Stampin' & Scrappin' with Donna

HOLIDAY MINI: CARRYOVER ITEMS

Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Mini Catalogue will expire next Tuesday (January 3rd, 2012) and since it is the best Mini they've ever published, be sure to check it out one last time before those awesome products are G-O-N-E!

For your convenience, I've added a link to the online mini - just click on the cover photo to the left.

While you're doing that, keep in mind that a few items from the Holiday Mini will still be available after the catalogue expires ... click HERE to see a flyer of the CARRY-OVER ITEMS

And while you're perusing the soon-to-be-gone items, check out the ONLINE CLEARANCE RACK for some bargains, too!

Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year! Cheers,

 

 

'TIS THE SEASON...

Just like you, this week I am surrounded by wrapping paper, ribbon, glue, tags, cards, envelopes and stamps ... putting the last details on our family Christmas. I'm trying this year as always to shop locally, support sole entrepreneurs like myself, and keep Christmas simple, symbolic and home-made as much as possible.

I love this quote, which sums up how I feel about homemade gifts .. it comes from Lyssa Griffin Zwolanek:

"The point of handmade is not just that you did it cheaper or better or faster or cuter, or even that YOU had fun doing it. It's that you took a moment--an irretrievable moment that will never come again--out of your life, to make something heartfelt, for someone you care enough about to make sure they have a tangible reminder that you want them, personally, to have a great Christmas"

cheers and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

2 CHRISTMAS STAMP SETS GOING AT BARGAIN PRICES

Stampin' Up!'s ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA sale continues this week  - but only until Wednesday the 30th. Probably the best of the seasonal bargains to be had are these two Holiday Stamp sets:

                

 

Many Merry Messages - Regular Price: $42.95, Sale Price: $21.48
& Winter Post - Regular Price: $32.95, Sale Price: $16.48

Call or email me to be added to my next order going in this week ... or purchase these sets and a ton of other great EXTRAVAGANZA bargains through my online store - just click here to start shopping & your order will be delivered to your door by UPS! Just remember, the sale ends on Wednesday Nov 30!

cheers

SAVE 50% & 60% ON DESIGNER FABRICS

As part of Stampin' Up!'s current ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA SALE, designer fabrics can be picked up this week for a real bargain! Expand your crafting options with our new Designer Series fabric for a whole new look and range of project possibilities!

All of our fabrics are a perfect medium for creating all kinds of beautiful projects using the Big Shot machine and our large collection of dies.

■ Combines exclusive designs and colors with high quality fabric
■ Coordinates with other Stampin’ Up! products
■ Extra wide fat quarters
■ 100% cotton
■ Each piece measures approx. 28" x 18"
■ 3 coordinated designs

 

 

 

 

 

DECK THE HALLS, # 121716   regular price: $12.50,  SALE PRICE:  $5.00

CANDY CANE CHRISTMAS, # 121715  regular price: $12.50,  SALE PRICE: $5.00    

SPRINGTIME VINTAGE, # 121817  regular price: $12.50  SALE PRICE: $6.25    

SWEET STITCHES, # 121818  regular price: $12.50  SALE PRICE: $6.25

Sale ends Nov 30th ... order these and many other sale items through my online store, or call/email me with your order... happy shopping!

A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT...

That's an old saying my father used to say whenever someone didn't follow through on a promise and he had to hire someone else to do the work .... I used it with my kids too, but usually to say that they were too late with their chores so I did the work myself and kept their allowance (what a meanie I was!)

Today I use this old phrase with you to acknowledge that I dropped the ball yesterday - I DIDN'T send out the first of 12 Holiday Helper emails as promised, and I DIDN'T let you all know about Stampin' Up!'s pre-holiday ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA SALE which started yesterday - that was extra-bad of me because one of the items on sale was available only for the first 24 hours - phooey! I wonder how I can make that up to you? Keep reading...

I was totally out of commission due to a whopper of a migraine that conveniently started at the end of the Baby & Bump show on Sunday and finally faded away late last night. I remember all too much of Sunday night - being awake and in pain for most of it, but I really can't remember much about yesterday - I slept, medicated, drank water - then repeated the cycle all day long.

Today, other than some residual stiffness in my shoulders and neck, I'm back on my feet and working once again. You can expect the first TWO HOLIDAY HELPERS to be in your inbox by end of day today, and the rest will follow  - one each morning until they're done.

As for the ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA SALE - there are some pretty amazing specials, running from 20% to 60% savings on selected items, so it's definitely worth checking out!

Here's the link to view the flyer online

This event continues for 10 days - over the American Thanksgiving & Black Monday Sales - so we can enjoy some great savings up here in Canada too! Also included is a special offer for digital crafters: purchase MY DIGITAL STUDIO EXPRESS @ the regular price of $49.95 and you'll get your choice of a FREE Digital Download Bundle worth $42.00!! The bundle options are: 

Bundle #1: My Digital Studio Booster Pack  (item # 124484)

Bundle #2: Holiday Themed Downloads (item #129385)
    -Merry & Type Stamp Brush Set
    -Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper
    -Letters to Santa Embellishments
    -Baker's Twine
    -Dasher Stamp Brush
    -Holiday Harmony II Kit
    -Merry Delightful Digital Tape
    -25 & Counting Stamp Brush Set
    -Deck the Halls Designer Buttons
    -And a Happy New Year Photocard Template  

Bundle #3: Scrapbooking Themed Downloads (item #129386)
    -Day in the Lift Kit
    -Thoughtful Overlays Stamp Brush Set
    -Fun Flowers Shapes
    -Delightful Digital Tape
    -Sweet Details Alphabet & Numbers
    -Word Play Stamp Brush Set

To view a PDF of the images in each bundle, visit my online store and look under My Digital Studio Express.

The ONLINE EXTRAVAGANZA prices are available whether you place an order with me through a workshop, over the phone or email, or online through my website (use the link above to make sure you're at MY store and get the PREFERRED pricing)

NOTE: Digital items MUST be ordered online through my store as they are delivered to you online immediately after your purchase. This includes the MY DIGITAL STUDIO EXPRESS software with the FREE bundle offer.

Now remember that very special offer that was only on the table for the first 24 hours (like, yesterday)? Here's what we missed:

• 20% off SIMPLY SCORED (Item 122334, pg 7 of Holiday Mini) - reg. price: $38.95
• 20% off SWEET PRESSED COOKIE STAMPS (Item 125152) - reg. price: $20.95

Those are two of our most popular new items right now - and I feel badly that I didn't let you know about the 24 hour sale yesterday, so here's what I'm going to do: Anyone who places an order of $50 or more in the next 9 days (during the Online Extravaganza) can also purchase either of yesterday's items at 20% off and I WILL PAY the difference. If your order is $100 or more, you can purchase BOTH of yesterday's items and I will pay the 20% difference.

Enjoy your holiday shopping, and if you are a newsletter subscriber, watch out for your first two Holiday Helpers to arrive in your inbox later today!

cheers,



I can't believe the holidays are almost here! As a thank you gift to everyone on my email newsletter list, I am sending out a special gift - you will be receiving the 2011 Twelve Days of Holiday Helper projects from me - one each day for 12 days, starting on Monday November 21. If you prefer not to receive this gift, just let me know before the start date. If you aren't on my list yet, you can sign up for my newsletters in the upper left corner of this screen. I hope you like these projects and that they help you enjoy your holidays just a little bit more!

IT'S THE MOST BUSIEST TIME OF THE YEAR!

