KIND RESIST

I can't believe how long it's been since I stamped. Good think I've got my wonderful stampers club to keep me motivated! This was our card project for Stamp Club this month. We used the gorgeous Essence of Love stamp for this soft & subtle emboss resist technique.

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STAMP SET: ESSENCE OF LOVE

C/S: BASIC GREY, SOFT SKY, WHISPER WHITE, SPRING SILHOUETTES DSDP

INK: BASIC GREY, SOFT SKY, WILD WASABI

ACCESSORIES: WASABI DOUBLE-STITCHED RIBBON, BASIC GREY TAFFETA, PHOTO CORNER PUNCHES, CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER & VERSAMARK

HEARTFELT BROCCOLI

This was my 6" x 6" recipe card for a swap this month. This curry broccoli salad is fantastic, by the way, but I'm really posting to brag about how I made this broccoli bunch from the Heartfelt Thanks stamp set! Who would have thunk it?! It's a darn good version of the real thing, wouldn't you agree?! I'm amazed by how truly versatile this set can be, and now you can add broccoli to the list of cool uses for it!

THE BIG 4.0

I don't think 40 is really "over the hill" anymore, do you? It's more like "almost on top of the world." I mean, by the time you're 40, you've got the kinks worked out of life, you've got a good job, you've found a mate, the kids are out of diapers, you've probably even scored a home and a 401K. Life's just gettin' good! (At least, that's what I'm counting on!) I made this for a wonderful friend's hubby. Hope he likes it ... just as soon as he recovers from the party & opens it!
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SS: LOADS OF LOVE, LOL ACCESSORIES, HEADLINE ALPHA #S, 'BIG' FROM RETIRED SET
CS: WILD WASABI, BASIC BLACK, BASIC GREY, WHISPER WHITE
INK: WILD WASABI, BASIC BLACK, BASIC GREY, VERSAMARK
ACCESSORIES: WHITE GEL PEN, CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER, SW MARKERS, BLENDER PENS

HOKIE DREAM

It's been a super-busy week, what with the kids home from Spring Break, a family gathering, Easter, yardwork, tax returns, etc. But, I had good cause to stamp today ... my SIL's birthday. She and my brother are die-hard Virginia Tech Hokies ... so it's only fitting I create a special "Hokie Dream" card for her. Pumpkin Pie and Bravo Burgandy are the absolute perfect colors for my alma mater. Happy birthday, Cathy!!
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STAMP SETS: LIVE YOUR DREAM
INK: BRAVO BURGANDY, PUMPKIN PIE, & OLD OLIVE STAMPIN WRITE MARKERS
CARDSTOCK: BRAVO BURGANDY, PUMPKIN PIE, VERY VANILLA, KRAFT
ACCESSORIES: PUMPKIN GROSGRAIN RIBBON, RIBBON ORIGINALS (RETIRED), HODGEPODGE HARDWARE

BUNDLE OF JOY

What's a SU! demo to get for the mom-to-be who has everything? Well, hand-stamped announcements, of course! I made a set of these little beauties for a great friend. 136 punched corners, sponged sides, 136 eyelets & brads, 34 hoard-able flower slides, 408 dollops of glue & glitter ... you bet she's a great friend! Congrats, Terri!

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STAMP SET: BUNDLE OF JOY (RETIRED)

INK: WILD WASABI, BASIC BROWN, CLOSE TO COCOA & PRETTY IN PINK

CARDSTOCK: WILD WASABI TEXTURED, CLOSE TO COCOA & PRETTY IN PINK, WHISPER WHITE

ACCESSORIES: WASABI DOUBLE -STITCHED RIBBON, PINK TAFFETA RIBBON, FLOWER SLIDE (FROM THE *NEW* STYLED SILVER HODGEPODGE HARDWARE), SILVER EYELETS. PLUS A TIDGE OF DAZZLING DIAMONDS GLITTER

SWEET CLUB!

Club night again! We had a guest (thanks for coming Angie!) and a really "sweet" time! I had brand spankin' new stuff and just *had* to demo it. Clubbers made this cute criss-cross card and the pop-top gift can. I showed them how to make a scratc-n-sniff embellishment, using Glassy Glaze EP and sugar-free Jell-O!
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STAMP SETS: TART & TANGY, FULL OF LIFE
INK: REAL RED, OLD OLIVE, BASHFUL BLUE SW MARKERS, REAL RED CRAFT
CARDSTOCK: REAL RED, BASHFUL BLUE, WHISPER WHITE & SUMMER PICNIC DSDP
ACCESSORIES: ROUND TAB, SCALLOPED CIRCLE & CIRCLE PUNCHES, EYELETS, BRADS, WIDE GROSGRAIN RIBBON

WANT TO SWAP?

For our club swap this month, we CASEd the Embrace Life card on p. 84 of the catty. Nice pick, Michelle! Actually, this color scheme started from scraps! I had extra panels from the swap card below. I just flipped them over to reveal this cool Wasabi pattern, punched the corners, and mounted it on Chocolate Chip. The "faux scalloped" border is punched circles mounted on the back of the patterned paper. Let's see ... the large flower had been inked with White Craft Ink and embossed with Irridescent Ice EP.
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STAMP SET: LIVE YOUR DREAM, PAISLEY BG
CARDSTOCK: KRAFT, CHOCOLATE CHIP, SOFT SKY, AFTERNOON TEA DSDP
INK: CHOCOLATE CHIP, SOFT SKY
ACCESSORIES: CIRCLE PUNCH, CORNER PUNCH, PRETTIES KIT, BUILD-A-BRAD, PEWTER HODGEPODGE, CHOCOLATE CHIP TAFFETA

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Fundraising is hard work! They didn't tell me this when I signed up for the 26-mile Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Washington, D.C., on May 3rd & 4th. I figured all the walking would be the challenge, but it's really getting out of my comfort zone and asking my friends & family to donate towards the $1,800 *minimum* required to participate! Well, what's a SU! demo to do?! Stamp about it! Here's the first of a little pink series I'm working on. I'm going to include one of these cards with each donation coupon I send. Hope the little bra doesn't offend the the older crowd! LOL.
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STAMP SET: FASHION STATEMENTS (RETIRED HOSTESS)
CARDSTOCK: PURELY POMEGRANITE, PRETTY IN PINK, CHOCOLATE CHIP, WHISPER WHITE, BERRY BLISS DSDP
INK: PURELY POMEGRANITE, PRETTY IN PINK, CHOCOLATE CHIP
ACCESSORIES: POMEGRANITE SATIN RIBBON, SCALLOP CIRCLE, 1 3/8" & 1 1/4" PUNCH, SOFT SUBTLES EYELETS, WHITE GEL PEN

OCCASSIONAL COLORS

Sooooooo, we've got a new Mini Catalog - you all knew that, right?! If you haven't seen it yet, check out the link to the left. Stampin' Up! has given us another gorgeous selection of stamps, paper & accessories. Here are the new Double-Sided Designer Papers, and their coordinating colors. The card below has a panel of Afternoon Tea - pretty, don't you think?!

AFTERNOON TEA: Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi
SUMMER PICNIC: Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red

STAMP YOUR DREAM

Here's my submission for GWTWJunkie's 4th Convention Quality Swap. I love these swaps - I am so challenged to put out real artist-quality cards with lots of techniques and embellishments. I adore the color pallette of Afternoon Tea DSDP, but I haven't decided whether or not I like the half-pearls from the Pretties Kit on this card.
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STAMP SET: LIVE YOUR DREAM, PAISLEY BG
CARDSTOCK: CHOCOLATE CHIP, SOFT SKY, AFTERNOON TEA DSDP, GLOSSY WHITE
INK: WHITE CRAFT, CHOCOLATE CHIP & GROOVY GUAVA CLASSIC
ACCESSORIES: SANDING BLOCKS & SPONGES (FOR LINEN TECHNIQUE), WHITE EMBOSSING POWDER & HEAT TOOL (FOR EMBOSSED BACKGROUND), PRETTIES KIT, VINTAGE BRADS, CHOCOLATE CHIP TAFFETA RIBBON & FLOWER SLIDE HARDWARE FROM NEW OCCASSIONS MINI - WHEW!

MORE TO PRETTIES THAN MEETS THE EYE

I just came across these pictures of my daughter, all dressed up for her pre-K Thanksgiving Feast. The teacher sent home a paper bag with which I was supposed to make a nice, traditional, crayon-decorated Native American fringed vest.
Well, with me being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and my daughter being quite the girly-girl, we couldn't help but go a little over the top. She was quite the Indian Princess, don't you think?! And, she was so happy in her costume!
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CARDSTOCK: TEMPTING TURQUOISE, REGAL ROSE, REGAL ROSE DESIGNER PRINTS
ACCESSORIES: FLOWER PUNCH (RET.), ICE RHINESTONE BRADS, PRETTIES KIT, NON-SU FEATHERS, NON-SU PAPER BAG, ONE ADORABLE LITTLE GIRL

EMBRACE the "CASE"

Here's a closer look at my Club Swap card. The challenge was a CASE from the "smile" card on p. 48 of the current catty. The flower was stamped in Basic Black, colored in with Groovy Guava & Ruby Red, cut out & then covered with 2 layers of Glassy Glaze EP.
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STAMP SET: EMBRACE LIFE
INK: RIVER ROCK, BASIC BLACK, GROOVY GUAVA, RUBY RED
CARDSTOCK: RIVER ROCK, WHISPER WHITE, GINGER BLOSSOMS DSDP
ACCESSORIES: GROOVY GUAVA DOUBLE-STITCHED RIBBON, PAPER PIERCING TEMPLATE, HEAT TOOL, GLASSY GLAZE EP

YIPPEE - STAMP CLUB!

I'm happy! Stamp Club met for the first time last night & it was so much fun. I wanted to share our projects. Clubbers made the "h" card, the 5-in-1 gift box, and the gift card purse. They also recieved the pen, paperclip and "embrace life" card as gifties! Good job, ladies!
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STAMP SETS: EMBRACE LIFE, HAPPY EVERYTHING
INK: RIVER ROCK, BASIC BLACK
CARDSTOCK: RIVER ROCK, BASIC BLACK, RUBY RED, WHISPER WHITE, GINGER BLOSSOMS DSDP.
ACCESSORIES: GUAVA DOUBLE STITCHED RIBBON, STICKY LETTERS, SILVER SHINE GLITTER, HEMP TWINE, BUTTONS, PRETTIES, PUNCHES & RUB-ONS

SCRAPPIN' THE WALLS

Here's what kept me busy today. I wanted to make something unjque and meaningful for a super-special friend of mine. She has the most adorable baby, who celebrated her 1st birthday a couple weeks back. I got my hands on a couple of the pictures, and made a 12x12 scrapbook page. It's in a shadow box for the wall. It got rave reviews, and I was really thrilled. Happy Birthday, JM! Love ya, girl.
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INK: CERTAINLY CELERY, CHOCOLATE CHIP, BASHFUL BLUE, REGAL ROSE, & BLUSH BLOSSOM
PAPER: SAME & PETAL PATCH DSDP (RET. UNFORTUNATELY)
ACCESSORIES: YOU NAME IT! HODGEPODGE, BRADS, EYELETS, RIBBON, BUTTONS, CHIPBOARD, SANDING BLOCKS, ETC.

STAMPIN' THROUGH SUPPLIES

Here's one of the cards we made for my last Stamp-A-Stack. It's a CASE of the Unfrogettable card in the Catty. My stampers thought it was cute! I had some supplies left over, and decided to get them stamped up. So, I switched to Always (can you tell that set is my favorite these days?!) and ... voila!

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STAMP SETS: UNFROGETTABLE OR ALWAYS
CARDSTOCK: ALWAYS ARTICHOKE, SO SAFFRON, REGAL ROSE, VERY VANILLA
INK: BASIC BLACK, AND ALWAYS ARTICHOKE, SO SAFFRON, REGAL ROSE SW MARKERS
ON THE ALWAYS CARD, I GAVE THE HEART A LAYER OF VERSAMARK & IRRIDESCEN ICE EP.