Share Sunshine!

Stampin’ Up! is committed to making a difference in our global communities and caring about people first. As part of its Making a Difference program, Stampin’ Up! is offering a product giveback opportunity to support organizations that are helping COVID-19 frontline responders and communities vulnerable to the pandemic.

The Share Sunshine PDF Download is a digital stamp set that’s packed with both lighthearted and heartfelt sentiments and imagery relevant to the unique COVID-19 and social distancing situation we’re currently experiencing –- including many ideas that came from Stampin’ Up! customers!  You can use the download in your cardmaking and papercrafting projects by printing the images on cardstock and cutting them out with our Paper Trimmer, punches, or dies. Images are both in black and color, and instructions indicate coordinating colors and products.

When you purchase the 15-page Share Sunshine PDF Download for $12 (US), 100% of the proceeds will be donated to COVID-19 efforts to these two funds chosen by Stampin’ Up! (and you can chose which organization receives the proceeds from your order):

The World Health Organization’s COVID-Solidarity Response Fund — This fund supports the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, which includes:

  • Tracking and understanding the spread of the virus.
  • Ensuring patients get the care they need.
  • Buying and shipping essential protective gear for frontline workers.
  • Generating awareness for the general public on ways to prevent the spread of the disease.
  • Accelerating efforts to develop vaccines, tests and treatments.

United Way Worldwide’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund — This fund supports communities across the world struggling to cope with COVID-19. United Way is working to protect the most vulnerable by helping them access food, shelter, vital information, and more through United Way’s global network.

Since we are physically distanced from each other, now is a perfect time to share sunshine with our friends and family by sending cards! Come back tomorrow and see what I’ve done with the Share Sunshine images so far!

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Creating a watercolor swash

Finally — Video Vednesday! After you watch this, make sure you scroll to see how I worked these panels (similar to the ones here) into cards!

I’m never sure how these watercolor swash panels will come out, and that’s the fun of it! This first panel was pretty much straightforward. Look at that beautiful blending — so simple to achieve! The card base is Poppy Parade; I wanted something bright enough to carry all that color on the swashes.

Watercolor swash video | Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

In the video, the second panel — created with the wet-on-wet technique — was not what I hoped for (you know, the dripping blood effect). A little later, while it was still pretty wet, I gave it the “butt press” and was pleasantly surprised how it was transformed! Quite a bit of the ink was absorbed by the copy paper. Who would have thought Real Red ink refill would turn out so Flirty Flamingo?

Watercolor swash video | Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

I hope you’ll try this technique and post your results (or questions) on the HeartfeltInk Facebook page!

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Bonanza Buddies: Happy Birthday Lion

This is the last of the March camp cards. And, actually, the last of the cards prepared for stamp camps this year! I’m grateful for the inspiration of Amy O’Neill here.

Bonanza Buddies | Thanks to Amy O'Neill for the inspiration!  Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

Has there ever been a cuter set of critters than the Bonanza Buddies animals? Although for the past 15 years I have rarely kept a retiring set or dies, in this case I will make an exception. (In fact, these are not the only items from Stampin’ Up!’s January-June 2020 Mini Catalog retirement list or 2019-2020 Annual Catalog retirement list that I will be keeping!)

Bonanza Buddies | Thanks to Amy O'Neill for the inspiration!  Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

I’ve mentioned this before, but I stamp the facial features of the animal first; it’s easier to position the face around them because you can see them.

From the happy color palette to the tag die to the Birthday Bonanza Designer Series Paper, it was love at first sight for me!

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!

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Double Wonder cards

Here are the cards (well, at least three out of four layouts) from last week’s videos on the Double Wonder technique. As I said, I kept the palette pretty simple to avoid making too many decisions! At the end of the post, you can see what I used. Note that the circle punch I used has been retired for several years, but the Pretty Label punch (amazingly) is on the retiring list NOW!

For some reason I neglected to take pictures of the first layout, and now it’s too late! Here is the second one. You could certainly adhere these four pieces directly to the card base, but I cut a mat 3⅞” x 3⅜” to give equal margins all around (it’s easier to keep things straight that way).

Double Wonder | Be sure to watch the two videos to learn this technique -- please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

As I said in the video, you’ll see other stampers create this next layout with a matted left-hand panel, but I wanted to keep it simple, so both panels here are flat adhered to the card base.

Double Wonder | Be sure to watch the two videos to learn this technique -- please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

Finally, I cut a 5″ x 3¼” mat for the three panels on this layout.

