New Blog Banner thanks to MDS!

As you can probably see from my new Blog Banner, I have been using My Digital Studio.  I decided today that I would send myself to "self taught school."  I created the banner following an on-line tutorial that I "googled."  Following it step-by-step made it very easy to do.  My next big undertaking was to edit it in my photo-editing software.  I have Paint Shop Pro by Corel which I purchased a couple of years ago.  I have never been able to figure out how to use it.  So, today, I have been playing with it and following a bunch of tutorials I found on Corel (don't ask me how many hours!!) until I was semi-comfortable with editing, cropping, etc.  The pictures in my blog banner are what inspired me to learn all this!  I took them a few weeks ago when I went to the Botanical Gardens and I wanted to incorporate them into my blog. 

While I was playing around with MDS, I created this card.  It uses some new paper that I was able to download last month called Spring Shades.  If you have MDS, you can also download this paper.  I hope that it will be in the new catalog this summer because it is really beautiful!

More Shoebox Shares

We did 16 cards at the Shoebox Swap so I have a few more to share with you.

Marianne and I spent the better part of tonight trying to narrow down our class selections for CK Convention.  It will be held August 13-14 in Charlotte.  This will be my fourth year to go and Marianne's third.  Last year, we got a hotel and our Florida friend, Sharon, joined us.  We are going to book a hotel again this year too - so much easier than driving to Charlotte!   I was hoping my daughter would join us this year but she scheduled another event for that weekend.  I keep trying to talk Margaret into coming but so far, no luck!  There are soooo many class offerings that it makes it hard to choose!  We are eligible for early registration which starts tomorrow afternoon.  We have finally narrowed our classes down to 3 or 4 on Friday and 3 on Saturday.  That should still give us a few hours to SHOP!!

This card was designed by Gayle who lives in Statesville.  I think I will be CASE-ing this one for my club.  All four panels are embossed with a Embossing Folder run through the Big Shot.  Then we used the sanding block to rough it up and make it show up a little better.  The "happy birthday" has a portion of the Medallion stamped on it.  So simple but so nice.

This sympathy card is also embossed - with the Fifth Avenue Floral Die this time.  The leaves are ovals that we scored down the center, folded them in half and ran them through the crimper (at an angle).  We cut the flower out - from Fifth Avenue Floral.

Another die cut card - this time using the Daisy Die .... one of my favorites!   It also uses the Little Leaves Sizzlit die and the Top Note.

This card uses A Beautiful Thing.  We stamped the flowers in Orchid Opulence and Apricot Appeal to get the mosaic effect.

Another favorite!  Again ... so simple but fun.  We used Circle Circus - punching out the circles with various round punches.  The sentiment is from Crazy for Cupcakes.

This was a "two-fer" designed by Lisa Tedder.  The card on the left (with the bird) is actually a bookmark - it has magnets inside.  So it can just fit over the larger card to be mailed and you have a card and a gift!

I'll be sharing the remainder of the shoebox cards tomorrow.  Have a wonderful day!

Quarterly Shoebox Swaps - Part 1

As promised, I want to share some of the cards I made Friday night during the shoebox swap at Quarterly.

This card uses the bird punch to make the flowers and leaves and the Scallop Trim Punch.  I also love the pink ribbon!!

This palm tree is from Tropical Party stampset which you can find in the Summer Mini.  The DSP is also from the mini.

This stamp set is Dream Gardens (pg 104).  This is one of the things I love about these swaps - you can use stamps that you wouldn't normally buy.  This one is not my style but I love the card!

This was a fun technique that I had not done in a long time - marbles!  We put the marbles in a plastic box and dropped a little reinker in.  Then, tape the white cardstock to the top of the container and rock and roll the marbles!  I think my Stamp Club will love this!

Here is another stamp set I didn't even know was in the book!  But I just love the look of this card.  The stamp set is Extreme Elements (pg 81) and is one of the sets on sale during the Scrapbooking special this month. 

 This is probably my favorite card!  It uses the Bride DSP found on page 158.  The paper is white with embossed white squiggles on it.  We sponged black onto the white paper and the squgglies really pop.  The hearts are from the Hearts Embosslet Die from the Occasions Mini - hopefully, it will be in the new catalog and the Heart Punch.  Since I have a couple of wedding cards to make this month, I'll be placing an order for this paper!!

National Scrapbooking Free Items!!

May is National Scrapbooking Month  --  the perfect time for you to share your love of scrapbooking. To assist you with this adventure, Stampin'Up! is offering a Special Promotion for the month of May.  Purchase a qualifying scrapbooking stamp set OR the My Digital Studio software and receive a FREE package of Designer brads -- choose from four designs!  Take a look at the great qualifying products:

Qualifying Stamp sets : 

 Extreme Elements
Framed with Love** 
Certified** 
Circle Circus
Elements of Style*
Mementos*
Rough Type*
Sentimental Journey*
First Day *

* *From Summer Mini Catalog**Last Chance Stamp Set
 
FREE DESIGNER BRADS:
 
Flower Designer brads
Filigree Designer brads 
Circle Designer brads
Star Designer brads

To place an order, go to my demonstrator website HERE or send me an e-mail.

Summer Mini Catalog

Check out the new Summer Mini Catalog!  Click on the link on my right sidebar.  There are some great new items in there.  I've pre-ordered a couple of the sets and will be posting some cards soon.  To make your own creations with these items, contact me!!

Watch this VIDEO to see items featured in the Summer Mini Catalog.

Kernersville Quarterly Swaps

For the Kernersville SU Quarterly, I am participating in a 3-D Swap, Summer Mini Card Swap, Friday Night Shoebox Card AND a 6x6 Technique page.

This is my 3-D Swap.  I borrowed the Milk Carton Die from my friend, Judy (thanks, Judy!) and made this birdhouse for the Oriole.  I need to get some grass to put inside!

This is the card I designed for the Shoebox Swap using Tropical Party.  It is a gatefold card.

I guess I forgot to take a picture of my other swaps and they are already packed up.  I will take pictures of all the swaps when I receive them and share them when I return.

Here's some more of the beautiful flowers from the Botanical Gardens.

I want to get some of this for my front little hill.

Honeysuckle!!

More Black Magic

This weekend I will be in Kernersville for the NC Stampin' Up Demonstrators Quarterly meeting.  I am really looking forward to seeing all my fellow SU demonstrators and learning some new tricks and just having fun being creative!  I will be teaching one of the demo's on Saturday.  We will be doing the Black Magic Technique.  I have done several cards this week so they would have several samples to look at.  I taught my Texas friend, Margaret how to do it when she was visiting a few weeks ago.  She took it back to her fellow stampers and taught them how to do it this week.  So, we are all practicing a little Black Magic!!  Here are a few of the cards that I have done using the technique.

This card uses images from Garden Whimsey.

This card uses images from the new stamp set, Tropical Party.  This stamp set will be available for order MAY 1!!  Contact me if you want to place an order .... OR you can order directly from my website HERE

This is the card I will be demo-ing in Kernersville.  It uses a flower from Tropical Flower.  I love these colors - Bermuda Bay and Rich Razzleberry along with Sahara Sand and Black.

These are just two more of the same card.  I just did my white "doodles" different on each one and used a different border punch.

.

This is one of the cards Margaret made while she was here.  I just love it, don't you?

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

Yesterday I went to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont with friends.  The flowers that were blooming were just beautiful and I took tons of pictures!  There were a lot of flowers that haven't quite reached their peak yet.  I think in 2-3 more weeks, the visit would be awesome!  They are presently doing an exhibit designed to take a look at how the tradition of our outdoor space has evolved over the year called "Come Sit a Spell."   There are more than 50 chairs, rockers, benches, swings and other furniture designed by artists, companies, schools and community groups placed around the garden.  From rustic to whimsical to colorful art pieces, the exhibit includes some expected and unexpected ways to honor the tradition of the southern front porch.   This chair below was one of my favorites!  I'm a ladybug gal.

The first part of the garden was called the White Garden.  I didn't know there were so many white flowers.  It was beautiful.

  

 

The weather started out pretty cool but as the day went on, it warmed up and was very nice with high's just barely 70.  When I got home, we went out on our boat with friends of Sonny's.  I bundled up with my long johns and ski jacket.  But, after we tied up with the other boats, it was really quite warm. 

Idol loses another one

Just a quick post before I hit the sack.  I had a really busy day today which I'll tell you about tomorrow after a good night's rest.

Just wanted to touch on Idol briefly.  I was dreading all day watching the results show tonight because I didn't want anyone to be sent packing.  They were all so good last night it just wasn't fair for one to have to leave.  My feelings going in to the show was that it would be Mike .... just because.  I talked to Ashley and Marianne before watching - Ashley predicted Siobahn and Marianne hoped it would be Siobahn but thought it would be Big Mike.  Well, the bottom three were Casey, Mike and Siobahn so I knew one of us was right.  Turns out it was Ashley!  Siobahn did her final song and left tonight.  Siobahn has been the one that had me smiling every night with her quirkiness but it was starting to wear thin.  She stayed true to herself but she just took it a little too far.  Add that into her screaming at the end of her songs and I guess she was the one that had to pack it up.  That leaves one girl in the final - Crystal - who I think will win.  I am just so surprised that there is only one girl left because at the very beginning I thought the girls were the most talented and the prediction by many was that this would be a girl's year.  I'm thinking the final 2 will be Crystal and Lee but it's a toss up who will be #3!  What do you think?  Next week, the singers will be mentored by Harry Connick Jr. and perform songs from Frank Sinatra.  I like me some Harry!!

American Idol - a Tough One Tonight!

Tonight Shania Twain was the mentor.  I used to be a big fan of hers.  This should be good tonight. 

• Lee Dewyze sings You're Still the One - I like that he made this his own.  All the judges liked it.
• Mike Lynche sings It Only Hurts When I Breathe - Simon thought it was "wet" whatever that means!  Think he means it was too girly.  I liked it.
• Casey James sings Don't - This was one of Casey's best.  The judges agree.  This should keep him out of the bottom 3 this week. 
• Crystal Bowersox sings No One Needs to Know Right Now - Not her best of the season but there's nothing she can't sing!  Her boyfriend was in the audience tonight.
• Aaron Kelly sings Youve Got A Way - I was set to bash Aaron and officially pick him to go home. Not gonna happen. Aaron has been bad but he redeemed himself tonight. I think that is the best he has sounded all season. Going home? No
• Siobahn Magness sings Any Man of Mine -  She sounded good but I thought you could close your eyes and think it was Shania singing the song.  She didn't make it "her own" in my opinion.

Tonight was a tough one!  I think it's going to be a toss up as to who will be in the Bottom 3 and who will be going home.  I'm afraid it might be Big Mike.