A Boy On the Way!!

No, not another Force boy... but a dear friend of mine with two adorable girls just found out she's having a boy! I was excited at the opportunity to make a card for her.

I pulled out Build-a-Roo for this one because that little kangaroo baby is just too adorable. The roos are colored with an Aqua Painter and the ink pads. Then I cut baby out and popped him up for dimension. The color scheme is So Saffron and Marina Mist with some Pawsitively Prints DSP.

The sentiment fits perfectly on a 1-3/4" Circle layered on top of a 2-3/8" Scallop Circle. And, of course, I added some Basic Pearls!

I can't wait to cuddle this new little guy! My own baby just turned FOUR on Tuesday... wow.

Hugs to all,
Michele

Aviary

As you can tell by the more frequent posts, Mr. Brown has recently made a visit to my home. :) Even though I've been with Stampin' Up! for a while now, when that brown truck brings me new goodies, it's still one of the best days ever! One of my newest sets is Aviary... a whimsical set that has a lot of possibilities. Here was my first stab at using it:

The color scheme is, of course, Basic Black, along with two new In Colors: Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz. I also pulled out my Big Shot and used my new Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and long-sought-after Alphabet Simple Letters.

If you look closely, you'll see that I used the new Basic Rhinestone jewels (no pearls!). I placed one at the tippy-top of the bird cage, one in the center of the Flower Brad, and then two on the "f".

A fun card for no particular reason, except to play with my new toys... (well, and to give y'all something to look at).

Michele

Creation Inspiration

One of my current favorite stamp sets is Upsy Daisy. I've used it a lot lately because it makes for a quick and beautiful card - two of my requirements for card-making!

This card uses Blueberry Crisp DSP, along with Crumb Crake, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, and Pacific Point. It was nice to also pull back out my Defining Alphabet and Define Your Life stamp sets. They haven't seen much ink lately. Poor things. :)

Have a great week!
Michele

Elizabeth Al la Carte...

There is an incredibly beautiful al la carte stamp that you simply must have... Elizabeth. I made a couple cards using it that are elegant, yet quick!

This card uses Woodland Walk DSP along with Soft Suede. I used two oval punches and some dimensionals to lift the sentiment. The ovals aren't the exact shape as the oval in the image (I'm not sure why they didn't make them the same??), but it is close enough to work. Of course, you could opt to eliminate the punches and just stamp your sentiment in the oval itself. Either way, it makes a gorgeous card. On an angle, you can see that I have once again used those nifty pearls.

And here's another version of the same card using a different color scheme. It has Blueberry Crisp DSP, along with Pacific Point. Both cards use the Very Vanilla satin ribbon.

I hope everyone had a terrific weekend!
Michele

Thank Yous

Okay, so we already determined that I'm loving the new Basic Pearls... but how about this gorgeous Crochet Trim ribbon?

I made these cards for a couple of my faithful Share followers... they participate in every single one I offer, which is a true blessing to me.

I wanted to show off some of the new DSPs on these cards, so the one above uses Blueberry Crisp, and the one below uses Elegant Soiree.

...and, in case you didn't notice, I also used more of the fun pearls!

And just to show a final touch - here's what you can do with those left-over scraps of DSPs... jazz up the inside of the card!

So, thank you again, ladies for your loyalty and faithfulness! You're the best!

Michele

Lovin' These Pearls!

Having my stamp desk closer has certainly helped me find the time to stamp again... who'd have thought? Anyway, my best friend's daughter's birthday is coming up, and since they live on the other side of the ocean, I can't exactly bake her a cake myself. So I whipped this one up for her.

So there's a lot to love in the new catalog, wouldn't you agree? But the one thing I'm loving right now are these Basic Pearls (pg 188, item #119247). Look how I jazzed up this cake from the Sale-a-Bration set, Happy Moments!

There's multiple sizes, so I used the itty-bitty ones for the cake flowers (a nice pair of tweezers helps place them where you want them) and I used a larger one for the Flower Brad up in the corner!

I am also loving these new Designer Series Papers... this happy one is from Pawsitively Prints II. And, by the way, I have one more entire set from my Paper Share... a 6"x6" sheet of EVERY new regular DSP. Let me know if you want to claim it!

Happy Stamping!
Michele

It's A Thought...

A little housekeeping first... I have one spot left for most of my Product Shares - first come first serve! Don't forget, also, to browse through my available Retired products. There's a lot there...

Okay... I have new cards for you! I have moved my stamp desk (which is downstairs) closer to the stairwell, hoping that the closer it is to where I'm usually working (kitchen), the more apt I'll be to get myself to it! Well, so far, so good...

In keeping with an earlier post, I will not go into great detail on how I made these... you all are smart and can usually figure it out yourself. But I will share the color scheme I used (being as how we all need to get used to these fantastic new colors!). Look for this information at the bottom of this post.



These cards all used the "It's A Thought" stamp set, along with the "Sanded" and "En Francais" backgrounds. Colors used include Crumb Cake (old Kraft), Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, and More Mustard.

Have a great week, everyone!
Michele

Retired Stamp Sets Available

**NOTE - ALL OF MY STAMP SETS HAVE BEEN SOLD!**

I am cleaning out my stampin' closet in order to make room for all the new goodies (see my new Product Shares)! Below is a listing of all the retired stamp sets I have available for purchase. Note that there are multiple lists (used, new, wheels, etc.) If you see something you are interested in, drop me a line and I'll tell you the condition and any notes about the set. Most of my used sets are in very good condition, and some are like-new with several stamps still unmounted. If you determine that you would like something, make me an offer! Buyer pays shipping. Preferred payment is via PayPal.


Used Stamp Sets (All WOOD)
Amazing to Zany - set of 56
Animal Crackers - set of 5 *SOLD*
Baroque Background - set of 1
Beautiful Borders - set of 6
Branch Out - set of 7 *SOLD*
Christmas Punch - set of 7 *SOLD*
Classic Alphabet - set of 56
Classic Sketches - set of 3
Classic Stripes Background - set of 1
Close As a Memory - set of 4
Crazy Alphabet - set of 28 *SOLD*
Cute & Curly - set of 4
Doodle This - set of 5
Embrace Life - set of 5 *SOLD*
Friendship Blooms - set of 5
From the Garden - set of 1
Garden Greetings - set of 8
Garden Whimsy - set of 8
Going Somewhere - set of 4
Great Grads - set of 5 *SOLD*
Happy Everything - set of 8
Happy Heart Day - set of 7
Heartfelt Thanks - set of 9
Hit the Road - set of 5 *SOLD*
Holiday Blitz - set of 28 *SOLD*
Holidays & Wishes - set of 6
Hugs & Wishes - set of 6
It’s a Plan Background - set of 2 (double-mounted)
It’s a Stretch - set of 4
Just Like You - set of 9
Kind & Caring Thoughts - set of 12 *SOLD*
Little Birthday Cheer, A - set of 4
Little Flowers - set of 6
Little Somethin’, A - set of 6
Live Your Dream - set of 8
Lots of Thoughts - set of 6
Many Happy Returns - set of 33 (mounted on dominoes)
More the Merrier, The - set of 10 *SOLD*
Morning Soft - set of 2
Of the Earth - set of 4
On Gossamer Wings - set of 9
One of a Kind - set of 6 *SOLD*
Paisley Background - set of 1
Polka Dot Background - set of 1
Pretty Peony - set of 12
Rose Is a Rose, A - set of 14 *SOLD*
Say It With Scallops - set of 4
Scandinavian Season - set of 4 *SOLD*
Seaside - set of 5 *SOLD*
Seeing Spots - set of 6
Shapes & Shadows - set of 12
Springtime Stems - set of 8
Stippled Stencils - set of 4
Stitched Exotics - set of 9
Sweet Celebrations - set of 8
Sweet Sampler - set of 4
Tasty Sweet - set of 6
Think Happy Thoughts - set of 6
Time For You - set of 4
Together Forever - set of 6 *SOLD*
Touch of Nature - set of 7
Tres Chic Background - set of 1
True Friend - set of 6
Warm Words - set of 8
Wild About You - set of 8
Wings of Friendship - set of 4
Wonderful You - set of 6
Year After Year - set of 8
Zoofari - set of 6

