I own a Cricut and I also own a Big Shot Die Cutting Machine.  Between the two, my Cricut gathers dust while the Big Shot is a workhorse in my craft studio.   I never got the hang of the Cricut often becoming frustrated with the complexity of it.  Loading and unloading card stock and trying to determine what size cut I need seems to be time consuming as well.

On the other hand the Big Shot is quick and easy to use and I always know what I’m going to get when I run a die through it.  I also like the fact that I can use it for both die cutting and embossing.  Probably the Big Shot’s biggest selling point for me though is that stamps with coordinating dies are readily available everywhere.  My paper projects have a more polished, crisp look because the dies cut out a stamped image perfectly.  I love that!  No more fussy cutting!!!!!

This cute card was made with coordinating stamps and Framelits Dies.  The card base is embellished with balloon shapes cut from Designer Series Paper using the Balloon Framelits Dies and stamped with the coordinating stamp set Celebrate Today.  An easy peasy card taking no time to complete because the Big Shot does all the work.  Love that tiny polka-dot  bow that was stamped then cut out using the Big Shot.

The Big Shot also lets me add design and texture to my cards by embossing them.  Embossing folders are relatively inexpensive and some have coordinating stamp sets as well.  Here are two cards that were made with card stock run through the Big Shot using an embossing folder.  The green tag on the Thank You card was made using the Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and the Happy Easter card base was made using the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  The tag on the little treat bag was made with the Chalk Talk Framelits and coordinating Chalk Talk stamp set.

Bigz dies allow you to cut multiple shapes and images in one cut through the Big Shot.  There are also fun 3-D projects.  Here’s a few examples:

Berry Basket Bigz L Die

Fry Box Bigz L Die

Top Note Bigz Die

Can you tell that I love my Big Shot Die Cutting Machine!  See it in action – watch this video that demonstrates making a berry basket using the Berry Basket Bigz L Die.

I received the March My Paper Pumpkin Kit in the mail this week and couldn’t wait to get busy!  The kit this month is all about Y.O.U. with the cutest little word bubbles to personalize for any occasion.  I believe the stitch used is called a back-stitch but it doesn’t matter because the instructions were super simple to follow and I was able to whip several up while enjoying some guilty pleasure t.v.  What I love about My Paper Pumpkin is that all the work is done for you and everything needed to create the cutest little paper crafting projects is included in one, simple kit.  And, bonus,  the on-trend adorable stamps that come with the kits each month are mine to keep!  Here’s a look at some of the supplies that came in the March kit:

The kit came with enough supplies to make 9 cards using three black and white patterns: striped, polka-dot and triangle.  The Tiffany blue epoxy stickers and envelopes really pop against the black, white and yellow.  March is a huge birthday month around here and I liked that these cards will work for both masculine and feminine recipients.  These card are so cute that before I stitch the final word bubble I plan on tracing a pattern from it onto card stock and piercing the Y.O.U. using  my Paper-Piercing Tool.

Watch this video to see how fun and simple this kit is to put together!  Wonder what the surprise will be next month?  Subscribe HERE before April 10.  Or better yet, save $5 and earn one FREE item from the Sale-a-Bration brochure by purchasing a three-month prepaid subscription HERE by March 31, 2015.

Just when you thought the party was winding down Stampin’ Up! turns it up a little louder!  Beginning March 1st Stampin’ Up! is offering four new bonus products only available thru March 31st and they’ve saved the best for last!  I’m loving the printed Sheer Perfection Designer Vellum Stack along with the coordinating Nature’s Perfection Stamp Set that would work great with the Stampin’ Write Markers.

Another awesome bonus stamp set that can be had for free during Sale-a-Bration is the Lotus Blossom stamp set.  This gorgeous stamp set makes anyone feel like an artist in three quick steps. It creates a beautiful flower that looks painted, but it is amazingly easy. The individual stamps have a tab at the top to help you align them, and the tabs are numbered so you will know which part of the flower to stamp first, second, and third. Try playing around using one ink pad with the stamping off technique, or multiple different ink pads to create many different looks.  Here is a great video showing different techniques used with this stamp set to achieve marvelous results!

Sale-a-Bration is the perfect time to grow your stamping inventory.  With every qualifying purchase of $50 you earn a bonus Sale-a-Bration item.  There’s no limit!  That means a $100 order earns two bonus Sale-a-Bration items, a $150 order earns three bonus Sale-a-Bration items and so on.  But this promotion ends March 31, 2015 so make sure you don’t delay.  Click on my Shop Now button below and start earning those bonus products now!

The BIG DAY is looming and I’m feverishly  working on gift packaging to get all those presents under wrap!  Maybe it’s because of my love for all things paper or my appreciation for the time and effort put into wrapping a gorgeous gift, but I enjoy a beautifully wrapped package as much as the present itself.  Of course ways to make that job easier are always welcome and this adorable Petite Cafe Gift Bag from Stampin’ Up! sure fits the bill.  The bags are just $5.95 for a package of 10, are food safe and are ready to embellish as much or as much or little as you please.

For whatever reason though I wanted to see if I could recreate this type of bag.  I came up with a clever name for it . . . the tall, skinny bag!  It is assembled out of an 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheet of card stock and, if you’re using Stampin’ Up! card stock, is a pretty heavy duty little bag.  Because of that I would advise using Sticky Strip to adhere the bag together.  To create the bag I scored the 11-inch side of card stock at 3-1/4″, 4-/14″, 5-1/4″, 8-1/2″, 9-1/2″ and 10-1/2″.  The 8-1/2″ side of the card stock is scored at  1-1/4″.  For  the complete tutorial please view the video.

Product List

Petite Pairs Clear Stamp Set $20.95	Petite Pairs Wood Stamp Set $28.95	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin’ Pad $5.95	Garden Green 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock $6.95	Trim The Tree Designer Series Paper Stack $6.95
Silver Glimmer Paper $4.95	Stars Framelits Dies $26.95	Big Shot $99.95	Big Shot Magnetic Platform $39.95	Cherry Cobbler 1″ Sheer Linen Ribbon $7.95
Sticky Strip $6.95

Click here for a full list of select items and bundles discounted.

The Stampin’ Up! Online Extravaganza starts on Monday November 24th with select items and bundles at discounted prices. Plus, there will be limited-time door busters on November 24th and December 1st. You don’t want to miss them! This limited time sale is while supplies last, so if you want an item do not delay!

Door Busters

First Door Buster Set – these door busters are only available Monday November 24th while supplies last!

50% Off

Available November 24 thru December 2nd

Gorgeous Gift Tags!

For several years I have followed Organized Christmas’ Christmas Countdown, a free six week organization plan taking you through the holidays.  One of the assignments is to set up a designated area for holiday planning.  I call mine Christmas Central and everything I need to plan and prepare for the holidays is located at Christmas Central.  One of those items will be a stash of these gorgeous Christmas tags.  I’ll be pairing them with the Festive Designer Kraft Paper and some Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive trimmings.  Looking forward to having pretty gift packages this Christmas and a little puffed up because I can check “gift wrap supplies” off my holiday list!

These adorable tags use just bits of card stock and are a sinch to make using paper punches and stamps.  View the video below for instructions:

Products:

Stamps:  Endless Wishes, Christmas Tagables

Cardstock:  Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Accessories:  2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch, Artisan Label Punch, Hexagon Punch, 1-3/8″ Circle Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine