Swap Card May 2017

This was my swap card for our Team Meeting for May.  (I won!)  I found the idea for this card on Beth's Paper Cuts and modified it to make nine cards and have enough DSP for them all.  The paper on the front started out as 6 x 6 but I knew I needed to make nine cards and couldn't use a whole piece of paper and have enough for matching cards.

I cut the 6 x 6 into 6 x 3 and then took 3/8" inch off the top and the bottom so the sections would be more equal.

Recipe:

Basic Black - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"

Whisper White 5 1/4" x 4"

Color Therapy DSP Stack 6" x 3" (then cut 3/8" off the top and bottom to make even as possible)

Inside:  Whisper White - 7" x 5", scored at 3 3/4"

Strip of DSP 5" x 3/4" (times two)

Stamps:  Crafting Forever (available June 1st)

Make a template of what your dolls will look like.  I simply free handed one on the edge of a piece of cardstock so it would be easy to trace around after it was cut.  

To make the paper dolls inside, take a 6" x 4" piece of DSP and with the 6" side at the top, score every inch.  Then accordion fold on the lines.  Lay your template on the folded paper with the three folds to the left, trace around your template and then fussy cut the dolls out.

Pull them apart gently and they should look like the do in the picture above.  Place the center fold of the middle doll in the crease of your card (DO NOT ATTACH THERE) and then stretch the other two out just a tad.  Use a mini glue dot to glue down the hands, one at a time.  The center doll should be loose and floating in the middle.

Fold your card together to make sure they are all folded together.  Beth has a video on her blog and in the link at the top paragraph if you need to see what I'm saying.

Thank you for looking in today!  Have a Happy Hump Day!

~ Donna

Heartfelt Sympathy

Sadly two friends of mine had family members pass away this weekend.  Never an easy thing to deal with, even harder over a holiday weekend I think as every year at the holiday it will be foremost in their minds.

 

I made two similar cards.  Really, the only difference is where the sentiment is placed.  I love the bow, but now I'm worried about mailing that lump!  Oh well, it will be fine, just smooshed.

Recipe:
Night of Navy - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Floral Boutique DSP - 5 3/8" x 4 1/8"
Night of Navy - 3 1/8 x 2 5/8"
Whisper White - 3 1/4 x  2 3/4"

Stamp Set - Heartfelt Sympathy
Night of Navy Ink

Thank you for looking in today.  Tonight is our Team Meeting, so watch for my swap card in tomorrow's post!

~ Hugs, Donna

Throw Back to Memorial Day

Saturday was pretty busy working on my swaps for my Tuesday Team Meeting, so I didn't get a chance to make anything new to show you.

So, we're going to skip back to some previous Memorial Day cards.

These cuties were actually for a swap I did in 2015.  Click HERE to see the original post.

Or this one from just last year - May 2016.

Thank  you for looking in today.  

Remember to fly your flag this weekend to celebrate Memorial Day!

~ Donna

Quick Cards in Wood Crate

These were so fun and easy to put together.  You're going to love this set Wood Words and the Wood Crate Framelits Die Bundle.

The crate is so easy to put together and with the Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack which looks just like wood. 

These can be great little gifts with note cards and envelopes or you can fill them with goodies for party favors and treats.

Thank you for looking in today!  Have a wonderful safe Memorial Day Weekend!

~ Donna

It's My Birthday!!

It's My Birthday (May 25th) and YOU receive the gifts!

Any order of $58.00 (yes, I'm 58 today!) or more - before shipping and tax - placed today (May 25th), before midnight (May 26th), Arizona Time, will receive a gift from me for your order.

Simply use Hostess Code: MXQ3NHBK and remember to allow me to see your contact information so I can so I know where to to mail your surprise gift.

If you have an order over $150.00 before shipping and tax - don't use the Hostess Code, so YOU can receive the Hostess Benefits yourself.

SHOP HERE

Today's blog features some cute little 3" x 3" Thank You notes for my May Customers.  I just love this daisy stamp and matching punch.  So many beautiful things to be made.

Recipe:
Whisper White - 6" x 3", scored and folded at 3"
Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper - 3" x 3/4"
Daffodil Delight - Stamped Daisy with Daffodil Delight
Chocolate Chip - Daisy Center

Thank you for looking in today.

~ Donna

Sudsy Birthday

** Suzi update at the bottom of this post... **

I think this was one of the first stamp sets I used last year when the current (almost retired) catalog.  As a matter of fact, HERE it is from June 11, 2016.

So today, here's another one using this set as well as Stylized Birthday.  Both sets are carrying over so there will be more chances to use them even more.

Recipe:
Chocolate Chip - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
So Saffron - 5 1/4" x 4" - Embossed with Softly Falling
Chocolate Chip - 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"
So Saffron - 4 1/2" x 3 1/4"
Very Vanilla - 4 3/8" x 3 1/8"

I added Clear Wink of Stella to one and Gold Wink of Stella to the other.  I like the Clear best.  Probably why the Gold retired and isn't carrying over to the next year.  That's fine with me.

The beer mugs are stamped with Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla and then just the top of the mugs with the foam I stamped with Crushed Curry.  Then fussy cut them all out and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Thank you for looking in today.  

~ Donna

So, the vet called this morning and said that Suzi's numbers are still high, but that they haven't really changed at all, maybe went 1 higher on each.  He called just as I was walking out to lunch and I had people waiting on the street for me, so I did the best I could. 

Since her numbers didn't improve we know she still has the renal failure issue in her future, but for now, he's given us some pain meds for us to give her every 12 hours.  The plan is to hope she can get some relief from the sore mouth and at least feel like eating better.  She did seem to eat better and a bit more tonight, so I'm hopeful.

I've decided, that I've worried myself sick over this for the last three weeks, nearly four, and until she shows a sign of an issue, as in vomiting or hiding out all day, I'm going to just enjoy every day and be positive and enjoy our time. 

Keep those prayers going, we're going to need them.

May is Big On Birthdays

Today, before I begin, I want to ask for prayers for my sweet Suzi again.  I asked the Vet today to do her blood work a week earlier than planned to check her Kidney function.  They were very elevated 3 weeks ago and she's been going in 3 times a week for fluid under the skin.  Thing is, I think her problem is in her mouth with a couple of bad teeth.  She isn't vomiting or throwing up (as expected with the high BUN and Creatinine numbers.  However, she looks like she hurts when she does try to eat.  She wants to eat, she comes out "asking" for breakfast and snacks, but even when I liquify it to make it easier, she only eats a little.  Sometimes more than others, but not enough for me to be happy.  

I'm praying for good blood results and a way to make her mouth less painful so she can eat.  I love that little girl so much.  She just turned 11.

Thank you!

May is a very busy month around here and at our office.  May 14, 19, 20, 21, 24 and 25 are all office birthdays, with mine at the very end.  This card is for the gal who had a birthday on Saturday the 20th.  I should have given it to her Friday, but I didn't make it to work that day because of a plumbing issue in our main bathroom, so she received it on Monday.

Recipe:
Watermelon Wonder - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Succulent Garden DSP - 5 1/4" x 4"
Whisper White and Watermelon Wonder - actually just used some leftover paper and stamped the sentiment then trimmed around it.  Making the Watermelon Wonder 1/4" bigger all around.

I really like the Faceted Gems here on the bottom.  These are Silver, but there are also Gold ones and they are beautiful too.

Thank you for looking in today.  Have a Happy Day!

~ Donna

Bye Bye Grunge

I'm really going to miss Gorgeous Grunge... so I made another card for a birthday at the office.  This was a quick and easy card and since there are no flowers, it's a masculine card!  

Recipe:
Whisper White Thick Cardstock - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Dapper Denim - 5 1/4" x 4"
Whisper White - 5" x 3 3/4"

Stamps:
Gorgeous Grunge - Retiring
Big On Birthdays (142877)

Ink - Dapper Denim

I popped up the "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Thank you for looking in today.  It's another Monday!

~ Donna

Wild About Retirement

Time for another retirement card at the office this week.  Seems everyone is getting to that age and bailing out.  Oh how I wish I could so I could concentrate on playing with my stamps and inks!

For some reason, this simple card took three attempts to get where I was happy with it.  I started out with using all three stem styles and flowers and it just didn't look good at all, at least to me.

So I ended up making it simple and using one stem and one flower.  Perfect!

Recipe:
Whisper White - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Watermelon Wonder - 5 1/4" x 4"
Whisper White - 5 1/8" x 3 7/8"

Stamps:  Wild About Flowers
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz and Watermelon Wonder

Thank you for looking in today!  May you have a Blessed Sunday!

~ Donna

May 2017 - Paper Pumpkin

So this happened... on Friday, I received this month's Paper Pumpkin... perfect timing on the day, on the day hubby and I have committed ourselves to cutting back on carbs big time.  So what does the kit include...

Donuts!  Argh!  ha ha ha... they look so yummy.  I especially like the one with the chocolate swirling back and forth.

Each donut or card has it's own little "bag" envelope.  Tied up with some gold cord and a little seal to keep it fresh.

If you have ever tried Paper Pumpkin monthly kits, you know how much fun they are and the surprise each month doesn't disappoint.  

If you've never tried Paper Pumpkin, now is a perfect time to start.  

Stampin' Up is offering first-time subscribers an introductory 25% discount on June, July and August 2017 kits.

To get your discount, go to PaperPumpkin.com and enter promo code STARTHERE to subscribe.  You can select to stop at any time, or you can skip a month if you don't want a kit for one reason or another.  It's very simple.

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Thank you for looking in today!  Happy Saturday!

~ Donna

How We Roll

Earlier I was looking at a couple of videos of some really cool looking travel trailers and it got me thinking about Glamper Greetings and making a quick card using it.

I was so happy to see the Glamper Greetings stamp set carry over into the 2017-2018 Annual Catalog.  It is such a cute set and so many things to do with it.

Recipe:
Old Olive - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
So Saffron - 5 1/4" x 4"
Whisper White - 5 1/8" x 3 7/8"
Delightful Daisy DSP (available June 1, 2017) 3 7/8" x 2 1/2"
   The piece I used is from the same piece of paper, just showing the front and the back.
So Saffron - 4 1/8" x 3 1/8"
Whisper White - 4" x 3"

Inside I stamped the sun and some flowers from the same stamp set.  The flowers I colored  with my new 2017 - 2019 In Color Stampin' Write Markers.

Thank you for looking in today!  Happy Friday Eve... the weekend is almost here!

~ Donna

Sneak Peek - Wood Crate (with a freebie inside!)

Okay, so there's nothing free when you get the Wood Crate thinlits, but you can certainly put FREE THINGS inside.  In this case... free kittens!  Isn't this adorable?

I wish I could take credit for it, but this concept comes from Candy Ford.  When I was searching for ideas for using the wood crate, which by the way, actually makes a 3-D crate, I ran across her card where she just uses part of the crate.  The best part is the fabulous new 6" x 6" Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack.

There is even a little surprise inside using the side of the crate and one more kitten!

The hardest part was cutting out all the kitties from the Pretty Kitties stamp set, which is carrying over!  Yayyyy!  The sentiments also come from the same set.  I just love them!

To attach the sign, I used Linen Thread and an Embellishment from Urban Underground (retiring).

Good thing these aren't for real kitties, I already have a houseful and simply don't need any more - though knowing us, we will keep collecting them - even if just outside kitties that we feed and water.

Thanks for looking in today.  Happy Hump Day!

~ Donna