Sale-a-Bration 2018 is almost over ...

Happy Friday!

If you are on Facebook, Instagram and/or follow ANY stamping demonstrator blogs you will know that the countdown is on.  Every year demonstrators around the world shout from the rooftops that the SAB promotion is almost over.

Despite our efforts, every year we all have customers who miss out.

What are you waiting for?  The deals end in less than 48 hours - 11:50 pm Saturday, March 31st.

Spend $60, get something free
Spend $120, get one BIGGER something free or get two smaller somethings free
Spend $135 and get a truckload of stuff for free and a minimum of 20% off any future purchases.

There is NO downside to ordering the Starter Kit.  None.  Nadda.  Zilch.  No requirements, no minimums, no penalties, no phone calls, n pressure, no kidding.  Take the deal and run or stick around, save some money or earn some money.  Up to you!

I'd be thrilled to have you as a customer OR as a team member.  I've been doing this for over 12 years and have no intention of stopping.

Shop or sign up here

Any questions?

Have a stampy day xo


Tam

We Must Celebrate!

Happy Thursday!

Hmmmm.  8:16 am.  I have a FaceTime meeting with Head Office in 1 1/4 hours.  Sitting her in my pjs, hair not brushed, yesterday's makeup smudged under my eyes and a rumbling tummy.  What should I do?  I know!  Write a blog post!  *lol*.  Apparently I'll never change ....

Thought I'd share a happy little card with you today.  I made this Tuesday (and Wednesday).  Apparently I don't have enough on my plate this week so I offered to donate to a fundraiser, with the proceeds going to local animal shelters.  Oh sure, I COULD just grab cards from my stash but I want to have all of them in an animal theme ... so .... (it's time consuming being me *lol*).  Don't give me praise - chance are I'm just procrastinating on my presentation ... and taxes ... and housecleaning *lol*

Anyway, here's the first card I came up with ...

So cute!

Although the "We Must Celebrate" set is one that I wanted as soon as the catalogue came out I kept talking myself out of it.  "Too much coloring", I'd tell myself.  Whilst I LOVE coloring, many of my customers don't, and it doesn't make for a great class if there is too much or if it's too time consuming.  Two weeks ago I hit "add to cart" as a little treat to myself for a tough month.  Cracked this bad boy open Tuesday night as I just needed some quiet time to "breathe".  It's just what I needed.

I put this post out on Instagram, asking "Which One"?

The majority of replies were "bottom left", and that's my fave too although they all work!

I stamped the images in Memento Black ink ... using my Stamparatus Baby!!  In minutes I had all 8 of my cards stamped and ready to color.  Kinda love that tool!

I used my Blends to colore them.  I'm sad we can't order them again until June (they were THAT popular that, once again, supplies ran out before demand did!  I wasn't sure how these would turn out, given that my Crumb Cake Light marker was dead and in the garbage but I discovered I can STILL get a lot of shading with just the dark marker!  Look at the squirrel and the bear.  Both were colored with only the dark Crumb Cake marker for the bodies (of course the bellies are in Pink Pirouette Light).  Just by going over certain spots more than once I managed to get a great, deep brown despite only having the one pen.

The rabbit and raccoon were done primirly with the Smoky Slate Light Blend.

For the final card I simply cut a layer of 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 DSP from the Coffee Cafe designer paper.  (The top layer is Whisper white at 4 1/2" x 3 1/4".  The two pieces are popped up on dimensionals.

It's a relatively quick card that is just fun to make!

Right!  That's me for now - I guess I should get this day started!  Have a stampy day!

Tam

Party Panda Birthday Balloons

Happy Tuesday!

I stumbled across this cute card this morning that I had forgotten to share - it's one we used at my Stamp-a-Stack back in February (oops!)

The Stamp-a-ratus was the key to success on this one.  I don't know about you but I get more than a little twitchy if my solid stamped images aren't a fully saturated color!  It might take 3 or 3 times to get the panda fully black, but with the Stamp-a-ratus that is NO problem!  Kinda love this card!

Really, the hardest part was deciding which three colors and which sizes of balloons to use! 

The panda is from the Panda Party Sale-a-bration set - free with a $60 purchase .. but only for another few days!

Canadian orders under $200 can use hostess code 2ENGMYQT at the checkout to receive a free gift from me in the mail!

Today I need to polish my On Stage presentation a little more before hitting the movies with my youngest and her friends.  Whatever you get up to today, I hope it's a stampy one!


Tam

Basket Weave Easter Basket Tutorial

Happy Sunday!

Hey!  I did it!  I managed to upload my video to Youtube in under an hour! *lol*.  (It's the small successes that bring me such joy! lol)

As promised ... I give you ... my Basket Weave Easter Basket Tutorial!

Have a stampy Sunday :)


Tam

Easter Baskets ... and how to be strong ...

Happy Saturday!

It's 9:00 am, the family is sleeping, the sun is shining and it's a good day.

Today will be an emotional day.

Today I will be getting together with Tamye's friends and family to raise a glass, share stories, laughs and hugs and I daresay, a few tears as we remember such an incredible wife, mother, woman and friend.

I miss her so terribly.

As I wander through my days I am reminded of her constantly.  I didn't realize just how tightly her life was woven into mine.

Grief is new to me.  I don't know what to "do" with it, how to process it, how to DEAL with it.

Thursday was a rough day.  I was tired, emotional, sad, overwhelmed.  I couldn't seem to function.  I could't DO anything.  I was "stuck" ... but the tears wouldn't come ... until they did ... and once they started ... oh boy.

This was the second "ugly cry" day I've had.  It surprised me.  I thought I was "better" after the one I'd had last week.  I thought the healing had begun and although I knew I'd be sad and shed some tears now and then I really didn't expect the burning flood of tears of Thursday.

I was sitting having lunch.  I was sad but thought I was "stable" ... and then I had a thought ... "I thought I was strong!" ... and the dam broke.

"People say I'm strong.  If I'm so strong why is it I can't do anything today other than cry ... and eat cookies?", I later texted Craig.

It went on for hours.  It stopped.  It started again.  And so it went.

I leaned on my husband.  I leaned on a dear friend.  I got through the day.

I went to bed exhausted.  Emotionally drained ... and with a cracking headache. 

I don't reach out to others easily ... or often.  It's not becauseI see it as a sign of weakness, it's just that I logically KNOW what people will say so why burden them with my problems?  I leaned anyway.  I needed support.  They helped me.  They listened to me.  They supported me.  I found a quote that very much helped me.

Yes, being strong is letting out.  Let out I did.  I am now stronger for it and I feel better.  Truly.

I just wanted to share that as so many of you have been wonderful and have reached out to me and ask "how are you".  So far 6/7 days a week are fantastic.  The 7th day sucks.  As I understand it, that's how grief goes.  People tell me it gets easier with time.  I look forward to that day but I do realize it's a journey and for once in my life I need to be patient.

I'll get there ... with a little help from my family and friends :)


So ... I really didn't want this to be a "downer" post as I really am in a very good mood today!  I wanted to share a spring-y, happy project I made last week.  (I'm DYING to share my On Stage projects with you ... alas ... still another 2.5 weeks until I can!!!)

The calendar says it is officially spring now and Easter is NEXT weekend!  I wanted to play with my new basket embossing folder (FREE with a $120 purchase for one more week only during the Sale-a-brations promotion!) . I also wanted to play with some pretty spring colors.  I used these tulips as my inspiration ...

 The lighting isn't very good but here is what I came out with ...

Such CUTE little baskets!!!  

I love this color combination - Crumb Cake, Berry Burst, Whisper White and Chocolate Chip (or Early Espresso - both work well!)

The baskets are SO easy to make using a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of card stock.  I used the Basket Weave embossing folder, the A Good Day stamp set, the 1 3/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/8" Scallop and 1" punches.  I used my Tombow glue to assemble the basket.

I made a short video showing you how to make them but it will take me 4 hours to upload it to Youtube and Koda wants to walk so just head over to Facebook, search for Tamara's Paper Trail and find that video!  I'll post it to YouTube when I get 4 hours *lol*

Looking at those tulips I also wanted to share the tulip card I made earlier this year using the Tranquil Tulips hostess set...

So that's me for today.  I'm going to walk the dog, do some laundry, craft a little and then head out to the Toast for Tamye.  It will be a good day :)

Whatever you get up today, I hope it's a stampy one xox

Tam

Vertical Greetings

Happy Sunday!

Right!  Today I am DETERMINED to be productive!  I HAVE to get working on my On Stage presentation!  I have to do a trial run via FaceTime with Head Office on Friday which means I have to have EVERYTHING prepared, scripted and ready to go as if it was the real thing!  Ya, I *think* I have all my samples done (well, there IS one more I've been wanting to play with but ...) but I DO want to re-make them, tidy them up a bit, make them a little "cleaner", if you know what I mean.  It makes me quite giddy to think that hundreds (thousands??) of people will be seeing my projects and naturally you want to have your best work on display!  So that's the "plan" for today ... but I know me.  Something tells me I'm going to end up making Easter Treats for my club girls, baking and doing my nails.  Well ... at least I KNOW myself and KNOW when I'm kidding myself *lol*.  Well see what I ACTUALLY get up to today hee hee.

Wanna see a project?  Of COURSE you do!  That's why you come right?  (or do you come for the witty banter and slightly crazy ramblings??) . Maybe a mix of the two!

Alright.  Here's a card:

Isn't it fun??  It's one of the cards we made at my Stamp-a-Stack last month (ya, ya, I'm a little behind in posting ...)

I was on a real "green" kick and not gunna lie, this Lemon Lime Twist is one of my fave colors his winter.  It just makes me happy!

I wanted to ink up my Vertical Greetings set - one that I was VERY drawn to when the 2017 catalogue first came out but I have only used once.  Not gunna lie - the first time I used the set I found it difficult to work with.  Ya I made a card but I thought the ideas and layouts would come quickly and easily.  They didn't ... and the set sat on the shelf.  I cracked that bad boy open again and this time it came much quicker and easier.  I drew inspiration from the leaves on the topiary.  The Petal Burst Embossing Folder is the obvious "go-to" to mimic those leaves!  I used the new Decorative Ribbon Border Punch for the lacy edge, and a strip of the Dazzling Diamond Washi Tape found in the Myths & Magic pack.  How did I color the leaves?  I just used my finger dauber, inked it in the Lemon Lime Twist ink and pressed it onto the tree image.  Perfect circle!  Some rhinestones and dimensionals give it texture, bling and dimension.

I love this card.  A pretty little card to send to a friend ... just because :)

Whatever you get up to today, I hope it's SOMEWHAT what you had planned ... and that it's a stampy one.  Happy Sunday xo


Tam

Stamparatus Technique Series: Video #4 Stamping on Pre-Die Cut Pieces

Happy Tuesday!

This is a GREAT video!  It never occurred to me to use it in this way!  LOVE IT!  This definitely increases my love for this tool!!

Have a stampy day!


Tam

Bubbles and Fizz Easter Treats

Happy Sunday ... ?

... hmmm happy?  I needed to think about that for a minute but yes, it is a happy Sunday.

The last two days have sucked.

Sucked HARD.

Today is a bit better - for that I'm grateful ... and happy :)

As you may have "heard", my very dear friend, and Stampin' Up! "upline", Tamye Dunbar, passed away Friday morning.

The news rocked my world, and the world of so many who knew and loved her.  I'm still very numb and the reality of the situation truly hasn't set in.  I'm in "do" mode.  What do we do to prepare for the next week ... and the next month.  What needs to be "done" to help her family and her friends to heal.  What needs to be "done" for her business and her team.  What do we DO?

Truth is, at this point, I have no idea what to do ... but I do know that I slept last night, for the first time in a week ... and that will help me cope a little better today.  I'm hoping that will help me focus a little better, smile a little more and be more patient and gentle ... both with my family and myself. 

So today IS a happy Sunday and I wanted to share a project with you that makes me happy ... these little Easter treats.  Check them out ...

They are SO cute!!  I take zero credit for these little cuties, as I CASEd them from Jen over at www.worldofjencraft.com

The star of the show is the AWESOME Bubbles & Fizz Designer Paper (one of the free paper options during the Sale-a-brations promotion this year - free with a minimum $60 CDN purchase) and the adorable little stamp set A Good Day ($25 CDN clear; $36 CDN wood)

This set coordinates with the two NEW punches in the 2018 Occasions Catalogue, the 1 1/8" and 1 3/8" scalloped circle punches, $21.50 CDN each ...

Jen does a great job of showing how these are made.  Check out her video!

The boxes are only 2" x 2" big, so they don't hole much - I put in 4 little Starburst fruit chews ... or it holds about 4 Hershey's Kisses ... but the treat really is the BOX, not what's inside it!

Today I will be spending time with friends ... and spending some time in my "happy place", crafting.  I need the quiet escape to help me heal.  Time to quietly reflect on my friend, our friendship, all the laughs we had together.  I will think of her and I will be happy for having the chance to have had her in my life for a short time.

Whatever you get up to today, I hope it makes you happy :)



Tam

You Move Me Butterfly Card

Happy Wednesday!

I'm off to the coffee shop shortly, to meet my friend (since Jr. High!) and downline gal-pal Vicki for coffee.  We're heading to Sherwood Park to a place called Common Ground Community Cafe - a not-for profit coffee shop!  We are heading there to check out the lay-of-the-land for an upcoming class.  Vicki and I volunteer for the Robin Hood Association which is anon-profit organization that is committed to excellence in assisting individuals with disabilities to achieve their personal best and experience a quality lifestyle.  Once a month we go an help some FABULOUS ladies learn how to make cards.  Next month we are taking the class on the road, and creating our projects at the Common Ground Cafe.  I'm looking forward to it! ... but we DO need to check out the space to wrap our heads around how we're going to run the class.

So that's what I'M up to this morning!  Hope YOU'RE doing something fun too!

Today I'm sharing another card we made at my Stamp-a-Stack last week.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this card!  It is SOOO versatile!!  You really can add almost any sentiment you like.  Check it out ...

I got the inspiration for the card from Susan Campfield.  When I saw this card I knew I HAD to CASE it!

The FIRST questions I had was "where the heck is that beautiful butterfly from???!!!" ... and I thoroughly expected the answer to be that it was a non-Stampin' Up! product.  I was DELIGHTED to find out not only that it WAS a Stampin' Up! product ... and that it was a CURRENT product ... but that I HAD this item in my stash ... I just didn't know it!!!  (yes, likely a sign of a problem *lol*).

The butterfly is from the You Move Me Bundle that is in the 2018-2018 Annual Catalogue.   The bundle is CAD $63.75.  The photopolymer set is $32 and the Thinlit dies are $39

See the two butterfly thinlits? Those are what are used to make the stunning butterfly.  Who knew!!!

Whilst I HAVE used the bundle once or twice, I used the pieces that were the main purpose of this bundle - a card that makes it look like the butterfly or hummingbird are fluttering by.  Check out the video here to check that out!

Now - the only tricky part to making the butterfly on this card ...

... is that you need to use both thinlits at the same time.  I do wish I had taken a picture while I was doing it (or while I was doing the 26 I cut for the stamp-a-stack!).  Essentially, you need to cut out the colored piece (yellow) using the solid outline die and then you need to cut out the black piece that you place over top of the yellow piece (with me so far?).  In order to cut out the BLACK piece, you need to use both the large outline die And the smaller detailed die together when you run the black crd stock through the Big Shot.  It was a little tricky and time consuming to line up the two dies together and no have the magnets move them when they ran through the machine.  The trick to THAT is using new, or flat, cutting pads.

another tip is to cover the back of your black card stock with a Multipurpose Adhesive sheet so that, once the butterfly is run through the machine, the black detailed piece is now a sticker and can easily, mess-free, be attached to the yellow piece.  I'm sorry of that's totally confusing.  You'll understand it if/when you go to cut one out and you do it wrong *lol* .  That's how I learned how to do it! lol.

The green piece is Old Olive (also looks nice in Pear Pizzazz) and it was run through the Big Shot using the Layered Leaves Dynamic Embossing Folder ($11.75 CDN)

Both that strip and the Basic Black strip were punched with the Triple Banner Punch to get the dovetail edge.

Of course ANY sentiments works well with this card - my favorite retired set EVER is the Sincere Salutations set.  I like it so much I have two of them *lol*.  I DO use them a LOT at my Stamp-a-stack events so yes, two sets ARE necessary!

I added a single rhinestone to the centre of the butterfly or some bling, texture and interest.  Done!

I hope you like it ... and start to look at stamp sets and framelits in ways other than their main intention.  Who KNOWS what you are missing!!!

OK - off I go for my coffee date.  Hope you have a stampy day!


Tam

Picture Perfect Party

Happy Tuesday!

Shhhhh - don't say it too loudly but this week seems a little light on the old schedule!  Of course there is ALWAYS something to do, but I don't have any burning items (... or not that I remember, anyway! *lol*)

Today I want to share some super quick, easy, CUTE birthday cards/layouts that I totally CASEd from Stampin' Up! Artisan Mercedes Weber.  Her blog post (and even a quick video!) can be found here

These are SUCH a great way to use the Picture Perfect Designer Series Paper Stack!  These use a 3" x 3" piece, which is half a sheet of the 6" x 6" page.  GREAT, cost effective use per sheet!  Not gunna lie - once I made these I did order up a few more packs of the paper!!

Gotta dash _ Doodle Dog is letting me know it's time for our walk!

Have a stampy day :)


Tamara

High Tide Sympathy

Happy Sunday!

I made some good progress on my presentation yesterday and then took half an hour to tidy the war-zone.  How is it possible to make SUCH a mess in so little time???  Today I want to go down and play with a few new stamp sets that have been in my cave for a few months now but still haven't seen ink!  Class is Friday night and I want to make something fresh and "spring'y" (as I stare outside at the 10" of fresh snow *lol*)

Today I'm sharing the ultimate masculine/sympathy card.  Quick, easy and lovely!

I can't take credit for the main design.  I have seen many versions on Pinterest and, to be honest, they are the reason I own this set!  I knew, when I first saw High Tide in the catalogue, that it would be a very popular set ... but it wasn't something I "needed" right away.  The lighthouse wasn't up my alley and I have sandpipers from another set already ...

I did order it, however, once I had depleted my stash of sympathy cards.  This set really is ideal for a gentle, soothing card.

It is, quite simply, a standard card base in whisper white and a layer of 3" x 4 1/4".  The layer has the corners rounded with the (retired) project life corner rounder punch.

The water is stamped directly on the card base in Marina Mist ink and then stamped in the middle of the layer.  I used a sponge to very lightly swirl some Marina Mist ink on the card base and on the layer.  I stamped the birds in Classic Archival Black ink and the sentiment is stamped in Island Indigo.  I added a few rhinestones to the water.

I made a few different versions of this card, adding a thin strip or card stock or glimmer paper to the left of the top layer, just to see if I liked it.  I decided against it for sympathy cards but for masculine cards it certainly is a nice option.

I highly recommend this set to have in your "keeper" pile.  It's one I think I will turn to again and again!

Right!  Off I go to walk Doodles, wrap up the first draft of my presentation and send it off to Donna Griffith at Head Office!  I hope you have a stampy Sunday.  Thanks for popping in :)



Tam

Stamp-a-Stack Cards

Happy Saturday!

It's an early start to the weekend for me, as I have a LOT of time-consuming work to do over the next 2 days (... so naturally I'm taking time to blog instead of doing said time-consuming work *lol*).

"What are you working on, Tamara??!!", I hear you cry.  Well ... did I mention I will be presenting at the On Stage event in Red Deer April 7th?  Yup - sure am!  Naturally, me being me, I found out about this honour in January but didn't start creating projects until a few weeks ago.  Ya ... and Stampin' Up! Head Office would like to see my projects and presentation outline Monday.  Alrighty then!  Guess I better get cracking on that! *lol*.  Now ... although I am nowhere near where I want to be I am SUPER STOKED (yes, my age is now showing using phrases like "super stoked") about the project I came up with yesterday.  Sadly, I can't share it with you for over a MONTH!!  Top secret work going on, dontcha know!!  You'll have to wait until after the event to see what magic I've come up with!

The On Stage projects have kept me busy this week and is one of the reasons I've been MIA for a while ... and why I may be MIA in the coming weeks.  Lots to do!  ... mind you, knowing me I'll be blogging MORE as I procrastinate ... 'cause that's the way I roll, Baby!

Thought I'd share the projects we made at my Stamp-a-stack last weekend.  Some of them are CASEd from other stampers, some are Tamara-originals.  All are quite lovely!

The easiest/quickest card is the sympathy one on the lower right hand corner.  My favorite and most time consuming one is the butterfly card in the top left hand corner.  Fabulous but prepping it took me about 2 hours!

I'll post details deets on the cards in separate posts ... over the coming days.  Right now I'm off to put on 7 layers of clothes to venture out into the fresh blanket of snow Mother Nature decided to send us over night.  I sure must love my dog!!  *lol*

Whatever you get up to today I hope you have a stampy day!


Tam