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    All content found at Stampin' by Genny is the sole responsibility of Genevieve Valdes, a Stampin’ Up! Independent Demonstrator. Stampin’ Up! does not endorse, edit, or otherwise contribute to this website.

Paris on a Scooter

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

Doesn’t the scooter in On the Grow stamp set remind you of touring Paris?  I love this stamp set!  This set is available in the new Stampin’ Up! Summer Mini and for some inspiration I used the sketch from Mojo Monday.  I wanted to create a card that was bright and full of flowers so I used the digital Beyond the Garden DSP.  I printed four patterns on an 8.5″ x11″ paper and then used them on my card to create a hybrid project.  I stamped the scooter image on the yellow flowers dsp and gave my scooter a custom paint job then colored the rest of it with watercolor pencils and blender pen.  Creating this card was a lot of fun.  See my blog tomorrow to see the scrap page I created with this set.

click image to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Paris on a scooter card

Size:  4.25″ W x 5.50″ H

Stamps: On the Grow, Chic Boutique

Paper: Card stock:  Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Watercolor paper, Beyond the Garden digital DSP

Ink:  Basic Black, Watercolor pencils, Blender Pen

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 die, banner from Petal Cone Die, Basic Rhinestones, Silver HodgePodge Hardware, Hemp twine

Technique: Stamping, watercoloring

Filed under: Big Shot, Feminine Thank you cards, Mojo Monday, On The Grow, Thank you cards, Water coloring | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

A Vintage Rose for my Friends

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments we have a Color Splash Challenge.  Use the colors of Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue to create a card or paper project.  A few weeks ago I received the stamp set Timeless Treasures from my dear friend Amy.  I’d been dying to use it so I created this card.  Although we met about two years ago through Stampin’ Up! I feel we’ve been friends for a long time.  The same goes for my other stamping friends.  I’ve made such wonderful friendships through Stampin’ Up!  So this card is dedicated to all of my stamping friends.  I am so fortunate to have them in my life.

Vintage rose and teacup card

click image to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Vintage rose for my friends card

Size:  5.0″ w x 4.25″ h

Stamps: Timeless Treasures, Notably Ornate

Paper: Card stock:  Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue; DSP:  Digital Pretty in Pink Brocade

Ink:  Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink; Watercolor pencils:  Pink, Green, Blue

Accessories: Big Shot, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Fun Flowers die, Word Punch, Modern Label Punch, Antique brad, Basic Pearls (colored with Stampin’ Up! markers)

Technique: Stamping, die cutting

Filed under: Big Shot, Color Splash Challenges, Friendship, Timeless Treasure | Tagged: , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Strength & Hope Butterfly Card – Let’s Fight Breast Cancer!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

This past weekend I held a workshop and my make-and-take was a card I saw in the May issue of SUCCESS.  SUCCESS is a magazine for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators and is a valuable tool to helping us with our business.   I used the colors and punches I own to create the card.  My customers loved making it.  Plus it showcased the stamp set so well.  With each purchase of this stamp set Stampin’ Up! will donate $2 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding clinical and translational research worldwide.

click image to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Strength & Hope Butterfly Card

Size:  3″ w x 6″ h (card fits into SU’s Small Open End Envelops item#107286)

Stamps: Strength & Hope

Paper: Card stock:  textured Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla,

Ink:  Versamark, Blushing Bride, Regal Rose, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso

Accessories: Small Heart punch, 1-1/4 circle punch, 1/4″ Very Vanilla ribbon, Basic Clear Rhinestones

Technique: Stamping, die cutting

Filed under: Feminine Valentine projects, Strength & Hope | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Summer Mini Sneek Peak

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

I’m so excited about the new 2011 summer mini.  There are so many new items.  Two of the newest punches are the Triple Layer Punches.  Create three coordinated punch images with just one punch.  The images look beautiful layered together or separately.  There is also a new textured embossing folder – Flower Garden.  I used both these new products in my card below.  I hope you can see I used Dazzling Diamonds on the textured image.  The flower image is gorgeous!  I also used my new Doily Triple Layer Punch to create a border along the side of the card.  I punched one image in white and another in black.  The other new item I used is the frame for the sentiment from the Four Frames set.  This set is available through the end of the month and will not be available until July with the launching of the new catalog.

The sketch from The Paper Players inspired me to create my card.

Here’s my card.

click image to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Thinking of You Card

Stamps: Four Frames, sentiment from the summer mini On the Grow stamp set

Paper: Card stock:  Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Flower Garden embossing folder, Basic rhinestones, Dazzling Diamonds, Decorative Label Punch, Basic Black Satin Ribbon

Technique: Stamping, Embossing

Filed under: Big Shot, Friendship, Sketch Challenge, The Paper Players | Tagged: , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

A Framed Rose for Mom

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

I love making paper roses from the Fancy Flower punch.  I also had a Sizzix frame die I had not used and decided to make a card for Mother’s Day.  I also used the Sizzix Square Scallop Frame die to create the card base and I layered a Pear Pizzazz DSP background to the front, added the Blushing Bride frame then embellished with small quilled roses and a large rose.  The Beautiful Wings butterflies also were added with pearls.  The sentiment is stamped with the Four Frames rose frame.  I used a blender pen and my Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz stamp pads to color the roses on the sentiment frame.   This set is available until the end of the month.  It’s a sneak peek from the new Stampin’ Up! Idea Book & Catalog for 2011-2012.  After April 30th you’ll have to wait until July to purchase.  Click here for more info.

click image to enlarge

This is one of the samples I’ll be showing at my workshop on Saturday.  If you live in San Antonio and would like to attend please email me.  I’ll be demonstrating how to make the large rose and quilled roses.  Another reminder, the Occasions mini catalog expires at the end of the month and we’ll have a new summer mini.  Visit me tomorrow for a sneak peak from the Summer mini catalog.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Mother’s Day Rose Frame Card

Rose Tutorial:  Click here for Fancy Flower rose tutorial.  Click here for quilled rose tutorial.

Stamps: Four Frames, Short & Sweet

Paper: Card stock:  Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz; DSP – Pear Pizzazz from the hostess level 1 paper pack

Ink: Blushing Bride, Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz

Accessories: Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Clear Large Square Scallop Bigz Die, Fancy Flower Punch, Two-Step Bird Punch, Decorative Label Punch, 3/4″ circle punch,  Basic Pearls, Blender Pen

Technique: Stamping, Die cutting

Filed under: Big Shot, Mother's Day, Paper Flowers, Roses tutorial, Short & Sweet | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

A tisket a tasket a Mother’s Day basket

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

This week we’re celebration mom at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  The challenge is to make any project – card, gift set, gift card holder, scrapbook page or any 3D project with mom in mind.  We’d love to see your creativity.

I’m so excited about my project this week because it is a sneak peek for the Strength & Hope Stamp set which donates $2 from every purchase of this set to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  This set is so beautiful.  I also used the Four Frames set which is available through the end of April and it is a set that will next be available with new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog.  I would love to see how you’re going to show mom how much you care.  I can’t wait to see your creation.

The basket is from a template I saw on Sassy Scrapper’s blog.  I embellished the basket with a rose I made using the Fancy Flower punch and the butterfly from the new Strength & Hope Stamp set which will be available on May 1st.  The card featured DSP from the Strength and Hope Digital Download.  If you’re wondering how I made the butterfly two-tone, I sponged the lighter color of Pear Pizzazz then Marina Mist on the outer edge, stamped then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  For great instructions on how to make the quilled rose.  Go to Tara Bilbao, she has a great instructional video on her blog on how to make them.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Mother’s Day Basket

Templates & Tutorials: click here for basket template.  Click here for rose tutorial.

Stamps: Strength & Hope, Four Frames, Three Little Words, Charming

Paper: Whisper White, Strength & Hope digital DSP download

Ink: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Versamark

Accessories: Whisper White Satin ribbon, Eyelet border punch, Decorative Label punch, Fancy Flower punch, Two-Step Bird punch, Basic pearls, non-SU white tulle

Technique: Stamping, Embossing

Mother’s Day Card

Quilled Rose tutorial:  Click here for video tutorial.

Stamps: Strength & Hope

Paper: Whisper White, Strength & Hope digital DSP download, Rose Red

Ink: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede, Versamark

Accessories: Whisper White Satin ribbon, Eyelet border punch, Two-Step Bird punch, 1″ circle punch, Basic pearls

Technique: Stamping, Embossing

Filed under: 3D projects, Baskets, Mother's Day, Roses tutorial, Templates, Tutorials and Instructions, Theme Challenge | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Watermarks for Sale

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

Recently I’ve started making watermarks for my friends and I’ve had several inquiries about buying them.  So I’ve created a variety of watermarks to sell.  They are priced at $2 each.  Your order will be filled within 1-2 business days. I’ve created watermarks for SU demos with images from SU and with “© Stampin’ Up!” as well as watermarks for paper crafters.  Colors available for each watermark are listed below it.

Email me if you would like a custom watermark or with any questions.  Custom watermarks will be priced at $5.  I can also match very close to SU colors.

