Terrific Tuesday – Perfect Blend Again

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It’s Terrific Tuesday again! My how the days and weeks speed by! Stampin’ Up! is really generous with this week’s new MDS downloads. There are 6 pages of them today! You can see them here and place your order for your favorite ones.

Yesterday I shared a card made traditionally using the Perfect Blend stamp set. Today I share a digital card using that stamp set. I am delighted that it is now available in digital form as well. The background paper is one of the Venetian Romance papers I used to fill the heart punches on yesterday’s scrapbook page. You can see that post here. Check out all the beautiful patterns of this paper!

Years ago I started drinking coffee as a social thing and though I am really addicted to my coffee (especially mochas), I still associate it with a social atmosphere. Yes…coffee and friends are made for each other. Since coffee and friends make the perfect blend, I invite you to grab a cup of coffee and spend some time browsing my blog with me.

Supplies:
MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)
Paper – Venetian Romance Designer Series Paper (13473)
Stamp – Perfect Blend (135242)
Embellishments – Brights Paper Buttons (126166) – recolored, Baker’s Twine Add-On Pack (127165)- crumb cake bow
Punch – Merry Medallion Punch comes with Merry Medallion Photocard Template (127569)

Place your order for these Stampin’ Up! supplies by clicking on their linked names or visiting my online store here.

Yummy…Mummy Coffee – Perfect Blend

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A couple of weeks ago, Becky Roberts shared this card

I told her I was going to CASE it. However, I am not very good at CASEing because I usually change something. So here is the card I created based on Becky’s card.I was too lazy to go outside and get out my Big Shot and dies. I used the Natural 7/8″ Cotton Ribbon because I think it looks a lot like what mummy wrappings. The greeting is computer generated and punched out with the Decorative Label punch. Wonder how I got the black borders to it? I punched a second one out of Basic Black card stock, cut it in half and stuck the pieces to the back of the greeting.

This Perfect Blend stamp set is the first one I ordered from the new catalog. What was your first stamp set? Leave a comment.

Supplies:

Stamps – Perfect Blend (131392-c, 130745-w)
Paper – Basic Black, Summer Starfruit, and Whisper White card stock; Witch’s Brew Designer Series Paper (132185)
Ink – Early Espresso
Other – Decorative Label Punch (120907), Natural 7/8″ Cotton Ribbon (127844)

MDSM Challenge 31 -Venetian Romance DSP

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I love doing challenges, especially with MDS! Today’s challenge is this sketch
and here is my take on it.

I wanted to try the sketch using a punch shape other than rectangles. First I tried using flowers but that wasn’t fitting together well so I changed to hearts. I used the Full Heart and the Small Heart punches. I filled them with various patterns of the Venetian Romance Designer Series Paper. After making a row of hearts, I grouped them and copy and pasted them once. The second time I pasted them, I inverted them so they would fit with the row of little hearts better. Let me tell you…having already added the dsp to the punches, each further action I made on the page took a loooonnnng time to complete. I don’t know which is better, to get all the punches positioned as desired first and then add the dsp to each punch or to add the dsp first like I did.

Seeing this photo of our granddaughter the day she moved into her house on the Smith College campus brings such a joy to my heart. Her confident pose shows how excited she is to be going to college. I pray her confidence and hopes of a bright future remain throughout her adult life.

It’s the Last Day of August!

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This means this is the last day to order My Paper Pumpkin and get the special offer of only $10 for the first two months. After August 31, the price will be the usual $19.95 per month.

What is My Paper Pumpkin you might be asking? It is a monthly subscription plan offered by Stampin’ Up! where each month you get in the mail a lovely box containing supplies and tutorial with pictures to make an exclusive project. There are usually enough supplies to make several of the project. The supplies include exclusive stamps, paper, embellishments and inks. All you need to supply is adhesive and the clear block which comes with your introductory kit. If you are one of these people

someone who is just starting out with stamping and doesn’t have many supplies
are on a tight budget but still want to get into stamping
love receiving a surprise in the mail each month
are short on crafting time…each project takes only about 30 minutes to complete

then you would love subscribing to My Paper Pumpkin. You are notified each month when your debit or credit card is charged. You can stop the subscription by notifying My Paper Pumpkin by the 10th of the month and you can skip a shipment the same way. Find out more information and subscribe here. Be sure to name me, Sue Erickson, as your demonstrator. Thanks so much.

