Mummy Madness

This "mummy" just fight go mad! Working full time and keeping up with 4 busy kids is exhausting! But somehow, I found time to whip up a cute card and candy to give the kids' teachers for Halloween.

Here is the mummy card....

I just tore and sponged strips of paper and glued to a card base. Then I ran the whole thing through my Big Shot with the Top Note die. I used some punches to make the eyes. Fun, huh?

And I needed a mummy candy to go with it...

They are Hershey bars wrapped in white crate paper! I glues some google eyes on cardstock and glued them onto the candy. Then just wrap it up! Done!

Have a happy Halloween!!!

Valentine in September?

Why not?! If you can do Christmas in July then it must be Valentine in September. Makes sense to me!

I attached different ribbons to the card background. Then I punched hearts out and lifted that piece with dimensionals. It is an easy technique that is perfect for using scraps of ribbon!

I know that I am a very sparatic poster these days. I am working full time and trying to keep up with my own kids. Stamping has taken a back seat. I do miss it and hope to find some "me" time soon! (Maybe I will stay up past 9pm!)

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Can't get enough buttons!

I am pretty sure that I could use this Button Buddies set on every single card!!! I am already hoping for Button Buddies 2 in the next catalog!

I went back to my old light tent with no lights for this picture. It is annoying because I only have enough light in my room between 9 and 10am. It is not too convenient!

Happy stamping!

Quilling

Does anyone still read this? I have been thinking about quitting blogging. Anyone want to talk me out of that?

Any who....I really like this card in person. But the picture is BLUH!!! The card is Kraft color and then I used quilling for the design. It was featured in the Stampin' Up! demonstrator magazine this month and it looked so cute that I had to give it a try right away! I like the flowers....which hard to see in the pic. They are made with an 1/8 of an inch thick strip of paper. I rolled it, glued it down and added a rhinestone. Easy!


Anyone have some picture tips for me? I have tried all different ways of using my ott lights. And my pics look worse than when I didn't have any light at all. Help!!!

Making a Splash!

I have several cute cards stamped that I really want to share. I took pictures. But the pictures look terrible!!! I can't show them to you! Hubby is gonna play around with my lights and see if he can get things working better. In the mean time, I have a 2 page scrapbook layout to share.

Here is a closer look....

A good lesson for you scrappers out there- Use patterned paper to break up the pictures! Sometimes I will be flipping through a magazine or surfing blogs and see a layout that I like. But then I think "I don't have enough pictures for that." Or maybe "I don't have enough horizontal pictures for that." Use paper!!!

A little birdie says "Thank You!"

I made this card quite a while ago. I CASED it from a card in the Stampin' Up! catalog. I liked that the patterned paper layers is lifted up and the bird is flat against the card front. That caught my eye (strangest thing, right?) and so I had to make my own version!

I am leaving it short and simple today!

Happy Stamping!

Here's to good friends!!!

I still can't figure out my new lights. My pictures are blurry. But hopefully you get the idea anyway. Another card made with Button Buddies...I just can't get enough of this stamp set!!!! I stamped the flower image in Old Olive. Then on a scrap, I stamped it again in Pumpkin Pie. I cut out the vase and popped it up. Add some super cute flower shape buttons and viola!

And I am sitting here reflecting on some amazing friends that I have! One friend, in particular, is on my mind tonight. No matter the miles between us- she always makes me smile! I hope that everyone has some friends like that!

A break from the chaos...

I had no idea that it would take me so long to get back to my blog! I beg your forgiveness! Let me explain (or just scroll down to the pictures)...

First, you know the usual list of chores that you come home to after vacation. Six people sure do make a lot of dirty laundry! And then there is the grocery shopping, unpacking and regular house work. This was made even more difficult since my parents came over the day after we got back (to celebrate my birthday) and we went out with friends the following night (more celebrating and repacking the kids for grandma's house). By Saturday, I was just plain exhausted. I slept in, slept through a movie with the kids, took a nap later and went to bed at 9.

Next, the kids started school this week past week. So we had to go to Open House at the school on Monday. This is not like any other Open House I have ever been to. It is stressful, crowded, irritating (why so much darn paperwork?!!!) and just plain chaotic! We had to bring so many school supplies for each of the 4 kids that we had to make multiple trips to the car in order to carry them all in. Crazy, right? And then I had to send the kids to their first day of school on Thursday. It is the first year that all of the kids are in school. Laynee is in Kindergarten, the twins are in 1st grade and Kyler is in 2nd grade. I am the super sappy mom that cried like a baby the day before school started, on the playground when I dropped them off and all the way home. I may cry all over again as I type this! I remember when they were all babies (4 in diapers at the same time!), I would dream about the day that I would "retire" and get to send them all to school. And now that the time has come, I desperately wish that they could be babies again.

Finally, my week became busier (and I cried some more) because the twins had their birthday on Saturday. They turned 6. How can that be right?!!! 6???? All day long I kept thinking "I remember exactly what I was doing at this moment 6 years ago." I remember it like it was yesterday! So we started the festivities on Friday. I brought cupcakes to school. (The day before I make 6 dozen ice cream cone cupcakes. I learned a very important lesson: When the directions say to only fill the cones half way- they really do mean it. So I had to toss 2 dozen cupcakes that oozed batter everywhere and had to send my hubby out for more cones.) On Saturday, their actual birthday, we had an entire day of fun. We made pancakes for breakfast. We opened a whole ton of presents (I think I went a wee over board.). We gave them everything they needed to redo their room to make it more of a big girl room. Since they couldn't agree on a theme (The twins are nothing alike.) we went with half the room in a ballet theme (Makenzie) and half of the room in a rock star theme (Danika). Then we went out to lunch, the bookstore and to make pottery. Finally, we went to dinner with their grandparents and home to open a ton more presents.

The rest of this week doesn't look any less chaotic. I have 2 doctor appointments, Kyler has an orthodontist appointment, Laynee's birthday is on Wednesday and all the girls are having a swimming birthday party on Saturday. Wowzer!

Can you see why I haven't had time to post (or stamp)? I actually have a bunch of cards made, but haven't taken the time to photograph them. My husband even got my ott lights and a smaller (more practical) light tent for my birthday. I am excited to try it out.

Now on to the stuff that you actually come to my blog for. First I have the most simple card that I have ever made. And even though their is a lot of white space and only one layer- I still love it. It is still cuter than any store bought card (in my opinion). And I made it using my new favorite stamp set: Button Buddies.




And now, because I feel so guilt about not blogging in so long, I have a little scrapbooking lesson/challenge for you. It is OK to make a scrapbook layout WITHOUT any pictures! It really is! After all, we scrapbook because we want to document our family's story. Any sometimes the story doesn't have or need a picture. So try it! Challenge yourself to make a layout without a picture! Maybe you want to talk about a goal you made, a big decision that you made or feeling you had about a change in your life. I have some examples of recent layouts that I made without pictures.

This one talks about my obsession with couponing. I could have used a picture if my stockpile, coupons or a store. But I didn't have any good one- so I relied on some fun embellishments. And I think they look much better than a picture would.

I turned 30 a couple of weeks ago. I got a little sappy about it. (Big surprise, right?) Being in Disneyland on the big day helped to distract me though. But I also thought it would make me feel better to document all the amazing things I got to do during my twenties. There are lots of different pictures I could have used. In fact, I could have made an entire scrapbook about the subject. But I didn't have time! And I had way to many things to include to have room for pictures. So I made a list and skipped the pictures. After all, a lot of those pictures are on previous layouts.

Wowzer! My twenties were awesome! I graduated from college, did lots of traveling, discovered stamping and scrapbooking, made incredible friends, married my high school sweetheart and had 4 beautiful children. It was so much fun to list it out!

So there is. The longest post you will find on my blog! I will be back soon!

At a loss for a title....

One of the hardest things about blogging is coming up with a catchy title. I thought and thought. I thought so much that it hurt (didn't take that long) and then gave up.

The card is super simple. The pin wheel stamp is in the set Sweets for the Sweet. I love that set!
The bottom paper strip is actually inside the card.
I cut the pinwheel images out and popped it up.

I just got back last night from a family vacation to Disneyland and the beach. The kids had a blast! And I am just a big kid when I get in Disney! I celebrated my 30th birthday while we were there. Doesn't get better than that! I took over 800 pictures. Don't worry. I won't post them all- but maybe a few!

