Stamping On The Bayou

Treat Cups aren't just for TREATS!

The Stampin' Up! Sweet Treat Cups (circles 116802 and hearts 120435) are just perfect for cards and projects for my kids and their friends. Add a few small candies and they are very happy. But, the Sweet Treat Cups aren't just for treats...

 
This Valentine shaker card is so fun to receive, but even more fun to CREATE! The Sweet Centers (116521), Something Sweet (117688), and Sweetheart (120415) stamp sets were created especially for Stampin' Up!'s Treat Cups. The 1 3/4" circle punch and the Full Heart punch coordinate beautifully for worry free creativity!

 
I used Silver Glass Glitter (120995) and the Red Chunky Glitter (108797) for my shaker card. It's just thick and chunky enough to make that "shaker" sound!

Valentine's Day is coming up very quickly, so don't delay! To purchase these products, contact me or visit my online store.

Thanks for looking!

Valentine Defined

I did not create any swaps for Leadership this year. Boy did I miss it! My wonderful roommate, Sharon, let me snap some photos of some of her swaps and I am so happy she did! Look at this beautiful Valentine!

 

You'll find many of the awesome products used for this card in the Occasions Mini. The Valentine Defined stamp set (121941) is perfect for any style Valentine you want to create. Look at all the images you get!

 
I LOVE the new Red Glitter Paper (121790)! It adds just enough sparkle and isn't messy AT ALL! My other new favorite product is the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (121809)! I dare you to make an ugly card when you use the embossing folders! Try it, I bet it's beautiful EVERY time!

Order all these products and more by shopping my online store. All you need to do is insert the item numbers into the search box or just look through what Stampin' Up! has to offer for your own projects!

Trick or Treat????

 

I love to make treats for Halloween, especially with my favorite Halloween candy... Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!!!!!!

I decided to try out the Trick or Treat Letterpress Plate from the Holiday Mini!

 

Ink up the plate with Craft ink and run it through your Big Shot for stunning results!

 
You get an inked debossed image that is so fun and different. Tip: Using a more porous paper, like Stampin' Up!'s Watercolor Paper creates a deeper impression.

To order these items, visit my online store at www.nickolechiasson.stampinup.net .

Spookin' the House!

OMG!!! I love the new Decor Accents Design-a-House kits!!!!! Check out what I made!

Stampin' Up!'s Brent Steele presented this at Convention and I totally copied it. I did change it up a bit though! It was really very simple and maybe took an hour (including the drying time)!!!!

When you purchase the kit, you get step by step instructions with pictures AND templates to use in case you want to cover your house with DSP or fabric! Good thinkin' Stampin' Up!!!!

Here's the top view! I love all the bats!

This is my favorite part! I stamped the spider web image from the Wicked Cool stamp set onto Vellum cardstock for a spooky window. It really looks awesome when you put one of those battery operated votive candles inside!

More windows!

Spooky Glam is my favorite, can you tell? If you'd like to purchase the Design-a-House, click here to visit my online store.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Birdhouse in Your Soul

... it's one of my favorite They Might Be Giants songs!!! In fact, I'm listening to it now as I type this post!! It just makes me happy!

It's time for warmer weather and what better way to get you in the mood than spring projects! This little birdhouse was so easy to make with the Big Shot Mini Milk Carton die from Stampin' Up! Accented with pieces from the Eggcellent Eggs kit, Pinking Hearts Border punch, and the Extra Large Two-Step bird punch, how could you not smile! I plan on making these for my kid's teachers for Easter. I'll cover the hole from the inside with some of our Window Sheets and punch a hole in the bottom (lined with aluminum foil) to make it easy to get the treats inside - I think Robin Egg candies would be perfect, don't you?

I'd love to show you and your friends how to create this lovely project. Contact me to book your private class!

Valentine Treat Pouch

Just in time for Valentine's day, here is a quick and easy treat pouch to fill til your heart's content. Mine is filled with an oatmeal creme pie! My kids will be treating their teachers with this Valentine surprise!

To start, you'll need a piece of card stock (8 1/2" x 3 1/2") scored at 4", 4 1/4", and 4 1/2". You'll need a second piece the same color (3 1/4" x 3 1/2") scored at 1" and 1 1/2". Depending on your embelishments you may need extra scrap pieces of card stock.

I ran the front of the pouch through the Big Shot with the Textured Impressions Folder (117335).

 

Staple your treat to the back panel of the pouch. If your treats aren't pre-packaged, Stampin' Up! Cellophane bags are a perfect solution.

I punched the edge of the flap with the Pinking Hearts Border punch (117649) and backed it with another color of card stock. Make sure to use Sticky Strip (104294) to attach the flap to the pouch.

The Paper Piercing tool (116631) works great when you need a hole for brads away from the edge. The Sending Love Epoxy 1/2" Real Red brad (117270) is perfect to hold this pouch together.

Poke another hole in the back panel and thread silver elastic cord (not available at this time), Hemp Twine (100982), or Linen Thread (104199).

 

Here is a side view.

I embellished the front with Love You Much (113756) and the Well Scripted (117072) stamp sets. The hearts are easily made with the Heart to Heart punch (113694).

 Do you want more quick and easy ideas? Make sure to sign up for my email newsletter on the left sidebar of this page!
 
 

Heart Treat Cups

These little treat cups make my heart happy! My daughter will love giving these treats to her friends at school next week!

