Class Act Insider

Butterfly Happy Birthday

2012-01-26T14:52:00.002-05:00

Newest card!

I used double sided adhesive to make the black border, then sprinkled black glitter on it. The vertical Happy Birthday is from Class Act. I used Elizabeth Craft's Peel Off Stickers for the butterfly and lady bug, ten coloured them with Tombow Markers on Bazzil Prismatic paper :)

New Cards!

2012-01-25T15:27:00.001-05:00

Hey guys!

So I've just been sitting here in the store, and I had the urge to make some cards! I'm not a huge stamper, but I LOVE stickers...so that's what I use to make most of my cards :)

Here is one that I made for Easter! Super easy, but I think it's cute! I used yellow organza ribbon, a pearl green cardstock, purple cardstock, Cuttlebug embossing folder (don't know the same, I take all mine out of the package as soon as I get them...brilliant, huh?) and Bisous stickers!

I have a thing for making girly cards, so I thought I would make one for a boy! This one is made using orange and blue cardstock, Spellbinders, and Karen Foster stickers! I put popdots behind the blue backing and orange square with the tractor on it, so it pops up, too :)

This card started off as a boyish one - it didn't end up that way! I used We R Memory Keepers paper from the Cotton Tail collection, blue and purple cardstock, Karen Foster stickers, 2 Cuttlebug folders (the bottom one was just a border embosser) and fushia and blue brads!

Valentine's Day Results

2012-01-23T11:49:00.002-05:00

Hi Bloggies!
Well, our Valentine's Day contest ended yesterday! And look at me! Posting the day after :) I'm on the ball (for now, anyways!)

We had 2 card entries for this contest! Thank you to Maria and Therese for entertaining me! I loved how you both incorporated my curve ball (aka Teal) into your creations! Too, too cute! You can click on these ladies' names to check out their blogs!

Maria Vanderform

Therese in Trenton

Winner by random draw isssssssssssssss.............MARIA!! Yay!! Send Carol an e-mail at sales(at)classact.ca with your mailing address and your choice of Class Act unmounted stamp :)

I'm thinking I may need to turn to my critters to help me pick winners, since a basket with pieces of paper in it just isn't cutting it anymore. Anyone remember when I had Kiki (my chinchilla) pick the winner? THAT was fun! I might have to do that again :) For anyone who is new and doesn't remember it... here is the link to the post! She was such a good little judge, pondering every little step (RIP Sweety!!) but I still have 2 other chins who will have big shoes to fill if I decide it's their turn for fame!

Been craftin'!

2012-01-12T16:46:00.001-05:00

Hiiiii!!

So I got my craft on today!
My friend just got engaged (YAY!!!)...and by "just" I really mean in December...so I thought I should probabbbbbbbbbbbbly make them a card...like...yesterday.

This was super cool! I found stickers from Bo Bunny that match a set of Spell Binders that I have! - WOOT! Then I used Design Adhesives and glitter for the hearts, and Bazzil Two Scoops for the embossed look. THEN on the inside I thought it looked a little plain, so I used Sew Easy from We R Memory Keepers and Organza Ribbon.

Here are some scrapbook pages I've done up! I got the Spell Binder Grand Caliber which cuts larger dies - which is AMAZING because I always whine and complain that the regular Spell Binders don't cut big enough for a decent picture. These ones cut so big!! And the new paper line we have in is blowing my socks off!! The Easter one is part of the We R Memory Keepers Easter package, and the drink one is new from Paper House! Matching stickers and all!

Valentine's Day Challenge

2012-01-05T10:29:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, Bloggies!!

I hope everyone's holidays wasn't as chaotic as mine! WOW! It's almost nice to be back at work! (Okay...not really...) I've had a sick chinchilla on my hands for almost a month...and have had to handfeed her with a syringe every 2-3 HOURS!! Gah! Let it end!

BUT! Onto more fun things! We're going to get this Valentine's Day Challenge rockin' and rollin'!

Here's the deal:
Your card must have Pink, Red, and White on it............but as a twist (and to make things more interesting!) I want to see some teal on it, too! (Just because my best friend is getting married and that's going to be the colour of my dress! I'm so not biased). That's all the stipulations! Get creative!

Contest closes Sunday, January 22nd.
Please e-mail entries to me at raychel(at)classact.ca

Consider this a kick start to making your significant other the perfect card :)

Cheers!

Raychel

2011-12-07T11:28:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!!

We’re doing this one for the holidays to keep you up-to-datewith our holiday hours!

We are going to be open for two Sundays, December 11^thand 18^th, from 10:30am-2:30pm to help out your busy schedule!

Alas, due to the holidays, we will be closed December 24^th-27^th,December 31^st and January 1^st.

Now for the fun stuff! We have new embossing folders for allyou addicts out there! We also have some of the Bo Bunny Christmas line JDon’t forget that our 50% off Stocking Stuffer Table is now filled with goodiesespecially for you!

Remember that December 28^th-30^th wewill be having our Boxing Day Blitz! Hours will stay the same from 10am-5pm.

We here atClass Act would like to THANK YOU for all of your business and support sinceour opening. It has been a wonderful adventure so far, and with so many caringcustomers it makes it that much easier!

Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukkah, and many more!

Class Act Staff

Scrapbook Pages

2011-11-14T12:09:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!

This girl got her creative juices flowing bright and early this morning!! Before any of you ask - NO, I don't have kids...so that made this incredibly difficult!! But considering the Karen Foster paper and stickers were made to coordinate, it made things easier than they would have been otherwise! Doesn't everyone have pictures of their boys playing with trucks? Thought this would be the perfect sample! Naturally, boys may feel emasculated if there's hearts on the page...thus there are hearts with mud splashes!

and I did some more in anticipation of the Christmas Season!! :D :D These are using our We R Memory Keepers Christmas Collection (Peppermint Twist)!

Challenge Winner!

2011-11-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone!!

First off - when I logged on I had a mild freakout!! BLOGGER CHANGED EVERYTHING!!! Gah!!! Hopefully it works better than the old one...I always have one heck of a time getting pictures to line up and it never wants to post my blogs (I didn't think my posts were THAT horrible...) Anyways...fingers crossed for me!!

So our Fall-themed challenge is over...and we had some AWESOME card entries!! I'm going to post them all on here for a change up :)

FULL of Fall Colours...love this card by Therese in Trenton! She used a Class Act stamp that can be found here!

Another lovely card by Pat Moore!! I wouldn't have even known this was stamped! She used a REALLY similar stamp to our "Harvest Time," which can be found here!

I love this little cutie made by Mandy! Her work can be found here! Her blog is always hoppin'!!

ANYWAYS...so far the posting hasn't been too bad! I do like it better! But I guess you don't want to keep reading about my hate-on for technology (especially when it changes!!)...........so the winner for this contest, by random draw, is Mandy! Congratulations Mandy!! If you send an e-mail to Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your choice of Class Act stamp and mailing address, she will get it in the mail for you :)

Stay tuned for our next Challenge!!

Reminder!

2011-10-26T11:15:00.009-04:00

Hey everyone!

Just a quick reminder that there are only THREE days left before the contest closes! So get your creativity shakin' and send in your cards!

There is also a new, convenient link beside our posts (under "About Me") that will take you directly to our website. Thanks to Therese in Trenton for the suggestion :)

Last week we also got some new sets from Rubber Stamp Tapestry!!! Ohhhhh I'm in heaven! There's so much you can do with these cute little peg stamps!!! I'm not much of a stamper (that's Ma's department) but these make me want to stamp my little heart out...IN my scrapbooks!!

Ready for the killer? This is a sneak peak from my Scrapbook Embellishments class ;)

We also got some Viva Decor in! I haven't figured out how to use it yet - but Mom feels like she won the lottery playing with them!!

Fall Contest

2011-10-13T14:24:00.000-04:00

Well, now that we have things SOMEWHAT organized I guess it's time to get going on CONTESTS again!!

We're doing the general theme of FALL! So that means anything Halloween, Thanksgiving, Leafy looking or whatever else! Get creative with the red, yellow and orange!

You know, I made an awesome (I do say so myself!) anniversary card for my boyfriend that was totally fall with oak leaves and fall colours. THEN brilliant me LOST it before our anniversary this weekend? Didn't I feel dumb!! I didn't even take a picture of it to show you guys! Shame on me!!

Okay! So this contest is going to end at 7pm on Saturday October 29th!
The winner will receive their choice of a Class Act Stamp and it will be mailed directly to you!

Please e-mail me your card at raychel @ classact.ca (without the spaces) and we'll announce a winner shortly after, so keep your eyes peeled!

Scrapfest!

2011-10-12T13:38:00.004-04:00

Anyone coming to Scrapfest in Oshawa this weekend?

We couldn't get a booth...but we will have a flyer running around for 10% off THIS WEEKEND ONLY (remember we're closed Sunday)

We will have extended hours this Saturday only (10-7) and we have all of our classes now available!

Catching Up!

2011-10-03T11:05:00.007-04:00

Okay, well...the craziness is OFFICIALLY OVER!!! WOOO HOO!! Our grand opening was on Saturday...and all the preparation from that pretty much consumed our lives for the whole month of September. We had Colin Carrie(Member of Parliament for Oshawa) and Jerry Ouellette (MPP), as well as a representative from the Mayor's office, and SNAP Oshawa newspaper! It was crazytown - population US!! Thank you to all of you who help make our Grand Opening a very special day!

Here are some pictures from the big day...
Our store...

Everyone seeing what the buzz is about!

Cutting the ribbon!

And Sue warned us that things will be so crazy that day that the police would have to be called! Well, thanks for jynxing us, Sue!! I guess we were being too crazy...
(just kidding...they were doing something else...but it was hilarious :))

September is for Sue!

2011-09-24T13:46:00.000-04:00

Girl...is there anything you can't make look amazing?? Just throwing that out there.

Greetings
Autumn is in the air and the new fall stamps are fabulous. This little wheelbarrow was a pleasure to colour. I used prisma pencils and OMS (my personal favourite) and Tim Holts distress ink to make the sponged frame around the main image and to shade the die-cut pumpkin which is popped up on a foam dimensional. The greeting is just the right size to fit into a smaller space without looking squashed.
Get out and enjoy the crisp fresh air before we really get frost on the pumpkin!

Sue

More from Sue!

2011-09-22T13:43:00.002-04:00

Our store grand opening is next Saturday - October the 1st!! EEEEEP!!!! We've been open for a few weeks...and the number of times we've changed things around, taken displays completely apart..and all the other things that go along with opening a new store...things have been CRAZY!!

Now, for some card gazing!

Really, can anyone ever get enough of Sue Allen's work?!

Store Opening

2011-08-31T17:20:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone!

Just letting you all know that we will be open on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd!
We will be open tomorrow, but we are still in the process of putting products up - so if you want best selection, come Friday or after!

Anyone planning on coming down this weekend? You'll meet yours truly on Friday for my first shift!!!

The address is 84 Simcoe Street South, Oshawa, Ontario :) 905-240-8400

Our hours as of right now are:
Monday-Wednesday 10-5
Thursday 10-6
Friday 10-7
Saturday 10-5
and Closed on Sunday :)

2011-08-25T22:30:00.002-04:00

Hello Fellow Bloggers, Stamps, Scrapers and Friends:

First, let me say thank you to all that participated in our first every blog hop. I think it went over very well! So Thank You all once again!

I have a special treat for you, since the first hop was a success and without any glitches, I have decided to have two winners selected. See, we are always full of surprises!

The first winner is Jennifer we don’t have a last name, so please contact me and the second winner is Theresa, again no last name, just nice pictures of both of you.

Can you please contact Carol and let her know which of the Class Act line of stamp you would like. Please don’t forget your mailing address.

We will be having another challenge coming up shortly, so check the blog so you don’t miss it.

Blog Hop

2011-08-18T17:35:00.002-04:00

Hello Fellow Bloggies!

Well, let me first say Thank you to all of our Design Team Members! Our first 6 month term is over at the end of this month, and I was very fortunate to work with this team. Their designs are an inspiration to all of us, and I can’t thank them enough for all the patience they had to give me for our first DT. So, sincere thanks to all of you!

- Carol

We are going to host our very first ever blog hop!!

Our blog hop will start on Friday August 18, 2011 and end on Thursday August 25, 2011 at 7:00 central time. The winner will be announced the following day. So, check back here to see who the winner is!

The theme will be bright colors, and everyone has done a fabulous job on their projects.

In the Class Act/Chapel Road Blog Hop...

You will see the newest releases from both of these lines on this hop.

Please leave a comment on every project of each design team member, and have your name entered into the draw to win a free rubber stamp from our Class Act line of stamps. If you leave a comment on each of the Design Team members project, that will give you 7 chances to win. A random winner will be chosen. Below is the order to hop around!

This is the order for the Hop, so have fun hopping around the blogs!! :)

Class Act – http://www.classactinsider.blogspot.com

Suzanne - http://www.suzzstampingspot.blogspot.com

Sheila - http://www.happyssightspectacle.blogspot.com

Holly - http://www.glitterstampsandink.blogspot.com

Gini - http://www.ginicagle.blogspot.com

Barbara - http://www.magicdelights.blogspot.com

Chelsea - http://www.cjpbcreations.blogspot.com

Sue Allen's Card Entry for Class Act! (start the hop here and leave a comment!)

2011-08-15T09:14:00.002-04:00

Soooo we've been slacking putting pictures up of the store...but it's to the point now where we're setting up displays! Woo Woo!!!!

Here is a picture of the store in progress! This month is FLYING by with all this happening! Eep!!

Summer Drinks by Sue

2011-08-15T09:09:00.002-04:00

Greetings
I really can't believe we are almost half way through August! Where did the summer go? I haven't even had time to enjoy a cooling drink by the pool. The new designs for August may encourage everyone to stop what they are doing and take a relaxing break. The shape of this stamp and the intricate design needed a simple treatment and was just asking to be put on a step card. The stamp was coloured with OMS and coloured pencils then sponged on the outside with a light blue with a contrasting matt of black. A small touch of glitter makes the glassware sparkle. (if it was only that easy! ) LOL.

Enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful weather when you can.

Sue

2011-08-03T09:35:00.002-04:00

Anddddd the winner for the Christmas Challenge issssssssssssssssss.......................

Lou Mac!! Great job on the card! Please e-mail Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your choice of stamp from the Class Act line, as well as your address :)

Thanks to everyone for participating! A new challenge is coming up soon!

Time to play catch up

2011-08-01T19:21:00.002-04:00

Well, here are updated photos of the new store!!! Things are getting better each and every day!

And some cards from the wonderful Sue!! (sorry I'm late posting them... :()
Greetings
The new releases for July are the only cool things about this whole month. I love them because there are so many options. The card to-day is a box card. It's handy for holding a gift card..some snaps from a recent occasion.. or a bookmark for summer reading. Double sided paper/cardstock was used and folded into a box. A 'belly band' holds the card together and decorated with punches and layers of cardstock. The images were stamped in black and coloured with prisma pencils and OMS then cut out. The hat was popped on a foam dimensional and a tiny bow tied on the back. The strawberry inside was stamped on red and coloured with ink sponged on with make-up applicators.

Enjoy
Sue

Chapel Road Challenge!

2011-07-21T20:21:00.006-04:00

Ho, Ho, Ho, and an Early Merry Christmas to you all!

With this hot weather, I am sure you will appreciate the cool creations of our Desgin Team which are sampled below. Just click on their links to see how each of these have been made.

Well, as you can all guess, this week's Chapel Road challenge is all about Christmas.
Anything that is Christmas oriented is for this challenge.

Rules for the Challenge:
1. Have Fun
2. Use rubberstamps
3. One entry per person please
4. Deadline is July 28th at 7:00 p.m.
5. You do not need to use a Class Act or Chapel Road Stamp to play along, but if you do, it gets you two entries for the chance to win your choice of a Class Act line stamp.
6. Just add the link to your blog post, or project below by using the “Add Your Link button”

Now on for to the Design Team projects!
Barbara Washington

Some Announcements!

2011-07-17T16:15:00.002-04:00

Our winner for the Colour Challenge using Red, White and Green is Ewavemella!!! Wonderful job on your card!! Please e-mail Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your address and choice of stamp from the Class Act stamp line!

EEEPPP!!! I thought I posted this...but apparently I didn't!!! Class Act is opening a Stamping and Scrapbooking store on September 1st, 2011 here in Oshawa! I must have been so wrapped up with all of this going on that I forgot to put it on here! Check out the Class Act website for a picture of the store as is right now (while renovations are going on). We will keep updating pictures to keep you just as excited as we are!

2011-07-17T16:09:00.002-04:00

Greetings

There are so many autumn birthdays in our family I am usually at a loss for ideas. (Crikey..those birthdays will be here soon enough!) But when I saw this stamp among the releases for July I knew where I would surely use it. The apple barrow was stamped on a piece of canvas fabric with staz-on solvent ink (I added a few dots and scratches for grass) then coloured with ink and make-up applicators to give it a soft painted look. Mounted on a piece of white card I stitched around the outside with some thread. The vertical birthday greeting came in handy again and works perfectly in that small space. The thread spools are die-cuts with some cotton yarn wound around and a large plastic needle was added. The sponged background uses a piece of mesh and dark brown ink.

If this hot, muggy weather continues we will really be looking forward the the cooler days of fall! Yikes it's coming fast as it is..I shouldn't be wishing the summer away like that!

Sue

2011-07-06T17:27:00.001-04:00

Greetings

Things are finally starting to slow down after a fabulous Dominion Day Celebration. Time to start to relax and enjoy the long hot summer days.

Hand sewing has been my life-long passion (since I was a girl ..which wasn't just yesterday either!) so when I saw this beautiful stamp among the new releases for this month I was chuffed to little mint balls! It has so many opportunities for embellishment that I ran out of time before I ran out of ideas. The main image is stamped in black then the 'stitches' are coloured with pen. The inside is sponged with ink using my favourite tool a make-up applicator. For the stamens on the flowers I used a yellow glaze pen. Black thread was used to stitch the spirelli at the corner and a lace border punch and a decal blade on my cutter added the trim. The greeting is also hand stitched. First pencil the greeting lightly on a piece of white card stock. Using a sewing needle pierce around the pencil lines to form the letters. Sew through the holes with fine black thread then punch and oval and mount using a foam dot. Of course a little touch of bling never hurts.

Enjoy the hot weather...it will be Autumn soon enough!

Sue

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Canada Day to all you Crazy Canucks!!

First let me thank all those that participated in this challenge. There were SO MANY ENTRIES! They were all beautiful! Thanks so much for participating!! So without keeping you all in suspense any longer the winner of this challenge is......Betty Wright! Congratulations! Please forward your choice of a Class Act line of rubber stamp to Carol along with your address to sales(at)classact.ca

We are running another challenge, and how fitting for Canada day.

This is going to be a color challenge using Red, White and Green. That should give you many options for your creativity.

Rules for this Challenge:

Must be made using rubberstamps

You do not need to use a Class Act or Chapel Road Artstamp for the challenge, but if you do use one of our stamps, it gives you two entries for the draw instead of one. We know you love to stamp, but please....one entry per person. If you want to do more than one project, we would be happy to put them on our website. :) The winner receive a stamp of their choice from the Class Act Stamp Line.

Just add the link to your blog post or project below by using the “Add Your Link” button!
Project deadline is Thursday July 14, 2011 at 7:00p.m.

Leave a direct link to a new project, using any image..

Now to inspire your creativity are some of the Design Team creations.

To find out the “how to” on their projects, just click on their name above the project.

Sue Allen

Sheila Bartlett

Chelsea Barnes

Double Dose of Sue

2011-06-22T10:57:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! We get another double dose of Sue today (mainly due to my slacking...sorry, Sue!) Good thing we can never get tired of her work :)

Greetings
With the summer weather finally back it's time to think about sea and sand again...not sweaters and socks! When I looked at this Seahorse stamp it screamed Zentangle at me! (Sometimes my stamps do that) This one is perfect because a lot of the detail is already done..all you have to do is fill in some of the spaces and do a background. The coloured part is the actual stamp and I left the background uncoloured so the Seahorses would be more visible. Some cheesecloth (I love that stuff!) and some starfish stickers were all that was needed. I really like using the vertical greetings from the Class Act Stamps line. They fit into tiny awkward spaces perfectly.
Enjoy the sun as much as you can...the snow seems to last such a long, long time!

Sue

Greetings

A woman's work is never done. I guess a Mermaid's isn't either. Time to wash the barnacles out of your dainties and delicates. This was a real 'brain-burner'..but loads of fun using all sorts of different techniques. The Mermaid was coloured with prisma pencils and OMS then carefully cut out. After the card was made she was popped up on foam dots, stuck on the rock and blinged beyond her wildest imagination. The rock is a piece of gray cardstock torn and crumbled and swiped with a gray ink pad. For the water I used alcohol inks on glossy cardstock then torn towards me to simulate white caps. The sky is sponged using a torn paper towel (rather than a piece of paper). I think it gives a nicer detail to the clouds making them more believable. The birds are tiny check marks using a black marker. Finally a dolphin sticker, pieces of scrap fabric and a starfish were added. Sure hope she gets her laundry finished before it rains!

Stay Cool
Sue

2011-06-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

Here we are already the third week into June and it is time for another Chapel Road challenge.
First like always, we would like to thank all that participated in the Class Act Challenge. Now to announce the winner (drum roll please)
the winner is...............Christine. Please contact Carol at sales(at)classact.ca and let her know which stamp you would like from the Class Act Stamp line. We will get this out to you once Canada Post gets back to work. A little patience may be required LOL

So onto the new challenge.
This challenge is to have a vintage look to it. Some wonderful ideas from our Design Team have used our newest images and some older images. All are wonderful!!

Rules for the Challenge
Must be a vintage theme using rubberstamps.
You do not need to use a Class Act or Chapel Road Artstamp for the challenge, but if you do use one of our stamps, it gives you two entries for the draw instead of one. We know you love to stamp, but please...one entry per person. If you want to do more than one project, we would be happy to put them on our website. The winner will receive a stamp of their choice from the Class Act Stamp Line.

Just add the link to your blog post or project below by using the “Add Your Link” button!
Project deadline is Thursday June 30, 2011 at 7:00p.m.

Now onto the Beautiful Creations from our Awesome Design Team. To find out the “how to” on their projects, just click on their name above the project.

Barbara Washington

Gini Williams Cagle

Suzanne Czosek

Holly Brown

Chelsea Barnes

2011-06-08T20:08:00.002-04:00

Greetings

The new releases for June are all kinda 'fishie'! LOL I can't say that I have ever wanted to be a Mermaid (it must be awkward when you are on a girls day out and they all want to go shoe shopping) but this Mermaid was so much fun to colour and accessorize it wouldn't matter! I coloured her 'tail' with prisma pencils and then used perfect pearls to give the scales some iridescence. Her hair is done the same way. Peel-offs were used to accessorize her top and all that jewellery. The background was sponged with various blues on glossy paper then put through a cuttlebug folder. The ground is a piece of sandpaper (going into DH's workshop again!) with the edge torn and a piece of cheese cloth added. Various shells stuck on top and the seaweed is torn pits of tissue paper. A die-cut finishes the frame.

The weather is looking good this week so get outside.

Stay cool
Sue

2011-06-03T00:16:00.003-04:00

Good Mornin' Bloggies!!

Well, another challenge is done, and we have another winner. First let me thank everyone that participated. ***“THANK YOUUUUUUUU”***
The winner of this challenge is Deb. Congratulations!!!! YAY!! Please contact Carol at sales(at)classact.ca and let her know which CLASS ACT stamp you would like, along with your address.

With all this great weather, we thought it was only fitting to bring out a new stamp release! Woo woo!! This release consists of gorgeous mermaids, some fun friends, and a something you don’t see everyday.............mermen.
Check out the new images here!
The next challenge will consist of a sketch challenge which is below. Let your imagination go WiLd for this and have some fun!! For this, see the picture below (pink) and follow that layout! See the DT creations to guide you further.

To enter, you do not need to use a Class Act stamp in order to play along, but like always, if you use one of our stamps in your entry, you will receive two entries for a chance to win a free Class Act rubberstamp of your choice. One entry per person please.

Just add the link to your blog post or project below by using the “Add Your Link” button!
Project deadline is Thursday June 16, 2011 at 7:00p.m.

Leave a direct link to a new project, using any image..

Now to inspire your creativity, here are some creations from our design team. For instructions, please click on their name above the project.
Have a great weekend, and get those entries in for your chance to win free rubbah!

Sue Allen

Sheila Bartlett

Claudine Poch

Chelsea Barnes

2011-05-25T19:25:00.003-04:00

Greetings

A friend gifted me with this fabulous label. She said when she saw it she thought of me! I am not sure whether I should be chuffed or miffed because when she saw garbage my name just popped into her head! I guess I will go with the first one. The Count stamp was an obvious choice to accompany it. There is also a wonderful Lady stamp that would make a great companion stamp for say an anniversary or wedding card. I stuck the label down on black card stock with double-sided tape and embedded it with an embossing folder. The Count was stamped in versamark and heat embossed with Class Act embossing powder, trimmed and distressed around the edge and mounted on a piece of red card stock. The ribbon treatment uses a piece of very sticky double-sided tape. The ribbon is ruffled as you lay it down. I like to use a bamboo skewer to keep the folds even. The greeting was made using my Dymo label maker.

Hope everyone is enjoying the first Canadian holiday long-weekend of the summer. Otherwise known as the 'two-four' weekend. Somehow I have a feeling that Queen Victoria would not be amused!

Enjoy your blessings.
Sue

Chapel Road Challenge

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Shiver me timbers fellow Bloggers!

Let me first of all congratulate the winner of the last Challenge which is..................THERESE! Congratulations, and thank you all for participating. Would the winner please forward their address to Carol at sales(at)classact.ca along with your choice of Class Act stamp.

Now as you can probably tell from the opening statement, Class Act line of shttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftamps has new pirate stamps online and ready for their adventures in the stamping world! Check them out here! Seriously...is anyone as excited as I am to see the next Pirates of the Carribean movie? Okayyyy, so they should have ended it after the 2nd...or 3rd...movie...but if they're going to keep giving it to us I'm going to continue watching!!

Also online are the new stamps that make you move...........with gears that is. The DT has done a few samples using this line of stamps, and have done an awesome job as they always do! You can check the samples and stamps out here.

Now!! On to the Challenge:

This is an Male-oriented ANYTHING GOES challenge.
Whatever you want to make is fine with us, as long as it is using rubber stamps, of course, and appeals to the guys!
To enter you do not need to use a Class Act or Chapel Road stamp, BUT (like always) if you use one of our stamps for your project, you will have two entries for the draw to win a stamp of your choice.

One extra way to get an extra entry is to refer a friend to our blog to participate in the challenge but make sure the person lets us know that they heard it from you!
The winner will receive a Class Act stamp of their choice.

Just add the link to your blog post or project below by using the “Add Your Link” button!
Project deadline is Thursday June 02, 2011.

Now without further adieu, the DT’s wonderful creations to help inspire you!
For instructions on their projects, just click on their name and it will take you to their blog on how to create it.

Suzanne Czosek

Holly Brown

Gini Williams Cagle

Chelsea Barnes

Barbara Washington

Woo woo woo!!! Happy Long Weekend, Canucks!!

Gearing up for Spring?....Summer?

2011-05-19T20:33:00.000-04:00

Just when you think you really can't get any more creative!! Here Sue comes again!
Greetings~
I don't know about where you live but here we have had so much rain I am starting to blue mold! If the sun ever shines again the grass will be up to our armpits and the blackflies as big as crows! Ah...spring in Canada!
Working with the new release stamps for this month has been a fun experience. They can be very colourful or soft and subtle. As you can see ..I went for soft and subtle. The elephants are stamped on a neutral grayish card stock in a soft brown with some of the ink lifted here and there with a tissue. Then cut out. Ink shadows were applied with a make-up applicator and small pearls added for eyes. The green DP was in a pack from the dollar store. The banner was stamped on the same card stock and sponged on the outside. The faux brad is a washer of some kind that I found in my hubby's workshop. Let me tell you ladies...take a look in there once in a while. If you are lucky enough to have a tinkering hubby that room deserves a good rummage. I am sure he doesn't realize what wonderous embellishments he has stored there! LOL
Stay dry and enjoy your weekend.
Sue

More From Sue!

2011-05-13T17:16:00.001-04:00

Greetings~

Now that the sun is waking up earlier these days the roosters are getting more active! If they keep this up it will be the stew pot soon...only kidding. The new releases this month are wild.. and present so many amazing alternatives and creative choices. The rooster was stamped on a chicken wire background paper and sponged with various coloured distress inks using a make-up applicator. A few squiggles with a fine marker made the grass. Feathers were added to the tail and copper pieces from stickers embellish the comb and wings. The outside is sponged through a piece of net and a few birdseeds make this rooster happy.

Enjoy your creativity..
Sue

Class Act Challenge #5

2011-05-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Hi Hi Bloggers!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the SUNSHINE that we are FINALLY started to get - at least here in Southern Ontario! We've had nothing but rain for the past 2 weeks, but my oh my was yesterday GORGEOUS!!!!!!

We're back with another Class Act Challenge! But before we get to it, we like to announce the winner of the Chapel Road Non-Traditional/Unique Fold card! Congratulations Lisa Somerville to for your card entry! Please email Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your choice of a Chapel Road stamp set and address! :) Woo woo!!

Now, onto another Challenge.....Challenge Numbah 5! Class Act is hosting a challenge using masculine images to create your project BUT (there's always a but!) you must also incorporate fabric/stitching (can be foe fabric and stitching or real or something that looks like fabric)
To enter you don't need to use a Class Act/Chapel Road Stamp, but if you do use one of ours you will get TWO entries for your card!
The winner will receive a stamp of their choice from the Class Act line! Just add the link to your blog post or project below using the "Add Your Link" button! The deadline is May 19, 2011. Let the crafting begin!!!

Our DT has been hard at work (as always) to give you all a jump start! Click on their name for a link to their blog for the "how to!"

Chelsea Barnes

Claudine Poch

Dawn Bennett

Donna Duquette

Sheila Bartlett

Sue Allen

P.S. We have a new release for this challenge! There are new "gear" stamps, such as those that Donna and Sheila used!! They're animals that are completely made up of gears! Some pretty neat stuff you can do with them! Check it out on the Class Act website here!

More from Sue Allen!

2011-05-04T11:54:00.002-04:00

We get a double dose of Sue Allen today!!! Hurray!!!! :)

Greetings~
This project is an Easter Basket created from an envelope. I made these for my ATC group and filled them with...Chocolate of course! Using the new release Birdhouse stamps is such fun...there are so many possibilities. First seal the envelope and put the bottom half through your die-cut machine with a folder of choice. I coloured it with chalks and added small ribbon flowers. The birdhouse is coloured with prisma pencils and OMS (my fav way to colour), highlighted with a stardust pen and popped on a foam dot. The branches are punched in three colours of green. The large flowers are die-cut, backed with mulberry paper and glittered to death! (Large surprise LOL) 'Happy Easter' greeting is from Class Act vertical greetings which I cut apart so it could be staggered. Add a ribbon for the final touch.

Be sure to get outside and enjoy the fine spring weather...if we ever get any!

Greetings
Well we are already in the beginning of May and the spring flowers are beginning to bloom. The fine weather is bound to get here sooner or later and the birds will be nesting. This nice large birdhouse is just the right size for cutting, colouring and adding embellishments. The roof was stamped separately from patterned paper then cut out and attached to the birdhouse which is then coloured with prisma pencils and OMS. The tiny coral flowers are punched and pressed in a die. The leaves are a sizzix die-cut and sparkly gems added to the roof and flower centres. The front of the card is pressed in a cuttlebug folder and a window is cut in the centre with more flowers and leaves showing through.

Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers...if you can find them! LOL
Sue

2011-04-27T23:50:00.000-04:00

Our second winner from the last contest (due to the mess up with posting) is Lori Leng!
Please send Carol your address and choice of stamp at sales(at)classact.ca

Thanks!

Error...

2011-04-22T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hi guys,

There has been an error in the posting times for our challenge post. I was trying to get ahead of the game and get all of the post formatting ready since I have to work tomorrow, and it was supposed to post on April 22 (Friday) but decided that it would be cool if it posted now! Uncool, Blogger!!

We're sorry for any inconvienence this may have caused, and we will still honour any challenge cards that come in - we will do another draw and have two winners for this particular challenge to make up for it.

I hope everyone has a marvelous long weekend!

Challenge #4

2011-04-22T06:00:00.006-04:00

It just seems like the last challenge was yesterday! We are back with the Chapel Road DT and this week's challenge!

First, the winner of Challenge #2 is Jennifer! Congratulations! Please e-mail Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your choice of stamp :)

Now, onto the challenge! This challenege is a non-traditional card - Unique Fold Card. Let us see your cards using a favourite fold, or even learn a new one! To enter you don't need to use a Class Act/Chapel Road Stamp, but if you do use one of ours you will get TWO entries for your card! The winner will receive a stamp of their choice! Just add the link to your blog post or project below using the "Add Your Link" button! Deadline is May 6, 2011.

Here are some ideas our DT came up with, for your viewing pleasure!

Suzanne Czosek

Holly Brown

Gini Williams Cagle

Chelsea Barnes

Barbara Washington

Great job to everyone!!!

2011-04-18T14:10:00.003-04:00

Here is another blog post from Sue!! Enjoy!!!

Greetings,

The new release for April is a phethora of wonderful Birdhouses! With all the bird noise outside all the Spring feelings came into play. There are so many possibilities that I had a hard time trying to settle on one (for now). This card is in the shape of a birdhouse with the fold at the top. The card is covered with designer paper and the roof is punched along the eaves. The birdhouse stamp I used has 2 joined together so I cut each one out separately and coloured them with prisma pencils and OMS. The ferns in the background are inked with two colours. Small punches flowers are added behind a birch branch I found outside and tied with some raffia. Of course several tons of bling was added just for good measure. The whole to the house was punched with a corner punch usuing a 1 1/2" square of card.

Enjoy the sounds and the smells of the Spring season.

Sue

Class Act Challenge #2

2011-04-08T11:31:00.013-04:00

Welcome back to another Class Act blog challenge! We are show casing the Class Act Design Team!

Before we get to this weeks challenge blog we like to announce the winner of the Chapel Road - Edge Punch & Blue challenge! Congratulations Deb for your card entry! Please email Carol at sales(at)classact.ca with your choice of a Chapel Road stamp set and address.

This month we have new release images! Yayyyyy!!!! We're welcoming spring with some beautiful Birdhouses! Onto the challenge! This challenge is "Anything But A Card" challenge! This can be scrapbook page, altered item (box, picture frame, ect...).

We are making a change to how you enter our challenges. We are now opening up our challenges to allow anyone to enter using any stamp/image of their choice as long as you follow the weeks challenge! It doesn't have to be a Class Act/Chapel Road stamp, but of course we love to see our stamps used!

Here is the catch........everyone will receive one entry for their card, BUT if you use our Class Act or Chapel Road stamps you will receive an additional entry. SO that gives you two chances to win! The winner of the contest can choose a rubber stamp of their choice from the Class Act line.

The deadline for your project is Thursday April 22, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please click the link below the posted cards, where it says Add your Link to submit your entry. Here are some ideas from our Design Team to get you started. As always, for "how tos" please visit the member's blog which can be found to the right of this post!

Chelsea Barnes

Claudine Poch

Dawn Bennett

Donna Duquette

Sue Allen

Sheila Bartlett

So...as a recap...here is the recipe for this challenge...

Recipe: Use any stamp you like for one entry, use a Class Act stamp for two entries. Make anything but a card. Submit your project with the link below, and, most importantly..........have fun!

Chapel Road Challenge!

2011-03-25T00:01:00.010-04:00

It is time for another challenge! This time we have the Chapel Road line design team sharing there work! This challenge is using Edge punches and the colour blue! The deadline is Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. The winner will receive a Chapel Road stamp set of their choice. Once the winner is announced, be sure to check the blog and send Carol your address at sales(at)classact.ca! Before we get to the design team work we would like to announce the winner of the recipe challenge ... Deb M from B.C. For instructions, please visit her blog at http://stampalicious.blogspot.com/2011/03/vintage-bicycle-atc.html Thanks for your entry :)

On to the design team work, also visit the design team blogs for the details on how they made there project. For "How-To's" please visit the member's blog by clicking on their name!

Challenge Rules: 1) Use a Chapel Road stamp(s). 2) Leave us a DIRECT link to your project on your blog or gallery with inlinkz below by clicking "Add Your Link" 3) Have fun!

Now, go have fun! Stamp! Create!

2011-03-19T19:46:00.001-04:00

Here is another card blog post from Sue!

Greetings ~

It seems like we have been waiting a terribly long time for Spring so making a few Spring cards might just fill in the gaps....for a while! I saw a Robin last week (which is a major event here in the frozen north) so the promise of Spring is in the air. For to-day's card I used the new release Dolls of the World - Holland. There is a lot of great images in that set...tulips being one of them and I couldn't resist. The lattice window is made with a nestability and some quilling paper for the actual lattice (since I am too much of a lazy cow to cut the strips out individually). The windmill was stamped in black, coloured with prisma pencils and a red stardust pen then cut out. A second set of blades is cut out and mounted on the first ones with foam dots. Flower soft is glued at the bottom to give it some dimension. Several tulips were stamped, coloured with stardust pens and cut out. The ones at the front are mounted with foam dots to give it a 3-D effect. The greeting was stamped on white, punched with a scallop edge punch and mounted using foam dots. We can only hope that a Spring project like this one will hold us over until the real thing arrives. Personally I think that rotten little Groundhog lied!

Happy Stamping
Sue

2011-03-13T19:21:00.002-04:00

Greetings.

My card uses parts of the newly released Dolls of the World. This is from the Holland set which I really love. The tulip is stamped in black then coloured in prismacolour pencils and odorless mineral spirits and paper stubbies. Light blue is then sponged on the outside and then mounted on coral and celery green. A corner punch is used on the ends and all of the green is covered with Class Act glitter. It is then foam mounted on a white card that has been embossed with a cuddlebug folder. Maybe this tulip will encourage Spring to hurry on its way but with all this rain we may have to throw it a life preserver.

Happy Stamping

Sue Allen

Design Team Challenge #1!!

2011-03-03T15:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to our first design team challenge! The design team is now in place and we are ready to rock this blog! Our blog challenges will be happening twice a month. The first Friday of every month, and the last Friday of every month. The fist Friday will be showing you design team members from the Class Act stamp-line and the last Friday we will show you designs from the Chapel Road stamp line. Both challenges you can use either stamp line to enter.

Prize for this challenge is our Kirima Doll Set!

This challenge is a recipe challenge: 3 layers, bling (gems/glitter) & embossing. You will have until March 24th at 7pm to enter your projects.

Onto the design team creations:
P.S. For 'How-To's" visit each member's blog!

Chelsea Barnes

Claudine Poch

Dawn Bennett

Donna Duquette

Sheila Bartlett

Sue Allen

____________________________________________________________

Challenge Rules:

1) Use a Class Act stamp(s).

2) Leave us a DIRECT link to your project on your blog or gallery with inlinkz below

3) Have fun!

Introducing Carol and Raychel!

2011-03-03T14:19:00.006-05:00

Well, there is really not much to say about me other than I LOVE STAMPING!

I started in the rubberstamping business about 14 years ago and never regretted a single day of it.

To say the least, I am one of the lucky people that can get up in the morning and say "I like going to work" LOL Since I was a child, art was always of interest to me. Whether it was drawing, coloring, painting, anything with art, and it had my attention.

Being blessed with two wonderful children that were also very interested in the arts made this business even better. They would have ideas, and I always listened. Raychel and Richard are their names. Yes...........Raychel is the Class Act Insider in more ways than you all know. She lets little hints out on the blog, and without her, the blog would not exist. She is my computer genius!

Richard pushes on the idea department, and always says.........why isn't that done! LOL

My husband has no idea what this is all about, but just lets me do my thing. Oh, and to make you all jealous............he never complains about the money I spend on my crafting supplies.

So enough about me,

Thank you all for being part of my first Designn Team, and for putting in so much effort in your creations. Thank you.....Thank you.....

Also, a special thank you to Chelsea. She is the one that put the bug in my ear about the Design Team and has put me in the right direction everytime I go the wrong way. Her knowledge and ability to do things has been a great help.

Well, this is me, Raychel! I guess you could say I've been around crafting my whole life, and have jumped from craft to craft (making dreamcatchers, knitting, stitching stockings...you get the point). My biggest thing over the last 6 years or so has been scrapbooking - and in a big way! I'm slowly getting there with stamping...when I have to (ehem...Mom). But, besides crafting, some more about me is that I graduated teacher's college last year and have been on the hunt for educational employment ever since! I'm also an avid animal lover...if you couldn't tell by the contest video where I used Kiki to pick the winner, and in my bio pic with Lilo! They keep me sane...somewhat...when I'm not trying to get her out from under my bed...hmm...yeah :)

A sample of my card!

Just as a sidenote...the Canadian Chinchilla Rescue (a place I am rather close with and adopted a chin from...) helps to rehome unwanted or surrendered chinchillas in the GTA. They entered in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, and if they get in the Top 3 they will be given $10,000 to expand the foster program to help rehome more chins (there are currently at least 15 on a waiting list). How the money will be used is broken down on the page. By clicking on this link, please vote for them once, twice, or daily up until April 30th...any vote will help! Please pass it along, too! Thanks, bloggers! I love you! Even small furry critters deserve a fantastic furever home :)

Introducing Chelsea!

2011-03-02T23:09:00.006-05:00

Hi! My name is Chelsea and I have been crafting for the past 5 years! I am in love with paper! I find crafting to be relaxing and allows me to express my inner self. I enjoy designing for a number of different companies and being able to experiment with different products. My 2 favorite products are paper and ribbon! I have 5 tubs of ribbon and 12 tubs of paper! Whenever I meet a new crafter my encouragement to them is: creativity comes within, no one can tell you HOW to create but can give you tips on creating. :)

Chelsea's Creation!

I'm very glad to have you on the team! Your organization is saving my butt!!

Introducing Holly!

2011-03-02T13:55:00.005-05:00

My name is Holly Brown and I have been stamping for about eight years. It seems like I've always been involved in crafty pursuits ever since I was a little girl with a coloring book in one hand and crayons in the other hand. My husband and I love to spoil our puppies, watch movies together, and work on our vegetable garden in our spare time. My stamping hobby keeps me sane after a long work week and it's always fun to see what I can create with stamps, inks, and papers.

Holly's Card!

Yay! Welcome to the team! We're getting down to introducing our last (but not least!) members!

Introducing Sue Allen!

2011-02-28T12:58:00.004-05:00

Introducing Sue!
Greetings
My name is Sue Allen and I live in a small town in Southern Ontario.

For as long as I can remember I have been artistic with dozens of creative outlets. NeedleArts including tatting and lacemaking and all things related have had their turn but paper is my passion/obsession. It began decades ago with charcoal and pencil drawing, then progressed to watercolour. At the moment it is stamping and I am loving it! I have a weakness for techniques and Bling which seems to find a way onto almost every card I make... sometimes not in a very subtle way.

I am so thrilled to be joining Carol and all the fine artists on this Design Team and look forward to seeing everyone's creations.

Sue's Card!

Welcome to the team!!

Introducing Gini

2011-02-25T19:07:00.002-05:00

Gini Williams Cagle

I have been crafting all of my life, in one form or another. I was very successful as a bead artist. I had my work published in over a dozen books and magazines, and lectured and taught all over the country. But... my beaded pieces took on an average 500-1000 hours to complete. About 10 years ago, I began scrapbooking when my first nephew was born. I instantly fell in love with the immediacy of the medium (compared to the crazy hours I spent beading!) In the past year, I have gotten hooked cardmaking, stamping and coloring with copics. It's really funny to look at any of my work, from beadwork to paper and to be able to see the same style emerge, regardless of the medium. I have always loved dimension, and color and layers. I would say my papercrafting style is Shabby Chic meets Dolly Parton.

Papercrafting is really a family thing for me. My sister and I love getting together at least once a week to color and craft - and of course, my 4 year old nephew wants in on the action as well! My husband, doesn't ever craft with me, but he is my biggest cheerleader, and is always supportive of what I do. We have been married, for almost two years now. We have a fairytale romance - we knew each other in high school and were friends, but went over 20 years without any contact, and reconnected on Facebook and quickly knew we were meant to be together. I work as a Dental Hygienist - so papercrafting is always a welcomed release!

The card is 6 x 6 and uses papers from Pink Paislee's Queen Bee line. I stamped the Butterfly Background in CTMH Olive ink, and then cut it out using Spellbinders Label 18. The Sentiment was stamped on Bazzill cardstock and cut using Spellbinders Labels 21. The edges were inked using Distress Ink in Peeled Paint. The single butterfly was stamped from the Angle Butterfly set, colored with copics and fussy cut. All layers were attached to the card using dimensional adhesives to give it some height.

Introducing Sheila and Claudine!

2011-02-19T11:54:00.008-05:00

Here's round three of our introductions!!

Sheila Bartlett
Hi my name is Sheila Bartlett and I live in Southern Ontario, Canada. I have been married to the love of my life for 40 years. He is supportive of all my crafts which help me keep my sanity. I have tried quite a few in my day. The ones I have stuck with are creating greeting cards with rubber stamps and all that is associated with that, stained glass, knitting, and crocheting. I have been creating greeting cards for 25 years or there about. I find it so relaxing at the end of a busy day since i am a secretary in a fast pace medical office. I hope you enjoy my cards.

Sheila's Card!
She used the England World Doll Set.

Claudine Poch

My name is Claudine Poch. I live in Ohio in the United States with my husband, son, and cats. I have been doing crafts almost my whole life, and paper crafts for about five years. I enjoy making cards, particularly those that contain “critters”, such as cats and dogs. Most of my cards are sold to benefit the no-kill animal shelter where I volunteer. I am currently serving on a few other design teams and am excited to be a part of the new Class Act Design Team.

Claudine's Card!

She also used the Class Act England World Doll Set.

Great job, ladies!!

Introducing Dawn and Donna!

2011-02-15T20:12:00.008-05:00

Here is round 2 of our Design Team Introductions!

Dawn Bennett
Hi, my name is Dawn and I live in York, PA with my wonderful husband of 19 years and three wonderful children - my son is 18 and my two daughters 16 and 12 and our furry zoo!

My crafting started when my neighbor dragged me to a scrapbooking weekend about 4 1/2 years ago. After that I was hooked. I still work on my scrapbooks, but stamping and card making seems to be my thing right now. I only use Copics to bring my images to life and I hope my creations will inspire people and I hope to make many new friends along the way. I am thrilled to have been asked to join Class Act's Design Team! Thanks so much for this opportunity.

This is a sample of Dawn's Work!

I used the Japanese doll and embossed her in black on some gold lustre bazzill cardstock and then I took the accessories, mainly the hair pieces and stamped them randomly onto black cardstock and embossed them with gold embossing powder.

Then used my spellbinders label14 to cut out the doll and used spellbinder fancy tags to cut out the sentiment which was also stamped onto the gold bazzill and embossed in black

Then just used some of my ribbon for a bow.

Donna Duquette

Hi, my name is Donna Duquette and I'm thrilled to be a part of the Class Act design team. I live in the U.S. in a quiet little town in northern Connecticut. When my husband, Dave, decided to retire last year, we decided that I would take an early retirement so that we could both retirement together. I'm still pinching myself!

I've been involved with all sorts of art and crafts for as long as I can remember. I started stamping about 12 years ago so it's actually one of my newer hobbies. At first, I found stamping enjoyable because I could create little works of art without knowing how to draw. A couple of years ago, though, I decided to finally learn to draw. Today, I love to draw and paint, but I still enjoy rubber stamping. My own artwork is usually detailed and realistic, but with rubber stamps, I can work with images of any style and experiment with new techniques.

Here is a sample of Donna's Work!

Welcome to the team, gals!!

Introducing Suzanne and Barbara!

2011-02-11T23:04:00.009-05:00

Hi everyone!
It's getting that that time where we want to formally introduce our design team members!

Suzanne Czosek

Suzanne Czosek currently lives in Northern Illinois with her husband, three children and two dogs. She works full time as a project manager. Suzanne has been stamping for the last 5 to 6 years and currently designs for several teams and teaches classes at her local stamp store.
You'll find Suzanne's work published in Carts N Things, Just Cards and Stampington Publications.

This is a sample of Suzanne's work!

These are the instructions to make the card:
Stamped two times using StaZon on acetate.

Cut frame from 5 x 7 white cardstock.

Stamp sentiment using StaZon on frame.

Cut out second set of butterflies. Pop Dot and fold. Accent with gems.

Barbara Washington

My name is Barbara Washington, but you often see me signed as Barbara W.

I'm the mother of two wonderful grown daughters and the grandmother of two delightful grandchildren. I've lived in the windy city, ie Chicago all of my life.

I'm a retired College librarian.

Crafting has always been a part of my life, but I discovered stamping about fifteen years ago. Since then this fun activity has turned into a real passion. My style is somewhat eclectic. I love trying new techniques, trying new color combinations and love using texture. Cards are my usual creations, but I also love tags, atc's, 4x4's, dimensional projects, making books, and so on.

The beautiful thing about this art world is that we can share and learn from each other.

This is a sample of Barbara's Work!

These are the instructions to make the card:

The background uses the Butterfly Background stamp.

It was stamped using the Tissued Color technique from the latest issue of Technique Junkies.

Apply the ink to the stamp using tissue paper, the stamped image has a softer, distressed look to it.

I used Adirondack inks in salmon, stonewashed, and eggplant.

The focal image and its background were stamped with stamps from the Angle Butterfly set.

First stamp the butterfly and masked it.

Then stamp the butterfly words at an angle (so they were straight behind the butterfly) over the masked image.

The butterfly was colored with a yellow ochre Copic marker and the words were stamped with cloudy blue.

The center was die cut with Spellbinders label nine.

The sentiment was a stamp from Butterfly Square.

Welcome to the Class Act/Chapel Road Team, Ladies! :)

Winter Contest Winner!

2011-02-01T15:25:00.006-05:00

Hi All!
I was meaning to post this yesterday...but I had some very uncool things happen over the weekend. If any of you remember our Remembrance Day contest, I had my chinchilla, Kiki, choose our winner...well, she died very tragically on Saturday after I had her at the vet's office for 2 hours. So, needless to say, I have been a very upset blogger. R.I.P. Sweet Kiki: Mommy misses you!

But, better late than never!
We had three entries this month:

This card was created by Cindy Baker! She used the Class Act tree (I can't find it on the site right now...figures!) and the Class Act Chickadees! I can't get enough of the paper tearing technique :)

Next up is Sue Allen! Since she sent me a little "how-to" I'm going to paste it here for you!
"The technique is called dryer sheet. Stamps by Class Act [Each Snowflake; Splat Snowflake; Small Snowflake], border punch by Martha Stewart. The snowflakes and greeting are stamped first. Then the entire piece is covered with glue stick and a used dryer sheet is placed on the top and pressed well down. While still wet glitter (also Class Act) is sprinkles over the top then left to dry. Once dry put the card together and add embellishments."
Thanks for that, Sue! Makes my job easier hehe! I also LOVE those stamps!