Custom Watermark: $5

  • Custom design
  • Fonts/Colors of your choice
  • Custom Text

To order your personalized watermark, please contact me with the following information:

  • Your name
  • Any text you want on your watermark (including capitals, spacing preferences, font type, copyright information)
  • Any images you want on your watermark (animals, symbols, designs, flowers, etc.)
  • Color choice (most popular: white, gray, black)

Edited Watermark (information/color change only): $2 each

  • Same design/layout/fonts as first watermark
  • Changes to color and/or information only

To order any of the watermarks below, please remember at checkout to provide your name and website/blog address.  If you would like “created by” or “designed by” just add it to the beginning of your name.

I may need to alter the design a little to accommodate length of names or websites.

Click here for how to use your watermark.

Watermarks for SU Demos

Bliss flourish watermark Cats watermark

Black with Gray flourish

Basic Black

White with Gray flourish

White

Chocolate Chip with Gray flourish

Chocolate Chip

Crown watermark

Frames with a Flourish - flourish 1 watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Frame with flower border watermark Frames with a Flourish - frame 4 watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Frames with a Flourish - frame 5 watermark Medallion watermark

Black

Black w/Grey Medallion

White

White w/Grey Medallion

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip w/Grey Medallion
Upsy Daisy watermark T&P Tree watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip

Other Watermarks

Butterfly scroll Watermark Butterfly Watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Created by ivy Damask Flower watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Flower swag Watermark Heart made with Love

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Pattern butterfly Watermark Tree Blooming Watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip
Valentineangelframe valentine-frame-clipart-graphicsfairy008bw

Red (as shown above)

Black (as shown above)

Chocolate Chip

Transparent Gray
Vintage scissors watermark Vintage Teapot watermark

Black

Black

White

White

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip

How To Use Your New Watermark
The following instructions are for Photoshop applications since I use Photoshop CS2 as my photo editing software. Your new watermark has been saved as a PNG file which will allow you to use it with all photo editing software. If after following these instructions you are having problems using your watermark, please email me so I can help.

In your photo editing software after editing (cropping, adjusting brightness, etc) your photo, open your watermark file. The checkerboard background indicates a transparent background which may be difficult to see but once you place it on your photo you should see it.

In Photoshop, select your watermark, copy and paste in the window that contains your photo. You can also simply drag the watermark over to your photo. You now should be able to see the watermark. To re-size your watermark, make sure the watermark layer is highlighted on the layer display, click on Free Transform, located under Edit, which is located at the top of the page. To re-size your watermark place your mouse over one of the corner handles while pressing the shift key then re-size using your mouse. By pressing the shift key while re-sizing keeps the proportions of the watermark. After re-sizing your watermark press enter. The handles should disappear. Now you should be able to move the watermark to where you would like by clicking over the watermark and dragging it over the photo. Release the mouse to place the watermark.

You can now save your photo as a JPG image. Your photo is now ready to be used on your blog or gallery. If you don’t have a photo editing program that allows you to layer photos, you can download a free program called GIMP.

Click here for a tutorial using GIMP to add your watermark to your photo.

Filed under: Watermarks | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

For the Graduate

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments we’re celebrating graduates.  Create any project – card, gift set, card holder, money holder, scrapbook page, or any 3D item with a graduation theme.  For my project I wanted to make a gift set using my Top Not die.  I used Basic Black, Silver and Whisper White card stock.  After die cutting the Basic Black Top Notes I textured them with the Texture Plates Kit #4 Distressed plate.  I die cut two more Top Notes in Silver to outline the black ones.  Cut along he perforated line on the Basic Black Top Note then adhere the silver Top Note behind the Basic Black one. The graduation cap silhouette is one I created.  See below for template.  I rolled some Whisper White paper for the diploma and tied with Basic Black Satin ribbon.  I then stamped the sentiment (Curly Cute) and created the banner.

I created the card to hold a gift card.  I used the Two-step owl punch and created the cap from silver card stock.  The diploma is a strip of Whisper White then wrapped with retired silver cording.  I then adhered the owl to circle layers with dimensionals.

I hope you’re inspired to make your own graduation gift sets.  Hop over to Hand Stamped Sentiments, be inspired, create and upload your project.

Here’s my project.  Click the images to enlarge.

