And the WINNER is....

Congratulations to the StampinJewels randomly chosen Winner Lee who wrote:
"Happy Birthday! I really love what you've done with Holy Triptych! My best friend and I were a little stumped on an idea that used the three panels. Yours is great! Thanks for sharing it!
at 4:43 AM"

Lee - Please contact me at footbag10@att.net so we can arrange for the mailing of your prize!!

A BIG Thank You to everyone who checked out my Blog and left a Comment of Good Wishes to play along for my first ever Blog Candy. Now I see why others do this - it is FUN, Fun, fun!! I just might do this again?! :)

I hope you all enjoyed my Blog and will stop back regularly.

Star Studded Triptych Kings

I designed this for my parents as a thank you for taking care of our children this coming weekend , while Steve & I are presenting our first Marriage Encounter weekend. I knew my Mom would tell me not to make her cards again this year (last year they were an early Christmas present) because she thinks I am "so" busy. But how can she refuse them if they are a thank you gift?! ;) Aahh well, she won't refuse them anyway because she loves my hand-stamped cards and so do all the people she sends them to! As I made this - I thought to myself, "Next year - *I* am doing a simpler design like this for MY Christmas cards!" ROFL!!! Yah, riiiiiiight! (Okay - so some of you wouldn't call this a simple design, but compared to the Holy Triptych Triptych (scroll down a few posts) - it would definitely be a simpler design!!)

This card is called a Z-Fold because I scored the front cover at its half-way mark and folded it back on itself. The Regal Rose is actually the inside of the card, but it was cut to provide a layered look with the focal piece image. The little stars are Heat Embossed in Clear EP for the subtle appearance of a dark, starry night - yet the Clear EP gives them a nice shine to reflect the light. The Star-Studded Star is stamped So Saffron on So Saffron, Paper Snipped out and mounted on a double layer of Dimensionals - which not only "pops' it up, but allows it to be used as a 'closure' for the Z-Fold.

Stamps: Holy Triptych & Star-Studded (both in the soon to expire - this week!- 2007 Holiday Mini) & Background Basics. Card Stock: Elegant Eggplant, Regal Rose, Rose Red, So Saffron & Very Vanilla. Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark, So Saffron. Accessories: Stampin Writes in More Mustard, So Saffron, Almost Amethyst, Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Handsome HUnter & Sage Shadow; Clear & Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Paper Snips, Personal Paper Trimmer for Scoring, Table Top Paper Cutter for cutting and Didmensionals for mounting the Star 'closure'.

Birthday BLOG CANDY!!

WELCOME to my Birthday Blog Candy Party! As I promised - I have my first ever Blog Candy offering in honor of my birthday today!! I am 37 today - and I praise God I made it this far! :) He has blessed me with SO MUCH I get overwhelmed trying to remember it all.

My BirthdayBlog Candy consists of a bag'o'ribbon varying colors, styles and lengths, some Ribbon Original leftovers (what is shown is what the lucky winner will receive) and an Accent & Elements Tin with four different sheets of self-adhesive die cuts inside (I believe this is from the Spring 2007 Mini).

So how do you enter for the Birthday Blog Candy? By leaving a comment on this Blog Candy post telling me what is your favorite post & why - from this, the StampinJewels Blog. Feel free to browse the Archives to find your favorite post. And please share the StampinJewels Birthday Blog Candy Party invitation with a friend or two or three!

Winner will be chosen and announced Tues., Nov. 26th - so remember to check back and see if you've won! ENJOY!

Hostess Set SNEAK PEEK!!

This Thanksgiving I have been making a special point of counting my blessings each day for the last week, and saying a prayer of thanks for each of them. My spouse, my children, my family, my friends, YOU (my customers and friends) have been counted each day, and so has Stampin' Up! I have gained so much personally and professionally from my association with Stampin' Up! over the past four and half years, especially in the area of creative expression and outlet. This Thanksgiving, CEO and co-founder Shelli Gardner decided to express these same feelings by sending SU! demonstrators a FREE Level 3 Hostess Set from the Spring/Summer 2008 Catalog!!! The sample you see here is MY Thank You to Shelli for who she is and all she does - not just with SU!, but in general in her life. We can count ourselves as extra special when we hear and answer God's calls for His service in our lives - as husband/wife, parent, family member, Church community member, employer/employee etc. When it comes to thanking God our Creator and Father - "Too much of a good thing is a GOOD THING". May He continue to bless each one us. Enjoy!

StampinJewels 2007 Holiday Mini Special!!

To celebrate my Birthday this weekend - I am offering 10% OFF any 2007 Holiday Mini item not already on special!! It's my birthday, but YOU get the gift! Remember, the 2007 Holiday Mini items are only available through November 29th (except those items part of the Wrapping Up the Holidays Promotion below) (Note: This special is not avilable for Workshop orders. Individual orders only.)

Check back for your chance to WIN Birthday Blog Candy!!!

Wrapping up the Holidays

Stampin' Up! always comes through with a fun special to boost our holiday creativity - and this year is no different! Check out the Wrapping Up The Holidays Nov. 23 - Dec. 15 - while supplies last!

Holiday Tag Bundle (item 112409) A new item just for this promotion!This bundle includes several pre-cut pieces from the Holiday Glitz kit and makes 15 quick and easy toppers for gift giving. $4.95 each
Note: The Holiday Tag Bundle includes 15 of each of the following pieces:
-Whisper White card stock-Real Red textured card stock-Soft Sky Prints Designer Series Paper (Dotted Diamond pattern)-Real Red twill tape
The pieces for this bundle make 15 cellophane bag toppers that are perfect for neighbor or teacher gifts.

Empty Accents and Elements Tin-3 Pack (item 112410) A new item chosen just for this promotion! $9.95 each

Tags for All Stamp Set* (item 110380) (pg. 7 Holiday Mini) 20% off = $24.76

Hand Selected Accents & Elements (item 110228) (pg. 12 Holiday Mini) 25% off = $8.21

Designer Gift Cards* (item 110264) (pg. 14 Holiday Mini) 30% off = $4.55

Purely Pomegranate (item109863) and Chocolate Chip (item 109862) Satin Ribbon (pg. 22 Holiday Mini) * Buy 1, get 1 free!*

**(NOTE: 2007 Holiday MIni products that are part of this special, are the only Holiday Mini items that will still be available after November - and only while supplies last.)**

Valentine for Men

I have finally gotten to play with the lovely "Valentine" stamp set from CreativePlayStamps.com. I found an unsual color combo from the In Color Combo Chart that SU! provided us demos, and was immediately intrigued. First because I *never* would have put these colors together on my own. Second because I am *always* on the lookout for potentially great masculine color combos. So this is my first attempt with this color combo and a masculine Valentine design. The CPS Valentine stamp set is lovely, and lends itself to one of my favorite techniques - watercoloring. The focal piece is Naturals White CS that has been color washed with the Pale Plum Watercolor Wonder Crayon and Aquapainter - this gives a little color but not overpowering. The flowers and hearts are watercolored from the Classic Ink Pads of Purely Pomegranate & Bravo Burgundy, Going Gray & Basic Gray. I love the "love" image done in tiny hearts - and picked up on the texture & interest it brings with Crimping on the Bravo Burgundy strip as well as Paper Piercing with the Crafters Tool Kit on the Basic Gray along the edges of the Bravo Burgundy. A touch of metal with the Black Brads, and how about that tiny Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon? Taffeta and Basic Gray - can you get much more sensuous than that? :)

P.S. I think this design was just crying out for Dazzling Diamonds Glitter - BUT not on a masculine design! heehee ;)

Holy Triptych - Triptych!

