So Many Scallops - So Many Possibilities

I love this new stamp set, So Many Scallops! I have been enjoying learning new ways to use the scallop punch, and this stamp set makes creating unique cards super-simple. These four looks use the same supplies:

• So Many Scallops Stamp Set
• Canvas background stamp
• Print Pattern background stamp
• Night of Navy cardstock
• Mellow Moss Cardstock
• Ultrasmooth Vanilla Cardstock
• Mellow Moss classic ink
• Whisper White craft ink
• Night of Navy classic ink
• Night of Navy grosgrain ribbon
• scallop punch
• brayer

The So Many Scallops stamp set is part of the Sale-a-Bration promotion, and so this stamp set is only available until March 17. During the Sale-a-Bration promotion, customers receive a free stamp set for every $50 order, so this stamp set is actually free! Contact me today at alison@shilohstamps.com to place an order.

Next week's Spring Stamp a Stack will feature products from the Sale-a-Bration catalog and the new Occasions mini catalog. Click http://gtownstampastack.eventbrite.com/ for details and registration information.

I made these 4 cardfronts using my supplies from the Feb. 23 PhillyInkers Stamp and Scrap University. Each participant received a 6x6 scrapbook, and then filled it with 24 technique pages. These samples show the double background technique. We used a brayer to ink the print pattern background stamp with mellow moss ink and then used a brayer to ink the Canvas background background stamp. Voila! Double backgrounds. That picture over on the right is a brayer, and it makes using background stamps even easier. I like the way the finished card looks like a screened door. For some great pictures of the Stamp and Scrap University, check out Tiffany's recent TLKreations blog post.

Coaster-Rama

Is making homemade gifts one of your New Year's Resolutions? This Christmas, I made tile coasters for lots of people on our list. Here's a picture of some of the coasters we made. For more samples of Shiloh Stamps coasters, scroll down to my Very Coaster Christmas blog post.

On January 23 and 24, I will be hosting Coaster-Rama (see google calendar in the sidebar for times). Come make some coasters - the best-selling Shiloh Stamps holiday item. (I sold MANY of these coasters at the Circle of Hope Art Shop back in December.

$15 materials fee includes supplies to make 2 coasters and a $5 coupon towards stampin' supplies from Stampin' Up's new Spring-Summer Collection. Additional coaster supplies can be purchased for $1/coaster. RSVP to events@shilohstamps.com by January 16. Additionally, all Shiloh Stamps class attendees receive 10% off stampin' orders placed at classes. Remember to bring your Frequent Stamper Card!

Stay tuned for more details about Stamp and Scrap University on February 23! Shiloh Stamps Frequent Stampers will receive a stamp on their Frequent Stamper card for each session they attend.

Christmas card ideas from my stack of samples

Here are a bunch of Christmas card samples, to get you thinking about how you can take advantage of the Shiloh Stamps Early Christmas Special. I want to help you make homemade Christmas cards early this year, so I've thought about what could be most helpful. If you order a stamp set, cardstock, adhesive, envelopes, and embellishments (everything you need to make your Christmas cards), then I will mount your stamps, cut your cardstock into cards, and make you a page of custom return address labels. The last day to place an order is August 29th. E-mail me at alison@shilohstamps.com for more information.

If you would like to try out some new stamp sets (including some from the new Holiday Mini) and work together to design your Christmas cards, sign up to attend my Christmas in August Stamp Camp. I have one spot open for Friday evening and a few spots open for Saturday afternoon. Let me know ASAP if you would like to participate.

This was our Christmas card last year. It opens in the middle and uses the tree from the Loads of Love stamp set. It also uses the stipple brush for some shading. I made this card at an in-home workshop the previous year, and loved it. My generous stamping friends loaned some of the supplies I needed for this card. I liked Loads of Love so much, I wound up ordering it for myself!

This was Claire's Christmas card last year. It uses the City of David stamp set. I love how she put the Luke 2:11 scripture on the back of the card. She used markers to color in the star and palm trees on the front.

I made this card at an in-home workshop I attended last year. I love this color combination - mellow moss, always artichoke, and whisper white. It uses The Snowflake Spot stamp set. Hemp twine is one of lowest-priced embellishments, so this is a more cost-effective card.

I made this card at a Stamp Camp I attended at Claire's house years ago. This may have been one of the first stamping events I tried. This card uses a cool technique with glossy cardstock and reinkers. I would be glad to show you this technique.

My husband loves the blue and chrome color combination, so this may be his favorite card I've ever made. These silver snowflakes are raised up using a technique called embossing. It's lots of fun, and it looks fabulous!

This card uses a beautiful stamp set that is now retired. It also uses the crimper, my new favorite tool. I love how artistic this card looks with the splotchy paint look in the background. It's a stamp set called Itty Bitty Backgrounds.

This card was made by another stamper - Yolanda Croucher. When I signed up to be a demonstrator, Claire let me pick some cards out of her stash of samples. This is one of the cards I chose. I'm guessing she got this card through a swap.

This may be the first Stampin' Up card I ever made. I attended a Stamp Camp at Claire's house, and she had a drawing to give away her hostess benefits that night. I won! I got to order all sorts of goodies for free, and I was hooked!

b-day card - fun with pastels

I made this card for my sis, who wanted some birthday cards. (She was my first paying customer!) I had lots of fun playing with my new stampin' pastels. So you stamp a pretty image with a versamark ink. It's a clear sticky ink that you can use for lots of things. Then you take a Q-tip and dab some stampin' pastel color on top of the versamark ink. It looks lovely!

Supplies:

• Heartfelt Thanks stamp set
• Itty Bitty backgrounds stamp set
• God's Blessings stamp set
• versamark ink pad
• stampin' pastels
• barely banana cardstock
• old olive cardstock
• whisper white ultrasmooth cardstock
  

Did you know that you can click on pictures to get a closer look?

Open House invitations - 3 versions

So I'm having an Open House at our new house on June 30. We'll be celebrating the launch of my new stamping business by making cards, winning door prizes, and checking out the new catalog. If you'd more details, e-mail me using the Contact Me button at the right.

Which card do you like best? I always make a few versions to have my options open. It's interesting how a card design evolves after you work with it a while.

Supplies:

• Right at Home stamp set - (retiring June 30!)
• Itty Bitty Backgrounds stamp set
• buckaroo blue cardstock
• so saffron cardstock
• barely banana cardstock
• chocolate chip cardstock
• whisper white cardstock
• basic black classic stamp pad
• real red classic stamp pad
• buckaroo blue classic stamp pad
• chocolate chip classic stamp pad
• so saffron classic stamp pad
• blender pens
• AquaPainter
• mellow moss marker
• hemp twine
  

Loads of Love - for Father's Day

This was the other make-and-take from Amy's workshop. It uses a signature Katy slant.
I sent this card to my dad, my father-in-law, and my grandfather for Dad's Day. My dad loves cars, so I think he'll like this card. Trucks and blue means its instantly masculine, even though it doesn't say Father's Day.

Supplies:

• Loads of Love stamp set
• Itty Bitty backgrounds stamp set
• brocade blue cardstock and classic ink
• chocolate chip cardstock and classic ink
• watercolor pencils
• blender pen
• crimper - such fun!

nest - one card, two different backgrounds

My sister asked me to make some housewarming cards, and I was stumped. I had a really hard time coming up with ideas, since I didn't have a "house" stamp. Then I noticed this old retired stamp that I won as a door prize ages ago. I decided to do a robin's egg blue (Cool Caribbean) background, and make it spotted like robin's eggs. I tried it with two different background stamps to see which I liked best. Which is your favorite?

Supplies:

• Itty Bitty backgrounds stamp set - my new favorite set!
• cool caribbean cardstock - retiring June 30!
• chocolate chip classic inkpad
• nest stamp (retired)
• small letter stamps
• watercolor pencils
• blender pen
• brown grosgrain ribbon
  
  

believe

So my mom loves dogwood trees. When I was a kid, we had two dogwood trees in our yard - one in front and one in back. The one in front was not doing so well. I remember pulling into our driveway and hearing my mom lament the ailing tree. One day, I decided I would help make the tree better. I carefully took some blossoms off the tree in our backyard, and taped them on the tree in our front yard. The next time we pulled into the driveway, my mom was so excited to see her tree "coming back to life". Sadly, I don't think the tree made it, but it's become a great story in our family lore.






Supplies:

• Natural Beauty stamp set (retiring June 30!)
• chocolate chip classic ink
• chocolate chip cardstock
• pretty in pink cardstock
• regal rose classic ink
• hand-stitched background stamp (retired)
• watercolor pencils
• blender pen

Here's a link to the list of stamp sets retiring this year. I have to say, I'm sad to see this one go. I'm sure there's something even better to take its place.

I just wanted to use the word BELIEVE from a stamp that has lots of words on it, so I just colored the word "believe" with marker and then stamped it.

Background stamps are so easy to use, and they make a polished effect quickly!

Joy is not in things, it's in us.

This is a sweet card I made at a Stamp-a-Stack last summer. It reminds me of fun times on the beach as a kid.

Supplies:
Seaside Sketches stamp set (retiring June 30!)
Beyond the Basics background set
stampin' pastels
paper crimper
Versamark ink
hemp twine

The paper crimper is my new favorite tool. My friend Andrea gave me one last week. It's so fun!

Snappy Birthday

I made this cute card at Stampin' Down the Shore with fellow demonstrators Claire and Kristen.

Supplies:
Crab and Company Stamp Set - from the Spring Mini catalog
Sandy Shells wheel
chocolate chip cardstock
chocolate chip classic stamp pad
tempting turquoise cardstock
turquoise 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon
chocolate 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon
tempting turquoise marker
blender pen
confetti cream cardstock