Holy Moly!!!! Stampin' Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING from Sat. April 6th through Mon. April 8th!!!!
This applies to online orders, orders emailed to me or workshop orders!!!!
Here's the link to my ONLINE STORE. Don't forget to place your order Sat. April 6th through Mon. April 8th.
I am very excited to announce that Stampin' Up! has decided to do a "color refresh". A few years ago, Stampin' Up! did a major color overhaul. Back then, they told us that every three to five years, they would re-evaluate the color collections. Well, that time has come.
The color collection names remain the same. We still have the Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals.
The changes within those color collections are as follows:
Ten colors are being discontinued.
You'll notice that there is only one brand new color: Smoky Slate.
All of the other colors are previous In Colors that are being reintroduced or are sticking around (Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Island Indigo).
The "new" colors are available to order starting on May 31, 2013.
Here is a video explaining the "color refresh". It will also give you a peek at what the colors look like in their collections:
Please note that the discontinued colors are available while supplies last starting today, April 4th! If you are in love with one of these colors, I encourage you to place your order early for your cardstock, reinkers, stamp pads, markers, ribbons, etc......
P.S. Stampin' Up! is having FREE SHIPPING on Sat. April 6th through Mon. April 8th. Woo hoo!!!!
If you would like to place an order for your Stampin' Up! supplies, I hope you'll shop from my ONLINE STORE. Thanks for choosing me as your demonstrator!!!
I love how Stampin' Up! is offering more and more kits! It allows me to play with coordinating items and embellishments. There's also instructions inside giving me some ideas on how to use them!! Love that!
Today I am playing the Pop Up Posies kit from the Spring catalog. The Calypso Coral flowers are already die cut and the embossed placard is just gorgeous!!!! Of course, I grabbed a couple of my favorite embellishments from the Spring catalog to add even more shabby chicness to my card (paper doilies, 5/8" Flower Trim).
I'll leave you with the card recipe in case you want to make one for yourself! Of course, if you need any Stampin' Up! supplies, I hope you'll swing by my ONLINE STORE to order them. Thanks for choosing me as your Stampin' Up! demonstrator!
Card Recipe
stamps: Very Vintage (SAB freebie)
paper: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Pool Party Coredinations paper
ink: Soft Suede
accessories: Pop-Up Posies Designer Kit, Lace Doilies, Crumb Cake Seam Binding, 5/8" Flower Trim, Honeycomb embossing folder, sanding block, Scallop Oval punch, sponges
Hello again! Did you think I abandoned all of you? I am very sorry for my extended leave of absence. I just needed to take a blogging break for a while and concentrate on other aspects of my life. I'm working full time, spending time with the family, maintaining my weight loss, training to be a Weight Watcher's leader and teaching my stamping classes.
I am happy to report that I am back to blogging. I'm not sure what the frequency of my posts will be. I just don't want to put that pressure on myself again.
Let me show you one of my latest cards. It uses quite a few products available as your Sale-a-bration freebies!!!
I just love the new Pinwheel Sizzlit. I've come up with a trick to put the pinwheel together easily. Simply, after cutting the pinwheel using your Big Shot place the center hole onto the point of a paper piercing tool. Fold over each flap and place it's hole onto the point of the paper piercing tool. Repeat for the other three flaps making sure to hold the already folded flaps with your thumb nail. After all four are folded, lift the pinwheel off the tool and insert the mini brad.
Another tip: try using the debossed side of the cloud paper. I love the different look it created!!!
Here's my card recipe in case you want to make this card yourself!!! If you need to purchase any of the supplies used to make it, I hope you'll stop by my ONLINE STORE. Thanks for choosing me as your Stampin' Up! demonstrator.
Card Recipe:
stamps: Wishes Your Way
paper: Summer Starfruit, Island Indigo, Pool Party, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White, Sycamore Street dsp (SAB freebie)
ink: Island Indigo
accessories: Pinwheel Sizzlit die, mini brads, Sycamore Street ribbon and button pack (SAB freebie), Vine Street embossing folder (SAB freebie), Cloudy Day embossing folder, 1" square punch (to cut banner edge), White baker's twine
Have you check out Pinterest yet? It's the easiest way to lose a few hours of your time without realizing it relax after a long day at work!!!! ha ha
I came across this idea and had to make it my first Halloween decoration of the year. It is October 1st, and the decorating has begun!!!!
It's made with a plastic cauldron (Target), pool noodle, socks (JoAnns) and a pair of ankle boots.
Cute, huh?
Thanks Pinterest for sharing (and sucking away all my free time......sigh)!!!!!
Have a great day........
I've been a bad blogger. It's been a month since I've last posted. I apologize for that!!!!
First of all, I want to thank everyone who took the time to comment and/or email me about my weight loss and reaching goal. It means the world to me that you did that!!! I am 4 weeks into maintenance. I'm still trying to find my magic number of points to eat each day where my weight stays steady. My body still thinks it should be in losing mode. I guess I shouldn't complain about having to eat more food!
Both kids are in college, and I am back to work. It's been a bit of a transition planning healthy dinners, workouts, stamping time while still finding family time to enjoy each other's company and share our days.
Let me share with you a card I made for my nephew's birthday. He just turned 12. It's such a hard age. He's not a little boy, and he's not a grown up. What do I do for this transition age?
This is what I came up with.......
Can I tell you how much this Blue Ribbon stamp set gets me out of a bind? It's not too young! It's not too mature for a 12 year old! It's perfect for Matthew!!!!
I just used papers and ink in bright colors! I added some paper piercing for texture and added "nephew" to personalize it.
Happy 12th Birthday Matthew! I hope you liked your "made just for you" card!!!!
If you've fallen in love with this card, I've included the card recipe with all the ingredients you need to make it. If you need any supplies, I hope you'll swing by my ONLINE STORE. Thanks for choosing me as your demonstrator!!!!
Card Recipe
stamps: Blue Ribbon, Family Reunion
paper: Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, World Treasures dsp
ink: Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler
accessories: 2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, paper piercing pack, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch
Yesterday was a pretty incredible day!!!! After 16 months of hard work on Weight Watchers, I am thrilled to announce that I have reached my goal weight.
My total weight loss is 79.6 lbs!!!! Woo hoo!!!!
So, do you want to see some pictures?
This is my after shot.......
This is the photo that made me sign up for Weight Watchers. I truly didn't realize how big I had become until I saw this photo. Dennis and I signed up for Weight Watchers about a week after we returned from Maui. Dennis is doing great!!! He's down 45 lbs!!! Way to go honey!!!!
Now, I kept one piece of clothing from my past to show how far I've come. It was my favorite pair of shorts. Here's how they fit now!!!
Look Mom, I can fit my whole body into one leg........
So, now the next part of the journey begins. I have to stay within 2 lbs of my goal weight within the next 6 weeks to earn Lifetime status with Weight Watchers. I know I can do it. I've made lots of lifestyle changes over the past 16 months. I've survived two week long vacations without gaining weight. I CAN DO THIS!!!!!
After I reach Lifetime, I am hoping to become a WW leader. My leader, Nicole, has been instrumental in my journey!!!! Even when I knew I was going to gain, I would go to my meetings to be inspired by the other members and get back on track!!!! I want to be that inspiration for someone else!!!!
Thank you for stopping by today and being part of my journey!!! I wish you a wonderful day!!!!!
Hugs........
If you've already visited the Stamping 411 blog, then you've already heard the news. The operators of the Stamping 411 have decided to take an extended leave of absence. The Stamping 411 has been a papercrafting resource for over three years now. It's been a wonderful journey, but honestly, we just need a break. Whether we've been experiencing lifechanging circumstances or we are just being pulled in other directions, it just seemed right rather than letting the blog suffer. We hope you'll understand!!!!
So, here's my last Stamping 411 project before our extended break......
I used this card for my Christmas Card Bonanza class. The ladies loved it because it was simple to make yet so elegant to look at!!!!
It all starts with the Always Artichoke base card.
Layer #2 is Crumb Cake. I ran this layer through the Big Shot using the Delicate Designs embossing folders. Although this embossing folder was designed to coordinate with the Large Scallop Edgelits, I think it works beautifully all by itself. A length of Crumb Cake Seam Binding over the top transitions the embossing into the card perfectly.
Layer #3 is a 1/2" x 5" strip of Cherry Cobbler cardstock. I used my 1" square punch to create the banner edge. Banners are still hot, hot, hot!!!!
My focal layer starts with the stamp. It's from the Christmas Lodge stamp set. It was a favorite of mine from last year's Holiday Mini, and I am thrilled that it's been carried over to this year's big catty. I inked up the image with Cherry Cobbler ink and stamped it onto Very Vanilla cardstock. I used one of the Apothecary Accents Framelits to cut the image out. After sponging the edges with Crumb Cake ink, I added some red rhinestones. What? You didn't know that Stampin' Up! carried color rhinestones? Well, technically, they don't. But, you can make ANY color rhinestone you want by coloring it with a permanent marker (i.e. Sharpie). See, you learn something new every day!!!!
Well, my friends, it's time to get this weekend started. I've been in bed most of the week sick with strep throat. I am SO ready to get out of the house!!!! I wish all of you a wonderful weekend!!! Have fun and be safe!!!
It's the last Friday of our summer vacation. The kids start college on Monday, and I go back to work on Thursday. During this past week, I've been shopping with Amanda for new clothes. The clothes that I wore back in May are now a size too large. Don't get me wrong....it's a good problem to have!!! My weight loss journey is so close to ending. I have 2.8 pounds left until goal. It seems surreal that my body is now 75 lbs lighter. To celebrate my weight loss, I made a big change when I got my haircut today. I've been itchin' to try something new. Amanda's exact words when she saw it was "Mother, what did you do? It's short". Now, my hair was already kinda short. I just went shorter. Dennis loves it, and I'm pretty sure Christopher (my son) is going to freak! Oh well! I like it!!!
Anyhoo, how about a vintage Halloween project? Oh, I had lots of fun getting inky making this week's Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge project.
It's a square card......my favorite!!!
The Elegant Eggplant card starts with a 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" piece of cardstock folded in half. The edges are sponged with some Frosty White Shimmer Paint.
I start building my texture by running a 4" x 4" piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock through the Big Shot using the new Lacy Brocade embossing folder. I love how it resembles wrought iron scrollwork on a fancy gate. Could that gate be located at a haunted mansion? Hmmmmmmm! The thought of the iron inspired me to grab my Frosty White Shimmer Paint. I sponged some on very sporadically all over this layer.
The next layer is some striped Elegant Eggplant dsp from the Regals Patterns dsp stack. This layer has been sponged with the Frosty White Shimmer Paint as well!
Now, it's time to build the focal layer. I had a Crumb Cake doily sitting on my desk. It was cut using the Paper Doily Sizzlit. I trimmed it to the size I needed to fit my card. I then dragged some Basic Gray ink all over it. I wish the photo could catch how dramatic this looks. It looks SO cool in person!!!!!
I then grabbed my Toxic Treat stamp set. I stamped the image onto Whisper White cardstock using Jet Black StazOn. I then grabbed my sponge daubers and ink pads to start building the background. The ink pad colors I used are More Mustard, Old Olive and Pumpkin Pie. I then sponged over it with Basic Gray ink to tone down the brightness.
Following the sketch, I added a length of Elegant Eggplant Scallop Dots Ribbon and tied it into a classic knot.
All that's left is my scallop circle element. I used the brand new 1 1/4" Scallop Circle punch. I love it's fun size. It coordinates perfectly with the 1 " circle punch. I chose to use the "boo" and a flourish from my Tiny Tags stamp set.
I just love how I can combine two of my loves into one card: vintage and Halloween.
Well, I am off to start this weekend!!!!! We are mattress shopping. Our backs are going to thank us!!!!!!
I wish you a fabulous weekend!!!
