Andy and Taly's Wedding Card

Our weekend was a busy one. We had a family wedding in which my husband was a groomsman, my daughter was a flower girl and I was the wedding photographer. I am finally catching my breath and wanted to post a wedding card I made for the special couple. Their colors were black with a hint of red, so I made this to coordinate.

The stamp is from Stampin' Up! and I used white craft ink to make the image show up on the black cardstock. Then I added some rhinestones and a ribbon. It's not very traditional for a wedding card, but I kinda like how it turned out.

Here are a few of my favorite photos:

I knew this would happen

I knew it, I just knew it....

Grrrr...The very thing that I hoped wouldn't happen did. In a previous post I mentioned that after 10 years of demonstrating for Stampin' Up, I decided to just let it go. I was hesitant to do so because of all the cool things I would miss out on, fun new stamps, paper and accsories that come out in the new catalog (now twice a year).

About this time every year Stampin' Up releases their newest goodies every year and I would wait on pins and needles for my copy of the new catalog to arrive. This was the first year in a long time I wouldn't be getting my complimentary catalog, so I decided to peek on Splitcoaststampers to see if any of the demos over there would have leaked anything about the new catalog.

Well, to my surprise it turns out that Stampin' Up! has finally partnered with Sizzix and will now be offering a line of exclusive Sizzix dies! This is so exciting to me and so dissapointing at the same time. I had been suggesting this for years, almost as long as SU has been marketing to scrapbookers. At first they came out with die cut punch outs which were okay and served their purpose, but I could never understand why they didn't come out with the actual dies for sale.

The very thing I was hoping to be able to demonstrate, never showed up in the catalog...until I decided to end my time as a demonstrator. As you can see there are lots of fun designs to choose from. I think I am in trouble once again...I just love this stuff!!! Stay tuned, I believe the new online catalog goes live on August 11th.

My last order

A few months back I was at a crossroads with my status as a Stampin' Up demonstrator. I was in pending for the gazillionth time and I had to decide whether I was going to "dig" myself out again or just let it go. I decided on the latter. When I first started demonstrating I was making money, but then I had kids and life got reallly busy. When I signed up in 1998, I really just wanted to try to earn enough money to buy supplies. Ten years later, I have so many supplies I can't seem to harness them all (and believe me I've been trying!) I was trying to hang on through the end of my 10th year to earn the 10-year pin (a goal I set a long time ago), but when it all boiled down to it, I knew the pin wasn't worth extra money I would have to spend to earn it. So it was a bitter sweet day when I put my last order in, but I almost feel a sense of relief not having to think about being a demonstrator...now I can just have fun!

Had to stock up on all the colored cardstock and a few cute new stamp sets...and the new hodgpodge hardware set...and...

Coffee Card

Here is a card I made for my husband a few weeks back. I gave it to him with some chocolate covered espresso beans...yummy!

All ink, stamps and paper are from Stampin' Up.

Just wanted to also say thank you to pinkcamo for listing me on her blog-roll.

Nursery Rhymes

I just got back from roller skating with my 7 year old at a skate/birthday party. It was so much fun...but I'm sure I'll feel sore tomorrow! Right now I'm just killing 5 minutes before Survivor starts and I thought I would post some more cards I made at the beach last week.

I love this Nursery Rhymes set from Stampin Up! I bought the set right before it was discontinued (several years ago), but I never assembled the stamps and therefore, never made anything with it. Sadly I have many more sets just waiting to be put together, but that's another issue altogether. Anyway here are some cards I watercolored:

...cow jumped over the moon, my favorite!

Spring Break Getaway at the Oregon Coast

Contrary to what it looks like, this was taken near Lincoln City on "Spring" Break last week...yes, that is SNOW!

Here you can see the snow in the foothills along the coastline...it was pretty crazy to see snow in March at the beach!

Here I am with my kiddos all bundled up!

I actually brought my stamps with me to the beach. It has been sooo long since I've made any cards. Quite a few of the stamp sets I brought weren't even assembled yet, so the first night I put them all together and then spent all day stamping. I love this little picture I made using the "All in the Family" set from Stampin' Up to represent Zander, Natalie and Hayden. The image of the kids is water colored using water color pencils.

This gate fold card was made with the "Time with You" set from Stampin' Up and is also water colored. I forgot to bring my foam dimensional with me, so I just used the mounting foam I had leftover after I cut out my stamps the night before. I peeled off the rubber and the adhesive back and and was left with double-sided sticky backed foam. I then stamped, colored and cut out the top part of the umbrella and used the foam to mount/layer the umbrella over top of the original image so it pops out more. I'm sure this is clear as mud, but it looks 3 dimensional.

Here is the inside of the card which reads: "My very favorite thing to do is spending time with a friend like you."

Birthday Cards

My daughter was invited to a joint birthday party, scheduled for tonight, but it got cancelled because one of the birthday girls got sick. Here are 2 cards I made for the party:

The theme for the party was a Japanese tea party, so I thought this would fit right in.

The inside greeting for this card reads "I hope your birthday is like totally cool."

I think just about everything I used for these cards is from Stampin' Up!

Ahoy, Matey

Here is a card I made for a little boy named Isaac who turned three this week. He had a fun pirate party, so I used my Ahoy Matey set from Stampin' Up!

The map background is also from Sampin Up!...but it's been retired for a while. I stamped the map on background paper from Karen Foster that looks like crinkled paper.

Of course I had to decorate the envelope too!

Happy Waiting

These past few days I have been busy trying to catch up on house work. It seems like this time of year I always get the decluttering bug and so that is what I have been doing all week...still not done though.

Anyway, after I got all the kids in bed tonight I really wanted to make a card or something...anything. So I sat down and made this card for my younger sister:

At Christmas, my sister announced that she was expecting baby #2! She is going to be one busy mama because her first is about 9 months old right now. I get tired just thinking about it!!!

I made this card for her from the Swell News set from Stampin' Up! The swirl background is made from a Cuttlebug embossing folder...and just in case you can't read the tab, it says "Happy Waiting!"

Looky what I got yesterday!

Sneak Peek!

The new Spring and Summer Stampin' Up! Catalog/idea book will be released in January and I got my advance copy yesterday!

All the examples and art shots are AMAZING and so inspiring in the new catalog. They keep getting better and better! A lot of the stamp sets I recognized from previous years, but there are some really great additions. I am more excited about all the new background paper and accessories like these:

Rub-on transfers in black and white.

Felt flowers available in 3 colors!!! So cute. These will be on my first order for sure!

Happy Birthday Katie!

Today is my friend Katie's birthday...our husbands went to high school together and over the years we have become friends too!

I just love this Stampin' Up set...I need to use it more often. I also love the dazzling diamond glitter. It looks great over any color...and what girl doesn't like a little extra sparkle?

Katie is one of my only friends (besides my blogging friends of course!) who is as crazy about scrapbooking and crafty stuff as I am...so when I saw these I had to send them with the card:

FYI: I found this super cute "Scrapbooking Girl" mint tin at Joann's

Happy Birthday Anne!

Yesterday I made this card for my friend Anne. It's kind of in the style of a money holder...

...because I wanted to include some Schrute Bucks in honor of "the Office" starting up again this week.

Here are all the Schrute Bucks in all their smarmy Dunder Mifflin glory:

Patterned paper and cherry ribbon are from Bo Bunny. Red card stock, paper punches and stamps are from Stampin' Up!

Lunchbox Notes

Well, I kind of went MIA this week as my 2 older kids both started back to school on Tuesday...and it's been a little bit of an adjustment. For starters my daughter is gone all day, which means she eats lunch at school. I have been enjoying packing her lunch, but want to try and make it fun for her too (in hopes that she will want to bring her lunch more.) For now, we are allowing her to get school lunches once a week, but it's $1.75 and for the most part she just wants the pizza...not the best choice, but she's 6, right?

So now that she's learning to read I have been sending notes in her lunchbox (see her cute princess lunchbox!!!). This was a great way to use up all those scraps I seem to have. Just can't seem to throw those scraps away because...say it with me: "I could use that someday!" Well, someday was today. Using scraps from my monster scrap bin, I created some little lunchbox notes for the upcoming weeks:

Retired Stampin' Up! "Fairy Nice." The images are water colored and embellished with prima flowers.

Stampin' Up's "Cute as a Bug." I made a bookmark too...for when she is reading a bit more. The leaves on the bookmark were made using the 5 petal flower punch and cutting the petals apart. I also used the scalloped circle punch, which I just love. Sayings inside the cards include "Bugs and Kisses" and "Cute as a Bug."

These were created from Stampin' Up's "Unfrogettable" set. I water colored them and added dazzling diamonds glitter.

These were fun to make, but if you don't have time to create your own notes, you can print some out from the following websites:
Lunchbox Notes 1
Lunchbox Notes 2

BBQ Thank You Card

First of all... a huge thank you for all the kind comments about my party pics. I love planning them and would really love to figure a way to make money doing parties...but I really have no idea how to go about it...Feel free to offer any suggestions in the matter...my mother-in-law wants me to start a business too, but I can't get my head around it all.

Anyway, my husband just took our oldest two kids (out of 3) camping and I am staying home to organize and de-clutter in an attempt to get ready for the upcoming school year. Just thought I would pop in and post a quick card I made last Friday for some friends who invited us over for a BBQ. I used a really old-school Stampin' Up! stamp set and my new D'vine Swirl embossing folder from Cuttlebug (which I use in my Sizzix Big Kick). I love it...so swirly and cute. Well...I'm off to do damage control in the playroom...wish me luck. If I don't post for a few days, you may want to call for help!

Tami's Workshop

Last night was my first workshop from the new Stampin' Up! Fall/Winter Catalog. It was kind of tricky coming up with cards to demo as 80% of my stamp sets were discontinued in June. I did manage to place an order for some of our new accessories, but haven't bought many new stamp sets yet. Anyway, this is what I came up with:

Hostess Gift Candy Jar

This uses our new wasabi double stitched ribbon, new designer series paper and new Sweet Sampler stamp set. I filled the jar with Jelly Bellies.

Easy Make and Take card

This card uses On board accents chip board circles, new designer series paper and new wasabi double stitched ribbon. Everyone got to see how easy the Crop-a-dile punches through chip board...like butta!

Wild Rose Birthday Card

Tami wanted to learn some distressing/aging techniques, so I came up with this card. The only new product I used is the designer series background paper (and the crop-a-dile for setting eyelets).

Here is my prototype, showing the pull out.

Build-a-Flower

This card uses the new Accents and Elements Build a Flower stickers...love those, so cute. I used the double stitched ribbon for the stem, a rhinestone brad for the center and scalloped the grass with the slit punch. I found this idea right in the new catalog. So fast and easy...even a caveman could do it!

Vintage Brocade/ Thinking of You Card

This card uses the new...and very elegant Brocade Background paper. I got this idea from one of the talented ladies on Split Coast Stampers. Also used the scallop technique here along with some holes punched with the Crop-a-dile. Used the new 1" circle punch which is the perfect size for our clear buttons. Stamped motif is from the Sweet Sampler set.

Alyssa is excited because tomorrow:

A. Ikea will be open in Portland
B. She will be demo-ing tons of cool new SU! stuff at Tami's house tomorrow night
C. Her new camera is scheduled to arrive
D. All of the above!

If you guessed D, you are correct!!!

Out with the Old, In with the New

My Stampin' Up! goodies from the new catalog are scheduled for delivery today and I need to make some room...so I am selling some of the sets I don't use anymore. Some of the sets have never been used and are still unmounted, so you will be getting a brand new set at a nice discount. All those that aren't sold by next week will be offered at my Open House.

These are retired sets that are no longer available in the Catalog. If you wish to purchase a set or more, please leave a note in the comment section. I will charge $4.60 for priority shipping for those who can't pick them up locally.

Please note that my camera is broken and the photos below are not mine, but are good representations of the sets I am offering...with a few exceptions which I will explain below.

As the sets are spoken for, I will highlight in purple the names of those who claimed them. Thanks for your help with my serious stamp addiction!

Unmounted Stamps:

Sold to Tina
The Art of Life: New, Unmounted set of 4 — $5

Limited Edition- Garden Collage: New, Unmounted set of 3 — $5

Tami bought one set.
Too Terrific Tags: New, Unmounted set of 6 — $5
This set works great with Stampin Up's tag punch. I have 2 of these sets left.

Oh, My Word: New, Unmounted set of 6 — $5

Sold to Barb
Best Blossoms: New, Unmounted set of 6 — $5

Tami bought one set.
Barb bought one set.
Joy bought one set.
Noteworthy: New, Unmounted set of 9 — $5
I have 1 of these sets left.

Figures of Speech: Almost new. 6 stamps unmounted, 2 are mounted.
Set of 8 — $5

Mounted Stamps:

Sold to Tami
Fanciful Flowers: Lightly Used set of 13 — $7

Fabulous Flourishes: Used set of 11 — $7

Simple Shapes: Used once set of 10 — $7

Sold to Joy.
Smorgasborders: New, Mounted, never used set of 9 — $5

Wee Watercolor: New, Mounted, never used set of 6 — $5

Cuddles and Tickles: Used Foam Mounted set of 7 — $2
Note this set is not wood mounted as shown in the photo, it's foam mounted.
saying reads: "A baby is cuddles and tickles on toes, The sweet scent of powder, a kiss on the nose!"