Stampin' with Brenda

What's the BIG DEAL about the BIG SHOT?

2011-10-03T07:16:00.000-05:00

Can you say FREE??!!!!

Check out this AWESOME October Special:

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator or simply love a GREAT DEAL, you need to click on the LINK to my website for the details of this special offer that's only available during October. Along with a FREE BIG SHOT (a $99.95 value), you will receive over $345 worth of Stampin' Up! products and business supplies, all for only $175 (plus tax)! That's a $445 value!

So whether you'd like to be a business-minded demo or a hobby demo, I'd love to help you make your dreams come true! Contact me today!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda
bbstampin@yahoo.com
850.466.3585

You need Strength & Hope when you're being pelted with lemons!

2011-07-19T10:01:00.001-05:00

The saying goes: "When life throws you lemons, make lemonade."

Soon after my last blog post, I got pelted with what felt like a crate full of lemons... I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Never saw it coming...

But, in true craft-obsessed fashion, when I was going through the cute pink and brown tote bag stuffed with all sorts of breast cancer related items (that the Breast Health Nurse gave me to welcome me to the world of Breast Cancer) and found a simple cardboard notebook... I thought, HEY! I can alter that with the Strength & Hope stamp set! It's a stamp set especially designed to support breast cancer research after all! And so I did:

Here's a close up of the butterfly. It's hard to tell, but it is heat embossed using Rose Red Craft Ink and Iridescent Ice embossing powder.

I have to tell you that this has been the most useful notebook! I bring it to all my appointments. It's great for writing down questions to ask the doctors and taking notes so I can keep it all together in one place.

My new best friend, Nurse Michelle, made a great point: "If you have to have breast cancer, you might as well get all the free stuff you can!" You know, make lemonade out of lemons! So, I did!

This would be a great time for me to remind you to do your monthly self breast exam. GO AHEAD... no one is watching! :) Seriously though, having discovered the lump that turned out to be breast cancer myself, I am and will continue to be the posterchild for self breast exams! I had a routine mammogram back in October (right after my 40th birthday) and this lump did not show up! As a woman with dense (or lumpy bumpy) breasts, I learned that mammograms alone are not full proof for discovering breast cancer early. You have to take your health into your own hands... literally!

In case you'd like to support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, consider purchasing either a Strength & Hope stamp set or digital kit.

BCRF receives $2 from every set and kit purchased! Click HERE to place your order!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

The Joys of Stamper with a Teenage Son...

2011-04-21T17:50:00.000-05:00

So, what do you do when you have a son who's about to turn 17 and he feels he's too cool for a handstamped card? Lately, when my son is getting ready to go to a friend's birthday party and I offer up my services to make a card, I get a "nooo, that's okay... you don't have to..." I usually persist and say, "No, really! I want to!" That usually proceeds with a rolling of the eyes and a "...whatever." Perplexed, I head to my craft space and try to come up with a masterpiece that I hope will change his mind when he sees it. Only, to get a "hmmm, thanks..." Since I don't get to go to the parties with him, I have to trust that he actually gives the kid the card. It's difficult to know, since when I ask him what his friend (or his friend's mom) thought of the card after the party, I get another rolling of the eyes and a "ugh!" Oh, the joys of the teenage years!

Soooo, now that it's my son's 17th birthday tomorrow, I had to come up with some sort of card that will hopefully get a "cool" or "nice" or some other positive response. Don't worry, I won't be passing out from holding my breath. But I do hope it makes him at least a little bit happy, even though he may not show it on the outside.

My goto teen card stamp set right now is Grunge Rock. Here's what I came up with:

I dug through my designer series paper stash to find some "masculine" paper and found this retired pack from a couple minis ago. Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie and Crumb Cake were all pulled out of the designs in the paper. I just LOVE how everything matches with Stampin' Up! products--paper, ink, ribbon, etc!

Here's a peek at how the gate fold card looks:

The base of the card is a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of card stock, scored at 2 3/4" from each end with the sides folded in to meet in the middle. I then built the front of the card on a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Crumb Cake card stock that is only attached on the left side. Aside from the Grunge Rock stamp set, the U is from the Jayne's Type Alphabet set.

I don't think my son will be as impressed as I am with how this card turned out, but 20 years from now he won't be able to say I didn't care enough to make him a birthday card for his 17th birthday (or any other birthday for that matter)... yes, I am a stamper!!!

I hope you're Happy Stampin too!
Brenda

Basket of Crafts Galore!

2011-04-04T08:41:00.000-05:00

My son's school held a fundraiser last month. I volunteered to put together the raffle basket for my son's class. Can you guess what theme I went with??? CRAFTS! The whole class contributed to the basket and it was a general craft theme, so it included all sorts of fun items from various local craft stores, along with lots of Stampin' Up! products (of course!). It was worth over $500!

As you an see, I went with a taken with teal & chocolate chip color theme! So, I dug through my retired paper stash and put together a cool banner. Check it out:

I used the Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set to spell CREATE. The base of the banner was made using the same technique as the magnetic bookmark in my last post. Only, I made them much shorter by sliding the folded edge down a bit before running the Two Tags Die thru the Big Shot. To get the long tail of the R to fit on the 1 3/8" circle, I cut it out and glued it onto the circle afterwards. It's hard to see in this picture, but there are Basic Rhinestones stretigically placed on each letter to add some more bling to the basket.

I was so happy with how the basket turned out that I even bought some tickets and tried to win it back! But it wasn't my lucky night. You should have seen how excited the woman who did win it was... WOW! That made all the "strenuous" hours I spent shopping, crafting and putting it together totally worth it!

I'm sure she's HAPPY STAMPIN & CRAFTIN!

Brenda

Simply Cute Sale-A-Bration Send Off!

2011-03-30T18:50:00.001-05:00

Wow! I can't believe it's been 2 months since I last posted! It's not for the lack of projects to share... Since tomorrow (March 31) is the last day of Sale-A-Bration, I thought I'd share a couple super simple & cute (if I do say so myself) projects that use the Punch Bunch stamp set that you could get for FREE when placing an order of $50 (before shipping & tax).

First is this magnetic bookmark:

The base of the bookmark was made using the Two Tags Bigz Die (with the Big Shot). I folded a 2" x 8 1/2" piece of River Rock card stock in half and set it on the die so that the fold was just inside the cut/stitch lines on the top. The stamp was inked using our Stampin' Write Markers and then punched out using the 1 3/8" circle punch, layered on a 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch. The magic of this bookmark is created with two strips of magnet attached on the inside of each flap. This would be a great use for those promotional magnetic business cards you probably have cluttering your fridge or stuffed in the back of your junk drawer. Just cut them into 3/4" strips and use a good strong glue (Sticky Strip or Multipurpose Adhesive) to attach them to the bookmark,. If you don't have any scrap magnets laying around to recycle, Stampin' Up! does sell Magnet Sheets (Item 119816/Pkg of 3 sheets, 6" x 13") for $9.95. That would make A LOT of bookmarks!

The other project I'm going to share with you may look vaguely familiar. I've reused the mini post-it note cover idea that I blogged about last year--click HERE to see that post, which includes the directions.

I found the size of this cute little post-it note cover is the perfect size for the 2-Step Owl Punch...

AND, the Punch Bunch stamp set has this cute little coordinating owl stamp! The glittery heart was punched out using the little heart on the 2-Step Owl Punch and the Glimmer Paper (Item# 121790/2 sheets 12" x 12"). It gives you all the sparkle, but none of the mess of using glue and glitter!

Wondering what the inside looks like? Here you go:

If you'd like to get some FREE STAMPS OR ACCESSORIES during Sale-A-Bration, click HERE and start shopping! For every $50 you spend, you get to choose one item! There's no limit!

Tomorrow is also the last day you can take advantage of the awesome special on the Demonstrator Starter Kit--15% off the starter kit price and a special $50 bundle! Click HERE for the details. There is also an additional incentive for the next person to sign up under me, you will also receive a stamp set from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog before it goes live (May 1)! You can sign up directly through my website. Just click on the JOIN NOW link and fill out the paper-less paperwork.

Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions or would like to chat about becoming a demo! My contact information is on my website.

Happy Stampin!
Brenda Bromen

Sale-A-Bration Time Is HERE!

2011-01-25T08:38:00.000-06:00

Stampin' Up!'s BIGGEST event of the year, SALE-A-BRATION, starts TODAY! This would be a great time to stock up on paper, ink, accessories... or better yet, buy yourself that gift you didn't receive from your wish list? For every $50 you spend, you choose one of the items from the brochure for FREE!

There are actually 3 ways to earn free products during Sale-A-Bration:

1. For every $50 (before s/h & tax) you spend, you earn a Sale-A-Bration reward--NO LIMIT! SHOP NOW!
2. Host a workshop of at least $300 (before s/h & tax), and receive a Sale-A-Bration reward. Contact me today to schedule your workshop!
3. Join as a demonstrator and get a free bonus bundle that includes up to $50 worth of products, in addition to 15% off the price of the starter kit! JOIN NOW!

This awesome event only happens once a year, so be sure to take advantage while you can! It runs from today through March 31. Contact me for more information.

Here's a simple card using one of the stamp sets you can choose from--Punch Bunch:

Basically, I punched a bunch (no pun intended!) of 1" circles out of Botanical Gazette Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini) and then stamped the true friends stamp twice (once on So Saffron & once on Cherry Cobbler) punching one out with the 1" circle and the other with the 1/2" circle. Then I cleaned the stamp and colored just the "true friends" words with a Not Quite Navy marker, stamped that onto Old Olive and punched it out with the Jewelry Tag punch. Here's a close-up:

Happy Stampin... and Sale-A-Brating!
Brenda
850-466-3585
bbstampin@yahoo.com

Use What's On Your Table Challenge

2011-01-21T17:36:00.000-06:00

So, what does your craft space look like today? Are your creative juices stewing amongst piles of scraps and various parts and pieces left over from past projects? Well, I want to share a challenge that my friend, Ellie posted on Facebook today--USE WHAT'S ON YOUR TABLE!

Here's what I came up with:

I will admit, I had to use something that wasn't on my table when I got up to use the letterpress plate (Heart Pressed) in my Big Shot. I actually got lucky, because I had started this project yesterday and hit a creative block. I guess it took committing to someone that I would actually complete something to get over that block.

The color combo came from a card I saw in the January issue of Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator magazine, Stampin' Success. One of the awesome perks of being a demo! I would have never thought to use Marina Mist on a Valentine's card, but I think it really works.

The letterpress plate is new to me. It's in the Occasions Mini Catalog, along with the Glimmer Paper (that I punched the big heart out of). For this card, I inked up the letterpress plate with a Versamark Ink Pad, instead of an actual colored ink pad. This created a more subtle background.

Here's a close-up so you can see the details:

So, now that you've seen one of the projects I came up with by using what's on my table... give it a try for yourself!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

A Quick Gift Idea: Personalized Stationery Gift Set!

2011-01-06T11:07:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year, my crafty friends!

I want to share a last minute gift I created last month. As the hours were winding down before we were to leave on our Christmas vacation to visit family, I needed to come up with a gift for my husband’s grandma. Knowing she’s one of the few people who still enjoy sending and receiving handwritten letters, I thought what better gift than to create a set of personalized stationery for her!

Having just received my preorder for new stampin’ goodies from the Occasions Mini catalog, I wanted to use the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (Pg 28/121809/$7.95). It would add the perfect touch to a set of monogrammed note cards.

I suppose I could have just wrapped the note cards in some pretty ribbon and left it at that. But I decided to make a little something to hold the cards, envelopes and coordinating pen instead.

The base of the notecard folder was created out of a single 8 ½ x 11 sheet of card stock.

• Score at 2” and 2 ¼” along one of the long edges, then turn 90 degrees and score at 5” and 5 ½”.

• Cut out the 2 ¼” x ½” scored section to create the flaps inside the folder. Cut at a slight diagonal along the inside edges of the flaps (see picture below).

• Secure the outer edges of the flaps with eyelets (brads or staples could also be used).

• Decorate as desired.

The monogram is stamped using the Lovely Letter Alphabet set and then punched out using the 1" circle punch. That is then layered with a 1 1/4" circle and 1 3/4" scallop circle. I snipped in between each scallop for the monogram on the cover of the folder to add a bit more texture.

I hope this inspires you to create a quick gift for someone special. Before you do, be sure to tell me what you think! Your comments are what motivates me to continue blogging! Thanks!

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the NEW Occasions Mini Catalog! Click HERE to start shopping!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

Get "Black Friday" Deals All Week Long!

2010-11-22T09:30:00.000-06:00

Whether you're still in the market for supplies for your holiday crafting projects or looking for a gift for that special someone, Stampin' Up! is offering an Online Spectacular Sale that may just help you save some money! Consider it Stampin' Up!'s version of "Black Friday"... but 9 days long!

Just one example of the amazing deals... My Digital Studio software is 50% off... that's just $39.98!

A selection of Fabric, Dies, Stamps, Embellishments, Decor Elements, Digital Downloads... anywhere between 20% - 50% off!

There are too many great deals to list them all on my blog, so click HERE to check them all out and start shopping! In case you didn't notice on the above photo, there is also FREE SHIPPING on online orders of $150 or more. AND, don't forget! All orders of $150 or more earn hostess benefits!

If this is just too much exciting news to take in and you have any questions, feel free to call me! My contact info is on my official Stampin' Up! website.

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

'Tis the Season... to get stampin' and become a demo!

2010-11-18T13:08:00.000-06:00

Wow, have I been negligent with my blog or what?! Sorry about that! To make it up to you, how about I share the projects we made at my recent Christmas Card Stamp-A-Stack classes? Here you go:

I hope these cards inspire you to get started on your own Christmas cards, if you haven't started working on them already. If you have any questions or would like more details about any of the cards, feel free to ask... either comment on my blog (ALWAYS APPRECIATED) or email me at: bbstampin at yahoo dot com.

In case you haven't already heard, there's an awesome demonstrator starter kit promotion going on right now (Nov 15-30)--50% off the regular starter kit price! That's only $87.50 for over $310 worth of stampin' and business supplies! That is such a great deal, I wish I could sign up again to take advantage of it! Check out what you get with the Digital+ Starter Kit... just the My Digital Studio software retails for $79.95. So, for another $7.55 you will also receive 2 wood-mounted stamp sets, a clear-mount stamp set, 2 packs of card stock, 4 Classic ink pads, 2 markers, buttons, ribbon, dimensionals, Stampin' Scrub and Mist, Glue Dots, Snail... SEE WHAT I MEAN?!!! Here's the flyer:

Or click HERE to go directly to my website for additional details. If you're ready to take the plunge or have any questions, be sure to contact me before this awesome deal ends on November 30! Just so you know, signing up is super simple and can be done right on my website! All you need is my special password to get started! Call or email me! My phone number is on my website.

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Clearance Rack Blitz!!!!

2010-10-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

Check out what's been added to the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack! Lots of recently retired products are being cleared out of Stampin' Up!'s warehouse at rediculously discounted prices! Be sure to place your order online at my website! Once there, click on SHOP NOW and then Clearance Rack to get started!

Don't wait! These items are only available while supplies last... and word has it they are zooming off the shelves!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

Owl Together Now... Happy Belated World Card Making Day!

2010-10-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

Here's a little belated World Card Making Day inspiration for you:

The tree is just free-form cut from a piece of textured card stock and then I added a few braches from the Two-Step Bird Punch.

Here's a close-up of the owls:

Instead of trying to position the little pieces of punched out dots for their pupils, I decided to use the 1/16" circle punch to make them. I first layered the white and crumb cake circles and then punched a 1/16" circle thru both layers. The chocolate chip from the owls' bodies show thru. To give them a little dimension, I used a dimensional (pop-dot) behind their heads before attaching them to the card. I just love these little owls.

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

Crappy Gift Certificate Dilemma

2010-09-17T10:19:00.001-05:00

About a month ago, we were invited to a new friend’s birthday party. Not knowing exactly what kind of stuff he likes, we decided to go to a local restaurant to get a gift card. We had never been in this particular bagel/coffee shop, but the ads we've seen for it make it sound pretty hip and cool… and they recently started offering pizza… who doesn’t like pizza?! So just a few hours before the party, my hubby and I went to the shop and asked if they had gift cards. The young woman behind the counter said “Sure!” So we asked for one for $20 and I also ordered a bagel sandwich meal (YUMMM!). We went and sat down while we waited for the order to be ready. Eventually, I got my meal in a to-go box and we were still waiting on the “gift card”. Several minutes later, a manager (or maybe it was the owner) came over to our table and handed us a wad of 4 pieces of paper and said “We were having a hard time getting the $20 certificate to print, would this be okay?” Then we looked down and noticed that he had handed us four $5 gift certificate like things that had obviously been used—they were a bit crumpled. We looked at each other a smidge perplexed, but said “Okay” and walked out, happy to get on with our day. On our way home, my hubby and I contemplated going back to return the certificates… instead, since it was a rainy day and I was ready to get home so I could eat my sandwich, I told him I would do my best to make them look more presentable…. after LUNCH!

So, here’s what I came up with:

And a peek inside:

I already had the card made, so I used that for inspiration. Instead of settling for a simple legal sized envelope, I decided to get out a handy dandy paper lunch sack and snazzy it up. I trimmed it down to size, leaving a little extra so I could punch the scallop edge and fold it over. To make it look less like a lunch sack, I cut a 3/4” x 12” strip of Old Olive Textured Card Stock and wrapped it around the top of the bag and secured it in the back. I simply stamped all over the bag. For the inside (most important snazzying part), I cut two 2” (or maybe 1 ½”) x 12” strips of the same card stock. From there, I just folded one of the strips at about 1” or 2” to wrap around one end of the wad of certificates and then attached the other strip to that flap to create the other side. I trimmed them down to about an inch or two longer than the certificates—so just a bit stuck out from the bag. Then I stamped and handwrote the labels, attached them and tied a ribbon to hold it all together. The card on the front of the bag is in a Clear Translucent Envelope, attached with some Glue Dots.

Since I’ve been a bit lax with posting on my blog, the stamp set I used on this project, Tropical Party, is no longer available for you to order. It’s from the Summer Mini… But the cool new Decorative Label punch that I used on the insert is available in the new Holiday Mini! As you can see, it mats the Wide Oval Punch nicely. Check it out on the SHOP NOW page of my website.

So, if you ever need to snazzy up a wad of recycled gift certificates, feel free to use my idea! Please note that I made sure to put the least crumpled certificate on the outside of the wad. :)

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Sweet Baby Rag Quilt

2010-08-30T09:15:00.001-05:00

Our extended Bromen family is growing by leaps and bounds. The newest addition is my sweet baby niece, Elizabeth. Here's the flannel rag quilt and tag I made for her.

The pieces of the quilt were cut out using the scallop square die and the Big Shot, which happens to be what I also cut the tag out with. The quilt is 10 x 10 rows and measures just under 36".

If you've never made a rag quilt, you basically sandwich a smaller piece of batting (3 1/2" square for this project) in between 2 layers of fabric and sew diagonally in both directions (creating an X). Once you have all of your pieces X'd, sew them together into rows with a 1/2" seam allowance. Then sew the rows together to create the final quilt. You'll have one side that has the raw edges and the other side that is smooth. So that the raw edges will fray and create the cool ragged look, you will then need to clip all the edges every 1/4", which works out to be in between each scallop and then in the middle of edge scallop. After you've clipped all the edges (being careful not to clip through the seams) wash the quilt with some jeans (not towels or they'll end up with lots of fuzzies). Be sure to check your dryer's lint trap because it gets quite full.

In case you were wondering about the tag, I used Pick a Petal, Fabulous Phrases & Just Perfect Alphabet stamp sets. The designer eyelet in the center of the flower is from a retired kit from awhile back. You could definitely use one of the many designer brads in our current catalog to get a similar look. And finally, the ribbon is tied around one of Stampin' Up!'s cool library clips.

Another baby is expected to make his or her grand entrance into the world in the very near future. I'll be back to share another handmade baby gift with you very soon!

Not sure if you can tell, but I love crafting for babies!

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Color Challenge--Give Those Unused Colors Some LOVE!

2010-08-19T14:04:00.000-05:00

A fellow Stampin' Up! demo of mine, Ellie, put out a challenge to use a color that you rarely (if ever) use on a project. I took her up on that challenge and chose the color Peach Parfait. It's a new In-Color and a very vibrant color of orange. Orange is not one of my go-to colors. I eased into the challenge with my first card. It was SUPER simple and actually a CASE'd layout from another fellow demo (can't recall her name).

So, you might be asking... where is the Peach Parfait?! Well, it's peeking out from behind the circle on the far right side. Oh, yes, and at the top of the teeny tiny cupcake. I also used my Peach Parfait marker on the sayings.

Although this is a very cute card (if I do say so myself), I didn't feel quite right about putting this card out there with the color challenge. So, I pulled out a different stamp set (Grunge Rock) and checked my new handy dandy Color Coach to help me come up with another color combination with Peach Parfait. Right away I was drawn to the top combo suggestion: Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz (another new In-Color) and Peach Parfait. If you haven't noticed, blues and greens ARE my go-to colors! I don't think that's cheating though, do you?

It took me a whole day to put this card together. I got so far with it yesterday and then got busy doing other stuff. To tell you the truth, I sort of got stuck with the design process. So I walked away. They say that if you get stuck while creating something, it helps to walk away and take a nap. Your mind supposedly does much of your creative thinking while you're sleeping. I didn't actually take a nap, but I did eventually go to bed last night. Well, that worked! Here's what I came up with:

Along with Grunge Rock, I used the letter U from Jayne's Type Alphabet stamp set. I think those sets work perfectly together!

Okay, now I'm going to challenge you to dig thru your card stock and ink pads and find a color that you haven't used in awhile. And show it some LOVE!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

CASEing the card on the cover of the new Catty

2010-08-12T08:48:00.000-05:00

You've probably seen the cover of the new Stampin' Up! catty. If not, scroll down the blog page a little ways and look on the right sidebar. There it is! Click on it to open the pdf file and get a closer look. Or, if you have good eyesight, just look at the card with the striped Top Note die on the front. What a fun card, don't you think?! Well, all of the idea in and on the IDEA BOOK & catalog are there for you (& me) to use for IDEAS and INSPIRATION. So, I CASE'd the card. What does that mean, you might ask? Copy And Share Everything! So here I am, copying it and now sharing my version with you!

As you can tell, it's a baby card. I used papers from a retired kit. Can't recall the name at the moment. On the base of the giraffe layer is a new die shape--Scallop Rectangle. It's a Clearlit Die. I also used the Big Shot to add the texture to the So Saffron layer with a Texturz Plate. I love those things!

Aside from the inspiration from the card on the front of the catty, I actually pulled the colors I used from the knitted baby gift I also made. I guess I got lucky that I had a kit in my stash that included pretty much all the colors that worked perfectly with the hat and booties. See what I mean:

So, page through the catalog, look around your house, keep your eyes peeled while you're out in the world... inspiration is all around us!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

EXTRA, EXTRA!!!! Hostesses can earn EXTRA $25 until August 31!

2010-08-02T16:01:00.000-05:00

Host a workshop that totals at least $350 (before s/h) and you will earn an EXTRA $25 in hostess benefits! This is on top of the $40 worth of products and free hostess set you would earn for reaching that level in sales! Book/email workshops placed directly through me also qualify for this promotion.

Contact me today to schedule your workshop!

Brenda
bbstampin@yahoo.com

Personalizing Birthday Cards

2010-08-02T12:55:00.000-05:00

We were invited to a new neighbor's birthday party a couple weeks ago. It was actually for a little boy turning one. I sat down to make a birthday card and quickly came up with this fun monkey card:

But then I remembered the invitation we received had a sealife theme with a crab and decided to stash the monkey card away and make a new card with the crab from the Summer Mini hostess set, It's a Thought. If you've seen this set, you might be wondering how a frowning crab with the saying "sorry i was crabby" could be useful on a birthday card. Well, I used the marker to stamp technique to ink just his body (not his frown or the words). Then I drew in a smile and cut him out. Here's the card I came up with:

I also used the Tropical Party and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets. Oh, yeah... and the Calendar Alphabet set to spell Eli's name. Cute, huh!

Well, about 30 minutes before the party, I was putting the gift in a gift bag and got to thinking... this bag looks pretty boring. It needs something! So I came up with this cool crab tag:

The crab tag was made up of a lot of punches and attached to a scallop circle die. His name was stamped using Just Perfect Alphabet set. What do you think? I think it turned out super cute!

