Carter's First Birthday Invite

Carter is the youngest of our three Grandsons. His first birthday is next month and his mother asked me if I could make the invitations for his first birthday party.  Of course I said yes!  I love making projects for my grandchildren.  This guy was a little more difficult to come up with a card for because he loves Mickey Mouse.  Fortunately, my daughter did not want the character on the card but rather the colors.  I had seen a number of cards/projects last year on various blogs, sites, and at convention last year and saved them in my files. Because the SU incentive trip had been to Disney World that year, there just happened to be more out there last year.  This is the one my daughter saw and asked me to make that one.  

The supplies that I used for this card were:

PAPER:  12 x 12 Basic Black, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
ACCESSORIES:  Sticky Strip, Dimensionals, Scorer/Cutter, 2-1/2" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Ribbon (non SU)

This was a total case and unfortunately I do not know who to give credit to.  I just found  a picture of  Mickey projects and then looked at the pic and guessed what materials and dimensions were used.  It was very easy to make.  It was exactly what she wanted.  The decorations will be in red, yellow and black.  She is also having a candy buffet which will ale have red, black, and yellow candy.  I think it will really be a very nice event.  

I have no babies today to watch and I plan to use that time to get ahead on preparing for my future events.  It is supposed to rain today, so it will be a perfect day to do that.  Enjoy the day!

Santa's List

I am working a lot on Christmas Cards right now.  I am trying to come up with a number of Christmas themed cards for our Holiday Stamp A Stacks.  This is one of those cards that might be used in a future SAS.  I love this stamp but once I started trying to come up with a card using this stamp, my mind went blank.  So I started working on cards using other holiday stamps.  Later on I was going through my messages and saw a card that a fellow stamper had created using this layout.  When I saw the layout, I immediately thought that Santa could fit in the oval shape and I took it from there.

I used a number of products that are found in the Holiday Catalog. I used 2 new embossing folders, "STYLISH STRIPES" and "PRETTY SCRIPT".  I also used the new Silver Foil Sheets and the stamp set "SANTA'S LIST".  I love trying out new products.  It is like Christmas Day to me when you open up the new packages and then you get to play with them and see what you come up with.  For me that is so exciting.

I just wanted to share this with you today.  Over the weekend, Susan and I will be getting together to come up with more card ideas in order to complete our card picks for the final 2 Holiday Stamp A Stacks.  This afternoon, I will be working on Carter's FIRST Birthday invitations.  It does not seem possible that he is going to be 1 soon.  Time really goes by quickly.  Enjoy the day!

A Sunflower Congratulation

This month I sent out congratulations to my downlines who were the top three in sales.  This month I decided to use the SUNFLOWER background stamp.  I love this stamp and thought it would be a great one to use for August.  

In order to get a sunflower which had a little more color to it, I used sponges.  First I stamped the sunflower using the Daffodil Delight.  Before I stamped the image onto card stock, I sponged Cajun Craze and Soft Suede from the center towards the tips of the petals.  

The supplies that I used for this card were:

STAMP SETS:  Sunflower background stamp, Sweet Essentials
PAPER:  Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
INK:  Cajun Craze, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede
ACCESSORIES:  Sponges

It is a very simple technique to do but it makes a big impact on the card.  It adds more depth to the image.  I hope they liked the card.  Enjoy the day!

Swaps from Downline Meeting

card made by Terry Waldron

Today I decided to post a few of the swaps that we exchanged at my last downline meeting.  We asked everyone to bring a card that was made from product that would be found in the 2013-14 Catalog or the Holiday Catalog.  I thought everyone did a great job with their swaps and I wanted to share a few with you.

The first card uses the SUNFLOWER background stamp.  I love that stamp.  I really like the color combination that Terry uses.  I would not have thought to use that combination but I will be after I saw this card.

card by Susan Peters

The second card uses the WETLANDS stamp set.  When I first saw it in the new catalog, I was not too sure about it.  But I LOVE it!  At convention I saw so many different cards using this stamp set and I realized what a very versatile stamp set it is.  When I got home from convention, I ordered this stamp set.  A really good set to use for masculine cards or for those friends who love the shore.


 I plan to post a few more tomorrow.  Enjoy the day!

Holiday Stamp A Stack- Round 2

This weekend Susan and I held our first Holiday Stamp A Stack in our series of 4 this Fall.  They went very well and now we are focused on the next Stamp A Stack.  I will be hosting mine on Sunday September 15 @ 1 PM.  My Grandson's first birthday is the following weekend and was just unable to schedule then.

Here is next month's collection of cards for our Stamp A Stack. There is one card that uses the Chalkboard Technique, one card that is using the Joy Fold Technique, an elegant Poinsettia card and a simple sprig of greens with an embossed silver greeting.  Any of these cards would be well received from your friends and family during the Holidays.  

If you are interested in attending the second HOLIDAY STAMP A STACK on Sunday September 15 @ 1 PM, please contact me.  The cost is $25 for 15 cards/envelopes or $35 for 20 cards/envelopes and a package of Large Rhinestone Jewels.

August Technique Class- Card #3

This is the last card that we made this month at my Technique Classes.  This card was one that I saw demonstrated at Regionals that were held in Baltimore this past Spring.  When I saw it, I thought it would be perfect for a teenage girl because it is so bright, colorful, and the font on the sentiment is kind of funky looking.  This card used the DIRECT to PAPER Technique.  That is a fancy name for taking a stamp pad and rub it across the paper.  All I did was use a Versamark pad, sprinkle Embossing Powder overtop, and then emboss.  

For this project I used:

STAMP SET:  Sassy Salutations
PAPER:  Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Basic Black
INK:  Versamark
ACCESSORIES:  White, Pool Party, Melon Mambo and Tangerine Tango Embossing Powder, Heating Tool

The swishes look like a paint brush brushed the colors onto the card stock.  This is a very quick and easy card to make.  It is also so far outside my comfort zone but was really fun to do.  We have all 3 kids today so it will be a very busy one.  It seems that no one has the same nap time which means all 3 eat at different times.  It makes for a very very crazy day.  Enjoy the day!

August Technique Class- Card 2

This was the second card in this month's Technique Class.  This one seemed to be a winner with my customers.  The stamped image was made using the Hostess Set, SIMPLY SKETCHED.  I love this stamp set.  It is such a versatile set.

If you look very closely, you will see that the button I used is Pool Party.  You are probably wondering where I found that  button because there is not a button like that in our catalog.  I made it or rather changed the color of the embellishments.  That process was the technique that I demonstrated this month.  The way that I colored it was to
1.  Cover the button with Versamark
2.  Pour Colored Embossing Powder over the Versamark covered button
3.  Heat the embossing powder
and voila! You are now ready to use the colored button to embellish your card.  This is a great technique to match your embellishments to your cards.

 The supplies that were used for this card were:

STAMP SET:  Simply Sketched
PAPER:  Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Early Espresso, Baked Brown Sugar
INK:  Baked Brown Sugar, Pear Pizazz, Crisp Cataloupe, Baked Brown Sugar, Staz On, Versamark
ACCESSORIES:  Wood Grain Embossing Folder, Circle Framlits, Big Shot, Blender Pens, 2-1/2" Circle Pen,Very Vintage Designer Buttons, Pool Party Embossing Powder, Heating Tool, Linen Thread, Dimensionals

This past week has been a rough one and I have been unable to post as regularly.  I plan to do better next week.  Hopefully, kids, dog and  me will be more healthy.  I take the pooch back to the vet today to check her stitches.  There seems to be a problem with them and we hope that they can do something for her.  It seems that it is always something.  

Tomorrow I will post the last of the Technique Class cards.  Next week I will post the cards for the next Holiday Stamp A Stack scheduled for September.  There is a lot going on so please check back.  Enjoy the day!

August Technique Class- Card 1

This month's Technique Classes are based on "COLOR".  I am planning to demonstrate different techniques that will show you different ways the you can add color into your projects. The first card is the "Faux Paint Chip Technique".  I have seen a lot of people do this technique and I thought it would be a fun way to use a number of colors into a project.  Although this technique uses a number of different colored card stock, the colors are all in the same color family.  I thought it was fun to try to take various pieces of card stock and match them up so it looks like a pint chip from a paint store.  

My Technique Classes for the month of August will be held on Saturday August 10 @9 AM, Tuesday August 13 @ 9:15 AM and Wednesday August 14 @ 7 PM.  The cost is $10 for 3 cards/envelopes and 3 technique instruction cards on the 3 different techniques we used that night.  If you are interested, please contact me.

I am happy how this card turned out.  I am even happier that I created a masculine card without specifically thinking that I had to make a masculine card.  I put together the colors first and my first thought was to use the By the Tide stamp set.  For some reason this card just seemed to go together without too much tweaking.  

Today is another crazy day.  Lucy (my dog) is having surgery today.  It seems even when I have the day off from babysitting,  I still can not relax.  Oh well, I figure if there are no bumps in your life, it would be very boring.  Enjoy the day!

A Swap for a Swap

Susan and I held a joint meeting for our downlines on Saturday.  We scheduled it soon after convention because we wanted to share some of what we learned at convention.  Of course we decided one thing we decided we could not have a meeting without was a card swap.  I love it when we swap cards because I think it is great when everyone shares ideas with each other.

This is the swap I shared.  I received a swap from Karyn (no last name on the card)  at convention and loved it so much that I CASE'd it.  I did step it up a bit though.  This is a great 1 layer card.  It is simple and elegant.  This card is versatile that could be used for any occasion.  The supplies used for this card were:

STAMP SET: Simply Sketched 
PAPER:  Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding
INK:  Smokey Slate, Tangerine Tango, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Versamark
ACCESSORIES:  Black Embossing Powder, Heating Tool, Sponge Dauber, Sponge 

I cut out a rectangle from a piece of card stock.  I used that open area as a mask and sponged Crisp Cantaloupe and Pistachio Pudding.  I then stamped the leaf image from Simply Sketched in Smokey Slate.  I embossed the flower image and the sentiment with Black Embossing Powder.  I then colored the flower in with Tangerine Tango using the sponge dauber.  I think making the flower darker, it makes it pop!  I just love it!  

I hope my day is a bit calmer than yesterday.  A lot was going on.  I had to get Lucy to the vet and he scheduled surgery for Thursday because the lump near her eye did not get smaller with meds and now needs to be removed as soon as he could do it.  More happened but I will not bore you with that.  Just a crazy crazy day!  Today Carter started to cruise for the first time!  The good things in your life always seem to put your days back into balance.  Enjoy your day!

Holiday Stamp A Stack Card #4

Wow!  Here is the final card that we are offering you to make at our annual Holiday Stamp A Stack.  You might be looking at this card and thinking that you did not see this stamp set in the new Holiday Catalog.  You are correct.  It is not in this year's Holiday Catalog BUT it is one of the 7 stamp sets that is listed in the Holiday Catalog Carry Over Flyer.  This ornament was stamped from the "Ornamental Ornament Keepsakes" stamp set and was cut out by using the "Holiday Ornament Framelits".  Using that stamp set and framelits, I was able to create a three dimensional ornament on this card.  This card is simple but the embossed snowflakes and the rhinestones that accent the sentiment Noel really make this card a stunner!  Anyone would love to receive a beautiful car like this.  

If you are interested in attending this month's Holiday Stamp A Stack, please contact by August 11.  I will be holding my Stamp A Stack on August 18th @ 1 PM at my house.  Cost is $25 for 15 cards/envelopes OR $35 for 20 cards/envelopes and a package of Rhinestone Jewels.  If you start now making your Christmas Cards, you can have your Christmas card needs finished by Thanksgiving.

Today I am watching my grandson by myself so I am off for another busy day.  I love the age that he is at right now because he is exploring and into everything.  It keeps me busy but it is so neat to watch him grow and learn.  Enjoy the day!

Holiday Stamp A Stack Card #3

Here is the 3rd card that you can choose from to make at my Holiday Stamp A Stack.  This is another Christmas Card that is made from a stamp set that is not really a Holiday stamp set.  The image comes from the stamp set "Serene Silouette's".  I love the look of the bare branches with birds sitting on them.  I really looks like a scene that you would see in winter.  We made the birds red to resemble Cardinals and if you look closely, you will be able to see that we added Red Dazzling Details to add a little holiday glitz to the card.  I just love this simple and elegant looking card.

If you are interested in attending this month's Holiday Stamp A Stack on August 18th @ ! PM, please contact me so I can start getting supplies ready.  The cost is $25 for 15 cards/envelopes or $35 for 20 cards and a package of Rhinestone Jewels.  What a great way to get an early start on your Holiday card needs.  

Another busy day before I can semi relax this weekend.  I am only watching the little guy today but I have a lot of small errands I must do today. Hopefully we will have time to get the baby pool out today.  Enjoy the day!