Just a Note...

 

The Christmas Crafting is winding down fast! My final project in these last few days is sets of handmade notecards accented with the appropriate initial. These are multi-purpose and I think nearly anyone could put them to use! They are fun to make because I use so many different combinations of the Designer Series Papers. That's "Bella Rose" in the foreground, 'Haiku" in the upper right, and "Sweet Always" on the left. This is just a sampling -- my work table is filled with different combinations!

Sparkly Snow

 

Here's another one of those Christmas Stamp-a-Stack goodies! I wish my photo did the bling some justice. Trust me -- it sparkles! This card features two of the In Colors, Baja Breeze and Pacific Point plus some Ski Slope Designer Series Paper. RSVP by Friday!

Stamp-a-Stack of Christmas Cards!

it's that time of year again. Time to head to My Stampin' Spot to stamp yourself a stack of Christmas Cards in 2 hours. 20 cards to be exact. With envelopes. And the option of punching coordinating photo corners to add your treasured picture to the inside. Seasoned stampers appreciate that the prep work is taken care of and newer stampers appreciate how fast it is to create something special and handmade.

This is one of the 5 designs. I always manage to sneak a little pink into Christmas!

Stamp-a-Stack Workshop Dates:

Sunday, November 30 2:00 pm
Monday, December 1 10:00 am
Tuesday, December 2 7:30pm

Cost: $30.00

Please RSVP by Friday, November 21.

Christmas Countdown: Week 2

 

So this is how I spiffed up my Christmas Countdown Binder this year. Grabbed some very old holiday patterned paper from my stash and a favorite Christmas photo from last year. Last week I cleaned up the inside (threw out all of last year's receipts!)and printed my new calendar pages and checklists. I also made a few trips to the store and have dutifuly noted the purchases and the recipients in the Gift List section. Check out this week's "assignments" at www.organizedchristmas.com .

 

I am really going to miss this Ghostly Greetings Paper when the final trick-or-treaters have come and gone. (I made sure to save one sheet with the words for a scrapbook page or two!) This card features that paper with Pumpkin Pie, Going Gray, and Kiwi Kiss Striped ribbon. And I used the scalloped edge punch.. AGAIN!!!

Pssst... Only 59 Days Until Christmas...

So here's a friendly reminder from your Stampin' Pal that it's time to get organized. Time to plan the (handstamped) cards, the gifts to make, the treats to bake, the holiday menus, the gifts to buy. And TODAY is the day to start!

Click on over to Organized Christmas for Day 1 of this year's countdown. I'm off to update my binder and get this season going!

Spread Some Halloween Happiness...

 

This is my version of the little treat basket/purse that is making the rounds on the Internet. This one isn't the tiny favor box size. I made this larger (think a large order of French Fries) because I want it to hold a handful of Halloween candy. I love the Ghostly Designer Series Paper and that's the new Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain around the top. I'm thinking I'll make five more and let them be my Halloween Teacher Treat this year!

(There is a video tutorial out there for this project created by a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator named Michelle.)

Are You Still In???

My pictures are not nearly as good as Ali's -- my lists are way more abbreviated -- and my husband and children are running from me -- but I'm still in! My "Week in the Life" is going to be an interesting little project when I put it together next week. I never would have captured so much of the mundane, so much of the routine.

If a week is too much, follow Stacy Julian's approach and give yourself a present!

Happy Creating --

A Week in the Life

Ready for a challenge this week? How about documenting a week in your life? Just gather up your camera, a notebook, and loads of those Stampin' Up! supplies you already own. Ali Edwards is our guide. Aby Garvey is already on board. Are you?

Let's see what a week in your life looks like!

Wow -- Flowers!

 

This cheerful card uses some fun, new products! The stamp set is "Wow, Flowers!". The cardstock and ink colors are two of the new In-Colors -- Pacific Point and Kiwi Kiss. The sentiment is in Whisper White Craft Ink topped with White Embossing Powder to give it a little pop!

Wishes "In Color"

 

Here is a card that features the new In Color, Baja Breeze. I paired it with some Certainly Celery and some Barely Banana. The stamp set is new as well. It's called "Heard from the Heart" . It is one of the featured sets in the "Never Before Seen, Never before Savings" events. Read about the discounts on brand new stamps HERE. And see the scalloped edge at the bottom. That is the brand new punch you HAVE to have!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to a brand new Stampin' Up! Year! There are lots of new products on sale --and classes with new products on the calendar.

I can't wait to get started.......

There is a lot of information on my Official Stampin' Up! Website

The "In" thing...

As in, the New "In Colors" thing!

My demonstrator pre-order sampler of Stampin' Up!'s limited edition colors arrived and I have dipped my toes into the new colors with this quick card. I am anxious to see which colors I like together and which colors I use the most -- espcially once I get my hands on the new catalog and can order some coordinating patterned paper and ribbon!



You'll want to take these colors for a spin yourself! Watch this space for my New Catalog Special on them beginning August 11th!


Stamp Sets: Stitched Exotics, Happy Everything
Paper: Perfect Plum, KIWI KISS, TANGERINE TANGO, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: TANGERINE TANGO, KIWI KISS
Accessories: Silver Brads, Word Window Punch, Photo Corner Punch

The Fling is Ending...

My Spring Fling that is -- with the Spring Fling Designer Series paper. It's retiring and I will miss its soft subtles tones. (It's 25% off and still available, so grab a few packs while you can!).

The stamp set is my oft-used, always loved Pretty Princess. It retired a few years back, but stop me if I have mentioned before how you will have to pry it from hands...

As another quick aside, this template is one of my "go-to" sketches when working with patterned paper. The proportions always seem right when you select a wonderful Stampin' Up! set of coordinated paper!

Stamp Set: Pretty Princess (retired)
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Whisper White, Spring Fling DSP
Ink: Black Staz-on, Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery
Accessories: narrow White Grosgrain Ribbon, Pink Gingham ribbon, Soft Subtles Eyelets

I'll Never "Froget" You....

I am so going to miss this little guy. My little "Unfrogettable" frog. In a sea of floral and princess stamps I own, he is my "Go To" little boy set.

Froggy is retiring in August and so are a few of my other friends. You can browse the list HERE and email me on the link in the sidebar ----------> to find out about the special discount I am ofering on retiring sets ordered before August 8th.

Stampin' Up! is also offering some of the retiring accessories at a 25% discount. You can view that list HERE and it is frequently updated now to reflect sell outs.

It's hard to say good-bye to so many favorites -- but get the goodies while you can at a discount!

Stamp Set: Unfrogettable
Paper: So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi Designer Prints (also retiring)
Ink: Wild Wasabi (retiring, snifff... snifff....) Black Staz-on
Accessories: Wild Wasabi Stitched Ribbon (on the way out -- get it at 25% off!), Scallop Punch

A Library of Memories

 

Since you have to have a "little" project while waiting for the new Stampin' Up! catalog year to begin I decide to organize all the pictures I have ever taken. Really.

If you know Joe, then you know that my photos are all in containers and behind closed doors. The only problem is he just likes things put away -- he is not interested in grouping like items together. (I'm funny that way. The coffee supplies are in the cabinet directly above the coffeemaker. The ziploc sandwich and snack size bags are just below where I pack lunches. That kind of thing.) So imagine my horror when I discovered multiple containers of photos stashed around the garage. They were in cabinets and things -- but spread out everywhere. And I never would have made the connection that a box he marked "garage pics" was in fact a box of boxes of pictures he was storing in the garage. I have walked past it for 2 years thinking it was pictures OF the garage without processing it fully.

But I digress.

Since I am a Stacy Julian devotee -- think Big Picture Scrapbooking -- think Simple Scrapbooking -- I knew that her latest work Photo Freedom was just what I needed to corral my out of hand photographs and make them into a system. So that when I am inspired by great supplies or pictures in the new catalog to create a memory item or a scrapbook page I will know where to find the photos. And they won't be subjected to the humidity of the garage.

So I took Joe by the hand and together we scored all the known photos in our home. Just as Stacy says I piled them all in one place. (The dining room. He nearly died. I like the table space.) Then I began the process of sorting and more importantly friends, PURGING. (Why oh why did I ever order all those doubles? And who needed 14,000 pictures of my three cats??? Why keep photos of boyfriends from way back???) I tackled the 1990's first. When I was done the boxes had melted down into a few piles and multiple trash bags were full. I tied them and ran them outside quickly so as not to be tempted to go back through them. I have one album of photos ready to be scrapbooked. And I am making dividers for my 4 storage drawers to keep pictures I might work with again. I am already feeling so much better!

I am tackling 2000 next which is a different animal because that includes digital. I take too many pictures -- I don't edit enough -- don't print enough -- and save too many. Heck, I've got one hard drive stashed in a closet with 11,000 pictures on it! Wish me luck.

Berry Fun Layout

The new school year begins again in the morning and I can already feel just how much more crafting I am about to get done!

I got a quick fix in this weekend while (tap, tap, tap) waiting for the new Stampin' Up! catalog year to begin.

This layout uses the Summer Picnic Designer Paper and the Tart and Tangy Stamp Set from the Spring mini catalog. I just LOVE this paper and the stamps!

Stamp Sets: Tart and Tangy, Big Deal Alpha, Short Order Alpha
Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, summer Picnic
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive
Accessories: Real Red Striped Grosgrain, Bashful Blue Striped Grosgrain, Old Olive 5/8 Grosgrain, Scallop Punch, 1 3/4" AND 1 1/4" Circle Punches

The Bali Breeze Card Collection (and the cute box, too)!

Be prepared for any occasion with this stunning collection of 12 all-occasion cards in a custom-designed box. This card set makes a perfect gift for the person who has everything, or simply keep it on hand for yourself!

Thursday, June 19 7:30 pm
Monday, June 23 7:30 pm
Monday, June 30 7:30 pm

Class Cost: $25.00

RSVP and Pre-payment for all class dates by June 13th.

Please email me with the link on the right hand sidebar for more information about the class!


Supplies:

• Stamp sets: One of a Kind, Embrace Life, Stitched Exotics, A Beautiful Thing,
• Paper: 8 ½” x 11” Whisper White, Apricot Appeal, Rose Red, Old Olive, Taken with teal, Certainly Celery, River Rock, Bali Breeze Designer Paper (DP), Medium Whisper White envelopes.
• Ink: Basic Black, Taken with Teal, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery Old Olive, Rose Red, Purely Pomegranate, Pumpkin Pie, Blush Blossom, River Rock Classic ink pads; Old Olive & Rose Red Classic ink refills; Rose Red Stampin’ Write marker or Stampin’ Spot.
• Adhesives: Tombow Multi-Purpose Adhesive, Snail Adhesive, 2-way glue pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals
• Accessories: Pomegranate double-stitched ribbon, narrow white & apricot grosgrain ribbon, silver brads, Dazzling Diamonds glitter.
• Puches & other tools: 1/16” handheld circle punch, ½” circle punch, ¼” circle punch, ticket corner punch, large oval punch, Boho Blossoms punch, 3/16” corner rounder punch, blender pen, Stampin’ Sponge, Stamp-a-ma-jig

He'll "flip" for this gift!

This is the Father's Day Photo Flip Frame I'm featuring as the "to go" project. The base is two 4 x 4 coasters. The Designer paper is "Jersey Shore" and the stamp set is "Enjoy Every Moment".

Across the desk "they" see the decorative outside. On his side of the desk he'll be staring at the very special photo of your choice.

School Days Thank Yous...

Really -- it is coming to an end. Preschool finished today and we track out of elementary school next week. But I still needed another half-dozen Thank You cards for group teacher gifts and notes of appreciation for Room Mothers.

Andrea Walford came to the rescue with her makeover card on her blog this week. I copied the design, I just changed it to include the (retired) Darling Doodles Designer Series paper that I just love for anything school-related.

This is an example of a sketch that is a keeper! It is adaptable to so many situations and is a great way to use scraps of fabulous paper. It also comes together very quickly assembly line style!

Stamp Set: Enjoy Every Moment
Paper: Whisper White, Darling Doodles
Ink: Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou and Wild Wasabi Stitched Ribbon, Silver Brads