Sketch Challenge - Nothing's Better Than

 Hi Capital Stampers!

I hope you had a great weekend! I went to a baseball game yesterday and forgot my sunscreen, so naturally my neck and arms are now sporting a nice red sunburn.

To feel better, I spent some time at my stamping table, playing along with this sketch challenge courtesy of Freshly Made Sketches. I pulled out the Nothing's Better Than stamp set, stamping some cookies in Early Espresso. The inside is stamped with Cinnamon Cider, stamped off once. The sentiments are stamped in Early Espresso with the Cookies word die-cut from Early Espresso cardstock.

I used Polished Pink Designer Series Paper for the diagonal element. The Basic White panel is matted with Early Espresso on a Cinnamon Cider card base. 

Here is a copy of the sketch that inspired this card:

Sketches are great if you need a little inspiration, or are looking for new ways to use the stamp sets you have in your collection. The Stampin' Up! Catalogs are also a great source for color combinations, layouts and techniques to try. Why not try it yourself? Pick your favorite card sample in the catalog and copy it, or change up some of the elements to make it your own! Then take a picture of it and share. Maybe your creation will inspire someone else!

Happy Stamping,

Michelle

July Card Kit-Sweet as a Peach

 Hello Capital Stampers!

Today's Lunchtime Live on Facebook featured my July Card Kit using the Sweet as a Peach bundle and the You're a Peach Designer Series Paper. I just love the colors and patterns of the paper, and I think you'll agree, the coordinating stamps and dies are a must have as well!

The Basic kit this month is $24.95, and in your kit you will receive the supplies to make 8 cards, 2 each of 4 designs. It will include nearly $28 in Stampin' Up products including half a pack of the Designer Series Paper and the Sweet as a Peach Photopolymer stamp set. You will also get a pack of Sponge Daubers so you can use the sponge to stamp technique to get the additional shading of Calypso Coral to the peaches stamped in Pale Papaya ink. If you missed the Live video, you can watch the replay here.

This month I'm offering some upgrades to the Basic kit. You can get the Basic Plus Dies kit which, as the name suggests, will include everything in the Basic kit plus the Peach Dies. Or you can get the Basic Plus Bling kit, which will include the Basic kit plus a package of Genial Gems and a full spool of Pale Papaya Open Weave Ribbon. Both the Basic Plus Dies and Basic Plus Bling kits are $39.95 each. Or, if you want it all, the Capital kit is for you! This will include the Basic kit, the Peach Dies AND the gems and ribbon - nearly $64 in product - for only $54.95. 

You can arrange porch pickup for your kit if you live local to Madison, WI or I will ship your kit to you by Priority Mail for just $8.00. As a bonus, if you choose the Capital kit, I will split the shipping cost with you, so it will ship for only $4. Email me at michelle@capitalstampers.com for payment by Paypal.

Sign up for your Kit with payment by the end of day Tuesday, July 27th. I'll place my order first thing Wednesday morning to get everything ready for pickup or shipping by Monday, August 2nd. 

One of the cards you will make is a fun pocket card I found courtesy of Chris Slogar of Buckeye Inklings. It uses a 5 1/4 x 12 piece of DSP, folded in thirds, with a pocket on the inside. I decorated the front with a scalloped circle from the Layering Circles Dies and the die cut vine and peaches popped up on some Stampin' Dimensionals. The Peach Dies also include a tiny banner with slanted edges that will perfectly fit the smaller sentiments in the stamp set. 

The cards in the kit will come with a postcard for the inside that you can decorate with your Sweet as a Peach stamps, or it would also fit a gift card.

There will be some awesome holiday 12 x 12 Designer Series Paper packs you can earn free during Sale-A-Bration next month that would be great for your holiday gift card giving!

Speaking of holiday, I have one more Friday to get in a little Christmas in July, so next week's Lunchtime Live on Facebook will be all about Christmas. The holiday mini catalog will open for ordering on Tuesday, August 3rd, and so will the next Sale-A-Bration catalog. If you would like a copy of these catalogs, you can send me an email to request them, or place an order with me of $35 or more at any time during the year to get on my catalog mailing list. Also, if you sign up to join my Capital Stampers Team during Sale-A-Bration, you will get to choose among a select list of bundles from the new mini catalog and get that bundle free. Wow! 

So much is going on - bookmark this blog to stay tuned to the latest updates, or visit my online store at michellestievo.stampinup.net and sign up to receive my newsletter by email!

Happy stamping!

Michelle

In the Wild Slimline Card

 Hi Capital Stampers!

Another summer weekend in the books! Did you get any crafting done? I did! 

Before the weekend was Friday, which means another Lunchtime Live on Facebook. Did you see it? Catch the replay here. I featured a slimline card using the In The Wild Suite of products from Stampin' Up!

 

For this card, I used a 6 x6 piece of the In the Wild Designer Series Paper, folded in half. To the front I added a strip of Evening Evergreen Cardstock embossed with the Animal Print embossing folder. I added a circle cut from more of the DSP with the Layering Circles Dies. The tiger is from the Wild Cats stamp set, stamped in Crushed Curry ink and die cut with the coordinating Big Cats Dies. I stamped the 'have a Wild birthday' sentiment from the Wild Cats stamp set in Evening Evergreen on a half-inch strip of Soft Succulent cardstock.

Don't you love the colors in the In the Wild Designer Series Paper? I think the Merry Merlot and Cajun Craze work really well together, and the Soft Succulent and Evening Evergreen are the perfect colors for a wild jungle. This month, select packages of Designer Series Paper are 15% off, including In the Wild! It's a good time to try a new pack or stock up on your favorites!

Tune in this week Friday, 7/23 at noon Central time for my Lunchtime Live on Facebook to see this month's Class Kit featuring the Sweet as a Peach bundle! The coordinating Designer Series Paper is absolutely fabulous! You won't want to miss it!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Designer Series Paper Sale

 Hi Capital Stampers!

I hope you are enjoying your summer! Can you believe it's almost the 4th of July already? Well, July is going to go by fast as I count the days until the next Mini Catalog and Sale-a-Bration products are available for purchase on August 3rd! 

Until then, Stampin' Up! has a great deal this month to help get us through to the new catalog--a sale on one of my favorite products, Designer Series Paper! 

From today until August 2, select packs of Designer Series Paper are 15% off. To celebrate, I will be featuring a different pack of DSP on each of my Lunchtime Lives on Facebook this month! Tune in Fridays at 12:00 CDT on my Facebook page.

There is no limit to the number of Designer Series Paper packs you can order during the sale! Sale prices also apply to DSP packs ordered in a Starter Kit, so you can get even more product for the $99 cost of a kit, which is shipped to you FREE! 

Contact me at michelle@capitalstampers.com to order or click here to visit my online store.

Happy Stamping!

Michelle