Sale-a-Bration is here!

It's one of my favorite times of year - Sale-a-Bration! For every $50 you spend in Stampin' Up! products, you choose an item from the Sale-a-Bration catalog for FREE! And, if you don't want any of those, you can choose from a select list in the current Idea Book and Catalog! That is so exciting! Host a workshop of $300 or more, and choose yet another FREE Sale-a-Bration item! Just click on the picture of the Sale-a-Bration catalog at the right to see the offerings. And (OK, I'll stop soon), Sale-a-Bration is January through March - an extra full month!

We also have a new Occasions Mini, with lots of new exciting things, including clear blocks for mounting stamps, and new punches that fold flat for easy storage. My mind is reeling! You have got to check out the clear mount stamps! The stamp sets in the Occasions Mini can be purchased with the clear or wood mounts - your choice!

This is also a great time of year to sign up as a demonstrator. I signed up during Sale-a-Bration two years ago. Where does the time go? The starter kit is on sale, plus you can choose a stamp set from the catalog ($47.95 or less, which is pretty much everything), for FREE! And (a lot of those today), there is a Digital starter kit, featuring My Digital Studio, which is also on sale! Whether you want to buy the kit just because it's a good deal, or if you wish to make a little extra money, you are welcome to join my team! Please visit my web site at www.lisachristensen.stampinup.net to find out more, or contact me any time at kirstensmomnc@yahoo.com. I have lots of fun, and would love to share that with you!

Valentine Embossed!

I have been wanting to use my Very Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, AND the dandelion stamp from A Happy Heart, so I designed this simple, elegant Valentine card. Here's what you need:

• Very Vanilla cardstock, cut 5.5 x 8.5, and 3.75 x 5, and a small piece for the greeting



• Rose Red cardstock and 1/4 grosgrain ribbon



• Stamp set A Happy Heart



• Rose Red Craft ink AND Classic ink



• Versamarker



• Heat and Stick Powder



• Fine Cosmo glitter - the red one



• Designer Label Punch



• Stampin' Dimensionals



• SNAIL



• Heat gun



• Ticket Corner Punch

Stamp the dandelion image twice on the vanilla cardstock using the Craft ink. While the ink is still wet, sprinkle Heat and Stick powder over the stamped image. Set with a heat gun, then apply the Fine Cosmo glitter. Heat a couple more seconds. You'll get a bright, sparkly image! I initially tried this card by stamping the image using Versamark, then applying the powder and glitter. However, just the color of the glitter alone didn't give enough "punch."

Finish the egdges of the stamped image and the Rose Red cardstock using the Ticket Corner punch. Adhere these two pieces together. Using the Rose Red Classic ink, stamp the greeting onto the small piece of vanilla cardstock. I used the Versamarker to color the heart, then applied Heat and Stick powder, set with the heat gun, and applied the same cosmo glitter, and heated again briefly. Punch the image with the Designer Label punch.

I ran the ribbon through the front side of the Hodgepodge Hardware, and around the back of the stamped image. I used Stampin' Dimensionals (partly on the ribbon, partly on the stamped image), to hold the ribbon tight across the back and keep the stamped greeting from falling out of the hardware. The punch could honestly be a hair bigger for a tighter fit in the hardware.

Wrap the ribbon around the sides of the larger stamped image, and adhere it all to the vanilla card base.