Sweet Stamper

SUDSOL Blog Tour

At SUDSOL, we are celebrating the new Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-a-Bration with a SUDSOL blog tour!  Our tour delivers fresh, new ideas for great new products.  As a member of SUDSOL, I am privy to new samples every day in addition to class outlines, technique tutorials, incredibly useful business forms and ideas, and more.  These are just a few of the vast array of usable, useful tips, ideas, and resources with SUDSOL plus ready access to demonstrators who can answer almost every imaginable question.  Sign up for your free two week trial today!

I'm featuring the darling Gnome Sweet Gnome stamp set in handmade cards for my part of the blog tour.  I love this new stamp set! 

For this quick and easy card, I used the girl gnome stamp on watercolor paper.  By using a small piece of watercolor paper and an aquapainter, I can do actual watercoloring in just minutes and achieve that great artist look on my focal piece.  This is a great way for beginners to start watercoloring without being overwhelmed or frustrated.  Scroll down for supply list for this card.

Below is a somewhat dressier version of the same card, employing different shapes, a more feminine color scheme, ribbon instead of Bakers Twine, and a Rhinestone Brad instead of a Brights Button.  See how just a few small changes can make a big difference?  I like both these cards.  Which do you prefer?

This Gnome Sweet Gnome girl is colored with markers on this handmade card, whereas the card above is done with traditional watercoloring.  Different looks, different tools, same Gnome Sweet Gnome stamp set.  We did the pink one in my January stamp clubs and everyone had a great time.  Scroll down for supply list for this card.

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CONTINUE on the Blog Tour
Jane Hignite	SUDSOL

 Green Girl Gnome Card Supplies:

Stamps:  Gnome Sweet Gnome

Ink:  Black StazOn; Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo, Basic Gray, Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pads; Blush Blossom Stampin' Write Marker

Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Island Indigo Card Stocks; Domestic Goddess DSP; Watercolor Paper

Accessories:  Circle Scissors Plus, Brights Buttons, Island Indigo Bakers Twine, Aquapainters, Dazzling Details Glitter Glue

Pink Girl Gnome Card Supplies: 

Stamps:  Gnome Sweet Gnome

Ink:  Black StazOn Pad; Regal Rose, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Blush Blossom Stampin' Write Markers

Paper:  Regal Rose, Very Vanilla Card Stocks

Accessories:  Big Shot, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Very Vanilla and Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding Ribbons, Circle Fire Brads, Dazzling Details Glitter Glue

Cookie Stamps

Take your love of all things stamping to the next level with the Occasions Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps!  Our popular cookie stamps now have another set of images.  In the Holiday Mini Catalog, Stampin' Up! released a set of 3 cookie stamps:  jack-o-lantern, snowflake, and heart.  They were wildly popular (and are still available for purchase).  Now there is a new set of 3 cookie stamps:  bunny, flower, and shamrock.  All 6 of these images are super-versatile and destined to make your sugar cookies memorable in appearance as well as taste:)

Get your today at candystamps.stampinup.net.  You will be ready to create your own yummy and adorable cookies for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, and more!  The bunny and flower images will also be great for baby showers and birthday celebrations.  The shamrock will be fabuous for any celebration where you are offering congratulations or good luck to a special someone in your life.  Make a few to give like the project above.  Or make a whole tray of these for your special events.  Once again, Stampin' Up! is giving us tools to make things handmade, heartfelt, and oh-so-special!

New Rosette Bigz Die Video Tutorial

Have you seen all the new Big Shot dies in the new Occasions Mini?  If you are wondering how to utilize the new Rosette Bigz die, then wonder no more!!  You can check out the video tutorial below and learn how to create great rosettes with speed and accuracy.  You won't have to manually score your lines anymore to make your rosettes.

 

Sale-a-Bration...Preview of Coming Attractions!

Sale-a-Bration is every stamper's favorite time of year.  Why?  Because normally you have to be a hostess to earn free stuff from Stampin' Up! aka hostess benefits.  During Sale-a-Bration, anyone can earn free stuff!  For every $50 you spend (during SAB), you get a FREE item from the Sale-a-Bration brochure.  The FREE items include exclusive stamp sets, ribbons & brads, papers, My Digital Studio downloads, and Decor Elements--in addition to select items from the Idea Book & Catalog.