MDS Monday Challenge 28 – Clustered Embellishments

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I created this card for MDS Monday’s Challenge 28 to create a cluster of embellishments. I love the softness and feminity of this birthday card. One of the benefits of creating with MDS is that you can rearrange, add, and delete embellishments until you get the effect you desire. There are no scraps of wasted paper left over from your experimentation! To order the supplies I used for this card, just click on the linked names or visit my online store.

Supplies:

MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)

Background
Card Stock – Soft Sky

Embellishments
131329 Timeless Taffeta Trimmings – long bow crumb cake (re-colored), 133903 Sara’s Sequins – lime green, 130080 Soft Blooms – 5 blushing bride, very vanilla, and wisteria wonder, 124330 Basic Pearls and Rhinestones – pearl medium

Stamps
130859 Everything Eleanor – flourish and label
130167 Perfectly Penned – happy birthday

Tags 4 You

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Way back in July I shared a couple versions of a Christmas card using the Tags 4 You and Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper. You can see that post here. Today I have a Thanksgiving card using the Thanksgiving stamp from that set. I discovered a wonderful birch tree when we were at Northwest Hospital that was shedding its bark and I took a large piece of it. I love using it on this card. I adhered it with 2-Way glue. Want to know a leetle secret? I ended up with glue spots under and around the tag. I used the splatter stamp from Glorious Grunge to cover them up.

This set is quite versatile and even comes in a bundle with the Label Bracket Punch. Check out the index and then order one here.

Supplies:

Stamps – Tags 4 You (131823-c, 131820-w), (133294-clear bundle, 133293-wood bundle); Gorgeous Grunge (130517-c, 130514-w)

Ink – Baked Brown Sugar

Paper – Whisper White, Smokey Slate, Crushed Curry, Baked Brown Sugar, and Chocolate Chip card stock; Witch’s Brew Designer Series Paper (132185)

Other – Label Bracket Punch (132153), Autumn Accents Bigz Die (127812), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (113439), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425)

The Most Surprising Benefit of Being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator

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You might think the best benefit of being a Stampin’ Up! demo is getting 20% off all your purchases. Or you might think the best benefit is having so much fun while actually working. Both of these are great benefits but the most surprising benefit I have found in being a demonstrator is the wonderful friendships I have made with other demonstrators across the United States, even internationally, and with my customers.

This is a great opportunity to start your own paper crafting business and reap all the benefits of being your own boss. Since it is your business, you control how much time you put into it and how much profit you make. August is a good time to sign up as a demonstrator because they are having a special which ends Aug 31. When you sign up in August you can choose one of the five card kits offered in our catalogs as well as custom designing your starter kit which is only $99! Click here for more information and/or give me a call so we can have a conversation on how owning your own business can meet your goals.

Terrific Tuesday – Old School September Kit

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Can you believe it? Some kids have started back to school this week and many more will start next week. Stampin’ Up! went crazy with eight new MDS downloads today! They range from the FREE Old School September Wallpaper and Old School September Kit, a Crazy, Mixed-up Love stamp set to a unique gift tag that you send on to someone else on a gift you give. Check out all the great downloads here!

I ordered the Chevron Punch and this delightfully colorful Old School September Kit. This will be my featured digital kit for September. Purchase this Old School September Kit through my online store and I will send you a video demonstrating how to make a scrapbook page and a digital card with it. The video will also include ideas on how to make the projects into hybrid one. The card above shows some of the elements in the kit and the index below shows the embellishments in the kit. There are 12 designer series papers and a 33 piece stamp brush set as well.

Later in the week I will share a project using the Chevron Punch. My mind is racing with the possibilities of this punch. Imagine being able to have chevrons filled with a wealth of different designer series papers and you don’t have to glue the little chevrons down. Yay!

Supplies:

MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)

Old School September Kit (134978)

Best of Halloween with Halloween Washi Tape

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I have not liked using staples on my cards nor using Washi Tape because I am somewhat of a perfectionist and staples and Washi Tape suggest to me that the card was just carelessly slapped together. However, I am slowly coming around to the current trends. This card is my first time using Washi Tape and I like the effect that the Witch’s Brew Designer Washi Tape gives. The Halloween stamp of the That’s the Ticket makes a perfect greeting! So what is your feeling about Washi Tape? Post it in a comment below.

Supplies:

Stamps – That’s the Ticket (131946-w, 128075-c), Best of Halloween (134381)

Inks – Basic Black and Early Espresso

Card Stock – Very Vanilla, Smokey Slate, Pumpkin Pie

Other – Ticket Duo Builder punch (126883), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine ( 113439), Witch’s Brew Designer Washi Tape (132156)

To order any supplies you need to make this card either visit my online store or click on the product names to go to my store.

Best of Halloween

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Remember this Halloween flip card I made a couple of days ago using the Label Card Thinlits Die? If you missed it, here is the post with the details of the card. The stamps came from the August Best of 25 Years stamp set, Best of Halloween. Today I am featuring that stamp set. Here is a photo of the stamps included in the set:

Here is another card I made with the set.

I wanted to create the illusion that you were looking out a window at that owl in the tree so I used a Window Frame Framelit to cut out the front of the card. I had first embossed the card front with the Woodgrain embossing folder and then remembered that he embossing would get flattened a bit when I used the framelit. Oh well…the end result is still pretty good. I stamped the image on Whisper White card stock with Versamark ink and embossed it with black embossing powder. Then I punched out a circle and used the negative piece to sponge the moon with Crushed Curry and Crisp Cantaloupe ink. I used the circle to mask the moon and sponged Smokey Slate and Basic Black ink around the image. I trimmed the Whisper White piece down to a square that fit behind the window and mounted it behind the window with Stampin’ Dimensionals. I glued a piece of the striped Witch’s Brew Designer Series Paper trimmed to 5 1/2″ x about 2 1/2″ on the inside of the card front to cover the Whisper White square. I also added a narrow strip of the designer series paper on the front of the card. I used Wild Wasabi, Tangerine Tango, and Basic Black markers to color the image on the bottom. I absolutely love the way this card came together! Visit my FaceBook page to see another card made with this stamp set and come back here tomorrow for still another idea.

Supplies:

Stamps – Best of Halloween (134381)

Inks – Versamark, Crisp Cantaloupe, Crushed Curry, Smokey Slate, Basic Black

Paper – Smokey Slate (131202) and Whisper White (100730) card stock, Witch’s Brew Designer Series Paper (132185)

Other – Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (127821), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (113439), Window Frames Collection Framelits (129021), Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109133), Heat Tool (129053)

To order any of these supplies, visit my online store or click on the linked names of the products.

Terrific Tuesday – Truly Grateful

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Today is another Terrific Tuesday! Well, sort of. Digitally wise it is great because we get new downloads. You can view and order them here. I have been eying the Truly Grateful stamp set in the Holiday catalog trying to decide if I would use it enough to justify purchasing it. Now it is available in digital form. Yay! I discovered that the stamps are strictly line stamps and to not have the background show through, I placed punches behind the images. The theme of the card is Grateful for… and I added the ‘You’ because I am indeed truly grateful for you, my faithful readers.

The thing that makes the day less than terrific is that my darling little dachies were attacked by a couple of big dogs that should have been on leashes or chained up and weren’t. I didn’t see them until they were on top of the pups. Little One got bit, got loose from her collar and high-tailed it out of there. I was so scared that I wouldn’t be able to find her but she was waiting at the steps of our trailer when Scout and I got back. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the vet getting her checked out. She is going to be fine but is really sore tonight. I feel so sorry for her. However, I am truly grateful that she wasn’t seriously injured.

Now that you have read this blog post, leave a comment below about what you are truly grateful for. We might as well get practiced up on being grateful before Thanksgiving. :o)

Supplies:

MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)

Stamp brush sets – Truly Grateful (134928), Natural Composition Overlays – 9 (130855)

Other – 1.25 square punch, circle punch (come with MDS), Early Espresso 1/4″ Grosgrain ribbon (118851) and Early Espresso 1/4″ Grograin Ribbon knot (118852)

My Digital Studio Monday – Challenge 27

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Today I want to share a scrapbook page I created for My Digital Studio Monday, challenge 27. Here is the sketch: and here is my version:

The sketch is a square page but I created an 8 1/2″ x 11″ page so I could print it out and put it into a scrapbook. I rotated the sketch by 90 degrees so the pictures would fit. Our youngest granddaughter wanted to show me their new cotton candy maker and her brother joined in the fun. It makes great cotton candy! Yum!

