Retirement list is now available!

The new 2009 - 2010 Idea Book & Catalog is making it's debut on July 1st, and in order to make room for all the new, we have to say goodbye to dozens of stamps and accessories! While some of these sets I'm happy to see go (Zoofari) others I'm sad about (Short Order alphabet, are you kidding me?!).  I'm pretty sure I'll get over it once I see the new catalog! Most items are marked down 25 to 50%, and some things have already sold out. You can't pass up a good sale. And to sweeten the deal, I'll give you an extra 10% off anything on the lists through the rest of the month. Sound good?

Last Chance List

Last Chance Accessories List

Last Chance Decor Elements List

Retiring sets and accessories are available while supplies last.

Altered Lunch Tins!

It's been a while since I posted anything. Between the kids, school, sports and working part-time, I just haven't made the time to sit down and play in my scrap room. Not to mention, we put in new flooring two months ago, and since then my scrap room has turned into the junk room, and I literally have a little path that leads to my craft table. Not the most creative environment to work in! Still, I managed to whip up this cute little project for my stamp club girls!

I've seen these cute altered tins everywhere, and I thought it would be nice for my stamp club girls to make something to put all their cards in.  I made little dividers for the inside using the Riveting stamp step. It's a retired set, but it worked well for creating themes for each divider. I used this template from SCS for the paper adhered to the top and the notch in the front, but I had a hard time getting the holes to line up. You sort of have to eyeball it and trim as you go.

I think I'm going to make another one for my Cuttlebug and SU dies and embossing folders. They fit inside perfectly! I'll probably have a lunch tin class soon. I'm dying to use the Rockabilly paper on these!

Want to make some of your own or create a class? Here are the details:

I ordered the Provo Craft tins from here.  The prices were good and the shipping cost was the lowest I found anywhere. You order them in lots of three. One pack of DSP will cover 18 tins.

Cut the strips 2" x 12" (you'll need a total for 4 strips in two different patterns for each tin). Using the template above, cut out your notch in the middle of one of the strips (or you can use a small circle punch). Adhere strips to box with sticky strip or other strong adhesive. You'll have a bit of uncovered space in the middle, but you'll cover that with ribbon. Use the template and cut your paper for the lid.

The dividers are 4 x 6, and I used circle punches to make the tabs.  I used the 1" stitched ribbon to around the middle, but you could use 5/8" too. 

Decorate the handle with 1/4" grosgrain or whatever ribbon you prefer. Decorate the front however you'd like! I stamped CARDS using the Typeset alphabet (retired), double mounted onto cardstock and adhered with dimensionals.

Supplies used: Typeset alpha and Riveting (both retired sets), Raspberry Tart Designer Series paper, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose and Kiwi Kiss cardstock and ink, 1" Rose Red stitched grosgrain ribbon, 1/4" grosgrain in white, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, Certainly Celery and Rose Red. Round punches, Prima flowers, silver brads. Provo Craft lunch tin.

Stamp Club March Projects

Here are a couple of goodies I made for my stamp club. The Parisian Breeze DSP is my new favorite paper  - if you don't have it, you MUST get it! As with some of the Designer Series papers in the catalog, it's so much prettier in person! 

This page uses the Delicate Dots DSP and So Saffron grosgrain ribbon, both FREE Sale-A-Bration items. I love free stuff! The scalloped oval will be available in the Occasions mini catalog beginning April 1st. 

Now, I know that my flowers look a little squished on the tag  - that's because this isn't MY card, lol. MINE had my sentiment stamped a little lower so that everything looked perfectly balanced in the tag. I'm not saying who took my card home, but I know who you are...!  I'm "so glad we're friends", lol! :) BTW, every sentiment in the Best Yet set, which is the set I used on this card, fits perfectly in the large metal edge tags (also by SU).  I've had these tags laying around forever wondering what to put on them, and now I know! 

Charmed

This is a little page I made for my monthly stamp club. I have a cute pic of my three kids laying in the grass, face up in the shape of shamrock, that will eventually go on this page, but my printer isn't working, so here it is, naked. :)

Supplies used: Garden Green, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Old Olive and Certainly Celery cardstock, grosgrain ribbons, Earth Elements button, stickles, embossing folder, hearts, circle and eyelet border punches.

Easter Card

My girlfriend asked me if I could come up with a simple Easter card project for an upcoming event. It's a small get together with no sales involved (though there is a small fee to make the card), so I thought it would be ok to use some retired products.  Until my new sets from the Occasions mini-catalog arrive, I have to make do with Faith & Hope, and oldie but much loved Easter stamp set from the 2006 mini catalog. I love this set, and I don't think I'll ever part with it! I used the phrase stamp from that set, along with the retired Spring Flowers punch. I feel like it's missing something though...maybe more layers? 

As I was making this card, I realized that I'm a total ribbon addict, and I was wondering if it was possible for me to make a card, scrapbook page, anything without ribbon on it... Maybe that will be a challenge for me this month!

Supplies used: Faith & Hope stamp set, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip, Kraft, So Saffron and Kiwi Kiss cardstock, Washington Apple DSP, Chocolate Chip ink and wide grosgrain ribbon, Spring Flowers punch, silver brads, Big Shot "Little Leaves" die, Cuttlebug polka dot embossing folder.

Birthday card for Hayley

I officially became the mother of a teenager today.  It seems like just yesterday I was brushing her hair into pig tails, buying everything in shades of pink, and holding her hand. Now she's grown into a beautiful young lady, except she won't be caught dead in anything pink, wears her hair in her eyes, and almost dies of humiliation from my public displays of affection. Aw...the joys of raising a teenage girl!

I made this card to celebrate Hayley's 13th birthday. Her favorite colors are green, blue and purple, so I used Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze (though for some reason it looks more like Cool Caribbean in the pic), and Perfect Plum. It's fun and spunky, just like her! 

Supplies used: Kiwi Kiss, Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Black and Whisper White cardstock, chipboard letter, white craft ink, Cuttlebug embossing folder, green glitter, heart punch, white gel pen, non-SU ribbon.

The 2009 Artisan Award Contest

Each year SU has an Artisan Award competition, designed to recognize demonstrators for their talent and creativity. Now I'm not so sure how I rate, but I've decided that I'm giving it a shot this year! I mean, why not? If anything it will be fun, and a great way to challenge myself and get the creative juices flowing!

Entries must consist of five cards, three scrapbook pages (8.5 x 11, 12x12, or 8.5 x 8.5), and two 3-D items. I think the scrapbook pages will be the most challenging for me, but I can't wait to get started! I have until April 20th to submit my entries. I can't wait to get started!!

Valentines Mailbox Gift Set

Some of my friends and I got together for a little crafty time, and made these cute little mailboxes for Valentines Day! We also created matching 3x3 cards for the inside. The mailboxes are from the dollar spot at Target - they usually arrive in stores around Christmas, and if you see them buy them right away, because they sell out fast! 

These are really easy, the only hard part is choosing which patterns to use on the box. I think we all did a fabulous job! I gave mine to my mom. My kids wrote a note inside each card, and she love it! I also made a few for friends. 

This is a picture of our creations:

These are the matching cards I made for inside my box (which is the picture at the very top). 

Supplies used: Love You Much stamp set, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla and Close to Cocoa cardstock, Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain ribbon, white and Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon, circle, square and scallop punches, stickles.

Heart Shaped Cookie Holder

After I saw those adorable little cookie holders on page 56 of the new catalog, I just had to make some of my own! I really like this idea, since it would be nice to have the kids hand out cookies rather than candy, but they are a bit more labor intensive than the easier treat boxes I posted earlier. Still pretty simple though, and only took a few minutes to make. You can put other treats in here too, besides cookies.

Here is the pattern: Heart Shaped Cookie Holder.

I was able to fit two average size cookies in the holder, and I secured it inside with a couple of glue dots. I think next time I'll jazz it up with some more stamping or glitter!

Supplies used: Love You Much stamp set, Riding Hood Red, Vanilla and Chocolate Chip card stock,Candy Lane DSP, Chocolate Chip ink, Chocolate Chip stitched wide-grosgrain ribbon and 1/4" grosgrain, 1" and 1 1/4" circle punches, scallop edge punch, cellophane bag.

Valentines Projects

I *heart* Valentine's day! The fun colors, the hearts, the cheesy heart-shaped boxed chocolates, I look forward to it every year!

I couldn't resist the new Love You Much bundle! Until January 31st, you can get the Love You Much stamp set, Candy Lane designer series paper, and matching Heart to Heart punch for $41.48 - that's 20% off! It's the cutest stuff, and of course I used it for this month's stamp club projects.


I got the idea for the little Hersey treat pouches from my upline Beth. They're so quick and easy to make, and perfect for classroom treats or party favors. You can make four out of ONE sheet of cardstock, so it's economical too! They're pretty simple: Cut a piece of cardstock to 5" x 4.25". Score along the long side at 1.5", 3", and 4.5". Adhere Hershey kisses with adhesive, then fold together with adhesive - that's it! I'll post a short tutorial later.

The candle I found at a drug store for $2. I just wrapped with the Candy Lane paper, and added a tag. This and the matching card were gifts for my hostess.


Supplies used: Love You Much bundle, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red and Pink Piourette cardstocks, quare, circle and photo corners punches, Pink Piourette and Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain ribbon.

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!

The holidays are here, and it's time for a HUGE sale! Now through December 1st, Stampin' Up! is offering special product bundles at up to 50% off! There are some awesome bundles available - chipboard, tags, embossing, scrapbooking, holiday - you MUST check it out! You can view the link HERE, or you can check out more details on my business website HERE. 

Also, if you're looking for some creative and simple ideas for holiday gifts and projects, click HERE! Lots of great ideas and supply lists for things you can make for friends and family!

All bundles on sale are available in limited quantities. You can order through me, or through my website at the link above!

Fall Scrapbook Page

I know, I know. I've been slacking. I was doing so good at tending to my business, classes and keeping up this blog, and then it came to a screeching halt. I really have no good excuse, because while I don't have a lot of free time, I tend to waste the time that I do have. The craft room is too messy, I need to order more stuff, the house is a mess, the camera isn't working right, creativity block...all legitimate but lame excuses. I promise to do better, and I have some fun projects I'll be uploading over the week.

This is a Fall 6x6 scrapbook page my stamp club made last month. The pumpkins were fun to make, and you can make them as skinny or as fat as you want! Super easy!

Supplies used: Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and So Saffron cardstock, Hawaii Papaya Designer Series paper, wide Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, photo corner and oval punches, silver brad and paper crimper.

BOO!

I love decorating for Halloween, so I thought I'd create something fun for my fireplace mantel using the new "Ghostly Greetings" designer paper and some wooden letters. It turned out pretty cute, although I must admit that it doesn't seem to have enough bling, so I'll probably dress it up a bit more. I have some ideas, like adding some jack o' lanterns or some stamped candy corn to the front....I'll have to think about it!

The wooden letters are about 6" high, and I got them from Joann's. I painted them black, then traced and cut out the letters. Added some ribbon, a stamped skull from "Batty for You", and a scalloped circle. Hmmm...maybe I'll add some more of those little guys from that set to this...

I will be offering this as a class on October 24th, just in time for Halloween. Cost is $15. For the first time, I will be offering this as a class-by-mail, so if you're interested and want this cute "BOO" sitting on your mantle this Halloween, let me know! Cost is $20, including shipping, and I will include all the pieces you need to put it together. I can even put it together for you if you prefer, just let me know! Ribbon and patterned paper used may vary slightly from what is shown.

Class details:

Date: Friday, October 24th

Time: 6pm

Where: My stamp pad!

Cost: $15

Class should last about 1 hour.

Supplies Used: Batty for You stamp set, grosgrain and patterned ribbons, Ghostly Greetings designer paper, wooden letters, black paint, scallop and circle punches.

A Man-Made Card!

I found this video over at StampingSchool.com.  I about died laughing, because this would SOOOO be my husband if I asked him to make a card. You just HAVE to watch it! Click on the link below:

Man-Made Card

If you haven't heard of stampingschool.com, go check it out! For a small annual fee, they offer fabulous video tutorials, templates and more!

Colorful Congrats!

I made this card for the "Colors of the Rainbow" challenge on SCS. Check out the challenge here! I like the challenges on SCS because they inspire me to break out of my comfort zone and try something new. I'm usually not a huge fan of the bright colors, but this one was fun to make and I actually like it! I noticed after I took the picture that the red square is not exactly even - I fixed it, but I didn't want to retake the picture. So here it is, in all it's imperfect glory!

Supplies used:  Say it with Scallops stamp set, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Pacific Point, Summer Sun and WW cardstock, Pacific Point ink, Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon, silver brads, scallop square, small star, tags and circle punches, dimensionals, Big Shot (with Cuttlebug embossing folder).

Spooky Spider Candy Jar

Isn't this Halloween candy jar adorable? It is made using "Spooky Spider" from the new Décor Elements line! You can find these inexpensive glass jars at Target or Wal-Mart. Apply the spider - for a large jar you will use the medium spider and have to trim his web a bit. Add some ribbon to the lid and some candy in the jar, and it's done! Spooky Spider is available in two colors and three sizes. It is available from now until October 31st!

Small Spider $5.95

Medium Spider $10.95

Large Spider $14.95

Download the complete flyer HERE!

Retired sets for sale and some news!

I finally have some free time and I plan on making some fabulous projects today! I will post those later, but first, some news!

Online Ordering!

Online ordering is now available! Yes, my fabulous friends, you can now place orders though my SU demo website, 24/7! So if you ever get the urge in the middle of the night to get that fantastic designer paper or stamp set, or you need to make some invitations but don't have time to have a workshop, you can place your order online and have it delivered right to your door! Just visit my demo website, click on Products, and start shopping! Cool beans.

Classes!

Many of my customers have asked me if I have any upcoming classes. I do have some new classes in the works and will have my schedule posted here in the next couple of days. I have so many ideas that it's hard to settle on just a few, but I know you're going to love what I come up with! Something new I plan to offer are project kits by mail, for my long-distance friends and customers that can't make it to my classes. I'll also be offering card sets and custom invitations. Watch for details soon!

Retired Sets!

I have just reorganized my craft space, and I need to make room for some new stamp stuff! I have the following retired sets available for sale. I hate to part with some of these (especially that Carved & Candlelit set), but I hope to find them a good home! If you are curious as to what the sets look like and to see some samples, check out the SCS gallery HERE. Scroll down and you can search for the set by name, and view hundreds of project ideas! If I need to ship any of these, it will be $3.95.

Here is what I have available (UM = Unmounted):

Hung Up on the Holidays $8.00

Birthday Best $8.00

Halloween Backgrounds $5.00

Carved & Candlelit $15.00

Looks Like Spring (I have a matching punch as well, that would be $10 extra)   $15.00

Canvas Background  $8.00

Big Blooms $10.00

Big Blossom  $5.00

Send a Celebration $8.00

Blooming with Happiness $8.00

Springtime Stems $5.00

Stars & Swirls $5.00

Faith & Hope $10.00

So Very (UM) $8.00

Love Matters $15.00

Monkey Business $15.00

Petite Patterns $5.00

Fresh Fillers $5.00

Brighter Tomorrow $10.00

Sidekick Sayings $10.00

Let me know if you're interested in any of these and I'll get them to you ASAP. Now go stamp something! :)

Remembering Sept. 11, 2001

No projects today, no warm and fuzzy ramblings. Just some thoughts and reflections about 9/11.

I'm not one to remember the details of past events. In fact, I probably couldn't tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday, or the name of the last person I spoke with on the phone. But I can recall everything about September 11, 2001. Even what pajamas I had on that morning (white with blue sheep).

I remember being woken up by the phone ringing around 6am. Chris (my husband) answered it, and then bolted up in bed. It was a call from the fire department, ordering him in because our country was "under attack". He told me to turn on the television, and we saw the WTC on fire. Soon after that, we watched as the second plane hit the second tower. He immediately left for work, and I sat there on the bed all day, glued to the television. I felt helpless as I watched the towers burning, people jumping to their deaths, and reports of those not able to evacuate. Then I watched in horror as the towers fell, the Pentagon was hit, and flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania. I felt like I in a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. I was terrified for all those people, heartbroken for those that were searching for their loved ones, worried about my own family, and for my husband. I remember gathering up emergency supplies, just in case. It was a day I'll never forget.

In the end, 2974 people lost their lives as a result of the attacks, including 343 FDNY firefighters who gave their lives to save others. Another 24 people are missing and presumed dead.

Chris attended the public memorial for all the fallen firefighters and spent several days visiting FDNY stations, including those that lost their entire crews. He came back a changed person. I visited Ground Zero less than a year after the attacks. I had seen it a thousand times on television, but it was an entirely different experience to see firsthand the destruction of that day. There are no words to describe the emotions I felt that day.

We promised we would never forget. I never will.

Halloween Treats!

Halloween is right around the corner! I love everything about Halloween - the colors, the costumes, the parties, and most of all, the treats! My stamp club wanted to create some projects with a Halloween theme, and I was happy to whip up some fun stuff using SU's new Ghostly Greetings designer paper, the Batty for You stamp set, a few punches, and the new Big Shot!


Isn't this Frankie treat box the cutest thing ever?! I got the idea from Dawn Griffith's Frankie card. Check out her blog here! Instead of making a Frankie card though, I turned him into a treat box instead! This is just a simple 2-4-6-8 box. After taking this picture, I realized that Frankie needed some "bolts", so I punched two small circles out of grey cardstock and adhered them to each side of the box.

I cased this card from scrappindixie on SCS. I changed around the colors, stamps and ribbon, but it's her layout! I embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder in the Big Shot machine.

This scrapbook page layout I cased from Michele Force. Check out her blog here!

Supplies used on all projects: Batty for You stamp set, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Lovely Lilac (on Frankie), black and Whisper White cardstock and inks, circle, scallop and photo corner punches, Ghostly Greetings designer paper, Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, silver brads (on Frankie), white gel pen, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Big Shot machine, black marker.

3x3 Box and Cards

I made this box for the 3D060 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. The challenge was to make a 3x3 box using only SU products, but I did use non-SU flowers and brads. I'm such a rebel. You can find an easy pattern for this on Elaine's blog HERE!

I embossed the swirl from the Baroque Motifs set. The more I look at this the more I wonder if I should have embossed on vanilla instead of red, but I suppose it's good to walk on the wild and bold side every now and then! The colors I used are Certainly Celery, Black, and Riding Hood Red - one of the new In Colors that will be available in the new 08-09 SU catalog.  I've made a few of these boxes to have on hand as hostess gifts. Addicting little things, they are! (If you want to see more detail/larger view, just click on the pictures).

The box above is SU only, and I made it for my upline, Beth. I was going for clean and simple, and I love the Soft Sky and Chocolate Chip together. I'm really going to miss this blue when it's retired in a couple of weeks! The box holds matching 3x3 any-occasion cards. Hope she likes it!