Get Whale!

Hi stampers!  Today I have a card going to a special friend.  She's the only person I've known outside my family for almost my whole life!  We went to pre-school clear up to a year of college together!!!  She's in need of a get well card so I whipped one up the other night after getting my big box of goodies!

In the box was the Oh, Whale set which has a bunch of cute little sayings!  My card is based off the last Freshly Made Sketches sketch by my friend Rita and I was a day too late to enter!  Whoops!  Did I mention the whale is super cute???

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Oh, whale!
Paper:  Whisper white, pacific point, marina mist, sunshine & sprinkles DSP
Ink:  Pacific point, marina mist
Accessories:  Happy whale clearit, perfect pennants die, 2.5 inch circle punch, large scallop edgelit, paper piercing pack

And guess what?  I didn't have to hand cut the whale!  There is a super cute little clearlit to do that for you!  Holla!  It's a simple card but I hope it makes my friend smile!

Happy stamping!

Patio Party

Hi stampers!  I have a card to share today from a couple of month ago!  Eeep!  I made it for my soon-to-be niece for her fourth birthday:-)  She's ALL kinds of girly (yes she loves the little purse die and I can't wait to make her something with the dress stamps and framelits) and loves my cards.  In fact, when I sent her mom one she quickly snatched it away and said it was hers, lol!

I was going to make her something more juvenile but I just love the patio party DSP and the colors are right up her alley and girly!  And what little girl (or anyone for that matter) doesn't love some CAKE??????  :-)  I also knew she'd like some fun stuff like the dahlia and pearls.  So, I came up with this card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Make a cake,
Paper:  Whisper white, baja breeze, primrose petals, midnight muse, Patio party DSP
Ink:  Primrose petals, midnight muse
Accessories:  Circle punch, perfect pennants die, dotted scallop border punch, itty bitty punch pack, basic pearls, in color dahlias

I just love the perfect pennants die and not for the pennants but for the one scalloped circle because it fits behind the 2.5" circle punch!  The die was worth getting just for that!  I also have to say I LOVE the font of the happy birthday stamp!  It's so fun!

That's it for today!  Hoping to get some good stamp time tonight and tomorrow!  I cleaned my studio yesterday so hopefully it will help me be more focused and creative instead of rocking back and forth in the corner since it's such a disaster, lol!

Happy stamping!

HSS 152

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday!  It's time for a new challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments today!  This week we have a super cute inspiration photo for you!

How cute is that?  Did you notice the background is envelopes???  So many ideas for that one!

I chose to keep it simple because that's just where I seem to be at lately...simple!  I loved the bright read with the crisp white so I was inspired by the colors and by the CAKE!  I wanted to use make a cake as soon as I saw the picture!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Make a cake, teeny tiny wishes
Paper: Whisper white, real red
Ink:  Real red
Accessories:  White taffeta ribbon, brights glimmer brads, large scallop framelits, peircing pack, basic pearls

The picture isn't super clear...sorry about that.  It's the best I could get of it for whatever reason...stamper I am...photographer I am not:-)  I did think about going SUPER simple and just leaving the white cardstock plain but I decided to use the little hearts embossing folder and finish it off with a scallop and some ribbon.  This would also be a cute wedding card if you knew the color was red for the wedding...just switch out the sentiment..or a birthday card!

Now hop on over to the site and see how everyone else was inspired and then play along!

Mailable Monday - Bonus Edition

Hi stampers!  I'm finally getting into the swing of stamping again and I'm going to TRY to blog more often now that I'll hopefully have more to share...except I've started working on my Artisan entires and I can't share those, whoops!  :-)  I did get one done the other night...at least I think I'll enter it.  Last year I kind of made cards for that specific reason (as it was much later) but this year I think I'll just maybe enter cards that I end up thinking I like.  The one I made Friday started out as just a regular card to share with you all but I kept adding things and ended up impressing myself, lol!  I'll be working on more of them now that I'm getting a bunch of fun stuff tonight from the UPS man!

I am a bit worried what possibly putting our house on the market this spring and finding a new house might do to my stamp time though.  We looked at a house yesterday and it just goes to show we have a LOT to do to our house to get it ready to sell, eek!  It kind of overwhelms me...so maybe I'll just ignore all the stuff and stamp!  LOL!  Sounds like a plan right?  Oh...and don't go to open houses when it's freezing rain out...the drive at this house was totally steep but we managed to make it up ok....but as soon as we left I put one foot on the step outside and down I went taking the hubs with me!  Oops! Of course the first thing I said wasn't are you ok or I'm ok, it was "did anyone see that?"  LOL!!!!  Anyway, I don't feel like this was the house for us....but of course hubby loved it and wants to put an offer in!  I think there will be a lot of that in our search.  Anyone else relate to that out there? :-)  But more about this in another post....

