Back from Vacation!

Yes, I'm back! Did you miss me? After being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for over 10 years, I felt I needed to take some time away from stamping this summer to get some long-overdue projects done in preparation for our youngest son's high school graduation next June. Although I'm still doing in-home workshops, my stamp club is on hiatus for a year while I concentrate on my home and family for a while.

I did manage to carve out some time for stamping, though, and am sharing a card made for a coworker's summer birthday. This card features the first stamp set that went on my wish list when I saw the new catalog...Serene Silhouettes.

Recipe
Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Itty Bitty Banners
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse, Whisper White
Ink: Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Paper Doily Sizzlits L, Bitty Banners Framelits, Big Shot, Stampin' Sponge wedges, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals

Since my coworker has a camper near a lake in the summer, I knew she would appreciate this sponged sunset on the lake scene. I first masked off the top portion of the card to sponge the blue, then masked off the bottom portion to sponge in the sun and sky. Then I stamped the tree image along the sides, and along the bottom of the card stamped just the top portion of the trees to give the look of bushes. I think it turned out to be a very relaxing summer scene. What do you think?

Hope you're enjoying this beautiful Minnesota fall weather...I certainly am! Until next time, sweet dreams!

Blossom Butterfly

Wow...I blinked, and it's already the end of April. Just a reminder that items in the Occasions Mini Catalog are only available through the end of this month, so place your orders now! Speaking of the mini catalog, here's a card that Stamp Club did last month which features the fantastic Blossom Punch and the beautiful Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper.

Recipe
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party & Soft Suede smooth CS; Whisper White textured CS; Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper (mini catalog)
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Blossom Punch (mini catalog), Scallop Trim border punch, Large Oval & Scallop Oval punches, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Antique Brad, Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals

Tea Shoppe Wishes

Just a quick post to let you know that I am still here, just very busy lately! I was asked to create some gift-type cards for a "Tea Party" at a local church, so I've been playing around with the wonderful Tea Shoppe set in the Occasions Mini Catalog. This set wasn't originally on my Wish List, but I'm glad I was asked to create something with it, as I think it is a set I will be using quite often! This is a card I made for one of Jayson's teachers, who happens to love coffee. I CASEd the layout from fellow blogger Debra Currier.

Recipe
Stamps: Tea Shoppe, Bring on the Cake

Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede & Baja Breeze CS; Attic Boutique DS paper (mini catalog)

Ink: Soft Suede

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die & Square Lattice embossing folder; Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack; 1-3/4" Circle punch; Basic Rhinestones; Stampin' Dimensionals

The three small cup images come on one piece of rubber, but I cut them apart so I could use them separately more easily; that's one of the things I love about the clear-mount stamps - you don't need to try to find extra wood to mount your stamps on if you wish to mount them differently.

That's all the time I have for right now; things should be slowing down in the next few days so I hope to be posting more regularly again. Sweet dreams!

Jolly Bingo Birthday!

It's time to get back to work now that the holidays have come and gone. I hope everyone had a memorable Christmas and is enjoying the new year! During the next six weeks my family will be celebrating over 10 birthdays, so I really have to buckle down and get some serious stamping done.

Tonight I'm giving you a sneak peak of some of the new products available for FREE during the upcoming Sale-A-Bration, which starts January 24. It's a birthday card, of course! I've been wanting to use this neat layout ever since I saw it; it's borrowed from the very talented Mary Brown (aka stampercamper). The stamp set I'm using is actually a Christmas set called Jolly Bingo Bits, but it is so versatile that it can be used all year long.

Recipe
Stamps: Jolly Bingo Bits, Fabulous Phrases
Paper: Pool Party, Calypso Coral & Whisper White CS; Everyday Enchantment DS paper (SAB)

Ink: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade & Basic Gray

Accessories: Tasteful Trim die & Big Shot; Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack (SAB); Basic Rhinestones; 1/16" circle punch; Paper Snips; Stampin' Dimensionals

Isn't this a fun layout? The Pool Party card base is cut 3-1/4" x 11" and folded in half, allowing the greeting layer to hang over the edge for just an extra pop of interest. The ribbon bow is also done using Mary Brown's technique, but since the organdy ribbon is thin I wrapped it three times around a cardstock scrap, then carefully slid it off and inserted it in the opened brad, then closed the brad and popped it through the greeting layer. The greeting layer is popped off the base using Dimensionals.

I just love the Everyday Enchantment DS paper and matching accessories; the color combinations are really fresh and I know you'll love the patterns as much as I do! As much I'm looking forward to Sale-A-Bration, though, I'm even more excited about the Occasions Mini Catalog, which went live on January 4th. It is chock full of exciting new products and stamp sets - so many wonderful things that I'm having a hard time trying to talk myself out of just ordering everything in the catalog!! You'll be seeing me use some of those new products here in the coming weeks, so check back once in a while.

Time now for me to head off to bed, where I hope I can dream up some more sweet birthday layouts. G'night!