Welcome to the New at SU! first blog hop of the new year.  This month we are hopping and sharing ideas around the theme Love & Hearts.  Grab something to drink and hop along with us!

I love the versatility of the Lots of Hearts bundle.  Great dies that go beyond hearts and I couldn't resist the checked heart and the heartfelt sentiments are going to be so useful.   Today's project was the perfect time to try the pretty floral overlay die.  I thought about trying it in vellum but decided I needed to try the new Pearlescent Paper.

This photo doesn't do it justice but I hope you can see some of the sheen of the Pearlescent Paper.  When I opened the paper I was surprised that it was a lightweight paper similar to DSP, maybe even a little lighter.  This makes it super easy to die cut and doesn't add much bulk.  I am looking forward to experimenting with this paper so stay tuned for that.  The flower centers are the Opal Rounds.  You can see the "fire" in these rounds and they look great with the Pearlescent Paper.

The Very Vanilla layer was embossed using the Tasteful Textiles embossing folder.  You have probably guessed it is one of my go-to embossing folders.  

I am so happy that twine is back!  The Blushing Bride twine is from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack.  I really like solid colored twine and am hoping that we will see the return of black twine...please. 

You can see that I couldn't resist adding the connected hearts from the Many Hearts dies to the inside of the card.  I layered it on to a black cardstock strip and I love how this looks!

Now it is time to see what the talented Rochelle Smith has made for you.

Here is a list of all the stops on the hop! 

January 2021 New at SU! Hop: Love & Hearts

Tricia’s Stamping Creations - Kangaroo & Company

Creative Juice by Loni - Treasures of Life

Sugar & Scraps - Heartfelt

Gifted Hands, Ink! - Love Always & Many Hearts Dies

As the Ink Dries - Lots of Hearts you are here!

Stamping Flair - Always in My Heart

Carterie Plus - Heartfelt

Scraphexe - Lots of Hearts/Ganz viel Herz

A Little Kinder - Lots of Hearts

24/7 Inkspiration - Love You Always

Stampin’ Scrapper - Forever & Always

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the hop!

Product List

Lots Of Heart Bundle (English) [156202]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]
Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101650]	Pearlescent Specialty Paper [154291]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]	Opal Rounds [154289]
Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack [154579]

Welcome to the Around the World on Wednesday Blog Hop.  We are an international group of Stampin' Up!® demonstrators here to share ideas and inspiration.  This month the theme is Favorite Inspiration.

This theme really made me think.  What does inspire me?  In the past I think I would have said magazines.  I still have a few old stamping and scrapbook magazines that I  look through on occasion but now that I think about it, I haven't looked through one in months.  I was going to say my stamps and paper are inspirational but often it is because I have new stamps and paper that I need to be inspired.  I reflected on my process and I realize it is my box of cards I have collected over the years both handmade and store bought that I look through when I need to be inspired.  I look through this beat up plastic container and always find a color combination, fold or layout that sparks an idea.  There are other ways I am inspired but I think this collection of ideas is the one I turn to the most.  Now that I think of it I should treat these projects more respectfully and find a nicer container for them.

This is the card I pulled out of my box of ideas. I do not  remember the name of this stamp set or how old it is.  I do know that I had a class using this stamp set and this was one of the cards.  I have always liked this kind of sampler style layout.

This is what I came up with using the Snailed It bundle.  You can see the similarities between the 2 cards and how one inspired the other.  

The card base is 4-1/4" x 9-1/2" scored at 5-1/2".  The snail and the "hellos" were die cut from the Snail Mail DSP using the Snail dies.  I love that the hello is in different languages.  I thought it perfect for this international hop.  The little envelopes were stamped and then cut out using the die.  The little hearts are the Resin Hearts.  The hearts come in Real Red and Whisper White.  I colored the white heart using a Bermuda Bay (Dark) Stampin' Blend.  Isn't that good to know?  The little mushrooms were also die cut using the Snail dies in Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride and Real Red.  

Inside is a little heart that was die cute from the Snail Mail DSP.  It was originally going to go on the front of the card but it didn't fit, so I added it to the inside.   I am not adding a sentiment to the inside yet.  I think this card would work for lots of different occasions.  I hope it will brighten someone's day.  

