I had this very card in mind when I purchased the Autumn Accents die, Early Espresso Core'dinations paper, and the Tweet Leaves stamp set. Although I had a technical challenge to get the Tweet Leaves stamp to make a clear image, I am pleased with the card.  am excited to have the Champagne Glimmer paper. Last fall, I worked very hard to get this color by painting reinkers onto the silver glimmer paper. I used a variety of autumn colored markers and inks on this card.

Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Itty Bitty Banners (w-126255, c-126257), Tweet Leaves (wood mount only 128111)
Card Stock: More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper (127885), Early Espresso Core'dinations (127848)
Other: Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (127821), Labels Collection Framelits (125599), Bitty Banners Framelits (120267), Autumn Accents Bigz Die (127812), Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon (120992)

Thanks for coming to visit today. If you need any of the supplies I used for this card, just click on the links or visit my demonstrator online store here.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Since today is Inational Literacy Day, I am going to speak on a different subject than rubber stamping. Literacy is so important and opens wide a world of possibilities to those who are literate.

One thing parents can do to help their children be literate is to have the printed word in the home and for children to see their parents reading the printed word. In our society today with so much audio access to learning and entertainment, it is especially important for children to see you using the printed word.

A second thing to enhance literacy in children is to read to them even when they are in the upper elementary grades and even into middle school. The time spent reading to your children also is time together. I love reading children's books and reading them to children. I think my favorite author to read is Dr. Seuss! I love the rhythm and alliteration of his writings. So do the kids. His nonsense themes strike a chord in children of all ages. I teach children who are dyslexic and a big part of the program we use is to have them read nonsense words. After working with nonsense words for 7+ years, I have become a proficient Dr. Seuss reader…LOL! His nonsense words just roll of my tongue!

Do you have a book you love to read over and over again? Leave a comment telling us the book's title and why you like it so much.

Thanks for visiting here today. I appreciate it.

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Since today is Inational Literacy Day, I am going to speak on a different subject than digital crafting. Literacy is so important and opens wide a world of possibilities to those who are literate.

One thing parents can do to help their children be literate is to have the printed word in the home and for children to see their parents reading the printed word. In our society today with so much audio access to learning and entertainment, it is especially important for children to see you using the printed word.

A second thing to enhance literacy in children is to read to them even when they are in the upper elementary grades and even into middle school. The time spent reading to your children also is time together. I love reading children's books and reading them to children. I think my favorite author to read is Dr. Seuss! I love the rhythm and alliteration of his writings. So do the kids. His nonsense themes strike a chord in children of all ages. I teach children who are dyslexic and a big part of the program we use is to have them read nonsense words. After working with nonsense words for 7+ years, I have become a proficient Dr. Seuss reader…LOL! His nonsense words just roll of my tongue!

Do you have a book you love to read over and over again? Leave a comment telling us the book's title and why you like it so much.

Thanks for visiting here today. I appreciate it.

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Are you tired of seeing Christmas cards yet? Here are the last three cards I received in the SUDSOL Holiday mini card swap. I hope you have enjoyed seeing them all.

This card by Michelle Bentrum has two features that I love. First, the Evergreen stamp set (c-127973, w-127970) has been calling my name ever since the new Holiday mini came out. I love the squiggly-lined stamp to stamp over the tree. Michelle embossed this stamp with gold embossing powder.

The second thing I absolutely adore is the Bigz Snow Flurry Die (127813). Last year we had a long Sizzlit strip with snowflakes that were just beautiful. I sweat blood and tears trying to cut snowflakes out of our glimmer paper with the die to no avail. This die is a steel die and it cuts the glimmer paper like butter! Yay! Maybe now I will get last year's Christmas cards actually made and sent. The dsp Michelle used is Be of Good Cheer (126896).

This cute card was made by Janette Espinosa. She used the Merry Mins punch pack (126882), the 1" square punch (124094), and the 3/4" circle punch (119873). The stamp sets were Merry Minis (c-127919. w-127916) and the hosetess set, Whacky Wishes (c-126412, w-126410. I love it when there is a coordinating punch for a stamp set like the Merry Minis. It cuts down on the time it takes to make a card, especially when you are making a bunch for Christmas.

I like the cheery snowmen of the Frosty Friends stamp (129117) that Angie Brailsford used to create this card. The greeting is from the Occasions Alphabet (w-117090, c-123598). Have you purchased it yet? There is a greeting for 26 different occasions. One stamp on a punched piece of card stock says it all. You can find this alpahbet on pg.145 of the Annual catalog. You really should go check it out. Angie used the Argyle embossing folder (127750) for the background and added the white dots with the White Gel Pen (105021).

Thanks for coming by to visit today. I appreciate your visiting. If you like the work you see here, would you sign up for my The Soggy Stamper Newsletter? The subscribe box in to the right on this blog. I am offering the 12 Weeks of Christmas free class to my newsletter subscribers beginning the first week of October. Each Wednesday I will email you an exclusive Christmas project. Be sure you are one of my subscribers so you don't miss any of the projects.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Supplies: MDS2+ (130646), MDS2 (130644), MDS2 upgrade (130650), or 30-day FREE trial of MDS2 (130910); Wherever You Go stamp brush set (131514), square punch from Punch Shapes (118853)

How simple it is to make beautiful framed wall art with MDS2! I started with Basic Black card stock for the background. Then I added the square punch stretched to leave a border and filled it with my photo. Then I added the saying from Wherever You Go stamp brush set and changed it's color to Whisper White. I centered both the photo and the saying. Now it is ready to be printed out. It helps that we have gorgeous sunsets here in Craig and cameras ready to take the shot. I didn't take this one which shows our church steeple silhouetted against the sunset. Here is the index of the stamps in Wherever You Go:

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Here are two more Christmas cards from the Holiday Mini Swap.

This first card is by Barb Furlong. She used a unique technique for the background of her greeting. First she misted watercolor paper (122959) with water or used an aqua painter (103954)to wet the paper. Then she used a brush or the aqua painter again to pick up color from a Rose Red and a Pacific Point ink pad and touched the brush to the wet watercolor paper. After the background dried, she stamped the Heart of Christmas (128129) single stamp. Since she used Stazon ink, she might have stamped the image first and then added the color to the background. The Bashful Blue layer was run through the Big Shot (113439) using the Northern Flurry embossing folder (120902). Satin Stitched Raspberry Ripple ribbon and four small sliver brads finish the card. By the way…Stampin' Up! is having a 'Back to Spool' promotion this month. For every $40 you spend you can choose a spool of the Stitched Satin ribbon for FREE! That $40 is before shipping and taxes.

Sticking with the snowflake idea, Deb Andrews used the Snowflake Soiree stamp set (c-127925, w-127922) to create this beautiful card. The technique on this card has been called several things but Triple Layer comes to my mind right now. You cut three pieces of card stock to different sizes. Then you place them on top of each other and do your stamping as if they were just one layer. Then you layer each piece on slightly larger contrasting card stock. Finally you adhere each piece together matching up the stamped images. Deb used Night of Navy, Baja Breeze, and Marina Mist inks and finished the card off with Baja Breeze Seam Binding (122331). I love this card as I am particularly partial to blue and I like the lacy snowflakes. Hmm…might have to order this set for myself! 😛

Snowflake Soiree stamp set

I hope these cards have inspired you to begin making your own Christmas cards. Just think how great you will feel to have your cards all made and addressed and ready to mail the first of December. Just think of the great feeling your family and friends will have when they receive a hand-stamped card from you. When my teenaged grandson told me he saved all the cards I sent him, it sure gave me a warm feeling.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue

There are three cards in this swap using the Watercolor Winter stamp set. Each one is so different yet from the same set.

This one was created by Beth Schreiber. I love the way she embossed the outline image with silver embossing powder. Old Olive Scallop Dot ribbon (124139) and Basic Pearls (119247)add a finishing touch.

Katie Lilly used the Watercolor Winter stamp set (c-129727)(w-129724)  to create a lovely wreath. The designer series paper is Be of Good Cheer (126896).  She used a variety of Big Shot accessories in creating this card: 3 1/2" circle originals (121811), Bitty Banners Framelits (129267), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), and Square Lattice Embossing Folder (119976).

Dawn DePalma used the Watercolor Winter stamp set on the Crumb Cake layer and embossed the flowers with white embossing powder. The background of Whisper White card stock was run through the Big Shot with the Petals a Plenty embossing folder (116824). The greeting is from the Seasonal Sayings stamp set (c-128009)(w-128006). Finishing Touches Edgelits (127010) and the Festive Paper Piercing Pack (127857) add nice finishing touches.

This is the index of the Watercolor Winter stamp set. If you haven't purchased it yet, or need any of the other supplies used in these cards, just click on the links or visit my online store here.

I love these cards and hope you have enjoyed seeing them. Thanks for coming to visit today. Let me know in a comment which of the three cards is your favorite.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Here is another Halloween card using the Googly Ghouls stamp set. It was created by Jane Hignite. I love the way she ran the background with the circles through the polka dot embossing folder. The witch was heat embossed with Wild Wasabi embossing powder. Wisteria Wonder ruffled grograin ribbon finishes off the card. Jane used black, wild wasabi, tangerine tango, wisteria wonder, and very vanilla card stock.

Participating in swaps is a great way to get a variety of ideas. If you have a chance to participate in one, by all means do so. I'll 'see ' you tomorrow with more of the swap cards I received. Should you have any questions on how to make them or the measurements of each layer, just drop me an email and I'll get them to you.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Supplies: MDS2+ (130646), MDS2 (130644), MDS2 upgrade (130650), or 30-day FREE trial of MDS2 (130910); Embellishments – Celebrate Any Day Greeting Card Templates (127757) – crosshatch 2 ; Staple & Stitching/Whisper White – Stitching Straight (118865); Stamps – Designer Kits/Celebrate Every Day/Celebrate Every Day – decorative frame; Designer Kits/Celebrate Every Day/Celebrate Every Day – thank you; Punches 1.25 Square Punch from Punch Shapes (118853), Decorative Label Punch (123951)

Welcome to my blog today. I wanted to feature one of the Designer Template digital downloads and how you can customize them with just a few changes of color or wording. This Celebrate Any Day Greeting Card Templates kit has cards already designed for a variety of occasions. It also has a 24 piece svg stamp brush set and 15 embellisments. What is even better is that it comes with MDS2+! Well, if you haven't ordered MDS2+ look at what you are missing out on. Furthermore, you are missing out on the ability to recolor designer series paper. I am not particularly fond of More Mustard so I changed the designer series paper to Midnight Muse. I also changed the greeting and frame to Midnight Muse.

This is a very quick way to come up with a greeting card that has been quickly customized. Of course, you could click on create your own and take total creative responsibility. Check out the templates that come for the different shapes of cards and scrapbook pages. You might find several you love and use again and again. At least you will get ideas from Stampin' Up!'s concept artists. Let me know in a comment which card you like better, the designer one or my recolored one. If you choose to take the challenge to change around one of the designer cards in this kit and send me a photo of both the original and your customized one, I'll post it on this blog.

Tomorrow is Terrific Tuesday with new MDS2 downloads. Come back to see which ones I think are terrific.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com 

I am excited about the September edition of News from My Digital Craft Corner which comes out tomorrow! I have several great projects for you plus a couple of tips. These are exclusive projects I haven't shared any other place. If you are already a subscriber, thanks so very much. If you haven't subscribed yet, take the time to do so now by filling out the form to the right. Be sure to respond to the email you will receive from me to complete the subscription process and receive a link to your free Thank You gift.

See you tomorrow and…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Promotion Details: While the kids are heading back to school, Stampin' Up! is going back to 'spool'! For the month of September, get a FREE package of 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon-an $8.95 value-for every $40 you spend!

Choose from the following ribbons:

Item                Description                                            Retail Value  

126848 Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126847 Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126844 Primrose Petals 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126845 Raspberry Ripple 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon       $ 8.95

126846 Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon        $ 8.95

Wonder how you could use this ribbon in other ways than on cards and scrapbook pages? Check out this crazy video by Stampin' Up!

