A Christmas Thank You

Is anyone else counting down to Christmas? Ok, so I'm not really counting down yet, but I am starting to think about things that need to be done for Christmas (cards, gifts, etc.). I needed to get a few cards ready for a swap, so I decided to use the Trim the Tree DSP Stack as a backdrop for a Christmas thank you card.

There are still quite a few days until Christmas, but I hope to have everything ready well before then. These simple thank yous are a great start!

Have a great holiday weekend! I'll be back on Tuesday with the Weekly Deals!

Stamps: Sassy Salutations
Ink: Garden Green
Paper: Sahara Sand, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Trim the Tree DSP Stack
Accessories & Tools: Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Chalk Talk Framelits, Big Shot, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

The Holiday Catalog is Live Today! And An Exciting New Benefit for My Customers!

Have you seen this little beauty yet?

As a demonstrator, I've been able to order from this catalog since August 1, but today YOU can get your hands on some of the wonderful products in here! Click here to see the online version of the catalog. There are so many things I like, and my wish list grows every day when I see samples of things other demonstrators have done. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

The All is Calm product suite is just beautiful, and I especially love the All is Calm Designer Series Paper! Gorgeous color combinations and patterns - I can't wait to use more of it!

The Festival of Trees Bundle is awesome! It's photopolymer, which makes stamping super-easy, and who doesn't love a coordinating punch? This set is great for Christmas cards!

 The Gift Card Envelope & Trims Thinlits Dies make it so easy to create cute packaging for gift cards. This is on the top of my (very long!) wish list!

Finally, the stamp set For All Things. I love the watercolor look of the images, and I can't wait to show you some beautiful cards made with this set!

I could keep on going (I really do love almost everything in the Holiday Catalog!), but I'll let you take a look for yourself. I'd love to know what your favorites are!

One last thing to share today: I am starting a new program for my customers, the 50/50 Board. Maybe some of you have heard of this before. Here's how it works: for every $50 you spend (in one order), I will put your name in one of the squares on my 50/50 board. Once the board is filled up, I will randomly pick one square as the winner, and that person will win a $50 shopping spree! You cannot combine orders to get to the $50, but if you spend more than $50 in one order, you have the opportunity to get your name on more squares. For example, if you place two $25 orders, you do not get a square on the board. But if you place a $100 order, you would get two squares on the board. Make sense? 

Now is a great time to place an order and earn your first square on the board. So many great things to choose from in the new Holiday Catalog! Have fun shopping!

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Green & Gold Birthday Stars

Another nephew's birthday is coming up, and when I saw this month's Paper Pumpkin, I knew I could use some of the items to make him the perfect birthday card! Mossy Meadow and Hello Honey are a great combo for any card going to a Green Bay Packers fan! :-)

Here are a few things I did to add to the items from the Paper Pumpkin kit:
*I didn't think my nephew would appreciate the Strawberry Slush border on the banner, so I flipped it over and used a sponge dauber to add a little bit of Mossy Meadow to the edge.
*I cut the smaller striped card in half (this way I can use the other half later!).
*I thought the new Lucky Stars embossing folder (available tomorrow!) was a perfect background to match the star behind the greeting.

So there you go. Just a few extra items, and you have another use for your Paper Pumpkin kit. If you love the look of the embossed stars, make sure to order your Big Shot and get in on the great deal going on for only a few more days! It's not very often you get $60 worth of FREE items with your order! Check out the details of this deal here. 

Stamps: August 2014 Paper Pumpkin Kit
Ink: Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, August 2014 Paper Pumpkin Kit
Accessories & Tools: Lucky Stars EF, Big Shot, Sponge Daubers, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Weekly Deals ~ August 26 - September 1

Here are this week's deals:

	Marina Mist 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Item # 130016 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $8.95 US/$9.38 CAN
	Clips Essentials Hardware Item # 129964 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.95 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.96 CAN
	Chocolate Chip 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Item # 130014 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$9.38 CAN
	Circles Collection Framelits Die Item # 130911 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Blossom Punch Item # 125603 Regular Price: $16.95 US/$22.95 CAN Discounted Price: $12.71 US/$17.21 CAN
	Vintage Faceted Buttons Item # 127555 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.95 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.96 CAN
	Playful Polka Dots Digital Kit - Digital Download Item # 126027 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.97 US/$6.57 CAN

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

A Simple Card for Any Occasion

My grandma's birthday was last week, and I needed an easy card (because I was late in sending it - oops!). My go-to for easy cards is Designer Series Paper, because it adds a lot of interest without a lot of work.

For this card, I used paper from a retired DSP Stack, and paired it with Coastal Cabana Baker's Twine. I liked the look of the front of the card, and I felt like it would look better without a greeting. So I stamped the greeting inside instead. If you needed a card for a different occasion, you could just use a different greeting. You could also sub in any DSP and twine or ribbon. Super simple, yet pretty!

Stamps: Label Love
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Crumb Cake, Coastal Cabana, Fresh Prints DSP Stack (retired)
Accessories & Tools: Coastal Cabana Baker's Twine

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

My Paper Pumpkin Review

Have you tried Paper Pumpkin yet? If not, you should! I finally subscribed because of this great deal, and I'm so glad that I did! This month's kit was AMAZING!

This month's kit makes 4 large cards and 4 small gift card-size cards, along with 4 large envelopes and 4 small envelopes. There are also extra supplies to make extra projects! I didn't quite put everything together, but this picture gives you a pretty good idea of what is in the kit. Aren't the cards gorgeous?! 

Here is a close-up view of one of the smaller cards.

The kit comes with 4 different greetings that stamp inside the banners, and a little polka dot stamp. Did I mention there are extra supplies? Extra banners, as well as one extra of each of the large white window greetings (Smile, Thank You, Congrats and Hello), just to name a few.

This kit was super easy to put together, although it did take me longer than 30 minutes, which is what it's 'supposed' to take. I might just be slow or meticulous, but it didn't really bother me that it took a little longer.

Isn't this kit super adorable? If you don't want to miss out on another month of adorableness, sign up now! If you sign up by September 10 and use the promo code HALFOFF2, not only will you get September's kit in the mail, you will also get half off the first two months of your subscription! What a great deal! (Plus, if you sign up during this promo, I have a few freebies to send you as a thank you for subscribing!)

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

 

A Short and Sweet Deal

For one week only, now through August 28, Stampin' Up! has a short and sweet deal for you! Join for $99 and get $150 worth of product in your starter kit! Normally, you pay $99 and get only $125 worth of product, so if you've been thinking about joining, now is the time!

What are the benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator? Here are just a few:
*20% discount (plus an additional 10% on your first order within the first 45 days)
*Potential to earn up to 40% of your sales
*Early and exclusive access to new products
*Opportunity to earn free product through various incentives
*Qualify for cash bonuses, free product, incentive trips, and more
*Receive Stampin' Success magazine bimonthly with exclusive product and business ideas
*Access to an online community of other demonstrators, full of ideas and new friends

I'd love to have you as a part of my team! When you join Stampin' Up! with me, I will provide you with a welcome packet and support as you start your new business. The best part about our starter kit - you get to pick whatever products you want! When you join during this short and sweet promotion, you can even get in on the Holiday Catalog preorder! Visit my demonstrator website to sign up (just click the Join the Fun button at the top of the page). Please contact me if you have questions; I'd be happy to help you!

I'll leave you with a non-Christmas card, as promised. I whipped up a bunch of thank yous for my son's birthday gifts yesterday. I followed the theme of his invitations and birthday card, so this looks pretty similar to those. Enjoy!

Stamps: Zoo Babies, Another Thank You
Ink: Soft Sky, Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Basic Gray
Paper: Soft Sky, Whisper White

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Endless Wishes is Back!

Some of you may remember a photopolymer set that was released last year and sold out very quickly, Endless Wishes. I have some happy news for you today - it is returning in this year's Holiday Catalog! I didn't get this set the first time around, but I made sure to add it to my pre-order list this year. It has so many words and phrases in a beautiful font. Your options for the perfect Christmas phrase are endless! Not to mention the pretty snowflakes that are a great accent to any phrase you choose. Here is just one sample of what you can do with this gorgeous stamp set.

I chose my color scheme based on a suite of products in the Holiday Catalog. These are not traditional holiday colors, but they are so pretty together! Wrapped around the bottom of my tag are 3 of the 5 washi tape patterns that you can get in this product suite. That's right - a set of 5! I was really excited to see that because washi tape is an easy addition to any card. Enjoy, and I'll be back tomorrow with a non-Christmas card!

Stamps: Endless Wishes
Ink: Lost Lagoon, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Basic Gray
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Whisper White, All is Calm DSP
Accessories & Tools: Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, 1/8" Silver Ribbon, All is Calm Washi Tape

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Weekly Deals ~ August 19-25

Here are this week's deals:

	Squares Collection Framelits Die Item # 130921 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Finishing Touches Edgelits Die Item # 127010 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$11.95 CAN Discounted Price: $7.46 US/$8.96 CAN
	Vanilla Coaster Board Item # 129392 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$6.95 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.21 CAN
	Twine Baker'S Early Espresso Item # 123124 Regular Price: $2.95 US/$3.95 CAN Discounted Price: $2.21 US/$2.96 CAN
	Elegant Butterfly Punch Item # 127526 Regular Price: $15.95 US/$21.95 CAN Discounted Price: $11.96 US/$16.46 CAN
	Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 129378 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details Item # 127845 Regular Price: $2.50 US/$3.25 CAN Discounted Price: $1.88 US/$2.44 CAN
	Travel Journal Digital Kit - Digital Download Item # 121071 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.97 US/$6.57 CAN

 Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Festival of Trees

Ok, so I know I promised not to share Christmas cards with you every day, but I've been working on samples for my Christmas Card event, so today you get to see another one! 

This card features a new photopolymer set called Festival of Trees, and a retired item from last year's Holiday Catalog, the Expressions Thinlits. (The last time I checked, the Expressions Thinlits are on the Clearance Rack!) There are quite a few photopolymer sets in the new Holiday Catalog, which I love, because they are so easy to stamp with! This particular set also has a coordinating punch, which is great! The stars are punched out using a retired star punch, but you could easily use the new star punch that is part of the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack. 

Stamps: Festival of Trees
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Gold Foil
Accessories & Tools: Tree Punch, Expressions Thinlits (retired), Big Shot, Tombow Multipurpose Glue (works great for the thin letters!), Stampin' Dimensionals, Merry Minis Punch Pack (retired)

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

 

Fancy Friday: A Holiday Catalog Preview

I'm calling today 'Fancy Friday' because this card is definitely a little time-consuming! But it turned out so pretty, and Christmas is still 4 months away, so I decided to make it my Christmas card for this year. I only have about 130 of them to make... 

Yeah, my husband looked at me like I was crazy when I told him this was our Christmas card this year. In the back of my mind, I know it's a little crazy. But I just love it so much, and it really captures the specialness (yes, I made that word up) of the season. So here's to working on Christmas cards for the next 4 months!

A few details about the card: the image and greeting are both heat-embossed in gold. I used Aqua-Painters to color the sky and Mary, and my Cajun Craze marker for the stable and Joseph. The card is CASEd from the Holiday Catalog. It's not an exact replication, but that's where my inspiration came from. I hope you like it! (And, if you're local, you can make this card in my upcoming Christmas Card class!)

Stamps: The Newborn King
Ink: Versamark, Cajun Craze, Lost Lagoon
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Brushed Gold, Whisper White, Watercolor Paper
Accessories & Tools: Aqua-Painters, Rhinestones, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Big Shot, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Project Life Corner Punch

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Happy Birthday, Micah!

My baby boy is one today, and while it is so neat to see him learning and doing new things all the time, I am so, so sad that the baby phase is over! With today being his birthday, I thought it was only appropriate to show you the birthday card I made for him. I stuck to the color scheme/theme of his party invitations, and I thought the result was pretty cute!

I used the Project Life framelits to cut out the Whisper White for the greeting, and then fussy cut the other colors for the border.

Stamps: Zoo Babies, You're My Hero (retired)
Ink: So Saffron, Calypso Coral, Soft Sky, Basic Gray
Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Gray, Whisper White

Accessories & Tools: Project Life Framelits, Alphabet Bigz Dies (retired), Big Shot, Basic Gray Baker's Twine 

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Another Easy Card with DSP

Today's card is another that I whipped up quickly last weekend for one of many August birthdays in our family. That darned Birthday Wishes stamp still didn't want to come out perfectly for me. Time to put it away for awhile and move on to something else! 

Maritime DSP made this card really easy to put together, and the framelit from Apothecary Accents gave the greeting a little more interest. Speaking of framelits, have you checked out the Big Shot sale yet? :-)

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my stamping business lately, and I have some exciting things coming up in the future! Stay tuned for that...

For now, don't forget to check out the Big Shot sale. It's a great time to buy one if you don't already own it! And make sure to sign up for Paper Pumpkin, which is 1/2 off right now. August's box is on its way, and I can't wait to see what's inside! I'll be sharing that next week, hopefully!

Stamps: Four You
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Maritime DSP
Accessories & Tools: Brights Candy Dots, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Big Shot

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Weekly Deals ~ August 12-18 & A New Photopolymer Set!

Here are this week's deals:

	Envelope Liners Framelits Die Item # 132172 Regular Price: $26.95 US/$32.95 CAN Discounted Price: $20.21 US/$24.71 CAN
	Wildflower Meadow Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 129376 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 127751 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Big Shot Die Bigz L Petite Purse Item # 125606 Regular Price: $32.95 US/$40.95 CAN Discounted Price: $24.71 US/$30.71 CAN
	Label Petite Curly Punch Item # 129405 Regular Price: $12.95 US/$15.95 CAN Discounted Price: $9.71 US/$11.96 CAN
	Natural 7/8" Cotton Ribbon Item # 127844 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Rosette Designer Bigz Xl Die Item # 125594 Regular Price: $42.95 US/$52.95 CAN Discounted Price: $32.21 US/$39.71 CAN
	Tea Time Ii Digital Kit - Digital Download Item # 129882 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$8.95 CAN Discounted Price: $4.77 US/$5.37 CAN

And.... there is a new photopolymer stamp set available today. It's a cute set for any cowboy (or cowgirl!) in your life. Check it out:

To take advantage of any of this week's deals, or to purchase this cute new set, click here to shop in my online store.

Happy Stamping!

Rachel

Blackberry Bliss Birthday

When I need a quick card, one of my favorite things to use is Designer Series Paper. It makes a card look a little more 'fancy' without a lot of effort. I love the DSP Stacks for this, because the sheets are already cut down, and you get a larger variety for a smaller price! I went back to the Moonlight Stack for this card. I just love the color combinations too, especially since they include one of my new favorite colors, Blackberry Bliss!

You may not recognize the stamp I used. It's an oldie but goodie from 2004 (or so the stamp says) that I bought long ago when I first started using Stampin' Up! products. I love this retired set, and still pull it out on occasion. This greeting worked out perfectly for a birthday card!

Stamps: Wonderful Words (retired)
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Paper: Sahara Sand, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Moonlight DSP Stack

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Birthday Stars

Such a simple card, it should have been quick. This greeting took forever to stamp for some reason! Not a clear image, crooked, not inked everywhere, you name it, and I had that problem this afternoon! Oh well, I guess some days are like that. This was the best out of about 10 attempts. (I couldn't cut banners either for some reason today - must put Banners Framelits on my wish list!)

 You might see something new on this card... those pretty stars are a new embossing folder in the Holiday Catalog! It was at the top of my list when I saw it, because I love stars and I knew it would be useful for more than just Christmas! Next on my list is the Confetti Stars Punch - once you see it, you'll want it too!

I've got a few more birthday cards to make this weekend, so watch for those to pop up here next week. Have a great weekend!

Stamps: Four You
Ink: Lost Lagoon
Paper: Sahara Sand, Hello Honey, Whisper White, Moonlight DSP Stack
Accessories & Tools: Lucky Stars EF (Holiday Catalog), Big Shot

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

A Little Bit of Christmas

I saw a post on Facebook yesterday that Christmas is only 149 days away! Now, I promise not to post only Christmas cards and projects until then, but bear with me for today. I received my box of preorder items from the Holiday Catalog yesterday, and of course I had to play! There are so many things I love in this catalog, and I'm sure a lot of it has to do with my love for fall and Christmas. 

I will be holding a Christmas Card event in September, and I've had sketches drawn up of the cards I will be offering for several weeks now. This one didn't take long to put together, and for the most part, it uses items from the Annual Catalog. You get one little preview today, and that is the Real Red ribbon you see on the card. Beautiful! 

I will be sharing more Christmas items in the weeks and months to come, but I promise to include other things as well. I hope you enjoy this little taste of Christmas, a few months early!

Stamps: Sassy Salutations
Ink: Real Red
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red
Accessories & Tools: Stylish Stripes EF, Big Shot, Real Red 3/8" Satin Woven Ribbon (from the upcoming Holiday Catalog)

Happy Stamping!

Rachel 

Weekly Deals ~ August 5-11

Here are this week's deals:

	Wisteria Wonder 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Item # 130017 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$12.50 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$9.38 CAN
	Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 130916 Regular Price: $7.95 US/$9.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.96 US/$7.46 CAN
	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad Item # 131171 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.44 CAN
	Delicate Designs Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 127023 Regular Price: $8.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $6.71 US/$8.21 CAN
	Pear Pizzaz Classic Stampin' Pad Item # 131180 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.44 CAN
	Hearts A Flutter Framelits Die Item # 130159 Regular Price: $24.95 US/$30.95 CAN Discounted Price: $18.71 US/$23.21 CAN
	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad Item # 131179 Regular Price: $5.95 US/$7.25 CAN Discounted Price: $4.46 US/$5.44 CAN
	Travel Log Kit - Digital Download Item # 126022 Regular Price: $9.95 US/$10.95 CAN Discounted Price: $5.97 US/$6.57 CAN
	Oh Baby Photobook Template - Digital Download Item # 129350 Regular Price: $17.95 US/$19.95 CAN Discounted Price: $10.77 US/$11.97 CAN

Happy Stamping!

Rachel