Yes, today is the 5th anniversary of my blog.  To celebrate, I've got pictures of my recent visit to Stampin' Up!'s manufacturing facility in Kanab, UT.  Also, there's some blog candy at the end of this post.

This rock sign is almost identical to the one found at the Home Office in Riverton, UT.  Unlike the time I visited there, I was alone at the Kanab facility (my family declined to accompany me) so I don't have a picture of me with the rock.  

The front of the facility is quite inviting...very mountain-lodge feeling.  There is a 30th anniversary flag flying, as well as decals on the doors.  I'd love to get my hands on those flower decals!

The reception area has a lot of samples made from Stampin' Up! products...though they are all several years old, LOL!

Unfortunately, I can't show you any pictures of the manufacturing sections of the facility...I wasn't allowed to take pictures there.  I did see the rubber "burning" process, where the rubber sheets are matched with the molds and heated in an oven/press to make 4 sets of stamps. The large sheets of rubber are then cut into rectangles, and then each set is die-cut.  The off-cuts of rubber are collected and shredded.  Look below to see how those shreds are used!  

I also saw the process for making the photopolymer stamps.  The stamp molds are a very large plastic sheet (maybe 5' x 3.5' to make 6-8 sets at a time?) laid on a table.  An arm sweeps over it to fill it with photopolymer "goo" (really - the technical term my guide used), then a mask is laid over it, and then a lid is closed and light is shined onto the goo.  Think a tanning bed for stamps!  Then they get washed in a separate machine, and more light curing before being cut.  

The day I was visiting there were 2 women working in the ink department filling ink bottles.  I had always envisioned a long, mechanized assembly line with hundreds of bottles of ink running through at a time.  In reality, there is a nice bit of automated machinery for filling a precise amount of ink, and for putting labels on, but bottles are hand-placed into the machines 2 at a time, and the nozzles and caps are put on by hand.  As it happened, ink pads weren't being worked on while I was there.

I did get to see some cardstock being cut on a huge, machine-powered (but human-aligned) paper cutter...all of us would love to have that machine for class prep!  I also saw the automated paper counting/stacking line that makes our paper packs in operation.  

As I love both Stampin' Up! and industrial tours of all kinds this was right up my alley!  I really enjoyed getting to meet several of the people who make our products, and to see the processes.  If you're ever passing through southern Utah I encourage you to stop in and see if you can get a tour!  

Comment on today's post no later than Wednesday, May 23 and be entered in a drawing for a mystery box of retired goodies!  Stamps, ribbon, embellishments, Designer Series Paper...who knows what assortment of stamping yumminess will show up?

Saturday, June 2
8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

Stamps, dies, ribbon, embellishments, cardstock, Designer Series Paper, ink pads/refills/markers and more!  Shop early for best selection.  Cash and credit card/debit cards only.

Continuing to share the projects we made in my Brusho Technique class in April.  

I CASE'd this card from someone...but now I can't find my pin!  I'll come back and edit this post if I find it.

Anyhow, I stamped the butterfly from Beautiful Day in VersaMark 2 times on Shimmery White Cardstock, then heat embossed with White Embossing Powder.  I could have used Clear powder, but wanted to be sure that the outline would remain white even if some of the color were to bleed into the paper and get underneath the embossing.

Then, working one portion of a wing at a time, I laid down a good bit of plain water with an AquaPainter, doing my best to keep it within the butterfly outline.  Before it could dry, I sprinkled Prussian Blue and Yellow Brusho Crystals.  I let the water do its thing, and moved on to another portion.  I came back later and did a bit of blending or adding more color.

Then I spritzed the paper all over lightly with water, and surprise! there were stray color crystals all over that got activated!

Once dry, I stamped the sentiment from Thankful Thoughts in Tranquil Tide and mounted it on a card base the same color.

My next class in this series is coming up at the end of the month.  It will feature the Sweet Soiree Embellishment Kit and Designer Series Paper.  Each participant will receive their own kit and portion of a package of paper, part of which will be used in making some very pretty projects:

Because I need to order the supplies in advance, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Note:  the coordinating Cake Soirées stamp set and Sweet Cake Framelits are carrying over to the new Annual Catalog, but the DSP and Embellishment kit are not.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, May 13. 

Wednesday, May 30
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied.  Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

This week I'm showing you the cards we made with the Brusho Crystal Colors powdered watercolors. 

This design was CASE'd from Jackie Bultje.  We masked about ⅓ of the piece of Watercolor paper with masking tape, adhering it to our grid paper.  We then used a DRY brush to put alternating dabs of red and blue Brusho powder along the edge of the tape.  Holding the grid paper at an angle, we spritzed the Brusho away from the tape, scattering and activating the powder.  Once it was dry we removed the mask, mounted it on an Elegant Eggplant card base and added the die cut word & rhinestones.  Jackie has a great video showing this technique in the link above.

May Monthly Card Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products. Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
​$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, May 6

Tuesday, May 8
6:30 - 9:00 pm at Marilyn's house in Glendale
Wednesday, May 9
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

Stamp with Me, Get it Free!
Come make some projects featuring products from the beautiful Sweet Soirée Suite (OC pp.10-13) and take home the Sweet Soirée Embellishment Kit and a partial pack of Sweet Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper! Because I need to order the supplies in advance, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Note:  the coordinating Cake Soirées stamp set and Sweet Cake Framelits are carrying over to the new Annual Catalog, but the DSP and Embellishment kit are not.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, May 13. 

Wednesday, May 30
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied.  Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

Last week I finally introduced my customers to the wonder of Brusho Crystal Colors.  They are 5 colors of powdered watercolor pigment, which can be used in a variety of ways.  

They come in small canisters, and we were warned, "Do NOT open them!" since the fine powder will fly everywhere.  Instead, use a piercing tool or thumbtack to poke a hole in the lid, and use tape or a thumbtack to seal it when finished.

You may notice that the colors marked on the containers are not Stampin' Up! color names...but they did a good job picking out colors that coordinate well with our color palette.

For our first card we CASE'd a technique from Lonnie Schroder.  

We used one of the Petal Pair embossing folders, and started by sprinkling Red, Prussian Blue and Yellow powders on the side with "Sizzix" and "Stampin' Up!" on it.  Then we laid a piece of Watercolor Paper cut to 2 ¼" x 6" on top, closed the folder and ran it through the Big Shot 3 times to embed the powder into the paper as much as possible.

Then we removed the strip and spritzed it with water, marveling as the colors bloomed and ran together.  After it was totally dry, we took a Whisper White Craft ink pad (unless you have or want to buy a second one I STRONGLY suggest you use an ink spot) and lightly ran it over the embossed flowers to make them stand out.  This step also toned down the very bright colors.

Then we just trimmed down the 6" strip to fit the 5 ½" card, mounted it on a Melon Mambo mat and an Island Indigo card base that we'd stamped and heat embossed with this sentiment from the Special Celebrations set.

May Monthly Card Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products. Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
​$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, May 6

Tuesday, May 8
6:30 - 9:00 pm at Marilyn's house in Glendale
Wednesday, May 9
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

Stamp with Me, Get it Free!
Come make some projects featuring products from the beautiful Sweet Soirée Suite (OC pp.10-13) and take home the Sweet Soirée Embellishment Kit and a partial pack of Sweet Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper! Because I need to order the supplies in advance, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Note:  the coordinating Cake Soirées stamp set and Sweet Cake Framelits are carrying over to the new Annual Catalog, but the DSP and Embellishment kit are not.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, May 13. 

Wednesday, May 30
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied.  Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

Memories & More is Stampin' Up!'s line of pocket scrapbooking supplies.  I don't do much scrapbooking, but have found that these cards are a great way to make a lot of cards with little effort. 

In my April Monthly Card Class I threw out a challenge to my participants: use the Petal Passion Memories & More Card Pack along with coordinating cardstock, ink and Stampin' Blends markers to create a quick-and-easy card in 20 minutes.

Here's what I showed as my examples:

This used one of the 4"x6" cards, with the blackboard/chalk flower drawing already on it.  I trimmed it down to 4"x5¼" and stamped the sentiment in Whisper White Craft Ink, then heat embossed with White Embossing Powder.  I mounted it on a Powder Pink mat and a Basic Black card base. 

This one uses a 4" x 3" card from the pack.  It had the flowers printed in black along the edge, and I added the sentiment and colored in the flowers with Stampin' Blends.  Then I matted it in Basic Black and adhered it to a Whisper White Note Card.

Not wanting to use up a lot of the Petal Passion card pack, I went to an older pack of cards for this example.  The Calypso Coral card on the bottom has a sentiment in the center that was more appropriate for scrapbooking, but the watercolor look is great as a background for the floral card.  Offsetting them, adding a sentiment and mounting them on a Whisper White card base lets both cards shine.

​Here's what the class attendees made:

Ellen's front and inside.

Marilyn's front and inside.

Jan's card.

Pat's front and inside.

Despite some serious trepidation at the start, everyone decided that it was a fun change from making my pre-designed cards.  Next time you find your mojo is flagging, maybe you can give this a try, too!

Brusho Crystal Color Class
Learn different ways to use these exciting new powder watercolors featured on page 26 of the Occasions Catalog.
$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, April 22. 

Wednesday, April 25
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

​May Monthly Card Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products. Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
​$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, May 6

Tuesday, May 8
6:30 - 9:00 pm in the NW Valley - Address TBA

Wednesday, May 9
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

Stamp with Me, Get it Free!
Come make some projects featuring products from the beautiful Sweet Soirée Suite (OC pp.10-13) and take home the Sweet Soirée Embellishment Kit and a partial pack of Sweet Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper! Because I need to order the supplies in advance, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Note:  the coordinating Cake Soirées stamp set and Sweet Cake Framelits are carrying over to the new Annual Catalog, but the DSP and Embellishment kit are not.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, May 13. 

Wednesday, May 30
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied.  Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

Here's a quick-and-easy card we made in my April Monthly Card Class:

It uses the Color Theory Designer Series Paper Stack as the background, and the Swirly Bird stamp set to make the sailboat focal image.  Participants had their choice of the 4 colors in the DSP:  Berry Burst, Old Olive, Crushed Curry and Dapper Denim.

I'm sorry to say I can't remember which demonstrator I CASE'd this idea from...there have been several similar posts over the last year.  Sometimes I'm a really bad pinner, LOL.

Brusho Crystal Color Class
Learn different ways to use these exciting new powder watercolors featured on page 26 of the Occasions Catalog.
$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, April 22. 

Wednesday, April 25
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

​May Monthly Card Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products. Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
​$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, May 6

Tuesday, May 8
6:30 - 9:00 pm in the NW Valley - Address TBA

Wednesday, May 9
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

Stamp with Me, Get it Free!
Come make some projects featuring products from the beautiful Sweet Soirée Suite (OC pp.10-13) and take home the Sweet Soirée Embellishment Kit and a partial pack of Sweet Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper! Because I need to order the supplies in advance, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Note:  the coordinating Cake Soirées stamp set and Sweet Cake Framelits are carrying over to the new Annual Catalog, but the DSP and Embellishment kit are not.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.

RSVP Deadline: Sunday, May 13. 

Wednesday, May 30
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied.  Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

The second of my new series of classes, "Stamp With Me, Get It Free!" featured the In The Trees stamp set.  We made a nice collection of cards using a variety of techniques.

This very straightforward card was made extremely easy through the use of the new Stamparatus stamp positioning tool from Stampin' Up!  Available for general purchase on June 1, it allowed us to perfectly stamp both trees, then align the banner and sentiment between them.  Stampin' Blends provided a quick and easy way to color the images.

This card used a watercolor smooshing technique to make the background...we applied Soft Sky and Old Olive ink pads directly to an "E" size acrylic stamp block and spritzed it a few times with water before smooshing it onto a piece of Whisper White. Once dry, we masked the sides of the cardstock before stamping the tree image on and coloring it in.

This card used the same watercolor technique for the background as the one above, but we applied the ink horizontally on the block, and spritzed with more water before smooshing.

We then masked the bottom edge and stamped the trees in Crumb Cake ink.  After coloring and masking the trunk, we made a baby wipe ink pad with a variety of ink refill colors and used the tree stamp mounted wrong-side up to apply the multi-colored ink. After the right tree canopy was stamped it was masked before stamping the left one.

Yes, this card is made exclusively with stamps from In The Trees.  We started by using an Aqua Painter to add Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight to a piece of Watercolor Paper, blending the two colors in the middle.  Once dry, we again used the Stamparatus to stamp the lightbulbs and pennants stamps down the piece.  We freehanded the banner and sentiment and cut them out to apply over some Silver Mini Sequin Trim and a strip of DSP from Picture Perfect Party.

Stay tuned for details on my next "Stamp With Me, Get It Free!" offering in May!

I made this card when I was playing around with ideas for the Stamp With Me, Get It Free! class featuring the Bird Banter set in February. I had made a few sheets of the Whisper White cardstock marbled with reinkers on shaving cream, and was looking for ways to incorporate it with the birdies.

I stamped the pair of parakeets and colored them with Stampin’ Blends and cut them out. Instead of having them stand on a branch, I decided to make them a nest. Do you recognize the framelit that I used to make the nest? It’s one of the lids from the Coffee Cups framelits:

After cutting it out of Soft Suede cardstock I ran it through the Big Shot with the Basket Weave Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (available through the end of March as a Sale-A-Bration choice bundled with the Blossoming Basket stamp set, or by itself in the upcoming Annual Catalog in June). Then I sponged it lightly with Soft Suede ink to add shading.

I stamped the branch directly on the marbled square and colored in the leaves with my Garden Green Stampin’ Write Marker, and stamped the sentiment on the Whisper White layer, using Soft Suede for both. A fun way to flex my creativity!

At the end of February I offered the first of a new series of classes I'm calling, "Stamp with Me, Get it Free!"  We made 4 cards that featured the Bird Banter stamp set, and each participant got to take home that set to make more cards of their own.  Here's what we made:

This was inspired by a card I saw by Sarah Berry, but I made some changes.  First, I used the Foil Frenzy DSP for the entire note card-sized card.  Then I used some retired Kraft cardstock for the mat under the image panel. I also changed up which bird we used.  I kept the neat way she stamped, punched and mounted the sentiment, colored the background with Stampin' Blends, and paper-pieced the balloon that was stamped after masking the bird.  It just so happened that the February Paper Pumpkin kit had Kraft note card-sized envelopes, so it all came together!

This one was CASE'd from Tracy Bradley.   It's pretty straightforward, with the strip of Petal Passion DSP providing just enough to balance the strong Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White.  Again, Stampin' Blends provided a quick and easy way to color in the toucan.

This note card was inspired by Karen Shallam.  I didn't have the same DSP as she used, so I substituted some from the Color Theory Designer Series Paper Stack.  Once again Stampin' Blends were used for coloring...on the head we blended Daffodil Delight and Pool Party to make the green.  Also note the fun shading on the balloon made by layering the Dark and Light Old Olive Stampin' Blends.

This card's layout comes from Carol Payne, but I changed up almost everything else. One of the attendees had a request to do the Shaving Cream Technique, so that's what we did to make the marbled paper.  We used the Lemon Lime Twist, Garden Green and Old Olive Re-Inkers to make it, so those are the Stampin' Write Markers we used to color in the bird (plus Daffodil Delight for the beak).  Where some of the colors mixed it looked like Soft Suede, so that determined the color of the mat.  I also liked the deep Garden Green for the card base, Starburst Punch behind the bird and the ribbon.

Want to see more ideas using the Bird Banter set?  Check out my Pinterest board: SU - Bird Banter!

April Monthly Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products.  Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, April 8

Tuesday, April 10
6:30 - 9:00 pm at Marilyn's House in Glendale

Wednesday, April 11
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale


Brusho Crystal Color Class
Learn different ways to use these exciting new powder watercolors featured on page 26 of the Occasions Catalog.
$20 - all supplies included

RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, April 22. 

Wednesday, April 25
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
​6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale

This is a very quick-and-easy card that packs a huge impact.  You just need an 8.5" x 5.5" card base scored as usual at 4.25".  Then, to make the "fancy fold" score one more time at one end at 1.25".  Fold the card closed as normal, and then fold back the small flap to make a z-fold:

Then you need one piece of Designer Series Paper cut to 4.25" x 5.5".  For this card I used these very pretty oranges from the Whole Lot of Lovely DSP.  Cut 1.25" off the long edge.  Adhere the larger piece on the front of the card, under the small flap.  Adhere the small piece on the inside of back of the card, right at the edge so it shows when the card is closed. 

I used the Lemon Zest set to make the orange slice...inking up the entire image in Peekaboo Peach and running my Tangerine Tango Stampin' Write Marker around to color the peel.  The leaves were made with the same set using Pear Pizzazz ink and cardstock and coordinating Lemon Punch.  Circle punches (or one could use Layering Circles Framelits) cut out the orange slice and Pool Party circle to layer it on.  The sentiment is from Lovely Wishes.

Super fast, super easy with a lot of Wow! factor.  Here's a version I did last year for Valentine's Day:

March Monthly Class
Make 5 projects featuring a variety of techniques and great Stampin' Up! products.  Perfect for experienced and novice crafters!
$20 - all supplies included
RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, March 4

Tuesday, March 6
6:30 - 9:00 pm at Ellen's House in Peoria (near 75th Ave & Deer Valley Rd)
Wednesday, March 7
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale


Stamp with Me, Get it Free!
Come make some cards featuring the fun, new
In The Trees stamps (OC p.35), and take home your own set! Because I need to order the stamp sets, an earlier reservation deadline and prepayment will be required.

Cost is $20 - I will send you a PayPal invoice once you RSVP or you can mail me a check.
RSVP Deadline:  Sunday, March 4. 
Wednesday, March 21
9:30 - noon in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
6:30 - 9:00 pm in Nancy's Craft Room in Scottsdale
This class is also available as a Class-in-the-Mail, with all card supplies and written directions supplied. Send me an email to reserve your class kit.

Happy birthday to us! March 2018 is Paper Pumpkin’s 5th anniversary and we are kicking it off with a truly exciting campaign. Not only are we celebrating five years of creating and sharing together, but we also want to say thank you to all of our demonstrators and customers who have helped us reach this great milestone. And what better way to do that than with a March kit which includes a fantastic, FREE gift and a specially designed, one-of-a-kind box? This kit is gorgeous, collectible, and is almost sure to go down in Paper Pumpkin history as an all-time customer favorite! 
Promotion Details

• The free gift complements the kit but is not needed to complete the kit.
• The free gift is exclusive to the March Paper Pumpkin kit and cannot be found anywhere else. 
• The free gift is a crafting product with a wide range of use that can be used on a variety of papercrafting projects.
• The free gift holds an approximate retail value of $6-$8 USD/$8-$10 CAD when compared to similar products offered by Stampin’ Up!.
• Subscribe between February 11–March 10 at 11:50 PM (MT).

BONUS:  Purchase a 3-month or longer prepaid subscription
​and qualify for FREE Sale-A-Bration Item(s)!