Stampin' Up! New Catalog is Live!

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo

Hello!

The long wait is finally over!  The new Stampin' Up! catalog for June 1 2018 to May 31 2019 is live and the website is updated with tons of new gorgeousness to tempt you.  If you have placed an order with me or requested a catalog, you should have it by now.  But if you're new to Stampin' Up!... or me.... and you'd like to have a catalog of your own, email me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net with your address and I'll get one out to you right away.

To view the catalog on-line, click HERE.

I'll be sharing projects from the new catalog soon. If you already have your catalog and have your eye on some new products, you can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop. 

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

3D Thursday: Intro to Stamping - Paper Pumpkin April 2018 - VIDEO

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello!

Today I am kicking off my monthly series for Stampin' Up's Paper Pumpkin monthly card / project kit.  Paper Pumpkin kits are the perfect way to get started in stamping and paper crafting without having to spend a lot of money to buy *all* the supplies individually! 

For April, the kit is called "You Are My Anchor" and contains all the supplies needed to create 20 mini cards (3" x 3").  You get card bases, envelopes, an exclusive stamp set, an ink cube (Stampin' Spot), glue dots, mini dimensionals, a spool of twine, and 4 easy to assemble gift boxes and box sleeves.

I created a video to show you the unboxing of the kit and I walk you through how to make four cards (one of the 5 designs).  These cards are easy to assemble and could be mass produced to save time.

If you are interested in trying Paper Pumpkin, there are several ways to sign up:

1.  You can buy one kit only for $19.95.

2.  You can sign up for monthly subscription that you can cancel at any time.  You will be charged $19.95 per month.  Pay as you go.

3.  You can pre-pay for 3 months of kits for $59.00 (save $1)

4.  You can pre-pay for 6 months of kits for $114.00 (save $1 per month)

5.  You can pre-pay for 12 months of kits for $215.00 (save $2 per month)

If you decide to pre-pay for many months in advance, click HERE to go to my Stampin' Up! online store, choose the pre-pay option that works for you.  Once your order is processed, you will receive a code that you can redeem to activate your prepaid subscription on the Paper Pumpkin website (www.paperpumpkin.com).

If you want to subscribe with the "Pay as you go" monthly subscription, you can sign up directly at www.paperpumpkin.com.  Be sure to choose me as your demonstrator.

Here are the leftover supplies after making all 20 cards:  Stamp set, dimensionals, glue dots, twine, ink...

Plus 2 full sheets of die cut sentiment shapes, tons of hearts, plus 8 die cut accents (4 anchors, 2 lighthouses and 2 life rings)...

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

Memories & More Card Packs to Make Cards

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello!

Today I'm sharing a collection of 9 cards I made very quickly and easily using primarily the Petal Passion Memories & More Card Pack.  Sadly, between the time I made them and today, the pack has sold out and is now discontinued... however, you could easily use one of the other card packs in the Memories & More collection to do the same thing.  I will list other options in the supply list below.

Here are all 9 cards (above).  Because the Petal Passion suite is all black and white, with just a tiny hint of Blushing Bride, I kept my supplies mostly to that color palette.  All of the cards use card stock in Basic Black, Whisper White, and Blushing Bride.  Enamel Dots in Blushing Bride (Subtles). 

Sentiment from Picture Perfect Party

All stamping done with Happy Birthday Gorgeous stamp set.

Sentiment from Happy Birthday Gorgeous.  Heart colored with Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker.

Sentiment from Happy Birthday Gorgeous

Sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Classic Label Punch.  Added some Washi Tape.

Stamping from Happy Birthday Gorgeous

Sentiment from Petal Palette stamp set.  Circle punches 1 3/4" and 2"

Petal Passion stamp set with Circle Punches 1 3/4" and 2"

Just a few of the MANY small cards left over to make more cards!

  

Some of the larger (4x6) cards, sticker sheets and Acetate Overlays left over.

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

New Catalog Sneak Peek! Share What You Love Bundles and Peaceful Reflections

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo

Hello!

I was lucky enough to attend Stampin' Up's OnStage event earlier this month, and while we were there, we had the opportunity to make a few projects with items from the new catalog!  I didn't have time to do the exact card at the event, but I brought the materials home and came up with this card using the products in our kit.  

This card features lots of products from the Share What You Love Suite, which will be available for sale to customers NEXT WEEK on May 1st!  I used designer paper from the Share What You Love Specialty paper collection, which is just *stunning*.  It's a double sized pack that comes with 24 sheets, and one side has a pearlized finish on select elements.  I used a panel of that paper layered over a sheet of vellum as the base.

I created more layers over the base with a new Pearlized Doily, another strip of the DSP, some new Rich Razzleberry Velvet Ribbon, and a stamped panel with a sentiment from the Love What You Do stamp set, accented with new Artisan Pearls!  All of these products are available in the suite.

There are several bundles you can choose from, depending on how much you want... anything from a "Just Getting Started Bundle" which comes with one free item:

"A Little More Please Bundle" which comes with two free items:

And for all you stampin' addicts... the "Gotta Have it All" Bundle", which contains three free items, one of which is an exclusive stamp with the Stampin' Up! Statement of My Heart.

OMG... I'm in love with this whole suite!  Make a note of which bundle you'd like and place your order with me starting on May 1st!  The bundles will be available until May 31st, and then the items will be available individually.  Note that there are free items in each bundle, so get your savings during the month of May!

The card background is stamped using the Peaceful Reflections stamp set, another item from the new catalog - I used one stamp with Versamark Ink repeatedly to create a tone-on-tone background on the returning Mint Macaron card stock.  Gorgeous!

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

Simple but Beautiful Bouquet Card

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello and TGIF!

One of my very favorite stamp sets is Beautiful Bouquet.  Not only does it come with loads of beautiful flower and leaf images, but it also has loads of wonderful sentiments.  If you want to create lots of dimension there are also matching framelit dies available, or you can purchase them as a bundle and save 10%!

Today I'm sharing a very clean and simple way to use this set to create a little bouquet of flowers with just a few stamps and a few ink colors.

I started by stamping the stems in Pear Pizzazz ink, and then added the flower images using Crushed Curry and Calypso Coral ink, and added some enamel dots to the flower centers to give them a bit of dimension.

I stamped the sentiment in Pear Pizzazz, punched it out with 1 1/2" circle punch, and layered it on Pear Pizzazz card stock punched with the 1 3/4" circle punch.  I scattered a few Iridescent Sequins over the whole card, along with a simple band of metallic edge ribbon and called this card done!

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

3D Thursday: "Heartist" Collaborative Mixed Media Card Set - GIVEAWAY!

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello!

Fair warning: Today's project is a whopper!  I made these cards when I went to my semi-annual "Stamp Camp" in March and I just wanted to *play*!   There are a ton of products, stamps, inks and textures on these cards but BOY do I love them!  Read to the bottom of this post to find out how to win a FREE stamp set!

What makes them super special is that I was able to collaborate with my lovely friend Donna, who loves to work with wool and fibers.  She does wool felting and gifted these totally amazing accents to me... and they matched my cards *perfectly* !!  Let's get started...

I started by creating a large background panel using Brusho Crystal Colors and Watercolor paper.   See THIS post to learn how Brusho works - you sprinkle the color crystals on your paper and then spritz with water and the color explodes and moves and blends - gorgeous!

After I cut the large panel down to a smaller size to get 3 cards from the panel, I used texture stamps from these stamp sets: Eclectic Expressions (Sale-a-bration) Petal Palette, and Background Bits (Hostess) in coordinating ink colors to add loads of texture and interest to the background. 

I love the scripty text stamp from the Background Bits stamp set - it is the perfect element to stamp over the whole background in a light shade so it doesn't create too much distraction, yet gives loads of interest.  You can earn this stamp set by hosting a workshop or placing an order of $150 or more through May 31st.  After that a new set of hostess sets will be available with the new annual catalog!

After I was satisfied with the background, I decided to experiment with the Embossing Paste and the diamond pattern Masks.  I laid the mask (stencil) over the background and used a palette knife to spread embossing paste through the stencil onto the background.  The first card picture above shows the results and I love it!  I didn't use it on all the cards... just wanted to play around with it.

Now comes the MAGIC!  At this point I was trying to decide what to use as my focal image on these cards, and right then my friend Donna brought these gorgeous felted pieces to me as a gift!  The angels sang!!!  Every single piece she brought me had an absolutely perfect match in one of the cards I made.  (I actually made 8 of these cards, I'm just showcasing three of them today.)  

Aren't they stunning?!  I added a few glitter enamel dots to each piece to really draw attention to it, and added each felted piece to my card front with Tacky Glue (Tombow Liquid Adhesive would work fine, but I wanted to be pretty generous with the glue so it would stay put!).  

Then I tapped Versamark ink on all four edges of each piece and added some gold embossing powder to it, and melted the powder with my Heat Tool.  This subtle shiny accent really has a nice impact.  I mounted each panel on Basic Black card stock, and then created some large card bases with Watercolor Paper for a really thick, sturdy base to support the watercolor background and the felted accents.

A card collection this special really deserved to be boxed up, so I created a lidded box to hold four cards and envelopes. (I needed to use 5x7 envelopes for these cards.  You can get those at any office supply store.)   See THIS post to learn how to make a perfect fitting lidded box.

I plan to gift one set of these finished, boxed card sets back to my friend Donna to thank her for such a lovely opportunity to collaborate!  I even came up with a custom "logo" to put on the back of each card to mark the occasion!  I used the Stampin' Up Grid paper as a background.

Now for the fun part!  A GIVEAWAY!!  Since the Eclectic Expressions stamp set is no longer available, since Sale-a-Bration is over, I thought it would be fun to give one away.  I have an extra set that is longing for a new home!  If you live in the United States, leave a comment here or on my Facebook page to get one chance at winning!  If you place an order HERE by Friday, April 27th you'll get THREE chances in the draw!  I'll pick a winner on Saturday, April 28th.  

Here's a picture of the stamps in this set - great for textured backgrounds:

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

Lemon Zest Card and Bookmark

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello and welcome back!

Today I'm featuring the Lemon Zest stamp set and matching punch, which is available as a bundle for 10% savings.  I'm using it to create the look of lemons, but you could just use a different ink color to get oranges, limes or grapefruits!  Very versatile with fun sentiments.

I used So Saffron ink to stamp the lemon slice and whole lemon images over the whole background.  TECHNIQUE TIP:  I used second generation stamping:  ink up your stamp with So Saffron ink, stamp it once on a scrap piece of paper, and then stamp on the card background for a lighter tone.  Then I used my Aqua Painter brush to splatter the same ink over top for a whimsical look.  

Then I stamped the whole lemon and the lemon slice again on white card stock, and the leaves in Pear Pizzazz ink, and used the Lemon Builder punch to punch out all the lemon and the leaves, and the 1 3/4" circle punch for the lemon slice.  I used the full strength of the ink color so the punched out images would really *pop* against the background.  I stamped the sentiments in Black Archival ink on the lemon and lemon slice, and added them to the background with dimensionals, with some Glitter Enamel Dots as accent! 

I used all the same techniques for the bookmark, which I made using the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch.  I added the beautiful Burlap Ribbon on both the card and the bookmark.  I love this natural look - this project makes me think of lemonade stands and farmers markets!

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

Wishing for Summer Waterfront Card

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo

Hello!

Hope you had a nice weekend.  We started seeing the first signs of warmer weather here on the East Coast this weekend... I am soooo ready for summer, and today's card is a sort of wish for summery breezes through palm trees at the beach, featuring the Waterfront stamp set.

I started by stamping the mountains and strips of land with Sahara Sand ink, then added the palm trees in Chocolate Chip and Wild Wasabi, the beach huts in Smoky Slate, and the sun in So Saffron.

I used Bermuda Bay and Pool Party to do a watercolor wash for the ocean.  I squeezed some ink onto the lid of my ink pad and used my Aqua Painter brush to pick up the color and used wide, overlapping brush strokes to create the water.  I used the same technique for the sky using Soft Sky ink.

I finished by stamping the sentiment in Black Archival ink and added a red enamel heart.  I matted that panel onto some Bermuda Bay card stock and adhered it to a Soft Sky card base.  I also stamped some palm trees on the envelope front to give a little hint at what was inside.

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x

OnStage Card Swaps - Beautiful Bouquet - Make Your Own DSP

Stampin' Up! ® Independent Demonstrator Ellen Vargo 

Hello!

One of the most exciting parts of attending Stampin' Up! OnStage event is the opportunity to swap card designs with other Demonstrators.  Since this was my first time attending, I definitely wanted to participate.  I'll be sharing pictures of the mass production process throughout this post.

I made 50 of these cards to take with me, and I was able to swap 45 of them... so I came home with 45 card designs that I can use for inspiration in customer workshops, in new cards of my own, or I can send them out to friends and family.   Here is a picture of the swap board at the Convention (mine is in the top row in the middle!).

The Beautiful Bouquet stamp set is one of my favorites.  Not only does it have beautiful floral images, versatile sentiments, but it also has coordinating framelits (not used in this card).  I decided to use the stamps to make my own designer series patterned paper and use it as the background for this bright, happy and unique engagement / wedding card.

Production line of stamps and ink colors for making the patterned background.

I chose several flower images and stamped them randomly on Whisper White card stock.  I used these ink colors:  So Saffron, Pool Party, Island Indigo, Real Red, Berry Burst, and Calypso Coral.  TIP:  use one color for each flower to get a cohesive, professional result.  

I did all the die cutting first and then stamped the sentiment so I could make sure it would be centered properly.  

The one tiny accent stamp that defines this card is the "Mr & Mrs" stamp, which is included in the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set.  I love how it's scattered all over the background.

All the sentiment labels stamped with the floral accents.

Then I added a few stamps from other stamp sets as tiny accents:

The little black dots are from the Painted Harvest stamp set.

The red heart is from the Labeler Alphabet stamp set, but you could use a heart from any stamp set you have.  Hearts are always a great accent and they are included in many sets for that reason.

Getty ready to start stamping all those sentiments on the die cut labels.

I used my Big Shot to die cut two sizes of labels using the Lots of Labels framelits set (sadly, these will be retiring May 31st so if you want them... act quickly as they will only be available while supplies last!).  I stamped the Calypso Coral flower around the edges and added it to a black label for good contrast.  

The ribbon is Whisper White Organza ribbon which I colored with the Dark Calypso Coral Stampin' Blends marker.  The Blends are awesome for altering ribbon - you can make it any color you need!

Here is the "recipe" that I put on the back of each card front.

I hope you enjoyed today's project! You can buy products easily through my Stampin' Up! shop, or by clicking on the items below. If your order is less than $150, please use this month's Host Code listed on the sidebar by placing it in the coupon section at check out.

To Join my Team, I'd Rather Be Stamping, and get a 20% discount on all your Stampin' Up! purchases, click HERE for more information and FAQ, or HERE to go directly to Stampin' Up to sign up for lots of crafty fun!

If you live in the US and would like to request a catalog, please email your address to me at ellenvargo1@verizon.net. Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for visiting. 

~ ellen. x