MDS Monday - Welcome to our Home

Woah. I had NO CLUE it had been so long since I posted. I'm sorry, y'all - life has been CRAZY. With so little time between Thanksgiving and the open house, I was pretty locked in. Then I got sick for a bit, then had company for Christmas and was sick at the same time, still sick... :) So I apologize for leaving you in the lurch, with no checking in, but we all have lives. :D

So, this was a sketch challenge. I'm not TOO crazy about it; I should have picked different colors for the background, but I'm not sure WHAT. Or different photos to show off - that teal and those pictures just isn't doing it for me. What do you think?!?!?

Can you believe the next post will be in 2014?!? Surreal. HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!!!! May it bring us all to a closer understanding of who we are in Christ!

MDS Monday - Farewell to the Ocean

Here we are at Monday again! :D We're less than three weeks to the open house - EEP!!!! - so let me get right to it. :D

This is another challenge page - the same as last week, to do black and white plus ONE color. So I chose Turquoise. I really like how this turned out; I like clean and simple, and if it gets to busy, it drives me crazy. :D This is perfect!

Seriously. If you're not playing with My Digital Studio, you're REALLY missing out. :)

Have a wonderful day! Be sure and make the time to stamp something!

Hostess Club Project #1

It's FRIDAY!!! :D Have you started working on your Christmas cards yet?? I need to do more. But I REALLY love this one - and it's super simple.

If you have ever considered being a part of a hostess club, it's a GREAT time to either join our existing club at my house, or start one of your own! We meet every other month, and everyone takes turns being hostess. We sign a pledge to purchase so much every time - it's a minimum, so everyone is guaranteed of a certain amount of a party each time, so it's fair. It's SO much fun, and guests are welcome! :) Please talk to me if you'd like to join in - or start a group of your own.

Anyway. We did this card as one of the projects. I just love the "merry" from the Expressions thinlits cut out with silver glimmer paper! The snowflakes are stamped with Illuminate ink - they're sparkly, shimmery, and just snowy. :D

OK, I'm outta here! Have a wonderful week! Be SURE and make the time to stamp something!

Another CASE challenge card!

Goodness, how can it be Wednesday already?! :D This year has flown by. It will be over before we know it!

So. Let me see if I can find the card in the IB&C this was CASED from...

(Wow. As I leaf through the book, I realize they focused on BANNERS - a LOT.)

Oh, wait. It was from the Stamper's Success, the demonstrator-only magazine we get. Sorry. If you come over, I can show it to you... :D

ANYWAY. I didn't have the stamp set they used, or the framelits, OR the designer series paper (let alone the twine and brads!) - but I used what I had, made what I needed, and I really like MY version better. :D It's a lot busier than I usually do, but it's a clean busy, which makes me like it. ROFL!

OK, I'm outta here. :D have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure to make the time to STAMP something- don't leave your Christmas cards until the last minute! :D

MDS Monday - My Two Peas

Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend? I did - mine was so less busy than normal! I sat at my desk and watched leaves gall in the wind. Wow, the trees are almost naked again.

Anyway. :D I know I've done a page in the last couple of years that was similar to this one, but they're one of my favorite subjects. :D The challenge was to scrap a page in black and white and one color. :D So, I did!

OK, I'm outta here! Have a wonderful day! Be sure to stamp something today!

Yet another challenge card :D

Happy Friday!!! Are you glad it's here - or are you so busy anymore, the weekends go by in a blur? :)

Today's share is yet another challenge card, from last week when I was making all SORTS of cards. :D

The challenge was to take ONE color plus either Whisper White or Very Vanilla and do a complete fall card with it. So this is what I came up with!

Pumpkin Pie.One of my favorite fall colors. Paired that with the woodgrain embossing folder, which I applied ink to once I'd embossed it, the labels collection framelits, GENTLY FALLING - stamped and cut out, then mounted with dimensionals. To finish it all off, I used "Happy Thanksgiving" from TEENY TINY WISHES , embossed it with white embossing powder, and punched it out with the modern label punch. I really, really love this card. If you used two colors plus the Whisper White, it would be difficult to count the combos that would look great! :D

OK! I'm outta here! I hope you enjoy your weekend, whatever you do - and be sure to make the time to stamp something!

Vintage Technique

Welcome to Wednesday! How's your week going? Have you had a chance to stamp anything yet? You know, it's time to start working on Christmas cards... :D

This was another SUDSOL challenge - remember that SUDSOL stands for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators Sharing OnLine? :D It was to try this technique - so, I did. :D I actually like the way this came out - and I added a bit of the Torn Frames technique around the edges. Not TOO much, but enough that I think it helped the vintage feel.

The leaf and the "Give Thanks" are from the Best of Autumn stamp set; I really love it. This leaf is particularly pretty, IMHO. :D

So, what do YOU think of my card? :D Wish you could come see it in real life - it's got a tiny bit of sparkle to it, and the inside is pretty, too. :D

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day - and be SURE to MAKE the time to STAMP SOMETHING!!!!

MDS Monday - Celebrating Everyday Places

Welcome to Monday Morning! Did you have a good weekend? Planning on having a good week? :)

Today's share is yet another set of photos from our trip to Indiana last month; the challenge was to CASE (Copy And Steal Everything) a page in the Idea Book. Well, I sooooooooooo didn't like the page in the first place - it looked cluttered and - I don't know, smeary? :D So I changed the background color, took out one or two things from the middle of the page, and kept my lines clean. And now, I DO like my page. :D What do you think??

By the way, if you go to mydigitalstudio.net, we're in the middle of digital scrapbooking week; there's a sale each day, lots of different things to do, and more information that you can possibly process at one time. :D

Have a WONDERFUL day! Be sure and take the time to SCRAP something! :D

She Likes Me! :)

Happy Friday Morning! Sorry about flaking on you on Wednesday - by the time I realized I HADN'T posted something, it was time for me to leave for twelve hours. I just couldn't make it happen. Mea culpa.

Hey, do you remember this card I showed you last week? Well, Mary Jo chose it as one of her favorite entries! How stoked am I? :) I really enjoy Mary Jo's work - it's always beautiful! She's also a Christian, and a determined demonstrator. :D So, I had to enter again this week, of course. :D

I actually killed two birds with one stone: this is a card that we'll be doing at Monday's Christmas Quick Card Class - if anyone signs up for it! (If not, I'll be having another PJ day, thank you very much. :D )

Mary Jo's sketch had a sentiment in the bottom right corner, but since I used the tag for my sentiment, I put rhinestones on that bottom corner. It's really pretty IRL! I hope SOMEONE will sign up for the class, so I can do some more of these. :D

Go play along with her challenge! See what YOU can come up with! I'm going to go look at the other entries, now that I've designed my own. :D Have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and stamp SOMEthing!

Table Favor

Happy Wednesday! :) Are you having a good week? Getting lots accomplished? Loving on those around you? :)

Here's a way to love on someone - or decorate your table, or give them to visitors. It's a SUPER simple favor, done with my Big Shot - LOVE THAT THING!!! :D - alongside Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip card stock, and two dies. A little 2-way glue to stick the Expressions Thinlit diecut to the Top Note diecut, and two glue dots to hold down the Smarties, and voila'! SUPER easy, like I said!! :D These are tropical Smarties that I brought back from Indiana, just for a special meeting I held earlier in the month.

OK, I'm outta here! If you are celebrating Halloween, enjoy yourself and be safe. We'll see you back here in NOVEMBER - can you believe it?!?!? :D Have a wonderful day - go STAMP something!

MDS Monday - Country Kenny

Welcome to MDS Monday! Did you have a good weekend? I'm starting to be glad for Mondays - I get a bit of a chance to recooperate. :D

This was for a SUDSOL challenge using hexagons. :D One of my favorite tools on MY DIGITAL STUDIO is the grouping feature.; I did one row, then grouped that row and pasted, then grouped three full rows and put them where I wanted. Then all I had to do was fill in the corners! :)

OK, I'm outta here! :) Have a WONDERFUL day! And try MDS for 30 days for free. See if you don't love it!

Get Started on Your Thanksgiving Table!

It's FRIDAY! Have you had a good week? Big plans for the weekend?? I've got big plans - tomorrow's my Hostess-Only Appreciation Luncheon; the lovely, WONDERFUL women who have supported my business by hosting parties in the past year will come to my house, be treated to wonderful (if I do say so myself!) food, and we'll spend some time making exclusive projects that I'll never make anywhere else. :) Watch for pictures!

Anyway. :D

We're almost at the end of October, which means we're in full holiday swing: first Halloween, if you celebrate it, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Year's. PHEW. So why not get a head start while you can? This is a super-simple place card for your table; a little time now makes it super simple then!

I cut a piece of Baked Brown Sugar to 4"x4", and folded it in half. The Designer Series Paper is Polka Dot Parade; I love the colors in it, and I've used this paper for Christmas and Thanksgiving projects, so it's really versatile. :D The Pumpkin Pie piece I cut at 3.75"x1.75"; the Daffodil Delight piece is cut at 3.5"x1.5". The Very Vanilla (the ripples you see? those are reflections from the plastic covering my table!) is cut at 1"x3". I wrote my name on it with my Baked Brown Sugar Stampin' Write marker.

The leaf is from Gently Falling; I embossed it on Baked Brown Sugar with pewter EP and cut it out, Then, I crumpled it a bit and put some Baked Brown Sugar ink directly onto it. It's mounted onto the place card with a Dimensional.

Tada! :D You could do a lot of these if you needed to, in just a little bit of time. They will add a nice splash of color, too - but it's up to you to decide who has to sit next to Uncle Sy. :D

OK, I'm outta here! Lots to do! :D Have a WONDERFUL day, and be sure to make the time to stamp something.

Challenge Card!

Happy Wednesday! Are you having a good week? Mine's FLYING - busy, busy. :D

Today's share is a challenge card I did for Mary Jo's Monday Lunchtime Challenge. :) You can see the sketch and her team's cards at the link there.

This is a REALLY unusual color combo for me for a Christmas card, but I LOVE it. It's so elegant IRL! Yes, that card base is Smoky Slate! With some Whisper White card stock for the strip and the inside. That specialty Designer Series Paper is from the Holiday Mini, Winter Frost - well, it's beautiful paper, I must tell you. (There's so much from the Holiday Mini I want! AUGH!!!! :D )

The stamp set is a carry-over from last year's Holiday Mini, called Evergreen. And the snowflakes that are stamped and embossed with Iridescent Ice are from Festive Flurry, available in a bundle!

OK, peeps, I'm outta here. :) Still lots to do today! I hope you have a wonderful day, and make SURE to take the time to STAMP something!!! :)

LAST DAY to Join My Team for only $25!!!!

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Offer: New recruits can join Stampin' Up! for just $25!

Dates: October 7-21, 2013

The Fine Print:

This offer is only good for two weeks, so take advantage of it right away!
During this offer, only the special $25 starter kit will be available; the regular $99 starter kit will not be available. The $25 Starter Kit includes
$26.95 worth of Stampin' Up! product (it must be more than $25, but not more than $26.95 before tax)
Business pack which includes
A box of annual catalogs
A package of the current seasonal catalog
Getting Started DVD
Customer Order Forms
Customer postcards
This promotion will concurrently be available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and France.

First Workshop Perks

If your new recruit places her first workshop order of at least $150 within 30 days of her start date, she can:
choose any stamp set from the 2013-2014 annual catalog (redeemable with her first demonstrator order in December).*
receive 30% instant income on her first order and any eligible hostess benefits if she hosts her own event.

*This perk is only available to those who sign up between October 7-21; don't let your new recruits miss out!

MDS Monday - Fall in Indiana

Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend?? Mine was SO busy - there's so much going on that I've had loooong TO DO lists every day. And it doesn't look like it's going to stop much....

ANYWAY. We had a wonderful time in Indiana, and I wanted to showcase a few of the photos I took. The corn was on the farm we stay at, and the pumpkins were at a pumpkin patch we went to. :) We had pretty wonderful weather, too!

I have to tell you, I purchased this digital kit JUST for doing this page. The background paper, the word stamp in the middle, the punch leaves, and the DSP filling in the leaves - all from the WONDERFALL KIT. You can download it for another digital scrapbooking program, if you've already got one. Go ahead, click on the link there. :D

OK, I'm outta here! The HOSTESS APPRECIATION LUNCHEON is this Saturday, and I've got LOTS to do! What would I do without my lists?!? :D Have a wonderful day! Be sure and make the time to stamp SOMEthing!!!

Thank You Card

Happy Friday!!!!

I don't know about you, but I always need thank-you cards. I need to do better about giving/sending them out - I am SO blessed by people!!

The square on this was masked off, then we rolled it and sponged it with Cajun Craze and Pumpkin Pie. Later, I decided to step it up a bit, and sponged some Versamark onto the square, using the mask, and then embossed it with clear EP. I really like it - it adds a little layer and some extra pop.

If you don't do much sponging, I'd like to encourage you to try it more. It really adds a lot of texture - as you've seen on EVERY non-MDS project the past two weeks - with little effort.

Phew. Can you BELIEVE there's only one more full week left in October?!?! WOW, is time flying!

OK, I'm outta here! Have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and take the time to stamp SOMEthing! :)

Welcome to Wednesday! :)

This is the third project we did at the Hostess Club; I try to do two cards and a 3D project. When the girls saw this one, I even HEARD one of them say it was too complicated.

HA! Did I prove them wrong! :D

Stampin' Up!'s new card thinlits - go here to see them in action! - make this SO stinking easy. All of us at the party remember having to measure, score, cut - well, no more. The thinlits do it ALL!! All you have to do is fold and decorate. SO fun.

And I LOVE the fact that they've brought back the Encore gold and silver ink pads. Embossing with them gives a whole new richness to it!

OK, I'm outta here. :) If all went as expected, we're getting home today. :) So go stamp something! :D

MDS Monday - My Beautiful Mom

Good Monday Morning!

This is from the same challenge as last week's MDS Monday - the color challenge. I wanted to do something different; I don't do color blocking very often, but I like this. :)

I don't normally like doing just one photo on a page, but this one really works for me. :) I love my mom; she's my hero.

Again, if you're not using MY DIGITAL STUDIO, you're really missing out. And you can get a 30-day free full download to try it out!!! Go get it. :D

Today's Kenn's birthday. We're out of town to rest up. :) If you have a chance, wish him a happy birthday, would you? :D

And stamp something, will ya?! :D

Inspired Gratitude Card

I love this card. :) I know I was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest, but I didn't pin it. Odd, because I like to know where to attribute the inspiration. Oh, well. :)

This is another project we did for the Hostess Club get-together. It was such a great day! :) That's the Framed Tulip around the outside; the Antique Wallpaper one is retired now, but you can use any texture folder you wish!

OK, I'm outta here. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me! And you can start your own hostess club any time you wish. :D Just let me know.

Have a wonderful weekend! Take the time to stamp something!

Owl Fancy Favor

Welcome to Wednesday! :)

Isn't this guy cute? I kind of CASEd him, but knew I wanted to use our Fancy Favor Box die as his base. All the other measurements are based from the box itself. No hand cutting for us - I LOVE MY BIG SHOT! :D

Also, I wanted to give a little more texture to his feathers; the card stock is Chocolate Chip, and we sponged with Early Espresso ink.

I didn't want to glitter his eyes, so we only did his beak. Oh, and we used the Tasteful Trim die for the "feathers".

I'd like to do something with his face piece, but this is what we did. Oh, we did this for the hostess club get-together. If you want to be a part, NOW is the time to sign up! Or get some of your friends together, and let's start your own hostess club!!!!

OK, I'm outta here. Have a wonderful day! Be SURE to make the time to STAMP something! :D