Simplystampin4u

Have a Heart...Our January Card Class Projects

2011-05-03T18:57:00.001-05:00

The first thing I wanted our class stampers to make for our January stamp class was a quick and easy thank you card. This required so little effort that bunches of these beauties could have been pumped out in now time. What I loved...the large vintage button in the center. To DIE for, don't you think?

Our next project was this sweet little mini card. I think it is important as a crafter and creator to mix it up a bit for ourselves. This card was tiny, but packed a punch with all its glitz and glimmer...red glimmer paper that is. For anyone who knows me, they know I dispise glitter. I love the way it looks, but I hate how it gets all over EVERYTHING! This glimmer paper rocked my world. Now I had the best of both worlds. Shimmer power and no mess! YES please. Even better, it'll be in the 2011-2012 Catalog. Yippee!

This last project screams Valentines Day. It was subtle and sweet, but full of love. We tried a distressing technique for the eyelet border to give it more of the appearance of riboon without the cost.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...Just kidding!

2011-05-02T06:33:00.001-05:00

As I said before, I have been a bad blogger and I haven't updated all the cool and wonderful projects our stampin' group has been rockin'. So here were the cards we made in our November card class.

I freakin' love the wide, striped ribbon so I just couldn't wait to use it on this card.

This next card was one of my favorites. Had I not already created my cards for the holidays, I think this sweet dasher card would have been in all my friend's mailboxes.

I always like to demo a gift card holder around this time because we all know it nice to have some handy. I thought this particular gift card holder was interesting because you slide your gift card right into a coin envelope (found at a large office supply store.) Genius!

Long Time No See

2011-05-01T18:24:00.003-05:00

WOW, blog how I've neglected you. I know it is easy to say we get busy with life, but it makes me think of how I have put life on hold in order to do other things. I have honestly not stamped for any other reason, but to hold classes. How sad! Well it's time to get my groove back.

Well start way back and come forward... so that puts us at about Christmas. First let me share the cards that I made as my Christmas cards for friends and family. I absolutely adore Seasons of Joy so I tend to go right back where I feel comfortable. I honestly think these were some of my best cards yet. What do you think?

Halloween Treat Bags

2010-10-31T16:30:00.001-05:00

This Halloween I figured I would get my tush in gear early and I made these cute little goodies bags for our nephews and a few special neighbor kids. They were so simple and easy to make and required supplies I already had on hand. Look what a little preplanning will do.

October Card Class

2010-10-11T17:13:00.001-05:00

I love fall in Wisconsin, so I was terribly excited to make some fall inspired cards for our October Card class. The first was a traditional image from Autumn Harvest, but I thought that the color combo of Peach Parfait and Marina Mist made this card a little unexpected.

One of the stampin' girls that joins us every month kept insisting that we use punches to create a fun little focal point for a card. I got my mojo working and scoured the net for this little gem. The owl is adorable, a little time consuming, but adorable none the less. He sits on the tree, positioned sideways, from the Seasons of Friendship stamp set.

Last, but not least, is my favorite card this month using the gorgeous Day of Gratitude set from the Holiday Mini. I really hope they pick this set up for the next main catalog. I am also obsessed with this color combo. Simply stunning.

August Card Class

2010-09-13T17:00:00.003-05:00

This first card is one of my absolute favorite cards. It was inspired by the simplistic ature that using a monochromatic color palette could bring. I am in love with the hydrenga flower...and even more in love with the fact that it is a level 1 hostess set.

The second card here was an attempt at a man card. I always struggle with cards for men, but I thought that this could make a nice birthday, father's day, or summer party card. Lots of uses and super adorable.

Happy 50th Birthday Mom!

2010-06-13T10:57:00.003-05:00

My mom is an amazing women who I have learned so much from over the years. She is a wonderful friend to others, always willing to help. She is creative (did you know we are a stampin' team?) and extremely smart. I am honored to be her daughter. For her 50th birthday I asked her what she wanted and she said Red Velvet cupcakes because she knows secretly I would like to have my own cupcake shop someday.

So here are her delicious Red Velvet cupcakes with Buttercream frosting. Don't they look yummy?? Happy 50th Birthday Mom! We love you!

May Card Class Projects

2010-05-23T17:09:00.009-05:00

Our first project was a gift bag with a velum pocket on the front for your card. These would be great to use anytime. Amanda used the new Pedaling Past stamp set that is available in the Summer Mini Catalog. These sets will be available until August 31st.

Our second project was a Graduation Gift Card. You could put money inside or a gift card to their favorite place. What Graduate wouldn't like this.

And for our last project a Happy Birthday Bookmark Card. This was a fun project, but almost everyone forgot that we had to leave an opening for the bookmark to slide into and taped closed where the papers came together. If you are going to make these, don't forget ONLY use adhesive along the sides and the top and bottom of the card.

April Card Class Projects

2010-04-23T16:54:00.003-05:00

This first card is the new Awash with Flowers Stamp Set. It's a two step stamping set, available in either wood block mount or the new clear mount. This set is so versital and absolutely fun to work with. The creations are endless.

The second card we used the new Messages for Mom. I love the way Amanda made the flower 3-D. This set can be used so many ways and not just for mom's. If you turn the Mom stamp upside down it's now a WOW stamp!

Our last card used the rock n roll technique. I love how simple this card is, but yet classy. It's a great card for spring or summer.

Lindsay and John's Anniversary Card

2010-03-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today is our youngest daughter Lindsay's anniversary. I wanted to make a special card that represented this day for them. This card has very un- traditional colors for an anniversary card. I took the colors from Lindsay's wedding bouquets and added a photo of her bouquet to bring the card together. I really love the look of the tri-fold card.

March Card Class Projects

2010-03-16T20:04:00.000-05:00

We had a good time making our cards and sour cream containers. Not everyone sends out Easter cards but we wanted to make at least one. We created this using a very hot card technique the easel card. These seem like they are complicated to make, but actually they are very easy. Of course the more layers you have it can become time consuming. We also used the chocolate bunny stamp. When you use tone on tone with the Chocolate Chip card stock and in it really looks like a chocolate bunny. We added a little dimension by clear heat embossing the bunny.

Sour Cream Container

2010-03-16T19:27:00.012-05:00

Our second project for the night the Sour Cream Container. These are so simple, but so fun. We filled them with candy so someone will receive a sweet little treat. These can be really dressed up to use as party favors, wedding favors, Halloween Treats. The list is endless.

Something Sweet

2010-03-16T19:25:00.013-05:00

For our last card Amanda created using the Something Sweet stamp set. If you wanted to use a punch to cut out the globe you could insert a sweet treat cup and fill it with real bubble gum balls. How fun would that be!

February Card Class Projects

2010-02-28T16:04:00.002-06:00

The last month has been very crazy. We never posted the cards we made in our February Class. So finally here they are. We used the Fox and Friends from the Ocassions Mini catalog for this card. This set is so adorable. You can make adorable baby cards, or children's cards with this set.

Birthday Card

2010-02-28T14:00:00.000-06:00

Our next card we worked with the Happy Moments set and the Whimsical Words set from the Sale A Bration catalog. I just love the font Stampin' Up! used for the Whimsical Words.

Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Cards

2010-02-28T03:54:00.003-06:00

Our last card was workiing with the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt. At first I wasn't sure if I really liked this set or not, but there have been so many beautiful cards made using these. We also used the new Scallop Trim Border punch from the Sale A Bration catalog. Stampin' Up! will make this punch available for sale in the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog.

Elegant and Easy Part 2

2010-02-11T12:00:00.000-06:00

Here is another example of an easy and elegant card. This one could again be used for a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or thank you card.

I have been a little crazy over the Kraft CS lately, but I almost enjoy that the color palette is simple for this card.

Paper: Kraft, Sage Shadow
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow
Stamps: Medallion background, Heard from the Heart
Accessories: Vanilla grosgrain riboon, Scallop circle punch, Kraft Corduroy button, twine, Eyelet border punch

Elegant and Easy

2010-02-10T12:00:00.000-06:00

Who says an elegant looking card can't also be a snap to create? Not me. I love making simple cards, and often criticize myself for thinking they are too plain, but this card shows that a beautiful card doesn't need to take much time or supplies.

I think this card would be perfect for a spring wedding or even an anniversary card. You can easily change the colors and would still have a gorgeous card.

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White (scrap), Lovely Lilac, and Almost Amethyst
Ink: Basic Black, Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Happy Everything
Accessories: Wide Oval punch, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, silver brads

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Fox and Friends for Baby

2010-02-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

Have I told you yet how much I LOVE the Fox & Friends stamp set? I might have, but I'm going to tell you again. I LOVE Fox & Friends. Despite the fact that this set is adorable, it is also very versitile. I have two different cards highlighted here using this set. You could use these for baby announcements, baby shower invitations and thank you cards, children's birthday invites and cards, and list could just go on and on. Enjoy a little inspiration from the two simple card ideas.

Sweet Pea Stitched Felt Card

2010-02-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

I have had the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt pieces for a while now. There they sat in my drawer looking all sad. I find I use the same colors and supplies that I always use because they are comfortable to use. I know what to expect from them. I have a difficut time breaking out of that box though. This card was my first attempt at using the Sweet Pea Stitched Felt pieces. I like them, but don't quite feel super comfortable with them. I like this card and it would be amazingly simple to create tons of these cards in no time at all.

Paper: Rose Red, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Rose Red
Stamps: Well Scripted (Clear- #117072, Wood- #118601)
Accessories: Sweet Pea Stitched Felt (#117266)

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Fundraiser Basket- Cards in Bloom

2010-02-07T15:00:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we had a fundraiser at school. We had restaurants donate food, silent auction items, and presentations of student work. Overall, the day was a success. I donated this Cards in Bloom pot to the silent auction. I have admired many of these that I have seen online before and thought I'd give it a try. It was a simple and easy item for me to donate. Most of the cards I had on hand, so the most difficult part was attaching the small clothes pins to the floral stakes. Easy peasey!

Birthday Boy

2010-02-07T12:41:00.004-06:00

Things have been crazy around here. I haven't had much time to "play" in my craft room. I took some of that time back this weekend. Both of my nephews have birthdays in March. Logan is turning 9 and Austin is turning 1. I took some inspiration from the FTL 76 and used that simple design to create a boyish birthday card.

I am terrible at making anything that is masculine. I used some old DSP that I dug out, Hey There Sunshine, as well as some Pacific Point (retired), Old Olive, and Dusty Durango CS. The number 9 is just a foam sticker I had. Simple, cute, and not girly. Just what I was going for. Check another thing off my list!

Paper: Hey There Sunshine DSP (retired), Pacific Point (retired), Old Olive, Dusty Durango
Ink: Basic Black
Stamps: Party Hearty
Accessories: Buttons, Small Library Clips, twine, dimensionals

2010-01-25T17:00:00.001-06:00

So I'm back at it again. I'm trying out another Sale-a-Bration set called Happy Moments. This time I thought I would make two cards that used the same color combinations and could potentially be a part of a card set. For the first card, I played with the presents stamp and the "Happy Birthday" phrase. I used some More Mustard DSP along with a large red button.

Here is a close up of the presents. I used some Stickles on the presents and around the cirlce punch to draw attention to this as the focal point.

The second card uses the birdcage and the "Thank You" stamps. I really enjoy this birdcage. It think it is cute. I roughed up and sponged the edges of the birdcage image. I really liked the way this turned out.

Here are the two cards together. You could make a set of four cards, using the flower stamp and cake stamp for the other two cards.

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Bermuda Bay
Paper: More Mustard DSP, Bermuda Bay, Kraft, Whisper White
Stamps: Happy Moments
Accessories: Bermuda Bay marker, More Mustard marker, Real Red marker, Real Red button, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon, 1 3/8" Cirlce punch, Twine, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Good Neighbors Challenge

2010-01-24T21:11:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone-
So I've been a bit skeptical about this year's Sale-a-Bration catalogue. The punch is amazing, but I wasn't "in love" with everything. I thought it was cool that if we didn't like what they put in the catalogue that we could choose from the regular catalogue. So needless to say, I hardly got anything from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue. Mom did though and of course I borrowed her stuff. Guess what? I think I'm a little sad I didn't get some of these sets. I guess it's a good thing that Sale-a-Bration lasts until the end of March.

My first card was inspired by Pink Elephant Challenge #50 and Color Throwdown #76.
Here's what I was working with...

Here is my card. I used the Good Neighbor stamp set and the Scallop Trim border punch from the Sale-a-Bration catalogue. The "Let's Celebrate" is from Family Phrases. I think this card would make a cute Housewarming card or invite. Enjoy!

Ink: Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron
Paper: Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Whisper White, So Saffron
Stamps: Good Neighbors, Family Phrases
Accessories: Aqua Painters, Photo Corner punch, Scallop Trim border punch, large Scallop punch, large circle punch, Soft Subtles watercolor crayons

A Challenge? Or Is It? Part 2

2010-01-18T15:00:00.001-06:00

So it wasn't enough for me to stop at one card for this challenge, but I was inspired to make two. This second one had a little more whimsy which I thought would make a cute baby shower card. Here were the challenge details...

This time I actually made the stripes and I used the Fox & Friends set for the monkey. I am absolutely obsessed with this set. I used the button for his tummy.

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Elegant Eggplant
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Fox & Friends (#117020), Warm Words (#115108)
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon (#117287), Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons (#114339)

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A Challenge? Or Is It?

2010-01-17T15:25:00.006-06:00

As I was searching through some of my favorite stamping blogs (I try to do this about once a week) I found a very cool challenge that I just knew I wanted to participate in. I haven't submitted anything to a challenge in quite a while and even though this time of year is hectic for me, I wanted to do it for me. So here was the challenge...use Chocolate Chip, Elegant Eggplant, and Kraft cardstock. Here's the kicker...I also needed to incorporate stripes into my card.

I thought these were interesting colors to put together. Dark and rich, but the part I felt would really be a challenge was the stripes. Yikes! Well here was my first card. Cute?

I also added a puffy flower which I found on Dawn McVey's blog. She is brillant and has amazing cards. I think the flower adds something special, don't you?

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Elegant Eggplat
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Short & Sweet (#115060)
Accessories: Modern Label Punch (#116630), Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (#111367), Chocolate Chip Corduroy Buttons (#114339)

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Valentine Mini Mailbox

2010-01-13T17:00:00.000-06:00

I was walking through Target the other day to get a new black printer ink, when my little eyes spied the Mini Mailboxes in the Dollar Spot. I bought some white ones last year to make for my sister's baby shower, but I thought I would pick up another and try a Valentine one this time.

I am seriously in love with the Sending Love Designer Paper, so I decided to put some of that on my Mini Mailboxes. I love that the glitter is built right into the paper. It gives my project a little glitz without the mess. So cute! Easy to make and the hardest part is deciding who to give them too!

Once I decide the lucky recipents of these lovely mailboxes, I will fill them with treats and make a tag to go over the flag. You never know the treasures that Target's Dollar Spot may provide.

Paper: Sending Love Designer Paper (#117153)
Ink: None
Stamps: None
Accessories: Real Red Grosgrain ribbon

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Acetate Valentine's card

2010-01-12T18:00:00.000-06:00

When I sat down on Sunday to make our last card/project for Monday's class (yikes) I thought about doing an acetate card. We haven't done these in class yet, even though my sister made them for her Christmas cards and I have done some in other classes. I love the Love You Much set and thought I would use the cute little birds. I have also been playing with the Sending Love DSP, which I also love. This was what I came up with. Nothing spectacular, but cute.

Paper: Melon Mambo, Sending Love Designer Paper, Chocolate Chip, Acetate Paper
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Well Scripted, Love You Much
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon

January Card Class

2010-01-11T19:00:00.000-06:00

This month we focused on Valentine cards and treat holders. With all the new beautiful stamps available for this time of year, how could we not take advantage of it?

Our first card was a little involved, sorry Wendy. It is using Loads of Love, which I am sorry to say I have owned for 3 years, but never used until now. I think it is an adorable set, but I never know how to use it.

Our second card is a simple heart card, using the new I {Heart} Hearts. I love this set and it is by far one of my new favorites. I purchased the clear mounted set and I must admit that I really like them.

Our last project is courtesy of Splitcoast Stampers. It is a matchbook candy holder. I loved this adorable way to give one piece of chocolate. I need to keep a check on my sweets so this is a cute way to feed a sweet tooth without going overboard. What a "sweet" gift for a child, co-worker, or teacher.

Keep your eyes peeled soon to You Tube for our tutorials for this month.

Top Note Die Valentines Card Converted

2010-01-08T19:19:00.002-06:00

See how just changing a few things like the colors can totally change the card!
I think I will use this card for an up coming anniversary.

Top Note Die Valentines Card

2010-01-07T07:30:00.001-06:00

I made these cards for Valentines, but you could use them through out the year. Tweak them just a little and you could have an anniversary card, a wedding card, or just to let someone special know that you love them card. Change the color combinations and the sentiment. Tomorrow I'll give you an example.

Supplies Used:
Messages for Mom Stamp Set item # 117016 Wood Mount Set or 118580 Clear Mount Set, Melon Mambo Card Stock item # 115320, Pretty in Pink Card Stock item # 100459, Whisper White Card Stock item # 100730, Heart to Heart Punch item # 113694, Small Heart Punch item # 117193, Stampin' Up! To Note Bigz Dies item # 113463, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine item # 113439, 1/4" Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon item # 109025, Crystal Effects item #101055, Dazzling Diamonds item # 102023.
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Heart to Heart Punch Valentines Card

2010-01-06T07:30:00.001-06:00

Again another very simple card. I love the look of glitter, but hate the mess it makes. My solution is to add a little bit of the glitter to the crystal effects. It may be hard to see here in the photo but I glazed over all of the small hearts. Now they have just a little bit of pop! Problem solved.

Supplies Used:
Messages for Mom Stamp Set item # 117016 Wood Mount Set or 118580 Clear Mount Set, Melon Mambo Card Stock item # 115320, Pretty in Pink Card Stock item # 100459, Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper item # 115673, Melon Mambo Classic Ink item # 115656, Heart to Heart Punch item # 113694, 3/4" Circle Punch item # 107217, Scallop Edge Punch item # 112091, Crystal Effects item #101055, Dazzling Diamonds item # 102023, Small Button.
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Love You Much Valentines Card

2010-01-05T07:30:00.001-06:00

Here is a very simple, easy to mass produce card. The Love You Much set was from a mini catalog last year. I was happy when they decided to keep it and put it in the big catalog. Just goes to show you never know which one's will stay and which one's will go.

Supplies Used:
Love You Much Stamp Set item # 113756, Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Set item # 115370, Heart to Heart Punch item # 113694, Real Red Classic Ink item # 103133, Real Red Card Stock item # 102482, Pretty in Pink Card Stock item # 100459, Whisper White Card Stock item # 100730, 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon item # 109034, Pearls from the Pretties Kit item # 109114, Crystal Effects item #101055, Dazzling Diamonds item # 102023.
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Valentines Day Cards

2010-01-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

Amanda had the last week and a half off for Christmas Break, and was able to get her creative mojo going again. I haven't had a chance to get into my craft room to play since Thanksgiving. So I am more than over due for some quality stamping time. With all of the wonderful new stamp sets coming out in the new Occassions mini catalog on Tuesday, and the one's we currently have in the big catalog, I decided to concentrate on all Valentine's day cards. Over the next few days I will post them all. I hope you like them.
I {Heart} Hearts Card

Supplies used:
I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set item # 117010 Wood Block Mount,or item # 118571 Clear Mount, Soft Suede Classic Ink item # 115657, Melon Mambo Classic Ink item # 115656,Melon Mambo Card Stock item # 115320, Whisper White Card Stock item # 100730, Soft Suede 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon item # 115612, Small Heart Punch item # 117193, Paper-Piercing Tool item # 116631
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2010-01-03T18:00:00.001-06:00

CATCH THE PREVIEW of the new OCCASIONS MINI CATALOG and SALE-A-BRATION promotion. The Customer sales period begins Jan. 5. Prefer a copy of the catalogs to curl up with while you create your wish list? Simply email me your name and address and I'll send both FREE (if you plan to order thru me, please).

Bye, Bye Holiday Mini Catalog

2010-01-03T09:25:00.008-06:00

As we approach the launch of the Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale-A-Bration Promotion on Jan. 5, don't forget that the Holiday Mini will be expiring on Jan. 4. If you haven't purchased or stocked up on your favorites, time is running out.
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GOOD HOLIDAY MINI NEWS! Stampin' Up will continue to offer the Shimmer Paints.

Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (116806)
Frost White Shimmer Paint (116854)
Platinum Shimmer Paint (116807)

One of my favorite sets will be going away on January 4th with the Holiday Mini Catalog. The Sweet Centers stamp set item # 116521. This set has been so fun and versatile. If you didn't get a chance to order, you'll want to get it before it's gone!

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Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #6

2010-01-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

Well I hope you have enjoyed our week of sneaky peeks in the new Occasions Mini Catalog. This last card I wanted to share with you highlights another new set in the Occasion Mini Catalog called Messages for Mom. This set would be perfect for mother's day, birthdays, or even for a special person in your life. There are lots of phrases to choose from that would make this set super versitle.

I also used the new Perfect Polka Dots impression folder and the Big Shot to dry emboss on the Old Olive cardstock. I rubbed some Old Olive ink over it to make the polka dots pop. This adds a little dimension to your cards.

I hope you have had as much fun visiting our blog this week as I did making all these amazing treasures. I will be posing more creations as I make them. Please feel free to share you comments or links to your cards as well.

Paper: Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Ink: Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Stamps: Messages for Mom (#117016: Wood, #118580: Clear)
Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Impression Folder (#117335), Big Shot (#113439), Mini Library Clips (#109857), Scallop Edge Punch (#112091)

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Simple Color Challenge Week 1

2010-01-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am often times stopped dead in my stamping tracks when I cannot think of a good color combination to use. The same goes for basic card or scrapbook page layouts. Well I decided to try to put together a simple color challenge. I want to help give all of you some inspiration to get creative and not get stopped because of lack of ideas about color combos.

Please be patient with me since this is my first try at all of this. Here are some general rules and guidelines when posting and sharing your creations.

What exactly is a Color Challenge?
Everywhere we go we see great color combos–and they’re simple and easy jumping off points for papercrafting creations.

How do I share my creations? Until we get everything fine tuned, you can leave a message in the comment box. Feel free to post a link in the comment to your blog or photo image.

Can I use non-Stampin’ Up! colors?Absolutely! Just choose colors that are similar.

So...here we go! This is Simple Color Challenge Week 1! Enjoy and Good Luck!

My card for this challenge is using the new Messages for Mom set from the Occasions Mini Catalog. I love the simplicity of this card and the simple white border created by a white gel pen and a ruler.

Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #5

2010-01-01T16:00:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks so much for checking out our blog! We really appreciate it. Well today's sneaky peek is a quick and easy Valentine's Day card. I love how sometimes the most simple cards are the best ones.

I used the I {Heart} Hearts set to make the large hearts on the right hand side of the Kraft cardstock and also as a background on the Lilac cardstock. I love all the options I get to choose from in that set. For the smaller hearts, though, I used the new Small Heart punch from the Occasions Mini Catalog. This punch actually coordinates with one of the heart stamps from I {Heart} Hearts!

Paper: Kraft, Lovely Lilac, Very Vanilla
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Chocolate Chip
Stamps: FYI, I {Heart} Hearts
Accessories: Small Heart punch, Scallop Edge punch

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Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #4

2009-12-31T16:00:00.000-06:00

I hope you are enjoying all the sneak peeks of the new Occasions Mini Catalog items. I have a few new things to share with you today. First, the Sending Love Designer Paper is amazing. Swoon! It is a tad more expensive than some of the other Designer Papers, but it has glitter. For those of you who know me, I love the look of glitter without the mess. This is the perfect fix. The glitter is in the paper. It doesn't come off. I am in love with it. All the papers are beatiful, especially the one on this card.

Second, not only do we have a brand new Occasions Mini Catalog to drool over, but Sale-A-Bration begins January 5th. What is Sale-A-Bration you ask? Well Sale-A-Bration a way to earn free products. For every $50 you spend, you earn a free Sale-A-Bration product of your choice. You can also earn free products by hosting a workshop of at least $300. If you'd like to book a workshop or place a $50 order to get your free Sale-A-Bration products, call us today!

So you ask, why is Sale-A-Bration so important? Well you earn free products. This year Stampin' Up! has some cute stamps, Designer Series Paper, and even an amazing punch (which they have already said will appear in the next 2010-1011 Catalog...this is unheard of and never done before.) On top of that, if you don't like the choices they give you, you can pick selected stamp sets out of the main catalog.

Anyway, back to the card. I used the Scallop Trim Border punch, which is a Sale-A-Bration choice. I love it so much! Dare I say, it might replace my Scallop Edge Border. Hard to tell!

Paper: Pretty in Pink, Sending Love Designer Paper
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Three Little Words
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border punch, 5/8" Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon

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Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #3

2009-12-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome everyone! Today's card is also using the Fox & Friends set, but I mixed it up and used a new punch that will be in the Occasions mini catalog. Woot Woot! The punch is called the Pinking Heart border. It is the new line of punches being released by Stampin' Up. The idea behind this new punch design is easier storage (they lock shut for a sleek profile that can be stacked), there is a larger handle for easier punching leverage, and some multiple step punches for layering and precision. I am a big fan of some of the new designs! I also am happy to see Stampin' Up come out with more border punches! Yippee! Enjoy!

Paper: So Saffron, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Basic Gray
Ink: So Saffron, Basic Black
Stamps: Fox & Friends, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Accessories: Pinking Hearts Border, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch

Shop Now for your Supplies!

Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #2

2009-12-29T20:46:00.004-06:00

Hi everyone. Today's sneaky peek is from the set Fox & Friends. I think this set would be perfect for baby shower invites and thank you cards or even a child's birthday card. Personally, I think it was just too darn cute to pass up, so I didn't.

I also wanted to give a quick shout to Kiley, one of our stampin' group members. She has been pushing me to use some different color combos... so I did. So this ones for you!

Paper: Bashful Blue, Dusty Durango, Always Artichoke
Ink: Dusty Durango, Always Artichoke
Stamps: Fox & Friends, Family Phrases
Accessories: 1/4" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon, Pokey tool, Mat Pack, Silver brad

Shop Now for all your supplies!

Occasions Mini Catalog Sneaky Peek #1

2009-12-28T19:37:00.005-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends. Having winter break from school has given me the opportunity to get the creative juices flowing and given me ample time to work in the craft room. Thankfully my Occasions Mini Catalog preorder showed up just before Christmas. Yippee! It's like it was waiting for me.

So, needless to say, I have over a dozen cards/projects created for our next Stamp Group, but don't know what to pick. I know we can't possibly make them all in a night, so I am going to have quite a few posts on the blog sharing some of my favorite creations. I am very excited because some of these sets are to die for. I just love them! I have a feeling you will too!

Most of the cards have something to do with Valentine's Day because that's what our January class will be all about, but you may want to keep a pen and paper handy so you can start writing out your wish list. You are going to need it. I hope you enjoy and get inspired for your own projects.

Without further ado, Sneaky Peek #1- Wooden Valentine...

Paper: Creamy Caramel CS, Lovely Lilac CS, Very Vanilla CS
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Orchid Opulence
Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Woodgrain Background, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, 1/4" Chocolate Chip Grossgrain Ribbon

Okay, so let me first say that I bought the clear mount I {Heart} Hearts set, and I LOVE it! I am thinking of converting completly to clear mount. I like that it is much easier to see where you are placing an image and second the price is better. Second, this was the first opportunity I had to use my Woodgrain background stamp. It is adorable and I love that one of the hearts had a woodgrain effect as well. So there you go. You're first sneaky peek. I promise in future posts I won't have this much to say. Thanks for stopping by!Check back in soon for more sneaky peaks!

Shop Now for all your supplies!

Chenille Blanket

2009-12-24T07:53:00.018-06:00

While Amanda has been working on a few projects, I have been working on one of my own. We have been seeing more and more people making quilts using their Big Shot. You use the dies to cut your fabric shapes. I love quilting but I also like making Chenille blankets and scarfs. It's such an easy technique and the finished project is beautiful. I love giving them as gifts.

You will cut 5 layers of fabric in the measurement you choose for your project. This is a lap blanket measuring 46" x 48". Pin all 5 layers together using curved safety pins. These are great for basting and holding your project together.

To make a pattern in the chenille I cut coordinating fabric and layered them, using the Scallop Circle and Scallop Circle # 2 dies using the Big Shot.

Once you have all of your layers together, you sew on the diagonal of your fabric. You need to sew on the diagonal in order for your fabric to fray. I sewed every half inch starting in the center of the project. This is time consuming but well worth the wait. Once you are all done sewing your project you cut two of the layers of your fabric between each sew line. Now turn your project over and cut two layers of fabric between the sew lines on this side. Be very careful you do not want to cut that center layer. This is what holds the whole thing together. There are tools available to cut your layers, but I have found a good sharp sewing scissors works just a well.

Now throw your project into the wash machine with a towel. Then throw it all into the dryer. The towel helps rub against the fabric to help fray the edges. The more you wash it the better it looks. Now I had no idea when I started what this was going to look like when it was done, but I am pleased with it. I hope you like it too! Just another great use for our Big Shots!

A Gift for my Students

2009-12-22T18:00:00.004-06:00

I really wanted to do something nice for my students for the holidays, but with 50+ students not a lot comes to mind that is economical. I decided on making each of them a bookmark since lots of them are hard core readers.

Here's the whole flower pot full of them. Believe it or not, I needed to refill it twice.

Here is a shot of a single bookmark. Nothing overly fantastic about it, but I think it is the simplicity and heart that make these amazing gifts. I am so happy with the way they turned out.

Bags, Bags, Bags

2009-12-22T17:00:00.000-06:00

I have been on a sewing rampage since late October. I found a really cute post on a blog about these reuseable grocery bags. I bought the pattern and my little heart has been sewing away. I figured this would be an adorable and inexpensive homemade Christmas present. The trouble was that I loved the first set so much that I couldn't keep my mouth shut about it and I told my mom and sister (two of the recipents.) Oh no! The fabric was so cool and I found about a million more people to make them for. So I went back to sewing once more.

Not only that, but I made them a small personalized notepad for the front pocket. So it could be for grocery lists or just things you don't want to forget. I know I need that. I'm so forgetful, just ask my husband. Anyway, now I've wrapped them all up and given them away (except 2 for me), but I hope to make more and possibly sell them. They rock!

Better Late Than Never

2009-12-20T20:15:00.003-06:00

Well it has been a long time since we have posted anything and we apologize, so we hope that this is better late than never. I wanted to share some cute bags I made to house gift cards this year. I actually found this idea from Amy Celona. I used the Big Shot and the Top Note die to create the sides of the bag and a small white craft bag in the center. As if it wasn't cool enough to get a gift card, now you get a sweet little bag too! You lucky duckies!

November Card Class

2009-11-09T03:05:00.009-06:00

For our November Card Class Amanda concentrated on Holiday cards. The Silver Serene Snowflakes Card is absolutely beautiful. Yet it is not complicated and it is easy to mass produce. To see the video's for all of these cards, take a stroll over to the right hand side of the screen, Scroll down and click on Our YouTube Videos.

The Snow Swirled Holiday Wreath Card, Well Amanda was thinking outside of the box on this one. Using a Snow Flake Stamp to make a Wreath. It's elegant and again not complicated. I would not have any problems making these for my holiday cards.

And last but not least is the Delightful Decorations Suspension Card. I love the way the little ornament moves when you open the card.

2009-10-26T17:01:00.010-05:00

Stamp A Stack

You don't want to miss this one!!!

Get together with us and get an early start on your Christmas card creations. Go home with some spectacular new ideas. You'll enjoy making 5 holiday cards and you get to make 2 of each design. That's 10 cards!!!

When: Saturday November 7th 9:00 a.m.

Where: 1216 Bluegrass Lane, Menasha

Cost: $15 (receive $5 off any order of $15 or more placed that day)

We'll have Door Prizes and a Continental Breakfast

Bring your adhesive (tape) and scissors

Receive a gift from me if you bring a New friend!

Please RSVP by November 3rd 729-1142 or simplystampin4u@new.rr.com

Can't attend? Live to far away? Order the Kit. You will receive the instructions and everything needed to put your cards together. Envelopes are included. All images will be stamped. All you will need is your favorite adhesive and a sissors for trimming.

There are two ways to order:

1. Kit in the Mail! You'll receive the supplies to make 5 card designs 2 of each, 10 cards total plus the envelopes and the step-by-step instructions to recreate as many as you'd like.
$18.95 US Orders Only Please

2. Order the step-by-step directions without the kit - this includes directions and a complete list of ingredients and cutting dimensions! Receive by your choice of email or USPS.
ONLY $5.95
CLICK on the Add to Cart button HERE or over in the right hand column.
THANK YOU so much! Contact Stephanie or Amanda at simplystampin4u@new.rr.com with any questions.

Thanks for stopping to visit.....

Final Deal of the Week

2009-10-26T15:49:00.003-05:00

Oct 26-31, 2009

During the month of October, Stampin' Up! will offer several discounted products as "Deals of the Week."No limits and no minimum purchase required. If you are interested in ordering any or all of these products please go to http://simplystampin4u.stampinup.net/ and order online 24/7, or you can call 729-1142 or email me simplystampin4u@new.rr.com with your order

Item #116214 Princess Party Kit (pg 174)

Regular Price $15.95 SALE Price $9.99

You can make your princess's fantasies come true with our Princess Party kit. Your little princess and seven of her ladies-in-waiting can celebrate a splendid happily-ever-after complete with invitations, decorations, and dazzling crowns to create and wear.

■ Contains products to create invitations, crowns, purse boxes, banner, and food toppers for eight

■ Coordinates with the Princess Time stamp set and Princess personalized name stamp

Item #116213 Pirate Party Kit (pg 175)

Regular Price $15.95 SALE Price $9.99

Hoist the Jolly Roger and get ready to have a swashbuckling good time! Gather your little buccaneer and his or her mateys for a pirate party of the finest sort, complete with invitations, decorations, and eye patches to create and wear. This kit contains products you need to create party invitations and decorations for eight guests.

■ Contains products to create invitations, eye patches, banner, treasure boxes, and food toppers for eight

■ Coordinates with our Pirate Time stamp set and Pirate personalized name stamp

If you'd like to order these kits....go to my click to order stampin up button to the right of the screen or call right away (if you're local) and I can add them to a workshop order.

Deal of the Week 3

2009-10-19T20:04:00.000-05:00

Oct 19-25, 2009

During the month of October, Stampin' Up! will offer several discounted products as "Deals of the Week." No limits and no minimum purchase required. If you are interested in ordering any or all of these products please go to http://simplystampin4u.stampinup.net and order online 24/7, or you can call 729-1142 or email me simplystampin4u@new.rr.com with your order

Basic Jumbo Grommets 114348 Pg 179

Reg price $6.95 Sale price $4.49

Custom designed by Stampin Up. These painted grommets add whimsy and fun to your creations. 20 piece set includes 5 basic black, 5 silver, 5 very vanilla and 5 whisper white grommets.

Circle Designer Brads 112571 Pg 179

Reg Price $5.95 Sale Price $3.99

High quality, cast brads in Stampin' Up! custom designs, shapes and finishes. There are 16 brads in all, 8 each of 2 sizes.

1/2" Library Clips 112581 Pg 179

Reg Price $6.95 Sale Price $3.99

Stampin' Up! custom colored library clips come in an assortment of 8 chocolate chip, 8 old olive and 8 whisper white clips.

Mini Library Clips 109857 Pg 179

Reg Price $12.95 Sale Price $8.99

These innovative clips offer a smaller version of your favorite library clips.

The 48 piece assortment has 12 black clips, 12 silver clips, 12 antique clips and 12 pewter clips.

October Card Class

2009-10-12T18:34:00.005-05:00

This month we decided to focus on fall and gift giving cards/projects. Our first project is the Tea Bag Holder Card. This is such an easy project that anyone would love to get. Teacher gifts, thinking of you gift, or a secret santa project for the upcoming holidays...the possiblities are endless!

We used the Simply Said stamp set and the Thoroughly Modern DSP to create this little gem. Just add your favorite tea packet and you have a perfect little gift on hand for all your family and friends. View our You Tube tutorial for the Tea Bag holder Part 1 and Part 2.

The second project we did this month was our focus on the Waterfall card technique. View our You Tube tutorial Part 1 and Part 2. You can also find another tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers. For this card we used the Bright Blessings Jumbo Stampin' Wheel and Falling Leaves stamp set. This is a sweet little card that can be used for lots of occassions.

The last project we did was a Thanksgiving card using Baroque Motifs, Autumn Days, and Teeny Tiny Wishes. View our You Tube tutorial. This card could be modified to use for any holiday or special occassion. I love how the flourish and small flower can be used to make custom designer background paper.

To join our Monthly Workshop classes or receive our Workshop by Mail projects and directions, contact us at simplystampin4u@new.rr.com

Stampin’ Up! Deals of the Week 2

2009-10-12T12:34:00.001-05:00

During the month of October, Stampin' Up! will offer several discounted products as "Deals of the Week." No limits and no minimum purchase required. If you are interested in ordering any or all of these products please go to http://simplystampin4u.stampinup.net and order online 24/7, or you can call 729-1142 or email me simplystampin4u@new.rr.com with your order

Sizzix Flower Burst Embosslits Die 114515

Reg price $11.95 Sale price $5.99

With a little effort, this burst of sunshine will add volume and dimension to any project. The modern flower has an Eastern influence, and would look stunning used with the Eastern Blooms stamp set.

Use a Sizzix Big Shot machine, standard cutting pads, and multi-purpose platform with this die

2-1/4" x 2-1/2". Chemically-etched die that includes negative and positive images for cutting and embossing at the same time. Stampin' Up! exclusive die

Perfect Setting Sizzix Bigz XL Die 115961

Reg Price $42.95 Sale Price $25.99

A perfect event needs a perfect setting. We've got you covered with our Perfect Setting Bigz XL die. With it, you can create cupcake holders and napkin rings from card stock, Designer Series paper, or other material. The cupcake holder is designed to hold a standard-size cupcake. This design is part of Shelli’s Signature Collection. Can cut through multiple sheets of card stock, Texture Cuts wood sheets, window sheets, Décor Elements sheets, and more. Use with Sizzix Big Shot machine and extended cutting pads. Die size: 6" x 13-3/4".

Pop-Up 3 Tier Cake Sizzix Bigz Die

Reg Price $39.95 Sale Price $25.49

Bigz Three Tier Cake pop-up die. Great for uses in decorating or making 3 dimensional cards. Can cut through multiple sheets of card stock, Texture Cuts wood sheets, Window sheets, Décor Elements sheets, and more. Use with Sizzix Big Shot machine and extended cutting pads.

Pirate Birthday Invitations

2009-10-11T19:38:00.003-05:00

I wanted to post this card because I thought it was a wonderful card, and there was a lot of work put into it. If you click on the photo it will enlarge it so you can see all of the detail. My niece Stacey made these invitations for her nephew Trevor's 2nd Birthday. Although the stamp set is retired, it can get your creativity flowing to make your own special invitations or Birthday card for that special little person. Thanks, Stacey for allowing me to post this for everyone to see!

Charming

2009-10-02T18:12:00.000-05:00

Being a craft person has it's downfall. Unlike some of you in internet world, I enjoy all different kinds of crafts... sewing, scrapbooking, stamping, jewelry making, etc... The list could do on and on. So can the price tag. It's expensive to have so many hobbies. Anyway, I was excited to hear that Stampin' Up was going to be starting a jewelry line called Simply Adorned. This gives stampers a chance to make and create their own jewelry. So, I bought the stamp set they first came out with in the Holiday Mini Catalog called Charming. I think it is cute, even if you don't make jewelry with it, which is what I did. This was my first creation using this set.

The colors were from Color Throwdown #60 and the layout came from Clean & Simple Stamping with her FTL #60. It's difficult to see that I used the delicate words in Banana as a background stamp on the White CS. Thanks for stopping.

2009-10-02T18:10:00.001-05:00

Be one of the first to order My Digital Studio. Available Oct 1, 2009.

Creativity goes digital with My Digital Studio! Use the same great artwork, colors, and accessory images found in our current product lines to create personalized cards, photo albums, scrapbooks, and other projects. Once you've created your personalized gift or heirloom, have it printed in our high-quality print facility and delivered to your door; or you can print your creation at home. Click on the link over in the right hand column of this page for more information.

2009-10-01T13:18:00.002-05:00

Stampin’ Up! Deals of the Week is back!

During the month of October, Stampin' Up! will offer several discounted products as "Deals of the Week." No limits and no minimum purchase required. If you are interested in ordering any or all of the punches please go to http://simplystampin4u.stampinup.net and order online 24/7, or you can call 729-1142 or email me simplystampin4u@new.rr.com with your order

Week 1 Deals of the Week
Thursday, October 1 – 11, 2009
Punches are a quick and easy way to add interest, dimension, and color to your cards, tags, and scrapbook pages. You can glue punched shapes directly onto your projects or layer a sheet of card stock that has been punched over a coordinating card stock for a reverse effect.

Item 109183 The Trio Flower punch will give you three identical flowers with each punch! Special Price $10.99 plus shipping and handling.

Item 109041 The 5-Petal Flower punch coordinates with the In the Spotlight and Ginormous Flowers stamp sets. It also coordinates with the On Board Blossoms & Basics and Cutie Pie Designer Series paper. Special Price $10.99 plus shipping and handling.

Item 110709 The My Way punch looks fantastic on projects where you want to direct attention to a small detail. Special Price $11.99 plus shipping and handling.

Same Colors...Three Cards

2009-09-29T18:00:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been thinking about the holidays, not just Christmas, but all of them and how we use the same color combos for all our projects. At least I seem to. We tried to break out of our mold a little for our September card class when we made Halloween cards. Don't get me wrong, some of these combos are tried and true, but do they have to be the base of every holiday card?

I got the Patterned Pines hostess set from the Holiday Mini Catalog, as well as Four the Holidays, also from the mini. It gave me a chance to make a couple "holidayish" cards using a color combo that has been stuck in my head for a while. I feel that Melon Mambo is extremely bright and have looked away from it for too long. The problem is always what color to pair with this insanely bright pink. Guess what color I picked? Taken with Teal, another somewhat bright color. What was I thinking? I did try and tone it down a little by using Kraft CS and Chocolate Chip CS. I ended up making three cards, all different, and yet used the same colors on each. I don't know if I got it just right yet, I mean what was in my head, but I will keep working on it.

This layout is from Clean & Simple Stamping and it was FLT #56. I love how simple all her layouts are. I also embellished with some little sticky rhinestones.

This layout is courtesy of Mojo Monday. This was actually back from when Mojo Monday had it's 100th sketch birthday. This was the MojoMaria Sketch. You can see how quick I am about using all the sketching I find. I stamped the snowflake in Melon Mambo and Taken with Teal, then I used VersaMark and inked all over the white CS. Last I sprinkled the whole thing with Iridescent Ice embossing powder and made it shine. It's hard to see in the picture, but boy does it sparkle.

Last, but not least, I again used a Mojo Monday Sketch from Week 100, but this one was MojoTeresa. I stamped the trees in VersaMark ink and embossed with clear powder. I then sponged all around the trees with Teal ink. The clear embossing resists the ink making the trees pop.

I really hope you enjoyed my very bright holiday cards!

Baby Austin Update

2009-09-27T19:08:00.000-05:00

We've had friends ask how Baby Austin has been and that they want to see some new pictures. Well I love my nephew and I love to take pictures of him. For whatever reason, I love to get in his face with the camera and take extreme closeups. Sometimes this works out well for me, sometimes not! Austin has been in his leg braces for about 2 months if not more. We like to call them his magic shoes. When he first got them he cried bloody murder for about 2 days straight, but now he is pretty used to them. Soon he will only have to wear them during naptime and at bedtime. He is getting so big already and is almost 7 months old! He's growing up fast!

Austin with his "magic shoes."

Fingers are always in his mouth.

Such a sweetie!

One of my favorite pictures ever! A happy little guy!

Gobble, Gobble

2009-09-27T18:24:00.000-05:00

We all know that Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Yum! I bought the Gobble, Gobble single stamp from the new Holiday mini catalog. Honestly, I didn't know if I would even use it. I am glad that I did. It is kind of cute. Not that you would need to make cards for Thanksgiving, but it could have lots of other decorative uses, like placesetting name tags. My family isn't really that kind of family. We are a paper plate kind of family. No nametags required.

The inspiration for this card should be credited to Mojo Monday Sketch 105 for the layout and the Autumn Pottery Barn photo at Pals Paper Arts for Inspiration PPA9. Thanks to both websites for getting me out of my stamping funk! By the way, I used the Thoroughly Modern DPS, Dusty Durango, Always Artichoke, and Kraft CS. Thanks for looking.

Video Tutorial Simplystampin4u Sweet Centers Lollipop, Upsy Daisy Card and Pumpkin Patch Card.

2009-09-14T10:17:00.029-05:00

Were trying something new. Well at least for us this is very new teritory. We have a few customers that live out of state, but wanted to join our monthly card classes. How is this possible when they can't be present? We decided to video tape the tutorials for our cards. Anyone wanting to join us now will receive all of the dimensions, ingredients and supplies to make their cards. Then all they have to do is watch the video on YouTube.
If you are interested in joining our group, just send us an email to simplystampin4u@new.rr.com for more information.
Click on each of the links below the photos to view the Tutorials

Sweet Centers Lollipop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmpzY-hYBXs

Pumpkin Patch Card - Masking Technique

Part One http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHUQh8zHk

Part Two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8UkBGerKdY

Upsy Daisy Card - Heat Embossing Technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LCcnwPVgIE

Sweet Centers

2009-09-06T17:09:00.000-05:00

How about sending a card like this to the little ghouls and goblins on your list. I love the Sweet Treat Cups. Use your imagination and fill them with whatever you like. Of course I used Candy Corn, because it's traditional for Halloween. My husband’s favorite candy! When you slide out the message you can retrieve your treat from the inside of the card!

Anniversary Card

2009-09-05T12:53:00.003-05:00

I have been a complete slacker about anything related to crafting lately. School just started again and things have been hectic. I have been wanting to post this for a while now and feel like I just never have time. My 5 year anniversary was on August 21st and this is the card my wonderful mother made for us. She used the Cottage Wall DS and it turned out beautifully. She says this is the best card she's ever made. I think it was wonderful and I will treasure it forever. She even used our wedding picture in the card. How sweet!

The New Holiday Mini Catalog

2009-09-03T21:09:00.001-05:00

You can view it by clicking on the catalog, and find the supplies you need to make the exciting holiday projects featured in the Holiday Mini Catalog.
You'll find Sweet Treat Cups, Autumn and Winter Stamps and Products, the new Ornament Punch and new Big Shot Dies. Build-A-Bear-Workshop. Stampin' Up! has teamed up with Build-A-Bear-Workshop to bring us an exciting and exclusive collection of stamps, Sizzix Dies, and Designer Series Papers.

And MY DIGITAL STUDIO !!! Use Stampin' Up! exclusive images in this innovative and easy to use software studio to make Cards. Photo Albums, Scrapbooks, Calendars and more Starting Oct 1, 2009.

Would you like to receive a copy of the new Holiday Mini Catalog? Email me at simplystampin4u@new.rr.com and I would be happy to mail one to you.

The Holidays are coming. All perfect elements for creating. Call me to book your fall workshop today and we can create together!

Click here to download the product supplement for the mini catalog:
PRODUCT SUPPLEMENT

View Master Card

2009-08-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

I have my creative Mojo going now. I am obsessed with the Crystal Effects right now. It just adds such elegance to projects. I purchased the Wedding Sweet stamp set because of this stamp. Oh I am sure that one of these days I will incorporate something else from the set with this one, but don't you just love the look of this. This is also my second attempt at a View Master card.
I guess the more I practice the better I will get at it.

Card Challenge

2009-08-08T14:23:00.001-05:00

I have been a very busy lady this weekend. Amanda has caught my attention with the card challenges that she has been getting involved in. I kept this very simple and followed the layout as it was sketched. This challenge is from 2 Sketches http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com . Amanda actually posted this same challenge earlier in the week with the card she did.

Wedding Card

2009-08-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post Amanda had said we were at a wedding last weekend. My neice Alicia was married. The wedding was beautiful. It took place at the Payne Art Center in the gardens. I have to say next to Amanda's wedding at Smith Park it was one of the most beautiful outdoor weddings I have ever been to.

This is the card that I made for Alicia and Craig. I was very proud of this card, and I do have to stay the photo does not do the card justice.

It was very simple. I embossed my card stock with the Manhattan Flower embossing folder. Then I filled in all of the petals with Crystal Effects. It was beautiful.

Embrace Life Pink Elephant Challenge #26

2009-08-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to quick post another quick card I made this week. This one comes from the Pink Elephant Challenge #26. This particular challenge was a recipe challenge, which means they gave us "ingredients" that should be included on our card. This recipe included... 3 brads, 1 flower, and designer paper.

I decided to use the Embrace Life set. The Designer Paper is retired, but still my favorite. It's called Green Tea. It went perfectly with the Embrace Life set. It wasn't hard to make a card with Designer Paper and 3 brads.

I thought, simple is better, so I VersaMark stamped the flower on Kiwi Kiss CS and embossed with white powder. I then cut out the flower. Tah dah... 1 flower! I actually really like the way the flower turned out. I never think about using outline stamps on colored CS and embossing, but I think I may start! Thanks for looking!

5th Avenue Floral FTL #53

2009-08-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

So I continually say to people in our stamping group that I personally think the hardest parts to making a card are finding the right color combo and finding a good layout for the card you want to make. I have found and shared some great blogs that have both of these. For example, I went to the Clean and Simple Stamping blog and used the Fall-to Layout #53 for this card. How simple!

Usually I have been also finding sites/blogs that give color combos too, but mom and I were in Target the other day and she saw this pillow and was like, "That would make a great color combo. Take a picture." So I did. We saw colors like Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, and Ruby Red. I have been finding color combos all around me lately. Bedding, pillows, displays at the store, Kleenex boxes... the list goes on and on.

So here was my final product. I ended up using the Fifth Avenue Floral set and the Full of Life set to make these. Number one they were super simple and easy and number two they look gorgeous! I am actually going to use one of these for a wedding card this weekend.

Baroque Motifs 2S4Y #32 and Act 2 Color Challenge

2009-08-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

This last weekend we attended my cousin Alicia's wedding. It was good to see family that came from out-of-town and spend time celebrating something happy. I also decided to round up all my usual challenges and head back down to the craft room for some work of my own. I picked 2 Sketches 4 U for the layout and Curtain Call Color Challenge Act 2 at Stacey's Stamping Stage. These beautiful, rich colors gave me lots of inspiration.

I thought it was about time I tried using the scallop edge medallion technique from Splitcoast Stampers. I've made many of them, but never quite knew what to do with them on a card. Well this layout provided me the perfect opportunity. I hope you enjoy it!

Garden Greetings 2S4Y 31

2009-07-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

Okay so I was at Target yesterday and I walked past the new dishes and you will never guess what colors everything were in...Dusty Durango, Night of Navy, and Chocolate Chip. Light bulb! I came home and created a card based on these three fabulous colors and also on the 2 Sketches 4 You bonus sketch. I just wish I would have taken a picture of the dishes.

Although I don't have a sentiment running around my flowers, I think it was a simple and easy card to make. I used the Garden Greetings set for my image and sentiment.

Seasons of Joy Curtain Call Act1

2009-07-29T21:31:00.000-05:00

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas is my Curtain Call Color Challenge Act 1 this week. I feel like I overuse the same sets every week and I haven't ordered any new sets yet because I am desperately waiting to order from the mini-catalog. Yippee! Anyway, that left me with few choices for this week's challenge. So I turned to a Christmas set that I adore...Seasons of Joy!

Here's my card. The lighting is terrible and doesn't make the colors pop like they should, but that's what I get for taking pictures at 9:30 at night.

It's difficult to see, but I clear embossed the swirl over the tree for an added affect.

A Winner!

2009-07-27T11:01:00.000-05:00

Winner, winner chicken dinner! I can't believe it. We won our first stamping challenge. It was one of the cards mom and I posted for the Jewelry Color Challenge last week. This is the first time we have ever won anything. Yikes! I'm super pumped! Check out our winning entry at Stacey's Stampin Stage! Instead of a Jewelry Color Inspiration, Stacey will now be posting a Curtain Call Color Challenge. Check it out. I will be posting something later using this amazing color selection.

Thanks Stacey!

Bird on a Branch SSSC27

2009-07-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about this card. I used the color wheel to pick out some coordinating colors to use on a card. I think I did okay if I do say so myself. I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch #27 for the layout and moved this around just a smidge. It turned out pretty cute.

I used an embossing plate on the BigShot and then sponged over it in the same color to pull out the pattern a bit more. I did a lot of sponging on this card, but I loved the look once it was all done.

Splitcoast Stampers CAS24 Color Challenge

2009-07-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

Mom and I decided to participate in another challenge. This time we accepted the Clean and Simple #24 (CAS) challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. This is a challenge that comes out every Monday, but you can always participate at your own speed and you can go back and do older posts as well. So the whole idea to participating is that your card should be simple to recreate or to make a bunch of or clean in design or looking uncluttered. Again another fabulous place for me to go. This week the challenge was to use Turquoise, Orange, and Yellow in a clean and simple way.

For my card I decided to go back to the Clean and Simple Stamping blog and choose a layout I liked. I decided on last weeks post Fall-To Layout #50. I loved this layout because you could use it in so many different ways. I know I did.

So here is the card I came up with. I used the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set and the new Butterfly punch! The bright colors were toned down a lot because of the huge amounts of white space.

Mom decided to use the Mojo Monday #96 layout for her card.

She said she didn't hear me say that the card was for the Clean and Simple challenge, so her card is a little brighter than mine. I still think she did an amazing job!

Full of Life JCI46 and FTL51

2009-07-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

I previously showed you one of the challenge cards mom created. This is the one I came up with for the same Jewelry Color Inspiration #46. I love these colors together and although they remind me a little like patriotic colors, surprisingly I didn't even think about going that route.

Here was the fun part...picking the layout. I found this website last week that focused on making Clean and Simple cards which is what I love. I'm anti-clutter on a card, but constantly finding myself put more and more on because I don't know what else to do. I followed the Fall-To Layout #51 for some guidance. Mom did a card with this layout also. Look for her's below mine.

I used the Sanded background stamp, the BigShot for my Top Note die and Flowers, and the Full of Life stamp set. I love that there isn't much on this card, but it still looks fabulous!

Here's mom's version of the same layout.

Mom's First Challenges JCI46 and 2S4Y31

2009-07-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

So I decided that it was time mom started doing some of these challenges with me. We sat down last night and made some really great cards. She did an excellent job and agreed that the challenge...color or layout gave her a direction. Way to go momma!

Well first we turned to Stacey's Jewelry Color Inspiration #46 for a really great color selection. On her blog it said that this will be the last jewelry color challenge because she is updating her blog...so I really hope that it isn't the last one ever. I love these!

Next we looked through several layouts and mom picked 2 Sketches for You #31. It was simple and provided a pretty open window for creating!

Here it is...Ta dah! Mom used the Square Scallop punch as a border for her flowers. She used the Sweet Stems set and I love how she just left the outline of each flower, without coloring them in. She also used the new Modern Label punch and punched it up with a background created by the Oval Scallop and a 3/4" Circle punch! I'm so proud of her!

