So Shellie Challenge

Each month Shelli Gardner has a challenge on her blog that is open for everyone to enter.   Winners get a free stamp set, so it is definitely a challenge worth entering!  For the month of February, she asked everyone to submit projects using the awesome Sale-a-bration products from this year.   I thought my club card would be a perfect entry as it uses just about all goodies you can get for free!  I did redo it and take off the sentiment that was bugging me and I like it much better now.   I think the Everyday Enchantment designer paper is one of my favorite Stampin' Up! products of all time!  It is just amazingly beautiful don't you think?!

Stamps:  Kindness Matters
Ink: Calypso Coral, Pool Party
Paper:  Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Everyday Enchantment designer paper, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, Paper Snips, Everyday Enchantment ribbon/brad bundle, basic pearls

FMS24: My Sketch!

Time for a new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches! This week is a sketch that I created, so I hope you will find time to play along!    I consider myself a pretty square person, so of course there's lots of squares in my sketch.   I think I'm going to have to challenge myself to use a circle for the next one I design.  :)

Do you ever dream up your cards?  That's totally what happened with this one!   I woke up with an idea in my head and here it is!  In my original design, I used some rolled paper flowers but they didn't seem to work once I put them on my card.   They were just too bulky or something.   Thank goodness for the Boho Blossoms punch; it rescued my card and saved me from having to start over.   

Don't you just love the black and daffodil together?   I think my dream must have been influenced by the fabric that we picked out for Laila's quilt.  (and no, I can't sew!  My mom is having someone make it for us!)  Here's what it looks like:

It's a retired fabric and I have to give my husband credit for finding what we have.   He emailed Etsy sellers who were selling things made with it and looked at so many online fabric shops.  I call this his project of love even if he won't be the one doing the sewing.  :)

I can't wait to see what you create with my sketch this week!   

Totally Laila

No card today, but I wanted to update after our ultrasound today.    Thankfully, all parts were accounted for and she looked NORMAL!    She was extremely hyper though!   We didn't get a lot of good pictures, but I'll share two of my favorites.

She was determined we would NOT see her face today and kept her hands up there the whole time!   I'm not sure if she's play peek-a-boo already or if she might be practicing her boxing skills.  

How cool is this one?  I love it.    It was fun to see her little hand so clearly!     There's another one of her foot as well, but I am a bit tired of running to the scanner, so I'll try to scan that one in later.  

Finally, here's another outfit that we bought for her last week.   I don't want to overdo it with the crab stuff since that is Eli's thing, but I had to get her at least one outfit.   Plus it was navy, which I love.   There's a big red crab embroidered on the bum of this one and I love it.   

I guess I need to take a break on buying stuff as my friend is determined to make us have a baby shower.   I am pretty sure you aren't supposed to have one for the second baby, but she thinks we need to celebrate.   My mom is now in on it too, so I think we are helpless to get out of it!   Thankfully it is months away so I can put off stressing over that for a while.  :)  

I'll try to get some stamping in soon now that I can quit worrying about Laila so much!   I hope you aren't getting too sick of hearing about her!  It is so hard not to share the excitement.  

FM47: Kissing!

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the "Kissing Technique".
2. Or Make a "Round" project.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Round project featuring the Kissing Technique".

Didn't Holly pick the cutest graphic for her challenge this week?  I love it!   At The Friday Mashup, we are all about kissing this week!   Now you should have done a lot of real kissing last week on Valentine's Day, so perhaps you need a break this week?  Let those stamps do all the kissing!  :)   That's what I did.  (Sorry, sweetie!)

I didn't have a lot of solid image stamps to pick from, so I decided I should make another card with my favorite new set, Send Me Soaring!  My first attempts at kissing created some cool faux snakeskin kites, but I finally found some other stamps that worked better for more normal looking kites.  I know, I know...you want to see what snakeskin kites look like.  Maybe I'll put them on a card next week.   What fashionable diva wouldn't want a purple snakeskin kite birthday card, right?  

Lots of stamping and lots of fun colors on this one!  I hope you enjoy it.  :)   Be sure to stop by the Friday Mashup blog and vote for the Fan Favorite challenge!

Stamps:  Send Me Soaring, Paisley Prints, Fresh Vintage, Dot Dot Dot

Ink:  Pool Party, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade

Paper:  Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Baja Breeze, Welcome Neighbor DSP stack (retired), Whisper White

Tools/Accessories:  Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, circle punches, blender pen, paper snips

March Stamp Club

My next round of stamp club starts next week and I thought I'd get ahead a bit and work on the projects for it  in advance.  :)   I've found it is much easier to create without the pressure of a looming deadline.  I wanted to use some of the beautiful Sale-a-Bration projects and thought this would be a good start.  I think I'll remake it and leave the sentiment off the bottom as it is annoying me.   

Stamps:  Kindness Matters (SAB), Teeny Tiny Wishes 

Ink: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Poppy Parade

Paper:  Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Everyday Enchantment (SAB), Whisper White

Tools/Accessories:  Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad pack (SAB), Basic Pearls, sponges, paper snips, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Just a few random things...  I'm not the only paper crafter in our house now!   Jason decided he liked origami, so I got him a kit to play around with.  This flower was one he made me for Valentine's Day.   Wasn't that sweet?  It came with a beautiful poem he wrote as well.   It was awesome to get something so special.  I got my real gift last month in the form of an iPhone 4s, so it was great to still get a little something on the actual day.  

Finally, here's another cute outfit that we bought for Laila on Monday.  I am totally IN LOVE with this one.  I think I even jumped up and down in Kohl's when we found it.   I'm not a big dress person, but I love little sailor dresses and wanted one small enough for her first professional pictures.  I'm not sure about that headband and bow, but we'll see.  :)

FMS23: Soaring Kites

Check out this sketch from the super talented Tui Nathan.   It's a fun week at Freshly Made Sketches for sure.  I hope you'll find time to join us and share your beautiful work with us.  

My card was very much inspired by my sweet friend, Mindy.   She uses Calypso Coral quite a bit and I thought I'd try it as well.   I paired it with Poppy Parade and I do like the result.   I'll just say that I LOVE Send Me Soaring.   In fact, I've tried to talk all my demo friends into getting it ever since we used it at the Regional event last month.   It is just SO FUN!  Who doesn't love kites?  :)   

Stamps: Send Me Soaring

Ink: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade

Paper:  Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Hostess DSP stack (2011, retired)

Tools/Accessories:  Boho Blossoms punch, Itty Bitty Punch pack, blender pen, Brights brads

On another note, look at this adorable outfit I found for Laila!  I love it.  Now I know it has pink in it, but I've decided that I like Melon Mambo pinks, just not a lot of Pretty in Pink pinks. Plus, who can resist brown and pink together, especially when it involves a cute giraffe.  :)   It was nice to take a day off from worrying about something being wrong and just enjoy buying her some cute things.  Our big ultrasound is on Monday, so I hope that will be all good news and we can really start working on her room and relax a little about her being okay.  It is tough being pregnant after a loss like we had.  We are halfway there though and so far, so good.  

Lovely Tree

In my last post I mentioned wanting to make a card of my own that was inspired by the cased card that I posted.  Well, here it is!  :)  I am having fun playing with my background stamps, sponges, and cutter kit.  For this one I added in an old favorite, Lovely as a Tree.   I'm pretty sure that's one of the best stamp sets EVER!   You can really use it for just about every occasion.   I didn't put a sentiment on this one, so it will go in my stash and get one once I find myself needing a certain kind of card.   

I actually had to break out Chocolate Chip for this one.  Believe it or not, I ran out of Early Espresso!   That's my favorite color and I guess I have been using it way more than I thought lately.   Do you remember the days when we all loved Chocolate Chip and thought it was the best color?   Poor thing.  I know here at my house it  started being neglected once Early Espresso showed up.  

Stamps:  Woodgrain, En Francais, Lovely as a Tree

Ink:  Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Naturals White, Neutrals DSP stack

Tools/Accessories:  Cutter Kit, sponges, Twine, Always Artichoke buttons (retired)

Donation and a Card

What do you think?  Would that be a tote of goodies you'd like to own?  One of my friends, another mom who lost her first child to SMA, was working on silent auction items for an upcoming fundraiser gala and I wanted to help out again this year.   My contribution last year was much smaller, so it makes me happy to see how much more I was able to do this time.  I hope it goes over well!  If you are near Denver, you can click here to find out more information on the event.  

Now on to the my card...  One of the comments I hear a lot about my work is simple.  Simple is a bit hurtful when I think about how much time/effort goes into a design, so I've decided to work on stepping up my game a little.  To do that, I decided to pick a card that I loved, but felt was outside my ability/skills and attempt to recreate it.  I chose this beauty by Laurie and sat down to work on it.  (To be honest, I'm not a big fan of copying ideas, so this was difficult for me in more ways than one.)   I will say that it was fun to work on and I hope I can take what I learned making it and apply it to another card that I design myself.   Keep your eye out for that one as I already have some ideas!  :)  Note to self:  BUY the Neutrals buttons ASAP!

FM46: Vintage Flowers

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the "Sketch".
2. Or Make a "Shabby Chic / Vintage" project.
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Shabby Chic/Vintage project using the Sketch".

The challenge at the Friday Mashup was quite a challenge for me.   While I love the look of shabby chic, I have no idea how to pull off that style.  I try my hand at it every now and then, but I'm just not a frilly kind of girl and struggle to make it work.   

As I was looking for an idea, I remembered the one stamp from Apothecary Art that I said I'd probably never use.  Flowers are vintage, right?   I also pulled out my stash of retired DSP and found one that I thought looked like wallpaper (which I always equate with vintage!).   I think it is from a pack called Porcelain Prints.  No idea what year that's from, but it is old (aka vintage!).   :)  It took me forever to color the image, but I think it turned out okay.   I stamped the sentiment crooked after all that work, so there's a nice cover-up layer...or two...on there.  

I hope you'll come play along with us this week!  Don't forget that we also have the Fan Favorite challenge going on as well.   You can submit your idea for a mashup challenge and maybe we'll be playing your challenge soon!

FMS22: Elephant Birthday

This week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches is a fun, yet challenging one.  The design team did a fabulous job showing off some beautiful ways to use it, so be sure you check the blog to see them all.   

For my card, I kept things pretty simple.   I am always in need of children's birthday cards at the local shop that sells my cards, so I have been trying to focus on making up some for that.   I pulled out some retired designer paper and my favorite retired stamp set for this one.  It came together pretty quickly and I think it would be just perfect for a little girl.  

I hope you'll find time to join us this week!  

Double the Challenge

Today I decided to work on the idea for Just Add Ink that I didn't have time to finish on Saturday.  After seeing this week's Mojo Monday sketch, I did change up things a bit.   I thought it was a neat sketch and lent itself to a more clean-and-simple card which is what I had time to make.  :)  

I chose primary colors for my card since it is meant for a teacher thank you card.  I added in a few other elements like the School Lines stamp and the spiral order punch.  Those both work perfectly with the school boy from Greeting Card Kids.   I stamped him on a scrap of Whisper White and then colored and cut him out.   He is popped up on dimensionals and stands out quite nicely.   :)    I will say that it is not a card that I'd normally make, but working outside our comfort zones is what makes us better stampers, right? 

Stamps: Thank You Kindly, Greeting Card Kids, School Lines
Ink:  Real Red, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede, Blush Blossom
Paper:  Real Red, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Brights DSP stack, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Stripes and Houndstooth embossing folders, Labels framelits, scallop circle punch, spiral border punch, blender pen

FM45: Penguins!

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the "Spotlighting Technique".  
2. Or Make a project featuring "Penguins".  
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project featuring "Penguins using the Spotlighting Technique". 

How fun is this new challenge from Lisa at The Friday Mashup?   I think my pregnancy brain lost the spotlighting technique as I traveled from the living room to my stamp room, but I did remember the penguin!  My husband and I are big penguin fans, so it made me happy to make this card.   A local friend had asked me to make a card for her to give to a friend for their birthday and it just so happened that she wanted a penguin one!   Perfect, right?   Two birds, one stone thingy.   I found this lovely card by one of my favorite stampers, Teneale Williams and used it as my inspiration starting point.  

Now while I'm not a fan of pink, I LOVE me some purple.  I really love purple paired with green!   The pretty paper from the Cheerful Treat hostess pack was just perfect for that combination.   I didn't have any penguin stamps that were big enough, but the owl punch and a bit of surgery made a pretty passable penguin I think.   A bit of bling, some yummy ribbon, and a button finish it off and add those extra touches that really make a handmade card special.  

I hope you'll join us this week at the Mashup with either a lovely penguin card of your own, perhaps a spotlighted card, or if you are an overachiever, a mashed up card featuring both!   :)    Also be sure to submit your idea for an upcoming Fan Favorite challenge!   We'd love to see how you'd mash it up! 

Club Thank Yous

Out for Delivery!!!  Don't we love those words?   I get so excited and have to contain myself ALL day because my UPS man doesn't come until dinner time.   Well, unless he has an order with my stuff in it and then he doesn't come until 7.  Not sure what's up with that!    Anyway...   today's package contains my orders for this month's club, so I made up these cute little notes with matching envelopes to tuck in their orders.   The envelopes were so easy using the new diagonal scoring plate for the Simpy Scored.    Three more weeks and you can get your hands on that baby!  :)

Keep On Rockin'

Look familiar?  :)   I loved our sketch at Freshly Made Sketches so much this week that I made 2 cards!  This one isn't clean like the other one though.   As I was making the first one I knew I wanted to do another one in some boyish colors but add in a bit of distressing.   I hope it doesn't look too Halloweenish.   I did use the retired DSP from the last Holiday Mini, so it probably does.  :)   Hopefully there is a Halloween fan out there who will appreciate a birthday card in black and orange.   Gotta use up all that paper somehow!

FMS21: Rock On!

It's time for another fun sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches!  We had an amazing 75 entries last week!   I can't to see how many beautiful creations we get to see this week.  I am happy to say that I had a fun time creating my card for this challenge.   Yay!   It's the first time in a while that I've enjoyed stamping.    I think that was due in part to Lesley's great sketch, so thanks my friend.  

Isn't this a fun card?  I sell my cards locally in a children's consignment shop, so I try to keep some child and teen birthday cards in stock.    I think Grunge Rock is a perfect teen stamp set and one that I also LOVE using.   It is strange because it isn't my style at all, but I just adore it!   I am thankful that Stampin' Up! put it on sale and tempted me to buy it.  :)   I've definitely gotten some use out of it.  I also used some of the hostess designer paper that I've had for a while.  It is gorgeous paper and perfect for girly cards.  

Stamps:  Grunge Rock, July the Fourth

Ink:  Melon Mambo, Concord Crush

Paper:  Melon Mambo, Concord Crush, Whisper White, Cheerful Treat Hostess DSP

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 die, 3 inch circle die, Basic Rhinestones

Before I sign off, I thought I'd share these adorable Valentine's towels that my club hostess brought me last month.  I love my ladies, so it made me tear up a bit when she gave them to me and thanked me for being a wonderful demonstrator.   I waited a long time to get enough customers to get a club together but they made it well worth the wait.   They get along so well and our meetings are always full of fun...and eating.  :)  

MDS Monday

As I was sitting and catching up on the news this morning, I decided to pull up My Digital Studio and start a swatch book for my little girl.  I love these cute little books and think they will make nice gifts for family members this year.   :)  It only took a few minutes to put together and I love that I can go back and change up the colors or elements without tearing the page apart!

If you think you'd like to try My Digital Studio, you can...for FREE!   Stampin' Up! is giving everyone a free 30 trial of My Digital Studio Express!   All you need to do is visit my website and download it today.

With the FREE trial, you’ll get:

• Full access to the software at NO COST for 30 days.
• Full design functionality.
• Exclusive artwork that comes with My Digital Studio Express. See included content here.
• Opportunity to purchase additional downloads from designer templates to stamp brush sets--and everything in between.
• Access to our professional print services.

Once your trial period expires, simply contact me to purchase the downloadable or disc version of the software to continue enjoying My Digital Studio.

If you'd like to see tons of examples, watch some how-to videos, or connect with other MDS users, you can visit MyDigitalStudio.net for all that and more!  

February Stamp Club

Tonight was my monthly stamp club and we had some fun projects to make!  The first was another card inspired by my super duper creative friend Kathy.   I think this design is seriously one of my favorite cards ever and now I'm hooked on making them.   I wish I could hug her for sharing such a great idea!

Next we tried a new technique called the Grid Technique or Faux Tile.   I love showing off my Simply Scored tool and it is such a perfect way to do that.   This card also features a lot of the Sale-a-Bration products that are free with each $50 order right now!

Finally, with it being February, I just had to make a cute little treat holder!   I had pinned one by Jill Hilliard that I loved and I came up with a version using some of the supplies that I had.  

Finally, as it was the last month of this session of club, I made up some little treat boxes full of chocolate for each of the members.   They are such a fun group of ladies and bring so much joy with them each month.   I have been really blessed to have them as my customers.    We do have one spot open in the new club that will start next month, so contact me if you are interested in joining.  :)  We'd love to have you.  

(Ugh.  I had to take these pictures in a hurry because I needed to finish cleaning before everyone arrived tonight.  Sorry for how icky they are!)

FM44: All You Need is LOVE

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project using the "Inspiration Photo".
2. Or Make a project using the colors "Cherry Cobbler, Regal Rose & Whisper White".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project "Inspired by the photo using the colors Cherry Cobbler, Regal Rose & Whisper White".

I love John Lennon and the Beatles and do a lot of crafting to their music!  I love Holly's graphic for this challenge.  :)   Heidi is our hostess with the mostest at The Friday Mashup this week and she gave us a color combination and/or inspiration picture to work with.  I think I mashed it up, but not exactly sure?  LOL  

I must have been thinking about this challenge earlier this week when I tried using Regal Rose.   I was NOT happy when I saw that I had to try it again!  For some reason it seemed easier to use this time and and I kinda like my project.   I thought it turned out really cute!   I might put chocolate in it and give it myself.  :)

Just for fun, look what I got in the mail from my mom today:

Is that not THE MOST GIGANTIC sock monkey ever??  I was having a major breakdown and he really cheered me up.   I figure he's so big that he might can function as my pregnancy pillow pretty soon!   :)  

FMS20: Pink Flower

I can't believe we are on sketch #20 at Freshly Made Sketches!   It feels like we started the challenges just yesterday.  Lesley is our hostess this week and challenged us for sure!   It took me a long time and a lot of tears to get my card made this week.   I have really been struggling creatively and have wanted to lock the door on my stamp room and never go back in lately.   I hope that feeling goes away soon as stamping is supposed to be fun, right?!  

Anyway, here is what I came up with this week:

I decided to try and make an A2 card with the sketch as I don't own any long, skinny envelopes.  Maybe that was my first mistake?   The second was using Regal Rose.   I told you guys that I don't like pink and I wasn't kidding!   It made me SOOO grumpy!!   I am determined to work on the idea for this one again one day as I think it does have potential.  I just need to do something with the vanilla parts of it; perhaps replacing the First Edition paper with plain vanilla card stock that's embossed or something?   We'll see.  For now I'm done thinking about it!

Be sure you got check out the blog and the other design team cards.  They all did a great job and I think you'll find their projects inspiring.