2020 Card Workshops

Hey, Folks!!

I know it's been a while since I've posted!!  Life just got to be busy, and while I've maintained my Stampin' Up! demonstratorship, I needed to take a small break from workshop hosting/etc.  BUT I am getting back to it for 2020!!  I will again be holding my Christmas or Occasion card workshops starting in February! The image below had a few more details!

What does that mean?  Well, if you're like me, getting your Christmas cards completed and out on time each December can prove to be a bit of a challenge (heck, I just got my 2019 Holiday cards out LAST week!!). But what if you could make 10 cards a month so that come December, all you'd have to do is address the envelopes and be ready to go?! So starting in February, and going thru November, I am holding a Christmas Card workshop on (usually) the third Saturday each month (there are a few adjustments/changes to allow for some holidays/vacations in there!), and two time slot options will be available:  9:00 a.m.-Noon or 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Each month will be a different holiday card design with matching envelopes. I'll do all of the prep work, and all you'll have to do is come and stamp and complete your cards! The cost of each workshop will be $25 and you must RSVP a week before the scheduled date (to give me time to order and prep everything).

Now, Christmas Cards might not interest everyone, perhaps you want to get a 'stash' of occasion cards made (think Birthday, Thank You, Sympathy, Congratulation, etc.), well, you have that option, too!! When you sign up for the workshop, you can choose the Occasion Cards instead of the Christmas cards (same price--$25, you'll make five cards of two different designs for 10 total cards, and matching envelopes)!!   When you RSVP a week prior, just let me know if you're going to make the Christmas or Occasion sets.

And here's a little bonus for you.  If you decide to place a minimum of a $30.00 order (before shipping/handling/tax) the date of the workshop, you can make an additional FIVE cards (any combination of the three offered designs that day) for FREE!!  Or, if you're good on product that month, but would like 1-2 of the other style of cards, you are welcome to make them for $2.50/card!

You are always welcome to visit my online store to place an order at any time, and If you're on Facebook, feel free to 'like' my Business page there.

Sale-A-Bration is currently happening.  If you haven't see the catalog, please let me know so that I can get one off to you!!!  With this being Sale-A-Bration time, if you'd like to have a party to earn even MORE great products, just let me know!!  I'd LOVE to put that together for you!!

If you haven't see my 2019 Holiday Card yet, here it is!  I'll go thru the details of the card in an upcoming blog post!!

 

Happy Stamping!

Pam 

December 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--Punches

I would say that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas outside, BUT it's December 15th in Minnesota with lots of rain, and only an occasional white flurry!!  And to be honest, I'm good with that!!!  I'm sure we'll see a foot (and then some) of the white stuff before too long, and I can be patient and wait for it!  But hopefully my card today will help you get in the mood for the season, if nothing else!!  If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

Our theme for today's Blog Hop is:  Punches!  I gotta say, Punches are probably one of my two absolute FAVORITE tools to use, and I'm always on the hunt for new/unique uses for them.  I absolutely LOVE the creativity I come across of folks who use these basic tools to create some impressive works of art!!

My goal for today's card was simple, to come up with an easy Christmas Card that uses a couple of punches to create a cool image!!  What do you think?!

So, I used an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Shimmery White Cardstock (101910) for the card base, folded in half.  On top of that is layered a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Shimmery White Cardstock that I first stamped with the 'Merry Christmas' image (from stamp set "Merry Everything"; 135608-W; 135071-C) and stamped in Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink (126966).  I ran the stamped cardstock thru the Big Shot using the 'Softly Falling' Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (139672) and attached it to the front of the folded Shimmery White Cardstock using SNAIL adhesive.

Next up is to create the Santa Hat out of punches.  Have you figured out which punches I used??  Take a close look. . . . . . . . .

I used the following four punches to create the hat:
1/2" Circle Punch (119869)
Extra-Large Oval Punch (119859)
Scallop Oval Punch (119856)
Word Window Punch (119857)

To start, Punch the Extra-Large Oval Punch out of a piece (have I mentioned this is a GREAT card to use up some of your scraps?!) of Cherry Cobbler cardstock (119685).  Then use the Word Window Punch to punch out a small piece of the oval in order to create the base and top of the hat.

Punch out the 1/2" Circle Punch out of Silver Glimmer Paper (135314) and attach to the tip of the hat with SNAIL adhesive.    I punched out the cuff of the hat out of the same Shimmery White cardstock as the base, using the Scallop Oval Punch.  This time I went in and used the Extra-Large Oval Punch in order to remove part of the scallop oval and create the hat cuff.  This white piece is then attached to the Cherry Cobbler hat base, and the entire hat is attached to the front of the card using Stampin' Dimensionals (104430).

The card needed just a tad more 'bling' though, so I added a couple of Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246) in random places across the front of the card.

On the inside, I added a greeting (again using Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink) from "Versatile Christmas" (140389-W; 140392-C).  And there you have it.  A quick and easy Christmas card using a couple punches in a unique way!

I hope you've enjoyed the Blog Hop stops along the way today!  For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Denise
• Sandy
• Autumn
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam

November 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--Giving Thanks

Whew!!!  Less than 2 weeks until Thanksgiving and in this season of 'giving thanks', what better theme for today than that?!  If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

My card today could have fit in last month's hop post, and vice versa!!  Framelits, punches, embossing folder, ink, cardstock & embellishments--so FUN to play with on this card!!

The base of the card is Mossy Meadow (cut 4 1/4" x 11"), and I used Very Vanilla cardstock for the inside and also ran a 4" x 5 1/4" piece thru the Big Shot with the Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

The little leaves are from the "Among the Branches" stamp set, and are inked up using Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey & Early Espresso ink. 

The maple leaf is also cut out of Mossy Meadow cardstock and attached using SNAIL adhesive to the lower right corner of the card.  I didn't do it for this card, but a cool paper saver idea??  Cut the leaf out of the card base, as you'll have the Very Vanilla covering up that space, and it adds a bit more interest to another area of your card!!  For a little extra 'bling', I added some gold metallic thread that I wrapped around my fingers, then secured using Glue Dots to the maple leaf. 

The acorns and greetings were inked up using the same colors as I listed above, and are from "Acorny Thank You".  The greeting was cut out using the Bitty Banner Framelits, and the Acorn Builder punch cut out the acorns  I attached the Early Espresso 'top' of each acorn to it's base, then secured to the front of the card using SNAIL adhesive.  (One little note--need to remind myself to get an Early Espresso ink refill on my next order--mine is not as 'dark' as I'd like it to be any more!)

Quite the simple card, but SUPER cute and I just had another thought!  How CUTE would the maple leave & acorns (with greeting) be mounted to a folded & embossed piece of Very Vanilla CS for place cards at your Thanksgiving table? You could write each person's name on the top part of the maple leaf!  Oh, boy!!  My wheels are really turning with ideas now!!

I hope you've enjoyed the Blog Hop stops along the way today!  For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Sandy
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam

October 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--Framelits & Thinlits

Hey, Folks!!

Happy October!!  The air is getting a slight crispness to it and it's time again for the Diva Blog Hop!!  This month's theme focuses on what I consider to be one of my absolute FAVORITE tools/accessories--the Framelits (to be used with the Big Shot)!!  If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

I will be the first to admit that I am a total CASEr--(Copy And Share Everything), and with the start of my academic year on campus being a tad crazy, I just haven't had the time to sit down and create like I would like!  Soooooo, I did some browsing and found a couple cool samples (that I DID add my own twists to) that I had SO much fun sitting down to make for today's post!

First up, the card on the left.  For this one I used two different Framelits on the card, the maple leaf image from Leaflet Framelits (138283) AND the curvy banner  from Bitty Banner Framelits (129267).  Both items are in the annual catalog.

To start on this card, I first ran my Crumb Cake cardstock thru the Big Shot with the Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (139673) that is in the Holiday Catalog--LOVE this embossing folder!  Then I placed the embossed cardstock on my cutting pad on my Magnetic Platform (130658), laid the maple leaf framelit in the middle of the card (you can use a post-it note if you don't have the Magnetic Platform to help hold the framelit in place), finished creating the 'Big Shot Sandwich' and ran everything thru the machine.  Then I centered/placed the Crumb Cake cardstock on top of my folded Delightful Dijon cardstock (don't adhere it yet!!).  I took a pencil and lightly traced around the edge of the leaf.  After taking away the Crumb Cake cardstock, I used that guide to ink up my maple leaf from Vintage Leaves stamp set (138802) in Delighful Dijon ink and stamp on the same-colored cardstock.  The ink does dry right away, but I gave it 2-3 minutes before I then went in and erased the pencil marks, just to be on the safe side!

Before adhering the Crumb Cake cardstock to the front of the card, I also took my 1/8" hole punch and punched a hole on either side of the leaf stem and ran the Gold Cording Trim (139618) thru the holes and tied a bow on the front of the card.  I find this method can sometimes be easier than trying to tie a free-form bow that attaches with a Glue Dot!.  I also SHOULD have remember to staple (using the Handheld Stapler [139083]) the Into the Woods 3/8" Cotton Ribbon (139612) on the upper right corner to just the front (in order to hide the back of the staple), but I wound up remembering AFTER I had gotten the front taped down!

