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"Fear Of Missing Out" is a very real problem
when you hang around Song of My Heart Stampers!
There's so much going on and you just want to do it all!
Fortunately, there's something you can do to alleviate this anxiety.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter today
and get all the Stampin' Up news, weekly specials,
papercrafting tips and event reminders all in one spot, every Tuesday.
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The last "ugly paper" post has garned a lot of conversation, both here on the blog and on SOMH Facebook, and I've taken a little heat for calling it that, but it's been fun to read, anyway! Some of you refuse to use it--yet for others it was their favorite out of the pack! Maybe we should arrange a giant paper swap, eh?!
Here's a few more easy cards you can whip up with odds and ends of that paper after you've used most of it up by focusing on the more banal pattern on the other side.
TIP: You may have noticed I have been using my Crop A Dile to punch through the balsa wood embellishments so I can hang them on the card with twine. Just a fun trick to make them even more versatile! You can also stain them with a marker, stamp directly on them, or sponge or watercolor them, to coordinate with your project, if the natural color isn't doing it for you.
Here's some ideas for working with "strongly" patterned papers!
I'm a clean-and-simple kinda gal at heart, and I love this last one probably best of all. Just three equal strips of paper, a quick embellishment, and a single stamped sentiment.
This paper (which is truly not that ugly, just a little hard on the eyeballs when it is in it's native 12x12 form) is part of a wonderful and truly very pretty patterned paper pack called Sweet Sorbet. It's available for FREE for two more days, with any $50 order. Click here to visit my website and pull together and order so you can get your freebies! There are stamp sets, kits, an embossing folder, a punch, digital scrapbooking options, and much more, all available as reward choices during Sale A Bration 2014. But you'll have to get a move on--everything ends at midnight CST on March 31st!
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Did that title catch your attention? I thought it might! You laugh, but my stampin' friends have termed this pattern "the ugly paper" and they mock it to no end when we've used the other side of it in class. One of them challenged me to come up with a single card she liked using "the ugly paper." well, I have never been one to back down from a challenge, so I sat myself down yesterday and came up with--a few! Hopefully Michelle will find one of them passable! : )
And you can hopefully pick up some layouts or tips for working with "strongly" patterned papers!
This particular "ugly paper" comes from the Sale A Bration 2014 freebie pack called Sweet Sorbet. It's available free with any $50 order between now and midnight on March 31st, 2014. And I promise, this is the only sheet that you might find difficult to work with. The other patterns are adorable.
The stamp set is called Perfect Pennants and I got two colors of ink on the same stamped image by inking it with my Stampin' Markers instead of an ink pad.
Once I got started using "the ugly paper" I actually began to like it. It has some great colors worked into the pattern, and the black makes it really pop. It helped that my Sweet Sorbet Accessories pack came with twine in three coordinating colors, and the In Color Boutique Details also match. The other embellishments I used were the Essentials Wooden Elements from the spring catalog.
So what do you say, Michelle--did I sway your opinion? How about the rest of you?
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March 31st is your last chance to collect any of the 12 limited-edition 25th Anniversary stamp sets from 2013's Stampin' Up celebration! Click on any picture below to order. After March 31st these stamp sets are gone for good!
Best of 25 Years Anniversary Collection
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SHOP NOW Every $50 you spend during Sale A Bration gets you your choice of anything from the Rewards brochure! Here is a link to it online: http://su-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/catalogs/NA/20131119_SAB_EN/20131119_SAB_en_US.pdf
HOST NOW Hostesses between now and March 31st will get an extra $30 in free hostess merchandise of their choice, when their parties hit $300 or more! Let's set up an online FACEBOOK party and you can collect orders from friends and family members--and items can ship straight to them!
JOIN NOW Sign up and get the Starter Kit during Sale A Bration and get an extra $25 worth free added to the kit, for a total of $150 worth of anything YOU PICK to go in your kit! There is tax but no shipping, so it’s a great way to build your supplies and get started. SAB is the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up! And there's just ONE WEEK LEFT to get the deal.
WHOO HOO NOW Email me if you have questions, need a catalog, or want to place an order--or shop online from the comfort of your own home anytime day or night, at www.lyssa.stampinup.net zwolaneks@att.net
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One of the earliest stamping techniques I ever learned, and still a favorite, is making your own background patterned paper with stamps. I love taking a cute set and several coordinating colors and just going crazy with it! I used the Secret Garden stamp set for this card, with So Saffron, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz and Blushing Bride ink colors.