Now go place your order online here or email it to me and I'll place it for you.

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Promotion Details: While the kids are heading back to school, Stampin' Up! is going back to 'spool'! For the month of September, get a FREE package of 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon-an $8.95 value-for every $40 you spend!

Choose from the following ribbons:

Item                Description                                            Retail Value  

126848 Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126847 Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126844 Primrose Petals 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon          $ 8.95

126845 Raspberry Ripple 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon       $ 8.95

126846 Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon        $ 8.95

Wonder how you could use this ribbon in other ways than on cards and scrapbook pages? Check out this crazy video by Stampin' Up!

Now go place your order online here or email it to me and I'll place it for you.

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

I participated in a swap this summer featuring stamp sets from the Holiday Mini. I plan to share the cards I received over the next week or so. Since Halloween is the first holiday, I'm starting our with Halloween cards. This one was created by Amanda Harbison. She used the Googly Ghouls stamp set (c-128063, w-128060); Midnight Muse, Basic Gray and Lucky Limeade card stock; the Spider Web Textured Impressions embossing folder (120889); Fancy Flower punch (retired); and the Googlies (127539). To order these supplies, visit my online store here.

Thanks for coming by to visit today. Please feel free to share my blog with your friends and be sure to come back tomorrow to see another of the swap cards I received.

Until next time…blessings,

Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

Supplies: Stamp Set – Joyous Celebrations (w-128066, c-128069); Card Stock – Whisper White (100730) and Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations (127846); Inks – Gumball Green and Cherry Cobbler; Other – Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), Extra-Large Oval Punch (119859), Holiday Frame Textured Impressios Embossing Folder (127820)

When I received the Holiday Mini catalog, I immediately was drawn to this embossing folder. I love dry embossing and using embossing folders and the Big Shot die-cutting machine make quick work of dry embossing. For a couple of years now, I have read discussions and seen samples of sanded core'dinations card stock. I was delighted to see that Stampin' Up! now carries some in their exclusive colors. You first emboss the card stock and then sand the raised portions. Core'dinations card stock had a core that is different from the outside layers and sanding it brings out a slightly different color. Stampin' Up! card stock is the same color all the way through the paper so sanding it will only rough up the paper, not show a different color core.

Since I didn't keep the Extra-large oval punch out of storage, I had to improvise so I stamped the JOY with Gumball Green ink onto the Whisper White card stock and cut it into an oval by hand. I did order another punch so I could make more cards with this stamp set and embossing folder. I added the little rhinestone to the center of the O for a little bling.

Now is the time to be starting your Christmas cards. Visit my online store to order supplies to make this card or a Christmas card of your own design. As a heads-up, I will be starting a Twelve Weeks of Christmas promotion for my The Soggy Stamper Newsletter subscribers. Each week, I'll send out a project for you to make starting with 5 weeks of Christmas cards. The promotion begins in October so subscribe now by filling out the box in the upper right-hand corner of this blog. You will love the exclusive projects I have chosen for you.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com

…take advantage of…no…it isn't either the last day! This offer has been extended until September 14 to give you more time to create Christmas photo books, calendars, cards, and tags. Just think of the pleasure your family will receive each time they look at that photo book of your darling kids or the memories renewed by looking at photos of that trip you took together. I know that grandparents will love, love, love a calendar with photos of their grandkids on each month. This would be the perfect gift for them since they usually have everything they need. Once you finish creating your project, send them off by email to Stampin' Up!'s professional printer for high quality paper and exact formulations of ink colors. Click here to view the 31 downloads that have been discounted.

It is the last day to sign up for your own paper crafting business and receive this darling kit to create a unique Halloween decor.

After Halloween, change out the papers and embellishments to make a Thanksgiving decor item and then change it out again for Christmas. I have such fun running my Stampin' Up! business and would love to have you join me in the fun. Contact me so we can discuss how owning your own business can meet your needs. The special Halloween craft kit is only available through tomorrow but the business opportunity is available all the time.

Until next time…blessings,
Sue
sue@soggystamper.com