Happy Anniversary!

It’s hard to believe it’s been 4 years since my mother remarried!  This week she and my step-father are celebrating their 4th anniversary.  I’m so happy for them!  I am happy they found each other after being out of touch for more than 30 years.  Their story is truly the stuff movies are made of!  So I wish them a Happy 4th Anniversary and I hope they enjoy many more years of happiness together. 

I used the Number of Years stamp set and dies to make this card.  (While the stamps and dies are available in the new catalog, the last day to save 15% by getting them as a bundle ends on Tuesday.  So if you were thinking you might buy them, you’ll save money by getting them sooner rather than later!)  I love the floral images in that set.  I used a Papertrey Ink die to make the scalloped border because I thought it dressed up the card a little.  

Happy Stampin’!

Cards & Coffee: June 12th!

It’s a season of new things.  The new Stampin’ Up catalog begins on June 1st and I’ve decided to try something new in June too.  I’m going to be hosting a casual Cards & Coffee get together at Peet’s Coffee in Albany.  I think it will be fun to get together, don’t you?  I’m charging a nominal fee of $5 to cover supplies to make two cards.  Participants will need to bring their own favorite adhesive and a pair of scissors.  Peet’s sells coffee & tea, but you aren’t required to buy anything if you attend.  I will say, however, when I was there today they did have some yummy looking items in their bakery case, so you might be tempted by those!  If you pre-register and pay prior to the date, I will provide envelopes to go with your cards.  You can send me Paypal funds (svzhong@outlook.com) or a personal check to PO Box 2131, Corvallis, OR  97339. 

Here’s the important information:

Peet’s Coffee, Fred Meyer, 2500 Santiam Hwy SE, Albany, Oregon

Sunday, June 12th at 2PM

Now, I know someone is thinking, “I wish I lived closer so I could come too.”  I haven’t forgotten you!  I will be uploading a video of me making one of these cards so you can stamp along.  It’s the next best thing to being here!  You’ll just need to brew up your own coffee and provide your own supplies, but I’ll be taking you through the card every step of the way.

If you’re local, I hope you’ll join me!  I think it will take about an hour to make both cards, but if we talk a lot, it might run a bit longer.  lol   

Coming Soon…. Pop Of Paradise

The first item in my preorder that I tried out was my Pop of Paradise stamp set and coordinating designer paper.  I love pink & black together, so that paper makes me happy.  This card was fairly easy to make despite having to fussy cut one pineapple and the banner.  (There are dies to match the banner, but they were not available for demonstrators to order early.  QQ)  I added some gold paper to this card too, so it would “pop” more, but I think next time I do it that I’ll add some Melon Mambo instead just to add more color.  I need to take stock of my paper.  I’m very low on Melon Mambo, so that is going on my next order & with other colors as well.  Cardstock is increasing slightly in price and I want to buy the basics at $7/package instead of $8.  (I know, $1 isn’t really a big deal, but if you’re buying several packages it can add up!)

Happy Stampin!

Sharing My Pre-Order With You!

One of the greatest things about being a Stampin' Up demonstrator is that you get to buy new product before it's available to the public.  There's nothing quite like getting a box of new things delivered to your door by the UPS man!  I thought you'd like to see what I purchased during the demonstrator pre-order of the 2016-2017 catalog.  Enjoy!

Did You Miss Something?

The 2015-2016 Annual Catalog is quickly coming to a close.  By now I think most people have purchased the stamps, dies, and accessories they had on their wish list.  But you might want to take a 2nd look.  Some products seem to hide or even get lost when placed against so many other great items.  Case in point is the Timeless Elegance Designer Series Paper.  (Hint:  It’s on page 143 if you have your catalog handy and is item #138444.)  This paper is beautiful and neutral with shades of vanilla and black.  I recently shares some tips for using it with my local stamping friends.  Here are the cards we made which have very little stamping, but rather depend on the paper to make them shine.

 

For this card I used the pattern with little flowers and vines.  I used green marker and traced along the vine, smearing the ink with my thumb as I went along to soften the look and then I colored in the little flowers. 

For this card, I followed along the scallop lace design to cut out a border strip for my card.  I placed it onto another piece of the paper and decorated it.  I made flowers by punching scalloped circles (which are on the retiring list, I might add) and running them through one of my embossing folders.  They look like flowers, right? 

And here’s the easiest of the bunch!  This paper already has pretty roses on it, I just used a sponge dauber and colored them in.  You don’t even have to worry about staying within the lines on this one because it’s so soft, no one will know!  I did stamp a leaf because I wanted a little more color, but I think the card would have been fine without it.  I also added another little strip of designer paper to hold up my greeting.

These cards are so pretty and no one will suspect that they are easy and fast to make.  The paper does all the work for you!  There you have it.  Timeless Elegance DSP is just what you needed, but may not have known was in the catalog.   

The Wonderful Rose Wonder

It will not come as a surprise to you that this is one of my favorite bundles in the Occasions catalog.  After all, I’ve posted card samples made with that set more times than I can count!  Evidently I’m not the only one who loves the set.  Here are some of the swaps I received from other demonstrators when I was in Utah last month.  (PS – This set will be available in the upcoming 2016-2017 catalog, but it will no longer be offered as a bundle.  If it’s on your wish list, you would save 15% by ordering it before the end of May.  You could use the savings to buy one of the new in-color packs of paper in June!) 

In other news, I’ve ordered the new catalog for my current customers.  What’s a current customer?  It’s someone who has placed an order (in any amount!) within the last year.  Those are set to ship on May 9th, so they will be in your mailbox long before June.  Hurray!  If you’re not yet a customer, I’m happy to send you one too.  I’ll send it free with your order or just ask that you pay $6 for shipping to get it to you.  Let me know if you need to be added to the list.  svzhong@gmail.com