Too busy

Hi stampers!  I'm not talking about my schedule....I'm talking about the card I have to share today:-)  I had good intentions when I started making it but I think it went astray and became too busy.  I don't always share my cards that don't turn out like I planned (purely to make you think I'm a stamping genius and everything I turn out is stunning, LOL!!!!!) but I don't dislike this one enough to hide it, ha!  There are parts of it I like but I think it is way too busy.  I think I had good ideas that would have turned out better separately.  What do you think?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Kidness matters (SAB option), apothecary art
Paper:  Very vanilla, poppy parade, calypso coral, peach parfait smooth and textured, everyday enchantment DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Poppy parade, calypso coral, peach parfait, crumb cake
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, circle punch, crochet trim, basic pearls, dazzling details, everyday enchantment ribbon & brad pack (SAB)

So too busy?  My idea was to use a lot of SAB offerings including the kindness matters set which is a set out of the regular catalog that you can get for FREE!!!  SAB is going on through the end of March so there is still time to earn a FREE product for every $50 spent!  Anyway, enough of my sales pitch, ha!  I just love those butterflies though!  And that DSP pattern but I'm not sure how well I like the other elements.  Oh well...better luck next time right?

Happy stamping!

HSS 107

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time for a new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  Join us this week for a BANNER BASH!!!

This week is all about banners!  Personally, I LOVE banners and they are sure popular right now!  And I LOVE our pennant punch, it makes banner making so simple! I'd been working on some scrapbook pages using MDS in the past few weeks and came up with this fun page!

Stampin' Supplies:
My Digital Studio

Aside from taking some time to line up all the banners and letters it really came together quick and I love that we have two banner punches in MDS!

Now, head on over to the HSS challenge site and check out what else the DT came up with and play along in our banner bash!

Happy stamping!

Mailable Monday - More cake

Hi stampers!  Time to start another week with another edition of mailable Monday.  In my quest to make more birthday cards it is of course just that, a birthday card.  I've been using the same basic sketch a lot lately so this may look familiar:-)  I have been wanting to use the cupcake print pattern from the sweet shop DSP so I combined it with the cupcake punch!  I just LOVE how our products, even those in suites, coordinate to well with other products!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Create a cupcake, petite pairs
Paper:  Whisper white, soft suede, pool party, calypso coral, sweet shop DSP
Ink:  Soft suede, pool party, calypso coral
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, circle punch, smooch illuminate accent ink

I based my color combo off of the DSP and normally I'd be afraid to use a brown on this card but it goes well with the DSP and I think it looks like chocolate!!!!!  I didn't have any cake at my birthday party last night so now I think I want some cake...chocolate cake:-)  This card will have to do I guess.  It's hard to see in the photo but I did cover the cupcake with smooch accent ink so it's kind of shimmery!

And just a note about my "mailable" cards as I've had a few comments and questions on them.  I KNOW that I can mail some of my more embellished cards by backing them with a scrap piece of cardstock or taking them to the PO to see if they fit through the template BUT I don't always have time to mess with that, especially going to the PO so I like to have some cards that I know I can pop in an envie and mail off from home without worry of them coming back to me or being damaged.  Plus, our PO seems to be rather strict about any cards with lumps or bumps and always wants to charge me extra postage.  I even had one lady scratch through the envelope trying to find out what the "bump" was one time...it was just something popped up on dimensionals:(  So, these are all cards that can be mailed without a second thought.  I even do mail some of my heavily embellished cards using our padded envies but only when I have time to go to the PO. 

Happy stamping!

Belated

Hi stampers!  Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes yesterday!  Your comments always brighten my day but they were extra sweet yesterday!  I also had a ton of good wishes on Facebook...I really need to get better at reading the little thing on the side that says when birthdays are...I realized I rarely look at it. 

