Simply Cute Sale-A-Bration Send Off!

Wow!  I can't believe it's been 2 months since I last posted!  It's not for the lack of projects to share... Since tomorrow (March 31) is the last day of Sale-A-Bration, I thought I'd share a couple super simple & cute (if I do say so myself) projects that use the Punch Bunch stamp set that you could get for FREE when placing an order of $50 (before shipping & tax). 

First is this magnetic bookmark:

The base of the bookmark was made using the Two Tags Bigz Die (with the Big Shot).  I folded a 2" x 8 1/2" piece of River Rock card stock in half and set it on the die so that the fold was just inside the cut/stitch lines on the top.  The stamp was inked using our Stampin' Write Markers and then punched out using the 1 3/8" circle punch, layered on a 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch.  The magic of this bookmark is created with two strips of magnet attached on the inside of each flap.  This would be a great use for those promotional magnetic business cards you probably have cluttering your fridge or stuffed in the back of your junk drawer.  Just cut them into 3/4" strips and use a good strong glue (Sticky Strip or Multipurpose Adhesive) to attach them to the bookmark,.  If you don't have any scrap magnets laying around to recycle, Stampin' Up! does sell Magnet Sheets (Item 119816/Pkg of 3 sheets, 6" x 13") for $9.95.  That would make A LOT of bookmarks!

The other project I'm going to share with you may look vaguely familiar.  I've reused the mini post-it note cover idea that I blogged about last year--click HERE to see that post, which includes the directions. 

I found the size of this cute little post-it note cover is the perfect size for the 2-Step Owl Punch...

AND, the Punch Bunch stamp set has this cute little coordinating owl stamp!  The glittery heart was punched out using the little heart on the 2-Step Owl Punch and the Glimmer Paper (Item# 121790/2 sheets 12" x 12").  It gives you all the sparkle, but none of the mess of using glue and glitter! 

Wondering what the inside looks like?  Here you go:

If you'd like to get some FREE STAMPS OR ACCESSORIES during Sale-A-Bration, click HERE and start shopping!  For every $50 you spend, you get to choose one item!  There's no limit!

Tomorrow is also the last day you can take advantage of the awesome special on the Demonstrator Starter Kit--15% off the starter kit price and a special $50 bundle!  Click HERE for the details. There is also an additional incentive for the next person to sign up under me, you will also receive a stamp set from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog before it goes live (May 1)!  You can sign up directly through my website.  Just click on the JOIN NOW link and fill out the paper-less paperwork. 

Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions or would like to chat about becoming a demo!  My contact information is on my website.

Happy Stampin!
Brenda Bromen

Sale-A-Bration Time Is HERE!

Stampin' Up!'s BIGGEST event of the year, SALE-A-BRATION, starts TODAY!  This would be a great time to stock up on paper, ink, accessories... or better yet, buy yourself that gift you didn't receive from your wish list?  For every $50 you spend, you choose one of the items from the brochure for FREE!

There are actually 3 ways to earn free products during Sale-A-Bration:

1. For every $50 (before s/h & tax) you spend, you earn a Sale-A-Bration reward--NO LIMIT! SHOP NOW!
2. Host a workshop of at least $300 (before s/h & tax), and receive a Sale-A-Bration reward. Contact me today to schedule your workshop!
3. Join as a demonstrator and get a free bonus bundle that includes up to $50 worth of products, in addition to 15% off the price of the starter kit! JOIN NOW!

This awesome event only happens once a year, so be sure to take advantage while you can!  It runs from today through March 31.  Contact me for more information.

Here's a simple card using one of the stamp sets you can choose from--Punch Bunch:

Basically, I punched a bunch (no pun intended!) of 1" circles out of Botanical Gazette Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini) and then stamped the true friends stamp twice (once on So Saffron & once on Cherry Cobbler) punching one out with the 1" circle and the other with the 1/2" circle.  Then I cleaned the stamp and colored just the "true friends" words with a Not Quite Navy marker, stamped that onto Old Olive and punched it out with the Jewelry Tag punch.  Here's a close-up:

Happy Stampin... and Sale-A-Brating!
Brenda
850-466-3585
bbstampin@yahoo.com

Use What's On Your Table Challenge

So, what does your craft space look like today?  Are your creative juices stewing amongst piles of scraps and various parts and pieces left over from past projects?  Well, I want to share a challenge that my friend, Ellie posted on Facebook today--USE WHAT'S ON YOUR TABLE! 

Here's what I came up with:

I will admit, I had to use something that wasn't on my table when I got up to use the letterpress plate (Heart Pressed) in my Big Shot.  I actually got lucky, because I had started this project yesterday and hit a creative block.  I guess it took committing to someone that I would actually complete something to get over that block. 

The color combo came from a card I saw in the January issue of Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator magazine, Stampin' Success.  One of the awesome perks of being a demo!  I would have never thought to use Marina Mist on a Valentine's card, but I think it really works.

The letterpress plate is new to me.  It's in the Occasions Mini Catalog, along with the Glimmer Paper (that I punched the big heart out of).  For this card, I inked up the letterpress plate with a Versamark Ink Pad, instead of an actual colored ink pad.  This created a more subtle background.

Here's a close-up so you can see the details:

 
   So, now that you've seen one of the projects I came up with by using what's on my table... give it a try for yourself! 

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

A Quick Gift Idea: Personalized Stationery Gift Set!

Happy New Year, my crafty friends!

I want to share a last minute gift I created last month. As the hours were winding down before we were to leave on our Christmas vacation to visit family, I needed to come up with a gift for my husband’s grandma. Knowing she’s one of the few people who still enjoy sending and receiving handwritten letters, I thought what better gift than to create a set of personalized stationery for her!

Having just received my preorder for new stampin’ goodies from the Occasions Mini catalog, I wanted to use the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (Pg 28/121809/$7.95). It would add the perfect touch to a set of monogrammed note cards.

I suppose I could have just wrapped the note cards in some pretty ribbon and left it at that. But I decided to make a little something to hold the cards, envelopes and coordinating pen instead.

The base of the notecard folder was created out of a single 8 ½ x 11 sheet of card stock.

• Score at 2” and 2 ¼” along one of the long edges, then turn 90 degrees and score at 5” and 5 ½”.

• Cut out the 2 ¼” x ½” scored section to create the flaps inside the folder. Cut at a slight diagonal along the inside edges of the flaps (see picture below).

• Secure the outer edges of the flaps with eyelets (brads or staples could also be used).

• Decorate as desired.

The monogram is stamped using the Lovely Letter Alphabet set and then punched out using the 1" circle punch.  That is then layered with a 1 1/4" circle and 1 3/4" scallop circle.  I snipped in between each scallop for the monogram on the cover of the folder to add a bit more texture.
 

 
I hope this inspires you to create a quick gift for someone special.  Before you do, be sure to tell me what you think!  Your comments are what motivates me to continue blogging!  Thanks!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the NEW Occasions Mini Catalog!  Click HERE to start shopping!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

Happy Mother's Day!

This will be a relatively quick post because my family is making me breakfast this morning and I don't want to miss out on a nice hot meal... that I didn't have to make! :)


The boxes that come with the Simply Adorned charms & chains just scream to be decorated. They are like little chocolate chip colored blank canvases. Here are a couple that I decorated--one for Mother's Day and one for a birthday gift:

Supplies: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Flower Designer Brads, 1 1/4 & 1 1/2 Square Punches, Tag & Small Tag Punches, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon and Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper.


The belly bands were actually made to go around 2 boxes (one with the charm and one with the chain) side-by-side. The ribbon sort of hides that fact. Here's a peek at one of the charms:

The J is stamped with basic black craft ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I had to use tweezers to hold the small square while embossing it. I suppose it would have been a smarter idea to stamp and heat set it before cutting it into a 1" square. However, I did stamp & emboss a J on the opposite side which is a Tempting Turquoise pattern, so it's reversible.

Supplies: All Holidays, Simple Friendship, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (from the Occasions Mini, which is still available to purchase), Big Shot, a retired designer paper that I had in my stash and the same punches as the other project.

I hope y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Mini Post-It Note Journal Cover

As promised, I'm back with a project idea to share. This was a project we did at my Spring Fling class last month. Covering post-it notes is by no means my original idea, but I can say that I painstakingly figured out the measurements to this cute little journal-style post-it note cover:

I used half of a pad of mini post-it notes. The measurements can be adjusted depending on what size and the amount of post-it notes you use. Starting with a 5" x 2 1/4" piece of chocolate chip card stock, score the card stock at 1 1/2", 1 3/4", 3 5/16" and 3 9/16". Yes, the 16th's of an inch matters. I tried using more standard measurements, but the post-it note pad just didn't fit right. You really want it to fit snugly in the book.

