The Stamper

Grateful for time to scrapbook

I am sure your life like mine was very busy over the Holidays and if you are like me you took twice as many photos in the past few months than you do in a regular month the rest of the year and you have had no time to put these to paper.

 I took a few moments this week to add photos to some pages I created at my scrapbook classes.  This page was created using Stampin' Up! paper from a year ago and Stampin Up!'s stamp set Day of Gratitude and the Big Shot alphabet strip die, Billboard.  I tied a bow of baker's twine to help pull the different images together into one cluster.  The colors are Cajun Craze, Certainly Celery and Early Espresso.

It is always a good thing for me to slow down, sit and review the good and bad things of my life.  This page was a reminder of the good things that come our way and the friendships of those we live around now and those who have been a part of our lives in the past.  I know we are grateful for the memories we have of past Thanksgivings with family and friends who have become our family over the years.  This year I also was aware of the changes that come as your family grow up and start families of their own.  In the past my daughter has joined someone for Thanksgiving and this year her and her new husband started traditions of their own by hosting Thanksgiving at their house, creating memories of their own. 

Check out Stampin' Up! products and promotions by going to my Stampin' Site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

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

My Digital Studio Temple Book

I thought I would try something new (add a video to my post) so I can share one of the many projects I made this past month as Christmas gifts.  I used Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio program and one of their designer album templates called Sweet Details.  I love these designer album kits because it makes creating a project simpler.  You just choose the template and then add your photos.  If you want to change any detail you can because each detail was added as an individual image and can be moved, resized or changed to meet your needs.  I did quite a bit of changing on this album but that is so much easier than designing from scratch. 

 

This album was created for Abby one of Shanae's flower girls at her wedding.  I wanted to make her a temple book which would help her look forward and plan for her wedding day.  Getting married in the temple is important to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We believe we make covenants between husband, wife and God and these covenants are binding after we leave this earth life.  To go to the temple you have to be living to a certain standard and this standard is one we encourage our children to live always.   Even if you don't understand our belief I hope you enjoy looking at this album and how I used the template.  Notice how you can stack photos on top of each other and by making the top photo opaque you have a neat shadow effect. 

To order My Digital Studio software and downloads go to my Stampin' Web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Kindness matters card

I think kindness always matter.  I have thought that some people being kind and watching out for others comes naturally and other people have to always watch themselves more closely so that they are always kind.  This little stamp set was one of the stamp sets I saw right away when I looked at the new catalog in July and I had to use it for exchange cards.  I pulled out this card because Stampin' Up! sale-a-bration is starting on January 24th and this little stamp set is one of the products you can earn for free from the main catalog.  There are many more new and catalog items you can earn as well and I will be showing some of the things I made from these when I get the chance to sit down and create some.  But in the mean time check back often and look forward with me to a wonderful Sale-a-bration. 

You can check out new products from the occasion catalog and My Digital Studio products at my Stampin' site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net while you wait with me for Sale-a-bration to begin.

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. 

New Occasions Mini Catalog

It has been a few weeks since I first saw the Occasions Mini catalog (one of the perks of being a demonstrator is you get previews of upcoming products).  I was amazed when I looked through the pages, I thought I would just jot down a few things to purchase and my list got longer and longer until I stopped writing and just looked it over several times. 

There are a variety of new products, something for everyone I thought. 

New Big Shot dies: Framelits collections in a couple designs.  Large Doily die so I can create doilies out of any paper.  Edgelite Dies and new texture embossing folders to name a few.

Some fun Valentine stamps and spitz and dazzling detail glitter. And even a maze game stamp set and game pieces to create a fun valentine exchange card.

New flower stamp set called Mixed Bunch and a punch called Blossom to punch the desgins out with. 

They introduced a new product suite Attic Boutique with stamps, paper and accessories to match that have a updated vintage feel to them.

I hope you take a moment and go to my Stampin web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net and check out the mini catalog there.

Day of Gratitude

Today I am grateful for many things; family, friends, faith,  creative outlets, a good job and nice place to live and good people who come into my life. 

It seems each year new experiences bring new people who cross my paths and I learn so much about the world from the people I meet.  Over the years I have been taught to laugh, given confidence, viewed the world differently, learned to see things from another person view because of the people who touch my life. 

And this week I would like to thank all of you who have been apart of my life even if it has been just a moment. 

This card was created with the Day of Gratitude stamp set by Stampin' Up!.  I created a scrapbook page using this set that I can't wait to drop my Thanksgiving photos onto and show all you in the coming weeks. 

Remember there is a online Extravaganza sale going on to check out the details on my Stampin' Site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Online Extravaganza Sale this week by Stampin' Up!

The Holiday are upon us and as part of this time of year Stampin' Up! offers great savings on a selction of products. 

This year is no exception.  Today only you can get two new product for 20% off.  The Simply Scored scoring tool and Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps.  I know I am placing an order to get mine. 

Check out the other great products, there is something for everyone, fabric, Digital Studio software and downloads, birthday calendar. stamps, die cuts, brads, home decor items and much more.  Go to my Stampin' Web site http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net  to see all the products under the tab, products, then shop now... 

The new items are today only but the rest of the items are on sale:  November 21st-30th.

Stick Santa by Happy Hollow Designs

This past summer I enjoyed shopping for quilting patterns and purchased several from Happy Hollow Designs and have loved creating these fun Holiday characters.  I shared the witch a couple of months ago and wanted to share with you the Santa. 

He is easy to make because of the iron on OZsome Accents Fusible Quick Grid.  It makes the sewing of little squares fun because they match well without a lot of effort. 

You just cut your squares and place them on the grid in the right place then iron them into place and sew long rows instead of little boxes.  Before you sew you can check to see if you like your colors and if not you just pull the fabric off the fusible grid and replace it with the right color. 

I am excited to be sharing this fusible grid technique at the quilt house here in Arabia this month.  These stick characters are quilted then pulled over a 2 1/2" kraft tube the kind you use for shipping.  You add the final accents like the nose and the glasses and you have an adorable project to help brighten your home for the holidays. 

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.

My Digital Studio 2012 Calendar

My daughter Tysha asked me to create a calendar for her for this next year.  My Digital Studio seemed like the best choice of products to use.  I would be able to add photos without having to develop any, i would be able to ship it directly to her without having to use international shipping companies and Stampin' Up! has developed new calendar options that make it easier than ever to create a personal calendar. 

I used the December desk calendar that was already desgined for me from the  Frosty Day II 10x5 calendar kit.  I then changed the colors and images and created the other 12 months for the 2012 year.  It was fun to add the photos and know that my daughter will enjoy remember good times each month of this next year. 

I used Stampin' Up! digital stamp sets Calendar Basic Kit,  Year in Review and Torn Edges for most of my images.  For the rest I looked through the digital images on my Stampin' Web site and downloaded the ones I wanted to use.  The greatest thing about purchasing downloads are no delivery time, you can get them right away and start using them.  Yea!

To purchase My Digital Studio software and downloads you can go to my Stampin' Site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net    You can purchased the downloadable MDS or order the disc that will be shipped to you, either option is great it just depends on you and how fast you want to start creating.  Order today and you can create a photo calendar for your loves one for this next year!

 

My Digital Studio Free Downloads

I was working on a My Digital scrapbook today and wanted to let you all know to go to Stampin' Up!'s digital studio website:  http://mydigitalstudio.net/  and select on the image like the one pictured here for free downloads you can use either for My Digital Studio software if you have it or other digital software you might have.  To receive your free downloads you just have to fill out a survey for Stampin' Up!.  I was excited to download my copy and can't wait to design with it.   Stampin' Up! has new downloads each week and you can order these from my Stampin' Website:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net under products and My Digital Studio.  You also can use print services to print scrapbooks, calendars, pages and more.  I also love that My Digital Studio has the http://mydigitalstudio.net/ website that inspires and also can help you use this software in ways you might not think about.  Remember to download your free downloads and check out my stampin' site to order the software and more downloads as you need them. 

Stampin' Up! Christmas Lodge

It is getting to be that time of year when you start to really plan for the Holidays.  Where you will go, who you will see and the gifts and cards you want to give to those you love.  We are excited that Shanae and her new husband Steven plus my parents will be flying to Arabia to spent Christmas with us.  (in Shalla which means if the Visa's all work out right) I know it won't be a large country lodge with snow topped roofs they to come to but to a small house with spring flowers and cooler temperatures for us anyway, warm for them who will be leaving snow behind.  

I guess this card gives me the feel of a roaring fire and family gathered together which is the best part of Christmas for me.  

The designer papers are from Frostwood Lodge paper pack.  I stamped the lodge onto a die cut oval I had cut using the Big Shot.  Sponge the edges and lightly traced the oval image onto my paper.  Then I stamped the accent images you will find in Stampin' Up! Christmas Lodge stamp set.  Then I put the oval back into place using dimensionals to give it a 3-d look.  

The saying at the bottom was stamped and then using the new Simply Scored tool I added a scored box around the greeting.  I think it gave it an elegant look.  

The Frostwood Lodge product suite is found in Stampin' Up! Holiday mini catalog that you can view on my Stampin' site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net    Order yours today and start creating memories of your own.

Easy Events Birthday

A few weeks ago I was making birthday cards and created this one that I thought I would share today.  It is created with Pink Pirouette cardstock that reminds me of the frosting that comes on the top of birthday cupcakes.  This thought pattern is what made me choose the cupcake image from Stampin' Up!'s Easy Events stamp set.

I cut my cardstock then ran it through the Big Shot using the Elegant Lines embossing folder.  (I just love the deep embossed image you get with embossing folders) I then stamped the cupcake using Black Stazon #101406 and painted the image with an aqua painter and the ink from the pink  pirouette stamp pad #111838.    To create the ribbon look to my white cardstock, I used a square punch and just punched half of  it making sure the corner is in the middle of my white cardstock piece.  I added a lace edge by punching from black cardstock using Stampin' Up!'s Scallop Trim border.  I laid it along one punched edge and cut it straight along edge of cardstock which makes it look natural on the point.  Repeat for other punched edge trimming that piece off the edge and in the middle so the designs don't overlap. 

A little piece of Black Scallop Dot ribbon and a couple of pearls finish off this card.  I have this card on my shelf and it makes me smile each time I think of it.  It also makes me want cupcakes. 

To order these items you can go to my Stampin' Web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Pleated Flowers using the Simply Scored by Stampin' Up!

This past weekend we had a fun get together where we made a couple scrapbook pages.  This was one.  This page was created so it can be a fun Halloween page or be used for any other occasion. 

It is hard to design pages for those who live in my town.  Some people celebrate American Holidays and some do not.  I had never thought about the season before and how they are not the same world wide.  Some people have fall in June not October.  Winter is in our summer, etc.  One of the ladies who came to my class does not celebrate Halloween but was really excited about this page because the pleated accents would work great with her picture of Thailand. 

If you want to know how to make the Pleated flowers, they arecreated using Stampin' Up!'s new Simple Scored scoring tool.  I cut strips for both orange flowers, scored them every 1/4 inch and then cut that strip into two parts so you only had to score two different prints instead of 4 pieces, one for each flower.  Accordion fold on the score lines and then glue the ends together, I put adhesive on both sides because glue sticks better to glue that to paper. Now this is in a circle shape, just gently press the center down and fan out the cardstock.  I stuck a jumbo glue dot on a 3/4" circle punched from cardstock and then stuck that in the center back on flower.  I added 3/4" circles, 1/2" circle and flower punch images on top of each other for the flower centers, and of course added a small bit of rhinestone bling. 

I stamped the Sahara Sand cardstock with Basic Gray ink using Stampin' Up!'s Daring Adventure stamp set.  I also used the words from this set on the large pennant that was cut using the Pennant die and the Big Shot.

(Want a Free Big Shot???  Consider joining my Stampin' Family in October and one can be yours!)

Note: that the orange pieces of cardstock on the 2nd page is for pictures or journaling and they are tucked into a pocket.  It is important to only glue the Sahara Sand cardstock around the edges so you have a pocket. 

To order these supplies or Join my Stampin' family go to my Stampin' Up! web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Always Thankful Step Card

This next Saturday I am going to teach a couple cards and pumpkin project and this is one of the cards I designer for this get together. 

It is a side step card.  At first I thought this might be hard to make a step card but this simple design is fun and not too card especially with the new Simple Score board from Stampin' Up!.  The stamp set is Always Thankful from Stampin' Up! and can be found it their Holiday Mini catalog. 

To create this card, I used a 4 1/4 x 11 sheet of Early Espresso cardstock, I laid it long ways on the Simple Scored toll and laid a ruler along the 2 1/4 looking on the left of the scoring tool.  Then score on the 5 1/2 mark from the edge to the ruler.  Turn cardstock around and lay the ruler at the 1 3/4 mark and score from the edge of paper to the ruler at the 1", 2" 6 1/2".  Now start by folding the 5 1/2 fold into a mountain fold, as well as the 1" and 6 1/2" folds.  Fold the 2" mark into a valley fold.  I then layered background paper from the Spice Cake Designer papers.  I stamped the wheat from Stampin' Up!'s Always Thankful set on Very Vanilla cardstock and colored it with Stampin' Pastels. 

To order these products you can visit the shop now part of my Stampin' Web site: http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net    If you live close think about joining me on Saturday for a day of stamping fun. 

Just Believe Birthday

 I thought I would share a couple more Birthday cards that I create for a women's group here in Arabia.  I wanted them to look great but not take forever creating them.  Even though I would enjoy the creative process, with my Black and white classes going on and the fact that they needed some of these cards right away I decided to copy ideas from other things to make the process faster. 

This card was created by copying my scrapbook page from my last scrapbook class shown here.   I just used the concept of the circles and accent image and duplicated in to fit onto a card.  I marker-ed the Just Believe stamp image with Soft Suede, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and More Mustard.  I did not use any of the Designer papers like I did on the scrapbook page but the colors still blend together well.  I added a bow from the crochet trim and hung a birthday greeting that was punched using the word window punch. 

To order the Just Believe stamp set and/or markers you can go to my Stampin' Up! web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Birthday Cards using Printed Petals

This past week I found myself making a variety of 36 Birthday cards for an organization here in Arabia.  Beautiful Birthday cards are a little hard to find and so sat down and instead of spending hours creating I did what any good demonstrator would do and CASEd (copy and steal everything) a few cards from Stampin' Up! catalog. 

When CASEing something, you can steal the color combination, the layout, the cute way someone added an accent or like I did with this card and copy it almost exact from last year's catalog.  I added the dark green behind the circles and some different ribbon and since I was making Birthday cards I had to add a birthday greeting.  But most of this card was copied from Stampin' Up! Catalog.  I used the flowers from Stampin' Up!'s Printed Petals stamp set and a few pearl accents to add some elegance.

I also decided to CASE myself as well, anything so 36 cards would not take over my life. 

On this card I used the same technique I was showing in my Black and White Album class and just added it to a card.  To create the sanded flower background is chipboard letters that are glued to scrap cardstock and then I laid a piece of Designer Series paper with a dark background and white core over the chipboard letters and sanded over it with a sanding block.  This sands away the solid coloring and lets the white show through.

I added an accent flower from Stampin' Up!'s Printed Petals stamp set.  I did discover when I was putting away all my stamping supplies here that I had an old flower punch from Stampin' Up! and it punches out this flower perfectly, so I cheat and use the punch whenever I use this flower.  I added a rhinestone accent for the center of my flower to add that last bit of bling. 

To order Stampin' Up! supplies you can check out the catalog at my Stampin' web site:  http://wendythestamper.stampinup.net

Black and White Album Completed in 4 easy classes

 Life here in Arabia is just different, it is hard to schedule a year long Album class like I did in the states because everyone comes from some place different, they go back home at different times of the year depending on when their summer is and when their family vacation time is.  Committing to a certain weekend once a quarter just would not work so I tried something new.  I packed a full year, 24 scrapbooking pages, into 4 classes and two weeks.  Two days each week, they came and created 3 two-page spreads.

It was a great success.  We did my Black and White Album plus one color class.  Everyone got to pick a different accent color.  When they arrived they got a packet with all their supplies, an ink pad in their color and a clean up pad so they could make sure the stamps were clean before using them. 

We used Stampin' Up! papers, inks and stamps and each page had it's own look yet blended with the other pages because the colors were the same.  Some of the accents colors were Elegant Eggplant, Lucky Limeade, Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party, Basic Gray, Real Red, and Bashful Blue. 

Here are a couple samples of the different colors.  These are the ones I remembered to take photos of.  Every color turned out beautiful. 

I used Stampin' Up!'s retired Night and Day Designer Papers and a variety of retired and current Stampin' Up! supplies and accessories. 

It was a great class and I think I will do it again in January and make a Year in Review Album. 

Quilted Stick Witch

 While I was in Georgia last month, my good friend Tanya and I went and spent the day at a quilt store, you know you have been somewhere too long when they give you a fat quarter of fabric when leaving because they have never had people stay that long.  While shopping and visiting we came across these fun stick characters  pattern by Happy Hollow Designs that are quilted.  What fun I had creating this witch that now sits in my entry.  Even though it done with 1 1/2" squares using the adhesive grid paper this witch was easy to piece and turned out with perfect, no stress corners.   
I am really enjoying quilting and socialize with the ladies here in the quilt house.  It is nice to have people to talk to that understand when you have to fire your gardener and can help you find a better one. 
It is nice to be able to call someone when you really need a little scrap of fabric to finish a project and you know Zamil's craft store in town won't carry it but one of these ladies will.
It is nice to talk to people who understand the world you find yourself in and suggestions on how they deal with it. 
It is also nice to get the chance to go back to the states and wander around quilt stores with good friends and touch all the new fabrics and see new patterns and wonder how many yards of fabric will fit into a suitcase and weight under 50 pounds.