Posts on Hold

I just got a new job!  I decided to go back to work full-time, in a specialty that I am not uber-familiar with.  I will have a HUGE learning curve.  So far the people are fantastic and I am really looking forward to this BIG life-change, but it is draining me both emotionally and physically.  While I am adjusting to a new job and trying to re-balance life and work, I am going to be putting blogging on hold.  Thank you for your understanding.  See you soon! (I hope)

Stampin' Distraction

So...Saturday right before card class, I went out to check for eggs, and was pleasantly startled by some new baby chicks!  We were expecting them, but not for 2 more days!  

I gave some fertile hatching eggs to this sweet girl, Olive.  She sat on them like a pro, and now she is 3 days into being a mamma!  

 

I've been distracted by them all weekend, and don't really want to do anything but sit and watch them! 

Saturday Stampin'

Here is a super simple card that we will make today.  I love Crushed Curry…I know, Rebel Life, right?

Postage Collection Hostess Set, Baked Brown Sugar, Crushed Curry, Postage Punch and some rhinestones!  How simple is that.  Oh!- and I used Simply Scored to add the embossing detail around the outer edges.

Expressions Framelits are AWESOME!

I love these new framelits.  They take a bit of patience, but totally worth it!  Here is the first card I created with it.  I know its still smack in the middle of summer, but I just had to do it!  

Stamp Set:  Truly Grateful
Card Stock and Ink Colors:  Chocolate Chip, Pool Party, Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla and Tangerine Tango
Accessories:  Bakers Twine and Expressions Framelits

Fun Happy Birthday Card

Hello!  I finally got around to creating some of my OWN stuff….I am pretty proud of this one.  I just LOVE the Champagne glimmer paper and I am so happy they brought it back!

You'll also see that I used the new chevron border punch….too cute!  See that little strip of champagne glimmer at the bottom of the cake?  That is the little leftover strip from using the scallop edge punch.  Wow, am I super crafty, or what?  Oh, and the envelope liner was made with the new framelets.  The picture is kind of off-color, but I used Baked Brown Sugar from the DSP stack…I just love how everything coordinates!

Can you tell I love Stampin' Up!? :) In fact, I gotta run….lots of goodies to go play with!  Have a great day!

Stamp: Birthday Cake
Paper/Ink:  Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla, and Baked Brown Sugar
Accessories:  Chevron Embossing Folder, Scallop Edge Punch, Chevron Border Punch, Champagne Glimmer Paper, In Color 2013-2015 Designer Series Paper Stack, Envelope Liners Framelits

PS…Don't forget that Paper Pumpkin is on sale for the rest of the month.  Get the first two months for just $10 each!  (Click on that, it will take your right to the promotions page!) No commitment, cancel ANY time…but you're gonna love it!  Have a friend sign up with you.  You'll have an INSTANT girls night out with almost ZERO planning!

MY Swap for IE

Finally, here is MY swap!  There are two more cuties on here, so make sure you keep scrolling!

 Jennifer Thomas (thats MEEE!)

Nichole Fulmer

Bonnie Carrington

More IE Swaps

It's really fun to be part of a swap where you get so many cute things back!  If you've ever thought about joining one, you SHOULD!  Im sure you have nothing else to do anyway, if you're like me. ;)

Ruthie Graen

Carlene Eshelman

Michelle McDaniel

Team Inking Everything Swaps…Part 875

Ok, so maybe I haven't posted about these swaps THAT many times, but it is hard coming up with a new title each time!  Here are a few more ideas from the Holiday Catalog stuff!  Got some?

Monica Sparks

Sharon Wren

Becky Roberts

Wanna see some more swaps?

It was a big group of ladies, what can I say?  Here are three more swaps I received.  Remember, if you want to make any of these cards, you will need to shop from the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog.  Let me know how I can help!

Debbie Gregerson

Jennifer Valk

Kris Newberger

More Inking Everything Swaps

I'm busy designing cards for my upcoming Christmas Card Club, and will post those at a later date.  In the meantime, here are some more swaps from the Inking Everything Team Swap featuring the new Holdiay Catalog.

Jenafor Donng

Linda Woodward

Dani Dzaima

Team Inking Everything Swaps

I mentioned in a previous post that I joined a swap with other team members of Inking Everything.   I am finally home from Convention and (not really) settled in, and can start posting pictures.  Some of these are SO CUTE.  I love being part of such a fun group, and really enjoyed meeting several team members last week.

This swap features items from the new Holiday Catalog.

Allison Rice

Allyson Blanchette

Lea Sorley

Come back to see more over the next week or so!

Convention Swaps!

I have been down here in SLC for the past few days, having SO MUCH FUN at Stampin' Up! Convention.  I'll have lots to share in the next few weeks.   Here is a swap I received from Liz Volker. 

I just love it!  Can't wait to CASE it!

Oh, and here is Delaney and I acting like complete goofballs!

Gotta get to the hot tub now!

The best Red Velvet cake...Evah!

Seriously.  And CUTE, too.  Right? ;)

Egg Box

As many of you may know, I have recently become a "chicken mamma".  I wanted a way to give away a few of my prized eggs to my closest friends, so I designed this darling box!  The eggs inside are from the store, as mine had not yet started laying, but you get the idea.  The top and bottom pieces that are inside the clear sleeve are two separate triangle shaped tubes, with round holes punched in them.  The eggs are actually suspended and do not touch the top or bottom of the container.  The end pieces are "caps", and just slide off so that you can get the eggs out.  

 Want one?  

I know, you are totally jealous. ;)

Monsters, Inc.

Isn't this cute?  I totally wish I could take credit for it, but my daughter made it!  She was (being forced to be) hanging around with me while I worked on swaps, and got inspired to make this card.  When the first movie came out, she was little and she called him "Mike with one eye".  He has always been one of our favorite cartoon guys!  Alexa is in high school now, so don't tell any of her friends she was hanging out with her mom doing crafty stuff….shhh.

FREE paper?

Yep, buy 3 get one free.  Thats a pretty good deal!    I love free.  I am a sucker every time!  Click here to order now, or start shopping and pick yours out to order at club on Monday!

Father's Day Chalk Talk

Here is an easy project idea that could easily be modified for ANY occasion.  I made this one for my dad for Father's day, and he just LOVED it!  Literally the hardest part was not eating half of the nuggets while I wrapped them.  (Stop laughing, you KNOW you have been there!)  You can make up a bag of these nuggets in the black and white paper and have them on hand…then add a ribbon to change it up to whatever occasion!  And don't forget how cute these would be if you buy colored nuggets during the various holidays?  The variations are endless!

Stamp Set:Chalk Talk and Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Black Staz-On
Accessories:  Chalk Talk Framelets, Big Shot with Magnetic Platform, Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon, Basic Black ⅛" Taffeta Ribbon, ⅞" Cotton Ribbon, Modern Medley DSP, Cello Bag, Hershey's Nuggets

And here is a picture of my awesome dad!  This picture is from right after the Sawtooth Relay, where he ran 5 miles straight up Galena Summit.  (Thats a really big hill, for those of you who are unfamiliar!)  Love you Dad!

Inking Everything Team Swap

Ok, so I signed up for this swap.  I committed, see.  And then I completely FORGOT.  Until about 4 days before they were due to arrive in Arkansas.  Really? Yes.  I am that scatterbrained these days.  (A function of age, so I am told.)  You do not even WANT to know what it cost me to send them FedEx to get them there on time.   I just couldn't be "that girl" and not send them.  So I just have to skip a few manicures now….

Here is a picture of the work in progress.

I'll post a pic of the finished card another time.  I want the girls to get theirs before I spoil it my showing the world. ;)

Six Sided Sampler Saturday Stampin'

Wow, that is quite a mouthful!  Here is a second card for today's Saturday Stampin'.  I used a set from the new catalog, Six Sided Sampler, and the matching hex-punch.  (It makes you sound very techno-smart if you abbreviate hexagon…trust me.)  

And hopefully you won't notice my wonky photograph….

The colors were inspired by a cookie-yes, a cookie- that the kids made me buy for them the other day.  It is a Monsters Inc. cookie! I seriously can't wait for that movie! 

The end.

Thank you card

As promised, here is one of my newest cards for Saturday Stampin'.  If you're interested in learning more about this stamp camp, click here.

I CASEd this card from Shelli herself, who demonstrated it while in Fiji for Stampin' Up!'s incentive trip.  NO, I was not there…maybe one of these days.  I saw it at the open house this past weekend, and just knew I had to recreate it, in crazystampinaddict style!  

(See how it sorta matches my blog?...See that?…Sometimes I amaze myself.)

Stamp Set: Chalk Talk

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Basic Black and Real Red

Accessories:  Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Real Red ⅛" Ribbon, Rhinestones, Chalk Talk Framelets, Big Shot with MAGNETIC PLATFORM!!! (Have you SEEN this thing?- Seriously the greatest new product in the catalog!)

Thanks so much for coming by, see you Saturday!

Paper Pumpkin and Saturday Stampin'

Hello!  My Paper Pumpkin came yesterday, and I can't wait to get started on it!  Have you signed up yet?  It is pretty fun to get a new project in the mail with all the instructions.  Sometimes it is nice to just be told what to do.  No creativity required!  LOVE it. 

TRY IT!

Im way behind (again) on my stampin, so check back later today or first thing tomorrow for a new project.  I am designing for Saturday Stampin'….my $10 card class.   Those projects are always a source of quick, simple but FUN card ideas.  

Want one?

Do you want one of these awesome nugget goodie bags? 

 Don't you want all of these yummy new colors?

Just come to the open house and rubber garage sale, TODAY!

Most of you have already received an e-card or an email about this event, but I figured we may as well share, and make everyone jealous! Hmmm? 

But WAIT!  There is MORE!  

Come by today and also receive a FREE spiral-bound catalog and a 20% OFF coupon.  You can also get a bunch of retired Stampin' Up! products for CHEAP!  See you soon!  

Act NOW!!!

I wish I knew how to put blinkies on here- that would be pretty cool!

New Product Reviews

OMGosh the new catalog is so cool!  I have so much new stuff to start playing with but my schedule is too hectic for me to be able to take time yet…*boo hoo, sniff sniff*  So in the meantime, here is a product review from the Stampin' Up! blog, by the concept artists.  What is YOUR favorite new product?

OUR NEW FAVORITE PRODUCTS

One of the best parts about being concept artists is that we get to see and useour new products so early. Actually, it can be a little torturous to use the new products and then have to wait to share with everyone else. We’re so glad that it’s now time to share all of the wonderful new products in our latest annual catalog!

Each of us has made a quick sample using some of our favorite new products.

Robyn:

Here are some of my favorites from the new catalog:

• Six-Sided Sampler Stamp Set
• Thanks & Hello Stamp Set
• Dictionary Background Stamp – I love how we can now stamp text in whatever color we want!
• Remember This and That Rotary Stamp
• Designer Washi Tapes
• New Designer Buttons
• 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
• Bermuda Bay 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon
• Tag a Bag Gift Bags
• The new In Colors . . . and I especially love that Bermuda Bay is back! 

Angie:

There are SO many favorites in this catalog that it was hard to choose only a few.

Here is a list of my MUST HAVE RIGHT NOWs:

• Positively Chevron Background Stamp
• Four You Stamp Set
• Circles Collection Framelits
• Tag a Bag Gift Bag
• Hardware Clips Essentials
• New Designer Buttons

My favorite color combo right now is:

Crushed Curry, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, and Basic Gray – and any products containing those colors: washi tape, buttons, ribbons, Designer Series Paper, etc.

