STAMPIN' UP: SNOW FESTIVAL DESIGNER PRINTED TAGS

Well, weren't we in Michigan the lucky, duckies!!  No snow blizzard for us, just some wind -- but, very cold (at least for me).  Feeling bad for all my friends on the East Coast and the other states that suffered with the blizzard.  If any of you read this, please leave me a comment and let me know how you are doing.

Today has been a very busy day.  Lots of "business" work to catch up on and other problems that I didn't anticipate and threw me off schedule.  But I survived, and am ready to watch my favorite night of  TV shows -- so this will be short post (OK, stop jumping up and down with joy!!).  Today I'm posting pictures of my Stamp-A-Stack Christmas card class from Saturday.  I can't take any credit for the cards, except the extra embellishments and the inside of the cards.  The idea/design came from cards we made at Ronda Wade's Creative Convention -- quick, easy, and very mailable -- love it!!  Each person made 4 of each card, so they ended up with 20 cards for the class, with envelopes.  The price for the class included a package of the awesome Stampin' Up Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags.  And here they are:

At Ronda's Creative Convention we made this DVD case to hold our 5 cards, using SU's DVD case and the Snow Festival Designer Series Paper.

Until next time,
Sandi

For those who experienced the ravages of Hurricane Sandy:
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you."  -- Psalm 55:22

FALL CREATIVE ESCAPE

Today I have tons of pictures to show you because I was so blessed over the weekend with so many awesome gifts.  I forgot to mention in my last post that I was going to the semi-annual Creative Escape, hosted by Ronda Wade and Tamie Ackerson.  As usual, they pampered us from Friday through Sunday afternoon with pillow gifts, make'n takes, games with prizes, food and more food, and awesome fellowship with new and old friends.  I always have so much fun at these retreats and have went to every one since the first, on March 14, 2008 (10 events in all)!  And I'm already registered for 2013!!  Pictures are always better than words, so here they are:


At Stampin' Up's 2012 Convention, Shelli Gardner showed us how she created a personal album made from an old book.  I loved the idea so much that I decided right then and there that I was going to create one for myself.  My book will contain journaling and pictures of things I am grateful for in my life.  All of the product used is Stampin' Up, but the majoriety is discontinued product that I have kept because I loved it so much.  I used my old 2007 Daily Bread Book Calendar because I am so grateful that I have God in my life.  This is my book after it was covered.

This is the back of my book covered with discontinued Cottage Wall Designer Paper and Flower Fantasy Printed Window Sheets.

You will not see a lot of journaling in these pages because I decided that would be too personal, so you will have to imagine what the page on the right will look like after I add a journaling layer.  This is my mom, who started it all!!  Please enlarge these pictures by doing a right-mouse click and select "open in new window."

No journaling here (sorry), my 2nd daughter on left, Deborah, with her older sister on right.

My firstborn, daughter Christina.  All of my tags/greeting stamps were selected expressively for the page they are on.

We made 2 cards, an album page, and a pocket card for our make'n takes this weekend.  The rest of items above were gifts we received from Ronda (right) and Tamie (left, in the picture above).  Yes, we were totally spoiled!!  We received a lot more product in our bag but I didn't have room in the picture to show you.

 I saved the real blessing for last!!!  I was blessed with a beautiful great-grandson (1st great-grandchild) on Saturday.  This is my favorite picture taken after one of his first feedings.  My grand-daughter, Emily, did an awesome job during labor; but as you can see here, mom and baby Kail are totally exhausted from the big event.  God is good!!!

Emily and baby Kail, born October 21, 2012; 8 lbs. 13 oz.; 22" long.

Sorry this post is a little long, but I wanted to share my happiness with all my cyber friends!!

Until next time,
Sandi
"When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world."  --  John 16:21


LEAVES AND MORE LEAVES

Well I think it is official -- Michigan probably will not be feeling any 80 degree weather for a while!  Actually, I prefer 75 degrees unless it is breezy and no humidity.  But who cares when you can look out your window and see all the cajun craze, summer starfruit, more mustard, rasberry ripple, garden green, so saffron, and so much more.  What a panorama of color!  (My stomach growls every time I name those colors -- LOL.)  Doesn't it just get your artistic side itching to create something?  It does for me, so you will be seeing some of creations today influenced by my outdoor view.

Before I get to that, just a short note to tell you I'm getting in the Christmas mood (I hate to jump into Christmas until I have had plenty of time to play with all my fall colors).  Today I am prepping for my Christmas card stamp-a-stack class.  Stampin' Up (SU) really knows how to celebrate for Christmas with so many awesome stamps and accessories.  Check them out in the 2012 Holiday Mini Catalog after looking in the Holiday section of the large Stampin' Up! Inspire, Create, and Share Catalog.  If you don't have these catalogs, give me a call to find out how you can get them FREE.  SU offers so many stamps, beautiful and unique accessories, and kits that all coordinate to match (you can't get this at a craft store); allowing even a novice to become an artist.  Take a few minutes today and give me a call so I can help you be the artist you have always dreamed about being.  Here are a few samples of what you can do:

This is what I get to see outdoors right now!!   I used my SU Sponge Daubers to apply the ink on the leaves, and lightly tapped a tiny bit of  Rasberry Ripple in the center using a piece of  Stampin Sponge.  I then crinkled the cardstock in my hand, unwrapped it, laid it face down on my Early Espresso Ink Pad, and pushed it down with Stampin' Up's Clear Mount Acrylic Block E to make the leaf veins.

This card features the awesome Orchard Harvest Designer Series Paper with the Wonderfall Stamp Set, Autumn Accents Bigz Die, and Houndstooth Embossing Folder.

I got this idea from a swap card (sorry, no name) and changing it a bit.  Love the owl in the tree!!

You really can't tell by this picture, but I used the faux mother of pearl technique on the Apothecary Accents Framelits Die panel and on the leaves.  This card features the Blooming With Kindness Stamp Set.

Until next time,
Sandi

"You are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake you will lead and guide me."

-- Psalm 31:4

MORE WONDERFALL

Well, here I sit listening to the debate on TV and trying to complete my 3 tasks for the day.  It took me all day to finish my first task (which should have taken an hour at max) and now I'm on my 2nd task -- updating my blog!  Why am I so slow?????  Okay, don't answer that question. 

It reminds me of last Monday when I got up and thought I could catch up on a lot of things around here.  Got my morning coffee, took the dogs outside to run and do their duties while I had my coffee.  Couldn't figure out why the dogs were going crazy by my vehicle, but figured they had chased a chipmunk that was trying to get away by sitting on my tire.  Finally, when they wouldn't come back into the house, I figured I would get my keys and start my car to scare it away -- did that, but they still were going crazy.  So drove my car back and forth in the driveway thinking that would do it -- NOPE!!  Then I decided I would do something that I have only done once in my whole life (my granddaughter showed me how to add window wash to my car when I was at a store).  Yep, you guessed it, I opened up the hood of my car -- don't even know why I did that as it is not a "normal" thing for me to do. 

Well, let me tell you, I just about dropped over.  My engine was covered entirely, and in a mound as tall as the hood with WALNUTS!!!!  I quickly slammed the hood down because it scared the crap out of me.  Just then my husband comes meandering out the front door asking me what I was doing.  I told him to come over because he was not going to believe this.  Of course he starts mumbling all the way over saying something about me having all these crazy ideas (I have no idea why he says this).  He was so amazed when I showed him that he couldn't even say a word.  Anyway, the moral of the story is that things always seem to happen to interrupt my plans for the day.  It took both of us 2 hours to clean all those walnuts out of the engine.  I wished I would have thought to take a picture.  Sorry this story was so long, but trust me it is a heck of a lot shorter than the chapter I will be writing in my book about the "whole" story of that morning.

Are you ready for some more Wonderfall project pictures?

I saw an ornament done by somebody using the Autumn Accents Bigz Die and loved it so much I decided to make a larger ornament/wreath for my front door.  I was really pleased with the results.

I CASEd this card from Ann Schach because I just loved her design layout.  I also got a chance to use Stampin' Up's new Stampin' Spritzer, filled with Early Espresso Ink Refill.  This was my favorite card.



This card was colored with my favorite medium, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, on the Life Shared Stamp Set.

I made this little fall harvest basket for part of my presentation I did last night at Ronda Wade's RubberQueens meeting.  Yes, there are some leaves hidden behind Stampin' Up's new Cherry Cobbler 3 1/2" Scalloped Tulle Ribbon. 
UPDATE:  Instructions for making the basket can be found on Monika Davis's Web Site. 

Here is what it looked like finished in the gift package.  This would make a great booking gift because it uses lots of new Stampin' Up product.

I had a great time at Ronda's RubberQueen meeting last night, and I can't wait to finish up her awesome make'n takes so I can show you (3rd thing that was on my list for today).

Until next time,
Sandi
"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a bushel, but on a stand, that those who enter may see the light."  -- Luke 11:33