PaperSweets

My Last Post with Blogger

2011-07-26T22:49:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone!!

This will be my last post for blogger. I've moved! You can find my new website at http://papersweets.ca where there's already some new material that won't be found here. I'll keep this website open for another month, I think, in hopes that those that regularly visit this blog will see this message and visit me at my new home! :)

I'm also slowly but surely moving all my blogger posts to my new site which is taking a little bit more time than what I hoped, but it needs to be done.

Anyway, this isn't a so long, this is just a change of address!

Will see you at PaperSweets.ca!

Travel Tissue Box Tutorial Now Available

2011-05-24T15:50:00.001-04:00

The Travel Tissue Box Tutorial (yay semi-alliteration!) is now finally available if you'd like to make your own! :)

The picture below illustrates what the boxes would look like when complete, and can fit five or six tissues (depending on whether you're using 2 or 3-ply, lol).

The tutorial is 20 pages, and good for any crafting level. If you're curious of how my tutorials may look like, you can view any of my free tuts that are available for a sample. This pdf document includes: an illustrated template, instructions, and a pictorial to see how the box is put together step-by-step.

And if you have any questions after purchasing the tutorial from the Buy Now link below, you're more than welcome to email for further info!

Tutorial: Travel Tissue Box
Price: $3.99 US
20 pages including photos, PDF, 4MB
Crafting Level: All

The Joy of Accents

2011-05-24T13:47:00.004-04:00

Hope my fellow Canucks had a Happy Victoria Day yesterday! :) It was really looking like we weren't going to get to blow up some fireworks last night in Toronto, with the rain (and a bit of flooding, grrr) that we had all evening, but luckily the skies cleared up just in time for some fun!

The rain did give me a chance to play around a bit with some new card designs though! I recently discovered that we can colour Basic Pearl and Rhinestone Accents with both StazOn and craft inks, so here's what I came up with to try it out!

Using StazOn and Basic Pearls:

The butterfly comes from the Strength & Hope Stamp Set, that can be found in Stampin' Up!'s Summer Mini catalogue. $2 from every purchase of this set goes towards the BCRF!

Stampin' Up!'s Triple Layer Blossom Punch is one AWESOME toy for crafting! There's a lot that can be done with this punch, and creating this weave was a fun challenge. Looking at this card two days later, I find that I should have used two black flowers and one white. *shrugs*

And using Craft Ink (Regals Collection) onto Rhinestones:

Pink, Blue and Yellow Rhinestones! Is that not the coolest thing?? :D I fell in love with Rhinestones the moment I was first introduced to them, but they're all kinds of awesome now that we can colour them, lol.

I really love the look of Black StazOn ink on Rhinestones, but haven't figured out a card to show it yet! Expect to see that one soon!

Strength & Hope

2011-05-16T14:17:00.003-04:00

Breast Cancer Research Foundation®
Strength & Hope Campaign
May 1st to August 31st, 2011

When one in every nine women are expected to develop breast cancer within their lifetime, it's difficult to not know someone who is fighting this battle.

Thinking of all the women in your life; there's your mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, best friend, team mate, co-worker, a neighbour... with statistics stating that at least one of these women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life (and I didn't even include you in that list.)

So for the next four months, Stampin' Up! is running a campaign that allows me to do a little bit of good while I collect another gorgeous stamp set to play with.

Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the purchase of every Strength & Hope stamp set, or digital bundle to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF). This foundation is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

I've made a few projects so far with use of the Strength & Hope stamp set, and this is my latest creation:

And if you'd like to make a similar card, here's a tutorial to make the base:
Framed Card Tutorial

I haven't made a tutorial for the design yet, but here are the supplies that would be needed:

stamp sets: Strength & Hope (wood, clear), Medallion (wood)
card stock: Early Espresso,White Confetti
inks: Rose Red, Blushing Bride
embellishments: Victorian Crochet, Basic Pearls Jewel Accents

Travel Size Tissue Box

2011-05-06T19:45:00.004-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I finally got around to making a purse/travel box for tissue today. This project has been on my mind for about a week now, but I haven't had much time to just sit down and play until earlier this afternoon.

And I'm really happy with the results! :)

The reason(s) why I created this box in the first place is because I'm tired of carrying around loose tissue in the bottom of my purse. And I don't like purchasing those little packets of tissue for a buck, when you only get five or six in each packet; it's just not cost effective. So in less than twenty minutes, I put together my own refillable tissue holder so that I can keep my tissues (and my purse!) clean and in one piece until I need one!

It's small enough to throw into my purse, and holds about five tissues at once (when folded), just like a store brand packet.

Here's what it looks like:

If you'd like to make your own, just keep watch on this blog! I'll be posting the tutorial (for purchase) later on tonight, or at the very latest, sometime this weekend. I have the template put together, now I just have to write up the instructions and add twenty or so photos. If you're curious to what my tuts look like, you can view previous ones here.

EDIT:
The Travel Tissue Box Tutorial is Now Available!!
20 pages, including photos; PDF; 4 MB
$3.99 US

Make Your Own Catalogue Envelopes

2011-04-28T14:09:00.002-04:00

If you're a fan of re-purposing, this tutorial is right for you! What happens when you're Stampin' Up! Catalogue retires and you no longer have a need for it?

Well, you can turn all those pages into envelopes so that you have something to stick your beautiful cards into when you're ready to deliver them! :)

How freakin' COOL is that?!?

Here's an example of what these envelopes look like.

Here's the tutorial on how to make your own! These are absolutely Simple & Sweet. :)

Catalogue Envelope Tutorial

If you decide to make your own, please leave a link to your blogs in the comments below! I'd love to see how they turn out! :)

EDIT: Some people are having trouble viewing/downloading. I was able to load the pdf to my site, so you can direct download it from here.

Punch Bunnies

2011-04-22T22:57:00.003-04:00

Hey all!

Here's wishing a great long weekend full of fun and laughter with your loved ones! :)

Just a few days ago I had to create a bunny treat box project on the fly for a group of scouts, with an estimate of 25 kids! I was a bit anxious, 'cause it usually takes me all day to create and another day entirely to prepare projects for events, and I had about 6 hours to do everything. Eep!

So I went online and found the CUTEST Easter Bunny treat boxes from an amazing demo that you might already read. Frenchie, of "Stamp and Scrap with Frenchie" created these awesome punch bunnies that turned out to be the perfect project to work with seven to eleven year olds. So I gathered all the punches needed to make these bunnies and got started on 25 kits for the kids to get their hands all glued up and sticky with, lol. And yes, the glue flowethed everywhere that night!

Aren't these a bunch of cuties??

And this is what they look like on the inside!

These ones were made just in time for giving Easter treats to the neighbours' kids on Monday! :) Now just to pick up some candy tomorrow to fille 'em up.

If you decide to make these as well, I would LOVE to see the pics!

Happy Easter Card Share

2011-04-19T16:13:00.002-04:00

Whew!! Where did the time go?? Between the Creative Heart Collective craft show, CreativFest, and my bi-weekly card event at Wise Daughters, the days have just flown on by without so much of a blink! I love keeping busy, but sometimes it's also nice to just put your feet up and watch something mindless, which is what I'll be doing tonight, lol.

So... those who needed an Easter Card for the coming weekend were able to join me at Wise Daughters this afternoon to create one from scratch!
I really enjoyed making this card! If you're an avid stamper, you know that sometimes the card just seems to "make itself", and that's how this particular card came to be.

This card was made using the Easter Blossoms stamp set, along with Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz, Rose Red and Daffodil Delight inks and paper.

If you'd like to join me at my next event at Wise Daughters, you can show up at any time between 1 and 3PM on Tuesday May 3rd! We'll make three cards you to take home for $15!

If you have any Q's you can contact me for more info! :)

Introducing: PaperStickies

2011-04-01T15:40:00.004-04:00

If you haven't noticed yet, I'm always eager to try new things. So my latest attempt at new was to make stickers! And it WORKED! I'm loving these babies so hard right now, lol!

I'll be selling packages similar to this one at the Creative Heart Collective on Sunday April 17th.

Here's some Blog Candy: Mention this blog post when visiting my booth the Creative Heart Collective show on Sunday, and I'll give you a FREE sample pack! :D Who doesn't love stickers?? Or even better, FREE stickers!

So here's what my first set of PaperStickies look like:

And the back side too:

The labels need a little work, I know... I'm still waiting for professionally printed parts of my labels to be delivered (hopefully by next week!) Ball point pen? What is that??

So. Can't wait for a free sample pack of stickies? Or maybe you live out of town? Well here's some EXTRA blog candy for you: a free regular-sized pack of stickies for one lucky person who enters the draw! YAY!

You have two ways of entering:

Follow my blog by clicking on the Google Follow on the left hand side of this page and email me at info @ papersweets.ca mentioning that you're now following my blog. OR
Leave a comment below. Anything you want! Even just "I want to win! Here's my email addy..." works. ;) But PLEASE leave a working email address so that I can contact you if you win!

