New Endeavor

I've been praying for a nice, steady, part time job and I found the most perfect one. As of yesterday, I am one of the Environmental Education Specialists with the City of McKinney. I am so happy about this opportunity. This job couldn't be more perfect; it allows me to get back to my little mission of saving the earth (something I did full time with corporations for 10+ years before becoming a stay at home Mom), it gets me back in a REAL office, its flexible because I can totally set my own hours and it's rewarding (saving trees is kinda my thing). This opportunity has been in the works since before Easter but I got an official offer last week-- and yesterday was my first day. My main focus will be implementing and expanding the recycling efforts of the community. I will be making presentations and spreading the word with HOA's, civic organizations and the local schools. I am absolutely thrilled. I will work full days when DD is at preschool and a half day when she's home (after DH gets home). Don't worry-- I plan to continue as a demonstrator and my work with KitchenAid & Kitchen Consulting since it's been somewhat sporatic with the state of the economy.

It's a tough job....

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I am sorry I have not been blogging as regularly. I am in the middle of a big assignment with General Mills. I am baking nine different desserts for them. I've been doing practice runs for the last week and today I am making the final dishes that will be presented at a special buyer's meeting for a major retailer tomorrow. I'll be back with a fun report and some recent stamp projects in the next day or two. The oven timer just went off, gotta get another dish out of the oven! See ya...

Earthy Cards Anyone?

Did you know that Earth Day is next week? In celebration of Earth Day and National Arbor Day,we're going to making some earthy cards at my next card class. The card above is one of the four we will be making.

Cards will be appropriate for any occassion but mainly masculine birthdays, thinking of you and sympathy. We'll be using some new techniquesand folds but light on embellishments.

Make 4 different cards for $10 or

2 of each for $15 or

3 of each for $20

Reserve your spot today!

1st Session April 22nd @ 6:30pm

2nd Session April 23rd @ 10 am

Upcoming Class: Bali Breeze & Flower Fusion

Come make 5 cards and coordinating purse for $15.

(Your choice of sentiments on each card and envelopes included)

This is a great gift for friends & family, teachers and more importantly Mother's Day.

Tuesday, April 8th

Come & go from 6:30 on

Reserve your spot by April 6th, please prepay if you want the additional kit so I can have it waiting for you.

Note: Always bring your own adhesive & basic cutting tools.

Buy additional kit to make more at home for $20
Kit includes:

• Assortment of Flower Fusion felt flowers (approx 25 pieces 1/5 of box)
• Assortment of Bali Breeze paper (six 6x6 sheets of each design)
• Twelve medium envelopes
• One yard of Striped Pumpkin Ribbon
• Three yards Wide Old Olive Ribbon
• Assortment of coordinating card stock 15 sheets of Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Taken with Teal & Tempting Turquois
• Pattern & instructions for purse
  

I am here...

Didn't mean to be away so many days, time just got away from me with Spring Break & all. I've been busy doing some very serious spring cleaning and organizing in my craft room. What I thought would take 3 days, is now going on almost 3 weeks. More on my room later...

I've been stamping and having classes just haven't had my "ducks in a row" to take pictures and publish here. Below are the four cards from my Fabulous Flowers Card Class this past week. Attendees were allowed to make 1 or 2 of each card. I am offering a second session this next week, if you're interested, please email me.

Carousel Notes

These are my first two 'carousel' note cards and I am so pleased. At the begining, I was really concerned about filling the space since these cards are 6x6 but it all worked out. I used my ancient Creative Memories cutting system to make the chocolate chip and vanilla circles and the brass template to do the piercing and holes. I mounted the whole card on a 12x6 scored in half.

I absolutely love the "My Dear, Kind & Wonderful Friend" sentiment from the All Holidays stamp set. It's stamped in Chocolate Chip Craft Ink and embossed with clear powder. The tulips and butterfly are stamped in classic ink from markers.

Recipe:

Stamp Sets: All Holidays & Garden Whimsey

Markers: Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa

Fabulous Flowers & Tres Chic

This was the second card in the Fabulous Flowers class. This was inspired by a card made by Jenn Balcer that I had "right clicked" into my favorites file months ago. When I went to her blog and SCS to link it, I could not find it. I changed the embossing and DSP but the general idea was from her. Thanks, Jenn.

Cutting out this flower (3x) is a chore but the end result is pretty.

Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Fabulous Flowers and Tres Chic
Supplies: Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery card stocks. Spring Fling DSP. Versamark and clear powder on Tres Chic and White Craft Ink and White embossing powder on flower. Ribbon Side from Stylized Silver Hodgepodge Kit.

Heartfelt Thanks

This was the third card in the Fabulous Flowers Card Class. This was one of the first stamp sets I purchased as a demonstrator and this little flower had never been used. Well, it got a work out this past week.
Recipe: Stamp Sets: Floral Background, Heartfelt Thanks, Baroque Motifs, & Lots of Thoughts sentiment
Materials & Supplies: Mellow Moss, Ruby Red and Vanilla card stocks
Groovy Guava, Ruby Red, Choc. Chip, Mellow Moss and Creamy Caramel classic inks
Hodgepodge Hardware in Aged Copper

Dahlia Fold

This was the fourth card in my Fabulous Flowers Card Class.



I kept seeing everyone's Dahlia cards and decided I had to try it. This card was pretty much CASED from diane617 @ SCS. I changed the card base to Pretty in Pink, freehand dry embossed the leaves, and added the Polka Dot background.

My family is growing and growing...

Congratulations to Mandi Brooks (my downline) for her three new recruits in Fannin County. Please help me welcome Karol, Monica and Wendy to our little Bloomin' & Stampin' Family. I knew Fannin County would be a wonderful place to share Stampin' Up!

Get Well Wishes

Here's a simple card using "If the Halo Fits". I just love this little fairy! I made this for a friend who just got out of the hospital.

Stamps: "If the Halo Fits" & sentiment from "Year After Year"

Supplies: Black Craft ink & Clear Embossing Powder, Vanilla, Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquois and Barely Banana card stocks

Other: French Dot Cuttlebug Folder, Flower Brads from HL

Getting ready for St. Patrick's Day

Here are two simple cards I made for St. Patrick's Day.


I've had this Stampendous stamp since Halloween. I had to have it when I saw it back in September then I blinked and did not even get a chance to use it. I came across it when I was doing some organizing and thought I could adapt it for St. Patrick's Day. I think this turned out pretty cute. I used the French Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background.



I made this card at a shoe box swap with some ladies in my sideline. This is the new Wild Wasabi striped ribbon.

One more Baby Shower Item...

I took about 150 pictures at the shower. I wanted to share them with Rhonda (mother to be), Kristi & Laura (other two hostesses). I downloaded all of the pictures to a CD, made copies for each of them and made a holder/sleeve. I had some of the paper from the invitations and a few more little airplanes already stamped and embossed so the project came together quickly. Here's what I came up with.

To make this you can start with a 8.5x11 sheet of card stock. (I used 12x12). Cut it down to 5 1/8 x 11. Score at 2.5 and 7.5 inches. Take the left over strip and cut it down to 7 1/8. Score at 1" on both ends and fold. Folded flaps are what adheres to the middle panel between the horizonal score lines and holds the CD in place. I used a coordinating striped piece instead of the same paper to add a little contrast. I printed the wording on the computer (same font & colors as invite & other stuff). Lastly, I added a second strip of paper to the flap (for decoration), adhered the airplane mounted on the scallop circle and finished it off with a piece of light pink stitched grosgrain ribbon tied in a simple knot.

Snow Day

We woke up to several inches of snow this moring. Can you believe snow in March? We've had snow as late as March 14 back in 89 when I was in college but it's been a long time. Micaela and I bundled up and went outside to play first thing this morning. We built a single snowman but he looked loney, so we built a family. I am pretty proud of our snow family... (I didn't grow up around snow, so I don't have snowman building experience). We used a Bundt pan cake dome and various bowls to make the bodies. We used raisins for eyes (didn't have any coal), a traditional carrot for the noses and apple wedges for the mouths. That's Daddy's Mercedes cap on the Daddy snowman, Micaela's bow and sunglasses on the baby snowman and my hat and scarf from the 80's (I knew I was keeping it for a reason) on the Mommy snowman. The girls needed a little bling so we added some beads from Micaela's dress up trunk. It was a fun morning.

Baby Shower Highlights

Yesterday was Rhonda's Baby Shower. Everything was lovely. Rhonda received two SUV loads of gifts from friends and family, she's all set for the baby's arrival. Here's a little slide show....

Tin Baby Shower Favor

I made two different favors for the guests of the shower because I figured some would want to "save" the airplane. (See post below)
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These are metal tins by Wilton.



I made another 30 of these and they were a breeze (compared to the airplanes). I used patterned paper and the 1 3/8, 1 1/2 and Scallop Circle Punch by Stampin' Up! I filled the tins with pastel colored M&M's. Everyone seemed to really enjoy them!

Airplane Baby Shower Favors

As mentioned before, the "Daddy to be" is a pilot with a major airline. I used the little airplane from the Toy Box stamp set on the invitations. You can see the invitations on this post.
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I made these little airplane favors to match.
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Aren't these stinkin' cute!


Here they all are before take off! The airplanes were a HUGE HIT with everyone. I made 30-something of these little babies and let me tell you, these are very time consuming.

From what I understand, the original idea of using two Lifesavers, one roll of Smarties, a stick of gum and a rubberband to make these little airplanes came from Nichole Heady, it was featured in Paper Crafts magazine. (I am going to try to find out which issue for everyone's reference.)
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I took that idea and added patterned paper, the propeller and the "sign" on the tail of the plane.
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Here's a step by step how to:

• Before I could start the wings, I had to tape the foil wrapper down with some transparent tape because the foil was just too loose once the stick of gum was out of the package.
• After doing that, I was able to cover the sticks of gum with patterned paper.
• Before covering the smarties I taped down one end of the wrapper so I could later add the propeller.
• I covered the rolls of Smarties with trimmed down 2x4 shipping labels that I printed with the polka dot pattern on the computer because I did not have the right green/pattern in my patterned paper stash (hard to believe considering the size of the stash). Using adhesive labels saved me the step of adding adhesive myself.
• I used some rubberbands/hairbands to hold everything together. First, pierced holes in the cellophane of the Lifesavers, strung the rubberband through and then inserted the wings through the loops and added the Smarties roll between the Lifesavers.
• I made the propellers using SU Certainly Celery card stock and the small flowers from the retired Spring Flower Punch by Stampin' Up! Used the 1/16 punch to add brad and a glue dot to adhere it to the Smarties. See close up picture:

• The sign attached to the tail of the plane was made using White and Certainly Celery card stocks and the two Tag Punches by Stampin Up! The pink heart brad in the propeller and the pink heart eyelet in the sign were from my stash, luckily I had 30 of the same. I used the Crop A Dile to set the eyelets, it was super easy and allowed me to work quietly while the family slept since I did this after midnight when everyone was in bed. I printed the tag sentiment on the computer using the same software and colors as invitation. I used some 1/8 wide polka dot ribbon to attach the sign to the tail.

I found the idea originally on Nichole Heady's blog {Capture the Moment}. One of her readers "Barb Schram" made some little airplanes using Paper Trey's Limitless Labels stamp set for a contest. Barb received Honorable Mention but in my eyes the airplanes were the winners. You can see her airplanes by scrolling down to the second to the last picture.

Baby Keepsake Book

I made this small book for everyone to write their wishes for the baby. I made it to match the invitation. This was the first gift opened during the shower and it circulated amongst the guests while the Mother to be opened gifts.

This is a 5x5 blank spiral with chipboard covers. I used the American Crafts designer paper called Pat A Cake and Modge Podge to adhere the paper to the cover. I composed the sentiment on the computer and tied on every pastel ribbon I had to the spiral. See more details about the airplane in the post about the invitation that matches here.

Sympathy Card

One of my dear friends lost her brother last week. This is the card I made.

My friends favorite color is purple, so I started with a Lovely Lilac base. I didn't have any 'sympathy' sentiments so I picked up the "Our caring thoughts..." by Hero Arts at a JoAnn's. I stamped the sentiment in Lovely Lilac craft ink and embossed with clear powder. I used the Stylized Flowers Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background and then my sponge daubers and Almost Amethyst and Certainly Celery ink to enhance the dry embossing. I finished the card with a simple ribbon knot. Making sympathy cards makes me sad.

Tea anyone?

A group of us from the local Mom's group took our daughters to a new tea shoppe in our downtown square. Alice's Tea Shoppe opened in November and it is absolutely wonderful.

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All of the girls got dressed up for the occassion. Here's a picture I took of Micaela with my phone, (the battery in my camera died).

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Alice's Tea Shoppe serves wonderful food, check out their menu and visit if you're in the area, tell Cindy-the owner I sent you.

Sweet of you card...

This is one of the cards we made at Stamp Club this month. I have new clubs forming next month, please email me if you are interested.

I did not have large brads that matched so I painted some yellow ones to match by smooching them into my Pink Passion craft pad, dipping in clear embossing powder and heating with my heat gun. I did two coats to get the color just right.

Paper: Gable Green, Pixie Pink and White card Stock

Stamps: So Many Scallops (Sale-A-Bration) and Polka Dot Background

Other: Certainly Celery Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Mat Pack, Piercer and Dimensionals.

A baby will be landing soon....

No, WE are not expecting. My friend Rhonda is....

Rhonda and her husband are expecting a baby in May. We are so excited for them! Rhonda joined the AMA club with me and a bunch of my other girlfriends. AMA stands for Advanced Maternal Age... that is what my OB told me I was because I was over 35 years old and expecting our first baby! I was the first one in our 'group' to be labeled AMA but since then, several other friends have joined me. We support each other through all the trials and tribulations of being 'older' mothers. For example, I know I am not alone when I take Micaela somewhere and I find I am the oldest mother in the bunch. I always know I am older but when some of the other Moms mention they graduated from high school in 2000 and waited to have children, I cringe because. I was well out of college and had been climbing the coporate ladder for nearly 10 years in 2000.

Anyway, Some college friends and I are hosting a baby shower and I am responsible for the invitiations. At first, (sonogram #1) they were told the baby was going to be a boy so I stocked up on a bunch of Ballet Blue card stock and started hunting around for the retired "Toy Box" stamp set. I knew I wanted to use the airplane from the set for the invitations because Rhonda's husband is a pilot for a major airline. (I don't have anything boyish- ya know). Well, at the second sonogram in January, they were told the baby 'might' be a girl. Whoa, we are elated but I had stop the presses.. didn't want to use Ballet Blue if she was having a girl!

Luckily, Rhonda was able to have a third sonogram in early February. She called on her way out of the doctors office and confirmed the baby was definitely a girl. I had everything planned out and was able to start cutting, scoring, stamping and printing immediately, the shower is on March 1st so I had to get the invitations out in the mail quickly.

I decided to keep the airplane in honor of the new Daddy. Instead of the Ballet Blue, Creamy Caramel and Vanilla color scheme I decided to go with Barely Banana, Regal Rose and Certainly Celery instead. I used a double sided 12x12 designer paper by American Crafts called "Pat-A-Cake", it is Barely Banana on one side and multi color pastel dots on the opposite side.

The invitation is a modified Cami Trifold. Here it is as you open it.

And here it is completely open.

The airplane on the cover was stamped in Certainly Celery Craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I used blender pens to color the airplane in Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery. The wheels were done in Creamy Caramel and the windshield in Barely Banana. I 'shaded' around the plain with my Aqua Pen and some Bashful Blue ink to simulate a cloud. I used the fine tip of the Regal Rose marker to dot a flight pattern.

I printed most of the text on the computer. It was very tricky to get everything to print right, I used some desktop publishing software to help me but it was still a challenge. I had to stand on my head and single feed each page into the printer twice to get it to print right. Don't you just hate tempermental printers? I think it was worth it because I have gotten some wonderful feedback from the guests.

I Cuttlebugged the back with the "Created for you with love" embossing folder from the To/From set. (I think I am hooked on that one little embossing folder.

I am planning on making coordinating favors and a few other things. Look for more matching items by March 1st, the day of the shower. Thanks for stopping by...

Paper: American Crafts "Pat-A-Cake", Whisper White, Certainly Celery and Regal Rose card stocks from SU

Stamps: Airplain from "Toy Box" stamp set

Other: SU Scalloped Circle Punch

Font: Crazy Girlz Blond BTN

My family is growing....

Please help me welcome Sarah Dedmon and Jennifer Meredith my Stampin' Up! family. Both ladies are planning to be hobby demonstrators, welcome aboard!

RAK for Micaela

Micaela got some mail last week, a little valentine from my friend Rhonda who is a former demo. Micaela was thrilled to get some mail, thanks Rhonda!

Card for a friend...

This is a card I made for a friend. I love Pink Passion, Gable Green and Black together. I made a similar card for swaps at convention last year. The flowers are from "Year After Year". I love the simplicity of this card... it's just layers, Basic Black ink, some ribbon, two markers and a single brad. I used the new French Dot Cuttlebug Embossing Folder for the background. I just love these dots, they remind me of Minky Dot fabric (which is something I have been looking at lately-- more on that in another post).
This card is heavy with five layers on the front plus the rhinestone brad and ribbon and two additional layers on the inside so it would probably take additional postage to mail it (I am sending it in a package so I will have the postal person weigh it and find out).

I love layers on the inside of cards, it was pretty necessary on this one because I also embossed on the back of the card. (otherwise the inside would be lumpy with the embossing on the flip side). The "created for you with love" sentiment is from the To/From Cuttlebug set. I love how it looks on the back of the card...

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Thanks for visiting and happy stamping....

MC2F