StampMom.com

Sketch Challenges with New Goodies

2010-06-24T13:11:00.005-04:00

Playing with some new goodies from Stampin' Up! using the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge #286 and the Clean & Simple sketch #95.

What do you think? For the SCS card I turned the sketch on it side and used the Simply Scrappin' "Happy B-Day" kit -- awesome colors and fun (easy!) peel-and-stick images. The whimsical "Playground" designer buttons complement the patterns in the designer paper perfectly.

For the Clean & Simple sketch I used the new Daffodil Delight, a beautiful crisp shade of yellow that's part of their new color re-do. The sentiment and stem are from the soon-to-be-gone "Bloomin' Beautiful" stamp set and the flower is from a retired set called "Organic Grace".

Tropical Sketch Challenge

2010-06-20T16:35:00.003-04:00

I used the Splitcoast Stampers sketch challenge as the base for this fun card. I'm not usually patient enough to snip out individual images but the cute "Tropical Party" stamp set from the Summer Mini just begs for it...

plus lots of tropical bright colors like Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, and Rich Razzleberry. The little flowers in the Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper give some pop as well as texture as a counterpoint to my homemade grass (just snip away!). Crystal Effects on the flower add shine.

Thanks for looking, and hope you're enjoying a great Father's Day!

Last Chance -- Retiring Stampin' Up! Products

2010-06-06T09:58:00.002-04:00

In preparation for the new 2010-11 catalog coming out July 1, Stampin' Up! is retiring a ton of stamps, inks, designer paper, decor elements and accessories. If there were any things you've been holding back on purchasing, take a quick look at what will be coming "off the shelves" to see if there's anything you can bare to not add to your stash. All products are shown online and can be ordered 24/7 through my SU! website.

Some of my favorites -- Bloomin' Beautiful, Close As a Memory and Warm Words -- will still be my "go to" stamps, I'm sure, but I can't wait to see what's in the new catalog. As a SU! demonstrator I was able to place an advance order which should be here next week. Woohoo!! Let me know if you want to get a sneak peak as well, orders can be placed in July.

Cheers & Happy Stamping!

Watercolor Trio Thank You Card

2010-05-10T16:50:00.003-04:00

I am really enjoying my new "Watercolor Trio" clear-mount stamp set from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalog. Who knew clear mount stamps could actually help a space-challenged stamper like myself align my images just where I want them? I don't think I'll ever go back to wood mounts, LOL.

I had fun making this card because I used my Ornament Punch to create the vase -- just snipped the bottom to make it straight and used Hidden Garden rub-ons in white (now for sale in the Clearance Rack) for the pattern.

The pretty color combo of Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery and Melon Mambo was from a recent challenge but I can't for the life of me remember which one it was... My Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Paper was a perfect background with graphic punch to complement the pattern of the rub-ons. Rounded corners play off the straight edge lines -- I love it when a plan comes together. :-)

Hope you enjoy my card and find a little inspiration of your own in it -- Happy Stamping!

Retiring Stampin' Up! Colors

2010-05-08T08:56:00.004-04:00

It's a Color Revolution!! Stampin' Up! has revamped their color palettes and will be bringing in new ones as well as bring back some popular favorites. Of course, just as with our homes, you can't just keep bringing in new goodies without taking care of a few "past their prime" items. Think of it as a "yard sale" if you will. So Stampin' Up! will be deleting all of these colors from their palette -- if any of your faves are in here, now is the time to stock up on ink, paper, and matching ribbon. Shop to your hearts content, 24-7, at my SU! page

May is National Scrapbooking Month!

2010-05-06T07:00:00.003-04:00

It's a great time to get your scrap on! During National Scrapbooking Month, May 1-31, get a FREE package of Stampin' Up! Designer brads (Flower, Filigree, Circle, or Star Designer brads) with the purchase of My Digital Studio™ (item 118108) or any of these stamp sets:

p. 81 -- Extreme Elements
p. 119 -- Framed with Love
p. 128 -- Certiﬁed
p. 129 -- Circle Circus
p. 12* -- Elements of Style
p. 13* -- Momentos
p. 13* -- Éléments de style
p. 14* -- Rough Type
p. 22* -- Sentimental Journey
p. 25* -- First Day
p. 25* -- Camino a la Escuela

* denotes Summer Mini Catalog stamp set

Sketch Challenge Cards

2010-05-02T15:50:00.003-04:00

Too hot to be outside for too long = cool comfort in my stamping room

The Clean & Simple and the Our Creative Corner sketches gave me great starting points for these cards.

And for my Mother's Day Card, I used the Pals Paper Arts "Monochromatic Blues" challenge to set the color palette.

New Spring Catalog

2010-05-01T08:21:00.005-04:00

The New Summer Mini Catalog from Stampin' Up! is available starting today, including beautiful new stamps (wood and clear mount style, sets and individual stamps), punches, buttons and bling.

Summer is a great time to have a workshop -- find out more here. Whether you're a seasoned paper crafter interested in cards and scrapbooks, or someone who's never picked up a stamp in their life, a workshop can be tons of fun.

Think Mother's Day, Graduation, Birthdays and 4th of July. Nothing beats some stamping therapy as an escape from work stress, kid antics, housework, or whatever. Slip away for 5 minutes or an hour or two and let your creativity flow.

Let me know what I can do for you. Happy Stamping!

StampMom

Super Star Birthday

2010-04-28T17:32:00.003-04:00

I broke out my chipboard for this fun birthday card, you can barely see the shimmer in the photo but it's embossed and glittery. The background stars are from the new 4th of July stamp set available in the new Stampin' Up! Summer Occasions catalog. Bella Bleu DP makes a pretty background, torn for interest.

Greetings always look better in layers, I say, so my Birthday Wishes is a sandwich of Small Oval, Modern Label, and Large Oval punches. So glad that Wild Wasabi green is back to stay -- it pops in the base of the card and the ribbon as well.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

The UPS Man Cometh!

2010-04-07T07:13:00.002-04:00

As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I get the fun of being able to pre-order goodies before any new catalogs come out. We've got a new Summer Mini coming out May 1 and the UPS man will be delivering some fabulous new delights for me to play with this week, including:

A new 6x6 scrapbook to help to kick-start my resolution to get my photos more displayable.
A super cute Fourth of July stamp set that has versatile stars I know I'll use again and again for celebratory cards of all sorts (think birthday, graduation, congrats!)
And I'm excited to try SU!s new "Smooch Spritz" to add dimension and dazzle to all my projects, ordered in Gold Glow, Silver Foil, and Vanilla Shimmer.

Have I whet your appetite? :-)

Cottage Wall cards

2010-03-22T17:12:00.006-04:00

I love the Cottage Wall Designer Paper because it offers such a variety of patterns to play with. Add embellishments like buttons, rhinestones, ribbon and Build-a-Brad and you've got yourself a party! :-)
Just take a look at these 3 quite different cards I came up with recently:

Look what I just got!!

2010-02-21T08:33:00.003-05:00

I'm using this journal to jot down sketches, techniques, and just general stamping stuff. I got the one with lined paper but they have other choices including a task list, blank, or dot matrix.

You can find them at CafePress. Woohoo!! :-)

Video for Tissue Paper or Cardstock Flowers

2010-02-20T08:30:00.005-05:00

Julie Buhler created a fabulous video tutorial for making some neat and different flowers for cards or scrapbooks here -- my goal is to make one of these beauties this weekend and share it with you.

Keep your fingers crossed, because no matter how many good intentions I have about stamping and posting, the boys always seem to have other ideas about how I should be spending my time, LOL...

Stay tuned, check out Julie's video, and Happy Stamping!!

Sketch Challenge 4X4 Card

2010-01-23T15:14:00.004-05:00

That new Sending Love DP is so sparkly and pretty that I want to make sure I use every little scrap, which is just what I did with this card. The sketch is from Our Creative Corner -- I simply turned it on its side for this 4X4 square card.

After tearing my DP and adhering it to the base, I layered a Very Vanilla oval (formed using my Large Oval Punch and sponged with Rich Razzleberry and Pretty in Pink) underneath an "On Board" chipboard oval covered in DP with the edges softened by my Sanding Block. A sweet daisy and creamy half pearl from my Pretties Kit are popped up with a Stampin' Up! dimensional.

My sentiment is from the Tiny Tags clear-mount stamp set, easily created with my new Tiny Tag punch. A little snip of silver cord tops it off.

Remember that Sale-a-Bration is going on,
with free goodies for every $50 you spend.

Here's the sketch if you want to give it a try. Thanks for looking and have a great weekend!

Make a Difference in Haiti!

2010-01-22T06:48:00.003-05:00

From now until February 28, 2010, for every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you buy, Stampin' Up! will donate $2 to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The stamps are available with sentiments in English, Spanish, or French.

I {Heart} Hearts - clear-mount, Item #118571, $18.95

I {Heart} Hearts - wood-mount, Item # 117010, $26.95

Help to make a difference -- you can order the I{Heart} Hearts stamp set and other lovely Stampin' Up! delights online 24-7 through my online website.

Sending Love Mason Jar

2010-01-21T17:48:00.004-05:00

Time for some Valentine's Day preparations -- soon this will be filled with dark chocolates and taken into the office to share with colleagues. I wanted to play along with the Pals Paper Arts challenge, which was to make anything *but* a card. As soon as I opened up my pack of the new Sending Love Designer Paper from the Occasions Catalog I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it!

For my hanging tag, I stamped the intricate heart from my "Always" stamp set in Very Vanilla craft ink, sprinkled it with Iridescent Ice embossing powder and embossed it with my trusty Heat Tool. After cutting it out, I distressed the edges with my Distressing Tool, then layered another heart stamped on a different sheet of DP behind it to give it more dimension.

Then I just started punching and layering hearts all over. For the gold heart, I took one of my "On Board Hearts" chipboard pieces, covered it in Versamark, poured Gold Stampin' Emboss powder and heat embossed it -- it's super shiny in real life.

For my lid, I simply layered circles, then stamped the new Tiny Tag stamp in Real Red and layered two hearts on top of it. The new Tiny Tag punch and Little Heart punch are also both in the Occasions catalog in the new sleeker (i.e. take up so much less space) punch design. Some sweet pink taffeta ribbon and gold cording add a finishing touch.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!!

all Stampin' Up! supplies available 24/7 through my demonstrator website!

Sponging Technique Video

2010-01-20T17:10:00.003-05:00

Hi friends!! I haven't had a chance to do much stamping the last few days but I did find this great sponging tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers which I thought you might find helpful. Sponging can make a dramatic difference in the look and texture of a card, as you'll clearly see in this excellent video. Hope you enjoy it!

Oh yeah, and here's a peek at why I haven't been doing much stamping -- having too much fun with the new kittens. :-)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Vintage Cottage Wall

2010-01-17T13:59:00.004-05:00

Stamps: Vintage Labels, Eight Great Greetings, Short & Sweet
Paper: Cottage Wall Designer Paper, Rich Razzleberry card stock, Whisper White card
Ink: Rich Razzleberry marker, Versamark for embossing
Embellishments: White 1/4" ribbon, White embossing powder
Tools: Scallop Border Punch, Large Oval Punch, Heat Tool
Etc.: SU! dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

Got on a roll with the Cottage Wall designer paper -- told you you'd be seeing it again. :-) This card features the new Vintage Labels stamp set from the Sale-a-Bration catalog (meaning it's FREE with any $50 purchase) along with the neat line art hearts from Eight Great Greetings. I gave a bit of extra dimension to my oval by layering two together to add depth. Next time I have to remember to use my Embossing Buddy to remove the static from the paper before pouring on the embossing powder -- you can see a few stray flecks...

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

all Stampin' Up! supplies available 24/7 through my demonstrator website!

Friend to Friend

2010-01-16T12:03:00.004-05:00

Happy weekend, everyone! Kids out with Dad means a little stamp time for Mom, LOL! For this thank you card, I used the Cottage Wall Designer Paper for my birds and branches as well as my layered sentiment (I have a feeling you'll see more of this paper in my Valentine's -- coordinates with Rich Razzleberry and Orchid Opulence) . I absolutely love the new Bird punch from the Spring Occasions catalog, not only for its beauty but also for its sleek, streamlined shape, making storage a snap.

The "friend to friend" stamp is from Pocket Silhouettes and fit perfectly with my little birdies. I used a sponge dauber to add a little Rich Razzleberry to the image, and wrapped it in Rich Razzleberry ribbon.

Thanks for looking and hope you get a chance to enjoy some stamping therapy this weekend too!

all Stampin' Up! supplies available 24/7 through my demonstrator website!

Thanks "For All You Do"

2010-01-13T07:10:00.004-05:00

Continuing on with the thank you notes for Christmas. This one uses the "For All You Do" stamp set. I love it because it has a range of stamps, including background, nature, butterfly, and sentiment -- sort of the whole kit-n-caboodle, which makes it easy when I don't feel like scrounging around in my collection, LOL.

I stamped the butterfly image in Versamark, sprinkled on my Heat & Stick Powder, hit it with my Heat Tool, applied Dazzling Diamonds liberally, and zapped it again with the Heat Tool to make it adhere. Then I just snipped it out and popped it up with two SU! Dimensionals. Voila!

Here's a close up of the sentiment, made extra purty by lots of layers made super easy with my SU! Punches -- base is Scalloped Oval, then Small Oval, then Modern Label, and finally I stamped the sentiment in Not Quite Navy and used the Word Window punch. A few stamps of the pretty little flower from the set and it was good to go.
SUPPLIES:
Paper: Bella Bleu Designer Paper; Card Stock in Very Vanilla, Kraft, Old Olive
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Versamark
Tools: Punches: Scalloped Oval, Small Oval, Modern Label, Word Window; Heat Tool; Heat & Stick Powder; Dazzling Diamonds
Embellishments: Very Vanilla 1/4" ribbon

My New Stamping Studio!!

2010-01-10T15:18:00.007-05:00

It was time... in fact, more than time... that I found a real retreat space for creativity and stamping. My boys are old enough that I no longer feel compelled to stamp in the playroom basement with them, so I commandeered a spare bedroom (used to be the nursery, sniff sniff...) and put together a nice space where I can stamp solo or with a friend, listen to my music (no more Star Wars or Kidz Bop!), and spread out. Take a look! Baskets were 50% off at Michael's (plus a 20% coupon) as were the cube organizers. I'll probably move them around as I continue to get used to the layout, but I think for now it's pretty darn wonderful!!

A Few Thank You Notes

2010-01-09T14:59:00.004-05:00

We had such a wonderful Christmas and so many friends and family to thank for making it special. My first two cards were especially fun to make because I "deconstructed" the main images from an old Christmas card that my parents up in Maine had sent to me. Those little loons that I cut out made their way to two separate cards and are now *back* up to my parents in slightly different shape, LOL. The Stampin' Up! designer paper is retired "Cerise" -- I had some scraps I was determined to use up before starting with new red paper for Valentine's Day. Use what you got, that's my motto! :-)

Here are a few more cards I put together. Thanks for looking!

Happy New Year Stamp Friends!

2010-01-06T06:46:00.003-05:00

I hope that 2010 brings each of you many good things, including time for Stamping Therapy! To help you out in this area, of course there's a new Occasions Mini Catalog which you can download from the Stampin' Up! website.

To further the addiction (and mine, LOL!), it's also time for the annual Sale-a-Bration promotion where if you spend $50 in SU! merchandise (pre-shipping and tax) you can earn one FREE product of your choice from the Sale-a-Bration catalog (and as a bonus, they've also added a bunch of stamps from the main catalog that you can select from as well!!) There's no limit to the number of great Sale-a-Bration products you can earn.

So what's stopping you? It's time to shop! :-)

New Occasions Catalogue = Altered Clipboard

2009-12-27T08:48:00.004-05:00

The new Occasions Mini Catalog comes out in January and I got to pre-order some goodies including a beautiful stamp set called "Vintage Vogue" (for my Friend image) and a large Bird punch that punches out a separate twig, bird, and wing to mix and match patterns -- very smart!

I made an altered clipboard for my dear friend Grayson -- I love altering 3-D objects, they are always original and tend to have a longer shelf life than a card (or at least, I always hope the recipient gives it a long shelf life, LOL!)

Thanks for looking, and wishing you all the best in the New Year!

Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog is here!

2009-09-05T10:02:00.005-04:00

The Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini is out!! Let me know if I can help you select anything.

Of course you can now purchase all your stamping goodies online anytime you want -- just go to my StampMom ordering site (http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampmomsu/) to browse either the Holiday Mini or the 2009-10 catalog. I'm happy to offer advice (solicited or unsolicited, LOL!!).

Stay tuned for info on my upcoming Stampin' Up! Open House with my good friend Grayson (The Pampered Chef). It's never too early to start planning for the holiday season!

Thoughts & Prayers

2009-07-12T17:43:00.002-04:00

Spent some time this afternoon stamping with my friend Grayson working on a sympathy card I need to send to a young friend who just lost his mother.

For my main image from the "Thoughts & Prayers" stamp set I colored the stamp with my Rich Regals Watercolor Wonders crayons, spritzed the stamp lightly with water, and stamped it on SU! Watercolor Paper for a softer image. My sentiment is from the retired All Year Cheer I set, stamped in Chocolate Chip.

For my layers I used retired Baroque DP and Chocolate Chip card stock -- distressed the edges with my handy dandy distressing tool from the Cutting Kit-- and popped them up with SU! Dimensionals so I could slide my satin ribbon underneath. Vintage Brads anchor the corner and a little doodling around the edges give some extra dimension.

Thanks for looking, hug the ones you love, and have a great week!

Made some time to stamp...

2009-07-11T14:43:00.003-04:00

Just a simple card, haven't stamped in quite awhile but needed some therapeutic relaxation...

I used some retired Bali Breeze Stampin Up! designer paper and dotted the centers of the flowers with Gold Stickles glitter glue to give them some pop.

An SU! rub-on provides the simple sentiment, and my Corner Rounder softened the edges just a bit.

Thanks for looking -- hopefully it won't be as long between posts as it has been. Have a great weekend!!

May is National Scrapbooking Month!

2009-05-03T09:31:00.003-04:00

Celebrate May
as
National Scrapbooking Month!

For many people, scrapbooking has played an important role in their lives. It may have started with something simple: the first time they placed a sticker on a piece of paper or picked up a camera.

During the month of May, Stampin' Up is celebrating National Scrapbooking Month. Whether you are an avid scrapbooker or even brand-new to the hobby, Stampin' Up! can inspire your creativity. Throughout the month of May, you can buy three packs of Designer Series paper (including our Specialty Designer Series paper) or 12" x 12" textured card stock, and get one FREE!

Mix and match -- buy 2 packs of Designer paper and 1 pack of textured card stock, get one free -- or vice versa. I reach for my Designer Paper time after time to provide colorful and easy backgrounds, frames, accents -- it's such an easy way to brighten up a scrapbook page or card, and now it's an even better value.

Click on the 24/7 icon on the top left of my blog to place your order anytime that's convenient.

Happy Stamping!

Love that Scallop Oval Punch!

2009-04-15T19:26:00.002-04:00

This was for a recent card sketch on Splitcoast Stampers -- I altered the required rectangle to an oval so I could play with my new Scalloped Oval punch and Summer Love Rub-Ons that I got from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

Ran the blue diamond through my Cuttlebug to emboss, then popped it on the card and used my Paper piercer and Mat Pack to outline. Two Rhinestone brads from the Pretties Kit anchor each corner. I love the shimmery silver cardstock against the blue. A little silver cording wraps it all up sweetly.

Here's the sketch if you want to try your hand at it!

Just Playing Around...

2009-04-03T17:11:00.004-04:00

Just playing with some of the latest and greatest products I've received from Stampin' Up! lately. The first card showcases the new Scalloped Oval punch available in the Occasions Mini Catalog. It fits perfectly on top of the Large Oval punch, and it's fun to add doodles, paper piercing, rub-ons, etc. For this card, I simply used my Cameo Coral marker to add dots along the edge, then cut out some flowers from the Raspberry Tart designer paper and popped them on with the SU! dimensionals.

My second card features the new "Scene in a Garden" stamp set, also in the mini catalog. I just love those little boots! All the boots, pots, potting bench, watering can and a vase with flowers are separate so easily added in any spot, using all or solo. I had fun doodling the edges of the card, the sentiment, and the bench with my Chocolate Chip marker.

Card #3 also uses the Scalloped Oval punch along with featuring cute designer paper that was free during Sale-a-Bration. It's hard to tell but I added Crystal Effects to the sentiment to give it a glossy 3-D effect. Thanks for looking, and have a great weekend!!

Weekend Sketch Challenge

2009-03-16T07:22:00.002-04:00

Very cool sketch this weekend for the Weekend Sketch Challenge, Jenn Balcer made great use of the Big Note diecut. I used two stamp sets -- Eastern Influences and Bloomin' Beautiful --along with some Ski Slope designer paper and In Color Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red.

I stamped my rose with Stazon Timber Brown, outlined the petals and leaves with Watercolor Wonder crayons and used my Blender Pen to fill it all in. Then I decided the flower wasn't a deep enough shade so I picked up a little Ruby Red ink with my blender pen and added a bit more depth to the petals.

I love the Chocolate Chip felt flowers with vintage brads. Both my sentiments are stamped in Chocolate Chip so the colors all work together.

Here's the sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Spring is in the Air

2009-03-14T14:13:00.007-04:00

Even though it doesn't feel too spring-like outside this weekend, I thought this pastel card would work great for the SCS Going Green challenge -- It's not totally green but I figure using green in 5 different spots on the card must count for something, LOL.

The stamp set is called "A Good Egg" -- perfect for Easter -- and the cute little chick was colored in Barely Banana before placing the paper-pieced egg shell on top. A few doodles around the edge give it a fun little feel. My buttons are from the Soft Subtles button collection. The pinky velvet ribbon was a steal from an old baby shower gift -- I tell you ladies, never throw anything away, you can always find a use for it on a card. :-)

The second card uses the same Wild Wasabi square base but takes its cue from Bali Breeze designer paper (retired) for a brighter, more vibrant card. I printed the sentiment off my computer onto Whisper White paper, cut it with the Large Oval punch, and added some doodles with my Taken with Teal marker.

My 5-Petal punch made fast work of layering the bright pink flowers behind the oval, and the pre-cut blooms form the base.

Thanks for looking, hope you have a great weekend!!

Double Challenge Embossed Card

2009-03-10T19:43:00.004-04:00

Our Creative Corner had an "add a doodle" challenge this week which I combined with the Stamp Simply challenge of using heat embossing to create an elegant image.

My flower is from the Botanical Blooms set. I stamped the outlined image in Versamark, added Gold Embossing powder, and zapped it with my Heat Tool, then went back and colored it in with my Cameo Coral marker.

A gold pen doodled around both frames. The background Designer Paper is from the "Raspberry Tart" collection -- isn't it wonderfully springy?

Now all I have to do is staple a little pack of M&Ms on the inside and it's a neat little pick-me-up for one of my coworkers.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

Thoughts & Prayers Cards

2009-03-09T10:55:00.004-04:00

I had the sad task of creating sympathy cards for my two cousins who lost their father recently at much too young an age. I used the new "Thoughts & Prayers" stamp set with some bits of retired designer papers to come up with these two cards.

Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand and Eggplant are just the right elegant color touches. To create the first card's sentiment, I layered three large oval punches and then added some vintage brads for depth. I went over the trunk and branches of the tree with my Chocolate Chip marker to make it pop out a bit. For my second card, my Mat Pack and paper piercer helped me frame the tree out a bit more.

I have some more goodies arriving in the mail any day -- taking advantage of Sale-a-Bration, going on until March 31st -- and look forward to sharing some more spring-like creations with you soon. Let me know if I can place an order for you.

Thanks for looking, and have a great week!

Sketch Challenge Card

2009-03-04T06:35:00.004-05:00

I made this Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge card for my friends Art & Wanda, who just welcomed a wonderful baby girl into their family. My clean and simple "Congratulations" stamp is from one of the new Sale-A-Bration stamp sets, which can be yours free with a $50 purchase. The Designer paper is the fab "Raspberry Tart", perfect for such a girly card. I found the jeweled hearts at Michael on sale -- the center square I colored with a sparkly marker and then covered in Crystal Effects.

Thanks for looking!

Don't Miss SU!s SALE-A-BRATION!

2009-03-01T18:40:00.002-05:00

Still going on until March 31, Stampin' Up!s Sale-A-Bration promotion gives reason for everyone to celebrate! Customers can receive a free Sale-A-Bration product for every $50 purchase. It's the perfect time not only to find your next favorite stamp sets and accessories in the new Spring/Summer catalog, but also to stock up on cardstock, adhesive, glue dots, etc. How about a spare pair of scissors? Or some fun new punches?

There's no limit to the number of free sets you can earn, but remember these products are only available for a limited time.

We all love stamping -- it's a fabulous way to connect with those you love without spending a lot of money. What better way than through creating a handmade creation (especially with free stamps, paper and ribbon)!

Welcome spring!

2009-03-01T08:03:00.004-05:00

Hi stampers,
This was a quick card for a friend, letting my lovely "Raspberry Tart" designer paper do most of the work. A sweet wrap of Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon and the sentiment from my "Serene Spring" stamp set finish it up nicely. I used the large oval punch to form the background.

Thanks for looking, and enjoy your day!

Sketch & Color Challenge Combo

2009-02-22T10:59:00.004-05:00

Whew, I can't believe how long it's been since I've stamped... too much time spent on the job and the kids and not enough "me" time these days. But this morning, some nice quality stamping time for the SCS Sketch Challenge #215 and Color Challenge #205 (Pink Pirouette, Perfect Plum, and Kiwi Kiss).

DH has been amazing lately -- well, he's always been amazing but especially since I've gone back to work in a stressful job, he's been SUPER AMAZING. So this one's for him.

I flipped the sketch sideways for fun. My sentiment is a simple SU! Rub-On. I love the new multi-heart punch that SU! just came out with -- makes it super easy to add lots of fluttery hearts. Add a little Crystal Effects and wow! Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping.

Close As a Memory Sympathy Card

2009-02-07T21:58:00.003-05:00

This card has no sketch, color challenge, or any other challenge attached to it, it was simply stamped from the heart for a friend of mine whose father passed away last week after a long battle. I know a card can't really bring much comfort but hopefully she'll know that I'm thinking of her. The Stampin' Up! set I used is called "Close As a Memory". The inside sentiment reads

"Your loved one will always be

as close as a memory,
and the God of all comfort
as close as a prayer."

I stamped the front sentiment in Always Artichoke, and hand colored the flowers with Bashful Blue and Always Artichoke SU! markers before stamping them. I went over the blue flowers with my opaque Sakura Glaze pen to add some subtle shimmer. The dark green designer paper is from last year's Wintergreen. A hatpin with pearls and a crystal from my Pretties Kit is run through a small bow of Sahara Sand ribbon (one of last year's In Colors that I wish would become permanent...)

Thanks for looking!!

Dream a Little Color Challenge Card

2009-01-31T21:39:00.003-05:00

Sorry friends, just the briefest of posts tonight, enough to tempt you with goodies from the new catalog, like this cute stamp set called "Dream a Little" -- don't you love this little hummer? I stamped him in Versamark, hit him with a dash of embossing powder, zapped him with my Heat Tool, and cut him out.

This card was for last week's SCS Color Challenge, combining Bravo Burgundy, Regal Rose, and Kiwi Kiss, and is based on Amy's sketch on her Prairie, Paper & Ink blog.

Big Note Thanks

2009-01-21T20:55:00.005-05:00

Just a quick post. Having fun with my Big Note die and some ribbon scraps. Loving the Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware. I was inspired by a rug from the PBTeen catalog, part of this weeks SCS Inspiration Challenge.

Thanks for looking! Leave a comment, I'd love to know who my readers are.

New Spring-Summer Catalog!!

2009-01-19T22:19:00.003-05:00

Today launched the new Spring Summer Idea Book & Catalog and trust me, you'll want to check it out. Lots of new stamps, luscious designer papers, newly minted buttons, hardware, and ribbons galore. My poor catalog is already looking dog-eared with all the goodies I want to get. I have to pace myself, LOL.

You can shop 24/7 on my website -- just click in the upper lefthand corner, snuggle up in your pjs and a cup of coffee, and let your fingers do the wandering...

Remember that the exclusive Valentine's Day Love You Much Bundle (item 115405) is still going on until the end of the month and includes the following:

Love You Much stamp set
Candy Lane Designer Series Paper
Heart to Heart Punch

Happy stamping!

Two Challenges and Some New DP!

2009-01-18T20:41:00.004-05:00

Some new goodies from SU! arrived this past week -- one of the benefits of being a demonstrator, you get a nice percentage off *and* get to order some things early. In this case it was some beautiful new Designer Paper called Raspberry Tart, which I matched with my Cameo Coral cardstock to make this beauty for the SCS Sketch Challenge.
For my images, I stamped the verse from "Bloomin' Beautiful" first on Watercolor Paper. Then over top of that I stamped the flower image, outlined it with my Watercolor Pencils, and used my Blender Pen to shade it. Some Crystal Effects add a nice touch of shine and dimension.

Some Soft Subtles buttons along with two from my personal stash hug each corner.

I also made a second card for another Splitcoast Stampers color challenge -- Not Quite Navy, Creamy Caramel, and Baja Breeze. Perfect for the large flowered silhouette in my Urban Garden designer paper.

I went over each bloom with my Versamark Pen, then sprinkled Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder and hit it with my Heat Tool to make it stick. The flowers really pop out from the card.

For my ribbon, I simply used my Creamy Caramel marker to color my SU! white taffeta ribbon -- the easiest way to get a true color match when you don't have every single type of ribbon that Stampin' Up! sells, LOL.

Thanks for looking, and have a great week!!

I've Got the Blues...

2009-01-17T15:35:00.004-05:00

Two blues and a neutral was the color challenge for this card. A few dabs of my sparkly blue pen livened up the bloom and background, and my Pacific Point panel on the bottom was jazzed up through my Cuttlebug.

Soft Subtle Brads anchor my sentiment, a double flanking Word Window Punch. Creamy Very Vanilla ribbon wraps the whole thing in a pretty bow.

Thanks for looking -- hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Happy Monday -- Color Throwdown Card

2009-01-12T07:26:00.004-05:00

Apparently Julee's Mojo Monday sketch became so popular she had to create a new blog for it. You can find it here. This card used her sketch from last Monday and the color combo of Mellow Moss, Very Vanilla, and Baja Breeze (Color Throwdown 24).

My Afternoon Tea DP hasn't seen much light lately so I pulled it out for this. I added some Crystal Effects to the flower and the sentiment. My background greenery stamp is from SU!s Embrace Life, stamped and then colored with my Blender Pen.

In case you missed it, SU! now has Hodgepodge Hardware in Very Vanilla which I think adds a very different look to the card than the silver finish.

Thanks for looking & happy stamping -- have a great week!!

Another Sketch card

2009-01-11T13:47:00.003-05:00

From Jen's Sketch For You To Try, plus the Stamp Something challenge which was to NOT USE STAMPS (gulp!) I turned to my trusty Stampin' Up! rub-ons, these ones are called Secret Garden. I also used star brads in my flowers for the Way To Use It challenge on Splitcoast Stampers.

It's a little busy but I'm having fun with my Designer Paper.

Happy Sunday Stamping!

Pretty Felt Flowers Card

2009-01-11T09:38:00.003-05:00

I managed to finish a card this morning -- it's only taken 5 days, LOL. But since the boys had a sleepover here last night and are being entertained by two other friends, I can sneak in some stamping.

I'm having fun embossing with my Heat Tool these days! This card is based on Lauren's sketch from last week and also includes some pretty snowflake DP for Sharon's winter challenge. I distressed the edges of my larger Pink Pirouette circle with my distressing tool. The rhinestone brads are from my Pretties Kit.

Thanks for looking -- happy Stamping!

OCC Sketch Card

2009-01-04T12:20:00.003-05:00

Another thank you card, based on this week's sketch from Our Creative Corner, plus the Way to Use It challenge which was to include silver somewhere in my card. My Hodgepodge Hardware fit the bill perfectly. Isn't this Haiku designer paper yummy? Wish I could wallpaper my bedroom in it, LOL. :-) My sentiment is from the set Say It With Scallops.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

Jen's Sketch For You To Try

2009-01-02T11:55:00.006-05:00

The kids are entranced with GeoTrax and Lego's -- who am I to stand in their way? :-)

So here's another thank you card I made based on Jen del Muro's sketch from two weeks ago. I love the sweet little Pocket Silhouettes stamps.

