Coming at you from Louisiana...

Well, I said I'd get back to "work" and instead, I got back to NATURE! We decided on Friday morning (just after I posted the last entry) to head off on a weekend camping trip with the boys. So here I am, in lovely Louisiana, sitting in the woods, typing a message to all of you. Dedication? You bet. I'm here for you, people!!

And as for the working... well, I'll have you know that I HAVE, in fact, been working! We met up with my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law (and fellow Stampin' Up! recruit) who travelled from Mississippi and so I brought along a few... okay, a LOT of stamping supplies to show her some new tricks. While doing that, I created a gorgeous box that holds a few cards and envelopes (several of you have been asking about how to make those)... I also created a couple of cards for her, too. And although I'm not able to upload the photos to show you right now, I will certainly do so as soon as I'm back at home. Hey, cut me some slack! I'm in the middle of the woods suffering through this DOG-SLOW wireless internet connection just to let you know where I'm at because I love y'all so much (I normally wouldn't touch ANY sort of technology while on a camping trip)! So anyway, I promise to show you what I've been working on in a couple days... and I'll give you 3+ photos all at once just to make up for it. Deal?

Until then, HAPPY STAMPING and "Lassaiz le bon temps roulette!" (I may have really butchered the spelling there (it's been a LONG time since French class!), but I'm feeling a bit cajun being in these neck of the woods. Some kind soul could leave me a comment educating me on the proper spelling... I'd go Google it myself, but I don't have 30 minutes to wait for the page to display.)

Catalog Retirement Sales Event Results...

Thank you to everyone who took advantage of my sale! The orders have all been placed and should arrive within the week... I will call you when they do.

Okay, now for the results:

The highest order was placed by Cindy R.! Cindy, I'll contact you so you can come pick out a set from my stash.

And for the drawing - for every $50 spent, you received one chance in the drawing. I put identical slips of paper with your names on them into a bowl and had my husband draw the name... Congratulations, Theresa M.! You have won the "Very Punny" stamp set!

I have finally received my new catalogs in the mail! I am so excited to share them with you all (3 of you earned one through my sale)... I have already begun to play with the new sets I have now, but I will continue to give you glimpses as often as I can. Sorry there's no card photo on this post - I have been busy compiling orders... and okay, so I've spent a bit of time looking at the new catalog! :) You caught me. But I promise to get back to work now (yeah, right! As if it's really "work"!) I have the best job ever!

A New Style

Get a load of this new set! It's called "Baroque Motifs" and it has the most beautiful swirl flourish stamp. As beautiful as it is, though, I literally slaved over this card. I guess it's a new style for me and it's going to take some getting used to. I'm generally happy with the result, though, and I look forward to working with it some more!

Remember, today is the last day for you to place an order for my Catalog Retirement sale! I need payment today before the banks close, and I'll be placing the order this evening. Tomorrow, I will do the drawing for the free stamp set and post the results right here, as well as contact the winner by phone.

I am patiently waiting for my new catalogs to arrive! It gets harder with each passing day, as I am very eager to see all the new great stuff! Hopefully they will arrive today!

Supplies:
Stamp sets: "Baroque Motifs"
Cardstock: Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst, Rose Red, scrap from Palette o' Prints
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Versamark, Rose Red
Accessories: Corner Rounder punch (for scallop), Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, sewing machine and ivory thread

Birthday Hugs and Wishes!

Yes, today is my birthday... so in honor of that, I'm sending birthday hugs and wishes to all of YOU!!

This card was made with the new Pick a Petal stamp set that you'll be seeing in the new catalog - only a few short days away!! It's also using the new Hugs & Wishes set... two great sets that go great together! And yes, I used my new favorite skill - SEWING! (at least I didn't sew the card shut this time) But you don't have to sew. You can get this look with the paper piercer and guide (in the crafter's toolkit), and then use the white gel pen to make the "stitches".

Supplies:
Stamp Sets: "Pick a Petal", "Hugs & Wishes"
Cardstock: Barely Banana, Cameo Coral, Whisper White, Certainly Celery from the Palette 'O Prints
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Barely Banana, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Celery grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, sewing machine & thread

So, consider yourself HUGGED! :)

I'm Sew Hoppy!

Well, I have started a new adventure in cardmaking... sewing! You may notice that I've added a list of blogs I visit down the left side of the screen (I'll continue to add more, but keep in mind that these ladies are all masters while I am only their meager apprentice). I have read all about Cambria's experiences with sewing and I just had to give it a try myself. I have purchased the same little Janome Sew Mini machine that she's using and I tried my hand at it for the first time last night. I have a full-size (old) sewing machine, and I have sewn before, but I didn't want to lug out my huge machine every time I wanted to stitch on a card. This little guy fits the bill perfectly! It's very small, very lightweight, easy to use, and based on my single attempt so far, does a great job on cardstock. The only problem I've had is totally user-error... I don't think I can blame the machine for sewing the card shut! Oops!!

Here's the card I created:

I was glad at the opportunity to finally use this little froggy. The "You're my favorite" stamp is from one of the new sets to be out July 1st. I also used some more scraps from my Palette 'o Prints packs. And although I've been on a faux eyelet kick lately, these babies are the real deal. Got my hammer out and everything. Sew... what do you think??

Supplies:
Stamp Sets: "Unfrogettable", "Vases in Vogue"
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Blush Blossom, Confetti White, Palette o' Prints scraps (Certainly Celery and Almost Amethyst)
Ink: Black StazOn, Lovely Lilac, Versamark
Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainter, Tab Punch, Soft Subtles eyelets, Crafter's Toolkit (to set the eyelets), Narrow White Organdy ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, sewing machine & thread

Don't Forget! You only have 2 more days to take advantage of my Catalog Retirement sale! Orders and payment must be in by Thursday, June 28th!

Cluck, Cluck!

My friend, Marelle, and I were just clucking about this chicken, so I decided to pull out an old card and dedicate this post to her. This was the Easter card I sent out this year to my nieces and nephews, so pardon the belated sentiment. But it's a nice example of a different way to fold your card. If you're getting bored with the standard single fold, then shake things up a bit and try a dual fold like this one. Use the same size cardstock (1/2 of a full sheet), but score it at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8". That should give you the same 4 1/4" in the middle. Here's a view of the inside:

Recipe for this card:
Stamp Sets: "Best of Cluck", "All Year Cheer I"
Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Confetti Cream
Ink: StazOn, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron
Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aqua Painter, Moss Gingham Ribbon, Vintage Brads

More Faux Eyelets

Here's another look at those same "faux" eyelets, only these have Crystal Effects on them, which make them shiny (click on the photo to enlarge). At my Stamp-a-Stack workshop this morning, several people thought these were real eyelets, so that's testimony that the trick works! Imagine using whatever color you want and no longer having to hammer away in the middle of the night (because let's face it... that's usually when we're the most creative, right?!). Here's another version:


Remember that if you want to take advantage of my Catalog Retirement Sales Event (see June 17th post), you need to have your order and payment in by this Thursday (June 28th)! Don't let this opportunity pass you by! ...and for those of you holding out to be the highest order (which gets you another FREE stamp set!), the number to beat is currently $314.90!

Supplies for the cards pictured above:
Stamp sets: "All About U", "Flannel Plaid" background
Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Basic Black, Kraft
Ink: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black (Craft and Classic)
Accessories: Crafter's Toolkit (for paper piercer & mat), 1/4" and 1/8" Circle punches, Word Window punch, Crystal Effects, Cutter Kit (to distress the "U"), Clear Embossing Powder, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool, Stampin' Dimensionals, 2-Way Glue Pen

Masculine Cards...

Making masculine cards is not one of my favorite things to do. But when it turns out just right... I think my smile is bigger than when I make "girly" cards! This card was no exception. I struggled and struggled (I wanted so much to use a ribbon or a pastel color...) but when this finally took shape, I was quite pleased! We will be making this at Saturday's Stamp-a-Stack workshop, so I won't go into details about it here. But let me say that I used a new technique that my dear friend, Marelle taught me: faux eyelets! Sign up for Saturday and I'll show you up close!