You'll have 'til next Friday, April 8th to enter to win!

Good Luck!

EDIT:

You can't really tell (I think) from the images above that the stickers are sorta see-through, so here's some more pics! :)

They can also be used as Wall Art! :D

Remember Those 50 Cent Grab Bags You Wanted When You Were A Kid?

2011-04-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

(lol, and the winner for the longest blog title goes too...)

GRAB BAGS! I don't think I can stop saying/typing those two lovely words.

...

Grab Bags!

I LOVED them as a kid. Forget the penny candy, the Grab Bag was what I was after with my fifty cents after a hard day at school! Grade 3 was a tough year you know! ;)

I was always excited to find out what neat little toy or candy I'd get within the bag, and thanks to the awesome Stampin' Up! marketing team, we can re-live that feeling of happy surprise once again!

'Cause Stampin' Up! is now selling Grabs Bags!! (I feel like dancing, lol!)

You have three bags to choose from.

A $6 bag that has at least $24 worth of goodies inside;
a $12 grab bag with at least $48 worth of fun stuff inside;
or maybe try for the jackpot with the BIG $18 grab bag with at least $72 worth of awesome Stampin' Up! product inside!!

What products will you find in there?

You'll be set up with a fantastic array of discontinued products, including any combination of the following: ribbons, Accents & Elements, chipboard, Designer Series Paper, or Simply Sent kit components; which is just about anything you'd find in the Clearance Rack.

Grab bags do not contain stamp sets or tools though, but for me, that makes the grab bag all that much better! I'm particular of what stamp sets I collect so I'm glad I won't be collecting stamps that I wouldn't normally use, but I'm the complete opposite when it comes to embellishments. I can't get enough of them, and love trying out different product that I never got a chance to before.

What am I hoping for??

I'll admit, I've been wanting to start collecting as many markers as possible recently. On my last personal order, I was all set to purchase the 5 marker In-Colour set from 2009/10, only it wasn't in the clearance section anymore! I was completely bummed out that I had waited so long and missed out on an lovely set of markers - I think they were just over $4 too, which is crazy cheap for that kind of quality! So imagine my surprise and GLEE, as I just went to look again while writing up this blog post, and see that there are now three new sets of markers from before the Colour Change of 2010. I'm so EXCITED to see a set of 12 High Quality markers for just over $15 each! That's over $30 OFF the normal price for each of these sets. I so want! So yeah, I'm going to pick up the $18 bag, and will cross my fingers that there's a set of markers inside.

Will I be bummed if they're not there? Meh, maybe for a few seconds, but then I'll be too busy getting super excited over all the cool-over-$75-worth-of-stuff that I'll find in my Bag anyway! :)

So let Stampin' Up! send you a FUN SURPRISE with a whole lot of product for an amazing price and by playing a bit of chance, you might find something that makes your future projects all that much more perfect.

Go check out the Clearance Rack now to look at all the goodies and get yourself a grab bag while they last!

Earth Hour is Tomorrow!

2011-03-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

I love Earth Hour day. It's a day to resolve our differences with Earth and for one brief hour, we take a look at a world that doesn't run on electricity. A simple walk by candlelight can be so much more different when you're not bombarded by electric lighting (which is common place in large cities.) It's refreshing to be able to walk during the twilight hours in a park with your loved-ones, guided by an alternate, eco-friendly light for a change.

So for this year's walk in the dark, I've made a candle lantern to guide our way.

And as you can see, I've decorated the candle with stamps from Stampin' Up! :)

Here's a closer look at the candle:

This was my first attempt ever on decorating a candle, and you can see that there are a few mistakes, but I can't express how easy it was to make this! I know my future attempts will look much more sleek than this first try, lol.

If you'd like to make your own candle lantern, you'll need a few supplies from your dollar store, such as:

a jar
thick rope/twine
wire. I used 20 gauge jewelry wire, though you would do much better with an 16/14 gauge. I actually wanted to reuse the wire from a hanger, but I don't currently have the right clippers that'll cut through it. And if the candle burns too hot on this wire, then I'll tie a bit of twine on the top to hold onto.

To start designing on your own candles, follow the instruction on this youtube vid here.

I had used my Vintage Vogue and Sweet Summer (free Sale-A-Bration set!) stamp sets, with So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Pear Pizzazz, Regal Rose, Pacific Point, and Old Olive inks.

So, what are your plans for Earth Hour?

It's Back!!

2011-03-11T10:28:00.001-05:00

I got quite the happy surprise when I logged into Stampin' Up! this morning!! After months of anticipation, Stampin' Up!'s rigorous quality control standards has finally paid off. Our Ornament Punch is BACK.

There is just so much YAY! and dancing involved right now. And to commemorate this occasion, I went and created a celebratory e-card for you to enjoy and rejoice that the Ornament Punch is BACK! :D

Do not walk, RUN to go get yours now!

Erin Go Braugh - Challenge #111

2011-03-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

So I've decided to keep up with the yahoo group's weekly challenges! I'm finding challenges to be a great way to keep you creativity active. There's nothing worse than looking at some cardstock and hoping that it would magically put itself together, 'cause you're not sure where to start, lol.

This week's challenge is:

Challenge 111
A Bit O'Green

This week we are challenging you to use "A bit O'Green". You can use any shades of green on your projects. This will be an easy one as we all use green with our flowers, need St. Patrick's Day cards, or just love green so we use it on all our projects.

Need some inspiration? Check out the design team samples HERE

You can check out the members photos and upload your sample HERE

And this is what I came up with!

What I used:

Always Artichoke and Pear Pizzazz cardstock;
Old Olive and Whisper White inks;
an Old Olive Flower Brad;
Full Heart X-Lg, and Two-Step Bird X-Lg punches;
Teeny Tiny Wishes, and Priceless stamp sets.

I'll Accept That Challenge! #110

2011-02-28T23:00:00.000-05:00

Hey all!! Wow! I CANNOT believe that March is only an hour away!! I sometimes feel that we're still stuck in January, lol.

So one of the yahoo groups that I've begun to frequently read has these weekly challenges, and I've decided that it's about time I've joined in on the fun. I may have gone a bit overboard with this week's, but hey, it's a debut, right?

So here's the challenge set to the group:

Challenge 110
In Honor of Dr. Suess's birthday let's focus on kids!

This week we are working on creating any type of kid card or project. We all need cards and love to decorate our kids rooms so we should get lots of good ideas. This should be a fun one! Let's see if we can get to 110 entries since this is our 110th challenge.

Need some inspiration? Check out the design team entries HERE

When you create your entry upload it HERE

I decided to take the "In Honor of Dr. Suess's birthday" focus a little more literal and put together a book of sorts: an 8" x 8" Scrap N' Colour Journal. The intention is to allow the user to modify EVERY page of the journal in any way they see fit with use of crayon, markers, ink & stamps, as well as being able to add photos, and/or embellishments... essentially a no-holds bar on creativity, with beginners of all ages in mind. There is also a side ledger for the user to take notes of special events that occurred during each month to get the user started on journaling.

So without further ado, my entry to Challenge #110.

A Beginner's Scrap n' Colour Journal

This project was made with My Digital Studio (MDS), mostly using stamp sets that are already available for use directly from the program's installation (there are hundreds of additional stamps and papers available for purchase as well to enhance your MDS software).

If you don't have My Digital Studio yet, it's a great time to order one through Stampin' Up! As you would also qualify for a free Sale-A-Bration gift as well! (until March 31st 2011)

If you'd like further information on how to create this type of project, give me a shout!

Want to see other amazing projects made with MDS? MyDigitalStudio.net is a fantastic community with thousands of projects made with this simple software.

Hand Stamped By Me!

2011-02-17T01:05:00.003-05:00

For Valentines Day, UPS delivered my "Hand Stamped By" personalized stamp.

I'm in LOVE.

With myself apparently, lol.

I've been a little antsy about getting a personalized stamp, but if I want to sell cards and gift items using Stampin' Up! images, well then I need an approved personalized stamp that carries copyright info.

It's also a great way to show exactly how much effort you've put into a card for someone else! Not only is your card noticeably homemade, but it's also noticeably homemade by YOU!

So yes, I finally got a chance to test out my new stamp tonight, and it's just really REALLY COOL being able to stamp your own name onto paper!

That's Basic Black ink stamped onto a recycled piece of cardboard, which I'm using to package my pendants (that can be found on 100 Mile Finds and Etsy).

I'm now looking at purchasing another personalized stamp that'll state "WasherWear" for the front section of my packaging tags (maybe with a cute tree sitting right beside it, #116632 see below). What do you think?

Did you know that you don't have to use the address stamps simply for your name and address? If you have a favourite saying, or want a simple signature to "sign" your cards with, such "With love, Mom", you can use these stamps to create any four lines of text with a maximum of 32 characters per line.