TIP: You stamp this flower paper all in one piece and then cut it in three equal parts after it's done, isn't that cool? Here's some measurements if you want to try this layout at home!
Easy! Are you going to try it? Leave a comment below if you are!
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Isn't this cute? I got home from my brunch workshop last Saturday and Natalie had her Paper Pumpkin kit all put together. Daddy took this picture for me because she had gone into my stamp room and got out my demo apron to protect her jammies! She's too adorable. Sigh... where does the time go? It seems like just a few days ago I was working with baby gates and distraction techniques to try to keep her OUT of my stamp stuff... now she has her own stash and doesn't even need Mommy to help her... I imagine I will blink and I'll be thinking back longingly of the days when she wanted to spend time with Mom doing something crafty! Time sure flies...
Some of you may be wondering what in the world a Paper Pumpkin is! Click here to read about them. They are fun, all-inclusive monthly craft kits designed to take 30-45 minutes to put together and provide a painless, easy-clean-up project with zero stress.They're a really good deal and come with exclusive stamps in them as well as mini ink pads called "spots" that can be used over and over again. My favorite part is the surprise--you never know what's coming until you open the box!
Here's some out-of-the-box ideas of how my friends and I are utilizing Paper Pumpkin kits:
There's tons of ways to enjoy a Paper Pumpkin. I hope you try it out! Sign up by the end of March to get a free set of markers with your welcome kit, too!
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One of the biggest challenges I have when it comes to prepping for my bi-annual 10-10-10 Event is keeping the cards simple enough to be completed in no more than ten minutes each. It's really quite hard! Just time yourself stamping a card sometime and you'll see what I mean. I personally think time speeds up while you're crafting, don't you? I know one minute I've got plenty of time and then next minute, BOOM! It's time to go pick up the kids, or make dinner, or way past your bedtime.
Last Saturday We all got together for one of these 10-10-10's and for once I did a pretty good job of keeping the projects down to time. This Hello There card was simple enough--two stamps from the Happy Day set, a piece of patterned paper from Fresh Prints, edged with a little Coastal Cabana ruffled stretch trim, two quick 1.25-inch scallop punches, and an In Color Boutique Details embellishment. Quick and cute!
At the next table over was this adorable washi tape card, which I totally stole from the display boards at Leadership Conference.
This one probably only took eight minutes, actually! A stamped sentiment from Express Yourself, four strips of Retro Fresh washi tape, a punched out Full Heart, some twine and a torn edge, and it's done. You can't beat washi tape for FAST.
It all averages out, because this coffee cup card took a hair longer than ten minutes...
...but it's still quick to pull together. So I'm getting better! And it only took nine years. Hee hee! Stay tuned for celebrations next month as we party for my Stampin' Anniversary! I can't believe it's nine years already. Time flies when you're having fun!
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Came up with this card using the strips of patterned papers leftover from this Scrapbook Marathon project. Apparently I waaaaaaay over-cut for that project, because I had enough strips to make almost twenty cards after trimming them down to six inches! Have you ever done that--come up with a card or page based solely on the fact that you had some great scraps to use up?
So that story had a "scrappy" ending! My scrap bin, however, is threatening to overflow... time to sort them out into their respective containers. Here's what my scrap organization looks like, for those of you who have recently started following Song of My Heart. I used the old clam-shell style stamp cases and it works really well. I use up scraps ten times more than I used to, know that I can see them at a glance.
If you have a storage tip, leave a comment below! I'm always looking for new and better ways to organize my stamp space. Click here to view ideas I'm collecting on Pinterest for the stamp room of my dreams!
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I'd to dedicate this post to my husband Michael, better known to many of you as Mrs. Lyssa. I was singin' the "Nobody knows de troubles I seen" blues this last week and he was there with chocolate and hugs. And he always knows when to just put the Ben & Jerry's down and slowly back away!
Mike makes me happy when skies are gray, or blue, or anything in between. I'm so blessed! A good thing to remember when I am deep into the third verse and halfway through the pint.
Supplies for When Skies Are Gray card:
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I bet I wasn't the only one who saw the Sweet Sorbet accessories pack in the Sale A Bration 2014 reward brochure and scratched their noggin! I wasn't sure what I'd do with a whole sheet of thin, pre-printed, die-cut cork embellishments. But I wanted the three-pack of twine that came with it, so I chose that as my freebie. Ok, ok, I chose it as ONE of my freebies... I "may" have gotten "more than one."
And I'm so glad I did! I love the cute little cork flowers, chevrons, diamonte shapes and scalloped banner bits. I am really going to miss them when Sale A Bration is over. I might develop a hoarding problem, between that and the Sweet Sorbet patterned papers!
Sale A Bration 2014 IS almost over--just two weeks left to place your orders and pick out your free items. Click here to browse my shopping site, or email me if you'd rather order that way. Zwolaneks@att.net
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Just a quick note from me today. It's art class day at my kids' school (yay!), and I have stamp club down in Fort Atkinson tonight as well, so it's busier than normal around here. I am also dragging my tail getting over a cold and another round of strep throat--ugh! That's just overkill : )
I hope YOU are doing better than I am today, because YOU are wonderful and deserve rainbows and all good things in your life. Song of My Heart followers are the BEST! Be sure to pop in on the SOMHS Facebook page today and leave a comment to win a free Thirty-one tote and topper as we finish up our 4,000 follower milestone celebration there.
This card is super simple, but I love the colors and the banner treatment along the bottom edge. I had cut Designer Series Paper to layer on the background, but it was just too busy when all was said and done, so I stuck it on the inside instead for a little bit of unexpected fun.
Supplies for Vivid Vases Spring Card (all supplies Stampin' Up):
Click on any link in the list to view and purchase the products in my online store. The Banner Punch and the Sweet Sorbet papers are only available as part of our Sale A Bration rewards, where you pick one free item for every $50 spent through the end of the month. Contact me if I can assist you in any way! Happy to help. zwolaneks@att.net
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Cute little cloudy card to share today... perfect for a pick-me-up! I used the Sale A Bration stamp set See Ya Later for the sentiment and colored it in three colors with the aid of markers. I got the color scheme of Coastal Cabana, Real Red and Baked Brown Sugar from the Designer Series Paper pack Fresh Prints.
The clouds are a "thought bubble" from the Word Bubbles' Framelit set for the Big Shot, isn't that clever? And I added a little Chevron Punch to fancy up the inside of the card, too.
Product List
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*****Edited to Note: These stamps are unfortunately sold out and I cannot get them for you. I will post right away to share the good news if they are being re-released!
Twelve sweet little faces got added to the Stampin' Up family today! Sweetie Pie is the latest photopolymer stamp set release, and it's got us all cooing this morning. Check out the coordinating accessory set, Sweetie Pie frames! It's cute enough to stand on it's own, but I know you're going to want both sets together.
TIP: If you haven't tried our new totally-clear line of stamps, let me share a few things. Yes, they are different types of stamps entirely from our regular red rubber ones. People ask me all the time if I like them or not--the answer is yes!
Yes, they cling to your clear blocks like crazy--they won't fall off at ALL! Yes, they're inexpensive and come without bulky packaging, so they work for people in tight spaces OR tight budgets! And yes, they're so on-trend and adorable that they sell out FAST, so you'll want to get your order in right away! Order online at www.lyssa.stampinup.net or email me at zwolaneks@att.net and we'll make sure the Sweetie Pies find a new home--with YOU!
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Open to the Public
1 0 C a r d s + 1 0 M i n u t e s E a c h + 1 0 D o l l a r s*
Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
Come and create ten fun new card designs, taking about ten minutes each, for just ten bucks*!
*Cost is just ten dollars per person with a $25 or more order, or $20 if you don’t want to order.
Everything is pre-designed and prepped for you to just stamp and assemble as you relax and chat. I will have my Keurig with assorted k-cups, and a breakfast snack there. Everything is included except envelopes and adhesive. I will have adhesive there to purchase! So don’t be late because you had to dash somewhere at the last second. Hope you can join us for a super fun morning of stamping!
It's time to make some new crafting friends and reconnect with old ones!
RSVP by emailing zwolaneks@att.net. Sign-ups close TODAY!
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It's Sale A Bration 2014! Check out these cute samples from Leadership Conference 2014, and read about some awesome ways to maximize your crafting dollars between now and March 31st, 2014, during Stampin' Up's biggest sale of the year!
SHOP NOW Every $50 you spend during Sale A Bration gets you your choice of anything from the Rewards brochure! There's NO LIMITS! Had your eye on a big-ticket item? Now's the time! Here is a link to it online: http://su-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/catalogs/NA/20131119_SAB_EN/20131119_SAB_en_US.pdf
HOST NOW Hostesses between now and March 31st will get an extra $30 in free hostess merchandise of their choice, when their parties hit $300 or more, plus a free BONUS project from me at their shows! I have no available workshop dates left, but we can set up a book party and you can collect orders from friends and family members--and items can ship straight to them!
JOIN NOW During Sale A Bration you'll get an extra $25 worth free added to the Starter Kit, for a total of $150 worth of anything YOU PICK! There is tax but no shipping, so it’s a great way to build your supplies and get started. SAB is the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up either for the business, the social time, or even just the discount! Email me to get started today: zwolaneks@att.net
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Today started off badly and never improved... ever have days like that? I couldn't seem to do anything right! I am always a little afraid to go into the stamp room when I'm feeling like that, for fear I'll break something or waste a lot of cardstock. But it's my happy place, and I swear the air in there is imbued with happy juice or something. Vivid Vases makes me smile anyway, so I pulled that out this afternoon and set to work!
This first card I made the plaid background to match the colors in the flowers by swiping three colors of markers across in one direction, then doing the same in the opposite direction. The key here is to just quickly swipe--don't even try to get it perfectly straight. It wouldn't be half as cute if you got out a ruler, I think! I used Melon Mambo, Summer Starfruit and Wild Wasabi as a color combo.
This little Whisper White notecard & envelope were so simple to do--one stamp dead center, color the flowers and vases, and then DO grab that ruler and make a little border frame around it. I'm not that great at doodling, though, so don't look too close!! But even if you left the border off, it would be a cute and quick set of notecards to give as a gift sometime.
Next I had to try the paper-pieced look so many have been doing with these vases. That's where you stamp an extra of the main image on your card, color and then use your paper snips to hand-cut it out to layer on top of the focal point. It's a little hard to see from this angle, but I popped out two of the vases and the tulip on the left with Stampin' Dimensionals. I don't tend to do a lot of "fussy-cutting," but the vases look so cute that way, it makes it fun. I used the new In Colors markers for this one.
There we go--papercrafting is the ultimate mood improver! Bad day consigned to the trash can, three cute new cards in the file box, and a smile back on Lyssa's face. Not a bad day's work, after all.
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"Fear Of Missing Out" is a very real problem
when you hang around Song of My Heart Stampers!
There's so much going on and you just want to do it all!
Fortunately, there's something you can do to alleviate this anxiety.
Sign up for my weekly newsletter today
and get all the Stampin' Up news, weekly specials,
papercrafting tips and event reminders all in one spot.
|
|
I am loving all the pretty patterns in the "Sweet Sorbet" 12x12 Designer Series Paper packs! The color scheme is so fresh and springy, and SUCH a contrast to the cold outside... it's only two degrees again this morning here in Wisconsin. It's crazy because it looks so gorgeous outside--bright blue skies, fresh diamond dusting of snow, sparkling icicles dripping from every eave--but you can't stay outside for long, that's for sure!
So we make our own spring in the craft room. Combine the pretty colors and fun patterns with the fact that the paper is free this month during Sale A Bration 2014 and you have a pretty happy stamper! I can't wait to make a card and page tonight with my friend Jenny and her fellow scrappers. We haven't seen each other in way too long and there is lots to catch up on! You know it's been a while when you don't recognize the baby anymore!! I'm glad we're getting everybody together to reconnect.
Did you hear about Sale A Bration yet? This is the final four weeks! Here's the deets:
SHOP NOW
Every $50 you spend during Sale A Bration gets you your choice of anything from the Rewards brochure! Let me know if you did not receive yours. Here is a link to it online: http://su-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/catalogs/NA/20131119_SAB_EN/20131119_SAB_en_US.pdf
HOST NOW
Hostesses between now and March 31st will get an extra $30 in free hostess merchandise of their choice, when their parties hit $300 or more, plus a free BONUS project from me at their shows! I have no available workshop dates left, but we can set up a book party and you can collect orders from friends and family members--and items can ship straight to them!
JOIN NOW
Sign up and get the Starter Kit during Sale A Bration and get an extra $25 worth free added to the kit, for a total of $150 worth of anything YOU PICK to go in your kit! There is tax but no shipping, so it’s a great way to build your supplies and get started. SAB is the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up!
WHOO HOO NOW
Let's get the party started! Email me if you have questions, need a catalog, or want to place an order--or shop online from the comfort of your own home anytime day or night, at www.lyssa.stampinup.net zwolaneks@att.net
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