Thinking About Sunshine!

One of the In-colors that I have not used very much is Concord Crush and I don't know why that is. It is a pretty shade of deep purple that coordinates with just about any color in SU's color palette. For this card I combined Concord Crush with Marina Mist--a color I very frequently use. The flower image (from the Just Believe stamp set) is a Concord Crush silhouette in front of the sun and on a sponged Bashful Blue/Marina Mist background. I usually create cards that have a finished size of 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". This card is 5 1/4" square. Extra postage will be required when I mail it, but every once in the while it's worth it. Have a great weekend!

Ready For Spring

It is only February, but robins have already been seen in the area. So, not only am I ready for Spring, but the birds need Spring weather, too! This little bird house was made using the Sizzix milk carton die from Stampin' Up and the bird is from the Two-step bird punch. I filled this little house with jelly beans, but it could also hold flower seeds or yellow M&M's. And on my shopping list I have included those Robin Egg candies that are available for Easter--thank you for the idea Nikki. How cute would that be? Chalk a little red on the bird's body and have little robin eggs in the house! This is my first attempt at a bird house, so watch for a new and improved version. I also see a Spring card class in the near future at which we will be making these bird houses.

Soft Suede & Baja Breeze

I made this card using the Elegant Soiree specialty designer series paper in the SU! Idea Book & Cattie. The color combination--baja breeeze, soft suede, crumb cake, very vanilla and basic gray--is beautiful. Up until this paper was delivered yesterday, the useage of my soft suede cardstock, stamp pad and marker has been non-existent. I did not care for the color at all. That has changed! I opened up this paper and I had to use it immediately. I used three of the patterns in the package together with baja breeze, soft suede and very vanilla cardstock and ink. A little twine was the perfect finishing touch and now I can't wait to demo this card at a SU! party on March 6th. Have a wonderful weekend.

Special Day

Today is special~~it is our 37th wedding anniversary. I am amazed that the years have gone by so quickly, especially in light of the fact that I can remember most of our wedding day as if it happened recently. In keeping with the wishes of happiness we have received, today's card is not an anniversary card, but a "happy" card.I made use of a few of my Big Shot items--Butterfly Embosslit, scalloped circle and circle dies. Combined with paper from the Brights Designer Series paper pack, this card will be perfect for anyone who is celebrating a happy occasion. Have a great day!

3 Little Purses

As I was browsing the internet the other day, I came across some very cute cards made using the new Build A Cupcake Punch--and they weren't cupcakes! There were several versions of a purse card that I saw, and here is my version of this card. Circle punches for the handles and purse flaps, brads, the upside down cupcake base and the colors of pink, black and white complete this girlie, girl card. Some of the purse cards I have seen use gems rather than brads which looked awfully cute, too. And the sentiment is from the Create A Cupcake stamp set which is in the Occasions Mini Catalog. This is another one of the stamp sets that I purchased and have used several times already. And now I am going to go down to my scrap room and clean up. After back to back card classes and our granddaughter for an overnight, there defnitely is a little reorganizing to be done. Have a wonderful Sunday!

One More. . .

. . .card that we will make during the Cupcake get together. I think these little "shop" cards are just adorable! When I figured out how to make the awning, I decided a bake shop card would be the perfect addition to the cupcake projects I have planned for that day. This type of card could be for an ice cream shop, flower shop, shoe store--just about any type of store. How cute would this be as a pet shop with little cats and dogs and fish in the window? This class will be held on February 26th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Please remember that you need to pre-register for the classes and don't forget to bring your adhesive. Have a nice rest of the day!

Cute Little Bags

I really like using test tubes for party favors. So when I saw the 1x8 cellophane bags that people are using to make cute favors, I had to have them. Well I finally ordered some and I made this practice favor. It is really cute and is something that we will be making at the Cupcake class later this month. Between now and then I will perfect it and I will also figure out how to fill the bags without using my bare hands. (Maybe make a paper funnel with a wide enough opening for the candies to slip thru one at a time?) But it is so cute, isn't it? You can fill it with Skittles, M&M's, Sixlets and other little candies, too. The cupcake tag is from the Birthday Bakery Hostess set~~stamped, embossed and colored in with my SU markers. For those of you who are into cupcakes, sign up for my class. We will have fun and make some really cute cards and such. In the meantime, keep warm and find yourself a little stampin' time!

My Scrap Board

A person on Splitcoast wondered how to evenly line up letters on scrap pages. I answered her post and thought I would also address that issue on my blog. Many times when I scrap, my titles are not in a straight line. I slant the letters a little or place one letter a little higher then the previous letter or I use my Cricut and weld the letters together. But when I want my title to be very even, I use my handy magnet board. My husband made this for me and I love it. The magnetic surface is approximately 13" x 13" so it holds a piece of 12" x 12" paper/cardstock nicely with room left for the magnets. I have the Making Memories paper trimmer and that trimmer comes with a magnetic ruler. I use the ruler on my board so I know that once I have the ruler level, the letters will be level, too. I also use this board when I am designing my pages. I use the magnets to hold pieces in place and move them around before I adhere anything. My hubby made me two, so that I can work on both pages of a two-page layout at the same time. The board folds up and has a handle for portability. This is one of my scrap room tools that gets a lot of use. And speaking of my scrap room, time to spend some time in it. Stay warm!

Vacation is over...

... and I am happy to be home~~well, kind of! Not sure if the snow is quite as lovely as the white sand and surf we left, but it is good to be home. Actually, we arrived home safe and sound just as the National Anthem was being sung on the Super Bowl. Matt made us a delicious dinner, the snow was cleared from the drive and the house was clean. Thank you Matt. I came to my computer and there was a picture from "my seckret admyrer". Syd & Jenny came and babysat for our Cody for a couple of days while Matt was out of town. So Syd took the opportunity to leave us little love notes. She is such a good little girl. She takes after her mommy. Our children are very good to us and we appreciate and love them more than they will ever know. Today I am doing the after vacation things--paying bills, sorting and doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. I haven't been in my scrap room yet as I am afraid I will get sucked into it before I finish the things that need to be done--LOL!! But I am posting the photo of one of the cupcake cards we will be making at the Cupcake Class this month. We will be using the new Build a Cupcake punch and the Create a Cupcake stamp set that is in the Occasions mini catalog. Both items are way cute and you will be seeing other projects made with them. Now back to the laundry!

Thinking of You!

It sure is great to have a grown son staying at our house taking care of things while we sit by the pool covered in sunscreen! Thank you Matthew for the photo updates. Our daughter sent us photos of her hubby shoveling their drive and the culdesac snow depth is the same as that of their driveway. A photo of Sydney all bundled up and on their deck is so cute--but the depth of the snow is past her knees. All of this leads me to post this photo. If I had a my stamping supplies here with me I would have posted a pic of a "thinking of you" card. But since I don't, I am posting two new stamps I purchased here in Ft. Myers. Just know I am thinking of you. Hope the snow melts soon. Time to take a dip--just teasing!

While we watch the news and talk to our children and friends back home, the weather situation across the midwest lets us enjoy the Gulf Coast sunsets even more. Of course, I feel a little guilty that we are in such a beautiful place while others have to deal with the blizzard. And I am hoping the weather forecasters are way off on their predictions for the Chicago area, as I do remember the blizzard of l967. Things came to a standstill. We lived in the city and I can remember being outside with my dad and siblings and neighbors all helping each other shovel cars out of parking spaces and clearing the sidewalks. I also remember that my mom worked and had to depend on city buses that night as no cars could get anywhere. My sister and I kept going to the bus stop with a scarf and gloves for her. She made it home that night, but it was quite the trip home. And I remember how happy my sis and I were when we saw her getting off the bus! So to all of you reading this, try to stay home and keep safe. And since you are stuck at home, find yourself a little scrappin' time!