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Stamping with Friends Blog Hop – July 2021

Posted on July 24, 2021July 24, 2021 by debjoysmeak

The new *July-December Mini Catalog will be live on August 3! As a demonstrator, we are able to order nearly anything we want a whole month early. (I love being a demo!) This blog hop is showcasing NEW items that you can get from this new catalog AND some from the new Sale-a-bration catalog that begins the same date and runs through the end of September.

I chose to feature the adorable CUTEST HALLOWEEN suite of products. This is one of our new full suites and it includes a stamp set, triple punch, DSP, gingham ribbon, adhesive star sequins and these fun Tombstone Treat Boxes. As you can see, the punch can punch out 3 of the cute images from the stamp set and the DSP. The treat boxes are double-sided with a full tombstone on each side, with the backside being slightly smaller so it nests perfectly inside.

I thought it would be a great idea to make a new “back” side for the treat boxes so I could double my treat boxes! Since the fronts and backs nest together and are slightly different sizes, I have two measurements for the boxes to fit. For the bigger box in Basic Gray cardstock:

Bigger base: 5-7/8″ x 4-7/8″, score at 1-3/16″ all the way around, notch tabs

Bigger Box end cap: 3″ x 4″. (This will be glued to the flat surface of the new box to mimic the tomb shape on the front side)

Bigger Box white layer: 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″

Ornate Frames die as shown.

This box will fit perfectly snug inside the bigger of the Tombstone treat box halves. I stamped the spider on the white layer and drew a straight line with a black Stampin’ Write marker. The smaller box is 1/4″ smaller:

Smaller Box base: 5-5/8″ x 4-5/8″, still score on all sides 1-3/16″

Smaller Box end cap: 2-3/4″ x 3-3/4″

Smaller white layer: 2-1/4″ x 3-1/4″ d

Ornate Frames die cut

Bonus! These two boxes FIT TOGETHER to make their own box as well as fit snugly into each side of the Tombstone Treat boxes, stretching your crafting supplies!

Showing both sizes of the box halves that match with the Tombstone Treat Boxes.

I also added a FREE Sale-a-bration item: Be Dazzling 6″ x 6″ DSP. It’s sooo shiny! It is covered with tiny silver sequins. I wasn’t sure I could stamp on it. The Memento is a little pale, but Stazon ink worked perfectly. I held it there a bit so the ink soaked in. I used the adorable ghost face after punching out the ghost shape with the punch. The paper is super thick, but still punchable. I attached them with a glue dot. Aren’t the ghosts so cute?! You can earn 8 sheets of this specialty paper for free with a $50 order.

The label dies on the front are new as well. They are called Seasonal Labels Dies and have 6 labels plus more to coordinate with another stamp set, featured on the cover of the new catalog.

The skeleton face is the only image not on the punch, but it was really easy to fussy cut.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and sneak peek! Keep hopping along to see more sneak peeks available on August 3. Make sure you request a new catalog from your demonstrator. If you don’t have one, I’d be happy to send you a copy.

Linda Moore
Caron Bailey
Libby Fens
Jo Blackman
Karen Egan
Tricia Butts
Polly Crouch
Sarah Bullen
Tracie St-Louis
Nancy Reynolds
Betty Bickford
Donna Schness
Tina Hewett
Deb Smeak <——-You are HERE
Mary Knabe

*Interesting note: If you noticed, the catalog name is July-December Mini but it doesn’t start until August 3. There were multiple delays on products due to covid. To avoid frustration with so many items on backorder or unavailable status, Stampin’ Up! chose to delay the catalog one month. I think this was a smart decision, but the name of the catalog stayed the same.

Do you really need more butterflies?

Posted on March 3, 2021March 3, 2021 by debjoysmeak

Yes. The answer is yes. Haha! I have a couple of butterfly bundles already and I didn’t think I needed another set…but then I laid eyes on all that is in this limited-time collection. The papers are just so beautiful and the dies…the dies are AMAZING! Solid outlines cut out 6 butterflies at once and there are 6 detailed lacy butterfly dies, plus 3 fun texture dies and 2 mini butterflies. I’m thrilled with this whole collection. The bundle will actually be available in the next annual catalog, BUT the papers are limited time only! I was thinking about just getting the paper (because it’s a must), but I am glad I caved in to getting the whole thing.

The colors in this paper are so pretty together. They are Basic Black, Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Just Jade, Magenta Madness, Mango Melody, Mint Macaron, Misty Moonlight, Poppy Parade, So Saffron and White. One side of the paper has fun butterfly patterns and the other side is more subtle with happy blends of softer colors and patterns. Do you see the pink and blue “camo” looking patterns? They look awesome cut out with the detailed butterfly dies. I just laid the dies over the paper and snipped around it to save paper before I ran it through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine. These look amazing layered over coordinating solid cardstock!

Speaking of intricate die cuts, I tried to go ahead and cut 6 detailed butterflies at once in vellum. That didn’t work so good. It needed another pass through the machine to really get it and since the images filled the whole plate the front ones were shifting by the time the back ones came through. It really worked amazing when I did one at a time and ran it back and forth twice in the machine. Then all the little pieces just fell out like magic. I hope this tip saves you some time and frustration. The detailed dies are sooo pretty, but run them back and forth twice to save yourself from poking out every little piece. 👍

And check out this fun piece of DSP with all the big colorful butterflies on it. There is a big die that cuts out all of them in ONE pass through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss machine! Six butterflies all ready to go on your projects in one pass. Love. It.

I made a fun Shadow Box using this collection today. You can view the replay of the Facebook Live HERE on YouTube. I had an epiphany right before filming this today and you’ll have to watch the video on my fun tip for making the butterflies so 3D and colorful they nearly jump out of the box. I’m so pleased with myself with this one! Let me know what you think.

I hope you like this Butterfly Bouquet collection as much as I do. If you LOVE it, there is one item code to add the whole collection to your cart. I love that Stampin’ Up! knows me so well that they gave me an easy button to get it all. If your order is under $150, please use Host Code JTVK4JCJ for March 2021.

Happy stamping!

Deb Joy Smeak

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New ‘Hey Chick’ Bundles Available TODAY!

Posted on February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 by debjoysmeak

In 2017 the stamp set Hey Chick was available as a Sale-a-bration item and it was very popular. These funny chickens were popping up all over the place. I especially love the one with the poofy head popping in from the side, haha! I was thrilled to see the Hey Birthday Chick stamp set in the new spring mini with the same chickens from 2017 in different poses. But wait there’s more! They decided to add dies to complement it AND bring back the 2017 set AND make dies for that one too! Hooray! They will be available starting today, February 2, 2021, until the end of June or while supplies last.

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Chickens are such funny creatures: the noises they make, the hilarious waddle-run because they’re so fluffy and chunky, the excitement (eggcitement?) about treats. ❤ We got chickens for the first time in March of 2020. They are pretty easy to care for and so fun to watch. I love finding eggs in the nesting boxes because it means I get to eat fresh chicken eggs every morning. Should I make them a thank you card? Hahaha!

Here are some more samples using these bundles. Which chicken is your favorite? Leave a comment below.

Color Revamp 2018

Posted on April 11, 2018 by debjoysmeak

We were due for a refresh on our color line to stay up to date and I think they really knocked it out of the park! These changes don’t take place until June 1st but I wanted you to have all the information as soon as possible as retiring inks, refills and papers will get snatched up quick.

We will have five new In Colors, like every year. But they also totally shook up all the color lines! We have to say goodbye to thirteen core colors and the five 2016-2018 In Colors. But we get sixteen new colors! Check out the charts:

IN COLORS

THE NEW COLORS

We also have previous In Colors that are returning and joining our core colors:

Mossy Meadow
Poppy Parade
Flirty Flamingo
Coastal Cabana
Mint Macaron
Blackberry Bliss

NEW COLOR COLLECTIONS

So pretty, right?!! I’m super exciting to announce these new colors. The neutrals has some color splashed in, which is so fun. The other color family colors really blend so well together so you can feel great about getting an entire color family. Which color family are you drawn to? I feel like it depends on my mood and what time of year it is, but I still think I’m mostly drawn to the Subtles. They also added an additional category, Basics, which is just Basic Black, Whisper White and Very Vanilla.

But wait, there’s more! The ink pads also have a brand new design and improved ink! I’ll be getting my new In Color pack of ink pads next week, so I’ll show them to you. They are easier and more intuitive to open, they stack (!!) and now include an extra label for the interior so it’s easy to see what color you are using. The ink has an anti-foaming agent added to the pads and the new reinkers so that the surface of the ink pads have no bubbles for optimal ink coverage. You can still use the old reinkers on the new pads and vice-versa, with the exception of the Basic Gray Archival ink pad…

Which brings me to my sad news. Basic Black and Basic Gray Archival inks are retiring. What?!! My go-to black is going away. (sad face) First my favorite adhesive, Fast Fuse, and now my favorite ink. I’ll be ok. Our black ink options will be Memento, which is a fast drying black ink that we have been using with the Stampin’ Blends (alcohol based markers). This will be the main go-to black ink. They are also bringing back StazOn ink, a fast drying waterfast permanent ink that can be used for watercoloring or stamping on non-porous items such as the window sheets or even wood. The StazOn does need a special different cleaner to clean off your stamps, as it is so permanent. So you see, we are not out of options and I’ll recover. But I did add another Basic Black reinker to my recent retiring order! See! Get the items you want before they’re gone!

If you want to get any of the retiring colors, you have to hurry because they are only while supplies last!

Click here and click SHOP NOW to stock up on your favorite colors before they’re gone.

***I have a special this month for ordering! I am very close to promoting to the next level of Demonstrator in the month of April, (less than $150!). As a special thank you for helping me reach my business goals, I will send a gift package to you in the mail for any order of $30 or more during April! I appreciate you!***

Stampin’ Blends Coral Yellow Rose

Posted on October 25, 2017 by debjoysmeak

I love roses and especially coral and yellow rose blends so when I saw these new artist quality alcohol blending markers from Stampin’ Up! I knew what I was going to do. These blend so nicely and are very easy to work with. You don’t have to be an artist to end up with gorgeous results. You can layer each color on top of others or themselves, creating layers of color. (They do bleed, so make sure to use scrap paper underneath.)

I only started with a few colors, namely the three I used here which are the light and dark version of Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral and Old Olive. I also picked up the Ivory, Bronze and Color Lifter, which acts like an eraser to add highlights to projects or as a nice way to erase an oops outside the lines. I love that the price point is the same for a single marker and the entire collection. I don’t feel bad at all collecting these as I am able. Essentially they are allowing us the single markers at the bundle price, which was really cool of Stampin’ Up!

For the card above I colored in the yellows first and then gradually going from light to dark coral. In the YouTube video I did it backwards to see if there was any difference. I think I blended in the video even more than the card above and it resulted in a more blended version of the picture. I really like both and they were both simple so it’s really a win win.

They can also be used to color in Perfect White Accents, Pearls, Rhinestones and ribbon! What a perfect way for us to continue our matching tradition and make even more options of embellishments for us to use on our projects. Thank you Stampin’ Up!

I hope you consider picking up a few for yourself or for your friends for Christmas or really splurge and get the whole set for yourself. Please visit my online store here after November 1, 2017 for these to be available for purchase. You won’t regret it. There is also a kit and special limited time stamp set available for use with the markers as well, which will also be posted November 1st.

For anyone wary about these compared to their older Blendabilities markers which were recalled, you know Stampin’ Up! stands behind their products and have extensively researched and perfected these markers to be high quality and perform well under scrutiny. Being a new demonstrator I did not have the pleasure of using the old ones but I understand there was an issue with *some caps having small holes so the markers would dry out too quickly. I know they offered complete refund for all those old markers for a few months and gave everyone an option to keep them or sell them back for credit. Stampin’ Up! truly cares about their customers, the quality of their product and providing excellent customer care service. I know they have worked extra hard to provide an exceptional product here and I have not been disappointed at all.

Cheers to a relaxing time coloring and stamping!

*Note – the link to the Stampin’ Blends markers below will not work until they are available for purchase on November 1, 2017.

tams# 17216

Product List

Daffodil Delight Light Stampin' Blends Marker

Daffodil Delight Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

Calypso Coral Light Stampin' Blends Marker

Calypso Coral Dark Stampin' Blends Marker

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Daisy Thanks Card

Posted on September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 by debjoysmeak

Crafting is so therapeutic! This card makes me so happy and it was quick and easy to put together. I’m sure it will brighten someone’s day.

We’ll be making this card during this week’s Cocktail and a Card class. If you are in the Williamston, MI area, try to make it out once just to give it a shot. I think you’ll really enjoy it. Plus it’s only $5, so there’s no risk!

The center daisy was stamped on scrap paper and fussy cut out. The other flowers are stamped directly onto the second largest stitched shapes framelits circle. The fussy cut flower is popped up on dimensionals. The circle is on dimensionals as well, over top of leaves cut out in vellum and pear pizzazz using the Lovely Laurel Thinlits.

You can follow along on my YouTube tutorial here.

Please visit my online store here to check out other products or to place an order for your favorite items. Just click on the Shop Now button. Have a great day!

tams# 16148

Product List

Daisy Delight Photopolymer Stamp Set

$17.00

Jar Of Love Photopolymer Stamp Set

$27.00

Whisper White 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

$9.00

Night Of Navy 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

$8.00

Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

$8.00

Fresh Fig 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock

$8.00

Vellum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock

$8.00

Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper

$11.00

Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack

$22.00

Medium Whisper White Envelopes

$6.50

Fresh Fig Classic Stampin’ Pad

$6.50

Night Of Navy Classic Stampin’ Pad

$6.50

Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin’ Pad

$6.50

Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin’ Pad

$6.50

White Stampin’ Emboss Powder

$5.00

Embossing Buddy

$6.00

Versamark Pad

$8.50

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

$30.00

Lovely Laurel Thinlits Dies

$33.00

Big Shot

$110.00

Stampin’ Dimensionals

$4.00

Fast Fuse Adhesive

$10.00

SNAIL Permanent Adhesive

$7.00

Glue Dots

$5.25

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Love Today Planner Kit

Posted on June 18, 2017 by debjoysmeak

I just got my new planner in the mail and I am LOVING it! It has roses (eek!) and gold foil accents. I like to color coordinate so I looked up which colors are in the planner. They have all the main colors listed in the catalog underneath the description, BUT THERE IS NO PINK COLOR LISTED?! There are definitely pink blocks and accents in the stickers and monthly title pages. Which pink color will go with the planner?! I was on a mission to figure it out.

Real Red is listed as one of the colors. If you look at the designs you might think, “Whaaa? I don’t see red anywhere…” I think I have the answer. It appears that the center of the roses is actually Real Red and then slowly fade out as they were water colored. Since Calypso Coral is also a color listed they may have also used shades of that in there as well, it’s hard to tell.

If you look on the monthly title pages (before the month at a glance) there are two distinct “pink” boxes of different shades. I cut paper strips to see which of our colors match the best. Flirty Flamingo is way off but I thought I would include it just to put any minds at ease. The lower box on the monthly title page is definitely Blushing Bride. The swatch nearly disappears on top. The upper box is a mystery. I think it is a lighter shade of Blushing Bride but not quite Powder Pink. I think you could use either one but as the official matching pink for the planner I would go with Blushing Bride.

I was constantly looking up which colors were the matching ones so I decided to make a cute little bookmark that listed the colors. I put it in the smaller Pool Party pocket up front in the planner. Maybe I’ll add some Gold Mini Sequin Trim to the top…that would be cute!

I used the Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker to do some lettering on the monthly title page. I just looked up some letters on Pinterest and used thin strokes up and thick strokes down. If you’ve never tried lettering, give it a try! It was fun! There are lots of practice pages you can print out if you feel you need more practice. I just tried it on some printer paper before writing in the planner. I think it turned out pretty good for never really having done it before!

I also the Journaling Pens for the weekly pages. I like the .05 better than the .01 so that is what is shown here. If you like a finer point, go for the .01 pen. I also used some of the Basics Washi Tape Pack 2 (the green pack) because it has a roll of Lemon Lime Twist. I also liked that the set came with Daffodil Delight and Old Olive to go with my Daisy Delight paper!

I used some old Paper Pumpkin tiny stamps to show how much water I drank during the day. You could really use any tiny stamp. Those Paper Pumpkin stamps are useful; don’t forget about them! Show them some love.

Are you planning on getting the planner? Let me know in the comments below!

tams# 14044

Product List