case the catalog

This is a card I cased from page 142 in the catalog. Stampin Up's award winning idea book and catalog has a wealth of ideas- either you can case a card (copy and share everything) or just use color scheme or card design. The stamp sets are Stampin Up's happy everything & on a pedestal.

Sometimes it is fun to get some cards done just by copying something you see- just give credit where credit is due.

My friend Fran and I got together to stamp on Friday, always fun to stamp with friends, talk, eat chocolate. We made cards for teachers birthdays at school. This is the card for January birthdays.

Drum roll please... new craft room pics

I have finally moved into my craft room and I am loving it. I was in a spare bedroom with some hodge podge storage options. Then we got an addition, and my old room became my new upstairs laundry. I spend 6 mos it unfinished side of basement, no windows, laundry, tools, Christmas containers, etc....

I got some Bygel rails at Ikea and my husband put them up this weekend over my desk. My desk I got at the container store- love it so much more room to stamp.

This is some of my old storage stuff, the cheap cubes from Target

Then I used expedit shelves turned over for my stamps, wheels, photos, big shot dies, ect..

This is my cutting table $19.99 from Ikea

And a shot of my desk, the two small closets hold all my things I intend to alter and my sadly neglected knitting. You can see another bookshelf that holds my 12 x 12 paper and my scrapbooks.

Stamping Son

My brother-in-law's birthday is at the end of this month. He is a huge Boston Bruins fan. My 10 y.o. son Dylan made this card for him using under the stars and a retired set called sporting goods. There was no hockey stick so he free hand cut it and then used the white gel pen. He chose to use water color pencils to color image in. Pretty good, don't you think?

This is my card I made to send out to some of my former hostesses using vintage vogue. I got the idea out of mini catalog. The IBC and mini's have a lot of design ideas you can use for your cards.

My first card

Okay, we all had to start somewhere...

I thought I would share with you my first card I made back in 2003. After I had hostessed my first SU workshop, this is one of the cards I made with my new stuff I ordered. I had no ribbon, so I used a thin strip of paper from my bold brights pack I bought. It is not the worst thing- but pretty primitive.

The scrapbook page is worse- I had no idea what I was doing, notice the cutting around photos? The wavy scissors and what ever die cuts I picked up at local craft store. There was no title, but I did journal.

So, that brings me to my Stampin up story. I was teaching a water tot class for a mom's group. They all just had their first babies and a few of them started in some direct sales business. I went to an open house they had and I saw this woman Erica, making cards. I also saw her scrapbook pages. I was blown away and said-" I want my pages to look like that". So, I had a party and I was hooked. I joined her 6 month club and never looked back. I slowly out grew my containers and took over my one of my son's bedroom as he bunked up with his brother. Erica, took a break with her second child. I still needed my stamping fix so I searched out other demo events. When she came back to her demo ship, I was teaching her and her customers things. She kept telling me that I really needed to become a demo. This went on for about another year. I was busy with my kids, coaching swimming, teaching swimming and finding other pursuits such as knitting. However in August of 2006, she convinced me to sign up. I had my own stamp camp in October of that month with 2 people. A friend booked a party for my in November and it was over $500 in sales. I have good months and down months, but I love it. I have been to 4 regional events, my first convention in 2008 and volunteer at the Ronald McDonald house through Stampin Up. The best part about it is the friends I have made from stamping. My friend Barbara always says "it is more than rubber stamps".

I think I have evolved and learned from those "firsts".

Mother-Daughter Stamp camp projects

These are my upcoming projects for my mother-daughter stamp camp. Most ideas are ideas I have seen on blogs, scs and more. The theme is "purses"

*punch purse birthday card

*3 x 3 purse tote with cards

*nugget purse

*ghiradelli chocolate purse

Class will be held on Saturday February 6th from 12 noon-2 pm. Girls 8 and over are welcome with their mom, cost is $20 for both to make projects (you will each make a set). RSVP by 1/30 for preparation purposes.

Quick gift

I made this quick Christmas gift for my brother's mother-in-law who joined us at Christmas time. I did not want to have her not have anything to open. So I made 6 of these cards up as a set.

Love the Medallion set from Stampin Up- so many uses and really helped for a quick but nice card set.

sweet treat cups

I got a chance to play along with Stamping 411, sketch challenge this weekend. I took idea from occasion mini catalog, I loved the use of goldfish in the sweet treat cups. You can't fit a ton in it, but it is super cute. The paper is from "welcome neighbor" dsp you can earn from Sale-a-bration when you spend $50.

A little tip- I used a piece acetate to close up the back of cup with some snail.

SAB kick off cards

This is a card cased from samples on Stampin Up demo site for a sale-a-bration set Happy Moments. You can earn it Free with $50 purchase until March 30th. I added another set from Occasion Mini catalog called Well scripted.

This card showcases a couple of things- scalloped trim border another SAB choice you can earn. Vintage Vogue from Occasion mini, it is going to be a hot, hot set!!! and another personal fav "sending love speciality" designer paper. It is shimmery, embossed and just to die for!!!

I kept design pretty simple, sometimes it is hard not to just keep adding things to a make and take card, but it should be a fairly easy card for guests to replicate.

Masculine Valentine two for

Whoo-hoo I finally got Stamping 411 sketch challenge done on time this week!
The last two weeks, I missed "mr. linky" before they switched challenges. I also combined it with Late night stampers challenge this week- masculine valentine. I used champagne shimmer paint (which you still can order at Stampin Up in a write in), with alcohol misting- then I sponged around the edge of very vanilla with the shimmer paint. I even used it with simply said heart. I used vintage vogue for background and - egads I used elegant bouquet embossing folder for the first time and I have had it for months!!! The sentiment is out of new occasion mini also called well scripted.

I have been missing in blog action, I am getting ready for my open house this week with cleaning, making make and takes and such. And drum roll.... I am in my new craft room!!! Pictures will be coming- just waiting for DH to install my bygel rails for all my punches. So, I have been spending time organizing the room and throwing out unneeded things.

Swaps to show

This swap is by Robin Johnson, check out cute new designer brads.






































This lovely one with Hodgegpodge hardware was done by Amy Czuba





And this great use of Razzleberry for Valentine was done by
Doreen Decibus

Whoo's up for a challenge

There's nothing like a sketch, new stamps, designer paper and a challenge to get you stamping.
Latenight stamper's challenge this week was to use ribbon, gosh not hard to do on a card but unfortunately, I could not think of anything creative to do with it.

The sketch is from Stamping 411,
Of course I missed this week's again before "mr linky" expired but great to have some more cards in stash, especially since I could not figure out a sentiment for this one.

Stamp set: "fox and friends"
ink: taken with teal, chocolate chip, regal rose, old olive
paper: whisper white, saffron, choc chip, regal rose, old olive and stampin up sweet pea designer pack

Something Sweet

The new Stampin Up Occasion mini and SAB kick off today- you can check them out on my sidebar.
This is new set called something sweet (117688), you can get it in wood or clear mount. I am a purist (or lazy) so I ordered it in wood. I missed out on similar set in Holiday mini- so I thought this one would be fun, especially the goldfish option.

This is a card that I did for a swap I hosted. I love that the circle fits in our 1-3/4 circle punch, makes life easy. I also used new embossing folder from mini- perfect polka dots (117335).

I spent day at IKEA yesterday, so hopefully I will have all my furniture up and assembled to show pics of my new craft room. That Expedit furniture is heavy, so I only got it as far as garage!

Happy New Year!

Starting January 5th- the best time for Stampin Up- Sale-a-bration starts. For every $50 you spend you can earn FREE stamp set!

Also, new Occasion mini catalog starts on the 5th as well- get excited about new stamp set and clear mount option.

I put links to these catalogs on my sidebar.

I hosted a swap for both these catalog, so I will be posting samples in coming days!

Happy and a prosperous New Year too you all!