Congratulations!

Here is a card that I gave to someone special who just graduated with a Master's Degree.



Stamp Set: Eight Great Greetings
Ink: Basic Gray
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Basic Black
Accessories: Scallops from Pennant Die, Texturz Background Plate for Big Shot, Scallop Punch, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" Circle Punches, White Organza Ribbon.

Mom's Birthday Card

The card above is from page 98 in the Stampin' Up! 2009-2010 Spring Summer Idea Book and Catalog. I wanted to make a spring card for my Mom's birthday, however, I wanted to use the butterfly die for the Big Shot instead of cutting butterflies out by hand. I don't know about all of you, but I can't seem to make good cuts and they always look sooooo bad.

The card below shows my version using different stamps and Sizzix butterfly die.

I used Almost Amethyst for the cardbase and then punched out flowers in Almost Amethyst with the Trio Flower punch. The next thing that I did before I adhered the flowers was stamp Happy Birthday from Stem Sayings in Versamark and embossed with Stampin' Up's! white embossing powder. I punched a scallop circle with the Tea Party Designer Series Paper and ran two pieces of Tea Party Designer Series Paper on the Butterfly die through the Big Shot. I used the two way glue to adhere some Dazzling Diamonds down each butterfly and adhered them with dimensionals.

Gotta love Sizzix Big Shot.

Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion

June orders get even MORE free!!!

Dates: June 1-30, 2009

Promotion Details:

The Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion has two parts:

• Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop (or place a personal order without having a workshop) will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
• Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop (or place a personal order without having a workshop) will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.

Note that you never have to have a workshop to get a bonus like this. Any order of $150+ is a "hostess" order whether you are placing it with me via email or online or whatever. No party required. Please note the minimum order to get more freebies for this particular promotion is $250+ as stated above.

Faux Silk Revisited

Yesterday, I posted a picture that I had my Mom and sister make on Mother's Day as part of Mom's Mother's Day afternoon.

I forgot to include a link to the Faux Silk technique that you can view here.


This card uses all Stampin' Up! supplies.

Stamp Set:
Sweet Stems, Oval All
Ink:
Basic Black, Pretty In Pink
Cardstock:
Basic Black, Pretty In Pink Stampin' Marker, Whishper White, Basic Gray
Accessories:
Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Small and Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch

Faux Silk

For Mother's Day, I gave my Mom an afternoon of stamping. She loves to come, make cards and learn new techniques. It was wonderful just spending the afternoon with her and doing something we BOTH love!

This technique is Faux Silk.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Stamp Set:
Good Friend (Occasions Mini)

Ink:
Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black
Cardstock:
Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Whisper White cardstock.
Accessories: Black Grosgrain Ribbon, 1/4" square punch, 1 3/8" square punch, tissue paper, Stampin' Up! gluestick

Flowerpot Embosslits

I love this technique that was shared on Splitcoast recently seen here.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Stamp Sets: Sincere Salutations, Your Absolutely Fantastic.
Cardstock: Really Rust, So Saffron, Rose Red, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla
Ink: Whisper White craft ink, Basic Black
Accessories: Very Vanilla 5/8: grosgrain ribbon, Cherry Blossom Embosslit, Keytag punch, Little leaves sizzlet, scallop punch

I sponged the Really Rust with Whisper White craft ink. I also was careful on the placement of the flowers, so that I could fit this into a standard size envelope.

Bee Day in Monroe

When our bees arrive, it is usually a BIG day here. Lots of buzzing around!! And, I mean by humans. It is very exciting on Bee Day because it means that spring is finally here for us.This is just one package of bees. I won't bore you with the details because mainly this is a card and scrapbook blog, however, you can be sure that I will be scrapbooking these pictures.
There are about 12,000 bees per package along with one queen. Ed and I got three packages this year.
The up close picture is of the queen and some attendants. She is marked for us so that we can replace her every two years or so. The colors are changed yearly so that you know how old the queen is.
The next picture is of a frame with honey on it. The frame after that is foundation. The bees draw out the comb for food and brood.
The two pictures after that are of me putting the bees in the hives. Honeybees are generally not defensive at this point because they do not have a hive to defend.
I can't wait to scrapbook these pictures. The colors are magnificient. The leaves and of course, the hives.

Decor Elements--Thinking Outside The Box!!!

In the spring, we patiently await our arrival of new honeybee shipments if our honeybees did not survive the winter. This year many beekeepers lost their hives. Mine just did not make it. There was plenty of honey in the hives to keep them alive. When I checked in March, however, the little buggers just died. I haven't been affected by the Collapsed Hive Syndrome that has plagued many of the commercial beekeepers. It just pains me to see their little dead bodies.

