Inspiration from the new catalog...

Many women tell me they're just not creative. I maintain that if you fake it for awhile, copying whatever you like, eventually you will become creative.

These two cards were inspired by samples in the current Stampin' Up! 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog. They both use Razzleberry Lemonade designer series paper.

One of my downline, Heather, created the birdhouse card using the Cheep Talk stamp set, the mat pack and paper piercer, and scallop edge punch.

I used the catalog to create the designer butterfly (using the Beautiful Butterflies die for the Big Shot), along with the eyelet border punch and the new stamp set Teeny Tiny Wishes.

You can buy an $85 starter kit July 15-31 and save at least 20 percent on all of your Stampin' Up! purchases. Just visit my website at http://www.therubberroom.stampinup.net/ on July 15. It's one of the best things I've ever done!

For All You Do...

When we were in Hawaii back in March, Stampin' Up! provided us with make & takes. But we didn't do them then.

Kim and I just grabbed the kit (pads, stamp set, sticky strip, a marker and brads in a gorgeous woven basket with a wide ribbon threaded through a wooden turtle) and resumed our outdoor activities.

During our group's stampin' retreat a couple of weeks ago, we finally sat down to stamp them. First is an accordion-style card using white textured card stock (which I never realized we sold!), then a card with cut-out flowers, and a beautiful love note and envelope.

At least one flower and butterfly were stamped off and then stamped onto the polka-dotted stamp in the For All You Do stamp set. I love that look!

New In Color fun...

Have you seen the fabulous new In Colors? They rock!

At my stampin' retreat, I sat down with the new colors in card stock, designer paper, ribbons and ink, and cranked out enough new projects to fill two display boards.

Here are a few of the 3" x 3" love notes I made.

Southern Caribbean: Here we come!

Now, in your best "Chicken of the Sea" jingle voice, sing: Ask any mermaid, you happen to see, where are Kim & Terry? On the Adventures of the Sea!

We thank you for your support this past year. Thanks to wonderful, loyal, and generous customers like you, we've each earned the Stampin' Up! trip for two to the Southern Caribbean in April 2010. Our hubbies are thrilled.

Here's a photo of the Royal Caribbean ship, Adventures of the Sea. It's huge! And yes, those three dolphins will be making the journey with us.

The word is out: We'll start working toward a free trip for two to Alaska (on a cruise!) tomorrow, July 1. No time to let the ink dry on our fingers....

Thanks again! We love you.

Font of You Summer Spectacular...

I'm hosting a class today featuring the Font of You stamp set. It will be available to order in the new Stampin' Up! year, which starts July 1, though it's not pictured in the new catalog.

Individual photos with descriptions are below. There are three regular cards, a matchbox, and a pop-up gift card holder.

Have a wonderful Sunday! Thanks for visiting.

Font of You Look Here card...

Make that special person feel even more special with a pop-up card using the new Look Here die for the Big Shot (available July 1).

First, decorate the front of the card. I used Riding Hood Red for the base, with layered of Sweet Slumber specialty paper and Baja Breeze. The mug image from Font of You was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink on Baja Breeze, sponged around and layered on Whisper White.

I attached a silver library clip at the top and adhered a knot of white taffeta with a mini glue dot.

For the inside, I ran a 6" x 8-1/2" piece of Baja Breeze through the Look Here die, popping out the half circles, one arrow and two other garbage pieces. I adhered the arrow to some Sweet Slumber paper and cut it out, adhering it over the hole it popped out of with a dimensional.

I used a 3-7/8" x 5" piece of Close to Cocoa card stock I stamped with mugs in the same ink to layer behind the top part of the diecut piece. There's an actual Starbuck's gift card in the photo.

For the front arrow, I stamped and cut out the mug and adhered it with dimensionals over the arrow.

All that's needed is a hand-written note to your friend!

Font of You matchbox goody...

The matchbox die for the Big Shot is the perfect size to give a friend a little something from time to time.

Here, the body of the box is Kiwi Kiss, with some Rockabilly specialty paper for the sleeve. I punched a large oval from the top and adhered a rectangle of clear acrylic behind it for a window.

For my class today, everyone is getting chocolate covered coffee beans, but I wanted something in the box for this photo, so I went with peanut M&Ms... my hubby's favorite.

This sentiment from Font of You was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink and punched out with the Word Window punch. It was then layered on a tag that is part of the matchbox die, then knotted with natural hemp onto a piece of 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain.

Font of You vase card...

The crazy flowers are this card are made with letters. I think I love this Font of You stamp set so much because I was a journalist in my former life. The idea of making images out of letters fascinates me.

Anyway, the card itself is Whisper White, with layers of Certainly Celery and Tempting Turquoise. The designer paper is from the Flock Together pack, which will be in the new catalog starting July 1.

I stamped the vase in turquoise on Certainly Celery card stock, cut it out and adhered it with dimensionals. I finished the card with three silver brads.

Font of You coffee card...

This Kraft card features the hot mug and sentiment that goes with the stamp from the Font of You set.

What I really like about the mug is that it can be for anybody's favorite hot drink - hot chocolate, tea, coffee....

The specialty paper is from the Parisian Breeze pack. It's distressed around the edges with the cutter kit, as well as the Chocolate Chip card stock layer behind it.

The mug was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla card stock, layered on Chocolate Chip (both layers distressed again). I used the horizontal slot punch to make the hole for the knot of 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain.

The sentiment was punched out with the Word Window punch, then I added a Vintage Brad and adhered whole thing with mini glue dots.

Font of You umbrella card...

Some specialty card stock with a cloud pattern laid the foundation for this Baja Breeze umbrella card. The card stock is from the Sweet Slumber pack.

The umbrella stamp and saying are from the Font of You stamp set. I punched two 1/8" holes on either side of the umbrella handle for the white taffeta ribbon.

The Confetti White card stock is layered on Basic Gray. There's even a strip of Basic Gray behind the top two layers that's been punched with the scallop edge punch.

Under the Stars tri-shutter card...

Who can resist the bear from Under the Stars? I can't.

I paired up that stamp set with To The Nines specialty paper to make this adorable card. It fits in a medium envelope (regular size for a 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card) and is definitely a WOW for the recipient.

I used a 5 1/2" x 12" piece of Always Artichoke card stock, scored at 2", 4", 8" and 10". Then I cut 1-1/2" from each long side between the 2" and 10" score lines. Trust me, it's much easier than it sounds!

I used the Really Retro word stamp set for the front, and On Your Birthday for the words on the rest of the card. All of the other stamps are from the Under the Stars stamp set.

From there, it's just using whatever embellishments you want (jumbo eyelet, punched out stars adhered with dimensionals, mini library clip, corduroy button and brads).

I took a photo of the top of the card. You may have to fold it a couple of times to get it where it looks like this when the recipient opens it, but that just takes a minute.

I hope you'll try your hand at this kind of card and share what you come up with!

Big birthday cupcake...

Kim made this birthday cupcake card awhile ago... and I never put it on our blog!

Anyway, the top part is Sweet Always designer paper with a Real Red cherry. The bottom part is Regal Rose card stock with the sentiment from Happy Everything.

The big cupcake is the Simple Birthday Thanks stamp.

Retreat swaps...

I had a wonderful time at our American Ink group stampin' retreat last Friday thru Sunday. We stamped, scrapbooked, ate, chatted, made make & takes and swapped.

If you'd like to join us at our next retreat, join my American Ink group today! Just visit http://TheRubberRoom.stampinup.net and click on JOIN. My recruiter password: Terry Blais.

At top is a textured Whisper White card with Ever After stamps inked in Basic Black from Frankie. I love the simple elegance of this card and plan to use it at an upcoming event.

Next, is a fun punch card swap by Heather using the Under the Stars stamp set. She CASE'd the idea, which happened to be perfect for our Hawaiian theme.

My favorite part of the card is the adorable grass skirt on the bear.

Bea made her swap with the Polka Dot background stamp and Petal Pizzazz. She even decorated the inside of the card. The sentiment is from the Great Friend stamp set, and there's a knot of Chocolate Chip grosgrain too.

The 6" x 6" page is Heather's swap, using Under the Stars again. I had a photo in mind - and on hand - when I received this. It's one of my son and his friends on a field trip to a place called Pioneer Farms.

The page features cut-out stars adhered with dimensionals, double-stitched Chocolate Chip ribbon, and a Not Quite Navy photo mat.

Tea Party teacher card...

A mom in my daughter's class asked me to make a card for the end-of-the-year basket parents were chipping in on for the teacher. The teacher loves the color purple, and tea.

There were 24 kids in the class, and the mom and I thought it'd be great to include a little something from each child in the card. I cut Whisper White squares so each kid could write and/or draw their favorite thing in 2nd grade or what they liked best about their teacher.

To include all 24 squares in a single card, I went with two stacks, accordion-folded, with the squares adhered on each side of the card stock. Each stack was adhered at the base with sticky strip to Tea Party paper and then to the card itself. I used some ribbon originals to hold both stacks closed with bows. Mugs from the Sip by Sip stamp set are stamped in Almost Amethyst ink below the stacks.

I added Lovely Lilac card stock, run through the Big Shot with the Scallop Die - but only part of the way. White organza ribbon is adhered under the designer paper and one stack, then run through a hole in a large white grommet. A large metal circle tag was stamped with the "thank you" image from Eight Great Greetings after being inked with markers. I punched an 1/8" hole at the top of the tag and tied it onto the organza ribbon with silver cord.

The stack of teacups on the front flap is from an old Stampin' Up! tea set. The teacher loved the card! It was well worth the effort.

Just Beachy birthday card...

I forgot to post this birthday card I received from another of my talented downline, Sherry, when I added the others.

This Pacific Point card uses Good Morning Sunshine designer series paper, along with the Top Note die for the Big Shot.

With school officially out now, I'm ready to hit the beach!

Sip by Sip...

If you love the retro look, coffee or tea or hot chocolate, you'll love the Sip by Sip stamp set.

I bought the set to make a tea card for my daughter's teacher for an end-of-the-year basket filled with tea and miscellaneous tea items all the parents chipped in on. She loved it. I'll show a photo of that tomorrow.

Here is a simple card using Basic Gray ink and some Washington Apple designer paper. It's a Bashful Blue card with striped Bashful Blue ribbon knotted in front.

Wanted: In motion...

By stamping an item like an animal or a vehicle several times without reinking it, you can create motion, which is the technique shown on this card.

The horse stamp from the Wanted set was stamped in Close To Cocoa on Very Vanilla card stock, and layered on Really Rust. There's a 2" strip of To The Nines (in the new catalog too) speciality paper at the bottom with a paisley design, and then a knot of Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon.

I used the big photo corner with a 5/16" chocolate brad and adhered it with dimensionals. The paisley stamp was inked in Always Artichoke and cut out and adhered with dimensionals.

The "happy birthday" comes from the All Holidays stamp set.

Spring Flower die & Candy Lane dsp...

There's nothing like a pot of flowers to brighten one's day.

I CASE'd this idea from Stephanie Luman. It's a flower pot pocket card.

The flowers were all die cut using the Spring Flower die for the Big Shot. The middles of the flowers are 3/4" circles, and the middle flower also has a clear round button adhered to it.

This Close to Cocoa card features the Eyelet Border Punch, as well as the Wide Oval Punch with the sentiment from Sincere Salutations.

Pick a Petal...

My friend Dani made this birthday card for me.

The wings of the butterfly are made with a Pick a Petal stamp embossed in silver.
I love the hat pen and beads (from the Pretties Kit), and the clear rhinestone brad for the head/antennae.

I also love the white organza ribbon! Thanks Dani!!!

Party Hearty card with cupcakes

One of my downline made this cute card for my birthday this past week. It uses the Party Hearty stamp set.

The cupcakes have glitter and beads on them. Love it!