You know what happened yesterday??!!  My order from the new Stampin’ Up catalog arrived!!!  I got to pull everything out (and all the great stuff my hostess club ordered) and admire it.  Then….wait for it…I had to take it to the craft room to wait for me until I return from a trip.  I know.  I almost cried too.  But it is lovely stuff and when I get to stamp next week it will be such fun!!  For today over at Freshly Made Sketches we have a sketch for you from the lovely Amy O’Neill.  We all know Amy as the color queen but I have to tell you, she really is quite the enabler when it comes to certain stamp sets.  When you see her card this week, you’ll understand.  Good thing I already committed to the one she used!!

This card seems to be one of those that doesn’t photograph quite as pretty as it seems in person.  Some cards are just like that no matter what I do for angles and lighting.  I chose the Typeset Specialty DSP as my muse for this card and I love how this Black/Vanilla combination can have such a wow.  I layered the striped paper onto a Basic Black base (the paper looks better against a black background than a light one due to the the page-like nature of the DSP).  The I cut the oval frame using two sister ovals from the Ovals Framelits.  It creates a really pretty effect!  The flower is layered using 3 punches but maybe I did too good of a job lining up the designs….it is hard to see the dimension on the flower in this picture.  But trust me, it is cool in person!  I colored my Basic Pearls with a black Sharpie and added them for some interest.  Then finally I stamped this sentiment from Mon Ami (CAS-ual Fridays stamp).  I just loved working with Amy’s sketch and I know you will too!

The team has such a lovely variety of cards to share.  And I look forward to another gallery full of inspiration!  I hope that you are having a wonderful week and that you get a little time to stamp too.  See you soon…thanks for dropping by!

Click HERE to purchase wonderful Stampin’ Up products!

Stamp:  Mon Ami (CAS-ual Fridays); Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black; Paper:  Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Typeset DSP; Accessories:  Big Shot, Ovals Framelits, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals; Pansy, Petite Petals and Itty Bitty Accents Pack Punches

So I do still exist.  Sorry about the extended break from posting but I just had to take care of family and work things with stamping falling to the back burner.  I don’t often write about my work schedule, mostly from a family safety point of view.  But I have been on a leave of absence from United Airlines for the past 3.5 months because of my husband’s military responsibilities.  United was amazing enough to allow for the leave but there are things I have to accomplish when that time is over to be in good standing.  Needless to say, I don’t want to abuse the privilege afforded when they help my family out so much.  So last week I had to head out to Denver for requalification on my airplane and that took a bit of logistics planning and preparation, as you can imagine.  I am blessed with friends and a community that provided so much help and I am grateful beyond measure.

I can safely say that I missed a great week over at Freshly Made Sketches but we have another all ready for you.  Our hostess, the incredible Cindy Lovell has such a creative and fun sketch for us this week.  I needed something that I could use while still distracted with tons of work stuff and this was just the thing!

Just in time for me to get back from Denver, my pre-order from the new Stampin’ Up catalog arrived.  Yippee!!!  I ordered a new stamp set called You’ve Got This and the new In Colors.  So here is my ode to Mint Macaron.  This color is really pretty, don’t you think?  I admit that I didn’t depart too much from the sketch but hopefully you’ll over look that as you see the pretty new things.  I took my Butterfly Thinlits and used them to cut this new In Color Envelope Paper.  There are stripes and a wood grain print backed with the plain color all on paper that is a bit thinner and great for lining envelopes…..or cutting with thinlits!  I added a piece of the new 1″ Dotted Lace Trim in the Mint and a tag cut from the Chalk Talk Framelits out of White Vellum.  This sentiment is one that is great for so many cards and I’m so happy with this stamp set (more with that one later this week).  I added a little bit of thread behind the butterfly to finish.

The ladies over at Freshly Made Sketches have created beautiful inspiration for you.  Week in and week out, this team brings the most lovely work to share.  And never mind the laughs over on our design team FB thread.  I’m so fortunate to be a part of this group!!  Make sure you go over and say hi to them and thank Cindy for this great sketch.

And to you, my followers.  Thank you for understanding the craziness of my schedule.  I’ll see what I can do to get ahead so there won’t be any large breaks again soon.  I’m back to flying for the June schedule so if you are traveling over the summer, keep an eye out for me!!

