Monday Mailers

Just a quick post before I head out to play cards today!

I haven't shared the Monday Mailers I have received this month.  They are great cards!  Our theme for February is to use any item in the Mini Catalog or SAB Catalog so I have been getting lots of good ideas from the cards!!

Did you notice the "I've Been Published" on my side post?  Well, I was approached by Papers and Pixels  (an onlinecrafting  magazine) last August to write an article or a tutorial for them.  With us being in Texas in August and again in December, I put it off until after the first of the year to give me time to come up with something.  I decided to do a calendar tutorial using My Digital Studio.  The magazine covers a wide range of crafting projects - digital, paper crafting, scrapbooking, etc.  Subscription rates are very reasonable at $12.00 per year, or $1.50 per issue.  The back editions, September 2010 through August 2011, are available for free, and you can purchase the September 2011 through January 2012 editions individually for only $1.50 each. Here’s the link to subscribe to Papers and Pixels Online Magazine: http://www.papersandpixels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=890   My article appears on page 97 if you decide to purchase a copy. 

Here are a few of the cards we are making this month during the February Club.



This card is a Wow and so easy.  It uses Mixed Bunch and the Blossom Punch from the Occasions Mini catalog.

This is another easy one.  It uses the Twitterpated DSP along with the Stripes Embossing Folder which you can get for FREE during Saleabration.  The colors are Blush Blossom and Island Indigo.

And here's another great one.  This uses several items from the Occasions catalog -  the Apothecary stamp,the Framelits Labels Die and the Adorning Accents Edgelits Die.  (The ribbon is retired.)

Hope you have a great week!

Drier Sheets

I had my Stamping Club last Thursday and was busy preparing for it.  My Tuesday group meets this week.  Those dates threw me off!  My clubs meet on the 3rd Tuesday & 3rd Thursday.  Well, this month (and next), the 3rd Thursday comes before the 3rd Tuesday!  We did two cards together and then I had optional cards for them to choose from.

I taught the Drier Sheet Technique and they loved it!  Half of the group did the card using Lovely As A Tree and the other half did the card using Easy Events.

• Using White Craft Ink, stamp a small leaf background all over Night of Navy card.  Set aside to DRY!
• Using Labels Die and the Big Shot, cut out Labels in Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy and the SU Adhesive Sheets.
• Stamp birds from Easy Events onto white card stock and color with markers.
• Using Labels Die, cut out the white bird label.
• Adhere SU Adhesive Sheet  on TOP of the stamped image.
• Peel off the top protective sheet & adhere a USED drier sheet on top.  Trim the edges. 
•  Pour glitter on top of the drier sheet using your fingers to rub it in.
• Stamp sentiment on white scrap and punch out with Oval Punch.  Adhere red rhinestone.

This card uses the same technique.  The colors I used are River Rock and Night of Navy.

 I realized today that I never posted my Stamping Queens Sketch on Wednesday.  It's funny - I wrote a post with the intention of posting the card.  I was watching TV at the time and I guess I got distracted because I now see that I posted one of the cards for Stamp Club!!  See - I tell you, I'm losing it!!  


I used My Digital Studio to create this card.  But, you could make it without MDS.  It uses the DSP and one of the stamps from Saleabration, Everyday Enchantment and  Fresh Vintage.  I used Calypso Coral card stock for the base.

 Here is another card using Fresh Vintage.  This is a very simple card to make:

It is a white on white card.  I used my Corner Rounder Punch on the top layer.  The flower is stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  The trim on the bottom is stamped and embossed in Gold.  A great sympathy card or you could change the colors and ribbon and make it bright and colorful for a birthday or other occasion.

 I

Spice Cake Flower from Sale-a-Bration

How do you like my blog background and banner?  Just proves how much I love the DSP from the Sale-a-Bration catalog, Everyday Enchantment.   I used My Digital Studio to make both of them.

There are so many creative ways to make flowers.  For this card, I made the flower like the one that is in the Sale-a-Bration catalog on page 11.  I found a tutorial for the flower on Jackie Topia's blog.  You have to do a little sewing, but it is worth it for this great flower! 



I used fabric from Spice Cake.  It coordinates with the More Mustard, Pool Party and Soft Suede cardstock. 

Now I want to get the Flirtatious fabric from the Sale-a-Bration catalog - FREE - and make a Melon Mambo flower!! 

Hope you are having a good weekend. It was really cold here today.  I don't think it got out of the 30s and the wind went right through you.  I don't think tomorrow is going to be much warmer either.  But afterall, it is February!  Sonny and I went to the movies today to see Man On A Ledge.  It was pretty good - very suspenseful.  We had started out to see Safe House but we got the time wrong and arrived too late.  So, guess we'll try next week to see it.  Tomorrow we are going to see the Charlotte Checkers (hockey team) play in downtown Charlotte.  This will be our first hockey game of the season this year.

Limeade Sprinkled Expressions

This is one of the cards that I made yesterday.  I just love it!  This will be perfect for St. Patrick's Day, don't you think?  I CASE'd the idea from a display from Leadership. 

What is so great is that most of the items used to create this card you can get for FREE!  The stamp, ribbon, DSP, and Card Stock are all from the Sale-a-Bration Catalog !!  The stamp set I used is Sprinkled Expressions. I usually don't like solid stamp sets like this one because I have a hard time getting a good impression.  But so far, so good - this set has not given me a minute of trouble - great impression every time.

Supplies used:

• Stamp:  Sprinkled Expressions (Sale-a-Bration pg. 8)
• Cardstock:  Lucky Limeade and Pool Party cardstock (Sale-a-Bration pg 15), Whisper White, Everyday Enchantment DSP (Sale-a-Bration pg. 9)
• Accessories:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, Ticket Corner Punch, Everyday Enchantment Limeade Ribbon (Sale-a-Bration pg. 8)

So if you want to get the FREE items to make a card like mine, contact me today.

Stamping Queens Sketch 23

It's Wednesday and time for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  Again I made my card using My Digital Studio because it is so quick and easy ... and it looks pretty good too!

This card uses Pool Party cardstock and a stamp overlay on top of the Pool Party.  I used the stamp set found in the Sale-a-Bration Catalog on page 15 - Elementary Elegance.  I love this stamp - so elegant looking.

Check out what the rest of the Queens made HERE

Elementary Elegance .... Again!

Once again, I used Elementary Elegance to create a card.  Don't forget - this is one of the sets available for FREE during Sale-a-bration!

close up of the stamp and daisy flower

It is hard to see in the picture, but I stamped the frame from Elementary Elegance in white and embossed it in white on a Vanilla square.   I punched the middle piece with Curly Label punch and stamped "Hello".  The little bird is stamped in Marina Mist and cut out .... very carefully!  I used the Daisy Die and punched out the daisy in Vanilla, folded it over and adhered it to the corner of the square.  Then I put a Vanilla Rosette on top of it.  The card base is Sahara Sand and I used a sponge dauber on the edges.  There are two strips of Crumb Cake Seam Binding glued down.  In the middle of them is a piece of Marina Mist Satin Ribbon that I pleated.

January Club Cards

My Stamp Clubs met this week.  I had fun designing Valentines and a couple of birthday cards for them to work on.  One of the gals requested a birthday card for a friend who has a Leap Year birthday.  Wouldn't that be weird - to have a real birthday every four years?   If you are born on a Leap Year, do you get your driver's license on February 28th or March 1st?  I found out that it is decided by each state.  Anyway, I looked through my stamps trying to decide what would be an appropriate card for a Leap Year person.  I found the retired set that has clocks I could stamp for the background.  I made the card real vintage-y and distressed the edges.

This uses a set from Saleabration (starts next Tuesday!)  and was really easy and quick to make.  We embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder.  The scalloped edge uses the Edgelits Dies from the Occasions Mini (pg. 7).  The red ribbon is retired but I love it on this card.

This was a Shaker Valentine.  I used the Peekaboo Die and the Big Shot to make the shaker part.  When it is closed, there are two hearts on top. 



More new products!  The stamp set is found on pg. 14 of the Occasions Mini, Take It to Heart.  A great set!  the "Love" is from a retired set as is the strawberries (Tart & Tangy).  There is a new set in the mini catalog with a chocolate strawberry (pg. 8, P.S.I Love You) but I don't have that set an still had Tart & Tangy.  We used Crystal Effects and a brown marker to make the chocolate.  Also the hearts can be punched out either with the Heart Punch OR the new Hearts Framelits Die.

 

This is my favorite because of the DSP from Saleabration!  Love it!  The stamp set is Build A Cupcake and I used the Cupcake Punch to make it easy.  The frames that the cupcakes are on are the new Labels Framelits Die.  The card is Calyso Coral which I don't think I have ever used! 



Sketch Challenge 22

Every Tuesday I get excited to check the Stampin' Up website to see what the latest My Digital Studio releases are.  They usually don't disappoint me. Yesterday's selection included "Sweet Shop" design kit and the "Labels Collection" punches.  The punches coordinate with one of Stampin' Up's new Framelits collection of dies and I love them.   So of course, I had to download the new releases and while I was at it, looked back for a few weeks and found some other goodies that I had to have!  Of course, all this was done last night around 11 pm.  Then I set about to make my card for the Stamping Queens Challenge using some of my newest "toys".  I had the card done and was in bed by midnight!  That is how quick and easy My Digital Studio is!

This card uses the Designer Paper from the Saleabration catalog - Everyday Enchantment.  This is one of my favorite papers and I know I will be ordering several packets!   The stamp set is from the Mini Catalog - Tea Shoppe.  Don't you just love that saying by Louisa May Alcott???  Even though I created this card using MDS, you can easily recreate it yourself using paper and stamps.  Give it a try or come up with your own creation using this week's sketch.

I Made A Quilt!!

Well .... a Quilt Card!  My sister is the quilt maker in the family.  I followed a tutorial over on Splitcoast Stampers for making a quilted card and was quite pleased with the end result!

I used pieces of DSP from the Saleabration catalog and Tangerine Tango, Pink Passion (retired) and Tempting Turquoise cardstock.  The ribbon is also from Saleabration.  After putting the "quilt" together, I ran it through the Big Shot with the Finial Press embossing folder.

Here is a picture of my fishermen!  They went out on Lake Norman on our boat on Friday but didn't even get a bite so they didn't have any fish on their lines to show you!

I got a call yesterday from the Red Cross about going to Alabama  for two weeks to help out with the storm damage.  They need about 80 people to be case workers.  They wanted me to leave on Wednesday (today) for two weeks.  I have an obligation on Saturday at Stampers Alley so I was not able to leave that soon.  I told them I could be available on Sunday so we will see if they need me or not.  I would really love to be able to help.  There are so many people that were affected by those tornadoes.  Our Red Cross office here in Lake Norman was already deployed to the eastern part of NC from the tornadoes that we had here a couple of weeks ago.

March Stamp Club

My Stamp Club met last Thursday and we made three cards. 

This one uses the reinker technique that was so popular last year.  I let them choose their colors and do 4-5 flowers.  We used two of the flowers on this card and they took the other two home to make another card (I hope!!).  This just makes the most elegant card.  I was surprised that no one order this Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set.  I think it is such a versatile stamp. 

Stamps:  Fifth Avenue Floral, Cute By the Inch
Cardstock:  Pumpkin Pie, Barely Banana, Always Artichoke, Shimmery White
Accessories:  Orange Ribbon, Bird Punch (leaves); Scallop Punch; 1 1/4" square punch; Manhattan Flower embossing folder; Big Shot

This card was CASE'd from Brenda at QBee's Quest.  This turned out to be a little bit too much for my gals even though I did most of the work before they got here.  I had the all the cardstock precut and scored; even stamped the owls so they just had to punch them out.  The middle fold uses stickers from a retired Scrappin' Kit.  They just had to stamp the "celebrate" on the back and the Take a Spin on the front plus the arrow.  It's just hard for me to "dumb it down" sometimes but I'm learning!!

Stamps:  Take A Spin; Party Hearty; Punch Bunch (SAB)

This is the third card that we did.  I gave them a choice of this card or the next one.  Most chose this one.  Again, I precut all the squares for them so they just had to glue them down and stamp and emboss.   It was a good one to use up a lot of scraps - some retired and some current.

Stamps:  Fifth Avenue Floral, Warm Words

Cardstock:  Concord Crush; Melon Mambo, Dusty Durango, Kiwi Kiss; Bermuda Bay; Whisper White

Access:  Corduroy Button; Silver Embossing Powder, Versamark

Aren't these little birds just the cutest?  This is one of the stamp sets that you can get with Sale-a-bration for FREE!  Actually, my daughter got this one last month and is letting me use it.  The flower in the corner is also from Sale-a-Bration - it is a sticker from the Ice Cream Parlor kit.

Stamps:  Happy Together

Cardstock:  Whisper White; DSP (In Color pack, pg. 175)

Accessories:  Corner Punch; sticker from Ice Cream Parlor Scrappin Kit (SAB)

Final Feb Monday Mailers

I am going to be sad not to receive Monday Mailers from Beth Fox any more.  She sent me some wonderful cards!  The card she sent me this week uses my favorite color combo - pink, green, blue.  I'll be CASE'ing it soon - maybe even for my club this month.

 

Beth sent me a note telling me her 7 year old daughter added the bling on the photo corners while she wasn't looking!  A future stamper in the making!  The stampset is the single stamp - Elizabeth

 

 This is the card I sent to Beth.  I love these colors together (Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Poppy Parade ribbon).  I stamped the image from Bliss in white on the blue and embossed it.  The bird is stamped in Pacific Point on white paper.  I used the Beveled Windowpanes to frame the bird.  The Daffodil piece is scallop punched and embossed with Elegant Lines die and the Big Shot.

I got a big shipment this week and I have to share the boxes Stampin' Up is using for Sale-a-bration!  

 

Going to the Birds

I made a couple of cards last night while watching TV.  One of the stamp sets I picked up locally last week and the other one is a Stampin' Up set that belongs to Ashley.  It is one of the stamps that you can get FREE during Saleabration!!

I bought a card making magazine this week at M's that I have been wanting and used it tonight for my color choices.  I usually pick my colors with SU's Color Coach which I love!!  But decided to try something different tonight.  Picking my colors is what usually takes me the longest time in making cards!!

The magazine along with my two bird cards

 

 I just realized that I haven't stamped the chain for the birdcage in the center!  Glad I saw it.  The colors I used for this card are mostly retired SU - Brilliant Blue, Cool Caribbean and Chocolate Chip & Certainly Celery (not ret'd). I also used the Modern Label Punch.

This card also uses some retired colors - Brilliant Blue, Gable Green, and YoYo Yellow.  It's funny - I hardly used these colors when they were part of our color family and now I am drawn to them.  Aren't these little birdies cute?  The stamp set is Happy Together.

I'm taking my mom shopping today and out to lunch.  Keep your fingers crossed that I don't buy too much!  We are going to a place in China Grove that has overstocks and that type of deals.  They only open a few times a year with some pretty good buys.  I have only been once before and ended up spending more that mom and I didn't even want to go!!  I did get a pair of black jeans from Coldwater Creek for a steal.  I would love to find another deal like that.  Last time there was also a shoe warehouse open for a limited time across the street and of course, I had to buy a pair of suede boots!

Take A Spin

Before I went out of town, I received some new goodies from Stampin' Up.  I didn't have a lot of time to play with them and that's what I'm hoping to do today (before or after cleaning house????)  I did make one card and as is par for the course for me, I adhered it to the base card backwards.  I can't even count the number of times I do that!  Luckily, for this card, it really didn't matter!

Here is how it was supposed to look like but the fold is at the bottom of the card:

But this is how it actually is (with the fold at the top):

Pretty neat that you can just turn it around and it still works!

I think this set will be an easy one to work with for birthdays, congrats, etc.  The set is in the Occasions Mini and is called Take A Spin.  I punched the white circle piece out with the new 2 1/2" Circle Punch (pg 11).  I colored the white circle piece with my markers.  The DSP is from the Sale-A-Bration catalog as are the ribbon and buttons .... free is always good!  The spinners are ordered separately - for $4 you get 12 spinners.  Isn't this a cheerful card?

Join the Family!

Did you miss the big Stampin' Up sign-up bonus offered a few months ago?  Are you still thinking of joining the Stampin' Up family?  Well, here's another great deal for you!

Any new demonstrator who joins during Sale-A-Bration (January 25 - March 31) will not only receive 15 percent off their Starter Kit, but will also receive a special Bonus Bundle of products valued up to $50!   The following items will be included in your Starter Kit (whether it's the standard kit or the Digital+ Starter Kit):

Item	Page	Description
121620	165	Color Coach (or multiple languages Color Coach)
120806	183	Something Special Simply Sent (or any Simply Sent kit)
117114	183	Live, Laugh, Love Stamp Set (or any Simply Sent Stamp Set valued at $12.95 or less)
119883	202	Heart to Heart Punch (or any punch valued at $17.95 or less)

These items will automatically appear on the Online IDA Starter Kit order form, where new recruits will have the option to make substitutions. New recruits who use the paper IDA will need to write any bundle substitutions at the top of their Starter Kit order forms.

So if this sounds like something you are interested in, contact me and we can get started signing you up!!

Last Chance for Holiday Mini

YAY!!  Steelers made it to the play-offs!!  And we get a bye next week to rest our players.  Our first play-off game will be Saturday, Jan. 15th.

REMINDER!!  11 PM Central Time (midnight / EST) on MONDAY, JAN. 3 IS THE LAST DAY TO ORDER YOUR SUPPLIES OUT OF THE HOLIDAY MINI CATALOG!!  DON'T MISS OUT... did you get all the buttons, designer paper, stamps and accessories you want!?

