The Stamper

Pennant and Pleating Page

Pennant and pleating page, try saying that over and over really fast!!! This past fall I created this page for Halloween or whatever, since my girls are getting older and they don't trick or treat anymore (when did I become so old that I don't have little kids anymore!) I decided to use this page for the whatever.  I also created it this way because of the culture I now live in there are several of the ladies that  I scrapbook with don't even celebrate this holiday. 

I wanted to use the new simply scored scoring tool and so we created these fan flowers.  I did use jumbo glue dots to hold them together and would love suggestions on other ways you have glued these so they stay together long term.  I added a 3/4" circle punch plus 1/2" punch and tiny flower punch and a rhinestone as the center of these blossoms.  For the second page I created a pocket for extra pictures and balanced it with Stampin' Up! Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die and another blossom.  The die works great for scrapbooking pages because of it's size.  I added the scallop border by punching a strip of cardstock with the scallop punch and then glued it to the underside of the pennant clipping the tip so it matches. The gray paper was stamped with an stamp image to create the wallpaper look. 

To order the pennant die and/or the simple scored scoring tool check out my Stampin' Site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Love Christmas Scrap Page

I love Christmas! I think it is because my family (and/or friends who have become like family) gather together, we laugh, debate which movie to watch or sleep through if you are my parents, we do traditional activities like Christmas Eve dinner and program where we sing, read the Christmas story and play games together, we make Carol rolls to deliver to friends, make homemade chocolates and other treats.  We spend weeks making or picking out gifts for each other and enjoy thinking about those we love as we create a gift we think they will love.  I think I love Christmas because of the feeling it gives me to know my Savior and of the ultimate gift He has given me and everyone who lives. 

This year I saw a scrap page that I used to create this two page spread we made at a class I taught in December.  The title caught my eye because of all reasons I listed above but I also love the Big Shot tags that are photo frames.  I think Stampin' Up!'s Letter to Santa paper made this page look like a combination between modern and traditional in just the right way. I also loved the Quick Accents sheet Letter to Santa that I used for borders.  I cut a sheet into 3" pieces and used the different strips on some of the squares.  I have never thought of Blushing Bride as a Holiday color but it is a beautiful background color that allows the traditional holiday colors to pop.  I used Stampin' Up!'s 25 & Counting stamp set and the postage and 1" square punches to add the final accents. 

You can order these products to create this and other Christmas pages from my Stampin' Site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net  and while you are there check out all the new product in the Occasions Mini catalog. 

Holiday Projects

The Holidays are quickly approaching and we actual have had a few cool days that feel like fall or winter.  It is the Eid Holiday here in Arabia which is their New Year so Ted has been home and we have been doing some fun things around home.  I will write about Sand rose digging and our trip to Baharain but today I wanted to share our "cold" weather experience last night. 

We had some friends invite us to a movie on the soccer fields that turned out to be on the cricket field instead.  It was great fun, they attached a sheet to an end post and projected the movie up onto the sheet.  We all brought chairs and popcorn and last night we had blankets, long sleeves, hats, socks and shoes and we still went home cold. 

Now I know for you in other parts of the world what we expeienced last night would not be cold but when you are used to over 100* weather 60 and 70 feels cold.  The crispness reminded me of the holidays and my upcoming Holiday class.  We will be making 2 cards and a 3-d sock.  The sock and card I copied from projects shown at convention this summer.  They both have a lot of glitter on them and I added glitter to my Holiday card.  When Ted saw the projects he said, are you teaching a glitter class?  I guess I am. 

I do like the glitter paper in both red and white, the best part is you don't get glitter anywhere because it stays on the paper.   The sock is created with the Big Shot and the new Holiday Stocking Die you can find in the Holiday mini catalog.   To order go to my Stampin' Web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net  and create your own cold weather projects.

Fabric is not just for sewing!

Stampin' Up! has their own line of fabric and it is not just for sewing, you can create great projects and even cards using fabric.  This card was created by Jan and she the Big Shot to cut out a Top Note from fabric and cardstock.  You can glue fabric with Stampin' Up! glue sticks, they work great.  I liked that she also ran the fabric through the Big Shot again and textured it with the Square Lattice Textured impression embossing folder. 

The ribbon and button make a great accent to bring your eye to the 3 birds that are found in Stampin' Up!'s Clearly for You stamp set that was punched using the Decorative Label Extra Large punch that can also be found in the Occasions Mini catalog.  Whether you want to create a sewing project or a card check out Stampin' Up!'s fabric line at my web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Make your own Party Hats!

   Make my own party hats was just what I wanted to do for a Relief Society Birthday party social I was in charge of.  I looked around on the web and just could not find the look I was going for, so I sat down and created the size and designs and look that was in my head.  I loved how they turned out and all the ladies at the social was surprised that they were handmade. 

It is hard to get great supplies for birthday parties and one lady said, "Can I hire you to make my son's next birthday hats!" I was so glad that they loved them as much as I loved making them.  I looked around and found a small pattern on Stampin' Up! demonstrator pattern site and so I had a general idea on the shape.  These are made using a 12x12 piece of cardstock and basically cutting one corner off and I punched a circle from the top so I could add the fluff poking out of the top of the hats.  

I then added sticky strip to the rim of the hat and then pleated ribbon to the edge.  For some of the other hats I ran pieces of cardstock through the paper crimper several times until it was flexible and then I pleated it like I did the ribbon.  I would suggest that you use your sewing machine and stitch the ribbon or paper ribbon to the bottom of the hat because it tends to pull away over time.  Unless you are only going to use them for a couple of hours then that step is not necessary. 

  Most of the hats I used for table decorations so I did not add the ribbon stings to tie the hat onto your head with but one was to be worn.  I wanted the hat to be stable so I put jumbo eyelets on each side to tie the ribbon to.  

To finish the main hat I die cut a flower using the Big Shot machine and the Flower die and the Scallop Circle #2 die.  I dampened the paper with water then crunched it into a ball, carefully opening it.  I added a large button center.  I was making this for a friend, Donna, to wear and she is a party girl. So full of life and laughter and so I wanted her hat to sparkle like her personality so I add jewels to the hat which is just the right finishing touch.

While the hat is still flat add the curled ribbon or straight pieces of cardstock and designer paper that poke out the top.  I used liquid glue to stick these in and to glue the hat closed.  It just seemed to work better, but remember when using this glue you want to use as little as possible so it dries quicker and does not squish out the seam and get all over your fingers. 

To curl the ribbon I used a bone folder and pulled strips of paper and cardstock like you would ribbon on a present.  Then I twirled them around my finger to create a tighter look. 

Each hat is different and I loved making them all.  If you want to create hats like mine you can order the supplies at my Stampin' Web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net 

I used: Big Shot item# 113439 (if you have ever thought of purchasing a Big Shot, the month of March is a great time because you will qualify for Sale-a-bration free merchandise)  Dies #114934 Flower & 113469 Scallop circle #2, Designer Series paper #117164 Celebrations (love this paper), Sticky Strip #104294 and Liquid Glue #110755, Ribbon #115618 Old Oliver 1 1/4" striped Grosgrain ribbon and #119256 Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta ribbon. 

 

Stampin' Up! Nature Walk & Bliss Scrap page

I wanted to share the pages I made at my first Saudi Scrap Class with you all.  My classes here in kingdom are a little different than I did in the states, we make 2 two-page spreads, I shared the Valentine one last week and this Travel page is the other one. 

I used Stampin' Up!'s new stamps sets; Nature Walk and my favorite stamp set out of the sale-a-bration catalog called Bliss.  Chocolate Chip is the base cardstock with Very Vanilla rolled with Stampin' Up! Very Vintage roller and Versamark ink.  I then used the chocolate chip pastel and a cotton ball and rubbed it over the rollered image to softly pop the background.  We then cut 2x2 squares from Stampin' Up!'s Botanical Gazette Designer Series paper and placed them on the corners of each page.  Added a 1/2 x 12 inch strip of Chocolate chip cardstock to create interest on the page. 

I stamped the swirl image from Bliss over the background papers making sure I hung off the egdes.  I stamped images from Bliss and Nature walk in Chocolate chip ink, Not quite Navy and Cherry Cobbler.  Cut them out and added them to the page with dimensionals.  The title was created with the Big Shot letters called Timeless Type cut from Chocolate Chip cardstock.  Bliss is a stamp in the Bliss stamp set that was stamped with Chocolate chip, punched using the Designer Label large punch and add a 1 3/8" circle punch of Chocolate chip cardstock behind it. 

These pictures are a few from our trip to Greece in Sept.  We had a great trip and I have so many photos but decided to create this 2 page spread as a reminder of the trip and do a trip book at a later time.  At least I have a memory saved.

Remember to check out the free products you can select when you order during Sale-a-bration at my Stampin' Web site:  http://www.wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Elegant Pink Valentine

I thought I would finish the week off with another creative use of the Petal cone die.  To create this Elegant pink Valentine card you cut 2 cone pieces using the die and then run one of them through the Big Shot again using the Vintage Wallpaper impressions embossing folder.  Glue the two together (see hint and photo below).  Add the Embosslits Scallop Heart of Hearts accents cut from white and Regal Rose.  The banner piece is cut from the Petal Cone die and was cut from Whisper White cardstock and glued to only one side so the card can open. 

Amanda, one of my stamping buddies, made this card for me at Leadership and I think it is so elegant. 

Hint: This image shows you the inside of the card so you get the idea on how to glue it  together.  The flap on the main piece is glued to half of the other die that you embossed.  The other half with the tab is glued to the opposite side of the main piece. 

This card is a perfect Valentine but could also be used as a wedding or anniversary card. 

To order the cone die or any Big Shot and it's accessories go to my stampin' web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Stampin' Up! Framed Tulips Embossing Folder

I really like Stampin' Up!'s new Framed Tulips embossing folder if you could not already guess that by looking at all the cards I have used it on this month. 

The Textured Impression Embossing Folders create a deeply embossed images and this unquie designs of a tulip frame creates a wonderful focal point for the front of cards.  I used it here on Very Vanilla cardstock but cut off the bottom part and only used half of the frame.  I stamped the heart flower from Stampin' Up! filled with love stamp set that was colored with real red and wild wasabi markers.  I added a Pear Pizzazz seam binding ribbon and hung an oval tag from the bow. 

All products can be found at my stampin' web site: http://www.wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Fill your life with Love

This is the last week to take advantage of Stampin' Up! Fill your life with Love Promotion.  I wanted to share another card I created using some of the supplies from this special stamp set.

This card is Pear Pizazz that was embossed with the Dot embossing folder and the Big Shot.  I cut a window out of the front using my cutter and placed a strip of Rose Red cardstock in the middle of the inside of this card. 

I stamped with large heart with Rose Red ink on Pink Pirouette cardstock and the small heart whisper white cardstock.  I markered in the words I wanted with green ink and punched it using the modern label punch.  I stamped a heart once on scrap paper and then the 2nd image on the words. 

The buttons are created using Stampin' Up! Embosslits Sweet Buttons and the Big Shot machine.  I cut/embossed them from pink pirouette and rose red cardstock and added some sponging in Rose Red and white gel pen thread.  These are layered on the card with dimensionals.  The large heart is hung in the opening with linen thread. 

Check out this promotion at my stampin web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Holiday Happenings

 I love Christmas and all the red, green and gold and this year I am making ornaments for a Saudi Christmas because we did not bring any Christmas decorations with us.  I also sold these in the craft fair this past week and thought I would share them here. 

I found some leather /vinyl  here in Arabia and die cut it with the Big Shot scallop square.  This worked great and I was able to stamp on the leather with Black Stazon.  The Santa is done with punches.  The small tag punch is the hat and beard, face is 1 3/8 circle, nose and top of hat are  1/2" circle, word window is the hats trim, 1/4" circle for eyes, slot punches for eyebrows and the 5 petal flower punch trimed for the mustache.  I added white gel pen to the eyes to make them pop and watercolor his cheeks a little.   I also outlined him with a black writer.  These always make me smile.

 

Pennant Big Shot Quilt & new Quilt house

I visited my friend Wendy this summer and we talked quilting.  I love that Stampin' Up!'s big shot dies work so well to create easy and unique quilts.  This one is created with the Pennant Die, using all the pieces to create both the diamond shape and the blossoms intersections.  I can't wait for all my fabric and supplies to arrive, (I know it will still be months, somewhere around the first of October, but I can dream about all the quilts I want to make until then).

The fun thing about living here is even though my house might be small I have access to a wonderful quilt house.   

It has several rooms that with a yearly fee of about $24.00 us dollars you can access it anytime day or night.  They have lots of matts, rulers, irons and ironing boards and work spaces, places for you to keep your sewing machine under lock and key if you are coming back soon, copy machine, kitchen, fridge stocked with cold drinks, a library of quilting books and magazines, they have tables that are raised for laying out your quilts. 

The other day I was alone for the first time since coming here to Arabia and I just went over and curled up in a chair in the Quilt house and read quilting magazines for a hour or two, it was so relaxing and motivating.

The quilters here meet every week, and they also have on going charity quilts being made that they give to the hospitals outside of camp for those in need.  It is a great program that provides something wonderful for those who don't have much.  I love this quilt house and plan to spend some time there in the future.

Big Shot Circle Quilt

While I was in Utah we got in a car accident and my friend Wendy Knowles helped us all get massages the next day and while I was waiting for my family to finish we talked Stampin' Up!. 

Wendy has been creating quilts just like I have and she shared this one that is a circle quilt. 

The base is a white rectangle with 2 border strips added around it and then you cut the scallop circles using the Big Shot and glue them to the white fabric with Stampin' Up!'s glue sticks.  (The glue washes out so it does not damage the quilt)  After that you can either quilt it yourself or take it along with some backing fabric and batting to a quilter and have it quilted for you.    You can choose a design if you know what you want or you can talk to the quilter to see is she has any suggestions.  I like the flower image they created in the middle of the circles on this quilt and then just a meandering look on the white fabric and a swirl on the borders.

These quilts are easy to make and so much fun to create any size you want. 

Stampin' Up! Big Shot Milk Carton Die

This little milk carton is so cute and several can be cut at one time using the Big Shot and the milk carton die.  This little project was done at the leadership conference I attended in January and thought I would share it with  you.  I love how the die cuts and scores the box so all you have to do it decorate it.  This milk carton is not very big so decorating it can be a snap. 

The clip holds the top closed and the ribbon adds just a little accent. The words and flower accent come in Stampin' Up! stamp set "With All My Heart".  To get just the words from the stamp make sure your stamp is clean and then use a marker to color in just the part of the stamp you want.  This technique is called omitting.  I love that a brad is the perfect center for this little flower. 

The Big Shot Milk Carton Die can be found in the Occasions mini catalog on page 23.  You might have missed it if you were just glancing though this catalog because it does not stand out on the page but look closely and remember you can order from me anytime my emailing me at wendy@thestamper.com or order from my stampin' up! web site at wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Stampin Up! Milk Carton die & Two- Step Bird

This project was made by Patty Bennett at Leadership and it was made with the new Milk Carton die and the two-step bird punch and the papers from the Eggcellent Eggs Kit.  It was just a sweet little project.  I love this two-step bird punch and how you can punch it from plain card stocks or printed papers and no matter what it looks great. 

I have made a milk carton birdhouse and it is a little tricky but the basic idea is to create the milk carton base and add a piece of card stock for the roof.  Patty decorated her roof with the printed egg stands from the Eggcellent Eggs kit and the new pinking hearts border punch.  I can't wait to get that border punch.   You might think I get to buy whatever I want but I too have to have a wish list of things I look forward to purchasing just like you. 

If the two-step bird punch is not on your list it is one thing I suggest you add to that list.   Enjoy

Hands On Class

I am excited to share with you these projects at my next Hands On class that will be held on the 2nd Friday in march.  March, 12th at 10am and repeated at 7:30pm.  We will be creating this birthday reminder box using Stampin' Up! sale-a-bration stamp set Happy Moments.  We will also be making this standing card and one of the fabric pins shown here. 

You will get to play with the Big Shot with fabric and then with paper on the embossed butterflies.  You will also get to use the new Satin ribbon and sweet pea felt. 

Join me and have a night of stamping fun.  To RSVP email me at wendy@thestamper.com today.

Stampin' Up! Holiday Line Up

It has been fun to scrapbook some pages for my family's albums.  This page was a Christmas page we did last year in one of my wow scrapbook classes and it fit my photos from this year so it was quick and easy for me to create this page.  I love Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Lineup stamp set, the only problem I have with this stamp set it is I want to use all of the stamps every time I pick it up. 

This page was created with the reindeer stamp and I water-colored the deer and then added chunky red glitter to the reindeer's nose. I used a play on words for my title and the frame was created by die cutting the Top Note die using the Big Shot machine. 

Now is the perfect time to scrapbook all the pictures you took at Christmas.  And if you want to create pages that you can drop your photos onto consider joining me for one of my wow scrapbook classes.  I hold these classes on the 4th Friday on the month, so plan to join me Friday, February 26th at my next class.

Big Shot envelope treat box

This cute little treat holder is created using the Big Shot and Stampin' Up!'s envelope die.  Jeanne my down line created this at leadership and I thought it was really cute.  She used Stampin' Up!'s Real Red card stock and the Sending Love Specialty Designer Series paper #117153.

You cut two envelopes and trim the edges to for the box.  One of the envelope flaps are folded forward and the other one is kept straight up.  She finished it with a red gingham ribbon bow and one of the Sending Love Epoxy Brads #117270.  A perfect size for a Valentine treat.

Big Shot & Stampin' Up! quilt square

Leadership was so much fun and one of the fun new markets we can provide products for is the quilting market.  With the Big Shot, fabric and some dies you can create beautiful quilts.  I loved the classes they taught at Leadership and the beautiful quilts they had on display.  It was amazing how creative you can be with the Big Shot and fabric.  I learned you can cut 7 layers of fabric at one time and because the Big Shot gives you a perfect cut each time your quilt patterns are more likely to stay true. 

The best part was when Stampin' Up! presented each demonstrator who attended leadership a handmade quilt block.  Shelli, the owner/founder of Stampin' Up! hand picked the fabrics and then the production people in Kanab, Utah's production facility  brought in their personal sewing machines and sewed these blocks for each of us.  What a way to make us feel special.  I loved the fabrics I got and will enjoy sharing this with each of you when we attend my classes.  If you love to quilt contact me and let me share a fun new way to create beautiful quilts using the Big Shot. 

Big Shot Scallop Square die box

What a fun weekend I had, I received a box in the mail from my up-line Sandy and she had sent me some fun stamping projects.  It was perfect timing because it came right before my Starz meeting and I was able to share all these fun ideas with my group.  She sent me this die cut box that was created using the Big Shot Scallop die and the snowflakes die layered onto a square box and she added a handle.   

She also had included in the box these little gift tags that would be a great on any package.  She punched this out of whisper white card-stock on a fold so the ornamentis a mini card so you can write on the inside.  This ornament punch and Stampin' Up! Delightful Decoration stamp set are some of my favorite things from the Holiday mini catalog.  The items in this catalog are available until January 4th and after that it is anyone guess if they will be included in the next Stampin' Up! catalog that comes out in July.  If you love this item as much as I do make sure you order it before it goes away.   You can order on line at my Stampin' web site or email or call me to order.

Stampin' Up! Snow Buddies and Sweet Treat cups

I have the most talented women in my Starz group and we always have such a fun time sharing ideas with each other.  At our meeting a couple of months ago Monika shared with us how to create a sweet treat card that you can open to fill.  We all loved it and yet found that it only worked if the design was close to the edge of your card.  Michelle took the idea home and worked at it until she figured out a way to create a card so the sweet treat cup could be in the middle of the card and yet still fillable from the inside of the card, and she brought the idea back to our meeting the share with all of us. 

The trick is to not use the adhesive on the back of the sweet treat cup.  She cut a couple inches of the card front and cut another piece of card-stock the same size as the front of the card.  She punched a 1 3/4" circle punch hole in the same place on both pieces.  Decorate the extra piece as the front of the card.   She then glued the cup to the back opening of the extra piece and layered this onto the front of the card creating a pocket.  Now slip in the pull out card with the accent image on it and you have a sweet treat card with the opening in the center of your card.