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What a full and fun day it has been! This morning, I did my first Facebook LIVE on my Too Cool Stamping VIP Group Page and it was a blast! I'll be doing Facebook LIVE events every Thursday at 9am ET or you can catch the replay anytime after that.
Then, I finished packing up the first round of Occasions Catalog Paper Share and they are mailing out today! I will be ordering for my next round of shares very soon...have you reserved your spot? Check out details here.
And, I helped one of my stamping friends place a $129 Starter Kit order so she could get $175 in her choice of products AND the cool Craft & Carry Tote, all for less than $135! Woohoo! Check out the Sale-a-Bration Starter Kit options here.
Today on the blog, I'm sharing another card that we'll be creating at my 20-Card Kickoff Party! I shared how to do this card, as well as yesterday's cards, on today's Facebook LIVE. You can check out the Reply below, including a sneak peek of a handful of other cards we'll be creating at the event! Registration for the Ultimate NEW Catalog Kickoff Party closes in just 4 DAYS! If you're in the Fort Wayne, IN, area, this is a must-attend event where you can play with DOZENS of new products!
It's A Facebook LIVE Replay! Check It Out!
Join Me For A Too Cool Stamping Facebook LIVE!
EVERY Thursday at 9am ET or Watch The Replay Anytime!
So far, the hands-down favorite Sale-a-Bration item with my customers has been the rooster from the Home To Roost stamp set! I fell in love with this little guy, too, as soon as I broke out my Stampin' Blends and gave him some color! We'll be creating this card at the Kickoff Party! You can see how to assemble these cards by watching my Facebook LIVE at the beginning of this post!
You can EARN the Home To Roost stamp set for FREE during Sale-a-Bration with a qualifying order of $50 or more! Woohoo!
Background Basics—I began with a vertically folded 11" x 4-1/4" piece of Crumb Cake card base, folded at the 5-1/2" mark. I stamped the Home To Roost wheat image in Crumb Cake ink across the middle of the card front.
Next I added a 4-1/4" x 2-1/2" piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock that was embossed with the Tin Tile Texture Folder to the card front using a combination of Tear & Tape and SNAIL adhesives. The Tin Tile Folder was carried over from the Holiday Catalog, and so was the Braided Linen Trim, which I tied around the card front. I frayed the ends of the trim and I love the rustic feel it adds to this card!
Sweet Sentiment—I stamped the Home To Roost sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto a 1-3/4" x 4-1/2" piece of Balmy Blue cardstock, then fishtailed the ends and popped it up onto the card front with Dimensionals.
Handsome Rooster—I stamped the Home To Roost rooster in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto a scrap of Whisper White cardstock, then colored it with Stampin' Blends Markers. I colored the comb of the rooster in Light Cherry Cobbler, the top and wing in Light Pumpkin Pie and Light Poppy Parade, the underside in Dark Crumb Cake and the tail plume in Dark Balmy Blue. I also added some Light Crumb Cake to the ground. It's punched out with the retired 2-1/2" Circle Punch (you could use the Layering Circles Framelits) and adhered to the banner with SNAIL.
Two Cool—My second version begins with a Balmy Blue card base, stamped with the wheat in Balmy Blue.
I added the same Cherry Cobbler Tin Tile texture and Braided Linen Trim. I changed the banner to Crumb Cake and tried a different greeting.
Another Cool Rooster—I used all of the same colors of Stampin' Blends Markers, just changing up the coloring on the rooster just a bit. His tail is Poppy Parade and I added Balmy Blue to the wing. Oh...I just love this color combination. So rustic and fresh!
I'm always looking for fun and unique little treats or gifts that I can use as "table gifts" for my monthly Too Cool Team gathering. For June, I found these adorable little no-adhesive pouches created by Angie Juda at Chic 'n Scratch. Since our theme for the meeting was celebrating the new In Colors, and we have brand new In Color Designer Paper and Mini Binder Clips, it was perfect!
I also tried out the new Make A Difference stamp set to help personalize each of the treat holders and that was a big hit! Check out all of the details below!
Speaking of In Colors, have you joined my In Color Club yet? The first round of groups are getting started this week, but I still have some openings for another group. Don't miss out! My In Color Club reservations will close on June 30.
For a limited time only, I'm offering a budget-friendly way for you to add all of the NEW In Color cardstock, ink, refills, markers, designer paper & ribbon to your stamping collection—one color at a time! Each month, over the course of 5 months, each participant will receive these supplies in ONE new In Color.
Make A Difference In Color Mini Binder Clip Pouches
Who doesn't love a little gift that is personalized? I created these super-cute, tiny pouches customized with the names of team members who attended this month's Stamp & Share event. It was SO EASY with the new Make A Difference stamp set! And what an awesome idea to use as a little nameplate & table favor at bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, graduations, birthday parties, anniversary parties, family reunions or class reunions! They're quick to make and a lovely little keepsake with a chocolate treat inside!
In Color Coordinating Accessories—I LOVE the coordination of the In Color 6x6" Designer Series Papers and the In Color Mini Binder Clips! Not only will the colors match perfectly, but the dots on the clips look great with either pattern on both of the double-sided sheets! Sweet!
Make Your Own Mini Binder Clip Pouches
Start with a 6" x 6" piece of Designer Series Paper. Using the Simply Scored tool, score along each side at the 2" mark.
Fold on all score lines and crease with a Bone Folder. Use Paper Snips to cut along the two middle score lines, up to the crossing score line, on both the top and bottom of the sheet. The flaps created here will be the front and back of the pouch.
Turn the paper over, then gather the side so that the two score lines meet at the corners, then pinch half way down. Repeat on the other side.
Gather up the pinched sides, then fold up the front and back flaps. You could add adhesive to the front and back flaps, but there is no need. Add a little piece of candy or chocolate and secure the top closed with an In Color Mini Binder Clip. Too Cool!
Pouch Basics—I folded some with the polka dots showing and some with the stripes showing, so with the five colors, there were lots of variations. This one is the smaller dots in Blueberry Bushel. I tied coordinating 1/8" Grosgrain Ribbon into a bow and attached it to the binder clip with a Glue Dot. I stamped the name in Memento Tuxedo Black using the Making A Difference stamp set, then die-cut it with the Layering Ovals Framelits. It's popped up onto a 2-3/4" x 1" strip of Blueberry Bushel cardstock that's been fishtailed on the ends with Paper Snips. I mounted that onto the bag with Dimensionals, too, then added a couple of Rhinestone Jewels to finish the look.
Personalize With Make A Difference—One of the most unique new stamp sets in the catalog is the cool Make A Difference stamp set! It's an alphabet with small san-serif letters as well as letters in a beautiful, handwritten-style font. The set also doubles as an Angel Policy stamp set, giving you a Stampin' Up! copyright image along with "handmade by" phrases to stamp on the back of stamped items you want to sell.
Handwriting Look—Stampin' Up! designed the letters to match up to look like a pretty handwritten cursive lettering!
Double Letters—The set even has several double letters, like the double "L" in Priscilla's name. Each of the two letters is a little bit different, giving it a real handwritten feel.
Here's another example of the double letters...the "B" letters in Debbie's name! How cool is that? Too Cool, I tell you! Too bad they don't have double "O" for "Too Cool!" LOL!
But, How Difficult Is It To Stamp?—I was really surprised at how quickly and easily I stamped out all of my team members' names. Since the stamps are photopolymer, it's pretty easy to line up the letters one-by-one. And, if you choose to use them to make a greeting, you can use the Stamparatus positioning tool to line up the letters for creating multiples easily. Take a look at the Make A Difference Video for some handy tips!
Aren't the 2017 In Colors amazing?! I love those bright & trendy colors! If you're like me, you HAVE to get those new colors in your hands! But, what about all of the other fantastic new items in the catalog? How can you decide WHAT to get first when you WANT everything and only have a limited budget?
Well, my 2017 In Color Club is a great way to spread out your purchases, so you can enjoy those new In Colors little by little! And, it gives your budget a little more room to start buying some of those cool new stamp sets, tools, papers & accents right away! Each month, participants receive cardstock, ink, refill, marker and ribbon in one In Color, along with supplies to make 4 cards featuring that color! Too Cool! Learn more about this fun, 5-month club: 2017 In Color Club Details.
In Color Club Participant Update—As of June 5, we currently need 2 people to fill the next In Color Club Group. Reserve Your In Color Club Spot Here.
Paper Share Participant Update—As of June 5, we currently need 5 people to fill the next Paper Share. Reserve Your Paper Share Spot Now.
Today, I'm sharing the 4 cool cards that my In Color Club participants will make during their Lemon Lime Twist month. I've designed the monthly In Color cards to not only spotlight the color the of that month, but also give participants a taste of some other new catalog items, too.
Fresh Florals DSP—The Lemon Lime Twist cards feature the new Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper. Fresh Florals is a specialty stack of 12x12" In Color DSP in four beautiful patterns borrowed from the retired Floral Boutique DSP! I love this paper!
Background Basics—Each card starts with two patterns of Fresh Floral DSP, one measuring 1-3/4" x 5" and the other measuring 2" x 5". I adhered them side-by-side onto 4" x 5-1/4" mat in either a Lemon Lime Twist or Black card stock. Next I wrapped some of the Lemon Lime Twist 1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon over the seam and secured it on the back with SNAIL. It's all mounted onto either a Basic Black or Lemon Lime Twist card base.
Two Cool—I always like doing two cool versions of cards, so two of the cards in the set have Black card bases and two have Lime card bases.
Double Two Cool—I also have two samples in vertical and two in horizontal. You know I like to mix it up and show versatility!
Gorgeous Sentiment—I finished off the cards with a Silver Foil die-cut from the Happy Birthday Thinlit. I created a foundation for it by die-cutting a Lemon Lime Twist oval and Basic Black scallop oval using the Layering Ovals Framelits. The oval is popped up with Dimensionals. I used a sponge to lightly apply Multipurpose Glue to the back of the greeting to attach it to the oval.
Foil Die-Cutting Tip—Do you ever have trouble with little embossed dots showing up on your foil die-cuts? Sometimes, depending on how your Big Shot is calibrated, the foil is pushed through the thinlit's holes creating unsightly bumps on the foil. There is a really simple solution to eliminating those blemishes on foil. Watch today's Too Cool Tips Video—Smooth Foil Die-Cuts:
I've been playing with Burlap Ribbon a lot recently, especially when working on last month's High Tide class kit. You know honestly, I wasn't sure that I liked this ribbon because it is bulkier than most of our other ribbons making it more difficult to tie into a bow. But, after playing with it, I realized that it's a lot more versatile than I originally thought. So, I put together a quick video sharing a few ideas for using Burlap Ribbon on your projects. See all the details below.
But first, we are running out of time on the current catalog items! Have you ordered your faves yet?
I created these little note cards as a little thank you for participants in my May High Tide Class Kit. I love how quickly the ocean scene comes together!
Background Basics—I cut a 6" x 6" piece of Pool Party card stock, then scored and folded at the 3" mark to make a 3x3" note card base. I embossed a 3/4" x 3" strip of Sahara Sand card stock with the Softly Falling Texture Impressions Folder, then adhered it to the bottom of the note card with SNAIL.
High Tide Scene—I started by punching out a Whisper White card stock circle with the 2-1/2" Circle Punch. I stamped the High Tide sand image in Sahara Sand ink, then stamped the water image above it in Pool Party ink. The High Tide sun circle is inked in Daffodil Delight. I added the High Tide sandpiper trio in Archival Black Ink. TIP: The Archival Ink is the most opaque Stampin' Up! ink and will cover the other images well.
Sweet Sentiment—I stamped a "thanks" greeting from the new At Home With You stamp set (coming June 1). I popped up the circle onto the note card front with Dimensionals.
Finishing Touches—I gave the sun a brush of some Wink of Stella Clear to make it really shine, and I also added some shimmer to the ocean, so it was sparkling in the sunshine. I finished up by adding two strands of thread pulled from the 5/8" Burlap Ribbon. Have you tried that ribbon? I LOVE it!
2017 Catalog Paper Share Reservations Start Today!I'm excited to announce that my 2017 Catalog Paper Share reservations have begun! Get your hands on EVERY NEW PAPER from the 2017 Catalog in a budget-friendly 6x6" sample pack—134 sheets in all! I'll need a group of 8 people for each share! See Complete Details on the 2017 Paper Share.
I think my stamping customers are the COOLEST stampers around! To show my appreciation, I'll be sending out a FREE Thank You Gift to all my customers with qualifying orders in April!
FREE Thank You Gift In April!—Receive a FREE Silicone Craft Sheet when you place a $50 order at my Online Store using Hostess Code UMD9UKN6. Enter the Hostess Code on the Shopping Cart page at checkout.
Fine Print: Good on minimum $50 retail orders. If you order more than $150, do not add the hostess code, because you'll qualify for your own Stampin' Rewards. If you select that you do not want to be contacted by Stampin' Up!, I will not have your contact information, so I won't be able to send you a gift. Offer good through April 30, 2017.
The Silicone Craft Sheet is a handy little 6x6" mat with LOTS of great uses in your stamp room! I put together a little video showing you 7 different ways that it can make adhering and inking your projects easier, with super-fast cleanup!
I've been putting the finishing touches on my craft fair booth today! I can't wait to finally be in my first booth tomorrow! If you're in the Fort Wayne area, please stop by Peace United Church of Christ between 9am - 3pm and say hi!
Today, I have a Too Cool Tip Video to share with you. I've had several stampers ask me how I store my framelits & thinlits so they don't get lost, so I decided the best way to answer was to show you how I store mine.
But first, a reminder that Saturday is the FINAL DAY to register for my November Stamp-of-the-Month Class Kit featuring Jolly Friends! Sign up today!
Registration Now Open For November's Jolly Friends Class Kit
Too Cool Tip—Organizing & Storing Framelits & Thinlits
When I open up a new framelits or thinlits package, I don't like having to fight the super-strong adhesive that's on the packing sheet. But, I also don't like all my dies floating around loose in the envelope, because I'm afraid that I'll lose one, especially if it's small. I've had several stamping friends recently ask me how I store my framelits & thinlits. See how I do it on the Too Cool Tip—Organizing & Storing Framelits & Thinlits Video.
Search Tips: I tag each project by stamp sets and items used, so try searching by product name and use quotes. Or, try browsing the Categories List below. Still can't find it? Contact me!