November Classes

Don't miss out on these great classes in November!

Friday Fun Five - Hidden Treasure Cards  on Friday, Nov. 5 from 7:00 - 9:00  With just a round or heart punch and a 30 cent treat cup you can make a delightful surprise with hidden treasure - anything your imagination can dream up - candy, coins, buttons, goldfish - the list is creatively endless!  Here's two samples:

Elegant Embossing Friday, Nov. 12 from 6:30 - 9:30  Just in time for the holidays!  Use this simple and stunning technique to create elegant and shimmering cards.  Here's some examples for this one:

Gorgeous!  Don't miss out!!

Class Rewards

I promised...way back at the beginning of the season...that THIS year, there would be rewards for attending classes, and I meant it!  It just took me a while to get organized enough to get the whole thing set up.  Plus, I wanted to design a cool key tag type thing in My Digital Studio.  SO (drum roll, please) here is the new CLASS REWARDS PLAN!!!!

Here's how it works.  Each time you attend a class (and pay your fee) your card gets punched by me.  I'll keep the cards for you so you don't have to worry about having them at class.  Then, when your card is all filled up (ten punches) you get your choice of $10 to spend towards a class fee or towards an order!  Here's the card I created using My Digital Studio and the Sizzix Tags die:

Isn't it cute, with the "eyelets"?  You can do THE most amazing things with My Digital Studio.  But you still need a spatial sense, which I don't have....Someday I'll figure out how to get the image centered exactly when I cut it out....

Handmade Holiday promotion starts today!

Make sure you zip on over to the Promotions page of my website to see all the wonderful savings available!  Get everything you need to make gorgeous cards, packages, and gifts, and save 20% while you're doing it!  This is a fantastic deal, so don't miss out.  The promotion ends in December! 

********************************************************************************
If you order through my website, make sure you use the item number for the BUNDLE, not the individual item numbers, or you won't get the discount
********************************************************************************

Here's a great card by Becky Roberts which showcases one of the bundles available in this promotion.  You get the "Tags 'til Christmas" stamp set and the Decorative Label XL punch.  This would be a great way to give a gift card!

Clearance Rack Blitz is Ending!

On October 18, to be precise, so if you want to save up to 80% on awesome SU! merchandise, you need to check it out ASAP!  If you got to this blog from my SU! website, then just go back to the home page, and up in the right hand corner there is a "SHOP NOW" button.  If you're on this blog because you came straight here, go here now and you'll be at that same home page!  Easy squeezey!!

Upcoming Classes

A reminder that the last scheduled Christmas 10/10 is Sunday, October 24 from 2:00 - 5:00 and it is already half full, so if you want to join in, you need to let me know asap!

There are some wonderful classes still to come!  On Saturday night, Oct. 23, from 7:00 - 9:30, we are going to be making the Birthday Calendar I showed you a couple of posts back. This class is $25, with the opportunity to purchase additional calendars at a discount! Here's a reminder:

Then on Thursday, October 28, join me either from 10:00 - noon, or from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 for a Stamp Sampler : Watercolor class.  We'll be doing five cards...here's four of them!  There are so many ways to do watercoloring that we could have a whole year's worth of classes, but I think you'll enjoy just a little taste of what you can do!

This last one will amaze you - it looks so professional, and yet is SO easy!  The class is $15, and has a few people signed up already, so let me know asap if you want to join us!

Have a Perfect Handmade Holiday!

Stampin' Up! just announced a new promotion to help all of us make a heartfelt and handmade holiday!  Starting October 19 and running until Dec. 16, this wonderful special is just the thing to help stretch your holiday dollars.  Hand made gifts, cards, and packaging say "I love you!" for a LOT less and much more clearly than some store bought THING because you take the time and effort for a loved one, and SU! want to help.  Here's the details:

From October 19-December 16, choose from several different holiday bundles containing gorgeous Stampin’ Up!® products—perfect for creating cards, gift packaging, and gifts—and all at 20% off!  There's a "Vintage Christmas Card" bundle with the "Bells and Boughs" stamp set and Deck the Halls DSP; a "Tags 'til Christmas" bundle, with the "Tags 'til Christmas" set and the new Decorative Label punch; and even a Frame Gift Bundle, with a Chunky Frame and Decor Elements! 
 
Visit the "Promotions" page of my website to get all the information!  You can also get a copy of the flyer if you email me at matthewsfarm@aol.com.  Don't miss out!

Witch way to a cute card? This way!

Our SU! demonstrators are SO stinkin' creative!!!!  This wonderful witch card was made by Doris Denman.  I wish I could think outside the box like this!

Here's the ingredients:
Punches: Ornament Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes, Large Oval, Decorative Label, Xtra Lg. Owl, Wide Oval, Large star (bangs in hair), Scalloped Trim Border, Photo Corner


Dies: Stars (largest for hat), Ovals (medium for hat brim)

Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black, Whisper White, Wicked Fun Specialty DSP
All images copyright Stampin' Up!

    Now here's another gorgeous card, but the real reason I'm posting it is because of her creative use of the Seam Binding ribbon.  Now, my gals and I HAD decided that we hated this stuff, because, well, let's face it - it's just not SU!'s usual quality.  However, if you SCRUNCH IT, the way Tiffany Bauer did, then it's actually pretty cool looking! Also, look at the way she used the ticket corner punch on the white c/s - but just on the two right hand corners!  So COOL.   Look for directions after the picture.

To scrunch the seam binding ribbon, cut the amount you want and soak it with water.  Then, squeeze most of the water out of it and put it in a paper towel.  Bundle it up in your hand and squeeze the heck out of it.  Open up the towel and let it dry, all scrunched up.  Then use it!  This is in a Regal Designer button with an Antique Brad on top.  The easiest way to do this is to use a pair of tin snips and cut the "legs" off the brad, then glue it to the button with a glue dot or a drop of Crystal Effects.  The stamp set is Just Believe and the saying is from Curly Cute.  The background paper is Regals DSP Stack.  This card is not the traditional 5 1/2 by 4 1/4...it's 6 1/2 by 3 1/4, and uses our Small Open End envelope for mailing.  It's a really different size, and a good way to shake up your routine!

Beautiful Card!

Those of you who came to the first two sessions of the Christmas 10/10 will remember this card - it is really simple and truly stunning.  Well, here's ANOTHER one - using the same Northern Flurries Embossing Folder for the Sizzix, the same saying from the Four the Holidays stamp set, but using Night of Navy Cardstock, white taffeta ribbon, and one of our new rhinestone Basic Jewels.  Oh, and it looks like she very faintly sponged  Whisper White Craft ink on the snowflakes. This one is equally easy to make, which makes it a wonderful idea for your Christmas card!

This card was designed by Katherine Johnson, a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  All images copyright SU!      In other news, the clearance items are literally - and I mean it! - flying off the shelves at the warehouse.  I had the Rich Regals Watercolor Wonder crayons in one order, then opened up another order within about two minutes, and by the time I entered the stock number they were GONE.  So, if you're interested in anything on the list, please call me ASAP with multiple choices AND the six digit number so that I can order them for you.  Have a great Friday and watch for a Blog Project AND a Blog Contest next week!

Clearance Rack

Okay, listen up, all you people out there who love bargains!!  Stampin' Up!'s online store is introducing literally hundreds of discounted products to the Clearance Rack, and the savings are awesome.   Before I show you some, let me tell you how to best take advantage of this.

If you just go to SU! and go to the store, you will be presented with two prices: regular and preferred.  The only way to get the "preferred" price (and cheaper s/h!) is to go through an SU! demonstrator's website.  So, FIRST go to my Stampin' Up! website Inking of You , go up to the top of the page and look for the "Shop Now" link.  (If you got to this blog through my website, just go up to the top of this page and find the link. )  Once you do that, you'll automatically get both the preferred price AND the cheaper s/h!

If you don't want to order through the online store, you can also call me with the 6 digit item numbers and I will include your items in the order I am putting in on Friday this week.  However, remember that I do NOT deliver if you choose not to have your order sent to you.

Okay, now to the good stuff... here's some cool things you can find right now.  Remember, first come, first served, and when they're gone, they are GONE.  So don't wait!

Brass Build-a-Brads, were $9.99, now $2.99!

Large Felt Flurries  were $12.95, now just $4.99

Bold Brights Brads (old colors - but we still carry Real Red and Tempting Turquoise!) were $8.95, now $2.49

Fairy Tale ribbon pack, was $12.95, now $4.99

Owl and Friends fun hardware, was $4.95, now $1.49!

Princess Party Pack, was $15.95, now just $2.99 - invitations, party hats, and treat containers for 15 kids!

 
Check back to the Clearance Rack daily to see new specials! 

What if I can't make it to any session of a class?

Am I out of luck?  NO!  If you really, really want to attend a class, and none of the dates work for you, all you need to do is convince at least two of your buddies to join you on a date that works for all of you AND me, and I will hold the class again for your little group!  I prefer to hold them here at the house, because it's too easy to forget and leave things behind - plus, people often like to change the sayings on cards, and I can pull another sayings set out of the workroom for them.  However, if it just WON'T work for your group, I will bring the class to you, but you have to have at least five people (including yourself) for that option. 

Keep that in mind, won't you?!

Christmas 10/10

This is my FAVORITE class of the year!  I guess it's because it's one of the first notes in the melody of "I've Got That Christmas Feeling" and I love that feeling, that the grand sweep of holidays is starting.  I pull out the Christmas albums - this year, I can put on my old LP's on the vintage record player that the girls got us for our 25th anniversary last year.  Everybody seems to have an especially good time - I'm sure some of that has to do with the candy and the door prizes - but that old Christmas spirit sure helps.  I sure hope some of you lurking out there will join us on Sunday, October 3 from 2:00 - 5:00 (that's THIS Sunday), or Thursday, Oct. 7 from 9:30 a.m. - noon, or Sunday, Oct. 24, from 2:00 - 5:00.  The cost is just $20!  Here's four more cards - these are TRUE 10/10 cards - simple, classy, and fun.