Begin Scrapbooking with three quick and easy 2-page layouts!

Customizing your scrapbook pages is easy with rubber stamping!  Your scrapbook becomes a unique work of art, personalized by you!

Here are three two-page layouts recently facilitated in my beginner scrapbooking with rubber stamps class.  Each of the pages is in a convenient 8 1/2” x 11” format, suitable for family photos, traditions, stories, and/or recipes!

The first, done in a classic Black and White theme… using the stem sayings and hope happens stamp sets.  The rubber stamping was kept to a minimum on this beginner layout... quick and easy to complete!

This layout featured last years’ sale-a-bration DSP :) and the Party Hearty Stamp Set.  Beginners also stamped assorted images, used punches, the crop-a-dile tool to set jumbo eyelets, and sponge daubbered edges of cardstock too!

The last 2-page scrapbook layout featured Stampin’ Up! Bella Bleu DSP (current), and Baroque Motifs Stamp Sets.  The left page is upside down in the photo.. just noticed that, sorry :)  Students/attendees were quite pleasantly surprised to learn they could stamp on DSP to both enhance the paper, and make it match the rest of the colors in their pages and projects!

Can you believe I was sick and could barely hold my head up when designing this class?  I was quite worried about how they actually would turn out.  I’ve got a little crooked stamping here and there, but decided to adopt an Amish philosophy for this beginners’ class…  Borrowed from quilting, “every finished project must have a small error… because only God is perfect.”  You see, the Amish quilters cleverly hide a mistake in each finished quilt!  My error is not so cleverly hidden :) but we’ll call it Amish Scrapbooking anyway… and/or a Creative Opportunity in Rubber Stamping!

Hugs,

Technorati Tags: rubber stamping,scrapbooking,beginners,quilting

My Cuttlebug is History!

I finally did it… I gave away my Cuttlebug!  The machine has been sitting on the shelf gathering dust for quite a while now, overpowered and over-shadowed by the versatile, and mega useful Big Shot machine! 

I really don’t know why I held on to it for so long… for some reason, I had an emotional attachment to the tiny and somewhat antiquated embossing and cutting machine.  But, the other day one of my club ladies was asking about using some of the phenomenal Bigz XL exclusive Stampin’ Up! dies in her cuttlebug… and I had to break the sad news.. NOT!  They won’t work! 

I brought my Big Shot to the table, and demonstrated:

• The low platform and center of gravity provide a stabile cutting surface… no suction or lack of suction issue. 
• The multi-purpose platform easily adjusts and adapts to different layering needs (no need for A, B, and C plates).
• The multi-purpose platform also adapts for different dies (and different manufacturers’ dies as well.)
• The multi-purpose platform has printed instructions right on it, and is included along with two standard cutting plates.
• The large center handle opening is wide, easy to grasp and hold when rolling or transporting the machine.
• Cutting multiple layers of paper and/or cardstock is no problem.
• Cutting up to 8 layers of fabric is a whiz!  (QUILTERS REALLY LOVE THIS OPTION!)
• Embossing is just as easy too… with Texturz plates or Exclusive Stampin’ Up! embossing folders, your projects will look absolutely beautiful!

Reflecting on the day, I realized that I have not used the Cuttlebug since the Big Shot arrived in my Stamping Room!  I asked a room full of ladies if they would like to have the machine… and sadly, there were no takers.  Then, I asked if there were any grandchildren who would like to have the machine… one lady finally said her Nieces might like it, and she would check!  I couldn’t even give away this little toy/machine… Wow! 

The next day, I did get an email, and the Nieces will happily adopt the tiny Cuttlebug.  So, good-bye Cuttlebug, my old friend… You were a fun toy… and I’m sure the kiddies will enjoy playing.  You’ve known it for a while, but I’ve moved on to the grown-up die cutting and embossing machine….

To purchase your grown-up Die Cutting and Embossing Big Shot machine, simply Click Here to visit my online Stampin’ Up! Store!  You’ll also get to choose a free Sale-A-Bration set when you purchase the Big Shot Online!

Stampin’ Hugs!

Technorati Tags: big shot,cuttlebug,online store,rubber stamps,supplies

Valentine and Chocolate… Duh!

Truly, what would Valentines’ Day be without Chocolate and flowers?  My DD doth protest… and so I stand corrected:  What would ANY day be without Chocolate, and who wants to eat flowers anyway!

It’s February, so what would our 1st Wednesday Card Club Monthly Meeting be without Chocolate??  I found some cute Whitman’s Chocolate Heart Boxes while shopping locally… YUM!  At 4” they weren’t really big, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I opened one up and discovered there were only three pieces of candy inside!  Remember when the chocolates were crowded inside the box, and you couldn’t possibly eat them all at once?  Not so today!

The cello wrapping was removed from the box, and the box lid (heart) was traced onto real red cardstock.  After adding a bow, the real red heart was attached to the top of the box with Tombow Multi Adhesive.

Isn’t this fun?  The Chocolate Chip Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon was attached to the box with glue dots, gave it a finished look we all preferred over the shiny foil red edge the box originally came with! 

I have to tell you several boxes were missing Chocolate before they left the club meeting! 

Here’s another view of the flower embellishing the Chocolate Box…

Punches and die cuts were used to make the flower, and a jumbo brad was inserted in the middle to hold the blossom together.  The edges of the flowers were curled with a stylus or piercing tool.  The Very Vanilla Cardstock flowers were stamped with the dot-dot-dot background stamp from the Occasions Mini Catalog, and image from the Friends 24/7 Stamp set featured in last Saturday’s post.

Of course, our Chocolate Hearts had to have a stamped message… this was Stamp Club, after all!  With a little help from the Holiday Best Hostess Level 1 stamp set, and the scalloped oval punch, our Valentine Chocolate Box was complete. 

Supplies

Stamps:

• dot-dot-dot
• friends 24/7
• holiday best

Classic Inks:

• Chocolate Chip
• Real Red

Punches:

• Scalloped Oval Punch
• 5-Petal Flower Punch

Accessories:

• Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon
• Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker
• Jumbo Brads (Very Vanilla)
• Mini Glue Dots
• Chocolate Chip Wide Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon
• Tombow Multi  Adhesive
• Mat Pack & Piercing Tool
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Sponge Daubers
• **Exclusive “Blossom Party”** Stampin’ Up! Originals Sizzix Die

** The Blossom Party Die is exclusive and available only through Stampin’ Up! To order yours at my online stampin’ up store Click Here.

Hmm… I think there’s a box of Chocolate calling for me… See you tomorrow!

Technorati Tags: chocolate,valentine,stamping,rubber stamps,card making