Constantly Stamping

Another Secret Revealed

A few months ago I received a really sweet email from another Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Phyllis Strickland. She asked me if I had ever had any of my projects published. Well, I had never really given it much thought up until then. She encouraged me to choose my favorite magazine and submit some of my work.

After thinking about it and looking around, I decided that CARDS magazine is probably closest to my style of cardmaking and I think it is absolutely one of the most beautiful magazines on the market, so I decided to start out small by responding to their call for Valentine/Springtime tags. Well, guess what...one of the two projects I submitted was accepted on the first try. You could have knocked me over with a feather! I don't think the February issue has hit the craft store shelves yet, but my project is on page 101. I have an on-line subscription so I was able to view it there. They have asked me not to share the project on my blog until it has had an opportunity to complete the shelf-life of the magazine, so you will just have to go out and buy a copy. It is an absolutely gorgeous magazine, so you won't be disappointed. Honestly, the photography in this magazine is so beautiful that you might want to leave it out as a coffee table book. If I had a coffee table, that's what I would do...but I guess it will just have to go on the end table instead.

I can show you the tag that didn't make it into the magazine. It's been several months since I made this, so I can't recall everything about it. But basically I added some cork for the ground and some green felt ric-rac for grass that I cut with the Tasteful Trims die and the Big Shot. The crocheted flowers are from the 2010-11 Catalog. I stamped the XOXOXO from the Fundamental Phrases stamp set in Real Red ink.

Thanks for letting me share and have a blessed day!

Gingerbread Treat Topper

Here is a fun project that I did for a recent class and they were a big hit with everyone. I have been doing this project for several years in one form or another. The original idea came from my good friend and former upline, Kelly Hibbett and it has evolved over the years. Here in Tennessee you can buy Little Debbie Gingerbread Cakes at both major grocery store chains. They are soft, chewy, and delicious. Little Debbie brand is a Tennessee-based company, so I am not sure they are available everywhere, but you could substitute some other type of gingerbread treat.

For the topper, I started with a piece of real red card stock. I stamped the poem from Sweet Season in basic black ink a then added some ric-rack trim cut with the Tasteful Trims die. Because I knew that these treats might be given to small children, I used sticky strip tape to adhere the topper to the bag (instead of staples).

 
I used the fancy flower extra large punch to create the body of this little gingerbread man along with the 1" circle punch for the head. I was inspired by similar gingerbread men that I had seen a few years ago created first by my talented friend and SU demonstrator, Becky Roberts (Inking Idaho), and then recently by another talented lady, Jackie Topa (Addicted to Stamping). After punching the pieces out of crumb cake card stock, I sponged the edges with chocolate chip ink to give it a "fresh baked" look. I hand drew the mouth with a basic black stampin' write marker and added cheeks I made by punching real read card stock with an everyday hole punch from the office supply store...same thing for the basic black buttons. For the eyes I used a 1/8" hole punch. I added a real red grosgrain bow to hide where I had attached the head to the body. Isn't he just adorable? Almost good enough to eat!

Well, I am off to do finish up some last-minute Christmas shopping. Have a blessed day! Ho, Ho, Ho!

Pink & Black Butterfly Card

Hi there! We have been crazy busy trying to get ready for Thanksgiving and there are all kinds of things going on. We pulled down the outdoor Christmas decorations from the attic and our living room looks like a disaster zone. There are boxes and plastic tubs everywhere. We put up the outdoor lights this weekend because the weather was absolutely gorgeous here. Of course, we don't actually turn the lights on until after Thanksgiving, but who could resist being outside this weekend. Our front door was in desperate need of a facelift, so I put on a fresh coat of paint (Red Velvet) and cleaned all the brass hardware before putting it back on. It looks so amazing. Of course, that means that there isn't much happening in my stamp room right now and probably won't be for several days, so I am pulling out a card that I have been saving for a busy time like right now.

I probably went a little over-the-top with the bling on this card. Just about everything on this card sparkles or shines. I started with a basic black 5.25" square base and added some DSP from the Lap of Luxury collection (#120436). I added rhinestones at every point where there was a little back diamond. Oops, I almost forgot, I added some black satin ribbon before layerying on the DSP. I used the Beautiful Butterflies die (#114507) and my Big Shot die cutting machine to cut three butterflies (two pink and one black). I added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the pink butterflies and black Fine Galaxy glitter to the black butterfly. I used a glue gun to adhere the layers together and dimensionals to attach it to the card front.

I stamped the greeting from the Great Friend stamp set in basic black ink and punched it out with the decorative label punch. I stamped a pink flower from Fifth Avenue Floral very lightly behind the sentiment and free-handed the butterfly trail. I added more rhinestones and there you have it...one very blingy pink & black butterfly card.

Have a great day!

 

Northern Frost Snowflake Wreath Card

Have you seen the new Northern Frost Decorative Strip Die (#120901) from the Holiday Mini Catalog? I recently added it to one of my orders and I am so glad that I did. It creates the most beautiful snowflakes. One day I was looking at the snowflakes and thought that if the snowflakes were punched in green card stock they would look alot like pine boughs. I am always looking for ways to stretch the use of my tools/supplies, thus the idea for this card was born.

I opted to use only the medium and small flakes for the wreath, so it took a few extra passes through the Big Shot in order to have enough flakes for this project (about five or six times). Just like creating a wreath for the front door, I started with a circle base and then started building...adding enough greenery until I felt like it was full enough.

 

I created a 5.25" card base with Real Red card stock and layered it with a slightly smaller piece of Garden Green card stock. I layered on some Candy Cane DSP from the Holiday Mini Catalog for more interest. I used the Joy at Christmas stamp from the Perfect Punches stamp set (#117022w/120516c) for the center and topped everything off with a big red satin bow and some shiney red buttons (SU-retired).

 

I hope you have enjoyed this project. Encouraging comments are always appreciated.

You can purchase the supplies for this card at my online store here. Thanks and have a wonderful day!

Snowflake Ornament Inspired by Anna

The other day I had a friend (and fellow stamper) drop by my house. I told her before she arrived that she wasn't allowed to look at my messy house. I have company coming in a few weeks and I have been hauling stuff out of the guest bedroom, cleaning closets, and all kinds of "fun" things like that. Well, she was kind about everything, but when she got to my stamping area she said "how do you stamp with all that stuff on your table?" Well, I blushed with embarrassment, but my answer is "aparently, not very well." I have been struggling to get something stamped...anything stamped...to share on my blog. So last night I decided that I couldn't ignore the mess any longer. I started tidying up and look what I found. I made this ornament last week and totally forgot about it. Too funny!

 

I am a big fan of stamper, Anna Wight. She creates the most amazing things with a bit of a "country" or "primitive" style. Two years ago she featured a tutorial on her blog on how to make crystal snowflakes. I always try my best to give credit to the original artist, so you can see her tutorial here.

 

I knew the minute I saw the new Northern Frost Decorative Strip in the Holiday Mini Catalog that I had to have it because I could create "Anna-inspired" snowflakes. This ornament begins with a basic medallion created with Deck the Halls DSP. I made the snowflake using the Northern Frost decorative strip die and some Very Vanilla/Always Artichoke card stock following Anna's method. (I purchased the Twinklets Diamond Dust Glitter last year at an national Arts & Crafts store.) After allowing time to dry, I added a button and then placed it in the center of the medallion. I added a jute twine hanger and a bow made with the 1/2" Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding. I was trying to find a way to make the ribbon a little easier to work with, so I stiffened it with some heavy spray starch and used an iron. I liked the results, although I had to brush off some of the white specks left behind by the starch. I used a mini glue dot to attach the bow.

I hope you have enjoyed my recently discovered project. Now that I have a clean work area, I hope to have more to share with you soon.

 

 

"Almost" Artisan Award Entry #9

We are nearing the end of my project entries, so here is my absolute favorite scrapbook page. It's a digital hybrid created in My Digital Studio and then I added die cuts and stamped flowers. This is my beautiful Chinese friend, Eleanor. I have a facination with all things oriental, so I flipped when she said I could use it for one of my scrapbook pages.

Supplies: My Digital Studio (Real Red & Basic Black CS,  Custom Border CS to match photo, Spring Shades DSP, Once Upon A Time Stamp Set. Just Perfect Alaphabet, Ariel Font), Chocolate Chip Card Stock, Custom Printed CS to Match Photo sprayed with Frost White Shimmer Paint & Alcohol, Basic Black Ink Pad, uni-ball Signo Gel Pen White, Flower Fancy Stamp Set, Birds & Branches Sizzlet & Big Shot Machine. Printed on Epson Stylus Photo 1400 Printer on Staples Photo Supreme double-sided matte paper.

A Merry Little Christmas Card

     

This was a fun and fairly simple card to create using my Top Note die, some of the Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP, some punches, and the Christmas Punch (hostess level 2 set) stamp set. I know that snowflakes aren't usually red...but why settle for boring white snowflakes when they can come in my favorite color. I love how the stampes coordinate with several of the punches in the catalog.

You can earn this stamp set by hostessing a $300 workshop. With all of the fabulous products in the Stampin' Up! line, it's easy for all your workshop guests to find something they love and want to order.

If you live in the Nashville/Mt. Juliet area, book your in-home holiday workshop with me today by sending me an email at

connie@constantlystamping.com.

I'll come to your home, share all kinds of fun and fabulous projects for the holidays with you and your friends, and we will have tons of FUN creating and sharing! Don't wait! Dates are limited, so book your workshop today!

 

Perfect Setting Bigz Die

Did you know that the cupcake wrapper from the Perfect setting Bigz XL die also fits those clear plastic 9 ounce tumblers that you can get in the party supply section of most grocery stores? I borrowed the die from my mother-in-law and played with it for a few days and now I need one of my very own.

 

Now you can customize your tumblers for any occasion and fill them with drinks, nuts, condiments...the possibilities are endless. The best thing is that it is on sale right now as one of the Deals of the Week.

 

So click the "Shop 24/7" in the right column and get in on this limited time offer now!

Deals of the Week #2 - no limits and no minimum purchase required - offer ends Oct. 19, 9:50 a.m., MT)

 

Perfect Setting Bigz XL die (Item #115961)

Special Price: $25.99 (regularly $42.95)

Other Deals of the Week include:


Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die (Item #116760)

Special Price: $25.49 (regularly $39.95)

Flower Burst Embosslits die (Item #114515)

Special Price: $5.99 (regularly $11.95)