Blogger's Challenge #139: Sketch Challenge

Our challenge this week was a sketch challenge created by our list mom, Lisa Somerville.  Kraft cardstock is still inspiring me but this time I used the Kraft coloring in the DSP that you can get for free during Sale-a-bration with Stampin' Up! called Welcome Neighbor.  It's a 6 by 6 paper pack loaded with fun and cheery designs!

I got a little dot happy, too, by adding the dots onto the Extra Large Flower punch.  It's also sweet that SU has coordinating Kraft Corduroy buttons to finish my card off!

Thanks for looking and please take some time to click on my sidebar and see what the other BC members did with this fun sketch!

Stamps for Sale!

Underneath my new blog header, there's a link to the retired Stampin' Up! Stamps sets, wheels and accessories that I have for sale.  Please check them out and let me know if you are interested!

New Blog header!!!

I'm so excited!!!  After watching some great hints by Patty Bennett on her blog, Patty's Stamping Spot, figured out how to make my own personalized blog header using My Digital Studio!!  If you are on Google Reader, you'll have to click and come to my blog to see it!!!

Thanks for looking!

Blogger's Challenge #138: Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day...a little early!  The girls from BC will have some wonderful cards to inspire you this Valentine's Day and it's not too late to try them out...if you hurry!

Kraft cardstock was my starting point this time and using the fabulous Sending Love Specialty DSP.  Can you believe I almost didn't order this paper?  Shocking!

Using lots of hearts, ribbon and the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set, I completely this LOVEly challenge.  Did you know that with every sale of this stamp set, SU is donating $2 to the people of Haiti? 

I am prepping my post a little early.  Off to see Leap Year...hoping for a little fun and laughter with a girls' night out! Happy Valentine's Day!

My Digital Studio

Whoo hoo! This weekend, I went to a scrapping day and finally made myself sit down with My Digital Studio and finished FIVE digital pages. In realty, I only spent a couple hours working on this. I can see that this style of scrapbooking is for ME!!!

My Digital Studio is available from me on my online website: http://www.lisabohler.stampinup.net/. If you already have a digital scrapbooking program, downloads are available for that, too!!!
Here are my pages. The cute little boys are my great-nephews but the rest of the page-stars are me, my dh and our dogs.

New Stampin' Up! Border and Corner Punch Video

Bonnie Thurber with Stampin' Up! has a new video with lots of hints and tricks for using the new corner and border punches.  If you've already purchased them, this will really help you!  If you don't own them and after watching the video, you HAVE to have them, just email me or shop  online at my website:  http://www.lisabohler.stampinup.net/

Blogger's Challenge #137: Black, Red and White

Lisa as given us one of the most elegant color combinations to work with this week:  Red, Black and White.  My Stampin' Up! color choices were:  Real Red, Basic Black and Whisper White. 

I am trying to hit a grand slam (Twins' Baseball spring training begins at the end of this month!) by meeting these challenges, all with one card:  1.  A thank you to one of my Stampin' Up! party hostesses (hi J!...look in your mailbox soon!)  2.  Blogger's Challenge  3.  Mojo Monday sketch and 4.  Using a new technique from the Technique Junkies latest newsletter. I succeeded!

Here's the Mojo Monday sketch:

The technique is called Mono Dies and it's from the February/March 2010 issue.  I have a link to Technique Junkies in my sidebar...go check it out!

Finally, here's the Grand Slam (complete with using the Scallop Trim Border punch which you can get for free through the Sale-a-Bration promotion.  Email me or check out my SU website for more details.  http://www.lisabohler.stampinup.net/):

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to see what the other girls did with this fabulous color combination!

Inspiration from Unusual items

This isn't the first time that a Puffs tissue box has inspired a card from me!  But I thought I would share some pictures to see how they may inspire you!

Card Recipe:

Stamp sets:  Close as a Memory, Flower Fancy

Ink/Cardstock colors:  Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

Other:   Corner Rounder punch, Very Vanilla Taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Blogger's Challenge #136: Happy Birthday!

Our challenge for the week was "birthday".  I needed a birthday card for a young man so this was perfect timing.  I cased the card from the May 2009 issue of Stamper's Success, a magazine published exclusively for SU demos.  I changed up the colors, the background texture (which the picture doesn't capture well) and the label but other than that, I copied it completely! 

That's an important thing to note.  I deal with copying quite a bit as a teacher.  I always tell my students that it's a compliment when someone copies you.  However, in the world of creativity and such, it is essential to give the original creator all of the credit!  The Stampin' Success doesn't mention the creator's name which only tells me it was a Stampin' Up! employee but that person had my idea originally!

The card is a bound-edge card.  To do this, simply score a selected distance from the fold of the card and score.  The ribbon makes the card  appear to be "bound" together.

Please be sure to see how the other BC members celebrated birthdays today!  Happy Friday everyone!

Blogger's Challenge #135: Die Cuts and Punches

What a fun challenge our challenge leader, Lisa, gave us!  We were to use die cuts or punches.  I used both!

I began with my brand new die for my Big Shot called Fancy Favor.  I changed it up a bit, though.  First thing was to trim off the "fancy" portion.  I love the decorative trim that the box comes with but I wanted to use my SaleaBration FREE Scallop Trim Border punch.  The intent was to weave some crochet thread through the holes of the trim.  (Where's the crochet thread?  Decided I did NOT like it, after all!)  Before assembling the box, I stamped on the front and back of the box with the Vintage Vogue stamp set.  Using some felt and the Birds and Blooms Sizzlet 4 pack, I added the bird atop an Large Oval punch, layered with the Scalloped Oval punch.

Hope you enjoy it and see what the other BC girls were punching and die cutting this week!

Hugs!

Taking care of your Ink Pads

The Stampin' Up! ink pads are the best...I know I sell them but I owned them BEFORE I became a demo!  They are wonderful!  They also keep the ink for a long period of time.  BUT....lots of you out there have had some of your ink pads for awhile now and it may be time to refresh the ink!

Here's how you know:

Can you see how the corner of the ink pad is lifting up a bit?  Definitely a sign that you need to add some ink refill!  Another sign may be that images are not stamping well on your projects. 

The good news is that Stampin' Up! sells refills for all of their colors in the classic style for just $2.95 a color.  OR you could purchase an entire color family of 12 for $28.95 that would be like getting two for free!)

Let me know if you have any questions about your ink pads or need some refills!

Blogger's Challenge #134: Color Challenge!

Sorry my post for the Blogger's Challenge is so late!  But I'm here now! 

Our challenge this week was a color challenge!  LOVE it!  The colors were brown, pink and white.  I chose:  Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White as I had used those colors at my workshop this week!  I also decided to go with a 3 by 6 card to change things up a bit!

I loved the look that the paper lace gave to a previous BC card so I used the Pinking Hearts border punch with Whisper White cardstock instead.  I also didn't add any distressing to the paper this time and it gave a cleaner look. 

I used Versamark and the Vintage Vogue stamp set to create the background on the Pretty in Pink layer.  The sentiment is from a set you can get for FREE by spending $50 with me!  Email me to find out how!

The final finish to the card is the White Satin Ribbon.  The ribbon is now available in NINE more colors!  I'm so happy as the satin ribbon is so smooth and classy!

Thanks for looking and if you haven't already peeked at what the other players did this week, please do!!

Blogger's Challenge #133: Sketch!

Our challenge was a sketch this week and boy it was fun and super easy.  I'm featuring lots of new product from the Occasions Mini catty!  The first is the Designer Series Paper with glitter right on it called Sending Love.  The stamped image is from a set called Love Bandit.  Cute little critters.  The border around the main image was created using the Scallop Trim Corner punch and the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  You can get this $15.95 value punch free with your $50 or more merchandise order during Saleabration!  Contact me for more details!

Be Sure to see what the other BC players did with this sketch!  Have a happy and WARM Friday!

Blogger's Challenge #132: Celebration!

Happy New Year!

I hope that you have had a marvelous start to your new year! Ours began at 5:45 when the local police called and informed us that there had a been a hit and run at our church where my husband is a pastor and I teach. The victim...the front steps! Oh we were so HAPPY! When the phone rang, we both, almost simultaneously said, "This can't be good." It wasn't good but usually a phone call at that time is much worse news. Needless to say, there may be a nap in the future!

Our challenge today was to create a Celebration card. I thought that an anniversary card would be appropriate. My inspiration was some new DSP (Designer Series Paper) that is in the very soon to be released Occasions Mini catalog (see the link on my sidebar!) It's the Sweet Pea Paper pack. It's a 12 by 12 paper pack in which you get 48 sheets!!! It's wonderfully beautiful!



I was attempting to use a layout I saw on the Stampin' Up Demo side and the paper almost disappeared as I was creating! So, this morning, as I was already up bright and early, I dropped the paper altogether.



Sometimes less is just more! I hope that you and yours have a prosperous and joyous New Year! Please check out how the other players celebrated and join the celebration yourself!

Catalog Mailing information!

Happy New Year...a little early!

Stampin' Up! just let the demonstrators know that the mailings for the Occasions Mini catalog and Sale-a-Bration catalog are running behind schedule and will not be in your mailbox by the time that those sales begin. (January 5, 2010) So, if you would like me to email a copy of either catalog or both to you, please let me know and I will try. The Occasions Mini is a LARGE document so I didn't want to just send it out without your request!

Sale-a-Bration will start on January 5th and it's an exciting one this year! With each $50 merchandise purchase, you can choose one of four exclusive stamp sets or a 72 sheet 6 by 6 paper pack or a border punch!!! (The punch will be available to order in the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog.) But there's more....this year, you can also choose from a HUGE list of wood-mount sets from the Idea Book & Catalog valued at $15.95 and under!!!

The Occasions Mini is exciting because it's the first time that Stampin' Up! will be offering Clear-Mount sets!!!!

Stamp Clubs!

Stamp Clubs are now forming. As a member of my Stamp Club - you agree to purchase a minimum of $25 (before shipping & tax) per month in SU merchandise for six months. The Club will run from February 2010 - July 2010. Orders are due on the 15th of each month.

Why would you want to join?*This is a great way to build up your supplies gradually. Soon you will have a great collection of stamping product!*Everyone gets their turn to be the “hostess.” This means you collect HOSTESS BENEFITS! You’ll get at least one stamp set plus $15 in FREE product on your hostess month. (You could get a lot more!) *Just call in or email me your order by the 15th of each month. If its' your month to hostess, you can schedule an in home workshop (if your local)/a virtual workshop/or collect outside orders to boost your FREE merchandise.

*Since Stampin' Up! is going back to one catalog a year, you may already own the most current catalog. In place of that "premium" for club members, I am offering that you may choose any paper pack up to a value of $7.50 during the month that you are hostess.

Blogger's Challenge #131: Merry CHRISTmas!

It's been a little different Christmas for us this year. We are in the middle of a blizzard and church was cancelled. So strange to have the pastor at home! He recorded a service when the forecast was for a blizzard and dropped it off at the radio station. I am listening to church while the guy sharing church on the radio is sitting in the next room. (He refused to listen to himself...can't blame him for that, I guess!)

My stamping share has NO stamping at all! Can you believe it? You could add a hand-stamped sentiment tag with the receiver's name to fix that! I've shown it as a gift card holder, a little candy treat holder and for demonstrators, a fun way to hand out your business cards!

I made these using my Big Shot and the Bigz Petal Card die. Super super easy and quick to whip up! The DSP is the Christmas Cocoa specialty paper. It's only available for a few more days so let me know if you'd like to order quick before it unavailable!

I pray that all of you have a wonderful celebration of our Savior's birth today!

Blogger's Challenge #130: Sketch time!

Today's Blogger's Challenge was a sketch challenge. You may recognize the sketch because it's the same sketch I used last week!!! Lisa came up with a great one so it deserves two weeks of center stage!

This time, though, I turned the sketch:

This is the card that I came up with. I needed a sympathy card for a friend whose grandmother passed. This gave me an excuse to use some sneak peeks stamps...you'll be seeing these in the upcoming Occasions mini! Need a copy of the new Occasions mini? Let me know!!

Thanks for looking and please take some time to see what the other players did with the sketch!!! Happy Friday!

Blogger's Challenge #129: Happy Birthday!

I combined my challenge with another challenge that I signed up with an online group that I'm in. I'm off to school for my favorite day of the week...FRIDAY!

Be sure to see what the other Blogger's Challenge did to celebrate birthdays!

Blogger's Challenge#128: Ornament or decoration

Today's post is here first, because I like to meet my challenges and second to show you that not all projects turn out beautifully.

I stamped with White Staz-on onto my clear glass ornament. I did pretty good, only smearing in a few places where I thought the next part of the process would disguise, so I continued.

I added Eggplant Envy ink refill to the inside and turned and turned the ornament until all was covered. Then, I sprinkled in some dazzling diamonds glitter. Then, I turned it upside-down to dry. Here's what I woke up to:

Half of it's covered and half looks NOT GOOD!!! But, I will try this again with some changes. I cannot control your comments but you do not have to leave any comments saying it looks good...I know it doesn't and I'm okay with that. I am posting in hopes that you will have suggestions on improving my technique for the next ornament that I do!