Basic Butterfly Bundle

It's time to share some of the cards that I made at Joanne's shoebox swap last weekend.  There was a pretty good mix of different stamp sets which I enjoyed.  The most popular stamp used was the Butterfly Basics.  It comes in a bundle and is on page 26 of the Occasions catalog.  There are several videos on YouTube demonstrating easy ways to cut out the butterfly using the framelits and the Big Shot.  Patty Bennett demonstrates one method using a dryer sheet!!  I am waiting on my Butterfly Bundle to arrive so I can't attest to any of the methods yet.  It is a beautiful and intricate butterfly and comes with 3 dies.

This card uses the smallest die with one of the butterflies in the stamp set.  

This is a sparkly butterfly - using the glitter paper.

Marianne's card

Monochromatic card

I had a real experience today at our Newcomers Coffee!  Our speakers were the owners of the Laughing Yoga and Meditation Studio in Charlotte.  I had never heard of Laughing Yoga and don't think many of the ladies in the group had either.  It was quite entertaining!  Lauging Yoga is a global movement for health, happiness and world peace.  It blends yoga practices with the science of laughter to teach people ways and means of joyful living.  They did several group exercises to make us all laugh.  And we also did some breathing techniques followed by an 8 minute meditation.  I felt pretty relaxed at the end of our meeting that's for sure!

Polka Dot Bow Builder Card

I placed an order yesterday around 2 p.m. ordering several items from the Occasions Catalog.  I  got an email from Stampin' Up later that my order has already been shipped (6 p.m.).  Wow!  Is that speedy!  Can't wait!!

In the meantime, I have a few other new toys to play with while I am waiting!  Today I used the new Bow Builder Punch along with several other new items to make this cute card:

For the polka-dot background, I used one of the cards from Project Life Seasonal Snapshot (a carry over item from the Holiday catalog).  The "happy" cut out is from the Hello You Thinlets (pg. 31 of Occasions) and "birthday" is from Crazy About You (also on pg 31).  I used Tangerine Tango, Basic Black and Hello Honey card stock to make the little bows.  They are so easy to do!!  After punching them out, I used a pencil eraser dipped in white ink to make polka dots on the bows.

Check out the video here -

Here's another card I made with a new stamp set - One Tag Fits All.  This set coordinates with the Note Tag Punch (pg 28 - Occasions) so it is easy to put together.

This is the card I made for the shoebox swap at Joanne's last Saturday.  I stamped the jewel with Staz-On ink onto gold paper and cut it out before popping it up with a dimensional.  The faux washi tape was made using the Tape It stamp set (pg 37 in big catalog).  I stamped on vellum paper with gold in and heat embossed it.  I finished it off with the gold sequin trim.

MDS Monday Chalkboard Sign

The new Stampin' Up spring / summer catalog 2015 is here and it is bursting with new and exciting products!  I think my credit card will be working over-time in the next few weeks.  Enjoy browsing online by clicking HERE.  If you would like a paper copy, please contact me. The good news is that you can start ordering from my online shop RIGHT AWAY!!  If you are one of my Club members, I will be using new products this month so get your "wish list" started.  I attended a Shoebox Swap last Saturday and came away with 14 cards using new product!!  I can't wait to share them with you.

Since this is Monday, MDS Monday has a new challenge for us My Digital Studio fans.  In the new Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog, there is Chalkboard Paper.  (I am dying to get some and give it a go.)  So the designers at MDS Monday thought it would be fun to show how we can use chalkboards on our digital papers.  There is not a sketch this week; this is an open challenge.  There are a few kits that have chalkboard downloads - Convention 2011 (I think that is the year); Back to School and Hello World.  I ended up finding a chalkboard paper on the internet and downloading it into MDS for my page.  You can also find some great chalkboard fonts to use HERE.

My sample is pretty simple.  When we were at one of the shops at the National Harbor in DC in December, Sonny found a sign with this saying.  He really liked it but it was pretty pricey.  I took a picture and told him I could made in in MDS for him.  (I haven't yet but .... the year is not over!)

I have a whole collection of Subway Art that I take pictures of when I see plaques and signs in stores - just for this purpose.  Don't you just love this one?

I have a new story about my crazy cat - actually 2 stories.  Last Tuesday (the day after Ashley and Bogart went home), I spent most of the day in my craft room cleaning up and making cards.  After a couple of hours, I went looking for Sammie - she is usually in the room with me or in my spare bedroom laying on the bed in front of the window soaking up the sunshine.  I couldn't find her in any of her usual spots.  A few hours later, I looked for her again with no luck.  So I decided to straighten out the blanket that she usually sleeps on top of in the spare room.  When I did, I discovered her completely under the blanket sleeping.  She stayed there all day.  When I showed her to Sonny late in the afternoon when he came home, he asked me if she was alive!  She was just worn out from dealing with Bogart for 4 months!

