creativestampingwithjan

Have You Seen What Else You Can Do With Your Big Shot Machine?

I have been busy making tote bags, purses, craft bags, etc. using the Big Shot die cut machine.  It's not just for cardstock and chipboard!  No Way!  The newest medium I have been cutting with my Big Shot and my Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die is fabric.

I was sewing for years before I started stamping, and now I have found another way to merge my two fabric crafts!  Wow, these tote bags are even cuter in person.  I made this one for my daughter, Kirsten.  She picked out the colors and the pattern, as she wants to use it for a bag to carry all her stuff in to school and volleyball practice.  Tune in tomorrow to see my purse and information on a class I am offering to make your own.

Want to See One of My Very First Cards?

No, I mean one of my VERY FIRST cards!!!  I made this card for my grandma when I was 8 years old.  When my grandmother died, and we were sorting through her things, she had a small stack of things that I had given her or were special to her about me together in a dresser drawer, and my mother gave those to me.  Anyway, I suppose because my grandma thought they were special, now I have saved them all and get them out occasionally and look at them.  There were things you would expect a grandma to keep:  my baby announcement with my pointy-headed first baby picture, a lock of my hair in a wax paper envelope she made, various letters and cards I had sent her (she lived in Virginia and I didn't get to see her very much, so I wrote letters to her and she wrote back).  Anyhow, this card was in there:

 

Of course, the top picture is the front of the card, and below is the inside with my letter and more flowers and a bird that I had colored.

Wasn't I special--guess I thought a pink rhino with yellow flowers eating another flower was something my grandma would love and cherish for years!  Well, she did.  That just goes to show you how special cards are to the ones we send them to.  I am sure she didn't think this was going to be featured at an art museum any time soon and would be valuable, but she kept it because I SENT IT TO HER. 

That is the way people treat the cards we make and put our special touches on, and that is what I want you to remember as you create special cards for those you care about.

Wait A Minute--Sale-A-Bration is Already Half Over.....

But there is still plenty of time to enjoy some free Sale-A-Bration gifts.  I Love, Love the adorable Good Neighbors stamp set that is available for free during Sale-A-Bration.  You can order it in either wooden or clear mount (brand new clear stamps).   I used the Sale-A-Bration free pack of designer paper as the background too.

Did you know there are lots of ways to earn free Sale-A-Bration gifts!! 

1)  You can be a hostess and hold a party with your friends at your home--when your sales reach $300 at your party, you get a free Sale-A-Bration gift. ( I have dates still available through the end of March, just ask.)

2)  When you spend $50 stocking up on your Stampin' Up supplies, you will earn a free Sale-A-Bration set of your choice--just think, you are probably in need of some cardstock, envelopes or adhesives anyway, or how about Stampin' Mist?  This is the perfect time to stock up, while you can get more bang for your buck and get a free Sale-A-Bration item too!

3)  Come to my Stamp-A-Stack on March 5 and receive a door prize ticket for a free Sale-A-Bration set to be given away as one of the prizes that night.  You can't win if you aren't there!  Contact me to RSVP at 618-204-1274.

4)  Or, you can always sign up to be a Stampin' Up demonstrator with me, and get any stamp set you want, up to a $47.95 value for FREE, just for signing up to be a demonstrator up during Sale-A-Bration (and that would be through the end of March.)

Who/What Do You Love the Most?

My sister's birthday is this Friday, February 19, so I am going to share the birthday card that I came up with for her.  Remember, now that she is the one who I thank (blame) for getting me addicted to stamping!  Here is the front of the card for her, and I know she will love it!

 

But, you also have to see the inside greeting to get the whole meaning:

So basically, I am saying that I love chocolate over her....well.  We both share an intense addiction to chocolate, especially when we stamp together!  So I know she will appreciate my somewhat crazy sense of humor.  

Happy Birthday, Melinda!!!

Super Fast Ideas from Stampin' Up!

Don't you ever feel like you have run out of ideas?  When I am feeling like my creativity needs a boost, I will take a look at project ideas in Stampin' Up!'s big catalog or current mini catalog to find a project I love.  Check out the little love note idea from the Occasions mini catalog on page 19.  Now look at my version of this project:

 

I just love the fact that I can get oodles of ideas from Stampin' Up! when my creativity needs a shot in the arm.  All I did on this love note was to tweak the saying and the color of the designer paper to suit my wishes.  I still used the new Hugs Sending Love Notes and Glassine envelopes on page 19 of the Occasions mini catalog, and I also used a Chocolate Chip epoxy brad (so cute).  This turned out adorable, and all because I used an idea that Stampin' Up! had presented to me.

We made this project at a workshop held in Fairfield in January and then again at my Valentine's Day Stamp Camp held the first of February.

If you would be interested in having your friends get together and me coming with precut, pre-designed projects for you to complete, just contact me at jan@creativestampingwithjan.com to set up a time.  I would be glad to be the entertainment at your next get-together.

if you are interested in classes, my next class on the schedule is a Stamp-A-Stack where you will complete 20 cards with envelopes on March 5 in Mt. Vernon.  Just let me know if you would like to come to this great event.  There will be door prizes and refreshments as well.