Saturday, March 12, 2011

Crafters Make Their Own Spring - Charly's Ink Link March 2011


Winter Pansies

I know that "April showers bring May flowers", but it is only March and I want spring to arrive now!  

Luckily, as crafters we can make our own spring.  If I can't grow pansies outside, I can grow them in my stamping room. With a punch and a couple ink refills, the flowers start to bloom!  

Book me for a private class and I'll show you how to make these pansies yourself. The ink bleed technique is surprising and beautiful, and it is so fun to compare your flowers with others.  They all turn out differently.  

Invite several friends over, serve some appetizers you picked up at the store, and I'll teach you and your friends how to make a garden of paper flowers.  Everyone will go home with two ready-to-use cards, plus a handful of paper flowers to use on your next project. Or wouldn't it be fun to attach them in the corner of your mirror so you can see them every morning?  

Call me now to schedule your private class.  Weekends are filling up and Sale-A-Bration is almost over!  This is the best time of the year to have a Stampin' Up! party, don't miss your chance!


Sale-A-Bration 

The biggest even of the Stampin' Up! year is over at the end of this month.  Don't let this great opportunity for free stamps get away, call me today!  

  *  If you are going to buy any crafting materials at any time this year, buy them now.  When else can you earn free stamps for every $50 you spend?  

  * Book me for a private class or a workshop.  If you and your guests' orders combined reach $300 or more, you'll earn yet more free stamps!  

  * The Starter Kit is a great deal at any time, but right now it's discounted even more.  Enjoy the 20% off demonstrator discount with no strings attached!  

Calendar

Jan. 25 - Mar. 31 SALE-A-BRATION!!
Mar. 17 Spring Scrapbooking sign-up
Mar. 17 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Mar. 26 2:00: Spring Scrapbooking Class
Mar. 27 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
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

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.   

March - Spring Scrapbooking Class
This month come and make two 8-1/2" x 11"scrapbook pages with a Spring theme, suitable for adding to a scrapbook album or for framing.  I will also show you some digital scrapbooking ideas, and how to turn your scrapbook design into a greeting card.  Class fee will be $10 and will include one of my paper packs.  Please sign up by March 17.  

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.  


Spring Scrapbooking Class
Need a scrapbooking boost?  Come to my class and make a two page layout, then take it home and drop in your photos.

We'll be using the Botanical Gazette designer paper, and the distressed technique, to put these pages together.  

Also included in the class is one of my paper packs, which contains enough materials to make 4 more pages in this same style.  

Call me now to reserve your spot!  Class is March 26th at 2:00.  

Color Challenge

If you need a little inspiration this month, try creating a project with these colors: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, and Whisper White.  The colors are bright and springy, just what we need to defeat those winter blues!  

The technique used in this card was the ink bleed technique. All you need is some glossy card stock, a spray bottle of water, Stampin' Up! Classic ink refills, and an Aqua Painter or other paint brush. What stunning results! Call me to order your supplies or to schedule a private class to demonstrate this technique.

Technique Challenge

The technique challenge for this month is to stretch your creativity and make a different kind of project.  If you are a scrapbooker, try making a greeting card.  If you are a card maker, make a scrapbook page.  Or try something else new and make a box or other 3-D object.  Need ideas?  Try Splitcoaststampers.com > Gallery > Anything But A Card.  

Since I am more of a card maker than a scrapbooker, this month I made the little 5"x5" page at left.  I used My Digital Studio and put it together digitally, even more straining my experience.  I used this month's inspiration colors, but I substituted Cajun Craze for Melon Mambo to better suit the photo.  

Next I will be uploading it to MyDigitalStudio.net.  Come check out the site and upload your own digital projects!  If you haven't tried digital scrapbooking you'll have to ask me about it.  It is so fun it's going to be my newest hobby!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

February 2011 Newsletter - Sale-A-Bration is here!

Sale-A-Bration


The biggest event of the year is here! It's time to pull out those wish lists and stock up on everything you've been wanting, but were waiting for a better time to buy. Now is that better time!
During Sale-A-Bration, for every $50 you spend from our catalog, you'll receive a free stamp set or other Sale-A-Bration gift! So the more you buy, the more you get for free. In addition to our 8 limited edition Sale-A-Bration products, there are over 60 stamp sets from our main catalog which you can choose from as your free gift. If you don't already have a Sale-A-Bration catalog, contact me for a catalog and more details.
For even more benefits, host a workshop during Sale-A-Bration! As a hostess you receive all the customer benefits, plus another free gift for every $300 in total workshop sales. Fun with friends + free stuff = a great time!
For the best deal of all, buy the Stampin' Up! starter kit. The kit is 15% off, plus you'll receive a Sale-A-Bration bonus bundle valued up to $50. Enjoy the 20% off demonstrator discount and all the demonstrator benefits, without any commitment. I'd love to give you more details - just ask me!

Cupcake Extravaganza!

Even if you never send Christmas cards or valentines, I'm sure you send Birthday cards. Wouldn't you like a stash of several cards you can take out at the last minute? Or a punch which would allow you to create a birthday card any time you needed one?

Come to my Cupcake Extravaganza Class and I'll show you how to make three fast and easy cards. We'll all make and take home the fancy versions, but I'll also show you how to make versions which require only a few supplies.

The class fee of $20 includes the cupcake punch. Have fun using it on greeting cards, scrapbook pages, bookmarks, gift boxes, and more. Never be caught without a birthday card again!

Calendar

Jan. 25 - Mar. 31 SALE-A-BRATION!!
Feb. 17: Cupcake Extravaganza sign-up
Feb. 17 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Feb. 26: Cupcake Extravaganza Class
Feb. 27 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
Mar. 17 Spring Scrapbooking sign-up
Mar. 17 6:30: Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Mar. 26 2:00: Spring Scrapbooking Class
Mar. 27 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
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

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.

February - Cupcake Extravaganza
We will be making three cupcake birthday card designs, which can all be easily duplicated so you can make birthday cards for everyone all year. Class fee is $20 and includes the cupcake punch. Please sign up by Feb. 17th so I can order your punch in time for class.

March - Spring Scrapbooking Class
This month come and make two 8-1/2" x 11"scrapbook pages with a Spring theme, suitable for adding to a scrapbook album or for framing. I will also show you some digital scrapbooking ideas, and how to turn your scrapbook design into a greeting card. Class fee will be $10 and will include a paper pack. Please sign up by March 17.

April - Easter and Mother's Day Class
Come make three pretty and elegant cards which can be used for a variety of occasions - including Easter or Mother's Day. Class fee will be $12.00 and will include a Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. Please sign up by April 14th to reserve your spot.



Valentine Ideas

Color Combination: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, and Rich Razzelberry. To make the colors really pop out, place them on a black background.
Technique: Embedded Embossing - punch shapes out of card stock and attach them using SNAIL adhesive. Then run the project through the Big Shot using an embossing folder to make the shapes appear embedded in the background. If you don't own a Big Shot yet, book a workshop with me to try it for yourself!
Project: Bookmarks make great crafts, because everybody wants one! Simply cut a strip of card stock 8-1/2" long by 1-1/2" wide and fold it in half. Decorate the front side any way you like. Attach small sheet magnets on the inside to hold the front and back together, and you'll have a bookmark which will never fall out of your book again!

Host a Workshop for Hands-On Crafting

Would you like to try some of these projects for yourself, but you don't own all the tools or you're not sure about the techniques? Book a workshop and invite all your friends and I'll show you! I'll provide the project, the supplies, and the great time; you provide the food and the great company.

Sale-A-Bration is the best time of the year to host a workshop! With extra hostess benefits for qualifying workshops and free gifts for everyone who buys $50 or more, who can resist? This month you will get to try out the Big Shot, embossing folders, and the Embedded Embossing technique. We can make either bookmarks or greeting cards, your choice. You also get to pick your theme: Valentine's Day, Spring, or another theme of your choice. I know I have some supplies which are calling your name! Let's have some fun.

Simply Adorned Bracelet Club


The Simply Adorned Bracelet Club will start up again, meeting monthly for as long as there is interest. Order just one or two bracelet charms each month, or order the entire bracelet at once. Join us as often as you want to create inserts for your charms. If you purchase a bracelet chain and all four charms, I will throw in a set of key trinkets for free!

This month we will be heat embossing to add a little texture and sparkle. Bring on the Spring with birds, bees, butterflies, and flowers! Please RSVP early to order your charms in time for the class. See the calendar for club dates.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Tie One On: Fluttering Snowflakes


I created this card to show off as many of the snowflakes from the 2010 Holiday Mini catalog as possible.  

First I stamped snowflakes from the hostess set Northern Hearts on the Marina Mist card base in Whisper White ink.  (I know the card looks like Pacific Point, but the color got a little unbalanced in the photo.  Make your card any color you wish.)  Next I cut a 2" x 5-1/2" strip of Whisper White card stock, and ran it through the Big Shot with the Northern Flurries embossing folder.  I then sponged a bit of Marina Mist ink on the edges and the raised snowflakes using a Stampin' Sponge quarter.  After sticking the white strip down with Snail adhesive, I sprayed the card with Vanilla Smooch Spritz.  

Next I used the Northern Frost Big Shot decorative strip to die-cut little snowflakes.  I sprayed those with Vanilla Smooch Spritz also (in my handy-dandy Color Catcher!).  I then punched three squares out of Marina Mist card stock with my 1-3/8" square punch. Using a single strand of embroidery floss, I tied the snowflakes on to the punched squares by taping the ends of the embroidery floss to the back of the squares using regular office tape.  

Once the snowflakes were attached to the punched squares, I stuck the squares on to the rest of my card using Stampin' Dimensionals.  

The card is really quite sparkly, but unfortunately Smooch Spritz doesn't show up well in photographs.  The best part of the card, however, is the movement of the fluttering snowflakes, and that can never be captured in a still photo.  You'll just have to make one of these for yourself to see how fun it is to have a little movement on a card!  

Supplies: 
Card stock: Marina Mist (119682), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Marina Mist Classic ink (119668), Whisper White Craft ink (101731)
Northern Hearts hostess stamp set (ask me how you can get this for free!)
Northern Flurries embossing folder (120902)
Northern Frost decorative strip (120901)
Big Shot (113439) and decorative strip cutting pads (113479)
1-3/8" square punch (119877)
Vanilla Smooch Spritz (118772)
Stampin' Sponge (101610)
Snail adhesive (104332)
Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Promotion!: Call me or visit my online store to order any of these supplies.  Only until November 30th, there is an Online Spectacular sale where you can shop items up to 50% off, plus free shipping off any order $150 or more!  But be sure to order through my online store - if you order off the main Stampin' Up! page you won't receive these customer benefits.  

Event!: Want to win this card (among others) as a free doorprize?  Come to our Stampin Up and Mary Kay Open House!  It will be this Saturday, December 5th, at my friend Kelly's house.  Please call or email me for directions

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


Monday, November 22, 2010

November 2010 Newsletter - Open House!


Stampin' Up! and Mary Kay Open House 

Join me and my friend Kelly for an Open House filled with food, fashion, crafts, cosmetics, make-and-takes, samples, door prizes, gifts, and great ideas.  

Make a Christmas card, pick up a stocking stuffer, make a gift box, and shop for your friends, family, and maybe for yourself!  

Drop in at Kelly's house any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm on Dec. 4th.  (RSVPs appreciated but not required.)

Address: 2113 Constitution Ave, Fort Collins (near Stuart and Shields).  

I will be showing a sneak peek at the new mini catalog, and taking workshop bookings for Sale-A-Bration - the best Stampin' Up! sale of the whole year!  Between Christmas and Sale-A-Bration, you won't want to miss this Open House!  

Christmas Card Stamp-A-Stack

Send some hand made cards this holiday season!  I guarantee, they will stand out from all the other store-bought cards your friends and family will receive.  Whoever receives your cards will know that you spent some of your precious time making a card just for them.  That will mean more than any holiday greeting.  

At this stamp-a-stack event we will be making 3 cards each of 4 designs, for a total of 12 cards.  The class fee will be $18.00, and includes instruction sheets so you can make more of these cards at home.  

All the cards have been designed to use a minimum of supplies, so you can place a reasonable order and have the materials to make as many holiday cards as you need! 

50% off Starter Kit offer - only $87.50!

Buy all the supplies you need to make greeting cards, scrapbook pages, and gifts for the people you love.... all at an amazing price!  Get everything you see pictured here for only $87.50, with free shipping! Plus enjoy your demonstrator discount of 20% off your future purchases for the next three months.  
* Choose your stamp sets, ink colors, card stock colors, and more.  80% of the starter kit is customizable!
* Try out all the demonstrator privileges including an exclusive magazine, online demonstrator community, early announcements and preorders, discounts, and more!
* No strings attached!  You can drop being a demonstrator and keep the kit.
* Only available until Nov. 30th, so contact me right away!


Calendar

Nov. 18 6:30: Bracelet Club meeting
Nov. 28 2:00: Holiday Stamp-a-Stack
Dec. 4: Brayer Class sign up
Dec. 4 10 - 4: Open House for SU! and MK
Dec. 11 2:00: Brayer Class
Dec. 9: Snowflake Ornament sign-up
Dec. 16 6:30 Bracelet Club meeting
Dec. 18 2:00: Snowflake Ornament Class
Dec. 19 2:00: Freestyle Stamping Club
Jan. 13: Mystery Hostess Event sign-up
Jan. 22 2:00: Mystery Hostess Event
Jan. 25 - Mar. 31 SALE-A-BRATION!!


Simply Adorned Bracelet Club
Make a personalized, totally unique charm bracelet for your mom, sister, or friend this holiday season.  Place an order for just a couple charms or the entire bracelet, and have it all ready by Christmas.  Email me photos of your favorite people to include them in your charms this month.  

November Class - Using the Brayer
I'll show you tips and techniques to take you from "what is a brayer?" to becoming a brayer goddess.  We will be making a card and also a photo background suitable as a gift.  Class fee is $17 and includes a brayer.  Please sign up by Dec. 4th so I can order your brayer in time.  

Stampin' Up! and Mary Kay Open House
Come to my friend Kelly's house for a look at some Mary Kay gift ideas, and also make Christmas cards and little gift boxes with Stampin' Up!  There will be food, make-and-takes, and door prizes!  2113 Constitution Ave Fort Collins, Dec. 4th 10am - 4pm

December Class - Snowflake Ornaments
Become the King of Bling!  We will be using the Big Shot to make snowflake ornaments, and I will show you several techniques to make them glitter.  Class fee is $12 and includes rhinestones and pearls.  Please sign up by Dec. 9th.

January - Mystery Hostess Event
Come make cards using the sneak peek stamp set "Sweet Summer".  We will also be looking at the Sale-A-Bration catalog as well as the new January mini catalog.  Anyone who places an order can earn Sale-A-Bration rewards, and is entered in the Mystery Hostess drawing to win the hostess gifts!  No class fee. 



"Clean and Simple" Workshop

The Clean and Simple style can be cute, elegant, or sophisticated... but it's always fresh, and it always makes an impression.  

The key to this style is to be as careful as you can on every step.  Since there are so few elements in each simple design, every element has to look good. This may sound intimidating, but with a little care you'll find making these cards is easy and fun.  

Christmas is the perfect time to try the clean and simple style, because with fewer layers, steps, and materials, it's easier to produce 10 or 20 greeting cards to send to family. 

Call me today to book a workshop!  We will all make a couple cards together, and with what you'll learn you'll be able to make your own Christmas cards using this fast and simple style.  

Using the Brayer

Wouldn't this winter-themed photo background be a fantastic holiday gift, with your own family photo of course?  Come to my class and learn all the easy techniques that go into it! 

We will also make a couple of greeting cards to gain further practice with the brayer, and to experiment with the emboss resist technique.  

Go home with two holiday cards, one holiday gift, a brayer tool, and at least three new, easy techniques learned!  

Please contact me by Dec. 4th to reserve your spot and to order your brayer to use during the class.  



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

Monday, November 15, 2010

Amazing Deal - $310 in supplies for $87.50??!!??!!

Here's an early Black Friday deal for you - buy $310 worth of business and crafting supplies for $87.50!  If you've been wanting to stock up on stamping supplies, or get started in the stamping hobby, now is the perfect time! 

For $87.50 you will receive this Starter Kit:
  • 3 wood-mount stamp sets
  • 1 clear-mount set with a clear block
  • 1 Stampin' Around wheel with an ink cartridge and handle
  • 1 ink refill
  • 2 card stock packs
  • 1 Patterns Designer Series paper stack
  • 4 Classic ink pads
  • 1 VersaMark ink pad
  • 2 Stampin' Write markers
  • Ribbon
  • Stampin' Dimensionals
  • Stampin' Scrub
  • Stampin' Mist
  • Stamping sponge
  • SNAIL adhesive
  • Blender pen
  • Decor Elements piece with applicator
  • 8 Idea Book and Catalogs
  • Business supplies, forms, and tools
Many supplies are customizable so you can choose your favorite stamp sets (within a certain dollar amount), ink colors, marker colors, etc.

As well as getting all these great supplies in the kit, you also will have demonstrator privileges for 3 months, including the 20% off discount, a demonstrator magazine filled with techniques and ideas, access to the Stampin' Connection website, and much more. 

Question: If I buy this starter kit, do I have to make Stampin' Up! my career and start selling?
Answer: No!  There is no obligation for you to hold a single workshop or sell a single item.  However, if you enjoy the 20% discount, you might want to collect a few orders from your friends so you can make the $300 minimum every 3 months to keep your demonstrator privileges.  

Q: Do my own orders count towards the quarterly minimum?
A: Yes!  Many stamp fans can easily spend $100 on themselves every month, and they wouldn't need to collect any orders from anyone else.  However, your friends may want to place an order and get in on the fun too! 

Q: If I don't make the $300 quarterly minimum what penalties will I face?
A: None!  The only downside is you stop getting your 20% discount, magazine, and other demonstrator privileges. 

Q: Can I keep my starter kit if I get dropped as a demonstrator?
A: Yes of course!

Q: So what strings are attached?
A: You have to pay $87.50!  That's just about it.  Call me if you have specific questions.

Q: How long do I have to think about it? 
A: Not long!  This offer expires on Nov. 30th, so call me today!  You can also sign up online at CharlysInkLink.StampinUp.net

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

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Clean and Simple, take two

Here is my second attempt at the clean and simple style, by following a card layout from the blog Clean and Simple Stamping.  I really enjoyed how the simple layout let the embossed stamps take the spotlight.  I'm not 100% satisfied with how I executed the layout... but the card makes me smile every time I look at it, so it must be a success anyway.  :) 


Card stock: Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black Craft; Silver Encore; Real Red; Versamark
Stamps: Every Little Bit; Loads of Love
Accessories: Clear embossing powder; Embossing Buddy; Heat tool. 

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

Friday, November 12, 2010

Clean and Simple Style

There are many different stamping styles, one of the more popular styles right now is "clean and simple".  I admire the look very much, but I seem to always be making things more complicated and layered than the clean and simple look. 

Recently I started following the blog "Clean and Simple Stamping", and I've been trying my hand at a couple different layouts.  I'll share one with you today, and another one tomorrow. 

Card stock: Marina Mist, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Stamp: Short & Sweet
Accessories: Northern Frost die, Owl punch (for the small circle), Pearl accents, mini glue dots, stampin' dimensionals. 

A note about clean and simple cards - they're not as easy to mass-produce as I thought they would be.  Because there are so few elements, each element has to be perfectly made and perfectly assembled.  Therefore, what looks like a card which can be thrown together quickly, in reality is a card which requires a little time and attention. 

However, the effect is totally worth it.  I may have to make all my Christmas cards clean and simple cards this year! 

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