CONTEST - CONTEST - CONTEST!!!!

Surely you have already seen my contest info in this post, but just in case you missed it, here is a recap:
It's time to say bye-bye to many Stampin' Up! stamp sets and accessories. I want YOU to EMAIL ME the top ten stamp sets you think will be retiring this year. The person that has the most correct sets on their list will win a $15 gift certificate (available thru me only) for Stampin' Up! products. I will also draw a name out of all of the entries to win a package of retired Designer Series Paper. (and c'mon, who doesn't LOVE paper???)

Alrighy - there you have it - start flipping thru your catalog and let me know what you think will be retiring. You have until Monday, May 31st at 10pm to email me your list. Contest is not open to other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, or those outside the US.

Now, on with today's program:

Wedding season is upon us - I know well after those wedding invitations I just whipped up. Did I tell all of you that now I've designed their Thank You notes and programs? Such fun! It almost (ALMOST) makes me wish I could redo my wedding. To the same guy of course - well, for today. Depends on how crabby he'll be later today, then I may change my mind and want to trade him in. (He's really cranky this time of year when his allergies are in full swing. I don't blame him - he LOOKS miserable - and unfortunately, being a farmer, his job is 98% outside work!) Anyway - I thought I would whip up a wedding card:

What's the FIRST thing you notice? That really super duper bow??? Yep - I'm working it out!!! Someday's there are a few choice words that come out of my precious little mouth when I'm attempting those bows, but, I just keep on at it. I'll get it down to perfection and ease one of these days! And my customers think I'm good at knot tying - you gals just wait till I throw a bow in one of our stamp club projects!

What else is a little different for me??? Well, besides the purple paper! Why - of course - BLING!!!! I KNOW! Awesome - eh? I've never blinged a card before - and I'm thinking it's quite kewl!

To make this card even sweeter than it already is, I used that cutesy pinking hearts border punch - cha, cha, cha!!!

If you'd like to get your little mitts on this card - it's available for purchase on my Etsy shop - check out the link in the right hand side bar!~

Okey, dokey, that's all for today - don't forget to enter that contest!

Gift Tins....

Remember the card in my previous post showing you the card that I made for Will's teacher? Well, this is the gift tin that I made to go with it. And - yep - you are seeing that right - another BOW! a real life bow - can you believe it? I just might get the hang of this bow tying thing one day! These tins were on the clearance rack at Stampin' Up! and I'm just about out of them - I had 30 at one point!!! The patterned paper is retired - Blueberry Maine. The stamp is from the Oval All set.

And check out the inside:



I used an oval die cut, folded part of it back and then glued the edges down to make a pocket for a gift card, added a button for some interest and called it good. I think I should have done some faux stitching around the edge of the pocket to help define it - what do you think??? Yea or nay?

Then, I made another one for the teacher's aid:


This DSP came from some more retired paper that I dug up - can't remember the name of it, but it's not even that old....I have been reorganizing my papers, and trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of my DSP....my new bright idea - don't hoard it!!! Yah - right!!! Like THAT will happen!

The stars have been spritzed with Vanilla Smooch - very fitting I thought. The Thanks for Owl you do phrase, well that really comes into play on the inside of the tin:

Those little owls are so cute! Very studious looking. Again, I think I should have faux stitched the edge of the pocket.

Here is a matching card that I whipped up:

Okey doke - that's all for today. Don't forget to enter my little contest - time is running out! Find the deets here.

TTFN

I've been published!!!

Have you seen the latest copy of Card Creations??? It's chocked full of wonderfully creative cards, and one of them is MINE!!!! Go pick up a copy from the newsstand and check out the Valentine's section for this gem:

Pretty nifty - eh?

And hey - if you haven't already, check out yesterday's post for a new contest - you've got less than a week to enter!

A winner, a card and a new contest....

I know you guys are dying to find out the winner of my blog candy from last Friday......well that winner is Lauren:

Lauren said...
Great card! I love the tool set it looks great. My biggest obstacle is repeating. Once I find a card I like I'll create it a few times with a few colors/changes and then I can't seem to get away from it!

Lauren - email me your address and I'll send you a box of stamping goodness!

And don't worry Lauren - I do the same thing. When I find a sketch I like, I use it over and over. Maybe keep a sketch book with all of you favorite layouts, and rotate them every so often.


Now onto today's card:


...it's clean, and it's simple - right up my alley! I crafted that adorable flower out of fabric, cut with the Big Shot (one more reason you need one!) It's 4 scallop circles - which can all be cut at once - folded, then attached to a sticky pages circle. The button is tied thru to the back.

cute...eh?

I even duded up the inside again! Yikes - I could get the hang of that!

So, now, about this little contest.... A week from today, the Stampin' Up! retiring products list comes out.....that means there are several stamp sets and accessories about to say bye-bye! I want YOU to email me the Top Ten stamp sets that you think will retire. The person that has the most correct retiring items on their list will win a $15 gift certificate good until June 30th. I will also draw a random name from EVERY entry that I have that win a package of retiring Designer Series paper.

This contest is only open to US Residents. Stampin' Up! Demonstrators are not eligible. The deadline to email me is May 31st, 10pm. Winner will be announced June 1st.

Wicked Wednesday

Alrighty peeps! Super quick post this morning before I start my last Wednesday of running. It's Will's last day of school - which means one less trip to town for the summer weeks! YEAH!

Wanted to let you know that Sage Shadow 12 x 12 cardstock is SOLD OUT - that's right - it's no longer available for purchase. Remember - I told you that you better get your favorite colors while you can. Yah - I wasn't kidding! Get your orders in for those retiring colors or you might not get them!

Also - want you to know that there are NEW digital downloads that you can add to your My Digital Studio - this time it's Jumbo Outline Alphabet, Contempo Alphabet and Go Graduate Plus Stamp Brush (includes the Graduation single stamp that is in the back of the Summer Mini).

Lastly, if you haven't left me a comment for your chance for blog candy - check out this post to do so - the deadline is Friday May 21st!

I'll be back later folks!

Getting Digi with it!!!

....as in digital!! I needed a card for Will's preschool teacher - who is wonderful - and also moving away :( . The problem? I don't have any teacher related stamps. Then while playing with My Digital Studio over the weekend I saw that there was a perfect "stamp set" to use. School Days. I hadn't even noticed it before - granted there are 62 stamp sets with the initial purchase of My Digital Studio. Yep. 62! I KNOW~!! All at your disposal. Plus, they can all be resized to your liking, they can be printed in any color. It truly is a FUN program to use. And it's not just for scrapbooking.

Okay - so, I didn't have a stamp set to use for a card. How does MDS come into play? Well, take a look:

Above, I created my own background paper. I stamped the alphabet included with the stamp set (enlarged it first) on my page, then copied and pasted it until it filled the page. I printed it onto Not Quite Navy Cardstock, in Not Quite Navy Ink. Clever - eh?

Then:

I "stamped" the images in different colors and various sizes. Notice the b e s t image? That is what I used on my Dad card in my last post. I love the fact that you can resize these images, then they fit great in punches. I printed out two sheets of images - one that I enlarged everything quite a bit.

I know - that sheet on top is a little goofy - I had an oops when I had my paper in the printer and printed the background on my vanilla cardstock. But, ya know what - I can still use it - I think it'll become some punched letters, or some more background - who knows. Sometimes mistakes turn out to be hidden treasures - right Bonnie??? There is always room for embellishments!

Above is another sheet of background that I did on Old Olive.

And HERE my friends is the finished card:

It doesn't really even look like it's all computer generated. I think it helps that I threw in some texture with the ribbon and the notebook punch all curled up, inked up the edges of all of the circles. I am in love with this - the card, the software, the possibilities! It's not just for scrapbooking folks!

Do you want to see what all is included in this amazing program? Click here. There is SO much included, you can't go wrong! Contact me to learn more.

And don't forget - see this post to find out how to win some blog candy.....

Dear ol' Dad....

.....now, pick your chin up off the floor!!!! Don't be so shocked. Yes, you are at the right blog. for real. Two posts in a weekend....I'm feeling like an over achiever!!! Granted, I'd like to be able to post daily, and it'll be easier as soon as lil' Aubrie gets settled into a schedule a bit - or I learn to edit my photos and type with one hand. Not so easy when you have to Ctrl, Alt, Shift, B!!!

So, now onto today's program.......

Totally Cool, er....Totally Tool? I saw the idea to take the measuring tape and turn it to become a 'd' on Splitcoast Stampers....why didn't my light click on and think of that??? Very clever - and I jumped on it and created a card. Now, I will admit, it took me a while to get the card just right. In fact, I inked up the 'dad' portion and colored it (on watercolor paper, with markers and a blender pen). Then, I assembled the background piece, and spritzed it with that new super fun Smooch Spritz - in Log Cabin. (You can't really see here, but it's got some great copper shimmer to it) I layed the 'dad' portion on top of the DSP....then I just stared at it. I had nothing....it was too boring, TOO simple. So, it sat on my table over night. And the next day, I looked at it some more. I turned it, and still nothing. Finally I decided to put a strip of paper ACROSS the card. Normally, I would have used a ribbon, and that would have been SO easy, but not on a Man Card.....I check out my scrap stash in Not Quite Navy - I had a really skinny strip of scrap - but it wasn't enough. I added a second, wider scrap - that was better. And I added yet another skinny strip. It was like eye candy now. Sometimes you just really have to fiddle with a card until you get it just right. This one just took a little bit longer than some....

In the end - I liked my results. I really wanted the outside to say "Best Dad Ever", but I couldn't get that to work out, so - not quite the norm for me:

I decorated the INSIDE of the card too! Guess what? I LOVE it....it sure makes the card just that much more fun! Besides, I always have these funny extra scraps - what a great way to use them up!

The inside was stamped with more tools, which were colored with watercolor crayons and a blender pen - go figure - my favorite way to color. The 'you're' and 'the' are from an OLD retired set - Amazing to Zany. It's a great set for little words. And the 'best' - well, I didn't stamp that at all. It's not stickers. It does use the new Rough Type set. So, how did I do it? MY DIGITAL STUDIO!!!! You know what's great about "stamping" in MDS? You can resize, you can print in several colors, you can make t say whatever you want without having so much trouble lining up the letters. While here, I punched them out, I could have lined them up and just cut out the word. I'll have some more ideas for using MDS tomorrow - that's right - more tomorrow! Please stand by....

Until tomorrow - I have a question for all of you - what is your biggest obstacle in stamping? Is it time, is it getting a clean image, or something else? Please leave me a comment and let me know what your stamping obstacles are. Of the comments I will choose one to receive some blog candy - deadline is Friday, May 21st.

That's it for today peeps - until next time (for real, tomorrow), go stamp something!

Please stay seated!!!

I KNOW!!! *gasp* a blog post from me! Holy moly! right!!! Yes, peeps - I'm here....and it's been way too long. I feel horribly guilty for neglecting you all. For starters, I got those wedding invites done, took a little time off (like a couple of days) to catch up on home life and to really snuggle with that sweet little girl of mine. Then, I needed to create some uber cool projects for my stamp clubs - which I will post NEXT Friday after the last stamp club of the month meets.

For now - I want to show you this adorable card I made for a couple of our friends that recently got engaged:
I used the new Pedaling Past stamp set with the bicycle built for two stamp - I thought it was rather fitting for an engagement card! It took me a while to actually decide that yes, I did want this set. And after I got it and started playing, I realized that there are a lot of 'journeys' that will be fitting with this set. Like retirement, new baby (using that adorable little trike), wedding, graduation....sometimes ya just gotta think outside the box a little! And sometimes, that's a little hard for me.

Yep - check that out....anyone else see something a little out of the norm for my cards??? Hmm....how about that? I tied and actual, for real, BOW! Whaaaaat??? If I can do it - anyone can do it. Bows (at first I typed boys - and they too) always intimidate me. But, if you fiddle, and practice - they will work out!

Recipe:

Stamps: Pedaling Past

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Rose Red, Soft Suede (last two both were to distress edges)

Paper: Kiwi Kiss(retired), Island Oasis DSP, Rose Red

Other: Tempting Turquoise marker, Heart to Heart punch, Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain ribbon

I want to take a quick minute to let all of you know - if you want some of the colors that are retiring, you better be getting them NOW! Stampin' Up! is quickly running out of retiring papers and inks, and it is not guaranteed that they will be restocking them. In fact, as far as paper goes, it could be that you will get textured cardstock in lieu of smooth if they are out of smooth cardstock. Now is the time to get your order in - don't wait until it's gone, cuz it'll be gone!

That's all for today - off to create while two of the kiddos are sleeping and the other is watching a movie!