Anyway I had a wonderful birthday!  We had a healthy dinner at home since I'm saving up for my party Saturday night (lol) and then got some McDonald's ice cream!  A cone has only 150 calories, did you know that?  It's a favorite treat and I knew I wouldn't have to twist my hubby's arm very hard to take me;-)

And I got a Kindle Fire!!!!  It was funny because I guess my hubs had the idea since Christmas but he kept bugging me for ideas.  He was hoping I'd tell him little things as to "set the bar" low and then he could blow me away with the Kindle BUT....about a week ago when he was bugging me for ideas I happened to think of the idea myself, lol!  He was "mad" that I kind of ruined his idea....well....he should have quit bugging me for ideas, HA!!!!  Anyway, I LOVE to read so I'm very excited but nervous since I'll probably buy a ton of books now, hahahaha!  Gotta remember to save money for stamps!!!!

But as I mentioned yesterday, I realized I was sorely lacking in birthday cards....at least ones made with recent stamp sets.  So, I set to work and came up with this card which uses the sketch challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary this week:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  You're my type
Paper:  Very vanilla, daffodil delight, soft suede, poppy parade textured, attic boutique DSP, first edition DSP
Ink:  Soft suede, basic gray, poppy parade
Accessories:  Triple heart punch, decorative label punch, basic pearls, poppy parade ribbon

I did flip the side I put the ribbon on but otherwise it's pretty true to the sketch.  I based my colors off of the antique boutique DSP as I wanted it to be bright but still be kind of vintage.  I love the combo of daffodil and poppy!  And of course the first edition DSP was MADE for this stamp set!I probably should have saved this for mailable Monday but I wanted to share it before that!  It does have one small pearl but those little ones go through the mail pretty good:-)  Now, I need to make a bunch more birthday cards.....

Happy stamping!

Hey hey, it's my birthday!

Hi stampers!  So today is my birthday:-)  Someone on facebook wished me happy birthday and asked if I was going to spend all day making myself birthday cards!  LOL!  I think that sounds like a FABULOUS birthday to me!  Sadly, I have to work today but maybe I'll stamp tonight.  My birthday didn't seem to bother me too much last year...I could say I was 30....NOW, I'm IN my 30's....not liking that so much, hahaha!  That "s" on the end is freaking me out a bit, hahahaha! 

Anyway, I SHOULD have a birthday card to share today but I don't!  I realized I have not made a birthday card since I don't know when!  So, birthday cards are on the to do list for sure!  I do have a thank you card that I whipped up yesterday though.

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Apothecary art, elementary elegance (SAB), fabulous phrases
Paper:  Very vanilla, lucky limeade, pool party, calypso coral, everyday enchantment DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Crumb cake, basic gray, lucky limeade, pool party, calypso coral. staz-on
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, adorning accents edgelits and embossing folders, polka dots embossing folder, itty bitty punch pack, basic pearls

I just love this pattern out of the SAB paper!  It's very vintage wall paper-ey to me!  I did lots of sponging on this card to fit with the vintage theme and I also stamped the birds after stamping each one off on scratch paper to get a softer effect.

Anyway, maybe I'll be back with some birthday cards soon:-) 

Happy stamping!

Back at 'em

Hi stampers!  I'm back....sort of...I hope...lol!  I've got my stamp studio up and running even if it does still need some work.  Still lots of organizing and cleaning to do as well as buying some more storage solutions but I can effectively stamp/create in here now!  I need to decorate as well but that's fun stuff!!!!

I should have a little more time this week to stamp too!  And my mojo seems to slowly be finding it's way back to me, hooray!   Let's hope it stays put and I end up having more time!!!!

When I first glanced at this color challenge from the Colour Q I wasn't sure I liked it.  But, when I came back later I found that I really DID like it and it was just what I needed to kick start the creativity!  I kinda want that quilt!!!!

So I dusted off my dusty durango (since it's named dusty that means I don't have to dust it right, lol) and went to work!  I was able to make this card yesterday afternoon after lunch with a dear friend from college and before work...which is saying something for my mojo....I haven't been able to get much done lately, especially in a time crunch!

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, It's your day
Paper:  Whisper white, basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade
Ink:  Basic gray, baja breeze, lucky limeade, dusty durango (retired)
Accessories:  Everyday enchantment ribbon & brad pack (SAB), lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, dusty durango polka dot ribbon (retired), triple blossom punch, labels collection framelits

I really like the soft blue and gray with the pop and brightness of the orange and green!  I wasn't sure I was going to love this card in the making but it turned out great in the end!  And I used raining flowers again...maybe I was trying to make up for last week when I missed the deadline, lol!

Happy stamping!

HSS 106

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time for another challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  This week it's another technique I hadn't tried before....color blocking!

This card is special for another reason too...it's the very FIRST card I made in my new studio!  I haven't had much time to stamp in it yet between working a lot and going to see my mom this past weekend. Hopefully I can get all caught up this week!  I have to say I wasn't thrilled with the technique or my card as I was working on it BUT it ended up turning out SO CUTE!  I love when that happens:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Send me soaring
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party, lucky limeade
Ink:  Pool party, lucky limeade, calypso coral
Accessories:  Adorning accents edgelits dies & embossing folders, labels collection framelits, organdy ribbon (SAB), pool party ruffled ribbon

It turned out so cute!  I was kind of at a loss of what stamp set to use for the color blocking and then it hit me!  I think the kites look totally awesome this way!  And all I did for the blocks of color was use my smallest clear block!  I did make sure not to ink it up too good because I wanted the color much lighter than the kite image I was going to stamp over it.  I will be doing this again for sure!

Now, go check out what the rest of the DT came up with and then play along and do some color blocking!

Happy stamping!

Under Construction

Hi stampers!  I know I've been kind of quiet this week and I'm sorry BUT my new stamp studio has been under construction since Sunday!  For a few days I was in between two rooms!  It was like cardio circuit stamping!  Back and forth!  LOL!  Anyway, I've had very little time to stamp or blog due to the move and because of long hours at work and having my stuff in THREE rooms right now is hard on the stamping mojo:-) 

I've still got some work to do....mainly cleaning and organizing....and some more furniture/storage options to buy, but at least the room is functional now!

So, I hope to be back soon with some cards and a tour of the new place.  I'll leave you with a little teaser....

Inspiration

Hi stampers!  Today I have a card for you that I made for a special friend.  I believe I referred to her as the devil in a previous post because she MADE me (as in convinced me...which truthfully wasn't all that hard, lol) buy the kite set out of the Occasions Mini catalog BUT she really isn't.  She's actually pretty wonderful.  Anyway, she encouraged me to use the kites the other day when I was kind of in a stamping-slump and was complaining that I didn't have many ideas for this set.  So I made this card for her:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Send me soaring, perfect words (hostess)
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party, wisteria wonder, lucky limeade, 2011-2013 in colors DSP stack
Ink:  Pool party, wisteria wonder, island indigo
Accessories:  In color polka dot brads, basic pearls, polka dot embossing folder

Isn't it cute????  You just can't go wrong with the kites or the hostess set for the sentiment!  I need to use that one more!  Those kites are just so cheery?  Each one is stamped with the solid image stamped off once and then the other image stamped full strength on top!  I took my paper snips and made some grass with the DSP too.  Looking at it now, I do wish I'd added an island indigo border around the wisteria panel to pull it all together but too late now:-) 

Now, I just need to get it and what goes inside in the mail;-)  I always have trouble with that part, lol!

Happy stamping!

HSS 105

Hi stampers!  It's Tuesday and time for another challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments and it's also Valentine's day!  So first off, happy Valentine's day!!!!  I'm excited to have a date night with my hubby tonight!  I've been saving a cute new dress for tonight!  Oh, wait...we're supposed to be talking about stamping aren't we?  Not clothes and shoes....my other obsession, lol!  Ok, so how fitting this week that our theme is LOVE:

And here's my card as I needed to squeeze in at least one more Valentine (I actually need many more, ha):

 Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  PS I love you
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party, blushing bride, calypso coral, sweet shop DSP
Ink:  Blushing bride, calypso coral
Accessories:  Polka dot and linen embossing folders, hearts collection framelits, blushing bride satin pleated ribbon, pool party ruffled ribbon, in color polka dot brads

I just love this card!  It is exactly what love is to me...simple and sweet!  Lots of embossing on this card as the DSP is embossed as well.  I wish I could buy a whole pack of that one sheet!  I won't tell you how long this card took to put together as it was the first one that I made between my old studio and my new one...lots of back and forth, haha!

Now go check out what love means to the rest of the design team, leave them some love, and link up your own loveable project!

Happy stamping!

Mailable Monday - Easy Events

Hi stampers! And so starts another week!  This one's sure a busy one!  We are hosting the girls basketball regional this week so I'm going to be basketballed out by Friday night!   Anyway, what a better way to start a busy week than with a simple and mail-able card! 

This one is SUPER simple for me!  So simple that it makes me slightly uncomfortable to look at it....I want to stick more things on it, lol!  Now, don't take that to mean that I don't like it...I do...I just have a hard time with simple...probably why my life can be so hard occasionally, ha!!!!

So, here's a cute little Valentine....just in time!  I'm way behind on V-day cards so IF I get them out, they'll be a bit late:-)  It totally snuck up on me!!!!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Easy events
Paper:  Whisper white, calypso coral smooth and textured, wild wasabi, subtles DSP stack
Ink:  Staz-on, calypso coral, wild wasabi, crumb cake
Accessories:  Triple heart punch, labels collection framelits, dotted scallop border punch, illuminate smooch accent ink

The one detail you probably can't see is that the little heart on the tree and the textured calypso heart are covered in the smooch accent ink.  It adds a nice little shimmer. 

Ok, I gotta run and stick lots and lots of embellishments on a card now;-)  I'm having withdraws!!!!

Happy stamping...and mailing;-)

In limbo....

Hi stampers!  I'm really glad I made this card yesterday for the Colour Q Challenge!  Why?  Well because I finally got motivated today to start moving my stamp studio to the bigger room next door!  But, I haven't got it all done and stamping between two rooms is proving difficult, annoying, and not very efficient:-)  I guess it is burning a few calories though with all the back-and-forth:-)  It's like circuit stamping, lol! I wonder if I could market that???

The rest of the move will probably take a while.  I got a late start this morning and then needed to stop to work out and stamp some for the HSS challenge blog. But the main reason I quit is because my computer/stamping desk is a real pain to move!  After unloading it of ALL it's stuff I have to break it down into FIVE pieces!  UGH!  And I need help....and I already asked my wonderful hubby to help me move my IKEA stuff today and I know he wants to have Sunday-Funday:-)  And he painted the room too so he deserves a break, haha!  We'll see how long it takes me to get all moved as I have a really busy week and weekend ahead!

Anyway, on to the challenge and the card.  I LOVED the color challenge this week!

I was going to make a Valentine but the card just kind of took on a life of it's own while I stamped and chatted with my friend Rita via our iPhones.  We need an app for that....iStamp!!!!  I'm just full of ideas today huh?  But I really do like the combo and hope to use it again!  I don't use regal rose very often and kind of forgot how pretty it was when I pulled it out!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Raining flowers, pursuit of happiness, dot dot dot
Paper:  Whisper white, regal rose, poppy parade, peach parfait textured
Ink:  Poppy parade, regal rose, peach parfait
Accessories:  Itty bitty punch pack, circle punch, labels collection framelits, basic rhinestones, poppy parade ribbon

It's a simple card but I like it since the colors are so bold!  I distressed the regal rose circle after I stamped it with the dots.  I also sponged all the elements on the flower.  And I just love the font on that sentiment!  I'll probably use this as a thank you card.  And Rita and I were both commenting how textured cardstock can be just the right touch!  I need to remember to use it more often!

That's it for today!  I wonder if I'll get much more cardio circuit stamping done?  LOL!

ETA:  I missed the deadline for the challenge!  Darn, I hate when that happens:-)

Happy stamping!

Twitterpatted - 2 ways

Hi stampers!  I'm having some serious lack of stamping motivation...or really any motivation at all to do ANYTHING as of late, ha!  I've been in a bit of a funk since the holidays and being sick last week didn't help things.  I pretty much just want to sit around...we won't talk about how under-used my stamp supplies are or how messy my house is, lol!  I think it's just the winter blues....wish I could take a vacation somewhere warm and sunny...oh well!  Anyway, I've been trying to post a lot but sometimes I just don't have anything to share!  I'm hoping to do some serious stamping (and maybe some cleaning....lol) this weekend since we don't have a lot on the calendar for once.  So hopefully I can post away next week:-)

I do have a few things to share that I've done lately.  The first one is this card....well two cards.  I usually make my cards two at a time simply because you can use one sheet of cardstock and get two A2 sized bases (5.5 x 4.25) and occasionally I change the second one because either I don't like how it turned out or I get some genius idea in the middle of my project:-)  I've been less than satisfied with most of my projects lately (there is nothing like the feeling you get when you make something and it turns out just as you pictured it or even better) and that may account for why I feel in a bit of a slump so I wasn't crazy about how the card turned out.  So, I switched up my second one just a bit and added some dry embossing.  I'm not sure I like it any better though.  Which one do you like better?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Apothecary Art, Loving thoughts
Paper:  Watercolor, blushing bride, pool party, twitterpatted DSP
Ink:  Stazon, blushing bride, riding hood red, pear pizzazz
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, adorning accents edgelits, blushing bride ribbon, vintage wallpaper embossing folder, cherry cobbler dazzling details

I really can't decide which one I like best!  I do like this layout a lot though and I think it works really well for this stamp set!  When coloring the flowers I colored them in with blushing bride and then came back and added some accents to the centers with riding hood red.  Something not easy to see in the photo is that I lightly dotted the center of each flowers with some cherry cobbler dazzling details.  It's very pretty in real life and made the card a little less ho-hum!

Hopefully I'll be back soon:-)

Happy stamping!

Never enough hours in the day!

Hi stampers!  UGH!  Who ever came up with 24 hours in a day did not have a job and was not a stamper or a blogger:-)  We seriously need more hours than 24!!!!  I had the best intentions to play over at Freshly Made Sketches this week...and I did....buuuuuut I ran out of time to link up my card:-)  I didn't make it until last night when I was watching the Super Bowl (ie the commercials, lol) and by the time I got the picture taken this morning I didn't have time to edit it and blog since I had to go to my pesky job, lol!  It sure does take up valuable stampy time but it pays for my stamps so I keep going:-)

Anyway, I figured I might as well share the card.  I originally wanted to use the new kite set but I just couldn't get it to look right since the kits are longer and skinnier.  This card needed short and fat....hot air balloons!  I flipped the sketch a bit but it still works!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Up Up & Away
Paper:  Whisper white, island indigo, lucky limeade, pool party, Sweet shop DSP
Ink: Island indigo, lucky limeade, pool party
Accessories:  Circle and scalloped circle punches, edgelits dies

I stamped each of the balloons with the solid stamp once after stamping off so the shade would be lighter and then stamped the patterns over them at full strength. 

Now, where can I find some more hours in the day?  :-)

Happy stamping!

HSS 104

 Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  Where did the weekend go?  Oh yeah, I was working:-)  So, not a lot of stamping time but I did manage to get my challenge card done:-)  This week over at Hand Stamped Sentiments we have a color challenge for you.  It's kind of a fitting challenge for me since I sort of have the winter blues as of late:-)  Seems to  happen every year!  I need some sunshine and warm weather....and I nice LONG run OUTSIDE, hehe!  Anyway, check out these colors....blue alright but far from depressing!

I have to admit that I struggled with these colors for a bit and then it hit me!  Baby boy card!!! How perfect, right?  And I'm on a clean and simple kick so this is how it turned out:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Little additions
Paper:  Whisper white, marina mist, not quite navy, subtles DSP stack
Ink:  Marina mist, not quite navy
Accessories:  Fashionable hearts embosslit, labels collection framelits, marina mist scalloped polka dot ribbon, smooch illuminate accent ink, dotted scallop border punch

Ack, isn't it cute?  I just love the stamp set little additions!  You can see that I added a heart from NQN and I colored over it with the smooch accent ink so it's all shimmery!  I couldn't get the crumb cake to work quite right so I'm just using whisper white as my neutral. 

Now click on over to the HSS site to see what everyone came up with and play along with us!  And get rid of those wintertime blues with some blues!!!!

Mailable Monday - Just My Type

Hi stampers and happy Monday!  It's time for another installment of "mailable Monday".  I've been failing big time lately at making mailable cards.  I just can't resist sticking a pearl or something on my cards:-)  I've got to keep remembering that less can be more (I should REALLY remember that about food, lol).

So for this card I did two things I've been wanting to do for a while.  First, I've been wanting to make a card with black, gray, and yellow.  Secondly, I've been wanting to use the Just my type set with the first edition DSP.  I also added just a pop of poppy parade:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Just my type
Paper:  Basic gray, very vanilla, daffodil delight, poppy parade (textured), first edition DSP
Ink:  Basic black, basic gray, daffodil delight
Accessories:  Triple heart punch, labels collection framelits

I just love all the little phrases you can put in the typewriter image!  I sponged the main image with basic gray and then also sponged the yellow banner with daffodil delight.  It's hard to see that yellow sponging in the photo but it makes a world of difference and really makes the banner stand out and not just sit there looking all stark:)

What's funny is that this card is so simple yet it took me all night to bring it together....clean and simple is always the hardest for me:-)

Happy stamping!

MDS - FREE trial!

Hi stampers!  Boy, do I have exciting news!!!!  Starting NOW (actually February 1st, I'm a little slow) you can download My Digital Studio for FREE!  MDS is Stampin' Up's digital scrapbooking and card making software and it's totally awesome!  Now you can make those awesome photo Christmas cards (or cute cute cute birth announcements) from the comfort of your home!  No need to get out in the cold to the store to make them or pick them up!  Have them delivered right to your door!  It's great if you've always wanted to scrapbook or make cards but just didn't think you had the time, space, or talent!

Starting this month you can download the express pack for a free month long trial!  If you like it then you can purchase it once your month is up.  If not, no big deal...you don't have to do ANYTHING except uninstall it!

MDS is great for MANY reasons!  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Space saving!  Everything is on your computer so if you're short on space it's the perfect way to craft!
• Portable!  If you've got a laptop then you can scrap and craft anywhere!  Just imagine if you could scrapbook your vacation in the airport before you even get home!  Or how about making your birth announcements before you and baby even leave the hospital!  Designer templates make crafting a no-brainer!
• No waste!  Always worried about messing up your projects and wasting supplies?  Not with MDS...don't like it, just hit the undo or delete button!  You can also use the program to see if you like a project before you do a traditional one on paper!
• Coordination!  All of the MDS contents coordinate seamlessly with our traditional crafting products.  This makes hybrid projects (MDS projects that you embellish with traditional elements after printing) a breeze!
• It's quick!  With many designer templates it makes creating gorgeous projects easy!  Just drag and drop your photos!
• The possibilities are endless!  You can make scrapbooks, cute little swatch books (GREAT gifts right there), baby shower invitations, birth announcements,  wedding invitations, birthday cards and party invitations, tags, home decor and much, much more (my blog backgrounds are even made with MDS)!!!!

And those are just a few of the great reasons why you NEED MDS!  It's so fun and it's easy for beginners and more advanced crafters as well!  And each Tuesday, SU releases new downloads so it's easy to stay on trend with what's current in your crafting!

Here are some examples of projects that can be made with MDS:

Scrapbook pages:

Cards:

And this card would make a GREAT hybrid card!  Simply add the REAL traditional buttons and brads and ribbons after printing. How cute would that be???  And this card literally took minutes!  It's one of the many pre-made templates so I all I had to do was put on my finishing touches!

If you'd like to download the FREE trial software please visit my store HERE and remember to select me as your demonstrator if you'd like to purchase it after the trial and/or purchase downloads!  You can also click on the SHOP 24/7 link up on the right!  And please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!!!  I'm here to help!

I have a LOT of projects made using MDS, I just forget to post them!  I'll try to come back soon with some more projects to share!

Happy stamping....or MDSing:-)

To gnome you

Hi stampers!  I tried, I tried REALLY hard....to resist the gnomes:-)  But alas, I am weak and I have given in to their cuteness!  I also LOVE the little sentiments in the gnomenclature set, hehe....they are just so funny!  I mean come on, isn't "hanging with my gnomies" just about the cutest thing ev-ah???  They are fun to color too!

So, here's my first card with the little guy and girl.  I'll probably send one to my mom as I think she will think they are cute too!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Gnome sweet gnome, gnomenclature
Paper:  Watercolor, calypso coral & poppy parade textured, whisper white, lucky limeade, everyday enchantment (SAB)
Ink:  Staz-on, poppy parade, peach parfait, blushing bride, lucky limeade, pool party, crumb cake
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, pool party ruffled ribbon, calypso coral baker's twine, itty bitty buttons, basic pearls, triple heart punch

Aren't they just the cutest?  How many times have I said cute in this post????  I'm not sure if it shows well in the picture but there is a heart bitty button tied onto the ribbon by the baker's twine.  Other than that it's a pretty simple card.

Happy stamping!

The Devil Made Me Do It

And by do it I mean buy Send Me Soaring from the Occasions Mini catalog:-)  And by the devil I mean my friend Rita:-)   Just kidding....kind of....she did kind of convince me to buy the set after telling me how cute it was at regional's and showing me all kinds of fun out of the box ideas! You should totally check out her blog because she's way awesome!  And this is what I love about SU, stamping, and blogging....that I've become friends with SO many wonderful people who enjoy the same things as I do all across the country!

Anyway, this post is for Rita because she's been bugging me to share the card I made with Send Me Soaring:-)  I tried to resist the set but we all know I'm weak, so weak!  Doesn't help that this set makes me slightly sentimental (and that I used my free hostess dollars to buy it).  My dad and I used to love to fly kites when I was little.  My mom and I even made a front page color photo in the paper when I was about 4 at a kite flying event in town.  I'll try to remember to take a picture of it next time I'm at her house as she has it framed, lol!  It's pretty cute!  Sadly, the awesome kite we were flying that day got cut by someone else's string and we lost it!  My dad searched and searched for it to no avail!  I always seem to have some kind of kooky story don't I?  LOL!

What really sold me on this set besides it just being adorable were the sentiments.  We all know I love my sentiments and I especially liked the one I used on this card and the fact that they can also be used with our hot air balloon set and visa versa!

So here is my card....which I intended to enter in a color challenge but missed the deadline...again:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Send me soaring
Paper:  Whisper white, lucky limeade
Ink:  Lucky limeade, peach parfait, calypso coral
Accessories:  Adorning accents embossing folders, circle punch, dazzling details

It's a very simple and cheery card that I'm hoping can brighten someone's day!  The kites are super easy to cut out too!  Always a plus!  I stamped the solid kite image for the right and left kites by stamping off once.  I then came back with the stamps with the patterns and stamped them on top full strength!  I love doing this kind of two step stamping!  The placement of my sentiment is kind of an accident but I like it....I got a smudge on the card (drat) so I did what any good stamper would do, I just covered it up, problem solved, hehe!

So there it is! 

Happy stamping!