What really suprised me was that it only took one week to deliver this stamp to my front door, which is normal shipping and handling time from whenever I order my Stampin' Up! products. This means that my stamp was made within 24 hours of when I had placed my order! *mind boggles* With other leading personalized stamp stores (that I used years ago), you would have to wait up to 3 weeks for a stamp to be made, and then another week for it to be delivered (especially if a border crossing is involved). SU! has made it so easy to get your personalized stamping groove on.

There are two pages that may have become lost amongst all the other pretty found in the Stampin' Up! catalogue.

Personalized stamps can be found on page 144 & 145: Click here to view/download the Canadian Ideas Book & Catalogue. So take a look now at these awesome possibilities and when you're ready to order your own personalized stamp, give me a shout!

So, tell me! What favourite quotes would you love to put on a stamp? A little bit of Shakespeare perhaps?
I'd like to own this stamp eventually, lol:

A fool thinks himself to be (28 characters)

wise, but a wise man knows (26 chars)

himself to be a fool. (21 chars)

W. Shakespeare (16 chars)

My Digital Studio is On!

2011-02-16T15:00:00.002-05:00

I recently purchased My Digital Studio (MDS) in hopes of making a coffee-table book or two with family photos in the near future, but have had much fun using it to decorate my website in the meantime.

I've just uploaded a new header for my site! What do you think?

So while I was in the middle of typing out this post, I came across a You Tube video from Shelli, who is the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up! Go Shelli! :D The video has some really gorgeous projects that you can easily make with Stampin' Up! products so take a look at the video below.

If you have any questions about the products used, just give me a shout! :)

And Sale-A-Bration is still running strong until March 31st! You'll get amazing free products with every $60 increment on your purchase total! This means that if you purchase a Big Shot now, you will earn TWO FREE Sale-A-Bration stamp sets, embellishments and/or decor elements with your order.

The Big Shot is amazing. But getting two free items with your Big Shot is even better! :D

Sale-A-Bration: Sweet Summer Project

2011-02-03T17:51:00.003-05:00

Sale-A-Bration: Sweet Summer Project with Carrie Cudney

I got to share a table with Carrie and other amazing Stampin' Up! demonstrators last September during the Hamilton Regional Pre-Event party, and she's such a sweet heart! This video will show you how to make a simple card with some of the free Sale-A-Bration products (when you spend $60 or more on anything Stampin' Up!) that are available today! :)

Check out more info here!

kiss

2011-01-27T13:38:00.003-05:00

I'm wanting to set a new paradigm for myself, and rather than just tell you what it is: the first person to tell me what KISS stands for (correctly) will get one of the pendants below as a PRIZE. YAY for blog candy.

LATE last night I put together my kit for Wise Daughter's 2nd Anniversary (let me know if you can make it!), so I'm all set and raring to go. Is it Saturday yet?! How about now?

Those who'll visit my table will be offered to make one of these projects:
(cards at $5, magnetic bookmarks at $2)

If you've never stamped before, this is a GREAT time to try something new with one of these simple projects!

There are other fun crafts to do while nomming on yummy cake too! Like buttons, jewellery, and candles! I'm gonna have to figure out a way to try out all of these projects while at the party... maybe I could get my dear hubby to man my station for a few mins? Heh... :D

And as I mentioned up above, I've also made a few more necklace pendants! These are fairly different to my other sets (I think). How I applied the ink was certainly different for me anyway. I don't think this pic does them any justice, so I'll have to figure out a better plan on capturing them. The butterfly one is certainly my fave though.

Wow! Two blog posts from me in one week. GO ME! XD And I still have lots more to tell you, so expect another update very soon.

Break Out 2011!

2011-01-25T22:07:00.000-05:00

The sentiment might be a tad late, but welcome to the New Year!

So, it's been a while. I hadn't stopped crafting (FAR from it to be honest!); I just never got a chance to get my works online. :/

Next year's resolution will be for me to learn effective Time Management skills, as they seemed to be badly needed over the past holidays when it came to keeping up with this blog.

And I do mean next year's, 'cause I already have a resolution for this year: Focus on Hand Made as much as possible. Whether hand crafted by me, or visiting the local cafes instead of going to Tim Horton's - I'm trying to keep a better balance and focus on local over large corporations. Meh, it's just my thing. :)

There is SO MUCH to tell you guys about: what's new with Stampin' Up!, what projects I've made recently, and what events you can find me at.

So let's start with my gift to you to celebrate New Beginnings with the New Year upon us. A simple greeting card that plays with different forms of masking.

The Friendly Card Tutorial

It's been a while since I last made a tutorial, so hopefully it reads well. Let me know if you have any questions about it!

