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January 09, 2019

Granny & Mango with Needle & Thread

Well, the sun finally came back out in St. Paul and I stamped a sunny looking Mango Melody with Granny Apple Green get well card .... with definite contrasting accents of Night of Navy.

There are so many things to love about the about the Needlepoint Nook Suite, not the least of which is the detailed stitch design included in the set of framelits.
I added the scallop/wave framelit from the Seasonal Layers Thinlets in order to show off, once again what a inch or so of designer series paper will do. This time I used this great Night of Navy and Whisper White cross stitched design.
The stitches are hand drawn along the scallops with a Night of Navy Stampin' Write Marker. These are optional.
The Distinktive style stamp design really comes through in the realistic look of needle work stitches.
I did use the Subtle Embossing folder to the Whisper White main layer but I'm not sure it is really necessary to achieve the bold crisp look of this card.
Isn't this label framelit with the greeting da bomb? I can imagine so many different greetings to try it with aside from those in the Needle and Thread stamp set

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Stampin' Up! catalogs can be viewed with the Current Stampin' Up! catalogs link at the top of my blog. If you don't have regular Stampin' Up Demonstrator and would like hard copies of any of our current catalogs please feel free to email me at [email protected]

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a minimum $50 (US) order using the January host code, 3Q934R4K, I will send you the Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots. You will also earn a free Sale-A-Bration item if ordered on or after January 3. US customers only. Customers placing an order smaller than $50 will still receive my January thank you.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Posted at 10:24 PM in Needle & Thread | Permalink | Comments (6)

January 08, 2019

2 Challenges and a Blog Hop

I have another blog hop for you today, along with a couple of challenges that I've done over at Splitcoaststampers.

I saw the first one, TLC724: to make a monochromatic card yesterday, just as I was putting things away after creating and playing with my Wonderful Romance Bundle and I still had a bunch of Petal Pink supplies on my counter. Why not pull them together with a little more of that gorgeous vellum?

Monochromatic cards are one of the best ways to get a good looking card without getting carried away with clashing colors. The first swap I ever hosted as a demonstrator was one for monochromatic cards. I often combine more than one version of the same color but the directions for this card seemed to indicate only one. (I think you could get away with using Grapefruit Grove with Petal Pink and I would still consider it monochromatic.) Another thing to keep cards relatively easy - and easy to replicate is to use borders. The only important measurement you need to remember is to use 5 1/2" strips.

I took the picture last night and it might be hard to read the lovely embossed greeting: "You are the Best Things I never Knew I Needed".
The bouquet is stamped in Petal Pink.
The vellum from the Floral Romance Specialty papers is just Petal Pink.
The 5/8" variegated ribbon is, you guessed it, Petal Pink.
I also used the beautiful leaf border fancy edged oval from the Wonderful Floral Framelit dies. These were cut from Whisper White and Petal Pink, respectively.

Don't forget there is still time to sign up for my product shares. The Floral Romance Specialty papers are included and you could get quite a 3-4 of each of the vellum border cards that I've shown the past few days just out of your 6" x 6" samples. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, January 13th.

The second challenge I did is actually 2. I used the today's color challenge at Splitcoaststampers (Powder Pink, Real Red and Silver) along with Stampin' Up!'s January Simple Stamping Challenge: Valentine's Day using just stamps, ink, paper plus an optional punch.

I chose to use a circle punch since I'm pretty sure a circle punch was my first punch and it is also a very versatile shape. I have a whole Pinterest board just about cards made with circle punches.

Can you see the fun I had with the rose border stamp. I used it 3 times: on the envelope, on the card and then on the punched circle. It is layered to line up with the border stamped onto the note card.
I incorporated the silver by adding an extra circle punched with the same 1 1/2" punch and having it peek out from behind my focal point circle.
While there are several other hearts from the Meant to Be set that could be added, I think when you are using red it's best to keep it simple because sooner or later you are going to smear the red. Ask me how I know. This was not my first version...

Well, it's time for me to turn you over to the blog hop. Come back and visit me another time. I'd like to think there are a lot of ideas to find here.

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Meant To Be Cling Stamp Set

[148626]

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

[147084]

Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad

[147147]

Whisper White Narrow Note Cards & Envelopes

[145583]

1-1/2" Circle Punch

[138299]

Silver Foil Sheets

[132178]

Posted at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

January 07, 2019

Thinking of You International Blog Highlights

It's Monday, and dreary looking one at that here in St. Paul, but not to worry. I've got a gorgeous card to share with you today and not only that but I'll connect you with Kylie's International Blog Highlights so that you can check out an array of other cards. Maybe you will even vote for mine!

The theme this month is encouragement and what could be more encouraging than to let someone know that you are thinking of them with a handmade card full of special details.

I started the card by wanting to highlight the lovely printed vellum from the Floral Romance Specialty Designer Series Paper, which is part of the gorgeous Floral Romance Suite of products. With something this lovely it doesn't take a lot so I kept a lot of white space and threw in a little texture and gold highlights.

I scored a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" card base at 4 1/4" and trimmed 1" off the right edge of the front.
Use the Thin silicone and white impressions pad from the Big Shot embossing mats to dry emboss some of the leaves and sprigs from the Wonderful Floral Framelits in the lower right area of your trimmed card front.
Cut out a Pear Pizzazz leaflet and sprig along with a Mossy Meadow sprig using the same dies.
Stamp your greeting in Pear Pizzazz on the right end of the trimmed off strip and trim to be 3 1/4" wide.
Stamp 3 tiny flowers on a scrap of Whisper White using the Fresh Fig (Rich Razzleberry works too) ink pad, use a blender pen to add a little more color and cut with the matching dies. I love that Stampin' Up! includes 3 of these so that you can get them all cut with one pass through the Big Shot.
Simply add a strip of 5 1/2" gold foil so that about 1/8" or so is showing. You might not need even this much but I tend to add a little more when I know I'm going to photograph the card. Otherwise the foil doesn't seem to show in the pictures.
Then attach a 1 1/4" x 5 1/2" strip of the patterned vellum so that it is even with the back of your card.
Adhere your sprigs and leaflets to the back of the greeting strip before adhering it to your card.
Add the tiny flowers and attach one of the gold Floral Romance Seals.
Add an encouraging message on the inside of your card and pop it in the mail!

Now please go check out the other cards and projects on Kylie's blog. Then I'd love to have you come back and visit again!

(ETA: I had to correct a broken link on this post and then republish it. I apologize to any of you who have received duplicate emails.)

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Posted at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

January 05, 2019

It's an Amazing Life

Hi there! I hope your weekend is going well. We're up enjoying some gentle waves, sunshine and snow up along the North Shore of Lake Superior. I'm supposed to be reading my book club book, A Tale for the Time Being, by Ruth Ozeki,

So... my post is a quick one: a few easy cards featuring the stamp set Amazing Life which comes with some pretty amazing framelits, the Rectangle Stitched Framelit Dies.

Measurements:

1/2 sheet Whisper White card base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" and folded.

Botanical Butterfly designer series paper: 4" x 5 1/4" This is from the Sale-A-Bration catalog - this means you can't buy it though you CAN get it free with a $50 US order (before S/H plus tax). I LOVE this paper!!!

Basic Black layer is cut about 1/8 inch larger than the 3rd largest framelit: 3 3/8" x 4 3/4"

This is really a fairly simple card. I stamped this gorgeous greeting in Tuxedo Black Memento ink.
I colored the "HAPPY" and the banner with the Balmy Blue Blends combo markers which are new to the 2019 Occasions catalog.
I cut it out with, I believe, the 3rd largest framelit from the set of 13 dies that come with the Rectangle Stitched Framelit dies.
I used the Butterfly Duet Punch to punch the little butterfly out of the Botanical Butterfly paper and popped him onto the card with a glue dot. Piece of cake!!!

I do want to let you know that these wonderful stitched framelits have stitches on the positive and negative parts of the die cut. So if you are cutting just a frame, that too will have stitches on it. Another feature is that these framelits are designed to work with more than just the standard A2 sized cards so they aren't necessarily perfectly symmetrical on all 4 sides but they work really well.

This little note card and envelope is made with the Narrow Note Cards and envelopes which are perfect for gift enclosures or even Valentines.
I stamped the border and greeting along the bottom of the card and colored the border with the Mint Macaron Blends.
I stamped the flower on the corner of the envelope and on a piece of scratch paper, coloring both with Mint Macaron and Flirty Flamingo Blends. I used Blends because I had them handy. These images are small enough that you shouldn't have any trouble using regular Stampin' Write markers. The blends alcohol markers are especially great for coloring larger areas without leaving brush marks but these wouldn't necessarily need that.
I cut the scratch paper flower out and attached it over the border.

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Posted at 11:06 PM in Amazing Life | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 04, 2019

#simplesketch

If you are even a little bit familiar with the world of Stampin' Up! lately you have maybe heard of #simplestamping. Sara, Stampin' Up!'s CEO, introduced it during our gathering last November as a way to help make stamping and papercrafting accessible to beginners. I do think of this often as I look at the supplies I use to make a card. It doesn't occur to me while I'm making the card because some of those supplies have been in my craft room for a very long time. After all, I'm going on 22 years as a stamper and demonstrator for Stampin' Up! When I go to create the project list though I'm often amazed at all the things I've used. So today I'm showing a few cards with fewer supplies, relatively speaking...

When we say #simplestamping though, it doesn't mean making such a card isn't a creative process. It can be simple and quick or maybe it can be something that we make with very few supplies but we still might be using them in a creative way. Follow me a bit on this, OK?

This is classic #simplestamping. I took out the beautiful new brushstroke set, Let It Ride, inked it up with Early Espresso ink and stamped the large horse and a greeting on a Very Vanilla note card. For a little extra fun I added another horse image to the envelope flap.

Next I decided to step it up just a notch by revisiting a popular sketch that I used for a Holy Tryptich card several years ago.

Wintergreen_angel_cbs

This is an easy step up to do since the measurements of the decorative paper aren't fussy as long as one measurement is 4 1/4" which is the height of this card.

Since the horse needed almost 1/2 the width of the "white" space I decided to change it up a bit since I tend to avoid 1/2 card portions. PLUS, I had all of these Wood Textures strips left over from swaps I made last fall, in other words I'm using scraps.

The card base for this style of card is a side fold landscape oriented card. Measurement is 4 1/4" x 11". Score and fold at 5 1/2". This makes it easy to tie some sort of ribbon or twine around the card. Plus it's a twist on more traditional cards.
Once again, the measurement of the decorative paper isn't fussy as long as it covers the 4 1/4" height of the card. For new stampers it is important to note that while I've shown this with wood tone paper and twine that Stampin' Up! carries you could certainly look around your home for something else that would work.

Here are a couple of other cards that use this sketch or layout with another popular stamp set, Wishing You Well.

The bouquet is stamped full strength with Mint Macaron ink.
The bow is also stamped with Mint Macaron and trimmed by hand.
I used a little pearl on it but this is certainly optional.
I extended the decorative paper (from the Subtles 6" x 6" stack) to the corner as in the original inspiration card and trimmed it with a skinny strip of solid Mint Macaron. Once again, while it is easy for those of us with coordinated collections to come up with a paper. But what if all you had was white card stock and your ink pad. How about inking up some bubble wrap and "stamping" it on your paper? Other ideas - please leave a comment!

Just a little twist on the previous card:

This bouquet was stamped right after the bouquet on the first card without reinking, giving it a softer look.
Instead of using another stamped bow I used a scrap of Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle.
I used a torn edge instead the skinny cut edge for the Mint Macaron.
The Tranquil Tide Artisan Pearls are a good match with Mint Macaron, but white pearls or even nothing would still be pretty.

See! Same basic card with little changes. Use the supplies or scraps you find around your home to make it your own.

I will put the supplies for the cards in separate product lists so that you can see that each card doesn't use too many supplies. All of these could use the adhesive you have on hand, if needed.

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Let It Ride Cling Stamp Set

[148765]

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

[147114]

Very Vanilla Note Cards & Envelopes

[144236]

Product List

Let It Ride Cling Stamp Set

[148765]

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

[147114]

Very Vanilla Note Cards & Envelopes

[144236]

Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack

[144177]

Nature's Twine

[146342]

Product List

Wishing You Well Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[147864]

Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad

[147106]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

Mint Macaron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

[138337]

Subtles 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[146966]

Pearl Basic Jewels

[144219]

Product List

Posted at 08:58 PM in Let It Ride, Wishing You Well | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 03, 2019

Sale-A-Bration is Here with a Juggling Frog

Today is the official launch of the 2019 Occasions catalog, which is in effect through June 3, 2019 AND Sale-A-Bration which runs through March 31, 2019. You can download either one of those catalogs when you click on "Shop with Chris Smith" above and follow up with shop now and catalogs. Better yet, if you are in the US and are in need of the demonstrator email me at [email protected] and I can send you one of each.

Here is a quick Blends colored birthday card made with a set, So Hoppy Together, that is sure to be a big hit.

Whisper White card based: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", folded

White layer: 3 3/4" x 5"

Basic Black layer: 3 7/8" x 5 1/8"

I mix different colors of green to get additional depth and realism. I used Mint Macaron and Granny Apple Green on my unicycle riding frog.
Punched 1/4 circles from the polka dot pattern of the Brights 6"x 6" designer series paper (Poppy Parade and Pacific Point) were used for the frog's juggling balls.
I used a greeting from Postcard Pals though there are several other sets with great birthday messages. Itty Bitty Greetings is a versatile one.

Enjoy perusing the catalog - It's easy to get lost in there!

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Posted at 10:59 PM in So Hoppy Together | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 02, 2019

Heart Stamps Coming and Going

January 2, 2019 and we're talking Valentines. Not because I already saw a display at my local Target but because today is the last day you can order one great Valentine set and tomorrow is the first day you could order another. What?

Maybe you remember this picture from this last October.

The simple bold line images from the Nothing Sweeter set are awesome for getting familiar with Stampin' Up!'s alcohol markers, Blends.

First, the lines are bold it is easier to make sure the blending properties of the markers don't cause the color to go outside the lines.
Second, they are small and don't take much time to color.
Third, they are simple so you can experiment with various techniques. I used the color lifter to make dots, the dark marker to amke dots over the light, found out even there is a little blending they can still be distinct enough to create your own designs within the image. What fun!
Finally, they are easy to cut out, either with the matching dies (which also have awesome stitched designs) or by hand.

Here are a few simple Valentines that I put together using some of the hearts:

I love Crumb Cake, Reds plus Black & White! It's great for getting a striking look and these will work for masculine Valentines.

I played with 3 shades of red: Poppy Parade, Real Red and Cherry Cobbler in this card with a trio of hearts.

While the checks are clearly hand drawn, this works really well with the style of this simple heart.

Here are a few with Whisper White card bases.

This card shows some of the Sweetly Stitched dies that coordinate with the Nothing Sweeter set. Blends colors include Petal Pink, Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green and Basic Black.

I was playing around with blending Calypso Coral, Lovely Lipstick and Highland Heather on this card.

These crisp Red and White gift enclosure cards that I first posted last fall show a little more of the possibilities with the framelits.

I hope Nothing Sweeter is one of the sets you invested in last fall. Today is the last day to buy it if you think this might be your style. "Sew" many possibilities...

On the other hand, the 2019 Occasions catalog is not going to disappoint in the Valentine department either. You've already seen some of my other Meant to Be cards. Here is another that mixes the set up with some of the products from the Happiness Blooms Suite:

I had seen a photo on Instagram a while back with some sort of exotic paper that looked like it had been embossed. I did this with the Dot to Dot embossing folder. Here is a close up:

We will be doing all sorts of fun things with DSP if you are part of my 2019 Occasions Product Share Facebook page. Find out more HERE.

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Nothing Sweeter Photopolymer Bundle

[149955]

Meant To Be Cling Bundle

[150587]

Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots

[148805]

Happiness Blooms 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[148795]

Dot To Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

[148533]

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

Real Red Combo Pack Stampin' Blends

[147935]

Poppy Parade Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[147275]

Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[147272]

Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[144598]

Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

[147274]

Basic Black Combo Pack Stampin' Blends

[147942]

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[100730]

Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[120953]

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

[121045]

Poppy Parade 8-1/2" x 11"" Card Stock"

[119793]

Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder

[109129]

Versamark Pad

[102283]

Heat Tool

[129053]

Big Shot

[143263]

Posted at 09:13 AM in Meant to Be, Nothing Sweeter | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 01, 2019

Occasions 2019 Product Shares

I'm excited to let you know that I will be offering product shares for the upcoming 2019 Occasions Catalog. I sent some trial run packages off yesterday so I know I've got the details worked out. Special features of my product shares include:

Beautifully Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper IS included! (it's on page 48 of the 2019 Occasions catalog)
Plus Embellishment option
Free Sale-A-Bration papers/foils in the paper only shares or papers/foils/embellishments in the Plus Embellishments Shares
A 2019 Occasion Product Share Facebook idea page - Let's make sure you get good use from the shares!

Designer Series Papers from the 2019 Occasions Catalog

Botanical Butterfly DSP, Grapefruit Grove & Lovely Lipstick Foil Sheets, Butterfly Elements and Organdy Ribbon Combo from the 2019 Sale-A-Bration catalog.

2019 Occasions Designer Series Paper Only Share

The DSP collection DOES INCLUDE BEAUTIFULLY DETAILED Laser-cut DSP. You will receive 2 of the small rectangles, 3 strips of "lace" and a 1/4 sheet of the large 12" x 12" pattern. You should be able to make upwards of 5 cards from your laser cut samples.
Other than described above with the Beautifully Detailed specialty papers you will get (1) 6" x 6" sample of each DSP and foil sheet in the Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalog.
Free participation in a private Occasions Product Share Facebook Group. This is the part I am especially excited about. I will share suggestions for cutting your DSP and provide samples for using these pieces over the months of January through March. I will be also be using the embellishments and other current stamps and products though I encourage discussion of current or retired products you may wish to substitute. Our goal will be to use these papers up so you can then decide if you will want to order more whole packages while they are still available!
$20 per share. Shipping/Handling by first class mail is included in the price.
Please sign up by emailing me at [email protected]
Those who sign up and pay by midnight on January 3 can expect to have their shares mailed out by January 11. I will request and collect payment via Paypal. Shipping is subject to change based on my ability to receive product in a timely manner.
All other orders/payment are due by midnight on Sunday, January 13, with the plan to mail those no later than Wednesday, January 23. I stop accepting orders at anytime if they will exceed my capacity to fulfill them.
These are available in the US only.

2019 Occasions and Sale-A-Bration DSP/Foil PLUS Embellishments

2019 Occasions and Sale-A-Bration Embellishments

2019 Occasions Plus Embellishments Share

This includes everything in the DSP Only share above plus:
The embellishments include 1 yard sections of all ribbon and a representative sample of other embellishments as shown including the Sale-A-Bration Organdy Ribbon Combo (1 yard each color) and a selection of Butterfly Elements.
The embellishments are not available without purchasing the DSP share.
$40 per share. First Class Shipping/handling is included in the price.
At this time I am limiting this option to the first 20 participants who choose it. I need to make sure I have time to do all I have planned for the Facebook Group!
This is available in the US only.

2019 Occasions Product Share Facebook Group Only

This is available at no charge to my he'Artstringstampers team members and those who purchase either product share.
I realize that others may have already committed to another product share or do not live in the US but may still wish to participate so I am offering a group only/no product option.
Cost is $5 US.
Email me at [email protected] and I will bill you through Paypal.
Upon payment I will invite you into my Occasions Product Share Facebook Group.

I sincerely thank you for stopping by my little place in the stamping world. Let me know what you think and come back again soon!

Chris

***If you need a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I would love to help you with your stamping journey and have you shop with me! You can click on "Shop with Chris Smith" at the top of my blog.

If you place a $150 or greater order please don't use the hostess code. You will still receive the gifts but you will also get your own hostess benefits.

Product List

Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots

[148805]

Posted at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

from my ink pad to yours

January 09, 2019

Granny & Mango with Needle & Thread

January 08, 2019

2 Challenges and a Blog Hop

January 07, 2019

Thinking of You International Blog Highlights

January 05, 2019

It's an Amazing Life

January 04, 2019

#simplesketch

January 03, 2019

Sale-A-Bration is Here with a Juggling Frog

January 02, 2019

Heart Stamps Coming and Going

January 01, 2019

Occasions 2019 Product Shares

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