Dreams Grow…. with the new in colors

I got my new shipment of preorder goodies! By far one of my favorite things about being a demo is that I get to sneak peak products that customers won’t be able to buy till the new catty is out. I was super excited to get new stamps sets, and even more excited to get the new in colors.

This card uses the new set Dreams du Jour.

Supplies:

Ink: Riding Hood Red

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, and Pink Pirouette

Other: Stampin’ Dimensionals

(all images © Stampin’ Up)

Aren’t the new in colors beautiful! I used the Riding Hood Red for my card base. I then stamped the small butterfly stamp onto the cardstock with Riding Hood Red ink to create a nice background. Then I made faux suede paper by rubbing my Kiwi Kiss cardstock along a bone folder until it started to separate at the edge. Then, slowly peel the paper in two. The inside of the separated paper will look like suede. I then stamped the Dream stamp onto Pink Pirouette cardstock, and mounted it onto the faux suede Kiwi Kiss cardstock. Once that was mounted to the card, I stamped three butterflies onto Pink Pirouette and cut them out. Then I mounted each butterfly onto the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals so that they look like they are flying.

Speaking of In Colors, have you stocked up on all this year’s In Colors? If not, make sure you stock up on all your favorites, because they will be gone for good after August 10th. And, don’t forget a reinker for your ink pad!

I actually made a card!!!!

So, when I moved to Texas I could really only take what I absolutely needed, and the rest is coming August.  So there I sat in my stamping area deciding what had to come and what could wait.  I was clearly out of my mind from packing, because other than my new stamp sets I only packed: paper (lovely lilac and confetti cream), snail, bone folder, scissors, bright ink pads, staz on pad.  That’s it!  I didn’t even pack a paper cutter!  Was I insane?  Luckily, I had some Great Rewards (one of the many programs to benefit demos) so I got a free paper trimmer from SU.

But, being so limited in supplies reminds me why I got into stamping and SU.  I loved their images and I loved their matching paper and ink.  So I did the best KISS (Keep It Simple Sister) card I could, and remembered that it takes as much time to put together a simple beautiful card as it does one filled with ribbon, brads, and other goodies.

So here’s the card:

Supplies:

Paper: Lovely Lilac, Confetti Cream

Ink: Lovely Lilace, Staz On, Gable Green, YoYo Yellow, Pink Passion

Stamps: Boho Backgrounds, God is Love

Other: Blender Pen

(all images are ;copy& Stampin’ Up)

This card is pretty simple.  I stamped the confetti cream card with the flowers from Boho Backgrounds in lovely lilac.  I then stamped three of my favorite images from God is love, and cut them each into squares.  I colored them fun girly colors with my bright ink pads and a blender pen.  Then I mounted them on a lovely lilac strip, and mounted it to the right side of the card.  This card was give to a friend of our for her daughter’s baptism.

And, while I enjoyed stretching my mind with limited supplies I can’t wait to order new stuff on July 1st!  Demos get to preorder from a sneak preview, which means in about two weeks I’ll have all the new in colors to play with!  And, I’ll get two free stamp sets as part of another SU demo reward program.  I love being a demo!

Retirement List

Do you have a stamps on your wish list that you haven’t had the chance to purchase yet?  If so, make sure you check SU’s retirement list.  The retiring stamp sets will only be available until August 10, 2008 so make sure you order your must have sets soon!

 

Have You Thanked a Soldier Today

There are days that call for something other than ramblings about stamping and my love of SU. Today is one of those days. Have you thanked a soldier this day… this week…this year…ever? Take a moment and pray for all those fighting for freedom around the globe. Pray for those that have given their lives so that we may continue to be free. Give a donation to a Veterans group. Adopt a soldier. Send some of the cards you’ve stamped to soldiers so that they can send them to their family back home. Pray for peace.

Here’s a song that I love:
I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, “Your old courthouse is kinda run down.”
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town.”
I said, “Your old flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that’s a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.”

