321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

Graduation Cap Fun-Fold Card

This is the cutest graduation card ever. First a shout out to my friend and fellow demonstrator Dawn Olchefske who made this card three years ago and shared a video on her blog. She said then she CASEd the idea from Pam Hoffman. My adjustment is to use the Diagonal Simply Scored Plate that you use with Stampin' Up's great SImply Scored board to make this so much easier to make. You can watch Dawn's video here for background and tips -- and then my version and adjusted directions are below.

I used the great current stamp set Pure Gumption from the current 2013-14 Stampin' Up catalog.

Here's the inside when it's unfolded:

And here are my instructions:

Navy card stock piece: 4¼” by 9¾”

- Put this in the Simply Scored horizontal (with no added insert plate -- just the straight, built-in lines) and score at the 5½” mark (rubbing card stock with wax paper can help stylus glide easier)

- Insert the Diagonal Plate, arrow on the back pointing up. Put the blue piece back in with the 5½” straight score line you already made matched up with 5½” marker again.

- Score diagonally with your stylus starting at the marker that’s at 3 & 3/8.” Flip the card stock over so you can score the other way diagonally to make an X, again with the straight score lined up with the 5½” marker. You're scoring all the way around the card stock each time.

- Fold on straight line so right sides are together; unfold, then fold each diagonal separately so the insides are together. Push in your folds and you've made your base.

- Now you nead to cut the top into a diamond shape to make the cap. Mark top of Navy card at center point – 2 &1/8”. Line up diagonal score mark and the 2 & 1/8" tick mark to cut diagonal and repeat for other side of top of cap. This turns it into a square.

Inside layers: White CS: 2½” square; 4” by 5¼” rectangle. Mark one end of larger rectangle piece at 2” center mark then 2” down the side from each top corner. Use tick marks to line up and cut diagonally.

Inside Designer Paper mat: 2¾” square.

Ribbon Tassel: 8” piece of Taffeta or Grosgrain. Fold in half and tie an overhand knot at folded end. Cut off one selvage edge and pull vertical threads to make tassel strands. Repeat on other tail, trimming off leftover parts to just leave the vertical threads you pulled loose. The last pieces you trim off look like eyelashes and would be great to use as trim on the dress die.

Enjoy and like I said -- watching Dawn's video may help my adjusted directions make more sense.

Home Again and New Photopolymer Stamps

After almost 15 hours pf flying, Riley and I are home from Fiji. What an amazing trip -- now we just have to adapt from Fiji time to Florida time!

I was excited to see news of two new photopolymer clear sets that have been released, along with an online class packed with ideas about how to use them.

Show & Tell 1 and 2 are the new sets. Together these sets feature more than 60 versatile images that you can mix and match to create personalized backgrounds, patterns, layers, and dimensions to make any project stand out. These sets are featured in our new Seeing the Possibilities Class! Take this class to discover how quickly and easily you can line up the stamped images for precision placement, achieve just the right ink coverage, combine images together exactly where you want them. . .well you get the idea. The possibilities are endless!

You can purchase each set and the class separately, or for a better deal, get the bundle of all three!

Here's the details on item numbers and prices:

- Show and Tell Set 1: Item #133450, $13.95
- Show and Tell Set 2: Item #133481, $13.95
- Seeing the Possibilities Online Class, Item #134532, $14.96
- Save 15% of the bundle of both sets and the online class: item #134533, $35.95

You can get them all now in my onine store.

Bula from Fiji

This is the day we have to get ready to come home -- we leave from Nadi Airport at 10:30 PM Fiji time tonight, which is Saturday here -- and because we cross the international dateline and gain back a day, we will get home to Florida at 5:30 am Sunday. Pretty crazy.

Yesterday included an amazing excursion to a native village and a river safari on a jet boat that did 360 degree donut spins (Riley said the whole thing was the highlight of the trip). The villagers welcomed us with a traditional kava ceremony, a lunch they had prepared, a tour of their village, including their small Methodist Church, and some fun dancing.

Then last night was a wonderful Stampin' Up farewell dinner outside on the Sofitel hotel lawn -- complete with fire dancers. We got to sit with Evelyn Wood from Canada and her daughter Grace who is Riley's age so they have struck up a great friendship this week.

As always, even though this is a week of fun and sun, I've seen a few new things from the stamping world as well so will come home with new ideas and some new fun products thanks to all the gifts that Stampin' Up showers on us.

Bula!

More Adventures in Fiji

A beautiful day at the beach and some fun pillow gifts. Today we are doing a service project at a local hospital. Bula for now as they say here in Fiji!

Hello from Fiji!

Thanks to Stampin' Up! and all my wonderful customers and team members, I'm in beautiful Fiji on the SU incentive trip. Bill thought it was way too far to fly -- so Riley is along for the fun. Here are a few pictures. And be sure to scroll down for all the latest stamping news -- including a beautiful paper flower kit.

Bula! As they say here.

A New Flower Bouquet Kit

Mother’s Day. Teacher appreciation. Just because. Say thank you with this no-maintenance bouquet -- but it's only available while supplies last. There’s no watering, no weeding — just enjoying. This easy-to-assemble kit comes complete with the petals, stems, and buttons to create the flowers, as well as four different tags to make this the perfect gift for any occasion. All you need is some paper, ribbon, or a vase to add the finishing touches to the bouquet.
 
As if that weren’t enough, the kit contains a “baker’s dozen”! This means you can create and give (or keep) a dozen flowers, and have a bonus flower left over to pass along to someone new! Give it to someone you wouldn’t normally think of: a teller at the bank, a grocery store clerk, or the librarian at your local library. Anyone you encounter on your way that you’d like to give a little “thank you” to — and introduce them to Stampin’ Up!
 
Ordering information:
Item 134542 $12.95 US 
Available starting April 29, but only while supplies last so get it now through my online store.
 
Kit contents:
2 sheets of preprinted and precut flowers on 12" x 12" cardstock; makes 13 flowers using Pool Party, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry
13 Vintage Faceted Buttons
13 green floral wire stems
Adhesive not included. (Glue gun recommended.)

Here's an added bonus -- a video that shows you how to assemble the flowers. Enjoy.

 

The 2012-13 Catalog Retiring Lists

This time of year is always a chance to get excited about what is retiring from the Stampin' Up catalog -- because it means new stamps and accessories will be able to join the SU family in the new catalog that starts May 31.

Here are the links to the lists of retiring items -- available through June 3 or while supplies last for accessories (we make our own stamp sets so those will not sell out). FYI -- SU made the date June 3 for these retiring things so it's a weekday.

Retiring Stamps in PDF format

Retiring Accessories in PDF Format

Retiring Accessories in Excel Spreadsheet Format/Larger Print

The easiest way to order so you get what you want from your wish list is through my online store.

If you have any questions about what's retirng or need help with an order, send me an email.

Dolled Up Birthday Kit

The newest card kit, voted on by Stampin' Up's facebook page fans, is here!

Stampin' Up's second Submit a Project kit--the Dolled-Up Birthday Kit--is based on a birthday card created by fellow SU demonstrator Chris G.

The Dolled-Up Birthday kit includes the following:

• Dolled-Up Birthday Photopolymer Stamp (1)
• 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" Crumb Cake Cardstock (6 pieces)
• 2" x 4-1/4" Very Vanilla Cardstock (6 pieces)
• Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes (6)
• Tea Lace Paper Doilies (6)
• Dress Up die-cuts (6)
• Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Spot (1)
• Vanilla 5/8" Flower Trim (6 pieces)
• Sponge Dauber (1)

Get everything you need to make six cards for only $15.95 (item 133913)!*

You can buy this in my online store or on any order placed with me.

Secret Garden Spring Scrapbook Pages

I love designing pages for my 8 inch by 8 inch scrapbook club -- such a fun size. This month the focus was spring, and flowers and butterflies -- with the cutting courtesy of Stampin' Up's Secret Garden stamp set and matching framelit dies for the Big Shot. Just stamp the flowers, add a little shading to the card stock colors and line up the framelits and cut them out.

The background was made by stamping the images of the flowers and the butterflies from Papillion Poypourri with Versamark ink on Crumb Cake card stock. Here's a close up of the shading, added with a combination of markers and blender pens and ink. The flowers were embossed with white powder on Raspberry, Perfect Plum and Pretty in Pink card stock.

And here's the second page -- simple Swallowtail image with a couple of stamped images from the Papillion set and then Spring is spelled out with the Letter It stamp set -- love this one for scrapbooking and they are easy to cut out.

Hope it's finally spring weather where you are. We're currently in the middle of a huge thunderstorm so better post and log off in case the power flickers again.

Oh My! New Wood Mount Stamp Cases on the Way!

Today Stampin' Up! announced that starting May 31 all of our wood mount stamp sets will come packaged in nifty new clear plastic cases that are similar in height to the DVD style cases that our clear mount stamps come in. Sets bought after that date will be packaged that way and come May 31 you'll be able to buy empty cases in two sizes!

Here's a neat video to see the cases in action:

 

Can't wait!