Here is a gift box I made with the Afternoon Tea DSP. The butterfly is cut from Grunge board using the Stampin' Up! Beautiful Butterflies die. I used Radiant Rain daubers and sprays and Ranger metallic mixative to color the butterfly. Then I wrapped gold colored wire around the body and twisted it to make antennae for the butterfly. A taffeta pink bow and pink tag cut out using the Matchbox Bigz XL die finish off the top of the box.

Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts

Card stock/DSP: Pretty in Pink/Afternoon Tea

Inks: Always Artichoke dye ink, Wine and Roses and Olive Vine Radiant Rain Daubers, Pink Grapefruit and Stargazer Radiant Rain Spray, Pearl Metallic Mixative Alcohol Ink

Other: Tim Holtz Swirl Grunge board, Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon

    I love this set because it is so versatile! I also love this new Parisian Breeze specialty paper from Stampin' Up! It is double-sided printed cardstock! Whoohoo! I trimmed down the 12×12" sheet of paper to 8 1/2" x 11" and then folded it in half. Since the inside is also printed, I inserted an 8 x 10 1/2" piece of Soft Sky cardstock by punching two holes along the spine of the card with my crop-a-dile and threading ribbon through to hold the two layers together. I needed lots of space for people to sign their names and write words of wisdom for this graduate. I was pleased to see that some of our retired colors of ribbon and cardstock work well with the current colors. Visit my online store to order the Parisian Breeze paper, the crop-a-dile, and the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set used to make this card.

Stamp Sets: Thoughts and Prayers, Live Your Dream (retired)

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke

Paper: Parisian Breeze Specialty, Soft Sky (retired)

Ribbon: Blue Bayou Double-Stitched (retired)

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I love the new exclusive Stampin' Up! matchbox die for the Sizzix Big Shot. The new die makes these little boxes so easy to make that I made 16 of them in just a couple evenings for our grandchildren and great-grandkids for Easter. They hold just enough jelly bean eggs to give the kids a treat without adding lots more candy to what they will get with their Easter baskets. For the babies under two years old, I put cinnamon graham bears into the boxes. Click here to order the supplies needed to make your own matchbox treat boxes.

Stamp set: Hello Spring (retired)
Inks: Basic Brown
Delicate Dots Designer paper
Certainly Celery card stock
Creamy Caramel and Pixie Pink Stampin' Write markers

I love subscribing to the Technique Junkies Newsletter produced by Pat Huntoon. In the current issue is a technique called Newsprint Reveal. If you are interested in this technique or one of the hundreds of techniques Pat and her design staff have published, click here to subscribe. Tell Pat that Sue Erickson sent you. I morphed the technique slightly. First, I used a copy of an Easter Hymn instead of a newspaper. Secondly, I wanted to use the 5th Avenue Floral stamp set by Stampin' Up! It is a line image instead of a solid image so I stamped it onto scrap cardstock and cut out the insides of the flowers to make a stencil. Then I inked through the stencil directly to my newsprint with a Versamark pad. Next I embossed the images with clear embossing powder. After brayering the paper with Always Artichoke ink and rubbing the ink off the embossed images, I over-stamped the line images with black Stazon ink. Finally I mounted the newsprint to Pink Pirouette card stock, wrapped white grosgrain ribbon around the cardfront and added the greeting. I used a sparkle pink gel pen to add dots around the flowers and on the scallops of the greeting and scalloped edge.

Stamp Sets:  5th Avenue Floral
                    All Holidays
Card Stock: Pirouette Pink
Inks: Stazon black, Always Artichoke
Other: Scallop square punch
            Eyelet border punch
            Glitter pink gel pen

I absolutely love Cuttlebug embossing folders and now I can demonstrate an embossing folder from Stampin' Up! This new Manhattan Flower embossing folder makes elegant cards in a very quick time.

I used my brayer to ink up the side of the folder that had the image debossed using Regal Rose ink. Then I placed a 5.5"x 4.25" piece of Whisper White card stock into the folder and ran it through my Big Shot die cutting machine.
I mounted it on a Handsome Hunter card stock base and stamped the greeting with Handsome Hunter ink. I finished the card off with Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon bow.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Feel free to post a comment.
Sue

I am having so much fun with this new 3-D pop-up die from Sizzix. Stampin' Up! has been allowed to have an early release of this die and also a 3-D pop-up ball die. The die cuts out the working parts of the pop-up cake and you cut strips of designer paper or card stock to go around the layers of the cake. The cake is not too difficult to put together. I did find out that you should glue the candles onto the strip of designer paper for the top layer before wrapping the strip around the layer. Getting the candles to stick on the cake after it was completed proved to be quite a challenge.

Stamp Set: Hugs and Wishes
Ink: Kiwi Kiss
       Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write marker
Paper: Kiwi Kiss
           Pink Pirouette
           Whisper White
Bella Rosa Designer paper
Other: Sizzix 3-D cake die
          eyelet border punch
           Olive twill ribbon
           pink organdy ribbon (retired)
           balloon punch (not Stampin' Up!)

