New catty case!

Hi stampers!  I have a fun card for you today straight from the pages of the new IBC.  The only thing I changed up was the color from peach parfait to calypso coral because I discovered I don't have any textured cardstock in the 2010-2012 in colors!  HOW did that happen?  :-)  Anyway, it still turned out great and it's helping me to like calypso coral better as it's my least favorite new in color.

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Fabulous phrases
Paper:  Whisper white, calypso coral textured
Ink:  Calypso coral
Accessories:  Polka dot embossing folder, square punch, basic pearls, sewing machine

I really liked the monochromatic look of this card in the catalog!  It's simple but still has a lot of visual interest and texture.  It also uses my favorite words set, Fabulous Phrases.  I love the simple "hi".

The sewing machine and I did have a minor disagreement or two...the second card has a couple of extra holes in it from the sewing machine:-)  And it made a simple card take about an hour to finish.  Oh well:-)  Anyway, the stitching really does add just the right touch.  And I used my bone folder to gently curl the pennants up for some dimension before I glued them down.  By the way, did you know you can use the corner of your square punch to make the V notch in the pennants?  True story!  Finally, I punched out a bunch of flowers from the boho blossom punch and scrunched them all up and layered them and added the pearl which was the perfect finishing touch!  Hope you enjoyed it!  The catalog is a great place to get ideas!!!  Happy fourth of July and happy stamping!

Inspiration, Ole!

Hi stampers!  Guess what?  I have a card for you today that is NOT a doily, yay!!!  LOL!  Today's card uses create a cupcake which came back with it's matching punch from the Occasions Mini (another yay!). 

And it's Spanish....well that is to say it was inspired by a sample in SU's Spanish catalog.  You just never know where you can find inspiration right?  I had it sitting on the floor of my studio and decided to flip through it as it's very pretty!  It has some of the same sets as the regular catalog but in Spanish and also some exclusive to it as well.  Well, I happened upon the page with create a cupcake and fell in love with this card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Create a cupcake
Paper: Whisper white, island indigo, old olive
Inks:  Peach parfait, early espresso, island indigo
Accessories:  Cupcake punch, dotted scallop edge punch, old olive grosgrain ribbon, polka dot embossing folder

Fabuloso isn't it? :-)  This set has not gotten enough ink since I bought it and I was happy to get the punch out too! It makes it to easy that you don't have to cut everything out! But I did have to cut out the bow on the cupcake but that was quick.  I also love how they had the dazzling diamonds as the "frosting" for the cupcake.  DD is another underused accessory in my studio, I need more glitz!!!!!  I also adore the color combo of old olive, island indigo, peach parfait and early espresso.  I'm sure it was quite funny though to watch me try to figure out the colors off of the Spanish supply list...which of course was in Spanish, hehe.  I had to make sure to flip back to the colors section to match up the names of the colors as in the picture a few of them were hard to tell exactly what they were, hehe!  I guess I should have paid better attention in Spanish class all those years ago in high school *cough, cough* (and yes, I know I LOOK young but that was over 10 years ago.....)

Anyway, I was happy to move on from the doilies although they may show up again soon:-)  I'll have more to share soon!  Hoping to get some stamping done today before the pool and a cookout and some fireworks!  Hope you find some time to stamp too!  Happy stamping!

Oops, I did it again....

Hi stampers!  Well I KNOW I said I'd move on from delicate doilies but guess what I have for you tonight *ducking head*.  I have not had much mojo this week or a very good mood either so there wasn't a whole lot going on in my stamp studio except for figuring out my July 1 order of course.  New stamps always make us happy right?:-)  So the goal this weekend is to stamp as MUCH as possible!!!!  And while I got three new cards done so far tonight all I have to show you is more doilies:-)  I promise to take pictures tomorrow (I like to take them in daylight) so I SHOULD have plenty to share with you!  But then you may not hear from me for a while as convention is the WEEK after next and I have NOTHING done, lol!  Well I have the parts to one card done but still  have to assemble it and make others!  I may end up with stampers elbow or something, lol!  Anyway, this is yet another take on a precvious card I've done and I really like this color combo.  I actually came up with it by using the color coach!  Pool party would make a good substitute for the baja breeze here as well!  There are some fantastic combos on the coach, just look:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Delicate doilies, fabulous phrases
Paper:  Whisper white, island indigo, baja breeze, rich razzleberry
Ink:  Same
Accessories:  modern label and word window punches, basic pearls and rhinestones

Isn't it pretty!?!?  I really can't decide what color combo of these cards I've made is my fave but this is a good one for sure!  This card goes together so fast!  I think I will make some of each combo for general swaps for convention.  I'm waiting for my order to make the second spot in an organized swap I'm in.  That meant I HAD to expedite my order:-D  So, hopefully I'll have even more brand new stuff to share with you soon!  And maybe I'll finally move away from this set:-)  Happy stamping!

Love you, I do

Hi stampers, now you have to say the title of this post in your best Yoda voice:-)  Last Sunday was our one year wedding anniversary and my hubby is a big Star Wars fan (yes, I {heart} nerds) so I wanted to make him something extra special.  I need to give a shout out to fellow demo Denise Cox who I got the idea from.  I saw a Yoda she had posted as punch art on our demo forums and so I saved him because I knew I'd need him!!!  So thanks, Denise!  Anyway here is the card:

I used various punches to build him and pulled out my beloved retired linen background stamp.  Now see, here is the reason I tend to hang on to my stamps....someday I may NEEEEED them, lol!  Jon really liked it and now I have to come up with another one for next year, lol!  If you'd like details on the card please feel free to contact me.

Short post tonight, I'm beat from work and the excitement of being able to order from the NEW catalog which is LIVE NOW!!!  Click the shop 24/7 button on the right to visit my store and browse or place an order!  I should be getting my new stuff on Wednesday! 

Ok, I'm off...I've been in a funk as of late this week and don't have much stamping to show for it or anything else except for maybe a bad moon:( Hopefully I can turn it around with the long weekend and also get some stamping done and share with you!  A little retail therapy may help tomorrow too:-)  Happy stamping!!!

DOH! More doilies!

Hi stampers!  Doh (in my best Homer Simpson voice) MORE DOILIES?!?!?!  I know I said I'd move on but I've got more cards using delicate doilies for you:-)  This set is just so easy to use and I'm loving the new in colors!  I have been playing around with this simple set when toying with ideas for general swapping at convention.  I'm not sure if I'll make many as I don't have a ton of time and it's stressing me out a but and I don't like to put a ton of work into the cards when I might not get some great quality things back.  I'll probably make some and when I'm out, I'm out.  I am in a cool organized swap with two spots so I should have around 30 awesome samples to share after convention!  I also hate mass producing cards so I already have an aversion to swaps, lol! 

Anyway I was playing around with the same general layout you've seen me use a few times here and also playing with some of the new in colors.  I had not previously used calypso coral but I thought it might look good with wisteria wonder and a couple of this years in colors.  I'm not to thrilled with my first attempt which I used calypso coral, wisteria wonder and poppy parade.  I didn't stamp the colors in the order I had intended to or layered the CS in the way I wanted to either so I may have like them better if I had. 

Oops, I glued this one down upside down:-)  Oh well, I'll just flip the script (why YES, I have been listening to the 90's on 9 on my XM radio) and turn it on it's side.  See, there are no mistakes in stamping...just creative opportunities:-)  I'm just not sure how I like the way the colors worked out and I don't like the four frames label I put on.  Oh well..it's not entirely hideous!

However, I do really like my second attempt!  For this card I was more careful about what colors I stamped and layered where.  I also think I like the color combo of peach parfait, wisteria wonder and calypso coral much better.  This just may make it to convention with me!  It will be easy to reproduce and while it's simple the pearls and rhinestones add just the right amount of glitz.  (Gotta remember to order more of those, I'm going through them like fire!!!)

I also really like how the F in fantastic goes so well with the doilies, they look like they were made for each other!  Remember, that's from one of the new hostess sets, Perfect Words.  I can't beleive that you'll be able to earn the new hostess sets on FRIDAY!!!!  It just can't be July already!!!!! Anyway, I'd promise to show you something else besides doilies next time but we already know there is a good chance that's not going to happen, lol!  We'll see what happens....happy stamping!

I got nothin....

Well maybe not nothing but not much...I don't mean projects to post...got plenty of those...but I'm TIRED:-)  And I have to be up early tomorrow to teach an hour and fifteen minutes of Turbokick!  I was going to learn some new moves but I don't see it happening!   I just finished up my hubby's anniversary card since we'll be celebrating our first year of marriage on Sunday, woohoo, lol!  I'll share it after Sunday, it's cool...I want to give it to him now, haha!  Soooo quick post and dash here...

This is yet another card using delicate doilies...funny how a set that I disliked the first time around has become my most used new set.  BUT, it's really easy to stamp with and lends itself well to clean and simple cards that are quick to put together so I guess it makes sense that I've used it a lot.  Now, to use the REST of all my stuff, hehe!  Anyway this card is based on one I saw by Viki Mears and you can see her card HERE.  I loved her colors and simple layout so here ya go...

Changed it up a bit to use what I had and I loved the lucky limeade, pool party, and daffodil delight!  Ok, I wasn't kidding, that's it for me...night stampers!

Room Re-do: Part One

Hi stampers!  So posted a video of my stamp studio a while back and said it was the "before".  Well, I convinced Jon to make a stop at IKEA on the way home from Ohare after our Vegas vacation last week.  It didn't make sense to not go since we were almost driving RIGHT by it and it's a good three or so hours up there from our house.  I had to make sure his belly was full at Potbelly's first and then promise to make it a QUICK trip.  I really do love him to letting me go even though he was tired and he helped me find everything and load it into the car.

I'm calling this part 1 because with our luggage, I could only get part of what I wanted to fit into the car and I'm still not sure where I'm going to put a few things as I don't have a lot of wall space to work with.  So...another trip to IKEA is in store...probably with my mom as she wants to go to get things for her new home!  Jon will probably opt out of that trip since my mom could spend a whole day there!  Heck, by the end of the day I'll probably wish I had opted out, lol!  Anyway, I spent most of my Friday morning assembling it all and I did it almost all by myself.  Jon said he would have loved to do it, he loves assembling IKEA stuff...funny how he said that when I was ALL done, lol! I didn't work out that day either since I was in the zone but I was so sore the next day so it was a workout in itself!!!

Anyway I'm very happy how the first part of the room turned out.  I had wanted a cubbie bookshelf to hold a bunch of stuff and I also wanted a table area where I could have a dedicated station for my paper cutter and my big shot.  It's been very nice having my paper cutter off of my stamping desk and freeing up some more room for the rubber!  It's also nice to crank stuff through the BS and not have it slip off the narrow bookshelf it used to live on!  The desk is plenty big for some other storage too, like my ribbon and retired in color ink pads.  Lookie:

 I really like the drawer unit I got to put underneath as well, it holds LOTS of stuff.  I need to get some baskets for the insides to keep them nice and tidy too!  My re-inkers even fit in the lower drawers!  Don't mind the rails and self on the floor...they are still awaiting a new home.  And most of my punches will probably end up on the rails and out of the cubbies but I was under strict orders to get my stuff out of the guestroom where I had relocated it for the re-do:-)  Here is another view of the bookshelf:

I thought I had read that the 12 x 12 paper holders fit in the cubbies but I found they did not...so they get to live up top.  I also really like having my big shot boxes so close to my BS!  I'm still in need of some regular bookshelves to store all of my stamp sets but I'll have to wait on those.  And can I just say that even though I measured so I knew it would all fit it looked MUCH smaller in the BIG store than it does in my little room, haha!  I do love it though and can't wait to get the rest finished and everything back in the room where it needs to be and stuff up on the walls.  I'll leave you with a shot of my room from the door looking at the new stuff.

Oh and the best part?  I had some gift cards so I didn't have to spend much money, yay!  Stay tuned for part two...some day!  Happy stamping!