NC Demo Sale-a-Bration January Blog Hop

Creative minds have been at work here in North Carolina!  Welcome to our monthly Blog Hop. I hope you are getting lots of inspiration from the NC demos blog hop today.  Our theme this month is Sale-a-Bration, which means a FREE project for every $50 purchase from Stampin' Up.

I am sure as a paper crafter, you are probably aware of the popular new craze called adult coloring books.  The book publishing geniuses really hit the mark when they started offering coloring books for grown-ups.  A lot of us didn't even know how much we secretly missed them!   Not only is coloring super relaxing and fun, but it also takes us back to simpler times - when all we had to worry about was making sure we put our toys away.  As a child, coloring and paper dolls were my favorite things!  I didn't play with baby dolls or do sports, but give me a coloring book and I was happy.  It was so fun to get a new pack of crayons and try out all the colors - especially if you got the super big package!!  Fast forward to our new Sale-a-Bration catalog and guess what?!  Yes, a designer paper just begging to be colored.  It is Stampin' Up's! answer to this fun, out-of-the-blue craze.  The Inside the Lines Designer Series Paper leaves you with the opportunity to make the colors of each paper your own.  Think of all the ways you can use this paper!

I have chosen to highlight the Inside the Lines DSP for my projects.  There are so many choices when it comes to using this DSP.  Hopefully, you will enjoy what I have done with them.

I'm excited to share these cards with you.  Each card is colored using a different tool such as:  sponging, watercoloring, markers, and sponge daubers.  Each method provides a different look to the paper.  While the cards are different from each other, they are simple to make with only a few additional layers and embellishments.

For the first card, I cut a 3" x 5 1/4" strip of DSP and colored it using Stampin' Up markers.  I used the Swirly Scribbles Thinlits to cut the white card stock (4" x 5 1/4").  The middle piece was adhered on top of the DSP which was then adhered to my white card.  The two pieces on the left and right were popped up with dimensionals.  I stamped the sentiment from Thoughtful Banners and punched it out with the Duet Banner Punch.  The final step was to sprinkle silver sequins all over the card.

 My next method of coloring was with Copic Alcohol Markers.  I cut a flower out of the DSP and used the Watercolor Pencils to color the flower.  I popped the flower up with dimensionals.  I used my Two Way Glue Pen on the flower and sprinkled it with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  The sentiments are all from Thoughtful Banners and each one is popped up.  Can't wait to send this to my daughter!

My next card is watercolored using the ink from the Peekaboo Peach and Wild Wasabi ink pads and my aqua pen.  As long as you don't get your aqua pen too wet, the paper won't buckle.  I did use a SU marker for the darker orange (Tangerine Tango).   The sentiment (from Layering Love) is stamped on a piece of Peekaboo Peach cut out with the Stitched Shapes Framelit.

For my next card, I only used a small strip of the DSP (2" x 4") which was colored with Copic markers.  I used a lot of glue dots to hold down the pleated Sweet Sugarplum ribbon.  (You can find this ribbon on page 21 of the Occasions catalog.  It is the Succulent Garden Combo Pack.)   The sentiment is from Heartfelt Sympathy (pg 51 of annual catalog.)

For this card, I used the wonderful Watercolor Pencils found in the Occasions Catalog.  Sales for these pencils have exceeded Stampin' Up's forecast and are continuing to sell strong.  Because of the cost incurred in back orders, Stampin' Up has made the decision to place the pencils in not-orderable status as of last Thursday (1/26).  The estimated availability for them is Feb. 13.

I scribbled the pencils on the paper and then used my Wink of Stella to blend the colors.  You could also use an aqua pen (but not real wet) or a blender pen.  I have tried all three but I think I prefer the Wink of Stella (clear)!

