40th Birthday

My Boss's Birthday Card - Front

Funny coincidence ... my boss and I went to the same high school and college ... but never knew each other (or of each other) until we started working together 5 years ago. He was 1 year ahead of me and my high school class was 900 kids and college was 40,000 students. Anyway, so when we learned of each others past, I found all of his high school yearbook pictures ... and thought - someday these will come in handy! Well today was the day! Here is his 40th birthday card with all of the yearbook pictures that I could find.

My Boss's Birthday Card - Inside

This is his work ID picture ... We had to do a project last year with all of the higher ups pictures so I had this from then. It was really hard trying to come up with a saying for the inside of the card ... didn't want to be too mean ... but I think this is ok!

I tried to keep it to the masculine side while dressing it up as much as I could.

I have a bad feeling that paybacks could be hell!!! My high school pictures are sooooo hideous!

You "Skinny Cow"

Great Job - You Skinny Cow!

I was inspired today with these creations (click here). I didn't have any popsicle sticks handy but I did have Skinny Cows in the freezer! What an excuse to eat one (only 1 WW point though!!!)

Used An Udder Birthday set and Tag Tidbits from TAC. Colored the image with my watercolor crayons and edged the image with Burnt Umber palette ink. Tied ribbon around the stick and viola ... my fudgsicle!!!

New TAC Catty Stamps

Linear Sentiments

This card was made with a new set called Linear Sentiments and it just might be one of my favorite new sets. I used the flowers and the flower lines. I pop-dotted one of the flowers and added the sentiment from Oh How. I stamped everything in Chartruese, Reflection Blue, and Starry Night Palette inks. Added the grosgrain ribon and viola ... a finished card ... so easy!

Joy

This was a simple and easy card to put together from the new catty too. This set is called Joy of Christmas ... and let me tell you ... it's a joy to play with. I stamped the "Joy" in Moulin Rouge Palette ink and then mounted it on wine cardstock. I stamped 3 of the circles and then puched them out with the circle punch. I used the next largest circle punch to punch more wine cardstock circles. I added a satin ribbon, pop-dotted the "joy", and then added pearl stickers to the circles and "o".

I can't wait to get more of the new stamps in and get them inky!!!

Virtual Swap

Truffle Tree

I was given this image by Sherri Thacker over on the Stamp Shack. We were all supposed to come up with a way to use it on a card. I really like the way that mine turned out (the green tree in the picture is not so good - better in real life).

I colored the image with pencils and OMS. I cut out the tree with my nestabilities dies. I added metallic rub-ons to the outside edges of the image (and it helped show the embossing part.) The saying is from an SU chocolate set. Added brown grosgrain ribbon and copper eyelets.

This weekend was sooo much Fun!!!

My friend Kim and I got together for most of the weekend.

We spent a lot of time going through and drooling over the new TAC Catalog. We went to Gina K's store and picked up some of her new stamps. And then to top the weekend off Margo came into town (fresh from TAC Seminar) and shared all kinds of TAC info with us! It was such a great great weekend!!!

On Saturday night, Kim and I continued our Gina K DVD exploration ... and we were up until 2AM creating....

Wax Paper Background

This was made using a crumpled piece of wax paper that was ironed to a piece of cardstock. It created this great look. The dragon fly is a new stamp that I got from Impression Obsession and I watercolored the image with markers and water. Just a Note is from the Tag Tidbits collection. Added the ribbon and dragon fly embelly on the bottom.

More Wax Paper Resist

this card was made the same way as the above but I used white card stock and then added green ink to come up with a similar effect. Little monster was one of Kim's stamps (sorry don't know manufacturer) colored with pencils and OMS and I added white snaps, pink gingham ribbon, and metal tag. The bottom of the card was punched with my new Fiskar's threading water punch.

Polished Stone

This was made using regular inks on glossy cardstock and applying with rubbing alcohol. I really like how it turned out and it's good to know that you don't necessarily need Alcohol Inks ... you can turn any ink into an alcohol ink. Flower is from the new Asela Hopkins collection at Gina K. the sentiment is from the Tag tidbits stamp set. I colored the image with pencils and OMS. I also used my nestabilities die on this. Added ribbon and eyelets.

Thanks Kim for playing with me again ... I can't wait until we can do it again ... we still have to finish the rest of DVD #2!!!

It is so exciting for me when the new TAC catalog comes out. We get new ones in January and June and I stalk my mail person everyday until mine arrives.

There are lots of new stamps, papers, embellishments, and easy to put together quickie albums.

I have my wish list already together and will be placing my order real soon ... care to join me in this fun? Would you like your own catalog to look at? Contact me ASAP and I can get one right out to you!!!

New ATCs

I am in some great ATC swaps in the upcoming weeks. Here are some of my latest creations:

Favorite Quote ATC

Printed the quote on vellum. Baby carriage is from a retired TAC set. I colored the carriage with prismacolor markers. I set eyelets in the wheels. Wouldn't this just look terrific on a new baby card???

Do you need a good quote for a card, ATC, or scrapbook page??? My favorite web site for quotes is Quote Garden.

Chocolate ATCs

Who doesn't love chocolate??!! I used a set by Stampin' Up for this ATC. the best thing about this ATC ... it is embossed with embossing powder that SMELLS like chocolate!!! The embossing powder is by gel-a-tins. Looks shiny and smells ... what a great addition to this ATC!

Monkeying Around ATC

Used a monkey set by See-Ds ... I love this set! It comes with the bananas, monkeys, and great sayings. I stamped the bananas with Sunflower Palette Ink and then colored with Lyra watercolor crayons. I stamped the monly with Cognac Palette Ink and colored it too with Lyra watercolor crayons. I pop-dotted the monkey's head for an added 3D effect.

Clearly Friendship ATC

I tried something new with this ATC ... I used a transparency for the base. It is still ATC size 2.5" x 3.5" ... it's just clear! I love the look of this! I used a retired TAC set called Friendship Blocks for this. The heart was paper pieced. I used vellum for the wings. Added some cute matching ribbon and matted everything. I don't know why I have never used transparencies for these in the past ... it's a great look!!!

Graduation Season

Graduation Season is upon us. My niece Sarah graduated from High School just last week. Where has the time gone. I remember her just yesterday being my little flower girl in my wedding and now she's all grown up.

For this card I used TAC's For All Season Set. I simply love this set! The images are so cute and small that you can repeat them or not repeat them as you wish. I colored them with pencils and OMS. I made the Tag with Making Memories rims and set a large eyelet in it. I threaded Misc. ribbon through. Cut "Sarah" out with my Sizzix Nouveau font.

My Loot from Salt Lake

3 FREE books that I got from the Creating Keepsakes/Papercrafts headquarters. 2 of them are by Ali Edwards (I love her) and the other one is a Sketch book by Becky Higgins.

This is my loot from Scrapworks, the Provo Craft Outlet, the Roberts Store, Heartland Paper, and Stamp Attic. I got some great paper, some great stamps, some great rub-ons, some great embellishments, some great alterables ... all for some great prices.

Oh!! ... and I found the new fiskars Threading Water punch that I was looking for. I also love the new Cuttlebug die/embossing folder ... it's perfect for halloween!

Salt Lake City Trip









I was in Salt Lake City for work last week. And if you are in the Scrapbooking capital of the world then you should visit some scrapbook places, right???

Well I was lucky enough to have Sweetpea (Mary - Angie's cute mom) and Shuggy (Angie) live there and travel around with me - and boy did we have some adventures!!! These ladies are from the Stamp Shack and we had met last Fall at the Mall of America (Scrapfest)

I met Mary over at her house. She had actually done a little homework that day and had some places mapped out for us to see!

First up - Scrapworks Headquarters
Mary used to work with the owner of Scrapworks at Provocraft. So they allowed us to go into their warehouse and pick out anything that we'd like for wholesale prices - which was awesome!!! We got some great loot!!!

Second up - CK Media (the home of Creating Keepsakes, Paper Crafts, Simple Scrapbooks)
I wanted to just take pictures of the signs in the lobby. talked to the receptionist and said I was a huge fan from out of town. She then asked ... well would you like a tour???? Well of course!!! OMG!!!! It was awesome ... we saw their photography studios, everyone's cubicle (decorated to the "T" ... so cute), and Stacy Croninger's office. I did see Cath Edvalson's cube and saw her too. I also saw the lady who has all of the wonderful organization ideas for your scrap room. Then out of no where the receptionist takes up to this area ... we normally donate these scrapbooking books ... "if you'd like to pick any 3, feel free". WHAT!!! OMG!!! I got a Becky Higgins Sketches book and 2 Ali Edwards books! I was in total heaven!!!! I asked where Lisa Bearnson's office was ... she works from home and was just in earlier ... darn! But the receptionist was so nice and said next time Mary had people in to call and she would make sure people were around. WOW!!! How cool!!!

Third Up - ProvoCraft Outlet
They had some awesome deals on discontinued merchandise. We got packs of paper for $.50 and other paper for $.15. I also got some cute alterables for under $1.00.

Fourth Up - LUNCH
We went to a favorite of Mary's & Angie's .. the Purple Turtle ... it's a cute hamburger joint that is in a purple building. They serve fries with "fry sauce" ... not ketchup. It was yummy though!!!

Fifth Up - Stampin Up Headquarters
The Stampin Up Headquarters was amazing! ... My TAC reps/friends - don't think I am cheating ... I went over there just to see ... and oh what a building that they have! They had a little museum type area where they had some sample rooms that were decorated with SU stamps/designs. But the most impressing thing was the atrium of the building and the cafeteria. There was a waterfall/nature area in the middle of their cafeteria. Again ... amazing!!!

Sixth Up - Close To My Heart Headquarters
Again my TAC reps/friends - don't think I am cheating ... I went over there just to see ... and I didn't even go in ... just took a picture from the outside ... impressive size building too ... and look at my picture ... a UPS truck parked right out front ... how funny! Makes me wonder what the TAC headquarters looks like.

Seventh Up - Robert's Craft Store (a branch of Provocraft)
This store was amazing ... was like a Michael's but better .... seems to have ALL of the new stuff out. I bought a new Cuttlebug embossing folder - Disney Halloween (cuts a moon, haunted house, and bats and then embosses them). They had a ton of the Cricut cartridges (all the newest ones). Mary and I also did a make and take with the Swiss Dots new Cuttlebug folder.

We then went back home and ordered take out Mexican for when Angie was going to show up. Mary needed 2 wedding cards for the weddings that she had to go to on Saturday ... so I played in her scrap room (I love her scrap room) and made those for her.

It was an amazing day!!!

Next Day

Went to go pick Angie up at her house (my GPS could not seem to find it - went in circles 2 times then resorted to call her)

First Up - Stamp Attic
So we plugged this address into my GPS system ... we got to the address it says "You have arrived" and we are at some address. So we pull just around the corner and Angie calls the number. It turns out that the woman sold her store and now sells out of their basement. It was fun going through all of her stuff. She is mostly an Internet store. Angie and I both got some cute stuff from her though. After we picked our stuff out we then had to go up to her living room for her to run our credit cards. That had to have been the first time I shopped in someone's basement for supplies!

Second Up - Lunch at Zupa's
I had eaten at Zupa's a few days earlier with the work people and absolutely loved it. They have wonderful panini's and soup. And all of your entrees come with chocolate dipped strawberries! Yum!!!

Third Up - Can't remember this store's name ...
We put this address into the GPS and again came up with nothing ... but this time we just kept going. That's probably why I can't remember its name!!

Fourth up - Heartland Paper Co.
We knew that this store did actually exist. Angie had driven by it (it was next to a Super Joann's) but just had never been in before (I think that will change now). They had a great selection of things (mostly focused on scrapbooking). I bought a few stamps and a punch that I had been looking for. Angie nabbed a cute penguin stamp and paper.

After that it was time to take Angie home and then head to the airport.

It was such a wonderful trip! I had such a good time. It is fun to mix a little fun with business (something I rarely get to do).

Thanks so much for Angie and Mary for letting me kidnap them away for a few hours and going exploring with me. I think they saw some new sides of SLC that they had never seen either!!! And I think they had fun!!!

End of the Year Teacher gifts

"Teacher Cube with Note Cards"

Ok so I was totally inspired by a blog post the ohter day. You know how when you see something that you love you have just got to go make one for yourself???

This post over on Julie Griffith's blog really inspired me ... I added my own twists and used a different line of TAC paper ... and I LOVE the outcome!

This is a great way to use up those extra coasters that you have lying around and don't know what to do with! I use Mia's Cottage Paper from TAC to cover them. The sides are punched with my Bind-it-All and then tied with ribbon. For the bottom I used another coster (up about 1/2") and ran a bead of Diamond Glaze around the bottom to hold it in.

Front - Used the Sizzix to cut the "H" and stamped name with TAC's Simple Bet Alphabet.

This side has a transparency over it ... the teacher can use a dry erase marker (I included one) to make notes and then use a Kleenex to wipe them off. I used Just a Note from the Friendly Note set and the Apple is from For All Seasons set.

This side had a pad of post-its on it with a little note!

This side had a transparency over it as well. The teacher can slip a photo in it and it's protected. I could find my "place photo here" GWP so I stamped it with Simple Bet.

One dozen note cards with envelopes placed inside for the teachers to write those special notes home. I printed the cards on the computer and then accented with more coordinating Mia's Cottage paper and flowers from the Mini Occasions set. Did you know that in the TAC Catalog next to the papers it tells you what the best colors of inks to match the papers are?? Well this worked great for me .. I picked a blue, green, and pink Palette ink to stamp the flowers on the cards. These were so simple to whip a dozen up!!!

Back side.

All wrapped up and ready to give!!!

I took them in to the teachers this morning and they LOVED them ... I loved them too ... so simple and easy to make! Thanks again Julie for the idea!

Getting Inky with Friends!!!


What could be more fun that getting together with friends and getting inky??? Not much.

Last night my friend Kim Hutchinson and I got together at her house and oh how we got inky!!! We watched a Gina K technique DVD and then made cards with the techniques we just learned! There are 3 DVDs in this set ... we only made it through 1 ... (woo hoo that gives us plans for 2 more nights!!). Here are our creations:

Rubber Band Technique

Add rubber bands to a brayer and ink them up. Make a very interesting background. I used Palette Inks on this - Lavender Sachet, Giverney Green, Beaux Arts Blue. Stamped image is by Inky Antics and colored with colored pencils and OMS. The sentiment is from the TAC Tag Tidbits stamp set. Added green ribbon and a blue brad (thanks Kim for the embellies!).

Direct to Paper

With this technique we used cats eye ink pads and just randomly stamped them on the cardstock. I used green, purple, yellow, and copper. The stamp is another Inky Antics stamp colored with colored pencils and OMS. The saying is from Inkadinkado. Matted all images on brown cardstock and added a leather cord and 3 copper brads. Congrats to you was pop-dotted.

Direct to Paper

This was another version of direct to paper using larger ink pads. I used Palette inks again for these - Sunflower, Orangerie, and Claret. The butterflies are from the June TAC Stamp of the Month. I colored them with colored pencils and OMS and then cut them out and matted on orange. I used the just a note from the Tag Tidbits and added 5 nickel brads to an orange strip of cardstock.

Direct to Paper

Here I stamped this flower image (retired from TAC) on glossy cardsock with Versamark ink. Then we brayered the sheet with Kaleidacolor (Autumn Leaves). I colored the main flower with colored pencils and OMS and added string that I dyed with brown ink. Added 3 large copper eyelets and then put 3 orange brads in the centers of those.

Watercoloring with Ink Pads

Here we smeared the Palette ink pads on a Craft Sheet and then used a water brush to color in the image. This image is by Magenta and it was very fun to watercolor. I added green ric rac and purple primas. I added lots of bling to this card with little gems that Kim had - she picked up a huge sheet of them from Staples for 60 cents!!! - they were to decorate your cell phone with. Great find Kim ... Had she picked these up in a craft store that would have easily been 5 times that much!!! The card was matted on purple cardstock and wound up to be 5" x 5".

Pullin' and Poppin' Pastels

It's hard to see here but look closely on the black background ... see color and flowers? That is done with a fun technique called Pullin' Pastels. You color the black cardstock with chalks and then stamp an image with Versamark (pulling the chalk off of the cardstock). Then I stamped more of the image on the white with Versamark and then colored with the chalks (Poppin' Pastels). I added fun glittery blue brads and ribbon that I added chalk to as well! Sentiment is from Tag Tidbits and the flower is from a retired TAC set.

Baby Wipes

Here we made the plaid background by applying reinkers (I used Pallete reinkers) to a baby wipe and wiping across the cardstock. Then we created an ink pad with more reinkers on baby wipes and stamped the stamps in the ink. It's a quick and economical way to make an ink pad! Added green snaps and a corrugated piece of green cardstock to finish off this card. Used a retired stamp set from TAC for the flowers and Tag Tidbits.

Thanks Kim for such a wonderful night!!! Thanks for all of the embellies and all of the yummy goodies (especially that ice cream pie!) I had so much fun! We need to plan another play date soon!

Partner Kit Challenge Swap

These cards were made with kits that were sent to me in a swap for the Stamp Shack. The embellishments, paper, stamped images all were sent to me in kits and we were supposed to make cards out of them. My partner was 5 treasures.

Flowery Thanks

I was sent these flower images. I colored them with my colored pencils and blended them with odorless mineral spirits (OMS), I then added clopper stickles to the centers. I matted them on the green cardstock that I was provided. I punched the green strips with an SU punch. I stamped thanks on the lower one and added pink brads. The pink cardstock was included in my kit as well as the patterned paper. The brown ribbon was also included and I tied it and added it as well.

Friend-Ship

I was sent the ship, cloud, and sentiment images. I colored the ship with my colored pencils and blended it with OMS. I punched "friend-ship" with the SU window punch. The green cardstock was included in my kit as well as the patterned paper. The orange ribbon and hardware (brad, loop thingy, and spiral clip) were also included.

Girlfriends

I was sent these girlfriend images. I colored them with my colored pencils and blended them with OMS. I matted them on the brown cardstock that I was provided. The bown and white cardstock was included in my kit as well as the patterned paper. The clear button was also included and I placed the pattern paper behind it to match and "threaded" a thin strip of the brown paper through the button. The rhinestones were also included and I used them on the flower in "girlfriends" and added them to the lower right corner.

Thanks 5treasures .... this was fun!

Shackapalooza

A bunch of the ladies from the Stamp Shack and I retreated to Angola, IN this weekend.

Here are the shoebox projects that we worked on:

Here are the build-a-card Riley cards that we worked on:

More pics in the slide show below.


We had such a wonderful time!!!