A little change to the well-known lyrics of a certain holiday song ... but so appropriate!! (I hope I didn't just get that tune stuck in your head for the rest of the day; he,he,he)

Last Saturday's Craft Sale & Open House at ARC Industries in Guelph was a great day - thank you so much to everyone who stopped by! My sister, who many of you know has Downs Syndrome, works at ARC and she loves crafts so we made some gift tags and rustic wooden stars (my, she really liked the hammering part - who knew!) and a few other trinkets and we set up a booth together. It was a real joy to meet all the people from her workplace and to see her excitement each time we sold one of "her'" items - the money went into a separate tin and she happily went off to spend it at the other booths during lunch. We made some good memories that day!

I'm holding another Paper Medallion Wreath class this Thursday, this time at the Clifford Library. I've also been working on a wreath kit for my SCRAP IT paper crafting line ... it should be available to purchase next week.

Saturday the 19th is our 35th wedding anniversary; hubby will be spending the day sleeping and the night working, while I will be setting up a booth with my down-line Joanna at "Christmas in Clifford" to intice you all to buy our ready-made holiday cards, gifts and decorations. It's at the Community Centre from 10 am - 3 pm.

Sunday the 20th I'll be at the "Baby & Bump" show at Bingeman's in Kitchener ... this one's a really great show for moms, prospective moms, grandmas, aunties, babies & toddlers! All the vendors have baby/toddler related products and services, plus there's live entertainment, demonstrations, and a crawling baby race! Being a new grandma myself, I can't wait to do some Christmas shopping when I'm not busy teaching the sweet little mom & me project that I'm prepping today. I got into this show at the last minute; (it's not even on my events calendar yet!) so if you can spread the word to family and friends, I sure would appreciate it! Here's the Baby & Bump link for more information; hope to see you there!

And on Monday November 28 I'll be running my annual 20 Christmas Card Marathon class - make 20 different cards for the holidays using 1/2 a Simply Scrappin' kit - envelopes included; all for only $25. I've booked us lots of space at Crafters Cupboard in Guelph so we won't feel crowded like last year, lol. RSVP quick so I have time to order enough kits for you and your friends!

There are more shows and more classes in November, but I'd better get back to cutting and packaging cardstock right now, lol. Check out my calendar of events - hope to create something with you this month!

WHAT A WHIRLWIND

The wind has been blowing leaves all around our house for the past week & the trees are almost bare, but at least the sun is finally shining today! This week's activities will be a whirlwind too ... I'm not quite over my cold but there's no more time to nurse it ... my inks, stamps and papers are calling to me, lol!

Tonight in Guelph I'm running my PAPER MEDALLION WREATH CLASS (aka lolly wreath) and we have room for a couple more folk. If you'd like to join the fun, just shoot me a quick email or phone call! COST: $25, TIME: 7-9 PM ... just wait til you see how much easier it is to make this wreath using the Simply Scored tool!

 

Thursday night I'm teaching my TRI-FOLD PHOTO CARD CLASS in Clifford - you'll get to make two different cards, plus have the written instructions to make more at home. These hold three photos and make great holiday cards to mail to far-off family & friends! COST: $15, TIME: 7-9 PM. Call or email me to reserve your seat!

 

And the grand finale of this whirlwind week will be the ALS SCRAPBOOK DAY OUT in Guelph on Saturday, October 22nd from ... are you ready for this ... 9 am til midnight!!!! (Yes, hubby & I will be staying in a hotel room in town afterwards) This event is raising money for a friend's mom who was recently diagnosed with ALS and will need a lot of specialized equipment down the road. The organizers have invited several vendors to be on hand, and have gathered some AMAZING prizes to raffle off throughout the day! I will have my Stampin' Up! booth there all day and night, with a try-it-out table, retired stuff for sale, AND I will personally be scrapbooking with MY DIGITAL STUDIO - you can watch along on the monitor! I'm donating 20% of all retired stuff sales and 10% of all catalogue sales that I make on the 22nd. Let me know if you are going to be there ... and if you haven't registered yet, I'm sure we can get a few more people in even at this late date, so give me a call or email if you want to join in the fun!

That's my week ... I'll need to rest up on Sunday, 'cause I have THREE MORE crafty events on my schedule for the following week ... you can check it all out here on my EVENTS CALENDAR

cheers

SNEAK PEEK @ MY OCTOBER CLASS PROJECTS

Make this festive PAPER MEDALLION WREATH for your own home or as a gift; your choice of Autumn colours as shown, or in Christmas colours.

DATE & TIME: Monday October 17th, 7-9 pm

PLACE: Crafters Cupboard, 430 Laird Rd, Guelph

COST: $25 (includes all supplies to make 1 wreath & written instructions so you can make more @ home with your own stash)

RESERVE YOUR SEAT ONLINE & PAY AT THE CLASS

*****************************************************************************************************

Make 2 TRI-FOLD PHOTO CARDS - one in Neutral Masculine colours as shown; the other in Traditional Christmas colours. This card folds to fit in a standard envelope (included), making them ideal mail-away gifts to far-off family & friends.

DATE & TIME: Thursday October 20th; 7-9 pm

PLACE: Wellington County Public Library, Clifford

COST: $15 (includes all supplies to make 2 Photo Cards & written instructions to make more @ home with your own stash)

RESERVE YOUR SEAT ONLINE NOW & PAY AT THE CLASS

***************************************************************************************************

Stamp 6 Monogrammed note cards (letter of your choice) & make a window box to hold all six plus their 3 1/4"x3 1/4" envelopes (included). Holiday Party Season is approaching ... this would be an ideal gift for the hostess ... maybe a Secret Santa gift at the office ... or how about one for your child's teacher or care-giver!

DATE & TIME: Monday October 24th; 7-9 pm

PLACE: Crafters Cupboard, 430 Laird Rd, Guelph

COST:$15 (includes all supplies to make 6 cards and 1 box, plus written instructions to make more)

RESERVE YOUR SEAT ONLINE AND PAY AT THE CLASS

cheers,

The Most Wonderful (and Busiest) Time of the Year

The Most Wonderful (and Busiest) Time of the Year

 Ah yes, it is that time of year ... back to school, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas ... and then there’s the new year and Valentine’s Day is not too far behind. It’s the time of year when the holidays seem to pile up on each other and our “To Do” List seems to keep growing. But don’t put card making or handmade gifts to the wayside.

Here are some reasons why:

It’s relaxing...

Take time for yourself to enjoy your hobby and check things off of your list of things to do at the same time. A fun gift to create are little treat boxes with the Matchbox Bigz XL Big Shot die (#114890), some labels, and the It’s a Wrap Holidays stamp set (#122770 - wood/#122772 - clear). Stamp the labels, wrap them around mini candy bars and put them into the Matchbox and they are ready to give. Embellish the Matchbox for an added touch. And don’t forget to enjoy some chocolate while you are stamping for some added relaxation.

It’s personal...

You can create cards and gifts that reflect your personality or that are personalized for the recipient. Handmade, stamped cards and gifts are the things that the recipient will hang onto long after the holidays are over. There is just something about the thoughtfulness of a handmade card or gift that makes it that much more special.

The new Stampin’ Card Keeper (#124107) makes a great gift filled with some handmade cards, and also makes a great way to keep organized during the holidays.

It’s festive...

Start a family tradition. Create wreaths for the different seasons or holidays as family and let each member of the family create and add a personal element. You can even incorporate Simply Adorned charms (#116799) into your project and family members can create different inserts to change with the seasons.

My pleated paper wreath class will be in Guelph on Mon Oct 17 and in Clifford on Thurs Oct 20; 7-9 pm. Visit MY EVENTS page to RSVP your seat online!

 

 

 

 

Pull out your catalogues, plan your projects, order your supplies, and then you will be ready for what the holiday season brings you. If you would like personal design assistance for your holiday projects, please contact me and I would be more than happy to help!

cheers,

 

 

 

INTRODUCING: "SIMPLY SCORED" SCORING TOOL & CLASS

I'm so excited about the newest tool in my Stampin' Up! toolbox, and as of today it's available to my customers too - WAHOO!!

What is it, you ask?

Stampin' Up!'s original scoring tool--designed exclusively by and for Stampin' Up! With etched grooves every 1/8", and the ability to score card stock up to 12" x 12", the Simply Scored scoring tool helps you create perfectly measured score marks.  It's great for creating multiple projects or projects with a variety of score marks!

Features of the Simply Scored Scoring Tool

• Comes with a high-quality stylus instead of a plastic bone folder.
  • Stylus is ergonomically shaped and features a comfort grip.
  • The high-quality metal tips on each end of the stylus--they come in two sizes--glide smoothly over your paper.
• Features a unique set of place markers that let you mark your score lines when creating multiple projects with the same score lines.
  • Includes three place markers.
  • Additional place markers can be purchased for flawless scoring.
• Includes a hidden storage compartment in the back of the base to hold your scoring tools.
• Accommodates card stock up to 12" x 12".

Here are some Product Details:

• Item 122334; $38.95
• Simply Scored includes
  • 1 scoring board
  • 1 stylus
  • 3 place markers
• Dimensions of scoring board: 15-1/8" x 13-1/4" x  1"

• Additional products available:
  • Simply Scored Stylus
    • Item  125624; $5.95
    • Dimensions: 5-7/16" (13,8 cm)
  • Simply Scored Place Markers (pack of 6)
    • Item 125625; $3.50
    • Dimensions: 1/4" x 1" (6,4 x 25,4 mm)

I love using mine on projects requiring a lot of score lines .. like box templates & fancy fold cards. It also makes adding background texture to your cards and pages a breeze!

And best of all, take a look at this beautiful wreath made of scored paper medallions designed by Stampin' Up! ... I love this wreath SO much that I'm featuring it in October's Paper Crafting Techniques class on Monday Oct. 17th in Guelph ... come join the fun!

And don't forget to contact me or shop in my online store to order your own Simply Scored scoring tool ... get a close up look on page 6 of the new Holiday Mini catalogue (#122334; $38.95)

cheers,

IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER

For the last three evenings wehave been busy sorting, pricing and setting up for my big Catalogue Launch and Tent Sale (minus the tent). Here's some things you can expect to see this Saturday:

• Retired Product Sale in the air-conditioned dining room (since the outside temp is an expected 38 degrees celcius on Saturday!!)
• Catalogue Purusing and Order Placing out on the deck (with lots of chairs & ice cold lemonade!!)
• Bake Sale out on the picnic table under the big umbrella (proceeds go to WEEKEND TO END WOMENS CANCERS)
• Select studio fixtures are being sold down in my basement studio (white boards, counter, folding tables, paper rack, etc - see the full list on the wall in the studio)

And here are some of the specials I'm running during the sale:

• Place an order from the new catalogue equal to the value of the retired products you pick out, and the retired stuff goes home with you for FREE! (Hint: shop the retired tables first for best selection, then get a total + order form & catalogue from my assistant, THEN grab a chair outside to write out your catalogue order)
• Single stamp sale (fill a container with the individual   stamps YOU want and pay a flat price for the container - $10, $15, $20 and $25 sizes available to choose from!!)
• Launch of my new line of SCRAP IT papercrafting kits - get an up close and personal look at my latest endeavour!!
• Sign up for any of my Clubs and get a FREE Hostess Set from the new catalogue, in addition to regular club membership perks!! (BIG SHOT CLUB, PUNCH CRAZY CLUB, CHRISTMAS CARD CLUB, or TECHNIQUE CLUB - 4 month committment required; clubs start in September in Guelph)
• Join in my RIBBON & DESIGNER PAPER SHARES - details were emailed earlier this week to everyone on my subscription list; many different product shares are available with five spots per product. As soon a list is filled, I'll order that product & deliver asap! (Mailing service is available for an extra charge if you live too far away to come in person - Canada only, please)

I've probably forgotten to mention something (and I'm sure my helpers will let me know, lol!) - but I think you get the idea ... it's the last Tent Sale I'll ever have here in Guelph, and there's so much going out the door that you can't afford to miss it!! The sale runs from 10 am til 1 pm ...

See you on Saturday!!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WONDERFUL

THE BAD: So if you follow/like/fan my Facebook Page (Stamping & Scrapping with Donna) you already know that I didn't make it to my Leadership Conference in Nashville this week after all. Family stuff was piling up and we decided this just wasn't the right time for a trip out of the country. Gotta be honest here - that was a VERY difficult decision to make!  : (

THE GOOD: Instead of moping around the studio tonight, picturing all my travel buddies having a grand time at Stampin' Up!'s wrap up party tonight (stamping, demos, food, music; you get the picture - sigh) I've called my downline Julie right here in Guelph and asked if I can crash her class tonight .. she graciously said yes and suddenly the day seems a little bit brighter - I get to stamp with good friends after all! We're making a desktop calendar tonight and yes, I WILL post pictures from the class!

THE WONDERFUL: Speaking of desktop calendars, I realized this morning that I never did show you what I made for hubby's stocking gift! Using My Digital Studio and Stampin' Up!'s new desktop calendar template and photos of our visit last summer to New Brunswick's Botanical Gardens, here's what I came up with:

I had the calendar printed through Stampin' Up!'s professional printing service, and I am really impressed with the quality of materials used - the spine and easel are very strong, and the card stock is a semi gloss that will stand up to finger prints, etc throughout the year. Plus, it folds flat for mailing!

To make the titles pop on the cover, I used a digital image of the Modern Label Punch, then I just adjusted the size and opacity of the punch and placed it behind my text boxes.

The template comes with the monthly titles and dates (I really like the font they used this year!) I added a photo behind the month & weekdays, then I slid the opacity scale up and down until I could read the words easily without the photo interfering. As a final step, I added a white strip as a top layer just below the month  - gives it a little pizazz, don't you think?

While the calendar is facing hubby on his desk, everyone walking up to him will see a coordinating photo facing them.

I wanted to use really bright and cheery photos for January's page. And it's so easy to put a photo inside a photo - it took only a few seconds! I dragged my first photo into place so that it would cover the whole page, then I placed a smaller photo in the corner, clicked on "add mat", changed the default mat colour from basic black to whisper white and presto!

All in all, I think the project only took me an hour, and most of that was deciding which photos I would use in each month. I experimented a bit and clicked on the "undo" arrow a few dozen times until I liked what I saw. Then it was "send to publisher", enter my credit card number and I was done.

 

Here's March, front and back views (I thought this photo was perfect for St. Patrick's Day!)

I'm pleased with the way this calendar turned out, and now we have a constant reminder of the wonderful day we spent roaming this beautiful park with our cameras ... that's a favourite pastime of ours.

(Even if hubby doesn't believe it, all of the photos in this calendar were actually taken by me ... not by the professional in the family!)

Hmm, I wonder if we'll still be taking so many nature photos once our first grandbaby arrives in the spring ... probably not, lol!

If you want to try out Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio software to see if it's your cup of tea, give me a shout and we'll set up a time to play with it in my studio. There are also lots of tutorials available for specific tricks of the trade - visit Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio online community for inspiration - it's free for everyone; just click on the link on the right side of this screen.

cheers

SAY GOODBYE

... to Stampin' Up!'s HOLIDAY MINI catalogue; the last day to order is January 3rd (gasp, that's coming up fast!)

Why not take advantage of my ongoing BOXING WEEK SALE to get the last of your favourites from the best HOLIDAY MINI we've had to date - hey, it's a frugal-good time to stock up for next Christmas!

cheers

A MERRY CHRISTMAS CARD

Wishing all of my scrappy friends a wonderful Christmas and all the best in 2011! Here's my MDS card to you:

1) card front  2) inside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Boxing Day I will post the remaining Christmas Countdow swaps for you, as well as a Boxing Week special that you won't want to miss ... just a little holiday something from me to you <wink>

cheers

DAY 19: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Here it is, Sunday already ... and less than a week to go before Christmas arrives ...

OK, true confession time: I'm a fraud. I actually wrote this last Thursday night and I basically haven't been home since I wrote it, what with final exams wrapping up on Friday and travelling on Saturday to the other side of Toronto and then heading north to attend several family functions this weekend including a surprise birthday party AND a Christmas concert .. lately my life is running on as long as this sentence has!

Good thing the next week will be quiet and relaxing - NOT! I still haven't finished my Christmas cards, let alone the shopping, wrapping and baking! I sure hope your pre-holiday days are in better shape than mine, lol!

Thank goodness for all the little gifts I've been opening this month; they remind me of the good friends I have and all that is truly important in life. That and stamping in my studio keeps the holiday stress at bay; without friends and creative outlets ... I'd be a basket case.

Speaking of gifts and good friends, here's today's swap surprise in the Artful*Inkers' Countdown to Christmas swap ... made by the effervescent Eva-Marie (aka Nathalie) waaaay up in Deep River, Ontario:

LOVE this colour combo: Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy and Whisper White. The box you've seen before - it's the very versatile Fancy Favour Box Bigz XL die (made by Sizzix exclusively for Stampin' Up!) and the snowflake embellishment on the front is also cut on the Sizzix Big Shot with the new Northern Frost Decorative Strip die, another Stampin' Up! exclusive.

I've included a pic of the back of the box to show you the all-over snowflake pattern stamped in Not Quite Navy Classic ink, and the punched holes to tie the box closed with ribbon. Once you've cut and scored this box on your Big Shot machine, it practically makes itself!

What's inside, you ask? Eva-Marie gave us all some lovely bath salts and some very unusual candies - I've never seen candy-coated chocolate sea shells before this; they remind me of little hermit crabs! Can't wait to dig into them as soon as we're back home.

I'll post again on Monday (this time in "real time") to share Dec 19th's surprise.

cheers

 

DAY 18: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Before anything else today, I want to send out wishes for a very Happy 80th Birthday to my hubby's dad up there in the Kawarthas ... we'll see you VERY soon!! (nudge, nudge, wink, wink .. shhhh, I've said too much already ... whew, it's a good thing he doesn't follow my blog ... at least I don't think he does - !??)

While I remove my foot from my mouth, why don't you take a look at today's surprise in the Artful*Inkers Countdown to Christmas swap?

Dusty W. in Cambridge wrapped up her gifts in confetti white tissue paper with a quick and easy belly band using Designer Series paper from one of Stampin' Up!'s Simply Scrappin' Kits, topped with a circle-punched stamped image.

Poking & prodding, squeezing and shaking - I still couldn't figure out what was inside; sure glad today rolled around so I could open it up, lol!

Dusty made these neat wrappers to hold a package of gum - which just slides in and out, easy as you please. (Just click on the pictures for a closer look)

I love how she used non-Christmas stamps to stamp an all-over design in traditional reds and greens - even the greeting isn't your normal holiday wish. Just goes to show you that the stamps in your stash can be very versatile if you just think outside the proverbial box. This little treat is going right into my purse, wrapper and all!

I'll be on the road tomorrow (shhhh, Donna - not another word or you'll spoil the surprise!) - but I'll still post Dec 19th's gift here for all of you to see.

cheers

DAY SEVENTEEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

OK, I'm not really here at my computer today ... I'm pulling a very long day at the University, proctoring exams. But, through the magic of modern technology I am still able to share today's Chirstmas Countdown treat with all of you ... (drat, I meant Christmas - spell check, don't fail me now!)

Now my friend Brenda S here in Guelph was all worried and stressed that her swap gift wasn't up to par with the rest; can you believe it? Her adhesive didn't want to cooperate .. she had to use patterned paper that isn't from Stampin' Up! to finish her swaps .. and I guess she felt rushed to get them done in time too - but hey, girl - we still love you! (Especially with all the sweet stuff that you got to fill up the bags - this is a serious amount of sugar and I for one am in heaven!)

It's good to know that I'm not the only one trying to use up my stash before I buy more ... and I'm not the only one who gets frustrated when I'm finishing stuff in the eleventh hour, lol.

  All I can say is I'm lovin' all the sweets that have been coming my way during this month of gifts ... I won't be overindulging during Christmas 'cause I've been sampling all along! (grin)

(PS - Brenda found the directions to make this paper bag purse on Split Coast Stampers.)

Check back tomorrow for Dec 18th's surprise ... with all the presents I've been opening each day, I'm thinkin' that we should have called this swap the 24 Days of Christmas!

cheers

 

DAY SIXTEEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Better late than never ... here's today's surprise in the Artful*Inkers' Countdown to Christmas swap ... made by my team mate Kimberly H from Alma, Ontario:

Purple, blue and white .. how fun is this colour combo?! I love non-traditional Christmas colours, Kimberly!

This folder is cheerful and mysterious .. I couldn't wait to rip it open (I'm not kidding!) to see what was tucked inside ..

.. and look what I found: a yummy packet of gourmet hot chocolate!!

Here's a closer look at how Kimberly made the slot to hold the hot chocolate in place:

She punched two small holes with her hand-held circle punch on either side of the folder, then cut two straight lines from each hole on the left to its counterpart on the right. Easy-peasy!

I can see making something like this to hold one of those chocolate covered marshmallow hearts for Valentines Day .. or how about a package of flower seeds for Mothers Day or Easter! Hmmm, I must keep that ideas stored away for later ...

See you tomorrow with Dec 17th's surprise!

cheers

ABC's OF A HANDMADE HOLIDAY: SALE ENDS THURSDAY

 

Last call for all the great holiday bundles at 20% off ... Stampin' Up!'s sale ends Thursday Dec 16th! Just click on the photo above to see the promotion details.

You can order up til midnight tomorrow using my ONLINE STORE, or if you prefer - email me with your order by 9 pm and I'll send it in for you.

I'll be sharing a new promotion with you on Friday December 17th ... mum's the word until then!

cheers

DEC 15: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Guess what ... I have another matchbox card to show you today - I told you it's a versatile project! <grin>

Brenda H had to mail us her swaps all the way from Ottawa (I'm thinking of you gals up there with all the snow you've been getting!!) You may not be able to see by the photo, but the Confetti Cream card front has been embossed using the Sizzix Big Shot and one of Stampin" Up!'s Sizzix Texturz Templates ... or is it an embossing folder? I'm too eager to see what's inside to stop and look it up in my catalogue, lol. The ornament punches are hung with Stampin' Up!'s Linen Thread, and there's some Old Olive Super Nova Stampin' Glitter on one ornament to give it the finishing touch.

Brenda made her matchbook card a little bigger than Karen's from yesterday. Why? Well, to hold a CD, of course! Brenda decorated a CD label with a cute snowman, lots of flakes and a greeting - now I'm not sure if she stamped the labels by hand and coloured them in or if she used the new digital CD Label template that Stampin' Up! just released for MY DIGITAL STUDIO .. I'll have to ask her!

At first I thought the CD was an ornament ... I checked the back; nope, no decorations there ... so for the heck of it I popped it into my computer and ....

Christmas music!!! Wahoo!!! I'm listening right now to a selection of Brenda's favourite carols by Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill, and a whole range of different artists - how kewl is that?!!! Thank you so much, Brenda!!

I'm getting really excited for Christmas now - can't wait to see what the next swap surprise brings! I'll meet you back here tomorrow and we'll open it together, ok?

cheers

 

DAY FOURTEEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Check out today's surprise in the Artful*Inkers' Countdown to Christmas swap ... made by Karen of Fergus (got it right this time, Karen & Sandra D!)

I love this card front - red glitter stripes, polka dots, and a clever use of stamps and scallop circle punches to make a wreath! Who'da thought Pirouette Pink and Baja Breeze would make perfect holiday colours along side Real Red and Garden Green - not me! (All supplies are from Stampin' Up!)

The most versatile card ever designed is the matchbook card - it can hold anything flat; I've used it in the past to hold a gift card, photo, invitation, recipe, candy, chocolate (which as we all know isn't candy but a food group), my business card, hot chocolate, microwave popcorn, perfume sachet, calendar, coupon, mini sewing kit ... well, you get the idea.

Look what Karen put into her matchbook card .. I'm gonna enjoy a lovely cuppa Lady Grey tea today while I finish up addressing my family's Christmas cards! Thank you, my friend!

Stay tuned tomorrow for the reveal of Dec 15th's swap surprise!

cheers

SIZZIX TRIPLE PLAY BLOG HOP: WEEK 6

Ooops, I did it again - I forgot to post the link to the week six of Sizzix' Triple Play blog hop ... which started last Thursday  .. December 9th (I'm so embarrassed, especially since I've been thoroughly enjoying my hop through the 50+ blogs - without sharing it with all of you... how rude of me!)

I'm here to make amends right now ... here's the link to week six- all the projects this week feature the Sizzix Bigz XL die called Album, Brackets. I think you're really gonna enjoy this week because I can see a lot of ideas we can adapt to use Stampin' Up!'s Sizzix Top Note Die instead - wahoo!

SIZZIX BLOG HOP, WEEK SIX:  Sizzix Bigz XL Die - Album, Brackets

Be sure to check out week six now so you are fresh and ready to see week seven's tour which starts this coming Thursday, Dec 16th! Week seven will be the final leg of the blog hop: I hope you've enjoyed seeing all the creative ways to use Sizzix dies as much as I have!

And the fun isn't over yet ... I just learned today that the Sizzix designers responsible for this blog hop will be launching a new website to continue the inspiration! Stay tuned for details...

cheers

DAY TWELVE: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Why is it that my day off ends up being busier than the rest of the week ... what's up with that? This is the first moment I've had all day to photograph and post December 12th's surprise, so since I've kept you waiting this long ... here goes!

My long time buddy Debbie in Brantford whipped up this package of goodies using her Big Shot die cutter and the Sizzix Pillowbox die in classic red and white Christmas colours.

Classy yet quick: Debbie attached a piece of red satin ribbon to the top side only, letting it drape over the edges. Then ends of the pillow box were held close with a bit of adhesive.

Inside I discovered some ribbons and candies ... yum! Thanks, Debbie!

I'm off to pre-post tomorrow's surprise so that it's here first thing in the morning!

cheers

DAY ELEVEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

10 gifts down and 15 to go ... that's right, there are only fifteen days until Christmas Day!

Today's gift is one of my favourites because it looks soooo dificult to make but with a Sizzix Big Shot machine, it's a breeze to whip up a bunch in no time flat!

CORRECTION: Sandra D, near London made these nifty snowflake candle holders for everyone in our team swap - aren't they great looking? These can be cut from any thin metal, from pop cans to aluminum flashing to copper sheets - the Big Shot can handle them all!

If you look in the centre you'll see that Sandra used an eyelet to hold two snowflakes together (rotate a quarter turn to slightly offset the snowflake points) and then gently bent each snowflake point upward, forming a cup to hold the tealight candle in place. Very kewl!

I'll be back tomorrow with December 12th's goody!

DAY TEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Today's surprise in the Artful*Inkers' "Countdown to Christmas" comes from Wilma in Kitchener - another great way to make treat bags with Stampin' Up!'s mini paper bags (featured in the Holiday Mini catalogue).

Wilma added some special touches: the Bashful Blue card stock has been embossed with the Northern Flurry Sizzix embossing folder to give some added texture; a half circle of velcro holds the flap closed & keeps the goodies tucked inside; the petal card punch was used to create the pocket on the front, and a white grosgrain ribbon handle adds the finishing touch. Oh, and don't forget the glitter on Frosty's hat and scarf!

Thanks Wilma for an adorable little gift bag in a really sweet colour combination!

We're almost halfway through the Christmas Countdown - and there have been some amazing hand-crafted creations so far ... wouldn't you agree? I can't wait to see what's still in store!

cheers

 

DAY 8: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

I'm pretty late posting about today's gift in my team's Countdown to Christmas swap, but it's only 10 pm my time ... so technically it's still December 8th!

This little gem was created by Tania of Guelph. I love it because it's easy and inexpensive to recreate ... I think I'll make one for every place setting on Christmas Day! Tania told us she used duct tape from the hardware store - not the Red Green/man's best friend kind of duct tape, but the real thing that's used to seal heating ducts - it's a really thin silver metallic tape that cuts & embosses in the Big Shot like a hot knife through butter, and it's got adhesive on the back so you just need to peel and stick! Don't you think it's perfect for making detailed little snowflakes?

Oh, and I need to correct something from yesterday's gift. Deb explained that the snowflakes on the ornament were cut from Stampin' Up!'s Sizzix Adhesive Sheets, then she stuck them down and then added glitter - much less mess than trying to stamp on little round ornaments (been there, tried that).

Thanks girls for showing me two more things to make with the "Northern Frost" Sizzix Decorative strip die ... now I REALLY NEED to buy that one too! <grin>

I'll be back tomorrow with Day 9's surprise ... it's so heavy and in a plain box so I have no idea what it can be!

cheers

 

NEW DIGI DOWNLOADS FOR MDS

The latest digital downloads from Stampin' Up! are here -- and more are on the way for the month of December! There's even a desktop calendar kit for 2011! If you would like to view the complete list of My Digital Studio download offerings, go to my ONLINE STORE and click on Digital Crafting!

