Christmas Crunch!

Hi everyone!

It's getting down to crunch time for Christmas cards!  Less than a month to go!  November has flown by so fast.  I made a whack of Christmas cards to bring to sell at iDecor-n-Floor.  Most weekends we get beautiful big snowflakes falling so it's been the perfect atmosphere to hole up in the scrap room with a peppermint tea or perhaps a coffee and Bailey's.  Here is one of my favorite cards I came up with during my marathon card-making:

This card uses a retired stamp set called Patterned Pines - it was a hostess stamp set from a past Stampin' Up Holiday Mini catalogue.  It's one of my favorites though!  I stamped them in Pool Party on white cardstock then trimmed them out.  The base of the card is also Pool Party (Dear Stampin' Up: Please don't EVER EVER EVER retire this colour! I love it! Sincerely, me.). 

The back panel is the woodgrain patterned cardstock from the Naturals Composition pack.  It's such a neat and different cardstock!  It's basically like a dark 'kraft' colour and each piece features a different pattern of raised, clear embossing.  The woodgrain one I thought was suitable for pine trees!

I finished off this clean and simple card with a white embossed sentiment and a few rhinestones randomly on the trees. 

I think it's fresh and contemporary - it was a nice change from the traditional reds and greens of Christmas!

Hope you like!

Online Extravaganza!

Hi everyone!

Our biggest sale of the holiday season is ON!  Enjoy our Online Extravaganza from now until November 28th featuring 20% - 50% off selected items!

You can get the MDS+2 software (My Digital Studio 2 - chock full of everything you need to get started creating digitally) for HALF PRICE!

Also loads of stamps, embellishments, ribbons, paper, etc.

Check it out online and shop now on my website:  http://cboyachek.stampinup.net

Enjoy!

Almost back in the swing of things!

Hey everyone!

I've had the worst thing ever happen to my computer - the whole hard drive crashed.  Thank GOODNESS for my friend's computer-savvy husband.  He was able to pull all my photos, documents and music off it before it became irrecoverable. 

Then I had to replace the actual hard drive and do a little more fixer-uppin' to the desktop.  Hundreds of dollars later, I'm back up and running now, but I haven't had a chance to have my important data loaded back on.  So I'm without all the photos I've taken of my cards!

So you won't get to see anything new for a little while longer... I know, it's already been forever - so how bad can it get, right?!  Haha!  Apologies for my absence!  I was doing a little life-cleanout in addition to my computer cleanout.  My keyword lately is BALANCE!  I had to put the Stampin' on the backburner for a while, but I am back now and recommitted! 

In fact, today is a beautiful winter day to observe the flaky stuff from inside, while making Christmas cards!  So that's what I'm off to do!

Talk to you soon!

2012-13 Catalogue Sneak Peek!

Hi everyone!

Last week I got my sneak peek order in the mail (one of the many perks of being is demo is getting first hand access to hot new products!).  Unfortunately, life has been hectic - especially with the shoe business - so I was unable to really sit and enjoy my goodies until today! 

Today is Day1 of my May Long weekend.  It's been raining since early in the morning here.  Very cloudy and overcast.  It is the perfect time to sit down with a cup of my favorite flavour of Keurig coffee and get creative! 

If you haven't heard already, Stampin' Up! is one-upping themselves again!!  We asked, they listened!  With the new catalogue brings newly formulated ink pads!  The new firm-foam pads feature improved ink-holding material (foam) yet with the same upside-down storage design of the regular pads.  The coverage has impoved incredibly and it also makes it easier (strength-wise) to stamp with as you don't have to mash down on the stamp repeatedly - a gentle tap-tap will do!  I guarantee you will love them too!

Here is a card I made using the new ink pads as well as most of the new In Colours introduced this catalogue. 

The base is Gumball Green - such a rich, vibrant green!  I stamped the sentiment and butterflies also in Gumball Green.  The bird is stamped with Midnight Muse and the flower with Primrose Petals as well as Raspberry Ripple.  Those are 4/5 In Colours - you'll just have to wait another post to see Summer Starfruit! 

All images featured on this card are from the new set Papaya Collage.  There is also a cute little birthday hat that the bird can wear to lend a sort of kitschy-vintage feel! 

I also added a wooden button which will also be offered in the new catalogue.  I love the natural look and feel of the new buttons.

The printed paper is our specialty encyclopedia paper - and the good news it that it has carried on over into the new catalogue!  No retirement for this versatile paper!

I hope you've enjoyed this quick peek at some of the new goodies!  I just can't wait to get them into your hands come June 1st!

'Tis the Season (no not that season!)

Hi everyone!

Well, I've been on a major wedding card kick lately.  'Tis the season!  You didn't think I meant Christmas, did you?!  Heck no, I never start my Christmas cards this early - though I really should.  I'm one of those procrastinators you find knee deep in cardstock and glitter on December 21st, hurriedly making 25+ cards, living on coffee (and Bailey's!).

Wedding season means gifts and therefore cards too!  My little cards have found a good home at a local shop here in town.  I'm very grateful to iDecor & More that they've allowed me the opportunity to showcase my cards there.  iDecor carries a great selection of home decor gifts that would be perfect for any newlyweds!  And my cards are right at the till, so grab one to match your gift, would ya?

This card is on a Pool Party base and features a simple cross made from Attic Boutique DSP.  The center of the cross is adorned with a journalling spot from the Attic Boutique Side Notes.  The sentiment is from an oldie but goodie set "Whimsical Words".  It's finished off with simple and clean rounded corners using our corner punch.

Hope you like :)

Attic Boutique

I am loving this suite of products from the Occasions Mini.  It's called "Attic Boutique" and includes great paper featuring antiques, pretty stamp sets and easy pre-made labels/journalling spots. 

Here is a card I made using the Attic Boutique designer series paper and "Side Notes". 

I find there's a larger demand for engagement and wedding cards this time of year, so I thought I better get prepared! 

The sentiment is from another Occasions Mini stamp set "Love & Laughter".  I stamped it on a pre-cut label from the Attic Boutique Side Notes and popped it up a layer with some Stampin' Dimensionals. 

I just love antiquated feel of this line.  The other papers are simply gorgeous as well - featuring tiny flowers and window shutters, roses and trumpets, coursets and ink pens! 

Remember your last chance to get your hands on all of these products is approaching quickly!  The Occasions Mini ends on April 30th!  Contact me today to get your order in!

Leaving my Mark...

I've never bothered putting watermarks or copyrights on my photos of my cards for the simple reason that I had no idea how to do it.  I don't have Photoshop and I don't want it either!  I just wanted a simple way to do batch watermarks!  After a bit of researching online I found a great program that I will be using to mark my photos before they hit my blog.  I saw one of my cards on Pinterest today (and I didn't put it there) and then it hit me that in this time of information transfers....I really should be protecting my work!  So thanks to the good folks Batch Marker I will be able to do this daunting task in very little time!  Go check out their site if you're also a crafter or photographer that will be posting work online!

Stay tuned... I promise I have some cards for you soon!