Last Regional Swap

Happy Monday everyone.  Hope your weekend was great.  My grandson's team won their football game again, despite a rainy day.  We're all happy that the team is 3 wins, 0 losses so far.  The first two games he was the star player, so we are very proud grandparents.  Our granddaughter is a cheerleader and it is fun to watch her too.  However, both yesterday and last week her cheer team was cheering for the opposing team rather than for her brother's team.  She said it was ok because "inside I'm still wishing for my brother."  Ha ha, she knows where her priorities are.

So here is the last swap I did for the Regional Stampin'Up! meet in Baltimore.  This started out with Serene Silhouettes because the rule was to use a set from pages 70-79 in the catalog.  After that I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but each step built off the last and here is my final product. 

The cardstock colors are Island Indigo and Baja Breeze.  I am so sorry to see that we are losing Baja Breeze.  It is my go to color when I think something blue.  I'm not sure who picks the colors that will retire, but I wish they had left this one alone.  I sponged a little with Island Indigo and then used some Dazzling Details for the sparkle on the flowers -- or are they weeds -- whatever they are they needed to be "prettied up" a little.

I hope you like my card today.  Be sure to come back soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

More Baltimore Regional Swaps

Hi everyone.  What a gorgeous spring day we are having.  I hope where you are it is beautiful too.  I love the red buds, dogwood, tulips, azalea, and all the other gorgeous blooms all around me right now.  Even my rose bushes have good sized buds.

Today I have another of the swaps I did for the recent Regional Stampin'Up! meet in Baltimore.  I really love the Honeycomb embossing folder and have been using it a lot.   I don't know how I ended with these colors, because I certainly did not start with them.  They are Naturals Ivory base with Always Artichoke on that, topped with a diagonal half of Melon Mambo and half Naturals Ivory.  I stamped the leafy flower from Nature Walk (hate to see that one retire -- sigh!), and then embossed with the Honeycomb embossing folder.  I sponged some So Saffron on the Naturals Ivory to give it just a little more yellow so that the yellow butterflies didn't look so dark.  Then I finished it off with punching and sentiment from Pretty Petites in the Sale-a-bration booklet.  For the swap I discovered just in time that I was using a SAB stamp and since it was retired I quickly switched to Ciao, Baby from the Spring catalog for my swap.

Is there anyone else who was hoping and praying for a hexagon punch to go with the Honeycomb embossing folder?  I was so sure the new catalog was going to carry one.  In the past I have been fussy cutting to put on my cards, but was praying and begging (yes, I begged SU several times over the months), and was sure I would have my prayers answered.  Well, no such luck.  Ugh!  I am so bummed.  There is, however, a beautiful new stamp set with patterned hexagons and a punch to match that.  Alas, it is too big for the embossing folder.  Sigh again!

Our catalogs are on the way, and only a couple more weeks until it goes live -- May 31st.  So, let me know if you don't have your request in yet for a catalog.   See my little ole e-mail address up there in my profile?  That's how you can reach me.

Until next time......................

Crafty hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Always Artichoke

It's blog hop Wednesday already, and our coloring down the lines color duo for this week is Always Artichoke and River Rock.  A soft and subtle combination.  You should have arrived from Liz's blogsite.  She has another Wow card for us today, as always.

I am sorry my card is not as clear as it could be, but I got home quite late tonight and am taking the picture in the dark.  If possible, I may take it again tomorrow in the daylight.  I tried cutting something just a little different with this card.  I used one of the Apothecary Accent framelits and cut just the end of the Always Artichoke piece.  Then I cut a portion of the card front from the right edge so that the Always Artichoke piece extends out and becomes the opening.  I think you can see that I was trying to make my opening a bit different.  I hope you like what I did to this card.

Now hop over to Teri's blogsite, where she has another beautiful card for us.  Please come back every Wednesday for our hop, and I hope you will be inspired.   I would love, however, to have you come back more often than just on Wednesday, as I plan to blog more than once a week.  I have already prepared a couple posts and plan to get them up for you in the next couple days.

Until next time......................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines --- Riding Hood Red

Happy Wednesday!  It's that time again for our Wednesday blog hop.  You should have arrived from Liz's blogsite.   What a beautiful birthday card she made.  Love it.  Our challenge this week is to use Riding Hood Red and Cherry Cobbler.  Two reds that are very close together in hue.  But they go well together.

Last Saturday I attended the Stampin'Up! Regional meet in Baltimore, MD.  One of the demonstrations done by a SU member was something they referred to as rainbow.  They took a piece of watercolor paper, used 5 or 6 markers and colored vertical stripes at the top of the piece of paper, drawing down about an inch or so with the markers.  Then they wet the area with an Aqua Pen, smeared the water and color a bit and then let it run down the paper until it all blended.  I used only the 2 colors in our challenge this week.  Well, I tell you, I tried it about 5 times and could not get MY streaks to run and look anything like theirs.  I tried watercolor paper, Whisper White, and also Shimmer White.  It only worked on watercolor.  So I improvised a bit and continued drawing the color farther and farther down the paper with the Aqua Pen until I managed to get color all the way to the bottom.  But I didn't like how it looked that way, so I turned the paper on it's side, added a little designer paper, a butterfly, and at least I have something reasonable.  So here is my attempt -- I need to go back to SU and find out how they did it, or maybe it looks better with several colors.  I have pictures of their demonstration, but they look nothing like mine!  Ha!

Now it's time to hop over to Teri's website to see what she has made this week.  I can't wait, so let's go. 

Until next time.................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Fun at Regionals

Wow, what a busy weekend I had.  Saturday was the Stampin'Up! Regional meet in Baltimore, MD.  This was my first SU meet and I certainly had a great time.  My upline, her mom, and I travelled to Baltimore together and had a blast.  I got to meet Robbie, one of my chat friends, and what a super person she is.  I also got to meet a few other gals I know from talking by blog or e-mail.  So nice to see people that before were only words on a screen.  I can't wait, now, for the annual Convention in Salt Lake City.  It is supposed to be one great celebration, and if you have any way to go, be sure to get your registration and arrangements done.  Hope to see you there.

In Baltimore we were able to see a few sneak peeks at some stamp sets, and product, being introduced with the new catalog.  I can't show it here, but you are going to love the new products they have for us.  Only roughly 6 more weeks before the catalog goes live the end of May.  I will have some preview products soon and will be showing here on my blog what can be made with them.  So, come back for another visit.

Ok, so, I want to show you one of the swaps I did for last Saturday.  My friend Robbie organized a 3 x 3 black and vanilla card swap.  Oooooo, there were some beautiful cards in that swap.  One gal from this swap group -- Liz Haddon -- was picked by Shelli as one of the five finalists from hundreds of submissions.  Congrats to Liz!!   I didn't win, but then you have to enter to win.  But I had fun making and participating in the swap. 

I'll have more information for you in the upcoming days, but for now I need to sign off. 

Also this past weekend I went to another of my grandson's football games, and granddaughter's cheer games.  I have a picture or two of those.  Don't forget tomorrow is the weekly Wednesday color challenge blog hop.  Whew, a mouthful!  Come back to see what everyone does with I believe reds this time.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Elegant Eggplant

Looks like it is blog hop Wednesday.  I've been spending so much time outside enjoying the beginning of spring, finally, that I almost forgot my challenge card.  You probably have come from Liz's blogsite, where you found something nice.  We were challenged this week to use another dynamic duo.  I have a hard time calling it dynamic because although I love purple, these two together just don't do it for me.  We were to use Elegant Eggplant and Perfect Plum.  I think the two colors are too close together in hue and therefore don't hold much interest, at least not to me.  But here is what I came up with.

I tried another little something different.  The Whisper White cardstock appears to have been sponged.  However, I tried something I saw on the little shabby shed blogsite.  She uses another product maker's paint, but I figured I would try with our reinker.  I used a bowl of water with dish soap, whipped it into a froth, then I sprayed the top of the froth with a spritz or two -- or three -- of Elegant Eggplant.  Then just dab the Whisper White on to the froth for the marbly look you see.  It is a little like the shaving cream technique, however you spritz rather than drip/drop.  Next time I do this I plan to use more drops of reinker for a richer color.  But I like the idea, and hope you also like my creation.

Now, it is time to hop over to Teri's blogsite to see what she has for us.  Hope to see you again soon.  Since I am going to Stampin'Up! Regional meet this weekend in Baltimore, I hope to come back with some great ideas, super swaps, and a great time with old and new friends.

Until next time..............................

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Spring Has Arrived

Oh, I believe spring has finally arrived.  It has been in the 60s the past 2 days and so pretty.  I hope it is spring where you are too.  Next weekend I'll be going to the Stampin'Up! Regional meet in Baltimore, Md.  I can't show you the swaps I have been working on, but I found a card I haven't posted yet. 

This card uses designer paper from the Sale-a-bration brochure.  I can hardly believe Sale-a-bration is already over.  I guess that means I'll have to put away some of those supplies and go back to the spring catalog.  I also used the crimper, which I haven't pulled out in a very long time.  Not sure why I haven't, as I love the look.  So that is my card for today, and I hope you like it.

Before I leave, I want to show you another picture of my grands.  I am such a proud gramma.  This is a bragging alert --- J.T. was just selected to be the quarterback for his current football season.   And Hannah is a cheerleader.  I don't have any of those pictures yet because the first game isn't until next week.  You can bet I will be posting one soon.  Can't help it.  Love those kids!!!

This  picture was taken at Luray Caverns in Virginia last week when they came to visit us for a couple days during their spring break.

Come back to visit again soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Bashful Blue

I have been so bad.  I can't believe it has been so long since my last post.  However, a couple family matters have gotten in the way, and some things had to take a back seat.  But I think I am back.  My last hurdle was crossed today and now I can look at my favorite fun thing to do -- crafting.

It is Wednesday blog hop time again.  Our coloring down the lines challenge this week was to use Bashful Blue and Marina Mist.  Two very pretty colors.  You should have arrived from Joni's blogsite and what a pretty creation from her today.

I really like these two colors together and will use them again soon.  I'm going to keep this short tonight and let you hop on over to the next person -- Teri, who always has a nice entry.  Come follow me over to Teri's blogsite.

Until next time (and hopefully not so long)................

Crafty hugs,
Sandy