My eight-year-old granddaughter has been asking for a photo album. I made this little one for her birthday this week. The covers are 6" x 6" and are covered with one of the designer papers from the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin' kit from Stampin' Up! To make the pages, I cut 8 pieces of Certainly Celery cardstock to measure 11 1/2" x 5 3/4". I scored each piece 5 7/8" from one end and folded it along the score. This gives one side that is 5 7/8" x 5 3/4" and one side that is slightly smaller. I used sticky tape to tape the bigger sides of two of the pages so that a folded edge and a single edge were matched up. I repeated this with the other pages to end up with a total of 4 pages. I punched the bound edges with my Bind-it-All. Then I used the new Eyelet Border punch from Stampin' Up! to scallop the edge of the free ends. Finally I bound the book with the Bind-it-All. I decorated the front of the album with some of the self-adhesive die-cuts from the kit and added the remaining die-cuts to various pages. I am tickled with how it turned out and didn't take me more than a couple of hours to make it.
Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin' Kit
Cardstock: Certainly Celery
Other: chipboard for covers
           Bind-it-All machine and wire
           sticky tape

Top view of the photo album

Inside page opened out

cover of photo album

This time I stamped the tree from Thoughts and Prayers on an alcohol ink smoosh background. I added the Praying for You sentiment under the tree. Then I mounted this piece onto a layer of the Coated White Pin Stripe paper from the Stampin' Up! Taste of Textiles papers. This paper looks exactly like a fabric that has a satin pin stripe on a matte background. The card base is Certainly Celery. Around the front of the card I tied Certainly Celery Twill ribbon which is part of the ribbon bundle in the Sale-a-Bration mini catalog. Purchase $50 of product now by clicking on the 'order now' button and you, too, can have the pleasure of using this beautiful ribbon.

Stamp set: Thoughts and Prayers
Card Stock: Certainly Celery, Glossy white
Ink: Stazon Black, Craft Basic Black
Specialty paper: Coated white pin stripe
Other: Certainly Celery twill ribbon
Alcohol inks

I made a second version of this card using a layer of retired Stampin' Up! designer paper and the Hugs and Wishes stamp set. The greeting is stamped on retired Soft Sky cardstock.

Here is a second card I made with this lovely Thoughts and Prayers stamp set by Stampin' Up! I really love the graceful curve the flower spray and the tree make. Remember that Stampin' Up! also has the coordinating Decor Elements Wall Art in the tree design. The wall art tree comes in three sizes and is easily removable when you want to change the decor on your walls. I also used the new eyelet border punch…love it! Remember that Stampin' Up! is celebrating Sale-a-Bration and for every $50 purchase of Stampin' Up! product such as this stamp set and coordinating wall art, you can choose a stamp set, designer paper pack, ribbon pack, or package of rub-ons that was designed especially for Sale-a-bration and will retire when Sale-a-Bration is over. Click on my 'Order Now' button to order this stamp set and see all the other great offerings that are waiting for you!
Stamp Sets: Thoughts and Prayers, Curvy Verses
Ink: Craft Basic Black
Card Stock: Cameo Coral, Garden Green
Other: white grosgrain ribbon
Eyelet Border Punch

Do you find that you are always at a loss for words when someone you know is sick or grieving the loss of a loved one? The new stamp set Thoughts and Prayers from the Spring/Summer Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog is just what you need! Not only does this set have a very lovely tree and flower spray, but it also has just the right words to express your thoughts. An added bonus is that Stampin' Up!'s Decor Elements includes the same tree in three different sizes of wall art to coordinate with your stamp. Here is a card I made showcasing the flower spray . Click here, then click on the "shop now" button on my website  to place your order for this wonderful stamp set.

Stamp sets: Thoughts and Prayers, Hugs and Wishes
Card Stock: So Saffron, Garden Green, Really Rust
Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip
Other: Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon,
Stampin' Pastels

I was surprised by receiving a complimentary copy of Stampington's Take Ten magazine in the mail today. I tore open the wrapper because that could mean only one thing….a card of mine had been published in this issue! Here is the card:
Stamp Sets: Upsy Daisy, Flight of the Butterfly
Card Stock: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink
Inks: Craft Whisper White, Rose Red, Basic 
         Black
Other: vellum
           Garden Green Stampin' Write markers
           glue dots

I am so excited about the new catalog. It has a wonderful selection of new stamp sets as well as some of our old favorites. The accessories section has been expanded to include many new Sizzix dies and some new dies exclusive to Stampin' Up! There are wonderful new designer papers, designer buttons, a selection of designer textured card stock, new ribbons, a full heart punch, a scallop lace border punch, and many more Decor Elements to name a few of the exciting new products. Click here to view all the wonderful products available through my Stampin' Up! online store. Email me if you would like to purchase your own copy of the Idea Book and Catalog. It is a wonderful source of inspiration!

Since so many of us love our digital cameras and have a sizable investment in them, it only makes sense to give them the proper care so that they last a long time and continue to take great pictures. Webshots has an excellent article on basic camera care that you will find quite helpful. Get your camera in top shape so it is ready to capture all the moments of the holiday season. Click here for the article.

Has soggy weather and cold, icy blasts dampening your holiday shopping? Shop from the comfort of your home for every stamper/crafter on your list and just maybe a little for yourself! Stampin' Up! is having a unique, never-before-seen 6 day sale November 26-Dec 1. This sale doesn't offer just 20% off a stamp set or free shipping. No…this sale bundles up similar product and offers the bundle of products from 30% to 50% off. This sale is  while product lasts so check it out on my Stampin' Up! website and either order online or email me your order right away!
Happy stamp shopping,
Sue

Goodness….Christmas is rapidly approaching! Have you started getting ready? Have you started your cards and making gift items? I haven't even begun designing my Christmas cards this year. Oh well, I have a few left over from last year that I can send. But…don't despair! Stampin' Up! is your source for all your papercraft projects and there is still plenty of time to order! Here are some suggestions for your gift giving. If you want to shop by price point check this list out. Click here to order online or  email me with your order.