Flowerbug's Inkspot

January Technique Class

Gosh I am soooo late getting these out to you!  There have been too many things to do and share this month!

The techniques we did at Class this week were Watercolor Highlighting, Shimmered Blocks and Letterpress.

Here are the main cards:

This is Watercolor Highlighting.  A beautiful card, isn't it? 

The idea for this card was cased from Tina.

This is the Letterpress card.  Here's a view of the inside of this one:

And this is Shimmered Blocks.  Stamping with our clear acryllic blocks & Shimmer Paint.

Unfortunately it's too late to get in on my local class (held 1/25), but if you'd like to make these at home with your own supplies, you still can.  My monthly technique class tutorials include the step-by-step directions, supply lists, technique card templates, photos & measurements to help you easily recreate these cards.  They're sent via e-mail to you in a zipped file.

The tutorials are perfect for the hobbyist or for a demonstrator to use for her own classes.

It's just $4 each month.  Or choose to purchase them in the bundles where you get 12 months for just $40 - that's two months free!

Click here to order this months class or to choose from my three bundles of Technique Classes. 

 

January Club Layout

I almost always do a Christmas layout in January for my Scrapbook Clubs.  I tell my gals to be sure to take lots of family photos so they'll be ready to scrap them all at Club in January.

I was inspired to create the tree on our layout from a very cute Christmas card I received from my friend Becky.  She is an amazing & creative stamper!

I did not ask her the details on what products she used to make her card, so I cannot share those with you.  But you can see why I was inspired by this adorable 'Grinch-style' tree! 

I drew 5 different shaped pieces for the tree on scrap paper and then traced it onto various colors of green card stock & cut them out.  Then I ran them through a few Sizzix embossing folders for texture.  Next I adhered them all together and added a ton of Red brads for ornaments and a star on top. 

Can you see the large photo on the left side?  That was my family eating Christmas dinner in my new stamping studio!  It's right off the kitchen so it was very convenient & we all fit on the tables!  My Mom, who is 89 this year, was at the head of the table & is also pictured below the main photo.

The right page has my husband, children and myself holding our stockings on Christmas morning. It's still a tradition for each of us to get a stocking full of fun that morning.  If my husband Andy has his way, this tradition will never stop.  He loves giving gifts! He even delivers surprises from Santa, even though we are all old enough to know .......ummm.....   Well you know!    

• Card stock - Real Red, Whisper White, Garden Green, Gable Green, Wild Wasabi
  
• Punches - small star, Scallop edge border punch, Snowflake punch
• Sizzix - Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die, Join in the Cheer Decorative Strip die, Petals a Plenty, Perfect Polka dot and Square Lattice embossing folders
• Accessories - Red brads, rhinestones, 1/8" Red taffeta ribbon, Celery ribbon
  

With All My Heart

Here is a card featuring the Glimmer paper in the Occasions mini catalog.  It's fabulous and substantial.  The pretty glitter does not rub off - at all!

 

Isn't it a beauty?  I made an arrow by first stamping the sentiment from 'With All My Heart' & trimming it down.  Then just cut a point at one end & a notch in the other.  I sponged the edges with Pretty in Pink classic ink & added a punched heart to it.

I love the ribbon treatment.  I wrapped the 5/8" Red satin ribbon with a short piece of 1/8" narrow taffeta ribbon & left the ends in the back.  Simple! 

• Stamps - With All My Heart
• Ink - Black, Pretty in Pink
• Card stock - Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Black, Red & Pink patterns paper, Whisper White, Glimmer paper
  
• Accessories - sponge, scallop edge punch, Heart to Heart & Full Heart punches, 5/8" Red satin ribbon, 1/8" narrow taffeta ribbon
  

Flip Book Album

It's been a while since I've made one of these adorable & SO easy albums.  I have a group of new stampers who want to do a Christmas scrapbook album.  So I put this together for them.  I have a few open spots at this class if anyone else wants to make one.  It's on February 7th here in my studio. 

Here's the front of the 6 X 6" book.  To keep this class easy & quick I kept the extra's to a minimum. 

I just love this pack of patterned paper!  It's the Jolly Holiday designer paper in the main SU catalog.  Old Olive, Very Vanilla & Cherry Cobbler are the main colors. 

I did not mat any of my photos.  I printed them out with the white border on them so they didn't need matting.  (If you're wondering what some of these photos are of, we played Wii - Just Dance at Christmas!)

For the side panels I used our 2 1/2" circle & 2 3/8" scallop punches to capture some close-up shots of my family.

I could have really jazzed this up with punches or layering, but I needed them to be able to do this in just 2 hours with photos so I kept it very basic. It took me just under 1 1/2 hours to complete from start to finish. 

Cost is $15 for all supplies & includes the use of adhesive. 

If you're wondering how to make one of these, I have a tutorial you can purchase on the side panel of my blog under 3-d projects.  Here's a quick link to the Flip Book Album.

Now I can share!

Remember I mentioned I had some exciting news regarding my new Stamping Studio?  Well now I can share it! 

It's being featured on this beautiful blog that shows unique & gorgeous crafty spaces.

Check it out here! 

Scroll down to see lots of wonderful ideas for your own crafty space.

 

If you're viewing this post at a later date, here is the direct link to the article.

My Studio!

More Team Swaps

And here are more of our swap cards from the last Flowerbug's Team meeting.

Jane made this bright, eye-catching card with the Build a Cupcake punch & Create a Cupcake stamp set.  

She taught us how to make our own glittery frosting for the cupcakes.  Mix a few drops of Crystal Effects with Dazzling Diamonds glitter & spread it over the pre-punched cupcake punch.  Let dry about 10 minutes & add to the card.

Marguerite created this 4 X 4" beauty using the new Build a Blossom stamp set & Blossoms Petals punch.  She used the new Sweet Stitches designer paper as a background with Chocolate Chip & Pretty in Pink.  See the adorable Vintage Flower adornments?  Just attach them with mini glue dots. 

Mary used the Easter Blossoms stamp set to make this gorgeous card.  I love the soft colors of Crumb Cake, Vanilla & Blushing Bride.  There's lots of texture & movement to this card. 

Thanks for stopping in today! 

 

SAB & Build a Blossom

Sale-a-Bration is here!

Download the Sale a Bration mini catalog

Download the Sale a Bration examples supplies list

Photos of the SAB 2011 extra Catalog Images

Starting today, for every $50 you spend you get one free item from this catalog.

Besides the items in the catalog, there are over 70 extra choices we can get FREE again this year.  They're listed in the back, but you can see the images on the last link above.  ***The numbers with these photos will not work though; you'll need to use the numbers listed in the back of the SAB catalog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of Sale a Bration, here is another card I did for the Control Freaks swap.

I used a few new stamp sets here - the 'Build a Blossom' set from the Occasions Mini catalog & the 'So Happy for You' set from the Sale-a-Bration mini catalog.

Once I decided to build a yellow flower, I knew I wanted to add blue.  Blue & Yellow are usually fantastic together.  I chose Daffodil Delight & Night of Navy.

Notice the solid Daffodil flower?  That is one of the die-cuts in the new Sizzix die in the Occasions mini catalog called Fun Flowers.

We have a new Blossoms Petal punch that matches most of the flower & leaf images in this set.  Here's a tip on how to stamp the images to get the most out of your card stock.

Stamp the images along a strip of card stock & then you can punch one at a time.  

• Stamps - So Happy for You, Build a Blossom
• Ink - Daffodil Delight
• Card stock - Confetti Cream, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight
• Accessories - Fun Flowers die, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Big Shot, Silver Hodgepodge hardware, Boho Blossoms & Blossoms Petal punches, Scallop trim punch, Navy & Daffodil markers, sponge, mat pack, paper piercing tool

. 

Get even more FREE Merchandise!

Sale-A-Bration starts tomorrow!!  It's the best & biggest promotion SU has during the year, and it's also a great time to join Stampin' Up!

Scroll down for more information below....... 

But first, see what you can do with just one stamp set! 

I made a bunch of 3 X 3" cards using the Punch Bunch stamp set.  It's one of the favorites of my customers so far. See close-ups below. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you've ever thought about joining Stampin' Up!, this deal is amazing!  For just $148 you can join & get $50 in more free product!

The Sale-A-Bration Bonus Bundle

January 12, 2011

As noted on the back of the Sale-A-Bration brochure, any new demonstrator who joins during Sale-A-Bration will not only receive 15 percent off their Starter Kit, but will also receive a special Bonus Bundle of products valued up to $50! The following items will be included in a new Demonstrator's Starter Kit (whether it's the standard kit or the Digital+ Starter Kit):

 

Item	Page	Description
121620	165	Color Coach (or multiple languages Color Coach)
120806	183	Something Special Simply Sent (or any Simply Sent kit)
117114	183	Live, Laugh, Love Stamp Set (or any Simply Sent Stamp Set valued at $12.95 or less)
119883	202	Heart to Heart Punch (or any punch valued at $17.95 or less)

Here are a few more reasons to join:

• Fill your Wish List!  Imagine this!  Save 30% on your first product order of $150 or more (placed within 45 days), plus earn hostess rewards & receive a minimum of three Sale-A-Bration gifts (1 for every $50 in product purchased). Yes, us demo's get the same perks as you plus more!
  
• Take a Demo Test Drive!  Enjoy Stampin' Up! Demonstrator discounts and benefits through June 30, 2011 with NO further need to sell or purchase any products beyond the starter kit. 
• If you wish to extend your demonstrator status for the following quarter (July through September), you would be required to have $300 in product sales (including your own orders).  There's no penalty to drop.
• Starter Kit ships FREE.  Yes, that's free shipping!
  
• Become a member of the Flowerbugs!  You'll have access to my exclusive down-line blog, special meet & swaps plus other perks like free class planners & tutorials. 
  

Call or e-mail me for more information or just sign up on my website here:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love that Punch Bunch set!  Did you know that if you order 3 Extra Large punches during Sale-a-Bration you'll earn this versitle set free!

There are a few more images in the set that I did not even use. 

I used the In Color Designer Paper Pack to easily jazz up these simple cards - it's one of the options in the Level 1 Hostess choices in the main catalog.

Colors are Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Concord Crush & Poppy Parade 

 

New Digital Downloads for My Digital Studio

 Here are the latest & newest Digital Downloads available. 

Remember you do not have to own My Digital Studio to use these.  They work with any photo editing software.  And when you order online - there is no shipping!  You get the download immediately. 

Item	Description	Image	Price	Content
124030	Tempting Turquoise Patterns Designer Series Paper		$1.95	Four Tempting Turquoise Designer Series Paper Patterns
124031	Old Olive Patterns Designer Series Paper		$1.95	Four Old Olive Designer Series Paper Patterns
124033	Pretty in Pink Patterns Designer Series Paper		$1.95	Four Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper Patterns
124022	Sweet Stitches Designer Buttons		$2.95	Three button styles in Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, and Daffodil Delight. Total of 12 buttons.
124028	Pattern Pieces Stamp Brush		$1.95	One oversized fabric pattern. Coordinates with the "Oh Sew Suite" product line.
124018	Blossom Petals Punch		$0.95	Four-piece stamp brush set and one 5" x 7" greeting card designer template.
124019	Build a Blossom Stamp Brush Set		$5.95	Twelve-piece stamp brush set. Coordinates with the digital Blossom Petals Punch.
124027	Eat Chocolate Stamp Brush Set		$3.95	Four-piece stamp brush set.
125161	Top 10 Photo Book Template		$14.95	This 24-page designer template (11" x 8-1/2") was used to make the My Digital Studio Professional Print Product Sampler, demonstrator supply item #124261.
125162	2011 Pennant Desktop Calendar		$14.95	This 25-page calendar template (5-1/2" x 6-1/2" calendar with easel) was used to make the My Digital Studio Professional Print Product Sampler, demonstrator supply item #124261.
125623	Baja Breeze Flower Bouquet Birth Announcement		$1.95	Double-sided baby boy announcement postcard designer template. Colors are Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, and Basic Gray.
125163	Regal Rose Flower Bouquet Birth Announcement		$1.95	Double-sided baby girl announcement postcard designer template. Colors are Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, and So Saffron. This template was used to make the My Digital Studio Professional Print Product Sampler, demonstrator supply item #124261.
125164	Play Date Invitation Designer Template		$1.95	Birthday greeting card invitation template. Front and inside of card are pre-designed. Template includes nine embellishment pieces and was used to make the My Digital Studio Professional Print Product Sampler, demonstrator supply item #124261.
125165	Snowflake Flurry Holiday Trifold Card Designer Template		$1.95	This 4" x 9-1/4" trifold card designer template was used to make the My Digital Studio Professional Print Product Sampler, demonstrator supply item #124261.
124542	Chat Room Rock Star Stamp Brush Set		$5.95	Ten-piece stamp brush set.
124543	Chat Room Friend Stamp Brush Set		$5.95	Ten-piece stamp brush set.
124486	Chat Room Baby Stamp Brush Set		$5.95	Ten-piece stamp brush set.