Card Candy...!

Have you ever heard about Card Candy? Well, what card candy is, is punched out or stamped and cut out items that can be attached directly from a source to your stamped card.....This is one of the items I am giving away to the winner for this month's comments.....Have you posted a comment to my blog? I have one person who has posted several comments....but, a few have posted comments.....Next month, it will be something else....

Will you be the winner of this month's drawing?

Your name will be put into a box and drawn out....for each time you post......and then at the end of the month, I will draw a name.....YOU can be a winner! Maybe you'll win a free stamp?



Add it to any size card...This is a small card, 3x3
and yes...!!! the STAR FLOWER PUNCH will punch out this flower...PERFECTLY!!!

More new Cards....!

Well, here I go again...More cards stamped....and variations of previous cards.

This one I got flowers from a VC-ROCKS member, Leah Leonard, who sent me the star flower punches, and I thought, WHY NOT? I gave this card today to my co-worker who's birthday was yesterday!

This card is so cute..I love this card...I have done several of these, and they are great for swaps, and for quickie cards. It is 3" x 9" and I scored it using my Scor Pal. You score each of the sections at 3" and then the side panels are scored diagonally across (the same direction)

When you fold it, they will fold out.

The papers in this set are so soft in color, that I loved how it looked together, with the Sky Blue and the River Rock Cardstock. The band is in Sky Blue, and the River Rock is behind the 1/2 circles. The Star Flower is in Always Artichoke. I dyed the flower in Sky Blue, leaving the center undyed. The flower was misted first with Stamp Cleaner Mist and then I dyed it, and dried it.
I then added the Rhinestone brad that is included in the Pretties Kit, and it is finished off with River Rock Stitched Ribbon around the Band. This paper is from the Fall Flowers set, and it is the reverse side of each other. I think they complement each other well!

Stampin Up! some Fun!

Sitting down and finally having a chance to stamp, and then play with my camera...trying to get some 'creative' shots of cards, without just 'scanning' them'.....

This is a HOSTESS stamp set, from the New Catalog and Idea book, called In the Spotlight. The NEW Scallop punch works perfectly with the largest stamp and it only cuts off the dotted circle around the flower! I think you'll have fun crafting new things with this punch.. The flower above, I cut the petals apart, after stamping it, and punching it out....you probably can't see it since it is alittle blurry, but I am still trying to figure out this camera business! Anyways...I hope you will come to a class sometime..and see up close and personal!

Enter to Win a Stampin Up! Simply Sent Card Kit!

You can win a Simply Sent Card Kit.....go to http://www.stampinup.com/
This is opened to only customers..non Demonstrators!
Good luck in Winning a stamp set from Stampin' Up! All images are Stampin' Up! 1990-2007
Contest rules are on the website...YOU can choose this set, or look at your catalog and idea book for the other sets available!

Back To School Soon?

Well, I got this template from the PAPERCRAFTS Magazine!

It is almost back to school for some kids, and even though my daughter still has a whole month, I wanted to make this card for a sample because it is so cute!

The flap opens, and the base opens up too. You can add papers to make this into a little book too. It has ribbons attached to the back like a backpack, and the pocket can really hold something good like coins!

It is so cute...!! I think you will have to try to make one of these!

for more information or to order a magazine, go to Michaels' or go to http://www.papercraftsmag.com/

oh..In the Magazine, they used Stampin' Up Products except for the paper, they used a PINK Leopard print that was SO CUTE! .....gotta get some of that paper!

Who said it NEVER Rains in California?

It rained today! What month is it? JULY??? in California?? And we're in the middle of a drought? Wow..it is humid, and this is like Florida weather! Whats up with this? I don't have any idea, but....God must have some great plans for this!

It didn't do alot, except just make everything muggy and icky. I have my swim suit on and it is now 8:25 pm! and I still am TOO HOT!

Well, we might have to turn on the A/C tonight. I haven't stamped like I thought I would since someone was taking a Drivers' Ed class online, and wouldn't move.....But, I hope to do some later tonight!







Well, I did do some 'stamping'. I pulled out my Pretties Kit and decided to try to do some 'coloring'!

You first have to decide which flower you want to use.

Then, you pick out your colors. Look at nature and see where colors come out from flowers. Do the darker colors stay only in the center or are they around the edges? Are the lighter colors always in the inside or do they come from the sides and undersides?


I played with several flowers, and I used the daubers for the flowers shown here...and in the card....This color to the left is Summer Sun with Pumpkin touching the edges.


The flower in this card is using Blush blossom, Summer Sun, Pretty in Pink and Pixie Pink. You can see the Blush Blossom around the edges of the larger flower.

I tied the center using the hemp cording into a celery button for the center of the flower.








This is the finished card. I think it complements the colors and still stands out. This is the NEW Double stitched ribbon...I love this color!

Yes, I am still stamping!!!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

I am taking a class on Sunday for the Summer at church. We have to memorize these Bible verses. So far, I have memorized the first 2 sentences. I like the rejoice part, but the gentle spirit is hard for me...(okay, so now you know!), but I hope that someday, my gentle spirit will be more recognizable. This class is called CONTAGIOUS JOY. It was originally given by the Women of Faith conference and they are showing the tapes from that conference. It has been a real blessing and joy to see the women who are speaking at these events.

I went to see Billy Graham at Angel Stadium about 30 years ago and that was awesome to see so many Christian families in one area! We were way up in the nosebleed area, and we had to use a binocular to see Billy Graham! (they did not have big screens back then folks!) Anyways...this reminds me of Women of Faith....

I have been stamping, but I haven't scan the cards because I had to get them out quickly! I also have been a gym rat...meaning that I have been taking a certain girl from one gym to another. She has had practice everyday, and tournaments, so this has kept me busy, not to mention that I haven't had too much time to sit down and even clean off my stamping table or unpack the boxes of new cardstock and stamps much....but, I am getting around to it.

I also got the NEW Harry Potter book, so we've been busy reading it too. I am also reading another book that I got from my friend in England, called TUNNELS. It was published by the same publisher as JK Rowling. I think maybe it might be a big hit coming to America in February 2008 bookstores...be on the lookout for this one for your kids!

This is the card that I made for "RAK"s that I sent out to one group. I have it in one of the previous posts in my blog (with the watering can). It is a gate card, that you untie the ribbon to see the message (written) inside.......

The cardstock is Sky Blue (NEW In-Color) and stamped with all the NEW In-Color inks. I used Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Sky Blue and Blue Bayou. So far, River Rock is something I am trying to get used to, but I have seen a few cards done with that color, and I will try to use it more often....

I have been playing with the PRETTIES kit, so, I hope that I will be able to show some samples at the class, and have you do it next week (JULY 27th)

I hope all of you are having a great summer and enjoying the weather where-ever you are...and if you are on vacation...I hope it involves some stamping!

Love,
dianne

New Word added to the Dictionary = GINORMOUS

Ginormous: Extremely large; humongous

New word added to the Mirram Webster Dictionary.

Well, isn't this appropriate to have a Stamp set that is called Ginormous? I will have to see if I can come up with some fun things to do with this set. Of course, now, I will have to order it! For more details, go to page 103 in the NEW Catalog and Idea book 2007-2008

First Order Arrival!

This is my first order! It came yesterday, but we had so much to do, with basketball practice, and I had to work unfortunately all day, and then we had tickets to go see Harry Potter at Midnight...

I probably should've taken my stamp sets with me and mounted them while I was waiting, but I didn't want to take a chance in losing anything or carrying it around (it is heavy, even if you only carry a few stamp sets around)

I got alot of word sets, since Stampin' Up! retired so many greeting sets, I had to get current sets. I just hope these last for a time...they are cute fonts!

I also got New paper and Simply Scrappin Kits. As soon as i get to start stamping on the new textured papers, I will show you what they look like. I am excited to see what type of papers they will have included in the kits.

The Paper packages arrived too, and sorting through, they look better than what the catalog showed!

This is the PRETTIES Kit. They are silk like flowers that you can color by using your re-inkers to make them blend and complement your cards. Included is also straight pins for making a "hat" pin and brads, and cabechon pearls for making the centers. When the build a brad kit becomes available, it should work well with this kit too! (right now, the build a brad kit is not available due to quality issues). The tin for this box is nice too, since it can be used for storing goodies after the flowers are gone!

Taking a Cruise 1930

Have you ever thought of going back in time? I really haven't. I really would like to someday go on a cruise and experience the real deal, but it will just have to wait. But since we are just so close, and they were having a deal, Tori and I stayed at the Queen Mary. They were having a nice special so we stayed there one night.















We did not do the ghost tour, we've done that. We've seen the pool, and the changing room. The pool was NOT spookey, but the changing room was really spooky. It was almost eerie to go into the rooms and look down that tunnel and see the little rooms that people used to change their clothes. I think that we could almost imagine something popping out at us....but, we did not do that this time.




Instead, we walked around the ship and saw the different areas on deck...and the captains rooms (we've seen that before too..) and Tori drags me up stairs, and I hate heights. I hate them, to the point where I am almost crawling on the floor. I have that awful feeling in my stomach like I am going to just lay down and stop moving. I resist the feeling, but my legs feel like lead and won't move quickly. But Tori and I are like two silly tourists! As we're walking into the Captain's area, I almost scream, because she's dragging me into it, and my legs aren't moving. We stand in the dark, getting accustomed to the dim light, when all of a sudden a LARGE...did i say LARGE, I MEAN LOUD LOUD horn blows! REALLY LOUD! We both jump and scream. It is the Queen's horn, which sometimes we can hear from our house!






So, after it stops, we laugh at how stupid we are, relieved that no one is up where we are, and heard us scream...and slowly make our way to the Steering room. Well, it was a fun trip, and even though it was only 15 minutes away from our house, it was fun to see another side of Long Beach, CA that we never get to see. At night, we could see these city lights from our port hole and it was really pretty.





The room was small, but comfortable, and it was cool to have a blast from the past!





If you ever get a chance to do this...you should!

Piano Hinge Book

Making BOOKS this week!!!

One of the things I have always wanted to do, was to make a piano hinge book. I never knew how to do it, but I found it on http://www.craftvweekly.com/. I saw the video on it, and thought,"Well, I can do that now!"...so I took one of the simply scrappin kits and put one together. This one is smaller than the one they show, but it works! The main thing, is that you need to keep the pages consistent. It will work with an odd or even size page, and you need to cut your pages, get your shishkabob sticks, adhesive, waxed linen thread, and scissors, trimmer and voila! you got a piano hinge book!

It is really easy once you see the tutorial on making the book, and I found that by cutting notches instead of making straight cuts, it had a little gap, which made the sticks fit through easier. I also found that using thinner sticks was easier than thicker ones. I tried using the fat sticks that I bought from Vons market didn't work as well.

The pages I used, were Certainly Celery, and Barely Banana, which was in the kit that was last year's SELL A BRATION. I think the papers coordinated nicely, were "springy" but, it would be a good travel vacation book too.

I think next time, I will try darker cardstocks, and also staining the shishkabob sticks for added sparkle, rather than leaving it natural. It is good natural, but if you can change it to a color, why not?

NOW, the other thing I have been working on, is a JACOB's LADDER book. I did one before, using chipboard, but I saw one using chipboard coasters, and though, "HOW COOL IS THAT?" So, by using the Baroque papers, and chipboard coasters, I started this Jacob's ladder. I also added chocolate chip ribbon and the stitched true thyme ribbon and chocolate chip ink to the sides. I didn't have any of the new ribbons yet, so this was the best I could come up with.

I love this new paper. It is very rich and shows alot of style! Want to take a class in making either of these 2 books? Be sure to let me know, and also check out my classes! I should have more listed when I get my supplies....which I hope will be SOON!! I think they just shipped today from Stampin' Up!

so...be on the lookout....

hugs..dianne

Happy 4th of July! God Bless America

I am so happy that today is the 4th of July! We are having super weather, planning on swimming later today, and maybe friends might come over! -we'll see..otherwise, I might be stamping today too! A real estate lady put flags up on everyone's lawns a few days ago, and they've been waving brightly down the street. It is so nice to have the FREEDOM to wave what we want, and to be proud of our country and those who serve our country.
We saw Transformers last night, and although I liked the movie, it was hard to see soldiers being killed (they were not graphic, but the idea was alittle hard). The movie was filled with action, fighting and JOSH DUHAMEL! He was pretty good as an action/soldier/special ops guy!
Happy 4th! Be safe!

At least I got some stamping done!

Make a Quickie Scrapbook TONIGHT!

Using the RETIRED Simply Scrappin Kit, You can make a scrapbook in 1 evening! All you need is your paper trimmer, and adhesive, and you can have it done in just a couple of hours!

You cut the pages to 6x6, and then I cut 1 section of the printed cardstock in 1" x 6", 1.5 x 6" and 2" x 6" strips, and I place them on the pages. I then, trim the edges with the adhesive strips of decoration that is included (which I cut down to 6")

I put the letters on the Chocolate chip cardstock (which is also included in the kit) and decorated with the adhesive flowers. (sorry for the blurry photo, but the flash kept bouncing off the glare of the protectors.

I think these 2 pages popped out when I layered the Chocolate Chip cardstock behind the cut out letters. (the letters are used for the previous photo). I hope that Stampin' UP! comes out with more adhesive letters! It is fun using both the positive images and the negative images!

I also used these squares to bounce more designs, and to use up the kit. In my composition book I used these squares to make the tabs. But, I didn't want to use tabs for this book...

This is a total if 20 pages (double sided - 10 protectors total)

This was really done all in 1 night...and really not very difficult at all..You can use up your scraps too, by cutting out the areas you want to use....

Keep plugging away, and you will find uses for them all!

Too HOT to Stamp?

Stitch Before.......

with hair!

Stitch ...After....shaved!

He is still groggy at this point, and can't walk too well. He keeps stumbling, but I am sure he feels so much better!

I have to tell you..... I have alot of stamps for sale, all RETIRED!!
but, they are going fast..can you believe, I have already sold over 20 stamp sets!!! (okay, I won't tell you how many there are still on the table..hee hee!) Anyways...If you are interested in any retired sets, I hope you will let me know before I start selling them on ebay!

To be continued..!

July 1st is HERE!

This is the NEW Catalog and Idea book! Celebrate the OPENING of a NEW Year! (Well, it is for the catalog!) I think this is one of the best catalog and idea books. It has alot of beautiful stamps, ideas, and accessories. They trimmed out the fru fru and gave it some bohemian looks that are In-Style! Be sure to check out the IN-Colors which will be available until June next year. The Fall Winter catalog is just amazing with the layout....I hope you will enjoy it!
Using one of the Hostess sets, making a topper tent card. this does fit into a reg size A2 envelope! I got the idea from someone's blog...I can't remember who...I did try to look back...I think I will be looking through more blogs..I do like the way they photograph their cards....so, I will be changing the way I scan and photograph my cards.....