Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Thanks, Mom!

Grandma took the big girls to the MN History Center today--maybe their favorite spot. Of course, there is also lunch (and snack) at the fab Cafe Minnesota. They all had a great time.



Love this color combination (from SCS Clean and Simple Challenge): Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie and Bashful Blue.

I pulled out a few stamp sets I haven't used for a while: Simply Said and En Ovale. Both of these sets are in the current IBC and also in the new 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog that goes LIVE on Thursday at noon!

I will be placing an order in the first part of July, so if there is something you really need out of the new catalog (some of the new core colors, perhaps? or a great new kid-themed stamp set?), please let me know!

Monday, June 28, 2010

Purple Rose



Here's a birthday card for one of the "Red Hat Ladies." Of course, there was no getting away from the red-and-purple theme, and SU!'s Real Red, Lovely Lilac and Orchid Opulence filled the bill nicely, I think.

Card base is Lovely Lilac, and I added some background stamping in the same shade ink. I also included a white panel on the inside for the message. I stamped a "happy birthday" sentiment in Lilac ink, and sponged Real Red around the edges of the panel.

The Real Red mat on the front of the card measures 3 3/4" x 5", and the image panel is only slightly smaller (3 1/2" x 4 3/4"). I popped the whole thing up using Stampin' Dimensionals, and then ran the 5/8" Real Red Grosgrain ribbon behind the panel before tying the square knot.

I just had to get one more "postable" card out of this gorgeous stamp set--it is retiring this week! You can check out the whole list of "last chance" items at www.stampinup.com.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Top Note Quilt

This is a card I made for the weekly Demonstratable Cards challenge over on SCS: The Demo Side. Hee, hee!



What a fun and easy use for the Top Note die and my Big Shot. Also, if you're like me, and can't seem to find enough uses for ALL of the designer series paper that comes in the SU packs, this is a great way to put those scraps to a beautiful use.

Really, it's as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Cut (or punch) some squares of dsp. I used some of my retiring Tall Tales paper, and made 1 1/4" squares. The style looks good with inchies, too. You need enough squares to cover a 4" x 5" piece of card stock. The total number of squares will vary, depending on how big they are, obviously. Do the math. I used 2-Way Glue to attach them to my card stock.

2. Put the assembled quilt piece face-down on your Top Note die, and run it through your Big Shot. If you don't have a Big Shot, buy one through me: you won't regret it. Ha, ha. Actually, I'd be happy to let you stop on by sometime and try it out--give me a call!

3. Finish your card. For my card, I used a Barely Banana card base, and added a Brilliant Blue Top Note behind my quilted Top Note for a little bit of depth. The quilted piece is popped up with Dimensionals.

Really, it is just that simple. Hope you like it, and I hope to hear from you soon. You know I love stamping and I love my friends, and I especially love stamping with my friends.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Technique Club Year 5

Welcome Ann, Carol, Marilyn, Silva and Trina to Year 5 of my Techniques Stamp Club! Thanks, ladies (and especially to charter members Carol and Marilyn) for signing on for another year of stamping and learning.

We met tonight (at my mom's!) for our kick-off meeting, and set our meeting months for August and October of 2010, and January, February, April and June of 2011. We do still have room for at least one more member, so please contact me if you are interested in more information.



Here is a card I made tonight, from some scraps I had lying around. These are retiring colors (Ballet Blue, Cameo Coral and Ruby Red). Stampin' Up!'s new Idea Book and Catalog comes out July 1, with new colors, accessories and, of course, great stamp sets.

To make this card, I used a pre-cut card base of Brocade Blue, which is oriented with the fold on the left side (rather than up top as usual). I cut a piece of Cameo Coral card stock to 5 1/4" x 4", and stamped the swirl image from Baroque Motifs with Ruby Red ink. That panel is adhered to the card front with SNAIL adhesive.

The main image panel is a scrap of Naturals Ivory cs. I'm not sure of the exact dimensions. I spritzed it a bit and ran it through my Big Shot then sponged Cameo Coral ink over the whole panel to bring out the design. Around the edges I sponged Ruby Red ink. I formed the piece into panels by cutting 1 1/4" off of each long edge. What was leftover became the middle panel. No measuring--perfect!

I decided I needed a bit of blue on top to balance the design, so I pulled out another scrap and stamped and sponged that piece with Ballet Blue.

Remember, retiring stamp sets, ink/card stock colors and accessories are available only through June 30, so please let me know if you "need" anything before it is gone.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Sympathy



June is winding down, and that means our Last Chance is coming to an end as well.

While I'm excited about the new stamp sets, accessories and colors in Stampin' Up!'s 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog (live July 1!), I will surely miss some of my "old favorite" stamp sets.

"Close as a Memory" has served me well for several years. The versatile watercolor-style image lends itself to monochromatic stamping (as in this example), coloring with markers, embossing--you name it!

If there are any "must-haves" on the list, please let me know. Or, you can order direct through the SU website. Don't forget to select me as your Demonstrator to lock in "preferred pricing."

Also, anyone interested in joining my Technique Club, please join us this coming Friday evening, June 18, 7:00-8:30 PM at my house. At this organizational meeting, we'll make a 6" x 6" Technique page and set our meeting dates for the upcoming year. Hope to hear from you!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Heading Southwest

I made some really neat cards this week, but didn't have the energy to scan and post them. That is kind of sad, isn't it?

Why am I so tired? I guess because I've been stressing about a trip I'm going on starting tomorrow. I'll be in Albuquerque, NM for 5 days for the NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) Conference. Thanks to my supervisors for selecting me as one of only two representatives from the Environmental Health Section at MDH to attend.

Here are a couple of highlights:

Silva stopped by this morning for Stamping Playgroup, and brought with her the products she earned at her Club meeting last month. We enjoyed the "Smooch Spritz," but the big winner for both of us was the Presto Patterns Specialty Paper. It works like the Emboss Resist technique, and reveals a pre-printed design when you brayer ink over it. A cool look with very little effort!

Everyone is going to want to have the Elements of Style stamp set (either the new clear mount or traditional wood mount)to play with. It is so elegant and versatile. We love it.

The Punched Poesies Hostess stamp set (Level 2) is an amazing incentive for hostesses. When your workshop reaches just $300, you can choose this diverse collection of images as part of your rewards. The Summer Mini Catalog is current through August 31.

I'm looking to schedule just one or two workshops this summer, so if you are interested, please contact me, and we can find a date that will work.