I know, I know... they are stinkin' cute! I had lots of popsicle sticks from another project and thought it would be so fun for my daughter to hand them out this way!

I used my Real Red Craft ink to stamp on the wooden stick - LOVE IT!!

Supplies I used:

Sweet Heart stamp set: available in wood (120415) or clear mount (120780)!

Full Heart punch (113693)

 Sweetheart Treat Cup (120435)

We're getting close to Valentine's Day... order your Sweet Heart treat cups TODAY by shopping here!
 

Love Bandit

I love the new Love Bandit stamp set!!! It is absolutely darling and you can create so many projects with this one set! Plus, all stampers have a choice of either the wood or clear mount option!

 117086 (wood) / 118577 (clear mount)

Here's what I did with my set that I earned for FREE at Leadership in Phoenix!!!

So stinkin' cute!!!!

This love note is using some non-traditional Valentine colors - Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip, and Real Red! A few punches (Pinking Hearts Border - 117649), some ribbon (Real Red 3/4" Polka Dot grosgrain - 115608), and a little Iridescent Ice embossing powder (101930) make a darling Valentine!

Old Olive is another non-traditional Valentine color. Can you imagine receiving a card that says someone likes you more than stamping???!!! This is a 4 1/4" x 2 1/5" card and a perfect size for your sweetie! The front layer is the new Hugs Sending Love Notes (118778). They fit perfectly in the Rectangle Glassine Envelopes (117227).

I fancy you!!!!! Adorable!!! This traditional Valentine highlights the Sending Love Specialty designer series paper (117153), the Full Heart (113693), Small Heart (117193), Modern Label (116630), and Word Window (105090) punches! 

 
 
This elegant Valentine is perfect for your sweetie! Basic Gray, Basic Black, and Real Red are very classy and the Real Red 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117286) steps it up a notch! The "raccoon bandit" image was stamped on the new Kisses Sending Love Notes die cuts (118779) and is a perfect piece to layer. You can even earn the Scallop Trim Border punch (118402) for FREE during SaleABration!

Valentine's Day will be here soon, so don't delay! Purchase your Love Bandit stamp set today! Click here to visit my online store.
 

Saints Valentines

WOOHOO, the Saints are going to the SuperBowl!!!! We are so happy for our New Orleans Saints!!!! As you may be aware, Saints Fever is sweeping the nation! With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I asked my boys (they are 5 year old twins) if they wanted Saints Valentines and they said "COOL!!!" So here is my version of a Saints Valentine -

Black & Gold all the way!!! I had to add a little red for the holiday! The Fleur de Lis image is from a retired stamp set from Stampin' Up! called Carte Postale and I would not give it up for anything! But, the same image (slightly larger) is available as a stencil (item #118262)in the Definitely Decorative brochure.

Connor's Valentine uses the Stampin' Up! Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder (117335) and the Full Heart punch (113693). I sponged some Encore gold ink around the heart cut out and sprayed the paper with a Shimmer Paint mixture. It is more fabulous in person!

For the shimmer, I used an older Stampin' Mist container. Fill with 70% rubbing alcohol and about 1/2 teaspoon of the Champagne Mist Shimmer paint (116806). Be sure to shake it before you spray it and mist your paper! The alcohol evaporates and leaves a beautiful sparkle to the paper! If you are stamping as well, be sure to stamp after you spray and it dries.

I made Jack's a little different, of course! The gold heart is created with brushed gold card stock (102935) and the Stampin' Up! Scalloped Heart of Hearts embosslits die (117332) from the Occasions Mini!

I love the edge of this Valentine - it's created with the Pinking Heart Border punch (117649). Other supplies I used for this project are the Small Heart punch (117193), With All My Heart stamp set (118134), Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (115370), Word Window punch (105090), and Modern Label punch (116630).

GEAUX SAINTS!!!!!!
 
 

Valentine Card Ideas

I took a ton of photos at Leadership and I wanted to share these before it was too late. These are photos from the display boards and swaps that I or my roommates had. The first sample was my creation and my swap for Leadership. I think it came out really cute!

I used the new Something Sweet stamp set in the Clear Mount option. It was really easy to mount the top and bottom of the gumball machine on the same block and stamp once instead of stamp 2 separate times... one of the benefits of the clear mount!!! I can't wait to spell out words with our alphabet sets and mount on one block for easy, peasy stampin'!!! The other new products in this card are the Sending Love Specialty designer series paper and the Well Scripted stamp set. What makes the Sending Love paper so special??? Do you see the sparkle? That's glitter, on the paper!!! It's all ready to shine without any extra effort!

Here is another sample from a swap using the Sending Love specialty dsp and the Love Bandit stamp set. I love that little raccoon!

Here is a swing card using the Scallop square die for the Big Shot. The front swings to either side with a brad to secure it.

I love this one! The Build A Bear dies are totally cute poppin' out of the Top Note die pocket! Again, this card features the Sending Love specialty dsp and the new Real Red corduroy buttons. Plus, the background features the exclusive Perfect Polka Dots textured impressions folder!

Need more ideas? I'll be posting more Valentine treat boxes and cards on Friday. In the meantime, check out Stamping on the Bayou on Facebook. Fans of Stamping on the Bayou can receive special discounts and exclusive product and project information! Become a Fan today by clicking the FaceBook icon link on the right sidebar of this blog.