Now it is time to see what inspires the talented Teri West.

Here is the list of all the stops on the blog hop!

Angela Meiritz-Reid - NZ

Tatiana Tobin - AU

Rochelle Laird-Smith - AU

Cheryll Miller - AU

Melissa Gifford - AU

Ximena Morales - DE

Aurélie Fabre - FR

Mikaela Titheridge - UK

Tina Zinck - CA

Annette Ball - CA

Angie McKenzie - US

Wendy Lee - US

Shel Anderson - CA

Chris Smith - US

Brenda Nelson - CA

Tricia Butts - US

Elaine de Montmorency - CA

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert - US

Teri West - US

Cheryl Hamilton - US

Product List

Snailed It Bundle [156255]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154878]	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198]	Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131197]	Snail Mail Designer Series Paper [154577]
Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Resin Hearts Embellishment [154578]

Welcome to the first Inspire, Create, Share blog hop of 2021!  This month we are hopping and sharing lot of ideas using Sale-A-Bration products.  In 2021 there will be two Sale-A-Bration periods, January -February and again in July-August.  During Sale-A-Bration you can choose a free gift from the Sale-A-Bration brochure with a qualifying order.  I am using two Sale-A-Bration choices on my project, Flower & Field DSP and the Heal Your Heart stamp set.  Both of these choices are level 1 choices which mean they are free with a $50 purchase (US).

Love the Flower & Field DSP.  The flowers and colors just pop against the black background.  So many pretty flowers that I had to fussy cut some of them to decorate the sentiment panel.  

What do you think of the Heal Your Heart font?  I think it is beautiful and would love to be able to write like this.  

I think this fold is called a Double Dutch fold.  

Main card base is 4-1/4" x  9" scored at 5-1/2" 

The arms are 2" x 8-1/2" scored at 2-1/8" on either end.  You attach these arms to the card base and then cover them up with the layers inside of the card.  

The rest is just layering.  Like most fun folds it looks more difficult than it actually is.

I added a couple more flowers that were fussy cut from the DSP, along with another strip of DSP. 

Now it is time for you to hop on over to see what the talented Anastasia has created for you.

Thanks for stopping by and below I have provided  a list of all the products used on today's project.

Product List

Heal Your Heart Cling Stamp Set (English) [155291]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Bumblebee 8-1/2X11 Cardstock [153077]
Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Flower & Field 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155223]	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Stitched Rectangle Dies [148551]
Matte Black Dots [154284]

It is unusual that we have 3 packs of Designer Series Paper in the Sale-A-Bration brochure.  I have shared samples using the Flower & Field DSP here, here, here,  and here.  I have cards using the Paper Blooms DSP here and  here.  Today I am sharing a sample using the Oh So Ombre DSP.

The Oh So Ombre DSP colors are Bermuda Bay, Blackberry Bliss, Granny Apple Green, and Rococo Rose.   I cut a Basic White frame using the Stitched So Sweetly and the Stitched Rectangles dies.  Inside of the frame I inserted the circle pattern Granny Apple Green that is also part of Oh So Ombre DSP.  The Pretty Perennial flowers were stamped in Magenta Madness and die cut using the Perennial Petal dies.  

I really like the Matte Black dots and used them for the centers of the flowers.  Love this color combination.  It is a bright, happy card and pretty quick and easy to make.

Product List

Pretty Perennials Bundle [156234]	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad [147095]	Magenta Madness Classic Stampin' Pad [153117]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [159229]
Magenta Madness 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [153080]	Granny Apple Green 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146990]	Oh So Ombre 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155225]	Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]
Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820]	Matte Black Dots [154284]

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember if your wish list is long, maybe it is time to check out all the benefits of being a demonstrator!

Welcome to the very first Stamping Inkspiration blog hop!  I am excited to be a part of this fabulous group.  The theme for our first hop is Something New, a very appropriate theme for our first hop.  There are 35 stops on this hop (WOW!) so grab your favorite drink and hop along with us!

My project uses the In Bloom bundle in the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog and the coordinating DSP, Paper Blooms from the 2021 Jan-Feb Sale-A-Bration catalog.   The In Bloom bundle has been on my craft table from the first day I received it.  I love the piercing detail of the dies and the sentiments in the stamp set are ones I will use a lot.

The Paper Bloom DSP is such a happy pack of paper.  The colors and blooms  are so cheery and it is one of the Sale-A-Bration choices which means it is free with a qualifying order.  In the Sale-A-Bration brochure  it says it coordinates with the Pretty Perennials bundle but it coordinates more closely with the In Bloom bundle.

The middle panel lifts up to reveal another sentiment and a place for you to write a little note.  

Now it is time to check out what the talented Cheryl Miller  has created for you.

Here is the list of all the stops on the hop!  Enjoy!

JANUARY 2021

Angie McKenzie  ●  Jo Blackman  ●  Jan Musselman 

Tricia Butts  ●  Shel Anderson  ●  Libby Fens 

Gez Carpenter  ●  Sue Allen  ●  Karen Henderson

Elaine de Montmorency  ●  Leonie Stuart  ●  Mo Rootes

Linda Moore  ●  Annette Ball  ●  Jill Chapman

Ann Krucek  ●  Susan Webster  ●  JoAnn Pollock

Narelle Fasulo  ●  Terry Hamilton  ●  Rebecca-Jo Unwin

Susan Simpson  ●  Danielle Kassing  ●  Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Cheryll Miller  ●  Rochelle Laird-Smith

Teri West  ● Chris Smith  ●  Melissa Gifford

Vicki Milyard  ●  Anne Marie Hile  ●  Aurélie Fabre 

Mikaela Titheridge  ●  Alejandra Gomez 

Thank you for stopping by!  Enjoy the hop and all the Stamping Inkspiration!

The first Festive Friday Challenge of 2021 and it is a sweet one.  

Who knew there was an Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day?!  I have eaten lots of different things for breakfast but so far I don't think I have ever had ice cream,  maybe I need to try it.  Hmmm, it is dairy and if I put a cherry on top that is fruit, right?

How do you play along with the Festive Friday Challenge?  It really is easy.  Check out the Inspo list which was inspired by the festivity, Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Pick 3 of the items on the Inspo list and create a project using those items.  Post your creation to the Festive Friday gallery and you are entered.  There are some rules to the challenge and you can see them here.  

I chose from the Inspo list to use Pink, Brown and Dry Embossing.  Yes, it is totally okay not to use an  ice cream image on your project.  

I love the look of stripes and florals. I cut some 1/2" strips of Early Espresso CS to make my own striped paper.  The flowers were cut from Flirty Flamingo and Blushing Bride CS using the Pierced Blooms dies.  These dies are one of my favorites from the 2021 January-June Mini Catalog.  I love the look of the piercing on the flowers and leaves.  The sentiment is from the In Bloom stamp set.  You can buy the stamp set and the Pierced Blooms stamp set separately or together aka a bundle.   When you bundle you also receive a 10% discount.  

I used a new embossing folder called Painted Texture 3D Embossing folder.  Doesn't it look so realistic?  This folder will be used a lot in my crafting.  It adds texture and interest without taking over the other elements.  Check out the centers of the flowers.  They are the new Opal Rounds.   They have an opalescent shine and gleam .  

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert you are here

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Judy Rozema

A list of all the supplies I used on today's project is listed below with links to where you can purchase them.  Thank you for stopping by!

Product List

In Bloom Bundle [156208]	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114]	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686]	Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [141416]
Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131198]	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Painted Texture 3 D Embossing Folder [154317]
Opal Rounds [154289]

Welcome to the first Create with Connie and Mary Challenge of 2021!  I had fun with the sketch for #CCMC645.  

It is sometime hard to decide what stamp set and  colors to use, this time it was not difficult.  I had just received the In Bloom bundle and was eager to play with it along with the Paper Blooms DSP from Sale-A-Bration.  In the SAB brochure it states that the Paper Blooms DSP coordinates with the Pretty Perennials bundle but it actually coordinates with the In Bloom bundle.  I love the colors that are used in this pack of paper, Night of Navy, Old Olive, Petal Pink, Rococo Rose, Seaside Spray and Soft Sea Foam.  I don't use Soft Sea Foam enough so I knew I had to use it. 

In addition to the Paper Blooms DSP I used a piece of Petal Pink DSP part of the Subtles DSP  that will be available in the upcoming Annual Catalog.  As a demonstrator I was able to pre-order the DSP.  During Sale-A-Bration you will receive 1 each of the DSP packs (Subtles, Regals, Brights, Neutrals & 2020-22 In Colors) as an added bonus with the Starter kit.  This is a great added bonus to an already great kit ($99 US and choose $125 in product).  If you have any question about the Starter kit please contact me.

These dies are one of my favorites.  I like the piercing on them a lot and that detail makes them different from any other set of dies I have.  In addition I used the white Baker's twine from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack.   I am so happy that we have this pack of twine and the Well Suited Twine Combo Pack.  

Thank you for stopping by and let me know if you have any question.

Product List

In Bloom Bundle [156208]	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad [147110]	Night Of Navy 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100867]	Soft Sea Foam 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146988]
Petal Pink 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146985]	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100702]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Paper Blooms 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155222]
Stitched Shapes Dies [152323]	Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]	Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack [154579]

Ready for another card using Darling Donkeys and  Flower & Field DSP?  Both of these products are a part of the Sale-A-Bration offerings.  

Isn't this donkey so cute?  He is kicking up his heels in celebration. The donkey was quickly colored using Smoky Slate and Petal Pink Stampin' Blends.  The sentiments are also part of the Darling Donkeys set.  Aren't those little red hearts so cute?  They are the Resin Hearts and come in both Real Red and Whisper White.  I thought they were the perfect little embellishment to decorate the sentiments.  The DSP is Flower & Field and I am a big fan.  Love the florals and the color combinations.  There are lots of colors represented in the paper and it has really helped me to see new color combinations.

The front panel lifts up to reveal another sentiment from the Darling Donkeys set and a place to write a birthday wish.  I followed the basic measurements on this card  to create today's card.    It is a fun fold that is easy to make and offers a little surprise.

Thanks for stopping by and remember that the Darling Donkeys and the Flower & Field DSP are part of the Sale-A-Bration offerings and are free with a qualifying order.  

Product List

Darling Donkeys Cling Stamp Set (English) [155264]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]	Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154904]	Petal Pink Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154893]
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [121045]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	So Saffron 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [105118]	Flower & Field 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155223]
Stitched So Sweetly Dies [151690]	Layering Circles Dies [151770]	Stitched Shapes Dies [152323]	Stitched Rectangles Dies [151820]
1-1/2" (3.8 Cm) Circle Punch [138299]	Resin Hearts Embellishment [154578]

The first Sale-A-Bration of 2021 starts today! Yes, this year there will be 2 Sale-A-Brations.  The first one starts today and ends on February (28th) and the next will be in July ending in August.  The other excitement is the launch of the 2021 January -June Mini Catalog.  So many fun new things.

During Sale-A-Bration you get to choose a free Sale-A-Bration product with every $50 or $100 you spend (before tax and shipping).  You can see the Sale-A-Bration products here.  On my project today I used 3 Sale-A-Bration products, Darling Donkeys, Approaching Perfection and the Flower & Field DSP.  The Darling Donkeys are well, simply darling!  So much personality. I used the Approaching Perfection stamp set for the sentiments.  If you like a little snark you will love the sentiments in this stamp set.  

The Flower & Field DSP is so fun.  I love the florals and also the more classic patterns on the flip side.  This is a great pack of paper to mix and match.  Don't you love the floral and the polka dots on this piece of DSP?  

You can see some of the different patterns in the Flower & Field DSP pack here  and here.  

Thank you for stopping by.  If you would like to see the new Sale-A-Bration and/or 2021 Jan-June Mini Catalogs, let me know.  They are both full of fun and fresh new products. If you find yourself with a big want list, Sale-A-Bration is a great time to think about becoming a demonstrator/happy shopper. There are so many reasons to check out this option.  Contact me and I would be happy to talk with you about this possibility.

Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2021!