Friday, August 31, 2012

A HAPPY card! :D

Phew. Just in time! HAPPY FRIDAY!!! :)

D: if you're reading this, don't show it to the kinder, unless the card's already been received. Which would shock me. :D

This weekend is my 5-year-old niece's birthday. A. told me during their visit that she wants to become a paleontologist. And she wanted me to tell her everything I knew about dinosaurs.

Heavens. LOL!

So, I found this video on making the little hatchling; I did tweak it a tiny bit, and got one of the paws in the wrong place, but I think it's just too cute for words! :D

The colors are Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Basic Black, and Melon Mambo. I used the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and the Hearts framelits for the base card; the "happy birthday" (which I squished a little! ) is from TEENY TINY WISHES. If you DO try this one, know that I made her spike longer, to make her a little more feminine, and that I used the largest circle punch for the egg, and just cut it. :D It worked, I think! (I'm an AWFUL scissors-user!!!!)

OK, I'm outta here. Tomorrow is September 1! EEK! The year is FLYING by - I hope the weekend doesn't. :D Have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure to STAMP something!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Isn't it time for there to be HAPPY happenings?

I know you're getting tired of seeing them, but my need for sympathy cards continues. I liked that color combo so much last week, I decided to go there again. And I already had the woodgrain embossed piece. I used More Mustard on the leaves on the tree; some of it's more intense than the rest, which gives it that great varied look. I'm so glad Stampin' Up!®'s not gotten rid of LOVELY AS A TREE; it's a perfect set for sympathy cards.

If you have any questions about this card, please ask me! :)

Have a wonderful day! Be sure to stamp SOMETHING! (And send it to me! I need happy mail! LOL!)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Monday with Gratitude

 How was your weekend? Did you accomplish lots - or did you take the opportunity to enjoy your family, maybe get some rest? :)

Today's share is a card I made just to share with you. If you've heard my story about joining Stampin' Up!®, you probably know that, when I first started stamping, I thought I'd love to color. AUGH! :D It's soooo time-consuming; anymore, if I'm making a card for my own use, it has to be fast and easy. That's one of the reasons I love SU!; no matter what your style, it works with SU! :)

So, without further ado, here's the recipe. :)

Card stock: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery

Ink: VersaMark, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb cake, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue

Stamp sets: Always Thankful, Trust God

Accessories: Early Espresso Embossing Powder, heat tool, Aqua Painters, piercing tool, piercing mat, piercing template, Snail adhesive.

If you have ANY questions about how I did something, please ask! And remember: you can see any photo in the size I uploaded it by clicking on it. :)

OK, I'm outta here. It's one of THOSE days, where nothing I touch seems to be turning out right. But I have too much to do to not DO. LOL!

Have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure to take the time to stamp SOMEthing. (Or someONE, if your day's like mine.... :D )

Friday, August 24, 2012

More sympathy!

Good Friday Morning!

Well, I seem to be getting to that point in life where friends and family are either losing loved ones or being lost more often. :( So these types of cards are more necessary for my personal use than ever.

I really, REALLY like this one. It's the woodgrain on a scallop circle diecut card, with the ridges hit with Crumb Cake ink. The tree from LOVELY AS A TREE is embossed with Chocolate Chip craft ink and clear embossing powder, as is the "With Sympathy" from TEENY TINY WISHES. The banner is made with More Mustard; I used my Aqua Painters and Garden Green, Bashful Blue, More Mustard, and Crumb Cake inks to color in the medallion. I think this card is serene without being gloomy.

OK, I'm outta here. Rough week. Thank you for continuing to come to my blog! :) Doing things to share with you helps me stay connected.

So, now YOU take the time to STAMP SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Scraps!

Good morning! I hope you're having a great week.

It's definitely been an interesting, exhausting, emotional one here. I'd like you to meet our family's newest addition, my niece, Naomi. :) Isn't she beautiful?!?!

OK, now back to work. :D

I made this card with things I'd already punched or cut; the only thing that wasn't done was the "Merry Christmas" modern label. But that was simple enough to put together! :D


The gingerbread are stamped and embossed, and cut with the Big Shot! (Hey, I haven't done this one in a LONG time! Ready?!? :D I ♥ My Big Shot! SOMEONE, make me a bumper sticker! :D)

Colors are Early Espresso, Winter White, Cherry Cobbler, and Gumball Green. :D

If you have any specific questions, LMK. :D

I'm outta here. Have a WONDERFUL day, and be SURE to take the time to STAMP something!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Monday with Woodgrain

Good Monday Morning! How are you today? Did you get a chance to stamp anything this weekend? I didn't.

We didn't have a very good weekend. Please pray for my family as we walk through a devastating loss together. Thank you!

This is a card I put together in about five minutes this morning. I can't decide if it's going to be a sympathy card, or just a "Thinking of You" card. I've got SO many cards! If you want to purchase any, just let me know!!! :)

So, this one uses the woodgrain embossing folder in a quite different way than I showed you last week; I thought it complimented the tree quite well. :D I colored the stamp with Stampin' Write markers - those colors are Island Indigo, Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Crumb Cake, and Whisper White. The stamp set is EASY EVENTS. It's the same fold as the sympathy card I showed you - I think Monday last week? Maybe the week before. :)

ANYWAY. I'm outta here. I hope you have a WONDERFUL day, and be SURE to take the time to STAMP something!!!!

Friday, August 17, 2012

Fun with embossing folders, Day 2!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Have you had a good week? Big plans for the weekend? Gonna STAMP something? :D

This is the second new embossing folder to finish out the week, Holiday Frame. It's Night of Navy again, but I inked the top of the embossing with Whisper White ink, and then embossed it with the Iridescent Ice EP. The star inside, as well as the saying on the modern label punch, are from COME TO BETHLEHEM; they're both embossed with Silver EP.

I really like this card and its simplicity. What do you think? I wish we still sold the silver cording; that would add a nice touch. And it's much more sparkly IRL. :D

OK, I'm outta here. Busy weekend; I'm performing some historical monologs at the Wilson County Fair on Friday and Saturday! Come see me! :)

Enjoy your weekend. Be sure and take the time to stamp something!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Fun with embossing folders, day 1!

Good Wednesday morning! How is your week going? Are you having a good one? Done any STAMPING this week?? :D

So, I spent Tuesday afternoon designing *just* for you, my dear blog readers. I'm still recuperating from being gone last week, so it was a little touch-and-go when I started. But I came up with two cute little projects for you, one today and one Friday. I hope you'll let me know what you think! :)

Today's does use a non-Stampin' Up! die, the bare tree. I received it from a dear friend several years ago (Thanks, Becky!), and don't get a chance to use it too often. Since it's for my personal gallery, you get to see it! :D

The tree is embossed with the new Woodgrain embossing folder; it's Soft Suede card stock, and I inked the embossed ridges with Soft Suede ink. The swirls on the Night of Navy are from SCENTSATIONAL SEASON; they're stamped with Whisper White ink and embossed with Iridescent Ice EP. The owl is punched with Very Vanilla, and sponged just a bit around the edges with Soft Suede. The heart/beak is punched from Pumpkin Pie. The Googlie Eyes are so fun; I love to just shake the whole package and watch them dance! :D The moon is a 1-1/4" circle punched from Very Vanilla; I pushed it into Very Vanilla ink, and then embossed it with clear; it looks pretty realistic IRL! :D

So, what do you think? :D

I'm outta here! Lots to do today! :) Have a wonderful day, and be SURE to make time to STAMP something! :)

Monday, August 13, 2012

It must be genetic... :D

Today I want to share with you my treasures from the past week. Yes, my two youngest nieces love to PAPERCRAFT. Actually, all the kids do - but these treasures are from them. :D

The trove of treasures!
 

This one is from my dear, sweet niece, A. She handed it to me the FIRST day I got to visit with them! the front is beautifully decorated, too, but this is the part that's super special. :)


This is from niece M. It's a camera! See? She made this for me the last day we spent with them, after I and Uncle Kenn spent time outside taking pictures of them. And I know you can't see from this photo, but it says:
say ch
ee
se
Too adorable for words, right?!?!?!


Again, from niece A. The flowers under the birds are their nests. Isn't that CLEVER? Thinking outside of the box!


This final one is also from niece A. It's my portrait! Be sure to enlarge the photo to see it. I had to "sit completely still" while she drew it. ;)
The reason I'm showing you more from A. than from M. is that M. tends to draw with pretty light pink crayons, and it just doesn't show up too well. :/ But they both blessed me with lots of artwork. Even my 3-year-old nephew, N., got into the act the last day; if you look at the first photo, there's a dark blue folded piece in the down left corner. He drew on it for me, then folded it up until it was throw-able and came in and hit me in the chest with it, and laughed uproariously. :D

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day! Be sure and take the time to stamp SOMETHING, will ya?!?! :D

Friday, August 10, 2012

Sad need

 Good Friday morning! I hope you've had a wonderful week!

Today, I'm sharing a sympathy card. One of my best friends from Ohio lost his father last week, much more suddenly than his family thought. We can't go up to pay our respects, so I needed to make a card for him.

I feel like this color combination isn't too somber, but is enough so for the need. It's Whisper White, Gumball Green, and Early Espresso. The stamps are from BLESSINGS FROM HEAVEN. I really like that stamp set; it's very versatile. I embossed the front verse with the new Early Espresso embossing powder from the Holiday Mini.

The designer series paper is from the BE OF GOOD CHEER pack. This side isn't necessarily Christmas, but I like it anyway. :D

There's plenty of room to write on the inside, too, so I will take my white gel pen and try to come up with something to say that doesn't sound like empty words. It's so difficult to know what to say - I'm glad he knows I'm praying for him, and that we love him. There's not much else I can do.

OK, I'm out of here. Enjoy your weekend! Be sure and take the time to STAMP something!!!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Santa Basket!

Happy Wednesday! Have you enjoyed the CHRISTMAS IN JULY shares so far? This is the last one; that's right, there were FIVE projects for the night!

This basket is actually from Lisa Young, a fellow demonstrator. She's got lots of awesome projects! I modified some of the decor, but kept most of it the same. :)

The colors are easy: Real Red, Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink, and Basic Black card stocks. Super easy!

I used the new Snow Flurry Bigz die; I don't care much for the snowflakes on their own, but they're stunning when you stack them!

We did his eyes the old way; Lisa's used glitter brads for them, too. I love using the red one for his cherry nose, but I like his eyes my way. :) I do have to tell you: I cannot, for the life of me, cut his mustache the way she did. I like hers MUCH better! :)

OK, I'm outta here. :) Have a wonderful day, and be sure to make the time to stamp something!!!!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Holiday Collection Framelits Card

Welcome to another Monday. :D Did you have a good weekend? Did you STAMP anything???

This card is the fourth project from our CHRISTMAS IN JULY stamp camp. It uses SCENTSATIONAL SEASON and CHOCK-FULL-OF-CHEER, vanilla and peppermint scratch-n-sniff powders, and the Holiday Collection Framelits. Don't forget your white gel pen! (Reminds me, I need to get a new one...) :D This is such a fun technique! You can use it with any of our framelits. :)

Are you beginning to wish you'd come??? Yeah, I thought so. :D

OK, I'm outta here. A house full of kids to enjoy today! :D Have a wonderful day, and be SURE to take the time to STAMP something!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Another ornament to share!

It's FRIDAY! Do you have big plans for the weekend? Are your kids back in school? Most of the kids around here headed back this week; a few go back next week. So I'm sure families all around me are trying to get back into their routines.

Me? I'm going to be finalizing cleaning and packing, waiting for my sister and my eight nieces and nephews to arrive Sunday. :)

Today's share is an ornament we did at the CHRISTMAS IN JULY stamp camp. That's the new cotton ribbon in the Holiday Mini; you can easily stamp on it, so we did. :D The inside is a piece of Crumb Cake card stock, rolled with Music Notes and cut into strips - which are then curled and inserted inside. There's a little champagne glass glitter in there, too.

Super easy, and you could brighten it up if you wanted with different colors. I kind of like this muted ornament; it would look classy on a tree with white lights! :)

OK, I'm outta here! Enjoy your weekend, and be SURE to take the time to STAMP something!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Don't you have to smile back?

Welcome to Wednesday! :D And AUGUST! Happy Retirement to my dear friend, Mary, who has been my faithful stamping companion for the last three? four? years. She is going to be moving away from me soon, and I will miss her enormously - but I'm grateful for her friendship, and that she has a wonderful family to enjoy now. God bless you, Mary and Ev, as you start a NEW chapter in your lives. I love you!

Now, then, before I start bawling :D, meet today's project. He's a snowman made from Crystal Effects. Isn't he beautiful?! Doesn't he just make you smile? So super easy! You could make a BUNCH of these; they're even kid-friendly projects! If you make them, be sure to store them between layers of waxed paper so they don't stick to each other. :) And keep them as dry as possible while storing.

OK, I'm outta here! Enjoy your day - and be SURE to make the time to STAMP something!