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!

Cute Christmas

I had a pretty crummy day today. But stamping and Glee at the end, make it seem a little more bearable!

Here is another sneak peak of some new DSP and stamps that will be available starting September 1st in the Holiday Mini catalog!

I tried to color the mittens with ink and a blender pen. But I am not exactly good with the coloring! I should probably just claim that the kids did the coloring! ;)

Happy stamping!

Christmas in July

I know that it is hard to think about Christmas when it is only July (and well above 100 degrees here in Arizona) but I have found that it is so much more enjoyable to make a few Christmas cards every month then to wait and be rushed in December. And everyone LOVES getting home made Christmas cards!!! They get so many cards that the ones that stand out are the home made kind. They come with more love!

So I have a super simple card for you today. Simple cards are perfect for making in bulk! You could make 10 of this card in a half hour!

The colors on this card on Pacific Point, Baja Breeze and Old Olive. The stamp set is called Snow Swirled. I think this set is a MUST HAVE! The images are so pretty and the seniment is one of my favorites!

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Since my card was so simple, I decided to add a little ribbon and rhinestone bling to dress it up.

Click on my Shop Now button at the top if you would like to purchase the supplies needed to make this card!

Happy stamping!

Getting in touch with my glitter side!

Thank you for the encouarging comments and emails! I appreciate those of you that have stuck with me these past several months.

Today I have a Christmas card to show you that I made last month at a class taught by my former up-upline, Amy Smith.

This is not a color combo that I would have picked on my own, but that's another great reason to keep going to classes- they stretch you. And you can't see it in the picture, by each of the snowflake has dazzling diamons in the center which gives the card a really nice twinkle. I almost never use glitter at my house. But I ws happy to use it at Amy's house!!!

I am not sure what stamp set the snowflakes came from.  What can I say?! I am not a demo anymore!!! But the sentiment comes from the hostess set Christmas Punch and the background pattern was made with the set Itty Bitty Backgrounds.

Hope you have a creative day!!!

Christmas in July- Day 4

Here is the fourth card that I made in Amy Smith's class. It's pretty simple but took a while to cut out all those trees!

My favorite part of this card is the embossed dots on the card base. Used the Big Shot for that! We also got to use a new punch for the sentiment.

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!!! I am getting all excited because tomorrow is my birthday!!! Yay!!!!

See ya!

Christmas in July- Day 3

Here is another simple Christmas card from the class I took from Amy Smith last weekend....

Isn't that patterned paper beautiful?! I flipped right by it in the new catalog but then I fell in love with it when I saw it at Amy's house. I just have to get used to mixing Glorious Green and Old Olive......

Have a nice night!

Christmas in July- Day Two

The card today is one of my very favorites from the class that Amy Smith taught on Saturday. I love that it is simple enough to make in bulk and yet it has that extra special touch! Plus, it uses the Big Shot and I love that thing!!!

The stamp is from a new hostess set called Christmas Punch. The patterned paper is new too (and gorgious!!!) and called Merry Moments. The front of the card was cut with the Big Shot and the Movers and Shapers Curly Label die. The the sentiment was punched with the Curly Label punch and placed on the inside of the card. It was very simple and fast!!!

I will be back with another one tomorrow!

Christmas in July- Day One

Sorry I am soooo late today! But, like I said, I have a Christmas card to show you each day this week. And they all use some stuff from the new Stampin' Up catalog. Now I cannot take credit for these cute cards!!!! I made them at a class on Saturday taught by a great friend, Amy Smith. I have showed you some of her work before. She is very talented : )

This first card uses the new set Circle Circus and the color combo is Real Red, Old Olive, and More Mustard.

Isn't it cute? And you could really use just about any sentiment with this card!

Come back tomorrow for another Christmas card!!!!

Christmas in July

I know that some of you think I am a little strange for making Christmas cards when it is 110 degrees outside. But come December- I want to have lots of cards ready to go so I can focus on other things like baking and shopping!!! So here is another card that I made using my copic markers. I am not going to lie- this card took me FOREVER to make!!! Ha ha!

The stamp set is from Stampin' Up! and is called Holiday Line Up. I used this one quite a bit last year. I think all the images are adorable and fun to color when you are in the mood!!!

Season of Friendship Day Five

And for my last Season of Friendship card (for now) I have a Christmas card. Last year I told myself that I would work on Christmas cards through out the year so that I wouldn't feel so pressured in November and December. Well that hasn't happened!!! This is my first Christmas card for the year!!! It was CASED for several on splitcoast.

This is such a simple Christmas card! It would be very easy to reproduce!!! My favorite part is the "snow" on the branches that I made with a white gel pen. Super simple!

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July weekend! I will be back tomorrow with a scrapbook page.

Recipe:

Stamps: Season of Frienship

Paper: Ridinghood Red, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Bashful Blue

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Ridinghood Red, Chocolate Chip

Other: Ridinghood Red Tafeta Ribbon, White Gel Pen

 

Lots of Scrapbooking!

Over the past 2 weeks, I have managed to get quite a few scrapbook layouts done!!! They are all pretty basic and simple. But my goal in scrapbooking is to my children the stories about their childhood that they would never remember otherwise. I don't worry too much about "getting caught up." I just scrapbook the pictures and the stories that are most meaningful to me in the moment.  I focus on photos and journaling. Enjoy the layouts!

So what do you think? Are you motivated to get scrapping?!!!

Very late Thank You notes!

I was cleaning up my desk a little yesterday and I came across my Christmas thank you notes. Bummer! Didn't I mail those?!! Oh well!!! A late thank you note is better than none at all, right?

So here they are...

I kept them super simple since I had lots to make and I wasn't feeling well t the time. I actually cased the layout from Becky Roberts. I like that it is post card style so I didn't have to do too much writing!!! And I am still loving that Ski Slope paper! I think it will be great for some holiday scrapbook layouts that I want to make! If you love it too- place an order now cause the Holiday Mini will be going away on the 18th of this month!!!!

So if I have any family members reading this- I put them in the mail today!!!

Recipe:

Stamps: Big Bold Birthday

Paper: Ski Slope DSP, Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Old Olive

Other: Big Shot Die Cut Machine, Top Note Die, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Merry Christmas!

Sorry I have been so quiet this week. I have been enjoying some holiday time with my family! We had 15 people for dinner last night!!!  It was crazy- but a good crazy. The kids got so many gifts that I can hardly see the floor in their huge toy room. And we still have to go to grandma's house today!!! And I got a few new stamp sets to play with!!! (When I can squeeze in some stamping time!) Plus, my sweet hubby got me a digital videa camera and I am dying to make a video tutorial!!!

I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and is spending time with friends and family!

Here is a super sweet picture of my babies!

I have not had any time in my stamp room in days- so I am going to show you another one of the scrapbook layouts that my class made a few weeks ago.

The page was made with the I Wish Simply Scrappin' kit. Love those kits!!!

Stay tuned for pictures from my upcoming Valentine's class as well as some new Class by Mail kits!

Christmas Bag in a Box

I wanted to put together a quick gift for the 3 gals that work in the office at my kid's school and I knew that Diana Gibb's Bag in a Box tutorial would be perfect!!! (By the way, I have had the honor of taking a class from Di. She is amazing!)

I made my bags with the Ski Slope Designer Series paper, some felt flurries, and silver hodgepodge for the brad in the center.

Here is a closer look...

I filled my bags with all sorts of candy and a holiday flavored lip glass that I found at Target.

The gals in the front office loved them! People are always amazed by what you can do with paper!

Have a happy weekend!!! We will be busy as I am sure most everyone will be!

Happy Mail

Don't you love getting the mail during the month of December? In January all the bills from the holiday shopping will come- but for now, the mailbox is stuffe full of holiday cards!!!! I love to hear from friends that I haven't heard from in ages. I love to get pictures to put on the fridge. And I REALLY love to get handmade cards!!!! Here are a few of my handstamped cards that I got this week...

This beauty is from my up-up line, Lisa Hansen. I love how she used the Crystal Effects on the ornament to give it that glossy look!

This one is from one of my new downlines, Cheryl. Isn't it cute and simple!!!

This one is from another downline, Jill. I sure do love the Baroque Motifs set! It is so versitile!!! Mine looks like it has been through war because I have used it so much!

This one is from my up-up-up line, Amy. I love how she had the card printed with her kids cute pictures and then mounted it on cardstock and added a fun snowflake to the center! It has the hand made quality to it and I bet it was quick to make!

I hope your mailbox is full of Christmas cards today!

More scrapbooking!!!

I had my I Wish Christmas scrapbook class last Friday night and it was so much fun. The gals made 6 layouts in record breaking time! I am going to be doing a lot more scrapbooking classes in 2009! In fact, I have already planned a Baby Album class for February!

But back to my class... this was my favorite layout that we made in class...

I think that I really love it because of the super cute pictures of my daughter on Santa's lap! Here are a couple close ups...

One thing that I do to save cardstock on a page like this is to cut out the center of the white cardstock since it doesn't show. Then I can use it for the photo mats. I just use a paper trimmer and cut from 1-11 inches on each side. This will make your supplies go even farther in the kit!

Just in case I lost you, here is what the back of my layout looks like...

If you weren't able to make it to class or get a class kit- don't forget that you can still order the I Wish Simply Scrappin kit to make your Christmas scrapping a little easier! Just click HERE to be taken to my Stampin Up website and then Click on the Shop Now button in the top right corner. And all orders over $70 will get FREE shipping until the 23rd! Don't miss out!

 

I had a few people ask me yesterday about what Copic Marker are... these markers are used by Illustrators and Magna artists. They go on very smooth and are blendable. You can just keep putting colors on top of one another. They aren't as streaky as other markers. And they come in hundreds of colors. Do I recommend them? Only if you color A LOT! They are expensive! More expensive than Stampin' Up markers. They also take some practice to color with since we are not used to blending marker colors. I almost always use my Stampin' Up! markers. But one day I hope to do more with the Copics that I have. I hope that helps!

Reindeer Line Up!

I am guilty of asking for Copic markers for my birthday last summer and not using them much at all. Guilty. I guess I am just not that great with them yet and I have a limited number of colors so it is tough. They are pretty expensive!!!! But last week, I pulled out the copics for a Christmas card!

 

Here is a close up of my coloring. But you best go easy on me cause I am new to these copics!!!

 

I think these reaindeer are so funny!!!

Recipe:

Stamps: Holiday Line Up

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Frosty Day DSP, Whisper White, Real Red

Ink: Basic Black

Other: Copics, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon

Big Shot Scrapbooking!

Sorry I am a little late posting this morning. It was such a crazy weekend- that never found time to take pictures of the scrap page I wanted to show you today. Now it is cloudy- so the picture isn't the greatest, but I think you will get the idea!

This is the layout that my scrapbook club made yesterday afternoon...

And here are a couple close up shots...

The white that you see behind the photo of my son is actually an envelope. I licked and sealed it and then trimmed a half inch off the side. Now I have extra space to store pictures that didn't fit on my layout!!!

You can't see this too well in the picture, but I actually used the large and medium snowflake stamps from the Snow Swirled set to create my own background paper. I stamped them in Real Red ink on the Real Red cardstock. The I went back and added some dots with a white gel pen to help bring them out more. It looks nice IRL!

The title was cut with my Big Shot Die Cut Machine!!! And aren't those felt flurries super cute?! They are available until January 17th in the Holiday Mini!

Recipe:

Stamps: Snow Swirled

Paper: Ski Slope DSP, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red

Other: Big Shot Die Cut Machine, Join in the Cheer Die, White Gel Pen, Scallop Edge punch, tab punch, 3/4 inch circle punch, Real Red Gingham Ribbon, Silver Cord, Medium Whisper White Envelope, Small and Large Felt Flurries

Ski Slope Bow

I have to admit that Ski Slope Designer Series paper did not really grab me when I first saw it in the Holiday Mini catalog. I ordered it anyway! lol! And I have to say, that it has totally grown on me! In fact, I am anxiously waiting for Mr. Brown to bring me another package (among other things!)

So today I am showing you a bow that I made with strips of Ski Slope Designer Series paper. I the moment I saw these demonstrated at convention a couple of years ago- I was in love! In case you were not there, their is a fantastic tutorial on splitcoast. Just click HERE to see it.

Here is my bow...

Now isn't that so much nicer than a store bought bow?! And it was so easy to make!!! Give it a try!

And don't forget that now is a fantastic time to place a stamp order! All orders over $70 will have free shipping! And you still have time to get your order before Christmas. Just click HERE to be taken to my website and then click on Shop Now in the top right corner.

Happy Stamping!

Downline Make and Takes

Sorry to be so late with this post, but I had a craft show this morning. I had to get myself and all the kids ready early and I couldn't find time to blog!

At my downline meeting on Friday night, I wanted them to get to use the Big Shot some more. So here are a couple projects they made...

A basket with candy using the Basket and Blooms Die, Frosty Day paper, and Felt Flurries...

And then this fun gift tag using the scallop envelope die, Frosty Day paper, and the snowmen from the hostess set- Window Dressing...

And here is what it looks like when you take the belly band off...

I hope the gals enjoyed the Big Shot!!! I sure do love that thing!!!