WOW - Half-Price Starter Kit Promotion

If you have ever thought of becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, NOW is the time. From November 15 - 30, you can purchase the Standard or Digital + Starter Kits for only $87.50 -- that's half off the regular price of $175! These kits contain over $310 worth of paper or digital crafting and business supplies! I would love to have you join my team! Contact me today, or visit my Stampin' Up! website http://nancyamato.stampinup.net/ for more information.

Coming Soon....Holiday Projects!

Hi, Stampin' Up! Friends! I know I have been MIA lately, but I have been busy creating projects for the Holidays! It always seems like as soon as Halloween is over, I go into "Holiday Mode!" I am creating cards, gifts, and home decor items that I will begin posting this week. We will start with Thanksgiving, then move into Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years. I hope some of these ideas will inspire you to make some cards and gifts for the special people in your life!

If you have any questions about the projects I show you, please let me know in the comment section. If you leave your email address, I will get back to you. Thanks so much!

Happy Stamping!
Nancy

Handmade Holiday Promotion

Hi, Stampin' Up! Friends! I am so excited about this promotion from Stampin' Up! -- just in time for your holiday crafting projects! Be sure to check out my website http://nancyamato.stampinup.net for all of the details!

Clearance Rack Deals!

Hi, Stampin' Up! Friends! I wanted you to know about the GREAT DEALS on the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack. All of these items have been discontinued, so Stampin' Up! can offer them to you at reduced prices. So, be sure to go to my website http://nancyamato.stampinup.net and look at the Clearance Rack. You will save money by ordering online through my website -- what could be better? Happy Shopping!

Special Starter Kit Offer

Hello! I attended the Stampin' Up! Regional Meeting at the Baltimore Convention Center yesterday! I learned LOTS of new stamping techniques, and I can't wait to try them out. Plus -- since I attended the Regional Meeting, I can offer you a special offer on the Stampin' Up! Starter Kit. From now until October 17th, if you join my team, you will receive a brand new, not-yet-released stamp set called "Eat Chocolate." This stamp set will be featured in the next Mini Catalog. PLUS, you will receive the incredible Stampin' Tote, a $39.95 value! But, you must join by October 17th. The Starter Kit is $175 and contains products that total $310! I like to call the Starter Kit the "I Want It All Kit!" You are under no obligation to sell anything, and you can keep all of the contents of the Starter Kit. However, the opportunity is there to be an active Stampin' Up! Demonstrator or to buy your Stampin' Up! products at a discount. I became a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator 6 1/2 years ago, and I can honestly say I LOVE what I do. I have met so many wonderful people through my Stampin' Up! business, and they have become my friends. If you are interested in this opportunity, please visit my Stampin' Up! website http://nancyamato.stampinup.net/.

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 7

Today's project is a fun, Stair Step Fold Card. I did a lot of sponging for this card to look vintage. I even sponged Crumb Cake ink onto the Victoria Crochet Trim! Sponging is a great technique for giving extra dimension to your images. I just love the way Crumb Cake ink gives your projects an "aged" look.

Start with a piece of cardstock cut at 5 1/2" x 10 1/2". Score along the 10 1/2" side at 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 4 1/4", 6", and 8 1/4". Fold along score lines, "mountain & valley style" (up & down) to make the card base. I used Crumb Cake cardstock for the base card and sponged Crumb Cake ink along all sides and along all folds. I used the Welcome Christmas stamp set, and stamped the images onto Very Vanilla cardstock. I stamped the "Season's Greetings" image in Cherry Cobbler ink, cut it out, and then layered it onto a Cherry Cobbler punch out using the Decorative Label punch. Again, I sponged the edges of the Very Vanilla and the Cherry Cobbler cardstock with Crumb Cake ink. Next, I stamped the family decorating the Christmas Tree image in Always Artichoke ink, sponged the edges with Crumb Cake ink, then layered it onto Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler cardstock. I made the poinsettia with Cherry Cobbler cardstock. It is two punch outs of the 5-Petal Flower Punch. Again, (you guessed it!) I sponged the cardstock with Crumb Cake ink. I used the new Silver Glass Glitter to make the center of the poinsettia. This Glass Glitter is so sparkly -- I love it! I attached the poinsettia to the corner with a Stampin' Dimensional. I used 3 different patterns of the Deck The Halls Designer Series paper to decorate the base card before attaching the stamped images. I hope you like this card!

Thank you SO MUCH for stopping by. I have enjoyed making these projects for this blog tour, and I have made a goal of posting to my blog at least 3 times per week. So, I hope you stop by again soon!

Here is the supply list for this card:

Stamps: Welcome Christmas (120597, $19.95 Clear-Mount)

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler (119685, $6.95), Always Artichoke (105119, $6.95), Very Vanilla (101650, $8.50), Crumb Cake (120953, $6.95), Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper (120810, $9.95)

Ink: Cherry Cobbler (119669, $5.95), Always Artichoke (105219, $5.95), Crumb Cake (121030, $5.95)

Accessories: Decorative Label Extra-Large Punch (120907, $16.95), Silver Glass Glitter (120995, $3.95), Victoria Crochet Trim (118481, $6.95), 5-Petal Flower Extra-Large Punch (119880, $16.95), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430, $3.95), Stamping Sponges (101610, $3.50)

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 6

Hello! Well....it has finally stopped raining here, and it is a beautiful day. Here is my post....sorry it is a little late. I made this votive holder with the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper that you can find on page 18 of the Holiday Mini catalog. This is the perfect little gift for co-workers, your child's teacher, or that special neighbor. Be sure to use a battery-operated votive "candle" for this project. Here are the supplies I used:

Stamps: Sincere Salutations (115068, $23.95)
Cardstock: Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper (120810, $9.95), White Vellum Paper (101839, $4.95)
Ink: Always Artichoke (105219, $5.95)
Accessories: Decorative Label Extra-Large Punch (120907, $16.95), Chantilly Crochet Trim (118480, $6.95), Mini Glue Dots (103683, $4.95)
Sizzix Items: Fancy Favor Bigz XL Die (115965. $39.95) This is an exclusive, Stampin' Up! only die.
See you later!

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 5

Welcome to Day 5 of the RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour! Today's project is a Christmas Card that is easy-peasy to make. The Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper is just great as a background piece for the Ornament stamp from the Tags til Christmas stamp set. This Christmas card is great for your entire Christmas card list! I know my list has grown to nearly 100 over the past few years, and I like to send a hand-stamped greeting to family and friends. This card is easy to "mass produce" in a couple of evenings. I used two Stampin' Dimensionals on the back of the ornament to "pop" it off of the card. Here are the supplies I used for this card:
Stamp Sets: Tags til Christmas (121169, $22.95 Clear Mount), Short & Sweet (115060, $17.95)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla (101650, $8.50), Cherry Cobbler (119685, $6.95), Old Olive (100702, $6.95), Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper (117159, $9.95)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (119669, $5.95)
Accessories: Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882, $15.95), Ornament Punch (119847, $16.95), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430, $3.95)

See you tomorrow!

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 4

Hi, there! Welcome to Day 4 of the RemARKable Stampers Holiday Madness Blog Tour! My project today features the Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set in the Holiday Mini Catalog. I fell in love with this set the first time I saw it! There are 24 images in this set -- perfect for an Advent Calendar! So, I made these little boxes as an Advent Calendar. What do you think? I will put all 24 boxes in a basket, and we will take one out each day. Of course, there will be chocolate of some sort in the boxes! (Hershey's Miniatures fit perfectly in the boxes -- Don't ask me how I know this! The hard part is saving enough to put IN the boxes!) The best part is, these boxes can be re-used next year so you can keep this as a family tradition. I used the new Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die to cut the scallop squares you see around the images. I used the smaller of the 2 scallop squares. You only need a 2" x 2" piece of Designer Series Paper for this size scallop. It is a little larger than the scallop square punch.

Here are the supplies I used to make this project:

Stamps: Jolly Bingo Bits (121187, $26.95 Clear-Mount)

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730, $8.50), Real Red (102482, $6.95), Baja Breeze (111352, $6.95), Soft Suede (115318, $6.95), Garden Green (102584, $6.95), Candy Cane Christmas Designer Series Paper (120809, $11.95)

Ink: Real Red (103133, $5.95), Baja Breeze (111833, $5.95), Soft Suede (115657, $5.95), Garden Green (102272, $5.95)

Sizzix Items: Matchbox Bigz XL Die (114890, $42.95), Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die (120903, $21.95)

Accessories: Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon (109025, $4.95)

See you tomorrow with another project!

