cardsbycoco (Colleen Light)—Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator- DIY Crafts

I had the most fun putting this kit together. Technically, it is an all-inclusive kit, but, I’m always a little “extra”. Why not add a little extra sparkle whenever you can? Also, how nice is that red box to store the tags in?! That box comes with your kit.

This kit came together easily—except for those gold foil stickers. I have to be honest, those are DELICATE! If you don’t have the “Take Your Pick” tool, you will want one for these to make this job easier. I completely ruined 3 or 4 before I got the hang of it. Once I had it though, it went quickly.

The coordinating colors for this kit are Poppy Parade or Shaded Spruce. I have a large ink pad of Real Red in the house, so I primarily used that. Of course, I also have a large supply of “bling” and ribbon, so I also added some of that. I even tried a little embossing. I always say, use what you have on hand and make it fun!

If you are interested in any of these products, send me an email or place an order at my on-line store: cardsbycoco.stampinup.net.

As always, Happy Crafting!! Colleen

I love the holidays! I also love anything that makes the holidays a little bit easier while providing a personal touch. Paper Pumpkin is offering back-to-back coordinating kits for October and November. One of the kits is with Christmas cards and the other is with Christmas tags.

The October kit will make 10 cards (envelopes included). The coordinating colors are: Early Espresso, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Shaded Spruce.

The November kit will make 24 holiday-themed gift tags of 4 different sizes and designs. The coordinating colors for this kit are: Early Espresso, Pool Party, Real Red and Shaded Spruce.

These kits can stand alone on their own, but, I really like the idea that they go together.

If you are interested in these products, visit my on-line store (cardsbycoco.stampinup.net) or send me an email.

As always, happy crafting!! Colleen

Our summers are full of birthdays. It seems like one birthday after the next! That also means our summer days are full of get-togethers, good food and lots of cake.

I made this card for one of my youngest daughters (the youngest are twins). I don’t know how I missed taking a photo of her sister’s card, but, I did. My girls love all of the flowers, so this was a perfect design for them. As you can see, I am still experimenting with the quilling technique. Many thanks to Heidi Bishop (HeirloomQuilling) for her patterns and guidance. Her work is amazing. You can find her shop on Etsy.

A little history on the art of quilling (per Google): During the Renaissance, the French and Italian nuns and monks used quilling to decorate religious items and book covers. Usually, the paper used was strips of paper trimmed from the gilded edges of books. These gilded strips of paper were then rolled to create the quilled shapes. This dates back to at least the 15th century.

I hope you enjoyed this post and, as alway, happy crafting. ~~Colleen

Hello and welcome to today’s Paper Pumpkin alternative. I have so many parts and pieces of August’s kit left over, I thought I would continue on….

The base of this card is 4 1/4” x 11” and scored at 5 1/2”. I used thick Whisper White cardstock. the first layer is Merry Merlot cardstock (cut at 4” x 5 1/4”) from the Neutrals collection. I use this collection quite a bit…I embossed that layer using the Big Shot and the now retired Scattered Sequins embossing folder. Use what you have. There is always a new product to substitute, but this one happens to be one of my favorites. The following layers are from the PP kit, including the berries. The sentiment was also stamped in Merry Merlot (I used the “Happy Birthday” from last month’s PP). Everything was adhered with snail or Tombow glue. A little bit of ribbon and bling and I was done!!

If you are interested in any of the products listed above, I am happy to assist you or follow the link below to my online store.

As always, Happy Crafting!! Colleen

I love stamping with friends! While everyone else is out there enjoying summer, those of us in the Southwest stay indoors in the afternoon having mini crafting parties. I heard last week the temperature hovered around 120 degrees. YIKES!!

This month’s Paper Pumpkin kit brought a little fall into my blistering hot day. I was able to make a total of 6 gift bags (all a little different). I plan on using them to bring little gifts to friends and family during the Thanksgiving season. It is always nice to have a little gift bag on hand.

The add-on bundle was a terrific value this month. 24 card bases with 2 different designs and coordinating envelopes. I still have lots of parts and pieces left over, so I am looking forward making some alternate designs.

As always, Happy Crafting! Colleen

This card makes me happy. I love the color yellow and the extra bling gives it just the right amount of sparkle. This card is for my cousin. We grew up together on the East Coast and grew apart over the years. Thanks to Facebook and a large extended family, we are now reconnected and pen pals!

To make this card, I cut a piece of Whisper White thick cardstock at 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”. Score at 4 1/4. I then cut a piece of the Mosiac Mood Specialty Designer Series paper cut at 5 1/4” x 4”. Glue this paper to the base of your card. I used snail. I cut the scalloped square using the Bigshot and Layering Squares dies—-I love the extra sparkle given from the Shimmery White cardstock. I stamped the image using Stazon, then used Daffodil Delight ink and my blender pen to color in “Kindness”. Pop that up with dimensionals. A little bit of bling (Iridescent Sequin Assortment) and a small piece of ribbon and I was done!

This card really couldn’t be easier. My favorite thing about the Mosaic Mood Suite is the “wow” factor. The designer paper is stunning and makes it so easy to create beautiful (and easy) cards.

As always, Happy Crafting! Colleen

I love this suite! The patterns, images and colors make me happy. I remember winning a mosaic tile gift in a Christmas raffle when I was about 10 years old (that was a long time ago!!). Maybe that’s where my fascination with all things mosaic and tile began….

On to how to make this card: To start, cut the base 8 1/2” x 5 1/2” (Pretty Peacock In Color cardstock) and score at 4 1/4”. For the first layer, I cut a piece of Pretty Peacock cardstock at 4” x 5 1/4”. I then embossed this piece using the Mosiac 3D Embossing Folder. For the second layer, I cut pieces of the Mosaic Mood Specialty Designer series paper. The hummingbird was “fussy” cut. Here’s a helpful hint when fussy cutting: move the paper, not your scissors. That helps to eliminate those rough edges.

I stamped my sentiment using the “hi there!” From the retired Flowering Desert Stamp Set. Honestly, I was sad to see this one retire! I really like it.

I put all of the pieces together with Tombow glue/ snail/ dimensionals and added some bling. I love how these colors came together.

If you would like any information on the products used, please send me a message.

As always, Happy Crafting!! Colleen

I’m all registered for my very first OnStage event!! I am so excited. I am really looking forward to connecting with other demonstrators, learning new techniques and hearing the latest update on products.

Mostly, I am looking forward to meeting my other Pacific Northwest demonstrators who have become “online” friends.

I hope you have some happy plans in the works! Happy Crafting…Colleen

Remember when “thank you” cards were a thing? I know that I am trying to get in the habit of sending them again. Personally, I love when I get one in the mail.

Today’s card features the Mosaic Mood Suite and it is so easy to put together.

The base of this card is from the 2019-2021 In Color Collection. I used Terracotta Tile cut at 5 1/2” x 8 1/2” and scored at 4 1/4”. The second layer is a piece of 5 1/4” x 4” Very Vanilla. I ran this piece through the Big Shot using the Mosaic 3D Embossing Folder. I love to use the Mosaic Mood Specialty Designer Series Paper. It has Mosaic tile designs, floral imagery and has shiny accents. It is beautiful. For the final layer, I cut a piece of that designer paper @ 2 3/4” x 5 1/4”. Glue all three pieces together. Use whatever glue you have on hand. I like Tombow liquid glue.

I attached a piece of Mint Macaron textile ribbon around these layers prior to glueing to the base of my card. Next for the tag! A simple “thank you” stamped with the Memorable Mosaic stamp set (Terracotta Tile ink) popped out with the Timeless Label Punch. I like the shadowing effect of using a bit of that designer paper behind the sentiment. Pop up on some dimensionals, add a gem and this card is done!

I hope you enjoyed today’s card. As always, happy crafting! Colleen

Isn’t this card lovely? In full disclosure, I did not create this one. I took it off of the Stampin’ Up! Website. There are so many fabulous examples of how to create beautiful designs there.

I love this Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper. You can add a little “extra” (don’t we all love extra???) by using a Stampin’ Spritzer to add a touch of custom color to the paper. A little ribbon and a few embellishments will complete your project.

If you live in the United States, please consider me for your demonstrator. Of course, even better than being your demonstrator would be to have you as a member of my team. The promotion sale continues until August 31, 2019. You will pay $99 to sign up and choose $155 worth of product. What happens if you decide “not for me”…..nothing. You get to keep all of the product and enjoy creating!

Happy Crafting!! Colleen

I like when things are conveniently identified for me. I just purchased the Shammy (I’ll let you know how I like it). Next on my list are the Gold Mini Pizza Boxes and the Wrapped In Plaid designer series paper. Oh…and maybe the Blends Cherry Cobbler Combo Pack. I think those will come in handy for my holiday cards.

I am hoping to share some cards with you soon. This summer seems to have gotten away from me. Don’t all summers seem to do that?!!?

Happy Crafting~~~Colleen

I save notes, cards and letters. That’s right…I have bins full of all those thoughtful notes, cards and letters. I have been saving these since I was a small child. I have Communion cards from relatives long gone, old “love” letters, birthday greetings, get well cards…well, the list goes on and on.

My favorites are the handwritten letters. Remember when that used to be a thing? Letters of first loves, new babies and life events. Some just chatty…

I started making cards as my own form of occupational therapy. What I gained was the joy of sharing what I love with friends and family. And, a few new pen pals.

Send a card to someone you care about today. What a great way to reconnect with cousins, old friends, etc! It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Because, really, don’t we all love to get mail that isn’t a bill or “junk mail”?

Happy Crafting~~Colleen

For those of you (like myself) that have to over plan and organize everything, this is the perfect time of year to start working on those holiday cards and crafts.

This catalog isn’t just about Christmas. It also includes Halloween and Thanksgiving. I know that one of the Halloween suites is on my “must have” list!! Well, pretty much everything is on that list, but there is the budget to consider…

Let me know if you are interested in looking at the Holiday catalog. It will also be available to view online September 4, 2019.

Happy Crafting! Colleen

Can you believe July is almost over? I am beginning to wonder where the summer has gone. I guess it’s true that time flies when you are having a good time.

Just a quick reminder: Bonus Days is coming to an end this month. This is a great opportunity to pick up some coupon codes to use in the month of August.

On a side note…I plan to start doing some instructional videos in the next couple of months. Wish me luck!!!

Happy Crafting~~

Today is one of those drizzly days in Washington State. Yes, I know it is summer everywhere else. But, here, it is 68 degrees, overcast with light rain…on July 17th!! So, instead of complaining about the lack of sunshine (at least not much), it was the perfect day to get together with a dear friend and do Paper Pumpkin projects.

Between yummy muffins, great conversation and a precut card making kit, we forgot all about our lack of warmth and sunshine and enjoyed the morning.

Are you an experienced crafter or a beginning crafter? If you want an easy, inexpensive way to dip your toe in the crafting waters, Paper Pumpkin might be for you. The kit we used does coordinate with three of our stamp sets.

If you would like more information, please email me or follow the link below to my online store.

Happy Crafting and I hope your day is filled with warmth and sunshine!!

It’s a beautiful summer day today! I love the warmer weather. It makes my mood happy and bright.

I wanted to share this promotion with all of you. I love a sale…Stampin’ Up! Is offering TWO bonuses when you join as a Stamp-in’ Up! Demo. $155 custom kit for only $99. YOU get to chose what you want. You will also get a coupon code for the month after you join for $10.

There is no catch here or fine print. If you decide not to continue on as a demonstrator, you get to enjoy the discount for a few months and keep all of the product you ordered.

This special runs from July 1- August 31, 2019.

Ask me for more details and Happy Crafting,

Colleen

Hi all! I CASE’d (copied) this design from our catalog. Isn’t it cute? This stamp set is is all about Hot Air Balloons and letting our dreams soar.

I started by cutting the card base 4 1/4” x 11”. Score at 5 1/2”. I chose Seaside Spray from this year’s In Color Collection. I wanted the base of the card to match the ink I was using for the clouds.

I used a 4” x 5 1/4” piece of Whisper White cardstock. This is a great time to get those clouds stamped (Seaside Spray ink). To make the lighter clouds, I did not re-ink every time. I just kept going so I would get those different shades (I did cut away one of my clouds from the stamp set…only do that if you are confident in your cutting abilities). Stamp sentiment and attach to cardbase.

On to the balloons~~the balloon on the left really showcases the Terracotta Tile ink. This is a two step process. Using Terracotta Tile, stamp off the base of the balloon at least once for a lighter shade then stamp. Follow with the top layer of ink. For the second balloon, I used Daffodil Delight for the base and Terracotta Tile for the overlay. Isn’t that a pretty combination? Crumb Cake ink was used for the baskets.

Glue one of your balloons/ baskets to the stamped, Whisper White base. Pop up the second balloon with dimensionals. Add some twine and a few sequins. I like the Iridescent Sequin Assortment.

All of these items can be found in my on-line store. Stampin’ Up is offering some wonderful incentives now: Bonus Days has started!! Also, if you live in the United States and would like to become a member of my team, extra product is now being offered for the same start up price.

This featured Stamp Set and Hot Air Balloon Punch can be found on page 89 in the catalog.

Have a wonderful day and happy crafting!

Did you know that this is the first time stamp sets have been in the clearance rack?! This is pretty exciting news! All clearance rack items are “while supplies last”. If you are interested, purchase early to make sure you get what you like.

There are some lovely Holiday sets available. I know I like to start on all things Christmas early (including gift shopping). It decreases the stress of the holiday season for me. Maybe that’s why “Christmas in July” is a saying…hahaha.

If you are ready to either look around or make a purchase, please shop my on-line store: cardsbycoco.stampinup.net. There is also a link towards the bottom of this page.

As always, happy crafting!!

Today’s card features the Royal Peacock. I regularly attend a card class taught by Diane Banwarth Sullivan (also a demonstrator). This is one of the cards we made during that class. It’s so much fun to get out and create with other crafty people!

Every demonstrator brings a little something extra. Often, a different technique or style. I always learn a little something new and I get to play around with stamp sets I may not have. Like this Royal Peacock Bundle. Isn’t this a pretty set? You’ll notice I did not stamp the sentiment yet. I generally wait until I am ready to send the card out. Will this be a “thinking of you” card, a “happy birthday” or a “just because” card?

The card base is done in white cardstock. Cut 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 and score at 4 1/4. The Beads & Baubles Embossing Folder was used on the front of the card base and again on the Granny Apple Green layer (Old Olive comes in the bundle). The Noble Peacock Designer series paper is stunning. You’ll notice a small piece of the Blueberry Bushel was also used as a layer.

On to the Peacock: Inking this was a two step process using the Stamparatus. I then used my Watercolor pencils (Granny Apple Green) to color in the body of the bird. Thankfully, this set comes in a bundle, and the Peacock was cut out using the Detailed Peacock Dies. Some bling was added to the eyes and flowers. I placed small drops of glue onto the feathers and used some glitter to give just a little extra sparkle.

There are a few different ways to order this. The Royal Peacock stamp set alone, the Royal Peacock Bundle (stamp set and detailed dies) or the Noble Peacock suite (stamp set, detailed dies, embossing folder, designer series paper, foil sheets, reversible ribbon and rhinestones—see above photo). Of course, everything can be purchased individually, but the suite makes it so easy!

If you are interested in learning more about these products, please leave me a message. Or, you can visit my on-line store: cardsbycoco.stampinup.net. (Follow link below).

I hope you enjoyed today’s card. I sure had fun making it! Happy crafting!!

How cute is this stamp set?? I’m sure it was made for all of those people in our lives that enjoy cuteness! As I have mentioned before, I have many grandchildren, and one of them enjoys all things purple. This is where the Purple Posy In Color cardstock and Designer Series paper came into play.

The dimensions for the card base are: 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”. Score at 4 1/4”. For the Designer series paper: 4” x 5 1/4”. I cut a scrap of Whisper White at 3” x 3 1/2“. The tag is 1” X 3” in Purple Posy and 3/4” x 2 3/4” Whisper White. I always say those scraps of paper will come in handy.

Once my image was stamped, I colored in the image using our markers. I am thinking the Blends might have worked better here, but I was already on a roll. And, to be honest, my people know I never color between the lines..haha. A few Woven Thread Sequins (I do like my bling) and some twine completed this card.

It is easy to look at product lists and think “cha-ching…that’s a lot of money”. What I always suggest is to start out small. Try a card kit. Or, find a set you just have to have and shop around that. You will be amazed at how many different cards you can design with one stamp set, a few ink pads and matching cardstock/ designer paper. If new to stamping, look to our New Stamper brochure. You can get creative with just a few items. If you are interested in looking at the catalog, please visit my online store: cardsbycoco.stampinup.net. You will find wonderful card examples in the catalog to help you plan your project.

Enjoy and Happy Crafting!!

Father’s Day is definitely a day to be celebrated in our home. Not only did I marry a fabulous guy who brought two amazing children with him, but he has also been a kind, loving and generous stepfather (I really dislike saying “stepfather”, because he has been so much more). All of our girls are grown women now, but Kevin’s positive influence continues.

This card, though, is for my Dad. I grew up in a beach community in Brooklyn, New York. I have so many wonderful memories of fishing in and around the ocean with my father. As you can see, his birthday and Father’s Day often fall together.

It was much easier to make this card than it looks. Again, for me, it’s always a little of this and a little of that. I LOVE Stampin’ Ups! Watercolor paper and this card showcases that paper so well. I started by using the Sale-A-Bration stamp set “By the Bay” (the Sailing Home Bundle in the new catalog would work beautifully here and it comes in a bundle!). I inked my image with Stazon, and then began the watercoloring process with our watercolor pencils and an aqua painter. I did want to add a little color to the background, so Stampin’ Write markers to the rescue again. This is such an easy process: take the “fat” end of the marker and rub it across one of your blocks. Pick up the color with the aqua painter and lightly “paint” your background. I felt it was the subtle touch needed for this beachy background.

I completed the card with some twine and a starfish embellishment from a Paper Pumpkin kit. Use what you have in the house. Craft supplies are meant to be fun!

Always save your scraps of paper to make your expression tags with. Nobody likes to cut into a 12×12 piece of cardstock for a 1” tag (haha).

Happy crafting and enjoy the special Dads in your life!

The card I am sharing today is a quilling card. I only make these for special occasions because they take me a long time to make. (For those of you who do not know, I suffered an injury 3 years ago and have limited neck mobility and limited fine motor coordination in my left hand, etc.). I started making cards as my own form of occupational therapy (once a nurse, always a nurse).

My husband and I have a large, blended, crazy fun, extended family. Between us, we have happily blended six girls together (alright, adult women now, but forever my girls). The card I am sharing is for a 31st birthday that is coming up soon. The years sure pass quickly, don’t they?

I have taken a few classes from a master quiller (her work is amazing). You can find her card kits at her Etsy shop @HeirloomQuilling (Heidi Theon). If you find yourself in the Longview, Washington or the Portland, Oregon area, I suggest you take a peek at her card class schedule. You can also access a few good beginner videos on YouTube.

Of course, I am always happy I have my stash of Stampin’ Up supplies. Dimensionals, a small banner, pearls, ink, Wink of Stella and a few other supplies allowed me to modify the design of the card and make it my own.

Birthdays should always be celebrated! Now to find the perfect gift…