Simply Citrus Card Kit - Just right for beginners!

Hi Stampers!
I hope you had a nice weekend and your week is going well so far. We've had constant company but that's been good because it's gotten me outside and doing some other things, like riding my bike!  It's pretty easy to sit and craft but one of my goals this summer is to move more!

I have something gorgeous today for those of you who need something easy and quick or those of you who haven't stamped a lot and feel like you are a beginner to all of this. It's an awesome all-inclusive card kit that makes 15 cards and you will feel like a pro when you are done!  It has a luscious citrus theme, perfect for summer. Here are the cards and then I'll tell you more about the kit!

Aren't those pretty?  You will receive enough supplies to make three of each type of card and of course, you can vary the sentiment from card to card or even use a stamp you already own.  The kit comes complete with all the paper pieces, the stamp set, a block to mount the stamps on, a Night of Navy ink spot for inking the stamps, the Baker's twine, the flowers and even the adhesives you need. It couldn't be much easier and satisfying! A few of the cards, you simply stamp the sentiment. A couple of the cards, you do some outline stamping of the fruit or leaves. It's just fun!!

Here's a look at the kit itself, prior to being put together:



I love the color scheme because it's so bright and refreshing for summer.  This would be a fun kit to work on with some younger kids or even share it with some friends for a Girls' Night Out. It would make a fabulous gift for your crafty friend as well.  Simply click on the link below to order:

Simply Citrus All Inclusive Card Kit

If you have any questions, please let me know. It's okay to be a beginner at something, we all started there! If you purchase the kit, I'd love to hear about your experience with it and am always available for tips and pointers as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Now I'm going to get outside and move!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Celebrate Sunflowers

Hi Stampin' Friends!
Summer is the perfect time to celebrate sunflowers, indeed!  Sunflowers have been a frequent theme of Stampin'Up! products but never on this scale and this intricacy!  You can stamp them or die cut them or both!  There are big perimeter dies to cut the sunflowers you have stamped and colored and there are detailed dies to cut on paper and assemble a sunflower. Curious?  Check these out below:

Here you will see the sunflower dies!  There is a background large die that cuts the main flower and leaf color of cardstock, then a detailed outline die that adds all the detail. I used So Saffron, Crushed Curry, Pear Pizazz and Old Olive for this card.  The sentiment is also from the "Celebrate Sunflowers" stamp set and I used one of the wood themed papers from the "In Good Taste" Designer Series Paper.

For my second card, I used the stamps and colored my sunflowers and leaves with Stampin' Blends alcohol markers. They are my favorite coloring tool and they now come in almost all of our colors. I added some leafy/weed branches which were cut from gold foil and Soft Suede paper using dies in this bundle. Curious about the background?  I used some So Saffron vellum and embossed it using the "Old World Paper" 3D embossing folder.  It's so fun to combine different products you have in your stash and get so many different looks.

I've listed the details for this bundle and these cards in my supply list below. You can click on it to get to the online store and easily purchase this bundle or any of the products there. I'm so grateful we have the online store option, especially if you live in a more rural area and shopping in person is just not an option and face it, you will never see the quality or variety of SU products in any local store! I hope you'll take a look and see if you're inspired for your next idea!

We have a great weekend ahead of us weather wise so I'm looking forward to that. Summer is very short in Montana so we have to cram a lot in and make the most of it! I have a couple of classes this week as well, if you want to check out my schedule. Click on the SU website link to the right ==>>> and scroll down to the calendar for all the details. I'd love to see you in person!

Keep Stampin'!
Sarah

New Colors for 2020-2022!

Hey Stampers!
When's the last time you treated yourself to some new ink pads? Has it been awhile? Are you tired of stamping with the same ol' colors? Did you know that Stampin'Up! introduces five new "In Colors" every June! They are colors that are on trend in the fashion and design industries. They are fresh, vibrant and new. You will love creating with them!  I want to introduce them to you! Here they are all together:

This is a fun and simple card that uses just stamps to create a warm and kind message, you could say even, a paper hug! I used all the colors in my stamping and will now show them separately.

First up, "Bumblebee". This color is similar to Crushed Curry and Hello Honey from years' past. It is a warm and happy golden yellow.

Second is a new brown town, which everyone I have showed it to just loves. It's called
"Cinnamon Cider". It's warmer and lighter than Soft Suede, darker than Crumb Cake. It will be a perfect brown for all the animal stamps and nature scenes.

Next, for all you pink lovers, we have "Magenta Madness". This is the perfect pink for little girls, unicorns, Barbie dolls, etc. You get the picture!  I'm imaging some gorgeous florals with this tone.

In my opinion, you can never have too much green on hand!  It's everywhere in nature and it's a favorite decorating color too. "Just Jade" is a lovely "just right" green that will be perfect for so many occasions.

And finally, my favorite, "Misty Moonlight". This is a more gray blue than we have had in the past and I just love it. I will be using it for wedding cards, sympathy, birthday, guy cards, anything!  I know there are lots of blue lovers out there too!

And here's a peek at another card that features all the colors. Don't they look awesome together?

So what are your options if you need some new colors in your life?  We sell all of these colors in card stock, 2 sizes; markers, 2 styles; ribbons, ink pads and adhesive gems. I've listed all the supplies in my list below and Stampin'Up! was also kind enough to include some Designer Series Paper featuring these colors (which I used above) and some Memories and More cards/envelopes. There is a complete line of crafting products with these colors and I hope you'll try at least one, if not all of them, out soon!  You can click on any product below and get to the handy online store. Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help!

I hope you are resuming life somewhat and that it includes some stamping fun!  It's a great past time and even qualifies for therapy some days, right?!!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Blossoms in Bloom

Hi Stampers!
I'm back today with more new products from the new Annual Catalog. Have you had a chance to check it out lately?  Already have a wish list started?  I sure do! I love all the variety in this year's catalog, especially the broad range of styles and themes. That is so inspiring because as we all know, people are different and they like different things!  I love having different options to play with when I'm making the perfect project for a person.

One of the bundles I was able to preorder is called "Blossoms in Bloom". It features a huge watercolor flower stamp with some additional sentiments and flowers and leaves to combine with it. The dies are also large scale, two different ones that can be combined or used separately. While I haven't done everything I wanted to try with this set, I'll give you a couple ideas with what I have done!

My first card features the large flower stamp that covers almost all the surface of a standard A2 size card. The coloring comes by layering different stamps on top of each other, with successively darker colors. I started with Crushed Curry for the largest stamp and then added some Pumpkin Pie flowers in the center with dots of Cajun Craze. I used Garden Green and Old Olive for the leaves. It's difficult to see in the picture, but as an added layer, I attached a 3"x 3" card to the front that opens on top of the main part of the card. I used some of the absolutely luscious "Forever Greenery" Designer Series Paper on top of this and then stamped with the "Framed for You" stamps

Here's a little better angle, from the inside, to see the 3" x 3" card that overlaps the main card.  It's a fun idea that gives you a little more surface to cover with either stamping or DSP.

My next two attempts were using the large scale dies that come with the bundle. They were easy to cut out and I attached them with my fine tip glue pen. The first card features the new In Color, Misty Moonlight and some of the "Flowers for Every. Season" Designer Series Paper. My stamping is making use of some of the additional stamps in the Blossoms In Bloom set.

Here's a look at the second large flower die in the bundle. It's a broader cut image, designed to fit underneath the one above. I haven't tried this yet, but will do so soon.  This card also features the "Flowers for Every Season" DSP and a bit more of a second In Color, Just Jade.  I really wanted the floral die to stand out so that's why I used white against such a colorful background.

I'm excited for my first regular monthly classes starting up again tomorrow, after canceling them March, April and May. I've missed the women I enjoy stamping with and it will feel a little bit like "normal" to get back to it. Are you stamping?  If not, why not?  It's such a fun and relaxing activity to enjoy when you need some "me" time. Our products are so creative and inspiring, helping you to do your best work easily and precisely. Try out something new, update your ink supply, buy some new Designer Series Paper and you'll be on your way in no time!  The supplies I used for these cards are listed below and a click on any of them will take you to the online store for an easy shopping experience.   Don't forget, extra large orders qualify for an additional $25 in Hostess Rewards during the month of June!  If you meet the $250 threshold with an order, you will earn $50 in Hostess Rewards and can select any products of your choice!