Only 8 days left to place your
Retirement Sales Event order!

(but order now and you'll get your goodies sooner

because I'm placing the orders as I get them...)

The Accessories Retirement list is out...
I e-mailed it this morning.

If you didn't get it, contact me and I'll send it your way.

EDITED TO ADD:

Supplies used on this card:

Stamp Sets: "Artifacts", "Warmest Regards", "Print Pattern" background

Cardstock: Kraft, Not Quite Navy, Naturals Ivory, Bravo Burgundy

Ink: Bordering Blue, Bravo Burgundy, Versamark

Accessories: 1/4" and 1/8" Circle punches, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals

Get This One Before it's Gone!

I'll keep posting new cards if you promise to not forget about my Catalog Retirement Sales Event! (See the posting for June 17th for details)

This card was created with my favorite hostess set - "Measure of a Life". It's only a Level II set, so a $300 order (or a collection of your friends' orders!) could earn it for you. If you haven't noticed yet, the dragonfly on my header is from this set too! I just love to watercolor these gorgeous images. This "Thinking of You" card was made with two background stamps: the first was French Script (another retiree that I'm sad to see go) and then I stamped Linen over that in the same Close to Cocoa ink. The Linen helped to soften it and give it a more aged look. You'll also notice that I relaxed my death grip on those precious buttons! I love 'em so much that I'm afraid to use 'em! But they just do wonders - especially when you team them up with the linen thread. Pop a glue dot on the back and presto - instant embellishment!

Supplies used:
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Kraft, Sage Shadow
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, StazOn Black
Ribbon: Chocolate grosgrain, Linen Thread
Other: Watercolor Wonder crayons, Aquapainter, Paper Piercer and mat, Buttons, Cutter Kit (to distress edge of Sage Shadow), Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots

My Catalog Retirement Sales Event!

The current Stampin' Up! catalog retires in just a few days!

But don't worry - I can help you get your favorite retiring sets because my Catalog Retirement Sales Event starts

Monday, June 18th!

This sale is valid from June 18th to June 28th only!

I must have your payment by June 28th to qualify.

These discounts are available only through me and

do not apply to shipping and tax.

EDITED TO ADD: This sale applies to ANY merchandise in the catalog - not just retiring stamp sets!

Order:	Receive:
$50	10% off
$100	15% off
$150	15% off, a Level I Hostess stamp set of your choice, and $15 in additional FREE merchandise!
$200	15% off, a Level I Hostess stamp set of your choice, $20 in additional FREE merchandise, and a FREE catalog (to be released July 1)!
$250	15% off, a Level I Hostess stamp set of your choice, $25 in additional FREE merchandise, and a FREE catalog (to be released July 1)!
$300	15% off, a Level I OR Level II Hostess stamp set of your choice, $35 in additional FREE merchandise, and a FREE catalog (to be released July 1)!

But wait! There's more...
For every $50 you spend (not including shipping and tax), you'll receive one chance at a drawing for a FREE "Very Punny" stamp set (from Sell-a-Bration 2007)! The drawing will be held on June 29th and the winner will be posted on this blog and will be contacted by phone.

And finally, the person with the highest order will also receive a FREE stamp set (exact set to be determined).

Why take advantage of this sale?
The fact that many of your favorite sets will retire and no longer be available is reason enough! But you must also keep in mind that with the new catalog the prices will increase by about 5%. This is the first time in over 10 years that Stampin' Up! has had an across-the-board price increase. Take advantage of the lower prices before they're gone, and teamed up with my Sales Event, you can save even more to stock up on the essentials as well as your favorite sets!

So... what are you waiting for? Contact me with your order today!

Father's Day

Have you made your Father's Day card yet? Here's another one I came up with using the "Artifacts" set (it's my favorite masculine set).


Pictured with it is the Navy Organdy ribbon and the two Watercolor Wonder Crayons I used to color the star. Watercoloring is, by far, one of my favorite things to do. If you've never tried it, you really should... it's been described by many as "therapeutic"! Now who among us couldn't use a little watercolor therapy?? (I promise it's way cheaper than the other kinds!) If you're interested in learning to watercolor, let me know so I can send you the information on my watercoloring club.

Supplies used:
"Artifacts" stamp set
"All Year Cheer II" stamp set
Bordering Blue cardstock
Chocolate Chip cardstock and ink
"Sentimental Journey" Designer Series Paper
Night of Navy ink
Stamping Sponges
StazOn ink
VersaMark ink
Watercolor Wonder Crayons (Rich Regals)
Aquapainter
Hodgepodge Hardware - Aged Copper
Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon
Navy Narrow Organdy ribbon
Stampin' Dimensionals
Mini Glue Dots (to adhere the Chocolate ribbon)

Thanks to all who have been visiting my blog regularly! You may not have noticed, but I have added a subscription option down the left side. If you type in your e-mail address and follow the prompts, you will receive an e-mail whenever I add a new entry. Oh, and when you visit, take a moment to leave me a comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts. Now... go get your Father's Day cards made and mailed before it's too late!

Morgan is Turning 8!

I can't believe it... he's just a little squirt one day and he's teaching himself how to do "heeleys" the next. This Saturday marks his eighth birthday... where does the time go?

Well, I got another workout on using colors (refer to the previous post if you haven't already)! When I sat down to make a few birthday invitations for Morgan's little party, I asked him what colors he wanted me to use, expecting the typical answer of blue. Nope. He said, "Orange". Eeeek! Okay... so I showed him the different oranges Stampin' Up! has, hoping he'd pick something like Pumpkin Pie or Really Rust. Nope. He picked out Only Orange - the brightest one we have! Then I asked him what color he wanted to go with it. His response? "Green." Wow. Now there's a challenge! Only Orange and of all the greens, he chose Garden Green. Well, here's what I came up with:


Not half bad, eh?? I actually think this kid is on to something. Perhaps I should ask for his recommendations on colors from now on! It's a pocket card, so the party details slide out like this:


Supplies used for this invitation:
"Bugs and Kisses" stamp set
"All Year Cheer II" stamp set
Kraft cardstock
Garden Green cardstock
Whisper White cardstock
Basic Black cardstock and ink
Only Orange ink
Black Gingham ribbon
Black Narrow Organdy ribbon
Vintage brads

So for all you Moms out there... go hug your kids. Better yet, sit on the floor and play a game with them. They're growing up fast.

I Love a Challenge!

It began as a challenge... I asked a dear friend of mine (who is an incredibly talented stamper!) to give me a challenge. So she did. She challenged me to create a card using the colors Certainly Celery, Garden Green, and Rose Red. After many beginnings, this is the card I actually liked well enough to finish:


But then I played around with several other color combinations (Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach is GREAT for this!) and came up with some others! I think it makes a rather attractive set, don't you?


So, while the Certainly Celery card may not be my favorite, I'm grateful for the opportunity to play with color schemes I normally wouldn't have. Thanks, Marelle, for challenging my otherwise limited imagination!

Supplies used for these cards:
"Springtime Stems" Hostess stamp set (this one is retiring at the end of this month!)
"Loads of Love" stamp set
Tag Punch and Small Tag Punch
1/8" Circle Punch
Crafter's Tool Kit (for the paper piercer, mat, and guide)
Narrow White organdy ribbon
Linen Thread
Stampin' Dimensionals

Colors used for these cards (from left to right)
1. Pale Plum, Orchid Opulence, Sage Shadow, Whisper White
2. Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White
3. So Saffron, More Mustard, Old Olive, Whisper White
4. Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Rose Red, Whisper White

Stamp Camp!

I have several people interested in making these adorable wooden letters at an upcoming Stamp Camp. If you are interested in joining us, please drop me a line and we'll find a date that works for everyone. I can also forward you more specific information on the Stamp Camp, but the fee includes the decorative paper, ribbon, and sanding blocks. You provide a letter of your choice (found at places like Michael's, Target, Hobby Lobby, etc.) and you get to use my inks, stamps, punches, etc. It's a simple, fun way to create a unique gift!

These particular letters are only about 5 inches tall, but you can do this with any size. The possiblities are endless! Here's a closer look at each of the above examples (click on them to enlarge):

Wild Animals

These cute critters are from the "Wild About You" set... aren't they adorable? These four cards were a snap to make because they all use the same four colors (plus black and white). Doing something like this makes a terrific gift idea - make two or three of each of these cards, pop them into a homemade stationary portfolio (I can show you how to make that too!), tie a beautiful ribbon around it... what friend wouldn't LOVE a gift like that?

Supplies:
"Wild About You" stamp set
"All Year Cheer I" and "II" stamp sets
Almost Amethyst cardstock and ink
Certainly Celery cardstock, ink and marker
Marigold Morning cardstock and ink
Ruby Red cardstock, ink, and marker
Basic Black cardstock, ink, and marker
Whisper White cardstock and craft ink
"Petals" Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel & handle
Round Tab Punch
1/16" Circle punch
Black Gingham ribbon
Hodgepodge Hardware
Stampin' Dimensionals

Last Night's Favorite

Now that June is here, we are faced with only a few short weeks to gather everything we want from the current Idea Book & Catalog... SO... I'm going to help you do this by having my own SALE!! I'm working out the final details, so stay tuned... how's that for a teaser?! In the meantime, take a look at this card from last night's Stamp-a-Stack:


This was the favorite card of the 3 designs we made. It was made using the Large Oval Punch for the petals, and then stamping polka-dots on some of them (the polka-dot stamp came from the "Polka Dots & Paisley" stamp set in the current mini catalog). After punching out the petals, we sponged Summer Sun ink onto the edges to give it more dimension. I also had out the entire set of "Curvy Verses" and everyone picked a sentiment that fit their needs. It's a wonderful little set that you should look at if you haven't seen it - page 181 of the Idea Book & Catalog... and it's NOT retiring! Yippee!

Supplies used for this card:
"Polka Dot & Paisley" stamp set
"Curvy Verses" stamp set
Mellow Moss cardstock
Always Artichoke cardstock
Whisper White cardstock
Basic Black cardstock and ink
Summer Sun cardstock and ink
Ticket Corner punch - One of my new favorites!
Large Oval punch
3/4" Circle punch
Horizontal Slot punch
Black Gingham ribbon
Narrow Organdy ribbon - white
Spring Moss Grosgrain ribbon
Stampin' Dimensionals
Stampin' Sponges

How do YOU like it? Leave a comment to let me know - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Gearing Up For Dad!

Well, the Girls Club was a hit - again! They loved their little books (pictured in the previous entry) and this is the Father's Day card they made (it says "Happy Father's Day" on the inside). What fun! They were full of energy and enthusiasm and did a fantastic job on their projects! The next one will be in early July (date TBA) and they've already given me their requests for what to do next... I'll keep you posted!

And for us big kids... don't you need a Father's Day card too? Well, never fear. We're making one this Tuesday evening (June 5th) at the Stamp-a-Stack along with two other designs for a total of 12 cards! If you haven't been to one, you really should come see what you're missing! Give me a holler to get signed up!

Supplies for this card:
"Artifacts" stamp set
"Genuine Article" stamp set
"Expressive Flexible Phrases" stamp set
"All Year Cheer II" stamp set
Buckaroo Blue cardstock and ink
So Saffron cardstock
Sentimental Journey Designer Series Paper
Chocolate Chip ink
Close to Cocoa ink
Chocolate grosgrain ribbon
Tag punch
Horizontal Slot punch
Stampin' Dimensionals

Girls Club This Sunday!

Take a peek at the project the girls are going to make this Sunday afternoon (June 3rd) at 2:00pm! It's a little journal where they can record their hopes and dreams, store phone numbers, write about their day, or just plain doodle in! Isn't it just adorable?!

I still have some spots available, so contact me quickly to get signed up. Girls between the ages of 8 and 15 are welcome. Cost is $10 and they will use my supplies with the exception of adhesive. Moms, you are encouraged to stick around for this one (you know you want to!)... we will also be making a Father's Day card! What Dad wouldn't love a beautiful homemade card from their daughter? Don't miss out!