Stampin' Up! Sheltering Tree Challenges + FREE SHIPPING!!

Hey Stampin' Friends!!


I hope you had a wonderful Easter yesterday. We had a fun, full weekend. The college boy and a friend came and turned my living room into a dorm room (and I LOVED it!). My brother, his wife, and their three adorable daughters came for a too short visit on Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed a beautiful Easter service Sunday morning and then topped it all off with a delicious salmon dinner shared with our neighbor that evening. The best way to enjoy Resurrection Sunday is to share it!!

Lots of fun stuff to blog about today!! First, here is a card I created that is perfect for two online challenges. The Just Add Ink #257 Inspiration Photo Challenge JAI257 and the Pals Paper Arts #246 Color Challenge PPA246.

Stamps: Sheltering Tree

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar, Calypso Coral

Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Whisper White

Accessories: Spring Flowers EF, Circle Framelits, Paper Doily, Coral Seam Binding, Pearl Jewels

I LOVE this color combination. I am going to be so sad when the 2013-2015 In-Colors are retired in June. I've really grown find of them. My favorite is Crisp Cantaloupe. I just can't get enough of it! And it pairs so well with Calypso Coral.

Here are the two challenge inspirations:

If you want to stock up on these In-Colors before they are gone, this week is a great time to do it because Stampin' Up! is offering FREE SHIPPING!!!

Stay tuned for details about my next Online Stamp Class:

Thanks for stopping by!

STAMP SOMETHING!!

Krystal

Cheep Talk Inspiration

Hi Stamping Friends!

I had a lot of fun making today's card.  I got to use lots of bright, cheerful colors and lots of happy DSP.  What's happy DSP?  Any patterned paper that makes you smile.  :)

CHEEP TALK

I used the inspiration challenge from the PALS PAPER ARTS blog.  This is challenge PPA41.  At first I was going to make a card using Real Red, So Saffron, and Baja Breeze.  Then I realized everyone was using those colors for the challenge, so I went with something totally different!  I used the fun bird plate as my inspiration.  It has lots of juicy colors to choose from.  The sketch comes from Karen Giron's blog, the sweetest thing.  This is Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 68.  Great sketch to use up scraps of DSP, and to add lots of color to your card.

The card base is Orchid Opulence.  The DSP is frm Pink Flamingo, Sweet Pea, and some really old stuff I am too lazy to look up the name to.  :)  The little birdie was stamped in Pacific Point with a Tempting Turquoise wing.  The branch is Green Galore.  The flowers are Yoyo yellow, and the sentiment is Tangerine Tango.  A nice mix of retiring and returning colors.  The ribbon is really old retired SU! stuff.  It's called Apple Green.  Speaking of retiring colors, if you want to stock up on them, you better place your order ASAP as supplies running low.  And once it's gone, it's gone!!

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow and see the awesome color combo Arielle picked for this week's ColourQ.  On Wednesday, I hope to have a cupcake challenge card and Thursday will be the second STAMPIN' CELEBRATION inspiration challenge.  Wow!  What a fun week of stamping goodness!

CHEEP TALK   #113204   $26.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Stampin' Addicts Summer Blog Hop!!

Hi Stamping Friends!

The Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini blog hop is here!  I'm so excited to be a part of this awesome hop.  I know you will be treated to lots of fabulous stamping goodness from all these talented stampers.  If you've been hopping, then you just came from Trina's cute blog, Stamps and Whiskers.  If you're just joining us, that's O.K.  Just start here and hop on through 'til the end.  If you somehow get lost along the way, just click HERE and there is a list of the blog hop sites, in order.







The new Summer Mini set that I chose is Go, Graduate!  I don't have any graduation sets, and I fell in love with the adorable little owl.

Isn't he just too cute?! 

I found this great sketch at Carrie Gaskin's amazing blog, The Artistic Avenger.   The color inspiration came from the Embellish magazine blog.  It's an old challenge that I never got around to, but I really liked the colors of Real Red, Basic Black, Kraft and Whisper White.

And every graduate needs a little gift.

The Matchbox is the perfect little box to stash a little graduation cash into.  That and maybe some chocolate!  Those are the first two things that are always my wish list.  I'm so glad that Stampin' Up! has so many exclusive dies.  It's always impressive when you can match your card and your gift.