Last but not least is Pat Moore, a first-time contest participant! Wahoooo! Here, Pat used a very pretty photo, and stamped the Class Act Polar Bear on it! hehe...cute! Just adds that finishing touch :)

Now, now, now...for this contest I just put names on a piece of paper and put them in a box! 33.33333333333% chance ladies!!!
Soooo...the picked paper saysssss....Pat Moore!! Congrats, Pat! Please send us your mailing address and we'll be sending some prize rubber your way!

For future reference, anyone on the Chapel Road or Class Act Design Team is more than welcome to submit cards, however they will not be entered to win prizes! I leave prizes to my Bloggers :-)

Has anyone checked out the World Dolls? What do you think? We're considering bringing out more!

Thanks everyone! I will be posting a new contest in the next little while!

Yours Truly,
Raychel

hehehe...

2011-01-25T15:03:00.003-05:00

While the cat is away, the mice will play!

Since Carol has abandoned me, again, to go on a oh-so-wonderful cruise...my form of payback is to have a large amount of orders for when she gets back that she has to ship out. Those sun-soaking, dolphin playing, margarita drinking days will be LONG gone when she gets her tanned butt back to all the snow!

SO! Here's the deal. 10% off of any orders that come in between today and Saturday night at 9pm! Let's make her wish she never left me here at home, unmanned at the computer with all of the admin stuff to do...hehehe *evil grin*

The promo code is "cruise"

I want her to WORK when she gets home!!! muahahaha

Remember to get those cards for the contest in!!

Announcing Our Design Team!

2011-01-20T20:11:00.005-05:00

After all of the anticipation we are going to release the names of those who were chosen to be part of the Class Act and Chapel Road Design Team! Thank you to all of those who applied; the decisions were not easy by any means!

So, after much deliberation...

Chapel Road Design Team
Barbara Washington
Gini Williams
Holly Brown
Suzanne Czosek
and Chelsea Barnes, who is also our DT coordinator!

Class Act Design Team
Claudine Poch
Dawn Bennett
Donna Duquette
Sheila Bartlett
and Chelsea Barnes

Sue Allen has also been promoted to being my own personal Blog Assistant! Yay!! She'll help me keep this blog hoppin' with fun ideas and crafty creations!

One of the tasks of the Design Team is to send in a biography along with a picture so that we get a glimpse into the life of each and every individual, along with their artistic flare!

Congratulations, Ladies! And special thanks to Chelsea who helped Carol put all of this together in a short period of time!

Thanks so much everyone!
Your Class Act Insider

P.S. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CONTEST THAT CLOSES NEXT WEEKEND! Get your projects in! :-)

Call Out for a Design Team!

2011-01-04T13:25:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
I'm at it again, since work has calmed down and I'm not working 14 days straight! Woohoo, life, I missed you!

I have some very exciting news for all of you! And since you're my fabulous bloggers, like always, you get the scoop before anyone else! Class Act and Chapel Road is now accepting applications for a design team! There will be a seperate design team for each company. If you are interested, please contact Carol directly at sales@classact.ca with a Subject Heading of "Design Team" for more information and she'll tell you everything you need to know about expectations and the application process! We are looking for 4 designers per company! The deadline for the completed application is January 17th, 2011. Members who are chosen to be on the team will be notified no later than January 20th, 2011.

On another note, it's a new year, so let's get a fresh start on this contest-thang!
The current theme is going to be "Winter," so pull out all of your blues, whites, snowflakes, and whatever else you have and let's see what you got! Remember, you must use either a Class Act or Chapel Road stamp. Contest deadline is January 30th, 2011. There are many stamps available on our website at http://classact.ca that you could get crafty with. Winner will receive a free stamp!

Speaking of which, we have put up some new stamps and accessories on the site! Personally, and I am a little biased here since I picked it out, but we have some kick-butt cardstock now! The website pictures don't really do it justice...but the glitter paper is fabulous! Each 8 1/2" x 11" piece is only $0.49! Find it here.

We're also working on putting a bunch of cute embellishments on the site for awesome prices :-) None of this Michael's need-a-40%-off-coupon business.

Anyways, I think that is all to update on now! Hope all is well with everyone and to hear from you soon!

Raychel

2010-11-24T18:25:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted contest results. I have 3 jobs on the go now, and things have been really busy. Aside from that, we only received one entry for our Remembrance Day contest, and two for Christmas so it's been a little discouraging.

Sue Allen was our only contestant for Remembrance Day (even though 9 of you voted for it! tisk tisk!!)
Here, Sue used the Class Act tree (not on the website yet) and Chapel Road Brick Artishapes. Very sweet card!!

And for Christmas Sue Allen and Therese Malak entered!

Here is Sue Allen's card. She used a Class Act Christmas Tree (again not on the site...jeez!! I thought we had most of these guys on there already!!) and Class Act's Christmas Blessings.
Great job, Sue!

This is Therese Malak's card! She used Class Act's Large Snowflake (ohhh it's on the site! Woohoo!!). I love the colour scheme :)

Now...since these two ladies are my #1 participants in all contests, I didn't want anyone to pick a card, per sey, since I said we weren't sending out prizes to each contestant everytime...SO...I happened to get new pets on Saturday (Chinchillas) so I had my girl, Kiki, choose the winner! Here is a video of that process!

Sorry about the last 11 seconds of the video...I had to catch her and forgot to turn the camera off!! LOL! Congratulations, Therese! Rubbahhhhh coming your way!!

Well everyone, I think I'm going to put the contests on a hiatus until I can find a way to get more entries. If you have any ideas, please let me know. We currently advertise on this blog, as well as a CST and Yahoo! groups. Hopefully we can get some more contests going in the New Year - I can imagine everyone is really busy with Christmas and the holidays coming up!

Thanks everyone!

Your Class Act Insider

Halloween Contest Results

2010-10-26T10:15:00.005-04:00

Hi all,
So our Halloween contest closed on Sunday. I only received cards from three participants - I hope there wasn't any electronic errors. They fooled around with my email and changed some things so it wasn't working for a day or so - please let me know if this was the case and you didn't hear back from me that I did receive your card.
Here are the entries:

Sue Allen got really creative and turned Chapel Road spooky!! She used Chapel Road's Thistle Etc. to make this card!! Well done on stretching the imagination!!

Sue Allen used Class Act's Witch stamp! So Halloween night-like!

Cindy Baker used Class Act's Cat with Pumpkins. Happy Halloween Bones, AND Spider Web! I'm loving the colours!

Therese Malak used a Class Act Mermaid that has yet to be released. She won this from a previous contest! Very creative, Therese!

Okay SO...this is going to be the last contest we are doing this for, but all three participants are going to receive a prize! Ladies, please send me your addresses so I can send you your stamp.
Try to entice your friends to get going on our next contests! There were 7 votes for Remembrance Day, so I am reallllllllllly expecting to see some pretty cards!!!

Next Contest:
Remembrance Day: Contest Closes November 14th at 5:00pm.
Christmas: Contest Closes November 21th at 5:00pm.

Thanks everyone!!

New contests!

2010-10-19T23:05:00.005-04:00

Helllooooo!!
So, I thought I would start off this post with a picture of Andrew and I helping to set up at Scrapfest on Thursday night. We have a table with wheels to bring stuff in from the truck...and that is how Andrew transported me for most of the evening. Life is good!

Anyways! The poll for determining our next contest is now closed, and Remembrance is our winner with 7 votes! Christmas had 3 votes. SO...this is my thinking...since Remembrance seems to be a hot category (and that I just had Mom in panic mode for a week trying to make a Remembrance line...) I'm going to run that contest until November 14 (my birthdayyyy!!! huzzah!!).

Howeverrrrr...I do realize that Christmas is coming up - and quick (66 days, 1 hour, and 44 minutes to be exact....but who's counting?). I was thinking that all of you are probably Christmas card makers instead of store bought - because personally, if I ever got caught buying one from the store I would probably be shot on the spot by all of my friends. SO!! The month of November is going to have a little more action than the last few months! The Remembrance contest will close on November 14, and the Christmas contest will close on November 21. There's a week break, but you can send in entries to either contest at any time. P.S. for you Chapel Road fans, we do have a new release of Chapel Road Christmas stamps out if you haven't checked them out already!

The Halloween contest is ending on Sunday, October 24 - which is coming up really soon! We already have some entries, and from what I hear you bloggers are getting CrEaTiVe...I like it!!!

Okay team - I made Mom do some damage by creating a Remembrance Day line...don't give her reason to kill me!! Eeeeek!!!! I know you couldn't live a day without seeing what trouble I get up to...and for you who have been asking...she hasn't kicked me out yet!! *phew*

Have a great night everyone!!

Raychel

Remembrance Day Release!

2010-10-17T18:54:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone!
I just got home from work and saw that Carol has been up to no good this afternoon!! Well, let me rephrase...no good in the sense that husbands/boyfriends would see it. She was card making with our brand new line (which has been released TODAY!!) that is all about Remembrance Day! Or, in the US, Veteran's Day.

I don't want to give you a history lesson, but incase you want a condensed version of why Remembrance Day is what it is...here it is!
Remembrance Day is such a special day that commemorates the end of World War I in 1918. November 11 is the day when Germany signed the Armistice which stopped hostilities. This was signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...November 11, at 11:00am. Every year we not only remember the lives that were lost through military and civilian battles during the First World War, but also those who have given up their lives for the world to be the way it is today since then.

The poppy is a popular symbol of Remembrance Day. After battles had taken place, the landscape was barren. Soldiers were buried, and the once barren land were soon populated by poppies.

Due to the votes on the poll so far, we created this line specifically for you! And if it wins the poll, these will be your options to play with!

I understand that links in the blog have not worked in the past - but rest assured we have had them fixed so that they will take you to the site now!

Let me know what you guys think!!

Raychel

Scrapfest!!

2010-10-13T12:33:00.003-04:00

Hiiiii!!! It's only a few days before the ol' mighty Scrapfest at Durham College in Oshawa!! Is anyone going? I won't be there the entire time - don't cry, it's okay - but my other work bellows my name much too loud these days. My Mamma (Carol) will be there...and I'll tell her that she has to be incredibly funny, charming, and everything that I am in order to make up for my absence....

