Tricia's Stamping Creations

Valentine's Day is a Celebration of Love

2012-01-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

With the new Occasions Mini Catalog starting today, I just wanted to share a quick creative project idea to inspire you ready for Valentine's Day. It's hard to believe that it is only a few weeks away, so there is no time like the present to start creating cards and gifts for the loved ones in your life.

Today's Creative Card Share is a project featured on my Stampin' Up! website Project Gallery here. This beautiful card features the new stamp set, P.S. I Love You, which can be found on page 8 of the new Occasions Mini Catalog (available in both Wood & Clear Mount).

I love the embossed resist technique used to create the heart image and the heart circle stamp makes a wonderful background on the card base. This card also features several new products including the Blushing Bride Smooch Spritz (page 9) and the Calypso Coral Baker's Twine (page 35).

In case you are not familiar with Calypso Coral, it is one of the new In Colors for 2011-2013 and you can find the beautiful ruffled Calypso Coral ribbon in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog, as well as the other wonderful In Color products.

This card design is simple but has a definite Wow factor to it. It would also make a great birthday, anniversary or thinking of you card. You could create a gorgeous card set featuring this layout and vary the colors for each card for a beautiful gift idea.

I hope you have enjoyed this Creative Card Share I hope it helps inspire you to create a special card for someone special in your life.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

P.S. I Love You Set Quantity: 15

Clear-Mount Stamp Set 125462 Price: $27.95

Wood-Mount Stamp Set 125460 Price: $34.95

Coordinates with the Full Heart, Modern Label, 1" Circle, and 1-3/8" Circle Punches.

Celebrate the New Year with the New 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog

2012-01-04T18:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone,

I can't believe it is 2012 already. The last few months have gone by so fast and so much has happened that I have been neglecting my blog. Now that the holidays are over and hopefully things are starting to settle down, I will be hopefully posting more often.

Today is a very exciting day because I can finally show you the new amazing 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! There are so many fantastic new products in this catalog that I know you will just love and it will help you start your new projects for 2012.

Stampin' Up! has once again outdone themselves with fabulous new rubber stamp sets, embellishments, Designer Series Paper packs and so much more. Plus, they have released incredible new Sizzix products that will take your crafting projects to new levels. The New Paper Doily Large Sizzlits Die is so beautiful and delicate and you will love the sample projects featured in the mini catalog. In addition, Stampin' Up! has two Framelits Dies collections (Hearts & Labels) as well as the Adorning Accents Edgelits Dies and coordinating Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folders that are simply amazing. There are even stamp sets that work perfectly with each of these new products!

To view these exciting new products and so much more in the new2012 Occasions Mini Catalog, just click here to download your free digital copy. You can also download the free supplies list for the Occasions Mini catalog here. The Supplies list will provide you with the supplies used to create each of the beautiful projects in this wonderful new mini catalog.

So go ahead and download your digital copy of the new 2012 Occasions Mini Catalog and make your plans to transition from the Holidays to the New Year.

Don't forget, Sale-a-bration 2012 starts January 24th and you will have the opportunity to earn fabulous free exclusive Stampin' Up! products when you order at least $50 in Stampin' Up! merchandise. Better yet, host a party/workshop and earn fantastic free Sale-a-bration products in addition to the amazing Hostess Benefits available. Contact me today to learn more.

I am looking forward to sharing new ideas and projects with you in the upcoming weeks to help inspire you with your own creative projects.

Until Next Time.

Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day with Free Digital Downloads from Stampin' Up!

2011-11-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I know it has been a long time since I have posted, but I just had to let you all know about the fabulous special offer that Stampin' Up! has to celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day.
Stampin' Up! is offering 4 Free Digital Downloads from November 4-7 that can be used with My Digital Studio software as well as most other design software. These free downloads offer a variety of elements and templates that are perfect for creating quick projects that will look like you spent hours creating them.
So how do you take advantage of this amazing offer? It's really very simple. Just visit http://www.mydigitalstudio.net/ and click on the Digital Scrapbook Day image at the top of the page. All you have to do is follow the instructions provided and complete the simple survey, then download the following Free Digital Downloads:

· So Typefelt Stamp Brush Set
· Neutral Delightful Digital Tape
· Home for the Holidays Ensemble
· Delight in the Day Photobook Template

Want another FREE download? If we get 5,000 new friends to download the content we will give everyone a fifth download. So share MyDigitalStudio.net with your friends today!
These downloads are perfect for the holidays and can be used to create great holiday gifts and cards.
As an example, I want to share with you a digital scrapbook page I created using the 8x8 template from the Neutral Delightful Digital Tape free download. This page was so simple to create but I love the way it turned out.

All I had to do was add my photo to the photo box and I typed in my journalling in the text box provided for the circle embellishment. The only addition I added was to put "Sam" below the photo using the Schoolbook Serif Alphabet Stamp Brush set download from My Digital Studio (item #118821 Price $7.95). To purchase this download, just visit my Online Store here.

If you would like to see more wonderful ideas, please visit http://www.mydigitalstudio.net/ throughout the weekend as there will be new ideas and tips added to help you get creative. With Thanksgiving just weeks away and Christmas sneaking up on us, now is the best time to start your holiday projects and shopping for gifts.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Best wishes,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

P.S. Visit my Facebook Page for updates and ideas

http://www.facebook.com/#!/TriciaStampingCreations
Don't forget to click the "Like" box to receive regular updates to your newsfeed

Summer Mini Farewell Creative Card Share

2011-08-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share with you a card I created this summer for my Dad for Father's Day. I had the chance to play with one of my favorite stamp sets, The Open Sea, from the 2011 Summer Mini catalog and I am so sad that it won't be available after August 31st.

For me, I love the nautical stamps and this stamp set provides so many wonderful options. It is a great stamp set for masculine cards including birthday, Father's Day and anniversary cards and provides so many wonderful options. I love how the Cherry Cobbler & White Bakers Twine coordinates with this stamp set.

If you would like to add this stamp set to your collection, please visit my Online Store to place your order 24/7 or contact me and I will be happy to help you.

I hope you have enjoyed today's creative card share and I hope it helps inspire you to create your own special card or project for someone you love.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Last Day to Take Advantage of the Buy 3 Get 1 Free

2011-08-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, August just flew by me and I am still wondering where it went. It has been a very busy month with my parents flying back home and my 4 children starting back at school and we are slowly getting into a routine again. I am looking forward to having some creative time very soon.
Today I wanted to remind you that Stampin' Up!'s special for August is coming to an end, so now is the time to place your order to take advantage of the Buy 3 Get 1 Free. All you need to do is order 3 packs of Designer Series Paper and you get to choose one more pack of Designer Series Paper for Free.
I took advantage of this special offer a week ago, and I just love the fantastic new designs that I received in my order.

In this photo you can see the vivid colors and crisp images on the Designer Series Paper packs that I chose. The packs I chose are:

122349 Letters to Santa (front left corner fabulous Christmas designs)

122351 Frightful Sight (front right side, perfect for Halloween cards & projects)

122357 Beau Chateau (center back, great vintage papers - Love the Cherish page)

The Designer Series Paper packs are located on p184-186 in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog. Download your free digital copy by clicking on the icon located on my sidebar. There are so many amazing packs to choose from, and this is a fantastic opportunity to stock up for your holiday projects.

For my free pack of Designer Series Paper, I chose the Designer Series Pack Nautical Expedition (122343) which can be found on page 8 of the Summer Mini Catalog. Remember, the Summer Mini Catalog ends August 31st, so be sure to place your order before the deadline to avoid disappointment.

This photo shows the wonderful designs from the Nautical Expedition DSP as well as the coordinating stamp set The Open Sea and the single wood mount stamp, Sail Away. These products are fantastic for masculine cards and projects as well as scrapbooking.

These products are too good to miss. You can place your order via my Online Store or please contact me and I will be happy to help you with your order.

Make sure you download your free digital copy of the 2011 Summer Mini Catalog by clicking on the icon located on my sidebar.

Until Next Time,

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Take Advantage of the Fantastic August Special Offer!

2011-08-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, I am back from vacation and just in time to share with you the latest special offer from Stampin' Up!

For the month of August, you will get a FREE package of Designer Series Paper ( a $10.95 value) when you buy three Designer Series Paper packages! This is a great opportunity to stock up on the fabulous Designer Series Paper packages in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog and the 2011 Summer Mini Catalog.

Please note that this special offer does not apply to the Specialty Designer Series Paper or the Hostess Designer Series Paper. There is no limit to the number of Free Designer Series Paper packages that you may earn.

There are so many amazing new designs available to choose from (see pages 184-186) in the new Idea Book & Catalog to fit your cardmaking, scrapbooking and papercrafting needs. Get an early start on your holiday projects with the spooky Frightful Sight DSP perfect for Halloween or the wonderful Christmas themed DSP, Letters to Santa.

Don't forget, August is also the final month to order from the 2011 Summer Mini Catalog and the amazing products featured. My personal favorite, Nautical Expedition DSP (found on p8), is perfect for masculine projects or that special scrapbook of a holiday at sea.

Remember, this special offer is limited to the month of August only. Visit my Online Store to place your order or contact me and I will be happy to help you.

Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net

July Special Promotion: Become a SU Demonstrator for just $99

2011-07-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, as if there wasn't enough excitement going on today, Stampin' Up! announced that for the month of July only, you can join as a new Stampin' Up! Demonstrator for just $99.

In addition to the fabulous products in this special offer Starter Kit, you will also receive a Free Christmas Keepsake project kit valued at $40.

To view the list of products in this Special Offer Starter Kit, click here.

With the release of the new catalog, now is the perfect time to become a Demonstrator and take advantage of the benefits you can earn. To learn more about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, visit my Website here for more information.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have and I will be happy to help you. I would love to have you as a member of my team.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net

Introducing the 2011-2013 In Colors

2011-07-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I am really excited about the 5 new In Colors that Stampin' Up! has released today. The colors are gorgeous and they work fabulously with the existing colors in the Stampin' Up! collections.
The 5 new colors are:
Pool Party
Calypso Coral
Lucky Limeade
Wisteria Wonder
Island Indigo

This pretty sample card combines all 5 of these wonderful colors and is a great example of how well they work together. (You can find details about this card here). Anyone who receives this card from you will be saying Wow! yet, it is a simple card to create.

The card base is created with Pool Party cardstock and the flowers colors are Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade and Wisteria Wonder. They were created from a combination of cardstock and Designer Series Paper in the new In Colors.

The ribbon is the new 3/8" Indigo Island Ruffled Ribbon (Item #122974) that provides a great border on this card and the centers of the flowers are the brand new In Color Designer Printed Brads (Item #122940). They are so cute and work perfectly with the flowers created with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch (Item #3122464).

To learn more about the new In Color products, turn to page 176 of the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog or visit my Online Store here to see the new In Colors.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek of the new 2011-2013 In Colors and I look forward to sharing more projects created with these amazing colors soon.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

Happy New Year! See the Amazing New Products in the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Catalogs

2011-07-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Yes, it has been a long time and I apologize for being away so long. I was having some problems accessing my blog in June but I finally have things up and running again just in time for the launch of the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog and 2011-2012 Celebrando Creatividad.
The new catalogs are filled with amazing new products including new stamp designs, punches, Designer Series Paper packs, Sizzix products and so much more.
Plus, you will finally get to see the 5 brand new In Colors that will be available for 2011-2013 in addition to the 5 current In Colors that were introduced to you last July (2010-2012 In Color Collection).
To make life a little easier for you, I have provided icons in my Sidebar of my blog for you to click on to access both of the new catalogs. You have the choice of viewing the catalogs online by clicking on the corresponding image of the catalog you wish to view, or you can download a PDF digital copy of the catalogs by clicking the link below the corresponding catalog image.
I hope you enjoy exploring the new catalogs as much as I have and I can't wait to create and share new projects created with the new products that are now available.
Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Don't forget, you can also place your order by visiting my Online Store on my Stampin' Up! website 24/7.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts

May is National Scrapbooking Month

2011-05-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Yes, I have returned to the world of blogging after what seems an eternity. So much has happened in the past month that has kept me away from my craft room and my Creative Mojo has taken a severe beating in the process.

Thankfully, Stampin' Up! has a wonderful promotion for the month of May to celebrate National Scrapbooking Month to help me get back on my creative feet again.

To help you with your scrapbooking projects, Stampin' Up! is offering 30% off a selection of stamp sets and My Digital Studio products for the month of May. You can view the products on my Online Store website here or you can download a PDF list here.

For those of you who are interested in Digital Scrapbooking and Cardmaking, the Digital Download Bundles are amazing and while they are created to use with Stampin' Up!'s Digital Software program, My Digital Studio, they are also compatible with other graphic software programs. If you would like to learn more about My Digital Studio, I encourage you to visit here: http://mydigitalstudio.net/ . This is a great forum to learn about My Digital Studio and provides great information, tips and videos to help you with your digital creations.

I hope to have some new creations to share with you this week and hopefully help to inspire you with your creative projects. If you are like me and have kids in school, you know that time is running out to create your Teacher Gifts for the end of the year. Take advantage of Stampin' Up!'s National Scrapbooking Month 30% off Promotion before it ends May 31st, 2011.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Occasions Mini Share: Pretty Pink Build a Blossom

2011-04-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Today's Creative Card Share features the amazing stamp set, Build a Blossom, from the Occasions Mini Catalog. I love the variety of petals and using the two step stamping method you can create beautiful flowers of all shapes and sizes.
Plus, to make our life easier, Stampin' Up! has provided us with an incredible punch, Blossom Petals Punch, so that we can stamp and punch to make quick and easy cards and projects that look like they took forever to create. You can find both the stamp set and coordinating punch on page 12 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.
To create this card I used Whisper White cardstock for my card base and I used my Big Shot and the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (page 28 Occasions Mini Catalog) to create a pretty border for my card design.
The petals of the flower were created by stamping the large petal images onto a 2 1/2" strip of Whisper White cardstock using Regal Rose Classic ink. I stamped the solid petal image first by inking the stamp and then stamping the image once on a scrap sheet of paper and then stamping the image onto my Whisper White cardstock. Next I inked the large petal detail stamp using the same color ink, but I stamped it directly onto the solid stamped image to provide a darker tone to the petal. I created 6 petals using this technique and then I punched them out using my Blossom Petals Punch.
The center of the flower was created using the large center image stamped with More Mustard Classic ink on Whisper White cardstock. I then punched it out using the 1" Circle punch.

To assemble the flower, I punched out a 1 1/4" circle of scrap cardstock and attached the petals to it with snail adhesive, overlapping the petals slightly to create a balanced flower. Next I added the center of the flower using a Stampin' Dimensional.

To attach the flower to the card, I added a Stampin' Dimensional to the back of the scrap circle (used to attach the petals to). I put a Stampin' Dimensional on every 2nd petal so that three petals are raised to create dimension and carefully placed it on the card front and pressed down to adhere the flower.

For a little sparkle, I used my Two Way Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds on the outer edges of each petal and the center of the flower. I stamped the sentiment from the Messages for Mom stamp set in Regal Rose Classic ink.

I love that you can create this gorgeous card with a minimum of supplies. Change the ink color or use a different petal size for a completely different look. Just think of all the fun you can have.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card Share and hopefully I have helped inspire you to create a pretty Spring card that is quick and simple to create. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Plus, you can place your order 24/7 by visiting my Online Store. Remember, the Occasions Mini Catalog ends April 30th, so place your order soon before they disappear.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up only unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Sets: Build a Blossom, Messages for Mom

Cardstock: Whisper White, scrap cardstock

Ink: Regal Rose, More Mustard Classic inks

Accessories: Big Shot, Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Blossom Petals Extra Large Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Two Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds

Occasions Mini Share: Easter Blooms

2011-04-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday Everyone,
Today's Creative Card Share features another beautiful stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog. This pretty Easter Card features the stamp set, Easter Blooms, along with the Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper also in the Occasions Mini Catalog.
The card base is created from Sahara Sand cardstock and I used the 3/16" Corner Small Punch to round the bottom corners.
Next, stamped the images using Versamark ink and then used Clear Embossing Powder. I used my Heat Gun to heat emboss the images for a wonderful tone on tone look with a soft shine.

The strip of Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper has been layered onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock that I embossed using my Big Shot and the Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

This simple card design is easy to duplicate if you need to make multiple cards for your family and friends this Easter. The Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper has 12 different patterns to provide you with a wonderful variety (each pack contains 2 each of 6 double sided designs).

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card share and hope that it inspires you to start creating your Easter cards and projects.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Easter Blossoms (available only until April 30th in the Occasions Mini)

Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla

Paper: Springtime Vintage Designer Series Paper (Occasions Mini page 15)

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Big Shot, Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 3/16" Corner Small punch, Snail Adhesive

Occasions Mini Card Share: Plane & Simple

2011-04-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

With April being the final month for the 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog, I have decided to showcase some of the amazing products from this fabulous mini catalog.
Today's Creative Card Share uses a great masculine stamp set, Plane & Simple, which can be found on page 40 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.
I love the combination of Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Sahara Sand and Whisper White cardstock and it works well with this stamp set. The vintage plane image was stamped three times with Early Espresso Classic ink and I sponged the edges of both the Whisper White and Sahara Sand cardstock with Chocolate Chip Classic ink for a distressed look.

The borders on the Cherry Cobbler card base were stamped with Early Espresso Classic ink and the Basic Black cardstock has been embossed using the Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder using the Big Shot for some extra texture. I added some Platinum Shimmer Paint to the embossed areas with a sponge dauber for a metallic look.

The ribbon border was created with Chantilly 1/2" Crochet Trim and I stamped the happy birthday sentiment (from the Plane & Simple stamp set) with Early Espresso Classic ink on Whisper White cardstock and then punched it out using the Word Window Punch. I then framed it using the Modern Label Extra Large Punch from Basic Black cardstock. Next I used the Designer Label Large punch to punch out the shape from the Sahara Sand cardstock and sponged the edges with Chocolate Chip Classic ink to distress it. I added two silver brads and attached the framed sentiment using Snail adhesive and then attached it to the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

This card design would be great for a male birthday or for Father's Day (there is a happy father's day stamp included in this stamp set) and works for all ages. In addition, I love that I was able to create this card with just one stamp set.

Masculine cards tend to be a challenge to create, so I hope today's Creative Card Share helps to inspire you the next time you need a card for the special male in your life.

Remember that the Occasions Mini ends April 30th. You can contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store to place your order 24/7.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Plane & Sample

Plane & Simple - Set Quantity: 7
Wood-Mount 121903 Price: $21.95

Clear-Mount 121964 Price: $16.95

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Ink: Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip Classic inks
Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Platinum Shimmer Paint, Silver Brads, Chantilly 1/2" Crochet Trim, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Extra Large Punch, Designer Label Large Punch, Sponge Daubers, Snail Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Autism Awareness Day

2011-04-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday Everyone,
Well, it is an absolutely gorgeous day here in Northglenn, Colorado and perfect baseball weather. Which is just as well because baseball season has just started and this year they opened at home. I'm not much of a baseball fan but I do enjoy all the excitement involved with Opening Day at Coors Field and with Colorado's fickle weather, it is nice when it chooses to cooperate and provide wonderful weather to enjoy it.
As I was checking my email this morning, I noticed an email from a fellow demonstrator by the name of Wendy Hawkinson. She was getting the word out that today is Autism Awareness Day and April is Autism Awareness Month. The theme is "Lighting it up Blue for Autism Awareness' and she asked us all if we could add a little blue to our cards today to show support for the many families who are effected by Autism.
So, when I chose today's card share, I picked a card that not only displays the color blue proudly, but it also is a perfect card for a child.
This cute punchy cupcake card is so bright and cheerful, just perfect for a child's birthday card. The colors I chose for this card are Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White cardstock and the cherr was created from the wonderful Red Glimmer Paper in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

I used one of my favorite punches, the Build a Cupcake punch, and I added the sprinkles to the frosting using the Create a Cupcake stamp set that coordinates perfectly with this punch. I used Sahara Sand Classic ink to stamp the sprinkles.

The cupcake has been layered onto circles punched using the 1 1/4" Circle punch from Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point and Night of Navy cardstock. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to raise the cupcake up for a bit of extra dimension.

The card base is created from Tempting Turquoise cardstock and the Whisper White layer has been embossed using the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder with my Big Shot. The "ribbon" has been created using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch with Pacific Point cardstock.

The sentiment is also from the Create a Cupcake stamp set and I stamped it with Pacific Point Classic ink onto Whisper White cardstock and punched it out using the Word Window punch. I then layered this onto Pumpkin Pie cardstock punched using the Modern Label Extra Large punch. To finish it off I punched an oval from Pacific Point cardstock using the 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval Large punch to help the sentiment stand out better.

This is a very versatile card design and just by changing the colors used you can create a card that is unique as the person who receives it.

Now April is the final month for the Occasions Mini catalog, so now is the perfect time to place your order before they disappear.

I hope today's card share inspires you to create a special project for a special person in your life and to say a prayer for the families who face the challenges of Autism in their lives. Hug your loved ones a little tighter and a little longer as they are truly life's most precious gifts.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Create a Cupcake

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White

Paper: Red Glimmer Paper

Ink: Pacific Point, Sahara Sand Classic Inks

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Build a Cupcake Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Extra Large Punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval Large punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Looking for Inspiration? Become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

2011-03-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I often get asked the question, "Where do you find your inspiration for your projects?" or "How did you learn that technique?"
The answer is actually quite simple: from being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. It is amazing the resources that Stampin' Up! provides its Demonstrators to help with learning new techniques and inspiring amazing projects.
When I first became a demonstrator, one of my greatest fears was that I was a beginner stamper and I didn't know how to create my own designs and projects. Thanks to my wonderful fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrators and their kindness and generosity, I found myself surrounded by incredible projects that they were only to happy to share with others.
Stampin' Up! also provides demonstrators with teaching aids such as video tutorials with new techniques using Stampin' Up products. To give you an example of one of these great tutorials, I would like to share with you a video tutorial by Carrie from the Home Office. She shows how to use the products in the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Starter kit to create projects using two fun and creative techniques.

(If you are receiving this post as an email, please view the video from my blog)

Being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator has been a wonderful learning experience for me over the past 2 years and I find that I am continually learning and growing all the time. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and how you can save 15% on the Starter Kit plus earn a Free $50 Stampin' Up! product bundle, then contact me and I will be happy to answer your questions.
Remember, the discount and product bundle are part of Sale-a-bration, which ends March 31st, so don't miss out on this great opportunity to save. Contact me today!
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Creative Card Share: So Happy For You

2011-03-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, we are down to the final days of Sale-a-bration and today I decided to share with you a card design created using the Sale-a-bration stamp set, So Happy For You. The sentiments in this stamp set are wonderful and the font used to create them is very cheerful and carefree. The accent stamps that coordinate with the sentiments are a great way to add your own personal touch to your own creative projects.
This card design is a CASE of a card created by another Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Amy Braunscheidel. I really liked the Clean & Simple design of her card and decided to make my own using Cajun Craze cardstock for the card base to add a little spice to this card. Using the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder with my Bigshot, I embossed the border onto my card base. I combined the Cajun Craze with layers of Basic Black, Very Vanilla and Sahara Sand cardstock.

The ribbon embellishment is actually created using the Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon as the base and then I layered the Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon on top to run down the center of the Very Vanilla Ribbon. I loved the way the combination works together to add another level to the card design.

The flower and flying butterfly designs are from the So Happy for You Sale-a-bration stamp set and I stamped them on Very Vanilla Cardstock in Cajun Craze Classic ink to tie in with the card base. The center of the flower is embellished with a gold brad and I punched it out using the 3/4" Circle Punch and then matted it onto another circle punched with the 1" Circle punch from Sahara Sand cardstock. I used a Stampin' Dimensional to attach it to the card front.

The Birthday Wishes sentiment is also from the So Happy for You Sale-a-bration Stamp set and I stamped this onto the Very Vanilla Cardstock with Basic Black Classic ink below the flying butterfly.

I really liked the clean and simple feel to this card but I wanted to see how this card design would look if I "stepped it up" another level. This time, I decided to emboss the Basic Black cardstock using the Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

Next, I used a sponge dauber and the Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and I lightly dabbed the shimmer paint onto the embossed areas of the Basic Black cardstock. I loved the elegant look it gave to the card and how it changed the feel of the card from something simple and carefree to something more elegant and classical.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card Share and I hope it inspires you to try looking at your card designs in a different way and seeing how you can "step it up" for a whole new look.

Remember, Sale-a-bration ends March 31st, so don't forget to place your order and earn the So Happy For You Sale-a-bration Stamp set or any of the other wonderful Sale-a-bration products before they disappear for good.

Contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store to shop 24/7.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! Only unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: So Happy for You Sale-a-bration Stamp Set

Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Ink: Cajun Craze, Basic Black Classic Inks

Accessories: Big Shot, Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Basic Black 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Gold Brads, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Sponge Daubers, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

Have You Ever Thought About Becoming A Stampin' Up Demonstrator?

2011-03-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

During Sale-A-Bration, Stampin' Up! provides a wonderful opportunity for you to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator by offering a 15% discount on both of their amazing Starter Kits. As if that isn't a great enough incentive, they are also offering an incredible Sale-A-bration Bundle including Stampin' Up! products worth $50 when you purchase your Starter Kit during Sale-A-Bration!

You have the choice of the Standard Starter Kit

Or the Digital Starter Kit

For Details on the products in each of these kits click here to download the Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit Flyer which also includes information about the additional Free Bundle you will receive when you purchase the Starter Kit.

Now normally the price of either the Standard Starter Kit or the Digital Starter Kit would be $175, which is an incredible price when you consider that the retail value of each kit is more than $300 (over $310 in value for the Standard Kit and over $320 in value for the Digital Kit).

During Sale-A-Bration however, the price is only $148.75 for either the Standard Starter Kit or the Digital Starter Kit. Plus, you add the Free Bundle valued at $50!

So let me ask you, have you ever thought about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?

If you are thinking that this is something that you would like to explore in more detail, let me direct you to my Stampin' Up! website for additional information about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator here .

Make sure you click on all the links listed on the left side of the page for additional information and write down any questions you may have. Then if you still want to learn more, please contact me and I will be happy to help you with any questions or concerns you might have.

Signing up to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator can be done Online from my Stampin' Up! website. Just ask me how I will be happy to help you.

Remember, Sale-A-Bration ends March 31st, so don't wait to explore this new opportunity.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Best wishes,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Sale-a-bration Countdown: Only 5 Days Left!

2011-03-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday Everyone,
I hope you are all enjoying a lovely Spring day today. There is so much I love about Spring - warm weather after a cold winter, the return of the birds and the flowers start to bloom in the neighborhood gardens. There is something so cheerful and welcoming about the colors associated with Spring, and they inspired me today when I decided to play with My Digital Software program from Stampin' Up!
Now I don't know if you were aware or not, but this year Stampin' Up is offering a wonderful CD full of all the Sale-a-bration images as one of your Free Sale-a-bration product choices. This really is an amazing value as you will receive all of the Sale-a-bration product images on this CD that you can use over and over again to create your digital projects.
Here is what is included:
Stamp Brush Sets (English Only) for:
So Happy For You
Punch Bunch
Sweet Summer
Bliss
Plus -
Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Pack & Quick Accents Pack
Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon & Button Pack and
the Decor Elements Notes Image

To give you an idea of what you can create with this CD, I put together this postcard today using several of the Digital images from this incredible CD to show you the infinite possibilities you will have when creating with this product.
To start with, I chose Certainly Celery cardstock as my card base and then added the gorgeous Melon Mambo floral from the Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper Pack. The scallop detail is actually part of the paper design too, isn't that great!
The ribbon & bow are from the Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon Pack and the cute little buttons I used to create the flowers are the coordinating buttons from the Ice Cream Parlor Buttons.

The stamp images inside the circle are from the Sweet Summer stamp set and the sentiment with the coordinating flower and flying butterfly are from the So Happy For You stamp set. The Basic Rhinestones that I used as accents can be purchased as a separate Digital Download from my Online Store.

Now, this is just a quick card that I put together, but I could see elements of this project used to create a cute scrapbook page, especially with Easter just around the corner.

Take note that I only used a fraction of the images available on this wonderful CD to create this Spring theme card. Just imagine how much fun you can have creating projects with all the images available.

The So Much to Sale-a-brate Digital Content CD really does give you the best value, as you can own all the digital images of all the 2011 Sale-a-bration products for Free with an order of just $50 in Stampin' Up! merchandise.

If you don't already own Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Software, then now is the perfect opportunity to do so to earn this great CD as your Free Sale-a-bration product.

With My Digital Studio, you can create scrapbook pages, greeting cards, postcards, journals, photo albums, calendars as well as multimedia projects using your computer (compatible with both Mac & PC). You have the ability to print your projects at home or you can choose to use Stampin' Up!'s professional printing services.

Stampin' Up! also has an ever growing library of digital downloads that you can add by purchasing them from my Online Store, 24/7. You can view the Online My Digital Studio Catalog here and download it free to your computer. New digital downloads are released each week, typically each Tuesday. You can see these new downloads here.

I hope today's Creative Card share has inspired you to explore the digital crafting world and to see all the amazing possibilities available to you for all your creative projects.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! Only unless otherwise noted):

My Digital Studio 118108 Price: $79.95

Use the same great artwork, colors, and accessory images found in our current product line to create personalized digital projects. The options are endless: create photo albums, calendars, and greeting cards using My Digital Studio. Once you've created your personalized gift or heirloom, have it printed in our high-quality print facility and delivered to your door or print it at home.

■ Available in English only

123681 So Much to Sale-A-Brate Digital Content CD Available as a Free Sale-a-bration Product with order of $50 in Stampin' Up! Merchandise (does not include Shipping & Handling and Taxes).

Download your Free Digital Copy of the 2011 Sale-a-bration Mini Catalog here to see all the fabulous Free Sale-a-bration products available to choose from.
Remember, Sale-a-bration ends March 31st, so don't delay - place your order before it's too late!

Creative Card Share: Punch Bunch For You

2011-03-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Today I thought I would share with you another card design created with the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Punch Bunch. This time I used the For You stamp with the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch and the 1 3/8" Circle Punch.
I inked the stamp with Pretty in Pink Classic ink and then I used my Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker to color the stem and For You green using the brush tip. Then I took the Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker and using the pen tip, I traced the fine lines in each of the flowers and the center of the larger blossom to give it shading and definition. Both the Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Markers are In Colors and you can purchase the set of In Color Markers for just $14.95.

Once I had the stamp colored the way I wanted, I "huffed" on the stamp to moisten it and then stamped the image on a piece of Whisper White cardstock. Next, I punched out the center of the stamped image (the circle with the flower image) using the 1 3/8" Circle Punch, leaving the scallop circle edge behind.

I then used the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch to punch out a scallop circle from Pretty in Pink cardstock. Using Snail Adhesive, I adhered the circle with the stamped image to the center of the Pretty in Pink Scallop circle.

Once again I used the Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper (can you tell I love using this) and I used the Eyelet Border Punch to create a border along one edge. I then adhere it to the top half of my Whisper White cardbase and the narrow strip that was left over from punching the border, I applied to the bottom edge of the card.

Next, I centered the scallop circle with the image and adhered it to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals to create the focal point of the card.

To finish off the card, I used a piece of Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon and I created a ruffled look by pulling a thread from each end of the piece of ribbon causing it to gather and ruffle. Once I had it the way I wanted, I trimmed the threads from each end and adhered it to the center of the top piece of Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper using Sticky Strip.

I really liked the way this card design turned out and how easy it was to put together, so I decided to make a set of 4 to use for Thank You cards. Don't you just love the pink and green combination? To me it looks very Spring like and very feminine.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card Share and I hope it inspires you to experiment with different color combinations for your Spring projects.

Remember, Sale-a-bration ends in just 7 days, so don't delay in placing your order and earning your Free Sale-a-bration product. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Or you can visit my Online Store to place your order 24/7.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! Unless otherwise Noted):

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch (Sale-a-bration Free Stamp Set only available until March 31st)

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Pretty in Pink Classic Ink

Paper: Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper (Subtles Collection)

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, In Color Stampin' Write Marker Set (Peach Parfait & Pear Pizzazz), Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Sticky Strip.

Creative Card Share: Thank You from the Heart

2011-03-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, it has been a busy day today so I didn't get a chance to post this card share earlier. This simple card, once again shows that you can create a beautiful card with the simplest of supplies. I CASEd this card from Andrea Walford on her website, http://www.andreawalford.com/ and with just a few simple changes, came up with my own twist.
The 1" squares of Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper (from the Subtles Collection) provide a sweet background for the glittery red hearts that were punched from the Red Glimmer Paper that can be found in the Occasions Mini catalog, using the Small Heart punch. I popped them up on Stampin' Dimensionals for added dimension.

The cardbase was created from Pretty in Pink cardstock and the Whisper White layer is a perfect background for this design. The bottom corners were rounded with the 3/16" Corner punch and the sentiment, from the stamp set Just Believe, was stamped in Real Red Classic ink. The two small hearts were punched using the small heart from the Two Step Owl punch, one from the Pretty in Pink Designer Series paper and the other from the Red Glimmer paper.I added 3 score lines to the Whisper White cardstock to draw attention to the details on the card.

I hope today's simple card share will inspire you to create a simple and beautiful card for someone special today.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Needed (Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamp set: Just Believe

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Papers: Red Glimmer Paper, Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper

Accessories: Small Heart Punch, Two Step Owl Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Quick & Easy Bookmark to Brighten Your Day

2011-03-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
While we are on the subject of owls, I just couldn't resist sharing with you a sweet bookmark I created using the Two Step Owl punch and some scraps of cardstock and Designer Series Paper I had left over from other projects. There are so many ways to use this Two Step Owl punch, whether it is with the Sale-a-bration stamp set Punch Bunch that I shared in the previous post, or just used with cardstock and Designer Series paper to create a cute punched art owl like this bookmark.
The base of the bookmark was created from Pretty in Pink cardstock using my Big Shot and the Two Tags Sizzix Bigz die (exclusive to Stampin' Up!). I then punched out a scallop circle from Melon Mambo cardstock using the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch and attached it to the bookmark with a Stampin' Dimensional.

The Owl is punched from Chocolate Chip cardstock and the lighter parts of the eyes are punched from Naturals Ivory cardstock. The heart is punched from Real Red cardstock and the vest is punched from a scrap of Pretty in Pink Designer Series Paper (Subtles Collection).

The verse is a stamp from the Level 3 Hostess stamp set Occasional Quotes, stamped in Melon Mambo Classic ink.

Once again, you can create this project from whatever color or color combinations you choose and it is a perfect way to use up the scraps you have lying around. Bookmarks make a perfect gift to add to a card and this one will bring a smile to your face everytime.

I hope you have enjoyed this quick little project and I hope it inspires you to see the possibilities in all the scraps you may have lying around and create a new project of your own.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! Only unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Occasional Quotes Level 3 Hostess Stamp Set

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Naturals Ivory, Chocolate Chip, Real Red

Designer Series Paper: Pretty in Pink (from the Subtles Collection Pack)

Accessories: Big Shot, Sizzix Bigz Two Tags Die, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Two Step Owl Punch, Snail Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Creative Card Share: I Love the Punch Bunch Owl

2011-03-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, it is a warm and windy Spring day here in Northglenn, Colorado and my kids are enjoying Spring Break and the freedom of being outdoors.
So this is a perfect time for me to share with you my absolute favorite stamp from my favorite Sale-a-bration stamp set. Of course that would be the cute little owl stamp from the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Punch Bunch. This stamp set is so amazing and the best part is that each stamp coordinates with a Stampin' Up! punch so you can just stamp and punch for quick and easy cards that look fabulous.
Today's cards feature a style of card that I love to create called the Scrappy card. This is where you get the opportunity to use up those scraps of cardstock and Designer Series Paper you have lying around to create fun, simple and colorful card designs.
This first card uses two of the stamps from Punch Bunch. The Happy Birthday is stamped in Old Olive Classic ink on Whisper White cardstock and then punched out with the Scallop Square punch. The owl is stamped with Soft Suede Classic ink and punched out with the Two Step Owl punch. I added the punched circles to make his eyes stand out (also from the Two Step Owl Punch) and I punched out a cute little vest from scrap Designer Series Paper with the same punch to dress him up. The wings are punched from the Two Step Bird Punch from Soft Suede cardstock and I sponged the edges with Soft Suede Classic ink.

The balloon I created by punching out a 1" Circle from Real Red cardstock using the 1" Circle punch and the small part at the bottom is actually one of the owl's feet punched from Real Read cardstock and attached to the circle with snail adhesive. The string is created with Stampin' Up!'s Linen Thread.

The cardfront is created with Naturals White cardstock and it is my new favorite for making cards as it has a little more body than the Whisper White Cardstock. I embossed the cardfront with the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder using my Big Shot.

The second version of this card, changed the colors a little and stamped the Happy Birthday with Tempting Turquoise Classic ink and the little vest was punched from a scrap of Crushed Curry Designer Series Paper (now retired). For his eyes, I punched out the circles with the Two Step Owl Punch using Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock to give him the look of wearing glasses. I also shaded the Real Red balloon with Real Red Classic ink to give it a bit more definition and dimension.

As you can see, from this one card design you have endless possibilities just by changing the colors you use and you only need one stamp set to create this design.

To see more details about the Sale-a-bration stamp set Punch Bunch, as well as other fantastic Free Sale-a-bration products, Click Here to download a digital copy of the Sale-a-bration Mini Catalog.

I hope today's card share has inspired you to see the many possibilities that are available with the Punch Bunch stamp set and how quick and simple it can be to creative wonderful cards for family and friends with stamps and punches.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (Stampin' Up! only unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch Sale-a-bration Stamp set

Cardstock: Naturals White, Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black, Soft Suede

Designer Series Papers: Real Red (from the Brights DSP collection), Crushed Curry (retired)

Inks: Soft Suede, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red Classic Inks

Accessories: Two Step Owl Punch, Two Step Bird Punch, Scallop Square Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Big Shot, Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Sponge Daubers

Sale-A-Bration: Sweet Summer Project

2011-03-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Here is another great video from Stampin' Up!, this time featuring the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Sweet Summer. I hope you enjoy the wonderful ideas that Carrie Cudney shares during this video. If you are receiving this as an email update, please visit my blog to view the video.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Creative Card Share: Sweet Summer Sale-a-bration

2011-03-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, Spring has made its presence felt today with temperatures in the 70's and wildfires to go with it. It has been very dry here this winter and with no rain in sight, I feel for all who are threatened by this latest round of fires. With strong winds in the forecast for tomorrow, please say a prayer that they will be able to get the fires under control soon.
Today I wanted to share with you a card I created with the Sale-a-bration stamp set Sweet Summer. Did you realize that you only have 10 days left to take advantage of Sale-a-bration to earn this stamp set for free? I will be so sad to see this stamp set go as I have really enjoyed using it.

The flowers in the circles are from the stamp set Sweet Summer and I watercolored them using a blender pen and Tempting Turquoise Classic ink. The background is from a retired pack of Certainly Designer Series Paper I had left over and I paired it with Melon Mambo cardstock to add a splash of color for the circles and the paper ribbon borders.

For the ribbon I chose to use the Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon and I used Whisper White cardstock punched with the Oval punch and stamped the sentiment using Tempting Turquoise Classic ink. The Thank You sentiment is from the stamp set, Teeny Tiny Wishes, one of my favorite stamp sets.

I hope you have enjoyed today's creative card share and I hope it inspires you to create something with Spring Colors to brighten your day.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sweet Summer (Free Sale-a-bration Stamp Set)

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Whisper White

DSP: Certainly Celery Designer Series Paper (Retired pack from 2009-2010 catalog)

Ink: Black Stazon, Tempting Turquoise, Certainly Celery (for sponging of background on circles)

Accessories: Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval Large punch, Snail Adhesive.

Sale-A-Bration: Bliss Project Video

2011-03-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Here is a short video from Stampin' Up's Shannon West, and her fantastic projects using the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Bliss. You can earn this wonderful stamp set for free with a $50 order (not including Shipping & Handling and Taxes) during Sale-a-bration, which ends March 31st.
I hope you enjoy this video.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Welcome Spring & a Blissful Card Share

2011-03-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Firstly, I want to apologize for being away so long. I can't believe it is half way through March already and Spring is finally here.
I am looking forward to posting some of the projects that we have been creating at my classes and workshops recently. It has been so much fun sharing the excitement of the wonderful new products in the Occasions Mini Catalog and helping people explore their creativity while having fun.
It actually makes me a little sad to realize there are just 11 more days of Sale-a-bration and then we say goodbye to this wonderful promotion for another year, and the Free Sale-a-bration products I will have to say goodbye to as well. Once April 1st arrives, they will no longer be available, so don't miss out of these amazing free products.
Today I want to share with you a card design that was inspired by another Stampin' Up demonstrator by the name of Linda Higgins. It is created with the Sale-a-bration stamp set Bliss, which you can earn for Free when you place an order of $50 in Stampin' Up products (does not include Shipping & Handling and Taxes).
I created this thank you card last month using Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla Cardstock. The ink I used is Crumb Cake Classic ink and I love the way the three colors compliment each other. As a finishing touch, I used a medium sized pearl from the Basic Pearls pack to accent the butterfly image and the Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim for a lacey, vintage touch. The background has been embossed using my Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

I just love the stamp images from the Bliss stamp set and the choices they provide. You can use several together as I have in this card, or use the images individually to create your own unique creation.

If you love the romantic, vintage look then you will love this stamp set and like me, will find yourself reaching for it over and over again. That being said, I just couldn't resist remaking this card as a birthday card for a recent card class.

Instead of Baja Breeze, I chose Bashful Blue cardstock to pair with the Very Vanilla cardstock and this time I chose Sahara Sand Classic ink to stamp my images and to sponge the edges.

The beauty of this card design is that you can create your own color combinations and with the Bliss stamp set, you can explore new combinations for a special design of your own.

I hope you have enjoyed today's creative card share and I hope it helps inspire you to create your own amazing projects. Remember, Sale-a-bration ends March 31st, so if you would like to earn the Bliss stamp set or any of the other wonderful Sale-a-bration Free products, contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store to order 24/7. For each $50 in Stampin' Up products you order, you may choose a Free Sale-a-bration product. (Does not include Shipping & Handling or Taxes).

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stamping,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):

Stamp Set: Bliss (Free Sale-a-bration Set)

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla

Ink: Crumb Cake & Sahara Sand Classic Ink

Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Basic Pearls pack, Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim, Sponge Daubers, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive.

Sale-A-bration Card Share:Pretty Pink Punch Bunch Owl

2011-01-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Today I want to share with you a card I created for my Open House last weekend. Let me just say that I fell in love with this cute owl stamp in the new Sale-A-Bration stamp set, Punch Bunch which coordinates perfectly with Stampin' Up's Extra Large Two-Step Owl Punch (found on page 201 of the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog).
My inspiration for this card came from an amazing Stampin' Up demonstrator by the name of Mary Fish. She created this cute card on her blog here including a wonderful video tutorial showing how to create the circle rings behind the owl.

I used Melon Mambo Classic ink to stamp the owl and the Happy Birthday Scalloped Square on Whisper White cardstock. The Happy Birthday stamp is also from the Punch Bunch Sale-A-Bration stamp set and coordinates with the Scallop Square Punch (item #119884). This wonderful Sale-A-Bration stamp set contains 5 great stamps and each coordinates with a Stampin' Up punch to make creating cards and projects quick and easy.

The large circle was created from Pretty in Pink cardstock using the 1 3/4" Circle Punch (item #119850) and the 2 1/2" Circle punch (item #120906). I embossed the circle ring using the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (item #117335) using the Big Shot and embellished it with Dazzling Diamonds using the Two Way Glue Pen.

The small circle was punched from Melon Mambo cardstock using the 1 3/8" Circle punch (item #119877) and embossed with the Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (item #115963). The small flower embellishment was punched from Pretty in Pink cardstock using the small flower punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack (set of 3 punches item #118309) and I added a small rhinestone from the Basic Rhinestones jewel pack (item #119246). I attached the flower to the embossed circle using a mini glue dot.

The card base was created using Naturals White cardstock and I embossed the card front with the new Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (item #121809) found in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.

I popped the Owl and the Happy Birthday up on Dimensionals to add a little extra dimension to the card and I just love how this card came together. You can create this card with your choice of colors and embellishments to suit the person you are giving it to.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Sale-A-Bration card share and I hope it has helped to inspire you to create your own Sale-A-Bration project.

Remember, with just a $50 order of Stampin' Up products (not including S&H and Taxes) you can choose your own Sale-A-Bration product for free.

Contact me today to place your order or visit my Online Store to shop 24/7.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stamping,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Sale-a-bration 2011 is Finally Here!

2011-01-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, I can't believe it is finally here, it seems like we have been waiting forever for the start of Sale-a-bration 2011. I think that you will find that Stampin' Up has outdone themselves this year with the fantastic selection of Free Sale-a-bration products you can earn starting today and ending March 31st.

There are four fabulous stamp sets, available in your choice of wood mount or clear mount that will have you itching to get stamping. In addition, you can choose the Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper & Quick Accents pack consisting of 9 sheets of 12 x 12 Designer Paper and 2 coordinating sheets of self adhesive Die cuts to create fun projects. There is also the Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon & Button Pack containing approx. 15 yards of 1/4" White Grosgrain printed ribbon and 48 cute flower buttons, all of which coordinate perfectly with the Ice Cream Parlor DSP and Quick accents.

Love Decor Elements? Then there is something for you too with the Notes Chalkboard Decor Element that would look great displayed in your home.

Last but by no means least, Stampin' Up is offering for the first time the So Much to Sale-A-Brate Digital Content CD with all of the Sale-a-bration products available in digital format for you to use with your My Digital Studio Software or another compatible software program. Just think of all the fabulous digital projects you can create!

Now, I am so excited about the fact that you can choose from 8 exciting new and exclusive products during Sale-a-bration 2011 but I have to tell you, there is still more.

On page 11 of the Sale-a-bration Mini Catalog there is a page full of stamp sets you can earn for Free as your Sale-A-Bration product choice, that are selected from the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog.

Click here to download your Free Digital copy of the 2011 Sale-A-Bration Mini Catalog and see for yourself the amazing products you have to choose from this year.

So now you are probably wondering how you can start earning these incredible new Stampin' Up products and I am here to tell you it is so simple.

Just place an order for $50* in Stampin' Up products and you can choose 1 Sale-a-bration Product for free. If you place an order for $100* in Stampin' Up products you can choose 2 Free Sale-A-Bration products and for each additional $50* in Stampin' Up products you order, you can choose an additional Sale-a-bration Product.

Plus, if you host a workshop/party and have sales of at least $300*, you will earn 1 free Sale-a-Bration product in addition to the wonderful Hostess Benefits.

* Does not including S&H and taxes

So don't wait any longer. Contact me today to book your own workshop/party or to place your order and take advantage of the great Sale-a-bration products Stampin' Up has to offer. You can also visit my Online Store here to place your order 24/7.

Have a wonderfully creative day.

Until Next Time.

Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Filled With Love Scrapbook Share

2011-01-17T13:29:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Children are a wonderful joy in life, and watching them grow up can often be bittersweet. I have been looking back over past Christmas photos of my own 4 children and it still amazes me how much they have all grown and how fast the time has flown by. The photos that we take of them are snapshots of the stages of their lives and they are more precious as time goes by.
Today I would like to share with you another wonderful scrapbook page that can be found on my Stampin' Up website, here in my Project Gallery.

This scrapbook page was created using the wonderful products from the Filled with Love Bundle that is available now through January 24th. The stamped images were created using the Filled with Love Stamp set and the background is from the Love Patterns Designer Series Paper set. Note the cute embellishments used to create the XOX at the bottom of the page - these are the Bitty Buttons you can earn free when you purchase the Filled with Love Bundle before January 24th.

Shop Now

Filled with Love Bundle

Contains the Filled with Love Stamp Set and Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack
Wood-Mount Item # 124380 $32.90
Clear-Mount Item # 124381 $26.90
Receive a FREE package of Bitty Buttons--a $4.95 value--when you purchase either the wood or clear mount exclusive Filled with Love Bundle.

Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack (non-bundled)
12 sheets total: three 12" x 12" sheets of two double-sided designs in Real Red and Pretty in Pink
Item # 124156 $9.95

The Love Patterns Designer Series papers work well for your Valentine's Day projects and are versatile enough to be used throughout the year for all occasions. Now is a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of this special promotion and stock up on these beautiful papers.
Please note that neither the Filled with Love stamp set or the Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack will be available once this special promotion ends January 24th. So don't delay, and place your order by contacting me or you may place your order by visiting my Online Store here.

Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Create a Special Keepsake this Valentine's Day

2011-01-11T16:36:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I love Valentine's Day because it helps us to celebrate the ones we love and we get to create new and special memories that warm our hearts the rest of the year.
Today's share is a beautiful scrapbook page featured on my Stampin' Up website and can be found here in my Project Gallery.

Featuring wonderful products from the 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog, this scrapbook page would be a beautiful gift to give to a special loved one and would look great framed.
The style of this scrapbook page is simple, yet powerful. Perhaps you have a special photo celebrating your engagement or anniversary that would be perfect for this style of scrapbook page.
I hope you have enjoyed today's creative share and I hope it helps to inspire you to create your own special project for the loved ones in your life.
Until Next Time.
Stampin' With Love,
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

New 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog Now Available

2011-01-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well and that the weather is warmer where you are. It is freezing here in Denver and the snow has made the roads icy and not fun to drive on. When the weather is like this, I prefer to be toasty warm inside and it is the perfect opportunity to play with my new products from the new 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up!
There are so many fantastic new products it is hard to know where to start. My favorites so far are the brand new Blossoms Petal XL Punch and the coordinating Build a Blossom stamp set (both on page 12 of the Occasions Mini catalog), followed closely by the Build a Cupcake XL Punch and coordinating stamp set, Create a Cupcake (both can be found on page 22 of the Ocasions Mini catalog).
I am the first to admit, I don't have time to cut out individual pieces to create projects, which makes both of these new punches a welcome addition to my stamping studio. Not only can you punch out your stamped images with these punches, but you can also just use the punches by themselves to create cute cupcakes and beautiful flowers to embellish your cards, scrapbook pages and crafting projects.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you will be inspired by the amazing new stamp sets, designer series paper and embellishments to help you create beautiful projects to share with loved ones. The Love Impressions Rub-ons are a great way to create quick and easy cards and projects and the new Red Glimmer paper is to die for.
Spring will seem even closer with the beautiful designer series papers and once again, Stampin' Up is offering gorgeous Designer Fabrics that coordinate with the Springtime Vintage and Sweet Stitches Designer Series papers.
There really is something for everyone in this amazing new mini catalog. Download your own free digital copy of the 2011 Occasions Mini catalog here or click on the icon located on my sidebar.
You can contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store here to place your order 24/7.
Until Next Time.
Warm Stampin' Thoughts,
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Happy New Year - Welcome to 2011

2011-01-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone,

I hope you all had an enjoyable New Year with family and friends. We had a very quiet New Year celebration, that is if you exclude the loud bangs from the poppers my children insisted on letting loose at midnight, lol.
Already I have heard the talk about New Year Resolutions and the commercials for the latest and greatest diet programs and exercise equipment to help us all start a healthier New Year.
Now while I don't actually make resolutions because I tend to not stick to them, I do try and set myself a few simple goals to help me get started with the New Year. For example, this week my goal is to survive the children going back to school and getting the family back into a reasonable routine again. For me, that is a challenge, but one I see as doable and it will benefit the whole family.
Another goal I have set for myself is to set aside some time to create projects with my new Stampin' Up products that my family gave me for Christmas. This one will be even trickier when combined with my first goal, but I believe that I am up to the task.
So while I don't have anything new to show you that I have created recently, I do have a beautiful card that is featured on my Stampin' Up website that relates nicely with the New Year. This elegant card is actually a New Year's Invitation but when I saw it, I immediately thought engagement, wedding or even anniversary card.

You could replace "You're Invited" with an appropriate sentiment and you could also change the stamped image as well as the color theme to suit the occasion.

I just love the embossed background created with the Big Shot and the Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Embossing folder and the cute embellishment added to the stamped glasses created with a punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and a sparkling rhinestone from the Rhinestones Basic Jewels.

Here is the list of supplies used to create this beautiful card:

Stamps

• Cheers to You
• Inviting

Paper
• Basic Black Card Stock
• Brushed Silver Card Stock
• Very Vanilla Card Stock
• Marina Mist Textured Card Stock

Ink
• Jet Black StāzOn® Ink Pad

Accessories
• Basic Black 5/8” Satin Ribbon
• Linen Thread
• Rhinestone Basic Jewels
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®
• Mat Pack
• Paper-Piercing Tool
• Decorative Label Punch
• Scallop Trim Punch
• Wide Oval Punch
• Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
• Big Shot™
• Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Remember that today is the last day to place your order for the 2010 Holiday Mini catalog so don't delay. Contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store here to place your order.
I hope you have enjoyed this card share and I look forward to having some new and exciting cards to share with you to help inspire you with your projects for 2011.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Last Days to Order from the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog

2010-12-30T11:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Well the end of 2010 is almost here and I am still wondering where the year went! I swear each year goes by faster than the previous one. With the end of 2010 brings us to the last days to order the fantastic products from the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog. You only have until January 3rd, 2011 to place your orders before it disappears.
Now that Christmas is over and the presents have all been unwrapped, you are probably like me and feeling a little dazed and confused. Out of all of the holidays we celebrate during the year, Christmas is the one that we invest the most time to create wonderful happy memories for our families. I have a bunch of photos that I took Christmas day as well as all the events leading up to it (decorating the tree, school holiday concerts and so on) that I now would like to use to create a record of this Holiday season.
Plus, I also have all my Halloween and Thanksgiving photos as well as my Fall photos to go through. It is easy to get behind during the last few months of the year, but that is OK. With the cold winter days ahead, I can take the time to create my scrapbook pages and projects using wonderful projects from the Holiday Mini Catalog. This mini has so many great stamp sets, embellishments, Designer Series Paper sets and more to help record my precious memories.
Stampin' Up! has also provided a list of products from this Mini that will be available after January 3rd. They are listed below:

Remember, just because the Holiday Season is over, it doesn't mean we have to stop enjoying these wonderful products. Several of my favorite stamp sets from this Mini catalog can be use beyond the holidays, such as Merry Crittermas and Paisley Prints (as well as the coordinating Paisley Party Wheel). The cute sledding bunny and the singing cat would be great on kids cards and you could alter several of the other stamp images from the Merry Crittermas set to use throughout the year.
I am already using the two different heart images from the Paisley Prints stamp set to design my Valentine cards (I will be sharing photos and details soon). The leaf image and the tree image will work well for masculine cards as well as general occasion cards such as Thank You, Get Well, Thinking of You style cards.
Another idea that I am working on, is getting an early start on next year's Christmas cards. Yes, I know, it seems a bit crazy, but seriously if I don't think about getting started soon I know they won't get done. I fall into the same trap every year in that by the time I think about making my Christmas cards for the year it is already September leading into October. At this time of the year, the kids are back at school and I am busy with their activities and we are already thinking Halloween. Before you know it, we have snowballed into Thanksgiving and Christmas and once again my Christmas cards are not finished. Sound familiar?

If this sounds like something you would consider doing, let me know and we can figure out a plan together. Stampin' Up has provided a wonderful free card design available here (it would also double as a great masculine card or thank you card, just vary the colors used). This card is created using the Paisley Prints Stamp Set and the background was created using the Paisley Party Wheel.

You can find a wonderful library of project ideas by clicking here to help get you inspired.

So don't forget to take another look through the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog and place your order either by contacting me or by placing your order by visiting my Online Store here. Don't forget to also check out the Clearance Rack for great Stampin' Up! retired and discontinued products at fantastic discounts.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Merry Christmas Everyone

2010-12-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a

Wonderful Safe & Merry Christmas.

May you have a day filled with warm and happy memories with

your family and friends.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I look forward to sharing

with you in the future.

Until Next Time,

Merry Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

P.S. The above Digital card was created with My Digital Studio.

Filled With Love - Get an Early Start on your Valentine Projects

2010-12-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

So with Christmas just days away, how many of you have noticed that there is a shift already to the next big holiday event? I was watching a Christmas movie last night with my family on the Hallmark channel, when a commercial came on advertising there program line-up of Valentine themed movies for February! My husband said to me, "Wait a minute, we haven't even had Christmas yet" and I agreed with him that it seemed soon.

But then my brain started to tick over and consider the fact that the New Year is less than two weeks away and before I know it, January will be a memory. Now if you are like me and have kids, then you are already starting to sweat at the thought of the Valentine's Day treats and cards that they will want and suddenly I am thinking that I need to get started on my plans for Valentine's Day right now.

Just as well Stampin' Up! has already thought of this dilemma that we are facing and is currently offering a wonderful promotion called Filled with Love to help us be prepared in time. The Filled with Love Bundle not only provides you with a fantastic stamp set called Filled with Love but an exclusive, limited Designer Series paper set that will have you creating Valentine's projects in no time. Add to that, Stampin' Up will also send you a set of Bitty Buttons for free when you purchase this bundle! This button set contains 16 buttons in 4 different shapes for a total of 64 clear buttons.
You can download a copy of the Filled with Love Flyer here for more details.

Filled With Love Promotion

The Filled with Love Bundle includes the Filled with Love Stamp Set (choice of Wood or Clear Mount) and exclusive Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack. Plus, you'll get a FREE package of Bitty Buttons--a $4.95 value--when you order this bundle! Bitty Buttons will be added to your order at checkout.

Clear Mount Bundle 124381 Price: $26.90

Wood Mount Bundle 124380 Price: $32.90

You can also order additional packs of the Designer Series Paper Love Patterns using the following information.
Designer Series Paper Love Patterns

124156 Price: $9.95 This Designer Series Paper Pack--exclusive to the Filled with Love Promotion--contains 12 sheets total: three 12" x 12" sheets of two double-sided designs in Real Red and Pretty in Pink. This paper pack is included in each Filled with Love bundle or can be purchased separately. When the promotion ends January 24, 2011, these colors and designs will only be available in the color collection Designer Series Paper Stacks.

Looking for some ideas to help you get started? Just click here to download a free PDF file with two amazing Valentine projects to inspire you.
Remember you can place your order by contacting me or by visiting my Online Store here to place your order 24/7.
Also a reminder to place your orders for products from the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog by January 3rd, 2011 before they disappear.
Have a wonderful day filled with Love.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Christmas Card Share: Cute Little Cardinals

2010-12-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I am back with another Christmas card share for you that we created in one of my holiday classes this year. I just love these cute little cardinals and the Little Cardinals Builder Wheel available in the Holiday Mini catalog makes this card an easy card to create multiples to save time. I used Jet Black Stazon ink to stamp this image to make sure that the image doesn't smudge.
I used my Stampin' Write Markers to color my cardinals with, and if you wanted to you could color each of you cards differently to make each card unique. I chose Real Red for my Cardinals and Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi and Daffodil Delight for the accents of this particular card.
The cardbase is created from Baja Breeze cardstock and embossed using the Big Shot and the Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. The cardinals are stamped on Whisper White cardstock and matted with a strip of Cherry Cobbler cardstock, which has a sweet border created using the Pinking Hearts Border punch.

The sentiment is from the stamp set, Teeny Tiny Wishes, stamped on Whisper White cardstock with Cherry Cobbler Classic ink. It is punched out with the Modern Label Extra Large punch and matted with Cherry Cobbler cardstock also punched with the Modern Label Extra Large punch. To create the matte, just cut the Cherry Cobbler piece in half and attach to each end of the Whisper White punched sentiment (on the reverse). I then added two Gold Brads to make the sentiment pop.

For a little sparkle to the snow, I used my Two Way Glue Pen to add Dazzling Diamonds to the stamped image to finish off the card.

This card would also make a cute winter birthday card or even a get well card to cheer someone up. These cute little birds can't help but bring a smile to your face when you see them.

I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas Card Share and I hope it helps you to get creative with your cards and projects.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up unless indicated):

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Cherry Cobbler Classic ink

Stamps: Little Cardinals Builder Wheel*, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder*, Stampin' Around Jumbo Wheel Handle, Builder Wheel Spindle & Spacers, Pinking Hearts Border punch, Modern Label Extra Large punch, Stampin' Write Markers (various colors), Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue Pen, Gold Brads, Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Christmas Card Share: Sparkling Peace

2010-12-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Well it is just 3 days until Christmas and I thought I would share some of the card designs that I created this year for the holidays. This was one of the cards we created in this year's holiday cards classes and it was a big hit. I love the hint of sparkle the Dazzling Diamonds adds to the snowflake and the adhesive rhinestone jewel just finishes it off.
This card has a wonderful snowy winter feel to it and the great thing is that it can be changed to use beyond the holidays simply by varying the sentiment used. This would be a wonderful card design for a thank you card and would also work as a birthday, thinking of you, anniversary or a winter wedding card.

This card design can be changed by varying the colors used to give it a whole new look as well. This is the card design I used to create my husband's Christmas cards for his team at work. The only thing I altered was the sentiment, using instead Merry Christmas from the stamp set Four the Holidays.

Using the Big Shot to help you create your cards really does help to cut down on the amount of time it takes to create multiples of a card design. With this card I used the Big Shot to emboss the Whisper White cardstock background with the Northern Flurry Textured Embossing Folder (exclusive to Stampin' Up) and to die cut the snowflake using the Northern Frost Sizzix Decorative Strip (also a Stampin' Up Exclusive) from Marina Mist cardstock.

The great thing about the decorative strip is that there are 8 different snowflakes of varying sizes that you can choose from, so you can make each card a little more unique by varying the snowflake die cut that you use.

I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas card share and hope it helps to inspire you.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up unless otherwise indicated):

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Whisper White

Ink: Marina Mist

Stamp Set: Peaceful Season (Level 2 Hostess Set from Holiday Mini Catalog)*

Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder*, Northern Frost Sizzix Decorative Strip*, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue Pen, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Snail Adhesive.

* These products are available from the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog which ends January 3rd, 2011.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

2010-12-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all enjoying the Holiday Season and finding time to be creative. I love creating Holiday projects, whether they are Christmas cards, scrapbook pages or gifts for family, friends and my children's teachers.
Unfortunately, my children have been caught up in a vicious cycle of catching all the various illnesses in the past two weeks which has made it difficult for me to find any crafting time. I hate it when my children are sick and miserable and I am really hoping this week we have turned the corner and can all get healthy again.
My Holiday Card Share for today features two cards using the same layout, colors and stamp set. The new stamp set Jolly Bingo Bits currently available in the Holiday Mini Catalog and it contains 24 different stamp images to help you not only with your Holiday crafts but also your projects throughout the year.
This was one of the cards we created at last month's Holiday card class and everyone loved that they could create their own unique version of this card, simply by varying the stamped images they used. This is a great card for making a large quantity of cards while still providing a unique feel to each card.

The card base is made from Very Vanilla cardstock and the layers are Cherry Cobbler cardstock and Chocolate Chip cardstock. I stamped the gingerbread men images onto Very Vanilla cardstock with Soft Suede Classic ink and then punched them out using my 1" Circle punch. I matted two of the gingerbread men with 1 1/4" circles punched from Old Olive cardstock using my 1 1/4" Circle Punch and then punched one more 1 1/4" circle from Cherry Cobbler cardstock for the remaining gingerbread man.

I punched the bottom of the Cherry Cobbler layer using the Eyelet Border Punch and I embossed the Chocolate Chip layer using my Big Shot and the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder for a little added texture.

As you know, every Christmas card deserves a little bling, and for this card design I used the Clear Tinsel Trim (available in the Holiday Mini Catalog) to add that special holiday touch.

For the finishing touch, I stamped Happy Holidays from the stamp set, Four the Holidays (item #116921 price $13.95) as my sentiment across the bottom of the card.

This second card shows that I stamped the cute reindeer image in Chocolate Chip Classic ink and I used the Silver Tinsel Trim this time to add the sparkle. The Season's Greetings sentiment is also from the Four the Holidays stamp set stamped with Cherry Cobbler Classic ink.

As you can see, this is a very simple card to make but it makes a wonderful card design to give friends and family this holiday season. By varying the stamped images and even the colors that you use, you can make each card a unique work of art that will have you creating cards all through the year.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Holiday Card Share, and I hope it will inspire you to create your own creations for the Holidays and beyond.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used:

Stamp sets: Holly Jolly Bits available in Clear Mount Item # 121187 price $26.95 or

Wood Mount Item #120857 Price $37.95 Set of 24 Stamps

Four the Holidays (available in Wood Mount Only) Item #116921 Price $13.95

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Inks: Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip and Cherry Cobbler Classic inks

Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Silver Tinsel Trim, Clear Tinsel Trim, Snail Adhesive, Dimensionals.

Creative Holiday Ideas: Create your own Holiday Ornaments

2010-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I don't know about you, but it is about this time of the year that I realize how close Christmas is (just 27 days away, yikes!) and how much I still have to do to get ready.
The good news is that there is still time to add your own personal touch to the holidays with the cards, gifts and decorations you can create for family and friends. It is also a wonderful way to spend time with your family and create special memories.

Today I wanted to share with you how simple it is to create your own Christmas ornaments to give to family and friends. I love the vintage look created by the watercolored stamped images on the ceramic ornaments.
The images were stamped with Stazon Jet Black Ink and I "watercolored" them using Classic Inks and a Blender Pen to create an heirloom feel. The above ornaments were stamped with images from the Bells & Boughs stamp set, that is currently on sale as part of the ABC Holiday Bundle Sale. It is a part of the Vintage Christmas Card Bundle and is available in either traditional Wood Mount or the new Clear Mount stamp sets. You can learn more about this wonderful sale here.

The second set of ornaments I want to share with you are stamped with the Merry Crittermas stamp set available in the Holiday Mini Catalog. I love this whimsical stamp set and it reminds me of the joys of childhood at Christmas. Imagine creating personalized ornaments for your children and/or grandchildren that they can treasure and use from year to year to decorate the tree. This beautiful stamp set is also available in wood mount or clear mount and can be found here.

I hope you have enjoyed today's holiday share and I hope that it will inspire you to create your own family heirlooms to treasure for years to come. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. You can also place an order through my Stampin' Up! Online store. Don't forget to check out the wonderful Online Spectacular Sale that runs now through November 30th for great savings of 20-50% off. Click here to visit my Online Store.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used:

Blender Pen Item # 102845 (set of 3) $9.95

Assorted Classic ink pads

Stazon Jet Black Ink Pad Item # 101406 $7.95

Counting my Blessings this Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T16:33:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I hope that you are having a wonderful day with family and friends. We are celebrating this Thanksgiving here in Colorado in a very quiet and relaxed way, which is a blessing in itself. Earlier this week, three of my children all came down with a nasty stomach flu and I thought that we would be eating chicken soup this Thanksgiving rather than our delicious Turkey dinner. Thankfully they are all doing much better and are back to their normal energetic selves.
Today I would like to share with you the Thanksgiving Card I created to email to my family and friends. I used Stampin' Up!'s amazing digital software, My Digital Studio, to create this holiday postcard. I am so thrilled with how it turned out.
The photo I chose is one that was taken last month on our annual visit to the pumpkin farm. We don't often get the chance to have a family photo taken, but this particularly day we were fortunate enough to have a kind and generous passerby offer to take the photo for us and I just love how it turned out.

The colors I chose for this card are Cajun Craze and Early Espresso for the cardstock and ink and the Designer Paper is from the Geometric Designer Series paper. I used the Gratitude stamp image from the Define Your Life Stamp Brush set, which is included with the My Digital Studio software.

Don't forget that you can order My Digital Studio and save 50% off the regular price now until November 30th. Contact me to place your order or visit my Online Store to place your order 24/7.

I hope you have enjoyed my digital card share for this Thanksgiving Day and hope that you will be inspired to share your Holiday memories with family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Merry Christmas with My Digital Studio

2010-11-24T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's the day before Thanksgiving and I decided to have some fun designing a digital postcard with My Digital Studio. I love this program and could quite happily play around for hours creating my digital projects. The wonderful thing is, I really don't need that long to create projects and if I don't like something, I can change it with the click of my mouse. No waste, no stress involved. Doesn't that sound perfect for the holidays?

The best thing is that you can take advantage of the fantastic special price on My Digital Studio (item #118108) between now and November 30th, and save 50% off the regular price - just $39.98!
Here is the Christmas Postcard I created and to be honest, the most time consuming part about this card was choosing the right photo (you know, making sure they are all smiling etc.). The Designer Paper is from the Deck the Halls Photocard Digital Kit (item #122176) which is just one of the Digital Downloads on sale as part of Stampin' Up!'s Online Spectacular Sale. You can download the list here.

The great thing about this Digital Christmas card is that I can choose to send it via email as an E-card or I can print it as a traditional postcard. Better yet, I can do a combination of both and take care of all my family and friends with one card design.

My Digital Studio is a great tool for someone who is just starting out and has limited supplies, as it provides you with Stampin' Up!'s fantastic range of colors in cardstock and ink colors, as well as Digital Stamp images, punches and embellishments to help you create cards, scrapbook pages, calendars and multi media projects. This would be a great gift for a teenager to help them explore their creativity or for a new mother/father wanting to record their memories of their precious new family member and share it quickly and easily with family and friends.

My Digital Studio is also a wonderful asset to an experienced papercrafter as it provides them with a wonderful design tool to plan and create their projects. Once they have their design the way they want it, they can create it with traditional supplies or they can print it and embellish it as a hybrid project.

There are so many ways that you can use this program and you can customize and add to it with Stampin' Up!'s Digital Downloads that you can purchase from my Online Store through my Stampin' Up! Website. Click on the Digital Crafting Link to see the full range of My Digital Studio products available.

I hope you have enjoyed today's digital card share and hope that it will help to inspire you with your holiday projects.

Wishing you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday.

Until Next Time.

Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

It's Here! Stampin' Up!'s Online Holiday Spectacular Sale!

2010-11-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
I love the week of Thanksgiving for so many reasons. It is a wonderful time to spend with my family and my kids love the fact that they only have 2 days of school (I love it because I get to sleep in the rest of the week, lol). We have a very relaxing and informal Thanksgiving Day meal with a turkey and all the trimmings and we sit around watching the Macy's Parade, the Dog Show and of course the all important football games.
There is one other thing that I look forward to this time every year and that is Stampin' Up!'s Online Holiday Spectacular Sale! They have such wonderful specials with amazing savings and I can shop from the comfort of my own home. How can you go wrong?
This year's Online Spectacular has some incredible specials that I know you will just love!

Image 50% off My Digital Studio Software! That's right - you can order your very own copy of My Digital Studio for just $39.98. Plus, there are My Digital Studio Downloads on sale from 20-40% off the regular price.

This is just one of the amazing Stampin' Up! products that can be found here on this list of discounted products, especially for the Online Spectacular. Just click this link to download the list.

This sale runs from November 22 through to November 30th and you must use the item numbers from the Online Spectacular product list in order to take advantage of the great savings. All orders must be placed online through my Online Store to be eligible for these discounts. Just click this link to place your order.

There is no minimum purchase required and you can combine sale items with other Stampin' Up! product purchases on the same order (take advantage of the ABC Holiday Bundle Promotion in addition to the Online Spectacular Sales for further savings!).

Plus, if your order totals $150 or more (not including Taxes and Shipping and Handling), you will recieve Free Shipping on your order.

So get started on your Holiday Shopping today without having to drive to a single store and take advantage of the fantastic savings from Stampin' Up! Please contact me if you have any questions and I will be happy to help you.

Happy Shopping,
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Shop Now!

ABC's of the Perfect Handmade Holiday

2010-11-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

One of the things I love best about the Holiday Season is the chance to create my own handmade cards and gifts for my family and friends. Whether it is something vintage and classic in style or more of modern and whimsical theme, I know that I can find what I am looking for from Stampin' Up! to meet my Holiday needs.
Plus, Stampin' Up! has this amazing special called the ABC Holiday Bundle Special Offer to help us save 20% on select Stampin' Up! products, available now through to December 16th.
These bundles include wonderful Holiday Stamp Sets (in either traditional wood mount or the new Clear mount option), Holiday theme Designer Series Paper (Perfect for Cards, Scrap Book pages and Gift ideas), Coordinating Punches (for quick and easy cards and tags), Simply Adorned jewelry (great for a personalized gift) and Definitely Decorative Home Decor products.
To view the great Holiday Promotion Bundles Click Here to download the Flyer.
Please note: the Tags Til Christmas 2 Bundle is currently unavailable to order due to the Ornament Punch currently being unavailable.
You can place your order through my Stampin' Up! Online Store here from the comfort of your home or feel free to contact me to place your order. Let me know if you have any questions and I will be happy to help you.
I will be sharing some of my Holiday Cards and Gifts to help get you in the Holiday Spirit over the next few weeks, so please feel free to subscribe to my blog to receive the latest updates.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Simply Amazing! Become a Demonstrator and save 50% off SU Starter Kits!

2010-11-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, it has been a busy last few months and the holidays are approaching quickly. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by since I last posted and how busy my life has been with all 4 of my children in school. Funny, I was under the impression that I was going to have more free time when my youngest started Kindergarten, but alas, it has yet to materialize. Anyway, it is great to be back and I am looking forward to sharing with you some great ideas for the Holidays as well as some fantastic special offers that Stampin' Up! has made available to help you with your Holiday Shopping.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator? Perhaps you have thought it would be nice to be able get a discount on your Stampin' Up! purchases or maybe you have been looking for a way to earn some extra income.
Well, now is the perfect time to sign up to become a Stampin' Up Demonstrator and save 50% off the price of either the Standard Starter Kit or the Digital + Starter Kit. Normally these kits are priced at $175, but Stampin' Up! is currently offering an amazing Special where you can purchase either kit for just $87.50! That is a 50% saving, plus you get Free Shipping!
Each Starter kit is valued at over $310 in crafting and business supplies, plus as a Stampin' Up Demonstrator you can enjoy these great benefits:

Earn Additional Income while sharing creativity

Opportunity to Earn Free Products and Incentive Trips

Receive a Free Subscription to an Exclusive monthly magazine

Receive 2 free months subscription to your own Business Website

Enjoy access to nearly unlimited creative ideas

These are just a few of the wonderful benefits that you can enjoy as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and now is the perfect time to sign up! The kit alone provides you with fabulous Stampin' Up! products at an amazing price too good to pass up. Just remember that this offer is only available for a limited time, so sign up by November 30th to take advantage of this Simply Amazing Offer!

To learn more about the Starter Kits, Click here for details. You can also view important information about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator on my website here.
Please contact me with any questions you may have and I will be happy to help you. I would love to have you as a member of my team and help you on your Stampin' Up! Creative Journey!

Have a fantastic Day!
Stampin' Hugs,
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Friday Card Share - Wanted Birthday Card

2010-08-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
TGIF! It has been a long week for our family this week with this being the first full week of school. Plus there were a lot of changes for my son in his kindergarten class and to top it off it was HOT! I know that when the weather gets cold in a couple of months I am going to be wishing for some hot weather, but for right now, I am wishing it was more like Fall weather.
Today I wanted to share with you a birthday card that I created for my Dad. Now anyone that knows my Dad knows how much he loves his horses. So I knew instantly what stamp set I wanted to use. I love the Stampin' Up stamp set Wanted, but unfortunately it retired at the end of the last catalog as well as the small star punch, boo hoo!

I love the way you can use the horse stamp to create the feeling of motion and the repeat stamping without reinking the stamp gives that variation in color of the 3 horses that I just love.

The background was a piece of patterned paper that I had from when I first started paper crafting and it fit perfectly for this card. The Birthday Wishes stamp is from Stampin' Up's Level 3 Hostess Set, Occasional Quotes, and I just love this stamp set. It has such a wonderful variety of sentiments and quotes that I find myself reaching for it over and over again.

I hope you have enjoyed today's card share and hope it inspires you to get out your stamps and create something today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Fun with Black & White Tags

2010-08-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Sorry I have been absent for so long. My kids are all back in school and we are slowly getting into a regular routine. With my husband away on business, I have been taking care of everything which has meant very little time for stamping and creating.
So today I thought I would share with you some tags that I created for a swap that I participated in recently. I belong to a wonderful group called Art of the Creative Mind, where we explore creating art using mixed media. It is a lot of fun and really has given me the opportunity to think outside the box.
Anyway, this particular swap was to create two Black & White Tags. Now, I have never really played with this combination before as I tend to gravitate towards color, so this was a fun challenge for me.

I decided to have one tag be black and the other white to explore the different contrasts. I also decided to use two different embossing techniques - heat embossing and dry embossing using my Sizzix Big Shot.

For the Black Tag I used the Stampin' Up Background stamp, En Francais, and stamped it with Whisper White Craft ink. Using white embossing powder and my heat gun, I heat embossed the tag and loved the texture and look of the bold white script on the black cardstock.

To embellish this tag, I used my Scallop Circle punch to punch out my flower shape and then cut between every second scallop towards the center to create the petals. I stamped the pattern using a stamp from the Elements of Style stamp set from Stampin' Up, using Basic Black Classic ink. The small black center flower was punched from black cardstock using the Boho Blossoms punch and I used a clear rhinestone jewel to accent the center of the flower.

The small white tag was dry embossed using my Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing folder that is exclusive to Stampin' Up. Then I created my sentiment using the For You stamp, also from the Elements of Style stamp set with Basic Black Craft ink and heat embossed it using black embossing powder to add some dimension. I matted it onto a slightly larger circle of black cardstock. The ribbons were some scraps I had left over from another project and just seemed to finish it off.

