Last Chance

Last Saturday's sale was a great success with many shoppers coming out to snatch up some retired products.  I sold over 100 stamp sets but still have 100+ more.  

I don't want to store these boxes anymore so I'm offering one last chance to get retired Stampin' Up! product at low, low prices.  

FRIDAY, MARCH 4
8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
2545 Edgemoor Terrace
Village of St. James

Everything will be 50% off the lowest marked price.  That's over 75% off the original prices.  Stamp sets were priced at $2 - $12, so Friday's prices will be $1 - $6.  There are still a few tools and kits left.  Also ribbons and embellishments.

Cash or check only.  No credit cards.  Gift certificate offer no longer applies. 

No early sales, please.  The door will open at 8:00 AM.  Hope to see you then!

Party Wishes and MOJO436

I can always use birthday cards and I've been wanting to use the adorable little cupcake punch from the Party Punch Pack.  Isn't it just too cute?

So when I saw the sketch this morning for Mojo Monday I knew I wanted to use the Party Wishes stamp set and the Party Punch Pack.  They can be bundled to save 15%.

Here's the sketch that I used.

The cupcakes were inked using Melon Mambo and Mint Macaron markers.  I stamped "Let's party!" on the banner for the card front from the Party with Cake stamp set.  I also used that stamp set for the inside.

Birthdays are so much more fun with a hand-stamped birthday card.  Who's on your list for a birthday card this week?

Measurements & Details

Mint Macaron  4-1/4 x 11, scored at 5-1/2

Melon Mambo  4 x 5-1/4

DSP  3-7/8 x 5-1/8

Melon Mambo  3 x 4-1/4

Mint Macaron  2-7/8 x 4-1/8 (emboss with Tiny Triangles TIEF)

Melon Mambo  7/8 Scallop Circle Punch (punch 4)

Whisper White  3/4 Circle Punch (punch 4)

Banner  1/2 x 3 (with notched end) 

New Ikea SKARSTA Desk

My stamping studio has been having a redo for the last year.  I've finally added the last piece of furniture.  I realized that I prefer to stamp standing up.  So I started by putting a table on bed risers to see if that really was the solution.  I loved it but it didn't look great and the size was too small.  A couple of weeks ago my husband and I checked out the desks at Ikea.  The STARSKA desk is perfect because the height is adjustable.  It can be cranked up or down to whatever height you need.

When I'm stamping I have it cranked up to 36".  If I want to have a small class in my studio I crank it down to 30" and add chairs.  

It usually sits in the middle of my room but I have even turned it and used it as an extension of my desk when I'm working during tax season.  

Now I just need the final touches to my studio.  I think it's time for new paint on the walls and just the right accessories.  Just the fun stuff!!

DON'T FORGET MY RETIRED STAMP SALE this Saturday, February 27 from 9:00 to noon.  CLICK HERE for more details.

Spring Wreath Class

Today I held a class for women from my church to make this adorable spring wreath.  We are a relatively new church and are trying to have several events for women to get to know each other better.  What a fun morning we had and now I have several new friends.

Most of these women said they really weren't "crafty" but they all did a great job and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship.

Made with Love for PPA288

I've found that participating in stamping challenges is a great way to get some inspiration for a card.  Today's card was inspired by the sketch from Amy Lazzell for Pals Paper Arts PPA288.

I just received the stamp set Made with Love in the mail yesterday.  It was a gift from my upline Mary Fish for promoting to Bronze Elite.  How fun is this?  So I inked it up this morning and incorporated it into this sketch.

When my daughter was a baby a fabric called Rosebuds was very popular for little girls.  This piece of DSP from English Garden reminds me of those cute little dresses.

Some of the details are the Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper and Dotted Lace Trim.

Here are the basics for the card...

• Cut Thick Whisper White 5-1/4 x 10-1/2 - score and fold at 5-1/4
• Cut Mint Macaron 4-1/8 x 4-1/8
• Cut DSP 4 x 4 - layer onto Mint Macaron and attach to card base
• Cut Mint Macaron 1-1/8 x 5-1/4
• Cut a piece of Mint Macaron Dotted Lace Trim 6-1/2 long - wrap around Mint Macaron and attach to card front
• Cut Blushing Bride circle using Circles Collection framelit (I used the 6th size from the center)
• Stamp striped onesie from Made with Love on Whisper White using Basic Black Archival Ink
• Watercolor stripes using Blushing Bride Ink and an Aqua Painter
• Cut out onesie using Baby's First Framelits - attach to Blushing Bride circle using dimensionals
• Punch heart from Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper using the heart from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack - attach to onesie using a dimensional
• Attach the circle to the card front using dimensionals

Hope you enjoyed my card today.  Thinking back to when my daughter was a baby always brightens my day.  

New Sale-A-Bration Items Available Today

Since three of the original SAB items were for a limited time only, Stampin' Up! has introduced three more items that are available today through March 31.  With each $50 order of projects you can select a free SAB item.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I'll be ordering the Pedal Pusher stamp set with my demo order today.  Watch this video from Stampin' Up! to see three adorable cards made with this set.

To see the full selection of free items available during Sale-A-Bration CLICK HERE and HERE for the brochures.

Let me know if you would like to place an order and receive your free items.

A Nice Cuppa for MOJO435

I'm in love with the A Nice Cuppa bundle in the Occasions catalog.  I've been using it quite a bit lately.  So naturally I pulled it out for my submission to the Mojo Monday challenge MOJO435 for today.

I inked up the tea cup in Bermuda Bay and then cut it out with the coordinating Cups & Kettle Framelit Dies.  When you bundle the stamp set and framelits you save 15%.

Here are the basics for the card...

• Cut Bermuda Bay 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 - score and fold at 4-1/4

• Cut Whisper White  5-1/4 x 4 - layer onto card front

• Cut Crushed Curry  2 x 4 (cut 2)

• Cut DSP  1-7/8 x 4 (cut 2) - layer onto Crushed Curry

• Add two Crushed Curry panels onto Whisper White card front

• Cut Bermuda Bay  3 x 3

• Cut DSP  2-7/8 x 2-7/8 - layer onto Bermuda Bay

• Add Bermuda Bay/DSP piece onto card front

• Stamp tea cup on Whisper White using Bermuda Bay ink and cut out with framelit

• Add stamped and cut tea cup onto front panel with dimensionals

• Stamp heart onto scrap of Whisper White using Melon Mambo ink and punch with heart punch from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack - add to tea cup with dimensional

• Stamp "tea-riffic" with Melon Mambo ink on scrap of Whisper White and punch with 1" circle punch

• Punch 1-1/4" Scallop Circle in Melon Mambo

• Layer "tea-riffic" onto scalloped circle and attach to card front using dimensional

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Tea Dispenser Tutorial

I had some requests for the directions to make the Tea Dispenser that I posted on Saturday.  CLICK HERE to see the pictures of that project.  So today I'm posting the measurements for this project.  The original instructions are from Splitcoaststampers.  However, they used 12 x 12 cardstock for the base and I wanted to use some cardstock that I didn't have in that size.  So I tweaked the instructions and used 8-1/2 x 11 cardstock.

CUTTING MEASUREMENTS

Cut from cardstock for the base and lid.  I used Blushing Bride for this sample.

• 6 x 8-7/8
• 6 x 3-5/8
• 4-1/4 x 4-3/4
• 3 x 3-1/2

Cut from cardboard

• 3 x 3-1/2

Cut from DSP

• 2-7/8 x 4-3/4 (cut two of these)
• 2-3/8 x 4
• 2-3/8 x 4-3/4

SCORING MEASUREMENTS

Piece #1

On the 6 x 8-7/8 piece, score at 1" along the 8-7/8 side
Turn 90 degrees and score at 3-1/8 and 5-3/4
Also score the middle panel at 1-3/4 (see picture below)

Piece #2
On the 6 x 3-5/8 piece, score at 1" along the 3-5/8 side
Turn 90 degrees and score at 1/2 x 3-1/8

Piece #3
On the 4-1/4 x 4-3/4 piece, score at 3/4 on all four sides

Score lines for Piece #1

Score lines for Piece #2

Score lines for Piece #3

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
Cut lines are marked in red in pictures below

Piece #1
Cut up from the bottom to the second score line (1-3/4) on both sides of the middle panel

Piece #2
Cut up from the bottom to the score line (1") on both sides of the middle panel
Cut in from the sides on the score line to remove the corners

Piece #3
Cut one side of each corner to the score line

Cut lines for Piece #1

Cut lines for Piece #2

Cut lines for Piece #3

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Apply strong adhesive such as Sticky Strip or Tear & Tape to the bottom of the middle section of Piece #1 and fold up on top (1-3/4") score line.

2.  Apply adhesive strip to both 1/2" sides of Piece #2

3.  Adhere Piece #1 to Piece #2

4.  Add DSP pieces.

5.  Put sides together to form a box.

6.  Attach 3 x 3-1/2 cardstock to 3 x 3-1/2 cardboard.  This will give the bottom more support.

7.  Fold flaps to form bottom of box and apply adhesive strips generously to the bottom.

8.  Attach the cardstock/cardboard piece to the bottom of the box.

9.  Fold lid (Piece #3) on score lines and notch corners.

10.  Form lid by securing the corners.  I used glue dots to do this.

11,  Put lid on box.  This is the finished Tea Dispenser ready for embellishments.

12.  Add embellishments of your choice.  I used a Valentine theme because you can put Ghirardelli chocolate squares in these as well as tea bags.

Hope you enjoy making this adorable little box.  Please leave me a comment and tell me how to plan to decorate your box.