LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!!

OH BOY....the Royal Blog Tour begins TODAY!!! There is one main blog you can start at to be sure and see all the fun stuff that has been prepared and created! If I read right there are EIGHTY blogs on the tour!!! HOW will one go to and see all eighty blogs in one day you might ask! Well, the really good thing is that you don't have just one day to see them all! You have THREE days! July 26 (today), 27 and 28!!!!! The one main blog I mentioned above is at http://royalblogtour.blogspot.com/ - so click that URL and go see some really cool stuff!!!!

Now, I'm sorry to make this so short but I gotta get my mouse all geared up to do some major clicking! So, I'm gonna go fill up my coffee mug, make a pit stop in the bathroom and then come back here and start clicking. I suggest you do the same!

Now, click on that URL in the first paragraph and prepare to see some really cool creations and prepare to be inspired!!!!!

LNS Challenge 29

This was my submission for this week's challenge over at Late Night Stampers. The challenge was to use pink and black. It's hard to tell in the picture but there is white cardstock there too! It's a standard size card made of white cardstock with the pink and then black across the center. Anyway, here's my "recipe":

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pretty In Pink

Stamp set: Pocket Silhouettes

Ink: Pretty In Pink, Basic Black

Other: Flourish Texturz plate, Small Oval punch, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Pretty In Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon

All products made by Stampin' Up!

Judy's Birthday

FINALLY...I got to play with some of the new stuff in the new catalog! I made this birthday card for Judy Haushahn. She runs the rescue that Karl and I volunteer with. I knew it had to be a special card! Here's the first picture I took of it.....

This, obviously, show the front of the card. This next picture is of the inside of the card....

And, this last picture show you that the two things peeking out on the right hand side are tags. I used one to write a note to Judy from Karl and I. The other one says "Happy Birthday Grandma Judy" and then it's signed "by" each of my dogs. She LOVED the card.
I followed a tutorial by Barb Mullikin to make this card. Here is my "recipe" using her tutorial:

Paper/Cardstock: Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Whisper White

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Stamp sets: God's Blessings, Ruff Day, Bow Wow (I do think that both Ruff Day and Bow Wow are retired but they were the only dog stamp sets that I had!)

Other: Styled Circle brad, white eyelets, Scallop Circle punch, Round Tab punch, Modern Label punch, Crushed Curry 1/2" Polka Dot Grosgrain ribbon

All products made by Stampin' Up!

In Full Bloom...again

OK....I know....I use this set alot even though it's retired. I just can't seem to help myself! It's one of those that I doubt I will EVER get rid of! I just love it! I think at least some of it is that the flowers on this card from that set look like daisies to me and I do SO love daisies! I got the "inspiration" for this card from Split Coast Stampers WAY back in 2007! So, here's my "recipe":

Cardstock: Kraft, Watercolor paper, Chocolate Chip & Groovy Guava (I know...that's retired too)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Groovy Guava, Garden Green, Yoyo Yellow & Going Gray

Stamp sets: It's Your Birthday & In Full Bloom

Other: Corner Rounder punch

All products made by Stampin' Up!

Bloomin' Beautiful

I made this for the weekly challenge on the Stampin' Up Late Night Stampers Yahoo list. The challenge was to make a card other than the "standard" size card. This is mine! I used the "Triple Play Technique" from the February/March 2009 Technique Junkies newsletter. That technique was done by Kathie McGuire. The flap with the flower and ribbon on it lifts up and you have a smallish blank spot to write a note to the person you are sending the card to. This card fits in a standard business size envelope (is that a size 10 envelope?). Anyway, here's the "recipe" for the products I used:

Stamp sets: Bloomin' Beautiful & Dreams Du Jour
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst (12X12), Watercolor Paper, Regal Rose & Whisper White
Ink: Staz-On Jet Black, Garden Green, Almost Amethyst, Regal Rose & Lovely Lilac
Other: Ticket Corner punch, Aqua Painter & White Taffeta Ribbon (sponged with Regal Rose ink)

All products made/sold by Stampin' Up!

Happy Birthday Elsbeth

I made this card for my husband's daughter's birthday. Can you believe it? I finally got a chance to use something from the new catalog!!! The inspiration for this card came from the Stampers Showcase at the Stampin' Up! website in the demo only section. The original card was made by Lauren Salzberg. Here is the recipe I used for this card:

Stamp sets: The More The Merrier & On Your Birthday

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rose Red & Taken With Teal

Ink: Staz-On Jet Black, Rose Red, Close To Cocoa, Real Red, Pretty In Pink, Pixie Pink, Crushed Curry, Orchid Opulence, Apricot Appeal, Lavender Lace & Green Galore

Other: Modern Label punch, Scallop Oval punch, silver cord & a silver brad

All products made (or sold by) Stampin' Up!

Thanks for stopping by to have a look. Hope you have a great day!

Window Dressing

This was made as a birthday card for a lady on the Late Night Stampers list. Here's my "recipe":

Stamp sets: Window Dressing & Three Thoughts

Cardstock/paper: Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper, Bashful Blue, Rose Red & Whisper White

Ink: Staz-On Jet Black & Rose Red

Other: Ticket Corner punch, So Saffron brads

Watercolor Wonder crayons used to color the image. The colors used are: Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Blush Blossom, YoYo Yellow, Certainly Celery, Charcoal & So Saffron

All products used are made by Stampin' Up!

Stampin' Up! Big Shot BLOG CANDY!!!!!

OK...two posts in one day? Yes indeed! This means a chance to win some blog candy from Stampin Addicts! So, here's the info from Stampin Addicts....

Stampin’ Up! just released the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog and it’s loaded with new products that every stamper must have. As part of the summer celebration Stampin Addicts is holding a blog contest during the month of July giving away a Big Shot die pack made up of 5 new exclusive Stampin’ Up! dies.

Stampin’ Up! Thanks (Embosslits)
Stampin’ Up! Final Press (Embossing Folders)
Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details (Textured Plates)
Stampin’ Up! Two Tags (Bigz Dies)
Stampin’ Up! Fancy Favor (Bigz XL Dies)

To enter the Big Shot Die Pack contest, just make a post on your blog about it. Link to the Stampin Addicts blogs home page using the anchor text “Stampin’ Up! Big Shot”. Here’s an example of what they are looking for.

Stampin Addicts dot com has tons of ideas using the Stampin’ Up! Big Shot and is giving away a Big Shot Die Pack as part of the Stampin’ Up! summer celebration. To enter, all you have to do is write about it. This is my entry. Now give me my dies.

That’s rather simplistic but you get the idea. You can add as much information as you want, just make sure you follow the linking rules. The post must be by itself and cannot be added to any other post. The contest is open to anyone. If you have a blog, you can enter. After you complete your entry, send me an email (that link is to the Stampin Addicts email address...not mine) with the URL to your post. Once I confirm the post meets the entry requirements, I’ll add your email to the draw pool. At the end of the month, I’ll draw one name from the bucket and that stamper will be the proud owner of our Big Shot die pack.

Enter now and good luck.

Update: For those that do not have a blog I’ve decided to extend this contest to Twitter, Facebook and StumbleUpon. If you reTweet this post (button at top of page), post about it on Facebook, or Stumble this page (or all three) then send me a note using the contact form and you’ll be entered. Make sure you include a link to the site or this post.

The part in "bold" above is copied directly from the Stampin Addicts website! I just don't want to confuse anyone thinking they will be contacting me!

Now, I LOVE Stampin' Up! and I LOVE the Big Shot! When I visited Stampin Addicts to see about this blog candy it was my first visit. And, I must say, from what I've seen so far, I LOVE Stampin Addicts now too! Here's hoping I win the blog candy!!!!!

Happy Everything

The "inspiration" for this card came from the demo section of the Stampin' Up! website. The original was posted by Jodee Fraser. Other than the colors being different I made my card a rectangle and her card was square. That just shows again that you don't have to make a card just as you see it...change whatever you like and make it your own!

Here is "my" recipe:

Stamp sets: Happy Everything & Polka Dots & Petals
Cardstock/Paper: Banbury Designer Series Paper , Certainly Celery & Chocolate Chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip & VersaMark
Other: 3/4" circle punch, Word Window punch, Vanilla embossing powder & Certainly Celery 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

All products made by Stampin' Up!

Doodle This....again

Here is yet another birthday card. I promise I will make something more than birthday cards VERY soon! Here is the "recipe" I used for this card:

Stamp sets: Doodle This, On Your Birthday
Ink: Staz-On Jet Black, Garden Green, Summer Sun, Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, Riding Hood Red
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun, watercolor paper
Other: twill tape, ticket corner punch, Aqua Brush, sponge

I used the Aqua Painter and ink to "paint" the flower. I used a sponge with Pacific Point to "color" the twill tape.

Happy 4th of July

I made this gift bag (not the bag itself...I guess I should say I decorated this gift bag) for a give-away as a prize here in the small town I live in. The downtown merchants had a cookout, etc. yesterday. Of course the public was invited! They had a couple of contests....Most Patriotic Baby, Most Patriotic Adult, Most Patriotic Pet. As you might imagine I wanted to make the "prize" for the winner of the pet contest. I used my two Stampin' Up! star punches, the Flower, Daisies #2 die, Real Red cardstock & ink, Brilliant Blue cardstock & ink, Glossy White cardstock & some sponges to decorate this bag. I also used the Build-A-Brad and some So Saffron cardstock sponged with Creamy Caramel ink to make the centers of the flowers. The circles on the bag are the centers of the die cut flowers. Of course, the ribbon tied on the handles are also Stampin' Up! ribbons. I just used different red, white and blue ribbon!

In the bag I put: two bags of dog treats, a gift certificate for Stampin' Up! products bought through me, some Stampin' Up! coupons (also those have to go through me as I'm sure any other demo may not honor them), a few of my business cards and a card I made telling the winner how to go about seeing a catalog (either online or how to get a paper catalog from me). Here's hoping whoever won likes their prize!!!!

Cochise (now known as Floyd)

OK...I know....I promised the pics of Floyd a few days ago and I'm just now getting them up here. I'm sorry! Things are just kinda crazy around here! But, no more excuses....here are two pics of him.

He's mad at me in this picture!!!! The poor little guy really smelled! I gave him a bath and he was NOT happy! So, I wrapped him up in this little remnant of a blanket so he would get warm again. I then gave him to my husband. Whenever we've had a really small one here my husband will sometimes "tuck" them into his housecoat to calm them when they get stressed out! The little guy stayed there and snuggled for quite a while!

In this picture he is just sitting on one of the "big girl" pillows. As you can see from the subject line of this post I've changed this little guy's name! Judy, the lady that runs the rescue, named him Cochise. She said that means warrior in at least one of the American Indian tribes. This little guy certainly is a warrior. But, my husband couldn't seem to remember that name. He called him Cisco the other morning. I said "Who?"....then he came up with Chico. Again, I said "Who?" I have another tiny little Yorkie girl and her name is Emma. I named her after my maternal grandmother. My maternal grandfather's name was Floyd. So, this little guy became Floyd!

Floyd is doing SO much better! He is now eating without me having to syringe feed him. He's been running around and playing alot more too. He's even been outside. Because of his little foot being so raw we hadn't been letting him go outside because we didn't want all that extra bacteria on his little foot. Well, Judy came up with getting baby socks and putting it over that one leg and letting him outside. I ran over to our local 5 & Dime yesterday and bought a little pack of socks. He LOVES it outside! He runs and sniffs and runs and sniffs some more!

We do know that that back leg will have to come off. We were afraid we were going to have to have it done sooner than we wanted to. The vet wanted him to gain some weight before we even attempted surgery. He told us that if Floyd started chewing on his foot or leg that we would have to go ahead and have it done. Floyd started chewing! I made the appointment for the surgery. In the mean time I crafted by own collar to keep him from being able to chew on his foot. I know they make those cone shaped things for that but I didn't want him to have to wear that for weeks! So, I just made a really wide collar out of MANY layers of cardstock and glued all the layers together. I then covered that in some nice soft fleece cloth and put a couple of hooks type closures on the collar. It works like a charm! Since he's acting like he feels better by eating on his own and running and playing we have decided to put off the surgery until we can get a little weight on this little guy!

So, this is Floyd! He is a sweetheart!