Fall Clubs - First Meeting Project!

I know it's been awhile since I've posted!  I've been extremely fatigued all summer, and I've been going to the doctor regularly and undergoing all kinds of testing to see what's wrong with me.  We have finally discovered that I am severely allergic to grass, which kind of sucks since grass is everywhere!  But at least we now know it's not a serious illness and something easily treatable!  Needless to say, with almost no energy, I haven't been stamping much this summer.  But now that I'm on a strong allergy medication, I've found my stamping mojo!

So I've been planning what my Stamp and Scrapbook Club ladies will be doing at our first class in the fall, and here's what I've come up with.

This based on a project that my upline, Winona Semler, showed us using the Make a Cake stamp set.  I've modified it into a Christmas card holder!  Each lady will get to make six Christmas cards with matching envelopes using the Be of Good Cheer designer series paper.  They will also make this cute card holder with a paper bow decoration!

For my first club meetings, we usually do a fancier project for a small class fee (instead of placing an order) and draw names for hostess months, which start in the following month.  I find that this gives the first hostess time to collect outside orders and plan for what she'd like as her free hostess products instead of having to scramble at the first meeting to decide.

I'm very excited to get my clubs going again this fall!  I still have room for more ladies, so if you live in my area, let me know if you'd like to join!

Blessings to you,

June Scrapbook Club Layout

This is the layout we did at our last Scrapbook Club meeting.  I CASEd this layout by Frances Kukulis, but I changed the colours and some of the details of the layout. 

I used Cherry Cobbler with Basic Black and Very Vanilla, along with First Edition designer series paper. 

Floral District Fun Folds!

This is one of the cards my Stamp Club ladies made this month.  It features the new Floral District designer series paper - so gorgeous!  It also features the new Itty Bitty Banners stamp set and Bitty Banners framelits die (bring on more framelits!).  I used the Fun Flowers die to make the flowers on this fancy fold card. 

The little flowers on the inside are from Betsy's Blossoms. 

May Stamp Club Cards

This month's club will be featuring a lot of products that are on the retiring list.  We will get to use them one last time!

This first card is a CASE of this card by Erin Gonzales.  It uses the Striped embossing folder to create the gingham look.  I just love the Daffodil Delight/Cherry Cobbler colour combination!  To create the gingham look, brayer Daffodil Delight ink into one side of your embossing folder.  Put a square of Whisper White cardstock into it and run it through the Big Shot.  Take it out and re-brayer the ink onto the same side of the folder.  Rotate your paper 90 degrees, place it back in the folder and run it through the Big shot again.  Voila!  I finished the card off with some paper daisies that I spritzed with my Color Spritzer tool with Cherry Cobbler ink.  The edge is punched with the Pinking Hearts Border punch (another retiring item).

This next card features the rolled ribbon flower and the Beau Chateau designer series paper.  For the ribbon flower, punch a circle (1 3/4" here) out of a sticky sheet (retiring) and another circle of the same size out of neutral cardstock.  Peel off one side of the sticky sheet and adhere the paper circle to it.  Then peel off the other backing so the circle is sticky.  Take a length of ribbon (I used Pretty in Pink satin here, but my club ladies will be using Pink Pirouette taffeta) and tie a knot in one end of the ribbon.  Stick the knot in the centre of the sticky circle and start rolling your ribbon around it, pressing it into the adhesive as you wind it outwards around the knot.

This next card uses the Rolling Marbles Technique.  I've been wanting to try it for awhile.  I thought the Beautiful Butterflies stamp set (retiring) would look nice with it, so I used that.  The ink colours are Pretty in Pink, Elegant Eggplant and So Saffron.

I've been promising for awhile that we would get to try out the diagonal scoring plate with the Simply Scored tool, so as a bonus project, we'll be making this cute little 3 x 3" card with matching envelope, which uses 2011 - 2013 In Color Patterns paper.  The card uses Party This Way, another retiring set.

Blessings to you,

May Scrapbook Club Layout

One of the ladies in my Scrapbook Club mentioned that it would be nice to try and use embossing folders in our layouts.  I honestly don't use the embossing folders a lot for scrapbooking because they're card-sized.  But I came across a fantastic layout at our last downline group meeting that used embossing folders.  I'm not sure who came up with the layout, but here's my CASE of what she had done.

I used the Paisley Prints designer series paper (which is, sadly, retiring along with all the other current dsp).  The squares are all embossed with different folders and laid across some white bakers twine that's attached with silver brads (can you believe they're retiring gold and silver brads!?!).

I also used the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL die with Always Artichoke cardstock to make the trim under the main piece of designer series paper. 

Blessings to you,

Retiring Stamp Sets

The retired list is out! 

It's always sad to see my favourite stamp sets retire, but the excitement of the upcoming new Idea Book & Catalogue makes up for it!  Click here to see the list of retiring stamp sets.  They will only be available until May 31, so order soon before they're gone!

Summer Smooches and Fighting Cancer

I was reminded by one of the ladies in my Scrapbook Club last night that April is the Canadian Cancer Society's Daffodil month.  And since Stampin' Up!'s Summer Smooches promotion features the colour Daffodil Delight, the wheels started turning in my head. 

Like most of you, I have many family members and friends who have fought or are fighting cancer, so this is a cause that is close to my heart.  So for the month of April, I will donate my 20% commission from the sale of all Summer Smooches products AND anything you order in Daffodil Delight (cardstock, ink, ribbon, etc.) to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Here are the details about the Summer Smooches promotion:
Summer Smooches is a product suite that will be featured in our new Idea Book & Catalogue that comes out June 1.  We have the opportunity to purchase these brand new products for the month of April before the catalogue debuts!  The product line features designer series paper, coordinating stamp set (Bright Blossoms), Daffodil Delight seam binding ribbon, decor stencil*, fabric, fabric designer brads*, a digital kit, a purse die for the Big Shot and a digital photobook template.  Check out the flyer to see the products in person. 

*The decor stencil and fabric brads are exclusive to this offer and will not be available after April 30.

My Scrapbook Club made a layout using this product suite, and my Stamp Club ladies will be making the above card with the products as well this month.  The bright colours make me so happy!

I know you'll love this product suite, and when you purchase it, you'll be helping to support a great cause as well.  Contact me to place your order, or you can order online at www.shannonmcgann.stampinup.net.  In my May newsletter, I'll announce how much will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Blessings to you,

April Stamp Club Projects

Of course, I'll be using the Summer Smooches product suite with my Stamp Clubs as well!  I love all the colours - they make me happy! :)

This card is a modified Joy Fold card using the large scallop circle die with the Big Shot and my Circle Scissors Plus circle cutter.

I've been wanting to use the maze game pieces from the Occasions Mini Catalogue for a long time, and this is my last month to use them!  I started out thinking I would make a kids' card, but then I thought adults would enjoy the maze game too (I know I spent a lot of time playing with it!).  So here is my "adult" maze game card.  I used Twitterpated designer series paper with Riding Hood Red and Basic Black accents.

My evening club will be making this bird house using the Milk Carton die and the Big Shot.

My morning Stamp Club ladies don't like 3-D projects, so they will be making this card using the Labels Framelits dies and the Big Shot.

Thanks for reading!

Blessings to you,

April Scrapbook Club Layout

I can't tell you how excited I am about Stampin' Up!'s Summer Smooches promotion.  For the month of April, we can get a stamp set, designer series paper, fabric buttons, seam binding ribbon, fabric, digital downloads and so much more in the Summer Smooches product suite that will be in the new Idea Book & Catalogue that comes out in June!

Well, of course, I had to make this month's layout using some of those gorgeous products!  I wanted to highlight the designer series paper, so I kept the background Whisper White with some Island Indigo accents.  There is a layer of Daffodil Delight seam binding under the two 12" strips of dsp as well.  The stamped images are from the Bright Blossoms stamp set, stamped in Daffodil Delight and Lucky Limeade.  I made a medallion using the Simply Scored tool with a fabric button in the center as well.

I just love how bright and cheery this product suite is!  Hopefully my scrapbook club ladies will love it too!

Blessings to you,

Spring Stamp-A-Stack

The final class in my Spring Break Class Blitz will be a stamp-a-stack! You'll get to make 20 cards (5 each of 4 designs).  Here are the cards we'll be making.  Details about the class follow the card photos.

Love the Elementary Elegance Sale-A-Bration stamp set and the Twitterpated designer series paper!

I CASEd and slightly modified this card by Mary Fish (LOVE her!).

I LOVE this card by Jennifer Picard.  I had to CASE it!

Another card by Mary Fish that I CASEd.

Date: Saturday, March 31
Time: anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.  This class will take at least 2 hours, so please arrive with enough time to complete your cards.
Place: my house
Cost: $35 for 20 cards OR $20 with a qualifying Sale-A-Bration order ($60 plus tax & shipping), plus you'll get a FREE Sale-A-Bration item with your purchase!

All you need to bring is adhesive.  Please RSVP by Saturday, March 17 to give me time to order and prep supplies.

Blessings to you,