Melody:

I agree with the other girls: there are so many new and exciting products in this catalog—it’s hard to pick just a few—but somehow I managed! The favorites I picked for my project are:

• ABC-123 Sketch Alphabet & Numbers Stamp Set
• Simply Stars Stamp Set
• The new Color Collection Designer Series Papers Stacks

I only used Pistachio Pudding and Crisp Cantaloupe on my card, but I love all of the colors in the new revamp. It was sad to see some of them go, but I honestly love the returning and new colors so much that I haven’t missed the old colors at all.

Chrissy:

 

Some of my absolute favorite things out of the new catalog (in no particular order) are:

• The Basic Black 3/4'' Chevron Ribbon because it's so versatile. You can cut it down the middle for a skinnier diagonal-striped ribbon. It's amazing, and a must-have.
• The Chalk Talk Framelits Dies are great for making fun-shaped tags, and I love gift wrapping. It's also a must-have.
• The Dictionary Background Stamp can be made to look vintage, eclectic, or bright and fun. There are so many looks you can achieve with this one background stamp! Not to mention book paper is still one of my favorite trends. This will definitely be joining my background stamp collection at home on my shelf. No doubt I'll be reaching for it often.
• Some of the new colors make me want to do a happy dance. Crushed Curry (oh, how I missed you!), Bermuda Bay, and the brand new Coastal Cabana are all absolutely beautiful!

And, last (but certainly not least) is MDS. One of my favorite features is being able to cut out some of our images with an e-cutter. It's one of my favorite things lately, and I don't think I’ll be getting tired of it anytime soon . . . or ever. It's amazing software and I love it!

Jen:

 

There’s so much to love in our new annual catalog. I recently won a little Stampin’ Up! product certificate from our health fair at the home office. I’ve been holding off on redeeming my certificate so I could get my favorite new things:

• Tag a Bag Bundle – I’m thrilled to have Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay back! I love the colors in the Tag a Bag Accessory Kit.  They’re versatile and bright, and I can’t wait to use them for treat bags. And they’re a great value at $9.95 for the bundle.
• Thanks & Hello Stamp Set – Thanks & Hello are also versatile. I send more cards with “Thanks” or “Just because” than anything else. They’re sure to be a “go-to” set in my collection at home.
• Crushed Curry 3/4" Chevron Ribbon – I love adding ribbon to gifts and treats. With the chevron pattern in crushed curry and white, it was love at first sight!

We hope that you are enjoying the new annual catalog as much as we are. And we’d love to hear what’s on the top of your shopping list . . . !

Concept Art Team

Spring is finally here!

If you live in Idaho, you know what I am talking about.  What is with the bipolar weather we have been having?  It seems like spring might finally be here.

I made this card after a customer sent me a picture of a card she liked, that she saw on another -(*cough cough*Ar-cough-ers*)- website.  I CASEd it an made it out of a bunch of Stampin' Up!'s new stuff!  I REALLY like it, and never would have thought of it without Jacki. Thanks Jacki! (I just love it when my customers have requests!)

Stamp Sets:  Field Flowers, Everything Eleanor
Card Stock and Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Island Indigo
Accessories: Gingham Garden DSP, Gingham Garden Washi Tape, Rhinestones Basic Jewels, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, 2½" Circle Punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Big Shot and Little Leaves Sizzlit


Since the weather was so nice, I took my card outside to take the picture.  My dog, Rockwell, was really interested in what I was doing.  I mean, Im laying in the grass, that must mean I want to play, right?  So I made him pose for a few pics.   He was NOT very happy about this. 

 "I'm so embarrassed- I'm not even going to look at you."

 Now he's just plain mad.

"Fine!  If I smile will you let me go back to running around this yard?"

Well, I sure was entertained for a bit! That dog is quite a hoot.  I imagine the next time I lay in the grass with a card that he might be busy doing dog things.

Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you again soon!

New DSP!

Hello!  Here is an original creation using the new DSP, Soho Subway.  I LOVE it!!!

Don't you just love the mix of blingy shimmer paper and old vintage-y looking lace trim?  (Yes, I think I just made up a couple of those words.)

Today I am going to make a few more cards and then get busy working in my yard!  It is a beautiful day in Caldwell!