New To Me

The stamps that I used for today's card are not new to the catalog. They are just new to me. I have wanted them for a while and while I was placing a big order, I decided to take advantage of the SU! new hostess program and get them! The stamps are Elizatheth and Oval All. Even the scallop oval punch is new to me. I LOVE punches so I am certain it will be used often! The DSP on this card is new to the catalog (Beau Chateau andFirst Edition). And the card itself is a CASE of my upline's!

I just love the safety pin from the Vintage Trinkets!

If you want to order any of these product, just shoot me an email at sears1130@gmail.com!

I hope my fellow demonstrators are having fun at convention. I can't wait to hear all the exciting announcements that they make at convention!

I'm Not Lion!!

I just LOVE the cute sentiments that come with the images in the Under the Big Top set! So cute! I think this will make a great kid bday card and I love to have a stack of those for all the parties the kids get invited to!

This is one CRAZY week!!! I am looking foward to scrapping with a friend tonight while my kids are at vacation bible school!

Bling!

I have another card using the new Button Buddies stamp set for you today. Only I didn't use any buttons! You don't HAVE too. The images are pretty even without the buttons. Instead, I stamped the flowers a few extra times on white cardstock and punched out the centers. I attached them to my card and added a little bling. It is another simple, white, one layer card. They are my fave these days!

I am still recovering from yesterday's crazy busy day! We had summer movie (super cheap movies at a movie theater about 45 min from us), errands, piano lesson, dance class, vacation bible school and a huge shopping trip for birthday gifts for all 3 of my girls. We are painting and decorating the twins' room for their gift and it is far more complicated, time consuming and expensive than just buying toys!

I am hoping that once we finish this project- I will be able to focus my attention on decorating my stamping studio. It is very functional, but has NO decor! It is hard to be creative while staring at empty white walls.

I am gearing up for another busy day of a dentist appointment, dance, vacation bible school and a date with my hubby to watch the All Star game!

Celebrate!

I almost didn't get the Under the Big Top stamp set because it requires coloring and that is not my strong suit. But the images were too cute to resist! I love any stamp set that comes with useful sentiments! Plus, it had paper to match! I started with a card using the image that looked the easiest to color...It is hard to tell in the picture- but I dry embossed the white paper.

I have to be off to piano lessons, dance class and vacation bible school. Summer is not as relaxing as I envisioned! But we are making lots of happy memories!

Happy stamping!

Button Buddies

My very favorite stamp set in the new catalog is Button Buddies. All the images are created to add a button to them. Papertrey has similar sets and I have longed for SU! to have one. And now they do!!! And it is AWESOME!!! I must warn you....I am in a clean and simple mood. Lot's of white space.So simple! But who wouldn't smile when they received this? I challenge you to leave some white space! It can be hard to do- but liberating!

Sweet NEW stamps!!!

I got my 1st order from the new catalog about 24 hours ago and I have only stopped stamping to eat and sleep! These stamps are so fun! They are exactly what I needed to get out of my summer stamping slump! My favorite set so far is Button Buddies. I will show you a card with that set tomorrow. This card is my assistant's favorite card. Makes sense since she is 4!

I love having paper to coordinate with stamps! It just makes it easier to put together a card! And these colors are just so fun!

What is your favorite new stamp set?

My 1st Birthday Card!

We will be celebrating/mourning my 30th bday in Disneyland in a couple of weeks! I thought that Disneyland would make me feel you and forget the fact that my 20s passed in a blink of an eye. (I was so busy graduating college twice, getting married and having 4 babies!)

About a week ago I got my 1st bday card in the mail. Guess who is was from?

Stampin' Up!!!! And even more exciting? The card said that they were giving me an extra 15% off of one item during my bday month! So I got a smokin' deal on a stamp set from the new catalog! I guess this is just one more perk of being a demonstrator!!! Yay! (By the way, did you know that Stampin' Up! is having a promo right now where you can sign up to be a demo and get an awesome starter kit with stamps and accessories for just $99? Great deal!!! Email me for more info!)

Here is the card....

I just love the bright colors paired with all the white space! And it is hard to see in the picture- but there is a rhinestone for the dot on the "i." I love it! Thanks Stampin' Up!

Thinking snow....

The high today in Phoenix? 118 degrees!!! YIKES! And to think that it was a cloudy day! You can all laugh at me for living here now. I will return the favor when you are shoveling snow in January! Speaking of snow....

I thought it might cool me off. And if you know me at all- you know that I am addicted to snowman images! At Christmas, I decorate my entire house in snowmen. My husband used to joke that our kids wouldn't know about Santa. They would grow up thinking that Frosty brought the gifts. So when I saw this set in the new catalog- I knew it had to be mine. You will see more of this guy!

Did you place your 1st order from the new catalog? I did! I am especially excited to get the Button Buddies stamp set! I LOVE buttons!

Have a happy 4th!

Having one of those days....

I was all ready to post earlier- but for some reason or another we didn't have an internet connection! And then when we got that cleared up- my computer wouldn't show me any of my pics and so I couldn't upload. But I was relentless and so I have a card to show ya.

I am pretty sure that I was the last one out there to buy the Aviary set. I remember everyone getting excited last year when it came out. I was like "Why all the fuss? That isn't cute." But then I started to see some cards made with it. I even got to use it at a class. And what do you know? Now I think it is cute and had to order it for myself! Please tell me that happens to you too.

It is a very simple card, but I think the pearls make it special.

More on my day.....I discovered that I have lost my coupon binder. If there are any avid couponers out there- you know just how important the binder is. It is almost like losing a kid. I called stores and checked everywhere. I am to the point that I know I need to start a new one. (I guess that is a difference between the coupon binder and kids. I can replace the binder. But replacing one kid with another is generally frowned upon.) So I am off to work on coupons even though I would rather be stamping.

On the mend....Finally!

I can finally "see" the light at the end of the tunnel with this eye surgery! I am still uncomfortable, but each day is a tad better than the last. I have 2 cards that I want to show you- but it is cloudy and I can't get a picture. I don't have lighting in my stamping studio. :-( I am sure you are getting sick of my digi layouts- but I have nothing else to show! So here are a couple 1 page layouts from my DC trip...

I have been working on this vacation scrapbook while recovering and I am almost done! Which is good sense we are leaving for a family vacation in 3 weeks! Ha ha!

Do a little stamping for me today! With both of your eyes open! :-)

Nothing can keep me from my stamps...not even blood.

I was lucky enough to get to spend yesterday morning in the hospital having surgery on my eye. You're jealous right? 24 hours later and I still can't see out of my eye. It is swollen, watery and so scratchy! And I am one big baby about pain. So I have spent a lot of time in bed. While laying around, I came up with a card idea. I decided "I will make it when I feel better." But I just kept thinking about it. Finally, I couldn't wait any long and went to the stamp room. So now imagine me stamping and gluing (with just one eye open) while my eye is watering and bleeding on the paper. It was a disaster! Definitely not a keeper! But the design was very cute and will definitely be remade when I can see!

In the meantime, I have another 2 page layout for you from my trip to DC. When I was in college, I dreamed of being a Federal Court judge. (Keep in mind that you have to be appointed to the position by the President and so it is not an easy job to get!) I took judicial class and constitutional law classes. I even worked for the Judiciary Committee in the State Senate as well as a lobbyist for the State Supreme Court. I loved it. But after college, I got married and started having babies. The dream of law school and being a judge were replaced with dreams of staying home and watching my babies grow. Good decision. But I was so stinkin' excited about seeing the Supreme Court when we went to DC. And it was no let down. It was easily the most beautiful building I have ever been in. It was all marble! Marble floors, staircases and pillars. Awesome! So the visit was deserving of 2 pages in my scrapbook!

A closer look at page 1....

And page 2....

I smile whenever I look at these pictures! And this is another simple layout for paper scrappers!

Well I am going back to tending the my drippy eye!

I'm Back!!!

We are back from our back East trip! We had such a fun time and I am a little sad that it is already over. I get post trip depression. I get post holiday depression as well. My husband thinks I am weird, but I have my fingers crossed that I am not the only one who experiences this!

Our trip started in Washington DC. I LOVED it! I love the old time charm that the city has. I love that you can see the Washington Monument all over the city. I LOVED the museums and the Supreme Court! While I was on the trip- I was already planning my scrapbook. So as soon as we got home- I got to work. The tough part is sorting through the 700 pictures that I took! My first layout is about our tour of the capitol. I used the same template I used for a layout last week- as I wanted to showcase lots of pictures on the one layout.


A closer look at the 1st page...

And the 2nd page....

More trip layouts and some stamping will be coming your way soon!

Cherish

I thought I would share one last project before I leave on my trip!

I am constantly asked by my blog readers to make more 2 page scrapbook layouts. Well, this one is for you...A close up of page 1....

And a close up of page 2....

I love that it has 10 pictures on it!

You know that I LOVE digi scrapping. I can't wait to scrap our trip using one of Stampin' Up's digi kits! But I know that many of you prefer to paper scrap. This layout would be a breeze for a traditional scrapper as well! Choose a fun (but not too busy) DSP for the background, another 2 others that coordinate for the paper strips. Use border punches on the thin strip for each side. Add pretty stamped flowers with buttons. For the title, stamp the letters with you favorite alphabet and cut each letter out in the shape of a square. Mat them on some darker cardstock and put them on the layout using dimensionals. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Go scrap! I am going to go take a million pics to scrap when I come back! Stay tuned!

Hooty

So I have a cute card for you today that I CASED from Tami. But the pictures really aren't so good! I am having some trouble with lighting in my stamp room these days! But hopefully you can see how darn cute this guy is. The owl punch is new to me. I think I am the last stamper out there to get it!

Then you open the card...

He is just peeping out of the hole in the front! Can you see the clouds? This has always been one of my favorite techniques.

I am still having trouble finding my stamping mojo! Even my scrapbooking mojo is tough to locate. I hate these dry spurts! I will keep looking for the mojo! But my husband and I are leaving this week on a trip to Washington DC and New York City! I have never been to either place and so I am just bursting with excitement. A Government teacher just HAS to go to DC! And a lover of the theater MUST see Chicago on Broadway! But at any rate....don't be surprised if you don't hear from me this week.

Happy stamping!

Nashville!

I seem to be missing my stamping and scrapping mojo! YIKES! I sent 3 hours last night playing with pictures and paper. It was a disaster! And then this afternoon- I threw this layout together in about 10 minutes!

I had the BEST visiting my dear friend in Arrione in Nashville. I love country music so Nashville is the perfect fit for me! And I love Arrione- so it was the perfect get away! Next time I am going to bring my hubby!


This page would be easy to CASE for those who paper scrap as well. DSP can be the best embellishment!

I'm one sappy mommy!

Today was the last day of school for my kiddos. I am still not certain if I am happy or sad. I am excited about sleeping in, not having homework and not having to pack lunches. But I am such a sappy mom that I cried a bit today because the kids are growing up way too fast. When Danika's kindergarten teacher broke down crying (for the 2nd time this week), I just couldn't help but join in. How can it be that I have a 2nd grader, 2 1st graders and a kindergartner?! Sigh..... Let's not cry again, Jamie!

I have been so busy with all the end-of-year parties, talent shows and graduation that stamping had to be put on the back burner. Then when I went back- I had stamper's block!!! I am still struggling! But then I realized that I never showed you a card that I made for my MIL for Mother's Day.

I just love these colors- Poppy Parade and Daffodil Delight. Such happy colors. I made an oval frame with my Big Shot and then just set it on the white cardstock and sponged the Daffodil Delight on. I got the idea from a stamper on Splitcoast. I popped one flower up and used ribbon to add dimension. I just can't stand a flat card! By the way- I am loving this stamp set! I have used it on the cards in my last couple of posts. It is called Awash with Flowers.

I am not sure that I ever shared my good news regarding Stampin' Up! I was going to have to give up my demonstrator status as I hadn't been able to have a workshop since before my illness. Well, after Stampin' Up! heard about my medical problems, they helped to make it possible for me to keep my demonstrator status! Yay!!!

Since I am suffering from Stamper's Block, I am going to try and focus on scrapbooking. Cross your fingers that I will have some layouts to show tomorrow!