I hope that you had a good Christmas! I am so grateful that I am able to spend time with my son and my mother (yay for being under the same roof!). I was actually on call for Christmas Day and Boxing Day but thankfully it was quiet (health care professionals will understand why I didn’t actually say that word while I was still on call though…no need to jinx it LOL). I’m now enjoying some days off and obviously needed it since I feel like I’m a bit “checked out” at present. HOWEVER. I will endeavour to post here more in the next while. Today’s share is an ornamental die cut card that you can create with the supplies that you have in your craft room.
Ornamental Die Cut Card
I combined a couple of die cuts to create the focal image on this card. I used the Envelopes Dies, which are retiring from the August-December Mini Catalogue and are on sale as part of the Year End Closeout. after die cutting the centre design (don’t you love it?!) I then die cut again with the Stitched Nested Labels die that fit around the graphic. Once I had that focal piece, I then just added it on top of a portion of Designer Series Paper backed with coordinating cardstock. We made this card as part of December Stampers Club, so each member received a packet with precut card supplies – so thankfully the Whisper White and Snowflake Splendour Designer Series Paper selling out did not affect our crafting efforts (since I had the supplies ahead of time – phew). Yes, unfortunately at this time, they’re sold out, so if you’re wanting to recreate this card and don’t have those exact supplies on hand, use a different tone of cardstock and different Designer Series Paper – it’s not too difficult to swap out as you need, really!
If you are looking for a way to keep busy and creative in 2021, please consider joining us in Stampers Club!Our next session takes place on January 18th. If you’re in Canada and can join us online, we’d love to have you! One of the things that club members have mentioned lately about our online sessions – is that they join us live for the companionship and to see how to do things/ask questions – but often will make their cards later on. I record our online session and then post it in our membership site, where current club members can access the video and follow along while they make their cards using their kit supplies, and can pause the video and rewatch portions as needed. Please contact me to join us, or if you have questions/want more information. Our club kits include die cuts and precut materials, and members can add sentiment stamps or additional accents with whatever supplies they have on hand. This ornamental die cut card is an example of the projects that we are making – something with interest but that isn’t totally dependent on stamped images, since each member has a different stash of crafting supplies in their own home.
So in this blurry time between Christmas and New Year (I am pretty sure that I’m not the only who feels that way), I hope that you are able to find some time to recharge your batteries and maybe even get some crafting done. Thank you for stopping by the site and being part of the YamStamps community!
I created this card before hearing the news that Whisper White cardstock/products are discontinued due to the closing of the factory producing it….but I am sharing this all white card in celebration of the product. (Plus at time of writing, Whisper White cardstock is still showing in the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store…)
All White Card
I love the elegance of monochromatic themes – and an all white card is definitely elegant. When making a one colour card, though, I do find it important to use texture or something to help it stand out a bit more. The Evergreen Forest 3D Embossing Folder gives a lot of detail to the cardstock, so I thought it was great to use as a backdrop. To keep things super simple, I added the Silver 3/8″ Metallic Edge Ribbon and the sentiment from Butterfly Wishes in Smoky Slate Ink on a Layering Ovals Die Cut. I think maybe next time I might add either a heat embossed silver edge or a Silver Foil Oval behind the sentiment to give it more definition.
You could use this card design with any single colour you like – though if you’re using a darker cardstock you may want to heat emboss your sentiment so it stands out, and add a lighter coloured cardstock insert inside the card so your message will be readable.
This is one of December’s Stampers Club cards – though really I should maybe start calling it “Card Club” because in the day and age right now of virtual gatherings, we tend to focus more on card making techniques and die cuts, which I can send out to everyone in their class packets (Stampin’ Up! regulations prohibit us from sending out pre-stamped images). It’s fun to see each other on our Zoom get togethers as we make the cards together (or watch everyone else make them and make them in our own time later on LOL). I record our Zooms and then upload them to our club website so that members can access them after the fact. If you’re interested in joining us, you can start at any time for a six month period. Since our meetings are online, you can join from anywhere in Canada. You can contact me for more information on how to join us.
In the meantime, maybe I’ll create another all white card with Whisper White Cardstock until Stampin’ Up!’s replacement is available – it will be called Basic White. Looking forward to seeing what it’s like!
Shocking I know! Apparently the mill that provides Stampin’ Up!’s Whisper White cardstock has unexpectedly shut down – meaning that Stampin’ Up! will be replacing Whisper White cardstock and with a new one called “Basic White”.
So – for the time being, while supplies last, these items are available to purchase with a limit of 2 per order:
Whisper White 12″ x 12″ (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Cardstock (124302) (Sold Out)
Assorted Memories & More Cards & Envelopes (149710)
Sharing a version of a triple cube card that we made in Stampers Club and Card Class to Go. This is a fun 3D pattern, and once you’ve made one, it’s pretty straightforward (really!). I used this sentiment from the Snowflake Wishes stamp set to create a Hanukkah Card.
Hanukkah Card
The lovely thing about this design is that if you fold/flatten the bottom cubes upward, the card will fit in a medium Stampin’ Up! envelope for easy mailing! If you were at Stampers Club, you will remember that it had to be pointed out to me… LOL. I thought I’d messed it up because it didn’t fit in the card, but I was flattening the bottom boxes down vs up – so that the flat card was 6″ long rather than 4″….*sigh* If you’ve been around the Stampin’ Up! / cardmaking world for a while, this is a variation on the “2-4-6-8″ box design (your cardstock is scored at 2” increments, then folded to create a box/cube).
Here’s one where you just change out the sentiment…
I love the Snowflake Splendo(u)r Designer Series Paper that’s decorating this card, and it’s part of the Year End Closeout Sale – so it’s on sale until the end of the August-December Catalogue sales period (January 4) or while supplies last – whichever comes first.
So probably the only thing I’d change on this Hanukkah Card is the placement of the Designer Series Paper in the bottom boxes. I put it on the bottom portion – but next time I would put it on the “back” portion, to cover the little “legs” that hold the sentiment in the centre. The things you notice when you go to take photos of your projects…LOL. (Either that or next time I take the photo from a different angle…).
As well as the Year End Closeout Sale, the Clearance Rack has been refreshed – so there’s plenty of bargains to be had right now. I noticed that there are some individual Stampin’ Blends Markers up for grabs – because they’re currently only sold in pairs – so if you need a replacement or really like a certain colour you should get it while supplies last! As always, please contact me if you have any questions, or need assistance placing an order. Sometimes technology does not play nicely – believe me, I know – so if you’re having issues trying to complete an order at YamStamps.com/shop , please contact me. I can often enter orders from the “back end” of the Stampin’ Up! system for you, and still have it shipped directly to your door.
In the meantime – stay warm, happy shopping and Happy Hanukkah!
I love how easy this Poinsettia Card was to make – using Stampin’ Up!’s Plush Poinsettia Specialty Paper from the August-December 2020 Mini Catalogue.
Poinsettia Card
I coloured the plush portions of the vellum using a sponge dauber, and then adhered it onto a Gold Foil sheet and added the sentiment from Itty Bitty Christmas die cut with a Stitched Rectangle die. When I was colouring, I tried to stay mostly on the plush portions but didn’t get too fussed if it was off a little bit – I figure it’s more artistic that way LOL.
Poinsettia Card
If you’ve been loving the products from the August-December Mini Catalogue, you’ll also maybe realize that they will be leaving us soon! Stampin’ Up! has let us know which products will make another appearance – either in the next Annual Catalogue OR the next “holiday” Mini Catalogue – which will actually be July– December (an extra month vs this year!). You can download the spreadsheet here for the returning products. NOTE that on the returning products spreadsheet there are tabs indicating which catalogue they will be appearing in.
In terms of items that are retiring – Stampin’ Up! has announced a Year End Sale on selected retiring August-December Mini Catalogue products. REMEMBER that “Bundles” typically “retire”, though the individual elements may return in a future catalogue – just not as part of the discounted bundle. Selected retiring products are on sale from December 8 – January 4 – and all items are WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. Here’s a spreadsheet of retiring items; here’s a pdf version if you prefer.
Your best bet is to place your order online at YamStamps.com/shop – it can be delivered directly to you in Canada – or if you need assistance placing an order or prefer me to place the order for you, I’d recommend contacting me ASAP – if you can send me a message by 8pm on Monday December 7th, I’ll do my best to get things organized so that I can place the orders early on the 8th for best possibility of getting things before they’re gone.
If you’re looking to purchase a gift for the paper crafter in your life, or you’re a paper crafter looking to drop hints to your friends and family, look no further! I present my 2020 Paper Crafter’s Gift Guide! I’ve compiled this list with some of my favourite Stampin’ Up! tools to make your gift giving (and receiving) a little easier. I’m not including stamps, inks or papers…that’s a whole other list in itself! LOL.
