I hosted my 8th Annual Silver Elite Retreat the weekend of January 17-19 and once again was blessed that all my achieving team members (those in my Stampers With ART group at the Silver Elite title or higher) were able to spend those days here in my home in Andover, MN. My husband and my boys left the house all to us during those 3 days. Nick stayed at a friend’s house. And Tim and Luke spent the weekend with my parents up at their lake home (which is why you don’t see my mom in these photos this year – yes, we all missed her).
Vy Tran flew in from Houston Thursday late afternoon and treated Tim, Luke and I (Nick was unable to make it) to dinner at a new restaurant in Maple Grove called Grackle (such a nice “treat” before the boys left the next day). The food was amazing! In fact this experience made Luke decide to have his birthday dinner here on Feb. 7th.
On Friday morning after a relaxing breakfast and time to chat and catch up even more, Vy and I ran a couple errands to get some food: take ‘n’ bake pizzas from Papa Murphy’s and mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. We also picked up Cheryl Lee.
Then Nancy Forsberg and Kayla Cory drove over and joined Vy, Cheryl and me at my home soon after we got back, and we were all back together again!
We got settled in and visited for awhile. My guys packed up and left. And then I presented my gifts to them. You may recognize the bags from last year’s retreat photos (I had a few left over 😁).
It was so fun to watch them open up and check out all the goodies. I gifted them each a Balance Pad (great for overall health) and explained all the ways they could use them. And to continue the theme of balance, I also gifted them an organizer/goal setting booklet with printouts that I purchased from TidyPlans.
I also gifted them their make-n-take pre-cut materials and some consumable products from the Wildflower Birthday Suite to make my planned out cards. They received the Brightest Birthday Kits Collection Kit too (another make-n-take project), blank dice with labels to make a fun card-creating game, a glittery pen, a mechanical pencil etched with “Silver Elite Retreat January 2025”, an eraser, and a D-Block etched with their name in a decorative box.
The boxes with the blocks are ones I’ve collected whenever Stampin’ Up! sends me a pin of achievement, so it was nice to repurpose them as they were much too nice to just throw out. I used papers from the Wildflower Birthday pack to cover portions of the box, stamped Hooray from the Birthday Celebrations Stamp Set onto a die-cut circle (from the Spotlight On Nature Dies), and added ephemera from the Wildflower Birthday pack. Then I cut the foam insert with my Hobby Blade attachment for my Take Your Pick Tool to fit the block within.
Here are all the boxes from above.
Here they are from a slight angle to show you how they latch shut.
And here are everyone’s pretty blocks. I’m so proud of all these women for what they have achieved in their businesses!
Then Cheryl gifted each of us one of these adorable snowmen treat holders.
And Vy gave us each a pair of “friendship” socks. (The hands are magnetic!)
We had Papa Murphy’s Pizza for dinner and then we stamped with our prepared make-n-take materials to create some fun fold & interactive cards with the products from the Wildflower Birthday Suite. I will share my versions of these cards this Wednesday during my Live Online Paper Crafting Class. That video will also be connected to my Wednesday blog post where I’ll also share photos of some of the variations these gals created.
By the way a HUGE shout out to Cheryl Lee. She was my first team member to promote to the level of Silver Elite and has attended each and every one of these retreats. ❤️
Nancy & Kayla are a mom/daughter team. It’s always fun to watch them create together and see how these two heads work as one.
On Saturday after a casual morning of sleeping in a bit and yummy breakfast, we ventured out in the elements to check out a local vendor/craft fair. I was impressed with the variety of items being offered there at the booths. There are SOOoo many ways to be creative!!
We got back and relaxed and chatted while I whipped up my chicken salad for lunch. Vy was super enthusiastic about conducting science experiments in the cold weather. Our high temp that afternoon was about 5 degrees. But it was windy! So after we ate lunch, we went outside. And I have to say it felt like we were at the south pole while we were blowing bubbles! Vy must have brought a bit of Texas warmth with her. She was the only one who didn’t wimp out. I think she was out there for about 30 minutes straight. (I DID join her the next evening. Sunday night after the event was over we both went out to blow more bubbles, throw boiling water into the air, and make snow angels. And I lasted without complaint. But we had snow pants on and bundled up better.)
We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening indoors chatting and sharing, relaxing, eating tacos for dinner (a tradition now as we’ve had that meal for every one of the 8 retreats since we first started these in February of 2018), and making more cards. This time we played with our Brightest Birthday kits. I will share my altered creations this Friday during another Live Online Paper Crafting Class. That video will also be connected to my Friday blog post where I’ll also share photos of some of the variations these gals came up with.
On the final day, Sunday our plan was to drive to Medina, MN together to attend the annual Stamp Share For Leaders event. But the forecast of VERY cold weather (it only reached -2 degrees for a high on THAT day) caused a lot of cancellations. So the in-person event itself was cancelled and changed to a virtual one. We stayed indoors to join in on Zoom. Vy was a presenter and did a fantastic job sharing various ways to promote the Friendly Seagulls Sale-a-Bration Freebie Stamp Set. It was fun to see her creative ideas.
I shared images of this card a couple days ago, but I wanted to share here in this post as well…These are the stamped invitations for this event I had sent to Vy, Cheryl, and Nancy & Kayla. I used products we didn’t end up using in our make-n-takes (normally I try to make everything coordinate), but at the time I sent them I didn’t have a plan in place for what we were creating at the retreat.
BTW, you can visit Cheryl Lee at Stamping Upstairs, Vy Tran at Crafting Daily Dose, and Nancy & Kayla at Stamping BAE. As always, it was a fantasic weekend! Thanks for checking in to see what I had to share today.
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
SALE-A-BRATION 2024! The Sale-a-Bration promotion is here and runs January 4th through February 29th! Click here for all the details. Click here to view the online version of this new publication.Click here to see these new products online.
THE NEW JAN-APRIL 2024 MINI CATALOG! The new Jan-April 2024 Mini Catalog featuring lots of new products is here! Click here to view the online version of this new publication. Click here to shop these new products online.
KITS COLLECTION: PANDA FRIENDS & ROCK LEGEND KITS ADDED Two kits have been recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
STAMP-N-STORAGE JANUARY SALE & CELEBRATION To celebrate their 15-year anniversary Stamp-n-Storage is offering 15% off storewide* through the month of January 2024!! Visit their site to shop. They are also giving away 15 Golden Tickets at random this month to those that order. So check your shipment box. A Golden Ticket might be yours! *Sale excludes the Craft-n-Go Mini.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES NEWS You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. All Online Exclusives products are available while supplies last. New products were added in November.
A PEEK AT FEBRUARY’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Sweet Springtime Kit: Celebrate Easter and Spring with adorable cards and treat boxes! Makes 9 projects: 3 each of 3 designs. Projects include printed cards, coordinating envelopes, and gift boxes. Kit includes precut paper pieces, baker’s twine, and embellishments AND comes in a unique box to match the season. Coordinating colors: Petal Pink, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Berry Burst, Early Espresso (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Crumb Cake. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the Jan-March kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Love of Spring Dies Add-On (item 164396) —available beginning 11 December and only while supplies last!
If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by February 10th for this next kit.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our January 2024 Lighter Than Air Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. CLICK HERE for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Perennial Lavender Suite from the Jan-Apr 2024 Mini Catalog will be available Feb 1st.
*To be Silver, a demonstrator must have at least $3,600 US in rolling 12-month sales and one direct team member.
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What did you choose for your freebie(s) when you ordered recently during this current Sale-a-Bration promotion? If you picked the Rainbow Celebrations Kit, then check out what I did with my card pieces to “double the kit.” First I’ll share what I did with a set of supplies for one of the cards. And then I’ll share the end results with all sets of supplies for the three different style cards. (Following these steps for each set of supplies will allow you to get double the amount of cards from this kit! Too fun!)
Trim the rainbow card base in half. Trim 3/16″ off each side of the envelope.
Open the envelope and cut at the fold. Then score the larger piece as shown at 5-1/2.”
Cut that into two equal pieces (cut at just under 2-3/4.”)
Trim 3/16″ off each side of the other envelope layer. Then rotate and cut as shown at 3-3/8.” Cut this piece in 1/2 at 2-1/2.”
Cut the coordinating dotted arched layer and the cloud layer in half.
Connect each envelope cloud layer piece to a 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ piece of Basic Black Cardstock (center-aligned) by folding and wrapping the top blue sections over to adhere to the back of the black bases.
Then add the dotted arched layers. (I used Mini Dimensionals. But you could cut the kit Dimensionals to make them smaller.)
Connect the clouds with Dimensionals and the sentiments with Glue Dots.
Here is a peek at the back of the cards when closed and when open.
For the insides, adhere the smaller white envelope layers about 1/8″ from the top and centered.
Then adhere the solid colored half arch layer about 1/8″ from the bottom, centered, and aligned with the white layer.
And here they are finished! (1 of 3 rainbow cards)
(2 of 3 rainbow cards)
(3 of 3 rainbow cards)
Thanks for stopping by to see what I had to share today. To learn more about all the Sale-a-Bration perks, visit my January 7th post.
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
LAST CHANCE PRODUCTS There is now a new section called Last Chance Products in the Online Store and it includes all retiring products from any online releases and any catalogs. All of these items are available while supplies last.
DESIGNER PAPER RETURNS WITH FRESH NEW COLORS! Stampin’ Up! is offering three previously released Designer Series Papers with fresh, new colors – some of our best-selling colors! The products debuted in the Online Exclusives section of the Online Store on December 3rd and are available while supplies last. Click here for the downloadable flyer. Click here and scroll down for a bit more detail.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES NEWS– MORE NEW ITEMS WERE ADDED 1/7/25 You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. New items were just released January 7th. AND… every 2 months you’ll see even MORE added. (All Online Exclusives products are always available while supplies last.)
A PEEK AT FEBRUARY’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Hello Spring: Plant the seeds of happiness with these lovely garden-inspired cards! Makes 9 cards: 3 of 3 designs. The kit also includes precut pieces with bronze foil and unique spring-themed envelopes. And it pairs well with the Grow with Love Bundle (item 164804). Coordinating colors: Basic Beige, Bubble Bath, Lemon Lime Twist, Lost Lagoon, Old Olive, Petunia Pop (Classic Stampin’ Spot). Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the January – March kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Spring Is in the Air Dies (#166237) — made available December 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by February 10th for this next kit.
KITS COLLECTION: THANK YOU KINDLY, BRIGHTEST BIRTHDAY, AND BIRTHDAY BASHKITS ADDED These are the kits that were most recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our January 2025 Marbled Elegance Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. Click here for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Storybook Moments Suite from the Jan-Apr 2025 Mini Catalog and will be available February 1st.
One of my newer bundles, Everyday Arches has been my “obsession” these past few days. I was planning to just create one card, but my mind kept going in many directions. I have five fully finished cards to share in my video today (one that I will walk through completely and four that I will share specific helpful tips for). I have photos, measurements, a supply list, and a PDF for the main card and then photos, and an extra list of products for the additional supplies needed for those cards.
I just showed live on YouTube and on Facebook about an hour ago all this information for these cards that I made with the Everyday Arches Stamp Set & Dies, Everyday Skies Paper, and other coordinating Stampin’ Up! product. And now I’m sharing that video here in my blog post. Be sure to watch the video by clicking here (or you can just click on this image below if you are already on my blog post), scroll through the close-up photos that follow, check out the measurements & products list below, and then let me know if you have any questions.
Products I used… See below for a complete list of products linked to where you can find them in my online store.
Measurements for the 9-Color Rainbow Card…
Blueberry Bushel Cardstock
5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored parallel to the short side at 4-1/4″
Basic White Cardstock
4″ x 5-1/4″
Scrap for die-cutting cloud
4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ for the supporting base of the rainbow
Everyday Skies Paper
4″ x 5-1/4″
Cardstock for creating the rainbow (will actually make 9 rainbows – see explanation in video)
4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ (x9 – use 9 different colors)
Photos of the 9-Color Rainbow Card…
Measurements for the 3-Color Rainbow Card…
Blueberry Bushel Cardstock
5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored parallel to the short side at 4-1/4″
Basic White Cardstock
4″ x 5-1/4″
2″ x 5-1/4″
Scrap for die-cutting clouds
4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ for the supporting base of the rainbow
Everyday Skies Paper
4″ x 5-1/4″
1-7/8″ x 5-1/4″
Pastel Ombré Glimmer Paper
4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″
2-1/4″ x 3-1/2″
Balmy Blue Cardstock
3-1/2″ x 4-3/4″
Photos of the 3-Color Rainbow Card…
Measurements for the Heart Card…
Cherry Cobbler Cardstock
5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored parallel to the short side at 4-1/4″
Basic White Cardstock
4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″ (x2)
2-1/4″ x 3-1/2″ (x2)
Everyday Skies Paper
4″ x 5-1/4″
Gold Foil
1/8″ x 1-3/4″ (x3)
Photos of the Heart Card…
Measurements for the 3-Panel Scenery Z-Fold Card…
Basic Black Cardstock
5-1/2” x 8-1/2” scored at 1-1/2” and 4-1/4”
Scrap for die-cutting middle oval (with 5th from the smallest die)
Basic White Cardstock
1-13/16” (or just over 1-3/4”) x 5-1/4”
Scrap for die-cutting smallest oval (with 4th from the smallest die)
Everyday Skies Paper
6” wide x 5-1/4” tall – cut into 3 sections 2-3/4” wide, 1-1/8” wide and 2-1/8” wide
Pastel Ombré Glimmer Paper
Scrap for die-cutting largest oval (with 3rd from the largest die)
Photos of the 3-Panel Scenery Z-Fold Card…
Measurements for the Dog Card…
Early Espresso Cardstock
5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ scored parallel to the short side at 4-1/4″
Scrap for die-cutting roof line
Scrap for die-cutting door
Basic White Cardstock
4″ x 5-1/4″
7/8″ x 2-3/4″
Scrap for stamping and fussy-cutting dog
Everyday Skies Paper (sky)
4″ x 4″
2″ x 5-1/4″
Everyday Skies Paper (dog house)
Scrap for die-cutting house
Granny Apple Green Two-Tone Cardstock
1-1/2″ x 4″ (x2)
Photos of the Dog Card…
I hope you enjoyed what I shared today!
Winners: After live winners from last week’s live… marilyngallman8705 & Peggy Frost-Brandon This week’s live winners… Judith E. Bradshaw & Karen Clary
Congratulations to these individuals!! If your name is above, be sure to reach out to me at stampyourartout@comcast.net to claim your prize.
Tune into my events on my Facebook Page to see notices of my upcoming Lives. Or subscribe to my YouTube channel. And then click on the bell next to the subscribe button and set notifications to “all” so you can get updates when I share and when I go live. My next Live will be on Wednesday, January 22 at 11 AM Central Time. I hope you can join me!
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
LAST CHANCE PRODUCTS There is now a new section called Last Chance Products in the Online Store and it includes all retiring products from any online releases and any catalogs. All of these items are available while supplies last.
DESIGNER PAPER RETURNS WITH FRESH NEW COLORS! Stampin’ Up! is offering three previously released Designer Series Papers with fresh, new colors – some of our best-selling colors! The products debuted in the Online Exclusives section of the Online Store on December 3rd and are available while supplies last. Click here for the downloadable flyer. Click here and scroll down for a bit more detail.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES NEWS– MORE NEW ITEMS WERE ADDED 1/7/25 You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. New items were just released January 7th. AND… every 2 months you’ll see even MORE added. (All Online Exclusives products are always available while supplies last.)
A PEEK AT FEBRUARY’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Hello Spring: Plant the seeds of happiness with these lovely garden-inspired cards! Makes 9 cards: 3 of 3 designs. The kit also includes precut pieces with bronze foil and unique spring-themed envelopes. And it pairs well with the Grow with Love Bundle (item 164804). Coordinating colors: Basic Beige, Bubble Bath, Lemon Lime Twist, Lost Lagoon, Old Olive, Petunia Pop (Classic Stampin’ Spot). Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the January – March kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Spring Is in the Air Dies (#166237) — made available December 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by February 10th for this next kit.
KITS COLLECTION: THANK YOU KINDLY, BRIGHTEST BIRTHDAY, AND BIRTHDAY BASHKITS ADDED These are the kits that were most recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our January 2025 Marbled Elegance Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. Click here for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Storybook Moments Suite from the Jan-Apr 2025 Mini Catalog and will be available February 1st.
I’ve been itching to play with the new Happy Hibiscus Bundle (stamps, dies & embossing folder) that just released into the online store this month. I was inspired by some cards that were featured on Stampin’ Up! Facebook Page on November 7th and created a congrats card with fun inking and layering/texturing techniques.
A big thank you to Maheswari Rajaguru for creating and sharing those featured cards that inspired my design. (I loved the color combo and other elements she used in her Changing Leaves cards.)
I just showed live on YouTube and on Facebook about an hour ago step-by-step directions for creating my artsy card with the Happy Hibiscus Bundle, the Bough Punch, Blending Brushes, Wink of Stella, glimmer papers, inks & cardstocks, and other coordinating Stampin’ Up!® products. And now I’m sharing that video here in my blog post. Be sure to watch the video by clicking here (or you can just click on this image below if you are already on my blog post), scroll through the close-up photos that follow, check out the measurements & products list below, and then let me know if you have any questions.
This isn’t a typical “beginner’s style” card. But I take the time to share tips and techniques so that even those new to card making can learn and create.
I’m planning on sharing videos (Lives or pre-recorded) twice a week moving forward. I’ll continue to teach on Wednesdays. My next Online Paper Crafting Class will be next week: Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 11 AM Central Time. But I’ll also go share in just a couple days. My extra video will be another live Online Paper Crafting Class this Friday, November 15, 2024 at 3 PM Central Time. I hope you can join me for either or both!
STAMPIN’ UP!’S NOVEMBER 2024 SEASONAL SALE IS ON!
Create more by spending less during Stampin’ Up!’s Seasonal Sale! Between November 13–15, you can get 20% off all stamp bundles and Designer Series Paper and 10% off select ink and cardstock from the 2024–2025 Annual Catalog. Make sure to act quickly on this limited-time-only sale! Click here to view the current catalog. Click here to shop online.
Remember sale items are from the 2024–2025 Annual Catalog:
10% off ink, including pads, refills, markers, and Stampin’ Blends. Ink pad bundles and third-party ink pads are NOT included.
10% off cardstock. Close To My Heart cardstock is NOT included.
20% total off all stamp and die bundles and stamp and punch bundles. (Stamp bundles are normally 10% off. With this sale you get an additional 10% off.)
20% off all Designer Series Paper.
Important Information:
Shop online to see the full selection of discounted products available; this is a limited time offer.
Products are available while supplies last.
Discounts are automatically applied when sale items are added to any order, including Starter Kits.
Ordering Deadlines
Phone: November 15, 2024, at 6:59 p.m. (MT)
Online: November 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (MT)
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
STAMPIN’ UP!’S NOVEMBER 2024 SEASONAL SALE IS ON! Between November 13–15, you can get 20% off all stamp bundles and Designer Series Paper and 10% off select ink and cardstock from the 2024–2025 Annual Catalog. Click here and scroll down for more details. Click here to shop online.
THE COUNTRY HIVE’S NOVEMBER SUPER SALE The Country Hive is hosting a month-long Super Sale this November 2024. For 11/11-11/20, Buy 3, Get 1 FREE on the Tombow and Art Glitter Glue Holders! No code necessary. Please add 4 to your cart to reflect discount. Not valid on previous purchases.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES NEWS– NEW ITEMS ARE HERE! You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. New items were just released November 5th. AND… every 2 months you’ll see even MORE added. (All Online Exclusives products are always available while supplies last.)
A PEEK AT DECEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Notes From The Heart: Create cards with hand-sketched botanical designs! Makes 9 cards: 3 of 3 designs. The kit also includes precut vellum pieces, sparkling gems, hand-drawn designs, and card bases with scalloped edges. Coordinating colors: Blackberry Bliss (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Flirty Flamingo, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the October-December kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Merry Tags & More Dies (#165639) — made available September 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by December 10th for this next kit.
KITS COLLECTION: ALPINE AIR & A LOOK BACKKITS ADDED These are the kits that were most recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our November 2024 Nests of Winter Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. Click here for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Regal Winter Suite from the September-December 2024 Mini Catalog will be available December 1st.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE Stampin’ Up! is striving to make a difference by donating to organizations throughout the world that work to benefit children’s literacy. And you can help. When you purchase the Sentimental Christmas Designer Paper (also shown on pages 4 & 5 of the Sept-Dec 2024 Mini Catalog), Stampin’ Up! will donate $3. We hope you’ll join us in making a difference this holiday season.
CTMH BRANDED PRODUCTS CLEARANCE SALE Save 30% all Close To My Heart branded products while supplies last. (Sale excludes any Stampin’ Up! scrapbooking products outside of the CTMH product category in the online store.)
It’s been quite the week with Stampin’ Up!® happenings! 1. Our demonstrator leadership conference, BackStage 2024 took place this past weekend online. It was fantastic! (I’ve shared a few photos below.)
2. There is another SU event (OnStage 2025) taking place this next March in Raleigh, NC. Registration opened up on Tuesday and sold out within about five hours. Several of my team members (and many other demonstrators) didn’t get in and are now on the “wait list.” So we are crossing our fingers that SU is able to open up more spots soon. 3. Also on Tuesday afternoon, Stampin’ Up! announced all the top achieving demonstrators in all their markets across the world. And I was blown away to find out I was #5 overall in the US!!!*
I’m posting now because it was a hectic week AND I really WAS feeling overwhelmed with emotion. It’s shocking to find things like this out. I DO really love what I do. I’m passionate about my career and put my all into it. But wow…#5. That IS mind-blowing to me.
Thank you! This is not something that someone achieves without the support of MANYmany others. I’m grateful to my family, my customers, my subscribers and viewers, those who like, comment and share my posts and videos, fellow demonstrators that collaborate and share and assist, the employees of Stampin’ Up!, my assistants, AND my Stampers With ART Stars team members. (I hope I didn’t leave anyone out.)
I celebrated all this and my dad’s birthday with my parents on Wednesday night at one of my favorite local restaurants, Margie’s.
And I received flowers from my upline Susan Campfield who also ranked high this year… #11!!! I am thrilled for her and so grateful for her strong example of leadership and her support through all these years.
She also had cookies delivered to me and to Nancy & Kayla (who also attend this virtual BackStage) as a surprise gift to eat and enjoy during the event. Mine were gluten free! How nice is that?
Here are a few other photos from the last couple days.
I watched & participated at times from my laptop in our main room of the house (which I still absolutely love…remember we had it remodeled a little over a year ago?) and at other times in my craft room (which you can see to the right of my face in this photo). It was nice to move from spot to spot not only for the change of scenery, but to get my legs moving. Hahaha!
CEO, Sara Douglass kicked off the event with a wonderful motivational message. More details of the upcoming new rewards program and details/stats of the company were shared. Many demonstrator presenters shared information and tips for how they run their successful businesses. New products including kits and scrapbooking items were revealed. We were inspired by motivational speaker and author, Tara Renze. And I have even more recorded training sessions to watch in the coming days because I couldn’t fit it all in in two days. But already I have lots of notes and gained a ton of information and useful tips and ideas to put into practice.
I also participated in Zoom networking sessions to connect and share with fellow demonstrators. I was wonderful to see and chat with so many. Even Shelli Gardner, the co-founder of Stampin’ Up! joined in.
Virtual events are different than gathering in person. That’s for sure. I am sad I couldn’t spend more time and visit with those people that I know. But I made a few new connections. I saved money and time by not investing in a plane ticket or hotel. And virtual allows more people to participate.
Plus, I was able to multi task and work on my team gratitude cards during the event!!
Check out my 11/6/24 post to see one of these cards being made from start to finish. They are almost done. My hubby is going to help me with the final steps so I can get them out into tomorrow’s mail.
I forgot to mention that SU gifted EVERY demonstrator who registered for this event a brand new Kindle!! I’ve never owned one. So I’m excited.
I’m looking forward to spending time in person with team members and other fellow demonstrators at next year’s BackStage which will be at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas November 10-13!
*Disclaimer: Obtaining these rankings and levels is something less than 1% of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators achieve.
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
THE COUNTRY HIVE’S NOVEMBER SUPER SALE The Country Hive is hosting a month-long Super Sale this November 2024. For 11/1-11/10, Buy 3, Get 1 FREE on the Letter Buddy Tool (available in many colors)! No code necessary. Please add 4 to your cart to reflect discount. Not valid on previous purchases.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES NEWS– NEW ITEMS ARE HERE! You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. New items were just released November 5th. AND… every 2 months you’ll see even MORE added. (All Online Exclusives products are always available while supplies last.)
A PEEK AT NOVEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Filled With Joy: Celebrate Christmas with adorable stockings and gift tags! Makes 8 projects: 8 stockings with 8 gift tags. The kit also includes precut paper pieces, safety pins, and specialty gold foil. And it all comes delivered to you in a unique designer box. Coordinating colors: Flirty Flamingo, Pool Party, Poppy Parade (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Shaded Spruce, Very Vanilla. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the October-December kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Merry Tags & More Dies (#165639) — made available September 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by November 10th for this next kit.
KITS COLLECTION: ALPINE AIR & A LOOK BACKKITS ADDED These are the kits that were most recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our November 2024 Nests of Winter Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. Click here for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Regal Winter Suite from the September-December 2024 Mini Catalog will be available December 1st.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE Stampin’ Up! is striving to make a difference by donating to organizations throughout the world that work to benefit children’s literacy. And you can help. When you purchase the Sentimental Christmas Designer Paper (also shown on pages 4 & 5 of the Sept-Dec 2024 Mini Catalog), Stampin’ Up! will donate $3. We hope you’ll join us in making a difference this holiday season.
CTMH BRANDED PRODUCTS CLEARANCE SALE Save 30% all Close To My Heart branded products while supplies last. (Sale excludes any Stampin’ Up! scrapbooking products outside of the CTMH product category in the online store.)
Welcome to our monthly APPT blog hop to showcase our August 2024Time for CakePaper Pumpkin kit alternate projects! See what I have to share.
Then check out all the other blogs in the hop for additional creative ideas that my fellow Stampin’ Up! demonstrator friends shared.*
For those of you not familiar with these kits, they get delivered straight to your mailbox in the months of your choice. Inside are all the supplies you need AND the directions for assembling the kit cards/projects designed. Here are the intended cards designed for this August 2024 kit. (Click here for a link to Stampin’ Up!’s how-to video.)
I’ve already shared some other alternate projects using the contents of this kit on August 23rd. Be sure to visit to see all the cards I was able to create with one set of supplies from each of the three kit cards.
Today my projects include three note cards, two fun fold cards, and a 12×12 scrapbook page layout. Lots of stuff, right? Usually I share this many projects with a how-to video. But I can’t fit that in this week. So I’m hoping that my tips and extra photos below will give you all enough information if you wish to recreate any of these. I did use a few extra products outside the actual kit. Those extra items are listed below and linked to where you can find them in my online store.
The great thing about these kits is that after you’ve used up all the consumables, you end up a great stamp sets and inks to keep on using. So let’s focus on the stamp set for these first three note cards. I’ve supplemented those stamps with many of the basic recommended Top Ten Crafting Essentials shown on pages 16 & 17 of the 2024-25 Annual Catalog and also added in the Layering Leaves Stamp Set, the Bough Punch, White Glimmer Paper, Iridescent Pearls, Every Celebration Dies, a Blender Pen and Wink of Stella.
For this first card, I fussy cut sticker scraps from the kit to get the outline of the “Hooray.” And then after adding this to the card put the tiny sticker pieces back in place using the Take Your Pick Tool
I stamped the balloons, and then used a ruler and pen (I had a fun green ball-point ink pen) to add the “strings.” Then I adhered the die-cut glitter word to finish it off. Cute and simple.
For the second one I masked the top and bottom of my Layering Leaves sentiment image, inked it up with Shaded Spruce ink, pulled the tape away and inked up the remaining top and bottom with the Granny Apple Green and Real Red inks to get the tri-color effect.
I created the candle flames with the stamped, punched out, and trimmed down leaves from the Layering Leaves set. After stamping them with Daffodil Delight ink, I used a Blender Pen to add more yellow color within. Then I added Wink of Stella for a bit of shimmer.
For the third notecard I used my Grid Paper as a guide to stamp the longest candle multiple times across the 2-1/4″ x 3-1/2″ piece of Basic White. I used all the remaining colors of ink spots in the Classic Assortment except the Basic Gray. And for the little “glow” image I used the Coastal Cabana color which was lightened by stamping onto scrap paper a couple times first.
My first of my two fun-fold cards is a bridge fold card. The measurements you’ll need are:
Night of Navy Cardstock: 8″ x 4-1/4″ scored in at each end at 1-1/4″ and 2-1/2″
Basic White cardstock (for the back): 2-3/4″ x 4″
Kit candle paper: four tall pieces 1″ x 3-3/4″, one short piece 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″, and the center front piece 2-3/4″ x 3-3/4″
This photo below shows well where I got the all the pieces from the kit candle paper. The gaps are where the tall 1″ x 3-3/4″ pieces originated.
If you’ve never made a bridge fold card before, the video from my 10/24/17 blog post is a good one to watch. Be sure to stamp the pieces before attaching them. Here are lots of view of the finished card from the front, top, and back and then flattened down in both directions to fit inside an envelope.
The second fun-fold card has a bit more detail. First you’ll want to prepare more candle flames with the Layering Leaves set and Bough Punch. But this time stamp the “flames” in Wild Wheat to coordinate with the kit candle paper (the left over candle paper from the bridge fold card). Stamp this leaves image at least four times to get the 16 candle flames.
The measurements you’ll need for this card are:
Night of Navy Cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 10-3/4″ scored parallel to the short side at 1-1/4″ and 6-1/2″
Basic White cardstock (for the back): 4″ x 5″ for the inside layer
Kit candle paper: 1-7/8″ x 4″
Pink kit card base: 1-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ for the lower front “cake” and 1/2″ x 2-1/4″ flipped over for the sentiment strip
White Glimmer Paper: 3/4″ x 4-1/4″ scrap for die-cutting “frosting” and 9/16″ x 2-3/8″ for sentiment strip layer
Fold the Night of Navy card base into a “matchbook” fold, add the Basic White layer to the inside, and staple shut the bottom 1-1/4″ high flap (rough part of the staples to the front). Add the 1-7/8″ x 4″ kit candle paper to the bottom of the front flap of the card.
FYI…When designing this card I thought I made a mistake, because I initially cut my candle paper (that leftover piece from the last card) to 4″ wide. But then I realized it was a blessing in disguise. Because by using the two remaining scraps I was able to trim them up to overlap the ends and make the candles all within the borders of the card. Yay! So yes, now do that same thing.
Now attach the flames and the sentiment strip.
Adhere the pink “cake” flat to the bottom 1-1/4″ high stapled flap. Adhere the “frosting” with Dimensionals. Attach the pearls.
It’s so fun how the candles appear to be “in” the cake, right?! A matchbook fun-fold card is perfect for this. Now open the front flap…
…stamp the inside sentiment and adhere the tucked in fork.
Getting tired yet? Sorry…I just couldn’t stop creating with this fun kit!
Here is my last idea…my 12×12 scrapbook page layout.
The measurements you’ll need for this project are:
Basic White Cardstock: two sheets of 12″ x 12″
Night of Navy Cardstock: three that are 3-3/4″ x 5-1/2″ and six that are 3-3/4″ x 3-3/4″
Boho Blue Cardstock: <1/4″ x 11″ for the tall candle in the middle of the left page
Kit candle paper: 3-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ on the left page and then the rest of it to on the right page with the white area removed.
Kit “cake” card base: cut into two pieces
Cut the “cake” card in two pieces: 3″ x 5-1/2″ and 5-1/2″ 5-1/2″ and prepare all the other pieces described in the measurements above.
Stamp the long skinny Boho Blue strip to create a tall candle.
Position everything in place as shown and attach. I used a sticker from the kit for the Hooray, but you could die-cut this with the Every Celebration dies if you ran out of stickers. (The white piece under the Petal Pink tag is another tag flipped over.)
All of the Rose Gold cord is tacked down with rolled up kit glue dots. 🙂 Putzy, but worth it.
I hope I inspired your creativity with what I shared today! If you did not get this kit, I hope you can apply these ideas to products you already own.
If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by September 10th for this next kit…
A PEEK AT SEPTEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Autumn Abundance: Share your love for all things autumn with this kit! Makes 9 cards (3 each of 3 designs) & includes printed cards and coordinating envelopes. The kit also includes laser cut card fronts, a whimsical watercolor ephemera pack, and embellishments. Coordinating colors: Cajun Craze (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Crushed Curry, Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla, Wild Wheat. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the July-September kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Every Celebration Dies (#164991) — made available June 11th and only while supplies last!
To renew your subscription, click here and login to reactivate. Are you on Facebook? Then be sure to join the 36,900+ members in the PAPER PUMPKIN FAN CLUB to get lots more inspiration:
Thanks for visiting! Now I invite you to visit the blogs of my fellow demonstrators.
*To see these other creative project ideas, click on these names of the other hop participants. If you are receiving this blog post by email, click HERE to get to my website so you can see the clickable hop participant names.
Click here to shop my online store. Click here to access & view the current catalogs. Click here to shop My Favorite Extras. Click here to subscribe to those fun Paper Pumpkin kits of creativity! Click here to learn about my Loyalty Rewards program. You can earn free stamps just for shopping with me! Click here to learn more about joining my Stampers With ART community. Get the MOST rewards including a discount on future products! Follow me on social media! I share regularly on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, my Facebook Page, and my Facebook Group! Please subscribe to my blog, too!Click here and enter your email in the blue box (above the butterfly).
SCRAPBOOKING PRODUCTS ARE HERE! Meet the September 2024 Scrapbooking Brochure—full of scrapbooking products that coordinate with the mini catalog and some online-only suites! Stickers, Two-Toned Cardstock, and Workshop Kits are the first items in this new line. And this is just the beginning. Too fun! Stay tuned. View the brochure online from my Catalogs Page. Shop these products in my online store.
STAMP-N-STORAGE’S FALL INTO ORGANIZATION SALE! Stamp-n-Storage is offering 15% off and Free Shipping in the 48 Domestic U.S. now through September 30, 2024. Click here to shop.
WORLD CARD MAKING DAY OCTOBER 5, 2024 It’s time to celebrate World Card Making Day! Join Stampin’ Up! on October 5 (2-3 PM Mountain Time) to celebrate this day with a FREE creative virtual event. Create five simple cards together and see some additional fun projects. Crafters of all skill levels are invited and welcome to join. Registration began September 3rd! Scan the QR code in this flyer to sign up and get notices.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Lots of new products released in July into the Online Exclusives section of the Online Store. You won’t find Online Exclusives products in any catalog or publication. So be sure to visit this link to shop today. (All Online Exclusives products are always available while supplies last.)
KITS COLLECTION: CARD KEEPER & CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTSKITS ADDED These are the kits that were most recently added to the Kits Collection! Click here and scroll down for more details.
A PEEK AT SEPTEMBER’S PAPER PUMPKIN KIT Autumn Abundance: Share your love for all things autumn with this kit! Makes 9 cards (3 each of 3 designs) & includes printed cards and coordinating envelopes. The kit also includes laser cut card fronts, a whimsical watercolor ephemera pack, and embellishments. Coordinating colors: Cajun Craze (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Crushed Curry, Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla, Wild Wheat. Click here for a flyer showing peeks of the July-September kits. And don’t miss the special add-on that coordinates with all three months: the Every Celebration Dies (#164991) — made available June 11th and only while supplies last! If you are not a Paper Pumpkin subscriber, I invite you to give it a try. CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to sign up by September 10th for this next kit.
ALL STAR VIDEO CLASSES I’m a designer with the All Stars, a group of globally recognized Stampin’ Up! demonstrators. And we are excited to share exclusively with our customers, paper crafting friends & team members our September 2024 Unbounded Beauty Suite Video Class Bundle which is now available. CLICK HERE for more information. Click here to get to my Tutorials/Classes for Sale page to see others that have been offered. The next one featuring the Splendid Autumn Suite from the September-December 2024 Mini Catalog will be available October 1st.
STAMP YOUR ART OUT LOGO MERCHANDISE Be sure to check out my line of Stamp Your Art Out logo merchandise! From the menu at the top choose SHOP > TUTORIALS, LOGO ITEMS & MORE > LOGO ITEMS. Or just click here. Many of the items have more than one color option. Thanks for shopping!
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Rachel Tessman
Independent Demonstrator 763-502-6813
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