Can't Stop Stampin'

My Prayer Journal

2008-08-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to create my own prayer journal for awhile now but considering the condition of my stamp room until just recently that was not going to happen. Now that it is back in good working order I decided tonight would be a great night to do finally work on that project.

The spiral bound journal I picked up at Michael in the dollar bins. You have got to love that place! I used the SU! Spiral Punch on the left side, it fits just perfect on these. I pulled out some left over Enchante Designer Series paper for the background since it has such a soft, pretty look to it. The cross is stamped in Perfect Plum on Vanilla card stock and then cut out. I mounted that on some Mellow Moss card stock and then cut that out for a small layer. This was a huge task for me since I am scissor challenged! I popped the cross up on some dimensionals and then mounted it on Pale Plum card stock that has been lighted stamped with the flowers from Refuge and Strength in Pale Plum and the edges distressed using the cutter tool. The sentiment was printed out on my computer on Vanilla card stock. It was mounted on Mellow Moss and then Pale Plum. I added a few ribbons to the spiral spine but did not want to over do it. I think it could use a few more but I seem to not have any other ribbons in coordinating colors....how can that be?!
I am looking forward to start using my journal during my evening devotional time. I like to read My Daily Bread and talk with God each night before I head off to bed. I'm not a morning person and so I really enjoy ending my day this way.

Thanks for coming by. Happy Stamping!

A got a haircut!

2008-08-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

OK..it's such a similar title to a previous post about D but our little girl decided earlier this week that she was tired of dealing with tangles and long hair and has been asking to get her haircut.

She really wanted Zabeius in the photo with her, so you get to see him too :o)

She wanted it about an inch shorter but the stylist recommended that we not go quite that short. She said it would make her face look even more round than it already is. So we took her advice, for now. A really loves is and I have to admit that it was much easier to wash tonight for me, and easier for her to comb out after bath time. She says she still wants it shorter the next time, so maybe we will just try it and see how it looks. For now, she is one step closer to being ready for her first day in the 1st grade which is less than 3 weeks away.

A Little Clip

2008-08-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

I was gifted with this Jumbo Paper Clip some time ago and it's just been sitting waiting for some love. Tonight I found some inspiration on SCS and Mrs Boaz and decided to finally do something with it. I basically CASE'd her design. On my version I decided to emboss the apple with embossing powder and DD Glitter. I will use this for A's 1st grade teacher gift, which I am working on so it's ready for the 1st day of school.

The image is from the set Tart and Tangy, and I'm so happy to see it in the NEW SU! catalog which begins tomorrow.....(well, in about 12 minutes actually!) I think I might add some ribbon to it as well, but for now I'm happy with it!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Stamping!

Designer Bag

2008-08-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

I found the tutorial for this bag on Cambria Turnbow's Blog. Isn't it soooo cute! Since I'm still working on getting my mojo back I decided to give it a shot. I really like how it turned out. And it was much quicker and easier than I expected it to be.

For the base, which you cannot see, I used the retiring River Rock card stock. The Designer Paper is Ginger Blossom. The sentiment on the front is a SAB set from 2008 called Lots of Thoughts. I tied the top together with a little bit of River Rock double stitched grosgarin ribbon.

Inside I added 3 3X3 cards that coordinate and I will give this to my neighbor as part of her gift for her upcoming 40th birthday.

Thanks for coming by. Happy Stamping!

Momento Mall Camera Case

2008-08-07T22:36:00.001-07:00

So I may not have my new catalog yet but I have been blessed with this wonderful gift from the SU! Convention. It is the camera offered at the Momento Mall and it is to die for!!! The pattern comes from one of the new Designer Papers that will be offered in the new catalog. Inside is an adorable coordinating print!

I'm pretty sure my dh won't want to carry this round so I am thinking it might just double as a little tiny purse!

Thank you Nikki for your thoughtfulness! Love you Girl!!

Wow...a card

2008-08-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

So I have not been stamping in a looonnng time. And actually I'm thinking of changing my blog to a new name that is something a little more realistic. But for now, here is a card I made awhile back.
The colors came from a friend who made some cards with it. I used So Saffron for the base and accent color of Cameo Coral. The image is the retiring hostess set called From the Garden. I've always felt challenged when it comes to watercolors but I knew that is the only technique that would work with this image. I colors the image first with the Watercolor Crayons and blended with Gamsol. Then around the edges I used my markers in slightly brighter colors to give it some pop. I finished it off with stickles for Bling and a strip of twill tape and black brads.

I'm not sure anyone is even checking the blog anymore but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of stamping and posting!

Happy Stamping!

D got a haircut!

2008-04-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

So, this post is totally NOT stamping related but I had so put this out there so that you could all see. Our son got a haircut - Chris style!!!

Now, I admit that the boy NEEDED a haircut but this was NOT quite what I had in mind. But after a few days it is growing on me. D did really well, sitting on a chair on the back deck.

Of course it tickled a little bit and he giggled the whole time but he did really, really well. I guess he won't need another haircut for...well, about the whole summer. But boy I am going to need to invest in some sunscreen or a bunch of hats for him!!!

Go Jr Go!!!

2008-04-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's an evening race tonight...we are a Phoenix Int. Raceway....Jr. just took the lead!! He has not won a race in almost 2 years......

I'm a huge Nascar fan...have been for years and years....

OK...gotta go watch. Be back later!! :o)

I love flowers!!

2008-04-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and I just love the flowers that bloom this time of year. There are so many varieties and colors I just wish I could have them all in my garden.

This is a card I made for VSN last week. The challenge was to use as many flowers as possible. Since I am a pretty simple gal who makes pretty simple card this was my design.

The base of the card is Pretty in Pink and the paper is LilyKate by Basic Grey. Isn't it wonderful! It was a gift to me and I just LOVE it. The girl image is an Elzybell sent to my by the very wonderful, amazing Jody Morrow. She has always been one of my favorite designers and a huge inspiration. The image is colored with regular SU! markers and mounted on a pink scallop. Because I did not want to distract from the image or paper I used only a small pink grosgrain ribbon as an accent. The card is finished off with a layer of Primas I got through one of Jody's "famous" Prima Shares, and a pink jewel brad. This card is smaller than most I make measuring 4.25 X 4.25.

Thank you so much for coming by. I hope you find some inspiration here today.
Happy Stamping!
Jen

Embrace Ribbon!!

2008-04-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it! I got a challenge done this week. It's taken me 3 days for this card to come together but finally it's done. Not sure I love it 100% but pretty close.

The technique challenge on SCS this week was to layer ribbon...Hey, I can do that!

The paper is Lily Kate Basic Grey. I {{{Heart}}} it (thanks Gina!). It was layered on Almost Amethyst and paper pierced in the corners. All colors for this card were drawn from the paper of course!

The sentiment was highlighted with a little DTP and raised with some non SU! dimensionals. The brad in the corner is not SU and really does not get any justice in this photo!

Thanks for coming by. I hope you are having a great week!

Happy Stamping!
Jen

Going Big Time!

2008-04-08T22:38:00.001-07:00

Is it really only Tuesday? Sure seems like it should be Thursday or something by now. But, I guess not. So to get us through another day I thought I would share with you the biggest card I made during the VSN weekend.
The challenge was to use this sketch on your card. In the description it mentioned the Carousel Notes that are now available in the Occasions Mini Catalog. I have been blessed to be gifted with some just last week and thought this would be the perfect time to try them out.
Let me just say that they are HUGE!!! This card measures 6 X 6...it's going to need extra postage.
The base of this card is the Textured Chocolate Chip scrapbooking paper. The other elements are then layered over the top. There is no stamping on this card, only Rub-On's from the 2008 SAB promotion. I sure do luuuvvv those things! I finished the card off with a little bit of polka dotted ribbon and some Icicle Stickles. I really love how it turned out and may send it to the person who blessed me with the notes in the first place.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope that you enjoyed today's card and it gives you some inspiration. Happy Stamping!

Some more VSN goodies!

2008-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to work on a redesign on my blog but so far I just can't get the look I want. So, instead I am going to post for you another card I did for the Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast last weekend.

This card was for the catwalk challenge. Use an animal print or patten on your card. I was not sure I had anything that would fit this but then remembered a Cuttlebug Die that a good friend gave to me and pulled it out. Perfect!

The background paper is Pumpkin Pie with a black layer of pattern over the top. Beerafella was stamped in Black Stazon and then colored with the Water Color Crayons, Gamasol and an Aqua Painter. He is mounted on Always Artichoke and Black. Of course, since it's kind of a guy card I could not use ribbon or bling so just decided to keep it simple with a single Artichoke Brad. The sentiment was printed out from my computer. The Beerafella image can be purchased at Stamping Bella.

Thanks for coming by today. I appreciate the visit!
Happy Stamping!
Jen

A few cards

2008-04-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Since this Blog is supposed to be about stamping I thought maybe I should post a couple of cards that I have made this weekend. It was VSN on Splitcoast and of course I could not let it go by without playing even just a little bit.This first card I used the retired set All about U. The colors were all taken from the designer paper used on the bottom layer. The U was kissed by the Kissing Technique and then popped up on large Zots.
This second card was a challenge to use a Sketch Style Set. I love this Level 2 Hostess set called Infinite Goodness. The colors on this card are So Saffron, Close to Cocoa and Old Olive. The pear was watercolored using the Aqua Painter and Gamasol.

I have a few other cards I've made but am going to try to spread out the fun! If you have never participated in VSN you should check out the Virtual Stamp Night Forum on SCS and try to play along the next time.

How cool is that!

2008-04-05T19:44:00.002-07:00

Check out the new widgit I just found at Nascar.com. Dale Jr is starting on the Pole tomorrow in Texas and it could be the time and place he finally ends his winless streak. So, hopefully it will bring some good luck.

Getting Ready for Daytona

2008-02-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

In just under 24 hours the 50th running of the Daytona 500 will take place. For those who don't know...I am a huge Nascar fan and the #1 Dale Jr. fan around! I have watched Speedweek very closley this week and am so thrilled at the success Jr. has had so far. Winning the Bud Shootout AND the Gatorade Duels is just such a wonderful way to start his career with Hendricks Motor Sports.

Anyways...if you are a Nascar fan, not matter who your favorite driver is please leave me a comment on this thread and tell me who you love any why! It will be so much fun to see who the fan favorite is.

Have a great day! Thanks for coming by.

people are subscribing!

2008-01-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

I have not been here in something like 4 months and just the other day I received notifications that someone new subscribed. WOW! Talk about surprised.

I really do enjoy the blogging but life kind of took over and I didn't make time for it. I was doing any stamping for fun and was just kind of feeling overwhelmed about the whole thing. I have also been working on my own website which is turning out beautiful! I just need to add a little more content and then I'll tell you all about it.

I have been stamping again and really liking the cards I am making. I am not going to post any of them here right now but please check out my Splitcoast Gallery.

I have tons of great ideas for the new website and look forward to being able to share more soon.

Weekly Sketch Challenge

2007-09-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

I managed to create this card last night after the sketch challenge had been posted but my Blogger dashboard was acting up and I didn't want to take a chance that something would go astray. Well, tonight I have the same strange look but I decided to try in a different browser and things seem to be better here.

The Sketch Challenge always seems to be a difficult one for me. I'm not sure why but it's all the more reason why I need to push myself to do it each week. This week however this came together for me very quickly. The card base is Purely Pomegrante, with basic black and designer paper also used. The image comes from the stamp set Baroque Motifs and the sentiment is from Think Big. A circle ice rhinestone brad is used in the center of the main image and the ribbon is from Wal Mart.

I have always loved pink/black as a color combo but this really pops for me and I am sure it won't be the last time I use them together!

Thanks for coming by to read my blog. I think it's been about 2 weeks since I started posting again and it's been really good for my stamping mojo. I feel like it's been good for my creative juices. Happy Stamping!!!!

Challenge of a different kind

2007-09-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

A little while back I received a special order for 100 Christmas cards from a client who uses them in her business. She wanted a few different designs and tonight I have finally finished the first set of 20.

These took quite a bit longer than I had expected due to the coloring on each image. The card base is an In Color from 2006, Cranberry Crisp. The main image is stamped with Stazon Black on Naturals Ivory paper and then colored with pencils and Gamasol. The accent ribbon is also the cranberry crisp. Other colors used were Close to Cocoa and Wild Wasabi. I still have 20 more cards using this same image, slightly different layout to complete but for tonight I am so happy these are finally done. I am sure Sharon will be too!!!

hmmm....

2007-09-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what is going on here with Blogger tonight but the onscreen format does not seem right and I'm having a hard time posting. So...instead of spending a bunch of time to have it go all screwy I'm going to wait.
Which is really too bad by the way...I did a cute card for the sketch challenge this week.

Stay tuned....it's coming!

I am on a roll!!

2007-09-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

This has been such a great weekend! Somehow between working from home, unpacking the never ending pile of boxes in the garage and being a mom/wife I have somehow had time to stamp as well. Since it was my birthday on Sunday, that is what I asked for - time to stamp and watch the Nascar race. Sure, we had some of my dh's family over and did a little party. But I have also been able to stamp 7 cards this weekend. That might just be a record for me (excluding a VSN weekend, which is coming up again just 1 week from now.)

I had some MoJo flowing tonight so I decided to check out the Featured Stampers Challenge from Sunday on SCS. The week the featured stamper was inglishira and here is her gallery.

My card uses So Saffron as the base with the Floral BG stamp. The panel across is Cameo Coral and mounted on Choc. Chip. The main image is Choc. Chip on Naturals Ivory and sponged with Saffron and Coral. I used the ticket punch on the corners and non - SU Ribbon is used to finish off the main image.

I feel like I am finally starting to get settled here and hopefully I will be able to keep up with the challenges. Again, I have to thank my friend Barb for getting my rear into gear and getting me back blogging again!!! Love Ya Girl!!

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!!

True Friend

2007-09-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

When the new Stampin' Up! catalog came out in July there were quite a few sets that I was on the fence about. The set used in the card made for this weeks Color Challenge was one of them.
This set is called True Friends and it really follows the whole "Boho West" style. At first I did not think it was for me, but over the last 2 months it has really grown on me. In fact, on my last order I chose quite a few sets from this style.

The color challenge this week was Groovy Guava and Always Artichoke. I would not have put these 2 colors together on my own, which is a perfect example of why I LOVE the SCS challenges.
The card base is Grovy Guava. All neutral pieces are done with Naturals Ivory and all accent pieces are Always Artichoke. The background was done with the new set called Sanded. True Friend from the Holiday Mini was used as well as the background stamp Paisley. The brads are from the Rich Regals Brad set and the ribbon is the Groovy Guava Double Stitched Grosgrain.
I did a little direct to paper on the flower image but no other techniques were used for this card. It is very simple and yet I am SO happy with how it turned out!

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

Labor Day Weekend Challenges

2007-09-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

Jen70, who hosts the weekly Friday Limited Supply Challenges is so wonderful at hosting some extra fun stuff each time a Holiday or Long Weekend comes along. Well, as not to disappoint this weekend had a 3 part Challenge.

It took me the entire weekend to create and post - I am pleased to say that I was able to complete all 3 challenges, each in separate cards.

I have already posted my first card of the 3 below, so here are the final 2.

This second card of the challenge was to use an animal stamp that is not normally supposed to be for Fall or Halloween. For this card I masked off the ball of yarn in the original stamp and instead used a pumpkin.

Both cards use Wild Wasabi for the card base.

This card also uses Pumpkin Pie CS and Designer Paper. The ribbons are Pumpkin Pie Grosrain and Wild Wasabi double stiched grosgrain. The brads are from the Rich Regal family.