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 3

WooHoo! I got some new goodies from Mr. UPS today! So, I guess the secret is out....I am creating as I go along! I wish I were more organized -- it is a goal of mine. (Just not one I have accomplished yet!) Today's card is based on the sketch from Mojo Monday. I just LOVE the Candy Cane Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper! It is so sparkly! I hope you can see the sparkly red stripes in the photo! This card is 5 x 5" and fits nicely in our Medium Square Envelope. Here are the supplies I used to make this card:
Stamps: Fabulous Phrases (120501, $$26.95 Clear-Mount), Jolly Bingo Bits (121187, $26.95 Clear-Mount)
Cardstock: Whisper White (100730, $8.50), Real Red (102482, $6.95), Garden Green (102584, $6.95), Candy Cane Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper (120809, $11.95)
Ink: Basic Black (101179, $5.95), Garden Green (102272, $5.95)
Sizzix Items: Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die (115950, $21.95)
Accessories: Scallop Square Extra-Large Punch (119884, $16.95), Real Red 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117286, $8.95), Basic Rhinestones (119246, $4.95)
See you tomorrow!

RemARKable Holiday Madness Blog Tour - Post 2

This Vintage Snowflake Card is one of my favorites! I used the Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder with Naturals Ivory Cardstock for the front panel of this card. I used a stampin' sponge and Soft Suede ink to "age" the front panel. The snowflakes really "pop" when sponged with ink. I also sponged the edges of the Naturals Ivory cardstock to give the card a vintage look. I layered the snowflake layer onto a piece of Always Artichoke, then layered this onto the Cherry Cobbler card. I tied some linen thread into a bow for that homespun look. Here are the supplies I used to make this card:

Stamps: Christmas Greetings (115448, $10.95)

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler (119685, $6.95), Always Artichoke (105119, $6.95), Naturals Ivory (101849, $7.50)

Ink: Cherry Cobbler (119669, $5.95), Soft Suede (115657, $5.95)

Sizzix items: Northern Flurry Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (120902, $7.95)

Accessories: Linen Thread (104199, $4.50)

See you tomorrow with another Holiday creation!

Autumn Spice Thanksgiving Card

Welcome to the RemARKable Stampers Holiday Madness Blog Tour! I am so excited to share my creations with you during this next week! I am starting off with one of my favorite new products in the Holiday Mini Catalog: Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper! This Designer Series Paper features Cajun Craze, Old Olive, More Mustard, and Early Espresso. These colors are just perfect for Autumn!

Here are the supplies I used for this card:
Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370, $36.95)
Cardstock: Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper (120808, $11.95), More Mustard (100946, $6.95), Cajun Craze (119686, $6.95), Early Espresso (119686, $6.95)
Sizzix Items: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976, $7.95)
Punches: Word Window (119857, $15.95), Modern Label (119849, $16.95)
Adhesives: Mini Glue Dots (103683, $4.95), Sticky Strip (104294, $6.95), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430, $3.95), SNAIL (104332, $6.95)

See you tomorrow with a new creation!

Maryland State Fair Cards!

WOW! I was so surprised to find out that I won the Blue Ribbon at the Maryland State Fair this year! These are two of the Make & Takes we made at my Stamp & Scrap for UNICEF Event this Spring. I added a few of our new Basic Pearls to the card on the left. They are just beautiful, and I love that they are self-stick! The flower pot card on the right is one of my favorites. I just love it!

Joy in a Box!

Yep -- I got my Holiday Mini Pre-Order today!!!! Oh, I am SO excited! I was waiting by the door all day for my UPS guy (am I pathetic, or what?). I will be busy making samples with my new goodies so I will have lots of ideas to post once the new Holiday Mini goes live on September 1st. Believe me, you will want a copy of this mini catalog. Call or email me today, and I will be happy to get one into your hot little hands!

I am booking parties now for the Fall. Call or email me today to get your preferred date. Off to play with my new stamping goodies!

Vintage Medallion card

I just love the vintage look of this card! I stamped the En Francais background stamp in Crumb Cake ink on Very Vanilla cardstock. Then, I stamped the Medallion background stamp in Cherry Cobbler ink over top of it. I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake ink to give it an aged look. I layered this piece onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock. I used the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Basic Black, but I sponged the edges of the ribbon with Crumb Cake ink to age it. The words "Here for you" are from the Friends 24-7 stamp set. I stamped them in Basic Black ink, then punched it out with the 1" circle punch. I also sponged Crumb Cake ink around this circle, then layered it on a 1 1/4" Basic Black circle. I wrapped the ribbon around the center, then used Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere the circle. All of this was layered onto a Cherry Cobbler card. The front of the card was dry embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions folder. I hope you like this! I am just loving these vintage-looking cards! Crumb Cake is a MUST for your stamping supplies -- very versatile, and great for creating an aged look.

Graduation Card

Hello, all! I am sorry I have not posted in a while -- We were on vacation. We were in Bar Harbor, Maine, when the President and his family were there, but we did not see them. I had my camera ready, just in case!

Here is a card I made as a graduation card, but you could easily switch the greeting to make a birthday card, get well card, etc. I like the colors of this card (Basic Black, Very Vanilla, and Crumb Cake). It is a great combination for masculine cards, too.

Here is the supply list for this card:

Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp set

Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad

Word Window Punch

Modern Label Punch

Scallop Oval Punch

Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder

Very Vanilla 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

Totally RAD!

I found out last week that I will be going to RAD this December! My upline offers this opportunity to her directs each year, and I am honored to be one of the RemARKable Stampers who will attend this special stamping event. Thanks to my wonderful Stampin' Up! customers and downline for supporting my Stampin' Up! business!

Day 3 - RemARKable New Catalog Blog Tour

Hello, and welcome to Day 3 of the RemARKable Stampers New Catalog Blog Tour! The cards today feature a new stamp set, Perfect Punches. This set is very versatile, and it is a snap to make a variety of cards. The first card uses River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, and Marina Mist. I found this color combination in the New Color Coach. I just received this in my order on Friday, and I absolutely recommend it! Here are the supplies I used for each card:

Birthday Card:

River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, & Very Vanilla cardstock

Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon

Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad

Wide Oval Punch

Mini Glue Dots

Stampin' Dimensionals

Thank You Card:

Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, & Whisper White cardstock

Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad

Scallop Oval Punch

Mini Glue Dots
Stampin' Dimensionals

I hope you have enjoyed this blog tour! I am new to blogging, so thanks for your support. I will post new projects over the weekend, so be sure to stop back! Take Care, and Happy Stamping!

http://thestampsell-er.blogspot.com/

Day 2 - RemARKable New Catalog Blog Tour

Hello! I am happy you stopped by today! I just love the way Blushing Bride and Concord Crush complement each other. These are two of the new In Colors in the new Idea Book & Catalog. The big news is that the In Colors will now be featured for 2 years! Woo-Hoo! There are 5 new colors in the In Color Collection: Blushing Bride, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, and Pear Pizzazz. Five new In Colors will be added to the next catalog, for a total of 10 In Colors! Way to go, Stampin' Up!

Here are the supplies I used for this card:

Blushing Bride Cardstock and Stampin' Write Marker

Concord Crush Cardstock and Stampin' Write Marker

Whisper White Cardstock

Vintage Vogue stamp set

Occasional Quotes Level 3 Hostess Set

Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set

Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (I LOVE this!!!)

2-Way Glue Pen

Dazzling Diamonds

Stampin' Dimensionals

Word Window Punch

Modern Label Punch

Whisper White 5/8" Organza Ribbon

Paper Snips

The card is made with Blushing Bride cardstock. I used the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder on the Whipser White cardstock to get the BEAUTIFUL texture. This is a must have for the Sizzix Big Shot machine! I used the Concord Crush Stampin' Write Marker to color the "Love" verse from the Occasional Quotes set. Did you know you can use our Stampin' Write Markers to apply ink to stamps if you don't have the Classic Stampin' Pad? I also used Corcord Crush to stamp the small flower from the Vintage Vogue set. The large flower and vine were stamped using the Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker. Our Paper Snips are great for cutting out these flowers and other detailed images. I used Stampin' Dimensionals to layer the Concord Crush flower on top of the Blusing Bride flower. I layerd the Whisper White cardstock onto the Concord Crush, then wrapped a piece of Whisper White Organza Ribbon around it. I attached it to the Blusing Bride Card, and then used Stampin' Dimensionals to attach the verse and the flowers.

The inside of the card mirrors the outside of the card. I stamped the vine with Blusing Bride on two corners of the Whisper White layer. "Happy Anniversary" from Teeny Tiny Wishes was stamped with Concord Crush onto a scrap of Whisper White, then punched out with the Word Window punch. Concord Crush cardstock was used to punch out the Modern Label. These were layered together, then adhered to the inside of the card.

I hope you enjoyed this project! Be sure to stop back tomorrow!

http://thestampsell-er.blogspot.com

RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour Day 1: Because I Care

I just LOVE this stamp set, "Because I Care." This is a Level 1 Hostess Set that you can choose when you have a workshop with merchandise orders of $150 or more. It is available in wood mount and clear mount. I chose the clear mount version of this set.

