Stamping with Brenda

Guest Blogger Mom Makes a Card that's Loads of Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:57:00 +0000

My brother loves to ride his snowmobile and fortunately we live in an area where there's 100 inches of snow each winter on average. And if that's not enough, he frequently drives 3 hours to the Tughill Region in the New York Adirondack Mountains where there usually is even MORE snow! (I just took a peak at one of the snowcams and there's none there now but there was 2" there a few days ago!).

Mom saw the snowmobile in the Loads of Fun stamp set and knew that she'd be able to make a number of cards for my brother. Here's the first with Scenic Season.

Look familiar? Check out the card on page 35 of the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog. Yup! Similar but still different.

I was with Mom when she made this card so I can give you the fine details!

First she cut out the Naturals White Top Note.
Next she took the Scenic Season stamp and colored the trees with the Handsome Hunter Stampin' Write Marker. She also colored the bird with a Ruby Red Stampin' Write Marker.
After remoistening the ink on the stamp with her breath, she stamped on the Top Note. Tip: This is a combination of the Omitting Technique and the Multiple Colors Technique.
As she knew that the snowmobile was going to go near the treeline, she used her Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp "Seasons Greetings" from the Snow Swirled rubber stamp set. She chose this greeting as it was more compact than the one included in Scenic Season and fit the unstamped area at the top of the card better.
Next she stamped the snowmobile in Basic Black on Ruby Red card stock and cut it out using Stampin' Up! Paper Snips. The uni-ball Signo Gel Pen and Basic Black Marker were used to accent the snowmobile.
The snowmobile was adhered to the Top Note with Stampin' Dimensionals.
The Top Note was layered on Night of Navy and then this was layered on Handsome Hunter prior to being mounted on Kraft card stock.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Scenic Season (115354), Loads of Fun (115197), Snow Swirled (111690)

Card stock: Kraft (102125), Handsome Hunter (105122), Night of Navy (100867), Naturals White (102316), Ruby Red (102030)

Ink: Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad (101179), Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker (100082), Handsome Hunter Stampin' Write Marker (105116), Ruby Red Stampin' Write Marker (100075)

Accessories: Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (113439), Stampin' Up! Top Note Bigz Die (113463), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Powder Pals (102197), Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023), Paper Snips (103579), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), uni-ball Signo Gel Pen in White (105021), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)

Thanks, Mom, for letting me post this beautiful card. And thanks everyone for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Technorati Tags: Omitting Technique, Christmas Cards, Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Christmas 2009 Stampin' Up! Wish List! You Create the List and I'll Do the Rest!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:20:00 +0000

Get the items from Stampin' Up! that you would love to receive on Christmas Day!

Download the Christmas Wishlist.
Fill out your wish list and the names of family members & friends who want to know what to give you.
Return it to me before the deadline on Saturday, November 21.
I will play Santa's Helper and take care of the rest! Please fill out the contact section completely so I can reach your relatives and friends.

This will make for a very Merry Christmas Day!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

A Baroque Motifs Stampin Up Card!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

A Sympathy Card...Thoughts & Prayers, Big Shot and Top Note Comfort to You at This Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Stampin' Up!'s Thoughts and Prayers rubber stamps are perfect for Sympathy Cards, Get Well Cards and Thinking of You Cards. Unfortunately, today I needed to create a sympathy card. My Paper Snips and the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine helped create the perfect card!

My apologies for the bad photo but I didn't realize that the lighting was off until after I had given the card to Debbie to give...hmmm...I think I need to explain this a bit...Debbie is my good friend and neighbor. AND Debbie is a whiz with computers. Recently, my father's laptop was starting to run extremely slow. She worked on it and got it so that it is fast...probably faster than when we purchased it. AND she did the same on mine. For "payment", we bartered...I'd make her some cards and hem her husband's pants (Michael likes how I use the blind hem stitch on my sewing machine). Sorry to bore you with this long explanation but this card was for Debbie and I gave to her BEFORE I downloaded the photos to my computer and verified that they were good (the little camera viewfinder just doesn't cut it sometimes!). And so, once again I apologize for the bad lighting!

On to the card details!

I first stamped the floral branch on the Old Olive stamp pad.
Next I used my Blender Pen to remove the Old Olive ink from all the flowers. Be sure and scribble your Blender Pen on some scrap paper after every flower to make sure that you are using a clean Blender Pen to clean off your flowers!
Next use the So Saffron, More Mustard and Brocade Stampin' Write Markers to color the flowers.
"Huff" on the stamp to remoisten the ink.
Stamp on Whisper White card stock.
Use Paper Snips to cut the floral branch out. STAMPIN' TIP: If you look closely at my card, you'll see that I didn't cut around every single leaf and flower and that's perfectly okay!
Repeat to create a second floral branch.
Use your Big Shot to cut out a Top Note in Whisper White and So Saffron. STAMPIN' TIP: Cut up to 3 pieces at once! Just layer one piece of card stock on top of the other!
Use your Paper Snips to cut along the perforation of the Whisper White Top Note. Adhere to the So Saffron Top Note.
Stamp the sentiment in the middle of the assembled Top Note.
Emboss the front half of your Whisper White card base with the small dots on the Texturz Plate and your Big Shot.
Wind a piece of 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon around the middle of the card front.
Adhere the assembled Top Note to the front of the card.
Use the 2-Way Glue Pen to adhere the floral branches.
Admire your art!

So my question for the day is...have you ever bartered for something?

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Thoughts and Prayers (113252)

Card stock: Whisper White (100730), So Saffron (105118)

Ink: Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad (102277), Brocade Blue Classic Stampin' Pad (101102), So Saffron Stampin' Write Marker (105114), Brocade Blue Stampin' Write Marker (100064), More Mustard Stampin' Write Marker (100076)

Accessories: 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon in Old Olive (109054), Paper Snips (103579), Blender Pens (102845), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates (114512), Stampin' Up! Top Note (113463)

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

A Simply Elegant Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:25:00 +0000

Sometimes simple really is best. I have a friend who is a jewelry demonstrator and wants to have a simple but elegant Thank You to send to her hostesses. It also needs to be quick to make and inexpensive. I think this card will do the trick, don't you?

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Elegant Thank You (114484)

Card stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Chocolate Chip (102128)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (100908)

Accessories: None

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Baroque Motifs and Sincere Salutations Together Again...

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:55:00 +0000

I LOVE both Baroque Motifs and Sincere Salutations and it's only natural that I would pair them together.

How did I get the color combination? With the Stampin' Up! Color Coach! I decided that I wanted to use Certainly Celery as my main color. The first thing I did was determine what color combinations would give me great results! I did this by selecting Certainly Celery as my main color with a simple rotation of the Color Coach wheel.

As you can see by the photo, this told me that the Coordinating Colors are Blush Blossom, Almost Amethyst and Apricot Appeal and that the Complementary Color is Regal Rose. What's the difference between Coordinating and Complimentary Colors? Colors coordinate well either by creating contrast or harmony. Contrasting colors are great for coordinating and making things "pop". In terms of harmony, think of two people singing together. It can be unbearable to hear 2 singers together and have one of them out of tune. Their voices are not in harmony and therefore, not pleasing. The same is true with color schemes. Some colors are in perfect harmony and some are not. Learning which colors go together is important in making a layout that is pleasing to the eye. Fortunately, Stampin' Up! has created a color coach to help us.

I decided that I wanted to create a soothing, harmonious color scheme and thus chose Almost Amethyst to go along with Certainly Celery (okay, I also chose it because I am trying to steer away from using Regal Rose so much...you now know my secret!).

I next wanted to create a layered card but decided to look at the Dynamic Duo color combinations listed on one side of the Color Coach (I have to admit that this is my FAVORITE go-to for monochromatic combinations!). Certainly Celery's monochomatic Dynamic Duo is Old Olive which is a favorite of mine! Obviously, this was a winner in my book!!!!

And this was, and IS, my thought process for picking color combinations! And now you know my secret...I wasn't gifted with the "color-coordinating gene" and I rely heavily on my Color Coach.

What color combination would you choose for this card? Leave me a comment with your choices!

Oh, and a couple more tips for making this card...

Used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the Baroque Motifs flourish on the cardstock so that it would be nice and close and exactly where I wanted it. LOVE this tool!
The Almost Amethyst flowers are created by inking up the flower stamp, stamping onto scrap paper and then immediately stamping onto the Whisper White card stock. This is a technique known as "Stamping Off".
Stamped 'Birthday Wishes' from Sincere Salutations on Whisper White card stock and then stamped it out with the Wide Oval Punch. Stampin' Tip: Hold the punch upside down and insert the card stock so that you can see the image and punch it out exactly as you desire!
Use your preferred adhesive to adhere the punched out image to a larger piece of Old Olive card stock. Then use your Paper Snips to cut out a larger image. Tedious I agree but hopefully Stampin' Up! will someday have a larger Oval Punch. Until this time...I think this is a very acceptable alternative!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs (113490), Sincere Salutations (115068)

Card stock: Certainly Celery (105125), Old Olive (100702), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Certainly Celery (105217), Almost Amethyst (101723)

Accessories: 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon in Old Olive (109054), Wide Oval Punch (112082), Paper Snips (103579), Color Coach (105796), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)

To Order YOUR COLOR COACH AND other Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tags: Baroque Motifs, Sincere Salutations, Wide Oval Punch, Stampin' Up!, Color Coach

Add Dazzle to Your Cards - Glitter, Shimmer Paints and Embossing!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:08:00 +0000

We often want to add some dazzle to our Christmas cards and there are several ways you can do that.

Heat embossing - First swipe the Embossing Buddy (103083) over the area. Then stamp your image or your greeting with Versamark (102283) or a Craft ink of your choice. Add embossing powder all over the design and pour off the excess back into the container (Powder Pals (102197) are what I use!). Make sure there is powder only where you want it (hint: tap on the back of your cardstock to remove the excess glitter). Heat with the Heat Tool (100005) and watch it change color. Be careful not to overheat/scorch the cardstock!

Stampin' Emboss Powder is available in Black, White, Gold, Silver, Clear, or Iridescent Ice (a similar effect to Dazzling Diamonds with less "shine").

Stampin' Glitter - Stampin' Glitter needs glue to adhere to the cardstock. You can use the 2-way Glue Pen (my favorite!) (100425), Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive (110755) or Crystal Effects (101055). Trace the area(s) that you would like to have glitter on with glue and then add the glitter. Shake off the excess and you're done! Great to trace mounds of snow or snowflakes. Stampin' Glitter (or any glitter) tends to fly everywhere so beware! My kitchen rug is still glittery from my last stamp camp but every time I look at it I smile and remember the fun we had.

And I don't want to forget Heat & Stick Powder (100625). Use this when you want to apply Stampin' Glitter to your stamped image with precision. Stamp the image, sprinkle with Heat & Stick Powder and heat it with your Heat Tool until it becomes glossy. The next step is to sprinkle it with your desired Stampin' Glitter, shake off the excess (remember your Powder Pal!) and then reheat with your Heat Tool to set the glue. Great for applying glitter to fine images like the tree in the stamp set Snow Swirled (111690).

Stampin' Glitter is available in a number of colors (see page 180 in your catalog). I use Dazzling Diamonds the most. The effect is similar to Iridescent Ice embossing powder with more shine to it.

Shimmer Paint (see p. 27 in the Holiday Mini Catalog) - Shimmer Paints make any paper look shimmery. Shimmer Paints are acid free and perfect for porous surfaces such as paper, fabric, and wood. Apply Shimmer Paint to a stamp with a Sponge Dauber (102892) to create frosted stamped images. OR apply it directly to the paper after stamping. And you can also mix it with the ink refill of your choice and paint it on your image or use a Sponge Dauber to apply it directly onto the stamp. (There are other uses too but these are the most popular!)

Shimmer Paints are available in Champagne Mist (116806), Frost White (116854) and Platinum (116807). Platinum is quite opaque while Champagne Mist and Frost White are more translucent.

And I know that this is a repeat but here's a card made with Heat & Stick Powder and Dazzling Diamonds!

And here's the original post with more information! It's still one of my all-time favorites!

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

POW! BAM! KAPOW! to Cancer! with the BigShot Die-Cutting Machine and Stampin' Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Rick defeated cancer (YES!!!) and Debbie wanted to celebrate her brother-in-law's victory in a special way so she asked me to make a very special card. I could only think of one dynamic duo...Batman and Robin to the rescue! This card reminds me of the TV Series many moons ago. I won't name the year but will tell you that we didn't watch it in color...I know that at least Stefani and Leslie will remember this one!

Here is the inside (yes, it has many layers but it was hand-delivered so no additional postage in this case!).

The words were printed out on cardstock using my computer and printer. I then punched them out with the scallop circle punch, stuck the punched out scallop on a piece of scrap copier paper and rotated it slightly before repunching it out. Sounds difficult but I promise you that it's not. And I will create a tutorial video for you soon as this is easier to show than to describe in writing. I PROMISE!!!!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: None

Cardstock: Brilliant Blue (100721), Only Orange (102837), Whisper White (100730), Bashful Blue (105120)

Ink: None

Accessories: Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Decorative Strip Cutting Pads (113479), Decorative Strip Spacer Platform (113477), Stampin' Up! Billboard (114510), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), Dotto Repositionable Adhesive (103305)

Other: Color Printer

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

My Digital Studio - Create a Christmas Card in 30 minutes!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:00 +0000

I'm in love! with My Digital Studio. I installed it and created this card in less than an hour!

