Drum Roll Please.....

Okay - here are your options for the first Christmas Stamp-A-Stack!

1) Vintage Postcard






2) Happy Holidays





3) Snowswirled tree (this is much prettier in person)



4) Snow Swirled Snowflakes


5) Our house to yours


6) Felt Flurries (this too is neater in person!)


So pick your card, you will make 10 of that card. If you want to make 3 different cards, you will end up with 30 cards. Email me by 10/15/08 with your options. FYI - I will be adding one more option tonight - using the Cardinal from the Holiday Mini.

Stamp-A-Stack details:
When: October 25th 1pm - 4pm
Where: Denison Municipal Utilities Bldg
Fee: $15 per "stack" (10 cards) You will more than likely have plenty of time to make 2 stacks (20 cards)
Register and pay by: October 15th

The fee includes your cards, pre-cut and scored, and envelopes, plus use of my supplies. You just stamp and assemble.

Please email me if you have any questions. thearkfelds@fmctc.com or call 712-269-2714

The next Stamp-A-Stack will be in a couple of weeks, but the options will be different.

Coming soon!!!

Mark your calendar, put it in PEN - not pencil....the first Christmas Stamp-A-Stack is just around the corner...OCTOBER 25th, 1pm - 4pm. This will be the first of a couple Stamp-A-Stacks. I will post 5-6 card selections in the next day, so check back tomorrow! I will also hold a couple of Stamp-A-Stacks in November, but I will likely have a couple of different card options for you at that time. More later!!!

We're not in Kansas anymore Toto!

I'm just back from Stampin' Up!'s Kansas City Regional Seminar. It was a great time! I took about 65 "swaps" with me to trade with other demos that were there - here are the goodies:

I'm really fond of this one - I think I love the simplicity of it. It uses Whisper White cardstock for the base, and Maine Blueberry Designers Series paper - I'm in love (LOVE) with this paper. I used the scallop edge punch to do the scallop. The only stamp set I used was Best Yet (hostess yet), and I used my markers on it to get the two colors. Punched it out with the large oval punch, then punched a larger oval in Old Olive cardstock with the Wide Oval Punch . Added a couple of brads, and some Bashful Blue striped ribbon and voila - instant beauty!


Card #2 - Yep - I'm loving this too!! Simple, elegant, and easy!!! Here I used the Snow Swirled Set that's in the Idea Book. Stamped the snowflakes with Versamark, then used my Iridecent Ice Embossing Powder and embossed away. I had also tried this using Heat and Stick and Dazzling Diamonds, but the detail was really lost because DD is just a little too "chunky". Then, tied a ribbon in it - the new Alpine Ribbon that is in the Winter Mini - it's great stuff. You get a lot of ribbon, some is this striped grosgrain, and the other is a felt ribbon, that you'll in a second, but you gotta keep reading! Lastly, I stamped Season's Greetings in Choc. Chip on Very Vanilla and punched it with the Wide Oval Punch, edged the sides with Choc. Chip and stuck it on with Stampin Dimensionals.....oh yeah, Baha Breeze was the base for this one....

... and this one too. Baja Breeze base that is. I used the To You and Yours Stamp Set...kinda vintage, very classic...makes me sing, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" And when I do my voice automatically changes to that of Bing Crosby is it??? I don't know...back to the card....okay, I stamped the house in Choc. Chip on Naturals Ivory. (one of my new very favorite papers), then punched the corners with my ticket punch, layered it on Choc. Chip paper. Added a little two way glue to the "snow" swirls and sprinkled on some Dazzling Diamonds. Oh, it's coming together! Then, I punched (using the horizontal slot punch) a slot for my ribbon to go thru. I had to do this side by side about 3 times to get the slot long enough for this Choc Chip stitched ribbon to fit thru. I'm not going to take credit for this one, I totally CASED it off of Splitcoast. I'd give credit to the person if I could find it again....She however added felt fusion flowers in Choc Chip and it completely added a WOW factor. If I would have had some on hand, I would have been all over it....

Then we move onto Upsy Daisy. Holy cow this set is versatile...it can be masculine, it can be feminine...I'm loving it. This was super easy. Basic Grey base, add a strip of Prestwick DS Paper, stamp the daisies in Not Quite Navy on Naturals Ivory (remember one of my new favorite papers!), layer it on Not Quite Navy, add some Navy Ribbon and a couple of brads, and viola! Simple, super easy card....done!


Another Christmas card here - and really pretty simple. Remember, any time you add DS paper to a card, your life gets easier.... I started with an Old Olive base, added some paper from Holiday Treasures, and tied a bow on with Baha Breeze Striped Grosgrain ribbon. I'm all about ribbon these days. Just like the DS paper, it's an instant addition that really makes your card something to love. And really, ribbon isn't a huge costly thing, a little goes a long way. Well, then I stamped the tree from Snow Swirled on Baha Breeze with Versamark, and used Iridecent Ice embossing powder, used the ticket corner punch, layered it on Choc Chip, and Riding Hood Red papers. Another elegant Christmas card done my Moi! Do a little dance....

Last swap card was the first one to be gone, and I really love him! Of course, I did save one for myself, and I don't know that I'll part with it, unless I make more....are you ready to see it???I should give you fair warning - the set I used is from the Winter Mini and the Winter Mini is DANGEROUS!!!! I really mean it. I was a naughty, naughty girl and ordered not just 2 sets from it, not 3, but 5 - yes FIVE stamp sets from the mini....this is probably my favorite mini ever! It's got a lot of vintage inspired sets, and I just love that look! Well, and to really sway me, Stampin' Up! offered us demonstrators an additional 20% off the sets we preordered. Talk about enabling! What a great incentive...I love Stampin' Up! Oh, so you wanted to see that card right? Okay, here goes nothing!









Isn't he ADORABLE? I used the cute little scarecrow from Happy Blessings out of the Winter Mini. The DS paper is also in that mini - remember - very dangerous! It's called Autumn Vine. The colors in the paper are gojus! I hope they keep it around a while! I already tried to order more of the paper, and SU! wouldn't let me!!!! Is that a sign or what???? We are only allowed one per preorder period....Well, I'm ready for some more dang it. So I inked him up with Stazon on Very Vanilla, used my Watercolor Wonder Crayons and a blender pen. I took my blender pen and grabbed color off of the crayon instead of using the crayon directly on the paper. I scraped the edges of the Vanilla across my Choc Chip pad to distress them and used the Choc Chip marker to do some faux stitching. Then I popped him up off the page with Stampin' Dimensionals. I also used that Alpine ribbon that's in the....MINI!!! (if you need a copy of the mini, please let me know....) And some Earth Elements buttons with some hemp twine. Here's a close up:

Pretty darn cute wouldn't you say???? Okay - I really must go take care of some laundry and unpack my stuff from KC....

Keep on stampin'!

World Card Making Day - Upsy Daisy Class

If you’re looking for quick and easy cards to make that have a real “wow” factor, then this class is perfect for you! You’ll use the Upsy Daisy stamp set and Urban Garden designer paper to create eight stunning cards in four designs and a sleek little box to hold them in.

Date: October 4th, 2008 sign up deadline is Sept. 25th

Time: 9am - 11amCost: $25 or $10 with a purchase of the product bundle (see below)

Location: Denison Municipal Utilities

Please email me to sign up for this class: thearkfelds@fmctc.com

Product Bundle: Purchase the Upsy Daisy Stamp Set (currently offered at 15% off), half a pack of Urban Garden Designer Paper, one roll of Baha Breeze Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and one roll of Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain Ribbon for $41 (plus shipping and tax) and you can take the class for $10. This way you can go home and create more of the cards that we make at class!!! Bonus for you!

If you can't make it to class, but want to "participate", ask me about the Class-to-Go option!

Back from sabatical...

Oh, I really wish that were my excuse. For a while there I forgot that my blog even existed....and really there isn't an excuse that this poor site hasn't been updated for an eternity. I've just been flat out busy. Summer, kids, camping, kids, work, play, kids. You all know what I mean. But just because I haven't been posting jack-diddly here, doesn't mean I haven't been creating away. There have been many a nights sitting in my craft room with the juices flowing, when I really should be in bed instead. My body has figured out that I can stay up past 9:30pm, and it doesn't kill me at all. I fondly remembered that Jay Leno has this great monologue, and yeah - it's worth staying up for sometimes. But, I have been working and have made some great things - some of which I have forgotten to photograph. Like the card that I submitted to Stampin' Up! for one of their monthly contests, which I obviously didn't win, because the phone has not rang on this end from Salt Lake City. And trust me, I've been checking not only the answering machine, but also the caller id....Shelli, feel free, give me a call sometime.





Yeah, I know, you really want to see what I've been creating....here it goes:








I made this little bottle topper last night as a gift for our babysitter's birthday today. She said that she really appreciated the enabling! FYI - this is a bottle of Fetzer Gerwurtztraminer. It's YUMMY!! A nice white with fruity undertones, not too sweet, not too dry. I'm in love! Here's a close up of the topper. In the box, I tucked a gift certificate:



This stamp is from Happy Blessings and can be found in the Holiday Mini - available Oct. 1. And the paper is also from the mini - Autumn Vine. It's great paper. I think I'm loving it more so than all of the holiday paper. It combines Choc. Chip, Really Rust, More Mustard (which I NEVER use) and Sage Shadow. Makes a really great combo. I also used Choc. Chip wide grosgrain ribbon and choc. chip paper. The directions for the box can be found here on Splitcoast Stampers.

Here is a card that we made at our last Stamp Club meeting. We have so much fun at our club meetings, I wish we could do it more often. It's a great group of gals! Anyway, I LOVE this card - that's right love it! I CASED it off of Splitcoast, and can't remember exactly who...she did have some felt flowers included on her card, I opted for dazzling diamonds instead. I also used the ticket punch. But, I really love the combo of Choc. Chip and Baha Breeze. Warm and cool all at the same time! Who'd a thunk it?


This stamp set is To You and Yours. I LOVE it for it's simplicity and elegance. The background is stamped with snowflake images from Snow Swirled. The little snowflake is down in Baha Breeze, while the bigger flake is with Versamark. It helps give a little dimension I think. (doesn't show the best here) I stamped the house with Choc Chip, then used my 2-way glue pen and sprinkled dazzling diamonds over the top... gojus!

Our technique for this month was moonlighting. I cased this card from the infamous Jan Tink, the goddess that she is. If you haven't checked out her blog, do so.



There is a great tutorial on her blog for this moonlighting tech. My photo isn't great colorwise....

Here is our other moonlit card:




This one uses the Upsy Daisy set that I love....it can be masculine - kinda like the card here, or it can be way feminine. It's nice a versital. Again, the color seems off. This was Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Choc. Chip ribbon, black ink, Really Rust and Pumpkin Pie for the sky. Very simple, and quite easy really. And if you like this stamp set, be sure to check out my upcoming class for World Card Making Day. You won't want to miss it!

So, I needed to come up with something for my "cousin" Ben and his upcoming wedding. (He's really my step-dad's cousin) I haven't actually seen their house, but I was told that the colors were neutral. I stuck pretty neutral, but needed some splash of color for this name frame that I came up with. I hope they like it. I'll have to miss the wedding and celebration due to another family obligation. (Weekend trip with Andy's side of the family - our annual family trip.) Please don't mind the finger prints in the first photo - and yes, I did wipe them off before they went in the gift bag!


The paper was from a retired Simply Scrappin' Kit - At Home. The kit now called Home Again is virtually the same - just new colors. I think I like the browns and greens better... just a personal opinion. I used the Taffy Alphabet and Taffy Numbers set, Hodgepodge Hardware in Antique Brass. (which btw, will retire in August - just a quick heads up and forewarning. I'm thinking that SU! will come out with a reconfigured Hodgepodge set more along the lines of the Styled Silver set that is found in the mini - *crossing fingers...and toes!!!*)



At first I wasn't overly excited with the way it turned out the way that I sometimes am after completing a project. You know, like when I crank my arm around so that I can pat myself on the back....but, after I saw it on the wall, I was much more impressed with myself than I was initially. Now I'm loving myself!

Card Swap - See what you could have had!!

Here are the cards that were received in the card swap. While only 5 participated, it was fun to see what was done. Want to join the next card swap? Email me and I'll put you on the list for the next swap! I apologize for the poor photo quality. I need a better lit area to photograph....*scratching head*.

Hold the Phone!

eScape with Stampin' Up!

Put down the phone, turn off the computer, and break free from the 'e'!
Remember when you got letters in your mailbox instead of your inbox? On June 25, 2008, Stampin' Up! is taking the day to unplug and unwind, and reconnect on a personal level with friends and loved ones through handmade cards. And we invite you to eScape with us throughout the month of June!
Reconnect with your "wireless network" by attending an eScape event or hosting one of your own! Take advantage of the 25 percent discount on select items in the eScape bundle to help you create that special message from the heart.
eScape Bundle (item 113700):
Description
Page Number
Price
Circle of Friendship stamp set
p. 143
$17.95
Love Notes assortment
p. 167
$8.95
Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad
p. 165
$5.25
Very Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon
p. 191
$7.95
Total (non-bundled)

$40.10
eScape Bundle price

$30.00
eScape in June! Contact me today for details about this exciting event.

Sneak Peak Promo!!!

Making the (fresh) cut!

Whether you're a customer or a hostess, June's sneak peek into the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog has something fresh and new just for you!

Customers:When you purchase the brand new, die-cut Fresh Cuts stamp set, add on the coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes* for only $5!

Hostesses:Host a $400 workshop during the month of June, and receive the Fresh Cuts stamp set and coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes FREE--over a $30 value--in addition to your regular hostess benefits!

Contact me for more details!

Don't send the search party out just yet!

I'm okay. I haven't been seriously injured, although I do have this little problem with my face right now, that's not holding me up from blogging. I really don't have a decent excuse, I've just been stinking busy. You know how it is. The weather turns warmer, and I want to enjoy it too. And that brings about a vegetable garden that needs planted and cared for, oh, and those pots of flowers that my husband says we don't really need. Yet, EVERY single year he makes the same comment about how glad he is that I planted some pots of flowers, it sure does add a lot to the surroundings. Oh, and there are the two boys of mine that require the majority of my attention. Well, and now that spring is here, you know, that means the Andy is in the fields a lot trying to grow some crops. Which means, once again, I've become a farm widow. But it's not like I haven't been stamping, and it's not like I think my work doesn't deserve any attention. I just can't get those darn pictures to upload and blog themselves. So, lucky you - here's a rundown of what I've made lately......





This fancy card, well, yeah, you guessed it, it's a Mother's Day card. I gave it to my mom, and made two of them, one for me to keep, and have apparently lost that one, because I have torn my house apart and can not find the darn thing!!! Anyway, I think it's pretty cool. I got the flower "o" idea from another blog, and for the life of me I can't remember where or I'd give that person the credit that she deserves. I just love how this turned out. Way too cool. I think it's Gojus, don't you? Here's another angle so you can see a bit better.




For the boo-tiful card, I used Certainly Celery as my base, stamped the "m" on Very Vanilla using Rose Red. Then I layered that on a piece of Soft Sky. Used Rose Red eyelets to embellish the corner, and also my photo corners punch and punched Soft Sky and Rose Red and layered those for further embellishments on the opposite corners. To create the flower, I used Soft Sky Double Stitched ribbon, and made 7 small loops and attached them together using Mini Glue Dots. I then attached that to a Rose Red button, again using glue dots. Oh yeah - I stamped the flower image in VersaMark on the Certainly Celery. The stamp set is a retired hostess set I believe. I don't have it labeled as the label got thrown away on accident. The card was really quite simple to put together and just so stunning if I do say so myself.....






These nifty monogram note cards are the gift that I made my mom for her special day. I use the Afternoon Tea Designer Series paper and went with it. Colors are Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi, and Groovy Guava for the most part. The only stamped image is the "n". The rest is simply paper. I love them.






This is our Stamp Club creation - I need to work with my markers a little more. Maybe my two year old can instruct me on how to use them a little better. I wish I would have went with my Watercolor Crayons, because I do love them. But, I want to play with my markers more to see what I can do with them. I'd like to know more about these Copic Markers that I keep hearing about - I wonder what all of the rage is about. I like what I see people have done with them, so if you know the scoop, fill me in please!

Here is another Stamp Club project - we focused on the On Board items, since that is Stampin' Up's! big special this month. And special it is - I love working with the chipboard. It's so cool.


This card is done with a Sahara Sand base, and I used Blue Bayou and Close to Cocoa DS paper, and one piece of chipboard from On Board Accents. Stamps sets were All Holidays (Happy Fathers Day), Sporting (#1) and Amazing to Zany (you're). I drug the edges of the chipboard across my Close to Cocoa ink pad, then sponged more ink along the edges. Stamped the you're #1 in CtC, threaded it with a piece of (retired) 1/4" Choc. Chip grosgrain ribbon, voila - cool embellishment. And super simple to boot! Happy Fathers Day is stamped in Blue Bayou on Confetti White, then layered on textured Blue Bayou.

Last card we did was this one: I LOVE this one - love the colors, the layout, the star, the ribbon. Ahhh *swooning over self*!

This was quite simple. Covered Chipboard piece with a glue stick, pressed Jersey Shore DS paper on top, rubbed on a star from Anchored rub ons. Attached a strip of JS DS paper to bottom of Soft Sky base, slapped on a piece of pumpkin pie striped grosgrain, stamped my sentiment (from In the Stars set) Attached my star and off I went!!!


And, yes, I am slightly weird - I had to post my new friend, Mr. Rosebreasted Grosbeak. The Mrs. showed up too, but I wasn't able to photograph her. Every year we get a Rosebreasted Grosbeak at our feeder, but this isn't the same one as last year. I'm hoping that we'll get some more now. This guys seems younger, he's not as chunky as the one we had last year, and his chest marking is different. (yeah, I am really weird since I can recall what last years Grosbeak looked like!) Last year my Grosbeak didn't have that little stripe down his chest, it was all filled in red. I'm sure this guy is just a juvenile, and probably a newlywed at that!

Two posts, one day?

No, do not adjust your monitors. It really is true - I'm sending out back to back posts. Okay, I'll admit it - I had too much cake for dessert tonight, and it's kicking in a bit....yeah, you're right, a lot! It was better than sex cake - what can I say - I just HAD to have an extra big piece! So, I really just wanted to show you this card that I made for a wedding we went to last weekend....I used those new Carousel Notes that are in the Occassions Mini catty. You know those ones that at first I didn't like because they looked to femmy for me. Yeah, well, I got them and now you know what - I love them. And yes, they are pretty girly, but I am female and sometimes I like to be a little frilly when the mood strikes. Oh, mood, that's what must have done it to me, a mood swing....well, anyway, I think that for this card they worked out just purrrrrfectly!



I used my blender pens and ink pads to color in the dress, and then went over the top and highlighted some areas with two way glue and Dazzling Diamonds. Aren't they gojus??? Don't you just love it? Oh, the stamp set, yeah - I'm sorry - it's a retired hostess set...



And here I was being ingenius - I made the carousel note into an actual card. I cut out a circle with my Coluzzle Cutter and then scored just the top of it and attached it to the note card with a piece of sticky strip. I thought that was quite clever of me. What do you think??? Please, please, hold your applause!

Happy Birthday MOM!

Today is my mom's birthday. I won't reveal her age - she doesn't look her age, so you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you how old she really is. It's that Mary Kay that she's been using for eons...I can only hope that it works on me!!! If I could have, I would have made a batch of brownies and grabbed my Steele Magnolias movie and we would have sat down and watched that today. But, I had to work....We used to watch Steele Magnolias ALL the time - we even had it memorized for the most part, and honestly, I could probably still repeat it almost word for word. I still think one of the best lines that comes to mind right away: "Looks like two pigs, fightin' under a blanket" or, "That Jackson, he's one hanging man". Lord, I could go on and on. I always referred to my mother as Ouisa, who's best line might just have been, "I saw Drum Eatenton in the Piggly Wiggly and I smiled at the son of a bitch before I could help myself"! Damn, that's a good movie. Note to self: must watch real soon! Anyway, here's to you mom! Happy Birthday!!! And here's what I made my mom for her special day:



For this creation I used Porcelin Prints Designer Series Paper, Taffy Alphabet, Make It Count (Hostess Stamp Set), Wild Wasabi and Blue Bayou Classic Stamp Pads, Wild Wasabi, Blue Bayou and Very Vanilla Cardstock. Frame from WalMart. Pretty darn cool - eh? *Patting self on back* Must make more of these. They are simple and quick and just so cool! Dontcha just love me!

Here is a framed sign that I made for my SIL. She recently bought her first house, and I wanted to give her something for it....I really think it turned out good. I used the Porcelin Prints Designer Series paper to create the background, and On Board Letter for the word home. This was such a quick and easy project - I think I need to make more! Groovy Huh!

They say it's your birthday!!!!

My niece Allana will be turning 6 in a couple of days. She likes girly things and it's fun to have a girl to create for - living in a male dominated household. I had a good time coming up with her gift - a lunch tin and a journal. We filled the tin with all kinds of markers and colored pencils for her to in turn create some goodies of her own. Nothing like firing up the creative juices of others!!! Here's what I came up with:






I just love all of the frilly colors and the spring feel that they have. The flower on the journal is really Groovy Guava, although it looks rusty in the photo. I did use clear embossing powder on it to give the chipboard a more shiny look. Also used Stampin' Up!'s new Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware. I don't use my Hardware enough, and now vow to get it out and use it. It's really an easy way to glam up anything. I'm such a hoarder - I've got the stuff, but feel like I need to save it for some reason. I do the same thing with wrapping paper and fabric. What is wrong with me??? I just need to let go - I really love the look once I use it.

Well, I hope you liked my new creations. Now I'm off to finish up a sign that I made for my sister in law for her new house. I'll post it in a bit!

A Good Egg

Oh, what fun I'm having with this stamp set!!! The little chic is so cute. I can't wait for Easter so that I can come up with some great scrapbook pages with this set. And once again - I'm loving the glitter!!! While home recovering from my surgery, I've been watching Ellen, and she is campaigning to BAN glitter. I shudder at the thought! If she could only get her hands on our Fine Cosmo Glitter, she would surely change her mind! Oh, Ellen, please see the light! It sparkles with glitter! Any-who, here are my latest creations: