Secret Agent Stamper

Another September Camp Card

2010-10-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

This card is based on several versions found on Stampin' Connection. It's a gorgeous card!

Touching Others with:
Paper: Pear Pizzazz CS (119795) Basic Black CS (121045) Whisper White CS (100730), Blushing Bride CS (119796)

Ink: Jet Black StazOn (101406), Pear Pizzazz Marker and Blushing Bride Marker from the In Color Assortment (119801)

Creativity: Basic Rhinestones (119246), Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (119261), 3/4" Circle Punch (119873), 1" Circle Punch (119868), 1-1/4" Circle Punch (119861), 1-3/8" Circle Punch (119860), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), SNAIL Adhesive (104332)
Stamps: Just Believe (clear: 120453 wood:116948)

Find everything you need to create this card at home at my Stampin' Up! website!

Another September Camp Card

2010-10-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

Touching Others with:
Paper: Whisper White CS (100730), Concord Crush CS (119792)
Ink: Concord Crush (119785)
Creativity: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder (119277), Butterfly Punch (119848), Basic Pearls (119247), Mini Glue Dots (103683), SNAIL Adhesive (104332)
Stamps: Punch Potpourri (clear: 120124 wood: 118394), Sincere Salutations (115068)

While this card uses the Punch Potpourri stamp set that can only be earned as a Hostess Benefit, this card would be beautiful using Butterfly Prints stamp set (clear: 120738 wood: 121049) or Flight of the Butterfly stamp set (111564). All of these fabulous Stampin' Up! products can be ordered through my website!

September Stamp Camp Cards

2010-10-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

These cards were an attempt to make masculine cards. With both of these, the sentiment can be changed to make them birthday or express any sentiment you need at the time. I needed thank you cards! The ideas came from other Stampin' Connection, an online resource for Stampin' Up! demonstrators!

Touching Others with:
Paper: Crumb Cake CS (120953), Cajun Craze CS (119684), Marina Mist CS (119682), Very Vanilla CS (101650), Newsprint DSP (117166)
Ink: Basic Black (101179), Marina Mist (119668)
Creativity: Marina Mist 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (119762), Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (120175), 1-3/4"X7/8" Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882), 1-3/4" Circle Punch (119850), Paper Snips (103579), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), SNAIL Adhesive (104332)
Stamps: Artistic Etchings (clear: 120573 wood: 118517), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)

Touching Others with
Paper: Very Vanilla CS (101650), Basic Black CS (121045), Newsprint DSP (117166)
Ink: Basic Black (101179)
Creativity: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (120175), Stars #2 Die (113461), Antique Brads (117273), Paper-Piercing Tool (116631), Stamping Sponges (101610), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), SNAIL Adhesive (104332)
Stamps: Curly Cute (clear: 120510 wood:117014)

All supplies are from Stampin' Up! and can be ordered through my website!

August Stamp Camp Cards

2010-10-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Below are three of six cards that we made at my August Stamp Camp. They use some new products and new colors from the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog.

The focal point of this card is strips of the new Play Date Designer Series Paper (117168). I just love the bright colors and fun designs in this paper pack. The card base is Real Red Cardstock (102482) with a Whisper White Cardstock mat (100730). The strips are punched using the Scallop Trim Border Punch (118402). Real Red 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117286) is wrapped around the mat. The 1-3/4 Scallop Circle Punch (119854) and 1" Circle Punch (119868) are punched from the Play Date DSP. A 1-3/8" Circle Punch (119860) punched from Chocolate Chip Cardstock (102218) is sandwiched in between, and a large,Real Red Brights Designer Button (119747) is adhered to the center. The "thread" is made using a sliver of Whisper White Cardstock. The "thank you" greeting from the Just Believe stamp set (clear: 120453, wood: 116948) is stamped in Real Red stamp pad (103133). All products are Stampin' Up! and can be ordered from my website!

This card uses the Upsy Daisy (111710) and Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370) stamp sets and the Newsprint DSP (117166). The cardstock is Basic Black (121045), Very Vanilla (101650) and Cherry Cobbler (119685). The daisies are stamped using Cherry Cobbler ink (119669) onto Very Vanilla CS. The greeting is stamped using Basic Black ink (101179) onto Very Vanilla and is punched out using the Word Window Punch (119857), layered on a Cherry Cobbler punch using the Modern Label Punch (119849), layered on a Basic Black punch using the 1-3/4"X7/8" Oval Punch (119855) and popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals (104430). The ribbon is the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Basic Black (119261). All products are Stampin' Up! and can be ordered from my website!

I love this next card because it's Concord Crush, my new favorite color! The stamp set, Artistic Etchings (clear: 120573 wood:118517) is also one of my new favorites! The cardstock used is Concord Crush (119792), Pear Pizzazz (119795), Daffodil Delight (119683), and Whisper White Cardstock (100730). The striped piece is from the In Color Patterns Designer Series Pack Stack (117158). This stack goes a LONG way with 4 sheets of 2 double-sided designs in the 5 In Colors...that's 8 sheets in each color! The Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882) is used on the bottom of the Daffodil Delight, and the little flower is punched using four petal flower from the Itty Bitty Bits Punch Pack (118309). A Basic Rhinestone jewel (119246) is in the center for a little bling! The Eiffel Tower is stamped in Concord Crush ink (119785) on Whisper White and trimmed out using Paper Snips (103579) and popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals (104430). The greeting is stamped directly onto the Pear Pizzazz Cardstock using Concord Crush ink....did I tell you this is my new favorite color?! The circle flourish is stamped using a VersaMark Pad (102283). Whisper White 5/8" Satin Ribbon (114616) is tied around the belly of the card and secured with a knot. All products are Stampin' Up! and can be ordered from my website!

Workshop Cards

2010-10-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

These are the two cards we made at Susan's workshop last month! We had a blast! These cards were perfect for some seasoned stampers as well as some who had never stamped before!
The supplies for this card are: Priceless stamp set (115052), Note Cards (107311), Pear Pizzazz Cardstock (119795), Whisper White Cardstock (100730), Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stiched-Poly Ribbon, In Color Stampin' Write Markers Assortment (119801)...we used Pear Pizzazz and Concord Crush...1-1/4" Circle Punch (119861), 1-3/8" Circle Punch (119860), Basic Pearls (119247), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), and SNAIL Adhesive (104332). All supplies are available from Stampin' Up! and can be ordered online through my website.

Wouldn't this same layout work great for a Christmas card using the snowflake circle and swirl from Season of Joy stamp set?!

The second card uses the new Elizabeth a la carte stamp (117120) stamped in Black StazOn ink (101406). The card base is Blush Blossom Cardstock (119796) with a layer of Whisper White Cardstock (100730). A strip of Blush Blossom Cardstock was punched using the Pinking Hearts Border Punch (117649). A strip of Pear Pizzazz Cardstock (119795) is layered on top, and on top of that, a strip of Whisper White is punched with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (119275). The leaves and flowers are colored in using the Blush Blossom and Pear Pizzazz markers from the In Color Stampin' Write Markers Assortment (119801). Be sure to use StazOn ink so the black ink doesn't bleed when you color in! The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370), a MUST HAVE sentiment set! Be sure to use your Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049) to place your greeting perfectly in the center of the oval. All supplies are available from Stampin' Up! and can be ordered online through my website. Or, if you live in the Houston area, contact me to schedule your very own workshop!

April Stamp Camp

2010-06-13T16:15:00.001-07:00

This first card isn't something we did at camp, but I wanted to show it to you anyway. It's one of the first times I inked up the Of the Earth hostess stamp set. I brought this card to the TOPICS project share meeting (shoebox swap). It uses the Poppin' Pastels technique. The flowers are stamped using Versamark on Whisper White cardstock. Then, using the Stampin' Pastels and a cotton swab, the pastels is dabbed onto the Versamark and sticks to the image. The Pastels are very forgiving too because they can be erased using a regular old eraser! I like that! The squares were punched using the 1-1/4" square punch and then layered on Pretty in Pink punched using the 1-3/8" square punch and attached to the card with dimensionals. The ribbon is the new satin ribbon in Pretty in Pink. The ribbon is wrapped around and taped to the back of the layer. Then, I tied a bow and adhered it to the line of ribbon with Glue Dots. It's a trick I like to use to get neat bows on my cards!

In April, we used several products that were available in the Occasions Mini Catalog. The idea for this card was given to me by my friend, Kirsteen Gill. I believe it was a sample she saw at a Leadership event. It is a single layer of Very Vanilla stamped with the Vintage Vogue stamp set in Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, and Apricot Appeal. The flower with a silver brad in the center is punched with a circle punch and attached with dimensionals. The ribbon is 1/4" Apricot Appeal (retiring at the end of June as part of the Color Renovation) and it is adhered using a line of Sticky Strip. It's so simple, but I really love it!

This card is 3X6 and fits inside the small open-end envelopes. I got this idea from my upline, Penny Thomas, and I believe she got the idea from Stampin' Connection, the online community for Stampin' Up! demonstrators. The card uses Blush Blossom (another retiring color) and Very Vanilla. The border is punched with the scallop trim border punch and the vanilla piece has been run through the Big Shot with the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder. A Filigree Brad is centered on a 3/4" circle of Blush Blossom. We used both the large and small Filigree Brads on this project and both look great! The greeting is stamped using Basic Gray ink and Well Scripted stamp set. This set has been one of my favorites of all time!

The idea for this Blush Blossom card also came from Penny by way of Stampin' Connection. The layer is run through the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder and popped up on the card base with dimensionals. The image from the Birthday Bliss stamp set is stamped in Blush Blossom ink on Whisper White cardstock and punched out using the Wide Oval punch. Then stamp the greeting again on scrap white using Chocolate Chip ink and trim the rectangle out using snips and attach to the oval with dimensionals. It is tied onto the organza ribbon with linen thread. It's a quick and simple card to put together, but it looks so nice.

This card was CASEd from a card I saw on Stampin' Connection that was done by Diana Gibbs. I changed the colors to fit the supplies I had available. The designer paper is from the Sweet Pea paper stack. I used it and used it during the Occasions Mini Catalog, but I still have a ton of it left. It went a loooooong way. The card uses the XL Two-Step Bird Punch. The colors are So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, and Whisper White. The greeting is from Thank You Kindly and is stamped with Chocolate Chip ink.

This card is CASEd exactly from one by Elaine Schader. It uses another pattern from the Sweet Pea DSP and the Trendy Trees stamp set.

May and June have been super busy so no camps were held. We're all gearing up for the launch of the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog release in July!

March Camp - First Installment

2010-03-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

At the March camp, we made Easter cards and other spring-like cards. Please forgive the photography. I'm no photographer!

This card is actually Whisper White cardstock. Happy Birthday from the Well Scripted stamp set is stamped in Rose Red and punched with the Wide Oval punch. It's popped up on a die cut Top Note that has been textured with the Polka Dot Impressions Folder and the Big Shot. The ribbon is the Pretty in Pink satin ribbon. The Sweet Pea Felt Flowers were glued on using Tombow Multi. The ribbon is tied through a Slot Punch in the Top Note. This card was CASEd from DO Stamping with Dawn.

This card is a modified version of a card found in the Occasions Mini Catalog. The Chocolate Bunny stamp was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink on Close to Cocoa cardstock and trimmed out. The greeting is from the Well Scripted stamp set and it is stamped on a die cut using the Lots of Tags sizzlet and Big Shot. A silver brad is on a flower punched with the Boho Blossoms punch. The leaves are cut in Certainly Celery using the Little Leaves sizzlit, and the polka dot texture is created using the Polka Dot Impressions Folder in the Big Shot...lots of Big Shot on this card, but that's what makes it go together so quickly and look so WOW! The ribbon is the taffeta in Bashful Blue.

This card uses the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set to create Easter flowers. They are stamped in Basic Gray on Shimmer White cardstock. We used blender pens to color in the stems. The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

February Camp!

2010-03-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

Below are 5 of the 6 cards we did at my February Stamp Camp! I've been having camera issues and been a bit strapped for time so I've posted the original photos where the cards were CASEd instead of photos of my samples. Some of the cards were modified slightly. Some were great as is and I didn't change a thing!

This card was cased from Julie Bandt on Stampin' Connection.

This Happy Moments card was cased as is from www.simpleandsincere.com.

I believe this Happy Moments card was on Stampers Showcase before the advent of Stampin' Connection. Instead of using the polka dot stamp and scalloped edge punch, I used the border
punch from the SAB brochure. I kept everything else the same. This is a great layout that can be modified to fit a variety of stamps and color combinations.

This pink card uses the new glittered designer paper, Vintage Vogue stamp set, and Well Scripted stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog. I cased this from Connie Staples on Stampin' Connection. Instead of the taffeta ribbon, I used the 5/8" satin ribbon.

This Fox & Friends card was cased from Heather Summers blog. We used greetings from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set so it could be made as a little boy birthday or baby shower card.

Valentine's Day Treat

2010-01-26T17:12:00.001-08:00

This fun little treat is made using the brand new Mini Milk Carton die, available in the Occasions Mini Catalog. The milk carton is made from Pretty in Pink cardstock. The belly band is another great pattern from the Sending Love DSP, and the ribbon is the Taffeta in Pretty in Pink. I closed the top of the carton with a Mini Library Clip so you can open it up to get at the loot inside without destroying the box! The heart is punched using the Heart to Heart punch and is popped up with a dimensional. The "for you" is a greeting from the Sale-A-Bration stamp set "Happy Moments". I received this stamp set in the new clear-mount style as one of my SAB bonuses. I love clear-mount and am moving my stamp collection in that direction. With the labels on the stamps, you can see through the clear block and see exactly where the image will stamp! PLUS, the stamps store in a DVD case. So far, I'm lovin' it!

The inspiration for this came from Jacque Craig and a posting she placed on Stampin' Connection, YET ANOTHER resource provided by Stampin' Up. It is an exclusive online forum for Stampin' Up demonstrators.

Contact me for more information about becoming a Stampin' Up demonstrator. Sale-a-Bration is the perfect time to join. Join between now and March 31st and receive 15% off the price of your starter kit PLUS choose a FREE stamp set from the Idea Book & Catalog up to $47.95! I joined during SAB two years ago and have been having a blast ever since! Email me at anita.konvicka@gmail.com for details!

January Stamp Camp Cards

2010-01-26T16:36:00.001-08:00

This first card is CASED from Heather Summer's card except I left off the bird and changed the greeting. This greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. The great thing about that set is it has nearly every greeting you could ask for! This card works great with that set because you could add a Happy Birthday greeting and have a birthday card for a little girl or use Happy Valentine's Day to make it into a valentine! There are two new products from the Occasions Mini Catalog used here: the Sending Love DSP and the new Epoxy Brads in Pretty in Pink! The Sending Love paper is gorgeous and my photography doesn't do it justice. Each sheet has one side that is glittery. On this card, the large pattern has the sparkle!

The second card is CASED from the January 2010 Stampin' Success magazine, a special magazine from Stampin' Up just for their demonstrators! It's full of great creative inspiration. This card uses the Butterfly punch and the Scallop Edge punch. One butterly is punched from cardstock. Another butterfly has been embossed using the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder and the Sizzix Big Shot. I embossed and then punched, but it might have been easier to punch and then emboss. This definitely will take a toll on your punch after a while :-) The two layers are tied together using Linen Thread and mounted on the card using dimensionals. The greeting used here is from the Bitty Birthday stamp set that I received FREE as a Sale-A-Bration product with my $50 purchase!

The third card is CASED from Jen Sannes' blog, Simple & Sincere. I changed it slightly. I used a Tempting Turquoise button with a sliver of Certainly Celery threaded through. The birthday wishes greeting is from the WOW Flowers stamp set, another set you could get FREE with a $50 purchase OR by hosting a $300 home workshop between now and March 31st!

Card 4 is CASED from Mary Fish's blog, Stampin' Pretty from her Masculine Cards section. I used the birthday wishes greeting from WOW Flowers again. The circles are from the Circle Circus stamp set, stamped in Black Stazon ink and punched with the 1" and 1-1/4" circle punches.

And the last, but not least card, is a little Valentine's Day note. This is CASED from the Online Extras section of the January 2010 Stampin' Success. In addition to all of the great ideas from the hard copy magazine that we demonstrators receive, Stampin' Up offers additional samples with recipes on the Stampin' Up demonstrator website. It's one of the MANY ways Stampin' Up supports its demonstrators. But I digress.....the card details....this 3.5"X5" card is made with Pretty in Pink cardstock and uses three brand new products available in the Occasions Mini Catalog: Small Heart Punch, Dot Dot Dot a la carte stamp, and the Pinking Hearts Border punch. Both of these new punches are in the NEW punch style which is very modern looking and locks flat for easier storage! The greeting on this card is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (one of my favorite stamp sets!)

Christmas Boutique Items

2009-11-21T06:29:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite boutique item so far! It's a set of monogrammed notecards with envelopes in a matching box with a matching tag!

Christmas Boutique Items

2009-11-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here is a monogrammed notebook made using the Thoroughly Modern File Folders and DSP! This item is also being offered at my Christmas Boutique workshop.

Christmas Boutique Items

2009-11-21T06:17:00.000-08:00

Below are some of the items we'll be making on December 12th at my Christmas Boutique!

2010 Coaster Calendar

Treat Bag with Tag

Grocery List

Gift Card Holder

Snowman Treat Bag and Tag

Dry Erase Board

2009-11-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

Though it's a bit hard to see because it's already packaged, this is a small dry erase board made from a 4X6 acrylic frame. I got the idea from Diana Gibbs and her Artisan Award submission. They are quick and easy to make. Design a 4X6 panel and slide it into the picture frame. This can be adapted to any size frame, acrylic or glass. The A2 box instructions are at Splitcoast Stampers. Just follow this link. I used an overhead transparency (are these outdated or what?!) as the acetate sheet for the top of the box. The box is designed for holding a set of A2 sized (4.25X5.5) cards and envelopes!

Halloween Treat

2009-11-01T07:50:00.001-08:00

Here is a small Halloween treat box that we made at camp this month. I used a box pattern from Stampin' Up! (#33) and printed it onto Pumpkin Pie cardstock, cut it out, scored, and added some sticky strip. The Trick or Treat is a stamp from the Holiday Best level 1 hostess set. I used the Basic Black and Old Olive markers and my Versamarker (on the pumpkin) to color directly onto the rubber stamp before stamping. Many say it looks like an apple pie box from McDs, but it is smaller than that. It is large enough to hold a few pieces of Halloween candy or other small gift items!

CFH is now OWH!

2009-09-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

On September 12th, Cardsforheroes.org celebrated its first birthday and has kicked it up a notch. They have changed their name to Operation Write Home. Check out their new website and read about the reasoning behind the name change. My summary is "they wanted to kick it up a notch."

I sent off a box of 72 cards this morning for their 'Tis the Hero Challenge. I also ordered my new self-inking stamp with the new Operation Write Home logo!

I'm getting into Christmas gear, so I'll be posting some new creations soon!

Fall Theme

2009-08-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

Next Sunday, I have a Project Share meeting with the other members of the T.O.P.I.C.S. group, and the theme of the meeting is Fall. We're doing a shoebox swap (which means you bring a project for everyone else to stamp) and a card swap (which means you bring a finished card to swap with everyone else).

The first photo is of the project I am bringing for others to stamp. It uses the new stamp set called Autumn Days with the Baby Wipe Technique. The colors I used on the baby wipe are Soft Suede, Dusty Durango, and Rich Razzleberry. I used the baby wipe to ink up the Happy Thanksgiving greeting from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set, and I love how it turned out. The idea for this card comes from Darcie Helt found on Splitcoast Stampers, and I modified it slightly.

The next card is the finished card I prepared to swap. Thanks to my friend, Kirsteen, for the inspiration to use the Lovely As A Tree stamp set and the Magic Pastels technique off the Stampin' Up! Workshop WOW DVD (check out her awesome samples). Thanks to my friend, Penny, for letting me borrow the stamp set! I really think I need to buy this classic set. The card layout was inspired by Michelle Hoffman's post on Splitcoast Stampers. The With Sympathy greeting was added from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, unfortunately out of a need for a sympathy card, and it really turned out to be a nice card. The cardstock colors are Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip.

The quick version of the Magic Pastels technique is this: I inked up the tree image using Sahara Sand ink and stamped off once on a scrap paper before stamping onto my cardstock so the image is light but visible. Then, I colored in the image using the Stampin' Pastels. After it was colored in, I inked the tree image again in Chocolate Chip ink, and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up the image, I stamped over the colored image. This technique can be used with many different images, but it seems particularly suited to this tree image.

On Board Book Basics Wall Hanging

2009-08-23T06:27:00.001-07:00

While I made five additional clear envelope brag books for the daycare teachers, completion of the project was such a mad rush that I didn't get a chance to photograph and post pictures of them. They were all unique, and they were extremely well-received on Friday by the teachers.

This wall hanging was made as a gift for the school itself. The On Board Book Basics (small 5"X7-1/2") are covered with Pink Flamingo designer series paper. The stars were cut using the Big Shot Stars#2 die. The words were cut with the new Many Thanks sizzlit and the Billboard and Naturally Serif (Thanks, Penny!) decorative strip sizzlits. The pieces are held together using the pewter Jumbo Brads and Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. I also used the Photo Corners punch and lots of Tombow Multi adhesive! I'm happy with how it turned out.

More Clear Envelope Brag Books

2009-08-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some more clear envelope brag books that I've been making for teacher gifts.

July Stamp Camp!

2009-07-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the July Stamp Camp. We made a variety of different cards and introduced a couple of brand new stamp sets and new In Colors!

I love, love, love, love, love this first card. The original design is Kristin Moore's and is posted on her blog, Sunshine, Smiles & Stamps = Lovin' Life.
I had supplies left over to make a couple more like this, and I decided to use the Thanks stamp from the Thank You Kindly stamp set. The corduroy brad on this one is larger, but it still looks great. The colors are Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla, and Kraft. The greeting is stamped with one of the new In Colors, Soft Suede. The ribbon (no card is complete without it) is Kraft Taffeta. The photo makes it look larger than it is. This one will fit in a regular medium sized envelope.

The original inspiration for this second card comes from Patty Bennett, though I can't find the hard link to her samples. The colors are Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla. The Old Olive DSP is from the long retired Georgia Peach pack, but you could substitute any of the Old Olive Patterns DSP. The Pocket Silhouettes flowers/weeds are stamped in Old Olive and the lighter ones were "stamped off" once before stamping again. The greeting is framed with Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware Designer Label frame. The ribbon stripe is 5/8" grosgrain in Old Olive. The Thanks stamp is from the Thank You Kindly stamp set. This card is a 4 1/4" square card and also fits in the regular medium envelope.

This card showcases two brand new stamp sets, Circle Circus and Teeny Tiny Wishes. The card base is Certainly Celery, and the DSP is from the Tea Party Pack. The different circles are stamped with So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, and Almost Amethyst (the colors in the Tea Party DSP pack) and punched with the corresponding circle or scallop circle punch. The ribbon is the 5/8" white satin ribbon. We used a new toy of mine, the Lots of Tags sizzlits die, to cut out the tag, and then the happy birthday greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes was stamped with Certainly Celery ink. We added Soft Subtles brads. We were all discussing how this card could be used for many different occasions by just changing the greeting. The card is CASEd from a design by Brenda Keenan found on Splitcoast Stampers.

This masculine birthday card was inspired by Karen Graff-Povis' card found on Splitcoast Stampers. The card base is Kraft and the coordinating colors are Night of Navy, Soft Suede, and Very Vanilla. The ribbon stripe is Kraft Taffeta, and the brads are silver brads and the Star Designer Brads. The stamp set is Think Happy Thoughts.

The card below was also originally found on Splitcoast Stampers (I just love that place!), but you can find it on Tessa Wise's blog, Crafty Girl Designs. We used the new In Color, Bermuda Bay, IN MARKER FORM to color in the birds stamped on watercolor paper. A trick I learned from

Heather Summers is that markers color very well and so easily on watercolor paper. You don't see the color marks, and you just barely have to touch your markers to the paper for the ink to flow so it's easier on your markers! The hearts are colored using a Cameo Coral marker, and the beaks are colored with Pumpkin Pie marker. Both the bird image and the greeting are from the The More The Merrier level 3 hostess set. The little heart is punched with the Heart to Heart punch using Cameo Coral cardstock and is popped up with a Stampin' Dimensional. This card is so cute, yet I still feel it looks a bit naked without ribbon!

The 6th card is another attempt at a masculine card. The idea is by Jan Sannes and you can find her design on her blog, Simple & Sincere. This one is changed up a bit to use Old Olive cardstock and Old Olive brads. We used the 1/4" circle punch, and it was through this exercise that I learned that SU! has retired that punch! Some ask which cave I live in! Both stamps are from the Cheers to You stamp set.

Hope you enjoyed the review of July's stamp camp.

Happy Stamping!

Anita

Clear Envelope Brag Book

2009-07-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a couple weeks since my last post. I've been busy looking through the brand new Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog and working on projects for July's camp. Now that I have been revealed as a Secret Stamper, I can post this project. This is called a Clear Envelope Brag Book and the tutorial can be found on Splitcoast Stampers under the Resources section. These are surprisingly easy to make, and if you have clear envelopes, I'd bet you have all of the other necessary supplies in your stash.

When trying to figure out what I was going to make for Mary, I started by embossing some On Board Chipboard letters (that I had left over from last year's convention make n' takes) with white craft ink and white embossing powder. Then I just had to figure out what kind of project I wanted to put them on! The base of the brag book is Regal Rose cardstock (one of my favorites!) with Pink Pirouette. The stamped swirl from the Yummy SAB stamp set and the fleurettes round out the embellishments. If you haven't seen the new catalog yet, SU! is offering plain white fleurettes. They'll match EVERYTHING!

Go grab the tutorial and make one! I'll be making more as gifts!

June Camp Cards

2009-06-22T15:27:00.001-07:00

This card is a combination of old and new. The pink piroutte paper, ink, and ribbon are retiring on June 30th, but the brand new stamp set "Circle Circus"will be available starting July 1!

The card below was cased directly from Splitcoast. It uses the butterfly stamp from the Darling Dots hostess set that will be retiring at the end of the month, along with the Tangerine Tango cardstock and ink! These colors work great with the leaf stamp from this same set to make a cute Thanksgiving card. We used the Chit Chat rubons in Chocolate Chip. If you haven't used rubons before, the Chit Chat pack is a great value with 150+ greetings for $10.95! The images are punched with the 1-1/4" square and mounted on the Chocolate Chip square scallops.

This So Saffron card is a quilt card. Punch 12 squares using the 1-3/8" square punch (one of each design in a pack of designer series paper) and mount them on scrap cardstock. Run it through the Big Shot with the Top Note die and you've got a cute quilt layer. The ribbon is tied through a white Basic Jumbo Grommet. The greeting is from the new Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (115370, $36.95) available in the new catalog on July 1. There are 24 greetings in this set and they coordinate perfectly with the word window punch and the new modern label punch and the punch window movers and shapers. I'm going to get a lot of use from this stamp set!

June Camp Cards - Butterfly Theme

2009-06-22T04:21:00.000-07:00

At Saturday's camp, it was brought to my attention that I had a butterfly theme going...even down to the butterfly-shaped entertaining crackers that were served. Completely unintentional, but fun.

This first card is a stair-step card. The idea comes from Kristin's blog, Sunshine, Smiles & Stamps=Lovin' Life. The ribbon holds it together so it will fit into an envelope, but if you take the ribbon off, it will sit on your desk with a stair-step effect and look so pretty! It uses my newest Big Shot die, Bigz Beautiful Butterflies with the Tea Party DSP.

This card was inspired by a card on Splitcoast. I changed the main image to use the God's Beauty hostess set. It was the first time I had inked up this set, and I think it's gorgeous. We also got out the new Crushed Curry ink pad to color in parts of the butterfly with our blender pens. I love this card!

The third butterfly card was also inspired by a card on Splitcoast. This butterfly is also cut using the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die. The DSP is the retiring Sweet Always pack.

So there are three of the six cards we made at the June camp. I'll share the remaining cards later. They do not include butterflies.

Animal Stories

2009-06-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

I was making my regular blog rounds a couple nights ago, and I came across this card on Heather Summers' blog. She was showcasing the Wild About You stamp set before it retires at the end of the month. That set was on my Wish List, but since it is retiring, I decided to preorder the Animal Stories stamp set. This card is Heather's design with only minor changes. The giraffe is from Animal Stories, and the hello baby greeting is from the new Teeny Tiny Wishes set. The words were inked up individually with a Close to Cocoa marker and placed using the Stamp-a-ma-jig. The polka dot paper is Apricot Appeal from a retired hostess prints pack, but this card would look great using the So Saffron or new Crushed Curry Patterns Designer Series Paper!

Card Organizer

2009-06-15T20:58:00.001-07:00

Last week, I received the final gift from my secret stamper for this quarter. It reminded me that I still needed to come up with a June gift for my person. While looking around for ideas, I was reminded that I had bookmarked this tutorial by Dannie on her blog.

And how did I spend my Friday night?! By making my very own card organizer! This one is made from Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink cardstock and the Tea Party designer paper. I used the flower stamp from Darling Dots, a level 1 hostess set in the current catalog (going buh-bye June 30th). The large clear rhinestone brad fit perfectly in the flower center! I added some dividers to mine and used the tab punch. It's sooooooo cute. I love mine! Go see Dannie's tutorial and make one of your very own!

Decor Elements

2009-06-15T20:50:00.001-07:00

I found this Post-It brand organizer next to the Post-It Notes at Target and thought it would look cute with some Decor Elements added. One of the perks of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is a program they have called Bulk Buy. It allows demonstrators to purchase certain items in a larger quantity than what is available in the catalog so we are able to share more products with our customers in stamp camps and workshops. These chocolate chip flowers were made available to us so that we can show you how the Decor Elements are applied and how they can be used to decorate all sorts of things! I added some taffeta ribbon and a chocolate chip button to the bottom to cover up the logo and a big space along the bottom. I sent this to my secret stamper today, along with another gift item. Hope she'll like it!

Honorable Mention Cards

2009-06-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

I had been working on cards to prepare for my June stamp camp, and these are some of the fruits of that effort. However, these cards didn't make the final cut for camp projects. Camp isn't until June 20th so I figured I'd post these now and post the camp cards after camp.

This card uses the Upsy Daisy stamp set and the birthday wishes greeting from WOW Flowers. This is adapted a bit from a card on Splitcoast. I was trying to find a good way to use up this beautiful Bella Rose DSP before it retires at the end of the month.

The Best Wishes card would make a great wedding card or anniversary card. It is heat embossed in silver on silver cardstock. The rose is from Fifth Avenue Floral and the greeting is from Sincere Salutations. The ribbon is white organza. It's a pretty card and fairly simple to stamp, but we just made a wedding card last month. This might find its way into a future camp, but it just wasn't right for this month. I'll give this card at a wedding reception this weekend!

The button die card is a modified version of Kimberly Van Diepen's card. From the looks of my cards, I think I need ribbon to make a card complete. The colors and buttons struck me as fit for a baby card so I added the baby greeting from the SAB stamp set. After Hurricane Ike, we're preparing for a baby boom here in the Houston area. One can't have too many baby cards on hand right now. I love the SAB So Saffron and Certainly Celery ribbons. I'm not sure what I'll do when I run out! Guess I'll have to find a new favorite from the new catalog. That probably won't be too difficult!

I love the color combo in the Sweet Always DSP. It's really kind of wild and unusual, but I think this card turned out so cute. I made one of these quilt cards, and then I couldn't stop! You punch out twelve squares using the 1-3/8" square punch. Adhere them to a scrap piece of cardstock and run it through the Big Shot with the Top Note die. I've seen some with faux stitching on them, but I prefer to keep mine clean and simple. I folded down the prongs on the back of the grommet and just tied the ribbon through the middle. The greeting is from one of the brand new stamp sets in the new Stampin' Up! 2009-2010 catalog called Teeny Tiny Wishes. It is a wonderful set. Just about every holiday or greeting is accounted for in that set. The size of the greetings works great with the word window punch as well as the new modern label punch from the new catty.

Until next post,

Happy Stamping!

Cards for Heroes Blog Hop!

2009-05-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome, and thank you for participating in the Card for Heroes Blog Hop! If you have landed here in the middle of the hop, I encourage you to start at the "top of the hop" at cardsforheroes.org! There are many great blogs to check out to see beautiful card samples and learn more about what cardsforheroes.org is all about! Hop 'til you drop!

This is a card I made in a patriotic theme. It is the same layout as the Father's Day card posted here, but I have used Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, and Basic Gray with silver brads. The stars are punched using the Stars #2 die with the Big Shot, but the two coordinating star punches from Stampin' Up! would make this card a breeze to make as well. By changing the greeting and colors, the card has a totally different feel.

I made this card to send as an "Any Hero" card as part of the 25+2 challenge. The thank you greeting seemed appropriate to tell a soldier thank you for serving! I am new to cardsforheroes.org, but I am very excited about participating with the organization. Stamping is a great hobby for me, but making cards for our nation's heroes brings more meaning to it. I make many more cards that I can use personally, and it is great to share cards with soldiers who appreciate them so much. If you wonder how much, check out the hero blog on the website!

The next blog on the hop is that of Marianne Walker in Eugene, Oregon. She is the product specialist for Copic Markers and designs stamps for Our Craft Lounge. She is very talented and has FANTASTIC tips on coloring and shading with Copic Markers on her blog. Her work is beautiful!

Hop on over to Marianne's blog,

"I Like Markers"!

Cards for Heroes

2009-05-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had some time to work on some Cards for Heroes. When preparing for my May stamp camp, I was doing a lot of experimenting with the brayered roses technique. I was trying to see how the different color combinations would work together, and then I picked my favorite for the camp project. After all the experimenting, I had ten extra brayered roses. I paired these with some Tangerine Tango cardstock and the Thinking of You greeting from Sincere Salutations to make several cards to send to cardsforheroes.org.

New Take on an Old Favorite

2009-05-18T17:38:00.001-07:00

I had been thinking about this card for a while. It's a new take on an old favorite. We made a pink version of this card at Penny's camp quite some time ago, and I had been thinking about changing the colors up and using some clear rhinestone brads. This card uses the 5-Petal Flower Punch and the Boho Blossoms Punch (thanks to Stacey for sharing her toys!). The greeting is from the Heard from the Heart stamp set. I inked it up with Basic Gray and removed the bottom part of the greeting with a baby wipe. You can also use a Blender Pen to do the same.

May Stamp Camp!

2009-05-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we stamped, stamped, stamped. And then stamped some more! Wow! Hope you enjoy the recap!

This first card that we made is taken from my buddy, Penny. It's a great little layout that can be used with all different designer papers, punches, and greetings. I made a couple using a Birthday Wishes greeting for birthday cards. I used this layout with some Candy Lane DSP and the Full Heart Punch with a LOVE greeting and I Miss You greeting for some cardsforheroes.org. The So Saffron card was cased from Splitcoast Stampers. I've been told that I love Chocolate Chip, and when challenged, I couldn't have a camp and not use Chocolate Chip! The stamps are from the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set. I made up my extras and substituted an "I Miss You" greeting and will send them to cardsforheroes.org.

One of my stampers had a list minute request for graduation cards....shame on me for not thinking of it first. Since I don't own a graduation stamp set, per se, I improvised. The template for this mortar board gift card holder is something I came across on Splitcoast. I reduced the template on a copy machine to about 85% so it still has room for the giftcard yet will fit inside a standard medium envelope!

You print the template on cardstock and cut it out. It's really that simple. It can be made in any school colors, but we used Basic Gray to keep it generic. The little note inside allows space to write a short congratulatory note, or you can include a gift card or cash in the little pocket.

This wedding gown card is gorgeous in person. One of my stampers requested to make this card using Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, and Certainly Celery to match her daughter's wedding colors. It looked great as well. I wish I had taken a photo of it to share with you! It is cased from Sharon Field and she so graciously provided instructions on her blog.

Another late addition to camp was this Father's Day card. Since I wasn't sure we'd be able to have June camp prior to Father's Day, we needed to make a card. As I was told, you can't give Mom an awesome homemade card and then get Dad the 99cent card from Wal-mart! True, true! Inspiration for this card came from Splitcoast, but I didn't have any design paper that really worked for Father's Day. My card turned out completely different than the inspiration cards that I started from, and my stampers were really happy with the design.

Again, we use Chocolate Chip! The background is Sahara Sand cardstock that was run through the Big Shot with the Texturz Plate so it gives a wood grain look (I want to try this on Kraft to see if looks like old barn wood). The stars were also punched using the Big Shot Stars #2 die. They could also be made using the two star punches offered by Stampin' Up! The greeting is from a retired stamp set, but I have kept it for its Father's Day and Mother's Day greetings! When you find a great set, you just have to hold onto it!

Patty Bennett shared a tutorial on this brayered rose technique using the Manhattan Flower embossing folder and a brayer. My stampers loved this card! We used Pretty in Pink and Apricot Appeal inks. This card also turns out beautifully when stamping a greeting from the Sincere Salutations stamp set directly onto the white background.

The two baby cards that we stamped were inspired by a similar pink card on Splitcoast by stampininutah, but they were modified to be more clean and simple. I had to make a blue card as well because you never know which you might need. Stampers were given the option to make either one, but nearly all of them loved it so much that they made both! The cards are 4-1/4" square. It's a cute little size that is interesting and will still fit in a standard medium envelope.

cardsforheroes.org

2009-05-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

April Stamp Camp

2009-04-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I held my April Stamp Camp. We made a set of cards, a box, and a coordinating Mother's Day card.

The Mother's Day card is an adaptation of a design by Jackie Bolhuis. The flower stamp is from the Fifth Avenue Floral and the greeting is from a retired set, All-Year Cheer II. The cardstock is Kraft, Not Quite Navy, and Very Vanilla. The ribbon is 5/8" grosgrain in Very Vanilla.

The cards are shamefully CASED from Kween Bee Kreations. I love Kris' stamping style! The cards are made using the new Oval All stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog. The coordinating large oval punch and the new scallop oval punch made these cards a snap to put together!

The box idea was taken from Annette Stewart's blog, Ink, Paper, Scissors Rock! and adapted to match the cards using the Bella Bleu DSP.

I had an extra set of cards and a box leftover after camp, so I made myself another set! The box will hold four cards and envelopes. They are so neat I may have a hard time parting with mine!

Until next post, Happy Stamping!

Jr. Legal Pad

2009-04-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

This is another little notepad item I made over Easter weekend. I had several of these cut notepads leftover from a camp so I decided I would make one as a gift (or maybe I'll keep it for me!). The DSP is from the Sweet Always package, and the coordinating cardstock is Pumpkin Pie with Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. The flowers on the front are made using the Big Shot Birds and Blooms die. The flower centers are some of the new 5/16" jumbo brads in the neutrals assortment. I need to make an RSVP pen to match!

Post-It Note Holder

2009-04-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

Recently a tutorial was posted on Splitcoast Stampers on how to make a cute little post-it note holder. I thought this would be nice using some of the Bella Rose DSP. The fancy monogrammed post-its were found at Staples, and I thought they'd give a personal touch to this elegant project. The embellishment on the front is from the Birds and Blooms Sizzlets for the Sizzix Big Shot and it's finished off with a Ridinghood Red button. The golf pencil is missing here. I need to sharpen it down some to make it fit perfectly. I made a coordinating card using the new Oval All stamp set, but I'll save that for another post (i.e. still mastering the art of posting).

Stamping Happenings

2009-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so before I post anything inspirational, I'll let you know what I'm working on right now. First off, I have a camp scheduled for April 25th. I have the card ideas in mind, but I'm slowly working on making my samples. I'm also working on a box of sorts for presenting the cards as a gift item. A coordinating Mother's Day card is something else I need to come up with. I have a couple of ideas, and I'll post when I have something tangible to show.

Also, through my upline group, the T.O.P.I.C.S., I have signed up for the Secret Stamper round for this quarter (another influence on the blog name). During the second quarter, I am to send one hand-stamped 3-D item to my "Secret Stamper" each month. I've already delivered April's item (no photo to share :-( ), and I created a couple of things for May. I'll post those when I get a chance.

It's FINALLY here!

2009-04-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

I have FINALLY gotten around to starting my own stamping blog, and alas, the first post is void of stamping ideas or inspiration. It took a while to come up with a name for my stamping blog. Nothing seemed to fit. Hence the delay. Everyone already has their own "stampin' spot" or "stamp with" blog. Those names just wouldn't do.

So where does "Secret Agent Stamper" come from?

My kids have recently found "Special Agent Oso" on the Disney channel. And I like it too. "Oh so special" and "three special steps" are very catchy tunes. Plus, the premise that it takes three
"special" (basic) steps to complete the "special assignment" (an everyday task), rings true to my life with two preschoolers. So the name was adapted and out sprang this stamping blog.

Let's call posting to this blog my "training mission" and keep in mind that my "paw pilot" may go off and divert my attention to "special assignments". I'll try to post things as I create them and give updates on what I'm working on as often as I can.