Happy Father's Day...Yeah Summer!

Yesterday was my monthly Ladies Night workshop and I had two projects lined up. First we tackled this fun Fathers Day card.
Using the Big Shot we ran some card stock through with a Texturz plate. Then adding layers of different colors to create a faux woodgrain. Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, and Chocolate Chip Craft! It was fun to color and cut out the little tools from the Totally Tool stamp set and mount them with dimensionals.

I designed the following sketch earlier this week with a dual purpose. It's not only the basis for the second Ladies Night project...a Summery 12x12 scrapbook page, but it's what I posted this afternoon as today's sketch challenge on Splitcoaststampers!

SBSC194 Gallery

...and here's my Summer page!

Stampin' Recipe: Stamps: Big Deal Alphabet, Just Beachy, Lazy Days Jumbo Wheel

Paper: Whisper White textured paper, Pink Passion, Summer Sun, Tangerine Tango, Walk in the Park DSP

Ink: Basic Black, Pink Passion, Summer Sun, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Lovely Lilac Jumbo ink cartridge

Accessories: Baja Breeze Double Stitched Ribbon, So Saffron Ribbon, Texturz Plates #4 for Big Shot (Paisley), Clear Bigz Flower Die, Pink Passion Marker, Black Journaler, Stampin Dimensionals, 1" circle punch

Ooooo Pretty Colors!

I'm ready to yell from the rooftops - I got the New 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog today! HOORAY!!!

It came with some sneak peek items I preordered...notice the pretty new In Color colors? Anyway, I was so excited to share the news I haven't even cracked it open yet. I'm actually going to run off to Staples and get it spiral bound before I do...wish me luck! ;)

PS, don't forget about my open house on the 28th. This'll be your chance to look inside and reserve your copy too! More details HERE.

Last Chance

After June 30, 2009, these stamp sets will be gone for good!

There is also a somewhat extensive list of accessories that will be no longer available. These items will show as unavailable on my website as they sell out.

It's Not For Lunch

Last night I hosted my monthly Ladies Night workshop. We did these little paper bag books in honor of National Scrapbooking month. Everyone started with the same supplies, but I encouraged them to plan the assembly their way and play with the different papers before adhering anything down. Each book was a unique masterpiece!

The alphabet stamped on the cover, Jumble Alphabet, is on sale this month as a special sneak preview. It's 20% off until May 31, 2009. Regularly $43.95 it's on sale for $35.16. Paper packs are also on sale right now buy 3 get one free. For more details visit my website! I love my book and can hardly wait to add photos of my girls!!!

Here's the rest of my book...

It features two pull out pages within the book.

There are several ways you can bind a paper bag book, but I like to sew them. The photo above shows the stitched center, and you can see how the book lays nice and flat when open! Other methods are cute, but can limit the usable space left inside as well as make the book less functional.


Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla, Washington Apple Designer Series Paper
INK - Riding Hood Red
STAMPS - Jumble Alphabet, Schoolbook Serif Numbers
OTHER - Flower Brads, BIGZ Top Note Die, 1-3/4 Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Tab Punch, ModPodge, Foam brush

Also, before I forget...here's today's sketch!

SBSC191 Gallery

Sketches a Plenty

Every Friday I put up a sketch on SplitcoastStampers, but I usually don't post it again here unless I have a layout to share. Call me silly, but I feel obligated to include a "crafty example" since this is where my creative projects are displayed for all (What I really need to do is scrap more! ). Anyway I'm planning to change that, so hopefully you will see more of my sketches here without the need to find them in the SCS Challenge Forum.


I like to use LOTS of photos when I scrap, and so a lot of the time my sketches will reflect that. This was the DPS I posted on May 8th...a layout ready for a special event or another time when you have an abundance of pictures to use.
A few scrappers have taken this one for a spin, check this out:

SBSC189 Gallery

Last Friday, however, I posted a DPS that isn't too overloaded, no special sizes or crazy cuts required...and go figure, I used it too!!! lol

Here's the sketch
And here's my layout...

If you'd like to see more examples, check this out:

SBSC190 Gallery

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ALSO, don't forget about my May Contest! Another sketch for your scrapping pleasure, visit the original posting HERE to see the sketch and get the low down on how YOU can win!

Hugs,
Sally

Party Time

This is a card I whipped up this morning for our little neighbor AJ's 2nd birthday! It is almost hard for me to come up with something suitable for a BOY. I have so many flower images and since I scrapbook more than I make cards, it was hard not to reach for the pink.

This was fun, and a really simple layout. I put AJ's present in a Blue's Clues gift bag and it was my initial inspiration for this color combo...

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Summer Sun, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White
INK - Summer Sun, Tangerine Tango, Green Galore, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel
MARKERS - Green Galore, Chocolate Chip
STAMPS - Schoolbook Serif Numbers, Zoofari, All Holidays, Frames with a Flourish
OTHER - Aqua Painter, small circle punch

Scrap Scrap Scrap and WIN!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!! It's actually National Scrapbooking Month and I'm posting a special sketch. This is my first time to have a contest on my blog and I'm really excited!!! How do you enter to win!? Just use my sketch and post a link back here in the comments. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on May 31st.

The prize - a FABULOUS Simply Scrappin' Kit no longer available for purchase...Just Delightful
This kit includes 18 sheets of assorted card stock, paper and self adhesive die cuts. A $20 value!
• 1 sheet of So Saffron 12 x 12 card stock
• 1 sheet of Very Vanilla 12 x 12 card stock
• 3 sheets of Certainly Celery 12 x 12 card stock
• 3 sheets of Bashful Blue 12 x 12 card stock
• 4 sheets of 12 x 12 printed paper, and
• 6 sticker sheets with frames, borders and various tags and flower patterns in all shapes and sizes.

This is an incredible kit! You can also use the card stock and stickers to make tons of cards or other projects...here's a Delightful example:


PS, my May newsletter went out today, if you aren't a subscriber you can view it on my blog in the sidebar, and also use the link to sign up if you'd like to receive it directly to your email each month!

Treasured Trash

HAppY EaRth Day Crafters!!!
I am so passionate about recycling and living green that I had to post something to share today. I'm sure most crafters do the same and keep boxes and containers that would be easily be re-purposed and use them at a later date. Here's a look at some things I've done...


I have a serious stockpile of wasbi pea tins and have used them to make a variety of things. I've done "goody bags" for my daughters party and given treats in them during the holidays. The photo below shows a couple I've kept for myself. I have tips & ideas I want to try someday in one and alphabet embellishments in the other!

Have a look at this...

This is where we keep all the art stuff for my crafty chickens. The girls love to draw and color and paint...and you guessed it stamp! ;) Anyway, check out the tub of crayons, do you recognize it? It had a clear plastic lid when it was bought. My oldest daughter made it into a pretty nifty valentine box one year. She covered it with paper and cut a slot in the lid. Then added pretty stickers. I imagine we tossed (I mean recycled) the lid after it became the home for the multiplying crayons!!! Still not sure what it used to be?

Hope you have a GREAT day ladies, and I challenge you to save something from the trash and reuse it!

It's All About the GIRLS

At my house this is pretty much a true statement 24/7. But in this instance I'm actually referring to my monthly workshop...Ladies Night! Our technique this month is water coloring, and I've cooked up two different cards water colored in two different ways.

The first one is a Mother's Day card that I began by stamping the background with bleach. You never know what color your card stock will be when bleached. Pacific Point becomes Gable Green, so with these two colors to build on, I decided Pirouette Pink and Baja Breeze would be a nice compliment.
This is a more classic approach to water coloring. I chose a line art image I could color (the flower) and I stamped it using Gable Green Craft and heat embossed it with Clear EP. That sealed the ink so I could watercolor without worry! ;) Once it was colored and trimmed out I added a Rhinestone brad. So simple!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Gable Green, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
INK - Gabe Green Craft, Pacific Point Classic, Baja Breeze Classic
STAMPS - All Holidays, Doodle This OTHER - Circle Scissor, Paper Crimper, Fire Square Brad, 1" Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (Baja Breeze), Aqua Painter, stapler

For the Second card I used Watercolor Paper and my Watercolor Pencils. A completely different take on water coloring...and I'm excited about using this technique to do sunsets! I basically scribbled on the Watercolor Paper leaving some white space and then "painted" over the scribbles with my Aqua Painter. I heated it a little to make sure it was dry before I stamped the images over it, and I really LOVE how this card came out!!!


Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Orchid Opulence, Elegant Eggplant, Patterns Pack II (Regal Rose), Watercolor Paper
INK - StazOn
STAMPS - Great Friend
OTHER - Watercolor Pencils, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon

Ladies Night * April 23, 2009 * 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Showing my Gratitude

I had a birthday a few weeks ago and my sweet sweet husband threw me a party! It was a surprise party too!!! We were meeting friends at a local restaurant and SURPRISE there were a LOT more friends seated in the back! That was all too exciting and I loved every minute of it!
My best friend Maureen was my hubby Gabe's accomplice and she had the tables decked out with rose petals, flower arrangements, and balloons! Another friend of mine, Liz, made me a custom cake. It was totally darling!!!
I am soo overdue sending them a thank you so I spent a few minutes today thinking about colors I could do a thank you card with. I actually decided to choose a color I rarely use and go from there. So trying to think "outside the box" I came up with the color combo Green Galore, More Mustard, Summer Sun, and Tempting Turquoise. I'm ready for Summer, can you tell?
The stamped image was done by inking the image with More Mustard and then using my Chocolate Chip marker to color the sentiment "thank you" before stamping it on Summer Sun card stock. I like how it stands out a little more this way. I also added a second layer of card stock by punching the Summer Sun piece and taping it to a scrap of More Mustard then trimming it out with my scissors.


Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pink Flamingo Designer Series, Green Galore, More Mustard, Summer Sun
INK - More Mustard Craft, Chocolate Chip Marker
STAMPS - Cute & Curly
OTHER - Curly Label Punch, 1/4" Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon

Floral Fantasy

I just got the Designer Series Paper featured in the new mini catalog, Walk in the Park...LOVE IT!!! I only used two sheets to complete a layout with today's sketch (SBSC185 on SCS). The horizontal strip of yellow is the reverse side of the gray piece down the left side. This whole package is DELICIOUS!!! And don't you LOVE that giant eyelet in the center of the flower!? That's from the Designer Hardware collection, six to a package. This one is called Soho!

Stampin' Supplies:

Stamps: Lovely Letters, Font of You, Pick A Petal

Paper: Walk in the Park DSP, Rose Red, Whisper White

Ink: Rose Red

Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Soho Desiger Hardware, Distress Tool

Techniques: Distressing, Machine Stitching

Here's my sketch:

I was Framed

Isn't it cute? This is the altered frame sample for my workshop this weekend.
I've done a few others using one sheet of patterned paper, trimming the middle out and sanding it all. This one was easier since I painted the frame first and did a patchwork pattern on the front...no extra trimming required, no "whoops, I guess I'll go with the distressed look!" LOL

To finish the look I wanted I stamped the grass image overlapping two papers, then tied some hemp around the frame. The butterflies were stamped on Vanilla card stock that was backed with coordinating patterned paper, trimmed out and glued on with ModPodge. I creased them and only placed the glue in the center so they'd be 3 dimensional.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamps
• Inspired by Nature
(111656; set of 4; $23.95)
• Flight of the Butterfly
(111564; set of 10; $31.95)

Paper
• Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper

Ink
• Creamy Caramel Craft Stampin’ Pad
• Not Quite Navy Craft Stampin' Pad

Stampin’ Up! Accessories
• Natural Hemp

Just For FUN!

WOW, it's already April, and what is today!?!?!? It's April Fools Day!!!! So I decided it was mandatory that I post some funnies for you all! :)

Check out these quotes I've seen on t-shirts:

I love collecting scrapbook supplies

I scrapbook, therefore I am

creative,

obsessed,

broke!

The only time cooking and cleaning come before scrapbooking is in the dictionary (this is my FAV!)

I'll admit I'm ADDICTED if you'll pose for another photo

Friends don't let Friends crop alone

You think this is a mess? You should see my scrapbook room!

Be nice to me, or I'll crop you out!

To scrap or not to scrap - there really is no question.

Life is Simple Eat. Sleep. Scrapbook.

Will trade husband for scrapbook supplies

Frankly my dear, I don't give a scrap.

Hope you all have a GREAT day today! I'll be adding a more "creative" post soon.

{HUGS}

Spring Projects

I guess it was about Mid February when I initiated a refinance of our home loan. It seems we jumped on the bandwagon just in time to get ourselves a really low rate and we're closing tomorrow! *sigh of relief* With this shift in financial "well being" (if there really is such a thing) my crafty side has taken a detour to home decor!

On the agenda: Flooring, exterior paint, and a bedroom re-do!
I've visited many flooring stores and their websites, met with a contractor in my home for an estimate, and it's looking like I really will be getting my kitchen tiled! YAY We also want to put in wood floors, but we haven't priced it out yet, or decided on the right flooring. So that's on hold until we finish my current project...the master bedroom!

I've always wanted a "nice" bedroom, but with our mismatched stuff I didn't have a problem using my bedroom as a storage room. Happily that will no longer be the case. I have begun the transformation with the hunt for the perfect bed. I've been looking on and off for months...I guess I'm really picky! ;) I stumbled on this gorgeous bed poking around on Craigslist and snapped it up the same day. It lived in my entry way for at least 3 weeks until we picked the right mattress to buy and sold our old bed last week. We did pretty good with the timing of it all. After we sold the old bed we we're only one day away from the mattress delivery, so we had to sleep on the sofa bed one night, and believe me that was bad enough! LOL


This is a before shot with no bed. The carpet still hasn't plumped back up, but 12 years with a waterbed there may have taken it's toll on the carpet.

I spent all day yesterday painting the room but I still have two walls I want to paint a darker shade as an accent color. The shortest wall with a window and the entry to the master bath. I also have dreams of finding matching lamps, nightstands and a new chest of drawers...pace yourself Sally!
Oh pssst. I finally sent a newsletter, if you aren't a subscriber you can view it here on my blog. Just click on the image on the right! ;)

Still Among the Living

Why is it that I feel like such a FAILURE when I can't find time to post something new on my blog!? It's pretty silly actually. I mean I work outside the home during the week, not 40 hours, but enough to crimp my personal life and it's a far cry from those glorious 4 years I stayed home...oh yeah, you had to remind me. It was my CHOICE to return to work. I guess I was a bit stir crazy at the time with a 2 year-old and a 5 year-old that wasn't starting Kindergarten.

Well between the day job, time with the kids, doing all the family budgeting/finances, grocery shopping, meal preparations...it's a miracle that I find time to exercise, let alone do anything CRAFTY! LOL Nevertheless, crafting brings me great happiness, and it's truly my therapy!

I had a workshop last week and in the rare moments of actual daylight yesterday, I finally took a few photos of the projects.


This is a 6X6 scrapbook page using both a fun stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration mini catalog and the pretty patterned paper. I have a 6X6 album of various photos...I guess you could say it's a brag book. This is going right in!!!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, So Saffron
INK - Certainly Celery Craft, VersaMark
STAMPS - Polka Dot Punches
PUNCHES - Full Heart Punch, Scallop Edge Punch
TOOLS - Stampin' Dimensionals, Gold EP, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool


Since the page was for a workshop, I also did this 3X6 card alternative. I'm glad I did, because it was split 50/50 between those who did the 6X6 and those that did the card. I really enjoy doing 3X6 cards, it's a nice change!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Delicate Dots Designer Series Paper, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
INK - Certainly Celery Craft, VersaMark
STAMPS - Polka Dot Punches, Upsy Daisy
PUNCHES - Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Punch
TOOLS - Stampin' Dimensionals, Gold EP, Embossing Buddy, Heat Tool


The final project was this card. I saw something similar once and really liked the bright color. Aside from white, it actually uses all In Color colors. This was also another excuse to play with more punches...I love punches!!! I should also mention that for every Say It With Scallops stamp set sold, Stampin' Up! donates $2 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pacific Point, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss
INK - Pacific Point Classic
STAMPS - Say It With Scallops [ set of 4 ] $17.95 Item # 111678
PUNCHES - Star Punch, Large Star Punch, 1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch, 1-3/8 Inch Circle Punch
OTHER - Kiwi Kiss 5/8 Inch Striped Grosgrain Ribbon

...and Scrappin' :)

Here's another page I did for VSBN. The challenge was to DISTRESS and scrap something you cannot live with out!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Bella Rose Designer Series Paper
INK - Chocolate Chip Craft, Chocolate Chip Marker, Kiwi Kiss Classic
STAMPS - Warm Words
TOOLS - Distressing Tool, On Board Simon Lower Alphabet, Sanding Block
NON SU! SUPPLIES - K&Co (Brown, Pink & Green Polka Dots), ModPodge, Self-Adhesive Gemstones, me&my BiG ideas (Kay-Love Chipboard Stickers)

This was also inspired by a VSBN challenge. I had these pictures ready to scrap for a while and finally nailed down a layout for them. This challenge was all about things that you HOARD, and for me it's anything Halloween, ribbon, stickers, and I finally used my Seriously Sassy stamp set!!!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Ghostly Greetings Designer Series Paper, Kiwi Kiss, and Only Orange
INK - Old Olive & Basic Black Craft, Basic Black Journaler
STAMPS - Seriously Sassy, Too Terrific Tags
TOOLS - Orange Grosgrain Ribbon, Tag Punch, Small Tag Punch
NON SU! SUPPLIES - Mrs. Grosman's Trick or Treat Stickers

As a matter of fact, I liked this layout so much I sketched it, and it's today's sketch challenge on SCS!

More Scrappin'

I'm not sure why I didn't post this sooner. But LAST Friday I hosted the kick off for the Virtual Scrapbooking Night (weekend) over on Splitcoast. There were multiple challenges daily and prizes too! The festivities aren't really over yet though, so if you have time to check it out, here's the master list of challenges: JAN09VSBN

My challenge was this sketch:



And I did this page using my sketch:


Make sure you pop in and check it out, everything ends on Sunday February 8, 2009.