Although the temps here are still pretty chilly, the snow

has melted a lot and you can actually see the grass, the dakrats (prairie dogs for the non-locals) are out, so spring must definitely be here! I was feeling in the mood for just that with this card. I got the new Beautiful Wings embosslit die for the Big Shot and knew I HAD to use it! Plus, I've been seeing lots of projects with the ribbon all crinkled up and wanted to try my hand at that, so this is what I came up with! I used Barely Banana, Old Olive and Bermuda Bay. And my desk looks like spring! For the background I used one of my impressions templates, ran my brayer over it using Barely Banana, put it through the big shot and you get a very soft, lovely background! I am LOVING the butterflies - they are SO EASY and SO pretty, I can see myself using them quite a lot! My other favorite thing on this card is the new Well Scripted stamp set featured in the mini catalog. It is by far my favorite font verse set we have. The great thing about this card, too, is that it can be an Easter card (as I have shown) or birthday, Mother's day, you name it! I love versatile!

I hope you're enjoying your spring - wherever you are!

Friend Card

For my rotating hostess in February, I made a "Friend" card using the Vintage Vogue stamp set from the Spring mini that's out right now. I just got the Elegant Bouquet textured impression embossing folder and thought it was perfect to start getting into the mood for spring! The colors I decided on were Pale Plum and Rich Razzleberry - I LOVE those colors together!

The design is actually pretty simple but it comes out looking so elegant and pretty.

Here's a close up so you can see some details.

Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Sweet Baby Card

I made this card a WHILE ago for a workshop but finally got a picture of it before I send it to my cousin who just had her first baby - a girl! I must admit I saw this idea on splitcoast - to use Forest Friends for baby cards. People are just so creative! Lovin' the pink and brown still - wonder if I'll ever stop?! Here's a close-up so you can see the texture! Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it lately - I LOVE my Big Shot!

Christmas Joy

Okay, this is completely a CASE (Copy and Share everything) from Stampin' Up!'s monthly magazine. With my name being Joy I tend to have quite a bit of Christmas decorations and when I saw this, I knew I had to make it! I ended up leaving it pretty simple because I never could decide what to add. If you have ideas, I'd be happy to hear them! Since I never did get anything added to it, it's just hanging in my stampin' area. Maybe next year I'll get around to "completing" it with a hanger and everything!

Christmas Stamp-a-Stack Cards

Here are the projects we will be making for my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack. It is happening this Saturday - December 5th and you can make 10 cards for $15 or 20 cards for $25. You must RSVP to me ASAP!!! Every year I try to make each card different from the others so that you're walking away with 5 different unique designs. This year is no exception!


The first card design is completely CASE'd from my friend Amy. She sent me it a couple of years ago and I really like the colors.

The second card uses a color combination inspired by some of our current Christmas designer series paper and uses our new stamp set Delightful Decorations with its coordinating punch.The next card uses a unique color combination that comes from the designer series paper used in it. I also used a little bit of glitter to jazz this one up even more.The next card I CASE'd but can't remember from where. I just love the deer transformed into Rudolph! This card gets jazzed up with an embossed background and bright, fun ribbon. The last card is one I've been wanting to try and finally took the plunge - using acetate (window sheets). I love how this is a simple card but looks like so much more because of the clear sheet! Too fun!







I do hope to see you this Saturday! If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me!

Halloween Card

My rotating hostess club has been doing swaps each time we meet and last month (September) we did Halloween/Fall cards. I typically do something more fall-like instead of Halloween but as I looked at the stamp sets I had on hand I realized I didn't have any really good fall sets I wanted to use PLUS I had just gotten the Night and Day specialty designer series paper found in the holiday mini and knew I wanted to use it! So, the ideas started swirling and I ended up with this:

Here's a close up that shows a little more of the details.

Josh's Grad party Favors

Well, graduation was a month ago but I realized I never posted pictures of the party favors we (Colleen, Josh, my mom and I) worked so hard on. I still have a few left over so that's what I took the picture of. We made almost 60 total. Josh's school colors were maroon, black and silver so that's what colors we used - of course!

Josh designed the labels using his school's mascot.

Craft From Ellie's Party

Well, I shared with you Ellie's banner and I thought I would also share with you the craft I put together for the kids to make. Using my big shot, I cut out scallop circles from craft foam sheets in various colors, then I cut out each child's initial using the alpabet dies and white craft foam. I punched a hole in the top and put a jumbo brad so they can either hang it on a nail or put ribbon through and hang it that way. I bought some foam stickers and they were able to make their own initial "plaque!" Here's a picture of what Ellie's looked like (that I put together)!

I really love how the big shot allows you to be able to do fun stuff like this. I hope this inspires you to create a fun craft for your kids!!

Eliana's Banner

June 12th of this year was my daughter's 2nd birthday. Because life had been so crazy with my oldest's graduation from high school, I didn't make invitations to her birthday party BUT I did borrow my friend Robyn's alphabet and pennant die cuts so I could at least make a banner. I'm not sure the pictures do it justice, see what you think!

The colors I used matched the plates she "picked" out that was kind of tropical. I used Pink Passion, So Saffron and Gable Green - very bright and girly!

Birthday Card Stamp-a-Stack Projects

We are a little over a week out from my May Birthday Card Stamp-a-Stack and I have the pictures to post of the projects we'll be making. I'm really excited about the class and hope you'll be able to join me! We will be doing the five projects pictured here and you can choose to either make two or four of each of the designs. It's $15 for 10 and $25 for 20 and the cost includes envelopes. To register for the class, call the Arts and Crafts Center at 747-3482. You can attend on either Thursday, May 7th from 7-10pm or Saturday, May 9th from 10am-1pm. What's great about these cards is most of them can be anything - they don't HAVE to be birthday! So, if you need a Mother's Day card, just put a mother's day sentiment or if you're thinking ahead to Father's Day - make one of your cards that! I try to have out different greetings for you to be able to personalize to meet your needs! I look forward to seeing you there!

The first project is such a fun, colorful one perfect for a child or even just a fun card for an adult friend!

The second one is such a pretty card - I love Cameo Coral and Kiwi Kiss together! This is also a fun pop up card so it's different from a standard card! (I want to tell you a little story behind this card. I was trying to finish up all the designs yesterday and was down to this one and had it started and realized I wanted to use Eastern Blooms. I went to get it from my shelf and couldn't find it. I looked and looked and couldn't find it anywhere! I had a meeting to go to last night and by the time I got home I was ready for bed so I didn't look any more then but was awoken at 3:30 this morning when my daughter fell out of my bed - hate to say I'd fallen asleep and totally forgotten the fact that she was in bed with me! Well, I couldn't go back to sleep because I kept thinking about this stamp set and trying to figure out where it might be and kept praying about it and stressing about it! I finally went to sleep around 4:30am but never got up to go look! When I did get up this morning, though, that's the first thing I did was go look for it and I finally found it - it had fallen down behind my paper holder where I couldn't see it along with another set I'd totally forgotten I had. To say I was elated is putting it mildly! I said a sincere "Thank you, Lord!" and quickly finished up my project!)

Can't have a birthday card class and NOT use Crazy for Cupcakes! I still love this stamp set using Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip! As you'll notice, this card has a fun surprise to it, too! The next card I made using the bird from the Always set - I just love the bird in this set and think this makes such a pretty card!

We needed a masculine card to go in with all of these cards so I used the Inspired by Nature set to make one. Both my husband and oldest son really like this one so that must be a good sign! I must admit it wasn't my original idea. I got the idea from this card on Splitcoast.
Well, now you've seen them so come join me in making them!

Swaps

Since it's been a while since I posted, I thought I'd be nice and do two posts in one day!! My friends and I just did another swap together and I've been dying to share mine with you but didn't want to ruin the surprise in case one of them happened to look at my blog! SO, now that everyone's received them, I am finally posting them! The theme for this swap was Spring/Floral/Easter. So, it was pretty broad which gave us a little more flexibility to do what we wanted rather than being tied to one stamp set.


The first one I made using the Always set (LOVE this set - especially the bird!). I originally made this for a workshop I did for my now down-line, Robyn. She's really into vintage/shabby chic so I really wanted to come up with a project I thought she'd love. I got my inspiration from this card on splitcoast. Sage Shadow isn't one I use very much but I'm pretty pleased with the way this card came out!

The next one I made was for another workshop I did for Kelly. She's a young, hip mom to a one year old and I wanted to come up with a project using another one of my favorite stamp sets - 5th Avenue Floral. I used the spritzer tool and everyone really loved that - it is a pretty cool little tool!!

For the next project, I knew I wanted to use Bella's Bloom but it's such a small set, I wasn't sure how to incorporate it on a full-size card. So, once again, I got my inspiration from splitcoast and this card. I couldn't find any patterned paper I really wanted to use with it so I finally decided to use the texturez plates for the big shot to create a pattern. Here's what I came up with.

Here's a close-up of the background I made using the texturez plate.

For my final project I just happened to get a box with new stampin' supplies the day I wanted to sit and finish my projects so I HAD to use a great new set from the mini that starts April 1st called Great Friend - LOVE the butterfly. I guess there's something about an image with flowers and all drawn into it for me! For this card I actually got my inspiration from page 92 of the current Idea Book and Catalog - it uses a butterfly similar to the one from Great Friend.

Here's a close-up of the butterfly - I layered two of them. One I stamped in Baja Breeze and the other in Pretty in Pink. On the top one, I used Crystal Effects to add a little shimmer (not sure if you can see it in this shot or not)!

Well, I took pictures of the swaps I received and plan to share them through-out this week so keep coming back to see the great swaps!

Projects for Valentine's Class

I finally have the projects together for the Valentine's class I'm doing next week at the Arsts and Crafts center. I'm really excited about these projects and hope you'll like them, too! We'll be doing all of what you see pictured here for $10 so call the Arts and Crafts center now to sign up! You can attend either Thursday night the 29th from 7-9pm or Saturday morning the 31st from 10am-12pm. I look forward to seeing you there!

An altered mailbox from Target - love the greens and pinks together!! In the mailbox are 4 3x3 cards that use the same designer paper as the mailbox. I'm really loving the "A Happy Heart" stamp set! In fact, we're using it for all of our projects!

This is something you'll be able to give that special someone in your life - your hubby, your best friend, your mom/dad, or your child! Pull the ribbon on the top and a yummy chocolate bar comes out - just right for Valentine's day!

A card that matches the chocolate treat but doesn't have to! I used the Big Shot to make the little envelope and think it's the cutest thing!

Fall Projects

Last weekend I had my fall projects class. I always have such a hard time narrowing down the projects I want to do and this time was no exception!! I ended up doing a bag in a box (got the idea from Amy), kit-kat goodie wrappers (LOVE THEM AND SOOOOOO EASY!!! I got the idea from Erin.), a card and a potpourri bag. The potpourri bag and the card coordinate - I was trying to give examples of how to use all the parts of the Big Shot Top Note die cut.

I almost like the back of the potpourri better than the front!

I'll be having a Christmas card stamp-a-stack soon so be checking for projects soon!!!

The Rest of the Eastern Blooms Swaps

Okay, I've decided just to post the rest of the pictures of the swaps I made.

I love this set - it's so versatile and easy to work with!

Mr Big Shot, Who do you think you are?

I had my Open House today and although it wasn't quite the turn out I was hoping for, it still went really well and the ladies who did come are excited to get stamping so that's a good thing! One of the things I had out for it was a sign up sheet that I entitled the same as this post - Mr. Big Shot, who do you think you are? (Please tell me you know the song I'm referring to in this title?!) Anyway, here's what the rest of the sign up says:

Okay, you've had a chance to acquaint yourself with the NEW Stampin' Up! (R) Big Shot and NOW you have a dilemma... You WANT IT!! But, how, when it's so expensive and your husband wouldn't approve if you bought it all at once? Well, what about a "payment plan" where you'll be able to get the Big Shot PLUS earn other stuff FREE??!! Sounds good, right, where do you sign up? By signing below you are indicating that you are interested in being in a big shot club for 4 months! Each month you'll spend $50 and with-in 4 months you will have your new big shot ready to play with. Plus, because you'll be earning hostess benefits, you'll be able to pick something from the catalog for free plus get a hostess only stamp set. Now, that's a great plan! There will be four members (although if I have more that puts the price per month less!) and each person will be hostess once. I can't wait until you get your Big-Shot!!

I have three ladies who indicated that they are interested in being in the Big Shot club. So, now all I need is 1 (or more) other person to indicate that they would like to be in the club and we can get it started. YAY!! If this sounds like something you are interested in, please let me know and I'll get you on the list and we'll be able to get things going!

The photos I've included are of the project we did today at my Open House. It features the Big Shot topper, Fall Flair hostess set, plus the new Riding Hood Red In Color! I thought it'd start to get us in the mood for Fall since it is right around the corner!!