Hip Hip Hooray

The weather here is FINALLY so nice! I haven't been stamping much since I've been outside enjoying it. (And training for my 10K, which is coming up next Saturday! Eep!!) But, I did have this card done and ready to go since yesterday was my BFF Andrea's birthday. We are celebrating today! I think this card is super cute.

Stamp Set: Pun Fun
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Ruby Red, Sahara Sand, Water Color
Designer Series Paper: Sweet Slumber Specialty
Stamp Pads (Classic): Stazon Black, plus Sahara Sand, Ruby Red & Baja Breeze for watercoloring
Accessories/Tools: Riding Hood Red striped ribbon, Blender Pens

I used a watercolor technique I learned at Regionals a few weeks ago. I actually do have the Sahara Sand and Ruby Red markers (I only have a handful of markers...), so rather than just just coloring the image in... I tried what I learned! Color the marker on the plastic stamp box, then draw the juice into your blender pen. Use that to watercolor in your image. I think it turned out really soft and subtle, especially the hippo. It's definitely more "watercolory" (if that's a word) than just coloring it in with the markers!

BLOG update: As of this morning I'm at 2929 hits! I hope I can make it to 3000 by the end of the weekend. :) and I am still thinking of some good stuff for my 5K hits blog candy. :)

Glitter Mania

Can I just say how proud I am for stepping out of my stamping comfort zone and trying new things this week? First I made the cute Mother's Day card below. Then I got out the sticky sheets & glitter I bought long ago and was too scared to use. Thanks to Minneapolis Regionals, I'm totally turned on to glitter! It helps that my first attempt, below, turned out super cute, I think. :)

Stamp Set: None!
Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Whisper White
Designer Series Paper: None!
Stamp Pads (Classic): None!
Accessories/Tools: Sticky Cuts Sweet, Fine Supernova glitter, Bright Delights rubons

I think I'm going to give this card to a friend whose boyfriend just broke up with her. It seems like the perfect sentiment & nice and cheery to help her through it. :)

BLOG NEWS!!! I'm so excited to see I've got over 2,800 hits on my blog! I've already decided that there will be blog candy when I get to 5,000 (hopefully sometime this summer...) BUT first, I want to see a 3,000 on my hit marker. Please pass my blog along to your friends so they may check me out while blurfing!!

Mother's Day

I'm actually ahead of the game!! I have my Mother's Day card already made, and here it is a month early. This is sooo unlike me. I totally inherited the "late" genes of my dad's sisters. BUT, this week's Technique Lovers Challenge (TLC215)on Splitcoaststampers.com was the perfect card to make for my mom this year.

Outside

Inside

Stamp Sets: Best Wishes and More, All Holidays
Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White, Summer Sun, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive
Stamp Pads (Classic): Summer Sun, Rose Red, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive
Accessories/Tools: Scallop Edge Punch, 5/8" So Saffron ribbon (from SAB), 2-way glue, Dazzling Diamonds, vintage brads

I hope my mom doesn't read my blog and get a sneak peek of this card! (But I hope she DOES read my blog, she's my mother afterall). Anyway, this is such a fun spring card, I may demonstrate it at an upcoming workshop. I have 2 right before Mother's Day, so perfect!

A busy stamping weekend

I had so much fun this weekend! On Saturday I went to the Minneapolis Stampin' Up! Regionals meeting. I took my lone downline, Kris, along. We had a fun time listening to the great ideas, making some awesome stuff, and trying out new techniques. It got me really thinking about fun classes I can do coming up this spring. It also made me crave going to Salt Lake City for the national conference, but I can't go! Wouldn't you know it.... the ONE week I signed up to teach summer school is that week. And I already signed my contract. Drat!

Anyway, on Sunday I met with my St Paul Stampin' Meet Up group. I formed this group on meetup.com to try to meet more crafty people and eventually grow my potential customer base. I set out on our meeting to make thank you cards for the gals who ordered from me during Sale-A-Bration. Yes, as always I'm running late. Here are my five gorgeous creations!

Garden Greetings


Flight of the Butterfly

Cheep Talk

Great Friend

Pocket Silhouettes

Unfortunately, I don't have time right now to include the details! It's Opening Day 2009 and baseball is finally back! I've got to grab me a HoneyWeiss beer, sit on the couch, and watch the Twins. (I try to balance out my girly habits - like stamping - with more masculine ones - like beer and sports!) I will update this post later with the details of stamps, paper, etc. I'll just say for now, many are challenge sketches, including the Cheep Talk card being Weekend Sketch Challenge 75 from Mary Jo Albright's blog.

Happy baseball season!

Fun New Stuff

A few days ago the UPS man dropped off a wonderful package for me: my Big Shot & preorder from the Occasions Mini. With my two successful (read: promotion!) workshops this past weekend, I haven't had much time to play around with my new stuff. But, amidst prepping for workshops, I did find time to make some cards. These 2 are my faves from last week.

Oval All
Stamp Set: Oval All
Cardstock: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze
Designer Series Paper: Parisian Breeze
Stamp Pads (Classic): Baja Breeze
Accessories/Tools: Oval Scallop Punch, Baja Buttons, embroidery thread

This is actually an SFYTT sketch by the talented Jen del Munro. God forbid I actually come up with a card design on my own! I'm totally stuck in an old sketch rut. But... I guess that's OK since these sketches are so awesome. I just hope they sink into my brain and unleash some original creativity soon.


First Top Note
Stamp Set: All Holidays
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, RHR Red, Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Designer Series Paper: Sweet Slumber Specialty
Stamp Pads (Classic): Baja Breeze, Ruby Red (marker)
Accessories/Tools: Baja Breeze Ribbon, Big Shot Top Note! :)

This card is a sketch challenge, too (no surprize!) It's WSC 72 by Jenn Balcer. But even more exciting than this actual card and the Big Shot and the sketch challenge is that this very card will be some (or all, depending on how much time I have to finish) of the swaps I take with me to the Mpls Regionals on April 4. I love it!

My next task is to make Thank Yous (I never seem to have enough!) for my 2 workshops this weekend. Neither was a terrifically LARGE workshop, but both were totally fun! Thanks to Lena & Jenn! I had an awesome time at your parties. :)

Sketch Challenge Catch-up

As always, I'm running behind on challenges. I just can never seem to get them done on the day that they are posted. But, I am obsessed with finding card sketches online, and I've found some really great ones. Keep tuned for my sketch finds!

Today's sketch posts are the old standbys... Mojo and SCS. But they are good nonetheless!

Mojo 77

Stamp Set: Great Friend
Cardstock: Regal Rose, Whisper White, Basic Grey
Designer Series Paper: Walk in the Park
Stamp Pads (Classic): Regal Red, Basic Grey
Accessories/Tools: Vintage Brads, 5/8" Regal Red ribbon

So, I didn't realize the pink-ish color in the DSP was Cameo Coral... I thought it was Regal Rose. But, I don't think you can tell it doesn't match 100%. Maybe if there were more of t he pink color it would stand out. Anyway, I love, love, love this card. It's definitely going to my BFF Andrea someday. :)

SCS 220
Stamp Sets: Good Friend, On Your Birthday
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Whisper White, So Saffron
Designer Series Paper: Good Morning Sunshine
Stamp Pads (Classic): Pacific Point, So Saffron
Accessories/Tools: Scallop Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 5/8" So Saffron ribbon (SAB)

I am not sure who I am going to send this to, so I haven't filled in the ( ) yet. Though in April my nephew is turning 2, my BFF has a birthday, my brother- and father-in-law both have birthdays, and more! So I'm sure it will get used. :)

I am still on Spring Break today (through Friday), and my car is getting the tires rotated and brakes fixed. So I am homebound! I plan to use the day to stamp (like, maybe I should get started on my swaps for Regionals on April 4!) and play with my Wii Fit. I love that thing. :)

Sale-A-Brate at Jenn's workshop

Well, I'm sad to report that no one is coming to my Say It With Scallops class. Boo! But I am staying quite busy (even with spring break this week!) prepping for 2 workshops this coming weekend. The first is for Jenn, a gal I met at Holly's Workshop. Jenn is doing a more "traditional" workshop, where we'll make 2 cards and 1 scrapbook page using a simply scrappin' kit. I think I've said before, I love to do lots and make-and-takes! I used to get so bored watching an old demo of mine just demonstrate what to do. I like to let them DO it!

Anyway, here are the samples.

Botanical Blooms
Stamp Sets: Botanical Bloom (SAB), Sincere Salutation
Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red, Whisper White
Stamp Pads (Classic): Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories/Tools: 1/8" circle punch, Wide Oval Punch, Satin Kiwi Kiss ribbon

I think I'll add some Raspberry Tart DSP to this design at the workshop. It needs a bit more.


Polka Dot Punches
Stamp Sets: Polka Dot Punches (SAB), From the Heart
Cardstock: So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
Stamp Pads (Classic): So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
Designer Series Paper: Delicate Dots (SAB)
Accessories/Tools: 5/8" So Saffron Ribbon (SAB), Full Heart Punch, BIG SHOT, Bigz Scallop Envelop Die

Can I just say how excited I am to use my BIG SHOT for the first time at a workshop! I hope people love it, because I already do, and I just got it on Tuesday. Anyway, this super cute card is basically cased exactly from Patsy Waggoner, who won the So Shelli Contest with this design. I think we can see why!

I have the hostess's approval for these cards. She says she loves them! I do to... and I hope they drum up some interest so I get LOTS of SAB orders! (I am like $300 away from getting a promotion to Supervisor... come on people, BUY!) :)