My first thought on this Pick a Pumpkin bundle was “not for me…too seasonally proprietary, doesn’t look real”.

However, I am slowly coming around to see that this set can be versatile.  I couldn’t get over how real the pumpkins look when stamped on our glossy white paper.

For my card, I used the little branch to stamp a background on Thick Whisper White card stock to create my own DSP.  To make the pumpkins more realistic,  I used Peakaboo Peach ink pad and stamped off then highlighting is done with our Stampin’ Write markers before I stamped onto the Glossy White card stock.  I used the Patterned Pumpkin Thinlits to cut them out.  I stamped from Basket of Wishes set on Water Color paper and used my aqua brush to color in the basket.  I cut a slit at the top & inserted my pumpkins and used mini-dimensionals for the ones outside the basket.  I had a little issue with my sentiment…my ink pad needs replaced.  Look for Pick A Pumpkin in the 2017 Holiday Catalog on page 51.

for more inspiration hop on over to Amanda Dickson

if you just came from there, let’s go the other way to Cheri Stojkovich

Keep on stampin’

Francine

Test Tubes first came out with our September 2016 Paper Pumpkin.  They were an instant hit!  Test Tubes are now available in our Holiday Catalog and this is one versatile and fun item to have in your stash!  (use the tube rack from your Costco ZipFizz package) So many uses…
…store your tiny embellishments in your craft room

 

…Since They are food safe, test tubes make a really cool package for a special
tea mix or hot chocolate to give as a gift at the office
…are you a jewelry maker? Do you have lots of beads? Keep them separated in
these awesome tubes and all the bits & pieces that go along with them.
…party favors with yummy treats inside
…use for a flower at a place setting for your dinner party

Test Tubes come in a pack of 12, they are plastic so you don’t have to worry so much if you drop one.   Find them on page 53 in the Holiday Catalog or shop my online store for item #144612, they are just $5!

For more inspiration hop on over to Melissa Bolinger
If you just came from there, let’s go the other way to Teri Wells

Do you have a crazy cat person in your life?

 You need this punch as a gift for them…even if they are not crafty, they will love it…they will have paper cats everywhere just because it is so much fun to use.  This punch is the hottest item out there!  Today we are spotlighting the versatility of this crafty tool.

For your Scrapbook page:

For that special (cat crazy) someone’s birthday:

How about a book mark?  Yes, they are still a thing!  People still read a real, physical book and need to mark their place.

You can also make a tag for that oh so special package.

All Supplies are listed below.

for more inspiration hop on over to Janet Wakeland
if you just came from there, let’s go the other way to Teri Wells

Cat Punch #144666                                   Scalloped Tag Topper #133324
Everyday Label Punch #144668           Balloon Bouquet punch #140609
2” circle punch #133782      1 ¼” Circle punch #119861     ¾” Circle punch #119873 3/8” Circle punch (retired)                      Mini Sweetheart punch (retired)
Circles Collection framelits #130911
Vintage Crochet Trim #144611              Cherry Cobbler bakers twine (retired)
Thick Whisper White card stock #140272           Soft Suede card stock #115318
Real Red card stock #102482                 Basic Black card stock #121045
Very Vanilla card stock #101650          Monofilament thread (fabric shop)
Spooky Cat stamp set #144749             Snowflake Sentiments #144820
Sitting Here stamp set #141589     Happy Birthday Gorgeous stamp set #143662
Archival Black ink pad #140931           Whisper White craft ink pad #145406
Cajun Craze ink pad #126965                Pumpkin Pie ink pad #126945
Karen Foster Designs ‘Cat Tracks’ scrapbook paper (hobby shop)

Keep Stampin’
Francine Wilson

What is Paper Pumpkin?  Crafting for the “un-creative”, relaxing for the over-scheduled, or just time for me!  What is Paper Pumpkin?  Paper Pumpkin is FUN!

I don’t do subscription services normally.  I want to buy my own supplies or products and make what I want to make.  However, Paper Pumpkin has changed my thoughts on this just a bit.  Don’t get me wrong, the first few kits I got were fabulous, then a couple of duds (in my opinion), then more and more fabulous kits keep coming.  Every month is a surprise, and I love surprises.

What is Paper Pumpkin?  Crafting on the go.  Everything you need is in the

box and it comes once a month around the 16th or 17th.  Your first kit even includes the block for your stamp set, the only thing you add is snips & love!

 

You can pop your snips in the box and take it on vacation with you, take it to the doctor’s office (we all know your appointment is more of a suggestion),  take it with you while you wait on the kids at practice (sports/clubs/drama), or simply take it to the coffee shop and enjoy 30 minutes of quiet creativity.  When life gets in the way, I save my kits because I know things will slow down and I can schedule some Me Time!

What is Paper Pumpkin? Cards, 3-D projects (such as cake boxes or decor), party favors (goody bags), banners, scrapbooks, or planners.  You will learn new techniques and build a collection of stamp set that will get your creative side going.  Once your creative juices start, you will come up with alternative projects for the supplies.  Did I forget to mention, there is always a little extra supplies in the box!  You can create all kinds of alternative projects with those extras…Paper Pumpkin is FUN!
Really like what you got this month or in the past.…check the store for past kits and refills.  This changes all the time and is updated regularly.

 

How do I get one?  You can get it month-to-month, 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, or automatic monthly.  Click here to subscribe to some quality ME-Time!

• the price for each month’s kit is $19.95  (includes shipping & tax)
• Subscribe by the 10th of the month for the next kit
• If you need to put it on hold for a month, easy peasy – just go to your account by the 10th and place the order on hold.

Keep Stampin’
Francine

Welcome to my Product Spotlight.  Today I will be showing you this beautiful black vintage crochet trim.

This  beautiful vintage crochet trim can be used for many projects.  You can create a beautiful embellishment like on card above, tie up a package or treat bag, or hang a tag or ornament with it.  This vintage crochet trim is great for any season, it is soft, delicate & elegant, comes in a 5 yard spool for just $6 (US).  You can find all the supplies for this project and more right here.  Follow along to see more great ideas for this beautiful Vintage Crochet Trim.

I used Painted Harvest stamp set #144783
Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper #144613
Vintage Crochet Trim #144611
Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, Early Espresso ink pads

Where have I been?

Where have I been the past few months?  I’ve been here!  I promise I have.  Mostly posting directly to Facebook when I have been able.  So it all began in April 2017…with a water heater breaking and flooding my house (small flood).  We had to have all the flooring replaced (2400sf).  If any of you have had new flooring put in (for any reason), you understand, it is like packing to move to a new location and then unpacking again.  Why does it take so much longer to unpack than it does to pack things up?  I am still unpacking 4 months later!  I have beautiful new wood-look ceramic floors throughout the house, but we asked them to leave the baseboards off since we wanted to replace them with taller ones.  This has been a portion of the delay in unpacking.  We have 3 rooms baseboards installed, 2 more to go.  So here’s hoping September is the end of the unpacking.  Here’s a few pictures to give you some perspective.  This is what I have been doing.

In between all this floor fun, I have been holding my crafting weekends, working part time for a catering company (love this), and taking a couple road trips with family & friends.  This is what I have been doing.

My plan for the coming months…get the holidays rolling, of course!  The Fall/Winter Holiday Catalog begins tomorrow.  If you would like one, contact me and I will get it to you ASAP.

​
I will be holding Paper Pumpkin & Beverage on 1st & 3rd Wednesdays (7-9 pm) in September, October, and November at the Starbucks on Cross Timbers & Garden Ridge in Flower Mound.  I will have the current months (August) kit with extra supplies to work on and show you some alternative ideas from the kit contents.  I will also have a few past kits for sale and hope to entice y’all to join the fun with a month-to-month subscription.  Septembers kit will be half price ($9.98) if you subscribe by September 10th.

The season is starting with Stamp-a-Stack Holiday cards at September’s crafting weekend, September 22 @ 5-8 pm.  I will have  5 each of 4 designs.  You will go home with 20 cards.  I need R.S.V.P. from anyone that wishes to attend, it is either $25 cash or minimum $25 product purchase to attend.  You can pre-pay right here  or contact me to R.S.V.P.

If you want to earn an exclusive stamp set that will never be in a catalog, I can do that for you.  September 1st through October 31st, hold a Class/Party/Catalog/FaceBook party with $300 in sales and you not only receive the hostess rewards (based on sales), you will also get the exclusive Merry Patterns stamp set.  The only way to get this stamp set is to EARN it.  You don’t even have to clean your house before & after the event, because you can hold it at mine in my craft studio!  Just invite your friends and I will do the rest.  Contact me to set up your date before my calendar fills up!

So there you have it, that is where I have been.

Keep on Stampin’
Francine

The Remarkable InkBig Blog Hop

Can you believe it is May already!  May brings a lot of anticipation & excitement with it in the crafting world!  For Stampin’ Up! all our card making & scrapbooking embellishments & toys are about to expand!  We get to pre-order new stamps, designer paper, embellishments, and ink pads from the upcoming annual catalog being released on June 1^st.  We get to do this so we can have lots of fun card, scrapbook, 3-D projects and décor examples for you to drool over!  I have included a photo of some of the Delightful Daisy suite and a couple card examples below.

Right now, Stampin’ Up! has pre-released the Eastern Palace suite for you to purchase ahead of the 2017-12018 catalog release.   There are beautiful papers, stickers, embellishments, and cutting dies in this release.  The Eastern Palace suite is one of the most versatile suites I have seen yet!  The stamp set & framelit combinations are almost limitless.  It coordinates with so many other stamp sets, framelit sets, and punches as well.  Click Here to see the two options for this suite.

I will be moving 4^th Weekend Crafting to the third weekend in May due to Memorial Day Weekend being a family time weekend.  We will meet on the 19^th @ 5pm & 20^th @ 9:30am.  Bring a friend to club and I will have something special for you!  I promise to have lots of new product for you to play with.  Your brand-new catalogs should be in your hands shortly after that if not by then.

Get your wish lists ready, Kristina & I will be having an open house party on May 30^th for the 2017-2018 Catalog launch.  There will be awesome door prizes every half hour with 2 grand prize winners at the end of the day.  We will have free make & takes, demonstrations, BOGO sale, and snacks & beverages.  Please tell all your friends, the more the merrier!  (it will help your door prize chances too!)

Keep stampin’
Francine

 

Who doesn’t love New Stamp sets, new framelits, new embellishments, new ink, and new paper!   I can’t wait to play with all the new embellishments & framelits.  The new papers are beautiful and very versatile.  I plan to use the new ink pads & stamp sets in my scrapbook projects as well as cards and 3-D projects!

Well, I didn’t get the new product box opening video edited…I went out of town to have some family time with a couple of my grandchildren, no time to edit videos.  Click here to see it in full, it runs about 24 min because I try to show you everything opened except the papers.   I know you will love it anyway.

I have already made one project from one of the new stamp sets for my stamp club this week, three more to go.  Here you can see, I used new framelits, new ink pad, new ribbon, new paper, and the new stamp set.  Stamp club meets every 4th weekend at my place.  I would love to have you join us.  We make 4 projects, you get full typed instructions (so you can continue to create at home).  Cost is $25 or $25 in product purchase to attend.  If you wish to attend virtually, ordered the class products from my online store at least 10 days in advance to be sure to have everything you need to participate.   For May, club is meeting a week early (19th & 20th) since 4th weekend is Memorial weekend.  I will publish the suite for May on the first so you have plenty of time to order!

Keep Stampin’
Francine

RETIRED OUT OF STOCK
Oh my, oh my – these things are already done and April is only half way through. Stamp sets will continue to be made until May 22nd, however, embellishments/papers/tools/framelits-thinlits will not be re-ordered once their stock has been exhausted. I know, it’s sad, there are a few things on this list that I was wishing to purchase myself. 🙁

Enough wallowing – – get to shopping before it’s all gone!