Stampin’ Up! Zoo Babies!

I was asked to make a card for a new baby named Leo.  Instantly, I thought of a lion and ….well, truth be told–instantly I thought of little baby booties.  But -when I discovered that I have somehow “misplaced” the left  bootie in my Baby’s First Framelits collection (arg!!!), I THEN immediately thought of a lion.   Zoo Babies is a great stamp set.  I believe the elephant is  by far the most popular stamp in the set.  I feel bad for the rhino and the Fruit Loop’s bird.  They don’t seem to be used much at all.

The lion –I discovered thanks to my friend Linda–has the added bonus of not just being cute but SORTA matching a punch!  I HATE fussy cutting.  This little guy cries out to have his head placed on a dimensional.  BUT I am NOT fussy cutting that little mane!  Linda showed me that the 7/8″ scallop punch pretty much does the job–and I was sold!  There is not a card I make where his little head does not pop up.

 

So here is the final card.  The colors were inspired (or stolen!) from the Sweet Li’l Things Designer Paper from Stampin’ Up!  Stampin’ Up! has done the work picking out colors that go together –Don’t overthink it.  Someone is getting paid to overthink it.  Just go with it!

Speaking of not overthinking, someone at Stampin’ Up! is in charge of making sure everything coordinates–paper, ink, Baker’s twine–You name it!  Which is why you can be confident that in the end your creation will look “put together”when you purchase your supplies from them/me!   So–if you are ready to get shopping, head on over here.

Don’t forget that Sale A Bration is alive and well!  You will get freebies when you order, host (no judgement  here on a ‘party of one’!), OR purchase the Ultimate Stamp Bundle! ($155 worth of products –of YOUR choice–for $99 AND no shipping!).  Just contact me here and I will help you out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Later, Gator!

Today is the day– it is the FIRST day of the 2015-2016 Stampin’ Up! Catalog!- AND It is the LAST day of the 2014-2015 Stampin’ Up! Catalog and the Occasions Catalog!  Time to say, “Later, Gator!” —but you still have a little more time!

Before I distract you and send you over to my website., let me tell you about this this card.  I used Zoo Babies (still available!).    You may not recognize this color yet.  This is our new Cucumber Crush  In Color.   I can honestly say, it was not my friend 2 weeks ago.  But I decided I needed to keep working on our relationship.  I tried paring it with different colors and I am glad I did!  I found a combo that I love –Pink Pirouette and Cucumber Crush ~~ So very Lily Pulitzer.

You can see the detail here.   I used a little heart punched from the  Confetti Heart Border Punch.  It makes a mess with hearts everywhere but what could be better??   Are you wondering about that background paper?   Cherry On Top DSP pack.  And let me tell you—this isn’t even the best side of that paper!!!

If there is anything you want from any of our three catalogs, and let’s be honest—OF course there is!–git on over to my website now.  You will want to order asap to get the best deals.  A few items are going up in price slightly tomorrow (namely cardstock and Big Shot Cutting Plates) so get those ordered before midnight.  Many retiring items are still available AND there are some great items on this week’s weekly deals!  (What is that ???  Weekly deals on top of all this?    YUP!!!

Ok, you have a lot of shopping to do so get going.  If you need a new catalog, please, please, please let me know!   I would be happy to help you out.   If you find that after all this shopping you want it all, this would be a great time to sign up to be on my demonstrator team.  Not only are they some of the greatest people I know, they also get a great discount on everything they buy from Stampin’ Up!  And if you sign up before the end of June, you will get yourself an extra TWO stamp sets of your choice (in addition to the $125 worth of goodies you select to be in your starter kit!).   Let me know if you have any questions after you check it out here.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by.

And now for something a little different….

Wow!  What a weekend!!!  This past Saturday was our Fall Frenzy and what a frenzy it was!   I will have more on that with photos coming later this week but I am late (shocking!) and need to scoot out so I will just show you a quick sample of something completely different:

I was messing around with brayering and embossing folders for this month’s clubs and these two embossed images ended up on top of my desk (they didn’t “make the cut” for the real cards I chose to do for the club project).   It was a serendipitous moment!  I rarely use Bermuda Bay.  I have nothing against it—I just rarely use it.   But I  loved it with the So Saffron.   And with these added textures, voila!  This baby card was born!!  (Get it???!   )

It seems rare these days that couples don’t know if their little fetus  is a boy or a girl.  I didn’t want to know.  If you follow my blog, you know I like surprises!   There is no bigger surprise than finding out if that child who will live with you for a minimum of the next 18 years will be male or female (I guess there is a bigger surprise–the fact that ANY child might live with you for 18 years–but once you get over THAT shock—-the next biggest surprise is if it will be a boy or girl!).   This color combo is a neutral one but you could switch it up if need be.

I am not a fussy cutter–I love framelits.  (Truth is, I love punches more but framelits come in a close second!).  Check out the detail here:

Save your little dimensional “bits”–they come in handy here!

Thanks for stopping by.   Let me know if you need any of the following supplies:

Stamp Sets:

Inks and Paper:  So Saffron, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White

Other:  Big Shot, Lucky Stars Embossing Folder, Large Polka Dots Embossing Folder , Bitty Banners, Bermuda Bay Baker’s Twine

Elephant Museum and Zoo Babies Card

I know I have been MIA for a bit.   Truth is, I was on a road trip to Knoxville, TN for the Destination Imagination Global Finals 2014!  My daughter’s team were the state champs for their challenge and level and earned this trip.  I am the team manager so I earned the right to drive the prop-filled van!  Actually, it was an amazing event and a very pleasant ride (until we hit Jersey—nothing  personal, Jersey!).   The highway we took nearly the whole way there and back, was lined with picturesque farms (At least it was picturesque to me—I think I want to live on a farm!).

On the way home, we passed this huge billboard in a cow pasture  in PENNSYLVANIA  advertising Mr. Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium– Free Admission.     I was thinking this is either  fantastic family fun or a horror film waiting to happen.   Being afraid it might be the latter, we passed on by.  BUT –when I got home, I checked it out (because and Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium is a hard thing to get out of your mind!) and it apparently is quite popular.  You can check it out here.

So that got me thinking about a card I made for my cousin before I left and forgot to post.  My cousin is a GRANDFATHER!!!!   I know, I can’t believe it either!!!   In any case, he has a granddaughter, Madelyn.   Here is the card I made for Grandpa Mike and Grandma Sue:

Here are a couple of close up  so you can see the detail”

The DSP is from Gingham Garden and is retiring in jut a couple of days.   You do need to use your Stamp A Ma Jig for the words–there is no getting around that one.   My advice:  Move your Melon Mambo and Smokey Slate ink pads FAR apart from each other so you don’t accidently stamp your stamp in the wrong color when you get on a roll….You KNOW you’ve done it!!

Good news for you!  Everything on this card is still available….for a few days anyhow.   Be sure to click on the items below to get more info or order.

Stamps:  A Dozen Thoughts, Zoo Babies

Paper and Ink:  Gingham Garden DSP, Smokey Slate, Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Other:  White Baker’s Twine, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Celebrating Baby with Clean Washi!

What a weekend!   Saturday I had my Power Of Positive Inking team meeting with the most talented group of creative women I know.  Plus they are so funny.   I will show you some of their works of art at some point.   Then Sunday, I got to meet with a few of those same women who are helping me to put on the Paper Crafting Party of the year next Saturday.   I so hope you can make it.  You can check out the details here.  And if  you are long distance or can’t make it that day, be in touch with me because we will also have kits for sale.

Here was some of the action going on yesterday:

Ok….I can’t show you the projects for this coming weekend or I would have to kill you (Actually, my team would kill ME!) but I do have something to share with you today.   I am lucky enough to know a number of people expecting or just having had babies.   Babies make the world so happy, don’t they?!   They smell so good (MOST of the time), they look so cute, and their laughs are contagious!  There is even a website devoted to this (check it out here)(I am partial to the slow motion laugh–be sure to click on that one!).  In any case, I have been playing around with baby cards lately.   Here is one that I am sending out this week:

I know some terrific crafters who really don’t like washi tape because it is “messy”.    Here is another way to use your washi tape so that it is “clean”.   I used it like you would use designer paper.

Here is the inside:

So if you need any supplies for YOUR baby cards, contact me and I will be happy to help you out.    Thanks for stopping by—really–I mean that!

Stamps:   Zoo Babies, Sassy Salutations

Ink and Paper:   Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Baked Brown Sugar, Tangerine Tango, So Saffron

Other:  Retro Fresh This and That Washi Tape,  2 1/2″ Circle Punch, 2 3/8″ Scallop Punch, SaleABration Banner Punch (FREE!…Contact me for details!)

Throw Yourself a “Me Party”

As you can tell by now, I am a little taken with the new Zoo Babies stamp set.   I used it  again for the Sunday Stamps Challenge.

I felt the Cheveron embossing folder mimicked the back of the alligator…or crockadile….never could tell the difference in those things!  I tried the Cheveron stamp first but it was too much.   I like how this turned out much better.   Someday I should show you the photos of things that DON”T work out….just so you never think you are alone!

The greeting comes from a FANTASTIC new hostess set called Express Yourself.  It has an easy to read, nice sized font and 12 greetings in the set.  (See it here.)   It is not difficult to be a hostess:  You can have your own class–happy to help you out—OR you can sit down with your favorite beverage and a catalog and have “Me Party” (Did you see the recent Muppet Movie??

I will not judge your “Me Party”…just send me your order. What happens at your Me Party, stays at your Me Party!

(Really–you should see the movie!!)

In any case….I am in love with the new Candy Dots….not only for their name but how much they add to the card….but are FLAT and EASY to mail!!!  You get 10 of each color for each color family for a total of 100 dots!!!  And they are stuck on the sheet so easy to find the color you are looking for!

Check them out here.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Zoo Babies, Express Yourself (Hostess)

Ink and Paper: In Color 13/15 Pattern Pack, Smokey Slate, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding

Other: Big Shot, Cheveron Embossing folder, Labels Collection Framelits, Neutral Candy Dots

Zoo Babies meets Tony Soprano

There are times where I need a starting point to create.  Nowadays, it is so easy to find a challenge site that will start your creative juices flowing.  Well, I found out too late that a photo is NOT worth a thousand words…..you actually have to read.   I saw this sketch at The Sweet Stop site:

and went with it!  I knew I wanted to play with the new Zoo Babies set and the “Tony Soprano” (RIP) DSP (That is what I call the Modern Medley paper) ( I feel like I have to explain:   The striped paper looks like a Mob Boss suit to me…and then there is the music sheet in there….pretty sure the music on  it is the theme from The Godfather….but then again, I can’t read music. Then there is the brocade looking paper—that looks like wall paper from the and old Italian grandmother house…..you get the picture!)

  Here is what I came up with….not straying from the sketch much at all:

 I was pretty happy with the results as it was the look I was going for….but when I went back to The Sweet Stop to post it, I realized that the “twist” on this sketch was “It is a girl thing”….And this —-well—–not so much.   But that is ok.    Do you have any sketch sites you like to visit?  If so, let me know—always looking for new challenges…..like raising teens is not enough!

Happy first day of summer!!

Stamp sets:  Zoo Babies, Teeny Tine Wishes, Lacy & Lovely

Other:  Tony Soprano (RIP)Modern Medley  DSP, Extra Large Oval Punch, Ticket Duo Punch, Candy Dots, Very Vanilla, Basic Black CS

Zoo Babies and other Wildlife Stories

Do you know what happens to baby robins when they leave the nest?    The LEAVE the nest!

No, “I am going now.  Thanks for the accommodations!”.

No, “I am going to try out these wings.  I will be back later!”

No, “You are not the boss of me!  I am out of here!”

They just LEAVE!

You know I love birds!  They make me happy—even the photo of the angry   Bluebird!

Well, we have these (nasty) holly bushes in the front of our house which are great for making nests, apparently.  We have had 2 robins (or one robin who build two nests) build nests in there over the past 2 years.  The bushes are really picky so it is difficult to get into—which is why you want to raise your family there.  Think of it as a “gated community” for birds.

Anyhow, a few weeks ago 3 robins hatched.  The nest was so far in the holly…and the bush so very picky that I couldn’t get a good look at their development BUT over the past week, I have watched them grow…..quickly… and a LOT!  I know that mother bird was thinking, “Listen—it is time for you to “spread your wings” and leave the nest—-Go get a job, for Pete’s sake!”…..and then it happened.  They left the nest—all 3 of them!  They were there yesterday morning and looking like they might want to try to fly….and chirping a lot about it…..but I had things to do and couldn’t watch them all day.  Well, when I checked in about noonish….they were gone!  AND I was not the only one surprised!  Momma came back with a mouth full of worms to share and she looked a little shocked that they left too!

But here is the strange thing, to me.   They never came back!  I don’t speak “Robin” so I don’t know if there was a big blow out when they left but I sort of expected they would come back….But they didn’t!

SOOOOOOO–the moral of the story is your kids will leave some day….and might not come back!  Enjoy them a little more today!   BUT—know if they don’t come back—YOU get to eat all the worms!!!

OK–on to today’s post:

I was heavily inspired by (and by that, I mean I totally copied) someone else’s card BUT—I don’t remember who.  Sorry!  In any case, this card uses the new In Color Designer Series Packs, Zoo Babies, and the Peekaboo Frames for the Big Shot.   Inside it says, “So happy to hear about your new monkey…..just know some day your monkey WILL leave…and maybe never come back!”

Kidding!!  (That would disturb a new parent, eh?!)

Ok–finally—I so hope you are planning on coming to my Catalog Kick Off , Buy One GEt One Free on Saturday.  I have been working on your make and takes as well as moving the 4 BINS of stamps (which doesn’t even include the accessories!) out to the garage for set up!  Tell me you can make it.  Check out the details here.

And remember–all current and NEW  club members who show up on Saturday get a special goody!

See you then!