Thursday, January 31, 2013

For my Bestie and her Family...

...who are soon headed to the most magical place on earth...Disneyland!  I know her kiddos are so super excited and driving her crazy by asking every single day "how many more days?" :)  I wanted to send the kiddos a fun little card before they leave and this weeks sketch at Freshly Made Sketches gave me a fun idea.

Doesn't this make you want to book your own trip to Disney??!!  I know my twins are counting down the days, or should I say years, until we get to go again!
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black
Ink ~ Real Red
Stamp Set ~ Friendly Phrases
MDS2 ~ Word Play Stamp Brush Set
Other Supplies ~ Chevron Embossing Folder, 1 3/8" & 3/4" Circle Punches, Modern Label Punch, Merry Minis Punch Pack, 1/8" Real Red Taffeta Ribbon, 1/4" Daffodil Delight Grosgrain Ribbon

Wishing my bestie and her family the very best time on their trip!!!  I can't wait to see all of the pictures and hear all about it :)

Happy Stamping!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Birthday Love

What a difference a day makes!  My 18 month old son was hit HARD with a flu bug early, and I mean EARLY yesterday morning.  After a middle of the night bath, changing his bedding and changing his PJ's one more time, I brought him back to bed with me, only to have him get sick two more times :(  Thankfully I was prepared didn't have another big mess to clean up.  It's so sad when your baby is so sick...he was so miserable.  He finally feel back into a sound sleep and I was able to get him back to his own bed...an hour and a half before I had to get up.   And of course this all had to happen one a night that my hubby was out of town for work.  Needless to say, yesterday was a long day and I ran out of fuel before I had the chance to finish the cute card I started on during nap time.  The good news is, my little man is feeling much better and is back at it, getting into all sorts of toddler trouble today!

This card was inspired by the super cute inspiration challenge this week over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  This photo makes me want to have a fun Valentine Party!
One of the teachers at my twins school has a birthday on Valentine's Day, so my first thought was to use this inspiration to create her a Valentine Birthday card. I love the single red envelope and chose to bring that into element into my card, along with the cake.  And I added one little heart for good measure :)
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Real Red
Ink ~ Real Red, Jet Black StazOn
Stamp Sets ~ Easy Events, A Word for You
Other Supplies ~ Hexagon Embossing Folder, Perfect Pennants Bigz, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Owl Punch (little heart) Cupcake Punch (cherry), Real Red Bakers Twine (left over from Sealed With Love Valentine promo), Dazzling Details

The sketch for this card comes from the great ladies over at Try Stampin' On Tuesday..they always have great sketches to help me get started! I recently came across a new challenge site (new to me), Stampin' Royalty...what a fun site!  And this week's challenge just so happens to be Birthdays!  So, I'm going to submit  this as my first entry with them as well.

Hoping the rest of the family stays healthy and no one else gets the yucky flu bug.  I'm so very thankful that it was just a 12 hour bug and not any longer...I don't think I could do two nights in a row with next to no sleep!  Looking forward to spring coming!

Happy Stamping!





Monday, January 28, 2013

Happy Birthday to my MIL

Yesterday was my Mother-in-Law's birthday and we got to help her celebrate over the weekend with an amazing Chefs Table dinner at The Marc.  If you ever are in the Walla Walla Valley for a visit you MUST have dinner at the Marc...you won't be sorry!  James Beard Foundation recognized Chef Antonio and staff will be sure to please you with an awesome meal!  Our dinner was a special treat and a great way to help celebrate a birthday!
Here's the card I made for my MIL, which the colors were inspired by a color challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary.  I was too late to submit it for the challenge, but I was really happy with this card and had to blog it :)
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Very Vanilla, Tea for Two DSP
Ink ~ Raspberry Ripple, Pretty in Pink, Lucky Limeade
Stamp Sets ~ Oh, Hello, Sassy Salutations
Other Supplies ~ Oval Framelits, Modern Label Punch, Basic Pearls

I'm wracking my brain, trying to remember where the sketch for this card came from, but I just cant remember...oh well :)

It was a great weekend and I made it through Monday...one day closer to the next weekend! 

Happy Stamping!


Saturday, January 26, 2013

Chinese Inspired Anniversary

Well, they've done it again...the fabulous Design Team over at The Friday Mashup have given us a challenge that makes you put your thinking cap on!  The challenge this week was to create a project with a "Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake) Theme" or a project using the "Paper Lantern Technique".  I could not pull up any mojo to come up with anything related to the Chinese New Year Theme, but I was able to create something fun using the Paper Lantern Techinque...take a look.

I did my best to make this look like an ornamental cherry blossom tree with some pretty paper lantern's hanging.  Not totally in love with how this card turned out, but for a challenge that was very challenging for me, I'll take it ;)

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, White Vellum, Neutrals DSP Stack, Brights DSP Stack
Ink ~ Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Stamp Sets ~ Thoughts and Prayers, A Word for You
Other Supplies ~ Ornament Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Linen Thread, Basic Pearls

Thanks Friday Mashup for pushing me out of my comfort zone...this is why I love your weekly challenges!

Happy Stamping!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Feeling Sentimental...

...that's kind of how I'm feeling today.  Today would have been my Grandpa Jones' 90th Birthday. Every year when his birthday comes around, my thoughts are flooded with times I spent with him in his basement looking at his awesome model train set, or the summers spent camping with him up at Central Ferry, or even just those Sunday dinners where we would all gather together as a family.  He was a very special man, not only in my life, but also my husband and my twins.  It makes me sad to know that my youngest never got the chance to meet him, but he was blessed with the Jones genes and looks so much like his Great-Grandpa.  His legacy lives on through all of us!  I miss him and love him so much.  Happy Birthday Grandpa!  Whew...I'll dry my {happy} tears and get on to what you're really here to see...my card for today :) 
Try Stampin' On Tuesday has another great sketch this week and I thought the bike from the Sale-A-Bration Feeling Sentimental set would be perfect.  And just in case you are wondering, these fun old bikes are called Penny Farthings...funny little name.

It's not easy to see in this picture, but I used the new paper distressing tool along the edges of the Very Vanilla Circle and the Summer Starfruit.  I LOVE this tool, especially for masculine cards.  Roughs up the edges just a bit!

Supplies Used~
Paper ~ Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Very Vanilla, First Edition DSP
Ink ~ Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit (sponged around the edges of the Very Vanilla circle)
Stamp Set ~ Feeling Sentimental
Other Supplies ~ 2 1/2 Circle Punch, 3" Circle Bigz, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack

Sending up a big ol' hug to you Grandpa!  Happy Birthday and XOXO!

Happy Stamping friends!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

MDS to the rescue!

There is nothing more stressful than getting a phone call from your boss...especially when it's to ask you to make him a birthday card for a "very special family member".  GULP!  His helpful tip for creating this card was that this special man has a passion for airplanes.  As I hang up after telling him "I'll see what I can come up with", panic sets in.  Airplanes?  I don't have any airplane stamps!!!  I asked a few fellow demos to see if they had any, but no such luck.  Then tonight as we are eating dinner I remember...MDS!!!  The Adventure Awaits stamp brush set was part of the MDS2 download...hooray!  With a little sketch inspiration from Freshly Made Sketches I was able to create a card for a special young man who will be celebrating his 90th birthday!

 Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Midnight Muse, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, First Edition DSP
Ink ~ Midnight Muse
Stamp Sets ~ Adventure Awaits (MDS), Vintage Verses (SAB)
Other Supplies ~ Metallic Brads, Houndstooth Embossing Folder, Stampin' Distress Tool

Whew!  Now I can sleep tonight knowing I've got this card done :)

If you haven't tried MDS, give it a try!  You get a 30 day trial for FREE!  You won't regret it...it may just save your crafting emergency!  LOL! 

Happy Stamping!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Sale-A-Bration starts TODAY...Bloomin' Marvelous!

It's here, it's here, it's finally here!!!  Sale-A-Bration starts TODAY!

Sale-A-Bration begins today and ends on March 22, 2013.  You have 3 glorious months to earn FREE products with your orders! 
For every $50 you spend (including on-line orders) you earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration item of your choice.
You can view all of the FREE Sale-A-Bration product choices here

When you spend $150, you earn 3 FREE Sale-A-Bration products AND you will get an additional $25 in FREE Stampin' Up! product (Hostess Reward).  PLUS you will also get your name on my 50/50 board 3 times for your chance to win $50 in Stampin' Up! product.

How about I sweeten the deal even more?!?!  Get a few friends together and put in a group order of $400 and receive 8, yes 8, FREE Sale-A-Bration products!  And yes, this also means your name will go on my 50/50 board 8 times too :)  But wait, it gets better!  With a $400 order, you will also receive a pack of Silver Glimmer paper, Sycamore Series DSP, Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack, Madison Avenue stamp set, $65 in FREE Stampin' Up! product AND one item at 50% off!!!  How great is that?!?! 

Want to save EVEN MORE?  When you purchase the Stampin' Up! Starter kit during Sale-A-Bration, you get $156.50 of your choice of Stampin' Up! product for only $99!!!  This is HUGE!  Whether you just want to be a hobby demo and get some of those wish list items that you've been lusting after or if you want to join and be a part of my Stampin' Up! team, NOW is the best time!  As a demonstrator you will receive all of the great demonstrator discounts, exclusive resources and so many other great benefits!

Don't delay...start shopping today!  Visit my On-line Store to place your order or email me your order:  brrenwick@charter.net

And of course I have a Sale-A-Bration card to share with you and it's Bloomin' Marvelous!


Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Sycamore Street DSP*
Ink ~ Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Rich Razzleberry, Summer Starfruit
Stamp Set ~ Bloomin' Marvelous*
Other Supplies ~ Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Simply Scored, Bitty Butterfly Punch

This card was inspired by the awesome new challenge site over at Muse.  Head on over and check out their very first challenge and join this great group! 

Now, pull out your catalogs, put together and order and Sale-A-Brate!!!

Happy Stamping!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Latte Love for Mojo Monday

Hooray for a Mojo Monday sketch that didn't totally overwhelm me :) I LOVE all of the great sketches they provide each week and all of the creations everyone come up with are always so awesome!  But for a CAS girl, sometimes I'm a little scared to take one on.  When I saw this weeks sketch, I was quick to take the leap on this simple sketch.
With Sale-a-Bration starting tomorrow, I just had to use one of the fun FREE stamp sets that you can earn with a $50 product order.  Sale-a-Bration runs from January 22-March 22, so you have lots of time to earn some of the great, exclusive products! 
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Pool Party, Calypso Coral Sycamore Street DSP*
Ink ~ Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Sahara Sand
Stamp Sets ~ Patterned Occasions*
Other Supplies ~ Owl Punch(for the cute little hearts), Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack*
*Sale-a-Bration Items*

Don't you just LOVE this paper?!?!  So full of bright, cheerful colors...perfect for this dreary time of year!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for all of the great Sale-a-Bration details!

Happy Stamping!!!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Duo-Retro Hugs & Kisses

Hi friends and Happy Sunday!  My good friend Katie over at Sweet n Spiffy is back after a little holiday hiatus...hooray!  Be sure to check out her amazing creations!!  It's been a while since we've taken on our own creation challenge, so I shot her a text yesterday and told her she was up for the selection process this time.  Katie never lets me down and always finds some fun challenges for us to tackle.  Her choices this week... Dynamic Duos and Retro Sketches.

Here's what I came up with...

I have to say, I have been using a lot of black in my Valentine creations and I love it! 

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink ~ Real Red, Jet Black StazOn
Stamp Sets ~ Hearts a Flutter, Notable Alphabet
Other Supplies ~ Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Hearts Collection Framelits, Small Heart Punch, Chevron Embossing Folder, Real Red Bakers Twine (from Sealed With Love Simply Sent Valentine Bundle)

You can see the little heart peeking out from the inside of the card...I always try to stamp a little something on the inside of my cards AND always on the envelope.  "Never send a naked envelope"...my boys favorite saying when they are crafting with me!

Thanks for great challenge picks Katie!!

Happy Stamping!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

A little Fab Friday LOVE

Good morning...er, early afternoon, and Happy Saturday!  I hope you are all having a great day so far.  I got up bright and early, as usual, did a short little work out, cleaned the house AND got in a 6 mile run after my hubby got home.  Feeling very accomplished so far today...YAY!  And the added bonus...time to stamp while the little one naps and the big boys read.  Perfect start to a weekend if you ask me! 
I'm still working on different Valentine projects and Fab Friday has a fun color challenge this week that is perfect for a Valentine creation.
I'll admit, I struggled a bit to make all of my colors flow together at first, but in the end I was pretty happy with how this turned out :)
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Ink ~ Cherry Cobbler, Pool Party
Stamp Sets ~ Morning Post Alphabet, En Francais, Hearts a Flutter
Other Supplies ~ Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, Small Heart Punch, Pink Pirouette/Rose Red Two-Toned Ribbon

Ok, time to get in a little bit more stamping and prepare for my Valentine class next weekend...gotta take advantage of nap time!

Happy Stamping!!!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Make a Wish Alexis ~ FM93

Happy Friday and Happy Birthday to my niece Alexis! 
It's Friday night...my hubby is at work, big boys are staying the night with Grandma & Grandpa and the little man is sleeping...so that means stamping time for this Momma. YAY!
 The fun challenge this week over at The Friday Mashup gave me some much needed inspiration to create a cute birthday card for my super cute niece, Alexis.  The Mashup Challenge this week is to create a birthday project using brads.  Here's what I came up with...


Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Sycamore Street DSP (SAB item)
Ink ~ Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango
Stamp Set ~ Patterned Occasions (SAB Item)
Other Supplies ~ Chevron Embossing Folder, Brights Glimmer Brads, Cute Clips

We'll be missing Miss Alexis' birthday party this weekend, but I sure hope this card brings a smile to her sweet face!

Time to get in a bit more stamping before my bed calls my name!

Happy Stamping!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Pocket full of Butterflies & SAB Sneak Peek

Well, more like an envelope full of butterflies!  I am doing my best to try and stay on top of things...plan and prepare ahead instead of waiting until the last minute.  Life is WAY less stressful me when I plan ahead :)  I just finished up my creations for my February Club and this is one of the cards that everyone will get to make.  You also get a little peek at a set that is available during the Sale-a-Bration promotion...Stampin' Up!'s biggest promotion of the year!  For every $50 you spend on SU products you get to choose a FREE Sale-a-Bration gift.  The sentiment and little stamped butterflies on this card come from the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set.  It's so pretty!  And the little butterfly can quickly be punched out with the new Bitty Butterfly Punch, available in the 2013 Spring Catalog
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Raspberry Ripple, Very Vanilla, Print Poetry DSP
Ink ~ Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals
Stamp Set ~ Bloomin' Marvelous
Other Supplies ~ Butterfly and Bitty Butterfly Punches, Simply Scored and Diagonal Plate, Delicate Designs Embossing Folder

Want your chance to make this card?  Join me in February during one of my class times:
Friday, February 1st between 6:00-9:00PM
Sunday, February 3rd between 10:00AM-1:00PM
Friday, February 15th between 6:00-9:00PM

You will create 4 projects during class

Class fee is $7.00 or FREE with a minimum $15 catalog order
You may also join as a Club Member, which will entitle you to a $25 hostess benefit during the year...it's not too late to join!
Contact me today for more information!

Happy Stamping!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Getting {Stamp-a-ma} Jiggy With It

Na na na na na na na nana
Sorry if I've got that song stuck in your head now, but every time I use my Stamp-a-ma-jig that darn song gets stuck in my head.  And yes, I'll admit, I shake my booty a little bit too as I'm stamping away...LOL!  I broke out my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig after I saw the new sketch challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I had yet to use the fun chevron image from the Oh, Hello set and this sketch just called out for it!
I chose some bright and cheerful colors, but kept this a very CAS card.
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Ink ~ Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Melon Mambo, Marina Mist
Stamp Set ~ Oh, Hello
Other Supplies ~ Pacific Point Stitched Ribbon, Cute Clips, Ovals Collection Framelits

Aren't those little clips so cute?  They are part of the new Sunshine and Sprinkles Suite, which is also where my color inspiration for this card came from.  If you haven't had the chance to check out the Spring Catalog, click here to view the online version or contact me today and I will get you your very own copy!

Happy Stamping!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Missing my running buddy

As I get back on track for training for another 1/2 marathon, I'm finding how much I miss my running buddy that trained with me the last time I ran a race.  Both of our lives are so busy and our schedules don't allow us to run together much anymore, but she's still a great friend who is often on my mind.  I wanted to send her a quick note to let her know that I'm thinking about her and missing her company :)  I hope she likes it!  And I hope we can work our schedules out and get a few runs in together soon!
I cased the main stamped from the new Spring Catalog.  I loved the layered image!  And the sketch from this card came from Try Stampin' on Tuesday, but I was too late to get it submitted...story of my busy life :)

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Very Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Print Poetry DSP
Ink ~ Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, VersaMark
Stamp Sets ~ Just Thinking, Collage Curios
Other Supplies ~ Window Frames Framelits, Silver Designer Buttons, In Color Dahlias, Clear Embossing Powder

I have been having so much fun with the new Silver Designer Buttons...excuse me if they end up in a lot of my future cards!  There are just so many different ways to use them :)

Training continues 3 miles tomorrow and Friday...then it's on to 6 miles on Saturday.  I've got a long way to go to get back up to 13.1, but I've done it before and I am determined to do it again!

Happy Stamping!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Come on Seattle!!!

My family bleeds green and blue this time of year...GO SEAHAWKS!!!  Things seem to be off to a rough start with today's game, but there is still a lot of time left for them to pull it together and WIN!!!!
Since I can't just sit and watch TV (feels like such a waste of time to me!), I created a fun hybrid card this morning.  Maybe my crafting mojo will work some magic and bring the Hawks some luck!
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Midnight Muse, Gumball Green Core'dinations (retired), Whisper White, Early Espesso
MDS2 Stamp Set ~ Athletic Department
Other Supplies ~ Stripes Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, 2 1/2" Circle Punch

Now COME ON SEATTLE...let's win this game!!!

Happy Stamping!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Fab Friday Mashup

TGIF!  What a week it has been...I am so ready for the weekend!  Before my day got totally crazy, I did sneak in a little stamping time.  I hit up both of my favorite Friday challenge sites, Fab Friday and The Friday Mashup, and combine the two into one fantastic card!


Clean and simple sketch from Fab Friday and a great color combo from The Friday Mashup!  The stamp sets and DSP used can be earned for FREE with a qualifying purchase during the soon to start Sale-a-Bration!

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Sycamore Street DSP
Ink ~ Island Indigo, Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango
Stamp Sets ~ Madison Avenue, Bloomin Marvelous
Other Supplies ~ Floral Frames Framelits, Large Oval Punch

Off to get ready for my Friday club...looking forward to spending some time with my stampin' friends!

Happy weekend and happy stamping!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Stylin' Stampin' Squad Blog Hop


Welcome the Stylin' Stampin' Squad Blog Hop...the first for 2013 and MY first time hoppin' along!  Thanks for having me :)  Along the way you'll see some great projects featuring products available in the 2013 Spring Catalog and maybe even a few sneak peeks at the upcoming Sale-a-Bration products.   Have fun hopping from blog to blog and checking out all of the amazing work!
My first project is a card using the Stamped Acrylic Block Background technique.  (Splitcoast Stampers has a great tutorial for this if you've never done it!)  This technique was perfect for creating a fun underwater scene for the new By the Tide Stamp Set.  This photo doesn't show it well, but I also used the new Stampin' Distress Tool  to rough up the edges of this card a little bit...love this tool!

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Always Artichoke, Whisper White
Ink ~ Pool Party, Temping Turquoise, Sahara Sand, Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, Midnight Muse
Stamp Set ~ By the Tide*
Other Supplies ~ 1" Circle Punch, Natural Trim Ribbon*, Silver Basic Designer Buttons*, Stampin' Distress Tool*
*2013 Spring Catalog Items*
My second project was inspired by the amazing Pam Steckman, who you will get a chance to visit along your way through our hop.  She made a great wreath at Christmas using curled paper and I LOVED it! I ran out of time to make one for Christmas, but I happened to have a heart shaped foam wreath just begging to be used.   These are super easy to create...just a little time consuming by the time you cut and curl all the paper.  But the end result is so worth it!  Just put in your favorite movie, grab your bone folder and curl away.  Once all of your paper is curled, simply adhere each piece to the foam wreath with straight pins.  I added a 3-D heart in the center for an extra Valentine touch.  

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ More Amore DSP*
Ink ~ Pool Party, Primrose Petals
Stamp Set ~ Hearts a Flutter*
Other Supplies ~ Hearts a Flutter Framelits*, Pink Pirouette/Rose Red Two-Tone Ribbon*, Whisper White Baker's Twin
*2013 Spring Catalog Items*

Thanks for visiting!  Your next stop is  Diana E at Stampin' Fun with DianaEnjoy!

 Blog Hop Participants:
  1. Annie L. of Love Me Cards
  2. Nancy B. of Lady Stamps-A-Lot
  3. Rose C. of Stamp with Rose
  4. Tonya B. of Stampin' with Tonya
  5. Patricia T. of Sunnyone Stampin'
  6. Pamela W. of Stinky Tofu
  7. Kim R. of Stamping with Kim
  8. Terry B of Goin' Over the Edge
  9. Justin K of JK Cards
  10. Heidi B of Stuck on Stampin'
  11. Jennifer B of NW Stamper
  12. Bree R. of Craft-somnia ~ You are here ~

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Freshly Made Amore

In my efforts to be better about my "using what we have before we buy more" motto, I've been digging out some of my older, neglected stamp sets and DSP.  With all of the fun I've been having with the new Spring Catalog products, I've kind of forgotten about all of the other great stuff I have..like the Twitterpated DSP.  I forgot just how pretty this paper is and just how perfect it is for Valentine, Wedding or Anniversary cards....so soft and subtle.  I used the current sketch design from Freshly Made Sketches to help this card come together.

Supplies Used ~
Paper ~ Basic Gray, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP
Ink ~ Pink Pirouette, Basic Gray
Stamp Sets ~ Artistic Etchings, En Francais
Other Supplies ~ Builder Brads

So simple and pretty.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the Stylin' Stampin' Squad Blog Hop!!  Lots of great creations in store for you!

Happy Stamping!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

I Dig You Valentine!

In a house full of boys, I'm always trying to come up with fun "boy cards" for different occasions.  My all time favorite go to stamp set for boy cards is I Dig You :)  What boy doesn't love dump trucks and tractors?  I've been working on putting some cards and projects together for an upcoming Valentine class and wanted to make sure I had a fun card for boys in the mix.  Thanks to the great sketch over at The Friday Mashup, I "mashed" things up and came up with this cute card.

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Basic Black, Polka Dot Parade
Ink ~ Jet Black StazOn, Early Espresso, Real Red, VersaMark
Stamp Set ~ I Dig You, Oh, Whale!(hearts)
Other Supplies ~ White Embossing Powder, Mini Brads

Quick, cute and simple...my favorite kind of card!
Happy Stamping!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Amazing Friend and Exciting News!

Everyone has that one amazing friend...the one who is always there for you no matter what.  That friend who accepts you for who you are and never judges you, laughs with you, cries with you, shares lifes moments, big or small, with you...that friend for me is Erica, also known as my twin brain.  We didn't grow up together, didn't go to school together and have only been friends for a few years, but it feels like we have known each other forever!  Erica is the sister I never had and the friend that I know I can always count on!
Not only is Erica one of my very best friends, but she is also an amazing co-worker.  The first of the year tends to be a bit crazy where my work load is concerned.   Erica was a HUGE help to me and helped me stay caught up and totally eased my stress last week...THANK YOU friend!!!  
This isn't nearly enough of a thank you for all she does for me, but sending a card is still one of my favorite ways to show my appreciation.  Here is the card I created especially for her...
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Tea for Two DSP
Ink ~ Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo
Stamp Set ~ Amazing Family
Other Supplies ~ Paper Doily Sizzlits, 3 1/2 & 3" Circle Bigz, Builder Brads, Sycamore Street Island Indigo Ribbon*
*Sale-A-Bration item*

Thanks friend for being so amazing!  XOXO

Now for the exciting news!!   I will be participating in my first ever blog hop on January 10th...so be watching and check out all of the great creations made by all of the awesome participants!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Just Because

With the new year here, I decided this year to not make resolutions, but set goals and create a Bucket List for the year.  I do much better when I have a list that I can check things off as I accomplish them :)  One of my goals this year is to send out at least one card a week, just because.  Everyone loves to get a card in the mail, especially when it is for nothing more than to say hi!
So, my first card that went out was this one...

The sketch for this card came from one of my favorite challenge sites...Try Stampin' on TuesdayIf you haven't visited their site yet, add it to your Bucket List for this year...you won't regret it!
This bright and colorful DSP and fun stamp set are part of the Sale-A-Bration catalog, which will go live on January 22nd and run through March 22.  So many awesome new things you can earn for FREE during the SAB period!

Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Summer Starfruit, Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Island Indigo, Sycamore Street DSP*
Ink ~ Rich Razzleberry, Calypso Coral, Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Island Indigo
Stamp Sets ~ Madison Avenue*, Vintage Verses*
Other Supplies ~ Vine Street Embossing Folder*,Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack*, Adorning Accents Edgelits, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch
*Sale-A-Bration items*

Love, love, love all of these colors!  So bright and cheerful...perfect for this cold and dreary time of year.  This card went out to a new friend and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator...can't wait to meet her in person at Convention!

Happy Stamping!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Spring Catalog Release & 2 NEW Valentine Bundles

It's finally here!  The Spring Catalog has officially launched today and it is chock full of beautiful and FUN new products.  Check it out...



Once again there are some great bundles available in this catalog!  One of my favorites is Secret Garden.  Here is a sample of one of the many cards you can create with this beautiful bundle...


The coordinating dies easily cut the stamped flowers and leaves in this stamp set.
Supplies Used:
Paper ~ Very Vanilla, Summer Starfruit, Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Print Poetry DSP
Ink ~ Summer Starfruit, Midnight Muse, Gumball Green
Stamp Sets ~ Secret Garden, Pursuit of Happiness
Other Supplies ~ Secret Garden Framelits, Extra Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels

And if the new catalog launch isn't enough, there are 2 NEW Valentine Promotions available from January 3 through January 21. 

PROMOTION #1 ~ MY LITTLE VALENTINE STAMP SET EXCLUSIVE.  Get the Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE ($7.95 value, pictured below) when you purchase the brand-new My Little Valentine Set ($9.95). This four-piece set was created exclusively for this promotion and will not be available again after January 21!  No limit!

The stamps in My Little Valentine are available in clear mount only.  See the images below:
Item
Description
Price
132242
My Little Valentine (English; clear-mount)
$9.95
132245
Enamorados (Spanish; clear-mount)
$9.95
132248
Mon petit amour (French; clear-mount)
$9.95


DEAL #2  ~ VALENTINE TREAT BUNDLE.  This super cute bundle comes with the brand-new Happy Valentine Heart Single Stamp (coordinates with the Stampin' Up! Full Heart Punch, #119883 which is NOT included in the bundle) and a package of 1" x 8" cellophane bags.  Perfect for creating cute little Valentines for your loved ones!

Bundle Item
DescriptionRetail ValueSpecial Bundle Price
132771Valentine Treat Bundle
Includes the Happy Valentine Heart Single Stamp (clear-mount) and 1" x 8" cellophane bags


$7.45$5.95

How cute is this?!?

Lots going on today, but all of it is so much FUN!!!  Contact me today to get your catalog or visit any of my monthly classes to keep up on all of the new great products and techniques.

Happy Stamping!