Here comes autumn

Pin It Now! For the past two weeks we've had fall-like weather over here & it's been really nice. Cool enough the kids need light jackets at the bus stop in the morning but warm enough after school they don't need one. With the kids back in school, cooler weather, & the dulling of the greenery I've been thinking about autumn & the gorgeous colors that will soon be on display this year. It's been over three years since we've experienced any true fall colors; living in far west Texas we didn't see colorful trees ;). Over here we are surrounded by forests & are anxiously awaiting God's awesome display of color. While we're waiting I decided to pull out some new goodies that I haven't played with yet & try to create some fall on a card. What do ya'll think?

When I first started playing around I didn't know what this card would be used for so it was sentiment-less when it was finished. However when my husband came home from work that day he asked if I had anything for a co-worker who was having surgery soon so I added the "thinking of you" at the bottom. The colors work great for a masculine card, don't ya think? To create all the different shades I took sponge daubers & inked up the edges of the leaves after they were cut out. The best part is I didn't have to spend forever cutting them all out: the stamp set coordinates with a Big Shot die! (the cute little acorn too). And how cool is the "tree"? I used the new core'dinations card stock & new Woodgrain embossing folder, all found in the new Holiday catalog. I love how it looks (& it feels real, too)

Here are a few quick tips for using the Autumn Accents die & coordinating Wondrfall stamp set:

• Use the die to create the leaves/acorn first.
• Before stamping the images onto the shapes use a bit of non-permanent adhesive on the back of the shape to prevent it from moving around.
• Use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to help you line up the images perfectly.

Remember you can always order online 24/7 from my business website or email me if you have any questions.

Supply List:
Stamp set: Wonderfall; Best Dad Ever
Ink: More Mustard; Cajun Craze; Cherry Cobbler; So Saffron; Pumpkin Pie; Soft Suede; Early Espresso; River Rock
Cardstock: Very Vanilla; Early Espresso Core'dinations
Accessories: Big Shot; Woodgrain embossing folder; Autumn Accents die; sponge daubers; sanding block; linen thread

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Quick & Easy

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Does this ever happen to you: a friend or relative's birthday is coming up & you think there's plenty of time to get their card in the mail, only to realize you need to have it in the mail in less than an hour? Or maybe that only happens to me...well, it happened to me last week & I almost panicked: I have to mail things back to the states at least a week ahead of time if I want it to reach the recipient on time. I needed something fast & easy so I grabbed the Mixed Bunch stamp set & got right to work. Here's what came from my mad-dash to the finish:

It's hard to see in the photo but I ran the white layer through the Big Shot using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. *TIP: If you want a sentiment be sure to stamp it first before running it through the Big Shot. I then ran it back through the Big Shot with one of the Adorning Accents edgelits to create the scallop edge. The main flower image was stamped onto some vellum using VersaMark then  heat embossed with white emboss powder before punching it out using the coordinating Blossom punch. It's also kind of hard to tell but the white layer is popped up on dimensionals (sneaky trick to hide the ends of the ribbon). I'm quite pleased with the finished product & hope my friend likes it as well. 

Go on & see how many of these fun & quick little creations you can make today; I dare ya! :)  Enjoy the possibilities today!

Supply List:

Stamp set: Mixed Bunch; Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess, retired)

Ink: Island Indigoo

Cardstock: Island Indigo; Whisper White; White Vellum

Accessories: Big Shot; Perfect Polkda Dots embossing folder; Adorning Accents edgelits; VersaMark; Blossom punch; White emboss powder; heat tool; Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack; basic jewels; Island Indigo 3/8" ruffled ribbon

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Changing it up

Pin It Now! Yesterday I shared with you the first card in a long time, the one I CASEd from the catalog. After I finished it I started thinking about all the different color combos you could use so I immediately made another one, only I changed it up a little & I "think" I like this one better :)

What a difference a few little changes make, right? Change the color, pattern stamped on the butterflies, & embossing folder & imagine all the possibilities ya'll can come up with :)  And to think it started by CASEing a project in the Annual Catalog just to get the creative juices flowing again. I may have to try creating a masculine card using this sketch, since I never seem to have a masculine card on hand when the need arises. (Like last minute co-worker birthdays my husband notoriously mentions the night before he needs to take it to work...*smirk*)

Once again thanks for hanging out with me for a few minutes :) Hope ya'll have a great day!

Please email me  today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Supply List:
Stamp sets: En Francais; Itty Bitty Banners; Papillon Potpouri
Cardstock: Summer Starfruit; Whisper White; Midnight Muse; Primrose Petals
Ink: Summer Starfruit; Midnight Muse: Primrose Petals
Accessories: Big Shot; Argyle embossing folder; Labels Collection framelits; Elegant Butterfly punch

It's been 7 months...!

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I knew I hadn't posted anything in awhile but wow! 7 months!? Time has a way of getting away from us at times doesn't it? Life threw some issues at us, which shouldn't be a surprise when you're a military family :) However the news that we would be moving to Germany was a big one, even though we knew it was eventually coming (I mean we've had over 10 years to prepare *smile*). When we were first told at Christmas time we told ourselves we'd have plenty of time to get everything ready for the move in May/June....we should have known better! There's always a ton of stuff to do leading up to a move but a whole new set of hurdles to overcome when that move is overseas. Long story short the kids & I moved about 6 weeks after my husband; so yes, a lot of the last-minute details fell on me :) On the huge plus side we had a house by the time the rest of us arrived :) The one major downside to moving overseas is not having household goods for a long time; as a matter of fact are stuff took 60+ days to arrive...try being without all your crafting goodies that long!!! lol At least I can look back at the transition time & laugh instead of cry :) We're almost completely settled (garage & basement need to get arranged properly but hey, at least my office is all put to rights *smile*) Now that school has started I have the entire day to myself so I can FINALLY get back into stamping! Enough rambling; here's my first card made in a long time:

I admit after not being able to get my fingers inky for so long my creative mind was running blank; or maybe there were too many things rattling around up there? In order to jump-start the creative juices flowing again I browsed through the Annual Catalog & decided to CASE one of the cards I saw. I didn't copy it exactly but  it's pretty close. It went together pretty quickly & I used a color combo that I'm not sure I would have come up with on my own. That's just one of the many pros of CASEing, "forcing" yourself to think out of the box & try something new :)

Thanks for hanging in there & not giving up on me completely :) I'm back & my plan is to post more regularly; now that my "baby" is in kindergarten I don't have any interruptions during the day ;) Hope you're able to get some stamping or other crafting in today!

Supply List:
Stamp sets: En Francais; Itty Bitty Banners; Papillon Potpouri
Cardstock: Pool Party; Whisper White; Calypso Coral; Lucky Limeade
Ink: Pool Party; Calypso Coral; Lucky Limeade
Accessories: Big Shot; Lacy Brocade embossing folder; Labels Collection framelits; Elegant Butterfly punch

Please email me today if you'd like a catalog mailed directly to you.

Happy Valentine's Day

Pin It Now! Hope everyone is having a LOVEly day today :)  Last week a friend asked me to make a few Valentine's Day & birthday cards for her to send to family & friends so I got busy right away for her. The day I went to give them to her she showed all her co-workers & told them they could custom order their Valentine's Day cards with me. Bless her heart, I know she was being very helpful; however, I was feeling the crunch! It was Wednesday when she told everyone in her office this news :) I came home that day & worked on a few more then dropped them off the very next day after having lunch with my husband. One of HIS co-workers asked if I could make him a card so of course I made a few more for him to pick from & my hubby took them with him to lunch with the co-worker on Friday. When my husband got home that afternoon he was grinning from ear to ear: he sold all my card at lunch that day! After all was said & done I sold a total of 8 cards in just a few short days :) Not bad considering it was all last minute ;) It was a good week hehehe  Anyway, today I'm sharing one of the cards that I did last week; here it is:

It may be a little hard to tell but I used the Lots of Love letterpress plate on the Cherry Cobbler layer; I just ran it through the Big Shot with out any ink. I colored in the "Love" using the black Stampin' Write marker & sponged the edges with Cherry Cobbler ink before adhering it to the Basic Gray card base. I created the envelope using the Scallop Envelope die & a piece of paper from the Neutrals Collection designer series paper stack. It needed a little something so I mounted it on a piece of black card stock then popped up with dimensionals on the Cherry Cobbler layer. I stamped the S.W.A.K. image in Cherry Cobbler Craft ink on a scrap piece of white card stock & embossed with some Cherry scented emboss powder. I cut it out & popped it up using some dimensionals. So simple & it went together quickly. One of the ladies asked for a modified version without the word "love" all over. I ran the red layer through the Big Shot with a different embossing folder & used the "Be My Valentine" stamp from the set "P.S. I Love You" set in the bottom right corner; kept the envelope & lips of course ;)  She loved her modified card a lot!

Hope y'all enjoy your Valentine's Day & are able to share it with those you love. Have a great day everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Sale-a-Bration Starts TODAY! & Valentine's #2

Pin It Now! Yay! I'm super excited! Today is the start of the most wonderful time of year: Sale-a-Bration! For every $50 you spend from now until March 31 you earn 1 FREE item! Stop by my store 24/7 & check out everything Sale-a-Bration has to offer! (under "Promotions") There's A LOT of cute stuff so don't miss out!

Now for my share today :) Here's the 2nd Valentine's Day card we made at the Stamp Camp a few weekends ago:

I started with a Basic Gray card base & ran it through the Big Shot using one of the Texturz plates. I took a piece of Pink Pirouette card stock & ran it through the Big Shot with the Scallop Envelope die. It really doesn't show up in the picture but I sponged the edges of the envelope with Pink Pirouette ink before putting it together & popping it up on dimensionasl. I used the Heart to Heart punch to punch out some hearts from the Brights Designer Series paper stack; Regal Rose. Each heart was then popped up with dimensionals. Using a couple of the stamps from the brand new set "P.S. I Love You" (in the Occasions Mini) I inked up one with my Pink Pirouette ink & stamped it onto white card stock. I then used my SAMJ (stamp-a-ma-jig) to help me line up the sentiment (from the same set) & stamped that with black ink. The entire thing was then punched out with the Modern Label punch & also popped up with dimensionals. This could be used for an anniversary card or wedding card as well; imagine the color combo possibilities :)

Thanks for stopping by :)  Hope everyone is having a great week. Check back again soon & I'll have a project to share using one of the sets you can earn FREE during Sale-a-Bration :)

Pin It Now! With the holidays over & all the decorations taken down & put away I have found myself in a sort of shut-down mode; not much creating happening around here lately. I did however manage to come up with some projects for my Stamp Camp I had this past Sunday that I'd like to share with you; we created Valentine's Day projects. The first card I'm sharing uses a brand new set from the new Occasions Mini, "P.S. I Love You"; we actually used it on 2 out of 3 projects. A very versatile set you can use all year round; I know I'll definitely be using it a lot.

I kept the card base white & layered on a strip of Real Red designer paper from the Brights Designer Series pack & tied on a piece of black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. I layered some white card stock over a larger layer of Real Red. Next I colored the strawberry from the "P.S. I Love You" set using some markers: Garden Green, Real Red, & Chocolate Chip & stamped it onto some white card stock. (I did this 3 times). I then used the 1 1/4" square punch & punched them out. They were each layered on a black square that had been punched out using the 1 3/8" square punch. Before I popped each square up using dimensionals I stamped the sentiment in black ink. I used Crystal Effects on the bottom portion of each strawberry to make them look edible ;) All the girls loved this card! So simple :)

I hope you've all had an amazing start to the new year & are able to find some time to create :) If you'd like one of the new Occasion Mini catalogs please email me & I will gladly mail you one.

Thanks for not giving up on me & have a fabulous day! :)