Ustamp4Fun.com - All Stampin' Up! All the Time! Amy Celona, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

FREE Big Shot – Amazing Offer!

By Amy · Comments (0)

Saturday, October 1st, 2011

UPDATE: THIS SPECIAL OFFER HAS EXPIRED. To see if there are any current sign on specials CLICK HERE.

From now until November 11th, when you join the Stampin’ Up! family, you will get a FREE Big Shot OR up to $100 in free Stampin’ Up! products. This offer is for persons not currently an active (including in pending) demonstrators, read all about the details here.

This offer is for anyone who purchases any Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit for the discount and/or to buy for your hobby or persons looking forward to the Stampin’ Up! Career Plan compensation program.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS!!! Please be sure to contact the demonstrator who is supporting you to take advantage of this or my customers can sign up online in less than 15 minutes.

This offer ends Monday, November 11th

Comments (0)

Categories : blog

Always Thankful Thanksgiving Card

By Amy · Comments (2)

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

The detail in the stamp set, combined with the awesome patterns and colors in the new Spice Cake designer series paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog, makes for an autumn card that has you almost SMELLING the pumpkin!

I colored the wheelbarrow and pumpkins in with Aquapainters and a tiny bit of reinker from the colors in the paper (Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Soft Suede and More Mustard).

Set: Always Thankful (#123787 W, #123789 C)
Accessories:
5 ½ x 8 ½ Soft Suede Cardstock
For Background layering:
3 x 4 in. Spice Cake DSP #124003 & 1 x 4 in. Spice Cake DSP
1 ½ x 4 in. More Mustard c/s
For focal image (wheelbarrow)
2 ½ x 3 ½ Vanilla c/s
2 ½ x 3 ¾ More Mustard c/s
For coloring:
Aquapainters #103954, Reinkers: Garden Green, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede
For greeting:
Small piece of vanilla, small piece of soft suede, Lg. Oval #119855, Scallop Oval #119856, Eyelet Border #119853, Antique brads #117273, Dimensionals™

Comments (2)

Categories : blog, Thanksgiving

Beautiful Season Christmas Card

By Amy · Comments (9)

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

I seriously LOVE this bird! The set is the new ‘Beautiful Season’ (W #122680, C # 122682) from the 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog but I do love birds anyway.

The awesome paper is ‘Frostwood Lodge’ from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I was able to use the three different large plaids to make 108 of these cards. The magic of it is that I am using only 2 inches by 4 inches of the designer paper on the front.

The Eboneezer method to making a holiday card (i.e., maximizing the materials). The ‘white’ layer in the background (on top of the card) is 2 1/2 x 4 inches of white cardstock pressed with Finial press Sizzix embossing folder. It adds texture and, even better, I can get 8 of this size layer from one piece of cardstock with minimal waste.

And, as I said before, the plaid paper cut at 2 x 4, you get 18 per 12 x 12 sheet. If you are doing the math, that leaves a space of about 1/2 inch between the top layer and the bottom one and I covered it with the 5/8th inch satin ribbon. Aren’t I just SO resourceful?!

Oh, and did I mention, these are my Founder’s Circle swap.

Comments (9)

Categories : blog, Christmas

2011 Holiday Mini Catalog is here!

By Amy · Comments (0)

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

This totally AMAZING catalog is here!!! And there are just TOO MANY awesome things to say about it. CLICK HERE for the supplies used in the samples on each catalog page.

BOOK YOUR IN-HOME workshop now! Use my online booking calendar and invite me to meet your friends for a special total hands-on ladies night out. My online calendar has my availability–coordinate with your friends first–and then book me and I’ll call you when I get your date!

The new mini includes many new accessories including the new Simply Scored… an amazing scoring tool, a Sizzix BIGZ L Holiday Stocking die (sample shown in the photo above) as well as an additional ‘coordinating’ Sizzix die ‘Stocking Accents Original Die‘ which has even more fun die cuts to create cool realistic holiday stockings! Did I forget the XL Stocking Builder punch with the coordinating stocking set… ? No, you really really have to check out the mini yourself–or better yet, have your friends over and I’ll show you!

And while I am going on and on about the Holiday stuff… there are wonderful Thanksgiving sets, designer papers and coordinating accents as well…

Comments (0)

Categories : blog, Christmas

Mocha Morning Vintage Card

By Amy · Comments (5)

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011

I absolutely LOVE the new Mocha Morning Specialty designer series paper (see below)! The ‘specialty’ is that there are two designs that have black velveteen in them, but even better, the gold color in the some of the designs has a wonderful sheen to it. In all, I love all of the designs, they are really very superior.

And the set ‘Elements of Style’ (W 118611, C 120045) works so well with the paper as the flowers are very vintage looking.

To add to the vintage feel of the piece, I watercolored the flowers with watercolor crayons and Aquapainters and then I sponged the edges with More Mustard and black inks.

And you can’t tell, but the strip of black cardstock across the middle was embossed with the Finial Press embossing folder.

Set(s): Elements of Style (Wood: 118611, Clear: 210045)
Petite Pairs (W: 122495, C: 122497)
Accessories:
5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Basic Black Cardstock
3 x 4 Mocha Morning Specialty DSP
2 x 4 Mocha Morning Specialty DSP
1 x 4 Basic Black cardstock
Black StazOn #101406
Regals Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons #119803
Aquapainters #103954 (two per pack)
Focal Image Pieces:
3 1/4 x 3 1/2 Soft Suede cardstock
3 x 3 1/4 Basic Black cardstock
2 3/4 x 3 Very Vanilla cardstock
Scalloped Oval #119856, Large Oval #119855

Comments (5)

Categories : blog

Tomato sauce and other vices…

By Amy · Comments (19)

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

Ah yes, end of summer ceremonies include the tomato sauce making. This year my husband and I were on our own–the first I can remember not working with my in-laws (Sicilian immigrants and the originators of this family tradition)… and all the kids were conveniently out of town.

Without Nonna & Nonno to watch over us, we IMMEDIATELY cheated by not hand picking them… we have so few weekends available and it rained all week and the usual farm (Filasky’s in Maryland) was not allowing us out on the field. We purchased them at a store outlet for a farmer’s market and I’m REALLY okay with not picking in a muddy field.

We ended up with about 80 quarts all hot packed and slowly cooling in chests covered in blankets. It will last us until next August (depending upon needy children and friends who will *now* come out of the woodwork…).

I was introduced to this tradition over 25 years ago while dating my husband. His parents dutifully worked very hard to make sauce for themselves and enough for each of their sons who were on their own. Some years we helped more than others.

As our family grew, we all (with more workers each few years) helped out–we needed a lot! This year mom and dad will experience it all being done for them… we will be giving them their share. I guess now in their upper 80′s they deserve the break!

I guess we have officially become Nonna & Nonno. Tony barking orders at me… but I’m not Nonna… so he needs to keep it zipped or wear boiling hot stewed tomatoes. Plus at some point, I’m going to start drinking… hey, I have to add some ‘German-Irish’ to this tradition… I’m not Sicilian if you could tell by my red hair…

UPDATE: I’ve gotten a lot of requests for the recipe but it’s not what you think–we don’t add all the seasonings before we hot pack them– just tomatoes, basil leaves and salt.

Here is the entire process… Read More→

Comments (19)

Categories : blog, Personal

Pennant Parade Money Holder

By Amy · Comments (0)

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

This is a very easy gift card holder made with Pennant Parade set and coordinating ‘Pennant Builder punch’ #122361) and the ‘Cupcake Builder punch’ (#121807).

The card holder itself is 5 x 8 1/2 and scored on the 8 1/2 side at 3 3/4 and 7 1/2.

The set and coordinating punch make an easy and festive ‘dimensional’ money holder!

Set(s):
Pennant Parade (#122740 W, #122742 C)
Create a Cupcake (#121915 W, #121982 C)

Accessories:
5 x 8 ½ Delightful Daffodil cardstock (scored at 3 ¾ and 7 ½)
4 ½ x 3 ¼ Lucky Limeade c/s & 4 x 2 ½ Whisper White c/s (for the front)
2 ½ x 3 ½ Delightful Daffodil c/s ; 2 ½ x 3 ½ Lucky Limeade c/s ; 2 ½ x 3 ½ Pool Party c/s
5/8 x 3 in. Whisper White strip (for stamping the greeting)
1 inch strips of Soft Suede & Pink Pirouette (for punching the cupcake pieces)
Petite Pennant Builder punch #122361 & Cupcake Builder punch #121807
Soft Suede Classic Ink, 1/16th inch hole punch, White Bakers Twine #124262
——Sizzix————
Perfect Polka Dots textured embossing folder #117335
Sizzix Die Cutting Machine with Multi-purpose platform

Comments (0)

Categories : Birthday, Gift Money Holder

Strength & Hope for Cancer Awareness

By Amy · Comments (0)

Friday, August 5th, 2011

I am excited to be celebrating 15 years with Stampin’ Up!

On August 4th 1996, I joined as a demonstrator while living in Connecticut with three small girls. Now two major moves and an additional child… I’m still here and still loving Stampin’ Up! and the wonderful people that I have met along the way as well as the wonderful people who leave me such kind feedback on my blog!

I’ve had this set for two months and have finally gotten around to working with it and it will only be available until August 31st. By purchasing it, you can support breast cancer research. This special edition set ‘Strength & Hope’ is part of Stampin’ Up!’s Making a Difference program in partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF).

From May 1-August 31, 2011, Stampin’ Up! will donate $2* from the sale of each Strength & Hope Set and Digital Kit to BCRF. Available in three languages:

Strength & Hope
Wood mounted 118100 $17.95
Clear mounted 123660 $13.95

Force & Espoir (French)
Wood mounted 123665, $17.95
Clear mounted 123667, $13.95

Fortaleza y Esperanza (Spanish)
Wood mounted 123670, $17.95
Clear mounted 123672, $13.95

A Strength & Hope Digital Kit (item 124475) is also available that includes a four-piece stamp brush set, 12 Designer Series Papers, and 10 embellishment pieces for $9.95. Contact me or order online today to order this beautiful set and support BCRF as they work find a cure for breast cancer!

*Stampin’ Up! is donating $2 from this purchase 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. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

CLICK HERE for more information about the set and to purchase it! For more information on the sample, here are the accessories used:

Strength & Hope (#118100 W, #123660 C)
Accessories:
5 ½ x 8 ½ Soft Suede Cardstock
3 ½ x 4 in. Beau Chateau DSP #122357
½ x 4 in. Soft Suede c/s Strip
3 ½ x 2 ¾ Pink Pirouette cardstock
3 ¼ x 2 ½ Very Vanilla cardstock
1 ¾ x 8 ½ in. Pink Pirouette cardstock (for stamping and cutting–you will be stamping the butterfly and cutting it out, as well as punching the scalloped square ‘H’)
Soft Suede Classic Ink, Lace Ribbon Border punch #122362, Scallop Square punch #119884, Dimensionals

Comments (0)

Categories : Specials

« Previous Page

Thank you so much for sharing these photos! It's so nice for… — Donna S.
And you are apologizing for being AMAZING and so generously bringing us… — Glenda
Hi Amy, thanks so much for taking the time to post these… — Sandi MacIver
Great job, Amy...you got lots of photos that I missed when my… — Barbara V
OMGosh! Amy! Thank you so much for posting all the pics of… — Michelle
FABULOUS! Thank you very much for sharing these photos! — Judy Garza
this is great! thanks Amy!! — Lynda Fraser
Really beautiful! I love butterflies! Cordial greetings Moni — Moni
Wow........so awesome. And thanks for sharing the template. Have a great weekend! Gaby — Gaby
Thank you for showing this beautiful card. — Jo Bertier

Search This Site:

FREE Big Shot – Amazing Offer!

Always Thankful Thanksgiving Card

Beautiful Season Christmas Card

2011 Holiday Mini Catalog is here!

Mocha Morning Vintage Card

Tomato sauce and other vices…

Pennant Parade Money Holder

Strength & Hope for Cancer Awareness

Cool Visual Archives

Archives

Click to Download a Catalog

Search this site:

Search by Category

Comments