So, once you've scored, then you fold it up like a book with the shorter of the 2 flaps on the outside. Like this:

If you'd like, punch the 2 outside corners with the Corner Rounder Punch. Add extra adhesive on the post-it note pad before attaching it inside the book so it won't go anywhere. To get the Velcro lined up just right, put the 2 sides together and attach the rough side to the flap. Then remove the backing for the other side and simply close the flap and press firmly to adhere in place.

I decorated the cover by cutting a piece of designer series paper to the size of the outside flap--about 1 3/8" x 2 1/4". BTW, I used the Sweet Pea paper from the Occasions Mini on this project, which is no longer available. The bunny is from the Forest Friends stamp set. He's punched out using the large oval punch and layered with a Scallop Oval.

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These make wonderful little gifts and are a great way to use up some of your scraps. Be aware, once you start making them, they will multiply like rabbits!

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Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Super Sweet Notecard Set

Need a super sweet gift idea? How about making one of these:

I've posted a similar type box in the past. It's made with two scallop envelope diecuts and two 2-1/4" x 1-1/2" strips of card stock for the sides. The notecards are 3" x 3" (3" x 6" card stock folded in half).

Stamps: Fox & Friends & Tiny Tags (both from the Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini Catalog)

Accessories: Sweet Pea Designer Paper PAD, Corduroy button, Linen Thread, Jewelry Tag Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, Big Shot, Scallop Envelope Die.

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If you live in the San Antonio area and would like to get a few of your friends together to make this super sweet gift set, give me a call to schedule your own private class (at your house or mine).

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Happy Stampin!

Brenda Bromen

210.451.8731

Baby Boy Blue Knit Hat & Coordinating Card

It's been awhile since I've shared a knitted project with you. So I'll show you a super quick knitted hat that I made for a friend who just had her 7th child. It's a simple 2x2 rib pattern--if you knit, you know what that means. Of course, I couldn't just give her the hat without a coordinating handmade card now could I?!

While I was at it, I thought, Hey! This card is turning out super cute! Why don't I make another one for a sample? So, I DID! I changed the second one up a bit... can you see the differences?

These cards were just as quick and easy to make as the hat. Here's a list of all the punches I used: 1 1/4" & scallop squares, the modern label, word window and scallop edge. I dusted off my Nursery Necessities stamp set to use the cute elephant & saying. There are little dots around the edge of the elephant image--kind of like stitching. After stamping him in Bashful Blue, I used the fine tip on the black stampin' write journaler (marker) to highlight that stitching.

I love the 4 square card layout. It's great for highlighting pretty papers or using up scraps. Here's another version of this layout:

We made this card at my last class. I actually CASE'd it from another demo's card idea, but changed it up by adding the little Jewelry Tag hanging from the ribbon. It's hard to see, but it says {love} on the tag.

If you ever get stumped when sitting down to make a card, consider using this basic layout. If you don't have square or heart punches, consider using flowers, stars or circles...

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Catching Up... New Stuff Party Make-N-Takes

Time sure has gotten away from me with my blog posts... I guess I have a good excuse with my husband coming home from his deployment and all. :-) He gets 2 weeks off before he has to go back to work here, so we've been taking advantage of that and going on fun day trips--lunch and margaritas on the Riverwalk, touring caverns and panning for gems, touring the Shiner Brewery... and sampling some new brews, of course! We were lucky enough to be the first of the public to taste their newest beer, Shiner 101. Yumm! This morning, my hubby and I took a drive over to Comfort to visit my favorite Texas yarn shop, The Tinsmith's Wife. We ate lunch at a little bistro around the corner that happens to have the best burger ever and browsed through some of the quaint antique shops.

I explain all of this so that you understand my delay in posting pictures of the make-n-takes we made at my New Stuff Party a couple weeks ago. Here they are:

The Friends card was made with the Vintage Vogue set from the Occasions Mini. The striped paper is from the Sweet Pea Designer Paper Stack. Notice I said STACK, not pack. The Sweet Pea Stack has 48 sheets (2 each of 24 double-sided designs)! This paper is GORGEOUS! The bookmark was made using the Vintage Labels stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration brochure and the Medallion background stamp from the IB&C. Everyone had the chance to try the clear mount stamps. They make it easy to see exactly where you're stamping!

When I finally got around to unpacking from the party a few days later, I noticed I had a some extra supplies from the projects and decided to make them up. Here's how they came out:

The top one is the original card. The middle 2 cards were made with the Fox & Friends set in the Occasions Mini. The vine on the monkey card is from Baroque Motifs. I made the bottom 2 cards using other stamps in the Vintage Vogue set and embellished them with some brads. Here's a closer look:

This brad is from the Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit. It says Genuine.

The flower was stamp using the rock-n-roll technique, cut out, embellished with a So Saffron Brad and mounted on the card using a dimensional. I added some texture to the backgrounds of all the cards using the texturz plates and my Big Shot.

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I'm not sure what fun trips we'll be going on this coming week, but I know I will need to sneak some time away in my stamp room so I can start working on the projects for my upcoming All-Occasion card class on February 9. If you're interested in attending the class, we'll be making 6 cards (2 each of 3 designs). The class fee is $10 and all you have to bring is adhesive and scissors. There are 2 times available: 9am-noon and 6:30-9:30pm. Contact me by February 2 to sign up.

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Happy Stampin!

Brenda

bbstampin@yahoo.com

Here's one for the Birds!

They're here, THEY'RE HERE! The OCCASIONS MINI CATALOG & SALE-A-BRATION ARE HERE!

I am having a NEW STAMPIN' STUFF PARTY to celebrate!

When: Tuesday, January 12 @ 7pm

Where: My House (in the San Antonio, Texas area)

Contact me to RSVP and to get directions

bbstampin@yahoo.com

I hope you can make it! We'll be getting our fingers inky while playing with some of the new clear-mount stamps! There will be class sign-ups, refreshments and DOOR PRIZES!

I'll even have some project samples to hopefully inspire you! Here's one you'll see:

This card features one of Stampin' Up!'s new punches... Two-Step Bird (117191/$15.95). I sponged some chocolate chip ink around the edges of the bashful blue bird to give him some depth. I also attached a small piece of a dimensional adhesive behind the tip of the wing and attached the shoulder of the wing with regular adhesive to give him even more dimension!

And here's a close-up:

Check out that epoxy brad! Isn't it too cool! It's new in the Occasions Mini!

To create the scalloped border around the 3" square, I simply pieced together several scallop square punches, overlapping the squares in the middle.


Hope to see you at my party! We'll be Happy Stampin!

Out with the Old, in with the New!

I've mentioned before that the Occasions Mini will be coming soon... January 5, to be exact. You've had a peek here and there of a few of the projects I've made using some of the items I've preordered. Well, if you haven't had a chance to see ALL the exciting new stuff in the NEW Occasions Mini catalog yet, you're in luck! Here it is (click on the picture to open the PDF file):


Another exciting promotion that begins on January 5 is Stampin' Up!'s biggest of the year--SALE-A-BRATION! Here's a peek at that brochure (again, click on the picture):


With the start of the Occasions Mini just around the corner, means the end of the Holiday Mini Catalog. If there are any products in the Holiday Mini that you just can't live without, be sure to place your order by January 4! I also want to point out that the stamps on our DORMANT LIST will no longer be available after January 4. Be sure to check out the list HERE. Either place your order online through the SHOP NOW page on my website or feel free to contact me directly and I can help you place your order.

Hope you're having a Happy Stampin' New Year!

Got My Creative Mojo Back!

Hello, my crafty friends!

You may not have realized (unless you're one of my Facebook friends) that I had lost my creative mojo. Well, thanks to a little (okay, A BIG) inspiration I found in a recent Papercrafts magazine I believe I have found my mojo! Take a look:

Not having any of the exact supplies that were used in the inspiration card, I had to get creative! I created the patterned paper using a stamp from the Circle Circus stamp set--isn't it amazingly similar to the inspiration paper? I was pretty impressed with myself for being able to eyeball stamp all of the circles! Nope, no stamp-a-ma-jig used here! To carry the tempting turquoise color throughout, I decided to color the centers of the circles.

As you can see, I decided to add some color on the butterflies too. The butterflies are 3 of the 5 diecuts that come from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die that is NEW in the Occasions Mini catalog (available on January 5!). They are cut out of whisper white card stock and then I used the embossed designs on the butterflies to add color to make them POP. I simply used a black stampin' write marker on the top and bottom butterflies. And I used a neat technique to add the pumpkin pie color to the middle one. Check out the close-up and you will see there's a shine to the spots on the butterfly along with the brad and centers of the circle stamps:

All I did, was add a drop of Pumpkin Pie re-inker to a bit of Crystal Effects, stirred it up and used the ball end of a straight pin to dot it on where I wanted it.

You may wonder why I created a mirror image of the inspiration card. Well, that happened out of a happy accident while I was putting the card together. I went to punch the corners of the various blocks before attaching them to the card front and, wouldn't you know, the very first corner I punched ended up being on the wrong corner! Thankfully it was an easy fix to flip the layout.

I'm excited to have my creative mojo back. There is another card I made this morning using more new products in the Occasions Mini that I will share with you next time. So be sure to check back soon!

Hope you'll be Happy Stampin' into a Happy New Year!

A Friendly Birthday Gift

Last weekend, my kids and I had made plans to go out to eat with another deployed family. Our date had been set for a couple weeks. Through the magic of Facebook, I discovered that it would be my friend's birthday the day before our dinner date. Knowing how she must feel without her hubby on her birthday, I decided to make her a special gift. Here it is!

I took a simple junior legal pad and an RSVP pen and decorated them!


If these stamped images look new to you, YOU'RE RIGHT! THEY ARE NEW! The set is called Vintage Vogue and it is a sneak peek from the upcoming Occasions Mini! This set happens to be clear-mount... a new option coming in January! The stamps are still made of our high quality, deeply etched rubber & foam... the additional option of the clear-mount sets just come with a repositionable backing that can be used with clear blocks (instead of wood), making it easier to see where you're stamping! It also cuts down on the space it takes to store the stamps. These sets come in a DVD style case. Oh, and another key advantage... they cost less! I can't wait for you to see them up close and personal, once the new mini catalog goes live on January 5!

Here's a close up of the card:

The 5/8" satin ribbon is new too! It comes in 9 colors!

Of course, you can't give a pretty gift without pretty packaging...

The bag was repeatedly stamped with a single 1" x 2" (approx) flower & vine image to create a climbing vine. I rotated the stamp to give it a meandering "vine-y" feel.

I hope y'all are finding time to relax and enjoy yourself during the holiday season. Sorry I've been lax in posting lately. Now that my Christmas cards are signed, sealed & delivered and most of my crafting projects are done or I've sent an IOU and am very close to completing them... I promise I'll be back to post some more projects before Christmas.

Happy Stampin!

While Supplies Last means While Supplies Last...

I have been a smidge busy this week. With a workshop scheduled on Tuesday, I thought I was all set with a 6x6 scrapbook page and card all designed and ready to go. Well, as I mentioned when the Last Chance lists came out, the retiring accessories are only available while supplies last. Unfortunately, as the workshop got closer, most of the accessories I had planned to use were sold out! Here's my original page:

The Baja Breeze striped ribbon and Baja Breeze card stock are both sold out. When I last checked, the Baja Breeze ink pad and Walk in the Park DSP were still available.

I had even come up with a 12x12 page to show at the workshop--so people could see how to incorporate the 6x6 page into a standard sized album

Also retiring, but still available is the Big Deal Alphabet set. The Great Friend stamp set from the Occasions Mini will be coming back in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog!

SO, on the morning of the workshop, I went about designing a new page for the make-n-take:

This time, I used regular colors & accessories that aren't going anywhere and planned the page around a retiring stamp set (Seaside), which will be available to order right up until the end (June 30). In the end, I think it turned out to be a better page for the group. One person at the workshop said she was going to use her page as a gift for her dad for Father's Day. They had just gone to the beach and she had the perfect picture to add to the layout!

I did create a 12x12 page to show with this page, but I'm having technical difficulties with uploading it with the correct orientation. So I will have to upload it separately through my backup, the photo sharing site Flickr.com.

Happy Stampin!

Hoard No More! ...well, at least for this Pop-Up Graduation card.

How many of you buy things on impulse and then are either afraid to use them because they cost "a lot" and it has to be a pretty special project or once the items arrive, you just can't figure out what to do with them? Well, I have a stack of stuff like this... mostly accessories. Coincidentally, before I found out this item was going to be retiring, I decided to break into my long hoarded pack of Hooray Designer Hardware. As a bonus, I also used some grommets (also hoarded) from the Occasions Mini on the same card! Check it out:

I saw the idea of using the Top Note die to create a gift card holder on the inside of a card on Shelli Gardner's blog. She mentioned that Stampin' Up! gave their employees cards that actually had a place for 2 gift cards inside (dinner & a movie). Neat idea, huh?! I only needed a slot for one gift card for the graduate I plan to give this card to, so I had to attach it differently that it was on my inspirational card. Here's what I came up with:

It's pretty simple... I folded a 5" piece of card stock in half (the length doesn't matter, but should be at least 4", depending on how deep you want to make the slot that holds the gift card) then set the folded edge 1/2" - 1" in on the short side of the Top Note die and ran it through the Big Shot. At this point, you can decide how much of the gift card you want showing and then score the same distance in on both sides. This creates the flaps that hold the card slot in place. I then used Mono Adhesive to attach those flaps to the inside of the card. I also added a little adhesive inside the edges of the folded area (beside the card slot), so the card would fit more snuggly. Clear as mud?

Happy Stampin!

Another Tree Card...

Here's another card we made at the card class last week:

I really like the tree from the Forest Friends stamp set (Occasions Mini). It makes such great masculine cards. The thank you stamp came from the "Under $10" page way in the back of the Spring-Summer IB&C on page 208. If you have a wish list from the Occasions Mini catalog, now would be the time to fulfill your wishes! You get to pick an item from the "Under $10" page when you order $40 worth of products (before s/h & tax) from the mini! This sale ends TOMORROW (April 30)! So, give me a call or go to my Stampin' Up! website to place your order NOW!

MAY SPECIALS
* However, if you're looking to stock up on designer series paper and/or textured card stock, wait until May 1... check out the May sale flyer! We're having a buy 3, get 1 free sale during National Scrapbooking Month (May 1-31)! Mix & match any of our designer series paper packs and packs of assorted textured card stock!
* There's also a sneak peek purchase opportunity for you--the Jumble Alphabet stamp set from the upcoming 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog... AND you get a 20% discount off the regular $43.95 price--52 letters for $35.16!
* If that's not enough, how about a special starter kit for ONLY $75! If you have ever thought about becoming a demo, May might just be your month to take the plunge! This is a special scrapbooking themed starter kit that includes an alphabet set (up to a $43.95 value), simply scrappin' kit, assorted textured card stock, craft stampin' pad and all the business supplies you need to get started! Contact me today if you'd like more information about this great opportunity.

Happy Stampin!

Special Tri-Fold Card

Wow! I can't believe it's been over a week since I last blogged! I guess I've been busier than usual. I want to share one of the projects we made at my card class last Monday.

Here's a side view:

And an inside view:

As you can see, there are 2 different pieces of card stock making up the tri-fold card base. The bottom (Riding Hood Red) piece measures 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" and is scored 2 1/4" from the shorter edge. The Very Vanilla layer measures 5" x 8 1/2" and is scored 1 1/2" & 5 1/2" from the shorter edge. Then you lay the Very Vanilla layer inside the Riding Hood Red layer with the shorter flaps together. The larger flap of the Very Vanilla layer is punched with the Eyelet Border Punch.

The oval stamp is from the Oval All set in the Occasions Mini Catalog and is punched out with the Large Oval Punch and layered with a Scallop Oval Punch (which is also available in the mini).
Happy Stampin!

Brag Book... a great Mother's Day Gift!

With Mother's Day just around the corner (May 10), I recently held a class for this project:

Stamp Sets: Great Friend, Baroque Motif, Define Your Life, All Holidays
Accessories: Big Shot, Serif Essentials Alphabet die, Scallop Circle die, Background 1 Texturz Plate, Jumbo Eyelets, 5/8" grosgrain ribbon and sanding block.
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Using clear translucent envelopes for the inner pages gives you a place to simply slip in 4x6 photos for a wonderful Mother's Day gift that any mom or grandma would LOVE to show off! You could even step it up a notch and create mini scrapbook pages. If you'd like to give this project a try, check out the tutorial for the basic brag book construction on SCS.

If you haven't noticed the April Special flyer to the right, be sure to check it out. When you order at least $40 in products from the Occasions Mini catalog (before s/h & tax), you will get to choose a stamp from page 208 of the Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalog--up to a $9.95 value--for FREE! You can also earn a free stamp from that page if you host a workshop with $150 in sales (along with the usual hostess benefits)! If you'd like to place an order or host a workshop (in your home or via catalog/email), please give me a call or shoot me an email... or order online through my website. This offer ends April 30!

Happy Stampin!