Bring on the Bling Baby! It's gonna be a GREAT year!

It's not that this year was a bad year (it was pretty awesome in fact!), but I just LOVE all the hope and promise that a new year brings.

Last January, I attended Leadership for the first time and had a FABULOUS time! The theme for this past calendar year was +ONE. If you're a Stampin' UP! demonstrator, you've seen our +ONE grow over the year - it's GORGEOUS!! This past year, I've +ONE'd my business to 14 team members and I've also +ONE'd my workshops and sales. I can't WAIT to see what 2012 brings!

At Leadership this coming January, Stampin' UP! will announce a new theme: My Way. I'm so excited to see what it entails! I can tell you that I'll continue to run my Stampin' UP! business MY WAY with LOTS of fun and enthusiasm and just a little sparkle and shine to keep things fun.

Like this:

Have you SEEN these before?? I discovered them this week on Pinterest and had one of those, "OH. MY. GOSH. Why didn't *I* think of that?" moments. I mean really. How simple and how fun could this be??

It's a custom "skin" for my iPhone 4. It's made of paper, unlike the skins that you can buy in the kiosks at the mall. that are vinyl and cost a FORTUNE!! I figure the cost of the one above is about 15 cents. Maybe a bit more because of the Silver Glimmer Paper.

I made two yesterday and the cost of BOTH of them together was probably 10 cents. I kid you not.

The beauty of these is that, if you wanted to, you could change it out EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Twice a day even! Have one for daytime and another one for evening. They're THAT easy to make!

There's no stamping on this one. I just used my Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits to cut out the numbers and added a strip of Silver Glimmer Paper to the right hand side.  That's all there was to it!

If I don't get to visit with you before Christmas, I wish you a VERY Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year filled with LOTS of good things!

Happy Stampin'!

Bring on the Cake from the Stampin' UP! website

I just LOVE that the many talented designers at Stampin' UP! have created such wonderful samples to showcase our products.

This card will be a gift in and of itself when it is handmade by you. When you combine Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, Designer Series Paper, and the Bring On the Cake Stamp Set, you have a happy birthday for anyone.

Isn't it GORGEOUS?

SUPPLIES:

• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
• Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die 
• Bring On The Cake Stamp Set
• Jet Black Stazon Pad 
• 2011 In Color Stampin Write Markers 
• Certainly Celery Stampin' Write Marker 
• Pink Pirouette Stampin Write Marker 
• So Saffron Stampin' Write Marker
• Pool Party 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Soft Suede 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2 X 11 Smooth Card Stock
• Subtles Designer Series Paper
• Designer Buttons
• Scallop Edge Border Punch
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• White Bakers Twine

Here's an idea!!! I'm adding this card to a class! On January 7th, I'll be teaching a class during which we'll be decorating the Perpetual Birthday Calendar and creating FIVE Birthday cards to get you well on your way to sending out birthday cards in a timely manner during 2012. Since I like this card so much, I'll create it and YOU can create it too as part of the class. How does that sound?

I only have a few spots left in the class and the cost is only $20! You can't afford NOT to come!!

Happy Stampin'!

BREAKING NEWS!!!

I wanted to put this up as a new post so it would GRAB your attention! Since it's SO close to Christmas, the Stampin' Queens have decided to offer up a gift to three of the participants who join us this week!

So, head on over the to the Stampin' Queens site and link up your creation. YOU could win a prize!!!

Happy Stampin'!

Garden Green for the Stampin' Queens!

So...you know that song, "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas"? Well, I don't want a hippopotamus, I want a new camera!!! I don't even care if it's new to me (in fact, if Santa brings me one, I hope it's NOT new) as I would REALLY like a Canon 30D. It's a discontinued model, but I had the 20D (it was stolen) and this one is a step up. You can get them used for a fairly reasonable price.

WHY do I want a new camera? *sigh*

THIS:

is why I want a new camera. While I LOVE my iPhone (in fact, I just figured out to BLOG from it, which should be a BLAST at Leadership next month!), it SUCKS at taking pictures of my work. *sigh* On this one, I ended up with glare from the Whisper White AND the Basic Rhinestones. I want the rhinestones to sparkle, but this is ridiculous!

Anyway...I started off with a base of Garden Green. I want to call it a scrapling, but I'm not sure if it qualifies as scrapling size. It's 2 1/2 x 5". I have a LOT of pieces that are 2 1/2 x 11" because this past summer I made some 3 x 3" golf cards for a charity event. It was kind of short notice, so I didn't have time to order 12 x 12" cardstock. I had to trim down my 8 1/2 x 11" and ended up with the 2 1/2 x 11" pieces.

When I started making the card, I didn't really like the 5 1/2" size, so I trimmed it down to 5" and that made me happier.

I added a couple of layers...some Whisper White and Wild Wasabi Designer Series Paper. The labels were made using the Matchbox Die and I stamped the sentiment from Bring on the Cake in Wild Wasabi.

The card was based (kind of loosely - LOL!) on this sketch:

What do you think?

STAMPS: Bring on the Cake
INK: Wild Wasabi
PAPERS: Whisper White and Garden Green Cardstock; Wild Wasabi DSP
ACCESSORIES: Sponges (for the edges), Big Shot + Die, Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Stocking Builder Punch

We have just received word that the Stocking Builder Punch will NOT be carried over to the next catalogue. If you'd like it, it will ONLY be available while supplies last. Click on SHOP NOW in the left sidebar to order yours today.

Happy Stampin'!

--
Hugs~
Christyne xoxox

christyne@handstampedfromtheheart.ca

Check out my blog!
http://www.handstampedfromtheheart.ca

Join my team!

christyne.stampinup.net

A peek at the Stampin' Queens

Happy Tuesday!! Are you ready for CHRISTMAS??? If you count today, there's only FIVE more shopping days! YIKES!!!

While your heart rate returns to normal after processing that information, here's a peek at the Stampin' Queens card you'll see tomorrow:

Don't forget to come back for the FULL reveal!

Happy Stampin'!

January Team Cards

How cute is this:

Well...THAT was annoying! I typed out a WHOLE post and all I got was the "How cute is this" caption and even IT was in the wrong place. CLEARLY Blogger mobile needs some TWEAKING!!!

Anyway...these are my January Team Cards for the Canadian Blossoms. It's been a year since I launched my Stampin' UP! business into high gear! In that year, my "team" grew from me to FOURTEEN members! How awesome is THAT? I didn't keep track of how many cards I sent out this year, but I know it was a LOT! My team gets a card EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH.

This particular card was CASE'd from Diana Gibbs with a slight modification on the ribbon treatment. It was such a cute card, I couldn't help myself!

There's STILL time to get YOUR name on my list for January! My team cards go out on the first of the month (MOST of the time - LOL!), so you still have 12 days to join my team and be on the January list.

Don't despair though! If you can't can't join my team this month, I'm more than happy to have you join in January and add you to my list beginning with the February team cards. I haven't designed them yet, but I'm pretty sure they'll be awesome! :)

What do you think?

STAMPS: Aviary, Smarty Pants
INK: Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Poppy Parade
PAPERS: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Old Olive
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Ribbon

Happy Stampin'!

This is only a test

I just enabled mobile blogging and want to see the results.

Sent from my iPhone
With hugs and kisses
Christyne

Caged Birds for the Stampin' Queens!

A little humour for you today...

Or...at least *I* thought it was funny. Get it? The birds found each other? But they're both caged? No? Oh well...I'll just keep chuckling to myself. It might just be the insanity of the season that's affecting me. Who knows?

And, my apologies for the blurriness...I'm pleading high on sugar from baking the lemon shortbread that I stamped with my Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps. They're lemon, so they're not my cup of tea but I had to taste them to make sure they were good. My hubby, however, loves them. Better on his hips than mine!

Anyway...I used this:

to stamp the cages! In the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalogue, Stampin' UP! introduced Clear-Mount Perfectly Placed Guides. These cling to the Clear Mount blocks to allow for PERFECT placement of stamps. You can line them up right on the block before you even start stamping. BRILLIANT! There are some in the package that fit right on the blocks and others that you can cut to size. There's even one with circles on it for circular text and one with wavy lines for wavy text - LOVE!

After I stamped the cages, I added the birds in Marina Mist. I probably should have used my Stamp-a-majig because the birds look like they're floating. We'll just say they're excited to see each other, OK?

The sentiment, from A Word for You, was stamped in Marina Mist and hand cut. It was added to a piece of Blushing Bride before being adhered to the front of the card.

Last but not least, here's the sketch on which the card was based:

What do you think?

STAMPS: Aviary, A Word for You
PAPERS: Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz Cardstock; Nursery Nest DSP
INKS: Pear Pizzazz and Marina Mist
ACCESSORIES: Clear-Mount Perfectly Placed Guides, Stampin' Dimensionals, Embossing Folder. Big Shot

Happy Stampin'!

Doing the Mojo with CCMC in Basic Poppy Limeade

Confusing enough for you? LOL! Well, it's MONDAY and I actually got to DO the MOJO Monday ON the actual Monday...which I can assure you is NO small feat!

I also decided to use the CCMC colour challenge, which is kind of Christmas-y, but sort of not. I mean...it's red and green, but I can't wrap my brain around how bright the colours are. KWIM?

Anyway, here's the card:

The CCMC colour challenge this week was Basic Grey, Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade...which are KIND OF Christmas-y, but not really what I would call traditional Christmas colours. Maybe that's just me. You can let me know what you think in the comments section below.

The only Basic Grey I had was 12 x 12" textured cardstock, so I started off with that, trimming it to 8 1/2 x 11" and then in half to 4 1/4 x 11". I then added a piece of Basic Grey Designer Series Paper from the Neutral paper pack. It's cut to 4 x 5 1/4". I added some more Designer Series Paper from both of the In Colour packs.

I stamped the ornament in Poppy Parade and the little string in Lucky Limeade. I punched out the circle using the 1 3/4" circle punch and then sponged the edges using Poppy Parade. I adhered the punched circle to a piece of Lucky Limeade which was punched with the 2 3/8" Scalloped Circle Punch and stuck it all to the front of the card using Stampin' Dimensionals.

The sentiment was stamped on Whisper White in Poppy Parade and trimmed it to a skinny strip before turning it into a banner.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Tree Trimmings, Short and Sweet
INK: Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade
PAPERS: Whisper White, Basic Grey, Lucky Limeade and Poppy Parade Cardstock; Basic Grey, Lucky Limeade and Poppy Parade DSP.
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

It's Wednesday! That must mean STAMPIN' QUEENS!

Good morning friends! I do hope you've had a WONDERFUL week!!!

My INTENTION was to post each day in December - sort of my OWN version of "December Daily". Alas, my crazy life has TAKEN OVER! I just keep telling myself that I only need to get through ONE. MORE. WEEK. My last stamping commitment is on December 11th - PHEW!!!

Have you got all your Christmas shopping done? What's top on the list this year? Me? I want to stop MISPLACING my supplies - LOL! It took me HOURS to find the rhinestones for this card. HOURS! Where were they? Somehow, they managed to end up UNDER one of my cabinets. *sigh* ONE. MORE. WEEK.

At any rate, here's today's card:

I thought that perhaps I should invert the order of the circles to make it more like a snowman...but then, I FINALLY found my rhinestones and EVERYTHING just worked out - PHEW!!

I stamped the images on Whisper White using Night of Navy Ink and punched them out using various sized circles. They were adhered to a hand cut tag of Night of Navy and blinged out!! The Bashful Blue panel was run through the Snow Burst Embossing Folder.

And here's the sketch on which it was based:

What do you think?

STAMPS: Snow Swirled
INK: Night of Navy
PAPERS: Whisper White, Bashful Blue and Night of Navy Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Peekin' at the Stampin' Queens!

Happy Tuesday! It's sneak peek day for the Stampin' Queens!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the FULL reveal!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Or at least I WISH it was! No snow here today in MY part of Southern Ontario, though a few of my friends are reporting white stuff a bit further north and west. Lucky them! I can't wait for it to start snowing in earnest. I just love, love, LOVE this time of year!

The Christmas specials are all on TV (next week is A Charlie Brown Christmas!) and last night I watched the CMA Christmas Special - Scotty - swoon!

Anyway...since there's no snow on the ground, you get snow on my card today - in the form of a snowman from Snow Much Fun. I'm pretty sure this my FAVOURITE winter/Christmas set this year. I just keep reaching for it over and over! I CASE'd this card from a fellow demonstrator, but I did a BAD thing and forgot to make note of who it was - OOPS! If it was YOU (or you know who it was), PLEASE let me know so I can give proper credit.

I stamped my snowman in Staz-ON on Whisper White and actually DID use my Watercolour Wonder Crayons and Aqua Painters to colour his hat, boots, scarf and ADORABLE carrot nose! Oh! And those cute little birdies too.

Now, for the most part, I don't use water on Whisper White Cardstock, but since it was such a TINY bit of water, I got away with it. If you try and use too much water, your cardstock will pill and you'll end up with a nasty mess. A light hand is key here.

This is just ONE of the six (times 3 = 18) cards we'll be making at my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack on Saturday December 10th. I still have a few spaces left and you'll have 18 (!) cards completed in under 4 hours. The cost is $40 and if you RSVP with payment on or before December 6th, I'll have a SPECIAL treat for you!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Snow Much Fun, Tags til Christmas
INK: Staz-ON, Cherry Cobbler
PAPERS: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Watercolour Wonder Crayons, Aqua Painters, Baker's Twine, Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Happy Stampin'!

It's December 1st - Let's Get STAMPIN'!!!

DECEMBER

MONTH-LONG OBSERVANCES

Awareness Month of Awareness Month’s Month

Bingo Month

Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Month

Hi Neighbor Month

Identity Theft and Prevention Month

Learn a Foreign Language Month

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

National Safe Toys and Gifts Month

National Sign Up for Summer Camp Month

National Stress Free Family Holiday Month

National Tie Month

National Write a Business Plan Month

Operation Santa Paws

Prevent Blindness Month

Quince and Watermelon Month

Read a New Book Month

Rising Star Month

Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month

Spiritual Literacy Month

Take a New Year’s Resolution to Stop Smoking Month

Tomato and Winter Squash Month

Universal Human Rights Month

World AIDS Month

Worldwide Food Service Safety Month

Write to a Friend Month

WEEK-LONG OBSERVANCES

First Week

First Week of Advent

Cookie Cutter Week

National Tolerance Week

Recipe Greetings for the Holidays Week

Second Week

Second Week of Advent

Coats for Kids Week

Human Rights Week

National Hand Washing Awareness Week

Third Week

Third Week of Advent

Halcyon Days

International Language Week

Fourth Week

Christmas Bird Count Week

Fourth Week of Advent

Gluten-Free Baking Week

It’s About Time Week

Fifth Week

Kwanzaa

December 1st

American Civil Air Patrol Founded (1941)

Day Without Art Day

Eat A Red Apple Day

Jan Brett's Birthday (1949)

National Pie Day

Rosa Parks Day

Special Kids Day

World AIDS Day

December 2nd

Ann Patchett's Birthday (1963)

Charles Ringling's Birthday (1863)

Cold Moon

David Macaulay's Birthday (1946)

Georges Seurat's Birthday (1859)

Gianni Versace's Birthday (1946)

National Fritters Day

National Mutt Day

Play Basketball Day

Special Education Day

December 3rd

Andy Williams' Birthday (1930)

Ear Muffs Day

International Day of the Disabled Person

Joseph Conrad's Birthday (1857)

Let’s Hug Day

National Roof-Over-Your-Head Day

Ozzy Osbourne's Birthday (1948)

December 4th

Cracker Jack Day

Gemma Jones’ Birthday (1942)

National Cookie Day

National Dice Day

Santa’s List Day

Wear Brown Shoes Day

December 5th

Bathtub Party Day

George Armstrong Custer’s Birthday (1839)

International Ninja Day

International Volunteer Day

National Communicate With Your Baby Day

National Sacher Torte Day

Play Hooky Day

Repeal Day (Repeal of Prohibition)

Rose Wilder Lane's Birthday (1886)

Walt Disney's Birthday (1901)

December 6th

Coats and Toys for Kids Day

Dave Brubeck’s Birthday (1920)

Ira Gershwin’s Birthday (1896)

Joyce Kilmer’s Birthday (1886)

Miner’s Day

Mitten Tree Day

National Gazpacho Day

National Pawnbroker’s Day

Put on Your Own Shoes Day

St. Nicholas Day

December 7th

Harry Chapin’s Birthday (1942)

International Civil Aviation Day

Letter Writing Day

Marie Tussaud’s Birthday (1761)

National Cotton Candy Day

National Pearl Harbor Day

Ted Knight's Birthday (1923)

December 8th

Bad Hair Day

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

James Galway’s Birthday (1939)

James Thurber's Birthday (1894)

Jim Morrison's Birthday (1943)

Mary Queen of Scots' Birthday (1542)

National Brownie Day

Take it in the Ear Day

USSR Ceased to Exist (1991)

December 9th

Christmas Card Day

Clarence Birdseye’s Birthday (1886)

Donny Osmond's Birthday (1957)

International Anticorruption Day

Jean deBrunhoff's Birthday (1899)

John Milton's Birthday (1608)

Judy Dench's Birthday (1934)

Margaret Hamilton’s Birthday (1902)

National Pastry Day

National Salesperson Day

Nightgown Day

Weary Willy Day

December 10th

Bobby Flay’s Birthday (1964)

Day of the Horse

Emily Dickinson's Birthday (1830)

Festival for the Souls of Dead Whales Day

Human Rights Day

Kenneth Branagh's Birthday (1960)

Melvil Dewey's Birthday (1851) (Dewey Decimal System)

Nobel Prize Day

Rumer Godden's Birthday (1907)

Susan Dey’s Birthday (1950)

Treaty of Paris Signed (1898)

December 11th

International Mountain Day

King Edward VIII Abdicated Throne (1936)

National Noodle Ring Day

Pilgrims Land on Plymouth Rock (1620) see 12/21 too

UNICEF Anniversary (Est. in 1946)

UN International Mountain Day

William Joyce's Birthday (1957)

World Choral Day

Worldwide Candle Lighting Day

December 12th

Bob Barker’s Birthday (1923)

Bonza Bottler Day

Edvard Munch's Birthday (1863)

Gingerbread House Day

Gustave Flaubert's Birthday (1821)

International Children's Day

National Ding-A-Ling Day

Poinsettia Day

December 13th

Christopher Plummer's Birthday (1927)

Dick Van Dyke's Birthday (1925)

Ice Cream Day

Mary Todd Lincoln’s Birthday (1818)

National Cocoa Day

New Calendar Day

New Zealand Discovered (1642)

St. Lucy Day

Steve Buscemi’s Birthday (1957)

Violins Day

December 14th

Buy a Tree Day

Monkey Day

Morey Amsterdam's Birthday (1914)

NASCAR founded (1947)

National Bouillibaisse Day

Nostradamus' Birthday (1503)

December 15th

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's Birthday

Betty Smith’s Birthday (1906)

Bill of Rights Day

Cat Herders Day

National Lemon Cupcake Day

Tim Conway’s Birthday (1933)

December 16th

Barbie and Barney Backlash Day

Boston Tea Party Anniversary (1773)

JANE AUSTEN'S BIRTHDAY (1775)

Ludwig Von Beethoven's Birthday (1770)

Margaret Mead's Birthday (1901)

National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day

Noel Coward’s Birthday (1899)

Underdog Day

Zionism Day

December 17th

Arthur Fiedler's Birthday (1894)

Bill Pullman's Birthday (1953)

Duff Goldman’s Birthday (1974)

Cookie Cutter Day

John Greenleaf Whittier’s Birthday (1807)

John Kennedy Toole's Birthday (1932)

National Maple Syrup Day

Wright Brothers Day

December 18th

Bake Cookies Day

Jacques Pepin’s Birthday (1935)

International Migrants Day

National Roast Suckling Pig Day

Play Bingo Day

Steven Spielberg’s Birthday (1947)

Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day

December 19th

Chocolate Pizza Day

Eve Bunting's Birthday (1928)

Look for an Evergreen Day

Oatmeal Muffin Day

Poor Richard's Almanac Published (1732)

December 20th

Games Day

Go Caroling Day

Hanukkah Begins at Sunset

International Human Solidarity Day

Irene Dunne’s Birthday (1898)

Mudd Day

Sacagewa Day

December 21st

Ann and Samantha Day

Cold Moon

Crossword Puzzle Day

First Day of Winter

Forefather’s Day

Look at the Bright Side Day

National Flashlight Day

National French Fried Shrimp Day

National Haiku Poetry Day

National Homeless Persons Remembrance Day

Paul Winchell’s Birthday (1922)

Phileas Figg Win a Wager Day

Pilgrims Land on Plymouth Rock (1620) see 12/11

Ray Romano’s Birthday (1957)

Winter Solstice

World Peace Day

December 22nd

Barbara Billingsley’s Birthday (1922)

Giacomo Puccini's Birthday (1858)

Maritime Day

National Date Nut Bread Day

National Regifting Day

National Haiku Poetry Day

Popcorn Popping Day

December 23rd

Family Caregivers Day

Festivus

Roots Day

Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear (1888)

December 24th

Christmas Eve

Ignatius Loyola's Birthday (1491)

Johnny Gruelle’s Birthday (1880)

Kate Spade's Birthday (1962)

National Chocolate Day

National Egg Nog Day

Noel Streatfield’s Birthday (1920)

December 25th

Annie Lennox's Birthday (1954)

A*Phabet Day or No “L” Day

Christmas

Clara Barton's Birthday (1821)

David Sedaris’ Birthday (1956)

Humphrey Bogart's Birthday (1899)

National Pumpkin Pie Day

Saint John Feast Day

Sir Isaac Newton's Birthday (1642)

Washington Crossed the Delaware (1776)

December 26th

Boxing Day

Carroll Spinney’s Birthday (1933)

David Sedaris’ Birthday (1956)

Henry Miller's Birthday (1891)

Kwanzaa Begins

National Candy Cane Day

National Thank You Note Day

National Whiners Day

December 27th

Fruitcake Forever Day

Louis Pasteur's Birthday (1822)

Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day

Saint John Feast Day

Visit the Zoo Day

December 28th

Card Playing Day

Childermas/Holy Innocents Day

Hanukkah Ends

National Chocolate Days

No Interruptions Day

Pledge of Allegiance Day

December 29th

Jude Law’s Birthday (1972)

Mary Tyler Moore's Birthday (1936)

National Chocolate Days

Pepper Pot Day

Saint Thomas of Canterbury Feast Day

Tick Tock Day

December 30th

Bacon Day

Davy Jones' Birthday (1945)

Falling Needles Family Fest Day

Festival of Enormous Changes at the Last Moment Day

Mercer Mayer's Birthday (1943)

Michael Nesmith's Birthday (1942)

National Bicarbonate of Soda Day

Oh My! Day

Rudyard Kipling’s Birthday (1865)

Sean Hannity’s Birthday (1961)

Tiger Woods’ Birthday (1975)

Tracey Ullmann’s Birthday (1959)

December 31st

Blue Moon

Diane von Furstenberg's Birthday (1943)

First Nights

Henri Matisse's Birthday (1869)

John Denver's Birthday (1943)

Make Up Your Mind Day

New Year's Eve

No Interruptions Day

Smoke Alarm Day

Universal Hour of Peace Day

Unlucky Day

World Peace Meditation Day

with thanks as always to Jane Hignite

It's Wednesday! That must mean STAMPIN' QUEENS!

Welcome back to another week of Stampin' Queens! Today marks week 15! Here's this week's sketch:

And here's my take on it:

I opted for a square instead of a circle for this week...mostly because I already had a coloured image - LOL! The image is stamped in Staz-On on watercolour paper and coloured in using both the watercolour crayons/reinkers and AquaPainters. I trimmed the image to 2 1/4" square and then matted it on Riding Hood Red and Soft Suede.

I added three different patterns of Riding Hood Red from the Regals Patterned Paper Stack to the Soft Suede layer before adhering it all to the Crumb Cake base.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Little Friends, Teeny Tiny Wishes (Sentiment)
INK: Staz-On, Soft Suede
PAPERS: Riding Hood Red and Soft Suede Cardstock; Riding Hood Red DSP; Watercolour Paper
ACCESSORIES: Watercolour Wonder Crayons, Aqua Painters, Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Frostwood Lodge - It's not just for Christmas Cards

Welcome to week 14 of the Stampin' Queens Sketch! WOW! Have you been playing along?

Here's this week's sketch:

And here's my take on it:

I was inspired by Carrie Gaskin to use Frostwood Lodge on something that WASN'T a Christmas Card. Carrie happened to use the Cherish Friendship set too!

I stamped the image in Staz-On ink on Watercolour Paper trimmed to 2 x 2". I used my watercolour crayons and aqua painters to colour the image.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Cherish Friendship
INK: Staz-On
PAPERS: Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green Cardstock; Watercolour Paper; Forestwood Lodge DSP
ACCESSORIES: Ribbon, Aqua Painters, Watercolour Crayons

Happy Stampin'!

Stampin' Queens Sneak Peek!

Better late than never, right? If you're my Facebook friend, you know I've had a CRAZY busy day! While I was having a crazy day, I used up my quotient of awesome for the day *sigh* After I picked up my van at the mechanic, I realized AFTER I got ALL. THE. WAY. HOME. that I forgot my house keys in the loaner car I used. Now...if you had SEEN my house key chain thing, you'd be amazed too. It's HUGE - lanyard, key fobs, etc...more STUFF than keys. Yeah...and I forgot it. Again, *sigh*

Anyway, so THAT'S why my sneak peek is SO. DARN. LATE. However, if you come back tomorrow for the full reveal, I'm sure you'll agree it was worth it!

Here's your peek:

My apologies for the blurriness. iPhone. *sigh*

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the full reveal!

Are you ready for THIS??

Oh WOW!!! Can you just imagine? AWESOME products for an even BETTER price! And TODAY ONLY, you can get the Simply Scored and/or the Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps for 20% off! That SUPER special on TWO BRAND NEW PRODUCTS is available TODAY ONLY! Until midnight (MT), that's 2 a.m. EST if you want to wait till the last possible second. Keep in mind though, that NONE of these sales will be extended. Once the deadline has passed, that's it!

BIG NEWS

Were you thinking of attending my Perpetual Birthday Calendar Class on January 7th? If so, NOW is the time to book!

Stampin' UP! has reduced the price of the Perpetual Birthday Calendar during this online extravaganza so I'm reducing the price of my class!

You MUST book AND pre-pay no later than November 30th to take advantage of the reduced price!

When you book and pre-pay before November 30th, pay only $20 instead of $25. On December 1st, the price goes back up to $25.

You can see all the details of this class here.

Happy Shopping! It's a GREAT time to get your Christmas shopping done!

Happy Stampin'!

It's Wednesday! That must mean STAMPIN' QUEENS!

Happy Wednesday! Welcome back! I hope you didn't miss me too much last week, but as I mentioned yesterday, I came down with a nasty cold/sinus infection - SO not fun! I have some antibiotics on board now, so I'm feeling MUCH better!

Here's the sketch with which we were working. I just LOVED the layers:

As always, a sketch is a jumping off point, so I did a liberty here and there, though I did pretty much stick with the general idea this week.  My brain is not QUITE up to snuff, so I don't want to go TOO crazy - LOL!

Here's my take on the sketch:

I started off with the centre panel. I had an idea to use Lovely as a Tree, but then when I chose my paper, I decided I wanted to go with something a little more whimsical and I chose Season of Joy instead. I stamped the tree in Versamark ink and then sprinkled it with Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss Powder and heat it with my heat tool to set the powder. I also used the Versamark ink to add a watermark to the Wild Wasabi cardstock panel.

I attached all the pieces to Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper panel before attaching the brads and then adhering it to the front of the card.

When it was all together, I SMOOCHED it!!!

What do you think?


STAMPS: Season of Joy
INK: Versamark, Wild Wasabi (used inside)
PAPERS: Whisper White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi and Garden Green Cardstock; Holly Berry Bouquet DSP
ACCESSORIES: Wild Wasabi Stampin' Emboss Powder, Brads, Smooch Spritz, Stampin' Dimensionals

It's good to be back - with a peek at the Stampin' Queens!

Dear friends, I am SO sorry for my long absence! I came down with a cold early last week that then became a sinus infection. Needless to say, I wasn't up to much of anything let alone blogging.

However, I'm back now and will be sharing the Stampin' Queens card with you tomorrow. Today, you get a little peek!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the full reveal!

Happy Stampin'!

MDS Monday - Brigid

This...is Brigid:

I created this page using pictures (with permission) of my young friend Brigid. Brigid has Mitochondrial disease. She fights a daily battle with a disease that, when treatment ends, will see the Kidd family with one less member. This is their reality.

Unfortunately, Mitochondrial disease has no cure. There's also not much funding for these families.  To that end and to help my dear friend, I have created some jewelry pieces to sell, most of which are green as this is the colour that represents this disease.

I know you usually come here to see all my card projects, but just for a moment, I'd appreciate if you thought of the Kidd family and little Brigid. Please purchase a piece of jewelry if you are so led as the profits from the sales go directly to them. Brigid needs a new walker and SO many other things that AREN'T covered by medicare.

Here are a few of my more recent pieces. If you see something you like, please let me know and I'll be happy to send it off to you.

Thank you.

Today's the day!

It's a BLOG HOP - SUDSOL STYLE!

The SUDSOL blog hop is one of my favourites and I do my best to participate in as many as I can! SUDSOL is SUCH a great resource that I use ALL THE TIME and the blog hop is my way of giving back. Joining SUDSOL is one of the first things I did after becoming a demonstrator. If YOU are a demonstrator, I can't recommend it enough! If you'd like to see what it's all about, click on this link and take a two week tour - FREE!

For this blog hop, we're featuring Holiday Projects. These cards were inspired by other talented demonstrators and I put my spin on them. They were featured at my most recent Christmas Card Class at which the ladies had a GREAT time and half of them have ALREADY signed up for my next Christmas Card Class - I can't wait!

STAMPS: Merry & Type

INK: Chocolate Chip, Versamark

PAPERS: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

ACCESSORIES: Aqua Painters, Seam Binding, Glue Dot, Stampin' Dimensionals

Did you know that there all KINDS of templates, ideas and inspiration on the SUDSOL site? You can check out my gallery here, just to get an idea! I've been a featured stamper twice and have been on the design team - hard work, but VERY rewarding.

STAMPS: Gifts of Christmas

INKS: Island Indigo

PAPERS: Whisper White, Island Indigo, Silver Glimmer Paper

ACCESSORIES: Stampin' Dimensinals

STAMPS: Snow Swirled (greeting)

INK: Garden Green

PAPERS: Whisper White, Crumb Cake and Garden Green Cardstock; 

Holly Berry Bouquet DSP

ACCESSORIES: Punches, Filigree Brads, Buttons, Bakers Twine, Glue Dots

I do hope you've enjoyed this stop on the tour and hope you will continue along to visit all the other talented SUDSOL demonstrators blogs.

CONTINUE on the Blog Tour
SUDSOL	Teresa Hafso

Happy Stampin'!

Something happy this way comes!!!

This post is sticky at the top until the day of the blog hop, so please scroll down to see what I've been creating. You WON'T be disappointed!

It's Wednesday! That must mean STAMPIN' QUEENS!

Happy Wednesday Friends! It's time for the Stampin' Queens!

Here's the sketch we were given this week:

I took a BOAT LOAD of liberties with this one as you can see from the finished project:

And...it's not a card either! It's a folder in which you can place pictures/notes/wish lists, etc. Want to see the whole thing?? You'll have to come back tomorrow - 3-D Thursday!!!

There's NO stamps on this one. I used the Letters To Santa Designer Series Paper and the Letters to Santa Quick Accents.

Now...here's the deal. Leave a comment here AFTER you've participated in the sketch challenge and link me up in your comment so I can see your AWESOME creation. Then, TOMORROW, come back and leave a comment to let me know what you think of the finished product. Everyone who does those two things will be entered into a random draw and be eligible to WIN the folder.

What do you think?

STAMPS: NONE
INK: NONE
PAPERS: Letters to Santa DSP
ACCESSORIES: Letters to Santa Quick Accents, Ribbon

Happy Stampin'!

A Peek at the Stampin' Queens

Happy Tuesday! Did everyone have fun trick-or-treating last night??  My youngest had a bit TOO much fun, so he stayed home sickie today. He'll be back to school tomorrow...it was more of a precaution than anything.

Here's today's little peek at the Stampin' Queens Sketch:

You'll want to be SURE to come back tomorrow! Cristena is offering BLOG CANDY on the Stampin' Queens Blog and I'll be offering you the chance to WIN my creation!

It's November 1st - Let's get stamping!

MONTH-LONG OBSERVANCES

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Apple Month

Aviation History Month

Banana Pudding Lovers Month

Child Safety and Protection Month

Christmas Seals Month

COPD Awareness Month

Diabetic Eye Disease Month

Epilepsy Awareness Month

Family Stories Month

Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month

Good Nutrition Month

Great American SmokeOut

Greens and Plantains Month

Historic Bridge Awareness Month

I am So Thankful Month

International Drum Month

Latin American Month

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

MADD’s Tie One On for Safety Holiday Campaign

Military Family Appreciation Month

National Adoption Month

National AIDS Awareness Month

National Alzheimer’s Disease Month

National Diabetes Month

National Epilepsy Month

National Family Caregivers Month

National Georgia Pecan Month

National Healthy Skin Month

National Home and Hospice Month

National Impotency Month

National Inspirational Role Models Month

National Life Writing Month

National Long-Term Care Awareness Month

National Marrow Awareness Month

National Model Railroad Month

National Native American Heritage Month

National Novel Writing Month

National Peanut Butter Lover's Month

National Pet Cancer Awareness Month

National Pomegranate Month

National Roasting Month

National Scholarship Month

National Sleep Comfort Month

National Stomach Cancer Awareness Month

Native American Heritage Month

NoSHAVEmber

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Plum and Pomegranate Month

Prematurity Awareness Month

PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month

Real Jewelry Month

Spinach and Squash Month

Sweet Potato Month

TMJ Awareness Month

Vegan Month

WEEK-LONG OBSERVANCES

First Week

Chemistry Week

Diabetes Education Week

Give Wildlife a Brake! Week

Intimate Apparel Week

National Allied Health Week

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

National Fig Week

National Patient Accessibility Week

World Communication Week

Second Week

Dear Santa Letter Week

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

Health Information and Technology Week

International Fraud Awareness Week

Kid’s Goal-Setting Week

National Children's Book Week

National Drug Facts Week

National Nurse Practitioner Week

National Radiation Tech Week

National Young Readers Week

Operating Room Nurse Week

Pursuit of Happiness Week

World Kindness Week

Third Week

American Education Week

Geography Awareness Week

Lung Cancer Awareness Week

National Farm-City Week

National Global Entrepreneurship Week

National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week

Fourth Week

National Adoption Week

National Better Conversation Week

National Bible Week

National Family Week

National Game and Puzzle Week

National Teens Don’t Text and Drive Week

Fifth Week

Travelers with Disabilities Awareness Week

November 1st

Aishwarya Rai’s Birthday (1973)

All Saint's Day

Book Lover's Day

Give Up Your “Shoulds” Day

Lyle Lovett's Birthday (1957)

National Author's Day

National Family Literacy Day

National Go Cook for Your Pets Day

Nutty Pecan Day

Stephen Crane’s Birthday (1871)

Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day

Zero Tasking Day

November 2nd

All Soul’s Day

Cookie Monster Day

Daniel Boone's Birthday (1734)

Digital Scrapbooking Day

ELECTION DAY

Flight of the Spruce Goose (1947)

Look for Circles Day

Marie Antoinette’s Birthday (1755)

National Deviled Egg Day

Piggy Bank Day

Plan Your Epitaph Day

Traffic Director’s Day

November 3rd

Bean Day

Cliché Day

Dennis Miller’s Birthday (1953)

Housewife's Day

International Tongue Twister Day

Ken Berry's Birthday (1933)

Sandwich Day

November 4th

Laura Bush’s Birthday (1946)

King Tut Day

Mischief Night

National Candy Day

National Chicken Lady Day

National Men Make Dinner Day

Pumpkin Chucking Days

Sterling North's Birthday (1906)

Use Your Common Sense Day

Waiting for Barbarians Day

Will Roger's Birthday (1879)

Yanni’s Birthday (1954)

November 5th

Art Garfunkel’s Birthday (1941)

Gun Powder Day

Guy Fawkes Day

National Donut Day

Pumpkin Chucking Days

Roy Rogers’ Birthday (1911)

Sadie Hawkins Day

Sam Shepard’s Birthday (1943)

Vivian Leigh's Birthday (1913)

November 6th

Basketball Day

Charles Dow’s Birthday (1851)

Guiness World Records Day

John Phillip Sousa's Birthday (1854)

I Love Nachos Day

Marooned without a Compass Day

Ray Conniff’s Birthday (1916)

Pumpkin Chucking Days

Sally Field’s Birthday (1946)

Saxophone Day

Zero Tasking Day

November 7th

Albert Camus' Birthday (1913)

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Fala Day

Hug-a-Bear Day

International Tongue Twister Day

Job Action Day

Joni Mitchell's Birthday (1943)

Magazine Day

Marie Curie's Birthday (1867)

National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

Republican Elephant Day

November 8th

Abet and Aid Punsters Day

Bonnie Raitt's Birthday (1949)

Bram Stoker's Birthday (1847)

Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day

Dunce Day

Edmund Halley’s Birthday (1656)

Election Day

Harvey Wallbanger Day

Kazuo Ishiguro’s Birthday (1954)

Margaret Mitchell's Birthday (1900)

National Ample Time Day

National Parents as Teachers Day

Parker Posey's Birthday (1968)

X-Ray Day

November 9th

Carl Sagan's Birthday (1934)

Chaos Never Dies Day

Mary Travers’ Birthday (1936)

National Young Reader’s Day

Neon Sign Day

Parade Day

November 10th

Area Code Day

Claude Rains’ Birthday (1889)

Forget Me Not Day

Gingerbread House Day

Josh Peck’s Birthday (1986)

Martin Luther’s Birthday (1483)

Sesame Street Debuted in 1969

Tim Rice’s Birthday (1944)

Toothpaste Day

U.S. Marine Corps Established in 1775

November 11th

Air Day

Death/Duty Day

Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Birthday (1821)

George Patton’s Birthday (1885)

God Bless America first performed in 1938

Kurt Vonnegut's Birthday (1922)

Origami Day

Remembrance Day

Veteran's Day

November 12th

Anne Hathaway’s Birthday (1982)

Auguste Rodin's Birthday (1840)

Chicken Soup for the Soul Day

Domino Day

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Day

Grace Kelly’s Birthday (1929)

Nadia Comaneci’s Birthday (1961)

National Gaming Day

National Pizza With the Works But No Anchovies Day

November 13th

Chris Noth’s Birthday (1954)

Garry Marshall’s Birthday (1934)

International Tongue Twister Day

Mom's and Dad's Day

National Indian Pudding Day

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Birthday (1850)

World Kindness Day

November 14th

Aaron Copeland’s Birthday (1900)

Claude Monet’s Birthday (1840)

Condoleeza Rice's Birthday (1954)

Brian Keith's Birthday (1921)

Loosen Up, Lighten Up Day

National Girls Day

National Teddy Bear Day

Operating Room Nurse Day

Prince Charles' Birthday (1948)

Spicy Guacamole Day

William Steig's Birthday (1907)

World Diabetes Day

World Orphans Day

November 15th

America Recycles Day

Ed Asner’s Birthday (1929)

Georgia O'Keefe's Birthday (1887)

I Love to Write Day

National Bundt Pan Day

National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

National Philanthropy Day

Pack Your Mom Lunch Day

Robert Cavalli's Birthday (1940)

November 16th

Button Day

Have a Party with your Bear Day

International Day for Tolerance

National Educational Support Professionals Day

Prematurity Awareness Day

Quit Smoking Day

November 17th

Electronic Greeting Card Day

GIS Day

Great American Smokeout

Guiness World Record Day

Homemade Bread Day

Lee Strasberg's Birthday (1901)

Martin Scorcese’s Birthday (1942)

National Family Volunteer Day

Rock Hudson’s Birthday (1925)

Take A Hike Day

Unfriend Day

Use Less Stuff Day

World Peace Day

November 18th

Christian Siriano's Birthday (1985)

Margaret Atwood's Birthday (1939)

Mickey Mouse Day

Occult Day

Owen Wilson’s Birthday (1968)

Push-Button Phone Day

William Gilbert’s Birthday (1836)

William Tell Day

World COPD Day

November 19th

Calvin Klein's Birthday (1942)

Equal Opportunity Day

Have a Bad Day Day

Gettysburg Address Delivered by President Lincoln in 1863

Indira Gandhi's Birthday (1911)

Meg Ryan's Birthday (1961)

National Adoption Day

National Family Volunteer Day

National Survivors of Suicide Day

Pencil Day

Play Monopoly Day

Pop Tarts created in 1965

Rocco DiSpirito’s Birthday (1956)

Tommy Dorsey’s Birthday (1905)

World Toilet Day

November 20th

Absurdity Day

Beautiful Day

Cat Days

Children’s Day

Edwin Hubble’s Birthday (1889)

Mexican Revolution Day

Name Your PC Day

Peanut Butter Fudge Day

Richard Dawson’s Birthday (1932)

Time Card Clock Invented in 1888

Traffic Light Day

Universal Children’s Day

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

November 21st

Beaver Moon

Dave Hignite’s (My Husband) Birthday (1961)

False Confession Day

Harold Ramis’ Birthday (1944)

Marlo Thomas' Birthday (1943)

Pumpkin Pie Day

Voltaire's Birthday (1694)

World Hello Day

World Television Day

November 22nd

Abigail Adams’ Birthday (1744)

Go for a Ride Day

Hoagy Carmichael’s Birthday (1899)

Humane Society Anniversary Day

Jamie Lee Curtis’ Birthday (1958)

Start Your Own Country Day

Stop the Violence Day

Thanksgiving Dinner 101 Day

November 23rd

Boris Karloff's Birthday (1887)

Bruce Hornsby's Birthday (1954)

Dr. Who Day

Eat a Cranberry Day

National Cashew Day

Rick Bayless’ Birthday (1953)

Tie One On Day

You're Welcomegiving Day

November 24th

Arundhati Roy's Birthday (1961)

Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Dale Carnegie’s Birthday (1888)

Frances Hodgson Burnett's Birthday (1849)

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's Birthday (1864)

Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade

Scott Joplin’s Birthday (1868)

Shopping Reminder Day

Thanksgiving Day

Turkey-Free Thanksgiving Day

Use Even if the Seal is Broken Day

November 25th

Amy Grant's Birthday (1960)

Black Friday

Blasé Day

Buy Nothing Day

Flossing Day

International Aura Awareness Day

Marc Brown's Birthday (1946)

National American Heritage Day

National Parfait Day

Sinkie Day

You're Welcome Day

November 26th

Charles Schulz's Birthday (1922)

College Fraternity Day

Flossing Day

John Harvard’s Birthday (1607)

Maize Day

MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Natasha Bedingfield’s Birthday (1981)

National Cake Day

November 27th

Buffalo Bob Smith's Birthday (1917)

First Sunday of Advent

Jimi Hendrix's Birthday (1942)

Manalo Blahnik's Birthday (1942)

National Day of Listening

Pie in the Face Day

Pins and Needles Day

November 28th

Cyber Monday

Ed Harris’ Birthday (1950)

John Bunyan’s Birthday (1628)

John Galliano's Birthday (1960)

Jon Stewart’s Birthday (1962)

Make Your Own Head Day

Polaroid Camera Day

Red Planet Day

William Blake's Birthday (1757)

November 29th

Busby Berkeley’s Birthday (1895)

C S Lewis' Birthday (1898)

Chuck Mangione's Birthday (1940)

Electronic Greetings Day

Garry Shandling's Birthday (1949)

Louisa May Alcott’s Birthday (1832)

Square Dance Day

Turkey Leftover Day

November 30th

Ben Stiller's Birthday (1965)

Computer Security Day

David Mamet’s Birthday (1947)

Dick Clark's Birthday (1929)

Jonathan Swift's Birthday (1667)

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Birthday (1874)

Mark Twain's Birthday (1835)

National Meth Awareness Day

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Day

Sacher Torte Day (also in December)

Sir Winston Churchill's Birthday (1874)

Stay At Home Because You're Well Day

With thanks as always to Jane Hignite