Stamping with Michelle

Chunky Glitter Fun

Those of you who have been with me for a while know that I have a love-hate relationship with glitter.  I love how it looks on a card.  It really can quickly add that extra little something that a card seems to be missing.  But I really dislike how messy glitter.  No matter how careful you are that super fine glitter clings to everything!  That is why I stayed away from ordering the chunky glitter.  However, a couple of weeks ago I had an opportunity to play with it and my upline's meeting, and, you know what?  I really liked it!

OK....now that you've picked yourself up off the floor. It's true!  It looked much better on a card than I thought it would, and because it isn't nearly so fine, it isn't effected by static nearly so much.  Here is a sample I did up yesterday for a workshop.

Materials: Embrace Life
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black and Real Red
Ink: Basic Black pad and Real Red marker
Accessories: Chunky Essentials glitter, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals

For this card, I adhered the glitter to Sticky Strip which made for beautiful stripes on my card.  I was fairly pleased with it!

Give the glitter a try!  We also have a pastel assortment in the Occasions Mini catalog it you prefer those colors.

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Spring Snails

If this beautiful weather hasn't gotten you thinking about summer, then maybe this springy sample will do the trick!  It is created using the Unfrogettable stamp set, and it is copied directly out of the catalog.  The catalog is a fantastic design tool!

Materials: Unfrogettable
Cardstock: Mellow Moss, Ruby Red, So Saffron, Ballet Blue and Ivory Naturals
Ink: Basic Black, Mellow Moss, Ruby Red, So Saffron and Ballet Blue
Accessories: 1/16" circle punch, Natural hemp twine, Aquapainters and Stampin' Dimensionals

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

NEW! Accessories of the Month Club

Good morning!  Isn't just beee-u-tiful outside!  I hinted at a new club, and I'm pleased today to make the announcement.  I am beginning an Accessories of the Month club.  This club will give you a selection of Stampin’ Up’s exclusive accessories to play with each month delivered right to your door (or mailbox!)  The cost to join this club is $20 each month which includes shipping costs.  You need to call me with your credit card, and once you've joined, you will automatically get each month's club order shipped right to you until you call me to cancel. 

Each month I will select one of our accessories to feature.  Club members will get a selection of that accessory (around $10 in product) sent to them along with a sheet with two samples and directions featuring those products.  If possible, I will also try to provide a tip sheet with ideas on how else to use that product.   Finally, in the month after an accessory is featured, club members will be eligible to purchase the full accessory at a 10% discount. 

You must sign up for the Accessory of the Month club by the 10th of each month to receive that month's accessory.  I will charge credit cards around the 20th of each month and orders will ship around the 25th of each month.  I am excited by the possibilities with this club.  This will give you a chance to play with some of the accessories that you might not normally play with and some months I can design the club around specific techniques.  I think this is going to be a super fun club!

Now, for today's sample!

Materials: Tart and Tangy and Warm Words
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi textured cardstock, Whisper White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi DSP
Ink: Wild Wasabi and Real Red
Accessories: Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Red gingham ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

This is another of the samples that we will be making at my stamp a stack class next week.  It is sure to put you in a summertime mood!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Final Bermuda Pictures

I realized towards the end of last week that I never shared the last two vacation pictures that I selected.  Here they be!

One of the attractions that we visited was the Fantasy Caves just outside of St. George.  It's 66 steps down and then, of course, 66 back up, but it was absolutely stunning inside!  The stalagtites and stalagmites were absolutely amazing and our guide had a keen imagination and kept pointing out formations that looked like real life objects..you know..kind of like looking up at the clouds!

Finally, I had to prove that I was actually there and that I didn't just slurp these pictures from somebody else!  This was taken near the harbor in St. George.  It was actually one of the warmer days as I'm not wearing my fleece!

OK...I know you came here for another card sample, so here it is.  And, stay tuned on Wednesday for my announcement of a new type of club that I'm beginning in May.

Materials: For Father and Sanded
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Old Olive and Shimmery White
Ink: Basic Gray, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, and Blue Bayou
Accessories: Twill Tape, Vintage Brads, Aquapainters, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

All Occasion Stamp a Stack Class

I am excited to announce my next stamp a stack class.  This will be an all occasion class and I've worked up some really fun samples!  You will have the opportunity to create a total of fifteen cards (3 each of five designs).  The cost to attend is $30 with $15 going towards an order that you place that night.  I will be holding this class on Monday, April 28 and then again on Friday, May 2 with both evenings beginning at 7:00pm.  If you would like to join us, please be sure to RSVP by Friday, April 25 so that I can have a packet prepared for you.

You can view the samples of cards that we will be making in my gallery on my website at http://michellebreton.stampinup.net Click on the samples that are labeled "new".  Here are two of the cards that we will be making.

Materials: Embrace Life and Short and Sweet
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Whisper White and Summer Picnic DSP
Ink:Bashful Blue and Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Die Cut Blooms, Silver Brads, Key tag punch, Pumpkin Pie Striped Grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Materials: Touch of Nature, Print Pattern
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, White Naturals and Apricot Appeal DSP
Ink: Regal Rose Stampin' Spot, Certainly Celery marker, Certainly Celery pad
Accessories: Apricot Appeal grosgrain ribbon, gold brads, 1/16" circle punch

In this card the flower piece slides off to become a magnetic bookmark making this a card and gift in one!

I'd love to have you join us.  Send me an email now!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

More from Bermuda

Here are a few more pictures from my trip to Bermuda.


After a full day of sailing from New York, we docked at King's Wharf in Bermuda.  This was the view from my balcony.  There was a little bit of shopping that we could do, and a really neat glass blowing factory with live demonstrations, but other than that, it was a pretty quiet port.  In order to see any other part of the island, you needed to avail yourself of the public transportation and travel by either bus or ferry.



This is a picture taken in Hamilton, the capital city.  One of the neat features of Bermuda architecture is all the bright colors used on their houses.  No plain white or gray there!  It is all pink, yellow and turquoise to name a few!

I've got a few more pictures to share on Wednesday, but for now, I'll leave you with a sample!


Materials: Fundamental Phrases
Cardstock: River Rock cs and Real Red DSP (hostess set)
Ink: River Rock
Accessories: Real Red Striped Grosgrain, Die Cut Blooms and Basic eyelets

First off, the shape of this card is a standard half sheet of cardstock folded in half.  Then I simply folded the bottom up and adhered it.  The flowers are created from the Die Cut Blooms found in the Occasions mini catalog.  These are available only until May 31, so you'll want to get them while you can!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Home again!

While it is always nice to vacation, it is also always nice to come home again!  Although, it can be a bit tricky to get back into a routine!  Michael and I had a wonderful time on our cruise.  The weather wasn't as warm as we might have liked (I wore capris all week and always had my fleece at the ready), it was warmer than home and you just can't complain when you don't have to cook or clean for the week :)  I plan to share a few pictures over the next few posts so you can get a sense of what we experienced!



We sailed from NYC, giving us a spectacular view of the cityline and, of course, Lady Liberty!



This is a pretty good shot of our ship.  Our cabin was towards the back and only on deck away from the food!  We sailed on Holland America Line and the ship was the MS Noordam.  It is a smaller ship as cruise ships go, but still quite nice.

And now, a sneek peak.  This was one of the make and takes while we were on cruise.  The DSP will be new to the Fall/Winter collection as well as the stamp set which is called Owl Together Now.  Here is the outside:



And the inside:


We used the markers to scribble onto our stamp case and then we watercolored using the aquapainters....my favorite!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Home Sweet Home

Well, I'm back from vacation.  Doesn't it always feel so good to be home after you've been traveling?  As soon as I can dig myself out of everything, I'll try to share some of the goodies I've got!  In the meantime, here's another sample for your viewing pleasure:
   
Materials: Tart and Tangy, Sanded, Happy Everything
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White and Summer Picnic DSP
Ink: Bashful Blue, Real Red, and Old Olive
Accessories: 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop Circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

The day I stamped this card was one of those cold, gray days that we've had so many of this winter.  It was such a fresh, summer card that I had to stamp "Happy Day" on it!

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

More warm weater samples

I'm still on vacation, but continuing in the beach theme here is another card to whet your appetite for summer (OK...I realize after the winter we've had, that doesn't take much!)

Materials: Seaside
Cardstock: Sage Shadow, Soft Sky, Creamy Caramel, White Naturals
Ink: Soft Sky, Versamark
Accessories: Creamy Caramel Gingham, Stampin' Pastels, Sponge Daubers

When I first saw this stamp set in the catalog, I just new that I had to have it.  I also felt like it was just begging for the Poppin' Pastels technique.  If you haven't tried this technique, you've got to give it a whirl.  First you stamp your desired image in Versamark ink.  Then use the Sponge Daubers or even a cotton ball to rub the pastels onto the image. The pastels stick primarily to the Versamark and give it a wonderfully soft look.

I know you all can create wonderful cards too.  Share your samples with me, and I'd love to post them on my blog to share them with everyone else.  Just scan or take a picture of your card and email it to me.  Please use only current Stampin' Up merchandise.

Happy Stamping!

Michelle

Think warmer weather!

Right now, I'm actually on vacation on my Stampin' Up! cruise to Bermuda.  But, I know how much you all love me, and I arranged for a few samples to appear while I was gone so you wouldn't miss me!  Stay tuned next week and I'm sure I'll have some fun tidbits to share.

Materials: Embrace Life, Fast and Fun Notes
Cardstock: River Rock, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla, and Ginger Blossom DSP
Ink: Basic Grey, River Rock, Groovy Guava and Ruby Red
Accessories: Small and Large oval punches, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain, Stampin' Dimensionals

This card was one I made for my mother's birthday in February.  If you close your eyes, can't you just imagine that you are somewhere warmer?  The "happy birthday" comes from the birthday image in Fast and Fun Notes and I used a marker to ink just the words.

Happy Stamping!

Michelle