But wait!  There's more!  As a hostess, you earn even more FREE stuff during SAB than ever!  So not only do your guests have access to free supplies, you get even more than usual when you host during Sale-a-Bration.  Click here to view the Sale-a-Bration brochure to see all the free items and the extra hostess benefits.

Call me today to book your Sweet Stamper workshop.  My calendar is filling up fast, but there are a few dates left. Call me at 210-355-5729 or email me by simply clicking on the Email Candy button to your left.  Once we set a date, you simply invite some of your friends/family to get together for some fun.  I bring projects for everyone, and it's a great time for all.  Whether you and your friends are beginning stampers (even if you have never stamped) or veterans, I have projects that will delight you.  I can't wait to stamp with you!

Edgelits Die Video Tutorial

Are you a bit intimitdated by the new Edgelits dies?  They are easier to use than they look.  Here is a great video created by Stampin' Up! to help you see how to use these cool new products.  These are really a great new addition to the Big Shot line.  They are so much fun to work with and have coordinating Embossing Folders and stamp sets to make projects complete.

Watch this video demonstration with Brian from Stampin' Up!:

Masculine Cards

Many of us find masculine cards to be a bit more of a design challenge than any other type card.  This quick and easy card is one of the 16 handmade cards we made at last week's stamp camp.  It features the Well Worn DSP which is FABULOUS for masculine cards!  You get 12 different designs for maximum design possibilities!  Of course, you can also use Well Worn DSP for other projects--anything with an aged or natural or even funky design. 

Get your Well Worn DSP and other paper crafting supplies at my Sweet Stamper online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.  It's super-easy shopping with the latest and best in paper crafting supplies at your fingertips leading to excellent results for your scrapbooks, handmade cards, handmade favors, and more. 

Check out our fabulous designer fabrics, too, available in extra large fat quarters!  Here is the new Twitterpated Designer Fabric, perfect for so many projects:)

Bordering on Romance-Watercolor

Whew!  Gail and I hosted our stamp camp this past weekend, and we worked like crazy getting it ready; nevertheless, I have a fresh Bordering on Romance handmade card for your view today:)  I may have stamped til I dropped last week and through Saturday, but I'm ready for more today!
For this handmade card, I used the lovely line art images in the Bordering on Romance stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog, stamped on our Naturals White Card Stock.  That card stock is heavy enough to withstand watercoloring.  It's not as absorbent as the watercolor paper, but it does well with blender pens or aquapainters.  I used aquapainters and ink refills for this handmade card.

Bordering on Romance is part of the Twitterpated Product Suite meaning there are multiple products designed to complement one another in the suite.  Here, I paired the stamp set with the Twitterpated DSP and the fab new 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon.  I love the ribbon!  It easily moves around curves, as shown above, as well as straight lines.  For a little bit of subtle bling on my card, I added some Rhinestone Basic Jewels and colored them with a black Sharpie.  They look like black diamonds!

Get a free stamping class each month by joining one of my stamp clubs!  I have card clubs as well as a scrapbook club, and one of them meets at a time that will fit YOUR schedule.  Full information is here on my blog.  Contact me today at 210-355-5729 or email me by clicking on the Email Candy button to your left.  My card clubs had a taste of watercoloring this month on our watercolor paper and loved it!  Join us for monthly stamping education and enjoyment. 

Framelit Die Video

One of my favorite new products in the Occasions Mini catalog is the Framelits collection.  We have both a Hearts collection and a Labels collection.  The possibilities are endless with these great dies.

If you are unsure on how to use them, take a look at the video below from Stampin' Up!.  Donna gives you a quick tutorial on how to use them. 

Stamp Camp Projects-Again

Well, I'm still in the throes of prepping stamp camp projects for our Let's Celebrate stamp camp this Saturday.  Our campers are making 16 handmade cards, getting ready for the year.  With 16 cards, most of us will have something ready for just about every occasion that arises in 2012!We created our cards in pairs.  We give each camper the same supplies to make two different cards (that means 8 sets of 2 for the full day of stamp camp).  We want to show our stampers how you can take a layout, change things up a bit, use different stamps...or not, and make a different card, all using the same supplies.  Click here to see these supplies to make a different card, another of our stamp camp projects.

