"Oh Say Can You See...."

I'm so stinkin' excited about this card and I'll tell you why!  Oh I'm so excited!  If you know me you might just, if you listen hard enough, hear me giggling and squealing with joy-as I do when I love something so much :)  This card is so pretty and so nice and "where oh where did you get that DSP" you ask, WELL...... I made it with MDS!  Yep isn't that fantastic you can make your own designer series paper, customize it to YOUR project!  I just love it!!!!

I also love this stamp, it's one of the new ones that will be in the Summer Mini and if you're from Canada, don't worry you have a lovely stamp as well that celebrates Canada!  The flag is embossed I used my Real Red and Pacific Point Markers to color the image and if you work fast the marker ink stays wet enough to emboss with.  So I just used some clear embossing powder for it.  This card is pretty straight forward and with the help of the MDS DSP it really brings the whole card together! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Simple Elegance

I'm in love with this card!  I love the colors and how simple it all is and yet how stunningly elegant it is at the same time!  Don't you love it too!!!  All I can say is I'm officially in LOVE with Melon Mambo Embossing Powder-where have you been all my life!?!  This is another (actually 2) new stamp sets from the mini.  The flowers are from a set called Flower Fest.  If you're like me and have a million and a half flower sets you might say well I don't need another flower set, but you DO need this one. It coordinates with so many of our punches and the images are simply fantastic!!  The greeting is also from a new set called Best Dad Ever.  Lots of fun stuff in that set too.  I haven't had a chance to really play with it though :(  Soon!

The colors used on this card are Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Whisper White and Melon Mambo.  I'm convinced that you can pair ANYTHING with black and it just looks fantastic!  You can't tell from the pictures too much but the black and Sahara sand cardstock are stamped with the leaf image in versa mark.  The greeting and flowers are embossed.  Aren't they great!?  A few brads and the card is done!  So pretty!!  I just love it!!! 

Real quick before I go, I wanted to take a minute and show you what I received in the mail a couple days ago.  I couldn't be more excited and I certainly couldn't have done it without all of you and my wonderful, WONDERFUL customers!  You guys are the best!!!  Thanks again!!! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

My Little Bunnies

I've decided that I'm going to attempt to show at least one My Digital Studio project every week.  I so love that program and by showing at least one new thing every week, not only will I get projects done but you'll be able to see all that this program can do! 

After seeing this adorable page done by the wonderful Heather Summers (who is a MDS genius!!!) I thought that that was just the perfect idea for a thank you card for those who gave Easter gifts to my kiddos.  So this is what I did in MDS.  Instead of doing a card I selected a post card from the project menu, I knew I was only going to do one side and I wanted it slightly smaller than a card so that I could mount it onto a card in the end so the post card option was perfect.  The bunnies, clouds and flowers are all done with punches isn't that incredible!!!!  I have to say this was my first punch art done in MDS and I just love it!!! 

So after creating in MDS, I printed it out on my own printer.  I don't have the greatest photo printer and the colors defiantly don't match our cardstock exactly but in a pinch printing at home works.  I still recommend letting SU do the printing, they do such a phenomenal job at it.  But after it was printed I layered it on some cardstock and created a lovely little card.  So cute!!!  I really it didn't take that long.  The punches are really easy to work with in MDS!  So what are  you waiting for get out there and work with YOUR MDS!

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

With Love...

Well I completely missed yesterday's post.  With all that was going on here over the weekend, it just wasn't going to happen.  But I was fortunate to get a little stamping in over the holiday weekend.  I continued to play with my new Summer Mini Catalog stuff.  Remember that there's only a few days left of the Occasions Mini Catalog, the Summer Mini begins on May 1.  This card uses the new level 2 hostess set from the Summer Mini.  Isn't is so pretty.  The card itself is pretty straight forward, there's not really any mind blowing techniques used here.  I used my markers to color the flower and then stamped it.  Stamped the greeting and then used my color spritzer on it too.  Then I embossed the whole piece of paper with clear embossing powder, just gives it a little extra shine!

Supplies: Stamp Set:  Love and Care   Cardstock: So Saffron, Early Espresso, More Mustard, Whisper White    Ink:  So Saffron, More Mustard, Pear Pizazz, Garden Green, Early Espresso Markers    Accessories:  Heat Tool, Clear EP, Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Neutral Brads, Dimensionals

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Take Care!

Quick post today, there's lots to be done-Easter egg dying, cake making, Good Friday activities....so much to do!  But I had to share this card with you there are so many new products on this card!!  First of all the stamp sets! Yep the flower and the greeting (from 2 different sets) will be in the Summer Mini Catalog.  The DSP is new and there's one more thing do you know what it is?

Well if you didn't guess it I'll just tell you-it's Melon Mambo Embossing Powder!!!  Yay!!!!  It's so cool too!  For this flower I stamped and embossed it 4 times did a little watercoloring with Pretty in Pink ink and then cut out the flowers, and I wish that I had figured this out before I cut it but this flower will fit in our XL Scallop Circle punch.  Ya, I really wish that I caught on to that little fact BEFORE I cut it out.  Oh well, I have no one to blame but myself.  It says it right in the catalog and I should have known.  Oh well :)

I added some pearls to finish the card and it's so pretty.  Here's a better shot of all the layers on the flowers.  Isn't it pretty!

One more picture before I go for the day, I wanted to take a quick picture and show you the 'organized chaos' that I stamp through every day.  Well not everyday. My desk normally doesn't look like this but with UPS visiting my house everyday this week so far and not much time to put stuff away this week, this is what it currently looks like :)  I'm sure there are many of you out there that can relate.....at least I hope so......At least I know where everything is ;)  And yep those are Megan's sandals on the right side of my desk too :)

Real quick before I leave, I just wanted to respond to a couple of comments left on some of my posts.  I love getting comments.  I really enjoy doing my blog and I love getting feed back from you guys.  But sometimes when you ask a question in the comment I have no way responding to you.  So if you have a specific question, please feel free to email me, my email address is in the top right corner of my blog.  In the meantime here's a few answers to some questions I've gotten recently:

From Linda:  There is a website on how to make the box card, if you're still interested in the link please email me and I'll find it for you.  It's somewhere in my files :)

From Bobbi: Absolutely!  Please feel free to copy anything you see here.  I only ask that you refer to my original post when you're talking about the specific technique.

I hope you have a blessed Easter weekend and I'll be back Monday-hopefully :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

H is for HOPE!

This has got to be one of the prettiest stamp sets, Strength and Hope, in the Summer Mini and it's for a great cause! When you purchase the stamp set Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  And they also have a digital kit that includes this stamp set DSP and embellishments.  How cool is that!  This was actually the first card I made with this set, weeks ago when I got it.  And I'm just now getting around to showing it to you :)  Now as I'm typing this I'm realizing that I want to add some pears to the butterflies so you just might see this card again in the future-modified :) 

This card is fairly simple and only used one color, well unless you count white :)  And I'll be the first to admit that Poppy Parade was not my favorite when I saw the In Colors last year but now I have to say it's my favorite red!  I stamped the butterfly on the left in full strength then kept stamping it down the cardstock without reinking it.  I love that look.  Years and years ago, SU had another butterfly set that I loved and I used to do this technique all the time with that one.  So pretty!  Then I spritzed it with my color spritzer in Poppy Parade and sponged the edges a little too.

The greeting is just as simple as can be too.  I stamped the H in full strength Poppy Parade and the rest of the words I stamped off on scrap paper first.  This set is so pretty and I hope that when the mini catalog is released in May that this is on top of your wish list :) 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

CLEARLY I Love This Set!

I'm continuing with some sneak peaks today!  Are you just getting so excited for the Summer Mini!  I know I am!!!  But don't forget that the Occasions Mini Catalog still has TONS of great things in it and you only have a couple more weeks to get it!  I know I'm going to miss the fabric!  I have some big fabric ideas planned and I'm bummed that there isn't any in the Summer Mini....here's hoping it's in the big catalog!!! 

But onto the card for today.  This stamp set is sooooo cute and I decided to do a technique that I haven't done in years!!!  If you've never used Crystal Effects boy are you missing out!  I have a bottle of it that sits on my desk and looks at me and I haven't used it in so long!  Guess I just never think of it.  But when I saw this stamp I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it!  The card itself is pretty simple.  I cut a square out of the white card base and used my Tombow to glue in a window sheet in that spot.  I stamped the picture in Black Staz on and then the magic begins!!

Ok, well it's not really magic but it's pretty cool!!  I put 3 small globs of Crystal Effects on a paper plate, or cello bag, wax paper would work too, to those globs I added some classic reinker and used a tooth pick (you could also use a paint brush) to mix and color in my image.  I used toothpicks specifically instead of a paint brush because the image is a little smaller and I didn't want to mess it up with too much Crystal Effects on the window sheet.  Make sure you let your window sheet dry completely before you do much else to the card.  When you're finished painting your image with the Crystal Effects mixture you end up with a beautiful, shinny painted image and there's so much texture on it because of the Crystal Effects.  It's awesome!!  An the more reinker you add the darker you 'paint' will be.  For example.  The fountain and the flower are both done with So Saffron re inker!  Just make sure you start light.  You can always add more reinker!  

And I had to add this little kitty to the inside!  This stamp set if just so cute!  The cat was watercolored with a blender pen and ink pads.  Super simple!    

Supplies:

Stamp Set: Touch of Kindness

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Pear Pizazz

Ink:  Black Staz On, Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake pads and Tempting Turquoise, So Saffron and Certainly Celery reinkers

Accessories:  Crystal Effects, Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Blender Pen, Scallop Oval Punch, Small and Large Oval Punches, Dimesionals

Thanks for looking see you soon!!!

Let's Sail Away!

Another sneak peak for you today!  This stamp I just love!  It's from the new summer mini and the moment I saw it I knew it was one I HAD to have!  I'm always looking for masculine sets-I don't have many and this one just fit perfect!  This card couldn't be more simple.  There's no accessories on this card (unless you count dimensionals).  The boat is stamped on glossy cardstock.  Before I stamped it I used my sponges and sponged ink onto the glossy cardstock.  I like doing this on glossy cardstock because the colors blend better, you could also use a brayer, but for this small piece of paper sponges worked fine.  I sponged the whole thing in Bashful Blue then the bottom half in Baja Breeze then did some highlighting on the bottom and around the edges with Not Quite Navy, I love all these colors together.  For the background.  I stamped in Bashful Blue on Bashful Blue the same image, then crumpled up the paper, did some sponging to highlight the creases and it was done.  Sooo easy! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!

A Card From Karen!

I meant to show this awesome card last week but just couldn't get it up last week so here it is today!  I got this card in the mail from Karen, she's in our group of local demos here and I just love love her cards.  They're always fun and there's always so much work that goes into them.  She does awesome work.  But she sent me this card and as soon as I opened it I smiled!  Aren't those fish the cutest!!!  Lot's of punches going on here.  The fish are made with the littlest oval (still need to look up the real name for it) and the 5 petal flower punch.  The clouds are the cupcake punch and the bobber thing (for the life of me I cannot remember the name of those things-can you tell I'm not a water girl?) that's made with the cupcake punch and the circle punch, not sure what size, I think the 1 3/4.  Karen-if I'm wrong on any of these please let me know.  Thanks again Karen for the awesome card!!!! 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!

Ready for a Sneak Peak!!

Boy do I have a GREAT sneak peak for you today!!!  The Summer Mini catalog starts in just a few weeks on May 1 and I got my fantastic preorder, another perk of being a demo!  And it had what I was probably most excited about in it.  The NEW Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch!  Yep you heard me right TRIPLE Layer punch!  How stinkin cool is that!  I was a little optimistic of how they would work (I've had trouble with the double punches in the past so a triple punch had me worried).  But fear not, they are fantastic and so EASY to use!  I just love this card.  I punched so many flowers in the past few days that I'm not sure I could even tell you the colors I used :)  I used two colors for each flower, I used a lighter color behind the darker one and off set them just slightly to show that extra color!  So I'll give it a try: Cherry Cobbler and Riding Hood Red, Pumpkin Pie and More Mustard, Daffodil Delight and So Saffron, Old Olive and Pear Pizazz, Not Quite Navy and Baja Breeze.  There!  I think I got them all!  Isn't this a great card though.  I love the colors and how they pop at you and the elegance of the embossing folder!  I just love it all!!!

So I know you're probably wondering how it all works.  Here's a quick run down of it for you and you can be sure I'll have many, many more examples coming soon!  With the punch you have 3 options of how to use it.  Pictured below.  On the punch you just select which image you want and punch!  Just make sure though you use it on a hard, flat surface and push down on it while it's on a flat surface.  And make sure that you listen to it punch, for example if you have it selected for the 3rd punch you should hear it punch 3 times.  There were times when I was punching that I was so excited that I wasn't listening for the punches and would pull my paper out to early :)  

These punches, yep I said punches there's 2 in the mini, are so cool!!!  I just LOVE THEM!!!  Ok well I'm off to do major cleaning today-vacuuming, mopping and cleaning the bathrooms-not necessarily in that order :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

A Sweet Bunny Treat

So much has been done this week, everything except stamping.  I've been gone most of the day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Just with errands and Logan's activities I'm having less and less time to get things done.  I'm not sure when it happened.  Maybe when Megan came along but it seems as if the day has been shortened by 3 or 4 hours-maybe more.  Does it feel that way to anyone else or just me?  Well whatever it is I need to learn to manage my time a little better :) 

If you're still working on Easter treats and gifts I have a good one for you.  I wish I could say that I came up with this idea but I did not.  I saw this on Stampin' Connection, that's a website for Stampin' Up! demonstrators only and it's fantastic.  Unfortunately I couldn't find the bunny again so I can't give credit to the creator of this wonderful idea.  If it's you please leave a comment so that I can give credit to you.  I saw it there weeks ago, never bookmarked it or anything so I couldn't go back and find it, so I did it from memory and I think he's pretty cute. 

It's all done with punches and the big shot.  I'll do a quick run down of body parts on him. His head is the Top Note die folded in half.  The ears are the large and small oval punches (if I had the oval dies I think I would have used that to make 'floppier' ears).  The eyes are the 3/4 and 1/2 inch circle punches.  The nose is the smallest oval, I'm not even sure what the 'official' name of it is.  It was in the Holiday mini but it's been carried over so you can still purchase it.  I'll have to find out the real name of it :)  The cheeks are the 1 1/4 inch circle punch.  The teeth are the word window.  And his paws and feet are the large oval.  I did add a tail to him after the pictures were taken I used the Heart to Heart punch for that. 

If you're a fan of mine on facebook you've probably already seen this cute little guy when I posted him last week.  If you're not a fan-head on over and click 'like'  I update it regularly with class info, projects, special and fun stamping news. 

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Fantastic Four Frames

I'm super late in showing you this card.  It's one of the cards that my guests got to make at the Cottage Garden class a couple weeks ago.  It showcases the Four Frames stamp set that you can get this month.  If you don't get it this month you'll have to wait until July to get it when the new catalog is released.  So why wait!?!  The paper is just fantastic too!  For more on this special see this post.  As for this card.  It's simple but pretty and could be used for either a girl or boy.  I know there are those at there, myself included that don't do very many 'man' cards.  It's not because I don't enjoy them I think I just struggle with them more because you can't add alot of ribbon or 'girly' things to it.  Which is why I like this card so much. 

I used the En Francais background stamp set to add some subtle texture to the cardstock.  You'll notice that not all of it is stamped entirely and that's fine that's the look I was going for.  For the frame, I lightly sponged the outside and used some markers to color the bird.  Simple, quick and easy!!!

Supplies:

Stamp Sets:  Four Frames, En Francais, You're a Gem

Cardstock: Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Paisley Petals DSP

Ink: Staz On, Always Artichoke ink pads, Baja Breeze and Pumpkin Pie Markers

Accessories:  Sponges, Decorative Label Punch, Ribbon Border Punch, Dimensionals

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!

Soooo Excited About This Class!!!

I can't tell you how excited I am for this class, especially after spending hours playing with MDS over the weekend.  I hope you can come to the class, even if you don't own MDS this class will be so informative and show ALL the fantastic thing MDS does!!

This class will teach you all the basics of Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio.

For the small class fee of $10 you'll learn how to create a scrapbook, individual scrapbook pages, cards, and much more. See them made on a large screen from start to finish!

This class will also include 2 make and takes made with My Digital Studio that we'll enhance with other Stampin' Up! stamps and accessories.

Registration will only be taken online for this event. Space is limited!! Make sure you register early! The deadline to sign up is Saturday May 7.

If you have questions please let me know. I hope that you can come, it's going to be a fantastic class-I can't wait to show you all that My Digital Studio has to offer!!!!!  Oh and for a project today-just a little page I did over the weekend with MDS!

From Poinsettia's to Daisies!

I desperately need to get some stamping done.  I don't think I stamped anything last week :( I do know that I spent most of of the day Friday, most of the day Saturday and some of Sunday on MDS.  I'm working on a bunch of new pages, projects and cards that I can't wait to get printed.  I have one done that I made for Logan and I couldn't love it more.  More on that soon.  I have an MDS class coming up on Saturday May 14.  I'll have more details on that tomorrow and an MDS sample.  I'm so excited about this class so make sure you check back tomorrow to see all the details about it! 

In the meantime I do have a card that I stamped before all my workshops and classes last weekend.  This was one of the make and takes at my workshop.  I think it's just so spring like.  I've only every used this embossing folder around Christmas for poinsettia's but when you change the color of them, they can be any flower you want!  I love the daisies!  To get this look, emboss your cardstock then use your brayer and lightly (don't press too hard) brayer over your embossed side with ink.  You'll get the prettiest card!  To finish off the flowers I used an Early Espresso marker, just to add some color to the center of the flowers. 



Isn't is cool.  I just love it!  Add a little ribbon and a greeting and you're done!  If you wanted to add a little more to it.  You could add some crystal effects to the center too.  I think that would look fantastic--hmmm maybe I'll try that :)

Supplies:

Stamp Set:  Word Play

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Early Espresso

Ink:  Daffodil Delight and Early Espresso Pad, Early Espresso Marker

Accessories:  Big Shot, Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder, Daffodil Delight ribbon, Brayer, Dimensionals

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Did You Think I Forgot Mine

I've spent the last 2 day's showing you the swaps we did last week at our demo meeting but I didn't show you the swap that I made-surely you didn't think I forgot it :)  Of course not!  I wanted to save it for today because there's a special sneak peak in my swap!!  I'm so excited about it!  If you're not aware, this is the last month of the Occasions Mini Catalog, better get what you need before it's gone!  On May 1 there will be a NEW mini catalog-I know I can't stand the excitement either :)  Well here's a sneak peak into one of the stamp sets in the Summer Mini Catalog!  This is a fantastic stamp set and when you buy this stamp set $2 will be donated to Breast Cancer Research.  Isn't that great! I got the inspiration for this card from this card from Splitcoast Stampers.  I just love that site :) 

Isn't this card pretty, I just love the colors together with this card.  But then again I LOVE Crumb Cake so anything with it in there I love!!! 

I'll be sharing more about the Summer Mini soon, but I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peak :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!!

Swaps: Part 2

Let's continue with the swap sharing!

 Yesterday I showed you one of Angela's, this is her second one.  She did 2 because she did one for her new recruit!  Yay!  I love this card, simple but so stunning!

 This is Mindy's card, she has us make a 'never ending card'  It was actually pretty easy.  With this card you just keep opening it and it never ends.  This is the front, then you open it to this....

 then this....

 then this....

 after this one it goes back to the first one.  Wow!  What a card!

 This is Kim's.  I love this card!  So pretty!!

 This is Nichole's.  I'm going to miss that stamp set :(  Oh well think of all the ones on my wishlist :)

Last, but not least is Amber's.  I love this DSP-I can't wait to see what other new DSP will be in the catalog-can July really be 4 months away?

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!!

Swaps: Part 1

As promised I have part 1 of our swaps from our meeting last week. We did a shoebox swap, where you bring all the supplies to make your card and everybody spends the evening stamping their own cards.  These swaps are sooo much fun.  We had 13 cards in the end (I think) so I had to split it up into 2 posts.  I hope I remember everyone's card and label them all correctly :)

 This one is Corrina's, closed and below it's shown open.  It's such a cool card, when you open it, it's like a shadow box!

 This one was Karens's, so pretty and I'm so happy to get cards with Pacific Point because I NEVER use that color!

 This one was Pam's, so cute, I almost went home and bought this set-it's still on my wishlist :)

 This one was Michelle G.  Another stamp set on my wishlist :) I don't think it ever gets smaller

 This one was Angela's, she did 2, I'll show you her 2nd one tomorrow :)  We inked up the embossing folder to get the ink inside the embossed parts, isn't that cool!

 This one is Michelle C, I love it!  I love the little spinners-I have some too, still need to use them :)

Lastly, for today, is Carmelita's.  I love this DSP and look another stamp set on my wishlist :)

Thanks for looking, see you soon!!