Four Seasons Floral District window card

I love the fat little birds in the hostess set Four Seasons. I used a Tangerine Tango marker to ink up the bird, then a Rich Razzleberry marker for the branch and surrounding area before punching it out with a 1" circle punch. It's adhered to the entire stamped image (in Rose Red) with dimensionals after the larger image was punched out with our largest scallop circle punch.

I CASE'd this card from Diane Vander Galien, who submitted something similar for the A La Card Monkey Challenge #110. Mine uses word stamps from another hostess set called Wacky Wishes, as well as Floral District dsp and stitched white grosgrain. I used this card at my 4-card class on Wednesday.

Now to the NEW catalog! You may or may not have heard that Stampin' Up! has new foam pads. I'd like to give you some information about them here:

Firm Foam Stampin' Pads

With the introduction of the 2012-2013 annual catalog, we have made a very big change to our Stampin’ Pads.
Introducing firm foam pads! They change your stamping experience for the better.
We know you’re going to love these new Stampin’ Pads—just look at all the exciting benefits listed below:

• Provide better ink coverage for your stamps!
• Light-tap stamping produces flawless images!

In addition, our new Stampin’ Pads

• Create wonderfully solid images. The Firm Foam releases more ink onto your rubber stamp than the felt pads. When using the Firm Foam pad, your stamp will get an even, solid covering of ink that you may not have been able to achieve with the felt pads. Please note: if you are using the ink pad frequently you may need to re-ink your Firm Foam pad more often.
• Have a crisply printed, glossy label on the top of the pad that is easier to read and that will not fade or chip off!
• Come with color name labels in all four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German)--just choose your language, peel it off the back, and add it to the side of the pad for easy identification!
• Use the same patented flip-top case design that stores the inking surface upside down, so the pad surface stays moist!
• Are available in all colors, including our exclusive In Colors!

Please note: Five ink colors have undergone formula changes to improve functionality and color stability with the new firm foam pads. These colors are

• Basic Black
• Basic Gray
• Marina Mist
• Perfect Plum
• Tempting Turquoise

All five colors of the reformulated inks have been fully tested and approved. While using the new ink formula in the old Stampin’ Pads is fine, we do not recommend using the old ink formula for these five colors in the new firm foam pads. Any refills purchased after April 30, 2012, will contain the new formulated ink.

Graduation card for Monkey Challenge #111

I have a large, extended family, so it seems as if someone is graduating from high school just about every year. I had no graduation cards on hand, so I was more than ready to make one using our A La Card Monkey Challenge #111: Graduation + Sketch.

Here's the whole card. I used a piece of Patio Party dsp, along with a Brights Button, linen thread, and Midnight Muse and Summer Starfruit inks. I hand cut the graduation cap and then ran it through the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. For the bottom, I got the curve from the Curly Label Punch. The tassel was made by cutting 1/8" Basic Black taffeta ribbon (for the string) and Basic Black dotted scallop ribbon for the tassel. The "congratulations" is from the Curly Cute stamp set.

Here's the sketch that you can follow. You don't have to make a graduation card. It can be whatever you need!

Once you get a card made, upload it using the Linky Tool to http://alacardmonkey.blogspot.com. You have until midnight next Thursday, June 7 (PST). Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Curly Cute;

Ink: Summer Starfruit; Midnight Muse;

Paper: Patio Party dsp, Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, and Whisper White card stocks;

Accessories: Curly Label Punch, dimensionals, 1/8" Basic Black and Baja Breeze ribbons; Basic Black scallop dotted ribbon; Neutral brads; Brights button; sponge dauber, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Border Punch.

Start New Catalog with More Hostess Bucks!

Everyone will find something to love in the new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog, which starts today! Email me at ericandterry@comcast.net to pick a date for your party. You're welcome to host it at my studio!



Dates: June 1 - July 31, 2012
Details: During June and July, hostesses who hold a minimum $450 workshop will receive an additional $50 in hostess FREE merchandise dollars--that's in addition to the $65 they already receive for a $450 workshop!

Your Hostess' Party Sales	Regular Hostess Benefits	Additional Hostess Benefit	Total Hostess Benefits
$450*	$65 plus 1 item at 50% off	$50	$115 plus 1 item at 50% off

*Excluding tax and shipping

Things to Remember: Customer, demonstrator, and workshop orders qualify for this promotion. Online orders are NOT eligible. Orders must total $450 or more (excluding tax and shipping) to qualify. Hostesses may use their additional hostess free merchandise on any regular catalog/mini catalog merchandise. However, hostess dollars cannot be applied to 50 percent-off items. Orders larger than $450 are not eligible for additional hostess free merchandise dollars. For example, a $900 order will not receive an additional $100 in hostess free merchandise dollars. The new catalog is available TODAY online. I'll keep it in my right-hand column, or you can click the photo below. I have my first order going in this afternoon, so if you want anything, please let me know! I'll be at the studio from 10 a.m. to noon. You can come pick up a new catalog for only $2.50. Thanks. 2012-2013 Annual Catalog

New boutique look for part of my studio; Retired sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Tomorrow, Friday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to noon, I'll be at my studio. Come by and pick up a new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog for only $2.50, and shop my retired items. I have a ton of them! When you buy $50 in retired stuff, you'll receive $5 Stampin' Bucks from me toward an order in the NEW catalog. After $50, you'll receive a Stampin' Buck for every $10 spent. It all adds up!

Here's a quick list of what's for sale: Stamps, wheels, punches, paper, Big Shot dies/sizzlits/embosslits/letterpress plates/texturz plates, ribbon, decor elements, brads, clips, ink pads, fabric, and so much more! If you're looking for something in particular, please email me at ericandterry@comcast.net to ask if I have it, and if it's for sale.

I've been wanting to change up things at my studio for awhile now, and finally got time on Monday to clean out some cobwebs (literally) and rearrange things. Only part of the studio is done. I think I could spend days organizing and clearing things out! I love these little concrete shoes. I found them for only a buck at a sale last weekend.

 

Here's a view of most of what I did. The secretary I recently rehabbed is on the left, with various shelves and tables around the two walls. It's like its own room now. I moved two 8-foot tables (you can see a chair and stamps that are on the table in the bottom right corner) farther from the wall on the left. Hopefully I'll sell enough retired ones to clear off the tables! I have stamps on tables, coming out of drawers, stacked in bins and small tables... it's crazy.

I brought this bird house from home. It sits on the top shelf with a ribbon wreath I made.

I had the watering can at the studio and added some plant pokes made from aluminum flashing, 12-gauge wire and baubles (only available to order thru today, May 31). I also have four chicken wire frames I made for sale.

The little round table has a bunch of stamps below the card rack. I've got stamps everywhere! There's a metal cake plate on the right of the desk filled with single stamps. I have two small wreaths on the desk, along with some banners, a couple retired punches, and retired ribbons, black jewels and stitched felt.

The round table and louvered doors were purchased last week. I need to make some hooks to hang all of my wreaths on the doors. I have lots of standard and jumbo wheels for sale too (all retired, of course). I've got a basket of mini albums all made up and for sale on the bottom of the end table too.

My punch-art turtles and bears were popular at the Heirloom show a couple of weeks ago. A lot of people took photos of them. A few people even paid the whopping $1.50 asking price! My daughter and I had fun making them. I just used a couple of mini glue dots to stick them to the front of a sealed skinny cello bag filled with plain M&Ms.

I hope you'll come by tomorrow - and bring friends! Have a great day.

Aviary with Thoughts & Prayers

When I saw this card, I just thought it was so cute, so I prepped it for my club members to make this month. First we stamped flowering branch from Thoughts & Prayers in Pear Pizzazz at the top of the card, then tried to match the stand from Aviary below it, lining up the stem and stand. The flower actually covers where they kinda meet. I love the combo of stamp sets, because it's unexpected. Thoughts & Prayers is pretty much a sympathy set, and Aviary has adorable birds and cages in it. I CASE'd the idea from LeeAnn Greff and also saw it on Pinterest. I used Baja Breeze, Peach Parfait and Riding Hood Red, with the Itty Bitty Punch flower and rhinestones. The sentiment is from Petite Pairs.

 

THERE ARE ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO BUY RETIRING STAMP SETS! More than 300 Stampin' Up! stamp sets are retiring May 31. Retired stamp sets will be available for purchase THRU May 31, 2012 and then they are GONE!

Retiring Stamp List by Page Number

ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO BUY WHAT'S LEFT OF RETIRING ACCESSORIES - SOME UP TO 70% OFF! Click below to see entire list. An "X" to the right of an item means it's no longer available.

Retiring Accessories by Page Number

ITEMS FROM THE OCCASIONS MINI YOU CAN STILL ORDER FOR 2 DAYS! Though the Occasions Mini ended April 30, you can still order from the list below until May 31, 2012.

Occasions Mini Carryover Items

Best of all, when you order $50 or more through my Online Store (open 24/7) you'll get a new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog shipped directly to your home. Sorry, this is only available to my U.S. customers. Just click the SHOP NOW button and you'll be able to view everything from the above items to the Clearance Rack (only available for shopping ONLINE), Digital Downloads, retiring Decor Elements and more.

If you have any questions, please contact me at ericandterry@comcast.net or (360) 509-8041.

Bordering on Romance and a $25 garage sale makeover

I used a Bordering on Romance card by LeeAnn Greff for my clubs this month, changing up the colors to Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango and Baja Breeze. We used the Doily sizzlit, along with an embossing folder (members could select the embossing folder of their choice).

It's been a busy few days. My hubby and I hit a few garage sales within a few miles of our house and found a few items - a $25 secretary being one of them. I've tried loading the before photo, but it turns out sideways! Here's the after photo:

I used a Home Depot paint color called Sunken Pool (Martha Stewart line), along with clear knobs I bought at the store. It's in my studio now, holding stamps and other items, along with some other furnishings I moved around yesterday. I'll show a photo of the studio later.

Don't forget that May 31 is the Last Day to order anything from the current catalog. If you want to see the list of Retiring Accessories (which dwindles every day), visit www.stampinup.com. You'll find the list of Retiring Stamp, Decor Elements and Simply Adorned items, as well.

Also, the Starter Kit is only $99! You may select any product in the catalog up to $125. It's very cool to sign up online - you pick a category, like "ink pads" and they pop up so all you have to do is click on what you want. It's fabulous!!!

One last note, Stampin' Up! announced that if you're wishing to change uplines, the wait has been reduced from 6 months to only 3! Of course you'll get a new Demo I.D. number, lose any downline you may have, and start your career sales at zero, so keep that in mind.

Four Seasons show the Sky's the Limit for Monkey Challenge #110

I'm happy I had the opportunity to ink up this brand new hostess set coming out June 1 in the 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog called Four Seasons. The images spoke to me for this week's A La Card Monkey Challenge #110: Sky's the Limit + Sketch. Well, that, and they fit inside our punches. I love any stamp that fits inside a punch! Above, you can see the butterfly stamp in the set, as well as a 1" circle of Comfort Cafe dsp.

There are four big (and four little) stamps in the Four Seasons stamp set. Each one represents a season. I used the Midnight Muse (new In Color!) ink pad, heat embossed it with clear embossing powder, then added a bit of color with Summer Starfruit (another new In Color) and Baja Breeze markers. I used a Soft Suede marker on the nest, and added a tiny pearl to the bird's eye.

Here's a look at the whole card. I ran the Very Vanilla card front through the Elegant Lines embossing folder, and added dimensionals under the top elements.

The sentiment was stamped in Cajun Craze and I made a banner of it on a polka-dot embossed Midnight Muse card stock strip. I followed the sketch below, cutting four pieces of Comfort Cafe dsp for the bottom of the card front.]

Click over to Shirley's blog here to see her fabulous card using this same sketch:

Here's a photo of Blog Candy I'm giving away when I reach 225 Followers. There's a So Cute clear-mount stamp set, a personal tissue holder I sewed out of Summer Smooches fabric, black jewels and Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon.

If you're not following me yet, please do! I'd love to return the favor, as well. And while you're at it, why not try your hand at this A La Card Monkey Challenge #110: Sky's the Limit + Sketch? It's fun. Just upload your creation to http://alacardmonkey.blogspot.com. You can see the wonderful inspiration provided by our Guest Designers there. Thanks! Enjoy the long Memorial Weekend. I hope you'll remember those in the armed forces who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Whoo hoo! Blog candy time for 225 Followers

I've got some sweet treats for one of my Followers when I reach 225 Followers on this blog! My blog candy includes:

• So Cute clear-mount stamp set
• Black Flourish Designer Jewels
• 3/8" Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon
• personal tissue holder sewn (by me) out of Summer Smooches fabric

If you're already following me, then you don't have to do anything. You'll automatically be included in the drawing for this Blog Candy. You may choose to share this post with your friends - if they're not following me yet - so that I can reach 225 Followers quicker and give out the Blog Candy NOW. lol

Stamp show photos & Monkey Challenge #109

What a long day! There was a lot of driving and lifting and setting up, but I think my Stampin' Up! booth looks fabulous thanks to Shirley, Kim B., and Kim C. Look for a few photos at the bottom of this post. Because it's time for another A La Card Monkey Challenge #109: Pure Joy + Sketch.

My photo didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped and it's getting late, so this will have to do. I stamped the popsicle from Mouthwatering in Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Calypso Coral on coordinating designer series paper. I also used each of those colors in linen thread for the little bows at the left. Simple, but sweet, I think. And, at least for my kids, with the summer coming up and many popsicles in their future - Pure Joy!

