This example uses the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder and the new Word Play stamp set.  Early Espresso ink and card stock and the new In Color Blushing Bride DSP from the In Color DSP Pack!  I LOVE the new options for DSP packs!  Want to see what else is in the Word Play stamp set?  (All images copyright Stampin' Up!)

I love these phrases…the Remember When is a great phrase to use with Campbell Soup (err, I mean Greeting Card) Kids stamp set!

I just love the gingerbread man and the pumpkin!  Here is one of the first cards I made with this set:

For this card, I used the new In-Color Peach Parfait card stock and the reintroduced Tangerine Tango card stock and ink as well as the Peach Parfait 1/2" Stitched Poly Ribbon – which is FABULOUS to work with.  Two other new items used on this card – the bat punch and the 2-3/8" Scallop Circle punch.    Do you want to get some of that ribbon?  Why not order some from my product share?

Color Choices are the 2010-2012 In Colors – Concord Crush, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz

Free Shipping is Only for Those Customers in the United States!

Extra! Extra! Stampin' Up! hostesses get extra hostess awards July 27-August 31, in addition to the already fantastic hostess benefits!

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!

I have several openings so call me or email me today and book your workshop!!!  Don't forget – you can also host your own "book" party and earn these extra rewards too!
 

To welcome the kids back to school, I wanted to showcase this brand-new stamp set – GREETING CARD KIDS.  This set is also known as Campbell Soup Kids to my customers!!!!  All images copyright Stampin' Up! -

This adorable stamp set is in the main 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Catalog on page 36.  You have both the wood-mount option at $20.95 or the clear-mount option at $15.95.

I've also used the Tart and Tangy stamp set on the Real Red piece (stamped in VersaMark).   Isn't this card perfect to make for the first day of school?  Better yet, why not make a packet of them for your child's teacher!  What a great way to earn some brownie points! 

I created several different versions of the card to show the versatility of this card design. 

These cards use the same 2010 August Card Kit items, but just rearranged differently and using other stamp sets!  This card format is so versatile, and the colors used are perfect for holiday cards and even masculine cards!  I know my customers always need new ideas for masculine cards!    

I posted my August Card Kit page – you can find all the details on ordering this kit by clicking on the Card Kits tab and picking the August Card Kit.  Orders for the August Card Kit need to be in by August 20th.

At my Technique Tuesday class last week, I taught my customers the Scored Background Technique.  This is really a very easy way to give a card some texture and dimension.  The supplies should be in your stamping stash too!  All you really need is card stock and a scoring tool.

If you are going to stamp the background piece, you should stamp before scoring.  Then you need to decide if you want to scored background to  have "hill" or "valley" scores.  Score the stamped piece upside down for "hills"; score the stamped piece facing up for "valleys".

You need to score the piece both horizontally and vertically for "squares" – however, you can choose to do it just one way for a different look.

Find your middle of the card stock and start the score there.  I like to start in the middle because then it is balanced on both ends.  Start in the middle and make your score lines at the same intervals, then move back to the middle (or flip if you need to) and score the remaining section.  The size of your score intervals can be large or small, depending on the look desired.  I personally like the 1/2" score size and look. 

Turn your cardstock a half turn and then do the same to create "squares". 

This is also a great technique to create windows or even Hershey Bars!  My kids love to make Smores in the backyard firepit which inspired this card: 

Supplies Needed

• Under the Stars/Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets
• Cajun Craze/Early Espresso/Crumb Cake/More Mustard/Whisper White CS
• Cajun Craze/Early Espresso/Crumb Cake Ink
• Scallop Circle #2 Die/Big Shot/Polka Dot Embossing Folder
• Scoring Tool with Measuring Guide
• Sponge
• Distressing Tool
• Large Square/Word Window/Modern Label Punches

Directions

• Stamp smore in Early Espresso all over Cajun Craze piece. 

• Turn over and score 1/2" apart horizontally.

• Turn cardstock a quarter turn and score vertically.

• With piece of Early Espresso, score horizontally and vertically also.  Cut a square from this for your Hershey bar.  Be sure to cut just beyond the score line for the best effect.
• Punch out square in Whisper White for marshmallow and use distressing tool on edges.
• Sponge all over square to get marshmallow colored to your liking.
• Run a piece of Crumb Cake through the Polka Dot embossing folder.  Use square punch to cut out graham crackers.
• Run the Scallop Circle die through the Big Shot with More Mustard card stock.
• Stamp phrase in Early Espresso on Whisper White and punch with Word Window punch.  Punch Modern Label with Cajun Craze.
• Mount and adhere all pieces.

What is VC Rocks…and why do I love it??  VC Rocks is an online community where members share their love of stamping before, during, and after the Stampin’ Up! convention.  If you can’t go (or even if you can) to convention, you can get your "stampin’ mojo fix" with challenges, swaps, and discussions!  I have "met’ many fabulous stamping demos and nondemos through this group.

Thanks for stopping by, and now your next stop is -   www.theloveofstamping.com

One of the retiring stamp sets I will miss using with my customers is Owl Together Now.  At my Technique Tuesday class this month, I showcased one of the easiest ways to create a Faux Shaker card.

The biggest time saver is using a CD/Disk Envelope.  You can find these in almost any office supply or discount store.  I then cut one apart to use as a template when planning my stamped piece.  The white insert piece is 4.75" x 4.75". 

I punched out one Scallop Circle in Old Olive.  I trimmed off the edge on the left side.  I then trimmed the strip of textured Chocolate Chip card stock to look like a tree trunk.   The textured card stock does give the tree some dimension!  Do not use too much confetti – in fact, less is more!  I used small gold and red hearts.

Before attaching the tree parts to the Whisper White card stock, I stamped the branch in Old Olive and then stamped 3 owls in Chocolate Chip.  The hearts and the phrase were stamped in Real Red.  (Sorry for the fuzzy picture here)

I stamped the outside of the CD envelope with hearts and then sponged it with Chocolate Chip ink.  I inserted the Whisper White stamped piece into the CD envelope.  I put the confetti inside and sealed the envelope so the confetti doesn’t fall out!   I mounted the sealed envelope to a piece of Old Olive card stock and then to a folded piece of Whisper White.    Here is the finished card:

Supplies Needed:

• Textured Chocolate Chip/Old Olive/Whisper White Card Stock
• Chocolate Chip/Old Olive/Real Red Ink
• CD Envelope
• Confetti
• MonoAdhesive
• Sponge

What is VC Rocks…and why do I love it??  VC Rocks is an online community where members share their love of stamping before, during, and after the Stampin’ Up! convention.  If you can’t go (or even if you can) to convention, you can get your "stampin’ mojo fix" with challenges, swaps, and discussions!  I have "met’ many fabulous stamping demos and nondemos through this group.

Welcome to the first 2010 VC Rocks Bloghop.. you’ve most likely arrived here from www.stampinldyglfr62.blogspot.com, but if not, you can return to the start of our Blog Hop at www.vcrocks.blogspot.com .

I had the extreme pleasure of creating scrapbooks with a group of Brownie Scouts.  As a mother of three boys, this was a dramatic change from my usual environment!  It was lots of fun, and I think they really enjoyed creating a memory scrapbook from this year’s activities.  One of their activities we scrapbooked included baking together…I knew I had to create a little chef using my Stampin’ Up! punches!!!!

Since May is National Scrapbooking Month, I thought I would share this page for the first-ever VC Rocks Blog Hop!  For this month’s Blog Hop, we are featuring retiring colors and new Summer Occasions stamp sets.  I used both:  Close to Cocoa is featured on the page and is on the retiring color list (thankfully, more brown hues are coming), and I used one of the phrases from Go, Graduate from the Summer Mini Catalog on the page.  Here is the page:

Supplies Needed:

• Chocolate Chip/Close to Cocoa/So Saffron/Very Vanilla/Whisper White Card Stock*
• Chocolate Chip and Ruby Red Markers and Chocolate Chip Ink*
• Big Shot with Ovals Die
• Punches:  Scallop Edge/Word Window/Large Tag/1" Circle/Designer Label/5-Petal Flower/Trio Flower/Round Tab Punch
• Go, Graduate Stamp Set
• Flower Assortment Brads
• Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack
• Crimper
• Stampin’ Dimensionals and MonoAdhesive

Instructions

1. Use Scallop Edge punch on large Close to Cocoa piece and Chocolate Chip Photo Backing.  Mount pieces.
2. Stamp phrase and punch out with Large Oval punch.  Stamp a Designer Label piece in So Saffron.  Mount pieces.
3. Center holes for trio of brads and insert brads.
4. Use Big Shot and Oval Die with So Saffron card stock.  Use largest oval for punched art backing.
5. Crimp piece of Whisper White card stock.  Punch out with round tab punch at halfway line.
6. Punch in Very Vanilla the following:  (2) Word Windows-arms, (1) 1" Circle – face, (1) Trio Flower – dress buttons
7. Punch in Chocolate Chip the following:  (1) Round Tab – back hair, (1) 5-Petal Flower – front hair, (1) Large Tag – dress
8. With the 5-Petal punched piece, use the 1" Circle punch to cut off a section for the "bangs".
9. Use half of Round Tab punch for the "back hair"
10. Cut off a section of the Word Window pieces for shorter arms.
11. Create eyes and mouth and dots in the buttons with the markers.
12. Attach all pieces and pop up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
13. Mount remaining pieces.

*colors you may use will differ for hair color and eye color…

ALSO – in the theme of "little chef"  – My customers have been begging for me to share my dessert recipes that I serve at events so I have added a new section on my blog under EVENTS for my EVENT RECIPES.  I will be adding more this weekend…