MY SWAP CARDS ARE DONE!!

I think all stampers can relate to me when I say, "I work best under pressure."  Why is it that I always procrastinate until the last moment?  Maybe it is because I know I have no other option but to stay focused and get my work done.  This does not apply just to my stamping -- but everything I've done since I have been retired.  When I worked and was raising my children, I had to stay on top of everything or check myself into a mental hospital.  Now, I think I can wait because nobody is pressuring me.  Well I now have every day packed with things to do on my check list before I can step foot on the plane to Stampin' Up Convention!!  This just doesn't work well for a Type A person!!

So I am so very happy to say I have my swap cards done.  After I get done with this post, I will run over to my daughter's to water her garden, clean the kitty litter, play with the cats, and sweep up their messes.  I have been house sitting all week and this is my last day.  Wahoo!!  Two things off my check-list.  Still have lots more to do today, but those are 2 biggies!!  Okay, now for my swaps:

As you can see, they are all the same -- but different.  (Hmm, that sentence must have a grammatical error in it somewhere.)  My goal was to create swaps that were easy to duplicate in a Stampin' Up Workshop or card class.  So these cards were way out of the box for me, and the best I could do as WOW cards are very difficult for me.  Product used:  Stippled Blossoms, Flowering Flourishes, Blooming With Kindness, and Forever With You Stamp Sets; Fan Fair and Comfort Cafe Designer Series Paper; Very Vanilla and Soft Suede Card Stock; Midnight Muse, Rasberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, and Soft Suede Classic Ink; Rasberry Ripple, Midnight Muse, and Summer Starfruit 3/8th-Inch Satin Stitched Ribbon; Bigz Clear Oval Accent Big Shot Die; Basic Pearls; and Dimensionals. 

Until next time,
Sandi

"I am God, and there is none like Me."  -- Isaiah 46:9
"To fully understand God is impossible; to worship Him is imperative." -- Author Unknown

STAMPIN UP: TWO BY TWO!!

Do you remember that saying, “Be careful what you wish for?”  Well all of you out there (me included, but especially Tamie Ackerson), should be saying that to yourself right about now.  Remember about 3 months ago when we were all complaining about the cold weather and wishing Spring would get here??  Well, obviously we all wished a little too much – we bypassed Spring again this year and went right into August dog days!!!  The last time I went outside today, it was 100 degrees!  Good news, it will only be in the mid-90s tomorrow (or so they say, which you know we can’t count on).  I really feel sorry for those living south of us.  Needless to say, the swimming pond had another big day of visitors. 

I did sneak in a little time today to pull out one of my new stamps and make a card – it felt sooooo gooood!!!  Nothing spectacular, but something a little different than all the samples I have been seeing (definitely not what you would have thought I would want to use for my first try using a new stamp).  I actually feel in love with it immediately upon seeing it in the new catalog.  And here it is:

Isn't this just the cutest baby shower card!!  This uses the new single stamp, "Two by Two."  I used Confetti White, Marina Mist, Soft Suede, and Watercolor Card Stock; Watercolor Crayons; and the new Fancy Fan and Delicate Designs Textured Impressions Embossing Folders.

Before leaving, I want to show you what my dearest friend sent to me (she always sends me the most beautiful and unusual gifts and this was no exception – except it is also cute, cute, cute!!). 

All of my kids thought this was so cute, but they thought it was just a couch!  Nope, it is a tissue box cover; made out of Stampin' Up's retired Deck the Halls Fabric.  And to answer your question:  "No, I don't have a pattern -- darn!!"  But I am for sure going to make one, as it looks pretty easy.  I have to make a couple more with our current fabric!!

I just had to show you one more picture -- it's just so cute!!

Until next time,

Sandi

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”  -- Ephesians 4:32

“Lord, let the power of forgiveness be at work in my life today and always.”  -- Erick Fellman

STAMPIN' UP: PAPAYA COLLAGE

So much to do, so little time!  Yep, my life has been one big party for the last 3+ months!!  So sorry that my blog has been suffering because of this, but I made a vow to myself that I would be spending more time with my family and less on the PC!!  Let me tell you folks, this is "not" easy (at least the "PC" part -- but loving every minute of the family time).  Every week there has been a birthday party, holiday celebration, or a family cook-out.  It has been so much fun, and I have been trying some new recipes that are yum-yum!!  And Monday I get my big order of "new stuff"!!  And yes, I have been such a good girl that I am going to take a few days to just play with all of it!!  I mean, what choice do I have -- Stampin' Up Convention is just around the corner and I haven't even started my swap cards!

In the meantime, I did get my fingers inky once this week (just for a few minutes) as I wanted to do a challenge I saw on Patty Bennett's blog (you can see it here).  The challenge was to create a card using the Reverse Masking Technique.  Here is what I came up with using the Reverse Masking, Direct to Paper, and Embossing and Sponging Techniques:

Stampin' Up Supplies used:  Papaya Collage and My Friend Stamp Sets; Black Embossing Powder; Basic Black and Glossy White Card Stock; Always Artichoke, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, and Black Classic Inks; Square Lattice Textured Impressions Folder, and Basic Pearls.

This was my first try at doing this card and didn't like it so threw it away.  Then I decided to pull it back out (because if you know me, you know how much I hate to throw anything away!!).  It actually looks better in person, but still not the greatest either -- LOL.  What I love about both of these cards is how it looks like there are layers (so much dimension) when in reality you only have one layer.

Take a few minutes to drop by Patty's blog, watch her video, and enter the challenge!!  Let me know what you think of my attempt.

Until next time,
Sandi
"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst."  --  John 4:14
"Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul."

CARDS AND PAGES

Oh my gosh, did you think I went on a cruise????  Sounds awesome, but that didn't happen.  Just been one busy girl attending functions or preparing for functions.  Plus, some spring cleaning and reorganizing my studio to get ready for all the new Stampin' Up product coming my way if I am a good girl!!  I attended my first Open House for the season today for the son of my dear friend, Ronda Wade.  It was very elegant and I really enjoyed going through her beautiful albums she did for her son Andrew -- what a blessing he is to his mom and dad!!  I really think there should be a party thrown for the parents when their children graduate.  It takes a lot of hard work and love to raise a child for 18 years, and it doesn't stop after those 18 years -- it just gets better!!

I have a few more album pages to show you from the baby album I did for my soon-to-be-here grand-niece.  Don't worry, these are the last I will be showing.  I loved this album, so wanted to at least share some of my favorite pages.  And then the last picture is the graduation card I made last night for Andrew's graduation open-house today.  I didn't have any new "graduation" stamps, so had to punt a little with what I had.  Hope you like.

Embossed the Hello Doily stamp on the Beau Château Designer Series Paper, the flowers are the retired crocheted Fleurettes, and added a little Tea Stain from the Distressing Essentials tool kit. 

More of the Beau Château Designer Series Paper, ribbon and stamp set are both retired Stampin' Up.  I used the cracked glass technique on my stamped images (right click to open picture in new tab to enlarge). 

I know, you have seen this card before!!  But I had to show you how just changing the stamp set on the inside of the card can make it into a baby-shower card (next picture).

And yes, this stamp set is retired (but you can buy it in the My Digital Studio digital version).  I had to use this stamp because it matched perfectly with the shower invitations and she wears her hair exactly like this image!!  Isn't it marvelous how I used this very same card for three different functions by just changing the sentiment on the inside (birthday, Mother's Day, and baby shower).

Andrew's graduation card.  I am so mad that I forgot to take a picture with the tag pulled out from the pocket.  So use your imagination -- it says "congratulations" and I used the Ribbon Punch and the same brads to attach it on the tag so I could tuck in a check/gift card/cash.  I used the direct-to-paper and masking (moon) techniques.  Stampin' Up Product:  Loving Thoughts, The Open Sea, and Layered Labels (new) Stamp Sets; Midnight Muse (new) and Naturals Ivory Card Stock; Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folder; Vintage Trinkets (brads); White Embossing Powder; and Midnight Muse, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist, Baha Breeze, Pink Pirquette, and Regal Rose Classic Ink. 

Hopefully it won't take me this long for my next blog update.

Until then,
Sandi
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. . . ."  -- Ecclesiastes 3:11
"Every day is a gift, Lord, each moment is a treasure, give us eyes to see beauty, hearts to hug pleasure."  -- Fred Bauer

MORE TALKING ABOUT BABIES WITH BEAU CHÂTEAU

As promised, today's post has more pictures of my album layouts featuring the fabulous Beau Château Designer Series Paper. (See previous post for other pictures.) I really didn't get a chance to use this designer paper until this last month, which is really sad. I love it so much, and it will be gone, gone, gone in 7 days!!! If you love it as much as I do, hit that "SHOP NOW" button in the right margin to buy it now -- I promise, you won't regret it!!
Here are a few more pictures (more to come very soon):

I love this page.   Stampin' Up product used:   Beau Château Designer Series Paper, Labels Collection Framelits Die, Beau Château Side Notes, Victoria Crochet Trim, Tea Stain, Linen Thread, and Twitterpated Designer Buttons.

I water colored the Beau Château Designer Series Paper on these two pages and used more of the Beau Château Side Notes and added lots of pearls.

Added a few punched flowers on the Beau Château Designer Series Paper, butterflies using the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die , and stamped on designer paper with the Baby Prints Stamp Set.  

Until next time,
Sandi

"When we love each other God lives in us and His love within us grows ever stronger." 
         -- I John 4:12

"Lord, help me to accept that my ways may not be others' ways."  -- Patricia Lorenz

TALK ABOUT BABIES!!

Hello all!!
It's been another interesting week here at the homestead.  Started out beautiful with my daughters having me over for Mother's Day cookout and fun, fun, fun!!  I love when my daughter's cook because you can always be assured there will be a new recipe to try, and they didn't disappoint me.  It was a beautiful day with family, gifts, games, and music.  Yep, everybody knows how good I am at "whining," and I really had to do a lot of it to get my mom's organ moved from the garage into my daughter's parlor (yes, I said parlor). I actually gave the organ to my granddaughter, but she is still at that age when she moves once a year, so her mom can keep it until she is more settled.   Of course I had to clean it first to make sure there were no spiders on it (you know Tricia!!), and then the grandsons moved it into the house for me.  It has only taken 4 years to get it in her house, after I had it brought all the way up from Texas -- so I was a very happy camper.  It looked awesome in the parlor, and what a tribute to my mother when my middle daughter Deborah played it (and Tricia danced of course).  That evening my granddaughter played, but I was gone so I didn't get to hear it when she played my favorite, "Amazing Grace."  Yes, it was a good day!!

My week has gone downhill since then, and today was hopefully the end of the downhill.  My daughter and I were running errands and kept getting behind cars that smelled like burning rubber.  So she kept taking all these side roads in East Lansing to get away from the smell.  By the time we got to the store I thought something was weird because we could still smell the burning.  So I looked out the side mirror when we parked to see black smoke coming out the rear of MY Blazer -- hmmm, not good I'm thinking.  It actually looked like it was on fire -- just no flames yet.  Long story short, it was my vehicle stinking and hubby came to the rescue to pick us up.  Obviously, the car was picked up by wrecker trailer and carried away also.  It was funny because I had just picked my Blazer up Monday from the repair shop after having the first repairs done on it (it is 12 years old, and I have only done oil changes so thought it was time before I took a trip this weekend).  I really don't think the ole' Blazer liked getting cleaned out!!  So I am now without a vehicle (like I care).  Life does happen, doesn't it!

So let's move on to BABIES!!!  Oh yeah, my favorite thing.  Saturday, I started a 6" x 6" baby album for my niece's baby shower this weekend.  She is having a girl, so of course my pages are going to be all vintage.  I have 12 pages done, and so far I love it.  Previously, I did 22 pages at Ronda's retreat as a class.  My goal is to have a total of 40 pages when complete.  Here are a few pages, with more to come in future posts.  The last picture is of a little gift to my girls on Mother's Day.

I used the "soon to be" discontinued Château 6" x 6" Ring Album. If you love this as much as I do, you only have a couple of weeks to purchase this from Stampin' Up (call me and I will order for you).

And of course I used the beautiful Beau Château Designer Series Paper,  which coordinates with the album. This paper is also on the discontinued list, so get yours now. The stamp set is "Baby Prints," which will be carried over from the Occasions Mini to the new 2012-2013 Stampin' Up Catalog. 

All the same product as before, with the addition of the Labels Collection Framelits Die to stamp on. 

I water colored the designer paper on the borders and punched the circles from the designer paper (already colored) for these pages.  For a better view of the details on all these pictures, you can enlarge by right-clicking and selecting open in new window or tab and then clicking on the image to enlarge.

The girls have been bugging me since Christmas for more of my handmade lotion, so I did a batch up Sunday morning as a little gift for them (and myself -- LOL).  Decorated with Stampin' Up's "Twitterpated Designer Fabric."

Here is the "Recipe" for the hand-lotion:

Denise's Lotion Recipe

15-ounces Vaseline

16-ounces Vitamin E cream

"2" 16-ounce baby lotions

Mix all this together with hand mixer in METAL bowl. (It will look like thick cake frosting.) 

Then spoon into jars with a METAL spoon.

(NOTE: Don't use anything plastic or your utensils may taste like lotion.)

More pictures of the baby album coming soon!!

Until next time,
Sandi

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God." -- Ephesians 1 2:8
God's love cannot be explained -- it can only be experienced.

SUMMER SMOOCH MEETS BLOSSOM PUNCH

Now don't drop over in your chairs -- this will be the one and only time you will see me post an update that is only ONE paragraph long!!!  Tons of  things to do today, but it's been a week since I last posted -- time to get my hinny in gear.  I spent my weekend going out to dinner Friday night to celebrate 29 years of marriage (I know, I can't believe it either), did scrapbooking all day Saturday trying to use up tons of retired Stampin' Up product (National Scrapbooking day yah know), and then got up super early Sunday to start making dinner for the family to celebrate my daughter, Deborah's, birthday (only had 10 this time, but still made 2 different blueberry desserts that were killer yummy).  Yes, it was a beautiful weekend at the Dailey's!!  Here is what my swap card is going to be for tonight's RubberQueens' meeting:



I got this idea from Julie Davison for a double-punched blossom card.  Loved how easy it was with the Simply Scored Scoring tool.  Stampin' Up product used:  The new Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper, Blossom Punch, Mixed Bunch and Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets, Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Rich Razzleberry Card Stock, and Whisper White 5/8" Organza Ribbon.

Here is what it looks like opened (in the middle).  I messed this card up by stamping the inside upside down (only me), so I put some designer paper down on the Whisper White Card Stock to cover it up -- now I wish I would have done this to all my swap cards!!

Until next time,
Sandi
"But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. . . .  -- Nehemia 9:17
"Lord, today and every day, help me to put my mistakes behind me and try again.  -- Isabel Wolseley