This card features the Elements of Style (118611 wood mount, 120045 clear mount) and Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess) stamp sets and the Swirls Scribbles Big Shot die--a very underused die in my opinion!  The soft look is achieved by stamping on Very Vanilla Cardstock and then overlaying the whole piece with Vellum Paper.  I love that Stampin' Up! carries both the Vellum Paper--a think paper perfect for letting images underneath it shine through--as well as Vellum Card Stock--a much heavier paper that will stand up to Big Shot dry embossing and more.

Sign up today for our newsletter at stampcamping.com so you can get all the news about our other stamp camps this year and beyond.  They promote creative recreation and are more fun than you can imagine!

Stamp Camp Projects

I spent all day yesterday prepping stamp camp projects for our Let's Celebrate stamp camp on Saturday.  Gail and I (and our trusty helpers) are busy cutting card stock and ribbons, sorting brads and embellishments, stuffing bags, and more.  It's exciting!
This is one of the 16 cards we are prepping for our stamp camp (this one featuring Tagtastic stamp set and the embedded embossing technique).  There is also a card box and altered rolodex to round out the stamp camp projects for the day.  It's a full day of stamping fun! If you didn't get registered for this stamp camp, you can still purchase instructions (a full color booklet), and there is one kit-to-go still available.  There are also kits for the altered rolodex and card box.  Click on stampcamping.com for more info. 

Our next stamp camp, Get-Togethers and Get-Aways, is scheduled for Saturday, June 16th.  Sign up for our newsletter to stay up on all the camp news!  You can sign up at stampcamping.com.  Our charity stamp camps help you to enjoy creative recreation while making a difference in our community.  If you don't live nearby, enjoy one of our mail options to get in on the great stamp camp projects from afar. We can't wait to stamp with you!

Valentine Workshops

My Sweet Stamper workshops are lots of fun, and over the next few weeks, these are the Make & Takes we will be enjoying.  What is a Make & Take?  It's a quick and easy project you MAKE and then TAKE home with you!  With Valentine's Day just around the corner, my Make & Takes have a Valentine theme and also feature Occasions Mini Catalog products. The handmade card uses the darling new stamp set, Gnome Sweet Gnome, and the treat bag uses the new single stamp, Candy Conversations.

What is a Sweet Stamper workshop?  It's a gathering of your friends and/or family, at your place or mine, where I demonstrate how to make really cool things with stamps, ink, and paper.  Everyone makes something to take home (see above:), everyone can purchase products to produce cards, scrapbooks, favors, home decor, and more, and YOU--the hostess--earn free stuff! 

Call me today to book your Sweet Stamper workshop.  It's a fun way to get together with friends and/or family.  All you provide is a simple snack; I provide all the entertainment:)  And if we have the workshop at my place, I even provide the clean house!

Start your year out right with a fun gathering and a little creativity.  People are amazed at what they can make with stamps, ink, and paper!  Your friends don't have to be "crafty."  The first workshop I ever attended, I had never before held a rubber stamp in my hand...and here I am now a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!  Call me at 210-355-5729 or email me by clicking on the Email Candy button on your right.  I can't wait to stamp with you!

 

Charity Stamp Camp

For today's inspirational Sunday post, I'm sharing another of the handmade cards that is part of next week''s stamp camp, Let's Celebrate, benefitting the Tower City Storehouse.  Our stamp camps are a great way to enjoy some creative recreation while helping to stamp out hunger right here in San Antonio. 

People fall on hard times for all sorts of reasons.  At the Tower City Storehouse, guests are offered prayer as well as food.  I have had the humbling privilege of praying for people in the following situations:

• a man whose wife has early-onset Alzheimers (in her 40s) and is struggling to provide for his teenagers as well as his wife's increased medical care
• a woman whose husband was murdered and she is finding it difficult to provide for all the needs of her young children
• a senior citizen on a fixed income with lots of health challenges
• a family displaced by Hurricane Katrina who then had the father die here, in a strange city, now trying to provide for the needs of the family with no dad or husband
• a couple who both lost their jobs

We find that in offering prayer, people are often so glad for someone who will just listen to their story and then ask God to help them.  It brings dignity to their plight.  These examples are just a few of the hundreds of people served by the Tower City Storehouse.  It is our privilege at stampcamping.com to share proceeds from our stamp camps as well as canned goods brought by our campers to help those around us who need a hand up.

Why don't you go to the stamp camp blog now and sign up for our newsletter?  That way, you will keep up with the dates and plans for our camps later this year.  We aim to bring our campers top-notch projects, a relaxing, creatively-charged atmosphere, inspiration galore, fellowship, and the opportunity to impact their community.  Gail and I think this is a winning combination!  Come stamp with us...and enjoy creative recreation at its finest:)

(Card above features Elements of Style, Four Frames, and Oval All stamp sets.)

Free Projects, Free Inspiration, & More!

Are you a subscriber to my free email newsletter?  If not, you are missing out on fantastic free papercrafting projects, free inspiration, free tips, answers to questions you have, and so much more.  My e-newsletter is delivered around the 1st and 15th of each month to lots of inboxes.  If yours is not on my subscription list, you are missing out!

Sign up today by simply entering your contact information in the little sign up box in the upper left corenr of this blog.  You will find out about specials, upcoming classes and stamp camps, and even get some periodic exclusive specials--Sweet Stamper specials--that are just for my newsletter subscribers.  Of course, I'll never share your information with anyone, and you may unsubscribe at any time.  But my newsletter is popular, and I think you will enjoy it:)

Occasions Mini Catalog Bordering on Romance...Again!

Today, I wanted to show you a handmade card I created using the new Bordering on Romance stamp set and its coordinating Adorning Accents Edgelits Dies, both from the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  These new edgelits create this sweet scallop border.  The stamped image nestles into the scallops perfectly!  One of the hallmarks (no pun intended:) of Stampin' Up! products is their seamless coordination.  Stamped images that fit perfectly into punched and die cut shapes make our handmade cards look sophisticated and well-executed rather than "homemade."

Also shown here is the lovely new Twitterpated Designer Series Paper--there is also a set of Twitterpated Designer Fabric (extra large fat quarters for quilting, sewing projects, and NON sewing projects!).  It has a lovely color palette with some in-colors and core colors as well as a lovely blending of designs bringing together some nostalgic prints with some fresh, modern ones for ultimate practicality and usefulness.  And the 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon is to die for!  I'm getting another color to embellish a lamp shade in my Studio.  Photos will be forthcoming!

Check out the new Occasions Mini Catalog here.  And if you don't have your own copy and would like one, email me by clicking on the Email Candy button to your left.  I'll get one into your hands for your own enjoyment and inspiration.  Get ready for ALL the occasions of your life in 2012!  It's going to be a year filled with milestones and moments worth celebrating:) 

To purchase Occasions Mini products and more, simply mosey on over to my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.  Click on products and then shop now.  Then do some "window shopping" and/or real shopping...right where you are!  And contact me at 210-355-5729 with any questions.

 

Bordering on Romance

Bordering on Romance is one of the fabulous new stamp sets in the Occasions
Mini Catalog and is available beginning today.  This lovely stamp set has images that are great for watercoloring and/or just coloring.  Here's a sweet handmade Valentine card I created using Bordering on Romance (125480 wood mount, 125482 clear mount) and the new Twitterpated Designer Series Paper.  I like the use of non-traditional colors in this handmade Valentine.  The red is still there, the signature Valentine's Day color, but the other more muted tones give this handmade card a soft, sweet, old-fashioned look that isn't fussy. 

Notice also the Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details (125585), super shiny and colorful glitter glue.  It's so easy to use, and the color is vibrant.  Most red glitter glues are clear with red glitter--and look really tacky.  Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details is red all the way through!  I also used 2 of the 5 hearts in the new Fashionable Hearts Embosslits Die (125596)-shown below.  Another fabulous Stampin' Up! exclusive Big Shot die!

Check out the new Occasions Mini Catalog here.  And if you don't have your own copy and would like one, email me by clicking on the Email Candy button to your left.  I'll get one into your hands for your own enjoyment and inspiration.

Last Day for Holiday Mini Catalog!

Today is the last day to order Holiday Mini Catalog items, and I'm featuring the very cute stamp set, Gift Givers.  This is one of those fantastic Stampin' Up! sets where each stamp image has a coordinating punch. 

This handmade St. Patrick's Day card was made by my swapping buddy and upline Gail Beezley and is so cute with its gold glass glitter in its pot of gold for St. Patrick's Day.

This handmade card also features the embedded embossed technique.  See how Gail took the small heart punch and made little shamrocks?  How cute is that??!!  This card is perfect for anyone of any age whether they are St. Patrick's Day lovers or not.  But for a St. Patrick's Day lover, those that key into the historic aspects and/or love anything celtic, this is a surefire winner!  Gift Givers comes in clear mount (123774)  and wood mount (123772)

Here is the full Gift Givers stamp set, so you can see that it takes you through all the major holidays of the year, not just St. Patrick's Day.  This is a great all-purpose stamp set, and today is the last day to get it! 

Hop on over to my online store at: candystamps.stampinup.net.  Click on Products and Shop Now and Holiday Mini Catalog.  And call me at 210-355-5729 if you prefer to talk to a person and place your order that way. 

Spice Cake DSP - Get it now!

There are only a few days left to purchase items from the Holiday Mini Catalog including the very popular Spice Cake DSP (124003).  This extremely versatile DSP goes well beyond the autumn season.  The inclusion of the fabulous new In Color Pool Party gives the many neutral colors a freshness that transcends the seasons. 

This is the altered notebook, featuring Spice Cake DSP (124003) and coordinating Spice Cake fabric (124066), I made for each of my 3 prayer partners.  The 4 of us have been praying together for many years.  We gather together several times a month, as schedules permit, to pray for our church, Tower City Church.  In addition to praying for the Kingdom of God to come and His will to be done on earth--at Tower City Church--as it is in heaven, we have developed strong bonds over the years.  We do a simple gift exchange at Christmas, and this is my handmade gift for each of them.  I'm so pleased with the way they turned out! 

The flower on the right is attached to some of the Early Espresso Quilted Satin Ribbon* (also from the Holiday Mini Catalog) and a pony tail rubber band so that it stretches to take off and put back on, thus keeping the notebook all together and sort of sealed. 

Both flowers are made with the Spice Cake Designer Fabrics* (124066) with a bit of some leftover flower petals from a bridal project (non-Stampin' Up!) and the Paper Daisies that were sponged with Pool Party ink, and assorted buttons.  Lots of fun to make, more fun to give, and plenty of fun to use:)  Now that's a great project!

Supplies (* denotes Holiday Mini Catalog items)

Stamps:  Vintage Vogue, Notably Ornate

Ink:  Pool Party, More Mustard, Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pads

Paper:  More Mustard Card Stock, Spice Cake DSP (124003)

Accessories:  Big Shot, Fun Flowers Die, Spice Cake Designer Fabrics* (124066), Wide Oval Punch, Early Espresso Quilted Satin Ribbon*, Paper Daisies, Stamping Sponges

Other:  Hot Glue Gun, Pony Tail Holder

Holiday Mini Catalog items are only available through January 3rd, so hurry to my online store, candystamps.stampinup.net, to get yours today! 

Holiday Mini Catalog

There are only 2 days left to get items from the Holiday Mini Catalog, and the Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon is already sold out.  Get your Holiday Mini things today!  Go to candystamps.stampinup.net.

Stamps:  Festive & Fun

Ink:  Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad; Pretty in Pink, Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Markers

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White Card Stocks; Red Glimmer Paper

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Snow Burst Embossing Folder, Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Stamp Camp to Stamp Out Hunger

Today is the last day to register for my charity event, Let's Celebrate Stamp Camp, benefiting the Tower City Storehouse, a faith-based food pantry.  Won't you join us as we seek to stamp out hunger as we stamp in the New Year?  We are making fabulous stamp camp projects and having lots of fun while helping the needy here in San Antonio.  Proceeds from the stamp camp benefit the Tower City Storehouse and allow YOU to make a difference in our city, feeding those in need. It's January 14th, and there isn't a better way to spend your Saturday!

This sweet card features the Young Vermillion single stamp from Stampin' Up along with some of the new In Colors, Island Indigo and Calypso Coral.  Use cool stamp sets and newly-released supplies, watch demonstrations, try your hand at some new techniques, make lots of handmade cards with extra versatility (each card has two greetings for you to take home--attach when ready to use your card!), make some new friends and see familiar faces.   In short, our day of creative recreation will leave you with enough cards to get your 2012 off to a great start, organizational tools to help you duly celebrate all the special days for your loved ones, and complete satisfaction derived from a day of stamping and creativity with friends.

Sign up today!!! and stamp out hunger while stamping in the New Year!