Thanks Nicole!

Isn't this just the neatest card? I received this in the mail from Nicole (fargonicole) this past week ~ Thanks soo much for thinking of us this Christmas season Nicole -- all of your stampin' work is absolutely beau-T-ful!!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

TFL~

Christmas Joy

The card on the left is one I received a few years ago from Sista Mike (missmike) for Christmas. I have loved it since the day I received it!! I had it hanging on my inspiration board in my creative space the past few years and decided I was going to CASE it this year for our Christmas cards!! The card on the right is my case ~

I started with certainly celery as my base. I used CC ink and stamped the Flannel Plaid background. Then I used VersaMark to stamp the snowflakes and embossed them using the now retired Holigram Highlights EP. It really does give it a neat shimmer that does not show up too well in this picture!

Once that was done I started on the 'christmas joy' message. I just loved how Sista Mike did hers but I didnt have an ornament so that is why I decided to use the snowflake again for the 'o' in Joy. I stamped it in order ~ J - O - Y so I could get it spaced correctly. The J and Y are stamped in Real Red using the Big Deal Alpha. The snowflake is stamped in Certainly Celery ink. I then used some funky green glitter glue that Sista Mike recently sent to me! I dabbed that on the 6 tips of the snowflake. It really does add more shimmer to the card even tho you really can't see that in this picture either!! Then I stamped 'christmas' from Everyday Flexible Phrases using Basic Black ink next to the J.

Now it was time to add some ribbon and stuff!! lol I punched out a real red 1/2" circle and taped that to the front of my card. I then punched a 1/8" circle thru those two layers and added a eyelet to the middle. I then ran the silver elastic cord thru the hole and wrapped some assorted SU! ribbons with that and tied a knot. Whoola!

These were fun to make ~ thanks to Sista Mikes inspiration!!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: The Snowflake Spot, Flannel Plaid, Big Deal Alphabet, Everyday Flexible Phrases
Paper: Certainly Celery, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Certainly Celery, Basic Black, VersaMark
Accessories: HH Embossing Powder (retired 2007), eyelets, 1/8" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, assorted SU! ribbons, green glitter glue stuff (on the joy snowflake)

~Enjoy & TFL~

New Cattie 'messy desk pictures' SPOILER!!!

So I have been sitting here feeling boo-hoo'ish as my darling downline who does not live too terribly far from me has had her new cattie for two days now!! Noo...not me!!! Soo..I was looking around SCS tonight and came across some ladies who have posted pictures of their 'very messy desks' ...(ahem..clearing throat...kwim?)

So I thought I would just post some messy desk pictures from my SCS friends!!! lol

Last warning.... you dont want to see messy desks showing off some cool stuff -- please don't look at this post!!!

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Thanks Jen (cobrielle) and Loretta (lorettal) for sharing your messy desks with us!!!

Guess my stampin' space will just stay clean till' I get some good mail from Mr. Postman!! *wink wink*

Happy Heart Day 2008

I'm thinking Happy Heart Day already and here it tis' the 21st day of December!! Well ... the truth of the matter is I am getting my swap cards made up now to send off for the Spring/Summer catalog soon to be released! Here is a sneek peak at an upcoming stamp set folks! (and some ds paper too!!) teehee!

I have included two pictures here as one does not show the colors very well and the other one shows the image better -- I need to get my lighting figured out so it's just right!! *sigh*

So anywhoo I started with a Rose Red cardstock base as I used the new Bali Breeze DS paper and I wanted those two to match - the polka dot on the bottom is the Bali Breeze.

I sponged around the edges of the entire card front using Rose Red ink to give it a softer look.

I stamped Miss Mouse on Naturals Ivory with Basic Black in and then used my Aqua Painter to color in her heart with Regal Rose ink. THEN her flower is decked out with dazzling diamonds.

I used the ticket corner punch on all four corners of her and then layered that with Old Olive cardstock.

I used two layers of ribbon - Beachfront Ribbon Originals on the bottom and the double stitched purely pomegranate ribbon on the top. What a neat look!

I used the 'happy heart day' saying by stamping that on a separate piece of Naturals Ivory card stock, ticket punching just the two sides and adding that as a 'tab' on the side of the main image.

I used stampin' dimensionals to attach Miss Mouse to the top of the ribbons after using the butterfly image out of this same stamp set to stamp a little butterfly off to the upper left hand side of where the main image would be placed - just a little extra added touch.

As always, here is the recipe:

Stamp Set: Happy Heart Day
Card Stock: Rose Red, Old Olive, Naturals Ivory, Bali Breeze DS Paper
Stampin’ Pads: Rose Red, Basic Black, Regal Rose
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Dazzling Diamonds, Ticket Corner Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Double Stitched Purely Pomegranate Ribbon, Ribbon Originals – Beachfront
Inspiration from: SCS: mmyung1 (card sketch) & Lauraly (ribbon layering) ~ Thanks Ladies!!

~Enjoy & TFL~

Happy Mail!

What a cool card! We recently received this in the mail from my cousin Kelli who lives with her family in AZ. She has just gotten into stamping recently ~ I'd say she is off to an awesome start!!

This is a tri-fold card ~ meaning the 'happy holidays' opens up to another fold which is then open and you can read their holiday message.

This is just great ~ Thanks Kelli!!!

~Enjoy & TFL~

Recycled Vitamin Container

This box is my Metagenics Vitamin container - recycled and covered in DS paper and made up to gift! I just knew that I would have to do something with these containers when they were empty! There are two separate sides - one for an AM vitamin and the other side for a PM vitamin packet. So essentially I could do two different kinds of candy but for this one I just chose the same kind of candy for both sides.

This one is for a female deputy that I work with - she has a birthday this month and I thought it would be fun to use my new stuff . I have also made them with 'guy colors' and have gifted them and they have loved them as well!!

The list of ingredients is pretty short on this one!!
Stamp Sets: Celebrate Everything

DS Paper: Bali Breeze and Kraft cardstock

Accessories: VersaMark, Black embossing powder, Embossing Gun, Ribbon

Oh, and if you are not familiar with the Metagenics vitamins -- they are absolutely awesome!! The best of the best IMO!

So what containers do you have sitting around that you could recycle?? Have fun!!

~Enjoy & TFL~

Free! Free! Free Stamp Sets 4U!!

When you host a qualifying workshop between January 2-31, 2008 you'll get any set from the Spring-Summer Collection 2008 preview brochure FREE!

Contact me today for details on this exciting opportunity, and to request your preview brochure.

Aunt CJ's 2007 Christmas Cards

First off -- sorry that this picture is lousy -- the colors just didnt come out here very well ;o( It really is much prettier in person!!

My Aunt CJ asked me if I would make her Christmas cards for her this year -- of course I love to stamp so I took her up on the offer!!

They live by the river in NC so the wildlife was a perfect match!! I chose the deer from 'Noble Deer'. I stamped this with Chocolate Chip ink on Natural Ivory cardstock. I then ran the sides of this thru the Chocolate Chip pad and then mounted it to a piece of Kraft cardstock.

The base of the card is the retired confetti craft that we used to sell - I just love(d) this cardstock. As they say all good things must come to an end, huh?

I then stamped my fave background samp, Linen, with old olive ink and stamped that on the old olive cardstock.

The next layer I wanted to add 'warmest wishes' but my Mom has that retired stamp set in her collection so I improvised! I ran some Night of Navy cs thru my printer!! I had come up with a whole sheet of 'warmest wishes' in the different SU! fonts -- cool! I then just cut this down to use on the card! If any of you are interested in the word document just let me know and I'll email it to you!!

I wrapped the night of navy card stock with red grosgrain ribbon and tied it. The deer image is mounted with stampin' dimensionals just to give it a bit more overall dimension to the card. On this particular card I did add a little gold bell with gold cord but I didnt do this on all of the cards for Aunt CJ - when I took this one to the postoffice to see if it would 'pass' with one stamp it wouldnt as it was too "fat"!! bummer! So the rest of cards were 'bell-less'!

As always, here is the recipe:

Stamps: Noble Deer, Linen BG, All Holidays
Paper: Base is the retired Confetti Tan, Old Olive, Night of Navy, Natural Ivory
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Old Olive
Accessories: Red Ribbon, Gold Cord, Mini Bell, Stampin' Dimensionals

~Enjoy & TFL~

**Retired list Revealed**

The Stampin' UP! retired List is Here!

Stamp Sets: December 1, 2007 through January 1, 2008

Our first semiannual retired stamp set list is here just in time for the holidays! Contact me today to purchase your favorite retiring sets as a gift to yourself or someone else on your list today before they're gone forever....and ever!


Here is the official list!!


Here are the deets:
The retired list includes stamp sets that will retire as of January 1, 2008.
There is no limit to the number of retired stamps you can purchase.

Dormant List Details:
The Dormant List contains stamp sets that, while they have not been retired, will not be listed in the Spring/Summer Collection 2008. These sets are available for purchase from January 2, 2007 through June 30, 2008 and may or may not be listed again in future catalogs. Items from the Holiday Mini will not appear on the dormant list, but they are not retired.
Stamp sets and wheels from mini catalogs will not be included on the dormant list.

Please let me know if you have any questions!!

Happy Stampin'!

Welcome Baby!

Now, isn't this just the most adorable baby announcement you have seen? We received this in the mail introducing a new baby to the family!! My cousin Kyle and his wife Tamara, who live in AZ, have been blessed with a new little one to their family!

Tamara is new to the stamping world and I think her work rocks! The colors of this pocket card (sorry it turned out so dark!) include elegant eggplant and certainly celery.

They included the babys picture on the back of the insert - great idea!!

I just love anything done with pockets and tabs ~ perfect Tamara!!

~Enjoy & TFL~