And if you want to try this card out with ME, join us at Wise Daughter's this Saturday January 29th as part of WD's Second Anniversary celebrations! Come in anytime, between 12 and 5 PM, for cake and crafty projects, where each project you choose will take about 15 minutes for you to make. I'll be teaching how to make this card and a couple of other items as well.

The REALLY BIG NEWS for today is the start of Stampin' Up!'s Sale-a-Bration. It's an amazing time to think about ordering products from SU! With every order of $60 or more, you can to choose an exclusive Stampin' Up! product for FREE. And the really cool part is that there's no limit with these free gifts! So if you spend $120 on one order, you get two free gifts, spend $180 and you'll get three! :D

And these free items are AWESOME to boot. You can check it all out here!

Online Spectacular!

2010-11-22T12:28:00.000-05:00

Stampin' Up! has some fantastic deals starting today!

My Digital Studio is now $53.48! (50% OFF the regular price)
Sizzix Embosslits Dies are up to 40% off, like the Hi embossing die that is now $9.57 (regular price $15.95, shown on the right)
Get 40% off a collection of Fire and Ice Brads for all your sparkly embellishment needs this holiday season! (Regular price $43.50, Sale price $26.10)
and SO MUCH MORE!

Want to check out the pdf catalogue? Click here to look at the entire list of sale items, available only at these awesome prices until November 30th!

You can still order the Standard or Digital+ Starter Kits for only $107.50 (incl Free S&H, and no tax!) also until November 30th. If you're ready to join me in awesome discounts and access to demonstrator-only events, click here to order your kit now! password: papersweets Twenty-one items in the kit are customizable so that you can get the BEST kit to suit your needs!

Or, contact me for more information!

Awwh, How Cool Is This?? Cherry On Top Award

2010-11-16T01:50:00.000-05:00

So um... I got a sweet little email today that said I won a Cherry On Top Award!

How cool?!

I tried looking up the origin of this award, but have yet to find it! Though the search has sent me on a nice tour of crafty blogs! :D

There are a few rules that need to be followed to accept this award, so here goes:

Thank the person who sent it to you. Thank you Donna! This was such a sweet surprise; I'm so flattered that you thought of my site for your list! :)

Donna has some gorgeous Stampin' Up! card samples (I really love her Pink Perfection Camilla card!); go and check out her site here!
Copy and paste the award to your blog. Done and done.
Share 3 things about yourself that you enjoy! Not in any particular order, but... well, I love to craft! I love being a geek! And I love my supportive husband, heh.
Pass the award to five others. Oooh, the FUN part! :D
- The first on my list has to be my upline, Caroline Lebel and her website Craftin' Caro! If I didn't stalk this site so much just over a year now I wouldn't have known about Stampin' Up! let alone having later joined this company as a demonstrator. Thanks to her, the past year has been a blast and I finally feel confidence in my work.
- Second would be Caroline's right-hand lady and sister, Christyne and her website Handstamped From the Heart! A great gal who does a ton of great work, including making cards where a portion of the proceeds go to Labatt Family Heart Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children!
- Dina Anker, and her website Dina Loves 2 Stamp, is always an amazing source for inspiration! I've had the idea of making the RBT recipe book for quite a while now, but I couldn't quite figure out how to place the stickers. It was thanks to one of Dina's projects that I figured I could place the stickers onto a sheet of vellum paper with dotto adhesive!
- I've had a chance to meet Blair Moch (Stamp with B) a few times fairly recently (and every time, I learn something new!), the first being back in September at the Hamilton Regional event held by Stampin' Up! She's the genius behind using Waffle paper on Christmas Crackers; crackers are just so simple to make when using waffle paper for the wrapping (instead of actual wrapping paper as I've used for a couple years before).
- And finally Laura of Paper Dragonflies! You have to go check out her kitties in their hallowe'en costumes, they're just too cute! She also just recently purchased a Big Shot, and I can't wait to see what projects she'll come up with!

So... that's it! Again, thank you so much Donna for including me in the fun! :D

Until next time...

A Truly Amazing Time to Join Stampin' Up! 50% OFF Starter Kits!!

2010-11-15T02:55:00.001-05:00

password to join: papersweets

Have you been waiting for the BEST moment to join Stampin' Up!? Or have you been wondering about what it would be like to join? Or maybe the thought hasn't occurred to you yet, but hopefully I've peaked your interested even a bit?

