The ABC's of a Perfect Handmade Holiday

It's hard to believe, but the holidays are right around the corner and Stampin' Up! want to help make your holidays more special than ever! The ABC's of the Perfect Handmade Holiday will help you prepare for the holidays without all the stress. From October 19 (TOMORROW) - December 16, 2010, Stampin' Up! will be offering you holiday bundles perfect for creating Amazing cards, Beautiful packaging, and Cherished gifts--all at 20 percent off!!!!


Stamp Set Bundles =
Bundle Description #1
- Vintage Christmas Card Bundle
Bundle Items
- Bells and Boughs Set
- Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper
Bundle Sale Price
- $29.96 (Item #: 124067) - Wood
- $24.36 (Item #: 124068) - Clear

Bundle Description #2
- Contempo Christmas Card Bundle
Bundle Items
- Contempo Christmas Set
- Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper
Bundle Sale Price
- $25.96 (Item #: 124071) - Wood
- $21.96 (Item #: 124072) - Clear


Bundle Description #3
- Tags til Christmas Bundle
Bundle Items
- Tags til Christmas Set
- Decorative Label Punch
Bundle Sale Price
- $49.52 (Item #: 124077) - Wood
- $41.52 (Item #: 124078) - Clear


Bundle Description #4
- Gift Packaging Bundle
Bundle Items
- Gifted Set
- Mini Lunch Sacks
Bundle Sale Price
- $31.92 (Item #: 124083) - Wood
- $24.72 (Item #: 124084) - Clear


Bundle Description #5
- Simply Adorned Gift Bundle
Bundle Items
- Charming Set
- Simply Adorned 1" x 1-1/4" Charm
- Simply Adorned 24" Chain
Bundle Sale Price
- $52.32 (Item #: 124076) - Wood


Non-Stamp Set Bundle =
Bundle Description #1
- Frame Gift Bundle
Bundle Items- Definitely Decorative Chunky Frame
- Small Chocolate Chip Dotted Flourish Décor Elements
Bundle Sale Price
- $23.12 (Item #: 124075)


To take advantage of these amazing deals make sure to contact me today!

Stampin' Royalty #27

This week's Stampin' Royalty challenge was a sketch challenge. Here is my take on the sketch. I was playing around in My Digital Studio tonight using a new digital download called Summertime Splendor. I love this paper - it is just so darn pretty. I'm slowly figuring out how to change what part of Designer Series Paper shows up in the picture which is kind of fun.

Inside my card, I used the same paper but tried to create a watermark image by changing the opacity of the paper. I am not sure how to create a file that "looks like a card" but I'll consult with my lovely upline and update my post if I can solve the problem.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope it was sunny and warm where ever you are! Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #25

This week the Stampin' Royalty goddesses are challenge you to a colour challenge using Taken with Teal, Basic Black, Lavender Lace and Pink Passion!

I hope everyone is doing well this week as the countdown to the end of the school year is on! I decided to start with some of the wonderful Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper for this project as it is retiring at the end of this month. I had planned to use one of my favorite stamp sets; Vintage Vogue (#117690 - woodmount or 118598 - clearmount) but then as I assembled all the pieces it didn't look right - has that ever happened to you? My son Matthew was doing a craft beside me and placed one of the embosslit butterflies on my card and it looked really nice so then I revised my plan. I experimented with my reinkers mixed some ink with Frost White Shimmer paint and then sponged it onto my butterflies. There is no sentiment on this card yet, but I'll be giving it to Matthew's teacher as he had a hand in its creation.

Stamp Set(s): None
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pink Passion plus Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper
Ink: Lavender Lace Reinker, White Frost Shimmer Paint
Sizzix: Embosslits Beautiful Wings
Adhesives: Glue Stick, Multipurpose Glue
Punches: Scallop Trim Border, Eyelet Border

Thanks for coming by today. Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #24

This week the Stampin' Royalty goddesses have challenged you to create a Masculine themed project. I decided to use the lovely Sense of Time stamp set for my husbands upcoming Father's Day card. This stamp set works really well with the Extra large cog two step punch. A touch of gold, a few brads and my card was done! Unfortunately, I had to use a retired sentiment for my card because I couldn't find my All Holiday's set. Many thanks to Sabriena for snapping the picture of my card as my DH is currently using our only camera while fishing in Ontario. Ya, ya, I could have used the camera on my phone but I have absolutely no idea how to get the pictures from my phone onto my computer...remember I still struggle with taking the pics and maintaining my blog! Have a great week everyone.

Stamp Set(s): Sense of Time, All Year Cheer II
Paper: Very Vanilla, Brushed Gold Card Stock, Soft Suede Designer Series Paper
Ink: Soft Suede
Embellishments: Metallic Brads
Tools: Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool
Adhesives: Glue Stick, Multipurpose Glue
Punches: Extra Large Cog Two Step

Thanks for looking and don't forget to check out Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #23

This week's Stampin' Royalty Challenge is an Inspiration Challenge using the Stampin' Up! picture below.

There is so much going on in this lovely picture that I wasn't sure where to start...and sadly I'm out of Blush Blossom paper too. So I decided to go with the way the picture made me feel, sunny, happy and more than ready for spring to finally get here! I decided to channel my summer feelings with Yoyo Yellow card stock and wanted to play with my newly arrived Punched Posies Set. This was my first attempt at using clear mount stamps and I had a little bit of trouble adhering the image to the rubber (My good friend and upline Sabriena laughed when she saw what I had done and then proceeded to fix and mount the remaining stamps in the set, she is such a wonderful friend.). I will never go back to woodmount stamps! It was so easy to align the smaller flower (done in old olive ink) to the center of my yellow flowers...LOVED IT! This set is so much fun, and half the stamps match a corresponding punch which added to my crafting pleasure! I hope you like my sunny take on this week's challenge, I had a lot of fun making this card.Stamp Set(s): Punched Posies, Oval All
Paper: Whisper White, Yoyo Yellow Card Stock
Ink: Pixie Pink, Yoyo Yellow and Old Olive Ink
Sizzix: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
Embellishments: 5/16" Neutrals Jumbo Brads
Tools: Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool
Adhesives: Dimensionals, Glue Stick
Punches: 1 3/4" Scalloped Circle, 5-Petal Flower, Scallop Oval

Thanks for looking at this week's Stampin' Royalty post. Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #21

This week's challenge at Stampin' Royalty is a Colour Challenge. *Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink*

Another week living the life out in the country and another My Digital Studio (MDS) submission. I played with this card for a couple of days and every time I had a new idea about what might look good, I'd try it out. The MDS software is amazing and really easy to use. This week I tried a few new things with the software, mirroring images as shown on the stamps above and below the ribbon. I also learned a LOT about layering as my flowers are many layers of different paper, stamps and punches - what fun I had! Thanks for stopping by to look at this weeks Stampin Royalty submission and we'll see you again soon!

Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #20

This week's challenge at Stampin' Royalty is a Sketch Challenge.

For the next couple of weeks we are visiting family out in the country where the only access to the Internet is {gasp} dial-up! So, I don't really have access to all the creativity available on-line that I use when sitting down to make a card. Thank goodness for My Digital Studio (MDS)! I brought along the laptop (thanks to some good advice from my upline) and loaded the software during a quiet part of the day. Now, when the kids are asleep and the "Men" are doing that thing they do - ladies you know what I mean here, I can get creative without even making a mess. I think that the best part about using MDS is that it is so easy to change anything about the card without having to cut paper, re-cut to size, put into the scrap bin because I cut the paper wrong, re-cut paper and stamp again because the stamp didn't take properly, etc (you get my point here, right?). Even embellishments can be changed, moved, made larger or smaller with the click of your mouse - absolutely fabulous!

Thanks for stopping by to take a look, don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #19

This week's challenge at Stampin' Royalty is a Family theme challenge. My amazing upline gave me a copy of My Digital Studio (MDS) a couple of weeks ago and I'll have to admit that I wasn't really in a hurry to load the software onto my computer. I like playing with paper, so I didn't think that I'd really like MDS...boy was I WRONG! Sabriena you were right, and thank you for this wonderful gift! MDS is so easy to use and includes sample layouts for those of us new to scrapbooking, stamping and digital art. I was able to create this page using one of the sample layouts in less than 10 minutes! Suddenly, the idea of creating scrapbooks doesn't seem that scary (I didn't believe I could give my children that kind of commitment when their baby books are still not up to date and the kids are quickly (sadly) outgrowing their baby phase. I love these two pics which highlight the fact that when these two boys aren't bugging each other they are the best of pals (do they ever stop eating???).

Software: My Digital Studio

Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #18

This week's Stampin' Royalty challenge is to create anything but a card. I couldn't wait to play with my new goodies which included the mini-milk carton Bigz L Die. I must confess that I may have said a couple of bad words when trying to put these samples together...but the outcome was worth the effort! I love working with Vellum Cardstock and was thrilled to show it's versatility using different embossing folders. I was also really excited to find some jelly beans that almost matched my Tempting Turquoise birds from the Sweat Pea Designer Series Paper. My oldest son thinks that we should give these out as party favours at his sixth birthday party...26 mini milk cartons, there may be more bad words coming out of my mouth in the coming weeks!

Stamp Set(s): None
Paper: Vellum, Real Red, Chocolate Chip Card Stock, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper
Ink: None
Sizzix: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Buttons #5 Sizzlits Die
Embellishments: Sending Love Epoxy Brads, Mini Library Clips, Tempting Turquoise 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

Tools: Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack
Adhesives: Sticky Strip (MUST use this adhesive for making the milk cartons)
Punches: Scallop Edge, Horizontal Slot

Thanks for checking out this week's post. Don't forget to stop by Angela's blog for another amazing Stampin' Royalty design team project.

Stampin' Royalty #17

This week's challenge over at Stampin' Royalty is to 'use your punches'.

Stampin' Royalty #16

As you can see from the image below this weeks Stampin' Royalty challege is a sketch challenge.

Stampin' Royalty #15

This week's Stampin' Royalty challenge is to Keep it Simple, Sweetie (KISS).

Stampin' Royalty #14

This weeks Stampin' Royalty challenge is a colour challenge. *Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron and Taken with Teal*

Stampin' Royalty #13

This weeks Stampin' Royalty challenge is to create an Easter Theme project.

Stampin' Royalty #12

This weeks Stampin' Royalty challenge is to "Get Glitter Happy". I earned this cool stamp during Sale-a-bration and used it to create a card for my snowboarding brother. I like glitter but I don't use it much because it goes everywhere! Recently, someone showed me how to use heat and stick powder to keep glitter under control so I used it for this project and guess what - less mess! Thank you Sabriena. I can just imagine how my brother would feel with sparkle all over him after reading my card LOL! Thanks for looking this week.

Stamp Set(s): Three Little Words, Extreme Snowboard
Paper: Soft Suede, Bashful Blue, Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Soft Suede
Sizzix: SU! Punch Windows
Embellishments: Mini Library Clips, Vintage Brads
Tools: Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool
Adhesives: SNAIL, Dimensionals
Punches: Modern Label

Stampin' Royalty #9

Stamp Set(s): Asian Artistry
Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron DSP, Mellow Moss, Ballet Blue, So Saffron
Ink: So Saffron, VersaMark
Embellishments: Clear Emboss and Black Emboss Powder
Tools: Heat Tool, Sponges, Paper SnipsAdhesives: SNAIL
Punches: Scallop Edge

Stampin' Royalty #8

The Stampin Royalty Goddesses have put out a colour challenge which should have helped me create a card this week. However, I have a difficult time taking the ideas in my head and bringing them to life as cards. I usually start with one idea and end up with something totally different (try not to imagine how big my scrap bin is!), but the good news is that now I actually create cards with all my wonderful supplies so I am moving forward! I hope you have a good day today.
Stamp Set(s): Baroque Motifs, Noteworthy
Paper: Summer Sun, Only Orange, Pixie Pink
Ink: Green Galore
Sizzix: SU! Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, SU! Punch Windows
Embellishments: Bold Bright Brads, Organza Ribbon
Tools: Mat Pack, Paper Piercing Tool
Adhesives: SNAIL
Punches: Modern Label

Stampin' Royalty #7

A happy hello to you today. I recently had the privilege to meet with a wonderful group of ladies in my upline, and they are all so talented and knowledgeable, creating beautiful works that it was a very humbling experience for me. It was also really nice to chat about everything from "Where do you start, when you want to make a new card?" to "When is a project finished?" We talked about the business of having workshops and supporting our customers too. As a new Demo, hearing how other people make cards was very enlightening for me. I also wanted to know which tools each person MUST HAVE for their art...what are your top 10 "Must Have" tools?

Here is my card for this week's Stampin Royalty Challenge, which was to make a Masculine Card. My thanks to Ange and Sabriena who's feedback made this card turn out so well. Have a great day!

Stamp Set(s): Friends 24-7
Paper: Old Olive, Sweet Pea DSP, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Adhesives: SNAIL

Stampin' Royalty #6

I hope you are feeling the love in the air this week with Valentine's Day just around the corner. This weeks Stampin' Royalty Challenge was to create a Love or Valentine's themed project and the SR Goddesses thought we should all try to use the I {Heart} Heart stamp set as part of this challenge thanks to a suggestion from a fellow crafter. I think it is so neat that we all look at a stamp set and can create such diverse projects - but that is the true magic of paper crafting, right? Check out the Design Team submissions at Stampin' Royalty to see what I mean.


I like using punches and fiddling with different techniques and styles, but sometimes I have trouble getting things positioned properly after I've settled on my layout for a card. I started this card by punching out a whole bunch of different hearts, settled on a really nice layout before gluing all the hearts onto the Whisper White card stock. Then, before I know it, all the hearts started jumping around and needed repositioning, well then it didn't look the same as my original layout - does this ever happen to you? The final product is alright, if not simple.

Stamp Set(s): I {Heart} Heart, Whimsical Words
Paper: Pixie Pink, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Melon Mambo card stocks, Melon Mambo DSP, Soft Suede DSP,
Ink: Melon Mambo
Adhesives: SNAIL, Glue Stick
Punches: Scallop Circle

Stampin' Royalty #4

I loved this week's sketch challenge created by Sandra Farrell over at Stampin' Royalty. I had so much fun creating this card using my new Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! So many talented crafters have created fabulous projects using this paper and I'm pretty happy with the way my card turned out this week too (even if the scanner refuses to cooperate when I add bumpy embellishments to my cards).


Stamp Set(s): Whimsical Words
Paper: Soft Suede , So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Embellishments: Playground Designer Buttons, 5/8” Satin Ribbon- Bashful Blue
Tools: Sponge Daubers
Adhesives: SNAIL, Glue Dots, Glue Stick
Punches: Tag Corner, Scallop Edge

Stampin' Royalty #3

Alright, creating cards is supposed to be fun and easy right??? This week the Stampin' Royalty Design Team has challenged us to create a single layer project and I've probably been staring at a blank piece of paper for an hour trying to figure out which stamp set to use and how to make an interesting card without using layers...remember, I'm new at this! So, I went to the Stampin' Up! Demo site and looked for some ideas under their Stampin' Success Techniques and decided to try the Polished Stones technique (see Rolling Stones Technique) using some of my favorite colours on this soft gray day. I had some difficulty getting the card to scan properly because of the glossy card stock and the embellishment but I think it turned out alright. I sanded down the hardware pieces and then dipped them in Chocolate Chip ink to make them less shiny. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the Stampin' Royalty Challenge blog this week!

Stamp Set(s): Lovely as a Tree, Noteworthy, Of the Earth

Paper: Glossy White

Ink: Going Gray, Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom, Sage Shadow Re-inkers, Chocolate Chip Classic Pad

Embellishments: Hodgepodge Hardware, 1/4;” Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon

Tools: Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Adhesives: Sticky Strip
Techniques: Polished Stone

Stampin' Royalty #2

This week the Stampin' Royalty Design Team set out their first colour challenge using Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum and Elegant Eggplant. I decided to use my Lovely Letters stamp set and create a Valentine for the wonderful man in my life, which means I cannot make this card too girly. Luckily, the scanner did a great job with this photo because I still haven't figured out the camera thing yet! Don't forget to stop by the Stampin' Royalty site and check out the Goddess picks from last week, and while you're there post your own challenge creation!

Stamp Set(s): Oval All, Lovely Letters Alphabet
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Sizzix: Stampin; Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Stampin’ Up! Punch Windows
Adhesives: SNAIL, Dimensionals
Punches: Full Heart, Wide Oval, Large Oval, Small Heart

Stampin' Royalty #1

I have met the most wonderful, talented lady and she has convinced me that having a blog and being part of a design team would be a really good opportunity for me so here it goes! Please bear with me while I learn how to create beautiful cards, and step into the world of blogging for the first time. The design team at Stampin' Royalty kicked off their new challenge blog with a birthday theme. I wanted to honor Sabriena with my fabulous friend card, which (hopefully) also works for the birthday theme. I used the bubble technique to colour my Whisper white paper but instead of fun circles of colour, the paper looked like it had been washed with water colours, so I went with that instead. When I scanned the image it made the ribbon look funny, and I couldn't seem to fix the problem so I'll figure out how to use my camera for future posts...until then, have fun crafting!

Stamp Set(s): Fresh Cuts
Paper: Whisper White, Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise
Ink: Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise Re-inkers & Classic Pads
Embellishments: Filigree Designer Brads, Organza Ribbon
Tools: Mat Pack, Paper Piercer
Adhesives: SNAIL, Dimensionals, Sticky Strip
Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval
Techniques: Bubble Paper