Pretty spring dress

Hi all! Today I'm sharing one of our stamp club projects that is perfect for today's weather (at least in Dallas) - a spring dress! This card is so easy to do with the scallop circle bigz die and the oh-so-lovely Springtime Vintage paper. I don't think I'll have a scrap of this paper left in a month!!!! Of course the dress has to have a coordinating purse (using the opposite side of the paper - how convenient!). I've made cards like this before with a purse from the tab punch but for this one I used the new Build-a-cupcake punch for the body of the purse and a couple of oval punches for the handle. Finish it off with a couple of basic pearls (my favorite things EVER!), a darling vanilla rosette and some pear pizzazz seam binding and you've got yourself a lovely dress for spring. NOW, if only I had the figure to pull off actually WEARING a dress like that . . . one can dream, right????

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps:Dotted spring BG stamp, Fabulous phrases
Cardstock: Rose red, very vanilla, pear pizzazz, Springtime vintage DSP
Ink: Rose red
Other Stuff: Scallop circle bigz die, Build-a-cupcake punch, oval punches, rosette, pear pizzazz seam binding, basic pearls, scallop edge border punch

New Stamp-a-Stack coming!

Hi blog friends!! Sorry once again for the long time between posts, but it seems to be 'Fever Week' in the Amigh household. We just can't get rid of the pesky thing and it's taking its toll on the whole family. BUT - I have managed to get some cards tweaked and figured out for the Stamp-a-Stack so I can share them with you tonight. I'm doing a private SAS next week (pending final confirmation with the hostess) and then I have Stamp Club the next week, so I'm planning this SAS for Tuesday night, April 12, from 7-9 pm. These cards are simple enough that we should be able to get them done in 2 hours but still something that I would love to send to family and friends. If a weekend would work better, it's possible that I could do something the weekend of April 16, but until I hear otherwise I think I'm going with the 12th. Cost is $25 for 10 cards PLUS envelopes to send them . . . cheaper (and more impressive!) than Hallmark!! Send me an email or give me a call to sign up today!!

Spring flowers

Here's a card we did at my Stamp-a-Stack last month. I LOVE these colors together; to me they feel very calming and soothing. Maybe that's why my bedroom is basically these colors!! I've been working on some new cards for a Stamp-a-Stack again, now I just need to get some time in the daylight to photograph the cards and get them posted and emailed out so everyone can rush to sign up :-)

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Pocket silhouettes
Cardstock: Sahara sand, Not quite navy, Whisper white, Elegant Soiree DSP
Ink: Not quite navy, Baja breeze
Other Stuff: Ticket corner punch, Scalloped edge punch, Basic rhinestones, 1/8" Basic black taffeta ribbon, Modern label and word window punches

Birthday thank yous

Good news today - MRI showed that my tumor hasn't grown since my last MRI three months ago, so no surgery this year for sure. I'm going back again in 6 months and I guess we'll make a firm plan then. But for now, I can just sit back and take a deep breath and say thank you . . . no worries about my brain until my sister is married!!!!
Tonight's cards are some of the ones I made for my daughter's birthday thank you notes with the Create-a-cupcake stamp set and punch and the Ice Cream Parlor paper that you can get FREE if you spend $50 - but only through March 31!!! I made all the cards and wrote the notes inside, but I'm happy (and proud!) to say that my little 4 year old sat down and wrote her own name in each card that was sent out. I'm starting her early learning to write a proper thank you!

Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Create-a-cupcake, Confetti, Teeny tiny wishes, Short & sweet
Cardstock: Whisper white, Pacific point, Melon Mambo, Daffodil delight, Old olive, Peach parfait, Ice cream parlor DSP
Ink: Pacific point, Melon Mambo, Daffodil delight, Old olive, Peach parfait
Other Stuff: Extra large scalloped circle punch, various circle punches, Build a cupcake punch, Coordinating markers

Pretty girl silhouette

One of the best parts of becoming a Stampin'Up! demonstrator is that I now have a new approach to my 'stuff.' Before when there would be a pack of designer series paper that I really liked, I would never use it because it was too nice. Now that I'm a demo, I use it (preferably in a workshop) because if I like it, other people will probably like it too. AND I use it on cards that I send (if I actually get them in the mail, but I'm working on that). Now instead of thinking I'd better hold onto this awesome paper because it won't be around forever, I think that I'd better use this paper I bought because I won't be able to use it for my blog or workshops once it's 'retired' and it won't be around forever. Guess what? Stampin'Up! always comes up with new paper that I like just as much or more than the last round of paper so I'm a winner however you look at it. And I make some pretty awesome cards that wouldn't have gotten made a year ago - like the one I'm sharing tonight. It's got DSP galore - a big huge piece as the background. LOVE IT!!!!
On a different note, tomorrow is MRI Monday - I'm going back in to have some new pictures taken of my brain to make sure Little Karla (that's what we've named my brain tumor) hasn't grown in the past three months. Once that's over I'll be able to plan for the surgery, either soon or (HOPEFULLY) next year after my sister's wedding. I really hope we can wait mostly so I don't screw up our summer vacation. Wish me luck and I'll let you know how it goes soon!


Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Easter Blossoms
Cardstock: Very vanilla, Springtime Vintage DSP
Ink: Always artichoke, Rose red
Other Stuff: Sponge daubers, Versamarker, Rose red marker, Very vanilla satin ribbon, Basic pearls, Curly label punch

I'm a maker not a sender

I've come to realize something about myself, and unfortunately I had an 'aha' moment that my realization is not just true for my cards but could possibly be a larger issue in my life. I'm really good at making cards. I am TERRIBLE at sending cards. I made 15 or 20 Valentine's cards and I sent zero. I even had the envelopes addressed and borrowed stamps from my mom (we'll deal with that some other time). sigh. For some reason I have a problem finishing the job. I get thisclose to doing something awesome and then for some reason I just drop the ball. So my resolution for the month is to a) figure out exactly when Easter is and b) actually mail the cute Easter cards that I am making a whole week BEFORE Easter. I'll let you know how I do. There is one slight silver lining since I addressed all those envelopes - I was able to use them to send out my daughter's Thank You cards from her birthday, so it wasn't totally a waste.
Today's card is one of the aforementioned cute Easter cards I came up with. I love this Easter Blossoms set from the Occasions Mini. The little girl silhouette is such a pretty stamp, but it can overshadow some of the other cute images. Tonight I inked the Easter egg stamp for the first time and I LOVE this card. I used a layout from a Mojo Monday sketch I printed one time and some ribbon from my stash. Simple but cute and easy to duplicate!!!!! That's my kind of card. And maybe I'll even send it :-)
Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Easter Blossoms
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Bashful blue, Whisper white, Pretty in Pink DSP
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Bashful blue, Certainly celery
Other Stuff: Large oval punch, ribbon (from my stash), Bow easy, glue dot, dimensionals

Stampin for fun

Sometimes I can get myself into a 'mode' where I stamp for specific reasons, like invitations and thank you cards for my daughter's birthday, using new techniques for a stamp club card, or some sort of workshop card. Those projects are challenging and fun in their own way, but every once in a while it's nice to take a step back and remember that this is all supposed to be fun and non-stressful. I just got two big orders in - one was my sale-a-bration order where I let myself splurge a little (hey - I get some free stuff out of it so it makes it worth it, right?) and the other was a pre-order I got to make since I'm a demo. Even though I was so excited about the new stuff, I got overwhelmed last night and just had nothing when I sat down at my stamp table. So tonight I just went up and played - no pressure, no having to come up with a cool technique or project that can be duplicated at least 6 times, just let myself go up there and make a one-off card for someone special. And I ended up making two one-off cards for two special people. And it felt good.
The card I'm sharing with you tonight is a masculine birthday card. My husband and I have a friend who is having a milestone birthday in what has been a year of (some tough) changes for him. He'll never know (or care, really) but I started the card by picking the stamp set I wanted to use because the images are great but also the name is fitting for him right now: Plant Hope. Hopefully this birthday will be a fresh start for him. I have a hard time with masculine cards but I think this one hit it just right. I got to use some of my new goodies too: the patterned paper is one of the sneak peek items I just got - Paisley Prints DSP - FABULOUS!!!!! I also used my brand new early espresso ribbon and items I usually hoard and don't use because they are 'special:' watercolor paper and my vintage brads. This was a FUN card to color and put together!!!!
Card Supplies: (All supplies from Stampin' Up unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Plant hope, Wonderfully worn
Cardstock: Soft suede, Early espresso, Watercolor paper, Paisley prints DSP
Ink: Soft suede, Brown stazon, Early espresso
Other Stuff: Old olive and soft suede markers, blender pen, sponge dauber, Backgrounds I texturz plate, Early espresso 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon, antique brad, dimensionals