Special Anniversary FWF!!!

I know you've all been wowed by the new Unity and Cosmo Cricket releases this week.  Unity certainly has been busy for its first two years.  It gives some of us a chance to reflect on our first stamping and Unity experiences too!

I have been stamping for less than a year - I discovered Unity on Memorial Day weekend last year when I found a blog hop for cards for soldiers.  I looked at every technique video on Youtube, found out about heat embossing, and then started looking for stamps!  I looked at several companies but when I found Unity, I was hooked.  Something about their artistry seemed to speak to me.  I would say that at least 90% of my stamps are from Unity.  When Ippity was introduced, I didn't hesitate to enroll - I'm not the greatest stamper or salesperson, and don't have a lot of free time to sell stamps, but I can stand behind their wonderful products because I know the quality is there, the prices are reasonable, and they are made in the USA.  The bonus is that the people that own it and run it are so darned nice!  I love the blog hops and check the Unity blog every day to see if Angela is going to post any of her wisdom.  How can you resist an entrepeneur who wears her heart on her sleeve?

At any rate, it is amazing how far I've come in less than one year and even more amazing at how much Unity has grown in two!!  Here's to many more successful years for my favorite stamp company!

This is one of my first cards - Bevy of Butterflies is still one of my favorite sets.  You can see how primitive it looks - it's kind of embarrassing, actually...

Here, you can see how far I'd come by December that I even dared to make a box!  Notice Ippity and Unity stamps on this project.

Last, here is part of my most recent project - a chipboard scrapbook cover with a nestability cut out to house an embroidered piece, with an embossed word, and a paper-pieced, stamped Unity balloon.

So, the journey with Unity has been fabulous so far and everything will be perfect once I get all the new sets they just released..hehe.

And, wait till you see all the new Ippity sets - I'll be running a great special so check back on May 13 when the release occurs!!

Happy Birthday Unity!!!!

Jennifer

Welcome to Hippity Hop!!

I've got one card to share today- a graduation card for a Texas Aggie....Gig 'em!!  Anyway, I ued my favorite alphabet, "Alphabetically Adorable," for the signature word here - it is kind of scallop-y so I added a scallop from "Sweet Thoughts of Spring."  I was trying for mortarboards bouncing on the letters - not quite right but I like it anyway!

Well, I've got to get to work on Mother's Day and birthday cards next!  Have a great week and get your Ippity here!!!

I am so anxious to see what Unity has up their sleeve starting today - be sure to join the two year anniversary party starting today!!!

Jennifer

FWF and TGIF!!

Can you feel the excitement?  Next week is Unity's release party for the new Cosmo Cricket stamps and their second anniversary!  And, I just ordered the as yet unreleased Ippity sets so I can ship them to you on the big release dat of May 13!!!  Wait till you see them!!

For now, I'll show you the rest of Mom's scrapbook!

First, this view of the water from Signal Hill, along with all the weeds that kept my allergies alive for ten days!!!  I used the fabulous Ippity paper with the branch stamps from Ippity "Right Where You Should Be."

Next is the cover - I found an embroidered sunset I did in the 1970's and decided to use it, finally!!  I cut the largest round nestabilities circle and put the embroidered piece in the void.  The paper is from an old photo stack I had with blue sky and clouds.  I added a stamped balloon from Unity's "Love is in the Air," and stamped the word "memories" with versamark and white embossed it.  It's from a Unity scrapbook kit, I believe.  I love the way this turned out!

Next is a fairy stamp and sentiment from Unity - I gold embossed the fairy on a piece of acetate and cut it out so I could put it over the photo and make it kind of ethereal.

Finally, the mailbox - a St. John's style mailbox!  I ordered Unity's "Sending My Love" expressly to decorate this page.  I spend a lot of time at the post office so I can relate to this set!  

I'd love to hear from you all - have a great Friday and keep your eyes peeled for all the great Unity surprises.  They're two years old because they love their customers and appreciate their business.  Remember to visit all the other FWF'ers here.

Jennifer

Hippity Hop!!

Happy Monday all!!!  I've got a couple of scrapbook pages here today and a couple more for FWF coming up...unfortunately, our drab weather continues and I have insufficient light to properly pthotograph these pages so I apologize in advance for their poor quality:-)

I am almost done with this project - I just need to paint the stand and make the front and back covers and do the journaling and then I'll be ready to ship it out for Mother's Day!

Here we go!  I used "Alphabetically Adorable" to do the letters "FOG."  This photo is of Quidi Vidi Brewery in St. John's on an incredible day in July 2005.  The fog was over the water only - it was sunny on land.  I got a couple of great photos and they are among my favorites of those I've taken through the years.  I set it on paper from the first Ippity paper pack.  The sentiment on here is from an older Unity KOTM and the flowers are from Target.

This is another photo of the fog - it was surreal - we, of course, went out in a boat to properly experience this phenomenon and I got this great shot of the buoy surrounded by fog.  The sentiment is by Unity and the plant stamp is from "Fishy Philosophy."  Again, the paper is from the first Ippity paper pack.

I'll have one more page to share next Monday.  In the meantime,  here's another page from my homemade catalog.  Everyone who has seen it loves it because they can see all the papers and all the stamps.  It is a great sales tool...

Enjoy and remember to leave some love for all the Hippity Hop folks today!  If you would like to purchase any of the Ippity sets, you can purchase single sets through Paypal on the sidebar or email me here with questions.

Thanks!!!

Jennifer

More Catalog Photos!

See how great this set is?  Kissmas & Mistletoe is my favorite Christmas set ever!  And, look at this ink - it is the Ippity Viridian Green and it looks fantastic.  The papers are fabulous as well - they are from the first Ippity paper pack.

Enjoy!!

Jennifer

Monday Hippity Hop!!

Hello Hippity Hoppers,

Happy Monday to you all!!

I've got some more scrapbook pages here - hope you like them!

This is a view from St. John the Baptist Cathedral in St John's, Newfoundland.  It is at the top of the city and is an amazing place.  I didn't do an exterior shot of the church since it was covered in scaffolding at the time but I though the arch with the statue was pretty amazing.  Unfortunately, a gray sky, but oh well.  I embellished with the beautiful cross from "What Matters Most."

Here's my mom in her famous hat again.  When I saw "Fishy Philosophy,"  I knew exactly what I wanted to do - my mom's personality is very much in tune with "go with the flow."

Lastly, here is a photo of a beautilful painting at the railway museum in St. John's.  It coordinated perfectly with the fantastic papers from the Ippity Winter Pack.  Indeed, it has convinced me to sell the paper packs as well.

I hope you enjoy these few creations!  I'll have more catalog/scrapbook pages soon!!

Jennifer

FWF and Ippity!!!

I didn't have time to make any cards or layouts this week because I was busy creating my very own lunch sack album/Ippity catalog so I could use every single Ippity stamp in every single available Ippity set.  Woo hoo!!

I took the Ippity logo off the web and enlarged it, printed it on cardstock for a little more durability, then sewed it to the first lunch sack, after I covered the page in paper from the first Ippity paper pack.

Then, I copied and resized the kit images off the web, printed them on cardstock, and attached them to the folded up bottom of the lunch sack.  I sewed around each page to create a pocket to hold a 4" x 11" piece of paper that I folded in thirds and then stamped with every single image from the kit.

Here you can see the piece of paper with the stamped images in Unity's burnt umber hybrid ink pad.  This is only one side; there are so many stamps in this set that there are more on the back!!

Here is the first paper pack - I die cut a piece of each paper as a mitten (cute, to go with my name) so the customer can pull it out of the pocket and take a look at both wonderful sides.

You can see that I am not quite done but I have shown it to several people who have been "wowed" by it.  All agree that seeing the actual stamped images makes a difference and makes it more likely that they'll purchase a set.

I'd love to hear what you think, especially Stacie, who gave the original paper bag inspiration:-)

Happy Friday everyone and remember to leave some love to all the bloghoppers today.

Jennifer

Monday Hippity Hop!

Hello all,

Today I am showing you one piece of black cardstock, one set of stamps, and some other accoutrements to make a bunch of fabulous tags!

As soon as I saw "Regal Greetings," I knew it would be my favorite Ippity set - it has wonderful sentiments and images.  I especially love the fleur-de-lis stamps since I have fleur-de-lis on my fence, New Orleans style...  I used a Versamark Dazzle pad and white, gold, and silver embossing powder (not pictured).  I don't have any tag die cuts but I do have a plastic template for various shapes and sizes of tags that I can trace and cut out.  I used the Crop-a-Dile to punch holes for the ribbon.  The chandelier in this set is magnificent - using the gold or silver embossing powder on the tag makes it look rich.  One of these days, I'll have to pick up some cheap jewelry chains to put through the hole - that chandelier with a metal chain would look great hanging on a bottle of wine or some other classy gift.

I can't wait to put these tags to use!  I've got plenty of other ideas - these would look great using resist techniques.  See what you can do with one piece of cardstock and one set of stamps?  It is truly amazing!

In honor of today's hop, I am offering "Regal Greetings" with free shipping (until further notice).  I know you need it!

Have a happy Monday!

Jennifer

FWF!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed seeing all the great new Unity products yesterday.  Every single one of the new kits is a "must-have"!!!!

My card today is based on Jimmi's sketch challenge from yesterday - it's all I had time to whip up last night:-).   The sentiment is from the Feb Store Kit and the fantastic balloon is from the Dec KOTM.  I also broke open my Noir hybrid ink from a Unity scrapbook kit and I love the way it looks!

That's what I have for today!!! 

And, congratulations to my friend Suzanne who had a little apron published in this month's "Stamper's Sampler."  Check it out.

And, of course, get your Ippity here...

Jennifer