Random thoughts of a Confessed Stamp-A-Holic

Ok, so I'm a slacker...

you see, I've been meaning to post these gorgeous cards for a couple of weeks.  Oops!!!  These beauties are the handy work of Melissa, AKA stampedbym on SCS.  They were for the Color Me Happy Round 3 swap.  I chose the colors, pink and olive, and the embelishment, brads, and Melissa created these GORGEOUS cards!!!!  How lucky am I!?!!?!?  They are FABULOUS!!  Thanks SO much :)

Totally cute, don't you just love the adorable little flower brad in the word "you"???  

I love the combination of the cuttlebugged background with the scalloped edge. Such a soft and pretty card :)

This one is just the perfect example of a simple yet totally stunning card, don't you think??  So pretty!!

Then this little cutie was the card that Melissa included to "reveal" herself since this is a secret swap.  LOVE the hedgehog-totally cute!!!  And she/he (?) looks extra cute on this flower paper....love it!!!

Thanks again Melissa for putting so much love into the creation of these cards.  I really appreciate it!!!!!  

PaperCrafty is one talented gal

Don't you think???  Just look at the awesome cards she made for me :)  I came home from NC to find a nice big envelope full of these adorable cards!!!  These are from the Color Me Happy wap Round 2 and I was lucky enough to have Sheri (PaperCrafty) design my cards for me.  This month in addition to colors we also specified a theme.  Well, I couldn't think of anything better for me than boy cards. I have LOTS of girly stamps but in the boy department, well I am lacking a bit.  SO I thought this would be a great way to get some adorable cards.  I opted to not pick a color combo for this round.  I am SO happy with the cards I received!!!!  They are all totally cute!!!!  

Love this little bug!  He is from one of my favorite stamp companies-CC Designs.  He's in the Bitzy Bugz collection

Super Moose!!!!  This cute little guy is from Hanna Stamps.  Such a fun card

I'm not sure where this cute little skateboarder is from but man is he cute!!!!  I love the colors on this one. SO perfect for any little boy :)

Then this little gem is just for me!!!!  Sheri made this card as her "reveal" card.  I love it!!!  The colors are gorgeous and I LOVE the sheer blue ribbon she used, it is SO perfect for this card!!!!

Thank you so much Sheri for the incredible cards and thank you Jessica for organizing the swap.  Jessica has just started Round 3 so if you are interested come on over and join in the fun!!!  

How Fab are these?!!?!?!

As promised, here are my awesome swaps from the Alternate Opening Swap on SCS.  They are all equally awesome!!!!!

Adorable pop up card made by our swap host- Sara (chicagogirl)

Equally adorable pocket card also made by our swap host Sara (chicagogirl)

Happy little criss cross card by Karen (kafranci)

Cute trifold card by Heather (JustHeather).  The little flower is a tab that holds the card closed :)

Totally cute little dress card by Jeanette (ForestRanger)

Super cute (and girly :D) criss cross card also made by Jeanette (ForestRanger)

Absolutely a-dorable lilly pad card by Sarah (Sairabee)

Gorgeous "flap" card also by Sarah (Sairabee)

Super cute free standing pop up card by Jodi (zekesmom10)

I'm taking a guess on this one b/c there are just initials on the back (so please correct me if I am wrong!!!!)  but I'm pretty sure this cute joy fold card is made by Noelle (Jocelyn1224)

Taking a guess at this one too because there are just initials again but I am pretty sure this one is made by my birthday buddy Dawn (tinybubbles).  This is a legal sized envelope that is folded into this super cute little card......

....and this is it open.  Super cute right?!?!?!?!?!?

So, aren't they all fab?!?!?!??!  Don't you wish you had these for yourself?!?!??!  Well you are in luck then because Sara is hosting another swap and most of the gals have signed up again. Come on over and join us!!!  I would LOVE to be posting a picture of YOUR fabulous card :)

mmm, cupcakes

As promised here is my other card for the alternate opening swap.  For this card I made a joy fold card.  I do have to apologize though because the pictures came out a little blurry on  these.  So I'm only going to post the one pic but it's pretty easy to see how this one goes together (I think) , I'm here for questions though if you need me :)

I used the new Crazy for Cupcakes set from SU. LOVE this set!!!!  It is so much fun to play with :)  I used some of my retired Loves Me paper along with some Bazzill Bling in pink to add a little shimmer.  I colored in my cupcakes with my copic markers but then I added a thin layer of pink perfect pearls for the icing.  I also used some red stickles for the cherry.  The cake stand is colored in with my silver spice glitter pen to give it an appearance of metal.  Don't know if that is quite the effect it makes but it is pretty :)  

Images © 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up! 

Materials used (all SU unless otherwise noted): crazy for cupcakes; taken with teal, close to cocoa cs; pink bling cs (bazzill); stamper's select white (papertrey); loves me DP; black noir (palette); copics; chocolate chip ribbon; scallop edge punch; stickles

Well the first day of school was a success!!!!  There were no tears shed (by either of us *wink*), which is what I was hoping for.  Elizabeth gave me and my friend Sandy a big kiss goodbye (Sandy's son Tyler is also in the class) and then went off to find something to play with.  When I went back to pick her up I was welcomed with a big hug and smile.  I asked her what she did at school today and she told me she ate brown cookies and Tyler cried.  Gotta love 2 year olds :)  She came home very tired though and hungry....she actually ATE lunch.  She is so not an eater so her sitting down to any meal, and actually eating it, well that's a big deal!!!  

It's been a pretty long day today. I am not a morning person, not even close, and "my" new schedule has me getting up pretty early (well for me) now and I am not used to it!!!!  I am beat today!!  I am off for bed right now....tomorrow morning we have to get up nice and early and head off to gymnastics.  Have a great day!!!!   :)

For you

Yup, another swap card ;)  You know for someone who doesn't *do* swaps, I sure have had a lot of swap cards lately *wink*  This card was for an alternate opening swap on SCS hosted by my "Mommy" friend Sara (chicagogirl).  SInce I know that all of the cards are now headed home (some have even arrived) I guess it's ok to start sharing them.  I had 2 spots in the swap so I'll share my other card with you tomorrow.

I made this card with the Stampin' Up! petal cards.  I know they are retired, and have been for  a while, but I loved them SO much that I stocked up on them when they hit that retirement list....and I have a few left *wink*  I will miss them when they are gone though....it's such a cute card style but I am just way too lazy to cut my own *sigh*  The kit, die cut sheet-whatever you want to call it, came with a cute little matching belly band to hold the card together but I opted to make my own so that it stood out more.  Plus I wanted to keep this card pretty simple so I needed the band to stand out to make sure the card wasn't *gasp* boring *wink*  To make the chipboard heart, I stamped the ruby red paper first and then I embossed it using the swiss dots CB folder (might be hard to see in the picture-sorry).  Then I used a glue stick to adhere the paper to the chipboard heart, trimmed and sanded the edges, and then just inked them up a little bit to make them really pop.  

The inside of the card is pretty simple too. I used the scalloped rectangle from the petal card kit (sheet) but I matted it so that it would stand out.  I used the new Ronald McDonald  House set Say it With Scallops that I got at convention (thanks UPS for this awesome set!!!!!!).  This set is SO cute and goes perfectly with the new square scallop punch.....love them BOTH!!!  I matted it on a ruby red square and used some chocolate chip twill ribbon (from the now retired occasions mini) to just give it a little something.  It's a pretty basic card but I am happy with how *cute* it came out (and yes I realize I am very near the verge of sounding like the ever famous JanTink *wink*)

Images © 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up! 

Materials used (All SU unless otherwise noted): say it with scallops, fundamental phrases, sprinkles stamp sets; ruby red, baja breeze, more mustard cs; petal card die cut sheet (kraft); ruby red classic ink; scallop edge, word window, scallop square, trio flower punches; chocolate chip twill ribbon; on board chipboard heart; ruby red brad; swiss dots embossing folder (Provocraft)

I am more than half way through my baby shower invites-yippee!!!!  I have most of the parts all cut, the invites are printed, I just need to sit down and assemble them.....I'm hoping to have them done by the end of the week.  Then I have a few new projects waiting in the wings *wink* I can't wait to share some of the stuff I have coming up!!!

Elizabeth and I went to preschool orientation today.  So far, so good....of course today I stayed with her.  Hopefully she'll do just as good tomorrow when I leave!!!!!  I guess we'll find out in the morning.  I better head off to bed now though it's getting late and school starts tomorrow :)!!!!!

**did you notice I changed up the design of the blog a little today?  One of these days I'll actually sit down and force myself to learn HOW to design my own header and add pretty stuff but until then, this will do.  It's cute and you know how I love cute!!!!!!

Color me Black and White

So if you remember I participated in the Color Me Happy swap on SCS.  I got the most beautiful pink and brown cards (you can see them HERE) and I sent out a set of black and white cards.  Now for those that know me, and maybe those that just look at the cards I make *wink*, black is not a color I use.  I don't really wear black clothes (I know *gasp* I am Italian AND from NJ but hey I just don't *do* black), I don't use black paper too often, unless it's for some Disney something...., so this set of cards was a bit of a challenge for me.  I am a brown girl all the way :)  But I LOVED that I got the black and white because it really challenged me to work outside my comfort zone and in my book every so often that's a good thing. I made these cards for stamp-addict on SCS and I wanted to make sure that she received the cards before I posted them here....you know just *in case* she popped on over here, I didn't want to ruin the surprise.

The swap was to make 6 cards, of any size, with matching envelopes.  They could have been 6 of the  same design or all 6 could be different.  I opted to make 6 of the same notecards AND make a cute little matching "bag" to store them in.  I love these little wooden bag/boxes from Michaels. They are THE perfect size for small notecards and they just look so cute when stored inside them, don't you think???  Now you will notice I did cheat *a little*, yup there is the teeniest little bit of pink pirouette on these cards...I just couldn't help it.  I was screaming for some color!!!!!  I used the CS spots and dots embossing folder on the notecard to mimic the circle pattern on the paper on the box.  The stamped image is from the new SU set Upsy Daisy (LOVE it!!!). I made a photo corner using my hot fix clear rhinestones, I thought it was the perfect finishing touch to this set.  I am SO happy with the way this came out, even though it was a big challenge for me. And I am happy to report that my recipient LOVED it!!!!! 

Images © 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up! 

Materials used:  upsy daisy (SU); basic black, WW, pink pirouette cs (SU); patterned paper (scenic route); small notecards (SU); black noir (palette); scallop edge punch (SU); black and white ribbon (michaels), pink twill (papertrey); hot fix rhinestones; dots and spots cs embossing folder (provocraft); wooden bag box (michales); mod podge

I signed up for Round 2 of the Color Me Happy swap.  I got my new "assignment" and I am very happy to report that it doesn't quite pose such a challenge for me.  But I probably shouldn't talk too soon because I still haven't designed my cards.  This could be tougher than it seems *wink*

  

I've been busy working on baby shower invites the past few days.  I have been cutting onsies, coloring duckies......but luckily I am loving the way they are turning out :)  I need to work on the wording for the inside of the invite yet-usually my toughest part.  Do you have any cute sayings??  I'm always open to suggestions :)

Tomorrow Elizabeth and I have her preschool orientation.  I am looking forward to going in, meeting her teacher, the other children in her class, but most importantly watching how she reacts to it all.  We were talking about it tonight and I told her that we would both go tomorrow to school but on Tuesday she would go all by herself.  To which she says to me "Daddy go with me".  I told her no, Daddy's not going, just Elizabeth.  At which point she looks at me with this serious little face and says "I don't drive"...I immediately start laughing to which she looks at me, clearly not understanding WHY I am laughing, and says "Mommy drop me off at school"  Yes, Elizabeth, I will drop you off :)  Silly kid!!!!

Hope you had a great weekend!!!!  Thanks for stopping by today :)

Color me VERY happy!!!

I am a participant in the Color Me Happy swap on SCS and I got my cards today!!!!!  This is not your typical swap where you make however many of the same cards and then send them in and you get a sampling back. For this swap, we each gave a favorite color combo and then names were swapped.  Then what we did was create 6 cards for the person we got in the colors they picked.  The cards i made had been mailed but they have quite a distance to travel so they haven't arrived yet (but they are fabulous and I will share them once they reach their destination *wink*).  BUT I got my cards today :D!!!!!!  They are all gorgeous!!!!!!  I picked pink and brown (for those of you that know me I know-big surprise *wink*).  My card creator was my swapping buddy Misty (or Mot on SCS).  We have been in a few swaps together and we were actually finally able to meet up in person last month in Salt Lake City at SU Convention!!!!  I was SO great to finally meet her and put a face to the name.  Anywho...let me share with you the beautiful cards that Misty made for me.  (oh and let me add that each of them came with a perfectly matching stamped envelope too!!!!-love it!!!!)

This one uses the new Inspire by Nature set, the wide oval punch, and *gasp* the scallop edge!!! 

*gasp* More scallops (are they perfect for me or what!?!?!?!) and a cute little rosette made with ribbon

One of my favorite sets ever...Baroque Motifs

More Baroque Motifs with cute little pearl accents 

Hard to tell in the photo but this one just shimmers and shines

and finally this adorable little card using the new Eastern Blooms set.  The flowers are popped up and have sparkly centers :)

Aren't they just the greatest?!?!?!?!?  Thank you SO much Mist!!!!  I really appreciate all of the work that went into these beauties for me.  I promise to take care of them :)

SO are you totally jealous of my pretty cards???  Well it's too late for this round of the color me happy swap but Jessica is starting Round 2 and is currently taking sign ups.  This round we not only get to chose our color combos but also what occasion we want our cards to be.  It's lots of fun and I would love to have the opportunity to swap with you!!  Why don't you come on over and join us??

I also just finished up my cards for my alternate openings swap (and if I do say so myself they are pretty cute *wink*).  Plus I have a few other cards to share...I've been having lots of fun playing with my new stuff.  I hope that you have a great day!!!  Hope to swap with you soon :)

mirror mirror

in my pocket :)  This is the last of my convention swaps *whew* This was for a unique altered swap,  key word being unique.  I wanted to do something that was different that anything else I was doing, or had done so that's how I came up with the mirrors.  I purchased the mirrors at a local health and beauty supply store, Harmon's (are they nation wide?? or just local??  not really sure...). They are about 3 inches square and they have a slight iridescent shimmer to them.  The colors are pink pirouette, so saffron, kiwi kiss, and chocolate chip.  Now when it came to the design for these little guys I was kind of stumped.  I kept looking at my current stamps and just couldn't decide what to do with this.  I was going to use a chipboard piece-but it was too big, then I was going to use sticky letters and glitter-but then who really wants glitter all over the inside of their purse , I was going to use some DP but then it doesn't leave too much room for stamping.....ugh I was stuck!!!  Then enters my 18 year old niece and within seconds she comes up with a design (thanks Angie!!!!!).  She's not a stamper but I'm thinking she needs to be "converted" into one, don't you???  *wink*  It's actually  based off of the sample in the spring summer catalog for this set (Together Forever) and I think it fits with the mirror fabulously!!!  And I was lucky enough to have all the other swap members first names so everyone got a custom monogrammed mirror :D

The back of the mirror is very plain.  I just matted pink pirouette piece on kiwi kiss.  Then I just stamped the flower from the set in Rose Red.  Nothing major just a little something to make the back pretty (and different) but the real show is on the front *wink*

Elizabeth and I had lots of fun today.  She got a new bike over the weekend so we took it our for a ride today.  It is so funny to see her on it, she can reach the pedals but she really doesn't "get it".  But I am happy to say that she pedaled right along with me pushing her on the bike and even tested out the brakes every so often.  I don't give it too long before she just takes off on the thing and leaves me in her dust......Guess I better start brushing up on my own biking skills so I can *try* and keep up with her, huh?? Here's a picture of her trying out her bike last night in our hallway.  I didn't get any pics today *sniff* but it's kind of hard to be the pusher and the photographer at the same time.  I will have to get DH out there to help me next time so I can get some pictures of her riding her new toy!

Tomorrow we are off to meet up with my college roommate for a play date at the mall!!!  I am excited to get to spend some time with her.  They just put in a little play area in our mall so I'm sure we'll be spending some time there tomorrow.  Hope you have a great day too!!!!  See you soon :)

Tote-ally cool

Yet another swap *wink*.  This little tote is made using a plastic card box and altering it a little bit.   You cut the bottom of the box off and then fold the box up to make a little purse.  You then adhere paper to the inside, glue it together, and then decorate the outside.  I used my crop a dile to punch holes for the handles and then set in some jumbo eyelets. I used Bali Breeze paper for the tote and the belly band.  Then I stamped the flower and flourish (?) and from Stitched Exotics.  

Each tote holds 2 blank notecards, I wanted to keep them basic and non specific since this was for a swap and I wasn't sure what the cards would be used for.  But I made them pretty easy to add an occasion to if the swappers want to.

The cards coordinate in that they use the same DP and stamp set but they don't really necessarily  make a set, kwim?  Oh and look another swap that I made *before* my scallop edge punch arrived!!!  I actually made the scallop on this card using the slit punch.  Even with the new scallop punch, I still like this method because it gives you a bigger scallop and well, sometimes you just need a bigger scallop!!!  I have to say that this color combo is also becoming a new favorite- taken with teal, pumpkin pie, rose red, and certainly celery.  As with the tote, this card uses bali breeze DP and stitched exotics stamp set. The card base is shimmery white (probably hard to see on the picture) because I find it a little sturdier than whisper white.

The second card uses the same color combo, paper, and stamp set (remember it's a coordinating set).   It is also done on a shimmery white base and the main flower is stamped on the shimmery paper too.  The middle of the flower is popped up on a dimensional.  I wanted to add a little ribbon to the card but not overwhelm it, so there is just a little whisp peeking out from behind the flower.  

Materials used (All SU unless otherwise noted): stitched exotics stamp set; pumkin pie, rose red, old olive, whisper white, shimmery white cs; bali breeze dp;pumpkin pie, rose red, old olive, taken with teal inks;  ticket corner, 1/2", slit, corner rounder punches; celery ribbon; brads; jumbo pewter eyelets; chocolate chip wide grosgrain ribbon; clear card box (clearbags.com)

Today was a busy day!  We had the meet and greet for Elizabeth's new preschool and then we went over to the dance school to sign her up for tap/ballet/jazz class. She was so excited to be in the dance studio-we actually had a tough time getting her to leave :)  We need to get her some shoes and a leotard and tights...she is going to look SO cute!!!!  I'm really hoping that she does well in her new classes.  The dance class is an hour once a week and her preschool is 1  1/2 hours twice a week.  I'm sure she is going to LOVE them and it'll probably be me who has a tough time leaving her  *sigh* I guess we'll find out in a few weeks!

So I attempted, again, to update my SU website and I was still having a tough time.  I got my calendar all updated and uploaded a few new projects but they didn't want to actually load onto the site, grrrr.  I'm thinking it has to do with my web browser.  I use a Mac and therefore use Safari, but it seems that some of the gals on SCS have been having a few issues with Safari and the SU website, so I will try again tomorrow afternoon using my Dell.  One of these days, I promise I will have a few cute projects up there.....hopefully soon ;)  

Cutie Pie Tote

This cute little tote was for the Track 4 Swap.  I used the tutorial on SCS for the double pocket bag but  I altered it a little tiny bit.  I filled the tote with 3x3 cards so I made the tote fit the card better, otherwise they just got lost in the bigger bag.  The final pocket size measures about 4x4.  I also used a strip of solid card stock in the center of the tote.  It gives a the tote a little more sturdiness, and also allowed me to get 2 totes out of one piece of paper.  I can post the measurements if any one would like, I just need to go up and get them from my stamp room.

The card is a 3x3 with a bashful blue base.  I used a strip of the So Saffron prints paper for the edge.  Then I did a little paper piecing for the big heart the little mouse is carrying.  It's a Valentine's set and I wanted to make sure that he didn't look "Valentine-ish", kwim??  I then colored the flower using the white gel pen to make it stand out a little more.  A cute thank you tab and a little celery ribbon finish off this little notecard.  As you can probably tell, the cards were made before I got my scallop edge punch.  I think they are the only swap that doesn't have the scallop edge on it somewhere, even though I did manage to squeeze it into the bag cover *wink*

Images © 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up!

Materials used (all SU): Happy Heart Day stamp set; so saffron, bashful blue, certainly celery, rose red,WW CS; cutie pie, so saffron DP; going grey, certainly celery, rose red markers; slot, key tag, scallop edge, tab, 1/2" circle punches; celery, bashful blue ribbons; white gel pen; brads

So did you see the new SU catalog yet??!?!?!?!  Do you love it?!?!?!?!?  I do :D I'm hoping that Mr Brown will be bringing me some new goodies from it very soon!!!  I had all intentions of uploading some new projects to my SU website today and duh, I forgot that it was down along with the ordering system for SU while they switched over to the new catalog!!!  Duh!!!  I have read on SCS that some gals are up and running on their sites and some are having issues.  I am headed there now to see what I "find".  Hopefully I'll have no problems tonight but if I do I will upload them tomorrow :)  Have a great day!!!!  Thanks for stopping by today!!!