I just had to try my hand at making one of those poinsettias from the French Foliage stamp set that Stampin' Up! introduced in the Holiday Mini Catalog. My long-time cyber friend Connie Babbert first shared this technique. Thanks, Connie! I am not excited about the band of pink across the middle as I have a hard time getting used to non-traditional colors for Christmas. However, I do like the total sum of the parts of this card. Thanks for coming by to visit today.

By the way, this is Cyber Monday and the last day of Stampin' Up!'s Spectacular savings. Don't put off clicking on this link to see what is on sale for up to 50% off! You will be so sorry if you miss this spectacular sale!

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

Stamps: French Foliage (120845 w) (121166 c)
             Bells & Boughs (120831 w) (121142 c)

Card Stock: Regal Rose (105130)
             Always Artichoke (105119)

Inks: Rose Red Classic Ink Pad (101778)
             Always Artichoke (105219)

Other: Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402)
             Basic Pearls (119247)

I really wanted to be in my stamp room creating a card to share with you but I spent yesterday and part of today creating the covers for our worship bulletins for advent.

The design I have used in the past did not work for our new pastor. I printed out one of the old ones and traced the outline of the two different size candles, then scanned them back into my computer. I uploaded the smaller one into My Digital Studio and copied and pasted it to have four candles. Then I used text frames to add the words.

Next I uploaded the flame into MDS and adjusted the size and put flames on each of the candles. I put on only one for the first Sunday in Advent and added a flame for each week.

I used the poinsettia stamp brush from Bells and Boughs to add greenery at the base of the candles. However, the candle lines showed through the poinsettia image. So I saved just the candles and opened the image in Adobe Photoshop Elements 3. There I could erase parts of the lines. I switched back and forth between PSE and MDS saving several versions of the candles until I got just the right amount erased. Once I got the image with four candles done, I had to go through the whole process again to add the Christ candle for Christmas Eve. It was a lot of fussing and some frustration but I am happy with the end results.

Now I have the bulletin covers all ready for Advent. Yay! Thanks for coming to visit today. Let me know you were here by leaving a comment. If you would like to play with My Digital Studio, hop on over to my online store. My Digital Studio is 50% off through Nov 30. You can't beat that deal!!!

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving yesterday. Having a grateful heart is one of the keys to a contented and happy life. Today I want you all to know how grateful I am that you take time to visit my blog. I am also grateful for all my customers and good friends who support me in my stamping business. Thank you all so much!
Blessings,
Sue

It's the day before Thanksgiving and my mind is whirling with all the preparations for tomorrow's dinner which I have put off until the last minute. However, I need to pause occasionally to appreciate all the things for which I am thankful. Perhaps you are like me. Perhaps you too need to take an occasional pause in the midst of your busy day to consider those blessings which we take for granted. Let's warm-up our gratitude today in preparation for Thanksgiving Day along with preparing our Thanksgiving feasts. Please take time to post a comment and share what you are thankful for this year.

Happy Holdiay Stamping,

Sue

Stampin’ Up! has gone bonkers! From Nov 22 – Nov 30, selected products are 50% off including My Digital Studio! Other selected product is 20%, 30%, and 40% off! What a great opportunity to purchase a gift for your stamping buddy or even for yourself. You have been very good this year, haven’t you? Click the image below to find out all the wonderful things that are on sale. Then either place your order right there while you are in my online store or email me with your order. You must get in on these great savings!

The sketch for the Stamping 411 challenge this weekend is an easy one. I used Deck the Halls Designer Paper, the Boughs and Bells stamp set, and Always Artichoke 1/2" seam binding to make my response to the sketch. It is the first time I have tried the ruffled ribbon tech using sticky tape to adhere it to the card. I think it turned out pretty well.

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Here….have a cup of coffee or a latte while you visit and please do leave a comment before you leave. I love knowing you visited.

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue Erickson

Stamp set: Bells and Boughs (120831 wood) (121142 clear)

Inks: Cherry Cobbler (119669)
         Always Artichoke (105219)
         Soft Suede (115657)

Paper: Cherry Cobbler card stock (119685)
           Crumb Cake card stock (121030)
           Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper (120810)
           Whisper White card stock (100730)

Other: Dazzling Diamonds glitter (102023)
          Crystal Effects (101055)
          2-Way Glue Pen (100425)
          Sticky Strip (104294)
          Distressing tool (part of cutter kit 106958)
          Sponge Dauber (102892)
          Always Artichoke 1/2" Seam Binding (121000)

You don't have to clean your house or find a time when your friends can all come to a workshop. You can hold a catalog workshop and get all the hostess benefits you would get if you were to hold that workshop in your home. You gather up orders from your friends and relatives totaling $150 in product before shipping and taxes. Send me the orders and a check and I will place the order for you. The only thing you will miss is the fun of having friends gather to stamp. Here is a card I made from Stampin' Up!'s free Level 2 Hostess set, Long Fellows (118720 wood, 120136 clear mount). This set is only available to hostesses so contact me to schedule a workshop right away. I am filling up my calendar for January and February now. If you would like to order the supplies to make this project, visit my online store now.

Thanks for stopping by today and do come visit again!

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

Stamp Set: Longfellows (Hostess Level 2 set)

Card Stock: Bashful Blue (105120)
                  Whisper White (100730)
                  Daffodil Delight (119683)
                  Kiwi Kiss (119795)

Inks: More Mustard (103162)
        Always Artichoke (105219)

Other: Early EspressoTaffeta Ribbon(119964)
           1" Circle Medium Punch (119868)
           Stamping Sponge (101610)

In some places of the United States, winter has arrived with a vengeance and it is drawing near for the rest of us. Are you dreading the wintery morning commute? The inch of ice on your windshield that needs scraping? The frigid ride in your car until the heater gets warmed up?

Dread that commute no more! Imagine going to work in the warmth of your own home and in the comfort of your jammies. That is one of the benefits of owning your own stamping and paper-crafting business. Yes…you still need to hold office hours because you will need to make phone calls, write copy to promote your business, and keep track of sales and finances. BUT…you can do this on your own schedule!

You determine how big your business will be and how fast it will grow. The more hours you put in to the business, the faster it will grow but your business will still grow if you put in just a few hours a week and work those hours consistently.

You say you aren't creative enough? Never fear, you would have me to back you up with training and sharing creative ideas with you are well as numerous other Stampin' Up! demos who are delighted and honored when people copy their work. Stampin' Up! gives great support to their demonstrators through training videos, podcasts, and regional events as well as an annual convention.

Other benefits are the extra money you can bring into your family budget, the formation of great friendships with customers and other demonstrators, and a sense of pride in being your own boss.

This business offer is always a great offer but right now you can get your business started with a 50% discount on the starter kit. This kit includes everything you need to get started…business forms, a small selection of stamps, some ink, a few accessories, and paper. This discount is only avaliable Nov 15-30 so decide now to take control of your destiny. Contact me for further details.

Do you have card stock and scrapbook paper scraps coming out your ears? Are you like me and save every scrap because it will come in handy for punching out a flower or butterfly? Do you wish you had a system for dealing with all these scraps other than throwing all of them away and never saving any at all?

I finally loosely organized all my scraps. I have a small tub sitting by my

Stampin' Up! tabletop paper cutter where I place my scraps as soon as they have been cut. Periodically I go through these scraps and file them in a more permanent place. Here is a picture of this tub. It looks like it is overdue to be sorted!!!

When I sort these scraps I put the true scraps into Craft Keepers by color category: yellow/orange, blues, greens…etc. I also have a craft keeper for metallic cardstock, backgrounds, and preprinted papers. These Craft Keepers are in a crate under my stamping table so they are close at hand. Here is a view of these craft keepers.

As I am cutting card stock, I try to leave portions of the sheet in 1/2  or 1/4 sheet sizes. I store these in the containers shown below.

There are many other ways to store your scraps but these seem to work pretty well for me. I hope this discussion is helpful to you. I'd be delighted for you to describe your way of storing scraps in a comment below.

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

Did you know we even had such a day? I didn't either but it is a great idea. The project I had planned to share with you today falls right in line with this theme.

There were some copper embossed butterflies lying on my stamping table that were left over from an earlier project. My 1 1/2" x 2" Simply Adorned charm was also lying on my stamping table and my creative muse realized that the butterflies would make an great focal point for an insert for the charm.

I have a shallow tub by my table top paper cutter where I put my paper scraps when I am cutting layers for my projects. I started looking through these scraps for the perfect color card stock to coordinate with the butterflies. I found a small Baja Breeze scrap that had been embossed with the Elegant Lines embossing folder….perfect! Then I looked for a coordinating piece for the back side of the charm and found a scrap of Elegant Soiree Designer Series paper. I am so pleased with the end results and the whole project took maybe 15 minutes!

Send me a picture of a project you make with recycled scraps and I will be happy to share it here on my blog. Tomorrow I will share my scrap storage system with you.

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

        Back                            Front

Paper: Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper 117163)
           Baja Breeze Card Stock (111352)

Other: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder (119277)
           Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (118138)
           Copper Flashing (from your hardware store)
            Mini Glue Dots (103683)

We welcomed our 7th great-grandchild into the world last Sunday, November 7. Ashley and Nathaniel named her Emery Faith. Such a pretty name and such a sweet baby! I feel way too young to have 7 great-grandchildren! Our older daughter started her family when she was a teenager and her children have followed suit.  Here is a scrapbook page I created with Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio software using a picture they shared on Facebook. Thanks for visiting. Please sign my guestbook by leaving a comment.

Blessings,

Sue

Have you signed up for The Soggy Stamper Newsletter mailing list yet? Why not? You have nothing to lose and lots to gain. Here is what you are missing if you haven't subscribed:

• Monthly newsletter filled with projects including directions, tips, and Q & A
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Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

Let's all take some time today to give thanks to our veterans and military personnel who put their lives in jeopardy to guarantee security and safety for us. Even better…if you see a military person, give them a handshake or hug. I have a demonstrator friend who stops to hug any soldier she sees. That is gratitude in person! I created this Veteran's Day Thank You card with My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to forward it on to all the military people you know.

Blessings,

Sue

Card Stock: Night of Navy, Craft

Designer Paper: Travel Journal Series paper

Font: Thanks – Elephant 28, the rest of text – Ariel 20

Surprise, I am actually posting to this blog. The days just slip by and I have so much to do and so little time. Yeah, yeah, I know you hear that all the time. Anyway, I am here and I want to share my thoughts with you today.

Let's all take some time today to give thanks to our veterans and military personnel who put their lives in jeopardy to guarantee security and safety for us. Even better…if you see a military person, give them a handshake or hug. I have a demonstrator friend who stops to hug any soldier she sees. That is gratitude in person! I created this Veteran's Day Thank You card with My Digital Studio. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to forward it on to all the military people you know.

Blessings,

Sue

Card Stock: Night of Navy, Craft

Designer Paper: Travel Journal Series paper

Font: Thanks – Elephant 28, the rest of text – Ariel 20

The other day Lynn Pratt posted a twisted pyramid card on her blog along with a link to the template she made for it. Thanks so much, Lynn! I have been featuring my favorite product from the Holiday Mini which is the Deck the Halls Designer paper. The other day I realized that the Christmas Collage background stamp is the stamp version of one of the designs in the set of designer paper. I inked this stamp with Cherry Cobbler and spritzed it with Vanilla Shimmer Spritz before stamping the image on River Rock cardstock. This resulted in the wonderful shimmer. I combined that image with the Twisted Pyramid technique to make this card. I edged the layers with a Krylon Gold Leafing pen. Of course my hands shake just when I want perfectly straight lines so I apologize for the uneveness of the gold borders. I still love this card and think it is stunning. I wouldn't want to have to mass produce it though. So it won't be the card we mail out to everyone this year. Thanks for visiting today. The coffee pot is always on and I'd love to share a few minutes with you each day. You don't have to come here each day, my blog posts will come to your inbox instead if you subscribe on the sidebar to this blog's feed.

Happy Holiday Stamping,

Sue

Stamp: Christmas Collage (121279)

Ink: Cherry Cobbler Classic Stamp pad (119669)

Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler (119685), River Rock (108640)

Other: Krylon Gold Leafing pen, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (118772), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Always Artichoke 1/2" Seam Binding (121000)