Happy Halloween

I hope you have a safe and fun Halloween! I like to hand out candy and see the costumes, so I will be home waiting for the doorbell to ring!

Can you see how I made my "bat" from ribbon? I simply tied a small piece of Stampin' Up's 1/2" Scallop Dots ribbon (Basic Black) into a knot and made sure that there were two white dots where the eyes would be. I blacked out the rest of the dots on the "face" with a black Sharpie, and cut the edges of the wings to look bat-like. You like? Leave me a comment.

Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Gray

Designer Series Paper: Frightful Sight

Stamps: Grateful Greetings, Tiny Tags

Ink: Cajun Craze

Markers: Cajun Craze, Basic Black

Accessories: Square Scallop Punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Glitter Brad, Big Shot, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates, Stampin' Dimensionals

Don't have too much candy/sugar tonight! If you need any Stampin' Up!, I'd be happy to answer your questions, and you can order any time using my Website.

PPA 117 - Clean and Simple - Ribbon!

Pals Paper Arts challenge this week is Clean and Simple using ribbon. You can use any type of ribbon you like, or you can make your paper act/look like ribbon! How creative can you get?

I chose to use a ribbon I've had for months! I don't believe I have used it before. I wanted to make something really different, and I do believe I achieved that with this card. You will not believe how quick and easy it was!

Card Base: Whisper White card stock, standard finished size 4-1/2 x 5-1/2."

Inset: Crumb Cake card stock cut to 4-1/2 x 3-1/2" and embossed with Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder in the Big Shot.

Stem: Lucky Limeade card stock cut to from a piece embossed with Stripes embossing folder in the Big Shot.

Flower: Punch petals with 1-3/4" Scallop Circle punch from Peach Parfait card stock. For middle of flower, use a 1-1/4" circle punch (any color card stock). Cover with Sticky Strip. Pull off red backing from Sticky Strip. Start in the middle and use Blue Denim Jean ribbon to twirl and stick tape down, moving in a circular motion until your circle is covered.

Leaves: Tie a knot in a small piece of Blue Denim Jean ribbon. Adhere to stem using Mini Glue Dot.

Sentiment: Stamp sentiment from Party This Way stamp set using Night of Navy classic ink onto Whisper White card stock. Use Word Window punch to punch out sentiment. Adhere using Stampin' Dimensionals.

Wasn't that EASY? Clean and Simple, too!

If you need any supplies for you cards, please use my Website to order. I also love to read your comments, so I hope you leave one below.

PPA Sneak Peek!

Are you ready to play along at Pals Paper Arts? You can see my sneak peek above. Tomorrow we will announce our challenge for the week. You can play along by creating your own card that fits our challenge for the week. Feel free to use any products you like to complete your challenge.

Then, simply upload a photo of your card using a direct link and you will be playing! You can even earn "pick of the week" by participating!

Visit tomorrow to see what the Pals Paper Arts Challenge is for this week!

Masculine Birthdays

In our family, we have a lot of birthdays for guys in the fall. I needed to get on creating them, so here is the result for the first set. With one design, two different cards were created. I used the Well Worn designer series paper.

The colors in these prints are perfect for those manly cards. I had a lot of buttons due to buying extra sets because I needed a lot of a certain color. What better way to use up some of them? I created vertical rows and tied knots with Linen Thread.

I hope you liked looking. Don't forget about those October deals from Stampin' Up!

And, at any time, you can use my Website to order your Stampin' Up! products.

PPA116 - Sketch for Baby

Welcome to Pals Paper Arts Sketch Challenge. Margaret Moody has provided us with another fine sketch. How will you interpret it?

Here, I chose to make my card 5" x 5". I snipped the bottom of the Whisper White front off by using the Eyelet Border punch. I put a strip of Nursery Nest paper above it on the front and below it on the inside of the card.

I covered the rest of the front with a second print from Nursery Nest. I then wrapped a 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon in Blushing Bride and tide a knot on the right side.

On top of the ribbon, I popped up a square in Perfect Plum, which was run through the Big Shot in the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. A third print from Nursery Notes was placed on top of the Perfect Plum and accented with a row of Basic Pearls.

Finally, I added my sentiment from the God's Blessings stamp set. I stamped it onto Whisper White using Perfect Plum ink. Before adhering it to my Perfect Plum piece, I matted it with a piece of Blushing Bride card stock.

I hope you enjoy looking. Please leave any comments you have below. I love to read each and every one.

Through October 31 ONLY, Stampin' Up! is offering a free Big Shot (or $100 in free Stampin' Up! products of your choice) to anyone who buys a Starter Kit! This is in addition to all of the items in your Kit AND 30% off your first order (of $150 or more within 30 days of signup).

(You can use your products and be eligible for your demonstrator discount through March 31, 2012 with NO obligation to purchase or sell anything further!)

Contact me if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help you find out how you can get your Starter Kit and try out Stampin' Up! products without further obligation.

Additionally, Stampin' Up! is having is Buy 2 Simply Sent card kits and get a FREE coordinating Stamp Set!

Card kits are great for beginners--everything you need to complete your card is here, except for a sentiment. With the promotion, your sentiment is *Free.*

Orders can be placed at a workshop or online through October 31, 2011.

PPA Preview and Promotions Reminder

As a Design Team Member at Pals Paper Arts, I am always excited to show you a sneak peek on Wednesdays! Here it is... can you guess what it will be? Visit tomorrow and find out how you can join in the fun. You can create using our inspiration with any materials you like!

For the month of October, Stampin' Up! is offering a free Big Shot (or $100 in free Stampin' Up! products of your choice) to anyone who buys a Starter Kit! This is in addition to all of the items in your Kit AND your first order (within 30 days, and $150) having a 30% discount!

Imagine all of the Christmas shopping and planning you could get finished now! (You can use your products and be eligible for your demonstrator discount through March 31, 2012 with NO obligation to purchase or sell anything further!)

This is your chance to turn your hobby up a notch and get this very versatile item for all of your cards and scrap booking textures and die cuts! You only have until October 31st, so act now!

Contact me if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help you find out how you can sign up to be a demonstrator!

Additionally, Stampin' Up! is having is Buy 2 Simply Sent card kits and get a FREE coordinating Stamp Set!

Card kits are great for beginners--everything you need to complete your card is here, except for a sentiment. With the promotion, your sentiment is FREE (from the list below)!

Buy any two of the following Simply Sent Kits:

Page	Item	Description	Price
192	122375	Simply Sent Great Day	$12.95
193	122377	Simply Sent Everyday Elegance	$11.95
193	122376	Simply Sent Sweet Moments	$13.95

And get a FREE coordinating stamp set:

Page	Item	Description	Price
192	123682	It's Your Day	$8.95
192	124685	Es tu día (Spanish It's Your day)	$8.95
192	124800	C'est ta fête (French It's Your Day)	$8.95
193	123686	Everyday Wishes	$9.95
193	123684	You're Cherished	$8.95
193	124865	Chérissons les anges (French You're Cherished)	$8.95

Orders can be placed at a workshop or online. Take advantage of this offer and get a head start on those upcoming birthdays and other special days! Through October 31, 2011.

Hostess Thank You

Happy Monday! I made this little gift for one of my October hostesses. We used the same colors to make a card, so everyone loved how Stampin' Up! papers coordinated!

Inside was the treat of Hershey's with Almonds-YUM. You still have time to play along with the Pals Paper Arts Challenge. Link your card by tomorrow morning and you could be eligible for Blog Candy!

