Outlawed Photos

Ok, they're not THAT kind of outlawed photos. My mom and I went shopping yesterday to get some "business casual" clothes for my new nursing job. I started today and spent 8 hours in an orientation session. Ugh! But you do what ya' gotta' do. So, anyway, my brother babysat the kids so we could go shopping (my husband works every other weekend) so I thought it would be appropriate to post a photo of him with my youngest daughter at the ocean. Can you tell she didn't like the loud sound of the crashing waves?


This is what the frame originally looked like. I bought it back in February at the Target dollar spot. I love that place! Believe me, a dollar adds up to a lot of dollars real fast! This frame wasn't much to look at, but I saw the potential. I grabbed all they had left (at least on that particular day at that particular store). When our new Stampin' Up catalog came out with new designer paper, this frame seemed to just scream at me to throw some Outlaw paper on it.

First, I applied three different sizes of the paper onto the frame with sticky strip. Then I covered the seams with caramel and moss gingham ribbon, using mini glue dots to hold it on tight. Pretty simple so far, right? Well, it doesn't get much harder. Next, I stamped the medallion from the new Simple Delights Simply Sent kit.

If you haven't used these kits, you should consider them; they are FABULOUS!!! This particular kit comes with die cut stamps for easy mounting and everything you need cut to size to make 10 cards. Instructions, paper, envelopes, accessories, EVERYTHING!


Well, I stamped the medallion in Sage Shadow four times and punched each one out with a
1 3/8" punch. I sponged each piece with Creamy Caramel and then edged each piece with Close to Cocoa. The medallions still needed a little something, so I did a big no-no... I used retired copper brads from last year's antique brad collection. Let's just keep that our little secret, ok? I adhered each medallion to a one of the heart magnets with Crystal Effects and let it dry. Then I added my photo and voila! (I like that word, voila!) I have a beautiful picture frame. Good for grandparents that want lots of photos of the grandkids! They change so fast, it's an easy way to keep your photo display updated.

Ok, one more day for blog candy. Either my candy isn't that great or people just aren't reading. A couple have subscribed, but leave a comment also, so that I know you're reading! Off to bed, now. Tomorrow will be a hard day. It's my last day at the vet clinic and I KNOW I'll cry, so I should try to get my beauty sleep while I can.

Blog Candy

Well, my daughter had a friend stay the night last night and she didn't leave until late this evening. Needless to say, I am WORN OUT!! Two six-year old girls... takes a lot of creativity, patience, and understanding to deal with them (especially since they were up until 10:30 and woke up at 7:00-- my daughter is used to a 8 pm bedtime and gets plenty of sleep).


My sweet pea is on the left and that is her BFF, Avery. They met in kindergarten and so they are now life-long buds. Avery is getting ready to move into another school district, so they're both a little sad. But, we'll try to make sure they get play dates together.


On to the important stuff! I mean, let's get to the reason you're visiting my blog, right? At long last, I am having a blog candy contest. I've got some painstakingly made, homemade card candy that is just waiting to adorn your scrapbook pages and cards, a huge, ginormous giant prima flower, some smaller primas, a sheet of epoxy stickers with butterflies and words from K&Co., and a spool of 2 yds. of blue/pink striped ribbon by American Crafts (forgot to include this in my photo, but it's yours if you win). How do you win this fabulous stuff? It's simple!!! Just simply subscribe to my blog using the link to the left OR leave me a comment to this post. In your comment tell me what your favorite color combination is. For the record, mine is chocolate chip, close to cocoa, and perfect plum. You have until Tuesday, July 31st at 8 pm eastern time. At that time I'll scientifically choose a winner at random. The scientific method consists of my 6 year old, yes the cutie up above, sticking her hand in a bowl and pulling out a winner.


Ok, have a cool project to post tomorrow. Off to bed now to recuperate from last night. Have a great day!

Blog Candy Coming Tomorrow!

Check back on Thursday, July 26th to enter a contest for some blog candy! I'm gathering some goodies for an extra-special candy treat! Contest will run until Monday, 8 pm. EST so make sure you check the site out! Everyone likes candy!

Snips & Snails

Just got poked and prodded for my new job that I start on Monday. YAY!! I'll be working in the Women's Health Center at one of the local hospitals. I am so excited!! And scared... don't want to kill anyone. Do I really know what I'm doing? Think about that next time you're in the hospital. How much experience does that person taking care of you really have? It's all good, though. I'll be the best nurse ever! Just wait and see! So, now that I have submitted my blood and urine for the drug screen, here is another submission, but of the more pleasant kind. LOL.

This a little 6x6 scrapbook page I made for a summer theme swap in my stamp club. I just had to use the Garden Whimsy stamp set again. It is SO adorable! So versatile! So easy to use. Nothing real fancy about this page, just some simple stamping and sponging. I'll probably use this as a journaling block on a larger 12x12 page.

Cardstock: Green Galore, Yoyo Yellow, Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White. Ink: Basic Black, Green Galore. Embellishments: Real Red Brads, sponges.

To Die For (as in Di-orama)...

So my mom came over today to do a little scrapbooking and stamping. Needless to say, neither one of us really felt up to it. We'd just had a not so pleasant experience at the local IHOP (give me Bob Evans any day) and we just felt tired and greasy. Bleh! BUT!! I did manage to get this one card done while the kiddos took naps.
I'm involved in a diorama swap and thought I should experiment with the technique before I actually make my swaps. You can see the directions for a diorama card here: splitcoast stampers.

Well, I just got my Garden Whimsy stamp set (see the link to my Stampin' Up! website to view this set in the new catalog) and decided that this would be perfect for my needs. I stamped the large butterfly in groovy guava and then "rock n' rolled" it in purely pomegranate and cut it out. The circles on the wings and antennas were colored in with a summer sun marker. Then I applied Icicle stickles to the butterfly's body, antenna circles, and a dot on each wing. The smaller butterfly was done the same way with the main color being the new bayou blue that I absolutely love! Then I did a repeat with the little purely pomegranate ladybug on the outside of the card.

The top layer of cardstock is soft sky wheeled with the jumbo petals wheel in tempting turquoise. I filled in the center of the flowers and some of the circles with the signo white gel pen. The middle layer is groovy guava on which I stamped the small bug images in pomegranate. (Gee, do you think I like pomegranate? I even like the way the word sounds--paw-muh-gran-it; pretty satisfying!) The bottom layer is blue bayou and I stamped this with the quote from Garden Whimsy. Then I stamped the snail on some whisper white card stock using river rock and another lady bug using, yep, you guessed it... pomegranate! These I just cut out and glued to the bottom layer on either side of the quote. Then I applied the outer bugs with dimensionals and finished the card with a sentiment from the warm words stamp set.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, especially for my first try. My swap will probably be something similar to this, but you won't get to see it until AFTER it's mailed back to me! <*evil grin*>

Please leave a comment if you like it. Heck, leave a comment if you DON'T like and tell me what could be done better. LOL. I'm going to have some card candy soon, so keep checking back to my site. Thanks!

Did I tell you how much I love this stamp set?

Ok, Baroque Motifs is my favorite NEW stamp set out of the new Stampin' Up! fall/winter '07 catalog! This card was very time consuming but so worth the effort. First, I took a piece of chocolate chip cardstock for my base, 'cuz nothing in life is good without chocolate! Then I stamped the flourish in Chocolate Chip craft all over the base, covered it with clear embossing powder and heat set it. Next I measured a piece of mellow moss cardstock so that it was a 1/2 inch smaller all around than the base. After all, I wanted to see the embossed background. I punched all four corners with the ticket punch just because I really like this punch. The final layer of cardstock is blush blossom, also punched with the ticket corner. This piece was measured a 1/4 inch smaller than the mellow moss piece, cuz I wanted a real thin matte. On this piece I stamped the flourish twice in close to cocoa, once at the top and once at the bottom so that they met in the middle. I wasn't sure that was all I wanted to do with the flourish, so I pulled out the good ol' stamp-a-majig, which I would DIE without, lined up the flourishes and then slightly offset it. Once it was offset, I stamped the flourish again in pretty in pink to give it a shadowed effect. Then I stamped the small flower randomly on the flourish in mellow moss and regal rose. I still wasn't sure how I liked it, so I decided to just keep stamping the flower all over the cardstock (after all stamping is the next best thing to chocolate!) I stamped the large flower in chocolate chip on blush blossom and cut out. Tied old olive ribbon about 1/4 way down and layered the cut out flower on the right hand side of it with a dimensional. Stamped thank you on mellow moss with the retired set All Natural and punched it out with the large oval punch. Sponged this with mellow moss. The card still needed something, so I sponged the outer edge with mellow moss and the middle of the card with pretty in pink. Added clear stickles to the center of all the flowers and the outer points of the large flower. Voila! It's done; now I don't want to give it away!

Rubber Rubbage Sale

!!RUBBER “RUBBAGE” SALE!!

It’s the beginning of a new year and I need room for all the new stuff I HAVE to have. The following stamp sets are going up for sale. I am allowing you, my customers, first crack at these. They are marked more than 50% off and I have already paid the shipping and handling! You can’t beat a deal like that! If you see something you want, you must contact me before 5 p.m. on Friday, July 6^{th to get price information and reserve the set.}After that they go on my yard sale table Saturday, July 7^th. Payment is expected no later than Tuesday, July 10^th. First come, first serve; so if you see something you want, speak up!

Keep in mind these are USED sets; some show a little more love than others; some still look brand new. They all stamp clean, clear images. If you have any questions about the condition of the set you’re interested in, please contact me before reserving.

If you need to see what a set looks like, go to www.splitcoaststampers.com and click on their gallery. This site has the sets alphabetized with some great examples. Thanks! I hope you find a bargain.

From 2006-2007 Idea Book & Catalog

Stamp Set Page#

Hostess Sets

Riveting 14

Tags So Much 16

Both Way Blossoms 19

Basket Full of Fun 21 (sale pending)

Catalog Sets

Loving Hearts 26 (sold)

Tags & More 62

A Little Love 84

All Natural 91

All I Have Seen 116

Fresh Flowers 121

In Full Bloom 122 (Sale Pending)

Burst into Bloom 123

Around & About 160

Wheels

Blossoms & Bugs 121

Flitting By Jumbo 138

Wings & Things 139

Leaf Prints

Bloomin’

From 2005-2006 Idea Book & Catalog

Hostess Sets

Around the Block 15

Say It Simply 16

Reverse Prints 19

Catalog Sets

Spring Fling 34

Shapes & Shadows 67

Mini Messages 72

Something to Celebrate 75

Buttons, Bows, &

Twinkletoes 110

Bud & Blossoms 123

Delightful Doodles 132

Close To Nature 137

Elegant Ornaments 161

Classic Caps 194

Wheels

Bold Blooms Jumbo 123

Miscellaneous (Sell-A-Bration, Hostess Incentives, and Past Mini Catalogs)

Holiday Blocks N/A

Gently Falling

Noteworthy

Painted Posies

Antique Background

I did it!

Well, after several long years, I am officially a registered nurse. The State of Indiana has issued me a license as a RN. Can you believe it? I can't! I'm just relieved the testing is over. Tomorrow I hit the pavement and put in my application at three of the area hospitals. Wish me luck!

So, I felt like stamping and managed to get a few cards made. This thank you card is my favorite. It uses the new Baroque Motifs stamp set that will be available in the new Fall/Winter catalog of Stampin' Up! First, I stamped the flourish in Garden Green onto a piece of Naturals White cardstock. Then, I took the starburst and randomly stamped it in Not Quite Navy and Purely Pomegranate (new In Color for the '07/'08 year). Then I stamped thank you from the retiring All Natural set. I felt like it needed more, 'cuz more is always better, right? So, I used my distressing tool and roughed up the edges of the natural white cardstock. Then I used my ticket corner punch on the, well, the corners. I layered this on two more of the new In Color line, Soft Sky and Bayou Blue cardstock. I used Not Quite Navy brads in the corners where I had ticket punched them. Voila, a simple and easy card! I can tell this is going to be one of my favorite sets! I also love the new in colors. They are much better in real life than I thought they would be. In fact, I didn't even like Bayou Blue when I first saw it; now I can't get enough of it!

My first post

It's official! I have started a blog! Who would have ever thought that I would want to share something with the world so much that I would start a blog? You can read a little bit about me under "About Me." This blog is primarily to showcase the scrapbook pages, cards, and objects I stamp and craft. Mostly, it will be Stampin' Up! products that I use, but sometimes, it will have a little more. I hope to have a little bit of everything on here... projects, tips, how-to. Anything you guys want to see? Learn? I might have a contest from time to time as well. Leave me some feedback, please.