Life Doesn't Have to be Perfect to be Wonderful

We want everything to be perfect don't we?  But, as my mother-in-law says, everything works out in the end.  Most of the time things work out to be better than originally planned. Love when that happens!  Sorry for the blurry picture--that didn't work out as planned, but no biggie.  You still get the idea. 

Supplies used:  Perfect Pennants Stamp Set 

Basic Black, Strawberry Slush Ink

Bermuda Bay, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White CS

Kaleidoscope DSP, Silver Glimmer Paper

Big Shot with the Window Frames, Banner Framelits, Striped Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Decorative Label, Boho Blossoms, Itty BItty Shapes Punches

Stampin'  Dimensionals, hot glue

This was on the last day of Leadership.  Almost time to leave the Stampin' Up! bubble.  Happy Stamping!

Bye for now, Maria

Over the Top Tags

Another fun swap to participate in is the Over the Top Tags Swap. Over the Top means you're supposed to dress it up, spritz, embellish, shimmer, wrap and layer, layer, layer.  Hope I lived up to that expectation!  I was part of two groups for this swap. Every layer is popped up with dimensionals.  The base layer is embossed.  I really enjoyed creating for this swap--there was always one more thing I wanted to add. 

Supplies used:  Happy Watercolor Stamp Set

Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe Ink

Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe, Very Vanilla CS

Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Champagne Glimmer Paper

Decorative Label, Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty Shapes Punches

Linen Thread, Crisp Cantaloupe Twine (from SAB), Naturals Chevron Ribbon

Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Hot Glue

Big Shot with the Oval Accent, Apothecary Accents, Window Frames, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder

Supplies used:  Perfect Pennants Stamp Set

Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana Ink

Big Shot with the Banners Framelits, Arrows Embossing Folder, Stripes Embossing Folder

Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, CS

Champagne Glimmer Paper

Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Linen Thread, Ruffle Stretch Trim (Coastal Cabana & Baked Brown Sugar)
Very Vintage Designer Buttons
Stampin' Dimensionals
Full Heart, Small Heart Punches

And, a funny little story about what happened with me and this swap.  Our hotel was very close to the convention center.  So close in fact that it was attached by a sky bridge--didn't even have to go outside!  Earlier that day (and, before the swap took place) I went to my room to drop off all the stuff I collected in my bag that I no longer needed, and to pick up my tags for this swap.  Well, guess what?  Yup!  I grabbed the wrong bag of swaps, but didn't notice it until the swap was about to begin.  Right as we were beginning to swap our tags I realized the huge mistake I made.  I told the organizer, and she very graciously told me that she would swap my tags for group 1, and to go and get my tags for group 3.  Well, I walked/ran as fast as I could all the way all the way to my room, and walked/ran all the way back to the swap area.  There they were all 6 of the swappers were waiting patiently for me!  Someone said, you got your exercise for the day.  For the day--I said WEEK!!!  We all laughed!  How embarrassing!!!  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Very Vintage Card Swap

These are my two cards for the Very Vintage Card Swap at Leadership using more products from the Occasions Catalog. For the Peachy Keen card, I choose the DSP and the little camera framelit because I thought it fits in with "vintage" or, at least my idea of vintage anyway. The DSP is even called Retro Fresh. The little camera framelit is so cute!  I added some Linen Thread to the camera so it would look like a strap.  When I was in high school, people would say "snap!" all the time.  So, I guess that makes me vintage or retro!

Supplies used:  Peachy Keen, Hip Notes Stamp Sets

Retro Fresh DSP, Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla, Baked Brown Sugar CS

Tangerine Tango Ink

Big Shot with the On Film Framelits, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Gold Sequin Trim

For this card, I choose Always Arichoke as the card base because it reminds me of the avacado green from the 70's. Do you remember that?  And, the harvest gold?  The mosaics also remind me of vintage things too. There's some old flooring in my kitchen that has the same pattern as the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.  We'll update the floor someday--husband says, "we can't rush into these things."  

Supplies used:  Mosaic Madness, Hip Notes Stamp Sets

Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla CS

Always Artichoke Ink

Stampin' Dimensionals, Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon, Gold Sequin Trim

Big Shot with the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder

Mosaic Punch

Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Convention 2013: Over the Top Tags Group 3

I've always loved tags, either gift tags or as an accent on a card. First organized swap I participated in at convention this year was the Over the Top Tags Swap (Group 3 & 4). Over the Top means they had to be at certain size, embellished, layered, and/or spritzed. I enjoyed stamping for this swap a great deal. Each group was limited to 8 swappers--makes it easy to keep the quality top notch.

Card stock is cut to 6 x 8 1/2

Scored at 2 3/4, 5 1/2 and 

Create a belly band to hold your tag together

Supplies:

Backyard Basics Stamp Set and coordinating Framelits

Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla CS

Baked Brown Sugar, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana Ink

Primrose Petals, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon

Stamping Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponges

Convention 2013: Over the Top Tags Group 4

Here's my swap for the Over the Top Tag from Group 4.

The size layers are 6 1/2 x 3 1/2, 6 1/4 x 3 1/4 and 6 x 3

Supplies:

Clockworks, Really Good Greetings Stamp Sets

Simply Pressed Clay & Molds

Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (sprinkle into mold before adding clay)

Fun Flower Die and satin fabric (the cheaper the better)

Organdy Ribbon

Very Vanilla CS

Venetian Romance DSP

Pistachio Pudding, Indigo Island, CRISP Cantaloupe Ink 

Spritzer with Pistachio Pudding Ink Refill and Isopropyl Alcohol (70%)--it's very light and might not show up on screen, but it's on there

Convention 2013 Very Vintage Swap

Shelli (CEO of SU!) is fond of a "vintage" look.  Her stamped work is always so beautiful!  Here's my idea of vintage for the Very Vintage Swap.

Supplies:

Creative Elements Stamp Set

Very Vintage Buttons, Linen Thread

Tea Lace Paper Doilies

Very Vanilla, Early Espresso CS, Soho Subway  DSP

Woodgrain Embossing Folder (I used this because the lines on the DSP reminded me of the texture)

Fun Flowers Die with cheap satin fabric 

CRISP Cantaloupe, Early Espresso Ink
Label Love, Artisan Label Punch

Sponge Daubers

Convention 2013 Salt Lake City

Here's my swap tote full of cards, tags, pins, 3D items just waiting to be traded for other equally nice items. Card swapping/trading is one of the hi lights of Convention for me--it's exciting to swap ideas and be around other demos who are equally as excited about stamping as you are! I like every part of trading--planning, creating, and trading!  It's the sharing part of the hobby that makes it so much fun!  If I have an idea and you have an idea--we each have just ONE idea. But, if we share our idea with each other, then we have TWO ideas (or 6000--that's how many people will be in SLC this year!).  Two, ideas are better than one!  No, I'm not making thousands of swaps--is that even possible!?  The bag is from Thirty One--it's one of their organizing totes.  Stayed tuned to see what's inside--I will be posting my convention swaps during the week.  Bye for now, Maria

Wildflower Meadows

Organized swaps are all over the place at Convention--and they're great!  Don't get me wrong--I love them.  But, nothing is exciting as general swaps--swapping on the floor of the main stage at convention.  General swaps just mean no theme, and you can make as many as you want--as long as everything is current Stampin' Up! merchandise, of course!  For my general swaps I used Wildflower Meadow background stamp and the coordinating embossing folder--love that!  Love anything that makes creating cards easier and more beautiful to boot!  I used my left over satin flowers too. 

Supplies:

Wildflower Meadow and coordinating embossing folder

Label Love and Artisan Punch

Fun Flowers Bigz L Die and satin fabric, shrunk with heat tool

Simply Pressed Clay and Mold

Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush Ink and Cardstock

That's the Ticket

One of my swaps from Leadership 2013. I was having fun distressing Core'dinations cardstock. Love the bling of the silver glimmer paper.

Postage Due

Here's my card for Lyssa's Convention Quality Swap.

When I first saw the new Postage Due stamp set, I thought of old timey, vintage things.  So, I thought it would be fun to rip the edges of the stamp image.   Ripping paper--it goes against everything you learned in grade school, but it's so fun!!! 

After ripping around the entire image, sponge edges.  Sponging = more fun!!

Sorry for the bad lighting--I was burning the midnight oil--no natural light to be found.

Stamp "postage stamps", punch out and sponge edges.

Supplies used:  Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Soft Suede ink and cardstock, Very Vanilla cardstock, Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponges, Postage Stamp Punch, Postage Due stamp set

Papaya Collage

Here's my second card for Lyssa's Convention Quality Swap.  I really enjoyed being in this swap.  Lyssa's swaps are truly just phenonmenal!!!  For some reason, I'm drawn to vintage and collage style stamps.  I don't know why...maybe it reminds me of my grandmothers...my, how I wish I could have a conversation with one of them again.  I chose Summer Starfruit for this card because I like a challenge.  When this color was revealed by Stampin' Up!, no one liked it (at least not my customers).  So, what's a good demonstrator to do?  Well, make my customers fall in love with it, of course!  So, I've been using it like crazy.  I picked Elegant Eggplant to go with Summer Starfruit directly from the Color Coach.  If you are not confident about choosing colors, I highly recommned getting the Color Coach!!!  It takes the guess work out of picking colors.  The Summer Starfruit background was embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder.  Before I ran it through the Big Shot, I stamped it with the leaf image in Papaya Collage, but it doesn't really show up in the picture!  The roses are stamped in Elegant Eggplant, and then ripped out.  The frame is stamped in Summer Starfruit--again, ripped out--I needed to "rip" out a lot of anger--I was having issues, lol!  Happy Creating!  Bye for now, Maria

Never Ending Folding Card

At Convention, we can participate in card swaps--this is one of the most exciting parts of the event! 
I participated in the 2012 WOW swap--organized by someone on Splitcoaststampers.  The WOW swap has to be a full card that utilizes a technique or fancy fold.  My card is a Never Ending Folding card.  You can just keep opening and opening and opening it.  For Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, you can find a video done by Brian Pillings on the demonstrator website under the February 2011 online extras. 

You will need two pieces of cardstock 2 3/4 x 4 1/4 (scored at 1 1/16 on both ends), two pieces of cardstock 2 1/8 x 5 1/2 (scored at 1 3/8 on both ends), DSP cut to 2 1/2 x 1 7/8 (4 to 8 pieces per card). 

Lay out your pieces in this manner, and add sticky strip like this...

Peel up red liner on sticky strip and place one long strip on top of short wide piece like this...

Add second long piece...

Flip it over, and add second short wide piece...

I found that if I lined up the score lines, my cards opened must easier. 

Your card should be able to open and open and open and open....

Decorate with DSP and stamp.  To add shimmer to the butterfly punch out, add rubbing alcohol and Platinum Shimmer Paint to Stampin' Spritzer.  Shake well and spritz as desired on carstock.  Allow to dry.  Punch out and add to front of card.  Want a custom colored shimmer spritz?  Add drops from an ink refill bottle to the rubbing alcohol and shimmer paint. 

Supplies:  Wisteria Wonder cardstock and ink, First Edition DSP, Elegant Eggplant cardstock and ink, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Stampin' Spritz, Platinum Shimmer Paint, Rubbing Alcohol, Papillon Potpourri stamp set

If you're stopping by because you were also part of the WOW swap, let me know by leaving a comment.  Thanks!  Bye for now, Maria

Convention Swaps

I participated in several organized card swaps this year.  Organized swaps have certain rules that must be followed, such as making full cards rather than card fronts.  The first one is called Convention Quality Swap (CQS).  Again, I used Precious Butterflies, one of the new Hostess sets. 

For my second CQS card, I used Happiest Birthday Wishes (also a new hostess set) and the new Paisley Petals DSP.

One swap I have participated in for the last several years is the WOW! Swap.  I enjoy this swap for several reasons.  The cards are always phenomenal, and each card must be a full card rather than a card front.  I like this because when the stamps retire, I can actually use the card to send someone if I choose to.  Delicate Doilies is used on my card. 

I call this fold a "z" fold.  Here's how...Cut your card base at 5 1/2 x 4 1/4.  The middle layer is 5 1/4 x 4.  For the "z" fold, cut cardstock at 3 3/4 x 10.  Stamp images FIRST.  Then, score at 2 1/2 and 5.  Use ribbon to tie closed.

A few more of my swaps for just random general swapping.

Open Seas Stamp Set and Nautical Expressions DSP

Fabulous Florets and Beyond the Garden DSP

 Another one with Paisley Prints and Happiest Birthday Wishes

Convention must be experienced to really appreciate just how wonderful it is!  Until the end of July, you can become a demonstrator for just under $100.  Please plan to join me at Convention next year...SAVE THE DATES.... July 18 - 21, 2012!  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria