Craftaway Studios - Round 3

Last month me and my downline, Tracy, went to Craftaway Studios again for a long weekend of crafting together.  This was my 3rd time to go and I can't wait to go again.  It's so nice to have no distractions from home and just stamp 'til the wee hours of the morning day after day!

We really spread out since it was just the two of us.  Hard to believe just two people belong to this spread.  My area was the 2 1/2 tables on the right and Tracy had the 2 1/2 tables on the left.

And this doesn't include the tools we had spread out in the adjoining studio (mainly just the Big Shots and heat embossing tools over there).  And I have but one photo of me because we stayed in our PJs all day on Sunday and just took project photos that day and Monday.

Tracy was working on samples for upcoming classes which included these adorable Sesame Street cards.  Here's the assembly line of Elmos.  She got the idea from our Stampin' Connection I believe.  Anyway, her cards came out great.  She did Big Bird and Cookie Monster too.

I also love the energy of a bigger group and I know one of my other downlines is planning something in a few months...I may have to tag along to that one!  I love that Craftaway doesn't have restrictions though, so you don't have to fill the house to go and enjoy some "me" time.

Happy Stampin'

Last Week to Sale-a-Brate!

Sale-a-bration (SAB) is almost over...it ends this Friday, March 22nd.  I hope you collected all the free items you wanted from the brochure.  I believe I collected everything!

Here's a Z-Fold card I designed this month for Shawntel's workshop.  She loves fancy fold cards.

Stamp Sets:

• Pretty Petites (SAB)
• Madison Avenue (SAB) (inside)

Colors:

• Primrose Petals
• Raspberry Ripple
• Crumb Cake (doesn't Crumb Cake just go with everything!)
• Whisper White

Tools / Extras

• Petite Curly Label Punch (SAB)
• Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack (Spring Catalog)
• 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon - Raspberry Ripple
• Vine Street embossing folder (SAB)
• Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder
• Stampin' Sponge
• Small Heart Punch (inside)
• Dimensionals

Here's the inside:

Make sure you click on my specials link once in a while.  Stampin' Up! is adding promotions all the time.

Happy Stampin'

Spring Card Folio - Tea for Two

I'm exciting to be doing another Card Folio class this Sunday.  It's been a while since I did this popular class.  This one will be Springy and use a lot of items from the Spring Catalog.  Here's the cover:

It holds 4 coordinating cards inside.  The folder is one 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of card stock (score at 5 1/2" and 6 1/4").  The pockets are made by cutting darts in the center where the score lines meet so that it folds up easily and expands.  There are extra folds of cardstock (1" x 2 1/4") attached with Sticky Strip on the sides to reinforce the pocket.  Here's the inside:

And here are the cards...two each of two designs with envelopes:

 Stamp Set:

• Oh, Hello

Colors:

• Crumb Cake
• So Saffron
• Island Indigo
• Early Espresso
• Lucky Limeade

Tools / Extras:

• Paper Doilies
• Flower Trim
• Needlepoint embossing folder
• Chevron embossing folder
• Designer Frames embossing folders
• XL Oval Punch
• Decorative Label Punch
• Labels Collection Framelits
• Apothecary Accents Framelits
• Tea for Two Designer Series Paper
• Tea Time Trinkets
• Basic Jewels - Pearls
• Stampin' Sponge
• Sycamore Street ribbon (Sale-a-bration)
• Crochet Trim - Victoria (24")
• Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon
• Sticky Strip for pocket reinforcers

I really love how this one turned out.  I designed it while I was at my latest Craftaway Studios retreat with Tracy, one of my downlines.

Oh, also I just found out that the March My Paper Pumpkin kits are shipping out!  If you sign up before the 10th of any month, you can join in the fun!  I have a post about it and a link in the side bar.

Happy Stampin'

Sale-a-brate with Feeling Sentimental

Here's a card I did for March Stamp Nights using the Feeling Sentimental stamp set from the Sale-a-bration brochure.  This set is available free with a $50 purchase.  The soda pop top is smashed pointed side up in the Big Shot between the 2 plates with one tab open.

Stamp Sets:

• Feeling Sentimental
• Lacey & Lovely
• Collage Curios

Colors:

• Baja Breeze
• Basic Gray
• Very Vanilla
• Riding Hood Red
• Lucky Limeade

Tools / Extras:

• Silver Soda Pop Tops (small)
• 1/2" Circle punch
• 14" Crumb Cake Taffeta ribbon
• Natural Trim
• Fan Fair Designer Series Paper
• First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper
• Silver embossing powder & VersaMark

Sale-a-bration ends on March 22nd...make sure you got everything you wanted free from this little special catalog!

Happy Stampin'

Basket Diving Bunny - Punch Art Easter Card

One of my Stamp Night projects this month is this cute punch art basket diving bunny.  I've seen a lot of bunny butt cards, and this is my take on that idea.

Stamp Sets:

• Delightful Dozen
• Just Believe (inside "Some things have to be believed to be seen")

Colors:

• Wisteria Wonder
• Crumb Cake
• Pink Pirouette
• Soft Suede
• Lucky Limeade
• Whisper White

Tools/Extras:

• 3 1/2" Labels Collection framelit
• 1 3/4" Circle punch
• 1 3/4" Oval punch (large)
• Small Heart punch
• 3/16" Corner rounder punch
• Cupcake Builder punch (sprinkles used as toe pads)
• Boho Blossom punch (3 of the scallop flower)
• Itty Bitty Shapes pack (1 flower)
• Square Lattice embossing folder
• Framed Tulips embossing folder
• Vintage Trinkets (brads)
• Little Leaves Sizzlits
• Stampin' Sponges

For the basket, cut bottom tip off of the Label Collection shape.  On the top, cut a dip off from the top scallop to the other top scallop.  Your bunny will cover up your cutting, so you don't need perfection here.  If you make a basket that will show the top, you can use an oval punch to cut the top so it will be nicer.

Here's the page my Stamp Night members will create in their monthly technique journal.

Happy Stampin'

My Paper Pumpkin - Your Creativity Escape Awaits

Don't have a lot of time for crafting?
Want to let someone else do the designing?
Don't have a dedicated room to hold all those crafting tools?

My Paper Pumpkin is a monthly kit in a box all designed, cut, and ready for you to take a 30 minute creativity escape...just add tape!  It includes stamps & ink too!  The fun starts this month.

This is the Welcome Kit.  You get this kit no matter what month you sign up.  So, if you don't want to miss any of the kits, you have to sign up by March 10th.  These samples SU! gave us are in brown boxes, but yours will be red like the website shows.

Here are the completed cards.  Envelopes and instructions are included too.

Here is the Try it kit.  Stampin' Up! only gave us one journal, but you get two in this kit!

Both the Welcome Kit and the Try It Kit include a free Acrylic Block (size D) that you can use over and over each month with the exclusive stamps in your kit.  Also, sometimes your ink will be a marker instead of an ink spot.

I used half of the butterflies on the inside and outside of my journal.  Then, I made this card with the leftover ones.  I plan to post additional projects utilizing some of the supplies you get in these kits.

Here's some better photos of the completed projects.

These were quick and easy to make.  I can't wait to get more kits.  They will be a surprise every month:  cards, home decor, journals...  Also, you can cancel anytime.  A better idea is to skip a month or two instead of cancelling all together since when you re-sign up, you will start with the welcome kit again.

Please designate me, Barbara Raffman, as your demonstrator so I get credit for the subscription and send me an email too so I can add you to my Paper Pumpkin Club for additional project ideas with your supplies...Thanks!
Here's the website:  https://mypaperpumpkin.com?demoid=2016726

Happy Stampin'

Stampin' Up! Dallas Regional - Swaps & After Party

Before I show you swaps, I forgot to show what we got free along with our make'n'take pojects.

These were all attendee give aways:  Print Poetry Designer Paper Stack & the Make a Wish stamp set.  There were also several Prize Patrol drawings and Catherine in our group was a winner for one of those give aways.

After the event, I threw an After Party for my team at my house.  I had pizza, salad, brownies, and tea.  We ate dinner, chatted, showed off our swaps, and did one bonus make'n'take card I had prepared.  Here's the make'n'take inspired by a card I saw on our demo site:

Swaps Galore:

and some more:

It was a great day!  Just makes me look forward to Convention even more.

Happy Stampin'