I am hoping hoping hoping you have received paper copies of the Stampin’ Up! January-June 2021 Mini Catalog and January-February 2021 Sale-A-Bration Brochure.
If you haven’t, well, consider this: last Friday (January 8) I received an invitation to a holiday open house on December 12. It was postmarked November 24.
If you’re still waiting, you can find the publications online by clicking the images below. And when you find the most adorable, wonderful, creative sample and wonder how they made it, be sure to check out the “recipes” for both publications on the Heartfelt Inkspiration Resource page.
We have unplugged the outside lights, and I have played my last Christmas playlist — at least for eight months or so! There are a few Christmas cookies in the pantry, but there’s no law against eating them out of season, is there?
Designing and planning in the studio with a fire not too far away from my worktable is heaven! What’s keeping me busy? The upcoming All-Occasions Stamp-a-Stack to Go (registration ends tomorrow, January 8!) and my limited monthly stamp camps (see the schedule here).
I have to say that one of my favorite items in the new January-June 2021 Mini Catalog is the Sweet Strawberry bundle. Because the stamp set is bundled with a punch, not a set of dies, it’s so affordable ($32.25 US). And did I say super cute?
Not only is this a two-step stamping set, but it’s also Distinktive — the shading is built into the image. Although I love to color, this provides beautiful results quickly. The background paper is Oh So Ombre Designer Series Paper, a FREE Sale-A-Bration item when you order $50 in product.
I used my playtime to make up some thank-you note cards. Having them on hand means I can get them in the mail quickly, and the small size means I don’t have to write a lot, just a heartfelt expression of appreciation.
Click the images below to add products for this card to your cart in my Stampin’ Up! online store. Disclosure: I get a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional charge to you. Thank you!
This is it, stampers! It’s the last day of the Stampin’ Up! August-December 2020 Mini Catalog. And with the farewell, you may find unexpected bargains in the closeout list here. Just remember that items are available while supplies last only!
Still available from me, but just through Monday, January 4: place an online order of at least $50 in product (before S/H and tax) and receive a spool of NEW Blackberry Bliss Striped Ribbon (page 49 of the upcoming Mini catalog) FREE. You must use Host Code MZSSCWG2 to earn your free ribbon, which will be sent to you as soon as I receive it.
Here’s another winter birthday card, this one inspired by Amy O’Neill.
I made some of these cards earlier in the month, but used a vertical orientation and Merry Merlot for the “berries.” This seems a bit more like a cluster of grapes, or is it the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebration I’ve got on my mind? (No celebration, actually — and no bubbly, either — just another quiet evening in front of the fire!)
Today’s downstairs projects include the last of the January birthday cards and, at last, some play with new products!
Click the images below to add products for this card to your cart in my Stampin’ Up! online store. Disclosure: I get a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional charge to you. Thank you!
My challenge for birthdays at this time of year is to create cards that are wintery but don’t say, “Your birthday is so close to Christmas, I’ll just send you another Christmas card.” So I use evergreens and snow — I’m not ready for all the flowers, yet!
I scribbled some Shimmery Crystal Effects over the trees and lower part of this tag for more wintery goodness, complemented by the ribbon and twine.
I love making a tag from the retiring Little Treat Box dies. The scalloped edge makes it pretty but not too pretty. Using a plaid instead of the embossed panel behind the tag would take this card in a slightly different direction.
It’s always a challenge for me to photograph blue-green paper. This is Midnight Moonlight, but here it looks more Pretty Peacock. Both those are colors I won’t retire from my stash!
Click the images below to add products for this card to your cart in my Stampin’ Up! online store. Disclosure: I get a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional charge to you. Thank you!
A simple message, a powerful message. So much more than holiday fun. I’ve been playing a lot of peaceful Christmas music this year. One of my favorite artists is Fernando Ortega; he does a beautiful version of this song that you can find on Spotify with a search.
This was the last of my Plush Poinsettia Specialty Paper. Truly remarkable paper — sheer but sturdy with beautiful flocking — and I am crushed that it is retiring.
Making this last batch of cards reminded me once again how much I love heat embossing. Nope, it’s never lost its magic for me!
To draw attention to the message, I used an unexpected color combination — a serious twist on the conventional Christmas red and green! I know stampers whose family members practically refuse to acknowledge a Christmas card if it’s not in traditional colors, but I like to shake people up a bit!
Click the images below to add products for this card to your cart in my Stampin’ Up! online store. Disclosure: I get a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional charge to you. Thank you!
Do you recognize this card? Check page 18 of the retiring August-December 2020 Mini Catalog! This is not my usual style (and so I couldn’t have come anywhere close to designing something like this!), but every time I looked at it, I was so intrigued by its exuberance.
Lucky for me (and you), Stampin’ Up! has provided the “recipes” for the samples in their catalogs. I have them saved for you in the Resources page of the Heartfelt Inkspiration blog. I pretty much copied their card, but I did go brighter with a Real Red card base. So fun!
This is another example of colors I would not have thought to use together — I love that the concept artists at Stampin’ Up! stretch my creativity with cards like this one!
Click the images below to add products for this card to your cart in my Stampin’ Up! online store. Disclosure: I get a commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional charge to you. Thank you!
How I miss hosting this event at my house! But for now, we’ll need to be stamping solo (or at least in tiny groups). This January kit will contain almost everything you’ll need to make 12 cards for birthday, congratulations, sympathy/get well, and thank you (two each of six designs). Here’s what you’ll get:
Pre-cut stuff — card bases, die cuts, cardstock for stamping, and panels of Designer Series Paper (including Flower & Field DSP from the Jan-Feb 2021 Sale-A-Bration brochure).
Some pre-embossed material.
Envelopes.
Embellishments.
A printed brochure with supply lists, measurements, assembly tips, and color images of the completed cards.
Stampin’ Dimensionals.
What you’ll supply:
Ink (Tuxedo Black).
Adhesive — I recommend both a dry, tape-type and a wet, glue adhesive).
Scissors.
The Happy Thoughts stamp set (January-June 2021 Mini catalog page 28) or stamps in similar sizes; you will not receive any stamped material in your kit. This set is available in addition to your registration, or you may place an online order using Host Code 2JGWGZN2 and add enough to earn Burgin Bucks and Sale-A-Bration freebies (beginning January 5). If you do not order the Happy Thoughts set, make sure you have sentiment stamps of approximately the same sizes.
Choose several registration options:
As many card kits as you wish for $25 each.
Happy Thoughts stamp set for the discounted price of $20.
Priority mail (if you will not be picking up your materials at my house) for $8, plus $3 for each additional kit.
Registration and payment must be received by Friday, January 8; kits will be available for pickup or mailed the week of January 18.
For complete details (including an ordering incentive) and registration information, download the pdf form here. Online registration is not available for this event, although you may pay via PayPal — just let me know and we’ll work things out.