Mom, please don't read this blog post. I like living at home. And if you are reading it...I'm just joking...obviously...8-) hehe

If you do go, I'll be there in spirit...if you know of Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and have been following her releases...there was actually a pinup girl named after me! If you're ever so interested...see me in paper/rubbah form here! You see, my bloggers - I'm famous! And you were the first ones to be by my side! Well, okay, I'm not flattering myself...just pointing out how excited I can get!

Anyways my friends, I am currently working on a brand new line that Class Act is coming out with - and I think that it is quite honestly the best yet. If you're realllllllllllllly curious I'll give you a hint, and say it's pretty cultural...that's the clue for today! Anyways - there is less than one week left to make your vote count for our next contest!

Peace!!
Raychel

P.S. For those of you who haven't been on the website recently, I have added some new categories:
Bugs
6 Categories of Flowers
Fruits & Veggies
and Ice Cream

I'm working on getting up Easter (even though it's early), Dogs, and the new lines to be up super soon!

2010-10-10T16:20:00.003-04:00

Helllo my Bloggin' Buddies!!

I hope everyone (well, in Canada anyways) has been having a wonderful long weekend!! Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to make sure that you guys make a vote for what you want our next contest to be! It's pretty important that if you want to have an extra reason to make cards that you have had a say in the matter! :-) As of right now Remembrance is winning - and we are working on some new Remembrance designs as we speak.

Remembrance is ahead with 3 votes, while Christmas, Fall, and Thanksgiving are trailing at 1.

Make your vote count! :-)

Enjoy the gobble gobble! Will post with some new exciting things soon!

- Your Insider

2010-09-28T14:32:00.002-04:00

Psssssssssssssstttt.....I just put a few more Halloween designs on the website! Shhhhhhh!!

AND!!!! For the FIRST TIME EVER Chapel Road has just released a Christmas line! Check them out in the "New" section under the Chapel Road category!

2010-09-26T20:18:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone!
Sorry I am posting this a day late - it was such a busy weekend I came home from work yesterday and SLEPTTTTT!

GREAT NEWS!!!! We had 8 card entries this month! Woooooohoooooo!!! Now, that just means that it got THAT much harder to find us a winner. I was chatting with Mom, trying to figure out how to find a winner. Originally, I was going to put all of your names in a hat and randomly draw one out - but then Mom had a great idea that I should involve my boyfriend, Andrew, in the process. I mean, he hears and sees enough about it...might as well get him informed! So - this month, he was your judge! It actually took him a while, too, he didn't just pick the first one he saw to get it over and done with (awwww...) AND...just incase you're thinking that there's no way I got him to do it...I took pictures...he loves me.

Here are all of the wonderful cards we received! Thank you to everyone who submitted! Remember: Our next contest is Halloween themed! If you haven't won yet, make sure you give it your all! Contest details will be at the top of the blog! Since we're starting to get more cards, I'm going to up the odds of winning! For every 6 cards we get, there will be 1 winner. So, if there are 12 cards there will be 2 winners, 18 cards 3 winners, etc. If we have equal(ish) groupings of Chapel Road and Class Act stamps, we'll separate them, too. I'll also continue to throw out random names for our Blog Follower Prize, so make sure you check back every now and them to see if your name is on here!

Now, Presenting Our September 2010 Entries..........

Carole Jansen used Class Act's Sleeping Fairy!

Diane Armstrong used Class Act's Garden Girl!

Dorothy Pileggi used Chapel Road's Large Artishapes 1!

Eileen MacDonald used Chapel Road's Da Vinci Horses!

Jo Oostrom used Class Act's Talented Cats!

Maria Vanderform used Class Act's Lovely Ladybug, which she won just for being a follower on the Blog! This stamp isn't on the website yet - coming soon!

Therese Malak used Class Act's Sunflower! This stamp isn't up on the new site yet - coming soon, too!

And finally...our winner, after much deliberation.....

SUE ALLEN used Chapel Road's Thistle Etc!
Great work, Sue! Please make sure to e-mail me your address for your prize :-)

Everyone did such a wonderful job on their projects!!! I am so so proud :-) Keep 'em coming for the next one! Chapel Road doesn't have any Halloween stamps in particular, but if you want to get really creative - be my guest! We've thrown up some new Halloween images on our site. Here's a quick link to it for your convenience!

Contest Closes Sunday October 24, 2010!

Thanks for an awesome contest, everyone!! I'll try to think up of something awesome for judging our next contest!

Raychel

2010-09-20T15:12:00.008-04:00

Hello everyone!
MY COMPUTER IS BACK! Which means I'll be blogging more. After going through 5 years of university, thesis and all, I thought that being away from a computer would be a good thing - it's really not easy! My fingers were starting to cramp up a little from the lack of random movements in a horizontal fashion.

ANYWAYS. Clearly we have been slacking putting up new designs on the site - but I promise you it's coming!! There is a very good reason, though, if you'll hear my plea.........will you? Please?

Chapel Road is coming out with a Christmas line! Liz Stenson has been hard at work creating designs, and we're on the other side of the fence trying to get them ready for this weekend! See? I knew you'd forgive me.

Does anyone scrapbook using rubber stamps? I'm going to post a picture of one that I did using stamps - I love it! Kind of gives you that extra dimension to "blah" pages that you don't know how to fix. I also LOVE using alphabet sets instead of writing it yourself or using stickers. It's just something different! Anywho, if you choose to look at the pictures be warned that you'll be getting snap shots of my life! I've done lots of crazy things! :-)

Okay! So here I had green 12 x 12" paper that went with my pictures, but you have no idea how BORING it was without using the bru sh dragonfly stamp to add a bit of focus! Such an easy fix to make pages look that much more amazing!

Here's another one of my crazy outings for a Lacrosse Rookie Night while I was at Trent (don't judge me, okay?) I used the little lacrosse dude (not on the site yet) as a background to fill up some space, as it suited the occasion!

This one was at Warsaw Caves...again, the page would have looked somewhat boring if it wasn't for some added dimension! I used one of the stamp rollers (looks like a mini brayer) and inked it up to make random lines throughout the page!

This one is from my Arctic Album! I went up to do research for my thesis and saw a ton of wildlife! Here, I used my alphabet set to do "Caribou" that matched the paper I was layering with. I don't know if you can see it from the picture, but I used Class Act's Angelina Fibres to make a background for the caribou picture on the middle left side of the page! So pretty!

Again with the Arctic wildlife, but I used the alphabet stamps to do "arctic wolf." What I really! like is that you can stamp the letters to suit your needs - you don't need to leave a rectangular space for a sticker and whatnot. They're just crazy versatile! Love, love, love!

More from my Arctic Album with the letters. I just use them so much!

Anyways, I'm curious as to if any of you DO scrapbook? From people I have talked to it seems to be one or the other....but I am determined to combine both! Leave a comment as to if you're a scrapper, stamper, or jack of all trades!

Thanks guys! Don't forget about our contest ending Sunday! You still have lots of time to get them in to win a Class Act stamp!

Until next time,
Raychel

2010-09-10T16:26:00.003-04:00

Hi Bloggers!
Sorry there has been no post in the last week - my computer decided to fry it's motherboard, so I have been without a computer!!! I still don't have it back, so bare with me! Technology...I'm tellin' ya.

ANYWAYS! I wanted to quickly update you guys of some fun STAMP CAMPs that Carol is going to be doing around Southern Ontario! 10 cards...2-3 hours (depending on numbers)! Some stores are offering both a Class Act class and a seperate Chapel Road class, and others are doing strictly Chapel Road (I know how much you guys seem to be digging that line!). She is only doing the dates listed below, and is not doing them throughout the year on a constant basis, so get in while you can! The cards are ouber cute!!

Saturday September 25 2010 - Angela's Papercrafts in Dundas, Ontario (two Chapel Road classes)
Saturday October 23 2010 - The Rubber Stamp Store in St. Catherines, Ontario
Sunday October 24 2010 - Olde Tyme Country Crafts in Brampton, Ontario

I still need Diane and Maria to e-mail me your addresses for your winnings from the last contest!

We have some great looking cards for our current contest, so keep them coming!!!

Until technology becomes my friend again,
Yours Truly

Contest 3 Results!!!

2010-09-04T00:04:00.022-04:00

Hi everyone!

What’s the verdict on the new website?! Huh, Huh?

Well, it is time to announce our winners from Contest #3 and our Random Blogger!
We had cards sent in my Therese Malak and Diane Armstrong, both submitted one Chapel Road and one Class Act. That was all of the entries for the Contest, so naturally they’re both winners! Beautiful cards, though, I really must say! Here they are below for fame and fortune. They’re also up on our website. Both ladies are going to be receiving a brand spankin’ new Class Act stamp that hasn’t been released to the public yet! Only I have had the pleasure of playing with them, so I hope you guys do something fun, too!....and maybe show me? Hehe

Anyways – I need you two lovelies to e-mail me with your address so I can send you off your prize!

All you others - get moving on the next contest for your chance to win win win!!

Our Random Blogger is Maria Vanderform! This was just a random drawing of our bloggers that have followed us to date! Just a thank-you for keeping me company! So, Maria, please send me your address as well!!

Dun dun dah dunnnnnnn!!!!

Entry 1:
Diane Armstrong uses Chapel Road's 'Maple Leaves."

Entry 2:

Therese Malak uses one of Chapel Road's "Small Poems" images!

Entry 3:
Therese Malak uses Class Act's "Old Car" (very original - IIIIII know....) image!

Entry 4:

Diane Armstrong uses Class Act's "Girl With Bonnet" image (my goodness...I just love these image names!)

CONGRATULATIONS Diane and Therese! You both made absolutely lovely cards! Andddd I put them all up on the website so that you will become famous...like me...okay not like me, I wouldn't want to be at my level...I'm pretty boring. But you'll be (/are) amazing!! Thanks for your participation, and please send me off your information :-) Maria - you too!!

Thanks everyone!! Looking forward to seeing everyone's next project!!

2010-09-03T11:03:00.001-04:00

Hi folks!
For those seeking easy access to the website, here it is!!! We're up half an hour early!!!

http://www.classact.ca

There is also going to be a prize especially for our bloggers! If you are signed up for our blog by tomorrow (Saturday) at 10am you will be entered to win a Class Act prize! Winner will be announced along with the Contest #3 winners!

2010-09-02T17:18:00.002-04:00

Well folks, it's less than 24 hours before the new release! Let me tell you, Carol and I are working our butts and eyes off to get it all in tip top shape! Naturally, we would have problems the day before the release, but we're getting it fixed now!

This is just going to be a short post, but I want to urrrrrge you to look in the "Ordering" section of the new website tomorrow - I think you'll reallllly like what you see in regards to shipping ;-) And nooooo I'm not telling you now, so don't even think of e-mailing me (although, I would get a good chuckle)! hehehe

Also! When you go to click on an image in this new site, there will be card samples under the image in lieu of a general card gallery. If you make a card with one of our stamps and would like to be featured on the site, send it our way and we'll make sure to give you credit when we put it up!

I think that is all for now....must get back to webbing!

2010-08-26T15:31:00.003-04:00

Andddd a little treat for my favourite people - this is the colour scheme and style of the new Class Act/Chapel Road website!!
Just a teaser....

2010-08-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

Hello Bloggers!
Sorry about my hiatus in updating contests...the last two had no entries so I thought I would give it a rest until the website got up and running...ultimate fail!

SO! Due to popular demand...here's the next contest...same as the previous two contests: make an awesome card using a Class Act or Chapel Road Artstamp and send it to us! The winner will receive a FREE Class Act stamp that has yet to be released!

If we get enough entries on this contest I will break the cards/projects up into two seperate categories (one for Class Act stamps, and one for Chapel Road), and then we will have two winners! If we only get a handful of cards, though, we'll keep it all in one category.

The deadline for this contest will be Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 11:00p.m.! E-mail me a picture/scan of your card, please, at Raychel@classact.ca! One card per person per category, please. (i.e. you could submit one entry for Class Act, and one entry for Chapel Road, but not two for Class Act...etc)

!!!!VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Please make sure that you receive an e-mail back from me confirming that I received your cards. Sometimes e-mail can go a little quirky and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out due to errors! :-)

In other news...the website is coming along, and in the next week I can see me dreaming about moving a mouse around on the computer adding image after image. There is still hope to get it done by the end of the month. Bear with our eyes :-) Worst case scenario, we will post everything we have so far, including Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween stamps - many of which are NEW to the Class Act website! Ohhhhh so excited!!!

I would also like to thank Therese and Diane for helping to bring this blog to life again!

And just to light a little fire under all of you - we already have two entries! Happy Stamping!! I am looking forward to seeing the masterpieces you all create :-)

Peace!
Raychel

2010-07-25T14:22:00.002-04:00

Hellloooo crafty stampers!
Happy Sunday!
There's not much new to report on - I have been slacking in the card making department because things have been so crazy with trying to get the new website up! On average it takes about 5 minutes per image to do, and when you have a couple thousand images...it's painful! Not to mention how my eyes scream madly at me due to the LED exposure...

Carol and I are in a bit of a predicament. We really, really want to release the new site...but we only have about 6 categories of stamps completed on the site. Our main concern right now is Christmas, because it's that time of year that all of you homemade card makers look for some new and exciting Christmas stamps! There are MANY MANY MANY new images that we do not have on the old site...would you guys want us to release the site up until Christmas so that you can see what peeks your fancy? We would then add categories as we complete them throughout the month of August.

Leave a comment or send me an email at Raychel@Classact.ca and tell me your thoughts and suggestions! I'd love to hear what you have to say! :-)

2010-07-11T21:12:00.012-04:00

Hey all!
There's quite a bit to report on from a very busy weekend here at Class Act!
The new website is almost finished being created!!! - now, don't go and get TOO excited...we still have to put all of our stamps on it, which is going to be a lot of work but we're going to get it done A.S.A.P.! Promise!

Aside from that, Carol and I went head-to-head with our so called "craft room" (known by friends and family as the "junk room," "messy room," and the ever-famous "what the heck is that room for, anyways?" I had spent most of yesterday working on cards (Yes! Me, working on cards again - maybe this blog is good for me, afterall!), and somehow managed to find everything I needed. However, I guess everything is lookin'-up-Raychel because she even gave me my own corner, complete with cabinet to put all of MY craft stuff! WOOOO!! Life is good.

I thought I would share my creations with you - and, you, my very special bloggers, are going to be getting a sneak peek at some of Class Act's brand new stamps that will be released in the very near future!! (pssst...this is just between us, she doesn't know I found her stash of newly pressed ones...teehee)

This was my first work of art! I used Class Act's Calla Lily (FL101L), black Memory inkpad, white glossy paper, brown cardstock, and green cardstock, and Tombow markers. It really took no time, and it looks pretty classy! Tombow markers are my new favourite toy. I never made cards before simply because I hated colouring with pencil crayons. They will change your colouring world!

This one was my second attempt to create a masterpiece. This is part of the new collection! It's a very fun stamp - and there are four of them that have this same design/look. All we need here is black and red cardstock, white ribbon, a border of somekind, and rhinestones! Around the edges of the black I used Rose Quartz Spash Metallic ink - they show up great on dark colours!

Yet another newbie! This cute little guy is part of an underwater collection that is in process of being released as well. Here I used Crystal Lacquer to give the crab a wet/underwater look.

Anddddd perhaps my favourite card and line coming out - THE GIRLIE DRINKS! Huzzah!! I'm pretty much changing the motto of my life to the saying on the card....as if I need more excuses! There are too many stamps to ink and blank pieces of paper kickin' around!

Again with the Tombow markers, but I just absolutely love love love the cute drink!!

ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggI I think now is as great a time as any to open up a competition!! If you have Class Act/Chapel Road Art Stamps, e-mail your card or project to Raychel@classact.ca. The winner will be determined by poll on the Yahoo! stamping group, and the winner will be sent a free stamp that hasn't been released yet! Woohoo!! So send 'em in and let's get this going! The competition will close on Thursday July 22nd, so don't delay!

2010-07-05T15:41:00.006-04:00

A'hoy there!

I finally have some projects to post on here! I don't make cards a whole lot, so when I do I like to think they're something special, even if it's just to me. I'm a big fan of that instant gratification that you get when you've finished something...probably the reason why I like being creative and crafty so much! (I'm more of a scrapbooker than a stamper, by the way. That's one area that Mom and I are polar opposites.)

OH OH OH!!! Exciting news...I got my own e-mail for managing this blog :-) (FINALLY!!) So, my personal e-mail is Raychel@classact.ca. If you have any suggestions on helping me get going on this, send them my way, pretty please :-) Orders and inquiries can still be sent to sales@classact.ca.

My most recent card is a wedding card that I made for two of my friends who were married on Saturday (awwwww...). I've built up a reputation that would warrant my arrest if I ever bought an invitation or card instead of making it myself. Turns out it was crazy easy! All I did was use the Krystal Klear sheets, put lacquer on one side, then sprinkled black and pink glitter and tiny beads on the back. It dries clear and gives the card a really cool effect! I have also learned that my BlackBerry camera is not appropriate for this type of photography. Note taken.

I figured I would post this card too, only because I am too proud that I made it look decent in a short period of time! It was (obviously) for an 89th birthday, and the classic '57 Chevy was definitely a hit! I also vote "yes" to this type of picture! No shadow AND not blurry! Life is lookin' up!

Anywho, the new website is going to be up and running very soon! In the meantime, I'm going to give you a little bit of a surprise for helping us clear out the old stuff! I know Mom (Carol) only wanted to give you guys 20% off regularly priced stamps on the Yahoo group...buttt because I have control of this blog I'm going to UP it to 25% off of EVERYTHING on the Class Act site (woo woo!!!). Take that, Mom, for making me work all those hours while you were on vacation! But seriously...help me! I don't want to inventory all of this stuff...so just think, you can be helping ME out by taking stamps away AND feeding your obsession. I'll love you forever!!? Unfortuantely, I have to stick with her deadline of having the sale over on Sunday, July 11, 2010.

When you send in your order, make sure you put your username or e-mail that you used to follow this blog - that will entitle you to the sale! And don't worry - I'll tell her what I did...just after this is posted and logged off of the computer ;-)

Happy Stamp-a-lamp-a-lin!

Raychel

2010-06-28T16:51:00.003-04:00

Well, Well, Well. The weekend has come and gone. But wait - what weekend? It came and went, all right, but I didn't know it was here! Carol decided to leave me (and, in turn, Class Act and Chapel Road) all alone this week while she is off having a grand ol' time in Atlantic City on her honeymoon! Well, yay for her. You guys really want to know what she did to me? As she was packing up Friday night she was like,

"Oh, Raychel, by the way, I told so and so that their orders would be out on Monday."
"Really, Mom, already? That's great!"
"Well, you see...you have to bring it to the post office for me on Monday, if that's okay?."
"Sure thing! Where are they?" - I shouldn't have asked.

They were yet to be completed. I spent my entire weekend in the garage with four machines running at 312 degrees! Have I mentioned that it was perhaps the hottest, most humid weekend we have experienced this summer? At least I may have lost 10 pounds in sweat - andddd on second thought, maybe you guys don't want to hear (or read) about that. Needless to say, YOU'RE WELCOME! :-) I think that that kind of work merits my own e-mail@classact.ca. I think I will pose that request to the vacationer whenever she gets her butt back to Canada and into the shop.

You know what the worst part of this is? I don't even think anyone reads this blog to date. I also have to get her to change that - pronto!

Here's the Starting Point...

2010-06-25T21:14:00.000-04:00

Well, here we are - the official Class Act/Chapel Road Art Stamps Blog!

Just before we kick this thing off, I should probably introduce myself so that you know where this text is going to be coming from for the rest of this blog! My name is Raychel, and I am Carol's daughter :-). For those of you who don't know who Carol is, she is the owner/operator of both Class Act and Chapel Road, and as far as I'm concerned - she's a pretty cool gal!

Now, considering that fact, I can't say that I'm exactly the stamping pro that she is, or likely that many of you are, but it is my job to keep these blogs interesting, humourous, and informative! Come on, I've only lived with a stamp company operating out of my garage since...well, since I can remember. Anyways, Carol does feel confident in my writing abilities - I hope she knows what she's doing...and, also, I hope that you know what you're going to be in for if you continue to read this blog.

Please be forewarned that I have a rather dry, sarcastic sense of humour that I try to weave into almost everything that I write, even if it's not really that funny. That's just one little tidbit that you have to look forward to :-)

I think this is enough for the first post, so until next time!
Happy Stamping!

Raychel