Coloring Down The Lines -- Basic Black

Hi everyone.  It's blog hop Wednesday.  I'm on vacation but set this blog entry ahead of time so that I could join the hop.  I hope all of you are enjoying your week.  I know I am.  We're actually just starting our travel and are flying today to Ireland.   We've been there before and loved it so much that we had to go back.  With a last name like Moriarty I guess there would be some connection to Ireland.

I believe you just arrived to my blog by way of Laura's blogsite.   I know she always has something terrific for us.  I won't get to see any of the hop creations until I get to our hotel, but I know they all are as beautiful as always.  We are taking our i-Pad and so will have some connection, but we won't be spending too much time on the computer.  Too many things to do and places to go.  Our challenge this week was to use Basic Black.  What a great color to work with.  We could add Cherry Cobbler and Baja Breeze or Daffodil Delight and Old Olive.  I just used Baja Breeze last week so I decided to use Daffodil Delight and Old Olive this time.

I have been playing with the new Stampin'Up! clay and molds.  They are such fun.  I mixed Daffodil Delight reinker into the clay, worked it and molded it.  These little flowers are so pretty.  I also made a few little clay cookies, but that is for another time.  I have some little bitty cookie cutters and cut one or two.  I'll have to show you that when I get back.   There are all sorts of things you can do with this clay. 

I'm going to keep this short today because I am rushing to get a lot of my last minute things done.  I hope you like my card for this week.  I'll miss next week, but will be back the following week.  I hope you have a wonderful week(s) and I'll see you when I get back.

I'm last on the list, so let's hop back to the beginning, which is Robbie's blogsite.  I wonder what she has for us.  She is very creative, and always finished her creations with an envelope and a finished inside to her card. 

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Fun New Mosaics

Happy Memorial Day.  I hope your weekend is full of fun, picnics, and hopefully great weather.  Please remember all the military who have kept, and continue to keep, this country free.

I had a great weekend.  My son and the "grands" were here Saturday and yesterday.  They are such fun.  We had a big neighborhood picnic on Saturday and I know the kids enjoyed it.  They especially enjoyed the sing along in the evening.  We have such a great community and we all have fun together.

I will be going on vacation and will be gone for a little while, but I want to get one more card to you.  I finally allowed myself to start playing with my new toys.  This card is mostly new things from the brand spanking new 2013/14 catalog.

The mosaics are wonderful.  I splurged on the entire set, as I know I am going to love creating with them.  I've already made 4 cards just with the mosaics.  Here I used the new Mosaic Punch with designer paper and the new Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.  It is so great to be able to just punch out the shapes the same size as the embossing folder and stick them on.  Here I used designer paper for the punched out pieces, but on another card I stamped the shapes and made my own designs.  Right, you can stamp the design with the new Mosaic Madness stamp set and glue those desings on your card.  AND, if you purchase the punch and stamps as a set you get a 15% discount on the bundle.  I just love this whole set and know I'll be using it a lot.   Also new on this card is the Label Love stamp set and the coordinating Artisan Label Punch.  Again, how fun is it to stamp, punch, and you have a beautiful label.  So fast, so easy.  I'm loving the new coordinating sets found throughout our new catalog.

If you want your new catalog, and you want these coordinating sets, you can get them from me by clicking on my link above -- or click here -- to shop from my on-line Stampin'Up'! store and have everything shipped to your mailbox.  Or, contact me using my e-mail smor@frontiernet.net and I'll order it for you.

I'll be back from vacation soon, but don't forget this Wednesday is our regular weekly color blog hop and I have set up my entry on this blog to join in the hop.  Be sure to come back Wednesday and join the entire hop.    

See you all when I get back.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Soft Suede

Happy Wednesday.  It's blog hop time again.  You should have arrived here by way of Joni's blogsite.  And didn't you love her creation?  Joni is very talented.

We were challenged this time to use Soft Suede and with it add either So Saffron and Regal Rose, or Baja Breeze and Cherry Cobbler.  I chose the second because I am using as many retiring colors as I can before the current catalog retires on June 3rd.  Oh do I hate to see Baja Breeze go.  I love that color.  I used my Honeycomb embossing folder, but you don't want to ask me how I feel about the fact that Stampin'Up! did not give us a hexagon punch in our new catalog.  I think SU heard my stomping feet and felt my temper tantrum all the way from the East Coast to Salt Lake City.  I love the look of designer paper in the little honeycombs, I don't like fussy cutting.  The designer paper I used here is another retiring item.  It is from Fan Fair dsp.  I have only 3 or 4 pieces of that design left, and I had 2 packs.  Can you tell I love that paper?   The ribbon is a piece of Baja Breeze  Seam Binding that I twisted a bit.  Oh, and a little piece of Washi Tape from the This & That special from last month.  I can't wait until the new catty goes live so I can get the Gingham Washi Tape.  I love Washi Tape and will probably start using everywhere.  Better than Scotch Tape -- oh yeah.  I hope you like my challenge today.

Since I am last on the list of entries today I'll take you back to the beginning to Robbie's blogsite.  You can keep going 'round and 'round if you like, but don't get dizzy.  Hopefully we will have more join in next week.  This week several of the group are vacationing.   I will be on vacation next week.  I have my entry for next week finished and hope to pre-schedule it, but if I am missing, you'll know that I am enjoying my vacation.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

More Retiring

I am fighting with myself.  I want to use some of my new "toys," but I need to use up my old "toys."  So today's card is another use of some oldies -- but goodies.  Very simply, I used Daffodil Delight for the base -- yay, we keep this color -- the ovals are Certainly Celery -- boo hoo, we are losing this and it is one of my favorites, and the smaller oval is Very Vanilla, which isn't going anywhere.   The designer paper is from the Print Poetry Stack, which is in the Spring catalog.  Last day to order from that catalog is May 31st, so hurry.  I took a piece of that paper and folded over about an inch to show the reverse side.  The patterns go so well together.  Then tie a ribbon over the top, and finished.  This was a very fast card.

The ribbon is another that is fading into the back of my cabinet.  I have so many nice supplies that I am going to miss.  Well, they aren't going far so I'll continue to use them.  Maybe my friends and I will dust off our old stash and have a "craft with retirees" meet and we will use only retired items.  That would be fun.  I'll have to arrange that.

We have only a couple more weeks until the new catalog goes live.  Have you picked out all the fun things you want to play with?  Make your list, and if you need someone to help you get those items, I'd love to be your demo and help you.  Just contact me -- my e-mail is just up there in my profile on the right.  Or you can comment on my blog.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Friendly Month

I thought today I would show you a beautiful card I got from my friend Janet (hi Janet, thank you so much).  She decided this month is "friend" month and sent this to me.  Janet is so very talented.  When I get something from her I put it right on my sample shelf so I can continue to look at it.  What a pretty card this one is.  This picture does not do it justice, it is so bright and cheery IRL.  Love it.

I will have to remember this month is for friends -- not just scrapbooking.  Time to get all my friendly cards out.

Today I had a play date with some crafty friends.  I managed to get a few things done, both cards and scrapbooking.  I have been working on some scrapbooking projects, but it is slow going.  More on that at a later date.  As soon as I get pictures taken of the cards I finished today, I'll post them here to show you.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Very Vanilla

Welcome to blog hop Wednesday.  Our challenge this week is to create using Very Vanilla with Perfect Plum and Rose Red or Very Vanilla with Regal Rose and Not Quite Navy.  I've been trying to use some of my retiring paper so I chose the second -- adios Not Quite Navy, I sure will miss you!  I also chose to use Aviary stamp set, another retiring set.  Sob.  I like those birds with all the cute bird cages.  Sob again. 

You may have arrived from Joni's blogsite.  Very nice, Joni, always love your creations.  We have a new catalog starting May 31st, and I can't wait.  We will have lots of new and different things to choose from.  Only a couple more weeks to go.  On this card I used rhinestones, but I can already see where I could use some of the new Candy Dots.  And we can use them with or without the brad bases.  I like that idea a lot.  There have been many times in the past when I cut the "legs" off of brads so I didn't have to punch through paper.   I noticed in making this card, here is a great opportunity to use the new Core'dinations paper, and it will be in ALL the color families!  I could have sanded the embossed area a little to give it more of an antique look.  I can't wait to start using both of those new items.

Since I am last on the hop list, I'll take you back to the beginning to Robbie's blogsite.  Robbie is our challenge leader, the gal who gives us our colors, and keeps us all on track.   While you are visiting her blogsite, be sure to look at the last couple weeks of very cute animal punch art she has been doing for her granddaughter.  I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, those sweet cards. 

One more reminder.  Remember our morning chat group.  I haven't mentioned it in a long time, but our Wednesday hop gals originated from our morning chats.  We have become great friends over the past almost 2 years, and we live all over the country.  Come join us some time.  10:00 a.m. Eastern on weekdays.  Just go to the Butternut Sage site and look on the right where it says "chat," click, and jump right in.  We'd love to "chat" with you too.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Saving the Day

The other day I and several other demonstrators met with our upline for our monthly team meeting.  It was my turn to do the make n take.  Well, I blew it.  I arrived, we had our meeting, and when I put out all my materials and explained what we were to do, I could not find the stamp set.  I had ink, cut paper, markers, glue, deminsionals, and even rhinestones.  But where was the stamp set?  Evenually when I got home I found it on my table -- forgotten.  So what did my upline suggest?  We were at her meeting room in a church building.  She keeps some things there, mostly stamp sets she is planning to sell, but not a lot of supplies.  Our challenge was to look around and try to come up with stamps to do the make n take.  (Hi, Buffy, and thanks for the challenge). 

Below the left card is my sample, and on the right is the one that saved the day.   Pretty close, right?  So the ending to this story is, no matter the limitations, you can manage to do something with what you have (if we had nothing else, I think we could have done a finger print card, which I am going to try doing next).  Pretty nice card, huh?  Mine was done with Summer Silhouettes and the final one was done with the new background stamp, Wildflower Meadow, which is in the new catalog.   Buffy happened to have that stamp and we were able to use portions of the stamp to accomplish something really close to my original.  My objective when I started my card was to use Washi Tape -- love that stuff.  I used two of the new ones that are part of This & That, also in the new catalog.

Well, it is Mother's Day weekend, and I hope all the mothers out there will be treated to a wonderful day by their children.  If you are not a mother, I hope you have a wonderful day too.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down The Lines -- Sahara Sand

It's time again for our coloring down the lines blog hop.  You should have arrived from Laura's blogsite.  She is one great crafter.  I love to look at her blog, especially when she does her punch art.  I wonder what she has for us today.  This week we were challenged to create something using Sahara Sand with either Bravo Burgundy and Pink Pirouette OR Pacific Point and Cajun Craze.  I chose the latter.  I was talking with a friend the other day about the music wheel and decided that since I had not used that wheel in quite some time, I would use it this week in some way.

 My base is Pacific Point with Sahara Sand on top of that.  I used the Paper Piercing Pak and the Paper Piercing Tool to create the faux stitching around the Sahara Sand cardstock.  The dsp is from Print Poetry Stack in the Spring Catalog. I love that pack.  It costs less that a large pack of dsp and there are so many beautiful pieces of paper for any use.  I have TWO packs.  The music is printed on Naturals Ivory paper roughed up to look distressed and matted with Cajun Craze.  The sentiment is from the retired (shhhhhh) hostess set Afterthoughts.  And last, the label is cut with Apothocary Accents framelits.  I enjoyed putting this card together.  It started with the music and ended with stitching.  I had no idea how it would come out, but I am happy.  Hope you like it.

Now let's hop to Teri's blogsite.  It has been awhile since I have talked to Teri.  I hope I get to touch base with her again soon.  In the meantime let's go see what she has for us today.

Come back to visit soon.

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

College Graduation

I have a little graduation card for you today.  It will probably be the only graduation card because I know only one graduate this year.  This is for my niece, who is graduating from the College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.  We are very proud of her.  She has worked hard, was getting top grades, worked in the emergency room as a student nurse, and will be taking a job at the hospital after graduation.  She did a marvelous job.  Can't believe my little baby niece, who I took care of many times when she was a baby, who did sleepovers at my house as a little girl, and who has been my coach in all things computer, is all grown up now.  She is amazing. 

Her school colors are garnet and black.  I think Cherry Cobbler is about the closest to garnet, so I used that.  The little caps are from a very old stamp set, but I don't care, it does the job. 

Below is the inside of the card.  I apologize for the ugly post-it notes, but I forgot to take the picture before I wrote all over the card.  In fact, I totally forgot and had to go slip it out of the package so I could take a picture.  I used the stamp set Feel Goods and also the retiring Scallop Envelope Bigz Die.  I don't know what I'll do without that die.  I use the envelope for almost all my money or check inserts.  Oh well, I will continue to use it anyway.  I think my niece will especially like the insert for her.  What does every graduate really need?   Of course -- $$$

So that she would have something to unwrap, I also gave her a full package of This & That, plus glue, a black ink pad for the Rotary Stamp, some dimensionals, and a few other little items.  I think she will like both.

Hope you like my graduation card.  Oh, I guess I'll be doing one more.  I almost forgot, my grandson will be graduating from 5th grade in June.  I'll have to do a little something special for him too.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy

Coloring Down the Lines -- Crumb Cake

This will have to be really quick tonight because my computer connection is down and so I am bugging a neighbor and using their WIFI so I can connect.   It is our Wednesday blog hop and you should have arrived from Laura's blogsite.  Laura always has super duper projects on her site, but I haven't looked yet, I know it will be a pleasant surprise.

We were challenged to use Crumb Cake with Not Quite Navy and Riding Hood Red OR Crumb Cake with Cajun Craze and Garden Green.  I chose the first because it was the best combination of colors for a "guy" card.  So here is my take on the combination.  Hope you like it.

I'm the last on the list this week so let me connect you back to Robbie at the beginning.  Robbie, too, always has something nice and I love to spend time on her site.

So have a great day, and I hope my computer connection gets worked out.

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

Crafty Hugs,
Sandy