Here's another super cute image from the Go, Graduate! set.

I just think this image is hilarious!  And so true.  Since no one can see your new outift under that gown, then you better find the cutest shoes to wear with it!

The sketch idea came from 2Sketches4You.  This is Kazan's sketch 51.  I flipped the sketch on it's side.  The colors were inspired by the challenge over at Pals Paper Arts, which was to create a monochromatic card using blues.  I had to throw in the little bit of Chocolate Chip on the cowboy boots, just for fun.  I colored this image with my Watercolor Crayons and Blender Pens.  Funny thing, these are the school colors of our local Christian high school, Central Valley Christian.  So this will be perfect for one of the many graduation parties we will be attending.  The joy of being a youth pastor's wife!

And here is one more little gift basket, that would perfect filled with lots of yummy after-graduation candy.

The colors I used are Night of Navy, Brocade Blue and Bashful Blue.  I cut this basket out with the Baskets and Blooms die.  Then I embossed it with the new Square Lattice Impressions Folder, (from the Summer Mini) before I assembled it.  The tag is also cut using the same die.

Well that's it from me!  Next blog in the hop is Dr. Heather at CANDLE WITH TWO ENDS.  She will be treating us to some great projects using the First Day stamp set.

--GO TO NEXT BLOG--

If you love Stampin' Up! products as much as I do, remember to visit STAMPIN' ADDICTS.  It's a Stampin' Up! only online community for customers and demonstrators.  It has a fabulous alphabetized gallery and lots of wonderful stampers that hang out and answer questions and just have fun!  And best of all it's FREE to join!  So stop by and say hi!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Color Dare for Mom

Hi Stamping Friends!

Do you ever have a card idea in your head and then when you make it, it doesn't turn out at all like you had planned?  Well that's what happened with this card.  I've been thinking about it all week, but when I finally sat down to make it, I was totally disappointed in how it turned out.  I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with the fact that I had very little time to make it and take a pic of it.  Oh well!  My MIL will still appreciate it!

Can you believe that I've had Lovely Letters for about a year and never used them?!  I received them last year as part of my Sale-A-Bration rewards.  I kinda kept forgetting that I had them!  The card base is Tempting Turquoise, layered with Lovely Lilac, and Shades of Spring DSP.  "Mom" is stamped in Pale Plum.  The colors are from the THE COLOR DARE challenge blog.  This is CD63.  The sketch is from the PALS PAPER ARTS challenge blog.  This is challenge PPS38.

I'm still considering starting my own challenge blog.  It would be a weekly inspiration challenge.  I was really excited to be contacted by Candace Lawlor who thought it was a great idea and said she would help me host the challenge.  We've been emailing back and forth and are trying to get it up and running soon.  So if you are a challenge lover/junkie/addict (like I am!)... stay tuned!  I'll keep you updated about what's going on.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

2 Step Into Spring

Hi Stamping Friends!

Springtime is in full swing in my neck of the woods.  Just ask my kids who are suffering with horrible allergies this week!  Stampin' Up! has decided to celebrate spring with a special promotion on some of their Two Step Stampin' sets.  This special only lasts through the end of April, so be sure to order soon!  Today's card features one of the sets that are on sale, Fifth Avenue Floral.

This card fits three different challenges.  The sketch comes from my favorite Stampin' Up! online hangout STAMPIN' ADDICTS.  This is sketch SASC49.  Stampin' Addictsis  a great little community where everything is postively Stampin' Up!  If you are looking for fun ideas for certain SU! stamp sets, check out the Stampin' Addicts online gallery.  It is filled with lots of beautiful samples and it is organized by stamp set, so it is very user-friendly. 

The colors come from the COLOR THROWDOWN blog CTD87.  The colors are Pink, Gray, and Soft Olive.  The last challenges is for the PALS PAPER ARTS challenge blog PPA37.  This weeks challenge is a theme challenge and the theme is Flowers.  I have a feeling I'm going to more cards to post for that challenge!

The card base is Basic Gray, layered with Pretty In Pink and then layered with Certainly Celery.  The Celery layer is embossed with a NEW Impressions Folder that will be available May 1st from the Summer Mini Catalog.  It is called Square Lattice.  The stamp set is Fifth Avenue Floral and the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The bottom flower that is attached to the Basic Gray Satin ribbon is the Flower Burst Embosslit.

FIFTH AVENUE FLORAL   #113734   SALE PRICE $19.96

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Occasions Mini Sneak Peek!!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well only a few more days until the goodies from the Occasions Mini Catalog are available for sale.  The dates of this catalog are January 5th through April 30th.  I pre-ordered a few things, but I'm waiting to place my BIG order on January 5th so I can take advantage of the Sale-A-Bration benefits!!! 

Today's card uses the sketch from the Pals Paper Arts challenge blog PPA22.  And I'm barley going to get this in on time!!  So I better quit yacking and get this posted.  Here's the sketch:

And here's my card using lots of new goodies from the Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini Catalog:

Isn't that Designer Series Paper gorgeous!  And you can kind of tell from the pic that it is shimmery.  Love it!!  The Scallop Heart Embosslit is also from the catalog. 

And if you stop by my blog on January 1st, you can visit a fun blog hop presented by Stampin' Addicts.  The tour opens at noon on Friday, January 1st and runs through Sunday, January 3rd.  Twenty-three fabulous stampers will be partcipating and each will showcase a different item from the SU! Occasions Mini Catalog.  I will be presenting the Scallop Heart Embosslit and I have some great projects showing how versatile this little Sizzlit is!  I hope you'll hop by!  I better get this posted, so I can link it to the PPA challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Time to stamp for fun!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well it always seems that this time of year keeps me too busy to do any "fun" stamping.  This weekend, for example, my two oldest kids had a swim meet on Saturday and Sunday, plus music recital practices and performance.  And we still have our church Christmas musical coming soon.  Plus I'm neck deep in creating our family Christmas card.  I'm almost finished.  Just need to add our greeting, possibly an embellishment and then stuff them and get them in the mail.  This will be the earliest my cards have been mailed, in years!  And let's not even talk about the decorating and gift buying I still need to get done!  But tonight I wanted to take a break and stamp "just because".  There are so many great challenges out there, that I hate to miss them!

Today's double challenge card is inspired by the Pals Paper Art blog PPA19 and gets the sketch from the Mojo Monday blog MOJO116.  Here are the two blog challenge pics:

I love the vintage look of the PPA challenge piece.  Just simple, traditional Christmas.  Here's what I came up with:

I just wanted to keep it kinda simple.  I tried adding other embellishments, like buttons, but it just wasn't working.  Sometimes you just have to leave well enough alone.  There are some crafters out there that can make the simplest cards look absolutely gorgeous!  I'm trying to learn their techniques.

The card base is Kraft, layered with Real Red.  The stamp images come from the SU! set A Cardinal Christmas.  I'm terrible at watercoloring, so I used Blender Pens and ink from the ink pad lid, to color this image.  I also colored part of the bird with sponges, to give it a softer look.  The Old Olive circle is embossed using the Perfect Details texturz Plate and the Real Red circle is embossed with the polka dots from the SU! Background 1 Texturz Plates.  I sponged all the edges of every layer with Chocolate Chip ink, to help with the vintage look. 

A CARDINAL CHRISTMAS  #111760  $23.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

It's a K.I.S.S.... maybe!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well today's card is for a few different challenges.  Four to be exact!  Not very often that I get four challenges into one, but this time I did.  I've seen cards where people say they did like 15,000 challenges with that one card.  I don't have time to write down that many challenges, let alone post to all of them!  So four is my max... I think!

The first challenge comes from my favorite online Stampin' Up! hangout, Stampin' Addicts.  If you love Stampin' Up! products, you should come visit SA.  We are always looking for other SU! lovers to join in on the fun!  Friday is always the Color Challenge.  This challenge SACC40 calls for So Saffron, Always Artichoke, and Rich Razzleberry.  The sketch comes from the Clean & Simple blog.  This is their Fall To Layout FTL70.  Here's a pic of the layout:

I also played along in the Pals Paper Arts challenge PPA18 which is to Keep It Simple Stamper, aka a K.I.S.S. card.  A K.I.S.S. card has:

