I've been playing around with the sweet Santa's Bags.  What have I found?  These cotton bags love ink and are fabulous for stamping on!  I also found that the best stamping is achieved using the Stamparatus as it gives a lot of stability with the uneven surface of the Santa's Bags.

A part of the benefits of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is a quarterly publication that includes great ideas and inspiration.  One of the tips from our recent edition was that, when heat-set on fabric, Shimmer Paint is permanent and the fabric will retain it's original features.  Well, I had a go at this on the Santa's Bags with the Beautiful Baubles stamp set...

Stamps: Beautiful Baubles (photopolymer: 147765).  Accessories: Santa's Bags (147812), Bright Copper Shimmer Paint (147045), Real Red 3/8" Mixed Satin Ribbon (147894), Snowflakes & Stars Wire Elements (147819).  Tools: Stamparatus (148187), Sponge Daubers (133733), Mini Glue Dots (103683).

Here's how I stamped the Santa's Bag with Bright Copper Shimmer Paint...

1. Insert a piece of baking paper inside the one of the Santa's Bags to prevent Shimmer Paint from leaching through to the opposite side.
2. Lay Santa's Bag on the Stamparatus base.  Place the large ornament stamp face down on the bag.  Close the Stamparatus Plate to pick up the stamp.
3. Pour out a little Bright Copper Shimmer Paint.  Load a Sponge Dauber with Bright Copper Shimmer Paint and dab all over the stamp.  Note, you will need more Shimmer Paint that you think!
4. Close the Stamparatus Plate to stamp the ornament.  Repeat step 3 if you want a darker/brighter stamped image.
5. Put bag aside to dry (approximately 10-15 minutes).
6. Place a piece of baking paper over stamped image and iron the Santa's Bag on a hot setting.

I love how the Bright Copper Shimmer Paint retains it's gorgeous lustre when stamped on the Santa's Bags...

Bright Copper Shimmer Paint (147045) - $16.75

Santa Bags (147812) - $21.00
8 cotton bags: 4" x 5" (10.2 cm x 12.7 cm)

The Santa's Bags have a drawstring top with red stitching, which was my inspiration for adding a Real Red satin ribbon bow and copper star to finish my gift bag.

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For the FYI Craft Show, I shared a make-and-take that used the Stamparatus to easily stamp a wreath.  I used the same technique and Peaceful Noel stamp set in a recent Christmas card workshop, but stepped it up to add further layers of stamping on the wreath...

Bundles: Peaceful Noel Stamp Set + Sprig Punch (photopolymer: 149958).  Ink: Mint Macaron (147106), Merry Merlot (147112), Tranquil Tide (147146). Sahara Sand (147117).  Card/Paper: Sahara Sand (121695), Tranquil Tide (144252), Whisper White (106549), Joyous Noel 6" x 6" Glimmer Paper (147817). Joyous Noel Specialty Designer Series Paper (147816).  Accessories: Merry Merlot & Copper 5/8" Reversible Ribbon (147818), Copper Metallic Thread (141696), Snowflakes & Stars Wire Elements (147819).  Tools: Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (143263), Magnetic Platform (130658), Layering Squares Framelits Dies (141708), Stamparatus (148187), Mini Glue Dots (103683), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430).

Here's a quick reminder on how to create the Stamparatus template and stamp the wreath...

1. Cut a square piece of card that is larger than the piece of card stock that's going to be used to stamp the wreath on.  The piece of card stock on the front of my card is the largest die in the Layering Squares Framelits, which is 7.2 cm x 7.2 cm, so I made my guide 15 cm x 15 cm. 
2. Measure and bisect  the guide horizontally, vertically, and diagonally with pencil lines. 
3. Lined up the square die so that the corners align with the diagonal pencil lines, then die-cut.  Lined up the square die again, but this time align the corners with the horizontal and vertical pencil lines, and die-cut again.
4. Lay the guide in the Stamparatus, at the top right corner, and secure it with the Stamparatus Magnets. 
5. Insert card stock square in the guide.  Ink and stamp the first image of the wreath.  Turn the card stock square 45-degrees and stamp the second image of the wreath.  Repeat this to complete the stamped wreath; eight stamps total.
6. Repeat Step 5 with another stamp and ink colour.

 I stamped the pine branch from the Peaceful Noel stamp set in Mint Macaron ink, the holly berries in Merry Merlot ink, pine leaves in Tranquil Tide ink, and branches in Sahara Sand ink.

Stamparatus (148187) - $99.00

I finished this wreath Christmas card with some of my favourite products from the Joyous Noel Suite... copper Snowflakes & Stars Wire Elements and the Merry Merlot & Copper Reversible Ribbon.

This elegant ribbon is Merry Merlot with a copper sheen on one side, and copper with a Merry Merlot sheen on the reverse - gorgeous!

• Click HERE and contact me to order your Stamparatus and products from the Joyous Noel Suite
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On the weekend we held our annual Hamilton Christmas Extravaganza.  We had a fabulous day creating festive projects with products from the 2018 Holiday Catalogue.

There were eight local Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who collaborated for the Hamilton Christmas Extravaganza, we invited guests to attend and gave each of our guests a small handmade gift.  I decorated the fun Baker's Boxes with the All Is Bright Designer Series Paper and tags from the Sincerely Santa Project Kit, then filled them with a large afghan biscuit.

That wasn't the only gifts given away!  We also had a selection of prizes that were drawn at random during the day.  Here's some of the lovely product and gifts that were won...

At the Hamilton Christmas Extravaganza, we had five teams of teachers who rotated around the room, teaching their projects, so all guests went home with five completed projects plus new techniques, tips and ideas.

In this first project, Jacque showed everyone how to create this vintage-style Christmas card using the In the Woods Framelits and Merry Christmas Thinlits Dies.  The background is the gorgeous Tin Tile embossing folder, which has been given a light dusting of copper embossing for the faux-patina look.

Another card with a fabulous embossed background is the Christmas card that Rayleen and Irene taught.  It has the pretty Tuft embossing folder and the front features the First Frost stamp set with the coordinating Frosted Bouquet Framelits Dies.  Take a look at the fun fold on the inside...

Bev and Donna used the popular Signs of Santa stamp set and coordinating Santa's Signpost Framelits Dies to create this fun Christmas card... when you spin the dial on the right the image in the window changes, just like a view finder!

Christine and Irene showed everyone how to create to beautiful luminary using the fabulous Detailed Deer Thinlits Dies.  These also make lovely gift boxes too!

And lastly, I showed everyone how to take the white Baker's Box and give it a face-lift!  We sponged Tranquil Tide ink over the surface and added some touches of Bright Copper Shimmer Paint.  It was then finished with a sweet Christmas note card created using products from the Joyous Noel suite.

All our guests and teachers had a lovely day at the Hamilton Christmas Extravaganza, and everyone went home with new ideas and creative inspiration.  If you want to join us for the next Hamilton Extravaganza, then sign up for my email updates to find out when registration opens.  Just fill in your details at the top right of this page.

I had a fabulous time on the Stampin' Up! stand at the FYI Craft Show over the weekend.  I loved meeting everyone and soaking up all the creative enthusiasm there.  If you popped by our stand, you may have created a make-and-take with us.  There was the Wreath Christmas Card, using the Stamparatus, and this popular creation... it's a dollar-store notepad that has been given the stamping treatment with the Signs of Santa stamp set and coordinating Santa's Signpost Framelits.

Bundles: Signs of Santa Stamp Set + Santa's Signpost Framelits Dies (photopolymer: 149967).  Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (132708).  Card/Paper: Poppy Parade (121694), Whisper White (106549).  Stampin' Blends: Poppy Parade Combo (147275), Granny Apple Green Combo (147274), Daffodil Delight Light (144586), Pool Party Light (144595), Ivory (144606).  Accessories: Rhinestone Basic Jewels (144220).  Tools: Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (143263), Magnetic Platform (130658), Stitched Shapes Framelits (145372), Corrugated 3D Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (148026), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430).

Signs of Santa Photopolymer Stamp Set + Santa's Signpost Framelits Dies (149967) - $99.75

The sweet caricatures from the Signs of Santa stamp set were coloured using the Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, and Ivory Stampin' Blends, then popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals on the front of the notepad.  Because the Stampin' Blends are alcohol-based markers, we also coloured the clear rhinestones to match!

These notepads would make fun Christmas gifts, or for jotting down your own Christmas lists, plans, or ideas.

• Click HERE and contact me to order your Christmas stamps and accessories
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The foliage stamps in the Peaceful Noel stamp set are great for stamping wreaths...

Bundles: Peaceful Noel Stamp Set + Sprig Punch (photopolymer: 149958).  Ink: Mint Macaron (147106), Merry Merlot (147112), Tranquil Tide (147146).  Card/Paper: Gray Granite (147008), Merry Merlot (147005), Tranquil Tide (144252), Whisper White (106549), Joyous Noel 6" x 6" Glimmer Paper (147817).  Accessories: Merry Merlot & Copper 5/8" Reversible Ribbon (147818).  Tools: Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (143263), Magnetic Platform (130658), Layering Squares Framelits Dies (141708), Tin Tile 3D Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (148906), Stamparatus (148187), 1" Circle Punch (119868), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430).

So how did I get a perfectly symmetrical stamped wreath?  Well, I used the Stamparatus! 

Stamparatus (148187) - $99.00

I started by creating a stamping guide that I used in the Stamparatus.  This guide is sized larger than the piece of card stock that I'm going to stamp the wreath on.  The piece of card stock on the front of my card is the largest die in the Layering Squares Framelits, which is 7.2 cm x 7.2 cm, so I made my guide 15 cm x 15 cm.  I then measured and bisected my guide horizontally, vertically, and diagonally with pencil lines.  I lined up my square die so that the corners were aligned with the diagonal pencil lines, then die-cut.  Again I lined up my square die, but this time the corners were aligned with the horizontal and vertical pencil lines, and die-cut again.  Guide complete!

So, now I'm ready to stamp my wreath.  Lay the guide in the Stamparatus, at the top right corner, and secure it with the Stamparatus Magnets.  Insert the card stock square in the guide and stamp the first image of the wreath.  Turn the card stock square 45-degrees and stamp the second image of the wreath.  Repeat this to complete the stamped wreath; eight stamps total.

Here's a visual on how I created the wreath for this card.  I stamped the pine branch from the Peaceful Noel stamp set in Mint Macaron ink and the holly berries in Merry Merlot ink...

And here it is, on the front of my Christmas card...

This is one of the gorgeous make-and-takes that we'll be teaching at the FYI Craft Show this weekend, so make sure you come along to the Stampin' Up! stand on either Saturday or Sunday and create with us!

If you can't make it to the FYI Craft Show, then try it yourself - it's a lot of fun and easy to do, especially with the Stamparatus.

• Click HERE and contact me to order your Stamparatus
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