New Catty Swap- Kind and Caring Thoughts

2009-07-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

I decided to join a New Catalog Swap with my upline and a couple of her stampers. It ended up being 25 people, which is awesome because I think about all the great cards I'll get in return. I whipped up this little gem using the Kind and Caring Thoughts set and Heard from the Heart. They were fast and easy... my favorite kind of cards. They may look familiar to you if you visit our blog often. Our monthly stamping group made this card for our July class just with different colors.

Ingredients:

Stamps- Kind and Caring Thoughts, Heard From the Heart

Cardstock- Dusty Durango, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise

Ink- Dusty Durango, Chocolate Chip

Accessories- 1 3/8" cirle punch, 1 1/4" cirlce punch

Great Friends FTL 49

2009-07-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I found this new blog today. It is called Clean & Simple Stamping. They create quick and easy layout that will having you make beautiful cards in a matter of minutes. They give lots of great ideas. Check them out at http://cleanandsimplestamping.blogspot.com/

So I used Fall-to Layout #49 to make this card. At first I thought this card would have enough stuff, but I truly love cards that don't have too much going on. I know I have a problem feeling like I don't need to keep adding "stuff" for the sake of adding it. I like this layout because it allowed me to just get the essentials and still make a beautiful card.

I just picked up the Great Friends set and I think it worked perfectly on this card. The DSP is Urban Garden which is retired, but you could use any DSP and it would be just as beautiful. I will definately be looking to them for more layouts in the future.

Petal Pizzaz JCI 45 and SSSC26

2009-07-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

I think I've mentioned once or twice before that I am in love with Stacey's Jewelry Color Inspiration. This week I was a little worried again. The colors were beautiful, but always the question about how to put them together.

Visit http://stampinwithstacey.blogspot.com/2009/07/jewelry-color-inspiration-45-giveaway.html to see how everyone put these colors together.

I paired these colors with Sweet Sunday Sketch #26. This sketch was super simple and a great layout to keep in your back pocket for quick and easy cards. Visit Karen's site to see more. http://kgiron.blogspot.com/

I love, love, love this card. I usually hate the cards I make, but I really, truly love it. It think I got it right with this one. I used the Petal Pizzaz stamp set, which I love also, and layered the center of the large flower. I added a clear button and some silver elastic cord, well, for pizzaz! There's a lot of love happening here. I honestly can't believe I made this card! Yippee for me!

Garden Whimsy CI 56

2009-07-15T21:48:00.000-05:00

Here is my other card creation for Kristina's Color Inspiration #56. http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/

I honestly like this one better than the first. I think it is cute and charming. I haven't made many baby cards, but I plan to give this one to my friend Amy for her baby shower.

The little snail from Garden Whimsy makes an adorable addition to the card. I added some Stickles to his shell for a little something-something. I love the look of glitter, but not actually working with it...so Stickles are great for me!

Cheap Talk CI 56 and 2S4Y 30

2009-07-15T21:29:00.000-05:00

I am looking forward to being done teaching summer school after this week. Look it's already Wednesday I'm only now checking all my favorite websites and blogs for this weeks challenges. I'm hooked!

So KWerner posted Color Inspiration Challenge #56 which included some beautiful and bright colors. I was so inspired that I made two different cards. Look back later for another post with the same color scheme. Visit her site here to check out this and many other color inspirations... http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/

Next I went to a new favorite blog/website to find a simple yet great layout. 2 Sketches 4 You gives amazing layout ideas. Not only that but the examples you see there are amazing. Very talented stampers! This is Sketch #30. Take a look at their site here. http://www.2sketches4you.blogspot.com/

Here's my take on both the colors and layout put together. I think my problem, if you can call it that, is that when I do color challenges I always feel like I need to use all the given colors in CS. I forget that the stamp or embelishments can use the colors too. Hopefully you don't think this card has too much going on. I think the layout minimalized what could have been a disaster card.

Seasons of Friendship

2009-07-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

I can't even tell you how happy I was that the Seasons of Friendship tree was in the new catalog. I loved it in the mini-catalog last year and was sad when it was in the Spring and Summer addition. I am glad someone came to their senses and put it in this new catalog.

Okay so the other night my husband and I were outside having a fire and the sky was the most beautiful colors. The trees were black against the beautiful sky. This inspired me to make this card using sponges and black embossing powder. Just goes to show you inspiration is everywhere.

Kind and Caring Thoughts JCI44 and MM94

2009-07-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

I think I am starting to get the hang of this challenge thing. I decided to make a card this week based on the layout from Mojo Monday. Click here to visit the site http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

The color pallet came from Stacey's Staming Stage and her new weekly installment of the Jewelry Color Inspiration. I found these colors much easier to work with than the last one I did.
Check out her site here... http://stampinwithstacey.blogspot.com/

Ta-dah! Here's my creation. I can't get enough of the Kind and Caring Thoughts set, obviously because I have used it on most of my new cards and challenges. The DSP is older, but I loved the pattern. I love the way this card turned out!

July Stamp Class

2009-07-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

Our stampers decided that they couldn't get enough of us and wanted to have an additional July class, so here are the goods from tonight. Some of these ideas have been rolling around in my head for a while and now was as good time as any to get them out. Although I wish I would have highlighted some new stamp sets more, I'd say overall I like what we have done here.

I am the girl who doesn't put greetings and sentiments in cards until I'm going to use them, but something has been nagging at me about the Define your Life stamp set. I have been dying to use it, but didn't know how to incorporate it without it looking too obvious.

The next layout I love and found that someone else on Splitcoast had used with a totally different set. I think leaving a lot of white in the background scares people, but I love the simplicity of this card and will be doing a similar one for a swap I'm in this month. I also incorporated the small flower from the Kind and Caring Thoughts set (a new Level 3 Hostess set!)

Last but not least is an oldie, but a goodie. I made a couple billion of these last summer to send to former students who had birthdays last summer. I think they are adorable and would make "sweet" birthday or party invites. We jazzed them up a bit by using the scratch and sniff technique from Splitcoast Stampers. Click here and it will take you directly to the site.
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/scratch_and_sniff_technique/

Kind and Caring Thoughts WCT49 and MM93

2009-07-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Okay so I have been finding these great blogs that offer just what I need...color combos and card layouts. I decided to try my hand at combining the two, unfortunately I found that I didn't have any Groovy Guava CS left, after 2 years of not being an In-Color color, so I swapped it with Apricot. It's a little too orange, but it's the closest I had. I found the color combo at a site called Color Throwdown. Click here to check it out. http://colorthrowdown.blogspot.com/

Next, I used a layout from Mojo Monday. They post a new layout each Monday. You are able to submit your creations using that week's layout for others to see. Of course, I was a day late and I couldn't link up to Mr. Linky on the site. Better luck next time for me. Visit Mojo Monday's site here for more layout ideas. http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/

So tah dah...here's my card using all these great resources. I used the Kind and Caring stamp set, which is a new hostess set and the words are from Great Friend. I kind of like it, but I would have liked it more with Guava CS. Oh well...Enjoy!

Stampin' Up! Deal Of The Week

2009-07-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Big Shot Doctor's Bag. Available July 6-12, 2009 get the Big Shot Doctor's Bag for $49.99. That's nearly 30% off the regular price of $69.95!

Promotion Details:
Every week during the month of July, Stampin' Up! will offer one discounted product as a "Deal of the Week." No limits and no minimum purchase required. To order contact me today!

Baroque Motifs Jewerly Color Inspiration #33

2009-07-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I have been doing KWerner's Color Inspiration Challenges for a little while now and having a blast. The other day I stumbled upon this little gem of a blog-http://stampinwithstacey.blogspot.com/. Not only does she have super cute cards and ideas, but she also does this thing called Jewelry Color Inspiration. She takes a piece of jewelry and picks out the colors in it that are closest to Stampin Up' colors.

I found this first challenge to be just that...a challenge. I wasn't sure how I was going to make these colors work together. Lots of bright colors, but the jewelry made it seem to easy.

Well here is my final product. Not half bad. I really like Baroque Motifs and haven't used it in a long time. I dusted it off and put it to work. I think I may try another Jewelry Color Inspiration in the near future.

Wings of Friendship

2009-07-02T21:44:00.000-05:00

I made this card with the new Hostess Level 2 set Wings of Friendship. I got the idea for the layout on a cute blog called The Sweetest Thing. You can visit the site by clicking on the link-http://www.kgiron.blogspot.com/. On this blog, Karen has lots of cute layout challenges. The challenge I found was called Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #21.

Even though Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze are long gone, I still love them and decided to use up some of my designer paper that was lying around.

Idea Book & Catalog 2009-2010

2009-07-02T09:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the most exciting time in the Stampin’ Up! year—The new Idea Book and Catalog! This one is packed full of great new products and even more amazing ideas! If you need one, contact me. They are free to all hostesses and club members. $9.95 for new customers. Call or email to get yours today!

Scrapbooking and Stamping Worlds Collide

2009-07-01T18:58:00.000-05:00

This topic is near and dear to my heart because I was first and foremost a scrapbooker. I think people who scrapbook sometimes don't think they should get involved in stamping because they don't see the connection between scrapbooking and stamping. I just wanted to share some past scrapbook pages I have done to give you scrapbookers out there some fresh ideas and the courage to try stamping...to make cards or to incorporate into your scrapbooks.

