321 Stamp: Launching Creativity

Mosaic Madness - A card and a scrapbook page

I love the new Mosaic Madness products in the Stampin' Up 2013-14 catalog. There is a stamp set and matching punch (get those as a bundle and save 15%, item #132733 in clear mount and #132734 in wood); plus there is a coordinating Embossing Folder and set of Designer Series Specialty Paper that includes a yummy printed thick window sheet (it would make a great die-cut mini-album cover).

I totally CASEd this card idea from demonstrator Heidi Baks -- loved the white space and pop of bright colors (the only thing I changed was making the Strawberry Slush narrow banner from printed paper instead of plain card stock). Plus I tried a version that uses the new stretchy, ruffled Strawbery Slush ribbon in place of the skinny scallop. Check them out and let me know which on you prefer?

With little paper scallop made using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (item #119275):

And using the ruffled ribbon trim, which I attached using Sticky Strip -- the stretchy elastic part is under the designer paper (item #130023):

And here is my 8 inch square scrapbook page inspired by this card. I LOVE the words on these cards and the page which come from the new stamp set Happy Day (item #130297 in clear and #130294 in wood). This is such a scrapbooking friendly set!

The embossing folder on the card panel and scrap page panel makes such an impact in person.

Happy scrapping and cardmaking -- and happy father's day tomorrow to all the dads! Don't forget to give the dads in your life a handmade card.

Magnetic Diecutting Platform & a Beach Card

So I think one of the coolest new products in the 2013-14 Stampin' Up! catalog that went live yesterday is a new magnetic platform for our Big Shot machine that holds our metal framelits and edgelits perfectly in place as you roll your project through them machine. No more sticky notes as soon as I get mine!

Here's a video that shows it in action.

 

Also wanted to share a favorite card from my May stamp clubs that uses a stamp set called By the Tide from the recent spring catalog -- but woo-hoo, it's still available in the new catalog as well. I've seen so many variations of what is essentially a spotlighting technique using this set: you stamp the larger beach images and punch out just the part you want with a square punch. I used 1 & 1/4" squares matted on 1 & 3/8" Midnight Muse squares -- that's the color of the ribbon accent as well. The coral image was heat embossed with our Pewter embossing powder -- I love how it's a less shiny metallic on this crumb cake card stock.

Those water spots were stamped using my favorite splatter image from the retiring stamp set French Foliage -- that is only available until Monday, June 3! (they were stamped with Versamark for a watermark effect).

Plain versamark not embossed was also used inside for a different look for the coral and the greeting is from another favorite set that retires Monday, Word Play.

Click each set image to see ordering information.

Be sure to scroll down to yesterday's post if you missed the new catalog samples I shared. And the links to all current catalogs are in the right column.

It's Stampin' Up!'s New Catalog Day!

The links for the 2013-14 catalog are posted in the right column and you can order starting at 2 PM eastern time -- and through Monday you can order from both the 13-14 and 12-13 catalogs (but remember the Spring Occasions catalog ends tonight!)

Plus three word sets are on sale as part of a "Grab Your Greetings" special so be sure to read on for that info.

There is so much to love about this new catalog! New stamps, new framelits for easy diecutting after you stamp and awesome new accessories. (love the new clay and molds -- and the Candy Dots).

Here are some samples with new product -- this first one uses all the new In Colors: Baked Brown Sugar; Crisp Cantaloupe; Strawberry Slush; Pistachio Pudding and Coastal Cabana. Plus an awesome new stamp set called Mosaic Madness that has a coordinating punch and embossing folder! (stamp set is item #s 130249 in clear and 130246 in wood; you can get is as a bundle with the matching punch for 15% off -- item 132733 in clear and 132734 in wood)

Here's the embossing folder in action -- it's item #129984. (and check out the greeting that is a new punch called the Artisan Label #130920

And one more that's a very neat combo -- a new large stamp the size of a card front called Wildflower Meadow that has a coordinating embossing folder so you can stamp and then line up the folder, emboss and your design is popped up! And you can get those as a bundle at 15% off as well -- 132985 is the clear bundle and 132735 is the wood mount bundle. (You will love all the money-saving bundles in this new catalog!)

A couple of notes related to the new catalog: three greeting sets are on sale starting today through June 30 for 25% off: Sassy Salutations, Sweet Essentials and Petite Pairs. Also so far only one item from the new catalog is not ready for ordering just yet: The Bracket Stamp personalized name stamp with 5 lines (item 131138) will not be available in time for the May 31 catalog launch, but SU anticipates that it will be available soon. However, the other versions of Bracket Stamp, with 1-4 lines, will be available to order once the catalog is live today.

Have fun viewing the catalog online and if you don't already have a demonstrator and would like to connect and get a paper copy of the fabulous catalog, just send me an email.

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.

Easter Dress Card

The Dress Up Framelits that let you make die-cut dresses are just too fun! I resisted as long as I could then saw so many cute ideas with these that I had to jump onboard.

This Easter card was simple to do -- dressed up with a stick-on pearl necklace, ribbon belt, and ribbon rose accent. The rose is the flower trim from the spring catalog -- I color the flower with a marker then spritz with water and let it run a little. A quick zap with setting one on the heat tool and it's dry.

 

Twisted Greeting Card - Sycamore Street and a Posy

I'm back with another version of that twisted greeting card from my last post. This one shows off the Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper that you can get for free during Sale-a-bration (it can be one of your free items for a $50 order).

I love the accent on the front -- made from the Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit in the Spring Occasions Catalog. Love it! (item 131395 -- it makes pretty flowers, and has tags and comes with the cute "Just for You" stamp as well).

Here's the inside:

And if you missed the last post, it had my tips and a link to the video from the designer who first made this card design. Here's a link to look at that.

Twisted Greeting Card - A Valentine Gift Card Holder

I first saw this twisted greeting card idea on the special Stampin' Connection website that's open just to Stampin' Up Demonstrators. It was designed by fellow demonstrator Kelly Gettelfinger who also shared a video about how to make it (I'll share that link later in this post -- plus my tips). Then I got a valentine version in a swap from fellow demo Kelly Acheson and it was a sign that I needed to make one! My version was a hit at my January stamp clubs and demonstrator team event.

I often change a few things -- and I did here as well. In Kelly G's original she used the Simply Scored for the scoing -- but with the new Stampin' Trimmer available (which also scores) it was easier to use that -- very easy to make diagonal scores on the Trimmer by living your corners up with the single scoring track. I'm going to share the link to her video and you'll see how she did that with the Simply Scored. My other slight change was that I had my designer paper cut to 10.5 inches long by 3 & 7/8" tall -- just an 1/8 of an inch wider than Kelly's but it fit just a little better for me on the card.

Here's the inside and you can see how it makes a pocket for a gift card:

One more trick to share that I devised after lots of trial and error. Decide which side of your double-sided  paper you want to be predominant -- for me that meant which side would be on the larger top parts of the card -- and then when you line up the corners to make your first diagonal cut, be sure your paper is "leanng to the left" as I like to say. So I had a triangle to the top left, and one to the bottom right. Any other way and the paper sides would not fit like I wanted later.

Click here to watch Kelly's video about this card.

Next post I'll show you a different version of this fun fold card!

Valentine Scrapbook Pages with Hearts a Flutter

The Hearts a Flutter stamp set and matching Framelits dies from Stampin' Up's Spring Occasions catalog combine for fun scrapbook pages at my scrapbook club this month.  The interest is in the details here, with lots of little doo-dads and images combined for some frilly, valentine fun.

Page 1 is a Basic Gray base with the More Amore Designer Paper. The Apothecary Accents Framelits provide the tag base in Primrose Core-d-nations card stock and then images from Ciao Baby are layered on top. (Note the cross-stitch look detail thanks to the new Needlepoint Border Embossing Folders: emboss and then sand to reveal the paper's core.)

Page 2 is a Pool Party 8 inch square base with lots of Hearts a Flutter banners and hearts (the doily heart is cut from a sheet in the More Amore paper!) Again, lots of little details.

You can find all these products in my online store.

Affection Collection Goes Golden

I wanted a glammed up valentine that would work as well for a December wedding card if needed. Affection Collection is an awesome stamp set in the Holiday Catalog that will be gone as of Jan. 2 when the holiday catalog ends. It's a great set -- so great for many things.

I got the background idea from a card I saw in our Stampin' Connection private demostrator site -- to combine the two embossing folders (the Fancy Fan and Delicate Designs lace one). I wanted to glam it up using our gold shimmer card stock. It's a knock out in person -- photos do not do it justice. Big hit at Nov. stamp clubs. FYI -- the lace edge is cut with the coordinating Big Scallop Edgelit before it was embossed. Cutting before keeps your pretty embossing from being "smushed" while cutting after.

A card by Jason of jk cards inspired the focal point. I changed up his layering to a love greeting and added some champagne glimmer paper. Just use the modern label punch for the saying and the glimmer layer (cut in half and attached with glue dots to stick out on each end).

Can't believe I forgot to photograph the inside! Will describe now and try to add it later. White card stock with the wing image from the stamp set in Midnight Muse; the word "Always" in Raspberry Ripple added above the wings; and small punched glimmer champagne heart over the heart in the wing image. Simple glamour. Great for any sweetie or like I said, as a wedding card.

Ink and card stock colors are Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White, Gold Shimmer and the Champagne Glimmer.

Take Your Greetings High Tech with Talking Tag & A New Way to Add Texture

With Talking Tag, you can send a gift that is uniquely you. Talking Tag is a message label you can attach to cards, invitations, gifts . . . anything! Personalize birthday cards, Christmas gifts or even record quick instructions for a project. Now your pictures really can say a thousand words!

How to send a voice message:

1. Download the FREE TalkingTagT App on you smartphone from talkingtag.mobi, iTunes® or Google PlayT.
2. Adhere the message tag to your card or gift.
3. Open TalkingTagT App and scan the code.
4. Record your message (recording starts immediately, so make sure your ready!).

You will have the opportunity to listen, re-record, cancel, or confirm your message after you've completed recording it. Each label allows up to 60 seconds of a greeting, song, or product message.

To play the message, recipients will need to download the app and scan the code.  Messages are saved for two years, so they can listen to it over and over.

How to Buy Talking Tags:

Buy 'em by the sheet from my online store or from me directly! You get 10 tags for just $7.95 (item 129723).

Here's a video about how it works:

 

Now here's news of another new item for Stampin' Up -- a smaller Sizzix machine that will use embossing folders to add texture to your paper crafting projects.

Due to our partnership with Sizzix, we are pleased to be able to offer a test run of the Texture Boutique Embossing Machine in our North American markets. We have 4,000 available to be sold only while supplies last. If this product test goes well, we may offer the Texture Boutique again in the future.

The Texture Boutique works with Textured Impressions Embossing Folders to transform ordinary cardstock, paper, metallic foil, or vellum into an embossed, textured masterpiece. This machine embosses only; it does not die cut.

'Tis the season of giving, and the Texture Boutique makes a wonderful gift for anyone who wants to create their own elegant embossed art. To help you with your gift-giving needs, we're offering a special value bundle that saves you $5.90. If you prefer, you can also purchase the Texture Boutique alone. Looking for stocking stuffers? Pick up some additional embossing folders.

Texture Boutique Bundle
Item 132700
$39.95 (a $45.85 value)
Includes

• Texture Boutique Embossing Machine, 1 Pair of Standard Embossing Pads, 1 Mylar Shim
• Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder-Stampin' Up! exclusive
• Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder-Stampin' Up! exclusive

Texture Boutique Embossing Machine
Item 132657
$29.95
Includes

• Texture Boutique Embossing Machine, 1 pair of Standard Embossing Pads, 1 Mylar Shim

And here's another video about this item:

 

Whew -- that's lots of news but it's all exciting. And you will want to check back tomorrow, Nov. 16 -- as I will have news about our upcoming Online Sale Extravaganza just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season.