A SPECIAL STORY...

A few weeks ago, Mary from Florida found me on the internet. She emailed and asked about having a long-distance STAMPIN' UP! PARTY IN A BOX!

In spite of the distance, we made plans!  She invited her friends and I prepared the box!

When the box arrived on her doorstep, filled with Stampin' Up! supplies, catalogs and surprises, Mary made a set of cards so she would be ready to give step-by-step assistance to her guests. On the day of the party, she was all prepared as a stand-in demonstrator!  Nine mothers and thirteen daughters got busy making cards...

 

 

The moms and daughters, part of a faith-based scouting group called American Heritage Girls came up with an idea as they were crafting together... As a service project, they decided to donate the cards to Operation Write Home!

Operation Write Home accepts handmade cards and sends them to USA soldiers in remote places all over the world. Soldiers who don't have access to buy cards are able to send them to loved ones and friends. 

The stampers were able to send multiple cards in these designs...

 

Mary's party was more than a success. She had over $300 in sales and earned these Hostess Gifts...

But the best part of all was their contribution to our Troops!

To Mary and the Mothers and Daughters... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING. We appreciate your generosity! It is especially heart-warming to those of us who have had family members in harm's way. 

Sincerely, Linda Aarhus

Stampin' Up! Demonstrator from Vancouver, Washington

BUSY...

I haven't posted for a few days

because I've been too busy doing things on my TO DO LIST...

like activities at church...

and events with family...

and going to little league games...

and attending graduations...

But I have had time to work on my DOLLAR STORE

because it is scheduled to open by the end of June!

 

And I also took time to make 12 brand new cards

because "card-making" is always on my TO DO LIST...

 

 

Now I need a little time to post these cards here at Polka Dots!

So... I'll simply write "Post" on my list and make the time!!

Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

DAY 5...

 

I've loved hearing from so many of you throughout this week. From New York to Florida and back to the Pacific Northwest, you all have similar stories and funny comments. Thank you very much!  I'm ending the week with a little of this and a little of that...

 

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Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

DAY 4...

Most of the KID ART received from my children throughout the years was on paper the size of a barn - way too big for albums and especially for cards.  I tried taking photos of large pieces, but when reduced, they didn't turn out as bright or detailed or charming. By the time grandkids arrived on the scene, I came up with the idea to offer them white cardstock, pre-cut into smaller pieces.

The drawings below were made by grandkids, but stamped by me for this series. If grandkids had done the stamping, there would be many images all over every card, inside and out! Even though I love using OLD CARDS and PHOTOS to make refashioned cards, using KID STUFF just might be the most imaginative of all... 

 

 

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Little 3x3 note cards are fun and fast for little girls.

Little boys like bigger challenges...

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KID NOTES:  I used crayons as props in the photos above because I thought it looked kid-cool. But you can see that several mediums including finger paint and Stampin' Markers were used. My grandkids are fascinated by my stamp room and think it is an enchanted place. Hummmm... Actually, it is! The minute they walk in, eyes open wide and hearts beat fast. When they were younger, simple rubber stamping fascinated them, but recently they've graduated up to the Big Shot!! Me Oh My! I shouldn't be surprised that my very young computer-savvy grandkids figured out how to master my Multipurpose Platform, Sizzlits, Dies and Embossing Folders! This is a new day and age, isn't it! All that to say, I sure love being a Stampin' Up! grandma, and hope you have enjoyed this KID STUFF!

 

 

   Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

DAY 3...

 

 

Using PHOTOS is a great choice when designing personalized cards.  After all, you were there, snapping photos and making memories. It is logical that the next step would be to share those photos and memories with the people you care about most.  It's so quick and easy to affix your photos to a card. Simply add a stamped greeting, a few handwritten words, a pretty bow... and you'll have a priceless masterpiece! If you're not quite convinced, you will be when you scoll through the cards below.

I sent high-resolution graphic images (JPEGs) to my local Costco (aka Sam's Club). Within twelve hours, I was able to pick them up and the cost was only 13 cents each! WOW! (Did I mention 13 cents each!)

  Enjoy...

 

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A NOTE:  My husband and I are the Senior Adult Leaders of the 50+ age group (Primetimers) at our local church. A group of ladies have asked about starting a card ministry for shut-ins, and for people in the congregation who need a bit of cheer from time to time.

I've decided that a simple way to delegate the card making (keeping it uncomplicated and inexpensive) is to use photos!  Using photos (for 13 cent each) as the card front, the church ladies will enjoy crafting together, and will be pleased to share their handmade creations with other parishioners.

 

Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

DAY 2...

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have never thrown away a commercially-made greeting card received from family and friends! 

So... to begin this venture, I grabbed a handful of old cards out of my big huge stash and started looking for a few card-fronts that could be refashioned...

 

 

One quick and easy idea is to simply cut around an image and adhere it to a new background. In this case, I mounted the image on pretty cardstock colors shaped and enhanced by using a Label Collection Framelit and the Stripes Embossing Folder...

Never having enough masculine cards, this one caught my eye.  The only embellishment it needed after framing with perfectly matched Baked Brown Sugar Cardstock and Very Vanilla Cardstock, was to add a little Early Espresso Baker's Twine...

and I stamped a greeting inside...

Since Stampin' Up! has every color in the rainbow, it is a delight to match old card images to new cardstock colors!  I cut this old card in chunks and mounted the chunks on the bright, harmonizing colors of Island Indigo and Pumpkin Pie. To add a little pizzazz, I embellished it with 1/2" circles and the brand new Candy Dots...

 

With my love of sewing, I can never pass up a basket of flowers made with a needle and thread.  To match the tapestry motif, I used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder on the background and the Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon as embellishment...

I also stamped on the inside of this card using a stamp from A Dozen Thoughts Stamp Set that complements the sewing theme...

The old picture on this card, along with tearing and antiquing, worked well with the Victoria Crochet Trim and the muted cardstock colors...

And this grinning frog made me happy, so I trimmed him up and mounted him on Old Olive Cardstock and Perfect Plum Cardstock to match his floppy flower...

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A NOTE:  I held a home workshop with the Refashioned Theme.  I was eagar to evaluate reactions and calculate the class success.  Half the participants were seasoned stampers and half were new.  By using all the supplies and accessories listed below on cards similar to those above, everyone was able to experiment with many products and ended up purchasing new items to make both conventional cards and refashioned cards of their own. Offering creative options gave many stampers a fresh enthusiasm for card making, and several stampers shared their appreciation for the unique alternatives.

• Multi colors of cardstock
• New and established stamp sets
• Stampin' pads
• Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine
• Embossing Folders
• Framelits and Dies
• Paper-Piercing Tool, Mat and Pack
• Punches
• Ribbons
• Bunches of embellishments

 

Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

DAY 1...

Hello!  I'm very excited to show and tell you about REFASHIONED CARDS.  But first, for all of you who are bona fide, dyed-in-the-wool Stampin' Up! devotees, never fear. All the supplies and accessories I use for this mini series are exclusively from Stampin' Up!  This is a fresh and fun approach to card-making and inspires not only Stampin' Up! enthusiasts, but all others who use a variety of materials from various places.  Art from the heart captures our attention no matter where we shop! 

PLEASE NOTE:  Days 2, 3 & 4 are finished and ready to post, but I am still working on Day 5 entitled THIS & THAT... So if you have an idea to contribute, I would be happy to develop it and mention your name! 

It is always such a pleasure to hear from you, so please take time to comment via this blog or by email.  Here are the categories I'll be sharing with you beginning tomorrow and continuing through Friday...

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 Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

 

HAPPY DAY...

Today is also my birthday,

so we have two celebrations going on at our house!

xox Linda

 

REFASHIONED...

TRUE CONFESSION: I have been married 49+ years, and have never thrown away a single Hallmark-type greeting card received from family or friends. I have saved thousands of them!  Now before you call me a hoarder, please note that when you walk into my home at any given time, it is spotless and totally organized.  My garage too.  So I couldn't be a hoarder!  Right?  All that to say I want to share a new card-making idea... I'm calling it REFASHIONED CARDS. I have experimented with four categories of refashioned cards: 1) Old/Used Cards, 2) Photos, 3) Kid Drawings, and 4) This & That.

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Months ago, Stampin' Up! encouraged all demonstrators to conduct their businesses "MY WAY" (each of us in our own creative way). Next week I will share a four-part mini series here on Polka Dots and Paper. I'm looking forward to showing you lots of fresh and fun refashioned card ideas - MY WAY!

 

 

SIMPLY SKETCHED #3

I love owning (and recommending) a stamp set in which every image is fabulous and has potential to be used for many different occasions...

This stamp set lends itself to simple layouts.

See the foliage.  See the bird.

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SUPPLIES & ACCESSORIES: Simply Sketched Hostess Stamp Set #129669-Wood / #129672-Clear, Rose Red Cardstock #102544, Watercolor Paper #122959, Jet Black StazOn Ink Pad #101406, Many Marvelous Markers #131264, Paper-Piercing Tool #126189, Paper-Piercing Pack (Occasions) #129387, Stampin' Pierce Mat #126199, Corner Punch #119871, Primrose Petals Stitched Satin Ribbon #126844, Stampin' Dimensionals #104430.

 

Linda Aarhus, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator