December 6, 2024

One of a Kind

I know this card gives off a fall vibe but I can't quite let go of fall yet!!  Especially with the fall designer paper in the Splendid Autumn paper package.

If you don't have the Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder, you really need to get it.  It adds just the right amount of texture to add to your card but not to overpower it.  The rest of the card is just layers of cardstock and then the designer series paper focal point.  The Linen Thread is a nice fall-ish touch to finish off the card. 

I think the next four days are going to be great to be out and about and to try and finish up some of my Christmas shopping.  I was going to go yesterday but decided to wait until today to run my errands in Washington.  Much nicer day today and not nearly as windy!!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

December 5, 2024

Artful Amarylis

I am not sure I had ever heard of an Amarylis before looking in the Holiday Mini Catalog.  And then even after looking at it I am not sure I would recognize it as a Christmas flower.  So I decided to make it "just" a flower for this Make-It-Monday card.

This is a two-step stamp that is super easy to line up.  I stamped the outline with Smoky Slate because I did not want it to be that dark and then filled in the leaves and blooms with Granny Apple Green and Flirty Flamingo.  The Thoughtful Designs Specialty Designer Series Paper was the perfect complement to the flower.  As cold and windy as it has been the last couple of days I think I will sit and just look at this summery flower and dream of warmer days!!

Much as I don't want to, I am going to have to go out this afternoon and go to Washington to turn in the license plates from John's truck and also make a donation to the pet shelter as part of Jason's Christmas present.  If I thought it would be any warmer tomorrow, I would just wait till then.  I am going to start stamping up the left-over cards from Monday night, so depending on how long that takes me, it might be a good reason to wait till tomorrow as well.  We shall see!

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

Happy Stamping!!

December 4, 2024

Friends For Life

Today's card is another one everyone got to make on Monday and also comes from my friend, Susie.  There is virtually no stamping on this card but what a great friendship card.

I don't very often use the Adhesive Sheets, but I did on this card.  It is surely less messy than trying to glue or adhere the blue friend piece to the white outline.  If you haven't looked at the Full of Life Designer Series Paper you really should.  There are such vibrant colors and patterns and they make card-making easy because the paper does all of the work.

Today is going to be a stampy kind of day . . . I plan on working on some things this morning and then this evening I am meeting what used to be a "Paper Pals" group for our traditional Christmas get together.  There used to be a lot of us, but we are down to just three.  We decided that we still wanted to get together for supper and exchange stamping white elephants.  I need to figure out what I am going to do for that but I am sure I can find something in my room.

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

Happy Stamping!!

December 3, 2024

Otterly Amazing

I certainly enjoyed having Make-It-Monday in person yesterday.  I think everyone agreed that having it at my house in the kitchen is working fine and is spread out over six hours which is good.  That way there is never too many people at one time and I can sit and visit while people make their cards.  This is one of the cards everyone made yesterday.

I knew right away when this suite was released that I had to have it.  My grandson, Juli, was gifted the adoption of an otter from the Omaha Zoo last Christmas.  We got to go see his otter this summer and they send him periodic updates on how his otter is doing.  So you can see why this is the perfect set for me to make cards for him.

The So Swirly Embossing Folder is the perfect complement to the Otter set.  It definitely looks like water swirling around the focal point.  I could have stamped and colored in the otters, but I chose to die-cut one of the images from the designer series paper.  The two images are identical but I took the easy way out for this card.  I got five of this image cut from one piece of the paper and there are at least three or four other images that you can die-cut on this piece of paper. 

Today is another Internet Connection problem day.  A couple of weeks ago our printer decided not to connect to the router and this morning John's desk top computer decided not to connect to the router.  Luckily, the local phone company came and is working on the problem.  At this point it is just John's computer that is not connected.  Let's hope it stays that way!!  

UPDATE:  They have fixed all of the connections and also fixed it so John's computer is not hooked to the new printer!!!  YAY!!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

December 2, 2024

Peaceful Evergreens

I am so excited to have another In-Person Make-It Monday tonight.  This is one of the cards we will be making featuring the technique "Black Ice". Kind of appropriate for today as long as the roads don't have any black ice. 

 

This was a technique that I used a lot a long time ago, so I decided to resurrect it for tonight.  Especially since Stampin' Up! now has brushed foil again in both silver and gold.  You start by rubbing Stazon ink down a piece of Brushed Silver going the same way as the grain of paper.  Then rub it with a paper towel and proceed to stamp your images also with Stazon Black.  It works best if you dry the ink a little with a heat tool before going to the next step.  Once you are sure the black ink is good and dry you cover the whole piece of cardstock with Versamark ink and then with Clear Embossing Powder and het set the powder.  As the powder dries it will begin to look like little ice crystals on the foil.  This does not really show up at all in the photos but trust me it is there.  Finish your card any way you would like with the "Black Ice" piece as your focal point.

Several times this fall, John and I have looked out the window when we got up and thought it had snowed.  We were used to seeing our old gravel driveway and not the smooth, new concrete one.  Well . . . today there was actually some snow on the driveway!!  Not a lot, but just enough to make things pretty.  I went out to see how easy the snow would move on the new composite ramp and it was so easy to weep off. . . not sure if it is because of the snow or the ramp, but either way I will take it.  

I need to finish up a couple of things for Make-It-Monday tonight and then I can sit and watch it snow!!! 

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

Happy Stamping!!

December 1, 2024

Stampin' Up Hello Hollyhocks Kit

I am still on a mission to get all of my past kits and Paper Pumpkin kits finished up.  I had some time yesterday while I was watching college football, so I finished up this Hello Hollyhocks kit.  It came out last spring but is still available.

The Hello Hollyhocks Kit has beautiful floral images and great sentiments!  This is one of the no stamping kits, just adhere the pieces to the card front and the cards are done!

I Iove the colors and layering on this card!

The preprinted hollyhocks on the card base are so pretty!

                   

I love the frame on this card and the pretty little sparkly gems are perfect!

I finished all of these cards in the kit in about half an hour, and that was while I was watching football!!

Today is going to be another resting day at home, watching football and getting ready for tomorrow's Make It Monday.  I am looking forward to getting back to In-Person stamping!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 30, 2024

Stampin’ Up! November Paper Pumpkin Kit – Filled With Joy

When I got my November Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin’ Up! in the mail a while back, I put it off to the side to do later.  Later happened to be the day before Thanksgiving and I’m sharing it with you today!  The kit was called Filled With Love

The kit created 8 cute stockings with gift tags that you can fill up with holiday goodies!

The kit included the exclusive Filled With Joy photopolymer stamp set, a Poppy Parade Stampin’ Spot, and all of the pieces needed to create the stockings and tags (including the adhesives and pins!).

There were different ornament images and tags for each stocking.  And there were different sentiments in the stamp set that could be used for each tag too!  I love the little red safety pins that attached each tag to the stocking.  The stockings are larger than they appear too…they measure about 5″ wide from heel to toe and about 7″ tall from toe to the top of the stocking.  They are big enough to fit a standard sized gift card.

I might have to order some refill kits so that I can make some more of these cute stockings.

Wow . . . what a game last night!  Never count the Hawkeyes out of any game!  I feel bad for those people who either went to bed or just quit watching because they certainly missed a spectacular ending.

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 28, 2024

Changing Leaves

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  I hope everyone gets where they need to be safely!!  This card is perfect for today. . . . because it sums up my feelings on just about everything . . . grateful for my family, grateful for my health, grateful for a roof over my head and food on the table to eat, and grateful to you all who share my love of stamping!!

Today's card is a super simple one using gold foil and Blackberry Bliss cardstock!!

It doesn't show up in the photos, but the layer of Blackberry Bliss has also been embossed at the same time as the gold foil.  This card is much prettier in person than the photo shows.  The Grateful has also been embossed with gold embossing powder, and the Blackberry Bliss Ribbon has a gold edging on it.

I am out the door early this morning to pick up our dinner from Hy-Vee.  I want to get to Iowa City to get it and be home in time to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV.  

Wherever you are and whoever you are celebrating with, remember to be thankful for everything you have  . . . 

BECAUSE . . . 

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 27, 2024

Regal Flora

Today, I am sharing a card made with the Regal Flora bundle . . . a stamp set I didn't think I would use, but obviously have!!

The paper in this suite is the star of the show . . . it is absolutely beautiful!!!  At first glance, it looks a little garish (one of my dad's favorite words), but when used properly and in small doses, it is beautiful!!  I would be hard-pressed to tell you which one of the patterns is my favorite.  It is so colorful that it is not hard to find a cardstock color that looks great with it.  Here I have paired it with Berry Burst and toned it down with some Basic Black layers . . . perfect!!

I got all of my errands run yesterday so today there is nothing left to do to get ready for Thanksgiving except hope that Hanna and the kids are healthy.  The stomach fue seems to have been going through their household . . . I think Hanna and Adrian are the last to get it, except Jake, and he rarely gets sick.

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 26, 2024

Caring Leaves

Today's card is one I received in a swap somewhere along the line this fall.  I don't know where, when, or who made it.  In fact, I don't even own the stamp set, Caring Leaves!!

I can tell you it is a very simple card to make with the sentiment stamped right on the designer series paper.  You just have to be careful when you cut your piece for the left-hand side of the card that you include a fairly light spot in the lower right-hand corner.  Finish it off with some embellishments and you are done!!

Today is appointment day . . . a fun salon appointment this morning and a PT appointment this afternoon.  In between the two, I hope to do a little shopping to finish getting stuff for Thursday.  I also want to finish cleaning up my stamping mess in the kitchen so we have a table to eat on and a counter to put food on!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 25, 2024

Changing Leaves

Today's card is one I got from my friend, Luetta, in a swap, I think.  I can't remember if it was a shoebox swap or just a regular swap . . . but either way, it is way prettier in person than in the photos.  They turned out really dark, and I could not get them to lighten up much.

We started with a base of Misty Moonlight and added a layer of Cajun Craze.  The top layer of cardstock is Night of Navy, which has been stamped with one of the leaves from the stamp set using Night of Navy ink.  The leaf was embossed and die-cut from Crushed Curry cardstock and then brushed with some Cajun Craze ink.  This is not a color combination I use very much on cards, but it is certainly striking when finished.

Today is the day to try and start getting my house in order so that all of the kids can come for Thanksgiving.  I have stamping projects everywhere and John has his stuff everywhere as well.  Hopefully, I can get that all done before leaving for my appointment in Iowa City this afternoon.

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 24, 2024

Greetings of the Season

Today, I am sharing the last one of the Christmas cards that everyone who stamped with me Monday got to make.  I absolutely love how all of these cards turned out.

For this card, I chose to emboss the Basic White layer with the Distressed Tile 3D Embossing Folder.  I thought it gave it a little more interest.  Otherwise, it is made exactly as the other three.  I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas card set a much a I enjoyed making them.

Yesterday was a great day to be a Hawkeye.  I certainly enjoyed watching the game, and there was a lesson to be learned in the game.  Never give up on your dreams because you never know what might happen.  I'm sure the 4th string quarterback never dreamed he would be starting an important Big Ten game, but he did indeed start and did a good job.  

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

Happy Stamping!!

Novemer 23, 2024

Greetings of the Season

Today, I am sharing the third one of the Christmas cards that everyone who stamped with me Monday got to make.  There is one more to share tomorrow.

Once again, the elements were either die-cut or fussy-cut.    If you are not a fan of fussy cutting, you can always choose the elements with dies that fit them.  And, of course, there are several other Christmas sentiments you could choose.  I found it easier to use the same sentiment on all of the cards.

Today is going to be a stay-at-home and watch football kind of day.  Hopefully the Hawks will play well, even if we are using a fourth-string quarterback.

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 22, 2024

Greetings of the Season

Today, I am sharing another one of the Christmas cards that everyone who stamped with me Monday got to make.

These cards are so easy to make with minimal stamping, but they look super elegant.  People will think you have spent hours making their card.  All of the elements are either die-cut or fussy-cut out of the designer paper.  I would be hard-pressed to tell you which of these four cards is my favorite, but this one comes close.

Wednesday morning started with a dermatology appointment and yesterday, I started the day delivering a stamp order.  By the time I got home, I forgot about posting a card.  I did find out why my face and eyes hurt so much and my face felt like it was being stretched.  There were still a couple of stitches in the bridge of my nose pulling the skin.  It surely does feel better now!!!  And my headaches are gone as well.  It's funny how a little piece of thread can cause so many issues!!

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

Happy Stamping!!

November 19, 2024

Greetings of the Season

Today, I am sharing one of the Christmas cards everyone stamped with me yesterday got to make.

The Season of Green and Gold products are part of the On-Line Exclusive stamps on the Stampin' Up! website.  They are not in any print catalog or brochure, and can only be seen online.

These cards were designed primarily to be Christmas cards, but only one person made them into Christmas cards last night.  We had winter wedding cards, thank you cards, thinking of you cards, and, without the bells, a sympathy card.  The greenery was either die-cut or fussy-cut from the matching designer paper, as were the bells.  I will be posting the other three cards people made last night later this week.

Today started with a physical therapy appointment.  There is not much else on the agenda today other than maybe a nap and a little cardstock cutting.

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

Happy Stamping!!