Ok, onto my card....or cards!  I have two today!  I loved the color challenge at Splitcoast this week!  I actually made this card (the mailable one) second but I'm going to show you it first.  I actually did the dessert option too which was to make a Valentine's card with these non-traditional colors!  I don't usually even READ that far into the challenge after I see the colors, lol!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Patterned occasions (SAB), make a cake, teeny tiny wishes
Paper:  Whisper white, soft suede, pool party, calypso coral, in-color 2011-2013 DSP stack
Ink:  Soft suede, pool party, calypso coral
Accessories:  Circle punch, perfect pennants die, basic pearls, argyle embossing folder

I totally wanted to use this cutie when I saw these colors and I had just used the heart from make a cake on another card and thought it would replace the flower he is holding in the stamp.  Isn't it cute?????  There is a teeny tiny pearl on the heart but it should go through the mail just fine:-)

And then here is a non-as-mailable card:-)  I love the Madison Avenue stamp set...even more because it's FREE!  But the images are modern and fun.  I'm trying to use it with more than the coordinating SAB paper too.  I tend to get in a rut when I only use certain things with other certain things, kwim?  I did kind of base this off a card I showed you the other day...it's fun to case yourself sometimes, ha!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Madison Avenue, friendly phrases
Paper:  Whisper white, soft suede, pool party, calypso coral
Ink:  Soft suede, pool party, calypso coral
Accessories:  Soft suede polka dot ribbon (retired), large scallop framelit, paper peircing pack, basic pearls

Ok, how's that for a two for one?  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy stamping!

Whew! I made it!

Hi stampers!  So I totally meant to post this card last night because it's for the Retro Sketches challenge this week and I figured it would be closing soon.  BUT I had a basketball game at work and my mom was here while Jon was traveling for work so I got home late and then hung out with her and before I knew it I was half asleep on the couch with my momma!  Ha!  Neither one of us for some reason the night before could go to sleep when we went to bed...our brains must have been in sync...scary, lol!  Anyway I think we were making up for it last night being all tired!  So I didn't get this posted...but I looked this morning and the challenge is open for a few more hours!  Yay!  So here goes!

I loved the simple sketch and since I'm still kind of getting back into the swing of stamping I kept it super simple and super true to the sketch!

Looking back I think if I did it again I'd add some bells and whistles but it was a good and simple card to get the creative juices flowing!  And I love that seasonal sayings is still available for the I love you stamp!

Stamps:  Hearts a flutter, seasonal saying (carry over)
Paper:  Whisper white, real red, pool party
Ink: Real red
Accessories: Triple heart punch, dazzling details

At first I was just going to use red and white but it just needed a little pop of something so a heart from the triple heart punch in pool party was perfect!  Who knew real red and pool party looked so great together!  If pool party doesn't come back this year I'm REALLY going to be depressed;-)  Hehe!  There is also some dazzling details on the heart although it's hard to see in the photo.

This card already found it's way to my hubby!  I used to leave him cards sometimes (and actually mail some to other people....) and I've kind of gotten away from that for what ever reason...so I'm trying to actually give and send some cards this year, lol!!!!

Happy stamping!

Sale-A-Brate Good Times!

Hi stampers!  It's here!  Woo-hoo!  Sale-A-Bration started today!  It's our favorite time of year!  For every $50 you spend you get a SAB item FREE!  There are a bunch of exclusive items (including an embossing folder, ribbons & buttons, stamps, DSP, a punch) and some regular catalog items also!

I'm still kind of in a stamping slump although I'm hoping the hoards of stuff I ordered this morning (hehe) will help that when it gets here:-)  So, I did manage to stamp a few things on Sunday.  To start, I took a gander at pictures from samples at Leadership.  My artisan friends were lucky enough to get to design them all so while I don't know exactly who made the card that inspired mine...it was one of them:-)  I changed it up slightly by using two flowers and switching the side they were stamped on.  This color combo is a bit out of my comfort zone as I'm not a huge tangerine fan but for some reason I really liked it!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Madison avenue (SAB), friendly phrases
Paper:  Whisper white, Sahara sand, pool party, Sycamore street DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Sahara sand, tangerine tango, pool party
Accessories:  Pool party baker's twine, color spritzer, large scallop framelit, rhinestones, paper peircing pack

I have to say (and I think I've said it already, oops) that this DSP is really making me love Sahara sand! I need to use it more often!  It's the new crumb cake I think, ha!

