No Lion, You're The Best

This lion and sentiment is from the 2008 July stamp of the month - Life's a Jungle.

This is the first buckle card I have made. Again, I got the directions from SplitCoastStampers. A tutorial for this card will show up in a couple of weeks. These are really fun to make and the possibilities are endless.

I used the Expedition Level 2 paper packet and coordinating cardstock. I haven't used this one much, but I think I found the perfect set to use it. I added jute that I got at the $1 bin from Target. When I saw it on sale, I knew I would be able to use it sometime. The texture is perfect for the nature themes. I colored the lion in with CTMH watercolor pencils (autumn terracotta, goldrush and desert sand), but did not use water.


I really like all the stamps of the month for the new summer catalog available tomorrow. Yes, you can click on the link on my sidebar and check them out on Thursday, May 1st. YAY!

Happy Stamping!

Just Because - Tri-fold

My friend, Debbie, asked for a Just Because card, so I decided it was time to make one. The 2008 May stamp of the month - Say It In Style - is awesome, because it has so many sayings in different fonts. Just Because is on this stamp set. I will have to say this is a must have for card makers.

I added a link to the CTMH catalogs on my sidebar under My favorite sites. Just click on CTMH catalogs and you will be taken to the list of current catalogs for you to browse. The next one is coming out in May...just a few days. May is a wonderful month...you know! I should of had you guys guess what day my birthday was this week. Hmmm, maybe next year!

My next tutorial will be on this tri-fold card. I got the instructions from the very talented Beate Johns on SplitCoastStampers. Hope you like it!




I used Simple Pleasures Level 2 paper pack, coordinating cardstock and MY Stickease for this project.

Happy Stamping!

Celebrate with Blog Candy!

Happy Birthday to me...some time this week! To celebrate I am giving away some blog candy!

The ink pad and re-inker are seafoam that are retired. The CTMH stamp set is The Giving Hand (retired and slightly used). There is one little stamp missing from this set. I bought this set from someone and I didn't realize the flower was missing until I got it, so I had to buy another one. The solid flower at the top is missing. I really like this set and the sayings. Obviously, since I had to buy another one. I hope you don't mind. I keep staring at this set in my collection and hope it can go to a good home, who will love it even though the flower is missing.

To enter just leave a comment whether you are a scrapbooker, cardmaker or both and what you would like to see more...cards or layouts. I will use random number generator to draw the winner on Friday. I will announce the winner, when I have time over the weekend.

In addition, I had someone ask how I make my scallops. I have two different scallops that I use for now. I haven't played with my Pazzles enough to use that one.

The first one is a scallop circle punch. There are several out there to buy. The ones I know about are from Marvy and Stampin' Up.

The second way I make scallops are my cards is from the EK Success corner rounder. CTMH carries it in their catalog. I take off the guide and use it to punch scallops like this:

Punching Scallops

Since there is a tutorial out there already, I thought I would share that with you. It takes a little practice, but you will get the hang of it.

Happy Stamping!

Tutorial Tuesday - Swing Card

Okay, I got the instructions for this swing card from SplitCoastStampers and the author of the instructions is Beate Johns. Please...please...help me with the pronouncation of her first name. I butchered her name in my tutorial and I want to be able to say it the next time I use any of her instructions. She is awesome and I want to give her total credit for what she does. Please forgive the attempt on this video.

I really liked how this card turned out. I have one of these cards that my upline made and always wanted to try to make one. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Hopefully, this video with help you create one.








Happy Stamping!

Enchanted Series - Thanks

Here are the last two cards of the six card Enchanted series. Again, I used the Enchanted Level 2 paper pack, coordinating cardstock and accessories to create these cards. Stamp sets - For Every Occasion and Solo T.



Have a great weekend!

Happy Stamping!

Enchanted Series

Here are two more cards from the Enchanted Series I wanted to share with you. I used the same paper packet and coordinating cardstock and embellishments.

Both of these cards utilize those scraps you have accumulated.

Stamp sets - Happy Birthday (a must), For Every Occasion (April 2007 stamp of the month), For You (retired)



I wanted to show you how wonderful my hubby is to me. I have been looking for shelves to put underneath my scrap table, because my table is really wide and I thought that space could be used for storage. I didn't tell him that I was even thinking about that or looking for something. About two weeks ago, he told me he thought I needed shelves under my table to store scrapbook supplies. He thought that looked like wasted space and I could be utilizing it. He wanted to make some shelves for me.

Most of the time, it takes my hubby a long time to start and finish a project. Those of you who know me will be surprised that I have new shelves underneath my table already and here they are:


He is awesome! I asked him to make the top shelf without a lot of space above it, because this is where I wanted to store my punches. Wow! It is full already. If I get more...LOL! When I get more, I will have to push some back and double park them to make room for more. I printed labels for the front of the punch, so I can see which punch I am looking for. Yes, I will have to crawl under my table, but I don't care. Sometimes that will be the only exercise I get. My little punches are in the lime green basket on the second shelf.

I put my albums that I don't access much on the floor and I am putting baskets on the second shelf with goodies in them. I am still looking for a couple more. YAY! A girl can never have too much storage!

Happy Stamping!

Enchanted Series - Happy Birthday

I am going to show you a series of six cards this week that you should be able to reproduce in one hour or less. These cards are simple and do not take long to create. Sometimes I just don't have a lot of time to get a bunch of cards done. We are giving this set of cards to the Administrative Assistant at Tate's school for Administrative Professionals Day on Wednesday. I hope she likes them! I do, because they can be sent to both men or women.


I used the Enchanted Level 2 paper pack, coordinating cardstock and ribbon (Barn Red, Garden Green, Sunflower). In addition, I used the Happy Birthday stamp set on both cards, which I highly recommend if you make cards.

I stamped Celebrate on the ribbon in Smokey Plum ink. I used pop dots underneath the scalloped punch.



I stamped Happy Birthday on the ribbon in Smokey Plum ink.


I almost forgot to mention....I added a link to my sidebar under Custom Created Pages and Gifts. It is a link to my friend, Debbie's blog. She started a new business designing scrapbook pages and gifts. Check it out! She creates great layouts!


Happy Stamping!

Tutorial Tuesday - Chalking Cuttlebug Embossed Image

How do you like my new template and picture? I was playing around today and found this one with a brown background. I love brown and orange, so I had to update and have flowers for the spring.

Linda SS wrote: I need instruction on how to color with chalk, especially when it comes to coloring dry embossing projects. Here you go, Linda! Hope you like it! I apologize for the double video at the beginning. I don't know how that happened. When I published the video, it wasn't like that. That is really weird! I might have to go back and publish it again, if I have time!



BTW, I would like to say THANKS SO MUCH to Angie at Chic n'Scratch for helping me resize my video from Veoh. The stamping on twill video is updated, so it is not off the page. Thanks again, Angie!

Happy Stamping!

Scrapbook Cover

This is the first time I have ever decorated the cover of a scrapbook. This scrapbook is 8 1/2 x 11 and is simulated leather.

I made the sentiment "Heartfelt Thanks" on my Pazzles and adhered them to the front of the scrapbook after running each letter through my Xryon. I didn't like the fact the gold fleck in the paper did not show up, so I brushed each letter with pink pastels. I added flowers from CTMH's Big Pinks and black bigger brads. Then I tied baby pink grosgrain ribbon around the front spine and tied a CTMH clear dangles around the ribbon with waxy flax.


Have a great weekend!

Happy Stamping!

Thanks from Edison School

Does this look familiar? I took the More To Adore card here and expanded it for the inside cover of the thank you scrapbook for Tate's school. The inside cover is 9 1/2 x 11, so I had some extra space that I didn't have on the card. I added the dimensional element "U" and stamped THANKS on it from the SANS small caps stamp set. I added some waxy flax with beads and a flower bling.

For the Big Pinks I stamped "You Make Me Happy" from the Make My Day stamp set and punched it out with a circle punch and added the circle window charms over the top. I really like how this turned out. I don't use Make My Day that often, but every time I do, I love it!



Happy Stamping!

Thank You Scrapbook Page

My oldest son's school received a grant from the Sherwood Foundation to update the school library, so the PTA wanted to thank them by making a scrapbook of thanks from the children. I was asked to put together this scrapbook, which wasn't hard. I just designed the front cover, the inside cover and then Tate's teacher asked me to design their 1st grade page. Here is the page I did for them:


I stamped Rustic Flowers three times so I would have 21 petals. There are 21 kids in Tate's class, so this flower worked perfectly. I cut that out and took it to school to have each child print their name on a petal. Once I got that home, I designed a page around those flowers.

Recipe: 8 1/2 x 11

Stamp sets: Homestead Alphabet, Rustic Flowers, SANS Small Caps, Romantic Backgrounds

Paper: Paper Garden Level 2, Buttercup cs, Sweet Leaf cs, Blush cs, White Daisy cs

Ink: Sweet Leaf, Buttercup, Garden Green, Blush

Accessories: Ribbon Slides Dimensional Elements, Blush Polka Dot Ribbon, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Buttercup bigger brad, Sweet Leaf bigger brad, Baby Pink bigger brad

It turned out just how I had it in my head while designing it. I hope they like it. I will show you the front cover and inside cover soon!

Tutorial Tuesday - Stamping on Twill

I'm back from vacation and trying to get back into the swing of our routine. I picked the butterfly card I posted last week for this tutorial. It is was a long one...12 minutes and YouTube rejected it, because of the length. Now, I am uploading to Veoh. I tried to shorten the tutorial, but had editing difficulties. You will hear a small break in what I am saying at one point in the video, but it isn't too bad. I am talking about watercoloring on twill and not liking how it looked.



Hope you enjoy!


Online Videos by Veoh.com

Pocket Card

I cased this card from Dawn at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. I like hers better, because of the cheery colors. These pocket cards are so cute! I used Star Struck and the Good Times paper pack. The colors are sweet leaf, chocolate, twilight and buttercup. The ribbon is American Crafts that I got from HL. I used a scallop punch for the chocolate cardstock and paper pierced the little holes in it. For the scallops on the buttercup and sweet leaf, I used my corner rounder and took the guide off. Then I pierced holes in the buttercup scallops. Thanks for the inspiration, Dawn!




I have good news and bad news! The good news is my boys have Spring Break next week. The bad news is I will be taking a week off from blogging and creating. We are going to take this time to play and visit friends and family. In addition, I am going to a scrapbook convention in Des Moines with my sister. YAY!

Have a great week!

Happy Stamping!

Video Tutorials Idea

I have been pondering the idea of offering my video tutorials on DVD for you to purchase, five (5) for $12.00 shipping included. In fact, my sister has been try to talk me into this. You would be able to choose the ones you want on your DVD, so you could tailor it to your needs. I am still playing with the idea and figuring out how to package it and mail them, so it is not a finalized yet.

I was wondering if this is something you would like me to offer. Just leave a comment about whether or not you think this is a good idea. You would be able to play them on your computer or DVD player, so you could create along with me.

I have seen a couple of blogs where they offer their videos and thought it was a pretty good idea, since they don't stay forever on my blog...AND my sister would stop coaxing me if I finally decided what to do.

Thanks for your input!

Happy Stamping!

Happy Birthday Butterfly

I am sorry I didn't get something new posted yesterday. I had a club meeting last night and was getting ready for it most of the day. I realized right before the meeting started that I didn't create something for my blog. Well, we did have fun last night creating the Big Pinks card that I had posted in March. I put out a lot of embellishments and let everyone change the card to add their personal touch.

Today's card is the first I have made for my next card class. I love stamping on twill and don't use it often. I used the Butterflies stamp set and the new Paper Garden Level 2 paper pack. The colors are sweet leaf, petal, blush and buttercup. I finished it off with baby pink ribbon and baby pink bigger brads. Hope you like! I will be creating more with this paper and stamp set, so stop by again! Oh, I almost forgot to tell you I used the CTMH colored pencils to highlight and color the butterfly. These work awesome on the twill!


Happy Stamping!