On the third card, it's size measures 4.25 X 4.25 plus the topper for a final size of 4.24 X 5.5. I also used Really Rust CS and Boho Designer Paper. You can find a complete tutorial on these Table Topper Cards Here.

I love having these extra challenges on the long holiday weekends. Since this one was my birthday I made sure I had a little extra time to stamp. But on any holiday weekend it is so nice to have an extra challenge to play with.

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!!!!

Wow I've been tagged!

2007-09-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

I've really been trying to post regularly here and I have to say I think I'm doing pretty well. And apparently someone else thinks so too!!

My most faithful reader Barb has tagged me, and for this I am very honored. I have stamped quite a few cards this weekend and I will be posting them all soon but for now, I was to say Thanks!!! to Barb for getting me back to Blogging everyday!

Any time I come across a Blog I really enjoy, I subscribe. That way I know when something new is posted. I've subscribed to quite a few recently and one of them is Life of a Smallpigpig. Peggy is a self proclaimed swap-a-holic and posts many of those on her blog. Check her blog out here. So, Peggy I tag you!

The first of Fall cards

2007-08-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight, for the Limited Supply Challenge, Jen posted not 1, not 2, but 3 challenges for us to complete over the long weekend. Monday evening she is going to have a random drawing for a small prize. This card is the first of my 3 cards. I cannot even remember the last time that I actually completed a challenge on the evening it was posted. Most products used in this card are Stampin Up!
The stamp set is a one that will be in the upcoming Winter Mini. It is called Autumn Harvest.
The card base is Pumpkin Pie while the semi-circles are cut with my new Coluzzle from So Saffron. The main image was stamped in classic black ink on naturals ivory paper and then colored with non-SU pencils and gamasol. I used the designer label punch, double rectangle punch, ticket corner punch as tools with some non-SU ribbon and Rich Regals Brads for embellishments. The finishing touch was the white accents done with the gel pen.

So, other than using quite a few punches I really did limit my supplies. I could not find just the right sentiment for this so I left it off. I really wanted to do some paper piercing in the corners and add more ribbon and brads but the point of the LSC is to have or use limited supplies so I really tried to stick with that.

I am really happy with how this turned out and I am sure that I will use it as inspiration for some more fall cards. I am so NOT ready for Summer to be over but now that Labor Day is almost here I guess I need to face reality.

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

So Kind

2007-08-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's Color Challenge on SCS was a doozy! Pretty in Pink, Old Olive and Purely Pomegranate. I knew the moment that I saw it I was in LOVE. PiP and OO are already a favorite CC of mine. But to then add to it my most favorite In Color of 2007 - Oh yeah baby.
I've been thinking this card through all day and could not wait to get home to work on it. Most products used here are Stampin Up!

The card base is Pomegranate. The wheel So Swirly was used on the background and a white gel pen made the accents. I used all 3 ink colors on the 2 small images and finished each of them off with a little bit of coordinating ribbon from the Ribbon Originals Sherbet pack. I bought this particular pack just for this polka dotted ribbon and was thrilled to finally use it.

I am completely hooked on the Cutter Kit tool and used it again on this card to distress the edges of the 2 main images. Finally I added a double layer of Primas with a Circle Ice Rhinestone brad in the center of each. The top brad is pink and bottom brad is the olive color.

I have someone in mind that I want to send this card to. She has been a really good friend and strong supporter of my blog. I know it will take a long time to build up any kind of reader base....and I'm sure some Blog Candy wouldn't hurt but I really appreciate the time she takes everyday to come by to see what I've been up to.

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

Cherish the Guava

2007-08-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this card for a week. I loved the CC when it was posted but it just took awhile for it to all come together. I worked on it in stages, which for me is not typical.

The card base is Groovy Guava and the accent color is Soft Sky. Pick a Petal was used on the base and accent piece with Garden Silhouettes for the main image. I even threw in a little Baroque Motifs for fun as a layer. The vintage brads came on my last order and I was so excited to use them. I have a feeling they will be gone before I know it. The scallop edge was created with the slit punch, which you can find that tutorial for a couple of posts below. I also used my new SU! Cutter Kit with it's handy, dandy distressing tool to rough up some of the edges. As the final touch I sponged a little Soft Sky and Guava on the distressed edges to give it a light vintage feel.

I am really pleased that I did not push myself to make a card that was just so-so and took my time to create a card I am really happy with. It's been totally crazy here the last couple of weeks but tonight I just needed to stamp to save my sanity.

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

I've been BRAK'd

2007-08-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Even though I am a member of the RAK (random acts of kindness) group on SCS, I have not been participating for many months now. So, imagine my surprise when I received a BRAK (birthday RAK) in my mailbox yesterday. A wonderful SCS'r TracyLTripp sent it to me.

Not only did she send me the most adorable Bella card, she included a couple of goodies as well!
Isn't she a sweetheart?!

Tracy, if you happen to read this...thank you again! This was the first card I received this year and it really made me smile!

Making Scallops from a slit punch

2007-08-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

Sometime last year I remember when it was discovered that you can create a wonderful scallop from the Stampin Up! slit punch. I saw it being done all over the place and since I had the Slit Punch I thought I should really try that. But for some reason I never did. And that has nagged me...for a long time.
Last weekend I had my monthly stamp camp and this was a technique that I really wanted to teach. But for the life of me I could not find that darn tutorial. I scoured SCS looking for it. Spent all kinds of time looking here and there, but to no avail. Then, last week I was checking out the Ways to Use it Challenge that is posted every Thursday hosted by Julia S. And lo and behold, in her signature line was the Slit Punch; tutorial and history link. I could not believe it!!!! What are the chances that I would actually find it? The very same week that I had been thinking about it, wishing I knew how to find it. Of course I took it as a sign that I was MEANT to teach this....So here is the card that we did.

As you can see from some of my recent cards I am totally loving some of the In Colors from 2007-2008. I seem to be using Guava, Wasabi, Pomegranate, and River Rock all of the time. On this card I used the Guava with Chocolate Chip and the River Rock was an accessory. In the middle of each flower are Clear Stickles, which are my favorite by the way. They match what ever color you put them on.
I used Bud Basics for the main image and it's coordinating wheel on the background with the retired French Script. Bud Basics is no Petal Prints but since that one had retired I was SO happy to see this set in the newest catalog. I used the Tab Punch to mount the sentiment and was so happy with the small but significant element that was added to the overall design.

This scallop is so easy to create that if you have the slit punch and have NOT done this...you MUST!!! It was so much easier than I thought it would be. And the ladies at stamp camp seemed to like it as well.

I think that today marks day 5! 5 days in a row that I have posted to my blog. That might very well be a record for me. And I think that the streak should continue. Do you think I can make it to 10?? I guess we will just have to wait and see on that won't we....

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

Wow what a haul!!

2007-08-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

Mr. Brown came yesterday!!! I have never paid extra to get on order expedited until last month when my mother-in-law was visiting and we wanted to make sure her stuff arrived before they left. If you have never done it...I cannot tell you how cool it was to have stuff arrive in 2 days vs. 7-9 days. If you have done this before....then you know EXACTLY what I mean when I say...Dang that is Cool!
So this month I had a rather large order to place. I had been saving my pennies from here and there, plus I had a couple of customers who wanted to order as well. I had no intention of expediting my order until the very, very, very last moment. But my need for instant gratification got the better of me right before I hit the submit button and I ended up paying for the 1 day option! What was I thinking!??!?!

Sorry, I digressed a little there...I had a point...Mr. Brown.
He came yesterday with said expedited order and what arrived was a box FULL of goodness!

In addition to the stuff my customers had ordered I was blessed with 4 packs of paper, my very first spectrum pad (Pumpkin Pie), the last of my 48 Classic Inks - Handsome Hunter & Elegant Eggplant, Sanded Background (pg 139), Priceless (pg 117), So Swirly Wheel(pg 117), Fabulous Flowers (pg 102), Frosty (pg 40), True Friend (pg 18 Holiday Mini), Boho Friend Wheel (pg 19 Holiday Mini), Supersize Snowflake (pg 6 Holiday Mini), the new Scalloped Punch (pg 183), Natural Hemp ( pg191), the hostess sets Party Punch (pg 18), Word on Word (pg 21) and last but not certainly least the Stampin' Up! Coluzzle Cutting System Starter Kit (pg 184) which is an early birthday present from my mother-in-law mentioned above!!! **Thank You Suzi!!!!!**

The sets that are from the Holiday Mini are Die Cut, so they go together in a snap. I hope I am able to find the time this weekend to mount everything else and actually play with all my new goodies! Come back next week to see what I have done with it all!

Thanks for coming by and Happy Stamping!

Look at these Labels!!

2007-08-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if you have noticed the new Color Index Labels on page 193 of the newest Stampin' Up catalog but if not...it's time to take note!

These come in a pack of 2. They are black lettering on a clear background. They are designed to place on the ends of your ink pads or use them to create a file system for your card stock. The cost was very reasonable at only $3.95 for the pair of them.

Since I only have classic ink pads in full size and only 1 Stampin' Up Color Caddy I won't be needing 2. I plan on sending the 2nd set to a friend who I now will really dig them.

These make it so easy to see at a glance what color ink you are looking for. On the top of the color caddy I plan on placing the Color Family Label on a white label, then adding it to the top of each column. But for tonight I am very happy with how this has turned out.

Hopefully with my new system I will be able to spend less time, significantly less time looking for the color that I want and much more time actually stamping with it!

Thanks for coming by!!! Happy Stamping!!

There's a new man in my life

2007-08-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

I wasn't really sure how to break it to my friends and family, much less my stamping family but it's time I admit I have a new man in my life.

In case you have not met him yet...this is BeeraFella. Isn't he awesome!!! I purchased him from one of my favorite stamp websites www.stampingbella.com. When he was first released I knew I had to have him. I married into a family full of men. There are 6 brothers, no sisters and a few of them like to have a beer now and then. So does their dad. So of course this guy was for me.

I made this card for one of the brothers who have birthdays within a few days of each other. This card is one of the 2. I used the newly retired SU! background Crosshatch as well as little pieces and the round tab punch. The main image was colored with the Watercolor Crayons and some Gamasol.

There are many Fellas out now and I need to get them all...but I think this guy is always going to have a soft spot in my heart since he was my first.

Thanks for coming by! Happy Stamping!

2 days in a row

2007-08-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

I tried to do the SCS Color Challenge tonight but I just couldn't make these 2 colors work (CC128) together. This is not the first time I've worked with them, so I decided that I would post one of the other cards I made since my last Blogging effort that I AM happy with.
This card was made for my DS' 3rd birthday party back in June. The Mickey ears I created from a pattern that I found on the Disney website and enlarged on a copier. All stitching is done with a white gel pen. I downloaded the Walt Disney font from the internet and printed all of the text inside and out on heavy duty copy paper. The card base is Whisper White and embossed with the Swirl Cuttlebug folder.

Of course I made matching Thank You's after the party and we did get so many nice comments on these cards. Some members of our family have saved every single card I have made for them, which really makes me feel great!

I hope you enjoy the cards and they give you some inspiration - Now go and stamp!

For my friend Barb.....

2007-08-21T22:57:00.001-07:00

I had no idea it had been so long since I Blogged..and honestly I did not think anyone cared. I mean, I am no great stamper and my cards are just OK. But tonight I got an email from Barb
who took the time to send me an email and tell me to get off my a$$. So, Barb - this entry is for you.

So much has happened since May. I could keep you for days filling you in, but how about I start with a card! If you know me at all, you know we moved to a new house in March of this year. Our new house is twice as big as the old and the yard is about 5 times the size. And for some strange reason I just don't have the same time to stamp as I used to. But in the last month I have been making time to stamp and here are a few cards I have created.

This first card is a card I made for Rachel, one of my very best friends. We met early last year when my children started attending the daycare that she ran. We hit it off the moment we met and were pretty much inseparable from then on. Well, yesterday my Miss Rachel moved to Boise ID. It was one of the hardest things I've ever been through. And I wanted to make something very special for her. For this card I used some of the new In Colors. Groovy Guava is one of her favs so of course I had to use it. I also used Chocolate Chip and River Rock. I used my Cuttlebug for the Chocolate Chip section and the Baroque Motifs stamp set (another one of her favs). The 2 ribbons are the Guava and River Rock double stitched ribbons and the small image in the right corner is raised with a Zot. It took all I had to not let the tear drops fall on the card as I created it but I am so happy with how it turned out.

This next card I made last week, just trying to find my MoJo.

I am really loving most of the In Colors for 2007. Especially the colors in this card. I had just received my last Great Rewards order for 2006 and used my points for the Cutter Tool (LOVE IT!!) and a square punch. I remembered this layout from a Sketch Challenge and had to try it with my new punch.
I used the Perennial Favorites and French Flair stamp sets. The ribbon is the River Rock double stitched Grosgrain and the Horizontal Slot punch was used to offset the ribbon.
The butterflies are done in Guava and Pomegranate.

The last card I will post tonight is actually 2. These are Christmas (yes, Christmas) cards that I have designed for a customer of mine that has been purchasing cards to use in Marketing her personal consulting business for the last year. This will be the 3rd set of card she has ordered from me so far. I have had a lot of fun designing these for her and hope that I am not too burned out after making these so that I will also make some for myself.

These cards use the same colors and stamp set, just different layouts. For these I am using the rest of my stash of Cranberry Crisp and matching grosgrain ribbon. Of course I had to throw in an In Color so for this I choose the Wild Wasabi, as well as Chocolate Chip nd Clost to Cocoa. The images are colored with some non SU watercolor pencils and a blender pen. I am going to try a few with the Aqua Painter and Gamasol as well just to see how they turn out. I really think Gamsol makes the colors pop!
The background on the first card is the new SU background called Sanded.
My customer has ordered 20 of each of these cards so I know that will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks.

Lastly I figured I should share with you my other new ink. And it isn't Classic or Craft. Dye based or pigment. It isn't Copic Markers (even though I would really like some of those!!) or the much talked about Papertrey Inks. No, this ink is a little bit different.
This is NOT the most flattering picture of my waist but I LOVE my new ink. I have been thinking about the design and placement of this tattoo for a long time. About a month ago, a good friend of mine offered to take me and have this done as my early birthday present. I will try to get a better pic of it soon but I have to say in person it just looks awesome! The design is so crisp and clear and the colors are just vibrant!

So thanks Barb, for getting me back to my Blog. I guess to have readers you have to actually post and from time to time offer some goodies (can you say BLOG CANDY!) for people to keep coming back. I think it's time for me to put something fun together!

Meow Meow!!

2007-05-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

Some of you might remember our cat O'Riley. We adopted him last summer from a local shelter. He was an young adult orange tabby with the coolest personality. We really enjoyed having him as part of our family...but the silly boy must have been a wanderer. Cuz...he kept running away! The last time was a few months ago and I had resigned myself that we just were not destined to have a cat.
But I am a total cat person. I just kept having this nagging voice telling me that we should try again. I knew we didn't want a kitten....I already have 2 kids, I didn't need 2 more. I didn't want a cat that was older and already set in it's ways. I needed to find a cat that was still young, good with people, especially kids. No health problems, already fixed and current on shots. Seemed like a lot to ask. So, I checked with the local pet rescue places and they actually did not have any cats they thought would fit our family. I knew I could go to the county shelter and rescue one there but I thought to myself.....maybe I can rescue one before it ended up there.
Which is what took me to Craigslist. Anytime I need anything that is one of the first places that I check. I contacted a number of people before I found a cat that really seemed like it would be a good fit. The catch was.....he had a buddy...and their owner really wanted to keep them together. Now, I have always thought that cats should be in pairs at least so I didn't have a problem with this. DH was not thrilled when I brought the idea to him but because he is such a great guy, and he knew how much I really wanted a cat so he agreed to go check them out with the kids and I. We had to drive about 40 minutes to get to their home..........but I think it was worth the trip.

So these are our new boys.....

They of course have names - they were named after a classical music composer (Can't remember who) who had 2 alter egos. Florestan and Eusebuis....which are very hard names to not only remember but to pronounce. So we are going to have to try to come up with something a little easier. We are thinking for the white/orange one we will just shorten it to Stan. But for the silky grey one....not really sure yet.

So far Stan has adjusted really well. He is out and about checking out the house. He loves to have his head rubbed and has the loudest purr. Now his buddy..is MIA and we kind of expected that. We were told he is very shy at first but will warm up quickly and actually be the one who is the big love. Hopefully we will see him tomorrow but for now we are just going to give him as much time as he needs.

So that is our exciting news for the day. Thanks for coming by to see what is going on with us!!

Ever had a Bat??

2007-05-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I was cleaning up my stamp area. I have been a busy girl with some Challenge cards and D's birthday invites and my table was a huge mess. I don't create well that way....I am way too organized. So I had this huge pile of cards that I can use for RAK's, birthday's etc. but I needed a place to store them. Since the move I have not been able to find my box I usually use. I walked out to the garage to grab one of the many empty shoe boxes I keep for reasons just like this.
I was about 10 steps in and was almost dive bombed by this flying animal. It was flying in a circle and at first I thought it was one of the annoying little starlings that have made a nest in my attic. But as it made it's 2nd pass at me I realized that it's wingspan was way to long and the shape just didn't match one of those little birds. It took maybe 1/2 of a second for me to realize what was going on......and by that time I was running for the door.
I have never seen a bat that close to me except at a zoo when it was behind a glass wall. I came flying into the basement trying not to scream and wake the kids......"It's a Bat!! It's a Bat in the garage!!!" My husband was on the couch and just kind of looked at me. "What?" he says.
I took a few deep breaths and told him again....and of course I was not going to go back out there to show him what I had found. Luckily he was able to just open the garage door from the outside and the little bat flew out and away. I have no idea how, or when he got in there and I have no idea how many of his friends live around here. But be sure that I am on the lookout now. I know there are bats everywhere. I am used to seeing them at dusk when we are out camping. I'm just not used to seeing them in my garage!!

How about a card?

2007-05-24T22:56:00.001-07:00

I've made a few cards in the last month for challenges and such that I have not posted here. So I thought tonight that I would share one with you. All products used are Stampin Up! unless otherwise noted.
This card was created for a Limited Supply Challenge. I am afraid I don't remember which one and cannot look it up at the moment, as SCS is down for maintenance. But I do remember that the challenge was to make a masculine birthday card using a non-masculine set.
The card base is Old Olive, stamped with Print Pattern. The main image is stamped on Whisper White. I colored the image with watercolor crayons and blended with the Aqua Painter.
Then it is mounted on black and More Mustard. I used a CM corner rounder as well. The sentiment is stamped in Mustard, mounted on White. I used a black pen for the faux brads and mounted on black gingham ribbon.

I think it turned out really well. I was not sure where I was going with this when I started it but I do think it ended up being fairly masculine.

Thanks for stopping by. I am planning on doing quite a bit of stamping this weekend so hopefully I will have lots to share with you!

If I would just stop traveling

2007-05-23T21:04:00.001-07:00

Maybe I could keep up on my Blog a little better. I've been wanting to post for days and days....sorry I took so long.

So - Disneyland! We had a wonderful time! The morning we left, we pulled the kids out of bed and right to the car at 4:30am. Once we got to the airport and got the bags checked in we were finally able to breath for a few moments. We had not told the kids we were taking a trip, and even at the airport we did not tell them where we were going.
So, we got on the plane and got totally lucky to end up getting one whole row to ourselves. The flight was pretty quick and the kids did a great job! D started getting restless about 1/2 hour before landing and then fell asleep. Of course!!

Anyways...we started out trip in San Diego with a quick visit at my oldest brothers house. We have not seen him or his wife since Christmas so that was a treat! And they treated us to SeaWorld. Oh man...what a fun place. It was our first trip to SD or SeaWorld and the kids loved Shamu! My son is still asking every day to go again....More, More he asks!

This is DD at the tide pool. She was freaked at first but was then totally into it.

This next pic is my brother, sis in law, DD, with me and DS in the back.

DS favorite part of the day was
He was up on his feet clapping and hollering everytime Shamu did a trick. It was so cool to see them having so much fun!
The kids could have just stayed there and watched show after show after show.

After a few more activities and a very full day, we headed up north to spend the rest of the evening with Mike and Kiki. It was really hard to leave them the next day, as we were headed to Anaheim but I was so thankful that we had the chance to even spend 1 day with them.

As this post has gotten a tad long, I'll wrap it up and post again tomorrow. I think we took something like 500 pictures so it could get to be a 10 parter before it's all said and done!

Thanks for coming by and seeing what is going on here. If you haven't already Please sign my guestbook! I would love to know where everyone is visiting from.

Sign my Guestbook!

2007-05-10T22:54:00.001-07:00

More cards....

2007-05-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

I have been really busy the last week or so, trying to get caught up on some challenges. Last week's Ways to Use it challenge was Acetate or window sheets. I would love to actually try a shaker card sometime but last week was not the time for me to take on a card that seems so hard and scary. So, instead I used the sheets to create the mirror effect. I have made one other card using this technique quite some time ago and I really liked it. Since I was able to make a trade and get Lovely as a Tree, I thought that would be a good set to try with this.

Another first for me was making an oversized, square card. The dimensions are about 5.5 X 5.5. The card base is Caribbean cool. The main image was stamped on Whisper White and stamped with Black Stazon. I used the Watercolor crayons and Gamasol for the coloring. The image is then mounted on Gable Green and Chocolate. A Chocolate polka dot ribbon was used as the final accent.

The other Way's to Use it challenge I did involved Orchid. I always think I am going to have a hard time with this color, but I am pretty happy with the way this turned out.

For this card the Orchid is used as the card base and the main image came from the set Bud Basics. It was in last year's summer mini (I think) and I really hope that it will be in the upcoming SU! Catalog. Black was used as the main accent color, with little splashes of Green Galore. I used both the word window punch and the horizontal slot punch on the card. It is a very bright, springy card and I really like it.

My family and I are leaving on Saturday morning for our first real family vacation since having both kids. It is a total spur of the moment trip, which is not like my DH at all. He called me last week at work one day and just said "Lets take a trip...get to some sunshine for a few days"
So, of course I jumped on it......We are going to the Happiest Place on Earth. And our kids have NO idea!!! I've been secretly packing all week, and we are just going to grab them out of bed Saturday morning and head out. We are going to spend 1 night with my brother in San Diego, hit the beach and SeaWorld. Then on Sunday, head to Anaheim for 3 days with Mickey and the gang. Our DD is just going to flip out when she figures out where we are at. I cannot wait to see the look on her face!!!
So, I won't be blogging about cards for the next week most likely but I am still going to try very hard to come and Blog about our day - The more I Blog, the more I like to Blog....

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Here She is!

2007-05-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

I have finally overcome my fear of unmounted stamps and acrylic blocks. I had never used one before, but I got these cool stamps......Bella's......and that is what StampingBella suggested. So, I ordered them, got them and there they sat. For a few weeks. Until last night, when I made this......

The card base is Pretty in Pink, and the horizontal panels are done with Designer Paper from the Stampin' Up! Spring Mini. Paisley and Polka Dots was used to create the background.
My girl is a CosmoBella and she is colored with watercolor crayons, an Aqua Painter and markers. Main image is mounted on Cool Caribbean and Old Olive.

I am soooooo happy with how it turned out. Especially the coloring. I can't wait to make her some friends.

What year do you belong in?

2007-05-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

This is a super fun quiz I saw on Dawn and Tracy's Blogs

You Belong in 1977

Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all!

What Year Do You Belong In?

So, give it a shot....what year do you belong in? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Country Thunder

2007-05-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

A few posts ago I said that the next one would be a Country Thunder.....and it almost is. But since I am stamping again, and that is what the blog started out about I thought I should post those....

BUT - now, onto Country Thunder.
Country Thunder is a 4 day Country Music Festival. It is held in a few locations throughout the US. I have never been before, in fact I really didn't listen to country music until December of last year. My sister in law took me to Las Vegas to see a band she really liked. Turns out that I really liked them too. They were not your usual country music where my dog just died, and my girlfriend ran off with my best friend and my truck broke down. No, this was different. This was FUN. It had soul and energy and I came away feeling wonderful! The band was called Big and Rich. And from that day I was totally hooked to their music. So shortly after the Vegas trip, Michelle and I started talking about where to go next to see them. She had traveled to a couple of places to see them and I knew I wanted to go the next time. So we looked at the schedule and saw this show, er I mean festival and decided to go for it! She works for Alaska Airlines, so she gets us on the flights. And I'm a travel agent so I get the great deals for the cars and hotels. We are a great pair!

So, the weekend of April 14th we headed off to the desert sun for some country fun. Each day there were 6 or 8 band playing. On Saturday just before Big and Rich were scheduled to play was their good friend Gretchen Wilson. She is a member of the Muzik Mafia and a wonderful artist. She is a favorite of mine, so I was tickeled to see her.

So, after her set was done the final act came on. I won't go into the long story ;o) just know that Big and Rich rocked the house and by the encore, we had worked our way down about 30 rows and were in the front row! It was absolutely amazing. After the show we hung around for a while waiting for the poeple to clear out and ended up each getting a play list off the stage. I'm just going to pretend mine came from John Rich :o)

Oh yeah, did I mention that I love John Rich. Something about his black hat, boots and that super sweet face!

I love Pink

2007-05-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

Pink's are some of my favorite colors. I used to not enjoy pink at all, but these days...I love using it. Aren't I lucky that this week's Color Challenge was to also use pink. As many as you wanted, how ever you wanted...but only pink and neutral.

The main image was done with Roses in Winter. When I first used this set I did not like it at all. I was a beginner stamper and I thought it was too hard and never looked right. But it was always a hit at the classes I was going to, and everyone else loved it.
It took me using it only a couple of times before I realized what they loved about it. I have never made a bad card with this set and when ever I feel like my MoJo is off - I pull it out. While I might not be able to demo this set after June, I will not be letting it go and I'm sure it will see just as much ink as it does now.

The main image was double mounted and the scribbles are hand drawn as is the underlining on the sentiment. Stickles are added to the main image for sparkle. The background is done with Cheesecloth, another stamp that has gotten the axe for the next catalog.

Sketch Challenge!

2007-05-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the sketch challenge this week. I needed something that was on the easy side. This sketch fit the bill perfectly. I know I will be using it again.

The card base is Apricot. The main image is stamped on Whisper White, then matted on black and Pale Plum. I used the water color crayons and Gamsol to color the image and white area of Print Pattern for the back panel. A circle punch was used for the sentiment area, black journal pen was used for the diamond centers and it was all finished off with black gingham ribbon.

I have never used these colors together but really like how they turned out.

That was Grey's Anatomy?

2007-05-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Thursday wasn't it? I thought it was....my TV schedule said it was. But what ABC showed for 2 hours last night was NOT Grey's. At least I didn't think so.
It was the prelude for Kate Walsh's new show....which looks like it has quite a bit of potential. Some really great actors made guest appearances. It was a great set up of what Shonda might be creating for the character of Addison Montgomery.
But, it was not the Grey's I had hoped for.

Why in the world did they kill off Mer's step mom?!? That storyline was just gaining some strength! I had hope for Mer and Susan. I really liked her.
And the scene with George and Izzy in the elevator? Talk about torture!
Really the only part that was even slightly happy was Burke realizing how much Cristina was doing for him and the wedding. Will that actually happen? Who knows....I see way too many season ending cliff hangers here. I don't know if I like where this is all headed.

I could go on and on about the show, but I have to run. I did manage to work on a challenge while I was watching last night so I will post that card later. I tried to post it last night but was having issues with Blogger.

If you are a Grey's Fan...tell me what you thought of last night's show!

I have actually been stamping...........

2007-05-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from the Blog, I have not stamped much in the last 2 months. But, that is changing and here are some of the cards I made over the weekend.
This first card is for the color challenge from last week. Emily had 2 options this week, which was fun!
For the first card, I used So Saffron for the card base with the background Weathered and the Big Blossom is done in Rose Red. On the blossom I used the Cuttlebug with the Stylized Flowers Folder. In the center of the blossom I used the hostess set Riviting in Rose Red and finished it off with a brad from Making Memories.

In the 2nd card I used one of my most favorite color combinations and one of my most favorite sets. This card used Cool Caribbean, Basic Black and Whisper White. For the white background layer I used the Cuttlebug with the Bubbles folder. On the main image I used the ticket corner punched and wrapped it in the Black Gingham ribbon. The greeting is from Fancy Flexible Phrases. Both the main color and stamp set from this card will be retiring and I am completely heart broken. This is one set that I will hang on to.

The last card was made for the Ways to Use it Challenge. This week the featured product was Orchid Opulence. I always think I'm going to have a hard time with this color but end up liking cards done with it. I really like the way it looks with the Green Galore. This card is made using Bud Basics which was in a past min catalog. I really hope it is in the new catty in July. Again I used the Black Gingham ribbon and I also used the word window with gold brad.

OK, next blog entry will be about the Arizon trip and fun at Country Thunder. All I can say is.....
I have a Big and Rich Play list!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New products too

2007-05-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

I had sent an email to many of my customers telling that lots of new stuff was coming. I figured I should just post here....make my life and theirs easy! * Photos and information on the new products have been found on other Blogs, of those who attended convention and the annual SU Cruise for Demonstrators. Products shown here may differ than those shown in the upcoming catalog.

Okay, here is the infamous new flower punch kit that will be offered in the new cataloge

It also has spots of the new In Color's.

The new chipboard collection that will be offered

Also shown were some new of the new sets

New In Color

2007-05-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hot off the press: Inside information of what is to come

Soft Sky - a pale blue, very close in color to Cool Caribbean I am told!
Purely Pomegranate - appears to be similar in color to magenta.

Wild Wasabi - a shade of green; Wasabi is a spicy Japanese plant, traditionally served with sushi.
Groovy Guava - two parts Apricot Appeal and one part Cameo Coral; GORGEOUS!
Blue Bayou - a medium blue along the lines of Brocade, Ballet and Buckaroo Blue.
River Rock - think beach sand. Lighter and brighter than Sahara Sand, this will be a beautiful complement to almost every color we have!
We will also have a new neutral color called Basic Gray; a charcoal shade between Going Gray and Basic Black.

I would like to give credit to stampingonthelakefront for the info. I found it on her Blog
http://stampingonthelakefront.blogspot.com/2007/04/in-colors-su.html

In mouring.....

2007-05-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

The retired list is out!! And while I am thrilled at the idea of having a huge new selection of stamps to drool over, I am so sad by some of the sets that SU! has decided to retire. I have not printed the list out yet, so I don't know my exact losses but I am going to guess I'm losing 1/2 of my stamps. Some of them I will keep just for personal use but others I am going to have to part with. Please email me, or leave me a comment if you would like the complete list emailed to you.

Among the casualties:

Roses in Winter
Petal Prints
Best of Cluck
French Script
Cheesecloth
Birthday Beauty
Whimsical Alpha
A New little Someone/Wash Day Wheel
Fall Whimsy
Wisecracks
Bubble Queen
Girlfriends
Power Up

Some of these I own, some I do not. So now comes the hard part. Deciding if I will actually get any of them. And will I keep my favs that are retiring? Yes...to most of them.

The shock over at SCS is rampant. It will be interesting to see what the feelings are in a few days when we have all had some time to think this over.

Back to Blogging....

2007-04-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

Wow..Feb 6th. Doesn't that seem like it was such a long time ago? It sure does for me.
That was the last time I actually posted to my blog. So much has happened since then, I should have enough to write about for a month.

The big news in the last couple of months is our house. We bought a new house at the end of March. And - let me tell you....we LOVE it!!
The color is somewhere between Old Olive and Gable Green. It's about 2000 sq ft and has a huge back yard. It is a split entry with main living area, kitchen, dining room and bedrooms on the upper floor. Downstairs there is a large basement, laundry room with half bath and a pretty spacious 2 car garage.

This house is perfect for us. We are not going to out grow it in a few years and we have a little breathing room. It was so nice to move this time and know that it is the last time, for a long, long time. I'd say at least 25 years.
The back yard is so big, Chris thinks he needs a riding lawn mower. I had to kind of laugh.......and thought to myself "Of course you do...."
:o)

It's taken a month but we are more than 1/2 way unpacked so far. We had so much at the old house that had never been unpacked. I had forgotten just how much stuff we have, when our house is actually big enough to hold it all.

Well, I'm going to go stalk, and try to stay up until 11pm my time. The 2007 Stampin Up! retired list is supposed to be posted around that time.

I'll be back tomorrow to catch you up on the 2 very fun and exciting trips I've taken in April!

Another great VSN

2007-02-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was another VSN, or Virtual Stamp Night. For those who may not know....VSN is a 2 day stamp crazed event on Splitcoaststampers. It is held every 2 months or so, and is filled with every kind of imaginable challenge. When a challenge is posted, you have 45 minutes to complete a card within the guidelines of the challenge. Some of them are easy and some are mind blowers but VSN is always fun!!!
A Huge thanks to any Feb07VSN Hostess who might by chance be reading this.

Anyways, these are a few of the cards/projects that I did for VSN.

I'm a Rebel

2007-02-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

So, I saw this cute game on Dawnmercedes Blog, What kind of Duck are You? I answered totally honestly and guess what...I'm a Rebel Duck.

Pretty funny! Why don't you try it! Let us see what kind of Duck you are.

Test Post

2007-02-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

I seem to have somehow disabled the comment feature here on the Blog. Thanks to Barb (Barbara1224) for bringing it to my attention. So, I've changed some of the settings and hope that it is now fixed.

2 in 1 night....warm up for VSN

2007-02-01T23:20:00.000-08:00

It's so past my bedtime but I really wanted to get these cards done tonight.

The one on the left is for the Ways to Use It challenge. Today's centerpiece was sanding blocks...or sand paper etc. I have had these for a few week but honestly don't know what to do with them. I like the colors and DP of this card but it just did not turn out how I thought it would.

The card on the right I really like. It was for a Limited Supply bonus Challenge. Since we are in the midst of Sell-A-Bration the challenge was to use a retired SAB set. I have tons of these from the last couple of years but don't use them that much anymore. Paint Prints is my all time favorite so of course that was the set I choose.

Tomorrow night is the start of VSN, Virtual Stamp Night and I'm very excited. I have not played the last couple of times so I'm looking forward to it. Doing these tonight was my warm up to the warm up. For more info on VSN click the link to SplitCoast Challenges.

Bitten by the bug

2007-02-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it happened.....I was trying to avoid the craze but alas, I've been bitten. The Cuttlebug got me good. I don't have many gadgets when it comes to stamping but this little machine is amazing. The dry embossing is does with easy and the dies cuts it makes are fantastic. It even cuts Chipboard. Last night I made a bunch of little tags and charms for my mother in law, who just started stamping at Christmas. I think she will love the little package I put together for her.

The first card I made with the bug is going to a very special friend, who was kind and generous and gifted me this wonderful little toy. I forgot to take a picture of it, and now it's off in the mail. So, I thought I would post about the 2nd card I made with the Bug. I used the swirl folder to do the face of the card, as well as the diagonal panel. On the panel I sponged Night of Navy ink. The Rose is tone is Night quite Navy, Night of Navy and some stickles. It is popped up with Zots on both the card face and the rose image. These colors were from the color challenge for this week and the sketch was the SC for the week. Both were a bit hard for me, but I like how it turned out none the less. It still needs some kind of sentiment but not sure where to put it. I guess it's still a work in progress.

I have about 6 more folders coming for the Bug and I can't wait to get them. One has hearts in blocks and I think it will make a great Valentines Day card for my challenge chaser buddies. Now, I just need to find a good place to buy some die cuts and I'll get really rollin'.

Thanks for coming by to read the blog. I am planning to do some work on the page this weekend , add some links and maybe change things up a bit. So stop by next week and see what is going on. Plus VSN is this weekend and I'm sure I will have lots of posts/pictures from that!

It's a Grey Day!

2007-01-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

Man, I love Thursday's. It used to be becuase of Survivor and CSI. But, so sorry Gil and Katherine - Meridith, George, Addy, Alex and McDreamy have taken over. I have watched but a handful of CSI epi's this season. I can't help it. Grey's is a drug for me. I plan around it.
For instance - tonight I have to go meet a customer to give her her most recent order. When we meet it's usually for drinks. But tonight it's going to have to be a short get together. I need to get home in time to get all my nightly chores finished by 9pm. I won't miss a moment. I don't even let my DH talk during the show. If he does he get a big 'ol SHHHH and the evil stink eye.

Crazy but true. Just one of the weird-o quirks that makes me tick.

Hope you will watch Grey's too and then we can chat about it at the SCS Thread Grey's Girls

I've been tagged......

2007-01-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

OK - this is great fun. Here I go......

A-Available or Taken: Taken
B-Best Friend: Renee, Rachel, Anna and Calle.
C-Cake or Pie: Pie - Pumpkin to be exact.
D-Drink of Choice: Coke with kick or Starbucks
E-Essential Item You Use Everyday: My computer
F-Favorite Color: Purple
G-Gummy Bears or Worms: Gummy Worms
H-Hometown: Woodinville, WA
I-Indulgence: Finnish Chocolate
J-January or February: February - it's that much closer to summer
K-Kids and Names: 2 - Ayla and Dalton
L-Life is Incomplete Without: My mother
M-Marriage Date: Jan 29th
N-Number of Siblings: 2 older brothers - Michael and Matthew
O-Oranges or Apples: Apples
P-Phobias or Fears: house fire and heights
Q-Favorite Quote: " This too shall pass"
R-Reason to Smile: I know that someone loves me
S-Season: Summer
T-Tag 3 or 4 people: Michelle , Vera & Nicole
U-Unknown fact about me: I played Rugby in college
V-Vegetable you don't like: brussel sprouts
W-Worst Habit: I still smoke :o(
X-Xrays: oh yes, tons.
Y-Your fave food: Chinese
Z-Zodiac: Virgo - all the way

Holy cow!!

2007-01-23T23:40:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been this long since I have come to blog. Yikes!!
But, I did a challenge card today so I can post about that.
I hardly ever use Burgandy and just got this Navy so what a great chance to use it. I also got to use several new stamp sets tonight as well. So Very (2007 SAB), Like it a Latte (2006 Winter Mini) and Paisley all come in my order this week. When I saw these colors posted for the weekly Color Challenge the idea for this came to me very quickly.

So, I've been tagged and will play along, but tomorrow. It's midnight here.... I really should go to bed.

Thanks for coming by to see me...I'll be back, soon. I promise!
Jen

Waiting on the Mini

2006-10-14T23:25:00.000-07:00

So, at SU! headquarters, it's midnight on Oct 15th. The time when I thought the upcoming Winter Mini Catalog would be available online for Demonstrators to view. But, alas it is not there. At least not yet. Now it is almost 12:20am SU time and I'm not sure it's coming....maybe the morning? I have heard the whisperings of new card kits, fantasic new ribbons and coordinating stamp sets, backgrounds and papers. I hate to wait.....for anything really. So I was really excited I was still up working on cards at this hour.

Oh well, guess we just keep waiting. In the meantime, here is a card I designed for my monthly stamp camp. I am pretty happy with it and the ladies who came today said it was quick and easy. Which is what they like. And we all know how important it is to keep your customers happy!

It's Thursday again

2006-10-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

and sorry I have not updated in a week. I've had no time to myself. But tonight is it!! I can't wait. Another Grey's! Only 3.5 hours my time until it starts.

And today I managed to make and upload 2 cards. I am having a stamp camp this weekend and need to come up with my ideas. I know I want to use Roses in Winter and Happy Everything so at least I have that decided.

So, here they are.....

McYummy

2006-10-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I LOVE Grey's Anatomy. Not love it like...oh yeah, I've seen it a few times. But like OMG is it Thursday, and it's almost 8pm. I'm addicted. My live revolves around this show. The ringtone on my cell phone is the theme song.In fact, I'm watching now as I type. What a great scene with Addy and Mer in the closet!
Anyone else out there love this show as much as I do?? Please tell me I'm not a total freak!

Some new cards

2006-10-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

I've been working on some gift packs for an auction and have not been doing any challenges in a few week. But tonight I said the heck with it....I want to do something different. So, these are my creations for tonight.

I really should get off to bed but need to get a few CC RAK's out. I've been slacking a little. So, all you challenge chasers, be watching your mailbox.

A whole new house

2006-10-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

So, I know this blog is mostly about stampin but I wanted to throw this into the mix. Last week we got new carpet in our house. For those who have been here....you know just how ugly it really was. But the new stuff is gorgeous!!! I mean, it's like living in someone else's house. It makes the place look totally different.

So anyways....there it is. The new stuff and we love it!

Christmas Cards

2006-09-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know it's September but I've been working on making my own cards for the last few months.
I hadn't done any for awhile but the other night I had an inspiration. The card here is the result of that. I love this background stamp and these were just too quick and easy. I would also like to try it in the Cranberry and see how that looks.

Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about it.

OK - I know that I have been slackin'

2006-09-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

My signagture line says it's been updated....but it's not. I know, I'm sorry. I don't have any real good excuse. I did get sick for almost 2 weeks and that really kicked my butt. I'm feeling better and think I might actually live now. But, really I don't have any good reason.

So, lots going on with us here. Ayla started ballet last weekend. Actually it's tap and ballet. She did a great job during her first class. Jumped right in and followed along so well. She was so cute. They don't let parents in the classroom during the class so I couldn't really get good pictures but I think next week is an observation week. They take the classes all year long and then next June there will be a recital. I remember doing tap and ballet as a child, so I think it's very cool for Ayla to be doing it now.

Tomorrow we are getting new carpet in our house. We choose a beige berber carpet that I think we will be very happy with. It sure beats this ugly blue/green crap we have now. I also think it's going to make the whole place look bigger and brighter. The living room is so dark now....anything will help.

OK DSS - I've updated my Blog now.....thanks for asking about it. I'll keep trying to stay on top of it.

Another Year - but so many cards

2006-09-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

My mailman must wonder what in the world was going on there this week. In the last few days, my box has been flooded with cards from my SCS friends. Really, these were gorgeous cards and I am just so touched that so many people took the time to send them to me.

Please check them out and give these ladies some much deserved praise!

It was a Journey

2006-09-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

Like reliving Jr High and High school all over again. Flashes of memories and things that happened so long ago I thought they were long gone out of my brain. A few sad ones, but mostly happy memories, of friends, love and life as a teenager.
Steve Perry wasn't with Journey is round and that was a bit disappointing. But none the less they put on a great show.
Def Leppard rocked the house! I could not believe how good they sounded and then energy they still had after all of the these years! Songs I had not listed to in a decade came flooding back to me and I was awesome!! I felt 15 again, jumping and singing and dancing my heart out. It was so good for my soul.

Seeing 2 concerts in 1 month was huge for me. I have not been to a show in ages. But, I've had such a great time that Ticketmaster has become one of my most visited sites on the internet.
In fact, Miss Mary and my boys and I are thinking of catching The Who when they roll into town next month.

I took some pics but have not downloaded them just yet. I'll post them sometime over the weekend.

Back in time

2006-08-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

My sis in law Michelle called me yesterday. Her friend cancelled on her at the last moment and she has an extra ticket to the Journey/Def Leppard show tonight....did I want to go?!?!

Now, I thought I had outgrown all the 80's music but I couldn't resist this. So I said sure why not. It should be fun. I'm not a huge fan but I think I remember the words and can sing along. It will be fun to take a trip back in time.
I'll post some pics if I'm allowed to take my camera in.

Mozilla/Firefox

2006-08-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

Well, for me that was the key. I installed and ran Mozilla and now, as you can see I have photos!!
This was the card I made for the color challenge this week. It's the first time I've stamped in a week and I needed some stress relief. It's also the first time I've used this set...I love it! I'm pretty happy with the card and hope that I can make some time this weekend to do more stamping.

I want photos

2006-08-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

So I'm really irritated that I cannot get my photos to load. I see them on lots of other Blogs, and even managed to do it once on here. I should be going off to bed, but instead this is just eating at my brain!!!

AUGH!!!!

Thanks I feel better. Needed to get that off my chest.

Tons of BRAKS

2006-08-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

Today when I got home from work I had 3 BRAKs in the mail from my stalker friends. I was totally floored. At this point in my life I don't really count the birthday's anymore. My dh even forgot that it was this coming weekend.
So, this was such a nice thought. I have been sending BRAKs out as I remember but sometimes time can get away from me. Just like it has done on the blog.

Since I cannot seem to upload photos for some reason I will just post a link to my CC RAK gallery here. Go check them out.

Rockin out with Styx

2006-08-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I took a trip north to see some of my dear friends, the McClements. For those of you who don't know who they are - I was their nanny for 4 years and the older boys' preschool teacher for 3 years before that. We are still very close and try to see them as often as possible.
A few months back, Miss Mary told me that Styx was coming to the local fairground, did I want to go?? OMG - Yes!! We saw them together about 10 years ago and it was a blast. So the kids and I headed north to have some fun.
The kids stayed with a sitter while Miss Mary, Mr Bill, Uncle Ian, myself, Matthew, his girlfriend Ashley, Terry, Kara and Megan went to the show. We were sitting in the 7th row and it was unbelievable! We had such a rockin' good time. I wish we could do it once a month. I have finally figured out how to get the photos on here. I switched to Firefox.

Maybe I am getting the hang of this

2006-08-16T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hey - Look, it worked. OK I think I'm getting this now. Just thought I would try once more. This is a card I made for Wednesday's Sketch Challenge. These challenges have really helped me think outside of my stampin box and try something new. Without each of the daily hostesses we would just be a bunch of stalkers with no purpose.

OK, for real this time, I'm going to bed. This site must have a vaccuum on it.

It's really late

2006-08-16T00:37:00.000-07:00

and I have to get up pretty early. We are going to Bellingham for a few days to see the McClements.
I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to post some links to my favorite websites like www.splitcoaststampers.com and to my gallery of cards.
I guess for now, this will have to do
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=42389

I wanted to add a photo as well but seem to be having technical issues. Guess that is a sign I should get off the brain sucking box eh?

Guess I've been sucked in

2006-08-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

Not quite sure how this happened but yes - I now have a Blog! Who knows where this will lead but if it has to do with Stampin' it's sure to be a blast!!