100 Subscribers On YouTube!!!

I had to share my excitement with you!  I just checked my YouTube channel and I now have 100 subscribers!  YEAH!!!!!  What a wonderful milestone to reach!  Guess I need to get to work this weekend and make some more videos :)  If you want to check out my YouTube channel, just click HERE!

Four Ways Friday #12 - Because I Care Hostess Set

Happy New Catalog!!!!  In honor of the new catalog, I decided to feature the new Because I Care hostess set in this week's Four Ways Friday!  I hope you like it!

This first card uses the flower image and greeting from the stamp set in a very traditional way.  I used my cherry cobbler and old olive markers to color the stamp and then stamped onto Whisper White card stock.  I cut the image out using my hobby knife and then used a bit of 2-way glue to add some dazzling diamonds to the flower.  The background paper was made using my new gesso technique (I'm going to try to upload a video this weekend so you can see how it was made).  I stamped the Artistic Etchings image onto Sahara Sand card stock with gesso and then used a sponge and stipple brush to add some Cherry Cobbler ink (I am loving this new color!).  I also sponged the edges and gave a final spray with shimmer paint mixed with alcohol.  I then adhered the background to a Baja Breeze card and added another layer of Baja Breeze with two rounded corners for my focal image.  I popped the cut out flower onto dimensionals and stamped the greeting in Basic Gray.

For this second card, I stamped the flower image onto Whisper White card stock using Jet Black Staz-On ink.  I then cut the Whisper White card stock into 1" squares, popped those squares up, using dimensionals, onto a piece of Basic Gray card stock and then adhered it to a Whisper White card base.  I used my curly label punch to punch a piece of Basic Gray card stock.  The greeting was stamped in Basic Gray ink and comes from the In A Word stamp set in the Summer mini.  I then punched it out using my oval punch and sponged the edges with Basic Gray ink.  I popped it up on dimensionals and attached it to the curly label punch.  Finally, I stamped the small flower from the Because I Care set and punched it out using my 3/4" circle punch.  It was popped up onto 1/2 a dimensional.  A little bit of 2-way glue on both flowers, with a touch of dazzling diamonds, finishes the look.

Remember, your stamp images don't have to only live as the image itself!  Here, I stamped the flower image onto Whisper White card stock using Jet Black Staz-On ink.  I then took my Butterfly Extra Large punch and punched out 3 butterflies from the flower!  I then sponged over the butterflies with a variety of ink colors (Rich Razzleberry, Pretty In Pink, and Perfect Plum).  I stamped the greeting onto one of the butterflies, over the stamping and sponging.  The background was creating using one image from the Elements of Style stamp set, stamped in Baja Breeze.  I also used the small flower from Because I Care and stamped that at 1/2 strength with Perfect Plum.  Finally, I rolled the background with the Vintage Vogue wheel using Certainly Celery ink.  A small piece of Pear Pizazz card stock was punched with the Scallop Trim Border punch.  I scrunched the card stock in my hand to give it a distressed look and tore the right-hand side.  I then stamped a few images onto the card stock in Baja Breeze at 1/2 strength.  Finally, I sprayed the card stock with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (this stuff is addictive!).  I used my horizontal slot punch to punch a hole on the left-hand side of the card stock (I'm so sorry this punch has retired, although I'm sure you can make the card look the same using a small circle punch).  I thread a piece of Rich Razzleberry dotted ribbon through the hole and adhered it on the back of the card stock using snail.  I love using my craft and rubber scissors to cut the "arms" off of my rhinestone brads and then I use a glue dot to adhere them to the card.  The on board chipboard frame was sponged with Whisper White craft ink, allowed to dry, and then sponged with Baja Breeze classic ink.  I sprayed the frame with a little Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz too :)  Finally, I gave the butterflies a little spray with the Smooch Spritz (I told you it is addictive!) and then attached them to the front of the card using dimensionals.

Cards aren't the only place to use your stamps!  I decided to make a small sign to put up in my house using this beautiful flower!  I covered a white chipboard coaster with Whisper White card stock and then stamped the flower image onto the card stock using Jet Black Staz-On ink.  I then colored the image in with my Pear Pizazz and Blushing Bride markers (I am loving these new In Colors!).  I then covered the flower image with Crystal Effects and sprinkled it with a bit of dazzling diamonds (another one of the addictive products!).  I stamped the greeting from Define Your Life in Pear Pizazz ink and then stamped it again in Basic Gray so that I could cut out the word "kindness" and pop it up with pieces of dimensionals.  I layered it onto Pear Pizazz card stock.  I cut a larger piece of chipboard and covered the back with Basic Gray card stock and the front with a layer of Pear Pizazz and then Basic Gray card stock.  You'll notice that I rounded all the edges.  The round the chipboard edges I used a corner rounder that is not by SU! since our corner rounder is only meant to be used on card stock.  Finally, I built an embellishment, beginning with a Basic Gray circle and adding a jumbo grommet, a small button and a pink rhinestone (I cut the prongs off of the rhinestone with my craft and rubber scissors).  This embellishment was added to the sign using dimensionals as was the greeting.  Oops - I almost forgot - before I adhered the Basic Gray card stock to the back of the sign, I adhered a piece of Certainly Celery 1/4" grosgrain ribbon using snail to the back of the sign! :)

If you'd like to purchase any of these wonderful new products...or even some of the old ones that are still around...please feel free to shop HERE now!  I appreciate your business!  Also, if you have a moment, please send some healing wishes our way.  Our beautiful cat is going through a difficult health issue right now and I know your thoughts and prayers will help all of us!  Thank you :)

The New Catalog Is Here!!!!

The new Stampin' Up! Catalog is here!!!!!  Wait 'til you see all the great new stamps, colors and accessories!!!!  Click HERE to shop now and to download a pdf of the catalog!!!!!

Sharing The Work Of Others!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Rejoice In The Creativity Of Others!

Today's card was sent to me by Sharri Alexander and I had to share it with you!!!!  (Thanks so much Sharri)!  I can't stop picking this card up and tilting it in every direction!!!!  It is coated with an amazing layer of smooch spritz and the card practically glows in my hands!  I feel so honored and such a sense of joy when others share their creativity with me - whether by sending me a handmade card, or working quietly and methodically during a workshop or stamp-a-stack.  Have you ever stopped in a park and watched an artist sketching?  Or maybe you have watched a chef cook a wonderful meal - fully involved in the masterpiece they were creating.  It could be a child building a sand castle at the beach or making a picture on the driveway with sidewalk chalk.  Or maybe it's the creative way a dog buries his bone in the yard - in the hopes that he will be the only one to find the secret hiding place.  Other creatures are expressing their creativity all around you - take notice...and rejoice! :)

I also have to share with you a few pages from the Sunny Day CD Envelope Scrapbook that Andrea Luisa Suarez made here the other day!  I am always blown away when I watch individuals take their supplies and get lost in their creative zone!  I think you'll love Andrea's take on the scrapbook!  Enjoy!

Gesso Background Paper - Artistic Etchings Sneak Peek!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Keep Going!

Part way through my run today I was having a debate in my mind of whether to stop altogether.  I felt like I was running through mud...well, I kind of was...and I was getting down about how slow my progress was.  The pull to head inside and call it a day was strong.  And, I decided not to give in.  Instead, I kept going and I am so glad that I did.  When you keep going you prove to yourself that you can move through your obstacles and make it to the other side!  When you keep pursuing something you love, you are sending a clear intention into the Universe that what you are doing matters and is worth doing.  In my experience, the Universe reacts accordingly.  So whatever it is that you are passionate about - whatever truly matters to you, Keep Going!

Today's card is a continuation of yesterday's experimenting with gesso!  This time I started with a piece of Sahara Sand card stock and used a plastic hotel key (like a credit card) to apply gesso to the card stock - it felt like I was stuccoing the card :)  Since I couldn't bare to wait for it to dry, I used my heat tool to hurry the process along :)  I sprayed the card with alcohol mixed with shimmer paint (smooch spritz will create the same effect) and then stamped the card with images from Charming and Artistic Etchings.  I stamped the images in Basic Gray at half strength.  The final touches were the Pretties Kit flowers and pearl, a greeting from Elements of Style and a bit of Hodgepodge Hardware.  I hope you like it!  Time is running out to pick up some of these great accessories that are being discontinued (like the Pretties Kit!)!  Hurry and shop HERE now!

Gesso Background Paper

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Focus For 15 Minutes

I woke up in a bad mood today.  My journal entry this morning began with the word "ARGHHH" in huge black letters!  I knew something had to change!  Part of my frustration was a bad dream.  But part of my frustration was also this growing feeling like I am the biggest scatterbrain on the planet!  Lately it feels like my thoughts jump from one to the next without a moment's notice.  My activities seem to follow that lead - I bounce around on the internet; start a task and interrupt myself a zillion times before coming back to it...you get the picture.  So today I decided I was tired of being frustrated - it was time for some action!  My action went something like this - I concluded that 15 minutes was a reasonable amount of time to require myself to focus on an activity.  So I set the timer on the stove for 15 minutes and spent 15 minutes cleaning the kitchen.  Then I set the timer for another 15 minutes and spent that time taking pictures for my instructions for my Sunny Day CD Envelope Scrapbook.  Then another 15 minutes on the clock to work on the instructions themselves.  I took it all in 15-minute chunks and I have to say I'm pleased with the results.  Maybe in a few days I can build up to 30 minutes!  Wish me luck!

I was inspired to start playing with gesso today!  The inspiration comes from a wonderful book called Collage Lab by Bee Shay.  I haven't even gotten far into the book and already she had me wanting to run into the craft room and break out the art supplies!  So, I applied gesso with a sponge to my new Artistic Etchings stamp image and stamped the gesso onto Sahara Sand card stock.  I let it dry and then sponged over the gesso with Soft Suede ink.  I then sprayed the background with a mixture of alcohol and shimmer paint.  I wish you could see this in person!  For the focal image I stamped the Eiffel Tower from Artistic Etchings onto watercolor paper and then sponged the paper with some Soft Suede ink.  I then stamped the greeting from Sincere Salutations at half strength.  Finally, I used my Soft Suede marker to color the word "thanks" and stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched it out using the curly label punch.  I stamped a second Tower onto Very Vanilla card stock and used my hobby knife to cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals.  I hope you like it!  I am loving the gesso that is all over my fingers!  More gesso is definitely on the way!!!! :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There Is Something To Be Said For Consistency

There are those restaurants that you go to because you always know that the service and food will be good, no matter when you go.  I'd like to believe that people view my blog and my workshops the same way - that as long as they show up, they will have a good time - they will enjoy what they discover.  In order for that to happen I need to be consistent - with my workshops, my posts, my creating.  The great thing about consistency is that it also pays me back!  By showing up every day at my blog, by being consistent with my visits to the craft room, by planning consistent workshops, I'm able to move forward in my creative journey.  There is something to be said for consistency!

Today's card was inspired by a pre-sleep thought :)  I wondered what it would be like to try and dry emboss the top note shape.  So, I die cut the top note from chipboard and temporarily adhered it to the back of the front of my card and ran around the edge with my embossing stylus (I rubbed was paper over the front of the card first in order to allow the stylus to move more smoothly around the edge of the top note).  I then used the "negative" from the die cut to create a mask on the front of the card and stamped the Baroque Motifs image.  I am loving Early Espresso - it is such a rich brown!  I added a tiny bit of stickles to give the card a little sparkle.  Next time I'm going to try this technique with a chipboard that is a little thinner - it was hard to keep the card stock from creasing while using such a thick chipboard.  I hope you like it!!!!