My final card is super simple.  I used a sponge dauber and just daubed the Sweet Sugarplum ink randomly on some of the flowers.  I colored the leaves with the Watercolor Pencil also, blending it with my blender pen.  The circle is die cut from Stitched Shapes framelit.  I also die cut the flower from the Sunshine Wishes framelits.  This is a great set of framelits to have - check it out on page 194 of the annual catalog.  Not only do you get this flower but also the little butterfly, a heart and four sentiments (hope, love, congrats and sunshine).

I hope you enjoyed my take on the Inside the Lines Designer Paper and you are inspired to create your own cards using this paper.

Hop on along now to the next stop on the Blog Hop -

Tamra Davis -

Jo Anne Hewins

Michelle Irinyl

Tracie Evans Langley

Sharon Maranich   (you are here)

Laurie Meier

Hey Chick - Valentine

Happy Saturday!  I wanted to share another card we made last week at Stamp Club.  This is a cute Valentine card but you could also make it into a birthday card as several of my stamping friends did.  I used the darling chick from the Sale-a-Bration catalog - Hey Chick!  I just think he (or she) is adorable!!

I stamped the chick with Black Archival ink since I was planning on watercoloring and didn't want the colors to bleed.  I used the new watercolor pencils to color the chick.  The little hearts are from the Jar of Love set and the heart balloons are from Balloon Builders.  This proved a good lesson on masking.  We used a sticky note to mask the middle balloon after it had been stamped with Sweet Sugarplum ink and stamped the two balloons on either side.  I used a Sharpie Marker to draw in the balloon strings.

We are headed out this evening to watch the Charlotte Checkers hockey game.  This is the first time we've seen them play this year.  It's a fun outing.  We are going to try out the restaurant in the Bojangles Coliseum.  When Sonny and I were dating, one of favorite date nights was to watch the Checkers vs. the Greensboro Generals.  At the time, we both lived in Greensboro (where we met) and so we were pulling for the Generals.  There was always a fight that broke out between the two teams on the ice.  They were natural enemies I think!!  You know, a hockey game is not a good one unless there's a fight or two!

Make sure to check back tomorrow evening for the NC Demos Blog Hop.  We will be featuring products from Sale-a-Bration.  I will show you fun ways to use the Inside the Lines Designer Paper.

Paper Pumpkin Valentines

I have had a very productive two days!  I have been making cards!  I know that sounds strange because you probably think that is nothing new.  But, I have been in a card making slump for several months.  With the holidays, I was so busy with other things that I just didn't enjoy making the few Christmas cards that I made (which wasn't much!)  But yesterday and today, I had nothing on my schedule but "ME" time and I took advantage.  I've made about 15 cards in two days!  While I was on a roll yesterday, my mom called and asked if I would make 8 valentines for her for the shut-in's at her church.  Sure!  I don't have many Valentine stamps so I started going through what I did have and found several stamps and framelits that would work for Valentines.  Plus, I just received my January Paper Pumpkin which had Valentine stamps and materials to make little goodie bags.  I didn't want to make the goodie bags - leaving that for Marianne to make for mom using her Paper Pumpkin.  (Mom planned on asking Marianne to also make 8 cards for her.)

Here is what I came up with:

Not only did I use things from January's Paper Pumpkin but I also pulled the gray DSP from the December kit.  See?  You can do alternative things with Paper Pumpkin.  The December kit creates a photo/memory book with patterned paper, window sheets, stickers, washi tape and for the first time, a rotary stamp and black journaling pen.  I decided I didn't need a photo book so I created the cards above.  I am going to make a few cards and other items with the supplies I still have left.  From the January Paper Pumpkin, I used the gold heart stickers, the vellum banner, the gold thread and the "love" heart which was stamped onto a white heart that was included.  I punched the small pink hearts using the Owl punch.

The Paper Pumpkin kit is on sale through March.  Now during Sale-a-Bration is a great time to take advantage of the sale.

3-Month Prepaid Subscription (137859)
$59$55 USD/
$79$74 CAD
Get a discount on 3-month prepaid subscriptions and instantly qualify for a FREE Sale-A-Bration item!
12-Month Prepaid Subscription (137861) $215 USD/$295 CAD
Take it to the next level with a 12-month prepaid subscription. Save over $2/month with the everyday awesome price, earn Stampin’ Rewards, and instantly qualify for 4 FREE Sale-A-Bration items!
This offer will end on March 31, 2016 at 11:50 PM (MT).

Stamp Club Dragonfly

This is one of the cards we made last week at Stamp Club.  I made it very easy and then at the last minute, decided to add another element to it.

Here are the "deets" -

 

Supplies:

•  Stamps:  Dragonfly Dreams
•  Ink:  Pear Pizazz, Soft Sky, Night of Navy, Whisper White
•  Cardstock:  Pear Pizazz, Dapper Denim

Accessories:   

l    Dapper Denim ribbon, Clear Wink of Stella

Instructions:

• ·        Stamp dots with Soft Sky ink at top left of white card
• ·        Stamp Dragonfly wings with Pear Pizazz (STAMP OFF FIRST)
• ·        Stamp Dragonfly body over the wings with Night of Navy ink.
• ·        Stamp sentiment on bottom right of white card.
• ·        Tie bow and wrap Denim ribbon around white card between sentiment & dragonfly.
• ·        Adhere to Dapper Denim cardstock.
• ·        Adhere to Pear Pizazz card.
• ·        Apply Wink of Stella on wings.

So the final touch that was an option was to die cut the dragonfly from the framelit using Dapper Denim card stock (or stamp on white card stock w/Dapper Denim ink) and adhere the cut out dragonfly on top.

I am really enjoying using Dragonfly Dreams in different ways and I hope you will too!

Stamp Club January Calendar

I think I should leave a sticky note at the top of my blog saying "sorry - I've been busy."  I have been snowed under (not really snow) and neglected posting to my blog on a regular basis.  I am the photographer for the Newcomers group which means I take pictures all year of events going on and at the end of the year, I put together a memory book for our president.  Well, I've been busy trying to finish up the book.  I finally finished yesterday and sent it to the printer.  Now, hoping it will be back in time to present it at our next meeting but I have my doubts. 

Last week was Stamp Club.  I am doing something a little different this year.  One of the gals from my Club (and my neighbor) gave me a calendar in a shadowbox frame for Christmas.  She bought the frame at Hobby Lobby.  I just love it!

So I decided that each month in Stamp Club, we would do a calendar page.  The gals can use the calendar this year and at the end of the year, they can just add the 2018 months and give it away as a gift to a friend.  This is the page we did this month.  The snowman is not Stampin' Up.  Believe it or not, I do not have a Stampin' Up snowman!!  Everyone had a different background snowflake piece of DSP.  We framed the snowman and calendar with Emerald Envy card stock.

Speaking of calendars, this is one Marianne gave me for Christmas.  It is hard to see in the picture, but she used glitter on the ground beneath the Lovely As A Trees.  It is so sparkly!!

Don't forget about Sale-A-Bration.  If you have been thinking about subscribing to Paper Pumpkin, now is the time.  Not only is the price reduced, but with a 3 month subscription, you will get a FREE item!! 

3-Month Prepaid Subscription (137859) $59 $55 USD/$79 $74 CAD Save on a
3-month prepaid subscription and instantly qualify for a FREE Sale-A-Bration item!

12-Month Prepaid Subscription (137861) $215 USD/$295 CAD Take it to the next level with a 12-month prepaid subscription. Save over $2/month with the everyday awesome price, earn Stampin’ Rewards, and get 4 FREE Sale-A-Bration items!

I'll be at Buffalo Wild Wings later today cheering on the Steelers.  If they win today, we are Super Bowl bound!  Unfortunately, our opponent is the New England Patriots.  I am a little nervous!  We are definitely the underdog in this race.

High Tide

Pretty Pocket Card Kit

Enjoy this video as Donna, a Stampin' Up trainer, demonstrates the Pretty Pocket Card Kit.  The card kit is available from the Sale-a-Bration catalog (pg 19).  I love card kits.  They make card making so quick and easy!!

Beautiful You - again!

Well, today is my last day in paradise!  Our flight leaves tonight at 11 pm.  Guess we will face reality when we land in Charlotte.  They had 8" of snow at our house last week end.  I am hoping most of it is gone by the time we arrive on Wednesday.  I'm also hoping we might get bumped on our flight tonight!  What difference does it make if we leave tonight at 11 or in the morning???!  The flight is a full one flying from here to Seattle and I don't have a seat assignment plus Sonny is in a middle seat. When I checked this morning, all the seats that were available were premium seats.  Ashley says they will have to give us one of those.  She also thinks I should act like I have a twitch or something so they will seat Sonny and I together!

Saturday we hiked up to Diamond Head.  Wow!  What a gorgeous view.  It almost made me forget about the steep hike and the 70+ stairs to the top.  I was proud of myself though.  I had told Ashley early in the hike that I didn't think I would make it to the top.  Sonny and I both realized we were out of shape.

Sunday we went to an Irish pub in Kaluia and watched the Steelers beat Miami in the first play off game.  Now we need to beat Kansas City this weekend!!  After the game, we went to the Swap Meet in Honolulu.  Sonny was a sport since we were there almost 3 hours and it was pretty warm - in the 80s.  Monday Ashley went to work, dropping Sonny off to play golf and I called an Uber driver and went to the beach!

Here's another card I made with Beautiful You stamp set.  I stamped her dress on a piece of retired DSP (from last year's Sale-A-Bration) and fussy cut it out.  I really love this set and can't wait to go home and play around with it some more.

A the top of Diamond Head

 Almost there!  Ashley standing out on the look out.

I did it!!

Stampin' Up!'s 2017 Occasions Catalog and Sale-a-Bration Event!!

Hello from sunny Hawaii!  Yesterday Sonny and I took an Uber (like a taxi) to the beach - that was a first for us.  I recommend it though.  Our fare to the beach was $10 (about a 15-20 minute ride) but I had a coupon so it turned out to be free!  Can't beat free!!  We had planned on catching the bus right outside Ashley's complex but it was going to take an hour with about 25 stops plus we were going to have to transfer along the route.  That would have only cost $5 for both of us so what was another $5!!  I laid out on the beach while Sonny walked around and explored, then returned and sat on a bench out of the sand and read.  After a few hours, we walked across the street to Buzz's and had drinks and pupus (Hawaiin for appetizers.)

Today is the kick-off of the new catalog!  If you are one of my customers, you should have received your copy in the mail.  If you need a catalog, please email me and I will send one your way.  I love to see the new catalogs and show off the new products.  Today is the first day of Sale-A-Bration also!

Between January 4 and May 31, the Occasions catalog is open for business.  This catalog features all sorts of products you'll want as we head into Valentine's, spring, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day.  Plus there are FOURTEEN bundles.  I love bundles - what a great way to save 10% when buying a stamp set and the coordinating dies or punches!

If you have never heard of Sale-a-Bration, you are in for a surprise.  Sale-a-Bration is Stampin' Up's annual sales event where you get to earn free product for buying the Stampin' Up supplies you love.  You can earn one exclusive item from the Sale-a-bration catalog for every $50 (before shipping and tax) of Stampin' Up! product you buy (from the Annual Catalog, Occasions Catalog OR Clearance Rack!)  For individual customer orders greater than $250, you will earn an additional $25 in Stampin' Rewards during Sale-a-bration.  What a great deal!

If you are placing an order less than $150, please use my active Hostess Code - JW4FKPWP.

Coloring books are all the rage now and Stampin' Up is jumping on the band wagon with Designer Paper that you can color yourself!  I loved coloring as a child and can't wait to get my hands on this paper!

This is my favorite stamp set in the sale catalog!  I just love these chicks!!

