PCS Blog Hop!!

Melanie, of  Paper Crafters Sampler, created a great template for use as a treat box....and your creativity is your limit to what you make the template into!

Did you get here from Heidi's page? She did a marvelous job on her acorn! Just love it!

The template is available in the September issue of Paper Crafters Sampler HERE.

Now, have fun following all the great ideas for Melanie's Acorn Template!!

 

I decided to make mine into a pumpkin!!

 

Head on over to Ruth's page and see the delicious looking creation she came up with!!

 

CLICK HERE!

 

 

Falling Leaves!

Okay....so they aren't falling....yet! :-) But, I'm soooo looking forward to the colors of Fall!

 

So, how about we just jump right in and get motivated by those gorgeous browns, oranges, reds and greens?! I'm ready! :-) And to show you how ready I am, here's a Fall card all set to get your creative juices flowing!

 

Have fun with the pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hot cider, hay rides, childrens's laughter, jeans, sweaters, boots and the brisk air that's just waiting around the corner for us! I can't wait!! :-)

 

 

 

Items used below!

 

 

 

 

Apothecary Accents Framelits

 

 

French Foliage stamp set

 

 

 

 

 

2 1/2 Circle Punch

 

 

 

 

Argyle embossing folder

 

 

1 3/8 Circle punch

 

 

 

 

 

 

FREE RIBBON!!

 

I don't know about you guys, but I'm all about free items from Stampin'Up!!

All their products are so wonderful and you can never have enough ribbon, right?! :-)

 

Well, September is your month to SHOP!!

 

Have fun adding up your free spools of ribbon for every $40 you spend!!

 

 

 



September Sneak Peek!

 

 

 

Its that time again!!

The new Paper Crafters Sampler is HERE and to get you excited for the new issue...... here's a Sneak Peek of my Autumn Card! :-)

Remember the Sampler is full of great ideas, designs, templates and directions for each project shown. A great resource!

 

 

Can't you feel the crispness in the air!!

I'm soooo eager for Fall!

 

Go get your copy of the Paper Crafters Sampler........ :-)

 

Sympathy

Ok, Sympathy cards have just not been in my collection of designs.....seems the last type of card I think about creating. Unfortunately, this month has seen several deaths for family members of friends of mine. It's so tough to lose loved ones, and thank goodness, I haven't had to deal that with personally for quite some time. My heart goes out to those who have to share in that grief.

These designs called for simplicity, and so I tried it with two different stamps/colors. You decide which you think makes the cut. :-) One stamp is from a new stamp set and the other is from a Hostess stamp set....yes, I'm pulling from sets I haven't used a lot of or haven't used yet! :-)

These designs, of course, can be used for many other occasions too! Enjoy!

 

Designer Frames embossing folders #123130

 

 

Used the Extra-Large Oval punch to layer sentiment with. #119859

 

Beautiful Wings embosslit die #118138

 

SNEAK PEEK!!

The August release of Paper Crafters Sampler is here!! :-)

The subject this month is 'Sublime Nuptials!' The ladies have outdone themselves on their wedding ideas for you! You'll love what's inside this wonderful issue!

CLICK HERE to order your copy today!!

As I promised you, I'm giving you a sneak peek of my wedding card design! You can see the full design, list of items used and instructions to make it in the August issue, linked above for your convenience.

Hope you are inspired for a Fall wedding!! :-)

Can you stand it?! ;-)

Honestly, this is so hard for me to not share this entire card with you!!

I know you'll enjoy all the projects in this month's Sampler!

My Wonderful Daughter!

LOVE my baby!! Of course she's not much of a baby anymore! :-) They grow up so fast, it's almost impossible to keep up with.....especially in scrapbooking. THANK GOODNESS for My Digital Studio! It makes it so much easier and efficient to get those memories down in a wonderful, save-able product....even for gifts! :-)

Be sure to check it out!! You'll love it!

Click Here to Order!

FREE 30-day Trial of My Digital Studio 2!!

Here's a couple pages I've done of my daughter and of my Dear Sweetie and his children!

YOU can imagine the possibilities of your design and just create it!! It's so much fun! :-)

It's HERE!!!

My Digital Studio 2

now available!!!

Can you tell I'm so EXTREMELY excited?! I AM!! I just LOVE MDS!!

You have different versions to choose from....whether you are buying it new, updating your current MDS with the new capablities OR updating your current MDS with TONS of new stamp set images, paper, embellishments, etc.

 Even though I have purchased MANY images for my current MDS, the MDS 2 upgrade with over $500 worth of new images was STILL a much better deal for me even with over 20 duplicates! There is just SO MUCH great stuff on it!

To add to the excitement......MDS has a wonderful promotion going on all your printables this month!! 31% OFF for 31 Days!!!

So, hurry up and go check it out!! :-)



Design Team News!

Well, I'm trying something new and exciting!! I've been asked to join the Design Team for "Paper Crafters Sampler." Thank you, Melanie!
I've never designed for someone else before, with guidelines for the design, so I'm excited to have the challenge!

Melanie puts out a monthly 'Sampler' that you can purchase, with several card designs and 3-D projects complete with directions and templates. It will surely get your creative juices flowing!

All content in the "Paper Crafters Sampler" is Stampin' Up! product, so it's wonderful for you Demonstrators that want ideas for your business! It's wonderful for anyone, really, that just want great ideas with directions. :-)

Check out Melanie's website at www.pocketsofinspiration.com

   You'll see my first project entry in the August issue!!

        Stay tuned for a Sneak Peak......... :-)

   Check out the other Design Team members blogs below!! It's going to be a fun 6 months!! :-)

Lisa Henley - www.ponygirl40stamps.blogspot.com

Regina Cornelius - www.stampsalot.blogspot.com

Tiffany Bauer - www.mycraftyworld.blogspot.com

Karen Squires - www.stampinbythebay.blogspot.com

Gisela Lemus - www.craftinzone.blogspot.com

Heidi Baks - www.runningwscissorsstamper.blogspot.com

Sarah-Jane Kale - www.sarah-janekale.blogspot.com

Ruth Trice - www.artfulstampin.blogspot.com

WooHoo!!

Exciting news!!
My Sweetheart, Ian Stainback, has asked me to marry him!! I'm so thrilled and blessed to have him and his children in my life!
We'll be joining our two wonderful families in a very small ceremony sometime in October. Much craziness ahead as we live in two different cities and all our extended family live out of town too.
As soon as I design the wedding invites, I'll post them for your idea base! :-)

Here's a quick little announcement I put together on My Digital Studio of our engagement!

Life is Good!!

Teacher Appreciation

Well, the school year ended and I don't know about your child, but mine was/is ecstatic! Beach, pool, playtime and travel.....she's stoked! :-)  She's already been off playing in Myrtle Beach with her Uncle and Aunt and Grandparents, went to Pensacola to see her other Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins......lucky girl!!
I have just gotten an opportunity to post these....been a busy month.

I wanted to make some appreciation gifts for the teachers, so set out to design something cheerful and bright for them. Ended up with notecards and holders using some older 'school' stamps from Stampin' Up! I used black, red, white and yellow cardstock from Stampin' Up! and an assortment of old and new elements in the design. The white images were stamped using Craft Whisper White ink.

I know that seeing stuff you can't get anymore, might be frustrating, but one day you may see use of an older stamp set that you DO have! :-)  I hope that you are inspired none the less and enjoy creating your own fun gifts for friends, family and people you appreciate!

I did use an element that IS available! See below:

Hope you are inspired for next school year end, or incorporate the ideas into invites, announcements, etc. Your imagination is all that limits you! :-)

Have fun with it!!

Great Dad!!

I am truly blessed with a great Dad!! He has always been the most patient, reliable and wonderful man I've known! With three daughters (four girls in the household including my Mom) I have always said he has the patience of Job and have only hoped that I would have as much patience as he has shown throughout the years! :-) As I get older, mine is waining. :-0 ( Or maybe I'm just less tolerant of poor, rude, selfish behavior in humankind? )

Dad, thank you for being the great man that you are! For your patience with all of us, your indescribable love for your wife and kids and for always putting your family first before your own wants and desires.... and for loving your grandkids the same way you love us! Thank you for your hard work, then and now, and for your love, direction and support through all our years! Don't know what we'd do without you and Mom! Hope we are living our lives with atleast half of what you have demonstrated throughout yours. Love you!!



Morning Coffee!!

I know I am not the only coffee addict out there! Right?
I'm not a 'drink coffee all day' type of gal....I just want full throttle first thing in the morning. I do that with 3-4 shots of espresso. :-) Lol. That's not SO bad, is it?!

So, for those of you that enjoy your coffee and espresso as much as I do.....here's a card for you!! It's super easy and simple in design....and with me being a Starbucks addict, it seemed fitting to do the card in their colors. :-)

I really like this little coffee set....think it's cute as can be and very versatile to tea or coffee drinkers!
It's called "Morning Cup."

Now, go make a cup of coffee and sit down to relax and create!! :-)

Birdie Wishes

So......you know that bird punch? The one with the bird, wings and twig that all punch at the same time? :-) Well, I dug it out for another design! LOL! If you haven't figured it out by now, I adore working with 'Crumb Cake' cardstock (formerly called Kraft). It's the perfect neutral color and goes with everything!! Here, I paired it with a bit brighter color, 'Calypso Coral' and threw in a bit of 'Not Quite Navy.' Hope you enjoy the effect! Thank goodness that 'First Edition Specialty' DSP is still in the catalog, because its incredibly fun to work with! (Would love to see it as a staple in the catalogs!)
I also used the 'Victoria Crochet Trim' and the 'Neutrals Designer Buttons', as well as the 'Elegant Lines Embossing Folder' and the 'Labels Collection Framelits.' Can't forget the 'Large Oval Punch' and use of the stamp set "Natures Pace" to add some interest to the bird.







Many Thanks!

It's always so exciting to get the new catalog....to browse through and find the new stamp sets you know you cannot live without.....to see how many you've bought from the Mini catalogs that made it into the BIG catalog....to make that L O N G list of must-have stamps, papers and accessories and then to add it all up and wonder if your credit card will self-combust if you order it all at once!! :-) Then, maybe on your third or fourth run through the catalog to see if you wrote all the things down you love, you finally notice all the cool projects and ideas.....and then see MORE stuff you have to add to your HUGE list! :-) Am I alone in this journey? Lol.

Well, one stamp set that I really LOVE inspired me to make the following card and Mini Card Box with matching notecards. I love Vellum, and really need to try and use it more often in my cards!

This is using the wonderful set "Nature Walk." The elements in this set are so versatile and great for layering images. Hoping it inspires you to dig out your vellum and get to work layering with it! Would love to see what you come up with!!

Some of the tools I used above to create my card design! By the way, I am crazy about the seam binding ribbon! It's so fun to work with and feels almost like silk. LOVE the way you can wrinkle it with ease.

Hope you like!! :-)