Need a little sunshine

Hi stampers!  Obviously we could all use a little sunshine with the events of Monday but we physically need some here in the Mid West too!  It's rained/stormed so much since Monday night!  Yeesh!  So much for the ball games I was supposed to cover at work...and it looks like rain until Friday!  Yikes!  I guess I did get a little sun on my run yesterday...which went ok...I only ended up a sweaty mess not a sobbing mess.  I actually ran pretty fast...I guess anger is a good motivator....and storm clouds, ha!  I only made it back about 20 minutes before it started storming!

Anyway, in other good news I'm all registered for convention in SLC this July!  I can't wait to see all my friends that live in my computer....you know....I could meet YOU if you sign up with the current special (and get a bunch more stuff free) and then come to convention!  I have to say that you get so much more out of it that just some business training!  It's inspiring in all aspects of your life and just plain fun!  Let me know if you have any questions and you can check out more info HERE.  I'd LOVE to see you in SLC!

So here's a simple card I made with the sunshine single stamp.  I used the poetry prints DSP stack which I got free at regionals...oh yeah...there's another great reason to go to convention!  FREEBIES!!!!  :-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps: sunshine
Paper:  Very vanilla, crumb cake, midnight muse, poetry prints DSP stack
Ink:  Midnight muse, summer starfruit
Accessories:  In color dahlias, summer starfruit satin stitched ribbon, linen thread

I'm off to think about what fun goodies will show up in my display stamper stuff!  And what the pre-order will be!  Eek!  That's just a week away now!

Oh and one other note if you're a fan of the Fab Friday site.  The system we use for linking your projects up has been having some issues.  I'm not really sure what the problem is but I'm hoping it's fixed soon.  If you are having trouble linking up, I'm sorry!  BUT it appears to be working so if you have trouble either switch browsers or wait a while and try again.  Sorry I don't have better advice! And keep the entries coming!!!

Happy stamping!

Beautiful things in an ugly world

Hi stampers.  This post may get rather long so if you don't want all the blah, blah, blah just skip on down to the pretty pictures.  While the events of yesterday may not be on the scale as other "attacks" we've had this one hit me hard I guess because I'm a runner.  I'm just so sad that people can be so evil and ugly.  I saw a guy on the news today that had lost both legs yesterday and as a person who runs and does so much with my two legs (turbo kick anyone) on a daily basis I cannot imagine what that would be like.  I'm so sad for the people who may never get to do something they love again.  I would be devastated if I couldn't do any of those things again or if I couldn't stamp again.   I just don't understand it, at all.   I'm also having a hard time thinking of bringing a baby into a world like this.  It just doesn't seem fair and I worry about our children's future.  I probably would have felt like this on 9/11 if I wasn't in college though so I guess it's probably normal.

But, I'm trying to see the good and the beauty in the world in spite of all the crap, for loss of a better word.  I got some good and exciting news yesterday in the midst of it all.  I got an email notifying me that I was one of the lucky winners picked to be a display stamper by SU!  I felt a little bad about being so happy about something on a sad day but you know what?  That's what those evil people want.  To take our joy away and we shouldn't let them!  And I WILL make beautiful things to brighten the days of the people around me.  You will not win evil!  That's what we stampers do.  We bring beauty and cheer to the world and I'm proud of that fact!  As much as I want a baby this just makes me so sad!

So here's a pretty little card I made the other day.  I hope it brings some beauty and cheer to your day!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Paper pumpkin welcome kit, Oh hello
Paper:  Confetti white
Ink:  Crumb cake, pool party, island indigo, calypso coral, tea for two DSP
Accessories:  circle and scallop circle punch, pool party ruffled ribbon, needlepoint border embossing folders

And I'm excited to register for convention this morning!  I got my times all mixed up and thought it was at 9 my time so I took off from my turbo class...it's at 11 my time, whoops!  So I better get my workout in.  I'm thinking about running but I'm not sure I can do it today without being a blubbery mess....so if you're local and you see a runner going down the sidewalk crying....that's me :-/  Maybe a bike ride would be best....

Happy stamping!

Mailable Monday - Special Delivery

Hi stampers!  Here we are back at Monday...how did we get here????  Oh wait....I worked on Saturday so that's where my weekend went! ;-)  And unfortunately I'm starting a work week of 7 days...gotta work a bunch on Saturday and Sunday this week.  That's no good at all.  Don't they know I NEED to stamp????? :-)

I'm using the sent with love bundle again.  This set lends itself really well to CAS and mailable (flat) cards!  It also combines with the designer typeset set too! And speaking of our photopoly sets we have a new one released just last week!  It's kind of sassy and it's called bombs away.

Ok and if that wasn't good enough....there are a couple of other exciting things starting today through May 30th!  First off if you sign up with me (and remember you can choose the items you want...want Bombs Away and a bunch of other stuff???  Sign up!!!!!!) you can get an extra $30 FREE!  That's right, get $155 worth of stampy goodness for $99.  Holla!!!!!  It's a great time to sign up because not only will you get all the perks of being a demo it's also a great time since you'll have access to the new catalog pre-order over a month earlier than regular customers!  Get your hands on all the new stuff AND get an extra 10% discount on your first order over $150!!!!  And I'd be more than happy to be your upline!  No need to be local!  We can have just as much fun online as in person;-)

And then there is a new hostess special as well.  If you host a party (I can do online parties if you aren't local and ANY of your friends can order anywhere from the US and you'll get credit) or place an order with me either directly or through my online store you can get an EXTRA $30 of hostess credit so THIRTY dollars more FREE stuff!!!!  Contact me if you have questions about either one!

So this card is based off of one I had pinned using another companies stamps.  I thought, "hey, that would work perfect with our stuff!"  I really like browsing the "competition" (hehe) to get inspiration!  I'm really pleased with how it turned out...except for the silly little ink smudge I got on it.  Grrrrr!  I hate when that happens and it's happened a lot lately...I think I need to clean my scrubber....

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Sent with love, designer typeset
Paper:  Whisper white, pool party
Ink:  Pool party, island indigo, calypso coral
Accessories:  Postage stamp punch

I really hope the sent with love stamp is in the new catalog but who knows....it's just so cute!

Happy stamping!

An epic card

Hi stampers!  Sorry I haven't blogged much lately!  Time just gets away sometimes, ya know?  There's that and the fact that I just plain haven't felt very creative lately...it comes and it goes.  And I REALLY need to get crackin' on my Artisan projects, eek!  Maybe it's that I'm all hyped up for the sneak peek and pre-order next week too!  So many exciting things right now!  I need to get my hands on those new in colors like yesterday!!!!!!  Gah!

Speaking of exciting things, I've been working with the Epic Day line from the This & That journals.  The great thing about this line of products is that it's not just for smash books...you can make awesome cards just like this one:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  My paper pumpkin welcome kit
Paper:  Very vanilla, crumb cake, pool party, epic day DSP, first edition DSP
Ink:  Crumb cake, so saffron, calypso coral, versamark
Accessories:  Pop-up posies kit, ovals framelits, scalloped circle punch, in color printed polka dot brads, gumball green satin stitched ribbon, pool party embossing powder, hung up cute clips, distressing tool

The sentiment is hard to see in the photo (and sorry it's at a wonky angle) but it's embossed in pool party and it's (again) the greeting from the MPP welcome kit!  I haven't really used the cute little paper clips from the spring catalog much but they work great with this line!  There's a lot of sponging on this card since the DSP is kind of grungy I wanted the rest to match.  And I just love those die cuts in the posies kit.  We NEED more of those in the new catalog or a die or something!!!!!

I'll hopefully have some sneak peeks for you in a little over a week and a half!  They changed the timing and I wasn't able to get the normal couple of days off I usually do so hopefully work will be light and I'll still be able to get some things made! I WON'T be staying up all night like usual though...if I gotta go to work I gotta get my 8...or more like 10 hours, hehe!

Happy stamping!

Fab Friday 16

Hi stampers!  Happy Friday and happy birthday to my dad!  :-)  And it's time for a new challenge at Fab Friday!  So many people played along last time!  We can't wait to see what you make this week!  This week is another color challenge....and it uses the much loved or hated starfruit!

And here is my take:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Sent with love
Paper:  Whisper white, crumb cake, pool party, pool party coordinations, patio party DSP, epic day DSP
Ink:  Crumb cake, versa mark
Accessories: Soda pop tops, pool party embossing powder, circle punch, scalloped circle punch, hexagon embossing folder, apothecary accents framelits

I used the coordinations paper on the cutout because it's textured.  It's great that you can use it with embossing folders and without!  The sentiment really looks cool too since it's all glossy with the embossing powder.

Now hop on over the the Fab Fri site and see what else the DT has for you!  And don't forget to play along!

HSS 157

Hi stampers and happy Tuesday!  I'm glad to see some of you took advantage of the free shipping deal over the weekend;-)  Have fun playing with your new stuff!  Maybe you can use some of it for the next challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  

This week it's a bright and fun and summery color challenge!

Don't forget about the little color refresh we are going to have as well.  I'm happy to see island indigo stick around for a while longer!

My card is pretty simple but with those bright colors simple works :-)

Stampin' Supplies:

Stamps:  Oh hello, clockworks, MPP welcome kit

Paper:  Whisper white, island indigo

Ink:  Daffodil delight, island indigo, lucky limeade

Accessories:  None

After attending the St. Louis regional event a few weeks ago I had to get the clockworks set.  I'm easy...I know:-)  But we used it for our make and takes I really like the two little design/flourish stamps in it.  They kind of remind me of extreme elements which was one of my favorites!  Most of the stamping here is stamped off...everything but the sentiment.  I used a sponge to ink up the chevron stamp so it would have a soft look.  And I kind of went a little crazy with the splatter stamp...but once I started I couldn't stop, lol!

Bottle caps & Butterflies

Hi stampers!  Time to start another week!  Again, where DID the weekend go???  :-)  I am sad to report that we had another open house yesterday with dismal results.  Only two people came to look at our house.  I was hoping we would have a really good turn out like the one we went to that was packed!  Oh well...if you wouldn't mind please send us good vibes!  I'm so afraid we are going to miss out on the house we want if we can't sell ours!  Anyway....

Speaking of spending money (lol) don't forget that today is the last day for free shipping!  And some of the retiring color stuff is selling out already (I believe it's a few re-inkers:  celery, baja, and rose maybe) so if you want to stock up you better do it NOW!!!!!  :-)

Remember, you can shop my online store over there to the right any time!

And here's a card today that I've had sitting around for a while.  Between work and the open house I didn't get many "new"projects done this weekend.  Well there's that and now my new addiction to the Hoggers show and Duck Dynasty...I may have come home and sat on the couch mesmerized by the interesting cast of characters on those shows, lol!

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Made for you, hearts a flutter
Paper:  Whisper white, baja breeze, summer starfruit, patio party DSP
Ink:  Baja breeze, summer starfruit, primrose petals, midnight muse
Accessories:  Small butterfly punch, soda pop tops, circle punch, basic pearls, dotted scallop border punch, hearts a flutter framelits

Ok, so it's not super mailable with the bottle cap but I think it might go through with a extra piece of CS in the envelope.  And it does use a retired SAB set but I wanted to use those butterflies with the patio party paper.  And the bottle cap butterfly is from the cute itty bitties set!  I also really love that the hearts a flutter set and framelits are totally useable for many other occasions than Valentine's day!  That banner can work for anything!!!!  Something else fun you can do with it and I've done it in a few projects is to stamp it and then punch parts of it out just for the pattern and not the actual banner shape!

The sketch is actually an old challenge from Retro Sketches.  I get quite a few questions on where I get my ideas and inspirations and a great tip is to use old challenges.  Sometimes we get stuck in the notion that we have to use current ones but you don't!  Most challenge sites have an archive where you can look at their old challenges to find inspiration!  I've been getting a lot of questions lately so maybe I'll put together a FAQ.

Ok, time to go to work.  Don't forget to place your order TODAY for free shipping!

Happy stamping!