friday favorites - bright & beautiful

It's Friday Favorites at the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog and I have a favorite to share today! It comes from the 2014 Holiday Catalog. The set I chose to showcase is called Bright & Beautiful. This stamp set coordinates with the Star Framelits, which are a new addition to this year's Annual Catalog. Aren't those stars beautiful?

This particular card I made for our SSINK Holiday Catalog swap, so each of the gals in our group received one of these cards. Unfortunately pictures don't always do cards justice, especially when you add glimmer and glitz. The middle star is die cut out of Silver Glimmer Paper. The stars stamped in the background are embossed with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. They sparkle in person! I thought it would be fun to double up on the ribbon. The 1/8" Silver Taffeta Ribbon is laid over the 3/8" Lost Lagoon Stitched Ribbon. Gives it a fun touch...although the knot of the ribbon does require extra postage. Well, so do the pearls! ;)

Stamp Sets	Bright & Beautiful
Ink	Lost Lagoon, Versamark
Paper	Whisper White, Lost Lagoon, Soft Sky, All is Calm DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, 3/8" Lost Lagoon Stitched Ribbon, 1/8" Silver Taffeta Ribbon, Pearls
Tools	Scalloped Dotted Ribbon Border Punch, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Star Framelits, Itty Bitty Circle Punch (retired)

I also just mailed off 26 swaps a couple of days ago for the Control Freak Christmas Swap and used this set, as well. Stay tuned for that card!


Be sure to visit the SSINK blog to see what the other designer's favorites are this week!

2014 Portland Unite & Excite

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Portland Unite & Excite event. These events were held all over the United States during the first couple of weeks in September for demonstrators only. It is a new concept Stampin' Up! is trying with their demonstrators to help bring fellow local demonstrators together to Inspire. Create. Share. Not soon after I had registered for this event, I was contacted by the Portland event coordinator, Barb Brimhall, asking if I would be willing to speak at the event. I was super flattered to be chosen and after thinking it over and realizing that at some point I just need to conquer my fears, I was all in (with some nervousness attached to it, of course!) I knew ahead of time that I would only be speaking a mere 7 minutes and my topic was given to me, so his would be the perfect first opportunity to be able to speak in front of other demonstrators, sharing with enthusiasm about what I love to do!

My Mom & I

{One of my biggest fans...and newest recruit!}

My downlines and sidelines!

Vicki, Kate, Laura, Terri, and myself

A room full of eager demonstrators at the start of the event. (Hi Terri!)

We started out with a Bingo "get to know you" game where we walked around and mingled with other demonstrators trying to learn a little more about each other. We also had the opportunity to take pictures of display boards and swap cards with one another.

Whoever wanted to could bring swaps to trade and each swap was collected to put on the display boards. I didn't bring swaps with me (too much on my mind), but my mom did. I was so proud of her! Her card is the yellow one in the middle using the Bright & Beautiful stamp set.

Barb Brimhall & I at the end of the event. She's just the sweetest (and so funny!) She did a great job coordinating and being hostess for the evening. There were lots of free stamp set giveaways (I got a little something for speaking) and everyone received the Everyday Occasions Card Making Kit at the end of the evening. So fun!!

Just a small sampling of display or swap cards that caught my eye.

Looking forward to the next Unite & Excite!

the creation station blog hop - harvest time

We are so glad you are joining us today for another round with The Creation Station Blog Hop! If you have already been following the hop, you probably came here from Sara's blog.

For today's hop we were able to choose from the following (any or all):
1. Stamp Set: For All Things
2. Theme: Harvest party
3. Accessory: Petite Cafe Gift Bags

I am so ecstatic about the Petite Cafe Gift Bags found in the Holiday Catalog...10 bags for $5.95. They are 3-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 8" and these bags are poly-lined on the inside, which means they are food safe! Can you imagine all the yummy treats you can put inside them?

When I put together this little ensemble, I was actually thinking of staff at my children's school. These would make great little gifts for around Thanksgiving time to let them know how grateful we are for them!! As you can see, I didn't decorate the bag except for a bow using Blackberry Bliss ribbon finished off with an Autumn Wooden Element. I liked the color of the gift bag and wanted the attached card to stand out on its own.

I attached the Autumn Wooden Element with some Linen Thread. The 3x3 card is attached with a mini clothespin.

The card attached to the gift bag is a 3x3 card that opens, so you still have plenty of space to write a little message on the inside. I love those little 3x3 cards! You can make so many of them in a flash!