Supplies:

MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)

Stamp brush set – Hip and Handsome Overlays – 3 (125753)

Paper – Be Yourself Designer Series Paper – pattern 5 from Be Yourself May Digital Kit (133426), Small Polka Dot Designer Series Paper (118861), Spring Shades Designer Series Paper (120172)

Other – 1.25 circle punch and square punch that come with MDS

August Digital Kit of the Month – About to Blossom August Kit

I have started a new program with my blog. Each month I am featuring a different digital kit. When you purchase this kit, I will send you a video showing how I create a scrapbook page and a digital card using this kit. The video also includes suggestions on how to make the page and card into hybrid items. This month’s featured kit is the About to Blossom August Kit (134860) which coordinates with the free August Wallpaper (134861). Place your order for this kit here and receive your free video.

Happy National Tell A Joke Day!

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Yes, believe it or not, there is a National Tell A Joke Day. Given the state of the economy and all the grim news spewed forth in our newspapers, we do need a day to remind everyone to tell jokes and laugh. Without further ado, here is my joke:

A senior citizen drove his brand new Corvette convertible out of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he floored it to 80 mph, enjoying the wind blowing through what little gray hair he had left. “Amazing,” he thought as he flew down I-94, pushing the pedal even more. Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a state trooper behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring. He floored it to 100 mp
h, then 110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, “What am I doing? I’m too old for this,” and pulled over to await the trooper’s arrival. Pulling in behind him, the trooper walked up to the Corvette, looked at his watch, and said, “Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday. If you can give me a reason for speeding that I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.”
The old gentleman paused. Then he said, “Years ago, my wife
ran off with a State trooper. I thought you were bringing her back.”

“Have a good day, sir,” replied the trooper.

Now it is your turn. Copy and paste a joke into the comment section so we all can enjoy a good laugh.

2013 Stampin’ Up! Convention Swap Cards

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Today I want to share with you some of my favorite cards I received in the SUDSOL swap I participated in at convention this year. SUDSOL stands for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators Sharing On Line and is a demo only group. Each year at convention we have a mega card front swap.

This card was created by Jan Grant using By the Tide (131910-w, 129120-c). I love the way she used the banners to ground the sea shell image. The coral stamp on the background is really subtle and gives texture to the background.

Betty Kincannon created this lovely card using the Field Flowers stamp (128583-w, 122762-c). I love the way she used the negative space of a punched out Labels Collection Framelits Die (125598) to sponge around the stamped image.

Kivonne Tucker used the Flowering Flourishes stamp (131998-w, 126367-c) on this card along with the Large Scallops Edgelits (127019) and the Delicate Designs embossing folder (127023). I will have to go back and take a second look at the Flowering Flourishes stamp set. I have been overlooking it.

Julie Gass used the Mosaic punch (131267) and Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper (130141) to make this striking card. Notice the addition of a little bling on a couple of the punched designs.

This is the last card for today. I really like the way Denise Donald used the strips of Epic Day This and That Designer Series Paper (130814) on the diagonal. Perfectly Penned (128703-w, 122892-c) is still a favorite greeting stamp set of mine.

Visit my online store to order any of the supplies used in these cards. I appreciate your business.

MDS Digital Kit of the Month – I am featuring a different MDS digital kit each month. If you order the kit, I will send you a link to an exclusive video where I create a scrapbook page and a card using that kit. the video also gives you suggestions on how to convert your digital project into a hybrid project. The August Digital Kit of the Month is the About to Blossom August Kit (130864). You can order it here.

Oops! You missed out on August’s Soggy Stamper Stamp Club to Go video. :o( Check out the details here and sign up so you are set for September.

Terrific Tuesday – Witches’ Brew Designer Series Paper

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Today’s new MDS digital downloads include a lot of Halloween themed downloads. I have this Witches’ Brew Designer Series Paper in the traditional form and am excited that it is now available in digital form. I used one of the designs for the background of this photo of my two darling great-granddaughters last Halloween. Emery, the younger one was so delighted with her elephant costume that she made elephant noises at every house they visited. In the lower left corner of the dsp is a skull. That just doesn’t match the sweet faces of the kids so I used the Freeform Paint Brush feature of MDS and the color picker to paint out the skull. Then I added the Greeting Card Kids stamp in Very Vanilla. I added the Word Window punch with an opacity of 50% behind the kids’ names so they would show up better. Go here to see the new downloads and place your order. You can also order the supplies I used for this scrapbook page by clicking on their linked names.

Supplies:

MDS software digital download (130646), MDS software disc (130647), or 30-day Free Trial of MDS (130910)

Stamp brush sets – Greeting Card Kids (123961)

Paper – Witches’ Brew Digital Designer Series Paper – 1 (124925)