Stamp Maven

Roaming Gnome

OK, anyone else out there love the little Travelocity roaming Gnome? Well, now you can have your own little guy/girl on any of your handmade cards or other crafting projects. I received several swaps using this adorable set.

My last fave uses the Labels Edgelit...again! I just love these new dies! They are so versatile. Imagine all the scrapbooking techniques you can come up with...I'd love to see your ideas!

  
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Remember to RSVP if you want to come and make a Valentine with me on February 5....check out the scoop on Facebook!

Anne Brown The Stamp Maven anne@stampmaven.com 972-234-9118 Stampin' Up! Demo

My First Two Faves

I promised some favorite swaps from Leadership Conference and here are the first two. The Thoughts Of You Card uses one of the Labels Framelit Dies. These little gems are in the Occasions Mini Catalog and are easy to use and add quick layering to your handmade cards and scrapbook projects. The little flag is done using a piece of Pool Party Card Stock and nipping off each end using one of our square punches.

The second card uses some of the beautiful new Designer Series Paper, Everyday Enchantment. This is only one of several fabulous, free choices in our Sale-A-Bration Brochure. If you're not sure what this is all about, or you have earned lots of great products in the past and are ready to earn some more, let's chat!

  
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Anne Brown The Stamp Maven Stampin' Up! Demonstrator  anne@stampmaven.com  972-234-9118

So Many Choices

If you've been around me for any bit of time, you know I just love, love our Big Shot Die Cutting Machine! If I had been able to have a tool such as this when I taught school in California, my life would have been so much easier!!

At Leadership Conference I saw so many fabulous projects that used this tool and our wonderful dies. In this project, Shelli used the Bird Bigz XL Die to create this stunning, yet simple card.

The label shape was done using  the Labels Collection Framelits Die from the Occasions Mini. At $26.95, this collection is a great value. 6 dies come in a sturdy envelope and with this purchase you would be halfway towards earning a free Sale-A-Bration item!

Remember, any $75 online purchase during January, earns you a free online class in addition to Sale-A-Bration benefits. (see January 18 post)

Happy stamping!

Anne Brown The Stamp Maven anne@stampmaven.com Stampin' Up! Demonstrator 972-234-9118

 

Leadership And More

I had such a great time at Leadership, especially because I had 2 leaders in my downline there with me! Here is a photo of Elisa, Tracy and me under our "My Way Theme Sign"

One of the best things about having my own Stampin' Up! business is that I am able to do things "my way"... AND, with our annual Sale-A-Bration promotion which starts tomorrow, you can do things "your way", too! Check back tomorrow and I'll have all the exciting information, some SAB samples, and some swap samples. Later in the week I'll have some fun projects for you to see and CASE!

If I can help you with anything, please let me know!

Anne Brown The Stamp Maven anne@stampmaven.com 972-234-9118 Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Sale-A-Bration Is Almost Here!

Place any $75 online order (before tax and shipping) from my website during the month of January, and receive a free PDF class that uses the "Sweetheart" Stamp Set and heart-shaped Treat Cups. This class will have photos, instructions including measurements for the card below plus three additional handmade cards. Check out all the new items in our Occasions Mini Catalog...my wish list keeps growing weekly!

If you wait to order until January 24, you will also get to pick a Sale-A-Bration item for free. If you'd rather I place your order, just email me and I'll be happy to do that!

Anne Brown The Stamp Maven anne@stampmaven.com 972-234-9118 Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Tuesday Tip - Using Edgelits

If you haven't discovered the Edgelit Dies (125595, $9.95) and coordinating Adorning Accents Textured Embossing Folders (125601, $8.95), you should check them out. They really add a beautiful touch to your handmade cards and other projects.

If you keep a couple things in mind when you get started, you will be happier with the results.

1. The Edgelit Dies are the exact width of our Standard Cutting Pads and can move when you run through the Big Shot Die Cutting Machine. Solution? Use a pair of our Craft & Rubber Scissors and snip off about a bit of one edge so it won't get caught when you run it through. If you just can't bear to cut it, read tip #2.

2. These Edgelits are fragile, especially if you use them a lot and take them on and off your cutting pads. Solution? Invest in an a second set of Standard Cutting Pads that will permanently hold your Edgelits. You can adhere the "flat" side to your Cutting Pad using a piece of Sticky Strip Tape.

3. When using the Adorning Accents Textured Embossing Folders with the Edgelits, cut your card stock with the Edgelit first, then emboss. If you do it the other way, your embossed piece will get flattened when you run it through to cut with the Edgelit.

Happy Stamping!

Anne Brown  The Stamp Maven  anne@stampmaven.com  972-234-9118  Stampin' Up! Demo

San Antonio Here I Come!

Leadership starts on Wednesday and I'm off tomorrow night. Can't wait! Of course, stamping is always part of the festivities at a Stampin' Up! event and over the weekend I created my downline gift (an emery board in Designer Series Paper holder) and my handmade card for the first ever stamping competition at Leadership. What do you think?

  
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The card is created with "Totally Tess", Bordering On Romance and Twitterpated Designer Series Paper from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

 

Anne Brown  The Stamp Maven  anne@stampmaven.com 972-234-9118  Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

He's Baaccckkk!!

The long-awaited video from Dave, The Stamp Slave is here! If you've missed any of the previous instructional videos, you can still view them on my You Tube Channel. Hope you enjoy!

 

Anne Brown The Stamp Maven anne@stampmaven.com 972-234-9118 Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

Valentine Framelit #2

As promised, here is the second handmade card using the Framelit Die. For this card, I added the heart piece that came out from the middle of the "frame" piece of Twitterpated Designer Series Paper that I used yesterday and the "frame" piece from the Riding Hood Red Smooth Card Stock used yesterday. I always try to get my customers to make at least 2 handmade cards at the same time and the Framelit Dies make that super easy to do!

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To complete my card, I added a leftover piece of the laced punched piece from yesterday and then a small piece of Riding Hood Red Pleated Ribbon, on top of piece of Whisper White Organza Ribbon. I used the Full Heart Punch (119883) and a strip of Whisper White Smooth Card Stock to make the arrow. (Check back this weekend and you just might see a video of Dave, The Stamp Slave demonstrating how to do this and giving you a couple other punch tips!)

Need to buy supplies to complete your Valentine Cards or treat holders? Need help designing your projects? I'm just a phone call or email away!

Anne Brown  The Stamp Maven  anne@stampmaven.com  972-234-9118

 

Valentine Framelit

Have you noticed the Framelit Dies in the Occasions Mini Catalog? These innovative, thin wafer-like dies let you cut single hearts for accents or layering. The unique design of these dies lets you see exactly where you are placing the design before you cut! Available in Hearts Collection (125599) or Labels Collection (125598).

Today my sample shows a card for that special Valentine using the cut out portion of the hearts framelit as my focal image. Tomorrow I will show one focusing on the "frame" portion.

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I used a 4 x 4" piece of one of the designs in the "Twitterpated" Designer Series Paper and a 4 x 4" piece of Riding Hood Red Smooth Card Stock. I teach a lot of classes so I typically design my cards to maximize paper usage. Using the 4 x 4 measurement, I can get 9 pieces out of one 12 x 12 sheet. I used my Lace Border punch to punch out a piece of RHR Card Stock, and then cut this punched piece in half. I used a medium size heart framelit and my square of DSP and ran this through my Big Shot Die Cutting Machine. I put half of the lace piece on the top and bottm with adhesive and then adhered this piece to my card front. I then put some Whisper White Organza Ribbon on the inside of the heart frame and then using mini glue dots I adhered the Riding Hood Red piece on top. For the finishing touch I added some embellishments to "gussy it up" as my mom used to say!

Anne Brown  The Stamp Maven  anne@stampmaven.com  972-234-9118 Stampin' Up! Demo