Stamp Sets	For All Things
Ink	Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss
Paper	Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, Moonlight Madness DSP Stack
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Gold Sequin Trim, Blackberry Bliss Satin Stitched Ribbon, Mini Clothespin (Hello Honey), Autumn Wooden Accent, Linen Thread, Petite Cafe Gift Bags
Tools	Scalloped Dotted Ribbon Border Punch

I went a little out of my comfort zone on this next one. This notecard also features the For All Things stamp set, but I ended up going with some non-traditional Fall colors and did a lot of free stamping to see where it would take me. I grabbed the THANK YOU stamp from the set called Another Thank You. I liked the big pop of the sentiment. I plan to use this thank you card for my September customer orders. The color scheme came from this week's Color Throwdown.

 I even decided to stamp the envelope this time!

Stamp Sets	For All Things, Another Thank You, Gorgeous Grunge
Ink	Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Paper	Whisper White
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Linen Thread
Tools	None

Next up is Kallan Quinn at Inspired by Hue. Continue on the hop to see all of the amazing projects to help get you ready for Fall. Thanks for stopping by today!

ssink - all things fall blog hop

Yay! It's our monthly SSINK blog hop! This month's theme is ALL THINGS FALL. Although Fall hasn't technically arrived here in Oregon (September is seriously one of the best summer months for us!), I am looking forward to crunching leaves, pumpkin goodies, and the crisp air. Of course, I am not too naive to know that with Fall comes the rain...so I guess that's OK, too. {wink}

As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on every blog! We are always excited to hear from our followers! You should have just left stop number 5 on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop - Jennifer at Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life. If so, you are in the right spot. If a link doesn't work or you get off track, you will find the full blog hop lineup below.

I just love the stamp set For All Things and I couldn't help but use this set again for today's hop! You aren't sick of seeing it, are you? {wink}

I paired the colors Crushed Curry and Early Espresso together...I love this combo with the dark to light contrast. My inspiration came from Freshly Made Sketches #153 and I am also linking up today's card at The Paper Players for their Happy Fall Y'all Theme Challenge.

Stamp Sets	For All Things
Ink	Early Espresso, Crushed Curry
Paper	Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Motley Monsters DSP
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Candy Dots (Crushed Curry), Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Wooden Leaf Accents
Tools	Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Bitty Banner Framelits, Scalloped Dotted Ribbon Border Punch

Now head on over to Breelin at Craft-Somnia!

Blog Hop Participant List:

1. Cynthia at Ink-A-Doodle Creations
2. Diana at Stampin' Fun with Diana
3. Darcy at Dj's Stampin' Place
4. Pam at Stampin' in the Sun
5. Jennifer at Happy 2 Scrap 4 Life
6. Heidi at Stuck on Stampin'
7. Bree at Craft-Somnia
8. Kristina at Mama's Sanity
9. Shellie at Craft Smashup
10. Kim at Stamping with Kim

ssink - one layer card

We are sharing one layer cards today at SSINK and so with that, I made this card simple and sweet! It was finished in a matter of minutes! I used the same technique that I shared yesterday over at SSINK using the Heat & Stick Powder with the Dazzling Diamonds glitter. The second picture in the post will show you more of it's glimmer!

Stamp Sets	Seasonally Scattered
Ink	Versamark, Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride
Paper	Whisper White, Melon Mambo
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Pearl Accents, Sponge Daubers, Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine
Tools	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack (heart)

And if you love this glitter technique and want to get yourself some Dazzling Diamonds Glitter it is part of this week's weekly deals!! You also don't want to miss out on the savings on these awesome punches!! The 2" Circle Punch is new to this catalog, so I know I will be adding that one to my collection! Order online 24/7 at heidiboos.stampinup.net, but be sure to order before Monday, September 15th at 11:00 PM PST to take advantage of any of these weekly deals!

Weekly Deals

September 9th - 15th

glitter it up at ssink!

I have a little photo tutorial for you all today at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration on how to create a glittered image using different colors of ink, Heat & Stick Powder, and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.

Come by for a visit and let me know you stopped by!

the creation station blog hop - tags galore

It's the 1st Sunday of the month and that means it's time for another blog hop with The Creation Station! We've got a small group today, but I still hope that you are inspired by what we have to share with you. If you have already been following the hop, you probably came here from Sara's blog.

For today's hop we were able to choose from the following (any or all):
1. Any alphabet stamp from the current catalogs.
2. Theme: Alphabet stamps!
3. Accessory: Tags Punches and/or Dies ~ What fun and creative things can we do with them? Or can you use dies that you wouldn't think could make a tag?

Well...I have to admit something. I don't own any alphabet stamps. Eek!! I know, right? That shouldn't be allowed, but it's true. I am sure that after seeing some of the projects the rest of the designers create I will definitely want to invest in a set (or two!) So, without an alphabet stamp set I was left to consider the third option and that was to work with making tags.

Before I dove into my creation, I wanted to have a PURPOSE for making this tag. So many times I make something to share on the blog, but never end up actually having a plan of who to give it to or what to use it for. I remembered that sometime at the end of last year I actually purchased some pumpkin scented candles on clearance for the reason of using them for teacher gifts for the Fall. (I don't normally have gifts like that picked out so far in advance, but I guess I was in the moment that day with "thinking ahead'.)

I grabbed my Deco Label Framelits and decided they would make a perfect tag!

 

Using the stamp set For All Things (from the 2014 Holiday Catalog), I made a quick and easy tag I could give to my children's teachers to let them know just how GRATEFUL I am for them! This tag uses the third and fourth largest Deco Labels Framelit. I used Champagne Glimmer Paper for the background. Love how that stuff shimmers in real life! I wanted to keep things neutral so I went for the Natural 5/8" Chevron Ribbon. I used the colors Crumb Cake, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, and Chocolate Chip.

Well...unfortunately that's all I have for you today!! I wanted to make a few more tags to showcase, but this back to school craziness has thrown me for a loop! I hope that you were inspired even by this simple way to use a framelit to create a one of a kind tag! I am sure you will get lots of other inspiration as you continue on with our blog hop!

Next up is Jennifer Downey at Stamping Lane. Click on the next button below to see what she has to share with us today! If you're following the hop backwards, be sure to click on the back button to head to Sara's blog. Happy hopping!

are you a Paper Pumpkin subscriber yet?

There's still time to sign up as a new subscriber for Paper Pumpkin and get 50% off your first two months! The cost will only be $9.97 per month (this includes shipping!). Cancel anytime or keep the creativity coming for $19.95/month. If you would like to sign up for this promotion, be sure to click HERE to sign up and enter in the promo code: HALFOFF2. Hurry...don't wait!! Promotion ends September 10th. (More details can be found HERE.)

For my local customers, I am offering a Paper Pumpkin "Try It" event THIS SUNDAY, 1:30-4:30 (open house style, give yourself an hour to create your projects!) at my home in Sherwood, Oregon. The cost is only $5 and each guest will get to choose 3 projects or cards from the last 5 months of Paper Pumpkin kits. This will give everyone a "taste" of what the Paper Pumpkin kits are all about! I will also have a sneak peek of September's Paper Pumpkin kit!

Here are some of the options my guests will be able to create...they will get to choose THREE projects or cards to make from these kits!

* * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

Another perk of being a Paper Pumpkin subscriber? You will get to order refill kits for past Paper Pumpkin kits!! See all of the AWESOME Paper Pumpkin kits you can order as a subscriber by clicking HERE!

ssink - starburst sayings

I have a fun, but simple card to share with you today!! The gals at SSINK are showcasing the stamp set Starburst Sayings on our blog (be sure to head on over to see more cards using this set!) Starburst Sayings coordinates perfectly with the Starburst Framelit Dies. The great thing about these two products is that you can purchase them together as a bundle...saving yourself 15%! (Clear Mount Bundle - $38.95 / Wood Mount Bundle - $44.95).


I just love the "oh, HAPPY DAY" sentiment. It's perfect for birthdays or any day that deserves celebrating!

Stamp Sets	Starburst Sayings
Ink	Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie
Paper	Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Sweet Taffy DSP
Accessories	SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Rhinestones
Tools	Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder, Starburst Framelit Dies, Itty Bitty Circle (from retired punch pack)

To help me with my card today I used this week's color combo at Color Throwdown and the Sweet Sunday Sketch. Both of these challenges just jumped out at me and I knew they were perfect for this set! 

downline swaps

Last Thursday we had our bi-monthly team meeting. We chatted about upcoming promotions, talked business, helped each other plan events, took pictures of inspiring samples, and created a make n take. This time around I was in charge of bringing the make n take. We created THIS CARD using the Heat & Stick Powder and Dazzling Diamonds glitter technique. It was definitely a WOW card for everyone and many of the gals said they were excited to use this technique in the future for their own card classes.

We also swapped cards (my swap was the make n take). Here are the swaps that I received in return.

It's back to school here in our household (started yesterday). Happy to start getting back into a routine again, but we sure did enjoy our summer vacation!! Here are my two little loves on their first day of 3rd grade (Mikayla) and 1st grade (Austin). Love these faces!!