Monday, February 21, 2011

New classes scheduled

  • I hope that you glance at the schedule of classes in the right margin. I love the social aspect of stamping, meeting people, chatting while working, exchanging ideas. That's why classes are so fun. Of course the projects are pretty fun too! Take a peak and join me soon! Just shoot an email and let me know what you're interested in taking. If you don't see a time that works, let me know, I'm flexible. If you want one of these topics for a private class or a workshop, that would be awesome!

  • Wed Mar 16: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: Try the Build A Blossom punch and stamp set to make 4 gorgeous cards! Save your seat for just $20.
  • Thu Mar 24: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: Try the Inlaid embossing technique and the ribbon rouching technique. Create 4 all-occasion cards for just $20.
  • Wed Mar 30: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: Fabric Flowers, create a darling pin, head band and a gift card using fabric and the Big Shot! $15 with your own fabric, $20 using my fabric.
  • Wed Apr 6: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: Spring Collage: The collage frame project at Christmas was so popular, let's make one for spring! $20 for the collage, frame extra or bring your own!
  • Wed April 13: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: My Digital Studio introduction class. Learn how to scrapbook on your computer using your digital photos! Super easy and fun! Free for all interested crafters. Must RSVP!
  • Fri Apr 22: Choose 1 pm or 7 pm: Banners are so Trendy. Let's make a wall banner, cards and/or a scrapbook page! 

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Banner Bandwagon

Have I mentioned that banners are trendy? I love to surf the net, and I have over 100 stamping  blogs in my Google Reader, let me tell you: BANNERS ARE TRENDY!!

Google collects the blogs for me, I just have to click and scroll, so it isn't like I spend all day surfing, but I do see lots of really fabulous cards, and MANY of the scrapbook pages, paper crafts and cards have some kind of banner on them. Look how cute this is, stringing hearts and the word LOVE and using pearls to connect them! So darling, and I totally copied off some magazine website by someone named Jinny Newlin. Well, thanks for the inspiration, Jinny! I love how this came out, I wish Stampin' Up! still carried this wide pink grosgrain, and the shimmer paint on the sides of the card is fabulous in real life.

OK. Now I'm all done with Valentine type cards, I think. Wouldn't this be lovely for a wedding or anniversary?

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

A little late Valentine

Are you gearing up for next Valentine's Day yet? I should have posted this last week, for sure, but it is so sparkly and cute, I thought you should see it. This is the new Take A Spin stamp set in Stampin' Up's mini catalog. And of course, the glimmer paper is starring as the bling.

If you are trying to make cards with this set and the metal spinners SU is selling, remember to leave lots of room in your brad. Usually we try to close up the brad nice and tight to hold firmly in our card making, but for this you need the spinner arrow to move, so the brad needs lots of room. I have a great tip for this, if you come for a class or we meet at a workshop, ask me!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Rose Red blossom

Build-a-Blossom punch and the coordinating stamp set featured in the current mini catalog from Stampin' Up!

That's all you need to know. The most fabulous cards and paper projects can be made with this dynamic duo, and anyone can do it. I taught this technique to a few new crafters Sunday. At first, they unanimously announced that this card was waaaaaay too advanced for them. But in just a few short minutes they made their own copy with very little help. They they all ordered the stamp set and punch for themselves. Confident that they could reproduce this project, they will be stamping and punching and sending the most fabulous cards!

Just email me and I'll be glad to pop over to your place to stamp together, or sign up for one of my classes and see how easy it is to create.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, February 14, 2011

Inlaid Embossing technique

Are you blessed with a creative talent? I love to craft, I love beautiful results, but I am not that creative. I do know who is though, and one of the best card designers around is Gretchen Barron.Quite often I find myself CASEing (copy and steal everything) her cards, and this is a prime example.

Inlaid embossing is super easy, just punch or cut images, adhere to cardstock and run through the Big Shot in an embossing folder. The design part of the equation is choosing colors and creating a fabulous layout, for which all the credit goes to Gretchen. Her style appeals to me completely and I often CASE her. Thank you thank you thank you Gretchen.

Hoping you have a wonderful, creative Valentine's Day,
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Valentine deadline approaching

If you aren't ready, you better get busy, Valentine's Day is tomorrow!

This pretty card has rub-ons as the sentiment, a cute little hostess set for the heart image, which I then covered in a generous coat of Crystal Effects glue. This product will glue stuff together, but it is gorgeous as a glossy top coat. You can see the pretty heart pinking border punch and the satin ribbon. This pretty card will be presented to my Valentine.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Friday, February 11, 2011

It's a Rub-on CASE

Have you tried any rub-on products? I have been using this type of product since my high school days. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we didn't have access to printers of any kind, so if we were doing a school project, a newsletter, a handmade card, the only options were the typewriter, handwriting or rub-ons. Believe me, technology has come a long way, even in the area of rub-ons.

This is from a Valentine collection offered by Stampin' Up, but we have a number of different options in the Idea Book & Catalog. If you have never used them, it will help to have some training. I have a whole pack that can be used for practice, provided to me by Stampin' Up! So nice of them, I must say.

I had a little class this week and everyone in the class made 5 Valentine cards and got to keep the $7.98 pack of rub-ons to make more at home. Wish you had been here. But you can schedule your own class or workshop, just shoot me an email or leave a comment here!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Four days til Valentine's Day!

Want to trade?

 Today I worked with some friends to make Valentine's, but I just can't be too traditional! So we made semi-lovey dovey cards, that can be used for Valentines, but don't SCREAM hearts and love.

This is in Concord Crush and I used an embossing folder in the Big Shot to texturize the card. Then we rubbed ink onto a sponge and then onto the card, just a hint of color on the embossed areas.

When I was packing up all my gear, I seem to have traded cards with one of the ladies, because my sample didn't have rhinestones. They certainly add a touch of bling, and I love it! Poor Teresa is probably wondering what happened to all the bling she added to her card. LOL

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Fancy Favor box

Please do not let Sale-a-Bration pass you by, if you are planning to stock up on stamping supplies, now is the time. This cute little party favor is made by die cutting the box in one quick pass through the Big Shot, then adding a couple punched pieces, a bit of ribbon and a sentiment stamped with a FREE Sale-a-Bration stamp set.

 Whether you are planning a wedding, shower, bday party or any occasion, this little box makes a great party favor. Use it as a place card for the table or just make it pretty, add some chocolate, or jordan almonds, maybe use a cellophane bag and a ribbon to peek out the top.

They are so simple and versatile, and easy!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, February 7, 2011

Non-traditional Valentine card

Is this a Valentine card? Maybe, if you are a non-traditional type. It does have an appropriate sentiment. Some people really hate being forced to celebrate a "gift giving" holiday in the middle of the week, and no day off work.

But if you have this card in your stash, it could be used for any occasion, with the right handwritten note inside. Really: birthday, sympathy, thanks. . . I think it is absolutely versatile. And of course it is right in line with my clean & simple style. And a pop of blue puts it in my "favorites" group.

Of course Stampin' Up! offers loads of hearts and red & pink options, so picture this pretty card in another color scheme. . . got it? . . . perfect Valentine card!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sale-a-bration Scrapbooking video

Stampin' Up! has a great disk of digital content available FREE as one of your Sale-a-bration options this season. I will have this in-hand any day now, and I can't wait to make some new pages. If you are contemplating some digital scrapbooking, just leave me a comment or shoot me an email. I would love to get together and play with these new images!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Glimmer paper

Sell-a-Bration is underway and I am thrilled to be stamping with some brand new stampers. This card was designed to be an easy beginner card with some bling and coloring, manageable for stamping at a workshop.

While the ribbon is pretty, the button adds some dimension, the star of the show is the glimmer paper heart. With the heart punch it only takes one second to create, add a dimensional to the back and it pops right off the card.

Right now, Stampin' Up! is selling this paper in 12 x 12", two sheets in a pack for $3.95. You can make a heart, you could punch the 3-heart punch and add a few little glimmering embellishments, you could use a strip of glimmer instead of ribbon, or in addition to ribbon, it would be beautiful as a base layer to your stamped panel. It is completely free of shedding glitter. There is no mess even when you punch, none of the glitter comes away from the paper.

The only complaint that I have for this product is that we didn't have it at Christmas. Dang. Wouldn't this have added pop to all our holiday projects?

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Hearts & Chocolate

I absolutely adore this little treat box created with a die on the Big Shot machine. It cuts the whole box in one turn of the crank, from a half sheet of DSP or cardstock and it goes together with a couple folds and a bit of adhesive.

I received this one as a thank you for a small favor I did. It is filled with Hershey kisses in a cellophane bag. Simple to create but so fabulous!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Blizzard Special

Are you a fellow Chicagoan? We love the thrill of an impending Blizzard!  The news is filled with predictions and stories of salt and shovel sales. If we are going to be snowed in, I am fully stocked on cardstock, ink and stamps, so I don't mind at all!  But there are some gorgeous new products in the Mini Catalog and I don't know if you have them yet. How bout a Blizzard Special?

Blizzard Special: 1% off for every inch of snow in Chicago on one product of your choice from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  Just email me your order or call me and I will give you 18 to 26% off the item of your choice, depending on how much snow we get. Not how deep the drifts are in your yard, but the Chicago Tribune's official measurement at the end of the blizzard. Order by Wednesday, Feb 2 midnight for this special.

Just click on the catalog at right to shop online.

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen