Northwest Stamper

Tag: stampin’ up

  • The Stampin’ Up! Online Spectacular Sale is Here!

    Online Spectacular

    Oh boy!  The holiday shopping season is upon us and the sales are starting earlier and earlier.  Stampin’ Up! is no exception and they just published their Online Spectacular sale – going on now through November 30th.  Even demonstrators didn’t know what deals they had in store for everyone and so I’m sure I’m not the only one who waited up eagerly to see the list of special offers available starting today.

    If you know me, you know I am a sucker for sales and I think this will be no exception.  There are over 65 items and special bundles now available for up to 50% off the regular price!  I know some of the embellishment bundles are calling my name and the Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Stamp Set Bundle….I think i need to sit down and go through the full list of items again to fill up my wishlist. 🙂

    With so many items on sale, it is hard to list them all (Click here to see the full list) but here are some of the highlights:

    • 50% off – My Digital Studio software (mac and pc)
    • 50% off – Designer Fabrics
    • 40% off – Special Fire & Ice Crystal Brad bundle
    • 40% off – a number of BigShot dies and embosslits
    • 30% off – Hodgepodge Hardware or Accessory Bundles
    • 30% off – Coordinated stamp set bundles
    • 40 -20% off – many digital downloads
    • FREE shipping plus hostess benefits on orders of $150 or more
    • and many more!

    You can see images of all of these sale items and bundles in the online store. 
    As always, if you have any questions or I can offer any help, send me an email and I’d be happy to help!   jennifer@nwstamper.com

  • A Clean and Simple Holiday Card

    When I was at the Stampin’ Up! regionals in Portland, I saw a demonstration that showed how cute a scalloped edge could be on a card.  I got inspired by the example and started playing with a card layout that has evolved into this design which I really like. 

    I have made this design in the past using Whisper White cardstock as the base with Cherry Cobbler accents but I had some scraps lying around and so went ahead and tried it with Soft Suede.  It looks really nice in person (better than I think it shows in the picture).  The other thing I vary with this card – in this example I used a strip of Soft Suede cardstock for the string the ornament is hanging on, but when I used a white base, I really like using Early Espresso narrow taffeta ribbon.

    Thanks for looking! 

    Happy Holidays Card Recipe:
    Stamps:      Tags Til Christmas, Many Merry Messages
    Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso
    Paper:  Whisper White CS, Cherry Cobbler CS, Soft Suede CS
    Accessories:  Ornament Punch, Scallop Trim Punch, Adhesive Rhinestones, Stampin” Dimensionals

    Love crafting and sharing it with others? 

    starter_kit_widgetDon’t miss this amazing opportunity to get the demonstrator starter kit for 50% off!  Become a demonstrator before November 30th and you’ll get over $310 worth of product and supplies for less than the cost of the stamps!

    My team is growing and I’d love to have you join us!  Contact me today at jennifer@nwstamper.com  for more information or click here to get started.
    (my recruiter code is nwstamper).

  • Win a FREE copy of My Digital Studio!

    Wow, I was looking online for some project inspiration when I saw this amazing giveaway on the MyDigitalStudio.net website!  Just share why you love My Digital Studio (or why you think you would love My Digital Studio) on your blog or facebook page and leave a comment on their blog and you are entered for a chance to win!

    I have to say that I have always been a little skeptical of digital scrapbooking since I really like having layers and a 3D feel.  But after making some projects for the recent contest, I’m finding I really like it more and more!

    What I really love about My Digital Studio is the fact that I can create projects using the embellishments, papers, and stamps that I love and often have in person.  Then, if I want to print my project out, I know that I can add layers and extra accents and I know they will match.  I can use Old Olive in the background and then add some Old Olive ribbon to my printed project and they will look great together! 

    Plus, now that I have a son who I want to share photos and layouts with lots of family members, I can quickly create cute photo books – laid out and embellished as a scrapbook but then say print 5 copies and I’m done!  I don’t have to repeat the same project 5 times to give away as gifts.  So easy and so cute!

    Check out all the cute papers, stamps, and embellishments you have to work with with My Digital Studio.

  • More Fun Ideas for Crystal Effects

    Each month I hold a technique night focusing on some different product or crafting technique.  Well, this last Tuesday night we focused on Crystal Effects.  I think Crystal Effects is one of those products that I often forget on the shelf but when I pull it out and start playing around I have so much fun!  I took this evening to show some of the different ways you can use Crystal Effects starting with the simple:

    Hello card In this case, we stamped the card and then added Crystal Effects over the butterfly image to create a fun 3D effect:

    CE close up Similar to this idea, we also made some chipboard accents to use on a future project.  This was the thrifty person (aka hoarder) in me.  I saved the white cardboard piece that comes with our designer paper packages.  We adhered some DSP to the cardboard and then punched out a heart using the Small Heart punch.  Then we punched that out using a 1” Circle punch and also punched out a 1” circle of Poppy Parade cardstock.  Glue the Poppy Parade piece to the back of your chipboard and then fill in the cutout with Crystal Effects.  Its a fun way to make custom epoxy-like accents.

    Epoxy AccentsNext, we added some sparkle to the place… cause who doesn’t like glitter with your pizza?  🙂   (We were meeting at Round Table Pizza and only got a little bit of glitter on the table)  Coat the top of the brad with Crystal Effects and dip into some fine glitter to create your glitter brads.

    glitter bradsNow, I will warn you, unlike our Glimmer Brads in the Holiday Mini, the glitter will tend to rub off a bit with these brads.  You want to shake off what you can when you first glitter them up and then be prepared for a little to flake off after its dried.  I think it is pretty enough to be worth it.  Oh, and when you are letting your brads dry after dipping them, just set them gently on the table with the prongs pointing up.  It won’t mess up your brads and then you can have your hands free to do other stuff while it dries.

    We also used Crystal Effects as glue on the back of the clear Itty Bitty Buttons, using the matching Punch Pack to punch out paper in the same shape as the button.  I made this card a while back and used it as my sample.  But it shows you basically what we did.

    friends forever buttons close up buttonsFinally, our last fun technique was the Stained Glass technique.  I love using this stamp set for this technique.  If you want to see details on how to do it, check out my post from last year.  But here is the card we made:

    stained glass treeAnd yes, my tree ended up a little “artistic”. 🙂  I was showing how to color and paint on the Crystal Effects and when showing how you would attach the window sheet to the Whisper White paper once the Crystal Effects was dry, I accidentally put them together.  So, I now call it artistic shading.

    It was a fun night and I loved seeing the creativity in the room.

    Thanks for taking the time to view the projects we made.  I’d love to hear what your favorite use is for Crystal Effects.  Leave a comment sharing what tips and techniques you use, I’d love to hear from you!

    In the San Francisco area? I’d love to show you and your friends how to make these projects!  Contact me at jennifer@nwstamper.com to learn how you can get a free private class for you and your friends!

  • A Simple Day of Gratitude Card Share

    A little over a week ago, I hosted my monthly “meet & greet” and as with each month, I brought a free make & take card.  This month, I decided to use the fabulous Day of Gratitude set, which thanks to regionals in Portland, I am love more and more each time I use it.

    Anyway, I got home and put all my supplies away and managed to hide the card from myself for over a week until today!  Well, I found the card and really like how it turned out and so I wanted to share it with you here.

    This stamp set begs to be used with Cajun Craze and More Mustard inks, both of which have not been my favorite colors.  But I have to say, Cajun Craze has really grown on me!  It is the perfect color for using in fall scrapbook layouts and cards.

    For some added kick, the Decorative Label punch out is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.  Otherwise, it is a quick and easy card that looks great in person.  We stamped the strip of Very Vanilla cardstock randomly using the images from the Day of Gratitude stamp set in the colors More Mustard, Cajun Craze, and Early Espresso.  Its like making your very own Designer Paper!  The medallion is stamped in Old Olive ink on Old Olive cardstock.

    In the San Francisco Bay area? I’d love to have you join me for my next event!  Check out my event calendar or contact me for more details!

    Until next time- Happy Stamping!

  • It’s here! Get the Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit for only $87.50!

    I’ve gotten a little behind on my posts this week and so while I try to catch up this afternoon, I wanted to remind you that yesterday was the start of the two week special for joining the Stampin’ Up! family and getting your starter kit for 50% off! 

    This is an amazing opportunity – whether you are looking for a way to save money on your favorite products as a hobby demonstrator or want to earn extra money each month as a business demonstrator.  The starter kit gets you over $310 worth of products and supplies to get going or build your collection, and you can get it today for only $87.50 plus FREE SHIPPING!

    It’s your opportunity.  You decide how much or how little you want to do but regardless – you get until March 31st to enjoy all the benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.

    I would love to help you learn how you can have as much fun as I have and get you everything you want out of being a demonstrator. 

    Have questions?  Drop me a line and we can chat in person or over the phone.  Email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com.  You can also see more details and a video here.

    Ready to get started?  Visit my official Stampin’ Up! website and click ‘Join Now’.  My recruiter code is nwstamper; and you are on your way!

     

    Pick your kit!  All this for less than the price of the stamps!

    Until November 30th, you can get either kit for the discounted price.  The starter kit is all paper crafting supplies and the digital kit includes My Digital Studio! 

       

    Click either image to see a full list of what is included.

  • Some Northern Hearts Card Candy

    I realized recently that while most people know what Blog Candy is (fun giveaways on a blog), that one of the things I gave away in my recent blog candy was “card candy” and that term may not be as familiar to some people.  Well, I wanted to share what I mean and the fun card candy I sent to Penny.

    I first heard the term “card candy” in reference to a swap at convention and when I read more, I learned that it means treats and embellishments for your cards.  In other words, the layered embellishments that you can put on simple card bases and layouts to add a fun touch.  So, in keeping with the theme I used for the box on the Royal Blog Tour, I did some more playing with the stamp set and other punches and embellishments to create some pieces that can be used on a card later.

    It was fun to play with the stamps, punches, and other elements to see what I could come up with that would be cute and could be used incorporated into another project.  I also tried out some new stuff and really liked how they turned out and so I wanted to share with you.

    First, I thought it would be fun to use the Northern Flurries embossing folder but once I had embossed the Bashful Blue paper it looked a bit plain.  I suddenly thought of my Stampin’ Pastels (chalks) that I hadn’t pulled out in ages and started experimenting with them.  Then I decided to add some bling to the center and then a little more Dazzling Diamonds glitter just to make sure there was some extra sparkle.  I really liked using chalks with the embossing folder and will have to play more with this.

     

    Then I started playing with the snowflakes as background images and wanted to add a little pop, so I stamped the snowflakes on Whisper White, punched out the centers, and added them to the edges of the paper, trimming what hung over the edge.  Then I punched two holes in the top to make a faux bow.  I LOVE how this ribbon looks when you make this bow.  The satin center shows in the middle and you still get the organza showing on the bits that hang out the side.  I’m definitely going to have to do this again.

    Finally, the last one I thought I’d talk about specifically is my little tag.  It was so cool to me when I realized that the birds fit perfectly in the Extra Large Tag punch.  So, I used my markers to only color in the birds and part of the vine on the bottom.  Then, I wanted to try something different with the ribbon and so grabbed the Whisper White Organza and this time colored the center part only using my Always Artichoke marker.  It went really fast and turned out so much nicer than I expected!

    I hope Penny enjoys using these in her projects!  And now you know what I mean when I say “card candy” too. Smile 

    Just a note that if you’ve been enjoying these Northern Hearts projects, this is a hostess set that is only going to be available while the Holiday Mini is here (so until mid-January.  So, if you are enjoying these projects and this set, I’d be happy to help you earn this set for free.  Just send me a note at jennifer@nwstamper.com and I’ll see what we can do!

  • Holiday Scrapbooking with My Digital Studio

    I suddenly realized yesterday that the deadline for the My Digital Studio contest is coming up quick!  I was hoping to get an entry submitted but wanted to play around for a bit first to get the creative juices flowing.  So, tonight, I decided to work on a 12×12 layout.

    This was actually started as a 12×12 calendar after a friend inspired me by sharing the 12×12 calendars she creates for her family each year.  However, my idea for what I was going to do for my January got sidetracked as I started playing with stamps and punches and it became this scrapbooking layout:

    Holiday Joy MDS

    I love this photo of Nicholas and thought it would fit well in the layout.  Turns out I love it!  This uses all the default stamps/paper/embellishments in My Digital Studio plus the additional Taffeta Ribbon download.  The stamp sets are Winter Post and Old Saint Nick, the Holiday Joy is just text using fonts from my computer, and the snowflakes are punch shapes that have been enlarged.

    What is your favorite thing to create with My Digital Studio?

  • Wow! Get the Stampin’ Up! Starter kit for 50% off!

    Oh my goodness!  This morning I saw that Stampin’ Up! had announced a special limited time offer, give you the FULL Standard or Digital starter kit for only $87.50 plus free shipping.

    I know, crazy right?!?  Stampin’ Up! has had some great promotions to help you get started as a demonstrator but this is by far the best I’ve ever seen.

    From November 15 – 30th, you can get over $310 worth of stamps, ink, paper, accessories, business supplies, and more for only $87.50! That’s 50% off the regular price of $175 for over $310 worth of supplies!  See what’s included here!

    So, if you’ve been considering joining Stampin’ Up! whether to start your own business, be a hobby demo and mainly sell to yourself and friends, or are just looking for a great discount on your favorites – now is an awesome time to take the plunge.

    You can sign up anytime starting on the 15th of November by visiting my official Stampin’ Up! website and clicking “Join Now” (my recruiter password is nwstamper).

    Here are the details:

    • The Simply Amazing Recruiting Promotion lasts from November 15 through November 30, 2010.
    • Both the Standard Starter Kit and the Digital+ Kit are available at 50 percent off the regular kit. These are full starter kits, not mini or reduced-content kits.
    • You can still add the Stampin’ Memories or Digital+ Add-On to your starter kit.
    • If you join during the Simply Amazing Recruiting Promotion, you are still eligible for any programs available to a new recruit. This includes but is not limited to the extra 10 percent Instant Income offer, Stampin’ Start, the opportunity to purchase a Business Booster Kit, and a free two-month Demonstrator Business Web Services (DBWS) subscription.
    • Plus I’ll be there for you as a resource and support to help you achieve your goals as well!
    • See the full flyer here

    Treat yourself to a big box of goodies and a fun opportunity at a steal of a deal!  Have questions or want more information, email me or give me a call!  (650) 209-5964

  • A Curly Cute Congratulations

    So, to continue the celebratory mood, I thought I would post a fun little Congratulations card.  I actually made this card while traveling in Portland and so I was limited to mostly scraps and a small amount of supplies I had on hand.  However, having limited resources can sometimes bring out some cool combinations you wouldn’t have thought of before.

    For example, in this card, I wanted a hint of color and had some scraps of the Elegant Soiree DSP and the Greenhouse Gala DSP.  Mix them together and you get a neat collage of patterns.  Plus, they were mellow enough colors that I thought they would do well to accent a piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock for the base (oohh… did you see what I did there?  Elegant Soiree and Elegant Eggplant!  Ok, yeah, that was totally accidental, but I’ll still call it fate.)  🙂

    I added some adhesive backed pearls to the corners for a little extra flair and finished it off with a box from Old Olive satin ribbon.  And let me just say, this is the easiest bow you will ever make! 

    To make the bow:
    Cut one length of ribbon and adhere the ends together making a loop.  Then, cut a second piece of the ribbon and wrap it around your first loop, adhering the ends of that second piece together to make the cinch in the middle of your box.  Stick to your card with glue dots and you’re done!  No tying required!

  • Northern Hearts Blog Candy Winner!

    Oh my, I’m running a bit late aren’t I?  Well, I wanted to put up a quick post to announce the winner of my blog candy.  After pushing the button on Random.org, the winner is…..

    Penny Hanuszak

     

    Congratulations, Penny!  I’ll be sending you this box filled with fun goodies as soon as I hear from you. 

    And thank you to everyone stopped by and left me such great comments.  It really put a big smile on my face this weekend to hear from so many people who visited, checked out, and enjoyed my projects.  Hope to see you around here again soon! 

  • Making the Northern Hearts Gift Box

    Wow, what a weekend that was with lots of great projects shared in the Royal Blog Tour!  I appreciate all the visits and comments folks let for my projects.  Its a lot of fun to hear from people who stop by.  As promised, I’ll be sharing the details for the Northern Hearts gift box today.

    If you are a member of my mailing list, you will receive a link to a pdf tutorial for this box will full step-by-step instructions tomorrow when I send out the November newsletter.  Not a member of my mailing list?  There is still time to sign up and receive the full tutorial as well.

    Making the Gift Box

    To create this box, you need two pieces of cardstock:
    – one 9 3/4” x 9 3/4” piece of  bashful blue cardstock for the base of the box
    – one 5 3/8” x 5 3/8” piece of bashful blue cardstock for the lid of the box

    IMG_1707Stamp the 9 3/4” square piece of cardstock with the snowflakes from the Northern Hearts stamp set in a random pattern.  I stamped using bashful blue ink and chose not to stamp the lid.

    Score the large square at 3 1/4” from each side.  Score the small square 1” from each side.  Crease your score lines using a bone folder.  Then, using the score lines as a guide, cut along the score lines to allow you to fold each square into a box.  Specifically, you want to cut from the top edge of the paper to the first horizontal score line in the middle of the page, repeat that only cutting from the bottom of the paper to the first horizontal score line you come to.

    You will want to use sticky strip to adhere the flaps you just cut to form the box.  Because this is a 3D project, most tape runners and glue sticks don’t give you a strong enough hold to support being picked up and used to hold weight.  Here is a photo showing where I cut my paper and placed the sticky strip pieces:

    IMG_1708

    Remove the backing of the sticky strip and fold the sides in to create your box and lid.  Now to embellish!

    I first used the Northern Trim letterpress die to create two strips of colored debossing.  One cool thing about the dimensions of this box, is that you can use one debossed strip for two sides of the lid.  So, I used Confetti White paper with Always Artichoke and Rose Red craft ink to create my two strips.  I trimmed the strips down to make four 3/4” x 3 3/8” strips.  Adhere these strips to each side of the box lid; they should fit exactly as long as each side of the lid and be centered vertically so that you see some Bashful Blue above and below the trim.

    IMG_1709

    Next I stamped the birds image from the Northern Hearts stamp set and matted that with some Always Artichoke paper (the Whisper White paper is popped up on dimensionals).  Adhere to your “front” of your box.  Then, I decided to add a little bling, and so I placed some of the adhesive-backed Rhinestones to the center flower on each side of the lid and in the upper corners of the bird stamped image.

    IMG_1715

    Finally, to create the handle, I used my Crop-a-dile to punch a hole on the sides adjacent to the “front” of the box.  Because I used jumbo eyelets, you will want to use the bigger of the two hole punches (3/16″) with the Crop-a-dile set to let you punch as deep as possible.  Once you’ve punched the hole, use the Crop-a-dile to set a jumbo pewter eyelet to finish it off.  Thread some Whisper White Organza ribbon through the eyelet and knot on the inside of the box to create your handle (I had to knot the ribbon twice on each side to ensure the know was big enough to not slip through the hole in the eyelet.

    Overall, this is a very easy project to complete and can be completed fairly quickly.

    As I mentioned before, mailing list subscribers will get the full PDF tutorial for this project which include step-by-step instructions with more photos, so if you are not a subscriber, I invite you to join now and I’ll be sure you get a copy..

    If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email and I’d be happy to help you out!

    Also, if you need any supplies for this project, contact me or shop the online store now.

    If you entered my Blog Candy for a chance to win this box full of goodies, check back later today when I will be announcing the winner!  Until then, happy stamping!