Sep 19, 2017 | cards, Christmas, event, Stampin' Up!
Aren’t these Stitched Felt Embellishments cute? This is what participants in the October Christmas Card Class will be receiving as part of their class fee! A package of 15 embellishments (5 of 3 different designs) that we will use on that day’s four different card projects. These will add a fun dimensional effect to our cards, but the remainder of the package can be used after class – either to recreate the cards from class, or on original projects and gift packaging!
There are two remaining Christmas Card Classes on my books at this point in time (I know – only two?!). Wednesday, October 25th at 1pm or 7pm, and Wednesday, November 22nd at 1pm or 7pm. For the October class, there is one option – the $30 class fee will include a package of the Stitched Felt Embellishments. Due to the nature of this accessory, it’s easiest if each participant has their own package for projects. For November, the product will be the Mini Tinsel Trim Combo, and there are two class fee options – $20 for the class supplies only, or $30 which also includes a package of the Mini Tinsel Trim.
Of course, if you can’t make the scheduled class dates, get a group of friends together, and we can set up a private class for you! Please remember that this is always an option if you see a class you’re interested in but need a different time or date option. Contact me to book a private class – it could be a Christmas Card Class, an All Occasions Card Class, a Birthday Card Class….you get the idea.
As always, check the YamStamps Events page to see upcoming classes and events – it’s continuously being updated – and sign up for my newsletters – you’ll get project ideas PLUS notification of specials and events in your inbox! Please contact me if you have any questions or are ready to register for a class!
Sep 15, 2017 | cards, Stampin' Up!
This is an elegant thinking of you card that we received this week from Arlene – a member of my Stampin’ Up! demonstrator group. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the die cut leaves (from the Seasonal Layers Thinlits) and the musical background – the Sheet Music stamp in wood mount or clear mount – on my wish list still… The three metallic tones (gold, silver, copper) and placement of the leaves is so artistic! Arlene is very good about getting cards in the mail – I am still working on that habit!
This past week our family has received a number of cards due to the passing of my grandmother, who passed away just before her 99th birthday this past weekend. We have so many happy memories of a woman who lived a very full, very extraordinary life with a lot of verve while she could. That definitely eases our sadness, as has the expressions of support and sympathy we’ve received. Lovely cards like this have also reminded me how nice it is to receive cards in the mail. I’m going to renew my efforts to get more cards in the mail – especially the “just because” kind – because I think an unexpected piece of art in the mail is the best way to brighten a day and remind someone what they mean to you – besides getting to see them in person.
I plan on spending some time with friends and family this weekend, and also getting some more cards created and actually mailed. I’m pretty good about sharing them “virtually” – online – but I’m going to make more of an effort to share them in real life. Join me?
Sep 4, 2017 | cards, Seasonal Catalogue, Stampin' Up!
This is a handmade wedding thank you card that I created to share with the Weddingbells Magazine staff – I think you could see it in the photo on their Instagram feed. I used the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalogue set Cheers to the Year (available in clear mount or woodmount). It’s the same set that I used for the card the other day – with a different focus.
I used the silver and gold scheme once again, this time, embossing the words in silver and the accent in gold. If you look closely, scattered over the cardfront I tamped the snowflake lightly in Smoky Slate – to add another dimension but not dark enough to draw the eye too much. The other thing I did on the front of the card is that I omitted a letter on one of the stamps! The sentiment is actually “and so your story begins” – but I inked up the stamp and then carefully removed the ink from the “y” so that it says “our” – which I thought was more suitable for a thank you card. If I was bulk producing this handmade wedding thank you card, I would probably just cut the stamp – this is obviously easiest or most forgiving if you use a clear mount set. If you do a straight cut, you can keep the portion of rubber, and use it when you want… since I was just making one card here, I chose not to cut the stamp.
For the envelope flap, I randomly stamped the snowflakes and then heat embossed. I stamped & embossed the larger silver snowflakes first, then to be safe, I swiped the flap with my Embossing Buddy to ensure when I did the smaller snowflakes that the gold embossing powder wouldn’t go astray too much. These are the Whisper White notecards, so the card and envelope are slightly smaller than the “usual” half sheet cards. The notecards are thick Whisper White cardstock, so they feel quite substantial, and the embossing makes everything more “wow”. I think handmade wedding thank you cards are a wonderful personal touch you can add to your wedding stationery.
Around here, we’ve been focusing on a different type of stationery – that would be the back to school kind of stationery. My son is not so keen on the whole back to school shopping idea (well, shopping in general, actually). I, on the other hand, LOVE the office supply store…so back to school supply shopping is always a happy thing for me! (Please tell me I’m not alone in that regard…) I actually picked up a great item that helped me with my ongoing organization kick, so tune in later to see that.
I hope everyone has a great first day of school tomorrow! I know that my son will enjoy it since he doesn’t actually start until 1230!!! The grade 9 students start at the regular hour, but the rest of the school starts later. It’s a nice way to ease the grade 9s into highschool, I think. While the kids get back to school, don’t forget that you can get back to class as well! Wednesday is the Monthly Card Class, and the September Christmas Card Class is coming up on the 13th! See the YamStamps event page for more information, and contact me to reserve your spot! Hope to see you in class soon!
Aug 31, 2017 | cards, Seasonal Catalogue, Stampin' Up!
Happy New Year! This is another swap card that I made using products from the new Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalogue (English / French) – available for ordering September 1st. The background is the gorgeous Year of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper, and the main image is from the set called Cheers to the Year (wood / clear). This was a great set that I also used for some ideas to share with the Weddingbells Magazine staff, because it includes a Mr & Mrs stamp. The strip is a portion of the Year of Cheer Specialty Washi Tape – five rolls of metallic washi tape that are just gorgeous.
I used the Layering Circle framelits to cut out the main sentiment image and the layer, which was cut from the Smoky Slate mat layer behind the Designer Series Paper. I find that circles are a more forgiving shape to use if you are mass producing projects – you don’t have to worry about cutting it perfectly straight (other than making sure your image is more or less centred), and can make adjustments as needed when you place the image on the cardfront. I thought the circles also went well with the images in the paper, which reminded me of sparklers or fireworks – and appropriate for a Happy New Year card.
Attendees at the September Christmas Card Class will have the opportunity to make this card in class, and build up their stash of holiday cards ready for sending in a few months! I always need at least one card that I will be able to send a little later….because I don’t always get all my cards out on time – hence a Happy New Year card this time around. (I know, so bad…but it’s reality!) You can still register to attend the class – the Basic Registration is still open until September 11th – for $20 you’ll be able to attend class to create 4 different holiday cards that will all feature the Year of Cheer Specialty Washi Tape. You can contact me to register. Don’t forget there are more Christmas Card Classes in October and November as well! You can always see upcoming events on the YamStamps Events Page.
updated September 1 to include live links to Holiday Catalogue and Holiday Catalogue items!
Aug 30, 2017 | 3D samples, cards, Christmas, event, Stampin' Up!
Today is the registration deadline for the Basic+ Option for the September Christmas Card Class! Class times are 1pm or 7pm, Wednesday September 13th here in Burlington ON. Your Basic+ Class fee of $30 is due at time of registration, and will include all supplies required to make the 4 different Christmas cards during class, PLUS you will receive 5 rolls of metallic washi tape from the upcoming Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalogue! Pictured above, the five rolls of tape are GORGEOUS and make your crafting easy and elegant.
The votive candle in the picture is simply decorated with strips of the gold and silver washi tape around the top & bottom of the candle – adds an easy custom touch. You could group them on your mantle, or place them on a mirror as a table centrepiece. I shared this idea (among others) with the people at Weddingbells Magazine a while back – because who couldn’t use a little bit of elegance AND thriftiness at a wedding?!
Contact me to register for the class! Basic+ Fee is $30 and includes all supplies and 5 rolls of washi tape. Basic Fee includes all supplies for the class, no additional product. Payment due at time of registration please & thanks. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Aug 27, 2017 | cards, Stampin' Up!
I’m here! I’m here! Here’s a clean and simple Tranquil Tulips Greeting Card to apologize for my absence… I have been packing in a bunch of things before the end of summer! I made a whirlwind trip to the Ottawa Valley last weekend to visit with some long time friends – we all celebrated a significant birthday this year, so gathered to mark the occasion (or commiserate, take your pick haha). This past weekend, plans for a second road trip fell through, so I took advantage of a couple of days off in a row to….clean. My poor stamp room has been a disaster zone for a very long time, so I spent a fair bit of time sorting, recycling and organizing things in there. It’s nice to be able to see some floor space again. My downfall is partially sorting things into old Stampin’ Up! cardboard boxes…and then ending up with a bunch of boxes with half sorted items all over the place. I vow to be a bit more on top of things now!
Between the Wedding Magazines presentation and August Christmas Card Class, I realized I had nothing but winter type cards to share! Luckily, this clean and simple tulips greeting card comes to the rescue. One of the things that drew me to Stampin’ Up!’s products over 15 years ago was two step stamping, and watercolour type images. Combine the two of those and I’m in heaven! This Tranquil Tulips set is available for purchase with Stampin’ Rewards – which you earn by hosting a class/workshop/online party or by placing a single order of $200 or more. Two step stamping simple means that it takes more than one stamping to create a full image. In this case, the stems (stamped in Pear Pizzazz) are a separate stamp from the flower heads, and the flower heads themselves are two stamps. The flowers are stamped in Sweet Sugarplum, and no special technique is needed. You simply stamp the larger portion of the flower first, then stamp the smaller “front” portion of the flower in the same colour on top of the original image. This won’t work as well with really deep colours, since you’ll lose some of the detail, but with medium or lighter shades – it’s fantastic!
The ribbon accent is done in two steps as well. The Gold Metallic Edged Ribbon is one of my latest favourites! The horizontal ribbon is simply attached in behind the cardstock with tape, and the knot portion is a second piece of ribbon that is tied onto the first. I find this an easier way to do my ribbon knots or bows – in part because I can move the knot/bow around as needed (by sliding it along the horizontal ribbon), and in part because I’m really bad at judging how much ribbon I will need if I do it all in one (plus it’s never as taut as I want it to be if I do it that way). If you are mailing this tulips greeting card, you can simply omit the knot portion of the ribbon to make the envelope less bulky.
Around here we are enjoying the last bit of summer, and getting ready for back to school after Labour Day. I hope that you are able to celebrate the last few days of summer before getting back to the busy school time schedules! Don’t forget that YOU can get back to classes as well – registration closes shortly for the September Christmas Card Class. Basic+ registrations will include a package of the gorgeous metallic washi tape from the Holiday Catalogue! Check the YamStamps events Page for more information, or contact me if you have any questions or are ready to register. Hope to see you in class soon!