Double Wonder | Be sure to watch the two videos to learn this technique -- please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

I hope you are trying this easy technique, especially if you are trying to use up some of your Designer Series Paper to create more room for the new catalog offerings — that’s my plan!

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!

1-3/8" Circle Punch
1-3/8″ Circle Punch
[119860]
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Retiring product lists are here!

Here are the retiring product lists for the Stampin’ Up! January-June 2020 Mini Catalog and 2019-2020 Annual Catalog. These last-chance products—some discounted!—will be available until June 2 or while supplies last only, so get your favorite items before they’re gone!

January-June 2020 Mini Retiring List in page order (pdf)
2019-2020 Annual Catalog Retiring List in page order (pdf)

Traditionally, dies, embossing folders and all In-Color products will fly out of inventory — don’t be disappointed!

My online ordering site is here. Use Host Code 2T3S976Z (good through May 20) in the lower left corner of your shopping bag and receive a gift from me for your order of at least $50 in product (and you’ll earn Burgin Bucks for your qualifying order, too). Thank you, and good luck!

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Retiring lists tomorrow!

Get ready! Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, April 22, 2:00 p.m. CT) Stampin’ Up! will release the lists of products retiring from the January-June 2020 Mini Catalog and 2019-2020 Annual Catalog. The sales period for both of these publications is through June 2, but retiring products are only available while they last.

If you’ve experienced this event before, you know how wild it can be as stampers rush to order items before they are gone forever. Be prepared! In-Color products, especially, are depleted quickly.

I will post the lists as soon as I see them (and reformat them, if necessary). If you would like to place an online order with me, please use my host code 2T3S976Z in the lower left corner of your shopping bag. Orders of at least $50 (before S/H and tax) will earn you a gift from me — to be determined when I know what is being retired! Your order of at least $50 will also qualify for Burgin Bucks.

Thank you!

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Creating using the Double Wonder technique

A couple of weeks ago, Shannon West of Stampin’ Up! shared how she created 11 cards from two half-sheets of 12″ x 12″ Designer Series Paper. Cutting both at the same time, she cut a total of 30 pieces of paper (Shannon learned how from demonstrator Sue Davis Sheets). I created the following videos to show you how I did the same thing (and you may want to check out the Double Wonder printed directions as well):

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Watercolor swash: Happy birthday

Want to know what I did with some the Granny Apple Green card fronts I cut in yesterday’s video? Here they are:

Watercolor swash done with Stampin' Up! ink refills.  Just three colors produced this riot of birthday wishes!  Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

Isn’t this a riot of color? I created these two watercolor swash samples for an upcoming video. Frankly, not only was the video a failure, I was seriously disappointed in these results! In fact, before I stopped recording the creation of one of these pieces, I admitted out loud, “This is hideous!”

Watercolor swash done with Stampin' Up! ink refills.  Just three colors produced this riot of birthday wishes!  Please click to read more! | Stampin' Up! | HeartfeltInkspiration.com | Debra Burgin

But one of my best lessons learned is that context matters. Remember this! When these pieces were wet, well, they were hideous. After drying, they were interesting; after matting them they were grounded and singing with energy! I knew they’d be perfect on these card fronts!

Soon I’ll post the video on how to create a watercolor swash, where you’ll learn to go with the flow!

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!

Posted in Birthday, Technique, Watercoloring | Tagged | 1 Comment

How to cut and score card bases

I wonder how many thousands of card bases I have prepared over my 15-year Stampin’ Up! career? (I totally forgot to celebrate my SU! anniversary last week! Congrats to me!)

It is so second nature to me that I hardly have to think about making a folded 5.5″ x 4.25″ card base. For some of my stampers, however, it is not something they do nearly every day, nor is it necessarily easy to understand. I have two simple tips to cut two card bases from one piece of 8.5″ x 11″ card stock:

  • Score once, cut once.
  • Score at the halfway point of one side (long or short), cut at the halfway point of the other side.

To make this easier to understand, I’ve prepared a video to show you what I mean:

In this video I demonstrated the Stampin’ Up! Paper Trimmer, with additional Cutting Blades Multipack. You can see them on page 45 of the January-June 2020 Mini Catalog. 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!

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New Clearance Rack items added!

Did someone say savings? You’ll find savings up to 60% in the Clearance Rack, with new items added just today! Ribbon, dies and embossing folders, kits, Designer Series Paper — lots of goodies are there! BUT, remember that Clearance Rack products are available while supplies last, so don’t delay.

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