5 Days of Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and I wanted to show our teachers how much we truly appreciate everything they do for our kids. Knowing how much I love receiving pillow gifts each night on incentive trips, I decided to do a small gift each day for the teachers.

Monday kind of snuck up on me. I had purchased some chocolate covered pretzels after Easter, so I stamped a simple tag with the Painted Petals set to dress it up. The sentiment "You're Amazingly Amazing" was perfect for this occasion!

Tuesday was a splurge day. I bought arrangements of fresh flowers for each teacher to enjoy on their desk all week. No stamping this time. The flowers spoke for themselves. But I forgot to snap a picture!

Wednesday we gave them reusable water bottles and powder lemonade mix. The tag was easy! I made an extra long with the Tag Topper Punch and then folded it over to create a pocket. I secured the pocket corners with Glue Dots. I covered the bottle tag with the lemonade pocket using a clothespin to hold it.

Thursday, I created a cute tag with the Banner Banter stamp set to dress up a stack of notepads for each teacher. I purchased the notepads after Christmas. they were packaged to look like a stack of gifts, but the colors aren't too Christmasy, so I thought they would work for any occasion. Real Red and Coastal Cabana were perfect color matches!

Friday's gift was all about the kids! They each painted a mini canvas with a unique design and personally wrote a note of appreciation in a notecard for their teacher. I used the Work of Art stamp set to stamp these quick notecards. They didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but I loved how the sentiment coordinated with the gift: "You are a fabulous work of art".

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Guest Artist: Nancy Brown + Hello Love Project Ideas

Each month, I do a Guest Artist feature in my team newsletter and spotlight the talent of one of my team members. I send them a free stamp set which they use to create a set of projects. Last month, I featured Nancy Brown's artwork and she agreed to let me share it with you too! Check out Nancy's blog here and be sure to stop over and say hello!

Nancy choose the "Hello Love" stamp set from my stamp stash. you can earn this hostess set for free when you host a party or place an order over $150.

Nancy says: "I selected this set because the little birds are so stinkin’ cute, and I love the inscription, “You make me happy.”

Slimline Fold Flat Box & Pendant
Nancy says: "I love this box because it will fold down to mail - that way your gift box won’t get crushed when you send it." The directions for box came from UK Demonstrator Sam Donald (Pootles Papercrafts).

 

 

Supplies: Calypso Coral card stock,  Stacked with Love DSP Stack, Calypso Coral Blendabilities, Black Memento Ink pad, Corner Rounder, Sticky Strip, 3/4” Circle punch, 1/8” Black Taffeta Ribbon, Paper Snips

You Make Me Happy Card
Nancy says: "I selected this card to show how we can use the IB&C for inspiration.  I pretty much cased the sample shown in there. It did require a little “fussy cutting” which I usually try to stay away from, but it was fun to do."

Supplies: Whisper White card stock, Crushed Curry card stock, Coastal Cabana card stock,  Best Year Ever DSP,  Baked Brown Sugar Ink pad, Word Bubbles Framelits Die, Little Pieces Embosslits Die, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Linen Thread, Vintage Faceted Designer Button, Dimensionals, Big Shot, Paper Snips, Stampin' Dimensionals

A Little Birdie Told Me Pocket Card

Supplies:  Crushed Curry card stock,  Whisper White card stock, Best Year Every DSP, Black Memento Ink pad Coastal Cabana Blendabilities, Calypso Coral Blendabilities, Envelope Punch Board, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, 2 1/2” Circle punch, Scalloped Tag Topper punch, Thick Coastal Cabana Baker’s Twine Big Shot, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Glue Dots 
 
Oh Happy Day Treat Bag

Supplies:  Stacked with Love DSP Stack, Crushed Curry ink & cardstock, Basic Black ink & cardstock, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, Mini Clothespins, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, 2” Circle Punch, Stampin’ Trimmer, Sticky Trip, Mini Glue Dots, Pearl Jewel Accents

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FMS182 Clean and Simple Hello Card

I recently found the Freshly Made Sketches blog and have been wanting to play along with their weekly sketch challenge. When I was cleaning up my table from Stamp Club this week, I felt inspired to create this quick card with the latest Freshly Made Sketch #182.

I really wanted to use a die cut word on the small rectangle part of the sketch, but the Hello You Thinlits were too big. This "hello" comes from the All Shook Up Paper Pumpkin Kit (Dec 2014). It goes perfectly with the Birthday Bash Designer paper!

I added a piece of the Best Year Ever ribbon. Sale-a-bration is over, but you can still earn this gift for free when you buy the Butterfly Basics bundle before April 30. Learn More.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

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AW39: World of Dreams Spring Birds Card

It's time for another Around the World Challenge! I'm a day late posting, but there's still plenty of time to play along with the design team. This time, the challenge is an inspiration challenge. This photo had me thinking about spring and flowers, so I created a card with some spring birds building a nest.

The main image is from the World of Dreams stamp set. I used some elements from the Perpetual Birthday Calendar stamp set from the Occasions Catalog to add some color.

Check out the Around the World Challenge blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has created and play along with us!


Stampin' Up! Supplies: World of Dreams stamp set, Perpetual Calendar stamp set, Petite Pairs stamp set, Calypso Coral ink & cardstock, Pool Party ink pad, Pear Pizzazz ink, Early Espresso ink & cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Best Year Ever Accessory Pack (SAB), Whisper White Baker's Twine

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Makeover Monday: Rule of Thirds

It's time for another Makeover Monday! I teamed up with my friend Jen Davidson to share some simple tips for making over your stamped creations.

For today's card, I applied the Rule of Thirds to make the flower more visually appealing. I also introduced more color by changing the flower color and introducing another layer of cardstock (the banner) to make the focus point pop against the busy pattern of the designer paper. In addition, I decreased the size of the designer paper (from 4" x 5-1/4" to 3-3/4" x 5") on the card base.

Before

After

Are you familiar with the Rule of Thirds? I try to keep this design principle in mind when I create my cards. Essentially, you divide your design space into thirds, both horizontally and vertically so that you have nine sections. It is most aesthetically pleasing for the focal point (or "important compositional elements") to fall at one of the intersections. Learn More about the Rule of Thirds

Stampin' Up! Supplies: Amazing Birthday stamp set, Calypso Coral ink & cardstock, Coastal Cabana cardstock, Crushed Curry cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Best Year Ever Designer Paper (SAB), Blossom Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch

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LAST DAY of Sale-a-bration: Free Gift(s) with $50 Order

Check out these new project ideas on the Stampin' Up! corporate blog!

Time's up! Today is the very last day to take advantage of Sale-a-bration! Here's how to get the good stuff:

• SHOP: Get one free gift for ever $50 in merchandise that you order. No limit! Click here to view the Sale-a-bration Gift Options. Shop Online Now. Add your merchandise to the Shopping Cart and then choose your free gift selections when your check out. Place your order by 11:55 pm MT on Tuesday, March 31, 2015.
  
  
  

  Make sure to use Hostess Code MS424K7R and get a FREE Make and Take Kit when you order $40 or more! Learn More
  
  

  

  

  

  Can't decide which free gift to choose? Check out my Sale-A-Bration 2015 Pinterest Board for inspiration!

  

  

• JOIN Choose one of the following limited-time Sale-a-bration offers when you join my team as a Demonstrator during Sale-a-bration. The $99 Starter Kit includes $125 in Stampin' Up! product of YOUR choice!  
• Learn More about being a Demonstrator
• Get Your Kit for FREE! Learn How
• Join Now

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Makeover Monday: Amazing Birthday Panel Card

It finally feels like spring this Monday morning in central Illinois. The birds are singing; the sun is shining. It's going to be a beautiful day! Spring is a fresh start. And it in that spirit, I'm excited to introduce a new series on my blog: Makeover Monday. I'm teaming up with my friend Jen Davidson again to share some simple tips for making over your stamped creations. Click here to check out some other card makeovers that Jen and I created.

Before

I like the layout that Jen used for this card, but I felt like the designer paper was too busy. The stamped images feel lost and the card kind of looks washed out. I kept the same layout for my card, but shortened the panels just a little so you could see more of the base card color. (The panels on the "after" card are 3-3/4" x 1-1/8".) I limited the busy pattern to one panel and introduced more colors from the designer paper: Coastal Cabana, Hello Honey, and Calypso Coral. I stamped each image in the same color as the cardstock panels to make them pop.

After

Stampin' Up! Supplies: Amazing Birthday stamp set, Calypso Coral ink & cardstock, Hello Honey ink & cardstock, Coastal Cabana ink & cardstock, Soft Suede cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Best Year Ever Designer Paper (SAB), 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

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For Being You: Stamping on Washi Tape

I really love the For Being You stamp set! There's so many ways to fill those big letters. See more ideas here. I've used markers to color them, paper pieced cardstock and designer paper, and for this card, I stamped on washi tape!

I used the Retro Fresh washi tape, one of the Sale-a-bration options from the Annual Catalog. So if you already have the other Sale-a-bration gifts you want, you can choose this washi tape for free when you order $50 or more before the end of Sale-A-Bration (Tuesday, March 31, 2015). Learn More

Did you notice the Itty Bitty Accent Epoxy stickers on the hearts?  Customers who order $40 or more from my online store will get a package as their free gift this month along with a make and take to create the three bonus projects. Woo hoo! Learn More about my Stamp Club AT HOME.

Stampin' Up! Supplies: For Being You stamp set (SAB), Jet Black Staz-On Ink, Coastal Cabana ink pad, So Saffron cardstock, Whisper White cardstock, Retro Fresh Washi Tape (SAB), Hearts Border Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Epoxy Stickers

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Sale-a-Bration: LAST CHANCE! 
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NEW! Sale-a-bration Project Video Tutorials from Stampin' Up!

Check out these video tutorials from Stampin' Up! I love the ideas for coloring the Sale-a-bration specialty papers! In this first video, they used the same basic layout to create two totally different cards!

And this watercolor wash is so pretty! I just used my Aqua Painters to watercolor images from the Moon Lake stamp set for my March Stamp of the Month club projects. (Watch of my watercoloring videos in the next couple days!)

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Sale-a-Bration: 4 NEW Gifts! 
Get one FREE for every $50 you order
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Use Hostess Code JTPFT7HS to get a FREE Make and Take Kit and FREE GIFT when you order $40 or more. Learn More