Grab Your Greetings at 25% OFF!

What a great way to start out the new Annual Catalog!  Stampin' Up! is offering three of my favorite sets at 25% off now through June 30th.

Sale Price	Retail Price	Description	Item
$17.96	$23.95	Sassy Salutations Wood-Mount Stamp Set	132070
$13.46	$17.95	Sassy Salutations Clear-Mount Stamp Set	126707
$14.96	$19.95	Sweet Essentials Wood-Mount Stamp Set	132085
$11.21	$14.95	Sweet Essentials Clear-Mount Stamp Set	126457
$21.71	$28.95	Petite Pairs Wood-Mount Stamp Set	128706
$15.71	$20.95	Petite Pairs Clear-Mount Stamp Set	122497

SASSY SALUTATIONS

 SWEET ESSENTIALS

 PETITE PAIRS

ONE Day - THREE Catalogs!

Today is a very rare day for Stampin' Up! customers.  For today only, beginning at Noon Mountain Time (Utah), you can begin shopping from the new 2013-2014 annual catalog and you can still shop from the Spring Catalog through the end of the day today, May 31st.  Additionally, you can still shop from the retiring 2012-2013 catalog until Monday, June 3rd.

Choices, Choices, Choices!!

    

I'm ready to shop in the new catalog!!  Can't wait for go time to be able shop.  Arizona time is actually an hour different from Utah due to daylight savings time (we don't observe it here) so I can start shopping at 11 a.m. - wooo hooo!!

There will be a link in the right hand margin taking you to the online version of the catalog at 11 a.m. Arizona time (Noon - Utah Time).

If you need a catalog and don't already have a Demonstrator to send you one, please let me know, I'd love to have you as my newest customer!

Happy Shopping!!

~ Donna

Say Goodbye to Morning Cup

This was originally posted in January 2012.  The idea came from my now upline Lorri Heiling.  I'm so glad to be part of her team now!  

This uses one of my very favorite sets, Morning Cup.  The best part of this card though is inside... a great little surprise.

Inside is a great little surprise of a "tissue box".  Isn't that just the cutest idea???

Tissue box is 2" x 4 1/4", scored at 1", 2", 3" and 4".

The tissue is 1/4 of a tissue and then separated the ply to make it thinner and easier to use.

 Recipe:
Stamp Sets:  Morning Cup (w-116988 / c-120489); Word Play (w-120308 / c-120651); Delightful Dozen (w-122650 / c-122652).
Cardstock:  Whisper White and Daffodil Delight.
Ink Pad and/or Stampin' Write:  Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip (marker).
Accessories:  Designer Frames; Calypso Coral 1/8" Organdy Ribbon (retired); Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Tissue, craft knife.

Be sure to get your retiring sets before it's too late!  

Thanks for looking in and thanks again to Lorri for being my inspiration long ago and for being my daily inspiration now!

~ Donna

Vellum Flowers

Yesterday I showed you how important the Embossing Buddy is to making beautiful embossing.  Today you'll see the cards I made from the flowers.

This is so easy to do and has a fabulous look to it.  Let them think you spent hours making this beautiful card! 

• Begin with our White Vellum Cardstock (101856) and using VersaMark (102283) and the Secret Garden Stamps (w-131940 / c-129144), stamp your image then emboss with white embossing powder (109132) and the Heat Tool.  The Vellum stays wet longer so you can actually do 3 or 4 flowers at a time and it will stay wet enough for you to put the powder on.  DON'T FORGET to use your EMBOSSING BUDDY (103083) FIRST!

• After your powder is set up and shiny, turn the Vellum over and using a sponge dauber (102892) color the back of the flower (the side without the embossing).  This too will take a while to dry so you can use your heat tool (129053) on that as well to get it dry faster.  Learn from my experience, be sure it's dry or you could end up with ink where you don't want it.  :)

• Once it's good and dry, take your flowers to the Big Shot (113439)and using the Secret Garden Framelits Dies (129372) cut your flowers out.  To help them stay in place how about checking out the new Magnetic Platform (130658 - available May 31st).  The strong magnets inside keep your Framelits and Edgelits right where you put them.  In the meantime, a nice post-it note holds them in place pretty well.

• Next, stamp your Whisper White (5 1/4" x 4") with your favorite sentiment and the leaves from the Secret Garden stamps.  Then run your paper through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder (117335).

• You'll find that the adhesive doesn't want to work well with the ink on the back of the Vellum, so you'll want to use a brad in the center.  Then you can either poke the brad through the white base or you can put a dimensional onto the opened brad and adhere it to the card for layering.

• Adhere the Whisper White to your card base.  I used Strawberry Slush cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4".

I hope you enjoyed this project.  Once you try it I think you'll enjoy trying other projects with it as well.  I love using the Vellum and how pretty it makes things look.

Happy Wednesday - Counting Down to Friday and the New Annual Catalog!

~ Donna

NEW CATTY coming out soon!!

Only a few days left and the NEW CATALOG is live and ready for your first order!!  (May 31st - beginning at NOON - mountain time.)

If you are a current customer, you should already have your catalog from me.  If you don't have it yet, please let me know so I can check on it for you.  If you've placed an order with me in the past 12 months, either directly with me or through my website, you should have received a catalog. 

If you haven't placed an order with me in the last 12 months, you can still get a FREE catalog, just order from my online store HERE before May 31st and I will send you a new 2013-14 catalog.  Remember, retiring items are only available until June 3rd and some are on a first come, first served basis. 

I would love to have you as my newest customer, however, if you already have a current demonstrator, please order through them so they continue to receive your business.

Orders from the NEW CATALOG can be made beginning May 31st.  Don't delay another day, contact me now so I can get one sent to you!

Happy Shopping!

Embossing Buddy - The Best Buddy Ever!

Did you know that the Embossing Buddy is your very best buddy ever when it's time to heat emboss with embossing powder?  I was skeptical at first, but after making a couple of really awful attempts without it, I've decided to never use my embossing powders and heat gun without my Embossing Buddy!

Here's a sample of how different a project can be with and without using our EB.  The flowers on the left were stamped with VersaMark, powdered and heated after using the Embossing Buddy.  The flowers on the right were just stamped, powdered and heated without the Embossing Buddy.  You can clearly see the extra powder that didn't shake or tap off before heating and ended up being a permanent part of the flowers.  

Luckily, I'll be using the Framelits that go to this set and they will eliminate the "overspray" (for lack of a better term!) in my final product.

Come back tomorrow to see the pretty cards that were made with the flowers from Secret Garden (w-129141 / c-129144) below.

Today's Recipe:
Embossing Buddy (103083)
Vellum Card Stock (101856)
VersaMark Pad (102283)
White Embossing Powder (109132)
Heat Tool (129053)

Thank you for checking in today. Only two more days (May 31st) and we can all begin ordering from the new catalog!  I can hardly wait to start whittling down my list.  Yayyy!

Happy Tuesday!

~ Donna

Big Bow Birthday

One more card for our group of May Birthdays's at the office.  Before you say anything, YES, I know the ribbon is retired, but I just couldn't help but use it, it was just too beautiful to pass up.

Did you notice the Double Embossing on this card?  Would you like to know how to do it too?  It's really very easy, just takes an extra couple of minutes and you're all set.

• To Double Emboss, you'll need some chipboard - you can usually find some behind your 12 x 12 DSP packs or paper sets.  Cut a piece big enough to emboss the Oval Shape from the Designer Frames Folders (123130).  Once it is embossed, cut it out with a sturdy pair of scissors.
• Emboss your entire piece of paper - in this card - the 5 1/4" x 4" Cherry Cobbler - embossed with soon to be retired Vintage Wallpaper Folder (120175).
• Prepare your Oval Shape by placing the chipboard with a very small piece of tape runner to the inside of the folder then place your already embossed paper inside - lining up the Oval where you want it to emboss. 
• DON'T make the usual Sizzix sandwich for running this through.  Instead, place the card and the folder onto the platform with all tabs closed.  Then place the other cutting pad over the top and run it through your Big Shot.  The shim keeps the folder from flattening out the previous embossing but yet allows the oval to emboss.
• Ta-da!  Isn't it beautiful??!!
• For this card, I stamped the image twice.  This image came from Best of Birthdays (132929).  Once in Basic Black and then again in Cherry Cobbler and fussy cut with my paper snips the "Birthday" to attach over the black.  You could pop it up with dimensionals if you prefer.
• Wrap a large ribbon around the Cherry Cobbler and tie a big fluffy bow.  
• Attach to Pretty in Pink card stock cut at 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4".

Beautiful!

Let me know if you try the Double Emboss Technique.  I think you'll find it fun and very easy to do.

Thank you for peeking in today.  I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day today.  Be sure to thank a Veteran if you see them.  Maybe buy them a cup of coffee if you see them in line.  It will make their day!

God Bless!

~ Donna

Say Goodbye to Word Play

Another set I hate to see go to the retired side, Word Play!  This set has SO many great stamps from "Remember When" to "Going in the Direction of Your Dreams" and everything in between!

Here are some quick and easy birthday cards I made using "wish BIG" from Word Play and Designer Series Paper "Parker's Patterns".  The top card, without the bling, is for one of the guys at work.  The others are good back up for whenever they are needed.  We always need birthday cards, right?

Stamps Well With Others Recipe:

Card Stock - Very Vanilla 8 1/2" 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" and 4 3/4" x 3"

DSP - Parker's Patterns (131021) *retiring May 31st

Ink - Midnight Muse, Pumpkin Pie (sponged onto flame)

Extras - Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), Dimensionals (104430), Bird Builder Punch - wing for flame (118074)

Thank you for looking in today.  Have a wonderful 3-day weekend.  Stay safe, don't drink and drive and don't let those you love drive while intoxicated.  

~ Donna

John Deere - Harvest Blessings

I've had this set since it first came out last summer and am finally getting to use it.  I bought it with a particular person in mind and his birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, so here it is!  This is so perfect for him since he has a farm he manages back east.  Of course, the tractor could be red, but to me a tractor just has to be a John Deere since that's what my Uncle always had in Indiana!

The best part is I get to watercolor this one and I love the look of the watercolor!

Stamps Well With Others Recipe:

• Start with Daffodil Delight card stock cut at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4"
• The next layer is Garden Green cut at 5 1/4" x 4"
• Cut your Water Color paper (122959) at 3 1/2" x 3" - stamp your image with StazOn Black
• The mat for the Water Color paper is Daffodil Delight at 3 3/4" x 3 1/4"
• Cut Whisper White at 3 1/2" x 1 1/4" and mat it with Daffodil Delight cut to 3 3/4" x 1 1/2"

• Stamp Sets Used:  Harvest Blessings (w-126450 / c-126452) and Perfectly Penned (w-122890 / c-122892)
• Ink:  StazOn Black (101406), Garden Green (126973)

Thank you for stopping in today.  Be sure to come back tomorrow.  May is a very busy birthday month so I've been busy working on several cards for our office birthday party for all our May birthdays.  There are four of us just in Administration, so we all just celebrate with one big potluck breakfast. It's always the best month - but I'm partial to it.  ;)

Happy Thursday!

~ Donna

Saying Goodbye to Button Buddies

This is such a cute set!  I hate to see it go.  This particular card will be in my stash of cards for the Operation Write Home project we're doing next week.  For the final card though, I actually changed the "sending a kiss" to Rose Red so it shows up a little better.  Because of the bulkiness, we won't be adding a button to the piggy's nose, which could make it harder for the Soldiers to mail home to their families.  Don't want the postal machines to damage them.

Stamps Well With Others Recipe:

Card Stock:  Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Stamps:  Button Buddies (w-122735 / c-122737), Petite Pairs (w-122495 / c-122497)
Ink:  Pretty in Pink, Rose Red
Ribbon:  Rose Red (retired Grosgrain)
Tools:  2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906), 2 3/8" Scallop Circle (118874)

Thank you for looking in today!  I wish you a Wonderful Wednesday!

~ Donna

BBQ Punch Art

** Before I begin with today's card, please take a minute to pray for all those affected by the Oklahoma tornado from yesterday.  I just can't imagine going through that much devastation.  Pray for those who have lost family members, especially those who lost children.  My heart breaks for them.  May God bless them and help them as they heal. **



I really LOVE Punch Art.  So many amazing women with great ideas on how to use the punch art we see online.

This is one I spotted a while ago but I don't remember where I first saw it.  I've seen several versions over the last couple of years.  I guessed at some of the sizing, but I think it came out pretty well.  So that you don't have to guess what to use, I've posted a picture with each punch and die used.

My Dad would have loved this.  He was the Grill Master around here.  

The only thing not shown on the picture below is the silver brad.  I meant to glue dot that on so it would be on the layout details.

This was very very simple to put together. Just follow the directions below.  Let me know if you make one for your special Grill Master!

• Begin with a piece of Whisper White and of Basic Black and run them through your Big Shot with the Top Note Bigz Die (113463).  Cut the Basic Black in half.
• Using your 1 3/4" Circle Punch (119850) punch out 1 circle from Basic Gray.  Cut it in half.
• Punch from Sahara Sand, 2 Word Windows (119857), also just the end of Modern Label (119849) and two of the smallest circles from the Owl Builder Punch (118074)
• Punch from Basic Black 1 Word Window (119857) and the two of the largest circles from the Owl Builder Punch (118074).
• Using the Bird Builder Punch (117191) punch out 2 wings from Daffodil Delight.  Sponge the edges with Pumpkin Pie.

Attach the pieces together as shown in the card above, stamp with your sentiment and attach it to the card stock of your choice.  I used Real Red.

Card Stock:  Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Sahara Sand

Ink:  Black StazOn

Stamp Set:  Delightful Dozen (w-122650 / c-122652)

Thanks for looking in today.  

More Operation Write Home Card Samples

Here are a couple more of the cards I prepped for Operation Write Home.  Linda came up with the design on these using the papers she has and this is using some of the papers I have.  We're both wanting to use up our Color Collection DSP's because the 2013-14 Annual Catalog has completely new designs!

• Start with an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of solid card stock cut at 5 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4".  This is the standard A2 size card we use for all our cards.
• The next layer is 5 1/4" x 4" from the Color Collection Designer Series Paper Stacks.
• Using the same color card stock as your base, cut two rectangles at 3 1/2" x 2 1/2".
• Layer on top of the card stock your chosen DSP colors cut at 3 1/4" x 2 1/4"
• Stamp your sentiment on Whisper White or Very Vanilla (whichever one goes with your DSP), punch with your desired punch.  For both of these cards I used the Large Oval (119855)
• Selecting another card stock color from your DSP pattern punch out a mat to go with your sentiment punch.  For the top card, I used the retiring Extra Large Tag (119866) and for the bottom I used the Scallop Oval (119856).

I hope these fast and easy cards inspire you to make up some cards to send to your favorite charity or servicemen and servicewomen.  Remember, if you use a darker card stock for the base, to put a lighter color inside for them to write on back to their families.  The 2nd card is probably okay as is, but I cut some Baja Breeze to go inside to make it easier.

Have a great week.  Another Monday is upon us.  Make it a good one!

Hugs,

Donna

Operation Write Home

Several of my stamping friends are getting together on May 29th to make cards for two great causes, Operation Write Home and the Mayo Clinic here in the Phoenix area.  One of the girls on our weSTAMP Team works at the Mayo Clinic in the Bone Marrow Transplant Department.  Some of their patients are with them for a long time during treatment, sometimes ending up celebrating birthdays while they are there.  The cards we make will give the nurses and caregivers some nice handmade cards to give to their patients to help make their time there a little more bearable.  On a side note - and I think this is really cool - my oldest son Billy also works at the Mayo Clinic (although he is currently on an assignment in California).  I had no idea when I joined weSTAMP in December, that I would be stamping with someone that also works at Mayo and then discover she knows my son!  It really is a small world, isn't it?

We will also be making cards for Operation Write Home which sends cards to soldiers serving all around the world.  My team made up a box full of cards last year for them, so we're looking forward to doing this again.  I spent a lot of time on Saturday making up some fast kits that will just need to be assembled on the 29th.  Linda has also been making up kits so we should have a decent amount of cards to do.

Here is one of the cards I'll be assembling.  I have 20 of these ready to go.  The sentiments can change, although I've already pre-stamped 20 Happy Birthday sentiments.

Stamps Well With Others Recipe:

• Card Stock:  Very Vanilla (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") and (5 1/4" x 4")
• Emboss the smaller Very Vanilla with the Stripes Embossing Folder (123128)
• Card Stock:  Island Indigo (3" x 2")
• DSP:  Retired (2 7/8" x 1 7/8")
• Card Stock:  Lucky Limeade (4" x 2 1/2") - Snip a flag end either with your square punch, or by finding the center and then snipping in from the corners to the center.
• Stamps:  Create a Cupcake (w-128520 / c-121982)
• Ink:  Island Indigo
• Tools:  Large Oval Punch (119855), Scallop Oval (119856)

If you'd like to make cards for Operation Write Home, check out their website here for all the details.  Even if you don't want to make large quantities of cards, they're always looking for Any Hero Cards where you can send a card to "Any  Hero" with a supportive message.  

Thank you for looking in today.  I hope you have a wonderful day!

~ Donna

Firemen Stamp for Mother's Day

I just had to post this when I saw it!  On the main Stampin' Up! page this was posted from yesterday.  I think it is just AWESOME.  Read on for the whole story!
Thanks for stopping in today.  Have a Great Saturday!
Donna K.
May 17Firemen Stamp for Mother’s Dayfrom STAMPIN' UP BLOG

FIREMEN STAMP FOR MOTHER’S DAY

I happen to be married to one of those hunky firemen. He even likes to stamp every now and then and around Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, his crew invites me to come to the station to stamp with all of them. They make a card for their spouse to celebrate the occasion. It’s something that we all look forward to doing twice a year. I’ve even been told that a few of the wives hang the cards on the fridge and it remains there to be admired until a replacement card is brought home—now that’s appreciation!!!

The Mother’s Day card we stamped this year was a big hit—both with the stamping firefighters and the wives and mothers. It was the perfect card to do on shift since they never know when they’ll get the next call. They all had their card stamped and put together within 10 minutes. 

One of the firefighters said, “Really—that’s all the time it takes to make one of these? My wife is gone for hours when she stamps with her girlfriends!” I tried to explain that when we stampers get together—more than just stamping is going on. We’re sharing ideas, tips, and suggestions and enjoying each other’s company—that takes longer than 10 minutes!

Did you do any fun projects for Mother’s Day? Tell us about them in the comments section below!

Donna G.
Curriculum Developer and Trainer

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie... Red Polka Dot Bikini

Ok, so this should probably be a yellow polka dot bikini, but I loved my yellow papers too much and I ran out of yellow dots!  So, with Memorial Day and swimming season upon us, I went with RED.  

Can you guess how the bikini top was made??  Think about our punches and then think... well, I'll tell you farther down.  Suspense is good, right?  

This was so fast and easy and I'm really happy how it turned out.  Thankfully this DSP is still in the upcoming catalog, so I'll be able to make some cute summer cards with the traditional Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini!

I started with a base of Real Red cut at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" and scored at 4 1/4", layered on top is a piece of Night of Navy cut at 5 1/4" x 4".  The next layer is Whisper White cut at 5" x 3 3/4" and then I used the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder on just part of the Whisper White.

The ribbon is actually Midnight Muse, but it works really well with Night of Navy and Real Red.

Oh yes, and the bikini top... did you figure it out?  It's part of the Elegant Butterfly Punch!

Here is the full recipe:

Card Stock:  Real Red, Midnight Muse, Whisper White
Ink:  Real Red
Stamp Set:  Really Good Greetings (w-130330 / c-130333) *
DSP:  Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper (126902)
Ribbon:  3/8" Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon (126847)
Punches:  1" Circle (119868), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309) - leg cut out for bikini bottom, Elegant Butterfly Punch (127526), 2" Scallop Circle (non-su) so use the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle instead (118874).  That was an oops!
Etc.:  Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder (117335)

* available beginning May 31st with the new Annual Catalog.  

If you would like a catalog and don't already have a Demonstrator, please email me and I will be happy to send one to you.

Thank you so much for looking in today.  I hope you saw something fun to try!

Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend.

Hugs,
Donna

Simply Sketched - Hostess Sneak Peek

Being a Demonstrator for Stampin' Up! is so much fun, especially when we can pre-order fun stuff early.  Simply Sketched is one of those special sets we were able to order early from the 2013-2014 Annual Catalog.  This set is special because it's a Hostess Only set, meaning you can only get it by being a Hostess.

I love to watercolor and this set is perfect for that or it can be stamped in one of our beautiful inks and look just as good!

Stamps Well With Others Recipe:

Stamps:  Simply Sketched (Hostess Set)
Ink:  StazOn Black, Strawberry Slush (131178), Pistachio Pudding (131177) and Baked Brown Sugar (131174)
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding
Watercolor Paper: (122959)
DSP:  Quatrefancy Specialty (130141)


I'd love to be your Stampin' Up! Consultant if you don't already have one.  You can order any of the listed items above from my website, or by emailing me (stampswellwithothers@gmail.com) directly for more information or help with ordering.  Better yet, sign up with me and you can have all this yourself at a discount and early!

Don't forget about checking out My Paper Pumpkin - If you signed up before the 10th of the month, your next shipment should be May 15th and should arrive shortly after that.  I received notice that mine shipped Tuesday, so I'm excited for it to arrive!

If you haven't signed up yet, I'd love it if you would sign up with me as your  Stampin' Up Demonstrator.  Please let me know if you do so I can send you a big thank you!

Thanks for looking in!

~ Donna

Technique Tuesday - Piercing Pattern

Have you ever checked out the blog at Stampin' Up?  There's always something great to learn from there from some very talented people.  Check out yesterday's Technique Tuesday below!

Thanks for looking in today.  I hope you have a great middle of the week!

Donna

TECHNIQUE TUESDAY – PIERCING PATTERN

Are you a fan of our paper-piercing tools? I know I am. I love that the templates are a quick and accurate way to add a bit of pattern and texture, and that they are designed to coordinate with so many of our punches and Framelits Dies.

The Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack has all of the basics. I used the template with the straight lines and the scallops to make my project, but I didn’t want just straight lines or scallops. I wanted the background of my card to be circles. 

I could have used the template with the circles on it, but that would have been tedious and a bit more difficult getting the same circle lined up over and over again. Instead, I used the biggest scallop to make my circles.

Here’s how I did it:

1. Draw a line down the center of your cardstock with a pencil, then line up the holes at the tips of the scallop along the line and pierce the scallop.

 2. Rotate your paper 180 degrees and line up the scallop on the template with the pierced scallop on your paper. Pierce the scallop to complete the circles.


 3. Line up the pierced holes with the template as shown above and pierce the scallop to start the next row of circles. Rotate your paper 180 degrees again and line up the template as shown in step 2. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you’ve filled the entire piece of cardstock with pierced circles.



4. Your cardstock should look like this when you’re done. Erase your pencil line and attach it to a card base; embellish your project as desired.

Have you created any other patterns with the piercing templates? Share a link to your projects. I’d love to see what you’ve been creating!

Melody H.
Concept Artist

The Tassel is Worth the Hassle

Well, it's graduation time so here comes my version for this years' graduates.  Simple but elegant and I really love how it turned out.  I've made 4 so far and have a couple more to put together for others.

Recipe:
Card Stock:  Brushed Silver (100712), Whisper White, Basic Black
Stamp Set:  Pure Gumption (w-126315 / c-126317)
Ink:  VersaMark (102283)
Tools:  Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Paper Snips (103579)
Etc:  Stampin' Emboss Powder - Silver (109131), Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

Thank you for looking in today.  Have a wonderful day!

~ Donna

A Very Busy Weekend - Worth Every Minute!

For those of you who follow regularly, my apologies for being MIA... here is what I was preparing for and then doing this weekend that kept me from making the time to post.

My BFF, Danita, from Willcox, Arizona (a three hour drive from Phoenix) wanted to have a Stampin' Up! workshop for her Scrapbooking ladies and of course I'm up for any excuse to go and see her, her daughter and her granddaughter.  Yayyy!  

Big Thanks to Brittney for going with me on the driving and helping the ladies with their projects.  I couldn't have done it without her help, especially when the library board wanted their room back earlier than what our reservation was for!  Most of ladies have never made a card, so it was fun to have real newbies to work with.

Here is what we made and some pictures of the crafters.  Thank you ladies for coming and having so much fun stamping and creating!

Hello Baby Recipe:

Stamps: Sweet Essentials (w-126455 / 126457)

Ink:  Raspberry Ripple

Card Stock:  Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

DSP:  Print Poetry Paper Stack (2012 Spring Mini)

Accessories:  Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folder (117335), Modern Label Punch (119849), 7/8" Scallop Punch

Etc.: Linen Thread (104199)

 Chalkboard Birthday - All details can be seen on my previous post here.

Here are the sweet ladies from Willcox, Arizona

Our Hostess Danita (in red), her daughter Crystal (sitting down) and her granddaughter Anna.  Standing is Brittney, helping Anna it looks like.

Here we are after the workshop doing a little catching up.  Never enough time together, but we enjoy the time we do have when we can.  You should see the string of pictures Crystal took trying to get one, but Danita was jabbering the whole time... LOL and we kept making faces as we talked.  On 2nd thought, you shouldn't see them - they weren't presentable!  hahaha!  I love that crazy girl!

Here's Anna taking pictures.  I have another one of her taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.  She's growing way too fast, seems like just yesterday she was just a little tiny bundle!

I hope you enjoyed your Mother's Day weekend.  I know I did!  Time with my Besties on Saturday and Sunday Brunch with my youngest son.

Have a great week!

Donna