Scrapbook Sunday #18 & Jen's SFYTT

Happy Sunday! I'm very lazy today and moving slowly! It's nice hanging out with dh and the dog and watching the Olympics though, in the nice, cool, air-conditioning!

I went to a crop last night with some chicas, and I'm sad to say, this page and card (a 2nd crappy card will never see the light of day!) is about all I made! ugh! And this page wasn't even completely finished, I completed it at home today! lol! No mojo, you know how it goes. But as I've explained before, I mostly go for the girl-time with friends and the exercise (you know, hauling all your crap out and in and out and in!). We had a good time, nonetheless!

For the card, I used the new SU set Organic Outline that I won at Convention (you may remember from here.) I used Jen's Sketch For You to Try...luckily I had a great sketch to work with, thanks Jen!, or I wouldn't have come up with anything! lol!

For the page, I used the new SU In-Color Pink Pirouette in the textured 12x12 cardstock. Love that stuff! The design is based on Sketch This #61, a super easy sketch. I think I'm probably too "literal" with sketches, maybe I'll work on that. I probably should have at least matted the photo, but oh well!

The little circles and letters are from the SU Bella Rosa paper, are you sick of it yet?! For the letters, I used my Cuttlebug & Red Tag Sale Alphabet. Thought I better get some practice as I'll be ordering the new SU-Sizzix Big Shot tomorrow on a demo pre-order! The new catalog goes live tomorrow at noon mountain time, so be sure and check it out!

Okay, I better get moving...that laundry isn't going to do itself! lol! Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope to have some good stuff to share this week as it's my last week of freedom before reporting back to school!

Have you stamped something today?

Card Recipe
Stamps: Organic Outline
Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Bella Rosa DSP.
Ink: Red Riding Hood, Staz-On Brown.
Accessories: Vintage Brad, Coluzzle & Circle Template, Paper Piercer & Guide, Dimensionals, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Corner Rounder.

Page Recipe
Stamps: SU So Much, Family quote by Catslife Press.
Cardstock: Pink Pirouette 12x12 Textured, Bella Rosa DSP.
Ink: Red Riding Hood, Staz-On Brown.
Accessories: Vintage Brads, 1/2" Circle Punch, Cuttlebug & Red Tag Sale Alphabet.

Kazan's Sketch #6 with Fabulous Flowers

Happy Saturday! Can you believe it? I pulled out an old set, Fabulous Flowers, and used it! lol! I had been working on a card for Kazan's Sketch #6 over at 2 Sketches 4 You for several days now, but kept leaving it to work on something else.

The main image here was kind of an accident...I stamped several flowers on white cardstock and started cutting them out to layer them. But then I looked at the flowers on this white piece and I loved them, so decided to work with them instead. I still wasn't sure where it was going until I saw that bluish scallop scrap piece laying on my desk (from my Scarlet Lime kit last month)...I tossed it in and loved the color, which is almost exactly like Baja Breeze. And there you have it! lol!

Does everyone have big weekend plans? Mine is off to a very lazy start! I can't believe I have only one week left before I have to report back to school! Where did this summer go? I'm ready to get back, though, I have to admit it. I'm missing those kiddos!

Hope you have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Have you stamped something today?

Recipe
Stamps: Fabulous Flowers
Cardstock: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Bella Rosa DSP; GCD Studios Blue Liberty paper.
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Red Riding Hood, Staz-On Brown.
Accessories: Red Riding Hood Button, Linen Thread, White Taffeta Ribbon (dyed in red ink), Border Scallop Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Border Scallop Punch, 2-Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals.

Ribbon Yo-Yo Gift Bag & Tutorial

Happy Friday! I've been making a lot of cards lately (I actually made 3 yesterday to actually mail out!), so I thought I would try something 3-D this morning. I loved the ribbon yo-yo we made as one of the Convention make and takes, so I thought I would try another one. The only ribbon I had wide enough was the twill tape, so I decided it needed a shabby chic look, which is so easy with the Bella Rosa paper. (I know SU calls it Bella Rose, but that's wrong, and it should be called Bella Rosa!) I loved the way it turned out, finally a *great* use for this extra-wide twill tape!

FYI, I stumbled across Marlene's great blog yesterday, and this card inspired my piecing strips. I'm bad about always making my strips straight, and I really liked the way they were overlapped crooked. Hers had stitching, which was even better, but I can't attempt to do that until I get that Janome mini sewing machine!

Okay, wanna see how to do the ribbon yo-yo? It's easy peasy.

Simple materials: wide ribbon, needle & thread (I used SU linen thread, but it won't show, so it doesn't really matter. Also, I used about 12" of twill tape and don't worry if it's wrinkled like this one, it won't show!)

Run a simple running stitch along the edge:


Start gathering it up when you get to the end:


Run the stitch from the finishing end through to the other end where you started and knot. (I usually try to tuck under the unfinished edge, but I forgot in this photo. No worries, I tucked it under later and you can't see it.)


The finished ribbon yo-yo:


Let me know if you have any questions! If you want to try the fabric version, Heather Bailey has a great tutorial here. Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day!

Have you stamped something today?

Recipe
Stamps: Wow Flowers.
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Red Riding Hood, Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, Bella Rosa DSP.
Ink: Red Riding Hood.
Accessories: Twill Tape, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Glue Dots, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Crop-a-Dile, needle & thread, kraft bag from Joanns.

Kristina's Color Inspiration #18: Eastern Blooms & Inspired by Nature

Happy Thursday! Hope everyone is having a good day! I finally did some stamping today because luckily I did not get selected for jury duty! They only called jurors 1 - 125, and since I was 475, I got to leave. It was perfect because I didn't want to do it, of course, but I didn't have to feel *rejected* by not getting chosen if they had interviewed me. (I know...I'm very complicated...it's not easy being in my head!).

Anyway, I checked out Kristina's Color Inspiration #18 and gave it a go...two times! I did change the Gable Green to Old Olive, just had to do it. The first card above is my *normal* style, and I made it after attempting the watercolor card shown below, NOT my *normal* style! lol! For the one above, I used the new Convention set Eastern Blooms, and I used the Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red & Old Olive markers with the Stamp-a-ma-Jig for placement (the 3 flowers are on one block). And see that library clip?! Yahoo! They made it into the new catalog! Thanks SU!

While talking to some girls at Convention, I realized I hadn't used my watercolor crayons for a LONG time, like years probably, since they first came out. So I thought I would give them a try with another new Convention set, Inspired by Nature. I used the Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa, and Old Olive watercolor crayons directly on the stamp, then I misted it with a plant water mister. It was pretty blah, and dh said it needed more color. His quote: "Watercoloring doesn't mean invisible." ha! ha! ha! I added some more color, (it needs more blending I believe, from looking at it now), but at that point, I was done! I also did not notice the Rose Red in the challenge in time for this one, doh! Anyway, here is an attempt at my "softer" side! lol!


I hope everyone is staying cool across the country, it's really been roasting! Thanks so much for stopping by and for leaving the sweetest comments! You've really helped make my summer fun!

Have you stamped something today?

Recipe #1
Stamps: Eastern Blooms, All Holidays.
Cardstock: Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White.
Ink: Staz-On Black; Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, & Old Olive markers.
Accessories: Library Clip, Black Brads, Dimensionals.

Recipe #2
Stamps: Inspired by Nature
Cardstock: Old Olive, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Confetti White.
Ink: Staz-On Black, Versamark, Old Olive (for darkening the torn edge).
Accessories: Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Cutter Kit (for distressing edges), Dimensionals, Water Mister, Watercolor Crayons.

Stampin' Up! Convention 2008 Make & Takes

Happy Wednesday! I'm trying to put on a brave face as I'm off to jury duty this morning. Ugh! I was supposed to go originally three days before my trip to Missouri, but I rescheduled it in case I was selected for a mob murder case or drug trafficking case or police brutality case that carried on for weeks and my family and I were threatened and coerced and forced into hiding. You know, I didn't want that to interfere with my vacation.

But on a high note, what do you think of this little darling that came in Tuesday afternoon?! I sure could have used the Maps feature on it when I was driving around lost in Salt Lake City last week. (Don't even get me started on their street numbering system!!) Do you think I'll be allowed to catch up on my Google Reader during jury duty? Or do they frown upon that? Just kidding anyways, my obsessive-compulsive nature kept me up until 2:30 am Monday night/Tuesday morning reading them all. I HAD to get that number down to zero!

Okay, on to the projects! I'm so excited because I actually finished up my Convention Make & Takes Tuesday!! I've been to five conventions, two regionals, and two leaderships, and NEVER finished all the make and take projects! They are still in their original craft keepers, sitting on a shelf in the closet in the stamp room. I just can't ever concentrate and finish at events. I came the closest at this Convention, but then to get them out and finish them up at home, I'm just so proud of myself! They are pretty darned cute, check them out!

My favorite one shown first, a note card set and box, uses the Eastern Blooms set. No, mine doesn't look like the original sample because one, I was too lazy to mask off and use the flower they said, and two, when I went back to add one more flower in a blank spot, I accidentally stamped it in Chocolate Chip. Doh! No other choice but to add more Chocolate Chip flowers, although the big fabric rosette is covering some now. Isn't that rosette cool? It's made like a yo-yo, if you've ever made those before.
This is an 8x8 scrapbook page that we made, but I went ahead and made it into a 12x12 page and added a photo. I know, a miracle! There's also a detail shot of the fabulous Baja Breeze felt flower! It comes in a new assortment with Chocolate Chip & Pink Pirouette, yummo!


Love this bookmark made from Eastern Blooms and Pacific Point 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon. Isn't the Filigree charm on the end precious too? (Left for Dead is my current summer read. I've just finished The Last Wife of Henry VIII and Confessions of a Teen Sleuth: A Parody.)

This is a super easy little mini-album made from a small open-ended envelope and two strips of textured Tango Tangerine cardstock. I love the little beads glued on with a tiny drop of Crystal Effects.


I love this card with the matching envelope. I'm going to make more cards this size, they are really fun!

This is a great gift bag too. The new prints in the Patterns Designer Series Papers are awesome! And I finally made a bow like Jenn showed on her video tutorial!



This simple little card features a circle cut with the Coluzzle and a new chipboard "u" from On Board Loads of Letters. Isn't that new 1" Double-Stitched Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon yummy too?! It also comes in Baja Breeze, Rose Red, and Bashful Blue.


And last, but not least, my least favorite card! lol! I liked it okay, really, I just had trouble with it. We used the new Floral Frenzy dry embossing template, but we embossed on the opposite side that you normally would, so the flowers are sunk in on the top. (Is this called "debossing"?) Then you run the brayer over it, and the color is *not supposed* to run into the flowers, they should stay white. I think I pressed too hard or something, most of us did, as I think Lori is the only one whose piece turned out right. But in the end, we colored the flowers in with the white gel pen, so it turned out okay! You were also supposed to sponge a contrasting color of ink after brayering, but I did not, as I just really don't believe in sponging in most cases. I don't know how I achieved that mottled affect, but I like it!


Okay, that may be my longest post ever! Schwooo! If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments or email me! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have you stamped something today?

Always Shoebox Swap

Happy Tuesday! As I was frantically *starting* to come up with a Shoebox Swap card at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night before I had to fly out to Convention on Wednesday morning (what is wrong with me?!), I pulled out one of my favorite sets, Always (on page 57), that has been neglected for awhile. I must have been channeling Stampin' Up!, because when I got there, this bird was everywhere...like here and here and in the new designer series paper called Sweet Always. Love it!

I uploaded more Convention photos to my Webshots last night, like some of this room that SU had on display in the Gathering Place. I love "officey" stuff like this. Do you recognize that stamp used on the wall? It's the prize one I received, Organic Outlines, and it will also be available in Decor Elements Phase 2 as you can see on the chair.





If you'd like to look at certain things in my Webshots Convention album, here's a little guide for you:

• more room/home decor displays from Gathering place, middle of page 4, start here
• Sizzix Big Shots samples, page 5, here
• Flight of the Butterfly (new set), page 5, start here
• Inspired by Nature (new set), page 6, start here
• Eastern Blooms (new set), page 6, start here
• Make & Takes, Brent Steele projects, and new products, page 7, start here

Hope that helps! Thanks for you sweet comments about posting during Convention. I really felt bad because I had planned on posting and sharing lots more, but we seemed to be out so late each night and I was more tired than usual. We had a good deal (thanks, Asha!) on a super nice hotel by the airport (less than 10 minute drive), but it didn't allow us anytime to just "chill" in our room between events, which I think wore us out more. The money savings was worth it, though, because I can "chill" out at home now for free! lol!

Thanks for stopping by! Have you stamped something today?

Recipe
Stamps: Always, All Holiday
Cardstock: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Bella Rosa DSP.
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Red Riding Hood.
Accessories: Border Scallop Punch, Vintage Brad, 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Photo Corner Punch, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer.

Sock Monkey Swap

Happy Monday! We made it back from Convention safely, and now I'm wandering around in a dazed, exhausted stupor! lol! The whole Convention experience was wonderful, but I especially enjoyed meeting up and visiting with so many friends and stampers out there! I'm filled with memories of hugs and smiles and laughter, and I can't imagine anything better than that.

Here is one more swap card I made for an organized swap with my Sensational Swappers group. I got back the most amazing swaps from them, thank you girls! I started working on these while on vacation at my folk's house in Missouri and actually ran out of time at the end to paper pierce around the edges. (My friend Robyn even *finished* them for me by tying on the ribbon and adding the sentiment with the brad! Thanks, Robyn!) For the white strip, I punched both sides with the Border Scallop Punch, then used the 1/8" Circle Punch to make the hole on each scallop. Can you guess how crippled my hand was after all that punching?! lol!

Well, I have unpacking and laundry to get started (ugh!) and some new stamp sets dying to be used, and I'm trying not to freak out over catching up on my Google Reader! lol! Hope y'all have a great day! Thanks for stopping by! Have you stamped something today?

Recipe
Stamps: Sock Monkey
Cardstock: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White.
Ink: Staz-On Brown, Baja Breeze.
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, 2-Way Glue Pen, Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Border Scallop Punch, 1/8" Cirlce Punch, Vintage Brad, Paper Piercer & Guide, Aquapainter, Pure Color Pencils (Oops, colored these before the retired accessories list came out & didn't know those were going to be discontinued! Devastating news for me, I use these ALL the time!)

Wow Flowers Swap Card

Happy early Sunday morning! Another late night from Convention, can't believe it's over already! Boo! Hoo! This is another one of my swaps using the Wow Flowers set. Love this fun set, plus so many more from the new catalog. Did I mention the new chandelier stamp yet?! Did you hear that, Amy?! You started my whole chandelier yearnings, you know!

The last general session was awesome! You may have already heard, but UPS (Stampin' Up! is a big client for UPS, you know!) donated the new Ronald McDonald stamp set, called Say It With Scallops, to EVERY demonstrator there! It was so cool, we had just watched a funny "promotional video" about Convention next year, titled Convention Barbie, and these little girls were playing with SU demonstrator Barbies and a UPS Ken doll arrived at the doll house delivering a tiny little Stampin' Up! box.

Then Shelli is talking about Convention next year, and a door bell sound rings and a UPS man walks out on stage with a box. He's trying to deliver a package and Shelli reads the address label and says something like, "Oh, it's for everyone!" Of course, the crowd went WILD! Nothing excites 6,000 women (and a few men!) like FREE STAMPS! lol! Here is a pic of my bff and downline Lori holding up the stamp set:

Now for the really exciting news, I actually won another free stamp set called Organic Outlines! This is the 5th convention I've attended, and it was my first time to win one of the additional prizes, so I was super excited, as you can see:

Besides free stamps, one of the best things about Convention is meeting up with real and online friends. I got to know Mary Jo Albright last year, and I love her to death. She is truly one of the sweetest, kindest people you'll ever meet, and of course, you already know how stinkin' talented she is! We got a chance to visit quickly on Thursday and again on Saturday, so thankful for that!

Okay, over and out for now! I'll be flying back to Dallas soon and will upload more pictures and put some ink to my new stamp sets, can't wait! Thanks for stopping by!

Big Shot News!

Happy Saturday morning! Here's another swap I made for an exchange with my buds at Sensational Swappers. I used the Punch Pals set that I recently got with my SAB rewards. I love penguins every since that movie Happy Feet. I'm not much of a water-colorer, but I used the Aquapainters here with the ink pad smooshed in the lid technique. I realized it stinks when Brent Steele, head of Art Dept at SU, reminded us Thursday how watercoloring is supposed to be messy and outside the lines. I have trouble with that. *sigh*


As you may have heard, today's big announcemet is that Stampin' Up! is now partnering with Sizzix to offer the Big Shot die cut system! I'm so excited about the exclusive die cuts we'll have, including an awesome banner/pennant one! You can use it with like 50 different materials! Here are some things Shelli showed us today that she and her daughter made in preparation for her soon-to-be-born newest granddaughter, Phoebe. Just love her vintagey style!

This is an amazing fabric apron that Shelli wore during her presentation made of fabric die-cut with the Baskets & Bloom Die.

We're having a great time here at Convention, but I do have to admit that Lori and I snuck out of two classes Friday afternoon because we (okay, mainly I) had to have a nap! We then enjoyed an amazing dinner at The New Yorker Club, where I experienced two "Big O" cocktails (that's all I'm going to say about that!), before joining up with the Sensational Swappers group for a shoebox swap. What a great time we had! It was so great catching up with all the girls again and stamping some fabulous cards they designed. Here's a group picture of us.

Guess I better get to bed, 6:30 am will be coming way too fast and someone will need another nap! lol! Thanks for stopping by!

Wow Flowers (with bling) from Convention

Happy Friday from Salt Lake City! This is a swap I made for my bffs from the Great Swap Girls. It was so fabulous meeting and swapping with them today! I'm shocked to say, however, that I didn't take any pictures today, except for these two. The first is the delicious cupcakes that were waiting for us at lunch, yummy! Yes, those little 20th Year medallions on top are chocolate!!

The next picture is my bff Lori that I finally convinced to sign up in March so she could come to Convention with me. I've been working on her for six years! On the way to the Awards ceremony tonight, we realized we hadn't taken any pictures of us yet this trip, and you know we have to have some to scrapbook! The entertainment after the awards was the musical quartet Tonic Sol-fa. They were awesome...and not hard on the eyes either, which is always a plus when you're playing to 6,000 women!

So some big SU announcements of the day...you've probably already heard, but my top picks:

1. Shelli Garnder is finally starting a blog, So Shelli, that will go live on Monday, August 4th! I've been writing this suggestion on surveys for some time now and apparently I wasn't the only one. I think it will be great for SU! Besides all the stuff she'll share, she'll have challenges and personally select the winners! Isn't that cool?!

2. SU will have a special line of products that are Shelli's picks that will start in this coming Holiday Mini Catalog. Can't wait to see them!

3. SU will have a special partnership with Country Living magazine again this year by offering a special holiday kit that will be featured in a 21 page spread in the special Holiday issue of Country Living! How great is that!

There are more big announcements today, can't wait to hear them!

Hope your week is going well! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have you stamped something today?

Recipe

Stamps: Wow Flowers.

Cardstock: Pacific Point, Red Riding Hood, Whisper White.

Ink: Pacific Point, Red Riding Hood, Old Olive.

Accessories: Circle Rhinestone Brad, 5/8" Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals.