As You See It Challenge

It's theme week!! 

How many of you include animals on your cards normally?  Not me.  Maybe, for a baby shower card but that's about it.  

So I scrounged around in my stamp room and came across this elephant that I have always liked.  He's such a party animal so a happy birthday card it became.  

Please play along with us at www.asyouseitchallenge.com this week & show off your animal inspired project!  

Check out all the great Stampin' Up! supplies at www.taraangus.stmpinup.net

Happy Stamping! 

House of Blues, speed style! 

Are you ready for a new style of challenge?  This one is sure to get your heart pumping.  

Here's the rules:  You need to focus on shades of blue and do it in 10 minutes or less! 

I have to admit this challenge did make me panic a bit, but in the end it all came together.  I used the Best Mate stamp set from Stampin' Up!'s occasions catalog along with matching paper.  

Please play along with the challenge at www.asyouseeitchallenge.com

Check out all of Stampin' Up!'s products at www.taraangus.stampinup.net

As You See It Challenge

It's another week and another challenge.  Are you loving the new inspiration each week that you find with the challenges?  I know I'm glad that they are keeping me stamping & creating.  

What a great & simple design!  Plus, those thought bubbles are all the rage right now.  

Here is my sample using some of the wooden pieces that Stampin' Up! brought out in the Occasions Catalog.  I just quick stamped the sentiment on it with Staz-On black ink. Easy peezy.  

Don't forget to play along at www.asyouseeitchallenge.com  

Happy Stamping!  

As You See It Challenge #22

It's another week and another challenge.  If your week was anything like mine you were probably snowed in at home.  It has been snowing like crazy in Michigan for the past week with another storm to arrive on Saturday.  I'm ready for spring.  

Here is this week's challenge!  

Gotta love a great open ended challenge right!  Ok, I have to admit I am not a purple gal at all.  I do like Elegant Eggplant but Wisteria Wonder I have never used.  * Confession:  I had to take the plastic wrap off my Wisteria Wonder ink pad after about 2 years!!  Yikes!  *Confession #2: I think I really like the color and should of used it long ago, sigh. 

Here is the card I ended up with.  I'm going to call it a sunburst card.  There are a bunch of great YouTube videos out there with instruction on how to make them.  I just switched it up a bit by using card stock and sliding the layers.  The Whisper White is actually the base layer.  

Hope ya like it!  

As always please play along with the challenge at www.asyouseeitchallenge.com

& shop at www.taraangus.stampinup.net for all of Stampin' Up! great products.  

As You See It Challenge! 

It's that time again for another challenge from the AYSI design team.  I really like this sketch and how easy my project came together.  

Here is the scrapbook page that I came up with of Adventure Baby & our dog Marley.  My daughter loves this dog so much & the dog loves her.  They are peas in a pod.  Marley was a new addition to our family this summer, so we are still working on some things, like don't run on the leash.   

Now it's your turn to take the challenge.  Link up your project to the As You See It Challenge blog.

Did you know that My Digital Studio has a FREE 30 day trial?  Check it out at www.taraangus.stampinup.net

As You See It Challenge #12

There is nothing like a good challenge right?  This week's sketch is a keeper that's easy to change to whatever your occasion is.  

 What an easy layout, right?  

I decided to make a quick and cute easy Christmas card.  I also ran washi tape through the big shot to make the rick-rack piece.  I attached it to whisper white card stock first though.  

Please make sure that you play along this week!  We will be giving away blog candy!  The winner of this weeks challenge will receive (you have to live in North America) a pop-n-place kit.  It's a great kit! Make sure you link up to www.asyouseeitchallenge.com with your project.  Good luck!  

Lovin' Stampin Up! products?  You can always order here!  www.taraangus.stampinup.net

As You See It Challenge

Remember way back when....you know when you would play the telephone game in school or youth group?  It would start out as Sally got a new dog & end up as George went to a concert.  

So my understanding is that this week's challenge is called a telephone design.  I'm not so sure why that is but it is.  I'm thinking because we give you the items to use and you do the design.  

So here it is!  

The challenge is to use all the items listed above in your card.  

I 'may' of cheated a bit and made my card a 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 sized card.  The beauty on this size card is you can still mail it in a normal card envelope.  

I used my Sizzix Big Shot to cut out the flowers and stamped the background using my favorite set Gorgeous Grunge.  Love that stamp set!  Next I stamped Thanks and assembled the card.  Quick, easy, and cute, my type of card.  

Please play along in the As You See It Challenge this week but linking up at www.asyouseeitchallenge.com

As always you may order Stampin' Up! products from me at www.taraangus.stampinup.com

As You See It Design Challenge

Are you lovin' these challenges or what?!?!?!  

I know I am lovin' being part of the design team and having a new reason to create something each week.  So follow along for this weeks new challenge.  

This is such a great sketch, don't you think?  

I love the simplicity of it and how it can be used for so many different types of cards.  

When I saw this layout I knew immediately that I would want to use the new Circle Card Thinlit card die from Stampin' Up!  Basically using one sheet of paper it makes the flip card after running it thru your Big Shot.  

I also used some of our great designers series paper for the card base and added some of our great chevron ribbon. Of course I stamped the flower to add a bit of pizzaz.  Love that stuff!  

Here is the inside of the card (flipped open).  Cute, quick, and simple.  

Please join us and play along at As You See It Challenge for the chance to be our weekly winner & link up your project inspired by this sketch.   

Lastly, if you are interested in ordering any of the products above please hop on over to my website:  www.taraangus.stampinup.net

As You See It Challenge #4

It's been almost a month already that we have been playing along with the As You See It Challenge blog!  It's been TONS of fun already.  

Here we go!  Challenge #4

It's a dandy.  Don't you think?  

I decided to go ahead and use Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock with some matching designers series paper from the Soho Subway (my fave) pack.  Added lots of detail with the Pamplona Potpourri stamp set, Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, and the Many Thanks stamp set.  

Here is a close up where you can see the butterflies that I punched out and layered onto Early Espresso cardstock.  I also used the dotted ribbon scallop punch to give another layer in front of the ruffled ribbon.  

Hope you enjoyed the challenge this week!  

Don't forget to play along with the challenge and link up to the As You See It blog.  

Lastly, if you love the products you see featured here please wander over to my Stampin' Up! website for more ideas and to purchase products. www.taraangus.stampinup.net

Thanks for checking out my project this week!

Happy Stampin,

       Tara

As You See It Design Challenge #1

I'm so excited to be part of the Design Team for the all new As You See It Design Challenge Blog.  I'm designing with a bunch of great friends & Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from Canada and the U.S.  

Each week there will be a new card layout design that will be highlighted on the blog & also my cards for the week will be posted here.  Of course there will be a weekly card challenge on the design blog.

The first layout is a great one that I'm sure you'll LOVE.  Very hip and modern.

So without further adieu, here are my week one cards:  

I guess you could say this week I love pattern.  

The first card is a great birthday or even a girls night out party card.  I think the Happy Hour stamp set is super cute.  It has some great words along with all the drink glasses.  What I love most about this set is the pattern within the glasses.  

The colors that are used are Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake.  Did you notice my washi tape flags?  Yep, that's the new washi out of the holiday mini along with the great stripe designer series paper.  

Why Hello There!  

I flipped the layout just a tad this week to match the great designers series paper.  See those rings (almost like coffee rings) on the paper.  Yep, they came that way on one of the sheets Epic Day This & That paper.  On the left side I stamped with Gorgeous Grunge in Crumb Cake to give a bit more texture.  Then I stamped Oh, Hello in Espresso from the Oh, Hello stamp set.  

The flags are all from the Epic Day paper too.  Add a little Baker's Twine and a Naturals button and you are all set to go.  

Hope you enjoyed this week's challenge and make sure to visit As You See It Challenge Blog for great cards from the rest of the Design Team.  

*Don't forget to participate in the challenge too!  Link up your our creation on the AYSI blog. 

Enjoy & have a great weekend!  

Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop!

 Thank you so much for joining us on our very first Kaleidoscope Stampers Blog Hop!  We are very excited to share what we have been working on with you.

I am SO excited about the brand new Sale-A-Bration stamp set Feeling Sentimental.  It has me all sentimental about when I studied abroad in the UK during college.  Ah, good times.  Anyway here are just a couple of cards that I made with the set.  

 The first one I tried to grunge up the designer series paper by crumpling it, sponging it, and spritzing it.  I then stamped the phone booth over top in Saraha Sand ink and colored in the negative a Cherry Cobble Stampin' Write marker.

 Lastly, I added some of our great Natural 7/16 Trim Ribbon to set it off.  I love the burlap look right now so this ribbon is right up my alley.  I won't tell you how many rolls I've ordered already since the Spring Mini Catalog came out.

 The second card I made was a quick & easy one.  Using the Window Frames Framelits just made this card fit together like a glove.  I also used the designers series paper Parkers Patterns to give it a bit of flair wrapped in seam binding.

Still LOVIN the Feeling Sentimental stamp set?  If you are in the US please contact me so you to can earn it for FREE!

Hop on over to the next blog by the following the next link:

Desirée Spenst  at  www.kelowna.stampinup.net/blog

Make sure to check out the rest of the blogs in the hop too! 

Danielle Calder www.stampenvy.ca

Heather Cooper www.playingwithpapercrafting.com

Amanda Turner www.gotstamped.weebly.com

Tamara Casorso www.sweetstampinspot.blogspot.com

 Kristin Noble www.okanagan.stampinup.net/blog

Card Keeper: Sale- A- Bration Style

Way back in December I made one of my downline this great box for her to keep her cards in. At the time the box was in the Holiday Mini Catalog, but I did use the great designer paper from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!

Using the Big Shot I cut out the flowers on the top of the box plus added some ribbon to make it fancy. I also stamped on some of the cardstock flowers using the Sale-A-Bration Fresh Vintage stamp set.

I also covered some of the dividers with the DSP to spice up the inside.

The Sale-A-Bration products are still around till March 31st and the best part is they are free! For every $50 in product that you order you may pick out one of the items out of the Sale-A-Bration catalog for free.

If you are interested in ordering or seeing any of our catalogs please visit www.taraangus.stampinup.net

Online Spectacular is ON!

Online Spectacular is here! Only until the end of the week, so nows the time!

Also, free shipping on orders over $150, remember a $150 order will entitle you to a level one hostess set and $15 in free products, plus now free shipping!

Sorry for the strange listing here but I wanted you to see a list of the great deals, check out my website for a prettier version. The second price in the list is the sale price with the first price being the normal price.

*From the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog

**From the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure

50% off Products

Item Page Description Retail Price Sale Price

118108 181 My Digital Studio™ $79.95 $39.98

121715 16* Candy Cane Christmas Designer Fabric $9.95 $4.98

121716 16* Deck the Halls Designer Fabric $9.95 $4.98

124240 162

Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Wood-Mount Bundle

Includes Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Upper and Lower Wood-Mount Stamp

Set

$63.90 $31.95

124241 162

Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Clear-Mount Bundle

Includes Sweet Shoppe Alphabet Upper and Lower Clear-Mount Stamp

Set

$47.90 $23.95

40% off Products

Item Page Description Retail Price Sale Price

124242 63

Simply Said Bundle

Includes Simply Said Stamp Set and Daisy Dash Jumbo Stampin’

Around® Wheel

$37.45 $22.47

124243 63

Amitié Bundle

Includes Amitié Stamp Set and Daisy Dash Jumbo Stampin’ Around

Wheel

$37.45 $22.47

124245 187 Fire and Ice Brad Bundle

Includes Circle Fire, Circle Ice, and Square Fire Rhinestone Brads $32.85 $19.71

*From the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog

**From the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure

Item Page Description Retail Price Sale Price

124244 191

Striped Ribbon Bundle

Includes Night of Navy, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, and Pumpkin

Pie 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon

$39.80 $23.88

116819 208 Table Setting Bigz XL Die $42.95 $25.77

116760 209 Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz™ XL Die $39.95 $23.97

115961 209 Perfect Setting Bigz XL Die $42.95 $25.77

115966 209 Pop-Up Look Here Bigz XL Die $42.95 $25.77

115973 210 Joyful Sizzlits® Die $5.50 $3.30

114516 215 Cherry Blossom Embosslits™ Die $11.95 $7.17

115957 215 Thanks Embosslits Die $11.95 $7.17

114514 215 Simple Flower Embosslits Die $11.95 $7.17

115952 215 Hi Embosslits Die $11.95 $7.17

121091 224 Large Kraft Botanical Flower Décor Elements $19.95 $11.97

114888 11** Medium Basic Black Season of Thanks Décor Elements™ $19.95 $11.97

117970 12** Medium Chocolate Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements $19.95 $11.97

117971 12** Medium Real Red Vintage Ornaments Décor Elements $19.95 $11.97

114838 13** Medium Chocolate Christmas Countdown Décor Elements $25.95 $15.57

114837 13** Small Chocolate Christmas Countdown Décor Elements $19.95 $11.97

30% off Products

Item Page Description Retail Price Sale Price

124249 81-82 Bots Bundle

Includes Best Bots Forever and Lots of Bots Stamp Sets $42.90 $30.03

124250 92-93

Funky Four Wood-Mount Bundle

Includes Funky Four Wood-Mount Stamp Set, Play Date Designer Series

Paper, and Play Date Quick Accents

$33.85 $23.70

124251 92-93

Funky Four Clear-Mount Bundle

Includes Funky Four Clear-Mount Stamp Set, Play Date Designer Series

Paper, and Play Date Quick Accents

$30.85 $21.60

124253 110

Hello Again Bundle

Includes Hello Again Stamp Set and Retro Remix Stampin’ Around

Wheel

$19.45 $13.62

124254 110

Hola de Nuevo Bundle

Includes Hola de nuevo Stamp Set and Retro Remix Stampin’ Around

Wheel

$19.45 $13.62

124255 110 Salut à Toi Bundle

Includes Salut à toi Stamp Set and Retro Remix Stampin’ Around Wheel $19.45 $13.62

*From the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog

**From the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure

Item Page Description Retail

Price

Sale

Price

124252 187 Neutral Brads Bundle

Includes Neutrals 5/8” and 5/16” Brads Assortments $14.90 $10.43

124260 187

Accessory Assortment Bundle

Includes Clips Assortment, Build-a-Brad, Flower Designer Brads, and

Neutrals Flower Brads

$31.80 $22.26

112454 188 Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware $29.95 $20.97

111325 188 Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware $29.95 $20.97

115604 188 Fleurettes II $9.95 $6.97

103179 199 Craft & Rubber Scissors $19.95 $13.97

118402 201 Scallop Trim Border Punch $15.95 $11.17

114890 208 Matchbox Bigz XL Die $42.95 $30.07

113484 209 Baskets & Blooms Bigz XL Die $39.95 $27.97

116823 210 Merry Details Sizzlits Die $5.50 $3.85

113452 212 Join in the Cheer Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die $21.95 $15.37

114510 212 Billboard Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die $21.95 $15.37

124256 86,

196

Friends Rock Bundle

Includes Friends Rock Stamp Set, Rockin' Stampin’ Around Wheel, and

Fine Supernova Stampin’ Glitter®

$39.40 $27.58

124257 86,

196

Pony Party Wood-Mount Bundle

Includes Pony Party Wood-Mount Stamp Set, Dream Stampin’ Around

Wheel, and Fine Galaxy Stampin’ Glitter

$41.40 $28.98

124258 86,

196

Pony Party Clear-Mount Bundle

Includes Pony Party Clear-Mount Stamp Set, Dream Stampin’ Around

Wheel, and Fine Galaxy Stampin’ Glitter

$36.40 $25.48

124246 125,

184

Notably Ornate Wood-Mount Bundle

Includes Notably Ornate Wood-Mount Stamp Set and Vintage Type Rub-

Ons

$30.90 $21.63

124247 125,

184

Notably Ornate Clear-Mount Bundle

Includes Notably Ornate Clear-Mount Stamp Set and Vintage Type Rub-

Ons

$24.90 $17.43

124248 125,

184

Déco Noble Bundle

Include Déco noble Stamp Set and Vintage Type Rub-Ons $24.90 $17.43

124259 148,

171

Note Card Bundle

Includes FYI Stamp Set, Elegant Notes, and Fresh-Cut Notes $38.85 $27.20

*From the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog

**From the 2010-2011 Definitely Decorative brochure

40% off My Digital Downloads

Item Description Retail Price Sale Price

118121 Great Moments II Stamp Brush Set $9.95 $5.97

118124 Medallion Stamp Brush Set $1.95 $1.17

122145 Contempo Alphabet Stamp Brush Set $9.95 $5.97

30% off My Digital Downloads

Item Description Retail Price Sale Price

120880 Christmas Cocoa 2 Digital Kit $9.95 $6.97

118117 Berry Christmas Stamp Brush Set $5.95 $4.17

122154 Ornament Digital Punch $0.95 $0.67

122142 Presto Patterns Overlays Stamp Brush Set $3.95 $2.77

121434 Typewriter Numbers Stamp Brush Set $5.95 $4.17

20% off My Digital Downloads

Item Description Retail Price Sale Price

123953 Jolly Holiday Digital Designer Series Paper $4.95 $3.96

123954 Holly & Jolly Embellishments $3.95 $3.16

123956 Christmas Cheer Digital Kit $9.95 $7.96

123962 Welcome Christmas Stamp Brush set $3.95 $3.16

122176 Deck the Halls Photocard Digital Kit $3.95 $3.16

123959 Deck the Halls Digital Designer Buttons $2.95 $2.36

120172 Spring Shades Digital Designer Series Paper $4.95 $3.96

121067 Summertime Splendor Digital Designer Series Paper $4.95 $3.96

Contact me today to learn more or visit www.taraangus.stampinup.net to place your order.

This is only around for NINE days!

Heavy Metal: Metal Flowers and Frame

I attended a Holiday Expo last week and came across this great magnetic frame using Stampin' Up! paper and Flower Folds Die so.....

I HAD to buy it for my office! I have forgotten the lady's name that made it but I will add that later (I forgot to bring her business card home today). Oops.

She simply took metal (another SU! demo tells me metal flashing) ran it through the big shot using the flower folds die and other dies. Spray painted the metal, or maybe she sprayed the whole sheets first. Then after it was cut out she used embossing folders and ran it back through the big shot. Next she sanded the "hills" in the metal to distress it. Attached with glue, add magnet, & viola. Side note: She makes the ceramic center piece herself.

Here is the side view of the organizer.

50% off Starter Kit, For Real!

Do you love Stamping, Scrapbooking, Home Decor, or just crafting in general?

Well, Stampin' Up! has announced a great promotion just in time for you.

Join my Stampin' Family: Dream Big. Stamp Often for only $87.50!

Not sure what to put on your Christmas list? How about an early Christmas gift....hint, hint.

In total honesty my husband bought me my starter kit 8 years ago, almost exactly, and here I am today, still stamping like a crazy woman. BEST Christmas gift ever!!! Seriously. Stampin' Up! has taught me that I can be a business owner, use my creative skills to teach others, allow me some well deserved time out of the house, travel to fun places each year to stamp (both close and far), and MOST of all my hobby pays for itself!

Join today at: www.taraangus.stampinup.net use the codeword Dream Big Stamp Often

Matchbox Advent Class $25

On Saturday December 4th at 10am I will be holding a Christmas Advent Matchbox Class.

These are super cute advent calendars with a twist. The cost is $25 and includes a full pack of Christmas 12x12 paper.

You will be able to chose between these papers:

Please Choose Paper #1, #2, or #3 when signing up for this class. Please sign up by November 25th to ensure that I have your paper selection on hand. Thanks for understanding. When you sign up a paypal invoice will be sent to you for payment, or if you are in the area you can always drop payment off to me.

LOVE this idea but you don't live in the Grand Rapids, MI area or can't make it to the class? Sign up for a class to go kit! This will include everything you need to make this project plus instructions and will be shipped to you. Cost for the Advent CLASS TO GO is $35 (In order to cover the shipping costs for priority mail and an extra $5 for me to do all your cutting, punching, stamping).

November Class: DVD Tin Scrapbook

DVD Tin Scrapbook Class $10

Tuesday November 30 6:00pm

at my house in Jenison, MI

Come and make this quick and easy DVD Tin Scrapbook.

These make great Christmas gifts for Parents, Teachers, Grand Parents, basically anyone that you need a small gift for!

You will be able to chose from various papers and embellishments.

That way your project is truly your own creation. Don't worry if that make you nervous I'll be there to help. :)

Please RSVP by Friday November 26th.

In order to save your seat please either comment here or e-mail me at taraangus@gmail.com and further details will be sent to you.

Paisley Prints Leaf Candles

Well, Halloween is over so it's time to change my buffet! It is still really bare but I wanted to show you my latest project today.

I first saw this great idea for fall glittered candles in Stampin' Up!'s Holiday mini catalog. LOVE the glass glitter! Stampin' Up!'s glass glitter comes in Champagne (that is the color I'm using today) or Silver.
Using a foam paintbrush I spread a thin layer of Crystal Effects (sold by Stampin' Up!) onto the candle. I then sprinkled the glass glitter onto the candle all the way around, then came back and pushed the glitter into the glue with my finger, just to make sure. I then let it dry overnight.
Next, using the Paisley Prints stamp set that is in the Holiday Mini Catalog I stamped a total of six leaves, two of each color. The ink colors that I used were, Pear Pizzaz, Pumpkin Pie, and Cajan Craze. After stamping I cut out the leaves and punched a hole at the base of the stem. Next I strung the leaves on Linen Thread, wrapped the thread around the candle, and finished with a small bow.
Love that glitter and Love how this project turned out! Oh, I almost forgot the candles I am using are wax LED, since I have a two year old in the house I just find these safer for my family. Also, I'm not sure what would happen to the glitter with the heat of a "real" candle. So that is why I recommend if you want a burning look candle that you use a nice looking LED one.