Beautiful Thank You

I made this beautiful card at my friend, Kim's a couple of weeks ago.  She had everything cut and ready to go for us at her workshop.  I love this technique with the Impressions Folder.

You put ink on the folder and then put your paper into the folder and run it through the Big Shot.  The ink does not go into the impression, so it leaves it the color of the paper while turning the paper the color of the ink you use.  Soft and pretty!

I have to confess that her card had a beautiful bow on it and my bow looked terrible, so I put a flower on mine when I got home.  Hee hee!  I do not tie pretty bows, so I had to improvise.

celebrate!

This is another project we are making this month at club.  I saw this cupcake on a card my friend, Kim made and knew I had to have the sizzlits 4-pack dies, Big Bold Cupcake.  I wish you could see the frosting sparkle.  You can see it just a little in the picture.

I wanted to use the sentiment celebrate, so I can use this card for a birthday or for someone who might be celebrating some other occasion.

Celebration!  Talking about CELEBRATION!  I am so excited, because yesterday (Wednesday) I finally made my Weight Watchers goal.  I have lost 16 pounds and hope to keep it off.  I wanted to join Weight Watchers, because I seem to gain 15 pounds and then lose it and then find it back again...over and over.....

If I stay at my goal (within two pounds) for the next six weeks, I won't have to pay for my meetings anymore. I want to keep going to the meetings to continue to be accountable for my weight.  I am hoping to keep these 15 pounds off FOREVAH!

To celebrate this milestone, I am giving away a little blog candy.  I have an extra Extreme Skateboard stamp that I used to make this card.

Here is a picture of the stamp:

How do you have a chance to win?  Just leave a comment on this post on whether or not you have made a goal this year and how are you doing on achieving that goal.  It doesn't have to be weight related.  It can be about creating, organizing, cleaning, exercising.....anything.  Good luck!

I will choose a winner on Sunday, April 10th and announce the winner on Monday, April 11th.

Just For You

I am healing so fast that I am so excited to go to the doctor tomorrow.  I am hoping he will release me to drive and to start exercising.  I won't be able to run for three months, but he said before surgery that I should be able to ride my bike.  My great friend, Tracy has loaned me a stand to put my bike inside, so I can ride any time.  My awesome hubby is going to set that up tomorrow, if the doctor gives me a thumbs up.

I was able to get back to creating in my craft room today.  It is a good thing, since I have club this Tuesday night and Friday night.  I wanted to create with the new stamp set that has not been released yet called Four Frames and the new designer series paper, Paisley Petals.  These two products will NOT be available until July 2011; however, in the month of April you can buy them just buy spending $20.00 in Stampin' Up! products.  YAY!

I love this stamp set, because it is made for the Designer Label punch.  Awesome!

I wanted to play along with Susanna this week at Paper Craft Planet's sketch challenge.  You should check it out, because you could win a prize.  Here is my card:

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: four frames

Paper: paisley petals, tangerine tango, whisper white, river rock, old olive,

Ink: marina mist, tangerine tango

Accessories: old olive satin ribbon, dimensionals, rhinestones, square lattice impressions folder, scallops squares duo bigz die

Punches: designer label

Techniques:

Chocolate, Anyone?

We made this cute chocolate box at Kim's this month.  This was made with the new Petal Cone Big Shot Die and the Eat Chocolate stamp set from the Occasions Mini.  Awesome!

Boy, I could go for some chocolate now...How about you?

Christmas Card Challenge - Recipe

This week at Sparkles' Christmas Card Challenge, we were given a recipe: one designer series paper, stars and rub-ons.  I just realized I used two dsps.  My bad!  At least they are from the same series.  I wanted to use a star as my main image, so I used my Movers & Shapers Big Shot Die to cut a star image out of the front of my card.  Then I used my star punch to create a star with pattern paper to peek through the star opening.

I have wanted to use my BIG striped ribbon and this was the perfect card for that.  I don't know why, but I love, love, love strips and polka dots together.

Pop Can

Can you believe these cute little flowers were made from pop cans?  Yes, yes they were.  I saw these on Dawn Griffith's blog and knew I had to make them.  We are going to make one of these at March club next week.  March!  Next week!  I can't believe it!

Actually, two of these were made from pop cans and one is made from a beer can.  I have been asking the neighbors for they empty pop cans.  I got busted today digging through one of my neighbor's recycling bins.  They had awesome colored cans.  I had to explain why I was rummaging through their trash.  They know me well, so they just asked if I needed more.  Yes, I do!

Diet Pepsi 

Guiness

Pepsi Max

This are made with the Big Shot and Flower Daisies #2 die.  I put these together with a jumbo brad and added a 1 1/4" circle to the back.  You can use these for cards or you can add a jewelry bar pin to the back.  These would look cute on a jean jacket, hat or bag.  Love them!

Reminder....I am the hostess tomorrow for the sketch challenge.  I made a brayer card for this one.  

Ice Cream Birthday

This is the cutest ice cream cone I have ever made.  I made this at Kim's house last week.  Love it!  I didn't think I "needed" the new Petal Cone Big Shot Die in the occasions mini.  Now, I think I do.  I should just break down and get it, because Kim will keep showing me cute projects with it, and I will get it just like I did the Just Believe stamp set.  She is such an enabler...hee hee!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: so happy for you

Paper: crumb cake, whisper white, pretty in pink patterns dsp, glimmer paper

Ink: real red

Accessories: petal cone big shot die, square lattice impressions folder, dimensionals

Punches: 1" circle

Techniques: big shot

Here is another little present Kim gave me for Valentines Day using the same Petal Cone Die.

Happy Valentine's Day

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

My downline, Emily had her first workshop this weekend.  She did a fantastic job!  Here is the Valentine Treat pouch we made.  This is a great way to use the Top Note Big Shot Die

Good Works

I played along with Mojo Monday again this week.  When I saw the long space for an image, I knew I wanted to use the Inspired By Nature stamp set.  I colored the sunflower image with chocolate chip, crushed curry and old olive markers.  Then huffed on the image and stamped.  Perfect!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: inspired by nature

Paper: old olive, whisper white, crushed curry (retired), cottage wall (retired)

Ink: chocolate chip marker, old olive marker, crushed curry marker (retired), old olive

Accessories: brad (other), dimensionals, scallop squares duo bigz die

Punches: 1" punch, 5-petal flower, boho blossoms

Techniques: direct marker

I am going to my sister's this weekend to attend one of my downline's (Hi, Emily!) first workshop.  YAY!  My mom is meeting me there, so we can have a girls weekend.  See ya next week!

I would like to thank those of you who have purchased my Basic Brayer 101 online stamping course.  If you are still interested in purchasing this class, you can do so by clicking the Buy Now button at the top of the left sidebar.

Heart to Clover

I had to make a card for club last Friday night in a hurry, because I couldn't find the card I made last month.  I still can't find it!  Hmm!  My friend, Barb from The Buzz sent me this card last year and I love it!

I just bought the Scalloped Heart to Hearts Embosslits, so I could make this for club this year.  I don't have this paper, so I improvised and used the Greenhouse Gala again.  When my club members made this Friday night, I had them random stamp the bottom of the card after they added the worded stem.  This is from the butterfly set, Flight of the Butterfly.  I thought it made a great stem.  Tonight the rest of my club members will be meeting, creating and...HAVING A LOT OF FUN!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: teeny tiny wishes, So happy for you (sale-a-bration), flight of the butterfly

Paper: certainly celery, greenhouse gala, old olive, whisper white

Ink: old olive

Accessories: Scalloped heart to hearts embosslits, dimensionals

Punches: word window, modern label, full heart XL

Techniques: big shot

Birthday Spin

I knew when I saw the set Take a Spin on page 10 in the occasions mini that I had to have it.  I love the cards on page 11 made with the set, so I decided to make the flower one for our club meeting this month.  In fact, we are meeting tonight.  I can't wait to show them this one.  Love it!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: take a spin

Paper: tan (other), pumpkin pie, whisper white, greenhouse gala

Ink: baja breeze, pumpkin pie marker, crumb cake

Accessories: texturz plates background 1, game spinner hands, flower folds big shot die, mat pack, paper piercer, dimensionals

Punches: 2 1/2" circle

Techniques: big shot

Feb Club Card

I'm back!  We had two snow days and the boys loved it!  Well, I loved it too.  I am behind schedule though.  Even though the weather wasn't the best we made it to Aunt Janet's funeral three hours away from home.  The roads weren't too bad.  The temps were bitter cold, but the service was beautiful and it was nice to see family we hadn't see in a while.  We wish it would have been under different circumstances.  Aunt Janet is at peace now and not suffering any more.  Now, she is in God's hands.

I have club meetings this Friday and next Tuesday, so I need to get on the ball and decide what we are going to make.  I decided we haven't made a sympathy card in a while and I need to replenish my stash.  I got the inspiration for this card from the Mojo Monday sketch here.  In addition, I used the new Thanks for Caring set from the occasions mini.  Oh, such a pretty set.

I haven't made a round card is such a long time.  I should make them more, because they are so much fun.  I used my new scallop circle Big Shot die.  Oh, this die is awesome!  

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: thanks for caring

Paper: greenhouse gala, baja breeze, real red, so saffron

Ink: baja breeze, real red

Accessories: scallop circle big shot die, lots of tags sizzlits, white gel pen, daffodil 1/8" taffeta ribbon, dimensionals

Punches: 2 x 1 3/8" oval

Techniques: big shot

Just a note....I have been keeping up on my 365 project so far.  Whew!  I think that is going to be my scrapbooking this year.

Valentine Box

This is another project I made at Kim's.  Isn't it the cutest?  One of the teachers is going to love it.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: filled with love

Paper: pretty in pink, whisper white, real red. love patterns dsp

Ink: real red, chocolate chip, crumb cake marker

Accessories: rhinestones, old olive ribbon, dimensionals, color spritzer tool, box #2 big shot die

Punches: itty bitty punch

Techniques: 3D

Thinking of You

Well, I have all the birthday cards for this month created and mailed.  Whew!  I decided to switch gears, and play with my Greenhouse Gala DSP.  It is really cold now, so I needed a little spring feeling.  I like winter and sledding; however, it is always nice when spring is finally here.

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: Cute by the inch

Paper: old olive, greenhouse gala dsp, real red, daffodil delight

Ink: real red

Accessories: flower folds big shot die, basic pearls, real red 5/8" inch grosgrain ribbon (retired), dimensionals, beautiful wings embosslits die

Punches: 1" square, 1 3/8" square, scallop border

Techniques: basic stamping

HB

Today, the boys have a snow day....YAY!  It has snowed at least eight inches and it looks so pretty outside.  We were ready for enough snow to go sledding.  We are wondering if there will be school tomorrow, since it is supposed to snow all day and all night.  The boys are crossing their fingers.  There are four days built into their school schedules where they don't have to make up the days.  They like to use all of them, of course.

I finally finished the birthday card for my dad.  I was hoping you would be able to see the glitter on the chipboard.  I used the silver smooch spritz....LOVE IT!

close-up

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: tiny tags, sanded

Paper: pear pizzazz, pacific point, celebrations dsp, real red

Ink: pacific point marker

Accessories: silver smooch spritz, silver cord, top note big shot die, corduroy pacific point buttons (retired), on board alphabet soup chipboard, real red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (retired)

Punches: medium jewelry tag

Snowman Box

This is another top note project I have been wanting to make for awhile.  The snowman design is from Tammy Beaver.  I love all the top note characters she has made and hope to make all of them by the end of next year.