Whether you're wanting a bit of extra cash for the coming winter holidays and gifting, or if you want to purchase quality products at discounted prices for yourself, or both, you will want to know more about the brand new Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Starter Kit promotion; it starts today and it truly is SIMPLY AMAZING!

Hold onto your keyboards, because what I'm about to tell you is really exciting!...

Stampin' Up! has decided to sell their Starter Kits for 50% OFF for the next two weeks!!

*mind boggles*

Do you know how absolutely cool this is??

Let's do a bit of math (trust me when I say you will LOVE this type of math!)

So a Standard Starter Kit comes with four stamp sets (of your choice!); one set from each of the following categories:

$41.95 or under,
$35.95 or under,
$22.95 or under, and
$11.95 or under.

The grand total for choosing the stamp sets at these prices is $112.80 (which does not include S&H nor taxes, 'cause then you're looking at roughly $140).

Meanwhile the Standard Starter Kit is selling RIGHT NOW for $107.50 with FREE SHIPPING!

That essentially means you'll get those four stamp sets for a discounted price and a TON of additional products for FREE!

"Which products?!" you ask.

The Standard Starter Kit includes:

Four complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
A Stampin' Around wheel (which is another stamp), handle, and ink cartridge
A sizable assortment of Designer Series paper and card stock
Four Classic Stampin' Pads
Two Stampin' Write markers
VersaMark Pad
Whisper White 5/8" satin ribbon
Songbird Décor Elements (or your choice) and applicator
Adhesives
Blender pen
Stamping sponge
Stampin' Scrub and Mist
Box of Idea Book & Catalogues
Business forms and tools

But perhaps you're interested in My Digital Studio, which costs $106.95 all on it's own! You can get the Digital + Starter Kit for $107.50 (less than a dollar more,) which includes:

My Digital Studio software suite
Three complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
An assortment of card stock
Four Classic Stampin' Pads
Two Stampin' Write markers
Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
Brights Designer buttons
Songbird Décor Elements (or your choice) and applicator
Adhesives
Stampin' Scrub and Mist
Box of Idea Book & Catalogues
Business forms and tools

Most of the items are customizable, which means you can knock a lot of your wish-list items all at one amazingly cost-effective shot!

This sale is incredible not only for those who may want to try their hand at direct-sales in crafting products, but also for those who just love to make crafts.

My fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators are an amazing bunch! And not all of them use their demonstratorship to make a profit; quite few joined simply to use the 20% discount on products for themselves as hobbyists!

And if you join by November 30th, you too can enjoy a 20% discount at the very least (first purchase with a demo account can lead to a 30% discount, which is awesome if you're planning on purchasing the Big Shot soon!) as well as the multitude of other perks that are afforded to Stampin' Up! demonstrators:

free stamps;
FUN events;
free monthly magazine subscription;
access to BRAND NEW products a month before the public;
free catalogues;
and so much more!

You'll also get ME for as much or as little support as you want! You will be given a chance to meet up with me at least once a month (either by phone, email or in person; depending on your needs,) where you'll get to meet other demonstrators and hobbyists, learn new techniques and upcoming events as well as answers to any questions you may have.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I am SO EXCITED for all of you who have been thinking about joining or just wanting a great way to make your dollar go even further!

Seriously, you've hit the jackpot by finding this deal, so if you have any questions, now's the time to ask!

Or if you've heard enough and are ready to JOIN NOW, click this link to order your Starter Kit today! You will need my password on the first page, which is: papersweets

Christmastime Decorations Event

2010-11-11T23:24:00.000-05:00

What: Christmastime Decorations
When: November 24th 7 to 9 PM
Where: World's Biggest Bookstore
Price: $45

Create some simple holiday decorations to make this season bright! Learn how to decorate your own cookie plate, and mug, using decor elements; Christmas crackers; present tags; ornaments, and more!

As a bonus, you'll get to take home the left over Candy Cane Christmas decor elements sheet to decorate your own projects at home! (value $18.95, in Real Red or Old Olive)

Seats are limited, so contact me now to save your spot! :)

Royal Blog Tour: From The Kitchen Of

2010-11-04T21:00:00.058-04:00

Well met, ye noble traveler of the Royal Blog Tour to my modest abode, a'ways North of the countryside!

I pray yer wanders have cast upon thee a great bounty of prettily prepared parchment for you to gaze upon.

Stay a while, and feast on what my finest cooks have prepared for us today!

*cough* Okay, so Shakespeare, I'm not!

Hi everyone!

Hope you've had fun so far on this Fall's Royal Blog Tour. And if you've just happen to stumble upon this page, click on the RBT link at the top of this page to find out exactly what I'm talking about! :)

My featured stamp set is Stampin' Up!'s: From the Kitchen Of

Yes, I am a foodie. Not particularly hardcore, but I do enjoy experimenting in the kitchen when I can. Experimenting produced one of my absolute favourite pasta dishes, and it's quite easy to duplicate when needed:

just add one jar of Classico's TM Sundried Tomato Pesto and;
one entire box of Campbell's Butter Nut Squash soup to any pot of cooked pasta;
stir and enjoy!

That one is always a crowd pleaser!

And it would fit nicely during a special dinner occasion, particularly under "veggies, salads & sides" on the menu below. How impressed would your guests be if you created a menu outlining all the Mmmms and Yummmys that they're about to enjoy? And what better way to let everyone know that they better save room for dessert?

This set does have a bit of versatility too! I made the card below for my husband's birthday this past September:

Those of you who've forsaken store-bought cards may well know how completely difficult it is to make a card for a husband, or dad, or brother, or male-cousin, or the mail-man...

um, yeah... where was I?

Right!

I'm not saying that the card above went as far as my husband's bookshelf for all to see (someone tell me how to deal with a guy who hates to celebrate his birthday? But LOVES to celebrate mine?? Double-standard, much?), but it did go a step up from being tucked away in a bureau somewhere.

This card is still sitting with all of his collectibles and trinkets; a place that he tends to look at while preparing for work each morning!

*grins all goofily*

He may be a hard nut to crack, but I finally won a battle on the "Happy Birthday, Baby!" front for the first time in the 12 years I've known my guy.

And I believe that part of it was the fact that the card didn't look all *girly*. Not a flower or bit of pink in sight! Just some *manly* colours of browns and blues and the promise of Cake, lol!

And the final piece for this tour...

Recipe Book!

You may want to bring something a little extra to the table, some sort of Badge of Honour that shows just how dedicated you are into making delicious edibles from scratch....

So, how does a completely hand-made recipe book sound?

What you'll see below was made almost entirely from Stampin' Up! products!

This would be the front cover of my brand spanking new recipe book:

Some may think it looks a bit plain-jane, but I kinda like the mysteriousness of a basic cover.

Here's a corner shot to show you how filled this baby really is:

I never quite understood the necessity of book plates, but you can jot quick notes on this one:

And here be the meat and potatoes of the Recipe Book! You may notice in the picture below that I took one of the "meats & main dishes" tag from the front vellum page and stuck it in it's rightful place right between the squiggly lines of the first recipe page. There's also a "yum scale" on each page, but honestly; how could you're new Recipe Book be filled with anything but five-star cuisine?

Foodie enthusiasts may notice one thing missing... a separate sheet for ingredients. I don't have an "ingredients" stamp yet, but there is a blank page on the back of each card with ample room to list everything needed for your delish dish!

If you wanted to deconstruct this project you would need the following from Stampin' Up!:

From the Kitchen Of stamp set;
Basic Black ink;
Very Vanilla card stock;
Vellum paper;
Textured card stock - in this case in Chocolate Chip;
Designer Series paper, including the card board backing;
Antique Brads;
1/2" Lace trim;
1" circle punch;
Stampin' Dimensionals;
Dotto Glue;
Sticky Strip; and
Crystal Effects

And from elsewhere:

common white sewing thread;
Paper Tape - yes the gentle and breathable kind also used to bandage cuts and scrapes, which can be found in the First-Aid aisle of your local drug store, heh.

Are you ready for some blog candy?!?

Comment below or email me at info@papersweets.ca with your name and email address and I will put you into a draw for a free copy of the upcoming tutorial on how to make this recipe book! If my previous tutorials are any indication, this one will have tons of pictures and step-by-step guides, estimated value at $5.95 US.

Both name and email are required to qualify for the draw. If you wish to comment, but are anxious about leaving your email below, "email @ domain dot com/ca/net/info/etc" is acceptable (eg. my email addy would look like: info @ papersweets dot com).

Well, that's it from me!

I bid thee a good morrow, and pray ye a safe journey, my gentle traveler.

Hmm... Has anyone seen the Court Jester??

Envelope Designs!

2010-11-04T17:10:00.000-04:00

Next time you've got your Big Shot out and texture embossing folders, grab a couple of envelopes and see what you can come up with! :)

Kinda cool, huh? I don't think it would be a good idea to send these through the mail, but they'll be great for hand delivered cards this winter season!

Btw, keep a look out for the Royal Blog Tour starting tomorrow!