COMBINE WITH ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIALS:

• WEEKLY SPECIALS
• SALE A BRATION!Free stamps with each $50 in orders
• “BEST OF 25 YEARS”Stamp Collection ends March 31
• CLEARANCE – click here >

Planning for the March Seasonal Style Class and this is my work space!  I am a hot mess when I create. No matter how organized I try to be this is what I end up with.  Notice the TV remote right smack in the middle?  I like a little noise while I’m working and this is the time to catch up on my shows – the DVR is smokin’ today!  How about you?  Are you an Oscar or a Felix while you craft?

I created this 3×3 card and slipped it in February’s Seasonal Style Class packets to show my thanks and appreciation to all the gals who attended.  I used the Too Kind stamp set with Crisp Cantaloupe card stock and Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper.  The cute little bow was made using Whisper White Baker’s Twine that I “painted” with a Crisp Cantaloupe Stampin’ Write marker.

Products:

Stamps:  Too Kind #130447 (W) #130450 (C)

Ink:  StazOn Jet Black #101406

Paper:  Crisp Cantaloupe #13128, Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper #133521 (Free with $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase)

Accessories:  1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch #119854, Whisper White Baker’s Twine #124262, Stampin’ Write Markers #131260

Yesterday my inbox held a message telling me that my cloud is almost full.  What’s up with that?  Could be that I’ve been using my phone for photo storage since 2010!  Guess it’s time to get my digital house in order. I tend to be a bit obsessive when it comes to organization so after I’ve researched my options adnauseam I’ll let you know what I come up with.  If you have a system that works I would love to hear about it so please leave a comment below.

In the mean time I decided to get some of those photos off the phone and onto the page.  I created the two pages below using Stampin’ Up’s My Digital Studio.  I used one of the designer templates in the software, rearranged a few things and added my photos to make this two page spread.

The MDS design software and digital downloads create just about anything you can dream up including photo book pages, cards, invites and home decor. Stampin’ Up! offers a free 30 day trial that you can download and start creating immediately.  Get all the info here.

Products:

My Digital Studio Free Trial #130910

My Digital Studio CD #130647

My Digital Studio Digital Download #130646

Today’s post features an easy peasy DYI home decor item using the Stampin’ Up! Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper and a 9×12 acrylic frame.  This project took just 15 minutes to put together and the results are WOW!  Check out the video below for all the details and let me know what you think.

If you follow me on Facebook then you might have heard about the flood of 2013.  Three days before Thanksgiving, yes three days before our home would be full to the brim with loved ones and the cooking of the feast, our sewer backed up into our finished lower level!  I know, the horror of it all right?!  Fortunately most of the water was contained to the unfinished storage area and the plumber was able to fix the problem but we did have to rip up a portion of carpet in the finished area with the plan to replace after the holidays.  In the meantime the hubs decides that while everything is already torn up and in mass chaos it would be a good time to finally add that additional bathroom and scrape the popcorn ceiling.  Good plan, great plan even – I love myself a little remodel now and again BUT my office and work space is In. The. Lower. Level.  I have been working at the kitchen table for three months. It has not been pretty nor has it been the organized bliss that I prefer.  I say all this to apologize to the lovely gal who shared this beautiful card at our February Group Meeting Swap. I have lost your information and if you are reading this please leave a comment because I would love to give you the credit you deserve.  I love, love, love the beautiful simplicity of this card and the fact that it uses the Petal Parade stamp set that is available for free with a $50 Stampin’ Up! order as well as the In Color markers that can also be had for free by joining My Paper Pumpkin.  I would love to make up several of these and gift them in a cute little box.

Supplies

Stamps:  Petal Parade #133599 (W) #133602 (C) , Yippee-Skippee! #131341 (W) #131344 (C)

Paper:  Very Vanilla Cardstock #101650

Ink:  Crisp Cantaloupe #131176, Early Espresso #126974

Accessories & Tools:  Stampin’ Write Markers #131260, Rhinestone Basic Jewels #119246

New Weekly Deals and Stampin’ Up! Promotions

NEW WEEKLY DEALS (Feb 25 – March 3 Only)! Click here to order.

WHICH FREE GIFTS WILL YOU CHOOSE?  Earn a FREE Stampin’ Up! product gift for every $50 you spend during Sale-A-Bration (January 28 – March 31).  Click here for details.

Free markers with My Paper Pumpkin Subscription – click here for details.

SAVE UP TO 80% while supplies last.  Check out the Stampin’ Up! Clearance Rack here.

My hubby and I attended a conference on Saturday.  Since we were going to be gone most of the day I asked one of our neighbor girls if she would mind checking in on Maggie and Soxy (meet them here) during the day.  Even though her schedule was crazy busy full she made the time and took such good care of the girls that I wanted to give her something special for all her trouble.  I made this box, filled it with some sweets and tucked a little green inside.  I hope she likes it!

The box lid and base are made with Daffodil Delight and Rich Razzleberry card stock.  For the belly band I used some Rich Razzleberry paper from the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack and the stamp is from the Polka-Dot Pieces stamp set.  I punched the flower out using the 1-3/4″  Scallop Circle Punch and to add a little depth attached it with Stampin Dimensionals to another 1-3/4″ scallop circle punched from Rich Razzleberry card stock.  Then, because every girl likes a little bling, I placed a Basic Rhinestone Jewel in the center of the flower!

Stampin’ Up! supplies:

• Stamps:  Polka-Dot Pieces 129705 (W) 129708 (C), Delightful Dozen 128547 (W) 122652 (C)
• Ink: Rich Razzleberry 126950,
• Card Stock:  Daffodil Delight 119683, Rich Razzleberry 115316, Whisper White 100730
• Accessories:  1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch 119854, Rhinestone Basic Jewels 119246, Stampin’ Dimensionals 104430

COMBINE WITH ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIALS:

• SALE A BRATION! Free stamps with each $50 in orders
• CLEARANCE RACK BLITZ – While supplies last
• STAMPIN REWARDS! Free products with $150+

I’m sharing with you the swap card I made for our February Group Meeting.  After the dreary winter days we’ve been experiencing the colors just make me smile.  Hope you enjoy it.

I made it using the Banner Blast stamp set  featured on page 13 of the Sale-A-Bration Catalog.  The stamp set is available for free with a $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase through March 31st.

The base of the card is Whisper White card stock that measures 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 and is scored at 4-1/4 in landscape mode.

I embossed a 5-1/4 x 4 piece of Pool Party card stock with the Fancy Fan embossing folder using the Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine and then cut a “frame” in the embossed cardstock with the Labels Collection Framelits.  I stamped the sentiment to the card base using the From My Heart stamp set and Jet Black StazOn Ink then attached the embossed layer to the card base using Stampin’ Demensionals.  I was generous with the Dimensionals to really boost the 3-D effect.

I stamped the banners then punched them out using the Banner punch from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog which is also available for free with a $50 Stampin’ Up! purchase.  The banners were attached to the card with Snail adhesive, then bows made with Whisper White baker’s twine were added and finally a little bling between each banner using Rhinestone Basic Jewels.

Stampin’ Up! supplies:

• • Stamps:  Banner Blast 133551 (W) 133554 (C)

• • Ink:  Pool Party 126982, Daffodil Delight 126944. Melon Mambo 126948, Old Olive 126953, Crumb Cake 126975

• • Card Stock:  Whisper White 100730, Pool Party 122924

• Accessories:  Fancy Fan Embossing Folder 127751, Label Collection Framelits 125598, Rhinestone Basic Jewels 119246, Whisper White Baker’s Twine 124262, Stampin’ Dimensionals 104430, Big Shot 113439

Sale-A-Bration Catalog

Hey all!  My name is Leslie Benson and I’m an Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator.  Although I’m new to the blog world I’m not new to paper crafting having been involved in one form or another since my first class in 1996.  I can’t wait to share great paper crafting projects with you such as cards, party and home decor items as well as scrapbook layouts.

You’ll probably hear me talk about a couple of other girls from time to time.  They hang around my work space a lot and attend my monthly Stampin’ Style Classes.  They’re actually the inspiration behind The Plaid Poodle – my Schnoodle Maggie and my daughter’s Cockapoo Soxy!

Now that you’ve met all the “girls” I want to say how excited I am about being able to share this great passion of mine with you!  I always dreamed of one day being able to work at something I love and through Stampin’ Up! I am now doing just that.

I would love to hear about your furry friends – leave a comment below and don’t forget to sign up for my email list!