Inkychatter

Fresh Cuts Sneak Preview from New Catalog

My Fresh Cuts stamp pad and notes finally arrived so I took a minute to play. There are 5 stamps in this set and I used only one of them, the big stamp. There is an option to pop out the flower petals on the cut out, which I did on this one. I then stamped the big stamp with Chocolate Chip ink directly onto the note with a piece of typing paper underneath the open flower cutout. I colored in the petals with Barely Banana and a touch of Cameo Coral, touched up the leaves with Mellow Moss and colored a bit with Creamy Caramel. The ribbon is the gorgeous easy-to-handle-and-tie-bows-with Chocolate Chip poly-twill (15 yds for only $5.95). To attach it to the card, I punched with my Double Circle punch on the top left, bottom left and bottom right and threaded my ribbon through the holes tying knots on each end. A Barley Banana 5 petal flower was punched with none other than my 5 Petal Flower punch. I used my adhesive to attach the punched flower behind the cut out flower then topped it off with the Hodge Podge Hardware buckle tying a bit more of the Chocolate Chip Twill ribbon to the center. I wish I had blinged the buckle with a bit of Crystal Effects and Dazzling Diamonds but I didn't. My camera battery is dead or I would post a picture of the naked note (did she say naked!)  I will do that tomorrow.

This is a beautiful set that will be in the Fall Idea Book but can be pre-purchased June 1 - June 30th (see my May 13 post for more information or click here) The stamp set has 5 stamps in it...I only used 1 stamp to get this gorgeous design! Do you see this beautiful cut out flower on the card?  There are 15 laser cut Fresh Cuts Notes in each package.  We have a Riot of Petals background stamp that matches the flowers on the big stamp.  How great is that!  I can see this stamp set and notes being used for weddings, graduation, and birthdays making elegant notes, gift bags,gift cards, invitations, thank yous, the possibilites are endless! Imagine soft colors or neutrals for a wedding, pastels for baby, bright colors for birthday or thank you.  OK, I am off to play some more.  Have a great Saturday nite and I'll be back tomorrow.

Tip for Smooth Cutting

Today while I was cutting paper for a class next week using my Fiskars cutter I was getting frustrated because the little orange blade was dragging and I couldn't get a good cut. As I opened the window to throw it out, I remembered I recently had trouble with my windows sticking in my house and my solution was to spray the tracks with Lemon Pledge and they worked like a charm (plus the bugs don't like the lemon).  I had Endust on hand (no wax, unlike Pledge) so I went in search of a Q-tip applicator.  After removing the little orange blade from my Fiskars cutter I sprayed a small bit of Endust on the Q-tip and and carefully wiped the blade track itself but I did not put it on the cutter track because I didn't want it getting on my paper. It worked like a charm and the rest of my cutting was a breeze! Guess I'll keep my cutter I thought to myself, as I closed the window.

Sneak Peek! June 1-30, 2008

Isn't it fun to go to the mailbox and get a wonderful note from family and friends? Sadly, we are losing the art of thank you notes with the electronic conveniences we all own. Personally, I love to go back and look at cards I have received and remember the memory created with them, however, I never do that with an email or a text message.  Don't get me wrong, I love my conveniences, but I think they have their place.  I plan to pick up the tradition of handwritten notes again; they are so much more personal and always create a memory.  On that note (no pun intended) how would you like to have a sneak peek at new catalog merchandise from the upcoming Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog that can help you do the same?Take a look at this elegant stamp set and notecards special - Fresh-Cut stamp set, die cut and ready to mount along with Fresh-Cut Notes, with a beautiful laser cut design, just in time for graduation, weddings, babyshowers and everyday thank you notes. There are 15 4"x4" note cards with envelopes for only $5 when you purchase the coordinating stamp set. Did I mention the stamp set is die cut? Merely punch it out and apply it to the wood block and stamp away! Remember, the release of the new Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalog is still a couple of months away so take this opportunity to get in on this special offer and own this set.

Want it free?  Hostess a $400 workshop and it's yours in addition to regular hostess benefits.  That is an addition $30.90 value.

Fresh-Cut Stamp Set Item # 111634 $21.95

Fresh-Cut Notes with Envelopes Item # 111882 $5 (purchase additional notecards for $8.95)

Birthday Gift Certificate Holder

Someone in my family had a birthday this week and being the crafty person she is guess what she got.  A Stampin' Up! Gift Certificate along with some other things.  I made this gift card holder for the SU certificate and although this one turned out well I do have some tweaking to do.  Family doesn't mind being guinea pigs for this sort of thing.

I love this East Coast Prep paper.  It is so bright and cheerful and summer like.

Here is the inside of the holder.

How cute is that! I made this one a little deeper because I had a little "sumpin sumpin" extra to put in it.  However, normally it would have 1/8" sides.

Just close with the belly band and you are good to go!

Here is a close up of the belly band.  I made this with our fabulous chipboard which is on special this month. The center is covered in Crystal Effects for a glass like appearance.  I sprinkled the tiniest amount of Irridescent Ice in the Crystal Effects for a little bling. The picture is blurred, I really need to learn how to take close ups with my digi camera. But you get the idea.

May Stamp Camp Projects

  May Stamp Camp Projects

Live your Dream Card, Gift Tag and Gum Holder Gift packet

Live Your Dream Stamp set from the Occasions Mini. Ordering from this publication has been extended through June.

Fall Flower Designer Series Paper, Kraft Ribbon, Hodgepodge Hardware and Metallic Eyelets, all from the Spring/Summer Collection Catalog.

Cardstock:  Really Rust, Sahara Sand, So Saffron and Whisper White.

Ink and Markers:  So Saffron, Really Rust, Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Sahara Sand

Matt pack

These Gum Holder Gift Packets are so cute and quick to make. I am not sure who originated them but if you let me know I will post and give you credit. You can close with a velcro dot, magnet or put a little glue stick on and let it dry which makes it repositionable.  I made some with the Ghiradelli Chocolate squares and to get them to fit I widened the Word Window Punch slot a bit. The gum holder on the right is the one we made in class and the chocolate holders I made for fun are shown below. I am not sure how long the chocolate will remain n the holder. <G>  I better hurry and give them away!

I apologize for the dark pictures. It was not a great day for taking photos but you get the idea. These would make nice little gifts when you want to let someone know you are thinking of them, leave one on a co-workers desk, cheer up someone's otherwise bad day. So many possibilities!  OK, I am off to the ballpark to root for my little slugger.

 

Somebody Has A Birthday!

This week is my daughter's birthday.  She probably won't have time to read my blog so I'll post her birthday card here.  If you do see it sweetie, just act surprised when you get it.

This card brings relief from the Bold Brights I have been hooked on all Spring and shows a much softer look.. These are three of our 2007 In Colors, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava and Wild Wasabi. They will be going away forever the first of August. <sniff>   Card stock used is Soft Sky , Basic Black, and Whisper White.  The stamp sets are  Embrace Life ( one that I love but haven't had a change to play with much) and All Holidays. Everyone knows I love polka dots so of course I had to incorporate my Polka Dot background stamp using Soft Sky ink on both the Whisper White card stock and the Soft Sky card stock. The flowers were colored with Blender Pens using the Classic ink pads.  I used the Photo Corner punch with Basic Black and Whisper White Card stock (a left over piece that was stamped with the Polka Dot background stamp earlier).  I pulled out a Build A Brad, something I haven't used enough but will start doing.  I stamped the Love Laugh stamp from our Hostess Level 1 set, Make It Count.  These little brads are really fun because you can put whatever you want to behind the clear bubble.  I did sprinkle a little dash of Dazzling Diamonds for just a spot of bling.  The flowers were punched  using my Boho Blossoms punch after stamping them on Whisper White with Black Stazon.  I really like this card.

Special Special Read All About It!

Wow!  Stampin' Up! has been busy creating fantabulous specials for May 1 - 31st! (Bet you thought I couldn't spell fantabulous.)  This month we have lots to be excited about and save money to boot and with the gas prices we all love saving money!

SUMMARY

Chipboard

Mat and FREE Blade

Starter Kits discount with FREE stuff

Chipboard - Get on Board with Chipboard. With a $35 purchase you get 25% off on any On Board chipboard items Stampin' Up! has. Jazz up scrapbook pages, cards, picture frames, calendars and more by adding dimension with Lots of Letters, Accents, Blossoms and Basics, Simon Upper and Lower.  What is this you ask?  Check out Pages 178 and 179 of our Spring and  Summer Collection  to see them all.  Stampin' Up! chipboard is quality chunky chipboard for painting, glittering, covering with paper, embossing, distressing, using naked (gasp, she said naked!) and whatever else your imagination can come up with.

There are hundreds of pieces available: huge flowers and frames, scalloped borders, stars, hearts, squares, circles big and small flowers, flower petals to make your owns flowers, scallop circles, big and small tags, bookplates, big and small hearts and stars, big and small alphabets in caps and lower case, symbols and numbers.  See the Art Journals big and small, Bitty Book (just an itty bitty book with itty bitty pages), clipboards made together in threes, wide clipboard, slim clipboard, sheets of chipboard large and small for making your own books. OK, you get the picture. Once you spend $35 there is no limit to the amount of chipboard you can get for 25% off.  Need ideas or techniques for your chipboard?  I can help you.   

Item Number	Description	25% off retail price
109181	On Board Blossoms & Basics	$11.21
109179	On Board Ginormous Pieces	$11.21
107925	On Board Bitty Book	$7.46
108495	On Board 5" x 5" Art Journal	$5.21
107065	On Board Art Journal (5-3/4" x 8-3/4")	$7.13
107307	On Board Accents	$9.71
109182	On Board Lots of Letters	$9.71
109180	On Board Simon Upper	$9.71
107306	On Board Simon Lower	$9.71
109192	On Board Clipboard (13" x 7-1/2")	$11.96
109190	On Board Clipboard (9" x 9")	$5.96
109191	On Board Clipboard (4-1/2" x 9")	$4.88
110713	On Board Book Basics Large	$5.96
110712	On Board Book Basics Small	$4.46

113421  No, that is not the combination to my safe, it is the item number of our next special.  When you buy all that chipboard (see above) you might want to cut some of it into pieces.  For that you need a durable cutting mat and blade to save your table top.  This month if you buy the mat, page 184, ($15.95) SU will throw in a free hobby blade ($4.50). How cool is that!  I love my mat and blade because I can cut to my hearts content without worrying about carving up my craft table. With my blade I cut chipboard, paper, cardstock, plastic, vellum, popsicle sticks, birthday cake....just kidding about the birthday cake!  You will love the handling ease of this blade and wonder how you ever got along without it!

More...

More you say?  How can there be more?!  Well, just read on my friend.  For the month of May - if you join my team in Stampin' Up! a a demonstrator you will get 20% off the Starter Kit and a free Hodgepodge Hardware Kit seen here - 138 pieces of hardware and 100 brads -($27.95) in your choice of Antique Brass, Pewter or Aged Copper.  What is a Starter Kit you ask?  It is the Stampin' Up business starter that includs everything you need to start your business and have workshops.  Yes, you can start your own business for $159.20...how cool is that!  You can see an actual layout of the Starter Kit here, which is the inside back cover of the Spring and Summer Collection. The starter kit is normally $199 so with the 20% off you can have it for $159.20 and you get the free Hodge Podge Kit ($27.95) to boot - that's $226.95 worth

Whew, OK, there you have it.  Make your shopping list and give me a call. If you want to be a team member I would love to have you. Drop me an email, give me a call or leave a comment.  I'll get with you to answer any questions you might have.

Occasions Mini Extended.

Stampin' Up! has decided to extend the Occasions Mini ordering period to the end of June instead of May. That is great news since there are so many phenominal items in it, stamps, carousel notes, rubons, paper, ribbon....check it out for yourself here. The poly twill ribbon makes the best bows ever which sweetens your project.  I'll be posting a card or two from one of the stamps sets,Live Your Dream, check back!