Autumn Leaf

Hi there and happy Monday!  We're having crazy weather - supposed to reach the 80's again today!  Sure doesn't seem like Autumn, which is what today's card reflects.  The leaf shape was cut out with the Stampin' Up! Autumn Accents Bigz Die.  Colors of Hello Honey, Pear Pizzazz, and Tangerine Tango were sponged on and the edges inked with Soft Suede.  The background splatters were made with images from Gorgeous Grunge and the banner sentiment is from the And Many More set, which is a great set!  It covers just about every ocassion.  A bone folder was used to break down the fibers in the cardstock to make it easier to crumple up and, hopefully, not tear. 
The Hostess Club ladies made this card at our meeting on Saturday, which was CASE'd from a card that I received at a swap last month.  Unfortunately, there was no name on the back to give that person credit.  The only thing that was changed was the sentiment.

That's all for now.  Need to knock out a few chores before going to visit a dear friend in the hospital.  Later tonight I pick up the daughter and son-in-law from the airport, which means Rocky (our granddog) goes home.  :(

Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted. 

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, And Many More 

Paper: Vanilla, Early Espresso 

Ink: Hello Honey, Pear Pizzazz, Tangerine Tango, Soft Suede 

Tools:  Bone Folder, Autumn Accents Bigz die

Other:  sponges, Linen Thread, glue dots, Dimensionals

Grunge Birthday

Hi there!  Hope you're having a terrific week.  Yesterday was "catch up" day for things that needed attention around the house.  Today I'm back with another sample from our Card Buffet display board.  This is an easy card with a lot of impact.  A big thanks goes to Deana Schultz for her swap card that I CASE'd (Copy And Share Everything).  Love the color combination, too!  The only difference is the greeting used on the banner, which is from the Fabulous Four set.  The "splatters" were made from images in the Gorgeous Grunge set.  A simple "balloon" made with punches completes the card.  Easy peasy!

That's it - must work on final preparations for our Christmas Card Workshop being held on September 27.  Thank you so much for stopping in today!

Stampin' Up! supplies used unless otherwise noted. 

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Fabulous Four 

Paper: White, Tempting Turquoise 

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Tempting Turquoise marker, white gel pen 

Tools:  Small Oval punch, Owl punch

Other:  Dimensionals, Clear blocks

Pelican Punch Art

Hi there!  Another busy week zipped by, which is why I didn't get a chance to post Thursday or Friday.  Mary Taylor and I had our Card Buffet on Saturday.  Thank you ladies for coming and your patience waiting for the boxes! 
Today's card is one that Sally Nusbaum took to the Stampin' Up! Convention to swap.  (Sorry for the glare.  Didn't want to remove the protective cover and take a chance of getting it dirty.)  That pelican is just too cute!  She received some really cute cards in return. 
Tomorrow I'll be heading out of town for the girls getaway retreat.  Can't wait!  Today consists of gathering supplies for projects and packing/loading everything.  Well, not everything!  lol  Need to make sure there will be room for our granddog on the trip home Sunday.  He'll be staying with us for a bit.  Looking forward to that, too!
My plan is to schedule some posts ahead of time but that will depend how things progress today.  So if there aren't any posts the rest of the week, you'll know why.
Must get busy now!  Thank you so much for stopping in today!

Love Notes

Hi there!  This will be really quick since Granddaughter will be waking up soon.  Last night we saw the production, Seussical, at the Muny.  It was very entertaining, especially the Cat in the Hat character.  The interaction he had with the audience was so much fun and had everyone laughing.  He did a great job.  Granddaughter loved the show and talked about it all the way home.

On the subject of love.....how about this cute card.  It was one of Sally Nusbaum's Convention swaps.  She shared them with us at the crop this past Saturday.  Sorry for the glare, nor do I have the swapper's name.  The typewriter image is positioned on a background made with the Dictionary stamp.  Tap, Tap, Tap is a new stamp set in the 2014-15 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog.  This set contains the typewriter image and the letters that look like typewriter keys, plus six other images.  Love it!  The sentiment is from Just Sayin', which was cut out from the coordinating Word Bubble Framelits.   A bit of Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding adds the finishing touch.

Must run.  Thank you so very much for stopping in 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 Fall Regional Swaps

Hi there and happy Friday!  I'm away having fun with my stampin' peeps but I've scheduled the last of the swaps received at the Fall Regional that Sally Nusbaum organized for us Demonstrators.  The above file folder card was made by Ornetta Gilliam.  It was made using Stampin' Up!s new Envelope Punch Board.  The photo below shows the little card insert, which can be used for a message.  Too cute!

This card by Sarah Klasing is unique in the way it opens - it flips up.  She used the Wildflower Meadow stamp and coordinating embossing folder on the focal piece.

Peggy Gebhardt made this adorable Angry Bird punch art version of a Christmas card.  Love it!

I'm not real sure how Ruthie Lancaster made this card.  I think she inked up the embossing folder with a brayer before placing her cardstock in it and running through the Big Shot.  I like the results!

This last swap card was made by Sally Nusbaum.  Wasn't she the clever one to use the ornament for the Santa image!  Love it!

That's all for now.  Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping in today!

Fall Swaps - Group 4 of No Names

Hi there!  This is a scheduled post since more than likely I'm on the way to the Lake (of the Ozarks) with my stampin' peeps for a few days of FUN!!!  Received several swaps at the Fall Regional organized by Sally Nusbaum.  (Swapping cards was optional.)  This post is the No Name group because the designer of the card failed to list their name on the back.  What a shame!   This first lovely card was cut from our Circle Thinlits die to create the flip flop base.  The Festive Flurry stamp set and Framelits was also used.

Another cute card without a name.  If you know who made this card, please let me know so that I can give them credit.

Here is card number three with no name on the back. 

This is the final card swap that didn't have a name on the back. 

Hope you enjoyed viewing the swaps so far.  Tomorrow should finish the "tour".  lol  Thanks for stopping in today!

Fall Swaps - Group 3

Hi there!  Back with some swaps from Sally Nusbaum's Fall "Regional" held Sep 28.  The above card was made by Jayne Singleton.  Those small blooms were a labor of love.  I watched her snip some of those small flowers to make the blooms.  What patience - and a lovely card!

Nancy Gittemeier used the single stamp Christmas Star by Stampin' Up! for her card.  A very striking and clean look with just a touch of bling in the lower right corner.  This stamp is not just for Christmas, either!

This card was created by Marla Schack.  She used the Truly Grateful set.  Now I want this set!  I especially like the wheat image.  There is also an acorn image not shown here.  The sentiment is from the Tags 4 You set.

This swap came from Nita Mann.  The largest snowflake was cut from our Silver Glimmer paper using the Festive Flurry Framelits.  She finished it off with some silver ribbon and a Frosted Finishes Embellishment (found on page 28 of the Holiday catalog).  This card really sparkles!  Too bad the camera can't capture all that sparkly goodness!

Must run - have tons to do before leaving tomorrow.  Thank you so much for visiting today!

More Swaps!

Hi there!  I'm sharing some more swaps that were received at the Fall "Regional" held on September 28th.  The above card was made by Mary Ellen Cope using the Joyful Christmas set.  She embossed the petals with gold, and cut out the flower.  That took some time!  It's a good TV watching project.  lol

The same poinsettia stamp was used by Nancy Gloriod.  She really must be a glutton for punishment since she layered her flower petals - so double the amount of cutting for each flower!  Nancy paired the poinsettia with a Baked Brown Sugar background, which is embossed with the new Stylish Stripes embossing folder.  This card has a vintage feel.  Isn't it amazing how color can change the feel/mood of a project?

Love the Northern Lights technique used on this card by Cindy Williams!  She did a demonstration at the Fall Regional.  Can't wait to try this technique!  The stamp set she used is the ever popular, Lovely as a Tree.

Deana Schultz made this clean and simple card using the new Gift Bow Bigz L die and Expression Thinlits found in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog.  Love the clean lines of her card!

Must sign off for now but I'll have more swaps tomorrow.  Thank you for stopping in for a visit today!

Fall Regional Swaps

Hi there!  Hope you had a great weekend!  Mine was awesome!  Had a family reunion on Saturday, which was a lot of fun seeing all the cousins - and their kids and now grandkids!  We had a good time despite the rain and drop in temperature.  Sunday was our Card Buffet and that was fun, too.  We have the best friends/customers!  Thank you all for coming and supporting us!
Well, today I'm sharing some of the swaps received at the Fall "Regional" held September 28th (organized by Sally Nusbaum).  The one above is by Denise Wisdom.  I love how she added some ribbon to make a "scarf" for the snowman!  So clever. 

Isn't this file folder made by Cheryl Renth the cutest?  It was made with our new Envelope Punch Board.  So glad I bought one - love it!  The snowflakes were cut out with our Festive Flurry Framelits found in the Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog.

Ann Nahm was the designer of this understated beauty!  The Glimmer paper star really adds a nice sparkly finishing touch!

While we're on Christmas trees, this one is by Kathy Morales.  She embossed around the focal image using a Labels Framelit - not sure if you can see that.  It's an elegant looking card with a vintage feel.

That's it for now.  Come back tomorrow for some more swaps.  Must start getting ready for a stamping weekend with other Demonstrators at the Lake of the Ozarks.  This is another fun event organized by Sally Nusbaum.  Woohoo! 
Thanks for stopping by today!

Ears to You!

Hi there!  Time sure has flown since my last post.  Last week was a busy one and the days ahead don't appear much different.  Gotta get those taxes done!  Ugh!!!

Last Saturday I attended the Stampin' Up! Regional held here in St Louis at the America Center.  I had a blast with my stampin' peeps!  Enjoyed the swapping, connecting with friends, making new friends, watching the demonstrations and, of course, the freebies that we ALL received - a pack of Print Poetry DSP and the Make a Wish stamp set!  Oh, and Comic Con was held in the room next to us.  Saw some very interesting costumes!  lol  Afterwards, a group of us (about 20) went to Joey B's on the Hill.  Oh my, the food was fantastic and the portions were enough for two people!  We all took home leftovers.

Saturday afternoon when we left the America Center the sun was shining and the temperature was moderate.  We didn't even put on our coats to walk to the car.  Sunday sure was a different story!  We got 12.4 inches of snow!  Some Spring!  It was beautiful, though.

The above card was the winner of the Regionals swaps contest.  We Demos can submit our swap card to be posted on a specified board for judging.  I was really drawn to this card (before the winner was ever announced) because of the non-traditional colors used and its simplicity.  Unfortunately, I didn't order this single stamp (Ears to You) and it's too late to arrive before Easter.  Oh, well.  I also forgot to snap a picture of my swap card.  I'll check with the group to see if they have one I can photograph to post here.

Sunday we had our granddaughter overnight.  We made some bunny cards, watched movies, made a paper plate ping pong game (found on Pinterest), and watched some stamping videos.  Love it that she asks if we can watch some stamping videos.  She's my little stamping buddy!

I probably won't be posting much in the next week - taxes must get done and need to finish prepping for our Card Buffet! 

Have a Happy Easter and thanks for stopping in today!  I do hope you'll come back!

Framed!

Hi there and happy Friday!  Hope you've had a good week.  Where does the time go? 

Isn't this frame awesome?  My good friend and upline, Pam D'Urso, made it and sent it to me for securing the #1 spot in sales among our Pieces of Heart team this past quarter (thanks to my wonderful customers!!).  Love it - and my customers/friends!  Unfortunately, I couldn't get the whole frame in the picture but the middle is the best part anyway!  Each little 1-3/8" square is a masterpiece of art in itself.  Penny Thomas (Pam's sister and upline - my second level upline) has been hosting swaps for the TOPICS each holiday.  I participated in the Halloween Squares Swap.  It's such a great way to get different squares rather than coming up with nine or twelve different ideas.  All you have to do is reproduce the same square for however many stampers are participating.

The sun is starting to come out!  The weatherman was predicting yucky weather for this morning - sleet and rain.  Glad that bypassed us!  I could tell a front was moving in, though, by the headache I've had the last couple of days.  Much better now!  Anway, must get on with my day.  Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for stopping by today!  Your visits are always welcome and appreciated!

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!

Halloween Squares Swap

 Hi there!  Hope you had a great weekend!  Mine was quiet after a busy week of running.  That's what I needed, though.  Had time to catch up on long overdue phone calls and emails.  And spent some time in the studio working on projects for upcoming events.  (Sorry I can't show you just yet.)   Anyway, the above photo showcases the Halloween Squares Swaps that I received.  Aren't they awesome?  Now to put them in a frame to make a cool Halloween decoration.  Penny Thomas organized this swap and it was so fun.  Thanks, Penny!  When I signed up to participate, it didn't occur to me just how small that 1-3/8" square really was to decorate!  It worked out OK, though.  Gosh,  these gals are so creative!  I love them all!    Hopefully, you can see the detail in the close up photos below.

That's all for today.  It is developing into another busy week.  Thank you so much for stopping in today!

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!

 

FREE Big Shot - It's a BIG Deal ...but wait, there's more!

Good morning!  Wow, Stampin' Up! has come out with a BIG promotion and some new Clearance Rack items!

 Would you like to get a FREE Big Shot?  If you sign up as a Demo, you can!  During October, you'll get a FREE Big Shot (or your choice of $100 in FREE merchandise) when you join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator.  I welcome both hobby stampers and career demonstrators to join my team.  Don't miss this BIG deal!  Email me at jsumner731@sbcglobal.net so we can have fun together!

Use the Big Shot die-cutting machine and Stampin' Up!'s exclusive dies (sold separately) to create uniquely beautiful projects in a flash.

In addition, the new-demonstrator Starter Kit--a steal at just $175--contains over $345 worth of stamp sets, card stock, ink, accessories, and business supplies-everything you need to start your new business.
There are so many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, including

• A 20 percent product discount!
• A free monthly issue of Stampin' Up!'s demonstrator-only magazine, Stampin' Success!
• Sneak peeks at brand-new products!
• Invitations to exclusive Stampin' Up! events!
• Regular get-togethers to stamp!
• Free access to an online community of 30,000+ crafters/stampers and creative artists, as well as 160,000+ project samples!
• Plus, access to an exclusive video and training for your new Big Shot!

Contact me today to learn how you can take advantage of this great opportunity and get your FREE Big Shot!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE....

Check out the new items in the Clearance Rack here.  Hurry!  Quantities are limited.

...And More
How about some Sweet Stampin'?  A new product hit the shelves this month - just in time for holiday baking!  Introducing Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps!

The easy-to-use cookie stamp has a solid wood handle with 3 interchangeable stamp images: a heart, a jack-o-lantern, and a snowflake.  Prepare your favorite shortbread cookie dough (or use one of the two recipes included with the set) and stamp away!  The stamps are completely food-safe and child-friendly.  Can't wait to do this with my  granddaughter! 
Deana Schultz followed the recipe that came with the Cookie Press for her swap at the Holidaze event held a couple of weeks ago.  I was one lucky recipient and can vouch that it was yummy!  (Yep, was) 

Deana's swap

Sorry for such a lengthy post.  There's just so much to share with you!  I will return with a project or two tomorrow.  Must get to work.
Thanks for checking in today.  I really appreciate you stopping by!

Stamp Camp Sneak Peek

Hi and happy Monday to you!  Hope you had a nice weekend.  The weather has gotten cooler (and rainy), which puts me in a cooking/baking mood.  I didn't bake over the weekend but did make a batch of potato soup, some spaghetti sauce, and fixed lasagna for dinner last night.  There will be plenty of leftovers for the week.  Love that!  I also made some garlic bread and froze it.  I melt butter (yep real butter - me and Paula Dean got a thing for buttah!), dip my bread slices in the butter to coat (nothing low cal here!), shake some garlic salt on each slice, and freeze.  Makes it so easy for individual servings of garlic bread - just pop what you need into the toaster oven to brown.  Yum!

OK let's get down to business at hand.   Here is a sneak peek of the cards for my September Stamp Camp held on Sunday the 25th.  Had to schedule on Sunday because of our Demo Holidaze event on Saturday.  If you live in the St Louis Metro area and would like to attend Stamp Camp, please email me at jsumner731@sbcglobal.net to reserve your spot!  Thanks.

Looking forward to the Holidaze event!  Sally Nusbaum and the other gals involved in executing these bi-annual "mini conventions" do a fantastic job!  Each one has been a blast and we walk away with new ideas and new friendships.  (Love my JOB!)  I debated about  making swaps this time.  But...I don't want to miss out on the fun so I'll just make what I can.  Ten or twenty swaps is better than no swaps!  The Pieces of Heart team is meeting at Patty's Tuesday evening to work on our individual swaps - or just hang out with this cool group!  Patty will be serving Candy Corn Punch.  Sounds intriguing, huh?

Gosh, can you believe that in a couple of weeks it will be October?  Me neither!  The first Saturday in October is our annual family reunion (dad's side).  I always look forward to seeing everyone!  This year will mark 52 years for these annual gatherings!  Pretty impressive, don't ya think?  Our first reunion was held at Forest Park in 1959.  The locations and food has changed over the years.  When Mom and my aunts brought food, everything was home made and a lot of it home grown. Most of that generation is deceased or unable to attend the reunions anymore.  Now the food is brought by us cousins and our off-spring.  The tables are still laden with plenty of food - mostly buckets of chicken and other store bought food.  Fortunately, there are still a few of us who prepare home made food to share! 

Since I basically had a lazy day yesterday, I need to get to work and start on the laundry.  Also need to prepare what I'll take to Patty's tomorrow to finish my swaps for Saturday's Holidaze event.  I'm meeting some friends for lunch tomorrow so it needs to be done today!

Have a pleasant day and thanks for coming by!

Display Boards

Hi there!  It's Friday -  another week just flew by.  I'm wrapping up this week with photos of some of the displays at the Demo event May 14th.  There are only a few photos that turned out OK.  (Hey, I said I wasn't a photographer - even with a digital camera!)

Samples made with the new triple layer punches

A cute little gift set of note cards and tags

You can make a cross from the doily punch  How cool!

Hello Blossom - single stamp in Summer mini

I'll be at an all day crop today.  Our granddaughter is spending the night.  She'll be sound asleep by the time  I get home, though.  We'll spend some quality time together tomorrow before she goes home.   Sunday is our Demo Stamp Camp at Pam's.