Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Two styles of Mother's Day

Here we have two Mother's Day cards, one very crisp and simple, the other frilly and pretty.  Pick the one that works best for your mom's style.... or if neither does, change up the greetings and make them both "thank you" cards!  That is the very best part of owning stamps and making your own greeting cards - you always have a card of the perfect style with the perfect greeting on hand.  

These cards were made with the sets "Teeny Tiny Wishes", and "All Holidays".  Both sets are must-haves.  All the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" fit inside the word window punch, and they're great for all occasions.  "All Holidays" are more focal point sentiments, just one stamp and some Designer Series Paper will get you through most holidays.  Best of all?  Order one or both sets at my class, and I'll waive the class fee!  

In addition to the greeting from "All Holidays", this second card also includes the flower from the "Thoughts and Prayers" stamp set, which is another must-have.  The sentiments in that set may be sad, but the flower and the tree are gorgeous.  Doesn't the flower go just beautifully with the Elegant Soiree paper?  

Another nice touch for this card was the lace-with-ribbon treatment.  Try layering the 1/2" Chantilly lace on 5/8" satin ribbon, or try layering the 1/2" seam binding on the 5/8" Victoria lace.  Both treatments look just beautiful.  

Come to my Easter and Mother's Day card class this Saturday to get your hands on some of these products and try them for yourself!  Email me today, I will be preparing supplies tomorrow!  

Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Paper Piercing - the cheapest design tool ever!

As promised, here are two more cards from this coming Saturday's Easter and Mother's Day card class.  It will be at my house at 2:00pm on the 23rd, email me to sign up!  

I tried to make this a more complicated card, trust me.  I tried to work in some designer paper, some edge punching... but the design just called out for total simplicity.  This card should take you 5 minutes to make, not including the 2 minutes you will spend picking out which sentiment you want to use.  

It may be an "Easter and Mother's Day" class, but all the cards we will be making can be used for almost any occasion, so I will have a number of sentiment stamps on hand for you to choose from.  

As I mentioned in the title, both these cards include paper piercing.  For this technique all you need is a mat pack and a paper piercing tool - which together will cost you under $15.00.  The paper piercing look can be modern and minimalist, or link the holes with a hand-drawn line to give the homey look of stitching.  Either way it's easy, inexpensive, and a great way to add that extra touch to your card.  

Both of these cards were stamped with the Fast and Fabulous hostess stamp set.  The "thank you" card was stamped with the set's faux watercolor look, while the tall flower card really was watercolored with Aqua Painters and ink.  

Come try both methods this Saturday!  Email me to reserve your spot.  

Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com


Monday, April 18, 2011

Butterflies and Flowers

This pretty butterfly card seems to be the most popular one from my upcoming class "Easter and Mother's Day cards", which I will be teaching at my house April 23rd at 2:00pm.  

You'll be surprised how simple it is to make this card.  We'll use the Big Shot to emboss the card base (to make all the pretty raised swirls in the background), and we'll use the Big Shot again to cut out the butterfly shapes.  If you haven't used the Big Shot before, you'll have to come give it a try.  It's the most fun papercrafting tool ever!   

The rest of the card is just as easy.  We'll layer the butterfly shapes together with a touch of ribbon for the butterfly antennae, and a few pearls for the body.  There is plenty of space to stamp any sentiment you wish - "Get Well", "Thinking of You", "Happy Birthday", or of course the advertised Easter or Mother's Day greetings.  You choose what you want your card to say!  

The second card I'm sharing with you is one of the many flower cards from my upcoming class.  The theme is clearly flowers, earth tones, and elegant designs!  This card features a couple of patterns from the 'Elegant Soiree' Designer Series Paper pack.  The main image is stamped with the Awash with Flowers set, and the card is finished off with a little paper piercing.  It's another quick and easy card, but due to the sophisticated designs, it looks a lot more complicated than it really is.  

Tomorrow I will share with you another two cards from my upcoming class.  I know you'll want to have these in your collection so you'll always have a card when you need one at the last minute!  Sign up today to reserve your spot.  

Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com

Monday, April 11, 2011

Do you have the creativity of a warthog? - Charly's Ink Link April 2011



Are You Creative?
 
Does it matter?  I don't care if you have the creativity of a warthog, you still have the ability to make a beautiful gift.  

Whether you want to give a thoughtful card, or share your photos and memories with your children, if you have two hands with opposable thumbs you can make these things.  

Stampin' Up! provides stamps so you never have to draw, Designer Series paper so you never have to try to put your own colors together, and the most fabulous and easy-to-use tools.  

Hundreds of blogs and websites exist to give you ideas, layouts, designs, and technique tutorials.  

But most of all, putting it all together is my job.  I am your personal coach when it comes to papercrafting, and I am awesome at what I do.  

So I dare you to be the least creative person on earth.  I can help you make projects you will be proud to give away - and your recipients will be touched to receive.  It's not about how creative you can be.  It's about making someone happy with your hand made, beautiful, greeting cards and scrapbook pages.  


Easter and Mother's Day Class

Join me on the 23rd at 2:00pm at my house to make six simple cards.  For April we will be using the paper Elegant Soiree, with its spring-like colors of earthy browns and cheerful blues.  Perfect for Easter, Mother's Day, birthdays, "get well", or just "thinking of you", these cards will be great to have on hand.  

While these cards look sophisticated, they are really very simple to put together.  Class fee is only $15 for 6 different cards, or place a catalog order of $25 or more and the class will be free.  Please contact me by 4/14 to reserve your spot.  


Calendar

Apr. 14: Easter & Mother's Day class sign-up
Apr. 14 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Apr. 23 2:00: Easter & Mother's Day Class
Apr. 24 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
May 19 Congrats and Condolences sign-up
May 19 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
May 28 2:00: Congrats and Condolences class
May 29 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
June 16 Summertime and Picnics sign-up
June 16 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
June 25 2:00: Summertime and Picnics class
June 26 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club

Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Make a personalized, totally unique charm bracelet for yourself or for a gift.  Buy one charm each month, or buy the entire bracelet at once, it's up to you.  Order your charms ahead of time, then come to our club meetings to use my supplies and ideas.  What is more fun than friends, crafts, and jewelry?

Freestyle Stamping Club
Come to my Freestyle Stamping Club to give yourself a little crafting time and stamp with friends.  I will provide ink, some stamp sets, basic tools, and I will have paper packs available for $5.00.  Or bring your own materials, any brand.  There is no fee, and everyone is invited!  Please RSVP.   

April - Easter and Mother's Day Class
Come make six pretty and elegant cards which can be used for a variety of occasions - including Easter or Mother's Day.  Class fee will be $15.00, or place a $25 catalog order and the class will be free.  Please sign up by April 14th to reserve your spot.  

May - Congratulations and Condolences
We all need cards for both happy and sad events.  In this class we will make six cards, including wedding cards, new baby cards, and condolences cards.  Please sign up by May 19th so supplies can be prepared.  Class fee will be $15 or a $25 catalog order.  

June - Summertime and Picnics class
This month we will make four different 12"x12" scrapbook pages with a summertime theme.  Each layout will be easily reproducible with other stamps and papers, so make four pages in class and  more at home.  I will also talk about scrapbooking for non-scrappers.  Class fee will be $15 or a $25 catalog order.  Please sign up by June 16th so I can order your supplies. 




May Baskets

Celebrate May Day this year by surprising others with these cute May baskets.  These little baskets are perfect for holding a handful of treats and leaving anonymously on co-workers' desks or neighbors' front porches.  

This month book me for a private class and I will show you and your friends how to make this adorable basket and a matching card.  These would also be perfect for a wedding or party favors.  

This is a great time to host a class, since hostesses can earn a beautiful set of products for free!  With the Spring is Blossoming promotion, earn both the stamps and the papers shown here for free if total orders equal $350 or more.  Call me to book your private class today!


Color Challenge

It's April - Happy Birthday to me and all my other April birthday friends! This month I chose a color combination which looks bright, happy, and energetic.   Try making a project using Concord Crush, So Saffron, and Pear Pizzazz.

Here's a tip- always keep some white ribbon on hand, like this 5/8" organza ribbon (item #114319). When you need ribbon of a specific color, just dye the ribbon by rubbing it on a Classic ink pad, or color it with Stampin' Up! markers (shown here). Concord Crush ribbon is available, but I don't have any so I made my own using this method. 

Technique Challenge

Birthdays, baby showers, and weddings are all good excuses to have cake.  Now you can have this cake and eat one too!  These mini cakes are fun as gifts, party favors, or table decor.  They are made with an LED tea light, scraps of paper, and a 1-3/4" scallop circle punch.  They can be ornate like this wedding cake, or quick and easy like the birthday cake.  

Tip: If you want to make a lot of cakes, I suggest using a Simply Scrappin' kit.  With patterned paper and matching decorative borders you can decorate an LED cake in a snap.  To make the center hole, use a hand held hole puncher and punch several holes as close to the center as you can, to make one larger, centered hole.  Ask me to demonstrate! 


Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com

Saturday, April 2, 2011

New Clearance Rack items - Plus Grab Bags



Check out our new Clearance Rack!  It's been refilled for April with new ribbon, papers, kits, chipboard, and more! 

Also in the clearance rack, try one of our grab bags - for $15 you will receive $60 worth of retired products!  (No stamps or tools, but perhaps ribbon, buttons, paper, or other embellishments.  No guarantees and no returns!) 

The only way to buy these deals from the Clearance Rack is either to email me, or buy from me online - go to CharlysInkLink.StampinUp.net.   When they're gone, they're gone! 

Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com
CharlysInkLink.StampinUp.net
 

Friday, April 1, 2011


Contact me today! 

Charly Bratt
Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator
(970) 206-9120
CharlysInkLink@gmail.com
CharlysInkLink.StampinUp.net