Today my little brother turns 25! Here's to him! So tomorrow I can start decorating for Christmas, yea! Ever since we were little Mom would start decorating only after my brother's birthday, so here's to tradition! Outside it's even snowing. I'm definitely in a merry mood and the creative juices are flowing. Here is my creation for today:

On the weekend I noticed on Paper Pleasing Ideas a really neat tutorial for a card-a-lope, check it out here. Very easy to put together and using the envelope for the base makes the pocket very hand to hold a gift certificate. And I just happened to be needing a gift certificate holder!


Supplies used:
Stamps: Snow Swirled, All Holidays
Ink: Old Olive textured paper, Chocolate Chip, versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Ski Slope Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, stampin dimensionals, silver embossing powder, silver cord, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch, word window punch, round tag punch

While I stamped the afternoon away today I missed the snow flurries we had here in Kingston. So far we haven't had much fall, just a little dusting and enough to say it snowed! I'm looking forward to seeing huge snowflakes fall, but not the icy road conditions!

Who else out there in blog land is getting really excited that Christmas is coming? And that means it's high time to make some Christmas cards. Who wants to join me? It's not too late to start those Christmas cards and add a personalized touch to those holiday greetings! Come create 12 cards using 3 different designs. You'll be provided with envelopes, paper, ribbon and everything else needed to complete these cards. Make sure to reserve your spot soon!

Tou all you ghouls and witches out there, Happy Halloween! This year I won't have a chance to see any little ones knocking on my door for treats since we are living in an apartment. There is always next year! This year my husband and I can eat all the candy ourselves!

This card design had been rolling around in my head for awhile. I really like the classic stripes background stamp, it makes great patterned paper. Oh and the Happy Halloween on the card is embossed in black and punched out with the word window punch. I would have masked it, had I thought of it before I eagerly used the stripes background for the first time!

Enjoy your Halloween! I cannot believe tomorrow is November!!

Stamps: Batty For You, All Holidays, Classic Stripes background
Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Grey, Basic Black
Paper: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Grey, Basic Black, Whisper White
Accessories: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, word window punch, black embossing powder, sticky strip, stampin' dimensionals, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch, scalloped circle punch

A nice quick card. The punches makes this card come together very easily. And I just had to try out the new Clips Assortment, so one is attached to the very vanilla ribbon.

Stamps: Embrace Life, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Very Vanilla craft ink, Handsome Hunter, Versamark
Paper: Perfect Plum, Handsome Hunter, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Scallop edge punch, scallop circle punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, Clips assortment, Very Vanilla ribbon, Rough textured jumbo wheel (retired), glue dot, sticky strip, Perfect Plum and Sage Shadow Stampin' write markers

For my aunt's Christmas workshop a few weeks ago I went looking for something I could alter for little treats for each person to take home. At the Dollarama (I love that store!) I found these clear mini take out boxes. Inside each guest found maltesers and an ornament made with punches. The boxes were filled with shredded gold paper and the outside was embossed with white embossing powder. Definitely remember to use the embossing buddy! I wrecked a few boxes because they have lots of static and the powder sticks like crazy!

The ornament was taken from inspiration from a few ladies on splitcoaststampers.com, great ideas over there to inspire even more decorations! I used the following to create the ornaments:

Stamps: Season of Friendship
Ink: Always Artichoke
Paper: Patterns Pack Designer Series Paper (hostess)
Accessories: Scallop Circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1" punch, sticky strip, linen thread

So this whole dark at 7pm thing is getting old. And we finally had to turn on the heat a few days ago to keep warm. Oh well, enough gripping. On to the card!

I hope everyone's day went as well as it could. I am very thankful for fall colours and being able to walk through the woods with my husband and mother, thankful for my father's great Coconut Cream Pie recipe and thankful that the 2 dogs (Hoover and Samuel) got along!

The project today is a Designer Series Paper bag complete with handles, stuffed with cards and matching envelopes! I cannot take credit for coming up with the original idea for this double sided paper card holder bag, I found a great website here by Chiaki Haverstick. There are some wonderful tutorials and ideas on this website! This uses just over 1/2 a sheet of 12x12 paper for the bag and it defintiely needs the double sided paper to be able to create the top accent. For this bag I recommend using a regular hole punch to create holes for the wide grosgrain ribbon to slide through, I tried originally a 1/2" circle and it was too large!

The flower card is stamped using the kissing technique, the whole stamp is inked with a lighter colour and then kissed around the outside of the stamp with a darker colour.

The bird/heart/leaf card is my favourite. It originally wasn't laid out the same way it turned out. That is one of the great things about creating projects, you start out one way and it changes along the way into something better! The background of the card is made using 2 different sized circle punches, 1/2" and 1" punches, and laid out to mimic the background of the Main Blueberry Designer Series Paper.

Stamps: Best Wishes and More
Ink: Night of Navy, Old Olive, Bashful Blue
Paper: Maine Blueberry DSP, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Old Olive textured card stock, Baja Breeze
Accessories: Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, sticky strip, 1/2" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Baja Breeze striped ribbon

This card is a Christmas case of my own card that I posted here a little bit ago. This will be one card that my Aunt has requested we make at her workshop on World Card making day.

Are you interested to having your own Christmas themed Stamp Camp - where we make 10 cards or maybe a Christmas styled workshop? Contact me today to pick your date and please check out my upcoming events here.

New this year is on-line ordering! Give your wish lists to your loved ones and friends, point them to in this direction to my demonstrator website. In the top right hand corner all they need to press is Shop Now button where they can order your next must have stamp set or much needed supplies for Christmas, birthday or just because!

Stamps: Holiday Trinkets, Many Merry Messages
Paper: Baja Breeze textured cardstock, Whisper White, Pacific Point, Basic Grey
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Basic Grey, Versamark
Accessories: Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, stampin' dimensionals, glue dot, embossing buddy, white embossing powder

So over at Splitcoaststampers.com they have been looking for index cards for Stampin' Up! stamp sets. These are very simple cards that include each image from the selected stamp set and is the icon for that gallery. For example, this card is the index for Holiday Trinkets gallery (click Holiday Trinkets to check out some great examples!)





Stamps: Holiday Trinkets
Paper: Night of Navy
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: White grosgrain ribbon, white embossing powder, Mat Pack



This next card is another index card for the retired Garden Annuals Stampin' Around Wheel:



Stamps: Garden Annuals wheel
Paper: Kraft, Shara Sand Patterns Hostess pack DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Always Artichoke, versamark
Accessories: scalloped edge punch

With fall here I'm drawn to these colours: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Really Rust and Very Vanilla. I know these colours were used in yesterdays post, and the truth is that the card does go with the bag I made yesterday for a hostess thankyou! But these colours are yummy!

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versa mark
Accessories: square button from Neutrals Assorted, linen thread, stampin dimensionals, chocolate chip ribbon, retired rubons, black embossing powder

Okay where did the last week go? Oh right, trip to Ottawa, Mom doing round #5 of chemo, the start of a new girl guide/brownie year and last night's adventures! I'd say that is enough in one week to keep me busy!

Anyways, last night's project was a food related one instead of stamping.

My husband and I spent a few hours peeling, slicing, and canning 2 baskets of peaches. Something we have never done before! I am proud of us though and I cannot wait to eat them! Hopefully tomorrow I will have some stamping time, I sure miss it when I don't get to stamp or scrapbook.

Okay still posting along here tonight before bed. These following pages are made using a retired simply scrappin' kit, but it's great for ideas. I have a hard time with 6"x6" pages, I want to have full pictures and they take up quite a bit of room! Oh well. I have been working on this scrapbook of the dog for quite awhile. I know, I know, who needs a scrapbook of their dog? Me of course!
Paper: Always Artichoke, River Rock (retired 2007 In Color), Basic Black
Accessories: Secret Garden Simply Scrappin' Kit (retired Fall/Winter 2007)

Okay so better late then never right? But no excuses, I will start where I left off, with Tuesday:

Today I will continue on with the cards from the card folder that was in yesterday's post.

I like how simple but elegant this looks. In the folder I also included a stamped envelop along with both cards.

Directions for Snow card: The snowflakes along the right-hand side are embossed in white.

Directions for Thank You card: The ribbon started as whisper white grosgrain ribbon and was coloured in with a Bashful Blue marker

For both cards:
Stamps: Best Wishes & More, All Holidays
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Maine Blueberry Designer Series Paper, Old Olive textured card stock
Ink: Night of Navy, Versamark, Bashful Blue, Old Olive
Accessories: White embossing powder, Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, stampin' dimensionals, button bouquet, Scalloped circle punch, Scalloped edge punch, Filigree Assortment designer brads

OK! I can finally post a new project I've been working on, a card folder. This uses a full sheet of 8.5"x11" paper and is super easy to make.

Instead of stamping and creating the past few days I've been mixing up my blog layout and design. I've been thinking of going to 3 column lately and finally now it's here! A few more little things to do and then I can come back once I get some stamp time in. Happy Saturday to you all!

OK! This is how I did it:
Go over and check out this blog for directions, it helped me out quite a bit. Some modification to the html and voila! 3 Columns! Just remember to read all directions. I did most of the directions and then got all confused why the columns were not spaced evenly. Find out that I had forgotten to change something to "left"!

So just a note of caution, this following post is made with the recently retired Simply Scrappin' Kit Crew Kids Girl. All supplies other than envelopes and ribbon, oh and a brad too, were all included in the kit.


I love these colours together: Wild Wasabi (retired In Color), Regal Rose, Whisper White and Basic Grey.
The centre of the album is made gluing envelopes together to create pockets for card stock that can hold photos or memorabilia. The sticky die cuts are great to add dimension and make it really easy to put all this together. All that is left now is to give it away as a gift so that it can be used!


Edit: I've had a few people ask me for directions. After some time searching I found the website where I found this idea by Amy Celona. She her website for wonderful directions: http://www.ustamp4fun.com/ProjectGallery/6x6PhotoHolder.htm

I hope everyone is enjoying an extra day off for this long weekend! Husband and I went camping, and such gorgeous weather we had. I can't wait to go back there to see all the leaves when they turn in 6 weeks on Thanksgiving weekend.

I used my new stamps that arrived last week. This colour combination jumped out at me. I love it! Kiwi Kiss, Pink Passion, Taken with Teal and Whisper White. Oh and I guess we have to include Basic Black. The turquoise card comes out and the white stamped images are actually embossed with white embossing powder. Check out splitcoaststampers for a great tutorial!

Stamps: Best Wishes and More
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Pink Passion, Taken with Teal and Whisper White
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Pink Passion, Taken with Teal, Versamark and Basic Black
Accessories: Whisper White grosgrain ribbon, black button, stampin' dimensionals, white embossing powder, sticky strip

Welcome to another day and say hello to the weekend! I am so looking forward to campfires, hikes along the forest path and but not the mosquitos!

We're almost there! The long weekend is coming, one more day and it's here! The weather here in Ontario sounds like it should be nice and sunny. We are going camping and it better not rain! (Just watch it will now.)

So today I'm being lazy and that's what variety days are for! This card was one I made months and months ago. I might have to remake this one with the new In Colours. Oh and I think I might have to get a Stam-a-ma-jig to make the positioning of the stamps even.

Stamps: It's All Good
Paper: Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi Prints Paper, Whisper White
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon, scalloped circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch

The inspiration for todays colour scheme is from Kristina Werner's colour challenge #20.

And I just had to use my new stamping supplies that arrived through UPS this morning.

I love this old picture of me!

Anyways, I was trying to go for a 12x12 layout, but not having the right supplies took this instantly to 6x6 which turned out to be the best choice. The background is stamped using Pocket Silhouettes and the butterfly from Priceless stamp set. And isn't the scalloped edge on the right gorgeous?

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Priceless
Paper: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose
Accessories: Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, small circle punch, scalloped punch, clips assortment

So continuing on with my new plan, today is colour combination Tuesday! These colours are from Splitcoaststampers Color Combinations forum. Go check out other's take on this interesting combo:



With an upcoming boy birthday in September this was my perfect chance to pre-make the card. Let's just say that most times the cards get there on time, and then I feel really bad if they are late!


Now I know you cannot tell from this photo, but the t-shirt and head, as well as the sword are all on stampin' dimensionals


Stamps: Ahoy Matey!, All Holidays
Paper: Kraft, Basic Black, Rose Red, Whisper White
Ink: Rose Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Monday to you! Tune in everyday on weekdays to see my new creations. I've been brainstorming how I was going to get more stamping and scrappin' time in around my newly hectic schedule. And this blog can help me! Each day of the week has been assigned a theme, so check back!

Oh and I now have my very own, brand new Demonstrator Website with Stampin' Up! Check it out at: http://amandafarlinger.stampinup.net/ It's still in the figuring-out-how-to-use-it phase, but head over there and let me know what you think.

Okay now on to today's technique! Since Christmas I have fallen in love with embossing. I always thought it was so hard and it required a bit of finesse, but after trying it out at my upline's swap I was instantly hooked. I've posted some examples of embossing already, but this is the latest one from my last class.
All you need is a versamark pad, embossing powder (your choice of colour), embossing buddy and a heat gun. First, and very important: rub the embossing buddy over your card stock, this limits the extra build-up of embossing powder and produces a cleaner image. Using the versamark stamp the image onto card stock. Next cover it completely with embossing powder. Finally using the heat gun, set the powder, heating it until it has a sheen. Finally decorate and finish your card! Easy!

Stamps: Always
Paper: Baja Breeze, Sage Shadow, Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Baja Breeze, Sage Shadow, Versamark
Accessories: Silver Embossing powder, embossing buddy, small circle punch, heat gun

Good evening, wherever you are tonight. The pace sure has picked up around here, especially with my aunt going for surgery next week to have her gall bladder removed, so that means things are hectic at work trying to make sure we can survive without her. It has not been going smoothly! However we shall plow headlong and see where it takes me.


Tonight is another KWerner color inspiration challenge. These colours where a tough one for me, but I'm pleased that the card turned out well. The colours are: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, and our choice! Summer Sun or Green Galore.

As soon as I had the colours laid out in front of me, my mind drifted to autumn, my favourite time of year and the best season ever! It was hard not having white to use.

I used the Jumbo Leaves Awash Wheel with versamark, inking up 3 pieces of card stock that were lined up one right after the other. Then embossed the image with clear embossing powder. I used a sponge dauber and basic black ink to cover the card stock, then wiped off the ink with a clean paper towel. Emboss Resist is what this technique is called if I am remembering correctly. I finished the card off with some leaves, a clear button and I got to play with my newly arrived linen thread (great thread by the way!).

• Stamps: Leaves Awash Jumbo Wheel, Sincere Salutations
• Paper: Basic Black, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun
• Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun
• Accessories: Clear button, linen thread, Stampin Dimensionals

Getting ready for Wednesday night's Surprise Class! Time sure fies by when you have fun. I'm looking forward to this coming long weekend (at least here in Canada) and to hearing what is new from convention!

Here's today's card:

Stamps: Priceless

Paper: Brilliant Blue, Real Red, Garden Green

Ink: Brillian Blue, Real Red, Garden Green

Accessories: Real Red ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, silver brad, scalloped punch, 1 3/8" circle punch

Yeah the weekend is just a few hours away!! No big plans here, but it's nice to spend some extra time with family. Oh and I have my surprise class to get ready for. The class is this coming Wed July 30th at 7pm, check out the workshop and classes page for more info.

Whoa, I'm back again so soon! With all the beautiful cards, new Stampin' Up! In Colors and great challenges on other's blogs and Splitcoaststampers, I have a lot of ideas. And of course I can share them all here with you all. I love that. And I hope that what you see here will give you some inspiration to design your own cards or scrapbook pages!

Today card is using Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #17: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Sage Shadow and Whisper White.






I wish I had a proper flower stamp that matched the dress, the fabric is just beautiful! The scalloped border along the bottom is made first by using a stamp from Pick A Petal and Sage Shadow ink onto Whisper White paper, then punched out with a 1" circle punch. The circles are lined up and glued to the back of the Regal Rose cardstock.

I used 3 colours for the Dear Friend stamp, colouring in the letters with Stampin' Write Markers.

Stamps: All Holidays, Pick A Petal
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Sage Shadow, Whisper White Craft Ink
Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Sage Shadow
Accessories: 1" circle punch, sticky strip, Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain ribbon, Rose Red brads, stampin dimensionls

Okay sure, the package arrived yesterday. But I've spent lots of time just looking at the new In Colors that will be in the Fall/Winter 2008 Idea Book and Catalogue (less that 3 weeks now, but who's counting!).


Oh and did you see me (or rather my card) on kwerner's blog? My card was 1 of 10 choosen for Randomly Selected! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the last few days. I looked this afternoon and was shocked to see 432 people popped over to glance at my card on Monday! All I can say is WOW! There are some wonderful cards that were picked.


The card of the day is made from some new product I received on Tuesday. I really like this new colour combo: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy, So Saffron.


Here's the recipe for this card:

Stamps: Always
Ink: Very Vanilla, Pacific Point
Paper: Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron
Accessories: Build-A-Brad, Very Vanilla Ribbon, Whisper White Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals


The Tangerine Tango ribbon is actually Whisper White ribbon dyed, although in this picture it looks red not orange.

I've seen the build-a-brad used to highlight a portion of the card a few places lately and I really like how it adds another element away from the main focus of the card. Well I'm off to bed!

Anyone else out there excited for August 11th? The day we can order from the NEW Stampin' Up! Fall/Winter Idea Book and Catalogue. Demonstrators were allowed to order some sneak peak items, including the new In Colors for 2008-2009. Yes, sadly my favourites: Purely Pomegrante and River Rock along with their 4 other siblings will no longer be avaliable with the release of the new catalogue. I have seen some samples of what other demonstrators have made with the new colours and I am impressed, they look a lot better than I thought. But my shipment should arrive this Tuesday, so I'll be making some new cards and stuff. So check back next week for my take on the new colours.

Well this weeks card, I know new job got in the way of stampin' again this week! But on to the card: I stumbled upon a blog by a lady named Kristina (KWernerDesignBlog) awhile ago and I've been dying or trying to take part of her Color Inspiration challenges. I have seen many great designs from others playing with the great colour combos she dreams up! So this card in my take on her colours: Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla

Great combo by the way! Here is my invitation card with this colour scheme:

Here is the recipe to make this:
Stamps: So Many Scallops (SAB set, retired), Jumbo So Swirly Wheel, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versamark, Soft Sky, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Rhinestone Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Scalloped punch, circle punch

The strip of Certainly Celery is cut at 5.5" long and 1.5" wide. On the scalloped punched pumpkin pie I've done paper piercing.

Hello to you and to the month of June! Summer is just around the corner and this card makes me want to go apple picking (isn't that a fall activity though? I must have skipped the hot, sweaty summer). This card was included in the hostess thanks gift I gave as a door prize at my last workshop. But stupid me did not take a picture of the whole kit and kaboodle! It was arranged in a square tin that was decorated with rub-ons. In the tin I included this card, a covered notebook and a watermarked writing pad. Very cute and summery.

Stampin' Up! has extened the date for the Occassions Mini Catalogue. Instead of ending the end of May, you can now order product right though to June 30, 2008. The stamp set used for this card, Tart & Tangy is in the Occassions Mini on page 14. Also as a reminder all printed prices have been lowered by 7% in both the Spring/Summer collection and the Occassions Mini catalogues.

Stamps: Tart & Tangy, Short and Sweet

Ink: Basic Black, Always Artichoke, Rose Red

Paper: Whisper White, Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper, Pumpkin Pie, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon, sticky strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, circle punches