Paper And Stamps

Stamping Clubs forming NOW

Would you like a chance to get out once a month?  Would you like to see and make new stamping projects each month?  Would you like to earn hostess benefits, but are not sure you know enough people to host a workshop?  A great solution to these problems is to joing one of my stamping clubs!

A stamping club is a group of people who all agree to place orders together once a month, and they take turns receiving the hostess benefits from this club order.  We get together once a month to make a free make and take project (or two), hear about the new specials, see and try out new products, and place the order... and of course the BEST part of it is socializing with others that have similar interests!  I often have a challenge for my clubs, and participants have a chance to win a door prize as well.

The minimum purchase for the stamp club is $25 a month (before shipping and tax).  The number of months that the club will go is determined by how many members there are in the club.  6 people = 6 months, 9 people = 9 months.  You will be guaranteed to receive at least a free level 1 hostess set AND $15 in free merchandise, and often it is much more.

The next club is planned to begin in October, meeting the first Sunday of each month.  If you are interested in the club, please come to our first meeting on Sunday, October 5th at 3:00.  You'll have a chance to meet the other club members, ask any questions, and do a make and take.  Please just let me know ahead of time that you will be joining us so that I have your project supplies ready!

I would love to talk with you to answer any questions you have, and would be thrilled to have you join our club!

Club Challenge Results - Fresh Cut Notes

I issue a challenge to my club members at most of our club meetings.  In July, our club project used the new stamp set "Fresh Cuts" and the matching die-cut notecards.  Images (c) Stampin' Up! 1998-2008.

 

We started by pushing the die cut petals out of the notecard and setting them aside.  With the card opened up (or a scap piece of paper inside), we stamped the larger collage image from the set using Blue Bayou ink.  We then used the Five Petal Punch and punching an extra flower out of Blue Bayou Cardstock to layer behind the center petals (white).  We added a blue bayou 1/2" circle punch covered with Dazzling Diamonds glitter into a Build-a-brad, and adhered the clear top with extra Crystal effects so that the glitter wouldn't prevent the top from sticking.  The brad was inserted into the center of the flower, and then a backing piece of Certainly Celery DSP from the prints pack was added inside the card on the top half.

The challenge to my club gals was to take home those punched out pieces of petals and to make something with them.  Typically, each person that participates in the challenge has their name thrown into a jar and one is pulled to win a prize.  We had two entries this month, they are both just VERY creative!  I am so impressed! 

Cary used the petals as flames licking up in the campfire (click to bring up a larger picture):

Amanda turned the petals into fish (click for larger picture):

May'08 club meeting

The May stamp club meeting is scheduled for this coming Saturday in Hollister.  The Evite has gone out, and I hope you can make it!

April Club meeting projects

In the April stamp club meeting, we made two cards, both using new products from the Occasions mini catalog... that's one of the great things about being a club member - you get to try out a lot of the new items before you buy!

I absolutely LOVE this card... it's been my favorite one in a while!  Little Miss "Sassy Suzie" has some great sayings, this one included "Your friendship is the most uplifing thing in my life without underwire!"  And what better to go with that comment, but a cute little polka-dot bra?!?  We also gave the plain white grosgrain ribbon a make-over with our marker to add a little more pizazz!

Stamps:  Sassy Suzie (Occasions Mini)

Paper:  Barely Banana, Rose Red, Rose Red Prints Designer paper, Afternoon Tea Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini)

Ink:  Rose Red

Accessories:  White grosgrain, Rose Red marker, Brad, Scallop punch, ticket corner punch, 1/16" circle punch

The other project is a real sparker... this one used the sticky cut letters that are in the main catalog this year paired with the chunky glitter from the mini.  The fresh springy glitter colors were just screaming to be used!  This is a fun 4" x 4" size.

Stamps:  Big Deal Alphabet

Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Afternoon Tea Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini), Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi

Ink:  Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Sticky Cut Letters, Chunky Sprinkles Glitter (Occasions Mini), brads, crafters tool kit, photo corners punch

Remember, the items in the mini catalog are only available through May 31st, so make sure you order your items before then!

April Club Challenge Results

At each stamp club meeting, we have a new challenge.  During the March club meeting, we made the darling litlte onsie cards shown here.  Making these, we wound up with three half circles of the patterned paper left over.  The challenge was to take those pieces home and create something with them and to bring them back to the next club meeting.  Everyone who participated was entered into a drawing for a prize.  This challenge was very, very loose... just to use the left over pieces in some way (you can always so SOMETHING with those bits and pieces!)

We had two entries, shown below:

I think they are both just darling!  The prize was a bag of layered flowers that were created with the Die clut blooms, rub-ons and brads (I should have snapped a pic of those too, but I didn't), and Shirely was the prize winner.

Thank you for participating ladies!

I also made up a little something with left over pieces, but unfortunately, my flash completely washed out the picture... and of course now I can't find where I stuck the little thing... (I suspect one of my kids may have made off with it).  I created a little boat using the punches.  I'll make a new sample and post a little tutorial on how to do it tomorrow.  For now, here's the washed out photo:

Have a great day!

Gift box and Onesie Cards for March club meeting

I want to take just a minute before I show you our great projects to thank my wonderful stamp club members.  Thank you all for being so much fun to hang out with!  We had a great time on Sunday, and made two projects.  The first was a gift box.  Demonstrators have access to hundreds of pattern templates online through Stampin' Up!, and this box was made from one of them.

This  also used several of the new products from the Occasions Mini 2008 Catalog.  The Stamp set is called Sassy Suzie, and she has some fantastically sarcastic sayings that go with her.  Club members stamped their favorites onto the back of the box.  Another way that would work well with a box like this one would be to stamp the sayings onto a tag and attach it with the Poly twill tape tying the box top together.  The box base is made with Groovy Guava cardstock.  We traced and cut out the pattern.  Suzie was stamped with Basic Black classic ink and then colored in with markers.  The edges of Suzie's paper were sponged with Groovy Guava, then mounted onto a Chocolate Chip piece of cardstock.  The Double stitched Groovy Guava ribbon was tied around the front panel of the box, the Chocolate Chip Poly Twill ribbon (from the mini) was attached at the bottom of the box with a glue dot, then we added a ribbon slide from the new Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit (also in the mini) and had the center of the slider act as a "flower" center in the middle of our Guava ribbon. 

Club members:  Note, I finally figured out a better way to tie the top of the box!  The top of the poly twill ribbon was wrapped around to the back side and attached with another glue dot.  The twill was cut, then the two loops of the box top were tied together with a standard bow.  :) 

The other project were these darling Onesie cards (thanks for the inspiration Lauren!).  We made them with a white base, but it would be fun to try them with colored cardstock, designer paper,or background stamps too!  As you know, I'm a tool junkie, and these were a lot of fun since they are made using our great punches.  The neck and leg holes are made using the 1 3/8" circle punch.  The colored arm hole pieces measure 1/2" X 1 3/4".  You Glue these down, then make a diagonal cut with your hobby blade from the inside corner of the arm hole piece to the outside corner of the leg hole.  Do this on each side.  The scalloped neck and leg bands are made by punching the edge of your desiger series paper with the 1 3/8" circle punch to punch out half circles.  Then line up the scallop punch around the edge of your half circle and punch.  I found it easiest to glue these pieces down using the Two Way glue pen.  Trim any edges that stick out over your card base.  The Stamp used is from the Big on Spring set from the mini catalog.  We make custom markers for the In-Colors by letting blender pens soak up about 2 drops of re-inker, and used these to color in the stamps.  The snap area of the Onesie was created by scoring just the top layer at 1/2", then using the paper piercing tool, template and mat from the Crafter's tool kit to make holes to insert the brads through.  Voila!

If you make one of these, please send me a picture!

Club Challenge - August Results

Wow, you ladies did a fantastic job! I knew I had a very creative group... thank you again for playing along!

This was a challenge for my two hostess clubs. I posted the original challenge here. I prepped and cut supplies for everyone and they created something using those supplies... the fun was seeing how different all the results were.

Patti's

Shirley's

Natasha's (Outside and inside)

Lori's

Cary's (Outside and Inside)

Amanda's (Outside and Inside)

Lisa's

And last, my original design.