-- Lots of "white" space

-- Simple designs

-- Minimum time to create

-- Limited layers and embellishments

My 11yo DD and I spent some time getting out Christmas decorations yesterday.  I'm tryng to get ready for my Stampin' Up! Holiday Open House on Sunday Dec. 13th.  If you live in the Hanford/Visalia/Tulare area, you should stop by!  This has put me in the Christmas spirit already, so I just had to make a Christmas card.  Which was perfect for the fourth and final challenge.  It comes from a great SA friend, Cindy, on her blog Heart's Delight.  She put out a challenge to use non-traditional colors on your Christmas cards.  I have a few of those planned this week, so I may be linking to her blog quite a few times!  Here's the card I came up with for all four challenges:

Now I know what some of you are thinking... that's not very "simple".  Well, I beg to differ.  :)  This is simple for me!  There's lot of unused or "white" space.  It's a simple layout (thanks to the Clean & Simple blog!).  It took hardly no time to make.  And it only has three layers and two embellishments.  And if you still don't believe me, check this out:

This is the same card after I gussied it up.  I put it on a Whisper White card base.  Stamped another pointsettia in Always Artichoke and then used it for some "leaves".  I added another ribbon, plus some paper piercing under the sentiment.  I also added a bunch of Always Artichoke brads to the So Saffron textured layer.  Now this card is NOT simple!  :)  And these are NOT traditional Christmas colors... perfect for Cindy's challenge!

I love how the Christ Is Born pointsettia perfectly matches the Petal-A-Plenty Impressions Folder.  It's like the were meant for each other!  Expect to see more of this pair throughtout the Christmas season.

Remember to check out the HUGE SALE going on at MY STAMPIN' UP! WEBSITE.  The sale only lasts through Monday, so SHOP NOW for some great savings!

CHRIST IS BORN   #111612   $20.95

PETALS-A-PLENTY IMPRESSIONS FOLDER   #116824   $7.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

It's A Triple Good Day!

Hi Stamping Friends!

I'm so excited to share my triple challenge card with you today!  Not because it's so fabulous, but because it comes along with some super exciting news.  Maybe I should call it a quadruple good day!  Today's card gets its sketch form the Pals Paper Arts blog PPA17.  The color challenge is from the Colour Q blog cQc7.  And the third challenge is from my favorite Stampin' Up! friendly, online hangout, Stampin' Addicts.  This is for Tuesday's Technique Challenge Tech34 Faux Marble, a.k.a. the shaving cream technique.  Here's another technique I have never tried!  Here are the challenge photos:

I just love the colors Arielle picks out every week.  And she has always finds such gorgeous inspiration pics!  I know Kiwi Kiss is retired, but since it is one of my all-time favorite In-Colors, I decided to go with it.  Here's my card combining all three challenges:

Isn't it wild and crazy?!  My kids loved it and my hubby thought it had a tie-dyed look to it.  I think I may over over mixed my ink colors in the shaving cream, but like I said, this was my first try at it.  With a little more experience, I can become a Faux Marble expert.  And so can you!  Come back on Tuesday, when I will post the how-to photos of this technique.  I'm having photo issues.  It just bugs me that I can't get a brighter pic!  I don't know if its the camera or the photographer.  More techniques I need to practice.  :)

Aren't these colors fun?!  The card base is Taken With Teal which is layered with my Faux Marble piece.  The Choo Choo stamp set images are stamped in Taken With Teal, Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, and Soft Suede.  The sentiment comes form the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  This is such a great set for all those little sentiments.  I think the hardest part of assembling this card was trying to get the Pumpkin Pie Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and Kiwi Kiss Kiss Corduroy Brad centered and adhered properly to the card!

I almost forgot!  I have some super exciting news... Arielle, the hostess of the Colour Q challenge blog asked me to be a Guest Designer for her December 1st color challenge!  How cool is that?!  I'm so thrilled!  I've never been asked to be a guest designer before.  She already sent me the color challenge and let me just tell you... it's going to be fabulous!  I already have two cards floating around in my little pea-brain.  I'm glad it's a holiday weekend next week.  Just means more time for me to stamp!

Well I better get some house cleaning done.  I've got my Hostess Club gals coming over tomorrow afternoon.  Can't wait to stamp and chat with them!  I've got to figure out one more project.  There's just too much stampin' goodness to choose from!

Choo Choo  #113982  $16.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Stamping!

Christmas Pals

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well I finally stamped a Christmas card.  It's about time!  I have my family Christmas card all planned out, but it doesn't involve tons of stamping.  It does involve lots of cardstock being cut out with the Big Shot though.  And lots of my favorite Olive Striped Ribbon, but that's all I'm gonna say!  We used to send out about 120 cards each year, but I cut the list down to 100.  As soon as I get our cards mailed out, I'll post pics of them here at the blog.  I wouldn't want anyone to see it too soon!

Today's card combines a fabulous sketch from my favorite Stampin' Up! only online hangout Stampin' Addicts.  They offer a different challenge every day of the week and Thursday is sketch challenge day.  So if you love to play in Stampin' Up! challenges, come join the fun!  We are looking for more players.  This is for challenge SACC35.  The second challenge is a theme challenge from Pals Paper Arts called Christmas Cheer.  Yay!  Christmas!  Here's my card:

The card base is Old Olive layerd with Real Red Textured cardstock.  The DSP panels are from the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' Kit.  The ornament is from Delightful Decorations and is so easy to cut out with the coordinating Ornament Punch!  I added a Circle Fire Rhinestone brad and some silver cord to add a little extra bling.  So fun to finally do Christmas!  I have my club gals coming over Sunday, so I'll be thinking up Christmas projects all week.  Maybe we should just make this card.  Why reinvent the wheel right?!

Delightful Decorations  #116517  $21.95

Ornament Punch  #116794  $15.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Stamping Sketch and Color Pals

Hi Stamping Friends!

Happy Monday!  I guess it's back to the old salt mines.  Don't you just love old phrases like that?  It's so interesting to find the history behind some of the things we say.  I have no idea behind what's the history behind that particular phrase, since I've never been anywhere near a salt mine in my life!  But something I am near all the time, is my stamping stuff.  I don't have a stamp room, so I stamp on my kitchen counter that extends out into our family room.  It's about a 3'x3' space that is constanly covered with cardstock, stamps, adhesive, etc. and I love it!  The only time I clean it completely up is when I have people (other than family!) over.  Which is about every other week or so.  I think it drives my mother crazy when she comes over, but I'm good with that!  :)

My double challenge card for today gets the color combo from the Pals Paper Arts blog PPA15 and the sketch layout comes from the Stamping 411 blog SSC124.  Here are the design inspirations:

Again, I thought these were great boy colors.  But instead of "tween" boy, I went for a little boy card.  Here it is:

I don't ink up my Choo Choo stamp set often enough.  Looks so cute paired with the Right On Track wheel.  My 4yo DS loves Thomas the Tank Engine.  Thomas is a wonderful blue engine, and he was my inspiration for this card.  The card base is Basic Gray.  The layer of DSP comes form the Autumn Traditions pack.  I haven't bought many of the Designer Series Paper packs from this catalog yet.  Otherwise I would have loved to have used some paper from the Holiday Lounge pack.  But you can't use what you don't have!

Choo Choo #113982  $16.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

In The Pink!

Hi Stamping Friends!

As most of you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  And in honor of all the women who are battling and have battled this horrible disease, Pals Paper Arts blog is having a PINK challenge PPA14.  Super easy challenge, just create something with pink!  I combined this challenge with the Thursday sketch challenge SASC33 from my favorite online stamping hangout, Stampin' Addicts.  Here's the sketch:

I flipped the sketch on its side, and decided to use a Stampin' Up! set that is retired (gasp!).  She's All That was in the Occasions Mini Catalog in 2008, and was not a huge hit.  However, I fell in love with the set and had to have it right away.  Most people thought the images were too skinny, but they look like half the high school girls I know!  Here's my card:

You can't get any more pink than that!  I just love that little poodle.  The card base is Pretty In Pink, layered with Razzleberry Lemonade DSP.  The Top Note is cut out of Melon Mambo and the girl is stamped in the same color.  The flowers are made using the Boho Blossoms Punch and the Circle Fire rhinestone brads. 

Razzleberry Designer Series Paper  #115675  $9.95 

Boho Blossoms Punch  #110711  $15.95

So here's to all the cancer survivors and those in the middle of the battle.  Our prayers are with you.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!