Friday, March 29, 2013

Easter Fun!

My niece is a Pampered Chef consultant--and back when she was getting started I agreed to have a party for her if she would have one for me!  =-)  Her sister, who lives in Iowa, is a stamping fan so she wanted to have the party when she was here in Kansas.....so yesterday we planned a party for ....today. I planned more than usual for us to do (than a typical party) since it was family.....mostly.  We had my SIL, 2 nieces and 2 of their friends with daughters stamping with us--and it was great fun.  Of course I have fun just about any time that I stamp!  Here's what we made:

1.  This CAS card designed by Mary Brown at stampercamper.com that uses one of my favorite sets from the catalog  Blooming with Kindness

 You stamp the flower in Pink Pirouette and then using a Regal Rose marker (brush end) you tap it on the stamp --a technique called thumping.  It really adds a depth to the flower that is quite lovely.

2.  We made this card using Fabulous Florets, the Top Note die and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder--in Daffodil Delight and Basic Gray.  

Make sure you stamp off once for the Daffodil Delight flowers--otherwise they are a bit dark (take notice on my top right where I forgot).  This card was totally cased from a swap that I received at regionals in St. Louis last weekend, but I can't give credit since there was no name on it.  

3.  This card which was pretty much cased from Dawn Olchefske. I had the card fronts already embossed from what I thought was going to be a swap at regionals and then I changed my mind, so I was glad to get some of them used.


You can sort of see the Iridescent Ice embossing powder on the bunny picture. It's very sparkly.  We used watercolor wonder crayons and blender pens to color.

And finally.....4.  This adorable bunny box (my face is a bit wonky--I'm blaming the marker).  Go here and see Julie's video and all of the different animals she's made out of the triangle box.  Cute, cute, cute!
The video was made about a week before all the other animals appeared so be sure to check out her other posts!

                         

Here's his cute little bunny tail...don't know where the pink smudge came from--probably my sponge dauber from the other card.


These are small--they would only hold maybe 2 kisses--or one piece of longer candy--like a taffy.  

I'm off to bed--my IU Hoosiers lost last night and now the Jayhawks lost tonight--it's a sad day in my house--now I have only Wichita State to root for!  Go Shockers!









Wednesday, March 27, 2013

St. Louis Regional "Stuff"

One of the best parts of the St. Louis regional--besides meeting other stampers that are as passionate about stamping as you are and all the swapping---are the projects that are brought for you to do during the make and take time!

We made a cute card using some different techniques than I've used before and a covered notepad.  Of course I'd already taken 6 pages or so of notes in it before I realized it was a part of the project we were doing!  Ha!

Here are pictures of both--they aren't perfect--that's for sure!  I didn't do a good job of following directions on the card, but it still turned out cute!  And my notebook has a smeared sentiment....tried twice, but I was in a bit of a hurry to finish up!  They were giving us the countdown!  =-)



We had one more project, but I didn't get it put together yet--it wouldn't travel well.  The best part (oh wait, I already said that) is I just bought this set--Clockworks!  


Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Let's Swap!

So, there was a spring snowstorm that moved through the midwest yesterday and today.  I was in St. Louis at the SU Regional calling home to see what I should do--I really didn't want to drive 7+ hours after being at the regional for much of the day.  My husband told me to stay put so I did--I ate hotel food and watched basketball...and most of all watched the weather.  I woke up early this morning, checked the computer for road conditions, turned on the news and decided to get out of there while I could--they were supposed to get 8 - 12 " today.  Driving through Missouri was miserable--I slid around trying to get to a gas station and had to trudge through 10" of snow to get to a bathroom at a rest area----but it was all worth it!

Here are the swaps that I took to the regional event--I'd made about 25 of each. They are card fronts--not complete cards.

This uses Blooming with Kindness and the butterfly punch with cardstock vellum.

The 1 3/8" circle punch  and a variety of Thanks/Thank you stamps.  Very simple, but striking!


This is probably my favorite--the puppy is made from the heart framelits.  The eye heart is from the owl builder punch and the tongue is the small oval punch.  The puppy actually opens up and stamped inside is the "Arf Bark Aroof" from the Animal Talk stamp set.

Here's the pile of swaps I received in exchange:


Sorry--tried to post this yesterday (Monday), but my internet suddenly wasn't there.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Gone Stamping!

Oops!  I sort of bailed out on you all!  Here is the card that I mentioned that I was going to post in my last entry.


I saw a card using the little hearts from the SAB set Patterned Occasion's little band-aid and had to try it--but something was missing so I added a piece of black cardstock under the whisper white, but I'm still not sure about it.....I'll post that picture when I get back home and get it taken!  =-)  
That leads me to where I've been and what I've been doing!
I spent the last 2 weeks making swaps--80 of them, enjoying time with my grandchildren (thanks Matt and Abby for coming with them) and watching basketball.  
Now.....
I am sitting in my motel room after my first Stampin' Up event--a regional in St. Louis!  Wow!  My brain is full of ideas and my bed is full of wonderful swaps!  I got a lot of great ideas and learned about some fabulous techniques that I can't wait to share!  Here are a few pictures of what went on today!

I arrived at the America's Center a bit early since I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get from my motel to the center and then parked etc... Fortunately, I'd been at this convention center last summer for my church's Annual Conference so I was a bit familiar with the territory and where the parking garages were.  Anyway--I got there about 7:25--registration didn't start until 8 a.m. and the regional didn't begin until 9.  People were everywhere!  A lot of swapping was going on--I had all 80 of my cards swapped before the regional even began!  Here's our convention room taken from the back:

All the scoreboards on the tables were for the projects that we did in the morning.

I sat at a table with some lovely women from Iowa.  Let me tell you--the doors opened and people were in the room with tables staked out for their groups--then a lot were up and cruising around the room to swap cards.  Here's the table I was at with Julie's swaps laying on the table.  I also took a picture of the cute lapel flowers that she made for all of her downline.   


Here's Sharron's flower up close.  The center is made of a smashed pop top.  I'll be back tomorrow with the picture of the So many Smiles with the black cardstock behind the white and some more regional pictures.  



Thursday, March 7, 2013

Blooming with Kindness....again!

I really like this set and its sentiments....I tried out my new punch mat with this card.  Really like having it be the length of the card and not having to move it like you used to have to do with the smaller mat.


If I did this again I'd try with different colors....it just seems blah to me.  I'll be back tomorrow to show you a before and after card--how adding an extra layer can help pop your card front!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

You're a Gem.....

Yes, yes, you are!  This uses a retired sentiment, but I thought it was perfect since I was taking a valentine card that I found and trying to make it into a card for another occasion!  Adding the little rhinestone gave it the perfect touch to go along with the sentiment.  Love the little clothespin--(also retired).


Isn't the cloud embossing folder adorable?  I think it and the baker's twine (along with the punch and framelit are the only current things I used on the card--well the cardstock is also current.  =-)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Daydream Medallions

I saw this card here on Stampin' on the Fly.....and finally broke out my Daydream Medallions set that I got from convention last year.  I thought it would be easy to put together....after my first try I pulled out my stamp a ma jig and I still had trouble keeping my stamps right side up with what I'd stamped on my vellum with my stamp a ma jig..AARGH!  I don't know how much paper I wasted and then I finally pulled out my framelits that match this set and wa-la!

Enjoy--I'll be back tomorrow with a new installment!  =-)

Monday, March 4, 2013

Blooming with Kindness

A couple of weeks ago I found some cards using the Blooming with Kindness set that I really wanted to demo at the upcoming SU party.....do you think I could find my set?  No--I looked through all of my sets over and over.  I KNEW that I'd bought the set.....but it was nowhere to be found.  I finally gave up.  A couple of days after the party--there was the set....right there with my others!  Sheesh!  I must need new glasses.  So here's one of the cards....got the idea from Dawn Olchefske....you might recognize it as the triple stamping--minus a layer!  My first effort I wasn't so excited by--I tried to fill in too much white space and then my sentiment was crooked....


Next try...better--less stamping and I like the Wisteria Wonder better than Regal Rose....


and.....I got my sentiment on straight so I didn't have to cover it up with that bulky tag like the first try!


Sunday, March 3, 2013

Hexagon Fun!

I saw this card somewhere and totally loved the color combo--still do, but I'm sure hoping that SU comes out with a punch because these hexagons were a pain in the butt to cut out!  Fortunately I made my card smaller than the original card that I cased! =-)  It's a 4 1/4 by 4 1/4 card.

I used a variety of scraps from my dsp stash for the hexagons.  The flower from Bright Blossoms is stamped on a scrap of Storytime dsp and the sentiment is from one of my favorites-- A Word for You.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

God is Love

This is something I believe with my whole heart.  I cased this card from somewhere (Always Stampin')  because I absolutely loved it the moment I saw it. I had to improvise because I don't own the current set she used for the flower--I had to use a retired set--Baby Blossoms.  Still love the card--lots of texture with embossing folders and the pretty Tea for Two dsp.

I also used a retired ribbon blossom.  The sentiment is from the set Trust God.