Our selfie with Tripler Army Medical Center in the background.

Welcome 2017

Happy New Year!  Hope you ushered in the new year in style!  Most of you had new year several hours before I did!  We went to the movies last night about the time people on the east coast were singing Auld Lang Syne!  Afterwards, when we returned home, we opened a bottle of wine and sat on the lanai to wait on the new year.  There were a lot of fireworks being shot off all around us so that made for a nice view.  Today we had to wake up early in order to go to a local bar to watch the Steelers play!  The game came on at 8 a.m. here!  Luckily, the bar/restaurant served a pretty good breakfast and a never ending glass of OJ.  We weren't so sure the Steelers were going to get a win even if they were playing a team that has only won 1 game this season.  The Steelers coach announced earlier in the week that he would not play at least four of the offensive stars, including the quarterback, in today's game.  He wanted to rest them for the play off games starting next week plus today's game was a meaningless game for us since we already have made the play offs.  But, in Overtime, we got the win so we were happy!

We had a good week last week.  We had tickets to go to Pearl Harbor on Tuesday.  Ashley & I have been but Sonny has not and that was #1 on his list.  Well, we were watching the news Monday night when they announced that Obama and the Japanese prime minister would be making a visit to Pearl Harbor on Tuesday to pay homage to the victims of the 1941 bombing and Pearl Harbor would be closed to the public!!  Grrrr!  Ashley called the following day and was able to get tickets for Friday so at least that worked out.  Obama has been vacationing here and staying in a rented house not too far from where Ashley lives. It has been amusing to watch the news every night and he is big news - reporting what he did that day and where he ate for dinner!  He has played golf a lot since he has been here at the Marine base which is also where Sonny has been playing.  Sonny has not seen him there but one day he had to wait on one of the holes because Michelle Obama was a few holes in front.  They keep the public back a few holes on either side for them.  At least they don't close the course!  It has worked out well for Sonny.  The first time he played golf there, he got paired up with another man who had ties to Texas.  They have ended up playing golf 3-4 times.  Ashley drops him off on her way to work and picks him up when she returns.  One day last week, his friend was busy so Ashley dropped him off at a public golf course.  As it turned out, the golf pro there was selling a set of used golf clubs and made Sonny a deal.  Now he has his own clubs to play with here and won't have to pay to rent them each time.  He'll just leave the clubs here at Ashley's when we leave.  He's already gotten a call today to play golf tomorrow so maybe Ashley and I will have a little beach time!

This is Sonny's view on the golf course!  Not too bad, huh?

The weather has not been great while we have been here.  Temps have been mostly in the 70s although Friday at Pearl Harbor it didn't get out of the 60s and there was a drizzly rain all day.  I think it has rained a little bit every day except today.

Here are a few pictures I have taken this week.

The 3 of us at one of my favorite restaurants here.

We stopped at a scenic view site and while looking at the view, this rainbow just appeared.  You couldn't really see it in the sky but it was gorgeous reflected in the water.  It was just amazing!

This is Tripler Hospital where Ashley works.  She took us there on Christmas so she could leave a few gifts for her residents who were having to work on Christmas.

Ashley with the Arizona Memorial in the background.

These are the 2 wreaths that Obama & Japanese prime minister left.

After touring the Pearl Harbor Memorial, we drove across a bridge to Ford Island which was at the center of the Pearl Harbor attack.  It is used now by the Navy.  This is a memorial to the USS Oklahoma for the 429 crew members who were killed in the Japanese attack.

This banyan tree is on Ford Island and is huge!!

North Shore Beach

USS Oklahoma names

We watched surfers at the Bonzai Pipeline on the North Shore of the island.  Oh how I wish I could surf!

Trying to capture the sunset on the North Shore Bonzai Pipeline

These are just some of the poinsettas at the Hale Koa Hotel which is the military hotel in Waikiki.  We have been here a few times - sitting on the beach and Friday night we went to a show.