Amazing New Product Alert: Envelope Punch Board

I realized this week that I've reached a new level of stamp nerd. When my order arrived I aggressively knifed through the tape on the cardboard box, dug through layers of designer series paper, washi tape, punches, and stamp sets to excitedly pull out my most-anticipated new item: The Envelope Punch Board. Behold!

Ok, so she might not look overly exciting, BUT with this little board you can make 66 different sized envelopes out of any paper-based material you want! (Cue me, realizing what a dork I am, then embracing it). Envelope templates have intimidated me, they just seem complicated and I am very likely to mess them up and consequently waste my beautiful paper. This board changes everything.

Step 1: The Numbers
Pick which size envelope you want to make by choosing one of the dimensions listed on the handy-dandy board. You choose this by determining the size of your card.

I picked 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. Then you look to see what size you should cut your paper to in the column to the right of your card size, 8 x 8. And finally, your score line is listed as 3 1/2.

Step 2: Scoring

Line up the left hand side of the paper with the score line the board listed (3 1/2). First use the round punch to cut out a corner, and then you score along the little score line indented on the board. (Word of advice, know your scoring strength. The first time I did this I just ripped right through the paper. Sad face. Be gentle to your paper!)


Step 3: Scoring, Again

For the rest of the your scoring, just line up the score line you just made with the little finger that comes out from the left side of the punch. Punch again. Score again. Repeat until your paper looks like this:

The opposite side of the punch even has a corner rounder Sharp corners check in, but they don't check out.

Step 4 : Folding and Adhering
 At this point all you have to do is fold your finished product, glue it together, and you're done!.

The smallest size you can make fits a gift card perfectly. Again, I realize it's super nerdy to be so excited about envelopes, but it's just one more way to customize the things you create for others. I'm also excited about the prospect of using recycled materials to make envelopes. Yep, nerd for sure.

Be The Difference Initiative: International Rhino Foundation

While Stampin' Up is a pretty large and successful company, there is still a very caring and familial feel to how they operate. For a long time, they have donated time, money, and of course cards, to the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This year, they are kicking the concept up a notch and encouraging all demonstrators to apply the concept of the motto "Be The Difference" to our businesses. This could mean making cards for people in need, donating time or money, or just sharing the happiness that stamping brings us with others.

So...as you might know, my "real" job is working as a zookeeper. I absolutely love being able to work with animals and educate people about the importance of conservation. One of the causes that is close to my heart is the current rhino poaching crisis that is happening in Africa and Asia. Rhino horn is incorrectly portrayed as medicinal in many Asian countries and it sells for a higher price than gold on the black market. Over 600 rhinos were killed in South Africa alone this year and that has skyrocketed from only 13 killed in 2007. We only have 5 species left throughout the world and it is entirely possible that one or more could become extinct in our lifetime. Not our great-great grandchildren, OURS.

Sunday, September 22, is World Rhino Day. I'm taking this opportunity to announce that my resolution to "Be The Difference" is to donate 10% of my sales to the International Rhino Foundation. This is an organization that is making a tangible and important difference in the fight to save these animals, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to support them through my Stampin' Up business.

Sunset Technique

Today I'm writing about a really easy and pretty technique that you can create with just an ink pad and a sponge. Super easy and gives your cards a little more color pop.

For this first card I used one sponge and three different ink colors (Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, and Marina Mist). I stamped my first zebra on the small, white, paper square. You will also need a second zebra stamped on a white piece of scrap that you will cut out for the top "clean zebra" layer.
Use the sponge and dab it on the ink pad to color and blend the background to your liking on the larger white square with zebra number one on it. (I find that making it a bit darker on the edges really helps it to pop and stand out against the plain white background). Once you've reached a happy place with your background, you can carefully cut out zebra number two  and adhere him (or her) directly on top of your first (and now multicolored) image. The zebra is from the Zoo Review set, and it one of my absolute favorite sets of all time, ever. Once, I attempted to hybridize the giraffe and zebra stamps form this set to create an okapi. It did not work out well.  The thank you greeting is from Sassy Salutations set, which has other greetings in that same funky script font.

 These three cards are basically the same, but I backed them with an orange frame to give them a little more life. And I used a colored pencil to highlight the grasses. I also incorporated the Pumpkin Pie ink pad (yum) into the color scheme, which adds another layer of warm, sunshiny, goodness.

You can use this technique with a lot of other sets, but I really love it with Zoo Review. It's very Lion King. The animal images are so pretty in just black and white and using the sponge sunsets brings them to life a little more while still looking natural. As always, thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Paper Pumpkin: First Month

As of this month I have a fun and exciting thing to look forward to on the 12th of every month. I finally signed up for Paper Pumpkin and I'm pretty nerdishly excited about it.

Side note: If I've lost you already, Paper Pumpkin is a monthly kit that Stampin' Up has sent to your door with everything you need to create a new project. (Ok I lied, you do need to buy adhesive.) The sets are modern looking and SO easy to make. 

The first month you sign up, everyone gets the same "starter kit" which comes with a bonus gift of a D-sized clear mount for the stamps you will receive in the following months. Opening it was like opening a present, it was wrapped so cute and nice I almost felt bad ripping that baby blue tissue paper apart. Almost. I really should have taken pictures of the card kit prior to assembling, but I was so excited that I just started making the cards immediately. I couldn't control myself. (No, I'm not being sarcastic this was my actual response to opening the package). The card at the front is the suggested design for the first kit:

Cute, right? Just a nice little greeting card. For the other three cards provided I wanted to change it up and take some "artistic liberties" with the design.

Nothing major, just changed locations and cut some paper. I seriously cannot stress how EASY this makes it for you to have some "craft time". No running to the store to get little pieces, no deciding colors or paper, and the cost is $20/month, which is much cheaper than going full blown crazy stamp lady (trust me, I'm there).

If YOU are interested in the Paper Pumpkin greatness, visit mypaperpumpkin.com
The website is very easy to use, you sign up there, you can cancel anytime, you can even skip a month if you know you'll be short on money or time! If you would be so kind as to list me, Melissa Solomon, as your demonstrator that would also be greatly appreciated. Here is one more picture of all four cards that I made from the first month's kit. Happy stamping, friends : )

Simple Starters Series: Chalk Talk

While I grew up surrounded by crazy crafting ladies, I personally am new to the game. It can be overwhelming! You feel like you immediately need lots of paper, stamps, embellishments, ink pads, and MONEY to buy it all. In keeping that in mind, I'm going to have a series on here called simple starters; pretty but simple designs that anyone can make without needing too much "stuff". Keep in mind, these can always be "stepped up" if you have the extra supplies! I'll touch on that later in the post...

This first card featured is one I had people make at my very first open house.

This card needs white paper, one stamp set, and two ink pads. And a little "bling" if you so choose. The stamp set is called "Chalk Talk" and has been once of my favorite sets to use since I've become a demonstrator.
Step 1: Stamp the yellow image (ink color is Daffodil Delight) directly on the cardstock.
Step 2: Stamp the black oval image on a second piece of paper.
Step 3: Cut out the black image by hand or cut out using the corresponding oval punch if you have it. 
Step 4: Adhere it to the card, and you're DONE.Kinda...
Step 4 1/2: The "bling" is a fairly cheap and cute way to add some visual interest to your cards, they are listed as Rhinestone Basic Jewels and only cost $4.95  for a multi-sized sheet of 50.

Now, if you feel like you want to get crazy and add some visual interest, you can always "step up" a card by adding other layers, textures, embellishments, whatever your little heart desires. See:

Voila! A little more of the Designer Series Paper and you have two totally new designs both based on the simple starter. The moral of the story: cards don't always have to be complicated to be beautiful, which is great to keep in mind if you're a newbie.

Sunshine. Happiness. Stamps.

Well, for the first post I figured I would feature a card that I love with a message that pretty much sums up why I enjoy stamping as much as I do.

The Message
Creating homemade things for other people makes me happy because it makes them happy (I hope). I grew up watching my mom create beautiful cards for her friends, and saw how people responded to making and receiving them. As we ushered in the age of facebook and text messages, it became all too easy to rely on social media for special occasions. But now it means so much to receive any token via snail mail instead of a quick, tech-based greeting! To open said parcel and find that someone has taken the time to not only plan ahead to send you the card, but they also took the time to make it?! Shut the front door!! Love. It. I have a related confession: I am a greeting card hoarder. What's that? You sent me a really nice card for my high school graduation? Chances are it still lives at my house. I love keeping cards from family and friends, it's such a wonderful and personal way to remember occasions, feelings, and friendships. I hope that when I give people cards, it brings them a little bit of happy as well.

The Card
I made this one using the "Feel Good" stamp set, which features a total of five lovely quotes in the same font. The honeycomb texture on the bottom was done with the honeycomb embossing folder. And the b-e-a-U-tiful paper is the Quatrefancy Speciality Designer Series Paper. I love this paper, the colors are so bright and fun! The paper also pairs very well with the "Mosaic Madness" stamp set and punch because the patterns correspond to one another. I didn't measure out any pieces, I just made my first triangle and let chaos take over. It's more fun like that.

Go forth and create some sunshine : )