Thanks so much for dropping in today.  See you again soon!

I’m so excited to share my new edition of Stamps on the Fly!  You all know how much I love working with sketches and I thought it would be fun to share that with you.  I have a page up telling you all the details including the links on how to get these PDF tutorials for FREE!

Available for international customers and demonstrators too!  Just click below for all the details!

Stamps on the Fly – May Sketch Edition

Click HERE to purchase wonderful Stampin’ Up products!

Stamp:  You’ve Got This; Paper:  Whisper White, White Vellum; Ink:  Mint Macaron; Accessories:  Big Shot, Chalk Talk Framelits, Butterflies Thinlits, Heat Tool, Clear Stampin’ Emboss Powder, 1″Dotted Lace Trim, Vintage Faceted Button, Thread

Such a great day here in Northern Virginia!!  We are finally having real live beautiful spring weather (complete with the requisite pollen, of course).  I was out planting flowers and some herbs yesterday!  So wonderful!  All my outside time, and the continuing soccer-palooza, has cut into my crafting time.  Thank goodness for Freshly Made Sketches to keep me on track!  My friend Kim is sending us “over the edge” this week with her sketch.  Perfect for how I’m feeling with our family schedule this week!!  *smile*

Kim’s sketch is so smart and fun.  She has an element hanging over the edge of the card.  Just narrow your base to accommodate how much the element goes over.  That keeps it able to be mailed easily.  I made my card base 5-1/2″ x 4″ (once folded).  Now….I need a moment of silence for the retiring Naturals Ivory Card Stock.  This has been a favorite of mine for, well, forever.  I love the little speckles and I especially love it in the fall.  I love how it takes ink just a little differently than the smooth card stocks which adds to a vintage look with no actual work.  I stamped the border from Butterfly Basics twice in Crumb Cake.  Then I stamped the big flower from Flower Patch in Crumb Cake and the smaller one in Pool Party and fussy cut them out.  There are framelits but I didn’t want the borders on this.  The sentiment is from Flower Patch too and I love this one!!!  A Basic Gold Button tied with Linen Thread to finish.

I hope you are having a lovely week too.  Don’t forget that the Retirement List (and sale) is still on and you can see what is still available at my Online Store.  I’m excited to be learning more about the new catalog as the Convention in Australia gets underway tomorrow (stalk the demos from down under to see the exciting developments…I will be….).  Thanks so much for stopping in today.  See you soon!

TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY FOR:

I’m so excited to share my new edition of Stamps on the Fly!  You all know how much I love working with sketches and I thought it would be fun to share that with you.  I have a brand new page up telling you all the details including the links on how to get these PDF tutorials for FREE!

Available for international customers and demonstrators too!  Just click below for all the details!

Stamps on the Fly – April Sketch Edition

Click HERE to purchase wonderful Stampin’ Up products!

Stamp:  Butterfly Basics, Flower Patch; Paper:  Naturals Ivory; Ink:  Crumb Cake, Pool Party; Accessories:  Basic Gold Button, Linen Thread, Dimensionals

Wow, oh wow….we really did break the internet yesterday with the release of Stampin’ Up’s Retirement List.  The site was overwhelmed with orders and was even down for a while.  I suspect things have calmed down a bit today so if you weren’t quite ready to jump into the fray, it should be safe today.  *smile*

Our sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches this week comes from my friend Linda Callahan.  She always seems to come up with just what I need to prod my mojo along!  Since I had seen a preview of the retiring items on Monday when the Australian retirement list came out, I pulled out one of my favorite sets from the list to show you.

First of all, I’m channeling a little bit of my friend Amy O’Neill here, don’t you think?!  These seem like her kind of colors!!  I can safely say that I’m using her kind of stamp set because she is the one who “made” me buy it.  Regarding Dahlias is a set that is never, ever the wrong choice.  I resisted it at first but after seeing all the amazing cards Amy was making with it after it was released, I just had to have it.  One of my best purchases!!  My FMS friends are all well known enablers but I have to really thank Amy on this one!!  Almost everything on this card will be retiring.  The Epic Day Washi Tape along the bottom is on the list (and isn’t Washi perfect for the sketch?!).  The stamp set, of course, and the Basic Gray Baker’s Twine along with the Coastal Cabana (an In Color) base and the Basic Gray Ink Pad (which I used for the sentiment).  Now they are reformulating the Basic Gray and the Basic Black so never to fear.  They aren’t REALLY gone.  I used Calypso Coral ink for the flower and a button in the same color.  Those are staying.  Whew!

