Well, imagine my surprise when I realized I hadn’t posted here in a while – oops! So I’m back, with a bonus. One set, two looks. I have been busy behind the scenes, updating my new subscriber video, hanging out in the new catalogue launch event group, and like you, continuing to negotiate our changing situation day to day. Sometimes it’s all I can do to make it through the day and then zone out watching Netflix (currently finishing the Great Canadian Baking Show, which I’ve enjoyed, though admittedly not quite as much as its big brother, the Great British Bake Off, and not as much without Dan Levy).
Anyway – refocus! OK, so the set/bundle I used was Blossoms in Bloom. I love the coordinating Blossoms in Bloom stamp set and Many Layered Blossoms dies, and love that the dies can actually be used on their own as well. The first card was one that I used for a demonstrator swap where Stampin’ Up! demonstrators each create multiples of a card, then we get back one of each participants’ cards. It’s a great way to see other ideas and stamp sets that you may not (yet) own. I try to share a different swap card I’ve received each Sunday on the YamStamps Facebook PageSunday Swap Share.
For this card, I focused on the thin, detailed die cut and kept the colours monochromatic otherwise. The image of the blossoms is stamped in Highland Heather onto Purple Posy Cardstock. The detailed die was cut out of a Copper Foil Sheet. When you place an Adhesive Sheet on the back of your cardstock/foil before die cutting, all you have to do after running it through your die cutting machine is peel off the liner for the adhesive and place your die cut wherever you want!
For the second version of the card, I focused on the stamped images in the set and a more colourful approach.
For the large flowers, I used Balmy Blue ink, then used Highland Heather for the very small flowers and Petal Pink for the medium sized flowers. I essentially just stamped the large flowers first, then filled in any gaps. The sentiment and leaves were stamped in Pear Pizzazz, but I used second generation images for the leaves so they were a softer colour that didn’t distract from the flowers. (Second generation image = ink up the stamp, stamp off once on scrap paper, then stamp onto your cardstock). Some of my favourite card making hacks are on this card – second generation images, stamping off the edge of cardstock, leaving one corner blank for the sentiment, and mounting the image off centre on the cardfront. I use these tricks for myself otherwise I can end up with the same design all the time! It’s fine if you’re sending off the cards to different people, but it becomes obvious when you’re posting them in one place LOL. My other lazy crafting card hack? All the colours used came from the same Stampin’ Up! colour family – Subtles.
Hope you enjoyed this One Set, Two Looks approach! I’m off to finish up prep for Stampers Club tomorrow. We continue to meet virtually, and it’s great to see everyone during our Zoom crafting sessions. We likely will not be meeting in person for a while longer, and will keep an on local mandates to help guide our decisions. In the meantime, you can always check out the YamStamps blog here, plus the YamStamps accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. Oh – and subscribe to my newsletter to get access to the new subscriber tutorial video. See you online!
A Just For You card using some retiring product. Just a few days left to grab these items before we fully turn our attention to the new Stampin’ Up! Canada catalogue!
We made this card as part of Stampers Club this month. Currently we are continuing to meet online, so I sent out the class packets and then we assembled the projects together during a Zoom session. It was nice to be able to see each other, even if we couldn’t be in the same room! Under Stampin’ Up! regulations, we can’t send out stamped images, so club members got a blank label and could add whatever sentiment suited their needs.
My next online event is the New Catalogue Kick Off which I’m hosting in a limited time Facebook Group. I’ll be sharing some projects using new product, and I’ll go live in the group on Wednesday evening (June 3 – the day the new catalogue is active). Click here to request membership. I’ll keep the group open until the end of the week, and then will revert to using the YamStamps Facebook Page and Paper Crafting with YamStamps Facebook Group. Of course, I’ll also continue to post here on the YamStamps blog. In the meantime, hope you liked theJust For You Card– and I’ll be getting prepped to share all the new product coming your way on Wednesday!
I know, I’ve already whined about this set retiring, but I am revisiting Paris yet again with this card. I’m also revisiting a technique that I haven’t used in a while – forgot how fun and easy it is!!
So, yes, once again I used the Parisian Beauty stamp set, while I still can. I have until June 2nd to create and share projects with you with this retiring set LOL. I used the faux silk technique, which I haven’t done in a while! A group of my crafty friends had a “virtual retreat” over the weekend and one of the challenges was to create a happy mail card. Something that featured either the saying “Happy Mail” or featured something postal themed. Et voila! the Parisian Beauty set has a cancellation/post mark stamp so I was able to bring it out.
I am not the greatest at collage-type stamping, but faux silk is quite forgiving. I love the vintage feel to this card! I used some off white tissue paper, and stamped the images randomly on it. Crumple up the tissue paper, uncrumple and then adhere onto cardstock with Multipurpose Liquid Glue. I wrapped the tissue around the back of the cardstock and stuck the ends down to keep the front neat, then adhered that whole piece onto some Merry Merlot Cardstock. I used some of the Braided Burlap Trim and cut out the sentiment with the Stitched Rectangle Dies. Had to use Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere the sentiment/backing to the card because the Burlap Trim is thick.
So there you go – revisiting Paris and revisiting a technique! As much as I love the Parisian Beauty set, there are lots of great things coming in the new catalogue! I’m in the process of getting the catalogues out to those who requested them or purchased from me in the past year….and I’ll be in touch to check that they arrive! In the meantime, join me for a Launch Party for the new catalogue on Facebook! You can request membership to the New Catalogue Kick Off group here. I’ll share some different projects and products, and will go live for a short while on Wednesday June 3 at 7pm, but you can join before that date! See you there for the fun.
This quick card for a friend is a great way to show that you’re thinking of someone – and you’ll spend more time writing a note inside than you will creating it!
From the series of cards created using the Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper – this is a “take” on the card I shared previously. This is the same sized piece of Designer Series Paper, but cut into two pieces (roughly 2/3 vs 1/3). I simply flipped the one smaller piece of paper to show the design on the other side! I love how it shows off the versatility of these two sided papers and the patterns and colours that coordinate.
If you’re looking for other quick and easy ideas, I’m getting set to launch an Online Class that will help you to use what you’ve got. I’ll also offer a class by mail option, so you can get the card kits in the mail, and then follow along with the online portion when you’ve got the time set aside. Be sure to subscribe to my mailing list so you don’t miss out on the details. There will be other easy but impressive projects like this quick card for a friend in the class, so you’ll have lots of opportunity to spread sunshine to your friends and family!
I was overdue in sending out some customer thank you cards – so I’m sharing sunshine with Stampin’ Up!’s new digital download fundraiser – the Share Sunshine pdf!
These days, my creative mojo is actually starting to come back a bit – in the early days of all this COVID-19 craziness, I found at times all I could do was plod along doing my job and keeping the house from falling down, so I didn’t really have the creative juice to make much. These days, I’m adjusting to our new temporary normal I guess, and my energy and creative flow are returning.
Anyway – I was overdue in sending out some thank you cards, so I whipped a bunch up, using some Designer Series Paper and the Share Sunshine pdf. I printed out the pdf (well, selected pages) onto Whisper White cardstock. I have a colour laser printer so I was able to print out in colour as well. I cut up the sheets, using my Paper Trimmer and whatever dies fit the sentiments, added some coordinating cardstock as mats and was done. The picture shows just a few of the variations. I was able to mix and match the coloured sentiments with papers that coordinated, and added a bit of silver metallic thread as an extra touch. I think most of the cards in this picture use the Best Dressed Designer Series Paper.
Extra tip for crafting in the time of COVID-19 – seal your envelopes using your Aquapainters! I tend to do this anyway, especially when I’m crafting/mailing in bulk. The current style of Aquapainters is on the retiring list but there will be a similar but different option in the new catalogue.
Try not to be horrified by the state of my working spot LOL. If you can’t tell, I reuse grid paper as long as possible! It gets used first for in person classes (not right at this moment, obviously), and then once it’s too inky, if it’s not covered in adhesive, it moves to my craft area where I use it until it gets crumpled, covered in adhesive or whatever… (oh and the aquapainter tip is a little stained. What can I say? I use my crafting tools!)
Anyway – I’m looking forward to sharing sunshine with others – I’ve got cards going out to members of my demonstrator group and those who have purchased with me in the first part of this year. Sending happy mail is a great way to let others know you are thinking of them, even if you can’t be with them in person. If you want happy mail in the form of the new Stampin’ Up! Canada catalogue (goes live in June) – be sure to fill out this form! (FIne print – must be a resident of Canada and not have a demonstrator that you work with already)
How appropriate is this sentiment right now?! Far apart but close at heart.
The sentiment is from the Well Said stamp set, which has so many sentiments and sayings, that you may have overlooked one or two, like me! The card itself is quite straightforward, and showcases the beautiful Peaceful Poppies Designer Series Paper.
Stampers Club did our first Virtual Club Get together this week – and this is one of the card patterns we created. For April’s club we did a One Sheet Wonder – where you get many different card designs out of a single 12″ x 12″ piece of patterned paper. Club members who are local enough picked up their class kits and then we went over the designs together in two different virtual meetings (because my in person clubs have an afternoon and an evening session). Some of my demonstrator group joined in as well. It was great to see everyone, and I’m appreciative of their patience as I worked out the kinks. With all the distancing measures, I’ve also had to pay a bit more attention to the slightly neglected club membership site, so I guess there’s some good coming out of all of this. Club members have access to the site which houses photos of our projects plus instructions for them as well. I am looking at doing some “one off” virtual classes as well, so watch for more news on that. If you’re interested in joining us in Stampers Club in the meantime, be sure to contact me.
In other news, the reveal of the Retiring List will happen shortly, and for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators, it’s also new catalogue access day! Demonstrators will be able to see a digital copy of the upcoming Annual Catalogue – so we may all be a bit quiet online for a little while?!
Would you like a copy of the upcoming catalogue? If you live in Canada and don’t have a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator that you deal with already, please fill out this form! I’ll get in touch with you to confirm your information and will put you on the list. If you have placed an order with me in the past year, I will automatically send a new catalogue to you. (If you’re not sure if you’ve made a purchase in the past year or not, fill out the form, and then you’re covered, right?!).
In the meantime, stay far apart but close at heart. Keep healthy, everyone!
