IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

OHMYGOSH!! HOORAY!! I'M SOOOO EXCITED!!! Stampin' Up Convention starts today (well, at least today is "check-in" day!) Jan and I have been stampin' up a storm ... and we are gonna do a MARATHON Shoebox Swap with my friendies for most of the day ... PLUS one of the perks I get for having Jan as a BFF (and one who is presenting at the opening night party tonight) is that we get to get into Memento Mall EARLY .... kinda like a "VIP" pass!! I SOOOOO can't wait!!

Do you think it's a problem that I'm tired already??? All the prepping I have had to do the past couple of days, coupled with all the running around I have had to do picking people up and dropping people off has already got me wiped out!! I'm gonna hafta try to find a catnap SOMEwhere over the next few days!! Anyone know where I can find one???

How 'bout this little bowtie card?? I made it for my oldest son for his 23rd birthday - June 24, 1988. Cannot BELIEVE I am old enough to have a son who is old enough to be 23!!!! YIKES!!! He is a "bow-tie" guy ... has been wearing bowties instead of long ties since he was about 12. I can't imagine him without 'em, though. Hence, the little bowties on this card ...

I will make sure to take LOTS of pictures and come back and share them with ya!!! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!!! I just can't wait to get into the Convention Center!!! OPENOPENOPEN!!!

AND I'm gonna try something new ... adding a Twitter Feed to my sidebar on the left ... will add cool stuff as it happens during Convention ... hope I don't bore ya to DEATH!!

Stamps: Polka Dots (background), Smarty Pants
Paper: Basic Gray, Basic Black, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler
Ink: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Top Note Bigz Die, Wide Oval Punch, Final Press Textured Impressions Folder, May Arts Black/White Polka Dot Organza Ribbon, Black Jewels, Rhinestones, Pearl Stickers

Patchwork and Roses

I have always had a weak spot for cards that have a quilt-like motif ... something about those little squares just makes me happy!! And this card is a mish-mash of old and new SU stuff. Sooooo glad the French Filigree background stamp didn't retire this year. Sometimes ya just gotta have something swirly! But the black and white patterned paper IS retired ... "Night and Day" ... and I'm kinda hoarding my leftover stash. LOVE that stuff. I guess the "upside" is that it is available in MDS, so I could just print some out if I REALLY get desperate.

I made the little roses myself and was VERY happy with how they came out. Methinks I feel a tutorial comin' on ... stay tuned for that one!

AND ... I am SOOOOOOOO excited 'cause it is CONVENTION WEEK!! I still have about a GAZILLION things I've gotta do ... but my friends and I have lots of fun things planned for this week. YAY!!! Also, my BFF and partner in crime, Jan (as in JanTink) arrives this morning!! DOUBLE YAY!!! We spend a LOT of time laughing ... and stampin' ... and eating CHOCOLATE ... when she comes to visit! Can't wait to hang with my upline and sideline friendies, too (hey Shellee, Cheryl and Chairl!!). Much fun is GOING to be had!!! (And much sleep is GOING to be bypassed!)

I will be posting some pix of what we are doing this week ... Convention doesn't "officially" start 'til Thursday, but check-in day is Wednesday and we are all gettin' together for a shoebox swap (which means I STILL have a LOT of prepping to do!). STAMPSTAMPSTAMP!!!

TTFN!

Stamps: All Holidays, French Filigree (background)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Basic Black, Night & Day DSP, Red Glimmer Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Small Oval Punch, Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Slit Punch, Black Flourish Designer Jewels

This 'N That ...

I've been TRYING to post all week ... but the fact of the matter is, everything I'm working on right now is kinda "unavailable for posting" ... swap cards for the Control Freaks for Convention? Can't post 'til AFTER I do the swapping!! Dirty Dozen projects?? Can only post those in the gallery over on SCS on the 15th ... Upcoming Control Freaks Blog Tour stuff??? Not yet!!

This is a really CRUMMY picture, too!! This is the card I did for the most recent Control Freak swap (we started out as a SUO swap group ... and still are one ... the Blog Tour is a relatively new-ish side thing!). I realized AFTER I mailed these babies that I didn't make one for myself ... and this is the photo I took of it with my PHONE to send to a friend to ask her opinion. Soooo .... this is as good as it gets (and it makes the Concord Crush look absolutely BLACK!!)!! Sigh ... oh well ...

And see all these EMPTY DVD cases??? This is what my project was last weekend! We took ALL of our movies that were on DVD, removed them from the cases, took out the cover art (which had to be cut down) and put them ...


... in HERE!! Actually, we filled two HUGE binder-thingys with them!!! I also typed up an alphabetical list for each book (and then spiral bound them, of course ... 'cause I have the equipment!). So now all of our movies are stored in a FRACTION of the space they used to be in!! It literally took my daughter and I ALL STINKIN' DAY to do this. Not even gonna admit how many DVD's we ended up having (but suffice it to say that you never realize exactly HOW many DVD's you have until you do a project like this ... and there are more than you think 'cause so many of them come with 2-3 DVD's in the case any more - digital copies, "special features" DVD's, BlueRay). Sooooo glad that's done!!

I gotta stampstampstamp for the next few days!! SOOooooo much to do before Convention starts next week!! Can't WAIT!! AND ... I got a BUNCH of fun new Stampin' Up stuff the other day in the first order I placed from the new catalog. In fact, I have spent more time STARING at the stuff and wondering where to start than I have actually STAMPING anything ... Stampery Overload!!!

Have a lovely weekend!

Stamps: My Friend
Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Concord Crushing, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Ink: Concord Crush
Accessories: Decorative Label Punch, Perfect Pennants Bigz Die, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Pearl Stickers, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, 1/2" Circle Punch, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals

Happy Independence Day!

It's once again time to celebrate the birth of America ... or at least give Americans an excuse to get together with friends/family and EAT!! I love the 4th of July ... the weather is hot, the company is great and the fireworks are always so festive. Good times!!




I tried to make a patriotic insert for my Simply Adorned necklace charm LAST year ... actually made two or THREE attempts at it and didn't like ANY of 'em!! While I was Skyping with my BFF, Kathy, yesterday I happened to mention that I wanted to make one but didn't want to since I had no success before ... all she said was, "You need a little flag that you can stamp as the background" and I just went, "Duh!!" I have had this "God Bless America" stamp from SU for YEARS!! I got it in 2002 to be exact ... it was made to help raise money for the victims of 9/11. It was actually the second thing I ever bought from SU (the first being the set called "Wildflowers" to adorn a little nanny bench I bought for my daughter for Christmas one year). My friend, Shellee, asked me if I'd like to buy one to support the cause ... which I did, but I remember thinking, "What am I gonna do with this?" after I got it!

Long story short, Shellee is now my upline ... so there! And now I have a fun piece of jewelry I can wear to celebrate the day. Hope all y'all have a wonderful day wherever you are!

Stamps: God Bless America
Paper: Whisper White. Pacific Point, Cherry Cobbler
Ink: Pacific Point, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Small Star Punch, Non-SU SMALLER Star Punch, Word Window Punch, Rhinestone Stickers, Simply Adorned Charm

A Month Full of Weird Holidays

Every three weeks it is time for me to hostess the Free for All challenge over on SCS ... sometimes I really like my ideas, and others times, not so much. This week I am feeling rather brilliant! LOVED my idea ...

Using this LINK, I asked the challengees to create a card as an ode to the weird/fun/funky holidays that are officially celebrated during the month of July. Boy, oh boy ... were there some GREAT cards done!! I got a lot of smiles out of 'em I tell ya!!

Like, WHO KNEW that July 15 was Cow Appreciation Day???? Hence, my card ... I just {{heart}} my Cricut Create a Critter cartridge!! All the little "critters" on it make me happy ... I mean, they ARE all smiling at me when I cut them out!!! What could be BETTER??

Have a wonderful weekend!! Hope everyone finds some way to celebrate Canada and America!! (and maybe THINK about how you're gonna appreciate a cow or two on the 15th!!)

Stamps: Hugs & Wishes
Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake, Basic Black
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Cricut Create a Critter, Perfect Pennants Die, Wide Oval Punch, Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Black/White Polka Dot Ribbon, Polka Dot Brads, Scallop Corner Punch by Marvy, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Craft Project Central #10 - Last One!

It has been sooo fun to see all the WONDERFUL projects posted this month on CPC by my fellow designers ... and this last project is a DOOSEY!! RIGHT up my alley ... y'all KNOW how I am about butterflies!! This card is brought to us by the ever-amazing Kim Score. I LOVELOVELOVE it!! If you would like the instructions on how to make this gorgeous pop-up, "pop" on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe for June ... it's that easy!!

Here is one more view so you can get the full effect of the "flying" butterfly ... awesome, right??? I am soooo gonna hafta try this!!

Convention is now officially two weeks away!! Can't WAIT ... especially to hook up with all my stampin' friendies!!! It's nice to get validation for my "addiction" ... um, er ... HOBBY ... by hanging out with others who are as obsessed, um, er ... PASSIONATE about my HOBBY as I am!!!

Belated Father's Day ... and a WINNER!

This has been one of THOSE weeks ... y'know the kind a mean ... where the whole thing is like a whirlwind kinda going on around you and you can't do a THING about it??? Only two more days 'til Friday, baby ... and then I can stay home and clean. WAIT!! Am I supposed to be EXCITED about this?? Hmmm..... my universe seems a little off kilter again, but I digress ...

This is the card I made for my father-in-law for Father's Day. I saw the idea over on SCS ... there are a TON of samples (which I DIDN'T know ... I saw ONE and thought, "That could be fun!" ... the one I saw didn't have any dimensions or anything, so I had to figure it out myself. Shoulda written down the measurements, as I gave it away before I checked ... will probably hafta steal the card back for a few minutes so that I can get them!). In any event, I think it is a cute idea ...

A little peeky at the inside ...

And Stampin' Up Convention is only a couple of weeks away ... SQUEEEEEEE!!! (That's a new word I am now loving that I got from my friend and Dirty Dozen "Mama", Lydia Fiedler. She uses it ALL the time when she is responding to something she is excited about .... it kinda makes me happy ...) Can't WAIT to hook up with some of my besties. Good times are GONNA be had, I tell ya!!

Drumroll, please .... I used a random number generator to pick a "winner" amongst the commenters on my last post ... the one where I promised to give away a one-month subscription to Craft Project Central. And the winner is ....

JOAN V.!!!!

Congratulations, Joan!!! I will be forwarding your info to Jacque over at CPC so that she can hook you up. Thanks to everyone who commented ... tune in tomorrow when I will have one last CPC project to share with you ...

BTW, like my "bloglift"? While we were up at the lake I had some time to play around in MDS ... since it officially feels "summery" (hooray!), I decided to celebrate! It's kinda bright, but I think I likey!!

And, lastly for today ... here's a peeky at what was INSIDE the Trifold I posted here for CPC. Just thought you'd like to see ...

Stamps: All Holidays
Paper: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Heidi Grace Winnifred St
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Cuttlebug Tartan Embossing Folder, Wide Oval Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Buttons, Velcro Stickers, Pop-Up Glue Dots

Craft Project Central #9 - MY TURN!!

It has been really fun sharing all the nifty things made by my fellow CPC Designers this month ... and now it's MY TURN to give you a little peeky of what I created for CPC. I had sooo much fun creating this ... AND I had JUST received my Stampin' Up catalog preorder items the very day I created this, so it was fun to use new schtuff!!

If you would like to see more/get instructions on how to make this cute little trifold (and three additionally cute little cards inside), hop on over the Craft Project Central and subscribe to June ... the ideas this month are FANTAB!!!

And the BEST PART??? Leave a comment on this blog post and you will be eligible to win a FREE MONTH subscription to CPC!!! WAHOO!!! You have until Sunday night (that's tomorrow, friends) to leave a comment ... then one of ya will be randomly picked to win!! YAY!!

I am up at our family's condo at Bear Lake ... Utah/Idaho border. LOVE it here. My daughter and I rode around the lake on our bikes yesterday (that's 52 freakin' miles, if you were wondering ...) We are tired and sore ... but had a GREAT time!!! Boy, did I sleep like a BRICK last night!!

Hugs ...

Who doesn't love a hug??? Seriously??? One of my fellow Dirty Dozen friendies, Dina Kowal, created the ca-YOOTest card like this spelling out the word hugs for our most recent Dirty Dozen/Fan Club Gallery over on Splitcoaststampers. Here is a link to it (if you don't have a Fan Club membership, the link won't work for ya ... BUT this would be a good time to go get one!!):

Dina's Hugs!

She made the template herself ... and I was able to download it. Then I just sat there staring at it ... each letter was separate on the page and I needed to lay them out side by side on a piece of cardstock to trace them and cut them out. Which is really no problemo since I am kind of a "fussy cuttin' Geek!" But I just stared at it ... and thought ... and stared ... and decided I was too lazy to cut it out. Then I used my trusty SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot) program and my Cricut ... my Cricut did the cutting so that I wouldn't have to! Hooray!!

I made this for my daughter ... she was kinda having a bad day ... best part? After I "snuck" it into her room onto her dresser she finally discovered it. She poked her head out of her room and said, "This is fabulous!" Pretty cool praise comin' from a teenager. Pretty much made my day ...

Remember to come back on Saturday for a chance to win a a one-month subscription to Craft Project Central ... FREE is GOOD!

Stamps: Wings of Friendship, A Light Heart
Ink: Concord Crush
Paper: Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Island Indigo, Concord Crush, Whisper White
Accessories: Cricut, Sure Cuts A Lot, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Heart Blocks, D'Vine Swirl and Distressed Stripes Embossing Folders, Bouquet Blossom Triple Layer Punch, Beautiful Wings Sizzlits Die, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Itty Bitty Bits Circle Punch, Itty Bitty Buttons, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, 3/4" x 15/16" Oval Punch, Triple Heart Punch

Craft Project Central #8

Lookie-lookie!! I keep saying, over and over, that Fabulous Florets is my new FAVE "Go-To" set ... and here is just another reason why!! This GORJUS wedding ensemble, created by Sonya Oshiro, is DA BOMB, Baby!! Don'tcha think??? Yet ANOTHER reason to pop on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of June to get the instructions on how to make it!!

Aren't ya just LOVING all the ideas I have posted this month from all of the talented designers at CPC?? Guess what??? I will be posting MY very OWN project ... created for them ... this Saturday! Guess what else??? I will be giving away a FREE MONTH subscription to one of all y'all when I post it (just for leavin' a comment!)! Sooooo ... stay tuned .... 'cause who DOESN'T love FREE?????