Latest Projects

I haven't had much time this week to actually get upstairs and create.  However, I have been working on many projects.  I am still trying to get up the courage to share my blog with the world....and hopefully gain some followers in the long run.  I am so critical of myself that I fear what other may think.  I have posted some of my work on the Stampin' Connections website and Splitcoast Stampers and thought I was going to be sick each time I got a response.  Can you imagine the wreck I would be if people read my blog???

Monday night was our Stampers 10 meeting.  I volunteered my stampin' space and absolutely loved having everyone over!  It was so fun and I am glad that I got to utilize the top floor of my house!  I am hoping they decide to use my room every month.

With Sale-A-Brations starting this week, I placed a very large order and got a lot of goodies for free!  I am pumped and can't wait till Mr. Brown brings me my box (supposedly on Tuesday)!  I am also making a "getting started bundle" for my friends that are interested in stamping, but not sure where to start.  Basically, I have picked out a few essentials and put them in easy ordering options (can we say McDonalds???) and show them how easy it is to earn SAB items.  I am excited about sharing it with them.

A Crafty Saturday

Well, after a snow day yesterday, and freezing temperatures today, I have had a bit of cabin fever.  What better way to cure it then to spend the day crafting.  We just bought our new house about 2 months ago.  There were a lot of great things about it that were move-in-ready, but in buying this house we have doubled our square footage and also doubled the space we need to decorate (read--more stuff I need to go shopping for!).  Our kitchen has a nice little eat in nook with a HUGE picture window looking out onto our gorgeous deck.  However, I have felt that it looked so naked.  While at Walmart of all places, I found some material that wasn't terribly expensive and since I couldn't find curtains I liked, I decided to make some.  Now, this is coming from the girl that can't sew!  Heat bond to the rescue!!  With some material, my trusty iron, and an hour and a half later, I had dressed my indecent kitchen window.  Not too shabby if I say so myself.

 Also this evening, I had to make a card for a baby shower gift.  I loved how it turned out.  I got to finally use a set that I have been dying to try.

Cardstock:  Early Espresso, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Early Espresso, Old Olive
Stamps:  Fox and Friends
Accessories:  Buttons (brights collection), adhesive, glue dots

First Workshop

I am a little late in getting this posted, but Monday night I held my first workshop up in the Crafting Cave (read--it should be a "man cave" but the estrogen won out an I took over!). I have 7 beautiful ladies come and we made two great projects. The first was a monogram tile using Decor Elements from Stampin' Up! I ordered them in brown, bought 12 x 12 tiles at Lowes, and in about 4 minutes we had a beautiful project. I think they were very impressed with how it turned out. I kept hearing "wow...that is all you have to do?" and "that was so easy!"

The next project we made was a 3D treat box that could be used for Valentine's Day. For a tutorial on how to make this, click here. (I love all the fun stuff you can get on splitcoaststampers.com!) I used Whisper White CS, the I {heart} Hearts clear mount set, and inks in Real Red, Pink Pirouette, and Basic Gray. I randomly stamped the CS, folded the box according to instructions, and tied it with Real Red ribbon. On the outside, I cut Real Red CS 2 3/4 by 2 3/4 and layered the pink cs 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 on top. I then stamped some cute hearts, cut them out, and added them using dimensionals. We also stamped a sheet of address labels with the stamp set, and used them to cover some chocolates. It added a cute touch and nice surprise for when you open the box.

Birhtday card

So....should my husband expect anything other than a handmade birthday card for his upcoming day of birth? I would think not! (Read--he has allowed me to spend all this money on Stampin' Up! stuff, I should make him a card for every day he is alive!)

I played around in my crafting cave last weekend, and this is the card I came up with. I am still learning on how to let my creativity flow with the materials I have on hand. Trust me, it is hard. The stamps I used and inks were all from SU, but the cardstock was some that I had bought at Wal-Mart.
Stamps: Celebrate You, Owl Together Now (retired), Fast and Fun Notes, Make a Monster
Inks: Pacific Point, Real Red, Basic Black
Papers: Walmart cardstock

New blog header

When I joined Stampin' Up! it was during the time where you could get the digital plus starter kit for half off. I was PUMPED! I had been wanting MDS for a long time and thought this was the best time to have a job (read--hobby/addiction) that I love. I have been playing around with the MDS program it is a lot of fun. My computer is kind of slower, so it takes some patience, but over all, I am totally diggin' the ability to sit in my rocking chair on my labtop, listen to some Zac Brown Band, and let the creative juice flow.

Tonight I played around and created a new blog header. Some people may not be impressed, but I am. It is clean and simple (the way I like things) and shows off my sassy side.

Color Challenge attempt....

One of my goals for the new year is to attempt to challenge myself with card making and actually sending out those cards. The first thing I thought I could do was a color challenge on SCS. I was excited because it used my three favorite colors: red, black, and white. However, I have now realized how challenging it is when you are given colors and no direction! I am not extremely pleased with the card, but I supposed that is part of being an artist. I was in a bit of a rush, and you can tell--some of my stamping is not lined up and looks messy. But, I am happy that I did something, allowed myself to be creative, and completed the challenge.

One big thing I realized though is even with a ton of Stampin' Up! stuff that I have, I don't think I have enough. Guess I will just have to buy some more!

Paper: whisper white, basic black
Ink: basic black, real read
Stamps: Long Fellows (hostess level 1), Dot, Dot, Dot, and Bohemian Backgrounds
Accessories: Adhesive, Dimensionals, red ribbon (non SU!)

Thanks for Everything

One of my goals in this new year is to take advantage of my new crafting space (read--I have to prove to my husband that it was a great idea to buy a bigger house where I could have the entire upstairs for all my crafting goodies....). Being a new Stampin' Up! demonstrator has also inspired me to create more, teach more, and blog more. I have tons of blogs I read on a daily basis and often tell myself "I could do this....I would call it cheap therapy!" So, here I go. I hope to make good on those three promises. Plus, having all these news toys and a place to play, I want to be more of an encourager this year. I love making cards, and yes, they are pretty to have hanging all over my room, but I want others to take joy in them as well. Here is to sending out more of my handmade things!

Today I made a card that was CASE'd from the January Stampin' Success magazine (page 16). I have had this stamp set (For Everything) for a while now, and have had tons of ideas on how to use it. It seems very versatile. When I saw this particular card, I knew I had to try it. Since I am still a newbie (mostly as a demonstrator, not necessarily to stamping) I had to improvise with some of the colors and products. While I still need to learn how to take great photos of my work, I don't think this card turned out too bad.

Paper: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler
Ink: Early Espresso, Pear Pizzaz
Accessories: Brights Buttons, blender pen
Non-Stampin' Up!: Yellow ribbon