MIA

I honestly don't know how time gets away from me  I can't believe its  been nearly a week since I last posted!  I've certainly been busy in the interim and have lots of great projects to show  you.  Today I'll start with a card I designed for one of my monthly groups who met last week.  It is a card that could be a Valentine or easily be altered for  a birthday or even Mother's Day (which is what one of my club ladies did!) just by switching out the sentiment.  See what you think:

Valentine for a friend using the P.S I Love You and Take it to Heart stamp sets from the Occasions Mini as well as a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes

Inside view

Now I have to say that this is another CASE of a card I saw on our demonstrator forum.  The original designer (whose name escapes me) used the I [Heart] Hearts stamp set, which I don't own, so I had to get creative  in switching up the design to work with what I had on-hand.  The original card also used the new Hearts Framelits which are on their way, but haven't arrived in my stamp corner yet.  So, instead, I used a heart from the Take it to Heart set (which I received for free during an SU incentive campaign last fall) and punched it out with my full heart punch.  It doesn't quite fit the punch...it left a border around the image, but I rather like it!  I then die-cut the little hearts using my Fashionable Hearts embosslit die.  The background of the focal image is a stamp from the P.S I Love You set...have to say I'm using that set a lot this Valentine's day!  I always enjoy the challenge of redesigning a card to work with product I have on-hand...try it the next time you see something you love but think you can't make because you are missing some of the elements in your stash.  Just find ways to make it work with what you have.  As for the rest of the card, the colour scheme is pulled from the Everyday Enchantment DSP:  calypso coral, lucky limeade, pool party, poppy parade and soft suede.  Both the DSP and the little flower brad are available for free during Sale-a-bration...so get shopping and choose which freebies you'd like!

An In-Colour Valentine

Whew...what a busy 24 hours!  My workshop last night was terrific with my host earning a ton of free product and some super Sale-a-bration extras including a great reusable tote bag and a bundle of three SAB-exclusive products:  Fresh Vintage stamp set, Everyday Elegance DSP and the ribbon and brad pack.  Then it was home to unpack and repack for my monthly group at school.  After teaching all day today and then teaching my stamping class I rushed home to dinner and then out again to my son's first class of the new semester of Kindermusik!  Now I'm ready to drop...bath and bed are in my immediate future...but first I wanted to post a fun Valentine's card that I designed for my monthly group that met today.  It uses three of my favourite in-colours: lucky limeade, island indigo and pool party...not exactly traditional Valentine colours...check it out:

CAS Valentine (based on a layout by a fellow demonstrator on our online forum) using the Sweet Cake stamp set.

Inside view with sentiment from the P.S. I Love You stamp set.

One of the things I like most about this card is the colour scheme.  The island indigo, pool party and lucky limeade are all made using cardstock I received for FREE from the Sale-a-bration catalogue!  Nothing better than free stuff!  I used river rock for the card base, which is a colour I rarely use, but it works really well with the blues and green...so well that I fully intend to use this colour scheme again!  This card came together really quickly at my class today...and my ladies loved it!  It is the perfect Valentine to give to the man in your life. 
Now I am off to have a nice hot bath and get into my jammies...have a great evening and happy stamping!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Nope...its not Christmas...or back to school for that matter (have I ever mentioned how much we teachers HATE those Staples commercials?).  It is SALE-A-BRATION!!  For the next 10 weeks Stampin' Up is offering a ton of fantastic promotions.  What's all the excitment about?  FREE STUFF that's what!  There are three ways you can earn free product:

I am so excited about this year's edition of Sale-a-bration!  There are so many fabulous products that I can't wait to get my hands on!  I've been showcasing a few products over the past month or so, but look forward to more great projects using products from the SAB catty.
Tonight I have my first SAB workshop...on the first day of the promotion, no less!  I'll post photos of the projects tomorrow...it promises to be a fun evening.  Call or email today to book your SAB event and start your wishlist.  I'll do my best to help you earn everything on it!

Vintage Birthday

One of my stampin' buddies recently celebrated a milestone birthday.  I won't say which one, but it is the same one I celebrated last June!  In honour of her birthday I created this vintage birthday card for her...after all, she is a classic!

Birthday card for a stampin' pal using the Forever Young stamp set and sentiment from Word Play.

One of my favourite parts of this card is the background.  I'm not sure it is visible in this photo, but I created an embossed background on the black card base by randomly scoring a grid using my Simply Scored.  It was SO quick and easy to do and adds an interesting backdrop for the rest of the card.  Try it...you'll be glad you did!
I used lots of other details to add to the vintage feel, including a strip of Timeless Portrait designer fabric, an antique brad and some black velour ribbon that is long-retired.   I wanted the sentiment to kind of float on the card so I heat embossed it with pewter embossing powder and then fussy-cut it out before popping it up against the black decorative label (which I embossed using the houndstooth folder).
On another note, there are just FOUR more days until the start of Sale-a-bration!!  Are you excited???  I sure am...and I have a workshop booked on the very first day to share my excitement with a whole lot of new stampers.  I can't wait!  This weekend is all about making my list for my very large order that is going in first thing on Tuesday morning!  Happy shopping and have a great weekend!

The January Blahs

I definitely have a case of the mid-winter blues.  I just feel lousy and haven't had much interest or motivation to do much of anything...including stamp!  I have to say that has never happened to me before...stamping is usually the way I snap out of the blues.  In any case, I had to start planning for some upcoming classes and workshops, so I got onto our demonstrator forum in search of inspiration.  Boy, did I sure find it!  There are so many talented stampers out there!!  Today's card is one I CASE'd from a card by a fellow demonstrator; unfortunately I didn't save the post and can't give credit where it is due.  Just know that this layout is not my original idea.  Have a look...

Valentine's card using the P.S. I Love You stamp set from the Occasions Mini

Inside view with image and sentiment from the Sprinkled Expressions stamp set from the SAB Catalogue.

This card is so simple, yet effective.  I used the Scalloped Heart of Hearts embosslit to cut the grey hearts and then punched several different papers and stamped images using my full heart punch.  The punched shape fits perfectly inside the scalloped heart die cut.  For a little texture I added an embossed border using one of the folders in the Adorning Accents set.  The image and sentiment on the inside are both from one of the stamp sets that is available for FREE with a $60 order during Sale-a-bration.  Only 6 more days till the start of Stampin' Up's biggest (and BEST) promotion of the year...are you ready?  If not, start making your wishlist and choosing which items from the SAB catalogue you want for free!  Then book your workshop and get even MORE free stuff as a hostess!  Hurry...Sale-a-bration only runs till the end of March...after that those amazing, SAB-exclusive products will be gone for good!

Amour for the Monkey

I was asked to be a guest designer for this week's challenge over at A La Card Monkey.  The sketch is a simple one which allows for lots of creativity and plenty of room for interpretation.  Since my week was SOOO busy last week, I found myself throwing this card together after work on Friday, rushing to meet my deadline!  The result is not my favourite card ever, but it is a nice, understated Valentine that  would be perfect for just about anyone.

Vintage-inspired Valentine's card for this week's A La Card Monkey challenge.

Inside view

Ok, I used a bunch of different stamp sets for this card.  I pulled one or more images from each of the following sets:  French Foliage, Creative Elements, Artistic Etchings, and Take it to Heart.  My colour scheme was simple:  Poppy Parade, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla.  I did manage to take my new Edgelits for a test drive, using the scalloped die to cut the bottom edge of my DSP layer.  I have to say they are as easy to use as the new Framelits...and they're a snap!  If you haven't already ordered yours, you'll want to do so soon...you'll wonder how you ever lived without them!
Now for other news...as some of you are aware, my master bathroom has been under renovation for more than a year and a half.  What started as a simple shower project turned into an almost complete remodel.  It has been a huge source of stress waiting for it to finally get done (yes, my husband was doing this project himself!).  Well, I am thrilled to say that my bathroom is DONE!!!!  My son is having a bath in there as I type this post...and when he's done it is SO my turn!  I am going to have the longest bath in history...I may not get out until I have to go to work tomorrow morning!  If you don't hear from me over the next couple of days...you'll know where I am...

Another Hectic week in the books...

TGIF!!  This week has been SOOOO long!  I hate the first week back to work after a vacation...it is always a shock to the system and this week was extra-busy with my team meeting on Monday night, a parent meeting and an open house at school on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Whew... I have worked some long hours this week!  So I'll say it again...THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY!!  (In fact, tonight at dinner while saying grace I did...thank God, that is). 
So...tonight I have the final card from my One-Sheet-Wonder class.  Today is the deadline to register and there is still room, so call or email to reserve your spot if you haven't already done so.  And now, without further ado, here is the card...

Card #6 in my One-Sheet-Wonder series using Fresh Vintage stamp set and sentiment from Occasions Alphabet.

I saved my favourite card for last.  I'm not sure why, but something about this one appeals to me.  It is really simple to put together...I actually CASE'd myself for a shoebox swap I did at our last team meeting, so it must be easy! 
I've been so busy this week I forgot to mention that I am a guest designer for this weeks challenge over at A La Card Monkey.  I will post my card for you tomorrow but you can get a sneak peek by checking out the challenge later tonight.  I also found out that I was one of the Artist Picks over at Hand Stamped Sentiments for last week's challenge...

for THIS CARD.  If you get a chance this weekend, why not try an online challenge?  They are fun and a great way to ignite your creativity.  Have a great weekend, everybody....TGIF!!