2009 - looking back

What were some of your favorite cards and scrapbook pages that you created over the past year? As we get ready to celebrate the New year 2010, I took a look at my cards and pages of 2009 and found a couple that I really loved.

This You Rock! Valentine card from last February is a card I made for a good friend. I am loving on pinks and reds right now, and the Crystal Effects on the cut-out cherries is just a great touch to this card. I also really love these 3x6 sized cards - they fit perfectly in the Small Open End Envelopes from Stampin' Up!







Another favorite of mine is this Baby Thank You Gift Set I made for a friend also. She knew what colors she wanted for her baby, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and either Pretty in Pink or Bashful Blue. I made up these little cards (again with the 3x6 cards) and then included strips of Pretty in Pink DSP and Bashful Blue DSP to finish the cards when the baby arrived. I also included some postcard style thank you's with pink or blue scallop embellishments to finish them.

I wrapped it up in the box I made with dividers and a Vellum Cover and belly band wrap.








Here are a couple of my favorite scrapbook pages from 2009.


This Good Life scrapbook page is one of my favorites because of the vivid colors and the good memories, I think. Click the link above to see more details on this page.










This Autumn Scrapbook page is one of my favorites because of the gorgeous fall colors, that easy to use Leaves Big Shot die and this single photo layout. click the link above for more details.









And this grungy Peaceful Easy Feeling page simply because the page captures the peacefulness of my memories of this day with my family. Click on the link above for more details on the page.

Take a look at some of the beauties you created over the past 12 months. Whether it's a hand stamped card given to a friend, a hand crafted gift for a loved one, a one of your memories captured on a scrapbook page, appreciate the time and love that you put into your hobby.

With All my Heart - Thank you

Here is another card using some of the new products from the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! (It's debuting soon - January 5th!) I used a few of the gorgeous Sending Love Specialty paper - this paper just begs to be touched with 2 sheets each of 6 double sided patterns and one side of each is glittered!

I wanted to let the paper shine on this card, so I have three strips of different glittered pieces on the Real Red mat. Then I layered a strip of Real Red card stock under the Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon. The thank you sentiment is from With All My Heart which is a new stamp set in the Occasions Mini Catalog. This sentiment fits perfectly inside the Designer Label Punch and coordinating hardware from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware kit.

Recipe:
Stamps: With All My Heart
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Sending Love Specialty
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, Designer Label Punch

Happy Moments Birthday

This card features a Sale-A-Bration exclusive stamp set from Stampin' Up! Happy Moments. I copied this card from a sample in Stampin' Success, a monthly Demonstrator magazine. The magazine is full of stamping ideas and stamping techniques and I can't wait for it to arrive in my mailbox each month. And I really can't wait for Sale-A-Bration to start in a few days!






Recipe:
Stamps: Happy Moments
Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Dusty Durango, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Basic Gray, In Color Markers
Accessories: Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Eyelet

With All My Heart - Friend

This card uses some of the new goodies featured in the upcoming Occasions Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! The With All My Heart stamp set has several images and sentiments. Also, notice that gorgeous satin ribbon! That is the Chocolate Chip 5/8" Satin Ribbon, one of 9 colors debuting in the mini catalog! (Do I hear Ribbon Share? More details on that in January.) Also, the Pretty in Pink Corduroy Buttons are in the new mini catalog, along with some Real Red ones, too.

Notice any other pretties on here? How about that delicate border punch on the front?! So pretty and you can get this punch for FREE! The Scallop Trim Border Punch along the front strip is just one of the many many FREE items you can choose from during Sale-A-Bration! It's a first - offering a punch as a free Sale-A-Bration product! Sale-A-Bration starts on January 5th - whoo hoo!


{Inside}
Recipe:
Stamps: With All My Heart
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Very Vanilla Craft
Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Chocolate Chip Satin ribbon, Pretty In Pink Corduroy Button, Scallop Trim Border Punch.

Shimmer Paint

Shimmer Paint Hurrah! I love Shimmer Paint - love using it as an accent, as a shimmer spray, as a shimmery ink, so many ways. I was so sad to see that it was not in the new Occasions Mini Catalog, which debuts January 5th, 2010. But this announcement from Stampin' Up! makes it all better! I'll be sharing some cards and ideas using Shimmer Paints in different ways so you can see the versatility of this fun product.

From Stampin' Up!

Due to the popularity of our shimmer paint offered in the Mini Catalog, we will continue to offer it as a catalog write-in after the Holiday Mini sales period ends. Starting January 5, 2010, you can order the following products as catalog write-ins:

16806	Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116854	Frost White Shimmer Paint	$5.95
116807	Platinum Shimmer Paint	$5.95

We hope you continue to enjoy using this fun new product!

BIG Holiday Sales

Get select Big Shot dies at a discount for the next 12 days only! Click on my Stampin' Up! website for details. Choose the SHOP NOW button in the upper right corner to see which dies are included in this BIG sale. You can order online or directly from me - don't forget this BIG sale is only for the next 12 days!

Such a Pickle Scrap page

This scrapbook page is one of my December Scrap A Stack pages. The base is So Saffron, with a large mat of Bashful Blue. The main photo is matted with Whisper White, Real Red and Pretty in Pink Photo Corners. This photo is also adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals. I cut a Fringe Flower with my Big Shot in Sage Shadow. The title is stamped in Ballet Blue with the Schoolbook Serif stamp set. I ran Real Red card stock through my Big Shot with the Sizzlets alphabet.

Recipe:
Cardstock: So Saffron, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Sage Shadow, Whisper White
Ink: Ballet Blue
Stamps: Schoolbook Serif
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Photo Corner Punch, Fringe Flower, Timeless Type Die, Silver Brads, 1/2" Circle Punch, Photo Corner Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Black Journaler

SA Blog Hop - Dormant Retiring Stamps

Stampin' Up! announced that several of the stamp sets currently on the Dormant List will no longer be available after January 4, 2010. The Dormant List contains stamp sets that are not listed or pictured in the current Stampin' Up! catalog, but are available for purchase. All of these Dormant Stamps, except Easter Beauty and Bella Pascua, will be discontinued after January 4th, 2010. I am so sad to see several of these leave - remember, these sets are still available to order through a Stampin' Up! demonstrator or through the Online Ordering from Stampin' Up!, but only until January 4th, 2010.

This Stampin' Addicts Blog Hop features the Retiring Dormant sets. You may have arrived from Rhonda Griffin's blog, The Stampin' Bunny, if not you can go backwards to see her blog and at the end of my post you will find the link to Michelle Sturgeon's blog, Come Stamp With Me. For a list of all the current Dormant Sets, view this 2009 Stampin' Up! Dormant Stamp Sets list. My favorite Dormant Stamp that will soon be discontinued is Branch Out. {tears}

This versatile set creates gorgeous projects for every season. Here is a recent Halloween card I made using the Branch Out set. I featured this card on my blog a few months ago. It uses an Always Artichoke card base with Crushed Curry, Basic Black and Dusty Durango. I stamped several of the bird image from Branch Out in the tree branches - I've always found birds a little bit creepy.

Recipe:
Stamps: Branch Out, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango
Accessories: Dusty Durango Polka Dot Ribbon, Ticket Corner Punch



Here is another Autumn card using Branch Out and Dusty Durango. The leaves image was stamped repeatedly in the branches in Certainly Celery, Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango inks.

{Inside}
Recipe:
Stamps: Kind Thanks, Branch Out
Cardstock: Dusty Durango Textured, Certainly Celery, always Artichoke, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Certainly Celery, Night of Navy
Accessories: Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, My Way Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals





This Winter card uses Branch Out with its snowflakes image and the bare tree. I stamped the tree in Basic Black Craft Ink and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder. The snowflakes are stamped with Whisper White Craft Ink and embossed with White Embossing Powder. I used a Sponge Dauber to add some Lavender Lace ink around the edges of the main image. And this beautiful black and white paper is the soon-to-unavailable Night & Day Specialty DSP.


{Inside}
Recipe:
Stamps: Fresh Cuts, Branch Out
Cardstock: Lavender Lace, Almost Amethyst, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Black Craft, Whisper White Craft, Lavender Lace
Accessories:Ticket Corner Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Black Striped 1 1/4" Ribbon, Clear EP, White EP


Here also are some of my favorite Branch Out cards from the past year:

Spring Branch Out - this card in soft pinks and blue uses a now retired Designer Series Paper.

Glittery Butterfly Branch Out - this card also uses a now retired Designer Series Paper.

Spring Swap Card - this card is my favorite card from 2009 - it also uses a now retired Designer Series Paper.


To see some beautiful projects using another soon-to-be-retired stamp set, Classy and Fabulous, continue on the SA Retiring Dormant Blog Hop with Michelle Sturgeon at her Come Stamp With Me blog.

Christmas Giftables Class

Christmas Giftables Class
Fri Dec 4th * OR * Sat Dec 12th
6:00 pm

Create beautiful handcrafted Gifts at this Christmas Class and learn some new techniques. These gifts are perfect for Special Hostesses, Family members or Friends. You'll love giving them and they will love receiving them! RSVP with the gift or gifts that you would like to make and which class date you will attend.

Just don't have time to attend class, but would like to purchase a Gift Item? All Christmas Giftables items are also available to purchase completed by me. Call or e-mail for details.

Glitter Ornaments
Set of 6 $20

Personalize with your color choice and sentiment.

















Holiday Frame
$20
Choose BELIEVE ornaments frame or MERRY frame. Personalize with your choice sentiment and pattern paper.
(BELIEVE frame designed by Wendy Weixler)












Calendar Blocks
$20
Give the gift of time - a fun way to keep track of the days anyway.














Nativity Luminary
$10
Sparkly and gorgeous, includes flameless tealight candle.
(Designed by Cynthia Elam)

Glitter Ornaments

What do you think of these beauties? Can you see the Glitter and Sparkle?! These Glitter Ornaments can be made in ANY of the Stampin' Up! colors - I used Rich Razzleberry, Mellow Moss for these two and Garden Green on the one below. The words are made using the Stampin' Up! Big Shot Join In The Cheer Sizzlet Die and Stampin' Up!White Decor Element Sheets. Oh, they are SO FUN!

These Glitter Ornaments and a few other gorgeous gifts are part of my upcoming Giftables Class - perfect presents for last minute Friends, Family or even Hostess Gifts. There will be three to choose from and you can make as many as you'd like or as many as you need! Check back next week to see the other Gift Projects.

I loved making these Glitter Ornaments and they even caught my daughter's interest! They're so easy that she can make as many as she'd like without me hovering over her or any direct supervision - just the kind of crafting she loves!

Don't forget the Online Extravaganza Sale ends on Monday - be sure to check out the HUGE Sale on Stampin' Up! bundled products. You can shop by going to my website at mjrindal.stampinup.net and clicking on the SHOP NOW button in the upper right corner.

A Stampin' Up! Ornament

I'm sure I've mentioned it a FEW times before, how much I love Stampin' and Scrappin' and Stampin' Up! and the wonderful relationships I built through stampin'. However, I can't say it enough how much I LOVE spending time stampin and creating with friends and how THANKFUL I am for my Stampin' Up! customers, friends and downline.

The Stampin' Up! Statement of Heart sums it up perfectly for me,

"To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments . . . in this we make a difference."

A big part of that 'difference' is in me - it makes me happy every time I stamp with friends or when they share with me, what they have stamped. So, THANK YOU! for making a difference for me!

This gift box is the 2009 Stampin' Up! Ornament that I gave to my downline this year. I created a simple gift tag using the Delightful Decorations stamp set and the Ornament Punch - It is stamped in Real Red Craft Ink and covered with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, so a little extra sparkle. I added the Merry Christmas Banner and tied it on with the gorgeous Black Striped Ribbon and Silver Cord. This ornament is available only to Demonstrators, and I hope it reminds my ladies of how much fun we have getting together to stamp every month at our Demo Get Togethers.

From Stampin' Up!:

Have yourself a merry little Christmas with this beautiful ornament based on the Delightful Decorations stamp set. Not only will it be a cherished keepsake you can use year after year, but $2 from the sale of each ornament will be donated to Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child delivers joy and hope to children in desperate situations throughout the world by distributing gift-filled shoe boxes.

Faux Leather Technique

For my November Technique Club, we stamped using Embossing Powder different ways. This month we made three cards, using the Cracked Glass Technique with Stampin' Up! Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder, the Diamond Dust Technique and the Faux Diamond Dust Technique, and then created this adorable little wristlet using the Faux Leather Technique.

So much embossing going on, I was sure my Heat Gun was just going to give up, but no worries, he melted Embossing Powder all night long!

To create this wristlet, I use a Brayer to apply VersaMark ink from the VersaMark pad to cover three pieces of Chocolate Chip cardstock. Then cover the VersaMarked cardstock with Clear Embossing Powder and tap off the excess. Use a Bone Folder to draw the irregular leather grain lines into the surface of the cardstock, removing the Clear Embossing Powder as you 'draw.' Then use the Heat Gun to melt the Embossing Powder. Finally, run these three pieces of Faux Leather through the Big Shot with the Top Note die and assemble with an inner box to create this lovely.

Each month at Technique Club, my club members receive one or more instruction cards (FIVE this month!) with details of the techniques we are learning. They keep those cards in a notebook or in baseball card protectors, so they can refer to them again and again. If you are in my area of Colorado and are interested in joining Technique Club and receiving Hostess Benefits, please use the E-Mail Me button on the right toolbar to contact me. I would love to hear from you!

Holiday Online Extravaganza!

Huge Holiday Sale!

Get up to 50 percent off select products and product bundles. But hurry—the Online Extravaganza ends November 30!

Visit my Online Store to get great deals now! Go to mjrindal.stampinup.net and click on the SHOP NOW button in the upper right corner.

Autumn Scrapbooking

This is one of my favorite pages from my November Scrap Class. It uses the Big Shot Leaves #2 Die from Stampin' Up! and an acorn created from the Ornament Punch. I based this scrapbook layout on a beautiful card created by Lynn Pratt, a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

The base of this page is Not Quite Navy and all four edges are distressed using the Cutter Kit. I stamped the Sanded background stamp onto strips of Naturals Ivory cardstock. The mat for the 5x7 photo is Soft Suede and is also distressed with the Cutter Kit. I die cut several leaves from the Leaves #2 Die for the Big Shot in Crushed Curry, Old Olive and Dusty Durango, then sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink using a Sponge Dauber.

The Pumpkin and the Acorn elements are both created using punches - Wide Oval, Large Oval, and Ornament Punches - and sponged. I stamped the title in Chocolate Chip ink using the Schoolbook Serif Alphabet set and finished the Title Bar with Jumbo Eyelets. The Give Thanks tab is from the Level I Hostess set Holiday Best.

Rolodex Birthday!

OHHHH! WOWEEE! Did you hear a scream last night?! It was me. I picked up my mail late last night and there was a box in there and I couldn't read the return address in the dark. And then it was taped, very, very well taped, so I had to find a razor to get into it....and then....and then I pulled out this Lovely! oh, it made me so happy, I really did scream and my daughter almost had a heart attack! lol But I was happy!

This Beauty was sent to me from Kay Kalthoff, who I am privileged to call friend. Kay is a Rising Star demonstrator who I met in Minnesota. She also attended Founder's Circle this year - and well earned, she is one amazing demonstrator and such a wonderful lady and wife and mom and teacher, too!

This Perpetual Birthday Calendar is made with the Stampin' Up! Rolodex die cut and the Full Calendar stamp set. I just LOVE IT! Thank you Kay!