About a week ago, I had a Beginners Big Shot Class.  It was a challenge to remember to make easy, simple projects.  Otherwise, everyone is overwhelmed and not happy, and that wouldn't be good.

This project featured 115967 Bitty Box & Envelope die and 118086 Tiny Teacup stamp.

 This card featured 113469  Top  Note Die, 114511 Little Leaves Sizzlits die and 118138 Beautiful Wings Embosslits die.

 This card featured 113468 Scallop Circle Bigz Die. 

 This card featured the 119277 Elegant Lines Embossing folder.

This card featured 115950 Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die, 113459 Leaves #2 Original Die and 114512 Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plates.

 I really enjoyed seeing the look of satisfaction when everyone used the different dies in the Big Shot.  They are on their way to bigger and better projects!

Tags: Big Shot, Stamping

Sometimes I forget that a beautiful card can be created without any stamping.  My downline, Peggy, proved it with this card.  This card features the 114514 Simple Flower Embosslits Die, 118138 Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die and 117167 Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper.  Here is the card partially closed.

 Here is the card opened.  Don't you just love this unique fold?

My manager, Terri, has the best advice for the Designer Series Paper with the large and sometimes wild prints.  Use a small piece mounted on coordinating cardstock.  Peggy did a great job of balancing the Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper with the Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip cardstock.  Beautiful card Peggy!

Tags: Big Shot

There is a part of the Stampin' Up! website, called Stampin' Connection, where demonstrators can share business and creative ideas.  A few weeks before Convention, someone posted a Big Shot Swap they were hosting at Convention.  Oh goodie!  That is exactly what I wanted to participate in.  I selected a Sizzix Big Shot die and cut 65 of them out of the same colored cardstock.  I added a label to each die cut and put them in a baggie.  I put those in my carry-on luggage for Convention because I wasn't taking any chances of them getting lost or damaged!  What is so awesome is I came home with 64 other die cuts in different colors.  I put these in a 104519 Natural Linen 12×12" Scrapbook Album.  I've been working on this project off and on since Convention, but wanted to have it done this week when my Big Shot Clubs meet.

Here is an example of the pages:

I'm a visual person, so having the negative and positives for each die cut is such a big help when trying to create something.

Now you know I couldn't have a plain cover for my scrapbook.  Oh no!  That would be too boring.  Remember the sheet that I used for my studio curtains?  I had about half a yard leftover.  I used my 115968 Alphabet Simple Numbers die cut for the letters and 118871 Island Floral die cut for the flower.  I used two "sneak peek" products from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog (Sept. 1, 2010-Jan. 3, 2011) for the rest of the album cover.  Another great benefit of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is we get to preorder products from upcoming catalogs a month early!  That gives us plenty of preparation time for our new workshops and classes. 

I love being organized and having my Big Shot Bible done is awesome!

Tags: Big Shot

We had an 80th birthday party to attend this last weekend.  Turning 80 is a milestone, so I wanted to make a birthday card that fit the occasion and the person.  I used 111676 Puns from the Past, 114950 Define Your Life and 111664 On your Birthday stamp sets and the 118762 Distressing Essentials kit.  Here is the front of the card:

Here is the inside top of the card:

Here is the inside of the card.  I used the 115968 Sizzix Alphabet Simple Numbers Die Cut.

Happy B-day Dale!

Tags: Big Shot, Stamping

The 116988 Morning Cup stamp set is such a fun stamp set.  Even though I don't drink coffee anymore and don't care for hot or iced tea, this is a favorite stamp set of mine.  Here are two samples from a recent downline Shoebox Swap.

Denise W. created this one.  If you're wondering how she got the scallop edge rectangle, she used the new 118872 Clearlits Scallop Rectangle in the Big Shot.  I love the Old Olive and Daffodil Delight colors together!  When the Stampin' Up! Color Renovation was announced, I was one of  "those" demonstrators who said "Old Olive is a bright color?"  Well, you can see with this card that Old Olive IS a bright color!

Sandy created this card, except I changed my card slightly  from her original card.  Sandy's card included the matching wheel 120323 Take a Sip.  I ended up putting that inside my card.  River Rock (so happy that color is back) and Always Artichoke cardstock go so well together.  The punched hearts in Baja Breeze are the perfect accent for this card.  Of course, I would say that about any card with hearts because I love hearts.

Beautiful cards Denise W. and Sandy!

Tags: Big Shot, Stamping