HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Today was a day spent doing laundry. All the kids' camp clothes and other camp stuff was washed AND folded AND put away.....I'm bushed!!! Wow, that was quite a day's work! In between loads of laundry, I made a big batch of Sloppy Joes for our church's monthly potluck. On the first Sunday of each month, we have a potluck following the worship service. This is such a WONDERFUL time of fellowship!!! Nothing beats time spent with other believers!!

Well, due to my Mt. Everest size mound of laundry that I conquered today....I didn't get around to doing any stamping. I have spoiled myself by setting aside time to stamp each day and now when I don't stamp I really miss it. Oh well....tomorrow is another day.

This is a card that I made a few days ago....I have found it a challenge to stamp cards that are masculine. So here is a Father's Day card that I made....it is also CAS (Clean And Simple) card. You can barely see it, but I paper pierced around the "Happy Father's Day" image.....if you wanted to make this card even simpler you wouldn't have to pierce it at all.

















This is an example of the type of card that we will be making at my Clean & Simple Class being held on March 14 at 10:00 a.m.

Speaking of my Clean & Simple Class, we will be making a total of 8 cards.....2 each of 4 different designs. This class is FREE with an order of $25 or more of Stampin' Up! products (before tax & shipping). So, if you are interested in attending please just let me know so that I can have everything cut and ready for you to stamp!!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

P.S.: Be watching my blog.....am I going to be posting "Sneak Peeks" of the cards that we will be making at the CAS Class.
Stamps: All Holidays
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Paper: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Bigz die, Texturz plate, silver brads, 5/8" striped grosgrain kiwi kiss ribbon, heart to heart punch

KIDS ARE HOME FROM CAMP & REMINDERS

Andy & Madison arrived home from camp today!!!! YEAH!!! They were BUSHED!!! Both of them were exhausted....but they had a great time. So I spent the afternoon listening to stories, camp songs, and sorting DIRTY camp clothes!! I know what I'll be doing tomorrow :-)

Some reminders on current Stampin' Up! Promotions......

Sale-A-Bration ~ Receive a FREE stamp set, ribbon bundle or Designer Series Paper from the Sale-A-Bration catalog with EVERY $50 spent....order $100 and pick 2!!! Sale-A-Bration ends March 31.

Free Catalog ~ Want a FREE 2009 Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalog....just place an online order.....no minimum required. Want 2 catalogs....place 2 separate orders. This offer ends April 30 or until 22,000 catalogs are given away....whichever comes first!

15% Off Starter Kit PLUS a Free Stamp Set of Your Choice from the Catalog ~ If you sign up to be a demonstrator during Sale-A-Bration, you can get over $300 of merchandise for just $169, plus chose any stamp set from the current catalog for FREE. This is a FABULOUS deal!!! This great offer is only good until March 31. Just go to my website for more details.

If you have ever thought about buying something from Stampin' Up! NOW is the time....especially big items like the Big Shot. Because if you order JUST the Big Shot Starter Kit, you will not only get your Big Shot (which is unbelievably fabulous) and all the cool stuff that comes with the starter kit, but you will receive 3 Sale-A-Bration items, a Level 1 hostess item from the catalog, AND $15 in free catalog merchandise!!! Add just $5 to your Big Shot order and you get 4 Sale-A-Bration items and your $15 bumps up to $20 in free stuff!!! Place this order online through my website and you get a FREE catalog to boot!!! Now that is SWEET!!

Something to think about.....remember......it all ends when March does!!!

Please feel free to contact me if you have ANY questions about any of these promotions.

Find some time for stamping!!! (I know I need to!!)
Blessings, Cindy

If you have any questions regarding any of these

FUN AFTERNOON OF STAMPING

Today I have spent the better portion of the afternoon stamping and having a BLAST!!! I had thoughts of making something that I could submit to Stampin' Up!'s monthly challenge that they publish in their Stampin' Success magazine that comes out monthly to demonstrators (another GREAT reason to become a demo!!!). Well, I racked my brain trying to come up with something that might be at least in the running. So, when I was finished and thought "Ok, this is it....I'll make it again PERFECTLY and mail it off" I went to look up the address, etc. and realized that I would miss the deadline....since it would have to be there by tomorrow!! RATS!! Oh well, I did come up with a fairly cool card (the "rough draft") that I probably wouldn't have made otherwise.

I got the idea for the clouds a few days ago from another woman's blog....and I apologize....I have no idea what her name is or anything. I was looking at cards on Splitcoast, looked at somebody's blog and linked to her blog from their blog....do you follow? Anyway...I stole the cloud idea from somebody smarter than me! (If the woman who did the clouds comes across this post...PLEASE leave me a comment and let me know who you are!!! Thx!)

The clouds were made by punching out about 3 scalloped circles and laying the sheet of paper with the cut outs over my cardstock (like a stencil) and sponging the edges. The hills were made about the same way.... I cut a piece of paper and sponged around the cuts. The tree I stamped, cut out, and mounted with dimensionals. The tire is stamped directly on the background. This card wasn't really hard to make....just a bit time consuming....but I had the time so that is what made it FUN!








Stamps: Branch Out, All Holidays
Paper: Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Bashful blue, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black
Accessories: None really...except dimensionals, sponges

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

ENJOYING TIME WITH STEVE

With Andy & Madison away at camp this week it has allowed Steve and I a GREAT opportunity to just have some time together. We miss the kids and look forward to their return on Friday, but it has been so nice to just hang out with each other.

Since Steve doesn't quite appreciate stamping the way I do, I haven't stamped the last couple of days, opting instead to do things that we BOTH enjoy.

So, today I am posting a card that I made a few days ago. It uses the Inspired By Nature stamp set and the recently retired Bitty Basics Level 1 Hostess set. It also uses some Designer Series Paper (name unknown) from my grab bag. I love using the Horizontal Slot Punch to make the grass into cattails. I used Old Olive Ink and just stamped the grass twice, which is what made the lighter color of grass....SUPER EASY.













This is an example of a CAS (Clean And Simple) card. On March 14 I will be offering a Clean and Simple Stamp Class. So, for those of you that think stamping takes too much time or is too complicated....this class will be for YOU!! I am also offering this class for FREE to anyone placing an order of $25 or more (before tax & shipping) of current Stampin' Up! products. I will be posting more information about this class as the date gets closer.

Also, since I have had so much fun with the grab bag that I purchased at Gloria's, I have made some grab bags of my own!! I will be selling these at my monthly stamp club on March 9 and at my CAS class on March 14. I had fun putting these together....I think that whoever buys them will have fun seeing the what's in there!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

STAMP CLASS WITH KAREN

Yesterday I went to my friend Karen Angel's stamp class that she teaches and, of course, had a BLAST!!! Karen is such a wonderful stamper and a patient teacher. She has a blog, Karen's Angelic Impressions, that she recently started (click here to visit) so that she can let others enjoy her fabulous work. So, if you want some inspiration check in and see what she has been up to. (Hey Karen.....you need to post some of that GREAT work you do!!!)

Here are the two cards that we made in class.....Aren't they just "heavenly!!?? I am going to have to copy the "Live With Passion" card....I just LOVE that Inspired by Nature stamp set. Plus, I like how the top panel spotlights the grass, like a window.

A big THANK YOU to Karen for letting me go to her class and for a great time at lunch afterwards!!!























Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

EBAY, BRANCH OUT, CAS

Out with the old and in with the new!!

But, of course, that takes money. So, last night I put about 10 retired stamp sets on eBay. These are sets that I have used in the past but not recently.....my tastes in stamps has changed a bit. There are so many current sets that I LOVE and would rather have so I'm going to get rid of those that I don't use and get ones that are more in line with my stamping today. If you are interested in taking a look at what sets I'm selling just go to eBay, this will take you to one of the sets I'm selling and then click on "View Seller's Other Items" to the right.

Speaking of new stamp sets that I love....I recently bought "Branch Out". This is a set that is wonderfully versatile, fun, and easy to work with. As soon as I received it I had to use it!!! I quickly made the following card.

















This could also pass for a CAS (Clean and Simple) card. It was so SIMPLE!!!

Speaking of CAS cards.....remember that Splitcoast has posted this week's CAS03 Challenge. They post a new challenge each Monday. This week's challenge is a sketch challenge. Miss Boo, the facilitator, posted the sketch in MSWord, so you if you are interested in seeing what the challenge is click here. You can also see cards that have already been posted for this week's challenge. I will try and make my card tomorrow.

Stamps: Branch Out, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Accessories: None!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

BIG SHOT TO THE RESCUE!!!

Tomorrow my children, Andy & Madison, leave for 6th grade camp. So this afternoon, after church and lunch, we were getting them all packed up and noticed that the duffel bag that Madison was going to take had a small hole in it. So she suggested we iron on a patch instead of darning it with the sewing machine. So, instead of just ironing on a boring square patch, we got out the BIG SHOT and die cut some cute flowers using iron on patch material. How EASY is that!!! I LOVE my Big Shot....and am loving it more each time I use it!!!

Here is a picture of Madison and her now super cute duffel bag!!

















Find some time for stamping!!!! (or for using your Big shot!!)
Blessings, Cindy

UNFORGETABLE FRIEND

Yesterday I didn't get the opportunity to stamp due to the absolutely GORGEOUS weather we were having. I just couldn't stay indoors when it was so nice and sunny outside!! I am so ready for the spring and summer.

And speaking of spring and summer....this card is so "springy". The image, stamped on Whisper White cardstock, is from the Happy Heart Day stamp set (page 26 of the 2009 Spring-Summer Catalog). It has a Bashful Blue base, DSP paper from my now famous grab bag, and I think Rose Red liner....the red liner was also a piece from the grab bag so I'm not exactly sure of the color, but Rose Red would be my guess. I used my Aqua Painters to watercolor the image. I was really pleased with how the coloring turned out because I'm not very good at watercoloring.....I need to make more cards with this technique so that I can keep improving. Then for accents I stamped hearts from the retired Bitty Basics level 1 hostess set with my versamark pad, threw in a scalloped edged piece and tied a knot.....and kaboom!! Easy card done!!

Stamps: Happy Heart Day, Bitty Basics level 1 hostess set (retired)
Paper: Bashful Blue, DSP, Rose Red (?), Whisper white
Ink: Black StazOn, Versamark
Accessories: Scalloped edge punch, 1/4" bashful blue grosgrain ribbon, aqua painter, also used various ink pads for paint colors.

I would like to add a quick word about the Scalloped Edge Punch. I LOVE THIS PUNCH!!! This simple punch can add so much to your projects. It can make a card go from "good" to "great" very quickly. Anyway, if you're looking for a way to jazz up your work.....the scalloped edge punch is it!!!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

ONE BUTTON WILL DO

Well, I haven't yet gotten to making a Mojo Monday card.....but I did get to make my card for the Splitcoast CAS (Clean and Simple) Challenge. This Monday, the second challenge (CAS02) was posted entitled "One Button Will Do".....making a card using only 1 button. I don't use buttons very often, so I had to think about how to use even the 1. It's a different card than I'm use to making, but it's beginning to grow on me....I had some serious doubts when I first made it. I was afraid it looked too much like a funeral announcement.....Yikes!

I again used the stamp set "Say It With Scriptures" and "Organic Grace" a retired Level 1 hostess set from the 2008 Fall-Winter catalog. I started with a white base and just put a black piece on top and stamped it with white craft ink. I stamped the verse in white craft ink on black and lined it with a piece of white....then I just wrapped a ribbon around twice and tied a bow. I added the one button, sewed on with white crochet thread, so that it would fit the CAS02 challenge.....and Viola!!! This card only took a few minutes to make.

Stamps: Say It With Scriptures, Organic Grace (both sets are retired)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink: White craft
Accessories: White satin ribbon, white button, crochet thread

I'm loving these CAS cards!!!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

Elegant Thank You

Hope that your week is going well....the days seem to go by just too quickly!!!

I still want to stamp a card for the Mojo Monday challenge....I am going to work on making that tomorrow and will post whatever I make. If you want to take a look at the sketch for this week click on the Mojo Monday badge on the right side bar of my blog. Working from a sketch can just give a boost to your creativity.

Ok....Here is another card from last weekend.....it's been nice having something to post since I'm not a "chatty" poster. Also, it again is made with Old Olive paper and ink.....that is the best color for me right now. I'm going to have to force myself to use other colors :-)

I have been trying to keep my cards CAS (Clean and Simple)....and for the most part I really like how they turn out. Plus, they only take a few minutes to make. The Elegant Thank You stamp used on this card is one of my favorites!! It just makes whatever you stamp look elegant. It is one of the new stamps on Stampin' Up!'s under $10 page in the back of the new 2009 Spring-Summer Idea Book & Catalog (page 208)....if you haven't looked at that page you should!!! The stamps on that page are not only affordable but beautiful.

Stamps: Elegant Thank You
Ink: Old Olive (of course!)
Paper: Old Olive (again!), whisper white, retired DSP
Accessories: Rhinestone brad, Big Shot, Build a Flower Digz die, paper piercer

I am also submitting cards to the new Splitcoast challenge for CAS cards. A new challenge comes out every Monday....this week's challenge is "One Button Will Do"....you are to make a CAS card using only 1 button. This is just the second week of this new challenge, so it's just beginning. The CAS gallery is full of beautiful examples of VERY EASY cards that only take a few moments to make. So for those of you who think you don't have enough time to stamp.....CAS cards has now taken away your excuse!!!

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

THIS IS THE DAY

Here is another card that I made over the weekend. I had such a good time just sitting down and stamping "just for fun". The "Say It With Scripture" stamp set is from 10 years ago....Stampin' Up! has retired it, but I don't think I will EVER want to part with.....it's one of my favorites!!!

Again, except for the card's base, I used scraps from the grab bag that I purchased from Gloria....and my Big Shot added just the right kind of flower as an accent.

Stamps: Bitty Basics (retired), Say It With Scriptures (retired)
Ink: Lovely Lilac, Certainly Celery
Paper: Lovely Lilac, Certainly Celery, DSP that I don't know the name of
Accessories: Scalloped edge punch, 1/2" circle punch, Big Shot, Build a Flower Bigz die

Find some time for stamping!!!
Blessings, Cindy

CUTE CARDS USING SCRAPS

I have been having so much fun stamping this week and this weekend. I have just been trying to make LOTS of cards and to use as many of my scraps as I can. I am only going to post one card today....then I will have something to post during this week......just in case I don't get to do as much stamping as I would like.

This card's base is Old Olive cardstock....which I think is my favorite color. I don't even know the name of the Designer Series Paper(DSP) used or the color of the accent strips....they were pieces from a "Grab Bag" that I purchased at Gloria's scrapbooking class that I went to on Thursday. In fact, that is where I got the DSP scraps that I used in all the cards that I made this weekend.

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Bitty Basic Level 1 Hostess (retired)
Paper: Old Olive, DSP ???
Ink: Old Olive
Accessories: Scallop edge punch, 1/2" circle punch

Be sure to check out Splitcoast for stamping ideas....also check out my gallery....my user name is "scamfam". I have been trying to post cards there as well.

Find some time for stamping!!
Blessings, Cindy

Mojo Monday 72 - Challenge

Each week I check out the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge and each week I tell myself that I'm going to do it and each week, I don't....UNTIL NOW!!! It may be at the 11th hour, but I'm still in time to submit it for last week's challenge. Soooo, here is the Mojo Monday Week 72 Sketch:

And here is the card that I made to submit:

Once again, I started by looking at my scraps from old Stamp Club meetings, then I looked in my scrap bin for some interesting colors.

Stamps: Heartfelt Thanks, Best Yet Level 1 Hostess Set (retired)
Ink: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard
Paper: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, More Mustard DSP, Maine Mulberry DSP (retired)
Accessories: 1/4" grosgrain old olive ribbon, Flower Fusion, non SU button, scallop edge punch

Want a CHALLENGE?????......Tomorrow will start Mojo Monday Week 73......Visit Mojo Monday - The Blog and have some FUN!!!!

Find some time for stamping!!
Blessings, Cindy

USING LEFTOVER SUPPLIES

As I was cleaning up my stamping area I came across a baggie of supplies from a past stamp club and thought that I would go ahead and use them....I'm always looking for an excuse to stamp....so I made this card.

Stamps: Upsy Daisy
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point, Black
Accessories: Black gingham ribbon, non SU eyelet, slit punch

I'm going to be posting this card also on Splitcoaststampers. If you haven't visited Splitcoast lately, you need to! If you are ever in need of inspiration or want to see what others have done with a stamp set that you own....that's the place. I sometimes find myself spending so much time looking that I run out of time to actually stamp!! Seeing the creativity these stampers have is just amazing! It challenges me to be a better stamper.

Speaking of challenges....I've been actually trying to participate in some of the challenges that are available on Splitcoast. Each day they have some kind of "challenge" listed on the right sidebar of their website. They have helped me, especially when I want to stamp but don't know where to begin.

Find some time to stamp!!!
Blessings, Cindy

15% OFF STARTER KIT PROMOTION

If you have EVER thought about becoming a Demonstrator NOW is the perfect time! In fact, during this same promotion last year is when I became a demonstrator.

This promotion does not only offer 15% off the starter kit price (kit will only cost $169), but you also get to chose ANY stamp set from the current catalog for FREE (a $47.95 value). This is an AWESOME value!

Something to think about.....remember to check out my website for details on the other promotions going on right now.......

Sale-A-Bration and its benefits

Free Catalog Offer

Please feel free to contact me if you have ANY questions.