Time is Running Out! Hurry to Get Your Free Product!

There's just one month left for you to earn the great products that are only available during Sale-A-Bration. You seriously don't want to miss out on this stuff, and the only way to get it is to earn it.

How do you earn it? For every $60 worth of product you order during Sale-A-Bration you get to choose a product in the Sale-a-bration brochure for free. It would be worth it to get your friends together and decide to order $60 worth of product each and have each of you choose a different product as your free product and then share the product around between all of you.

My favourite product in the Sale-A-Bration Catalogue is the Lotus Blossom Stamp set.  I used it to make this card - 

I decided to make a reference sheet for myself of different colour combinations available to me with the ink pads that I have - 

This stamp set is so much fun to play with!

The Lotus Blossom Stamp set is not the only Sale-A-Bration Product I have been enjoying. I've made great use of the Best Year Every Accessory Pack and the Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper. I will be sharing more about other products in the Sale-A-Bration brochure in the following days. Here are the Sale-A-Bration Products I have earned so far:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

You can download a copy of the Celebration Brochure by clicking on the Sale-A-Bration graphic at the top of this post or by clicking on the words in this sentence. I'd love to chat with you about what you could order to be able to earn one of these great products before they disappear.

Easy Stained Glass Look

While browsing through YouTube videos for ideas on what to do with the Butterfly Thinlits, I came across Liz Holloway's video which she featured on her blog post Stained Glass Butterfly. I loved what she did but I didn't have any of the microfine glitter that she used. Then I had a brainstorm! I wondered if I could use the blendabilities to colour the window sheet. A search on Youtube brought up Colouring on Window Sheets with Blendabilities so I set to work.

I cut the largest Butterfly Thinlit out of black card stock and used the Two-Way Glue Pen to glue it to a 4 x 5 1/4 piece of window sheet. I coloured on the window sheet in the holes in the butterfly with red and green blendabilities. The card base is a 4 1/4 x 11 piece of Pistachio Pudding card stock scored at 5 1/2. I stamped the fern from the Butterfly Basics stamp set onto the middle of the card front a few times using Pistachio Pudding ink. I stamped the greeting with a stamp from the December: All Shook Up Paper Pumpkin kit with memento. I stuck the window sheet to the card front with glue dots in the corners. I put strips of ribbon around each end of the card to covered up the glue dots.

In the Bag Paper Pumpkin kit

This is the first Paper Pumpkin kit I ever received. I received it as a surprise in my new demonstrator package. I was so excited! I had just heard about Paper Pumpkin and had signed up for a Paper Pumpkin Boot Camp for demonstrators to learn about selling Paper Pumpkin kits. I was a little disappointed, however, when I opened the kit. I was hoping it was going to be cards, and I couldn't think of any real use for the bags.

My family was going to the cabin for Thanksgiving weekend shortly after I received the kit and I had an assignment from the Paper Pumpkin boot camp to hold a Paper Pumpkin Party to introduce people to Paper Pumpkin kits so I decided to take my kit with me and use it to share with my family at the cabin. I got mixed reviews. Like me, most of them were wondering what to do with the bags. We did, however, have some fun putting them together and one of my daughters has here's in a prominent place in her bookshelf in her room holding all the cards and letters she has received from her fiancé.

I started an In the Bag pinterest board to collect pins of what others had done with the kit supplies and I have been inspired by some of them to make my own creations with the supplies from this kit. This pinterest board showcases what others have done with supplies from the In the Bag Paper Pumpkin Kit. Some of them are very creative.


Follow Jacqueline's board In the Bag Paper Pumpkin Kit Ideas on Pinterest.

I later discovered that this was actually the February 2014 Paper Pumpkin kit. Here is Stampin' Up!'s official video showcasing the kit.




The In the Bag Paper Pumpkin kit is still available for purchase to current Paper Pumpkin Subscribers. One of the perks of becoming a Paper Pumpkin subscriber is that as long as you are an active subscriber you can purchase past kits as they are available. This option is not open to non-subscribers. I'd love to see what you would do with the kit. Purchase a subscription and then you can order the In the Bag Paper Pumpkin kit too.

Here's a picture of what you get in the kit:

The ink spot in the kit is Pistachio Pudding and the stamp set consists of two circles, one with strips on it and one checked. While this was the least favourite of the kits that I have received so far, I didn't totally hate it and I have used the ink spot, the stamps, and some of the others supplies on other projects. I've even considered ordering a refill package to use as gift bags for Paper Pumpkin presentations.

If you'd like to know more about Paper Pumpkin, click on the Paper Pumpkin tab at the top of my blog, or drop me a line by filling in the contact form at the right. I'd love to have you join my Paper Pumpkin Patch and see what you created with the kits.

Flying away!

I am having so much fun with my Butterfly Thinlits! 

The above card was made after watching the video on Flower Bug's Inkspot blog post: Elegant Butterfly Basics card & video. I decided to do mine different from her's. I stamped the greeting with Versa Mark and sprinkled it with White Embossing powder before using my Heat Tool to set the embossing powder. I love how it turned out.

This card was made after watching the video on Deb Valder's blog post: Laser Cut Technique Using the Butterfly Thinlit. I used some of the ribbon I cut in my package of free stuff recently. 

For both of these cards I used Calypso Coral card stock cut to 4 1/4 x 11 and scored at 5 1/2, I just made them to stand different ways. I used stamps from the Butterfly Basics stamp set for the greetings on both cards.

The lighting was not great when I took the pictures so the colours are a little off and it looks much nicer in person.

There's so much more I want to try yet with this set.  It is super fun to work with! I am planning a class featuring the set for the near future. Let me know if you are interested in attending.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

This Week's Deals at Stampin' Up!

WEEKLY DEALS Show:  All   4  8  20  40  80  All      1    Sort By:  A-Z   A-Z  Z-A  < Price  > Price  NEWEST  OLDEST  2013-2015 IN COLOR SEQUIN ASSORTMENT Price: $6.50 $4.88 BASIC BLACK BAKER'S TWINE Price: $3.95 $2.96 CELEBRATE EASTER ENSEMBLE - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Price: $13.95 $8.37 CRISP CANTALOUPE THICK BAKER'S TWINE Price: $4.95 $3.71 NIGHT OF NAVY 1/2" SEAM BINDING RIBBON Price: $9.50 $7.13 SIMPLY CREATED BANNER Price: $11.95 $8.96 TANGERINE TANGO BAKER'S TWINE Price: $3.95 $2.96 WHISPER WHITE 5/8" SATIN RIBBON Price: $9.50 $7.13     1

I'm considering ordering the sequins, ribbon, and twine.  How about you?

Changing Plans result in two cards instead of one

I got my Butterfly thinlits today and set to searching YouTube and Pinterest for ideas. I found a bunch! The first one I decided to try was from Stamping to Share's post: Butterfly Basics Bundle with Irresistibly Yours Specialty DSP.

I decided to use a different paper from the Irresistibly Yours pack and different colours ink and card stock. I fully intended to follow her plans fairly closely but plans changed as I got working. I ended up making two cards instead of one, both with elements similar to the original card that inspired them but yet very different. To see the original card that inspired my two cards click on the link to the post on Stampin to Share in the paragraph above.

One of the cards I made is featured in the photo at the top of this post. I used a Soft Suede card base and Real Red ink. I sponged Real Red diagonally across almost half of the piece of Irresistibly Your paper. I stamped the greeting in Real Red ink on a small piece of Whisper White card stock and sponged the edges of it to make it stand out. I used my Big Shot to cut one of the Butterfly Thinlits out of Real Red card stock. 

I loved the look of the butterfly on the sponged paper when I placed it there while I was doing other stamping. That's when I started to consider changing my plans. I really like how it turned out.

This is the second card I made. I had stamped the image of the flower on a longer piece of paper and planned to cut it to the size needed for the card that I was originally going to make, but I loved the look of it on the card base just as it was when I placed it there while stamping something else. 

Once again I used a Soft Suede card base and I stamped the flower image on Whisper White card stock with Baked Brown Sugar. I stamped the greeting with Real Red. I decided to stamp the fern image directly on the card stock base with Baked Brown Sugar. I had stamped off and was hoping for a softer stamped look but one side came out darker than I really wanted but I worked with it. I then use the honeycomb stamp and stamped off a couple of times before stamping it lightly in the bottom corner by the fern and up the side a little. The stamps are all from the Butterfly Basics stamp set. I cut the smallest butterfly in the Butterfly Thinlits out of Real Red Coredinations card stock and crumbled it and sanded it with a nail file before straightening it out again and adhering it to the card. It looks much nice in person.

So, I started out to make one card, but ended up with two. Plans often change on the run when I'm stamping.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Dreaming of butterflies while it's snowing outside

Butterfly Basics is a new stamp set in the 2015 Occasions Catalogue. It is available in a Butterfly Basics Bundle with the Butterflies Thinlits Dies. I ordered the bundle but I didn't get the Thinlits yet, just the stamp set. The thinlits were such a popular item that they ran out and it was put on backorder, but I received notification that it is on the way and should arrive soon. In the meantime I went searching pinterest for ideas on what to do with just the stamps. This card on pinterest caught my eye and was the inspiration for the card above.

I used a Whisper White card base and a piece of Crushed Curry as the mat. I stamped the images on a piece of Whisper White card stock and rounded two of the corners with the corner rounder on the Envelope Punch Board. I used Hello Honey, Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride, and Wild Wasabi ink pads. I used a Blender Pen to colour the flower stamp.

Simple cards made with Paper Pumpkin stamps and inks

My "almost double digits" girl loves to stamp. She begged me to let her have her own subscription to Paper Pumpkin so that she could collect her own stamps and inks to keep in her room and use whenever she wanted, and she has been thoroughly enjoying the kits she's received so far. 

Her love of the kits got me thinking that maybe other children might like the chance to stamp and make some cards and projects too, so I've decided to see if there is enough interest to start a children's stampin' card club.  We'll see how it goes.

In preparation for it, I decided to try to come up with some simple card ideas that I might try with them. I decided to see what I could do with the inks and stamps from the Paper Pumpkin kits because I have three sets for each of them because my two daughters and I all have our own subscriptions. 

These are some possibilities I've come up with so far:

This card was made using the circle stamps from the What's In the Bag kit, one of the greetings from the All Shook Up Kit. The Smoky Slate ink spot is from the All Shook Up kit and Lost Lagoon ink spot is from the Simply Snowflake kit. I used masking to give the look of the circles being on top of each other.

This card was made with one of the stamps in the Simply Snowflake kit and one of the greetings from the All Shook Up kit. I used the two inks spots in the Layers of Gratitude kit, plus the ink spots in the Simply Snowflake and the Filled with Love kits.

This card is made with stamps from the Layers of Gratitude kit and the greeting is from the All Shook Up kit. I used the two ink spots from the Layers of Gratitude kit.

If you live close by and you have a child that you think would be interested in a card class, let me know. If you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and you have hosted card classes or clubs for children I'd love to hear about it.

If you want to know more about Paper Pumpkin, check out my Paper Pumpkin link at the top of the page.

It's Happy Mail Day at Our House...

... or happy delivery day - the February 2015 Paper Pumpkin kits have arrived! We get three lovely little orange boxes delivered to our door. Both of my daughters, one in her 20s and one not yet double digits, wanted their own Paper Pumpkin kit when they saw the first ones I received. There is great excitement in our house every month when our Paper Pumpkin Kits arrive.

Here's a video of my youngest checking out this month's Paper Pumpkin kit for the first time:





We did a video of her putting together one of the cards but we haven't been able to upload it because it was too long.  I may see if we can edit it and add it later. I love watching her work with the kits because she loves it so much.

Here's a video we did of her showing off the completed card:



Paper Pumpkin is a great kit for anyone - the young, the old, the experienced crafter, or the novice. It's so exciting to have this package arrive at your door with all you need to complete a project. It's fast and easy and it's so convenient because everything you need is included. Every month the kit includes at least one ink spot (this month's kit included 2) and an exclusive stamp set. It's a great way to start collecting stamp sets and ink colours.

I love to check Pinterest and YouTube to see what other people have done with the kits. Simply search for Paper Pumpkin including the month you want to check out and you're sure to find interesting stuff. One my pinterest page I create boards for each of the Paper Pumpkin kits I receive and collect pins of what other people have done with the kits.

Right now you can purchase a 3-month subscription for Paper Pumpkin for $68.85, making you eligible to choose a free item from the Sale-a-Bration Brochure.

If you're not ready to commit to 3 months yet, try Paper Pumpkin for one month for just $24.95.

For the very best deal, go for a 12 month subscription to Paper Pumpkin for $275.40 and you will be able to order 4 free items from the Sale-a-Bration Brochure and also be eligible for $40 hostess rewards which you can use to choose $40 worth of current Stampin' Up! products for free.

If you subscribe to Paper Pumpkin, whether it be for one month or more, and designate me as your demonstrator, you also get some perks from me. I host two monthly Paper Pumpkin Parties, have a private FaceBook group for my subscribers, and I send out bonus card kits to my subscribers.

If you have any questions, or would like to come to my place and check out the paper pumpkin kits, fill in the contact form at the right.

Elegant Fun Flowers Card

Materials  and tools used:

• 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 piece of Very Vanilla card stock
• 3/4 x 5 1/2 piece of Early Espresso card stock 
• 5 x 8 piece of Cherry Cobble Coredinations card stock, from the Core'dinations Regals Collection
• Big Shot
• Fun Flowers Bigz (Stampin' Up discontinued item) 
• Texture Boutique
• Delicate Designs Embossing Folder
• Good Greetings Hostess stamp set (limited time item no longer available)
• Early Espresso Stampin' Write marker

Core'dinations Cardstock is a product that Stampin' Up! has decided to no longer carry. What they have on hand is presently available in the Clearance Rack. This was my first experience with it and I love it! I got a package of each colour collections as part of my surprise box recently and I am seriously considering ordering more before it's all gone.

The Fun Flowers Bigz is no longer available but the Flower Frenzy Bigz are similar and could be used to make a similar card.

The Good Greetings Hostess stamp set is also no longer available, but the Crazy About You stamp set has similar greetings.

The card was inspired by Stampinpretty's Fun Flowers Bigz Die YouTube video. I hope to eventually make my own video showing you how I made my flower because I did it a little different than she did. I sanded the edges of the flowers with a nail file, instead of sponging them like she did and I used more layers. The Core'dinations card stock sanded gives it a leather look, and I love it.

If you're interested in making a similar card, let me know and keep watching because I am planning a class featuring these supplies soon.

Punches and Ribbons - I could use more

Every Tuesday there are new weekly deals available at Stampin' Up! I have my eye on the punches this week, though the ribbons are pretty tempting too. I don't have much in either punches or ribbons and I'd love to up my stash. What catches your eye?

2014-2016 IN COLOR BACKGROUNDS DESIGNER SERIES PAPER STACK Price: $26.95 $20.21	AMPED UP AMPERSANDS KIT - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD Price: $10.95 $6.57	CELEBRATION BASICS KIT Price: $18.95 $14.21	DAFFODIL DELIGHT 1/4" COTTON RIBBON Price: $7.25 $5.44
MOSAIC PUNCH Price: $21.95 $16.46	PANSY PUNCH Price: $21.95 $16.46	PUMPKIN PIE 1/4" COTTON RIBBON Price: $7.25 $5.44	WHAT'S UP PUNCH Price: $22.95 $17.21