I am so excited about our New Occasions Mini Catalog!  Just when you think it can't get any better Stampin' Up does it again!   And on top of that we have Sale-A-Bration  - our biggest sale of the year - starting the end of the month!   Free stamps, papers and accessories with each $50.00 purchase (before shipping and tax)!    This is definitely my favorite time of the year to purchase SU products so call or email me to schedule your workshop and receive all those FREEBIES!

Happy St Patty's Day & 2 Monday Mailers

(This is posted late because I just realized it didn't get posted when it should have!!)


Happy Saint Paddy's Day to you all!  These are the cookies I made for my Mahjong group and this is what I have left!  I doubled the recipe because the single recipe said SIX Servings!  I think I would have been fine without doubling because these will be gone by Friday .... in mine & Sonny's stomach!  Although I'm having Stamp Club tomorrow so I'll tempt them with the cookies too!

Here's the recipe for the cookies .... they are really good and easy!

IRISH SHAMROCK COOKIES

1/2 C butter, softened (I used a Crisco Shortening Stick)

1 3-oz package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 1/3 C baking mix (Jiffy, Bisquick)

1 egg

1 T white sugar

• 
  
  Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease baking sheet. 
• 
  
  Cream together shortening (or butter) and pudding mix.  Blend in baking mix, egg, and sugar.  Mix well.
• 
  
  On lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 3/8" thickness & cut into cookies with cookie cutter.
• 
  
  Place cookies on prepared baking sheet & bake 9-10 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.  Let cookies cook on rack.  Frost with green icing.

Now for my Monday Mailer cards!  Here is the card I made and mailed to my partner.

I found the pattern for this egg in the March CardMaker magazine.  All supplies for the card are from Stampin' Up.  The DSP is from the Good Neighbor pack that is in the Saleabration Catalog.  I ran all the pieces plus the white square through my Big Shot with the SU Texture Plate.  The felt flower and leaf are in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  The cardstock is Melon Mango and Bermuda Bay.  I love the White Satin Ribbon!!  "happy easter" is from the Abundant Hope set in the Occasions Catalog.

Here is the card I received today! 

Isn't it great?  She embossed the cardstock with the Texturz Plate and I think she inked her plate yellow when she ran it through the Big Shot.  The butterflies are from the Occasions Mini - Embosslets.  I have to get those butterflies - they are on backorder right now though. 

Picture Perfect Challenge

I promised you a card today!  I found a new blog today that was offering a challenge so I took the challenge!

I decided to work those colors into an Easter card.  Here is what I came up with:

This stamp set is part of a clear set from Inky Antics that I forgot I had!!  I used my Nestabilities ovals for the bunny.  The black scallops are from the Scallop Trim Punch in the Saleabration Catalog.

Don't forget .... only a couple more weeks to get FREE items from the Saleabration catalog.  It will be all over March 30!!

Snow, Snow Go Away! Plus A Punchy Bunny

I took this picture yesterday about noon.  The snow was coming down fast and furious.  All day, we would have snow for about an hour and then nothing for a few hours, then the snow would start back up.  When I went to bed, it was just raining.  Luckily, there was nothing this morning in our yard so I was able to get out and drive today.

This is the card I made for my Monday Mailer this week:

Isn't he cute?  He was fun to make but I don't know that I will make another one!!  I found this bunny on another blog - sorry don't remember who's!!  But, thanks for the inspiration!!

Stamps- A Good Egg

Punches:  
Ears-Small Oval
Head-Heart
Nose - 1/4" circle
Eyes, Paws -Two-Step Bird  
Overalls-Slot and Small Tag
Body-Curly Label
Fence-Jewelery Tag

I used the flowers from the Sizzix Die, Little Leaves for the foilage.  The DSP for the fence is from the Hostess set, Patterns Pack III  and the cloud background is from the Good Neighbors pack in the Saleabration catalog.  I used the Scallop Trim Border punch (free from Saleabration) on the cloud paper.

Stained Glass

March 1!  Maybe spring is coming soon ... although snow is predicted here tomorrow.  Sonny's Shooting Group has already canceled and we've gone to the grocery to stock up on our bread and milk!  (that's a joke)

I made a Stained Glass Card tonight ... or at least that's what it reminded me of.  I used the Lattice Sizzix Die Cut (from SU), the Top Note Die and the Butterfly Punch.  The DSP paper is from the Welcome Neighbor pack in the Saleabration catalog.  This is the final month to get a FREE stamp from Saleabration.  Don't let it pass you by.