After Christmas, I bought her a new collar.  I have had her for almost 3 years and she has had the same collar all those years.  I just thought she could use a new sparkly one.  It has a bell just like the one she had - not much different in the two.  Well, every time I pick up the new collar, the bell rings and she runs away as fast as she can like a scalded rabbit.  I have tried now for a couple of weeks off and on to put the collar on her.  Tonight I finally got it on her but only by capturing her in a room with no exit.  But I can not get the old one off of her.  I tried to hold her and let Sonny get it off, but she hissed at us and tried to bite us.  I don't know why she is having such a fit about this collar.  But, for now she will be wearing both collars although she is trying like heck to get it off by herself!

Lotus Blossom 1-2-3

Only 1 more day until Sale-a-Bration (and the Occasions catalog) starts!!  Woo - Hoo!  It's the best time of the year to earn free products from Stampin' Up!  For every $50 you spend on Stampin' Up! products between January 6 and March 31, you earn a FREE Sale-a-Bration product.  And this year, there are some really amazing Sale-a-Bration products.  I'll be sharing a few of them in the next several days.

My favorite stamp set from Sale-a-Bration is Lotus Blossom.  I just hate that after Sale-a-Bration, it will be gone.  Yes .... any item in the Sale-a-Bration Catalog will only be available from Jan. 6 - March 31 so if you see something you like, don't wait until April to try to get it - it will be gone.

I made a few thank you cards today with Lotus Blossom and stamped them onto some of the Watercolor Note Cards that are in the Year End Clearance NOW.  Not sure how long they will be there but they are a good deal.  You get 20 printed note cards (on watercolor paper) with 20 envelopes for $5.19!!

Think 1, 2,3!  Three coordinating stamp images merge to create the layered Lotus Blossom.  Two stamps are combined for the stem.  And Stampin' Up has even numbered the Photopolymer stamps with #1, #2, and #3 to make it easy.

Watercolor Wonder Note Cards - $5.19

Marianne made this card for Ashley for her birthday using Lotus Blossom.

Lotus Blossom using shades of Cherry Cobbler.

I made a couple of charts today showing different ways to stamp Lotus Blossom.  This first one uses three different colors of ink.  Some I stamped off before stamping on my card and some I stamped full strength.  (I noted the "stamped off" ones on the sheet).

This second chart uses just two colors of ink.  I stamped off on #2 image and #3 image as noted below in the instructions.

Paper Craft Crew Challenge

Surprisingly enough, I got my card done and submitted in time for the Paper Craft Crew challenge.  I have been really bad lately and forgotten about it until it is too late to submit.  I am trying now to do two or three cards ahead so when I get busy, I won't forget.

The sketch this week was fairly easy so it did not take long at all .... expecially with MDS.

I used stitching around the whole card and around the center piece to tie it together.

Here is the sketch:

Check out the rest of the cards from the Design Team here - PAPER CRAFT CREW  We would love to have you play along and create a card for the challenge!

Happy New Year!

Hope your New Year is a good one!  We are going to Marianne's home to celebrate 2015's arrival with friends and family.

2015 Calendar with My Digital Studio

As much as I loved the holidays and spending time with my family and friends - especially having Ashley here for almost two weeks not to mention Bogart for 4 months (!!), it was nice to get back to "normal" today.  Ashley was a sweetheart and helped Sonny and I take down the tree and all the house decorations before she left so I didn't have to bother with that.  Last night after taking her to rhe airport, I straightened up all the gift wrap paper, bags, ribbon, tags, gift card holders, tissue, etc. and put them away in the attic until next year.  So today was wide open for doing a little card making!  I have two swaps (Occasions catalog and Sale-a-Bration) due in two weeks plus a shoebox card to make for this Saturday so I knew I had to get busy.  It was great to do some stamping that wasn't in red and green or other Christmas colors!!  Don't get me wrong - I love Christmas but by New Year's I'm done with it!

As you can see, I changed my blog header to a simple one for now.  I'll probably work on a Valentine one later but this was good for now.  The pennants and dotted background piece is actually a sheet of Designer Paper that I just filled a rectangle punch with.  All was left was my text and I used an Alphabet Punch (Smitten) and paper filled it - easy, peasy!

I always make Ashley a calendar for Christmas and she does the same for me on My Digital Studio.  This year, with her being at Ft Belvoir, she wasn't able to get it done for Christmas.  So, on Sunday, she used my computer to create one and I should be receiving it in a week or two.  Here is the one I made for her this year (without the date pages).  They end up being like an album of our year.  I always keep mine to look back at the pictures.

JANUARY

APRIL - New Zealand road signs

MAY - New Zealand 

JUNE - still New Zealand

JULY - DC / Virginia in September

AUGUST - Pittsburgh October

Pittsburgh

OCTOBER - NYC

Don't forget the Stampin' Up Year End Sale.  You can shop by hitting "ORDER ONLINE" at the top of this post.  Please use my Hostess Code when ordering - N4KDHCAU

Hoping your Holidays were Good!

Hi friends!  I hope you have been enjoying the Holiday celebrations that this time of year brings.  I have been neglecting my blog but enjoying some nice relaxing time with my family.  I decided to  not worry about my blog  so I could enjoy Christmas and not stress out too much!  I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful time with your family and friends.  I did and am so thankful.

We went to Virginia / DC the week before Christmas to pick Ashley up after she had completed her course and took my mom.  We all had a good time.  We stopped at Monticello on our way to Ft Belvoir to tour Thomas Jefferson's home.  We visited DC taking the Metro and seeing the Christmas tree outside the White House.  It was really, really cold!!!!  We also went to the National Harbor and rode on the (climate controlled) ferris wheel.  I don't usually ride things that take me up in the air, but decided to be a sport.  It was really a lot of fun.  The view from the top was spectacular and it was a beautiful (cold) clear day.

National Harbor Christmas tree and Ferris Wheel

Selfie of Ashley and I at White House Christmas Tree

At Ashley's graduation ceremony - Ft Belvoir

The after-math of Christmas - Bogart is tired out!

Thanks for stopping by.  If you haven't already, stop by the Online Store and take a look at the year-end close outs.  There are a lot of good items as much as 80% off.

And beginning January 6, you can order from the New Spring Occasions Catalog and take advantage of the Sale-a-Bration Catalog.    During Sale-a--Bration, you can choose from a selection of great products FREE with every $50 you spend.   The Spring Catalog and SaleABration Catalog has already begun arriving in homes.  Let me know if you would like a copy.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

As of now, All Is Calm!!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even the CATS

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

in hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

Ashley and the cats are nestled all snug in the bed

While visions of sugar plums (or clothes, books, gift certificates, etc. etc. etc.) dance in her head.

Mamma in her nightie and Sonny in his flannel 

Had just settled down for a long winter's night (with cats laying on our feet!)

Hope all is calm at your house and you enjoy a wonderful Christmas!

Part of my mantle decorations.  My son made the wood Mary, Joseph and Jesus piece for us last year.

Ashley and I in front of tree - Christmas Eve

Sonny and Ashley

Trying to steal a kiss!  No mistletoe in sight though.

Looks like Santa has filled these stockings!

My son and his family.  Missing them!!

Clearance and Weekly Deals Plus Christmas Trivia!

It's Tuesday and that means new Weekly Deals from Stampin' Up!  The Deals include one of my favorites - the Chalk Talk Framelits Die set.  Also, be sure to check out the YEAR END CLEARANCE items at my online store.  Items are only available while supplies last.





Here are some random Christmas facts that I got from someone!  Enjoy!

The Popular Poinsettia

Holiday Past
Poinsettias were first introduced into this country in 1828 by the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett.

Holiday Present
Poinsettias are now grown in all 50 states and represent over 85 percent of potted plant sales during the holidays. Over $220 million worth of poinsettias are sold during holiday season!

Kisses in Color

Holiday Past
Hershey's started wrapping their Kisses in red, green, and silver foil for the first time in 1962. The success of the holiday-wrapped Kisses led Hershey's to dress up their little chocolates for the Easter, Valentine's Day, and Fall Harvest seasons.

Holiday Present
Hershey's now wraps up to 1,300 Hershey's Kisses a minute. That gives them the capacity to make approximately 33 million Hershey's Kisses a day, or more than 12 billion a year!

A Tree of Lights

Holiday Past
In 1949, the tree at Rockefeller Center was strung with 7,500 bulbs.

Holiday Present
Now more than 25,000 bulbs are strung on the tree - that's more than 5 miles of lights!

Artificial Trees

Holiday Past
Artificial Christmas trees were on the market by 1900. They were available by mail from Sears, Roebuck and Company, and cost 50 cents for 33 limbs, or a dollar for 55 limbs.

Holiday Present
Most artificial trees are now manufactured in Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong and contain non-biodegradable plastics and metals. They usually range in price from $200 to $2,000.

Holiday Mail

Holiday Past
The first Christmas card, created by a London businessman, was printed in England in 1843. Three years later, the first commercial Christmas cards were available to the public. One thousand cards in all were produced and they were an instant success.

Holiday Present
The holiday season is now the busiest time of the year for the US Postal Service. Last year, over 20 billion cards, letters, and packages were sent, causing the USPS to hire nearly 40,000 temporary workers and put thousands of additional trucks, trains, and planes in service.