Rubber Stamping & Card Making with Yapha

I love the Thoughts & Prayers Tree. I love it as a stamp and I love it even more as a Decor Element vinyl design! I have put up three of these trees so far — one at Applewild School Library, one at Paula’s house, and one at my parents’ house. But I’ve never had one of my very own. And now I do! We put up one in our living room, and I have to tell you, it looks fantastic! And it’s great for California, because you don’t have to worry about a huge piece of art falling down in an earthquake.

Remember, this comes in 6 pieces, so we started out slowly. Here’s a look at it partially up:

Here is the finished tree, right behind our couch:

My husband really liked the quote that was with it in the catalog, so added that too. We separated the birds from the quote for a more balanced look. Here’s a close-up of our end result:

I love seeing this in the living room! Here’s what it looks like:

January has been just a crazy busy month and I have gotten away from doing the weekly challenges that I enjoy so much. So I decided to jump back in with a splash and do not one, not two, but three challenges at the same time! I am combining Cindy’s Friday Funday Challenge (the theme is Friendship) with the sketch challenge from Stamping 411 and the color challenge from ColorQ.

I decided to make a sweet boy valentine with the Build-a-Bear stamp set. Did you know there is a special going on with all of Stampin’ Up’s Build-a-Bear products right now? For every $20 spent on products from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Collection, you will receive a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase at any Build-A-Bear Workshop store. This offer is valid through April 30, and the coupons are good through December 31, 2010. Now is a great time to purchase the Build-a-Bear stamp sets and dies!

Stamps: Bear Best Friends, Beary Best Times
Ink: StazOn Black, Stampin’ Write Markers (Real Red, Taken with Teal, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel)
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Pad
Other: Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Soft Subtles Brads (Bashful Blue), Stampin’ Dimensionals

It’s hard to tell from the picture, but his little Valentine is stamped on Bashful Blue cardrstock, cut out, and popped up on a Dimensional. I think it turned out cute! Perfect for my 5-year-old nephew!

Three years ago today I became a Stampin’ Up demonstrator! I can’t believe that it has only been three years, it is such a big part of my life! I can’t imagine not knowing all of the fabulous friends that I have made through it, or not having the joy in my life that I feel when I watch people create their own cards for the first time. Not to mention the great stress reliever and mental health break that creating something with my hands gives me. Sometimes you just need to color!

I signed up during Sale-a-Bration three years ago because it was an amazing deal, and since it is once again Sale-a-Bration, you can also get an amazing deal! Both starter kit options are 15% off PLUS you can pick any additional stamp set out of the catalog (up to $47.95) FOR FREE! This really is too good a deal to pass up. Before I go into details about these fabulous deals, I’d like to share with you some of the reasons I love being a Stampin’ Up demonstrator!

• I get to purchase all of Stampin’ Up’s fabulous products at 20% off (and sometimes more!)
• I can earn the money I need to support my stamping habit, and not take money out of the family budget.
• I have a really fun way to earn more money for both extras and necessities.
• I have numerous opportunities to earn free stamps from Stampin’ Up. (A free alphabet just arrived today!)
• I get to see new products first, and have a chance to buy them earlier than the general public. Sometimes they are only available to demonstrators!
• I have made amazing friends through Stampin’ Up — both other demonstrators and people I’ve met through workshops and classes. It was a huge support system for me when moving across the country!
• I have the “me” time that everyone needs so desperately.
• It’s my business, and I can work it as much or as little as I want.

Do any of these resonant with you? Or do you just want a really good deal on some great products? Here are the two Starter Kit options:

Regular Starter Kit

Regular Price: $199 (over $335 value!) – now only $169!
The standard Starter Kit include:

• Five stamp sets
• A Stampin’ Around wheel, handle, and ink cartridge
• Stampin’ Pastels
• Card stock
• Eastern Blooms Décor Elements and applicator tool
• Five Classic Stampin’ Pads
• VersaMark Pad
• Stampin’ Scrub and Mist
• Blender pens
• SNAIL
• Business forms and tools

Digital+ Starter Kit

Stampin’ Up has introduced a Digital+ Starter Kit. That’s right, you can sign up to be a demonstrator with an exclusive Starter Kit that includes My Digital Studio, in addition to stamps, inks, and accessories.
Digital+ Starter Kit Price: Regularly $185 (over $295 value!) – now only $157!

Digital+ Starter Kit Contents:

• My Digital Studio software suite
• Two stamp sets (Party Hearty, Petal Pizzazz)
• Whisper White card stock (8-1/2″ x 11″)
• Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2″ x 11″)
• Four Classic Stampin’ Pads (Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise)
• Four Stampin’ Write markers (Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red)
• Chocolate Chip 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon
• Real Red 1″ double-stitched grosgrain ribbon
• Button Latte Designer buttons
• Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Mini Glue Dots
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Business supplies (product catalogs, order forms, training DVD and other supplies)

The stamps, ink, and paper in both of these kits can be customized to your liking with items of equal value. For more information on becoming a demonstrator, please visit my website.

Signing up has never been easier! You can do it right through my website.  You’ll need to use my special password, which is SUwithYapha. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am so happy that I made this decision!

