Birthday Wishes

My internet has been down!  How did we every live without it? 
Last Saturday I had a class with the stampers who have been with me the longest.  We made this card which was a big hit.  For those of you who went to a Stampin" Up! event last April, this was the basic layout of one of our Make-N-Takes.  I love the DSP- Garden Impressions and the contrast between the light and dark.  I made this same card using Calypso Coral as the base but it did not seem to have the same pop.  I am still using greetings from Sincere Salutations, long since retired, which was a gift to demonstrators from Shelli Gardner way back when.  No other set has proven to be as versatile to me.  I am a little behind with my punches and also used a retired one.  Be assured a new one is on its way to me and will arrive next week.


Supplies:
Stamp Sets- Love What You Do, Sincere Salutations (retired)
Paper- Night of Navy, Vellum, DSP Garden Impressions
Ink- Night of Navy
Accessories- Pearls, Doily 
                                                                  
This is my mom with me stamping last weekend.  She will be 91 and is my oldest stamper!

Tea Together

  This card is for a very special person in my son's life who just got a new job. She is an absolute sweetheart and I am so proud of her.  The design is from the Paper Players Sketch Challenge for Sunday, February 24, 2019.  I find these challenges are great to jumpstart a project.

Supplies:
Stamps- Tea Together from the Occasions Catalog, sentiment unknown
Paper- WW, Blueberry Bushel, Garden Impressions DSP, Watercolor Paper
Inks- Calypso Coral, VersaMark
Accessories- White Embossing Powder, Tea Time Framelits Dies, Stampin' Dimensionals
PP430 A Sketch Challenge from Ann

Life Changes

                                             "Ain't it funny how life changes
                           You wake up, ain't nothing the same and life changes
                                    You can't stop it, just hop on the train and
                                     You never know what's gonna happen
                             You make your plans and you hear god laughing
                 Life changes, and I wouldn't change it for the world, the world, oh no
                          And I wouldn't change it for the world, the world, oh no"
                                       Life Changes lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

It is funny how closely I identify with this song.  Four years ago when I last posted, I would never have guessed what was in store for me.  I separated from my husband, got divorced, sold the family house, and started over again.  I have emerged happier and stronger than ever.  Life is good!  And... I am going to try blogging again.  With the help of a former student, thank you Sumner, I am redesigning my blog and hope to post at least once per week.  More to follow!

Perpetual Birthday Calendar Project Kit

I have made three of these so far and gave two as gifts.  The kit had much of what I needed to make them but I also used the Perpetual Calendar Calendar stamp set.  I supplied the adhesive and ink and supplemented with stamp sets that I had such as the little snowman,  jack'o-lantern , and Santa.
I used an assembly line approach and made each month in order.  I varied them slightly.  After I completed them, or at least I thought they were done, I discovered that I could have stamped the lower right hand corner too.  Oh well!  I was pleased with the final products.

Supplies:
Stamp Sets- Perpetual Birthday Calendar, various retired sets
Ink- Various colors

Sale-A-Bration!

Sale-A-Bration came a bit earlier this year.  What is Sale-A-Bration you might ask?  Sale-A-Bration is a fantastic promotion Stampin' Up! offers each year to reward its customers.  For every $50 spent, from either catalog, customers and demonstrators can select merchandise from the special Sale-A-Bration's catalog.  Products include new stamp sets, paper, accessories, and 10 Blendabilities!!!  That's right, for every $50 you spend you can get one of the original Blendabilities sets- they are valued at $11.95 each.  If you do not have all of the original Blendabilities, now is the time to get them.  We all know how easy it is to spend $50 on wonderful Stampin' Up! products.  If you host a party with $250 in sales, you even earn $25 more in host dollars.  Reward yourself with additional savings!  Sale-A-Bration is from January 6- March 31.

Lotus Blossom

This is one of the new stamp sets from the Sale-A-Bration Catalog that is being released tomorrow, Tuesday, January 6, 2015.  This Photopolymer stamp, Lotus Blossom, is a three step stamp.  Each  stamp has a triangle at the top which makes it easier to line up all three layers.  Each flower uses only one ink color.  The ribbon is also from the Sal-A-Bration Catalog.  It is difficult to see in this photo but the outside edge of the white matte is scored on all 4 sides.  I colored pearls Calypso Coral using a Blendabilities.

Supplies:
Stamp Set- Lotus Blossom
Paper- WW, Calypso Coral
Ink- Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories- Ribbon, Pearls

Sophisticated Serifs

 I like to remember my paraeducators at Christmas, who work so closely with the children I case manager and do a terrific job.  This year I needed to remember six people.  I decided monogrammed note cards when I saw this set in the new Occasions Catalog.  I chose not to use Stampin' Up!'s precut and scored notecards because I wanted them to be card sized (4-1/4" X 5-1/2"). 

 I embossed all the cards first using the Filigree Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  After embossing so many I became very good at lining the cardstock in the folder, making sure the embossing was centered.

Next, using the plastic grid I had previously applied to the back of Clear-Mount Block E, I lined up each letter.  At first it was tricky but when I applied the Photopolymer stamps directly on the grid side, it became much easier.  Then I added the little flourishes on each side. and was done!

Supplies:
Stamp Set- Sophisticated Serifs (a freebie for increasing my November sales!)
Paper- WW
Ink- Various SU markers
Accessories- Filigree Textured Impressions Embossing Folder