Simply Sketched

Hi there!  Here we are with another week behind us.  Hope you had a great weekend.  Since I spent time with my stamping peeps this weekend, mine was great!  Speaking of stamping, let's get to the reason you popped in....the card.  I used a couple of neutral colored stamp pads and swiped them across a half sheet of Vanilla cardstock, then punched out a circle. (Hence the technique name, direct to paper.)  The bird image from Simply Sketched was stamped in Early Espresso ink, then colored with a bit of Pool Party ink using an Aquapen.  The grass image from Love and Sympathy was inked with a marker (omit the flower portion) and matted onto an Early Espresso square - on point.  The Decorative Dots embossing folder was used for the background panel and the banner sentiment is from a new set, Work of Art.  This set will be available in the 2014-15 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog June 2nd.  (Love the new catalog!)

Must get back to some projects.  Thank you so much for dropping by today!

Love and Sympathy Swap

Hi there!  Hope everyone had a good weekend.  There was a lot of partying in conjunction with the Super Bowl yesterday - despite the weather!   Mary Taylor and I felt it was in everyone's best interest to reschedule our Card Buffet for Feb 15 due to the icy conditions.  Saturday it rained all day, then the temperature dropped below freezing that evening.  It isn't going to get above freezing all week!  I stayed all cozy and warm in the studio working on future projects.  Speaking of projects, how about a couple since I didn't get a chance to post Friday?  The first card was Diane Mikle's shoebox swap.  She used the Love & Sympathy set, which is a great set made for these occasions.  The background panel was embossed with the Decorative Dots embossing folder.  This is just one of the Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration products that can be earned FREE with a $50 purchase (excluding tax and s/h).  The stamped sentiment was cut out from a new Occasions Catalog item, Starburst Framelits die.  This was then matted onto a piece cut from Midnight Muse with the Deco Label Framelits.  Such a beautiful card.

Here is Kim Coulter's swap.

The honeycomb background was cut from a new item, Hexagon Hive Thinlits die, which can be found on page 26 of the 2014 Occasions Catalog.  The flower and bee images on the focal piece can also be found in the Occasions Catalog (page 21), called Springtime Hello.  A hostess set in the annual catalog, Express Yourself, was used for the sentiment.  The Tea Lace Paper Doily, Linen Thread, and pearls finish off this stunning card.

That's it for now.  Your visit today is very much appreciated!  Thank you!

Last of the Swaps!

Hi there!  Well, today I have the remaining shoebox swaps from our Demo weekend at Pam D'Urso's home May 30 - Jun 2.  What a great weekend it was!  The above card was our hostess with the mostess' swap.  Love the understated simplicity and elegance of Pam's cards.  The flower from the Love and Sympathy set was colored with Calypso Coral and Old Olive markers.  The sentiment is stamped in black.

Next up is Mary Ellen Cope's card using some new products from the 2013-14 Annual Stampin' Up! catalog. 

A strip of Gingham Garden Designer Series Paper (DSP) was layered on the strip of Strawberry Slush Core'dinations cardstock.  The Daffodil Delight butterflies were cut from the Beautiful Wings Embosslet die. The sentiment is a new set called Label Love, which was stamped in Island Indigo ink.  There is a coordinating punch for this set.

The final card is mine.

I chose the Summer Silhouettes and Label Love stamp sets for this card.  The ink colors are the new In Colors: Crisp Cantaloupe, Strawberry Slush, and Pistachio Pudding.  (Are you hungry yet?)  My embellishment was made with the new Artisan punch.

That completes the line-up of shoebox swaps from Pam's retreat.  She has already sent out the date for the next retreat in September!  Can't wait!  Love spending time with these girls!  And to think I never would have met these ladies had I not become a Stampin' Up! Deomonstrator! 

Tuesday evening our granddaughter spent the night.  It was a spur of the moment thing.  She brought along the scrapbook that her other grandma gave her and some photos that mom provided.  Miss M completed her scrapbook yesterday and did a really nice job for an almost 6 year old.  I was so busy helping her that I didn't even think about snapping some pics of the process.  Miss M also wanted to make Carla Spradling a gift, whom she never met.  We were meeting Carla later that afternoon at Lion's Choice for an early dinner.  (Carla and I meet there before her Card Buffets and my DIL was stopping in after work to pick up Miss M.)  I was busy pulling out supplies so that Miss M could make Carla's gift.  She's so sweet like that - always wanting to make people gifts.  But what a little task master!  lol   Unfortunately, Carla got stuck in traffic and didn't make it to the restaurant until after Miss M left.  Carla did receive her "gift" of a bunch of decorated hearts and graciously told me that she'll hang them on her board at home.  She's such a sweetie!  (I'll post photos later of the Buffet cards I made)

Time to tackle some chores.  Hope your day is going well and thank you so much for coming by today!

Love & Sympathy Camp Sample

Hi there!  Here is another sample of one of the projects made at my Stamp Camps held last week.  It could also be used as a wedding or christening card by changing the sentiment.  I feel that a black and white palette make such elegant looking cards. 

Stamps: Love & Sympathy (W-122795, C-122797)

Paper: Black, White

Ink: Black

Tools:  Fancy Fan Floder (127751), 1-3/4” Circle Punch,  2” circle from Sizzix die

Other: Black grosgrain ribbon (retired), Dimensionals, acrylic blocks

Inspiration: Pinterest

Sorry for the short post - must run.  Thank you so much for taking time to stop by today!

Another Anniversary

Hi there!  Another post - can ya believe it?  lol  Today is the last day to place an order for those products that are retiring!  Please contact me if you don't already have a Demonstrator.  I'd be happy to place an order for you.  My information is on the right side bar and at the top.

My to-do list is ginormous today to finish preparations for Open House tomorrow, so this will be super quick!  The card below was received from my friend and fellow Pieces of Heart team member, Mary Ellen Cope.  She sent this lovely card to commemorate my third Stampin' Up! anniversary earlier this month.  (Cuttin' it close, huh, since it's almost next month!)  Mary Ellen said the stamp set used is Love and Sympathy, which she lightly spritzed with water before stamping onto watercolor paper.  Thanks Mary Ellen.  Love it!

Must run.  Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!