He said, “Have a seat,” and I sat down.
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is.” He said, “I don’t like to brag,
But we’re kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.

“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when
Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing Say Can You See.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seems.

“And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.

“On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II.
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.

“She waved from our ships upon the briny foam,
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land here she’s been abused –
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused.

“And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in.
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.

“So we raise her up every morning, take her
down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold
her up right.
On second thought, I do like to brag,
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of the Ragged Old Flag.”

And, Memorial Day also provided me with a much needed reminder from my wish list. I still need to order The Free & The Brave. It’s a wonderful set that I think perfectly depicts the dignity of being a soldier and serving your country.

I Got Married Stampin’ Up Sale

I am married, and back from my honeymoon. Because, of this very special occasion I am celebrating by offering you a very special one time sale based on things from my wedding. If you would like to place an order I will need your order and payment by June 5th. You can email me about ordering at colleenstamps@gmail.com
I can take checks and credit cards for your order.
If you would like to see the catalog online click on the link here:
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/colleenbrennell/products

You can only get this sale from me as it is not a Stampin’ Up wide sale.

You will get the following stamps sets for 10% off*:

Because our favorite and wonderful friends and family celebrated with us:

Wonderful Favorites (page 145)
Sale Price: 36.86

Because Aaron and I are now a family:

All in the Family (page 73)
Sale Price: 33.26

All in the Family Accessories (page 73)
Sale Price: 16.00

Because God is the center of our life together:

A Light unto My Path (page 103)
Sale Price: 21.56

Morning Soft (page 99)
Sale Price: 17.06

Because one of our wedding gifts was a beautifully planted garden:

Wild Rose (page 88 )
sale price: 33.26

Because we ate lots of yummy food in Rome:

Voila (page 42)
sale price: 21.56

Voila to Go
Sale Price: 14.36

Because I used these sets to make our wedding unique:

To Have and to Hold (page 46)
sale price: 22.46

Together Forever (page 46)
sale price: 18.86

Lovely Letters (page 158 )
sale price: 36.86

Because I used Designer Series Paper to make my pew bows.

Buy two packs of Designer Series Paper (pages 168 to 171), and get the third for 20% off*.

Because the colors in my wedding were purples and white
If you buy three of the following ink pads (classic or craft) you get one classic ink refill (any color) free*.

Orchid Opulence
Lovely Lilac
Elegant Eggplant
Perfect Plum
Pale Plum
Almost Amethyst
Lavender Lace

I hope you make use of these wonderful sales. I am happy as can be starting my new life with Aaron, and I’m happy that I can share a bit of that joy with you. I look forward to receiving your orders.

Colleen

*You will pay tax and shipping on the full amount of the sets/paper and on the free ink refill.

Going to the Chapel

A week from Saturday I will be getting married. Needless to say I’ve been super busy planning, and doing more than a few do it yourself projects. I am so excited to be married! I also can’t wait to be in Rome for my honeymoon, and then make my new home with my husband in Texas. And, I look forward to returning to a normal stamping schedule , and playing with all my stamping toys (and making thank you wedding cards, of course).

So after mid May this blog should go back to having regular posts.

One of the things I love about being an SU demo is that our low quarterly sales requirements allow me to slow down my business when my life demands it. I love so many of the stamp sets in this catalog that I could have easily jam packed in classes and workshops, and spent each every day stamping all day long. But, I have been blessed with planning not just a wedding, but preparing to be a Godly wife as well. Needless to say that with all the things I made for the wedding (invites, favor boxes, pew bows, etc.) my SU business needed to slow a bit. But, because we only have to sell 300 every three months I was able to present one buying opportunity to my customers and clear myself through the end of June. Which means I can still enjoy all the fun of being a demo without having to give up everything in my non-stamping world.

Have you ever thought about being an SU demo? If you have, I’d love to talk to you about the opportunity to save money not only on your personal stamping and scrapbooking, but also talk to you about the joy of sharing your love of stamping with others. Stampin’ Up is truly a wonderful company to work for, and now is a great time to become a part of the family. There is a recruitment special for May. You with get 20% off the starter kit, and you will receive your choice of Hodge Podge Hardware for free!

Celebrate Life

Have you been playing with all your new stamp sets? I wish I had more time to be inking up all the new stamps sets I’ve gotten from the Occasions Mini, but the wedding is only a little over a month a way so I’ve been crazy busy on working on things for it. So far I’ve made my own invitations, favor boxes, and stamped out of town gift bags. And, of course I made all the thank you notes for my first shower, which I, of course, forgot to take a picture of.

Anyway, here’s a card with stamp sets everyone loved when the catalog first came out, but may have gotten lost in the pursuit of new stamps.

Recipe:

Stamp Sets- Embrace Life, Celebrate
Paper- Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Regal Rose, Rose Red Prints DSP
Ink- Black Staz-On, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Always Artichoke
Extras- Paper Crimper, Distressing tool, vintage brads
(all images © Stampin’ Up)

I started off by using a smaller flower stamp in the Embrace Life set to make the very vanilla background paper, and stamped off the page in Regal Rose. I then backed that layer with Rose Red Prints DSP, and adhered it to the Always Artichoke cardbase. I then stamped the large flower onto Rose Red Prints DSP, and cut the flower out. I wanted more dimension to the flower so I stamped the flower onto Regal Rose, and cut out the shadows in the flower, and taped them onto the Rose Red flower. I then matted the flower onto an always artichoke distressed square turned on the diagonal. Because I wanted even more dimension to the card I added a vintage brad to each corner of the square. Finally I stamped the sentiment from the Celebrate Set on Very Vanilla, and mounted it on Regal Rose paper that I had ran through the paper crimper.

This card has dimension and texture galore. It takes time, but is a nice an elegant way to tell someone you care.

Stampin’ Up Carnival of Stamping #9

So, wedding invitations are finally finished and mailed. I’m now working on making over 200 2,5,7,10 favor boxes. Make sure to check out everyone’s fun projects!

Amy makes a vintage inspired card using Always, Afternoon Tea DSP, and the Carousel Cards.

Debbie makes a lovely swing card.

Sarah makes a stunning thank you card.

Becky makes an Afternoon Tea DSP swap card.

and

Jeanette takes a challenge, and makes an egg shaped card.

Stampin’ Up Carnival of Stamping #8

Amy makes a great friendship card using She’s All That and other Occasion Mini goodies.

Stacey makes designer series paper acetate boxes.

Michelle shows us how to use a stamp-a-ma-jig, and makes a beautiful card with Pretty Peony

and

Monique makes a pretty tart and tangy card.

A Regal Wedding Card

No, these aren’t my wedding invitations. This is a picture of a card I made for my fiance’s friend’s wedding. It uses two of my favorite colors: Regal Rose and Rose Red.

Recipe:
Stamp Sets: To have and to hold, Together Forever
Paper: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Very Vanilla
Ink: Rose Red
Other: tag corner punch
all images © Stampin’ Up

I matted Rose Red on top of Regal rose. On top of that, I placed a piece of very vanilla paper that I had stamped in Rose Red using the swirl stamp from to have and to hold. I left space in the right hand corner to place the sentiment Together Forever from the together forever stamp set. I then made tags using my tag corner punch in Very Vanilla and Rose Red. I stamped the bride and groom onto the very vanilla, mounted it to the Rose red, and then mounted it onto the rest of the card.

I love the To Have and To Hold stamp set. There are so many uses for it beyond weddings. You could use the heart for a Valentine’s Day card or general love card, the rose and swirl stamps for any background or accent on a card, the frame stamp for any card, the champagne for new years or for any celebration card, etc. And, of course, the bride and groom can be used for many many wedding purposes.