Pretty Packaging

Isn't this a cute little bag. I am thinking about letting this be the make and take at my preview party for the new Stampin' Up! book. The Saturday Challenge actually inspired me to do it, but the directions came from Kerin's blog, Stamps, Paper and Glitter. This is her "Top Note Top Tote Bag". I got the name because she made it with the "Top Note Die" and of course I followed in her shoes and did the same. She also has a Thursday challenge, so please check it out. For the directions for this pretty bag click here. It will take you to her bag and how she did it. I also used scraps just to see how it would turn out since it was my first time making this bag and so that qualifies me for the High Hopes Challenge for this week. The only thing that was not a scrap is the ribbon and I cut it from the spool. I thought for my first time making this bag, it really turned out quite beautiful. Again, I am going to miss Baja Breeze Cardstock. It was really great.

I used the Baja Breeze Card Stock for the base and for the Designer paper I used a 2" scrap piece of "Walk in the Park" which also retires on June 30th. I actually had to piece a couple of pieces together to get it to go all the way around. You do what you need to do to make it work. I then added the basic gray taffeta ribbon and for the top ribbon, the retiring 5/8" striped grosgrain "Baja Breeze" ribbon. The stamp set on the front is one of my favorites and it is called "Riveting" (retired). But if I do this for my preview party, I will use one of the new stamps. Other items I used were pop dots, Sticky Strip, Glue dots, circle punches, scallop punch, two eyelets on the side to hold the ribbon, and adhesive. If you can see, the ribbon on the side is not showing because I placed it between the two papers that come together. I then used the eyelet to go through the paper and the ribbon. Hopefully you can understand what I am saying. Thanks for looking. If I did not make sense, I am sure Kerin will clear some of it up by her directions (above).

Goodbye Kiwi Kiss

Just a couple of more days and Kiwi Kiss will be gone. I sure will miss all of the in-colors from last year, but again we are starting a fresh year at Stampin' Up! and some wonderful in-colors coming in. So out with the old and in with the new. This card was made by using the Friday Sketchers sketch, even though I altered it a bit. I also incorporated the Stamp Something Challenge, which was 3 embellishments. I used the BIGZ Top Note Die from Stampin' Up!. I just love it with this stamp "Upsy Daisy" and yes it is in the new book also. I used the "Urban Garden Designer paper and actually cut out one of the flowers and adhered to right top corner of card. The base of the card is using Baja Breeze (also retiring, so sad). I also embossed with iridescent ice from stampin' up!. On the two corner flowers I used stickles. That is easy when it is just a small amount. Thanks for looking.

Friends and Family

This is a layout I did from a sketch for a card, but I did not see that we could not change from a card to a layout, so hopefully this is OK. It is a part of stampin and the sketch from Truly Scrumptious challenges was a great sketch for this page. I actually did two and turned the second page below. For both layouts I used the Scrappin Kit from stampin' Up! called "Best Ever". The flower on the layout above is from the Flower Kit by Stampin' Up! and I used a blotter to get the color "Riding Hood Red on the top flower. The brad is also from Stampin' Up!.

These kits are so easy and can put a page together before you know it. Now you also know that card sketches can make a great layout for scrap booking. Try it sometime, you will like. Thanks for looking and look below for the second layout.

Presents are the best

Well I left work today at 11:30 and came home and started scrappin. How much fun can you have. Today was Triple the Sketch 63 challenge and so here it is. I will soon have this scrapbook done and then I can start my regular scrapbooking and of course card making. I love it all. I really need to get together what I will be showing at my New book preview for Stampin Up. I have that on the 7th of July and am still uncertain of what I will be doing. I will have it done though.

This layout is continuing on with the "Pink Flamingo" DSP from Stampin' Up!. The card stock is Summer Sun and Tempting Turquoise. The flower is stampin up and I used a blotter to apply the Cameo Coral color from the classic ink pad. Tempting Turquoise classic ink was also used for the b is for birthday and the small flower at the bottom. The pearl is from the flower kit from Stampin' Up!. The brad at the top is from the Square Ice pack. "b is for birthday" came from the set "Party Hearty". Thanks for looking and will be posting two more shortly.

Get Well Wishes

Well this is the first card I did tonight and I thought it turned out rather well. I used the Sweet Sketch 3 by Ariana Patten at the Sweet Sketch Wednesday blog. This paper is absolutely too cute. It is Stampin' Up! designer paper "Tea Party". I actually bought it to scrapbook some pages of my granddaughters and when I saw the colors for this sketch, I knew I would have to use it for a card also. It had all the colors I needed for their challenge. I guess this is why I became a stampin' up! demonstrator. I just love to see how things come together and I can see a sketch and know almost immediately what stamp set I would like to use. This sketch was no different. I knew the "Sweet Stems" set would work wonderfully with the Tea party Paper and the sketch. It makes you feel good when it all comes together as you thought. There are those times though that you want to throw the whole card away after it is complete. I got to where I still post them and just laugh about it. Even with this card, the "get well wishes" is crooked. Too late once the stamp hits the paper, that what you get. As my daughter says "shows character". You gotta love her. She made a father's day card for her dad and stamped the inside phrase upside down. She then turned it the right way and stamped it again. She told him he was special because he got a mirror image. Who would have thought about that. lol

Recipe: Stampin' Up! products unless other wise note: Stamp Sets - Teeny Tiny Wishes (new 2009-2010 catalog) Sweet Stems. DSP - Tea Party. Card Stock - Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Whisper White. Brads - Soft subtles. Markers - So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose. 1/4 grosgrain certainly celery ribbon.

Riding By

Well, I thought I would use Stampin' Up!'s in-colors one last time before they retire and also to enter the Color Throwdown challenge. It is a great way to see what colors go together. Baja Breeze is one of my most favorite in-colors since I have been using Stampin' Up! products. And as of Tuesday midnight, it will be gone. I sure will miss it, but the new in-colors are very nice and I am already looking forward to using them. I decided to use this stamp set when I went to the Cute Card Thursday challenge and it was wheels, anything with wheels. Even though this stamp set is retired, I have always liked it and it was the first to come to mind. Then of course I used Kerin Sylvester's sketch from Stamps Paper Glitter. Please check her site out. She does great work. I was really happy with the outcome. This was actually the second card I made tonight. I will post the other in a few minutes or maybe tomorrow morning.

Recipe: All products are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted: Stamp set - Time with You. Classic Ink - Basic Brown, Baja Breeze. Markers - Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery. Card Stock - Kraft, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze. Flower Brads. Button Bouquet. Designer Series Paper - Parisian Breeze Specialty and Candy Lane.

Kids at Play

I have used this stamp set quite often in scrap booking, but never for a card. So when I was doing the sketch for MOJO Monday this is the stamp set I chose. I still may put a Happy Birthday on there somewhere and use as a birthday card. Not sure yet, but it is cute. The stamp set is a retired set by Stampin' Up! called "Kids at Play". The heart balloon is also a part of this set and I just cut it out. I also used the square scallop punch and pop dotted it to give it a little definition. Card stock is So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Bordering Blue and Whisper White. The Designer Series Paper is called "Bella Birds" and also used another sheet of the "Bella Birds" for the little girls dress. I stamped her image on the DSP and then cut it out and adhered to the image here. I just love doing that. It seems to dress up the whole picture. Of course the ribbon and button are also Stampin Up. Thanks for looking.

Anticipation

If I keep this up, I will be done with my granddaughters Birthday Scrapbook soon. I need to finish so I can start on the Beach Pictures and also, I still need to do this past Christmas. It definitely keeps you busy, but fun busy. I used the Monday layout sketch from Beary Box. They have a new sketch weekly and it is great. Please check them out. This page will actually match a page I did prior, here, and hopefully they will go together pretty good. Once I complete the album, I will let everyone know. It is always a challenge within itself to get it the way I want it and this is also the first 8 1/2 X 8 1/2 Album I have done. I do like the size and think it will be great. I actually just ordered the card board album from Stampin' Up! this week. I am looking forward to covering it with paper.


Recipe: Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted: Summer Home Scrappin Kit (retired), Tempting Turquoise card stock and Whisper White Card Stock.

Well, I thought I would get back to some of the old in-colors to finish up my stash some prior to the end of June. This card was inspired by the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge and I pulled out some of my old stuff to use. It is always good to dig occasionally into your pile of stash and see what you come up with. I used SU's Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red and a Simply Scrappin Kit that retired in January. The ribbon is also retiring this month and is SU's. Thanks for looking and go check out the Sweet Sunday sketch blog.

A Kind Word

Here are a few of the stampin' up! new in-colors for the new year all put into one card. It is definitely quite bright, but I do love this stamp set "A Kind Word". It reminds me of my childhood. We loved to go barefoot. So the colors I used to preview are Crushed curry, melon mambo, rich razzleberry, bermuda bay and the very back with little showing is the soft suede. I actually should have left off the rich razzleberry, and added it as an afterthought. (Rich razzleberry is attached to the base of the card.) Any way I also used the new in-color ribbon in the bermuda bay. That and soft suede and melon mambo are my favorites in the in-colors. The punch I used for the saying is new to this stampin year also. It is called "Modern Label". I know I am going to like it. Anything I can punch out makes less to cut out.

The sketch came from Sketch Saturday and seemed to be perfect for the card and image. Thanks for looking and check out Sketch Saturday's site.

Hello Baby

Well here I am previewing one of the new designer series papers and two new stamp set that will be out on July 1st. This card just turned out so much better than I was expecting and I really am glad I checked out Kerin's stampspaperglitter sketch this week. It really made a pretty card.

As I said this is two of Stampin' Up!'s new sets that will be ready for order on July 1st. "Animal Stories" is the main focal point on the card and "Teeny Tiny Wishes" is where the Hello Baby came from. It is a set of 24 different wishes. You could use this stamp set every day. Of course the new paper is "Tall Tales" also out on July 1st. Card stock is So Saffron, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip. Ribbon is 1/4" grosgrain Old Olive. Used the 1 1/4" round punch and the 1 3/8" round punch for the circle. Classic inks were so saffron and chocolate chip.

Thanks for looking!

Too Cute Layout

Well here Kyrsten is again with that tongue stuck out. We keep telling her someone is going to grab it or she is going to bite it off, but she keeps on. She thinks it is cute, and of course it is to a certain extent. One day she is going to look at me and say, "Grammy why did you scrapbook that picture? Anyway, I am still going on with the theme of "pool party and what paper better says it than the Designer Series Paper "Pink Flamingo". I will have to order a new pack of this paper. I just love it. I got the sketch from Triple the Sketch challenge and the colors from Color Throwdown which were, Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise and Kiwi Kiss.

Recipe:

Stampin' Up! Products used: Stamp Sets: Do the Hula and So Very (retired). Card Stock: Kiwi Kiss, Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise, White. Designer Series Paper - Pink Flamingo. Craft Ink: White

Phrase printed from computer.

New Paper & Layout

Well, I was wondering if I would be able to post anything else this week and I did complete this page layout last night for the Beary Box Layout Challenge. I am so glad I found these challenges. It really does speed up the process for keeping your scrapbooks current. Anyway, I was excited to use some of the new colors from our idea book & catalog 2009-2010 which I received on Wednesday of this week. So this is a preview. One of the new in colors is melon mambo which is the main page of this layout. I just love it and also the designer paper is new and called "Tall Tales". I used the front for the bottom border and the back of the same sheet for the background of the pictures. I also plan on using more of it this weekend to get ready for a preview of new items I will be having on July 7th at my home. Thanks for looking and hopefully I will get some other things posted soon.

I'd Rather Be Shopping

Thanks to Mojo Monday Sketch, I did a long card instead of the original card or square card and I really like it. It was so much fun using this retired Stampin' Up! set that I purchased because it reminds me of "me". At one time shopping was my escape, but as you all know by now, "stampin" is my escape now. That is really to funny because if I am out shopping, I think, "I could be home stampin". Not sure at this time which cost me more money. May equal out to about the same. Regardless, both are fun and enjoyable. I also used piecing here with the blouse. It is the paper that is behind the image on the right.

Recipe:

Stampin' Up! products - Stamp set - Totally Cool, Card Stock - Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise. Designer Series Paper - Flock Together, Stampin' Up! markers, classic ink - Basic Brown,

Punches - Large Oval, Oval Scallop. 1/4 Grossgrain Ribbon - tempting turquoise.

Pink Flamingo

What an easy card! I was cleaning up my craft room this afternoon and when I got to this paper, stampin' Up! designer series "Pink Flamingo", I knew I need to use this part of the paper for the focal point of the card. So I sat down and looked at the sketches I had and the "Card Pattern Sketch #19" grabbed me and I knew it was the one. Also Our Creative Corner was to use a border punch and that worked out well with this also. This card took a total of maybe 10 minutes if that much time. And I thought it turned out wonderful. I just knew I would love this paper and now I know I'm going to have to buy more. It is just too pretty and you can do so much with it.

Recipe:

Stampin' Up! Products - card stock - Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White. Designer Series Paper - Pink Flamingo. Rub-ons - Chit Chat

Graduation Today

What a day yesterday was! I took a day off work and was going to the beach with my two granddaughters and my daughter and then coming home and relaxing a little by, of course, stampin. Well then my daughter wants to go shopping. So here we go. While I am out, my husband, who teaches high school calls and tells me they are having a teacher cookout after graduation today and he needs a dessert. Well when I get home I start on the dessert. We go out to eat dinner and then I get home and realize that the graduation party for one of our church members is at 3:00 tomorrow (today) and I have not made a card for her. So I did this late last night and I took it from Kerin Sylvester's sketch on Stamp Paper Glitter. The school colors were navy and white. Anyway, quick and easy and I did get to stamp some. Another busy day today. Two cookouts and my husband has already left for his schools graduation this morning. Then at 1:00 of to the teacher party and then to Caitlin's graduation party at 3:00. Probably no stampin for me today either.

Stampin' Up products: Stamp Set - Wonderful Words (retired). Card Stock - Night of Navy and Whisper White. Classic Ink - Night of Navy. White embossing powder

Two top stamps were from the $1.00 stock at AC Moore.

Thoughts and Prayers

This is a card I did tonight for the Mojo Monday Challenge. I have not missed a Monday yet and decided I would do it tonight. I also showed the inside of the card. I love to stamp on the inside also. It seems to add a different feeling to it. I also went with the Pink elephant which was to use Pink, Brown and White. So I think that was worked out with the paper.

Recipe:

Stampin' Up! products. Stampin Set - Close as a Memory. Rub-On - Chit Chat. Card Stock - Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Whisper White. Markers for Flowers. Punches - Scallop Circle and 1 3/4 circle.

Ready For Cupcakes Layout

This page is a continuation of my birthday scrapbook for my granddaughter. Of course I have found a new Layout sketch and I just love to see what comes out of these sketches. This is for the Sketches by Tamara, Layout Sketch Monday. It really helps you to put the pages together. I really like the way the girls were all standing there while my daughter lit the candle for Kyrsten to blow out. It looks like they were licking their lips. Makes me hungry. Recipe: All Stampin Up Products - Stamp Set - Party Hearty and Ticker Tape Alphabet. Card Stock - Whisper white and basic black. Designer Series Paper - Pink Flamingo. Classic Ink - Basic Black. Markers

Edges were done by the Cutterpede Rotary Blade - Scallop

Friendship Summer Layout X 2

I was so excited to find the Scrap and Stamp Saturday Challenge which is brand new. Please check it out. This scrapbook page is the first page I have done to start Kyrsten's 6th birthday scrapbook. She had so much fun and the pictures are great to work with. I do a scrapbook every year of her birthday.

This is another page I did to put in her scrapbook from another site where they had a layout sketch. I love these layouts. It is Beary Box Monday Layout Sketch. They also do a Thursday card sketch. How wonderful is that. You get two for one!

Recipe:

Stampin' Up! - Rub-ons - "A Perfect Day" and "Chit Chat". (just love rub-ons) Stamp Set- "Do the Hula" (retired). Card Stock - Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise and Real Red. Designer Series Paper - Pink Flamingo for both. Real Red Marker.

Flowers are from Banner that we used at Kyrsten's Birthday Party.

Card Class

Well, I am getting ready for my next card class which will be on June 25th (still working on the date). These are the four cards we will be making and I may be premiering some of our new items with stampin' Up! at the same time. I am really excited about our new catalog and our new in colors for the year. They are definitely different than this past year (which I loved) and a lot more exciting (very vibrant). Anyway, the cost of this class will be $10.00 and that includes all the material (envelopes also included) and the adhesive. My husband keeps telling me I need to charge for my time, but hopefully with purchases it all works out. I enjoy doing it regardless. Husband's just don't understand. It is a relaxing time for me. If I get stressed or worked up, I just go to my crafting room and start stampin. Before you know it, you are all calm and ready to start again.

I cased these cards from the splitcoast gallery. I always look to get ideas, but usually wind up doing them totally different, but this time, why change something that already looks good. Of course this is my version of them, but still pretty close to the original. We all need help occasionally.

If you are interested in this class, please contact me via e-mail or my stampin' up! website.

Stamp Set Used: Three Little Words (stampin' up!)

Pink Flamingo Scrapbook Pages

When my daughter chose to use a beach theme for Kyrsten's birthday party, I already had it in my mind what paper I would use to do the scrapbook pages. Stampin' Up! designer series paper, "Pink Flamingo". The funny part was; as I was trying to put the pages together, I remembered the birthday banners that my daughter had put up for Kyrsten's birthday party, so I got them out. That is where the flowers and the flip flop came from. I thought it really added to the page and what better way to remember the party. So all you scrapbookers out there, keep the banners! You may be able to use them for the page layouts. I am also entering my first scrapbook challenge with Cafe Mojo which is a Summer Theme. I think this qualifies. I am so glad there are challenges out there for scrapbookers. As always, I do a two page layout for my big scrapbook and then I will make one scrapbook for Kyrsten.

Other stampin' Up! products used: Stamp Set - Do the Hula (retired). Card Stock - Tempting Turquoise and Summer Fun. Classic ink pads - Chocolate Chip and Cameo Coral.

Get those scrapbooks going girls!

Girl friends

This reminds me of high school. Sure does date me or maybe not. Seems like this was back in style when I children were in high school. Anyway, this is for another challenge, sketch Saturday by Mandy. Really cute layout and when I saw this stamp set, I knew I had to use it. Am I like everyone else, got so many stamps you forget you have them. I really need to look at clearing out some. I am also putting this in the Saturday Challenge which uses bling. I think the flowers and brads can be considered bling.

Stampin' Up! items used: Stamp Set - Girl Friends (retired). Card Stock - Pink Pirouette and Whisper White. Designer Series Paper - Candy Lane (Last chance list, no longer available after 6/30) Ribbon - Riding Hood Red Taffeta. Water Color Pencils, Blender Pens.

Relax, Enjoy Life

I hate to see this stamp set go, but yes it is retiring and is on the "Last Chance List". It has gotten me through a few summers of scrapbooking beach pictures with my granddaughters. You would think I don't have any children, just my granddaughter. lol But, my daughters understand that I love them too, just don't get in the way of my hugs and kisses when they come to the house. Anyway, back to the card. So I guess I needed to use this stamp set, "Life's a Breeze" one more time before it retires on June 30th to create this card for the Stamps Paper Glitter Challenge by Kerin Sylvester. Wonderful sketch for this stamp set. The Designer Series Paper used here is also on "the last chance list" called "Parisian Breeze Specialty". And of course the in-color "Baja Breeze" is retiring. I have enjoyed using it a lot also.

Other Stampin' Up! products: Punches - Large oval and Oval Scallop, Kraft Card Stock and Whisper White Card Stock. Classic Stampin Pad Baja Breeze.

Happy Father's Day

I made this card for my Dad. He has this lab that he just loves, and this reminds me of him. Now Dad has Alzheimer's and tries to feed him every hour because he don't remember feeding him and his bowl is empty. Anyway, this stamp set makes me think of him. I got this sketch from The Fresh Batch Stamps and Smiles Challenge and also decided to do the Three Clover challenge which was a "Card for Dad".

Stampin' Up! products used - Stamp Set - For Father (retired), Card Stock- Basic Grey and Brocade Blue. DSP - retired Fall Winter 2008.

Sail Away on Sweet Dreams

I just love this set, "Wild about you" by Stampin' Up! and of course it is on the "last chance list". Yes, as of June 30th, it will be retired. I decided I needed to use one more time before the end of the month. I got this sketch from Friday Sketchers and really thought it would work for this set and some of the other papers that are retiring. The three strips across the top middle section are from the "Rock-a-Bye Boy simply scrappin kit, along with the bottom strip and the 100% all boy. That is a great kit for scrapbooking for a baby boy and my daughter actually bought it to make a scrapbook for a girl she works with. It turned out beautiful. Anyway, thanks for looking.

All supplies are stampin' up!.

4 page scrapbook layout

I did a scrapbook class last night and it was a great success. I actually cased the class from another Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Sandra Farrell. Thanks so much for the idea. Also after the class, I showed them how to make the mini scrapbook and one of the girls actually went home and made one and brought it to work this morning. It was really great. Look here to see one I posted last week. These are the pages we put together last night using the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin kit. This kit is one that is on the last chance list. If you are interested, please let me know or go straight to my Stampin' Up! Site to purchase. Thanks for looking.

Brighter Days/Friendship Grows

What wonderful colors and like always, it took a challenge to get me to put them together. Color Throwdown's colors for this week were Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion and Green Galore. They do compliment each other. Also, the sketch I got from A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 54. I am really getting into the circles. They are wonderful. I know you can not tell, but I used my circle scallop punch on the designer paper and adhered my image underneath. And that is where the Timeless Tuesday challenge comes in, Frame it. Hope you all enjoyed looking.

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! items: Stamp Set - Friendship Grows(retired). Card Stock - Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Green Galore. Used Water Color Pencils. Punches - Scallop Edge and Scallop Circle. Circle Cutter. DSP Retired paper. Classic Inc Pad - Pink Passion. Buttons - Button Latte & Bold Brights

Non Stampin up: Cuttlebug embossing template.

Friendship Strengthened

Well, here is another card where I used my butterfly image and I just love butterflies. I also think it is the time of year for butterflies, so they stand out more in your mind. This sketch is from the Mojo Monday week 89 challenge. It was great for both of these stamps sets and I was able to add another challenge with it. The buttons and sentiment are for this weeks Pink Elephant Challenge. I am telling you, these challenges are addictive. It is hard to keep up with them and work also, but I am giving it my best shot.

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! products: Stamp Sets - Flight of the Butterfly and God's Blessings. Card Stock - Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette and Whisper White. DSP - Bella Birds. Classic Ink: Chocolate Chip and Pink Pirouette. Punch 1 3/8 circle. Ribbon - 1/4" grossgrain pretty in pink.

Stickles for shimmer on butterfly.

Stampin' Up! "Last Chance List"

Well, here we are again at the end of our Stampin' Up! year. Stampin' Up! has their retired list, "Last Chance List", out starting today. One month before we premier our new catalog for the year. I can hardly wait, but in the mean time if there are stamps out there you are interested in take a look at our "Last Chance" list for stamps to make sure they are not retiring. This will be your last chance, June 1 - 30. Also our last chance Accessory list is out. They will be updating daily, so order early to make sure you don't miss out. This includes their designer series papers, ribbon, button, etc that will be closing out. Contact me for a list of these.

Also we are holding a hostess promotion.

The Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion has two parts:
Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.

Please let me know if you are interesting in hosting a party and taking advantage of this promotion. You can contact me here or go to my stampin' up! website. Thanks for looking.