Item	Description	Image	Price
125148	2011 Notable Desktop Calendar Kit		$18.50
125145	Calm and Bright Photo Card Template		$2.50
125146	Holiday Greetings Photo Card Template		$2.50
125147	Good Cheer Photo Card Template		$2.50
123968	Leadership 2011 Stamp Brush Set		$2.50
123981	Serene Snowflakes Stamp Brush Set		$2.50
123982	Blueberry Crisp Designer Series Paper		$6.50
123987	Woodgrain Stamp Brush		$2.50
123985	Woodland Walk Designer Series Paper		$6.50
123986	Just Believe Stamp Brush Set		$7.95
123983	Curly Cute Stamp Brush Set		$4.95

DAY SEVEN: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Today's gift has a triple surprise .. a beatiful shimmery hand-stamped box, a glittery hand-stamped ornament inside and  (wait for it) ... CHOCOLATE! What more could a gal want in a gift, I ask you?

Deb from Cambridge did such a pretty job on the red box, stamping snowflakes all over it & then adding shimmer mist, I think. Anyway, the photos won't do it justice; it's sooooo pretty IRL. The belly band is crimped and the medalion is make of no less than THREE different punches!

Inside, I found a beatiful red ornament with stamped & embossed snowflakes all over. It's sooo pretty! And the chocolate .. well it disapeard in a hurry, suffice it to say. <grin>

Thanks Debbie for sharing such a wonderful gift with us - you rock!

BE sure to drop by tomorrow to see December 8th's surprise in the Artful*Inkers' Countdown to Christmas.

cheers

 

DAY SIX: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Today is a VERY busy day - after my Cards & Coffee class with the seniors, I'm off to the University for the rest of the day. Yep, it's exam time again - good luck to all the students who had the misfortune of getting their first final on the first day of finals  : (

I'm so glad I got to start off the day by opening yet another little package; this time from team mate Amanda of Guelph - I've been eyeing this package all week, trying to guess what's inside, but not wanting to get it right and ruin the surprise, lol! Simply wrapped in white tissue paper with Cherry Cobbler ribbon ... well that should have given me a clue as to colour at least! I LOVE Cherry Cobbler, and judging by your orders, so do a lot of you out there!

OK, on to the reveal... Amanda: I LOVE what you did with this plain little notebook; it's sooooo me! The edges are all sponged in Cherry Cobbler, the Decorative Label punches and the Snowflake  punch in Old Olive make a striking statement, and youo didn't forget the bling either - LOVE the red glitter brad in the center of the snowflake... stitches around the label (which says Holiday Planner - I'm guessing designed on My Digital Studio) and some Cherry Cobbler ribbon along the spine - it all adds up to a neat little book that's going right into my car so I can keep all my holiday notes with me on trips to the mall (this is the only season I'll go mall hopping - I hate the crowds but I love the decorations and music!)

Amanda, you've already taken some of the stress out of my next shopping trip - luv ya girl! Lets stamp together soon, ok?

Join me tomorrow everyone as I open and share the gift labeled Dec 7!

cheers

NEED A GIFT IN A HURRY?

Here's a basic gift card holder all jazzed up - one of the many items I made for this year's circut of Craft Shows.

I have four left of these simple gifts - inside you'll find a package of tea in a coordinating shade of Cherry Cobbler and room to add a gift card from your favourite coffee shop .. what a geat way to thank the person who drives you to work (even the bus driver!) ... or how about the school librarian, the deliver person to  your door ... your neighbours who just moved in to the neighbourhood.

Now I know you love to stamp and create these things yourself, but let's have a little reality check: time is a tickin' away. It's December 5th and you know what that means  - you have only 19 days to get it all done, wrapped and under the tree.

If you need a quick teacher gift or something for the paper deliverer, I've got you covered. Just drop by my studio during any of my posted OPEN STUDIO HOURS and shop my hand-stamped gifts and cards to find just what you need. Including chocolate... 'nuff said. See you there. <grin>

cheers

GLITTERY GIFT TAGS

... from today's Craft Sale at the Royal on Gordon Retirement Home ...

SUPPLIES: retired Stampin' Up! stamps & Designer Series papers; heart brads: unknown source; glitter brads and tinsel garland are from Stampin' Up!'s current Holiday Mini catalogue.

 

 

cheers,

DAY FOUR: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

And the gifts just keep on coming! Here's the adorable treat I received for Dec 4th, made by the talented Vanessa of Mississauga ... isn't he cute?

And he's functional, too! Check out the side view photo to see how he's put together. Inside I discovered some delicious candy canes in not-so-traditional colours - I guess the only way to guess the flavours will be by a taste test ... yummy!

Thanks Vanessa for such a sweet gift idea! I'm thinking he'd be just as cute filled with note cards or gift tags too ... you know, for the non-sweet types on our gift lists <wink>

I'll be back tomorrow with December 5th's surprise in the Artful*Inkers' Countdown to Christmas.

cheers

HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZA & MERRY CHRISTMAS

... all rolled into one song by some VERY TALENTED singers called 'Straight No Chaser" ... enjoy!

 

DAY THREE: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Ok, before you look at today's gift, check out the tag on the little bag it came in ... designed on My Digital Studio so that it was a) personalized for today's date, and b) would fit exactly on Stampin' Up!'s Decorative Label punch - easy to do because you can download all of the digital punches onto the My Digital Studio software and size your text box to fit!

OK, on to the really good stuff .. meet Michelle, from Guelph. She's my over-the-top, uber-talented, how did you come up with this team mate. Just take a look at her project and you'll see what I mean... (and remember, you can click on any photo here to see it up close and personal) ...

 

Isn't this wonderful? Look at all the little details - the paper rose, the tag in the pocket, the ribbon and button, the punched border on all four sides of the box, and the window that shows the contents ... mmmm, Rochers for breakfast; my favourite!

I am truly humbled... when Michelle opens MY gift today, all I can say is ... "Do-over, please! I'm not worthy!"

December 4th's goody will be revealed here tomorrow!

 

cheers

 

 

DAY TWO: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

Oh my, this deal of opening little presents from my Stampin' Up! team is really very addictive - it's all I can do to stop myself from opening all of them in one sitting!

It's day two of our team's Countdown to Christmas, and today's gift came from Janessa in Guelph.

It's so detailed! The front is either 3x3 or 4x4 - my ruler is buried somewhere on my craft table - and it's double-creased all around the edges to give it just a little bit of depth so that the inside folder can slide out easily.

This gem is perfectly designed to hold a gift card or in this case, Janessa's business card (clever girl!) There's a mechanism inside that somehow stops the innards from sliding all the way out .. I hope she's gonna share the instructions because I'd hate to have to take it all apart to figure it out (been there before and done that to death!)

I've been to some of my team-mates' blogs today and it appears that Janessa stamped several different designs on her swaps. I really like the elegant look of this one .. hmmm, wonder how come I got the "sophisticated" looking gift while others got the playful, whimsical ones? Maybe 'cause I'm the team mom & most of my gals are so much younger than I am? LOL!

Come back tomorrow to see the next little treat!

cheers

 

SIZZIX BLOG HOP, Week 5

It's the first day of this week's Triple Play Blog Hop and I'm giddy with excitement! The featured die this week is their BigzXL 3D Pop-Up Gift Card Holder ... not the one that Stampin' Up! carries, but I'm sure hoping some of the ideas will be re-creatable with ours too!

Here's the link:

Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop - Week 5 - Gift Card Holder

Enjoy!

DEC 1st: CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

OMGosh, am I ever glad to see the back-side of November ... it was such a horrible month - full of bad news for so many of my friends and family. And in traditional style, I ended it yesterday with a triple header involving cars, neighbours, and computer glitches that ended up costing me $$$.

But it's now December; the bad vibes are gone (BE GONE, I SAY!) and it's time to focus on & celebrate all the goodness in our lives!!!

The Artful*Inkers (my team of Stampin' Up! demonstrators) organized a really fun swap for December. Each one of us make up little goody bags/gifts/surprises for one specific day this month, leading up to the BIG present day on the 25th. How kewl is that?!

And today I get to open my first gift!!!!!!

The photo at the top of this post is just a little teaser ... the first 10 days worth of goodies - don't they look terrific? My gals are sooooo talented (that's who I get a lot of my ideas from; seriously!)

Each day I'm going to post the unwrapping of a little treasure here so that you can enjoy right along with me ... and maybe get some ideas for those little gifts you still have to make this month!

And now it's time for December 1st's treat ... created by Samantha in Carlisle. Check out the cute little paper bags from the Holiday Mini, all stamped with tiny snowflakes in Whisper White craft ink.

And how cute is that snowman - made from punches!! Even the tag is adorable; it is stamped "Do Not Open Until" and the date is handwritten ... too cute!

And inside, I found this beautiful blue sparkly star ornament, which I've already hung on my computer screen to start the month off in a festive light. Wouldn't it be easy to whip up a batch of these little bags with the kids for their teachers, sitters, crossing guards, bus drivers, neighbours & friends? An inexpensive way to teach them this season is about giving as well as receiving, and have some fun quality time with mom or dad, too!

Thank you, Samantha for sharing your creativity with the rest of us!

I'll be back tomorrow with December 2nd's surprise of our Christmas Countdown; see you all then!

SIZZIX BLOG HOP: WEEK 4 IS ALMOST OVER

Hi all,

If you are a frequent visitor here @ Stampin' & Scrappin' with Donna, you know that

a) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my SIZZIX BIG SHOT die cutting/embossing machine!!

and

b) I'm thoroughly enjoying the current SIZZIX Triple Play Blog Hop, which has 50-60 different designers & crafters of all ilk (or is that ilks?) using the same featured die each week - talk about variety!

Even though Stampin' Up! doesn't carry the specific dies that have been featured in this blog hop (so far) - it's still a great way to learn to look at dies differently and to see all the different mediums you can use with the Stampin' Up! Sizzix dies that you DO OWN!!

I forgot to post when week FOUR started last Thursday, so I'm giving the link to you today so you all have the chance to hop through the blogs to see this week's projects BEFORE they change it to a new die on Thursday Dec 2nd! Oh, and while I'm at it, here are the links to weeks 1, 2 & 3 - so grab a cuppa your favourite hot beverage, tuck your feet up under your quilt, keep warm, and ENJOY!

Triple Play Blog Hop:

WEEK FOUR - Frame & Frame Back with Stand Scoreboards Pro Die

WEEK THREE -Beauty Bloom Originals Die

WEEK TWO -Twist Cube BigzXL Pop-Up Die

WEEK ONE - 3D House Scoreboards Pro Die

cheers,

 

SPOTS ARE FILLING FAST...

Dec's Stamp-a-Stack Card Kit is ready! 10 Quick & Easy cards with envies for $25 ($15 for 40 Carat Club members & Artful*Inkers team) ... pick the Open Studio date/time that works best 4 U - call/email me 2 book now!

ISN'T THIS THE KEWL-EST CARD?

Just wrapped up tonight's session of GIRLS NIGHT OUT - lots of laughs and lots of creativity floatin' around the room ... I feel so inspired right now! Some of the gals are returning tomorrow for the 10-10-10 crop, so they just left their stuff here in the studio.

We welcomed a new-to-town stamper who was working on some amazing cards using the "Vintage Ornaments 1" set of decor stencils by Stampin' Up! She was so generous, letting us use her stencils to try it out (I gotta get me some of those stencils now, for sure!) They're in the back of the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure if you want to check them out for yourself.

Thanks Rhonda; we're sure glad you left Manitoba & that you came out to stamp with us tonight!

cheers,

UPDATE: NOV SPECIALS

Wow, there's a lot going on with Stampin' Up! this month - and it's ALL GOOD NEWS for you!

1) The HOLIDAY BUNDLES SPECIAL continues through the month - however due to quality issues with the Ornament Punch, Stampin' Up! has discontinued the "Tags Til Christmas 2" bundle for the duration of the sale. All the other bundles are still available, including "tags Til Christmas 1" with the Decorative Label punch. Great savings are to be had if you order now! Sale ends DEC 16th.

2) HALF PRICE STARTER KITS - the sale continues, but only until Wednesday Nov 30th ... only five days left to purchase either the STANDARD Starter Kit or the DIGITAL+ Starter Kit at 50% off. Imagine, never paying full price for all of your Stampin' Up! purchases again, introducing your family and friends to your love of stamping, and being a member of the most fabulous bunch of Stampin' Up! demonstrators in all of Canada ... my team, the amazing ARTFUL*INKERS!

3) ONLINE SPECTACULAR SALE - save 30-40-50% on selected items, including Sizzix dies, fabric, My Digital Studio, alphabet stamps, NEW BUNDLES, ribbons, brads, Decor Elements, punches and a whole lot more! Plus, if you place a $200 or more order through my ONLINE STORE you'll get FREE SHIPPING, right to your door via UPS! Hey folks, if you're a frugal stamper like me (and who DOESN'T like to save money, especially at THIS time of year?) then you better check out this sale today! Offer ends Nov 30th.

Placing just a small order? Let me do it for you and save on shipping .. call or email me by Saturday night; that's when I'm sending in my next order. (Canada only)

cheers

ONLINE SPECTACULAR

Stampin' Up!'s brand new Online Spectacular Sale starts today - save 20% - 30% - 40% - even 50% on selected products and bundles when you order online with me as your demonstrator!

Wrap up your Holiday shopping in one easy visit ... have your purchases delivered right to your door by UPS ... and orders over $200 receive FREE SHIPPING!

Let's get started ... the sale ends Wednesday November 30th!!

ONLINE SPECTACULAR SALE FLYER            SHOP ONLINE HERE

NEW IN DECEMBER

I've been working on a new concept for my IN-STUDIO card classes that would be more flexible for you and easier for me to prepare... and with December's hectic holiday schedule, NOW is the perfect time to launch my new idea!

It's a two-part plan: first, let me tell you about my new OPEN STUDIO HOURS:

I've blocked off six different dates during December to open my studio to everyone who has holiday cards and gifts to finish making, with full access to my tools, stamps and inks.

Working together with friends and family, nibbling on shortbread while some festive music plays in the background sounds good, doesn't it? You'll enjoy each other's company as well as the creative process at my studio, without the usual distractions from home. It's an opportunity to connect, slow down, and enjoy the true joys of the season.

Now for the second part of my plan, new STAMP-A-STACK CARD KITS:

10 Quick and Easy cards, 2 each of five different designs, all pre-cut and ready to create!

COST: $25

(40 Carat Club members & Artful*Inkers team members will receive a $10 discount - limit one kit)

Some people find making holiday cards a fun tradition and some find the thought a bit overwhelming. I can understand that. As much as I love stamping, the thought of making a bunch of cards during the busy holiday season can seem like a challenge — so I've come up with a solution to help ease the holiday madness.

Purchase December's STAMP-A-STACK Card Kit and come to my studio during any of the OPEN STUDIO dates to work on them at your own pace, using my tools, stamps and inks.

All you have to do is email me to reserve your kit and studio time (48 hrs notice is required). I think in these busy days, this will be a better way to offer classes where you can pick the date and time that suits yoru schedule .. look forward to a new STAMP-A-STACK CARD KIT each month in 2011.

cheers,

PHOTO CHRISTMAS CARD

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and sending out holiday cards is on the top of everyone's to-do list! Check out our adorable Holly Jolly card for inspiration, then get to work creating your very own Christmas cards using our amazing My Digital Studio software! (Click here to see a list of our NEW low prices for greeting cards, trifold cards, and postcards.)

Once you've finished designing beautiful holiday greetings for friends and family, you'll be ready to help Santa make this the best Christmas ever with photo books, calendars, and journals that you design yourself using My Digital Studio! To ensure that your order arrives in plenty of time for sweet holiday gift giving, please note the following:

• Order by December 1 for arrival by December 21.
• Due to possible shipping delays during the holiday season, we recommend placing all orders needed in time for December 24 by December 1.

cheers

HOW FESTIVE!

Another batch of festive digital downloads has arrived--just in time for holiday scrapbook pages and cards! If you would like to view our complete list of My Digital Studio download offerings, go to the Digital Crafting page in my Online Store.

 

Item	Description	Image	Price
123957	Seam Binding Ribbon		$2.50
123959	Deck the Halls Designer Buttons		$3.75
123963	Come to Bethlehem Stamp Brush Set		$2.50
123727	Bright Christmas II Stamp Brush Set		$4.95
123962	Welcome Christmas Stamp Brush Set		$4.95
123958	A Word For You Stamp Brush Set		$4.95

MY DIGITAL STUDIO HAS THE ANSWER

What's the question?

How do you create your own beautiful Christmas cards, tags, scrapbook pages and gifts without spending a fortune and too much of your precious time, ending up with bits of paper, glitter and glue spread all over the place?

My Digital Studio (MDS) is easy to learn (you can handle Microsoft Word, right?) and has a ton of ideas already built in.

How about making a calendar of your favourite 2010 photos on the monthly pages - embellished with your favourite Designer Series Papers and stamps from the current catalogues? Grandma would love getting that for Christmas - and afterwards she can slip the pages into a scrapbook to enjoy forever!

Or why not make invitations to your annual Holiday Party ... Christmas cards with your family photo ... holiday recipe cards to tie onto your homebaked goodies ... personalized gift tags ... a CD of this year's  Christmas Concert photos ... your 2010 recap newsletter for far-away family and friends ... heck, I could go on forever!

Design from scratch or use pre-designed templates; it's your choice. Need help getting your project started? I'll be glad to sit down with you and show you the ropes.

The software package (item #118108, $106.95) comes with a ton of paper, stamp, punch and embellishment options ... and Stampin' Up! releases new downloads every month; check out the newest releases here, then give me a call to order your copy of MY DIGITAL STUDIO!

New Digital Downloads for My Digital Studio

Our most recent digital downloads are here, and more are on the way for the month of November! If you would like to view our complete list of My Digital Studio download offerings, go to the customer homepage, click on Store, then Digital Crafting.

 

Item	Description	Image	Price
123949	Tags til Christmas Stamp Brush Set		$7.95
123950	Jolly Jingles Stamp Brush Set		$9.95
123951	Decorative Label Punch		$1.25
123952	Medium Oval Punch		$1.25
123956	Christmas Cheer Digital Kit		$12.50

AWOL FOR A GOOD REASON

Did you miss me? I sure missed posting and chatting here with all of you too! But it was for a good reason ... I am married to a Hallowe'en fanatic! It took a couple of days to get all of hubby's decorations up - we're talking multiple strings of orange lights, eight or nine so big blow-up creatures, the haunted mailbox, the talking witch and assorted bits and pieces. Can you see my Stampin' Up! logo in the window?

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had so much fun with all the kids (and parents) who came trick-or-treating that we forgot to take any pictures of them  :(  The little ones were adorable - especially when they climbed the steps and discovered our little mummy by the front door - he's just their size and he would start to dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" whenever someone walked past him. A couple of the little ones just stood in front of him and danced right along; it was priceless!

 

We had fun with the older kids too - challenging them to cross the footbridge and take the trail down the side of our house to see what was down there. Most of the parents went for it, dragging their hesitant little ones along - it was dark, after all. But the best were the groups of young teens. After a bit of pushing and posturing in front of their friends, most of them declined to take the trail. Then they'd travel up the sidewalk and peer through the bushes to see what they missed ... a big Monster Truck was all, complete with roaring engine sound effects. I loved messin' with their heads, lol.

Now Hallowe'en is over for another year, and it's time to focus all my attention and creative energy towards ... CHRISTMAS!! See, up here in Canada we've already had our Thanksgiving, so Santa: here I come!

Here's a couple of Christmasy cards I don't think I've shared with you yet. These are cards that I've received in card swaps with other demonstrators or saw on display at Stampin' Up! events over the last eight weeks or so, and the little punch art mouse is a card we made at my CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY Class - last one is Nov 24th, folks. Have you signed up yet?

 

 

 

 

 

 

cheers

 

DECK THE HALLS

Two quick cards to show you today, featuring Stampin' Up!'s "Deck the Halls" designer series paper -I love the retro look (it brings my childhood Christmases back to mind!) These two cards are ALMOST identical, but not quite ...

IEveryone is making gathered ribbon to add to their paper projects lately, and when I spotted this layout in the Nov/Dec 2010 issue of PaperCrafts magazine, I was inspired to try it for myself.

For the card on the left, I pulled a thread at one end of my "Very Vanilla" satin ribbon, while on the card to the right I layed down a piece of "Sticky Strip" adhesive and looped the satin ribbon as I worked my way along the adhesive.

Both techniques have their benefits: the tape method is quick and easy while the pulled thread method looks more authentic (in my opinion).

However, I had the Dickens of a time (did you catch the nostalgic reference to Christmases past? GRIN) keeping the ends of the ribbon from smoothing out again. I tried knotting the pulled thread, using the green bottled Tombow glue (that stuff works on everything!) Heck, I even melted the ends with a lit match - but then it unravelled again while I was attaching the ribbon to the card.

Still, I now have two more cards finished for mailing so its all good.

SUPPLIES USED: (100% Stampin' Up! products)

• Whisper White card stock
• Deck the Halls designer series paper
• Very Vanilla Satin ribbon
• Holly & Jolly Rub-Ons
• Sticky Strip adhesive

Just a reminder ... "Deck the Halls" DSP is included in two of the Holiday Bundles that are on sale right now for 20% off - you get the pkg of DSP and a punch! Order now so you have time to make your own "Perfect Handmade Christmas"

cheers

 

12 DAYS OF HOLIDAY HELPERS

I can't believe the holidays are approaching so quickly! As a "THANK YOU" to all my newsletter subscribers, I will be sending out a SPECIAL GIFT ... 12 days of HOLIDAY HELPER PROJECTS on a daily basis, starting on November 1st.

If you would prefer not to receive this gift, please let me know before the start date on Nov. 1st. If you aren't a subscriber yet, just click on the link labelled "SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER" and you will receive the HOLIDAY HELPER PROJECTS too!

I hope you enjoy these projects and that they add some fun to your holiday preparations ... if you have any questions about the projects or would like some help ordering the supplies to make them, just give me a call or email and I'll give you a hand ... that's what I'm here for!

cheers