Sale Bundles Going Fast!

FYI: The All in the Family and Mission Embossable Bundles are SOLD OUT! If there is a bundle on your wish list, don't wait much longer to place your order! Contact me or go to my website to place your order online today!

Happy Stampin!

Glittery Letter Card

Since one of the bundles on sale right now has the sticky cut letters and fine cosmo glitter (Sticky Situation Bundle, item 116222), I thought I'd share a card I made awhile back using them:

The gift stamp is part of a retired set, but we have other birthday stamp sets that would work for a card like this. By the way, this is not the usual card size of half a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of card stock. It is actually 1/4 of a 12x12 piece of card stock--6x6, folded in half to make a 3x6 card. This size card fits in our Small Open-End Envelopes.

If you're interested in ordering the Sticky Situation Bundle or any of the other bundles that are part of the Holiday Extravaganza Sale, go to my website now and shop online!

Happy Stampin!

IT'S HERE! The Sale Starts TODAY!

Check it out!

Go to my Stampin' Up! Website now to place your order! This sale is good through December 1, but supplies are limited!

Happy Stampin!

Holiday Extravaganza Sale Coming Soon! (Nov 26-Dec 1)

I want to give you a heads up about an exciting sale that will begin on November 26. All of the details have not been released yet, but I can tell you that there will be products bundled together and available at a 20-50% discount! This promotion will be available through December 1 (while supplies last)! Be sure to check out my Stampin' Up! website on November 26 to take advantage of these great deals!

Don't forget, online shopping is now available 24/7!

If you'd rather contact me directly to place your order, that's fine too. Just be sure you call me ASAP (my contact info is on my website), as these bundled savings are only while supplies last!

Happy Stampin!

Reverse Masking, with a twist!

Are you looking for simple, single layer card ideas that are also eye catching? Using the reverse masking technique, you can do just that! With the very versatile stamp set Best Wishes & More (page 55, IB&C), I have created 2 cards using that technique, one with a twist. Here's the first one:

Here's how you do it:

1. Use post-it notes or paper with removable adhesive* to cover (mask) 3/4 - 1" in from each side of a white or neutral card front. Grid paper under your card helps you position the masking just right. You can also use a light pencil mark that can be erased later.
2. To create depth, use 2 ink pads that are different shades of the same color. (In the top card I used Kiwi Kiss & Old Olive. In the card below, I used Baja Breeze & Not Quite Navy.) Starting with the lighter color, sponge the entire inside exposed area. Then sponge the darker color around the edges of the masking and lightly in random areas in the middle.
3. While the edges are still masked, ink your stamp with the lighter color and stamp randomly. Then do the same thing with the darker color.
4. Now remove the masking and add a couple more stamped images in the white space as though they are falling onto and off of your card.
5. Stamp desired sentiment in the lower right corner.

VOILA! you've made a card out of one piece of card stock! You could add ribbon or other embellishments, but I don't think they need it.

Now for the twist, in the below card I added an extra technique--emboss resist. After I masked the edges, but before I sponged, I used the Versamark pad and clear embossing powder to heat emboss a couple of the snowflakes. The one challenge I found with this step is that the embossing powder wanted to stick to the masking layer. I used a brush to wipe away that extra powder prior to heat setting. Then just continue on with the above steps and you not only have snowflakes in 2 shades of blue, you also have some white ones that POP off the card!
*Since making these cards using post-it notes, I have been thinking about how the masking process could be done more simply (just in case this happens to be your Christmas card and you have to make a bunch of them). I had the idea to cut a piece of printer paper to the size of the card front, use a sliding blade type paper trimmer to cut the inner space out and attach that with removable adhesive. After a few uses, the ink would start to bleed through the paper (just as it would with post-it notes), so you may have to make several of these, but it would definitely make the masking step easier.

I have been working on making our family Christmas cards and have already completed 40 cards. Yesterday I finally went through our friends & family list and counted just how many cards we'll need... and was shocked to discover we'll need OVER 100!!! Up until now, I have been making the multi-layered cards that I designed for last weekend's Christmas card class (which went great, by the way)... I think I may have to switch to the simple single layer card! That is one of the reasons I was motivated to come up with a simpler way of masking. :)

How are your Christmas cards coming along? Have you even started them yet? I hope this inspires you to get working on them. There's just 34 days until Christmas!

Happy Stampin!

Decor Elements Monogrammed Journal

I'd like to share a journal I decorated with a monogram from Stampin' Up!'s Decor Elements line:

This is a super quick project. I found the plain black journal on the clearance rack at Borders Book Store. After applying the monogram , I figured it needed a little something else, so I pulled out some satin ribbon and my much hoarded Pretties Kit and add just the right touch to make the cover... well, Pretty! Here's a close-up:

This may not be the most practical embellishment for a book that will be stored on a bookshelf, but I think it would be oh so inspiring to write in at bed time if it were laying on my bedside table. By the way, each letter comes in a pack with an upper and lower case letter, so I have an upper case B leftover to use on another project.

Happy Stampin!

Christmas Card Class Projects

Christmas Card Class Cards 08
Originally uploaded by bbstampin

Here are the cards we'll be making tomorrow (Sat) at my Christmas Card class. We'll be making 3 of each--12 cards total (yup, I'm good at math). ;) It's too late to sign up for tomorrow's class, but if you like the cards you see and would like me to schedule another class, please let me know. There's still time!

Also, if you happen to be a friend or family, you will probably be seeing one of these cards up close and personal in less than a month, as these will also be my family's cards this year.

Happy Stampin!