Supply List:

Card Stock: Lucky Limeade, Whisper White

Designer Series Paper: Flirtatious Specialty

Stamps: Perfect Punches, Four Frames

Ink: Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade

Accessories: Mini Clothespin, 5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Big Shot, Matchbox Bigz XL Die

Don't forget to check out the October Promotions from Stampin' Up! Your chance to save big on Clearance Rack, buy a Starter Kit and get a *FREE* Big Shot (worth $99) OR get a *FREE* stamp when you buy 2 Simply Sent kits! Click HERE to see details.

Stampin' Up! Promotions and Beau Chateau Birthday Card

Stampin' Up's Beau Chateau Designer Series Paper (122357 $10.95) is simply beautiful! Full of old fashioned prints and using the colors Pink Pirouette, Marina Mist, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla, you are sure to find many uses for this paper.

Above, I created a special card for a special birthday. Using the coordinating Beau Chateau "Side Notes" set of die-cut tags (122379 $5.95) - 24 notes on heavy-weave paper, I put this card together in a snap! Pressed for time? You won't need much when your card elements are already "stamped", punched out for you and ready to use. If you wish, you can distress the edges or use your sponge daubers to ink them, but here I've left it just as it came out of the package on the "Mon Amour" tag. Isn't it so elegant? Wouldn't these look lovely on a scrapbook page?

My card base is Pink Pirouette card stock that mattes the lovely pink print from the Beau Chateau Designer Series Paper. I used a Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink to give a little color to all of the edges of the print.

I popped the tag up with Stampin' Dimensionals over my Basic Black

1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon. I gathered the ribbon at the bottom by tying a bow in Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon and then attached the Trinket Crown (121891 set of three $6.95) using a piece of Linen Thread (104199 $4.50). The striped ribbon was snipped in a fish tail shape at the bottom.

I hope you enjoyed this card. Please leave your comments below, I LOVE to read them all.

Promotions Reminder:

Item # 129024 Christmas Keepsake Box Price: $19.95

Available now through 12/31/11 (or while supplies last) This special offer is related to a recent advertisement in Women's Day Magazine.

This box would make an excellent gift box or could be a gift in itself! Earlier this year it was offered only as a promotion, but is now available for you to purchase.

This special offer includes written instructions, but the following supplies are NOT INCLUDED:

• Pines & Poinsettias Stamp Set (123764 clear $14.95, 123762 Wood $19.95)
• Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker (119680 $3.50)
• Real Red Stampin' Write Marker (100052 $3.50)
• Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Marker (120975 $3.50)
• Adhesives
• 3/16" Corner Punch (119871 $6.95)
• Paper Cutter (104152 $24.95)
• Paper Snips (103579 $9.95)
• Needle
• Glue Gun

As a special offer, my first 5 customers who order the Christmas Keepsake Box through my Demonstrator Website will receive a bookmark made with the Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Series Paper. It coordinates beautifully with the finished box!

If you missed the details on how you can get a BIG SHOT free, or how you can save money by ordering from the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack, please see those details here.

Bookmark Tutorial

As promised, here is the tutorial on how to make the bookmark you saw on yesterday's post. Don't forget that you can receive one like this for *free* by ordering the Christmas Keepsake Box kit through my Demonstrator Website if you are one of the first FIVE to order. See this post for details.

1. 16" of 3/8" Quilted Satin Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler. Place 1" of Sticky Strip on each end of the ribbon. Put about 8" of Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon through a Wild Wasabi Designer button front to back and then back to front. Leave a loop in the back to thread your quilted ribbon through.

Peel the backing off of the Sticky Strip. Fold end of ribbon onto itself, making sure you catch the loop you left with the seam binding. Tie the seam binding in a bow.

Take a hair elastic and adhere through the other end of the quilted ribbon. Place two pieces of Stampin' Dimensionals down the middle of a Large Scallop Circle piece of card stock. Leave just enough room for the 3/8" ribbon to pass through the middle.

Adhere a 1-1/4" circle of card stock over the middle of the Large Scallop card stock.

Both ends of the book mark ribbon. You are now ready to decorate the front side of your Large Scallop any way you wish.

For my 3-D decorating, I covered the Large Scallop Circle with Sticky Strip.