I tend to call this my craft mat, so pardon my inaccuracies in using its proper name…but whatever it’s called, I think it’s one of the most useful tools to have on hand!! WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – it’s inexpensive (you could get multiples!) – projects won’t stick to it when applying adhesive (even if it’s a bit messy) – it rinses clean and is ready for the next project quickly – it can act as an extra layer to help get better stamped images – either with clear blocks or Stamparatus – protects the crafter’s work surface – from adhesives or ink
NEXT Paper Crafter’s Gift Guide Suggestion: The Stamparatus
Stamparatus
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – makes stamping easy, and makes image alignment easier – great for crafters who are particular about straight stamping or who do a lot of repetitive stamping – perfect for those who have trouble holding the blocks or holding blocks steady for stamping – one tool for all your stamping needs – no figuring out which blocks will fit which stamps – removable plate means you can move the stamped image for some neat techniques or change them out quickly – comes with 2 plates, additional plates available
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – folds for easy storage/portability – opening is slightly wider than the included cutting plates and platform so it’s easy to run projects through the opening – allows use of dies and embossing folders (sold separately) for easy, expert looking crafting and “stepped up” projects – perfect for someone who has been crafting for a little while and wants to make their crafting more polished looking
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – interchangeable ends mean you have scoring tools, a spatula and putty tip easily accessible – time and sanity saver: easily pick up and apply small pieces and embellishments – Brush Tip is great add on – and perfect for removing small pieces from intricate dies/die cuts – inexpensive multipurpose tool
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – Makes straight cuts and score lines easily – so projects are neat and expert looking – Great for scrapbooking or cardmaking – manages 12″ x 12″ sized sheets – slightly raised edge makes it easy to ensure that the paper is in the cutter straight – every paper crafter needs a good cutter for their projects
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A PAPER CRAFTER: – easily score multiple lines on a project to make folds crisper and cleaner – great for crafters who like to make more intricate projects with multiple scores/folds – great for crafters who make multiples of a project – easy to change out the cardstock pieces quickly – large base easily accommodates 12″ x 12″ sheets for scrapbookers or 3D project makers
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Gift Certificate
WHY IT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR PAPER CRAFTERS: – can be emailed and printed off – perfect for when you aren’t sure what they want – can be in any denomination – can be used for Stampin’ Up! product or classes (online/in person once they start up again) Gift certificates are only valid in Canada and are only redeemable for purchases and classes with me. Please contact me to arrange purchase.
I hope that you had a good weekend! I spent some time crafting, so that always qualifies as a good weekend in my books. Today I’m sharing a Happy Celebration Card – because I really like this So Much Happy bundle…and because it’s going to be on sale tomorrow, Tuesday November 24th as part of the Merry & Bright Online Sale!
The Merry & Bright Online Sale is going to feature select products from the Annual Catalogue at a 10% discount – but only for 24 hours! It starts at 1201 AM and runs until 1159 PM Mountain Time. So if you’re in Ontario like me, it starts at 201AM Eastern Time and runs until 159AM on the 25th, in case you have insomnia and need to online shop in the middle of the night. No August-December catalogue product will be involved in this sale, and this is the list of exceptions from the Annual Catalogue – you can download a pdf or spreadsheet version, or check out the picture below.
Merry & Bright Sale – Excluded Items
So pretty much if it’s in the Annual Catalogue (the big book) and NOT on this list – it’s included! I think the best deals will be any of the stamp and tool bundles (like the So Much Happy Bundle used for the Happy Celebration Card above) – because they’re already discounted, so you’ll earn a discount on the already discounted price!
So start making your list – and be ready to go shopping tomorrow – Tuesday 24 November! Click here to go shopping in the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store – shortcut is yamstamps.com/shop. Or – you can email me with your order and I can place it for you – and have it delivered directly to you (Canadian residents only due to Stampin’ Up! regulations). Happy Shopping!
Here’s a Curvy Christmas Card that we made the other evening in Stampers Club. It’s also available as part of the current Card Class to Go(message me for purchase information). I think that 2020 is going to be the year of the resurgence of the mailed holiday card! With that in mind, I’m trying to get going on producing more cards right now – how about you?
Curvy Christmas Card
For this card, I used the Quite Curvy Variety Bundle, which is available until January 4, 2021. It includes the Quite Curvy Bundle (Quite Curvy stamp set and Curvy Dies), the Curvy Christmas stamp set and the Classic Christmas Designer Series Paper. The Quite Curvy Bundle (and the individual components of the bundle) will be available in the January-June Mini Catalogue, but the Curvy Christmas set and paper will not be available after January 5th.
The colours in the Classic Christmas Designer Series Paper are Sahara Sand, Shaded Spruce and Cherry Cobbler. For this card, I die cut the Cherry Cobbler and Shaded Spruce pieces of patterned paper with the Curvy Dies. From the Curvy Christmas stamp set, the evergreen boughs are stamped in Shaded Spruce and the sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso, which is also the backing cardstock. I used Crumb Cake cardstock for the cardbase itself because that was what was closest to hand LOL.
For Stampers Club and Card Class to Go, all the pieces are precut, and participants adhere them together and add their own stamps and ink (since we’re assembling in the comfort of our own separate homes). For this card, if people didn’t have the Curvy Christmas stamp set, another holiday themed stamp set would do. If it’s a photopolymer (clear) stamp set, you can also manipulate the stamp when you adhere it to the clear block to get a curved sentiment as well!
If you are making a bunch of cards, and have extras, you might consider sending some on to others – like those in Retirement or Long Term Care Homes, or Armed Forces members – as noted in this tweet:
Armed Forces Request
Any Canadian Armed Forces Member PO Box 5004 Stn Forces Belleville ON K8N 5W6
Cards will require appropriate postage (to Canada). It was mentioned by a friend that glitter and other sparkly embellishments are best avoided – they can set off the security detectors for one thing, and we all know how glitter spreads and sticks and would not help someone trying to be camoflauged.
I have a couple of these Curvy Christmas Card samples, so I think I’ll be sending a few on to share the holiday spirit. Join me in this mailing effort?! Happy Crafting.
While I know that I’ve been doing the Twelve Weeks of Christmas Projects for YamStamps subscribers, I’m still caught off guard with the fact that Christmas is a month and a half away! Today’s snowflake card for a friend was one that I created for a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator only swap featuring products from the August-December 2020 Mini Catalogue. Snowflakes are one of my favourite “themes” for seasonal and holiday cards.
I adhered the Vellum to the cardfront with Glue Dots and tried to place them behind snowflakes so they weren’t quite as visible. I hid a couple of them with the gems, and now that I look at this photo, could have added a few more gems?!
I love the fact that this snowflake card for a friendcould be a holiday card but could also be a birthday card, friendship card or just because card during this season. Burlington is entering “Red Zone Status” for the pandemic as of Monday, so I think it’s an important time to keep in touch with people while keeping socially distanced.
If you’re looking for ways to keep busy, consider purchasing one of my Card Classes to Go – the “regular” versions feature a variety of projects, and the Holiday Card Class to Go focuses on holiday cards only. Each class has the precut materials for four different cards, plus a printout with a photo of the completed project and step by step instructions. You can add sentiments from your own stash or shop the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store (shortcut:YamStamps.com/shop) for the ones I use in the samples. Contact me for payment links and more information. Each class cost is $20 and includes postage within Canada.
Lest We Forget – sharing a scrapbook page from my trip last year to Normandy. I travelled with the Burlington Teen Tour Band to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of DDay. It was a truly memorable experience, and the highlight for me was watching the incredible band members represent Canadian youth so well.
Lest We Forget
I am typically more of a cardmaker than a scrapbooker, but I do like making a few pages now and then. Since I don’t make a lot of pages, I tend to do more “highlights” pages or pages where I gather similarly themed shots together – and this is one of them. I put a photo from the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian war cemetary together with photos from the band at the Juno Beach Centre. Added a few die cut poppies with the Poppy Moments dies, and put a stamped image from the Painted Poppies stamp set behind the title/text box. I coloured the poppies with the Watercolour Pencils and used the blender pen to smooth the colour.
My hint for tone on tone die cuts is to sponge some of the same ink colour onto the top layer detail die cuts. For this page, I die cut the poppies from Poppy Parade cardstock, and used a portion of a Stampin’ Sponge (or you could use a Sponge Dauber) to dab Poppy Parade ink onto the detailed poppy die cut. It deepens the colour without changing it so makes it stand out a bit more without distracting from the overall look. Stampin’ Up!’s colour coordination makes my crafting efforts so much easier.
I will be taking time from my day to watch the Burlington Remembrance Day ceremonies virtually, and look forward to the time when we can gather together in person again to do the same. Lest We Forget.
