Two-for-One Challenge: Feeling Autumnal

Serendipity! I made this card yesterday for the Create with Connie and Mary color challenge and woke up to discover that it kind of fits the Clean & Simple sketch #216 scallop challenge too :) Since I haven't made nearly enough fall/autumn cards, I was very pleased with how it turned out and the champagne glimmer paper makes me so very warm inside:

I adore the Autumn Accents Die for the Big Shot to make my own leaves and I used the Simply Scored to give the leaves veins. The DSP is from the Comfort Cafe package.  

It was so fun to create last night, but here is what my desk looks like this morning:

And my kids think there should be food in the fridge, so I guess I'll be cleaning and shopping today instead of crafting :( As my Father-in-Law is fond of saying, "Just when you teach 'em to eat dirt, they up and die on you." No bueno!

2-for-1 Challenge and Cut a Perfect Flag Tutorial

I love it when you can combine TWO challenges and get one simply sensational card! Today I combined the color challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary with the Fall-To-Layout 210 sketch at the Clean & Simple blog and came up with this holiday card:

I debated whether to add something to it, but I *really* like it just the way it is...and with the silver glimmer paper, it's even prettier in person! Of course, I tend to gravitate toward simple and elegant cards with a touch of sparkle, but I hope you like it too. It used  a-little-bit-of-this and a-little-bit-of-that Designer Series Paper...why not pull out your stash and try your hand at this sketch too? The stamp is from the "Greetings of the Season" set on page 8 of the Holiday Catalog (which you can download from my sidebar).

Let me share the EASIEST way to make a perfect "flag"...taught to me by one of my Stampin' Family, Kelly H. WARNING: This may change your life! Start by cutting a slit straight into your paper from the side center where you want the flag to be:

Then cut from the corners into the point of your slit. I KNOW!!! It's so simple! I haven't used a square punch since she showed me this! Thanks again, Kelly :)

Don't forget to leave your comment because I am still giving away all the cards I share here in September to celebrate my 20th Anniversary with Stampin' Up!

Update: Connie will be getting this card in the mail...thanks for visiting, Connie! I admire your work and am happy to share this card with you :)

Perfectly Preserved Gratitude

Traditionally at this time of year, you would find me bottling fruit. It is a chore I both love and abhor: I love eating the fruit in the middle of the winter and it brings me great satisfaction to see the beautiful rows of the preserved harvest, but I don't love the work of gathering fruit, peeling and cutting out bruises and bugs or sweltering in the kitchen for hours with a hot water bath.  Because we sold our house with the orchard a few months ago and have moved to a new house with only a few fruit trees (most of which our neighbors have kindly divested the fruit thereof), you can find me bottling a different kind of joy with the Perfectly Preserved stamp set from the Holiday catalog:

I know you can't see it very well, but the bottle is stamped on a window sheet with StazOn ink and cut out with the coordinating Big Shot framelit so it looks like a glass jar! This kind of "Bottling" could become addicting :) My card is a flipped version of the Clean & Simple sketch #206:

I'll be sending my card to someone who leaves a comment! Thanks for visiting and helping me get my 20th Anniversary celebration started!

UPDATE 9/20/12: Congrats Patrice! Send your snail mail addy to loni@sfcn.org and I'll send you this card! Thanks for your kind comments.

Take it and Run With it

Sometimes I find I need a springboard to get my creative Mojo running...and it happened this morning when I checked out the Clean & Simple Sketch 141:

So I took the sketch and ran with it! I immediately thought of a new Hostess Set in the Summer Mini catalog (Love & Care) and combined it with the fabulous new Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (also from the Summer Mini). In an effort to bring a little spring color to our VERY WET and overcast spring here in Utah, I used the brightest colors I could think of: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise.

Have you ever tried the "Rock & Roll" technique? I stamped the flower in Daffodil Delight classic ink and rolled the stamp edges around in Melon Mambo ink, like this:

While you are here, let me invite you to join my Stampin' Up! Birthday/Wedding Card Swap! I'd love to see YOUR creativity!

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

This "box" of chocolate is fat and calorie free :) Playing along with Clean & Simple Sketch 134 today...and I used the Eat Chocolate Stamp set (in Occasions Mini Catalog), Curly Cute stamp set (for greeting), an Early Espresso Ink Pad & Stampin' Write Marker and the Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper pack punched with the Scallop Square punch. To make it look good enough to eat, I added Crystal Effects to each piece of chocolate...yummy!

TIP: If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?

Keepin' it simple...

Another Friday and time for another Clean & Simple Sketch!

And here's my version:

All supplies from Stampin' Up! (of course!). Colors: Pacific Point, Pear Pizazz, Real Red and Whisper White. Balloons from the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set and greeting from the Full of Life stamp set. Designer Series Paper: Celebrations. Have a great weekend!

Lucky You

“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, 

the more I have of it.” ~Thomas Jefferson

One of my favorite quotes from my sister (almost as profound as the honorable Mr. Jefferson) is, "I don't speak Whine-ese!" Of course, she was addressing her young daughter, but I think it would be an appropriate response for the current fad of "entitlement mentality" across the nation. And that's my soapbox for today, followed by a wee bit of creative luck (based on the Clean & Simple sketch 131):

My model today is Bernadette, the Stampin' Up! bear that I got at convention two years ago, and in case you can't read the small print on the tag, it says, "LUCKY YOU...and lucky me for knowing you." It's from the Afterthoughts stamp set (one you can choose free if you host a qualifying workshop!) and the shamrocks are from the Got Treats stamp set. The colors are Wild Wasabi and Certainly Celery, in fashion this week as we are about to celebrate St. Patty's Day!

I'm off to cut more card stock for my Stamp-a-Stack class tomorrow...may you make time to be creative over the weekend!

Betcha can't stop with just one...

I couldn't! This card sketch was so simple and fun that I couldn't just make ONE, so I created one for everyone who orders from my website in March :) Here is Clean & Simple Sketch #130:

And here are my cards

(love using the Sale-a-Bration Designer Series Paper, Ribbon and Buttons again!):

Don't forget that is the last month to earn Sale-a-Bration products free (like this paper or the ribbons and buttons...) with every $50 order you make!

Ice Cream Parlor...a fun "Sale-a-Bration"

I'm combining lots of delightfully delicious things today: The Clean & Simple sketch #129, the Ice Cream Parlor Sale-a-Bration packs (that you can earn FREE!) and throwing in a little birthday scrapbook page, just for fun!

Let's jump dig right in with my take on today's C&S sketch:

When I saw this sketch, I immediately thought of the Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper & Quick Accents and Ice Cream Parlor Ribbon & Button Packs sitting on my stamp desk! There was even a self-adhesive scallop in the Accents to make it really super simple. I added a sentiment from the On a Pedestal stamp set and ta-da...it's done!

I also created this page for one of my daughter's birthday celebrations from the same Ribbon & Button pack. The Pacific Point Top Note shape (cut from the Big Shot) peeks out from under the pictures with the title for this page to say, "May all your wishes come true!". It's very bright and gives it a "Celebration" feel...which was perfect since I used the "Sale-a-Bration" offerings!

Want to know how you can get the paper, accents, ribbon and buttons FREE? You can choose them free when you order $50 from my website! I just love using free supplies...
 

Hugs & Kisses: Clean & Simple 122

Thank you, Clean & Simple, for another way to use some of my beloved designer series paper scraps! This is the sketch:

And here is my Valentine {{xoxo}}

Spooky: Rule of 3's

THREE is such a magic number: Like Charlie's Angels or the Three Musketeers. How about spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread? Faith, Hope & Charity? Harry, Ron & Hermoine or (for you "Wicked" fans like me:) Glinda, Elphaba and Fyero..."witch" brings us to the point today, this classic card sketch (Fall-to Layout #113 from Clean & Simple Stamping):

 When in doubt, you can't go wrong with a simple trio of images like this!

Have I told you how much I love the new Spider Web embossing folder for the Big Shot? Besides using it on my card, I combined it with the Candy Wrapper Die to make the adorable gift below (can you see the little bat on the tag made with the bat punch? Too adorable!)

Here's a close up...

So to everyone, have a "Wicked" Halloween, and a safe one! 

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the Holiday Helper~12 days of creativity arriving in your inbox beginning November 1st :)

Wish Big

I must be in sync with the gals over at Clean & Simple Stamping because this is the project I took to the cabin in Pine Valley to work on over the weekend:

These are my birthday cards for the demonstrators in my SU! family this year (sorry, ladies, if this spoils the surprise!!) and they just happened to follow the C&S Fall-to-Layout #111:

I am making these cards in lots of different colors, like the one below that showcases some of the 2010 In-Colors (Peach Parfait and Concord Crush). I wasn't sure they would look good together, but this just goes to show you that the hues in each color family prepared by SU! really *are* compatible with each other!!

Want to get one of these in your mailbox for your birthday? It's just one of the many reasons to join my Stampin' Up! family! While you are here looking around, let me remind you that the Clearance Rack Blitz only lasts a little longer, so click here to shop and save up to 80% on crafting supplies :) 

Tote-ally Tess

Sometimes you just need to ignore the housework and do something fun. Which is where I found myself this morning...needing a little creative time. So here is my "Tote-ally Tess"/Poppy Parade version of the Clean & Simple Fall-to Layout #107:

And here is the FTL 107 sketch:

Recipe for my card (all Stampin' Up! Supplies):  Tote-ally Tess stamp set, Poppy Parade, Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizzaz and Shimmery White card stock, Early Espresso Classic Ink Pad, In-Color Markers, Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper, Pinking Hearts Border punch, Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread

Speaking of "Tote-Ally" cool...you can get a Greenhouse Gala Tote FREE when you join my Stampin' Up! family of demonstrators before October 18th! Click on the "Tote-ally Awesome" button in the right column for more details or call me: 801-376-8685. Want to see what it's like to be a demonstrator? Attend my Stitched Stampers Group Gathering on Tuesday, October 5th in Spanish Fork, Utah. Let me know if you can come!

Clean & Simple, Revisited

Now that the kids are back in school, I had time to stamp for fun again! It was delightful and I am reminded how much I enjoy being creative.

Here is my creation showcasing some new colors and stamps:

Recipe (all Stampin' Up! supplies, of course):  Marina Mist, Whisper White, Basic Black card stock, Basic Black and Versamark ink, Just Believe stamp set,  Scallop Edge Border punch, Marina Mist Taffeta ribbon.

I followed the Clean & Simple Fall-To Layout #105 sketch:

Joy...clean and simple

I followed this Clean & Simple layout pretty faithfully...
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Supplies by Stampin' Up!: Very Vanilla and Old Olive card stock, Real Red craft ink, clear embossing powder, Merry Moments Designer Series Paper, Delightful Decorations stamp set, Ornament and 1 3/4" circle punches, Gold elastic cord, Read Red polka dot grosgrain ribbon

Dasher: FTL70

Finally got new batteries for my camera and I'm back with another Fall-to Layout by Clean & Simple! Here is FTL #70 Sketch:

and here is my version using the Dasher stamp (the most popular Stampin' Up! stamp right now!):

Supplies by Stampin' Up!: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Old Olive card stock, Merry Moments Designer Series Paper, Chocolate Chip craft ink, Real Red classic ink, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, Dasher stamp and Old Olive taffeta ribbon.

Inspire: FTL64

I love a challenge, especially a "simple" one :) See the Clean & Simple Fall-to Layout #64 sketch:

I wanted to use this Big Shot Die on something, so here is my version (sideways) of the sketch:

Supplies (by Stampin' Up!): Very Vanilla, Rose Red and Old Olive card stock, Bird with Leaves & Flower Die, Big Shot, Thoroughly Modern  Designer Series Paper, Charming Stamp Set, En Francais background stamp, Chocolate Chip and Old Olive ink, Two-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Mini Library clip (on sale this week only!)

Fall-to Layout 63: Happy Holidays

Here is the Clean & Simple Fall-to Layout #63 sketch:

And here is my version for the holidays:

Recipe (all supplies from Stampin' Up!): Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Very Vanilla & Garden Green card stock/ink, Merry Moments Designer Series Paper, Happy Everything stamp set, Square Rhinestone Brad.

Goblin Greetings/FTL 61

Here is the Fall-to Layout #61 from Clean & Simple:And here is my Goblin Greeting!
Card Recipe (all supplies from Stampin' Up!, naturally!): Stamp Sets: Batty for You and Grateful Greetings, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White and Basic Black card stock/ink, Night & Day Designer Series Paper, Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, 1" and 1 3/8" circle and scallop circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals. Want to order the supplies used for this project? Visit my Stampin' Up! Website and click on "Order Now"!

Be Yourself

Here is the Clean & Simple Fall-to-Layout #60:And here is my version:"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." ~ Judy Garland.