for you

I made this card using this week's sketch challenge (SC238).   A new sketch will be posted over at SCS tomorrow, so check this one out while you're waiting if you haven't already given it a try.  It's a fun one!!!

I sponged the edges of the Melon Mambo CS squares prior to stamping the image on them in Basic Gray.  I also popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals and placed same-sized squares of Whisper White CS directly under them to add some dimension and a little more pop to the card.  This was a really fun sketch and I can see myself using it again.

My dad comes to town tomorrow so I will be busy getting my husband's car fixed with his help.  I have a few posts scheduled and will do my best to spread them out until we get back from our trip.  My dad's going to drive with me now when I drive down to my parents after the car issues are taken care of.  Thanks for checking in, I appreciate your kind thoughts and comments so much!!!  Take care!!!

All supplies are SU!

Stamps:  Stem Silhouettes, Great Friend
Paper:  Basic Gray, Melon Mambo and Whisper White CS, Basic Gray and Melon Mambo Textured CS
Ink:  Melon Mambo and Basic Gray classic ink
Accessories:  Jumbo Grommet in Whisper White, Melon Mambo 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Sponge, Paper Piercing Tool, Template and Pad, Scallop Edge punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Final Deal of the Week from SU!

So have you just been LOVING these deals that SU! has offered each week in July?!?  I know I have!!!  Below is the final deal of the week, with the details.  Don't miss out on buying it - you have to order by 11:50 pm MT on July 31st.  

 

Deal of the Week: Heart to Heart Punch

You're going to LOVE our Heart to Heart punch, especially July 27-31 when it's just $10.99—that's more than 30% off the regular price of $15.95!

I just {heart} this punch!  He he he ;)  I have used it many times, but unfortunately my pictures using it are in some of the posts that I haven't gotten to yet to update the pictures after switching over from TypePad.  If you type in Heart to Heart punch in the search bar on the right-hand side of my blog, it will bring up the posts it's in, but the pictures won't show.  I am going to try and update the rest of my pictures while I'm at my parents and have some extra eyes to watch the kids.

If you want this punch (I promise you'll love it too - especially because it coordinates perfectly with an image of 3 hearts in the Love You Much stamp set!!), you can click on the "Order Stampin' Up! Online" link in my right-hand sidebar to order it now.  Enter item #113694 to make it yours!

A Merry Little Christmas to you

I really miss having workshops, classes and stamp camps.  I have my fingers crossed that one of these days I'll finally find someone here who doesn't already have one of the dozen other SU! demonstrators as their demo (I wouldn't ever "steal" a customer) or that just plain WANTS to or LIKES to stamp!  My own friends, other than my neighbor, don't really enjoy it and it's not something you can MAKE someone like.  They either do, or don't.  I have run out of ideas for meeting new customers.  Anyway, before we moved here last year, I used to do a Christmas in July where I would get all decked out in Christmas-looking clothes, I would make Christmas treats, and play Christmas music and even put out some Christmas decorations.  My customers would always have a blast making some Christmas cards and other projects.  I made this card for my only little "personal" Christmas in July.  I used the Hostess Level II stamp set from the new IB&C called Christmas Punch.  I used some of that gorgeous new Real Red 3/4" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon and I think it's a great CAS (Clean & Simple) card that I could easily mass-produce as a Christmas card this year.  What do you think? 

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Christmas Punch
Paper:  Old Olive and Very Vanilla CS
Ink:  Real Red and Old Olive classic ink
Accessories:  Wide Oval punch, Real Red 3/4" Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

{happy birthday} on Stamper's Showcase

Thanks Vera for letting me know THIS card made it on SS today.  I got a MUCH better picture of it myself.  I made one to send in to SU! and I replaced the pale plum button with a Kraft corduroy button (to make it "current" - wish I'd had them at the time of the original swap!), and forgot to take a picture of it before sending it in.  Sorry!!!  That makes card #3 for me on there out of the bunch that I sent them.  You've seen all of the ones I sent, I think.  I couldn't hold off on posting them ;)  If any more make it I'll share the links to the original posts.  Have a great day!

Greetings, Earthling

So, I decided to take part in a couple of the challenges over at Stampin' Addicts - all with one card!!!

The Technique Challenge for this week was to use faux stitching on your card.  The Sketch Challenge this week is where my LO came from.  The glitter on this cute little gal was a result of the Accessories Challenge.  I like how the card turned out.  I'm still learning to tweak things with PhotoShop and hope that it looks okay.  I sometimes feel like I "over tweaked" my images.

Anyway, would love to hear what you think.  I hope you're having a great day!!

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Greetings, Earthling
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Basic Black and Whisper White CS, Crushed Curry Textured CS, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink:  Black StazOn, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories:  2-Way Glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Scallop Edge punch, Piercing Tool, Template and Pad, Black brads, Basic Black Stampin' Write marker, Blender Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals

Owie!

This is what I spent last night taking care of.  My middle daughter cut her forehead open and I knew that it needed more than a band-aid.  I took her to the ER, and they refused to get a plastic surgeon to stitch it, so they just super-glued it (that's all DermaBond is, really).  I was a nice "clean" cut, with no rough edges, but COME ON!!  It's RIGHT in the MIDDLE of her forehead and we can't hide it, and as you can see, the DermaBond didn't seal the cut totally shut like stitches would have, which means by virtue of that alone, it will be a wider scar than it could have been.  They even gave me info on "reversion" as we left, which is work on the scar after it heals poorly and I'm thinking, "why not call the doc in and have him do it right the first time?!?!"  Maybe I wasn't pushy enough - I hope my daughter isn't scarred for life because of me.  Vertical scars heal much less well than horizontal ones when they're on the forehead.  A vertical scar goes "against the grain" of the skin on your forehead, and the tension is against it rather much more so from the natural pull of the skin.  Anyway, I must sound really vain, but she's my baby and she was (is?) perfect before this.  I hope it heals with little evidence left behind!  

So, this and some other things that have been going on with my husband's car (he's not here to take care of it, of course!) have been stressful lately.  I wish I were a man sometimes because men don't take women seriously, even when I am quite certain I have a higher education than they do (I went to the Air Force Academy where we take so many Engineering classes as core classes that it has us leaving with close to what would be a minor in General Engineering if such a thing existed!!!), and know that a car should MOVE when you put it in drive/reverse and don't need college to tell me that!  They are treating me like I'm stupid. 

Unfortunately it may be a while before I get to post. We go out of town next week and I promise I'm still alive, but unless I get some stamping time in (crossing my fingers!!), you won't be hearing from me until we get back home (it will be a while).  I may not get to stamp then though either because my hubby gets back from his deployment at the beginning of September!!!  Yippee!!!!

So....if you don't already, SUBSCRIBE to my blog.  I love each and every comment that you guys leave me, and don't want to lose you during my absence!!!  I will try to schedule some posts though, but can't promise anything.

congratulations

This is a set of cards I made for my husband's squadron to give to the families with new baby girls.  I guess there's something in the water here - I gave them equal amounts of boy and girl cards, and they already need more for little girls :)  The card is a mix of old and new.  The pink is Pink Pirouette, the stamp is Congrats from this past Sale-a-Bration promotion, and the DSP is from the Cottage Wall DSP pack (new) and the butterfly is Bella Birds DSP (old) punched with the new Butterfly punch in the new Idea Book & Catalog.

I hope you like it!

happy birthday card

Well, THIS card made it to Stamper's Showcase today (20 July) and back on the 11th of July THIS card was on there.  It's fun to see your own creations on there, but I must admit a teeny tiny bit of a bummer because I sent all these cards in for various contests so it means that each one that pops up was another non-winner.  I've never won a SU! contest, but have had many of my cards make it on to Stamper's Showcase.  I guess that will have to be good enough ;)  I do still have several more - we'll see if they turn up on SS or not :)

I do have a card for you tomorrow.  I have only stamped once in the last 3 weeks or so, and I still have to upload the picture and get the post typed up.  It's a simple card, so don't expect anything huge ;)

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SEPTEMBER!!!!  I must admit that I'm getting worn out with (temporarily) single parenting due to my husband's deployment.  131 days is a long time, and it gives me tremendous respect for the parents who have to do it 100% of the time.  I don't think there are many who truly understand what you go through, but I've gotten a taste and know that it takes a very strong person.

for you

I made this card for a dear friend who is moving, and wanted to post it after I had given it to her.  We went out to celebrate our friendship with her last night at Olive Garden - to let her know she will be missed, and it was a blast!  I will miss her very much and hope that our paths cross again in the future.  It's a small world, so you never know....

I actually decorated the inside of this card, as you can see in the picture, but it's nothing phenomenal.  I thought I'd share it with you though. 

I hope you're having a great week!

 

All supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps:  Great Friend
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry Textured CS, Whisper White CS, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink:  Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink and Stampin' Write markers
Accessories:  Silver Brads, Scallop Edge punch, 1/2" Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Matchbox Bigz XL die, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

{friend to friend}

 

I inadvertently forgot to post this card.  I made it for a Catalog Pre-Order swap that I was in with my SUFriends4Ever gals.  I really like this card.  I made several extra of it so that I could give them to friends.  The new Modern Label punch is super fun, as are the new In Colors and Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon.  I hope you like it!  If you want to order any of these great new items that were used on the card, just let me know!  Stay tuned for this week's Deal of the Week item from SU! too!!!!!

Stamps:  Kind & Caring Thoughts, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Whisper White CS, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink:  Rich Razzleberry classic ink
Accessories:  Curvy Label and Modern Label punches, 1/2" Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain ribbon, 5/16" Jumbo Whisper White brad, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thank You!

I just wanted to give a quick thanks to those of you who noticed my card on Stamper's Showcase (on the SU! Demonstrator website) today.  I appreciate it!!  It was THIS card, for those of you who aren't demonstrators.  Obviously, it didn't win ;)  I wish I could get it back - I like it a lot!!!! :)

Another Quick One

Sorry to be so brief lately.  Life has been crazy hectic and I haven't stamped in weeks.  This is another card from my SIM in June that was a direct CASE of THIS card by Tami Mayberry.  Check her blog out HERE.  She is just a FABULOUS paper crafter, not to mention the brains behind CPS - which I LOVE when I actually have time to stamp and use the sketches!!!  Sorry for not having a recipe for the card today either.

Just to update those of you who have been so sweet as to inquire about my little one after his surgery - he is doing VERY well.  BOTH surgeries took all of about 20 minutes!!  I couldn't believe it when the first doctor came out and said he was done inserting the tubes after about 10-15 min and the 2nd doctor came out and said he was done with his own part of Daniel's surgery after only another 5 or so!  I ended up having to take my girls along with us on the hour long drive to the hospital because my "childcare" got sick (actually, her kids did, and the last thing we needed was to have my kids - especially Daniel - get sick after his surgery).  They had just started eating a snack in the waiting room when the first doctor came out.  It was AMAZING and great and the girls behaved so well and made a stressful situation as easy as possible.  Daniel did NOT like waking up from the anesthesia, but thank goodness he doesn't get as sick as his mommy does from the drugs.  He screamed and screamed, and they couldn't get us out of there fast enough.  He probably made other kids waking up from their own surgeries more scared.  On the drive home he fell asleep, slept for 4 more hours after I put him in bed at home, and then woke up a little crummy feeling but at least not mad.  Everything has gone well since then and our first follow-up with the doctors for hearing tests, etc., is Tuesday.  Thanks for the thoughts, prayers and well-wishes.  They have meant a lot!

You know you want to join me!!

I LOVE being a SU! demonstrator and have made some fabulous friends while being one.  Not to mention, I get a nice discount on SU! products, sneak peeks, pre-order opportunities, bulk buy options on some SU! items, and exclusive magazines and on-line content only available to demonstrators.  I also have the ability to earn extra income to support my habit by being a demonstrator.  So, if you've been thinking about it, why not sign up on July 15th when SU! offers a Mini Starter kit for ONLY $85?!?!   Plus, I give all of my new recruits a FREE STAMP SET (or merchandise of equal or lesser value) worth $26.95 or less!!!!  Let me know if you would like to become a part of my SU! family and I will get you the information you need to sign up!

Here are the contents of the kit:

Item Code	Page #*	Description	Retail Value**
115360	118	For All You Do stamp set	$28.95
115658	155	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
115656	155	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
115659	155	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
115654	155	Dusty Durango Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
115655	155	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
115657	155	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad	$5.95
100730	155	Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")	$7.50
115315	155	In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")	$7.95

*All page numbers refer to the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog
**All products may be substituted for like items; see Mini Starter Kit order form for details.

Quick Post

I just wanted to get a card up for you today.  I used Jen del Muro's SFYTT that you can find HERE.  It was a fun sketch to work with, and I do think that this card looksmuch better in real life than it does here.  The Kiwi Kiss and Basic Gray are a great color combo.  For some reason the stamped image looks mottled.  It's not though.  This card was done using only one stamp set - Upsy Daisy.  I love this set!!!  Anyway, enjoy!

Win a Big Shot Die Pack!!!

If any of you have not heard about Stampin' Addicts, you're missing out.  The site has forums, galleries, challenges, ideas using SU! items like the Stampin' Up! Big Shot, and it's a great place to find friends who are like ourselves and love all things Stampin' Up!.  They are having a contest where all you have to do is post about their giveaway of a Big Shot Die pack, and you're entered to win.  So, here's MY post about it...go check it out and write yours!!!  Crossing my fingers on this one - it's a great prize!!!

FTL 46 and CAS22

 

I put this sketch in my favorites so that when I finally got some time to stamp I could use it and combined it with this week's CAS challenge of making a birthday card.  I immediately knew I wanted my sentiment on the side.  I think I will use this sketch more, and probably will make the card have it's scored edge along the short side, at the top, so that the LO of having the sentiment on the side is a little more balanced.  This is a great sketch, and I love the idea of creating my own box by drawing the lines.  As for the picture - sorry that it's a bad one.  I don't know what I did to it, but it looked fine in PSE, and then on here it doesn't.  It does have a bad angle to it though, that was due to how the picture was taken in the first place, and I've already given the card away so there wasn't the opportunity for a re-take.

No stamping was done on the card, other than the sentiment.  Thanks to having the new In Colors available in MARKERS, I was able to draw my lines in Rich Razzleberry to coordinate perfectly with my stamped sentiment.  All items used on this card are Stampin' Up! and the ink/marker and Designer Series Papers, and stamps are all BRAND NEW!!!

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  Whisper White CS, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink:  Rich Razzleberry classic ink and Stampin' Write marker
Accessories:  Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, Boho Blossoms punch, fire (pink) circle rhinestone brads, mini glue dots, piercing tool, piercing mat, piercing template, metal ruler

Thanks Bekki!

I figured I would schedule this post for today (Sunday) because I don't usually post on Sunday's, but I've been very negligent in thanking a blogging friend.  Bekki gave me this sweet award quite a while ago, and I just wanted to thank her for it.  I schedule posts so far out (I get to stamp randomly, and make as much as I can and then spread out the posts for as long as possible LOL) that I kept forgetting to add this one in.  Go check out her blog - she's super talented and also SUPER sweet!!!!

Happy 4th of July!

First, I would like to take a moment to wish everyone a happy 4th of July.  I hope you're all able to enjoy this celebratory day with friends and family, and that it's a happy day for you.  It was brought to my attention in a letter-to-the-editor that someone I know wrote to our local paper, that approximately less than one percent of all human beings born on this earth over the last 7 thousand years have enjoyed or do enjoy the freedoms that us Americans are privileged to have.  What a thought!!!!!!

I hope that you will remember the sacrifices of those who have come before us, and those who now serve this great country.  My own husband has been deployed for the last several months and won't return home until September, and we are so thankful for him for what he does each and every day to help preserve the freedoms we enjoy in this great country.  As a veteran, I also know of the sacrifices ofour men and women serving in the military, missing the moments that bring us all joy, those precious moments/occasions in the lives of those they love, as they are gone across the seas in service to the rest of us.  Take a moment to thank a veteran today, if you can!

Now, on to a simple card.  I CASE'd THIScard by Renee, who is on the Summer DT over at Card Patterns.  Her card is lovely - check out her blog and let her know!  I ended up creating a sketch based off of this card and it is part of my Stamps-in-the-Mail projects for last month.

 



 

 

 

 

Stamps:  Upsy Daisy
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy and Whisper White CS, Urban Garden DSP
Ink:  Kiwi Kiss and Basic Gray classic ink
Accessories:  Boho Blossoms and Trio Flower punch, Silver brads, Whisper White Taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Tombow Mono Multi Adhesive

Yeah!!!

So, if you hadn't noticed, the brand-spankin' new Idea Book & Catalog from Stampin' Up! is HERE!!!!  This lovely catalog will be around for a YEAR!!!  If you would like a copy of it for FREE, all you have to do is place a $50 order on my website HERE and I'll send you your very own copy OR you can host a workshop and get a complimentary copy that way.  You can all see the 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog by clicking on the link to the left.  It is a 40.6MB file, so give it some time ;)  I will also work on adding a link to the catty in my sidebar for future reference.  I've got plans to sit down and do that tonight - WordPress is a tad bit more time consuming (for me at least) when adding widgets/sidebar items, than Blogger or even TypePad.

 Yesterday was also the introduction to the new Definitely Decorative catalog.  I think this little catalog is just so pretty to look at!  I love the colors they chose for the cover.  You can view the new Definitely Decorative Catalog by clicking on the link and I will also try to add this "guy" to my sidebar too.  There are some fabulous new items in this catalog.  I really like the little alphabet animals that can be used in a nursery or childs room/playroom.  They come in a lot of different colors, as do many of the other images in this catalog.  I have Decor Elements in my living room, on my downstairs bathroom door and inside that bathroom and in my girls' room.  I made them a canvas that I painted with some of the paint that was used on one of their walls with their initials inside of one of the frame images that is in the catalog, and I think their room looks really cute if I do say so myself.  The butterflies were perfect for their walls.  Now I just have to figure out what I want in my little boy's room. 

Oh, and if you hadn't heard (I doubt any of you are living under a rock, so you probably already have heard this bit of news as well), Stampin' Up! has a great new promotion that started yesterday!!!!
 



From July 1-31, Stampin' Up! is offering a new Deal of the Week beginning on each Monday.  With the Deal of the Week, you'll get up to 30% off of a selection of products from the new 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog!  Be sure to check back here each Monday to see what deal is up for grabs that week or go to my SU! website to see what they are there, as well!

The first Deal of the Week is the Scallop Border Punch for $10.99 (reg. $15.95) and this offer ends on July 6. You can see all of the projects of mine that feature this fabulous punch HERE.  As you can see, I LOVE it!!!

Contact me today to place an order or go to my SU! website (the link is listed above) and order there from the convenience of your home, 24/7!

2nd GSG swap card

Well, this is the other card I made for the 2nd swap group I was in with my fellow GSG gals.  I signed up with Teeny Tiny Wishes and was then kind of like, hmmm....  I didn't have any great ideas for how to make it be the focal image of my card.  So, since no one had signed up for Animal Stories, I decided to do another stamped BG using a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, and pop an embossed whale from Animal Stories up on the card.  I also stamped a BG using the little whale on the card base, and added some of the yummy new Soft Suede 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon with a 5/16" Jumbo Brad in Whisper White for a little added detail, and tah-dah!  I hope they like it - making 7 of these hand-stamped sentiment BG's and cutting out the little embossed whale was NOT quick or easy!!!!!



 

 

 

 

Stamps:  Animal Stories, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:  Bashful Blue, Soft Suede and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Bashful Blue and Soft Suede classic ink, VersaMark
Accessories:  Clear embossing powder, heat tool, Embossing Buddy, Soft Suede 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon, Word Window and Modern Label punches, 5/16" Jumbo Brad (Whisper White), Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, Stampin' Dimensionals, Tombow Mono Multi Adhesive