I'm a princess!

Thank you Jen at Freshly Made Sketches for choosing my card this week! And thanks to all of you who have left such kind comments. Y'all rock!

I had made this card for their sketch (scroll down for the whole post) and for  my friend Judy. Thankfully, she liked it, too.

Now I get to tell my hubby I really am a princess. He'll never believe the "perfect"! Ha! :)


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Stampin' Up! Love & Sympathy and Easy Events

In need of a quick card? Here's one shared at a recent stamp camp that you can put together with just the most basic of supplies.

In case you would like to make this card, here are the measurements of each paper layer:

• Basic Gray card base is 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" for a finished size of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
• Left Melon Mambo panel is 1" x 4 1/4"
• Right Old Olive panel is 1 1/2" x 4 1/4"
• Stamped Whisper White panel is 2" x 4"
• You will need a scrap of both the white and Melon Mambo for the sentiment layer.

You can also swap out the boldly colored panels for Designer Series Paper. Here our Easy Events stamp set sets the tone for a sweeter card.

Note: This layout was shared in a sketch challenge previously. I no longer have the file so I apologize that I cannot provide the name of the original designer.

Product Supply details:

Card One:
Stamps:  Love & Sympathy, sentiment is from a retired set
Colors: Basic Gray, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Whisper White
Tools: 1 3/8" and 1 1/2" circle punches
Embellishments: Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon

Card Two: 
Stamps: Easy Events, Solo Para Ti
Colors: Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Raspberry Ripple, So Saffron
Tools: XL Oval Punch, Heart punch, Scallop Border punch
Embellishments: Jewels Basic Pearl

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US182 Happiness Is

I took a lot of liberty with this week's sketch. Good thing it's allowed :)

This 12x12 scrapbook page shows my father-in-law demonstrating one of the best parts of our family parties - music and dancing. Here he is getting warmed up and showing off his salsa moves!

Be sure to visit Unscripted Sketches for more ideas and to participate in the challenge. Enjoy!
Project Notes: Unscripted Sketches #182

currently available supplies include:
Soft Suede and Very Vanilla card stock (Neutrals 12x12 #119711)
Natural Cotton Ribbon (127844)
Metallics Brads (119741)

The die cut letters are from retired Stampin' Up! dies as are the rub-ons and clips.
The bongo image is a free image printed off the 'net. I simply colored it and trimmed it out.

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FMS58 Victoria Lace

Before getting lost in today's to-do list, I stole a little time to play around with a new sketch by Freshly Made Sketches. The image (from a retired set) was already colored so it was just a matter of putting the rest together. Which should have been easy, but I still managed to get lost in play-land for two hours. Ooops.

Product Supply details:
Stamps: Retired Stampin' Up! set
Colors: Crumb Cake, Tempting Turquoise, Baja Breeze, Real Red, Whisper White
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Apothecary Accents (127003), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309)
Embellishments: Jewels Basic Pearls (119247), Victoria lace Trim (118481)

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Holiday List of all Lists

A new download caught my eye today. It's called Holiday List of all Lists and it was designed to help you stay organized throughout the holiday season. I'm thinking it will be good for year-round use. I particularly like the Menu Plan since that type of organization helps us to spend less at the grocery store and also helps with meal prep throughout the week. I have this habit of scribbling notes on a piece of paper and then tossing it along with the grocery list when I get home. My plan is to print out the menu plan and put it in a glass photo frame; then I can use a white board marker to write the list every week. (As opposed to printing out a new list every week…)

If you own a Cricut, you will be happy to know that this kit includes a 70 piece SVG stamp brush set. So not only does the image "stamp" but it serves as a die cut as well. Cool!

Holiday List of All Lists includes:

• 4-page designer template (11" x 8-1/2")
• 70-piece SVG stamp brush set. SVG files can be used by digital cutting machines, so this is applicable to those of you who own a Cricut.
• 17 embellishments

Item # 132561 ($5.95, no shipping or sales tax for digital downloads)

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Stampin' Up! Wonderfall

If you read these posts through a feed or through my personal blog, you may not be aware of the projects that are shared through my "official" Stampin' Up! site. The company shares a few projects every month and within the last couple of months have shared several for the holidays. Here's a card created with Wonderfall, a stamp set and coordinating Sizzix die currently available in our Holiday Catalog.

For project details and to see more ideas, click here for my Stampin' Up! site. Thanks!


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Unscripted Sketches Easy Events

Unscripted Sketches has a fun challenge for us this weekend! It's time to use our weekly sketch and a "piggyback" challenge. The piggyback is optional, but if you would like to give it a shot this time, we challenge you to add some sort of movement to your project. It can be something that pulls out, pops up, spins, slides or jiggles… now's the time to play with those fun techniques you've been wanting to try.

I love this cute little ducky from Easy Events. He reminds me of bath time when my boys were tiny tots. :)  Instead of coloring him in, I paper pieced him using scraps of card stock and Designer Series Paper. But he's not the focal point for long; if you pull the yellow ribbon tab (shown poking out of the right side of the center panel), you will find a little pocket sized to fit a gift card.

See what the designers have created and add your own project by visiting: Unscripted Sketches #181

Movement design originally shared by Cathy Parlitsis
Product Supply details:
Stamps: Easy Events (123225), Circle Circus (115778), Sweet Essentials (126457)
Colors: Night of Navy, So Saffron, Pool Party, Whisper White
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Framed Tulips Folder (121809), Apothecary Accents (127003), Paper Piercing Tool 126189)
Embellishments: Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon (122975), So Saffron Taffeta Ribbon (122982), Mini Brads Silver (122941)
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Stampin' Up! French Foliage

It's still feels like the tropics in Florida this week, but with stamps we can pretend that fall has arrived! In class today, we'll be using our fabulous French Foliage set to create a card worthy of enjoying with a cup of cider.  Mmmmmmm…..

If you live in the Melbourne (Florida) area and would like to stamp with us, please contact me or check the calendar for information regarding future events. There is still time to schedule a Holiday workshop if you would prefer a private event.


Triple Layer Stamping technique originally shared by Dawn Olfcheske

Product Supply details:
Stamps: French Foliage (c121166), Countryside (c120495), Sweet Essentials (c126457)
Colors: Bravo Burgundy, Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Embellishments:  Linen Thread (104199)
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Stampin' Up! Lean on Me

I was playing around with last weekend's Unscripted sketch a little more and created a little scene, literally.  Light sponging with Baja Breeze ink and little tiny dots of Dazzling Details create a rainy backdrop reminiscent of gray, drizzly days.The clouds barely show in the photo, but I think you can just see the raindrops in this picture; they sparkle in real life.

The little girl is from our Lean on Me stamp set. The sentiment that goes with it (on the same stamp) reads "Go ahead and cry. I'll catch your tears." A sweet sentiment but I couldn't see myself using it so I switched it out for "Joy is not in things, it's in us."* My pastor spoke one day about the difference between happiness and joy. In short, happiness depends on circumstances while joy is independent of them. So despite the rain we can find joy. How about we splash about while there? Who knows whom we will encourage to play along with us?


Product Supply details: 
Scaringbone and Howlstooth Designer Series Paper (126906)
Stamps: Lean on Me (spanish version 124692)
Colors: Tangerine Tango, So Saffron, Basic Gray
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Adorning Accents die (125595)
Embellishments: Dazzling Details (124117)
* this sentiment is from a retired stamp set named Summer by the Sea
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Stampin' Up! Winter Memories

Christmas can conjure specific memories for all of us, can't it? For me it means either pines or palms (depending on if we were at home or with family in Miami) and it definitely means lots of good Cuban food. Forget gaily covered boxes, this girl needs garlicy slow-roasted pork and black beans for it to be official. Unfortunately, Stampin' Up! doesn't have stamps for this yet but I'll keep working on them.

For a few of my ladies sleds, cardinals and skates bring fond memories. My friend Debby immediately fell in love with our Winter Memories stamp set and requested that we create a card with it at her Club Meeting. This was our second make & take for the morning and it definitely went over well. Thanks to Debby for being such a great hostess and for allowing us to use her Winter Memories stamp set!

It's hard to pick, but probably my favorite detail on this card is the woodgrain layer. It's simply a layer of our Core-dinations card stock in Early Espresso run through the Big Shot in a Woodgrain embossing folder. We lightly sanded the paper so that the lighter core of the paper would show the detailing of the design. Normally, all of our card stock is colored all the way through and even the center of the paper is the same exact color as the outside. In this case, the outside is Early Espresso, but the interior is closer to Crumb Cake. Different colors, but still with our wonderful quality.

Another great detail about this paper? It's only $6.95  for 12 (12"x12") sheets!

Product Supply details: 
Be of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper (126896)
Early Espresso Core-dinations (127848)
Stamps: Winter Memories (127937), Greetings of the Season (128033)
Colors: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Woodgrain embossing folder (127821)
Embellishments: Designer Naturals buttons (127554), Linen Thread (104199)
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Unscripted Sketches Solo Para Ti

Sometimes it's nice just to let your paper do the talking. Why cover it up when it's just so pretty?

Project Notes: Unscripted Sketches #180



Product Supply details: 
International Bazaar Designer Series Paper (126920)
Stamps: Solo Para Ti (128391), Just Believe (120453)
Colors: Chocolate Chip, Pacific Point, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Embellishments: Victoria Lace Trim (118481), Jewels Basic Rhinestone (119247)
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Stampin' Up! Festival of Prints paper pack

There's a product I completely bypassed the first umpteen times I looked through our Holiday Catalog. It's a fun little paper pack called Festival of Prints. (Page 20 - in case you missed it, too!) These pages are perfect for a card front with a little left over for the inside of your card. You scrappers might like this size for matting photos, too. At last month's club meeting we included this fun paper in our first make & take project, a quick card designed to be one you can make in bulk.

Consider changing the paper and/or the sentiment to adapt this card to a different occasion. You can also change the punch shape to fit whatever sentiment or image you want to use in the window. This card layout is a great way to use things you already have on hand, too. I imagine there's someone out there who could use this idea to clear out their scrap bin! Someone besides me… ;)

The Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack contains 48 sheets measuring 4-1/2" x 6-1/2". There are 4 each of 12 double-sided designs. All are patterns that could be used year round, but certainly during the holidays as well. That's a lot of cards out of one pack!

Inspired by a card shared on Dawn Olfcheske's blog
Product Supply details: 
Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper (126904)
Stamps: Pretty Postage (123097)
Colors: Pacific Point, Very Vanilla
Tools: Postage Stamp punch (122344)
Embellishments: Vanilla Seam Binding (120999)
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Free Download Timeless Phone Wallpaper

I ran across a blog post by eighteen25 sharing free phone wallpapers. They were very cute and I was about to download one when I realized - hey! I can make my own!

So I got to playing around with My Digital Studio today and made my first phone wallpaper. The image below is from our Timeless image set which contains four vintage style images. The words you see are informal greetings you would use to answer the phone in english, french, italian, spanish, irish and japanese.

This image contains the following MDS elements:
Summer Starfruit background
Textured background layer (in Soft Suede)
Timeless phone image (in Chocolate Chip)
Text (typed in White and Soft Suede using various fonts*)
  *MDS uses the fonts you have on your computer

To use this image as your phone's wallpaper, simply:

• Control-click to select image (right click if on PC)
• Save to your computer
• Email it to yourself
• Open the image on your phone
• Save in phone's gallery
• Open in gallery then select to use as wallpaper

This was so fun! I look forward to sharing more of these with you in upcoming Use It Tuesday posts. Enjoy!

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Stampin' Up! Gently Falling

In class last week, we played around with a favorite fall-themed stamp set Gently Falling. This set is one of our two-step stampin' sets. This means that there are two stamps for each image; one stamps an outline, the other stamps the filler. Although you can use each stamp on its own, they sure do look pretty when used as designed!

We had a second option out in case someone wanted to roll halloween into the fall theme:

This little girl is from our Greeting Card Kids set

By the way, the sentiments used on these cards are part of our Word Play stamp set. Last week I mentioned that this is one of the sets that have been "broken up"; you can purchase individual clear-mount stamps from this set, but only until January 2nd. Want to know more? Scroll down to last week's promo post or Click here for additional information.

Product Supply details:
Stamps: Gently Falling (123804), Greeting Card Kids (120633), Word Play (digital download)
Colors: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso (outline), More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Labels Collection frame list (125598)

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Unscripted Sketches 179 Everything Eleanor

Sketch time! The latest sketch challenge from Unscripted Sketches is up. Will you play along?

I know… my cards always look almost exactly like the sketch, don't they? Oh, well. Why fix it if it ain't broke, right?

Project Notes: Unscripted Sketches #179

Product Supply details:
Stamps: Everything Eleanor (124164), Fabulous Phrases (120501)
Colors: Old Olive, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Tools: Big Shot (113439)
Embellishments: Jewels Basic Pearl (119347)
Other: Sizzix circle dies
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Stampin' Up! MDS2 and new pricing

Stampin' Up! has lowered all of our My Digital Studio print prices - permanently! Some prices have lowered up to 50%. The quality of our print products is top in the industry and now our prices are competitive with other online printing companies.

In addition to the lower prices, those who have ordered through us before will be happy to know that there is no longer a "split shipping fee" for orders that include traditional merchandise and digital print orders.  To access the lower prices and new features, make sure to get the latest update for your MDS2 software. Open MDS, then click on Help and select Check for Updates.

If you haven't updated to MDS2, here's a peek at some features added to this version:

• Crop punches - show off part of the punch and hide the rest
• Paper Rip option - Create torn edges on card stock, designer paper and photos
• Import from another project - toggle between projects to import elements onto current project
• Multiple Page view options -  view with trimmed bleed areas, view single or double page spreads

My Digital Studio print prices (released Oct 2012)

Complete list of features added with My Digital Studio 2




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Stampin' Up! Word Play

Did you know that you can buy individual stamps from the Word Play stamp set? I didn't either!! Somehow this slipped by my attention, but you can buy your favorite single pieces from this popular stamp set until January 2, 2013. They are clear-mount stamps; please note that the clear-mount blocks are not included in the purchase price.

To see the individual stamps and see pricing information please CLICK HERE. 

If you would like the entire set, remember that you have three options: Wood Mount (#120308, $41.95), Clear-Mount (#120651, $28.95) and my personal favorite - our Digital Format (#124432) which includes the entire set for only $7.95. You receive additional phrases* with this set and you can easily resize the sentiments to fit your project. Also, digital downloads do not incur shipping or sales tax. Sweet!

Two of the extra digital files include "wish" and " You're in my thoughts" .

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Stampin' Up! My Digital Studio Recipe in a Jar

Not too long ago, a friend of mine reminded me of "Recipes in a Jar". For those of you who are not familiar with it, this is where you layer the dry ingredients of a recipe in a jar and seal it. You then include a tag or card detailing the wet ingredients needed as well as any directions needed for the recipe. This is a fun way to share food because it's easy to transport and can also be set aside for later without worrying about it going bad.

At our Club Meeting last week, I shared a recipe jar with ingredients for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars. Our Hostess this month Debby is someone who entertains often - this is one busy lady! She bakes often so I knew she would enjoy this idea. Our stampers liked this idea, too - it's a tasty and affordable  gift to have on-hand for teachers, neighbors and anyone nice enough to host a gathering. This idea is not limited to desserts; a quick search on-line will share ideas for soups, seasonings, dips and more.

Here's the postcard sized tag included with Debby's jar. It began as a postcard template included in Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio. The front of the card was not edited at all. On the back, I added text to include the additional ingredients needed as well as the baking instructions.

Now, sorry for the long post but I have a confession to make. Usually all of the dry ingredients go in the jar and the cook adds the wet ingredients. My jar was a little too small so I wasn't able to fit all of the flour into it…. yikes. So if you look at the recipe side of the post card you will see an additional 1 cup of flour…. embarrassing. But Debby is a nice lady so she forgave me. :)

Project Notes: Recipe from Gifts in a Jar (Bars and Brownies), Recipes to make your own gifts
The dry ingredients to layer in the jar are:
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. chocolate chips
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt

then the recipient adds:
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 t. vanilla
1 c. creamy peanut butter

Directions listed on card above. Remember - the flour listed on the card should have been in the jar. The recipe only uses 2 cups - don't add a third!

Tag created using My Digital Studio FREE 30 DAY TRIAL

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