West Philly Stamper

Never Ending Mini Technique Book

At each Philly Inkers (my team of demonstrators) meeting, we make a page using Stampin' Up!'s Top Note die as the base, to add to our technique books. The Top Note is the perfect size to feature a stamping technique, with instructions on the back. Technique books are great, because you can flip through them if you ever find yourself in a creative rut, and they are sure to inspire you to think outside the box.

Guests are always welcome at the Philly Inkers group meetings - come visit us sometime! We meet second Mondays at alternating houses in the Ambler/Ft. Washington area for now. We swap cards, do a make and take, technique page, and there is also some shop talk, snacks, and chatting.

I sure love these...

And I love spending them too! That's because I typically spend them on stamps and other goodies from the Stampin' Up! catalog, which means an increase in my sales/cruise points that particular month, for which I didn't have to dip into my bank account:0) "These" are debit cards, that Stampin' Up! gives me based on my quarterly sales. I get them at least a few times a year through Stampin' Up!'s "Great Rewards" program for us demonstrators. The prizes in Great Rewards range from adhesive and embellishment packages all the way up to a hefty gift card. Want more info on being a demonstrator for a hobby or business or both? Leave me a comment or send me an email.

And don't worry, I'm not worried about anyone taking the number and using it - it's already spent:0)

Proud Stampin' "Mom"

Thursday night I stayed up past my bedtime. Why was that? You see, I had to catch the "Awards." What? You say, Claire, the Academy Awards were over a long time ago? No, not those awards - I'm talking about something much more exciting - the Stampin' Up 2010 Demonstrator Awards!!! I waited with baited breath (in front of my email, at home) to hear from any of my 4 Philly Inkers attending the convention this week, in Salt Lake City. We already knew Kristin Kortonick made it into the top 100 (she got the special bag which all "Founders Circle" achievers get, when she checked in on Wed.). But we did not know where she was in the top 100.

So the awards ceremony started, and the yahoo group messages started pouring in, providing all the juicy details. First we had a fun discovery - Ilina Crouse, another Philly Inker, was a finalist for the Artisan Awards!! What an honor! We weren't too surprised. Her creations are amazing. Check out her blog by clicking on her name above. You will be in awe. 

Picture 1: Here is Kristin on stage (far right), after they announced that she was #30 (out of 40,000+ demos). That picture is followed by one of her with her downline (Kristin version 2). Ilina and I were wide awake, following the online forum, to which Kristin (version 2) was giving us the blow by blow of the entire ceremony, from her phone. (She had taken over when Kristin K was getting ready to walk on stage for her moment.) 
The last picture shows Ilina and I, a while back, when she still lived in Philly. 

What a week! I wish I had been there to see it!

Summer Stamp Camp

A week ago, my friend and Philly Inker Heather Yates and I had our Summer Stamp Camp, in Mt. Airy. It was a shorter version than our other stamp camps, because it was on a Friday night. The campers made this card tote and 3 mini notes, plus a post-it note holder, using the Island Oasis DSP, and the Tropical Party stamp set. Heather found these adorable matching pens online, which completed the ensemble. We also made another card, plus the card below, featuring the Friends Never Fade stamp set (I got this one free on the Southern Caribbean cruise in April, and now I get to use it!) We stamped on the white Top Note first, and then embossed with the Square Lattice folder, to give the piece some texture.

Stay tuned for more samples with Friends Never Fade set. I've been using it a lot. I try to do that with my stamps to get the most mileage out of a set that I can:0) So what stamps have you been using lately?

Email me or leave a comment for instructions on any of the following!

Order products 24-7 online!
 

Easel card, baby card, another swap

Last month I offered a "3d cards" class (extra special card designs with some dimension!). The first card is an "easel card," and is propped up with a cute clear itty bitty button from the Summer Mini catalog. We also made a stair step card and shadow box card. I really enjoyed designing the samples, and I'm thinking of doing 3d cards, the sequel. Stay tuned for more info down the road! 

2 more cards - one is a baby card I made a while back. I made some in purple and some in blue. Always good to have those around to send to new moms. Speaking of new moms, the last card is made by Juliana Bibas, one of my Philly Inkers who gave birth to baby Max early last month. That 3rd card was her swap for the last group meeting - sweet, simple, and sharp - Pocket Silhouettes at its best;0)

 
 
 


 

Emboss Resist, etc.

 

I finally tried an emboss resist card! I saw tons of them at my Aunt Karen's house in Ohio a few weeks ago. It's one of her favorite techniques, which she learned from her good friend and downline Michelle Zindorf, the master of this technique. My first attempt had way too much white around the flowers. Silly me - you have to stay in the lines for this one when coloring with the VersaMarker, or else you'll have a white border around EVERYTHING. Remember that when you try this technique, otherwise you'll end up doing a whole lot of coloring and embossing for nothing;0) This one was definitely better than the first. Email me for the steps. It's a really fun way to create a scene on white paper, and you'd never know you started with white! That's blue ink I sponged over my stamping/inking. (That's why I embossed the flowers first, using the VersaMarker and clear embossing powder.)

And here are two "swaps" from my Philly Inkers meeting this week. Card 1: Gina Thornton, Card 2: Renee Tucci - I love that cute little tricycle in the background!!! Click on the picture for a better look.

 

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~Claire
 

Diva Night Projects

Several of my Philly Inkers team members came over for "Diva Night" this week. They met certain criteria for my quarterly reward program, and I have them over for dinner, stamping, and prizes. I love it when Diva Night rolls around!! We made a very simle card with the stamp set Elements of Style, and a "tent card," using the Tropical Party stamp set. Email me or post a comment for more details or directions on either of these!

May 28 samples

A few samples here, for your long weekend. Card 1: Tara, my Philly Inker member, demonstrated the versamark resist technique at our last meeting. Card 2: a swap by Gina T, with a sneak peek set Flowers Awash. Card 3: by my upline and Aunt Karen, who I will see this weekend when I'm in Ohio.

 

Retiring Colors List

The 30 retiring colors are:
Pink Passion
Pixie Pink
Pale Plum
Orchid Opulence
Lovely Lilac
Lavender Lace
Almost Amethyst
Bordering Blue
Brocade Blue
Ballet Blue
Brilliant Blue
Taken With Teal
Glorious Green
Handsome Hunter
Sage Shadow
Mellow Moss
Green Galore
Gable Green
Barely Banana
YoYo Yellow
Summer Sun
Apricot Appeal
Only Orange
Really Rust
Ruby Red
Cameo Coral
Blush Blossom
Creamy Caramel
Close to Cocoa
Going Gray

Swaps Swaps Swaps

A lot of people ask me, "where do you get your ideas for cards?" When they see my sample box of around 100 cards, they ask, did you stamp ALL of these? Nope! Many times, they are samples from swaps I do each month with my Philly Inkers group of stampers. Just like a cookie swap, we bring a certain number of cards and take home that many ideas. I usually get at least 10 new cards a month! I love to get new ideas from them, and pull from those later when I need some creative juicing:0)

Card 1: Lynn Fones, Card 2: Gina Thornton, Card 3: Kristin Kortonick