Stay tuned in the future for more ideas with this fabulous bundle! I'm not done yet, by a long shot!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

In Good Taste Suite

Hi Stampers!
Did you know there are over 20 new die bundles in the new Annual Catalog?  That is so exciting as this tool has really exploded. Stampin'Up! will also be shortly introducing a new die cutting machine which is so exciting!  I want to share about all of it today.

First a little history. Back in the old days, you would stamp and image and if you wanted it cut out, you did "fussy cutting" with scissors. This is obviously still a valid technique and used when needed to this day. Then came along clunk, big dies that were cutting blades covered with hard foam, encased in hard plastic. You ran these through a die cutting machine to get your paper shape that you wanted. It was impossible to stamp and then cut because you could never be sure where the blades were going to cut on the paper.

Next came the "framelit" type of dies which is what has exploded on the market today. These are small metal, flat, thin dies that you can lay down and "frame" an image you've already stamped. It cuts beautifully and just where you want it. It can also precisely cut on Designer Series Paper in the exact spot you need it. These has revolutionized stamping to the point where we almost expect there to be coordinating dies with our stamps. Stampin'Up! is definitely going in that directly as many of their new stamps include either coordinating dies or punches to cut out the stamped images.

There are so many options and each catalog grows almost exponentially with more bundles of stamps and either dies or punches. I'm holding my first "back to stamping" classes today and we are focusing on one such bundle which Stampin'Up! added other products to, to make a suite. It's called "In Good Taste" and is really a fantastic value. The stamps are somewhat vintage in flavor and evoke soft, mellow, almost antique vibe. The dies are amazing because they are open frames that can be used with any sentiment or paper as well. The Designer Series Paper is the rockstar of this suite!  It features all the latest surface designs currently used in decor, house construction and clothing today including fabric, carpet, tile, wood, etc.

I want to share some of the cards we are making and also the suite itself:

All of the cards we are making feature the Designer Series Paper because it's so awesome!  In this card, you see two such examples, as well as stamped images and some background stamping on the DSP.  The flower and sentiment were cut out with the dies in this bundle. The feathers are from the "Nature's Thoughts" die set. This card features a new In Color, Misty Moonlight, as well as some new ribbon options!

When I can, I love to stamp directly on the Designer Series Paper!  Here is another example of that, which a tile background. This is so fresh and current in design!  I used some more stamped images from the stamp set and another die around the sentiment, which is from the "Many Mates" stamp set.  I have another In Color showcased here, a background piece of Cinnamon Cider.  The wood leaves are part of the suite as well.

This final card features what looks like a plastered and painted background. I stamped a little on it and added an embossed piece of Rococo Rose card stock under my sentiment. The sentiment and die are part of the "In Good Taste" bundle.

I'm excited to show my class these cards and especially showcase this suite!  Here's a look at the entire suite which can be yours for $85 (#154417).



I forgot to mention the embossing folder!  It's awesome because it's so subtle. It gives a woven fabric texture to your paper when put through the die machine.  Here's a closer look at the paper:



Isn't that amazing? So many options to give your cards that perfect texture you are looking for without adding any depth or thickness which makes a card harder to mail.

I hope you'll take a look at this suite and see what it can add to your creative stash!  Also, I mentioned the new die cutting and embossing machine which is coming soon.  It's called "Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine and comes in two sizes!! There is a regular size platform which is 6" wide and a mini platform which is 3-1/2" wide. While the manufacturing and shipping have been a bit delayed by Covid-19 related issues, it is coming soon!


As soon as I get the word that these machines are available, I will let you know! I can't wait to get my hands on them! Be sure to contact me if you have any questions. There are some awesome specials going on in June for hosting a party or joining as a demonstrator. I have all the information and would love to chat with you about either.

My supplies are listed below and a click on any of them will take you to the online store!  I hope you are restarting your love of stamping with the new annual catalog. It's a great place to go to be inspired!  You can check it out by clicking on the link to the right ===>>> .

Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

Jar of Flowers

Hi Stampin' Friends!
Guess what I was able to do today?  Buy some flowers for outside our house!  I learned about 30 years ago not to buy any growing things before Memorial Day in Montana and then there's still chance of frost or hail all summer, but at least they have a fighting chance and we won't get a blizzard.  It was so fun to wander around the local greenhouse and pick some stuff. I try to vary it a little each year but I was never blessed with a green thumb so I have to be careful and not get to ambitious.  Scroll down for a look at it all!

Speaking of flowers, I have something that you will really love today!  Stampin'Up! has come out with the cutest stamp/punch bundle. It has 4 bouquets of different types of flowers with a canning jar to put them in. The punch is the canning jar shape AND there are canning jar clear domes to create shaker cards. Wanna see?

I couldn't wait to play with this and especially try the domed canning jars. They have adhesive on the top and bottom lip of the jar which goes all the way around the perimeter so you get a nice and tight seal on your jar. There are also some cute green and white gems to fill in the jar. I used the Flowers for Every Season Designer Series Paper, primarily because it feature three of the new In Colors, Bumblebee, Just Jade and Misty Moonlight!  Aren't they gorgeous!  My sentiment is from my newest "go to" stamp set, Many Mates.  I colored the bright sunflowers with my Stampin' Blend markers and overall, love how this card turned out.  I sneaked in a little bit of embossed Misty Moonlight cardstock as well, behind the jar. This will be a special card for someone and I'm sure they will love it!

I've listed the supplies I used below so you can easily click on any of them and get to the store. Most of these products are featured in the "Flowers for Every Season" suite, on pages 10-12 in the new Annual Catalog. Check it out as well as all the other wonderful new products debuting now!

And for my flowers, well here's a start....

I do love this time of year!  Feels so good to be outside more and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of summer!  Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy Stampin'!

Sarah

World of Good Suite

Hi Stampers!
I'm so glad the new Annual Catalog has arrived so I can share some details and some creations!  As a demonstrator, I was able to order a selected amount of product early, which I did. One of the first suites to catch my eye is called "World of Good". I have always like travel and adventure themes and this was really my vibe, especially with the rich yet masculine color scheme. I am always excited about non-floral stuff, haha!  I love flowers, but I need to branch out when I stamp and this set was perfect. I have a great card from this suite today which would be a card I could send to anyone given the Covid-19 crisis we have been living through.

This card shows off some of the Designer Series Paper, featuring a new In Color, Cinnamon Cider. Isn't that a lovely, somewhat unexpected brown tone?  I think it will be great as a neutral in so many projects. I also wanted to show off a couple of the dies in this bundle - the globe and the stand. If you look closely, you'll see the globe is die cut out of a new foil paper, brass!  It's similar to our gold but not as bright or yellow. For my sentiment, I used the "Lovely You" stamp set and then a die from the "Tasteful Labels" die set. It's fun to combine suites, bundles, products etc as you search for just what you need when you're creating. While this would be a perfect card for a world traveler, it could be for someone across the state as well, given our current situation with Covid-19, right? Maybe it feels like you are miles apart from a best friend that lives in your same town. I sure hope we can get back to some semblance of normal soon ;)

Have you had a chance to check out the new Annual Catalog yet? It's available now and you can see it by clicking on the catalog image to the right --->>>.  There is also a host promotion (extra $25 hostess rewards with any order over $250 in the month of June) and a joining promotion (free bundle of your choice if you join as a demonstrator). I'll be sharing the details of those two promotions in my next blog post so don't miss it! You can also see it on stampinup.com or ask me for more information.

As we are emerging from our lockdowns or self quarantines, let's get stamping and let's get creative!

Happy Stampin'!
Sarah

New Annual Catalog with ALL the GOODIES!

Hey Stampers!
It's a fun day in the Stampin'Up! world!  A new annual catalog was released at noon today and you can start your engines and get ready to roll!  There's all kinds of fun new stuff and I'll be sharing some of my favorites in the new few blog posts soon.  For today, I wanted to share where you can see the catalog, which is by clicking on the picture of it, just to the right ====>>>>

If you're ready to shop, click on the "Shop Now" link, also to the right =====>>>

Have fun browsing and I can't wait to see what you dream up!

Here's a fun video for inspiration!

See you soon right back here!
Sarah