So Over Winter

Hi stampers.  So I'm going to rant/whine for just a second....I'm so over Illinois winter weather.  It was 60 a few days ago and now we are facing a blizzard.  What really makes me upset is that my parents were supposed to come visit today and that's not happening (even though my step dad is crazy and wants to attempt it anyway) as the weather is terrible where they are (and fine here at the moment).  The storm is literally along the line of the interstate they have to follow.  They are also out of power so I don't want them to come since they need to stay and keep the pipes from freezing.  UGH!  There's just no winning today.  We were all so looking forward to the visit.  Hopefully they can make it up tomorrow.  Anyway, who else is just SICK of winter?  The snow finally all melted and I can see the GRASS, brown as it may be.  And now, it'll be all covered back up and ugly again!  Ok, I think I got it all out!  Thanks for listening :-)

How about a bright and cheery card?  Maybe it can help cheer me, and anyone else sick of winter, up!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: Hello (SAB)
Paper:  Whisper white, basic black
Ink:  Bermuda bay, melon mambo, crushed curry
Accessories:  None!

So I know this set isn't available for SAB any more but I love it and I'm using it :-)  This is a super easy and quick card but I think it's so cute!  And it's easily thrown in the mail!  It's a great card for bringing birthdays back!  I'm slowly making cards and getting them sent out...slowly...maybe eventually I'll get more efficient at it, ha!

Ok, me and Ian are off to go cry in the corner.  He was really looking forward to seeing bampa and bampma ;-)

Happy stamping!

#imbringingbirthdaysback

Hi stampers!  So, if you haven't heard already, the fabulous Shannon West, (who works at the home office for SU) has started this totally awesome movement to bring birthdays back.  While FaceBook and other social media outlets are great for birthday wishes, it's also awesome to get a handmade (or otherwise for that matter) card for your birthday.

I'll be the first to admit that although I'm a card maker, I'm not always a card sender.  Funny how that happens, huh?  So, I've joined the movement and an currently making a whole bunch of birthday cards which I have to say, are cards I don't seem to make to often so I'm happy to be rectifying that!  The occasions catalog has some super cute stuff for birthday's too!

Check out this adorable card!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: Party wishes
Paper:  Whisper white, basic black, mint macaron
Ink:  Basic black, mint macaron
Accessories:  It's my party washi tape, it's my party enamel dots

I have to say I never would have put together the colors in this DSP stack but they totally work!  While I didn't actually use the DSP in this card I did use the washi tape and enamel dots which are in the same colors since they are in the suite.  I also love that this suite is forcing me to use more black. I typically shy away from it but I'm learning it looks really good in projects!  What's great about this card is that it's super simple and super fast.  Both things are great for the whole bringing birthdays back movement when you need cards and cards that are mailable!

If you want to see more about the whole movement, check out #imbringingbirthdaysback and make sure to use that hashtag if you post anything!  And if you haven't, you should think about joining the movement!

I guess it's also appropriate to share this today since it's, um, my birthday :-)  I'm turning 25....again (we won't talk about how many times that's happened, ok).  On Saturday I got a card from the one and only Shannon and it's awesome!  I have a card from a celebrity!!!!  :-)  And hopefully I'll have cake tonight.  I asked my hubby to make me a jello cake as it's one of my favorites.  We'll see what happens ;-)  My other favorite is a jello no bake cheesecake and I'll see if I can get my momma to make me that when she visits this week!  Yay cake!

Thanks for visiting today.  And eat some cake for me if you have any (or girl scout cookies).

Happy stamping!

Not Mailable Monday

Hi stampers!  I really should bring the mailable Monday feature back.  I really try to focus on cards that I can mail when I stamp, which is funny seeing as I rarely send my cards (LOL).  But, I'm working on that as well as working to stamp more and blog more...so here we are!

This card which I came up with last night is most definitely not mailable but I love it anyway!  Now, you can mail the honeycombs by only adhering one half and instruct the recipient to remove the backing and open it up but I think I'll just save them for special hand delivered cards ;-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Balloon celebrations, dotty angles
Paper:  Whisper white
Ink:  Basic gray, pool party, blushing bride, watermelon wonder
Accessories:  White baker's twine, honeycomb embellishments

The picture really doesn't do this one justice.  It's just so much better looking in person.  The balloons are much closer in color in real life.  And I really love the dotty angles stamp, I just tend to forget about it.  Balloon celebrations just makes really cute simple cards!

Hopefully I'll get organized and be back to share more cards soon as it was a weekend filled with stamping!

Happy stamping!

February Freakiness

Hi stampers!  Whoo-hoo...February is quickly coming to an end and that means it's time for the Control Freaks monthly blog hop!  While February is my birthday month it's COLD and long even though it's a short month and really, after 25, who needs birthday's anymore???  Ok, maybe for the cake and presents but that's about it ;-)  But seriously, I kind of hate January and February!  All the fun of the holidays is over and then I'm totally over cold and snow and just wish we could spring forward so to speak!  Anyway, welcome to the hop for this month!

You may have come from Julie's blog and her adorable projects, but if you didn't, don't fret since we make an endless loop!  Just keep clicking the links and you'll make your way around!

The theme this month is all things SAB.  I mean, who doesn't love sale a bration and FREE stuff?????  My very favorite SAB set is the hello set but since it was a limited time deal, I passed on using it for the hop even though I just love it!  I figured I'd break out this little chickie instead.  I'm not a great watercolorer but I'm working on it and I think he turned out ok!  The little honey combs are fun and I spritzed it down with some hello honey.  The easiest way to do that is punch out a circle then open it up an adhere it to the circle.  Then, you can put glue on the punched circle and adhere it!  The sentiment didn't turn out well on the photo but it's cute in person!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Honeycomb happiness (SAB), greatest greetings
Paper:  Whisper white, soft sky, shine on DSP, kraft yardstick
Ink:  Staz on, pumpkin pie, soft sky, hello honey
Accessories:  2.5 inch circle punch, metallic foil doilies, honeycomb embellishments, very vanilla satin ribbon

So, I'm really happy with my projects and with my stamping in general lately after struggling for a while and something that I'm trying to do, is use things or do things that aren't really "me".  I think this card is a bit out of my usual comfort zone with both the black and the other darker colors.  I think I've mentioned it recently but I'm really trying to use more black as an accent color so I tried that here and I think worked.

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Botanicals for you (SAB)
Paper:  Very vanilla, basic black, typeset specialty DSP
Ink:  Basic black, hello honey, blackberry bliss, mossy meadow
Accessories:  None!

I hope you enjoyed the projects as much as I did making them.  It's nice to actually LIKE what you stamp, hehe!  Speaking of things you'll like, head on over to Mary's page because I know you're going to love what she has for you!

Thanks for joining us and we'll see you again on the 20th of next month...hooray for March :-)

Happy stamping!

Fab Friday 81

Hi stampers!  It's finally Friday and time for a new challenge over at Fab Friday!  We're so happy to be back.  I'm especially happy since I'm feeling about 1000 times more inspired to stamp with the addition of my space heater and just making myself head down there even if it's not for as long as I'd like :-)  My parents will be here next week so hopefully I can get some quality time in BUT dang it, if they aren't fun to hang out with and I usually end up not stamping so I don't miss out on all the fun, lol!

Anyway, this week we have a fun sketch for you.

If I'm being honest, I'll say that this card was not the direction I was going exactly as I got a bit confused on my challenges as I was going to work on my FF card and my Control Freaks projects (which will post later tonight FYI).  But, it all worked out as I really like the way this one turned out! Maybe I can come back later and use the sketch to do more of what I initially intended.  I kind of got done and went, oh...I guess I combined the two things I was going to work on, lol!!!!  Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets confused while stamping!!!???

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Hello (SAB)
Paper:  Whisper white, basic black, crumb cake, it's my party DSP stack, shine on DSP
Ink: basic black, melon mambo
Accessories:  love blossoms embellishment kit, metallic foil doilies

I was going to stay with the silver but I couldn't find an embellishment that worked out so I thought of the gold bow from the embellishment kit and it totally worked, especially after I added some of the gold sequins from the kit to tie it together.  Metallics work so well together!  And you'll see I used some black which is new for me and I'm really trying to embrace it.  It's kind of bold and I like it!  And it looks much better in person!

I just wish this stamp set would have been offered the whole SAB period.  It is one of the limited time ones and honestly it's my favorite soooooo you may continue to see it!

Make sure to check out the rest of the team's projects and please play along with us!

Happy stamping!

Trying Again

Hi stampers!  Ok, maybe I'm going to finally get my act together and stamp and blog more regularly.  Not regularly but MORE regularly, lol!  I've been inspired to stamp lately but a few things stand in my way.

One, I'm tired, like tired all the time.  I think it's a state of mind more than anything as I get lots of sleep (Ian sleeps well and a long time but I need a long time too...like 9+ hours a night...yikes) but man, by 7:15 which is his bed time I kind of just want to sit still and veg on the couch and watch my shows (I like tv...I'm ok with it).

I guess it makes sense since from about 4:30 when I typically start making dinner until Ian's bed time is probably my busiest part of the day with making dinner while trying to entertain him (which never fails he will play independently ALL day until I need to get dinner), eating, then cleaning up and trying to have some family time before the bath time/bed time festivities.  I want to stay up late and stamp but it never happens.  I think I'm physically incapable of staying up past 10pm now, LOL!  And I occasionally stamp at his nap time but most days, I use that time to shower after going to the gym and getting ready for the rest of our day. By the time I'm done with that, I do a few other things and like to sit still and alone and have some coffee, lol!  Then he's back up.   Some people make parenting look so easy but it's exhausts me!  I love it and I love staying home with Ian but he wears me out on the regular ;-)  I suppose I should give you all an update on the little man soon seeing as he's 18 months old now...stay tuned!

Two, I hate all the supplies I have...LOL!  Ever been there?  You all know I have OODLES of stuff but none of it has been speaking to me.  At least I have this problem remedied as I got an order recently.  Stamping has increased about 1000 percent since the man in brown came.  However, my budget is not a fan of this solution...but whatever works, right?

Finally, it's freaking cold and I mean FRIGID in my basement studio.  I'm going to try my hardest to get a room on the main floor or above in our next house!  I don't do the cold...and it's a HUGE deterrent to my stamping especially in the dead of winter and in the evening.  Anyone else have a COLD room?  I suppose I could get a space heater but it's still cold down there!

Anyway, they are all kind of lame excuses (except maybe the cold one..I HATE being cold) but now you know my secrets....but I'm working on solutions and all the goodies from the occasions catalog and SAB brochure are inspiring me!

Take the sunburst die!  I love it!  Look what you can do with it!

Stampin' Supplies:

Stamps:  Hello (SAB set)

Paper: Whisper white, daffodil delight

Ink:  Daffodil delight, Bermuda bay

Accessories: Sunburst thinlit dies, metallic foil dies

I'm in love with this bright and cheery card especially since it's so cold and often dreary!  If you want to get your hands on this super fun stamp set you better get on it!  It's a limited time SAB set and will only be around a few more days (through the 15th)!  You can get it FREE with a $50 purchase from my store.  This card is super simple and those doilies are one of my favorite accessories!

Wouldn't you love to make this card to bring some cheer to someone who could use it this winter?

Happy stamping!

Fab Friday 80

Hi stampers!  So, after a little break,  Fab Friday is back for 2016! We can't wait for you to play along in the new year!

We're starting things off with a color challenge perfect for Valentine's Day.  Of course, it could be perfect for any number of things too!

As you can guess from my "radio silence" I've been struggling to stamp yet again.  I'm not sure why and it's not for lack of trying.  I'm just not pleased with my finished products if I can come up with an idea in the first place.  This challenge was no exception so I kept it super simple!

Stampin Supplies:
Stamps:  Greatest Greetings, work of art
Ink:  Real red, blushing bride, watermelon wonder
Paper:  Whisper white, watermelon wonder
Accessories:  Love blossoms embellishment kit, 2.5 inch circle punch, deco labels framelits

I need to use the work of art stamp set more and try to stamp with more elements than actual specific images!  I also don't really care for the sentiment I used here as I feel like it doesn't really work with most of the stamps I have but this is pretty nondescript ;-)  I need to work more in the abstract with backgrounds I do believe!  I'm also not a huge fan of watermelon wonder BUT I have to say it works great with these colors!  I actually really like it here!

The sequins are from the little embellishment kit in the Occasions catalog and they are blushing bride.  I really like them and I wish our sequin trim was the same.  Those are flat and I like that these have some dimension and texture!  I wanted to note that the card base is our heavier whisper white and it makes a great base on a one layer card!

I think some new goodies may help :eyeroll: so there may be some new stuff headed my way...

If you have new goodies or even if you don't, make sure to play along!  We'd love to see your project!

Happy stamping!