How cute is that elephant? If that isn't joy, I'm not sure what is. So you've seen my card. Now it's your turn! It's a simple sketch - just three rectangles with a sentiment (and you can add whatever embellishments you like!) - and you have until midnight next Thursday (PST) to add it at http://alacardmonkey.blogspot.com with the Linky Tool.

Now I promised some photos of the booth Kim B. and I are sharing all weekend. I'd asked Shirley and Kim C. to help make it look like a boutique. Shirley staged the furniture, with Kim C. helping to stack stamp sets and such:

Pretty cool, huh? Our booth is just inside the front door! We have loads of stamp sets (wood and clear mount), jumbo wheels, and much more. Hopefully you can come down to the Puyallup Fairgrounds (Pavilion Building) to take it all in and buy a bunch of stuff! From left to right, you can see Kim B.'s chicken wire doors, my desk and wood boxes above and below, Kim's barrel with Shirley's picket fence box on top, Kim B.'s 3-shelf picket unit, and Shirley's tall lattice shelf unit. I'd purchased the green bucket and stand for the event, but think I'll paint it white to blend better with everything else. Oh, and that wooden door is real and heavy. Thank goodness Shirley attached it to her lattice unit for stability. It was perfect to hold my wreaths!

Here are ribbons, fabric personal tissue holders, mini albums, paper purses and notecards, stitched felt, black jewels, glitter, and a few of Shirley Su's custom owls. I love how Shirley put the ribbon in the drawer. I'm going to use that idea at my studio.

Here's a stamp lamp I made using a mason jar. It holds two full stamp sets and is an actual working lamp. I also made the Twitterpated fabric flower headbands, and some chalkboard tags. The Twitterpated-covered oatmeal container and the tags were ideas I gleaned from Pinterest. I store hair clips with fabric flowers inside the oatmeal container.

Kim B.'s green door looks great with four ribbon wreaths I made on it.

I've got cards to add tomorrow in the card racks. My van was so packed with furniture there wasn't room for the containers of cards. From the left, there's my little round table with my tabletop card rack, Shirley's cool old scale with background stamps on and around it, Kim's purses clipped onto the chicken wire frames with clothespins, her small resin table covered with new catalogs next to her tall card rack, and her 3-tier wire basket with fabric fat quarters.

This photo shows a few of Shirley's items - the round white table at the left, with her white lattice screen, her dresser and long, shallow basket (on the floor holding retired ink pads). I made four chicken wire frames (a few were hanging on the lattice screen), but most of the room is filled with stamps. Again, I love the stamps being in the dresser drawers. They were in bins Kim brought that made it easy for everyone to flip through the sets to easily grab the ones they wanted.

This 3-shelf picket fence unit is mine. I love it because it folds flat. It was so nice that between Kim B., Shirley and myself, we had all of this furniture, bins, baskets and other little things. It really came together beautifully, thanks to Shirley, and we received so many compliments on the set-up because it was so different from every other booth.

The next where I'll have a booth will be the last weekend in July at Kingston's Mike Wallace Park on the waterfront. It's the Kitsap Arts & Crafts Festival.

A pre-congratulatory card from my business advisor

How many business advisors do you know who would send you a card, let alone make it? Since I hold a senior manager title as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, the company gives me access to a business advisor - Carlos. He made this cute card for me, congratulating me for earning the SU! getaway to Hilton Head, SC, but saying it's really a pre-congratulatory card for the grand vacation - to Fiji. I like the confidence! This Old Olive card uses a strip of Tempting Turquoise, and a Scallop Border punched strip of So Saffron. I love the linen thread, and the embossed buttons on the balloons. So simple, but so cute!

Dinoroar stamps with Patio Party dsp and Summer Starfruit

This Dinoroar card uses new Patio Party dsp, along with linen thread and the Modern Label Punch. The triceratops was colored in with a Summer Starfruit marker (new In Color) and Baja Breeze. It was a spur-of-the-moment make & take at our last American Ink team gathering.

A couple American Ink team swaps using new products

Shirley's swap using Established Elegance

Swap using new hostess set Carry On

Barb's swap using new dsp and stamps


 

Poppy Parade Flight of the Butterfly card

I'm a sucker for monochromatic cards. I'm drawn to them. This Whisper White and Poppy Parade card uses the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set, along with an Itty Bitty punch and a rhinestone. The Butterfly Punch is retiring too, so if you want one, buy it now! You can order it 24/7 through my website, and if your order ends up being at least $50, you'll also receive a FREE new catalog! I used this Deb Currier design here for a 10-card class.

It's all girly-girl for Monkey Challenge #108

Being a girl is a lot of fun. I mean you can do anything you want, like wear your prettiest dress, put a fun hat on your head and stand on an alligator! Check out the sketch first, for A La Card Monkey Challenge #108: Girly + Sketch, then look at my card under that.

Can you imagine having your daughter pose like this? It's crazy, but oh what stories you could tell! lol

I had to start my girly card with a Vintage Wallpaper-embossed Pink Pirouette card front, some pretty designer paper, a Victoria crochet trim bow held on with a vintage trinket safety pin, and pearls.

I was thrilled to get the Patio Party dsp FREE as part of a bundle for recruiting during Stampin' Up!'s Sale-a-Bration event earlier this year. In another FREE bundle - this time for having the title of senior manager - I received Betsy's Blossoms and the new 2012-2014 In Color Markers (see the Raspberry Ripple on the bird from that stamp set, along with Midnight Muse on the Itty Bitty Banner sentiment. The second largest Label Framelit is what I used to diecut the shape behind the bird.

I stamped the bird twice, cut out his wing and added dimensionals underneath. Then I replaced his vacant-looking white eye with a pearl. All of the above may be found in the new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up! Catalog! I have boxes and boxes here at home, so if you want one, let me know. My club members will receive a special spiral-bound catalog - my treat! There's still time to place a $50+ order online through my website (click on the icon in the left-hand column) to get a free new catalog. It'll be shipped separately from your order - but via priority mail.

One last thing: I went to a garage sale with my hubby and a neighbor today and found the stuff pictured above. I love old things - especially stuff used in the kitchen and that still have a little paint left on them. I also love the wood-handled screwdriver and the cast-iron fan. The only thing I'm not sure of is the domed metal container on the left. It has thin metal handles on the top and bottom and pulls apart. Do you know what it was used for? Please let me know, if you do! I'd appreciate it. Have a wonderful weekend... and a Happy Mother's Day.





Glittery Upsy Daisy card

This Upsy Daisy card was one of the designs at a 10-card class this week. It's all Pink Pirouette and Early Espresso - including the jumbo brads. I'll miss this stamp set, as it's on the Retiring List (visit here to see everything retiring May 31). I applied the Dazzling Diamonds glitter with a 2-way glue pen.

Just Eat Cake dsp with punched cupcake? Yum!

How about a quick and cute punched cupcake card? I was going to stamp the cupcake parts and then punch them out, but I could find my Create a Cupcake stamp set. Hopefully it'll turn up. I CASE'd another Deb Currier card. This card is all Just Eat Cake dsp, the banner from the Petal Cone die and the Cupcake Builder Punch

Berry Blossom striped butterfly card

I love the beautiful simplicity of this Stripes-embossed Whisper White card. I CASE'd this from Deb Currier. My 2-inch circle features Berry Blossom dsp, along with a Wisteria Wonder butterfly diecut with the butterflies embosslit. I'm trying to use up my rhinestone brads, so that's what we used at my 10-card class yesterday. The sentiment is from A Word For You.

Crafting festive ribbon wreaths for Puyallup festival

I didn't realize it'd been a few days since I've posted. Time flies when you're crafting! I've been creating for hours every day, preparing for the Heirloom Rubber Stamps & Paper Arts Festival May 19-20 in Puyallup, and the Kitsap Arts & Crafts Festival in July in Kingston. I've made a few ribbon wreaths in the past couple of days. I've got photos of two of them. Both use wire forms with four rings, and were purchased at an area craft store for $2.50 and $1.99. The top wreath is medium, and the one below is small.

When my hubby saw the top wreath hanging on the wall, he thought it looked like it had American flags on it. It does have some red and white striped ribbon, along with some polka-dotted ribbon, but I just used up ends of rolls of ribbon I've had laying around for awhile. Same thing with the Rich Razzleberry and Basic Black wreath above. It does have some Basic Gray taffeta and striped Old Olive ribbons. If you're going to use new rolls of ribbon, I believe the medium wreath uses 7 rolls, and the small one uses about 4. It really depends on the ribbon width, though. Each wreath only took me about 1-1/2 hours to complete. I tie each ribbon on, but don't knot it.

I'm looking forward to the Puyallup show. I have a couple of friends helping with the booth set-up, to make it look more like a vintage boutique. I've been making a variety of items - garden stakes, chalkboard tags, fabric personal tissue holders, candy items and more. There will be a little something for everyone, including lots of retired stamps, punches, ink pads, ribbons, buttons and stitched felt items. If you're going to be in the area, I hope you'll come by and say "Hi" at the shows!