August 29, 2025

Label Me Grateful

The second technique we used on Monday was the Black ice Technique.  I found this rendition of the technique and this card on a site called CreativeLee Yours.  I love the way it turned out.

When I was making this card I made a huge mistake by dry embossing the sunflowers before adding ink and clear embossing powder.  When I did it the right way by dragging Stazon Ink and then Versamark and then heat embossing with clear embossing powder before dry embossing with the sunflowers I did not like it as well.  So I stuck with the technically "wrong" way to do it.  When I showed my stampers both examples they agreed that they liked this one better.  Sometimes mistakes turn out to be "happy accidents."  I used a sneak peek oriduct in this card . . . The Earthen Toned Metallic Specialty Paper which will be available starting September 3rd.

Our day started out bright and early this morning with an eye appointment for John.  Even though we had an early morning appointment it still took 2 hours before we were through.  We got home just in time for him to have lunch which was delived about five minutes after we got home.  This afternoon I am headed back up to Iowa City to pick up some cheese curds along the way (for tailgating tomorrow) and then getting the car serviced.  I am taking my book along and plan on reading while I am waiting for it.  This evening will be spent with cardmaking and baseball!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 27, 2025

Simple Birthday

Make-It-Monday this week focused on several different techniques.  The first was this simple birthday card using shadow stamping.

I stamped the birthday stamp full strength using Strawberry Slush ink and then without reinking the stamp, stamped it again moving the stamp slightly down and to the right to give the illusion of a shadow.  I added a few embellishments and was done.  Pretty cool and easy birthday card!!

I am certainly enjoying the cooler temperatures and the no appointment days.  If the sun comes out this afternoon I am spending it outside reading!!  Baseball is on the agenda for tonight!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 26, 2025

5 Days Left

You have five days left to take advantage of this sale.  I have stocked up on ribbon, designer series paper, and other things I think I might need.  Don’t miss these sale prices.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 25, 2025

Thankful Garden

Today I am sharing the last of the Cards in the Mail from last week.  I love the vibrant colors in this card.

This is the same layout as yesterday's card, just with different colors and different designer series paper.  I would be hard pressed to tell you which of the Florals in Bloom patterns is my favorite.  I guess it is whichever one I am working with at the time.

Today started with an early morning dental appointment (not my favorite way to start a day.). It went quickly and I was home in time to work on getting things set up for card class this afternoon.  I have two more samples to make as soon as John is done with his lunch!!  

I must say this weather is beautiful!!  I hope to take advantage of it this week and sit outside and do some reading!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 24, 2025

Peace On Earth

Sneak Peek time.  Today I am giving you a sneak peek of some new designer paper . . . .Peaceful Gardens Designer Series Paper and a new stamp set . . . Peace on Earth.  These will both be available on September 3rd in the September-December 2025 Mini Catalog.

We took three different designer papers and cut them in 3" X .75"  Two of the were ripped on the right side and one of them on the left side.  They were positioned on the Thick Basic White Cardstock leaving room for the sentiment where a third strip would be.  I stamped the sentiment with Misty Moonlight Ink.  The leafy vine was die cut out of misty Moonlight cardstock and adhered to the card and a knot made with Misty Moonlight ribbon was adhered with Glue Dots.

I actually did it!!  I got all of the left-over garage sale stuff photographed and uploaded to my LyndaSueStamps4U Facebook page.  Over 500 item are for sale.  You should check it out here!  Everything is priced to go.  It was a big job and I am glad it is done.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 23, 2025

Today I am sharing one of the cards we made when I went to Wisconsin and it is also one of this week's Cards in the Mail.  I am sorry I can't remember the name of this stamp set or who brought this project.  I just know that I love the brightly colored finished image.

This is a pretty easy card to make as the designer paper does all of the work for you as is the case with a lot of Cards in the Mail.

Today is going to be a take pictures kind of day while watching either football or baseball on TV.  I would like to get the rest of the photos takes so that I can get all of the left over garage sale stuff listed on my Facebook page.  Wish me luck!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 22, 2025

With You In Mind

Yesterday I had a stamp afternoon with six girls that were spending the afternoon with their grandma.  This is one of the cards the girls made.

My original card which was cased from the catalog, had no bling, and the Happy Birthday was positioned straight onto the card.  One of the girls asked if she had to do it that way and I gave her my stock answer . . . "it's your card . . . you can make it anyway you want to."  So she place her sentiment at the opposite angle as the stamped images.  After she did that she decided as all little girls do, that it need some bling so she added that.  I must admit I love her card much more than I did the original!!

I definitely miss working with kids and let me tell you . . . these six girls were the most polite girls I have seen in a long time.  They worked on their cards, listening, sharing materials and always saying please and thank you.

Yet their personalities and creativity shown through.  I love this new use for bling.  If I ever thought i wanted my nose pierced I think I would use one of these!!

Today is going to be spent with my friend, Joan, ahopping and going out for lunch.  It is going to be a beautiful day for that!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 20, 2025

Prairie Grass

Today I am sharing another card made with the Prairie Grass stamp set.  This is such an "Iowa" stamp set.  It reminds me so much of the fields as you drive by.  It is also the perfect sympathy card.

This is very similar to the card we made a couple of weeks ago using this stamp set.  You can see that card here.  This card uses a different designer series paper . . . Country Woods and has several more layers of cardstock.  All of the stamping is done directly onto the designer series paper.  The Brushed Brass Butterflies are a nice finishing touch giving the card a little dimension.

Yesterday I worked all day on taking pictures and listing stamp sets on my Lynda Sue Stamps 4U Facebook page.  So far I have listed over 200 stamp sets for sale all at $5.  I have about a half a box left to do today and then the holiday stamp sets.  I hope to get that done this morning and then this afternoon I can get to work on the bundles . . . oordinating stamps and dies.   Most of the will be for sale for $20 unless they have two stamps sets in the bundle or they include an embossing folder.  Those will be $25.  Be sure and check them out so you don't miss out on a bargain.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 19, 2025

Arched Wishes

Today's card is the perfect birthday card for anyone!!  It is made with the Arched Wishes stamp set which is on the Last Chance list.

Not only is this a cool birthday card it is also a fun fold card . . . a Z fold card.  The front of the card is folded back in half and decorated with a strip of designer series paper.  We might not have Cloud Cover ink, but we do have Cloud Cover cardstock and Stampin' Blends which I have used here.  I know I received or made this card when we were at Gather in Wisconsin, but I can't remember which person supplied it.  If it is your card or you know whose card it is, let me know so I can give you credit.

I made GREAT progress on photographing stamp sets yesterday to put for sale on my Facebook page.  I got all of the stamp and punch combos done and over half of the regular stamps done yesterday.  I hope to get the rest of those done today and then start in on the stamp and die sets.  the Cubs got rained out last night so are playing a double header today whch should give me a lot of time to work on that project!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 18, 2025

Perfect Pairs

Today's card is one I have used for swaps as well as Cards in the Mail this week.   It uses the Painterly Pairs Designer Series Paper and the Perfect Pairs stamp set.

The thing I like about this card is that there is no die cutting.  It is simply layering paper and adding a sentiment and some embellishments.  This is my favorite piece of paper in this pack.  In fact, I had to order more packages of this paper, just for this piece.

Like I said I have used this card for some swaps.  I am planning on using it for another swap in September.  I think it follows all of the rules . . .uses new products, layers, and embellishments.

Yesterday was a super hot day but a super cool one.  Juli gave his testament before being baptized.  I am sure I am not the only one that did not have dry eyes when he was done speaking.  We are so proud of him.  

Today is going to be a baseball watching day.  The Cubs have a double header today so I am planning on working on some stamping projects that have been building up and are easy to do from my recliner.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 16, 2025

Notes and Totes

How about a sneak peek at one of next week's Cards in the Mail?

Have you gotten your two-tone cardstock yet?  Here’s a quick and easy technique you all can do with Two-Tone Cardstock. Use your favorite embossing folder to emboss one of the many colors of Two-Tone Cardstock, then sand the embossed pattern or images to expose the white core of the Two-Tone Cardstock. What a wonderful card tosend to anyone.

  

For this card I started with a card base of Blackberry Bliss and added a layer of designer series paper from the Celebratory Sips package.  I embossed a strip of the two tone Blackberry Bliss cardstock with one of the Glass and Gardens Embossing Folders and then sanded the embossed side.  I layered it onto another layer of Blackberry Bliss paper and then onto the card.  Add a sentiment and you are done.

 

Today is kind of a lazy day.  This afternoon I am planning on watching the Cubs and working on some of the unfinished cards I did not get done last weekend.  This evening I am attending a friends birthday party.  It will be an early evening however because John and I need to leve home t 6:15 in the morning to get to Adel in time to see Juli get baptized.  There will probably not be a post tomorrow. 

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

August 15, 2025

Prairie Grass

The card I am sharing with you today was made with the Prairie Grass stamp set and the Thoughtful Journey Designer Series Paper.  We made this at Make It Monday back in July.

This is a super simple card that only uses one color and two stamps.  You stamp directly onto the colored paper.  The designer series paper does all of the work for you.  It reminds me of the watercolors that John used to paint all of the time.  There are several patterns in this set of papers that would be appropriate for the background of this card.  Give it a try!!

Yesterday was a fun day.  I met Hanna and the kids and we had a back to school shopping day.  We have not had an In Person Back To School Shopping Day since before I got sick.  All of the kids now have a new backpack, good new shoes, and a first day of school outfit.  The backpack and outfits took all morning, we ate lunch, and then went on the shoe hunt.  That probably took longer than anything else but they all have a pair of good new shoes.  I got a text from Hanna this morning that said "They went with Jake when we got home to show how fast their shoes are and how high they can jump.  You should also know the kids slept with their shoes by their beds and upon waking up, immediately put them on. lol". I think it is safe to say the shoes were a hit!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!! 

 Happy Stamping!!

August 13, 2025

Sunflower Embossing Folder

I am finally back and rested up from all of my doctor's appointments and travels.  I hope I can keep a consistent posting schedule again.  This beautiful Sunflower Embossing Folder card is one we made at Make-It-Monday before I left for the Alaskan Cruise.

I started me card by embossing a piece of Basic White Cardstock with the Sunflower Embossing Folder.  You want to be sure that you get a deep impression when embossing.  I then used the debossed side (with the indents down) and some sponge daubers to color the sunflowers and leaves.  Once I was happy with my coloring I took an Early Espresso ink pad and drug it lightly over the whole piece of cardstock.  the ink will adhere to the raised portions of the cardstock but not the debossed portions where you colored.  It is a pretty cool technique.

I think I finally have my feet under me again and am rested up from all of my adventures.  I had only been home from Alaska three days when I took off again for a weekend stamping retreat in Waunakee, Wisconsin.  I had stamp day right after I got home from that and appointments yesterday.  There is nothing on my calendar for today so I am hoping I can get caught up on a lot of things.  There was another Last Chance List that was released while I was gone so I need to go through my shelves again and pull the Last Chance stamps.  I think that is going to be a never ending job with the way they are releasing and retiring stamps now.  I also hope to get pictures taken of leftover garage sale stamps and posted on my Facebook LyndaSueStamps4U page.  

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!