The moons have all aligned......

.....and we are in the middle of "the perfect storm" of Stampin' Up! promotions!!!!

First of all.....  There is only one more day to order from the current mini catalog as well as the Spring is Blooming Promotion.  Click on the mini catalog or Spring is Blossoming pictures below to view the details of each.

And, just today, Stampin' Up! announced that they were starting their May Scrapbooking promotion today instead of May 1st.  Click on the picture below for the details.  CHECK IT OUT:

If you are on my email list, you received an email earlier this week promoting a sale I have going on until today at 5:30.  You may select items from any of these promotion as well as the current Idea Book and Catalog for my personal promotion.
*note: the My Digital Studio Downloads are only available to order through my Stampin' Up! web site and will not apply to the promotion that you were emailed earlier this week.

Happy Stampin'

Have a Blessed Easter

I would like to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Easter weekend.

The tomb is empty, praise be to God.

Howdy all

Hey stampers - check THIS out :)  I must say I was really surprised!!!!

I'm in the know.....

.....or am I on the go?.........

Actually - I am "On the Grow".........LOL!!!!  Yeah - that is the best I could come up with today ;)  I bet you are wondering where I am going with all this nonsense talk about what I know, where I go and what I grow..........

Well - You know - Create with Connie and Mary has a new challenge this week - a color challenge - check it out:

I immediately thought about flowers in water - you all have seen pacific point water, right?  lol!  Well - maybe they are in a tinted vase or jar ......AND, it just so happens that I still have new goodies in the house from the upcoming Summer Mini......and I thought you all might want another sneaky peeky.....

So, here is what I have to share with you today:

Still wondering where all the know, go, grow talk is coming from????  Well.....I am in the "know" since I am a demonstrator and I have the new mini catalog in my hands and Stampin' Up! allows us to preorder new merchandise.  I am on the "go"....well......that just rhymed!  LOL!!!  But -  this is "On the Grow."  The stamp set is called On the Grow!!!  {{luv}} that!  It actually screamed out at me when I was browsing through the mini - I had to get it.  (wink)

Do you see more sneaky peeky things here?????......Well, one more thing?  Really?  Look again:

Now do you see it?????  OH my word!  that is another triple layer punch - it is called the Doily Triple Layer Punch.  One punch.  Three different punched out images with just a slide of a lever - GENIUS.

Lets' start with the card base layers.  The card base itself is pumpkin pie.  I dropped my black staz on pad on it.....so we went with black staz on swiped on all edges.  crisis solved.  lol!!!  The printed dsp is newsprint.....listen all you stampers - if you don't have First Edition DSP yet - you really need to get it - this month before the current mini goes bye bye......I pull this out as my go to paper - lol!  I ripped off a corner and adhered some real red designer series paper from the brights pack behind just where the tears are - great way to use up some scraps :)

Like the ribbon?  It is actually a piece of wide striped pumpkin pie ribbon that I cut in half and frayed the edges to make a narrower striped ribbon - not my original idea - but genius,  just the same ;)

The jar of flowers comes from that new stamp set I was talking about earlier called On the Grow - absolutely darling, huh?  I stamped it onto watercolor paper with black staz on.  I stamped the image twice so I could color twice as much - JUST KIDDIN' - I stamped it twice so I could cut some of the flowers out to give it more dimension - see?

Some of the flowers were cut out and just adhered down with mini glue dots, others were cut out and adhered down with stampin' dimensionals.   so pretty {{sigh}}

I watercolored the images with classic ink refills and an aquapainter.  When you color an image like this, I find it takes on a whole new look if you "ground" it persay.  I am not an artist, by any means.....but I do think watercolored images need some shadows and a horizon if it is an object that would sit on a table or something.  you know what I mean?

Did you get a look at the jar?  I gave it a coat of crystal effects to make it look like glass.  Everyone need some of this in their goodies.  really. 

Oh yeah - one more thing.  The sentiment comes from the level one hostess set, Because I Care.  Another must have.  ;)

Well, I think that is enough of my rambling.  I would love to know what you think of this.

Come Sail Away.......

come sail away......come sail away with me......  Any Styx fans out there singing along with me?????

Oh Boy Oh Boy - Stampin' Up! has really out done themselves with the nautical collection in the new Summer Mini that starts May1st - I don't live on the ocean or even own as much as a row boat.....but I am really drawn to nautical stuff.  This is THE collection to own for go to stamps for men, that's for sure.  I started with the Mojo Monday sketch - no shock huh?  I am so addicted to sketches.......  {{sigh}}

Here is the sketch goodness:

Looks great like it is, huh????  Well - I rotated it to fit my needs :)  Wanna see what I did with it???

