Simple Saturday: Mediterranean Moments

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snow42917Hello!  It’s Simple Saturday.  Actually, I should call it Snowy Saturday!  Yep…this is life in Colorado.  Just when you think it’s safe to put your winter clothes away you need them again!

Simple Saturday is about cards….not weather!  Today’s card was made using the Mediterranean Moments stamp set.  Did you know that this stamp set was inspired by one of Mediterranean Moments.0417Stampin’ Up!’s Million Dollar Sales Achiever?  Susan Nygaard helped design/inspire this stamp set.  How fun is that?

This stamp set has four great line-art images.  They’re perfect for coloring or just stamping as I’ve done here.  A stamped image, a sentiment, a couple of layers and a little bit of baker’s twine and my card is done!

One of the great things about this card is that you can leave off the sentiment and have it on hand to use for any occasion.  Stamp a bunch of these and give them as a gift!  (Mother’s Day is just around the corner!)

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

3 x 3 Thursday: Daisy Delight Sneak Peek!

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Daisy DelightI didn’t need another flower stamp set….yet here we are….

Of course I needed the new, upcoming Daisy Delight stamp set!  Not only is it fresh and fun but there’s a COORDINATING Daisy Punch!  Woo Hoo!

Look how cute and fun this little flower is!  Doesn’t it say summer?  Yes, here in Colorado we’re looking towards summer already….the calendar says spring but they’re predicting 3″-5″ of snow on Saturday!  Really?!  It’s almost May!  Well, welcome to spring in Colorado…

If you look close at the daisy on the card you will see that I actually stamped and punched the daisy twice to get the full flower.  I just adhered the centers together and I have a full flower.

The Daisy Delight stamp set and the Daisy punch are part of the Delightful Daisy Suite in the upcoming catalog.  In this suite you’ll also find fun ribbons, faceted gems that work perfectly for the flower centers and the most GORGEOUS designer paper ever!  Ok…maybe not ever but the Delightful Daisy Designer Paper is fabulous….I know you’re going to love it.  So when you get your new catalog be sure to check out the suite on pages 126-127!  🙂

Speaking of the new catalog….be sure to contact me if you’d like to receive your very own copy!  I’ll be ordering them next week!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

 

Coming: Eastern Palace Suite

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Oh, wow!  One of the suites from the upcoming new 2017-2017 Annual Catalog will be available NEXT WEEK!  Yes!  Next week you can purchase the fabulous new Eastern Beauty Bundle AND coordinating products!  Want a sneak peek?  Check out this fun video!

a6655abfb71aa57750fb0c6e08795b98This is a card that my downline Janet designed for our team meeting last Saturday.  Isn’t it fun?  I tell you…the Eastern Medallion Framelits that COORDINATE with the Eastern Beauty stamp set are AMAZING!  The framelits nest and fit within each other so that you can create tons of different medallions.  I can’t wait to play with them!  Yes…that’s correct….I haven’t had a chance to play with this suite of products that I have and it’s killing me!  Dang!

I’m working on a big project for church but when that’s done I’m getting out my Eastern Palace Suite!  I need to make some fantastic projects to share with you!  🙂

Stay tuned for more details on all of these gorgeous products that you can purchase starting on Monday!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

 

Lift Me Up

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Lift Me Up.0417Hello!  Yes, it’s been awhile.  I tell you….things get crazy around here and I forget to post on my blog.   Classes last week and planning for a team meeting for last Saturday kept me on my toes as well as doing a project for church.  The week just flew by.  I hope your life isn’t quite as busy as this.

My disclaimer for this card is that the card base is Night of Navy, not Crumb Cake.  I just laid the card on Crumb Cake card stock to take the picture….although you probably could make the card as it looks in the picture…maybe I’ll have to try.  🙂

The Lift Me Up stamp set and the COORDINATING Up & Away Thinlits will be in the new 2017-2018 Catalog.  Woo Hoo!  The not so good news is that you won’t be able to purchase them together and get a 10% discount so if you like this set and want to purchase both items in a bundle and save money you should purchase them in the near future.  Don’t miss out on a deal!  🙂

There are a lot of fun little pieces to this stamp set and framelit set.  This is the first card I’ve made with it but there are tons of great ideas out there and I can’t wait to play more.

