Caseing the Catalog

Hi stampers!  I have a card today I cased from the holiday catalog.  I think this catalog has some really great samples!  I have a whole list of things I want to case but usually when I sit down I try to come up with my own ideas.  I have to remind myself to case sometimes :-)

I really liked this card!

Do you like the samples in the catalogs?  Do you case them?

Happy stamping!

Outside My Comfort Zone

Hi stampers!  I hope everyone had a great weekend!  I'm sharing something today that may not look like a typical "Mindy" card. I figure I really need to expand my range with this Artisan gig looming;-)

I'm really trying to get better at watercoloring so I finally bought basket of wishes (you KNOW it was the succulents that really got me, right?) to play with.  I have had some trouble stamping on our watercolor paper with our basic black ink (and stazon too, for that matter) so I did some asking around for advice and used it to come up with what I found to be the perfect solution.  I first inked up with versamark and then my basic black. It worked like a dream!  I think the VM really helps pick up and stick down the black ink.  I went a step further then, and heat embossed with clear powder.  It looks great and it helps the coloring a bit since it separates the colors slightly.  I highly recommend you try it!

I have also been thinking of using this pop of pink for a while and always seemed to forget.  I really like the bold look of it and I think it would look really good with quite a few ideas!  It's kind of unexpected in a "fall" card but I think it works!  I also love the combo and black and dijon!

I added a little bow of our gold twine from the holiday catalog and some burlap ribbon.  The sentiment may be a little occasions sneak peek that was an all attendee give away at OnStage called all things thanks.  And look closely and you'll see a tiny bit of a doily peeking out under it.

Don't be afraid to try new things, ok????

Happy stamping!

Display Samples - Very Merry

Hi stampers!  Today my display samples are all Christmas cards.  You know me, I had to make some Christmas cards!  Christmas is my favorite!

The first card is probably my favorite and is a shaker card.  I used the pretty pines dies to make a little scene in my jar and added some mica flakes.  I think I made a boo boo and used the red foil when I meant to use the red glimmer paper, I hope you can forgive me :-)  The lid is embossed with the copper powder.  I also love the sentiment from wonderful year!

Here's a close up view:

I guess I was on a shaker card roll...for this one I did a watercolor wash on my background piece.  I cut out the word from the wreath framelits and added more micha flakes.  Simple but I think it's very pretty!

My final card uses some DSP from the warmth and cheer stack and the numbers from our numbers framelits.  I love stuff like this!

I hope you enjoyed these samples!  I only have a couple more to share!

Happy stamping!

Are You My Mummy?

Hi stampers!  Just a few days until Halloween now!  Ian said Halloween for the first time today although he's SO NOT into wearing his costume...or letting me wear mine so we'll see how that goes. I guess we should have practiced earlier or went with something that was just normal clothes.  Toddlers...you live you learn, right?

At least I have a few more Halloween cards to share :-)

Two things.  First, I recently realized that one of our framelits looks JUST like a tombstone with the bottom cut off!  Second, I totally spaced out while making this card and some others that teeny tiny wishes was STILL current.  I didn't have any/many Halloween sentiments that worked so I pulled out a retired set.  DUH!  The TTW's sentiment would have been perfect here but this works too.

Happy stamping!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hi stampers!  Today begins the most wonderful time of the year, at least for me!  The Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog is live today!

You can now get your hands on all the yummy fall, Halloween and holiday products!  These really are my favorite occasions and holidays to make cards for.  If you need a catalog you can see it over on the side bar to the right or let me know and I'll get you a copy.  It's also not too late to join my virtual kick off party!  You'll get to see some of my samples earlier than on the blog and I'll be live streaming tips and tricks! You don't want to miss a party that you can have in your PJ's do you?

My card today is a super simple one and it would be great if you mass produce Christmas cards!  Simple and easy but I think it's pretty too!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Wonderful year, stitched with cheer
Paper:  Whisper white, cherry cobbler, emerald envy
Ink:  Cherry cobbler, emerald envy
Accessories: Holly berry builder punch

I LOVE this stamp set and this sentiment and the fonts!  Big stamps like this make great easy cards!  I used the holly stamps from the stitched with cheer set for a little accent.  See, quick and simple!

If you'd like to place an order please use the hostess code GSJPM7BG when you order.  

Again, hope to see you at my FaceBook party!

Happy stamping!

Summer's Almost Over...No Bones About It

Hi stampers!  I totally skipped over Halloween and went right to showing you Christmas stuff from the Holiday Catalog.  But, I love fall and Halloween too!  I need to sit down and make myself focus on some fall projects since it's quickly approaching!  It's almost September which to me, is the unofficial start of fall (even if it doesn't feel like it outside)!

I still can't believe that August is almost over though!  Summer seemed to take forever to get here and now it's over in a flash!  I was kind of sad about it but since our vacation I think I'm ready for fall to bring it!  I've been collecting some new fall clothes and I need to dig out the fall decorations!

Here's a cute little halloween card for you.  Isn't this little guy so cute?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Labeler alphabet, cookie cutter halloween
Paper:  Whisper white, basic black, halloween night DSP
Ink:  Basic black
Accessories:  Halloween night washi tape, halloween night enamel dots

That cookie cutter punch is just too cute.  I saw somewhere that someone thought this little guy looked like he'd got shocked with a light socket and I totally see it, lol!  And you know I LOVE enamel dots!

Don't forget to check out my Holiday Catalog Virtual Launch Party on my FaceBook page!  You don't want to miss all the fun (in your PJ's if you so choose)!

Happy stamping!

Christmas And The Beach

Hi stampers!  So, life has gotten in the way of me stamping a blogging once again.  I'm not complaining though because we were out of town for Ian's second birthday (more on that another day) and then we went on a vacation to San Diego with my best friend and her hubby while Ian went to granny's house!  And then when I went to get him, I stayed an extra day and we went to the state fair as is our tradition!  So, stamping has been by the wayside but hopefully now that we're back and back to our normal routine, I can get down to business!  If you're looking for my project scroll on past this stuff but I thought I'd share a little bit about the last few weeks.

I don't know why we haven't taken a trip with my bestie and her hubs before because it was so fun!  She is like the sister I never had, we both have little boys, and our husbands get along great!  And San Diego is now one of my top vacation spots, I can't wait to go back.  If you're looking for somewhere to go put it at the top of your list!  I can't wait to use Project Life to document all our adventures!  And I can't wait to go back and do all the things we just didn't have time for.  Here are some highlights though!

At La Holla Cove with all the sea lions!  I could have spent the whole day here I think!

 We took a sunrise cruise of the bay (or is it a harbor?) and it was awesome to see everything and learn interesting facts along the way.

The highlight of the trip for Jon was taking a tour of Ballast Point Brewery.  I'm not a fan of IPA's but it was fun to see him geek out.  He was an industrial engineer by schooling and still finds stuff related to that fascinating.  Like my fashionable glasses? LOL!  And that's a lot of beer cans...FYI they are empty.

We did a lot of running in the mornings so we stopped by this statue on one of them and it's a good thing, we never made it back on our normal sightseeing outings!

And then my mom, step dad, Ian and I went to the Illinois State Fair.  We have gone for about as long as I can remember so it's fun to do with Ian now.  He loved it and we totally wore him out.  He very rarely falls asleep in the stroller and was starting to when we left so I picked him up and he almost fell asleep with me carrying him which NEVER happens :-)

Feeding and petting a baby llama (or alpaca?).  He loves animals.

 The butter cow.

He loved the big slide and could have ridden it all day!  At five bucks a pop, he got to ride it twice, lol!  It was a good workout hauling him up to the top though!

And now onto my card.  It's funny that I showed you all that summer fun and I have a Christmas card, ha!  I played around briefly with my new holiday catalog goodies before we left and did mainly some really simple cards.  You really can't go wrong with simple!

I really like the little holly stamp set and the holly builder punch.  Holly is just SO Christmasy and I really love that sentiment with the different fonts and the swirly doodle things!  I'll add the supplies later, I've misplaced my catalog at the moment and it's time to go get Ian from his nap ;-)

I hope you enjoyed the peek into our last few weeks.  Hopefully stamping will be more regular now...and blogging too ;-)

Happy stamping!

Christmas in August

Hi stampers!  It's Christmas in August around here because my holiday catalog preorder got here earlier this week!  This catalog is seriously amazing!  And you all know I have a thing for the holidays so I'm totally in trouble! What's more is that so many of the products not only work in their respective bundles or suites, but work so well outside of them as well.  The holly bundle I used in this card also works with the tin of tags set and that's just one example!  So many products work with not only other holiday items but with items found in the annual catalog as well.  I did a live video of all my stuff on FB and talked about this some.  Make sure you follow me on FB to see those kinds of things!  And let me know if you need a catalog, ok?

I always have trouble creating when I get new stuff because I can't decide what you use so I kept my cards simple at first!  Here's the first one I made.

Stamps:  Christmas pines, holly berry happiness
Paper:  Whisper white, cherry cobbler, garden green
Ink:  Cherry cobbler, garden green
Accessories:  Gold metallic thread, holly berry builder punch

I LOVE that sentiment.  There are a number of sets I got mostly for the sentiments and this is one of them!  I also love that holly!  You can't get more Christmasy than holly!  I actually kind of forgot I got the holly bundle until I opened my order, lol!  I got quite a bit of free stuff with my hostess benefits and also some other demo perks!!!!  So, I got this bundle for FREE!  Don't forget about all of those awesome perks and free stuff if you're interested in becoming a demo!

Anyway, while summer is winding down for most people, we are getting super busy at the tail end!  I'll try my hardest to create and share a little bit when I can!

Happy stamping!