The box is a die for the Big Shot called Fancy Favor.  Love it!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: none

Paper: whisper white, black, cherry cobbler, Orange (other)

Ink: marina mist

Accessories: fancy favor die, top note die, clear rhinestone brad

Punches: scallop circle, 1" circle, 3/4" circle, snowflake (other)

Techniques:big shot, 3D

Staying with the snowman theme, I took this picture while we were at my parents.  I love this little snowman my parents have on their deck.  I was playing with textures in Photoshop Elements to change the look.

Straight out of camera (SOOC)

Textures

I used textures from Rita at her CoffeeShop Blog and a texture from Jerry Jones at ShowHouseCreations Blog.  I like how they brightened the snowman's face.  I lowered the opacity on the textures, so they don't show a lot.

Aerial View

Oh, Baby!  It's cold outside!  We are definitely in the winter season now, so I thought this card would be perfect for today.  This is another project I made a Kim's.  It is so cute!  I love the aerial view of the snowman looking up to the sky....great idea!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: teeny tiny wishes, retired snowflake

Paper: crumb cake, whisper white, pumpkin pie, black

Ink: bashful blue, real read

Accessories: real red ribbon, circles #2 bigz die

Punches: snowflake, 1/4" circle

Techniques: big shot

Snowflake Ornament

I went to Kim's last night and made the cutest projects.  This is a snowflake ornament we made with thick window sheets and the oval bigz die for the Big Shot.  I love how the lights shine behind the ornament.  Look at that glitter!

The snowflake punch was punched out of the Big Shot multipurpose adhesive sheets and put on the window sheet.  Then we covered it with glitter and added a rhinestone.  Love it!

Manhattan Three-Fold

I made a simple, but elegant card at my friend, Kim's a while ago with the Manhattan Flower Impressions Folder.  It was so simple, but I loved it.  I decided to create another one.  When I made the first one below, I decided to have a little more fun and play with my white ink pads.

This was was made by using the Manhattan embossing folder and lightly swiping the impression with white pigment ink.  I only wanted to pick up the embossed flowers.  I topped off the card with a thank you sentiment from Because I Care (hostess level 1 set) and whisper white organza ribbon.  Oh, I almost forgot I  spritzed it with the vanilla shimmer smooch.  Pretty!  You might be able to see the shimmer, if you click on the picture to enlarge it.

For this one, I decided to use a heavy amount of whisper white pigment ink all over the card.  A little different look, but still just as pretty!  All the other materials are the same.  More smooch!  I love that word.

For the last one, I played with my white staz-on pad.  It is a thicker ink, so the image looks painted.  Oh, to pick my favorite....I don't think I can.  I like them all!

Which one do you like best?  My hubby and boys liked the second one.  I had them vote separately, so they wouldn't know which one was chosen, and they still all picked the same.

Got Patterns?

Wow!  Do I have a bunch of patterns here?  Yes!  Yes, I do!  When I got the Top Note Bigz Die out to make Rudolph, I decided to play a little more.  I made this card using the die as the card base.  Oh, how cool is this?

I decided to use more of my Jolly Holiday designer series paper.  I punched out an ornament in very vanilla, and punched out another one in the designer series paper.  This made the ornament sturdy, so I could tie the gold cord around it.  Love it!

Materials used are stampin’ up! Unless noted

Stamps: delightful decorations

Paper: old olive, very vanilla

Ink: cherry chobbler

Accessories: gold cord, 1/4" OLD OLIVE GROSGRAIN RIBBON, TOP NOTE BIGZ DIE

Punches: 3/4" CIRCLE, ORNAMENT

Techniques: BIG SHOT

I filmed two videos today.  Whew!  I will post the YouTube video for the gift card purse the next time.  I had fun making that one.  It takes about 15 minutes to make one of the purses, so I had to edit it a lot to get it down under 11 minutes.

In addition, I filmed the first of three videos for my basic brayer class.  I found out my camera doesn't have a big enough SD card, because I ran out of memory before I got down.  I had to download what I taped to my computer and finish the rest.  I decided to buy a 16 gb card, so I don't have to do that again.  I will be able to use this card in my new camera, once I buy it...hee hee!  Still saving for that one.  I hope to get it by Christmas, so my photos are awesome!