A Passion for Stamps

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Tree, Thoughts & Prayers Decor Elements (wall vinyl)



Hi stamp enthusiasts!

Are you a rubber stamping or scrapbooking enthusiast?  Do you share my passion for new ideas for making Stampin' Up! cards, scrapbook pages,  gift items?  Would you like to learn new stamping card or scrapbook techniques or tips to using crafting tools?  Would you like to stay on top of the classes I offer?  Maybe you have papercrafting questions you would like some answers to?  

If you answered YES to any of the above, then you will love my monthly A Passion For Stamps Newsletter that I send out to customers on my e-mail list!  The newletter includes everything I've already mentioned plus so much more-all of which are exclusive to my subscribers! 

Here are some of the features of the newsletter that as a subscriber,  you will receive every month:

• a CARD project (or two) 
• a SCRAPBOOK PAGE
• a TECHNIQUE (or two)
• a 3-D, HOME DECOR  OR GIFT project (or two)
  

**THE ABOVE ITEMS ALL INCLUDE A PHOTO, SUPPLY LIST, AND STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS!

• a Tool Tip (or several)
• a Featured Product of the Month
  
• New Product information
  
• Stampin' Up! News & Promotions
• My Upcoming Classes and Events
• Exclusive Specials, Discounts or Coupons
  
• Important Links
• Customer Q&A
  

It's truly a newsletter worth receiving and--it's FREE!  It's a way to keep my customers informed and to offer things I don't offer anywhere else.

If this sounds good to you,  now is the perfect time to subscribe to insure that you will receive my October Newsletter which will be coming out in the next few days!

TO SUBSCRIBE TO A PASSION FOR STAMPS NEWSLETTER:

Just add your e-mail address to the JOIN OUR CUSTOMER MAILING LIST BOX on the left sidebar! Enjoy!  Until next time...

Passionate About Stamping,

Halloween M&M Stix Goodies Double as Fall/Thanksgiving Home Decor item!

I love decorating the home for holidays...starting with Fall-don't you?  Here's a great idea for you!  While making some halloween M&M Stix treats with stamps, punches, inks, papers M&M candies and Stampin' Up!'s NEW 1"x8" Cellophane Bags,  I  decided I needed something to put the candy in!  I decorated a vase using Stampin' Up! fabrics and buttons, then accidentally created a wonderful home decor item for the table in my foyer!  I now have instant home decor that can be switched out for Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving-lasting for three months!  (I loved the idea so much, I already made one for Christmas too!)  It also makes a terrific hostess gift!  Here's what the end result looks like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't it lovely?  It's really quite easy to make this!  Fall/halloween M&M's weren't out yet when I created this, so I purchased regular M&M candies and separated all the colors out into different dishes.  (The red and green I saved for the Christmas M&M Stix).  The orange, yellow and brown were all used for this treat container and my hubby and I ate the blue ones!  Try making some with the kids-just add some Apple Cider and you already have a snack on hand for them that they will love! (kids love to eat while they create, just like us adults do!)  Here is what you will need:

SUPPLIES (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted)

STAMPS:  Batty for You (116576), Falling Leaves (115386)-greeting & candy topper                              

INKS:  Classic Black Pad (101179)

CARDSTOCK:   Basic Black (121045),  Pumpkin Pie (105117), More Mustard (100946), Old Olive (100702),  Various scraps of Designer Series Papers

ACCESSORIES:  Cellophane Bags (124134) -1" x 8" (50 per pkg),  SNAIL Adhesive (104332),  eck the Halls Designer Fabric (121716), Tangerine Tango 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon (124144),  Designer Buttons (Regals 119744 and Brights 119747), Various Markers, Various sizes of the circle punches and 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch (119854)

OTHER:  Vase or small jar, M&M's-large bag

To make it quicker and easier to get the M&M's into the cellophane bags: 

 Make a funnel from copy paper, that fits into the top of the cello bag-then drop one M&M in at a time, alternating the colors-just make sure the bottom candy lies flat and the rest will stack up right on top.   It works beautifully and fills up quickly!  It takes about 20-24 M&M's per Stix to fill each cello bag.

The tops of the bags have an adhesive strip closure.   Leave room at top so you can add the topper.  The toppers were made with increasing sizes of  Stampin' Up! circle punches, including the Scallop Circle punch.  layer your cardstock pieces on top of each other then end with a front and back that can be adhered together, with the candy stix in the middle. 

Decorate your vase, add a bunch of M&M Stix and you are ready for all those trick or treaters and Halloween!  When Halloween is over, change out the theme for Fall/Thanksgiving and you can still have a lovely item to grace any room in your house till Christmas!  (make those now too,  then just change your vase ribbon and button colors and you'll be ready with a holiday display till New Year's!)  This could be an ongoing decoration you leave out all year round!  Enjoy!  Don't forget to let me know in a comment here, how yours turn out...or e-mail me a picture of your creation and maybe I will feature it in a future blog post! 

If you would like to order any of the supplies to make this project,  please email me or you can order online here.  To check out our products or view any of our catalogs, click on the rotating catalog images on the right sidebar of this blog.

Until next time.....

Passionate about stamping!

 

 

Stampin' Up! 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog!

Design-a-House Décor Accents

Our brand-new Design-a-House chipboard house is so versatile! From Christmas village, to gingerbread house, haunted mansion, or Build-A-Bear Workshop playhouse, these cute houses will delight you all year round!

Chipboard houses can be decorated to suit any season or style. The included template will help you embellish as much or as little as you like with Designer Series Paper, ribbon, and more! The size of a finished house is approximately 6-1/4" x 6" x 5".

 

Haunted House

Stamps

    * Dark & Dreary

Paper

    * Basic Black Card Stock
    * Cajun Craze Card Stock
    * Old Olive Card Stock
    * Rich Razzleberry Textured Card Stock
    * Wicked Fun Specialty Designer Series Paper
    * White Vellum Paper
    * Waffle Paper Assortment 2

Ink

    * Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
    * Distressing Essentials
    * Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker
    * VersaMarker
    * Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz

Accessories

    * Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter
    * Black Stampin' Emboss Powder
    * Circle Scissor Plus
    * Color Spritzer Tool
    * Bitty Bat Punch

Have a SPOOKY time!

 

Mistletoe Market Craft Fair In Franklin NJ is back again!

Just a quick post to let you know that I will once again have my Stamp Table at the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair! I hope you will be able to come out and join in the FUN! More info at a later date! Please mark this date on YOUR calendar now...

DATE:  November 6, 2010

TIME: 10 - 4:00 P.M.

LOCATION:  First Presbyterian Church, 11 Main Street, Franklin, NJ 07416

C0me and visit us! Do your Christmas Shopping at your one-stop Christmas Shopping Fair!

More info to follow...

Tote-ally Awesome! FREE tote when you join my Stampin' Up! team!

Looking to change jobs? Serious about making money?  Do you enjoy papercrafting, rubberstamping, scrapbooking or home decor?  Would you like to actually ENJOY your job?

Then you may be interested in a Business Opportunity with Stampin' Up!.  

I would love to talk to you about the benefits of joining my team of demonstrators (the S.O.S. Team- S.aving O.verwhelmed S.tampers)  and building a productive and successful career,  teaching others the craft of rubber stamping!  To be successful,  you do need the desire and willingness to work towards this goal.  Training is provided by Stampin' Up! as well as support from me as your upline.  You can be your own boss, make money, determine your own schedule and have job security!

I have been very successful as an Independent  Stampin' Up! demonstrator for over 14 years  - and, I love what I do!

If you would like more information to see if this is something that you would be interested in doing,  please email me at deb@debbiestamps.com.

For a limited time only, new recruits who join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator during the promotion period which runs until October 18th, will receive this FREE craft tote (valued at $39.95) with the purchase of their Starter Kit! 

  Imagine sharing your love of Stampin' Up! with this stylish and practical tote, patterned after our Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper and large enough to carry 12" x 12" card stock and a Paper Cutter, as well as punches, ink pads, and accessories. And with two Starter Kits* to choose from--Standard and Digital+--at a new lower price, there has never been a better time to join the Stampin' Up! family.

 If you would like more information to see if this is something that you would be interested in doing,  just drop me a note by emailing me at deb@debbiestamps.com.

 

 

A Big Shot Project-Candle Gift for a Friend!

I'm so excited because this weekend, I'm going to visit my dad on Saturday who lives at my brother's house on Long Island NY  (my dad had a stroke right before Thanksgiving and I couldn't see him till now). I haven't seen him since May, when we went to Manhattan for our new nephew's baptism.  

On Sunday I'm going to catch the Ferry at Orient Point to New London, CT then drive to Pawcatuck to visit Jan Eno, a dear friend and one of my directs in my Stampin' Up! downline-and I look forward to visiting with some of the girls in her downline and stamping with them this weekend!! I will be staying at Jan's until Monday, and I wanted to make her a thank you gift for her hospitality; so I decorated this candle using the Fabric Floral Embellishment I made with the Big Shot in my previous post:

Here's a photo of the back:

and a close-up:

It just so happened that the colors of the fabric matched up perfectly with our Polka-dot IN color ribbons, and the buttons and rhinestone brads coordinated as well! I embossed the saying on tissue paper, wrapped wax paper around it then heat embossed the words onto the candle.

Because of the fabric, this candle cannot be lit as it is. Before I attached the embellishments, I lit the candle and let it melt down a bit in the center. Then I inserted the Tea Light candle into the melted wax. Now the candle can be lit because the flame will stay in the middle, and the candle is protected by the metal tea light holder! When it burns out, it's replaceable!  Here is a photo from the top, so you can see how it looks when it's done:

To make this candle, I used all Stampin' Up! products:

STAMPS: Spring Song saying (115074) $15.95

INK: Taken with Teal Craft Pad (100617) $7.50

PAPER: none

ACCESSORIES: Stampin' Up! Flower Folds die (115970) $42.95 on page 201 of the current Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog; Summer Sun Corduroy Buttons (114343) $9.95; Circle Ice Turquoise Rhinestone Brads (109111) $10.95; Crushed Curry (115614) and Bermuda Bay (115610) 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbons $9.95;Sticky Strip (104294) $6.95; Extended Cutting Pads (113478) $19.95; Big Shot Die-Cut machine (113439) $99.95; Clear Embossing Powder (109130) $4.75; Heat Tool (100005) $29.95

Non-SU: about 1/4 yard coordinating fabrics (3-4 assorted); White Pillar Candle and base; Tea Light Candle

You can purchase these products ONLINE to make this candle right now from my website stampwithdeb.stampinup.net, and you will also qualify for several FREE Sale-A-Bration products! So what are you waiting for? Be a Big Shot with Fabric too! Or, sign up now for my next Big Shot class in March and make this candle, and more fabric projects with the Big Shot! I can't wait to show you!

I hope you've enjoyed this project-thanks for stopping by!

Stampingly yours,

National Salute of 21 guns for Presidents Day

Courage Tile: I make these tiles and sell them individually or in sets of 4.  I also sell them at Craft Fairs. This is made with the Courage Set (115330 $19.95) found on page 67 of the current Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog. It's a two stamp set; in addition to this stamp there is a word stamp that reads "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others.-Winston Churchill" It's a great set! If you are interested in purchasing this stamp set, you can order it from my website www.stampwithdeb.stampinup.net. If you are interested in purchasing the tiles, and/or the coordinating stamped box that holds four of them, email deb@debbiestamps.com for more information.

Today is Presidents Day.  Our son is in the United State Coast Guard, so we receive Coast Guard feed updates.

It's interesting to learn that Coast Guard members on Coast Guard Island (CA) will fire the national salute of 21 guns today at noon in honor of Presidents Day.  The salute takes about a minute and 45 seconds to complete.  The Coast Guard warns surrounding communities that there will be loud noise produced by the blank rounds when fired.

This is a time honored naval tradition which dates back centuries, when it was customary for a ship entering a friendly port to discharge its cannon to demonstrate that they were unloaded.

The following information is provided by the United States Navy with the issuance of new regulations on 24 May 1842. Those regulations laid out the specifics:

"When the President of the United States shall visit a vessel of the navy, he shall be received with the following honors: The yards shall be manned, all the officers shall be on deck in full uniform, the full guard shall be paraded and present arms, the music shall play a march, and a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired. He shall receive the same honors when he leaves the ship."
"Upon the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, the colors shall be hoisted at sunrise, and all the vessels of the navy shall, when in port, be dressed, and so continue until the colors are hauled down at sunset, if the state of the weather and other circumstances will allow it. At sunrise, at meridian, and at sunset, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired from every vessel in commission mounting six guns and upwards."
"On the twenty-second day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, a salute of twenty-one guns shall be fired at meridian from every vessel of the navy in commission mounting six guns and upwards."

To read more go to: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq40-1.htm

Other occasions when the salute is fired are in honor of the national flag, the sovereign or chief of state of a foreign nation, a member of a reigning royal family, and the President, ex-President, and President-elect of the United States. It is also fired at noon of the day of the funeral of a President, ex-President, or President-elect, on Washington’s Birthday, and the Fourth of July.

It's nice to know the history behind the traditions of our armed forces especially how it relates to Presidents Day. Have a nice day!

How can I decorate my walls without damaging them?

Have you ever wondered if there is an easy way to decorate your walls? I have the perfect solution for you!

Stampin' Up! has several wonderful products, one of which is called Decor Elements! It's a vinyl wall art that provides a way to decorate your walls (and most hard surfaces) quickly, yet is easy to remove when you want to change it!

We have a living room with a cathedral ceiling.. and for almost 10 years, I was trying to figure out how to decorate a cathedral ceiling, and could never make up my mind, so it has remained blank all this time.

When Stampin' Up! came out with their Decor Elements Collection and I saw Tree, Thoughts & Prayers Design, available in 3 sizes up to 52 inches wide and in two colors, I realized THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! I totally loved the sample shown in their Fall-Winter 2009 Definitely Decorative brochure, which added lovely doves coming out of the tree with the saying "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." by Henry David Thoreau. So-after 9 years of undecision, I finally had a plan for our living room wall!

Here is what it looks like after the images were applied: (click on image for larger view)

I plan to add an oval mirror between the two photos under the tree-or I may move our TV/ Curio Cabinet under this-so I placed the Decor Elements design high enough to accomodate either choice. Here is a close-up of the image after applied to the wall:

 

Although my photograph appears crooked,

the design is perfectly straight on the wall!

   

So just WHAT ARE Decor Elements? It's Stampin' Up!'s designs, and colors in various sizes of the latest craze in home decor! This product enables you to add a seasonal creation to your home walls very quickly!

Stampin' Up! also offers Decor Stencils too, for those more artistic who want to be able to select their own colors, and want to add creative shading. This takes a bit longer to achieve then simply using Decor Elements but enables those who are more creative to come up individual styles that suit their tastes.

If you are not confident you can do this, start with something small and simple-maybe applying a Decor Element to a decorative jar, lamp, candle or even your laptop!  Then, as you acquire more confidence and skill move on to bigger projects. 

Whichever product you choose to try, you are sure to love the variety of designs and colors Stampin' Up! offers.

Did you know if you have any type of Stampin' Up! party or place orders of $150 or more, you can also select a hostess item from Level One of the Decor Elements brochure? There are actually three additional levels of hostess gifts available to you from this brochure, in addition to the Idea Book & Catalog and the Occasions Mini Catalog! Then you are also entitled to at least $15 in other catalog product for free!

Right now, during Sale-A-Bration (until March 31, 2010), you and your friends are also entitled to a free stamp set or product from our Sale-A-Bration catalog too, for every $50 you spend!

If you are unsure how to use a product, how our hostess plan works, or how to qualify for FREE Sale-A-Bration products please feel free to contact me! I will be happy to go over the different types of in-home parties I offer-which I can also do from my home stamp studio.

You can view our Decor Elements Brochure and our NEW additional insert on the right sidebar of this blog, or contact me if you would like to see one in person.

I love decorating with all these latest options! I know you will just love all the designs and colors available in our newest additions to our Decor elements brochure. Ask me about it!

Stampingly yours,

Thanksgiving Stamped Hostess Gift

Thanksgiving is approaching and it's one of my favorite times of the year! It's a day when our family members are all home together to share in the holiday feast. It conjures up scents of turkey & stuffing roasting in the oven, and the house is filled with the aroma of baked pies and other goodies...I can feel the warmth of the kitchen with candles lit just thinking about it! It happens to be my son's favorite day too....all the food, relatives, followed by football game. (This year, my birthday also happens to fall on Thanksgiving-November 27th!)

It may be the last Thanksgiving we can all be together--as our son is seriously considering joining the Coast Guard, so he can follow up on his education in the Law Enforcement field, as well as obtain knowledge and experience while serving his country. He is currently in college but this will probably be his last semester, as he will most likely be going to Boot Camp next year. Thanksgiving is my son's favorite holiday-so this one will be very special for us all, as we may not be able to all be together for the next one.

This time of year also brings to mind the many blessings we have to be thankful for. As I work on projects for craft fairs this fall, I make sure I also have a few for Thanksgiving. I love the concept of a Thanksgiving Blessing Mix which makes an excellent little gift to bring to the hostess when you visit family on Thanksgiving Day! Two years ago, Stampin' Up! partnered with Country Living magazine which featured a spread in their magazine for Thanksgiving decorating. I loved the stamp set that was featured that year, and even used one of the sayings in this year's blessing mix that I put together for Thanksgiving. Last time I made the blessing mix with everything in a cello bag and topper. This time I wanted to do something a little different, so I found this cute little jar to decorate and fill:

If you follow my blog, you know I am sucker for punch art, so I knew I wanted to use punches to make my turkey. I got the idea for the turkey design from a card I saw (made by Cynthia Stember) mentioned here on Patty Bennett's blog and just expanded on it. The feathers were made with half a scallop punch on various colored cardstocks, then sponged around the edges. I used dimensionals between every layer so the turkey really pops out and attached the whole thing with Pop Up Glue Dots. (the dimension is hard to see in this photo-but the turkey really stands out nicely!)  I made the pumpkin with three small punched ovals and pumpkin pie cardstock and attached with dimensionals...

I hand drew the cornucopia on cocoa cardstock that I first stamped with Aida Cloth (a retired SU background stamp) and added a 1 3/4" chocolate chip circle behind the turkey for dimension. The bow was added with a glue dot to the top of the cornucopia.

I used the Coluzzle to make the large circle behind it all with More Mustard cardstock.

I cut a strip of Autumn Vine Designer Series paper and attached that to the jar.
This paper is so pretty and is double-sided, so it shows on the inside of the jar, too!

I printed the Thanksgiving Blessing Mix from my computer onto mustard cardstock, then used the slot punch to attach it to the back of the jar with (retired) SU ribbon.

This is the Thanksgiving Blessing Mix-I added all these ingredients to cello bags which were then sealed and placed inside the jar.

I cut a circle for the top of the jar, again using the Coluzzle, and added the saying. and sponged the edges.

I finished off with a ribbon around the top.

Here is the same designer series paper used in the above jar, but in reverse.  It was fun to change the papers and accessories for a different look.

These jars were a good seller at the Misteltoe Market Craft Event at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin NJ that I just participated in this past weekend. (I've been busy for awhile getting ready for this fair-that's why I haven't been posting to the blog lately). I had some half-finished jars that I didn't bring with me, that I wished I had completed!  I am offering those I have left for sale to my local customers or to anyone who is willing to pick them up. Contact me at 973-827-2893 if you are interested in purchasing this lovely Thanksgiving hostess gift. The jars make a great home decor item that can be refilled every year! Offer good only while supplies last....

This year, Country living is partnering with Stampin' Up! once again-not for Thanksgiving projects, but for Christmas ones! I'll save that for my next post!

TURKEY POOP

Another project I offered at the Mistletoe Market Craft Fair this year was Turkey Poop-very similar to what I did last year, but simplified:

Do you really want to put a smile on a loved one's face? I highly recommend this humorous alternative to the more serious hostess gift above-it really makes a great gag gift! These are quick and easy to throw together and would be adorable at the place setting of your guests this Thanksgiving...

At the craft fair, two elderly ladies stopped by my table; this item caught their eye-and as they read it they suddenly burst out laughing and just kept looking at each other, laughed some more until tears were running down their faces!

Sometimes the simplest things bring the most pleasure....let me know if you would like to purchase any!

CUSTOM MESSAGE TILES

I wished I had made more of this cook serving up the turkey...but all the tiles my daughter and I have made so far, are "one of a kind".  I knew this one would be snatched up...and I was right! (there was a glare when I took the picture)

I will not be making more of this design this year, but next fall I plan to make a bunch of these.

I will be selling Message Tiles all year long in my online store...soon! My daughter Kelley helps me make these and has come up with some adorable ones! Each set includes the frame and Dry Erase Marker which is conveniently attached to the top of the tile for easy accessibility.

I have a few of these that we use around the house. When I first put one in the foyer, my nineteen year old son left me a note on it that said: "Mom-this is stupid". Well for something so stupid, need I tell you who now uses these more than any other family member to leave us messages? You guessed it! I have one in the foyer and one in the kitchen-they really come in handy...and it's easy to use-just erase with a tissue!

If you have any particular themes you are interested in, please let me know and I will try to accomodate your personal interests. I also make these up as wedding gifts. If you are in the Hardyston NJ area, come and visit me at the Wallkill Valley High School annual Booster Club Holiday Craft Fair on December 6 if you would like to purchase these as Christmas gifts, as I will have some there for sale.

Thanks for visiting!

HALLOWEEN Photos-and more stamped treats!

Well Halloween is over! We don't get many kids at all-just about 10 who were mostly our immediate neighborhood kids. We always buy waaaaayyyyy too much candy to give out to the trick-or-treaters (but my family ends up gobbling it all up, of course! LOL)

Here are some photos of our foyer decorated for halloween and a few stamped projects on display:

Cornstalks, mums and pumpkins are a must for the front deck!

My daughter painted the pumpkin face-her first! We usually carve the pumpkins out but this year, we opted to paint them instead.

This is the table in the foyer all decked out and ready for the hoards of trick-or-treaters...ha, ha! (a whopping ten!)

The huge spider is usually hung in a web, but we ran out of time this year and just hung it over the mirror. It was very effective...we had some baby spiders that we would put in the web, so we put them on the lamp instead. Timmy, one of our neighbors youngest, was eyeing them because he LOVES spiders so we ended up giving him the babies...(we can always buy some more next year). At least we know they will be loved...

The pumpkin on the lower shelf is actually a soup turine with a matching ladle I purchased from QVC last year...(don't know where the ladle is-guess I hadn't put it in the bowl yet when this photo was taken). It's beautifully painted and I love to display it from September through Thanksgiving. I actually use it for homemade soups which I intend to make a lot of this year! There's nothing that compares to the warmth of a cup of hot homemade soup on a frosty bone-chilling day, to warm you up from head to toe!

ok...back to halloween....

This is the basket of pixie sticks I jazzed up with punched circles and the scallop punch using stamps from Batty for You-what a great set to make halloween treats with! The next photo will show a close-up of them.

Do you see the BOO boxes in the background? I made these last year with Creepy Crawly Designer Series Papers-and chipboard letters, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and ribbons. Can you make out the stamped images on the letters? You guessed it-Batty for You stamps....I'm so glad they are still in the catalog and haven't retired!

Here are the Pixie Sticks close-up. They were quick and easy to put together-alot of punching and stamping, then sandwich them together over the top of each pixie stick...I had the leftover treat bags from awhile back so I used them, wrapped some jute around with my blog info tag, and that's it! Simple, quick and easy-that's all I had time for, but it's amazing how kids love these! (even our 15 year-old teenager! She is eating the leftovers I didn't use))

Here is a close-up of the pumpkin tureen I mentioned earlier...isnt' it beautiful?

The message tile next to it is one of the projects I'm making for craft fairs I have coming up-Mistletoe Market at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin (in northwest NJ) on November 8 and Wallkill Valley High School's annual Booster Club Holiday Craft Fair in Hardyston on December 6. If you are local, come see me! It's a nice day and a great way to get a jump on holiday shopping for some unique and interesting gifts!

This is the Spooky Spider Jar I made with Decor Elements. I can't wait to try some other Decor Elements images! This was perfect because it coordinated with our "spider" theme. (Notice the basket with candy has spiders/webs on it too!) We're not into the gore and graphic halloween stuff...but spiders are ok, even though in reality, I absolutely detest them! We have Cave Crickets in our basement-have you ever seen them? I hadn't-until we noticed them in our basement one day...they really creep us out because they are HUGE, have VERY long thick legs AND--they JUMP!! Imagine finding them in your washing machine and when you look inside-they jump up into your face! HORRORS! (no wonder I have nightmares-who wouldn't!) We keep getting rid of them but there are still some in the basement-hopefully they STAY IN THE BASEMENT..and do not migrate to the rest of the house, or I'll have to move out! I remember I told one of my good friends (she's our neighbor) about them-she had never heard of them, and said how bad could they be? I challenged her to GOOGLE Cave Crickets-and when she saw a picture of what they look like, she couldn't believe it! She said she will never set foot in our basement again....(can't say that I blame her!!!! LOL) Unfortunately, our washing machine is down there so I have no choice!!!!

Let's move on to a much more pleasant topic-fall leaves and pumpkins! This is one of my message tiles up close. What do you think? I am making a bunch of different tiles to sell...I'll post more photos of them at another time.  I like to get creative and really add detailed artwork to these.  Do you see the colored jute bow I added to the pumpkin? We have this one in our front foyer, and another in the kitchen. They come in handy (saves on writing pads!) and I use Dry Erase markers which clean up easy with tissues.  What's nice, is my family actually USES them! This tile will also be displayed through Thanksgiving because the saying is  appropriate for this season of thanks!

That's it for today. I hope you have enjoyed this little peak into our Halloween home decor (and you thought stamps were only for card-making!).  Thanks for stopping by....Have a lovely weekend!

Decor Elements-My Halloween Goodies Jar

Another fairly new product of Stampin' Up! that I am enjoying is Decor Elements. I found this taller jar at one of the craft stores and decided to use SPOOKY SPIDER (only available for purchase until October 31, 2008) on the front. These vinyl designs are available in three sizes and two colors-I chose to use the smallest size in black. I added some older SU! ribbon I have leftover and some bows to decorate the jar further. I created the baby spider tag at the top of the jar by using several circle punches-and cut the legs freehand, added them to punched cardstock and voila! Here is my goodies treat jar filled with Twizzlers all ready for the Trick or Treaters on Halloween....

Do you LIKE IT? Spooky Spider is available only thru October 31, 2008-but you can buy it now and get a big jump on your decorating for NEXT year! For all the details, just click on the following link:

Spooky Spider ordering information

or check out the:

Spooky Spider Flyer

but don't wait...Spooky Spider isn't hangin' around after October 31, 2008!

These Decor Elements are SOOOOO easy and fun to use! And they aren't just for wall decorating either, as you can see! I can't wait to try more of the designs which are now available in different COLORS since Phase II of Decor Elements has been unveiled....

Don't know what Decor Elements is all about? Maybe this link will help:

What is Decor Elements?

To see everything currently being offered in this product line, click on this link:

Decor Elements Brochure

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Decorating on a budget-Stampin' Up! introduces Decor Elements, affordable WALL ART!

I've been so excited about a new product that Stampin' Up! is introducing to expand their Definitely Decorative product line called Decor Elements-self-adhesive vinyl images that can be used to decorate WALLS, MIRRORS, GLASS, METAL, and many other smooth surfaces! At a time when folks in the USA are faced with higher prices for heating oil and gas  consumption, which has also driven up the costs for many other things (as basic as FOOD),  Stampin' Up! has come through with a product that enables those who need to be able to decorate their homes on a budget, or still want to give lovely gifts at a bargain price-much more affordable than what others offer! Stampin' Up! is presenting a wonderful alternative to other similar, yet much higher priced products! The images coordinate with Stampin' Up! stamp sets, which provide the perfect harmony for home decorating or  gift-giving to those who may not be interested in traditional rubber stamping or scrapbooking crafts.

What exactly does this new product look like ? In the photo above, the Long-Stem Silhouette is featured as WALL ART in chocolate, and a smaller version in the HOME frame, in white! Currently these colors and Kraft are available in these colors and images, letters, words and designs. This is Phase 1 of this product...Stampin' Up! already has two more phases they will be unveiling in the coming months...WAHOO!

I found an interesting article written about Stampin' Up!'s new product line HERE. Great News travels FAST! See what others are saying...

I've added a link to my left sidebar called "Decor Elements"; just click on it and you will be able to view the beautiful new brochure Stampin' Up! has provided that explains more about this wonderful new product! I've also provided a link with instructions for applying these self-adhesive vinyl images to walls and other hard surfaces, as well as a video you can watch.

To watch it now, click on this photo:

SO-DID YOU WATCH THE VIDEO? What did you think? Do you think you can use some of these new images to decorate your home? It seems easy enough to apply, doesn't it?

I will be using the CREATE expression in my stamp studio Long-Stemmed Silhouette and the word FAMILY, in my living room-I'll post those photos when I get them on the walls!

Would you like a hard copy of the Decor Elements Brochure? Do you have any questions about this new product?  Feel free to post them here and I'll do my best to provide you with the answers..

If you are within a reasonable distance from where I live which is the Sussex County NJ area, I would love to show you this new product! Look for upcoming classes OR host your own Home Decor Elements party (or book a regular stamping/scrapbooking party) so you and your friends can see how wonderful it is to create with Stampin' Up! products and how easy it is to apply these lovely Decor Elements designs in your home! Would you be interested in inviting your friends over for this new type of party so they can see this awesome product? If this interests you, or you have questions about any of our products, please contact me for more information via email or by phone: 973-827-2893 .

Can't wait to hear your reactions to the new Decor Elements! Don't forget to leave me a comment...

Chipboard-9x9 Clipboard Photo Frame

Still need some gift ideas to make? Here's one I also did for our S.O.S. Team Camp using once again, D.S. papers...I love them! This time products from the Fall-Winter 2008 Collection that I used are Le Jardin D.S. papers, the new 9x9 clipboards and the Chipboard, plus one of our In-Color ribbons Wasabi Double Stitch! This project makes a nice gift and doubles as a photo! I didn't use a real photo, but made a quick copy with regular copy paper, just to show how it can be used as a picture frame you can hang on the wall!

Here it is clipboard without the photo insert...

   

and here it is with the photo insert!

I have no clue why these photos are coming up so small, but if you click on them, they get huge! I must have edited them differently...

At the top of the frame over the clip is actually a butterfly (if you look closely you will see it). I decided to play around with the hardware, Pretties flower and punches to make it. This is a fun project to do and it doesn't take too long to do either. You can't see it in the photo but there is also a subtle hint of glitter swirled lightly around the background papers for a touch of sparkle!

Have you tried using any of Stampin' Up!'s clipboards yet? FUN project! Why not order the products you need then give it a try? My 6th Christmas Special and instructions for this 9x9 Clipboard Photo Frame are HERE.

Christmas Special #5-Baroque Motifs Box

Todays project is a lovely box that is easy enough to create without a template. What a nice way to package up a gift for the holidays, a birthday or other occasions! Think of the beautiful things you can create!

This is one of the projects I came up with for our quarterly S.O.S. Team Demo Camp in July. The camp is designed for the demonstrators to learn new projects and then teach them to their customer base. This project uses alot of the new products in the Fall-Winter 2007 Collection which is retiring at the end of December, so check the updates on the sidebar for the Retired Stamps & Accessories Lists and make sure you have everything you need-or you can place an order for any of the retiring supplies by December 31.

I love the Baroque Motifs set and the Brocade Background Designer Series papers together! This set is so elegant, it seemed appropriate to also use the Pretties Kit to dress it up! Other newer products used in this project are the Theatre Ribbon Originals and the Round Tab Punch!

If you don't have the 5-in-1 Card Cover Template yet, you NEED this simple tool-you would be amazed at the cool things you can make with it!

Today's Special? I'm giving away free copies of the Stampin' Up! 2008 Spring-Summer Collection!

To find out how you can get one for free and to view the Instructions for this lovely Barque Motifs 5-in-1 Template Box, click Here

Time to get it going again...

Well after a very long time of not posting to this blog I decided to give it a try again... Actually I did try once before but for some reason it just didn't work. Back then, I didn't have time to figure out why not! But I'm anxious to get this blog going again!

Alot has happened over the past 6 months with Stampin' Up! Our new 2006-7 catalog was released and it is awesome! I had so many stickies marking pages of what I wanted, I may as well not have bothered! Our holiday mini catalog is a great one too..I've been doing classes and workshops using many of the sets and just LOVE the background and designer papers! I've been having such fun with them!

November is a busy time-I'm doing something new this year-Festival of Gifts Classes! I'm also doing holiday card Stamp-A-Stacks, and scrapbooking classes as well!

This month is the last month to order the awesome Country Elegance Kit advertised in Country Living magazine--this if the first time Stampin' Up! has offered a kit like this! It includes an awesome stamp set called Country Blessings and all the supplies right down to the adhesive, to make 8 lovely Thanksgiving Dinner invitations! The stamps are pre-cut so it makes assembly quick and easy!  These are terrific for folks who want to try stamping-everything is included that is needed, including instructions! I offered some classes with this kit and we stamped a beautiful nut bowl from a Terra Cotta pot, a small treat bucket with the leaves stamped on twill, a set of four quick, easy but nice coasters, dressed up a packaged candle and made a Thanksgiving Blessing Mix gift package! This kit is available until November 30. Here are the projects we made...

Now I'm working on the card camps and Christmas projects! I love this time of year...crisp fall air, leaves crackling underfoot, the splendor of autumn all around us-and preparation for the next splendid display of nature!