Embrace Life

I'm trying!! I just love the look that Michelle Zindorf gets on her blog http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/ and I keep trying, but I have a long way to go! This is the closest I've gotten, but I still get those marks from the brayer. What a great job she does, and she explains it so well, I just need more practice! Check out her blog and see what you can do!

Happy Anniversary, Laura & John

Well, our anniversary was early in June, but I can't believe I didn't share this beautiful card that Mary Kay sent us! And of course I had to order this set after I saw this card........story of my life! It is Boho Backgrounds and wouldn't it work for any occasion? She used my favorite In Colors, Bayou Blue and Soft Sky........or are my favorite ones River Rock and Groovey Guava, oh well I love them all, but honestly can't wait for the new ones, I'm sure they will soon become my "favorites" too. I think she said she brayered the taffeta ribbon to match and it almost looks velvet in real life. Thanks Mary Kay for the inspiration. Yesterday's Open House was so much fun! The morning session was so busy with so many coming to join in. I found that Friday night wasn't a good time for people, but I had a few stampers show up. Thank you all for coming and sharing time with me. Happy stamping!

Friendly Flowers

Today is my Open House at my studio in Tully! Come make this card with me and check out all the goodies that are still available this month...........WOW,this month is slipping by quickly isn't it? This is one of the cards you can choose to make today. 10 - noon and again 5 - 8 Pm tonight , come join the fun. This is a card that Sue Dillon and I designed this winter in Florida and it is a beauty. Lots of cutting, but with our little paper snips it really doesn't take long. Hope to see a lot of you today, bring a friend!

My Birthday Flower

Black-eyed Susans..........always a sign it is my birthday time! We made these yesterday at my downline meeting. A huge thanks to Mary Kay for letting us come to her stamping Loft and sharing all her wonderful goodies. I love this card and it is so easy. Yep, it's the scallop punch on YoYo Yellow with some slicing and Choc. Chip centers punched with the 3/4 " punch. The words are from Polka Dots and Paisley, soon to be retired. Mary Kay's Loft is a Stamper's Dream........and I call it my "store" when I need something, MK has it!! I forgot to mention the Old Olive cardstock to begin with......yes, Lyn!

Happy Wedding Day

Not only are my piano students graduating........they are getting married, not the same ones! Such special friends they become over the many years I spend time each week with them. I read once that a piano teacher spends more time, one on one with a studentthan many parents do!! And when you figure some of my students started in first or second grade and continued through high school, that might be true! No wonder they become close friends. Anyway this card is for a very special student who now has graduated from college and being married on Saturday. The card is Bashful Blue with the cuttlebug background in white but sponged in blue. I colored the white taffeta ribbon with re-inker. I stamped the flower from Embrace Life on glossy white with Stazon, rubbed the candle over it and sponged that with Bashful Blue too. The sentiment is of course from Sincere Salutations.......whew, I'm glad they didn't retire that set! It always works when you need it. Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget about the Retirement Open House next week.

Phrases for a Friend

Wow, my list of graduating young friends is very long. This seems to be the year that so many of my former piano students are finishing high school. They were all such special people and I will be attending many celebrations. Here is the card that I have made for them. Wasn't that clever to do it at Stamp a Stack and get them all ready at once? The Star wheel is the background, then a strip of gold topped with the black and the word is embossed with gold and dazzling diamonds powder. In person the word really sparkles. Both star punches on the gold paper with some chunky red glitter in the middle finishes my card. It is simple but eye-catching too. I surely do love our punches!

Now for my announcement of the date for the Retirement Stamp Open House........come to my house on Friday, June 27, anytime between 10 AM and 7 PM. We will make a card and have a chance to look over the retirement stamps, either mine that will be available or be able to order from the catalog before they disappear forever. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you that day. The accessory retirement list will be available by then also!

Explosion Album

Oh my goodness, I had such a good time yesterday at my friend's house! It was a time to meet new friends and spend time with friends I hadn't seen in months or maybe even years! We first had a wonderful lunch which was catered, and then we got to work on our Explosion Albums. Thirteen people made the album and I wish I had a picture of every one of them, they turned out beautifully. I think they were all happy with their creations and many bought extra kits to make more.........that's a good sign! These little books open up like an accordian and can hold ten pictures. A great project that I hadn't done in many years, but now with our double sided designer paper, it was a snap to coordinate colors. If you are interested in learning how to make this great little book, I would be glad to do a party at your house or in my studio. Better yet, I would be glad to send you a kit with the directions and all the goodies to make this great gift.........or one for yourself. Let me know!! Thanks for looking in today.

I'm so happy with this card! But, I must admit I don't have the patience to wait for these little "buttons" to dry. I can't find the blog that showed how to make them, so sorry I can't give credit right now, I'll keep looking! You start with a punch, I used the 1/2 " one, and then drop some crystal effects on them and WAIT, and Wait.....you get the picture. At least overnight, but they are the neatest things when they are done. The only problem is, I thought they might stick to the waxed paper when I went to use them this morning, but no, they flew all over the place and I haven't found them all yet! I started with a piece of Afternoon Tea Designer paper, cut a coluzzle circle and made a scallop around it with my slit punch. Next I cut another circle of choc chip paper to center and then a scallop punch again on the designer paper. A Short and Sweet set of words on that, Hugs and Wishes Birthday wish underneath with white craft and then WAIT for the buttons. I actually waited two days, that is a record for me, but worth the wait. They are mounted with mini glue dots. and are the cutest darned things! The whole thing is mounted on Groovy Guave cardstock. What do you think?

I'm looking forward to a fun day at my friend's house. She is inviting a lot of people to make the Explosion Photo project we made many years ago. She is having a catered luncheon and then we are off to make pretty picture books! Sounds like fun doesn't it? With our new double sided designer paper, they are quite an improvement over the ones we used to make!! I know they will be happy with their creations and I'm sure it will be a fun day for all of us. I'll tell you about it tomorrow!! Without a doubt I'll be offering this class project soon to anyone interested.

Oh my gosh..............the retired list is out!!! It's 7AM and I just checked the website. Go to
www.stampinup.com and hit the Fond Farewell..............there it is!! I thought we had to wait until afternoon, but it's there already, check it out!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my husband! So many things this week-end........Flag Day, Father's Day and tomorrow is the BIG DAY! Yes, tomorrow at 12Noon Utah time, they will be releasing the retired stamp list!!! It is rather bittersweet for some of us who tend to fall in love with certain special sets, but exciting because we know there is something coming up that we will like even better come August. New catalog time is such a great time!

And now about this card.........it was the Father's Day card we made at Stamp a Stack last week, but changed the words on the bottom. Stamp sets are Noble Deer, Print Pattern and Hugs and Wishes. Cardstock is Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss and a Shaving cream background that is hard to detect in this scan. Chocolate chip ink and some gingham ribbon finishes this card.

Wanted

Here is another of my Stamp a Stack cards.......just love the mirror image and it is sooooo simple with a clear envelope! Just stamp your image on the cardstock and then stamp it again on a clear envelope, turn the envelope over onto your white cardstock and rub it with your finger..........it's done! I used basic gray for the horse and then just a little smear with a Qtip in pastels and it looks great. I pierced the edges and mounted it on Always Artichoke, used a strip of designer paper, River Rock cardstock with the Weathered Background stamp, a jumbo eyelet, some River rock ribbon and mounted it all on Always Artichoke cardstock. The words are from Short and Sweet. Thanks for stopping by.

Fabulous Flowers

And my Stamp 10 had it's last meeting of the year............Fabulous Group!! I'm sorry to see it come to a close, but many are signed up for next year. This is one of the cards we made last night. I fell in love with this stamp set while I was in Florida, but hadn't used it until now. Anyway, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky and Wild Wasabi designer paper on this pretty card. You can't see it on this scan, but there is a bit of dazzling diamonds on the edges of the flower. A bit of Bayou ribbon across the middle, too. We had a good time last night and looking forward to a great new group coming up. A special thanks to the ladies that were so much fun this year!

Purses, purses

Stamp a Stack was so much fun.........sorry I wasn't able to offer Saturday morning this time because of parking problems, but I'll see what I can do about that next time! This was my favorite card....I think. Actually the River Rock background doesn't seem to show up well on this scan, but that is it, as is the middle purse. The other two colors are groovey guava and so saffron designer paper. Lots of punches in this card. The round tab, small oval and large oval. The word is from Friendly Flowers, the wheel is Daisy Dash. A bit of white taffeta ribbon, a gold brad and there you have it! Time to shop, ladies! Thanks for stopping by.

Fresh Cut Note Cards

OK...........this is the note card that you get when you order the June special. I admit I cased somebody else's color scheme, but it is so easy!! The petals can be punched out quickly, a piece of designer paper slid underneath, and I used the five star punch which fits behind perfectly! My colors, or I should say her colors are Lovely Lilac and Pink Passion. I don't remember where I saw this card, but I liked the combination and not one I normally choose. The pearl is from the pretties kit and I just put a drop of Crystal Effects to hold it on. This is a quick, quick card!

Fresh Cut June Special!!

I finally got time to play with the new Fresh Cut stamp set........I've spent so much time getting ready for this week's Stamp a Stack, I hadn't had a chance to use this beauty! Last night I had such fun with it! This is a Sneak Peak set from the new catalog coming out in August and you can order it in June. Not only that..........it comes with a coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes for only $5 more. But wait........if you host a $400 workshop you get all of this FREE!! Check out the Stampin' Up website for all the details. Back to the card......I used Regal Rose for the background CS, stamped the main image with Stazon on Glossy CS and rubbed the color over the top. I then mounted it on Handsome Hunter along with the celery grosgrain ribbon and then added the green ice brad. Simple, really, but quick and pretty, don't you think? The note cards that come with the set are already die-cut.........well you just have to check them out. I'll show them to you soon!!