Life gets in the way ...

... what more can I say? I know that you all have had times like these. The older we get, the longer it seems to take us to bounce back after being under the weather. The only thing that has saved my sanity in the last few weeks is that I have actually been able to create a bit. I've still had my monthly club and a few card classes/stamping time with a good friend.

I'm going to share a pic of a star that I made using the Big Shot and the 5-Point 3D Star Die from Stampin' Up! I saw one that Diana Gibbs had done on her blog (I LOVE this woman's mind!) Diana's blog is one that I MUST read during my morning "routine". Another in my "routine" is Heather Summer's blog. Both of these ladies are so creative and inspiring. Heather made one of these stars using flashing that she bought at Home Depot. I loved the idea so the next time dh and I were in town, we checked it out and found some. The flashing came in a roll 12"x10'. I'm going to be able to get a lot of stars cut out of this!!

I'll be back in a day or so with pictures from our first club meeting.

Supplies:

Ink: Craft White

Paper: Parisian Breeze Specialty DP

Accessories: 5-Point 3D Star Die & Big Shot, Vintage Brads, Sticky Strip

Finally a Post ...

Edited to add: I've finally found the original designer of these cards and she is Andrea Walford. Andrea is amazing and I greatly admire her work. You can see Andrea's card here.

I've got a couple of Valentine Cards to post. They are CASE'D from another stamper but I was lazy and did not copy her name down in the file. My apologies and I would love to correct this mistake.
I'll be adding the details to all my projects at the end of the posts from now on ... sorry for the omission.






We had our first Club night last Monday and had a blast! I'll post pics of the ladies and projects in the next day or two.


Supplies:


Card A
Stamp Set: Always, All Year Cheer III
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Paper: Pretty in Pink CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Berry Bliss DP
Accessories: Clear EP, dimensionals, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, Soft Subtles brads.

Card B
Stamp Set: as above
Ink: as above
Paper: Chocolate Chip CS, Pink Pirouette CS, Purely Pomegranate CS, Pretty in Pink CS, Berry Bliss DP

Accessories: as above


If you would like to see larger pictures ... just click on a picture.

Final Additions ...

I really must apologize for my absence. Having said that I was feeling healthier a post or two ago ... I've apparently contracted a viral infection in my middle ear and so I've been a bit "spinny". It's not been pretty ... bouncing off the walls as I walk like a "drunken sailor". My dh has been having a bit of fun with this, to say the least. LOL
What this poor man has had to put up with for the last half year or so ... I'll let him make fun of me right now all he wants!

Here are the last two cards that we made at my Card Organizer Class. I love the colours in the retired DP Haiku ... I really must be an "Earth" girl!.

I have a club starting this coming Monday (I'm really excited ... ideas are just tumbling around for our projects!) so I'll have a bunch more pics to show.
For our first projects, we'll be using Parisian Breeze Specialty DP. OMG!! This paper is fabulous. It's more like textured cardstock and the designs are wonderful!!! We are also using the Hoppy Memories Simply Scrappin' Kit. How fun!!
On a side note ... a while ago at one of SU's regionals, I met a lovely demo who is amazingly creative ... Heather Summers. Heather has hooked up with Dawn Rapsas from the US and they have created UStamp. If you click on the blinkie to the right, it will take you to the registration site. Now, Heather is offering an online class to make punchies ... you have got to see these!!! I'm registered and waiting to go!
Well ... I'm off to bed again ... trying to focus has given me more of a headache then I normally have. I'll be back in a couple of days (I hope) to post a couple of more pics of cards I've stamped lately.
Have a great weekend!

Here are two of the cards we made on Saturday for our Card Organizer.
These used the Ronald McDonald set "Say It With Scallops" and retired DP Haiku.
I've got to confess ... it's hard for me to use my DP ... my name is Karen and I'm a HOARDER!!
I just LOVE SU's Designer Paper! I buy every bit that I can ... but I have a really hard time using it.
I'm working on that particular character flaw ... mostly because of the new DP in the catalogue. OMG!! It's all gorgeous!!! But ... I promised myself that I would use some more of the paper that I already have before I would buy more.
Sooooo .... I've got to get busy and start making more cards and get some scrapbook layouts done to use up the DP that I have so that I can get an order in and start hoarding all over again. LOL

I'm back and feeling somewhat healthier. I've not been feeling tip-top lately and I know that I've been worrying my dh, but after staying home for a day and a half with what I assume is the flu ... I'm feeling much better!

I had a class on Saturday for a Card Organizer and 4 Cards.

I love my small classes ... being able to give the ladies who come my undivided attention and pretty near one-to-one instruction.

I'm posting a couple of pictures and will post individual pics of the cards later this week.

I've had some interest in starting a club ... there are still a couple of spots available ... if you would like to join us, call or email me.

Oh My Gosh!! I can't believe how quickly the week went by or how long it's been since I posted!

Here is something I'm trying out, to steamline my organizing. This is a "doodad" or parts keeper that I got at Canadian Tire. As you can see, it has 26 compartments which I have labled with letters stamped on sticker paper and punched out with a square punch. I've put all of my chipboard alphas and punctuation in the drawers. It's mounted on my pegboard near my inks, so now, hopefully, since it is more accessible and visible, I will start using chipboard more in my crafting.

I'm off now to start making my samples for my class on the 31st of this month. It's a Card Organizer with 4 matching cards. If you'd like to join us there is still some room left. Just give me a call or shoot me an email.

Stay warm and Happy Crafting ...

Here is another project from a Christmas Class ... a Tag Pouch. The pouch is reusable and the ribbon just slips off so that you can open the top of the pouch.

Recipe - * all products SU unless otherwise noted*

Stamps: Deer Friends, Merry and Bright

Paper: Ruby Red CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Old Olive CS, Baja Breeze CS, Holiday Treasures DP, Ski Slope DP

Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze Classic Inks

Accessories: 6x6 page protector (trimmed), scallop circle punch, 1 3/8 circle punch, 1 1/4 circle punch, 1/8" hand held circle punch, 1 1/4" Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, non SU silver cord, sticky strip

On another note ... I'm working on some changes for this new year ... organizing and such, and will be posting a few things that I'm implementing. I welcome any ideas you may have or suggestions that are working for you.

I'm back to work tomorrow ... hard to believe that it's been 2 weeks already. There may be changes there as well ... we'll just have to see.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year and welcome to my blog.

This is a new venture for me and I hope you will follow along while I travel this new road. I'll probably not be able to post every day, but will post whenever I can. Perhaps blogging will force me to stamp or craft every day or at the very least, more often then I have.

I'm going to start with some pics of cards from my Christmas Card Class ... these are definately CASE'D but I'm afraid I did not save the names of the ladies who originally designed them. I'm still learning and will make note of names in the future.

Thanks for stopping by!