Fifth Avenue Floral

Apr 14, 2009

Apr-04-2009-009 This is one of my current very favorite stamp sets…. Fifth Avenue Floral.  For this card I cut 4 layers of petals and stacked them up – each layer being smaller than the one below.  I did the shading with a blender pen, and highlighted the outer edges of the petals with Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Colors are Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, and Kraft.

Ask to see this card in real life at my next Stamp-a-Stack.

Q: How do you add your message to a dark card?

Apr 13, 2009

I am often asked about HOW to use a card with a dark base such as this one or this one.  In other words, HOW can you stamp or write a message on the inside?

Well there are three ways I will suggest for handling that.  I sometimes use our white gel marker, or write a message with our Versamarker and then emboss over it.  But both of these methods require writing much larger than I'm comfortable with, and of course I can't say much that way.

My favorite method though, is to add a coordinating insert to the inside of the card (typically Whisper White or Very Vanilla cardstock – or another neutral that I may have used on the outside).

To make an insert for the 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" cards we usually make, just cut a piece of cardstock at either of these measurements, depending on how big a border you wish to have once it's mounted:

  • 5" x 3-3/4"  (will leave a 1/4" border all around)
  • 5"-1/4 x 4"  (will leave a 1/8" border all around)

You may wish to stamp or embellish your insert (just a little; don't over-do it) to coordinate with the front of your card before mounting it to the inside.

Tip:  Does it seem like a bit of a bother to go cut yet ANOTHER piece of cardstock just when you're about finished with your card?  Well since your inserts will likely be cut from Whisper White or Very Vanilla, or one of the other neutrals we carry such as Naturals White or Naturals Ivory, how 'bout just cutting up several of these colors in advance and then keep a stash of "inserts" so you can just grab one as necessary?

In fact, if you like this idea and you attend my Stamp-a-Stacks you're welcome to bring your stack of inserts along to stamp them to coordinate with the cards you make here.  As you know I do not price my SAS's to include the inserts (or envelopes) for your cards, but you're certainly welcome to bring them yourself and stamp to coordinate!

Browser update

Apr 11, 2009

Well I think I may have finally resolved my Firefox dilemma:  I dumped it!

And installed Safari 3.2.2 for Windows instead.  And wonder of wonders, now when I click "enter", something actually changes on the screen!  And I can drag that rather important marker over there on the right, and not only does it MOVE up and down, but the screen image actually scrolls up and down following it!  And videos aren't all chopped up like they were with Firefox……  

So that seems to be a step in the right direction.

Now, I can't say as I'm all that impressed with the overall visual appearance of Safari.  Actually I'm pretty surprisingly disappointed, considering all the hype I've heard over the years about how awesome Apple stuff is!  And this version for Windows seems pretty basic and "Plain Jane" to me – although in all fairness, there's a Beta version of Safari 4 that sounds like it probably has some of the bells and whistles I've been accustomed to in IE7 and that were *supposed* to be in Firefox, too….. and of course I *could* have chosen that version instead.  But when you're using a computer for business purposes, you just don't DO Beta software; hence the "Plain Jane" version.  But I guess I would rather live without pretty graphics, and forfeit a handful of bells and whistles, too, if the darned thing will just WORK!  

So I was indeed able to submit a couple of orders yesterday (with only 1 bomb-off that required starting over), so maybe we're making progress here.  But I do confess I still can't wait until IE8 starts working properly with our Stampin' Up!® ordering system – 'cuz I expect I'll be back THERE in a flash!

 

Oh Firefox, Firefox – why must you be so sloooooow?!?

Apr 10, 2009

I confess.  I'm a Microsoft gal.   I've had a PC on my desk for 26 years (well, a series of them, that is); I'm a  Microsoft Office (2007) and Vista fan – and I've never used any browser other than Internet Explorer.

So a week or so ago I upgraded to Internet Explorer 8 from IE7, which I have been very happy with for the past couple of years…..  but being a quasi-techi, I just HAD to get the newer, bigger, and badder version within days of its public release.  Well, it was bound to happen eventually; luck ran out on this "early adopter" and it turns out that IE8 doesn't (yet, anyway) seem to work with the ordering system we use when placing our Stampin' Up!® orders.  Oops!  But who knew?!?

Soooooo on the recommendation of several people I trust, I then installed Firefox 3.  ("Oh, I just LOVE Firefox", everyone said.) 

OH.    MY.   WORD!!!!

I haven't encountered such slooooooooow responses on my computer since way back in 1983 when I was using an antique dial-up modem connection to telecommute from home after the birth of my son!  (Yes, I was one of the original "telecommuters"!  Did you know that about me?) 

But back in those days you could click the "enter" key (actually, we called it "hit" the enter key in those days, but somewhere along the line apparently it became more socially correct to "click" an enter key rather than to "hit" it – but I digress)……and then you'd have time to change a diaper, wash your hands, and then heat a bottle before you'd get your response back on the screen.  Pretty pathetic when we '09'ers contemplate that, but hey -  we didn't know any better in those days. 

So anyway, this week I've been doing a lot of not-so-welcome reminiscing, 'cuz what I've seen of Firefox so far has transported me to those long ago days of 26 years ago.  WHAT exactly is it that people "love" about having to wait for sometimes up to nearly a full minute before getting a response back when clicking "enter", I wonder?!?  I'm absolutely losing my MIND here!  I've spent hours and hours this week googling and reading all kinds of suggestions for speeding up the performance of this browser, but in spite of everything I've tried, its performance is just disgusting.  The only thing I've found that even remotely seems to help is to close it all down and reopen it every couple of minutes – but THAT's no way to get anything done!

So PLEASE!  If anyone out there has any clue at all how to make Firefox perform like a piece of 2009 software, PLEASE leave me a comment and share your secret!  Before I go completely insane.  Or bald.

Printed window sheet – Card #2

Apr 10, 2009

Apr-02-2009-001 Here's another sample of our new Printed Window Sheets and Chateau Bella rub-ons.  The two dandelions are printed onto the window sheet, and the dots and words are actually rub-ons.  Oh, and so are the centers of the dandelions, come to think of it – placed there to disguise the Mini Glue Dots behind them.  (The window sheet is attached to the black card with only mini glue dots behind the dandelion centers and the bow.  So the edges actually float above the folded card, which seems to work just fine!)

More info about the Printed Window Sheets in yesterday's post.

Printed window sheet – Card #1

Apr 9, 2009

Apr-02-2009-002 Ok, here's the first card I promised you yesterday – featuring a brand-new window sheet and some of Stampin' Up!'s lovely rub-ons.  Not sure you can tell from the photo, but the window sheet completely covers the card front (5-1/2" x 4-1/4"), and all the little polka dots are PRINTED ON THE WINDOW SHEET!  Isn't that just AWESOME?!?  And here's the thing – the printed window sheet started out 8-1/2" x 11", and each quarter has a different printed pattern on it!  So out of each sheet, you can make 4 entirely different cards!

Ok, so I was after simple and elegant here.  So I began by simply placing this window sheet over a folded Night of Navy card.  But THEN of course it was a little plain; still needed a focal point…. a purpose, if you will. 

So out came the "Chateau Bella" rub-ons.  YES!  Exactly what it needed!  And then once polished off with our delicious Whisper White Organza Ribbon, this card was one of the fastest I've ever done! 

So what do ya think?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

And if you can't wait to get your hands on these yummy window sheets, you can order these or anything else on your current wish list here.  (Oh, and don't forget that if you order $40 from the Occasions Mini collection, you can choose any of the "Under $10" items on page 208 of the Spring/Summer catalog for FREE!)

One more video – Window Sheets

Apr 8, 2009

Another video for you today – this one featuring our brand-new window sheets, shown on page 10 of the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  Beginning tomorrow I'll be sharing some of my recent projects that feature these awesome window sheets (along with rub-ons), too.  (I'm SO glad we've finally got Window Sheets back in our line!  Oh, how I've missed 'em!)

So stayed tuned for tomorrow – and get ready to fall in love!

Blog make-over

Apr 8, 2009

Have you noticed my blog's recent facelift?  I've been under the weather for the better part of 3 weeks now, so not having felt like doing much physical (or anything that particularly requires brain power, either – like taxes – HA!), I've been messin' around on the computer most all my waking hours.  So along the way I decided to do a little makeover here.  Credit for the new banner goes to Michelle Laycock of Laycock Designs.  (She's a design genius, btw; go take a look at some of her work.)  Thank you, Michelle!

Video – Pop-up die “Ball”

Apr 7, 2009

Yesterday I shared a video of tips for working with the new Pop-Up Die "Cake"; today I've got a video featuring the Pop-Up Die "Ball".  Check it out and then start imagining the possibilities!