Monthly Archives: April 2014

Retiring Lists and Free Shipping!

Free Shipping

I am so excited that Stampin’ Up! has given us all Free Shipping on ALL orders through Friday!!  And with the Retiring Lists out, the timing could not be any better!!

If you recall from previous years, some items run out very quickly, so you do not want to wait to order!  And this year, for the first time, retiring Stamp Sets are available only while supplies last!!

Here are the lists:

Retiring_Stamps

Retiring_Accessories

Order Online or Email me or call me at 210-684-5800

Guess The Retiring Stamps – Everyone Wins!!

Question

Every year, we anticipate the arrival of the new annual Stampin’ Up! catalog, but before that, we can’t wait to see the list of stamps that will NOT be included – what I like to call the Retiring List and Stampin’ Up! calls Last Chance.  The new catalog will be available to order from June 2nd, but the Retiring List will be out NEXT WEEK on the 21st!!

And here is the really exciting part:  EVERYONE gets free Shipping April 21st through April 25th!!

So let’s have a fun little contest!!  Grab your 2013-2014 Stampin’ Up! catalog or see the one HERE) and make a list of 12 stamp sets that you think will be on the Retiring List.  Email me the list by Sunday, April 20th at 6:00 pm (Central Time).

The person that guesses the most stamp sets will receive a $10 gift certificate on any order placed through me in April or May.  If you guess all 12 sets correctly, you will receive a $20 gift certificate!  In the case of a tie, I will randomly draw a winner from the tied submissions.

I will post the Retiring List on April 21st and also announce the winner.  I can’t wait to see your list!!

Small print:  Stampin’ Up! demonstrators are not eligible to win; only those with a US address may play; I reserve the right to end the contest early if the Retiring List is leaked before April 21st.

Project Life

I am so excited to let you know that Stampin’ Up! has partnered with the amazing Becky Higgins to bring you the real deal: authentic Project Life products, now in exclusive Stampin’ Up! colors and designs.  If you’ve missed the Project Life craze and are wondering what it’s all about, I’ll fill you in: it’s a super simple, totally affordable way to get your photos into albums!  You just slip your photos into Photo Pocket Pages and add designed cards.  It’s a “back to basics” approach to documenting your life.  In a nutshell, it’s all about spending more time making memories and less time scrapbooking them!

Watch this short video to learn more:

Here are the products that you will be able order starting May 1st:

Project Life

Gift Bags from Paper & Fabric

Bags

Every once in a while, I like to treat my mailing list to something special. So, this Thursday, I am sending everyone on my mailing list the instructions to make both of these bags! But you have to be on my mailing list to get the instructions! To sign up, just fill out the box on the right! And when you do, you will also receive instructions on how to make a different gift bag – out of an envelope!

How Much Postage Does It Take to Mail a Hand-made Card?

Mailbox

So, what does it take to mail a stamped card?  Especially if the card isn’t totally flat (because you know how much we love our embellishments!)  And what size is legal?  There are so many questions about postage, I thought I would share some answers with you today.

First, how much?  A first class letter costs $.49 to mail (or a Forever stamp).  That price is for an envelope that is no heavier than 1 ounce, is between 3-1/2″ x 6-1/8″ high, is between 5″ and 11-1/2″ long, is less than 1/4″ thick, and has uniform thickness.  Oh, and the envelope has to be “machinable”, meaning the envelope can go through the sorting machines.  Clear cellophane envelopes are not considered “machinable”.   A second ounce will cost you $.21 more.  I finally found a use for that Weight Watcher scale; dig yours out and start weighing your cards!  Add another $.21 for non-machinable, rigid, square cards,  and “lumpy” envelopes.

By the way, those “lumpy” envelopes still need to be no thicker than 1/4″.  If they are between 1/4″ and 3/4″, they are considered “large” envelopes and the postage is more.  Large envelopes are 6-1/8″ to 12″ high, 11-1/2″ to 15″ long, and no more than 3/4″ thick.  Large envelopes that are rigid, lumpy, etc, will have to be mailed as packages.  Which of course, costs more.  Large envelopes cost $.98 for the first ounce and $.21 for each additional ounce.

Wow, that seems like a lot of rules!  And there are actually more.  For actual prices, guidelines, etc, visit the US Post Office website at https://www.usps.com/

This is what I do:

  1. Put the card in an envelope and address it.  If there is anything sticking out (brad, bow, etc), I put a piece of packing tape over the lump so the envelope won’t rip.
  2. Weigh the envelope.
  3. Go to the Post Office website and enter the appropriate information (“from” zip code, “to” zip code, weight and what I think it is (envelope, large envelope, or package).
  4. Calculate what stamps I will need.  If it is a package and more than a dollar or so, I will go to a website that I found that tells me how many of which stamps I need.  When you go to the site the first time, you tell it which denominations of stamps you have and then it remembers that information for the next time.  Very cool.
  5. Hope I figured right!  Most of the time, I put $.70 on my cards.  They are almost always lumpy or a little heavy… sometimes both.  Please let me know if you get a card from me and have to pay extra postage – I would feel bad!

 

Secret Garden 3×3 Card

As much as I love sewing, I need to get back to stamping and here is what I have been doing the last couple of days.

3x3 Card

This is a small card – just 3″x3″ and we sometimes call them “Love Notes”  I needed to make a bunch, and so I did: 56 of them!!

3x3 Cards

One thing that I love about making 3×3 cards is that you can cut 8 bases from one 12×12 sheet of paper.  Just cut one sheet in half (4 pieces 6×6) and then cut each of those in half 8 pieces 3×6).

Here is what I used to make these:

  • Stamps: Secret Garden (bundle: 132727); Itty Bitty Banners (132022)
  • Paper: Brights Collection 12×12 cardstock (131186) – I used Daffodil Delight, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, and Melon Mambo; Whisper White card stock (100730)
  • Ink & Colors: Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Pad (126948); Bermuda Bay Class Ink Refill (131156); VersaMark ink pad (102283); White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132); Heat Tool (126053)
  • Accessories & Tools: Big Shot die-cutting machine (113439); Bitty Banners Framelits (129267); Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309); Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (133324); Aqua Painters (103954); Pearl Basic Jewels (119247); Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430)

You can shop in my Stampin’ Up! store anytime!  Email me if you have questions.

Easy Easter Card

Gail

Some people like to spend hours and hours crafting the perfect card, but I really like the simple ones best.  Like this elegant Easter card.  If you wanted to make this card for Easter, you would actually have time to order the supplies, get them delivered, make the cards, and have them in the mail in time for Easter!

Here is what I used:

  • Stamps: Blessed Easter (133212); Happy Watercolor (wood: 133188, clear: 133191)
  • Paper: Wild Wasabi (108641), Perfect Plum (101889), and Shimmery White (101910) cardstock; Whisper White envelopes (107301)
  • Ink: Wild Wasabi (126959) and Wisteria Wonder (126985) Classic Stampin’ Pads; Black Stazon (101406);

If you want to make this for Easter, hurry and order at my Stampin’ Store and email me if you have any questions!