May 2021 - Volume 1, Issue 4
Hello and welcome! Click any bulleted item to jump directly to an article. Here's what you'll find in this issue:
-
News and promotions from Stampin' Up!
-
Last-chance products sale
-
Product promotions
-
Annual catalog launch!
-
May joining incentive
-
- My bundle of the month
Upcoming Holidays and Important Events
-
ALS Awareness Month
-
Mental Health Awareness Month
-
National Bike Month
-
National Pet Month
-
National Smile Month
-
1 - May Day
-
2 - Eastern Orthodox Easter
-
3 - Last day to order from Stampin' Up! 2020-2021 Annual Catalog
-
3 - Last day of Last-Chance Products Sale
-
3 - Last day of Butterfly Bouquet Promotional Period (with bundle discount)
-
4 - Stampin' Up! 2021-2022 Annual Catalog Launch!!!
-
5 - Battle of Puebla Day (Mexico); Cinco de Mayo
-
6 - National Day of Prayer
-
6 - Karen's FREE Stampin' Up! Zoom Craft and Share
-
9 - Mother's Day
-
15 - Armed Forces Day
-
31 - Memorial Day
May Host Code (good through May 31): R2M7VNPM
How it works: Place a Stampin' Up! product order for $50-$149.99 (before tax and shipping) using
my Stampin' Up! shopping link, enter the code in the host code box on the order, and I'll send you an
additional reward! If your product order totals $150 or more, Stampin' Up! will offer you host rewards, and you should not enter my host code. I'll still reward you, though. Simply email me at kbrstamping@gmail.com to request your reward from me!
Note: The host code is for a Stampin' Up! order only. It does not apply to orders through Paper Pumpkin or Karen's Online Store. I can serve USA customers only.
Fussy Cut
Use a pair of Snips or fine-point scissors to cut manually around a stamped image. This is often done when there is no die-cut available for your image, or you simply want to eliminate some part of an image. The hummingbird at right was fussy-cut before being mounted on its card.
Dancing Baseline
Every line of text has a baseline. It is a real or imaginary line upon which the text is grounded. The bottom of each letter generally sits on a baseline, except when letters have descenders that fall below the main body of the letter (x-height); i.e. g, j, p, q, and y.
Dancing baselines are often seen in modern calligraphy, where letters are drawn for artistic interest. (See the "Sorry for your loss" sentiment at right.) Not only are dancing baselines visually interesting, but they are a wonderful friend to people who have trouble getting a stamp straight on a card or other project. The dancing baseline makes perfect stamping rather irrelevant! If you have this issue, consider buying stamps with this feature, and no one will ever be the wiser that you are "straight-challenged."
News and Promotions from Stampin' Up!
Click this pdf to see a list of products you can purchase through May 3 (online until 11:50 pm MT), many of which are deeply discounted up to 75%!
If you're looking for some exceptional bargains, you can find them here. But hurry! When they're gone, they're gone!
Hey Chick Bundle: Item 158627; $44.00 US
Hey Chick Stamp Set: Item 158190; $17.00 US
Chick Dies: Item 158199; $32.00 US
But don't let the fun stop there! If you're about "all things chicken," Stampin' Up! has a brand new coordinating set called Hey Birthday Chick! These coordinating products are included in the new 2021-2022 annual catalog, but the 10% bundle discount ends with the promotion. Get it now at the special discounted price!
Hey Birthday Chick Bundle: Item 158631; $43.00 US
Hey Birthday Chick Stamp Set: Item 154464; $21.00 US
Birthday Chick Dies: Item 158200; $27.00 US
Back by popular demand for a limited time: Hey Chick stamp set and coordinating dies. Available through June 30 only; after that, they're gone! Order the bundle (10% discount), just the stamps, or just the dies.
Annual Catalog Launch on May 4!
It's almost here! The new 2021-2022 annual catalog launches on May 4!
As a demonstrator, I've been playing with some of the new products and new 2021-2023 In Colors for weeks, and I'm SO excited to show you all of the new goodies! I can honestly say that the new In Colors are my favorite of the last three cycles. They're absolutely stunning! Be sure to check out my links below for What's New on My YouTube Channel, where I feature several of the new items in my videos.
Also be sure to catch me on May 4 for a walk-through of the new catalog. I'll show the catalog pages, as well as some of the new projects I've made with products in the catalog.
Joining incentive May 4-31!
If you've ever considered becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, May is an excellent time! From May 4-31 ONLY, Stampin' Up! is offering $155 in product for only $99. What an excellent deal!!
When you become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, there is no obligation to sell a product - EVER! A vast majority of demonstrators join as a hobby. Joining the Stampin' Up! family means that you get instant discounts (20% to start) when you order products. You get weekly updates on company news, can pre-order before new releases, and have access to experts for creativity or business.
Of course, if you want to sell Stampin' Up! products, you are encouraged to do so. Even if you sell to just a close circle of friends, that can help you offset the $300 minimum quarterly requirement. If you don't meet the requirement, you simply become a regular customer again. At any rate, you are golden for the first quarter of joining, plus the next month. You can rack up a lot of discounts in that amount of time. What are you waiting for?!
To talk with me about joining my team, email me at kbrstamping@gmail.com, or call me between 10 am and 9 pm any day at 704-325-3096. If you happen to reach my husband (and support demonstrator), Jim, just tell him you want to talk with me about joining my Stampin' Up! team. I'll call back as soon as I return, or at a time you specify.
Paper Pumpkin - Batter Up!
Baseball fan? That's the theme for this month's Paper Pumpkin subscription service.
Paper Pumpkin is a great entry point to paper crafting and card making! This all-inclusive kit has everything you need to create 9 cards - 3 each of 3 designs - plus coordinating envelopes.
Coordinating Stampin' Up! colors include Basic White, Bumblebee, Night of Navy, Pacific Point, Real Red, Smoky Slate, and Soft Suede. Batter Up! even comes with the official bubble gum of the MLB - a ballpark favorite!
Not convinced? Look for my announcement on May 7 about this great kit! Then, head on over to my Paper Pumpkin link to order your kit.
Register for My Free Stampin' Up! Zoom Craft and Share
Register now for my FREE Stampin' Up! Zoom craft and share!
Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. EDT USA
This virtual event will be two days after the launch of the new 2021-2022 annual catalog. All of my projects will feature products from the new annual catalog, including some that have carried over from last year. You may have some of them! BUT, you are free to work on any project you desire during this event. The main idea is to have a great time and meet some new stamping friends!
New to stamping? I am happy to answer all of your paper crafting questions during this event. I have no set agenda except to be there for YOU! I will share a few cards I've made lately from my craft table, or even during the event, and I hope you'll share your beautiful creations with the group!
Not familiar with Zoom? No worries. You don't need a Zoom account to join in the fun. I have a subscription, and I'll be providing a private "room" where we can all interact. If you've never attended a Zoom event, you may need to download the Zoom application to join the room, but that's a short, easy process. If you have a webcam or smartphone camera, we'll all be able to see and hear you on-screen, and you'll be able to see and hear others as well. (You can also opt to turn your personal camera off, but I hope you'll feel comfortable with it on.) It's a great way to meet fellow paper crafters right from the comfort of your own home!
Finally, I'll be offering two or three Stampin' Up! door prizes during the evening, depending on attendance, so don't miss out on those! They're sure to tickle the fancy of any dedicated crafter!
To register: Email me at kbrstamping@gmail.com, and I'll send you the official registration link!
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, May 4
Registration Limit: 20
My Bundle of the Month
This month, I'm featuring the Pretty Perennials Bundle! This gorgeous stamp and die bundle can be summed up in one word: HAPPY! I love this set so much that I want everyone to see it before it retires on June 30. It's included in the January-June 2021 mini catalog on page 31 and is inspired by Million Sales Achiever Dena Rekow. I don't know Dena personally, but if I ever have a chance to meet her, I want to shake her hand!
I will post one or more videos on this bundle during the month of May, and I
hope you'll tune in. Then, if you'd like to order the bundle ($45 product total at the 10% discounted bundle rate), you need just another $5 item to qualify for my monthly host code reward. Just follow this link to pick up my May host code, and enter it in the host code box on your Stampin' Up! Order at this link: https://karensummey.stampinup.net. You'll just love all the ways you can use this HAPPY stamp set and dies!
What's New on My YouTube Channel
Be sure to check out my recent videos on YouTube. Here's what I've posted since my last newsletter:
-
Dyeing Twine to Make Custom Colors - Process Video. Dye white twine to make a custom color from your Stampin' Up! Classic Ink Pads. Simple and fast!
-
Making Backgrounds with Blending Brushes - Process Video. Looking for a way to make unique backgrounds for your cards? Choose two or three of your favorite coordinating ink pads and make your own in minutes!
-
Making a Collar Card - Process Video. A collar card looks just the way it sounds - like a collar. All it takes is a simple cut and a couple of folds to elevate a standard card with a sophisticated look. Note: The "splash page" for this YouTube video shows the reverse of the collar card as intended. Unfortunately, I was not able to choose the image that would be shown to represent the topic. Please watch the video to see a true collar card!
Crafting Terms
Green glue: You'll often hear crafters talk about "green glue." When we do, we aren't giving a brand name; this is just a name we use because of the bottle color. Green glue is actually Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue. It is an absolute staple for gluing card pieces together. As you can see, the glue features both a pen tip and a broad tip for easy application. Green glue is widely available in craft stores and is also a standard product in the Stampin' Up! annual catalog. See page 167 in the 2021-2022 annual catalog.
Stamping off: "Stamping off" refers to the process of putting ink to paper multiple times without re-inking. In the image to the right, I stamped all three images by inking my stamp only once. I used Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad ink. As you can see, the first stamp is the darkest, since no ink has yet been transferred from the stamp after inking. The second stamp is slightly lighter, and the third pass is lighter still.
Stamping off can serve a couple of purposes:
-
You can vary the "colors" on your project simply by having more or less ink on the paper. All three of these images came from one inking on the stamp, but they look like different colors! Viewers may think you worked extra-hard to open that many stamp pads!! ;-)
-
Depending on the image used, you may sometimes want a darker or lighter image on the paper; i.e. more saturated images. Stamping off is a great way to make a subtle impression on your paper, such as the third stamp in the picture.
What other craft terms have you heard that you would like to have explained? Send me an email, and I'll try to feature those terms in an upcoming issue!
You have received this newsletter because you opted-in to the website for Karen's Blue Ridge Stamping. Karen is an independent demonstrator for Stampin' Up! If you would like to unsubscribe, please click here. I would be sorry to see you go, but everyone has their priorities. Thanks for reading! Hope to see you next month!