The thank you note marathon continues... :-)

Triple New Year Challenge

2009-01-02T09:24:00.008-05:00

I'm up to my elbows in a giant "to do" list before work starts up again on Monday, and at the top of the list is making and sending thank you notes for all the fabulous Christmas gifts we received. Good think that fits the bill of the No Time to Stamp challenge. The Stamp Something challenge for this week was to use something new, so I broke open my new black embossing powder to make this card.

To emboss, you simply stamp your image in Versamark (look for an open image if you want to go back and color it), liberally pour your embossing powder over it, tap the excess off onto a spare piece of paper (so you can funnel it back into the container), and then zap your image with the SU! Heat Tool for a minute or two until the powder melts and turns shiny. That's it, super easy with outstanding results.

I did my image on watercolor paper so I could go back and use my markers to outline the inside of the berry (Rose Red and Pretty in Pink) and leaves (Old Olive), and then used my Aqua Painter to blend it in. Cutting the image out was the trickiest part...

The color inspiration of Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, and Whisper White came from Kristina Werner's challenge. Thanks for looking, and Happy New Year!!

Decorated CD Tin

2008-12-24T18:34:00.003-05:00

Just a quick post -- still need to do some more Christmas shopping, if you can believe it!!

I decorated this tin for my mother-in-law and filled it with some thank you cards she can use after Christmas. Rub-ons and Felt Flurries made it a snap, and I used my white Signo pen to make a faux grosgrain ribbon. As you can see on the edges of my Ski Slope designer paper, I had a battle with my scalloped edge punch and the punch won, LOL...

Merry Christmas!!

Love You Much!

2008-12-23T07:33:00.003-05:00

Get ready for Valentine's Day with the exclusive Love You Much Bundle (item 115405). You can order it online and have it delivered right to your front door. FREE SHIPPING is available today only (Dec.23rd) on orders over $70.

The Love You Much Bundle includes the following:

Description	Retail Value
Love You Much stamp set	$25.95
Candy Lane Designer Series paper (Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla)	$9.95
Heart To Heart punch	$15.95

Bundle Retail Value	$51.85

Love You Much Bundle (20% off; item 115405)	$41.48

Think of all the neat ways you can use these cute stamps -- and the whimsical punch that comes with the set:

Little candy containers using the Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
Handmade Valentine's Day boxes for school or home.
Candy bouquets with stamped accents.
Candy jar with a Designer Series paper belly band and stamped tag.
Sweet words jar: Take a glass jar and decorate it with paper and stamps. Then put a bunch of slips of paper into the jar that say why you love the recipient. The recipient takes out one slip of paper each day.
A decorated photo frame.
A Valentine's gift wrapped in Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
Confetti made from punched out hearts; good for putting on tables or beds, or in a cello bag as filler.
Place settings (napkin holder, name tents, etc.) for a special Valentine's dinner.
A 50 Reasons I Love You book.

Cool Gift for a Fisherman

2008-12-19T16:23:00.004-05:00

A Secret Santa swap at work created the necessity for something "fishy" for my co-worker. Anybody can get a guy lures and worms, but who can give him something like this beauty?

It's a plastic cutting board from the Dollar Store, spiffed up with stamping, blender pen watercoloring, paper, ribbon and some cute silver fish charms from Michael's.

I presented it to him this morning. For somebody who is completely non-crafty and definitely not in touch with his feminine self, he sure seemed to like it, LOL.

I'm patting myself on the back with this one. :-)

Red, Green & Gold Challenge

2008-12-15T16:44:00.003-05:00

Just in time for another batch of Christmas cards, the Stamp Something ladies came up with this challenge. I pulled out my Dashing designer paper and went to town. I just went over a few selected areas of my stamped image with a gold pen to add some shimmer.

Thanks for looking, and happy stamping!

Retiring Stamps

2008-12-13T08:28:00.005-05:00

Some of my favorite stamps sets are retiring! Take a look. I especially like stamp sets that can be used throughout the year for a variety of situations and these are some of the sets I reach for time and again. Now's you chance to save 10% from now until December 23, and if you order over $70 (think restocking paper, ink pads, markers, adhesive) you'll get free shipping. Who doesn't like that?! And remember you can order online 24/7 on my Stampin' Up! website here. Just click on the "Shop NOW" button in the top right corner.

Sketch Card

2008-12-10T21:17:00.003-05:00

Just a quick post, still recovering from a head cold (which explains why it took me a week to make one dang card!), but wanted to share this Christmas card based on SCS Sketch Challenge #204.
It's a fairly straightforward sketch, kicked up a notch by the luscious "Purely Pomegranate" satin ribbon (retired, but I hoarded it and have quite a bit to use up). Love the combo of Always Artichoke with Purely Pomegranate, so rich and regal together. The simple tree stamp from "Holiday Tag Team" adds a little whimsy to keep the card from getting too serious, as some cards do... ;-)
Thanks for looking!

Saturday Sketch Card

2008-12-01T17:12:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post today, my laundry is beckoning. Made this colorful card based on Lauren Meader's Saturday Sketch, using Shimmer White paper, Baja Blue cardstock, and Ski Slope designer paper. My cute little "Punch Pals" snowman is glittered up with a glitter pen, as is his fine top hat, but it's hard to tell in this photo. I'm loving all my fun Stampin' up! designer papers this season, so bright and cheerful.

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!

StampMom's Own "Bring It On" Challenge

2008-11-28T20:49:00.005-05:00

When I saw this sheet set in a catalog from Williamsburg, I was immediately inspired to make this Christmas card.

So I thought to myself, "Self" -- quietly, so my kids didn't think I was wierd -- "if *you* were so inspired by this, maybe someone else will be, too!"

So here it is, my first official StampMom Bring It On Challenge. I hope you enjoy it. Would love to see what it inspires from you -- post a comment with a link so I can see your handiwork.

Thanks for looking, and happy stamping!

Stamp Something Black Friday Challenge

2008-11-28T16:40:00.004-05:00

In honor of Black Friday, the Stamp Something blog challenged readers to use black somewhere in a card. I used the branches from my retired "All Season Wreath" to make a Christmas wreath, then hand-cut flowers from the Holiday Treasures designer paper and scattered them around the wreath. A bow of Riding Hood Red, with silver "sleigh bells" made from Holiday Treasures DP (punched out the snowflakes) and silver brads, adds a whimsical touch. My sentiment is a Season of Cheer rub-on (note: still on sale until Sunday!).

Thanks for looking!

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!!

2008-11-27T10:34:00.003-05:00

Forget Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Why wait? StampMom's got you covered RIGHT NOW on some great shopping deals from the comfort of that chair you're sitting in. :-)

From now until December 1, get up to 50% off select Stampin' Up! products. Find the perfect present for all the stampers and paper crafters in your life--or just stock up for yourself!

Everything from stamp sets (family, manly, seasonal, alphabets, backgrounds) to chipboard to punches and powders. Order online 24/7 from me.

Don't worry about any Doorbuster 4 am wake-up time. Sleep in -- I'm here when you're ready! :-)

Beate's Weekend Sketch Card

2008-11-26T18:48:00.004-05:00

Making progress on my Christmas cards, one sketch at a time, LOL. This time I turned my mistletoe into a blueberry bush in honor of my Mom in Maine (waving hi down here in VA, Mom!). This is based on Beate's sketch, with Baja Blue snowflakes and wide ribbon, offset by Night of Navy in my berries and oval sentiment. The Designer Paper is a combo of "Holiday Treasures" and "Ski Slope". Here's Beate's sketch if you want to give it a try over the holiday:
Thanks for looking and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Christmas Rub-Ons Rule!

2008-11-25T17:04:00.004-05:00

Wading through my scrap pile of designer paper yesterday, trying to avoid laundry and whiny kids, I came up with this Christmas card -- no sketch, no color challenge, just fooling around. The Season of Cheer rub-ons are at the top and bottom.

From now until Nov. 30th, spend $20 on any Stampin' Up! products and you can get 20% off Rub-Ons. Perfect for cards, gift tags, scrapbooking, cookie tins, votive candles... the list goes on and on. Shop online 24/7 via my Stampin' Up website!

Snow Sketch Card

2008-11-23T12:32:00.004-05:00

Snowflakes galore on this one -- ran it through my Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, touched up the flakes with a glitter pen, then used layers of last season's "Wintergreen" designer paper to create this card based on Jen's Sketch for You to Try. I added a rub-on sentiment to my ribbon, so easy and a neat and different way to express your thoughts (without the stress of centering a stamp, LOL!)

My other one is a simple card based on Julie's Color Concoction 26 of using white plus only one color (except... gasp... I used black as well...). The half-pearl from my Pretties Kit was the perfect center for my felt snowflakes (from the Mini-Catalog, in Baja Blue just like my ribbon). It's a take-off from a sketch I saw on the Prairie Paper and Ink blog.

Thanks for looking, and hope you're enjoying some Sunday Stamping, too!! :-)

Christmas Color Challenge Card

2008-11-23T10:04:00.003-05:00

The SCS color challenge this week was Real Red, Basic Black and Kraft (or Creamy Caramel) and I knew I needed to get started on some Christmas cards so I came up with this. It's based on the sketch for Our Creative Corner, except I changed the placement of both the sentiment (above the ribbon instead of below) and the ribbon.

I like the look of my new Hodgepodge Hardware in Vanilla against the black, don't you? My main panel looked a little plain so I used my stipple brush to stipple some Creamy Caramel and Real Red over it to add dimension. I used the Curly Label Punch to make my opposing corners.

Here's the sketch:

Thanks for looking!

CORRECTION re: cards for soldiers

2008-11-20T20:49:00.002-05:00

Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD. 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil or www.redcross.org/holidaymail for Holiday Mail for Heroes program guidelines.Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering American Soldier."

Thanks to Suzanne for correcting this info!

Cards for Recovering Soldiers

2008-11-18T20:11:00.003-05:00

GREAT IDEA!! When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve, please pass it on.

A card for the bride

2008-11-17T16:53:00.003-05:00

This isn't a stamped card but will hopefully be meaningful in years to come for my co-worker, Jennifer, who just got married last weekend.

I took bits and pieces of her program, table place card, some ribbon from her invitation, and even the matchbook cover, de-constructed them and then reconstructed them into a card which will include a gift card from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Happy Stamping!

Holiday Specials for Everyone on Your List (Including YOU!!)

2008-11-10T06:42:00.005-05:00

Are you looking for unique holiday packaging ideas this year? Stampin' Up! has the perfect solution!

Two of their tins are available for purchase. The turquoise Punch Box tins are perfect for holiday treats and the silver skinny Accents & Elements tins make great CD or gift card holders. Each tin is sold individually so you can buy the exact number you need. These items are only available while supplies last, so place your order for this great packaging idea today!

114673 -- Turquoise Tin, $3.95
108333 -- Silver Skinny Tin, $1.95

And there's a new Rub-Ons promotion that just began, perfect for decorating those spiffy tins!!

Spend $20 and qualify to purchase any Rub-Ons assortment at 20 percent off:

Item #	Page #	Rub-Ons Description
111416	178	Chateau Bella
111417	178	Word Flurries
111414	178	Hidden Garden
111277	178	A Perfect Day
110283	179	Take Note
111806	179	Chills & Thrills
111804	179	Chit Chat
111415	179	Greatest Moments
111805	179	School Days
110282	179	Anchored
112844	11*	Old Saint Nick
112843	17*	Season of Cheer
112735	39**	Hidden Garden Blossoms

*From Holiday 2008 Mini Catalog

**From Celebrando Creatividad

Stampin' Up! has created a fabulous new online gift-giving (and, let's face it, getting!) guide with price ranges. Why not create your own Wish List? Your family and friends can order online with me 24 hours a day from the comfort of their own home, get it delivered directly to them and be all set for Christmas. It's never too early to start browsing!

Another sketch challenge card

2008-11-03T14:44:00.004-05:00

I'm having such fun playing with the beautiful poinsettia print that's part of the Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper. This time it's part of a card based on Jen Del Muro's Sketch for You to Try. There are lots more layers than I usually do but I got a little carried away.

What do you think?

RECIPE
Stamps: A Tree for All Seasons, Punch Pals
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black
Paper: Holiday Treasures DP, Riding Hood Red, Kraft card stock
Tools: Word Window Punch, Scallop Square Punch
Embellishments: Felt Fusion snowflakes, Ruby Red button, American Crafts glitter marker, SU! dimensionals, glue dots, SNAIL adhesive

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge

2008-11-03T13:51:00.004-05:00

Used my scallop circle punch to create this super easy, high impact sunflower based on a tutorial I found by Chat aka nitestamper on her blog Me, My Stamps and I. The colors are from the Color Challenge on SCS.

Keywords: CC190 WSC64

Stamps: Beautiful Borders, Eastern Blooms

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Pixie Pink

Ink: Old Olive, Pixie Pink

Accessories: Cuttlebug & Swiss Dots folder, Scallop Circle punch, Boho Flowers punch, Filigree brads, Old Olive ribbon, Scallop border punch, paper piercer & Mat pack

Thanks for looking!

Modern Bamboo Concoction

2008-11-02T15:50:00.004-05:00

Julie's Color Concoction recently was perfectly matched with this week's Inspiration Challenge on SCS. The JCC25 colors were riding hood red, always artichoke, chocolate chip, and very vanilla.

I used the bamboo stamp from the beautiful "Embrace Life" set, stamped in Always Artichoke and then used my blender pen to add a bit more color to it. I sponged a bit of Very Vanilla craft ink along my panel of Riding Hood Red card stock before adding the ribbon over it. My stipple brush worked great to use Chocolate Chip for a bit of dimension all over the background panel. My sentiment is from the "Best Yet" Level 1 Hostess Set (p. 18 of the Fall/Winter 2008 Idea Book & catalog)

And this is the artwork ("Modern Bamboo") that I took my inspiration from:

Another TO DO List

2008-11-01T09:49:00.003-04:00

My DH and I have begun a "Christmas Challenge" to get fit and lose a few pounds. Time to break out a list to keep track of weight loss, workouts, meals, etc. A perfect excuse to whip up another one of Julie's TO DO Lists.

I used my Flower Power Simply Sent Card Elements kit, which has awesome designer paper and textured card stock in the kit, along with self-adhesive die cut flowers. A half pearl from my Pretties Kit adds a little somethin'-somethin' to the center.

The sentiments in my "Live Like You Mean It" stamp set were so appropriate for this list. I mean, that's really what we should all try to do, live with purpose every day. I added a scrap of leftover Elegant Eggplant ribbon, and used my Large Oval Punch and Designer Label Punch to mat my large "Life".

Thanks for looking!

My favorite trick-or-treaters!

2008-11-01T08:41:00.003-04:00

Triple Challenge Card, not bad for a Monday...

2008-10-27T19:55:00.003-04:00

This is a triple challenge card focusing on three major requirements:

1) a leaf image as a focal point with pink for breast cancer awareness (Limited Supplies Challenge "Leaf if to Me, Baby" on SCS)

2) Sketch Challenge on SCS

3) Color Challenge to include Pink Pirouette & Kiwi Kiss from the new In Colors, plus Chocolate Chip

I still love my first hostess set from this seasons catalog, Organic Grace, with this beautifully detailed fern frond (which I'm counting as a leaf, LOL). My sentiment is from the "Hidden Garden" rub-ons, as are the little brown dots, and I accented the card with Felt Fusion flowers, a vintage brad and some scraps of ribbon from Michael's. The Designer Paper is Urban Garden. I ran my base card through my Cuttlebug to emboss more flowers in the background. Thanks for looking, and Happy Stamping!

Mojo Monday Sketch, just a tad late...

2008-10-25T17:09:00.003-04:00

This holiday card has an old fashioned feel to it, courtesy of the designer paper and the new In Color "Riding Hood Red" (card stock and ribbon) which goes so wonderfully with Pink Pirouette (I usually don't find combining red and pink very appealing, but these two work well together). I used my scallop edge punch to quickly fashion a nice border at the bottom of my wide panel. My sentiment is from the stamp set "All Holidays". The sketch is Julee's Mojo Monday 57.

Julie's awesome note pad

2008-10-24T17:45:00.003-04:00

I found the template for this project on Julie Buhler's incredible blog, Paper Pleasing Ideas. I had a few challenges floating around on my brain and they came together in this cute little "To Do" list. If I have to be in the office, I should have something pretty to look at, right? So I dug into my new "Afternoon Tea" designer paper and beautiful "Eastern Influences" stamp set to come up with this. In the process, I met the Stamp Something challenge "Something For the Birds" (to use a bird image, obviously!) and the Ways to Use It challenge of having only one word on my project. I really was in desperate need of a way to gather all my random notes together in one easy-to-refer-to spot, so this might just do the trick. What do you think?

A Spooky Sketch

2008-10-20T16:14:00.004-04:00

Isn't this little guy cute? He's headed out for some trick or treating fun, just like my 4 year old who definitely wants to be a ghost for Halloween this year too. This card really is a mixed bag of things, including last year's halloween designer paper, the corner vine and happy spider from "Autumn Apparitions" and ghost from "Booglie Eyes". Tangerine Tango adds a pop of bright color to the background and I used the new Wide Oval Punch to double-mat my ghost. It's hard to tell in the picture but I added Crystal Effects to my spooky little guy to make him stand out a bit more. The card is based on a sketch at Prairie Paper & Ink. I wanted to be able to see all the words on my DP so I got some spare super-skinny white ribbon (leftover from my wedding, of all things -- I think we wrapped it around mini bubbles) and just colored it with my SU! basic black marker. Worked like a charm!

Thanks for stopping by. :-)

Gently Falling Snowflakes Sketch

2008-10-19T15:24:00.006-04:00

Lauren's sketch for this week provided a great jumping-off point for this winter card. I used the new Little Felt Flurries and Ski Slope designer series paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog. My sentiment is from "A Cardinal Christmas", stamped in Chocolate Chip. My Scallop Circle punch created a nice dark background to highlight the larger snowflakes. Both of my flakes are anchored with a rhinestone brad from my Pretties Kit. Sadly, the satin ribbon is from last year's holiday collection and no longer available... but it just pulls all the colors together here, doesn't it?

Here's her sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Gotta Love the Dollar Store

2008-10-12T18:39:00.006-04:00

When you can take a $1 cutting board and turn it into a timeless gift of memories, you just gotta do a happy dance. I matted all my photos, rounding the corners. Added some Crystal Effects to my berries and flower centers, snipped out one of the poinsettias and made it 3-D with the help of my SU! dimensionals.
RECIPE
Paper: Holiday Treasures DP, Old Olive & Ruby Red cardstock
Stamp: A Cardinal Christmas
Ink: Ruby Red, Old Olive
Tools: Wide Oval punch, Paper Distressor, Corner Rounder, Paper snips
Embellishments: Crystal Effects, Old Olive ribbon

Beate's Weekend Sketch

2008-10-12T10:54:00.002-04:00

A fun Sunday morning spent stamping resulted in this beauty. As usual, in my eclectic way, I combined a bunch of online challenges into one card -- keeps my brain limber. This card combines 4 challenges:
1) Beate's Weekend Sketch
2) Way to Use It on Splitcoast (using a monogram)
3) SCS Color Challenge: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, & Kiwi Kiss
4) Stamp Something blog challenge to make something for a friend

I like everything about this card EXCEPT the fact that you can see my Snail adhesive through the "F" -- gotta go back and use my Adhesive Remover to try and get that off...

I swiped my Chocolate Chip stampin' spot across the chipboard cutout several times to get the saturation I wanted, then adhered my layered flowers (used my Boho Flower Punch & Felt Fusion) with a Hodgepodge Hardware silver brad. The designer papers are from "Haiku" and "Urban Garden" -- I just added a few Chocolate Chip doodled dots to the paper to make it pop a bit. "Absolutely Fabulous" is the stamp set that I got my sentiment from, just colored it with my Chocolate Chip marker and punched it out with my Small Oval punch before adding another piece of Hodgepodge Hardware. My ribbon is from Michael's and my chipboard is from Target. Don't tell my Stampin' Up! upline, LOL. ;-) Here's the sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Thanks for looking, and have a great week!

Cell Phones + Drinks = This Card

2008-10-09T16:51:00.004-04:00

One of the ladies I work with reported that during a recent trip, she dropped her cell phone in "a liquid" and now it doesn't work. I just couldn't resist a little good-natured ribbing with this card, which utilizes Lauren's sketch. I think the "Cheers to You" set will be lots of fun for different types of cards, and I really like the look that Crystal Effects gave to my glasses after I colored them with markers. The base is Pacific Point (one of the new In Colors), and I used Wild Wasabi and Bashful Blue for my other colors. I doodled along the edges with a silver pen.

Here's the template for the mug cutout if you want -- it's great for "Snowman Soup" (tons of examples of that on Splitcoast Stampers) but would be swell for Halloween (some sort of witches brew), a Get Well card (with instant chicken noodle soup or tea bags), a New Year's card (with Alka Seltzer)... what other ideas can you come up with?!

Here's the sketch if you want to give it a try:

Beate's Weekend Sketch

2008-10-06T07:11:00.005-04:00

My weekend treat to myself is stamping after a long week of work and keeping track of the boys. If stamping is like my "spa treatment", then Beate is like my "masseuse", providing sketches that help relax and unwind. :-)
I moved my images to the left because I was trying to use up scraps and my longest piece of Chocolate Chip couldn't reach completely under the full width, LOL... I had fun with my tone-on-tone butterflies, all in various patterns of Kiwi Kiss from Urban Garden, Haiku, and Green Tea Designer papers. I held off on ordering the "Pocket Sillhouettes" stamp set but now I'm so glad I did, I love the tiny details. My sentiment is from the mini catty's "Eat, Drink, & Be Scary", nestled under Hodgepodge Hardware with Very Vanilla ribbon.

My second card let me to play with my "Window Dressing" hostess set and new Autumn Vine DP in all its yummy fall colors. I stamped my window frame on watercolor paper in Black Staz-On, then colored it with markers & my blender pen, added the flowers, and stamped my kitty separately, sponged her, cut her out and popped her up with SU! dimensionals outside the window. My sentiment is actually a Christmas one from "A Cardinal Christmas" in the mini catalog, but I think it will work well year round. The new Wide Oval punch fits perfectly around the quote. A little paper piercing on the bottom strip adds some nice detail. Thanks for looking!

A Very Literal Inspiration Card

2008-10-05T09:15:00.002-04:00

This card is basically just a CASE of the one Beate used for her Inspiration Challenge recently. I just love the cherry blossom branch in the "Eastern Influences" stamp set, and I combined it here with Ginger Blossom DP, Brushed Silver, Kraft and Creamy Caramel. I stamped the image in Basic Brown, and the blossoms & buds are colored with Cameo Coral.

Cute & Curly Mojo

2008-10-04T19:51:00.005-04:00

I'm tickled with how this card turned out -- and absolutely loving the new Haiku designer paper, it has so many elements to it. This card is based on Julee's Mojo Monday sketch and includes the Color Throwdown combination of So Saffron, Baja Blue, and More Mustard. I used my new Cute & Curly stamp (and the punch that came with the set, which ROCKS!), layered it and added some rub-ons from the Eastern Elegance collection. The strip at the bottom was run through my Cuttlebug and I added a little flower from my Pretties Kit, topped with a new Baja Blue felt flower. Nestled on the other end are two More Mustard brads. So, what do you think? I'd love to get your comments and know who's out there following my blog... :-)

Tooth Fairy Visits

2008-10-04T16:58:00.004-04:00

My 7 year old, Pierson, finally lost the big front tooth that's been hanging on by a thread for weeks... He heard that the Tooth Fairy collects teeth to build her castle -- I like that one.

Going rate for teeth in 2008 = $1.00

I Got Caught...

2008-10-03T20:21:00.005-04:00

Believe it or not, I didn't use a single stamp for this card. I found the quote online, already designed, all I had to do was print it and cut it and pop it up with some Stampin' Up! dimensionals. I let the beautiful "Haiku" Designer Paper do the rest. This card was created for the SCS Sketch Challenge this week, along with the "Ways to Use It" challenge, which was simply to use a quote. I adore this quote, it's been sitting in a drawer waiting for the perfect time to use it...

Need some new Holiday stamping goodies?

2008-10-02T16:53:00.004-04:00

The Holiday Mini is out!! Let me know if I can help you select anything. Of course you can now purchase all your stamping goodies online anytime you want -- just go to my StampMom ordering site (http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampmomsu/) to browse either the Holiday Mini or the Fall/Winter catalog. I'm happy to offer advice (solicited or unsolicited, LOL!!).

Great examples of all the stamp sets in the Mini are available on Splitcoast Stampers here if you're on the fence about anything or just want a little inspiration.

Stay tuned for info on my November Open House with my good friend Grayson (The Pampered Chef). It's never too early to start planning for the holiday season!

A CASE For Wendy

2008-09-30T19:14:00.003-04:00

When I saw what Wendy Janson did with Beate's Weekend Sketch this week, I knew immediately that I had to CASE (Copy and Share with Everyone) her card. My mother-in-law asked me to make a baby shower card for her and I knew Wendy's design would translate perfectly. Here's my CASE and her original card -- what do you think?

SFYTT Eastern Blooms Card

2008-09-29T06:51:00.005-04:00

Makeesha Byl has a pretty color (or "colour" as they say in Australia!) combo of Elegant Eggplant, Soft Sky, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White which happened to mesh well with the SCS Inspiration Challenge this week which I based on this room. I used Jen Del Muro's Sketch For You to Try, and faux stitching in Elegant Eggplant around the edges meets the requirements for the OCC stitching challenge. For extra "oomph", I added the purple Fine Cosmo Glitter (that stuff gets *everywhere*!!) to the centers of my three medium-sized blooms, and placed a Filligree brad with a Pretty in Pink brad in the center of my large bloom.

Here's the sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Beate's Weekend Sketch

2008-09-28T09:43:00.003-04:00

This cute little guy is in the Punch Pals stamp set and I can already tell this is one of those sets that I *won't* sell used later on... :-) In addition to using Beate's sketch, I took on the SCS challenge of using a cute critter on a Christmas card. I just stamped him in black and colored him in with markers (Basic Black, Real Red, and Pumpkin Pie), super easy. I also made my own charm by stringing the pearl and crystal bead on some silver cording and looping it around the back of my medallion (made by turning the scallop just a tick in my Scallop Circle punch). My paper is from last year's Dashing which I am hoarding. Thanks for looking!

No Time to Stamp Challenge

2008-09-27T08:15:00.004-04:00

Using this week's Color Throwdown, I CASEd this card by 2bKrafty who was spotlighted in Sharon's "No Time to Stamp" challenge. Lots of punches made short work of my Christmas-y scalloped flower. I ran my Real Red panel through my Cuttlebug to emboss the swirls, echoing my stamped filligree swirls from the "Season of Joy" stamp set. I'm so glad Stampin' Up! pulled this set from last year's Occasions mini-catalog and is offering it once again in the Fall/Winter Catalog -- it's so darling!

Sketch Challenge Card

2008-09-25T14:00:00.004-04:00

For this week's Sketch Challenge and Color Challenge... I heat embossed my mistletoe from "Peaceful Wishes" with Iridescent Ice embossing power. The color combo is Very Vanilla, Baja Blue & Kiwi Kiss (both from the new In Colors selection). The sentiment, surrounded by some Hodgepodge Hardware, is simply one word colored with my black SU! marker from one of the stamps in my "As Close as a Memory" set. I love the clean design of the sketch. Why not give it a try?

Beate's Weekend Sketch

2008-09-24T07:05:00.005-04:00

Beate's Weekend Sketch was a little challenging with its overlaying pattern. I used the Color Throwdown colors, which worked perfectly with the Inspiration Challenge of using these plates as a jumping off point. My leaves are from the Artfully Asian set (one of my faves) and my sentiment is from Warm Words. I ran my Baja Blue panel through my Cuttlebug to get the detailed embossing. Felt flowers add a sweet touch, with the new Filligree Designer Brads in the center.

A Hauntingly Good Challenge

2008-09-22T21:08:00.003-04:00

The sketch challenge on SCS this week was really fun to work with for a kick-stand Halloween card. My sentiment, stamped in Black Staz-On onto chipboard and sponged over with Pumpkin Pie (Our Creative Corner had a chipboard challenge), is from the "Eat, Drink & Be Scary stamp set in the Mini Catalog, as is my friendly little spider fella. Isn't he cute?! The Designer Paper is last year's (name escapes me) and is, unfortunately, retired... sigh...

Happy Sunday!

2008-09-21T21:07:00.004-04:00

This card sprang from Kristina's Werner's Color Inspiration challenge, and highlight's Jen del Muro's wonderful sketch show here. I love my new leaf punches (Martha Stewart from Michael's).

StampMom's Open House Card

2008-09-19T17:06:00.003-04:00

This is the card we made last weekend as a Make & Take at my Open House. If you missed it and live in the area, I'd love to have you stop by to make one of your own -- after all, I've got the materials all prepped.

I CASEd it from a card I saw on SCS, adding the Apricot Appeal ribbon and distressing the edges around my Rust panel. The "Upsy Daisy" main image was colored with markers before being stamped.

Life is Beautiful!

2008-09-15T21:50:00.006-04:00

Julie's Color Concoction is super dreamy this week -- Old Olive, Perfect Plum, and So Saffron -- so I combined it with the sketch that Tamara provided on her blog here. I think this is one of the neatest sketches I've seen in awhile -- really opens the floodgates of creativity. Just a short post today, lots to do. Hope you enjoy it!!

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge

2008-09-14T19:19:00.003-04:00

I always scratch my head when it comes to Designer Paper that has a REALLY BIG print on it -- I know they'll serve me well as background on a big 12x12 scrapbook page, but how about cards? Well, I managed to use a portion of the large print in my Urban Garden DP for Beate's sketch card challenge, softening part of it with vellum attached with Not Quite Navy brads (from the Earth Elements set).

RECIPE
Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful
Paper: Urban Garden DP, River Rock textured cs, Bravo Burgundy cs, Naturals Ivory cs, Vellum
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Embellishments: River Rock ribbon, Earth Elements brads, SU! dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive
Tools: Cuttlebug w/ Swiss Dots embossing folder

Here's her sketch if you want to give it a try:

A Turkey of a Card...

2008-09-14T14:11:00.005-04:00

This is an, ummm, interesting card. Not sure what I can use it for but I'm sure I'll figure something out... it started based on the Inspiration Challenge on SCS of "Catherine's Animals", wacky photos of livestock in front of dramatic backdrops. I chose this turkey as my inspiration.
It lent itself well, then, to the Color Challenge on SCS of using Riding Hood Red (new In Color), Going Gray, and Green Galore. You may be wondering where the green is -- I just dabbed a little in his feathers, as I didn't really have any great ideas for using it elsewhere, LOL. The layout is this week's Sketch Challenge.
So, here's my mongrel card and 3 more challenges under my belt.

Julie's Sketch Flip & Color Combo

2008-09-13T09:00:00.004-04:00

Julie Buhler's was one of the first blogs I subscribed to last fall when I became an SU! demonstrator. Her talent is amazing and she has excellent technique tutorials as well. I used her Sketch Flip and her color combo (Mellow Moss, Baja Breeze, and Always Artichoke) to create this card. I was going for a "warm and cozy" feel to suit Sharon's "No Time to Stamp" challenge and also wanted to add in usage of my white gel pen as part of the "Ways to Use It" challenge on SCS so I did some faux stitching. Beate's "Be Inspired" challenge included lots of blue and green with flowers, so using my new Urban Garden DP fit the bill perfectly.

Phew -- that's a lot of challenges to pack into one little card. What can I say? I'm a multi-tasker. :-) So what do you think, did it meet all 5 challenges???

RECIPE
Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Paper: Mellow Moss, Baja Breeze & Always Artichoke cardstock, new Urban Garden DP, retired Wintergreen DP
Ink: Always Artichoke, White Signo gel pen
Tools: new Scallop punch, Photo Corner punch, Boho Blossoms punch
Embellishments: Felt Flowers, rhinestone brad from Pretties Kit, Mellow Moss gingham ribbon
Other: SNAIL adhesive, SU! dimensionals