May 3, 2015 | cards, Stampin' Up!
This is a great card to use for Mother’s Day or for any other time you want to celebrate someone in your life! It uses Stampin’ Up!’s Painted Petals stamp set, which is available in your choice of wood mount, clear mount, or photopolymer, and is available until June 2nd in the Occasions Catalogue. Two step stamping – where two stamps make up the completed image – is the reason I first fell in love with Stampin’ Up! images. I used Garden Green and Elegant Eggplant cardstocks (love the combo), Shimmery White cardstock, one of my faves because it has a subtle sheen to it, and the Gold Ribbon, which has quickly become a staple in my cardmaking stash for adding an elegant touch to my projects.
We made this card in last month’s Stampers Club – we make four projects each time we meet. If you’re in the Burlington ON area, you should join us! It’s definitely a good thing to have a regular event that is just for you and just for fun, or if you feel it must be a more “worthy” thing…consider it part of your “lifelong learning”?!
Apr 30, 2015 | cards, Stampin' Up!
I sure do…and most of my friends do as well…so this was a PERFECT card for my friend who is close to claiming that she is going to stop counting after this year (next year is a milestone year for her…). My friends are used to getting handmade cards from me, but they’re usually “nice” cards…so this one caught her attention even more than usual! Stampin’ Up!’s Just Kidding is one of the special release photopolymer sets that isn’t featured in the catalogue. Each month they’ve been releasing a new one, and initially it was a trial to see the response to the photopolymer format. It’s been a huge success, and it looks like you’ll be seeing more and more of this as an option in the Stampin’ Up! Catalogues! (Yay!) I stamped this set on watercolour paper and coloured it with Stampin’ Write markers (I love brush tip markers). I wasn’t too worried about making the colouring “perfect” because of the cartoon-y nature of the images. The best part about this set? There’s a bunch of other paired up sarcastic sentiments as well!
Apr 27, 2015 | cards, Retired List, Stampin' Up!
I know, I keep coming up with different names for things on Mondays…but I thought this was an appropriate theme to start and showcase some of the retiring sets that I will miss… 
This card was made with the Stampin’ Up! Set Just Sayin’ and the Word Bubbles Framelits Dies, both of which are retiring. The stamp set is guaranteed until May 26th, after which it’s as supplies last. The framelits are while supplies last only. It was originally featured in this post. This set is great for cardmaking or memory keeping, and can cover a wide range of ages, as well as males and females (masculine cards are often a bit of a head scratcher for the female card maker…) If you’d like to see other cards with this set, search for Just Sayin’ in the search box at the right side of the YamStamps blog, and it will show you other examples that I’ve shared with this set (or whatever set you’re looking for).
Stampin’ Up! Retired List – pdf form
Stampin’ Up! Retired List – excel spreadsheet (sortable)
MDS Retired List – pdf form (small print)
MDS Retired List – excel spreadsheet (sortable)
Links to Stampin’ Up!’s Retiring Lists above.
Apr 23, 2015 | cards, Stampin' Up!
Here’s something that is NOT retiring – the Celebrate Today Bundle – stamp set and framelits…though it will only be available while the Occasions Catalogue is still in effect (until June 2nd). I love how coordinating stamps and framelits make it so easy to do something a little different with your paper crafting. In this case, a quick cut of the centre balloon and you can pop it up to add some dimension! We’re making a version of this card when I visit my friends at a local retirement home to paper craft together – because crafting is ageless!
Please note that many of the In Colour 2013-2015 items are already sold out (all the reinkers, the assorted package of cardstock). The stamps on the retired list will continue to be produced until May 26th, but again, tools, accessories and embellishments on the retired list are while supplies last only. If you need assistance placing your order, or have questions, please feel free to contact me. I am happy to place your order for you if you wish, but your best bet in terms of being sure to get the items you need is to place your order online yourself HERE. Please use the hostess code BMZ2HJYS if your order is less than $200. If you place an online order with me from now until the end of May, you will receive a free pdf tutorial with pictures and instructions to create 4 different cards via email (provided you share your contact information with me during the ordering process!). In the meantime – happy shopping!
Apr 13, 2015 | cards, Manic Monday
If memory serves me, I believe that this card was inspired by my friend Lydia, who did something very similar but different LOL. (and did it first so I could copy her). It uses the Butterfly Basics set, and what I particularly love about this is that it could be seen as a more masculine card, and there’s nary a butterfly in sight!! Crumb Cake cardstock and ink provide a monochromatic background for the Mossy Meadow leaves. Quick and easy. Stamp the leaves once, then re-stamp without reinking the stamp for paler background images. When you’re done, use a Crumb Cake envelope for total coordination!
Today was particularly manic around our household this morning as it was a band weekend. Burlington Teen Tour Band, that is. My son is now part of this fantastic organization that I myself was part of when I was a teen (so that was a little while ago…). 
This weekend the band did two performances at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre on Sunday, so Saturday was a rehearsal day. I am lucky to be one of the photographers for the group so spent time taking photos and videos, so needless to say, we were all a bit tired and had a rougher start to our Monday than usual. Here’s hoping that it gets a bit easier as the week goes on?! (one can hope, can’t one?). Anyway, hope your Monday isn’t TOO manic and see you here tomorrow at the YamStamps blog for the latest batch of Weekly Deals! I’m off to finish up the tutorial for everyone who purchased during the free shipping fun last week as promised.
Mar 30, 2015 | cards, Occasions, Stampin' Up!
This is a fun card to whip up for Easter. Using Stampin’ Up!’s Cheerful Critters set and Teeny Tiny Wishes, which is the most useful stamp set on the face of the planet… The Cheerful Critters is a photopolymer set, which means it’s see through (well, more or less, mine has been used and loved and is slightly stained LOL). I found it easiest to eyeball where the critter’s sign would land, and then stamp the greeting first. I was then able to position the critter accurately since I could see through to where my greeting was. This was a quick colouring job with my Stampin’ Write markers on Shimmery White cardstock. (See? There is life after Blendabilities!!). I also used the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder to coordinate with the bunny’s shirt and added a touch of ribbon to complete it. This square card is 4.25″ x 4.25″ completed so still fits in Stampin’ Up!’s medium envelopes.
One of my commitments this year is to send more “Happy Mail” – cards in the mail. If you’d like to add to your stash of cards to give and send, don’t forget the Monthly Card Classes – there’s one on April 1st (no fooling!) but you must register at least 2 days in advance (that would be TODAY, Monday, for April’s class) Hope to see you soon!!
