The Stampin Queen's Idea Center

Organizing Card Stock

Last night at stamp club, someone asked me about how I organize card stock.  I thought I would pass on some of these ideas.

My suggestion is to put 8 1/2 x 11 card stock in a manila folder and label it with the color name.  You can store the files in a file cabinet or file crate.  By having them in a folder, you can toss scraps in the folder for future use.  The important thing is to label the folder with the color, otherwise, it can be very difficult to determine the color.  If you have Lucky Limeaide, Old Olive and Pear Pizazz on the table together, you may not know which one is which!! 

Here's the way I organize my 12 x 12 Designer Series Paper.  I also put them in a manila folder.  When I get a new pack, I write the name of the paper on the front of the folder and also the coordinating Stampin' Up colors.  You can find the colors listed in the catalog next to the name of the Designer Series paper.   If you have difficulty, let me know.  I also write down the name of the catalog where this Designer Series Paper is listed.  That way, if I run out, or want to see some samples, I know where to look.  Because Stampin' Up features one or two different Designer Series papers in each mini catalog, I find this helpful.

I have 12 x 12 plastic drawers that I got at Walmart, that I put the 12 x 12 folders in.  When I'm using the paper, I pull out the folder.  That way I can store any scraps I have back in the folder for future use.

If you have any storage questions, please feel free to ask.  Also, if you have a system that works well for you, feel free to post it in the comment section!

 

Mixed Bunch

This is a card I made with two of the new products in the Occasions Mini:  Mixed Bunch stamp set and the Blossom Punch.

I like these two products because you can change the look by using different ink colors, stamps, and papers.  I will post another picture a the end showing a card we made last night at stamp club using these same products, but different paper, ink, etc.

On this card, I used two strips from the Twitterpated Designer Series paper.  I then added a strip of Blushing Bride, which I embossed with the hearts from the Adorning Accents and cut a scallop border using the Edgelit Dies.

The flower is stamped in Baja Breeze with a center punched in Blushing Bride and a Baja Breeze button from the Twitterpated desginer buttons.  The leaves are loops of Pear Pizazz satin ribbon. I stamped a greeting for a baby shower (since I need a shower card), however, I think this would be a pretty Easter card!

You can find the supplies in the Occasions Mini Catalog

Here's another card using the Everyday Enchantent Designer Series Paper and brads, which you can get Free through the Sale-a-bration promotion!  See what I mean?  It has a totally different look while using the same stamp set and punch!

 

Sale-a-bration begins today!

It's the time of year for FREE products!  For every $50 you spend (not including tax and shipping) from today until March 31, you get to choose one of the many products featured in the Sale-a-bration catalog.

There are stamp sets, Designer Series Paper, ribbons and brads, buttons, fabric, embossing folders, My Digital Studio add-ons and much more. Some of these items are exclusive to Sale-a-bration and others have been available for purchase in the Idea Book and Catalog, but now you can get them FREE!!

I made up some quick and easy 4 x 4 inch cards using one of the exclusive Sale-a-bration stamp sets called Sprinkled Expressions.  The set contains 3 images and 3 sayings.  I used the Sweet Shop Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Mini catalog, because I think they both have a modern up-beat style.  I always enjoy using the colors in the Designer Series Paper, because a lot of times I never think of using those colors together!  For example, on the polka dot card, I used Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeaide and Island Indigo.  I never would have thought to use those colors together until I saw them in the Sweet Shop paper. 

These are fast and easy cards.  I used 12 x 12 Whisper White for the base and cut 4 cards measuring 4 x 8 inches.  That leaves on 4 x 4 piece, which I used in stamping the images.  I added 2 x 4 inch strips of Designer Series Paper and wrapped around coordinating ribbon.  After stamping the images, I punched them out with the 1 3/4" circle punch and punched a coordinating piece using the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch.

For a little extra touch, I stamped the greeting inside and added a 4 x 1/2" of pattern paper inside.  Since all patterns in the Designer Series Paper coordinate, it's easy to put these cards together.  Here's a photo of one of the insides of the card.

 

New Catalog Strategy

Stampin' Up! has announced a new catalog strategy.

So what are the changes?

In a nutshell, starting June 1, 2012, Stampin' Up! will release one annual catalog, comparable to (but smaller than) the current Idea Book & Catalog, and two seasonal catalogs, comparable to (but larger than) the current mini catalogs. Here are the details:

Annual Catalog

• The annual catalog will run from June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2013. That is one month earlier than previous years.
• The annual catalog will be reduced from over 240 pages in the current Idea Book & Catalog to 208 pages.
• Why the reduction in size?  BIGGER seasonable catalogs!

Seasonal Catalogs

• The Occasions, Summer, and Holiday Mini Catalogs will be replaced by two seasonal catalogs called the Holiday Catalog and the Spring Catalog.
  • The first Holiday Catalog will run from August 1, 2012 through the beginning of January, 2013
  • The first Spring Catalog will run from the beginning of January, 2013 through May 31, 2013.
• The seasonal catalogs will be larger in both size (8 1/2" x 11") and page count (about 40 pages) than the current mini catalogs.

There is another reason for the decrease in size of the annual catalog.  Stampin' Up! will no longer carry the Decor Elements and Simply Adorned (jewlery) product lines.  Many of you have been fans of the Decor Elements line (me included!). You can continue to order from this product line.  Click here to view: Decor Elements.  If Stampin' Up! announces any discontinued products in this line, I will let you know.

I'm sure many of you are wondering about a Retired Stamp and Accessory list!  That will come out within the next couple of months, and I will keep you posted.

I think these will be good changes.  I know many of you have told me you felt the Idea Book and Catalog and the Holiday Mini were coming out too close to each other, and you barely had a chance to enjoy the Idea Book and Catalog.  I agree!  By the way, even though they are changing the name from Idea Book and Catalog to annual catalog, Stampin'Up! has assured us that it will still contain lots of beautiful ideas.

Thanks for your continued business and especially your friendship.  I will look forward to sharing more information on these catalogs, as it becomes available.

 

Sweet Shop Card

This card is made with some of the products in the Sweet Shop Product Suite beginning on page 32 of the Occasions Mini.  The colors are bright and whimsical and perfect for all celebrations.

The base of the card is Pool Party.  I put a strip of the Sweet Shop Designer Series Paper on the front and then cut out a label of the candy print from this DSP using the new Labels Collection Framelit Dies.  The Framelit Dies are perfect for layering and making frames.  I attached this piece over the strip and then layed the card flat on Tab 2 of the Big Shot and cut with a smaller Labels Collection Framelit die.  Just make sure you card is open when you do this, otherwise, you will cut a hole in the back of the card!

The "Celebrate" greeting is from one of the new Sale-a-bration stamp sets, which you can earn FREE during Sale-a-bration, which begins Wednesday, January 24! 

The greeting on the front is from the same stamp set.  It also contains a brad from the Jelly Bean Brads (#125587), which is also in the Sweet Shop Product suite.  You can see all these fun products here:Sweet Shop Product Suite

Stampin' Stacks on Saturday, February 11 - 9AM to Noon

We hope you will join us for our next Stampin' Stack event!

Saturday, February 11 - 9 am to Noon
Place:  325 N. Oak, West Chicago
Cost:  $25
Please bring your own adhesive.
 
Come and restock your card supply. 
·        Make 15 cards-3 of 5 different designs.  That way you can send 2 and keep one in your idea file!  Envelopes are included.
·        Receive $5 off your class fee for any purchase of $25 or more that day. (No purchase is required)
·        Enjoy a Saturday morning-let your husband take care of the kids!  Food will be served, of course!
·        And, of course, door prizes and food!

RSVP by February 4.  Space is limited.

Don't forget it's B.Y.O.A-That's bring your own adhesive!!  You can use whatever adhesive you wish.  I will have Stampin' Up's SNAIL adhesive for sale that day.
 
Invite a friend and if she is not on our mailing list, you get another special gift.  Make sure she tells us your name when she signs up!

One of my favorite ideas with My Digital Studio

Here are a couple of pages that I made using My Digital Studio.  It is a very simple technique, but I love the look. 

Jacob loves soccer!  I am so glad my son, Chris, loves photography because the two make a winning combination for me and scrapbooking.

My favorite part of these pages (other than the pure delight on Jacob's face) is the background on the second page.  I used a photo for half of the page and using My Digital Studio was able to change the opacity on the photos, so it was very light.  It looks like part of the background paper.  I then just dropped photos on top of it.  It's a very easy thing to do, but I think it has high impact!

Labels Collection Framelits Die

I have shown several card samples from the Occasions Mini Catalog using the Hearts Collection Framelit Dies.  There is also a Labels Collection Framelits Dies!  It has 6 dies with the largest one being 5 7/16" wide.  You can view these on page 6 of the Occasions Mini or by clicking here Labels Collection Framelits Dies.

The card base is Blushing Bride.  The bottom layer is cut from the Twitterpated Designer Series Paper #125406 and layered with a piece of Blushing Bride 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon #125570. The bottom scallop was cut using the Adorning Accents Edgelits Die #125595. All are from the Occasions Mini.

The frame is cut with the Framelit Die the larger piece from Basic Gray and the inside from Whisper White.  The flowers are from the Bordering on Romance stamp set also in the mini. I stamped the flowers using Black Staz-on ink.  I prefer to use this ink when coloring in the design, because Staz-on ink never bleeds when coloring. I stamped the flower again on a piece of Whisper White and cut out the center flowers and mounted them over the first image using dimensional dots.  This gives a 3-D effect that isn't too visible from this picture!  I used markers and a blender pen to color in the flowers.

There are so many fun products in the Occasions Mini. If you haven't received a copy let me know and I will send one to you.  In the meantime, you can view it here Occasions Mini Catalog

More My Digital Studio Pages

The last My Digital Studio pages I posted were pages I created on my own.  Here is one that is a pre-made page that is included with the My Digital Studio software.  I just dropped in the photo.  Poor Juliet had a rough day modeling and just went to sleep! 

The thing I like best about My Digital Studio is the creativity factor.  I have used other digital scrapbook services, but none let me create when I want to or just use a pre-made page when I'm short on time or don't want to come up with an idea!  Because let's face it, we all have days like Juliet and just want to fall over:)

 

Hearts Collection Framelit Dies

This is the outside part of the Twitterpated Designer Series paper (DSP) that I used for the card in my last post.  I had cut a piece of

4 1/4 x 5 1/2 DSP and cut out a heart using the Hearts Collection Framelit.  When I had the outside frame left, I thought I would make another fun card, so here's what I did with it!

I cut another small heart using the same DSP and also cut a small heart in Blushing Bride. I used the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit Die for the Big Shot, which cuts and embosses with polka dots at the same time. The lace trim border behind these hearts is punched in Baja Breeze using the Lace Ribbon Border punch.  The greeting and border around the greeting are from the PS I Love You set in the Occasions mini.

When using the Framelits,I have started putting all the extra pieces in a container.  I generally have a frame or an extra heart left over, so they can be used on other cards.