Wise Men From Afar for NC Blog Hop

It's the end of the month which means .... NC Blog Hop!  I haven't had time to participate in the blog hops in the last couple of months so I thought I'd make an effort this month!  Our theme is anything Christmas or Hanukkah.

I borrowed this stamp set, Wise Men from Afar, from my downline, Debbie, and made this beautiful card.  Black isn't a color you usually associate with Christmas cards but this one is an exception.  What do you think?

I stamped the kings in Black Archival Ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and using the Big Shot and my favorite, Stitched Shapes framelits cut the oval out.  Next I cut out two of the largest scalloped ovals from Black and Champagne cardstock.  (You really only need half of the black oval.)  I cut a 3" x 5" piece of Vanilla cardstock and layered it onto Champagne Foil paper which was then adhered to the black card.  Stamp the sentiment with Black Archival ink.  The star is punched using the Starlight thinlets dies with a small rhinestone in the middle.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have now changed gears and are sliding into Christmas preparations.  We had a great Thanksgiving with my daughter in town (from Hawaii!) and my family that are local at my house for the Thanksgiving festivities.  Of course, we all ate too much.  But to top it off, yesterday we went to my sister's house where we ate more!  Ashley and I made gumbo and my sister made 2 different chilli's in the crock pot plus another crock pot full of chicken!  After all that, we sat outside around their fire pit and toasted marshmallows for smores!   Ashley leaves on Sunday for DC for work for a week before flying back to Oahu.

If you want to order this great Christmas stamp set or any of the other items Stampin' Up sales, now is the time!  Sunday, Nov. 26 is the last day for the Online Extravaganza special.  BUT Cyper Monday (Nov. 27), SHIPPING will be free for all Stampin' Up! orders.  This is a great offer and gives you another day to check off everything on your wish list with FREE shipping!

Hop along to the rest of the blogs from our NC group.  Sue is the next stop along the hop.

Tamra Davis -

http://www.theCardLadies.com/nc-demos-blog-hop-will-swap-for-art/

Jo Anne Hewins -

http://luv2create.typepad.com/my_blog/2017/11/its-christmas-for-the-nc-demo-blog-hop.html

Tracie Evans Langley -

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/traciesallaboutstamping/blog?directBlogUrl=/blog/86481/entry/nc_demos_november_blog_hop1

Sharon Maranich -

https://inkiefinger.blogspot.com/2017/11/wise-men-from-afar-for-nc-blog-hop.html

Sue Root -

https://stampin-with-sue.blogspot.com/2017/11/nc-stampin-up-demos-november-blog-hop.html

Sue Stapp -

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/suestapp/blog?directBlogUrl=/blog/2152011/entry/n_c_demonstrators_november_blog1

Frances Wagner -

https://wagstamps.blogspot.com/2017/11/nc-demo-november-blog-hop.html

Christina Walker - http://papergears.com/wise-men-traveling/

November Stamp Club

We had Stamp Club last week and made two cards, our December calendar and a Birthday Reminder Box.

Here are the pictures and instructions:

2 pieces of Thick White Cardstock –

·        #1 measures 11” x 7”

·        #2 measures 7.5” x 6”

·        Score Piece #1 on it’s longer side & .5” / 3” / 8” / 10.5”

·        Use the Diagonal Score Plate & score at the 8” mark (see diagram)

·        Flip the page completely over (to the back side).  The first diagonal (@ 8”) should now be in the opposite corner.  Score again at the 8” mark diagonally.

·        Fold & cut off the corners

·        Add strong tape (Red Line or Sookwang tape) to the two 5” flaps on the side.

Piece #2: 

·        Score at .5” and 3” on the longer side. 

·        Turn 90 degrees and score at .5 & 5.5” on the shorter side.

·        Trim ½” flaps as seen in diagram

·        Place strong tape on ½” flaps.

Adhere Designer Paper to box before putting it together.  Side panels are cut 7” x 2 ¼”.  Front panel is 4 ¼” x 4 ¾”

·        Fold the ½” flaps up & align them along the inside back of Piece #1.  Adhere.

·        Fold in the “wings” and adhere them to the base flaps.

·        Fold up the front & adhere to the remaining ½” flaps.

To make the notch, measure in half-way from the sides & make a pencil mark.  Use a Circle Punch & punch a half circle.

You need 6 Dividers cut at 6” x 4 ¾”

DSP for the dividers is cut at 5 ½” x 4 ¾” – scored at 5.5” & 2”

If you want to make additional boxes (nice Christmas present!), here is the link to directions AND a link to printing the calendar inserts.

https://wizardshangout.blogspot.com/2012/06/lucy-birthday-card-keeper.html?m=1

Thanks to Marianne for this card!  She gave me the one on the right for my birthday in October.  I gave the ladies a choice between Wisteria Wonder and Fresh Fig.  This set comes with framelits but I did not use them on the card.  We just stamped directly on the white cardstock.

BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET

Supplies:

Ø  Ink:   (your choice)

·        Card #1 – Garden Green, Daffodil, Fresh Fig, Sugarplum

·        Card #2 – Wisteria, Daffodil, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green

Ø  Cardstock:  Whisper White, Fig OR Wisteria

Ø  Stamps:  Beautiful Bouquet

Accessories:   

Ø   Twine or Ribbon

Instructions:

·        Stamp stem with green ink.

·        Stamp flowers in your choice of colors.

·        Stamp sentiment of your choice.

·        Make a bow & adhere it with Glue Dots.

·        Adhere white cardstock to purple card.

This card is so much prettier in real life.  I actually got a new club member thanks to this card!  It was a great way to introduce everyone to the new Stampin' Blends!

VINTAGE LEAVES

Supplies:

Ø  Ink:    Black, Cajun Craze

Ø  Cardstock:    Very Vanilla (8 ½” x 5 ½” AND 5 ¼” x 4”), Thick white cardstock

Ø  Stamps:   Vintage Leaves, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Accessories:   

Ø   Stampin’ Up Blends Markers

Ø   Classic Label Punch

Ø  Woodland Embossing Folder

Ø  Leaflets Framelits

Instructions:

·        Run the smaller piece of Very Vanilla cardstock through the Woodlands embossing folder.  Adhere to card.

·        Stamp leaves onto Vanilla cardstock, color with Blends Markers & die cut. 

·        After die cutting leaves, use Blends marker around edges so white is covered up.

·        Adhere leaves to card – use dimensionals on some of them.

·        Stamp sentiment on scrap of Vanilla, punch out & adhere to card.

DECEMBER CALENDAR

Supplies:

Ø  Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Ø  Cardstock:  Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Be Merry DSP, White

Ø  Stamps:  Be Merry, Wrapped in Warmth (retired)

Ø  Cable Knit embossing folder

Instructions:

·        Run Green cardstock through Big Shot with Cable Knit Embossing Folder.

·        Stamp cup & lid onto Be Merry paper & cut out.

·        Cut a strip of Be Merry paper and wrap around middle of cup. 

·        Adhere cup & lid to green card.

·        Stamp sentiment in Cherry Cobbler; cut and mount with dimensionals

Online EXTRAVAGANZA

Each year, Stampin' Up! hosts a fantastic sale called the Online Extravaganza.  This year it begins on Monday, Nov. 20th and runs through Nov. 26.  Monday (11/20) there will be a special 24 HOUR door buster sale with lots of items for you to purchase.  Don't miss out!!

Click HERE for the list of items on sale!

Have fun shopping!  Please use my HOSTESS CODE when you place your order (located at top left of this blog).

Reserve your Stamparatus!!

Stampin' Up is full of big news these days!  After months and months of research, Stampin' Up has come up with the most innovative tool yet for perfect stamped image placement!  I know what you are thinking - you have seen these before.  Hey, I have a MISTI but I will be buying the STAMPARATUS!  You have not seen a tool quite like this one.  The Stamparatus (don't you love the name???)  will change the way you stamp and you will wonder how you ever did without it!

Why do YOU need one? You’ll fall in love with stamping all over again when you learn everything you can do with it!

• Make multiples with ease
• Consistently stamp crisp, clean images
• If you want a darker impression, apply more ink and restamp—no need to start over
• Make fewer mistakes, saving time and money
• Easily create 2-step, 3-step, and 4-step stamped images using reversible plates
• Develop new and specialized stamping techniques with adjustable stamping plates and precision placement

I need product details!

• Compatible with Stampin’ Up!’s red rubber and photopolymer stamp
• Foam mat to use with photopolymer stamps
• Rulers and gridlines for quick measuring
• 2 open sides so you can stamp on larger paper
• 2 reversible plates: a total of 4 surfaces to work with
• 2 magnets to hold the paper in place
• Magnet storage areas
• Retail Price–$49.00 USD/$65.00 CAD

Reserve now for the November 16 – 30, 2017 reservation window with delivery on or around February 1, 2018. The reservation window opens at 2:00 PM (MT) on November 16. While supplies last.

• Reservation quantities are while supplies last.
• You may participate in multiple reservation windows.  
• 1 tool per customer per reservation window.
• In order to reserve your Stamparatus, you are required to provide your credit card information.
• Credit cards will not be charged until the Stamparatus ships from our facility. When you close your order, be sure to verify that your credit card and shipping information is correct.

RESERVATION	AVAILABLE TO SHIP
November 16–30, 2017	Approx. February 1, 2018
December 5–30, 2017	Approx. March 19, 2018
January 15–30, 2018	Approx. April 15, 2018

Using Stampin' Up Blends

I shared the information about the new Stampin' Up Blends last week.  Now they are available for you to order them!!  I have ordered most of the colors and made this card using them.  I stamped and colored the leaves onto Thick Whisper White cardstock and had great results.

It was so easy to do the shading on the Vintage Leaves!  I used the framelits to cut out the leaves.  Next I took matching Blends and went around the edges of the leaves where it was white.  I used the Woodland Textured Embossing Folder to mount the leaves onto.  Simple card to make!!

Enjoy watching these videos that give you tips and tricks on using the new Blends Markers.

Perhaps you would be interested in the Color Me Happy kit which is available now!

Christmas Card Stamp a Stack

I will be holding my annual Christmas Card Stamp - a - Stack on Dec. 2 this year from 10 - 1:00.  This is always a lot of fun.  Once you pick the cards you want to make, I will cut all the card stock and do a lot of the die cutting in advance.  When you arrive, you will have a packet and complete your card.

I would love to have you join us if you live in the Mooresville, Newton, Sherrills Ford area of North Carolina!

I have kept the price the same for several years.  The price includes envelopes.

$35 for 20 cards   /   $65 for 40 cards   /   $95 for 60 cards

(amounts will be pro-rated for other quantities)

You can pick your cards from the ones below.  Please, when picking, make sets of 5.  Keep in mind that you can switch up the sentiments on most of the cards.  I will also have a lot of sentiments for the inside for you to choose from.

If you can not attend but would like a packet to do at home, contact me and we will work out the details.

WREATH 

CHRISTMAS QUILT

CHRISTMAS PINES

REINDEER

EMBOSSED SNOWFLAKE

SNOWFLAKES - PEACE

TIS THE SEASON POLKA DOTS

TIS THE SEASON PLAID

SWIRLY SNOWFLAKES

THREE WISEMEN