Labor of Love

For my last month as a designer on the Splitcoast Creative Crew, I decided to really go all out.   I had bookmarked this really awesome shadow box by Nancy Riley ages ago, but never thought I'd have the patience or skill to make one of my own.   Well...one day I was at the craft store browsing the frames and I saw this one.  It was on sale for around $3.50, so I figured if I got it and couldn't do it, no real harm.  :)    The challenge was to use 3 colors from the Pocketful of Posies paper, so I picked Early Espresso, Poppy Parade, and So Saffron.   It took a big of figuring out, but I sat down and sketched out ideas for each of my squares and then went to work.   By the end, I was having so much fun that I hated to see it complete.   So...I now have another frame, a larger frame, in my room waiting.  :)

Thanks for stopping by to visit!  

Halloween!

I thought I'd share my losing Halloween card today.   One of the benefits of being a demonstrator is an awesome monthly magazine called Stampin' Success.   It is filled with great articles and in the back, there's always a monthly contest.   I decided to submit a card last month and the challenge was Halloween.  I didn't win, but I did have fun making my card.   I love the little owl and hope he'll be knocking on my door for some candy.  :)    

This is a picture that was in the same folder as my Halloween card.   I'm not the only crafty creature in the house.   While I was away mailing my card to Stampin' Up!, Bandit decided to make himself a tutu.   Isn't it cute?  LOL   The bag was in our bedroom and I found the remaining part of it all the way across the house.  I'm guessing that there was a bit of freaking out once he got it stuck around him.   Silly boy.  He was happy to model it for me, so enjoy the fashion show.  

Button Buddies!

It's he cute?    I love this set!   In fact, I am going to have to buy more buttons because I've been using it so much! (Stay tuned for more information on why!)   This was one of my cards for the August Creative Crew challenge (still time to play along!) to use paper piercing on your card.   I used my paper piercing tool to create a little snail trail and then added some glitter to make it look a bit shiny and slimy just like a real snail trail!    :)    Gross, huh?   lol

Stamps:  Tiny Tags, Button Buddies
Ink:  Garden Green, Cajun Craze
Paper:  Cajun Craze, Garden Green, Crumb Cake, Neutrals designer paper stack, Whisper White
Accessories:  Regals buttons, Baker's Twine (white), Dazzling Diamonds
Tools:  Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Jewelry Tag punch, Paper Piercing Tool

Now...if you really like this set as much as I do, then you need to come to my next class!   Here are the details:

Button Buddies Class

Sep 03 
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM  (Central)

Love buttons?   The new Button Buddies stamp set is perfect for combining the fun of stamping with the cuteness of buttons.   Come join me in some crafty time where we'll make 4 cards using this awesome set.

Cost for the class is $15 for projects only, $35 for the clear-mount stamp set and half a package of buttons, or $45 for the wood-mount set and half a package of buttons.  Please RSVP by August 25th if you'd like to order the stamps/buttons or 3 days in advance if just completing the projects.    As always, please bring along your favorite adhesive and scissors.  

Tax-Free Weekend!

If you are like me and hate crowds (and like to shop in your jammies), then I have some great information for you!   You can avoid the rush over crayons and paper this weekend and shop from home for yummy Stampin' Up! products instead!    Oh yeah!   Stampin' Up! is awesome and participates in the sales tax holiday that comes with back-to-school shopping!  Now to the list (as you can see, it is a great time to stock up on adhesives, markers, and other coloring tools!):

Item Number Description   Price

100425 2-Way Glue Pen $    3.50

100902 Dotto Refill $    6.50

101879 Watercolor Pencils (24) $   19.95

102845 Blender Pens (3) $    9.95

103179 Craft & Rubber Scissors $   19.95

103305 Dotto $   12.95

103579 Paper Snips $    9.95

103683 Mini Glue Dots $    4.95

104045 Anywhere Glue Sticks (2) $    3.95

104294 Sticky Strip $    6.95

104331 SNAIL Refill $    4.50

104332 SNAIL Adhesive $    6.95

104430 Stampin' Dimensionals $    3.95

105021 Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen $    3.95

105394 Basic Black Stampin' Write Journaler $    3.50

108360 Craft Scissors $   29.95

110755 Multipurpose Liquid Glue $    3.95

Varies Stampin' Write Marker $    3.50

119700 Subtles Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10) $   28.95

119701 Regals Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10) $   28.95

119702 Brights Collection Stampin' Write Markers (10) $   28.95

119703 Neutrals Collection Stampin' Write Markers (8) $   22.95

119801 2010-2012 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (5) $   14.95

119802 Subtles Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10) $   16.95

119803 Regals Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10) $   16.95

119804 Brights Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10) $   16.95

119805 Neutrals Collection Watercolor Wonder Crayons (10) $   16.95

120962 Stampin' Pastels $   24.95

123002 2011-2013 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (5) $   14.95

If you are in Texas and would like to take advantage of this savings, please have your order to me by 3pm on Sunday OR you can place an online order on my website.   (and of course your order can include anything (including the designer paper from the paper promotion, but only the above items will be exempt from sales tax).  

Drum roll please...

I just realized that I totally forgot to announce my awesome news!    I think it was (well, is) still sinking in for me.  :)   A couple of weeks ago I was moping around feeling sorry for myself because I really, really, REALLY wanted to be on a design team.   I enjoyed my month as guest designer at the Paper Players so much that I wanted to have that challenge and camaraderie every month.   Well, Lesley surprised me last week by asking me to join her new sketch challenge site, Freshly Made Sketches!    Like a silly girl, I cried....and stressed...and then said YES!    I'm very excited and I hope you'll join us for our first sketch challenge on September 7th.   In the meantime, be sure to go visit the new blog and follow us!

Creative Crew Open Sea

Here's the last of my July Creative Crew projects.   I LOVE this stamp set!    I can't believe it will be gone in just a little over 2 weeks.   I hope you have added it to your collection by now; if not, what are you waiting for?   It's THE perfect masculine set and you can buy the equally perfect designer paper to match!   Shoot, you can even buy 3 packs of it and get another one free right now!    What? You don't hoard designer paper?  Really?   Hmm...  Me either.  :o)  

This set uses my absolute favorite color, Island Indigo with two neutrals, Early Espresso and Crumb Cake.    (Doesn't a coffee with some crumb cake sound delish?  We've been following the South Beach Diet for about 2.5 weeks now and I am very sugar deprived.)   Anyway...   I embossed the compass stamp with white embossing powder on watercolor paper and then used my Aquapainter and stamp pad to color the rest of the paper before stamping the ship and travel log in Early Espresso.  While I was at it, I added some personality to my Island Indigo layer by stamping the other images from the set on it.   Isn't it just screaming MAN?  Thankfully it doesn't smell like one!

Stamps:  The Open Sea
Ink:  Island Indigo, Early Espresso, Versamark
Paper:  Island Indigo, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, watercolor paper, Nautical Expedition designer paper
Accessories:  white embossing powder
Tools:  Aquapainter, heat tool

Bright Doilies

This fun, bright card was another one of my Creative Crew designs for July.    We were asked to use some of our favorite new products from the catalog.   I dug in and used tons of new stuff; the Delicate Doilies stamp set, the Flirtatious designer paper, and two of the new In Colors!   (and notice, I did manage to overlap my doilies, but just a tad bit!)  

Stamps:  Delicate Doilies, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight
Paper:  Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Flirtatious designer paper
Accessories:  Brights buttons, linen thread
Tools:  Dotted Scalloped Ribbon Border Punch (say that three times fast!)

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!   Thanks for stopping by to visit.
~Rita

Pool Party!

I just realized that I haven't posted quite a few of my projects from the July and August Creative Crew challenges.   Not familiar with the Creative Crew?  It's an awesome group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators who work hard each month to design cards for super fun challenges over on Splitcoast Stampers!  We love making sure that there are plenty of cards featuring our wonderful line of products for all to see!   This was a July challenge to use one of the new In Colors.  I chose Pool Party and used my favorite tool and best friend the Color Coach to find the perfect combination for my card.   I seriously couldn't stamp without this thing.  If you don't have it yet, GET IT!   :)

Stamps:  Just Believe

Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Not Quite Navy, Pool Party

Paper: So Saffron, ot Quite Navy, Pool Party, Naturals White

Accessories:  So Saffron Grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Tools:  Paper Piercer, Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder

Side Note:  I'm disappointed in the quality of photos on Blogger lately.  If you want to see a better image, you can click on the picture and it will show you a larger, clearer picture.  

Enjoy your weekend!