Just Because

Hello Everyone!

Happy President's Day.  The weather here in Colorado Springs is bright and sunny, but we have a very strong, chilly wind going today.  I am not complaining.  As long as the sun is shining, I am happy.  Did you know that Colorado Springs gets 360 days of sunshine a year?  That is one of the many awesome things I love about living here.

I know, it has been a few weeks since my last post.  Things have been busy, busy, busy around here.  But I have a few minutes today since I have this President's Day off from work and I thought I'd share something that I made awhile ago.  I haven't had much time to stamp lately.  But I will be spending this evening in my stamp room.  I need to get ready for a stamp class I am doing after school tomorrow.  I'll make sure to take pictures of the project I am doing with the kids so I can post them here.

I think the Aviary stamp sets is one of my favorites.  I got it awhile ago and just recently started using it.  I also just love this dsp (Springtime Vintage) in the Occasions Mini.   I can't get enough of it.  I've already managed to work my way through one package of it, and I am started on my second.

If you have any questions about this card, please feel free to email me and I would be happy to answer them.

Until next time...
Happy Stamping!

Josie

P. S.  You know you can have this beautiful paper too.  Click on the Order Now link to the right or let me know if I can help you place your order.  Remember, it is Sale-A-Bration, which means you can get free stamp sets and paper with every $50.00 order.  :)

Another Valentine

Here's another of my Valentines.  This one is very easy to make.  I used the Love Impressions DSP in the Occasions Mini Catalog. (#121780- $11.95)  The hearts are punched using the Full Heart Extra-Large Punch (#119883-$16.95).  The oval is punched using the Scallop Oval Extra-Large Punch (#119856- $16.95).  And the scalloped edge was created using the Scallop Edge Border Punch (#119882-$15.95).  All of the punches can be found on pages 200-203 in the IBC. Card stock is Basic Gray(#121044-$6.95), Pink Pirouette (#111351-$6.95), and Real Red (#102482-$6.95). Ink is Basic Gray Classic Ink(#109120-$5.95).  Finally the stamp sets are XOXO (#121909-wood-$16.95 or #121973-clear-$12.95) and Teeny Tiny Wishes (#115370-$36.95).

A word about the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.   Yes, it is a little pricey but...it contains 24 separate sentiments that cover every holiday  & occasion you can think of.  I think everyone should have it.  I don't know how I ever stamped before I got it.  It has a stamp for retirement, weddings, Halloween, sympathy, new baby; you name it and it is in this stamp set.  If you want one, and I really think you should, click on the link in the right column and order one.  Or if you need help with your order, email me and I will give you a hand.

Hope you enjoyed your visit today.  Until next time...

Happy Stamping!

Josie

My Sweet Valentine

Oh my!  I just sat down to look at a few stamping blogs and realized I hadn't posted in a little while and I have all of these Valentine cards I want to share.  Thought I should get busy because Valentine's Day is only a few days away.

Here is one that I made for my Sweet Valentine.  I need to be extra good to him this year because he did such a wonderful job on my birthday (it was yesterday).  Not only did he give me a dozen red roses, but he also came home from work and made dinner as well.  He even had my favorite cake...chocolate!  He really is good to me.

I decided to use the Artistic Etchings (#118517- $18.95, wood, or #120537- $14.95, clear) stamp set because of the crown.  He is my king and he definitely deserves to be treated that way!  I also used the Notably Ornate (#117098-$23.95, wood or #120561-$17.95, clear) stamp set.  I got the black and red button from an old tin filled with buttons that my grandmother used to have.  Whenever she got rid of something, she always saved the buttons.

The paper is Love Letter DSP (#117162- $9.95) from Stampin' Up!'s current IBC.  I used black Staz-on (#101406-$7.95) to stamp the images in black.  I find that it gives a more vivid impression than regular basic black classic ink.  The red "Amour" is stamped in Riding Hood Red classic ink (#111836-$5.95).  All images were stamped on Very Vanilla card stock (#101650-$8.50).  And the ribbon is the 1 1/4" striped grosgrain in Basic Black (#115615-$9.95).  I used dimensionals to pop up the image and I also added a few Basic Rhinestones to the "Amour" image.  (#119246-$4.95)  I punched the word Amour with the small oval punch.

Hope you like what you see.  I love to hear your comments.  Until next time...

Happy Stamping!

Josie

P.S.  I've enterd this card in my first contest.  Wish me luck!  If you want to enter the contest too, go to the link below.  :)
http://handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com/2011/02/hss-ribbons-lace-theme-challenge-54.html

Love You Much Valentine

 Today I am posting photos of two items I will be making with some students this Tuesday evening after school. 

For the past few weeks I've been holding an after school stamping crafts club for the kids where I work.  The first week we made cloth flower hair pins with the Big Shot and Flower Folds die.  The girls (we had a few boys show up too!) loved them.  I had 22 girls show up for the class!  I think I cranked my Big Shot for at least an hour and a half!

The second week we met, we made washer necklaces for the girls to wear and stamped magnets for their lockers. (I'll post photos when I get a chance.) Again, we had approx. 22 attend, and again, we had a few boys show.  It was a lot of fun. 

Well, since Valentine's Day is almost  here, this Tuesday we will be making valentines!  The first photo is of 3 x 3 card that we will make using the Love You Much stamp set (#113756, $25.95).  The card stock we will be using is Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, and Real Red.  I used white craft ink to stamp the background image and basic black for the birds.  I also used the Scallop Edge Border Punch (#119882, $15.95), 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (#119854, $116.95), 1 1/4 Circle Punch (#119861, $15.95) and the Heart to Heart Punch (#119881, $16.95).

The second item we will be making is a little treat bag that contains those conversation hearts that I absolutely love to eat.  I think I ate a whole bag of them by myself this week.  :( 
This was really easy to make too!  I used the same colors of card stock and ink as for the card and some of the same punches, only this scalloped circle is from the 2 3/8" Scallop circle punch (#118874, $16.95), and the large pink heart was made using the Full Heart Punch (#119883, $16.95).  I used the Modern Label Punch (#119849, $16.95) for the sentiment.  The sentiment comes from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (#115370, $36.95).  Teeny Tiny Wishes is a definite MUST HAVE stamp set for everyone because it covers every occasion you can think of.  Oh, and I forgot to mention, I stamped the heart with Pink Pirouette ink using the heart from the Hostess Level 1 set Punch Potpourri that is in the IBC.

The measurements on the crumb cake card stock are 3 1/4" x 9 1/2".  With your 9 1/2" side of the card stock along the top of your Fiskars trimmer, score your card stock at 1", 4", and 4 1/2".  I used the small cello bags that are in the IBC (#103104, $3.95).  These little bags measure 3" by 5" and you get 50, count em' 50 for only $3.95!  Think of how many treat bags you can make for that!  Why...you can make... 50!  :)  The cello bag is held inside the card stock with one staple I placed in the top center. 

When I gave the kids at school a sneak peak of these little beauties, they squealed with delight, and I hope you do too. If you need help placing an order, just send me an email and I will be delighted to give you a hand.  Otherwise, just click on the link to the right under "Place and Order."

Until next time, I wish you nothing but...
Happy Stamping! (How could it be anything else?)

Josie

Stampin' Fool!

Well it is the second day off for cold weather this week and let me tell you...I have been a stampin' fool these last two days.  I have many new creations to show you and hopefully within the next few weeks I'll show you all of them.

I made this card using the Ice Cream Parlor dsp in the Sale-A-Brations catalog and the Big Bold Cupcakes die for the Big Shot (#114509 @ 21.95).  If you buy this die, you are almost halfway to getting one free item from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  Email me and I will help you place your order. 

I love the brightness of the colors in this card.  Perfect for a young child, don't you think?  Well, I hope you enjoy visiting today as much as I have enjoyed stamping.

Until next time...
Happy Stamping!

Josie

Miracle of Miracles!!!!

Miracle of Miracles...I have the day off!  It is downright frigid outside!  The high here in Colorado Springs is only going to be zero today.  When my hubby left for work this morning, it was -27 figuring in the wind chill.  My school district decided last night to close school for today. Too many kids walk to school, and the temps are dangerously cold.  Bare skin will freeze in a matter of seconds. Yippie!  Hooray!  WooooHoooo!  This is our first snow day this year.  While the rest of the country has been bombarded with feet of snow, we have been experiencing rather unusually high temperatures for this time of year.  On Friday, it was in the low 60's...spring-like for us!  We are paying for it today!  We still don't have a lot of snow, but extreme cold.     BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

On to my card for today.  This is another I've had done for awhile, just not enough time in the day to get it posted.  I've had this stamp set for a long time now, an this is the first time I've used it.  Shame  on me!  I used Early Espresso and Baja Breeze Ink and Crumb Cake card stock and Springtime Vintage DSP.  And of course pearls and the spritzer and ribbon.  Hope you like it.  It was super easy to make.  And I think I'm gonna have to use this stamp set a little more often.  It is on my list of favorites.  Sure wish I would have played with it sooner.

Once again, thanks for stopping by.

Happy Stamping!

Josie