You are going to have a blast with the sketch this week.  I predict a gigantic gallery!!  The team has done their usual brilliant work.  Watch out for them…..you are sure to be enabled!!

I’ll be back on Friday with this month’s edition of the Fancy Friday Blog Hop.  My fancy friends and I have a real treat planned for you!  I hope you are having a wonderful week and I can’t wait to see you Friday.  Until then, thanks for stopping in!

I’m so excited to share my new edition of Stamps on the Fly!  You all know how much I love working with sketches and I thought it would be fun to share that with you.  I have a brand new page up telling you all the details including the links on how to get these PDF tutorials for FREE!

Available for international customers and demonstrators too!  Just click below for all the details!

Stamps on the Fly – April Sketch Edition

Click HERE to purchase wonderful Stampin’ Up products!

Stamp:  Regarding Dahlias; Paper:  Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Basic Gray; Ink:  Calypso Coral, Basic Gray; Accessories:  Epic Day Washi Tape, Subtles Button, Basic Gray Baker’s Twine

 

 

 

 

It is official.  I have entered the spring crazy season.  Otherwise known in my house as soccer-palooza!  Both boys play soccer and my older one also made his middle school team.  My feet hurt just watching them.  *smile*  Two days a week, the older one has both a school practice and a travel team practice and then there are the days that he has a school team game and then a practice.  But they are outside and happy and THAT is a good thing!  I am recovering from the two weeks of spring break and catching up on some things too.  My yard got the first mowing of the year and I am tending to the plants and even planting some new stuff.  Spring is awesome!  What else is awesome??!!!  Ok, you know the answer because it is Wednesday.  Yes, Freshly Made Sketches is awesome!!!   I just love my friends on the design team and I can’t wait to see what they make each week.  This week is going to make you happy.  REALLY happy!  My friend Rita Wright is the hostess this week and her sketch nearly made me giddy. This is one you’ll go back to again and again.

I have a local friend who has had a rough month or so.  She is such a tough person but even tough has a breaking point.  We were talking about stamping together because she needed some extra sympathy cards (hers have been used up…yep, rough month) but then more stuff just got in the way.  So instead I thought it might be good to make a couple for her to have on hand.  Because these are something you don’t want to make when you need them.  I just knew Rita’s sketch was a perfect place to start and this came together quickly.  I pulled out some hostess sets (one from this year and one from last) and stamped this clean image.  The flower from Bloom with Hope is so pretty and just the right size for this image panel.  The sentiment is from Simply Sketched.  I stamped in Early Espresso and colored with my Blendabilities (Soft Sky, Old Olive).  I cut the layers with my Simply Stitched dies (SSS).  Finally a few pearls to finish.  Clean but perfect for anyone who needs to know you are thinking of them.  I had a few other cards already made and I just sent them over.  I’m praying she just doesn’t need them.

So it hit me (as it does every now and then) that for all the cards I make, I’m just awful about putting them in the mail.  I am going to make an effort over the next few weeks to simply “clean out” the stash and get them off in the mail.  Maybe you’ll consider joining me.  It will brighten someone’s day for sure!!

Ok…off you go for the weekly dose of FMS inspiration.  You know you won’t be disappointed!!  I hope that your week is fantastic and I’ll see you soon. Thanks for stopping in!

I’m so excited to share my new edition of Stamps on the Fly!  You all know how much I love working with sketches and I thought it would be fun to share that with you.  I have a brand new page up telling you all the details including the links on how to get these PDF tutorials for FREE!

Available for international customers and demonstrators too!  Just click below for all the details!

Stamps on the Fly – April Sketch Edition

Click HERE to purchase wonderful Stampin’ Up products!

Stamp:  Bloom with Hope, Simply Sketches; Paper:  Very Vanilla; Ink:  Early Espresso, Blendabilities; Accessories:  Big Shot, SSS Stitched Rectangles, Dimensionals, Basic Pearls