Over The Rainbow Paper Pumpkin Style

LAST CHANCE ITEMS!

Today is the last day you can order your retiring favorites before they are gone for good.  Be sure to check out the items that are still available (many are discounted) as they will only be available for purchase today.

2020-2021 ANNUAL CATALOG GOES LIVE ON JUNE 3rd!

It's that time again - a brand new annual catalog! How exciting!  It goes LIVE on Wednesday (2 pm EST) and you can be sure that I will be ordering all my new favorites bright and early!  There's so much to love - new suites and bundles galore, wonderful designer papers and lots of really wonderful embellishments!  If you have ordered from me recently, you should have received your catalog by now.  If you didn't, please let me know and I will get one sent to you.

PAPER PUMPKIN

I have been playing with the colorful May 2020 Paper Pumpkin craft kit.  It features 4 out of 5 of the 2020-2022 In Colors:  Bumblebee, Just Jade, Magenta Madness and Misty Moonlight.   This kit is full  of rainbows and sunsets!

These new In Colors should brighten and lift your spirits!

I gave this one to a friend.  I just love this card!  I used a retired Washi Label Punch to make the pajama pants.

Instead of a martini, let's have a Quarantini!

Lots of  fussy cutting here!
 For this  one, I used the negative part of the cloud that I had punched out and carefully cut all around the negative space.

I used the Seaside Embossing Folder on the Magenta card.

Part of the cloud is adhered to the back of the card and the "hey" cloud is holding the card shut.

I made a belly band on this card.

This is one of the cards with the instructions in the kit.

I used the Circles Dies and layered Purple Posy, Misty Moonlight, Just Jade and Magenta Madness. 

Do you know that last year this time, I was laying on a beach in Hawaii!!??  Oh how I wish I was there now.   So speaking of rainbows, sunshine and Hawaii, I thought you might enjoy this animated rendition of "Over the Rainbow" by a Hawaiian musician, Israel Ka"ano.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

OVER THE RAINBOW

Blender Labels (part 2) and Share Sunshine Fun Fold cards

I have had requests for the Blender Labels that I had on my post yesterday.  So here it is -

BLENDERS

Keep in mind that I did not create this but another Stampin'Up! demonstrator did and was nice enough to share it with others.

I have made several cards with the SHARE SUNSHINE PDF from Stampin' Up.  It is a digital file meaning you can download it to your computer and print it out.  I printed the file out on Whisper White cardstock and just cut out the one I want each time.  This PDF file will only be available until June 2 so if you are interested in purchasing it, you should order now HERE.  Remember 100% of the proceeds will go to the COVID-19 efforts.

Here are a few of the cards I have made using an easy fun fold.

I used some really old DSP on this card - do you remember it?  It is one of my all time favorite DSP that Stampin'Up! has had.  It is called Everyday Enchantment.  When SU retired it, I stocked up on a couple of packages of the DSP.  

Using more retired DSP.  This was in a Sale-a-Bration package called Botanical Butterfly.

More of the Botanical Butterfly DSP with Highland Heather cardstock.

The card base is 9 1/2" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2".  Score the strip that you cut off for the card base at 3/8" and adhere it between the card and DSP. 

Would you believe I fell AGAIN this morning!???  What is going on!  I was carrying a large plant outside so it could get some of the rain that is getting ready to come down.  When I stepped outside on our deck, it was slick as could be with the rain and I fell right on my butt!  I didn't get hurt but I had a hell of a time getting up because the deck was so slick!   The plant survived it too!

Stampin' Up! Blends Organization

I am so excited today .... I am getting my hair cut!!  It has been way too long.  I've been wishing I had long hair so I could just pull it up in a pony tail.  I have to admit a couple of times I've gotten out my Stampin' Up! shears and taken a little hair off the sides and top.  Who knows what the back looks like.  Sonny's is bad too.  He stopped by Great Clips yesterday to see if he could get a cut and I'm sure they laughed in his face.  They told him it was a 2 1/2 hour wait and would be that way for a couple of weeks!  Heaven forbid that he let me make an appointment for him with the gal who does my hair but that would cost too much for him (or so he thinks!)

Well, our NC Quarterly meeting has been canceled.  It was originally scheduled for early June and it got moved to July 25.  Now it is moved to June 2021!  And I have all my swaps almost done!  Not sure yet what I will do with all of them.  I'll probably look around for someone doing a mail-in swap and sign up for one of those.  One of the NC demos is working on an idea for a Facebook Virtual Shoebox swap along with some of us doing Facebook Live videos of projects.  I have agreed to be a presenter .... now I just need to figure it out!

Yesterday I worked on a project to make it easier to use my Stampin' Up! Blends.  I have them on my desk in a acrylic cosmetic holder.   Since I have filled up the cosmetic holder up, I am planning on ordering the Stampin' Up! Blends holders with my next order.  You get 5 storage trays for $14.

 

Anyway - back to yesterday's project.  I used a PDF file that another demo had posted that printed out all the color of the Blends so when they are laying on their side in the holders, I can see the names of each Blend without having to pick every one up to read the color on the side. 

I printed the PDF on white cardstock.  I put scotch tape on top of the printing to protect them a bit and used a small circle punch to punch each one out.  Then I adhered each one to the Blends lid with a glue dot.

Memorial Day Weekend in Maryland

I hope you enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend.  I did.  We drove to Maryland to visit Ashley on Thursday, returning home yesterday (Tuesday).  It was so great to finally see her again!  We did a lot of work in her yard Friday, Saturday and Monday!  Her yard just looks beautiful with all kinds of flowers in bloom.  We filled up 5 big trash cans with yard waste plus also putting a lot in her compost pile in the back yard.

Back yard with Clematis growing up the fence as well as honeysuckle.  Peonies in bloom too!

The back of her backyard is like a jungle!  But there is a path to the compost pile behind all those trees.

It's nice to sit in the swing after a long day of weeding!

More peonies and waiting for the hydrangea to bloom.

We had to borrow the neighbors trash can to get all the clipping in.  

This is right next to the street - lilies, ivy, lavender ....

Ashley laying down mulch.  Someone just dumps a big load of mulch at the end of the street for anyone who wants it.  Sonny wheeled the trash can down and filled it up several times.

Honeysuckle - so pretty!

Peonies are so beautiful.

On Sunday, we took a break and met a friend of Ashley's at Cobbler Mountain Cidery in Virginia.  Everyone was practicing social distancing so it was great.  We took our own chairs; Debbi brought her dog and we enjoyed yummy ciders.

The cidery used to be a winery but now only makes ciders.  It is a family run business on their 90 acre farm.  There were a bunch of campers (primitive) all over the place enjoying the beautiful day.

The only drawback to the whole trip was my fall!  Every time I go to Ashley's, it seems I do something to injure myself!  When she was in Hawaii, I fell down a couple of steps and fractured my ribs.  Another trip to Hawaii, I got knocked down by a giant ocean wave and had a huge hematoma on my hip - right before it was time for me to leave and sit in the airplane in pain for too many hours.  This time, I slipped in the shower and fell out of the shower backwards hitting my back on the side of the tub.  Of course this was the Monday night before driving back to NC on Tuesday.  I'm loving my ice packs!  (And no alcohol was involved!!)

Flowering Foil

Hello!  I am still following the Stay at Home order and working on a few swap cards.  Our NC Quarterly meeting will be held July 24-25 after being moved back from the early June.  So, Marianne and I hope to attend this gathering in the mountains of NC.  I have not attended a Quarterly in a couple of years.  There was a time I never missed one if I could help it so I am excited to go to this one.  The card swaps I signed up for (so far!) is Masculine card (done!), Fun Fold card (working on it), Anniversary/Wedding card (done!), and a General card.  We will also have a Shoebox card swap on Friday night and several card competitions that I'm not sure if I will enter yet.

Today I am patiently waiting for my Paper Pumpkin kit to arrive!  I have seen several people around the country announce that they have received theirs and have even made cards with the kit.  Hopefully, mine will be in the mailbox today!

I'm excited because tomorrow, we are driving up to Maryland to visit Ashley!  I haven't seen her since February and Sonny hasn't seen her since December.  Her county (Montgomery) is still on lock down as well as Ashley's military orders of no travel over 100 miles so we won't be going out to eat or doing any sight seeing!  I am hoping the weather will be nice and we can enjoy her back yard.  We do have plans to go to a cidery in Virginia.  We'll take our own chairs and sit outside hopefully in the sunshine and enjoy their delicious ciders.

Here is a box with cards that I have made recently.  I used the foil paper that was a free item during Sale-a-Bration.  It was fun to color this paper with my Blends.

This is the box.  I colored the flowers  with Balmy Blue and Daffodil Delight Blends.

This is the same paper as the card above.  I just made it brighter with Real Red, Granny Apple Green, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry and Night of Navy Blends.

Again - same paper, but very different look.  This time I went with pastel colors of light Blends and a few Copics to get the pale colors.

The flowers are in gold so I added a little edge of gold with the die from Stitched Be Mine.  I used the Highland Heather Blends to color the background of the piece along with the ribbon!

For this card, instead of coloring the background, I colored the flowers and leaves.

I colored the background on this card and layered it onto a piece of gold foil paper.  The sentiment is embossed in gold.

I had a small strip of this flower piece of DSP left so I colored it in blue and adhered it to the card.

My last card really pops, don't you think?!  You might need your shades for this one.  I colored again with Blends in Flirty Flamingo and Granny Apple Green.  I found a piece of pink glitter paper from another Sale-a-Bration so I die cut Happy Birthday and adhered it on the card.

A Box of Sunshine!

About the June PAPER PUMPKIN KIT:

• Kit contains supplies for 8 cards and envelopes (2 cards of 4 designs)
  • Card size: 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ (10.8 x 14 cm)
  • Envelope size: 4-1/2″ x 5-3/4″ (11.4 x 14.6 cm)

Coordinating Colors: Basic Black, Bumblebee, Crushed Curry, Poppy Parade, Shaded Spruce, White, and Gold

Box of Sunshine Information: This kit includes extra pieces and stickers (including a sticker label) to help you create cards AND a Box of Sunshine filled with treats and goodies to send to a friend. (Treats not included.)

Watch the Video:

Watch this video below, then read on for all the details so you can get your own box (or boxes!) of sunshine!

To subscribe go HERE.  Your Paper Pumpkin crafting kit subscription will begin with the June 2020 kit )mailed around June 13).  You can cancel at anytime, but I know you'll love these fun monthly paper crafting and card making kits delivered right to your mailbox each month! 

You'll want to get your June Paper Pumpkin Box of Sunshine Kit reserved ASAP so you can #sharesunshine!  The May kit sold out in April, so don't delay.

Retiring Stamps

What have I been doing for a week (since I last posted on my blog)????  Well, probaby like everyone else .... I have been at home!  I've been taking long walks, making more cards, eating too much .... you know how it is!  Mother's Day was last Sunday and what a different Mother's Day it was.  I had a bit of a pity party for myself Sunday morning.  I was missing my kids and knew I'd only hear from one of them and I was missing my mom although we saw her on Saturday and I did see Ashley via Zoom on Saturday too.  It was funny on Saturday.  We all met up at this restaurant that was closed and had our own tailgate.  Marianne and Greg came with their Chick Filet, Mom and Angela showed up with McDonald's, I had Jets pizza and salad and Sonny enjoyed a burger from 5 Guys!  I guess that's one good thing about the food situation - you can go to whichever restaurant you want and then just find a good spot in a parking lot to enjoy.  We were socially distant in the parking lot (brought our own chairs too!)  Mom has a mask but as long as we were masked, we didn't make her put hers on.

Before I show you some of the cards I've made, I want to show you our newest member of the family - Abigail!  She is one week and 2 days old!

The new catalog will be available June 3.  If you are a customer of mine, you will be receiving one in the mail.  If not, contact me and I can send you one.  Here are a few cards I have made with some of the retiring stamps.  If you see something you like, I would suggest you purchase it now before they are gone for good.

This Little Piggy is a really cute set.  I paired it with Under the Umbrella (which is NOT retiring)  The music notes are from Music from the Heart.

This card and the next two are made using Music from the Heart.  I am really surprised that this stamp is retiring.  It deputed in the last Mini Catalog and was inspired by Million Sales Achiever Dawn Olchefske.  

I will be keeping this stamp set to make cards for my music loving friends and family.  

Here is another jewel!  I love these dancing women.  Another great birthday card for your friends. 

Welcome Baby Abigail!

Well, we finally got a baby!  Abigail Lane made her first appearance at 1:20 pm on Tuesday 5/5 and weighed 7 lbs 2 oz.  Morgan ended up having a C Section.  Marianne and Greg are officially Mimi and Poppy and I am a Great Aunt!  Can't wait to see her and hold her in my arms although I know that will be a while with the panademic going on.

I just put this card in the mail to welcome Abigail!

I don't have many baby stamps but found this one (thanks to Evernote for organizing my stamps!)  I think it was in stamp set called Feathered Friends.  I don't have any of the other stamps in the set though.  I colored the image with my Blends.  The pink cardstock and DSP are non Stampin' Up.  I used Stitched Rectangle Dies.

This is the Mother's Day card I made for the new mommy!

This stamp set is also an oldie but a goodie.  I used the retired Jar of  Love with matching dies to create this card.  I love that jar.  I stamped it on watercolor paper and water colored a little bit of Pool Party for the water in the jar.  Interesting enough is that in the new catalog coming out in June there is a stamp set called Jar of Flowers and it is bundled with a Jar Punch. 

Share Sunshine for COVID-19

I'm on baby watch!  My nephew and his wife are at the hospital waiting for their baby girl to arrive!  

They checked into the hospital Sunday night anticipating the baby would be born on Monday.  They are big Star War fans and were excited that their baby would be born on "may the fourth be with you."  But no such luck!  They are still waiting.  Guess the baby will have to be a Cinco de Mayo girl!  The last I heard is she got an epidural this morning (after getting pitocin to induce yesterday) and now is going to have a C-Section.  Poor Marianne - she is on pins and needles waiting on her first grandbaby.  Every time my phone rings, I think it's her with the news!  Maybe I'll get the call before I finish this post!

I've really been going to town on these Corona Virus cards.  I just love the SHARE SUNSHINE PDF from Stampin' Up!  (You can read about it in my previous post HERE.) Since the launch of the PDF last week, Stampin' Up! has raised over $123,000 USD to the support organizations that are helping COVID-19 frontline responders and communities vulnerable to the pandemic.  Isn't that awesome?  If you would like to support this cause AND get 15 pages of great images and words, you can order the PDF HERE.

Here are a few of the cards I have made this week thanks to Tami White and her great video.

Tami White has instructions on her video for making the masks.

One of these cards is going to my awesome doctor.

I put one of these cards in my mailbox for our mail carrier.