The Doodle Wallet

This is one of the projects from this year's Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference. It's a photo wallet -- it fits three pictures and wraps up neatly in a customized belly band. I've stamped it with "Doodle That" and the matching "Doodle Alphabet". It's a also a great use of the mini notes and envelopes (107312). It's one of the projects at my $5.00 National Scrapbooking Month Workshops. The details are in my newsletter. If you need a copy use the button on the left to subscribe. See you there!

Scrapbooking with Stamps....

I wanted to share this scrapbook page with you for a few reasons.

First: The titling is from Stampin' Up!'s Warm Words set which is currently on sale for 20% off. It is a very verstile set -- loaded with sentiments for card making and scrapbooking. There are 6 sets on sale right now during the Say it With Stamps promotion that runs through April 30th.

This page also features the popular doodling look. This is Doodle That -- a great value at $11.95 for 4 versatile doodles you can use all over the place. The technique here is simple. I stamped the doodles in White Craft Ink (101731) and embossed with White Detail Embossing Powder (100963) to make the images pop.

It is a simple page done on Basic Black and Pretty in Pink Cardstock. The sentiment is stamped in Classic Black and the whole thing is finished with a black brad (104583) and a piece of Pink Gingham Ribbon (104828). I journalled in the best white ink pen you can buy -- the Uni-ball Signo (105021).

This is also a 6 x 6 scrapbook page that has gone right into a 6 x 6 album. I love the small size for highlighting a single photo. And it takes no time at all to complete it.

Get set for a National Scrapbooking Month Celebration brought to you by me (your humble crafter) and Stampin' Up!. Lots of essential scrapbooking supplies will be on SALE, you'll have the chance to buy a FABULOUS pad of 6 x 6 designer paper and every order over $35.00 gets a FREE - well, I won't break the Stampin' Up! blog rules. Sign up on the left for my newsletter and you'll get all the details....

It Really is an IDEA Book...

I'm talking about the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog. Sometimes stampers are skeptical about buying the "Big Catalog" when it is released. I am here to tell you I really do use it as a reference and for stamping ideas.

Take this card, for instance. For the past several days I have been working on the fun projects and specials I'll be doing in conjunction with National Scrapbooking Day. (More on that coming up in the newsletter...) At the end of a few stamping sessions I still had "Thank You Notes" on my list and not an ounce of creativity left. I flipped through the Idea Book and Catalog and stopped at the first "Thank You" that caught me eye. It uses the Love Ya Bunches stamp set and the yummy Cool Caribbean Cardstock (I am soooo going to miss it when it retires) accented by Real Red and So Saffron.

Beginning in July the "Big Catalog" will be changing every 6 months instead of once a year. We'll be getting newer stuff sooner and TWICE the good ideas each year!

You can always view the Idea Book and Catalog online as well!

The Gift Bag Technique

I have been tweaking my gift bag presentation and wanted to share the latest!

This is a plain, brown kraft bag that I rolled with the Sandy Shells ( 108978) wheel and Chocolate Chip Ink. I used the wheel again on the card on Kraft Cardstock, mounted that onto my favorite Cool Caribbean Cardstock and added that to Real Red. My favorite little Crab & Company (108559)is stamped onto Whisper White and colored with Watercolor Pencils. The whole thing is tied up with a little Chocolate Grosgrain.

My favorite technique is, of course, to put that card in a medium translucent envelope (102619) and mount it to the front of the bag with a piece of Sticky Strip (104294). That way your piece of "heart" isn't hidden.

But here's the newest twist. My sideline, Renee, told me she also wheels the tips of the tissue paper. I tried it and I like it!

You can get so much mileage out of a package of plain bags and a stamp set with a matching wheel!

More Easter Wishes

Another completely copied design using the Bunny Hugs set. This one was originally posted by stamper JanTink who creates beautiful projects of all kinds.

It's Cool Caribbean, So Saffron, Certainly Celery and Whisper White Cardstock with a piece of double-sided paper from Petals & Paisley. The ribbon is Celery Grosgrain. I stamped the bunny in Regal Rose and used blender pens with Pretty in Pink for the fill-in. The basket is stamped in Close to Cocoa and blender penned in So Saffron. The eggs are stamped in Cool Caribbean.

The little bunny tail is from a bag of pom-poms I bought at Mike's. I just couldn't resist.!

Easter Wishes

Here's my confession about Easter cards this year. I didn't have a single original thought on the subject. I made two different cards and both were completely COPIED from the work of other stampers. Over at Splitcoast Stampers they have a very polite term for this -- it's called CASEing -- or Copy And Stamp (or share) Everything.

As a scrapbooker, I have always called this "lifting".

No matter what you call it, sometimes (oftentimes) it is the way to go. Not every late-night crafting session will produce brilliance. Sometimes the way to get stuff done is to find something you like and create one of your own. Inspiration is all around. Magazines, idea books, online galleries, blogs. The world is already loaded with good ideas. And here is one of them:


This card was created by stamper Amy Ward for a swap involving other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators. Since the time I spied it in person, I have seen it posted online in other galleries. I really did make this one myself following the original exactly. (I told you -- no creativity on this.)

This is the Bunny Hugs set with Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Whisper White Cardstock. The patterned paper strip is Petals & Paisley from the Spring Mini Catalog. I used the 3/4 circle punch for the peek holes. And the chicks were colored in So Saffron Ink with a blender pen. This cute little size fits perfectly into the small open-ended envelopes (107286).

You'll Flip For This One!

Just in time for the beach season -- a scrapbooking solution that looks like a flip-flop! Last year's beach pictures still sitting on the hard drive? Come and make this album. This summer's beach trip already booked? Make this album before your vacation and when you return you'll only be behind on the laundry -- not preserving the memories!

This album features Stampin' Up!'s limited-edition Petals & Paisleys Double-Sided Paper, all the coordinating cardstock and ink you'd expect, plus images stamped in that oh-so-cute Crab & Company in the Spring Mini Catalog.

The class fee is $20.00 and includes your own package of the Petals & Paisleys Paper, with plenty left over for other projects.

Class Dates & Times:
Friday, April 20 8:00 pm
Sunday, April 22 2:00 pm

This is a pre-payment class so that your package of paper will arrive in time.
You can use the "PayPal Payment" link on the left for this.

***Bringing a friend to class is worth FREE merchandise this month. Use the "E-mail" link to the left for a copy of my newsletter that explains how.

***Don't miss Stampin' Up!'s "Say it with Stamps" Promotion all this month!

Say it with Stamps -- and SAVE!

April is here and so is a brand new opportunity to save with Stampin' Up!.

6 very versatile greeting and alphabet sets are on sale this month for 20% off during the Say it with Stamps Promotion.

Item Catalog Page # Set Original Price Sale Price

107123 177 Warm Words $19.95 $15.96
103877 190 Tiny Talk * $16.95 $13.95
107351 183 In My Thoughts $28.95 $23.16
102176 178 All-Year Cheer II* $29.95 $23.96
107325 194 Short Order Alphabet $38.95 $31.16
104383 191 Everyday Flexible Phrases $39.95 $31.96

(All-Year Cheer II and Tiny Talk will be RETIRING at the end of June! Get them while you still can.)

No other purchase required. Just 20% off. Delivered to my door or yours.
Click the E-Mail link at the left to place your order!