW TO:
1) Punch & die cut your flowers

2) Start with the smaller flowers (learn by my mistakes – when I made mine, I was so keen to do the photo flowers I did them first, then had to manouever to get the smaller ones in place to cover the ball). Randomly place onto the styrofoam ball, using brads to pierce the centre of the flower & into the ball

3) Add larger flowers – you may wish to put some adhesive on the back of the flowers and then pierce them with a longer brad and into the styrofoam ball

4) Punch your photos using a circle punch

5) Adhere your photos to the centre of a flower on the ball, covering the brad OR stamp sentiments, use circle punch to punch out and then adhere to centre of flower. I sometimes matted a photo onto a smaller flower and then onto the flower on the ball.

6) Wrap your container with Designer Series Paper and adhere in place – set ball on top and you are done!

It's a really easy and fun project. Please feel free to leave a comment below (please note I've had to moderate all comments – too much spam coming through – so it may take a while to see your comment) or email me.  If you create one, I'd love to see how yours turns out!!

Video of Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

I am always thankful to be invited back to appear on CH Morning Live – each time it's a great experience.  Here's a video of the other day. If you are reading this in a reader or by email and the embedded video doesn't appear, here's a link to the video on the yamstamps youtube channel.

The adhesive sheets used for the ribbon rosette are the Sizzix Big Shot Multipurpose Adhesive sheets – I love to use them to coat a surface with adhesive quickly and easily. 

I plan to have more instructions about the photo bouquet up before the weekend (in time for you to complete one for someone special in your life?!) so please be sure to check back! In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Photo Bouquet

Flower-bouquetI'm getting set to run out the door….well okay, not run, but hobble (more on that later) for my appearance on CH Morning Live today. I'm sharing a number of ideas that you can make for Mother's Day – and this was my favourite that I came up with – a photo bouquet of flowers that need no watering! I'm planning on showing how to make this today, so if something happens with timing and I don't get the details in, I'll be sure to share it here on my www.yamstamps.com blog later on.

Regarding the hobbling – well, I'm moving a little more slowly today as I finished my second marathon yesterday! Happy to complete the Mississauga Marathon and beat my time from my first marathon last year (albeit on a totally different course…).

Thanks for stopping by the site. Please be sure to check back – and so you don't miss out on anything, sign up for my newsletter at the top left of this site! (Or try clicking here)

A Reprieve for some Occasions items!

April 30 is the last day to order from Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Mini Catalogue – however, there will be some items still available after today!  Click HERE to download a copy of the list

The Blossom punch is one of the items on the list – but the Mixed Blossoms coordinating stamp set is NOT, so don't miss out on that one!!  If you're in Canada, you can place your order here for delivery right to your door.  Contact me if you have any questions.

 

Update to Retired Accessories List

Stampin' Up! has let us know that the Paper Snips and Craft Scissors are NOT retiring, and were included on the list by mistake. These WILL be available in the new catalogue, so cross these off your lists! (Please note that there is no discount on the paper snips, either, since they are not retiring).

I will keep you posted as I'm able regarding availability of accessories.

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