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Pinks and Browns work so well together, the card looks lovely despite my blind eye to creativity.

I started out stamping pink on pink, and loved the effect, built the whole card using the Vintage Vogue stamp set you will find in the new Occasions catalog available January 4. I finished the whole card and loved it. Come back in the morning to take a picture, so I can share with you, and the whole background has faded into nothingness. Bummer. So I stamped again with VersaMark and used clear embossing powder. Well that's better. But now that I have taken the picture and look at it, I guess I could have random stamped a bit better. . . two of the same image right next to each other isn't very random. Duh.

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Military Mom

2009 is almost over! While I am not much of a reflective person, this was a really big year for my family and I cannot avoid recognizing it as a high-water mark in a lot of ways.

In 1984 my DH and I wed, making 2009 our 25th year of marriage. We threw a giant party in our backyard with a caterer and a big tent. So much fun! It was frigid for May and the ladies had to wear their winter coats, but we persevered and drank wine and had a good time.

In 1990 my DD was born, making 2009 her high school graduation and departure for college. This is just unfathomable, that I could be old enough to have my youngest child leave home for college! Wow.

One of the most surprising events of 2009 was that my son evaluated all his options and chose to join the USMC. Kinda out of the blue! He was not happy with college, just coasting along trying a few study options, work options, play options, then he just decided to "man up" and joined the Corps. So now I am a Marine Mom. I would never have guessed this would happen! But he is perfectly happy and is studying in a field of work that should keep him safe and out of the direct line of terrorists, so I pray that God watches over him every day and am deeply grateful that he found a life that makes him happy.

2010 is just around the corner, I will be working hard to bring you the best of stamping and paper crafts, I will be turning the big 50 this summer, and I plan to continue living life to the fullest--because time FLIES!

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Balance?

Not sure if this composition works, but here is today's card. I have taken a current popular technique and made a flower. There is a bit of chipboard covered with DSP. The card base has been embossed using an embossing folder. And the stamp set is a brand new (sneak peek) at Garden from the Heart. Plus a bit of whisper white cardstock that has been border punched on the top and the bottom to make a lacy trim.

Are we interested in the flower technique? Zip over to see another version on Lydia's blog for the tutorial. Incredibly easy! But leave me a comment first, so I can offer it as a class technique, for those interested.

Remember that Stampin' Up! is offering some outstanding freebies starting next Monday. Let's get together to stamp and earn some fabulous products.

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Getting back to Stamping

What are you doing with your holiday break? If you tell me you're cleaning or working, I'll smack you upside the head! Go have some fun! If you don't want to sled on all the glorious snow God sent us, then at least ink up your stamps and make something pretty! I am not the flexible, energetic sledder that I once was, so I have been warm and cozy in the stamp room. This sample is all from the upcoming mini-catalog using the new acrylic mount rubber stamps and a GORGEOUS new designer series paper (DSP) that has glitter built right in. . . can you see the pink pattern glisten on the very vanilla background? It is phenomenal! I'm not sure we sell that pretty button anymore, but I have one or two you can use if you're headed over now to stamp with me! Just drop on by, I have the whole week off and lots of new product to play with.

Here at the end of the post is the bound calendar we will be making later in January. My buddy Catherine wanted to see the completed project, so here it is for all of you!

Calendar Camp

My Digital Studio software from Stampin' Up! is going to be one of those products that I can keep going back to over and over for all kinds of fun projects. This is a pocket calendar I can keep in my purse or demonstration bag to jot down invites or events that come up while I am away from home.

The over all size is 3-1/2 x 3-3/4" and I finished it with the Bind-it-all so it has a spiral binding on the left side. Hmm. Don't know why there isn't a finished photo. We will just have to use our imaginations!

Each page is a month and has a background of Designer Series Paper (DSP) at about 50% density, and printed on my home computer printer onto Whisper White Cardstock. Then I trimmed and bound the pages together. There a numerous DSP choices in MDS as well as all the colors of card stock, so you can personalize your calendar any way you wish!

This is a fun and easy project that will be offered as a stamp camp in January, check out my blog calendar at right and join us!

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Merry Christmas

Sneaking in with the last Christmas project of the year. . . this little guy was created with the ornament punch. Yes. Squint your eyes and imagine the punch turned upside down, then I made the arms with the Build a Bear die on the Big Shot! The ears are from the 5-petal punch. Of course, I CASEd the little guy, then I adhered him to a gift box. Someone will be getting a very cute gift box!

I am hoping you are spending your holiday with loved ones and that Santa brings you everything you want. Soon I will be bringing you a great idea for a calendar, so check back soon.

Merry Christmas,

Dee Tollaksen

Boxed Card Set

Happy Holidays!

Do you have your new calendar yet? Would you go grab it and check your openings for January? I am still looking for a couple good hostesses to grab some January dates and enjoy the hostess benefits coming up in Sell-a-Bration. Just email or call and we'll set up a date at your convenience. We have some awesome special free sets, great freebies for guests and hostesses as well as new products you will definitely want to add to your supplies.

This fabulous card set will be featured at a stamp camp in February, but you can feature this project at your workshop should it appeal to you and your guests.

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Quick Gifts

Lots of my gift giving is for young adults, a group that is very blessed and well supplied. This makes it a bit more difficult to select something they will enjoy that is still within my price range. The one item that seems to please everyone is. . . gift cards. They can take advantage of the sales after the holidays and I can spend exactly what I wish. But the opening of the gifts can be somewhat of a let down. So I am trying to have a little something in a box to unwrap. These gloves will go to my niece. They are inexpensive "magic gloves" that I have embellished with felt snowflakes and rhinestone brads. I bought a bottle of fabric glue a week or two ago, so I think I had these in mind, but then I saw the Stampin' Success magazine from November with the actual implementation and I was reminded of why I had all these bits of a project and I was able to crank these out in no time at all! It's always nice to have a pair of gloves handy and these have just a bit more personality!

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Cardstock Sampler

It is Holiday Party Time! One of the biggest benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the automatic social circle that you are invited to join. These are the fun girls who love to craft. On Tuesday we told our husbands that we had to go to another Stamp Meeting and we gleefully skipped off to a fancy restaurant for our Holiday Party. Hilarity ensues.

Everyone brought a gift to swap, hidden in a brown grocery bag were 9 of the best gifts ever made from cardstock and ink and glitter and love! I brought this cardstock sampler which seemed popular, partly due to Catherine's stealing it from the original recipient. Sadly for her, it was stolen away and eventually went home with Barbara. Not to worry, there are two more available, and can be yours if you book and hold a demonstration during January that hits the $500 mark. Call me!

All 48 Stampin' Up! colors are featured in a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" book, each sheet has the SU name printed on each of 3 strips which are all bound using a Bind-it-All machine. This allows the user to flip 3 shades down and evaluate the color options together, Do they make a nice combo? Also allows the user to determine which shade of SU cardstock most closely matches. . . their paint or their sweater or their ribbon, for example.

At the last minute I used a clear envelope on the very front, so the cover can be updated or personalized. The darling stamp lady is a sneak peek at a stamp set coming out in the next mini-catalog that goes active January 4. Book your Sell-a-Bration demo now to see more sets and earn loads of free product.

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Deadline for Christmas delivery

Today is the deadline for Christmas delivery with regular shipping from Stampin' Up! If you are hoping to help Santa get that special tool or stamp set under your tree, you are down to the wire! Go right on-line and shop now by clicking here and selecting SHOP NOW to make your selections.

Just wanted to share the fun we had at the shoebox swap. In addition to bringing all the

materials for a standard card, many of the participants also brought 3 x 3" cards to swap. Here they are lined up in the hall swapping their mini cards. Looks like a good time, doesn't it?

Also shown today is Irene's lovely swap card. A woman after my own heart, this is a clean and simple style card with an alternative color palette. Gorgeous!

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Two for the price of one

Are you still thinking about making your own Christmas cards but not sure you can get it done in time? Here are a couple alternatives that you can do! My version, on the left, is an unusual color choice for a holiday card, which might help you think "out of the box" when you look at your available supplies. Who says your holiday cards must be red and green? And it is very simple, some snow flakes and a greeting. Voila!

On the right is (Laura Fitzgerald) Nagle's card from the shoebox swap. She took a similar layout and bumped it up by punching out the sentiment in an oval and adding a pair of Big Shot die cuts behind the oval. Gorgeous! And not very difficult to mass produce, right?

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Quick tags

And now, what an awful photograph, but darling tags. These little envelope pockets are cut on the Big Shot, the enclosed tag is just the perfect fit to accompany a gift card, and the way we added the gold cord and bells, these can hang on your Christmas tree!

Cute, right? My stamping pal came over and made a few of these to give her relatives this holiday. If you're giving gift cards, remember to make the package special.

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Shoebox Swap - Cynthia

Bashful Blue is definitely a winner in the blue family. This pretty snowflake card was brought by Cynthia Adam to the shoebox swap to share with all the stampers. I love this variation to the usual card size, it will still fit nicely into a regular envelope and it only takes the 1/2 sheet of cardstock that the typical card takes, but it gives the card a little extra personality and flair! The random stamping of the snowflakes for the background is a technique I enjoy, making the design myself, as busy or stark as I wish. Love it!

Remember to tell your husband or children or Santa exactly what you want to find under the tree. Otherwise you're likely to find socks and underwear and a gift card to Home Depot. Show him the Stampin' Up! catalog and let him be a good Santa!

Happy stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Your husband called. . .

He said to get whatever you want for Christmas!

Don't hem and haw, speak up! Tell him to call Dee and order a Big Shot. It's on sale! And so are a bunch of accessories! You know the number, it's right on the sidebar to your right. If you want, I'll even wrap the goodies and make them ready to go under the tree! OR go right online and order whatever you want, but you won't get the 20% discount on the Big Shot that I am exclusively offering for you, my customers and blog readers.

Another pretty card from the Shoebox Swap, this one is the Dasher card made by Julie Ahern. I hope I have this right. Dasher is so popular that I mixed up my cards and gave credit to the wrong ladies. Anyway, this is a great card that can be readily duplicated when you are thinking about how many loved ones are on your Christmas card list and how many cards you would like to make!

Happy Stamping and shopping!

Dee Tollaksen

Treat your self to a Big Shot right now, because the deals will never be better.

Big Shot Die Cut Machine at just $79, here only, for my customers only. Current customers and future customers (so YOU are definitely included) only through Sunday!

My local scrapbooking store has the machine at this price, so I want to match it. I want you to enjoy your machine, so if you choose to purchase it from me, I will provide a lifetime of continuing education, inspiration and classes to really get the most out of your Big Shot machine.

And today, Stampin' Up! announced a huge sale on dies, embosslits and decor vinyl to use with the Big Shot. How cool is that? Send me an email or give me a call to place your order and enjoy the giant discount on the machine. If you already have one, you can order any of the following products by calling, emailing or going right online and ordering at www.dtollaksen.stampinup.net

Item Page # Description Regular Price Discounted Price 114515 195 Flower Burst Embosslits die $11.95 $8.96 114516 195 Cherry Blossom Embosslits die $11.95 $8.96 115957 195 Thanks Embosslits die $11.95 $8.96 114513 195 Sweetest Stem Embosslits die $11.95 $8.96 115952 195 Hi Embosslits die $11.95 $8.96 115951 197 Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Medium Sizzlits die $74.95 $59.96 113446 197 Build a Flower #2 Set Sizzlits 4-Pack die $19.95 $16.96 114509 197 Big Bold Cupcakes Sizzlits 4-Pack die $21.95 $18.66 113448 197 Hearts Set Sizzlits 4-Pack die $19.95 $16.96 113457 198 Tulipe Bigz die $21.95 $16.46 115954 198 Two Tags Bigz die $21.95 $18.66 114524 199 Fringed Flower Bigz die $19.95 $15.96 114523 199 Decorative Accents Bigz die $19.95 $15.96 114534 199 Flower Bigz Clear die $19.95 $15.96 113473 199 5-Point 3D Star Bigz die $19.95 $16.96 113472 199 Circle 3D Ornament Bigz die $19.95 $16.96 113470 199 Flower Layers w/Leaf Bigz die $19.95 $16.96 113465 199 Bird w/Leaves and Flower Bigz die $19.95 $16.96 115961 200 Perfect Setting Bigz XL die $42.95 $32.21 113483 200 Pennant Bigz XL die $39.95 $29.96 113484 200 Baskets & Blooms Bigz XL die $39.95 $31.96 116760 201 Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die $39.95 $29.96 116759 201 Pop-Up 3D Ball Bigz XL die $39.95 $29.96 114890 201 Matchbox Bigz XL die $42.95 $36.51 113458 202 Flower Layers Originals die $15.95 $13.56 114336 158 Kraft Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2) $12.95 $10.36 114334 158 Dark Gray Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2) $12.95 $10.36 114337 158 Chocolate Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2) $12.95 $10.36 114335 158 White Décor Elements sheets 12" x 24" (2) $12.95 $10.36 118797 n/a So Saffron Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118798 n/a Rose Red Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118799 n/a Taken With Teal Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118800 n/a Pretty In Pink Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118801 n/a Bashful Blue Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118802 n/a Real Red Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118803 n/a Old Olive Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118804 n/a Black Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118805 n/a Night of Navy Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118806 n/a Certainly Celery Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118807 n/a Tempting Turquoise Décor Elements Sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118808 n/a Clear Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118809 n/a Pumpkin Pie Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118810 n/a Pixie Pink Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118812 n/a Sahara Sand Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118813 n/a Gable Green Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118814 n/a Basic Gray Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $12.95 $9.71 118815 n/a Chalkboard Décor Elements sheets 15" x 24" (2) $14.95 $11.21
Happy Stamping, Dee Tollaksen

Christmas cards

Oh, how I have missed you, and I'm going to share a couple things today.

This first card is a CASE from my digital stash of favorites. Every attendee of convention received this awesome stamp set. If you need a few extra bucks after your holiday shopping, maybe now is the time to join the fun at Stampin' Up! We have great camaraderie, fabulous events, the best products and lucrative earning potential. Give me a nudge if you're interested in hearing more.

The Top Note die on the Big Shot is the star of this card, but there is a taste of Designer Series Paper (DSP) and a little bit of ribbon that really brightens up the card!

The second card today is from the Shoebox Swap. Enith Brown also incorporated DSP into her card, with a hit of gorgeous ribbon. She chose this individual reindeer stamp which has got to be the most popular stamp selling right now, being the time of year that everyone is making cards. Great composition and a beautiful card.

Gotta get back to work now. My little parttime job is a gigantic overtime job for two weeks a year, and I am in the thick of it right now.

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

If you are visiting again, please note that I attributed the wrong Dasher card to Julie and have corrected the artist to Enith Brown, and will post Julie's card soon.

Shoebox Swap-Pam M.

Look closely and admire this pretty, red holiday card. Isn't it full of downplayed details? Embossing, gingham ribbon, the soft suede base card and soft suede layered punch, and the poinsettia behind the cardinal. I love this card. It might be that I have a soft spot for all things Cardinal, because my high school mascot was a Cardinal. Go go DDE CHS rah rah rah. Dwight D Eisenhower Community High School. What a mouthful!

Still with me? Oh, good. I went to the best event today! My upline's upline's upline had a little Christmas gathering today and we made the coolest project! I will share when I can get a picture and you can all come over and make your own! I can't wait!!

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen

Shoebox Swap - Meg S

Two topics today -- fabulous Shoebox Swap card design AND new blog features.

Meg S is an awesome designer, known to many SplitCoastStampers fans as a former Dirty Dozen member. She brought this beautiful design to the Shoebox Swap for everyone to make. Just a little bit of sponging makes a card absolutely SING. If you are not using sponges and softening your edges, leave a comment. I'll mail you a sponge and you can try it, you'll like it!

Call that blog candy. Anyone leaving a comment and sending me their address by email can have a bit of sponge to soften their edges. Really.

Now, how do you like the blog changes? Does the header look nice in your browser? On your computer? Please comment! I used My Digital Studio (MDS) to create the header. SO EASY and FAST! Really fun too! Come on over and try it, you'll like it.

Hmmmm. Seems like I've heard that somewhere already. . . .

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Shoebox Swap-Sue M.

I love to use heat embossing, so this pretty and shiny card is just fabulous for me! Sue Michelotti brought this cutie to the shoebox swap. I think it would be a great card to use for presenting gift cards. You could hang the card on the tree for the recipient to find on Christmas.

Are you busy busy busy prepping for your Christmas events? Remember to enjoy these weeks and to make room for quality time with those you love.

Happy Stamping,

Dee Tollaksen

Shoebox Swap by Jaye

The details in this card really make it special. Jaye designed this card for the Shoebox swap, then was unable to attend. She had a friend step in for her, and we had a great time, but I hope we can stamp together next time, clearly she is a great designer. Note the paper piercing, the little hint of ribbon offsetting the round tag where there is just a pop of red. And the Top Note die cut, clearly one of the most popular products Stampin' Up! has ever offered!

Be sure to take advantage of the online clearance products SU has made available, as you plan your holiday gifts and decorating.

Happy Stamping!

Dee Tollaksen