LAST CHANCE FOR CHIRSTMAS CARD CLASSES

Hello beautiful people,

This is a wonderful and, often overwhelmingly, busy time of year for many of us. I invite you to join me at my last card classes of the season.

Take a couple hours just for you. 

Register at The Cook Street Village Activity Centre, 380 Cook Street, Victoria, BC or at 250-384-6542.

The classes take place on December 1st & December 8th from 10:00 am - noon. Each class will feature four different greeting cards for this amazing season. The cost is 25 for each class and all supplies are provided.

No experience necessary.

 I look forward to spending some downtime with you!

Cheers,
Adrienne

Addendum: I had the wrong dates on the poster & have now corrected them. It's Dec 1st & 8th. Sorry for any confusion.

Sales Extravaganza

Hello wonderful people,

This is the weekend of unabashed, crazy shopping & deals. And for this one, you don't have to fight the crowds or even leave the comfort of your own home or office. You can shop in your pyjamas! (Assuming you're at home. Or unless your office has a pyjama day.)

 Stampin' Up! is having 3 x 48 hour 10% off sales on nearly all ANNUAL CATALOGUE products.

Here's how it works: Nov 23-24 is Paper & Embellishments; Nov 25-26 are Stamps & Kits; and Nov 27-28 are Tools & Ink.

My shop is here. Message me with any questions here.

There are some exclusions & item quantities are limited. The sales end at 10:50pm PST.

Happy Shopping & Happy Stampin'

Cheers,
Adrienne

40 More Sleeps!

Hello Wonderful People,

This Saturday. from 9am - 1pm, you can get all your Christmas shopping done at my first Christmas Fair of the season. Come on by and say hi.

Cheers,
Adrienne

Designer Series Cell Phone Case

Hello all,

As things would have it, my replacement cell phone just had to be replaced. Again. The best part of this cell phone was a charming, personalized turquoise case I found on Etsy. After having too many issues, it was time for a new brand. A new phone, sadly, means a new case. Due to time constraints, my choices were limited - black or clear. Ugh.

Then it hit me! Clear would mean the ultimate in personalization.

Step 1. Measured the phone and then cut out a piece of scrap paper in that size. Used the corner rounder and then try it in the case. Make any necessary adjustments.

Next, chose a piece of Designer Series Paper and cut it to shape, rounding the corners. After fitting it into the case, use a fine tipped pencil to trace the area around the camera lens hole. Pop the paper back out and fussy cut the camera lens hole. Then add some additional personalization and reassembled. Ta da!

This amazing DSP comes from the Joyous Noel Specialty DSP pack (147816) and the Detailed Trio Punch has the corner rounder (146320). My shop is here. November's Host Code is EQ342H2E. Please be sure to use it on any orders under 200. Thank you for stopping by.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Seashore Stampers October Blog Hop - Casing from the Catalogue

Hello fabulous followers, blog hoppers, and my beloved lurkers!

One of the challenges we face in creating is coming up with the ideas for our cards and other crafts. While we often turn to the internet, especially the rabbit hole known as Pintrest, the catalogues are a fabulous and often overlooked resource. When we copy or borrow a design, we call this cas(e)ing - Copy And Share Everything. This month, the Seashore Stampers Bloghop is dedicated to Casing the Catalogue.

Since I have an abundance of Christmas Craft Fairs to prepare for, I decided to hit the Holiday Catalogue rather than the Annual one. I then had to narrow my search to stamp sets I already had. And last but not least, I had to ensure I had enough supplies to create a bunch of identical cards for a swap. (The Seashore Stampers have a swap to coordinate with every blog.)

Stampin' Up! sells some products in "suites." And I love them for it! Working with a suite of products enables one to mix and match effortlessly. In this blog, I'll be recreating one of the cards from the Joyous Noel Suite on pages 28 & 29 of the Holiday Catalogue.

Cut your Grey Granite cardstock to 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" to form your base. Score at 4 1/4". Trim your Whisper White to 5" x 3 3/4". You will also need a Whisper White scrap, approximately 3" x 2".

Wipe the scrap piece of Whisper White with your Embossing Buddy. Stamp the greeting with VersaMark. Sprinkle on Copper Embossing Powder and heat emboss. Using the 2nd largest stitched oval, from the Stitched Shapes Dies, cut out your greeting.

Trim a piece of the Merry Merlot-Copper ribbon to 4 1/4". Set aside.

Using the Sprig Punch, punch out 3 sets of branches from the green Glimmer Paper. Set aside

Using the 1/2" Circular Punch, trim the corners of the rectangular piece of Whisper White. I punched when the point of the paper reached the centre of the punch.

Stamp the leaves outline with Soft Suede, the thick solid branch with Grey Granite, the tree branches and holly leaves with Tranquil Tide and the small berries with Merry Merlot. For both the tree branches and holly leaves, I also "stamped off." (This is when you stamp two or more images without reinking, producing one dark image and then lighter ones.) Leave a space in the middle to create a wreath shape. (The middle is going to be covered with the ribbon & greeting anyways.) Tip: when stamping with Photopolymer stamp sets, to use a foam piece underneath the paper. The Stampin' Pierce Mat is perfect for this.

Using the Snail, attach the stamped Whisper White to the outside of the grey Granite.

Rip the punched out glimmer branches in two, at the base. Using the Multipurpose Liquid Glue, attach them around your wreath, remembering the middle is going to be covered. Next, attach the Merry Merlot/Copper ribbon, with the Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Finally, using Stampin' Dimensionals, attach the greeting.

And you're done. Or are you? This amazing stamp set just happens to make wicked envelopes. So while you're at it, decorate your envelope flap!

This is your supply list to make this lovely card and my store is here.

On orders under 200, be sure to use this month's host code 6NA3HWZD.* This will give you an entry into my fabulous monthly draw.

Peaceful Noel Bundle (includes the stamp set & punch) 149958

Joyous Noel Glimmer Paper 147817

Stitched Shapes Framelit Dies145372

1/2" Circular Punch 119869

Whisper White Cardstock 100730

Grey Granite Cardstock 146983

Merry Merlot & Copper Ribbon 147818

Tranquil Tide Classic Stampin' Pad 147146

Merry Merlot Classic Stampin' Pad 147112

Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad 147115

Grey Granite Classic Stampin' Pad 147118

Copper Embossing Powder 141636

Feel free to contact me with any questions or if you prefer to place your order over the phone.

Be sure to check my events pages for upcoming classes and if you want to book a private class, just let me know.

Enjoy the blog hop and happy creating!

Cheers,

Adrienne

Note: Supply list does not include tools and adhesives. 

*In order to comply with Federal Regulations, you must first answer a skill testing questions. Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries received.

BLOG HOP THANKSGIVING OR HALLOWEEN

Hello Fellow Stampers, Dear Friends, and My Much Appreciated Random Lurkers (although don't you really think it's time to start being an official follower),

Welcome! This month the Seashore Stampers Blog Hop is dedicated to all things Thanksgiving and Halloween.

For Canadians, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with Halloween hot on its trail. I love Thanksgiving. It is a day for us to really embrace an attitude of gratitude. It is a time to gather with those we love, family and friends, and celebrate our appreciation for each other. It's easy to drown in the soup of negativity, especially when we are bombarded with news 24/7. In reality, despite life's hiccups, most of us have so very much to be thankful for.

At our home, Thanksgiving always involves a turkey. Although I don't eat much meat, I LOVE turkey and more importantly, turkey gravy. All the preparations for this holiday are a great reminder to enjoy the journey...creating a menu, finding the perfect free-range turkey, making a centrepiece, etc. Before our feast, we say grace. After our prayer, everyone goes around the table stating something they are thankful for. The thanks are given in age order, youngest to oldest. For those of us in the 2nd or 3rd generation (on the old side), this can prove to be challenging as no repeats are allowed. We are always thankful for friends, family, and food. Remembering to be grateful for the country we live in, the rain, coffee, free speech, and so much more, is something we now do at every family celebration.

Meet my card, "Leaving Thanks." (I'm so puny.)

This is your supply list. My shop is HERE.
Painted Harvest Stamp Set (144783)
Very Vanilla Cardstock (101650)
Early Espresso Cardstock (119686)
Reinkers in Old Olive (100531), Daffodil Delight (119672), Real Red (103287), and Pumpkin Pie (105229)
Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (143263)
NEW Swirls & Curls Embossing Folder  (147923)
Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies (143751)
Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755)
Snail Adhesive (104332)
Stampin' Dimensionals (optional) (104430)
and of course, a shaving cream of your choice, a pan or plate to mix in, and a mixing tool.

Dispense some shaving foam (not gel) into a pan slightly larger than the size of paper you are using. You don't need a ton, just make sure the area is covered. For ease of clean up, I use a sheet of foil in the bottom on an old baking sheet.

Add drops from your reinkers and using a fork or chopstick (or whatever) GENTLY mix. I usually do this sort of in a radio wave shape, up and down and then across. If you use too much ink or mix too much you'll get a muddy mess. This is a bit of trial and error process so don't feel discouraged. (My picture shows a bit too much ink. Do as I say, not as I do. Oops.)

Cut a piece of Very Vanilla bigger than what you need. I used several 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" pieces as I needed a lot of leaves. Place it on top of the inked shaving cream. Gently pat down. Remove it from the cream and CAREFULLY wipe off the excess with the side of  your tool. I used a chopstick. Allow it to dry. (Due my incredible lack of patience, I used a heat tool to speed up that process - just don't get too close or hold it too long in one area.)

(Top left worked okay, bottom left was too much, and the right was too little for what I wanted.)

While it's drying, cut your card base from Very Vanilla 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". Score at halfway 4 1/4" mark and fold along the scoreline. Cut your next layer at 3 3/4 x 5" from Early Espresso. Using your Big Shot, emboss your Early Espresso with the fabulous new Swirls & Curls. Resembling swirling snow, this embossing folder is from our Holiday Catalogue. I think it also looks like the wind, which is why I am using it for this card. (We get some amazing winds here on our island, especially in the autumn.)

Stamp your greeting on a scrap piece of Very Vanilla, 1/2 x 4". I used "Gather Together & Give Thanks" from the Painted Harvest set. Since I chose to attach my greeting at an angle, I attached it to the Early Espresso it with Multipurpose Glue BEFORE attaching the embossed piece to the card. This way I can trim the ends easier. Using Multipurpose Liquid Glue, attach the Early Espresso emobissed piece to your card front. 

One the shaving cream paper is dry, using the maple leaf die from the Seasonal Layers Thinlits, cut out 3 leaves for each card. If you're so inclined, it's always fun to decorate the inside of a card, so you could cut an extra leave for the inside. You can attach the exterior leaves using the Multipurpose Liquid Glue or Stampin' Dimensionals. If you put a leaf on the inside, I wold recommend the Snail Adhesive.

(Since my card was for a swap, I created a lot of leaves. No two leaves are alike and I love it!)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact ME.

Cheers,
Adrienne

Weclome September - New Promotion

First and foremost, our Host Code for this fabulous new month is AWFHEYBA. Use this on your orders under 200 and you will be entered into my monthly draw to win a lovely prize.*

In addition to the seductive smell of school supplies and the sound of leaves crunching under your feet, this month brings an amazing new Host Promotion. Our lovely new Designer Series Paper (12x12) can only be earned by hosting a party with at least 300 in sales. (You can absolutely have a party of of one and be the only attendee - just saying.) And you will receive this FREE gift with your qualifying order in addition to any Stampin’ Rewards you may earn.

My special bonus with month is a FREE Christmas Card Class, in October, for anyone who qualifies for the Dashing Along Host Promotion. We will make FOUR different cards - featuring your new DSP!

*In order to comply with Federal Regulations, contestants must first answer a skill testing questions. Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries received.

OPEN HOUSE & HOLIDAY CATALOGUE LAUNCH

Seashore Stampers August Blog Hop - The Holiday Catalogue!

Hello fabulous stampers, cherished followers, and random lurkers,

Welcome back to the Seashore Stampers monthly blog hop. This month we are featuring our creations from the fabulous new Holiday Catalogue! With so much to choose from, and a wickedly large pre-order staring up at me from my craft table, it was a tough decision. If I make cards everyday from now until Christmas, I don't think I am going to run out of ideas.

Meet my Dashing Deer card! In addition to featuring a brand new stamp set and thinlits, I did a fun fold. (Fun for who, you ask? It's not as challenging as it looks. I'll try to walk you through it and if you have any questions, I am always here.)

Excluding tools and adhesives, here is everything you will need:

 Cut your 8 1/2" x 11" base cardstock in half vertically. You should have two 4 1/4" x 11" pieces. I used the Very Vanilla Thick Cardstock as it provides much more support than regular cardstock.

Score at 4 1/2". My Bone Folder, aka A Girl's Best Friend, was invaluable for this project. In this blog, I will also use it as a pointy tool.

At the other end score at 1" and 2" but only 1" deep on each side (in, towards the centre of the card.)

 Since I am a bit obsessive about the mountain/valley folding technique, I flipped my cardstock over to may the score at 2". Remember to only go in 1".

Use your Paper Trimmer to cut a 5 1/2" slot down each side, from your first score line at the 4 1/2 mark, 1" in from the outside edge. Make sure you stop 1" before the end.

Along the slotted centre piece, score 1" down from the original 4 1/2" score line. You are only scoring the centre piece, not the outside edges. While this score can be done with the other scoring, before the slots are made, many find it easier having the slot as a guide (to stay within.)

Your base should now be complete and ready for decoration. It is easiest if the card is kept flat. (This illustration shows the position it will be in to fit into an envelope. To attach the DSP, pull the front tab down so it is even on the top.

This shows how your card will look from the side. (You may want to make an extra one of these just to play with.)

Cut 2 strips of Designer Series Paper (DSP) measuring 4 3/8" x 7/8". I used the Joyous Noel Specialty DSP, which I must say is one of the prettiest holiday DSPs I've ever seen in a long time.

Cut a 4 1/8" x 7/8" piece of coordinating cardstock for your greeting.* I used the Gray Granite Cardstock. Wipe it with your Embossing Buddy, stamp your greeting with VersaMark and heat emboss it. My card features the Copper Embossing Powder.

Select the appropriate die cut and paper for your dashing deer, featured in the centre of the card. Mine is from the Joyous Noel Glimmer Paper which you can find in the new Holiday Catalogue. This paper is amazing! Going through the Big Shot, it cuts very easily - gone are the days of peeling off a waxy back. And, get this, I managed to cut out FIVE deer from a single 6 x 6 piece of paper, along with about 15 tiny flowers. (I made this card for a holiday swap.) One of the fabulous bonuses of these thinlits is you get several flowers so you can cut out more than one at a time. Woo hoo! Thank you Stampin' Up!

I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue as my primary adhesive, with Stampin' Dimensionals under the deer. Make sure you don't have any adhesive under the bits of the deer that are going to hang over the edge. Mini Glue Dots were used to attach the adorable flowers.

All the supplies can be found in my shop. Simply click the shop now button. If you prefer to place an order with me directly, drop me a line.

Until next time,

Adrienne 

*Measure once. Cut twice. I mismeasured the front trim and cut my piece about 1/4" too short...for the entire swap! So, do as I say, not as I do. Measure twice, cut once. It's far more economical and way less frustrating. 

Enjoy visiting everyone's blogs!

TERRIFIC TUESDAY!!!

Hello talented stampers, friends and my beloved lurkers,

Today isn't just any Tuesday. It is the opening registration date for the 30th Anniversary Stampin' Up! On Stage in Orlando. I'm in! And so are all my girlfriends. A gaggle of us (10) will be traveling from the Victoria area for this great adventure. From complete newbies to seasoned stampers, from Bronze to Gold Demonstrators, it is going to be an amazing time. Our team has rented a condo and are going to have some scrapbook worthy fun! (What happens in Orlando stays in Orlando? Well, um...sure. Except for the photos.)

In order to help celebrate this fabulous day, I'm posting some photos of my favourite original creations, along with some new ones. If you want any of the recipes, I am happy to share and you can reach me here. For all your stamping supplies, my shop is here. On orders less than 200, remember to use this month's hostess code MJCZJDZK.

Join my team now and come with us on our next great adventure!

Seashore Stampers Blog Hop - July - Wedding Card

Hello talented fellow stampers, dedicated followers, and my beloved random lurkers,

Summer is wedding season - take cover! This year, I've been very involved in creating a bespoke wedding card for a client who found me online. She is on the other side of this wonderful, vast country and we literally don't speak the same language (as a first language), so it's been challenging, but in a good way. Her taste is quite different from mine and this has forced me to step outside my box. She wanted a lot of lace which meant ordering the Delicate Lace Edgelits #147053, expecting to use them for her card and not much else. Boy was I wrong! I fell in love with them. There is SO much to do with them. Depending on the the rest of your card, they can be made to look simple, modern, traditional, or seriously ornate. These fabulous dies are carefully hidden at the back of the catalogue on page 217, in the middle of the top row. Since they don't coordinate with a specific stamp set, they are easily looked over. Here is what they look like.

Normally I don't mention adhesives in my posts, but these dies work incredibly well with the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets, it's amazing - just peel and stick. No muss, no fuss. Alas, I cannot reveal the big wedding card, at least not yet. Spoilers! (Said in my best River Song voice.)

Okay, down to business. For my blog hop card, I simply had to use one of the amazing, Delicate Lace Edgelits. The stamp set I turned to was the ever versatile Host Set, Hand Delivered. This stamp set delivers for just about every occasion possible. What's fun about this card design, is you can substitute any colour for the Bermuda Bay I chose this colour for a few reasons. I have a lot of it on hand and need to make a dozen more identical cards for a swap. It has coordinating Blends (alcohol markers.) And well, it's so close to the colour of happiness*, I couldn't resist. (The truth comes out.)

 

Instructions: Cut a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" piece of Bermuda Bay. Cut 2 @ 4" x 5 1/4" pieces of Whisper White. One is for the inside of the card. You will also need some scraps of the white for your stamping and about a 2" square scrap of Bermuda Bay. Take one of the 4" x 5 1/4 " white pieces and on the short end line up the Delicate Lace Edgelit on your BigShot. Be sure to use the Precision Base Plate. It is a life saver with these intricate dies. Move the die up to just shy of the top of the paper. Carefully centre it, the edges will hang over the paper.

Remove the die from the paper, using the Big Shot Die Brush . Use your Paper-Piercing Tool to remove any leftover pieces. Repeat the same process on the other short end. This is what you should have now.

Stamp a wedding cake, a congratulations and two of the two flowers in Memento Tuxedo Black. 

Now for the fun part - colouring! There is no real right or wrong here. I chose to colour only the flowers and leaves. Next use your Paper Snips to fussy cut the cake and two sets of flowers.

Punch out the greeting using the Classic Label Punch. Using your Big Shot and the 1 5/8" die from the Layering Squares Framelits cut out a square from a scrap of Bermuda Bay

Cut two pieces, approximately 5" each,  from the 1/4" Bermuda Bay Mini Striped Ribbon. Seeking less white space, I elected to cover the stitched area of paper with my ribbon. I simply used "magic" cello tape, on the back of the lacy Whisper White Cardstock, to hold down each end. Do this at both lacy ends.   

Finally, assembly begins! I used my Multipurpose Liquid Glue to attach the white lacy piece with the ribbons to the Bermuda Bay base. The Snail Adhesive was used to get the Bermuda Bay square onto the white lacy piece (at an angle, in a diamond shape.) Stampin' Dimensions raise the caked and greeting. The Multipurpose Liquid Glue was used to stick the smaller of the two flowers at each end of the greeting. I put one of the larger flowers on the inside and the other on the envelope. And voila, a super classy and distinctive wedding card.

Optional addition - I used Fine Tip Glue Pen on all the flowers because I love that raised shiny look. You could also use Wink of Stella. I do this at the very end as the glue takes a while to dry.

Supply List (excluding equipment, tools & adhesives):  Delicate Lace Edgelits Dies #147053; Hand Delivered Host Stamp Set #146808; Whispser White #100730 and Bermuda Bay Cardstocks #131197; 1/4" Bermuda Bay Mini Striped Ribbon #146939; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink #132708; Bermuda Bay Combo Pack  #14460, Light Daffodil Delight #144586, and Light Old Olive #144574 Blends; Classic Label Punch #141491; Layering Squares Framelits #141708; and the Fine Tip Glue Pen #138309 (as an embellisher.)


For all your supplies, visit my shop here.

If you have any questions, need more info, or just want to say hi, please contact me.

Cheers,
Adrienne

*If Bermuda Bay and Coastal Cabana had a baby, it would be the colour of happiness. One day, I'll tell my story about the colour of happiness came to be.