Okay, I did have a little bit of help as I was inspired by one of the cards that I found in the November issue of Stampin' Success, our FREE monthly demonstrator magazine (that's loaded with lots of creative ideas and business tips!). BUT I still was easily able to create this card from start to finish in less than 30 minutes! And remember that this was NEW software that I'd NEVER used before.

I even created the inside using one of the fonts that's installed on my computer and matching the colors to the greeting on the outside of the card.

It is so easy and fairly intuitive. For example, I want to start a new project. What do I want to do? File, NEW, etc. (sound familiar?) And then I want to add something. I choose what I want and drag and drop it onto my card and then I can flip it, rotate it, move it. It probably is taking me longer to type this than it would be to actually do it.

And there's also a nice Greeting Card Preview window that allows you to simulate opening up the card.

Notice that I made the inside of my card match the Very Vanilla on the outside!

I'm very excited and cannot wait till I see my printed card!

Contact me today to learn more about My Digital Studio!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

P.S. If you are curious, here's the supply list for making the card in your non-digital studio...

Stamp Set: Tree Trimmings (116722)

Cardstock: Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit (115696)

Ink: Versamark (102283)

Accessories: 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Old Olive (111368), Scallop Edge Punch (112091)

Scrapbooking Fundraiser for YMCA of Greater Rochester Invest in Youth Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:35:00 +0000

Scrapbooking Fundraiser
To benefit the Victor YMCA Invest in Youth Campaign

Saturday January 9,2010

9am –9pm
www.rochesterymca.org/victor

Help build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

YMCA Camp Arrowhead
20 Arrowhead Road, Pittsford, NY 14534

$35 per person
Cost includes: a light breakfast & lunch, your own cropping area as well as goodie bag
and raffles!!!!!

Registration deadline 1/4/2010
Register online or call 585.742.4940

This event is going to be so much fun! I'm going to be there all day. And I'll have some fun things for us too! Please check your calendars and register today!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Ariana's Going to Razzle Dazzle her friends with this custom door hanger!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

What little girl wouldn't like to have custom door hanger that proclaims a room as hers? I made this cute little door hanger for my great-niece, Ariana (yes, the one who was in the Spiders post!).

What you cannot see in the picture (I had a guest photographer) is that there is Melon Mambo polka dot ribbon at the top for hanging it on the door.

The unfinished frame (it was $1 at my closest craft supply store) was painted white with some white trim paint leftover from painting our interior trim.

Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper coordinates with Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Pumpkin Pie. All colors are available in Stampin' Write Markers, Classic ink pads and cardstock. And check out Stampin' Up!'s ribbon and other embellishments.

Steps to create your door hanger:

Paint your wooden picture frame your desired accent color. Let dry.
Place frame face down on the reverse side of the patterned paper. Trace around the frame opening and outside edges.
Use scissors to cut frame shape from paper. For the frame outside, cut inside the lines. For the frame opening, cut outside the lines. The patterned paper frame will be slightly smaller than the actual frame.
Apply an even coat of the craft glue to the front of the wooden frame.
Place the Designer Series Paper on the frame. Smooth any bubbles away with your fingers.
Apply additional craft glue on top of the paper making sure to apply to all the edges. This will assure there are no bubbles at the edges. Set aside, and allow to dry
Cut a piece of Whisper White paper larger than the opening of the frame. Decorate it as desired keeping in mind that part of it may be hidden by the frame opening.
Assemble the frame.
Cut ribbon to desired length and adhere with Crystal Effects adhesive. Allow adhesive to dry for approximately 24 hours to achieve full strength before hanging.

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp set: Razzle Dazzle (116714)

Cardstock: Melon Mambo (115320), Whisper White (100730), Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper (115675)

Ink: Crushed Curry (115659), Melon Mambo (115656)

Accessories: 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon in Melon Mambo (115611), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Decorative Strip Cutting Pads (113479), Decorative Strip Spacer Platform (113477), Stampin' Up! Billboard (114510), Crystal Effects Adhesive (101055), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Paper Snips (103579) or Stampin' Up! Hobby Blade (102449)

Non-Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Wooden frame (unfinished) - Mine did not have any glass with it.
Cardboard to attach to Whisper White cardstock prior to inserting it in the frame
craft all-in-one glue, sealer and finish

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Short & Sweet Thanks with Baroque Motifs

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:27:00 +0000

Baroque Motifs is such a versatile stamp set. I'm always amazed at how many variations I can make with this one fabulous stamp set!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs (113490), Short & Sweet (115060)

Cardstock: Rose Rose (102544), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Regal Rose (101778)

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch (112091), 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch (109047)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Pun Fun, Fast & Fun Notes, and Texturz Plates Help Me Create One Beautiful Baby Card!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

I have a new cousin! Little Tracey Lynn was born on March 24th and I finally got her blanket done. Yes, I did knit it myself and I'm happy how it turned out.

Of course, the gift needed a card too! I love using the Pun Fun hippo for baby cards!

I used the large polka dot side of one of the Texturz Plates to create a dotted swiss fabric look. Here's a close-up (the color has been exaggerated so that you can easily see the embossing)...

I'm sure that you have all noticed that the "Congratulations" sentiment is not part of the hippo stamp of Pun Fun. There are two ways you can do this. You can use the omitting technique OR you can mount the sentiment on the side of the wood block and the main image on the flat side of the wood block. This gives you twice as many stamps for the money AND makes your life a lot easier. Haven't mounted them separately? I hadn't either originally but I was able to easily remove the stamp, cut them apart and remount them. See this post to see how!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp sets: Pun Fun (115054), Fast & Fun Notes (113500)

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (100459), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Stazon Jet Black (101406), Pretty in Pink Stampin' Write Marker (100045), Going Gray Classic Stampin' Pad (103274)

Accessories and Other Embellishments: Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049), Big Shot Die Cut Machine (113439), Standard Texturz Impressions Pad (114614), Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber (114615), Texturz Plates Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I (114512), 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Pretty in Pink (109032), Blender Pens (102845)

Here is what's found in Fun & Fast Notes:
Here is what's found in Pun Fun:
Here is what's found in Stampin' Up! Texturz Plates Backgrounds I:
Thanks for stopping by!

I may not be Batty for You but you still have a choice of either smelling my feet or giving me a treat!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:17:00 +0000

This is the second Halloween treat holder that future Stampin' Up! demonstrators, Ari and Amanda, made. Isn't it cute?

I CASED it from Angie Juda but added more scallops. It's perfect for a snack-sized package of candy and what little girl doesn't like to have her own purse?

TIP: Stampin' Up! no longer sells a 1/4" circle punch but the Crop-a-Dile will punch both 1/8" and 3/16" holes.

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Batty for You (116576)

Cardstock: Old Olive (100702), Basic Black (102851), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Old Olive (102277)

Accessories & Embellishments: 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Basic Black (109027), Scallop Edge Punch (112091), 1 3/8" Circle punch (104401), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), Crop-a-Dile (108362)

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

11 Tips to Better Halloween Photography.

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Darren Rowse is the editor and founder of Digital Photography School. He recently wrote an article "Halloween Photography Tips". I've extracted portions of the article here.

There are plenty of subjects around to photograph at Halloween ranging from the traditional jack-o-lantern through to people in costume, to trick or treat ‘treats’ etc. It’s a time of color, emotion and lots of interesting subjects.

Find Points of Interest - Before hitting the shutter ask yourself ‘what is the focal point (or point of interest) in this image?’ All good images have something in them that holds the attention of those who view them
Rule of Thirds - One way of enhancing the composition of your shots is to place your points of interest inn smart positions. While the rule of thirds can be broken with great effect it’s a useful principle to keep in mind.
Fill Your Frame - Halloween is a time of drama and you can add to this in your images by getting in nice and close and filling the frame with your subjects. Whether it’s people or objects – getting in nice and tight will usually add punch to your shots.
Give Subjects Space to Look into - When photographing people one of the most effective compositional techniques is to use the space around their faces effectively by giving more room on the side of their face that they’re looking into. As a rule (and we all know that they are made to be broken) if the person (and it works with animals too) you are photographing is looking in one direction or even if their head is pointing in that direction it is best to place them on the opposite side of the frame.
Find Fresh Angles - Make your images stand out by finding fresh perspectives to shoot from.
Photograph the Details - It’s easy to be distracted by the flashy parts of a time like Halloween but it’s often when you step back, take a look around and notice the smaller details that you find the ‘money shots’. Times like Halloween are filled with all kinds of smaller details and photo worthy moments including decorations, carving the pumpkin, people getting dressed in costumes, sleeping kids at the end of parties, bags full of treats at the end of the night, the ‘fangs’ in Aunt Marie’s mouth, before and after shots of parties, close ups of food, etc.
Group Photos - Two of the more common problems are (a) one or more subjects always seem to be looking away or in different directions and (b) the group being too far away or not all fitting into the shot.
Candid Photography - Halloween parties are a great time to get your camera out for some candid photos of your friends and family having a great time dressed up in all manner of costumes. Shoot lots! When you shoot multiple images quickly of a person you can sometimes get some surprising and spontaneous shots that you’d have never gotten if you shot just one. Switch your camera to continuous shooting mode and shoot in bursts of images and in doing so you’ll increase your chances of that perfect shot.
Shooting in Low Light - The type of images that come to mind when I think of Halloween are fairly dark and spooky ones – candles in pumpkins etc. After all, the real action of Halloween seems to happen after dark. As a result you’ll want to think carefully about the light sources for your shots.
Diffuse Your Flash - Another strategy that I’ve heard of some readers doing at this time of year is diffusing the flash on your camera with colored cellophane to try to lesson its impact upon your shot and also to give the light it produces a glow that might add to your shots – Red might be a good color to try. You’ll probably want to test this before the big night as getting the right density of diffuser will be critical.
Jack-o-Lanterns - Photographing Jack-o-Lanterns is particularly tricky as to get the full effect of the glowing inside the pumpkin is a bit of a tightrope walk between overexposing and underexposing due to the light and dark patches in the shot you take. Instead of just one candle inside it is probably worth using two or three to give a little extra light.

What's your favorite tip? Mine is #4 - Give Subjects Space to Look Into. I never thought about it but it does make sense.

Looking to get some great Halloween shots this year!

Happy Stampin and Scrappin!

P.S. I just couldn't resist the orange color for some of the text!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Directions for Spider Halloween Treats for Children

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:46:00 +0000

My great-niece, Ariana, and her friend, Amanda, made these cute spiders Sunday. And they virtually did them independently because I had created directions especially for them!

Here is the full set of directions in PDF format. Excuse the bad handwriting! Contact me if you have any questions!

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Spiders! EEEKKKKKKKKKK! (Easy with the Scallop Circle Punch)

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:28:00 +0000

Here they come! They are coming closer and closer just in time for the little munchkins and munchkinettes...Halloween Spider treats!

Here is a close-up of one of these arachnids!

Tip: The candy used were chocolate coated peppermint wafers, a generic brand of another popular brand. The popular brand had square packages.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: None

Cardstock: Basic Black (102851), Whisper White (100730), Real Red (102482), Lovely Lilac (100427), Green Galore (101768), Only Orange (102837)

Ink: uni-ball Signo Gel Pen in White (105021)

Accessories: 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Sticky Strip (104294), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), Photo Corners Punch (109042), 1/2" Circle Punch (104390), 1/4" Circle Punch (retired, unfortunately but I know you stampers will be able to improvise something!)

And if you are like Ariana and Amanda, you'll need some black yarn to suspend your spiders from!

They may be future www.stampingwithbrenda.com guest bloggers!

Till my next post, happy stampin'!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Need a Party Theme? Princesses and Pirates are easy with the Princess Party Kit and Pirate Party Kit!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:09:00 +0000

Stampin' Up! Party Kits make it easy to host a party for your child. Available for Princess and Pirates, each party kit contains dozens of pieces to make your party fantastic. Create cute decorations, pennants and food toppers as well as invitations and party favors! You're sure to have happy princesses or pirates at your house!

And this week, both kits are on sale! Purchase one or more today as this special is only good through Saturday, October 31st! Don't miss out!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Special Price
116214	174	Princess Party Kit	$15.95	$9.99
116213	175	Pirate Party Kit	$15.95	$9.99

Note: Each party kit contains enough for 8 children.

Till next post, happy stampin'!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

A Crazy for Cupcakes Birthday Card!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Need a quick but yummy looking birthday card? Crazy for Cupcakes to the rescue!

Unfortunately, I wish I was a better photographer so that you can really see this card. The photo really doesn't do it justice. Each cupcake is "frosted" with a little Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter. The 2-way Glue Pen and the smaller of my Powder Pals make it so easy!

And I love the Regal Rose/Rose Red dynamic duo. Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach makes it so easy to come up with a stunning color combination. Do you use the Color Coach? Leave your answer in the survey on the right!

Stamp sets: Crazy for Cupcakes (111618)

Cardstock: Regal Rose (105140), Rose Red (102544) , Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Jet Black StazOn Ink Pad (101406), Regal Rose Stampin' Write Marker (105108), Rose Red Stampin' Write Marker (100063), Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad (101778), Going Gray Stampin' Write Marker (109126)

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Powder Pals (102197), Color Coach 105796.

It's a beautiful day here in Upstate NY and I want to share it with all of you! These trees are right outside my office window. I think I have the prettiest view on the street!

Happy Monday!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Squirrels in the Pendant Park

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:35:00 +0000

UPDATED: 11/03/09 - This card was made by Catherine Pooler! Thank you, Catherine, for this beautiful card!

Do you have a favorite memory of a park? When I was a child, we would go to Maine every summer for our vacation (Ocean Park was our destination!). On our way, we'd stop in Central New York so that my father could visit a friend of his who was in a nursing home. My mother would sit outside with my brother and me in a park similar to this one. And yes, we spent the time watching the squirrels scurry here and there! What happy memories this stamp set brings back!

I received this card via a swap but unfortunately the artist didn't "sign" it. If you are the artist or know who the artist is, please let me know so that I can tell the world who made this beautiful card!

Special notes:
(1) Notice how the artist stamped the tree on the Confetti Cream cardstock as well as the Garden Green background.
(2) Also note how the Chocolate Chip cardstock extends past the bottom of the Confetti Cream giving the impression of the earth and grounding the image.

Beautiful card!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Pendant Park (115456), Hope Happens ( 113722)

Cardstock: Confetti Cream (102835), Chocolate Chip (102128), Garden Green (102584)

Ink: Garden Green (102272), Versamark (102283)

Accessories: Stampin' Emboss Powder in Black (109133), Heat Tool (100005), Stamping Sponge (101610)

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

A Thoughts & Prayers Sympathy Card

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:34:00 +0000

Thoughts & Prayers is quickly becoming my favorite stamp set though Autumn Days is a close second. Here is another card using Thoughts & Prayers.

I like the simplicity of this card. It's quick (important for sympathy cards). It's clean. It's simple and I think it's elegant. Hopefully you will too.

Many times I do not stamp a sentiment inside the card preferring to write my own little note but it's so hard to know what to write in a sympathy card. I have decided to let Stampin' Up! do the writing for me. Inside I used Lovely Lilac classic ink and stamped

Praying for friends
to comfort you,
faith to uphold you,
and loving memories
to heal your heart.

I then handwrite "My thoughts and prayers are with you..." and sign the card. Do you think that's enough? What do you write? Leave me a comment to help me and other readers with this dilemma.

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Thoughts & Prayers (113252)

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Lovely Lilac (100427)

Ink: Lovely Lilac (102874)

Accessories: Whisper White Taffetta Ribbon (109070)

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

A New Autumn Days Men's Card!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:04:00 +0000

UPDATED 10/20/09 - My apologies...I inadvertantly put Lovely Lilac in the directions when it should've been Perfect Plum. The corrected post follows. Again, please accept my apologies for the error.

I'm loving the new stamp set, Autumn Days, and can quickly see it becoming one of my favorite go-to sets for men's birthday cards. I love the little pheasant and all the natural grasses.

I was inspired by a card that I saw on the SplitCoastStampers website. Here's the basics of how I made my version:

Measure the width of the pheasant and cut a circle of Whisper White cardstock using the Circle Scissor Plus.
Cut a circle that's 1/4" larger in diameter from More Mustard cardstock (this will give 1/8" border all around the Whisper White circle.
Stamp the pheasant on the Whisper White circle using Perfect Plum Classic Ink.
Stamp the pheasant on some scrap paper and carefully cut it out using Paper Snips.
Use a bit of Dotto repositionable adhesive to position the pheasant mask over the other pheasant.
Use More Mustard and Really Rust Classic Inks to stamp the wheat around the pheasant. Stamp some of the images once on scrap paper first so that the image will be a bit fainter.
Remove the pheasant mask.
Sponge More Mustard Classic Ink around the edge of the Whisper White Circle, sponging it heavier on the edge of the card.
Adhere the Whisper White circle to the More Mustard circle and set aside.
Take the piece of Perfect Plum cardstock and score it every 1/4".
Stamp the sentiment in Really Rust Classic ink on the More Mustard cardstock.
Assemble the rest of the card.

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Sets: Wonderful Favorites (115114), Autumn Days (115452)

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), More Mustard (100946), Really Rust (100661), Perfect Plum (101889)

Ink: More Mustard (103162), Really Rust (102549), Perfect Plum (101437)

Accessories: Circle Scissor Plus (112530), Paper Snips (103579), Scrap paper for masking, Paper Cutter with scoring blade (104152 and 104154), Stamping Sponges (101610), Dotto adhesive (103305), Adhesive Remover (103684)

Thanks for stopping by!

Thoughts and Prayers Get Well Card

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:47:00 +0000

My aunt recently had her knee replaced and I wanted to send her a get well card. I love the Thoughts & Prayers stamp set and know that Aunt Fran will like it too.

The inside of the card is stamped with "Wishing you a quick and complete recovery. GET WELL SOON"

I love the color combination on this card. It's not your usual combination of colors but it is bright and happy. I also love it when I can create a subtle background using my Versamark pad. I think that this is my favorite way to create coordinating backgrounds. Leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite way of creating a background is!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Thoughts & Prayers (113252)

Cardstock: Old Olive (100702), Elegant Eggplant (105126), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Versamark Pad (102283), Old Olive Stampin' Write Marker (100079), Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Marker (105115), Elegant Eggplant Stampin' Write Marker (105110), Rose Red Stampin' Write Marker (100063)

Accessories: Crop-A-Dile (108362), Jumbo Eyelets in Antique Brass (108431) , 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Elegant Eggplant (109039)

Thanks for stopping by!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

This Week's Deals: Select Clips, Grommets and Brads!

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:28:00 +0000

Each week keeps getting better and better! This week's Stampin' Up! deals are precious and you won't want to miss out! They will add the finishing touch to any project you create.

Mini Library Clips - Let your inner librarian run wild when you clip a tag to a project with one of our adorable Mini Library Clips. These clips are 1/4" x 1/2" and each package contains 12 each of 4 colors (Black, Silver, Antique Brass, and Pewter).

Basic Jumbo Grommets - Custom designed, these large grommets add some real spunk! These grommets can even frame small images for real art appeal.

■ Colors: Basic Black, Silver, Very Vanilla and Whisper White
■ 5 each for a total of 20 pieces

1/2 Inch Library Clips - These clips to add the right touch to your projects.

■ Contains 24 pieces
■ 8 each of 3 colors: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White
■ Powder finish
■ 1/2" x 3/4"

Circle Designer Brads - These high-quality cast brads are so easy to use and come in custom Stampin' Up! designs. They're finished in our Styled Silver, and can be used separately or with our Hodgepodge Hardware.

■ Assortments include 16 pieces; 8 each of 2 sizes (1/2" and 3/4")
■ Embellish cards, scrapbook pages, paper crafts

The third Stampin' Up! deals of the week are available through October 26, 11:50 AM (ET).

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Special Price
114348	179	Basic Jumbo grommets	$6.95	$4.49
109857	179	Mini Library clips	$12.95	$8.99
112571	179	Circle Designer brads	$5.95	$3.99
112581	179	1/2" Library clips	$6.95	$3.99

Remember that there is no minimum purchase required to participate in this promotion and there is no limit to the number of Deals of the Week items you may purchase.

Check them out today and contact me if you have ANY questions.

Have a great Tuesday!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!

Serene Snowflakes is Today's Reality...

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:49:00 +0000

UGH! I think I saw a snowflake outside. It's way too early but it reminded me that I recently went to visit my manager, Catherine. She had this gorgeous card for us to make at a team meeting and I wanted to share it with you!

Isn't it yummy? Would you believe that as I write this post it is a balmy 55F where she lives as compared to 38F here? Yes, as our local weatherman, Kevin Williams, would say, it's going to be another "Snuggle with your Sweetie" night!

Interested in how to make this card? Directions are given in this month's newsletter. WHAT? You're aren't on my mailing list? Just enter your email address in the box in the upper left-hand corner of my blog and you'll receive the directions and a lot more!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamp Set: Serene Snowflakes (115438)

Cardstock: Sahara Sand (105208), Not Quite Navy (101722), Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper (113974), Whisper White (100730)

Ink: Not Quite Navy Classic Ink (103008)

Accessories: Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Clear Rhinestone Brads (113144), Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806), Sponge Daubers (102892)

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm!

To Order Stampin' Up! Products On-Line 24/7, CLICK HERE!