Stamping with the Grands

Usually, when the grands come to visit, their mom schedules them for lots of activities (besides beach-going) so that they won't get bored.  This year, due to Covid-19, that really wasn't an option.  My daughter said she was going to go buy them some craft supplies, and I almost choked!  No one in this house should really ever need to buy craft supplies again.

Once upon a time I was a Stampin' Up demonstrator, and to say I have stamping supplies is putting it mildly.  I have an entire closet filled with stamps and scrapbooking supplies.  [Sadly, many of my stamp pads haven't been used in so long they have dried up and SU has changed the colors in the meantime, so I had to cull through the stamp pads and throw out the ones I didn't have re-inkers for.] Anyway, one rainy morning, I dug out the basics and we headed to the kitchen table.  Unfortunately, we were so busy I didn't think to get pictures, but they really had a lot of fun.

Before we started, we had a little lesson on cleaning the stamps after every use so they didn't mix ink colors and ruin the pads I had left, and I turned them loose.  Instead of creating a card design, like I would have done with adults, I let them just stamp to their heart's content. They were delighted.  And they were very good about cleaning stamps after they used them, which made me very happy.

They had a great time creating cards to mail to their friends.  In fact, they had so much fun the first time, they requested a second session to create cards for their dad, who had had to return home by this time.  I think this may be an activity they will request year after year.

Girl's Night Out

This card uses one of the new triple layer doily punches to make the flower.  Easy peasy.

Tonight I was invited to my friend Charlotte's for a stamping workshop.  I really enjoy going to these, and we don't have them often enough.  It is a lot of fun to stamp with other people, and see how everyone interprets the same materials and sample card.

Tonight, though, I was pretty much exhausted, and stuck to the way Charolotte showed the card.  They were all fun.  Some great company, some yummy food, and some crafty goodness - what could be better than that?

This one uses one of the new triple punches.  Makes making these flowers so easy.  No cutting! 

This one uses designer series paper and the postage stamp punch.  A very simple, but beautiful card.  Oh and the texture is an embossing folder for the Big Shot/Big Kick. 

And this one uses DSP,  a corner punch, and these doily sheets that come with the DSP.  Too easy!

I was a Stampin Up! demonstrator for 5 years.  I really enjoyed it at the time.  We had a great group of friends that would get together about once a month and stamp together.  I kind of miss it.  I got an email from SU! the other day that said I could re-join for $99.  Do I miss it that much? 

I'll have to think about it.

Girls Night Out

Tonight my friend Charlotte, who is a Stampin' Up demonstrator, hosted our first workshop since the new catty came out.  Fun!  She had such great ideas that I just had to share.  I honestly haven't stamped since I cleaned up my stamping area when my kids came to visit in April.  Why?  Maybe because my stamping area looked so tidy I just couldn't bear to mess it up?

Here is the first card we made.  Very easy.  It used  the new Greehouse Gala DSP and the Big Shot Square Lattice embossing folder.  (The Big Shot sure makes embossing easy - how did we ever manage with a brass plate and a stylus?  That probably explains why I didn't do much of it!)  The card is very simple, but nice.  Obviously, I need to cut the ribbon, but overall, I think, a lovely card.  I was using glue, which I almost never do, but I forgot to take my tape runner, and so beggars can't be choosers, you know?  Anyway, I didn't really realize how fast the glue would dry when the two layers were put together, so I wasn't able to adjust the top flower when I realized it was a little off.  Oh well.  Something to remember for next time.

My second card didn't turn out as well as I would have liked.  It was a fussy, vintage card, and Charlotte's sample was beautiful.  Mine suffered from inexpertly applied 2-way glue and an attempt to compensate with too much glitter, which meant it didn't photograph well at all.  Probably just as well.

The third card was adorable and elegant at the same time.  How does that happen?  I loved the stamp set, and the inside sentiment, "If you are what you eat, eat something cute," was fun.  The card used another Big Shot texture folder called Elegant Lines and the scallop punch.  Lots of fun.  I love the SU! rhinestones.  They are the best ones I have used, and really jazz up your card.  Love the way they add sparkle.  We also tried out the new Smooch pearlized accent ink.  This product is new, and adds just a touch of spice and interest.

I hadn't realized until I decided to do this how difficult it is to photograph these cards.  The detail just doesn't come through very well in the photo.  I actually did these with the camera, and not with my phone, and I still took multiple shots, of which these are the best.  The difficulty may be in my technique, of course.  My photography has never been my most expert hobby.

The last card we made also used some of the new SU!  Elegant Soiree DSP and the adorable owl punch.  The owl was cute, but wasn't on my "must have" list until I did a Halloween blog hop on Stampin' Addicts recently and saw all the ways it was used - everything from flower vases to witch's cauldrons.  I really think I NEED this punch.

DSP makes putting a card together so easy. Add a little ribbon and some kind of focal point, and you have a card.  It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.

I really need to get back into stamping again.  It is always a lot of fun to meet with other ladies and create something fun and attractive.



And when I got home, guess what???  A Stampin' Addicts blog hop using some great new products from the Holiday mini.  Tonight was Stamping Heaven!

Charlotte had a ton of samples on her kitchen counter when we arrived.  At snack time, I took a moment to take some photos of them.  Great ideas for my next stamping adventure.  (These were photographed with my phone off her kitchen counter, but they do show the main elements of the cards.) 

Love the daisy embossing!

Maybe just a little monochromatic, but cute!

I'm sure I have a stamp like this around somewhere.  Love the oval punch!

Love the flowers.  Pink and green is always classy!

More DSP!  An idea I will use, I think!

This one was truly wonderful in person.  The photo doesn't do it justice at all.

Funny how 3 little images can really make a card!.

And these cards were paper pieced.  Too fun!  Check out Bob the Builder and the guitar!  Who thinks of these things???