Tiny Treats

I have been itching to break into my new Urban Garden Designer Series Paper from the new Stampin ' up! Catalog. I needed to make a couple of treat ensembles, so I chose to use the new paper and the new "Pocket Silhouettes" stamp set. I also added a bit of the Baja Breeze ribbon that hasn't been cut into, either. I made the treat bag completely out of DSP. Usually I make a cardstock base and then add the DSP, but I had made 18 similar bags for my MIL to give to her youth group at church, so I knew that they would hold up.
When you are mass producing things like that, it is always nice to keep things simple. I never took a picture of those, but they turned out really cute. I used the Bella Rose DSP and Bella's Bloom stamp set. The bag is filled with an assortment of Hershey's Nuggets. Yummy! Thanks for fluttering by!

Country Time!

It has been a while since I posted a creation using images from The Saltbox Studio. I decided to use this fun cow image and the country time sentiment. I love coloring this cow. I used my copic and prismacolor markers. I also used some of the new Amuse notecards for the base. I decided to add a stip of green to the bottom to mimic a field. The image and sentiment are stamped in palette noir ink, which is one of my favorites for line images when I use my alcohol based markers. It doesn't smear and makes a great image. I also added one of my new buttons that I won at my scrapbook retreat. The collection has over 850 buttons in great colors. Unfortunately, I tipped it while opening it and some of the colors are mixed. You have no idea how much it is "bugging" me, but it will have to get sorted a different day. I also added a bit of red gingham ribbon which has "country" written all over it. LOL! I had fun with this simple design.

I am excited for the long weekend. Homework, reading time, and schedules are already getting old. LOL! Football is also taking a ton of time as well. My poor son has little if no "down" time. I have been allowing video games and T.V. watching even before he gets his homework done because I feel so bad for him. Football ends on Sept. 30th, so only one more month. Even though it takes up a lot of time, it is really good for my son. I am sure we will all miss it once it is over. Go CLEARFIELD THUNDER!!!

Thanks for all of your feedback on the scrapbooking. I think I will go ahead and post a few designs here and there and see how you like them. Hopefully I will get some good creative time this weekend. Thanks for fluttering by!

Kind Thanks

I am in love with this new paper that matches the Always set called "Sweet Always". I had ordered some of the Western Sky paper but it was all sold out so SU! had me pick out something else. I chose this cute paper and I am glad I did. I purchased the chapsticks that match this paper at convention, so I thought that I could use the paper to make coordinating cards and things for door prizes. I needed another thank you card, so I used my new thanks set also. My back has been tweaked, I don't know if it was from sitting down so long at the scrapbook retreat I attended on Saturday or what, so I didn't dare sit too long today, so I kept it simple.

I did have a lot of fun at the retreat and I got 9 pages done. I know that doesn't seem like a lot, but it is more than I have done in more than a year. It felt good to get that done and it has gotten me in the scrapbooking mood. Leave a comment if you would like to see my scrapbook designs and I will start including them in my posts. If not, I will just continue with my cards and 3-D projects. Hopefully my back will improve in the next few days so I can get some more stamping time! LOL! Thanks for fluttering by!

Wedding Bliss!

I needed to make a couple wedding cards today; one for me to give and one for my sister to give. She didn't have time to get one made, so she asked if I could make one for her. Of course I will! I love making wedding cards and I don't get to very often. I haven't made the one I will be giving but I will post it when I get it made. I also made this for today's LSC over at SCS. It is a rerun but one that I liked the first time around. The challenge was to use a stamp or stamp set that we haven't touched in a couple of months if not years. This worked perfectly for a wedding card and I haven't used it for a couple of months. I also decided to use this embossing folder that has been neglected lately.

I have officially made it through the first week with the kids back in school so I can see how my days will be going. I thought that I would have lots of time to stamp while they are away, but I have decided to use that time in a different way, so stamping will either happen in the evening or in the afternoon. I finally got all of my new sets mounted so I have lots of new inspiration! Thanks for fluttering by!

A note of Thanks

I needed to sit down and make a few Thank You notes for the great gifts I recieved for my birthday. I decided to use the color challenge from yesterday over at SCS. I like these colors, but they reminded me of the colors I have been using alot lately, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip from the Bella Rose paper line. I like how well they work for this image. I did add a little green for the foliage and some yellow for highlighting and the beak and legs of the bird. This is such a fun image to watercolor. I also added the sentiment from the new set "Thank you kindly". I had to have it just for this one sentiment, although the others are great, too! I still haven't mounted all of my new sets. I think it is time for a chick flick and some down time and get them mounted! LOL! Thanks for fluttering by!

Clearfield Thunder!!!

My son had his first Football game today! 32-6 Clearfield! It was awesome seeing my son playing and having such a great game! He looked so cute with the black under his eyes and decked out in his game day uniform! I am sure he would be freaking out if he knew I just used the word "cute" to describe him! LOL!
I also decided to show you a card back from my days in the Dirty Dozen. I am sure I am breaking some kind of rules or something, but I decided to show it to you anyway to follow the football theme. I really wanted to make a new card, but I am too tired. Thanks for fluttering by!

Time to Bloom

My new stamps arrived yesterday and I had to set them aside to get other things done. Oh the shame! I took some time out tonight to get a few of them mounted and start creating. I decided on this stamp set called "Bella's Bloom". It was one fo the new ones that I new I had to have right away. After I made the card I realized that I didn't use very "Blooming" colors. More like death...LOL! Anyway, I like the overall design of the card and I think I will rework it with more lively colors. I knew that I wanted a clean design so that was where I started. I rounded a few of the corners for interest and a touch of glitter.
My son has his first football game tomorrow and he just got his Jersey tonight. He looks so cute sporting it and I especially love seeing LUNCEFORD on the back. Soooooo cute. I will take pics and post them because I know you are all dying to see pictures of my kids! LOL! I got the official last back to school items today. I can't wait to see my daughter all decked out in her new stuff. I must say that a 5 year old girl is much funner to dress than an 8 year old boy who says that he is sick of wearing "handsome" clothes. "Why must everything have a collar?", He pleads. Can he be a baby again when the clothes were cuter and he had no opinion? LOL! Well...thanks for fluttering by. I am hoping to get some more stamping time in now that both kids will be in school.

A Kind Word

I haven't had a chance to use this new hostess set from Stampin' Up! I was in the mood to watercolor today, so I pulled it out. I used to dislike line art sets because I felt like I couldn't watercolor them good enough, but now, I really don't care. I just have fun and hope for the best. I will never get any better if I don't practice. I used to love to watercolor all kinds of things in my younger years. I chose to use some springy colors since the set is called "Serene Spring". I do think it odd that it is in the Fall Winter Catalog, however. Oh well. The house is quiet with the girls upstairs playing and my son off to school. I decided to veg and watch P.S. I love you which has been making me cry. I really love the part where she decides she wants to CREATE and starts making shoes. Wow! I wish I could take a cobbler class. LOL! Anyway...it has inspired me and I can't wait to get my new SU! goodies. I really like the sets and accessories I decided to get with my first order. I have a card idea already in my head and that feels good. I haven't felt that way in a while. I feel like everything I have been doing is cookie cutter and really NOT ME! So...with that being said, you will be seeing some new {atomic} creations with my heart in them. Thanks for fluttering by!

Americana

I know that the fourth of July has long since past, but I thought I would get in the Olympic spirit and post an American card for today. I have enjoyed watching diving, gymnastics, basketball, etc. already. I loved the opening ceremonies as well. I have it on my DVR and I haven't watched it all, but what I have watched was really good. My kid's first day of school was today and I took my daughter for Kindergarten orientation. My son loved his first day (of course) and my daughter's official first day of real kindergarten will be next Monday.

Today's card features some of the newest images from The Saltbox Studio. Although they work well for the month of July, it is easy to work them in for other occasions as well. I also used some of the new notecards from Amuse. Aren't they cute? A few of you have sent me some emails that I will get to this week. Thanks for fluttering by.

Convention Thanks!

I needed to make a couple of thank you cards and thought that I would use my new flight of the butterfly set that we recieved in our convention bags. At first I wasn't too excited about it, but the more I have used it, the more I like it. I paired it with the Polka Dot background which is one of my favorites. I used Blush Blossom, Pink Pirouette and Basic Gray. I have always loved pink and gray together.

Yesterday I went school shopping for my kiddies. I am seriously in shock that I am sending both kids out the door to school this year. I got them some fun stuff and I can't wait to see them all decked out on the first day. Although, most of the things I bought are for the fall and it is still very HOT here in Utah, so who know what they will end up in~ LOL~! I am going to a bridal shower tonight and I need to get some cards made for part of her gift. I guess I better get going!

Spring Card

I have never tried one of these, although I have seen some super cute samples. Today's TLC challenge was to make one. It was super easy and super fun. I think this is a cute idea for a child's birthday card. I had this image already cut and mounted from my swaps, so I thought I would save a little time and use it. Can I just say how nice it feels to sit down and stamp just for me? I have quite a few thank you's that I need to make, also. I can't wait to take some more time to sit and make those. My daugther has her 5 year check up and kindergarten shots today. Yuck! She is scared, but I promised to take her to the park afterwards with a friend. Then it is off to football with my son. They are finally using the pads and the helmet together. This should be interesting! LOL!

Also, I promised some Convention highlights!

1. We all recieved the new Ronald McDonald set on the last day. Let me set this up for you: We all watched the *Barbie* commercial on the big screens. Imagine two pre-teen girls playing barbies in the dream house. There are two barbies with SU! aprons, swap bags and they are wearing logo shirts. The Dream House has been decorated with Decor Elements. There is a "Convention Goer Barbie" song playing in the background. They are both excited for next year's convention when all of a sudden the doorbell rings. Barbie answers the door to find UPS Ken Doll holding a Stampin' Up! box. Can you say HILARIOUS!!!!!! So...then a real Mr. Brown comes out holding a box and Shelli asks who it is for. He then says," EVERYONE!!!!". We all scream as a huge UPS truck pulls out into the audience, the prize patrol wearing brown UPS shirts and we each get the set. There is confetti going EVERYWHERE!!! So much fun!!!!!

2. Stampin' Up! has partnered with Sizzix! I am really excited. The dies are great and I can't wait to see more!!!

I had a lot of fun with my demo friends! HI Kami, Heather, Evie, Stephanie, etc!!! Thanks for making it great! Also, thanks for the fun birthday gifts!

Forgot to mention...Imagine my horror as my side-line friend Stephanie proceeds to get the entire Make and Take group to sing Happy Birthday to me! Beet Red!!!!

Hip-Hippo-Ray!!!

Wow! What a whirlwind! Convention is over and now life should be returning to normal~! I have quite a bit of *catching up* to do after leaving my kiddos with my husband while I have been gone. My stamp area looks like a bomb has gone off and the rest of the house is no different. So...I decided to share a simple card I made a while back. I used my pun fun set which I am loving. It is so fun to color. I used my copic and prismacolor markers for this image with a touch of stickles for sparkle.

I am excited to begin creating with the new stamp sets I recieved at convention. Yesterday was so much fun when UPS gave the entire audience the new Ronald McDonald House set!!! A big UPS truck came out with smoke and confetti flying everywhere. We all were screaming and yelling! The *Barbie* commercial with UPS Ken was hilarious as well. I will tell you all about that later. Thanks for fluttering by!

P.S. Things around here should be getting back to normal with creations and posts daily. Preparing for convention and then going to convention sucked me dry, but with all of the great demonstrations and new products, I have been inspired!