Welcome to my blog!

Thank you for visiting my blog about cards and other hobbies. Stamp Club is for anyone that would enjoy making cards and learning new techniques - we would love to have you come! We meet the first Saturday of each month or the following Monday (unless changed because of holidays). (Each monthly get together is held those two days - sometimes one day is more convenient than the other!) An Evite is sent out each month - so if you would like to come to Stamp Club, just email me and let me know to put you on the Evite list: helencashon@gmail.com . Sometimes we have Stamp-A-Stacks or other classes also.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Good Books I've Read Recently

From time to time on Stamp Club days - at lunch - we talk about good books we've read.    I jotted some down and got them for Christmas -- some still waiting to be read.

One I heard about at a Bible Study last year I finally got and thoroughly enjoyed. 

When Crickets Cry - by Charles Martin.

I also ordered some other books by him - Wrapped in Rain was excellent also.

I have several others, but haven't read them yet.   And I noticed on Amazon.com that he had just had a new one come out.

And if you've read the Mitford Series books (some of my all time favorites - very light, enjoyable reading) by Jan Karon - there is a new companion novel - Home to Holly Springs.   That was enjoyable also, although not quite as light a fare as the series.   Also made me think of Laura as I think Holly Springs is close to Madison  where she and Scott and the kids moved last year.  Or it may be that Holly Springs is close to Jackson where her mother is (am I right Laura?)   I think it mentioned Jackson in the book - but I couldn't find it when I flipped back through it to look.  We miss you Laura!

I asked those that came to Play Day the other day to send me a list of books they've read and enjoyed -- so I know what to add to my Wish List!  Thanks, Pat, for sending me your list!
Oh - by the way - "Eddie" said that Kathy Bradley's (who has the column in every other Sunday's paper) book is on preorder now through Amazon.   I love her writing - the way she paints pictures with words - so I know I'll order her book soon.

News from Stampin' Up!

Exciting things are going on with Stampin' Up! right now.   The annual Sale-A-Bration has started where for every $50 you spend, you get a free SAB goodie for FREE!  This promotion lasts until March 31, 2012.

Details here.

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Any time you are shopping online, make sure my name is in the upper right corner.  Also, if you don't click in the store for about 20 minutes, it is my understanding that it will default to http://www.stampinup.com/ and you will be ordering directly from Stampin' Up! and not through me.  You will pay more and won't get any freebies. 

You can also phone in orders to me:   912-839-2161.

Remember that if you order online if your order is over $150, you will qualify for Freebies just like if you hosted your own one person workshop.

So be sure to get the very best prices and any freebies you may qualify for by clicking on my Stampin' Up! website: 

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/helencashon/

(And use this site and go to Shop Now if any of the above address links don't work - this is the first time I've tried to include those direct to what I'm talking about areas of my Stampin' Up! website.   Always remember to check out the Clearance Rack too!  (Clearance Rack items can only be ordered through an online order.)


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Also -- we can download My Digital Studio Express for a FREE 30 day trial offer.  This offer lasts until the end of February.

CLICK HERE to download MDS Express for FREE for 30 days.

With the FREE trial, you'll get:

- Full access fo the software at NO COST for 30 days.
- Full design functionality.
- Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express.  Content here.
- Opportunity to purchase additional downloads from designer paper to stamp brush sets - and everything in between.
- Access to Stampin' Up!s professional print services. 

Once your trial period expires, simply contact me or go through my Stampin' Up! website to purchase the downloadable or disc version of the software to continue enjoying and creating with My Digital Studio.

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Also, Stampin' Up! recently announced some changes to the catalog program.  Sometimes customers were overwhelmed with the offerings in the mini catalogs and felt they didn't have enough time to purchase all the items they wanted.  I know I've felt that way.  Stampin' Up! listened!

Now there will be only two seasonal catalogs a year in addition to the main catalog.  Those two seasonal catalogs will be a little larger and will last longer - 5 months each.    The Occasions, Summer, and Holiday mini catalogs will be replaced the the two seasonal catalogs called the Holiday Catalog and the Spring Catalog.  The first Holiday Catalog will run from August 1, 2012 to the begining of January 2013.   The first Spring Catalog will run from the beginning of January 2013 through May 31, 2013.

The name of the main catalog will change from Idea Book and Catalog to Annual Catalog.  The Annual Catalog will run from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.  The Annual Catalog will be reduced from over 240 pages in the current Idea Book and Catalog to about 208 pages. 

The Definitely Decorative vinyl elements and the Simply Adorned jewerly offerings will not longer be offered.

Please take note:  The current Idea Book and Catalog will retire May 31, 2012 - a month earlier than the date printed on the back of that catalog.  I just want to make sure you know this so that you can plan ahead. 

Recap: 
- There will not be another mini catalog right after the current Occasions Mini ends April 30.

- The new Annual Catalog comes out in June.

I anticipate that we will get the current Idea Book and Catalog retirement list in a timely manner closer to May so that we will know the items that will retire from the main catalog.   I'll let you know when that list is available.

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Let me know if you have any questions.

January 2012 Stamp Club

January 7 and 9, 2012
Happy New Year!

Before I begin talking about the cards --
Some tips I recently learned and shared in Stamp Club:


- Use Dawn dishwashing soap to get clear blocks clean and help them to be cling friendly.

- With solid images that sometimes don't stamp evenly

1. Clean the stamp with Staz-On cleaner, dab with paper towel; then clean with Stampin' Mist and cleaner pad. That's a tip you've heard from me before - I really think that helps immensely.

2. Ink the stamp by placing the stamp rubber side up and dabbing the ink pad on it (i.e., opposite from the way we usually ink up a stamp.)

3. Then, if there are still some not evenly inked areas -- push in the top of ink pad (ink pad closed) so that you get an ink palette on the inside of the cover. Pick up ink from here with a blender pen and fill in the less inked areas. And I think I remember that it works better if you go in circles than in lines. The ink pad palette and blender pen create a softer look and work in much better than if you try to fill in the less inked areas with a marker. This idea came from Mary Fish at www.stampinpretty.com on her 12/28/11 blog post.

- With the Framelits and Edgelits - I replaced the card they come on (the are adhered to it with doublestick tape) with Magnet Sheet I ordered out of the Idea Book and Catalog.  I just used the cardboard they come on as a guide to cut the magnet sheet.   I thought about putting them in the clear cases like the stamps come in, but I think I am going to like the magnet sheet in the clear envelope that the Framelits and Edgelits come in - I'm trying both ways.

Love Tree Card
CASED from Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration 2012 catalog

Stamp Set:  Easy Events

Stamp Set:  Word Play



Edgelit Card
Designed by Helen!

The hearts are made with two different embosslits dies that both cut and emboss the cardstock.
The decorative edge is from the new Edgelits die and the coordinating Adorning Accents embossing folder.



Just Believe with Cork Card
CASED with changes from Ilina Crouse

Stamp set is Just Believe.  Cork is from the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog.


Several of us decided to forego the crochet ribbon and make the card more masculine.  We found out we could punch circles out of the cork with the regular hole punch - like the kind you use in an office.

I found out that regular Classic Black ink worked best with the Cork.  I tried Staz-On and it did not do well.  Staz-On is made for non-porous surfaces ... cork is definitely not non-porous!

The cork oval was cut out with the Oval Frame Die and the Big Shot.

This one has Crumb Cake (I think) Taffeta ribbon.

This one has Vanilla Grosgain ribbon.


Labels Framelit Card
CASED from Kate Coffman but with different stamp set.

Stamp set is P.S. I Love You in the Occasions Mini 2012.
The sentiment stamp set is Heard from the Heart from the main Idea Book and Catalog.
Shapes are made using the new Labels Framelit die in the Occasions mini.


December 2011 Stamp Club

December Stamp Club
December 3 and December 5, 2011

Shutter Peek-A-Boo Card
From Heather Summers from Nicole




Inside:



Punched Angel Card
CASED from Michele Reynolds
In Stampin' Connection 10/24/11



Delightful Decorations Ornament in
Scalloped Circle Punched Window
CASED, but not sure who from. 
Original idea from Diane Schultz


Other cards using the Merry and Bright stamp set:

CASED from Laura Leuenberger/CASED from Tiffany Bauer
In Stampin' Connection November 1, 2011
Some changes made each time



CASED from Barbara Dondero
On Stampin' Connection November 15, 2011



CASED from Donna at ButternutSageDesigns
Posted November 22, 2011



CASED from (will come back and add name when I find that sheet!)