My Paper Pumpkin

I joined Stampin Up's new monthly kit called My Paper Pumpkin.  The monthly club ships with everything you need to complete a project.  All you need it your time and adhesive.  I've received two club shipments so far, and I've enjoyed them.

Cards from the kits (March on the left, April on the right). I did modiciations on April to make it a thank you.

While there are a lot of pros, there are also a few cons to the program.  I'm on the fence if I will continue it indefinitely.

Pros:

• Everything you need is in one box.  The My Paper Pumpkin box comes with paper, ink, stamps, and accessories).  All you need to add is adhesive.
• Items are high quality paper - heavier than the normal SU cardstock.
• Die cuts are pre-cut - all you need to do is pop them off the paper.
• It's portable.  I've taken the kits to work and been able to complete them during my lunch hour.
• Variety of paper products that are not found in the regular catalog.
• Automatically delievered to your mailbox each month - with no designing involved.
• ....and it's a surprise project!

Cons:

• Price.  This is a big one for me.  With shipping, the kit comes out to $20/month.  I've received two months so far, and each month only contains 4 cards, coming to $5/card.  I wish it were 6 or 8 cards.  For the products your getting (paper, diecuts, accessories, stamp set, and an ink set) it is a good deal, but I already own most of the ink SU sells.

Right now, that's my only con.  I received notice that May's kit just shipped and I can't wait to see what it looks like.  Overall, if you are new to stamping or don't have a lot of materials already, it's a great deal because it gives you the option to acquire ink and complete a well designed project.  If you're already a SU customer, you'll have to decide if it's worth it for the price.  I'm going to continue for a little while and see.  Perhaps one day there will be an option without the ink? 

Did anyone subscribe?  What did you think?  Is there another paper subscription that you know of and like?

Off and running...

I'm off to a Stampin Up card workshop at my demonstrator's house in a few minutes, when I remembered that I haven't shared a homemade card in weeks!  I've mailed off most of the ones we made last month, but thought I would share these:

  

Both great designs and in spring-y colors!  I can't wait for the weather to warm up.  In the mean time, I made a set of these last week to be used after the shower:

Mittens and Stockings, Oh My

Last year Stampin' Up created a small stocking punch and I didn't think it could get cuter, but it did.  This year they introduced a tiny mitten punch and, as a knitter, how could I resist?  Using the 2011-2013 In Colors, I whipped these cards up to mail out to my knitting friends. 

Uses Make a Mitten, Stitched Stockings, and Hand Knit stamp sets as well as the 2011-2013 In Colors.

Unique Snowflake

We have had a few days of snow recently - enough to cover the lawns and put that magical feeling into the air.  My cards this week reflect those days when you can curl up with a good book and watch the flurries fly. 

I used the retired Northern Hearts set to add some snow magic to the mail.  I've become a fan of the blue/red color combinations and came up with a few cards that use the same color theme (and it also appeared on my holiday cards this year).  The dazzling details in Cherry Cobbler brought sparkle to liven it up and went well with the Baja Breeze.

Refill please, table 1!

Last year I gifted my mother with a box of handmade cards in different designs and occasions.  She loved it - practical, handmade, and useful in a pinch when you needed a last minute thanks or happy birthday card as you're running out the door.  Unsurprisingly, this fall she requested a refill for the holidays. 

Since I couldn't share photos before Christmas, I thought I'd share a few photos of some designs that were included in her refill this year.  She requested a little bit of everything, so enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I had the card making supplies out, I made a set of cards for my dad using the Lovely as a Tree set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas - from me to you!

 

Wishing you a wonderful holiday with family & friends and a Happy New Year!

One of my holiday card designs this year.  Stamps: Make a Mitten set and "Merry Christmas" from the Merry Messages set.  Northern Flakes embossing folder used for the top card.  Colors: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, and Marina Mist.  I found the blue and red twist twine on Etsy.

Making Paper Mittens

I'm making mini paper mittens.  Lots of mini paper mittens.  The reason?  I'm putting the finishing elements on my holiday cards this year.  Last year, the majority of my cards featured miniature stockings (from the retired Stitched Stockings set) and when Stampin Up released the Make a Mitten set with coordinating punch this year, I didn't hesitate to keep with my 'knitted objects' theme.  Dozens of little mittens will soon be winging their way through the postal system to friends!

Snowy Days, Frosty Nights

 

A few weeks ago I borrowed the retired "Branch Out" set from a friend.  If I ever come across this set, I might have to pick it up - it is very versatile.  Again, I used the blue/red color combination (Bashful Blue, Rose Red) and added the embossed snowflake background. 

 

"Snowy days,

frosty nights,

warm hearts"

 

I'm working on my holiday cards and they'll be ready to go out in the mail very soon.

Exhange Cards, Part 2

I'm back with the other three designs I used for our holiday card exchange.

I've had the lace ribbon punch for a while, but always forget to use it.  What better way to showcase it than repeating the ribbon?  I used Rose Red, Wild Wasabi, and Perfect Plum to create the ribbons and added them straight to a white card.  The decorative label punch cut out the phrase from the retired Smarty Pants set.

By far, this was the most labor intensive card, but the resulting Pinwheel is well worth it!  I used the DSP Everyday Enchantment paper and a circular punch to create the pinwheel.  Inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest, I used 8 circles, folded them in half and then used a large brad to secure them.  Getting them onto one brad was a bit of a challenge, and I ended up adding them to the brad different directions rather than just one and rotating them around.  Pool Party (card), Everyday Enchantment paper, and the decorative label punch rounded out the card.  Ribbon is Calypso Coral an Lucky Limeade from the Sale-A-Bration last spring.

PS - The pinwheel doesn't actually spin and is held in place with dimensionals.

My final card tried embossing with two separate embossing folders - polka dot and a handwritten script.  I framed some images from the Pocket Silhouettes set on the Rose Red background and added the other two embossed layers (Wild Wasabi and Pretty in Pink).  It's something I'd never tried before, but I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. I might have to try this again!

Holiday Card Exchange

Instead of giving gifts, a few friends and I participate in a Stampin' Up card exchange for the holidays.  This year our theme is friendship cards and I put together 6 designs to be shared.  Earlier this morning we swapped, so I can share what I've been working on behind the scenes for the past two weeks.

The first card featured the retired Merry Winter set.  I used Early Espresso for the base and folded it so that it would open in the center.  Bashful Blue background was embossed with the seasonal snowflake embossing folder from last year and topped with the stamped image.  If you look closely, you can see that I added glitter over the snow before I added the ribbon.  It sparkles more in person, I promise!

As I show you the rest of the cards, you'll notice that I was on a punch kick, so this card featured the large scallop and 1.5" circle punch.  Lot of colors here: Wild Wasabi (base), Almost Amethyst (top card, retired color), Early Espresso (center), and the flowers are Pink Pirouette, Perfect Plum, and Pretty in Pink.  The words are from the retired essentials set and I raised the flowers with dimensionals after I embossed the background.

Remember the punches?  Well, I went to town with this card!  I had small pieces of the DSP paper from last year's Sale-A-Bration in small pieces and wanted to figure out something to showcase the patterns and use of color.  I used Calypso Coral for the base and twine, and added big 'polka dots' of the different papers down the center panel.  I pulled another in color, Lucky Limeade, for the 'friend to friend' stamp from Pocket Silhouettes sets.  This one is one of my favorites and I wish I had made more to use myself!

I made three more designs for the swap and I'll share those tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you all have a chance to relax and think about what you are thankful for this season.  My Thanksgiving cards went out in the mail over the weekend.

I reused the Autumn Accents die to cut leaves out of paper and cork!  You can stamp straight on the cork.  The pumpkin was made with 3 oval punches and the green top is from the new Make a Mitten set turned upside down. 

Although pumpkin pie is traditional, we're also going to be enjoying Nantucket Pie this year.  I found the recipe a few years ago listening to an NPR story about why Americans enjoy cranberries.  Take a stab at the recipe, it's fabulous!

Good Works & Daisies

Although this set it retired, I thought it was appropriate for the Ronald McDonald House cards.  The quote reads: 
                          "Good works are links that form a chain of love." ~Mother Teresa 

I used Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, and So Saffron to give it a soft, soothing feel.  Added it to the batch heading out the door soon!

Friendship Cards

Two more sets of cards headed to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  While making these, I challenged myself to use some of my older Stampin Up paper.  No point in saving it for a rainy day- they should be shared!

Swallow - Thinking of You

B, my Stampin Up demonstrator, motivated several of her customers to join her in showering a local Ronald McDonald House with handmade cards for the families staying there.  During grade school, my closest childhood friend's family was a beneficiary of their services while her younger brother was staying at one of the Chicago land houses.  Needless to say, this was a cause I was happy to create for.

I made several different cards to be sent with our donation - mostly thinking of you and friendship cards.  The one above featured the Four Frames and Teeny Tiny Wishes sets and paper from Sale-a-bration 2012, which featured the In Colors.  The swallow die matched the swallows in the paper perfectly!

Fall Leaves Cards

The last of the fall leaves are on the trees and the rest are on their way into mailboxes of friends!.  This week's card used the new Autumn Accents die from the current mini catalog.  It was a great project to use up leftover paper pieces that were too big to throw away. 

If only I had fall themed postal stamps to go with them...

Happy Halloween

My Halloween cards made it in the mail over the weekend.  I hope they arrive in time for the festivities.  I'm preparing a large bowl of candy for trick or treaters.  I'm always a sucker for home-made costumes and can normally be found to give a few extra pieces of chocolate to kids with them.  How about you?  Do you have a favorite costume you've seen over the years?

Stampin Up supplies
Cardstock: Black, So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Whisper White (for the inside)
Punches: Bat, Modern Label, and 1 3/8 Circle
Stamps: Tree from Branch Out, Happy Halloween from Teeny Tiny Wishes

Greeting Card Bunting

Buntings are all over the place right now and I've had my eye on them for a few months.  What's not to love?  They are easy, add instant color, and can be personalized in more ways that I care to count.  Since I am in the middle of a living room refresh/redecoration project, I thought this was the perfect time to put that idea to good use. 

For the longest time, my dining room table faced an uninspiring wall.  My apartment used to be two that has since become one, so I do have awkward wall outlets, but have struggled with what to place on this wall.  The other two walls near it have art, and I am in the process of compiling a massive photo collage for the large one.  I didn't want to add another one.

Enter, my Stampin Up demonstrator.  B has a massive living room in her home that is lovingly decorated with all of the handmade cards that her customer send her.  And she displays them using two large stacked buntings...Bingo!  I've admired hers for years, so I figured that I could create a smaller, modified version to fit the length of the dining room table.  Since I save all of my handmade cards, I grabbed a stack from the box and headed to the living room. I grabbed a hammer and nails and set to work to create...

I tried the double bunting idea from two nails, but the wall wasn't long enough to have it work.  Nails are spaced 45 inches apart lengthwise and 9 inches vertically to create 3 mini-banners.  I used Stampin Up's Marina Mist 1/4 ribbon and 1 package of their (retired I think!) mini clothespins to attached 24 greeting cards.  I really like how it turned out. 

I'm considering it season wall art.  Since the cards normally reflect the seasons, I can swap them out as the new ones arrive and it can continue to serve as inspiration in the meantime.

(PS - Now, if only photo collages came together in 30 minutes!)

Earth Laughs in Flowers Card

There are a lot of colors in this card.  I finally purchased the Fabulous Florets set from Stampin Up after months of debating.  I think the fact that some stamps are just outlined and some filled makes it unique and what made it stand out among the other floral sets. 

I used Rose Red for the card base and added a Wild Wasabi layering card.  The stamps used Wild Wasabi & Rose Red from the Subtles Collection and Calypso Coral & Wisteria Wonder from the In Colors for the design.  I added "the earth laughs in flowers" by e.e. cummings in black over the top.

Lovely as a Tree

There is something lovely about this Stampin Up set - Lovely as a Tree.  It works for so many cards and can stand on its own equally well.  The one thing I am always short on are cards that are appropriate to send to a man - something that is not girly or overly wordy - hence this design.  It is Wild Wasabi and Chocolate Chip.  It's hard to see in the photo, but the tree stamp is mounted on a 'bark background' that some from an embossing folder I found at Hobby Lobby.  I think it's going to pair well with this stamp set in the future!

Hello & Type

Since I had the Just Add Cake DSP out, I thought I would experiment with this paper as a background as well.  I teamed it with the typewriter & hello stamp from the You're My Type set, added a Wild Wasabi base card, and used some black accents to fill it out.