Sunday, February 28, 2010

Eva's Sunday Faves

Happy Sunday Morning to you ladies!

This is Eva and this wonderful Sunday morning I bring you my faves of the week!  I love going through the gallery finding some amazing pieces and boy, did I???? 
I love all the new cards made with the new releases, aren't they just gorgeous and fun to play with?  I hope you got your hands on some of the set if not all, and got to play with them!  And for now, I will share some of my faves to entice you even more...hehehe...if that is even possible!

So I will start with this adorable card made by Bev with the Fishy Philosophy set.  Look at the amazing colors and design, I just love this card.  I feel like I am looking inside of an aquarium!!!  Don't you???  And I just love the stitching on this card!


My next pick is by Debbie and she used the Where you Should be set and look how amazing this card is???  I love the colors she used, all the leaves stamped as a background and hey, did you see that flower???  I love those pretty flowers!


My next pick was created by Joan and she used the very gorgeous Regal Greetings set, which in my opinion is just AMAZING!  I love her card, as it is very elegant, she used Nestabilities, which I think are perfect with this set and the papers she used are also perfect with this set!  

 

And that brings us to my next favorite of the week, which is by JenMarie and she used the Moon Beam and Heart Strings set and made this adorable little baby card.  I love the way it turned out, so sweet!!!

And my next favorite is made by Elizabeth and she made this really beautiful vintage looking card using the Music of my Heart set.  I love this set, too and I love the colors she chose, the lace, the distressing, the pearls, really everything about it is just beautiful!


And my next pick is made by Sheryl and she used the adorable Sweet Thoughts of Spring set and made this totally adorable little card...did I say adorable enough time??  hehehe...well, it is!  Take a look!  She actually made two sweet cards with this set, so check out her blog for sure!
My next card pick was made by Teresa and she made this beautiful CAS card using the What Matters most set! This card literally is SIMPLY gorgeous!!!!  This is something I have yet to master, as I just can't stop adding and adding more to my card...I guess I need to study this card, as it is a perfect example!


And speaking of CAS (Clean and Simple) cards, I would also like to congratulate my fellow DT member and sweet friend, Kelly, who just made it on the CAS Design Team on Splitcoaststampers and here is her card from this week from the closing ceremony of the announcements!  I love this card and she used the Regal Greetings and Just Wanted to Say sets.  Kelly, I know you will be creating amazing cards and can't wait to learn the CAS way from you!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!


And my last pick is by no means clean and simple, in fact it's the opposite and it's made by Beate!  I love and adore everything she makes and if you haven't seen this card in the gallery, you better check out her blog to see how she made it.  She used Unity and Ippity on this card, she actually used the beautiful sentiment from the Life's Little Moments set! Isn't this a WOW?????  I'd say!  I think both clean and simple and grungy yummy can be equally gorgeous and these past couple of cards are the proof of that!


OK, I was going to stop here, but someone needs to take the computer away from me, as I can't stop picking and sharing...hehehe.  I love shaped cards and 3D items and this little project just jumped at me from the gallery!!!  WOW!!!!  Carolina made these and she used Devoted and Just Wanted to Say sets to create it.  Isn't this so cute??  I would love to get something like this, that is for sure!!  That little purse is a must have for me!

Well, that brings you to the end of my Sunday Faves, and again, I could have picked so many more, but I just couldn't add the whole {ippity} gallery here...hehehe.  Believe me, if I could, would have!

Hope you enjoyed my picks, and have a FABULOUS SUNDAY!

Eva

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Flatter Day Fun!

Hello, and Good Morning!!! It's beautiful day, especially when we get to bring you some wonderful insight into one of our Chicks! Today is Saturday and that means we get to flatter someone, and that someone today is Stephanie Zito (on SCS she's known as stephaniez)!

Here's a little fun fact you most likely don't know.....as of Sunday, Stephanie had the most {ippity} uploads to the SCS gallery!!!! In a very unscientific way (I just counted them up), I discovered this fact and thought it would be fun to learn a little more about Stephanie.





