Snowy Cheer

Another favorite from last year.  And some bingo pieces--is anyone getting close?  The Christmas pick (sorry the blog took a day off for the holiday) was the bell and today's is the candy cane.

Good luck!
~Melanie

Is Santa Headed Your Way?

Tonight's the night!  Just a quick post with one of my favorite stamp sets from last year...I love this big guy.  And today's bingo piece is the mittens.  Good luck, and wishing you all visions of sugar plums!

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

Stamps: Jolly Old Saint Nick
Ink: cherry Cobbler
Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Whisper White
Extras: Big Shot, Top Note die, Basic Rhinestones

Only 2 Days Till Christmas! =)

A 'Christmas Jingle' designer template changed with some DSP, a little ribbon embellishment and a punch.  What do you think?  With all there is to do with the fast-approaching holiday, I'm having a blast knocking out cards on my computer.  Oh, the joys of technology.  Stamping and cutting will always be my joy but when I'm short on time the thought of making it upstairs to my stamping studio and making a creative mess...seems like a luxury I can't afford right now.  

MDS to the rescue!  Get it now...or give it as a gift!   

Today's Bingo piece is the stocking.  Yesterday's bingo piece got added to the post late, so be sure to scroll down and get that too!

Happy (digital) Stamping!

~Kiran

Merry & Bright

T-3 days till Chrismas!

I love the color Old Olive.  Can you tell?  This was easy to alter by simply deleting the extra scallop edge from a designer template called 'Christmas Jingle' and adding the olive Designer Series Paper (DSP) in the background.  

Need a card in a jiffy?  Stampin Up's digital downloads are the way to go.  Create in minutes and print.  Haven't tried it yet?  It's worth the price since most downloads are under $10!  Check out the wide selection here .  

Today's bingo piece is the ice skate.

Happy (digital) Stamping!

~Kiran

A Christmas Jingle

Christmas countdown: only 4 days left!  This is another example of what My Digital Studio can do in a matter of....minutes.  Yup, took me all of 10 minutes to "make" this card.  All I have left to do is print this out.  Have holiday or Christmas cards yet to be made & mailed?  Why not try this?  Easy, breezy, beautiful, card-making.  =)

The base was the designer template from 'Christmas Jingle' and I just changed the background paper, added the white grosgrain ribbon and the chocolate chip stitching.  Done & done!

Today's bingo piece is the Christmas tree light.  Good luck!

Happy (digital) Stamping!
~Kiran

Celebrate Any Day...especially the holidays!

WOWZERS!  I know that's what you're thinking.  I'm on an MDS kick and this little beauty was fantastically easy thanks to one of the designer templates I mentioned getting during November's crazy good sale.  The 'Celebrate Any Day' download really caught my eye because of it's unique (and kind-of retro) color palette and combinations.  I played around with an existing design and tweaked a little here and there and voila!  

If this has inspired your inner digital designer check out all the fantastic designer templates for purchase here!  Only 5 more days till Christmas!!!!

Obviously we have a bit of a bingo backlog (are you suddenly feeling the holiday crunch as well?), so here's a double dose of fun.  Mark your cards for the wreath and the gingerbread man.

Happy (digital) Stamping,

~Kiran

Run, Don't Walk

And don't trip!  You are already at your computer, after all.  Stampin' Up! is having a Clearance Blitz for the holidays, and these fantastic deals are only available while supplies last, or until January 5th.

Oh, and today's bingo piece is the holly.

See you tomorrow,
Melanie

We Have a Winner!

Seriously, this time.  Congratulations Kiki--send us an email to collect your prize.

That means it's time for Round 3--so clear your cards, change your pencil color, whatever you have to do.  The first piece for this round is Santa.  Good luck!

Today's project is very quick--I want to give some customized recipe books this Christmas, so I made binder covers for them in My Digital Studio.  I love the fun and funky retro design of the pears, and the fact that I can just print this off at home...which is what I need since it feels last minute already.  I even went the extra mile to design the binder spine.

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

My Digital Studio: Sunny Day, Now You're Cooking

BINGO update!

This special post is to help those of you following along on your bingo cards.  There were three false alarm bingo calls, which means that we are still playing Round 2, which started on December 7th.  This also means that I had to redraw today's piece--so mark off the reindeer for today and keep on playing.

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie & Kiran

A Little Holiday Sparkle

There's nothing like a bit of sparkle--or a lot of glitter--to say happy holidays.  This card goes out to all my friends who love a little bling, whether that's for the holidays or in general.  You know who you are.  ;)

I got the idea for this modern rendition of a Christmas tree from Judy May's fantastic holiday card, which caught my eye a few weeks ago when it was featured in Nancy Riley's iPicks #157--a weekly roundup of fantastic inspiration from around the web.  Why oh why didn't I buy any of the silver glimmer paper?  Then I realized that I can make glimmer paper in any color using heat & stick powder and dazzling diamonds (one of the best techniques I learned last year)

So I got to work, using punches to cut out different size circles from Red Glimmer Paper, Pear Pizzazz, and Baja Breeze.  I then inked my larger Pear Pizzazz and Baja Breeze circles in VersaMark--I just pressed the whole circle into the pad--and put them in my Powder Pals tray to catch the stray powder.  I dumped Heat & Stick powder over all of them, then moved the circles to a different spot on the table to apply some heat.  As soon as the powder started to flow, I moved the circles into a different Paper Pals tray where I dumped Dazzling Diamonds glitter all over them (and glitter went everywhere, like snow inside!  Pretty...and I vacuumed after card making.)  I applied some more heat, to make sure the Dazzling Diamonds were set in the Heat & Stick powder, and then I had glimmer paper in two new colors.  Success!

I laid out the circles to create my tree first, moving them back and forth before deciding I was ready to glue them down.  I used a combination of dimensionals, to hold the larger circles off the page, and mini glue dots for the littlest ones.  My finishing touch was the sentiment, inked in Baja Breeze from Four the Holidays.

BINGO ALERT!  We've had another winner, so it's time for round three.  Audrey, send us an email to collect your prize (and Jenny, we still haven't heard from you for your round 1 winnings--email us!).  Everyone else, reset your cards...but since the winner was on Sunday's post, you can keep yesterday's poinsettia for this round, and add the snowman as today's pick.  Good luck!

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

Stamps: Four the Holidays
Ink: Baja Breeze, VersaMark
Paper: Whisper White, Red Glimmer, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz
Extras: Heat & Stick powder, Dazzling Diamonds, 1" Circle punch, 3/4" Circle punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack

A Holiday Favorite

"And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Niklaus soon would be there..."  I absolutely loved to recite 'Twas the Night Before Christmas as a child, and think I still remember most of the lines.  Stockings are a big part of my family's holiday traditions (read about that here), so the Stocking Builder punch and coordinating stamp set were obvious purchases for me when I got the holiday mini.  I just hadn't gotten around to using them until now...and I have no idea what I was waiting for!!

I'll try to spare you my ode to punches, one of my absolute favorite card making tools, but I'll remind you that there's nothing better, in my book, than punches that coordinate with a stamp set, because you can instantly and easily punch out your image.  No painstaking hand-trimming, because I certainly don't have time for that!  (Did you notice that today's post is going up late...the holidays are fast approaching!)

I was inspired to try out my punch and stamp set because of FTL170, the most recent card layout over at Clean & Simple Stamping.  I could easily see making lots of this cards, or more variations on the theme with snowflakes.  But for this card, I started with a base of Crumb Cake, to which I adhered the plaid from Frostwood Lodge DSP for an eye-catching background.  Next up, I cut a piece of Early Espresso and layered another piece of Crumb Cake on top of that, so I'd have a crisp and sharp border.  I stamped Happy Holidays (from Four the Holidays) in Old Olive, and mounted this piece on my card base.  I cut a strip of Cherry Cobbler ribbon, to "hang" my stockings on, and then got to work on the stockings themselves.

That part was really easy--I just chose my ink colors (Riding Hood Red, Old Olive and Island Indigo), stamped and punched.  Then I attached my super cute stockings to the card, and added mini jingle bells as my finishing touch, creating a card that announces its good cheer.  

Today's piece is the poinsettia.

Happy Holidays!

~Melanie

Stamps: Four the Holidays, Stitched Stockings

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Island Indigo

Paper: Frostwood Lodge DSP, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Extras: Stocking Builder punch, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding ribbon, Mini Jingle Bells

Favor Boxes For Your Holiday Dinner

Today's Bingo piece is.............................................. the  jingle bell !

No doubt whatever holiday you celebrate or feast you host, there will be some sort of favor for your guests.  How about these cuties?

They are as simple as 1-2-3 with Stampin Up's fantastically easy dies.  (1) Just pick your card stock colors to match your holiday/dinner theme & die cut using the Big Shot.  Then, (2) use your bone folder to sharpen the folded edges so they're nice & crisp before gluing everything together using the super-duper sticky strip to ensure everything stays together.  (3) The best part is last--decorating and embellishing!  You can have fun with all that SU offers: brads, buttons & glitter (oh my!).

I think it's little accents and details like this that will surely make your holiday (or any dinner party) memorable.  And, during the holidays, it's all about making friends & family feel special so what's more special than a little box as a place card, in a bowl as a centerpiece or a 'thank you for coming' parting gift?  Tis the season to stuff these with homemade chocolate goodies, mini candy canes or red, green & white m&ms!  I hope this gets you crafting on a Sunday!

Happy Stamping (& favor box-making!)
~Kiran

Other: Bitty Box & Envelope Bigz XL Die, Box #2 Bigz XL Die, Matchbox Bigz XL Die

Summer in December? Why not?!?

Sorry this blog post is a little late.  Tis the season for family and I have 19 coming over so there's lots going on!  =)

I thought I'd bring a little warmth to the blog with these summer invites I made.  These were so fun to make for a friend as she planned and hosted her mom's surprise 60th birthday.  The party was at a shore house so the seashell stamp set (retired) and the color combo was perfect to reflect the sand and the water.

I printed everything first, making sure to measure the size of the punch and leaving that amount at the top of the page.  Then I stamped the large conch shell and punched the sand dollar (non-SU).

I stamped the crumb cake envelopes to match and voila!  =)

Stamps: Seaside Beach
Paper: Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake
Other: non-SU punch

Happy Stamping!
~Kiran

Today's bingo piece is: the present!  Good Luck!

Birthday Greetings

If there's one thing I never have enough of, it's birthday cards.  You'd think that since I make my own cards, I would never run into that shortage, but I do!  So it's always good to have some on hand, or even better, to design a simple card that's easy to replicate--and that's exactly the motivation behind this card.

Simple can also be stunning, which is my personal opinion of this card...probably because I always love the classy look of red, black and white.  In this case, I started with a base of Cherry Cobbler--a deep, rich shade of red--and prepped it for embossing.

Since many of you may be reading about embossing for the first time, I'm going to slow down and take you through the process--one of my very favorite stamping techniques--step by step.  On this card, "Happy Birthday" is embossed using black embossing powder.  This literally is a powder that you dust over your stamped image, then apply heat to melt the powder so that it flows together, creating a continuous image that is raised off the paper (and caught the light in this photo, so you can see some of the dimension).

