Stamp Queens Sketch

Today is the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  Here is today's sketch:

I did my card with My Digital Studio and it was super easy using punches.  I filled the three circle punches with DSP from the Storytime Kit.  The background paper is also from the Storytime Kit as is the Owl image and the rulers.

I love this kit.  I'm making a special book for my grandson for his birthday with this kit.  I'll be sharing it with you next month when I finish it.

This is the last month that Cristena will be heading up our Stamping Queens team.  I'm not sure what changes will be made to the program but one of our NC gals is taking over the team, Pam Staples.  She's a great SU demonstrator and very creative so I'm sure she has some good ideas for the team. 

Shoebox Swaps

Today is the day when the annual flight of the Stampin' Up demonstrators begin to flock to Utah for Convention. This year I am not among those winging their way to the Salt Palace. (boo hoo)  I will try not to whine too much since it was a choice I made.  I hope to go next year though!   Instead I will try and console myself with stamping and being productive.  My friend and roomie from last year is going to convention tomorrow.  She has busted her butt this past year building her business and I think it will pay off for her.  She has earned the trip to Fuji!! plus she told me she has gotten a couple of letters from SU that she has earned rewards this year and will be walking on stage.  I can't wait to hear what she is being rewarded for.

In the meantime, here are a couple of the Shoebox Swaps I did last Saturday.  Even though we only paid $5 for the event (plus gas & lunch), this swap is going to cost me.  We used several stamp sets that are now on my "must have" list.  This next one is one of them.  It is also on Marianne's list too.  We both love this card.



Shape Card Open (by Kathy Hunt)



Shape Card closed.

We used the Labels Framelits and the Big Shot to create the card.  The back piece is creased so it will open easily.  But the stamp set is what I love.  It is Stippled Blossoms (two step stamp).  We stamped the outline image in full strength Primrose Petals and the inside image in Primrose Petals that was stamped off.  The green leaves were done the same way.  The sentiment is Perfectly Penned - another great stamp set. 



Thoughts and Prayers by Amy Pennell

Luckily, I have this stamp set .... Thoughts and Prayers.  But I don't have the Apothecary Framelits!!  (on the list though.)  We punched out the flowers with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack with a tad of glue in the center and glitter.

Petite Pocket Die Card

Marianne and I had a great time in Greensboro Saturday at the Shoebox Swap.  We made 12 great cards and enjoyed the fellowship of some great ladies.  We left the house bright and early Saturday morning and got to the Shoebox Swap right at 9 a.m. - just in time! 

This is the card that Marianne created.  I was so proud of her!  She made her decision super quick Friday night.  It usually takes her forever to make a decision on what to create but this time, it didn't.  She used the Petite Pocket Die on the card.  This would be a great card to slip a gift card in or just a little note to slide out.  The cute flower is from Button Buddies and she used one of the new Dahlias for the center.

Ingredients:
Cardstock:  Elegant Eggplant, Wild Wasabi, White, DSP In Color Patterns Stack
Ink:  Versamark, Wisteria Wonder
Access:  Petite Pocket Die, Elegant Eggplant Dotted Ribbon, Bird Punch, Dahlias, Scallop Punch, Corner Rounder

After I played bridge today, I stopped by Mom's to pick her up and take her to Physical Therapy.  I was so happy to see how good she was doing.  Maybe we have turned the corner on her back stuff.  She has slacked off a lot on her pain pills and she wasn't using the walker!  Hip Hip Hooray!!  Her birthday is next week so maybe this is a big gift for her!

Clear Mount Stamp Tips

These guides are great for your clear blocks!    They come in two 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheets. You can use them on any of  your clear stamping blocks to help your postilion your stamped images perfectly.

They are reposition-able and washable. The guides include eight die-cut guides sized for blocks, D, E, F, H, and I, and three guides you cut to customize.

Straight, angled, and curvy lines on the guides help you easily line up sentiments, images, and repeated patterns.  I remove the guides and wash them with the blocks in dish soap. Then I rinse them and dry them and position them back on the blocks. They cling beautifully and the stamps cling to them beautifully too.
They are especially great with words.  Place the stamp on a line on the block and when you stamp, use the lines on the block to line up the bottom and sides of the card stock for great placement every time.
It’s easiest to attach the guides to the bottom of the block and then attach the stamp to the bottom – this avoids distortion. The greatest thing to do is use them for lining up two or more stamps on the same block together! They are easier and faster than the Stamp-a-ma-jig (although the Stamp a ma jig is one of my favorite tools.).   A Must Have!

Item # 121785 – $5.95 – you can order yours now!

Some customers have complained that the Cling Mount Stamps do not cling well.  Here is my solution to that:
 
1) make sure your blocks and the back of the stamps are clean. After using them frequently, you will get body oil on the surface and this reduces the cling. Just use the Stampin’ Scrub to clean the blocks and the backs of the stamps. You can also wipe them with an ALCOHOL FREE baby wipe or a damp cloth dipped in dish soap. Be sure to rinse the soap off the blocks or stamps before using.
2) Huff on the back of the block before sticking the stamp onto the block. This will create a layer of moisture to help seal the two together.
3) Place the stamp face down on the work surface and the place the block on top of the stamp and press gently, holding for a second or two. Pick up the block and press on the side of the stamp to make sure they are firmly attached together
4) When using a large stamp or when using Versa Mark or Craft Ink change the way you ink the stamp. Place the block on the table with the stamp face up. Hold the stamp pad in your hand and pounce it on to the stamp. This works great, also, to make sure that you are getting full coverage on the large stamps.
I seldom have any problems if I follow the steps above. BUT, there’s always an exception so here are two more tips that will solve the problem.
5) Rub the stamp and or the block on the back of your sleeve or pant leg to build some static electricity before attaching them.This really helps if the block is cold.
6) You can use a very light layer of Tombow glue (or Aleen's Tack It Over and Over) on the back of the Stamp – let it dry and it will be very tacky – It will stick perfectly.


So now that you know how to work your clear mount stamps, how about a card?  Marianne and I are going to Greensboro tomorrow for a NC Demos Non-Convention Goers gathering.  There will be 12 of us there and we are going to all do a Shoebox Swap.  Here is the card I am doing:

 I tell you, I am in love with the Postage Due stamp!!  This time, I stamped it in River Rock.  I just realized that I did not post the card with the latest changes.  I punched out the sentiment "Sending You Love" with the Itty Bitty Banners die (stamped using Cajun Craze ink) and adhered it in the top right.  I also stamped one of the postage stamps in Cajun Craze too to add a little pop to the card.  The other stamp is in Always Artichoke.

Marianne is doing a really cute card using the Petite Pocket Die.  I'll snap it tomorrow to share with you.

Well, better sign off and head on in to bed.  Marianne's already in the guest room asleep.  Sammie does not know what to do.  She usually sleeps in that bedroom on the twin bed closest to the window.  She sleeps on a pink blanket that I have folded up on the bottom of the bed and I noticed tonight that it is practically black from her fur!!  She keeps wandering in and out of the room where Marianne is but now she has settled outside the door.  At night, she starts out sleeping in our bedroom but leaves sometime during the night and I think goes in the guest room to sleep.  Who knows where she will end up tonight?!

Smoothies for You

 Try these smoothies!  They are good for you too!



Blueberry-Banana Smoothie
Makes 3 (3/4-cup) servings
Using almond butter boosts protein and gives this smoothie a rich, almost chocolaty flavor.

   Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened frozen blueberries
• 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain, or vanilla, yogurt (can use silken tofu)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter)
• 1 tsp honey

Add all ingredients to blender. Cover and blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately.

Per serving:
   190 calories, 7 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 31 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 70 mg sodium, 5 g protein *5.5 (4)

Peachy Almond Smoothie
Makes 3 (3/4-cup) servings
For extra body and fiber, ground oatmeal is used.  You can use a variety of fresh berries and stone fruits.

   Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp rolled oats
• 3 ice cubes
• 2 cups sliced fresh peaches (or nectarines or strawberries)
• 1 cup almond milk (or 1% milk; I like the SF almond milk)
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey

Place the rolled oats in the blender and blend until oats are finely ground.  Place in small bowl and set aside. Place the ice cubes in the blender and crush.  Add the peaches (or other fruit), almond milk (or 1% milk), lemon juice, honey and the reserved rolled oats.  Cover and blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately.

Per serving:
   80 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 17 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 50 mg sodium, 2 g protein *2.5 (1.5)

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Add-ins
To increase your fiber, try adding flaxseed to your smoothie (1 tbsp adds 1.6 g fiber).
To increase your calcium, try adding nonfat dry milk powder to your smoothie (1 tbsp adds 62 mg).
To increase your protein, try adding whey powder (1 tbsp vanilla-flavored whey protein powder adds 4 g).
~~~Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter



 Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Mirror, mirror on the wall
Do you have to tell it all?
Where do you get the glaring right
To make my clothes look just too tight?
I think I'm fine but I can see you
won't cooperate with me;
The way you let the shadows play
You'd think my hair was getting gray
What's that, you say? A double chin?
No, that's the way the light comes in;
If you persist in peering so
You'll confiscate my facial glow,
And then if you're not hanging straight
You'll tell me next I'm gaining weight;
I'm really quite upset with you
For giving this distorted view;
I hate you being smug and wise -
O, look what's happened to my thighs!
I warn you now, O mirrored wall,
Since we're not on speaking terms at all,
If I look like this in my new jeans
You'll find yourself in smithereens!!!

  ~~~Author Unknown

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Sketch Challenge 47

I can't believe that we are already on Sketch Challenge #47!!  I really enjoy these challenges and doing them with My Digital Studio.  It stretches me to come up with different interpretations each week.  This week I actually did two cards for the challenge.  It was a fun sketch.



Tea Time II kit

Most of the creating work I did for this card used embellishments from Tea Time II digital kit. Embellishments in My Digital Studio can be elements you'd normally think of: brads, ribbon, buttons, but they are also beautiful digital images that can be moved and/or made smaller and layered to create beautiful additions to your cards and pages. I'm so excited about My Digital Studio II (which is coming soon!) because they will be adding the ability to color embellishments, too!

This MDS card uses DSP from the Summer Smooches.  The stamps are from Mouthwatering.  This would be easy to re-create with paper and stamps too.

Check out what the other Queens made this week using this sketch HERE.

Pleasant Poppies

I just love the colors in this card!  The Pleasant Poppies stamp is a single stamp with so much potential!  This is just one of the cards that I created with it.  

I stamped the poppies in black ink and colored them with my markers using mostly Soft Subtle colors.  I originally had stamped them and tried coloring them with darker colors but didn't like the look.  I prefer these soft colors - So Saffron, Baja Blue and Pink Pirouette.  I matted the Whisper White onto Black and adhered that to the Marina Mist.  I used a retired ribbon in Marina Mist to tie around the card.  I really miss the wide grosgrain ribbon! 

I played Bridge today ... had a little better cards today than I had last time but still nothing to write home about.  It was a fun day with friends though.  Today I am taking my Mom to yet another doctor!  But this time it is to Dr. Allen, her regular doctor for her 6-month check up.  He had wanted to see her after she saw the neurologist so I'll be killing 2 bird with 1 stone at least.  She started her Physical Therapy today and Angela said they had her in tears.  I'm sure but she needs to start moving around more.  She'll do PT twice a week.  Angela is going to take her this week and I'll be taking her next week - fitting it around bridge and my club meetings.

Our heat is supposed to abate a bit this week.  We sure could use some rain!

Have a good week!  Don't forget Tuesday is Stampin' Up's new digital downloads so check them out!

Bootiful Occasions

Another hot one today!  We tied the record I believe at 101 degrees and it's still 88 degrees at 9:30 pm.  We took our boat out this morning and went to breakfast.  Then we found a quiet cove to throw the anchor and swim.  We both had books to read on the boat but I could only read about a chapter before I had to jump in the water and cool off again.  I could only stand it for a couple of hours before I told Sonny we or go home or I was going to melt.  So, we went home and I got creative with one of my new stamp sets.

The Bootiful Occasions stamp set (found on page 50 of the new Stampin' Up catalog) was one of my "must have" sets when I first looked through the book.  It has four boot images and a “happy Boot-Day” sentiment.  I think it will be great for a masculine card as well as the Halloween image and the Christmas image.  Today I made three cards with it using all but the Christmas boot.  (I'll do it later in the week and share.)



Take #1 of the Halloween Boot

After taking the picture of the witches boot, I decided it needed a little something else.  So, I added a little bow.  What do you think? 

Take #2

close up of the bow

For the Witches Boot, I stamped the boot and the sentiment in Elegant Eggplant.  I cut this stamp apart so the image and the sentiment are separate.  Then I colored in the dots using a Copic marker.  Then I embossed the white card stock using the Spiderweb embossing folder.  The bottom Elegant Eggplant card stock is embossed with the Stripes embossing folder and then the edge was punched with the Scallop Edge Punch.  A strip of black cardstock was layered between the white and Eggplant.  I was able to tie that itty bitty bow using my Bow Maker.  Sonny is still making them if you are interested in purchasing one.

Next is the Cowboy Boot.  I can see all kinds of uses for this stamp!  I have lots of Texas friends that this stamp is perfect for.  I have gotten rid of all my cowboy boots (had black, navy, and red boots at one time).  This is another one I thought needed a little something else after I took the picture.



