You are my Sunshine

Hi there!  Today's card is one that was in Carla Spradling's Card Buffet back in May.  I sent this card to our granddaughter - 'cause she is our sunshine!  There was a large rhinestone in the "O" of YOU, but I switched it to the flower for mailing purposes.

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted
Stamps:  You are my Sunshine single stamp
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Vanilla, Tempting Turquoise DSP
Ink:  Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise
Other: Sizzix Scallop Square Duo die, Flower from Itty Bitty punch pack, regular hole punch (non-SU) for flower center

I'm on my way to the girls getaway retreat.  By this afternoon I'll have my "space" all set up and ready to get stamping!  Thanks for coming by today!

Lollipop, Lollipop...

Hi there!  Today's post is a scheduled one while I get ready for the girls getaway retreat tomorrow.  And while I'm away having a stamping good time with my peeps this week, I've scheduled some blog posts for you!
Today's card is a swap card that I finished Sunday evening.  I messed up the paper piercing on the original card.  (See, even we Demos make mistakes!)  This was Deana Schultz's shoebox swap card from Sally Nusbaum's event back in June.  Don't those pastel 2013-15 In Colors look yummy? Great colors for a lollipop! 

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted
Stamps: None
Paper: Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Vanilla
Ink: None
Other: Piercing mat & tool, 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim

That's it for now.  Thanks for looking in today!

Serene Thoughts of You

Hi there!  Here we are starting a new week.  Wow, where does the time go?  Saturday was our Card Buffet and we had such a good time.  Met some new people and loved chatting with everyone!  Thanks ladies for an awesome day!
I am getting ready for our quarterly "girls getaway" retreat beginning Wednesday, so this will be short.  Seems like that's all I say lately, huh?  (I plan to schedule some blog posts, but no guarantees.)  We're getting into our busy season preparing for Christmas Workshops, holidays, etc.  My calendar is booked for every weekend in September and October!  Anyway, details below about this easy card. 

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Loving Thoughts
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Marina Mist, White
Ink: Versamark, Marina Mist
Other: Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon

Uh oh, it's getting very dark and thundering.  Time to get off the computer.  Plus I need to start packing.  Thank you so much for stopping in today!

Oops!

Hi there!  I had a great day with my stamping peeps today and really great cards from the shoebox swap that we did!
It was brought to my attention by a kind reader (yay! a reader!) that I posted the same card twice this month.  Oops, sorry about that!  Guess I really liked that card.  lol  So here's a different card to make up for that little blunder. 

This is actually a 3x3 fridge magnet (or it could be a small notecard) showcasing a technique that Cheryl Renth demo'd at Pam D'Urso's stamping retreat last month. It's the white wash technique.  You may have seen it on other blogs.  Line art images work best for this technique.  Stamp your image with Versamark, sprinkle some white embossing powder onto piece, then heat set.  Let it cool for a minute.  Stampin' Up! White Craft Ink, which is a pigment ink, was applied sparingly with an aqua pen - as if white washing.  I prefer dipping my aqua pen into a small well of water, then picking up some White Craft Ink that has been pressed into the lid of the stamp pad.  The water thins the ink and helps to achieve that "white wash" look.  When that layer dries, a color (or colors) of your choice can be applied by using markers and a blending pen to color and shade your image.  In this sample I used the marker around the inside perimeter of each bloom, then  "pulled" the color towards the center of the bloom with the blender pen.  Make sure your project is completely dry before trying to glue it to anything. 

OK, need to get to bed.  Hope the rest of your weekend is awesome!  Thanks for stopping in!

                                                                                                                   

More Swaps!

Hi there!  I'm back today with more swaps from the Demo retreat at Pam D'Urso's house May 30th - Jun 2nd.  We all participated in a shoebox swap with a challenge of only one-layer cards and no more than two embellishments.  That was a difficult challenge for someone who really likes layers!

The first card (above) is Jayne Singleton's swap made with the Summer Silhouettes stamp set.   Love this set!  Each layer of color was sponged on, the flower and leaves stamped in black, then the mask was removed to reveal sharp, even lines.  Sorry but I don't remember what set was used for the sentiment.

Susan Fields' swap used a new Hostess set from the new 2013-14 Stampin' Up! catalog called Simply Sketched.  The image was colored in with Calypso Coral and Pear Pizzazz inks after stamping it first with black StazOn ink.  A strip of Calypso Coral cardstock added to the side, some Washi tape, and sentiment completed the card.  It was fun using the Washi tape - just rip it off the roll and adhere.  I'd never used it before.  Another cool thing about Washi tape is that it's transparent.  You can find this fun item in the new catalog.

The last card for today was Sally Nusbaum's swap using the Road to Happiness set.  I didn't do a very good job on my background scene.  Sally's sample was darker and her hill looked like a hill rather than a blob like mine does.  Sally also had a surf board in the car.  My thought was to put something else in the car - maybe presents or maybe nothing.  I definitely didn't do her card justice!  Even seasoned stampers make mistakes.  That's when you get creative to "hide" your mistakes and sometimes end up with an even better card.  I'll have to put on my thinking cap!

Must run for now.  I have a few things to accomplish before leaving for Carla Spradling's Card Buffet tonight.  Thanks so much for visiting today!  Your visits are always appreciated!

Sunfower and Butterflies!

Hi there!  Today I have a couple more Shoebox Swaps from our Demo retreat at Pam D'Urso's the first of the month.  The sunflower was Deana Schultz' swap.  Remember, our challenge was to make a one-layer card with no more than two embellishements.  The Sunflower image was stamped in Early Espresso ink, then Daffodil Delight ink was sponged on.  The center of the sunflower was embellished with small flowers made with a punch from the Itty Bitty punch pack.  The flag counted as the second embellishment, which was made with a new stamp set -  Banner Greetings.  Seems I got a bit carried away with my sponging. Oops!

The next card was Diane Mikles' swap.  The Daffodil Delight area was masked off so that the ink could be sponged into that area.  The butterflies from Papillon Potpourri were then stamped in black.  The sentiment is from Perfectly Penned.  Such a simple technique but a great look!

Must get going to work on some projects for our Card Buffet next month and another Shoebox Swap.  At least I got the grocery shopping out of the way yesterday!  Thank you for stopping in today!

Mosaic Madness Meets Christmas!

Hi there!  Hope you had an awesome weekend.  I sure did!  Had a fun 50th anniversary party on Saturday and our Card Buffet on Sunday.  Fun times! 
Today I'm sharing one of the swaps made at Pam D'Urso's Demo retreat the beginning of this month.  Our challenge was to make a one-layer card and no more than two embellishments.  Talk about a challenge!  This was a tough one for me.  The above card was Cheryl Renth's swap using the Modern Mosaic stamp set to make the poinsettia.  How clever is that?  I forgot to add my sentiment and had to do so after returning home.  The Petite Pairs set was used - don't remember what set Cheryl used. 

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Mosaic Madness, Petite Pairs
Paper: White
Ink: Real Red, Pear Pizzazz
Other: Pearl

That's all for today.  Must tackle my to-do list and probably go to the grocery store.  I've procrastinated long enough and am forced to go shopping since we're out of most of the basics!  Have a great day and thank you so much for stopping in today!

I'm Back With a Get Well Card!

Hi there and happy Friday!  I'm back - for those of you who happen to check my blog!  Things got a bit crazy when I returned home Sunday evening from Pam D'Urso's Little House on the Prairie stamping retreat. We had NO power due to the storm that went through our area last Friday!  (Fortunately, our power was restored Monday evening around 6 pm.)  So I had a lot of catching up to do going through/responding to emails and cutting cardstock for our Card Buffet this coming Sunday.  Sure glad I wasn't around for most of the power outage.  My poor hubby endured those long days and nights with no TV or microwave.  It was more like the real Little House on the Prairie here than at Pam's!  lol 
Speaking of the retreat, we had a blast!  Pam and Steve are the BEST hosts!  Lots of fun, food, laughter, and late nights!  Just love hanging out with these girls!  We had a great time playing Bingo Friday & Saturday nights.  Saturday was our shoebox swap, which is where you provide everything in a shoebox for the others to reproduce your card.  There were also demonstrations using products from the new 2013-14 Stampin' Up! catalog and a couple of fun techniques.  We had it ALL going on!  Besides the shoebox projects,  I made other cards that I am able to share with you.  The one shown above was CASEd (Copy And Share Everything) from Deana Schultz.  Not sure if this was her original design or if she CASEd it.  The Patterned Occasions stamp set was offered as a freebie during Sale-a-bration.  I really didn't get a chance to use this set and lately, there's been a need for get well cards.  Talk about perfect timing!  The supplies are listed below.

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Patterned Occasions
Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, White
Ink: Crumb Cake
Other: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, small heart punch, Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, rhinestones

That's it for now.  Need to finish cutting paper and packing up for Sunday.  Thanks for your visit today - and every day!  Have a great weekend!

A Sweet Gift

Hi there!  Just wanted to show you this adorable business card holder that Pam D'Urso made and sent to me!  It also came with a pretty card but I accidentally deleted the photo from my camera and I don't have time to take another one today.  Isn't it just too cute?  Speaking of Pam, I'm in the midst of getting ready to hit the road to her house for some stamping FUN!  Pam has invited the Pieces of Heart Stampers and adoptees for a girls weekend!  It will be crazy fun!  Thus the reason for this abbreviated post. Sorry!  I'll be back with a post on Monday.  Must run.  Thank you for coming by today and have a great weekend! 

So Sorry Swallowtail

CASE'd from  LeeAnn Greff     

Hi there!  Gosh, I didn't realize that it's been two weeks since my last post.  Yikes!  I returned home from the Girls' Getaway retreat Sunday evening (Apr 21st), spent time perusing the new Stampin' Up! catalog (available on-line to Demonstrators only.  Love it!) and deciding what to pre-order, attended a fellow Demo's Card Buffet Friday night, then attended a Crop for the Cure crop all day Saturday.  Yesterday was spent recuperating from all those late nights!  It's a tough job but somebody has to do it!  lol

There was some stamping going on during my blogging absence.  I was playing around with some techniques and CASE'd (Copy And Share Everything) some projects.  The above CASE'd card seen here - scroll down to April 19 post, was sent to a fellow Demonstrator who lost a family member.  I've never met the lady but wanted my "stampin' sister" to know she is in my thoughts during this difficult time. 

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted
Stamps: Swallowtail Butterfly, So Sorry, Papillon Potpourri, Summer Silhouettes
Paper: Soft Suede, Pool Party
Ink: Versamark, Soft Suede
Other: Elegant Butterfly punch, 3/8" Pool Party ruffled ribbon, pearls, clear embossing powder

Enjoy this beautiful day and thank you for stopping in to visit!

Wish Big!

Hi there and happy tax day!  Hope you had a great weekend.  Mine has been a busy one getting ready to go on another stamping retreat with my stamping peeps!  So without further adieu, I'll get on with today's card.

This is a very simple card made with scrap bits and pieces I had from projects that didn't "make it".  The sentiment is from Word Play.  The Night of Navy patterned paper comes from Stampin' Up!'s Regals DSP Stack.  I did have to punch out a "flame" with the Blossom Petal punch and added some ink around the edges for a bit of definition.  (Not sure about the ink color since I just grabbed a sponge used for red inks.  So whatever residual ink was on the sponge is what transferred to the "flame".)

That's it for now so I can finish getting my projects together for the retreat.  Thank you for stopping in for a visit today!

Easy Events Snail

Hi there!  Hope your week is going well so far.  This is a scheduled post since I'm with my stampin' peeps at the Girls Getaway Retreat.  Lots of good times!  What goes on at the retreat, stays at the retreat!  lol 

OK, now for a little info about the above card.  I was late sending a birthday card to a friend, so my belated wishes were conveyed with this card. 
Our new Honeycomb embossing folder was used on the background panel, and can be found in the new Stampin' Up! Spring catalog.  It's definitely a favorite of mine.  The stamp set is Easy Events (found in the annual catalog).

That's it for now.  Thanks for stoping in today!

Clean and Simple Birthday

Hi there!  Hope everyone had a good weekend.  Mine was an extended one with my stamping peeps at our quarterly retreat.  It was great even though we had a small group!
Today's post showcases another birthday card that was mailed out this month.  Sure do have a bunch of October birthdays! 

Stampin' Up! supplies unless noted
Stamps:  Watercolor Trio sentiment (retired)
Paper:  White, Old Olive, Brights DSP stack
Ink: Old Olive
Other: Decorative Label punch


Finished unpacking my car this morning.  Now it's time to put everything away, do some laundry, and finish preparing for Stamp Camp.  Hope you have a great day and thank you for stopping in!

Holiday Catalog Swap

Diane

Jayne

Kim

Laurie

Mary Ellen

Mary

Pam

 

 

 

Sally

 

Mine

 

 

Hi there and happy Friday!  Today is a bonus day for ya.  I forgot to post the swaps we did at Pam D'Urso's stamping retreat back in September.  So here they are for your viewing pleasure - all of them in one post!  I'll be back Monday with the cards from our Christmas Card Workshop.

Have a great weekend and thanks for coming by today!

Upsy Daisy

Hi there!  This is a scheduled post since I'll be with my stamping peeps the rest of the week!  Fortunately,  my husband doesn't mind all my comings and goings. 
The retired (I know - sorry about that) Upsy Daisy set was used on this card made at Sarah Klasing's class a while back.  We stamped the image in Poppy Parade, then moved over slightly and stamped again.  That's what gives you that shadow effect.  Cool, huh?  I was never a fan of Poppy Parade until we made this card.  But it has since retired, too. 

That's it for now.  Have a great day and as always, thank you for stopping in!

Trendy Trees

Hi there and happy Monday to you!  This month is another month full of birthdays.  The above card was pulled from my stash and sent to a friend.  The cute little trees were made using the Trendy Trees set and the sentiment is from Afterthoughts.  Both sets are now retired - sorry. 

All Stampin' Up! supplies used unless noted:
Stamps:  Trendy Trees, Afterthoughts
Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, Cajun Craze
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Cajun Craze
Other:  Square punches

The next couple of days I'll be busy getting my neglected house back in order, doing laundry, and packing to leave Wednesday morning for the Girls Getaway Retreat.  Looking forward to that!  Must go now to get busy with those things.  Have a great day and thank you for checking in today!

Wonderfall

Hi there!  Just vegging today but wanted to send out a big THANK YOU from Mary Taylor, Jayne Singleton, Mary Ellen Cope, and I to all of our awesome customers/friends who helped make the Christmas Card Workshop a huge success yesterday!!!  We received a lot of positive feedback. (Your input is appreciated - thank you).  Our customers are telling us they can't wait until the next one!  Thank you ladies for your support!  We had FUN right along with you!

Well, it's definitely feeling like Fall around here so the above card is an appropriate choice for today's post.  The leaf image stamp set used is Wonderfall.  The leaves were stamped in Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango.  I then used a template (cut from some scrap card stock) to trace around with a Soft Suede marker.  The sentiment is from the Petite Pairs set.

Gonna get back to my vegging....not really.  Need to unload my car so I can repack for the Girls Getaway Retreat beginning Wednesday.   More awesome-ness with my stampin' peeps!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thank you for stopping by today!

Hi there!  Sorry for my absence.  Had a great extended weekend with my stamping peeps at Pam D'Urso's home aka Little House on the Prairie Stamping Retreat.  What a blast we had - laughed until we cried!  Now that is some serious fun!
Today's get well card is one that was sent to a friend.  Seems like there's been a need for these types of cards lately.  Not a good thing!  The stamps used for this card are now retired and stored with other favorites that I can't bear to part with.

Stamps: Fresh Vintage, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Crumb Cake, Black
Ink: Black
Other: Postage Stamp Punch
 
REMINDER:  Don't forget that you get a free spool of ribbon for every $40 you spend (before s/h and tax) on SU! merchandise this month!  There is no quantity limit.

Must get back to cutting card stock for my Camps this Fri and Sat.  Please contact me to reserve your spot if you'd like to attend.  My number is listed in the blog header.

Thanks for stopping in today!

Perfect Thank You

Hi there!  Today is such a gray day but that's OK.  I'm organizing and packing the things I'll need for the Little House on the Prairie Stamping Retreat at Pam D'Urso's.  Woohoo!  Such a fun weekend is in store for us!  So without further adieu, I'll get on with the details about the above cards.  These are the little 3x3 note cards that were slipped into my customers' bags last month.  I make different ones each month.  It's just a very small way of showing  how much I appreciate their business! 

Stamps:  Perfectly Preserved
Paper:  White, Summer Smooches DSP
Ink:  Black, Real Red
Other:  Cannery Framelits Die, Big Shot, embroidery floss

Must get back to packing.  Thank you so much for coming by today....I welcome and appreciate your visits!!

Grill Master

Hi there!  I'm back in the studio after a relaxing Girls Getaway retreat.  Before I left last week (gosh, seems like I've been gone forever), I mailed this card to Pam D'Urso's husband for his birthday.  He grilled for all of us when we girls visited them for Pam's "Little House on the Prairie" Stamping Retreat.  Grilling for twelve earns him the title of "Grill Master" don't ya think?  Everything was superb!

Must get to bed.  (Still on retreat time!)   I need to finish getting ready for my Stamp Camp on Saturday and complete my Halloween Squares Swaps to get them in the mail.  Thank you so much for stopping in today!