Lil Inker Cards

I received a die and stamp set from Lil Inker when I won the World Cardmaking Contest.  I really like them and I may order more!

These cards are 5 X 7.  They use Calypso Coral and Pool Party cardstock from Stampin' Up. The set is called Spot On and the die is Connected Circles from Lil Inker.

I wanted to make a card that wasn't horizontal also.  I used some More Amore SU DSP along with the Spot On stamp set.  Then I diecut some letters to put inside the circles.  The flower is from Secret Garden by SU. I just pressed it into their Simply Pressed Clay, let it dry, cut it out and "painted" it with reinkers. - Heidi

Farm Girl

When I won the World Cardmaking contest I received some Farm Girl paper and etcetera from October Afternoon.  It is very cute and retro stuff.  I made the following cards using some of their products.

The greetings are from Fiskars and the set is called All Year Greetings.  The flowers are two sets and punches from Stampin' Up called Petite Petals and Flower Shop. The cardstock is Ocean Tides from PTI and More Mustard from Stampin' Up.

Below uses Close to Cocoa cardstock from Stampin' Up.

Have a great day! - Heidi

What's That?

I saw this design in the Silhouette store and loved it instantly.  I don't know what happened after I cut it out! Can you tell what it is supposed to be?  The design is called flower tile, but my 7 year old says it looks like a sponge splattering paint. What do you think? - Heidi

This is a 6 X 6 size card.

Clever little Koi

Oh, I have always loved the Clever Koi die from Memory Box, but was too stuck up on Stampin' Up to ever get it.  Not anymore!  Memory Box and Poppystamps have such awesome dies - you should check them out.

This is an A2 size card.

The above card uses Spellbinders Ovals and Lacey Ovals dies plus the foliage die.  The below card has lines scored onto it with the Scor-Pal. - Heidi

This is an A2 size card.

Silhouette Cameo Cards

I have been trying to use my Silhouette Cameo machine more lately.  The cards that I have done haven't been too complicated and the machine cuts very well. I think that I lack patience when it comes to popping all those pieces out of what I have cut.  Take for instance the rope frame on the card below.  That frame is very intricate and even as big as I cut it there were a lot of little pieces to push out.  All in all I don't think it turned out too bad.

This card is a 5 X 7 size.

The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink set.  I couldn't find any stamps that I could fit Happy Birthday on the whole banner so I just went with BIRTHDAY.

This is an A2 size card.

The above card is a swing card that I cut out on my Cameo.  I used some old Stampin' Up Christams paper.  The tree flips open to the inside. It is very cool - one that you have to see in person to really appreciate it. - Heidi

Positive and negative Gromit

I tried to import a picture of Gromit into my Cameo.  I managed to outline him and come up with a pattern that wasn't the best.  I used the negative area for this first card. I used the resulting inside area to make a pattern that I used to cut out the Gromit you see on card number two.  I definitely need to play around with this feature in my Cameo some more.

This card is an A6 size.

The sentiment is from a Fiskars stamp set, I think.  I have been dying to get a Gromit made and am excited that I finally have one! Have a good night - more to come tomorrow - Heidi

This card is an A2 size.

Now I understand

I do have cards to show you, but I don't have them ready for you yet. Sorry.  I wanted to share a little note instead.

Since I won the World Card Making Day Contest with Papercrafts magazine I now get emails calling for submissions.  They sent me an email asking for submissions for the July issue already.  In the email is a disclaimer noting that the supplies that I use need to be available throughout 2014.  That makes it very hard because I use 97% of Stampin' Up products in my cards.  Everything in the catalog now has the potential for retiring by June of 2013.  This is hindering my future publication submissions.  I have always wondered why Stampin' Up was underrepresented in Papercrafts and Cardmaker magazines - now I know.

Don't get me wrong. I love Stampin' Up, but I am growing weary of them retiring everything.  I have several good friends that are demonstrators and they spend so much money buying new products all the time that they can never get ahead.  I have often wondered just what the breakdown is for their sales.  How much is customer sales and how much is demonstrator sales?  It seems to me that they make the most amount of money from demonstrators because they can't use retired products so they MUST buy new stuff all the time.

They are always pushing for more demonstrators in a market that is already saturated with too many demonstrators.  Of course, because in order to stay a demonstrator you have to spend $100.00 a month.  The more demonstrators you have the more GUARANTEED income the company has each month.

Again, I love Stampin' Up and I think highly of the way that the company is run and they are very positive.  I think I am just seeing the other side here.  Other companies keep their stamps around for years not months.  I can use their products in my cards without the worries of supplies retiring.

I think that I am going to start making a major shift in the products that I purchase from now on and I just wanted to let you all know.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on my opinion, please feel free to share. - Heidi