April Showers

Bring May flowers, right? Only here in sunny Southern California we have a pretty much year-round growing season, so there is always something in bloom. Which brings me to one of my favorite flowers, Forget-Me-Nots. I am besot by their beautiful blue blooms (like that alliteration, lol?), but for some reason, I've never grown them here. So I figured I could make my own.... et voila!

This was going to be the card for this week's challenge at SUO Challenges, until I read the guidelines for the theme more closely (always a good idea), and saw that we were to focus on the Occasions Mini.  Oops! There was some serious scrambling in the stamp cave to make up for my failure to pay attention. (Which seems to be happening a lot lately. Squirrel!)

Karen Barber's card on SCS was the inspiration - I thought the layers of embossing would really set off the blue flowers.


Stamp: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Whisper White, Tempting Turquiose, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Basic Black, Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Big Shot (bet you didn't see that coming, did you? lol), Vintage Wallpaper and Square Lattice embossing folders, Little Leaves Sizzlits die, Blossom Petals Builder Punch,  Boho Blossoms Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Scallop Trip Border Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, Whisper White 5/8" Organza Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels, White Gel Pen, Stampin' Sponges, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals

Hello Baby!

Just a quick post today - I have lots to do for the next few days! This was a leftover image from the baby card I made a few days back. I usually stamp more than one image, in case I mess up one of them.  Yes, it happens all the time!

Stamps: Baby Bundle, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Marina Mist, Basic Gray, Soft Suede
Accessories: Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Mini Brads, Daffodil Delight 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Big Shot, Square Lattice and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folders, Stampin' Dimensionals

Swappin', Swappin', Swappin'...

....and getting ready for blog hoppin', though my eyes ares poppin'...... from too many late nights. (Sorry, can't make it rhyme, but Billy Crystal singing a modified version of Rawhide in 'City Slickers' comes to mind!)

This is one of the cards make for a 2011 Summer Mini catalog swap over at Stampin' Addicts. It uses the soon-to-be-released Fabulous Florets stamp set, which is - well, FABULOUS!

I love, love, love being a part of Stampin' Addicts swaps, because I know I will always get the highest quality swaps in return!  Of course, when I see the fabulousness of the cards I get back, I have feelings of total failure and inadequacy over what I sent, because everyone else is just so darned good at what they do!

Stamp: Fabulous Florets (available May 1st, Summer Mini)
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Confetti Cream, Crumb Cake, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Whisper White Craft, Pretty in Pink Classic, Rose Red , Old Olive Classic, Early Espresso Classic
Accessories: White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Aqua Painter, Early Espresso 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Naturals brads, Modern Label Punch, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Stampin' Dimensionals

This Friday starts another S.A. weekend blog hop, woohoo! We'll be showing you sneak peeks of what's coming in the new Summer Mini catalog. I'll be featuring the new Flower Garden embossing folder. Ya know I love flowers and gardening, so it's a match made in heaven!!!

Strength & Hope Sneak Peek

Here is another sneak peek at a set that will be available in the Summer Mini (May 1 - Aug. 31). Stampin' Up! is going to donate $2 from every sale of the stamp sets (wood or clear mount) and the digital kit (12 exclusive Designer Series papers, 10 embellishments and the 4 piece stamp brush set) to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I love being associated with such a caring company!!!

Stamps: Strength & Hope, (sentiment non-SU)
Cardstock: Concord Crush, Pretty in Pink, Naturals Ivory, Lap of Luxury DSP
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Stampin' Pad, Pretty in Pink and Concord Crush Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Basic Rhinestones, tag corner punch (retired)

Birthday Bash and a Birthday :-)

The Operation Write Home Birthday bash last Friday was a wonderful success.  Eight crafty Patriots showed up to make cards for tour service members to send to their loved ones.  We made a total of 126 cards, and there are still more card kits to be put together!  I am so happy to be a small part of this organization.  The card above is so simple, yet elegant.  One of the ladies had never stamped before, and she picked it right up!  Didn't she do a great job?  Her "thinking of you" sentiments were perfectly placed!

Now on to another birthday celebration.  My daughter-in-law has a birthday tomorrow (and will officially be pushing 30 for the next year!), and this is the card I made.  We celebrated her birthday on Saturday so there could be a big family gathering.  I tucked a couple of Macy's gift cards inside, since that's her favorite store. :-)

Happy Short Week!

Ahhhh,  nothing like a short week after a long weekend.  It's like the icing on an already delicious cake.  (Mmmmm, cake....)  We had ribs and beans and potato salad yesterday.  What did you have?

Today's card features more stamps from the Morning Cup stamp set.  I just love that set because it's another one you can use for just about any occasion.  I had to fudge a little and use a couple of words from the Birthday Bakery Level One Hostess set.  See the words "you are" right above the matted greeting?  Those are in the hostess set on the stamp that says "if you are what you eat, eat something cute!"  I inked just the words I needed with a Stampin' Write Marker.

THIS is the card I used for inspiration.

Stamps: Morning Cup (W-116988, C-120489), Birthday Bakery (W-117034, C-120115 Hostess only)
Cardstock: Marina Mist (119682), Early Espresso (119686), Early Espresso Textured (119691), Watercolor Paper (105019)
Ink: Basic Black Classic (101179), Early Espresso Classic (119670), Marina Mist Classic (119668)
Accessories: Marina Mist 5/8" Satin Ribbon (119751), Marina Mist Brads (Subtles assortment 119738), Word Window Punch (119857), Modern Label Punch (119849), Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (113439), Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder (120175), Blender Pens (102845), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), adhesive

4 You

Just goofing around with textures on this one.  The layers of texture appeal to me, even if the color combo in this card didn't make my skirt fly up. ;-)

I stamped off the Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz ink to make the image softer.  Then I spritzed it with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint spray (tiny mist bottle with rubbing alcohol and a few drops of Shimmer Paint mixed in).


Stamps: Flower Fancy, 2-Step Stampin' (111578), Tiny Tags (118592)
Cardstock: Early Espresso (119686), So Saffron (105118), Whisper White (100730)
Ink: Poppy Parade (119782), Pear Pizzazz (119784), Basic Black (101179), So Saffron (105213)
Accessories: Big Shot (113439) with Perfect Polka-Dots (117335) and Vintage Wallpaper (120175) embossing folders, twill tape (119970)

WOOHOO! Today is THE DAY!!!

Today Stampin' Up! is launching the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog (click on catalog image at right), and it is chock-full of glorious new goodies, and beautiful projects made with those goodies.  They don't call it "Idea Book" fer nuttin'! 

Today is also my OPEN HOUSE, where you can come and fondle some of the wonderfulness for yourself, and make a card, remarkably like the one shown above, LOL. :-D  Oh, and you can also eat some yummy stuff!  Brownie sundae, anyone? Or perhaps some fresh fruit, if you are one of those health food nuts.  You know who you are!!! 

That's new the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder on the Pear Pizzazz (In Color!) cardstock.  And the beautiful image is from the new Studio Sketches stamp set....absolutely lovely still life sketches, which can be used for just about ANY occasion!

I dressed it up a bit with some Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, as you can see in the close-up, and a bit of the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, which is cuter than a bug's ear!  I think it is going to be my new favorite ribbon!

Hope you can make it to the Open House!  It will keep going until 9:00 p.m. Pacific today.  There will be a mini Open House Saturday from 4:00 until 7:00.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Yesterday, my wonderful, smart, funny, kind, cute, exceedingly tolerant, sexy husband and I (who am so NOT those things!) celebrated our 35th anniversary.  This man makes me laugh every day, and can still make my knees weak with a look.  I am so blessed to be able to share my life with him, and every year is better than the last as our love deepens.  It doesn't seem possible, but it does!

I love you with every fiber of my being, Babe.  Here's to another 35!!!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes (Things Old & New)!

Well, I was a good girl and finished the color change-over in my paper organizer.  Lookie:

I even changed out my markers and insert.  It was a tough job, but it's done!  You may notice a couple of unlabeled slots - I don't have Riding Hood Red or Wild Wasabi yet.  They should be here in a few days, and then my collection will be complete. :-D

So, as a reward for my hard work, I made this cute little card!

I used something old (background paper is from the Welcome Neighbor paper pack from Sale-A-Bration), and somethings new.....the Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions embossing folder, the Friends Never Fade stamp set for the flower, and the Perfect Punches stamp set for the greeting.  Oh!  And the new Cherry Cobbler color for the mat and flower (along with Daffodil Delight & Always Artichoke).