This is Stampin’ Up!’s Perennial Birthday Project Kit – well what you can make with the contents of the project kit! I’m offering this class on FOUR different occasions at the end of February/beginning of March. The kit itself includes the consumable supplies for the cards, plus the box and dividers. When you register and prepay for your class (deadline for registration is February 14th), you’ll get one of these kits which will be waiting for you at the class time you pick. At the class, I will have the adhesives, inks and stamps for you to complete these projects so you can stamp them up, assemble them, and be ready for the next birthday on your list….or have it ready to wrap and give as a gift!! This would be a thoughtful and handy gift for Mother’s Day, a birthday, thank you/hostess or Easter or…just because?!
Class will be held in north Burlington – directions will be sent to you when you register.
CLASS DATES AND TIMES: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH – 1pm OR 7pm THURSDAY, MARCH 1 – 7PM SATURDAY, MARCH 3 – 1PM
Class fee is $55 and includes the kit and use of the inks/stamps/adhesives to complete your projects. Contact me to register.
Are you looking for a Valentine’s Day Card Idea?Here’s one – use decorative papers to make your card stand out easily. In this card, the backing paper is Stampin’ Up!’s gorgeous specialty Designer Series Paper, Painted With Love. These papers are so beautiful, feature some of my favourite colours and have a metallic touch that makes everything more impressive. I tied in the linear theme with the striped heart image from the set Heart Happiness, also from the Occasions catalogue. The Designer Series Paper features Rich Razzleberry, so I used that colour for the backing cardstock and ink. The variations in the stamped image are created by the stamp itself – so literally all you do is ink the stamp, stamp it on the paper and admire the results!
We will be doing a version of this card in the upcoming February Card Class – Wednesday, February 7th at 1pm or 7pm. Please contact me to reserve your spot! As always, we will have a variety of cards in the class, so you’ll get a Valentine’s Day card idea (well, I guess you’ll actually get the card too LOL), plus 3 other cards to use for a variety of occasions. A lot of times, I leave sentiments off the class cards, so that you can add a sentiment later or use the blank inside to write an appropriate message. This card is actually blank on the inside, so it could be a Valentine’s Day card, or could be used for any other time you want to send a message of caring and support to someone. (Hey, today is also Bell Let’s Talk Day, so this could be an appropriate card to send “just because” to someone!)
As you can see, this is a fairly straightforward card layout – another way to make your cardmaking easier. A basic layout can look very different when you vary the colours, images and backgrounds – but the essential design is the same – whether you’re needing a Valentine’s Day card idea, a birthday card idea or an Easter card idea! (and you thought being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator was difficult? haha sorry to blow that illusion…) The other day when I had a bit of a creative block, I decided it was better to be productive than to mess around and not come up with anything at all – so I used the January Paper Pumpkin kit. Without having to use much brain power, I was able to create a whole whack of cards that I can now share with others. I’m planning on sending them to members of demonstrator group to share the love and thank them for being part of my team! I shared a photo on the YamStamps Instagram account – I guess that’s another Valentine’s Day Card idea for you? Hope to see you at a YamStamps event this month to create cards for the special people in your life!!
This is an easy and effective card to reproduce, and it’s made easier if you have the Magnetic Platform and the Big Shot Die Brush. The Magnetic Platform holds the metal thinlits in place (no need for tape) in those crucial moments before they’re held secure by the pressure of the Big Shot, and the Big Shot Brush helps to get all the little pieces out of the detailed die cuts – plus helps to pop out the die cut itself. We did this card in a private card class earlier this month, and I’m tempted to pull out this die cut dragonfly card design again soon for future classes…we shall see… When there’s newer seasonal catalogues in effect, I tend to get distracted away from some of the great items in the Annual Catalogue, but I try to make sure I don’t get too drawn in by the bright, shiny new things….though don’t worry, I always make sure there’s plenty of opportunity to play with those bright, shiny new things at class too!! This card doesn’t feature any Sale-a-Bration items…..but if you were to purchase the stamp set and thinlits, you’d qualify to get a Level One Sale-a-Bration item for free! See Sale-a-Bration details in this post.
If you’re interested in creating a die cut dragonfly card like this one, or need to build up your stash of cards, consider attending either a monthly card class (“Pay as you go”) or joining the Stampers Club (“Membership has it’s privileges – in this case, free classes and free product…). You can see details about both these regular offerings on the YamStamps Events Page, or contact me if you have any questions. Attendees tell me that they enjoy getting to try products and techniques out in class, and club members mention that they are able to budget out their crafty spending a bit more effectively by planning ahead for the duration of their 6 month membership! In either case, we always have a lot of fun, so I hope that if you’re local to Burlington ON, you can come and try out a class sometime!
This fun coffee card is a great way to say hi to a friend that you haven’t seen in a while! It uses the stamp set Balloon Celebration – and you can change out the beverage type as desired! Other stamps in this set include “tea”, hot chocolate” and “champagne” so imagine the possibilities! I also mixed and matched with the stamp set Timeless Textures (available in wood mount or clear mount) for the coffee ring image, because it suited it so well! The strips in the background are from the Coffee Break Designer Series Paper, mounted on an Early Espresso piece of cardstock on the Crumb Cake cardbase. The sentiment is on Whisper White and Garden Green, die cut with the Layering Circles Framelits, which ties in with the paper, and with the colour scheme of a large coffee chain that makes really good coconut milk chai lattes. (True confession….I’m actually not a coffee drinker….).
This could easily be used as a gift card holder by adding a flap on the inside (or making a small envelope with the Envelope Punch Boardand adhering it inside the card) – to make this a true coffee card?! Perfect for any occasion or for Valentine’s Day…
Don’t forget that right now you’ll want to make sure that your product order adds to $60, or some multiple of that, because for each $60 order, you’ll get one free Sale-a-Bration item of your choice! New this year – a Level 2 Sale-a-Bration! For a $120 product order, you can select one of two items – one is a set of framelits, and one is a larger stamp set….so definitely more bang for your buck right now! If you have any questions or need help placing your order, feel free to contact me. Otherwise, you can shop the online YamStamps Stampin’ Up! Canada store 24/7!
So with the lead up to the holidays plus my trip away, my pre-planning did not always go according to…well….plan. I also seem to forget how much time zone changes throw me. While I am able to be up at the “usual” time (or close to it), many of my waking hours seem to be in a zombie-like state (or more so than usual LOL) on my return to my “home zone”. However, that being said, I would not trade my recent time away for anything!
If you live in Burlington ON, or somewhere close by, you probably have heard of the Burlington Teen Tour Band. I was actually a member when I was a teenager, so it’s a joy for me that my son is currently a member of the same organization. After a detailed selection process, they were invited to the Rose Parade in Pasadena California, for January 1, 2018 (the band’s FIFTH time to this historic event!). I was fortunate enough to attend as one of the band photographers and as a chaperone. So from December 26th to January 5th, I got to hang out with some of my favourite teens and adults! This was a busy trip, but it was great to be in the sunshine….we missed the record cold temps of Burlington during our absence (sorry not sorry), and there were some definite once in a lifetime kind of experiences happening.
The band getting ready to perform at Pasadena Bandfest.
The band at the parade. (thanks Andrea, fellow photographer for this capture).
The band performing at Disneyland – last performance of the tour (what a way to finish!)
Sidenote – the band has red jackets that members and chaperones usually have to wear when out and about. Georgia was one of the teams in the Rose Bowl game – and their greeting to fellow Georgia Bulldogs fans is apparently to bark at them….which kind of threw a number of us when this happened while we were touring around California – until we figured out why strangers would bark at us (and until they figured out we were NOT from Georgia! LOL).
Now that we’re home again, the laundry is done and the bags are almost all put away (I’m a little slow on that one…), the house will be ready for Stampers Club tomorrow and it’s back to the regular grind. Well, technicially it was back to the grind last week, but it was definitely a dazed stumble-through week for me. Let’s hope this week gets a bit better.
I’ve sent out a number of Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogues to people, but if you still need one, let me know. I am in the midst of following up with those on my mailing list, to be sure that they actuallyarrived…. You can see the online versions here, but there’s nothing like having a hard copy in hand, I know. Until the end of March, select free merchandise with each $60 product purchase, get extra product for hosting a party with qualified sales, and get 2 free additional stamp sets if you purchase the Demonstrator starter kit! Contact me for more details or to book a date!
Happy Sale-a-Bration! Happy New Year! Nothing like beginning the new year with new products. Stampin’ Up! Canada’s Occasions and Sale-a-Bration cataloogues are now in effect! The sample above uses the NEW Sale-a-Bration Level 2 set, Happy Wishes, which is available in either clear mount or wood mount.
That’s right, new this year – level 2 Sale-a-Bration items! As in previous years, for each $60 in product order (in a single order), you can earn a free Sale-a-Bration itme. This year, though, if you order $120 in product in a single order, there’s two exclusive Level 2 rewards you can select! One is the set above, the other is a set of thinlits called Celebrate You.
The other ways to be rewarded during Sale-a-Bration – you can either host a cardmaking party, or purchase the Demonstrator Starter kit! Hosts with qualifying total party sales will be eligible for extra Stampin’ Rewards, and new demonstrators will receive TWO additional stamp sets of their choice from either the Annual or Occasions catalogues! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to book a date to either chat about the starter kit or to host your own cardmaking party – or both!
As always – you can shop online 24/7 in the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store, or please feel free to contact me if you need assistance placing your order or have any questions! Happy Sale-a-Bration!
Well, another year has come and almost gone, and once again I find that I’m behind on my holiday greetings! However, these lovely cards have arrived over the past while to brighten my home. Thanks to those creative and organized people, and once again I make a resolution to get more organized!! LOL
The first card – tailored, classic and clean, with a bit of bling, is from Annette; the second card – so elegant, is from Arlene (so lucky to have her in my group of demonstrators!!); the third card is from Donna – love the silhouette effect and netting! The beautiful non-traditional pink toned card is from Cheryl, and the classic door and wreath card is from Lori – and I know she did a number of different variations on this theme as well; last but not least, a peaceful card from Merle. Thank you everyone!
I hope that you are able to spend time with friends and family over these days. Thank you for being a reader, thank you for supporting my business, and may you have a happy, healthy and creative new year!
I apologize that it’s been a little quiet here on the YamStamps Blog! I have been posting on social media (theFacebook page and instagram) a bit but not as much here as I thought I was…LOL. How have you all been? Somehow I feel that I’m not the only one who is feeling the need to come up for air!! Much as I love the holiday season, it brings a lot of busy-ness with it….add to it the busy-ness of being a volunteer with a marching band of 200 teenagers getting ready to go to the Rose Parade, and that’s the whirlwind in which I’ve found myself of late!
So here’s a fun and easy card to make that is also good for a Manic Monday (because it still is Monday right now, right?!). I still love this Cable Knit Embossing folder. Reminds me of the heavy wool sweater that my grandmother knit for me decades ago! I thought this sentiment from Snowflake Sentiments (available in wood mount or clear mount) was a perfect match for the folder! The set also coordinates with the Swirly Snowflakes Thinlits Dies, and is available in a wood mount bundle or clear mount bundle at a discounted price! Added a bit of bling with some of the Red tinsel from the Mini Tinsel Trim Combo Pack, which is currently on sale as part of the Year End Sales Event.
When you’re mass producing cards, it’s always good to be able to die cut or punch out your sentiment. Stamp first, then cut/punch. That way, you can “adjust” the angle of the framelit or punch so that your sentiment is perfectly straight every time! That little step saves a LOT of grief – at least for me! Of course, in the future, I’ll be able to use my Stamparatus (as long as it’s a clear mount or photopolymer stamp) to make sure that my sentiment is straight every time – so I may be a little bit more inclined to stamp my sentiment directly onto the card….we shall see. Have you reserved your Stamparatus yet? You have until December 30th to reserve your Stamparatus for delivery in the spring (you won’t get charged until it ships). If you don’t reserve one now, you’ll be able to purchase one when the next Annual Catalogue comes out (June, 2018). You can go to the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store now and reserve your Stamparatus!
In the meantime, the LAST of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas mailings goes out this week to mailing list subscribers! Plus the regular weekly dose of inspiration and information….are you on the list?
This time of year can certainly be hectic, so I thought it was a good time for a Manic Monday – Christmas Card Edition! Some of the items featured on this card are going to be retiring – so you’ll want to grab them while you can. Read more about the Year End Sale Event here – including links to the lists.
You may notice that this is a black card. I liked the way the black made the gold and white “pop” more – but black is a hard colour to write on….so what you can’t see is that there is an additional piece of Whisper White cardstock on the inside of the card so that the personal greeting is readable.
The gold plaid background is one of the sheets from the Year of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper. This has been my FAVOURITE paper from the Holiday Catalogue. I love the weight of it, and I love the “wow” of the metallic. It adds glamour to the project without effort! The gold foil snowflake is another way to add “bling” without too much effort. Both the DSP & the foil snowflake will be unavailable after the end of the Holiday Catalogue – and current supplies are available while they last (so if you really like these items, you’ll want to order them ASAP!). The JOY sentiment is from Cheers to the Year, which is available in wood mount orclearmount until the end of the Holiday Catalogue sales period. It’s heat embossed with Gold Stampin’ Emboss Powder, and punched out with the Starburst Punch. Good news…LOL…both of those are from the Annual Catalogue, so will be around for a while still!
This card can be easily created en masse so great for those that are still finishing their holiday cards (guilty party here….LOL). Have you finished your cards yet? Once again, like the cobbler’s children who have no shoes, I am the cardmaker who is scrambling to get Christmas Cards together to send out for herself!! On the YamStamps Facebook page, I shared a great articleabout the importance of still mailing a Christmas Card. I truly believe that a handmade card increases the value and significance even more! So on that note…I’m off to see what I can do about my Christmas Card list!
