May 31, 2024

Tune In

I purchased this stamp set for a special project I am planning to do later this summer, so I decided I might as well use it. This slimline card is a sample that I cased from the Annual Idea Book and Catalog.


I had to laugh when I saw this set because I can remember as a kid huddling around our small TV hoping the rabbit ears were pointed in the right direction to get good reception.  I am sure many people now don't even know what rabbit ears are.  I stamped the TV set directly onto the Daffodil Delight Designer Series Paper using Crushed Curry Ink.  There is a fair amount of coloring on this card, but it is not intricate coloring so it goes pretty fast.




I can hardly believe it but I actually get to go to a stamping weekend today in Wisconsin!!  My bags are packed and sitting by the door waiting for me to load them into my vehicle.  I will drive to my friend's house in eastern Iowa and then she will drive the rest of the way from there.  I have missed so many of these get-togethers since September so I am really looking forward to it.

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 30, 2024

Perennial Postage

Once again today's card is from back in January from a swap I did.  So much has happened since then that I have no idea which swap it was or who made this card.  It does use a retired stamp set . . . Perennial Postage . . .  but it would be super simple to substitute whatever sentiment you might want to use.


This one uses the Paper Butterfly Accents but it is left just white.  I am not sure if I like it left white or colored.  You can see the two colored ones here and here.  Which do you like better?



Yesterday was a great day.  I got a wild hair (even though I don't have any) to go summer hat shopping.  All of my hats are felt or wool and they are a little warm this time of year.  So I called my friend, Joan, because I knew she was out of school and away we went.  I found three hats . . . two were not bargains but one was marked at half off the clearance price so it cost me all of $2.00!!  Best bargain of the day!!  Today I am meeting my friend, Luetta, for lunch since she is now done with school!!  

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 29, 2024

Happy Little Things

Today's card is one I borrowed from the Stampin' Up! website.  I was going to try and make one myself but ran out of time and I knew this card was perfect for today!  It is day 100 and my protected isolation is over.  Day 100 was a milestone that I circled on my calendar as the turning point in their recovery. That’s when the greatest risk for critical side effects is past and when the stem cells have engrafted and begun making new blood cells.   Oh, Happy Day!!


While I am using this card to celebrate Day 100, you could send it to anyone who has accomplished something. Alternatively, you could leave off the "you did it" part and simply have a celebratory card. Either way, it is a super cute card that anyone would love to receive.



I am trying to decide if I am going to stay home today or if I am actually going to go and do something!!  Stay tuned till tomorrow and see what I decided.  

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 28, 2024

Perennial Postage

Today's card is from back in January from a swap I did.  So much has happened since then that I have no idea which swap it was or who made this card.  It does use a retired stamp set . . . Perennial Postage . . .  but it would be super simple to substitute whatever sentiment you might want to use.


The butterfly from the Paper Butterfly Accents has been colored with a blending brush and Gorgeous Grape ink. This one is pretty light, but you can use any color you prefer. The butterflies were on backorder but they are now back in stock. If you're interested, I suggest getting them now before they sell out again.



My swaps for this weekend are done, the laundry is started, and it is a beautiful day out.  I keep saying I am going to sit outside but something always comes up and I don't get it done.  Hopefully, today is the day!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 27, 2024

My Small Business

Thinking today about my dad and father-in-law and the many other people that have served our country.  We certainly enjoy a lot of freedoms because of their service.  Thank you does not seem like enough.


I love making red, white, and blue cards!!  There is just something so striking about them.  In fact, the swap I was working on yesterday was red, white, and blue as well!!



Saturday John and I took an afternoon ride to look at all of the flags. It was the perfect day for picture taking . . . blue sky, not a cloud in sight, breezing blowing, and the flags waving so majestically!!









Three more days of protected isolation!!!  Today I have an appointment for my neck, even though it is a holiday and I hope to put the finishing touches on my swap cards for this weekend.  And of course, there is always baseball!! 

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 26, 2024

Simply Zinnia

Today's card share comes from one I made a while back with Susie.  It is a super simple card using some OnLine Exclusive Products . . . the Simply Zinnia stamp set and the Zinnia 3D Embossing Folder.


It is very subtle and does not show up well in the photo but the larger white layer has been embossed with the Zinnia 3D Embossing Folder and the Berry Burst strip down the front of the card has been shadow stamped with one of the Zinnia flowers and Berry Burst ink.  The center of the flowers have been colored with a sponge dauber and ink.




I think I will work on my swaps for the demo day I am attending next weekend. For some reason, I seem to work better under pressure. I have had weeks to get these swaps done, but I haven't even started them. Now I only have five days left to get them done. My plan is to get them stamped today so that I can assemble them tonight while watching the Cubs game on TV.

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 25, 2024

The Best There Is Paper Pumpkin Kit



I got my May Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin’ Up!  the  other day and I put it together right away!  It’s a beautiful kit with lots of woodgrain images (my favorites!!) and it is called The Best There Is.


I love the colors and designs!  This kit created 9 cards with coordinating envelopes.



The kit included the exclusive The Best There Is photopolymer stamp set, a Misty Moonlight Stampin’ Spot as well as all of the pieces needed (including adhesives!) to create the cards.



Since I didn’t need three Father’s Day cards, I switched the sentiment on this design to a birthday sentiment from the Throughout the Year stamp set.


The preprinted mountain and tree image on this card front is pretty cool!  So quick and easy to put together too!


The layering on this card is so pretty!  The card base was preprinted with the framing, I just stamped the sentiment and added the die-cut greenery, and the card was done!


And there you go . . . nine masculine cards done in 45 minutes or less!

I had a busy morning! I woke up before 7:00 AM and went to Iowa City to take some flowers to the cemetery. I was planning to do it on Thursday after my appointment with the oncologist, but I was too tired and came home instead. It turned out to be a good thing because I don't think the flowers would have survived the storms we had yesterday. I stopped at the grocery store to buy the bouquets, then went to the cemetery to leave them. After that, I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of over-the-counter medications that we needed. This might be my last trip to Walmart with my mask on... maybe!

It's such a beautiful day that I want to spend this afternoon outside without wearing a mask. I also want to convince John to go for a drive later to see all the flags at the cemeteries. I'll probably have better luck sitting outside than getting John to go for a drive.

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

 Happy Stamping!!

May 24, 2024

Unbounded Love

I saw this card when I was browsing for ideas on a site called "Lovenstamps" and thought it was absolutely gorgeous so of course I had to try one for myself.  I then decided it would be perfect for a Cards in the Mail card.


The Thoughtful Journey Designer Series Paper is absolutely gorgeous on both sides and it is a shame to not show off both sides.  This card does exactly that . . . showcases both sides of the paper.  Just think of the fun you can have mixing and matching the designer series paper with our coordinating cardstock.  What a great way to make a stack of cards in a short period of time!!



Holy buckets  . . . was that a storm this morning or what.  I don't think my bucket would have held all of the rain that fell regardless of whether it had holes in it or not!!  I certainly hope it is done for a while.  I had planned on going to Iowa City and leaving some flowers for my parents, but I think that will wait till tomorrow when it is warmer and sunny!!
  
Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

May 23, 2024

Unbounded Love

Today's card is another Cards in the Mail card and another super simple card!!  While the photo makes this card look Hawkeye colored it is actually the new Peach Pie color. 


I found a card like this on Flowerbug's Inkspot site and fell in love with it.  I used a little different flower because I did not have the one she had.   I am still pretty pleased with the way it turned out.



I spent the morning at the Oncology Clinic at the hospital. I was five days early for my 100-day check-up. The good news is that my counts are all stellar, and I am as healthy as anybody else. I just don't have any extra protection for childhood diseases like chicken pox, measles, or mumps, and some others that I don't remember. Other than being extra careful in large crowds of people and wearing my mask then, I can pretty much get back to living my life after next Wednesday. They did say they wanted me to be careful for the whole 100 days. I thought that was kind of funny, but I will do what they say. What's another five days? 