I saw this valentine made by Joan and I knew immediately that I had to make one of my own. It is spectacularly gorgeous! I am making it with my faculty card-making class after school today, and I can’t wait! It looks hard, but between the Big Shot and the punches, it comes together very easily.

Stamps: Well Scripted
Ink: Real Red
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper
Other: Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit, Full Heart Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Big Shot

Isn’t it gorgeous? There is glitter embedded in the paper! I love it!

This card could be used for Valentine’s Day but certainly has other uses as well, perhaps in supporting a loved one in a tough decision. It uses two of the Sale-a-Bration freebies — the Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pad and the Whimsical Words stamp set.  (Have I mentioned lately how much I love Sale-a-Bration? Free stuff! Whoo-hoo!) It was inspired by Corie’s card.

Stamps: Whimsical Words
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Welcome Neighbor Designer Series Paper Pad
Other: Bermuda Bay Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon

I was thinking this could be fun to do with other punched shapes as well, like stars.

We’ll take a little break from Valentines today. I want to show you one of the Decor Elements that my husband and I put up this week. We had this space above the stove, and were looking for something that would fit there. We decided on this saying, “Our attitude toward Life determines life’s attitude toward us.” It’s the perfect thing to read all day, from making coffee in the morning to cleaning up after dinner!

You can see all of the Decor Elements in the July brochure and the January supplement. We put up a few more as well, so be sure to check back to see them!

Here’s another card made with the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.  (Remenber, Stampin’ Up will donate $2 to the American Red Cross’s Haiti Relief and Development Fund for each of these sets sold.) This one is an easel card. It is fabulous to look at, and fairly easy to make. You can find detailed instructions here. I made it even simpler — I didn’t score my card stock first, just folded it in half, then folded one of the flaps in half again. And then I attached the 4.25″ square with a glue stick, it didn’t need sticky strip.

This is the front of the card.

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, With All My Heart
Ink: Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip
Paper: Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Other: Pinking Hearts Corner Punch,Pinking Hearts Border Punch,  Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Big shot

Here is what it looks like from the side.

I thought I would also show you my first version of the card. I ended up redoing it because I thought it was too plain.

Which one do you like better?

It’s been Valentine central around here lately! I’ve been making Valentines with my after-school kids’ club and have a faculty card-making class coming up soon too. This card is easy to make and looks great! It uses the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set, which I mentioned the other day. For every set of these purchased, Stampin’ Up will donate $2 to the American Red Cross’s Haiti Relief and Development Fund. If you haven’t bought it yet, now would be an excellent time.

It’s hard to see in the picture, but the three biggest hearts were punched out, and are popped up on dimensionals.  I also sprayed it with “shimmer mist” (a combination of the shimmer paint and rubbing alcohol) after the picture was taken. The whole thing sparkles!

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black
Paper: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White
Other: Heart to Heart Punch, Pinking Hearts Border Punch

All supplies are available for purchase 24/7 on my website. Or contact me to schedule your Valentine’s workshop today!

One of the highlights of the Leadership Convention that I attended earlier this month was a display of fabulous quilts by Jill Olson. She used the Big Shot to easily cut her fabric to make quilts and a variety of other projects with fabric.On the last day of Leadership, Jill was presented with the “Bright Idea” award for her wonderful integration of fabric crafting into her Stampin’ Up business. But it was we demos who won, because Shelli gave each of us our very own quilt square, made with the 5-Point 3-D Star Die. (The points are turned in to make the flowers.) This is one of the quilt squares. (As always, you can click on the pictures to see them bigger.)

This is a brooch that Jill made, and was wearing when she won the award. (I was excited to be sitting right behind her, and she was kind enough to let me take this picture!) It uses the three different scalloped circle dies.

I was also able to take pictures of the booth that Jill Olson had set up to show all of her bright ideas. Here are some of her projects:

Did you know, that if you use the Clear Bigz Dies (which are hollow) you can cut up to EIGHT pieces of fabric at one time? Crazy! That’s why the Big Shot is the quilter’s new best friend! And Sale-a-Bration is the best time to buy one! Contact me for more info, or start shopping today.

P.S. I’m hostessing a fabric samples swap on Stampin’ Addicts and will have even more amazing examples of what you can make with fabric and your Big Shot at the end of February, so stay tuned!

If you are like me, you have been watching the news about the horrific earthquake in Haiti, and wondering what you could possibly do to help. I am happy to tell you that Stampin’ Up has come up with an easy way for all of us to help.

In the past, when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, when a tsunami struck Indonesia, when a hurricane destroyed New Orleans, and when wildfires ravaged Australia, Stampin’ Up! has stepped forward and showed their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. This time is no different.

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set purchased will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relif and Dvelopment Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

I {Heart} Hearts is available in both the Wood Mount (117010) and Clear Mount (item 118571) option.   If you choose the Clear Mount option and need to purchase an acrylic block, Stampin’ Up! recommends using block D. I have examples made with it here and here, and I’ll show you more in the coming weeks.

If you would like to place an order for this stamp set, you can either email me your order or place an order online. (Just click the button that says shop now.)