Except for reattaching a button that has fallen off, I don’t sew.  The last time I touched a sewing machine was in Junior High when I made the mandatory apron in Home Economics. And that was a loooong time ago.

So, when Stampin’ Up! announced they were introducing a new line of fabrics my first thought was "not for me". But I was wrong!  I love this fabric. The patterns and colours are beautiful.

Now, since I don’t really sew, I knew I wouldn’t be making elaborate projects with these fabrics. And that’s okay because there are so many others ways I can use these fabrics in my paper crafting.

The fabrics are available in two different pattern assortments - Deck the Halls and Candy Cane. Scroll down to see a picture of each package. I love, love, love the way these designer fabrics coordinate with the paper, buttons, stamp sets and more in each of the Vintage and Candy Cane Suites that SU! has introduced for Christmas this year through the Holiday Mini catalogue. 

For this card, I cut a 2" x 6" piece of fabric with my tabletop paper cutter just as I would cardstock. I adhered the ends of the fabric to the back of the Always Artichoke cardstock with Sticky Strip. Taking a length of Always Artichoke Seam Binding, I cut the ends at a sharp angle and threaded one of the Deck the Halls designer buttons in Crumb Cake onto the seam binding before knotting. Add a stamped image and greeting and I’m done. Now, this is really easy card making!

This was one of four cards and projects we made at my Dreaming About Rubber Stamps Team Meeting this weekend.

Do you want to learn new techniques, card and projects? Have access to an exclusive DARS Team blog? Own your own stamping and scrapbooking business? Earn money through your paper crafting?

Click here for more information or request a new demonstrator information package.  Join my team and you’ll love going to work as much as I do!   

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: Bells & Boughs (Clear #121142, Wood #120831)

Inks: Crumb Cake (121030)

Paper: Always Artichoke (105119), Crumb Cake (120953), Very Vanilla (101650)

Other: Deck the Halls Designer Fabric (121716), Deck the Halls Designer Buttons (121002), Always Artichoke Seam Binding (121000), Sticky Strip (104294)

 Deck the Halls Designer Fabric

#121716, $12.50

Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake

Page 16 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue

Candy Cane Christmas Designer Fabric

#121715, $12.50

Garden Green, Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Real Red

Page 16 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue

 Don’t think it, ink it!

I love the bright colours in this Candy Cane Specialty designer series paper and how much fun the cards when you pair this paper and the A Cute Christmas stamp set.   Cards made using this combination of paper and stamps really are cute and fun.

This was a really simple card to make and if you are looking to make Christmas cards this year using somewhat non-traditional colours, this union of colours is a great option. The colours included in this Candy Cane paper package are Real Red, Garden Green, Baja Breeze and Blushing Bride. Pink is a really hot colour for Christmas this year. I used markers in the same colours for the three trees except that I substituted Wild Wasabi for the Garden Green since it was a little dark.

To make this card, I layered Baja Breeze onto a Real Red card. I then added a third layer with Perfect Polka Dot embossed Whisper White on the top and Candy Cane DSP on the bottom. To cover up the seam where the two met, I added a length of Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon and a knot at the end.

I stamped the trees in Basic Gray ink and coloured them with the markers. I layered this stamped Whisper White piece onto Baja Breeze and then Real Red cardstocks.

Next, I stamped the greeting in Real Red ink and punched it out with the 1" circle punch. This piece was layered onto a 1-1/4" punches circle and added to the card with dimensionals.

Can you see the triangle on the card? The greeting, image and knot of ribbon form a triangle. In photography (and card making), a good tip is to create a triangle on your card. Triangles keep the eye circling around looking at the various elements and thereby focused on the card.  By using three different elements on your cards, page and projects, the viewer finds the subject more attractive.

Want stamps and accessories under the tree this year?  Send me your Wish List and contact information for family and friends who might like to give you Stampin’ Up! supplies this year and I will get in touch with them to make their shopping simple. 

Download the Christmas Wish List and E-mail or fax (780.406.6407) your completed Wish List to me no later than November 30th.

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: A Cute Christmas (Clear #121133, Wood #120825)

Inks: Basic Gray (109120), Real Red (103133)

Markers: Real Red (100052), Baja Breeze (120965), Wild Wasabi (120975), In Color (119801), Chocolate Chip (100071) 

Paper: Candy Cane Specialty Designer Series Paper (120809), Real Red (102842), Baja Breeze (111352), Whisper White (100730)

Punches: 1" Circle (119868), 1-1/4" Circle (119861)

Big Shot: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335)

Other: Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon 109052), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)

A Cute Christmas Stamp Set, set of 9

Clear $22.95, #121133

Wood $31.95, #120825

Pages 32 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue

Don’t think it, ink it!

My Dreaming About Rubber Stamps Team got together on Saturday for a Shoebox Swap. What a blast!

In a shoebox swap, each participant puts all of the supplies to make their card or project, including stamps, inks, cardstock, etc into a small box. Then each stamper moves through the stations completing each card. Every eight minutes a bell was rung to tell everyone to move to the next station. It doesn’t sound like alot of time but because the cardstock is pre-cut you really can make cards that quickly.

This card was designed by Karen Yeomans for our swap. I wanted to share it with you today because it is a great sample using the Vintage Christmas Card Bundle that is included in the Handmade Holiday promotion that Stampin’ Up! is offering right now.

Want more information on joining Stampin’ Up! and my DARS Team of demonstrators, click here.

This bundle includes the Bells & Boughs stamp set in either clear or wood mount and the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper at a 20 percent savings. To order this stamp set bundle in clear, it is $24.36, #124068. The wood mount stamp set bundle is $29.96, #124067.

This Bells & Boughs stamp set is really versatile and paired with the Deck the Halls paper, you can create so many Christmas cards and projects. See another card I made using this same stamp set and paper here.

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: Bells & Boughs 

Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke

Paper: Deck the Halls DSP, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake

Punches: Ticket Corner

Other: Deck the Halls Big Designer Buttons, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Hemp Twine, Sponge, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Vintage Christmas Card Bundle

Includes the Bells & Boughs Stamp Set and Deck the Halls Paper

Clear $24.36, #124068

Wood $29.96, #124067

Pages 18 – 19 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue

Don’t think it, ink it!

Do you need to make a lot of cards this Christmas? 

A card like this one makes good use of your resources – time and money.

Assuming that you have a Christmas greeting stamp, ink to match your darkest cardstock and a Big Shot die-cutting machine, you can make 144 of this card for only 78 cents per card.

Here is what you need:

2 packages of Pretty in Pink cardstock for the top layer (2 x $8.50)

3 rolls of Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon (3 x $12.25)

2 packages of Basic Rhinestones (2 x $6.50)

Northern Flurry Embossing Folder ($10.95)

Of course, you can make this card in any colour combination. I think it would look great in blues.

And this card can be made very quickly. Once the cardstock is embossed, the assembly is quick.

Tip: when your kids are sitting in front of the TV, place the Big Shot in front of them on a small table and let them emboss the cardstock. The kids don’t even realize they are working and it cuts down on the fighting, too!

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: All Holidays (114916)

Inks: Rose Red (101778)

Paper: Rose Red (102544), Pretty in Pink (100459), Whisper White (100730)

Big Shot: Northern Flurry Embossing Folder (120902)

Other: Basic Rhinestones (119246), Pretty in Pink 5/8" Satin Ribbon

 Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$10.95, #120902

Page 26 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue

Don’t think it, ink it!

Inks: Not Quite Navy (103008)

Paper: Subtles Patterns DSP Stack (117152), Not Quite Navy (101722), Sahara Sand (121043), Baja Breeze (111352), Whisper White (100730)

Big Shot: Petals-A-Plenty (116824)

Other: Stampin Dimensionals (104430)

To keep my card making quick, I used only Baja Breeze ink and cardstock with the Whisper White cardstock.  Almost any colour would work for this card.

The layer of Baja Breeze cardstock was cut down by 1" from the size of the card to 4-1/2" x 3-1/4". The Whisper White cardstock is 4-1/4" x 3".  I stamped the greeting onto a 1" x 3" piece of Whisper White cardstock, layered it onto Baja Breeze and attached it to the card.

I stamped the ornament and punched it out with the coordinating Ornament punch. If you want, you can punch out a second ornament from Baja Breeze cardstock and put it underneath the stamped ornament. I attached this piece to the card with dimensionals. 

Want to make more cards like this one?  Attend my Stamp-A-Stack on Monday, October 4th, 2010 or purchase the class instructions for $10. Click here for more details.

To Order Stampin’ Up! Products in Canada, Click Here

Stamps: Contempo Christmas (Clear #120594, Wood #118734)

Contempo Christmas Stamp Set, Set of 4

Clear $14.95, #120594

Wood $19.95, #118734

Page 45 of the Idea Book & Catalogue

Don’t think it, ink it!

Page 24 of the Holiday Mini Catalogue