Wednesday, October 29, 2008

How time flies!!!


Working, working, working! SO much to do, so little time to do it!! :)

Two quick shares today, from the Scrapbooking class last week.






This is a new set for me, CRAZY FOR CUPCAKES. It's still ON SALE for two more days - CLICK HERE to check out the specials going on! The background is Very Vanilla, and the photo mats are Regal Rose. I embossed the balloons AND the outline of the cupcakes, and then colored in the cupcake, cut it out, and put it on dimensionals. Super easy!



Here's another easy one, but I love the colors! The leaves are vellum that we sponged Earth Elements colors onto, crinkled, and cut with my Big Shot. They're mounted onto Very Vanilla, which was matted onto Chocolate Chip. The background is Garden Green that we rolled with the FALL HARVEST Stampin' Around wheel. Again, super easy!!

OK, off to work on class planning. :D Have a WONDERFUL day - and for goodness' sake, take the time to STAMP something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

It's a BEAUTIFUL Sunday afternoon!


I'm soooooooooooo tired. :) I can't wait for Tuesday to get here; I get to sleep in! :D


ANYWAY! Ann, I checked with my hostesses, to get their permission to share the Blessings Mix with you. I try to keep EVERYTHING that I do and serve for my hostesses ONLY for them, because it's their special thank-you from me. But each one said I could share with you - I have THE best group of stampers in the world, I tell you! :D



Here is the actual text from the insert. Enjoy!!

Thanksgiving Blessing Mix
Each item in this mix symbolizes a blessing we enjoy:
Bugles - cornucopia. We are blessed with so much!
Pretzels - prayer. We are blessed with the freedom to worship!
Candy Corn - food. It was scarce the first year of settlement, but God provided!
Dried Fruit - bountiful harvest. We harvest now, and save for the future!
Peanuts - future harvest. We know God will provide tomorrow’s needs, too.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Another new item from the inspiration station!




Psalm 100 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, and these two verses are two of my favorites in the chapter.




It might have been more "professional" if I'd typed it out in a fancy font, but I really like the fact that it's in my own handwriting. I used a Chocolate Chip and Ruby Red Stampin' Write Marker to write it out.




I used the negative from die cutting the maple leaves on my Big Shot to dry emboss the leaves along the side of a piece of Creamy Caramel. I used my finger with a little bit of Close to Cocoa ink to edge the leaves.


Isn't it pretty? :D I'd love to see what you're creating! You ARE taking the time to STAMP, aren't you???

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Inspiration Station!



Hi, everyone! Here's the fresh, new look of the Inspiration Station!


For the rest of the week, I'll be sharing at least one of the new projects here! :)


First, there was a question on one of the comments from last week that I want to answer. :)


Hi Lori,This is my first time visiting your blog. What did you use to clean off the ornaments before you adhered the rub-ons?Stampin' Smiles from Ear to Ear, Ann :)


Ann, I used rubbing alcohol or an alcohol pad. It's the simplest, easiest way to do it. The alcohol pads are really convenient; you can find them with the diabetic supplies at most superstores. :)


OK. On to a new project!


Both of these ideas came from fellow demonstrators; I can't wait to show you some winter/Christmas takes on these! :D
The pumpkin is made with the large circle punch and the five-petal flower punch. It's SUPER-cute!!!
The Frankenstein face you've seen here before; this one is smaller, and it contains a standard-sized Hershey's chocolate bar.
The thing that makes him really incredible is the sponging on his nose and eyelids, and the white reflections in his eyes. He's FUN, isn't he???
Stay tuned for more show-n-tell! :) Have a wonderful day - and PLEASE, take the time to stamp something!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

What a party!

If you weren't invited to this year's Hostess Appreciation Luncheon, I sure hope you'll host a party this coming year so you can come!!!! :) Here are some photos of what you missed!





These are the table favors, drying and getting ready to be filled. :D

And to the right is what they looked like in-place. You can see that each person's name was on them, so everyone knew where to sit. The criss-cross boxes are filled with Thanksgiving Blessing Mix. All the attendees received the templates for all the boxes we made, as well as a punch guide template - and it was all in a folder I rolled and signed with my thanks!








Here's what each place setting looked like....











And what the whole table looked like!


I make everything for lunch from scratch, ladies! You get treated like royalty! :) This year's menu:
Oven-fried chicken breasts
Carrots
Green bean casserole
Cranberry Jello salad
Corn spoon bread
Spinach salad
Chocolate caramel tart
Mint iced tea, water, two types of coffee







And now, the projects we did!

(Mini pizza box, Votive tealight holder, Birthday in a Box)









The Inspiration Station was totally refreshed, with LOTS of new samples that I'm going to try to show you in the next few days. :) Music, stamping, friends, prizes - did I tell you that the prize value averaged $20 each this year, and EVERYONE ATTENDING RECEIVED ONE????

I had a wonderful time; I have the BEST stampers in the world, I guarantee it!!!! :) This year's is over, so planning begins for next year. Will YOU be here???? I sure hope so!!! Contact me to find out how to get invited!!!

Thursday, October 16, 2008


Good morning! I decided to pop in quickly and show you this cute card even closer. :)
It was sent to me by the closest person in Stampin' Up! I have to a support group; she's my up-up-upline, Karen Titus. I just thought this card was cute, simple to do, and HYSTERICAL!!!
Inside, it has the face of the racoon punched out and matted just like the front. Too funny! Thank you, Karen, if you ever stumble across this blog. :D I enjoy getting cards from her when I have good sales. She's way up north, so I've never even met the woman - but it's nice to know someone's noticing!! :)
OK, I'm off to work some more. Saturday is the Hostess Appreciation Luncheon; it's too late to get in on THIS year's, but it's not too late to get your party scheduled so you can come NEXT year!!! :) I can't wait to hear from you!
Have a GREAT day - and take the time to stamp something!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Phew, I've been BUSY!!!!!


See the new slideshow over on the right??? I'm going to do these once a month, to show you the cards and 3D items people gift me. :) If you want to be seen, send me something! :D


IF you aren't there, it means the something you gave me didn't make it to my basket. I promise to do better on being organized! :D


This guy is a gift certificate holder! :D I made him, super-simple, to hold a donation Kenn and I are giving from our HPP business for Encore Theatre Company's fundraiser. It's always a Halloween-themed "ball", so I went with the flow. :)
OK, I'm gonna run - still doing bunches and bunches of stuff!!! Have a WONDERFUL week - and make the time to stamp something. You're gonna fall over when you see all I've been doing!! :D

Monday, October 13, 2008

Happy Monday!!!



I hope you had a fantastic weekend!!! I spent it with a head cold. :) But I'm also working on big things for the Hostess Appreciation Luncheon this coming Saturday - you'll see things from that NEXT week. :D I'm not spilling the beans!!!




What I WILL do is share. :D


I made this matching card and box/bag for a dear friend for her birthday - Hi, Jan! :)


The paper is wonderful - it's the Holiday Treasures designer series paper from the Idea Book & Catalog. Jan LOVES flowers, but doesn't care much for Christmas. :D This paper has a subtle snowflake on it, but the flowers are gorgeous. So, I decided to use the paper. :D


Here's the tutorial for the treat box, from Di's blog. I've made a couple of them, actually - here's one I did for my Tennessee Stamper's Retreat Secret Sister.


Aren't they fun??? They're a great size, hold lots of chocolate ;D, and are super-simple.
Think CHRISTMAS GIFTS, everyone - they're made from card stock, so they're sturdy, and would be a great way to package a hostess gift, etc. Thanks, Di, for the great tutorial! :)
OK, I'm off - LOTS to do today!!! - but I really want to hear from you! What are you stamping???? You ARE stamping, aren't you???? ;)
Be watching for BLOG CANDY on November 1!!!! I can't wait! :D

Friday, October 10, 2008

Rub-On Revelation Class!



Hi, everyone! Quick projects for a beautiful Friday afternoon! :D Today's share is from Tuesday's Rub-On Revelation. It was SO much fun!!!!



We did CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS - some of the smaller letters/words didn't want to go on to some of them too well. Be SURE you clean the glass - we learned by experience. :) But they're SO fun - a new dimension for those re-inker-dyed ornaments!


We also made BOXES for them, with Stampin' Up!'s exclusive scallop envelope die. That's the holiday designer series paper from the Idea Book. The medallions are punches, but the images are all rub-ons!!! SO fast and fun!!!

To order YOUR rub-ons, go to my official site and press the SHOP NOW button at the top. Go to EMBELLISHMENTS; at the bottom of that page is the RUB-ONS!!! :D Don't forget to check out all the FABULOUS specials going on now, too!

Have a wonderful weekend! Take the time to STAMP something!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Monday, October 6, 2008

It's MONDAY - have you stamped today? :D

Hi, everyone! Quick card for you from last month's Christmas Card Class!



It's a very contemporary color combination; the designer series paper is from the HOLIDAY TREASURES pack. The chocolate chip strip is cardstock; the "snow" is a Jumbo Stampin'


Around wheel done in chocolate chip. The snowflake is the new IN COLOR, Baja Breeze, cut with the Big Shot and a Sizzlets die. There's a gold brad in the middle of the snowflake, for a little sparkle and texture. SUPER simple!




OK, since that was a really quick share, here's another from that class!


The stamped image is from BIG ON CHRISTMAS; we colored it in with Satmpin' Write markers. I need to get a new Real Red; someone colored too hard with it, and split the brush.
Anyway. We sponged or stippled white ink through the negative space left when we cut out snowflakes with the Big Shot. It's so soft, it looks like fleece in real life!
OK, I need to get busy. :D I have miles to go, and time is FLYING by today!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be SURE and take the time to STAMP something!!!!!!!!! :)

Saturday, October 4, 2008

HAPPY WORLD CARDMAKING DAY!

I hope you're taking the time today to make some cards to send to your friends and family - be a blessing!!!!! :) I wanted to show you what Barbara and I did this morning - she's the only one who showed up for the celebration. :)



This first one is done with INSPIRED BY NATURE.

Colors are Pretty in Pink, Pink Passion, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, and Garden Green. We colored the image with Stampin' Write markers, using the darker ones along the edges of the stamp. We stamped it onto glossy white cardstock, and stamped the saying with Chocolate Chip ink. We let it dry for a few moments - VERY important with glossy!!! - and then used my favorite ticket corner punch on the corners of the glossy and the Pink Passion. Simple, elegant card!



I'm kind of proud of this one. :D It's a PAY IT FORWARD card. The color of the base cardstock is Basic Gray; we used some of the Designer Series Paper from the Level 1 hostess print pack - this is Real Red - to cut out the scallop envelope - an exclusive die from Stampin' Up! & Sizzix. Actually, we did TWO. More on that in a moment. :)

The "heartfelt" is from HEARTFELT THANKS, and is embossed with white craft ink and white embossing powder. The enclosure card has the stamp that says "wonderful you" from WONDERFUL YOU. :D

On the inside, there's a white piece of computer paper that reads:

Pay it forward!

I wanted to let you know I appreciate you, and I hope you'll take this opportunity to tell someone else!

Just take the card that I wrote to you out of the front envelope, then take a blank one out of this envelope and write your own message on it, put it in the front envelope, and send it on. If the envelope is empty, feel free to fill it up again!

Thank you! I'm so glad you're in my life!

Then there's a SECOND scalloped envelope attached to the bottom of the paper; inside of it, there are three or four more of the white enclosure cards that are stamped with "wonderful you". I'm hoping that it will be a real blessing to LOTS of people - feel free to use the idea!!! :)

OK, I need to run - we have a wedding to shoot this afternoon. A woman's work is never done. :D Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Happy Wednesday! :)


Quick share today - I'm going to a birthday party! :D

Have you started to think about your Christmas cards yet??? We've had one Christmas Card Class so far - two more to go! - and this is probably my favorite from that class. The colors are So Saffron and Night of Navy. The window and "Very Merry Christmas" are from WINDOW DRESSING, a Level 3 Hostess Set. The tree is from LOVELY AS A TREE, and the inside verse - "Warmest greetings of the season and every good wish for the coming year" - is from MANY MERRY MESSAGES.

We embossed the window and outside saying with white embossing powder, then cut out the window pieces. There's a piece of acetate there, to act as window glass. The "snow" is embossed with Irridescent Ice. The tree is stamped on the So Saffrong, and we used the end of a paintbrush to make the ornaments/lights, and embossed them with Irridescent Ice, too. The card front is attached directly to the So Saffron.

I think it's a beautiful card. :D What do you think???