My Weblog

Project Fun Valentine's Favors!

Today I am sharing two of the party favors that I made for yesterday's Earrings for Erica
fundraising luncheon.  They were fun to make... and I sold out of both!  I thank those of you who came out in support of me... and in support of Erica's House.

To recreate the Lollipop Favors you will need the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack (pg.177), the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set (pg.46), the Hearts Collection Framelits (Occasions Mini, pg.6) and your adhesive of choice.

To recreate the Pencil Favors you will need Real Red and Whisper White card stock, the 1-3/8" and 1-1/4" Circle Punches (pg.212), the Take It to Heart stamp set (Occasions Mini, pg.14), the Tiny Tags stamp set (pg.136), the Hearts Collection Framelits and your adhesive of choice.

Note:  Click on the images for a larger view of them!

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Promotion: Sale-A-Bration (SAB) Has Begun!

Stampin' Up!'s annual Sale-A-Bration promotion has begun!

What does that mean for you as my customer, my hostess or as a new recruit?  It means that from January 24 - March 31, 2012 you will earn FREE product with every order of $50 or more... and additional gifts for hostessing a workshop or joining our family during the promotion period.  Click here to find out more about the benefits of placing an order, hostessing a workshop or joining the Stampin' Up! family during Sale-A-Bration!  Then make the time to view the SAB brochure.  I know that you will LOVE what you see!  To further inspire you....

Here are two cards I made using some of the SAB products!  Both cards were made using the FREE Outline Occasions stamp set. 

I made this "Congratulations" card as a birthday card for my upline.  I used Whisper White and Peach Parfait card stock.  The DSP (Designer Series Paper) is from Everyday Enchantment - another SAB product that you can get for FREE!  The ribbon is Stampin' Up!'s 1/2" Peach Parfait Stitched-Poly Ribbon (pg.194) and the card was colored with Stampin' Write Markers (pg.202). 

This "Thanks" card was for a good friend who treated to me to a lunch out a couple of weeks ago.  The card stock is Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush - since purple is her favorite color!  I also used Berry Blossoms DSP (pg.185), the Modern Label Punch (pg.209), Mini Brads (pg.199), Stampin' Dimensionals (pg.206) and Stampin' Write Markers to color.

This posting also serves as a sneak preview because the Congratulations card is one of the cards those attending my next class will be making... but you will have the option of using any of the sayings from the FREE Outlined Occasions SAB stamp set.  Be watching for more details within the next day or two.

Meanwhile..... feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Are You Ready?!?

Are you ready for those last minute guests and/or unexpected visitors this Sunday?  If not, then pull out your Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Fancy Favor Box Die, punches and some card stock and
get to work making some of these cute favors to fill with candy, a couple of tealights or votives, some homemade cookies or what ever else you can think of.

To recreate these you will need:

Stamps:  Jolly Bingo Bits (Snowflake, pg.41)

Card Stock: Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Pretty in Pink, Marina Mist, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake

Ink:  Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Ornament Punch, Bird Builder Punch, Owl Builder Punch, Word Window Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Modern Label Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, Large Oval Punch,  Extra Large Oval Punch, Fancy Favor Box Die, Red Glimmer Paper, Dazzling Details, uni-ball Signo Gel Pen, Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and Baja Breeze Seam Binding

*** Note:  Punches are on pages 209-213 of the current catalog, and pages 34 & 36 of the Holiday Mini catalog.

I've got to get back to making more of them myself!

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Project: Gift Givers!

Time goes by too fast!  I had intended to share this with you over the weekend... and it is already Thursday here on Guam!

This is the second of four cards those attending my Christmas Card Class made.  We used:

Stamps:  Gift Givers (Holiday Mini, pg.39)

Inks:  Jet Black StazOn

Card Stock:  Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla

Accessories:  Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Series Paper (Holiday Mini, pg.20), Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (pg.195), 2-1/2" Circle Punch (pg.212), 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch (pg.210), Dazzling Details (Holiday Mini, pg.41), Glue Dots (pg.206)

I decided I wanted to share the experience of the Treat Cups (pg.182) and Mica Flakes (Holiday Mini, pg.21) so each person made one variation of the card using them.  Here is one of them... using the
other side of the Designer Series Paper and a Garden Green 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon for the bow.  I think we could have put a bit more of the Mica Flakes inside the treat cups.  Next time!

Tomorrow I will share some of the projects I made for my holiday season displays.

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Project: Stitched Stockings!

I held a Christmas Card Class last Saturday.  Here is one of the four designs that we made.  We used:

Stamp Sets:  Gift Givers (Holiday Mini, pg.39)

Card Stock:  Early Espresso, Confetti Cream/Confetti White, Cherry Cobbler

Inks:  Jet Black StazOn

Accessories:  Platinum Shimmer Paint (pg.203), Stocking Builder Punch (Holiday Mini, pg.34), Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper (Holiday Mini, pg.20), Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper (pg.185), 1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon (pg.195), Brights Brads (pg.199), Stampin' Dimensionals (pg.206), 1/16" Circle Punch (pg.212), Stampin' Write Markers for coloring

There was one person in the class who decided to make her cards "her own"... so she changed them up a bit.  (I love it when someone in my class does that!  Sometimes they come up with ideas that I hadn't thought about myself.)  She made one like the card shown above.  Here are the other two...

Her variations inspired me to explain that one reason I love stamping is because we don't have to follow "the rules".  It is in not following the rules that we come up with some great ideas!  The card on the right gave me opportunity to introduce them to Mica Flakes (Holiday Mini, pg.21).

Tomorrow I will share another card from the class... and a variation on it that uses/used Mica Flakes!

Don't forget to stop by and see me at the Sea Grill Restaurant in Tumon, Guam for a chance to hand stamp a greeting card of your own!  They will be hosting a delicious holiday buffet lunch... complete with a fashion show and several vendors!  Come see some of the gift ideas I have to share... and you may win a FREE stamp set!  If you remember to tell me to "Have a wonderful Stampin' Up! Christmas!" then you will receive a FREE gift from me!

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Project: Angry Bird Favor!

I have my last display of the year this coming Sunday at Sea Grill in Tumon, Guam.  These are two party favors that I will have on my table.

The bird is created using a combination of punches and hand-cut pieces.  The "Got Merry" is from Got Treats (pg. 65).  They take time... but I think it is time well spent.

The second design is for those that want a more festive design.  Both images are from Tags 'til Christmas (pg.32).  It's also a bit quicker to create.  One of those last minute ideas!

If you would like to learn how you can make these - and more(!) - yourself, then please contact me.  If there is enough interest I will hold a class.  :O)

Meanwhile...

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Project: "Go Green" with Scraps!

The most recent issue of the magazine sent to Stampin' Up! demonstrators covers a topic that is near and dear to my heart.... "Go Green"!  The article suggests ways to use up all the bits and pieces of card stock, patterned papers and embellishments that most crafters accumulate while enjoying their creative side.  It inspired me to make another "Strip Quilt" card using the tiny curled pieces of Designer Series Papers from having made pad and pen sets for my recent craft displays.  (If you haven't seen these sets yet, then you can view them here!)  Here is the resulting card:

I admit to using one of our retired colors for the card base - and some of the paper scraps - but Rich Razzleberry would look just as nice for the base... probably even better!  Some of the other supplies I used are:  Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set (pg.67), Classic Ink Pads - Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Soft Suede and Riding Hood Red (pgs.177-180) - for the watercoloring, Log Cabin and Gold Smooch Spritzes (pg.203) and Dazzling Details (Holiday Mini, pg.41).  I couldn't resist adding a sparkle of Dazzling Details to the cherries.  I absolutely love how the Log Cabin Smooch Spritz shows through the watercolored image giving the cupcakes some added texture and making the cake stand look like stoneware.

When using scraps like the ones I've used here, be sure to watercolor some touches here and there - especially where they are wrinkly and/or torn - to give them a vintage look... as seen in the close-up below.  It makes such a big difference in the overall appearance of the card.  (Note:  Click on the images for a larger view of them.)

I have been playing so much with Autumn and Christmas colors recently, that playing with all these other bright Spring/Summer colors has been such a nice change!

Now to get back to prepping for Saturday's Christmas Card Class!  It is being held in Yigo, Guam on Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 2:00-5:00 pm.  We'll be making a total of 12 Christmas Cards (3 each of 4 different designs).  Fee is $25.00 pre-paid.  I still have a few seats available, so contact me (maria@stampingwithmia.com) if you are interested in joining the fun!   Hope to see you there!

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Fun Christmas Project!

I did another Christmas Bazaar this past weekend... at St. Paul's Christian School in Harmon, Guam.  There was already a Stampin' Up! vendor signed up... so I participated as Country Crafts & More... the name listed on my local business license.  I pulled out some boxes of supplies from my early craft fair days.  Among them were a bunch of plastic frames from small counted cross-stitch kits that I had decided not to use for the counted cross-stitch.  This is what I did with them for Saturday's fair.  I love how they turned out and enjoyed how quickly they came together!

I used some of our retired Designer Series Papers and card stock, but any of our current papers would work just as nicely!  The stamp images and punches are all still current.  They are:

Stamp Set:  Jolly Bingo Bits (pg.41)

Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Poppy Red, Glorious Green (Retired.  Substitute Garden Green or whichever green matching your DSP)

Inks:  Poppy Red, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green

Accessories:  1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (pg.210), 1-1/4" and 1-3/8" Circle Punches (pg.212), Dazzling Details (Holilday Mini, pg.41), 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (pg.195)

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Coming later today - November 21, 2011 at 5:01pm Guam time!

 

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Project: Stocking Stuffer!

I've been busy working on projects for my upcoming display at Julale Shopping Center in Hagatna, Guam on Thursday, November 10, 2011 from 10:00am - 2:00pm.  Here is one of the many stocking stuffers and gift items that I making to sell and/or inspire you.

Be sure to stop by my table to see more ideas for stocking stuffers and gifts you can make - or buy from me(!) - using Stampin' Up!'s wonderful products!

Happy Stamping~

Mia

Autumn Splendor with Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz!

Okay!?!  I admit it!  Even though blue is one of my most favorite colors, I have had a hard time using this paper from the Spice Cake Designer Series Paper collection.I always want to turn it over and use it with my leaves that are more autumn (More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie and Riding Hood Red) in color.  That said, I am very happy with the card I am sharing today!

I've used the Designer Series Paper with Stampin' Up!'s Glossy White, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla card stocks.  Other products used are:

Stamp Sets:  Autumn Splendor (pg.115), Pocket Silhouettes (pg.109)

Inks: Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard

Accessories: Lace Ribbon Border Punch (pg.211), Word Window Punch (pg.209), Metallic Brads (pg.199), 1/8" Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon (pg.195), Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker (pg.176), Mini Glue Dots (pg.206), Stampin' Dimensionals (pg.206)  and for the first time - Drum Roll please(!) - Log Cabin Smooch Spritz (pg.203)!

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I can't believe I waited so long to use the Smooch Spritz!  Those of you who attend my Autumn Splendor Wreath class at 2:00 pm on October 29, 2011 will have the opportunity to try it yourself!  See yesterday's posting for the sample! You will see I've included a tutorial in the post.  The class is more for those of you who are visual learners... and/or want to have a fun time away from the children and household chores!!!  You will also get a "hands on" lesson in the Direct to Paper Technique.  

Note:  If you are a local reader and didn't receive my email with information about the class, then please email me at maria@stampingwithmia.com and I will send you the information.

Happy Stamping~

Mia