Sale-a-brations … going, going …..

Happy Monday!!

Just a reminder that the 

Sale-a-brations promotion ends TOMORROW!!

I am placing my last order tonight  (Monday, March 30th) so if there is anything you would like to order please let me know by 6:30 pm today. 

Remember, for every $60 you spend (pre s/h/gst) you get to choose one (of the 24!!) FREE Sale-a-brations items on offer.  Click on the SAB brochure over on the right hand side to see those … and these others have also been added:

You are also running out of time to order the Discount Kit for $125.

• Choose ANY products totalling $155
• Choose ANY two FREE Sale-a-brations products
• Pay $125 FLAT
• No strings - no obligations - just a great discounted product kit
• I have had 74 people take advantage of the Discount Kit in my career.  Who will be #75??

Don't wait - the Stampin' Up! Website get busier and slower as Tuesday night approaches.  Don't miss out on the deals by procrastinating.  The SAB items will never be offered again - CALL ME if you have any questions

 

Have a stampy Monday!

 

 

 

Tamara

Easter Stuff

Happy Sunday! … again :)

Sitting here fell in VERY sorry for my-sick-self.  Ugh!  I caught some sort of nastiness on Wednesday and have been going downhill ever since.  I feel … like … death.  Sore throat, tight chest, aching sinuses, splitting headache.  Pfthththth.  I don't DO sick! Honestly, I'm worse than a man if I don't get my fair share of sympathy and am actually getting quite sick of my own whining!  The family HAS been giving me some but I think my grace period is up … and I'm tired of lying around.  It's spring break and I want to be DOING stuff!  I actually did put on my big girl panties yesterday to get on with things.  My aunt, cousin and two of his kids were in town from Calgary so the girls and I went for breakfast with them … and then I took the kids to see "Home" at the movies.  By 5:30 pm I was "done" - too much for one day.  Think I'm paying the price for it today!

What was that line from "Julie and Julia"?  Something like "Waaaa.  Now what?"  Yes.  Enough whining …. onward!

I wanted to share the Easter card I made last year (I made it but I made it the day before Easter so didn't have time to MAIL it! *lol*) … so I started searching my blog for it.  I haven't found it yet … but I stumbled across some Easter posts from a few years back.  They cracked me up so I thought I'd share the link to them.  Hee hee - sometimes I DO amuse myself!

Check out this post from 2013 … here

Here are the twine eggs I made last year

Here is another card from 2013

Here are some Easter Treats

Bunny Bums here

Awww - last years Sock Bunnies here

Aha!!!!  Found it!  My Easter Cross card here !

OK - that's enough for now … think I might take Koda for his walk and try to clear my head.  Sympathy please … and then have yourself a stampy day!


Tam

Coloring Techniques – Sale-a-Bration Papers

Happy Sunday!

Ready for another video?  Check out colouring techniques using non-Blendabilities products … on Sale-a-brations products.  Speaking of Sale-a-brations - it's over in 2 DAYS!!!!  Contact me tomorrow or you'll miss out!

Until next time - have a stampy Sunday!


Tam

Whats Up? Coordination

Happy Saturday!

OK - so I haven't taken pictures of projects yet … so it's video time (for a few days!)

First up - the What's Up? products.  Happy viewing!
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Another video next time.  Until then - have a stampy Saturday!


Tam

You're Sweet

Happy Friday!

No time to chat today!  Craig is off today … and we are BOTH taking our vehicles in for servicing .. and picking up a loaner vehicle.  Kids are off at noon and then I day home at 2:30. So let's get to it!

I can't BELIEVE this card was made at the end of JANUARY!  OMG where did the last 3 months go???  Here it is!

SUCH a quick and easy card!  Why did I post it twice?  They actually are ever-so-slightly different.  Notice the sentiment on the top one is darker?  That's because it was embossed with black embossing powder rather than just stamped with Black Memento Ink, like the second one.  It really added some pizzazz.  SO quick and easy!  It's been so long I can't remember which stamp set I used!!  I'm 99% sure it was the Perpetual Calendar set for the splotch (in Cherry Cobbler) and the fine splotches are from Gorgeous Grunge).  The sentiment and arrows are from You Plus Me in the Occasions Catalogue.  The wash tape I used is from the Stacked With Love wash tape (also in the occasions catty).  I added a few rhinestones to finish it off.  Quick, quick, quick!  A great card to mass produce!

Right!  I'm off to the card dealership.  Have a stampy day!


Tam

Simply Sketched

Happy Thursday!

Yesterday was fun … it's not EVERYday you get to feed 300+ children!  … and that's probably good if your old and noise-sensitive like I am *lol* … but I DO love the elementary kids … and so many of them know me and give me LOTS of hugs.  Makes me feel like a celebrity!

Not too much on the go today - just a few errands to finish up before Spring Break, which starts at noon tomorrow.   10 days of togetherness!  … better start planning some outings.  I'm all for togetherness … but in small doses … with lots of caffeine dotted throughout each day *lol*

TOday I'm sharing a card that my Rebecca designed way back when.  She loves to help me out.  Here is what she came up with:

I like it!  I love black and white cards (and clothes *lol*) and the Simply Sketched set is perfect for that.  She used the Chalkboard paper (from the occasions catalogue) and the black Memento ink.  My little stamper in training!

Until next time - have a stampy day!


Tam

Mother's Love

Happy Wednesday!

Told you I'd be back soon!  … just a quickie … I'm off to help with the hot lunch program all morning. Hot dogs for 320 small people!

Today's card is a case from one made by Mary Fish over at www.stampinpretty.com

Her is Mary's card:

I LOVE the crisp clean look of it with the black accident … but it was too Christmassy for me … so I changed the colours.  Here is mine:

What a surprise - I used purple!  hee hee.  Yes, purple is my favourite (I WAS royalty in a previous life, after all! … or a cat - I may have been a cat … likely a ROYAL cat … but I digress …)

I used the "Mother's Love stamp set in the Occasions catalogue.  I've only used it to make this one card but I think I'll keep it for a while … I like the lines and fonts …

I stamped the image and sentiment in Black Memento ink and then used my Blendabiliies for colouring.  Sigh.  Blendabilities.  I wish they weren't gone :(  Now I'm in the position of not wanting to USE them because once they dry up they are gone forever … but if I DON'T use them they all eventually dry up and be gone forever.  Sigh again.  It's hard being me ….

Anyway - hope you like the cards … until next time - have a stampy day!


Tam

Butterfly Basics

Happy Tuesday!

Holy COW am I ever behind on blogging!!!  Today's share are cards I made about 2 MONTHS ago!  Yikes!  Oh well - I'm here now … and avoiding doing my taxes so I'll spend the next little while procrastinating on THAT by blogging.  Don't expect long, rambling, witty posts … let's just get 'er done, shall we?  OK!  HEre we go!

First … the cards ...

* insert round of applause here*  Fabulous, no?  SO stinkin' quick and easy it's almost embarrassing!  I think I mentioned a while ago I wasn't originally convinced I was going to get yet another butterfly ANYthing let alone a framelit AND stamp set … alas … they are 15% off when you purchase them both … and I figured I would use it once or twice so I bought it.  Ya.  Best.  Investment.  Ever.  Seriously.  The framelits rock … but what surprised me even more was that the stamp set rocks too!  It's one of those sneaky "sleeper" sets - it seems kind of boring and that you wouldn't use it much - but you WILL!  The sentiment in the top card is from the set - and I love the font.  The light flower in the second card is from the set and I love the image.  There are other bits and pieces that come in handy for little filler images.  Trust me - it's a "keeper" bundle.  Sadly you can't order the framelits (and therefore the bundle) at the moment.  The stinkin' Dock Strike on the West Coast has supplies on back order.  As Stampin' Up and the rest of Canada and the US try to bypass the docks by using China's airfreight shipping now THAT is backlogged.  Then there was Chinese New Year and Stampin' Up! has "turned off" the code.  They would rather let people know the items are currently unavailable rather than have people waiting for months to get product.  I'll keep you posted and let you know when they are once again available.  I would be very surprised if these items don't make it the main catalogue in June!

OK - so the top card used Blackberry Bliss card stock and ink … and the glimmer paper for the inside layer of the butterfly.

The second card used Island Indigo card stock and ink - along with Soft Sky ink for the flower image.  Notice the flower is on both the top white layer AND the base?  Yes - to get that you stamp the image BEFORE attaching the Island Indigo layer.  You just put a little tick of tape on the top white layer, place it on the base and stamp the image.  You then lift the top white layer, add the Indigo layer and replace the white.  It's like the popular "Triple Time" stamping technique … but only double *lol*.  The sentiment for that card is from Loving Thoughts.

Love these cards and this bundle.  You gotta get it!

Pop in again soon … I promise to post again soon!  Until then, have a stampy day :)


Tam

Classic Guy Greeting

Happy Saturday!

Well hellooooo there!  No, I haven't been abducted by aliens or left the country … but yes, I have been absent from crafting for a while.  Life has been happening which means "work" has taken a back seat … as it should.

I've been more sleep deprived than usual lately (which is saying something!) and emotionally exhausted!  Oh, nothing TOO cray has happened, I've just been focused on my girls.  Alicia had a 5 days of field trips to Fort Edmonton (I helped out) and Rebecca got braces Thursday.  We found out LAST Thursday she would be getting them so there have been lots of anxieties, tears and discussions.  Everything went well and she looks just as lovely as she did 3 days ago but now we are into lots of Advil and cuddles … and no crafting.

Oh I remember when I got MY braces way back when.  It was a very traumatic day in my life (once I was an adult I didn't go to a dentist for 13 YEARS!) so Rebecca getting her braces caused a lot of anxiety in ME!   Thankfully her experience was a good one ... now we just need to manage the pain of the first week.  So that's what we've been doing for the last little while - family first :)

I DO have  old crafting projects I need to share but, as you know, it all takes time … and that has been in short supply lately so bear with me as I continue to try to find the right balance of home, family and work :)

Although I haven't been doing much new CREATING lately I have been holding classes.  One is this Sunday … my quarterly Stamp-a-Stack.  We are doing Birthday cards this round … and here is the "masculine" card we will be making:

I love this stamp set "Guy Greetings" that is in the Occasions Catalogue.  So many options for clean, quick "guy" cards.  This is simply Very Vanilla with Early Espresso layers and ink - a little Letterpress DSP and some burlap "ribbon".  Quick, easy and "Craig approved" :)

That all for today - I just wanted to pop in to let you know I'm still around and will be back next week, as life calms down.  Thanks for checking in…. until next time  have a happy Saturday!


Tam

Bokeh Bokeh Everywhere!

Happy Wednesday!!

MAN I needed that!  Needed what?  Needed a day of cleaning, organizing, sorting and general "faffing".  I had NOTHING written on the calendar … and my heart was happy *lol*

I spent the whole day doing laundry and paperwork that needed doing after Teacher's Convention.  I still have some icky things to do tomorrow - apply for a passport for Alicia (I let her last one expire back in June!), submit my chiro and massage receipts  and dreaded of all …. do my taxes.  Ugh!  On the "up" side just think how clean my house will be while I procrastinate on THOSE little gems!

Now - as I  procrastinate on all THAT - lets check out a project, shall we??  This is the card we made at Technique Class last month.  Yes, for all you Technique Junkies you're probably tired of seeing this style all over the internet but oh well.  There may be one or two of you who haven't seen it yet.

I give you …. the Bokeh Technique ….

Isn't it fun?  First off, it's pronounced "bouquet", like a bouquet of flowers.  Second of all it's a photography effect … when points of light are burred and out of focus.

I won't go into TOO much detail as there are LOADS of videos and tutorials out there - just Google "Bokeh Technique Stampin' Up" and you'll be spoiled for choice!

For my card I started with a Whisper White base, 2 layers, Bermuda Bay and Blackberry Bliss, and a smaller layer of Whisper White.  I took one of our sponges, inked it with Bermuda Bay (the lightest colour should be done first) and made three circles in random spots by tubing the inked sponge on the paper in a circular motion.  I then took another sponge, inked it in Blackberry Bliss and virtually covered the white spaces with it, using the same circular motion.  I applied different amounts of pressure to get varying shades of Blackberry Bliss.

Once that was done I set it aside and made a template for the faux circles of light.  I took a piece of acetate 5 1/2" x 4 1/2" (ACTUALLY I used the clear piece from one of my photopolymer sets!) and cut circles in it using the three smallest circle framelits.

Once I had my circle template made I placed it over my newly coloured piece, took a finger dauber and my White Craft Ink and added white circles to the card.  Things get a little messy at this point!  You just keep moving the template around to get different sized circles all over the card.  Notice that almost ALL of the card space has a circle on it.  Note that you don't want to use TOO much ink - that will really just add to the drying time, as Craft Ink dries slower than Classic Ink.  In fact, once I had all my circles in place I spend about 5 minutes drying it with my heat tool.  You want to make sure it is good and dry.

Once that was done I stamped the sentiment in Blackberry Bliss - it is from the Butterfly Basics set in the Occasions catalogue.  I also added some butterflies from the Perpetual Calendar set (I'm telling ya - you NEED that set!!!).  A few rhinestones to finish it off and Wa-Low!  A great card suitable for lots of occasions.  No - I wouldn't be mass producing it anytime soon but it's a FUN technique and you get a different result every time so I encourage you to give it a go!

I think that's about it for today … pop in again soon - I still have 3 or 4 more projects to share.  Until then, have a stampy night!


Tamara

Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflles!

Happy Monday!

Today was a MUCH busier day than I like on a Monday.  Monday's to me involve staying home, no makeup, catching up on paperwork, bills, cleaning etc after the weekend.  Alas I needed to run errands today after prepping Teacher's Convention Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - then recovering Saturday and Sunday!  Today I needed to do some deliveries and few other left-over items on my to-do list from last week. 

I PLANNED to resume my normal "Monday activities" on Tuesday … however apparently I've neglected to enter any the of grocery store in the last 6 days and the cupboards are bare!  So - off to 10% Tuesday I go bright and early .. then it's off to the vet with Doodles to get his ear checked out.  He's gunna HATE that!  

Anywayyyyyyy - Yesterday was March 1st - and THAT means Stampin' Up! released four more FANTABULOUS new Sale-a-brations items that you can pick from with every $60 you spend.  I feel "another" $240 order coming on!  Check these out ...

I almost started hyperventilating when I saw the twine and buttons.  Seriously.  Totally happened.  Anyone else plan to order $240 worth of stuff so she can get them all??  Hmmm - in hind sight maybe I should have just paid for them during the preorder … would have saved me about $180 *lol*.  Oh well - a gal can ALWAYS use $240 worth of snail refills, right???

OK!  Wanna see another project?  Alrighty!  Here is what I whipped up the night before Teacher's Convention for door prizes ...

Ska-WHEEL!  I really would not have thought I'd be using these butterfly framelits as much as I am.  I'll likely be having nightmares about them soon *lol*

These little post-it-note holders were SO quick and easy to make.  I grabbed a stack of 4" x 4" coaster that I have been hoarding for about … mmmmm - 7 years or so … grabbed my stash of retired DSP (although I read the name of this one 3 times in anticipation of blogging about it I have once again forgotten the name of it - sorry!).  I cut the DSP into 4" x 4" strips, rounded the corners, taped them to the coaster board (the backs are a different pattern but I forgot to take a picture of them!)  I grabbed my stash of bulldog clips (yes, of COURSE I had 3 boxes of them lying around - doesn't EVERYONE?)  I  rummaged through my jar of wash tape, found a green one from Santa & Co and added it to the bulldog clip.  Punched out 36 butterflies out of Mellow Moss card stock, attached them to the coaster with 2 glue dots, added some rhinestones and attached the post it note.  I stamped the sentiment in Mellow Moss.  I love this sentiment.  It is from Feels Good.  I LOVE these little gifts.  Very quick, easy and economical (no - I don't use a full pack of post-it notes - I split each one into 4).

So there you have it.  Think I'll got see what the girls are up to.  I'm "done"!

Pop in again soon.  Until then, have a stampy night!


Tam