Who doesn't love a sale?

Stampin' Up! is launching a new section of the online store called the Clearance Rack. The purpose of the Clearance Rack is to clear out the inventory of surplus items that have been retired. Many of these retired items will be offered at a substantially reduced price. Some of the items are up to 80% off the original price!  Holy cow!  The items are while supplies last.  This will be a permanent category in my online store.  Stampin' Up! will be adding new items to the Clearance Rack as others sell out, so make sure you stop in from time to time.  Just click here to check out the Clearance rack!  You can shop in my online store 24/7. :)

Thanks for visiting!

Kind Thoughts Brocade Tile

Hello!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

I have seen a couple tiles decorated with stencils, and I wanted to give it a try.  Yesterday I roamed the big-box craft stores looking for stencil paste.  Not one person even knew what I was talking about...ARGH!  I finally just decided to get some dimensional stencil paint and see how that worked.  It worked fine.  The only problem is that in comes in little bitty tubes, and that is just not going to work.  I will probably end up ordering it online from the manufacturer.  The tile was much easier to find.  Once I got all my goodies home, I started playing.

I cleaned the 12X12 tile and taped down the stencil.  I squeezed out the paint and spread it all over the stencil.  I removed the stencil from the tile and let it dry.  That took a couple hours.  It's pretty humid down here.  ;)  I applied a second brocade on another corner of the tile and let that dry overnight.  Today I used a stampin' sponge to apply Creamy Caramel and Chocolate Chip inks.  I don't have any of the gorgeous wide striped ribbon, so I used the wide Twill Tape to create a bow on the tile.  I finished it off with a hat pin and pearls from the Pretties Kit.  When my came over this afternoon, she tried to take it with her.  I guess she liked it.    I think it turned out alright for a first attempt. 

Enjoy what's left of your weekend!

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps- none.  Ink- Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip.  Paper- none.  Accessories-  Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil (small), Pretties Kit, wide Twill Tape, stampin' sponge.  Miscellaneous- 12X12 tile, dimensional stencil paint.

Thanks for visiting!

In honor of Autumn...

I made a Thanksgiving card.  I'm going to have to trust the calendar on this one since I don't see any signs of it getting cooler here.  LOL

I have always wanted to try a stairstep card, but I never got around to it...until now!  ;)  I followed a tutorial I found online.  (I am not sure where, but I'm sure there are lots of them available.)  I made my scores on the wrong side, but I loved the fact that I now had more room for my image.  No mistakes, just opportunity for embellishment!  I used some retired DSP, Juntos, for the "stairs" along with Old Olive and Very Vanilla cardstock.  The card base is Really Rust.  The image is the gorgeous Medallion stamp in Really Rust on Very Vanilla layered on Old Olive.  I used a Clear Rhinestone brad and some Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain to finish the image panel.  The leaf is from Best Wishes and More.  It's stamped in Really Rust with a touch of Old Olive on the edges.  I cut it out and attached it with a dimensional.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The Word Window punch is lined with Old Olive. 

Have a great Saturday!

Thanks for visiting!

A birthday card for my nephew.

Happy Friday!  WooHoo!

This is my nephew's birthday card.  He just turned 7.  I used some retired stuff, but I don't think he'll mind.  All he'll really see is the Walmart gift card inside.  LOL  I made the jagged edges on the card by punching scallops and then moving the paper over just a tad and punching again.  Clear as mud?  ;)

Enjoy the rest of your Friday!

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps-  Think Happy Thoughts.  Ink-  Bashful Blue, Basic Black.  Paper-  Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Purely Pomegranate (retired), Cutie Pie DSP (retired).  Accessories-  Scalloped Edge punch, Scalloped Circle punch, 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" and 3/4" Circle punches, Certainly Celery polytwill (retired), dimensionals. 

Thanks for visiting!

Inspiration Challenge 62

 
Another Thursday is here!  Time for another UDI Inspiration Challenge.  Today I went with a literal interpretation.  ;)   This cute little giraffe looks just like all the giraffes that live at Lowry Park Zoo and Busch Gardens here in Tampa.  :)

I think I may have created a hybrid card. ;)  My card base is Whisper White card stock.  The next layer is Chocolate Chip card stock.  The layer on top of that is from My Digital Studio.  I just loved the print!  It screamed "giraffe" to me.  LOL  I printed it on a piece of Whisper White and cut it down to size.  The largest white image layer is part of the same cardfront from MDS.  The next image layers are Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Whisper White.  I stamped the giraffe from Animal Crackers in Chocolate Chip and colored it with my Stampin' Write markers in Barely Banana and Chocolate Chip.  The star is YoYo Yellow and covered with Dazzling Diamonds.  The embellishment is a 3/4" Circle punch in Old Olive with an Earth Element button and a Fire Circle brad.  The image layer is adhered to the card with dimensionals.

I just love MDS!  It is so much more than a scrapbooking program!  It will be available to customers on October 1st!  That's next Thursday!  WooHoo!

Here's a link to the challenge on the UDI blog.  Go check out all the other submissions.

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps- Animal Crackers.  Ink- Chocolate Chip, YoYo Yellow, Barely Banana.  Paper-  Whisper White, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip.  Accessories-  My Digital Studio, 3/4" Circle punch, Earth Element button, Fire Circle brad, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!

In Color Get Well Wishes

Happy Friday!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Today's post is a card I made for one of my son's teachers.  She had surgery, and I wanted to wish her a speedy recovery.  I CASEd it from Margaret Moody.  You can find hers here.

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps-  Best Wishes and More, Teeny Tiny Wishes. Ink- Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Melon Mambo.  Paper-  Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Gable Green.  Accessories-  Crushed Curry Polka Dot grosgrain, Scalloped Edge punch, Scalloped Circle punch, Scalloped Oval punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Large Oval punch, Oval punch, hole punch, crimper.

Thanks for visiting!

Diva Inspiration Challenge 61

It's that time again!  Today's picture is so yummy!!  I just love ice cream!  I took the picture literally today and made an ice cream cone as the focal image for my card.  :)  You can find these all over the web, but here's a link to a great video posted by Angie Kennedy Juda.  I did almost everything the same way except that I used a different punch and a different Texturz plate for the cone, and I added pink micro beads as sprinkles on my top scoop.  :)

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my first ice cream cone!  Then head on over to the UDI blog and see what everyone else created!

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps- On Your Birthday.  Ink- Creamy Caramel, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Jet Black Stazon.  Paper-  Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Kraft.  Accessories-  Big Shot, Texturz plate, Scallop Circle punch, Large Tag punch, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain, micro beads, paper piercer, mat pack, dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!

Holiday Mini Swap

Hello!  Happy Wednesday to you!  

I participated in a demo-only Holiday Mini swap with some Stampin' Addicts.  I just received my package of swaps back today, so now I can post my card.

I chose the set Delightful Decorations.  The card base is Very Vanilla.  The next layer is a piece Old Olive that has been embossed with the Petals a Plenty embossing folder.  You have got to get this folder!  It is just beautiful!  There are strips of Very Vanilla and Real Red along with some 1/4" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon on top of the embossed layer.  The image layers are Real Red, Very Vanilla and Old Olive.  The image is stamped on Very Vanilla with Real Red classic ink.  I used the Ornament punch to punch it out, and I used my 2-way glue pen to add Dazzling Diamonds to the outer edge of the ornament.  (You can click the picture to get a better view.)  I adhered the ornament with dimensionals.  I hope my fellow swappers like it!

Have a great afternoon!  I'll be back tomorrow with my UDI Inspiration Challenge project.

Supplies(all SU!):  Stamps-  Delightful Decorations.  Ink- Real Red.  Paper- Very Vanilla, Real Red, Old Olive.  Accessories- Big Shot, Petals a Plenty embossing folder, 1/4" Old Olive grosgrain, Ornament punch, Dazzling Diamonds, 2-way glue pen, dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!

UDI Inspiration Challenge #60

Happy Thursday! It's time again for an inspiration challenge over at the UDI blog. Make sure you check out all the other members' creations while you're there!