The StampinJewels Blog has been quiet over the weekend because I was away stamping!! Woohoo! This was the third year (my second) of this annual stamping get-away planned by my good friend and sideline demo Tina M. The location is a beautiful Retreat Center and though it is not far from home, it seems like it is - the best of both worlds! :) I worked on my Christmas cards all weekend - and am pleased with how much I got done, but I still have a ways to go. Can you see why? When I first saw this design(by Michele Fisher) using the Holy Triptych Stamp Set in the 2007 Holiday Mini Catalog, it was love at first sight! So this year - I am giving a gift instead of a card - a Christmas decoration that I hope some of my recipients will add to their annual decoration stash and enjoy for years to come. I chose the Dynamic Duo(from the SU! Color Coach) of Handsome Hunter and Sage Shadow to keep the richness of the Christmas Season colors. The Square Ice Brads add the perfect amount of sparkle - and the Holy Family shines as the centerpiece raised above all others. This design is quite the undertaking - but isn't that what Christmas is all about? Spending your time, energy and Love on gifts for family and other loved ones - just as Joseph and Mary did in their "YES!" to God's plan of salvation? ENJOY!

November Paper Party!

During the month of November, purchase three packs of our Designer Series Papers and receive one pack absolutely FREE!!! Regular shipping and tax will apply to the three purchased packs, there is no shipping or tax on the free pack.Designer Series Papers are 12x12, patterned on both sides, come twelve sheets to a pack, and sell for only $9.95 per pack. These papers on pages 170-173 of the Fall-Winter Catalog and pages 12 and 19 of the Holiday Mini Catalog.
Here is a list of the paper packs and their coordinating card stock and ink colors:
Outlaw - Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla
Brocade Backgrounds - Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, River Rock
Fall Flowers - Old Olive, Really Rust, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky
Linen Prints - Always Apricot, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, Pink Passion
Porcelain Prints - Blue Bayou, River Rock, Wild Wasabi
Le Jardin - River Rock, Soft Sky, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Uptown - Almost Amethyst, Basic Gray, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi
Wintergreen - Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Soft Sky
Flowers for You - Certainly Celery, Lovely Lilac, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise
Petals & Paisleys - Certainly Celery, Taken w/Teal, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron
Creepy Crawly - Basic Black, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust
Notations No. 2 - More Mustard, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi
Charbon - Basic Gray, Very Vanilla
Cerise - Real Red, Very Vanilla
Dashing - Old Olive, Real Red, River Rock, Very Vanilla
Cutie Pie - Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, So Saffron
Darling Doodles - Brocade Blue, Groovy Guava, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi
Apple Cider - Close to Cocoa, River Rock, Really Rust, Wild Wasabi
Holiday Harmony - Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate, River Rock
Prints - These papers come in twelve patterns of one color per pack: Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst, Soft Sky, Tempting Turquoise, Brilliant Blue, Blue Bayou, Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, River Rock, So Saffron, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, Pumpkin Pie, Groovy Guava, Rose Red Order your three packs and choose your fourth pack absolutely FREE. Call or email me today!!!

All in the Family Stamp Set SPECIAL!

Help us honour our friend and SU! Australia General Manager, Dave Abbott. Dave passed away from a rare blood disease, and during November we're donating 100 percent of the sales worldwide from the All in the Family Stamp Set to the Dave Abbott Family Fund. Dave left behind his wife and three small children.
To help Dave's family, I am offering All in the Family to you this month for the Catalog price of $36.95, there will be NO SHIPPING charged on the purchase of this individual set through November 29th. To see the color flyer on this set click HERE This is the perfect time to purchase such an adorable set and help a family devastated by a tremendous loss at the same time. I will accept orders, with payment for this promotion through Thursday, Nov. 29th (as I will be out of town beginning 11/30) I will place one order on 11/30 before I go out of town.

When All in the Family orders reach $150, I will draw a Mystery Hostess to win their choice of a Level 1 Host Only Set - a perfect chance to get that last Host Only item before they are retired in Janaury!!

Bump up your order to $50 and I will give you a Gift Certificate for a FREE SU! product of your choice (valued at up to $5.50) on your first Spring/Summer Collection 2008 order of $50.

ANNOUNCING: CreativePlayStamps.com!!!

I am SUPER EXCITED to Announce and Welcome a new online rubber art stamping store - http://www.creativeplaystamps.com/ - please go check them out! We personally know the owners are awesome people cuz they're our cousins! :) They've got some great stamps and accessories available, a layout section for inspiration and forums for posting artwork, chatting amongst ourselves and leaving comments and requests for art images and accessories we'd like to see them offer. *I* am particularly doing the happy dance because they are giving me the opportunity to be on their charter Design Team! Woohoo! The CreativePlayStamps.com Design Team also includes Maxene Choi. Here are some of the samples I have been able to create in the last two weeks - and now that my schedule has eased up a bit - I hope to have many more! So please go check them out - and tell them I sent you! (All these projects use CreativePlayStamps.com images and Stampin' Up! supplies. The Snowflake card uses a SU! word image.)

Merry & Bright Magnets

This and the next two posts are all items I made for the Holiday Bazaar Shop & Crop at my kid's school this weekend! Scroll down for the details and planon attending - stop by and tell me you saw it advertised on my blog and I'll have a stamped gift for you, hope to see you there! These are magnets made from clear, flat glass marbles, magnets, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. The entire image under the glass marble has the Glitter, but my scanner doesn't pick it up. Card Stock: Whisper White, Real Red, & Green Galore. I Sponge Daubered the Real Red Classic Ink around the edges of the scallops. Stamps: Merry & Bright Set (Holiday Mini pg. 15) AND the FAB SU! Scallop Circle Punch. If you don't already have this punch, are you getting the idea you NEED it yet?! ;) It would make a perfect Christmas or Birthday or Just Because gift for yourself or your favorite stampin' & scrappin' pal - contact me today to get it now!!

Christmas Cello Treats

Do you see a trend in these posts? Scallop Punch maybe! :) Well - I can't help myself - the SU! Scallop Punch is just so versatile and cute.

Snowman Kisses: Mini-marshmallows - yummy! Stamps: Merry & Bright (Holiday Mini pg. 15) & Punch Pals - snowflake border on the Scallop Punch Circle. (Fall/winter Collection 2007 pg.43) Ink: StazOn Black, Soft Sky, Whisper White Craft. Card Stock: Whisper White, Soft Sky, and Blue Bayou. Accessories: Small, Flat Cello Bags (pg. 192), Blender Pen (to color hat/scarf Soft Sky.) & of course the Scallop Circle Punch and 1 3/8" & 1 1/4" Circle Punches.

Rudolph Noses: Uses everything above but with color changes. Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red & Naturals White. Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink. Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers in Real Red and Creamy Caramel.

Contact me today to place your order for the supplies to make these cute Christmas Cello Treats - you'll have to find the treat part yourself! :)

Snowman Bookmark Clippies

Yet another Stampin' Up! Scallop Circle Punch idea! This one has been pretty hot on the stampin' blogs and you can see why! These are so cute! And they are simple and FUN to make. Although I didn't scan the back, it is a Scallop Punch of an SU! Designer Series Double-Sided Paper. You can find these Mega Paper Clips at office supply stores, even Wal-Mart. I used: Stamps: Merry & Bright (Holiday Mini pg. 15). Ink: StazOn Black. Card Stock: Wild Wasabi, Real Red and Shimmery White. Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch (Fall/Winter Collection 2007 pg. 183), 1 3/8" & 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Red Gingham Ribbon, Pop-Up Glue Dots (pg. 185).

Imagine the possibilities with these! One for every major holiday and season, monogram Clippies - the sky's the limit! Happy Clippie Crafting!!

Moonlighting Snowman

You can see how much FUN this little guy is having in the sparkly, swirling snow! He emanates the joy my kids feel while playing in the first snow flurries of the season - which probably aren't too far away at this point! :)

My inspiration for this layout was on the cover of the November Paper Crafts. I loved the idea of a spotlight like from a ray of sun, o rin this little guy's case - a ray of moonlight! I chose the color scheme from the SU! Color coach Dynamic Duos - Handsome Hunter & Sage Shadow. I thought the Bashful Blue gave it a warmer, moonlit look than the starkness of Whisper White - I didn't want that much contrast. The Snowman's hat and scarf are colored in using the Blender Pen and the Sage Shadow Classic Ink Pad. Stamp Sets: Merry & Bright (Holiday Mini pg. 15) and Cold Play (Fall/Winter Collection 2007 pg. 44) & Priceless (F/W Collection 2007 pg. 117) Inks: Bashful Blue Craft, Sage Shadow & Handsome Hunter Classic. Accessories: Two Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Blender Pen. ENJOY!

Warm Winter Penguin

I was looking for a color combination that said 'warm winter' - and this came together perfectly! The base is Soft Sky, with a great dynamic duo combo of blush Blossom & Groovy Guava. Classic Inks used were Soft Sky and Groovy Guava. I used the Two Way Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (so fast and easy!)to add sparkle to the penguin's scarf and the snowflakes. The penguin's scarf was colored in using a Blender Pen and the Soft Sky Classic Ink pad. Other accessories used: Tag & Small Tag Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals (to pop up the penguin tag) and Soft Sky Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon. Stamp Sets: Punch Pals (penguin and tag outline), All Through the Year (snowflake) and Much Appreciated (thank you). I plan on making these for my kid's teachers for Christmas gifts as teachers can always use thank yous!

This card, and the two that follow it - are the projects we made at a November Totally Hands On workshop I had last weekend! Book your Workshop party with me and we'll do fun projects like these too!

Thanksgiving Turkey

I have seen many animals, flowers, etc. made out of punched card stock, so when I saw a post about another punched turkey (You can do it with the SU! Oval Punches too), I didn't even read it! I happened to be in the demonstrator Gallery of Sudsol and saw this little turkey gem and fell in love! I am already in love with the SU! Scallop Circle Punch - and this little guy is the stuffing in the turkey! (heehee) No stamping, just punching, Paper Snipping, Sponge Daubering ink and adhering together. I wanted the turkey to be the focal point, so I didn't add any background images. However, though you can't see it, the More Mustard is the New Textured Card Stock and it gives the most subtle texture which was perfect for adding texture but not taking away from the focal point. This turkey would be adorable on your Thanksgiving placecards, don't you think? Contact me to TODAY to order your Scallop Circle Punch, as well as your Christmas card supplies.

Criss Cross Christmas

One of the latest crazes is doing these Criss Cross layouts for cards. They are cute - aren't they? This layout really allows for wonderful showcasing of the Fabulous SU! Double-Sided Designer Series Papers(DSP). I actually call this one a "faux" criss cross - because I used less card stock than the original directions called for, and compensated for the slight differences by making the insert smaller. This pic shows the insert pulled out, so you can see it. Stamp Sets: Merry & Bright (Holiday Mini pg. 15) & Flaky Friends (Fall/Winter Collection pg. 42). CardStock: Real Red, Brocade Blue, Wild Wasabi, More Mustard & Whisper White. Ink: Whisper White Craft, Real Red, More Mustard & Basic Black. Accessories: Primary Colors Simply Scrappin' Kit, Signo White Gel Pen, Scallop circle Punch, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Round Tab Punch & Earth Element Brads.

Tip: The Criss Cross layout is a GREAT way to use up those leftover pieces of Designer Series Paper! Go stamp - and let me know what you came up with!