Okay, so fast-foward to a my workshop last week. Eli's mom, Kristina, came to the party and was browsing my sample table. When she came across the monkey card, she picked it up and just had to say how cute it was! I laughed and told her how that was the original card I made for Eli. She told me that she had been going back and forth between the crab theme and a monkey theme. How funny is that?!

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Rediscovered Inspiration Journal - Cool Color Combo

2010-07-08T08:51:00.002-05:00

While unpacking my craft room, I came across a lot of stuff I forgot I had. One thing in particular that I was excited to find was an inspiration journal where I had stored pictures from magazines and ads that inspired me in some way. Paging through the journal, this picture jumped out at me:

I love the colors! Baja Breeze (a former In-Color that has been brought back by Stampin' Up! and is now part of the core color collections), Crumb Cake (formerly known as Kraft) and Early Espresso (NEW). I quickly pulled out the ink pads and paper and went to work and here's what I came up with:

Here's a card I made with a new Level 1 Hostess Set called Because I Care:

To get the two-toned flowers, I first inked them with Crumb Cake and then sponged around the edges with Early Espresso. I used the marker to stamp technique on the sentiment. Yes, Baja Breeze now comes in a marker!

These next two cards were actually the first complete cards I made while playing with the color combination. Notice that I was also inspired by the outfit in the picture for the layout of the cards (pattern on top, Whisper White on the bottom, with an Early Espresso strip separating the two).

This first one uses just stamps (Circle Circus & Because I Care), card stock and ink:

Then I spiced it up a bit with some punches (Scallop Edge Border & Itty Bitty Shapes), Bitty Buttons and Linen Thread:

I love how inspiration is all around us. Taking the time to cut out a picture or sketching an idea into a journal is a great way to capture those inspirations. That journal got my creative juices flowing after I had a bit of a stampin' dry spell. (Moving will do that to ya!) If you don't already have one, consider starting your own inspiration journal. It doesn't have to be fancy. Any old notebook will do. Of course, you can always decorate it to make it pretty if you want.

Until then, use my inspiration and get stampin!

Happy Stampin!
Brenda

P.S. Please excuse the funky layout of this post. I'm getting used to the "new" editing features of Blogger.

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE!

2010-07-01T15:12:00.004-05:00

The NEW 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog IS HERE!

Click HERE to download the PDF version or contact me to buy your very own copy. There are so many great new products! You can also check them all out on the SHOP NOW page of my website.

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Happy Stampin!

Brenda

bbstampin@yahoo.com

Farewell to Friends

2010-06-28T10:38:00.004-05:00

The hardest part of every move we've made throughout the years is saying good-bye to friends. It's hard leaving them behind! I considered myself lucky to some extent with this move. My best friend, Genean was moving too! Somehow it seemed better that I wasn't leaving her behind. Of course, I don't miss her any less. Here's a little gift I made for her, so she wouldn't forget me. (Yeah, right! Like that would ever happen!)

If you'd like to make your own little banner, cut two 4" x 12" strips of card stock, score strips every 3", accordion fold them and then overlap the 2 strips by a 3" section and adhere. To get the diagonal cuts at the top uniform, cut one corner and then create a template with a scrap piece of card stock. Use the template to cut the rest of the corners. Decorate as desired!

I already had this little scallop envelope box made up and it worked perfectly as a gift box for the banner!

Sizzix Dies: Serif Essentials, Birds & Blooms, Scallop Envelope

Embellies: Fleurettes, Rhinestone Brads, various ribbon scraps, Bella Rose DSP (retired)

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Happy Stampin!

Brenda

I've moved again... (check out my new mailbox!)

2010-06-23T16:43:00.005-05:00

This is turning into an annual event... we've moved yet again! That's one of the reasons why I've been lax in posting on my blog lately. Hopefully that'll change now that we're in our new house and the end of wrangling boxes is in site.

Driving through our new neighborhood I noticed that all the mailboxes looked alike--Whisper White mailboxes sitting on Sahara Sand colored posts trimmed with a little Chocolate Chip... or is that our new Early Espresso? Yes, I see the world in Stampin' Up! colors! Don't you?!

Well, one of the first things that came to mind was how easy it would be to add a Decor Elements image to give our box a little personality. Here's what I came up with:

I used the Flourishes DE in Sahara Sand (117756/$14.95). It comes with 3 flourishes and 3 flowers. I chose to use just the flourishes. What do you think?

To see Stampin' Up!'s full line of Decor Elements, go to the SHOP NOW page on my website and click on Decor Elements.

Happy Stampin!

Brenda

Scrappin' Recipes

2010-05-23T06:49:00.004-05:00

As I continue with the National Scrapbooking Month theme during May, I'll show you a fun way to organize your special family recipes. Unless you're a Bush (from the baked bean company), then you'll want to add a lock and key to this idea. :) Since my recipes are not secrets, I like the idea of creating a pretty book and scrapping mini recipe pages.

I started with a 6x6 ring bound scrapbook. This is one of Stampin' Up!'s albums and I'm predicting it will be soon retiring, since it's Mellow Moss--a retiring color. So, if you want this exact album for your own recipes, order it now (105391) through my website! I chose a ring bound album so that I can add and rearrange my recipes easily. A post bound album would make that more complicated.

The cover is decorated with Decor Elements. The flower is a Demo sample. If you were to host a workshop with me, I could start the process of decorating your recipe album with one of these. Give me a call! The title was cut out using the Timeless Type Junior Sizzlits Alphabet Dies (115951) and a roll of Chocolate Chip Decor Elements sheet (114337).

Now for the pages. I used the From the Kitchen of stamp set (114964) for the recipe cards. The rest of the pages are decorated with card stock, designer papers and stickers from a Simply Scrappin' Kit. There is really no wrong way to do this. Treat your recipe like a photo and SCRAP IT! Since they're small pages (6x6), they are fun and easy to create. It would also be a great way to use up scraps you have leftover from other projects.

I will say that this Recipe Book only contains my very special recipes. They may not be secret, but they are definitely tried and true recipes that my family loves. Who wants to spend all that time and energy scrappin' a crappy recipe?! NOT ME!

Happy Stampin & Scrappin!
Brenda

I'm Scrappin Again!

2010-05-14T10:19:00.006-05:00

Since May is National Scrapbooking Month, I set a goal to get scrappin' again. Here's a simple page I recently completed:

It's hard to see in the picture, but I created a background paper with the Red, White & Blue Jumbo Wheel in the Summer Mini Catalog. I used an uninked cartridge filled with Versamark ink to create a subtle watermark look.

To create the title box, I used a combination of the Rough Type alphabet (Summer Mini), Calendar Alphabet & Numbers, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits Dies, Service & Sacrifice, Large Star & 1" Circle Punches and sponging around the edges.

I love using alphabet stamps on my scrapbook pages. There are so many styles to choose from! And, better yet, I never run out of letters!

So, tell me, have you been scrappin?!

Hope you're Happy Stampin & Scrappin!

Brenda

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T09:29:00.004-05:00

This will be a relatively quick post because my family is making me breakfast this morning and I don't want to miss out on a nice hot meal... that I didn't have to make! :)

The boxes that come with the Simply Adorned charms & chains just scream to be decorated. They are like little chocolate chip colored blank canvases. Here are a couple that I decorated--one for Mother's Day and one for a birthday gift:

Supplies: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Flower Designer Brads, 1 1/4 & 1 1/2 Square Punches, Tag & Small Tag Punches, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon and Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper.

The belly bands were actually made to go around 2 boxes (one with the charm and one with the chain) side-by-side. The ribbon sort of hides that fact. Here's a peek at one of the charms:

The J is stamped with basic black craft ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I had to use tweezers to hold the small square while embossing it. I suppose it would have been a smarter idea to stamp and heat set it before cutting it into a 1" square. However, I did stamp & emboss a J on the opposite side which is a Tempting Turquoise pattern, so it's reversible.

Supplies: All Holidays, Simple Friendship, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (from the Occasions Mini, which is still available to purchase), Big Shot, a retired designer paper that I had in my stash and the same punches as the other project.

I hope y'all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Happy Stampin!

Brenda