Stampin' & Scrappin' with Donna

EASY BREEZY CARD CHALLENGE .. DIGITALLY!

Well, if you follow me here, you must realize by now that I've fallen WAAAYYY behind with my entries to Julie's "Easy Breezy Kewl Colour Challenges" ... I DID have a perfect record of entering every one of her challenges since the beginning, but alas, real life got in the way of my fun and I missed the entire month of October (possibly more).

I'm happy to say that I'm back on track with EBKCC #10 ... AND I designed my entry using MY DIGITAL STUDIO, Stampin' Up!'s new digital designing software. What do you think of it?

EBK COLOUR CHALLENGE #10:

Christmas card using Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Whisper White and Ruby Red colours.

DIGITAL IMAGES USED:

Kraft & Whisper White card stock, Chocolate Chip Small Dot Designer Series Paper, Medallion Stamp, Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit Elements & Border.

The saying is one from my 2009 Holiday Helper, issue #1, and was written in a text box with a misc font from my computer. That's one thing I really LOVE about My Digital Studio - I can use any font I have on my computer ... and I have quite a few! (Can you say font-a-holic?)

Don't forget to subscribe to my 2009 Holiday Helper to receive 12 different holiday projects in your email inbox - one per day starting November 15th. I should have a special Holiday Helper subscription link up & running in the next couple of days, but in the meantime you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter and just add the 2009 Holiday Helper newsletter to your request.

If you're already a monthly subscriber, you can edit your subscription preferences to include the 2009 Holiday Helper newsletter. Please note: if you received my Holiday Helper newsletters last year, you will still have to subscribe to the 2009 version - last year's list has been removed.

Clear as mud? If you have any questions, just drop me a line. I'm here to help!

cheers,

Donna

MY APOLOGIES FOR YESTERDAY

If you tuned in yesterday (Friday) for the latest installment of FAKE IT FRIDAY, I'm truly sorry to have disappointed you. What with getting ready for our booth at the MADE FOR YOU craft show in downtown Guelph, I just didn't have the time to test out any stampin' projects.

FAKE IT FRIDAY will return next week (Friday the 13th ... oh-oh!) with my attempts at another fabulous demonstrator diva's creation.

PS: the Craft Show was today, and our wares were very well received by those who attended. A larger crowd would have been nice, but all in all, it was a good learning experience that we'll take with us to our next show. Thanks to all my stamping friends who stopped by to give an encouraging word - you gals rock!

cheers

Donna

THE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS!

Stampin' UP! presents

the 2009 Gift Giving Guide

and a Holiday SPECIAL!

From NOVEMBER 1st to JANUARY 4th,

receive a FREE Decor Elements piece

(up to $22.95 value)

when you spend $65 in products from this guide!

Just click on the photo above to view this 4-page Guide, chock full of suggestions for everyone on your Holiday shopping list - kids, teens, crafters, and non-crafters alike!

OR, print it off and turn the Guide into a wish list of all YOUR favourites and give it to someone who'll be shopping for you! Be sure to fill in my name, phone number and email address first, so your loved ones can contact me directly to order ... my elves and I will even gift wrap and deliver on Christmas Eve if requested.

Christmas couldn't be any easier!

cheers,

Christmas is Coming - No, REALLY!

The big day will be here before you know it; have you started all those hand-crafted projects you want to make this year? LET ME HELP ...

CARDS: Come to the Christmas Card Marathon Day, Sat Nov 14 - make 20 quick and easy cards, plus envelopes, all for $30. Extra kits are available - register now for your preferred start time: 9am, 11am, 1pm or 3pm! Register by Nov 3rd so enough supplies can be ordered in time.

SCRAPBOOKS & CALENDARS: "My Digital Studio" will save you tons of time and give you great looking personalized gifts for long distance family & friends, all at the very reasonable price of only $106.95! Call me for a free demonstration - try before you buy! Or purchase the new Digital Demonstrator Starter Kit which includes the "My Digital Studio" software, ink pads, card stock, embellishments and more for only $239 (retail value over $385)

GIFTS: Need an attractive yet inexpensive gift for your co-workers, Secret Santa, or your kids' teachers and sitters? This desk calendar is perfect! Join me to make a calendar, easel, gift box, bow and coordinating tag - in yummy Chocolate Chip and Rich Espresso colours - all for only $25. Additional dates have been added: Nov 17 & 18.

HOME DECOR: How about a unique table or mantle centrepiece, made with your own hands? create your own family keepsake of Holiday Wood Blocks on your choice of nights - Wed Nov 25 or Thurs Nov 26.

FINISHING TOUCHES: Join me for Girls Night Out to finish up all your holiday projects without the usual household interruptions - now offered twice a month on Fridays! You'll have access to all my stamps, inks and tools; bring your own projects, adhesives and embellishments. Light refreshments provided. RSVP to save your seat; then just pay $5 @ the door.

cheers,

Donna

NEED A TEACHER GIFT?

Or maybe for a co-worker, day care provider, bus driver, crossing guard, neighbour, boss, hair stylist ... the list gets longer every year.

These desk calendars are the perfect answer! I ran this class in October and I've decided to add additional dates in November 'cause they turned out really well & I need to make some more.

I found this great metallic paint in a hobby store in Michigan; the colour is "Rich Espresso" - how tempting is that! Add a bit of stamping to the calendar pages, make a tag, and tie it all up in one of Stampin' Up!'s new gift boxes with a big chocolate striped bow and presto - a homemade gift that's both useful AND attractive!

I'll bet you can think of someone on your list who'd like to receive a calendar like this one - register now for either class date: Tuesday November 17 or Wednesday November 18; all supplies included for only $25.

cheers,

Donna

FAKE IT FRIDAY: GLASS ORNAMENTS

I can't believe it's Friday already - I love doing this weekly segment 'cause I get to surf the web for ideas and try out new things, and at the same time tell my hubby that I'm working!

Today I've chosen one of my all-time go-to gals for inspiration, Diana Gibbs of Arizona. Diana and her sister Jacqui are both very talented stampers whom I'm proud to call my friends. Funny thing is that even though Jacqui lives much closer to me (only an hour away) I usually see Diana more often in person - at Stampin' Up!'s Convention and Leadership events; go figure. However, I am part of Jacqui's Yahoo Group for demonstrators, and I love all the kewl things she shares online, too!

For today's post, I decided to try Diana's demo of Embossed Glass Ornaments (link). It probably won't surprise you to hear that I already had a supply of plain glass ornaments in my overstuffed "things-to-stamp-on" cupboard (aka my dollar-store treasure chest), so I pulled out a couple of different shaped ornaments to try today.

Now I have made these before (that is to say, I've stamped on acetate, coloured the image and inserted it into the ornament) but I really liked the added effect of embossing the inside of the glass with "Iridescent Ice" embossing powder - it really adds something to the finished project!

Once again, I can't stress enough how important (and sensible) it is to read the instructions THOROUGHLY before you start. Just wish I could get that message through my own thick skull. (chuckle)

What did I do wrong? Well, let's just say that Diana wasn't kidding when she said the glass gets really hot when you're embossing!!!! So ... after I soaked my burnt little fingers in cold water I tried again, this time holding the ornament with a towel ... that was another bad idea. Towels will start to scorch before the embossing powder has fully set. Plus, my EP just wasn't setting evenly - some spots were fine while others stayed powdery.

I finally admitted defeat and went back to Diana's site for another look-see - let me tell you, things went much easier once a) I switched to holding the ornament by the neck with my tweezers (duh), and b) I pointed my heat tool all over the OUTSIDE of the ornament (I was aiming it inside, through the tiny opening ... double duh!)

I had to guess what size to make the acetate circles, depending on the size of the ornament. One ended up too small and the design was turning upside down once it was inside. I ended up pulling it back out with my tweezers (you'll need three hands to do that!) and instead of stamping all over again on a larger circle, I just glued my small one to a larger one, using a glue dot behind the red bow - it worked fine!

They ended up looking pretty kewl ... my hubby was even impressed, and that's saying something! I think I'll offer these in an ornament and tag class in December - they'd look nice tied onto a gift as a keepsake, don't you think?

PS: Be sure to visit Diana's blog HERE and Jacqui's blog HERE - and tell them I say HI!

cheers,

Donna

HALLOWE'EN SPIDER TREATS

One of my club members Amanda showed me these adorable and easy-to-make Hallowe'en treats, using Stampin' Up!'s "Sweet Treat Cups" - check them out!

Punches used: 1-3/4" circle for the body, 1" circle, 3/4" circle and 1/4" circle for the eyes (googly eyes would be fun to use too) and the photo corners punch for the legs.

I thought they'd be a perfect project to make tomorrow (Saturday) at my "Mom & Me" Hallowe'en classes ... there's still room in both the 9-11am group and the 1-3pm group. Roy will have the yard all decorated early tomorrow so the kids can see, I have a couple of fun crafts lined up (including these spiders!), and of course there will be treats, too.

This is a good way to burn off some of the kids' energy while they wait for the main event tomorrow night! Call or email me today to reserve your spot - $25 for mom & one child; second child is only $5 more.

cheers,

Donna

FINAL DEALS OF THE WEEK: OCT 26 - 31

Ahoy there!

Are you planning a party for the little pirates or princesses in your castle?

Here's a real time saver to help make it a festive occasion:

This is the final week of Stampin' Up!'s Deals of the Week promotion; contact me or use my online shopping service to order your deals ... but do it before Oct 31!

PIRATE PARTY KIT (item # 116213, pg 175) regularly $21.95; this week: $13.99!

PRINCESS PARTY KIT (item #116214, pg 174) regularly $21.95; this week: $13.99

cheers,

Donna

FAKE IT FRIDAY: BRAYERED ROSES

Here we are with my second installment of FAKE IT FRIDAY (my OCT 16 POST explains the concept & wacky title) ... today I'm featuring another of my all-time-favourite-uber-talented Stampin' Up! divas, Patty Bennett.

Whenever I need inspiration or a reminder to loosen up, just try it and have fun, I visit Patty's blog or watch one of her YouTube videos. Afterwards, I'm usually RUNNING to my Stampin' Studio to try out one of her ideas; she's just THAT talented!

So to get ready for last Saturday's STAMP-4-FUN event (a quarterly day I host for my downline and other local demonstrators), I was searching through the maze of YouTube videos, looking for ones that used Sizzix embossing folders - I wanted to show my team some kewl techniques that they could try with these folders and their Big Shot machines. I found several good ones, but this video by Patty was BY FAR the best, giving me the most WOW for my viewing ... and I think the gals were pretty impressed on Saturday too!

I won't go into the technique steps - you can see how to do it on Patty's original video HERE - but I DO want to share my results and some tips (AKA: mistakes I made along the way) ... (remember, you can click on the photos to see a larger view) ...

The "Manhattan Flower" embossing folder gives an elegant look to plain white card stock (photo 1), but this time I wanted to add some colour. As Patty points out in her video, you can try to drag an ink pad across the top of the card to "catch" just the raised embossed image, but it rarely comes out clean (photo 2).

Instead, Patty advises flipping over to the backside (the "de-bossed" side) to add your colour ... now I'm excited! I pull out the same colours Patty used and I dove in, starting with the pink... oops!

NOTE TO SELF: Remember to remove most of the ink from the brayer BEFORE you go NEAR the card front. Otherwise you get ... photo 3.

My next attempt was much better - just a hint of pink, then add the yellow. (OK, so I think this one is too light on the pink and too heavy on the yellow but then again, I'm not partial to yellow roses. Some of the other gals preferred this version - to each her own. (Photo 4)

Here's the one I REALLY like - after colouring, I cut out around the outside edges of the embossed roses, stamped some leaves on another piece of card stock and then adhered the roses on top. It's not exactly like Patty's card in the video because I wanted mine to be a standard 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" in size. (Photo 5)

All in all, I really love this technique and can't wait to try it with my other embossing folders and some different colour combos. The way I see it, the more looks you can get with one product, the better - so thank you Patty for giving new life to the embossed look!

cheers,

MY FIRST CARD ON MDS

As part of the program to become a Certified Demonstrator in My Digital Studio, Stampin' Up! requires me to create a greeting card and have it printed through their professional printing service. So today, I tackled this enjoyable task & came up with two cards ...

My first attempt was based on the card sample on page 32 of Stampin' Up!'s 2009-2010 Catalogue & Idea Book, except that I had to substitute another stamp image because Season of Joy doesn't come with the software. (I would imagine that it will be offered as a future download; it's a very popular set!)

I love that the software comes with many of my favourite Designer Series papers and Simply Scrappin' Kits. I added a tree border, a grosgrain ribbon and knot, a large oval punch & greeting, and I even managed to change the colours on many of the items to get the look I wanted.

The best feature is the ability to add a drop shadow - look closely to the right of the trees, the ribbon and the punched greeting. I had to resist the urge to put a drop shadow on EVERYTHING!

The first card was fun & easy to do, but not really my style. So for my second attempt (and the one I eventually sent to Stampin' Up! to be printed) I wanted a more eclectic look...

What do you think?

I LOVE the stitching options (they're actually stamp images), the staples, the border stamps (you won't find this swirly border in any catalogue!), and the ability to change the opacity of an image - both the border and splotch are done in Not Quite Navy, but I toned down the opacity of the splotch to about 50% so that the butterfly would stand out against it.

Adding the torn edges and the stitching to my layer of Dusty Durango card stock took some fiddling, but the next time I'm sure it will be easier to do.

While I'm waiting for my professionally printed card to arrive in the mail, I think I'll also try printing this one on my home computer and use it to cover a spiral notebook - a girl can never have too many of those around!

cheers,

JUST A QUICKIE...

Just popping in to tell you that ...

1. My NOVEMBER classes are now posted online - check it out HERE!
2. The October STAMPIN' SAMPLES Newsletter went out today - watch for it in your inbox!
3. It's time to sign up for the CHRISTMAS CARD MARATHON on Sat Nov 14!
4. Tune in on the 23rd for the second installment of FAKE IT FRIDAY! (You can see last week's episode HERE)

Hope your day includes a bit of creativity!

cheers

OCT 19-26: DEALS OF THE WEEK

CIRCLE DESIGNER BRADS - MINI LIBRARY CLIPS - BASIC JUMBO GROMMETS - 1/2 INCH LIBRARY CLIPS

         $5.49                          $12.99                         $6.49                                $5.49

CHRISTMAS CARD MARATHON DAY

OK, folks - we're getting pretty close to C.C.C.T. (Christmas Card Crunch Time) ... admit it; once Hallowe'en is over, we've really got to buckle down if we're gonna follow through on our vow to give out hand-made Christmas cards this year. 

Show of hands, please: how many of you justified buying the stamps, ink & paper by promising to use them to make your own cards; saving money in the long run and showing your friends and family that you care enough to make it yourself? (Believe me, I say that to hubby every time I buy another stamp set!)

Remember last year? We had all the good intentions to make our own, but we let other everyday stuff take up all of our time, and at the last minute we ended up BUYING some mass-produced, run-of-the-mill, ANYBODY can send THESE cards. YUCK! 

What's the solution this year?

The CHRISTMAS CARD MARATHON DAY:

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14th in Guelph

Make 20 cards in 2 hours or less (yes, twenty) - these are super easy designs and super quick to put together, using Stampin' Up!'s "Christmas Jingle" Simply Scrappin' Kit and minimal stamping.

For only $30, you'll receive half a kit, 10-1/2 sheets of 8-1/2x11 Whisper White card stock, 20 envelopes, and 20 easy samples to copy. All you need to bring is your own favourite adhesive and your card stock trimmer with scoring blade. (If you don't have a trimmer, you can use mine - just be prepared to share!)

Here's the best part: you can pick your own start time (9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, or 3 pm) and work at your own pace, following the samples on the board!

You should plan to be here at my studio for approx. 2 hours to complete all 20 cards; if you're a quick stamper, you'll be done sooner; if you're more careful and methodical (and that's a GOOD thing)  - just stay until you've finished all 20 - no one will be kicking you out the door precisely two hours after your start time, lol.

Need MORE than 20 quick cards? Well, when you register you have the option of also ordering a take-home kit  consisting of the other half of the Simply Scrappin' Kit, 10-1/2 more sheets of Whisper White card stock and 20 more envelopes - all for $20. (That's below retail cost, and you don't pay any shipping or taxes!).

This offer is only available if you ATTEND the Christmas Card Marathon Day; card instructions will not be included because you'll already have your first 20 cards as samples - once you're home, you can choose to copy them or branch out and design your own using the supplies in your second kit.

Come on out Sat Nov 14 for a stress-free, easy-peezy card-making Marathon - enjoy the company of fellow enthusiasts ... and I'll have the Christmas music playing in the background, and some cider and shortbread to help set the festive mood!

Line up your gal-pals, pick your start time, and call or email me to reserve your spot today!

DONNA HENLEY     519-823-8891     donna@scrappinwithdonna.com

NOTE: payment is due when you register, so that I can order all the kits and card stock in advance. You can pay either by cheque or cash, or I can send you a PayPal invoice - email me for details.

TWICK OR TWEET

Poking around the Stampin' Up! website, I found a cute Hallowe'en card that would make up in a hurry .. I have Stampin' Up!'s new Jumbo wheel called Haunting Hill and it's so much fun, especially if you wheel it in Whisper White Craft ink on black card stock!

Looking at the elements of this card, I think we could easily adapt it to become a simple treat bag too, using a folded "Top Note" die as the bag topper, wheel it with Haunting Hill, add a tag & some ribbon and presto!

SUPPLIES USED ON THIS CARD: (100% Stampin' Up!)

Twick or Tweet stamp set; Haunting Hill jumbo wheel; Naturals White, Pumpkin Pie, and Textured Black card stock; Night & Day Specialty Designer Series Paper; Basic Black Classic ink; Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain ribbon; linen thread; Pumpkin Pie corduroy button, Chit Chat rub-Ons; Top Note Bigs die; Big Shot die-cutting machine, & Stampin' Dimensionals

cheers,

FAKE IT FRIDAY: CRIMPED ENVELOPE CARD

How do you like the title of my new blog feature?

Yep, it's time to confess to all of you .. I'm a fake. I am NOT the creative guru or artistic genius that I attempt to portray here on my blog. Don't get me wrong ... once in a very long while, when the muses are with me, and Jupiter is in line with Mars, and I hold my tongue just the right way, I CAN come up with an ORIGINAL crafty idea. Then I'm exhausted and I go to bed ... KIDDING!

But most of the time (and I mean 99.5% of the time) I C.A.S.E ideas from much more creative people than my humble self. (C.A.S.E can mean "copy and steal everything", or "compliment and stamp everything", or whatever phrase helps a lurker like me live with my fake self!)

Now, there are a LOT of very talented stampers out there who LOVE to share their ideas; in fact I count myself lucky that I know a few of them personally. What about me? I don't feel I have anything new to offer in the way of creating tutorials or videos or PDFs "cause I'm a pretty average crafter. (I think we've established that fact ... moving on.) I'm content to turn on my computer or go to demonstrator trainings and surf/snap away to my heart's content. Then I go home and practice, practice, practice before I get together with my team, my Stampers Club members, my workshop hostesses, or with you right here in cyberspace so I can share what I've found ... I DO love to share!

(Beavers! Beavers! Beavers! ... Sharing! Sharing! Sharing!  ... oops, sorry about that. After 20 yrs as a Leader, old habits die hard. Bet you can't guess what my Beaver name was!)

So, rather than jump on the tutorial/video/class planner bandwagon and expose my own lack of originality to the ENTIRE world, I've decided that each Friday I will find an interesting project designed by one of those uber-crafty demonstrators, I will make the project following their well-planned instructions and I will share the results with you here ... mistakes and all!

Of course, I'll also supply you with the original source so you can see how the truly gifted meant for the project to be, but it should also (hopefully) be fun to see what I come up with, since I never quite seem to follow the instructions to the letter. (Hence my need for lots of practice.) I think you've got the concept, so enough chatter. Without further ado, here's today's "FAKE IT FRIDAY" project:

I might as well start close to home - Andrea Walford is probably on every stamper's top five list of blogs to stalk 'cause she always gives projects her own unique twist, and never ceases to amaze in the talent department. She also lives about 15 minutes from me and I get to see her at various demonstrator events. Lucky, huh?

Now that she has added video tutorials to her repertoire, I'm so glad that you all get to hear and watch how she does her magic, and ... GASP! ... see that she even makes the occasional mistake just like us mortals!!! Seriously, I really do enjoy hearing her encouragement and enthusiasm coming through on those videos - I sure feel less intimidated when I have visual and audio instructions while I try to duplicate someone's projects or techniques.

So, Andrea made this really kewl do-hickey with a removable lid made from the top note die. Her unique twist was to add a pull-out card inside the pocket, which makes the whole thing much more versatile. (You can read/hear her suggestions for using this project on the original post, so I won't repeat them here. I bet you can come up with even more!) The lid was really what caught my eye, so I pulled out my stash this morning and gave it a try...

First off, I didn't have the Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! that Andrea used - I know, I know ... it's hard to believe that there's a package that I DON"T own yet, but there I was. I could have placed an order right away and tried this project another time, (yeah, right ... I must have a zillion bookmarked projects to make "someday"...) anyway, I'm happy to report that my frugal side won out and I decided to make it now with what I have on hand. AND I used retired ribbon, too! (Is that my hubby I hear, cheering from upstairs?)

So... the instructions on Andrea's video are EXCELLENT ... and I would recommend listening to them carefully. I wish I had.

Pay particular attention to the part about where to punch the holes for the brads ... it's very important to place them as close as possible to the edges of the die. Otherwise, the lid won't fit over the pocket and you've basically got to start over ... ask me how I know ;-)

It was fun to dust off my crimper and use it again after I-don't-know-how-long; we used to make this type of pocket gift holder out of a plain white business envelope back in the day... stamp-cut-crimp ... it got pretty old pretty fast. I'll be the first to agree that Andrea has given the idea a fresh new look by using Stampin' Up!'s Designer Series Paper and the Top Note die ... I'll be making more of these!

Here's the link to Andrea's original post featuring this project ... I hope you watch her video and try it for yourself. And be sure to tune in here next week for a new episode of "FAKE IT FRIDAY" - featuring another of my favourite Stamping Goddesses!

cheers,

Donna

PS - In Beavers, they called me "Bubbles" - hey, cut it out; they were 5 & 6 year olds!!!

SUPPLIES I USED: (100% Stampin' Up!)

Merry Moments DSP; Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla card stock; Very Vanilla Craft ink and embossing powder; heat tool; corner rounder punch, Very Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (brads); Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon (retired); Yuletide Christmas stamp set (Holiday Mini) - available through my online store!

DEAL OF THE WEEK #2

Hi all, hope everyone in Canada had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend; I know I did!

Here's this week's DEAL OF THE WEEK from Stampin' Up! - three more current items with a terrific savings for you!

Available at these priced only from October 12, noon (ET) through October 19, 11:50 am (ET):

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Special Price
115961	200	Perfect Setting Bigz XL die	$57.95	$34.99
114515	195	Flower Burst Embosslits die	$15.95	$7.49
116760	201	Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL die	$53.95	$34.99

SEVEN HAPPY YEARS

... as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! It's my 7th Anniversary, and I'm still having fun at my job! To show my appreciation to everyone who's supported me over the years, I'm running a four day special! Just call or email me to place your order between Thursday Oct 8th, 6pm and Monday Oct 12th, 6pm and choose your free item from the list below:

With any purchase $50 or more*, pick ONE of the following items FREE:

• Classic Stamp Pad
• Pack (24 sheets) single color card stock
• Clear envelopes
• Dazzling diamonds
• Dimensionals
• Stampin' Mist
• Stampin' Write Marker

With any purchase $100 or more*, pick ONE of the following items FREE:

• Gingham Ribbon
• Bone Folder
• Gold or Silver Brads
• Buttons
• Art Journal
• SNAIL
• Taffeta Ribbon
• Stampin' Around Standard Cartridge
• Standard Wheel

With any purchase $200 or more*, receive ALL of the following items:

• Minimum Level 1 Hostess Set
• Minimum $15 FREE merchandise
• Additional $10 FREE merchandise
• FREE catalog

* Before Tax and Shipping

PHOTOS FROM STAMPIN' PALOOZA

Did I mention that Stampin' Palooza (held in Toronto last weekend) was AMAZING!

I had a wonderful time, took lots of photos to upload here, and then realized that I didn't have to go to the trouble 'cause our hostess with the mostest, Caroline Lebel, had a professional photographer at the event - who took over 600 shots and uploaded them all for us to see!

Here's the link; enjoy!

(PS - the next Stampin' Palooza will be in Feb 2010 - Stampin' Up! demonstrators ... be there or be square!)

HERE'S A GREAT TEACHER GIFT!

Here is my "tweaked" version of the Monogrammed Stationery Set that we'll be making in October at my "PAPER JUNKIES" class, featuring Stampin' Up!'s "Night and Day" Designer Series Paper and their "Baroque Motifs" stamp set. I like this version better than the original photo I posted on my business website under "MY FAVOURITE IDEAS"; what do you think?

This set of five full-sized cards, five 3 x 3 note cards, ten stamped envelopes, matching pen and a multi-pocketed folder is the perfect gift for co-workers, sitters or holiday hostesses, especially when you personalize the gift with their own monogrammed medallion!

The assembly of this gift is easy - once you've made your first set at the class, you'll be able to whip up lots more at home, in plenty of time before the holiday rush gets here. Secret Santa gift - done! Teacher gifts - check!

Call or email me to reserve your seat for either Tuesday October 13th or Wednesday October 14th @ 7:30 pm. If you'd like to make this project but can't attend those dates, contact me for kit prices.

CLASS COST: $25 (My Stampers' Club members may choose this as their October perk and pay only $5)

Hope to see you out for this one - it looks so classy, yet is so easy to make!

cheers

Donna

NIGHT AND DAY

Here's a peek at the cards we'll be making at this month's 'JUST CARDS" class, featuring Stampin' Up!'s "NIGHT AND DAY" Designer Series Papers from the Holiday Mini (page 11) ..

Of course, being the month for Hallowe'en, there are four cards to help you celebrate in style! I had to do a Hallowe'en theme 'cause I know some folks who really go "over the top" in their Hallowe'en preparations (you should see my hubby!) ...  but at the same time I have friends who just prefer to skip all the hoo-haw on October 31, so I've created four identical cards using non-spooky stamps just for them.

I fell in love with this particular DSP as soon as I opened the package ... there are no skulls, bats or Hallowe'en greetings in the paper patterns, so it lends itself to almost any occasion. And it even comes with two sheets of 12x12 clear acetate, covered wtih tiny black dots - very kewl! (item #116768)

COST for this Class: $25 for 8 cards (My Stampers' Club members may choose this class as their October perk and pay only $5)

Register now to attend this class on either Wednesday October 7th or Thursday October 8th @ 7:30 pm  - give me a call at 519-823-8891 or drop me a line at donna@scrappinwithdonna.com

cheers

Donna

My Anniversary Sale runs from Thursday Oct 8 @ 6 pm 'til Monday Oct 12 @ 6 pm:

Orders of $50, $100 & $200 receive FREE Stampin' Up! Products!!

Click HERE for all the details

DO IT YOURSELF BUTTONS!

OK, this might have been the best demo of the whole weekend at Stampin' Palooza ... well, maybe not THE best; there were SO MANY good ideas shared in Toronto ... but this sure is the best one as far as the FRUGAL STAMPER is concerned!

How many times have I wished that I had a button to embellish my card or layout, only to find that none of the buttons in my craft stash will go with the colours in my project? My creativity comes to a screeching halt until I have the time to hunt down a better match in the bottom of my sewing basket, or horrors - make a special trip to the store!

Well, with this super-easy trick I can make my own buttons using matching papers from my project, and I'll never have to sneak a button from my hubby's favourite shirt again! (Oops, did I type that out loud? Shhh, don't tell!)

Here's a quick photo tutorial: (click on the photos to see a close up)

STEP ONE: Punch five circles, all the same size (I used my 3/4" and 1" circle punches for this example).

STEP TWO: Glue them in a stack with your Tombo Multi Liquid Glue, bringing the glue as close to the outer edges as you can without having any gush out.

STEP THREE: Use your sanding block to smooth the edges and removed the "layered" look.

 

STEP FOUR: Punch two or four holes in the centre of each button with the 1/8" side of your Crop-O-Dile - it will punch through all five layers with NO problem!

STEP FIVE: Cover each button top with a coat of Crystal Effects to give them a shiny finish. Let dry.

And here's the finished card: (100% Stampin' Up!)

Frugal Stamper's tips:

     * Make up a bunch of buttons in one sitting, and store them in a clear container for future use.

     * This is a great way to use up your smaller scraps of card stock or Designer Series Paper

     * Try different shaped punches to make some really funky buttons!

     * Before you apply the Crystal effects, why not add some stamping or rub-ons to your buttons!

I hope you enjoyed this idea!

Donna

HOME FROM STAMPIN' PALOOZA!

I've just been to Toronto to attend the first ever Stampin' Palooza event  hosted by the one and only Caroline Lebel - and our guest speaker was none other than Linda Hansen of Salt Lake City - both ladies are very talented stampers, successful businesswomen, and a hoot to spend time with!

Honestly, I haven't laughed out loud (for real!) like this in longer than I can remember ... Linda's SPANX story ... OMG, here come the tears again!

These are just a few of the pics taken by my demo pal Ruth M - I have to recharge my own camera's battery before I can upload my shots - I wore the poor thing right out!

(TOP LEFT: OUTSIDE CARO'S STUDIO; TOP RIGHT: 185 STAMPERS AT PLAY; BOTTOM LEFT: FRIDAY DINNER @ MURPHY'S LAW PUB; BOTTOM RIGHT: LINDA HANSEN & MYSELF - thanks Ruth!)

By tomorrow I should have photos of all the display boards, etc uploaded to my facebook business page, so tune in then for the link ... right now I'm off to stamp the rest of the night away - I'm so pumped after this weekend's event that there's no way I'll sleep for hours yet.

Hope you're having a great weekend too!

Donna

"DEAL OF THE WEEK" RETURNS!

You loved Stampin' Up!'s Deals of the Week in July ... well, THEY'RE BAAACCCKKKK!!!!

This week (October 1- 12) you can purchase the TRIO FLOWER PUNCH (item #109183) OR the 5 PETAL FLOWER PUNCH (item #109041) for only $15.99 - that's a savings of $6.51 off the regular catalogue price of $22.50), OR the MY WAY PUNCH (item #110709) for only $16.99 (saving you $5.51 off the catalogue price) - these would make great stocking stuffers for the crafty people on your list!!

You can see all three of these punches on pages 186-187 of the 2009-2010 Catalogue, or in my online store.

The Frugal Stamper wants to remind you that "Punches are a quick and easy way to add interest, dimension, and color to your cards, tags, and scrapbook pages. You can glue punched shapes directly onto your projects or layer a sheet of card stock that has been punched over a coordinating card stock for a reverse effect. The Trio Flower punch will give you three identical flowers with each punch!"

■ Add interest to scrapbook pages and cards
■ Has an easy-to-use thumb lever

cheers,

"MY DIGITAL STUDIO" IS NOW AVAILABLE!

You've seen it in the Holiday Mini Catalogue, and you've heard all the online chatter about it, and finally, starting today, October 1, My Digital Studio software and MDS Uploads are available to purchase - WAHOO!!!

(MDS Uploads are for those of you who already have a digital designing software program such as PhotoShop, etc & just want Stampin' Up!'s exclusive stamp images, Designer Series paper, and embellishments in a digital format)

To launch this awesome new product line, Stampin' Up! has two great ways for you to get your own copy and save big $$$ in the process:

• Sweet Rewards Hostess promotion: As you know, our Sweet Rewards Hostess promotion is well under way. Hostesses who hold a $330 workshop can choose any item from the Holiday Mini for just $14. Now, with the release of My Digital Studio, we've sweetened the deal! Hostesses can also get 50% OFF My Digital Studio when they host a $525 workshop--that's over $50 in savings!

• Digital+ Starter Kit: Introducing a new Starter Kit option that includes My Digital Studio! The "Digital+" Starter Kit includes the My Digital Studio software program with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive artwork in a digital format, as well as two rubber stamp sets and many of Stampin' Up!'s traditional embellishments. This Starter Kit is a new option to help you start your own Stampin' Up! business, and is not an add-on to the standard Starter Kit. 

Digital+ Starter Kit Price: $239 (over $385 value!)

Digital+ Starter Kit Contents:

• My Digital Studio software
• Party Hearty and Petal Pizzazz stamp sets
• Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• Earth Elements assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
• Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, and Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pads
• Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Real Red Stampin' Write markers
• Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
• Real Red 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon
• Button Latte Designer buttons
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Mini Glue Dots
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Business supplies (product catalogues, order forms, training DVD, and other supplies)

MY DIGITAL STUDIO software, and MDS uploads  ...  I am so excited to introduce this awesome new product line to you; and I'm sure you are going to love it as much as I do! Plan to attend a free demonstration at my Stampin' Studio later this month ... stay tuned for details!

cheers