Thanks a Million

Well, after yesterday's post, it's time for something a little more normal.   ;) 

How about a simple "thank you" card? I love surprising people with a random act of kindness, and the teachers at the boys' school were due for a treat. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I am so blessed that my boys attend one of the best schools around. The staff is fabulous! So I took in a pretty "thank you" card and left it in the teacher's lounge with some yummy goodness. Inside I wrote a message about sharing something from our old home with our new home.   :}

The Summer Smooches DSP and Bright Blossoms stamp set are so cute together. I chose my greeting from the Word Play stamp set to compliment my crisp, clean design. 
Isn't that Printed Brad through the Button cute? Somewhere... somewhere, in my craft stash are some craft pliers, but since I couldn't find them, I borrowed the manly garage pliers and squeezed the "legs" of the brad to a narrower width so I could thread them into the button holes. I simply poked two holes into the card stock for the brad "legs" to go through. 

For all of the teachers who read through my fabulous and amazing blog posts (wink, wink)... wouldn't you love to find this waiting for you in the teacher's lounge on a Monday morning? I loved the reaction from one of the teachers who said she'd never heard of Kringle, because neither had I until we moved to Wisconsin thirteen years ago. Now, after moving again, I know my tastebuds will miss it (not my waistline!). 
I might just have to plan a visit with some friends soon... I'm getting hungry.   ;)

one sketch... two cards

Yesterday was such a beautiful day! It was sunny and kinda warm (51 degrees in the afternoon!), so the boys spent the day running around outside keeping you all safe from pirates, dragons, storm troopers, and aliens. AND, I had soooo much fun at my afternoon stamping class. Do you know what we will be doing today? Shoveling!

How do you like the contrast of our palm branches in the snow??? Crazy Spring weather! 

For both of the cards I'm sharing today, I used the same card sketch:

Here's the simple birthday card from yesterday's class-

stamp sets: Spring Sampler, Made for You

Embossing Folder: Chevron

DSP: Tea for Two 

And here's the card from the craft night I held at the grade school last week- 

stamp set: Madison Avenue 

Embossing Folder: Vine Street 

DSP: Sycamore Street 

Well, whatever kind of weather Spring has brought to your door today, I hope your day is fabulous! Thanks for stopping by my blog... now go stamp something!!  :} 

last day to sale-a-brate

(sigh)... I can not believe today is the last day to "sale-a-brate." It doesn't feel like two months have gone by since Sale-A-Bration started! There were so many fun goodies this year... I am sad to see them go. To "sale-a-brate" the last day of Sale-A-Bration, I have TWO cards to share with you today!!  Yay  :}

I really, really like how this card turned out! I like the colors, texture, layout, flower... everything! I like it so much, I had to make a second card using the same layout!  

On this card, the Honeycomb Embossing Folder adds texture to the Tangerine Tango layer (3-3/4 x5").  For a bit of whimsy, I cut the bottom end of the Sycamore Street* DSP into a flag, and adhered the strip slightly above the edge of the Tangerine Tango layer.

I used the Madison Avenue* stamp set for my flower image. I just trimmed the top corners of the Whisper White card stock to create the look of a tag. And the Sycamore Street* ribbon and button are perfect on this card, right?! 
*Sale-A-Bration items 

So, where is the second card??!! Bwahahahaha  :}  It's on my Facebook Page! Click on over and "vote" for your favorite! Thanks for dropping by and have a fabulous day!

how to stamp a bloomin' marvelous card

Today's card is just "bloomin' marvelous" if I do say so myself  ;) 

I wanted a clean background with lots of "white space," so I chose a layer of Whisper White card stock and added simple texture using the Vine Street* Embossing Folder. 

Before adhering the embossed layer, I tied on some Sycamore Street* ribbon. Just for fun, I added a bow of Pool Party Baker's Twine over the ribbon's knot. 
Using the Bloomin' Marvelous* stamp set, I stamped the sentiment in Island Indigo ink and the flowers in Pool Party ink. The Decorative Label Punch creates the perfect shape for this layer. For a pop of color, I stamped the leafy image in Summer Starfruit and the butterfly in Tangerine Tango. I "fussy cut" the leaves with my Snips, but the butterfly image punches out ever so nicely with the Bitty Butterfly Punch.


*Sale-A-Bration items 
 
And because I think you are all so "bloomin' marvelous," here's the simple card sketch...

Thanks for stopping by my blog... I hope you all have a "bloomin' marvelous" day!

gettin' sketchy during Sale-A-Bration

Hello again friends! A while back,  Hmmmm, about a month ago??? Yikes! Anywho, at some point in my "recent" past I found an awesome sketch on Splitcoast Stampers. I knew right away that I wanted to use the Madison Avenue stamp set (a Sale-A-Bration choice) with this sketch. And I did... it's just taken me this long to post it... sigh.

Don't you just LOVE how the colors play together on this card?! You have the softness of the Sahara Sand and Pool Party, and then, "HELLO" -  Tangerine Tango. Fun!  :}

The Sycamore Street DSP layer (also a Sale-A-Bration choice) reminds me of the ceiling treatment we had in the basement of the house I grew up in!  :}
I used the Vine Street Embossing Folder (yup, another Sale-A-Bration item) to add texture to my Pool Party layer of card stock. And the Sycamore Street button (hey, guess what... another Sale-A-Bration goodie!) adds just the right "pop" to the card. 

Well, I'm off to tend to the eight trillion things that need to get done today. Or, maybe I can put some off until "later" and stamp for a bit... 

 

diagonal embossed stripes

I have TWO cute Halloween projects and a fun technique to share today - woohoo!  :} 

If you've been reading for a while, you know I love texture on my paper-crafting projects. Embossing Folders are an easy way to add great texture, and I especially love when they become multi-taskers in my craft room (any Alton Brown fans out there?).  On this card, I used both the Chevron and the Stripes Embossing Folders!  :}  

All I had to do to make the diagonal embossed stripes is lay the 1-3/4" x 4-1/4" strip of More Mustard card stock at an angle inside the Embossing Folder before running it through the Big Shot - easy peasy! I like how it coordinates with the diagonal stripes on the DSP (Howlstooth & Scaringbone).  

And here's what the diagonal embossed stripes look like on a bookmark: 

A great gift for the grade school librarian, don't you think??  :} 

That pretty much wraps up my Halloween projects... did I make you want the Tricky Treats stamp set yet???  ;)  
Oh, I do have one more Halloween project to share... a freebie on my Facebook Page!  Happy Halloween!!!  :}

Happy Hallow-Wing!

Good morning! I hope you had a nice weekend. Mine was fabulous! On Saturday, we spent the day with the Cub Scouts hiking, fishing, working on achievements, etc. I took Aaron with me, and we had the most wonderful hike together while Ben was off with his den. I can't wait to share some of the pics! Sunday was such a beautiful day, and we spent our time outdoors again. My brother's family,  my parents, and my little clan spent some time at a nature center. I'm looking forward to scrapping those pics, too. 

I have the cutest Halloween card to share today. I love the cute, fun parts of Halloween - not the gory, bloody, creepy stuff - and this bat (Tricky Treats stamp set) is definitely cute!

His goofy eyes and big teeth just make me giggle. I really like the polka dot DSP (Howlstooth & Scaringbone), so I repeated the pattern using the Polka Dot Embossing Folder on the Basic Gray card stock layer. 

Some other fun details include the Rhinestone (colored with a black Sharpie), and the Striped Satin Ribbon. But my favorite little details are the "fang-bite" marks, which I made with the 1/16" Circle punch.   **TIP: use Dimensionals to adhere the "bitten" layer over a light colored card stock so that the holes are more visible. (They are much easier to see in real life, of course.) 

After such a great weekend, the rest of my week has a lot to live up to! Monday is off to a good start... I already worked with a small group of sweet 3rd-graders this morning. A teacher waiting in the hallway for some students overheard the end of our reading lesson, and asked me if I was a teacher. That made me both blush and smile. I guess I haven't completely lost my skills after being out of the classroom for so long - yay! Now, just keep your fingers crossed that this thunderstorm moves through quickly and Aaron's field trip isn't rescheduled again. Then my Monday will end happily... muddy, but still fun  :}

creating a new border

Did you ever have one of those days that time seems to be moving in "fast forward" and you feel like you spend the whole day running to catch up? Today was kinda like that for me... just not enough hours in the day! It didn't help that I've made three trips to the Post Office in the past two days. I had some packages to mail to my downline, so I went out yesterday afternoon to the village Post Office, where at 4:02pm I learned they close at 4pm. Now, I could have driven into town to a larger Post Office, and I should have looked at ALL of the posted hours... but I didn't. Apparently, as I learned today at 11:15am, they close during part of the day for lunch. Good grief. Third trip was a charm! Between this errand, all the others, and a volunteer stop at the grade school this afternoon, I'm thinking that I have a slow leak in one of my tires - grrrr! Well, at least I have something really neat to share with you today!! 

This quick and easy Halloween card uses some of my favorites (Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP, Tricky Treats stamp set). The layout is simple and easy to duplicate - I made it fun and interesting with just a few details. Distressing the edges of the More Mustard card stock adds great texture, aaaand... 

check out that awesome border!!! It's stinkin' cute, and ridiculously easy. I just punched out two pieces of Tangerine Tango card stock using the Curly Label punch, cut them in half, and adhered them behind the More Mustard card stock. Easy Peasy! LOVE IT!!!!! Yes, it's these simple little moments that make me sparkle  ;)  

Well, it's time for me to get the kids ready for bed. And I'd better turn in early myself... I'm working in the school library in the morning, and then chaperoning Aaron's field trip to a pumpkin patch in the afternoon. Just wondering... why is it always cold and rainy every time I'm with a class field trip outside?  sigh
Time to break out the long-johns!  :P

shoebox swap - part 1

Do you remember that cute little Halloween treat bag I posted earlier? Well, here's an even more adorable version, designed by one of my side-lines, Laura. I think you'll agree that Laura's design is super, super cute!!

Last week, at my upline's team meeting, we had a "shoebox swap." Each of us brought a project and the supplies to make it for each team member. Laura designed this treat bag using the Ghoulish Googlies Bundle. 
The glassine bag is dry embossed using the Spider Web Embossing Folder. I love the three little strips of Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP tucked behind the tag! And well, who can resist that cute little googly eye??!! I filled the bag with some candy corn flavored M&Ms, so now it's ready to brighten someones day  :} 
I already posted the card I designed for the swap... be sure to check back throughout the week to see the other "shoebox swap" projects! Have a super day  :}

more Spider Cider

In an earlier post I shared the "spider cider" gift for Ben's teacher. Today's project is a different version of "spider cider" - a gift for Aaron's teacher: 

I used the Petite Pocket Bigz XL Die to make a simple pouch which holds cider mix and a cinnamon stick. The Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP makes decorating the pouch super easy, and of course the spider stamp (Monster Munchies) is the inspiration for the project. 

I also made a cute little 2" x 2" card to coordinate with the gift, so Aaron and I can write a simple message of thanks to his teacher.

Thanks for dropping by today! If you have a minute, head on over to my Facebook Page for a Halloween FREEBIE  :}

stamping at the bakery

Part of the adventure in our move is finding new places to stamp and new people to stamp with  :}  There's a fabulous bakery in Decatur that not only has some of the most amazing soups, sandwiches, and desserts... it's also a super fun place to stamp! I already held two classes this month at Wildflour Bakery, and I can't wait for the next two in October!! This week I will be sharing the fun projects we made  :}  At my first class (on the 11th), we made four birthday cards.

I love the bright, cheerful colors on this card. And that bicycle couldn't be any cuter! Did you know that Stampin' Up! designs an exclusive stamp set each year to help support Ronald McDonald House Charities®?

 

This year's stamp set is called Moving Forward, and for each purchase of this stamp set, Stampin' Up! donates $3 to RMHC®. So... it's kinda like a moral obligation to purchase this stamp set, too... right???  ;}

We used the masking technique to stamp our image and sentiment. We "masked" the text under the bicycle stamp using a "sticky" note, so that we would only apply ink to the image. (Just remember to remove the "sticky" note before stamping on the card stock.) For the birthday greeting, we masked the blimp image and inked only the text. To add a cute finishing touch, we used markers to "ink" the flowers, and stamped them in the bicycle basket.
Thanks for dropping by today - check back tomorrow to see another cute birthday card :}

I LOVE my dentist!

Yes, you read that title correctly ;} 

I feel so blessed to have found the most wonderful dentist on this planet. And it's not just my dentist who is so amazing... the whole office is! They are some of the sweetest people I've ever met. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had more to say about the kids going to the dentist, so here ya go...

My youngest, Aaron, had no problems at all. It was his first trip to the dentist, so he was a little nervous and silly, but all went well :)
However, Benjamin is going to have quite a bit of dental work coming his way (appliances, braces, etc). Sooooo, to get that ball rolling, Ben had to have those really fun impressions of his teeth taken. Now, my sweet little Ben has the strongest gag reflex of any human. Ever. In fact, his first day of Kindergarten, he gagged on some "lick & stick" paper pieces while working on a craft. I remember the teachers and office staff laughing at how they'd never seen a kid do that before. And don't even think about asking Ben to lick an envelope for you! Anyway, let's just say that the impressions didn't go well. Our dentist was so patient and understanding, and she kept trying to work with Ben. I kept thinking that she probably shouldn't wear such cute shoes to work ;}  Since I'm pretty sure the staff ended up washing two loads of towels that day, I had to put together a funny "thank-you" gift.

After wrapping up the towels with some ribbon, I added a pretty flower (inspired by the notebook on p116 of the catalog). 

And I tucked a cute little 3x3 card under the ribbon: 

I LOVE that I can make coordinating gifts and cards!! 

stamp sets: Daydream Medallions, A Word For You

ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Regal Rose

card stock: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Regal Rose, Whisper White

punch: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border

Big Shot and Floral Frames Framelits Dies

Accessories: Daffodil Delight button, White Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones

You can find these goodies and more in my online store  :}

We were pretty bummed that after all that work, the lab couldn't use any of the "top" impressions. So I took Ben in this morning (at 7am- yowza!) for round 2. 

Dr. Natalie tried a few different techniques, and I am happy to report that she got a good impression on the first try!! Woohoo!!!! Now, on to the next step... :}

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ribbon Wreath

I finally finished a project on my "really-really want-to-make" list!!! For those of you who have a 2010-2011 SU catalog handy, my inspiration comes from the ribbon wreath on p190. It's not like it takes a long time to make a ribbon wreath - I finished in a few hours. I probably would have finished sooner if I didn't take breaks to draw outside with chalk, lose a lightsaber battle, and have a snack in the shade... but those are some of the best parts of working from home  :}  It's just one of those projects that kept getting pushed to the side, but I had time today since I didn't want to get a ton of supplies out while the drywall was being sanded. For this project, all you need is a hoop, ribbon, and Craft & Paper Scissors. I have two of these high quality scissors - one for paper, and one for fabric and ribbon.

Isn't it pretty??? Since I have several miles spools of ribbon in my craft room, this is the perfect project for me! All of these ribbons are from Stampin' Up! ... some are current, some are old, some are really old. I chose a variety of pinks, yellows, oranges, and greens for a bright, summery look.

I started with a hoop (approximately 13" diameter) that I purchased from my local craft store (I think I found it in the same aisle as the mirror pieces). Then I tied all my ribbons on... that's it! So easy!! 

A few tips for you: 
I used approximately 1 to 3 yards of each ribbon.
Push the tied ribbons close together as you're working.
Trim the ends as you go; don't wait to trim them all at the end.
Use a good amount of the wider ribbons first; it's much easier to fill in with skinny ribbons.
Try to use a variety of ribbon textures (satin, twill, grosgrain, scalloped edges) on your wreath for visual interest.
Mixing solid, striped, stitched, and dotted ribbons of varying widths is fun!
If you are using Pleated Satin Ribbon, pull gently when tying.
Ribbons with a heavier stiffness hold up to being cut longer; floppy ribbons should be cut shorter.

I bought more than 1 hoop because I have plans to make more. I will definitely create a Ribbon Wreath for Christmas... what else... oooh! Fall colors would be pretty!!  :}  What colors do you think I should try next?

oh boy... get ready for a long post :)

Where, oh where, did April go??? I can not believe today is the last day of April!! The month just flew by. I know this is going to be a long post, but I have so much to share... It will be worth it, I promise ;)

Okay... so today is the last day you can get your hands on the Summer Smooches product suite until the new catalog is available June 1st (and the very last day ever that you can get this awesome coordinating stencil). Here are some projects I had fun making with these goodies...

The stenciled Whisper White card stock on the right page was inspired by a card sample in the April Newsletter I sent out. (If you would like to receive the May Newsletter, head on over to my Stampin' Up! website and click on "request my newsletter".)

I used a sponge dauber and Lucky Limeade ink to create the stenciled strip. Then I stamped the dotted image from Bright Blossoms randomly in Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry. Using the Boho Blossoms punch, I added Rich Razzleberry and Daffodil Delight flowers (with Basic Pearl centers) for more detail.

The stencil makes another appearance on the left page, but this time using Island Indigo ink - so pretty!

The 1-1/2" wide strips of Summer Smooches DSP add a playful touch at the top of the page. Even though the Summer Smooches brads are sold out, you could easily copy this look with buttons.

The stencil works great on cards, too! For this 5" square card, I used Lucky Limeade card stock and ink. I also used Island Indigo ink for the stamped background images and the sentiment.

A strip of Summer Smooches DSP behind the sentiment adds another pop of color. Oh, and it's always fun to stamp your envelope!

Okie dokie - so now that your creative juices are flowing, here's another reminder...TODAY is the LAST day to order from the Occasions Mini Catalog!! And I have to bid it farewell with a project using my favorite stamp set from this Mini:

I really hope the Mixed Bunch stamp set and the Blossom punch carry over into the new catalog... I guess we'll find out June 1st. If you haven't ordered it yet, you just have to! It's so easy to use!!

Don't you just LOVE these colors together??!! Tangerine Tango, Blushing Bride, and Pear Pizzazz - FABULOUS!!  *** Technique Tip: You can create fun backgrounds by dry embossing a piece of Designer Series Paper with an Embossing Folder and your Big Shot. For more detail, lightly use a Sanding Block to expose the white core of the paper.

Okay,  this post has probably gotten long enough  :}  I could add more, but I'll give you a break so you can get back to your stamping - or at least wishing you were stamping. Have a wonderful evening!

big and bright

Even though it doesn't feel like summer outside (not even close!), it sure does in my stamp room  :}  I am having the best time playing with my Summer Smooches goodies!!
Today's project uses a super fun card sketch from Connie & Mary:

It's a great sketch, so I had a ton of ideas. As I was clearing a spot to create my masterpiece (I am such a messy stamper), I came upon an envelope left over from a My Digital Studio 5x7 card project that I had printed from the SU print service. I would never waste a perfectly good envelope, so I decided to create a 5x7 card. I LOVE how it turned out!
To the Daffodil Delight card base, I added two patterns from the Summer Smooches DSP. To hide the seam, I added a strip of Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon.
After die cutting an oval with my Big Shot, I used the Bright Blossoms stamp set to stamp my focal point. I wanted a very simple "mat" around the oval, so I adhered more Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon to the back of the oval.
**Technique Tip** I find it a little tricky to use a marker to color tiny little leaves and stems, so I inked the whole image using a Lucky Limeade stamp pad. Then I used a Blender Pen like an "eraser" to remove the ink from the flower-dots. It's much easier to use the markers on just the dots  :}
I used Circle punches to create the flowers and leaves. Then I added Basic Rhinestones (one of each size) to my flowers for a fun little touch.
**Bonus Technique Tip** Here's a short video to show you how I rounded the corners on the bottom layer of DSP-

Thanks so much for dropping by today... I think I'll go clean up from this project and start another one  :}

I'm back!

So, did you miss me? Don't answer that  ;)
I can not believe a whole month has gone by since my last post! As usual, it has been crazy busy here at home. Now that my computer seems to be co-operating, Aaron's asthma is somewhat under control, Sale-A-Bration is done, Ben's birthday and party are over, and spring break is on the horizon, I'm hoping for a little breathing room in April. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

April is the last month for the Occasions Mini Catalog, so be sure to order your favorites while you can. One of my favorites is a Hostess selection- the Simple Snapshots Digital Content CD. I wasn't sure about the colors at first (Tangerine Tango, River Rock, Lucky Limeade, Pink Pirouette, and Basic Gray), but once I started playing around with the content, I really liked it!

Soooo, I used Simple Snapshots to create the new look for my blog today  :)  Woohoo!! Cute, right??!

And I was having so much fun, I went ahead and made a scrapbook page of my beautiful niece. I LOVE how it turned out!

Seriously, have you ever seen a prettier baby??? She's so photogenic  :)

Well, here's to a better April than March. I can't wait to show you some adorable projects using the "sneak peek" products from the Summer Smooches Collection. Click here to order yours... the Summer Smooches promotion ends April 30th! Happy stamping  :)

Xander's birthday card

Good morning! I'm off to a busy start this morning... car is back from the mechanic (just an oil change needed). The van is another story... looks like I'm buying an alternator today  :(  I just finished making the birthday card for one of Aaron's best friends, Xander, who is having his 5th birthday party this morning. Aaron is soooooo excited to attend!

Stamp set: I Dig You.  Card stock: Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, and textured Chocolate Chip.  Ink: Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip.  Accessories: Pear Pizzazz 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon and 5/16" Jumbo Brad.  Tools: Big Shot, Two Tags Bigz Die, Crimper.

I needed the tag to be a little shorter, so after die-cutting it, I cut it in half and just adhered it together at the right length to fit behind my focal point.

To get the frayed ribbon fibers, start with a length of 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon, and trim along one side:

Then, holding the uncut white edge in one hand, use your other hand to pull out the long fibers from the weaving. It's a good idea to be ready to place the fibers where you want them right away, as they can quickly get messy  :}

Well, I'm off to the party! Have a great weekend!!