Halloween Paper Pumpkin Style

Remember me?  I can't believe it's been so long.  I've had a lot going on and dealing with some personal things that have gotten me a little down.  I'm usually a real optimist and pretty happy go lucky, but this last month I have been really down in the dumps.  I am not going into detail here but hoping things will work out and soon!!  I'm ready to be back to my old self.  So, say a little prayer for me!

This week I have been working on Halloween cards using September's Paper Pumpkin kit.  Halloween used to be one of my favorite holidays.  I loved dressing up and trick or treating when I was a kid and loved it even more when my kids were all dressed up and Sonny was taking them from house to house in the neighborhood.  Where I live now, we don't get any trick or treaters.  Our house has a really long driveway plus there are only 3 houses on our cul-de-sac so we don't bother turning the lights on.  Although last year, we had one person to ring the doorbell!  I didn't have any candy to give out so Sonny and I just didn't answer the door.

The Paper Pumpkin kit included enough supplies to make 24 of these little treat bags.

I didn't really need 24 bags so I proceeded to cut up some of the bags and use other items to make cards instead.

 I used the retired Spider Web embossing folder to this card below and colored the lines with Silver Wink of Stella.

 For the card below, I cut up one of the bags and adhered it over the Mango cardstock.

Love this candy corn look!  I ran it through the Subtle Embossing Folder to give it a little texture.

I still have lots of bags left over!!

Buffalo Check is a Must Have!

On my last post, I shared the background papers I had stamped using the Buffalo Check background stamp.  This stamp is in the Holiday catalog which you will be able to order from next week!  I just love this stamp.  Here is a Christmas card I made using the Buffalo Check as a background.

The stamps that I used for this card are:  Buffalo Check and Merry Christmas to All (which is also from the Holiday Catalog.)  The pinecones, bow and leaves are die cut with the Pretty Pines thinlits.  I love the rustic, country look of this card.  I used Call Me Clover for the card base and the check pattern is Lovely Lipstick.

I want to remind you that TODAY is the last day to take advantage of Stampin' Up! Bonus Days.  For every $50 you spend in August, you earn a $5 coupon that you can spend in September.  Think of it as an awesome 10% discount on every $50 you spend.

August also introduced us to the Blended Seasons promotion which also ends TODAY.  The limited-time bundle is called Color Your Season.  The stamp set is pretty spectacular and the framelits are a must-have.  This is a wonderful, all-year-round set!

You can check out the details on both of these offers on an earlier blog post of mine HERE,

I hope you have a safe and happy Labor Day.  It's hard to believe summer is almost over.  The kids in my neighborhood started back to school this week.  It doesn't affect me but Sonny is having to get up a little earlier to beat the school traffic on his way to play golf.  That means he falls asleep a little earlier in front of the TV every night and I have to wake him to hit the fast forward button on the remote!  (Heaven forbid that I have the remote - not that I want it anyway!)  We are going to drive up to Blowing Rock (in the mountains) on Monday to take a hike and wander around the town.  It should be a little cooler up there.  Blowing Rock is such a quaint little mountain village and it is fun just to wander in and out of the shops plus it is a pretty scenic drive up there on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Sneak Peek of the new Plaid Background Stamp!

As a demonstrator, we get our Stampin' Up catalogs a month early and can pre-order items.  Well, my goodies came Wednesday and I have been playing with them for a couple of days.  When you receive your Holiday Catalog next month, don't overlook the Buffalo Plaid stamp.  I think it is kind of hidden in the catalog so make sure you turn to page 38 and check it out towards the bottom of the page!  I haven't made a card with this stamp yet.  Instead I've been trying different colors for the checks on white card stock.  I haven't stamped it on colored paper yet but that will be next!!

Merry Merlot and Blueberry Bushel

Poppy Parade and Black

Bermuda Bay and Blackberry Bliss

Call Me Clover and Garden Green

Cajun Craze and Berry Burst

Gorgeous Grape and Lovely Lipstick

The background stamp fits great in the Stamparatus or by using Clear Block F (pg 206).  If you use the clear block, I have found the best way to get a good impression on theses large stamps is to put the stamp on your work table and put the card stock on top of the stamp.  Cover with a piece of scrap typing paper and rub it carefully.

Bonus Days + Blended Seasons Limited Time Set

A big shout out to my two new team members.  Ashley and Margaret joined my Inky Lake Stampers group and took advantage of the July special!  Welcome gals!!

Bonus Days are back!!  For every $50 you spend August 1 -31 (before shipping and tax), you earn a $5 Bonus Days Coupon Code that can be redeemed September 1 -30.  And .... don't forget - the Holiday Catalog goes live on September 5th!

• An email address is required to participate.  Bonus Days coupon codes can be delivered only via e-mail.
• If you earn multiple codes from a single order, you will receive one e-mail with multiple codes.
• If you earn multiple codes from multiple orders, you will receive separate e-mails for each code earned.

In addition to the Bonus Days, we also have the Color Your Season promotion.

You can order the BLENDED SEASONS BUNDLE and save 10%.

These limited time products are only available Aug 1 - 31 or while supplies last.

 The Watercolor Pencils (#149014) include ten new colors:

Balmy Blue
Cajun Craze
Cherry Cobbler
Coastal Cabana
Crushed Curry
Flirty Flamingo
Garden Green
Gorgeous Grape
Granny Apple Green
Night of Navy

 

I'm here with a few cards to share

No apologies - just haven't posted in a long time!!  What can I say????

I have been working on swaps for Quarterly and Convention so I'm not trying to do everything at the last minute.  Our NC Quarterly is the last weekend in September and I have signed up for two shoebox swaps (12 cards in each), a Fall card, Christmas card and Christmas package.  Don't know the numbers for the Christmas card and fall card but we only have to do 10 of the package.  I plan on using Stampin' Up's Pizza Box.  Plus I've been asked to do a project at quarterly (not sure what yet!) 

For Convention, which is in November, I have signed up for two organized swap (so far) - making a Christmas card and a Birthday card.  I have had to write everything down in a notebook so I don't forget what I am doing!  I would like to take at least 50 swaps to convention and am also working on them.  Wednesday was the day to sign up for convention at noon EST.  I had a luncheon I was in charge of at noon also but had to excuse myself and try to register.  I was in full panic mode because I couldn't get the website to cooperate plus I was on the phone with SU with a 15 minute wait.  In the meantime, Marianne and Debbie (2 of my downlines) were texting me that they had registered with no problem.  So, I ended up giving Marianne my password and info and she was finally able to get me registered.   Then I was stressing out that Ashley would not be able to get registered since she was waiting till she got to work to do it.  But it all worked out and we all got registered!!  As of this morning, registration is near capacity - and I understand that there will be 7,000 demonstrators there!!  Wow, I can't wait!!

Here are a few cards I've made that I haven't shared (I don't think!)

This card uses retired items - Eclectic Expressions (Sale-a-bration)

Love Dandelion Wishes!

The background is watercolored.  The stamp set is Enjoy Life - great sentiments!

Another Enjoy Life card with watercolor background.

This card is also Enjoy Life.  I used my square block for the background - inking it up and then spritzing with water before stamping.

Don't you love these colors - Highland Heather and Mango Medley!!  I sent this card to Ashley after she was recognized for excellent teaching in her job.  It uses the retired set, Crazy About You.

90 Candles!

I had fun making Mom's birthday card.  I had to have 90 candles on it and I did!!  It took me almost all day to make this card!!

Each panel is 6" x 6".  I used tape to adhere the panels to each other and accordian folded it.  I cut 1/2" candles out of Designer Paper and adhered them to the panels.  I stamped the flame using Broadway Birthday stamp set and stamped "happy birthday" on each panel.  

This is the card all tied up with pretty ribbon.

The front of the card.

We collected over $900 in donations for Camp Dogwood.  Camp Dogwood is a wonderful retreat for the visually impaired and blind sponsored by the North Carolina Lions Clubs.  The camp is located on Lake Norman so the campers get to go on boat rides, swim, tube, and fish.  Mom did not go to Dogwood this year because of her trip to Hawaii but she has gone the last two years and just loved it!

These are the thank you cards I made for Mom to send to her friends.

I used Share What You Love for these cards.

I used one of my favorites, Daisy Delight for these cards.

End of the Month Specials plus Party Pictures

As the end of the month is approaching (3 more days!), I wanted to remind you of the Stampin' Pad Recruiting Promotion.  During this promotion, new team members will receive a FREE assortment of Classic Stampin' Pads (your choice) with your Starter Kit!  That's an extra $67.50 of goodies.

People join Stampin' Up! for different reasons.  While some want to build a business with customers and clubs, most just want to be a part of the Stampin' Up! community and earn a discount on the products they already love.  There are so many great reasons to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Not only will you immediately receive a 20% discount on the products you love, but you're eligible to earn a bigger discount with other benefits and incentives.  The Starter Kit is just $99.  You get to choose what products you want to add to your Starter Kit AND get free shipping (plus the assortment of Stampin' Pads mentioned above.)  AND there is no commitment to ever purchase anything again!

Another promotion that will end in 3 days is the Designer Series Paper promotion.  You can get one pack of select papers FREE when you buy three packs of select papers,   Here are the ten papers that are part of this amazing promotion:

• Nature's Poem, #146338
• Twinkle Twinkle , #146284
• Under the Mistletoe, #146921
• Animal Expedition, #146902
• Best Route, #146897
• Petal Promenade, #146913
• Tranquil Textures, #146331
• Garden Impressions, #146289
• Tropical Escape, #146916
• Wood Textures, #144177

Remember, Tuesday is the LAST DAY for these offers!!

OK -  enough business - on to some fun pictures from my Mom's 90th birthday party!  She was surprised but she really enjoyed herself!

Beautiful cake from Publix

We asked for donations to Camp Dogwood (a Lions Club camp for the visually impaired.)  I decorated Mason Jars and scattered them around the tables for donations.

My brother, Lee and my daughter, Ashley.  I think they were trying to see who was the tallest!

Not 90 candles but enough that she had a hard time blowing them out!

Mom and Sally, her sister-in-law (my dad's sister.)  They don't get together nearly enough!

Mom and her niece, Candy (mom's brother's daughter)

Lee, Marianne, Mom, Me and Angela

Mom with Marianne's Girlfriend (Sharon) and Sally

The grandchildren that were present + Morgan (the future granddaughter in law)

We were missing my son, and my brother's 2 children.

Greg and Marianne, mom, me and Sonny

Mom with Candy and Mark

After the party, the family and close friends went to a local BBQ restaurant.

We didn't have a kids table at the restaurant, but most of the kids were at the end of the table - away from the old folks!

August Stamp Club

These are the cards we made at Stamp Club this month.  I was thankful to have Ashley here to help out!

I think this one was my favorite.  It uses the Handwritten background stamp (P 172) and the Daisy Delight stamp and punch (p 123).  I sponged a little of Grapefruit Grove ink over the background.  I used the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits for the little black dragonfly.

What a great use of the Tailored Tag Punch .... and a great way to use up scraps of DSP!!

I love the Varied Vases Punch!  For this card, I stamped the flowers directly onto the Crumb Cake cardstock with Versamark and embossed it with white powder.  The vases were stamped onto scrap white paper and punched out.  I love the color combination of Lemon Lime Twist and Gorgeous Grape!

I don't usually purchase the Hostess stamp sets but I fell in love with Hand Delivered (p 229) this year.  It is so versatile as you can see in the other cards below.  One of my gals needed a wedding shower card so I made this one for her to use.

Hand Delivered - birthday - I used the Stampin' Blends on the balloons.

Hand Delivered - missing you!  The dress is paper pieced with Subtles DSP stack. (p 191)

Here is another card using the Tailored Tag punch and some retired DSP.

Hopefully these cards give you some inspiration!