Brand New Stamp Sets (All WOOD)
Comfort Food - set of 4
Congrats - set of 7 (3 available)
Country Morning - set of 4
Echoes of Kindness - set of 4
Event Full - set of 6
For a Friend - set of 6
Friendship Blooms - set of 5 *SOLD*
Infinite Goodness - set of 6
Little Bit of Happiness, A - set of 4 (2 available)
Little Somethin’, A - set of 6
Measure of a Life - set of 5
Merci - set of 6
One Smart Cookie - set of 12
Organic Grace - set of 4
Polka Dot Punches - set of 4 (3 available)
Punches Three - set of 3
Sidekick Sayings - set of 5
Snowbuddies - set of 12
Springtime Stems - set of 8
Thoughts of Father - set of 3
Yummy - set of 3 (3 available)

Used Jumbo Wheels
Bold Snowflakes
Petals
Scatter Sunshine
So Swirly
Stems & Silhouettes
Sweet Stars
Watercolor Vine

Used Regular Wheels
Forever FLowers
Little Bits

Ribbon (still in original wrapping)
Ribbon Bundle with Certainly Celery Polytwill & So Saffron Grosgrain (10 yards each)
1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain in Riding Hood Red (10 yards) *SOLD*
1-1/4" Grosgrain in Pink Pirouette (10 yards)
1/2" Polka-dot Grosgrain in Crushed Curry (15 yards) *SOLD*
1/2" Polka-dot Grosgrain in Dusty Durango (15 yards) *SOLD*
1/2" Polka-dot Grosgrain in Rich Razzleberry (15 yards) *SOLD*
1/2" Polka-dot Grosgrain in Melon Mambo (15 yards) *SOLD*
3/8" Taffeta in Riding Hood Red (10 yards) *SOLD*
3/8" Taffeta in Basic Gray (10 yards)
5/8" Grosgrain in Regal Rose (15 yards)
5/8" Striped Grosgrain in Kiwi Kiss (15 yards)
I also have LOTS of the retired colors of ribbon in varying amounts... if you need something, ask.

Rub-Ons
Love & Happiness

Cardstock/Designer Series Papers (all still in wrapper)
8-1/2x11 Almost Amethyst
8-1/2x11 Ballet Blue
8-1/2x11 Barely Banana
8-1/2x11 Blush Blossom
8-1/2x11 Brocade Blue
8-1/2x11 Handsome Hunter
8-1/2x11 Mellow Moss
8-1/2x11 Only Orange
8-1/2x11 Orchid Opulence
8-1/2x11 Really Rust
12x12 Textured Rich Regals *SOLD*
12x12 Textured Earth Elements *SOLD*
12x12 Textured 2009 In Color (Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, etc.)
Delicate Dots DSP (4 available)
I also have several open packs of cardstock, so if there's a color you need, let me know and I can sell you what I have.

Misc. (All still in wrapper unless otherwise noted)
Write Me a Memory CD, Volume II
Saddle Stitch Book Kit - Boxes & Tags (Assortment 1)
Boxes & Tags Book Kit Accordion (Assortment 4)
Coluzzle (USED)
Silver Eyelets - 200 ct
I also have just about every color in buttons, brads, and eyelets - let me know what you need.

New Product Shares!

A brand new Stampin' Up! catalog means there are LOTS of new goodies to get our hands on! Here are the details of the Shares I am offering. You can order as many or as few as you'd like, but if you would like to GET IT ALL, I will ship it to you for FREE! The cost for EVERYTHING is $196, which includes all the new Designer Series Papers, Ribbons, and Accessories... PLUS, you get to choose your own Level I Stamp Set for FREE! Just to give you an idea, if you were to purchase all of these items from the catalog, you'd spend over $720 + TAX!! As you know, by participating in these Shares, you can sample ALL of it for a fraction of the cost.

If you'd prefer to pick and choose, please note that the shipping charges are not included in the prices listed below. Once you tell me which Shares you'd like, I can tell you how much it will cost. My best guess is that it will be $10.70 for Priority Mail... that box should fit everything you'd like. If I can fit your Shares into a Flat Rate Envelope, the shipping cost will be $4.90. Please note that only US addresses can participate in this Share.

If you have any questions at all, just let me know!

PAPER SHARE - $36 to get it all
Each group consists of 48 6"x6" double-sided sheets of the fabulous new Designer Series Papers. The cost is $12, plus shipping. Groups are as follows:

Group 1:
Greenhouse Gala
Love Letter
Jolly Holiday
Newsprint

Group 2:
Woodland Walk
Lap of Luxury
Blueberry Crisp
Elegant Soiree

Group 3:
Celebrations
Sunny Garden
Play Date
Pawsitively Prints II

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RIBBON SHARE - $124 to get it all
There are several new ribbons to adore! Chose from the following groups, or get them all! Yardage amounts are approximate.

Crochet Trim:
1-1/4 yards each of 2 styles (Chantilly & Victoria). $4.50

1/2" Stitched In Color:
3-3/4 yards each of the 5 new In Colors. $13.50

1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain:
2-1/2 yards each of 8 colors. $23.00

1/4" Grosgrain:
3-3/4 yards each of 4 colors. $7.00

5/8" Grosgrain:
3-3/4 yards each of 8 colors. $16.50

5/8" Satin:
3-3/4 yards each of 6 colors. $16.00

1/8" Taffeta:
2-1/2 yards each of 13 colors. $23.00

3/8" Taffeta:
2-1/2 yards each of 10 colors. $20.50

-----

ACCESSORY SHARE: $36 to get it all
Fun new stuff! Pick and choose, or sample them all!

Designer Buttons: $10.50
1 each of 3 designs in 24 colors, for a total of 72 buttons.

Brads: $8.50
5 each of 24 colors, for a total of 120 brads.

Flower Brads: $10.50
2 each of 24 colors, for a total of 48 flower brads.

Misc. Accessories: $6.50
Antique Brads: 1 each of 5 designs, for a total of 5 pieces.
Vintage Trinkets: 2 each of 2 designs in 3 colors of trinkets, for a total of 12 pieces.
Pearls: 12 each in 3 sizes, for a total of 36 pieces.
Rhinestones: 12 each in 3 sizes, for a total of 36 pieces.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I woke up to a yummy pancake breakfast-in-bed made by my very own son, Mason! What a sweetheart... Well, I hope you are all having (or had) a fantastic Mother's Day! I know I am... because by the time you're reading this, I'll be hitting the high seas with my family for our cruise vacation!

...but before I go, I thought I'd pop in and show you the card I made for my mom - who happens to be meeting up with us to join us on the cruise, along with my dad! So that makes a triple-bonus for MY Mother's Day! Oh, the memories we'll be making!! (I sure do miss them...)

There are a couple of companion cards to this one that I'll have to show you next time... I got a boat to catch!

Hugs to all,
Michele

Bitty Box Idea

Sorry for the delay - I've been having trouble with my Photoshop program. Here is what my older boys made for some Valentine treats, but they'd be cute for birthday parties or just a little gift for a friend.

These came about when I made the Bitty Box for the first time - the little tab that tucks into the box to hold it closed was hard for me to pull out, and I was afraid the kids would rip the box up to get inside, so I punched out a circle and glued it to the tab giving them something to pull on. Then I realized it looked like a tongue!! ...voila!

We used various punches to make the facial features and hair. Here are a couple close-ups:


We filled ours with M&Ms!

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Blessings,
Michele

Milk Cartons

I am still overflowing with gratitude at all the wonderful comments that continue to trickle in! Thank you SOOOOOO much for your support. It means a LOT to me... and, as you can see, it does have a direct reflection on my incentive to post!! :)

Here are the Valentine boxes I made for some friends in my Bible study group. I just love the Mini Milk Carton Die for the Big Shot!! It is SO easy to put together (I do recommend using scrap paper for your first one until you figure it out)...

...and I love how you can leave one end of the top unglued so they can pop it out just like a real carton! In fact, I didn't glue the top at all, I just clipped one end shut!

I stamped the bottom with the signature stamp (before folding, of course!).

And although I made several different "looks", these were the only two designs I decided were "blog-worthy"!

Again, if you have any questions about how these work, feel free to drop me an e-mail.

Hugs to all my wonderful, loyal readers!
Michele

Bookmarks

WOW. You ladies are amazing. Here I thought everyone forgot about me!! To receive all those nice words was just incredible. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You know, the only incentive I have to do posts at all is for the kudos I receive! I'm not selling much anymore (but I certainly don't turn down orders!), therefore this blog doesn't really generate any monetary benefit... many, if not most, of you are fellow demonstrators anyway. So, I suppose as long as I continue to get kind words like you left on that last post, then I'll stick around!! :)

Here are some bookmarks I made back in February for Maddox to give to his friends as Valentines. I spent a little too much time on them, seeing as how they are 3-year olds, and what 3-year old really needs a bookmark?! But I'm a Stampin' Momma, and Stampin' Momma's, as you know, just GOTTA make things cute!

And here's a close-up of my favorite - the little monkeys:

So, regardless of whether these bookmarks actually found their way into a book, or if they were promptly discarded into the bin, it's beside the point. The point WAS... to STAMP, by golly! And for the record, I LOVE the new clear mount stamps!! How 'bout you?

Hugs,
Michele

Been A Long Time...

Well, hello! Yes, it's been a long time... a very, very long time. Probably the longest stretch I've gone without updating this blog. My loyal readers know how my life has changed in the last year - and today does happen to mark the ONE YEAR anniversary of our move to the mountains! We are loving life out here in Colorado, loving homeschooling, loving being together as a family. As much as I hate that it takes time away from some of my passions (stamping definitely being one of them!), I will never sacrifice my family time for anything. I do believe it says so to the left there under my picture! So, without further ado, let me show you a card I made a few weeks ago... and this post is for you, Liz. (you can all thank her, as it was her persuading that got me on here tonight!)

Now, one of the things that keeps me from blogging is the time it takes to edit the photo, add the watermark, and then track down all the supplies I used to make the cards so I can include it in the post. I'm okay with the editing part, but I wanted to get your thoughts on how horrible it would be if I did NOT include a list of supplies? If you really like a card and can't determine what I used, you can always leave me a comment and as long as you give me a way to contact you, I will ALWAYS respond and answer your specific questions. Would that be okay with you? ...if there's even anyone out there that still reads my blog! :) Let me know your thoughts.

Hugs to you all... I hope you're having a glorious spring!
Michele

(it appears that my signature has been deleted... just something else for me to work on. *sigh*)

Valentine Treat Cups!

I SOOOOOO need to be in bed right now, but I made a couple Valentines for a niece and nephew tonight, and they are just too cute NOT to share RIGHT NOW! Both of them use the new Heart Shaped Treat Cups (you can find out more information on them here), as well as the Tall Tales DSP.

Okay, this first one is for my niece...

Isn't it just adorable?! Here is the inside...

I'll tell you more about that "trap door" in a minute. Next is the one I made for her brother:

Here's the inside of that one:

Now, in order to get the candy out, I have found that the simplest way is to make a little "trap door"... this idea came from my friend, Tiffany Bauer - a very talented stamper. Thanks, Tiff!

It's not hard to do... but it's way too late for me to go into detail. Tiffany has a video that you can watch, and I just slightly modified her idea. If you have specific questions, leave a comment with a way to contact you and I'll get back to you when it's NOT 12:23am. :)

I've got some more Valentine goodies to show you... hopefully I can do that BEFORE Sunday, but my mom is coming to town in a few days, so I'm on full house-cleaning alert at the moment. Can't wait to spend the week with her! I sure do miss her...

Okay... I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams!

Very Vintage

I had a wonderful time playing with the new Vintage Vogue set that is in the new Occasions Mini! Three of my nieces all have birthdays within a week of each other, so I just cranked them all out at once...

The one above is my favorite of the three... it uses an Old Olive and More Mustard color scheme with some Bordering Blue thrown in (I think that was the blue - I don't have the card anymore. Either that or Brocade).

This one (above) wasn't as vibrant as it looks in the photo - it really was nicer looking. It's a Pumpkin Pie, Cameo Coral, and Certainly Celery combo, with some Lovely Lilac (again, I think that was the color... I really must get these posted BEFORE I mail them out!).

Finally, this last one was Pale and Perfect Plum with Old Olive and Rose Red. The wheeled Very Vintage background showed up well on the Pale Plum.

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Vintage Vogue, Very Vintage, Well Scripted
Ink: Colors listed above, plus Versamark
Cardstock: Colors listed above, plus Whisper White
Accessories: Flower Fusion, Rhinestone Brads

I'm Back...

Oh boy, what a holiday!! Yes, it's been over a month since I have posted... but we have been having so much fun! Skiing, Sledding, Snowboarding, Schooling, Swimming in Sulphur Springs... hmmmm, there's a pattern here... so why on earth hasn't there been any Stamping going on?!

Well, I have made a couple of birthday cards for my nieces, and I will show those to you in my next post. In the meantime, I need to catch you up on a few things!

First of all, the new Occasions Mini Catalog is in full swing! If you haven't received your copy, please let me know and I can get one out to you. Stampin' Up! just keeps outdoing themselves... this time, we get CLEAR STAMPS! Yippee!! I have had the opportunity to play with these, and I am hooked. All of my stamps from now on will be clear! Stampin' Up! really did this right... they wanted to be sure their clear stamps would provide the same quality images as the wood blocks, so they used the same foam backed rubber and designed it to stick to clear acrylic blocks! I promise you, the quality has not been sacrificed one bit! As an added option, you can afix a label to the BACK of your rubber stamp so it will show through the acrylic block. And storage... Oh, the storage is a dream!! The boxes are the same size as your typical DVD boxes! And as if that weren't enough reason to entice you to give them a try... how about this? They're CHEAPER than the wood mount! Of course, the wood mount stamps are not going anywhere... you just have a new choice from now on. If you haven't tried our clear stamp sets yet, give me a holler and I can help you pick one out with the appropriate clear blocks. Simply telling you about it can't do it justice...

I also need to let you know that we are smack dab in the middle of Stampin' Up!'s biggest annual promotion - Sale-a-Bration! This is the time of year when you get LOTS of freebies! For every $50 you spend, you get to choose a FREE stamp set! They've made it even better this year, because in addition to the new Sale-a-Bration stamp sets, they've also added a list of over 75 stamp sets from the main catalog of which you can pick and choose as your freebies! To view this list, click on the flyer at left and proceed to page 11. It is also a great time to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, as you can enjoy a 15% discount on the starter kit and also receive an extra FREE set of your choice (valued up to $47.95) from the Idea Book & Catalog!

Moving right along, Stampin' Up! is doing their part to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. For every I {heart} Hearts stamp set they sell through the month of February (either wood OR clear), they will donate $2.00 toward relief efforts. This stamp set is adorable, and perfect for this time of year... and weddings, and anniversaries... so it's good all year round! Click on the flyer at left for more information.

Lastly - and I'm a little late in letting you know about this one, so hurry if you're interested because they are available only while supplies last - for a limited time, you can enjoy these Heart Shape Treat Cups! They coordinate perfectly with the new Sweetheart stamp set (click on the flyer at left to view full size) and the Full Heart Punch. Grab some padded envelopes (require extra postage) and send these out to your dearest Valentines! Look at the darling cards you can make:

Before I forget, I also have one more Ribbon Share available as well as two Accessory Shares. If you are interested, view this post for the details and contact me for payment information.

Okay, I think that's enough news for today... That's what I get for waiting a whole month to post! I hope you all had a tremendous holiday, are looking forward to a great football game next week, and have a chance to check out all of these great deals! Let me know if you have any questions at all.