I also had fun using the Acorn Builder Punch (139681) & Acorny Thank You stamp set (139718).  I stamped 'THANKFUL' in Pumpkin Pie ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and placed the curvy banner framelit over the top (using the same method I used earlier for the leaf) and cut out the image.  The acorn top/bottom was stamped with Early Espresso and Rich Razzleberry inks and punched out and attached together.  I attached the acorn to the front of the card using Dimensionals, and placed the 'THANKFUL' banner over that, again with dimensionals.  SUCH a fun card to complete!!!

Now, for the second card, at one of the Diva Days this past spring, Diva Deb had a SUPER cute Easter card she made using the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits (137547)--and if you would like to check it out, feel free to click HERE--and then be sure to come back for the rest of this post!!  Ever since then, however, I have SO wanted to use the framelit set  to make a similar style of card, and with Card #2 for today, I finally did!!!  Now, I'm again using the Bitty Banner Framelits (129267)--really, with only three shapes, it's a great go-to framelit set!  In addition, I'm using a ticket shape from the Tags & Labels Framelits (138282) as well as a paperclip shape from the Project Life Paper Clip Thinlits (138284)--LOVE these!!

I'm again using Acorny Thank You stamp set (139718) and Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (139673), as well as the Bohemian Borders (138938) for this card.  To make the sleeve you just need one of the small pieces and one of the larger pieces for the Mini Treat bag (to make the bag, you'd need two of each).  I ran the Crumb Cake cardstock thru the Big Shot with the Woodland embossing folder, then taped up the sides/bottom to secure it!  I wrapped some white Baker's Twine around the sleeve and tied a bow on the front of the card.  The acorns were stamped in Old Olive ink and Soft Suede ink on Whisper White cardstock and punched out, and the ticket and paperclip were cut out on the Big Shot out of Rich Razzleberry cardstock. 

I stamped the 'Grateful For You' image in Rich Razzleberry & Soft Suede ink and used the large banner framelit from the  Bitty Banners set to cut it out--I did wind up trimming down a little bit of the banner on the left side.  I attached the acorns and banners to the front of the card using Glue Dots

Once the outside was complete, it was time to turn my focus to the insert, which was a piece of 3 1/2" x 5" Old Olive cardstock.  I first stamped one of the borders from the Bohemian Borders set on the top & bottom of the Whisper White cardstock in Rich Razzleberry ink, folded and stapled the ticket shape (to create a tab) on the upper right side, and attached the final acorn on the lower left corner or the card.  Insert into the sleeve & DONE!!

I had so much fun making both of the cards for today!!  Here's a final look at both pieces of Card #2:

I hope you've enjoyed the Blog Hop stops along the way today!  For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Denise
• Sandy
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam

September 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--Kid/Baby Theme

Welcome to this month's Blog Hop!!!  Today our theme is Baby/Kid.  I took a bit of 'creative license' with this theme, as you'll see below, but hopefully you'll enjoy the post!!  If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

You know the saying, "Necessity is the Mother of all Inventions"?!  Well, it came into play as I was planning/designing the cards for the blog this month.  This past Sunday we had a Diva Day, and one of the subjects we talked about was how perfect our 6"x6" paper stacks are for One Sheet Wonder cards. The one group of ideas shown has you being able to use the cut up designer series paper (DSP) to make five cards out of one 6"x6" piece!!

As I was driving home on Sunday, I was thinking about ideas to show for the blog today, and the Go Wild paper stack set came to mind with all of it's fun animal prints.  But then, I got to wondering if I could make my idea fit into this month's Blog Hop theme.  Which is when I got the idea to add Melon Mambo cardstock & ink to the Basic Black, Tip Top Taupe, Basic Gray colors.  Because really, what young girl (or teenager) doesn't love animal (zebra) prints and hot pink?!  Perfect!!  I got my idea, and it fits (sorta!) with the theme.

It was really easy to cut up the different pieces of DSP by following the directions that were shared with us to create the different layers of the card, but I did have one small hiccup along the way--I realized that I had only one HALF sheet of Basic Black cardstock, so I had to be creative in the ways/places I decided to use it.

Here are the finished five cards!

I'm sure you're looking at the above card and wondering about the pink Baker's Twine?!  I used  my Melon Mambo ink pad to dye Whisper White  Baker's twin, and allowed it to dry, and then attach to the zebra-striped strip.  I used the Bravo stamp set for the sentiment, using Melon Mambo Classic Ink.

On this card I flipped over the DSP to use the tan/white side for this card, so also decided to use Tip Top Taupe, Early Espresso & Melon Mambo for my main colors.  I used the Word Window punch and the Washi Label punch, along with Whisper White Cotton Ribbon & Iced Rhinestone Embellishments (which are in the new Holiday Catalog).  To finish it off, I used a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Decided to stay with the same colors as the card above, went back to the Bravo stamp set, BUT I also colored the whisper white cotton ribbon by running it through the Tip Top Taupe ink pad (wear rubber gloves if you do this!) and allow the ribbon to dry before attaching it to the card.  I also used one of the In Color Blossom Accents, and Bravo! stamp set.

Back to the zebra print, Basic Black, Basic Gray & Melon Mambo.  Created the ribbon tabs on the left side for additional interest.  Bravo stamp set is again being used!

Finally, a simple card on a white background, with some added Rhinestone Bling!  Forget the teenage girl!!  I'd like any of these cards myself!!

I hope you've enjoyed the Blog Hop stops along the way today!  For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Denise
• Sandy
• Autumn
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam

August 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--New Catalog Item

Welcome to this month's Blog Hop!!!  Are you as excited about the new Annual Catalog as I am?  For the Hop this month, we're each highlighting new catalog items for you!  If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

I absolutely LOVE the new Framelits in the catalog, and when I came across the Baker's Box dies, I KNEW I needed to order it immediately, and I have to tell you, I am having a lot of fun with them! 

Baker's Box Thinlits Die Set
138279
Price: $33.00 (US)
9 dies
Finished box size: 4-1/8" x 2-1/8" x 2-5/8"

 

 

My friend Emily is getting married next year, and she and I have been working on wedding favor ideas for her this summer.  These boxes wound up being the PERFECT size for her treats to go in, and the added dog tags (I used my Cameo Silhouette to create them) fit in just right with her theme, too (her fiance' is a Military Man)!

The box comes with three different closure styles, and I 'think' Emily is going to go with the double hole option (center box in photo above), but a bride is entitled to change her mind, so I'm not holding her to that decision yet!  ;)

To make the box, you'll have to cut the box template out twice.  The Magnetic Platform is ideal for this step. 

In the tutorials/advice I've seen on assembling the boxes, it's suggested to NOT cut out the top closure at the same time as the box.  My conundrum was that I wasn't sure how to get the handle openings to line up correctly (so that both sides matched), and it took me a while to come up with a solution.  But it's super low-tech!  Post-It Notes!  I used a Post-It to temporarily secure the wrong sides of each box together, lining up the top handle, then used another Post-It to hold the closure die to the cardstock and then ran it thru the Big Shot as usually.  Having the double layer of cardstock does leave a bit of an indentation on the cardstock, so my advice is to emboss the pieces AFTER cutting out the closure openings.

As far as assembling goes, I also recommend folding all of the crease lines BEFORE  putting it together.  Also, you'll want to use a more permanent adhesive, such as Sticky Strip or Liquid Glue (which will need a bit more dry time) on the side flaps. I also used a couple glue dots to help hold the base of the box together a bit better.

Stampin' Up!  also has a You Tube video about some of the basics to go with this box, too, so feel free to check out the link!

I hope you've enjoyed checking out this New Catalog Item, as well as the other stops along the way today!!

For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Denise
• Sandy
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam

July 2015 DIVA Blog Hop--Christmas in July

Hey, folks!!  As we're hitting the midst of a hot summer, what better time to think of the cool weather that comes with the winter holidays?!  So, in an effort to cool off a bit, we're doing 'Christmas in July' as our theme today! If you're joining me from Amy's Blog, I'm the last stop for today.  If you just started here, feel free to head to Sue's Blog and start from the beginning to hop thru all the sites!

One of the things I love to try is to use stamp sets in ways other than they were initially intended, and when I saw the snowman card made with using the Work of Art stamp set, I knew it was what I wanted to share with you today!

Do you see a snowman from those images?!  I sure didn't at first, but check out how cute he is:

I decided to use the same colors of Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie and Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on both cards (with Real Red, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White cardstock), but swapped the scarf & hat image colors to create slightly different looks on the two cards.  I added three pearls and a small ribbon (attached with a glue dot) knot on the hat to complete the look.

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box and use stamps in ways other than what they were initially intended--have fun and unleash the creativity!!

I hope you've enjoyed the Blog Hop stops along the way today!  For quick reference, here are the links to everyone's sites:

• Sue
• Denise
• Amy
• Pam (You're here!!)

Happy Hopping!!

Pam