Splitcoaststampers Getaway

Our Splicoaststampers stamping getaway was this past weekend. Friday and Saturday. Lorien and I drove over to Lansing around 4. My plan was to get ALOT of stuff checked off my To Do List. I have 3 workshops this week to prepare for and had a few "congrats" cards for several people for different occasions to do and I brought my scrap booking to do. I got 2 scrapbook pages done and one card Friday night....No, I am not kidding! How sad!

Saturday was jammed with fun stuff to do. We started the morning with shoebox swaps. This is a swap where you design a card and then cut everything that the creator will need to make the swap themselves. Everything but adhesive should be included. There were 23 to make so it took a long time, but it was fun. They were full cards and so many of them were great quality! After the shoebox swap Lorien discovered that my tire was flat on my van. Completely flat...can you believe she got right down on the ground with a blanket and changed my tire!?!? What a friend.

Then we broke for lunch, did our regular swap where we made 16 full cards and swapped with the others who signed up for that. Again, some really great stuff.

Finally we had challenges to do! FUN...but because I have been in a creative slump, I was feeling very unworthy to be there! I planned 2 challenges which I couldn't participate in (that was great because it gave me more time to focus on the ones I could do). We were supposed to choose stamp set, colors and any accessories, the organizer of the event bought everything except the stamp set and ink and you had to create with just the supplies there unless the challenge hostess allowed other items to be used.

I actually won a challenge. This card is the one I did that won. It's a pocket card so imagine the "U" part inside the card. How lucky was I to be allowed to use the slit punch! I love the scallop edges and adored pairing these colors! I also took advantage of the "rock and roll" technique on the "U". A technique I just finally figured out how to do after 3 years of being a demo!

We had a great time.

I'm An Affirmation Kinda Gal

I'll admit it, I desire a "thank you" from my husband for merely bringing the groceries in. I'd like it even more if he would tell me how cheerfully I do it, how beautiful I look while doing it and that by just watching me bring the groceries in, he is reminded how thankful he is that he chose ME out of all the women out there! But, realistically I know a "thank you" is about as far as it will go! I love affirmation. We have recently read the book "The 5 Love Languages" and it was no task for me to declare out loud that my primary love language is "Words Of Affirmation". So, when I opened an envelope in the mail this week and this was looking back at me, I puffed up my chest and grinned....My up, up, up line has been sending these out for awhile now. I think I have collected 3 or 4 of them. This quarter she indicated I was #4 in her downline for sales. I am not sure how many she has in her downline, but currently but when I saw her this summer she said about 100. Thanks to all my great customers and especially my stamp club members-many of whom have been stamping with me for 2-3 years!

Color Challenge

On splitcoaststampers.com they have daily challenges to help you with your projects. I check out the Color Challenges and the Sketch Challenges weekly. I peek on a couple others if I think of it, but these two are part of my weekly routine. This week the color challenge was to use the colors Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom and Cool Caribbean in your project. Here is the first one I did using a new stamp set I got this week from the Winter Mini. The stamp set is Big Pieces and it matches Little Pieces (which is also used on this card). The adorable rick rack is from the Flirty ribbon collection in the Winter Mini also. Aren't these colors perfect together? The "happiness" is from the Word By Word background stamp. I just inked the word with a Stampin Write marker to stamp just the word I wanted. Of course I had to do some faux stitching! Next to ribbon it's my favorite thing to add to a card!

The Winner is.....

My oldest picked a number this morning...number 5 it is! Sue B, I think I know who you are, but if I'm mistaken please e-mail me your address. My e-mail address is caspen1973@yahoo.com. This Friday night a couple friends are coming over to stamp, hopefully I will have more samples to share with you all Saturday. I'm working on several scrapbook pages so maybe I will share some of them. Keep checking and keep responding, I love feedback!

Inspired By A Purse

When the Spring Mini is released to customers, you will find a ton of incredible new stamp sets including this one, Polka Dots & Paisley. Demonstrators received this set free from Stampin' Up! at Christmas. This card was inspired by a purse my dear husband got for me for Christmas. The purse is made by Vera Bradley (love her stuff!!) and the print is Mesa Red. It's funny how you start looking at things and immediately know which Stampin' Up! colors will match! I am hostessing a small swap with a few girls from Splitcoaststampers and they had to use this set. This is one of my 2 designs. Hope they like!

Blog Candy of My Own

What is "Blog Candy"? Well a reader to a blog happens upon a contest wherein you must answer a question and post it to the blog in question. The blog author will draw a name to determine the winner and then the winner receives the "candy" or prize! Pretty easy. They are all over the stamping blog's I read and recently I won off of Lorien's blog, so I am doing a contest of my own.

The prize will be a bottle of Stickles (glitter/paint all in one) and some punched scalloped squares made with my new Marvy Punches. The Stickles is the color "Purple" and the squares will be punched out of Elegant Eggplant and you will get 10 of each size shown here. So here are the rules:

1- Be sure you comment to this post about the following question:

"What is the most romantic thing your husband has ever done for you?"

2- I'm giving you a whole week to comment so you can really think on it! The deadline is Tuesday, January 30. I'll draw the winner sometime in the afternoon of the 31st.

3- You have to check back here to see if you win!

Good luck!

Isn't He Punny?

Shame on me! My pal Lorien informed me today that she keeps checking my blog and I have had the same card up for days! She is right...actually, it has been a couple weeks. I'm sorry. I just assume no one is reading it so why bother! But obviously someone is! I entered a Blog Candy contest on Lorien's blog (see her link on my sidebar) and "won a major award!" Actually, I wasn't the major winner, but I won all the same! I stopped by her house today and got to pick a mini stamp set from Michael's and a spool of ribbon. The ribbon on this card is what I picked.

This card is made with our Sell-a-Bration set, Very Puny. Isn't it cute? I love the cow and the frog in this set. I never use metal edge tags so I thought I would finally use one! I like how this turned out. I got the layout from a Sketch Challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com - it's a great source of ideas!

Sell-a-Bration: It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

Here is my first creation with any of this year's Sell-a-Bration sets! This one was created with Big Blossom and So Very. On the blossom I did the faux shaving cream technique stamping the flower with Pixie Pink and then using the word "happy" from Happy Everything I inked it up with Real Red and smeared it all over the ink on the blossom and here you have it! SO less messy than the true shaving cream technique and "so very" fun!

Remember, if you purchase $50 in Stampin' Up! product, you can get either of these sets for FREE!

Marvy Scallop Punch ROCKS!

I have been seeing creations on Julie Ebersole's blog (see right hand column) and she has been using scalloped punches shaped like squares and circles. I asked for one for Christmas and Brooke got me one! (Actually, daddy picked it out and put her name on the tag - she's only 2!) I love it! You just insert your card stock into the punch and BAM- there it is! Cute isn't it. I imagine I will be using it alot. I actually ordered another size from Joanns.com and it is a bit smaller. Now I am waiting to find the circles. I just hate to pay regular price for them! The regular retail is $19.99. Of course the 40% or 50% off coupon from Joann's makes them right up my ally but I haven't found the circle ones at Joann's yet. I will keep looking!

This card is the birthday card to go along with the "Memory Verse Flippy Thingy" for my friend Michelle (see post below). The Chocolate square is adhered right to the designer series paper (Spring Flowers) and the stamped flower from our Looks Like Spring stamp set is punched with the same size scallop punch, I just off set the white square and used Stampin Dimensionals to make it pop up a bit. I made the card to match the Flippy Thingy. Hope she likes it.

Great Gift Idea!

I have a group of 3 girlfriends from church that I am very close with. We do a Bible study together 2 times a month and at Christmas we get each other small gifts. A couple of us hand make our gifts each year and I love giving my gifts (usually a Christmas ornament of some kind) and I love receiving their handmade goodies! This year Jennifer made us these beautiful Memory Verse flippy things (so very technical!). They have 12 different memory verses in them, one for each month and each verse comes from Psalms. I fell in love with mine! Another friend is having a birthday today. Her husband is actually throwing a surprise party for her at the church tonight and I wanted to make her a gift just like the one I received. Here is my first one---a Memory Verse Flippy Thing! I used all Stampin' Up! products (are you surprised by that?) I used our designer series paper Spring Flowers. I just followed the color scheme in the paper- So Saffron, Mellow Moss, Blush Blossom, Chocolate Chip. I chose verses that related to "strength" because the friend whose birthday it is, is one of the strongest ladies I know!

BIG Kisses to Santa Baby!

This Christmas was wonderful. It is so much FUN with little ones! Our girls are 7, 4 and 2 and they were so excited about Christmas! Our oldest is so sweet and polite and would love just about anything for Christmas. This year she asked for a Bible of her very own. Isn't that sweet. The 4 year old just kept saying, "Can't you get that out? I want to play with it!" She doesn't understand how long it takes to unwrap those 102 wire twisty ties! (I HATE THOSE THINGS!) Here is a photo of her on one of the things she asked for. A simple pony head on a stick to ride around the house on! So simple - and NO WIRE TWISTY TIES! The 2 year old kept saying, "More presents me mommy?" In a way it made me sad to hear that. Did we miss explaining to her that Christmas is all about a tiny baby born long ago in Bethlehem? Probably not, we did attend a Jesus walk a couple weeks ago, they have been talking about Jesus' birth for several weeks at church in class-I had to cut her some slack and remind myself she is just 2! I guess I was surprised at how excited she was. I don't remember the other two getting so excited at such an early age.

Anyway, can I tell you how good Santa was to me? My sweet Santa hasn't really been a great romantic type Santa. My dh and I have been married for almost 10 years and together as a couple for 14. He has never been real romantic and to be honest tends to buy me things I NEED rather than fun stuff I want. Last year I got plastic mixing bowls from Big Lots and flannel pjs. This year he brought me to tears twice!

I really wanted a Vera Bradley purse but was sure my guy was not going to be caught dead picking out a purse! But, Santa brought it. A beautiful Mesa Red On The Go bag! I love it. But honestly more than anything, love that he really listened and he was so excited to give it to me!

But the best gift---a trip tomorrow -- just him and I -- to the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit to see Irving Berlin's A White Christmas!!!! He plans on taking me to Greek Town for lunch, on the People Mover and to the Casino to look around. I don't know if I am most excited for the fact we will be without kids, he arranged the sitter or the fact he came up with this whole trip on his own. Even as I write I am about in tears.

This has been a hard year for us and he has really scored some points this Christmas!!! In the next couple days I hope to show you some stampin goodies this same Santa got for me-like a Marvy Square Scallop Punch, how about the pink and brown striped bag from Scrap, Paper, Scissors....I must have been very good this year.

UHU Review

A couple week's ago I discovered that UHU was giving away free samples of its adhesives to any crafter with a Blog as long as you would use the product and post a review of the product on your blog. SO, without hesitation I sent them an e-mail requesting mine. It arrived rather quickly and in my package was the UHU Glue Roller and the UHU Scrapbookers Pen. UHU GLUE ROLLER

The glue roller is a lot like the Stampin' Up! SNAIL, or Tombow's Mono Adhesive. The mono is my adhesive of choice at the moment. I was excited to try something similar but different in hopes it would be better. The Glue Roller is not refillable (at least the one they sent me is not). Rather than being a gluey tape thing like Mono, it is small adhesive dots. I will say that I like the dots better than the tape because there is no clogging. Also, I noticed that if you work slowly and precisely, the entire strip of dots is released onto your cardstock. Often with Mono half the glue remains on the applicator or clogs the applicator so you have glue boogers to remove. The UHU is also very smooth when applying it. The adhesive quality is about the same as Mono. It holds if you use it on all the outer lines. BUT, if you are looking for some super holding power, this is not for you.

Scrapbookers Pen

The Scrapbookers Pen is just liquid glue. There is no pen like applicator at all. I am not a huge glue fan when papercrafting. Its just too messy. I hate when I use it and it oozes out the sides. This glue is no exception. It is actually messier than any glue I have used with paper crafting (again, keep in mind I have only used about 3 types). When you take the lid off there are glue strands already so I knew it was going to be messy. I actually used this to try to glue a button onto my cardstock. It worked great for that! It held. The only problem was that it oozed out the sides and the holes in the middle of the button. I will probably continue to use my Crystal Effects for buttons as I like how easy it is to control it. But, if you like using glue, you might want to give this a try.

Merry Christmas to Me!

Yet another reason I love being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator---all demonstrators were told that Shelli (the co-founder of Stampin' Up!) was sending each of us a Christmas gift, but they didn't tell us what it would be. A few years ago when Stampin' Up! moved to a new facility we experienced terribly long shipping times, at Christmas they rewarded us for the trouble by sending us all a NEW stamp set as a gift!

When they announced we would be getting a gift I was just dreaming for free rubber! And, my package came yesterday! FREE STAMPS IT WAS! The set is called Polka Dots & Paisley and will be released in the Spring Mini Catalog. Here is the first card I have done using my new present. I'll try to play with it some more and post more samples soon!

I Bought Another Company's Stamps?!?!?

As everyone knows, Stampin' Up! is not the only rubber stamp producer. As you may or may not know, Stampin' Up! is not the only home based sales of rubber stamp sets. There are 2 other companies that I am familiar with - TAC (The Angel Company) and CTMH (Close to My Heart).

The main difference that I have heard about our companies is that SU! sells wood mounted stamp sets whereas the former companies sets are acrylic mount. What does that mean? Well, our rubber images are permanently adhered to wood blocks. The other companies images are removable and adhere to acrylic (plastic clear blocks). People who use acrylic blocks rave that your storage space is increased immensely because your sets are only as thick as a CD case and you store them in those to save shelf space. You have an acrylic block which your rubber images are stuck on to and them removed when you don't need it. This way you may have say 4 blocks that you use for all your images. I had heard it said too that the rubber images are clear so that you can see exactly where you are stamping an image. I was curious....

A friend had a book party with TAC and I found one set that I really liked so I ordered. It got the stamp set today and this is what I noticed:

1) The images are not the same size as the catalog. I know it says somewhere in the book that the images are only a certain % of the size shown, but I hate being expected to visualize the size of an image!

2) The images are not perforated at all on the rubber-it is literally a sheet that you just have to cut around the separate images, maybe not a big deal, but just different.

3) NO DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO MOUNT THESE THINGS! The rubber is separate from the foam! I assume that I mount the really sticky side of the rubber to the rubber image itself and not so sure about the other side. It is hardly sticky at all. This must be the side that attaches to the acrylic block. I wonder how long this thing will stick to the block if I change images frequently.

4) No sticker for the outside of the plastic container to label your box.

5) The rubber is not clear. It is blue...I always thought that the great thing about acrylic mount stamps is that the images are clear and you could see right through the block and rubber image to see exactly where you are putting the image. NOT so with TAC.

Once I buy an acrylic block (I neglected to get one when I placed this initial order), I will let you know about how they stamp. Let me just end by saying that I am so happy I found Stampin' Up!!! I love the images on the stamp set I purchased and TAC definately has a different style than Stampin' Up! I'll have to wait and see if I feel the desire to purchase any more.

Giving Up on Christmas Cards!

Not forever, just this year. I have lost count of how many I have sent out. Near 70 I am sure. I just can't keep doing it! The cost in postage alone is crazy! If you haven't gotten one from me, be sure that I am wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year but our postage fund has gone bankrupt!

Winter Mini Friend

This was made with Friendship Matters, a set from the new Winter Mini catalog. This mini catalog is incredible and everytime I look at it, there seems to be yet another set that moves up my WANT list!!! This is the only one I have purchased as of yet because I know that in January I can earn Sell-a-bration sets with the other goodies I am eye-balling! I made this card this morning for the Splicoaststampers color challenge for the week. CC#92 is Cool Caribbean, Whisper White and Real Red. Ever since Cool Caribbean was released I have been pairing it with Red and have LOVED those colors together...so bright! Anyway, I'm sending this one to a dear friend who needs a pick me up! Lisa is not a stamper so she won't see this to know she is getting it. Hopefully she will consider it a "fun" mail day when she gets the mail this week.

To do the scallop I used the scalloped decorative edge scissors which are no longer in the catalog! What a shame. I used the itty bitty circle hole punch to make the holes on the scallops and then using my white gel pen stuck the tip inside the circle and spun it around. I think it is rather cute!

Got to Get Busy.

I am still not done with my Christmas cards! Some people have received them from me but still others aren't even in an envie! I picked up stamps to send the last of the ones that are done, but I still have a few to finish-my stamp clubbers, some SCSer's that I wanted to send them to, and I still have a couple ornaments to make for Christmas gifts. Maybe tomorrow I can get some time to finish! At that time I will try to make something to post on here too! Don't give up on me!

I Was Challenged

Splitcoaststampers is celebrating their 100th Sketch Challenge this week. Every Wednesday they post a sketch of a layout that you are able to follow to get ideas and inspiration. This week is their 100th challenge! They have challenges everyday of the week. It is a great way to get inspiration! I created this Christmas card for the SC100. I have always really liked the Merry set but have to admit I have only created a handful of things that I like with it. I know that a big reason is that the hat looks so cute with multi colors and I have been too lazy to color all the stripes in. Well, I gave into it yesterday and am so pleased with the outcome. I already have my Christmas cards done for this year, but I like this so well it might be one of the ones I do for next year.....lest I remind myself that a new catalog comes out in just 7 months, who knows which holiday sets I will have on my shelf next November!

Happy Birthday....

Here is a card that I made for a customer who is now more of a pal than a customer. Claudia's birthday is this week and I finally got a chance to sit down and play the other night! On splitcoaststampers I found this adorable card in the Wild About You gallery and loved the layout, so I just copied the layout, changed the colors and -pow - here is her card. Hope she likes!

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I was so excited coming into the holiday knowing that my husband would have a couple extra days off of work-surely I would get lots of stamping/scrapbooking done! It wasn't in the cards! I got sick on Friday with a terrible cold, I am thinking a sinus infection, and I really didn't have the drive to create anything! Furthermore, we have decided to replace our kitchen and livingroom floors. My husband is doing the work himself (with the help of my dad) and it is taking awhile. The kids were running around like animals so there would be no "me time" in the cards this weekend. Regardless, it was a peaceful holiday and I am hoping that this week will afford me some time in my playroom!