Pugs & Kisses

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Chris Slogar

This is a sketch that anyone can do – just fill in the blank oval with the stamp of your choice, pick some papers to go with it, embellish a little, and voila! I choose a cool pug for my oval, and the rest fell into place.

The pug and the greeting are from “Hot Diggity Dog” and the paper is from the Bohemian designer series paper.

Hope you’ll check out all of the Challenge Team cards at Create with Connie and Mary. You’ll find great inspiration from this talented group as well as the link to play along.

Color Me New Blog Hop

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Welcome to the Grand Vacation Achievers hop for July. This month we are excited to show off the brand new In Colors from the just released 2015 – 2016 Annual Catalog.

You may just be starting the blog hop here at my blog (Chris Slogar) or may have come from the person previous to me in the list. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all the projects.

My project showcases Watermelon Wonder and Cucumber Crush. These are so fun and bright, and I can’t get enough of them this summer!

I used the stamp sets “Garden in Bloom” and “Lovely Amazing You”. That great strip of designer paper is from this year’s black and white series. It’s called Everyday Chic, and yes, I said it is black and white. I used my brayer on one of the patterns to add the Cucumber Crush.

I also want to point out the wings on the bumblebee. I added a little Dazzling Details to make them sparkle. Isn’t it funny how we think these bees are so cute and appealing in our crafting, yet we run from them in real life?!

Thanks for taking part in our blog hop, there are so many amazing ideas and inspiration you don’t want to miss. Remember that currently you are at my blog – Chris Slogar – so check the blog hop line up list to see who is next in the list.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Chris Slogar

The Weekly Deals are shown below. Please contact me if you would like me to add any items to my order this week, or click here to shop online. Please note that discounts are available in limited quantities before the items return to retail prices.

	Stars Framelits Dies Item # 133723 Regular Price: $27.00 US/$33.00 CAN Discounted Price: $20.25 US/$24.75 CAN
	Schoolhouse 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock Assortment Pack Item # 139009 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.56 CAN
	Go Wild 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock Assortment Pack Item # 139000 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.56 CAN
	Hello Honey 5/8″ Striped Cotton Ribbon Item # 138417 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $4.90 US/$6.13 CAN
	Tangelo Twist 5/8″ Striped Cotton Ribbon Item # 138420 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.56 CAN
	Blackberry Bliss 5/8″ Striped Cotton Ribbon Item # 138421 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.56 CAN
	Little Numbers Thinlits Dies Item # 138278 Regular Price: $20.00 US/$25.00 CAN Discounted Price: $15.00 US/$18.75 CAN
	Updated Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack Item # 138371 Regular Price: $8.00 US/$10.00 CAN Discounted Price: $6.00 US/$7.50 CAN
	Smoky Slate 5/8″ Chevron Ribbon Item # 138403 Regular Price: $7.00 US/$8.75 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.56 CAN
	Fast Fuse Adhesive Refill Item # 129027 Regular Price: $7.50 US/$9.25 CAN Discounted Price: $5.25 US/$6.48 CAN
	Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folders Item # 133727 Regular Price: $8.50 US/$10.50 CAN Discounted Price: $5.95 US/$7.35 CAN

Very Merry Tree

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Chris Slogar

I have been in a Christmas-in-July kind of mood lately, but I created this Christmas card with all occasion sets. “Build a Birthday” was already proving to be very versatile, and I like it even better now that I can also make a tree with it.

I stamped my tree using a mask, and it was very easy to cut out with scissors. I show the steps in pictures below. You could also stamp layers without a mask and then trace and cut a triangle.

I started with a triangle that is 2″ wide and 2 3/4″ tall. I extended the lines to use as a guide for cutting.

I cut along the sides to create my mask, and I placed Very Vanilla cardstock under it.

Starting at the top with Pear Pizzazz, I stamped my “Build a Birthday” layers also using Old Olive and Mossy Meadow. I fussy-cut the sides and lower edge. Once again, here is the finished card.

The background is stamped in Mossy Meadow with “Gorgeous Grunge” and the greeting is from “And Many More”. The oval is cut from Corrugated Paper, and the background fibers are pulled from 1 1/4″ Burlap Ribbon and Very Vanilla Thick Baker’s Twine.

Thanks for stopping by!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wings Note Cards

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Chris Slogar

This is an almost-exact copy of a project from my upline Mindy Gray. I love note cards, and I especially love that her design combines the new set “Watercolor Wings” with a stamp from “Bordering Blooms”. Anyway, I was anxious to copy this right away! I didn’t have the framelit that she used on her cards so I used Lots of Labels. She used Tags & Labels, and the note cards turn out great with either.

This is my new Featured Project. If you place an online order of $35 or more using the current Hostess Code (see Featured Project info at top right of page), I will send you a set of four of these completed note cards.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Floral Wings

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Watermelon Wonder has become my favorite new “go-to” summer color, so I was happy to see this color combination in our challenges. My first thought was to have bright Watermelon and Curry flowers popping off a black background, but then I experimented with the butterfly from “Floral Wings”…

I really love how the butterfly looks in these colors. Three stamps make up the butterfly, and I found it easiest to stamp the flowers first, then the butterfly. I added the leaves as the last step before cutting with the framelit. I also really love these sharp black and white prints in the Everyday Chic designer paper collection.

I used the Washi Label punch for my greeting. The picture below shows how I attached the Gold Metallic Thread. I wrapped it around two fingers and pushed it right onto the dimensional strip.

Thanks for checking out my challenge card! Please visit Create with Connie and Mary to see the fabulous cards created by the Challenge Team, and to see the entries. We hope you’ll create a card and play along!

Birthday Blossoms

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Chris Slogar

I am breaking out more new goodies this week, thanks to a new UPS delivery! There’s a great new flower in “Birthday Blossoms” that coordinates with the Pansy Punch. The greetings and flower clusters are wonderful, too. I needed a little help to get going today, so this card was inspired by the sample shown in the catalog.

The striped background under the flowers is Corrugated Paper. I cut a 2 3/4″ width and colored it with a brayer, inked with Crumb Cake. I put one end of the strip under the largest framelit in the Lots of Labels collection to create the scalloped shape, and then I cut the other end straight.

The Gold Foil Doily is new, too. Those come in both gold and silver, precut to two different sizes.

Have a great day!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Chris Slogar

	Handpicked Framelits Dies Item # 137361Regular Price: $25.00 US/$31.00 CANDiscounted Price: $18.75 US/$23.25 CAN
	Everyday Chic Designer Washi Tape Item # 138385Regular Price: $8.00 US/$10.00 CANDiscounted Price: $6.00 US/$7.50 CAN
	Cherry Cobbler Thick Baker’s Twine Item # 138414Regular Price: $3.50 US/$4.50 CANDiscounted Price: $2.63 US/$3.38 CAN
	Metal Rimmed Pearls Item # 138394Regular Price: $5.00 US/$6.25 CANDiscounted Price: $3.50 US/$4.38 CAN
	Pretty Petals Designer Series Paper Stack Item # 138442Regular Price: $8.00 US/$10.00 CANDiscounted Price: $5.60 US/$7.00 CAN
	Metallics Sequin Assortment Item # 138390Regular Price: $5.00 US/$6.25 CANDiscounted Price: $3.50 US/$4.38 CAN
	Color Me Irresistible Specialty Designer Series Paper Item # 138439Regular Price: $13.00 US/$16.00 CANDiscounted Price: $9.75 US/$12.00 CAN
	Go Wild Designer Series Paper Stack Item # 138441Regular Price: $8.00 US/$10.00 CANDiscounted Price: $6.00 US/$7.50 CAN
	Gift Box Punch Board Item # 135863Regular Price: $20.00 US/$25.00 CANDiscounted Price: $14.00 US/$17.50 CAN
	Calypso Coral Thick Baker’s Twine Item # 138412Regular Price: $3.50 US/$4.50 CANDiscounted Price: $2.63 US/$3.38 CAN

CASE of a CASE

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Chris Slogar

This is a card from last month’s Card Buffet, and it is a great example of CASE-ing. CASE stands for Copy and Share Everything. You only need to go as far as Pinterest to find millions of great ideas to copy, and copying is ok in the craft world. The ideas are out there for the taking, and that makes it easy for everyone to create.

The card I saw on Pinterest is shown below. It was made by Julie Wadlinger, and she says in her original post that she CASEd our catalog to create this. Our catalog does provide great inspiration!

The differences are obvious – she used “Love & Sympathy”, but I changed the main image to the sweet nest silhouette from “World of Dreams”, a current favorite of mine. I added a little seam binding and a background stamp, but Julie has more color and some twine on her main image. You can make any design your own by changing stamps, colors and elements. Just make sure you give credit to the original artist if you have the opportunity.

Have a great Monday!

Guest Stampers

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Today I have a great collection of cards made by gals from my Stampin’ Up! family. First up, I have Mary Jane Ebie’s hand-stitched card.

The flowers are from “Wild about Flowers” and the designer paper is our new Envelope Paper. Don’t you love the stitched greeting?! Mary Jane used the Updated Essentials Pierce Pack to create the pattern for the stitches. Very clever!!

This beautiful ombre card was made by Amy Kunkle. Amy shows three ways to create this fabulous ombre look on her tutorial at Splitcoaststampers. Click here to see it.

I received this beautiful card from Terri Meehan, a leader in my Columbus family. She is two Stampin’ Up! generations above me. Don’t you love this Clean and Simple look? It is so fresh and pretty with the cool Mint Macaron stripes and sketchy leaves!

Last, but not least, a few from my upline Mindy Gray. She is a constant source of inspiration. This “Watercolor Wings” card is a swap she made for an event last month, and the two cards that follow are cards she sent to me.

Aren’t the Bohemian patterns and colors fun?

I love this sweet and simple card made in colors from our new English Garden designer paper. The prints in this series are so versatile.

As I mentioned, these cards were all made by members of my Stampin’ Up! family. When you join Stampin’ Up! as a demonstrator, you join under another demonstrator – in my case, Mindy Gray. This is why I make reference to “generations”. The associations are like a family tree, in more ways than organization. Having a crafting family is truly a blessing, and the big difference is this – you pick this family! You know you will be among people who share your enthusiasm for papercrafting when you join. Near or far, you end up with great relationships.

I was on my way to my “thank you” when I digressed…A big thank you to my teammates Mary Jane, Amy, Terri and Mindy for these wonderful cards today!!

Have a great weekend!