Some background on me as a scrapbooker...Let me start by saying that I teach in elementary school. I was an ELL teacher for 4 years which means seeing lots of kids all day long and being involved in lots of activities. I was kind of a paparazzi with them because I took pictures all the time. At first they complained but eventually they asked to have their pictures taken. Needless to say this left me with lots of pictures at the end of the year. I didn't want to retire 30 some years from now and find stack of pictures in shoe boxes and have no idea what they were for or from or who was in them. I took my love of scrapbooking and started creating a book for each year I taught. They ended up being a big hit with the kids and they would look at them all the time during spare moments of class. Anyway... I digress! Moving on to scrapbooking tips...

The first way you can incorporate stamping into your scrapbooks is to actually stamp on the pages. I have used background stamps, alphabet sets, Stampin' Around wheels, and other stamp sets that may go with the theme of the page. I may use stamps to take the place of a sticker or other embellishment.

In this first example I used an alphabet stamp set to write the word pizza. This makes it easy to personalize. I also used some Stampin' Up cardstock to border my pictures (Dusty Durango and Soft Suede.) The large P is chipboard that I sponged ink on to be the color I wanted and I punched out circles with the 1 3/8" circle punch! Sorry it's missing the journaling. Not quite finished.

This example shows the use of a specific Stampin' Up stamp set...From the Kitchen of. I love this stamp set, but constantly wonder what I can use it for besides recipes.

I thought about writing the Johnny Cake recipe here, but then decided to use the space to do some journaling instead.

On this page I used another stamp set (All About U- retired from Stampin' Up) and another alphabet stamp set.

The second things you can do is use some of the fabulous punches that Stampin' Up has to offer. Punching out different shapes can help add a pop to the background or a special little detail to your pages.

Here I used the Spiral punch along the edge of each picture. It gives it the appearance that it has been taken from a notebook.

On this page I used the Circle Scissors Plus to cut the pictures into circles and to make a slightly larger circle border. This along with the ribbon gives them the appearance of ornaments.

A couple other items you could include are the use of chipboard letters or designs, designer paper, scrapping kits, or rub-ons to give your pages some added dimension.

This title happened completely by accident. I was sponging a chipboard letter for a card and I noticed my scrap paper on the bottom once I finished. It left the original shape of the letter, but showed where I had applied ink on the outside. I loved this mistake and used it on this title.

My last piece of advice is to use layouts from cards, designs from magazines, and color combinations you see around you to inspire your creativity... in any kind of crafting.

This was a card that I made in a monthly card club. It inspired the layout for the page below. It was a single page so it worked well, but I could have modified it to fit a two page layout. I love how the scrapbook page turned out.

So I hope this helps you scrapbookers feel that the stamping and scrapbooking worlds aren't so far apart. Give some of these options a try the next time you scrap! Card makers/stampers can use these tips also to give scrapbooking a try! Enjoy and happy scrapping!

June Card Class

2009-06-17T07:53:00.001-05:00

Okay so we posted the pictures of our June Stamping group having our first class in my new craft room. Although the room is amazing, I think our cards were even more amazing.

You may know how crazy we are about the circle scallop punch. Well we found a creative way to use the scallop punch as a flower. We folded it in half and then cut along the scallops to create the illusion of petals. We used a dimensional to pop it up and give it a 3-D element.

On this next card, we wanted to utilize one of the frames from the vanilla hodgepdge hardware set. Although this card took a while to come together. I was super happy with how it turned out and I enjoyed the layout. We used my new Three Little Words set and did some scoring on a Scor-Pal to create a tile image, but it is difficult to see in the picture.

The last card is one of my favorites. The layout came from the April or May Stampin' Success magazine. I love the tree from Thoughts and Prayers and have wanted to do a version of the card ever since I saw it featured in the magazine. I love the mix of yellows, golds, and black. I think it looks elegant and simple, which is something I love to do in cards. Just goes to show you that cards and scrapbooks don't need lots of "stuff" to make a visual impact.

Our Big Boy Austin

2009-06-16T19:16:00.000-05:00

I just realized today that I never posted anything on Austin since March right after he was born. Well he was in the NICU for 3 weeks and then our little guy got to finally go home.

He has grown by leaps and bounds. Austin is now 3 months old and weighs in at a little over 9 lbs. He has caught himself up to where he should be if he had been born on May 3rd. He would only be a month and a half old right now. I love talking to him, because he now smiles at you when you talk to him. I can't wait until he starts making cooing sounds. He is such a good baby, just like his mommy was when she was a baby. And Lindsay is a wonderful mother. And loving every moment of motherhood!

Austin was born with a severe club foot. They made braces for him in the NICU, but they said it is so hard to make such things for such tiny babies. Now that he is a little bigger he has to go to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee once a week to have a full cast put on, and changed weekly. Today I went with Lindsay on the road trip. This was cast number 4. Hopefully he will only have to go 2 or 3 more weeks. It has improved so much just with the casting, but that will not be enough. He will have to have surgery as soon as they decide the casts have done what they can.

I feel so terrible each time we see him because he can't just flail like a baby should. Well until last Friday. He managed to get that cast off of his leg on his own during the night. Lindsay said she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. Cry because she was sure that they were going to make her drive down to Milwaukee again last week to re-cast him. Well the physician's assistant talked to the doctor and he said it was fine that Austin could wait until his appointment today because he didn't want the family to drive all the way from up north. Now I know we are north of Milwaukee, but I laughed so hard, because he calls this up north. Anyway here are some picture of our beautiful grandson getting his new cast on today.

OUR FIRST CLASS IN THE NEW CRAFT/CLASS ROOM

2009-06-16T19:01:00.000-05:00

Well after all of the hard work that Amanda and her father put into this room, twice now because of the flood, they really pulled it together in time to hold our June class here. There's still more to be done adding shelves between the upper cabinets, and a few other touches. I must say I am very jealous that my daughter has such a fabulous room to play in when ever she wants.
Maybe I can get her father to re-create my craft room to enlarge it just a little! SMILE!

SNEAK PEAK AT 2009-2010 IN COLORS!!!!!

2009-06-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

There is so much exciting news coming out of the Stampin' Up! Office! Stampin' Up! sent a message to demonstrators stating that they should save their retired In Colors - we never know what's around the corner and what they are up too, but something may be coming back so don't get rid of your retired In Colors!

The NEW 2009-2010 In Colors will be released in the 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog and made available on July 1, 2009. Remember we are going back to 1 catalog a year. Below is one SNEAK PEAK of the Colors. YES - Stampin' Up! will be offering Stampin' Write Markers in THE NEW IN COLORS!

Graduation Gift

2009-06-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

Nick's cousin Maggie graduated this year from high school. She is a sweet and simple girl. I love her! So I decided to put together a little basket for her to send a note to her friends and family while she is away at college. The basket included a Birthday and Anniversary Calendar, 5 packs of four cards for different occassions, stamps, envelopes, a fun monogramed notepad, and colorful pens for writing. I think it turned out cute and was pretty inexpensive to put together.

Confessions of a Teacher

2009-06-05T17:36:00.000-05:00

Okay at this point in the school year most teachers are thinking about summer break. I wish I could be one of them. With our basement flooding, the craft room being a mess, sending my students off to middle school, and packing up my room to go to a new school next year...summer break has been on my mind, but not at the forefront. I just wanted to show everyone my temporary storage for the summer while I figure out what to keep, store, move, pitch, and rummage sale. I can't believe I have accumulated this much junk in only 5 short years. This is madness!

I know it is hard to see, but I swear every inch of floor, closet, desk, and floor space is occupied. Yikes! I can't wait to leave this behind and craft!

Craft Room Before and After

2009-06-05T17:10:00.000-05:00

Okay the craft room was nearly finished and I was hoping to show some before and after pictures of my beautiful space, but unfortunately these aren't how I wanted the pictures to turn out.

Before:

We just had the counters installed and I was filling up cabinets. Full cabinets make a happy Amanda.

After:

Now I know what you are thinking. You're thinking that these should be the after pictures, but these pictures took place BEFORE our basement flooded two weeks ago from too much rain. It was devestating to work so hard on something with my dad and see all our hard work vanish.

They had to poke holes all along the bottom of the drywall to get the moisture out of the walls.

We had a water restore place come in and dry out the carpet and concrete and now the carpet needs to be reinstalled, but all things considered, it could have been worse. (At least that's what everyone keeps telling me.) I think this is someone's way of telling me I was too cocky about getting my craft room. I upset the craft gods.

2009-05-23T10:05:00.000-05:00

Kritter Rescue Team Announces it's First Annual "A Day for Kritters"

Come Join Us

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2009
Time: 10:00a to 3:00p
Location: Barker Farm Park, 2170 Plank Road, Menasha

Bring your family and friends and support the Kritter Rescue Team Association and help them continue their wonderful work rescuing animals. Fun family activities, meet the men and women of the Menasha Police Department and the Neenah/Menasha Fire Department, get close and personal with a K-9 Unit, play Kritter Bingo, bid on wonderful raffle baskets and more. We look forward to seeing you there!

Face Painting, Salon Professional Academy Nail Painting, Stampin Up Make n' Takes, Kritter Figurine Painting, Coloring Contest, Basket Raffles, Menasha Police Officers and Police K9 Unit, Menasha Fire Truck and Firefighters, Balloon Toss, Pie Toss (Come throw a few pies at our Mayor), Black Jack and Roulette Tables, Scavenger Hunt, Kritter Bingo, Yummy food and beverages. It's a great event for a great cause.

2009-05-22T21:07:00.000-05:00

Splitcoaststampers just listed the tutorial to make these wonderful little tea bag holders. What a great little card for someone who's a little under the weather!