Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Windy City Stampers Swap

I met with my stamping friends this week and we swapped cards designed with new catalog products.  For the next few posts I'll be sharing these swaps.

Sue M brought us this darling baby card with a new wheel that I absolutely love!  It will be a perfect wheel for the spotlighting technique or to cut out an image and highlight it on a card.  I plan on adding this wheel to my collection soon!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Bicycle Day

It looks like the weather will be PERFECT today, here in Chicagoland. Maybe I will have to get some air in the tires, dust off the fenders, and hit the trail on my two-wheeler. This gorgeous retro bike is featured in the Stampin' Up! mini catalog, still available, through the end of August.  A little Rich Razzleberry cardstock and ribbon and a bit of retired felt flowers, and a darling all-occasion card is ready to send.

Just two more days to take advantage of the fabulous bargain opportunity. Stampin' Up! will let you join the demonstrator club for just $99, you will receive $124 worth of crafting product, and you get to select exactly which stamp sets and colors you want! After you join, you get at least 20% off all your purchases as long as you remain active. And you receive the monthly magazine Stampin' Success. And you're invited to all my group events. And you're invited to SU Convention, Regional meetings and Special Events and contests, sneak peeks and discount purchases.  What more could a crafter want? New crafty friends? You get that too!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, June 28, 2010

Game Night


One of the best benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is the really great friendship that develop.  I have a group of really great friends in my neighborhood that get together to play cards and games. These were ladies that I "knew" but once we started stamping together, we became really great friends.  Ever since the catalog came out last year I have been trying to figure out a fun stamping project for the Game Night DSP, and have made a few things, but this Farkle scorecard is my fave. There is a pad of blank paper and the rules of the game on the inside of this booklet. On the outside I made it look like a giant die and used a sweet treat cup to hold miniature dice. They are actually beads from the jewelry section of the craft store, but they sure look good!

There is a $99 demonstrator deal right now, the best bargain for treating yourself to a long-term discount on Stampin' Up! product or opening your own business and I promise you'll make friends! For that $99 you get $124 worth of brand new SU products, you get to fine-tune the selections to your taste and needs. Just skip on over to my website, use the secret password: Blitz   and sign-up right online!  http: dtollaksen.stampinup.net


  And the new Idea Book and Catalog will start on Thursday, making this DSP obsolete. So don't miss out on either opportunity, both end Wednesday!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Friday, June 25, 2010

Clean, but not simple


I love a CAS card, Clean And Simple. I love the easy-on-the-eyes style. Something you can rest your eyes on, but still be pleasing. A card that can be made in just a few steps.  This isn't one of them. It is heat embossed, it is die cut, it is dry embossed, it even sparkles.  And yet, it is monochromatic, so it isn't too busy and it doesn't give you a headache trying to sort out all the details.  I hope!

I totally CASEd this card from the blog of  Peggy Finney. It was posted quite a while ago and I saved the idea for my Sparkle Class.   We used the embossing folder "Vintage Wallpaper" which will be available in the new Idea Book & Catalog on July 1.  I'm hoping the UPS truck brings those books today, and I can enjoy them over the weekend before I start giving them out next week.  Just having the new book in the house is very stimulating!

We expect rain and hot weather this weekend here in Chicagoland. Break out your inks and stamps and make something Patriotic!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Last of the sparkle class

Absolutely LOVE the Awash with Flowers stamp set. Just one week until the new Idea book and Catalog arrive and this set can be yours!

Mark your calendar for July 10, garage sale and deep discounts on retired Stampin' Up! product, paper, ink, and rubber!

This card is so lovely in person. The background panel was textured in the Big Shot; there is a top note die panel, the flowers were glittered with Dazzling Diamonds and the ribbon is satiny and beautiful.  If you missed the Sparkle class but still want to make these cards for yourself, just shoot me an email or leave a comment!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Hard at Work

It isn't that I am not enjoying my hobby. I  am! True, there are no dinner parties being presented on this dining room table anytime soon! But there are about 6 projects going on!  I have a patriotic centerpiece, a box of cards going to the military, 5 projects for class on Friday and I'm pricing retired product for a garage sale on July 10. So this messy table is definitely productive. Just not particularly attractive!

I'll post an actual card tomorrow.

Remember to check your supplies. . .lots of beautiful colors are leaving the Stampin' Up! collection forever on the last day of June. Click on the links at the top of the blog to see retiring product and order your favorites!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day


From Our Hearts is a little group of stampers, sending beautiful handmade cards to Afghanistan and Iraq via military chaplains. Recently I had a few VIP customers over for dinner and a night of card making. We converted about 100 card samples into completed cards, matched each with a blank envelope and sealed them tightly into a clear plastic envelope. Now each card is ready for a member of our military to select, personalize and mail home to their loved ones. In these countries, our military members do not have access to any kind of conveniences they are accustomed to having, and a PX or Hallmark store are far from their new residence.

This small effort on our part shows that we support them and recognize their sacrifice. Much of the deployed military population are men, and many of them are Fathers, certainly all of them have or had Fathers. Please say an extra prayer for them today, Father's Day, as they are far from their loved ones.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

For the Bride

The current Stampin' Up! mini catalog has the most beautiful bridal stamp set. . . I've never been tempted to own a bridal set, but now my kids are (gasp) adults and my son recently proposed to his girlfriend. Now there is a fiancee in the family, and I immediately ordered "For the Bride."

I have CASEd the card by Ann Truenow and we will be making this card at the Sparkle classes this Thursday. A little bit of Dazzling Diamonds just makes this card POP!

Still room for you to join us, just give me a call!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

GarageSale

Mark your calendar: Saturday July 10 at 9 am.

Just do it.

Stamps, cardstock, ink, tools, embellishments, LOW PRICES.

Okay? Now will you lock the date in and plan your life around it?

My buddies and I will be offering all our retired Stampin' Up! goodies at a fabulous discount! No tax! No shipping and handling! What more could you ask for?  This flower? You want this flower? That can also be arranged!

We will be making this great adornment on Thursday and there is still plenty of room at 1 pm or 7 pm to make cards and this shiny sparkly flower to wear as a pin, adorn a package or dress up your desk accessories! Just give me a call and let me know you want to join us, and if Thursday doesn't work for you, I will be re-running the class next week, just let me know you're interested and I'll give you the details.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, June 14, 2010

Father's Day


Are you ready for Father's Day? Have you looked over all those stamps sets of flowers and swirls and Christmas trees and scheduled a trip to the Hallmark store? Keep looking, maybe you indulged in the Tool Time stamp set? Turn that tape measure on it's side and it becomes the letter D, then use the Big Shot to cut the letter A and you're all set! Well, I'm all set anyway!  And if I can do it, you can do it. Just drop by sometime this week to do your stamping, and stay to make the whole card!

Thanks to Becky Roberts for seeing the possibilities in this stamp set, and thanks to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the world championship, because now we know what to get Dad for Father's Day! An official hat or Tshirt will be perfect! Hooray!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Old Faithful

Do you have this "old faithful" truck in your collection? Dusty and neglected at the back of the shelf? Let's bring it out and enjoy it this week!  I dressed up the little truck with Crystal Effects and paired it with the Travel Journal DSP from the Summer Mini Catalog.

  I think it would work well as a masculine get well card or for Father's Day, with the right sentiment.  This is part of my Sparkle Class scheduled for this Thursday. A shiny new truck qualifies for sparkle, don't you think?

Enjoy your spring and Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Banner Craze

Banners are all the craze in crafting these days. My customers know I LOVE this bear from the stamp set "Under the Stars."  So, I found a card by Teneale Williams that created a banner using the  "Party Hearty" set!  Oh, how much I love this idea!

