Stamping Retreat.

  On Oct. 11, 12, and 13th our stamp club had a retreat.  The lady who's turn it was to be hostess, has a cabin up in the woods, so we went there for the class. We did that last year and had a blast!  So I got several ornaments instructions together, plus some techniques and card ideas and we had our fun time away from family and distractions.  Of course, I forgot several items, but sometimes half the fun is getting to improvise and seeing what we can come up with, with only the supplies on hand.

On the way up to the cabin, we saw a herd of about 25 mountain goats.  It was pretty cool.  They were taking a lunch break by the side of the road.  On the other side of the road, there were some deer going across a farmers freshly plowed field.

 Melanie, our hostess, has a garage/barn with a loft above.  That is where we set up our stamping area.  As you can see, we have lots of room to be creative.  But you have to watch out for the sloping sides.  We all bumped our heads at least once!  Of course we all laughed!

Here we are in the cabin having dinner on Thursday night.  We all take a meal so our hostess doesn't feel too overwealmed.  Consequently, we all eat very well.  And we always have enough chocolate to fill in between meals!

 Deb is showing off her ornament she finished.  Everyone said it was worth the time it took to make it.

 Here we are busy working.  I thought I had gotten pictures of us doing the shaving cream technique, but guess not.

 Here Dyanne and Kathy are doing the bubbles technique.  They had us in stitches the whole time they were there.  The bubbles were fun but everyone loved the shaving cream technique. Deb and Olivia made 12 or more cards using it.  Of course, I missed getting a picture.  Melanie took some so I will get one from her later.

And when we finished our ornaments, we got to put them on a tree!

We had a lot of fun playing with our stamps and crafting cards.  And we are hoping to do it again next year!  Thanks again everyone for a fun time.  And especially thanks to Melanie for opening up her cabin to us so we could have this special time together!







I will post some pictures of our creations next time.
Have a good one!

                                                             Jeannie B

Christmas Cards

I finished 20 Christmas cards to send off.  Just did 3 different designs, but they will give them a good start to choose from.

     This card is pretty plain so as to show off the paper.  I used the Candlelight Christmas dsp, Gumball Green, and Whisper White cs.  The bird is from the For The Birds set. I used the Real Red marker to high-light his scarf, hat, and ornament.

     This card was inspired by one I saw on-line.  Unfortunately I forgot who it was, so if you happen on my blog, let me know if this is your card and I will give you the credit you deserve, because this is a really pretty card.
It uses the Ornament Keepsakes and More Merry Messages sets.  Real Red and Whisper White cs
And Candlelight Christmas dsp.  Real Red ink pad and Real Red 1/8" taffeta ribbon

    This is my own design.  I have a hard time coming up with card deisgns.  This uses the Christmas Lodge and More Merry Messages sets,  Candlelight Christmas dsp, Very Vanella, Lucky Limeaide, Chocolate Chip, and Primrose Petals cs.  I stamped the images with Early Expresso and Lucky Limeaide ink.  Don't know if you can see it, but I also used the Real Red marker to put 3 red dots at the end of the leaf sprays.  The Primrose Petals cs was punched out with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch and I used the corner rounder on Vanella cs.

I hope you are inspired to try a card or two yourself.  Christmas is so fun to design cards for.  You can use any color you want, all the bling you want, and embellisments you want and they still com out gorgeous!  And who wouldn't want to receive a hand-made card for Christmas?  Or any time of the year? 

 

That's it for now.  Hope you have a great day!

 

Jeannie B

 

 

 

Kid's cards

Sorry I am late posting these cards.  I have been busy with preparing for our stamping retreat.  Anyway, here are some more cards I got done for my friend's son to take with him when he deploys in about a week.

 I made these withthe retired Little Princess set.  I used Whisper White, Primrose Petals, Pretty in Pink, Patio Party DSP, Adorning Accents Edgelits.  I also water colored the princess with Pink Pirouette and Daffodil Delight markers

This was done with the Dinoroar Set.  So fun!  I used Summer Smooches dsp, Island Indigo, Real Red, and Whisper White cs.  I stamped the dinosaurs and colored them in with various markers.  Lucky  Limeaide, Cajun Craze, More mustard, Baja breeze, Crumb Cake. 

This used the Blast Off set.  I used Summer Smooches dsp, Real Red, Whisper White cs.  Midnight Muse, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake ink pads.  Real Red, Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Basic Grey markers

This was another basic card we made that I forgot to include last time.  Used Comfort Cafe dsp.  Very Vanilla, Midnight Muse cs
Blooming with Kindness, Pursuit of happiness and French Foliage sets with Midnight Muse and Soft Suede ink pads





     I hope you enjoy these cards and if you want to make any of these, you can order your supplies by clicking my order button and shop on-line anytime you want. 
    And you have 21 more days before the Treasure Hunt is over!  You could win $150 of StampinUp merchandise!!  So check out the Web Ring, find 50 clues and e-mail me back and you will be entered into the drawing for $150 worth of StampinUp stuff!!
     Have a good day!!

Jeannie B








Stamping for a Friend

Hello everyone!  How's it going?  I have been a bit busy lately with football games, doctor and dentist appointments and stamping.  I have a friend whose son will soon deploy to Afganistan and I have been reading about how other demonstrators have been making cards and sending them overseas to our servicemen and women for them to use to send to their families. I wanted to do something for them, too, plus this October 6th is World Cardmaking Day and I wanted to do something special for that also.  So I decided to have this week set aside to make cards for my friend's son for him to take with him and use plus share with his fellow servicemen.  I also opened it up to my friends if they wanted to help also.  So far only two takers on the help, but we got a few cards made.  I will be making some more tomorrow and Saturday.  And maybe Sunday.  My church is having it's semi-annual conference this weekend, so I will be listening to that while I stamp. Anyway, here are the cards we have done so far.

 We copied these from a swap I got at the Tacoma Regional.  I didn't find a name on the back, so don't know if it came off or they forgot to put one on it.  It is a very simple design, but pretty and versatile.  It uses the Poppies background stamp, and the Curly Cute set.  Incolors 2011-2013 Wisteria Wonder, Cameo Coral, and Pool Party, Whisper White cs, vellum cs, Early Espresso and Soft Suede ink and corresponding incolor ribbons.  Cute aren't they.

 These three and the next ones are patterned after a demonstration we watched at Regionals.  Of course I can't remember the ladys' name, but she had some beautiful cards that went together fast.  So I copied the basic design and went from there.  My friend who came on Tuesday designed these.  We had fun working out different styles and color combinations.

These we added embossing to them.  We used the Delicate Designs folder and the new Lacy Brocade folder found in the Holiday Catalog.

They don't want much bling on the cards as the shiny stuff could be tracked by the enemy and not much bulk as that costs money to send in the mail.  So we tried to keep them simple but nice.  And include Birthday, thinking of you and some simple sayings. 
Tomorrow I will work on kids cards and Christmas.

Don't forget to check out the Treasure Hunt going on now until October 31!  Find 50 clues, report back here and get entered into a drawing for $150 of StampinUp merchandise!   WOW!  You could get a Big Shot and folders and Bigz dies for that! 
Also, StampinUp is playing Santa this month and offering their new paper-piercing pack, Festive, (found on pg 30 of the Holiday Catalog) FREE when you order one of two different bundles.  Check it out!

 Check back in a couple days and I will have some more cards for you.  Until then, have a good one!

Jeannie B

Don't forget you can shop 24/7 in your P.J.s right here.

Tacoma Regionals

Boy, i thought that when the kids went back to school, I would have more time to stamp and post.  Hahaha! It seems like things have been busier than normal.  With 3 playing football ( 7th grade, 8th grade and high school) I am attending two or three games a week, plus getting dental and doctor visits out of the way, and trying to prepare for my new stamping classes and starting up a new business with my daughter, yeah, things are a bit busy.  Well, now that I am done whining, ( I know there are some of you out there that are thinking what's with her?  I do that all the time!!) I do have several cards to share!

 This is one of my swaps I did for Regionals.   I used the Harvest Blessings set.  I really wanted this set as my father-in-law had a tractor just like this one, and my husband rode on it so it has special memories for me.  I used crumb cake for the base, Comfort Cafe DSP for the background; the top banner is Cajin Craze with the saying stamped in Early Expresso and sponged around the piece with Early Expresso. The button is from the neutrals collection with linen  thread tied in it.  The bottom banner is the Early Expresso Coordination paper run through the Woodgrain folder in the Big Shot.  I stamped the tractor in Early expresso onto Vanilla Naturals paper  and then tore it out. I used dimensionals to adhere it to the paper.

 And we got a great surprise at Regionals!  Shellie Gardner was there!  So I got to have a picture with her!  She is so nice! And tall! Its not just the heels! Yea, I may be a bit short (5'2"), but she is taller than most women. Anyway, it was fun to meet her and talk with her for a bit.

Thought I would put in a few Halloween cards for you to check out.  There were a lot with the witches boot from the Bootiful set. They were all so cute! Both of these have the same colors, but the style is so different.  One uses the bigshot  web folder and some spritzing and the bottom one uses the Halloween Bingo Bits set and the Postage punch.  Can't remember where the web stamp is from and I don't have my book handy to look it up. Sorry.










This one uses the Toxic Treats set and the Howlstooth paper set that are in the Holiday catalog.  It also uses the Trim Big Shot die for the black ricrac.  I thought that was pretty cool. Been wondering how to use that more.

And of course, there were the Christmas cards.  Lots of pretty ones.  I really liked the one on the left as it used the cocoa cup from the holiday set I can't remember the name of right now. (It's in the Holiday catalog and comes as a bundle with framelits)  There is the cup, a gingerbread man, candy cane, and several more items.  Really cute. And I love the DSP and how they used the bakers twine and the punch. And the window framelits with the paper-piercing.



That's it for now.  If you want to make any of these great cards, you can order on-line at my website 24/7.
And don't forget to check out the Treasure Hunt!  You could win $150 of Free StampinUp! Merchandise!!
Have Fun and Hope you have a great day!

Jeannie B

Farmer Consumer Awareness Day

For the last 20 years we have had a Saturday set aside to help educate the consumer about Agriculture and where their food comes from and how it is grown and processed  and shipped to the market.  It has grown and includes different vendors who really don't have anything to do with agriculture, but have things that are interesting to the public.  This is where I come in as I had a booth there this year, (actually second year) and I mainly displayed things I did at Convention and some of my swap cards.  I gave away almost two boxes of catalogs (not any of the Spanish ones though, sad) and I made several items that I gave away with my business card on them.  One was a cute folder that had a Dumdum sucker in it with a heart punched out of DSP on the front and the modern label punch image punched and stamped with "Kindness Matters" from the set Kindness Matters. I got it at convention from Melanie Hendricksen - Virginia Beach, VA  It is very cute.  And the other one was a magnet calendar I made from the long skinny tag on the Bigz Two Tags Die.  Unfortunately, my camera is having issues and I can't download the pictures!! Grrr!  So I will have to show you some more pictures of cards from convention.  Which isn't a bad thing, but not what I had planned.

 This one is special because of the way it was cut.  You folded the cs and then ran it through the big shot with the labels collection framelits.  It uses the set, Summer Silhouettes.  CS looks like Midnight Muse, Marina Mist and Whisper White. DSP is the Polka Dot Parade. And the ribbon is Midnight Muse. Not sure who made it, I didn't get that information. Sorry.

I love white on white cards!!!  I did one before and just love the elegant look!  This was one of the cards up on the boards at convention.  There were about three rows of about 10 boards with 20 or more cards on them! Talk about overload!  You had to go down one side, taking pics of the ones you REALLY liked, then stop and do something else for awhile, then come back and go down another side.  It was too much to try to do it all in one round! Anyway, they just had the cards, no names or anything. 
CS is Whisper White(obviously!) Uses the square lattice, framed tulips, vintage wallpaper, and adorning accents embossing folders. 
Punches - Boho Blossoms
Stamp set - Pursuit of Happiness
Accessories - Pearls, Labels Collection framelits, pink and green markers (not sure what colors) Also a flower stamp I can't identify right now.

 And I had to add a Halloween card as people are leaning that way right now.  Well, it is next month!  This was so cute!  The headstones are punched with the oval punch, the big one, I think, and the creatures are done with the Owl punch!  So Cute!  And it's a Pop-Up!



Anyway, hope everyone has been checking out the Treasure Hunt we are having.  I have a listing of all the blogs you can check out for cool cards and ideas, and a list of the ones participating in the Treasure Hunt.  All you need are 50 clues and right now there are 54 participating blogs.  Should be easy...and fun!!  So give it a shot.  You could win $150 in StampinUp! Stuff!!!  Whoohoo!

       And there is special going on right now.  When you order $40 of StampinUp! merchandise, you get a FREE Spool of  the NEW In-Color Ribbon!!  They are SOO pretty! 

      That's all for now.  Here's hoping I can get my camera fixed soon! Until then, have fun with the Treasure Hunt!

Jeannie B

Happy Labor Day!

  Well, we have labored today for Labor Day.  We worked some outside and did some clean-up, mowed the lawn, had a BBQ and relaxed.  Beautiful day.  And I canned some pears.  I also finally got to go through my last order from the new holiday catalog and put out some of my goodies so as to play with them tomorrow.   Can't wait.  I have been very busy and also sick for the last several weeks.  School has started and I hope things will get better as to some free time to play with my stamps and Big Shot.  I do have a couple cards I want to share with you.

 It was really hard to pick just two cards I took pictures of at convention.  They were all so beautiful! And wonderful ideas!  This one was pretty and dainty.  Very much for a girl or wedding.  It uses some of our new items; the Labels Framelits, Adorning Accents Embossing Folders, and Designer Frames Folders.  It also uses the retired Eyelet Border punch. It uses the Bordering on Romance set and the card stock is Whisper White and Blushing Bride,which is also retired.

 This next card was so striking.  I love how they made the flower from the Blossom Petal Builder punch! And they put a flower on the inside also!  It is punched out from Whisper White cs, sponged along the edges with Daffodil Delight and put together with the center made up of pearls.

Gorgeous card!


 And there are so many more!  I need to go through them to get some ideas for workshops I want to do later.

  If you would like to order some of these products to make some gorgeous cards of your own, just click on the order button at the top to shop on-line  from the comfort of your home.

I hope your Labor Day was fun and you had a good time with the last fling of the summer!  Take care and have a good day!

Jeannie B