Sunshiny card for a sunny day!

Hello stampers and welcome to Friday!  The weather man says we may hit 70 degrees today.... woo hoo!
If that happens, I'll be breaking out the capris and sandals, how about you?  I can't wait for better weather.

In honor of Mr. Sun, I've got a bright and cheery card for you.  Take a peek...

This card is quick and easy to make, thanks to the Quint-Essential Flower stamp.  I stamped it 4 times in 4 different colors:  Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeaid, and Rich Razzleberry again. Then I punched each layer with its corresponding punch.  Take a look at page 110 of the annual catalog to see the different punches that go along with the Quint-Essential Flower stamp, also on page 110 at the top of the page.  This great stamp is only $8.95 and you'll find yourself using it again and again.

The designer paper is called Floral District and it has been one of my favorites since I purchased it last summer.  Unfortunately, it is almost gone and I won't be purchasing more of it, as all of the designer paper will be going away at the end of May and we'll have all new papers in the new catalog which comes out June  1st.

The sentiment is from another one of my favorite sets... Fabulous Phrases.  You can find this workhorse set on page 133 of the annual catalog.  The swirly font is perfect for feminine cards, but I wouldn't be using this set on a card for a man.  Some scalloped grosgrain ribbon in Old Olive (turned so the polka-dots don't show) adds extra interest under the 3-D flower.  In case you haven't noticed, Old Olive and Lucky Limeaid are really, really close in color.  So if you need some ribbon to go with Lucky Limeaid and you don't have any, you can substitute Old Olive and it will be just a shade away from a perfect match.

I'm off to do some baking for a baby shower I'm attending on Saturday.  When I finish, I'll take a photo of the completed project and share it here on Monday.  Meanwhile, I hope you'll all enjoy a wonderful Easter with lots of sunshine, chocolate, and jellybeans
Hugs,
Susan

Amazing Family....

Hellooooo!  Anybody home?

Welcome back to The Classic Card, my little blog where I get to share my cards (and a bit of my life) with my stamping friends.  I hate to say it in print (or out loud) but it looks like a typical Oregon spring break to me.... cloudy and rainy and too cold to even think about springy clothing.  I talked to my California daughter today and explained how it is spring break in Oregon this week.  Having weathered spring break in Oregon since she arrived here as a 4th grader, she knew exactly what I was talking about.  It was no surprise to her that I was wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a fleece vest, which seems to have become part of my uniform when I'm not wearing my Stampin'Up! apron.  Of course it was a beautiful sunny day in Davis, California and when I was talking with her, she told me it was about 70 degrees, and that she and Allie were taking a walk to the frozen yogurt store and both of them were wearing sun hats!  Now doesn't that sound lovely?    OK, enough complaining.... let's get to the card, shall we?

I made this card for a gathering of Stampin'Up! demonstrators that I attend once a month.  We always have a theme for our swaps and this month it was spring.  Since Father's Day is a spring holiday, I decided to create a great card that I can give to my sons-in-law on Father's Day.  Both of our daughters are blessed with wonderful husbands who also happen to be great fathers.  They cook, they bathe children, they read stories, they play with the kids, change diapers, get up in the night with sick children and do anything and everything that needs doing.  In the past, all a dad really had to do was bring home the bacon.  Dads these days are much more "hands-on" and are involved in all phases of parenting, and for that trend, I'm very thankful.  And so are my daughters.

This card, although masculine, is one of the more colorful masculine cards that I've made lately.  It features the great Parker's Patterns DSP that's in the spring catalog.  The stamp set is Amazing Family (hence the title of this post).  This set is perfect for all sorts of cards... not only Mother's Day and Father's Day, but also family birthdays.  And with the word "friend" included in the set, you can use it for just about anyone.

The ink is Not Quite Navy, as is the card base and mat for the focal panel.  The "best" sentiment is from the
stamp set "Blue Ribbon" (page 33 of the annual catalog).  I popped it up on a dimensional on a circle cut from Cherry Cobbler card stock.  I added some linen thread to give a bit of texture to the card without a lot of bulk, since I'll be sending these in the mail.    I found the layout in a stamping magazine, which I love to browse through to gather ideas for cards.

Thanks for stopping by today for a visit and please come back on Friday for another classic card.
Hugs,
Susan

Back to Normal

Hello Stampers and Happy Monday!

This morning I'm breathing a sigh of relief--- Sale-a-bration is over for another year.  While I love getting together frequently with the best stamping customers ever (that would be you!), I'm willing to admit that I'm in need of a bit of a rest before starting up again.  As you all know, I need to keep my stamping business running year-round, not just during Sale-a-bration, so I'm super thankful to have some parties on my calendar in the months ahead.  I'd be so grateful to be able to do a party for you and your friends too!  Just give me a call or send me some email.

Just a reminder, the brand new 2013-2014 annual catalog (that's the big one!) will be arriving on June 1st, so June would be an amazing time to host a stamping party.  The catalog will be jam-packed with new stamps and accessories, not to mention new goodies exclusively for hostesses.  I've got dates open in April and May as well, so let's get your party on the calendar.

I'm excited about my upcoming technique class, Beautiful Butterflies, on Saturday April 6th at 1 pm.  This class has only two spots left, so if you'd like to attend, please let me know soon, so I can save a place for you at the stamping table.  The cost to attend is $15 or the class is free with a $40 purchase.  You'll make 4 cards, envelopes included, plus a box to store the cards and envelopes in.  Each card features a different stamping technique.

Then I'll continue the Technique Series with a Fabulous Flowers class where you'll use four different techniques to make some gorgeous flowery cards.  Save the date...Saturday, May 18th at 1 pm... for this fun class.  The last technique class in the series will be the Avian Art class on Sunday June 9th at 1:30 pm where we'll "put a bird on it," in true Portlandia style. Each class in the series will teach you new ideas that will kick your card-making skills up a notch and add great style to your cards.

OK... enough about upcoming events.  I know you really came here to see a new card and I don't want to disappoint you, so here it is...

I love the springtime look of this card with the pale yellow (So Saffron) green (Lucky Limeaid) and blue (Island Indigo).  the DSP I used is Tea for Two, which you can see on page 3 of the spring catalog.  And I'm sure you know by now that I'm a big fan of the sayings in the Feel Goods set (page 21 of the spring catalog).  The sentiment was stamped in Marina Mist because I wanted the card to have a lighter feel.  I think using Island Indigo would have made the card look a little less feminine and I was going for a "girly" look.  That adorable ruffled ribbon is going away at the end of May... better stock up on that before May 1st, because it will go quickly!

That's it for today stampers!  The Seattle troops are arriving today, on their way back from visiting family in California so I've got to get everything lined up for dinner tonight.  I hope you'll have a super Monday and a great spring break week ahead!  Enjoy!
Hugs,
Susan

Farewell to Sale-a-bration

Hello there, Stampers, and Happy Friday!

I'm sorry to say that today is the last day of Sale-a-bration 2013.  At 11:59 tonight it will all be over for another year.  Then we'll go back to the regular way of doing things.... you spend $50, you spend $50... no freebie... sigh!

There's still time to get a free item or two.  Give me a call at 503-925-1929 and I'll add your order to mine that will be going in this evening.  Why not stock up on some basics that you know you'll use throughout the year like glue sticks, snail adhesive, Stampin' Mist stamp cleaner, Sticky Strip, ink refills--- consumables that you will have to purchase anyway?  Why not get them now when you can still get a free stamp set??

I'm excited for my annual Bunco Night TONIGHT!  Later today I'll be preparing a delicious Taco Salad for you, served with Chicken Taquitos and Chips & Salsa.  And for dessert I'll be serving a luscious Orange-Pineapple Cake.  Now aren't you sorry you didn't sign up?  Well, there's always next year!  Lots of prizes will be given away as well and I've promised that everyone will go home with a nice prize... even the people who don't win at Bunco.  As you might guess, I cannot afford to do an event like this more than once a year, but it sure is fun!  I hope you'll join us next year!

Here's one of the fun cards we'll be making tonight.  Of course it features a free Sale-a-bration stamp set, as well as some of the free Sycamore Street Designer Paper and some of the Sycamore Street ribbon too.
Take a peek ...

The stamp set is called "Patterned Occasions" and is free with a $50 purchase.  I've stamped the elephant image in Island Indigo, one of the older "In-Colors" that will be leaving us on May 31st.  The DSP is all from the Sycamore Street Collection and after I adhered it to the base of Island Indigo card stock, I ran it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder, which gives it a nice quilted look. Some of the Sycamore Street ribbon in Island Indigo makes a nice accent when tied through the hole of the focal circle.
This is a quick and easy card and we need one for tonight because we've got a lot to do... eat dinner, play bunco, win prizes, and make cards... then eat dessert!  It's going to be a very busy night!  Speaking of busy... that's what I need to do... get busy preparing everything for tonight!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit and I hope you'll come back on Monday for another classic card!
Hugs,
Susan

Is it Spring Yet?

Hello my friends!
Welcome to The Classic Card and Welcome Spring!

Yes, even though the weather isn't spring-like, today is the first day of spring.  I'm thrilled that it is officially spring.  Now maybe we'll get some better weather???  Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that in the great Pacific Northwest.  Here, the advent of spring just means more of the same... rain, rain, and more rain.  Ugh!  If I wasn't so busy, I'd pack up my pads, my punches, and my paper and head for the sunshine.  However, a lot of you are depending on me to keep you entertained through all of this depressing weather with fun stamping projects and ideas, so I just can't desert you in your hour of need!

Don't forget that all day today, Wednesday March 20th, I'm running an online ordering special for all of my established customers.  If you didn't get the info in Monday's email, please email me at sjrstamps@gmail.com and I'll see that you have the right information.

Sadly, Sale-a-bration is drawing to a close for another year.  The last day is Friday, March 22nd.  I'm winding up the biggest promotion of the year with my annual Bunco Night, which starts at 5:30 or whenever you can get here after work.  I'm making you a yummy Taco Salad Bar, giving away tons of Bunco prizes, and you'll get to make two fun cards as well.... all for a $50 purchase (and you'll get a free SAB item with your purchase!).  It's going to be lots of fun!  Everyone will go home with a prize... even the non-winners!  Everyone will be a happy stamper!  There are still a couple of spots left if you'd like to join us!

Even though we cannot bring out the capris and sandals just yet, we can at least get into the spirit of spring, can't we?  So with that thought in mind, here's a little spring-y brightness for you.  I know this card isn't going to win any prizes for its innovative layout or amazing embellishments.  It's just a clean and simple little card with a happy attitude.  Take a peek...

Need a quick birthday card?  Then a card like this one might just be the answer! This should take you under 10 minutes to create.  Ready, set, go!
First, start with a base of Whisper White, 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, fold it in half to make a card.  Next, cut a piece of Daffodil Delight 5 1/4 by 4 inches.  Send it through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  Glue a piece of Designer Paper cut 2 1/2 by 4 inches to the bottom of the Daffodil Delight panel.  Wrap some Scallop Dot Grosgrain ribbon around the panel and adhere it in the back with double stick tape.  Adhere the panel to the front of the white card.  Thread some Baker's Twine through a button, tie the twine into a bow and set the button aside.  Stamp a focal panel in Tangerine Tango on Whisper White and punch out with the  1  3/4 inch Scallop Circle Punch.  Punch coordinating cardstock (here we're using Tangerine Tango) with the 2 3/8 inch Scallop Circle Punch.  Glue the two circles together, add the button with a dimensional and use additional dimensionals to adhere the scalloped circles to the card.  Done!  See, it didn't even take the full 10 minutes!
The DSP I used is called Floral District and the stamp set is called Pretty Postage.

Thanks for stopping by today for a visit!  I hope you'll come back on Friday for another classic card.
Hugs,
Susan

Wearin' O' the Green

Hello there stamping friends and happy Monday to you!

I trust that all of you enjoyed a jolly St. Patrick's Day yesterday and hope that none of you are feeling green today from too much celebrating.  I had a great day stamping with my Hillsboro customers at Robin's house.
We had a fun time stamping, chatting, eating green treats, and drinking green punch.  We always dress up for the event and the person with the most green wins a prize.  Here's a photo I took of our merry band of stampers...

Thanks, Robin, for a great party!  It was so much fun to see everyone again!  Robin got a ton of free goodies and you can too!  Just drop me an email at sjrstamps@gmail.com  to schedule your own fun party and you'll be on your way to an amazing amount of free product.  Don't forget, you can have your party at my house which is a great time-saver for you.... no cleaning, organizing, or setting up for a party!  All you need to bring is your friends and a snack... I do the rest!

With Sale-a-bration coming to an end on Friday, March 22nd, it is time to turn our attention to new events that are on the horizon, the first of which is my Beautiful Butterflies class on Saturday April 6th at 1 pm.  This is a technique class that focuses on a different technique or two for each card.  You'll make 4 cards (with envelopes) and a pretty box to store them in for a class fee of $15, or the class is free with a $40 purchase.  I've checked out what a couple of local stamp stores are charging for classes and I've found that my classes are a real bargain!

Here's one of the cards that we'll be making at the butterfly class.

For this card, I brayered Pool Party ink directly onto the Chevron embossing folder, put the paper inside, and then rolled it through the Big Shot.  There's really nothing to it and the results are spectacular!  If you'd like to attend this class, but are busy on April 6th, just drop me a quick email at sjrstamps@gmail.com and we can schedule a private class for you and your friends whenever it is convenient for you.

That's it for today friends!  I must run as I have a lot to do to get ready for Bunco Night, coming up this Friday at 5:30 or 6:00 or whenever you can get here.  Bunco wlll start promptly at 7 pm.   I'll feed you a delicious Taco Salad Bar and dessert too, then we'll play 2 rounds of Bunco for all of the hostess dollars.
Everyone will go home with a prize, so you cannot lose by attending.   Cost for dinner, dessert, 2 cards, plus great prizes is a $50 order.  Send me a quick email if you'd like to join us.

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to come back on Wednesday for another classic card!
Hugs,
Susan                          
                                                               

Fishy Friday...

Hello there stamping peeps!  Yippee, it's Friday!

While it's been several years since I've done the Monday through Friday workday routine, I still perk up on Fridays for some reason.  I guess after all those years of working, it's hard to get out of the "yay for the weekend" mode of thinking.  I've been a busy bee all week, gearing up for the last weekend of Sale-a-bration and I'll be partying on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  After the big Bunco Night on March 22nd, I'll be ready for a bit of a break!

By the way, there are still 4 spots open for Bunco Night, which includes dinner and prizes galore.  Everyone will go home a winner and I've got some great prizes to give away plus all of the hostess benefits... over $100 in prizes will be given away!  Please consider joining me for this once-a-year prize giveaway!

Debbie's "Stamping for the Guys in Your Life" party is coming up this Saturday at 1 pm at my house. We all need manly cards, so this is your chance to make some!  You'll even go home with a hand-out to help you make "manly" cards once you get home. This is one of the great cards we'll be making.  I found this layout in a stamping magazine and thought it worked well for a masculine card.  Check it out...

When making a masculine card, I like to use quite a bit of rough or masculine texture.  For this particular card I used both the Woodgrain  and the Argyle embossing folders... both very manly designs.  I also find that almost any color from the Regals collection makes a great masculine card when paired with a Neutral such as Crumb Cake, Basic Gray, or Basic Black.  Here I chose Not Quite Navy and paired it with Crumb Cake.  The designer paper I used is from the Parker's Patterns set of DSP (Spring Catalog)  Mr. Bigmouth Bass is from the By the Tide stamp set (also from the Spring Catalog).  He is stamped on Very Vanilla with Not Quite Navy ink and then cut out by hand and popped up dimensionals.   It took less than 60 seconds to cut around him... a piece o' cake!  The seaweed is stamped in Crumb Cake on Very Vanilla and then punched out with the 2 1/2 inch circle punch.  The greeting is from the most complete greeting set ever, Teeny Tiny Wishes and is punched out with the Modern Label Punch.  The finishing touch are the brads in Crumb Cake.
For some unknown reason, I chose not to sponge around the edges of this card, but I think some sponging in Crumb Cake would be very attractive. Maybe I just wanted to prove that I can make a card that doesn't involve sponging.  Some distressing of the edges would also give a more vintage-y look, if that's your thing.
I have to admit that I'm pretty partial to the clean and simple style of this card, just the way it is.  Sometimes simpler is better.

I wish you were planning on coming to Debbie's party at 1 pm at my house on Saturday.  We still have room for you!
Have a relaxing weekend, everyone!
Hugs,
Susan

Zing for Spring!

Hello Stamping Friends!

By now we've had a couple of days to adjust to the time change, but it still isn't working for me.  I'm all about falling back...   falling back into bad habits, falling back into a comfortable chair, falling back to sleep, and falling back in October ( or is it November?) when we go off Daylight Savings Time.  But springing forward?  Not so much!  So today I thought I'd go for a spring-like color combination, in hopes of adding a bit of zing to my energy level.  Those of you who've been my customers for a while know that this color combination is one of my favorites... Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeaid (can Limeaid ever be unlucky?), and Wisteria Wonder.  How Stampin'Up! can even consider retiring these colors is beyond me.  I love each one individually and I love them together.  Hopefully they have something fabulous in store for us with the new 2013-2015 In Colors.

Check out this "fun fold..."

I'm not sure what this fold is called, but I guess Double Z Fold is the most descriptive. The two panels mounted on each side of the fold overlap in the front when the card is fully closed.  The base of the card is a 5 1/2 by 4 1/4 inch panel of Whisper White card stock.  On top of that there's a 5 1/4 by 4 inch panel of Lucky Limeaid, with Calypso Coral ruffled ribbon wrapped around the bottom.  The Wisteria Wonder piece measures  4 1/3 inches high by 10 1/2 inches long.  It is scored at 1 3/4 and 3 1/2 inches from either end.
Then just fold the two front panels inward so they meet in the middle of the card, forming two Z shapes.  Then just embellish however you'd like.  The two rectangular panels that overlap the center of the card measure 2 by 1 3/4 inches.  This card would be lovely with some three-dimensional flowers on those panels, instead of the butterflies.  These fun butterflies are from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set (p. 115 of the annual catalog) and they are punched out with the Elegant Butterfly punch ( page 184 of the annual catalog).

Speaking of Butterflies, be looking for an evite in your mailbox soon.  I'm having my first technique class of the Spring on Saturday, April 6th at 1 pm at my house in Sherwood.  It's called Beautiful Butterflies and  you'll make 4 gorgeous butterfly cards (envelopes included). Each card will use one or two different techniques and you'll also make a beautiful box to store them in.  What a fabulous gift this would make for your mom, sister, aunt, friend, or yourself!

I'm a busy bee today... getting ready for some fun stamping parties this weekend!  If you haven't already done so, be sure to order stamp pads, ink refills, and card stock, and ribbon for these soon-to-be-discontinued colors: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Lucky Limeaid, Wisteria Wonder, and Island Indigo.  I expect that all the supplies in these colors will sell out quickly once May arrives.  You might as well get them now, during Sale-a-bration when you'll get a free item for every $50 you spend.

Thank you for stopping by today!
Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Hugs.
Susan

Afternoon Tea

Hello Stampers and welcome back to the Classic Card!

Is there anything more "girly" than afternoon tea?  If so, I really can't think what it is!  Yesterday Jeri had her stamping party at my house and our theme was "afternoon tea and stamping."  I gave everyone permission to leave the hats and gloves at home.  Even though everyone was dressed comfortably, we did enjoy our tea in pretty china cups and we also had some tea-time treats--- chocolate dipped strawberries, miniature brownies with raspberry buttercream icing, tiny quiches, and some yummy zucchini-parmesan puffs.   Here's a photo of the group right before we began indulging in the goodies......

And here's another photo of the treats... don't they look yummy?

I decided that an afternoon of tea and stamping needed a very girly card to go along with our theme, so here's one of the cards we made.  I just love how you can dress this up or down, depending on the designer paper and background that you use.  Everyone really enjoyed creating this adorable card.  Take a peek and see if you like it too...

The second card was a direct copy of a card that Stampin'Up! Co-Founder and CEO Shelli Gardner  presented recently on Good Day Utah.  I liked the card so much that we just re-created it as closely as possible to Shelli's original.   Here it is...

  This card uses tons of free Sale-a-bration products, including the stamp (from Vintage Verses), the ribbon and buttons, the stamp set Madison Avenue, the Designer paper Sycamore Street, and the embossing folder Vine Street.  If you'd like to get some of these great products absolutely free, please contact me  at sjrstamps@gmail.com.  You'll receive one free Sale-a-bration product for each $50 you spend, but all the Sale-a-bration fun is over on Friday, March 22nd at 11pm our time.  Don't delay... it's almost over for another year!

Thanks for stopping by today. Why not take a "tea break" sometime this week?  Get out a pretty cup, your favorite tea, and  maybe a cookie or two and enjoy a bit of relaxation!  You deserve it!   I hope you'll enjoy a very pleasant week!

Hugs,

Susan

All dressed up with somewhere to go!

Hello stamping friends!

Well, here we are back at Friday again and I say hooray!  What a wonderfully sunny day yesterday was, and the weatherman says we should enjoy similar weather today.  How exciting!  I'll take two sunny days in a row anytime.  I've been noticing that Spring is just about here, even though it doesn't officially happen until March 20th.  There are small green leaves beginning to unfurl on my hydrangeas, the daffodils are up, and my neighbor's ornamental cherry trees are just about to break bud.  If we have sun all day today, they might just burst into bloom!

Isn't there something about Spring that makes you want to go shopping for something fresh and new to wear?  I'm looking forward to doing just that as soon as I complete my closet purge.  I've got so many old clothes that are shabby, not shabby chic.... just plain old shabby!  Why I'm holding onto them is beyond me! Tops with frayed necklines, things that are faded, and pants that are thread-bare around the cuffs... out they go!

The card for today reminds me of the fun of dressing up for a special occasion.  Take a look....

Isn't this just the cutest card ever???  When I first saw the Dress Up Framelit Dies in the new Spring catalog
(page 32), I thought to myself  "There's one product I won't be purchasing."  But then when I started seeing all of the adorable cards made with these framelits, I just had to have them.  By the way, we're making this card at Jeri's party on Sunday at 2 pm at my house.  If you'd like to attend, just send me a quick email. We'd love to have you join us!

This card starts with a Crumb Cake base, then a folded Very Vanilla card is added.  I ran the front of the card through the Big Shot with the Elegant Lines embossing folder.  The dress form is cut from Crumb Cake card stock and then is stamped with the En Francais background stamp in Early Espresso.  The dress is cut from the Color Collection Designer Series Paper Stack in Baja Breeze (from the Subtles Collection, p. 162 of the annual catalog). I used a piece of Taffeta ribbon in Crumb Cake to accent the waistline and one of the elegant flowers snipped from the 5/8 " Flower Trim (p. 5 of the Spring catalog) adds a lovely accent. Some tiny pearls around the neck of the dress form are the finishing touch.   The word "celebrate" is from the very versatile Fabulous Phrases set (page 133 of the annual catalog) and it is punched out with the Word Window punch (page 183 of the annual catalog).

Doesn't this put you in the mood to go shopping for a new Spring outfit?  Or maybe it puts you in the mood to purchase the Dress Up Framelit Dies?!?  That would be a happy thing as well!
May you have a wonderful and relaxing weekend.  Don't forget to give yourself permission to have a little fun.  After all, weekends are for more than just doing laundry, grocery shopping, and catching up on housework.  Those things will always be around, but meanwhile life is whizzing by!  So give yourself a break this weekend and get out and do something you enjoy!
Hugs and Happy Stamping!
Susan

Let's Keep Sale-a-brating

Hello stampers and happy Wednesday!

There are still about three weeks of Sale-a-bration left, so there's still plenty of time to make sure that you get all of the Sale-a-bration sets that you love before they are gone forever.  The card I have for you today is one we made last weekend at the Big Shot 101 class.  It features the Feeling Sentimental set.  I have to admit that when I first saw this set, I had a bit of trouble envisioning what I'd do with it.  But then when I saw a few cards made by people who are a lot more creative than I am, I suddenly saw the potential of this great stamp set.

Here's the card...

We used a fun technique to create the two-toned background.  I'm not sure what this technique is called, but it involves a brayer  (a hard rubber roller on a handle, p. 179 of the annual catalog).  You just open up the embossing folder of your choice (here we used the Lacy Brocade embossing folder on page 36 of the Spring catalog) and roll a light color of ink right onto the flat side of the embossing folder.  Make sure you get an even layer of color over the entire flat side.  Then lay the card stock on top of the ink, close the folder, and run it through the Big Shot.  When you remove the paper, the amazing design is revealed.  If you've never tried this before you'll be surprised at how beautiful it is! The ferris wheel (I believe it is supposed to be the London Eye) is from the Feeling Sentimental set, as is the sentiment. Both are stamped in Early Espresso and sponged in Crumb Cake.  The First Edition Specialty paper is sponged in Crumb Cake ink as well.  Everyone had fun flattening the small Soda Pop Top ( page 24 of the Spring catalog) in the Big Shot.  The tiny bee inside the bottle cap is from Collage Curios (also on page 24 of the Spring catalog).  A floppy bow made with the soft and silky Crumb Cake Seam Binding adds another vintage touch to a very vintage card.

I'm busy working on projects for a new technique class which I'll offer for the first time on Saturday April 6th.  My Beautiful Butterflies class will feature a different stamping technique on each of the four cards and there'll be a pretty box to place them in as well.  The set of cards will make a lovely gift for a special friend, or keep it for yourself... you're special too!

Hope your Wednesday will fly by!  We're well on our way to the weekend!
Hugs,
Susan

A Petite Treat

Hi there stampers!  Welcome back to The Classic Card and a new week!

With stamping events on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday afternoon, this past weekend was one of my stampin'-est ever!  It was so fun to stamp with old friends and meet some new ones along the way  too.  Now I'm looking forward to next weekend when I'll be doing the stampin' "happy dance" again!

I've got something a little different to show you today.... one of the items that everyone made at my Big Shot 101 class on Saturday.  Although I love, love, love to make cards, once in a while it's nice to break out of the card rut and make a non-card item.  And that's just what I have to show you today.  Take a look...

This cute little gift card holder was made with the Petite Pocket Bigz XL Die, which you can find on page 194 of the annual catalog.  At $42.95, it's a bit of an investment, but once you purchase it, you can use it forever to make great gift card holders for every occasion.  We decorated this one for a feminine birthday, but you can vary the paper, embellishments, and sentiment to make a gift card holder for any occasion!
Of course you don't have to put a gift card inside.  Cash fits nicely too,  or maybe a folded gift certificate or even a fun personalized coupon printed out on your computer good for the recipient's favorite dessert, babysitting, or other service.  Give your imagination free rein and come up with a gift that will delight!

I used the In-colors that will be retiring at the end of May.  The holder is Wisteria Wonder, the band is Lucky Limeaid, and the butterflies and ribbon are in Calypso Coral.  After cutting the Petite Pocket, I ran it through the Big Shot with the ever-popular Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  The butterflies were cut with the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, which is shown on page 188 of the annual catalog.  This little wonder cuts and embosses the butterflies all at the same time!  I added some of the girly ruffled ribbon in Calypso Coral and a couple of pearls just to make the package more feminine.  The saying is from Teeny Tiny Wishes ( page 133 of the annual catalog) and the punch is the Word Window Punch (page 183 of the annual catalog).  So there you have it... a petite treat that anyone would love to receive!

Do you by chance have a friend who's a stamper or crafter with a birthday coming up?  If so, why not make one of these cute holders and place a Stampin'Up! gift certificate inside?  I sell gift certificates in any amount and who wouldn't love receiving one?

Thanks, dear readers, for stopping by for a visit today.  I hope you'll have a lovely, peaceful week with no "bumps" or other unpleasant surprises!  Please come back on Wednesday when I'll have more stamping inspiration for you.
Hugs,
Susan

Hippity Hoppity

Hi there stampers!  Happy Friday and happy first day of March! I'm excited for all the stamping I'm going to be doing this weekend, starting tonight!  Yes, tonight is going to be super fun, as 12 stampers gather at my house to make some adorable bunny-themed Easter projects.

I've already shown you two of the three cards we'll be making and today I'm going to show you this cute little basket that would be perfect to give to your children, grandchildren, or even the kids next door.  The great thing about this fun container is that it won't take a ton of candy to fill it.  You could add a name to each basket and use them as place cards on your Easter table too.

One of the best things about this project is that it uses the Fancy Favor Box Die for the Big Shot (p. 194 of the annual catalog), so you can easily crank out a bunch of these with little effort. This box is the most versatile container in the Stampin'Up! catalog!  It can be adapted for any holiday or season. To make it look like an Easter basket,  I cut a strip of cardstock 11 inches long by 1 inch wide to form the handle.  The bunny's face was created with one of the Oval Framelit Dies, and the ears are made with the Extra-Large Oval Punch  and the Large Oval Punch.  I sponged ears and face of the Bunny with a light touch of Melon Mambo ink.  The nose is the Small Heart Punch turned upside down. The whiskers and eyes were drawn on with a Basic Black Stampin' Write marker and the highlights were added with a White Gel Pen.   Some of the new Striped Organdy Ribbon ( page 30 of the spring catalog) in Melon Mambo adds a sweet touch.  If you are planning on making some of these, you'll want to use the super-sticky Sticky Strip (Item # 104294 on page 177).  This is the best adhesive around when it comes to holding boxes and handles together.  Anything else is just not strong enough.  You sure don't want those Cadbury Eggs falling through the bottom of your basket!

If you missed out on this Hippity Hoppity class, there's still time for me to do a special Private Class for you and your friends.  You'll make all of the cute projects for a class fee of $10 per person.  Or the class can be free when you make a $35 purchase.  I'll be happy to come to your house, or you can bring your friends to my house!  Send me a quick email at sjrstamps@gmail.com if you'd like to reserve a date.

I must run now... I've got lots to do before everyone arrives tonight!  Hope you'll all have a relaxing weekend and that you'll make some time to do something fun and creative (like stamping!).
Hugs,
Susan