My Big News

I didn't think I was supposed to announce this until tomorrow, but I see it's already up on the SU-Only Challenges blog, so here goes....

I'm a SUOC Design Team member!

Woohoo!!!  This is a first for me, so I really feel honored.  Boy, what a week, huh?  Featured Friday Cardmaker on OWH Stars & Stamps, and a few days later, DT on SU-Only Challenges........Life is good!

This invitation for the SUOC26 challenge was made in anticipation of my daughter and son-in-law finally closing on their house, hopefully this week!  Once they are moved and settled, it's party time! I combined two of the stamps in the Party Time set to get the "housewarming party time".  And see that lovely ribbon treatment with the teeny tiny linen thread bow? My friend Jennifer Timko (the Queen of Lovely Bows) did it on her card here, so I just had to CASE it! Hers looks way better, of course, 'cuz she IS the Queen, after all.

Stamps: Aviary, Party Time
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies Designer Series Paper
Inks: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Real Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Island Indigo 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Linen Thread, Decorative Label Punch

Be sure to check SUOC every other Tuesday for a new challenge, and upload your creation there! The main rules are easy-peasy....only Stampin' Up! items may used on the project (hence the name of the challenge blog), and the project must be posted within time frame of each challenge. (Check "About" on the SUOC left sidebar for more details on the rules.) If your project is one of the three winners, you get a fab blinky to proudly display on your blog!

Okay, now get busy making an invitation so we can see the fabulousness! It can be any kind of party invite.....in fact, the baby booty shower invitation from a couple days ago was going to be my project, but I changed my mind. It happens a lot these days. The mind-changing thing. Some call it old age indecision. I call it coming up with a better idea. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

More from Demonstrator Day

These are another couple of cards we made at Jill Olsen's Demonstrator Day.  It's funny, this stamp set (A Cute Christmas) didn't really appeal to me at first, but naturally, as soon as I saw it in action, I had to come home and order it!

 Speaking of which (are you sitting down?), I won the Grand Prize drawing that day! 
Yep, little ol' me, who never wins anything, won the big prize of $150 in SU goodies of my choice, plus the Level One Hostess benefits!!!  That's a free hostess stamp set, plus $165 in merchandise!  And yes, A Cute Christmas was on that order, along with some big ticket items I'd been coveting, but couldn't afford.

On a more somber note, I really, really enjoyed seeing my mom this past week.  Unfortunately, the time just flew by, and now she is back home.  Her first appointment is tomorrow. :-(   Many, many sincere thanks to those of you who have been praying for her.  It means so much to me.
 
Maybe I can focus on more regular blog posts to take my mind off her health problems.....at least for a while.

Get Well Wishes

Today's card goes out to a special lady who is undergoing treatment for cancer.  I used the Aviary set again, because it can work for almost any occasion - from birthday to thank you, from humorous to a sympathy card.  For an amusing card, you could do one cage with the bird inside and the others with the birds outside, with a funny greeting ("What are you waiting for?!").  An empty cage would make a good "miss you" or sympathy card.  Like I said, this is a very versatile stamp set!

Stamps: Aviary (W-116956, C-120462), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Cardstock: Poppy Parade (119793), Basic Black (121045), Whisper White (100730), Sunny Garden DSP (119831)
Ink: Basic Black Classic (101179), Poppy Parade Classic (119782)
Accessories: Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (119261), Basic Rhinestones (119246), Word Window Punch (119857), Modern Label Punch (119849), 3/4" x 15/16" Oval Punch (120908, available 9/1)

Happy Bird-day

Quick post today - gotta get my classes scheduled for the next quarter and finish my new newsletter.  Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting my motor going this morning. 

 This card was made for a friend, who shall remain nameless, because she doesn't know about it yet. :-D

The Aviary stamp set is so versatile, and the birds just crack me up, especially that long-legged one.  He fits perfectly into the greeting!  I used a Stampin' Write Marker to ink the words "happy" and "day" on the greeting from the SAB Hostess set Picture This, but I'll bet any happy birthday greeting would do....just don't ink the "birth" part of it.

Okay, I am seriously just about falling asleep here, and sleepy drool on the keyboard would be bad, very bad.  Off to make more coffee. 
 
Stamps: Aviary (W-116956, C-120462), Picture This (118538, hostess set no longer available)
Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Concord Crush (119792), Marina Mist (119682), Lap of Luxury DSP (120436)
Ink: Concord Crush Classic (119785), Certainly Celery Classic (105217), Marina Mist Classic (119668)
Accessories: Certainly Celery 5/8" Satin Ribbon (117288), Basic Rhinestones (119246), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)