The Stamp Review Crew: Merry Cafe

Welcome to another Stamp Crew Review Blog Hop!  We share our take on a selected stamp set every first and third Monday.  This week we are highlighting samples made with the Holiday Catalog set Merry Cafe, which coordinates with the Coffee Cups framelits.  If you are following the hop in order, you have just arrived from the lovely Karen Gooch's blog.

Since we just moved into the farm house a week ago, I'll take a short cut and share with you the first card I made with this set. 

This card uses CAS Colours & Sketches #325.

Stamps: Merry Cafe; Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Painted Autumn DSP; Ink: Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Early Espresso; Accessories: Linen Thread, Layered Leaves Embossing Folder, Coffee Cups Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Big Shot.

How about a quick and easy teacher or neighbor gift?  I made some packaging to hold a couple Starbucks VIA coffee packets.

Using the Envelope Punch Board, start with a 5 x 5" piece of card stock, punch and score at 2". Rotate CCW, and punch and score at 3". Repeat again on the last two sides at 2" and 3".  The rope trim is bulky, so I glued a card stock die-cut coffee cup to the back of the patterned paper and doubled up on the Dimensionals to raise the height.

Crud, I realize the rope trim is retired, and I should have grabbed for the jute twine.  Just pretend please... it's in that packed ribbon box somewhere...  The first casualty of the move.  Sorry!

Stamps: Merry Cafe; Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Painted Autumn DSP; Ink: Lemon-Lime Twist, Peekaboo Peach, Early Espresso; Accessories: Kraft Rope Trim, Envelope Punch Board, Coffee Cups Framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

Here's an old pic of the farm.  It's a little overgrown and hairy right now and going to take a bit to get it looking beautiful again.  It was vacant for a while, so we have some cobwebs and long and rotting grass.  Is my Halloween decorating already done?  Need a bunch of tree trimming to get the sun in again.  Lots of potential; we've got lots to keep us busy.

Hop on over to the fabulous Linda Callahan's blog to see what fun projects she has put together with this week's set.

 

Stampin' Up High Tide

Here's a clean-and-simple birthday card I created recently.

I started off with the blues from Sunday Stamps's color challenge but deviated with the lighthouse color.

Stamps: High Tide, Lemon Zest; Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White; Ink: Cherry Cobber, Bermuda Bay, Pacific Point, Night of Navy; Accessories: Brayer.

Host an online, virtual, or stamping party totaling $300 or more, now through October 31, and receive the Merry Patterns stamp set FREE!  Contact me for more information.

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SSC161 Colorful Vintage Leaves

Welcome to this week's Sunday Stamps color challenge.  This week screams colorful fall!

In the nick of time, I squeezed this card out before my stamp room got all packed up for the move to the new farm.

I went with a sentiment-less card for any occasion.

Here are the challenge colors; use a minimum of 3 colors and a neutral of your choice.

Photo Credit: ColorSnap

Stamps: Vintage Leaves; Paper: Night of Navy, Very Vanilla, Petals & Paisleys DSP, Copper Foil Sheets; Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy; Accessories: Linen Thread, Rich Razzleberry Cotton Ribbon, Banner Triple Punch, Stapler, Sponges, Leaflets Framelits, Big Shot.

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The Stamp Review Crew: Crafting Forever

Welcome to another Stamp Crew Review Blog Hop!  We share our take on a selected stamp set every first and third Monday.  This week's hop is featuring the main catalog set Crafting Forever.  If you are following the blog hop order, you have just come from the very talented Adriana Benitez's blog.  Aren't her projects beautiful?

This set really jumps out with great images for sending cards from one crafty friend to another.  We all understand each other's obsession, right?  So here's a fun card for a creative friend with a focus on some of the new In Colors.

Stamps: Crafting Forever, Painter's Palette; Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White; Ink: Crushed Curry, Powder Pink, Sweet Sugarplum, Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Cajun Craze, Tranquil Tide, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Basic Black; Accessories: Aquapainter, Sponge, Square Collection Framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

And this set would also pair nicely with the pencil/art palette paper from Pick a Pattern DSP.

I was even planning a card with that paper, but it didn't excite me.  The reason I bought this set was to make an unknown, but potential, future thank you project for my club members, which has yet to come to fruition.  But along that vein, I really wanted to make something different.

So I start thinking about a 3-D display items for friends... something for their craft room... and that's the direction I really wanted to go.  After sitting on my missing mojo for days, I was inspired by an embroidery hoop that's in the new Holiday catalog.

I created my stamp layout on card stock and colored it.  I had really wanted to cross-stitch this scene, so I had scanned and uploaded it to an online program.  Unfortunately the letters were too small to stitch without making the layout 12" across.  So I threw that idea out and created a framed faux embroidery hoop instead.

I attempted to mimic some aida cloth texture by pulling out the retired Square Lattice embossing folder.

Stamps: Crafting Forever, Hardwood BG; Paper: Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate, Whisper White; Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Versamark; Accessories: Aquapainter, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Circles Collection Framelits, Big Shot.

Hop on over to the fabulous Nancy Smith's blog to see what fun projects she has put together with this week's set.

 

Paper Pumpkin Gurus: Giftable Greetings Tutorials

Are you someone who is interested in Paper Pumpkin but has never clicked the subscribe button? Or someone who is not ready to turn stamping into a full-time hobby, but would love a simple, fun creative experience? Now is a great time to try it out with the Fall into Savings Promotion!  First-time subscribers will receive 50% off September's gorgeous fall kit.  Use promo code HALFOFF0917 when registering.  But you must subscribe by September 10, so don't delay!

Alternative ideas and projects is a great way to get more use out of your Stampin' Up product.  As part of the exclusive Paper Pumpkin Gurus group of demonstrators, my Paper Pumpkin subscribers receive 11-13 FREE private tutorials & exclusive project ideas each month.  Each tutorial includes photos, step-by-step instructions, all measurements, and full supply lists.  Here's a sneak peek at this month's alternative projects. 

And a quick look at how this month's kit was originally designed.

Want in on the additional kit ideas every month?  You can subscribe with me to receive the additional benefits of the Paper Pumpkin Club, as well as get all these wonderful ideas every month.  *Important: Sign up by the 10th to start your subscription this month. 

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The Holiday Catalog!!

Hey Everyone,  Did you hear the Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog starts today?  OMG, such beautiful products - something for everyone!  Click on the photo below to take a look for yourself.

(Click on photo to download PDF file.)

In order to get "warmed" up with some goodies, I'll share my August thank you card for online orders. As I write this, it was 90 degrees today - I don't need any warming up at the moment!

This card uses CAS Colours & Sketches #325.

Stamps: Merry Cafe; Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Painted Autumn DSP; Ink: Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Early Espresso; Accessories: Linen Thread, Layered Leaves Embossing Folder, Coffee Cups Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Big Shot.

Does anyone need a Holiday catalog? Let me know, and I'll pop one in the mail for you.

>>> SHOP ANY TIME ~ USE HOSTESS CODE VXVZEHCQ <<< 

Inky Friends Suite Designs Blog Hop

Welcome to Inky Friends Suite Designs Blog Hop!  We are each going to highlight a product suite from the annual catalog, which are always so lovely and yummy! If you have been following our hop in order, you have just come from Sharleen's blog featuring the Pick a Pattern suite. Weren't her projects fabulous?

For my stop on this blog hop, I am highlighting the Wood Textures Suite. This one is new to me, as I was a bit of a slow adopter.  First I'll share a card I made right out of the box to get my feet wet with this set.  Let me know if you've seen this one already...  Ok, you got me!  I did post it already, but I would have been happy to hold it back if I had known I would be signing up for the hop.  :)

This set reminds me of Americana, hence the color scheme, and I've got a little rooster at sunrise action going on.  After some hemming and hawing, I really felt I needed to get this set since we are working on buying a farm property nearby (soon, I hope!).  This card uses CAS(E) this Sketch #231.

Stamps: Wood Words; Paper: Dapper Denim, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Wood Textures DSP; Ink: Crushed Curry, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Whisper White Craft; Accessories: Very Vanilla Baker's Twine, Banner punch, 1" Circle Punch, Wood Crate Framelits, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

Next is a preview of this week's Sunday Stamps challenge.

Although the High Tide set is not officially part of the suite, it sure pairs nicely with the Wood Textures DSP and Burlap Ribbon.

Here is the sketch by Leena.

Stamps: High Tide, Lemon Zest; Paper: Crushed Curry, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Wood Textures DSP; Ink: So Saffron, Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black; Accessories: Linen Thread, Burlap Ribbon, White Embossing Powder, 1/4" Circle Punch, Decorative Ribbon Border Punch, Banner Punch, Ornate Tag Topper Punch, Sunburst Thinlit, Layering Circles Framelits, Big Shot.

Finally I thought it would be fun to pair up the crate framelit shape with Pick a Pumpkin from the upcoming Holiday catalog.

I needed another type of embellishment, so I cut a wagon wheel on my e-cutter.  This bundle is fun stuff!

Stamps: Wood Words, Pick a Pumpkin, You've Got This, Hardwood BG; Paper: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Wood Textures DSP, Coffee Break DSP; Ink: Crushed Curry, Old Olive, Peekaboo Peach, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake; Accessories: Linen Thread, 1-1/8" & 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Wood Crate Framelits, Patterned Pumpkins Thinlits, Big Shot.

Make sure you check out the next stop to see what Yapha put together with the Coffee Break suite.  She always has fun projects!