Putting My Stamp on the World

Christmas is Coming.......

2011-09-18T16:13:00.007-04:00

Yes, indeed......... Christmas is coming, whether we are ready for it or not.
The air here in Kentucky has finally begun to cool down from the steamy summer temps, my daughter has begun singing Christmas carols, and I am preparing cards for Christmas stamp a stack events.

I'm trying something a bit different this year. Since I have gotten such an early start, I thought I would actually create 2 different sets of cards: one in green and red, and one in blues and white. That way people can choose to create either set or BOTH. There's plenty of time!

I have my red and green set ready. All 3 cards feature heat embossing. It really isn't that difficult, so don't be afraid to try!

Card one features an embossed greeting layered over a stamped image, along with a crisp white ribbon.

Card two features a heat embossed poinsettia that has added dimension thanks to dimensionals below it.

Card three has a heat embossed image that has been colored in with our wonderful markers!

I hope that these card designs have tempted you to at least think about the upcoming holiday season, if not jump right in and begin creating.

Too Long....

2011-05-08T09:59:00.003-04:00

It has been way too long since I've posted anything.

I don't have much of an excuse, except to say that life has just kept me swamped. To be honest, it's even affecting my Stampin Up business. I haven't had time to do workshops, so I've been my own best customer for a while now.

I've decided that I'm just going to have to begin using my materials more for some personal projects and posting those. Hopefully, life will slow down and I will be able to do more "business" type stuff soon.

I did take a few minutes yesterday to create some things for a National Scrapbooking Day challenge. One of those things was a card; I figured I would post it. It's pretty simple, but I really like it.

I've been dieing to try out that Bold Blossom stamp set and I REALLY like it! I added a greeting from Bring on the Cake and some ribbon that I had lieing around in my SU scrap pile. Like I said, it's pretty simple, but I think it's cute.

Hoping that I will be back with other creations soon.

A Simple Little Card

2011-03-19T07:38:00.002-04:00

I haven't gotten much "fun time" lately, but I did take a few minutes to create this thank you card for a friend.

The Crumbcake cardstock was embossed in the Framed Tulip embossing folder. Scraps of various Stampin Up papers formed the faux quilted background.

Had Some Scrap Time Today

2011-02-08T19:06:00.004-05:00

We got just enough snow this morning to have a day off from school. I spent my free time in my scrap room. I scrapped this two-page spread featuring my daughter and some of that great Stampin Up paper.

My daughter had sewn some great pajamas as part of a 4H project and got to mannequin model them during the state fair. It was so funny to watch her sitting there, trying to keep a straight face while her friends circled around her trying to get her to laugh!

I featured the Celebrations designer series paper and some SU red gingham ribbon on this layout. I also used the GREAT red glitter paper to create some stars. After all, my daughter was definitely a star in my eyes!

Another Valentine Project

2011-01-30T16:08:00.003-05:00

I've been participating in the Challenge Masters blog hop this weekend. We were asked to create a love based project. I happened to remember that I had purchased one of those plain $1 frames from the hobby store several months ago. I dug it out and created this:

I started by using Mod Podge to attach a square of Love Patterns paper. I used Soft Suede and Cherry Cobbler inks to give a "shabby" look to the the outer frame edges and the heart cutout. I stamped the heart strings from Valentine Defined, as well as the word "love" all using Cherry Cobbler ink. I sprinkled the background with the small heart from Filled With Love and finished it off with the quote from Word Play. I spray sealed the whole thing with a clear acrylic glossy spray.

Those two smiling faces that you see? Those are my two children. Kari won 3rd place in language arts yesterday at the high school academic meet and Keenan won 3rd place in arts & humanities. I'm so proud of them both!

A Valentine Inspired

2011-01-21T09:54:00.004-05:00

Before I show you my latest Valentine's Day project I must give credit to the origin of it. I was cruising the web the other day, looking at some of my favorite blogs, when I came across this post by Lynn Put. Knowing that I teach in the Owsley County schools and that our mascot is, of course, the OWL, I HAD to try my hand at creating my own version of this card and treat holder.

Here is what I came up with:

Cute, huh? I think they are adorable. Thanks Lynn, for the idea!

LOVE.......

2011-01-16T17:04:00.003-05:00

is in the air!

Yep, today is Janaury 16 and, before you know it, Valentine's Day will be here.

Today I finally got some time to play a bit with the new Valentine's stuff that I ordered. I've been waiting to try out the new glimmer paper and the Filled With Love stamp set.

Here's what I came up with:

Cute, huh???

It was really very simple to do.
I started by running my Whisper White cardstock through the Big Shot using the new Framed Tulips embossing folder. (I can already tell this one will be getting a LOT of use!)

I then used the Stampamajig to position my central image, the word LOVE stamped in 3 different shades of color: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, and Real Red. I think it's the subtle change in shading that really makes this card POP! I finished it off by punching a small heart from the red glimmer paper and placing it in the center of the O.

I LOVE this card and it was really simple!

By the way, I have to give you my personal review of this glimmer paper. I have to start by saying that I was REALLY sceptical. I have tried glitter paper before and I ended up with more glitter in the package and on me than there was on the paper. This paper is NOT like that! The glitter is nice and large and is really stuck to the paper! My own kids could tell the difference. My son, who tells it like it is, said that this paper was much better than the other glitter paper I have tried before. If you are one of those people who likes bling and glitter, you should definitely give this stuff a try!

Celebrate with Me!

2010-12-24T16:18:00.002-05:00

I'm enjoying the last day of "quiet" before the holiday turmoil. I'm using the day to scrapbook a bit. I'm getting a little help with it. I recently discovered a great group of scrappers over at Challenge Masters. They post lots of challenges including sketches that have really helped inspire my card making and my scrapbook pages.

Today I was using their December sketch challenge to help me create this 2 page layout of my daughter at one of her races. The Stampin Up Celebrations papers seemed a natural for these fun photos!

My Latest Christmas Project

2010-12-04T10:37:00.006-05:00

While flipping through some old magazines and idea books I saw the original concept for this project. My nephew is in kindergarten and he is totally FASCINATED with the fact that he is beginning to spell and read words. He is so excited when he learns a new word, and he even comes home every night with the view that he SHOULD have homework!

When I saw this little spelling book I new that I had to make a couple. (I won't post my nephew's, just in case someone in the family happens to be looking.) Instead, I'm posting one that I made for the son of one of my fellow workers. He is CRAZY about Handy Manny, so I created my own version of Manny's hammer for the front cover.

The outside looks really cute with the Real Red cardstock, Celebrations patterned paper, and the hammer with its googly eyes, but the REAL magic comes inside!

I used the Schoolbook Serif alphabet stamp set to stamp 3 sets of alphabet letters on 3X5 index cards. I used Real Red ink for the vowels and Basic Black for the consonants, and I laminated each card + 3 blank ones. To create words, the child just opens the book and flips the cards on the binding rings. The blank cards on each stack allow the child to start by just learning the alphabet letters, using one stack of letters and leaving the blank cards in the other stacks showing. As the child progresses, he or she can build 2 letter words and then 3 letter words.

As a teacher, I see lots of potential for this gift! I would really like to create a sample and take it to the elementary school. Some of the teachers would spend a LOT more to purchase one of these than it costs to create! I would love to do either a class where parents and teachers can create their own or possibly take orders.

What do you think? Is it something that people might like?

Stamp A Stack 2010

2010-11-09T05:43:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, my theme for this year's Stamp a Stack Class is "Sparkle and Shine". One thing that I love about Christmas is the way that the lights twinkle, the garland on the Christmas tree reflects light, and people's dispositions seem to even shine. I decided that my cards needed a bit of twinkle too.

I will be honest.... these cards aren't anything special. I looked around a bit on the web, in the Stampin Up catalog, and elsewhere to come up with the specific designs for these. I wanted to keep it simple.....for those of my customers who prefer it that way.

Card One

This card features the Christ is Born stamp set. I love the simplicity of the images, but to add a small bit of shine I used gold glitter glue on the dots in the center of the poinsetta.

Card Two

Serene Snowflakes has a very calm, cool effect on this card. It's really easy to create too! I use a half sheet of whisper white paper and stamp the snowflakes in 3 shades of blue ink. Once I'm done, I cut 2 inch strips to decorate the front of the card. Sparkle and shine comes from rhinestones and silver glitter glue.

Card Three

I saw this card on Splitcoast Stampers and I knew that I had to try it! The "tree" is actually created using the pine tree from "Lovely as a Tree". The ornament was stamped, punched and suspended using silver ribbon. I added a rhinestone in the center of the ornament for shine and twinkle.

Well, that's my Stamp a Stack for this year. You can create 6 cards for $10 or 12 cards for $20. Just let me know which you prefer. Contact me to book a date.

OK........I'm Saying UNCLE.....

2010-11-08T06:23:00.002-05:00

I have fought the battle long enough.....

I keep trying to FORCE myself to set a schedule and update this blog on a regular basis and life just doesn't cooperate.......

SO, I've decided..........

That I just won't make a schedule. When I have something that I think is worthy of posting, I will. But I'm not going to try to force it. I'm hoping that just doing that will help me to relax and actually CREATE more....then I should have more things worthy of posting, right????

Anyway.....

It is time for my annual Stamp a Stack event. This year I chose the theme "Sparkle and Shine" and made sure to use a little something shiny on each card: rhinestones, glitter glue, etc.

I have photos ready and will be posting them over the next day or so, as soon as I can edit the pics.

I'm Back........

2010-08-30T06:03:00.004-04:00

So, so sorry that it has been such a long time since I posted anything here. I'm sure that some of you thought that I had slipped from the face of the earth; but, I am very happy to say that I am still here....safe and sound, but a bit frazzled from all of the back to school madness. We've been in school now for 17 days and I'm finally getting settled into a bit of a routine. (Do you hear that thud, thud??? That's me....knocking on wood!)

Anyway, I finally got an opportunity to create a bit. I had been eyeing the "Flight of the Butterfly" stamp set for a while now and I went ahead and purchased it. I used it, along with some retired papers and ribbon to create this birthday card.

Try clicking on that photo above and you'll see a larger image of the card. Cute, isn't it?? I don't normally use bright orange much, but I loved it on this card. I may have to use it a bit more often.

Well, guess I better go get some more school stuff done, but I promise to try to make it a shorter interval until my next post.

Another Technique to Use....

2010-05-07T22:40:00.003-04:00

Here's another version of my Go, Graduate card. This time I used my colored pencils and blended with odorless mineral spirits. I used some retired paper, twill ribbon, and a mini brad too. I think I like this technique almost as much as the "faux" watercolor one that I used on the other cards. What do you think?

Last Minute Gift....

2010-04-30T06:13:00.004-04:00

Leave it to a teenager to forget that she needs a gift for a birthday party! Last night, as my daughter was getting ready for bed I asked her if she had everything packed for the birthday sleepover she would be attending tonight. She answered, "Yes." Then I asked her if she had a gift, "No..."

I decided that the good old fashioned gift of money would have to do. (To be honest, it's probably the favorite gift any teenager COULD get.....)

This morning, while she dozed away, catching that last bit of good sleep I dug out some retired papers, retired stamps, and stamps from the present catalog and put together this card.

That's "Made 2 Last", one of my faves from this catalog. It's perfect for male cards, teenage cards....you name it. I just use my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the images and it comes out looking great every time. The flowers are from "Kind & Caring Thoughts".

The cutest part of the card is actually the inside:

I just stamped a second pocket, cut it out, and attached it to the inner card using 3 mini brads. It makes the PERFECT spot to tuck that birthday gift of money! (By the way, the top greeting on the inside is from one of Stampin' Up's retired sets, "Pocketful of fun". If you happen to have it, it coordinates with "Made 2 Last" very well.

May Card Workshop

2010-04-25T09:18:00.005-04:00

Sniff the air.....

Can you smell that?......

It's the smell of anxious seniors already counting the days down until graduation.

When I got my preorder for the summer mini I couldn't wait to start creating some graduation cards for all of those seniors. At my upcoming May card workshops we will be creating 2 graduation cards and a Father's Day card.

Card 1 was lifted from the sample in the mini catalog. I thought it was SO CUTE!!

I love this card because the gowns can be personalized in order to match the school colors of the recipient. (By the way, I used the Stampin' Write marker to edge the gown with color; then, I used the Aqua Painter to spread the color around to create a faux watercolor look.)

I can't take credit for the design of this card either. I saw one made by Nikki Bond when I was going through the gallery on Splitcoast Stampers and I just had to try to make one.

Either one of these graduation cards is the perfect size to make into a gift card holder. Just use the slit punch to create tabs that will hold the card and voila.....Instant gift!

I loved this "Sense of Time" stamp set from the moment I saw it years ago. It is so versatile! I think it is perfect for those masculine events like Father's Day.

Well, those are the 3 cards you can create in May. The price is any 3 cards for $5. Email me if you want more info about time and dates. I would love for you to join us!

A Little Help From my Daughter....

2010-04-18T17:18:00.004-04:00

Yep....life has kept me busy lately, as I mentioned in a previous post. Year end testing is looming in front of us at school, kind of like a thunderstorm off on the not-so-distant horizon. We are all trying desperately to squeeze in that last bit of productive instruction before testing begins the first week in May.

As a result, my productivity in the craft room has been rather limited. This week my 12 year old daughter decided that she would get a jump start on a birthday card for her father. (I NEED to make one within the next week too!) I helped her a bit with the brayering, but other than that she did it pretty much by herself. The trees in the middle did not stamp completely so she just reached for the black Stampin' Write marker and filled in the branches. (She has watched me at work, can you tell???)

Just Checkin' In

2010-04-05T06:32:00.002-04:00

No....I'm not gone..... I haven't quit blogging. Life has just swamped me lately. I'm hoping that I can "reclaim" my life within the next week or so and actually post some more projects. Stampin' Up! is releasing some great new stuff in May with the Summer mini. If that doesn't inspire me to get crafting, nothing will!

I'm also working on a project sample that we will be making at an upcoming class with the local Extension group. I have the base sample finished; I just need to get to work adding the little special touches to it so that I can post it for you all to ooh and aah over. I hope to get that done in the next little bit.

Until then.... keep stamping!

A Special Layout

2010-02-15T10:20:00.007-05:00

All of you mothers of teenage daughters will surely understand the thought and sentamentality that is behind this layout, though at first glance the photo may seem more humorous than heartfelt.

This weekend my 12 year old daughter participated in a regional academic competition. She was heartbroken that she did not place high enough to advance to state. Later, when discussing it with her, we discovered that what REALLY hurt her feelings most was that she wanted to go, not because of the honor, but because her older brother had advanced to state twice while during middle school. It came out in conversation that she wanted to be "like" him.

That broke my heart. I realized that she doesn't understand just how special and unique she really is. That brought out the poet in me and THAT helped me create this layout.

I had this sketech from the Page Maps Blog and this wonderful Sweet Pea designer paper that I knew would perfectly highlight the photo and the poem that I wrote for her. The last 2 lines of the poem are "uniquely YOU", so I stamped the word uniquely using Rose Red ink and then inked chipboard letters with Taken With Teal ink to create the word you.

You can't really tell from this photograph, but I actually cut sections from the circle patterned paper, inked the edges, and then put them back in their original spot using Dimensionals to add some height, lifting them off the paper.

Here's a closeup to give you a better view.

The full poem reads:

You are your own person,

Uniquely YOU.

Stubbornly doing things your own way

Independent thinker.

Not afraid to wear two different shoes.

Organizing your bag in piles and clumps,

Rather than nice neat folders.

You are your own person,

Uniquely YOU.

Intelligent,

But not realizing just how much.

Creative,

In thought and in deed.

Kindly making cards and gifts,

Just when someone needs it most.

You are your own person,

Uniquely YOU.

It's fine to admire your brother

Or someone else at school.

Look up to them

And see their traits

As ones you want to emulate

But remember-

You are your own person,

Uniquely YOU.

Another Finished Layout!

2010-02-11T16:24:00.003-05:00

Yes! I actually finished another layout for my scrapbook! Every time I manage to do that I want to let out this silent cheer!

Before I show you the finished page, allow me to let you in on a little secret.... I LIKE WORDS....I LIKE TALKING..... and I'm a firm believer that every single scrapbook page MUST HAVE some type of journaling! That can sometimes cause little problems, like too much to say and not enough space to say it.

That was the case on this page.

I found myself wanting to explain what the contest was, about the monetary prize that my daughter won, who the lady was in the photograph, and most of all.....why I was such a proud mother. I really didn't want to make the photos smaller, but if I used both photos then I wouldn't have much room for all my writing either, so..... I ended up going with HIDDEN JOURNALING.

You see that ribbon and flowers? Well, they are on the end of a pull out journal tag that I cut from cardstock. I was able to get on Microsoft Word, type up all of the things I wanted and printed it out on 4X6 sheets of Whisper White cardstock. I trimmed the margins a bit and then adhered the journaling right to the tag. It just slips right in behind the So Saffron block of cardstock. My daughter can pull it out and read it whenever she wants and then just slips it right back into place, hidden from the view of everyone else. In my daughter's words, "AWESOME!"

Oh, before I go, let me tell you about the products that I used on this page. With the exception of the flowers and the one single button, everything else is Stampin' Up! I used Tea Party and Razzleberry Lemonade papers, along with Old Olive, So Saffron, Whisper White, and Certainly Celery cardstock. The title was created with a retired SU stamp set that I was able to pick up at a local craft consignment sale. The stamps are from Vintage Vogue and the punch is the newest scallop border punch that you can earn with a $50 Sale-a-bration order. (Can I just say, I LOVE that punch!!)

Kissing........

2010-02-07T07:59:00.002-05:00

I'm guessing that the title of this blog post got your attention....

Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. Unfortunately, I'm not going to discuss traditional kissing today.

Nope.... I'm going to show you how to do "stamp kissing".

To do stamp kissing you're going to need a "flat" surface stamp. In my video I use one from the new I Heart Hearts set. I will show you a couple of different ways to do stamp kissing, but there are lots more. Just experiment once you watch the video.

(By the way, I apologize in advance for the quality of it. I'm really rapping my head to get a better setup for these things. I would love to figure out how to shoot the video over my shoulder so everything is right side up to the viewer....Oh well.... I'll keep thinking...)

For now.... here's the video tutorial.

Scrappin' Mojo Stampin' Up! Projects

2010-02-03T17:53:00.005-05:00

You may have read in some of my other blog entries about one of my FAVORITE websites to visit, Scrappin' Mojo. They are a GREAT bunch of girls who LOVE to scrapbook and make all kinds of papercraft projects. Each week they post challenges that keep my creative juices flowing and each month the design team creates some great sample projects using the materials from various manufacturers.

WELL..... this month I really wanted to see what these gals could do with some of our wonderful Stampin' Up! papers and other products, so..... I put together some goodie bags for each of the design team members and sent them along to the board manager. This month, on February 1 and February 15 they will be sharing pictures of their finished projects.

You have GOT to visit the website and see some of adorable scrapbook pages, cards, and home decor items that they have come up with! I am very inspired by their creativity and I'm sure that you will be too. When you go to the forum, be sure to visit THIS FOLDER. That's where you will be able to see each design team member's samples. I'm sure you will like them as much as I do.

While you're there, why don't you sign up and join in on some of the challenge fun? We would love to have you as part of our community!

Heat Embossing How To

2010-01-24T09:03:00.002-05:00

Remember this element from the card I posted a few weeks ago?

You can't really tell from the photo, but it is heat embossed. Lately I've found myself using heat embossing more and more. I used to think it was messy and difficult to do....You know... all of that embossing powder, sprinkles going where you don't want them, not heating evenly....

Over the last few weeks I suppose I've had more time to just slow down and play with my supplies and during that time I've discovered that heat embossing really isn't that difficult to do. I know that there are still some of you out there that could probably use some tips, so I've created a video that I hope will help you.

Check it out!

Helping Haiti

2010-01-23T20:01:00.002-05:00

Stampin′ Up! has a long history of making a difference in the lives of others--especially when disaster strikes and the need is greatest. So it was not surprising that they have devised a plan to help provide relief for those who continue to suffer from the effects of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12.

Here is the plan:

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you buy will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

I {Heart} Hearts - clear-mount, Item #118571, $18.95
I {Heart} Hearts - wood-mount, Item # 117010, $26.95

To order, just click on the Catalog Image to the right. That will take you to my Demonstrator Website.

Having Fun Scrapping...

2010-01-18T10:11:00.003-05:00

I've been having a lot of fun scrapbooking this year. It is my goal to get more done during 2010 than I did during 2009. (That wouldn't be too difficult, to be honest.)

One of the things that is helping me meet my goal is that I am using some great resources that I have online, like the Page Maps, that Becky Fleck posts each month. She has some great sketches and they make my creativity really "click". This week I noticed a new sketch that she had posted on the Page Maps Blog for a contest. When I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

Here's the resulting page:

Isn't it a FUN page??? All of the cute designer papers are from the new Stampin' Up! Sweet Pea collection. They have such a fun look and it is so easy to mix and match them. When I saw the pink and white paper that I used for the base of this layout, they just screamed "Country Girl" to me. The journaling block is one of the die cuts that is available in the Write Stuff Specialty papers. I love those things! They make it so easy to get my journaling on a page and I think that sharing your thoughts are so important to a finished layout.

I added some baby rickrack, buttons from my stash and a title that I cut from Chocolate Chip cardstock using my Cricut. It all went together to create a fun country looking layout that I simply adore!

Happy Birthday MOM!

2010-01-16T05:49:00.006-05:00

We interrupt this blog post for an important birthday message............

I want to wish a very happy birthday to one of the most important people in my life, my MOM. (She won't really get to see this, since she doesn't have a computer and probably wouldn't know how to use one if she did......but I'm posting anyway.)

My mom and I are very close; we call each other on an almost daily basis. Their phone was out recently for over a week and it really bothered both of us. She went to my aunt's house so that she could call to let me know that she and Dad were ok. If Mom hears that some member of my little family is in need of ANYTHING......and I mean ANYTHING, she does whatever she can to help see that the person gets whatever it is.

I'm very thankful that my kids are of an age that they can now really KNOW my MOM and one of the sweetest things they can do is tell me that I am just like her. She is one of the hardest working people that I know, even though she is now in her late 70's. I could just go on and on, but I won't...........

Anyway.....

I really wanted to make Mom a SPECIAL card, one that was as special as she is.........so I dug out my new stamps, an embossing folder, my heat gun, and some embossing powder and set to work..........

THIS......is the BEAUTIFUL result........

I think it turned out GREAT! It was a simple card to make, but each of the little elements comes together to make it a very special card for a very special woman. I used an embossing folder to dry emoboss the background with a subtle dotted texture, but what I really love is the ribbon and the heart charm that I added.

Another thing I love is the word "MOM". You can't tell very well from these photos, but I heat embossed that portion of the card. Yep, HEAT EMBOSSED! That gives a subtle glossy look to the letters. I used to think that heat embossing was really hard and time consuming, but I have learned that it's not really that difficult. As a matter of fact, both of the recent cards that I have posted use heat embossing.

Lot of people find heat embossing to be a bit.....shall we say.......intimidating. Well, if you are one of those people, stay tuned to this blog. My next stamping technique video will try to get rid of some of that intimidation. In it, I will lead you step by step through basic heat embossing and will try to make it as painless as possible.

Poppin' Pastels

2010-01-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for the New Year is to update this blog more frequently. One of my favorite groups, the gals at Scrappin' Mojo, have unknowingly become assistants in helping me to meet that goal. When they were setting up their new format for challenges this year, I was asked if I might be willing to share some stamping techniques with them on a biweekly basis. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity.

I figured that, while I was sharing with them, I might as well share with my friends here on my blog as well, so.....

Every 2 weeks I will be posting some sort of a tutorial and/or project. As you get more familiar with the stamping techniques, (and I get more familiar with making videos....LOL) I hope to offer a place for you to post some of your creations right here as well.

For today's video I will be showing you how to use the Poppin' Pastels technique to create beautiful pastel chalk backgrounds like the one I used on this card:

I LOVE to use this technique! Especially with some of the GREAT floral stamps that Stampin' Up! has to offer. The stamps on this card come from the "Vintage Vogue" set in the new Occasions mini. It's really a very easy technique and is a great one to use with kids, because it is so simple, but yields beautiful results!

Enough talk......... Sit back, relax, and learn how to do make those Pastels POP!

Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration

2010-01-05T15:48:00.002-05:00

Today is an EXCITING day for those of us involved with Stampin' Up! Today, you can start placing orders from the new Occasions mini AND you can earn freebies during Sale-A-Bration. The Occasions mini is chock full of brand new merchandise including the new clear mount stamps and a brand new version of punch. If you haven't seen what's available it is a GREAT time to take a look.

I've placed a link to the Occasions mini in the right hand column. Just click on it and you can ooh and aah over all of the wonderful stuff, just like I did!

There is also a link to the Sale-a-bration flyer in the right hand column. In case you've forgotten what makes Sale-a-bration so wonderful, let me remind you. For every $50 of Stampin' Up! merchandise that you order, you get to select a free item from the Sale-a-bration flyer. There are some wonderful stamps, papers, and even a punch this year. To make it even better, Stampin' Up! has added something a bit different. There are actually 77 stamp sets from the Idea Book that you can choose as your Sale-a-bration gift instead of the stuff in the Sale-a-bration flyer.

To put it quite simply, this is a WONDERFUL time to pick up some of the Stampin' Up! goodies that you have always wanted. It is also a WONDERFUL time to hostess a workshop. There are opportunities available to earn extra freebies for that too, during Sale-a-bration. Just see me for more details.

Valentine's Day is Coming....

2010-01-03T19:56:00.004-05:00

If you've been out in the stores doing any after Christmas shopping, then you know that Valentine's Day isn't far away. Already, the shelves that held boxes of twinkling lights and wrapping paper are being filled with sweet chocolates and lacy cards.

Luckily, you won't have to venture out into that cold January air to purchase your goodies though! Stampin' Up has a new Occasions catalog coming out January 5. It is chock full of beautiful papers and luscious stamps, many of which will make beautiful Valentine's Day cards.

I have created 3 cards myself to whet your appetite for some of these items.

Card 1:
This is my first attempt at a gate fold card. The greeting on the front is tucked behind the glittered heart to hold the card closed, but when you open it, both panels fold out to reveal a nice open card. You can't tell from the photo, but the designer papers are actually glittered! This "Sending Love" specialty paper is available in the new Occasions mini. One side of each patterned paper is glittered while the other side is not. Both sides are, however, simply wonderful! The greeting is from "Well Scripted", one of the new stamp sets, and the hearts are from the "I {Heart} Hearts set. Both of these sets are very versatile and are sure to be a favorite of many! I used Dazzling Diamonds to add some shine to the heart that holds the flap closed. Oh, I almost forgot---That border punch around the greeting panel is also from Stampin' Up! The Scallop Trim corner punch is available in the Occasions Mini and, even better.... you can earn the Scallop Trim border punch FREE during the upcoming Sale-a-bration. (More about that later in the week.)

Card 2:

This card is meant for teenagers and children. I used two of my favorite sets from the Idea Book: Circle Circus and Friends Rock! These two combined very well to create this fun card using the In Colors, Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry.

Card 3:My final card uses another stamp set from the Occasions mini, "Vintage Vogue". I combined it with a couple of other stamp sets from the Idea Book: Priceless and Teeny Tiny Wishes. More of that luscious glittered paper, plus a touch of Iridescent Ice on the "F".

Hopefully, this has given you an appetite for what is new in the upcoming mini and Sale-a-bration mini. I will be posting details about those later in the week. You are sure to love them!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T19:17:00.005-05:00

My daughter and I stayed up to see the Old Year out and the New Year in; As a result, I've been a bit sleepy all day. However, that hasn't stopped me from getting some scrapbooking done.

I finished a layout using some of my favorite Stampin' Up! papers.

This layout uses designer papers from the Thoroughly Modern set. Those colors are so nice! I teamed the paper with coordinating Sahara Sand and Bermuda Bay papers. I used the scallop border punch to create a scalloped strip of Rose Red to put across the center of the page. The strip is accented with a piece of lace that I found lying around in my stash. The title was created using some chipboard elements that I recently purchased from the SU clearance sale. I used my In Color Rose Red ink to sponge onto the chipboard and then stamped the title with Bermuda Bay ink. I secured the bookplate to the page with a couple of brads.

I know that the finished page is simple, but I really like it!

I'll be back in the next few days to give you details about the upcoming Sale-a-bration, one of my favorite annual events that Stampin' Up! sponsors. For now, I think I'll go grab a little rest.

Latest Layout

2009-12-06T19:18:00.005-05:00

I just finished a layout a couple of days ago for a Crop over at Scrappin' Mojo. I thought that I would post the finished product for you all to see.

The patterned paper is all from the "Autumn Meadows" Designer Series Paper in the holiday mini. I'm so glad I got some of that before the mini runs out! The stamp set is "Autumn Splendor". I stamped each leaf with chocolate chip craft ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I cut out each leaf to add to the page. You can't tell from the photo, but I brushed on a bit of glitter glue to each one: red, gold, and copper. It added a great sparkle to each leaf and caused each leaf to curl up a bit and to look more like a real leaf.

The only things in the layout that are NOT Stampin' Up! are the rubons that I used in the title and the lacy trim. I LOVE the final look of this page and I'm really loving all of the designer papers that Stampin' Up! is now offering. They are great quality and there is a wide variety available. The fact that each paper is double sided just doubles the value for me.

The next layout that I post should make use of some of my new goodies, since they should arrive by midweek. Can't wait to see them in person and to create some beautiful things to share with you!

Something New is Coming...

2009-12-05T19:16:00.003-05:00

Have you heard? Stampin' Up! has some NEW things coming our way! The holiday mini will be ending on December 31, but Stampin' Up! has some great new items coming our way in January.

1. Clear Mount Option- Beginning in January many of the new stamp releases will be offered in both the traditional wood mount form and in a new clear mount form. The new clear mount stamps have the same great rubber sheet on the stamping portion but they come with a sticky foam backing. All you have to do is peel the stamp from its case, stick it to a clear block, and you are ready to stamp!

The advantage of this option is that you can see exactly where you are stamping, which allows you to position your images much more easily than before. These stamps also take up less room on your storage shelf, since they come packaged in thin DVD type cases. Each case comes labeled with the title of the stamp set and thumbnails of images included in the set.

2. New Punch Style- Stampin' Up! has always been using the great EK Success stamps. Now they are adopting the new EK Success style punch that folds flatter for easier storage. Same great quality, but they take up less room in the drawer.

I was lucky enough to place a preorder for some of these great items and I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival next week. Once I have them in my hot little hands I'll be sure to post and share them with you.

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!!

2009-11-23T17:46:00.002-05:00

Everybody loves a good sale, don't they?? Well, Stampin' Up! has come up with yet another GREAT opportunity to pick up some of their quality items at an even GREATER price! They are offering several items and bundles of items at 30%, 40%, and even 50% off!

To check out the great things that are for sale, click on the image of the Stampin' Up! catalog to the right. This will take you to my Demonstrator website. Click on "Shop Now" at the top and then click on Holiday Extravaganza. You will be able to see exactly what is available in each bundle.

Let me say that I have gone through the catalog and looked at the ACTUAL price on these items and I have to tell you that these deals can't be beaten! If you are shopping for yourself, or if you are hinting to "Santa" it is definitely worth the time to check out these deals. Do it quickly though.... these prices are only good through November 30!

Candle, Candle Burning Bright....

2009-11-20T18:25:00.006-05:00

I was contacted a week or so ago by the local Cub Scout Pack Mother. We had worked together last year to create Christmas cards for the local nursing home residents and she was wondering if I could come up with a simple card design so the boys could repeat the service project this year. I set to work to create something simple, yet eye catching.

While sifting through my papers and stamps I remembered a card concept that I had seen before and decided to create my own "twist". I cut some 1 inch strips from some of the Merry Moments designer paper and decided to use those as candles. Then I needed a flame for each of the candles. My creative mind set to work as I opened drawer after drawer and searched for just the right stamp or stamps. Finally, I saw it....

Take a good look at those flames..... Don't recognize them??? They are the 2 buds from the "A Rose is a Rose" stamp set. We stamped the flame first in More Mustard and then topped it off with the second stamp in Ruby Red. A greeting was added on the front and inside using Garden Green ink and the wicks were drawn in with a Stampin' Write marker.

Now just imagine 10 to 12 Cub Scouts, ranging in age from second grade age through fourth grade age, ink all over their fingers, glue sticks in hand, gathered around 3 or 4 tables.... You get the picture! It took a while, but by the end of the evening, the boys had created 100 handmade cards that they will deliver personally to nursing home residents. It is being part of projects like this one that make me so glad to be a Stampin' Up Demonstrator!

Last, But not Least....

2009-11-07T08:26:00.003-05:00

Alas.... all good things must come to an end. With that said, I post Card number 4 of my Stamp a Stack event.

This card features the "Dasher" stamp. I LOVE this stamp! The card base is chocolate chip and just for kicks, I had it open vertically instead of horizontally. The front of the card lifts up. The card front is Kraft paper. I stamped the Dasher image in chocolate chip on Whisper White paper and then punched it out using a VERY LARGE circle punch that I own. I punched a VERY LARGE 3 inch scalloped circle from Ruby Red cardstock and mounted the Dasher circle on it. To add a little depth to the card, I used dimensionals to adhere the finished image to the card front. I added some ribbon down the side, stamped a greeting, and mounted the whole thing to the card front. To add a little extra "sparkle" to Dasher I adhered some red rhinestones in various spots on Dasher's horns.

I hope that everyone has enjoyed seeing all of my Christmas Stamp a Stack cards. I hope that it has helped to get you into the Christmas spirit too! Remember that if you like anything that you have seen, you can always purchase Stampin' Up! products through my demonstrator website. Just click on the catalog image in my sidebar and it will take you directly there.

Card Number 3

2009-11-04T17:55:00.006-05:00

Card number 3 for my Stamp a Stack is a simple little card, but I really like the way it turned out. (I always try to include at least 1 card that is basically a stamp and glue type design. That helps those first time stampers feel comfortable.)

The base for this card is a plain old Whisper White. I cut a piece of our Merry Moments designer paper to cover the bottom 2/3 of the card front. I used our scallop border punch to add a little detail to the pine print. I tied a piece of red ribbon around the designer paper before adhering it to the card front. A piece of Real Red cardstock is topped off with yet another block of Whisper White onto which I stamped the Patterned Pines trees in Old Olive.

It's a simple little design, with a cute, old fashioned kind of look.

Card Number 2

2009-10-30T08:39:00.004-04:00

Today was an unexpected day off from work, so I thought I would grab a few minutes and post the second card from my upcoming Stamp a Stack.

This card uses one of my new favorites for its base, Kraft paper! I love the casual down-home look that it offers, while still providing the opportunity to jazz it up.

I used Whisper White for the card front itself. A small strip of Merry Moments Designer paper tops the card. Then I stamped one of the ornaments from the Tree Trimmings stamp set. I used my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to help position the "bow" above each ornament. I stamped a greeting from the Four the Holidays stamp set in our Holiday mini and then added a strip of brown felt ribbon for the perfect accent. It's really a VERY easy card to make, but looks quite nice when completed.

Christmas is Coming!!!

2009-10-27T06:24:00.005-04:00

While out shopping this past weekend for my Halloween costume, it seemed that in every store I was reminded that Christmas IS coming....and sooner than we would like to admit. One store flashed a reminder that Christmas was only 60 days away.

I figured that the time had come for me to truly begin thinking about the upcoming holiday comings and goings. One of the things I enjoy the most is my annual Christmas card Stamp a Stack event, so I thought I would take an opportunity to begin posting some of the cards that I am featuring this year.

Card number 1 uses one of my favorite stamp sets from last year's Christmas sets, Season of Simple Grace. Happily for me, it made a return in our catalog this year. I went a bit non-traditional with the colors and papers, but I really like the finished product.

This card is styled a bit different than my regular cards as well. I started with a sheet of cardstock that was 5 1/2 X 12 inches. I scored at 4 inches and 8 inches to create this 3 panel beauty. The images are stamped with chocolate chip ink on kraft paper and matted with Whisper White. The patterned paper at the bottom is from the Bella Bleu collection. I'm loving the look! The greeting was stamped with chocolate chip ink also and then punched out with our scalloped oval punch. I really like the finished card, simple, but a great way to remind everyone of the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Friends Rock!!

2009-10-03T15:21:00.004-04:00

I feel like I've been neglecting this little corner of my world. I promise to make a better attempt to update my blog in the coming weeks. It shouldn't be too difficult to find some GREAT stuff to share with you all, considering that I've discovered so many GREAT things that Stampin' Up! has to offer!

One of my recent purchases from the catalog has been the stamp set, "Friends Rock" and its coordinating wheel, "Rockin". When I saw them in the catalog I had to share it with my daughter, who is 12. She was in LOVE with them, so I knew I had to buy them. Well, today I finally dug them out and created a layout.

I stamped the title and the images with Basic Black ink and rolled on the wheel with Basic Black too. Then I used my Stampin' Write Markers to color in some of the images. Here is a closeup of some of it.

Don't those images just SCREAM, "TEENAGER!!!" I love them! I know that both my daughter and I will be using these images frequently. We're already tossing around ideas to use the stamps on some Christmas gifts for her friends. (I'll be sure to post pics when we do....minus the recipients' identities of course.)

Another GREAT Blog!!

2009-08-05T06:59:00.002-04:00

I just discovered another great blog that I am making one of my regular visits. If you're like me and you have TONS of supplies stashed back, this blog is for you! Visit Practical Scrappers...they have challenges plus lots of ideas on how to actually dig out those old supplies and USE THEM on beautiful layouts!

http://www.practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/

My Stamp Space

2009-07-12T07:06:00.010-04:00

I finally got my scrap room redo complete and I thought I would take this opportunity to share some pics with you all.

First a note or two about what you will see....

The L shaped desk was built by my father. I knew what I wanted, so I drew it out on a sheet of paper and he built it. It is made of mdf and trimmed out to look more built in. All of my paper is stored vertically, on the wall, in vertical containers. The solids are separated by color and the patterns by theme or manufacturer. Dad also created and hung a custom sized pegboard for me. I use it to house my most frequently used tools and new inspirations.

I built my own form of a Clip It Up, using a curtain rod and some binder rings. It is hung on the wall right in front of my work area, so I can grab what I want as I work.

My flowers, buttons, and small embellishments are separated by color in jars. These jars are housed in my wall organizing unit.

You will notice my die cut machine. It is on a rolling microwave cart, so that I can pull it out whenever I want to use it. There are shelves below the Cricut, where I keep some of my idea books as well as scrapping stuff for my daughter. She loves to come in and work, every now and then. Speaking of my daughter, you will see a large pair of scissors hanging on the main door of the room. She painted those for me to decorate the room with. The lime green curtain covers the closet. Inside there is even more shelving filled with boxes. I have large flowers, idea books, empty albums, my large adhesive machines, binding machine, fabric.... you name it.... all where I can get them as needed.

I really like the fact that my sewing machine is so accessible! We cut a small hole in the desk top so we could run the cords right through. I just uncover the machine when I want to sew and scoot it forward. I'm ready to sew in a second!! No more having to dig it out of a closet somewhere and set it up on a table.

Can you tell that I love this room??? Seriously, it is my favorite Getaway. It's not one of those fancy ones that you see online in some places, but it works for me and that's what counts!

FINALLY!!!

2009-07-11T16:53:00.005-04:00

I have been aching to try Michelle Zindorf's brayer technique. Several months ago, I purchased the brayer and gave it a try, only to discover that I REALLY COULD NOT do it. It looked absolutely TERRIBLE!!

Since that time, I've been reading everything I could about the technique and even watched a video or two. Today I found myself with some time on my hands and I figured that, with the "school time stress" gone, at least for now....that my attempts might be better. Well, I was right!

It took 1 card front, but I had to do both sides in order to get one that I was REALLY pleased with. Keep in mind, when you look at my card, that this is my very FIRST real attempt at the technique. The card front is actually Whisper White paper, which I brayered with 3 sky colors: Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, and Really Rust. In order to get the "sun", I punched a circle from a Post It note and put it where I wanted the sun, after first brayering the Summer Sun ink. I brayered the other two colors and then pulled off the Post It Circle. I brayered a bit of Old Olive at the bottom for the grass before stamping the tree image and greeting.

I know now that my blending could have been a bit more "shaded" or subtle and that I should have left more yellow at the horizon line. Speaking of the horizon, I didn't try any of the fancy horizons or reflections, but I'm sure that I will, once I get better at this.

Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think of my attempts at this technique.

Blog Candy Winner

2009-06-30T16:01:00.002-04:00

I am so happy to announce that I have a winner of my Blog Candy.... In case you haven't checked over on Scrappin' Mojo, I am excited to announce that Treasa is the winner of my Blog Candy!!!

Treasa, there is a link on the right hand side of my blog where you can email me with your address. I'll get your stamp set out to you in the mail.

Thanks for playing along and I hope to see you all over at Scrappin' Mojo!

Just Wanted to Pass Along...

2009-06-29T06:59:00.002-04:00

Since my blog candy was being offered as part of the Scrappin Mojo Blog Hop, we are going to wait to announce the winner with all of the other winners. Check Scrappin Mojo at 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time for the list of each blog winner and the GRAND PRIZE WINNER!!

Blog Candy and a Blog Hop

2009-06-26T15:07:00.003-04:00

Hello again everyone! Sorry that it has been a while since my last post. We are smack dab in the middle of a kitchen renovation project, so my house AND MY LIFE has been turned upside down! I’m in the need of some fun and I have the perfect opportunity for you to join in. This weekend, one of my favorite scrapbook sites, Scrappin’ Mojo is hosting a blog hop. This is the perfect opportunity for you to join a great scrapbook group, meet some ladies who LOVE scrapbooking, create some beautiful challenge pages, and possibly win a prize too!

To join in, the first thing you need to do is sign up to be a member of Scrappin’ Mojo. To do that, go to the link here…Scrappin' Mojo Home Page. This will get you to the home page where you can follow the directions and sign in as a member.

Take some time to cruise through the forum and be sure to check out the Summer Soiree Blog Hop posts. Those will help guide you through the blogs that are participating in the blog hop. At each blog, you can participate in a challenge, leave comments, and possibly win a prize. Once you accept a challenge, be sure to go back to the Scrappin’ Mojo gallery located at this link...Scrappin' Mojo Gallery. Post your challenge layouts so that we can all enjoy your creative endeavors and leave you some praise.

Now for MY CHALLENGE…. You all know that I LOVE stamping! Many of us use the stamps on cards and other paper projects, but I would like for you to try your hand at using stamping on a scrapbook page. One stipulation…..you must use some stamps that are NOT alphabet stamps. You may include alphabet stamps also, but somewhere on the page there must be some “image” stamping. Here’s my sample….

Don’t recognize those circles??? Well….those are from the brand spanking new catalog! This set is called Circle Circus and I love the fun things that you can do with it! You may not recognize some of the ink colors either….those are the brand new in colors. (Look for more about those soon.)

This layout pays tribute to my daughter’s latest obsession: bright, colorful, unusual socks. I’m sure that you have an obsession too….one that you don’t mind sharing with the world. Leave a comment on this thread and share that obsession with us all. On Sunday night I will randomly select a number and that lucky person will win the Polka Dot Punches stamp set. It is one of my favorites and was available during this year's Saleabration.

The fun isn’t over yet. Once you’ve posted your comment here and made note of my challenge so that you can complete it, head on over to Marcie’s blog to see what fun challenge she has for you.

COMING SOON----New Catalog

2009-06-03T13:24:00.003-04:00

YES! It is almost time for the release of a new Stampin' Up! catalog. Of course, when we say, "Hello" to a new catalog, it also means that we have to say, "Bye-Bye" to some of our favorite "old stuff". I have attached the Last Chance list in case some of you may want to see what will not be available as of the end of June. You can find a link to the pdf in the right hand column of my blog.

I haven't even seen the new catalog though I have seen a sneak peek or two on the Demonstrator website. Let me just assure you that there are some FABULOUS stamps, colors, and designer papers available! Stay tuned to this blog for more info!

New Card

2009-05-03T19:23:00.006-04:00

Here's a simple little card that I put together for a challenge on one of my favorite websites: Scrappin' Mojo

The gals over there are so friendly and are very talented with their scrapping skills! If you are a scrapbooker or if you just want to join in on a great website, check out this one!

Now on to the card itself:

The challenge was to create a card with at least 2 rounded corners. The card itself is made from Old Olive cardstock, one of my FAVORITE colors of Stampin' Up! paper! For the main card front I cut a piece of So Saffron cardstock and then stamped some leaves using Versamark ink. I love the subtle look of that ink on cardstock! I cut a circle of Very Vanilla carstock and then stamped 2 trees from one of my favorite stamp purchases, Trendy Trees. I added a scrap of paper and some ribbon from a Salabration freebie before stamping the greeting and punching it out with my Word Window punch. The corners were all rounded using my Stampin' Up! corner rounder punch, of course.

I managed to create a great card that I'm sending out as an RAK AND....I managed to finish another Scrappin' Mojo challenge! Not bad.... if I do say so myself.

National Scrapbooking Month

2009-05-01T20:09:00.004-04:00

My husband never forgets those important holidays: Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary. A year or so ago he also learned that May not only requires Mother's Day presents for me.....but also National Scrapbooking Day celebration!

Stampin' Up! hasn't forgotten National Scrapbooking Month either. They have put together 3 great promotions in honor of those who help preserve memories for others. All 3 of these specials run from May 1 to May 31.

Promotion 1) Buy three packs of Designer Series paper (including our Specialty Designer Series paper) or 12" x 12" textured card stock, and get one FREE! This a great opportunity to stock up on some of the wonderful textured cardstock in those color families that you use most often. OR... if you prefer treat yourself to some of the beautiful double sided designer papers.

Promotion 2) Buy a sneak peek stamp set from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog--Jumble Alphabet (set of 52; double-mounted)--at a 20 percent discount. This stamp set is especially great if you like that "collage" look in your titles.

Promotion 3) Join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator for only $75 with our limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit. This kit includes the Schoolbook Serif Alphabet stamp set, Petal Party Simply Scrappin Kit, a package of Earth Elements Textured Cardstock, and a Whisper White Craft Stamp Pad. If you've ever thought you might like to share Stampin' Up! with others, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

If you want more info on any of these promotions, feel free to email me. (There's a link in the right hand column.) I've also posted the pdf files from Stampin' Up! in case you want those.

Watercolor With Markers

2009-04-26T15:19:00.005-04:00

As promised, I have created a video tutorial to show how I used Stampin' Write markers and an aquapen to do the watercolor technique on my flowers in the mini album that I created. Hope it helps!

In Answer to Your Questions.....

2009-04-25T21:24:00.004-04:00

When I logged on tonight I was pleasantly surprised to find that several people had looked at my toilet roll album and enjoyed it. I also had a few questions that had been asked, so I thought I would take a minute to answer them.

1) Where did I do the binding?
I own the "Bind It All" machine and I bound it myself. I haven't done a whole lot with the Bind It All, but I'm really beginning to like it a LOT! The machine is easy to use and both punches the holes and squeezes the metal rings together.

2) How did you do the watercolor on the flowers?
I hope to do a video tutorial on that tomorrow. It's really fairly easy. Check back tomorrow night. I should have something online by then.

3) Where is the toilet roll?
Each one of the pockets is one of the cardboard inserts that toilet paper comes rolled on. I spritz the empty cardboard roll with a bit of water and then iron it flat with a hot iron. It ends up being about 2 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches. I just covered each roll with the designer paper to make it "pretty".

If you have any other questions I'll be glad to answer them. Just let me know! I really am glad that people are enjoying my projects!

Toilet Paper Roll Album

2009-04-24T17:28:00.005-04:00

I've been seeing these mini albums online that people have been making out of empty toilet paper rolls and I really wanted to try one. I'm SO GLAD that I did!!

Here's the outer cover....

I covered my rolls with paper from the Urban Garden Designer Paper and used Baja Breeze cardstock for my insert tags. The swirls on each page are from the "Priceless" stamp set and the titles are rub ons from the chocolate chip page of the Greatest Moments set. I love the way these rub-ons go on so smoothly!

The real STAR of the album though, has to be my flowers. I stamped them using Staz On ink and then colored them in with my Stampin' Up! markers before using the aquapen to give them the water colored look. Believe it or not, this was my first attempt at this technique! It was much easier than I expected.

Here's a look at a couple of close ups of some of my favorite pages...

As for the inner pages, here's what they look like.

I took the album to school with me today to show it off to my friends and they were amazed! I'm planning to make these with my local Homemakers Group as well as my monthly crop group. (Somehow, I think that we may have a larger group than usual, now that they've seen the album in person....)

Fifth Avenue Floral

2009-04-02T20:33:00.005-04:00

WOW! I liked this stamp set in the catalog. I liked it even more when I saw samples of cards that others had made. BUT.... I LOVED it as soon as I got it in my hands and made my first card.

I decided to try the "Popping Pastels" technique with this set and I really liked the results! (For those of you who haven't tried this technique, I'm working on a video tutorial to introduce you to it.) I love the way that the Versamark ink makes the pastels just POP right off the paper!

This stamp set has that versatility that few stamps have... depending on how you use it, the resulting image can be elegant, funky, or just plain fun! Over the next few days and weeks I plan to try this set in lots of ways. I'll be sure to share the results with you!

Get Connected Promotion

2009-04-01T06:05:00.004-04:00

Well, Saleabration is over for another year and boy, was it fun!

Leave it to Stampin' Up! to come up with another great offer though. Beginning today you can shop from the new April Occasions Mini. (I posted a link to the pdf for you over on the right hand side of my blog, so that you can view the catalog and see all of the great stuff.)

On top of the fact that there is some great stuff available, Stampin' Up! has gone even further. From April 1-30, when you buy $40 in products from the Occasions Mini or host a workshop totaling $150 or more, you'll get one item from the "Under $10" page (p. 208) in the Spring Summer 2009 Catalog--FREE!

This is the time to get connected with your family and friends and to create special cards for them. Take the time to look through the mini catalog and I'm sure that you will find some tempting stamps or embellishments. Contact me if you would like to order, or remember that you can go straight to my Demonstrator Website and order there as well. (Just click on the catalog image to the right and then click on Shop Now.)

Cards Coming.....I PROMISE....

2009-03-25T19:58:00.002-04:00

I feel so bad about neglecting my blog lately. I've been playing a bit though and I PROMISE that some cards and other goodies will be posted soon. I got a couple of new stamp sets and I can't wait to show you what I've done with them! Hopefully this weekend.... I might even get a video tutorial done!

Under the Weather

2009-02-24T19:32:00.002-05:00

Sorry that I haven't posted anything lately, but there's a bug going around and it appears that I have caught it. I spent the weekend on the couch, chilling, blowing my nose, and coughing. I finally went to the doctor yesterday and he gladly gave me a steroid shot to open up my air passages and a prescription for antibiotics. I'm hoping to be my old self in a day or two so that I can create some more projects to post.

More Play Time

2009-02-12T19:49:00.011-05:00

I got some more play time with the Trendy Trees stamps and I'm glad that I did! I kept envisioning some of the tree "tops" being used to create a large blossom, so I had to give it a try. Here is the result...

I started by stamping the circular tree top using Pumpkin Pie ink. Then, using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to help with placement I inked and stamped 4 "Tempting Turquoise" petals on the "compass points" (north, south, east, west). I repeated the process for the remaining 4 petals, but I stamped off some of the ink on scrap paper before stamping on the card front, in order to create lighter colored petals.

The designer paper is some of the Delicate Dots designer paper that you can get free during the Sale-a-bration. I also stamped the greeting from Trendy Trees and then punched it out using my Word Window Punch.

I think this "flower" is quite cute!

New Toys!!

2009-02-10T20:13:00.006-05:00

I got my first order from the new Spring/Summer catalog and I've been enjoying a little bit of "play" time!

One of my newest purchases was the Trendy Trees stamp set and the Stamp-a-ma-jig. The first time I saw the stamp set in the catalog I knew that it would be cute, but I didn't realize HOW cute! I decided to use it on a scrapbook layout.

I pulled out some of my old "Windsor Knot" Designer paper and went to work.

I used the Trendy Trees as accents on this layout about one of my family's letterboxing adventures. I think it gave a very fun look to what would otherwise have been a bland layout. Everything on this layout is from Stampin' Up! except the number 4 in the title. (I don't yet own a number stamp set from SU, so I just grabbed a spare acrylic stamp.) The title alphabet is Schoolbook Serif.

This was such a fun stamp set to use and the Stamp-a-ma-jig wasn't hard to learn at all! I will definitely be using this stamp set some more.

It's Time to Sale-a-Brate!!

2009-02-01T15:56:00.006-05:00

Yes, it's finally here! Stampin' Up! is having their annual Sale-a-bration promotion.

Every year Stampin' Up! gives customers, hostesses, and new demonstrators the opportunity to earn fantastic, FREE, limited-edition products they'll enjoy for years to come.

Here's how Sale-A-Bration works:

Customers
When you spend $50 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward! There's no limit—for every $50 you spend, you can select another free Sale-A-Bration reward.

Hostesses
When you host a workshop of at least $300 (before tax and shipping), you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward, in addition to all of the regular hostess benefits!

Recruits
During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set—a value of up to $47.95—from the current Idea Book & Catalog! Plus, new recruits get 15% off the Starter Kit—over $350 of Stampin’ Up! products and business supplies for only $169!

The Sale-A-Bration promotion starts on February 1 and runs through March 31, so don't miss your chance to earn free products! Contact me today to book your workshop or learn more about this promotion.

An added bonus is being offered by Stampin' Up! for those customers who would like to place their order online. Anyone who submits an order online will be given a FREE copy of the Stampin' Up! Idea book/Catalog! All you need to do is look over on the sidebar and click on the photo of the catalog. You will be taken to my Demonstrator Business Website. Just click on Shop Now at the top of the page and you can submit your own order.

NOTE: There is not a prompt on the online order form to remind you to select your Sale-a-bration reward sets. Be sure that you know the item numbers for whichever set or sets you want. Once you have entered all of the regular items you wish to purchase you will need to determine how many reward sets you have earned and enter the item number(s) for the set(s) that you have earned.

To whet your appetite I thought I would create a little something with one of the Sale-a-bration reward sets. Here's a candy bar wrapper that I created using Ruby Red cardstock, Candy Lane designer paper, and the "Yummy" sale-a-bration stamp set.

(Some of you who happen to live near me will be able to get a closer look at this sweet yummy. Keep watching!)

Matchbook Tutorial

2009-01-18T21:49:00.003-05:00

Here is the tutorial that I promised for the Valentine Matchbook Candy Holder. It is VERY simple to make and can be changed as desired to fit various holidays and occasions.

Valentine's Projects

2009-01-18T20:03:00.004-05:00

I wanted to take a minute to share a couple of my Valentine's Day projects with you. I have some opportunities coming up later this month for my groups to make these.

The first project is a "Love Sign". The foundation of the sign comes from 4 chipboard coasters. I covered them using designer paper from the Candy Lane series and then used my Cropadile to punch holes in the coasters. I tied the coasters together with ribbon. The letters were cut using my Storybook cartridge and my Cricut.

My second project is a matchbook holder that holds a fun size pack of M&Ms. (I've created a video tutorial showing how I made this particular project, but You Tube is not cooperating with me right now. I will try to upload it again later.

Both of these projects use the Candy Lane designer papers and stamps from the Love You Much bundle.

New Catalog!

2009-01-15T21:56:00.002-05:00

I received my order of Spring/Summer catalogs yesterday and I've spent quite a bit of time just flipping through it. Stampin' Up! is offering some really great stuff in this catalog!

They have lots of beautiful new designer patterned paper, corduroy buttons, crocheted flowers, and of course, some GREAT new stamps! I'll try to post some more details in the next few days once I have time to REALLY look at it and I stop salivating!

Scrapling Bookmarks.........and First Attempt at Tutorial

2009-01-04T10:28:00.014-05:00

You may remember about a month ago when I posted that my sweet husband had purchased me a mini video camera so I could film some tutorials for my blog. Well, yesterday I finally sat down and gave it a try. Please remember as you watch that this is my FIRST ever attempt at a video tutorial. I can already tell that there are some things I will need to work on.

The tutorial will introduce you to a scrapling bookmark that I made using the new Love You Much bundle. Almost as soon as I got the bookmark finished my daughter scurried it away for her latest read.

If you watch my video, I would really appreciate some feedback, so be sure to leave me a comment.

Finally...I Scrapbooked!

2009-01-03T20:02:00.006-05:00

Scrapbooking is the thing that got me into stamping and papercrafting in the first place. It has always been my "therapy" of sorts. Whenever I am stressed and need to forget about work or problems, I retreat to my scrap room and spend hours documenting my family's memories. Of late, however, I haven't had the creative "mojo" that I've needed in order to get much done. That changed today.

I dug out my Stampin' Up! cardstock and some pictures of my daughter and son and got busy! It was my first attempt at actually scrapbooking using mostly Stampin' Up! supplies. First....my son's layout: This layout used So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, and Old Olive cardstocks. The patterned papers are from the "Windsor Knot" Designer Paper Series. I also used a couple of the star designer brads and a vellum quote from my private "stash".

Now, for my daughter's page: Her page used the "Petal Party" Scrappin kit. I stamped the using my Starstruck stamps and Pink Passion and Old Olive inks. I added some sequin stars and mini brads along with a die cut title and some ribbon from Michael's.

I love the way it is so simple to integrate the Stampin' Up stamps and embellishments into the "collection" of things that I already own from years of scrapbooking!

Framed.....

2009-01-02T20:39:00.006-05:00

I'm trying to get myself all geared up and ready to go back to teaching on Monday, but it's not easy. It has been so nice to have a couple of weeks off to spend time with my family, not worrying about meetings or papers to grade. I got to thinking that it might be nice to take a little piece of them back with me.

I found this wooden frame at Dollar Tree and decided that the new "Love you Much" bundle would be perfect to frame a family photo. I first painted the frame with some vanilla acrylic paint and then cut strips from the Candy Lane designer paper and Mod Podged it to the frame. I stamped the hearts using Close to Cocoa and Real Red inks on Very Vanilla and Kraft papers. To add a bit of sparkle I used Cinnamon and Burgundy Stickles on some of the flowers, hearts, and dots. I grabbed some ribbon from my stash and tied a quick knot at the bottom of the frame before applying the hearts. (The larger hearts are stacked on foam dimensionals to give more depth to the design.) When I finished I looked at it and decided that it needed a little something extra so I hunted through my "Fundamental Phrases" stamps and used Brown Staz On ink to stamp a phrase at the top of the frame.

Here's a close up of the larger hearts so you can see the great detail in these stamps.

These pictures really don't do full justice to the finished project. I am VERY happy with the way it looks and I know that I will find the perfect place for it on my desk. If you are thinking about working on some Valentine's projects, be sure to check out the Love You Much bundle.

Want to See Something Cute???

2008-12-29T19:21:00.003-05:00

I just had to share one of the cutest things that I've picked up lately while shopping. Yesterday, my son and I went to Lexington to get some odds and ends that we needed. While there, we checked out some of the after Christmas specials and I made one of my regular stops at the local Dollar Tree. While cruising through the aisles looking for things that I might be able to alter I spotted this:I liked the gact that this little calculator could be clipped on my purse just like a keyring. I also liked the fact that it came with face plates that I could change. My mind immediately went to the scraps of Ski Slope designer paper that I had left over from my Christmas card classes. Tonight I sat down with my Fiskars scissors and my Fiskars fingertip craft knife. Using one of the extra face plates as a pattern I cut my own face plate from one of the scraps.

Voila!, my own personalized Stampin' Up! calculator. The best thing is, I can change out the paper as my mood hits....( or as Stampin' Up! releases new papers that I LOVE!)

Something New in the Air

2008-12-27T19:33:00.006-05:00

Another Christmas has come and gone. The kids are all playing happily with their new electronics and I took some time to clean up my scrap space. Of course, I couldn't leave the desk top clean for very long.

I just received one of the new Valentine's Day stamp sets from Stampin' Up! called "Love You Much". I really wanted to try it out and one of my favorite websites gave me the perfect inspiration. I was reading on the PageMaps Blog about their card sketch contest and I decided to try my hand at a Valentine's card.

I used 4 different colors of cardstock for the card itself: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Kraft, and Close to Cocoa. The stamp in the center of the flower came from the new "Love You Much" set. The greeting came from the "Best Yet" set, and the decorative strip was created using my "Bella's Border" wheel. I added a strip of satin ribbon from my stash and a large pink Bazzill blossom. I really like the way that the final card turned out.

You still have time to enter the Page Maps contest; it doesn't end until December 31. Check out their blog for more details. I have a link posted in my sidebar.

Retired List Plus Other News

2008-12-09T20:17:00.003-05:00

Boy.......has Stampin' Up! been busy today!!

First of all, they posted the retiring stamps. This is the list of stamps that will no longer be available once the new catalog is released in January.

Second of all, they announced that you can purchase any of the stamps on that retiring list for a 10% discount off the regular price between today and December 23.

Lastly, they are also offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $70 between now and December 23 also.

When you put all 3 of those things together, it provides you with a GREAT opportunity to purcahse any of the Stampin' Up stuff, but ESPECIALLY any of the things on the retiring list that might have been on your personal wish list.

In order to help you check out the retiring list I am posting an Excel spreadsheet with the regular price as well as the 10% discount price. You can find a link to the spreadsheet on the top of the right hand bar of my blog.

An Early Birthday Surprise

2008-12-07T12:17:00.002-05:00

My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks. Well, last night my dear sweet Hubby and daughter kept egging me on, trying to get me to open my birthday present early. I kept telling them no....I just can't. It wouldn't be right.

Today the urging from them just got to be too much. They got the camera, put the package in my lap, and practically FORCED me to open it. I know....it was kind of silly of me to not want to open it in the first place. After all, they were giving it to me.....

Anyway, to my surprise, Hubby had purchased me one of those tiny video cameras that everyone uses to film tutorials for You Tube! It came complete with the tripod, rechargeable batteries, and everything. I can't wait to learn how to use it, but I have to wait until the batteries charge themselves. I had shown him all of the videos on all of the blogs that I visit and had mentioned that I would like to try doing some.

Get ready....because once I learn how to use this thing, I hope to have tutorials on a regular basis.

BUSY.....BUSY..... BUSY

2008-12-04T06:09:00.002-05:00

If your December is going anything like mine, then you totally understand why I haven't done a new post lately. After Thanksgiving meals with both families last week, we decided to get a weekend jump start on our shopping and actually managed to get MOST of the things we needed scratched from our shopping list. We were back to school this week, of course.

It is my intention to do some crafting, gift making, etc. this weekend, so I hope to post something then.

Seeking Sales and Savings......

2008-11-24T19:58:00.007-05:00

About this time of the year we all start seeking out those special sales to help us get ready for the upcoming holiday season. Well, Stampin' Up! has a special sale for you. I can't tell you a whole lot, since most of the details are being kept kind of secret, even to us demonstrators.

Here's what I DO know....

1. The sale begins Wednesday, November 26 and runs through December 1.

2. Stampin' Up! is offering special sale prices on "bundles" of various products. Some of these bundles are priced as much as 50% off.

3. Supplies are limited, so it is first come, first served.

4. The easiest way to place an order during this sale in a timely fashion is to use my Demonstrator website and place an online order, but you CAN contact me and have me place the order for you. You will see a link to my DBWS on the right hand side of this webpage. Just click on the picture of the Stampin' Up! catalog. Once you get to my webpage just click on "Shop Now" at the top.

That's about what I can tell you right now. Be sure to check back on Wednesday, especially if you're in the market for some great paper crafting bargains!

Unexpected Inspiration

2008-11-21T10:11:00.006-05:00

This morning I awoke to this scene outside my bedroom window.....

This is the first time in a very long time that I can remember Kentucky getting snowfall BEFORE Thanksgiving! It wasn't much, but here in the eastern KY hills, it was enough to give me an unexpected day off from school.

I took the inspiration from the frosty cold snowfall and decided to work on some Thank You cards for a swap that I'm in. The instructions for the swap were to use Christmasy papers, but NOT to put any type of greeting or words on the card. Here's what I came up with.

For the card itself I used Baja Breeze cardstock cut at 4.25 X 11. The DSP is from the Ski Slope pack that I recently purchased. I'm LOVING that paper! To make the images look kind of frosty, I stamped snowflakes from the Snow Swirled set using Versamark ink and then applied pastels using Qtips. I love the way it looks kind of misty or frosted! I mounted the finished image on a square of Not Quite Navy. For the side accent I used my Cropadile to set 2 white eyelets on the top and the bottom. I wove some thick white embroidery floss through and voila!....a beautiful card!

My Head is Spinning!

2008-11-09T19:41:00.004-05:00

I decided that the time had come for me to sit down and try a little something new. I had seen directions online for a "spinner" card. This type of card has some type of a small stamped image that spins and slides inside a groove on the card front.

I decided that this would be the perfect challenge for me, so I sat down, read through the directions, and then started experimenting. I must be perfectly honest and tell you that it took some trial and error to get the slider mechanism to work just right, but I finally managed to get something that looks fairly good.

I used Chocolate Chip cardstock for the card base. I cut a piece of Old Olive cardstock for the background of the front panel and stamped a "Happy Holidays" greeting from the Many Merry Messages set at the top. I created the spinner background using more Chocolate Chip cardstock and Ski Slope designer paper and punched the slot using my Word Window punch. (I inked the outer edges to make it stand out a bit.)

For the spinning image, I couldn't resist the cute little deer from the Deer Friends hostess gift set. I used my Old Olive and Chocolate Chip markers to color the image before stamping it. A bit of Real Red marker on the deer's nose topped off with a bit of Crystal Effects gave the "Rudolph" touch. I punched the deer out with my 1 3/8 inch circle punch and matted it with a Scallop Circle punch in Chocolate Chip. I used my Signo Gel pen to add tiny white dots in each scallop before mounting the spinner into its slot.

Here's what the finished card looks like:

I wish I had a video camera so you could actually see the little deer as he slides around from side to side. It is totally CUTE! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

There is a great tutorial on the Splitcoast Stampers website if you decide that you want to give this a try. A link is located on my list of links.

Framed Family Tree

2008-11-02T11:40:00.009-05:00

As promised, here's my latest stamped creation. Well, to be honest, it's not totally stamped, but stamping is definitely a major portion of it. I stamped the tree from Seasons of Friendship onto Kraft cardstock. Then I took scraps of various reds, oranges, and yellows and punched several leaves with an old leaf punch that I had. On each leaf I wrote the name of one of our family members. (When I adhered them to the tree I noticed some empty spots so I put a few blank leaves on the tree as well. I figure that way if new family members are added there is somewhere to write their names.) I used my die cut machine to cut a bookplate from both Very Vanilla and a scrap of orange cardstock. Then I added the family name and the year my parents were married. The bookplate was attached to the tree card using mini brads.

A trip to WalMart gave me a $3 frame and a scrap of sheer fabric from the $1 yard material. I stretched the orange material over a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and then mounted my finished tree onto Chocolate Chip cardstock. I used some copper brads to mount the tree through the fabric covered cardstock and then inserted the whole thing into the frame. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

Here's a close-up of the tree itself. (This is a present for my mother, but she doesn't own a computer, so there's no chance she'll see it.) I have enough fabric left over to do several more, so I think I'll go back and make some for some other people I know.

Materials:

Stamp: Season of Friendship

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, various scraps

Other: Fabric, mini brads, brads, leaf punch, fine tip black marker

Another Christmas Present for Someone

2008-11-01T19:55:00.006-04:00

I was walking through Big Lots the other day and I spotted this tray:

It only cost $8.00 and I knew just what I would use it for. Tonight, I pulled out my Seasons of Friendship stamp set and my Kraft paper and set to stamping. I created a tree for each of the 4 seasons and then inserted them into the tray instead of photos. Here's what the finished tray looks like. One of the neatest things is that the "handles" on the tray swivel completely, so if you wanted to, you could actually hang it on the wall, just like a picture frame!

I wish that the mat came out of the tray, but it is actually built in. If I had been able to take it out I would have stamped on it with some background stamps or added a quote.

Stay tuned for another post, (hopefully tomorrow). I came up with another project for this same stamp set, but I need to go purchase something before I can finish it.

Slow Weekend Here

2008-10-26T15:54:00.001-04:00

Not much going on here this weekend. The family and I did visit the local community "Woolly Worm Festival" yesterday. I cruised through the craft booths to get some ideas of my own and actually had a couple of creative sparks. My daughter has recently been learning how to sew and has been taking part in the sewing classes at the local extension office. We saw one project that she liked so much that she had to come home and give it a try on her own.

Here are 2 that my daughter made. She is planning on making several more as Christmas presents.

The materials required for the project are quite simple: a potholder, a dishtowel, and a button.

Locate the middle of the dishtowel by folding it end to end. Sew a basting or gathering stitch from side to side of the distowel. Pull the threads to gather the distowel until it is the same width as the potholder. Fold the potholder in half to locate the center of it. Sew the potholder to the dishtowel. Now sew a large button to the top center of the potholder. The finished towel can be hung on the door of a stove by wrapping the potholder around the handle and then buttoning the potholder loop over the button.

They are so cute AND easy to make! If you have an up and coming young seamstress in your family, this would make a GREAT gift giving project for them to make this Christmas!

Second Generation Stamper

2008-10-15T20:09:00.000-04:00

I just had to share this little story with all of my scrapping and stamping friends....

My father's birthday was about a week ago. My daughter, age 11, really wanted to make a card for "Papaw" so I agreed to help. She had already decided that my "Loads of Love" stamp set would be just perfect for the job.

After stamping the truck, she very carefully colored it in with several different shades of red Prisamacolor pencils. Then I showed her how to blend with a blending stump and some odorless mineral spirits. After that she decided that the truck just didn't look enough like Papaw's....it needed some mud, so she took brown pencil and added mud along the running boards. She stamped the hearts in the truck bed, colored them in, and stamped a greeting. It still didn't quite suit her, so I showed her how she could use a sponge brush and add a "muddy" road with my ink.

The most touching part to me was the little note that she wrote inside about how a truck couldn't hold all of the love that she had for him. It made me want to cry!

I had to snap a picture of the card to share with all of you. It made me so proud to see the care and love that went into her creation!

Sharing my Love of Crafting

2008-10-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

One of the best parts about working with Stampin' Up! has been the ability to share my love of stamping and crafting with others. In recent months I have had the privilege to meet on a monthly basis with a great group of ladies at the local Extension Office. We have done all types of crafts, from altered clipboards to paper bag albums. It has been so much fun to watch these ladies develop their creativity!

This Friday, October 17, will be the official grand opening of the new Extension Office building where the Homemakers group meets with me each month. I wanted to show my gratitude to the Extension Office for allowing me the opportunity to work with them, so I took the opportunity to make a couple of door prizes for them.

The first door prize is a piece of framed artwork into which I incorporated stamping. (This idea can also be seen in the SU Holiday Mini Catalog on page 6.

The second door prize is a set of 4 notecards, also using the same stamp set.

Here are the spring and summer cards:

And the fall and winter cards:

Both door prizes use the "Season of Friendship" stamp set. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite stamp sets! It is so versatile! I love the fact that it can be used for any season.

Don't forget....if you happen to be anywhere near the Owsley County Extension Office on Friday, drop in and say, "Hello" to everyone there. Don't forget to register for the door prizes. (If you don't win them....you can always make them yourself! It is great fun!)

Last Peek

2008-10-12T17:03:00.000-04:00

Well, we're back from the volleyball tournament. It didn't go nearly as well as we had hoped, so I won't spend a lot of time talking about it.

Instead, I thought I would post the last card that we'll be making in our Stamp a Stack Event. This is one of my favorites!

I used the Season of Simple Grace Set to stamp three panels: Wise Men, Shepherds, and Nativity. The Wise Men panel is a bit wider than the other 2, but they are all of the same height. This allowed me to "stack" the three images, so that each time you open a panel, you reveal a new image. I used Versamark ink to stamp the star, but I think that we will switch and use the Baja Breeze ink, so it will stand out a bit more.

If you haven't already preregistered for one of the Stamp a Stack events, remember that I need to know in advance so that I can get materials cut for everyone. The dates are October 23 and October 30. The cost is $20 to make 12 cards with envelopes.

Another Peek

2008-10-10T09:27:00.000-04:00

We are headed off to Louisville to watch our own Owsley County Owls play in the state all A volleyball tournament, but I thought I would post a couple more of the cards that I have prepared for my Stamp a Stack event.

This one is fairly simple. The snowflakes and greeting are from the Snow Swirled set, one of my favorites from this catalog. I stamped the snowflakes in Real Red and Old Olive, added a strip of Old Olive cardstock and the Real Red greeting.

This is another fairly simple card. The tree is one of the images from Fun & Fast Notes. I used my SU markers to color in the image. The patterned paper is more of the Ski Slope designer paper and the greeting is from Many Merry Messages. This is my first purchase of Stampin' Up! ribbon, but I have to say I REALLY like it! I will definitely be using more of that.

Well, the car is about packed and ready to pull out of the drive, so I guess that will be all for this post. I'll update you on our exploits at state tournament when we return. (I'll probably squeeze in a bit of shopping too, so I may have some goodies to share with you too.)

Sneak Peek at Christmas Stamp a Stack

2008-10-09T20:24:00.000-04:00

I thought I would offer everyone a sneak peek at one of the cards that I will be using in an upcoming Stamp a Stack event.

When I saw the "Holiday Lineup" set I knew that I had to get it! I decided to try out the reindeer first and I couldn't resist adding a shiny red rhinestone to Rudolph's nose. I loved the look of the Chocolate Chip image stamped on Kraft paper and the white Signo gel pen makes the eyes and other accents really POP! I used my Stampin' Write Markers to color in portions of the deer, added a strip of patterned paper from the Ski Slope Designer Papers and mounted it all on Baja Breeze cardstock. The simple greeting from "Many Merry Messages" was the perfect accent.

A Big Step for Me

2008-10-09T20:13:00.000-04:00

This blog is not only a big step for me....It is a HUGE step for me. I've decided that the time has finally come for me to join the world of crafters who blog. As a Stampin Up! demonstrator, this will be my spot to share my latest ideas, inform you about some of the WONDERFUL products that I've discovered at Stampin Up!, and hopefully allow you to share your ideas with me.

I've only been a Stampin Up! demonstrator for a little over a month now, but I've been stamping, scrapbooking, and crafting for years. I truly love to create things for my family and friends and this blog will give me a place to trade ideas with all of you wonderful scrappers and crafters out there on the web.

Please be gentle with me as I get started; I'm not known for my computer abilities, but I'm trying to learn!