Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen

I've had this stamp set for a LONG, LONG time! 

After starting the other blog, Susan Vilar Stamps! for my Stampin' Up! projects - because I didn't want to continue mixing the two styles, I'm going to begin showing my other creations.

 I used vanilla cardstock as my base simply because I thought white would be too harsh with the cameo look.  The cameo and the frame are die cuts coordinating with that stamp set.

I've recently found a little local shop here in town that does consignment type things for crafting.  These two cards will go in with the first 'shipment' of things I take over for sale.

A little story:  I found the 6 hour mini-series by chance quite a few years after it debuted in 1995.  After my husband bought me the DVDs, I watched it almost every weekend for about 2 years?  3 years?  Yes, really.  I still break out the series when I have a lot of intense crafting to do.  It's like an old friend, and of course... Colin Firth.  What could be better I ask you?

HERE is the link to the stamp set, and if you scroll down, the die cuts are also available.

Satchel Purse Refill Card

Have I EVER mentioned how much I love the Painted Blooms DSP from Stampin' Up?  Ever?  I was sad it was only out for a few months last year.  I made sure I have enough stash to use it for a very LONG time to come!

This card is a refill for a Birthday Satchel Purse I made earlier this year for my teacher partner.  She's the Reading teacher, and I cover the Math.  No, I did not make one for our Social Studies/Science teacher.  I didn't think he would appreciate a paper purse full of cards. :)

I really love this new Thank You - it comes from a new stamp set that debuted in January, and is continuing in the 16 - 17 catalog.  You'll see it often on cards this year!

I don't get to use my Gold Wink of Stella much, but it worked perfectly on this card. 

If you'd like to make a version of this card using different DSP, contact me, and I'll help you put together a super combination of DSP and stamps to make beautiful Thank You cards!
Click on any of the products below to order through my Stampin' Up Demonstrator site!

Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Pacific Point 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock

$7.00

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes

$6.00

Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

$8.00

One Big Meaning Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$19.00

AMAZING Satchel Purse

This is one of many of these Satchel Purses I've made.  It has to be 8 or 10 so far, and probably 6 since January, 2016 alone.
I decided that all the ladies in my close circle would receive these as birthday gifts this year.  As a matter of fact, as I write this, the next one is in the planning stages because it has to go out in the mail soon to arrive on time.
You will find a link to this amazing Satchel Purse project at the end of my post.

 I'm using retired paper, Painted Blooms.  It is by far some of my favorite Designer Series Paper Stampin' Up has put out since I became a demonstrator.  A few years ago I was in love with another flowered paper, but this one is above and beyond any I've seen.

 This gift has many components, BUT all you need are 4 sheets of cardstock, and 5 notecards with envelopes to make it!  1 sheet of DSP of your choice, 2 sheets of colored cardstock, and 1 piece of white or vanilla depending on the DSP base color.

 With the Satchel Purse construction, you also make a Post It note holder (pictured below) and 5 notecards,  the two pictures above.  3 of the portrait card version, and 2 of the landscape card version.

I made two of these purses last weekend...  The one showing is with a Rose Red base, and the other purse has the tulips and a Melon Mambo base.  They are essentially the same, just with different backgrounds.

This past week was teacher appreciation week, and I decided to make one each for my Principal and Vice Principal.  They are awesome ladies, and work their hardest to help us out in the classrooms as much as they can.

I was very excited to present this to my Principal on Wednesday - she appreciates my crafting so much, and once took a class from me.  She knows the amount of work these types of gifts take.  I love doing crafting for her.  It makes me happy.

Click HERE to find the link to the original post in which I found the directions for these AMAZING Satchel Purses!  Scroll down until you find Satchel Purse (6/15).  The directions are VERY good!  Step by step with diagrams and all!

If you'd like to purchase any of these amazing, high quality crafting tools, click on the link below, and you can purchase through my Stampin' Up Demonstrator site.
Thank you so much!

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch

$23.00

Decorative Label Punch

$18.00

Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack

$17.00

Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad

$6.50

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes

$6.00

Tear & Tape Adhesive

$7.00

Stampin' Dimensionals

$4.00

Wild Wasabi 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon

$7.00

Antique Brads

$6.00

Clear Block B

$6.00

Clear Block C

$7.00

Clear Block D

$8.50

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush

$8.00

Thank You Cards

Again this year I received some wonderful Christmas gifts from students.  I spent an afternoon making these Thank-You cards.


I really enjoy using the Thanks die - you can put almost any design on the card, and the die-cut adds that perfect detail to the card!

Sending thanks to the parents and students for wonderful, thoughtful Christmas gifts! 

13 Thank You's

I received some wonderful gifts, and needed to send out some Thank you cards.

I found this idea on Pinterest, and made a few changes.

 Stamp Set:  Work of Art, and Lots of Thanks
Ink colors:  (left)  Pacific Point  (right)  Bermuda Bay

 Ink colors:  (left)  Melon Mambo,  (right) Daffodil Delight
below, on the top left, Blushing Bride.

I really loved this design, and I hope you do as well.

Thank You Card

Mom requested a Thank You card for a friend...


After two reminders (It's been VERY busy here...) I made a card, but hated it.  It's been a long time since I've done any crafting it seems.


So, I dug out my favorite fall stamp set "Gently Falling", and my new favorite  "Work of Art', and merged the two. 

 I like the watercolor look from the Work of Art stamp set.

I used Cajun Craze,  Garden Green, and Smoky Slate as the main colors with a touch of copper Stickles to add some sparkle.

New Thank You, and a Tutorial

It's been a very long time since I posted a tutorial... and I have "trick" I've been using to make my Stampin' life SO much easier!!

First, the Thank You card.
I'm still on my rainbow colors kick - So bright and cheery!
I used the Work of Art, Papillion Potpourri, and Watercolor Thank You stamp sets...
Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point, and Lovely Lilac (ret.) as my colors, with Smoky Slate for the Thank you.

Now for the tutorial section of this post!

Do you LOVE your clear stamps, but have a hard time keeping them stuck to the blocks?  It didn't really bother me too much, but it really was horribly annoying when we would do events, and the stamps just wouldn't stay on the acrylic blocks!

I love clear stamps because:  1. they take up much less space  2.  I seem to stamp straighter with them 3.  They take up MUCH less space  4.  Have I mentioned they take up much less space!  I can store them so easily.

This is the solution to this very frustrating problem.  It works GREAT, and takes only a few seconds to do.

 Anytime I get a new stamp set, I place the stickers of the images on the stamp, and then take my Zig pen (pictured below) {the small one} and run some of the adhesive over the top of the stamp.  You can see the lines in the picture above.

Zig pens are wonderful things!!!  They say 2 way glue, and they really do work!  The larger one I use to restick my Cricut mats (see the 'Articles for Everything Cricut'  section) and the smaller ones for gluing small pieces, and paper piecing when I'm working with my Cricut.

Run some of the glue over your stamps (the part with the picture that sticks to the block).  You don't need that much!  Just apply a thin film, and set it aside.  I usually let them sit a few hours or overnight to dry.  Now you have a stamp that won't fall off the block when you're using it, and will peel off when you're finished cleaning it!

I'd love to know how this works for you!

Happy Nurse's Day!

This design was CASE'D from another card I saw online.  I love all things brightly colored and sparkly - and loved this card from the first moment I saw it!

This card uses the new stamp set from Stampin' Up available June 1st in the new catalog.  I was fortunate enough to received it at the end of April at the Catalog Reveal event.  It was very exciting, and it's always fun to have a new stamp set to play with.

Colors?  Top down, I used Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point, and Wisteria Wonder.  Each of the butterflies was stamped with the coordinating color, punched, and uses 2 rhinestones as their bodies.

I made 2 of these, almost identical, one for our Health Clerk Kathy, and our Nurse Devin.
Thank you for everything you do for us, ladies!