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Top Note box and gift card holder Top Note box
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Top Note box side view Gift card holder inside Top Note box
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Outside of gift card holder Gift card holder inside

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Top Note Box

Templates: click here for box template; click here for grad cap template

Size: 3-1/2” L x 2-1/2″ W x 1” D

Stamps: Curly Cute

Paper: Basic Black , Silver, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Very Black Satin Ribbon, Big Shot, Texture Plates Kit #4 Distressed plate

Technique: Stamping, Die Cutting, Embossing

Congrats Gift Card holder

Size: 3-1/2” W x 2-5/8”H

Stamps: Silhouette Sentiments

Paper: Basic Black , Silver, Whisper White, Digital DSP Night and Day houndstooth pattern

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: 1-3/4” circle punch, 1-3/8” circle punch, Two-Step Owl punch, retired Slit punch, Very Black Satin Ribbon, retired silver cording, dimensionals, MIni-glue dots

Technique: Stamping, Die Cutting, Embossing

Filed under: 3D projects, Big Shot, Boxes, Curly Cute, Graduation, Owl cards, Stamp Sets, Theme Challenge | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments »

Nature Walk Gift Set

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

I recently discovered that I had purchased the Botanical Gazette DSP and had not used it so I created this box and cards gift set based on Nancy Gabbert’s project featured in the January Success magazine.  Since the DSP and stamp set will retire at the end of the month I created this project to feature at my next workshop this month as a final push for my customers to buy this beautiful paper and stamp set.  If you’re a SU demonstrator making the box at your next workshop would be a great demo along with showing the completed cards.  I have created the template, instructions for making the box, card photos and recipes with dimensions and instructions for making the cards.  This is not a step-by-step tutorial.  You can purchase these instructions for $2.99.  I hope this inspires you to have ONE more workshop this month for a final push on the occasions mini products and to give a sneak peek of the summer or if you’re a hobby stamper I hope this set inspires you to purchase the paper and stamp set.  The stamp set is one I’ll never part with.  It’s a keeper.

Nature Walk Box and Cards Instructions - $2.99

Filed under: 3D projects, Boxes, Nature Walk, Templates, Tutorials and Instructions | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Easter Favors to dress up your party

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Genevieve Valdes

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments we have an Easter theme challenge. Create any Easter project – cards, 3D projects, party favors, baskets, gift sets…you get the idea. There are so many projects you can create to dress up this holiday.

For this challenge I created a small bunny basket perfect for Easter candy. I printed the chocolate bunny, Spring Vintage DSP and sentiment from My Digital Studio. I dressed him up with ivory grosgrain ribbon and adhered him to the front of the box. I punched the sentiment with the oval punch and layered it over a Regal Rose Scallop oval. I modified this box template by cutting off the back and made a handle from Regal Rose CS with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch.

My other project is the carrot box made with Stampin’ Up’s Petal Cone die.  Love this die.  I textured the Pumpkin Pie CS with Texture Plates Kit #4.  The carrot top was created by cutting two Old Olive banners in half length-wise and curling them around a paper piercing tool.  I adhered them with mini glue dots to the inside of the flaps so the flaps could still be folded under each other to close the box.  The bunny was stamped and clear embossed then punched with 1-3/8 circle punch then layers on Peach Parfait DSP from the Hostess level 1 paper pack.  For the larger scallop I used Old Olive Polka dot DSP from Jolly Holiday.

Bunny and Carrot Box

Click image to enlarge

I hope you’re inspired to create hand made Easter favors and gifts.  Hop on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments to be inspired by our design team.

All Stampin’ Up! supplies below may be ordered from my website or email me to place your order.

All products are Stampin’ Up! unless noted.

Bunny Box

Template: click here for template

Size: approx. size 2-3/16″ H x 2-5/16″ W

Stamps: Chocolate Bunny Digital Stamp, Sentiment Text printed using My Digital Studio

Paper: Digital Download Spring Vintage, CS:  Rose Red, Photo Paper

Ink: Digital ink:  Rose Red, Early Espresso

Accessories: Basic Pearls, 1/4 ” Very Vanilla Grosgrain, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch

Technique: Stamping, Digital crafting

Petal Cone Carrot Box

Size: approx. size 4″ H x 2-3/4″ W

Stamps: Forest Friends, Sentiment printed using My Digital Studio

Paper: Digital Download Spring Vintage, CS: Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, DSP: Jolly Holiday Old Olive dotted paper, Peach Parfait Hostess level 1 paper pack

Ink: Digital ink:  Early Espresso, Versamark, Early Espresso

Accessories: Basic Pearls, 1-3/8 circle punch, Scallop Oval punch, 2-3/8 Scallop Oval Punch, Big Shot, Petal Cone die, non-SU satin ribbon

Technique: Stamping, Digital crafting, Die cutting

Filed under: 3D projects, Big Shot, Boxes, Easter, Theme Challenge | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

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