Butterflies Thinlits – Available and On Sale!

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Chris Slogar

If you have been waiting to get your hands on the Butterflies Thinlits Dies from the Occasions Catalog, they are now available!

Because they were unavailable through most of Sale-a-bration and through our free shipping week, Stampin’ Up! is offering the following special through April 30.

1. Get the Butterflies Thinlits at a 15 percent discount — just $21.20

2. Buy any of the Butterflies Thinlits Bundles at the already-discounted price and choose one of three FREE Sale-a-Bration items (while supplies last)

Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper (Item 138633)

Best Year Ever Accessory Pack (Item 138634)

Irresistibly Yours Specialty Designer Series Paper (Item 138635)

Butterflies Thinlits Dies – Item 137360 $21.20

Butterfly Basics Stamp Set & Dies

Wood – Item 139322 $61.95

Clear – Item 139323 $51.75

Photopolymer – Item 138865 $41.50

Please contact me if you would like me to order, or click here for my online store.

Guest Stampers

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Chris Slogar

It’s been too long since I have shown projects from Guest Stampers, and I have quite a few to share with you today. This is always a treat!

This first set of Thank You cards was made by Beverley Adams.

Isn’t this a bright and fun set of cards? She made it with “Eye-catching Ikat”, one of the photopolymer stamp set releases that you won’t find in our catalogs. It is still available, and I will attach the details of this set at the end of the post.

Next I have a beautiful group of cards from Jan Woitas.

This is a really cheery gate fold with flaps. The owls interlock to hold it together when closed.

Look at how fun this is when pulled open – love the little wings on some of the owls! The owl punch is an all-time favorite. If I’m not using it to make owls, I’m using it for the little cirlces or heart.

These cards feature a lovely wreath of butterflies, and I hope you can make out the partially-embossed mats that Jan created. That leaves the center smooth for the greeting.

Here are two more with a similar concept, but a totally different look. I love how these look with Jan’s butterflies, but they also make me want to look at all of my shapes to see what could be arranged in a wreath!

Here is a pair of cards that use our “Something Lacy” background stamp for great effect. Coloring the detail on that stamp is very beautiful (but very time-consuming!)

Make sure to notice the pretty bokeh backgrounds on these cards. I love the soft pastels that Jan combined!

And finally, a few cards from Mary Jane Ebie…

This card uses the ghosting technique with our “Dots” decorative mask. I don’t usually leak Stamp Club details ahead of time, but we will be doing something similar in Stamp Club this weekend, so more on this technique later!

This fun “Thanks” uses the Moonlight designer paper stack. I even had to ask Mary Jane where she got the great grid paper, and wouldn’t you know…it is in the same stack!!

How sweet is this little bird with the nest materials (burlap shreds) in its beak?! Love that!

And last but not least, this beautiful butterfly – I love how it pops in Basic Black! What a great contrast with the sweet and subtle background. Our butterflies thinlits will be available very soon, perhaps even today, and I will post again when I see the update on them. Stampin’ Up! is offering a special deal on the thinlits and bundles since we have had to wait so long for them. I will post those details as soon as the thinlits are available.

I hope you have enjoyed all of the different ideas shown today. A big thank you to Beverley, Jan and Mary Jane for sharing their beautiful work with us!

Have a great weekend!

PS Here’s a look at the Ikat set I mentioned with Beverley’s cards. This set is easily overlooked since it is not in the catalogs.

Eye-catching Ikat – Item 134624 $13.95

Sweet Cupcake Party

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Chris Slogar

This week’s Challenge Sketch is square. Aren’t square cards a nice change of pace? I should remember to make them more often! I made a card that is 5 1/4″ square out of sweet sugary colors that go with my cupcake. How we will miss Pistachio Pudding and Strawberry Slush when they retire in June!

The embossed Strawberry Slush mat measures 4 1/4″ x 5″, and I have Confetti Celebration designer paper peeking out from behind. The stamp set is “Cupcake Party”.

Thanks for looking! You can see all of the Challenge Team cards and entries at Create with Connie and Mary.

Inlaid Die Cut with Layers

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Inlaid die cutting typically involves piecing positive and negative pieces of a die cut to create one flat layer. On this card, I started with an inlaid piece – the word “thanks” – and then I built up more layers, finishing with the cutout from the printed piece.

The effect is subtle on this busy piece of Painted Blooms designer paper, but surprisingly more obvious on card stamped with light colors below.

This Daffodil Delight card is an exact CASE of a card I found on Pinterest from iguanastamp.wordpress.com. This card inspired me to try this technique, and I have pictures of the steps I took to make the designer paper card.

I started with a 3 7/8″ x 5 1/8″ piece of designer paper. I placed the “thanks” thinlit in my desired location – note that I have a dryer sheet under the designer paper and a piece of wax paper over the designer paper for easier cutting and separating.

I removed the thinlit from the designer paper, being careful to save every piece of designer paper from the thinlit – the pieces were all actually trapped in the thinlit, but they popped out easily thanks to the wax paper. I attached the designer paper background to a 4″ x 5 1/4″ piece of Wild Wasabi.

I added a Blackberry Bliss “thanks” cut-out, gluing it carefully into the background. I also added in the small background pieces from the designer paper – the center of the “a” and loops of the other letters. I could have stopped here, and this looks great, too. This is what inlaid die cutting looks like – a flat layer that has been pieced together.

I added three more layers of Blackberry Bliss “thanks” cut-outs, and then the designer paper “thanks” from my original cut to get more dimension.

The “thanks” on the Daffodil Delight card is built up with four layers of Whisper White. In the case of the Whisper White, I glued two pieces of Whisper White together so that I could cut “thanks” only twice to make a total of four built-up layers. This is possible with Whisper White because it is thinner.

Thanks for looking! Have a great day!

Weekly Deals

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Here are this week’s Weekly Deals…

	Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies Item # 135851 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Labels Collection Framelits Die Item # 125598 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Pansy Punch Item # 130698 Regular Price: $15.95 US/$21.95 CAN Discounted Price: $11.96 US/$16.46 CAN
	Striped Scallop Thinlits Die Item # 133734 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Something Borrowed Embellishments Item # 137855 Regular Price: $6.95 US/$8.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.21 US/$6.71 CAN
	Birthday Bash Designer Washi Sheets Item # 137788 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$11.95 CAN Discounted Price: $7.46 US/$8.96 CAN
	Mother’s Love Photopolymer Stamp Set Item # 137170 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Handheld Stapler Item # 139083 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $7.46 US/$9.38 CAN

April Greetings a la Carte Choices

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Chris Slogar

Here is the “menu” for next week’s Greetings a la Carte classes. If you are signed up, please let me know which you would like to make. Keep in mind that the greeting can be changed quite easily on most of these designs. If you have a different card choice from a recent class, please let me know – I may be able to accommodate you. There is still room in each session – Tuesday at noon or 6pm, and Thursday at noon.

This class is a Stamp-a-Stack where you create cards in groups of eight. The price varies, based on design, and each card comes with a mat piece for the inside (except the money folder). Dimensionals and envelopes are included.

You can sign up for more than one design, or multiples of designs. Depending on how many sets you choose, you may not be able to completely assemble them during the class time, but I will make sure you do the steps you need to complete with my supplies. You can plan to share sets with a friend, if you don’t want 8 of a kind, but I do ask that you each order one set to hold a place for each of you in class.

#1 Happy Anything – 8/$12 (CASE of Laura Mellinger’s card)

Use the Crazy About You bundle to create the greetings of your choice. You will make 4 with each accent color – Mossy Meadow and Lost Lagoon.

#2 Happy Tag – 8/$12

Use the Crazy About You Bundle to create the greetings of your choice.

#3 Wetlands – 8/$10 (CASE of Rachel Tessman’s CASE)

#4 Sheltering Tree – 8/$12

#5 Happy Birthday Balloon – 8/$10

#6 Spring Flowers – 8/$12

#7 File Folders – 8/$12

These have a pocket for a gift card (insides shown below). Make 4 of each designer paper pattern in whatever combination (birthday or graduation) you like.

#8 Gold Congrats – 8/$12 (Inside shown below)

So Many Congrats!

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Chris Slogar

If you want to congratulate someone, our “Bravo” stamp set offers so many ways to do it. I used four of the greetings from the set on this card. I got the inspiration for my card from Julie Davison – you can see her original card here. I just picked the greetings that work for me, and I also used my favorite designer paper, Birthday Bash.

The stamping is really fun and easy on this card. “Bravo” is a photopolymer set, so the stamps are totally clear and so easy to place. The words are big and bold, so the colors you choose really stand out – and speaking of colors, coordination is such a breeze with our color families and trims.

Don’t forget!! Today is the last day for FREE Shipping on any size order!!

Have a great weekend!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Just Kidding for CCMC350

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Chris Slogar

The colors in this week’s Create with Connie and Mary challenge are fun and bright, and they can all be found in my favorite designer paper, Birthday Bash. I knew right away what paper I would be using!

Thankfully, these colors also worked well for coloring the lady from the “Just Kidding” stamp set. I used my blender pen with the ink pads to color. I did add some Smoky Slate for the couch, and I used a watercolor pencil for her face.

In case you are not familiar with the punch line, the inside of the card is shown below.

Love that! Check out the rest of the Challenge Team cards and entries at Create with Connie and Mary.

So Happy for You!

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Chris Slogar

This is one of the sentiments from “Bravo”. When sentiments are this large, you do have to plan around them when designing your card. I decided to cut out a portion of the card front to make this more interesting. Here’s a better look…

This sentiment is actually stamped on the inside panel. I took a 4 1/4″ x 11″ card base, scored at 5 1/2″, and I cut out a 1 1/2″ width of the card front.

This is a piece of Sahara Sand that I cut the exact same way. The line you see cut is the horizontal edge of the card. You also have to cut along the score line to that point to remove the section.

I decorated the edge of my Smoky Slate/Basic Gray card with those lovely lace flowers from “Petal Potpourri”. Love them!

Have a great day!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Weekly Deals and FREE Shipping

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Chris Slogar

The Weekly Deals are shown below – shop by April 10 and shipping is FREE on any size order, no minimum!

	Flower Fair Framelits Die Item # 133731 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Hearts Collection Framelits Die Item # 125599 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Stars Framelits Dies Item # 133723 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Metallic Silver Encore Pad Item # 132142 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$12.95 CAN Discounted Price: $7.46 US/$9.71 CAN
	1-1/4″ Burlap Ribbon Item # 132140 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Brights Designer Buttons Item # 130028 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$8.21 CAN
	Fun Flower Punch Item # 133785 Regular Price: $16.95 US/$22.95 CAN Discounted Price: $12.71 US/$17.21 CAN
	Daffodil Delight 1/2″ Ribbon Seam Binding Item # 125583 Regular Price: $6.95 US/$9.50 CAN Discounted Price: $5.21 US/$7.13 CAN