I cut out a bunch of Scallop Circles from card stock and Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Paper. I scrunched them up to distress them.

I wrapped each one around the eraser on the end of a pencil and adhere just the middle to the Large Scallop Circle until the flower burst was full enough.

Here is my finished project. If you love giving books as gifts, you will love adding a personal touch by making these book marks! They only take a few minutes to make and you can match them to any book you are giving! The possible shapes you can use are endless. How about a label shape with someone's name instead of the scallop circle flower? A larger button? You could use any width of ribbon, also.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and please do leave any comments or questions below. I am happy to help you be successful with your own projects!

Christmas Keepsake Box Special Offer Kit and Your *Free* Gift!

Item # 129024 Christmas Keepsake Box Price: $19.95

Available now through 12/31/11 (or while supplies last) This special offer is related to a recent advertisement in Women's Day Magazine.

This box would make an excellent gift box or could be a gift in itself! Earlier this year it was offered only as a promotion, but is now available for you to purchase.

This special offer includes written instructions, but the following supplies are NOT INCLUDED:

• Pines & Poinsettias Stamp Set (123764 clear $14.95, 123762 Wood $19.95)
• Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker (119680 $3.50)
• Real Red Stampin' Write Marker (100052 $3.50)
• Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Marker (120975 $3.50)
• Adhesives
• 3/16" Corner Punch (119871 $6.95)
• Paper Cutter (104152 $24.95)
• Paper Snips (103579 $9.95)
• Needle
• Glue Gun

As a special offer, my first 5 customers who order the Christmas Keepsake Box through my Demonstrator Website will receive a bookmark made with the Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Series Paper. It coordinates beautifully with the finished box!

Visit my blog tomorrow for the tutorial on how I made the above bookmark, as requested by several of my blog readers! I love hearing from you, so please feel free to leave a comment below or email me with any questions you may have.

PPA 115 Fashion Inspiration Fall/Thanksgiving

Hello, and Happy Thursday! It's Pals Paper Arts inspiration day! Today, our Fashion Inspiration segment features "Fall/Thanksgiving" themes. I know that green is not usually a traditional fall color, but Stampin' Up's Spice Cake (very FALL!) designer series paper has more to offer than your regular orange and brown! It includes Pool Party, Early Espresso and also Garden Green.

• My card is made up of a Very Vanilla base, with an Early Espresso matte.

• Next, I cut two stripsof 3-3/4 x 1-1/2" prints from the Spice Cake designer series paper.

• Each of the strips were bordered with a Scallop Border punched piece of Garden Green card stock.

• Centered on top of those strips, I used a Crumb Cake Perfect Pennants circle and slid it behind my Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake Beautiful Wings Embosslit butterflies. The small butterfly received "bling" with some Basic Rhinestones. Behind the large butterfly, I used my Paper Piercing Tool to poke a little design into the Crumb Cake circle on top and bottom.

• Lastly, I added "gratitude" stamped in Crumb Cake onto Whisper White from Fabulous Phrases. I punched it out with the Word Window Punch and then added an Early Espresso Modern Label punched border. Two Mini Brads in silver flank the sentiment.

• Both elements in the center are popped up using Stampin' Dimensionals.

I thank you so much for stopping by to look at my creations. Each week, I enjoy making a new card and exercising my creativity and then sitting back to see what you think! Please leave your comments, I love them all.

For your own supplies from Stampin' Up! please use myWebsite to order! Don't forget to check out the specials for October. I'd love to have you join my team and get a *FREE* Big Shot when you purchase the Starter Kit. Details below...

Buy 2 Simply Sent Kits, Get One Stamp Set *FREE*

Big Shot *FREE* when you buy the Starter Kit!

Holiday Items in Clearance Rack:

Stampin' Up! has added more items to Clearance Rack in the Online Store, including some holiday products! Clearance Rack items are non-refundable and are only available while supplies last. You must order ONLINE.