Sooo excited!

Stampin Up has announced that there will be 7% off the prices printed in the new catalogue(not the starter kit though)! Prices printed in the Spring/Summer were already lower than the Fall/Winter but thanks to our strong dollar they have dropped them even more. Yippee!

Having viewed the new catty I can say - LOVE IT! I have also seen the Sell-a-bration sets - love them too!

Merry Christmas Everyone

PS : Hostess benefits will start at $200 (rather than $225) starting January 2!!

Jingle Jingle

I have been a busy stamper this last week - trying to get my Christmas cards done. I still have a few to go but below are some of the ones I have made.

Marie's Challenge #8

It only took me a week to make and post one card! Who knew a new baby could take up so much time ;-)

CS - Non SU! Red, Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Dashing Designer series
Ink - Black Stazon, Real. Markers - Certainly Celery, Real Red
Embellishments: Crystal Effects, Rhinestone Brad, Certainly Celery Ribbon

The scan showed up a bit blurry - I may try to rescan but time is running short at the moment so it will have to wait!

I'm a winner!

In two ways - first I won Marie's prize this last week for participating in her challenge and second I had my baby!

Here she is - cute as a button! Baby G was born Tuesday - and we are all doing really well!

I don't know if I'll get any cards done this week but I do need to finish her birth announcements - so if I get that done I'll post that this week.

Marie's Card Sketch #7

Ho Ho Ho! 58 Days till Christmas and Marie is getting us ready! First one follows all rules and the second one I dropped the holiday business but kept the very cool layout.

Since I haven't invested in chipboard yet I used some cardboard packaging - so the mitts are chipboard - with some micro beads for bling. I looked in my drawers for some fibers that would mimic fur but didn't have anything.

Captain Crafter is BACK!

I don't know what number this is - I think #26!

Details for the challenge are here.

Info about card -

CS: Certainly Celery, non -SU! paper in Red and White - although the red matches Real Red. The non SU! CS also is a linen paper aka texture!
Ink - Real Red, Black Stazon
Markers : Certainly Celery, Real Red
Stamps ; Circus Train, LOL accessories set, All Holidays
Other stuff - Build a Brad - finally off the back order list! Glitter and Crystal Effects - to make it sparkle.

Ready to Go

Still here , still pregnant ;-) Tomorrow night I have a card class so I have been spending all my spare time working on the cards for that - once it is over I'll post the last 2 cards.

I have also been trying to make baby announcements but so far have cut up a lot of paper and come up with nothing good! My office is in complete shambles as we haven't moved the office yet so there is a crib behind my desk now and piles of paper and supplies all over! I need a bit of mess to be creative but right now it is a little too much mess and kind of overwhelming! Hopefully I'll get another nesty afternoon this weekend and blitz through some of my supplies! Then get back here and post!

Works in progress

I have a card class coming up and am trying to come up with some cards that are easy to prep and make.

This is what I did today - I went through the catalogue and sketched some of the cards I liked. One is in the same colours, and the rest are similar in layout but different colours. None of them use the stamp sets in the catty.

Love this one

Like this one(scanned really dark - it is Kraft, Chocolate Chip, and Blue Bayou)

This one is not working for me...yet .

Marie's Challenge #6

This challenge has given me nightmares. I still hate what I made but figured I'd post anyway - maybe I'll win the blog candy and it will make this torture worth it ;-) I dragged out a bunch of non-SU! stuff as I am trying to decide what old products I want to keep and what I want to sell or turf.

I'm back...almost

I have not forgotten about this blog. I just have no creative juices it seems. I think this baby is sucking me dry of them! I have a few items to post - one being Marie's latest challenge - which has sent me into fits!

I have officially started my leave now so hopefully I'll get some cards made in the next few days. Please be patient with me and come back ;-)

In lieu of my own creativity I am posting my goodbye cake. One of the ladies I work(ed) with makes specialty cakes on the side. This is the purse cake she made as a surprise for me. Not only is it modeled after a favourite Louis Vuitton bag - it is chocolate cake and icing inside - yum!

Marie's Sketch #5

CS - Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Ink - purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Stamps - Snow Burst, Loads of Love
Others - microbeads, silver brad

Tag I'm it

Well it looks like I've been tagged by Captain Crafter. He has put forward ten questions for me to answer, so here goes nothing:

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) - Flannigan Civic

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) -Chocolate Oreo

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)- E-Enn

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) -Red Dog

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Jennifer Grand Forks

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)- Enner

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) - The blue coke

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)- William Edward

9. STRIPPER NAME : ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) - Lovely Twix

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Dorothy Edward - Not my mom's real middle name but I would be banished from the family if I put her middle name out there. Yes, it is that bad!

It arrived

I got my last order so fast! I placed the order on Monday night - and here it is Friday night and I come home from work and it is sitting on my door step! Inside is the new scallop punch! I am drooling while I look at it - but I am exhausted so it will have to wait until tomorrow to get taken out. My hubby has to work tomorrow - putting in a little overtime as his company fired a guy earlier in the week and now there is too much work and not enough time ;-) So I'll see if I can stamp with a two year old crawling onto my desk ;-)

Earlier this week I had another order come in - and I happened to be at the kitchen window and see the UPS truck arrive. I went to the front door and got there before he rang the door bell. I just didn't want him to put the box on the ground as at 33 weeks pregnant bending over isn't the easiest thing to do anymore. I think I freaked him out though - I have officially become one of the crazy Stampin Up ladies that stalks the UPS driver ;-) LOL!

Captain Crafter #25 - Plain Jane

I think the Captain is trying to kill us! This weeks challenge was to use no embellishments(blasphemy I know), and basic black or gray(which I don't have) as the accent and the of course the layout provided.

CS: Basic Black, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Old Olive
Stamp Sets : Circus Train, Everyday Flexible Phrases, LOL Accessories

Captain Crafter - Challenge #24

Loved this challenge. It had me stumped for a bit though - I need to buy some new stamps - hee hee. But instead I looked through my sets and decided that Little Pieces and Big Pieces rarely get used - but I really do like the sets. Artistic Avenger had a great post using these as well. Which renewed my love for these two sets. I also needed a Thank You card so I added a stamps from the Much Appreciated set.

CS: Groovy Guava, So Saffron, Old Olive, Soft Sky, Whisper White
Ink : So Saffron, Old Olive, Soft Sky, Black Staz On
Other stuff : Glitter, silver brad

Sick...again

One day soon I hope to be healthy again so I can make a new card ;-) My sinus infection is back with a vengeance hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon and I'll be back at it!

Marie's Challenge #4

I tried to use scraps hence why the cards aren't exactly to the sketch but you get the idea.

I made these cards for some friends of ours. They are in their 90's and now because of illness they are living apart so I made them each a card for their rooms.

Captain Crafter Challenge #23

Captain Crafter is back at it! I missed his challenges so I am glad he is feeling better.

CS : Lovely Lilac, Whisper White, Gable Green
Ink : Lovely Lilac, Gable Green
Stamps : Pick a Petal, Everyday Flexible Phrases
Other : Accents and Elements - Build a Flower, White Grosgrain Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds
*One of the Build a Flower pieces I pressed into the Gable Green ink pad - as it was white.

This week I have been trying to prepare for a swap I am in -it has to be fall or winter themed. I got a new stamp set I am trying to work with but so far I am creating nothing but disasters. I also got a nasty sinus infection and leaning over hurts like crazy so stamping has been minimal lately - and what I plan in my head isn't turning out well on paper. I am trying to create a Christmas card that I can swap and also use as our family card this year. I got the Snow Burst set from the Holiday Mini and want to mimic the feel of the wrapping paper. So far I've gotten craft ink all over the place and nothing to show for it! If you know of any where for me to seek inspiration leave me a comment.

Artistic Avenger Challenge

I had a few spare minutes today - and I was avoiding cleaning the office so I decided better late than never and did this challenge. I also have a fall/winter swap coming up so I thought I would try and get myself in the mood by doing a fall card.

Card Stock : I have no idea - it got all jumbled up so it is either sage shadow or mellow moss for the green, chocolate chip, and really rust
Ink : Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Versa Mark
Stamps : Season by Season, Garden Silhouettes
Other : Rounded tab punch( I don't have the ovals yet), pastels, Chocolate grosgrain ribbon

Sick Sick Sick

Nothing new to post I am afraid as I have been sick - and the hot weather has made my office too warm for this 30 week pregnant girl to work in! So instead of a card you get a pic of my boys from this years PNE.

Something New

A little shout out!

A big thanks to Allison over at Stampin' When I Can for mentioning this wee little blog of mine under her Newly Discovered Bloggers heading. She has a great blog - so much information - and lists where to find blog candy(aka free stuff and give aways!). You gotta know I am (married into) a Mennonite family - if I know where to look for free stuff - LOL!

The creative juices are back!

Okay - so I have reved up my card making engines again!

First Up - I tried last weeks sketch challenge over at Splitcoaststampers. I don't know why but I have never done these. Uploading it was another story - I can't get it to let me post a thing - Tonight I am feeling rather hormonal (being pregnant and all) and nearly threw the computer out the window in frustration. So perhaps tomorrow I'll investigate further in the mean time the 3 or 4 people who visit here will be the only ones viewing it ;-)

I picked the colours here as they were the first 3 I grabbed from my scrap drawer - I looked down and went "ohhhhh - I like!" Therefore the colour choice before you! I love it when that happens!


CS : Blue Bayou, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke
Ink : Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Black StazOn
Stamps : Unfrogettable, Canvas
Silver Brads, Certainly Celery Grosgrain ribbon

#2 Happy Birthday to my Father In Law, Also since I water coloured the truck it can count as Captain Crafter's Challenge #22.

CS: Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi
Ink : Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip
Stamp Sets : Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Canvas, Loads of Love
Silver Brad

Last but not least - a card for Baby Caleb. Who is such a miracle. We are so glad he is doing so well and now at home!

CS : Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Blue Bayou, Whisper White
Ink : Blue Bayou, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke
Stamps : Letter Press alphabet, Bundle of Joy
Dazzling Diamonds, Certainly Celery grosgrain.

I haven't gotten any stamping done this week yet - so I pulled this one out to share.It is also my header on my blog. I cased the colours(I had a different pink in the scrap pile so I used that) from Stamp Crazy- which is great blog! I could search through her demos for hours! And it is all organized by stamp sets! Anyway my hubby has ordered me off the computer and to bed (see my regular blog for more on that).



Stamps : Pick a Petal, Polka Dot & Paisley
CS : Only Orange, pink passion, whisper white
Ink : Only Orange, pink passion
Microbeads

Captain Crafter Challenge #21

I started this card with delusions of grandeur! Nothing went right. I really dislike the card actually hence the second one - that happens to be in Splitcoast colour challenge from this week.

First Attempt

Stamp Sets - Baroque Motifs, Carte Postale
CS - So saffron, always artichoke, perfect plum Chocolate chip, whisper white
Ink - Chocolate chip, always artichoke, versa mark
Chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, silver embossing power.

Second Attempt

Stamp Sets - a wheel - I can't remember the name(comes in the starter set - I'll have to look it up), pick a petal, three for you punch box,
CS - Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa
Ink - Versa Mark, Bashful Blue, Black Stazon
Silver Brads, Dazzling Diamonds (that is now all over my scanner!)

I can't seem to put my cards in the scanner straight - sorry - they are not crooked in real life. I am working like crazy this week so sadly no creativity to spare! I hope to relax this weekend and get some back!

Happy Monday

I got a rush of creativity last week. I think it was because I only worked one day and wanted to avoid cleaning something ;-) I continue to use scraps only - It seems like there is a never ending supply of theses. I have just about run out of pieces big enough to make standard cards, so I may make a few fronts just to display or postcards.

I am anxious to read all the blogs with convention stories - I am a wee bit jealous that I couldn't go! Maybe next year :-)

On to the card :

Stamps : Baroque Motifs, Canvas (can't see it here but it is on the chocolate chip piece) Heartfelt Thanks
CS : Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Craft, Purely Pomegranate
Ink : Sahara Sand, Purely Pomegranate, Chocolate Chip
Other : Dazzling Diamonds

Captain Crafter Challenge # 20

Loved this one - thought the circle would ruin my day but it was a joy to do! Still using scraps only(see post below for that info). My son and hubby had a nap this afternoon so I had 90 minutes of uninterrupted time!

Card Stock : Cameo Coral, Whisper white, pallete o prints in Almost amethyst and certainly celery
Ink - Certainly Celery
Stamps : Much Appreciated
Silver brads, coluzzle, slit punch(to make edges of certainly celery piece), word window punch, certainly celery grosgrain, corner punch

Marie's Sketch Challenge #1

Today I decided that I must start using some of my scraps - especially as my office will be moved to soon to make way for our next baby(16 weeks to go). Less space = less stuff. So my rule to self was I could not use any full size sheets - or cut off the roll for any ribbon. That was my challenge to myself - Marie's challenge was to use our favorite stamp set and the layout she sketched(see side for link to Marie's blog).

I have begun a love affair with Baroque Motifs - so I thought I'd use that one - then I forced myself to use Green Galore card stock - I think it is fairly well documented by now that I have a difficult time with most colours in the Bold Brights family ;-)


Card Stock - Green Galore, Soft Sky, River Rock, Whisper White
Ink - Soft Sky, River Rock, Green Galore(put on stamp with blender pen - so it isn't too bright)
White Grosgrain ribbon, silver brad, the scan didn't pick it up but there are microbeads and dazzling diamond glitter on there too!

The last few cards have scanned but details or colour seem to be wrong - note to self - have hubby work magic on scanner!

In memory

Our friend died on Friday in a car accident. This is the card I have made to send his family. It was rather hard to be creative when it is so sad.

CS : Craft, Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss
Stamps : Garden Silhouettes, A greeting for all reasons, itty bitty backgrounds
Ink : Close to Cocoa, Versamark
Silver Brads

Male Birthday

I was asked by my hubby's boss(Al) to make a card for a male birthday! Male cards always stump me esp. as I don't have a lot of sets that are masculine. I made a card for Al's birthday and he liked it so much that he wanted me to do a card for his friend - No pressure or anything ;-)

Stamps : Canvas, Letter press numbers, Unfrogettable
CC - Always artichoke, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Craft
Ink : Always artichoke, Chocolate Chip
Hodge Podge Hardware - aged copper

Captain Crafter Challenge #19

Decided to get my act together a bit more this week and post this as soon as it was done. I decided I wanted to use one of my new sets - so I cut it out while my son watched Cars. Next choosing colours - I have been having troubles using Groovy Guava. So I pulled out the new catty and pulled the colours from the Style Watch section at the beginning - v. cool by the way! The Tapestry page was my jumping off point.

Stamp Set : Baroque Motifs
CC : Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Whisper White
Ink : Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Fun Stuff : Chocolate chip grosgrain(discontinued width), aged copper hodge podge brad, blender pen(to ink images), Coluzzle

I mounted the flower bits with dimensionals between each layer so it has quite the 3-D effect going on - another case from the Whimsical Impressions Swap. The scan makes the colours look a bit off sadly.

Happy Birthday

Cased from the Whimsical Impressions shoe box swap from last week - which was soooo much fun.

Stamps - Zoofari, Unfrogettable (I turned the o into an a to make it happy rather than hoppy)
CC - Soft Sky, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink - Soft Sky, Black Stazon
Microbeads and a blender pen finish it up!

Captain Crafter Challenge #18

Due to the intense heat around here this week - spending time in the office was impossible. I managed to get this card done early in the week but couldn't face the computer in 42 degrees(aka 108 for the US crew) to post it!

I have to say that More Mustard is not a favourite of mine and it took some digging to even find a piece. The first attempt I was not happy with so I tried again. Still not loving these cards but they are growing on me. It also got me out of my comfort zone so extra points to Captain Crafter again this week.

I don't have the paper piercer - so didn't use that but otherwise I am all in!

The First Attempt
Stamp Set : Double Line Doodles
CC - Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink - Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Black Stazon
Accessories - Soft Subtles button, linen thread, silver brad, certainly celery ribbon
* Although you can't see it - the petals of the flower are alternating between Soft Sky and More Mustard(done using a blender pen)


The Second Attempt
Stamp Set : Unfrogettable, Canvas, Ittybitty backgrounds
CC - Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink - Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Black Stazon
Accessories - Silver brads, certainly celery ribbon, blender pen to colour in frog
*Again - you can't really see it but the soft sky is stamped with Ittybitty backgrounds

Captain Crafter Challenge #17

I came across a blog where they post challenges. The layout and some rules to follow are given. This week it was to create a card using stamps that picture living things but no flowers.

So picked my stamps sets(Carte Postale). I used the leaf stamp - but now that I have made the card I think it may be a flower. Oh well - I may try to work on this layout again and try a different set. I am also not 100% happy with the card so maybe a second try would work better.

I have to say the layout threw me. I am not good with circles. It took me an hour to do this card - there are many scraps thrown all over my office now(which my 2 year old is enjoying spreading throughout the house!) I also have been try to use colours that I don't normally work with. Why do I torture myself that way???? It was good though to challenge myself. I have used a few of Captain Crafter layouts recently, but just not the rules of the challenge.

Card Stock - So Saffron, Alway Artichoke, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink - So Saffron, Alway Artichoke, Perfect Plum

Soft Sky

I love this new colour. I thought I would morn the loss of Cool Caribbean forever but this takes the sting away. I used this year's punch box set and the designer series paper - which I LOVE!!!

Pick a Petal

I love this new set - I used chocolate chip and whisper white craft ink to stamp the images. The center sticker is not SU!

Bold Brights

I have to admit - I really dislike super bright colours. So as a challenge to myself I made myself make a card with them. I cased the layout from the demonstrator site and voila - bright bright bright!

The stamp set(Bud Basics) I used is another that was in a mini and has moved on to the main catty.

Grace-ful

One of my friends turns the big 3-0 next week. So we took her out to Restaurant 62 and lavished her with gifts!

This card is made with things from the new catalog. New papers and stamps(although the stamps were from a mini but are now in the main!) Although you can't tell the flower image had micro beads on it. I've never used them before but they are fun!!

Father's Day