For the white tag, I decided to again use my Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing folder to emboss the background to add texture. I created the border across the top using the new Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch from Stampin' Up. The flowers were punched from white and black cardstock using the Boho Blossoms punch and I accented the centers of each of the flowers with Dazzling Diamonds for a little sparkle.

The letter F and friends were stamped in Basic Black Craft ink and heat embossed using black embossing powder. The stamped images were created with the Vintage Vogue stamp set from Stampin' Up. I carefully cut out the letter F to help it stand out against the white embossed cardstock. I again used a scrap of black ribbon to create the tie for the tag.

These tags can be used for many different projects. You can use them as gift tags, bookmarks, or as an element for your card or scrapbook page. I had so much fun creating these tags and they really are a wonderful way to explore new techniques and color combinations.

I hope you have enjoyed today's creative stamping project and I hope that it will inspire you to try experimenting with tags. Have a wonderful day.

Until Next Time.

Stampin' Hugs,

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Need Your Help - Please Support Adams 12 School District

2010-08-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
It has been a very busy couple of weeks with my children getting ready to go back to school. Living in Northglenn, Colorado, we are fortunate to have the beautiful Rocky Mountains close by.
My eldest daughter, Kaitlyn, is preparing to start Middle School and with the current budget cuts that our school district had to make, it has meant that the Outdoor Education Program has been cut due to lack of funding for all the 6th grade students in the Adams 12 school district.
This program offers new 6th graders a wonderful experience where they have the opportunity to learn new skills and develop friendships and self confidence, as they make the transition from Elementary School to Middle School. It also benefits a number of High School students from Adams 12 school district who volunteer and provide guidance and assistance to the 6th graders during this program, teaching them leadership and responsibility.
In an effort to save this program, the organizers of the Outdoor Education Program as well as many staff from Adams 12 School district have put together a proposal for the Pepsi Challenge and the voting is currently underway for us to have an opportunity to win a grant to keep the program alive.
Please take a moment to visit this link or click on the icon on my sidebar of my blog and learn more about what we are trying to achieve and if possible, vote for our proposal. This means so much to the kids and the teachers, staff and parents are all working hard to help find ways to save the Outdoor Education Program for Adams 12 school district. Voting is open until August 31st, so please vote every day if you can and help us to have a chance of winning a grant through the Pepsi Challenge to help our children.
Thank you for your help.
Until Next Time.
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Extra! Extra! Limited Time Offer! Stampin' Up offering $25 in Extra Hostess Benefits

2010-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I am so excited to share the latest news from Stampin' Up!

Extra, Extra Hostess Promotion

From July 27 to August 31, Stampin' Up! hostesses can earn an EXTRA $25 to use toward Stampin' Up! products of their choice when they host a workshop totaling $350 or more!
This extra benefit is included along with the standard hostess benefits they receive when they host a workshop. The standard hostess benefits include
•A free 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog worth $9.95!
•Free stamp sets only available to hostesses (with qualifying orders; select from the products on pages 10-16 of the Idea Book & Catalog)!
•Free Stampin' Up! products of your choice!

Workshop total          Free                  Extra, Extra     Grand
(before tax and        Stampin' Up!         hostess           Total
shipping)                 merchandise           awards

$350 - $399              $40               +        $25              $65

$400 - $449              $45              +         $25              $70

$450 - $499              $50              +         $25              $75

$500 - $549              $60             +          $25              $85

Now is a great time to get together with friends for a fun and relaxing time. Learn new techniques and create a fun project with products from the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog. No stress involved, just lots of creative fun.
This extra hostess benefit is only being offered for a limited time, so contact me TODAY to schedule a workshop!
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Holidays in July Creative Card Share - Christmas in July Part 2

2010-07-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I am back with the second Christmas card we created during last weekend's Christmas in July Creative Card Class. It is also the 5th and final card that we created.
This Christmas card could be considered the complete opposite of the previous card. Instead of traditional Christmas colors, I chose colors that reflect winter with icey blues and white.

The card base is created from Temptine Turquoise cardstock and the Whisper White cardstock has a stamped background created using the Sparkle and Shine Stampin' Around Jumbo Wheel in Tempting Turquoise Classic ink. I then embossed the stamped Whisper White cardstock using my Big Shot and the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I then matted the Whisper White carstock with a piece of Pacific Point cardstock to make it pop.

The ornaments were created with the Ornament punch, punching one of each from Tempting Turquoise and Pacific Point cardstock. I then embossed them using my Big Shot and two different Textured Impressions Embossing Folders. For the Tempting Turquoise ornament I used the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and for the Pacific Point ornament I used the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.

To adhere my ornaments to my card I used Snail adhesive for the Pacific Point ornament and then I used Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up the Tempting Turquoise ornament to create some dimension.

To finish off the card I used a sentiment from the Stampin' Up stamp set, Four the Holidays. This time I chose "Happy Holidays" and stamped it on the Tempting Turquoise card base using Pacific Point Classic ink.

This is such a fun and light hearted card that would be great to create for friends, teachers, co-workers and family. Again, you can change the colors around to vary your cards. Try adding some shimmer paint to the ornaments for a little added sparkle. Try using Platinum Shimmer paint for a silvery sheen or Frost White Shimmer paint for a softer look.

Thanks for taking the time to view my Holiday cards and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Stay tuned for more new ideas for the holidays as well as fun projects created with new and exciting products from Stampin' Up. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Don't forget, you can also place an order using my Online Store that can be found on my Stampin' Up Website.

I hope you all have a wonderful, creative weekend.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):

Stamp Sets:

Sparkle & Shine Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Price: $8.50

Four the Holidays 116921 Price: $13.95 Set Quantity: 4

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Whisper White

Inks: Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise Classic inks

Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Ornament punch, Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Handle, Snail Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Holidays in July Creative Card Share - Christmas in July Part 1

2010-07-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday Everyone,
Did you realize that tomorrow is July 25th, aka Christmas in July? Hard to believe isn't it? I actually went online just to see how long it is until each of the big 3 holidays and this is what I learned (as of July 24th):
99 days until Halloween
123 days until Thanksgiving (November 25th in the U.S.)
153 days until Christmas
Scary isn't it? So with that little piece of trivia to ponder, I will share with you today the two cards we made last weekend for my Holidays in July Creative Card Class. Hopefully the cards I have shared with you will help inspire you to start making your holiday plans.
Now everyone has their own favorite style when it comes to Christmas. Today I will be sharing two cards that have very different styles that are very easy to create.

The first card I want to share with you has a vintage feel to it using traditional Christmas colors of red and green with a hint of gold. I love this card because it gave me the chance to try out one of my new favorite Stampin' Up colors, Cherry Cobbler, combined with Old Olive and Very Vanilla. The card base and matte for the image are created with Old Olive cardstock and the embossed layer is a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock that I embossed using my Big Shot and the new Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

The hint of gold comes from Stampin' Up's Champagne Mist Shimmer paint, which gives the card that wonderful antique glow. I gently sponged the shimmer paint onto the embossed ares of the Cherry Cobbler cardstock using a sponge dauber.

The stamp I used is Dasher, from the Ala Carte stamp selection in the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog. I stamped this image on the Very Vanilla cardstock with Chocolate Chip Classic ink. To add a little sparkle, I used my Two Way Glue Pen to add Dazzling Diamonds to his antlers.

The finishing touch is the wonderful Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon which just ties all the elements of the card together. I also stamped my sentiment on the inside with Chocolate Chip Classic ink. I chose to use the Merry Christmas stamp from the Stampin' Up stamp set, Four the Holidays, which has four wonderful holiday sentiments perfect for your holiday cards.

This quick and simple card would be great to send out to your family and friends for the holidays. Add a photo and a short newsletter to the inside of your card and your Christmas cards this year will be the talk of the town. Add a little variation by switching the colors around or come up with your own holiday color combination. Change the stamp and you will have a completely original card of your own.

I hope you enjoyed this Creative Card share and I hope it provides you with ideas to create your own Christmas cards and help to reduce the stress of the holidays.
Have any questions or want to place an order? Please contact me today and I will be happy to help you. Or place your order online via my Stampin' Up website using my Online Store. Just click Shop Now to start shopping.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):
Stamp Sets:
Four the Holidays 116921 Price $13.95 Set Quantity: 4
The perfect set for the holidays, the Four the Holidays stamp set has the perfect four phrases that will let you say Merry Christmas in just the way you want.

Dasher 116816 Price: $8.95
When you only have room for one of the reindeer, Dasher's your man! Stamp him once for a simple card, or multiple times to make up Santa's famous team!
Set Quantity: 1

Cardstock: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Inks: Chocolate Chip Classic ink
Accessories: Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Champagne Mist Shimmer paint, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Holidays in July Card Share - Happy Thanksgiving

2010-07-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I am back with two more cards from last weekend's Creative Card class, Holidays in July. Today's card share focuses on Thanksgiving, that wonderful holiday spent with family and friends.
I love the colors of Fall and for the first card I used a Very Vanilla card base and gave it a lift with More Mustard cardstock embossed with the Square Lattice Textured Embossing folder using my Big Shot.

The top half of the Very Vanilla was stamped with the leaves image from the new stamp set, Confetti, to create a Fall background using the new In Color, Peach Parfait Classic ink. This stamp set has six different images suitable for holidays throughout the year. It is a great set and I am looking forward to playing with this set more in the future.

Once my background was stamped and the More Mustard cardstock was adhered to the bottom half of the card base, I used my new Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch to create a paper ribbon for my card from the new Cajun Craze cardstock. I love this color and I can see it being perfect for my Fall projects this year.

Let me tell you, this punch is so cool! It punches out the scalloped strip in one punch (no punching one side then flipping it over and trying to match it to punch the other side). You don't even have to cut a separate strip of cardstock to use it. I just punched it from a large piece of Cajun Craze cardstock and it left a neat straight edge on the remaining piece. Quick and easy to use and you have this neat paper ribbon to use on your cards, scrapbook pages and gifts.

I adhered the paper ribbon with Snail adhesive to cover the seam between the More Mustard and Very Vanilla cardstock.

Next I used my second stamp set for this card, Falling Leaves, to create the sentiment and the circle embellishment. I stamped the acorn Thanksgiving image using Cajun Craze Classic ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and then punched it out using the 1" Circle punch. I adhered this to the Cajun Craze paper ribbon using a Stampin' Dimensional.

Finally, I stamped the Grateful sentiment with Cajun Craze Classic ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and then used the Word Window punch to punch it out. I adhered it to the More Mustard cardstock with Snail adhesive.

I love the informal, fun feel of this card and this design would be great to use to create a set of cards or to use for an invitation for a get together.

The second card we created has a more elegant, almost formal feel to it. This card really does showcase how amazing heat embossing looks on a card to create a tone on tone look that can be dramatic.

For this card we used the stamp set, Autumn Splendor, a wonderful leaf set that is perfect for the Fall and we combined it with the Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel, Bright Blessings. For this card I chose to use Cajun Craze cardstock for my card base and Chocolate Chip cardstock for the accent strip.

The leaf background on the Cajun Craze card base was created by stamping the image using Versamark in randomly over the cardstock. Then I applied clear embossing powder to the images and heat embossed to bring the leaves to life. I love heat embossing, it's like watching magic happen as the embossing powder heats and melts to leave a raised, glossy image. Too Cool!

The next step, I used my jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel, Bright Blessings, with the Versamark ink and rolled my stamped image onto the strip of Chocolate Chip cardstock. Once again, I sprinkled embossing powder onto the image and heated it with the heat tool until the embossing powder melted to create the desired effect. I adhered the Chocolate Chip cardstock to my card base using Snail adhesive.

The last step is to create the acorn embellishment for the top of the card. Once again we will be heat embossing but this time we stamped the acorn stamped image (also from the Autumn Splendor stamp set) using Chocolate Chip Craft ink on Whisper White cardstock. Craft ink has a longer drying time and is perfect to use with embossing powder and gives you the option of many colors to choose from.

After stamping the image, I again sprinkled it with embossing powder and heated it with the heat tool. I then used the 1 1/4" Circle punch to punch out the image. Next I punched out a circle with the 1 3/8" Circle punch from Cajun Craze cardstock and adhered it to the back of the Whisper White circle to create a matte.

Finally, using the Scallop Circle punch, punch out a scalloped circle from a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock and adhere it to the back of the Cajun Craze circle with a Stampin' Dimensional. The last step is to attach it to the top part of your card using a Snail Adhesive.

This is another great card design that would be great for making multiple cards at one time. It would also make a great masculine card and you could change the theme of the Stampin' Around wheel to suit the occasion.

I hope you have enjoyed these two Thanksgiving cards and hope that it inspires you to start thinking about your Thanksgiving projects. After all, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to spend with family and friends, so why not get your cards and projects done early so that you have the chance to enjoy a stress free holiday.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):

Card 1 Grateful Thanksgiving

Stamp Sets:

Falling Leaves 115368 Price: $21.95 Set Quantity: 9

Confetti Wood Mount 116960 Price: $16.95 Set Quantity: 6
Clear Mount 120465 Price $12.95

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Inks: Peach Parfait, Cajun Craze Classic Inks
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch, 1" Circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail adhesive

Card 2: Autumn Splendor Thanksgiving
Stamp sets:
Bright Blessings Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel 115626 Price $8.50
Autumn Splendor 116503 Price: $20.95 Set Quantity: 4

Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Inks: Versamark, Chocolate Chip Craft ink
Accessories: Clear Embossing powder, Heat Tool, Stampin' Around Jumbo handle, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive.

Holidays in July Card Share - Happy Halloween

2010-07-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Everyone,
I can't believe another week is over already. This summer really feels like it is flying by at lightning speed. This weekend I have to brave the stores to do my kids Back to School shopping. Who knows, maybe I will find some good deals for crafting while I am there, lol.
Today I thought I would share with you the cards that I created for last weekend's Holidays in July Creative Card class. It was so much fun to design these holiday cards and I am already coming up with new ideas for next month's classes. Stay tuned for details.
The first card share I have for you is a cute Halloween card made with one of my favorite stamp sets from Stampin' Up, Batty for You. This stamp set has 8 different stamps that will make creating Halloween projects so much fun. It works great with the 1 3/8" Circle punch and the Scallop Circle punch so that it is as simple as choosing your stamp, stamping it and then punching it out.
For this card I wanted to try out a new color combination for me using 2 of the new In Colors, Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz. They work so well with the Pumpkin Pie card base and the Basic Black really made the colors pop.

I chose to use just one stamp, Batty for You, stamped in Basic Black Classic ink, to create my card but when we had the class I told my students to have fun and choose their own stamps and color combinations. They did a fabulous job and gave me so many great ideas to try. No two cards looked the same and I loved when they used the coordinating classic inks to stamp their images.

Everyone was amazed at how quick and simple this card was to put together and it is a perfect design for making multiple cards at the same time without taking a lot of time.

I hope you enjoy this card and hope it gets you inspired to start creating your own Halloween cards and projects. Batty for You is a great stamp set that works great for cards, scrapbooking and gift ideas. It is quick and simple to use and great for kids to create their own Halloween Treats. So why not get started today? Contact me to place your order or visit my Stampin' Up website and click Shop Now to place your order through my Online Store.

After all, Halloween will be here before you know it.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies (All Stampin' Up):

Stamp Sets:

Teeny Tiny Wishes 114968 Price $36.95 Set Quantity: 24

Batty For You 116576 Price: $23.95

Create crazy tags or accents for cards or scrapbook pages with the adorable images from the Batty for You set. This set also coordinates with the Batty wheel and our Ghostly Greetings Designer Series paper for a monstrously fun combination.
Set Quantity: 8

Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush, Basic Black, Whisper White
Inks: Basic Black (optional - Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crush)
Accessories: 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail adhesive

Creating a Card with the Stained Glass Technique

2010-07-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I am so excited to share with you how I created the card from the previous past using the Stained Glass Technique on Vellum. This technique is created when you stamp an image onto vellum and then apply color using markers or ink to the reverse side so that when it is turned back to the front, it appears to look like stained glass. I hope that you will love this technique as much as I do.
Now because I created my original card for a swap, I didn't take photos of the steps along the way, so I chose to make a new card and took photos of the different layers (although I still forgot to take a photo of the colored vellum layer).

Here is a photo of the completed card I created. This time I decided to use orange and yellow for my flowers and although I like the color combination, next time I would switch it so that my roses were yellow and my blossoms were orange.

Ok, so to create this card I started with a card base of Very Vanilla cardstock because I wanted a vintage feel to my card.

Next I took my En Francais background stamp and using River Rock Classic ink, I inked the whole stamp. Then, with my background stamp on the table facing up, I carefully placed the front of my card face down onto the stamp and gently rubbed the back to transfer the image evenly. Carefully lift the card straight up to get a clean, crisp image.

This is how your card front will look when you are done. This will provide that soft background script that will add dimension to your card design. Put your card base to one side ready for the next step.

Now we will work on the top layer by cutting a piece of White Vellum Paper, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. Place your piece of vellum on top of a clean piece of white typing paper to protect your surface and your image. This will make it easier to work on this part of the card.

Using the large rose floral image from the stamp set Elements of Style, I stamped this image on my vellum. Now I used Crumb Cake Classic ink but looking back at my card I wish I had used an ink that was darker so that the image stood out a little better. I would suggest trying Chocolate Chip or perhaps even Early Espresso Classic ink for a more defined stamp image that will allow it to show through when colored with the Stampin' Write Markers.

This is how it will look once you have stamped your image. As you can see, it has a very soft, sepia look to it. Allow the ink on the vellum to dry completely before moving onto the next step to avoid smearing.

While you are waiting for the vellum to dry, start choosing the colors that you want to use to color the elements of your stamped image. Remember that you want colors that will not be too dark so that you can still see the original stamped image through the color. I chose to use Pear Pizzazz (New In Color) for the leaves, Peach Parfait (New In Color) for my roses and Daffodil Delight for my blossoms. All three of these are brand new colors just released this month, and I am having so much fun coming up with new color combinations.

Once your stamped image on the vellum is dry, flip the vellum over so that the reverse side is facing up. Starting with the leaves and stems, color them in using the brush tip of the Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker to add soft subtle color to your leaves. Be careful not to smudge where you have colored with your hands (I find rotating the vellum as you color helps with this).

Next I colored the roses with my Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker. Now, when I first started I realized that it was a little too dark and my stamped image was not showing through as I would have liked. So then I tried just outlining the stamped areas with my marker and gently smudging the color with my finger tip which gave it a softer look. Another alternative would be to use a sponge dauber to carefully add color to the image. Play around with this to come up with what works best for you.

Using my Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker to color my blossoms with just a touch of the Peach Parfait to add depth to the centers. When complete, allow it to dry to prevent the colors from smudging.

The sentiment on the front of the card is created using the new Level 3 Hostess stamp set, Occasional Quotes. I love having lots of different sentiments to choose from and this set has a wonderful variety that work for many different occasions. I used Pear Pizzazz Classic ink to stamp the sentiment onto Very Vanilla cardstock and then I punched it out using the Modern Label Extra Large punch and then sponged the edges with Pear Pizzazz Classic ink. The scalloped oval that mattes the sentiment is actually created from two halves of the Extra Large Scallop Oval punch from Pear Pizzazz cardstock, so that it evenly frames both sides of the sentiment. To add a little sparkle, I applied Dazzling Diamonds using my Two Way Glue Pen.

So now it is time to assemble my card. If you have any experience with vellum you will know that using adhesive with it can be a little tricky. Most adhesives will show through the vellum which is not a desirable look. I discovered that my Two Way Glue Pen worked great with the vellum without showing through, yippee!

Before you glue your vellum on your card, flip the vellum over to the right side and place it on top of your card front. Check and make sure that everything looks the way you want it and fix anything before the next step. Once you glue the vellum in place there is no going back.

To adhere the vellum to your card front, flip the vellum to the reverse side again and using your Two Way Glue Pen, draw a thin line along all four sides of your vellum. It will look blue but once it dries it will be clear and will not show. Carefully place your vellum onto your card front starting with the top and lining it up as you work your way down. You can carefully lift the vellum as you work with it to make sure it goes on smoothly. Gently smooth the vellum to make sure there are no bubbles or kinks.

Once you are happy with how it looks, you can adhere your sentiment to the vellum using snail adhesive. For the finishing touch, I took a sponge dauber and gently sponged the outside edges of the front of the card with Pear Pizzazz Classic ink for a soft shadow look. Because the ink will be on the vellum, you will still be able to see the background script through the sponged color. Here is photo of the finished card again for you to see.

There are so many ways you can use the Stained Glass technique to design your cards and papercrafting projects. Think of how pretty it would look for a Christmas card design or to enhance a scrapbook page. Please contact me if you have any questions or you would like to place an order. Remember you can also place your order online through my Stampin' Up website by clicking Shop Now.

I hope you have enjoyed today's Creative Card share and I hope that it will inspire you to create your own works of art.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):

Stamps: En Francais Background, Level 3 Hostess Set Occasional Quotes

Elements Of Style - Clear-Mount Stamp 120045 Price: $19.95

- Wood-Mount Stamp 118611 Price: $27.95 Set Quantity: 5

Creative Card Share - Stained Glass Technique with Vellum

2010-07-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, my house is slowly getting back to normal and it no longer seems strange that we don't have guests here anymore. It was wonderful to have family visiting us and even though it was for only a short time, the memories will last a lifetime.
Today I thought I would share with you a technique that I have wanted to try for quite a while, but just hadn't gotten around to it. Thanks to a swap that I joined on the group "Art for the Creative Mind", I played with this technique and now I am addicted to it.
Honestly, it is really very simple but the effect is amazing and everyone that I have shown my cards to has just gone "Wow"! Now is that something that we all love?
Here is the original card that I created for my swap partner, Jeri, using the stamp set Elements of Style, the retired stamp set Asian Artistry (the dragonfly) and the background stamp En Francais (all from Stampin' Up). The butterflies are embossed and diecut with the Sizzix Embosslit die, Beautiful Wings and they are enhanced with Dazzling Diamonds for a little sparkle. The floral image has been stamped on vellum and colored on the reverse with my Stampin' Write Markers.

Don't you just love the soft, vintage feel to this card? The vellum gives the impression that the colored, stamped flowers are just floating on the surface of the card. In case you were wondering, the theme for the swap was Dragonflies & Butterflies and I think this card covered them both with style.

Would you like to see how I created this card? Stay tuned for my next post for details on how to create a card similar to this using the same technique.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Supplies Used (All Stampin' Up):

Stamps: Elements of Style, En Francais, Asian Artistry (retired)

Inks: Basic Brown (retired), Crumb Cake Classic Inks

Papers: Very Vanilla Cardstock, White Vellum Paper

Accessories: Big Shot, Sizzix Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Stampin' Write Markers (Marina Mist, Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight, Bashful Blue), Sponge Daubers, Dazzling Diamonds, Two Way Glue Pen

Say Hello to Stampin' Up!'s New Color Collections

2010-07-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
I hope you are all having a great week. The weather is fine and hot here in Denver, Colorado, a big change from the big chill we had a week ago.
Today I wanted to share with you a video that Stampin' Up has just released, with wonderful details on the new Color Collections that were launched July 1st as part of the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog.
Just click the video to view (if you are receiving this as an email update please visit my blog to view the video)

I love the new possibilities that the new Color Collections provide and the wonderful combinations available to bring your projects alive. Currently I am working with the new Cherry Cobbler (such a yummy sounding color isn't it?) and how beautifully it works with Old Olive and Very Vanilla for traditional Christmas cards. With the holidays just a few months away, it is not too earlier to get a jump start on your holiday cards and projects.
Contact me today if you would like to learn more about Stampin' Up!'s New Color Collections or the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog.
Want to place an order? Please visit my Online Store here and click Shop Now or contact me to place your order.
Hope you all have an inspiring day.
Until Next Time.
Happy Stampin',
Tricia Butts
http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

P.S. Don't forget, Stampin' Up! has some fantastic new Color Kits that make it even easier and affordable to add these new colors to your collection. Click here for details.

My Digital Studio - Birthday Splendor Card Creations

2010-07-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and 4th of July holiday. We had a very wet day yesterday so we didn't venture out to watch the fireworks this year. Mind you, our neighbors more than made up for that and we had a spectacular display going on all around our house. It was rather fun to watch them from our doorway as the rain came pouring down. Our poor little dog didn't like it at all and she spent the evening safely in her kennel, warm and dry.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon cleaning my craft area and reorganizing my supplies. With our guests arriving in a few days, I decided today to create my card share with My Digital Studio rather than mess up my nice, clean studio.
Today's card creation is a birthday card I created using one of the recent downloads available to add to My Digital Studio. It is a set of beautiful backgrounds called "Summertime Splendor" and I love the soft, watercolor feel they have.

This quick and simple card was created entirely using My Digital Studio. The sentiment is one of the stamp images available as is the punch shapes I used to create the frame and matte for the sentiment.

The other wonderful thing about My Digital Studio is that you can still access the retired colors and use them to create your digital projects. The cardstock cardbase is Lovely Lilac and the scalloped oval is Pixie Pink (I reduced the opacity to give it a softer look).

This Lily design is just one of 6 designs from the Summertime Splendor digital designer series paper and the download is just $4.95. That is amazing value when you consider all the possibilities available to you with these designs. You can use it to create 12x12 digital scrapbook pages as well (wouldn't this make a beautiful wedding page for a bride).

If you would like more information about My Digital Studio, please contact me and I will be happy to introduce you to the wonderful world of digital creations. Remember, you can place your order by visiting my Online Store here, just click Shop Now.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Until Next Time.

Happy Stampin',

Tricia Butts

Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

http://www.triciabutts.stampinup.net/

Summertime Splendor Designer Series Paper - Digital Download 121067

Price: $4.95
The Summer Splendor Designer Series paper digital download for My Digital Studio are an elegant and artistic addition to your digital library. Ideal for backgrounds or cut down for embellishments, these Designer Series papers are just what you need to capture the warmth and beauty of summer in your digital projects.