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Bright & Fun Flower Shop

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Flower Shop.0417Spring has sprung and it’s time for flowers!  These fun flowers are from the Flower Shop stamp set that has a COORDINATING punch!  You know how I love my coordination!  🙂

This was one of the cards I designed for this week’s Card Buffet.  Fun and bright!  If you’ve checked over the retiring list you may have noticed that the Flower Shop stamp set and the Pansy Punch are sticking around.  Woo Hoo!  I may not pull these items out often but they’re great to have around.

Speaking of the retiring list…..if there are items on it that you want order them SOON!  I’d hate for you to miss out.  Everything but stamp sets are only available while supplies last so don’t wait!  Order today!

I’m hoping to get a lot done on this gorgeous spring day.  My list is long so hopefully I can stick to it!  🙂

Have a beautiful day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Tutorial Tuesday: Origami Treat Holder

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As I promised yesterday I have a quick tutorial for you on how to make the cute Origami Treat Holder I posted.  Four quick folds and you’re done!

Before I get started I need to apologize about my photos.  Not sure why they’re all different colors.  Hmmm…. I guess I better work on that.  Sorry!

Origami.1Start with a 6″ by 6″ piece of designer series paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Origami.2Turn your paper on the diagonal.  I found that making this treat holder on grid paper makes it so much easier.

 

 

 

 

 

Origami.3Take the bottom point of your diagonal square and fold it up to meet the top point so that you have a triangle.

 

 

Origami.4

 

This is the step where your grid paper really comes in handy.  Take the point on the right and fold it up to a point and the left leg of your triangle.  You’ll know you’re in the right spot when the top edge of the piece you’re working with is completely horizontal (line up perfectly with a grid mark) and parallel with the bottom edge of your triangle.

 

Origami.5Now take the left corner and fold it over so that the top edge will line up with the top edge of the right side and your point will meet at the point of the fold on the right.

 

 

 

 

 

Origami.6The final step is to take the top point and fold it towards the bottom edge of your treat holder along the top horizontal edge.

That’s it!  Now you can decorate as you please!  I did find that it wants to unfold so what I do is just stick my fingers in the opening and kind of flex the front out a little and it should stay folded.  Easy Peasy!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Basket Bunch Treat Holder

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Basket Builder Origami.0417Whew!  Easter is over.  I’ve had a busy couple of weeks.  First I was in the MN Homeland for a week and when I came home it was Holy Week already.  That meant a long choir rehearsal on Wednesday, singing in a cantata on Good Friday and two early services on Sunday…and that was just the church stuff!  I had to hit the grocery store and make deviled eggs, Frango Mint Cheesecake and Easter potatoes for dinner yesterday!  Like I said…whew!  Now I can just sit back and enjoy life.

Easter is over but I still wanted to share with you this adorable little treat holder.  I made this for my table mates at the On Stage event in Minneapolis.  This was one of those projects that made me all happy when I finished it.  It turned out so dang cute!

This little folded treat holder is SO easy.  I will make a little tutorial today and share it with you tomorrow instead of trying to explain it here without pictures.

My favorite part of this treat holder is the little label with the chocolate bunny.  The bunny and the sentiment are both from the wonderful Basket Bunch Bundle.  FYI…the Basket Builder Bundle (which includes the Basket Bunch stamp set and the Basket Builder framelits) is on the retiring list but as of today both of these items are still available.  If you purchase them separately, the stamp set is 20% off and the framelits are 50% off!  These are great items for you stash as Easter does come around every year!  🙂

You can shop right here in my online store!  Don’t miss out on these fun items.  How can you resist that cute little chocolate bunny and that fabulous sentiment! 🙂

Say…did you notice that my bunny is kind of shiny and looks more 3D?  Well…let me tell you how I did that….

After I stamped the bunny and die cut him I colored his eye with my Chalk Marker and my Basic Black Marker.  Then I took my Fine-Tip Glue Pen and “colored” him in!  Do you remember Crystal Effects?  It works just like that to give the raised, shiny look!  How fun is that?  You’ll have to try it on something!

Don’t forget to buy the Basket Bunch stamp set and the Basket Builder framelits at those fabulous low prices!  You’re going to want them next Easter!  🙂

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Retiring Products!

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demo_header_retiringproducts_naHello!  Sorry I’ve been away but it’s hard to post when you’re traveling and I can’t seem to get ahead of the game and schedule them before hand.  Oh, well….

I had a nice trip to MN.  Hanging out in downtown Minneapolis with my stamping peeps was great and I also got to visit with family.

If you’re not aware, the 2017 Retiring List is out.  I get kind of sad when the retiring list comes out because there’s always a chance that some of my favorite items will be on it!  You can check out a pdf of the list here or you can view the retiring products in my online store here.  However you view them just be sure to order the items you want soon.  Stamp sets are guaranteed to be available through May 22nd but everything else is only available while supplies last.

Be sure to get your favorite retiring items while you can!  Don’t miss out!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Oh, So Succulent Treat Box

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My friends Jan, Janet and I are hanging out in Minneapolis today.  We had breakfast on the Nicollet Mall and then we cruised through the Skyway system.  In Minneapolis you can get around most of the downtown area without going outside.  It comes in really handy during the Envelope Box.1.0417frigid winter months.  We’ll do a little more exploring this afternoon.

Envelope Box.2.0417Tomorrow is the big event.  Woo Hoo!  We can hardly wait to check out the new catalog and see the new products.  Today’s project is a little treat holder that I made for everyone who will be sitting at my table tomorrow?

It’s a little box made with the Envelope Punch Board.  I made it using the Succulent Garden Designer Series Paper and the Oh, So Succulent stamp set.

To get the two-toned flower I used my “Modified Rock n Roll” technique that I used on this card.  I ink up the flower and the use my sponge dauber to add the second color.  This little flower works perfectly with the technique.

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

From the MN Homeland!

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Hello!  I’ve been here in the MN Homeland for a few days visiting and just hanging out.  Today I pick up my CO friends Jan and Janet from the airport to begin our pre-On Stage festivities.  The Minneapolis is airport is right by the Mall of America so that’s where we’ll be headed this afternoon as neither of “the J’s” has been there before and I haven’t been there for years.  It should be fun.

We’re all pretty excited about Stampin’ Up!’s On-Stage event on Saturday.  We get to see the new catalog!  Woo Hoo!

Dragonfly Dreams Bee.0417You can’t have a Stampin’ Up! event with swapping.  Today’s card is my swap for the event.  I have a thing about this little bumble bee from the Dragonfly Dreams Bundle.  He’s so darn cute.  I really like the dragonfly too.  I’m so glad that this bundle will be in the new catalog!  Oops!  Did I give something away?  🙂

Are you curious as how I got the honeycomb background on the card?  Well, let me tell you!  I started with my Hexagons Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, a sponge brayer and the Delightful Dijon ink pad.  I sponged the ink onto the raised side of the embossing folder, put my paper in, closed the embossing folder and then evenly pressed down on all areas of the folder.  You can use this technique with any of your embossing folders.  It’s great!

I colored one of the Lace Doilies with the Delightful Dijon ink pad and sponge brayer just like I did on this card.  I’m loving the lace doilies and this little technique! I sure hope they carry over into the new catalog!  I guess I’ll find out on Tuesday!  🙂

It’s hard to tell from the picture but after I die cut the little bee I glued him to a piece of vellum and cut out around the outside of the bee.  Then I took by Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Brush and the Gold Wink of Stella Glitter Brush and colored the back side of the vellum to add a little sparkle to my bee.  It turned out pretty cute!  At first I tried coloring in the little areas on the front side.  This worked but was pretty tedious and I kept getting glitter pen o the die cut bee.  I did figure out how to remove the excess glitter pen though!  I simply took the white eraser on the end of my mechanical pencil and “erased” the glitter!  It worked like a charm!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Make it Mine Monday: Butterfly Basics

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Butterfly Basics.0417It’s another episode of Make it Mine Monday!  Today’s card was made with an oldie but goodie stamp set:  Butterfly Basics.  I’ve been designing cards for my upcoming Card Buffet to be held right after Easter and decided to use some older stamp sets that might be retiring with the new catalog.

Speaking of retiring lists….On Monday, April 11th the retiring list will post for the Annual Catalog and the Occasions Catalog.  I’ll be in MN but will try to get on my dad’s computer to post that for you all.  Don’t forget…if you’re wanting to get any of the products associated with the retiring in-colors (especially ink refills) GET THEM NOW!  They will be the first items to sell out.  All products on the retiring list will available only while supplies last except stamp sets that will be available at least until the middle of May.

02a95071f424d6ebde0bbb1148f3c2eaBut back to my card!  I CASEd my card from Dawn Olchefske.  Thanks Dawn!  As you can see from the two cards I kept mine pretty close to Dawns.  I added a layer behind the oval, left off the button and baker’s twine and added a little punched butterfly.

From this you can see how easy it is to keep the same basic card as the one you’re copying but still make it your own!

Today I have to finish packing as tomorrow I head to the Homeland for visiting family and Saturday’s On Stage event!  Woo Hoo!

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Easter Message

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Easter Message.1.0317Two weeks from today.  That’s it and then Easter is here.  Yikes!  I don’t even have any Easter decorations up and I’m not sure they’ll get put up this year!  I head to the Homeland on Tuesday and am gone for a week.  Then I always have to play catch up on things when I get back and before you know it it’s Good Friday, then Easter!  Oh, well.  I guess that’s the way it goes.  Do you ever get way behind on things like I do?  Sheesh!  After all these years you’d think I could get a system or something.

This is a simple card….just a few layers and I colored the image with my ink pads and a blender pen.  That’s it!  Nothing fancy going on here.  The perfect card if you want to whip up a few of them.

Time to get busy with all of those last minute things that need to get done before I leave town.  Yikes!  That’s in 2 days!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Staming!

 

Basket Builder Framelits

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Basket Builder.0317Happy April!  Can you believe that Easter is in 2 weeks!  Yikes!  I can’t believe that April is here already either!  Where does the time fly?

We made this adorable little Easter card at my Easter & Spring class last month.  This was definitely one of my favorites.  It turned out so cute with the gingham paper from the Succulent Garden Designer Series Paper.  So pretty!  I love gingham!

I did use the Sale-a-bration Glimmer Paper on the eggs but you could use regular card stock to and it would be just as cute.

I made my basket from Crumb Cake card stock and then “lined it” with Soft Sued card stock to add a little dimension.  There is a little bow die in the Framelits set but I decided to add a ribbon bow to my card since we have that fun narrow grosgrain ribbon in the Sending Love Ribbon Combo Pack.

I guess I should probably finish up all those extra Easter cards I cut for class and get ready to actually mail them this year!  Sheesh!  Of course I’ll be seeing everyone I’d send a card to next week when I’m back in the MN Homeland for Stampin’ Up!’s On Stage event.  Woo Hoo!  Family, friends and fun all in one week!

I’m heading out on Tuesday.  I’ll visit with family for a couple of days and then pick up my friends Janet & Jan at the airport.  The three of us and a couple of hundred other demonstrators will hang around downtown Minneapolis for a few days and then on Saturday we’ll have our event.  We will get to view the upcoming 2017-2018 Annual Catalog!  Woo Hoo!  I can’t wait!!!!  We’ll also learn so great ideas and get to play with some of the new products!!!

I do love my Stampin’ Up! events!  Maybe you’d like to join me in Salt Lake City next November!  I know it’s going to be a great event because Stampin’ Up! is kicking off their 30th Annivesary in November.  Join my team and join me in SLC next November!  🙂

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!

Reverse Words: Sale-a-bration 2017

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Reverse Words GlitterYikes!  Only a couple of days left of Sale-a-bration 2017!  Have you placed your order?

This quick and easy card was made using the Reverse Words Sale-a-bration stamp set and the Glimmer Paper.  Unfortunately, the Glimmer Paper is not available any longer but if you wanted to make this card you could just substitute a designer paper that has Sweet Sugarplum in it.  Easy Peasy!

The fun thing about the Reverse Words stamp set is the stamp itself gives you that kind of watercolored look.  Add a few jewels along with your ribbon and the card is done!

DON’T MISS OUT ON SALE-A-BRATION!!!!  Tomorrow is the last day!

Make a Medallion: Sale-a-bration 2017

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Make a MedallionDo you ever get really excited when you finish a card because it turns out so well?  This is one of those cards for me…..it turned out so pretty!  🙂

This was my first attempt at using the Make a Medallion Sale-a-bration stamp set.  I stamped one piece of the medallion in Rich Razzleberry and one piece in Sweet Sugarplum and then die cut the medallion with a Layering Circle Framelit.

Check out what I layered the medallion circle on.  Can you tell what it is?  It’s one of the Lace Doilies from the Occasions Catalog!  I know….you’re wondering how I colored it.  Well, let me tell you.  I colored it using a foam brayer and the Rich Razzleberry ink pad!  Pretty cool, huh?  It was SO easy and it turns out SO great!  You really need to try this!

Did you notice that I also used my new favorite embossing folder?  I LOVE the Petal Burst Embossing Folder!  What’s your favorite embossing folder?

Don’t forget….only a few days left to take advantage of Sale-a-bration 2017!

Have a great day!  Take care and Happy Stamping!