Thursday, February 21, 2013

Happy New Year!

Are you one of those people who has the new calendar two months before the new year? Not me, at least not at this stage of my life. I have a nice routine and I don't have to depend on the calendar like I used to when scouts, sports, school and church ruled the day!

So we made this cute desktop calendar at Stamp Club this month. Yup. February club, we made a calendar. But think of it this way: circle a birthday and it becomes a timely birthday card!

We used the Sycamore Street DSP that is free on the Sale-a-bration brochure, as well as the two tone wide ribbon and flower ribbon from the spring catalog. So pretty!

The blog will be quiet for a few days as I take my husband on a trip for his birthday. Hope you are creating something beautiful!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

FUN for me, what about you?

More fun than a barrel of monkeys.

More fun than Eddie Money running a travel agency. "Two tickets to Paradise."

More fun than Gallagher smashing watermelons.

Making cards that someone else has designed and prepared is. . . more fun than a witch in a broom factory!

More fun than a Slinky on an escalator!

I just thought that if it works for Geico, it could work for us!

Please join us on Saturday March 23 for a couple hours that will be "more fun than a barrel of monkeys!" We provide a delish catered lunch, door prize for everyone, all the chocolate you could want, bottled water and a nice comfy table and chair for everyone.  Each person brings a cute card and all the supplies to make the card. Then we all move from comfy chair to comfy chair copying each card. Everyone goes home with a shoebox full of cute cards and we spent a fun day together crafting and laughing.

Just leave me a comment to RSVP.

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Monday, February 18, 2013

Age has it's benefits!

Chalkboard technique is so popular right now, you can't look at a screen on Pinterest without spotting at least one project, printable, poster or pin that has employed this technique.

Our Stamp Club tag for February uses black cardstock with white craft ink embossed in white, then a bit of white ink sponged around the edges. This cute stamp set is called From my Heart and it is just perfect for the simple tag. One stamp, one color, one technique. Kind of a hit and run project. The tag would be perfect on a little bag of treats or as the focal point on a card.

It is extra fun when you have all the components on hand to try out a new technique, no need to place an order and wait for delivery and wonder just what it was you hoped to do with the new stuff when it arrives!  Oh, that's just me? Well, age has it benefits, but it also has some drawbacks!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, February 17, 2013

This will rock your world!

Are you looking for a change? Thinking of shaking up things? Same old same old getting you down? I can help!

Take your basic card and twist it! Your life will be forever changed! Your perspective will be completely altered! Your friend and family will be amazed!

OK. Maybe that's saying too much. But it is simple and it will give your cards a whole new look.

This technique is so simple, it ought to be super popular!   All it takes is a little flip of your card stock. Cut the 8 1/2 x 11 sheet in half the long way so you have two pieces that are 4 1/4 by x 11. Then trim a teeny 1/2 inch off so it is 8 1/2 by 10 1/2. Now score from one corner to the other and fold on that line. Then score it at the exact center of the fold. Then fold in half. Really, it is super easy! And now you have a pocket on the front which I used for a book mark AND a pocket on the inside which I used for a gift card.

I can't believe the world is still rotating in the regular way! This is so rockin'!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen


Friday, February 15, 2013

M&Ms will get you everywhere!

 Every day is hearts and flowers around here. I will admit that we have a very easy going atmosphere around here. Rarely a harsh word, and we all like it that way.

We try to be nice to each other, and it makes for a lot of good relationships!  Even though my DD is 22, she is still in school, as she should be. Since she still has classmates, I still prepare a little something for her to take on Valentine's Day.

There is some stamping of the special heart Stampin' Up! offered in early February, and the scalloped heart from Hearts A Flutter stamp set. Then I used the large heart punch and a framelit to cut the card stock. After layering some of the hearts and leaving some as a single-layer, I added a rhinestone to each one.
It is always fun to stuff M&M's into the skinny bags. Especially because I was thinking about how there are 25 bags for just a couple bucks. Great deal!

I just used a little double stick tape to hold the hearts to the bags, and popped it all into a mailbox from Target.


The fun of it all is that she was happy to be skipping out the door when she last visited, carrying this little bouquet of candy back to campus to share with her friends.

And when I say "friends," I mean "future customers." LOL

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Time (LOL) for a masculine card

There is a good reason why I am a Stampin'  Up! demonstrator and not an engineer. I measured, measured again, cut and scored and still I was off by 1/8" on my score and fold. But I still like the card. Nice and masculine, right?

I used Crystal Effects on the face of the clocks to give them a glassy look. It takes a while to dry, so it is hard to demonstrate in a class or party, but so gorgeous on the final project.

Today is Stamp Club day, and it is still Sale-a-Bration, so two great reasons to get up early and enjoy a full day of stamping!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Heartless

So close to Valentine's Day, and not a heart in sight. Enjoy the break!

Pool Party and Primrose Pink, a lot of alliteration,  and strong colors. Thankfully, the Sycamore Street DSP mixes these two and when they are together on the card, with the DSP, it all works.

We had a fun class of folded cards last week, this cutie is especially interesting, but not that difficult. It helps tremendously to have the Diagonal Scoring Plate for your Simply Scored Tool, but then it's smooth sailing! We used the Lovely & Lacy stamp set, but this is so simple, many different sets could be substituted--just a pretty sentiment and a flower. Easy Peasy.

Enjoy!
Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen


Monday, February 11, 2013

Desperation

Do you think St Valentine was just cold? Here in Chicago area, the winds were blowing and the temperature was dropping, all day long. I don't know where this "hearts and flowers" holiday started, but I think it helps chase away the cold if you have someone to cuddle up with.

Or maybe I'm just desperate for a week of sun and surf and warm temperatures, where I can leave my turtleneck and sweater, coat/hat/mittens/boots behind.

I whipped up these "chalkboard" hearts this morning to take to work with me. Just needed a heart framelit, some black cardstock, a white pen and some lollipop sticks. Throw in a jar of conversation hearts and we have a tempting desk adornment!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen

Sunday, February 10, 2013

5 reasons to rip up that 40% coupon


 Why not use a coupon at the retail store? Could Stampin' Up! products be worth full price when I can save as much as 40% at the big box store.

1. Ask that stock clerk to explain how the little green machine works, compared to the Big Shot. I'm sure she has hours of experience on both machines and can help you with your purchase decision. Not.

2. Find perfectly matching card stock and ink, so your project materials match, instead of looking sort of close -- all of Stampin' Up! colors are perfect matches: ink, card stock, ribbon, brads, DSP.

3. Create your card perfectly, the first time, with no wasted product from trying to figure out a technique. This beautiful gatefold card has a lovely Daydream Medallion image stamped across the opening. Would you have thought to hold the gatefold closed with a post-it note? If you don't, the flaps don't lay flat, and your image will not be perfect on the first try. That's just a little hint from me.

4. Discover stamp sets that coordinate perfectly with Framelit dies, circle shapes match circle shapes, medallions match medallions, canning jars match canning jars. You won't have to hope that the Brand X stamp will be close to the Brand Y dies. Stampin' Up! offers coordinating products and bundles them to save you 15%.

5. Need ideas, inspiration, samples? Not likely that the discount store will be offering those, but the catalog, blogs, classes and websites provide unending inspiration!

I just thought I would share a little food for thought. I head over to the craft store with my coupon in hand, can't find the item I went to buy, and I end up buying a bunch of random stuff I didn't even want and I don't know how to use! Don't waste your hard earned pennies on a coupon! Schedule yourself for some fun stamping time--take a class, host a party or attend the fun Spring Shoebox Swap!

Friday, February 8, 2013

We ain't afraid of a little weather!

Blizzard or not, stamping must go on! Despite the slippery roads and low visibility, my stampers showed up, and even showed on time!

This is one of the four fab folded cards we made. I love the flower kit in the new spring catalog, you get the tags, the stamp,  brads, twine and tons of layers of pre-cut flowers. We chose these coral flowers to match the Sycamore Street DSP.

Easy peasy, but fun and interesting too!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Puny never looked so good!

Surely, puny isn't the term Stampin' Up! uses to describe this punch, but small isn't diminutive enough, teeny tiny seems awfully precious, so puny is the term that pops into my head when I go looking for this punch!

It is being introduced this season in the Sell-a-bration flyer, currently it is only available FREE as a perk when you place a qualifying order. I think it will jump to the main catalog, but if you want it now, you'll have to settle for FREE.

I used Summer Starfruit cardstock to base each punched square from the FREE DSP (designer series paper) also in the Sell-a-bration flyer.

So, to summarize: this puny punched card is a puny 3 x 3" card, with a lot of pop!

Happy Stamping,
Dee Tollaksen

Friday, February 1, 2013

Triple Threat

If one heart is good, three must be awesome, right?  This is the kind of card that just excites my creative side.  I love how CAS (clean and simple) it is, but it still says a whole bunch.

You can't tell, but I used textured Whisper White card stock, so even though there is a lot of white space, there is something going on. Then I used the Hearts A Flutter framelits and cut 3 hearts, exactly centered down the white panel, added a Valentine sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and pulled out the Polka Dot DSP (designer series paper).

Using just a square of DSP I adhered 3 different colors behind the heart openings, then used dimensionals to pop the panel up, with a Raspberry Ripple base.

My favorite Valentine so far!

Happy Stamping!
Dee Tollaksen