Don't forget to click the shop 24/7 button over the right and get your FREE SAB items!!!!

Happy stamping!

Mailable Monday - Sale--A-Bration Style

Hi stampers!  It's back...at least for today:-)  Mailable Monday!  This week it's sale-a-bration style because guess what????  SAB starts TOMORROW!  Woo-hoo!  So, don't forget to set your alarm and get up to place your order:-)  Not much will make me get up early (especially on Tuesdays when I have the morning off, lol) but I WILL be getting up early to place mine!  I've been waiting to get a bunch of stuff from the new mini catalog that I will be using to work on my Artisan projects!  If you are a demo I encourage you to enter the contest!  It will push you creatively and who knows, you may just WIN!

Now, if you're a customer you can't enter (unless you sign up with me, wink wink) but you CAN place your SAB order through my online store!   For every $50 you spend (before tax and shipping of course) you will earn a Sale-A-Bration item for FREE!   There are some super cute exclusive items as well as some regular catalog items such as a stamp set to match the bitty banner framelits (OMG), the diagonal score plate (which you can use to make that awesome quilted background...which I'll do a video on soon), or those CUTE vintage faceted buttons among other stuff!  Any questions, just let me know!

I've been having trouble stamping as you know so I tried to keep it simple yesterday and did some clean and simple work.  That's a good tip if you're having some mojo problems...keep it simple.  And you can't get more simple than this card!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: I am... (convention 2012 exclusive)
Paper:  Whisper white, Sycamore street DSP (SAB)
Ink:  Rich razzleberry, summer starfruit (marker)
Accessories:  Rhinestones, color spritzer

This sycamore street DSP is almost as spectacular as last year's SAB DSP...almost:-)  I love the fun patterns and bright colors!  This type of pattern is very in right now...chevrons, trellis designs and hexagons!  So fun!  You can't help but smile when you look at it!  And ok, ok...it has a rhinestone on it (I left it's partner rhinestone-less) but it was cute with it and that should go through the mail ok:-)

I also spritzed the main panel with summer starfruit and my color spritzer.  It looked a bit stark and I think the font is a little shabby and the spritzing is in line with that.   I haven't used it much lately but I've had it out on my desk to remind me and I think it may get a lot of use with a lot of the new mini stuff since a lot of it is shabby chic looking! Can't wait to order tomorrow!  Set your alarm!!!!

Happy stamping!

A late birthday

Hi stampers!  This is a little wordy today so if you want to skip my blah blah blah just scroll down:-)  So I've had literally NO time to stamp since last week (except for Thursday night and it JUST wasn't happening)!  I've been working a TON and then I was at my mom's last weekend.  Monday and Tuesday I didn't get home until like 10, ugh!  Then I had to sit with my grandma on Wednesday night....she is 91 years old (wow right) and got the flu and pneumonia this week so if you have a minute to think of her or pray for her (and my family) we would be truly grateful.  And now I've got to work late again Friday night, teach turbokick this morning and work basketball again all afternoon...and I volunteered to do THAT...what is wrong with me? LOL!

See....NO TIME!  Don't you hate that? I'm hoping to stamp some tonight and tomorrow though BUT I have  hard time sometimes when I've been busy....sometimes I just want to do nothing then or try to catch up on other stuff.  Anyone else like that?  I swear this blog is like therapy sometimes, lol!  It's nice to get my thoughts out and nice to hear that other people feel the same :-)  I have appreciated your comments over the past week about my depression and that many of you struggle too!  It helps to know that you are not alone and that people are thinking of you!  So thank you my friends!  I was feeling great last Saturday but the blues have returned...no thanks to all the work, I'm sure!  Anyway...hopefully stamping will help!  I have lots of challenges I want to try AND I really need to get to work on my Artisan contest entries!!!!  I'm ready to just stamp for FUN after having a lot of stampy obligations on my plate!  Sometimes it's not fun when you HAVE to stamp, lol!

Ok, so I totally forgot that I do have some stuff to share that I never got around to with the holidays!  I can't believe I didn't share my mom's birthday card...since it was a big one:-)  She turned 60 in October!    It's funny to think of my mom as 60...not that it's old because it's not BUT my grandma was 60 when I was little and I remember thinking she was old, lol!  And my mom is totally not old!  Doesn't look it, doesn't act it!  Although SHE thinks she's an "old fuddy duddy" as she would say, lol!  She's so silly! She's also one of my fitness heroes!  She walks on average 4 miles a day on the treadmill!  And has done so for YEARS, literally I have no idea how many but as long as I can remember!  Anyway, I made this card for her to go with the photo book I made in MDS for her.  I'll have to share some of it soon as well!  I had a lot of fun making it for her with old photos and of course it made her cry:-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Memorable moments
Paper:  Whisper white, midnight muse, patio party
Ink: Baja breeze, primrose petals, midnight muse
Accessories:  Labels collection framelits, subtles glimmer brads

The photo kind of looks red but that's primrose petals.  My mom isn't a big pink kind of gal...she loves blues so I went with the patio party paper because I knew she would love all the baja breeze and midnight muse. She also loves bright colors...I used to drive her NUTS as a teen because I went through a phase where I really liked gray (ok, I still kind of do, hehe) and we'd be shopping and she'd say you need COLOR!  LOL!  I think I used a sketch from somewhere but I can't remember.  Freshly Made Sketches maybe?  The card is kind of busy but it works I think!  And it's very her...I imagine if left to her own devices in my stamp room her card would be very busy as she'd probably pile on all of the pretty things she could fit on it, lol!

Ok, I'll stop rambling now.  Hopefully I'll have more time to stamp and share in the coming weeks!

Happy stamping!

Fab Fri 10

Hi stampers!  It's time for a new challenge over at Fab Friday.  I won't be very chatty today as it's late when I'm writing my post on my ONE night off this week, ugh!  So, let's get right to business!

And here's my card.  This is the only thing I've been able to stamp this past week!  Good thing I like it:-)

ETA:  Supplies:

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor, lovely little labels, hearts a flutter

Paper:  Very vanilla, crumb cake, cherry cobbler, pink pirouette

Ink:  Crumb cake, cherry cobbler, pool party

Accessories:  Alahambra wheel, pink pirouette 2 toned ribbon, hearts a flutter framelits, heart punch, lovely little labels punch pack, flower trim

I'll try to come back over the weekend (which I'm working almost all day Saturday too, boo) and update the supplies.  I have got to get to bed like 10 minutes ago!

Don't forget to check out the rest of the team's cards and play along!

Happy stamping!

HSS 151

Hi stampers!  Happy Tuesday and thanks to all who played along over at Hand Stamped Sentiments the past few weeks!  It sure is nice to have a little extra time to enter isn't it? :-)

This week we have something a little bit different....a sketch!  I love sketches...and this one is great!

I couldn't resist using some of the new flower trim on this one!  This sketch just called out to it!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Hearts a flutter, teeny tiny wishes
Paper:  Very vanilla, real red, pool party, primrose petals
Ink:  Real red, pool party
Accessories:  Doily sizzlit, hearts a flutter framelits, pool party ruffled ribbon, flower trim, subtle glimmer brads

Now head on over and see all the other designer's cards and play along!  Remember you have two weeks now!

Happy stamping!

Exciting stuff!

Hi stampers!  Ok, so I don't have any pretty pictures (well kind of I guess) for you today but there is BIG stuff going on at SU!  Some of our demos had the chance to attend an event in sunny Florida over the weekend and there were lots of fun and exciting announcements!  I'll try to keep you updated here but man, my head is spinning!  So, here goes some of it!

If you're looking for a way to be crafty that doesn't take up a ton of space or a lot of time then I am your fairy godmother!!!!  Check out PAPER PUMPKIN!  You can have a totally cute and awesome craft kit delivered to your door each month with our new subscription service (think the Birchbox of crafting, OMG!)!  It's so cool and I can't wait to order mine!  I do believe they come with everything you need sans the adhesive of your choice!  How cool....everything you need to make a super cute project in 30 minutes or less!  You can get a trial kit (which includes a bonus clear block):

OR you can get the subscription kit...which this is the first one...the rest are a surprise! Just think...a super cute surprise in the mail each month!   How fun!!!!

Ok, there is also an awesome card kit for DUDES!  That's right!  A SU product for the men in your life!  You can check out the video here!  (And I'm no dude but I totally want one of these for myself, lol!)



And finally there are a bunch of new single stamps being released!  They are totally cute! And as soon as I see some updates about it I'll let you know.  I've got a 14+ hour work day today so it may be late or tomorrow!  I just realized I have to work late three nights this week plus Saturday, boo!  Not much time to stamp:(

There is also going to be a special anniversary set released each month this year for $14.95 that includes    popular images from past sets plus an all new image made up into a themed new set!  How fun!  And when you buy 6 you can earn a free stamp set!  Yay!  Again, check back for more details!

There may be more...so stay tuned:-)

Happy stamping!

Going to the chapel

Hi stampers!  Ok, so what's with the title, right?  I'm already married...I know....BUT my BFF got engaged last week!  Yayness!!!  I'm over the moon happy for her and her BF who I also love:-)

So, I had to make an engagement card for her!  One of her colors is probably going to be gray so I wanted to incorporate it and I loved the combo in the catalog with this set and the gray and yellow and silver.  I was going to case the card but realized it used the brushed silver paper....which I don't have....huh?  Something I don't have?  Maybe it really is the Mayan Apocalypse!  Ha!

Anyway I decided to wing it with the colors.  I also decided that since I was using the cake image that I'd do a "quilted" background like my wedding cake was:-)  You've seen me do this on another wedding card and on one of my Artisan cards.  It's pretty easy with the diagonal scoring plate.  And I have to say I wasn't all that jazzed about the card until I added the glimmer hearts and then WOW!  It took it to a whole 'nother level!

I know I haven't shared much lately but I'm slowly beginning to feel like myself again and taking a break from both stamping and blogging has been sort of refreshing.  So, I'll try to post more often but I'm not making any promises (however there are some exciting things coming from SU with the Leadership conference going on right now so I'll try to keep you posted).  I don't talk much about it but I struggle with depression and it's been pretty bad over the past month or so...so I needed the break.  I'm very happy to say that this card came pretty easy and I was super happy with the way it came out...so maybe the mojo is back:-)

I'm off to pin more wedding ideas for my friend, lol!

Happy stamping!

Creating....

With Connie & Mary again!  Hi stampers!  I'm excited to announce that I'm a guest designer for the Spring Occasions Catalog over at Create with Connie & Mary again!  So, hurry on over and sign up for the bargain early bird price of $29.95 this week!  You'll get LOTS of awesome projects using LOTS of fun stuff from the Spring Catalog with step by step directions!

Here's a little Sneak peek using the more amore DSP which my fun project features! It's so pretty and my project (and card) are super cute!!!  You know you want to sign up so you can see it, right??? :-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Itty bitty banners
Paper:  Whisper white, basic gray, real red, more amore DSP
Ink:  Whisper white craft, real red
Accessories:  Bitty banner and hearts a flutter framlelits

So go, what are you waiting for?  Go sign up and get FIVE weeks of projects!  Get your 2013 crafting started off right!  And don't forget that as a member you'll get to play in exclusive and fun challenges!!!!

And thanks again to Connie & Mary for asking me to create a project for them!  It's always an honor and so fun!

Happy stamping!

Fab Friday 09

Hi stampers!  TGIF!  I can NOT say that enough....having Tuesday off has kind of thrown me off and even though it was a "short" week it feels looooong and work has been rough this week.  Thank goodness I'm back to my "normal" (as IF my schedule is ever normal, ha) schedule next week!  And I hope everyone's new year is off to a great start!  My NYE was fantastic because I got to spend it with my BFF dancing and having a blast AND she got engaged on NYE eve!  So, you can expect an engagement card soon, hehe!

Anyway, it's time for the first Fab Friday challenge of 2013!  We'd like to thank everyone who played along with us in 2012 and look forward to another year of fun challenges and fabulous entries!  We're starting off the near year with a fun and easy sketch!  I know I've been in kind of a slump from the holidays and what not so this was a great way to get my creativity flowing and it felt good to create again!

I had a lot of ideas for this card but I decided to keep it simple since I was just getting back into the swing of things after all the holiday hoopla!  I did use a retired stamp set...please forgive me:-)  AND in other exciting news you can still order the sentiment stamp I used because it's one of the carry overs into the Spring Catalog! You can find those items in the back of the spring catalog WHICH you can now order from as well!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Mixed medley (retired hostess), seasonal sayings (carry over stamp set)
Paper:  Crumb cake, real red
Ink:  Whisper white craft, real red
Accessories:  Pool party baker's twine, bitty buttons, small heart punch, pool party embossing powder

Notice the peek of the new embossing powder?  It's so pretty!  And I'm still on a sponging with white kick I guess....and it works as well for V-day as it does for Christmas!  Yay!

Now, go check out the Fab Friday site and see what the other designers came up with!  They did some fabulous things with this sketch!  And don't forget to play along!

Happy stamping!

HSS 150

Hi stampers!  Happy new year!  Hope you had a great time ringing in the new year last night!  And what a great way to kick off 2013....with a new challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments!  And in addition we have some exciting changes over at HSS.  Now, all the challenges will be two weeks so you'll have longer to create and play!  Yay!  We'll also be switching up our challenges a bit and throwing in some sketches!  But this week is a great color combo!

And here's my card which uses a lot of supplies from the upcoming Spring catalog.

Hope you all find some time to play along with us!  Don't forget you have two weeks now!

Happy 2013 and happy stamping!