The Last Christmas in July Projects - Saturday Stampin'

 

Hi Everyone,

Well it's a little sad to be saying goodbye to my Christmas in July creations this month. It was so fun to see all the fabulous creations of other stampers too. I'm so inspired for all the holiday crafting to come in the coming months. 

This first card was part of my Stampin' Chat Saturday Card class I host on the 3rd Saturday of the month in my workshop room. I had a Christmas in July theme and the four cards were holiday themed. So much fun! This beautiful Stag is from a Christmas Reindeer Stamp + Thin Cuts from CTMH. I had gotten this at a crafting retreat from a friend several years ago. 

This was a perfect time to make the card a gift card holder as well for that special someone during the holidays. I always stamp and make-up any extra card supplies from class. I had some bits and pieces to work with, so I decided to create a more "avid" crafter project.

If you haven't seen the Season of Green and Gold Suite Collection in the Online Exclusive products with Stampin' Up!, you are missing out! I am in love with the Season of Green & Gold 12" x 12" Specialty Designer Series Paper (DSP) and the Graceful Greenery 12" x 12" Vellum. The gold accents and designs are stunning! 

I made sure the DSP was the star of this card. It's hard to upstage the beautiful Reindeer though. One thing I absolutely love is how the coordinating dies for these products die-cut many of the images in the DSP, so it looks like you did so much work, when you didn't. I think this new card is stunning!

Because the inside pieces were for a gift card holder, I decided that this would be a card simply to wish "Happy Holidays", so I added more glimmer with another pattern in the DSP. 

Thanks again for stopping in. With just a few days left to earn $5 Bonus Coupons + a sampling of retired DSP as a gift from me, head on over and check out all the Online Exclusive and other fantastic Stampin' Up! products available now. 

Let me know which card you prefered today. I would appreciate if you would share my blog and be sure to follow me. I have one more Reindeer and other pieces, so look out for one more Christmas Reindeer card from me soon. 

Until Next Time...

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

Filled with Cheer Online Exclusive Stamp set Meets Freshly Made Sketch Challenge

 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping in today for my blogpost. I just recently ordered the Filled with Cheer Stamp set from the Online Exclusives with Stampin' Up! It's such a great companion set with the Filled with Fun Bundle. I love when Stampin' Up! creates added products to continue your crafting fun! I thought this stamp set would be great to use for the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #645. 

For my card, I wanted to keep it clean and make it feel as if the sound is quiet as the snow falls. You know how that is when you are out and it's snowing in an open area? For some reason, whenever I use snowman types of stamps, I gravitate towards a more blue and pastel palette. 

When you want to take your card to the next level, all you need are layers of coordinting cardstock colors and try adding an embossed layer too. For this card, I didn't want the snowflake embossing covering the stamped images, so I only put part of the Shimmery White cardstock into the embossing folder. 

Adding a little color inside your card can elevate it as well. My string of lights are on a steep curve. I could have angled it a little better, but I still like it. I've decided that the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge this week has inspired me to use this card as part of the Saturday Stamp & Chat session this Saturday. You can check out my events to see if you are local and would like to participate. 

I hope you enjoyed my card today. I really liked coloring the images with my Stampin' Blends and Stampin' Write Markers together. Be sure to hop on over the the Freshly Made Sketch Blog to see the other cards submitted for this week. You could even create your own card and upload there too. 

Check back for more fun papercrafting fun. I would appreciate if you would follow my blog and share with your friends, so we can spread our love of stamping. 

Until next time...

Happy Stampin'

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

A little Early Hocus Pocus with Potions & Spells (Online Exclusives)

Hi Everyone,

Is it too early for tricks and treats? I think it's never too early. Today I'm sharing some great new products from Stampin' Up! There are many reasons to get ready for fall and the holidays with the upcoming Online Exclusives in July (available now for demonstrators).

I just fell in love the minute I saw the Potions and Spells bundle on the pre-order for Online Exclusives. I am a huge fan of fall and Halloween. Even though my daugthers don't trick or treat anymore, I love to celebrate with the Hocus Pocus movies and fun. 

One of the things I like are the cute characters like the kitty and raven. They have such great expressions! The background of webs and spiders masks came from Pretty Pink Posh. I got the masks a couple years ago. You can still get them from their online shop.

The layout for this card was inspired by the Freshly Made Sketch challenge from last week. I enjoyed creating for that challenge and wanted to keep going with the same layout. I have a current sketch challenge on the Stampin' Café social stampin' group on Facebook. Join on in and create your card for a chance to win a prize. 

Do you notice the fun bubbling potion? These bubbles are so fun and you get single bubble stamps to keep the bubbles floating up. 

Here are a couple of great cards highlighting the awesome cauldren and ooze. Now this isn't the only fall Online Exclusives. I recently shared a Saturday Stampin' YouTube video sharing more Online Exclusives. You can check out many of the great upcoming products. 

Be sure to check out the sharing video. I have a prize giveaway that you can participate in. I will announce the winner on my Facebook Live Wednesday on June 26th.

Thanks again for stopping in for an early "Hocus Pocus". There is lots more to come for fall, so be sure to follow me and pop back in. 

Don't forget that Stampin' Up! is having an extra 10% off bundles sale (with dies) and the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machings too. June 30th is the last day to participate and save. I am doubling the fun with a Mystery Hostess drawing. When you order with me this month, you will be put in the Mystery Hostess drawing. With a minimum $50 order, you are entered. Check out an earlier blog for details and where I suggest some great bundles. Don't hesitate to reach out for any of your crafting needs. 

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

Fabulous Brayering Technique Specialty Class Open Registration Now!

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are well and ready to have some fun with Brayering Techniques. Today's blog gives all the details for the wonderful products and supplies for my Brayering Techniques Specialty Class. I usually have a Specialty Class (class with products) on the last Sunday of the month. Participants can join me in person or choose the To Go option. Well for March, the last Sunday happens to be Easter Sunday. I decided to get this class going much sooner, so you can have fun with the techniques I share. 

For the specialty class, the product portion includes the Stampin' Up! Brayer and the upcoming Adhesive-Backed Sequins that will be Online Exclusive only. Of course, you also get supplies for 5 wonderful projects. The projects you see are the ones for the class. Mine are the prototypes, so they may have have a little shadows and things. 

One thing that will be a focal point of the class will be the Thoughtful Moments Hybrid Embossing Folder. There are several ways to use this folder. You will also have lots of extra die-cut words for future projects.

A couple of the projects are using upcoming Online Exclusive products. These bundles will be available beginning March 5th for customers. The Magnolia Mood Bundle is just beautiful. I shared a card in my last blog on the fabulous dies. 

The Simply Zinnia Stamp set is also an upcoming Online Exclusive product. This is also available in a Suite including the bundle, Flowering Zinnia DSP (we will use some of this on a project) and the Adhesive-Backed Sequins (you are receiving a full package in the class). 

If you are interested in participating in this class, I know you will love it. You can simply fill out the registration form to reserve your space or To Go Kit. Below is my video sharing for the class. I also have listed out the additional products you will need to complete your projects like mine. You will need any coloring tools. I used Stampin' Blends for my coloring. 

For To Go participants, If you want to complete the projects just like mine, you would need to purchase the Online Exclusives I mentioned on March 5th in order to get them for your projects. You can order any of the upcoming products NOW if you want to join my team and take advantage of the joining special that ends at the end of February. You can choose $125 for $99 in your starter kit, but also get the Glass Mat Studio FREE or an additional $30 product FREE. You can find the details here on my blog. Joining in February also gets you Sale-a-Bration rewards too. You can also substitute any of the sets. Any die-cutting or embossing will be done for you. 

I hope you are inspired by the cards in my Brayering Techniques Specialty Class. Deadline to register for this class is March 2nd. Reach out if you have any questions. This class is for U.S. customers only. I cannot offer these types of classes outside the U.S. 

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

Freshly Made Sketch Challenge Meets New Magnolia Mood Bundle

Hi Everyone,

With the bite of winter in the PNW, I'm ready to start feeling the sun a little more. Today is the perfect day for participating in the current Freshly Made Sketch Challenge. I have 8" of snow from overnight and it's still snowing with a bit of rain mixed in. I live in this Hood Canal region in Washington State and we just seem to get hit with those possible snow forecasts. 

Anyway, back to the stamping fun! I shared some of the upcoming Online Exclusives by Stampin' Up! during my FB Live session on Wednesday. I decided that the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #623 would be so fun to share more of the upcoming products. I really like to do sketch challenges because a lot of the design work is done and you can simply create. 

For this card, I used several upcoming Online Exclusives. The Magnolia Mood Bundle is the main product. I also used the Flowering Zinnias 12" x 12" Designer Series paper pack and the Adhesive-Backed Shiny Gems.

For my sketch challenge card, I decided to use the beautiful Magnolia Mood dies as the focal point. I die-cut the large detailed die with Lemon Lime Twist CS and then again in Basic White. I cut the main flower out of the Basic White to then layer in the center (to cover the green flower).

Then I die-cut the smaller detailed flower die and layered it on top of the large flower. I also added some of the smaller die-cut leaves to fill out the central focal point. I added a bit of Bubble Bath sponging to the flowers and embossed piece.

Of course adding those layers and a peek of the DSP is always a nice touch. I also think it adds stability and equal weight from the front of the card.

Thanks again for stopping in. I hope you like my card. You might even give this sketch challenge a try. I like to challenge my stamping friends in my stamping social FB group. This layout is going to be my challenge for these friends. I always offer a fun stamping prize for particpants. If you aren't in my social stamping FB group, you might want to join in. It is a private group, so only honest and crafty friends are allowed.

There are a couple weeks left of Sale-a-Bration. More FREE products are available in this month and the joining special is still on. I love the Glass Mat Studio additional offer. Not into that? Well add an additional $30 into your Starter Kit. Did you know that you can also add any of the Online Exclusive products that aren't available to customers until march? Yep, you can order anything that current demonstrators can order. Check out my joining blog for more details.

Be sure to check out other submissions for the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge #623. It's alway fun to see what other crafters are creating.

I hope you come back for my blog again. Let me know what you liked about my card. I like to hear from you.

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

 https://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/

Celebrating 35 Years with a Choice of a Joining Special

 

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping in. This month is a very special month for all of us who love to craft! Stampin' Up is Celebrating 35 years in business and want to celebrate by having a joining special that fits all your needs. Read on for two fabulous specials. 

Option 1: Get 35% OFF the normal cost of a Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit. Those who select this option will receive $125 USD worth of product for only $64.35.

Option 2: Get 35% MORE product with their Starter Kit. Those who select this option will receive $168.75 worth of product by spending $99.

You also receive FREE shipping as well as some business supplies.

One of the perks of being a Stampin' UP! Demonstrator is that you get to pre-order a month ahead of releases. This includes the pre-order that is happening now for some new and fabulous Online Exclusives. 

It gets better! Those who sign up for a Starter Kit during this offer will also be automatically registered for FREE* to the virtual OnStage event on 11 November. That's a $77 value!

• Those who sign up for this offer have the opportunity to watch the event independently, gathered together with other demonstrators, or with their Team Leader.
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• Demonstrators who join during this promotion will be automatically added to the OnStage attendees; they do not need to register separately.
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• Demonstrators who join during this promotion will also receive an email with all the information about this event.

There are so many benefits to being a Stampin' UP! demonstrator. I really enjoy the flexibility to take advantage of the benefits that work for me and my busy life. Here are many of the benefits when you join Stampin' Up! and my Café Team.

DEMONSTRATOR BENEFITS

• Get 20%–25% off all Stampin’ Up! products.
• No “Selling” necessary…. unless you want to
• Earn additional income based on your sales and recruiting–just how much extra income is up to you.
• Set your own schedule and put in as much (or as little) time as you’d like.
• Get support through online training resources, a quarterly magazine, events, and a demonstrator-only online community with thousands of project ideas.
• Access to regular promotions, giving you an opportunity to contact customers.
• Opportunity to earn incentive trips.
• Chance to learn creative tips and techniques, share ideas, and meet new friends who love paper crafting as much as you do!

My Café Team Members also have Free local Saturday Stamp & Chat in my workshop room, quartery gatherings with new product projects and stamping gifts (sent to team members out of area as well), and monthly virtual meetings to support your needs. 

It's that perfect time to join and treat yourself before the holidays. Which starter kit will you choose? Maybe you are an avid stamper and just need that perfect coordinated products for your holiday cards. 

The Merriest Trees Bundle #162048 and the Walk in the Forest 12" x 12" Designer series paper #162377 is the perfect combintation for stunning holiday cards.

Maybe you are like me and want to shop more with the 35% more products. I have lots of wonderful products, but Stampin' Up! has so many wonderful products. There are so many ways to shop as well. From Paper Pumpkin, Kits Collection, Online Exclusives, to the various publications through the year, shopping is easy!

Whichever kit you decide to join with, you will also be part of a wonderful community of crafters. Ready to shop and join? Have any questions? Be sure to reach out if I can assist you in anyway. I would love to have you as part of my Stampin' Café Team. 

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café

Create a Beautiful Easel Card with Horse & Sleigh Suite and Onlne Exclusive Products

 Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping in today for my blog. Today I'm sharing a couple of cards my Stampin' Café Team got to create when we had a team gathering. I shared a couple of new and upcoming Online Exclusive products with them. These included the Timeless Charms Bundle and the Horse & Sleigh Suite. 

The Horse & Sleigh Suite of products and just so wonderful! What I really like is the One Horse Open Sleigh 6"x6" Desinger series paper. The snow scenes are beautiful and can be the main focal point of your holiday cards easily. 

This notecard is super cute with the polka dot DSP and the Radiating Stitched rectange. For this card, I used the Timeless Charm dies for the beautifully detailed flower die. There are many dies you can add your own creativity with with cardstock or DSP. Timeless Charm is a bundle with a stamp set and coordinating dies.

This card is special. it is an Easel Card. This will stand up to be on display on someone's special desk or table. I used all of the products in the suite. I stamped onto the beautiful pices of DSP and used the snow dies and the tree die. 

It's easy to create an easel card. For this card I cut a piece of Misty Moonlight at 4 1/4" x 11" and scored at 5 1/2" like a standard A2 sized card. Then I scored at 2 3/4 for the "flap" or front of card that the front panels will be secured to. For an easel card, you will want something that will stop the card from simply folding down. I used a 1" x 3 3/4" strip of Pecan Pie and and layer of DSP. I glued that to the bottom of the inside of the card. This acts as a "stopper". If you want the Easel card to stand up taller, simply make the inside "stopper" wider.

The colors in the One Horse Open Sleigh DSP include such rich and beautiful colors like Boho Blue, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Pecan Pie, and many more. I used the Misty Moonlight and Pecan Pie as a pairing. They go so well together. You can watch my video on how I created this Easel Card and the techniques I used. You will also be able to see how to find the Online Exclusive products on Stampin' Up!. 

These new Online Exclusive products will be available to customers on July 6th. If you want them now, you can add them to a Starter Kit by joining my team with Stampin' Up! and get more products in your kit this month only. Remember that there is a 15% off sale on Designer Series Paper too, so you can get even more products for the joining special. 

Be sure to mark your calendar for July 6th to see what else might be available in additon to the ones I shared today. I can see a sneak peek of a couple of must haves that will be released on July 6th and they will get ordered so quickly, so be sure to shop right away to get a heads start to your holiday crafting. 

Happy Stampin',

Mary Blocher

Mary's Stampin' Café