Take #1 Cowboy Boot

 

Take #2

I colored in the bottom part of the boot with the Midnight Muse marker.  Here are the deets:  Stamp the boot 3 times - once in Midnight Muse on the Crumb Cake cardstock; once in Midnight Muse onto white scrap and lastly the stars in Versamark on scrap white.  Use Cherry Cobbler embossing powder on the stars and adhere them to the boot with glue.  I used dimensionals to attach the white boot to the one stamped on the Crumb Cake. 

Ingredients for Cowboy Boot :

Paper:  Midnight Muse, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Newsprint DSP

Ink:  Midnight Muse, Versamark

Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler emb. powder, Heat Gun, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, dimensionals

Next is the Rain Boot card.  Do you know all the names for this shoe?  How about  rubber-boots, wellies, wellingtons, topboots, billy-boots, gumboots, gumbies, gummies, barnboots, wellieboots, muckboots, sheepboots, poopkickers, or rainboots!!  My friend Margaret calls them "wellies".  I like poopkickers!!  I wore these "wellies" a lot when I was gardening when we lived in Washington state but I haven't worn them much since we left.  They are great for mucking around in the mud!

I only did one take on this card - didn't see a need for any changes.  I used the Two Tags Die and my Big Shot to cut out the tag and stamped the boot in Black.  I used the Cherry Cobbler marker to color in the boot.  I used the Adorning Accents embossing folder (hearts) on the white card.  The Cherry Cobbler strip is die cut with the Adorning Accents Edgelit and then embossed with the Adorning Accents embossing folder (scallops).  The DSP is Twitterpated.  I drew the stems and leaves in with a marker for the flowers.  The flowers are punched out with the Itty Bitty Punch Pack.  I used a tiny pearl for the middle of each flower and a brad and a piece of red twine at the top of the tag.

Postage Due

I was on a roll this weekend and made several cards with my new stuff as well as some old stuff.  Postage Due (pg 108) is one of the stamp sets that didn't catch my eye at first.  But, after seeing a lot of the samples from others, it grew on me.  This is a little outside my norm; just like the set I bought last year, Daring Adventure.  But I love to try and stretch myself.

I started out embossing the Crumb Cake card with the Tulip embossing folder.  I stamped the large Postage Due stamp  with Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  Then I distressed the edges and matted it onto Cherry Cobbler.  It's hard to tell but I also stamped a portion of the stamp on a scrap piece of Vanilla and tore it, sponging around the edges before lining it up and adhering it on the larger piece.  I also stamped the flower separately in Cherry Cobbler, cut it out and adhered it.  I stamped the postage stamps in Cherry Cobbler, Espresso and Midnight Muse and then punched them out with the Postage Punch and adhered them with dimensionals.  Happy Anniversary is stamped in Midnight Muse, punched out with the Banner Framelit and adhered with dimensionals.

Click on the cards to view them larger.


Postage Due

Here is another version of the Postage Due stamp.  This time I stamped just the bicycle part onto a piece of DSP (retired) in Basic Gray.  The postage stamps are stamped in Cherry Cobbler and Basic Gray and punched out with the Postage Punch.  The strip of DSP across the middle is matted with Cherry Cobbler.  There is a strip of Whisper White at the bottom that is punched out with the Adorning Accents Edgelit.

Close up of postage stamps and Edgelit trim

Did you watch fireworks last night?  We went out on our boat around 6.  It was starting to thunder and I was afraid we were going to get caught in a storm but it passed over.  We settled down in a cove across the lake from Queens Landing, where the fireworks were going to be shot off.  Sonny and I took our books and did a little reading, took a nap, and ate our dinner while waiting for the fireworks to begin.  There were a lot of individuals all around us shooting off fireworks so it was entertaining while we were waiting.  Finally the fireworks started at 9:45 but only lasted about 15 minutes.  In the past, they've usually lasted about 30 minutes.  I don't know if they ran out of fireworks or had some kind of technical difficulties.  It was pretty disappointing.  But luckily, we did not have to sit in traffic to drive home - just a little boat traffic. 

Happy 4th!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!



made with MDS

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!  We joined my mom and Angela last night at their church to watch the fireworks put on by Lowe's YMCA.  We have usually watched the fireworks in the parking lot very close to where they put them off.  I think I like that location better - seems like you are right under them.

Tomorrow night we will probably go out on the boat to watch fireworks again.  These are put on at Queens Landing over the lake.  I enjoy laying down on our boat and watching the display.

It is Wednesday and time for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  We decided to all do a patriotic card this time in honor of the 4th.  Here is mine: