Stampin’ Up!’s new Cable Knit Dynamic Embossing Folder is fantastic! It gives such a defined look, with a real 3D effect. If you spritz water onto cardstock before you use this folder, it tends to let the cardstock mold more easily rather than crack or tear. The folder is so thick that you actually only use one plastic cutting plate with it in the Big Shot! No bottom plate is needed (because for one thing, it won’t fit!) The set Twinkle Trees is a great seasonal set, but it can also be used for non-seasonal cards, like the Bokeh card I shared with you before. That same main image is featured here with the sweater, for a cosy fall or winter card that you could send to a friend.
On that note….(what a smooth transition, eh?) Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and family. I hope that you are able to enjoy a great meal with family and/or friends (aka “chosen family”). Happy Thursday to everyone else (haha). Don’t forget that the Online Extravanganza continues! Grab a deal while they last and check out the 24 flash sale on November 28th!
I’m in a holiday prep mode – tomorrow, tune in to CHCH TV’s Morning Live show – I’m scheduled to be on air around 840AM sharing holiday cards and projects featuring washi tape! (It’s also the main product we’re using in the Christmas Card Classes this week!). Wish me luck. I enjoy these appearances, and everyone at the show is wonderful, but I do still get a bit of “stage fright”. My biggest worry is that I’ll run out of things to show or talk about. (I know, if you’ve met me in person, you’re probably snickering right now). I’ll see if I can get footage to share here later.
This week marks Week 7 of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas Project Mailings – it will be out Wednesday, November 16th around 1pm Eastern to YamStamps subscribers, and this week was one of my favourites. Easy but impressive – my kind of project!! Sign up here or use the box at the top right of the blog, and thank you for being a subscriber!
I love the Bokeh effect – in photography and in crafting – where the out of focus highlights are twinkling in the background of the shot…. and this stamp set makes it easy! Twinkle Trees, from the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalogue is a great holiday set, and I love when I can use a holiday set in a way that doesn’t scream CHRISTMAS!!!! (Though I have nothing against that, but it just makes the sets even more versatile, in my opinion!). The large circles stamped randomly in the background recreate a bokeh effect, and the little hearts rising from the mug also have a bit of the same effect. This is my Thank You card for September orders (and I’m working on getting them mailed out or handed out!). On some of the cards, I used the Gold Baker’s Twine from the Baker’s Twine trio, and I love that it’s a bit more substantial than the Metallic Gold Thread on this sample, but not too bulky. Of course, this card also uses my thrifty trick of punching something out of the background layer – so the circle that backs the mug circle is cut from the Elegant Eggplant layer that backs the bokeh piece.
I did a video a while back showing another way to do a bokeh background, with a watercolour wash and circles cut from a window sheet. Click here to visit the YamStamps YouTube channel if you can’t see it embedded below.
I was having some internet woes for a while, but it seems like they’re all resolved now (FINGERS CROSSED) so I should be able to get back to a regular schedule with online sites. Today is Stamper’s Club – always a fun time – and of course the ongoing Christmas Card Classes. (See the YamStamps Events page for upcoming events). If you’re in the Burlington Area and are attending the Black Cat Masquerade in support of the Burlington Humane Society, look for the basket of goodies I’m donating! It includes a free card making class for 6 people so please bid high and bid often. I’m happy to once again be supporting this event and organization. Ok I’m back to prepping for classes – but as always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below!
Don’t forget to sign up for the YamStamps papercrafting newsletter – free ideas and inspiration each month, plus special editions, like the Twelve Weeks of Christmas!
Today is the last day that you can purchase items from the Occasions and 2015-2016 Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalogues – you can shop online here.
As of tomorrow, June 1, you can start shopping from the 2016-2017 Annual Catalogue! I’ll post a link to the new catalogue tomorrow, and you can get a hardcopy of the catalogue by coming to my New Catalogue Open House and Garage Sale this Saturday, June 4th – RSVP to reserve your copy (and get directions!). If you’re not able to make it that day, you can complete this form and I’ll get a copy to you.
I love Stampin’ Up!’s English Garden Designer Series Paper, and will miss it when it’s gone at the end of the month! I know that Stampin’ Up! has some AMAZING new things for us in the upcoming Annual Catalogue, but still…parting is such sweet sorrow. It’s featured on this card, and makes a beautiful backdrop for the gorgeous butterfly (from the Butterflies Thinlits Dies) cut from the Gold Foil sheet. I experimented with this die cut, and tried cutting with the gold surface away from the die – so the edges of the die cut curl towards you slightly. I just wanted to see how it looked, and how the foil sheets tolerated going through the Big Shot this way. I think it almost looks more like thin metal than when the edge is rolled away from you – what do you think? The Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder used on the Blushing Bride cardstock in the background is also retiring at the end of the month (and is one of the items being offered at a discounted price!). Don’t forget that retired product is available WHILE SUPPLIES LAST – so again, don’t hesitate if there’s something on that retired list that you’ve been coveting.
Here’s the links to see all the Retired Stamps and Retired Accessories and Tools in the YamStamps Online Stampin’ Up! Canada store. Please contact me if you have any questions or need assistance placing your order. Happy Shopping!
