Amazing Products from Sale-a-Bration ... and the best part is they are free!

Wednesday 25 February 2015


I wanted to share some of the amazing rewards that you can get for free with every $60 purchase during Sale-a-Bration.  Have you ever heard those commercials on television "It's the most wonderful time of the year"?  Well for me, Sale-a-Bration is the most wonderful time of the year and you have until March 31st to take advantage!

First of all, here's some very cute cards made using the Simply Wonderful Stamp Set (Item 139135)


Here's some cards that used the "A Happy Thing" Stamp Set (Item 139134). My last blog posting showed a couple of other cards that I made using this same set.  I was focusing on the lemon stamp, but here's a sample of the very cute bird!

You don't want to miss out and to make it even better, starting on Monday, March 2nd Stampin' Up! is adding some amazing bonus products that you can choose from.  Again, for every $60 you spend you select one free reward.

Email me to get your catalogues - the Occasions Catalogue, the Annual Catalogue or the Sale-a-Bration catalogue.  You can also look at them online by clicking here.  Once you've had a look, you can either order online or contact me with your order.

Happy stamping!
Melva

Creative Blog Hop - A Happy Thing

Monday 23 February 2015

Today I'm posting as part of a one time blog hop.  Thanks to my friend Ginny Duncan at Stamping with Ginny for nominating me.  Ginny is a friend and fellow Demonstrator on the "Canada Inks Up" Team and I love her design. Check out Ginny's amazing creations!

I was really excited to participate in this blog hop when Ginny asked me - it is a one time post, answer a few questions and then nominate others.  What a great way to be part of a great group of stampers and also to share some of their creations with you.  Take some time to follow the postings that are part of this blog hop.

Today I'm sharing a couple of cards that use the "A Happy Thing" stamp set from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue.  I loved this stamp set when I first saw it and knew it would be one that I would have to earn.  During Sale-a-Bration, you earn a free product from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue for every $60 (I'm in Canada) you spend.  This stamp set is perfect for use with Blendabilities.  I pulled out this set a few weeks ago to make a card and found out that my favourite colours for the Blendabilities is Daffodil Delight. I started to colour and the lightest shade was dry - it must have been the swap cards that I made for Convention last year.  My new set arrived and I'm all set to share the cards with you.

Here's an easy card using the stampset and also an easy image to learn to blend using our alcohol markers.  I'm not sure there is a right and wrong way to do the blending.  I always start by colouring the entire image with the lightest of the 3 shades.  Once that is done I lay down the darkest shade in an area when I want to do some blending.  Can you see the blending on the lemon?  Then I come back with the lightest shade and blend over that image until there is no line of the darkest shade.  For this card I added a second line of the medium shade and again blended that with the light shade.  The markers are easy to use which makes them perfect to get some stunning coloured images for your cards.

Check out my first card

Recipe for this card:

Supplies
Stamps - A Happy Thing
Inks - Daffodil Delight Blendabilities, Old Olive Blendabilities, Memento Tuxedo Black
Papers - Daffodil Delight and Mossy Meadow Cardstock, Typeset DSP, Very Vanilla
Accessories - Artisan punch, Rhinestones

Pieces to cut:
  • Daffodil Delight CS - 5 1/2" x 8 1/2"
  • Typeset DSP - 4" x 5 1/4"
  • Mossy Meadow - 
  • Very Vanilla - 
Fold the Daffodil Delight base in half using a bone folder.  Adhere the Typeset DSP to the base (make sure that you have the words on this DSP going in the right direction).  

Adhere the Daffodil Delight CS to the larger piece of Mossy Meadow CS.  Adhere this piece at an angle to the card base.

Stamp the lemon image on the Very Vanilla CS and colour with the Daffodil Delight Blendabilities.  Make sure that you colour on a piece of paper - the colour will bleed through the CS - I was told if it doesn't, you're not doing it right!  Adhere this piece to the smaller piece of Mossy Meadow CS and adhere that piece to the card base on the opposite angle.

Stamp the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black and punch out using the Artisan Punch.  Punch 2 additional pieces in Daffodil Delight and Mossy Meadow.  Cut these coloured pieces in half and adhere to the back of the sentiment - I adhered to the top and bottom but you could also adhere on the sides.

Add 2 rhinestones that you have coloured with the darkest shade of the Daffodil Delight Blendabilities.

Card No 2
The next card uses the same stamp set and the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Die.  You can use the Treat Bag to put your card in.

I used the same colours on this card.  For the treat bag, I cut out the pennant flag (comes with the set of dies) in the centre of the bag so that the image shows through.  To embellish I used 2 pieces cut out using the circle strips (also comes with the set of dies) and a piece of Daffodil Delight Seam Binding for a ribbon.


Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog


About my Creativity
As part of the Creative Blog Hop, I was asked to answer 4 questions about myself.
  • What are you working on right now?
I have a few projects underway. I'm working on some cards for a swap I participate in.  The theme is Spring or Easter.  I love the Indescribable Gift stamp set and of course Blendabilities.  I also love doing Mixed Media so I've got a Mixed Media Journal underway and am planning a Mixed Media class for March 22nd.  I received my Paper Pumpkin kit for February so have that underway as well.

  • How does your work from others in your genre?
This is a hard question.  I don't really see my style as being different.  I'm sure that others might be able to describe my style, but I really can't.  I get inspiration from many places - other people cards, fabric, all over.  I tend to use a lot of layers and while I sometimes think my cards are simple, they probably are a little bit fussy!
  • Why do you create like you do?
I've been making cards for about 20 years but have been "crafting" for much longer than that.  I've never considered myself artistic but more "crafty" and I've tried lots of different crafts.  Paper crafting is the one art that I enjoy the most and have spent the most time at.  I love the feel and look of paper and these days every craft I try has an element of paper crafting in it.  I've been doing Mixed Media recently and am really enjoying exploring my artistic side and have been surprising myself.  I love taking the time for myself that crafting allows - no matter what I do it's time I spend doing what I love and sharing with others.
  • How does your creativity work?
I often get ideas from things I see but I'm also often inspired by other peoples' cards and projects.  I saw a lady wearing a blouse one day in a line up and knew that I could re-create the look of the fabric.  Sometimes I see cards and projects I try to re-create or CASE or to change it up and make it my own.  That might mean changing the colours to some of my favourites - these days that often includes Blackberry Bliss and Hello Honey!

Nominee for Next Week's Creative Blog Hop
Now it's my turn to nominate another talented stamper for the Creative Blog Hop - Amber Meulenbelt at Stamp With Amber who will post on Monday March 2nd.  Check out her amazing designs and projects!

Happy Stamping!
Melva


It's beginning to look a lot like spring!

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Well, maybe not in all parts of the country, but where I live, it definitely is.  I'm in Victoria, BC for a couple of days and over here they seem to get spring a little bit earlier than Vancouver.  The cherry trees are starting to come out and I found daffodils blooming on my way to the hotel yesterday. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture - I clearly wasn't thinking!  The flowers did make me think about some of the lovely "spring-like" stamp sets that are available in the Stampin' Up! Catalogues. 

I love both the Indescribable Gift and Love is Kindness sets. Both remind me of Spring!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Here's some samples that use those sets.

This card is coloured with Pink Pirouette blend abilities and uses the Artisan Embellishment Kit

This stampset works really well with the Blendabilities - again used Pink Pirouette and a little bit of the light Rich Razzleberry

I love this card mad by Elaine Paget - She stamped on Typeset DSP and cut it out to give some added dimension.

Yvonne Jackson made this card - I love the size and also the use of Typeset DSP
I hope that it will be spring in your part of the world soon!  In the mean time imagine these lovely flowers and create some of your own!

Don't forget to check out the Weekly Deals.

I have classes scheduled for March - check them out and register now to save your space!

PERPETUAL CALENDAR CLASSMAR 1  1:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Pacific)

We'll make a Perpetual Calendar using the kit in the Occasions Catalogue.  All supplies including use of stamp sets and ink pads and additional blink and embellishments are included.
Cost $30
You must pre-register by February 19th for this class so that I can order the kits.
Come enjoy the fun!

MIXED MEDIA CLASSMAR 22  1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (Pacific)

Come and learn some new techniques in Mixed Media!  We'll make a canvas perfect for hanging!  No supplies needed - I'll have everything on hand to make the project.
Cost $35
 RSVPHappy Stamping!Melva

Happy Valentine's Day

Saturday 14 February 2015

A quick post to wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day!


What are you planning for today?  My husband and I don't exchange gifts today, but tonight is date night with dinner and a movie!  I'm also planning on getting down to my craft room today so will share some of my creativity on my next blog.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Happy stamping!
Melva

Finished Projects - Mixed Media

Monday 9 February 2015

My 2 day workshop is finished and I wanted to share my finished projects.  It was such a blast spending 2 days stretching my creativity and learning from Donna Downey.  I have to say it wasn't always easy but the thing I learned was not to give up.  There were times along the way that I really didn't like what I was doing, but I have to say I'm really please with how they turned out.

Project No 2 is a brush roll.  New technique on this project is an image transfer.  The Eiffel Tower is a transfer from an image I downloaded.  Some of the ladies in the class did some amazing work with transferred images!
I forgot to take picture along the way.  It turned out a little "grungier" than I expected.
Project No 3 is a canvas bag.  This is the project that I tried to get out of my comfort zone.  I seem to lean to earthy tones so on this bag I used blues and yellows.  Wasn't sure I liked this, but as I walked by it this morning I decided it is growing on me.

Here's a couple of images along the way...

And the final project..



Project No 4... This is what Donna call's "Art Booking".  It's a book made using muslin pages.  The pages are prepared with joint compound (like you'd cover nail holes with), then other mediums that make them ready to paint.  I went back to my comfort zone with this one - browns, greens, oranges, etc.  The book has the look of leather as I used a 2 part glaze - first an orangey colour and then brown.

Check out before pictures...



 Now the finished product.  It's interesting the pictures look much lighter than it is in person.







I can't wait to try out some more projects.

Happy stamping and creating!
Melva

My adventures with Mixed Media

Sunday 8 February 2015

If you've followed my posts over the past couple of years you may remember that I have done some Mixed Media pieces.   I first learned about this at a Stampin' Up! Convention and it was something that I knew I had to try.  When I did I loved it!  I've never taken any classes - just self taught watching videos and looking at websites.  When I saw an opportunity to take a 2 day workshop with Donna Downey, I knew I had to register.

Day 1was mostly prep work - using Joint Compound (like you'd use on walls to cover nail holes) on both sides of a canvas bag, a brush roll and pieces of muslin.  We'll be working on those master pieces in Day 2.  We also worked on a canvas.  The prep work for this was just to cover one side with Gesso.  Then we started with our creations - using back paint to start a back ground with words, stencils, etc.  On top of that we added paint more joint compound and glaze.

Here's the start...
At this stage it doesn't have the final joint compound and glaze.
Just before stretching...
I added the joint compound - splotches plus I used some stencils to create raised images - letters and words.  They are a little easier to see in the final picture.
And the final masterpiece...
Finished and ready to hang.
It was amazing to see everyone's work - all so different but all used the same technique.  I seemed to be the "odd man out" when it came to colour but these colours are more me and I have a place to hang this in my bedroom!

I can't wait to start Day 2.  I'll post pictures tomorrow.

This was so much fun that I want to share.  I'll be planning a class in the near future - stay tuned for details.  If you are interested, email me!

Happy stamping...and creating!
Melva

Paper Pumpkin

Tuesday 3 February 2015

I had so much fun making the January Paper Pumpkin kit.  It literally only took me about 30 minutes to put 24 cute treat bags together.  Now they are all ready for me to fill up with Valentine treats for my friends.


Check out this video as well


During Sale-a-Bration you can purchase a 3 month pre-paid subscription Paper Pumpkin and save $6 on your subscription.  And you earn 1 free item from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue!

Are you already a Paper Pumpkin subscriber?  You can order a subscription for a friend or family member.  What could be better than having someone to stamp with!

Interested in learning more?  Email me!

Happy Stamping!
Melva
© Stamping With Melva • Theme by Maira G.