I used Crumb Cake cardstock for the base card, Early Espresso cardstock for the darker layer, and Very Vanilla cardstock for the stamping piece. I stamped the hydrangea and sponged the edges of the Very Vanilla cardstock with the Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad. I used the Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad to stamp the words "thank you." I added Dazzling Diamonds to the center of each flower with our 2-Way Glue Pen. I wrapped Linen Thread around the card and tied a bow on the side. The verse inside is from a Level 3 Hostess Set, Occasional Quotes. You can choose this Level 3 Hostess Set when you have a workshop with merchandise orders of $500 or more. I paired this card with our Very Vanilla Medium Envelope and stamped the front of the envelope with Crumb Cake and Early Espress Classic Ink Pads.

I hope you enjoyed this card! Thanks for stopping by today, and I will see you tomorrow with another stamping project.

http://thestampsell-er.blogspot.com/

RemARKable Stampers Blog Tour

I am busy creating with new colors & new stamps! Be sure to visit later this week!

Wedding Bird Cage

I decorated this bird cage for a friend's wedding reception. I used the Fancy Flower Extra-Large punch to make the roses, and the 2-Step Bird Punch. The birds were punched in Shimmery White cardstock, and the edges were sponged with Elegant Eggplant ink. I punched 4 sets of birds and used Stampin' Dimensionals to give them depth. Each bird is made with 2 bodies adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals, and 2 wings -- one adhered to the front of the bird and one adhered to the back of the bird. Stampin' Dimensionals were used for the wings, too.
The roses were made with Shimmery White cardstock and Elegant Eggplant cardstock. The leaves were made with Old Olive cardstock.
Everything was attached to the bird cage with mini glue dots so the bride could remove the decorations and use the bird cage in her home. This was a fun project!

Make & Takes for "Retirement" Open House

Here are two of the Make & Takes we will be making this weekend at my "Retirement" Open House. These stamp sets are "retiring" on June 30th, so be sure to place your order right away. You can order directly on my Stampin' Up! website, http://nancyamato.stampinup.net/.

The first card uses Bordering Blue cardstock and ink. I used the Tulipe Bigz Die to make a stencil, and sponged Bordering Blue ink onto the front of the card. The Bella Bleu Designer Series paper is layered onto a strip of Very Vanilla cardstock, and the edges are sponged with Bordering Blue ink. The "happiness" word is part of the Warm Words stamp set (#115108, $21.95). This is a set of 8 stamps and is "retiring" on June 30th. Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon finishes it off for an elegant look.

The second card uses Pink Passion, Yoyo Yellow, and Only Orange cardstock and ink. The stamp set is called Enjoy Every Moment (#113622, $31.95). This stamp set has 11 stamps and is very versatile. It is great for greeting cards and scrapbook pages. Tempting Turquoise 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon and a Flower Designer Brad finish off this fun and funky card.

Last Chance Lists!

June is an exciting month in the Stampin' Up! year -- the Last Chance Lists are posted! If you have stamp sets on your wish list that are "retiring," now is the time to order them before they are gone forever. This week, I will be posting photos of some of the projects I have made with stamp sets that are on the Last Chance List. Check back tomorrow for the first of these "retiring" stamp set projects.

Stampin' Up! Color Renovation!

Stampin' Up! announced exciting news yesterday -- the Color Renovation! Some of my favorite retired In-Colors are returning into the color families, especially Baja Breeze! (It looks SO gorgeous with Chocolate Chip!) And, new colors are being added. The four color families are also changing. Starting July 1st, the color families will be the Subtles Collection, the Regals Collection, the Brights Collections, and the Neutrals Collection. Stampin' Up! will be bidding a fond farewell to some of the current colors, as well. Please contact me for all of the info!

Vintage Vogue

I just LOVE the Vintage Vogue stamp set featured in the Occasions Mini Catalog! It is very versatile. You can use it for birthday cards, get well cards, wedding cards and more! This get well card was one of the Make & Takes from my Stamp & Scrap for UNICEF day. The large flower is stamped in Rich Razzleberry and the small flowers are stamped in Pretty In Pink with Rich Razzleberry sponged on the outside of the petals. The flower centers sparkle with Dazzling Diamonds, and the flowers are adhered to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. Old Olive cardstock was used for the leaves and the scalloped strip. Enjoy!

Hello, all! Well, we have had our fair share of snow in the mid-Atlantic states in the last 2 weeks, and we are supposed to have just a few inches more today. Heck, we can handle that! I have been stamping during all of this snow, and I will post photos of what I have been doing later today. I am still trying to learn the ropes of blogging, so I hope to improve the appearance of my blog soon. Stay Warm!