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

Happy Stamping!!

May 22, 2024

Simply Said

Today's card is a fun fold birthday card in an unusual color combination. Pebbled Path, Moodly Mauve, and Bubble Bath.

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When I found this card online and read the color combination I knew I had to try it and see for myself in person how it looked.  I actually ended up loving the way it turned out.  As you can see this is a z-fold with some bling to make it sparkly.  The butterfly was colored using blending brushes.



Boy does the sun look great after yesterday.  I got a text from Hanna yesterday morning saying that they were "hunkered down" because of tornado warnings.  I visited with her again in the afternoon when I found out that they were getting out early because of the weather.  Her comment was "Everyone around here is doing the same. Everyone already spent 2 hours sheltered in place, we aren’t about to do it again lol". She has certainly had a lot of experiences in her 10 years of teaching that I never had in my 36 year career!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 21, 2024

Sweetly Scripted

Today's Card in the Mail uses some On-Line Exclusive products . . . the Sweetly Scripted stamp set and the Flowering Zinnias Designer Series Paper.


I love it when the designer series paper does all of the work for you, and that was certainly the case with this card. Like with most cards, you could make this work for whatever occasion you need with a change of the sentiment. I thought we had some Lemon-Lime Twist ribbon in the new catalog, but there was none. So, I made my own with the Silver & White 1/2" Sheer Ribbon and a dark Lemon-Lime Twist Stampin' Blend.


I made great progress on my stamping room yesterday. Having a dumpster really helped, as I didn't have to worry about putting things in bags to get them to the curb on trash day. I think I can get everything. else done tomorrow except for my stamping table.ite a bit of time trying to decide what I wanted to order with the free shipping today. I am definitely getting all of the cardstock and envelopes for my annual big summer stamping project, the cards for the teachers in Adel. It's amazing how fast shipping adds up, and since I know what colors I need, I might as well order it today. Let me know if you want to take advantage of the free shipping today only!

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 20, 2024

Wonderful Thoughts

Today's card uses a wonderful sentiment stamp set called Wonderful Thoughts. It has fourteen sentiment stamps and is a must-have as a staple for any stamper.  This particular card is one of this week's Cards in the Mail.


The Meandering Meadows Designer Series Paper, available online, makes creating this card super simple. You can get three cards out of a 6" x 6" sheet and customize them for any occasion. This layout is great for making a lot of cards in a short period of time!  When you change the color of the cardstock to match the designer series paper, they don't look very similar. You can make the Iridescent Pearls coordinate with any color by using a Stampin' Blend to color them.





Yesterday was a cleaning and organizing kind of day in my stamping room.  I totally forgot about posting a card!!  Today is going to bring more organizing and hopefully, I can get to my actual stamping table to begin to get that cleaned off.  Now that I can actually see the progress I am making it makes it a lot more fun to work in there.  And I only have 10 more days to go before I can be out and about so I had better get it done now while I have the time.

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 18, 2024

Courage and Faith

Today's card is another one that I made with Susie about a month ago. I've had this stamp set for quite a while, but I've never used it. It's a bit tricky to locate in the catalog, but you can find it at the bottom of page 93 on the right-hand side.


The Moody Mauve layer has been embossed with the Exposed Brick 3D Embossing Folder and then shadow-stamped with the Leaf Collection background stamp.  There are also a few flowers in the upper right-hand corner that have been shadow-stamped.  It appears as if there is a lighter piece of paper at the bottom of the card, but that is just the way the light was shining when I took the photo.



Today looks to be another gorgeous day, and the air quality is supposed to be a bit better today. My friend Joan is coming over to make some graduation cards, and we are planning to pick our excursions for our cruise this fall. I am hoping we'll have some time to sit outside and read today as well.

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 17, 2024

Perennial Postage

Today's card is from back in January from a swap I did.  So much has happened since then that I have no idea which swap it was or who made this card.  It does use a retired stamp set . . . Perennial Postage . . .  but it would be super simple to substitute whatever sentiment you might want to use.


The butterfly from the Paper Butterfly Accents has been colored with a blending brush and Gorgeous Grape ink. This one is pretty dark, but you can make yours any color you want. This card features a fun fold, as the front is 1 inch shorter than the full-size card. The sentiment piece sticks out over the front of the card, although this is a little difficult to see in the photo.



The past few days have been unproductive as I haven't been able to start anything in the mornings due to afternoon appointments. I've been conserving my energy for the appointments, which has been a bit frustrating. I know it will improve with time, but right now it's challenging.  Today I need to make a quick run to the pharmacy to pick up some of John's prescriptions, but that shouldn't take too long.  I then hope to work on the organization in my stamp room.

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 14, 2024

Wanted to Say Dies

Today's card is one I found in my stamping room . . . I do not know who made it or what swap it was from, but I thought it was cool.


This is a great way to showcase the new 2024-2026 In Colors!!  And a fun birthday card for just about anyone!!!



I'd like to spend time in my stamping room today, but with such a dreary day, I'm having trouble finding the motivation to do anything! I know that if I just get up and get started, it will be fine. I just have to do it. I'll let you know tomorrow how successful I was!

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 13, 2024

City Sites Card Kit



Among other things yesterday I had some time to put together my other new card kit . . . City Sites.


Make all-occasion cards with the City Sights Kit. Featuring artistic cityscape designs in neutral colors, this kit has a masculine charm, and is great to anyone dreaming of big city skylines. Craft like an artist using the different elements from this kit. It’s easy to wish a happy birthday or send a friendly note to a special someone!


This kit includes:
  • City Sights Photopolymer Stamp Set
  • Pebbled Path Stampin’ Spot
  • 8 printed card bases
  • 8 printed envelopes
  • Folded card: 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″
  • Printed shaped die cuts and printed sentiments
  • Corrugated cardstock accent pieces
  • Copper metallic embellishments
  • Enough adhesive to complete projects
  • Product colors: Basic Beige, Basic Black, Boho Blue, Copper Clay, Misty Moonlight, Pebbled Path

It actually took me about 30 minutes to stamp and put all eight of these cards together.  And while I was watching TV!




Book read for book club tonight, bags all dropped off at Goodwill from my closet cleanout, rhubarb crisp baked . . . time to make another to-do list.  I am hoping to spend most of this week working in my stamping room.  I have been pecking it away in small increments but now that everything else is done I can spend some solid time sorting and organizing and pitching junk since we have an empty dumpster again!

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

Happy Stamping!!

May 12, 2024

Adventurous Sky

Today's card is the last of last week's Cards in the Mail.  Like most of the cards I have shared lately, this is another one I made with Susie.


I didn't take a photo to show it, but this is actually a Z-fold card.  They have become one of my favorite fun folds and I think they just add a little more interest to the card.  There are several  patterns of aviation designs to choose from.  The maps, blueprints, textured clouds, and sketched planes are fitting for aviation, military, outdoor, or adventure-themed cards.  Be sure and check it out!!




Yesterday was a super busy day and everybody got a lot accomplished.  The first project they tackled was going from this, minus the snow. . . 


to this . . . 


Now I can at least grill if I feel like it and the sunshine can again come in my kitchen window.  It will be much more pleasant doing dishes when I can see the outdoors as opposed to the dirty tin roof that was blocking my view.

The next project was to start getting John's studio somewhat in order and the mess in front of it cleaned up.  It went from this minus the snow . . . 


to this.  Some things he just could not get rid of . . . the like long pieces of wood and the plywood.  "I might be able to make something out of them!!"  So they will stay until we start in again in June.


Since I couldn't really help do anything, Hanna asked me if I wanted to go plant shopping and she would plant flowers in the flower be on the south side of the house.  So away we went.


She selected a variety of colorful perennials that should bloom most of the summer once they get going.


The trick will be . . . can I keep them alive!!!  I guess we will wait and see.



After the busyness of yesterday, I think today is going to be more of a low-key day with a lot of resting and sitting!!

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

Happy Stamping!!