Stampin' Up! card tree...

Once in awhile something fabulous comes along that makes me happy just looking at it. That's how it was when I first laid eyes on this card tree at the SU! Leadership Conference in Phoenix earlier this month.

Both the top and bottom spin. You can clip 10 cards to the bottom and 8 on top.

I love it. That's all. I just had to share.

Love Bots Valentine's cards...

The pictures in the Occasions Mini Catalog can't do justice to the Love Bots Valentine's card kits.

Not only are they adorable in real life, but they're only $9.95 for 30! Place your order this week and you'll get them in time for your child to use for his or her classmates.

"I Lug You" and "Totally thinking of you, friend" are just a couple of the greetings. These are perfect for small treats that your young child will adore!

Cheryl's Vintage Vogue textured card...

Cheryl is one of the newest and most enthusiastic members of our American Ink group.

She swapped this card at our last demo gathering.

It's a Whisper White card with layers that have been textured using the plates for the Big Shot. Cheryl sponged the Flower Burst (an embosslit die), and cut out the "F" after adding more color and glitter from the Vintage Vogue stamp set in the Occasions Mini.

She also stamped the flower in Melon Mambo and cut it out. Both the "F" and flower are adhered with dimensionals.

Humor in High Heels Cinderella card

I love the pretty pinkness of this Cinderella card. I made this for a princess party. It uses the Humor in High Heels stamp set on page 55 of the big catalog.

It's a Whisper White card with Pretty in Pink card stock, a half pearl from the Pretties Kit, sponging, glitter and Pink Taffeta ribbon.

Crazy for Cupcakes crayon resist...

Crayon Resist Technique is fun for bright highlights, or more subtle ones, as on this Crazy for Cupcakes birthday card.

At least it gets me using Glossy White card stock and sponging - a soft look I always like.

This Bashful Blue card uses Almost Amethyst card stock and ink, as well as So Saffron.

The technique: The cupcakes were stamped in Basic Black, then I used a white crayon where I wanted the highlights to be (the crayon resists ink, so when you use a tissue to wipe it off, those spots are white). Sponge the colors you want over the entire Glossy White layer and wipe off the crayon. Finish your card as desired.

The sentiment was punched using the Modern Label Punch, and adhered with dimensionals.

Tote-all Tess paper piecing card...

Tote-ally Tess is a fun stamp set to play with for stampers, especially when you have other mini catalog stuff to use - such as the Sending Love Pretty in Pink epoxy brads and the big 12" x 12" pad of Sweet Pea paper.

We stamped Tess in Basic Brown and used watercolor crayons and an aqua painter to color. The tote was stamped and then paper pieced with a scrap from the Sweet Pea pack (the butterflies are on the back side of the striped paper you see on the right).

It's always a good time to buy the Starter Kit and become a demonstrator! Right now you'll get a discount on the $199 kit AND receive a $47.95 stamp set of your choice. Contact me at ericandterry@comcast.net or (360) 509-8041 if you'd like more information.

Monochromatic Messages for Mom...

This Very Vanilla card features the Messages for Mom stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog and Soft Suede card stock.

The patterned Soft Suede designer paper is from the Thoroughly Modern pack.

It also uses the new Pinking Hearts Border Punch, found in the mini.

Stitched felt flower fun...

A group of Red Hat ladies came to my studio Saturday to make a few Valentine/birthday cards.

This Whisper White card uses a 2" x 5-1/4" piece of Sending Love designer paper (the sparkly side!), 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain, a big flower punched out of Chocolate Chip card stock, and a lovely stitched felt flower.

The Big Flower Punch and stitched flowers may be found in the Occasions Mini.

And the bonus? A free stamp set - Whimsical Words - from the Sale-a-Bration Mini. That's where the sentiment came from. Love it!

Beautiful Wings embosslit card...

I need lots of birthday cards. This one could be for a male or female, I think.

The butterfly is cut and embossed when you run through scraps of card stock in the Big Shot with the new Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (Occasions Mini 2010).

I used Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa and Not Quite Navy card stock. Each butterfly is adhered with half a dimensional, and the cocoa butterfly has some linen thread tied in a bow with a medium jewelry tag attached.

The jewelry tag is a new punch in the mini catalog, along with the coordinating stamp set Tiny Tags. I used the paper pierced to make a hole for the thread.

The card itself is Confetti White card stock. I added four score lines with my paper trimmer and scoring blade (you can also use your bone folder). The "happy birthday" sentiment is from the mini catalog stamp set, Well Scripted.

Extra large two-step bird punch card...

Wow, have you played with the new Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch yet? It's awesome, and it's available in the Occasions Mini.

When used with double-sided designer paper, it's easy to create a card like the one at right, which was a recent make & take supplied by Kim.

Using the With All My Heart stamp set, we stamped flowers in Pretty in Pink and Real Red ink on the Very Vanilla card stock base, then added a big scallop circle (Big Shot die) that's also been stamped and has a couple inches of Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon adhered in a loop at the top.

The two-step bird punch is so cool. You can change it up with scraps of paper for many interesting combinations.

Love Bandit...

Make a sweet and simple card for your Valentine with the Love Bandit stamp set in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

This card has a Whisper White card stock base, with a strip of designer paper from the Sweet Pea paper pack layered on a strip of Real Red card stock that's been punched with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. A knot of Real Red satin ribbon completes the left side of the card. All three items (paper, punch and ribbon) are in the mini too.

For the medallion, the raccoon was stamped in Basic Brown and the heart was colored with a Real Red marker. It was punched out with the 1-3/8" Circle Punch, and layered on a Real Red scallop circle, which was then adhered to the card front with dimensionals.

Quick and easy - easier than the description, in fact!

Sherry's Circle Scallop card...

If you're tired of rectangles and squares for your cards, try the Circle Scallop die for the Big Shot!

Sherry cut the card out of Bermuda Bay card stock, adding white dots with a Unibal gel pen. She die cut a smaller Crushed Curry scalloped circle, adding faux stitching.

And see the Heart Treat Cup? Now's the perfect time to place your order for these cups and the coordinating stamp set, Sweetheart.

The confetti inside is simply made up of small hearts punched with the newest Small Heart punch in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

Michelle's Pop-Up Easel make & take...

Michelle brought supplies for all of us to make this Pop-Up Easel technique card at our demo gathering.

It's really quite easy - a scored piece of card stock with some Razzleberry Lemonade paper at the bottom, a strip of Melon Mambo polka-dotted ribbon adhered on top of that (and what keeps the top part "up"), and a separate piece of card stock (polka-dot textured Melon Mambo here) as the back layer for the sentiment and embellishment.

Michelle removed the rubber from the I (Love) Love jumbo wheel and placed a cut-out piece on a clear block to get this image only. The heart is the new Scalloped Heart of Hearts embosslits die in the Occasions Mini, adhered with dimensionals.

I didn't photograph the inside of the card. It says "Happy Valentine's Day."

Frankie and Cindy's I (Heart) Hearts card...

How cute is this I (Heart) Hearts card? Frankie and Cindy brought this as their swap at our recent demo gathering.

This Whisper White card features some Sending Love specialty paper on the bottom, an adorable Pinking Hearts Border, white organza ribbon and a sentiment from the Well Scripted stamp set. Real Red is the only Classic ink used.

The dotted heart has glitter for a special touch too!

Both stamp sets are in the Occasions Mini. Order at least $50, and you can pick a freebie from the Sale-a-Bration Mini (click icon at right). You can email me with your order, or place it yourself online through here.

Barb's Holiday Best Valentine card...

Barb brought this adorable textured Love Note to our demo meeting as a swap.

It uses Chocolate Chip textured card stock, a piece of Sending Love specialty paper, and a stamp from the Level 1 hostess set Holiday Best.

Who says a card has to be complicated? This is a very sweet note anybody would be happy to receive!

Other items used include a marker, dimensionals, and corner rounder punch.

Love Bandit and Manhatten Flower folder...

These were two of the swaps at our American Ink demo meeting Saturday.

Kim used the Love Bandit stamp set (Occasions Mini 2010) and Sending Love designer paper, which has glitter on one side of each double-sided sheet in the pack.


Pearl created the Almost Amethyst card with the Manhatten Flower embossing folder and sponging. The sentiment is from the Always stamp set, punched out with the Large Oval Punch and layered on a Scalloped Oval, along with a white taffeta ribbon knot at the top fold.

Michelle's textured Of The Earth bookmark card...

I tried taking this photo so you could see not only the texture on the Chocolate Chip layer, but on the Melon Mambo card itself. Stampin' Up! offers textured 8-1/2" x 11" card stock. It really adds to the card.

Michelle brought this to swap at our demo gathering Saturday. It uses two Level 1 hostess sets - Of The Earth and Holiday Best.

The part with the Melon Mambo polka-dotted ribbon and stamped image is actually a bookmark that pulls out to use! Very clever!!! The bookmark is one of the tags from the Two Tags die for the Big Shot.

Totally Tess...

Sherry made this adorable card for me. I love the way she used the wheel, scissors, rubber stamp, apron and other stamps from Totally Tess. If you love stamping, you'll adore this set!

Teddy and Train thanks...

I inked up this adorable stamp set for the first time on Sunday for my stamp-a-stack.

It uses the Teddy and Train stamp set, a 6" square piece of Soft Suede card stock, and a strip of patterned paper in the same color from the hostess Level 1 paper pack.

I rounded the corners of the teddy layer and used an aqua painter dipped in a pool of ink in the lid of the pad with which to color.

The Modern Label Punch was used for the sentiment, which was stuck on with dimensionals after adding a jumbo Chocolate Chip brad.

Build-a-Roo thanks...

Build-a-Roo is a fun stamp set for kids of any age. We used this set at my last stamp-a-stack for a thank-you card.

The kangaroo is stamped in Basic Brown and colored with watercolor crayons and an aqua painter. We used markers to ink up the flower stamp and sentiment.

The top layer is layered on Real Red and Close to Cocoa on a Whisper White card that's been stamped with Real Red flowers from that same set.

Pendant Park thanks...

It's January 5! Do you know what that means?

• You can order from the Occasions Mini Catalog. If you don't have one, click on the icon in the right column.
• For every $50 you order, you'll get an item FREE out of the Sale-a-Bration (SAB) Catalog (click on the icon at right to view those options).
• You can pick a date for your own SAB party thru March 31! It's 2 hours of fun and stamping with your friends and family. Email me with your preferred dates at ericandterry@comcast.net.

Now for this card. I used the stamp set Pendant Park in Old Olive (tree and long decorative stamp that's partially hidden by the 5/8" Chocolate Chip ribbon), and Chocolate Chip ink.

Notice the new Scallop Trim Punch? That's a FREE option in the SAB Catalog! How cool is that? It's gorgeous. This was one of my stamp-a-stack cards.

With All My Heart...

You'll love this Bride specialty paper! See how it shines? And it resists ink too, meaning you can sponge over it and the pattern will show through! Pretty....

This was one of my stamp-a-stack cards yesterday, as well as the one below. This Whisper White card is punched with the Eyelet Border Punch, with a 4-1/4" x 3" piece of Bride specialty paper above that.

A knot of Rich Razzleberry ribbon is knotted where the papers meet, and a sentiment from the new With All My Heart (Occasions Mini 2010) stamp set inked in Rich Razzleberry.

The medallion is a stamp from the set above punched out with the 1-3/8" Circle Punch, then layered on a Rich Razzleberry Scallop Circle. The whole thing is adhered to the card with dimensionals.

Thankful Thoughts card...

Feel good about buying a fun stamp set to make thank-you cards with when you purchase Thankful Thoughts. Two bucks from every purchase goes to Ronald McDonald House Charities through June 31.

This Whisper White card uses the new Polka Dot embossing folder in the Occasions Mini Catalog (which begins tomorrow!). You can see the texture it adds - it's awesome.

There's a knot of 1/4" Night of Navy grosgrain at the top, and a rectangle of the same color print pattern (from the Level 1 hostess paper pack) under the top layer.

The stamp was inked and stamped in Night of Navy ink, cleaned, and then re-stamped in More Mustard. I used a 1/2" circle punch on two of the flowers and adhered them over their navy counterparts with dimensionals.