Faux Shaving Cream Cards

I made another sample using the Faux Leather technique to show in class this weekend (secret 'till after class!)... and while trying to create something I liked, I wound up with lots of extra accents that weren't right for *that* card. So I created other cards with the ready made pieces! The two flowers were made using the Faux Shaving Cream technique that was taught at Convention last year. The brighter flower was the first stamping, the paler one was another stamping without re-inking.

Bright Flower card: Stamps: Office Accoutrements, Garden Annuals Wheel, It's Your Birthday Ink: Pink Passion, Brilliant Blue, Only Orange Paper: Ballet Blue, Pixie Pink, Whisper White Accessories: White Grosgrain Ribbon Technique: Faux Shaving Cream

Softer Flower card: Stamps: Office Accoutrements, Fine Lace Background Ink: Pink Passion, Brilliant Blue, Only Orange (all stamped off once) Paper: Ballet Blue, Pixie Pink, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence Accessories: Rich Regals eyelets, Two Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Markers, Key Tag Punch Technique: Faux Shaving Cream, Thumping (for "Original" Sentiment) The Thumping Technique is done by thumping the brush end of your markers randomly over the surface of the stamp. Start with your lightest color, then the next lightest, etc, graduating to the darkest color you are using. Huff on your stamp (Open your mouth and breath heavily on it) to remoisten the ink and stamp! Voila! Have a great day! Meredith

August Technique Class Sneak Peek

Okay... here it is! This card uses the Faux Leather technique that I will be teaching in the class on August 5th. Let me know if you would like details about attending the class! RSVP's are due by August 2nd.

Convention News - Unconfirmed

Hi folks! Some of the wonderful demonstrators at convention this year (lucky ducks! I *really* wanted to go again this year... I haven't had that much fun since... I can't remember when!) anyway... off topic a bit there... the wonderful demo's are posting some news. Since I'm not there in person, I'll list this as unconfirmed at this point, but I suspect it is accurate. ALL sets in ALL future mini collection catalogs will be die cut... not just the upcoming mini collection!! Wahoo!! I think this will be great! All too often, my new sets sit unused for way to long because I haven't gotten around to mounting them yet, so I hope this will get me using them faster and creating more great projects to share with my stamping friends. So far, they are not saying that the whole collection catalog will be die cut. I guess time will tell on this one! Also, we will be getting a fantastic update to our Demonstrator Business websites. The sneak peeks I have seen are simply gorgeous... and there will be a ton of new functionality. I'll be able to post my class/event calendar and color code the dates by event type... so you can easily find the exact type of event that you're interested in. We will be able to do newsletters, eCards, and the equivalent of Evites through our main website. I can't wait! They will be rolling the new changes out later this summer... I'll be sure to post when the changes are ready for you to check out!

August Technique Class Invites out

Back by popular demand... technique classes! I'll be hosting one on Sunday, August 5th. Evite invitations have already gone out for this class... please let me know if you would like to be added to the invitation. August Technique Class Info: In this class, we will be learning three techniques... Faux Leather, Tye-Dye Wax Resist, and Faux Silk! Check back in a few days for a sneak peek of one project!

Getting ready for Swaps

I'm getting ready for a swap! I am so excited... it's been a while since I've participated. This swap was full, but someone had to drop out and they were in search of an angel (a swap angel is someone who can join a swap with very little notice and fill a vacant spot). Here's the finished card: And my table as I do my assembly line stamping!

Stamps: Priceless and En Francais

Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Versamark

Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Shimmer White

Accessories: Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware, *new* Taffeta ribbon in Whisper White

These cards are very fun to make. I CASE'd the layout from Sharon's gorgeous card here: Sharon's Card and swapped everything out for brand new stuff! I thought the small swirl pattern in the Priceless set would be very cute as stems for the heart "flowers". I used my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig to line them up the crutch in the swirl with the point of the hearts. This was done on a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of Shimmer White paper for a little sparkle. The piece was then matted with a 2 5/8" x 3 5/8" piece of Wild Wasabi paper. Slip on a Hardware clip and tie a know with the gorgeous new ribbon. The card base is an 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of Soft Sky cardstock, scored at 4 1/4". "Priceless" was inked in Wild Wasabi and stamped into the lower left corner of the base. I was so sad when the French script background stamp was on the retired list since I loved it and used it all of the time... but I have to say I love the new En Francais even more!!! This stamp is just gorgeous. I inked it up in Versamark and stamped it onto a 4 1/4" x 2 5/8" piece of Purely Pomegranate. They adhere all these pieces as shown in the finished picture. Happy stamping! Meredith

Hot News! Holiday Mini sets are ALL die cut!

Wow, even more exciting news! ALL of the stamp sets featured in the Holiday Mini collection will be die cut... which means no trimming! You just pop them out of the rubber sheet and apply them to the wood block. Thanks, Stampin' Up! They realize how busy we are during the Holiday season, and this will be a great time saver... we be able to use that time savings to create more projects! The mini collection will begin mailing out in the middle of August, and will be open for ordering from September 1st to November 30th. One of the great benefits of being a demonstrator is that I get to see the mini collection early, and am able to pre-order supplies in the month before everyone else can. So join us for a class in August to get a special sneak peek at new products! There are some great new Christmas sets, a really cool double sided giant snowflake stamp (the size of a background stamp, and you mount the solid snowflake on one side of the block, and the outline snowflake on the other, cool!), new Chipboard, new designer papers (love the Apple Cider set!!) and gorgeous double sided wrapping paper! I think I'm going to go broke! lol

Sell-a-bration 2008!!

We just received news that Sell-a-bration 2008 will be held from Feb. 1st through March 17th, 2008! By pushing it back a little farther, it will allow us to order from both the new Spring-Summer Collection (will be out on January 2ND) and the Occasions Mini Catalog (March 1st - May 31st), while earning free stamp sets! Wahoo! I love free rubbah!

Pics from July Stamp Camp

I often get inspiration from stamping friends online, and preparing for this class was no different. The Three For You Punch box card "Thinking of You" combined two ideas I saw on SCS... 3D punched flowers from Julesstampin and faux polka dot ribbon from douthit5. Thanks to you both! This card uses two of the new In Colors (Wild Wasabi and Purely Pomegranate... yummy!).

The Birthday Birds card was inspired by a CASE (Copy And Share Everything) of a CASE supposedly originating from a convention sample several years ago. I just love these little guys! This uses the new Zoofari and Hugs and Wishes stamp sets, and four of the new In Colors.

Another idea from SCS was to use the Pick a Petal set petals to make the wings of a ladybug! I've seen this idea on SCS many times, so I'm not sure who the originator was. This set is so fun to play with and this is a great "out of the box" idea for it. Also showing off a new Fire Circle rhinestone brad. This last picture shows three cards. The far left is one that I received in a swap from my good friend, Laurie Wilson... isn't it fantastic?!? The middle one was posted on the Demonstrator website by Stampin' Up!, and the far right is another card that I used the 3D Punch box flowers on with the new colors. All images copyright 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

Happy new blog to me!

Happy new blog to me, Happy new blog to me, Happy new blog for Meredith Happy new blog for me!! Well folks, I am trying to enter the electronic era! I plan to post pics of new stuff I'm working on, share class photos, post new info, and link to other great resources to use in your quest for wonderful stamped creations! Please feel free to drop me a note or comment anytime to let me know what you would like to see, or if you have any questions that I can answer. P.S. I am completely new to this... so it may take me a bit to figure it all out! LOL