WOW...Stampin' Up! has a HUGE Sale

Stampin" Up! is offering this huge sale for one week only...Yup, you read that right; one week only until November 30, 2009.

The list is so long of amazing sale items up to 50% off selected bundles. What are you waitng for go to Stampin' Up! and check out the huge sale.

If you are Canadian, you can order by contacting me directly at dale.livingston@sympatico.ca or place an online order and have it shipped directly to your door by clicking here and to the right of the page type in my name Dale Livingston and Ontario and it will give you the demonstrator identification and take you to the online ordering.

Tim Hortons meets Stampin' Up!

A friend of mine asked if I would make an oversized Christmas card for the staff at Tim Hortons.
The staff party is this coming Saturday and approx. 150 employees had to sign the card.

This was going to be a challenge as the stamps are small to scale in comparison to the half sheet of bristol board I would be using. I had idea in my head I wanted to do but wasn't sure if I could pull it off without re-doing my work.

I wanted a sure thing so I turned to my extremely talented up line, Heather Summers.
I cased a card she had made last year and new it would be perfect.

I added the extra pages for signing and dressed them up too. I was given some timbit boxes and coffee cups so I cut the "Merry Christmas" using the Simple Alphabet die from Stampin' Up! I was pleased with the card and I especially like the Tim Hortons logo on the back. My friend was super happy with the card as well .

Top Note Santa

During one of my blog hopping adventures, I came across this adorable Santa made using the Top Note die from Gretchen Barron.

I made a few adjustments and added a Peppermint Stick. I think he is adorable. Thanks Gretchen.

Christmas Hostess Gift

At the time I made a Thanksgiving Hostess Gift, I also made one for Christmas.
These are so much fun to make up and look so great.
I could have cut DSP to wrap around the nugget bars but instead I decorated 2 5/8" x 1" white mailing address labels. I did this by using Versa Mark and stamping snowflakes from the Christmas Punch set randomly over the labels. Then I used white embossing powder and heat set it. Next, I took my brayer and rolled it Real Red Classic Ink and brayerd it all over the labels. Lastly, I took a tissue and whited the red ink off of the white snowflakes. Then peel, wrap and stick. SO easey
I hope you enjoy this little tutorial and treat box. Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend.

Ready, Set, Snow!

Today's card is a challenge featuring an Easel Card.
It is my first time playing along with these ladies and I have to say what a fun and easy card to make.
Recipe: All supplies are Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Snow Buddies, Patterned Pines, Best Wishes and More
Paper: Lavender Lace, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Winter Bright DSP (Retired)
Ink: Bashful Blue, Lavender Lace, Basic Black, Certainly Celery
Embellishments: Paper Piercer, 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon, dimensionals, Snowflake Brad (not from Stampin' Up!)
The great feature about this card is that it can be displayed and will not fall over...how great is that.

Paper Bag Scrap Book

My fabulous upline Heather Summers gave us two brown lunch bags at our last meeting and said, "Here is your challenge". Decorate it.

I have to admit, I put it aside and forgot about it...until last night.

I have not put any photos on or journalling as I thought this would make an adorable little gift for someone this Christmas.
I used the Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP as well as cardstock in Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive, Kraft, Soft Suede, Confetti White and Sahara Sand. I embellished with ribbon hardware, brads and punches.
There are two pouches which I have inserted journal tags or you could attach a photo.

You could easily make your brown bag scrapbook fuller by adding an extra bag or two.

I was pleased with how it turned out and I hope you like it too.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend.

Time to Trim the Tree....

I am gearing up for the Christmas Season ...I am definitely feeling ahead of the Season and it feels so good.

I learned how to make these adorable Christmas Ornaments from Jodie at our last "Simply Stars" downline meeting. We have so much fun and learn a lot from business tips- from make and takes to WOW demonstrations, to catching up with new friendships and even sharing recipes.
If you have ever thought of joining the Stampin' Up! team' may it be as a hobby demonstrator or as a business, I would love to share this opportunity with you.

Right now until March 31, 2010, Stampin' Up! has a great offer if you are interested in becoming a demonstrator. Click here for more details.

I couldn't wait to make a set of these adorable Christmas Tree Ornaments and although tthey looked simple to make I wasn't sure so I used some retired Stampin' Up! DSP just in case I made a mistake. Well guess what, these are super easy to make. I am very pleased with how they turned out.

Of coarse the four ornaments needed a gift box so I made a box to co-ordinate using the card board from the DSP packaging and decorated it with DSP, a bow and a tag.

Now I have another hostess gift ready to go for this Christmas Season. Thanks Jodie.

I am offering this as a class on:

Date: Friday, November 27

Time: 6:30pm

Cost: $35 which includeds a pkg. of Holiday Lounge DSP and a pkg. of Mini Glue Dots

RSVP by November 11, 2009

If you are unable to attend my class, kits are available with a tutorial

In the Pink - PPA14

"The PPA Design Team are in the pink for Breast Cancer Awareness...celebrting cancer survivors, and remembering those that continue to battle, as well as the countless number of families and friends that have been touched by theis disease.

The PPA Designe Team is honoured to dedicate this weeks challenge to Karol Harris, and her loving daughter (and PPA Design Team member), Kris Kilcoyne. Karol cherishes her family and friends and has a zany sense of humour. She was diagnosed with breast cancer over three years ago and continues to battle its relentless invasion of her body. We hope this simple tribute brings a smile.

During Breast Cancer Awareness month, we would like to encourage everyone to be proactive in early detection and steadfast in your hope for finding a cure."

So I have created this tree ornament in pink (and a little silver) to hang on my tree this Christmas to honour and remember woman and their families who have endured this terrible disease.

Here is to the HOPE we all have to find a cure for Breast Cancer.

Pattern Pines

Have you ever had a creative block and not know what to do with a stamp set?

Pattern Pines stumped me so I had to check out Splitcoaststampers for inspiration.

I found these two cards which popped out at me and come to find out they are designed by the same person - Carole. Thanks Carole for your inspiration.

These were both simple but very pretty.

I attended a Mystery Card class at Heather's tonight and she was featuring the Pattern Pines stamp set as well. Heather had designed a beautiful card using the same materials but different look.
How are your Christmas cards coming along?

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

I love the stamp set Winter Post but I love it even more now that Stampin' Up! has the Christmas Punch stamp set (Level Two Hostess set) which contains the Santa postage stamp.

I was inspired to make this card by Deborah Maden.

I love the idea of brown paper packages wrapped up in string, so thought I would make my card resemble that and cheer it up with the new Christmas Cocoa Specialty designer paper #116770 from the Holiday Mini.

Recipe:

Stamps: Winter Post, Heard from the Heart, Christmas Punch

Paper: Soft Suede, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP

Ink: Soft Suede, Real Red

Embellishments: Top Note Die, Big Shot, Hemp Twine, Scallop Square Punch

The Holiday Mini is only available until January 4th. If you would like to host your own stamping get together with friends, family and co-workers, earn free product and the opportunity earn the Level 2 Hostess Set "Christmas Punch" plese contact me via email at dale.livingston@sympatico.ca.

If you are Canadian and would liek to place an order, email me or order online at Stampin' Up! under demonstrator directory.

Featuring Inspiration from Andrea

Do you ever have moments where you just don't feel like thinking of putting together a colour combinatin or a sketch layout? Or how about the times you just feel like reading stamping blogs and think oh I will have to remember to make that sometime but never do.

Well, this is how I felt yesterday. I just felt like blog hopping (although I tend to read what my favourite stampers are up to not just look at the photos...you can waste a better part of the day doing this) but then I stopped and told myself that tody was going to be the day that I would make the cards I have been wanting to CASE.

So like yesterdays post, I am featuring inspiration from Andrea Walford; she is extremely talented and you can get more details on her blog here.

I had such a fun day stamping away and as you can see I was quite busy.

Thanks Andrea

Oh my goodness! I had so much fun making this card. I have to confess I did not order any new Christmas Designer Paper this year becasue I have to use up what I have so todays card is about mixing old with new...retired paper with new stamp set.
First I have to say Thank You to Andrea Walford for this beautiful card.

Be sure to pop on over to her blog for the complete details of her card.

For Three Boo-tiful Boys

I am going to have coffee with a friend who has recently moved back to Tillsonburg from Lambeth. Mark and Angie have three adorable little boys who hold a special place in my heart and I thought I just have to take them something. I know for a fact Carter will be in school, not sure about Eli as he is in SK and little Leyton I will get to see him but he doesn't really know me becasue they moved away when he was really small.
I got this cute card idea from Heather. Since I do not have the Serif Essentials Alphabet die for the Big Shot, I thought I would use the chipboard letters I had on hand (ok I was saving them). They are bigger than the treat cups but I am okay with the end result. I put a trap door on the inside of the card to retrieve the treats without wrecking the card.

Halloween Treat Boxes

Although I am not a big fan of Halloween, I couldn't resist making these three fellows to hang on my Holiday Tree. I got the idea from Becky who got the idea from Gretchen so you may just want to check out their versions.
I plan to fill them with treats as the special little ones come to my door but for now they act as a home decor item on my Holiday Tree.

The Frankenstein is also the project we will make on Monday for the Lunch Hour Program at school.

I do not have the new Fancy Favour Die for the Big Shot (yet) so I made due to make my own box to attach the dressed Top Note Die to. I took a 5" x 7" piece of cardstock and scored 1" along the
long edge and turned to score at 3" and 4" along the short side.

I hope you make some spooktacular packages for someone special this Halloween.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day.

Thanksgiving Hostess Gift

I have had these cute nuget tins for awhile now and not becasue I didn't know what to do with them but because I had this mind set that if I used them, gave them away then I wouldn't have anymore...collecting is what some would call it.

Anyway I am trying really hard to use my stuff.

We have Thanksgiving dinner today at Grandma Jennie's and tomorrow at my brother and sister-in-laws' home. Yup, we are feasting on two turkey dinners. Both dinners are being held "back home" so we will be on the road each day as one lives an hour and twenty minutes away and my brother lives an hour and forty minutes away.

Last year I made table favours for the dinner table but this year I am giving a hostess gift and card to demonstrate for appreciation and thankfullness for dinner and family.

I made covers for the York Peppermint patties and then put six treats inside the nugget tin.

Recipe:

Stamps: Fall Whimsey (retired)

Paper: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red, Really Rust. Chocolate Chip Close to Cocoa, Whisper White

Ink: Versa Mark

Embellishments: Gold Embossing Powder, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4 " Circle Punch, Mini Glue Dots, Chocolate Chip Striped Ribbon