Last Chance!

Don't forget that today is the last day to order from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog.. you have until 11:50 PM Mountain Time!  There are hundreds of items retiring at the end of today.  For the most up-to-date list, please visit my Stampin' Up! site here.

If you would like to purchase a 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog at a special rate, please let me know!

Circle journal - 3 things I love about summer

Hello!  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

I finally have Jessica's circle journal layout done.  I had this 90% done for a couple of months!  Can you believe... I really don't know why it took me so long, but oh well.  Sorry!

It took me a little while too to figure out what I loved about summer.  I am not a big fan of the sweltering summer heat and humidity!  I do enjoy going to the beach, especially to watch the sun set.. going to the farmers' market and getting fresh, local produce.. and growing my own veggies!

The strawberries we had bought from a local farmer a few weeks ago.  If you've never had fresh, local strawberries that were picked when fully ripened.. you're missing out!  There's a lot I could say on the subject, but let's just leave it at that.  :)  The picture of the tomatoes was taken last summer.. these were some of the first ripening tomatoes in our garden at Seth's parents' house.  I'm missing this so much!

The other pictures are from when we went to Nags' Head a couple of summers ago.  It was Fluffy's first time at the beach!  She was scared of the ocean, and was just content sitting in the sand in the shade.  :)

Like my palm tree?  I roughly drew the tree trunk on a piece of cardboard from a box, then cut it out and pulled off one of the layers.  Then I just inked it up and freehand drew some leaves and cut those out as well. I snipped into the leaves a little to make them more realistic.  I think it turned out nicely!

The title letters I simply cut using the Simple Letters Bigz dies and chipboard, then covered with Whisper White Craft ink, embossing with White Stampin' Emboss powder.  I created the "sand" by first using the freehand rotary blade in SU!'s Cutter Kit, then roughed up the edges with the distressing tool from the same kit.  I then spritzed some Chocolate Chip ink onto it, then sprayed this and the letters with Gold Glow Smooch Spritz.  I stamped "things i love..." from the Things I Love stamp set with Crumb Cake ink (new in the new catalog!), and I love how it almost looks like it was drawn in the sand.. if you can draw letters that perfectly.  LOL

Here's my sign-in tag.. nothing really special I guess!

I'm in the homestretch for the CJ layouts.  I think I have just three more to do - Jenn's, Lisa's, and Jean's!

Hope you like it, Jessica!

Circle journal layout supplies:
Stamps:  Things I Love
Ink:  Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake (Kraft) Classic Stampin' Pads, Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad
Paper:  Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake (Kraft), Whisper White, Old Olive, and Chocolate Chip cardstock, The Write Stuff Specialty Designer Series Paper (journaling tag)
Accessories/Tools:  Button Latte, Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Circle Designer Brad, Mini Library Clip, Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker, Color Spritzer, Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, Basic Black Stampin' Write Journaler, Eastern Elegance Rub-ons (retired), White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Stampin' Sponge

Circle journal tag supplies:

Stamps:  Tart & Tangy

Ink:  Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad

Paper:  Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip cardstock, Summer Picnic Designer Series Paper (retired)

Accessories/Tools:  Real Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Old Olive 1/2" Library Clip, Old Olive and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers, Vintage Brad, Stampin' Sponge, and Scallop Edge, Word Window, 1-3/8" Circle, and Scallop Circle Punches

Because I Care Hearts card

Hello!

I hope you have been enjoying your week so far!  Seth's parents may be driving down tomorrow and staying through the weekend.  If they do end up coming, I may not get much time to craft at all. :)

Anyway, I created today's card for the Memory Makers forum color challenge this week.  Here are the colors, found on a pretty hair clip from Anthropologie:

And here's my card...

I loved the black and white striped "petal" on the hair clip, and decided to duplicate it on my card.  To create this, I cut thin strips of Whisper White, and adhered it to a piece of Basic Black cardstock.  I then punched out a heart using the Full Heart punch.  The little ruffles at the bottom were just layers of scallop-punched cardstock, and the sentiment is from a new stamp set in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog, called Because I Care.

By the way... the base green cardstock is a new In Color for this coming catalog, called Pear Pizzazz.  Isn't that name cute?  I love greens, and this one is so yummy!  Makes me crave a fresh, juicy pear!

Well, thanks for stopping by!  I need to get the apartment cleaned up!

Because I Care Hearts card:
Stamps:  I {Heart} Hearts, Because I Care
Ink:  Kiwi Kiss (retired) and Pacific Point Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black, Pacific Point, and Whisper White cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Whisper White 1/2" Library Clip, Kiwi Kiss Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (retired), Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, and Full Heart, Scallop Edge, Scallop Oval, and Large Oval Punches

Vintage Amour card

Happy Saturday!

Yes, that's right, another card using the Artistic Etchings stamp set!  I love French culture and architecture, as well as the language.  I studied French for 5 years in school, and seriously considered double-majoring in French and Biology.  Anyway, so I just about flipped when I saw this stamp set, and had to have it!

This card just evokes a sense of Parisian elegance and style for me, maybe even Victorian.  You're also getting a sneak peek at the new Newsprint Designer Series Paper in the background!  I adore this new paper pack, and I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of it here. ;)  You've seen the Eiffel Tower and "amour" stamp before, and the decorative accent along the blue strip is also from the set.  So pretty!  (I also love that Baja Breeze is coming back as a core color!)

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!  Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there.

Vintage Amour card supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Etchings
Ink:  Always Artichoke, Rose Red and Early Espresso
Paper:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke cardstock, Basic Gray and Baja Breeze textured cardstock, Newsprint Designer Series Paper
Accessories/Tools:  Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Stampin' Sponge

Chocolate Orange Amour!

Haha!  I always have so much trouble coming up with names for my cards.  I've been hosting color inspiration challenges over at the Memory Makers forum, and this past week our challenge consisted of the following colors:

Pretty, right?  I don't know if you've ever had chocolate and orange flavors together, but I love 'em myself!  And ohh, guess what?  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the MM forum site owners chose to feature my color challenge in the newsletter!  How awesome is that?

Well enough rambling from me!  Here's my card...

I really wanted to use my pre-order goodies from the new Idea Book & Catalog.  I had made another card using this set during my crop earlier this week, but I'll have to show you that later. :)

How scrumptious is that embossing folder?  Love it!!

Chocolate Orange Amour:
Stamps:  Artistic Etchings
Ink:  Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Basic Gray, Dusty Durango, and Whisper White cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Curly Label and Scallop Trim Border Punches, Basic Gray Corduroy Brads, Dusty Durango 1/2" Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Folder, Signo White Gel Pen, Big Shot

cherish scrapbook page

Hello!

I created this layout yesterday and finished it up today.  It uses Arielle's gorgeous colourQ challenge this week, and a sketch from PageMaps.  I love how it turned out!

I plan to make this into a 2-page layout, as I have a bunch of pictures I wanted to include here.  I added a lot to this page, yet I feel the white background really balances everything.

Journaling reads: "Fluffy always sleeps in our bed with us.  Whenever we tell her 'it's time to go to sleep,' she runs into the bedroom and puts her paws up on the side of the bed, waiting to be placed on top.  Too precious!"

Well, I have to make this short, as I have a lot of things to get done.  Hope you have a wonderful day!

cherish 12" x 12" scrapbook layout supplies:
Stamps:  Simply Said
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Cameo Coral and Ruby Red Classic Stampin' Pads
Paper:  Whisper White, Ruby Red and Cameo Coral textured cardstock, Always Artichoke and Apricot Appeal cardstock, Walk in the Park Designer Series Paper (retired), The Write Stuff Specialty Designer Series Paper
Accessories/Tools:  Ruby Red buttons (retired), Linen Thread, Always Artichoke 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Cherished Memories Rub-ons (retired), Aqua Painter, Round Tab and Eyelet Border Punches, Beautiful Wings Embosslits die, Basic Black Stampin' Write Journaler, Vintage Brads, Paper Piercing Tool, Big Shot

Western Father's Day card

Hello!

I feel lucky because I got to get together with a couple ladies and crop again today!  I always get distracted when I'm trying to craft at home.  The only problem with scrapping away from home, though, is that I always manage to forget something. ;)  I try to limit myself to just my carry tote (which can fit A LOT, I might add).. especially since my rolling tote broke!  Anyhoo, I had a lot of fun, and got a few things done.

I hope my Dad likes his Father's Day card!  He might think I'm a little crazy because it's not like he's into Western things, haha.  I don't really have any manly stamp sets (that needs to change!), and this is one of the sets they had available for use where we cropped.  Oh well, I like it, and I know he'll like it too, if only for the fact that I made it.  LOL  :)

Lots of distressing on this one as well.  I don't know what it is with me and distressing lately (AGAIN!).  I created the edge effects by first breaking down the fibers along the edge of the cardstock, then separated the layers of paper, tearing across.  Then I inked it all up with Mellow Moss ink.  This time I stamped on the Mellow Moss piece with Mellow Moss ink, which gives you the same tone-on-tone look.  A great way to make a background!

If you're looking for a unique way to add your sentiment, and you want to break up any linearity you have going.. try creating a tag and tying it to some ribbon or twine, like I did here.  I love how this turned out!

Oh, psst.. did you notice that dark, deep brown?  It's one of the new core colors coming in the new Idea Book & Catalog, called Early Espresso!  I LOVE this new color, and I already know it's one of my favorites!

Don't forget that the Wanted stamp set is retiring this month, along with Mellow Moss cardstock and ink!

Well, thanks for stopping by!  Hope you have a fabulous rest of the night!

Western Father's Day card supplies:
Stamps:  Wanted, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Early Espresso, Mellow Moss
Paper:  Early Espresso, Mellow Moss, Kraft, Not Quite Navy, and Very Vanilla cardstock
Accessories/Tools:  Hemp Twine, Linen Thread, Paper Piercing Tool, Word Window and Spiral Punches, Stampin' Sponge