1. In order to emboss, you have to use a sticky ink called Versamark on your stamp.  But since the oils from your fingers could also hold the embossing powder to the paper, the very first step of embossing is to rub your embossing buddy all over the card stock.  Similar to chalking your fingers for bowling, the embossing buddy ensures that the powder won't stick where it doesn't belong.
2. Next up, ink your stamp with VersaMark, then stamp on the paper.  [Pretty easy, isn't it?]
3. Move your paper over a Paper Pals tray (to catch excess powder), then liberally pour the black embossing powder over your inked area.  Dump excess powder into the Powder Pals (you can put it back in your jar of embossing powder later).
4. MOVE YOUR CARD AWAY FROM THE POWDER PALS AND JAR OF EMBOSSING POWDER!!!  I can't stress this enough--you don't want to melt all of your embossing powder, just what's on your card.  (Wondering how I know this??)
5. Using your heat tool, move the jet of warm air back and forth over the area with the embossing powder on your card.  After a few seconds, you will see a dramatic transformation as the powder melts and begins to flow.  [When I use silver, this always makes me think of the bad robot from the future in Terminator 2]  Shut off the stream of heat as soon as all your powder flows.  TIP: Put a piece of aluminum foil under your card stock before applying heat--this will help to distribute the heat evenly, and keep your card from warping.

These five steps probably take about two minutes total from start to finish--and that's because I keep moving around my table, rather than just moving things out of the way.  Once I had my sentiment in place, I merely added a strip of designer series paper from Timeless Portrait.  My finishing touch, because Cherry Cobbler is a darker card stock, was to add a liner of Whisper White to the inside of the card for writing my message.

[Want to see more embossing?  I thought you would.  Here are a few samples/favorites from the archive--Silver Silverware, Pops of Color, Polished Pewter, Gold Medallion.  Of course, you could also check out the entry for Dec 1, which was an embossing double feature as I choose between the Cherry Cobbler embossed ornaments and the silver snowflakes for this year's holiday card--did you tell me which you prefer?]

And I made a whole stack of these, so I'll be ready for the next few birthdays in my calendar.  I learned yesterday that this is a very busy birthday month, so it looks like I might need to make even more!  Would you like to get this card for your birthday?  Let me know...it could happen.  :)  And make sure you mark the star on your bingo card today.

Happy Friday!

~Melanie

Stamps: Perfectly Penned

Ink: VersaMark

Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Timeless Portrait DSP

Extras: Embossing Buddy, Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Powder Pals, aluminum foil

Variations on a Theme

Recognize this card?  You might; it's based on the same layout that I used for my celebrate any day card last week...but with all different colors, papers, and stamps.  I just loved this layout, and think I could use it for any number of cards to feature Stampin' Up!'s fantastic designer series paper...which I always love, even when the designs don't cater to my love of the geometric.

One of the great things about designer series paper (or DSP for short) is that each pack features a different selection of colors which you know will coordinate perfectly.  So you can look at any pack of DSP in the catalog (pages 183-186 of the Idea Book & Catalog), see what colors it features, and have new color combinations for your own creativity.  Normally, I wouldn't pair Bravo Burgundy, Not Quite Navy, and Tangerine Tango, but since Paisley Petals uses these colors, I knew I would have a winner.

Again, I used my Circle Scissors Plus to cut out the two circles, one of DSP and one of Bravo Burgundy cardstock.  My sentiment is from Curly Cute--I'm a huge fan of that font--and its inked in Basic Black.  The card base is Naturals White, so you can easily read what you write on the inside, and this is ready to go in the mail.  Yay!

Oh, were you checking in for today's bingo piece?  It's the snowman.  Good luck!

Happy Holidays,
~Melanie

Stamps: Curly Cute
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Naturals White, Not Quite Navy, Tangerine Tango, Bravo Burgundy, Paisley Petals DSP
Extras: Circle Scissors Plus

Say it in Lights

Alright everyone, it's already happened--Jenny has BINGO!!!  That means it's time to reset your cards. (Have you been using blue ink?  Switch to red)  I put all the pieces back into the bowl, and the first piece for this new round of bingo is Santa's hat.  Mark your cards...and cross your fingers.  :)

On to today's card.  This one is really simple, and though I didn't think too much of it, it's been a big hit on Stampin' Connection, the demonstrator-only website where demos share creative and business ideas.  The beauty to this card is that it's really simple to make and to mass produce--I'd love to show you how.

All you need is paper, a Big Shot with the Stocking Accessories die, a Basic Black marker and then whatever stamp you'd like to use.  For this card, I used Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight and--my personal favorite--Red Glimmer paper and, with just a few cranks of the handle, had four Christmas tree lights.  I used my Basic Black marker to put a band across each of the lights.

Next up, I adhered the lights to my card and used the Basic Black marker again to string my lights on wire.  The final touch was my merry and bright holiday sentiment from Merry & Type, inked in Island Indigo and stamped in the corner.

It takes longer to write this out than it does to make the card!  You should try one for yourself.  :)

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

Stamps: Merry & Type
Ink: Island Indigo, Basic Black
Paper: White Naturals, Perfect Plum, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Red Glimmer Paper
Extras: Big Shot, Stockings Accents die

Digital Brainstorming!

As promised, here is the first of many digital cards coming your way!  These are for a client that just got married in September.  She needs to get her thank you cards out and asked that I help.  After giving her the Color Coach and our MK Brainstorm Sheet, she knew the colors she wanted to use but was still undecided with the design.  I knew she wanted something simple with "fuschia" (aka melon mambo), whisper white and a heart if possible.

MDS to the rescueeeee!  Sorry, I sang it out loud as I typed it.  This is where MDS is great.  I can simply upload these four card fronts as jpeg files and email them to her.  I can even send these in to be printed and minimize the amount of cutting and punching I'm actually doing.  Instant [almost] cards!

I'll keep you posted as to which one she chooses so be sure to stay tuned as I'm sure that project will make it to the blog.  =)

Colors: melon mambo, whisper white
Extras: MDS

Happy (virtual) Stamping!
~Kiran

PS-the next holiday bingo piece is the penguin!

Embossed Doilies that Dazzle

Ok, so before I start posting some fun MDS cards (I just purchased 5 digital downloads during the AMAZING sale last month), I wanted to share these samples I made for a friend's wedding invitations.

I had an October post with her sample Save-The-Date as well.  Her colors are Blushing Bride, Basic Black and Whisper White and I made two versions of this very simple envelope card.  The card was the same template Melanie used for another wedding order and was simple to copy.  It's nice because it uses the entire sheet of 8.5" x 11" cardstock so there is no waste.  =)

No matter how much I stamp that doily, I'm always struck by it's beauty.  The addition of matching punches along the pocket edge just add to the doily/lace theme.  The bride ended up liking the contrast of the pink with the black embossing.  Which one is your favorite?

Stamps: Hello Doily

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Basic Black, Blushing Bride

Extras: Scallop trim border punch, non-SU punch, black embossing powder

Happy Stamping!

~Kiran

PS - today's bingo piece is the figure skate.  Good luck!

MDS Peacock Menu

Sorry this blog post is coming later in the day, both Mel & I have been traveling out of state.  Better late than never, I say!  

I made these a few months ago and just found them in my stash of digital card photos.  With all the card-making Mel & I have been doing, we're collecting quite a few photos!  I'm glad to have come across these menu cards because though they are simple, they convey elegance.  A few minutes on MDS, print, cut and then some double-stamping does the trick!

The stamp is non-SU but the rest is everything Stampin Up.  I love the ease of My Digital Studio (MDS)!  It can turn anyone into a graphic designer and it's instant satisfaction.

Get your bingo cards out...today's Holiday Bingo Piece is the cardinal.

If you haven't tried it yet...what are you waiting for?!?  Look forward to some exciting MDS designs from us soon!  =)

Happy (digital) Stamping!

~Kiran

Stamps: Non-SU

Paper: Very Vanilla

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Gold Versaink 

Technical Difficulties

Im having trouble posting (not sure why) so check back later for today's project. But I can't keep you waiting for today's bingo piece--it's the snowflake. Cheers! ~Melanie

Celebrate Any Day

You may not know this about me, but I love a great geometric pattern.  In fact, that's usually my favorite thing about Stampin' Up!'s designer series paper, the focal point of today's card, but it's something that's easy to overlook in the catalog.  Why?  Well, small geometric patterns like this one don't show up very well when shown at 25%.  In fact, I entirely missed this pattern, and wouldn't have caught it if another stamper hadn't used the paper for a card on her blog.  I'm so grateful, because I do love this cheery and bright pattern.

The paper is Pocketful of Posies, and it offers a great set of geometric delights to yours truly, so I can promise that you'll be seeing more of this one.  I was also inspired by the great layout FTL167 over at Clean & Simple Stamping--there's nothing like a great layout to get my creative juices flowing, and the sample card for 167 was a huge inspiration.  

To make this card happen, I used my Circle Scissors Plus--one of my favorite tools which has been terribly underused of late.  I love how easy it is to cut circles of all sizes with only one tool, and I've used it time and time again.  I love geometric shapes as well as patterns, but often need some curved edges to offset all the squares and rectangles of my cards.  I cut out a 2.75" circle of the designer series paper (DSP) and a 3" circle of Pear Pizzazz.  

Next up, I stamped my Whisper White with the sentiment from Perfectly Penned in Pear Pizzazz BEFORE embossing the paper with my trusty Big Shot and the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  I've learned from experience that the stamping is much easier to do before embossing.  Then it was simple layering and glueing, and this card is now ready to go to absolutely anyone for a fun and bright pick me up...it will probably get good use on a gray January day.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves!  After all, it's barely December and you're wondering what today's bingo piece is.  Get your cards ready, and mark off the Christmas tree.  

Happy Holidays!

~Melanie

Stamps: Perfectly Penned

Ink: Pear Pizzazz

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies

Extras: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Circle Scissors Plus

Why Hello There Holidays

These ornaments just put me in the holiday spirit, and I'm loving the bold typeface of "Deck The Halls."  Even though I still have a stack of holiday cards that I never sent to my friends and family last year (how did that happen?!), I think this is going to be my holiday card this year.  I just love it too much to not mass produce it.  What do you think?

I'll give more details on how to make today's card down below, but there's extra excitement starting on our blog today--HOLIDAY BINGO!  I'm happy to say that the fun is back by popular demand, since I've been hearing from many of you, itching to get your hands on this year's bingo cards...and I imagine, this year's prizes!  You're in luck, because Kiran and I are happy to oblige.  (Wondering where your card is?  Check your mail...the last batch went out yesterday.)

Here's how it works.  Every day, check our blog for another great project from Stampin' Up!, and another bingo piece.  When you get five in a row (diagonal, horizontal or vertical), leave a comment saying "BINGO" (what else?) and we'll be in touch so you can claim your prize.  And then, the game starts right over again--and we'll keep on going until the new year rolls around.  This means that you should strategize how you'll mark your bingo card, since you'll be using it more than once.  (Maybe x's in the corner?  I recommend using different colored ink for each round)

Are you ready?  Today's bingo piece is the candle.  Mark your cards!

For today's holiday card, I started with Merry & Type (my #1 gotta-have-it set from the 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog) and Cherry Cobbler embossing powder.  I knew that I wanted to make some magic with these two!  Since the woodcut/letterpress look of the ornaments and fonts made me think of Sherlock Holmes and those old newspapers, I decided to keep the base colors muted with a base piece of Crumb Cake that I die cut using my trusty Big Shot and the Top Note die.  I decided I loved the look of the embossing, so that was good to go.

Next, I needed a card base, and decided to go traditional for this card--red and green it is, in shades of Cherry Cobbler (that fantastic embossing powder) and Garden Green.  I stamped the sentiment in Garden Green ink on the Garden Greek paper for a tone on tone look, in keeping with my toned down idea for this holiday card.  The Stamp-a-majig helped me achieve perfect alignment for decking the halls four times.  I trimmed down the top note piece with my paper trimmer, and sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink for a little extra texture.

Now it's your turn to weigh in--should I send today's card as my holiday card this year, or a version of the sparkly medallion from last December?  Leave a comment with your vote and help me decide.  Thanks!

Happy Holidays!
~Melanie

Stamps: Merry & Type
Ink: VersaMark, Garden Green, Early Espresso (sponging)
Paper: Garden Green, Crumb Cake
Extras: Big Shot, Top Note die, Cherry Cobbler embossing powder

Holiday Bingo is Back!

And so are we, just in time to share some holiday cheer and inspiration!  I hope you'll join us for a fun month of playing bingo, winning prizes, and trying your hand at some new holiday projects.  Kiran and I have lots in store for you, so check your mailbox--all the bingo cards have gone out and should be in your hands this week.

Of course, the Bingo cards themselves are a Stampin' Up! project, and so much fun for holiday parties and/or children--that includes the young at heart!  You can make these by hand stamping, or with My Digital Studio.  The cards above (all unique, mind you) are a hybrid of the two--I printed off the Bingo card from My Digital Studio, then did all the stamping by hand with Jolly Bingo Bits and an assortment of bright and cheery colors.  After all, what are the holidays if not bright and cheery?

Tune in tomorrow for the official kick-off, and be sure to keep coming back for more.  It's my favorite time of year!!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Jolly Bingo Bits
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green, Melon Mambo
Paper: White Naturals
Extras: My Digital Studio

A Thank You as Pretty as a Peacock!

These beauties take a bit of time but gosh-darn it they were worth it!  What do you say?  Making 80 of these for my wedding thank yous was no small feat so I broke down the tasks.  I find an assembly-line system much easier.  For these cards the steps were:

- Cut all the vanilla + crumb cake paper for the card bases (couldn't decide so used both!)
-  Score + then fold all the card bases
- Stamping the back of each card w/this blog address! (*this was key)
- Measuring + cutting all the peacock print paper (non-SU) & rich razzleberry ribbon
- Stamping + embossing the peacock sentiment from 'Very Thankful' in gold
- Punch all the peacocks out w/the 2.5" circle punch

I glued the peacock print band + the ribbon to all the cards first.  Then I went back and added the circle punches with dimensionals for a raised element.  The last thing is to finish stamping the envelopes to match.  I can't wait to mail these...but I have to write them all out...let's hope I don't get carpal tunnel first! Haha. =)

Happy Stampin!
~Kiran

Friends ARE Good.

These were the thank you cards I sent to my girlfriends for planning and coming to my bachelorette weekend of fun & festivities in NYC.  Enclosed in every card was a photo of myself with each recipient from a nice dinner we had one night.  Isn't giving & receiving a card just make you feel so special?!?!

I had been coveting this Frankenstein-inspired sentiment for many, many, many months (as Mel is very aware).  So, when I finally received it, I really wanted to use it for a special card(s).

I love the combo of greens + purples so the combination of the solid certainly celery cardstock and the mixed patterns of the DSP just makes these pop.  I hope this gets you inspired to make & send a card to a friend too.  =)

Happy Stamping!
~Kiran

Stamps: Smarty Pants
Paper: Certainly Celery (retired), Rich Razzleberry DSP & Patterns Pack
Extras: Curly Label Punch, Modern Label Punch

Give My Digital Studio a Spin!

Digital Scrapbooking Day is coming--who knew, right?  But I think it's a great idea to set some time aside for all those digital photos.  I know I'm ready to transfer a lot of them into gorgeous scrapbook pages, or maybe even holiday cards with My Digital Studio.  And this is where it gets exciting!!  In honor of Digital Scrapbooking Day, Stampin' Up! will be offering four free downloads for My Digital Studio--you can use these with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive and fabulous digital scrapbooking program OR download them as files that can be used with another program you might already own.  It's a great way to check out what My Digital Studio offers, especially if you've been wondering about the program.  As you know, Kiran and I LOVE it!!

We also love our Big Shots--and great news about the special offer to get a free Big Shot when signing up as a demonstrator--Stampin' Up! has extended this offer through November 11.  Don't miss out!  Just click the "shop now" link on the sidebar to go to my Demonstrator Business Website, and you sign up instantly.  For $175 you'll get a full kit of stamping supplies (over $300 worth) plus a free Big Shot.  There's no requirement to sell, so you can be a hobby demonstrator or just try it out for this great deal.  Email me if you have questions; I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Halloween!
~Melanie

Beach Wedding Thank Yous...

There's nothing better than a matching set of stationary...especially for a wedding.  And, there's nothing more challenging that keeping with the same color palette and style but coming up with something different.  These TY cards were a great way for Jennifer & Phil (now Mr.&Mrs.) to thank their guests.  They are simple, classic and understated...all things that were their beautiful beach-front wedding and all things that are the couple.  =)

Stamps:

A Beachy Invite...

What I love most about these invites is the unique use of "beachy" colors. Cameo Coral (retired), Old Olive, and Basic Grey (retired) all combine so beautifully in this card. Jennifer, the bride, did such a good (and very thorough) job researching unique color combinations that weren't "typical." Don't you think? The SU Color Coach certainly came in handy here! This palette remind me of seashells, seaweed and sand. Jennifer also opted for the square shape...though they cost a little more to ship...they certainly stand out! We added a subtle textural element with the clear heat embossed peony (after two-step stamping it) which shimmered ever so slightly in the light and also gave guests something smooth to touch. The multiple layers, the belly band and the 1/8" border all add the elegance of this invite. They were the perfect introduction to a perfect beach wedding...Enjoy!

Stamps: Pretty Peony, Baroque Motifs, Lovely Letters (retired)
Ink: Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Basic Black
Paper: Cameo Coral (retired), Old Olive, Basic Grey (retired), Very Vanilla
Extras: curly label punch, clear embossing powder, heat embossing tool, 

Welcome Baby with the Big Shot

For a friend's baby shower, I recently made my first pennant banner--and I see why everyone loves them so much!  This project was simple, really fun, and I was beyond pleased with the results.  I used my trusty Big Shot and the Perfect Pennants die to cut out the ten flags with coordinating medallions.  I then used the Timeless Type Sizzlets to cut out the letters for the "Hello Baby" message.  TIP: For easy glueing, adhere Adhesive Sheets to the back of your paper before running it through the big shot--then just peel your letters away from the backing, because they're instant stickers with some serious sticking power!

I wanted the banner to be something that could be useful after the shower too, so I decided to decorate the back side as well.  For this, I used the medallions I'd already cut out and my favorite animal stamps from Fox and Friends.  I stamped on Whisper White, then popped out the circles with my 2" circle punch and they fit perfectly on the medallions.  The parents-to-be really liked the banner, and plan to hang it in their nursery.

Stringing the pennants was also really easy--I used my Crop-o-dile to punch small holes in the top corners of each flag.  The Crop-o-dile was great for this, because I could set my depth and have even placement.  Then I strung the flags on a piece of retired ribbon from Masterpiece Originals and tied two knots to space out the middle.  Done, and super cute.

SPECIAL OFFER:  If you sign up to be a demonstrator before the end of October, you'll get a Big Shot for free!!!  I am a huge fan of my big shot, and of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator--and I'd love to tell you more.  Feel free to email me, or follow the "shop now" link to my business website, where you can sign up directly.  Don't miss out on this great deal!! 

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Fox and Friends
Ink: Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Paper: So Saffron, Pool Party, Blushing Bride, Green Galore (retired), Lovely Lilac (retired), Basic Gray
Extras: Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, 2" Circle punch, Adhesive Sheets, Crop-o-Dile, Masterpiece Originals ribbon (retired)

Sharp and Soft: Doily Save the Dates

It sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it?  But that's exactly how I'd describe the look of these save the date cards for Arpita and Viral.  Kiran is making these beauties for the happy couple, and they couldn't be happier with the first impression these cards are going to give for their wedding.

The card is Whisper White mounted on a piece of Basic Black that has been edged with a non-SU punch that keeps the doily idea going.   The main feature is both simple and stunning: Hello, Doily stamped with VersaMark and embossed in Basic Black.  TIP: Don't forget to use your Embossing Buddy before embossing! Otherwise the white card stock might have black speckles.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Hello, Doily,
Ink: VersaMark
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White
Extras: Basic Black embossing powder, non-SU border punch

Welcome!

Hi to all you new readers who are popping over from Style Me Pretty.  Wasn't Jenn and Phil's wedding just fantastic?  Kiran and I were really excited to share in their happiness and help build the excitement for their big day.  

To quickly find further samples of our wedding designs, which we create specifically in consultation with happy couples, just click here or browse through the labels above.  We'd love to hear from you, so drop us a line!

Cheers!

~Melanie and Kiran

Balancing Elephants

Yesterday was my sister's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE!) and she should have gotten this bright and cheery card in the mail.  Jackie is a big fan of elephants, so I just had to use the great Big Top Birthday DSP, which has this elephant balancing on a ball.  I wasn't a huge fan of the clown next to the elephant--I thought that might make the card a little too young--so I used my paper snips to cut out the elephant.  He's ready for a solo show.  :)

The patterned pieces are also from Big Top Birthday.  I really love the bright colors and fun patterns.  I lined them up on a Peach Parfait base, and my finishing touch is the Curly Cute sentiment.  I hope this makes you smile as much as it does me!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Curly Cute
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Peach Parfait, Big Top Birthday DSP
Extras: Paper Snips

Happy Ending

More of my fall favorites, featuring Spice Cake DSP and Pursuit of Happiness yet again.  Don't you just love this sentiment?  Everything will be okay in the end; if it isn't okay, it isn't the end.  I think this is perfect for a pick-me-up on those days when things aren't quite perfect...and we all know those days.

The card itself is really simple.  The base is Pear Pizzazz, on which I layered a piece of Soft Suede cut to 3.5 by 4.75.  The Spice Cake strips are 1" by 3", and I used my trusty Big Shot and Petal Cone die to cut the banner strip from Peach Parfait.  A little stamping, and this card is good to go.  I like it so much, I should make some extras for my card box.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Pursuit of Happiness
Ink: Soft Suede
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Spice Cake DSP, Peach Parfait
Extras: Big Shot, Petal Cone die

Fall Favorites

Fall suddenly announced its arrival last week with some cold and blustery days, so I took some time yesterday to stamp with some of my fall favorites.  This card has them all (well, almost all)--Spice Cake DSP, Day of Gratitude, and Pursuit of Happiness.  I love the sentiments in that stamp set--you've already seen me use "live in sunshine," and more are coming this week.  It's a must-have all-purpose stamp set, and I just love that the sentiments are perfect for any occasion without being specific to a single one.

For this card, I used my 1" Circle punch to cut out a medallion from the Spice Cake DSP, and used this as a center on the Day of Gratitude medallion.  These are new favorite colors for me--I've never been a fan of More Mustard, but I can't get enough when it's paired with Pool Party.  Such a fresh and crisp combination for fall.

The finishing touch to this card is a strip of Soft Suede, which I punched with Dotted Ribbon punch.  Let me know what you think--what are you loving this fall?

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Day of Gratitude, Pursuit of Happiness
Ink: More Mustard, Soft Suede
Paper: Pool Party, More Mustard, Spice Cake DSP, Soft Suede
Extras: Dotted Ribbon punch, 1" Circle punch

Grateful for Fall Colors

It was pretty humid and muggy over the weekend, so I'm wishing fall and its cooler temperatures to arrive quickly.  This card's inspiration began with another great combo from the Color Coach: Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, and Old Olive.  This bright and warm colors just feel like fall, and remind me of a favorite sweater from long ago.

This is another one stamp set card, featuring Day of Gratitude.  I also used the Lace Ribbon punch for the accent piece.  TIP: The center "flower" of each circle fits the 3/4" circle punch perfectly, so I punched a second strip withe Lace Ribbon out of Old Olive paper, then used my 3/4" circle punch to pop out the center flowers.  Dotto is the perfect adhesive for putting these together, since there are so many empty spaces.

The finishing touch are some Basic Pearls for the center of each flower, and this card is ready to go.
Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Day of Gratitude
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
Extras: Lace Ribbon punch, 3/4" Circle punch, Basic Pearls

Birthday Daisies

Some birthdays snuck up on me over the weekend, so I needed to make some great cards asap.  That was entirely doable and really fun, thanks to Upsy Daisy!  For this card, I used the Color Coach to locate a great combination of Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo and Baja Breeze.  This is going in the mail to a real teal lover, so I'm sure she'll appreciate the touches of Indigo...and I know I'll be using this combo again!

The card was very simple, just a little cutting, stamping and punching, then I was done.  The Whisper White piece is 2-1/4x3-1/3, and I cut the Island Indigo to give a 1/4" frame all around.  I used the Modern Label Punch for my sentiment, then framed that with a Designer Label Punch.  That's all folks!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo
Paper: Baja Breeze, Island Indigo, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry
Extras: Modern Label punch, Designer Label punch

A Friendly Bird

Oh, two-step bird punch, how I love thee!  I was really excited when the new Idea Book & Catalog came out, and it included a stamp set to coordinate with this great punch.  Language of Friendship is the perfect way to take this old favorite to a new level.  I stamped it in Basic Black on Not Quite Navy and again on Garden Green, then punched out my pieces.  TIP: You can do this with the new style punch and still have the punch on the table, which is the easiest way to make them work.  Just flip the punch over--both sides are flat, and it works like a charm.

Since I made this card at the Loft, I was able to take advantage of some supplies that I don't own (yet!) like the great frame my bird is perched in.  The rectangular frame is part of a two-pack of embossing folders (the other is a lovely oval frame) that are in the Idea Book & Catalog--Designer Frames.  I used it with the Big Shot, then sponged over the embossing to make the frame stand out more.

The sentiment is also from Language of Friendship, which makes things easy.  I'm also a fan of its meaning, so this card is ready for the mail.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Language of Friendship
Ink: Basic Black, Not Quite Navy, Soft Suede (sponging)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy, Garden Green
Extras: Big Shot, Designer Frames, Two-Step Bird Punch

Love-ly Flowers

Here's another card from my trip to stamping heaven at the Loft.  I told Mary Kay that I don't have a good floral go-to set any longer, and I didn't know where to turn because Stampin' Up! has so many great options.  She had this great card on display, and it made it easy for me to choose Field Flowers as my new best floral friend.

Ah, two-step stamping, so glad to have you back!  I've raved about this before, and I will do it again--two-step stamping is by far the easiest way to have a polished look on my cards, and it works especially well when you are using clear mount stamps, as I did here.  I stamped the more solid images in More Mustard, then stamped the outline images in Cajun Craze over the top, and got lots of dimension on my flowers.  I love it!

Since I was at the Loft, Mary Kay had to show me some new techniques, and using the Color Spritzer Tool on this card was so easy!  I love the pebbled look it gave to the main panel.  You just insert a marker of you choice (Early Espresso on this card, I think) and squeeze the air pump on the spritzer.  Yes, that's all it takes.  I might have to get one of those for myself!

Finally, do you like that patterned paper?  It's cut from a sheet of the Well Worn designer series paper, and I just love the look it gives to this card.  Well Worn is perfect for any vintage projects you might be doing, and the color scheme makes it just right for masculine cards.

You can buy any or all of the card ingredients at my online store.  Just use the "Shop Now" button on the right side of the blog, and have fun.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Field Flowers
Ink: Old Olive, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Early Espresso
Paper: Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, White Naturals, Well Worn DSP
Extras: Early Expresso marker, Color Spritzer Tool

Holiday Mini Top Ten

So, have you decided what you've got to have?  I'm ready to share my favorite picks--many of which you'll be seeing on M&K StampAway over the next few months.

1. Simply Scored Tool (pg. 7)
I am so excited that Stampin' Up! FINALLY has its own scoring tool! Yes, I ordered this during the pre-order, but I have held off using it until now because I would be overeager to share lots and lots of scored wonders with you.  I'll wait no more--and you don't have to either.  Yippee!

2. Pick Your Poison Quick Accents (pg. 9)
I know, I know, they're so creepy!  But I think they're also perfect for hosting your own slightly spooky and totally fun Halloween party.  If you don't think you're up to applying stickers, you can always order the digital download (pg. 8) instead.  That's probably the route I would go...but don't let me bias you against the fun of the real embellishments!

3. Spice Cake Designer Series Paper (pg. 17)
Obviously I'm a fan of this one, since I just changed our blog to use its great patterns for September.  It's a winner, and who knew that blue could be a great fall color?  It's a little brighter than I would think, but Pool Party is soft enough, and such a great match with More Mustard and Pear Pizzazz, that this is a major win for fall in my book.  I'm glad this is also available as a digital download (pg. 18)

4. Gently Falling (pg. 16-17)
I love two-step stamping.  I love leaves for fall.  This is a no-brainer, and fodder for some excellent cards.

5. Holiday Stocking and Stocking Accents dies (pg. 24)
I couldn't wait to share these with you, and I have so many more projects on the way with these stockings for the holidays.  Since stockings are such a big part of my holiday traditions (read more here), these stole my heart from the very start.

6. Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper (pg. 28)
I just raved about this yesterday, and I'll rave again--just look at these warm plaids!  It makes me think of flannel and hot chocolate and sitting by a fireplace while snowflakes fall.  What could be better than stockings cut out of this paper?  I don't know either.  (Yes, this comes as a digital download too, for those of you who prefer to craft without the glue)

7. Mini Jingle Bells (pg. 30)
Need I say more?  These are so much fun, and the jingle they add to your projects will make you--and everyone who receives them--smile wide.

8. Pewter Stampin' Emboss Powder (pg. 31)
I had no idea that I could like any embossing powder better than silver, but pewter takes my breath away! I've used it a few times, and am probably going to go through more than one container this season.  What won't I emboss?

9. Snow Burst Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (pg. 33)
If there's one thing that I really love about the winter, it's snow and snowflakes.  This embossing folder is just perfect for adding a hint of snow to your cards, even if you aren't ready for the real thing.  It also works great on those stockings, which is how you got a sneak peek of this wonder.

10. Stitched Stockings and Stocking Builder Punch (pg. 34)
Okay, so this might be a little overboard on stockings, but the punch and coordinating stamp set is just darling, and will make the cutest cards.  A great way to send some holiday joy (or some coal) to the people in your life this year.  Can you resist?

Whew!  So that's my Top Ten Gotta Have 'Em list for the Holiday Mini, but I like so much more than I could fit into these few numbers.  Silver Glimmer Paper?  Yes.  Dazzling Details?  Definitely.  Peekabo Frames?  I'm already making chocolates for my advent calendar.

So now tell me, what are your favorites?  What do you want see me craft with first?
Cheers!
~Melanie

Christmas Lodge

Now that you can see the Holiday Mini, I have a very strong temptation to share holiday cards with you every day.  I will do my best to resist the temptation, but it's hard with all these fantastic options!  Also, it's a good idea to get started early on holiday projects--or any project, for that matter.  So there will be lots of holiday items sprinkled in over the next few months.  Stay tuned!

Today's card is a CASE from page 28 of the mini.  I absolutely adore the Frostwood Lodge suite of products, and this lodge image is my favorite of the Christmas Lodge set.  While I was at the Loft, we tried to replicate the great card on page 28 that uses the lodge and some other fun pieces...but mine came out a little large.  It looks like the card in the catty is 3x3, but my version is 4x4.  More room to write!

There are lots of gems from the Mini on this card.  Do you see the jingle bell on the side?  That's one of the Mini Jingle Bells (pg 30), and these are going to be so much fun to use.  I'd love to get a little jingle in the mail, wouldn't you?  This card also features the new Quilted Satin ribbon (pg. 30), and this is one of those products that you have to see and touch to really appreciate.  It's just wonderful, and perfect to add a little extra warm feel to this card, along with that chocolate woodgrain pattern from the Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper (pg. 28).  I love all those plaids, and the woodgrain has a nice wintry feel to it.  (Not that we need to hurry winter, mind you!)

Finally, check out all that sparkle on the snowy roof.  It's the first time that I think any sparkle has really shown up in a picture, and I love it!  This was absolutely the easiest thing to do with the new Dazzling Details (pg. 41), at at $2.50 per bottle you definitely get some bling for your buck!  The fine time gives you precision application, and just a little bit gives a lot of sparkle.  Have fun that what!

Whew!  That's a lot for one card.  What are your favorites in the Holiday Mini?  Check back tomorrow for my top ten gotta have it list.  Let's compare notes!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Christmas Lodge
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso
Paper: Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, White Naturals
Extras: Early Espresso Quilted Satin Ribbon, Mini Jingle Bells, Hemp Twine, Dazzling Details, Frostwood Lodge DSP

New Month, New Look, New Catalog

The excitement never stops!  I'm finally back from all of my travels, and so excited to share lots of new things with you today--starting with some new features on the blog.  You'll note the new look, courtesy of My Digital Studio and the great Spice Cake DSP that you can download for your computer or buy in real life starting today.  Check out all the paisleys!!  I know someone (wink, wink) who is going to be very excited about this paper.

Next up, there's a new button on our sidebar, which lets you go directly to Melanie's demonstrator website and place your order for Stampin' Up! goodies whenever the mood strikes.  Have fun!  This is the absolute best way to get your hands on digital downloads...in fact, it's the only way.  What are you waiting for?  Click on over and check out all your great options.  We promise to keep featuring new MDS ideas and projects for your inspiration, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have.  Happy crafting!

Further down the sidebar you'll see a new catalog cover--click on that for instant browsing of the Holiday Mini.  There are so many fabulous items this year, and I have a zillion ideas.  Best to start early!  I'm curious to know what your favorites are, and promise to be sharing my own very soon...

Starting tomorrow!  My travels took me to the Loft, which you might remember from last year's ecstatic post as stamping heaven.  I was overwhelmed by the options, as always, and have three wonderful cards to whet your appetite some new rubber.  See you tomorrow, and have fun with the mini today.

Cheers!
~Melanie