Here's what Stephanie had to share with me this week:


General Questions
Tell us a little about yourself.:
I live in City called Sudbury which is in Northern Ontario, Canada. I am 36 years old and have three beautiful girls, Kayla (19), Alexandra (3) and Isabella (2) and am married to my wonderful and supportive husband Joe. I have been a Legal Assistant for the past 15 years but for the last year have decided to be a SAHM until my youngest daughter starts school.
Stamping Questions
How did you first get involved in stamping?
I started scrapbooking in 2006 before the birth of my 2nd daughter. Stamping naturally followed shortly thereafter.
What is your stamping style?
I’m not sure I have developed a style yet. I would say that it’s evolving. I am always trying new techniques and love to play with different coloring mediums.

Tell us about your creative process.
I usually have ideas rolling around in my head during the day and when I go to bed at night so as soon as I can get into my craft room I start creating with those ideas! I also love to participate in challenges or use sketches when I’m low on mojo or just want to try something different.


What is your favorite {ippity} stamp set and why?
This is a hard question! I love them all! My favorite and most used set from the Fall /09 release would have to be Because of You and from the Winter /10 my faves right now are Music of My Heart and Where You Should Be.

How often do you stamp?
It usually depends on what type of day I had. If I’m exhausted I’ll just head straight to bed but for the most part I try and escape to my craft room every night. I love stamping and find it very therapeutic, especially after a rough day with the kids!

How long does it take you to make a project you are happy with?
I’m definitely not fast! I’ve worked on a single card for a couple of hours sometimes and layouts even longer! I really enjoy the creative process so I just relax, take my time and enjoy creating!

What does your craft room look like? {messy, clean, etc.}
My craft room starts out clean then usually turns into a disaster pretty quickly. I have however trained myself not start a new project until I have cleaned up after the last one. I have a large work area with wall cabinets and draws where everything gets put away in its designated spot so it’s easy to find the next time I start a project.

What is your biggest paper crafting challenge?
I would have to say having free time to craft! With two young children running around the house all day I usually don’t get into my craft room until very late at night.

Just for FUN Questions

If you were stranded on a desert island what are the three things you would bring?
My family, lots of good things to eat / drink and plenty of sunscreen!

What is your favorite quote?
If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all! - u/k author
What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Leftovers (usually pasta), yogurt, fruits and veggies.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I’d love to be Wonder Woman with a super clean house, laundry always finished and put away, wonderfully prepared home cooked meals every night, kids bathed and in bed early with plenty of time left for me at the end of the day to spend in my craft room or watching television snuggled up with my husband!

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
“There is not enough hours in the day”
What would your dream vacation be?
To be able to spend a month in Italy!




Stop by her blog and leave her some love. This girl's got talent!!!
Here's one of her recent FAVE {ippity} card she's done. I just ♥ those fishies! The colors and embossing on this card are so vibrant!
I'm off for now! Hugs, Lisa

Friday, February 26, 2010

Fresh Idea Friday with Michelle

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I have a fresh idea for you...

SEW ON YOUR CARDS

What? You already sew on your cards? Well then you are ON TREND and you GO GIRL! You don't? Well, it's never too late to start, bust out that sewing machine pronto! According to CARDS Magazine, it's one of the hottest trends around right now.

Check out some fun ideas to sewing on your cards.

From our lovely Kelly: This card uses embroidery stitching with an embroidery needle and thread. What I love about this technique is you can EASILY change the color of your thread to match your card.From our lovely Eva: This card uses a zig zag stitch as well as a straight stitch and uses colored thread. See how she used stitching to make a border around the heart images? Sewing can be used in so MANY ways.This one is from me: I use the basic straight stitch with the same white thread on every card I sew on. See? Even us "sewing machine challenged" gals can do this too! And to jazz up the effect, I distressed the edge of the paper after stitching with my fingernail.Thanks for stopping by and have a GREAT DAY!!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

That's How Thursday-Altered Picture Frame Tutorial

Hello everyone and Happy Thursday!

I'm super excited to be with you today and share
one of my FAVORITE alterable pieces!

I alter picture frames A LOT!
They make fun an inexpensive gifts!
{Graduations, Weddings, Birthday, Valentine's, Christmas, etc.}

The frame was $3.99
The accessories, when broken down came to $1.90
So here were the supplies I started with, MINUS the letters.
{I decided not to add the letters at the very end.}

Step 1: Gather SuppliesStep 2: Paint your frame with acrylic paints
{Set frame aside to dry, about 10 min}Step 3: Stamp your images on the acrylic paint with inks
{For this project, I used Moon Beams & Heart Strings}
Step 4: Alter according to style and taste and occasion.Step 5: Final step is to insert picture of your choice.
Pretty easy and simple alterable project as well as inexpensive.
You can use any kind of archival glue, they will hold, but I like
to use my Hot Glue Gun for that added strength.Hugs all and happy creating!
Heather R.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

It is an {ippity} chick RECOGNITION day!!!

{ippity} Matters ~ by Michelle Ogdahl

I am so excited for today's post! 
I have the opportunity to RECOGNIZE some of our TOP {ippity} chicks!! 

Let me start by saying that ALL of our {ippity} chicks are doing an OUTSTANDING JOB!! 

As {ippity} chicks (those people that are enrolled with {ippity})
we have Special Incentives and Rewards for Sales and Referrals :)

I would like to recognize these 5 FABULOUS {ippity} chicks for
having OUTSTANDING and TOP SALES since we launched {ippity} in November:

Andrea Cloutier
Jennifer Taylor
Maria Gurnsey
Stephanie Zito
Theresa Miers

To date, we have 148 {ippity} chicks and GROWING!!

Maybe because we are offering the HOTTEST, NEWEST OPPORTUNITY that has
NO Sign-Up Fees,
 NO Requirements,
NO Sales Minimums,
NO Commitments....
NO STRESS!! 
Gotta LOVE that!!

We also offer Referral Incentives for our {ippity} chicks! 

We have quite a few that are ROCKIN' their {ippity} business
by offering the {ippity} opportunity to others:

TOP REFERRAL CHICKS:

Cindy Coutts
Eva Dobilas
Bonnie Rose Kempenich
Julie Mao
Kelly Landers
Dee Morris
Ashley Newell
Martha Pineda
Heather Rolin
Katie Skiff
JenMarie Taylor
Randi Wall
Michelle Woerner


All I can say is that I am blessed to be able to work with all of our AMAZING {ippity} chicks!!

Congrats and WAY TO GO EVERYONE!! 
 I am so proud of ALL of you!!

~Michelle

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

T{ippity} Tuesday

Well, today's tip almost didn't happen...hehehe.  Thankfully a sweet little birdie called to remind me, so even though it's evening at some parts, here is today's tip....hope it helps some of you....smiles....  And thank you sweet birdie....

 Have a fabulous rest of the day!!!!

Eva

Monday, February 22, 2010

A SKETCHY challenge...

HELLO, it's Eryn posting today....

It's MONDAY, which YOU know what that means, right!?!?!

Time for some H{ippity} Hopping and a NEW challenge...the perfect way to start out the week!

This weeks challenge is to create an {ippity} project using:

A SPLITCOAST STAMPERS SKETCH

It's EASY to play along:
1. Simply create an {ippity} project with a SKETCH found on SplitcoastStampers.com - or just CLICK HERE for Scrapbooking sketches & HERE for card sketches.

2. Upload it to your SCS gallery by midnight on Sunday, March 1st with keyword: IHHC12
3. I will randomly choose a winner next Monday and post it in a thread in the {ippity} forum


PRIZE will be the FALL 2009 PAPER Package with INK

TIME for some {ippity} inspiration via the Design Team

Eryn Hagen
Eva Dobilas
Heather Rolin (Guest)
Kelly Landers
Lisa Henke
Maria Gurnsey
Michelle Woerner
Unity DT member joining us this week-
Renee Dezember


and don't miss out on all of this week's H{ippity} Hop participants:

{THANKS for creating & sharing your IPPITY projects with us ladies}

ADDED: http://hearthugsdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://bunnynest.blogspot.com/
http://taylormadebyjenmarie.blogspot.com/
http://alifeunrehearsed2.blogspot.com/
http://tailsinthestamproom.blogspot.com/
http://robynccgirl.blogspot.com/
http://creativepad.typepad.com/
http://www.stephaniezito.blogspot.com/
http://roseohio-myblog.blogspot.com/
http://elisabeth-workofheart.blogspot.com/
http://elisabeth-workofheart.blogspot.com/
http://www.millers-ink.net/
http://jazzypaper.blogspot.com/
http://andreasstamps.com/
http://dahlhousedesigns.wordpress.com/
http://jenmitten.blogspot.com/
http://thepaperfreak.blogspot.com/
http://shamrockstamper.blogspot.com/
http://ippityinspiration.blogspot.com/
http://stampingwithpassion.blogspot.com/

http://www.jodisjazzylifeart.blogspot.com/
http://emmielouwho.blogspot.com/
http://paperandjoy.blogspot.com/
http://jenscupofcreations.blogspot.com/
http://cravencreations.blogspot.com/
http://www.handmade75.blogspot.com/
http://scraprona.blogspot.com/
http://croppinhearts.blogspot.com/

ENJOY your day!!


Sunday, February 21, 2010

Kelly's Favorites!

Good Sunday Morning to all of you wonderful {ippity} chicks and {ippity} fans!!

This is Kelly here and I have the privilege of doing one of my favorite posts for the {ippity} blog... I get to glance through the Gallery and choose which images are my favorites from all of your glorious recent uploads. Since we skipped picking our faves last week while celebrating the New Releases, I took the liberty to pick a few extras and went back two weeks in the Gallery to find them!!

I am so excited to be seeing some of the Winter 2010 {ippity} stamp sets showing up in the Gallery...



This first card was submitted by  JenMarie...
This adorable ATC was created using the cute little chick from the Thoughts of Spring set paired with the thought bubble and happy spring sentiment!  She embellished it with one of the scalloped borders from the same set!  This is a stamp only card!!  Who needs ribbons and bling when you have all these great stamps???   It is so cute!!



The next two cards were created by Joan Anderson...
In this first one of hers I love the color combination and cute DP that she used.  She stamped the two fish from the Fishy Philosophy set, cut them out and applied a dimensional glaze to them.  She also used one of the coral stamps and sentiment in the main panel and added some of the seaweed to the bottom panel.  Love this!!
 
Oh my goodness... did you see this one?  Who remembers the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle?   Joan totally has made this card to look like the Cow jumping over the moon!!  This is crazy!! And so clever!!  I am in awe!!  Great color choices too and I love how she embossed the Moonbeams with white on the bottom!
The cow is from Simply Home and the rest of the stamps are from Moonbeams and Heartstrings

As more and more of you start getting your new release {ippity} stamps in, we hope that you will fill the Gallery  up with your creations using them!!  We are so excited to see your creativity with the new stamps!!

Now for some oldies but still goodies from the Fall 2009 collection...


mjfred (sorry I couldn't find you name!) made this beauty...
I was blown away when I realized that she embossed the hearts from Devoted onto black velvet!!  How luscious is that?  She added the perfect touches of embellishments and finished it off with the gorgeous verse from the same set!  This is just stunning!



And here is another one from the Devoted set made by Chelsea...
What a great combination of papers she used and don't you just love that trim... The stitching adds a wonderful touch and I love that she used the heart from the Devoted set as an embellishment!  Very sweet!!



No stranger to the Faves feature, Karen Maldonado created this masterpiece...
I LOVE this!!  Love the layout, love the colors, love the collage look, LOVE everything!!  She used the love collage stamp from the Because of You set, the frame from the Just Wanted to Say set and I believe that is also the heart from the You Stole My Heart set.  Wow!! Great use of the stamp sets Karen!!


And what is NOT to love about this beauty made by Lynn Miller...
What great composition, layering and colors.  I love the muted colors set off by the pops of red and blue from her DP and ribbons!! This one just makes me so happy!!  On center stage she has placed the flower from the Because of You set and added the welcome home sentiment from the Simply Home set.  This is just gorgeous!!



And speaking of gorgeous, did you see this one from Teresa Kline?
Teresa made this card for Maria's inspiration challenge for our New Release Party.  She worked off the purple, black and white colors from the photo perfectly and came up with her own masterpiece!!  This is a beautiful sympathy card that will surely send comfort to the recipient.  The sentiment is from the Just Wanted to Say set.



Now let's finish this off with a couple of Clean and Simple cards...

The first one is from Emily Neihaus...
Isn't this just striking?  I love the white and black on Kraft.  Emily is a master at CAS!!  She used the number collage stamp repeatedly to make a border strip and let the life's circle peek out above the strip.  She then circled the number and date to represent someone's birthday!  How smart!! I love that!!

And last but certainly not least, here is a CAS created by Tenia Nelson...
This card is as cute as the person that made it! I got to meet Tenia and give her a big hug at CHA!  What a doll she is.  I love this card she created using the sentiments from the Simply Home set.  The felt tree in front of the sky backdrop is so adorable!!  I really find this card fun and refreshing!!

So there you have it!  Kelly's favorites!!  Do you have a favorite?  Have you been chosen to appear on our blog?  We want to see all of your creations so we can be inspired by them too.  So I hope you have time to make some {ippity} cards today and share them with us.  

Don't have any {ippity} and want some???  Click HERE to see where there is an {ippity} chick located near you.  Have a fabulous day and we will see you on the H{ippity} Hop tomorrow!!  

Big Hugs!! 
Kelly

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Flatter-day Saturday with...

****** HAPPY SATURDAY!!!******

Today, I have the joy of bringing you one of the very talented Unity/Ippity Stamp Artists,

LISA HETRICK!!!
 
 
We all know and love her gorgeous stamp designs and now we get to know a little more about her, too!!!  Lisa, I wanted to thank you for taking the time for this interview and I loved getting to know you, and I am sure everyone else will feel the same way! So without further ado, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU LISA HETRICK!

Tell us a little about yourself.  {Family, location, background, job, kids, etc.}

My name is Lisa Hetrick, and I, like most, am completely addicted to stamping.
I live in Maryland with my “supa dupa supportive” husband of twelve years, my son and daughter. I’m a mother, wife, friend, believer and artist.

Stamping, scrapbooking, papercrafting, graphic design and illustration are what make me tick. I have to do something “artsy” everyday. It’s how I roll.

Like most moms, I wear many hats. I’m the creative director and owner of Lisa Hetrick Design (www.lisahetrickdesign.com, 7 years), I also teach classes at my local scrapbook store (PhotoScraps), and local community college. After 12 years working in the design field for advertising, healthcare and education, I stepped out to go freelance and work from my home studio. I’ve been a professional graphic designer/illustrator for 19 years. I love what I do and I’m thankful that I get to balance my profession with my family life.

How did you first get involved in stamping?

I started stamping and papercrafting as a young girl, making cards. I have dabbled in so many art forms, knitting, crocheting, needlework, quilting, etc. BUT, I’ve always come back to my first love paper and stamps. I really made stamping a part of my lifestyle when I started scrapbooking in 2001.  I love creating cards because it’s like creating a piece of canvas art every time. What fun. I can’t scrapbook without my stamps. They are the most versatile product in my stash. You may not be able to find the perfect embellishment for your scrapbook page…. but you can almost always create it with a stamp!

What is your stamping style?

I’d have to say layered with a somewhat modern collage feel. I often paper piece or go the other extreme and copic color every detail.  I LOVE techniques. So, whenever I can, I’m getting all the schtuff out and getting messy. Stamping simple seems to be a challenge for me. I can just never “leave” it alone, I just have to add one more thing.

Tell us about your creative process

When I’m stamping for me, the process always starts with the stamp/stamp set I want to play with. I buy a stamp/set based on what I see in my head as the possibilities. Then, I gather patterned paper and cardstock, usually what I feel like playing with. I’m not into being matchy matchy. I just gather supplies and start creating.  When I create for store classes or product samples, it always starts with the patterned paper then a quick sketch and then I work my way into a product. That process is more business-like and methodical.

What is your favorite {ippity} stamp set and why?

I love the entire Fall and Spring line that has been put together. There is a lot of versatility in there and I love that. If I had to pick one from each of the lines, I would say: Because of You from the Fall line because of the mix of sentiments, collage style background and easy to color/paper piece images. From the Spring line, I LOVE Sweet Thoughts of Spring mainly because I just love that bunny and chick and right away I saw in my head exactly how I am going to color, paper piece and create with it.

How often do you stamp?

Almost everyday. If I don’t have time to stamp, I’m at least looking at a mag or online gallery.

How long does it take you to make a project you are happy with?

No more than an hour. I’m a glue and go kind of girl. I usually can feel if something’s not working within the first 15 minutes. If it doesn’t feel right, I scrap it and move on.

What does your craft room look like? {messy, clean, etc.}

Ha! Well, I try to keep it neat and efficient since the studio is part of the house and my family dwells in it with me sometimes. Right NOW… organized chaos!  When I create/prep for classes, like right at this moment, it looks very much like a tornado went through.

What is your biggest paper crafting challenge?

Keeping it simple. Using up my stash. I’m a work in progress.


What song best describes you?

Funny question: STAND by REM. It’s about keeping your feet on the ground, but looking at life from all directions and keeping an open mind. LOVE that! Keep an open mind and it’s amazing how many cool things can come into your life.

If you were stranded on a desert island what are the three things you would bring?

My husband and two kiddos. It’s all I ever need!

What is your favorite quote?

“Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” This quote sits in front of me on my desk. It keeps me grounded in times of stress and reminds me to keep life in check.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

A lot of chicken, turkey and fish that needs to be put into freezer bags. It’s my least favorite thing to do and I’m hoping the hubs will do it when he gets home. Tee hee.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

I would LOVE to have the ability to snap my fingers and the laundry would be washed, dried and put away. Laundry is the bane of my existence.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?

Woman runs with scissors…news at 11:00.

What would your dream vacation be?

A trek through Europe with my husband and kiddos. 

Have a FABULOUS Saturday!!!
Eva

Friday, February 19, 2010

Fresh Idea Friday-tacky to terrific!

Good morning {ippity} peeps! So is everyone still riding high from the new release????? I sure am. I can't put down these stamps....that's good thing, right?!!! Thanks for a fun week and all the amazing support from you all.
So, am I the only person who buys a planner 2 months into the new year??? What was I thinking, believing I could get along without one in my purse???? On the hunt for something cute and petite, I realized NO ONE had planners or pocket calenders left in stock. I did find this one at the $1 store, but I hated the cover. Thanks to this fabulous craft/hobby, and all my new stamps still calling my name, I said, "DUH! I can make it waaaay cuter!" and that's what I did. So my planner goes from Tacky to Terrific in just a short 30 minutes.
Probably NO shocker that I used Where You Should Be for this. It's been such a HOT seller and I just ♥ ADORE IT!!! Contact your {ippity} Chick to get your hands on it. Paper is Garden Variety by Cosmo Cricket. I made the dp even cuter, by stamping those leaves in Momento rich cocoa ink. Since I had to keep everything flat and not use a ton of layers, the sentiment was stamped in the same ink and highlighted with some Copics on a kraft blossoms die cute piece. I even stamped up the back of the planner. Just stamped and colored in some of the leaves with Copics.
The whole thing is wrapped up and protected with a little plastic cover.
Give it ago, customize something in your purse or home today-a planner, a checkbook cover, a journal. It's fun and now I have something terrific to carry around with me.

Just a friendly reminder: Clean your acrylic blocks, today, if they're dirty. You'll be amazed at how well they hold the stamps, again! Yep, learned that one from experience yesterday!

Hugs, Lisa

Thursday, February 18, 2010

That's How Thursday -Circle card tutorial

Hi everyone, it's Michelle here! I LOVE to make circle cards. They are unique, fun and have a certain "wow" factor. I get asked all the time, "how do you MAKE your circle cards". Well, today I will share with you how I do it!!

I make them using my Nestability dies from Spellbinders. I use my Cuttlebug to do all my die cutting and it works perfectly. To start, I cut the cardstock 8 1/2"x 4 1/2" and score in the middle:
Next, fold the cardstock and place your largest die with the top of the die just over the top of the fold. This is very important, as this will be the top fold of your card.Here is the picture from the angle that you cut. You need to remember that the "pointy" part of the die faces UP to your B Plate. You can see from the past impression on my C Plate, I have done this WRONG before. Man oh man I had trouble getting the die OFF the plate!Run it thru your machine and if you use thick cardstock, like PTI, run it back and forth just to make sure it cuts both layers. When you are done, it will look like this:Next, you can work on the inner layers of your card. For my card, I wanted the first layer to be white with a strip of embossed Kraft thru the middle. I layered them both at the same time, but you could just as easily do the white piece first and fiddle around to decide what you need next.
One tip I have is to tape the die down to the cardstock to prevent any moving. This is especially important when die cutting around an image already stamped. I use a small piece of tape, be sure to place the sticky tape to the OUTSIDE of your die-not touching the inside. That way it won't accidentally tear your cardstock. Here is a close up of my tape, you can tell that I use this tape over and over. I keep it taped to my area for quick access. Hey, it doesn't have to be pretty to work!Here is the finished card (it was my challenge card from a few weeks back). Well, I hope this was useful to you. If you have any questions, you can leave me a comment and I will respond with an edit to this post-for all to read.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

{ippity} Matters...THE NEW WINTER RELEASES ARE A HUGE HIT!!!!

~by Michelle Ogdahl

THE NEW WINTER RELEASES ARE FLYING OUT THE DOOR!!!!

Monday was a HUGE HIT!! We had the BIG RELEASE party for the unveiling of our NEW WINTER 2010 RELEASES!


The {ippity} forum in Splitcoast Stampers site was JAM PACKED ALL DAY with activity!  The response from our {ippity} chicks and customers was that it was a HUGE SUCCESS!!!  The best news is we will repeat this in just 3 months when we release our Spring 2010 line of products!!
Have you seen our 8 NEW, SUPER FABULOUS KITS? If not, click here to check it out. Remember, that we are NOT retiring the Fall 2009 kits! You can still purchase them as an {ippity} chick or from an {ippity} chick :)

We also are now offering our ADORABLE {ippity} catalogs! Our {ippity} chicks can purchase them through the private {ippity} site! YAHOOO!!! Check them out below:


And the inside showcases all of the Fall 2009 kits and paper,
Winter 2010 kits and paper, and our ink that is available! 



We also have added awesome marketing tools for our {ippity} chicks that can be printed off of the private {ippity} site and used in your business.

We have new {ippity} chicks joining daily and from all over the world!!  Check it out here!  If your name is missing from this list, be sure to email me at michelle@unitystampco.com and I will add you right away!

I want to take this time to THANK our AMAZING and VERY TALENTED DESIGN TEAM for all of their hard work and time put into making our Release Party a HUGE SUCCESS! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Kelly Landers, Eva Dobilas, our very own gal Eryn Hagen, Maria Gurnsey, Lisa Henke, Michelle Woerner and Guest Designer this month, Heather Rolin! GREAT JOB EVERYONE!!! So thankful for each of you!

Alright, I am off to get some more {ippity} work done!  Have a SUPER {ippity} week!!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

T{ippity} Tuesday

Hi everyone! It's Michelle here with today's Tuesday Tip!! I can't take credit for this tip, I saw it on someone's blog one night when I was blurfing around. Unfortunately, I didn't make a note WHO's blog it was! (if you know, please mention in the comments and I will give proper credit and link)

DON'T BE AFRAID TO CUT YOUR RUBBER!

Kinda simple really. One of the many advantages of UNMOUNTED rubber is that you can CUT them! Yep. Do you ever find that the sentiment stamp you want is too long for the space you have on your card?

Well, try cutting the sentiment.

The trick to this is cutting it in a V shape, so it fits back together easily and stick to the block -good as new. My example uses a stamp from the set Music of My Heart.

This first picture shows the sentiment all together:This picture shows it apart (I even trimmed the top and bottoms of the stamps to fit closer together on the block):This gives a better view of the cuts:
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!