Weekly Deals

Have you seen them yet?? Embossing folders abound in this week's deals! They're the perfect way to add an extra touch to all your cards without adding too many layers. The Decorative Dots is my FAVOURITE!

Just click on the image above to be taken right to my store and you can start shopping! In fact...if you purchased the Texture Boutique Machine and five embossing folders, you could choose a FREE Sale-A-Bration item! Be sure you use hostess code: T9BJFE3E

Today is the FIRST day of Leadership, so be sure to check back later as I'm sure I'll have some FUN things to share with you!

Happy Stampin'!

For the birds!

As you read this, I'm either at the airport waiting for my flight, on a plane winging my way to Orlando or at the hotel already having an AWESOME time with my Stampin' UP! peeps! (all depends what time you're reading - giggle)

Have you seen this set? It's so cute and versatile - stamps for almost every occasion paired with cute little birds. What could be better?

For today's card, I started off with a Coastal Cabana base and added a layer of Whisper White. A little pop of Designer Series Paper from the In Colour paper stack breaks of the starkness of the white background, adding just the right amount of colour.

The image was stamped in Memento Ink and the cute little birds were coloured in with Blendabilities (which you can get FREE during Sale-A-Bration) and punched out using the 2" circle punch. It was then matted on a circle of Bermuda Bay cut out with the Circle Framelits.

A little flag with the sentiments and a couple of little banners and flowers finish off this card perfectly!

Check out the rest of the crew here.

What do you think?

STAMPS: For the Birds
INK: Memento Ink
PAPERS: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay and Pumpkin Pie Cardstock; Coastal Cabana DSP
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Dies, Punches, Basic Rhinestones, Blendabilities, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Hello you!

I couldn't believe my luck when I saw this stamp set in the Occasions Catalogue! It's perfect for...well...EVERYTHING!!

The stamp is called "Crazy About You" and it's available in a bundle (which includes 4 framelits) for as little as $52.50 (photopolymer). Add a pack of cardstock for $8.50 or even a pack of Notecards for $7.50 and you've just spent enough to earn a free Sale-A-Bration item! YAY!

I started off with a base of Basic Grey Cardstock and added some Designer Series Paper from the Flowerpot and Confetti Celebrations collections. Some Pear Pizzazz Cotton Ribbon was added to separate the two pieces.

I stamped the "YOU" in Basic Grey and cut out the "hello" and butterfly in Pear Pizzazz. The butterfly seemed to get "lost" on the Tangerine Tango flowers, so I cut out a second one in Shimmery White Cardstock to make it pop!

Don't forget to check out what the rest of the divas have been up to here.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Crazy About You
INK: Basic Grey
PAPERS: Basic Grey, Pear Pizzazz and Shimmery White Cardstock; Flowerpot and Confetti Celebrations DSP
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Dies, Ribbon

Happy Stampin'!

Birthday Tree

What's your "go-to" stamp set? You know, the one you choose time and again and you just KNOW that whatever you stamp, it'll be AWESOME. Do you have just one? Or do you have several that are your favourites?

I have several favourites (Gorgeous Grunge comes to mind), but I know that if I want to make a "man card", Lovely as a Tree is the set I'm going to choose.

For this card, I started off with a base of Early Espresso Cardstock and added a layer of Very Vanilla cardstock, partially covered with the Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper. All the layers were sponged with Soft Suede Ink.

The image was stamped using markers for the direct to rubber technique and was spritzed with water to give it a water colour effect.

I had to add some ribbon! I know most men don't like that "girly frou-frou stuff" but I figured a knot (not a bow!) wouldn't be TOO offensive - LOL!

Today is my little man's birthday - he's turning TWELVE!! I think I'll make him a more age appropriate card though...this one seems too grown up.

Check out the rest of the crew here.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Lovely as a Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes
INK: Early Espresso
PAPERS: Very Vanilla and Early Espresso Cardstock; Typeset DSP
ACCESSORIES: Markers, Ribbon, Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

I wasn't too sure about the colour challenge today, but it worked out great! So good in fact, that I made THREE cards because I couldn't decide which one I liked best. :)

I started off with a base of Pink Pirouette for all the cards and layers of Rose Red cardstock and Hello Honey DSP from the Lullaby Designer Series Paper.

I stamped the images from Label Love twice, once in Smokey Slate and a second time in Rose Red. These were punched out and layered. Then, I used the Artisan Label punch again and punched out layers in Rose Red, Hello Honey and Pink Pirouette for the back of the images.

I'll be swapping the card on the far left at Leadership in Orlando, Florida.

Don't forget to check out what the rest of the divas have been up to here.


What do you think?

STAMPS: Label Love
INK: Smokey Slate and Rose Red
PAPERS: Whisper White, Rose Red, Hello Honey and Pink Pirouette Cardstock; Lullaby DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Ribbon, Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Build a Bouquet Project Kit by Stampin’ Up!

Brand new in the Occasions Catalogue! Super fun!

Better than email!

Have you seen it yet? It's one of the CUTEST. SETS. EVER!!!

Fortunately, the day it was released, I was placing an order, so you can be SURE I added it! Check this out:

Can you believe it? I can't wait to start stamping the backs of my cards with these!

Let me know if you want your own set! I have an order going in next Monday.

Happy Stampin'!

The cutest little box - EVER!

Have you seen the little 2 x 2 boxes that are available in the Occasions Catalogue? They were in the Holiday Catalogue too and I'm SO pleased they carried over. I just love them!

This one was another one of the TWELVE projects we completed in my Birthday Bash Class this past Saturday. We did TEN cards and then two boxes - one of the boxes was big enough to hold almost all of the cards. :)

This box is SUPER tiny, so you'd have to have a tiny present to add to it - a pair of earrings perhaps? Or some really cute EOS lip balm?

We started off with the teeny box (of course) and added some Moonlight DSP on all four sides and to the top as well.

To make the box even CUTER (is that even POSSIBLE?) we added a bow to the top that we made with the bow builder punch, which is brand new in the Occasions Catalogue. If it's not yet on your wish list, you should probably remedy that situation pretty soon. :)

What do you think?

STAMPS: A Round Array
INK: Blackberry Bliss
PAPERS: Whisper White, Hello Honey and Blackberry Bliss Cardstock; Moonlight DSP
ACCESSORIES: Punches, Marker, Bakers Twine

Happy Stampin'!

Seize the CAKE!!!

Not quite Carpe Diem, but close! LOL!

I just love this little stamp set!

It's what I call and "inside/outside" stamp set - it has a sentiment for the front of the card and a coordinating one for the inside too.

In this case, however, I used both on the outside and it worked out GREAT!!

I started off with a base of Island Indigo cardstock and added a layer of Soft Sky. I left the Soft Sky plain, but you could use a background stamp of your choice and go to town! This particular card was part of a TWELVE project class, so keeping things simple was of the essence!

I cut one of our adorable paper doilies in half and added an Island Indigo Ribbon over the top to hide the cut. The I punched out some shapes, used the stamp-a-majig and created the image panel. The placement of the sentiments left just the right amount of space for a star (you could use a heart or a flower too) - PERFECT!

A little bit of doodling and DONE!

What do you think?

STAMPS: Something to Say
INK: Island Indigo
PAPERS: Whisper White, Soft Sky and Island Indigo Cardstock
ACCESSORIES: Paper Doily, Ribbon, Punches, Marker, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

Birthday Bash Preview

Oops! Just like the card I posted last week, this one was also supposed to be for the Paper Crafts Crew...there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get it all done!!

I started off with a base of Bermuda Bay Cardstock and added a layer of Lullaby Designner Series Paper and a half layer of Coastal Cabana DSP from the 2013-2015 In Colour stack. A ribbon was tied around the layers.

The image and sentiment, both from Endless Wishes Birthday were stamped in Bermuda Bay Ink onto Whisper White Cardstock. The image was matted with more Bermuda Bay and the sentiment was attached with a Stampin' Dimensional. The finishin touch is a bedazzled mini flower.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Endless Wishes Birthday

INK: Bermuda Bay

PAPERS: Bermuda Bay and Whisper White Cardstock; Lullaby and In Colour DSP

ACCESSORIES: Ribbon, Punch, Basic Rhinestone, Stampin' Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Happy Stampin'!

An Attitude of Gratitude

Many years ago, the very talented Ali Edwards decided that she wasn't going to "do" the traditional New Year's Resolution. Instead, she chose a word. One single word, by which to live for the coming year. This year, Ali's word is GIVE.

I haven't done it every year, but this year, as I was getting ready to go out with my family on New Year's Day, somehow...something was different.

The house was still asleep (I like my quiet time in the morning) and one word just wouldn't get the heck out of my head. The word? THANKFUL.

I figured it was there for a reason and so I made it *my* word for 2015. If you like it, you can share it too and I would be THANKFUL that I helped you in your journey.

So, this year...it's going to be a little different here on the blog. You'll see cards of course, because I love making them...but you'll see other stuff too. Sometimes it'll just be my musings for the day or some knitting that I'm working on. Sometimes it might be a video that I found or something that touched me in some way.

I hope you'll join me on my year long THANKFUL journey.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

OOPS! This card was supposed to be for the Paper Crafts Crew sketch this past Wednesday, but I got so caught up in the festivities of the New Year that I completely forgot to get it out there!

I started off with a Soft Sky base and added a layer of Whisper White Cardstock between it and the Designer Series Paper. What the heck is that??

This *particular* paper comes to you courtesy of the Occasions Catalogue which you may have already received in the mail! Awesome, right? It's double sided, just like much of our regular DSP and it's FREE! Just carefully remove the outer wrap of your Occasions Catalogue and VOILA! Free DSP!

If you don't have an Occasions Catalogue yet, be sure to leave me a message so that I can pop one in the mail for you (Canadian addresses only).

For the image and sentiment, I hand cut the champagne flutes and added them to a piece of Whisper White Cardstock onto which I added a piece of Island Indigo which was cut with the On Film Framelits. I thought the addition of the little star in Crushed Curry was just the perfect touch behind the sentiment.

What do you think?

STAMPS: Happy Hour, Good Greetings (retired)
INK: Crushed Curry, Island Indigo
PAPERS: Soft Sky, Whisper White and Island Indigo Cardstock; Occasions Catalogue DSP
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, On Film Framelits, Stars Framelits, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy Stampin'!

It's a brand new year! Come get your stamp on!!

MONTH-LONG OBSERVANCES

Adopt a Rescued Bird Month

Apple and Apricots Month

Artichoke and Asparagus Month

Bath Safety Month

Be Kind to Food Servers Month

Book Blitz Month

California Dried Plum Digestive Month

Carnival Season

Celebration of Life Month

Eye Care Month

Family Fit Lifestyle Month

Financial Wellness Month

Get a Balanced Life Month

International Brain Teaser Month

International Change your Stars Month

International Child-Centered Divorce Awareness Month

International Creativity Month

International New Year’s Resolution Month for Businesses

International Quality of Life Month

International Wayfinding Month

International Wealth Mentality Month

Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month

National Be on Purpose Month

National Bird Feeding Month

National Birth Defects Prevention Month

National Blood Donor Month

National Braille Literacy Month

National Cervical Cancer Screening Month

National Clean Up Your Computer Month

National Codependency Month

National Get Organized Month

National Glaucoma Awareness Month

National Hobby Month

National Hot Tea Month

National Mail Order Gardening Month

National Mentoring Month

National Oatmeal Month

National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month

National Personal Trainer Awareness Month

National Polka Music Month

National Poverty in America Awareness Month

National Radon Action Month

National Skating Month

National Soup Month

National Stalking Awareness Month

National Staying Healthy Month

National Thank You Month

National Thyroid Awareness Month

National Volunteer Blood Donor Month

Rising Star Month

Self-Health Group Awareness Month

Self Love Month

Shape Up US Month

Teen Driving Awareness Month

Tubers and Dried Fruit Month

Unchain a Dog Month

Walk Your Dog Month

Worldwide Rising Star Month

WEEK-LONG OBSERVANCES

First Week

Celebration of Life Week

Diet Resolution Week

New Year’s Resolution Week

Silent Record Week

Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week

Women’s Self-Empowerment Week

Second Week

Elvis Presley Week

Home Office Safety and Security Week

International 3D Week

Kid Film Week

Law Enforcement Training Week

National Folic Acid Awareness Week

National Lose Weight/Feel Great Week

National Thank Your Customers Week

School Crossing Guard Week

Universal Letter Writing Week

Third Week

Bald Eagle Appreciation Days

Cuckoo Dancing Week

International Printing Week

National Book Week

National No Tillage Week

National Soccer Coaches of America Week

National Vocation Awareness Week

Slam Dance Week

Special Education Week

Sundance Film Festival

Fourth Week

Christian Unity Week

Health Awareness Week

Healthy Weight Week

Hunt for Happiness Week

International Snowmobile Safety and Awareness Week

Junior Achievement Week

Kid Film Festival

National Activity Professionals Week

National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week

National Handwriting Analysis Week

National Medical Practice Week

National Nuclear Science Week

National Take Back Your Time Week

No Name Calling Week

Sugar Awareness Week

Women in Blue Jeans Week

World Leprosy Week

Fifth Week

Catholic Schools Week

Clean Out Your Inbox Week

International Hoof Care Week

Intimate Apparel Week

Meat Week

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week

National Medical Group Practice Week

National Nurse Anesthetists Week

U S National Snow Sculpting Week

January 1st

Betsy Ross’s Birthday (1752)

Bonza Bottler Day (1/1)

Commitment Day

Copyright Law Day

Ellis Island Aniversary (opened in 1892)

Emancipation Proclamation Anniversary (1863)

Euro Day

First Foot Day

Global Family Day

J.D. Salinger’s Birthday (1919)

J. Edgar Hoover’s Birthday (1895)

Kid Inventors Day

Le Jour de l’An – French New Year

Mummer’s Parade

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Dishonor List Day

Paul Revere’s Birthday (1735)

Polar Bear Plunge

Saint Basil’s Day

Tournament of Roses Parade

Z Day

January 2nd

Boo Boo Bear’s Birthday (Yogi’s little buddy)

Drinking Straw Patented in 1888

55 MPH Speed Limit Day

Happy Mew Year for Cats Day

National Buffet Day

National Motivation and Inspiration Day

National Personal Trainer Awareness Day

National Science Fiction Day

Pet Travel and Safety Day

Run Up The Flagpole, See if Anyone Salutes Day

January 3rd

Drinking Straw Day

Festival of Sleep Day

Fruitcake Toss Day

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Birthday (1892)

National Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day

Victor Borge’s Birthday (1909)

January 4th

Dimpled Chad Day

Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Birthday (1774)

Isaac Newton’s Birthday

Jakob Grimm’s Birthday (1785)

Louis Braille’s Birthday (1809)

Michael Stipe’s Birthday (1960)

Phyllis Naylor’s Birthday (1933)

Pop Music Chart Day

Spaghetti Day

Sterling Holloway’s Birthday (1905)

Tom Thumb Day

Trivia Day

World Braille Day

World Hypnosis Day

January 5th

Bean Day

Blue Monday

Divorce Monday

Jill Stuart’s Birthday (1965)

National Bird Day

National Weigh-In Day

Robert Duvall’s Birthday (1931)

Thank God It’s Monday Day

January 6th

Armenian Christmas

Carl Sandburg’s Birthday (1878)

Cuddle Up Day

Epiphany or 12th Night

Joan of Arc’s Birthday (1412)

Rowan Atkinson’s Birthday (1955)

Sherlock Holmes’ Birthday (1854)

Three Kings Day

January 7th

Harlem Globetrotter’s Day

I’m Not Going to Take it Anymore Day

International Programmers Day

Kenny Loggins’ Birthday (1948)

National Tempura Day

Old Rock Day

Orthodox Christmas

January 8th

Argyle Day

Bubble Bath Day

Carolina Herrera’s Birthday (1939)

David Bowie’s Birthday (1947)

Earth Rotation Day

Elvis Presley’s Birthday (1935)

Learn to Ski Day

Male Watcher’s Day

Midwife’s Day

National English Toffee Day

National Joy Germ Day

Rock N Roll Day

Show and Tell at Work Day

War on Poverty Day

January 9th

Balloon Ascension Day

Dave Matthews’ Birthday (1967)

Kate Middleton’s Birthday (1982)

National Apricot Day

National Cassoulet Day

National Clean Off Your Desk Day

National Static Electricity Day

Play God Day

Positively Penguins Day

Stepfather’s Day

January 10th

First Meeting of United Nations (London-1946)

Jim Croce’s Birthday (1943)

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

Peculiar People Day

United Nations Day

Where’s the Beef Day

January 11th

Alexander Hamilton’s Birthday (1755)

Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day

Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

No Pants Subway Ride Day

Stephen Foster Day

Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day

January 12th

Charles Perrault’s Birthday (1628)

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day

Jack London’s Birthday (1876)

John Singer Sargent’s Birthday (1856)

John Winthrop’s Birthday (1588)

National Clean Off Your Desk Day

National Pharmacist Day

Rush Limbaugh’s Birthday (1951)

Secret Pal Day

Work Harder Day

January 13th

Bean Day

Blame Someone Else Day

International Skeptics Day

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’ Birthday (1961)

Make Your Dreams Come True Day

Michael Bond’s Birthday (1926)

National Poetry at Work Day

Public Radio Broadcasting Day

Rubber Duckie Day

Stephen Foster Day

January 14th

Albert Schweitzer’s Birthday (1875)

Caesarean Section Day

Coming-of-Age Day (Japan)

International Kite Day

National Dress Up Your Pet Day

Nina Ricci’s Birthday (1883)

Organize Your Home Day

Poetry Break Day

Ratification Day

January 15th

Bald Eagle Appreciation Day

First Super Bowl 1967-won by Green Bay Packers

Get to Know Your Customers Day

Humanitarian Day

Margaret O’ Brien’s Birthday (1937)

National Hat Day

January 16th

Appreciate a Dragon Day

Hot and Spicy Food Day

International Fetish Day

National Nothing Day

Religious Freedom Day

Sade’s Birthday (1959)

Women in Blue Jeans Day

January 17th

Anne Bronte’s Birthday (1820)

Anton Chekov’s Birthday (1860)

Benjamin Franklin’s Birthday (1706)

Betty White’s Birthday (1922)

Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral Day

Cable Car Day

Customer Service Day

Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day

Hot Heads Chili Days

Judgment Day

Popeye Day

Shari Lewis’ Birthday (1934)

Vidal Sassoon’s Birthday (1928)

January 18th

Cary Grant’s Birthday (1904)

Daniel Webster’s Birthday (1782)

Do Dah Parade Day

Jane Horrocks’ Birthday (1964)

National Sanctity of Human Life Day

Peter Roget’s Birthday (1779)

Thesaurus Day

Winnie the Pooh Day – A.A. Milne’s Birthday (1882)

World Religion Day

January 19th

Edgar Allan Poe’s Birthday (1809)

Martin Luther King Day

National Day of Service

National Popcorn Day

Paul Cezanne’s Birthday (1839)

Paula Deen’s Birthday (1947)

Robert Palmer’s Birthday (1949)

Thomas Kinkade’s Birthday (1958)

Tin Can Day

January 20th

Camcorder Day

Cheese Day

National Buttercrunch Day

National Disc Jockey Day

Penguin Awareness Day

Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day

January 21st

Christian Dior (1905)

Ethan Allen’s Birthday (1738)

Inaugeration Day

National Hugging Day

Squirrel Appreciation Day

Steven Hignite’s Birthday (My Son)

January 22nd

Answer Your Cat’s Question Day

Bill Bixby’s Birthday (1934)

Celebration of Life Day

Data Innovation Day

Diane Lane’s Birthday (1965)

Graham Kerr’s Birthday (1934)

National Blonde Brownie Day

Sir Francis Bacon’s Birthday (1561)

Women’s Healthy Weight Day

January 23rd

Edouard Manet’s Birthday (1832)

John Hancock’s Birthday (1737)

Measure Your Feet Day

National Handwriting Day

National Pie Day

Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day

January 24th

Beer Can Appreciation Day

Belly Laugh Day

Edith Wharton’s Birthday (1862)

Ice Cream Bar/Eskimo Pie Day

Mary Lou Retton’s Birthday (1968)

National Compliment Day

National Peanut Butter Day

Square Dance Day

Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day

TV Game Show Day

Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day

Warren Zevon’s Birthday (1942)

January 25th

A Room of One’s Own Day

Better Business Communication Day

Dean Jones’ Birthday (1931)

Etta James’ Birthday (1938)

Macintosh Computer Day

National Irish Coffee Day

National Speak Up and Succeed Day

Soup Swap Day

Opposite Day

Robert Burns’ Birthday (1759)

Virginia Woolf’s Birthday (1882)

World Leprosy Day

January 26th

Anita Baker’s Birthday (1958)

Australia Day

Bob Uecker’s Birthday (1935) Voice of the Brewers

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day

Cockroach Race Day

Grammy Awards

Lotus 1-2-3 Day

Michael Chiarello’s Birthday (1962)

National Peanut Brittle Day

Paul Newman’s Birthday (1925)

Spouse’s Day

Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

January 27th

Auschwitz Liberation Day

Chocolate Cake Day

Donna Reed’s Birthday (1921)

Holocaust Memorial Day

Jerome Kern’s Birthday (1885)

Lewis Carroll’s Birthday (1832)

Mikhail Barysknikov’s Birthday (1948)

Punch the Clock Day

Thomas Crapper Day

Viet Nam Peace Day

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Birthday (1756)

January 28th

Arthur Rubenstein’s Birthday (1860)

Bill Peet’s Birthday (1915)

Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion Anniversary (1986)

Clash Day

Colette’s Birthday (1873)

Data Privacy Day

Jackson Pollack’s Birthday (1912)

National Kazoo Day

Rattlesnake Roundup Day

Rosemary Wells’ Birthday (1943)

Thank a Plug-In Developer Day

January 29th

Carnation Day

Curmudgeon’s Day

Freethinker’s Day

Katharine Ross’ Birthday (1942)

National Corn Chip Day

National Puzzle Day

Seeing Eye Dog Day

Thomas Paine’s Birthday (1937)

January 30th

Child Labor Day

Dick Cheney’s Birthday (1941)

Escape Day

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Birthday (1882)

Fun at Work Day

National Inane Answering Machine Message Day

National Write to Congress Day

January 31st

Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day

Backwards Day

Fun at Work Day

Inspire Your Heart With The Arts Day

Jean Simmons’ Birthday (1929)

Man Up Day

Minnie Driver’s Birthday (1971)

National Preschool Fitness Day

National Seed Swap Day

Suzanne Pleshette’s Birthday (1937)

Zane Grey’s Birthday (1872)

With thanks, as always, to Jane Hignite