Anyway, I was thinking of doing something a little different with the hives. I wanted to be able to incorporate Stampin' Up's! Decor Element line with the hives. I thought that since we have a very high quality vinyl that it should hold up to the outside elements. Well, I have NOT been disappointed yet! The colors are magnificient and the Ginormous Flowers and the Spot On pieces are doing very well.

A Mother's Day Card To Share

I wanted to share with you the Mother's Day card that I sent to my Mom earlier this week. I wanted to wait and have her open the envelope first before I posted the card to my blog. My Mom is a quilter and, of course, I fell in love with this technique of making a quilt punching 1 1/4" squares with my punch with the Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper. I then used my Stampin' Up! glue stick and attached them in three rows across and five columns down onto plain white cardstock. I ran the layers through my Big Shot using the Top Note die. I layered the Top Note onto Pink Pirouette cardstock, then onto Kiwi Kiss, then the final layer was Rose Red.

Decor Elements

If you have ever been to our house, you will see Stampin' Up's! Decor Elements that I have put on our wall in the entryway. What I love about the Decor Elements is the fact that it is high quality vinyl and extremely easy to put up. And, they will come off if you ever want to change it out without leaving a residue on your walls.

I liked this image so much that I put the same one up in my Master Bathroom as well.

Tomorrow I will share with you another idea that I had while getting my hives ready for the new spring shipment.

May Featured Project

Hi Friend scrapbook page (8" x 8")
Stamps
None were used

Paper
Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin' Kit

Ink
Old Olive Stampin' Write marker

Accessories
Apricot Appeal 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
Button Bouquet
Stampin' Dimensionals

• 
  Instructions
  Adhere Certainly Celery textured card stock to Baja Breeze textured card stock. Adhere photo to Certainly Celery textured card stock. Adhere strip of Designer Series paper to side of photo.
  Adhere strip of So Saffron textured card stock below photo. Adhere strip of Designer Series paper above So Saffron textured card stock. Tie Apricot Appeal ribbon around page.
  Adhere "Hi" die cut to page. Adhere small flower above "i."
  Adhere "Friend" die cut to page using Stampin' Dimensionals.
  Adhere flower stem die cut to page using Stampin' Dimensionals. Adhere flower die cut to page; layer second flower die cut to first flower. Thread crochet thread through button and tie, then adhere button to flower center.
  Journal with Stampin' Write marker.

FREE Product, Discounts & NEW Stamps

You don't have to be a scrapbooker to enjoy Stampin' Up's May Scrapbooking Promotion. Stampin' Up! has not ONE but THREE promotions during the month of May to celebrate National Scrapbooking Month!crap

1. Buy three packs of Designer Series Paper -including Specialty Designer Series Paper--or textured 12 x 12 cardstockand receive one FREE (yes, you can mix and match)

2. Become a Demonstrator for only $75, with a limited-time only, scrapbooking starter kit. (details below and my SPECIAL to you)

3. Buy the new Jumble Alphabet Set - a sneak peak from the upcoming 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog - at 20% off!

To place your order by May 1st:

• Visit my online store, 24-7 and click "shop now" at the upper right ** IMPORTANT NOTE: When you place an order on-line, add your qualifying product (three packs of Designer Series paper and/or 12" x 12" textured card stock) to your cart. When you check out, you need to click a link in the Special Offers section that will bring up a pop-up window directing you to choose a free pack of paper.
• Email me with your order, and I'll get back to you with a total in less than 24 hours

To join my Stamp Scrap And More Group & use the Starter Kit Special:

• You can sign up online ANY time! Just use "markers" as the passcode. Email me with any questions! Oh, and did I mention my EXTRA special? If you sign up to be a demonstrator with me in May (this kit or the regular one) you will receive a FREE stamp set of your choice.

Here are the details on the Starter Kit Promotion:

In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month, join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator for only $75 with our limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit. The Scrapbooking Starter Kit contains the following:

Item Code	Description	Retail Value
113510	Schoolbook Serif Alphabet stamp set*	$42.95
113059	Simply Scrappin' Petal Party	$19.95
108697	Earth Elements Assorted textured card stock (12" x 12")	$11.95
105240	Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad	$7.50

*Substitutable for any stamp set up to $43.95 value.

Please note: Each of the products listed above may be substituted for like items. The Scrapbooking Starter Kit also contains all the business supplies contained in the standard Starter Kit.