Parisian Jewelry

Woo hoo! The Magnetic Platform is back!  Stampin' Up! has received a full shipment of Magnetic Platforms (Item #130658, $39.95)! They are pleased to announce that the great wait is over and they can start filling new orders on September 12 (today!) 

Why not place an order for the magnetic platform, and add the new Envelope Punch Board (Item #133774, $19.95)?

My oldest granddaughter had a birthday recently.  I made her a few jewelry items and packaged them up in a little tin for her.


Here is the card I made for her using Gorgeous Grunge and Tape It stamp sets.  It's not my usual style but thought it was appropriate for a teenager.

Torri and Darcie (my daughter in law) took a European trip for Torri's high school graduation this summer.  They enjoyed Paris and the Eiffel Tower so I thought these items were perfect!

I got this bracelet and paper last year at CKC.  I used my hole punch to punch the circles out and glued them on with Crystal Effects. 

This is a little key chain with the Eiffel Tower and a jewel on it.  This stamp set is retired but it is great for these soda top items.  I really was surprised that Stampin' Up took these out of the catalog this year! 

This is the necklace I made for Torri.  Again, with the Parisian theme.

Here is everything inside the small tin.  I put a piece of DSP (non SU) in the bottom of the tin.

Challenging Card Sketch

Here's a sketch that will make you put your thinking cap on!



There are lots of layers and shapes in this sketch.  But it was fun to play around with.  I used the paper that was in last week's MDS download, Etcetera.  I really love all the soft colors in the collection.   The saying is from a calendar download.  I copied it a few times, cropped it and changed the colors.  It turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself!

 

Check out what the other Paper Craft Crew members came up with HERE.  I especially like Pam's easel card.

Let's see what you can do with the sketch this week.

In Remembrance of 9-11

Our lives changed forever on the morning of September 11, 2001.  So many people were impacted by those terrorist attacks, whether they had a friend or loved one in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, or in the Pentagon, or on Flight 93 which made a crash-landing on the fields near Shanksville, PA. Twelve years later or a hundred years later, we will never forget the 2,997 people who lost their lives that day, and we will never forget the changes that have impacted the United States and the world since that fateful day.  Since September 11, 2011, countless troops have died in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other war zones around the world.

Where were you on 9/11?

Cruise Tee with MDS

When Ashley came to visit, one of the things on our "to do" list was to design and make a tee shirt to wear on one of our theme nights on our upcoming cruise.  The theme for one night is "Back to the Bowery with Alabama".  Alabama is celebrating their 40th year together and they started their singing career at the Bowery in Myrtle Beach.  So with our trusty My Digital Studio, these are the shirts we came up with:

We got a deal on the shirts - nice white tees at Belk's for less than $10 - Sale!!    On the front are flip flops from Holiday Blitz stamp set (MDS).  We added a text box and typed:   Alabama and Friends Festival At Sea and the dates of the cruise.  On the back, we took a picture that I had taken at the beach of my feet in the sand and put the stamp from Summer Possibilities (dance barefoot) on top.

 

 

Luckily, Ashley had done these tees before so she remembered that we had to print them onto the transfer sheets in mirror image so it would turn out right on the tees.  I probably would have ruined my transfer paper before I realized it!! 

 

They were really quite easy to do.  We designed our pictures and printed them onto Iron On Transfer paper.  I bought my transfer paper at Staples but you could also get it at craft stores.  Then just follow the directions on the transfer paper and iron it onto your shirt or whatever you are making.

They were fun to make.  We didn't figure Sonny would want to  wear these so we found some great sales - again at Belk's on tropical tees and shirts for him to wear!

Envelope Punch Board

The latest cool tool from Stampin’ Up is available NOW!  It’s called the Envelope Punch board.  I have one here in my stamp room but with everything I have had going on the past week, I haven't gotten to play with a whole lot.  I did make one envelope last week when Ashley was here.  But this week I plan to play with it a lot more.  I was thinking I wouldn’t need it with my diagonal score board but this is much easier and I LOVE that it punches the notches out so nicely. It’s also more compact and with at least 66 sizes, that’s pretty cool!

Envelope Punch Board  Item #133774  $19.95 

More Details:

• It creates totally customizable envelopes in up to 66 different sizes (not to mention a million different color and pattern options depending on the paper you want to use). Even tried and true envelope sizes will only take you moments to create!
• It’s small and lightweight; this makes it easy for you to take it on the go!  Portable and easy to store.
• It even has a slick scoring tool as well as a punch that lets you create rounded corners on your envelopes.
• It’s easy to keep it all together; the stylus storage compartment and two punches are designed into the tool so you don’t have a bunch of little pieces to keep track of (even the instructions are printed right on the tool so you won’t lose them!).
• The price is terrific-especially for a tool that does so much!
• It will be in next year’s annual catalog, so it’s here to stay.

Envelope Punch Board Projects

I am having such fun with the Envelope Punch Board.  Not only can you make all sizes of envelopes but I've also made tags and file folder cards with the board. 



I watched a video on Patty Bennett's blog for the file folder cards.  Here is a card I made for a friend's birthday next week.  I used a SU DSP stack that is retired.  The "happy birthday" is a die that I have had for a long time.  Believe me, it is not as easy to use as Stampin' Up's thinlits!!

I used my new Wetlands stamp set for the birds.  Love it!  I stamped the little birds in Baked Brown Sugar.  I think this was the first time I used this color.  I tend to go to Soft Suede automatically and forgot all about Baked Brown Sugar.

Today I also made these cute tags using the Envelope Punch Board.  I found a U Tube tutorial that I had pinned to Pinterest.  Check it out HERE if you want to make these little tags.

This is the tag and a little tag holder that I made

Everything on this project was made with the Punch Board.  It is a handy little tool!

Woot! Woot! Be Awesome!

Woot!  Woot!  (Seriously .... do you use this slogan?  I don't think I've said it!)  But it looks cute on this card.  This is my interpretation of the Paper Craft Sketch this week.  Most all of the pieces on this card came from the digital pocket card set, Happy Together.  I decided to do a square card this week.  I don't usually make square cards because of having to spend extra postage to mail it, but hey - this is digital - I probably won't print it out and mail it anyway!

This week's sketch had a lot of of bits and pieces on it.  It was definitely a challenge to do this week.

We had a great time in Greenville and arrived back home around 4 yesterday.  It was good to see our friends again and Greenville was the perfect spot.  I was pretty wiped out last night and had planned on doing absolutely nothing today.  But, I looked at my calendar last night and realized my Newcomers coffee was this morning.  We had a nice fashion show at the coffee.  Afterwards a group (of 21!!) went to lunch at Oh Charley's.  The waiter and waitress did a good job taking our orders and getting our food to us in a timely matter but paying the check was another story!  We waited 35 minutes for him to return with our change / credit cards!  I really think the manager should have stepped up and helped him out.

Shelli

As I told you last week, Shelli was in a really bad accident.  Her husband posted all the details in Shelli's blog on Saturday.  If you are interested in reading it, click HERE.   Sounds like she is one lucky lady!

Friends in Low Places

We've had a nice visit with our good friends (in low places) Sharon and Don.  They flew to Atlanta from Dallas to spend time with a sick friend and we met then in Greenville, SC.  It's great to spend quality time with friends and reminiscence about the good old days! 

Greenville is a really cool city - very pedestrian friendly and walkable with shops, bars and restaurants over a 5-6 block area of downtown.  We saw lots of families with small children and a bunch of people walking their dogs through town.  Scattered throughout are receptacles with pet bags in them to clean up after your pet.  It is a very clean city.  Sonny and I lived in Greenville 40 years ago and I worked downtown.  But it was not the downtown that I saw on this trip - far from it!!  I am not sure when the revitalization began but they really did a great job of planning out this area.  There is an area right outside our hotel called Falls Park on the Reedy River that is just gorgeous!  It is an oasis within the city with waterfalls, benches, places for children to play and splash in the water as well as art studios, a few restaurants, statues and the Reedy River running through.

Miss U

We had a great visit with Ashley last week but it went way too fast!   Here is the card I snuck (is that a word???) in her bag yesterday before we took her to the airport.




I used the Label Thinlits for almost everything on the card - to cut the card itself and the white label, arrow and heart also come in the thinlit packet. 

Took this one day on the boat - not so great picture of me (too many chins!!)

I took this picture Saturday night while we were watching tv (well, some of us were watching!)  Ashley watched through closed eyelids!

Bowz

Shelli Gardner, the owner of Stampin' Up had an accident this week. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  Here is what her daughter wrote on her blog:

Hi, everyone, this is Sara, taking liberty with my mom's blog.

I just wanted you to know that yesterday my mom was involved in a riding accident in southern Utah; the horse she was riding stumbled. She was taken to the Kanab hospital where X-rays were taken, and she was diagnosed with a fractured wrist, pelvis, and collarbone. She flew by plane to Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City, where she will likely be for a few days.

Obviously, she is in a great deal of pain but wants you all to know she is fine and is grateful it wasn't worse. Thank you for your concern, well wishes, and prayers! I suspect she'll blog herself as soon a she feels up to it. . . .

 Ashley is leaving later today.  This week has just flown by!  I sure will miss her.  Saturday was a low key day.  We played with MDS working on designing our tee shirts for one of the theme nights on our cruise.  Later in the day, we went to the movies and saw The Millers.  It was really funny.  Ashley and I made Hatch Pepper Quesadillas for dinner - yum!  Sonny and I are heading to Greenville, SC after dropping Ashley off at the airport.  Some good friends of ours from Dallas are flying to Atlanta Sunday to see a sick friend.  They are going to drive up to Greenville, SC and we are going to meet them for a visit for a couple of days.

I've just ordered the Bowz Die from the Holiday Mini catalog.  It arrived on Thursday and I've been so busy I haven't been able to share my bows with you.  Maybe next week!!  I made a cute gift this weekend for one of my granddaughter's birthday and topped it with one of the bows.  It was so easy!!  Instead, I'm sharing a couple of bow ideas from convention.





 

Butterfly Bundle

 We have been seeing a lot of butterflies around our yard this summer.  Guess Stampin' Up has too - now you can as well!!  Stampin’ Up! announced a new bundle - it’s available starting NOW and through September.  While they were at it, the little elves over at Stampin’ Up! also released their September Best of…set a little early.

Click HERE to see the details on the flier.
 

While you are snatching up this bundle offer, you can pick up September’s Best of stamp set … Best of Autumn.  It's a really good one this month.  For just $14.95, you don’t want to miss this deal.  Click HERE to see the images of this month’s set:

PAPER PUMPKIN $10 DEAL ENDS SATURDAY!

There's still time to sign up for Paper Pumpkin for just $10 a month!  You just have until Saturday to get this deal.

What a deal!!  It's a surprise each month—anticipation for the surprise is seriously half the fun! No worries, though, you'll have everything you need to complete the project: paper, stamps, ink, accessories, and more! (You will need adhesive.) 

You can cancel it any time - no questions asked.  So give it a try - the first two months will only cost you $10 so it's a "win-win"!!  After 2 months the price will return to $19.95 a month (with the option to cancel your subscription). 

To start your Paper Pumpkin subscription, click on PAPER PUMPKINS SUBSCRIPTION at the top of this blog post.  Go to the bottom of that page and click on Join Here.  

BE SURE TO USE THE PROMO CODE PUMPKINDEAL in order to get the $10 deal.
 

I'm Paper Pumpkin . . . a Stampin' Up! Monthly Kit Program

I come to your door each month (a fully decked-out creativity carriage). I'll help you to escape your life with some paper fun, perfect for a beginner or those short on time!

I come in a sweet box, but you'll really love what you find on the inside:

All the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories to create pinable projects. Create stuff like cards, journals, décor, and more!

What are you waiting on?  Quite blog surfing and join up!!

Topsy Turvy Paper Players Sketch Challenge

It's time for the Paper Players Sketch challenge this week.  I made a digital birthday card this week.  It's fun and colorful!!

     Background
     Color = White
Embellishments
    Grosgrain Ribbon\Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon (re-colored)
    Grosgrain Ribbon - bow\Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon - bow (re-colored)
    _Designer Kits\Topsy Turvy Celebration - embellishments\Topsy Turvy Celebration - cake

Stamps
    Under the Big Top\Under the Big Top - happy birthday
    Under the Big Top\Under the Big Top - happy birthday
Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch,  Filled with: Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Big Top Birthday - designer series paper\Big Top Birthday - 8
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch,  Filled with: Designer Series Paper\_Designer Kits\Big Top Birthday - designer series paper\Big Top Birthday - 6
    Extras\Flag Punch, 
    Basics\Medium Oval Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK 
    Basics\1.25 Circle Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK 


Check out what the other players have done with the sketch this week HERE.

Butterflies

I think this week is going to go too fast for me!  Ashley arrived Thursday night and we have been on the go ever since!  Friday she and I went with the Newcomers group and toured the Charlotte Motor Speedway.  We even got to go around the speedway (80 mph) in a van.  It was really cool!  I'm not into racing these days but I grew up going to races, camping in the infield and knowing a little bit about racing.  My dad and uncle used to drag races and I can remember going to those dirt tracks on Friday nights to watch them.  We had lunch at the Speedway Club which was really nice.  What a great view of the track while we were eating!!

View from window next to our table while eating lunch.

Stands  - doesn't it look like there are people in the stands?  That's the way they planned it.

Ashley in the Winners Circle!

Ashley and I

Later on Friday, Marianne came over after she got off work and spent the night.  Sonny and I took our guests to the best places in Sherrills Ford!  First we went to Drum's for dinner .... catfish and shrimp!!  And after dinner, we had a few beers at Horsefeathers before returning home. 

Saturday we picked up Mom (who was excited to see her granddaughter!).  Ashley, Mom and I had our pictures made and then came home and changed into our swim suits.  Sonny had the boat ready and we went out for a ride.  The rest of the family joined us later - Marianne's husband and boys and Angela.  We came back to the house and Sonny grilled chicken and veggies for us.  It was a great family time.  Just always wishing ALL our family could be here - my brother and his family and my son and his family!  I miss them so much!

On Sunday, our plans got changed a little bit!   We had planned on taking the boat over to the Rusty Rudder in the afternoon.  There was a couple of guys playing from 4-8 that will be on our Alabama cruise and who have also been on Ashley's Rock Boat cruises in the past.  BUT, Sonny got a call from a friend of his who lives in our neighborhood who was on the lake and needing a tow back home.  His prop had hit something and broke.  It turned out that he was way on the other side of the lake from our house.  We left our dock at 1:00 pm and it was about 2:30 when we finally found them.  By the time we hooked up the two boats and towed him back, it was 6:30 pm!!  Luckily, Ashley and I decided to ride along with Sonny on the rescue mission so we enjoyed the sunshine and were able to visit with each other.  We decided to hurry up and try to make it to Cornelius to hear the band.  Well, wouldn't you know it .... we were 1/2 mile from our exit when we got stopped by a terrible accident on I-77.  A Ford Explorer flipped several times on the highway with a woman and 5 children having to be air lifted to the hospital.  By the time we got to the restaurant, Scott (Mumms) was just tearing down his set!  Oh well, Ashley visited with him a few minutes and we headed to another restaurant for dinner.

Monday we all went to the "Y" for a workout.  Ashley ran the track, Sonny walked the track and used the equipment and I took a swim exercise class.  Afterwards, Ashley and I had appointments for a massage.  We both got 90 minute massages and didn't want it to end!!  Then we met Marianne and went to a local "paint your own pottery" shop and visited while each painting our masterpieces!!  A stop at the Blue Star Café for dinner and we headed home.

Tuesday we plan on heading over to Ikea while Sonny is out at the shooting range.

I have had a little bit of time to be crafty (but not much!)  Last Thursday, I made a Butterfly picture that I have been wanting to do ever since I saw it in a friend's home.  It was soooo easy - didn't take me much more than an hour to do it.  I hung it in my guest bathroom.  I used the Sizzlit butterfly die as well as two Butterfly punches and embossing folders to cut all the different sized butterflies.

Coppell and Gig Harbor

I have been fortunate to live in some great places in my life - North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Washington and Texas.  Most of our married life was spent in the Dallas/Ft Worth area of Texas in Coppell.  That is where my children grew up and where they called home.  I recently came across a very uplifting article about Coppell High School.  Not only did my children graduate from CHS but I worked there for 10 years.  This article is about a recent happening in Coppell but it shows the sense of community Coppell was when we were there and still is today.  It was a great place to raise a family and I still miss that town!

Read the article HERE.


Another place we lived was Gig Harbor, Washington where we saw spectacular views of Mount Rainier and the Puget Sound every day.  I miss these views!

Happy Things Pocket Card Sketch Challenge

My digital card for the Paper Players Sketch this week is a pretty simple card.  I used elements from a Pocket Card download and it came together pretty quickly.  You don't have to make a pocket card - just use bits and pieces to make your own creation.

Background
     Color = SOFT SKY 
Embellishments
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White
    Baker's Twine\Baker's Twine - White knot
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4
    Antique Brads\Antique Brads - brad 4

Stamps
    OVERLAYS\Hip and Handsome Overlays\Hip and Handsome Overlays   Color = PISTACHIO PUDDING 
    OVERLAYS\Hip and Handsome Overlays\Hip and Handsome Overlays -
    Designer Kits\Happy Things Pocket Cards\Happy Things Pocket Cards - whatever you are be a good one
   Designer Kits\Happy Things Pocket Cards\Happy Things Pocket Cards - airplane

Punches
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = BASIC BLACK
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = 230,WATERMARK
    Basics\1.25 Square Punch, Fill Color = SOFT SKY
    Basics\Small Photo Corner Punch, Fill Color = PISTACHIO PUDDING

We are leaving in a few minutes to pick Ashley up at the airport.  I am so excited to see her again!!  We have lots planned for the next week.

Flip It

I am loving the new Flip Card Thinlits!  Paired it with the Magnetic Platform and you have a home run!  I know .... some of you are still waiting for that platform but it should be coming to you soon from what I heard at CKC this weekend!  I just got the Circle Flip It Card Die this weekend and made 3 cards with it in about an hour!  I'm telling you, they are so easy to use.  It cuts your card and scores it for you. I find myself searching my stamps (and the catalog) to see what stamps will work for this flip method!  It's addicting. 

Plus you get a lot of other dies in the packet.  Here is my Circle Die.  You get different dies in the Label Die packet.

HERE is the flier with info about the die.


Here are my cards:

Front of card using Tasteful Trim for the "rick rack" on side and Polka Dot Parade DSP.  The scallop circle is included in the Thinlit Die pack



Card Open



Pool Party and DSP from Winter Frost Stack (pg 29 in holiday mini)  The stamp set is a "carry-over" item from last year's catalog - Ornament Keepsakes and has matching framelits.

 To see the other "Carry Over" stamp sets and accessories, click HERE

This card did not photograph well.  I used Wisteria Wonder and Blushing Bride DSP (retired stack)  The scallop is pink - not orange!!  The stamp set is Field Flowers. 

On this card, I added an additional flap making it a tri-fold card. 

When I was at convention, this die was demo-ed and they even made a little mini scrapbook using the die.

 And here is a card using the Label Card Die (I don't have this one .... YET!!