Okay - here is my sailing goodness:

Do you see the new goodies???  The designer series paper - Nautical Expedition, The stamp set - The Open Sea, punch - Postage Stamp Punch, and finally......Cherry Cobbler/ White baker's Twine - Hello!!!  These are some drop dead gorgeous things!!! 

I also used a game spinner hand on my compass.....{luv} it :)
take a closer look at the water colored sail boat and compass:

The ship and compass were stamped onto watercolor paper and water colored with my aquapainter and ink refills....ba da bup ba da.....i'm lovin' it!!!!  ;)

What do you think of The Open Sea?  I am totally smitten with the new collection......makes me yearn to see what the New Idea Book and Catalog will have in store for us.......  {{sigh}}

April Showers.....

....bring May flowers, right?  That is what "they" say......  ;)  My daughter has been keeping me in full supply of daffodils from our yard - she picks a few almost daily.  At least we get to see them inside, right?  hehehe....

Well - I gotta tell  you - I loved the Create with Connie and Mary sketch so much this week - I decided to give it another try.  I also just got my Summer Mini Preview order yesterday.....and I had to play with that, right?  Here is a reminder of this week's sketch:

I might have to admit - I think I am getting addicted to sketches....for both cards and scrapbooking....have you noticed the pattern here?  lol!  Anyway - wanna see what I did this time???  Do ya? Do ya?  okay

Well - isn't that the sweetest little thing?  I know - no modesty here today - lol!  Can you spot the new goodies that will be in the summer mini????? 

Well....let's take a closer look - maybe you can pick up on some things:

Did you see that flower?????  OH MY - Wait until you get your hands on the new triple layer punches!!!  Yes - you heard me right - T.R.I.P.L.E. Layer........that means three differnt layers on ONE punch - oh, my head just spins!!!  This punch here is the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch.....{luv} it! 

Look at all the dimension here - i {luv} dimension :)

There are more new things here though.....Did you notice the embossing I did for the stem and butterfly?  Oh yes!  That is right stampers - new COLORED EMBOSSING POWDERS!!!!  I used wild wasabi and melon mambo here - and ther is one more color that will be available.  wanna take a stab at what it might be???  NO?  Well, I will tell youthen......tangerine tango.  HELLO......{{awesome}}

Did you notice the thread that ties the flower and button together????  Another new sneak peek - white baker's twine - I just can't stand it!!!!

Other things to note:  The stamp set used here is bold blossom - such a sweet little flower set.  The butterfly was embossed onto velum card stock and cut out to give it a little bit of delicateness.  Oh my - I am so excited about this new mini cattie....wait until you see what I have to share tomorrow......

Here comes the.......

BLING!  That's what the wedding some should be......because when I girl gets engaged or married - the first thing almost everyone says it "let me see the ring....."  When they really should say ....."well - another one bites the dust!"  LOL!!!  Just kidding......my sarcasm can't help but escape sometimes, guess this is one of the times.

BUT - before we get too deep into this eye candy for the day - I won some MAJOR blog candy over at Create with Connie and Mary....check it out - I feel like lucky royalty.  :)  While you  are there, check out this week's sketch challenge - that was where I started for today.

Here is the sketch:

I did stray a bit with the panel in the lower corner.....you know me.....I always seem to stray a tiny bit.  sorry about that.  Here is what I came up with:

See when I got the whole BLING thing from?  Did you get a look at that rock on the sentiment?  Oh - you didn't???  Well take a closer look:

The sentiment is from Word Play - I must say that this really is a versatile sentiment set.  I put a little bit o'bling on the ring.  All of the white you see on the card is shimmer white card stock - I'm not sure how well that came out in the pictures.......It is very pretty in real life...as opposed to fake life?????  Oops - I digress again....sorry ;)

The sentiment was punched out with the curly label punch and mated with the designer label punch - cute, huh?  I didn't come up with that, but put it in my mind bank to use someday....I guess this is "someday."

When I was getting ready to stamp the sentiment on the inside, I lined it up in the middle and then thought to myself.....you know there is NO rule saying the sentiment has to be in the middle....or even centered.....I am a rebel, that's for sure. 

Well - that about sums it up for today.  Let me know what you think of this little blingin' baby - and also - I changed up the blog banner for you as well.

A whole new world......

hi all! 

At the beginning of the school year - my daughter embarked on a whole new world to her - all day kindergarten.  It was new to both of us.......  I decided that I was going to scrap her an album of her school pictures - one page - one year.  That is not easy for me....I am a two page layout girl most of the time....but I am doing better at doing one pagers.  :)

Now....remember way back when when I first started putting scrapbooking on my blog?????  Well - you probably don't ;)   But I did say that I use all types of supplies for my scrapbooks.....I have tons of it here - so I might as well use it.  I don't buy near as much contraband anymore though.  Stampin' Up! has really upped their game in that department - so there is no need to buy lots elsewhere.  Anyway - here is her kindergarten page:

Phew!  One scrapbook I am caught up with!  LOL!!!  Actually that isn't even true.......I still have to finish the title page and do something with the scrapbook cover.  I guess I am not even close to being caught up......{{sigh}}

The owl and branch are retired stampin up chipboard.  I covered the owl with stamped card stock and the leaves with a scrap of designer series paper from garden gala.  Did you see the branches????  I took the chocolate chip craft ink spot and rubbed it over the branch - making sure to leave some areas uninked.

The stamps are from a company that went out of business about a year ago....too bad, they are cute images.

Well - go scrap :)

Maybe the 5:00 mojo is what it is all about......

Hey everyone!  I got up again today at 5:00 to create some goodness to share.....I KNOW - what is up with this????

I want to start out by saying that I am definitely not the originator of the two ideas that I haev combined on my little beauty today.....but I did need to combine the two for an Easter card for someone who hasn't forgotten that it isn't all about the bunny.  Jesus is also the reason for this season.

Wanna see what I did today?  okay

Well, you like?

I was really pleased with the final outcome.  However - this card is not mailable....sorry post office :(  But I will definitely hand deliver this baby.

I cut the cross with my big shot ans the square lattice die.  A couple of snips and viola - a cross!  I adhered that to a piece of whisper white that had also met the big shot this morning through the vintage wall paper embossing folder....this is my favorite folder, for sure.  I did sponge some bashful blue on the raised ares to kind of give the feeling of sky with out being totally blue.

Wanna closer look at the flower swag that I attached to the cross?

I did actually construct this just like you would make a real swag....It was completely put together and the adhered as one piece to the cross.  The greenery was a combination of the little leaves sizzlet and the branch from the bird punch.  The calla lilies - can you give a guess where they may have come from????

If you guessed a circle punch - you are...........wrong :) 

They are punched out of the blossom petals punch.  I cut the pointy end off of the petal and rolled it up adhering a stamen....aka a sliver of daffodil delight....and a stem.....aka a sliver of old olive with mini glue dots.  Then I used a mini glue dot to adhere the flower together.

I adhered the flowers down onto the greenery and the made a bow from the 1/8th inch whisper white taffeta ribbon.  I adhered it to the card like it might be blowing in the breeze a bit......

It is hard to really see the dimension on this card...I realized that whiel I was typing up this post...so I whipped the card down on my computer and snapped a picture fo it laying down.....sorry for the poor quality ;)

The sentiment is from Easter Blossoms.   I punched it out with the wide oval punch and then just hand cut a daffodil delight mat for around it.

Well...how did I do?

How about a spot of tea?

Now - say that again using your "english" accent.  That's better......

I actually have something else to share with you today.  I got up with the hubby at 5:00 to do a little scrappin'.  I know - getting up at 5:00 when you don't have to - what's up with that?????   Guess I am in a getting up early phase.  whatever :)

So - I was cleaning out a box of random supplies that was in my room - you know the box.....a box of stuff you never intended to be there but you were cleaning up one day and decided to throw all of that stuff in a box to clean up later......do you have one of those?  Well - I have several!  lol!!!  Actually - I have a confession.....All I really did was clean out that box and put the stuff back in it neater - you know, for another time.  lol!!!  Do any of you do that?  hehehe......  Well....in that box was a stack of pictures that I had developed and sorted and stacked on my back to front type of sorting by date......so I decided that I was going to scrap something out of that stack......today.  I pulled out the pictures that were on the bottom of the pile and this is what I did:

What a darling little tidbit of my daughter.....she quite often sets up a little scene for her "friends" and has parties with them or teaches them class.....totally sweet when I catch her doing it when I have no idea what she is really up to :)

Most scrapbookers might look at a stamp set like Morning Cup and think it wouldn't work on a 12x12 layout.....I think I made it work - do you?

I stamped the little tea cups and mugs onto very vanilla card stock and colored them with a blender pen and ink refills.  I anchored them to the center panel with strips of pearls from the adhesive pearl pack stampin up offers...already in a strip, all together in one piece - {luv} that.  The little cups were cut out and adhered to the page with stampin dimensionals.

The sentiment circle was cut with the big shot and the scallop circles die and the 3 inch circle die.  The word TEA is stamped with the broadsheet alphabet.  I also adorned that panel with the tea pot. And I had to add some pearl goodness to that panel...... see:

Well...that about sums it up for today.....I hope you have a wonderful day.  I really think if I started everyday with a little creativity - my world would be a better place...it has worked for the last few days :)

Sew Sweet of you.....

....to drop in and see me today.  We should meet more often ;)

Guess what????  Today is Mojo Monday!!!!  And guess what else???  I actually made my Mojo Monday card on Monday.....I know - I'm on it, right?  lol!!!  Wanna see the sketch?  I thought so:

Sweet one, huh?  I thought it was SEW Sweet.......

I really hope this sew suite collection makes it into the new cattie.....pretty please.....with a tomato on top.....LOL!!!

All of the designer series paper is from sweet stitches.  The ribbon is daffodil delight taffeta ribbon.  Don't you love the button card?  I actually sewed the buttons on the card with white crochet thread.  {luv} it.  And the darling little tomato pin cushion....your pins are multi colored, right????  So are mine :)

The sentiment is stamped on a strip of the designer series paper.  The sweet is from fabulous phrases and the SEW is stamped using the calandar letters and numbers.  I attached it all banner like.....with stampin dinemsionals under the middle of the banner and the ends were trimmed all banner like also.....  lol!

Oh yeah!!  I forgot to mention - the scallop trim on the bottom was made from individual one inch circles the had been punched with the 3/4 inch circle.  darling, huh?

Well - if you have it in you......leave me some lovin' in the comment section.....I won't tell....  ;)

Sweet Niblets!

WELL....MAYBE, just maybe, we watch too much Disney Channel around here......

If you also watch a lot of Disney Channel, then you would recognize the "sweet niblets" phrase from Hannah Montana Forever.  :)  We allow most anything on Disney for the simple fact that not everything that is on regular television channels in thne evening are deemed appropriate for my 5 year old.....lol.  I find myself even lingering on the Disney Channel when flipping channels even when my little one os in bed....HAHA!!!  Not that is some honest confessions of a mom.......

Wondering where I am going with this?  You should be!  lol!!  The Create with Connie and Mary Challenge, of course.  This week's challenge is an inspiration challenge - the picture is a cake - get it?  Sweet Niblets - cake - sweet - tiny bites - niblets.......grasping at straws, I know.  hehehe  Check out the inspiration piece:

Doesn't that look awesome???

I went with colors pulled from it.....but used a deeper blue than the cake.   Wanna see what I came up with?

ok, ok.......

Well?  Did I disappoint you?  I hope not......

Oh - you don't regognize the stamp set????  Well - that is the new set, Strength and Hope that Stampin'Up! has released this month.  Stampin' Up! will donate $2 for every set sold to breast cancer research.  I really wanted to show that you can do so much more with it other than the obvious Breast Cancer colors and themes. 

The butterfly from Strength and Hope is soooo gorgeous, isn't it?  I embossed it onto the new Paisley Petals designer series paper with clear embossing powder and covered it with not quite navy ink and buffed the ink off the embossed areas.  Take a closer look:

The sentiment is from Springtime Smiles out of the Occassions mini.  And the seam binding ribbon - delish!  Well....that about sums it up - have a wonderful day!

What a SALE!

I have been up since 4:00 am just creating away....but I don't have time to photograph right now to post....BUT there is an unbelievable GRAB BAG SALE going on right now!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY STORE TO ORDER YOUR GRAB BAGS

These grab bags must be ordered through the online store - so make sure you click the link above to go to my online store to place your order - be sure to check out the rest of the clearance items before you check out.  (clearance or grab bags can not be ordered through regular workshop or club orders.

There are so awesome deals on the clearance rack - don't let them slip past you.......

WOWZERS!!! Check this out:

What an awesome promotion Stampin' Up! is offering to customers and hostesses this month!  All I can say is - w.o.w.!

You can purchase BRAND NEW - NOT EVEN IN A CATALOG YET - AWESOME stamp set and designer series paper for the month of April only.  If you miss out on this amazing offer - you will not see these beauties again until the new catalog is released.

With a $20 purchase in the month of April - you can order the Four Frames stamp set for $15.95 (#123442 clear) or $20.95 (#123440 wood) and the Paisley Petals designer series paper for only $9.95 (#122367).

The Four Frames stamp set coordinates with the designer label punch - awesome!

 And, the Paisley Petals designer series paper - well, it speaks for itself!  See:

Well - I told you it was awesome! 
All I can say is there better be a coordinating stamp set coming our way.......just sayin'.... ;)

well- that is about all the excitement I can take right now...lol!  Now - go stamp.