Shimmer in the Sunlight - My New Blog

Hello Stampers!

You can visit my new blog ....Shimmer in the Sunlight

Thanks for stopping by!!!
~Maria~

September Stamp Club: Congrats Banner

I love Rubber Stamping AND Paper Crafting!  This month's project is a Paper Crafting project since there is absolutely NO rubber stamping. We made this really cute Congrats Banner.

A couple close up pics.

Supplies:

Typeset Specialty DSP

Basic Black Cardstock

Doilies

Glimmer Paper

Little Letters Thinlints

Deco Labels Framelits

1/16" Circle Hand Held Punch

Whisper White Baker's Twine

Stampin' Dimenstionals

Happy Papercrafting!!!  Bye for now, Maria

August Stamp Club: Birthday Blossoms Card

A new catalog means new stamps.  New ideas, techniques and cards to create.

So, I sit down with Birthday Blossoms.  It's beautiful.  It's new, and I want to create something with it.  I love the sketchy look of it--very forgiving if you make a mistake.  

Why not make my card swap with it?!  Our monthly hand-stamped swap is one of my favorite parts of Stamp Club.  I love seeing what everyone else comes up with.  

Mary Kay Ash, the lady herself, said, "if I have an idea and you have an idea, then we both only have ONE idea.  But, if we both share our idea with each other, then we will each have TWO ideas."  I love that!  Sharing captures the heart of Stampin' Up!, and the heart at what this hobby is all about.   

Here's my swap for August.

I was so happy with how my swap card turned out.  It's also our club project.  Except I added a little bit layering.

Not good with choosing color combos--go monochromatic!  

Crumple your pansy punch out and reopen for extra dimension and added texture.  

To get the lighter and darker ink effects, stamp on your scrap paper before stamping on your cardstock.  This is called "dirty-stamping" or "off-stamping."  Hey, don't judge--I didn't make up those names, lol.  

Supplies:

Birthday Blossoms Stamp Set

Whisper White Thick Cardstock (4 1/4 x 11), Whisper White Cardstock (2 1/2 x 3 1/2)

Watermelon Wonder Ink and Cardstock (2 3/4 x 3 3/4)

Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Dazzling Details, Stampin' Dimensionals

Pansy Punch

Note:  My swap card is made with the recently retired Naturals White Cardstock

What are you going to stamp next?  Who will you share it with?  This card making hobby is meant to be shared.  Please share your creations with others.  Post them online--there are lots of social websites to share on--Facebook, Instagram, blogs, etc.  Or, how about SNAIL MAIL!!  You never know what people are going through!  Send that card--you could brighten someone's day!!! 

The items you see here can be bought in my online store at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mariamitsdarfer/ with the exception of the Naturals White Cardstock (cause it's retired, sniff, sniff).

Happy Creating!  Happy Sharing!!!  

Bye for now, 

Maria

July Stamp Club

I love being a demonstrator with Stampin' Up!  Every other month, all demonstrators receive Stampin' Success in the mail--it's one of the demonstrator perks!!!

Many of our stamp club projects come directly from the demonstrator magazine.

Like this one...



Here's the actual card...



For the banners, you need 3 strip of cardstock.
1.  Whisper White 3-3/4 x 2
2.  Hello Honey 4-1/2 x 1
3.  Neutrals Color Collection DSP in Crumb Cake 5 x 1-1/2

Using the Banner Triple Punch you will cut out a notch on the end of each strip from the steps above. The Banner Triple Punch does all three sizes!!!!

Same card, different sentiment...

Don't forget to stamp your envelope!

Supplies:

A Whole Lot of Lovely Host Stamp Set

Crumb Cake Cardstock and Envelopes

Whisper White Cardstock

Calypso Coral Ink

Delightful Dijon Ink and Cardstock

White Bakers Twine

Neutrals Color Collection DSP Stack 

Triple Banner Punch

You can shop for all these items and more at www.mariamitsdarfer.stampinup.net 

Where do you get inspiration?  It's all around us--if you keep an open heart and open mind!!!  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

June Stamp Club

Due to a personal emergency, we did not meet in June.  Thank you so much for your understanding, support, and encouragement during this time. My husband was in a terrible accident from a fall off a ladder.  You can read about it here... http://www.danthetreeman.blogspot.com/

May Stamp Club: Altered Notebook Tradition

It's that time of year again--it's almost time for a new Annual catalog.  Time to say goodbye to some of our favorite DSP.  Two of my favorite ways to use up my HUGE stash of DSP is to make envelopes and altered notebooks.

Making altered notebooks at May's Stamp Club has been a tradition for several years now.

You need four total pieces of DSP.  Two 9 x 12 for the outside covers and two 9 x 7 for the inside.  

Supplies used:

Composition Notebooks (stock up during the summer 4/$1)

Park Lane DSP

Big Shot with Top Note Die and Typeset Alphabet Dies

Canvas Creations

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Ribbon

See previous posts for more altered notebook ideas:  

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2011/06/june-stamp-club.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-stamp-club-altered-notebooks.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2011/04/altered-composition-notebook.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2012/10/altered-composition-notebook-update.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2014/05/may-stamp-club-altered-notebooks.html

I just realized that this month's project had absolutely no rubber stamping on it--oh, the horrors, ha!! Happy Notebook Creating!!  Bye for now, Maria

April Stamp Club: You Are Amazing

Here's our card for April Stamp Club...

I never get tired of flowers or flower stamps.  They are ALL so wonderful--both flowers and flower stamps.  I'm glad to see SU! has added texture onto the rubber image of these stamps--make me an instant artist--wink, wink!!!  You are Amazingly Amazing is from the Painted Petals Stamp Set. The whole Painted Petals suite is just so beautiful!!!  The Painted Blooms DSP (not shown in this post) was hand-drawn and water colored by someone who works at the home office (SU! said so at Leadership).  And, both go nicely with the Spring Flowers Embossing Folder.  

Supplies:

Painted Petals Stamp Set

Spring Flowers Embossing Folder

Banners Framelits

Naturals White (card base), Whisper White (for the banner), Elegant Eggplant Cardstock

Soft Sky, Elegant Eggplant Ink

Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim (remove sequins from thread, apply with Liquid Glue)

White Baker's Twine

Stampin' Dimensionals, Tombo Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Thanks for stopping by!  Bye for now, Maria

March Stamp Club: Berry Basket

It's almost spring!  Yeh!  

Here's a cute Spring or Easter Basket for March's Stamp Club.

This is the Berry Basket Die

You need two of the large rectangles and 3 strips.

Two strips to go around the basket.

One strip for the handle.

I used the stripes and polka dots from Painted Petals to stamp on my basket.

Fold up on the score lines and glue together.

I stapled the handle on using the Mini Stapler

Attach the two strips together--these will go around the top of the basket.

Staple around the top of your basket.

To make Spring Grass or Easter Grass for your basket, use your Fringe Scissors.

Crumble up to make it fluffy.

Stamps and Supplies used:

Painted Petals Stamp Set

Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Wild Wasabi Ink

Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White Cardstock

Painted Blooms Cotton Twine

Note Tag Punch

Berry Basket Bigz L Die

Handheld Stapler

Fringe Scissors

Happy Spring!!! Happy Easter!!!  Happy Stamping!!  Bye for now, Maria

February Stamp Club: Mini Treat Bag Thinlits

Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day!  This month's stamp club project was a lovey one since it was held on Valentine's Day.  

The Big on You Stamp images are large and are designed to fill the front of a card.

Both the "for you" and heart window are from the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits set.  

Stamps sets: 

Big on You, Another Thank You (little heart image)

Supplies used:
Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies
Spring Flowers Embossing Folder
Real Red, Whisper White (5 x 3 3/8), Crumb Cake Card stock
Real Red, Crumb Cake Ink
Sweetheart Punch
Gold Sequin Trim
Mini Metallic Clothespins
Sticky Strip and Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Some people LOVE Valentine's Day--some people HATE Valentine's Day.  Whichever camp you're in, we should show love and gratitude to everyone everyday!  Happy Valentine's Day!  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

January Stamp Club: Mosaics Photo Tuturial

Happy New Year!  Happy New Stamp Club!  We are doing the Mosaic Technique for this month's club project.  

You need something to stick all your "strips" down with.  Here I've used 8 1/2 x 11 White Shipping Labels from Staples.  You can you use Xyron adhesive or even carpet tape.  Carpet Tape can be found in the hardware store, comes in varying widths, and is double sided.  

If you use Xyron adhesive, roll a sheet of thin printer paper through the Xyron machine.  Use the sticky side for this project.  

The shipping labels come in 8 1/2 x 11 sheets.

To make it easier to work with, I cut the sheet in half.

Peel the backing paper off.

Place the shipping label sticky side up.

Gather your strips.  These could be DSP you cut up just for this purpose.  Or, it can be left over pieces of DSP that you been saving.  You know--all those pieces of DSP you've been saving FOREVER just in case!  

All the things you stamp, and they just do not come out the way  you envisioned--do not throw them away.  Save them to cut up for this project.  When those "boo-boos" are cut into little strips, you will never see the mistakes.  

Place your strips on the sticky paper in a diagonal pattern.  

Once your sticky paper is covered, cut to card size.

Card sizes:

8 1/2 x 5 1/2 folded in half.

Middle layer is 5 1/4 x 4

Mosaic layer is 5 x 3 3/4.

Add to the front of your card, and embellish as desired.  

Supplies used:

Tag Talk Stamp Set

Chocolate Chip Cardstock and Ink

Rhinestones

Bracket Label Punch

Naturals White Cardstock

Various strips of DSP (all retired)

Get out those scraps and left over pieces of DSP.  Save those mess ups for the Mosaic technique. Happy Creating!  Bye for now, Maria

Choose Happiness

What do they say?  Nothing new under the sun.  What's old is new again.  Hold onto something long enough, and it will come back in style.  What are some you can think of?  

Remember how stencils used to be all the rage in the 90's? Stencils are back, but now they're called Decorative Masks.  They're still stencils, but much cooler!  

Here, I used Dots & Stripes Decorative Mask with a Sponge Dauber.  Gently tap the ink pad with the dauber, and swipe the ink through the mask onto your cardstock.  

Supplies used:

Choose Happiness Stamp Set

Naturals Ivory Cardstock

Dots & Stripes Decorative Masks

Doilies, White Baker's Twine

Bermuda Bay Ink

Sponge Daubers

Big Shot with the Chalk Talk Framelits

Happy Stamping!

Bye for now, Maria

December Stamp Club: No Peeking Gift Bag

Is it Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?  For me, it's Merry Christmas, but I do not like Christmas getting lumped together with Thanksgiving.  I want to celebrate two separate and distinct holidays!!! I'm always so sad when I see people take down their decorations and put the Christmas tree at the curb on December 26th!!  I want to savor the Christmas holiday just a little longer!

December's Club project was this darling little gift bag.  I like to keep plain white and kraft gift bags on hand.  They're neutral for any occasion, and are just begging for decorating!

The DSP is from the Trim the Tree Stack.  No need for cutting.  Just tear a sheet from the stack and attach to the front and back of your gift bag.  

Supplies used:  

Christmas Taggables (check the Clearance Rack section)

Cherry Cobbler Sheer Linen Ribbon, Ink

Whisper White Cardstock, Garden Green Cardstock, Trim the Tree DSP Stack

Label Bracket Punch

Big Shot with Chalk Talk Framelits

Regardless of how you celebrate the holidays this time of year, I want to wish you the merriest of merry for this holiday season and best wishes for 2015!  Bye for now, Maria

Throwback Thursday: Watercolor Thank You

I'm really "throwing it back" with these cards.  The parchment style cardstock and rainbow ink pads are from years ago--been hoarding them for a looooonnnnnnnggggg time.  Stampin' Up! used to sell the ink pads when I first became a demonstrator.  Today, I dug out a bunch of supplies that have been sitting around literally collecting dust.  

The stamp is called Watercolor Thank You, and is sold all by itself.  

You can do this technique with any of our Classic Ink Pads.   

After stamping, drag an Aqua Painter (filled with water, of course) over the image.  Use enough water to "pull" the color, but not too much you turn the cardstock back into pulp, which is what I usually do because I squeeze the barrel of the aqua painter way too hard--hold my pencil to tight too!!!

On the autumn thank you, I added a dotted outline with a gold paint pen.  I added dots to the blue thank you with a white gel pen, but it's hard to see in the photo.  

To finish the card, I added ribbon, turned up one of the corners, and added a leaf die cut from the Autumn Accents Bigz die.  

Supplies used:

Watercolor Thank You Stamp

Aqua Painter

Big Shot with the Autumn Accents Bigz Die

White Gel Pen

Silver Glimmer Paper

DSP shown on the Autumn card--retired and name unknown

Non-Stampin' Up! supplies used:

Gold Paint Pen

Parchment Cardstock

Rainbow Ink Pads

Get those supplies out.  Try a new technique.  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria