Stamp Room (for Klutzes)

Many of my fellow stampers have been posting pictures of their neat, organized stamp rooms/studios. I thought I would throw in my two cents and show my room. There is some organization, as you can see by the shelves. In the closet to the right of the shelves, there's more 12x12 paper, business supplies, and a file cabinet with my 8.5x11 paper. In the white cabinet next to that are my stamp sets, but not really in any kind of order (and the cabinet is full, so I need to do some cleaning out). I've been doing Stampin Up for about 10 years -- demo for about 3 now.

Now for the "for klutzes" part. This is my stamp table. It's an old drafting table that tends to be more of a clutter catcher. Sigh. Part of it is my 14-month-old is able to reach more things, so everything gets moved up higher out of her reach, part is many "projects" that need to be finished (stamped and not stamped), part of it... just not enough time in the day. But there are many stamp items here -- several sets, accessories, instructions for cards I want to make and you may be able to pick it out: a SU Manhatten flowers umbrella. Somewhere in this mess is also a "Create" decor element for the wall and the little handy applicator.

So where do I stamp? Anywhere I can find a free surface. Lately that has been on a table in the basement. Makes it hard to get anything done with supplies all over the house but I still have fun with it.

Some day, I'll have the nice neat stamp room like the rest of you. Some day...

Occasions Mini Swap

There are so many cute new things in the new Occasions Mini catalog! I made this card for a swap.

Stamp Sets: Great Friend, Oval All
Ink: Basic Gray
Paper: Basic Gray, Walk in the Park DSP, Cameo Coral, Baja Blue
Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon
Tools: scallop oval punch, oval punch

The stamp sets, ribbon, Designer Series Paper (DSP), and the new oval scallop punch are all the mini catalog (good through June 30, 2009).

**SPECIAL** - now through April 30 - when you buy $40 worth of stuff from the Occasions Mini or host a workshop totaling $150 or more, you can pick an item form the "Under $10" page (p. 208) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog for FREE. Click the catalog pictures on the sidebar for more info and to get to the online ordering spot.

Valentine's Day - Love You Much

After searching all over for my Love You Much set from the bundle I got in December, I realized I never received my stamp set (bundle pieces were sent in different packages). So I called SU and they were so cool to send me the set pronto.

I made these to tie closed to hold in some photos, so the ribbon runs along both sides of the card. The three hearts stamp is stamped in versamark on the background of the red card. I stamped the scallop Hugs and Kisses stamp first in black on the pink pirouette (and punched out with the scallop punch), then in real red on the whisper white. I punched just the inner circle out of the the white and layered it on the pink. I colored in the dots with the white gel pen. Then I used dimensionals to pop up the whole thing above the ribbon.

Stamp Set: Love You Much
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, versamark, white gel pen
Paper: Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Candy Lane DSP
Accessories: Pretty in Pink ribbon
Tools: Scallop punch, 1 1/4 circle punch, dimensionals

Raspberry Tart swap

I love this new designer series paper from Stampin' Up - called Raspberry Tart. I did this card for a swap.

Stamp sets: Goody Goody Gumdrops (new hostess level 3 set)
Paper: Raspberry Tart DSP, Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette
Inks: Real Red
Accessories: Button Bouquet, Pretty in Pink Grosgrain ribbon

Quick and easy thank you notes

I've been into the cute, but quick mode on some cards lately -- especially when I need to make a lot of them at once.

I put these together for our holiday thank yous (24 of them). I used Stampin' Up! DSP (designer series paper) and a simple "Thank You" stamped.

I used some wintery/holiday paper (but not too holiday). I cut squares and then split them in half for each card. The cardstock doesn't match the DSP exactly but it works pretty well.

This could easily be adapted for other times of the year or events by changing the cardstock colors and DSP.

Stamps: Thank You Kindly
Ink: Close to Cocoa
Paper: Wild Wasabi (retired), Soft Sky (retired), Wintergreen DSP (retired), whisper white