Friends with Stamps

I know you all have heard of friends with benefits, well I have friends with stamps!! Until recently when life just got overwhelmingly busy for all of us (children's weddings, new grandchildren, pursuing higher degrees etc. etc.) my friends and I would get together at least every few months for a stamping party. Now we are lucky if we get together twice a year.

Recently, I had a break with my last summer class and decided it was time for all of us to get together. So I put together a StampinUp party.  My good buddy Jude agreed to host it at her house and naturally I did all the cooking and while not everyone could come the majority of the group was there. When we do get together it seems all we do is laugh! We poke fun at one another and at ourselves. 

After a good meal and time for catch up and show and tells, it was time for some serious stamping and shopping. Claire, our StampinUp gal showed us two cute cards. The first used the new mitten stamp set  from the Holiday catty. The set has a matching punch. After making this cute swing card, I had to buy the stamp set and punch.

The best thing though was learning how to make the swing card. It looked really hard but it was soooo simple and with the new Bog Shot it was a breeze! Claire had several really cute samples.

The second card we made was a collage card. I know Jude loved this one. It was totally her style.

When the stamping was done, the shopping commenced. This was the first chance we all had to shop from the new catty and the holiday catty. I just loved the new holiday supplement and bought quite a bit from it. Thanks to the generosity of friends I was able to get a few freebies too.

Claire with Margarita

If you live around the south eastern Pa.or the Philadelphia and suburban areas and you want anything StampinUp, you must contact Claire Lawrence. Not only is she a great stampinUp gal, she is an amazing artist. She gives the best parties. Check her out here and if you contact her, tell her Sue T, sent you! 

Dude-it's time to celebrate!

 

There are only 8 of us in my class going for our BSN. In class I sit next to a young male nurse. Not only does he write beautifully (everyone wants him to proof read their papers) he cracks me up. I work with all women my age (old:)), so Ryan is a breath of fresh air.

He is celebrating a birthday this week and I am pretty sure it is a big one- 30! Since it is a summer birthday and well Ryan is a guy and he grew up near the ocean, I thought my surfer penguin from Art Impressions would be perfect.

I used the blueprint from this card I made for a friend's daughter's wedding.

Now I know most guys really aren't into cards, but I think Ryan is gonna like this old lady's hand made birthday wishes.

I am entering this card in the challenge over at CAS-ual Friday. The theme is things you see at or in the ocean. 

So Happy Birthday Ryan!!

Tag your it!

You all might remember, that my friend Jules and I have a stamping challenge going on. I sent her this card and she sent me a card. We each have to make a new card using the card sent to us as inspiration for the next card. I likened it to  a stamping whisper down the lane.

This is the card I received from Jules. 

I love the colors, the light olive green, seafoam blue and the white and black. But where to go with this? 

While I was sleeping I had all kinds of ideas, but when I got into my studio, the first thing I saw was my box of new stuff from Memory Box. All of a sudden the light bulb went off. Here are the results.

I stamped the rows of trees and using the matching die, I cut them out. I colored them with copics, distress markers and momento markers. Yeah, call me crazy, but each of them has a color I wanted. I mounted it onto black card stock stamped in white with the Hero Arts Graph design. 

What do you think?

I can't wait to see what Jules does with my last card and what she does with this one.

Look for more Tag your It cards! 

Live Simply, Love Much

CAS-ual Friday is having a square card challenge. I do not normally make square cards because they require special postage, but in honor of the challenge I am posting this card I made George for our 25th wedding anniversary. I didn't have to mail it, I just had to give it to him.

This is pretty much a one layer card for me. The popped up little birds from PTI don't really count.

I love the design and will make more cards with this blueprint.

Hope you are having as beautiful day as we are having here in Pennsylvania!

90 degrees of Christmas

Over a CASE study they are celebrating their second week of their second anniversary. The challenge is to create something outside of the box. There was a technique I have been wanting to try. Kristine Warner taught this technique during the Cut Above online card class I took. She used a plastic template to emboss with. It really works! Now I have to go out and get more plastic templates!!

Here's how you do it-

This is the plastic template I used. It is from Crafters Workshop.

The sandwich starts with a clear plate, the template, then your paper.

Place a rubber mat on top of the paper, then the second clear plate. 

Run the whole sandwich through your Big Shot.

Here are the results! Pretty cool huh?

The other technique I wanted to try was the off set circle die cut to create a window.  I saw it done on Splitcoast Stampers and wanted to try it.

I am also submitting this to the Blue and bling challenge over at Just Add Ink.

So here it is 90 degrees out and I am thinking of the icy cold snowy days of Christmas. I hope you enjoyed the card and tutorial.

Remembering Winkie

We had to put our beloved Winkie to sleep today. We did not want to put him through major testing and surgery for a condition that might be fatal in the long run.

Winks was my big bruiser cat, but a real sweetheart. He lived life larger than any cat I know.

The above picture says it all.

Love ya big guy! Sleep peacefully.

your mama,

Latte to Share

Over at Just Add Ink, they issued a sketch challenge. I love sketches or as I call them blueprints to success. When you are in a slump, they offer a great starting point to jumpstart your creativity. The sketch over at JAI was just what I needed to break in the new latte sets from here and here. 

While the colors are not my normal bright colors, it is a latte right? Warm browns are called for.

I hear Starbucks calling me..... venti skinny caramel latte.... sigh.........

Signature Style- Jules- NO PEEKING!!

The CASE study challenge is having a birthday. They are turning 2 years old. That means 2 years of challenges that I have missed. I was lucky to come upon this fun and yes challenging blog via Virginia Lu's blog. Like Virginia, I am not sure what my style is. All my friends say I have a definite style. I do know I like birds and flowers. I do know I like mixing paper with stamping and have embraced die cuts.  Oh yeah, I love fussy cutting!! Jeez, sounds like everyone else huh?

This card I made for the challenge uses all my tricks. I am really happy with the results. I liked it so well I didn't even think it needed any special photo setting. Kinda like me, what you see is what you get. :) 

I am sending it to my friend Jules, who been in a stamping rut. So she issued me a challenge which includes her. I send her a card and she sends one back to me using something from my card that inspires her project- whether it is a technique on the card, a theme, quote, or color scheme. Then from her work I send another project back to her. It kinda seems like a stamping whisper down the lane.

I had such a blast making this card and I am having an inspiring time seeing what everyone else does over at The CASE study challenge. 

What is your style? 

Jules, I hope you weren't peeking! This card is coming your way soon!!

 

Balloon girl, two ways

I have been craving some cuteness. Something bright and cheerful. I pulled out my Darcie's Up, up and away stamp set and made both these cards. The first took hours of tinkering. I know for such a simple card, but that's my issue huh? The second I made in about 15 minutes after I thought about it for half the night. 

At first I thought I liked the fist one better, but now I am not so sure. Hubby clearly liked the first one best. He thought it was more subtle. Well subtle certainly isn't my style.

I am submitting this to the CAS-ual Friday challenge.  The theme is things you see in the sky. Perfect huh?

Which one do you like? Any reason why?

One layer Wednesday

Most people know that I am a girl of many many layers, so a one layer card is quite a stretch for me. I decided to dive head first in the deep water and join in the fun for one layer Wednesday. You just needed to find inspiration on this pinterest board. There were tons to inspire you but this image caught my eye. I love blues and browns together.

Hope you like my first real attempt at a one layer card.