One more quick thing....

Two posts in one day...can you believe it? I nearly fell off my chair myself....ha! I whipped out these cute little bags for the teachers and aides for the boys. We will deliver them tomorrow. Thought I would share. The bags are from Paper Trey Ink (you can stop rolling your eyes now!) I used the Love Matters set (retired SU) and stamped little hearts in Real Red, Regal Rose and Pink Passion. I stamped the "love" in black stazon and colored it with my Pink Passion marker. I punched it out with my mega rectangle scalloped punch and then mounted it on a piece of pretty in pink punched out with the giga scalloped punch. The punches are by Marvy Uchida and you can buy them lots of places, I bought most of mine at....guess where...Paper Trey Ink. It took less than 30 minutes to whip up four of them. The ribbon is glued on under the word. Saves ribbon and easy fix. If you're out there and reading this....do me a favor and leave a comment. Let me know if you would like to see more or less of something or if you have any ideas for tutorials or things you would like to see.

Happy Stamping!

You still have a few days before Valentine's Day....

So, as you may know by now....I am a procrastinator. Not normally by choice, but usually because I have multiple speed bumps on my way to the bunker (in the name of small children living in this house). Adorable as they may be....they often lead to me running around at the last minute to get things done. So....here are some remaining valentine cards. I finally got them in the mail from Loveland (big deal if you live or have lived in Colorado) because the DH had a job up there this morning. Lucky break. =) Maybe you haven't mailed or made your valentine's yet (hoping I am not alone) and these will give you some inspiration.

First up is the gift the twins gave to their classmates yesterday for their valentine exchange. They don't have school tomorrow because of Parent Teacher conferences. (for 3-year-olds, really? maybe I will save this for another post.) Needless to say I was whippin' these suckers out (at the count of 10) on Sunday night. Totally missed Brothers and Sisters, but thank God for tivo. Anyway, I hate to give out a bunch of candy because everyone else does and because I really really really don't like paying the dentist a bunch of money to fix holes in my kids teeth which are bound to fall out anyway. (sorry Dr. B!) So, I made up these little matching games and packaged them in the takeout boxes. I love these little boxes, but Stampin' Up! in their infinite wisdom, decided to discontinue all the boxes - but I'm not bitter or anything. =) I am sure if you did a search you could find them elsewhere on the web or find the pattern at least. They have the pattern here and I bet you could whip them out in a jiffy with a Scor-Pal (really really want one). Sorry, most of this is retired, but it was all I had that was the right size. I used Very Punny from Sell-a-bration last year. I stamped the images in stazon and colored them with my SU markers and did a little watercoloring on the fish because the Turquois looked too dark. I then punched them out with my 1 3/8" circle and backed them with the coordinating color punched out with the SU scallop punch. Sounds quick until you multiply by ten. Background/marker colors are as follows: Orchid Oppluence, Green Galore, Close to Cocoa, Pretty In Pink, Tempting Turquois, Summer Sun and Real Red. I typed the note out for the box on the computer and attached it with a red brad using my cropodile. (Mine's pink because I like pink better, but they also come in green.)

I think I was getting burned out on Valentine's by the time I got to the boys' cards....I just couldn't get my brain going. Anyway, this is what I came up with. The love bug is from Olive You (retired) and the background heart is from All Through The Year (current). Stamped on Paper Trey Ink white paper (they're coming out with new colors did you here?) Then I added the plaid strip to the side (unknown) and stamped the bug again in Stazon. I use stazon because it doesn't tend to run if I watercolor or use my markers. I punched him out with my Giga Scallop punch from marvy uchida and then backed him in real red and gable green. I added the googlie eyes....because let's face it....kids love googlie eyes. *chuckle*


This little cuties was simple and fast. I used some of the Heidi Grace paper that I received from my contest winnings (love free stuff) and it is actually raised which you can't really see in the picture. Very cute. I added a piece of wide grosgrain ribbon and then punched a heart out with my smallest heart punch and stamped it with "be mine" from Fancy Flexible Phrases in black. I used my pink stickles to dot the edges. (Note....do this after the whole card is assembled...trust me on that one.) I also added a little blingy heart to the hanging heart which I found at Michael's on clearance in the jewelry department. The base of the card is sahara sand which I stamped with Simply Said in real red and regal rose. I used my galaxy glitter pen in pink to add some dots and texture and my white galaxy pen to outline the heart in the middle with dots.


I used Paper Trey's set Green Thumb to make this card. (I bought this set because of the boot...ridiculous I know...but I have grown to love all of it!) I stamped the strawberries in real red and the tops are glorious green on PTI white cardstock (it's my favorite). The "love you" is from the set SU sold last year for the American Heart Association A Light Heart again in real red. I used the "thank you berry much" stamp from the Green Thumb set and colored only the "berry much" with my marker and stamped it. The ribbon is from Hobby Lobby. The chipboard "L" is from Joann and I covered it in Glorious Green Craft and embossed it in irridescent ice. The whole thing is mounted on real red. Voile!

My favorite valentine card that I made. For the DH. I used the Wild About You set. The card base is wild wasabi. The heart is created out of two leaf petals from the Blossoms and Basics chipboard set. I sponged them with Purely Pomegranate ink and then glued them together with a glue stick to make a heart. I don't know about you....but I am always looking for new ways to use the massive amounts of chipboard I have accumulated. I again used my small heart punch and punched out a scalloped heart in Pretty In Pink and added Be Mine in Pomegranate. I used my pink stickles around the edge. The rectangle was cut out using my new spellbinders nestablities(insert giddy here) and embossed the same way. Not sure if you can see the embossing but if you click on it you should be able to see it. The ribbon below that is the satin pomegranate from the last mini catalog. I added a little bow in the pink gingham that I adhered with a glue dot. The alligator is from Wild About You. I stamped him in Wasabi and then cut him out. I added a little prima flower to his mouth with a jewel in it and wire for the stem. The head in the corner is partially covering my prima flower with a heart jewel in the middle (again from Michael's). The head is courtesy of my helper. How can you be mad at that? Here's a picture with no head in it. Not as fun huh?

That's all for now. Thanks for reading and happy stamping!

Have I mentioned....

....my severe love of Paper Trey Ink? Well, if I have and you don't want to hear about the ULTRA SUPER FANTASTIC EXCITING things going on over there....stop reading now. (please don't) =)

You will never believe it (insert me peeing my pants) they are bringing on 5 new designers to release stamps along with Nichole every month. These ultra talented ladies are going to blow us away....I have that much faith in them.

The first designer, Melissa Bickford, unveiled her very first stamp set sample today. Take a mosie on over and check it out and look at Nicholes Sample Here.....(but then come right back k?)

Do you not LOOOOVVVVVEEEE it? Those swirly wirly flowers and the cute stems and and and.....I think I am in Love. And this is just day one. Get outta town....I am sooooo in trouble.

That's all for now....just had to plug my friends over there at PTI. Hope you will enjoy what's coming out and can't wait to get my hands on some of those stamps and show you girls some purty stuff. Hope you are well and warm.

Happy Stamping!

Valentine's Shoebox Swap

Hi there! I have missed you for the last few days....been chasing away fevers and nasty coughs. All 3 kids are STILL sick....can ya believe it? I think we are on the way to mending. I managed to get everyone to school today....a feat we haven't managed since last Thursday. Whew!

I left the gym early today so I could come and post a card for you. Luckily you can't see me or smell me because I am both sweaty and stinky.....ewwwww! =)

I am lucky enough to be invited to a monthly shoebox swap at my friend Amy's House (big "hi" out to Amy) and we met on Monday night. What a fabulous group of talented -- very talented--stampers. This is the card I made for that swap. Stampin' Up! was kind enough to send all demonstrators this set as a holiday gift. It is currently a level 3 hostess set. Sadly enough I didn't even have it cut before Monday.....just no time. CRAZY! But now that it's cut....I can see many many cards coming from it in the future. Without further adieu......

The set is Time Well Spent and I also used Jumbo Outline Alphabet, Define Your Life and Wonderful Words. The cardstock is Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Orchid Oppulence and Whisper White. I stamped the hearts, the "x", "o" and love in Stazon Black. The definition is in Pink Passion. I colored the flowers and hearts with Orchid Oppulence Markers and then watercolored the center using the marker and an aquapainter. Do you know how to do this? Kind of fun. I also stamped the little flower in Pink Passion as a background. The bling is from hobby lobby in the craft department. They aren't brads just little beady things. I like em'. The flower is a prima flower. This isn't my favorite card....I think I need less purples.....but....I am a pink girl. I also would use either the PTI white paper or watercolor paper for the hearts. Whisper white just doesn't seem to stand up very well to watercoloring. I also sponged the edges. I used the Stamp-a-majig to line up the letters and the definition. Do you know how to use that? One of my favorite tools. =)

Happy Stamping!

Sunday Stamping....

I had hoped to get some "mega" stamping done this weekend....but the universe didn't find my plan to be "acceptable". All three kids are sick and so you know what that means for me....lots of kleenex, snuggles and chicken soup. Maybe next weekend? But, I did get these two cards made Friday night so I thought I would share them with you. One is for a sketch challenge on Splitcoast but don't ask me which one....I have to look it up again....yeah yeah I know. I hope that Ginko kicks in pretty soon....the old brain power....not a so good. YIKES!

Anyway, the first card is a birthday card I made for a family friend. This card uses the Stampin' Up! Fast and Fun Notes set and the retired Fancy Flexible Phrases set. All images were stamped in Basic Black. The "happy birthday" is a rub-on from Making Memories that I got with my "free stuff" from winning the Paper Crafts Mag contest (yeah!!!!) The cardstock colors are Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue and PTI White. I found the little index tab thing in my "pile of stuff that I bought but still haven't used" section of the bunker. Hey look I used it....now I can move it into the "rarely used but still like it" pile. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I added a little bit of blue satin ribbon and some white eyelets and called it good.

The second was my sketch challenge card. I don't have a lot of current "valentiney" sets so I have been stretching myself outside the box. I decided to use Wild About You and make the elephant pink. I stamped him on Sahara Sand and then the phrase in chocolate chip. The skinny ribbon is from a swap I just did with my new friend Amy. Big "hi" out to Amy (I love my stuff!!!!) I added a little heart brad again from my pile of embellishments neatly organized at the moment and a googlie eye. I embossed "my valentine" in white and that saying is from Everyday Flexible Phrases. I used my cuttlebug for the background on the regal rose (I don't know which one....probably named something simple like circles.) The inside paper is retired SU Rebecca. The large ribbon is my ruffly pink check from Hobby Lobby. I think I have to go buy some more of this. I still LOVE it. That's all for this sunny Sunday. I think I will go play outside for awhile.

Happy Stamping!

Some New Goodies for you....

Look what I finally had time to photograph....I know....can you believe it? I can hardly believe it myself. Anyway....I think I am doing pretty good with my NYR (New Year's Resolution) by posting more than once a year....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Sorry the pictures aren't great. I am working on my photographic skills. I keep telling the DH that if I had a new camera (preferably a Cannon Rebel XT) that I could take marvelous award winning pictures. He ain't buying it....or the camera....so I gotta work with what I got....which is NOT an award winning camera. Anyway......here's the scoop on these two cards.

This one was made with Lovely Lilac and Silver and was a sketch/color combo for Papercrafts Magazine. I submitted it but didn't hear anything...so I am sharing it with you instead. Guess they didn't like it....but that's okay....you can't win them all. So the letters are from SU Jumbo Outline Alphabet and the definition of "always" is from the Define Your Life set. I love this set and can't wait to make some scrapbook pages with it. Someday....someday soon. Onwards....the swirly-whirl is from Paper Trey Ink's Ambassador Monogram set and the "wish" is from the Text Boxed set. I layered three different colors of primas and put a Rhinestone Brad in the center. The purple ripped piece is a piece of vellum that used to be sold by Stamping Up!. I embossed the letters and wish and swirly-whirl in black and then colored in the letters with my Lovely Lilac marker. That's it. I thought this would make a cute birthday card.

The next photo is my first attempt at a V-Day card. I can't seem to get in the mood for V-Day....I have lots of retired sets that I like....but they aren't getting me motivated. Guess I will have to find some cute new stamps.....oh darn. For this card I used Barely Banana and Pretty In Pink SU CS and then of course my favorite white cardstock from PTI. The stamps sets are both retired....sorry....Olive You and Love Matters. I stamped both in Stazon Black and then colored them with my SU markers Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, and pretty in Pink. The hearts around the outside I took my Zig Painty Pen and colored in the dots with the silver end. The so my favorite ribbon is from Hobby Lobby - on sale - SCORE!

That's about it for today. If you would like to see more or less of something....please leave me a comment and let me know.

Happy Stamping!

My last few cards and then we are off to V-Day

Hee hee....V-Day that's funny! I know what a goon. So here are the last few cards from my happy Christmas paper. Then we will be moving onto newer and brighter and springier cards.

Card #11 - This card uses the same Making Memories paper and I added Real Red, Old Olive and a patterned paper from DSWV. The ribbon is the same checked red from Hobby Lobby. The saing is again from Fancy Flexible Phrases in Basic Black. The background was stamped with little peppermints from a retired SU set (All Wrapped Up Accessories) in Real Red and I added a little bit of glitter to it.

Card #12 - This card uses Real Red, Old Olive and Very Vanilla Cardstock. The greenery is from the Paper Trey Ink set "Believe". I stamped the holly in Stazon Black and watercolored it and then in Old Olive on the old olive CS and colored the centers with red glitter. I used my giga square scallop to punch out the greens and the center piece and layered them together to make one long strip. The ribbon is from Joann and it is a felt ric rac.

Card #13 - This one is made out of Real Red and Old Olive CS (again) and all I added was a piece of wide grosgrain in very vanilla and the little holly brad and eyelet at the bottom. I have had those forever....so I don't have supplier for you on that one....sorry.

Card #14 - The last one....can you believe it....this has been a long series.....Whew! This one uses the Giga Scallop Punch and the "yellow" one....sorry I can't remember the size right now from Marvy Uchida. I watercolored the santa a little bit and added a little glitter. The wreaths are from the same "Believe" set and also had a little bit of red glitter added to the berries. The sentiment is from Fancy Flexible Phrases and the ribbon is from May Arts and is a green velvet ric rac.

Well....I hope you have enjoyed these....I will be back later this week with some new cards. In the meantime......

Happy Stamping!