Here's how I created the banner. . . stamp the party hats in Night of Navy and Pumpkin Pie, trim them up, using a very narrow strip of DSP, glue the hats side by side to the DSP. Then I stamped the Celebrate You stamp in Night of Navy and used an old fashioned office supply, the hole punch, to punch the letters and glued them to the points of the hats (now banner flags).  A couple extra hats cut out and perched on the bears heads, and your card is nearly complete!  In the "Under the Stars" set is a twig for the bears to hold, punch a couple festive stars and the camping bear turns into a couple party animals!

I know you need these stamp sets now, right? Gimme a call!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Bible Study using My Digital Studio

I used My Digital Studio to create these beautiful cards for myself and all the ladies in my group. I created pages on MDS and "muted" the colors so it would be easy to write on them. Then I "shared" them into the jpeg format and printed them, 4 to a page, onto Whisper White cardstock. Trimmed them to 1/4 page each and that's all there was to it! Easy Peasy!

The study we just completed in my Bible Study group offered a suggestion for "organizing" our praying. The author suggested using Prayer Cards -- write down your prayers using a different card for each of your loved ones, and a separate card for more general prayers, like world peace. Then each day you can pull your thoughts together and offer your prayers with confidence that you haven't forgotten anyone. But the main benefit is that you can document all the answers you receive and keep a record of developing relationship through prayer.

The more I use this software, the easier it gets. Come on over and try mine, anytime!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Paper Flowers

Definitely a trend in full force right now, paper flowers are all the rage.  This is a collage of paper flowers, simply scallop circle punched DSP in shades of pink with a bow in the center of each. Then they are arranged -- lots of glue dots gave their life for this card!

Maybe not my all time favorite card, but it is pretty and very tactile. Even the base cardstock is textured!

By the way, the bows were tied using the "fork" technique. Intrigued? Leave a comment and I'll explain.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Friday, June 4, 2010

Retired List

I hope you know that the new Idea Book & Catalog is coming out July 1 (my birthday). Consequently, loads of stamps and accessories will be retired to make room for FABULOUS new products!  Many colors are already sold out, so if there is anything you desperately want, ORDER soon!!



Engaged

Big News here at the Tollaksen home. . . drumroll please. . . my firstborn child, the son who is a U.S. Marine, has proposed to his longtime, lovely, girlfriend, and she has accepted!! Whoo Hoo!!! Hard for me to believe my child is old enough to be getting married, but time flies when you're having fun!

So, now I have to direct you to this hilarious YouTube video of a proposal, very cute, and I'm certain this is not the way my son proposed. But very entertaining!



Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Welcome

There used to be a sad and dilapidated wreath on my pretty, red front door.And now, there is a cheerful and fresh wreath!

I yanked out the dusty old flowers, purchased a couple fresh silk flowers and heated up the old hot glue gun.

Then I used my Big Shot to diecut scalloped circles from chipboard and DSP and punched some coordinating shapes and letters. Prettied it up with ribbons and bows and flowers. And Voila! A fresh Welcome greets everyone at my front door!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Awning window

I am so glad that Rich Razzleberry, a current In Color, will become part of the permanent color collection with Stampin' Up!  Or a longer term has been established. Or something. All I know is: it's sticking around, for now. I used Bouquet Bunch stamp set to create the flower pots and a bit of Bridal DSP sponged with Rich Razzleberry ink to create the awning. I know I CASEd this concept, but I can't find the original card and artist. I'll be happy to give credit if anyone knows!

All the Stampin' Up! demonstrators are CRAZY today, we get a sneak peek at what's coming in the new catalog!!!! We get to order all the new ink and paper colors!!!!! We get to dig deep into our hobby budget to purchase everything we lay our eyes on!!!!!  And in just a few weeks we will all be together in Salt Lake City to share the excitement!!! I wish you were joining the fun...but wait! You can! There is a new "mini kit" offer right now! For only $99 you can join Stampin' Up!, enjoy all the demonstrator benefits, receive $124 in product plus business materials, including catalogs and save at least 20% on all future orders!!! Why not join me, take the plunge and try it!   You'll love it!!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen