Apr 4 2014

Fabulous Friday!!!

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

It is FINALLY FRIDAY! And not just Friday for me but it is the weekend of Spring Into Stamping which is an amazing event where lots of demonstrators gather to chat, share ideas, learn new techniques and so much more!!!! I’m soooooo excited for this weekend! Let me know if you are interested in becoming a demonstrator so you can join in all the fun!!!

Here are the Weekly Deals for this week!!! There are lots of my favorites on the list this week. I’m not sure which one is my favorite but I have used about a million rolls of the Natural Trim Ribbon. I have used it a lot on some of my wedding projects because it has that rustic look to it! You can check out some of the samples here and here!

And now I LOVE this Blue Denim Jean Ribbon. How amazing are these little cards? I need to whip up some thank you cards real quick the other day and I had the Mixed Bunch Stamp Set out. I grabbed some Notecards, stamped a little and added the ribbon. I love the summer look that these cards have and they took me about 5 minutes to create 8 of them! Now that is fabulous!!! Quick and Simple!!!

Of course I love flowers so the Fancy Flower Punch and Fun Flowers Bigz Die are up there on my list of favorites as well. Here is a sample using the die!!! You can also check out samples using the lace tape here!

I hope you enjoyed the samples and ideas for these fabulous products that are on sale! As always, they are only on sale till Monday night and then on Tuesday a whole new set of items comes out!!! Happy Stampin’ and Shoppin’!

Have a fabulous weekend! I can’t wait to share all the fabulous ideas with you starting next week!!! Eeee So excited!

~Laura

Apr 3 2014

My Paper Pumpkin!!!

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Have you heard about My Paper Pumpkin? It is this fabulous box of goodies that comes right to your door with everything you need (except scissors and sometimes adhesive) to make AMAZING crafty projects! Sometimes it is cards, sometimes home decor, sometimes mini albums, and sometimes it is gift packing! When you first sign-up, your first box comes with a clear block for you to use with all future kits and then each monthly kit comes with ink, stamps, and all the supplies you need! How fabulous is that? And it is just $19.95 – FREE SHIPPING!

Here is the amazing kit from March! It took about 30 minutes for me to put these cards all together. As you can see the kit came with 8 pre-printed cards, 8 envelopes with gold foil liners, gold glimmer dots (self-adhesive), wooden greetings, glue dots, 2 border stamps, and 2 ink pads (Island Indigo & Calypso Coral)! I used a few other colors just to mix it up (Crushed Curry, Real Red, and Melon Mambo). Some of the cards I used the gold dots and others I did not. I didn’t stamp at all on one of them and I placed the greeting and stamped images in random spots each time! And then I went all out on one of them and stamped the border image on the wooden greeting. How cool is that? Here is another photo of some of the cards up close!

I hope you enjoyed these and if you would like to try out My Paper Pumpkin, click here!!!! Be sure to sign up before April 10th to get the April Kit. If you sign up after the 10th, you will get the May kit! You can order multiple kits any month and you can also put in a “zero” any month you may be out of town or too busy! Super simple to sign up and create! Get your kit today!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Apr 2 2014

Ronald McDonald House Love!

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Stampin’ Up has been giving to the Ronald McDonald House for many many years now. Each year they pick a Stamp Set that for every purchase of that set, they donate $3.00. This year it is the Tag It Stamp Set and I love love love that set! You can check out some samples using it here and here! I decided I wanted to join in! I have a little Ronald McDonald House in my kitchen to collect soda tabs! My husband has really gotten into it and he told everyone at work so now they all drop their tabs into his lunch bag each day! We fill the little house (sandwich baggie full) about every 3-4 months! When I send in my tabs, I always include some hand-stamped cards for them to use at the Ronald McDonald House! I know how much a hand-stamped card can brighten my day and so I wanted to share that with all of those at the house as well. Recently, I have told all of my stampers that they can join in the fun as well. They can bring their tabs and/or cards to me and I will mail them in with mine! I have had such an amazing response! In the photo above, you can see that I received LOTS of tabs AND cards! I’m so excited and can’t wait to send them in!!!! I will post more when I have it all ready to go later this month!!!! If you are local and would like to donate cards or tabs, feel free to bring them by any time or bring them to the next stamp event! If you are not local, you can donate to your local Ronald McDonald House. Click here to find one close to you and learn more about this fabulous organization!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Apr 1 2014

Technique Tuesday – Heat Embossing on Foil!

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Happy Tuesday and April Fools Day!!! That means that I have a fabulous Technique to share with you today and it is no fool!! We will be heat embossing onto Silver Foil!!! It is a super cool WOW look for your projects!

Supplied Needed: Foil Sheets (Silver or Gold), Stamp Set, VersaMark, Embossing Powder, and Heat Tool

First you will cut your Foil Sheets into you desired size and then stamp your image with VersaMark onto the Foil. VersaMark is a clear super sticky “ink” (it’s not really an ink) that is used for heat embossing because when you pour your powder of choice over top it will stick. It is clear so that you can use Clear Embossing Powder or colored embossing powder. NOTE: Be careful when stamping onto Foil, it will slide! Once you have stamped your image, you will pour the powder of your choice over it. I used White Embossing Powder. Then you will melt the powder with your Heat Tool. TIP: Start in the corner and as you see it start to melt, move the tool along. Don’t swing the heat tool around like you are painting a wall. Also, you will need something to hold your foil down (besides your finger) because it will get HOT! Once it is done, let it sit for a minute or less to cool and set. Then you can add it to your project. The foil may curl a bit but as it cools it will flatten out. I used the Mixed Bunch Stamp Set for my flowers and Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper on this sample. The fabulous scallop look on the edge of my design was created with the Adorning Accents Embossing Folders! Super cute way to use this little border and I think that maybe have been the first time I have used that scallop in MONTHS! I hope you enjoyed this technique and try it out on your next project!!! Leave a comment below on which stamp set you think would look fabulous embossed on foil! And for more ways to use your foil, check out this post and this post!!!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Mar 31 2014

Foil Flowers!!!

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

The color combination for this card is not your typical combination but it goes soooo well together! Do you ever sit down and see colors together and think “WOW those go so well together?” No, just me? Okay! Well this fabulous color combination is Crushed Curry, Wisteria Wonder, Coastal Cabana, and Basic Gray! I used my Mixed Bunch Stamp Set to randomly (make a squiggle line since I can’t do random) stamp my flowers in all of the colors. Then I took the coordinating Blossom Punch to punch out a Silver Foil Flower! Then I ran the flower through the Big Shot with the Decorative Dots Embossing Folder which is one of the Sale-A-Bration items that you can earn for FREE before March 21st! Of course I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to adhere that to my card. You always have to have a little POP and I love how dimensionals make that happen! For the little embellishment, I used my Coastal Cabana marker to color Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon! How cool is that? You can create any color you need for a project this way! Love it! Then I tied it through a Vintage Faceted Designer Button. Now I know this makes it un-mail-able (is that a word? 😉 ) but it is super cute and this one I can hand deliver to my Mom on Mother’s Day! When we created this card in Stamp Class, many of the attendees used Antique Brads, Candy Dots, or punch cardstock in place of the Faceted Designer Button. So many possibilities!!! I hope you enjoyed this and you can check out more samples using Silver Foil here and here!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Mar 28 2014

Fabulous Friday!!!!

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

It is finally Friday and I have some fabulous deals for you!!! They make me squeal!!!! GLIMMER PAPER!!!! Ah! Time to stock up!

I love love love the Glimmer Paper! It is sooo amazing to use and always adds a WOW factor to any project. You can use a lot of it like this card and this card or you can use little pieces like this one and this one!!! I will for sure be stocking up on this this week. AND don’t forget while stocking up on supplies, that Sale-A-Bration ends on Monday night!!! The Core’Dinations Paper is super fun to use on projects because it gives so much texture and dimension with just one piece of cardstock. Check out this card! You can really see what a difference it makes on that second sample!!! So many amazing products, so little time! 🙂

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and happy stampin’!

~Laura

Mar 27 2014

Band-Aid Boo Boo!

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

This Band-Aid Card is sure to cheer up anyone with a boo boo! Isn’t is just the cutest card ever??? It was super fun to make as well. I used my Embossing Folders and Punches! These two things are some of the greatest tools ever because there are so many ways to use them and you can get a completely different look! I used Baked Brown Sugar and Crumb Cake for my Band-Aids and I rounded the corners with the Corner Rounder Punch. Then I ran it through the Big Shot – Baked Brown Sugar embossed with the Adorning Accents Folder with the hearts one and the Crumb Cake was done with the Perfect Polka Dots (the dots are “bump” against the card rather than out). These look super cute and just like a Band-Aid, don’t you think? For the middle of the band-aid, I used my Curly Label Punch! The stamped hearts came from the Hearts A Flutter Stamp Set! You may look at this set and think it can only be used for Valentine’s Day – I love finding out ways to use stamp sets!!! Let me know what you think in the comments below! Also, let me know what stamp sets you have found other ways to use them with! I would love to hear the ideas!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Mar 26 2014

Man Card Madness!!!

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

So I have a horrible time coming up with “Man Cards” because I love ribbons and flowers and bling and my husband says all of those things make the card “not for men.” BUT I have been playing with the Silver Foil Sheets and embossed it and it looks like Diamond Plate. Check out yesterday’s post about this! So I tried it out as a “Man Card”….what do you think??

What do you think? I thought that the Argyle Embossing Folder looked like diamond plate but then I think the Chevron looks more like diamond plate! What do you think? Put your answer in the comments below!

For both of these I ran the Silver Foil through the Big Shot with the embossing folder and then layered that on Basic Black and Garden Green! I think it just screams JOHN DEERE! (I’m a farm girl and we are all GREEN! 🙂 ) I think these cards would be perfect for my farmer family – Dad, Brother, Uncles, Cousins, etc! I did add a little ribbon – 1/8″ Basic Black Taffeta Ribbon! For the greeting on both of them, I used my favorite punch, the Decorative Label Punch and the greeting is from Bring On The Cake Stamp Set! This will for sure be my go-to card for awhile for the men in my life! Let me know what you think!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Mar 25 2014

Technique Tuesday – Fun with Foil!!!!

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

HAPPY TUESDAY!!! You know what that means….I have a fabulous Technique to share with you! This week it features the NEW Foil Sheets (Silver & Gold) in the Occasions Mini Catalog! I have had so much fun with these sheets and achieved some many fabulous looks!!!! Check it out!

How fabulous is this?? The added texture and pattern and shine is soooo fabulous! All you have to do is run it through your Big Shot with any of your Textured Impressions Embossing Folders! I used the Argyle Texture Impressions Folder! Emboss with metallic side facing up towards the side of the folder with the Stampin’ Up! logo for the image to pop-up on the shiny side! If you would like the image to be reversed, place the metallic side down, away from the logo. I added this piece of Foil onto my card with Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper on the bottom portion! I love the colors and patterns of this paper!!! I think stamped the flower from the Mixed Bunch Stamp Set and punched it out with the coordinating Blossom Punch! I cut 2 pieces of the Designer Series Paper for my little banner flags hanging out the bottom and then added a third one in Very Vanilla for my greeting which was stamped from the A Dozen Thoughts Stamp Set! What do you think? I also think that the Argyle Foil looks like diamond plate (you know those silver boxes in the back of trucks?) so I think it would make a great “man card”! More to come on that…..

Happy Stampin’

~Laura

Mar 24 2014

Fabulous Foil Fun!

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Laura's Stamp Pad

Here is a fabulous sample using the Foil Sheets! ! I have had lots of fun with this foil – embossing it, heat embossing on it, and now stamping on it! It really makes it look like a metal tag or something. I do have to say it can be tricky though because the stamp can slide and then it make this fun smeary look (okay maybe not so fun). I stamped the greeting from the Bring On The Cake Stamp Set and then used my Deco Label Framelits to cut it out! The card base was done in Crushed Curry and using the Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper! Then I stamped the flower from the Mixed Bunch Stamp Set and punched it out with the coordinating Blossom Punch. The leaves came from the Little Leaves Sizzlit but I also used the leaf from the Bird Punch! Some of my class attendees actually added the bird to their card too! I think you should try out this technique and let me know in the comments below how you created your card or project! I would love to hear what you come up with! Be sure to check back often for more samples using Foil Sheets!

Happy Stampin’

~Laura