A last sneak peek! Tomorrow it's all for REAL!

Hi friends,
I know, I know... I start blogging about these dates whenever there's a new promotion or a new catalog launch or something and I sound like this is the biggest deal EVER!  I can't help it sometimes! It's so fun to get going with new product and see what I can create with all the new stamps, colors and fun.  With the catalog going live at 1 p.m. Mountain time tomorrow, the online store will be ready to take your order!  You can also order a paper copy of the catalog with any order. Be sure to choose me for your demonstrator if you don't already have one and then contact me if you have questions or need any help!  You'll be so glad you dived in! 

Here are some more sneak peeks of new products!  The details will be forthcoming when I can spill the beans about specific products and techniques!

Come back tomorrow after 1 p.m. for all the fun!
Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

My Top Ten list for the new catalog!

Hi Stampers!

We are getting closer to June 1st!  That's the day the new 2018-2019 Annual Catalog is released and ready to go!  You will be able to order with me or online (starting at 1 p.m. Mountain time) on that day and I'll bet you can't wait!  I've been handing out catalogs for a couple of weeks now at my classes and plan to hand out some more today at my open house (contact me if you want details for that!).  I've seen a few of you and asked what you thought about the new catalog. It's been all positive and mostly anticipation with some wondering what to order first thrown in!  That's always the case with a new product offering and this annual catalog features a bunch of different directions to go with your first few orders. There are about 18 new colors launching so you can get ink, paper and reinkers for all of those, or the ones you like.  There are new stamps and bundles so you can head that direction! There are new additions to the Stampin' Blends alcohol markers which are available mid June and you can grab those too!  What to choose....

Just for fun, I thought I would share my Top Ten list, no particular order.  I have to say it's not easy to narrow it down to 10 however!

1) New cardstock and ink pads in new colors

2) New markers in new colors . pg 182

3) Varied Vases bundle (stamps and punch) . pg 45

4) Itty Bitty Greetings (must have!) . pg 46

5) Enjoy Life stamp set . pg 58

6) Under the Mistletoe DSP . pg 95

7) Rooted in Nature (favorite bundle) . pg 143

8) Seize the Day . stamp set . pg 157

9) Handwritten background stamp .  pg 172

10) Accented Blooms bundle . pg 19

What are your favorites?  It's a good thing we have a whole year to enjoy the catalog and spread our wish list out a little, right?  

I'll leave you with some more sneak peeks, from the Accented Blooms bundle this time!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Big Wishes

Hi Stampers!
I'm back today with sharing another stamp set that is coming up in the new Annual Catalog, to be released on June 1st!  This stamp set caught my eye for its simplicity and versatility. If you need to make a birthday card in a hurry with a big impact, this set will be one you'll love to have on hand.  I played with this set yesterday and wanted to share my ideas today!

For my first card, I made a gate fold card, but turned it on it's side so the top opens up from the bottom. I used some fun floral paper that is coming and the "Enjoy Today" stamp. I paired it with some sweet little blossoms from the Beautiful Bouquet framelit set and then used my leaf punch too.

For the second card, I used the "Hope your Day is truly Amazing" stamp and my stamparatus.  I started at the top with Petal Pink ink and then moved the stamparatus plate down the side, one notch at a time and inked up the stamp with different colors each time. I tried to match the colors in my background Designer Series Paper.  This was fun and super easy with the stamparatus. Note how it perfectly lines up every time!

For my third card, I wanted to try some heat embossing with the "Wish Big" stamp set. I used silver embossing powder on Night of Navy cardstock and then used some silver foil paper behind it. Anything metallic is harder to photograph but I think you can get the idea.

For my final card, I wanted to go bold with the "Happy Birthday" sentiment. I used Lovely Lipstick, one of the new In-Colors. I used my Stitched Shapes framelit, the largest oval, to cut it out and then also cut out a piece of So Saffron. I embossed the So Saffron piece with an embossing die in the new stitched framelits set that is coming out in June.

There were several more ways I can think of to use these stamps and will be sharing those as I do them. For now, I'm just giving my new stuff a quick look as I make my way through my preorder. I love being a Stampin'Up! demonstrator and having the opportunity to purchase new product early! I guess that feeds into the instant gratification thing we all struggle with a little, right?!!

Hope you have a lovely, creative day!
Sarah

Curious about my card classes?

Hi there friends!
I had a card class (2 actually) last week and got to thinking that maybe some of you were curious exactly what a card class involved?   How talented or experienced do you have to be?  Do you have to figure out the design all by yourself? What if you make a mistake? Is it expensive?

Today, I want to answer those questions and perhaps some more you might have about my card classes and show you what we did last week to inspire you! Here are some answers!

1)  No prior experience is required to attend my classes! The format is very user friendly and you'll be given step-by-step help and instruction in completing your projects.  There are people with all levels of experience attending and they are eager to help the person next to them if needed.  You really did learn all you need to know about the basics in kindergarten - cutting with scissors, gluing, etc!

2)  In my regular card classes that aren't focusing on a specific technique or product, we make 3 cards and I have "kits" all cut out for you and ready to go. You will be stamping, die cutting and gluing. Occasionally you will tie a ribbon or fold something. We go through each card from start to finish with all of us completing each step as we go. I try to keep the pace moving but not rushed so you feel like you are falling behind. This is a no-stress zone!

3)  If you do make a "mistake" or something doesn't go exactly like planned, we will fix it or start again with a fresh piece of paper. We have all made numerous unforced errors and the fun part is figuring out a way to hide it or fix it. Ask any seasoned papercrafter and they will have some great stories of some of the colossal boo-boo's they have made!

4)  My card classes are extremely reasonable in price, $10 for 3 cards for a normal class. I sometimes charge a bit more for special classes but advertise that ahead of time. Papercrafting can be an expensive hobby, but doesn't have to be. And, it's all relative... quilting, knitting, painting, can all be expensive too. It depends on how far you want to go with it and like any hobby, it can become addicting!

5)  My classes are designed to introduce you to the fun of rubber stamping and playing with some new products and techniques. You are not required to purchase anything from the catalog but you may be tempted when you see all the fun stuff!

6)  Classes can be gifted to others!  You can bring a friend with you when you attend or you can contact me and I'll come up with a gift certificate if you want to gift a class to someone.

If you have any more questions about classes, contact me and ask them!  They are super friendly and inspiring to go to and you'll love what you come away with!  Here are the cards we did last week:

This first card features the "Picnic With You" set that is retiring May 31st!  It's adorable and very fun to work with. We also used the Brick Wall embossing folder which is retiring as well. Get it before it's gone!

The second card featured the "Swirly Bird" stamp set and the new 2018-2020 In Colors!  It was a fun way to try out all the new In Colors and see how we like them - We DO!!

The last card featured the "Birthday Memories" suite that is also retiring May 31st. I had quite a bit of Designer Series Paper from this suite left  and wanted to give it one more look before it's gone. We had fun coloring the fox with Stampin'Up! Watercolor pencils and then blending the pencil with a blender pen. 

These cards give you a good idea of the variety and styles of cards I offer in my classes. I do switch up the themes a bit so we may do a sympathy card, get well card, a holiday card, etc.

I hope you will check out a class soon!  I have a calendar on my Stampin'Up! website (click on the link at the right) and continually update and add to it.  You are more than welcome to try one out!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Monochromatic can be awesome!

Hi Stampers!
I'm continuing to play with some new product that will be available on June 1st! I hope you're excited for the new catalog to be released. There's quite a bit of new things that will lead you on many creative journeys throughout the year.

One of my favorite things is to try to challenge myself with some parameters for my ideas. I wanted to play with the new "Delightfully Detailed" laser cut specialty paper that is coming. It's an interesting element or layer to a card and one of the greatest features is that it is white on one side and ivory on the other. It could also be sponged or colored with a brayer to get any color on the paper. I took some time to carefully play with it yesterday and also decided to make some monochromatic cards, meaning, one color  besides the laser cut paper. Here's what happened:

The first one features Highland Heather.

The second one features Coastal Cabana.

The third one features Soft Sea Foam.

The last one features Calypso Coral.

I used some Tombow glue on some of these laser cuts and a Snail tape runner in small bits on others. Adhering them to paper is a bit tricky, but ultimately very doable.  I'll have more to say about these products after June 1st so stay tuned!

I hope you're having a fantastic week! 
Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Out of my box - Some truly special custom cards!

Hi there stampers!
Every now and then, I have people contact me for some custom cards that they have in mind for a special somebody. I love doing some custom work as it stretches my creative juices a bit outside my normal "box" and I figure that is good for me.  I thought you would like to see some of these ideas! 

My first request was for a friend whose daughter is a nurse and she wanted to give her a special card for Nurses' Week. I didn't have any "medical" stamps on hand, but was able to come up with something that worked and I think reflected the heart of this mom and her daughter! I used a familiar "gate fold" design for the card and some lovely retired Designer Series Paper

My second project was a card requested by my son, Sam. He wanted a graduation card for a specific friend of his that is graduating from Billings Senior High soon. Sam's exact words were "make in orange and black and if you can throw a bucking broncho in there, that would be great"!  My horse and horseshoe die are not from Stampin'Up! but the rest of the of the elements are! When I heard orange and black, I went straight to my stash of Halloween paper!

My last request I'm showing you today comes from a best friend that I've known since 7th grade. She wanted some custom cards for her grandchildren who were recently baptized. This project was definitely more challenging as I tried to come up with something that reflects the personality of each kid, as well as the significant milestone event. I used a combination of retired, current and soon-to-be released stamps and products to help me create these cards. I neglected to photograph the insides of the card, but I added some more graphics and sentiments to really make these cards special.

I'm currently working on another project for a client that is stretching me even further! I'll share the details once I've got it finalized!   If you get the chance to take on some custom work, try it!  It's a little stressful but super fun. My advice is to ask questions and get an idea of what the customer has in their head and see if you can reproduce it if possible. You also have to be brave and speak up when their idea doesn't work and guide them towards a concept that works for them and is reproducible by you and your stamps!

Thanks for taking a peek!
Sarah

Serene Garden

Hi Stampers!
I have more sneak peeks today!  I'm working with the Serene Garden bundle and this one is a challenge!  There are some fun stamps which are easy enough to figure out but there are also some crazy cool framelits that are a challenge. Some cut where you don't expect and others just emboss. A few work just like you would imagine. I can tell it's going to take some more playing around to get my head wrapped around all this set has to offer. Here are my first attempts:

For this first one, I just stamped. I hope you are noticing all kinds of new product including stamps, Designer Series paper and two new colors, Shaded Spruce and Blueberry Bushel!

For this second one, I wanted to try the corner leaf framelit. I die cut the card stock piece first and then stamped over it, trying to line it up. I should have used my stamparatus and will in the future! This color scheme is bright with the new Granny Apple Green and Gorgeous Grape joining Lemon Lime Twist and Pacific Point.

And finally, the most toned down version!  I stamped as I normally would, adding elements in all but one corner and then stamped and die cut the birds and flowers. New colors here include Petal Pink (which looks very peachy when combined with Calypso Coral) and Soft Sea Foam Green.

There's a lot more to say about these cards, once the products are available and I will feature them again as I continue to play with this set!  I have a large embossing piece that I haven't tried yet so that's next!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!  Enjoy your family if you are able and take time to create!
Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Rooted in Nature

Hey Stampin' Friends!
I have another sneak peek for you!  I should probably warn you that this is my favorite bundle out of the new catalog coming on June 1st. It's a wonderful blend of trees and nature that is reminiscent of the well-loved "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set that has been around for years, however, it is even better. There are framelits to coordinate with the stamps! 

I have only scratched the surface, but am excited to show you some possibilities that I've come up with so far!  Here we go:

Isn't this set amazing?  It also coordinates with a gorgeous stack of paper, the "Nature's Poem" Designer Series Paper. One color that I didn't focus on yet is Blackberry Bliss, which is part of the DSP colors used.  One thing about trees and nature-related themes, you can use them for any occasion... any!  I gravitate towards the foliage for sympathy cards especially but they are for so much more.   I have to warn you, this set is at the top of the price range for Stampin'Up! bundles, so start saving now!  I'll feature it many more times on my blog and talk more in depth about what stamps and framelits come with it.

For now, you can drool and thank me later!  Hope you have a great day ahead of you and take time to be creative! It's great for the soul....

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

More Stained Glass fun!

Hi Stampin' Friends!
I am continuing my playtime with some new product that will be coming up in the new Annual Catalog, June 1st. There are so many fun things to explore and try out. As a demonstrator, we get to preorder select product. We can't get our hands on everything, but there is a lot to choose from and try out!

A few blog posts ago, I shared some ideas I had using the Stained Glass paper and stamp set. There is also a coordinating framelit set that I wanted to try out. That is what this post is about. The framelits are extremely detailed and delicate. I tried several different layering options for cutting with my Big Shot and actually had the best luck with the Precision Base Plate and wax paper between the card stock and the framelit. I'll explain more in future posts as I work with this set some more but for now, I thought you'd like to see a couple creations!

On this first card, everything you see in black is diet cut with a framelit and black card stock. The cuts are extremely thin and have to be handled with care. I didn't use the adhesive sheet backing on my card stock, but I would try that next time as these are also tricking to glue down. I used watercolor pencils for the window coloring and the Stampin'Blends for the flower, bird and butterfly.

I hope you can see what I did on this next card!  I took another framelit that reminded me of a shutter and cut it out of Cherry Cobbler card stock, then cut another piece of card stock and glued them together to make shutters. I really like how this turned out!

These were fun to play with, albeit some of the hardest cutting I've done with framelits! I will keep experimenting and let you know what works best. The dies certainly cut okay, the trick is getting the paper out of the die without ripping it since it's so fragile.

And with that, I'm back to more playing! See you again soon!
Sarah

Enjoy Life!

Hi Friends,
I've been so excited for this day to get here. We had a fun weekend catching up with family and friends and even accomplished a lot around the house but my mind was a little bit on today and my ears are perked to hear the lovely muffler sound of the UPS truck!  My preorder is scheduled to be delivered and I can't wait to welcome all the new colors into my craft room.  I have folders and labels all ready... just need the occupants!  All that sounds a little silly unless you're really into papercrafting in general and Stampin'Up! specifically!  I plan to do a Facebook Live video for the big reveal...

Today I want to share another stamp set I was able to purchase as a perk of attending OnStage in Las Vegas.  I loved this set the first time I laid eyes on it!  It reminded me of my kids and that was the inspiration for the stamp set which was inspired by Connie Fitzgerald, another $1 million dollar seller with Stampin'Up!  I love everything about this set from the people, the nature elements and the sentiments, including the awesome fonts!  Here are my ideas:

I grabbed some new and retiring Designer Series Paper and stamped on it, which is a favorite technique of mine. I will be playing with this set more soon as I think it has so many wonderful possibilities. It also seems rather current and reflects a mindset and lifestyle that I'm surrounded by in Bozeman, Montana.

I hope you're off to a great week!  Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah

Varied Vases - Mary Fish Stamp Set!

Good Friday morning Stampers!
It's a gorgeous day where I am and I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend while I also catch up on some things. It definitely feels like spring is in the air and summer is on its heels! That is great news!

I'm continuing my exploring of the new products that I've been able to get so far and I'm liking what I have!  Stampin'Up! has a special treat for those demonstrators who reach the $1 million dollar milestone in sales. They get to go to Salt Lake City, Stampin'Up! headquarters, and among many other things, they get to work with the SU design team and design a stamp set. The set I'm showing today was designed by Mary Fish and called "Varied Vases". I think it captures her simple and clean style perfectly while giving you many options.  Here's what I came up with:

The stamp set also comes with a coordinating vase builder punch (used in the top card). I tried to incorporate mostly new products, but had to reach back into my retired ribbon stash for some Mossy Meadow ribbon. That color is returning in June so I felt it was okay to use the ribbon as well.  Did you notice the background piece on the top card?  It's a new set of Designer Series Paper that is laser cut with many different lacy patterns and backgrounds. I'll post more on that in future blogs, as it becomes available in June.  On the bottom card, I created the water in the vases by using Pool Party and Coastal Cabana (another returning color in May) and my Aqua Painter. I wanted it to look a little more subtle than it would have been if I used just ink.

I had a great time playing with this set. It's going to be sold as a bundle starting in June so keep an eye out for it!  I will be coming back to many of these products in future blogs, once they are available in June. For now, I love sharing some of my early ideas with you.  I put in another preorder this week and it is supposed to arrive on Monday.  This is one time I wish the weekend would go FAST!  Thanks for stopping by!  I'm available for any help or questions you might have!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Animal Outing

Hi Stampers!
How's your week going?  Enjoying your start to the month of May?  I sure have been...  As a Stampin'Up! demonstrator, we get to see and preorder products from new catalogs generally about a month before they go live. Yesterday was the beginning of that period for the annual catalog and I was up bright and early to get my order in.  Now I'm anxiously awaiting for that "You've Got Mail" whoosh of my phone to let me know my order has shipped - maybe today!

About a month ago, I was fortunate enough to attend an OnStage event in Las Vegas. We were treated to many surprised and gifts including stamps sets. The set I want to feature today was in our bags which we received upon registering. In hindsight, after looking at the entire catalog, it was an unlikely choice but I really like it!  It's called Animal Outing and features not your typical cuddly animals. When's the last time you stamped a kangaroo, giraffe or rhinoceros?  That last word is so hard to spell, it took me several minutes to find it and spellchecker was completed confused as well. Anyway, I don't have to spell it if I can stamp it, right? 

I had some fun yesterday with this stamp set and wanted to show you my ideas:

I tried to use new Designer Series Paper and embellishments as well, though my supply is somewhat limited at this point. I should also point out there are coordinating framelits for this stamp set, however, they were not on the preorder list so I can't obtain those until after June 1st. I considered fussy cutting out the rhino, but decided to just wait for the framelits! I love that these animals are realistically cute and whimsical.  I think they would be especially perfect for some kids cards!

Are you anxious to get some new products?  Well you can too as a customer. The "Share What You Love" suite is available in three different bundles, different price levels.  Here's a link to all the information in the online shop:

SHARE WHAT YOU LOVE



I love that Stampin'Up! wants to let customers get their hands on some new product early as well as demonstrators. If you have questions about becoming a demonstrator, contact me and we will chat! It's a "try it and see if you like it" deal with no further obligation if you decided you weren't interested after all. Honestly, I've signed up a lot of people and most have stuck with it and expressed to me and others that their only regret was not signing up sooner!  There are discounts on orders, special perks and benefits and opportunities to earn freebies. It's a win/win!

I'm excited to share more from the preorder with you in the coming days and weeks... now if Mr. Brown (UPS) would just show up with that box!  :)

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah