Stellar Stamps

Fundamental Phrases set update from SU

Fundamental Phrases Set Assembly
July 25, 2007

               

The Fundamental Phrases set (page 155 of the Fall-Winter Collection 2007) is a double-sided stamp set; two stamps are designed to fit on each block. When assembling this set, please note that the stamp labels should be positioned on the fingergrip sides of the block, not the ends of the block. The labels were deliberately designed this way; labels that fit on the block ends would have resulted in words that were too small to read.

Technique of the Week - Coloring with Markers

Have you noticed that there are some great new sets with a bunch of sentiments or images on one block in this year's new catalog? For instance, see Block Party, pg. 38, or So Many Sayings, pg. 17 (the #1 hostess set in my July sales - almost everyone chose it!), or Happiness, pg. 118. Take a good look and note that if you simply color a specific word or phrase or image, that that one big image has gobs of uses. Today I'm sharing a tutorial on using markers to refresh your memory as to how to do it the SU way. Of course it works with images such as shown in the photos but remember that there are new sets that have words on them that you can extract the same way.

                                                       

Multiple Colors with Markers                                 Directions: 1) Use a marker to apply color to the stamp. Ink only the part of the stamp you need. 2) Add other colors if desired. 3) "Breathe" onto the inked image to remoisten the ink before stamping onto paper. Tip: 1) For a more muted, watercolor look, spray a fine mist of water on the stamp instead of breathing on it.

More kitten hijinx!

Cleo loves the gorilla shelf in our office. This time she tries to squeeze into a plastic shoebox - and succeeds!

Stampin' Up! addresses why it reduced 12 x 12 cardstock

Stampin' Up! posted this on the demonstrator website this week. If you're a scrapbooker who misses the 12 x 12 cardstock in bulk this reply may interest you.

12 x 12 Card Stock                

Many of you have expressed concern regarding the discontinuation of some of our single-color packs of 12 x 12 card stock. Here are a few answers to the questions you have been asking:

Q: Why did you make this decision?
A: Demonstrators and customers tell us what products they want by what they buy. We use sales to gauge what items you and your customers really love, and what items are nice, but not popular or successful. It might interest you to know that the colors we discontinued in single packs sell at a small fraction of the numbers of many of our popular colors of 8-1/2 x 11. Also, the most popular packs of 12 x 12 card stock are the assortment packs. Our 12 x 12 card stock sales constitute less than 10% of our overall card stock sales. What these numbers tell us is that many of our color-packs of 12 x 12 card stock are not popular or successful items for you as demonstrators. As we evaluate our product lines, it is products such as these that logically need to be addressed and changed.

Q: Does this mean that Stampin' Up! is moving away from scrapbooking?
A: Absolutely not. We have increased the number--by 83%!--and variety of our Designer Series papers, which are extremely popular among scrapbookers. We've also introduced the fabulous new textured card stock, and these papers are only available in 12 x 12. Customers in the scrapbooking industry really love to buy things in kits or packs, so we've revamped and improved our Simply Scrappin' line to help you appeal to your scrapbooking customers. It's also important to note that there is still a rounded color spectrum of 16 of our most popular colors available in single packs, as well as 5 neutral colors, providing you and your customers a variety to choose from. We will continue to offer many scrapbooking ideas because we are dedicated to our scrapbooking line of products.

Q: What do I tell my customers?
A: Our card stock is some of the most high-quality paper you will find. Even without some of the single-color packs of 12 x 12 card stock, you offer something no one else can: our exclusive colors and coordinating products. Given that our assortment packs sell better than individual colors, you offer a very successful product. Tell your customers that when they buy an assortment, they get a pack of card stock that coordinates and can be used together in an album. If you are going to demonstrate a 12 x 12 page at your workshop, select one of the 16 colors available in single packs to ensure your project is economical.

We understand that major change in a product line that you are accustomed to is difficult. But there is an even greater variety of papers available to you now than ever before. We're confident that our overall product offering is a great selling tool for you in your business, and look forward to a great year!

Is it a cat or a pretzel???

Our kitten Cleo is the funniest little cat. We find her sleeping in the most peculiar places and sometimes she shows off her agility and flexibility!

I'm a sucker for Pancake Puffs!

You know those goofy commercials typically not on the larger networks where they're selling a product then, "but wait... if you order now you get a free set of Ginsu knives....", well I placed an order just now. Kendall, Michael & I were watching something last night and a commercial for Pancake Puffs came on. So corny but we all laughed and said "we want that!". It's a pan that has recessed areas (about 8) where you pour pancake mix or muffin mix and they cook in a somewhat round shape. You flip them in the pan to cook both sides and they come out looking like puffs. You can inject them with cream or sprinkle powdered sugar on them. So goofy but we're getting one! Just sharing the lunacy: www.pancakepuffs.com

SU's exclusive colors that coordinate with SU's Designer Paper

The new Fall-Winter Collection 2007 has gobs of new Designer Paper. Ever look at something like that and wonder which of our exclusive colors coordinates? Well look no further! SU has released this list today. Hooray! Coordinating is now super easy and fast!

Coordinate with Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive colors:

Brocade Backgrounds: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, River Rock

Cerise: Real Red, Very Vanilla

Charbon: Basic Gray, Very Vanilla

Creepy Crawly: Basic Black, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust

Cutie Pie: Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, So Saffron

Darling Doodles: Brocade Blue, Groovy Guava, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi

Dashing: Old Olive, Real Red, River Rock, Very Vanilla

Fall Flowers: Old Olive, Really Rust, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky

Flowers for You: Certainly Celery, Lovely Lilac, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise

LeJardin: River Rock, Soft Sky, So Saffron, Very Vanilla

Linen Prints: Apricot Appeal, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, Pink Passion

Notations No. 2: More Mustard, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi

Outlaw: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

Petals & Paisleys: Certainly Celery, Cool Caribbean, Rose Red, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink,

So Saffron, Taken with Teal

Prints: Monochromatic papers available in Almost Amethyst, Always Artichoke,

Blue Bayou, Brilliant Blue, Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa, Groovy Guava,

Lovely Lilac, More Mustard, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, River Rock, Rose Red,

So Saffron, Soft Sky, Tempting Turquoise

Porcelain Prints: Blue Bayou, River Rock, Wild Wasabi

Uptown: Almost Amethyst, Basic Gray, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi

Wintergreen: Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Soft Sky

Technique of the Week - Masking

                                                       

Masking                                 Directions: 1) Stamp image on card stock. 2) Stamp it again on a piece of scratch paper. 3) Cut carefully around the scratch paper image, cutting just inside the lines. This will be your mask. 4) Place the mask on top of the card stock image. Stamp another image over the mask. 5) Remove the mask to see your layered, interacting images. Tips: 1) Try stamping on a Post-It® note and using the cut out image as your mask. The sticky note stays put on the card stock when stamping over the mask without additional adhesive.  2) Store the mask with the appropriate stamp set so it can be used again when needed.

Holiday Mini Catalog twist

Hold onto your hats but all the stamp sets in the Holiday Mini, which you will receive in late August, are die cut! Remember the set SU marketed in Country Living magazine last fall? Same thing. Rubber is already trimmed and all you do is mount. Wow!

Heard about a survey for stampers where you earn free SU product!

Recently, a customer told me she is part of a survey that sends her great packages of SU freebies in exchange for a short, regular survey. I asked my Service Account Manager about it and he said it was legitimate. I really know very little but my customer very graciously shared this link to apply for it. Good luck!

http://www.stampsurveys.com/StampinUp/council_users/login.cfm?CFID=9858913&CFTOKEN=cc42ea3bbb4d3f2d-12F33843-F125-1D04-02248F7C22D1765A

Stampin' Up! announcements

1. Sell-A-Bration, historically the biggest SU event of the year, is going to be held February 1 through March 17, 2008! You'll be able to order out of two catalogs (Spring-Summer Collection 2008 & the Occasions Mini Catalog) to earn free sets. More details to follow as they are revealed.
2. From August 1-31, when you order the Three for You Punch Box, you will receive an assortment of textured Love Notes for free (a $12.95 value)! These Love Notes will only be available during this promotion. The notes are folded 3" x 3" with each package containing 30 cards (10 each of Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate and So Saffron) and 30 Very Vanilla envelopes.
3. Download the list of stamps and wheels not in the current catalog yet still available for purchase through January 1, 2008. Download su_dormant_list_july_2007.pdf
4. That's all the news up to the minute!!!

Techniques List

One of my downline, Cathy, had a techniques class where she powerhoused through a whole bunch of techniques. She very graciously shared this list with me and now with you. It's a great reference for learning new things quickly!

Download techniques_class.doc

Ribbon Originals & coordinating colors

The Ribbon Originals on page 191 of the Fall-Winter Collection 2007 coordinates beautifully with our exclusive colors of ink and cardstock. See this chart to learn which colors work well with the ribbon:

Download coordinating_colors_for_the_ribbon_originals.doc

Technique of the Week - Spotlighting with Punches

Spotlighting with Punches

 

Directions:

1. Stamp desired image on two pieces of card stock. Set one aside to serve as background for spotlighted image.

2. On the first piece of card stock, watercolor the area you wish to highlight.

3. Line up punch (1-3/8" Square punch used in example) with watercolored spotlight area.

4. Remove punched piece.

5. Line up punched, spotlighted piece with the previously stamped image on second piece of card stock. Mount on coordinating card stock for completed project.