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Mark your calendars! One of my favorite sites, Stampin’ Addicts, is having its first birthday this month!! They are hosting a Birthday Blog Hop featuring birthday themed cards and projects with Stampin’ Up! products. I’ll be joining 24 amazingly talented stamping bloggers in this celebration on February 20th and 21st. Don’t miss this fun event!!
The wonderful Marie McClellan over at From Combat Boots to Rubber Stamps has passed on this very nice award to me! Thanks for thinking of me, Marie!! You should pop on over to her site and see her latest Inspiration Challenge…it will get you motivated for a beautiful card!
I’m supposed to list 10 things that make me happy. My list may be a little specific to this week since I have been obsessed with snow and all things caused by lots of snow. In no specific order:
1. Hearing from my husband when he is on a trip and knowing he is safe.
2. My husband actually getting home from a trip and getting to stay a while!
3. My 4 year old son telling me “I very love you Mom!”.
4. Waking up to my two sons giving me hugs (after they slept in).
5. Finally clearing a path through the snow that the plows had piled on my sidewalk. I live on a corner and my kids were having to walk in the street to see their friends…nothing more determined than a mother keeping her kids safe!!
6. Finally sitting down after the kids are in bed with a cup of tea and an old kitty firmly planted on my lap.
7. Stamping a card that comes together exactly like I had in my imagination…and liking it!
8. The joy of knowing I have amazing friends and family who will do anything to help me.
9. The fun of meeting new friends through stamping!
10. Realizing that I am blessed beyond measure as I look at the list above!
Thanks for dropping by!
Update: The Valentine’s card was chosen as a Goddess pick at Stampin’ Royalty and an Inkspirations winner for the week! Thanks to both for the complement!
We have been snowed in and what better to work on than Valentine’s Day cards?? Of course, the snow has really gotten in the way of my stamping. My 4 and 6 year old sons have only so much tolerance for Mommy’s projects before it is time to go sledding!! Ok, even I feel the need to go sledding. After all, if we are going to have record snows I want to take advantage of the opportunities for fun! Today, though, I really needed to finish my card for my dear husband. While I have made quite a few Valentine’s cards this year, I always feel bad if he doesn’t get his own unique card. He certainly deserves it!! I found this layout from Makeesha at Inkspirations and knew it would be perfect!
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Then I used the colors from the Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 16 which were Real Red, Very Vanilla and Kraft. I just received my new Satin Ribbon this week and finally got to use it. It is so beautiful…I might have to order it in all the colors!! The hearts are from the I {Heart} Hearts set from the Occasions Mini. Just a reminder that $2 from every one of those sets sold until Feb 28th goes to the American Red Cross in support of the Haiti earthquake victims. I really like that the Kraft on this card gives it a more masculine feel! Because this card follows a Love/Valentines theme, it also qualifies for the Stampin’ Royalty Challenge #6! Their challenges are wonderful…make sure you check out the cards their Goddesses made this week!
Card details:
Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Well Scripted
Paper: Christmas Cocoa DSP (ret), Kraft, Very Vanilla
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Jumbo Brads, Vanilla Satin Ribbon
All products Stampin’ Up!
Earlier this week, I was supposed to work with a 2nd Grade class from my son’s school (he is in 1st Grade) to make cards for their parents. Since school is apparently cancelled until the spring thaw, the teacher came over to help me make the cards for her kids (thanks Shelly!). This project turned out so cute that I just had to post it. It is another project with the I {Heart} Hearts set and the Hugs Sending Love Notes from the mini. I am so sad that the kids didn’t get to do the project but I know the parents will love them when they finally get them. I put another Whisper White sheet on the back where the kids can sign them. Thanks for stopping by! I value your comments…have a great day!
Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Well Scripted
Paper: Hugs, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Heart to Heart punch
Well, as the big storm marches up to VA, I am standing by for snow-blowing and shoveling! The impending work involved seems to be getting in the way of my stamping. And that, my friends, is simply unacceptable!! In an effort to jumpstart some creativity, I used not one but two challenges. You see, they chose my layout and my colors allowing me to focus all my energy on learning how to make this cool flower! The layout is courtesy of Diva Coffee Break Designs and it is their sketch challenge #163. I liked that this layout was a bit more clean than some of the cards I have made lately. I did alter it into a square just because it seemed to work better for me. The colors are from the Pals Paper Arts weekly challenge. PPA28 asked for cards using Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink and Basic Black. I love that the black provides relief from all that pink! Finally, I have been seeing these “puffy” flowers lately and had to try one. I used the instructions from Corie at Creations by Corie. They really are super easy…just what I needed today! I used seven layers and alternated the paper — Mambo paper from Lovely Flowers (a hostess DSP), Sweet Pea, and the center is Mambo cardstock. After I got it all together, I sponged a little Basic Gray on the edges. The paper on the card is the same as the flower. It is hard to see in the picture but the Pretty in Pink panels have a subtle design from the DSP.
I afraid I can no longer deny that the snow is coming but at least I was able to make a card with spring colors and a cool flower!! Thanks for dropping by…wish me luck with snow-a-palooza!!
Stamp: Well Scripted (Occasions mini)
Paper: Lovely Flowers DSP (Hostess), Sweet Pea DSP (Occasions mini), Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Ink: Basic Gray
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Jumbo Brad (center of flower), Paper Piercing tool
All products Stampin’ Up!
I promised that I would occasionally show you some of the pages I created for calendars at Christmas. This is one of my favorite pages with one of my favorite pictures!! We went to Sea World – Orland0 during a summer visit to see family. It was a fantastic day and I love the curiousity this picture shows. One of the fantastic things about My Digital Studio (MDS) is the ability to work with the colors until they are just right! I found that Bermuda Bay was perfect with the water in the photo. Then I expanded a circle punch a couple of times to get the layered circles, added the fill and had a great effect! The words are from the “Enjoy every moment” stamp set that is available digitally in MDS. This is an easy breezy page but I feel like it is a wow. Of course, maybe that’s because it focuses on my wonderful sons! Thanks for dropping by…I appreciate and value any comments!
Just like the Teal challenge I did last week, this challenge from Inkspirations was out of my comfort zone a bit. The colors are So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. I have to say that I haven’t used Cameo Coral in a while! I went over to Stamping 411 and saw their sketch challenge 135 and I was ready to stamp. I pulled out my Fifth Avenue Floral set…one of my favorites. Sadly, it has been collecting a little dust with the new Occasions Mini and Sale-a-bration things I have been using lately. I had a strip of the Sweet Pea paper from some other cards I used for a class that conveniently had the yellow flower on it. This is a birthday card for a dear sister-in-law. I hope she loves the card as much as our family loves her!
Stamps: Fifth Ave. Floral, Well Scripted
Paper: Cameo Coral, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Sweet Pea DSP (Occasions Mini)
Ink: So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: SU Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Big Shot, Watercolor Blender Pen, Dimensionals, So Saffron Ribbon (SAB 09)
I used the Mojo Monday sketch challenge (Mojo122) for this card. The sketch was created by the wonderful Mary Fish who is an amazing stamper! I also wanted to participate in a challenge from Shelli Gardner, the CEO of Stampin’ Up! She challenged us to make a Valentine’s Day project. I used the set “A Happy Heart”. When I saw the circles in this new Sweet Pea paper pack, I immediately thought of the dandelion stamp. They are a natural combination. Of course, I also just had to use the Sale-a-bration punch too! The phrase from this stamp really fits how I feel about Stampin’ Up as a company right now.
You have seen the devastation in Haiti and I know you, like me, want to help in any way you can. Stampin’ Up has committed to donating $2 from every “I {Heart} Hearts” set sold from now until Feb. 28th to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Wow, what can I say??!! The spirit of giving at Stampin’ Up is a corporate philosophy that starts with the CEO and continues throughout the entire company. You can see pictures on Shelli’s blog, So Shelli, of employees packing up supplies for 5,000 hygeine kits with supplies purchased by the company. You see, now Stampin’ Up gives you a Happy Heart, too!!
Take a look at the flyer for this promotion for more details!! I {Heart} Hearts promotion for Haiti
Thanks so much for visiting my blog!!
Stamp: A Happy Heart
Paper: Sweet Pea Paper Pack (Occasions Mini), Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch (SAB), White Organza Ribbon
Layout: Mary Fish, Mojo122
One of my dearest friends has a birthday tomorrow and this stamp set really seems to fit! I’ve been wanting to do cards with the new Vintage Vogue (Occasions mini) and the Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper. They seem like a natural fit! I really like the So Saffron with the Not Quite Navy, too. I used white taffeta ribbon to make the centers (a few pictures follow with the how-to) and the new Scallop Trim border punch to embellish the horizontal strip. This punch is available free (my favorite price) through the Sale-a-bration promotion from Stampin’ Up! Contact your demonstrator or me for details. The sketch is courtesy of the Splitcoaststampers weekly sketch challenge (SC264). Thanks for taking a look!
Stamps: Vintage Vogue (Occasions Mini)
Paper: Bella Bleu DSP, So Saffron, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Ink: So Saffron, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch (SAB), White taffeta ribbon, dimensionals, mini glue dots
To make the center, cut a piece of ribbon approximately 3 1/2 inches long. Attach the two flowers together and punch a circle, using the 1/16 inch circle punch, in the center of the flower.
Then feed the ribbon through the hole and loop it through itself (like the beginning of a knot). Pull to tighten but leave it a bit loose.
Finally, feed the end back through the hole and trim off the ends as needed.
Thanks again for stopping by!
Well, I can safely say that Teal has not really been in my repetoire but the new Sweet Pea paper from the Occasions mini may have changed that! I took the card you saw in the last post and made it a little more Clean and Simple for the Clean and Simple challenge over at Splitcoast. This week’s challenge was to use Teal and White plus one other color. This new paper adds such a fun splash of color and all I had to do was pop out a few butterflies with my Beautiful Wings embosslit! Easy and fun!
Stamp: Well Scripted
Paper: Sweet Pea DSP, Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Ink: Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Beautiful Wings embosslit, Mini Glue Dots
Layout: Amber Hight at Splitcoast (VLVJan2010 – Week 2)
I received my first (notice I say first) Occasions Mini order on Monday and finally got to play with the new things yesterday. I also received my Sale-a-bration goodies! They are not on this card but they are coming to my classes this month. I was just so happy with this card that I couldn’t wait to share it. These butterflies are made with my Beautiful Wings embosslit for my Big Shot. I was a latecomer to the Big Shot trend but I can’t tell you how happy I am to have it. Just imagine the possibilities for these little guys!! No more small designer paper scraps that you can’t use. Seriously, look at those little butterflies. Just put your little scrap in the embosslit, roll it through and you look like a creative genius!!
Ok, I’m done going on and on about these little guys (at least until my next card with them). Now just look at the “Happy Birthday” stamp on the card. This is from the Occasions Mini set called Well Scripted and the font is so pretty. I can see lots and lots of cards with this…my family will too, I think! The only “work” I had to do on this card was a little sponging on the Apricot Appeal butterflies to help them pop out. I used mini glue dots to attach them and left a wing free on the larger ones. This wonderful sketch was created by Amber Hight over at Splitcoast. All the other details follow this post. All products Stampin’ Up!
Thanks for dropping by!
Stamp: Well Scripted (Occasions mini)
Paper: Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal, Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, Nouveau Chic Designer Series Paper
Ink: Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: Beautiful Wings embosslit, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots
Layout: VLVJan2010 (Week2 ) by Amber Hight