The Golden Rule

I want to share the Monday Mailer I receive this week. We are into a new month and our theme this month is Spring. Our Monday Mailer group is in a bit of an uproar because a lot of people don't send their cards in a timely fashion and also a lot of them don't share the cards with the group and/or acknowledge that they received a card. Remember .... it is always nice to be remembered and to be told thank you and that you did a good job!! That's the Golden Rule, isn't it? "Treat Others As You Want To Be Treated"

My cards this month are from Jana who lives in Statesville. Jana just recently had a baby but she still has time to make beautiful cards! She used the set, "A Flower for All Seasons" and the new Butterfly Embosslit Die. I just got this stamp set but haven't used it yet. AND ... I finally got the Butterfly Die that was on backorder today but guess I'll have to wait till I return to use it.

37 Years and Counting

Today is our 37th anniversary!  Wow .... that seems like a long time ... well, I guess it is!  We're headed to the Outer Banks tomorrow for a little vacation so I probably won't be blogging for a few days.  Even though I grew up in NC, I have never been to the Outer Banks.  I would prefer to go during the summer so I could see the outdoor musical, The Lost Colony.  I mentioned it to Sonny last summer but he doesn't love the heat and the beach so, we're going now instead.  Hopefully, he'll like it enough that we can return during a summer one day. 

This is the card I gave him.  Time got away from me and I didn't have time to make one yesterday.  This is one I had in my "stash"!  Luckily, I hoard cards for just such occasions!

I like the way this card opens ... and I stamped my own sentiment on the inside!

Watching American Idol as I type this  (we DVR'd it).  Ryan pulled one of his tricks on the girls tonight.  He had the three girls, Siobahn, Crystal and Katie come out to center stage and then after a few suspenseful minutes, he told them they were all safe and to take a seat. 

The guys - he divided them up into 2 groups:

Group #1 - Lee, Casey, Tim - SAFE
Group #2 - Mike, Aaron, Andrew - Bottom Three

Unbelievable - Big Mike is the bottom and having to sing for his life??  America - you got it wrong!!  He is damn good and should have made it over a couple of the other guys.  Well, thank you judges for the SAVE!  We'll see Mike next week.

Top Nine on Idol

Beatles tonight ... Lennon / McCartney songs!!  Whoo Hoo!  Ashley & Marianne should be happy although don't know if Marianne is watching - she's camping in Florida for Spring Break. 

• Aaron Kelly singing "Long and Winding Road" - Not bad, but kinda boring.
• Katie Stevens singing "Let It Be" - Her best performance, I think but she needs to get the crowd into it.
• Andrew Garcia singing "Can't Buy Me Love" - Terrible - Bottom three I think.
• Mike Lynch singing "Eleanor Rigby" - Great vocals - I liked it.  He should be safe.  He is so confident on stage.
• Crystal Bowersox singing "Come Together" - One of my favorite Beatles songs!  She's just a great entertainer no matter what she's singing.  One of the accompaniments was a guy playing the didgeridoo (an Austrailian wind instrument.)
• Tim Urban singing "All My Loving"   This didn't do much for me tonight but the teeney boppers will probably save him ... again!!
• Casey James singing "Jealous Guy"  I'm not familiar with this song but it is very pretty.  I liked his performance tonight - one of his best.  Simon thought it was the best of the night.
• Siobahn Magnus singing "Across the Universe" A great vocal as usual. We didn't hear any screaming tonight and that is a good thing.  Her voice is just incredible.  She definitely has been getting advice from Lady GaGa for her outfits.  You just never know what she is going to look like from her clothes to her hair.  As Simon said, she is unpredictable.
• Lee DeWyze singing "Hey Jude"  Another favorite song for me and a great performance by Lee again.  He's gotten so much more comfortable on stage.  The guy playing the bagpipes was really interesting but I don't know that it was necessary.

One thing I loved tonight was all the contestants giving their thoughts about their fellow contestants.  They were really insightful.

Tonight is a toughie!  They were all fairly good except for a couple.  But my picks for bottom 3 are:

Tim Urban
Aaron Kelly
Andrew Garcia

I predict Andrew will go home because the Teeny Bopper vote will save the other two.  But with such a strong season, we could have an upset .... hope not though!

What say you?

New Colors!!

More info on the color shake-up.
There are four Color Collections (taking the place of Bold Bright, Earth Elements ...) with 10 colors in each.

These include five new colors:  Marina Mist , Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, early Expresso

We have 10 returning In Colors:  Tangerine Tango , River Rock , Riding hood red , Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze , Pink Pirouette, Pacific Point ,Melon Mambo , Soft Suede & Rich Razzleberry
 

Stampin' Up Color Renovation

I'm excited to share with you the news regarding the Stampin' Up! Color Renovation!!

29 colors are retiring but not to worry.....some of our past In Colors are returning (I want to insert my excitement here but I'll hold off).  These In Colors will be in the new collections:

Pink Pirouette
Melon Mambo
Rich Razzleberry
Pacific Point
Baja Breeze
Wild Wasabi
River Rock
Tangerine Tango
Riding Hood Red
Soft Suede

Stampin' Up! has done a wonderful job of introducing all the facts about the Color Renovation. And.....what I want to focus on first is the retiring colors. I'm pretty sure they'll be while supplies last. So, if you have a favorite....you might want to order it soon.

I've created a nice sheet for you to show you what color is retiring in each Color Family.  Click HERE to see the info.

I'll post more as I know it!

New Downloads for MDS

There are the several new downloads available today for My Digital Studio!!  I have listed some of them below.  Other include the Bird Punch, Extra Large Flower Punch (from the Occasions Mini), the Medium Jewelry Tag Punch, Pinking Hearts punches and Scallop Trim punches.  You can shop for these on my SU

website or by contacting me directly.

Rough Type Stamp (above)

Well Scripted Stamp

Vintage Vogue Stamp

Vintage Overlay Stamp

My Digital Studio Downloads

I've been playing around with My Digital Studio.  It is so much fun!  I recently purchased a few of the new downloads that are available for MDS.  I got Corduroy Buttons, the Sweet Pea Kit, Satin Ribbon, some new Spring Shades DSP (not even for sale yet!), and some Mini Project Boxes.  Tomorrow I hope to play around with the boxes.  Here are a couple of cards I made with MDS.

I love this monochromatic card and the way I could make the edges look torn!

This is a square card - pretty simple but I was just looking for a simple Easter card.

If you are interested in knowing more about MDS, contact me.  Or ... if you already have MDS and want some of these great downloads to complement the program, you can purchase and download them from my website HERE.  

Easter Baskets - Hope your Easter was good

I hope your Easter was wonderful.  We had a beautiful day here in North Carolina.  My mom and sister, Angela, came over about noon.  We sat outside on the deck visiting and enjoying the day while our ham was cooking.  We had a nice lunch  and the Easter Bunny visited everyone (but me!)  I made little baskets for everyone with candy inside. 

I kinda miss dyeing Easter eggs.  That was always a tradition with me and my kids.  They had so much fun using the wax crayons and rub-ons that would come with the Paas dye packs.  We would do the eggs the day before Easter.  Then, they would leave the eggs out for the Easter Bunny to hide for them the next morning.  After we came home from church, I would make up some reason to stall them in the house while Sonny scurried around in the yard hiding the eggs (or vice versa.)  What great memories of them running around finding all the hiding places ... and of us counting the ones they found to make sure none were hidden too well!!

This is the basket I made for my friend Judy.  I used the Scallop Envelope Sixxiz Die and the retired DSP, Night & Day.

Here is the basket I made for Sonny.  I used some retired SU DSP also and a template for the Rounded Box that I found on Splitcoast Stampers.

Mom's basket uses the So Saffron Pattern Pack paper from a retired stack and the chick from "The Good Egg"

On Angela's basket, I made a crumpled paper flower along with Easter paper that I bought locally.

Picture Perfect Card Challenge #6

I almost forgot the challenge from Picture Perfect Creations this week!  Today was the last day so I was able to get this card done in record time. 

Do you ever make a card and get it all put together only to discover all your pieces are glued down to a card that opens backwards???  Well, I do that a lot it seems.  Today I did it twice and this was one of the cards I did it to.  Then I have to get out my faithful, Undu and take everything apart and redo it!  I just need to slow down. 

The color combo this week wasn't my favorite, but I did the best I could. 

My card base is Dusty Durango.  I made my own background paper!  I stamped the Very Vanilla piece on the bottom with stamps from Boho Backgrounds in Mellow Moss and Dusty Durango.  The top piece is Mellow Moss stamped in Always Artichoke.  The rectangle is Very Vanilla stamped with Boho Backgrounds in Dusty Durango and the Always bird in Mellow Moss.  It is matted with Always Artichoke and Dusty Durango.

Happy Easter

Have a wonderful Easter!