Happy Boo Day

Here are a couple of Card Swaps to share on this happy boo day. The mummy is card (by Crista Miller) is wrapped in twill to form the mummy. The other scary card is by Janice Rowe, and she punched out the face, and added card stock behind the punch. Super cute cards.

Before and After Stamp Pad

 Here is the before I moved in shot!
 And here is the after I moved in and decorated shot! Yep it is just about filled too! Where in the world did all the crafting, stamping, sewing and junk come from? The lower cabinets are one I had from my old room, we just put them back in with a new top. The upper ones are new. The tall one hides the breaker box.... yep it is filled to!
 I have drawers organized for the big shot dies - so handy!
Drawers for painting supplies, and much much more. Everything has a place and in its place... well almost! Stay tuned as I will share more.

Boo to You ATC Swaps

Little works of Art by Pam-Ella Wright, Georgeanne Caine, Janice Rowe and me. October theme was "Boo to You". I think these came out super cute. Come on join in on the swapping. ATC's are just little works of art on a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" card. Make four (4) and get them to me by the end of the month. November theme is fall.

Tag a Bag

Tag a bag kit. Here is one of my convention make and takes. I think these bags are super cute. You can make them flat, or fold them in to a little bag like this one.
   
Tag A Bag Bundle #131391 Price: $9.95
Click on the above line to order.
Tag a Bag Gift Bags and Tag a Bag Accessory Kit in one bundle! It has everything you need to make treats extra-special. Coordinates with Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Gumball Green, Smoky Slate, Tangerine Tango. Includes:

* 10 food-safe Kraft bags with White chevron ombre print, each 5-1/4" x 8-1/4"
* 10 large base tags
* 10 medium builder tags
* Baker’s Twine, 20' each of 3 colors: Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Bermuda Bay
* 10 mini clothespins
* 5 Smoky Slate self-adhesive strips, each 12"
* 40 Stampin’ Dimensionals
Tag a Bag Bundle

Before and After Sewing Project

Take some cute scrap fabric....
 And make a pile of leaves!
 Fabric leaf bowls. You know me, I just cannot make just one! What a fun and super easy project. I have a bit of the stiffener stuff left that I am going to design a few of my own.... someday!
How did I do that? I bought a pattern on line, and the stiffener stuff. Trace the pattern on to wax paper, iron it on the fabric, cut out and lay over the stiffener, iron, sew, iron again to mold, cool, done!
Love it!

Tag Class

One more share to temp you in to attending the Tag Class on Nov 2 at 2pm at The Stamp Pad. RSVP ASAP if you would like to attend. You will get to make 12 tags for $15, and all of them are super uber cuteness over the top tags.

Tag Class

Here is one of the great tags that will be shared at the Tag Class on Sat Nov 2 at 2pm at The Stamp Pad. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP ASAP!

Merry Christmas

I love the way this card turned out. I took our larger square punch and punched out some scrap designer paper and cut them in half to make a triangle. Glue it to the front of crumb cake card stock and added a tree trunk from a little strip of card stock. Stamped a greeting... wa-la. First Christmas card complete! If you would like to get a few special Christmas cards made... come to card club. I am sharing a few Christmas cards in Oct and Nov. Check out my event calendar at the top of the blog. Hope to see you stamping soon.

The Art of Grapes

Look at these beauties! Yes I am talking about the ladies. What a fun evening we had together. The ladies all did a bit a pencil water coloring in their Art Journal. Beautiful, just beautiful.
Keep an eye on my calendar so you can attend the next Art Journal Class.

NEW Christmas Photopolymer Stamp Set Available





We've searched long and hard for just the right material to be able to introduce completely clear stamping. And we've found it. We're excited to announce that we now have wood-mount, clear-mount AND photopolymer stamps! The new photopolymer will be an addition to our stamp line and will appeal to all types of stampers. Our top-quality photopolymer has just enough give to create a perfectly stamped image every time and with the introduction of our firm-foam pads, let's just say they're meant for each other! Photopolymer stamps will also be unique, fun designs that will inspire you and provide more versatile options you may not see in our traditional wood- and clear-mount stamp options. 
What makes them so great?
  • They're entirely transparent for perfect placement every time! 
  • They are durable. The photopolymer material is designed to last. 
  • Can you say sticky? (Don't worry; in a good way.) These stamps stick amazingly well to our clear blocks.
  • They're age tested. They won't yellow or cloud up over time. 
  • We could go on, but we'll let you try them for yourself.
They are clearly a great choice. Do ya love it? I do! Get the new set or any of the sets here. www.debbiebuchanan.stampinup.net

Storage Idea

With the remodel going on and my thought behind it was, neatness counts this time. Put the stuff away and where it belongs after a day of play! Isn't that what we preach to our kids? Well that is what I hope to accomplish with the new redo on my room. I do want to show you what my dear friend Pam Wright found on the web and shared with me. These Stamp and Storage units. There are for my punches and my ribbons. Well ok some of the punches and some of the ribbon. I love them. I love not having to dig through a drawer for punches. I just love them. The sight had some really nice storage products available, and well made. They were easy to hang and fill. I am super happy with them.

Bows

 We all love bows. Bows in our little girls hair, bows on packages, bows on are pets! Want a really easy quick and beautiful way to make bows? Well here it is. Stampin Up's new Bow Die. Oh love it!
 You need one of each piece plus one more. You can see what you need two of below.  Easy to assemble to. You just take your bone folder and kinda curl your paper so it bends in a look better, and hot glue the tips together, layer the loops over each other and add the little ends. You can many mediums to make the bows out of. Try foil, wrapping paper, felt, fabric, scrapbook paper, you name it what you can cut with the die, you can make a bow out of. 


 I know where you can get one too! On my web site! www.debbiebuchanan.stampinup.net



Cubbie Shelf

This amazing cubbie took all four of us to build! Wow it is so amazing. I designed it and supervised the job! I got to sand it and dad helped me haul it up from the barn. Handsome and handsome's dad prepped the wood, and built it. We made it out of cedar, so the room smells amazing. It is just perfect.

Monstermaniacs Stamp Set Available


In With You Design Challenge


We've created a way for you to help us design and choose new stamp sets--In with You (beta program). Our artists have no shortage of stamp set ideas, but this contest gives us a chance to innovate with our customers in a social media setting--and get their perspective and endorsement before the set is available. The In with You program is currently open to anyone (demonstrators, customers, etc.) in the United States and Canada, including District of Columbia, APO/FPO, and Puerto Rico, but not Québec. So spread the word!

Once you join our In with You online community, you can submit your original artwork for stamp set challenges, vote and comment on other people's submissions, earn badges, and interact with others in the community. We will produce and sell one or more stamp sets from among the top-voted submissions in each challenge. Plus there are fabulous prizes for top designs. For more information, submission guidelines, terms and conditions, and to participate, go to http://inwithyou.ideascale.com.

Spread the Joy Flyer

Monstermaniacs Flyer

 
   

Marker Layering

Isn't this just stunning. This pretty is a bit time consuming, but the out come is so worth it. If you love to color then this is the card for you. This is using the marker layering technique. Oh and notice the hand made envelope - using the awesome handy dandy envelope punch maker. Oh I love that tool, ya got to get one - is is so stink'in cool!

Ok on to the technique. Using black stazon ink. I stamped the poinsettia. Let the ink dry. Why the stazon ink you ask. Cuz I like it and it will not smear or bleed when coloring.

There are two ways you can do this technique. If you have many shades of green and red, you can use them and if you have just one red and one green then you can use that. First color in the leaves with the lightest shade of green or the only shade of green you have. Then color over the last that you colored (with the mid shade of marker, or a second layer) but color just the part of the leaf that is midway from the tip to the flower, then color a third time (with the darkest green marker, or a third layer on the same maker) just close to the leaves. Each layer of color will be darker then the first. Do the same for the red flower area.

Super easy. Take a closer look at the photo and see the difference in the color, how it gets darker the closer it gets to the center of the flower, and the closer the leaf is to the flower. Make sense? Clear as mud right.

I used gray around the outer leaves to highlight and pop the poinsettia off the page. You can use any pale maker color to do that little trick. The card and the envelope differ a little. I wanted to show what it would look like if you filled in the back ground with the green as in the card, or the gray as on the envelope. I used a gold marker from last years mini to till in the flower center dots. 

Experiment, try it, you will get the hang of it. Not all markers are created equal, so if you are having difficulty with this, maybe a purchase to the Stampin Up store for a few markers would help! You can get them HERE.

Oh and don't forget that Amazing handy dandy Envelope punch maker too. Can you tell I love this tool... I am going on and on and on about it. You have to get it, It is $19.95 which is a steal for such a great tool. You can use scrapbooking papers, newspaper, magazine pages, old calendars,  the kids art work, fabric, paper sacks, and more to make your envelops out of. H
View a flyer HERE

Monster Mash

As most of you know I am not in to Halloween much (except for the candy part). But so many of you are, so I wanted to share a fun little card that I shared at Card Club. I folded the black card stock in half, and then cut out the hair leaving it about 2 1/5" long for the "bangs". Funny a monster with bangs! Ha! So then I cut out Old Olive using the Top Note Die and glued that to the back side of the bangs. That is what flips open to form the card. Pretty stink'in smart huh. Some days I just amaze myself! Punching out and few circles and cutting a few in half for the eyes and nose. Don't be scared of drawing the mouth with a marker. Pencil it in first if you are worried you can't do it. It is not a straight line, so it shouldn't be hard. Stamp the greeting, cut it out, pop dot it in place.  Add a little white gel pen for the eyes, in the shape of a comma. Super stink'in uber cuteness!
Want the goods to make this? You can go HERE and get all you want and them some.

Christmas Workshop

I held a workshop! Yep I was able to find enough supplies to create, teach, and hold a workshop. Using our new stamp  "Be Merry" - LOVE IT. It is a single stamp and the flyer dosn't do it justice. It is big and beautiful.
Here is the card and tag and matching envelope I demoed using it. See how great it is! Oh it was a hit! Uber easy! So stink'in cute. I added a bit of dazzling diamond glitter to the berries, but the photo didn't pick that sparkly up. That pretty silver ribbon is new to the holiday catalog. So if ya love it got to get it before it is all gone.
Close up. I used Cherry Clobber ink, and then colored in the holly leaves with garden green marker. Take a look at the edge of it in this last photo.... Do you see how I cut off the "to and from" so I could use it on a card front. Oh ya.... love it even more. So this is not just for tags, you can do uber quick and easy cards with it to. And it is just $8.95 (#134767) Uses Clear Block E or larger. Comes in clear only. So for you die hard wood stamp fans like me... take a breath.... this is a good one.... got to have it! Order HERE anytime.
Thanks Corliss for a great workshop and a fun morning!

Card Share

It is great when you get cards for doing nothing. This adorable card by Sarah Smith was a gift. I didn't even have to swap. Since the Stamp Pad is such a mess and I am barely able to create (find anything in the piles) I haven't signed up to do any swaps lately. Thanks Sarah for this great card, and especially for sharing.

Lovely as a Tree

I don't think that Stampin Up will ever retire this stamp set. It has been around as long as I have been a demonstrator, and is still one of the top selling sets. I love the color combo of this great card that was done by my sweet friend Janice Rowe. She embossed just the two left trees. made for such a nice touch.

Etcetera!

I really like this swap card by Georgeanne Caine. The designer series paper is pretty fantastic. It is from the Etcetera collection. You can get some for yourself HERE!

Ready for Christmas?


 I hate to brag, but I am going to with this layout. I am so pleased with the way this one came out. It is stunning in person. This is the scrapbook page I will be sharing this month at Scrapbook club. If you love it - sign up today to come and make it! Scrap designer series paper, cut into big triangles to represent Christmas trees. Stamped and embossed swirlies, and some cut out (wow that was a job) Punched glitter paper stars (oh love that glitter paper). Punched poinsettias to fill in. Plenty of room to add all your Christmas photos. I think it came together beautifully.




Before and After

 This hole was once upon a time a deck. It had seen better days. So we ripped it out to prep for the new extension of the garden room. So from wall to wall we filled in with indoor year round living space. Not just a three season room. Well in Indiana a two season room if we were lucky some years.
 Here is another before with the three season porch. We lived in this room when the weather permitted. Handsome said we needed to look in to replacing the porch. I said what for? We never use it, if we do anything we should extend this room and really use the space. We spend most of our time out here anyway. He said, "OK". My teeth almost fell out of my mouth....
That was in March, and here we are in September and look at the finished outside of the new garden room. It is air conditioned and heated. And almost ready for pictures to share. I have lots of things to put away in the almost done remodel of The Stamp pad, so when that is done I will share the pictures of the inside. Since I am in the midst of using that space for piling the stamp pad stuff.