For today's challenge, I took my inspiration from all the stripes. I used a piece of striped DSP from Razzleberry Lemonade along with the new stamp set, Sweet Centers. I made the cloud background by sponging Bashful Blue over a Scalloped Circle punch template. There is a perforated "X" on the inside of the card so the M&Ms can be removed without destroying the card. (I used my SU! Cutter Kit's perforating tool.) The sentiment is from Really Retro (dormant list). My favorite part of the card is the balloon. It's filled with yummy dark chocolate M&Ms. :)

Have a terrific Thursday!

Supplies(all SU!): Stamps- Sweet Centers, Really Retro. Ink- Bashful Blue, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo. Paper- Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP. Accessories- Scalloped Circle punch, Scalloped Oval punch, Small Oval punch, Large Oval punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Crushed Curry Polka-dot grosgrain, Sweet Treat cups. Thanks for visiting!

A Christmas state of mind.

I have another holiday project to share today. I have been in a Christmas mood lately. It could be the Christmas card class I will be having tonight and Sunday afternoon. ;)

I used a 4X6 frame from a big-box discount store. It has a Chocolate Chip satin ribbon on one of the short sides, so I just SNAILed it to the back of the frame. I didn't want to cut it in case I wanted to use it for a different project after the holidays. :) I used a piece of Merry Moments DSP and some of the Holiday Mix Decor Elements. I also sponge-daubered (I just love making up new words LOL) a small bit of Platinum Shimmer Paint all around the edges of the DSP. It is quite pretty IRL. The Real Red 1/4" grosgrain is tied around the outside of the glass. I really like how it looks. I used Tombow Mono Multi and some small thumb tacks to affix the 1/4" Whisper White grosgrain to the frame. It was quite easy, and I have 2 frames left to alter. Yep, there were 3 frames in the package for just $2.50. What a bargain!

Supplies(all SU!): Stamps- none. Ink- none. Paper- Merry Moments DSP. Accessories- Holiday Mix Decor Elements, Platinum Shimmer Paint, Real Red and Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain. Misc.- 4X6 frame, thumb tacks.

Thanks for visiting!

The other side...

of my Christmas blocks! I got the opposite sides of my Christmas blocks decorated for Halloween. (Scroll down to yesterday's post to see them.) I really like the final outcome.

I used Basic Black for the base layer. Pumpkin Pie and Lovely Lilac are used on top. I textured the cardstock on all 3 letter blocks. I used the crimper on the "b" and 2 different Texturz plates on the "o"s. I created faux brads with a hole punch on the Pumpkin Pie blocks. There's a spider (from Batty for You) hanging from her silver metallic cord web on the Lovely Lilac block. The image on the first block is from the Sweet Centers set and is stamped in Lovely Lilac. I punched out the sentiment with the 1" Circle punch, and then I punched the rest of the center out with the 1 3/4" Circle punch. The sentiment and the letters are all covered in Iridescent Ice. A couple pieces of gingham ribbon finish off the project.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Supplies(all SU!): Stamps- Batty for You, Sweet Centers. Ink- Lovely Lilac, Jet Black Stazon, Whisper White craft. Paper- Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White. Accessories- Decor Elements blocks, Iridescent Ice EP, Big Shot, Texturz plates, crimper, 1" and 1 3/4" Circle punches, Silver cord, On Board Timeless Type letters, gingham ribbon, mini glue dots, dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting!

Playing with blocks

Remember those blocks with letters and pictures on them that you and your kids used to play with back when you were little? These are just like those! Well, almost...

These are 3" blocks made from MDF. They are available in a set of 4 in SU!'s Holiday Mini Catalog. I painted mine with white acrylic paint, and then I decorated them with cardstock, ribbon, brads and Holiday Mix Decor Elements made especially for them. I have plenty of them left for more projects. I have one in mind already. Besides that project, I also want to decorate the other side of the blocks for Halloween. I just need to figure out what to use for the letters in "BOO" since the only current alphabet set I have is Lovely Letters. Not really the right style. LOL

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

Supplies(all SU!): Stamps- none. Ink- none. Paper- Chocolate Chip, Old Olive. Accessories- Decor Elements Blocks, Holiday Mix Decor Elements, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain, Bold Brights brads, mat pack, paper piercer, mini glue dots.

Thanks for visiting!

Another page with My Digital Studio!

I just can't stop playing with My Digital Studio! It is way too much fun! This is a page I made this morning. I used one of the Designer Templates, and I just moved some of the elements around and added some photo mats. I added my photos, some journaling and a title. It is so easy! I have so many ideas running through my head, it's scary! LOL

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Thanks for visiting!

My new blog banner

Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope you have some time off from work to spend with your friends and family!

I played around some more with my new My Digital Studio and created a new blog banner. I want to keep playing and try some more things. I still haven't quite figured out how to size it so that the images are clearer. It's so fun to play with, I don't mind trying different things. I'm sure I'll get it figured out soon. :)

Let me know what you think of my new MDS blog banner!

Thanks for visiting!

A Sneak Peek at My Digital Studio!

Today's project is a digital scrapbook page I just whipped up in less than 5 minutes! I have 13 years worth of pictures of my kiddos that I need to scrap! I am hoping that digi-scrapping will help me tackle all of my pictures. ;)

I was able to pre-order a copy of Stampin' Up!'s digital projects solution, My Digital Studio. (Just one of the many great perks of being a demonstrator!) It will be available to the public on October 1st!

I loaded both discs last night, and this is the first time I tried it! I looked through a couple of the templates and picked this one. All I did was move the flowers around a bit, and then add a title and some journaling. So much fun and so easy! I can't wait to play around with it and see what else I can do with it. There are designer templates and images and embellishments galore! Scrapbook pages, cards and calendars are just a few of the things you can create with My Digital Studio! I'm going to see if I can figure out how to make a new banner for my blog!

Happy Friday!

Thanks for visiting!

Inspiration Challenge #59

It's Inspiration Challenge time again! Visit the UDI blog to see what the other team members have created.

The inspiration picture just screamed chalkboard to me. (Do your inspirational pieces talk to you. too. or am I the only one? LOL) I went with the colors and theme of the picture for my card. I used Ballet Blue for the base followed by a Certainly Celery layer and a Basic Black scalloped rectangle (made from the SU! exclusive Scalloped Square die...tutorial here) for the image piece. I paper pierced all the scallops with my piercing tool. I stamped the flowers from Eastern Blooms in Whisper White. I used Certainly Celery, Ballet Blue and So Saffron Stampin' Pastels (chalks) to color the flowers. I used the liitle eraser from the chalks to clean up the cardstock. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. It's stamped in Jet Black stazon on Whisper White and punched with the Word Window punch. A piece of Whisper White taffeta finishes off the card.

If you play along, leave me a link to your creation in the comments section.

Have a fabulous day! I'll be waiting for Mr. Brown to bring me my My Digital Studio! I can't wait to start playing with it. I'm not that big of a scrapbooker, though I want to be one. After seeing some of the things it can do on a SU! webinar yesterday, it is so much more than just scrapbooking! I'll be sure and share my creations with you. It will be available for purchase on October 1st. WooHoo!

Thanks for visiting!

More Christmas card samples.

Here are a few more samples we'll be making at my Christmas Card classes next week. I just love the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit. It's not just for scrapbooking!

Supplies(all SU!): Stamps- none. Ink- none. Paper- Very Vanilla. Accessories- Christmas Jingle SSK, Real Red 5/8" grosgrain.

Thanks for visiting!

It's here!

The Stampin' Up! Holiday mini catalog has been released! Click here to see all the amazing things inside! Besides the yummy stamps and papers, ribbons and shimmer paint, Decor Elements and blocks, rub-ons and Sizzix dies, you'll find great new items featuring images from Stampin' Up!'s newest partner, Build-a-Bear Workshop!

Just in case that wasn't enough good news, here's some more!

Hostess Promotion

Dates: September 1-November 30, 2009

Promotion Details:

• Host a workshop totaling $250 or more and choose any one item* from the 2009 Holiday Mini Catalog for only $10!
  *Offer excludes hostess sets and My Digital Studio.

On October 1, when My Digital Studio is released, this offer will become even sweeter!

• Host a workshop of at least $400 and get My Digital Studio for 50% off (retail price: $79.95...promotional price: $39.97)!

If you're in the area, contact me to schedule your workshop!

Thanks for visiting!