A Kind Word

This is one of the new stamp sets from Stampin' Up!'s latest catalog. One of my all time favorites! I had a lot of fun making this card - it was for another swap with my fellow Swappers Anonymous group. I used my Big Shot to cut out the scalloped frame - and I layered So Saffron on top of Black. The new designer paper, Tea Party, was just perfect to use with this layout. And notice the button - this happened almost by accident. I needed something to go 'inside' the button and didn't have twine or anything on hand to use. And I wanted something black to go with the rest of the layout.  A black brad worked just perfectly! What a great combo - button and brad!

 

My Cupid Gifts

The person who was my Secret Cupidee (the one who received my Secret Cupid gifts) was Crissy!

I forgot to take pictures of two of my gifts, so I am 'lifting' these pictures from Crissy blog. I was pretty scattered by the time I got her gifts in the mail, 'cause I was trying to get them to the post office the day we had tornadoes touch down in Oklahoma City! One of the tornadoes touched down just a couple of miles from my home! It was a pretty intense day all the way around.

DAY 1



For my first day's gift, I made a brownie in a bag gift. I got the inspiration from Nichole Heady. She made a cupcake take along, and I modified it for a brownie mix. There were some of the new crocheted flowers from Stampin' Up! in the outside pocket. In the test tubes I put white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and caramel chips to add to the brownies. Crissy said they were yummy - I hope so!



Day 2

Crissy's favorite color is purple, so for the second day I made a milk carton holder with 4 littleboxes filled with treats. To make this project I bought this great tutorial from Becky Roberts. One box held some little fingernail polishes and a lip balm. In two of the boxes I put little treats - gummy hearts and strawberry kisses. In the last box I put a baggie with an assortment of new buttons and brads.


These milk boxes are great because you can open and close them from the bottom. Becky explains how to use a tab to keep them closed.



Day 3


My gift for the 3rd day came from Becky Roberts again. I really love her tutorials! I just got some of the new Tea Party paper from Stampin' Up! and thought it would be perfect for this box. I used textured Pink Pirouette cardstock, and up close and personal, it really adds a nice touch with this paper.


Inside the box I made compartments for a candle/holder, lotion, magnets and treats. It looks complicated, but once I understood the basic principle for making the sections it was really easy.

Gone for a few days

I am/will be MIA for a few days from my blog. Don't give up on me - I'm helping my daughter recover from surgery and minding her 22 month old and 5 month old babies. Playing Grandma is tiring, but oh so rewarding!

SA Secret Cupid

Our Swappers Anonymous group was at it again. This time we were Secret Cupids for each other - and just did 3 days of surprises. The 12 days just wore us out at Christmas time!

I apologize to my Secret Cupid that I didn't get these pictures up sooner. One of my many daughters had taken the camera to take pictures of herself and it took me awhile to find out 1) which daughter, and 2)where she had taken it. Ends up my camera had taken a field trip to the mall!!!!!

So, here is my Secret Cupids gift for Thursday:



Such a sweet box - I love the paper that she used, and how she used these cute birds for the lid of the box! Inside the box was a box of Ice Rhinestone Brads. I didn't have any of these brads until Thursday!!!! And because I was so excited about the brads, I didn't look closely at the box and had to be sent a message to look closer - - and the box opens up to make this great scrapbook kit.

I hope you take a minute to look at this up close. The details are just beautiful. I can't wait to add pictures.



Fridays gift was priceless! I know how much time it takes to do these projects and I really appreciate my Cupid for making these for me. (And now that I know who my Cupid is, it means so much more, 'cause she is one BUSY lady!)

My cupid covered a notebook and made a matching pen to go with it. Then she made a Birthday calendar book. Each page is made from designer paper and has a pocket to hold cards, and a list to put each month's birthday. Again, I do not have one of these, and am SO HAPPY to have one, now!

Now, I waited until after midnight to open the last gift. I really should have opened it in the morning, but I am leaving the house early and won't be back until late (I sing with the Sweet Adelines Chorus and am delivering Singing Valentines all day). I was NOT going to wait until evening to open up my last gift. Besides, I was dying to know who my secret cupid is!

I wish you could see this in person - it is simply exquisite! The top and bottom of this box are made with the Top Note Die, covered with beautiful, textured designer paper. The colors are so soft and beautiful together (using my FAVE chocolate chip!).



Inside the box are 4 bottles of the most beautiful, vibrant glitter I have ever seen. Again, a product that I don't have, but am certainly going to find a good use for!


Included in my day 3 gift was this card:
And inside the card was a note telling me that my Secret Cupid is ANGIE! What a sweetheart! Thank you, Angie! My gifts were most perfect and I am so glad that you were my secret cupid!

Tune in tomorrow and I'll show you what I made for my Secret Cupid gifts.

A Spring Card

My other favorite color, besides Brown, is White! I love the clean, crisp look of a white card.  I also love the challenge of taking a white background, adding color and watching the 'canvas' come to life.

I've seen the round tab punch used as a flower pot and loved the idea. This was the perfect card to try it out. It's fun to have new stuff to play with - new paper, new punches and new ribbon, which is the Certainly Celery twill from the SAB brochure.

And while Brown and White are my favorite colors, the 'pokey' thing (paper piercer) is my favorite tool. I need to branch out, I think, and find some new favorites.

Supplies used: white, Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery card stock, Sweet Stems stamp set, round tab punch, lace edge punch, paper piercer, Tea Party designer paper, Certainly Celery twill ribbon.

Sweet 3 X 3

One of the new sets that I bought on my first order from Stampin' Up!'s first catalog was A Kind Word. I love to watercolor - and this is a perfect set for that technique. This is a little 3 X 3 card, using Almost Amethyst card stock for the back ground, Black card stock and the new DSP, Tea Party. The black scallop was done by punching out several small black circles and layering them behind the oval.

New Stamps!

Friday and Saturday I was able to go to a stamp/scrap retreat. It was SO much fun! Something about stamping away for hours and hours - no distractions - no fixing dinner, running the kids, laundry or cleaning. It was pure heaven for me!

Here are a couple of things I made with a new Stampin' Up!  friendship wheel. I used this wheel over and over again and made some great projects. 

The little box is the cute Giardelli chocolate box that is the featured project on Splitcoaststampers. Directions are easy and can be found here.

(oh yeah, now we're back to brown again!)