MERRY CHRISTMAS

See the tree over there to the left? Well, that says it's almost Christmas, so if you don't mind, I will take a few days off now and spend some time with my family. Hugs to all of you during this wonderful and joyous season. May all your wishes come true.

See you in a few days.

A Florida Christmas

Today's post is another card made at my upline's monthly meeting. This set really
captures a Florida Christmas, and I got to use some of that awesome Christmas Cocoa paper from the Holiday Mini. Sorry about the picture, for some reason, I couldn't get
one that wasn't blurry.



Not much time to stamp these days, so I apologize for the spotty postings in advance.
Hopefully I will have some time in the next few days to play with some of the new toys that Mr. Brown brought today.

Thanks for looking.

Another Tile Lesson

I have a couple more tiles to show you today. These are for a friend, not sure which one she will like, so I am gonna give her both, lol. The lesson for today, when making tiles is that if you do not watch them while baking this type, they can burn and ruin the design. Again, don't ask how I know, but believe me, it's true. I threw away several.





Well, it's Tuesday, December 22. Are you ready?

MIA And A Gift

So sorry to have been MIA the last couple of days, time got away from me, lots of gift type things to catch up on, and other holiday stuff. Hopefully this post will make it up to you.

This is for a gift exchange with my upline and sideline tonight. I hope the recipient likes it. I had fun making tiles the other night, I had a friend who wanted four sets for gifts, plus I needed some, too, so I spent all of Thursday and Friday evenings working on different types of tiles. I learned lots of things while making these, one thing is that when you bake them, they get HOT! Don't ask, just take my word for it, lol.



Have a happy Monday! I will have another tile for you tomorrow.

Ornament Fish

I know this isn't Christmas at all, but I was trying to use this punch as much as I could before time runs out, so here is yet another fish ornament card. A little busy, but still cute.



Remember, if you don't have this ornament, order if before Jan. 4, cuz it will be gone
on Jan. 5.

Have a great day!

Paper Lantern

I saw this technique awhile back and just had to try it. I pretty much cased this card posted by Leeann Greff, except for changing out the colors as it was just too pretty to change. Thanks Leeann, for sharing this technique.



Colors used are Confetti Cream, Old Olive, Basic Black and Perfect Plum CArd Stock and Inks, Chocolate Chip Ink and Gold Vintage Brads.

Isn't it pretty? I just love it! Plus, it perfectly showcases another Asian set, this one is a level 2 Hostess Set called Asian Artistry. Thanks for checking in today.

Canada Dry

I was visiting a friend last night, and while we were sitting in the kitchen chatting, I happened to spy a Canada Dry Ginger Ale can sitting on the counter waiting to go to the recycle bin outside. Of course, the colors were perfect for Christmas Cards, so I brought it home and ran it through Mr. Big Shot. I was careful not to cut myself, cuz that stuff is SHARP! I have this fear of knives....anyway, I ran it through and it cut it like butter and with no sharp edges, they are rounded so you don't have to worry about you or your recipient getting cut. I wanted to pick up the Crushed Curry in the snowflake, along with both greens and the red, so here is my card.



How cool is that snowflake? The rest of the card is sorta blah, but the snowflake is awesome! I think everyone should get out Mr. Big Shot and recycle those soda cans, the possibilities are endless.

Have a great Wednesday, see ya again soon.

Polar Fun

One of my friends had this stamp set for sale the other day and I had to have it. I love these bears and have been looking for them for awhile. This set is called Polar Express and it retired in 2004.
I finished this card and it wasn't until after I put it all together, I realized that they are sledding uphill, LOL. So you get to see them defying gravity and having fun doing it. Can't believe I didn't even catch it until I was finished. Oh well, I make mistakes constantly, most of them I try to hide, lol, but I am sharing this one with you. Maybe I should draw a rope, that sled may actually be hooked up to a team of dogs, who knows? Ok, here it is....



This card is very simple in Bashful Blue, Brushed Silver and Whisper White Card stock, Bashful Blue Ink, Real Red grosgrain ribbon and Dazzling Diamonds.

Have a great day!

Non Traditional Snowflakes

I had the Chocolate Chip card stock that I punched the arms for yesterday's snowman still out on my desk today, along with a piece of Pretty in Pink that I had cut and scored for a card. The inspiration fairy struck, 'cause as you know, "everything goes with Chocolate Chip", and this is what you get today:



I used the glitter window technique for this card and added a Rhinestone Brad and some Whisper White grosgrain ribbon. Very simple, and very pretty, even with these non traditional colors.

Sunny Season's Greetings

I made this card for the LNS Challenge #49. I was trying to picture the kind of snowman we would have here in Florida or maybe in Hawaii....a sandman. Complete with grass skirt,lei, sunglasses and red straw hat with a white pom pom. Didn't turn out quite like I wanted, but cute still. Hope he gives you a smile.



All items Stampin' Up! Sentiment is from retired Sunny Season's Greetings.

Thanks for coming by. See ya tomorrow!

A Christmas Bird

Today's post is a card we made at my upline's monthly meeting a couple of months ago, and I forgot to post it. She is very good at enabling, since that meeting I have purchased the Movers and Shakers Die for the Big Shot, and I had told myself I didn't need this one. HA! It is awesome! You can place the cutting shape anywhere on the card front, and there are several different shapes you can purchase. One set is in the Holiday Mini and will be gone in a couple of weeks, so check it out before it's gone for good. There is another set in the Big Idea Book and Catalog. The card opens in the middle and the belly band holds it together.



Colors Used are Gable Green, Real Red Inks and Card Stock, and some of the Christmas Cocoa DSP, also in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Hope you like it, I sure did.

Thanks for stopping in. See you again soon.

Candles

Hope everyone is having a great day. Today's post is an easy and quick gift. If
you haven't altered a candle, and it's been a while since I have, you really should try it. It is fun and the outcome is really pretty.

If you are a Paper Pauper (Brand New Hostess Club) this is one of the projects we will
be making on Saturday. What do ya' think?



I used the Asian Artistry Hostess Set for this candle, Pretty in Pink, Always Artichoke, Rich Regal and More Mustard Markers, Basic Black Ink, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter and Gold Elastic Cord from the Holiday Mini. If you want some of this cord, better get it in the next few days, it will be gone January 4, 2010 to make room for the brand new Occasions Mini Catalog and Sale a Bration.

Thanks for visiting.

Great Friend

Today's post is another non holiday post. I made my first card with the set, Great Friend. I won this set earlier this year, and had not had the chance to play with it.
Hope you like it, it uses the Rock n' Roll technique, as did the card I posted yesterday.
This is a very simple, yet elegant card that can be used for many different occasions.



Colors used are Barely Banana and Chocolate Chip.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day.

Pendant Park

I know I should be posting Christmas Cards, but I have made so many lately, I am taking a break. This card is made with the Pendant Park set. I love these little squirrels sitting on the park bench. Too cute. Great set for lots of occasions.



Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, and Soft Suede Ink and Card Stock, Whisper White
Card Stock, One of our great Texture Plates and the Big Shot give the Celery a great design that I sponged with Suede and Artichoke. I also used the Rock and Roll Technique on the Foilage. I also used the Tag Set Die, and Large Oval Punch to finish this one off.

Have a great Wednesday. Thanks for stopping by.

Haute Couture

A friend asked me to make her some mini notebooks for gifts using the Retired hostess set, Haute Couture. Since it took me all night to make the 6 of these, that is what you will be seeing for my post today, lol. Not sure why I couldn't get it done any faster, I just seemed to be moving in slow motion. Here you go:



I hope the ladies that get these are happy with them. I would love to get one as a gift, wouldn't you? I love handmade gifts. You can make so many great gifts with the
supplies you already have on hand, so make someone a gift today. It will mean so much to them.

Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping in.

A Non Holiday Post

Today, as I was looking for another set, I came across this Level 2 Hostess Set, Asian
Artistry. This is such a pretty set, and I have wanted it since the new catalog came out in July. I finally have it, but only one stamp had been mounted, so I decided to
remedy that and make a card.



Isn't it pretty? I used Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Card Stock and Ink, plus Basic Black Ink. I ran the largest Old Olive piece through my Big Shot with one of the textured plates, Punched out the dragonfly and popped it up on a Scallopped
Circle Punch, added some Very Vanilla and some bamboo shoots from the stamp on the front, added the quote by Confucius and a dragonfly, and voila! A very pretty card to give to someone you care about.

Glad you stopped by again today. Thanks for coming! Don't forget to comment, I do appreciate hearing what you have to say. Hugs,

Winter Branch

Yesterday, you saw the close up of the bird in this picture, lol. Not really, but I couldn't resist. This set, Branch Out will retire on January 4th, 2010 I LOVE this set, I can't believe it is retiring. It is such a wonderful set and good for so many occasions, including Christmas.

I had to make this a really quick card, as I pulled a muscle in my back today and I am really uncomfortable sitting for very long. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow.



I used Bashful Blue, Real Red and Whisper White card stocks, Bashful Blue and Real Red Inks, Dazzling Diamonds, Retired Bashful Blue Gingham Ribbon, and the Sizzlet Lots of Tags Die. Have a great Sunday and hug the ones you love.

Bird Ornament........Thanks, Ellen!

I got an email yesterday from my friend Ellen Kemper telling me I had to make one of these.
Ellen knows how much I love birds, as does anyone who frequents my blog, lol, and this was just perfect. She saw this idea on another blog and thought I might like it, and I did, of course.
Now the one she saw had a different tail but I wanted to use all Stampin' Up! materials, so here is my version.



I used a retired Rose Red DSP and cardstock and the Swirly Decorative Strip Die for
the Big Shot for his tail and top feathers. This is my first attempt at this so he
is a little bit rough, but you get the idea. I hope to make a few more in different colors. Wouldn't these look great on your tree?

Thanks so much for visiting. Hope you like my little bird, and again, a big THANKS to
Ellen for sending me to her.

New Clear-Mount Stamps by Stampin' Up!

Over the past few years, there has been enormous demand from demonstrators and customers alike for a line of repositionable clear-mount rubber stamps. Well, you asked for it, and now you have it! Starting with stamps in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog and the 2010 Sale-A-Bration Brochure, Stampin' Up! now offers our exclusive stamp art in both traditional wood-mount, and the new clear-mount option.

Our new clear-mount rubber stamps are the result of extensive research with the intent to maintain the very best image quality in the stamping industry, while at the same time offering the ease-of-use and storability inherent in repositionable clear-mount rubber stamps.

Clear-Mount Rubber Stamp Features

* Nine different sizes of clear blocks available individually or as a discounted bundle.
* Blocks have ergonomic grooves on all four sides for easy grip and traditional wood-mount feel.
* Stamps and blocks are durable and easy to clean with your Stampin' Scrub and Stampin' Mist.
* Optional image labels on stamp backs let you decide if you want to see the image through the block or not.
* Tight die-cutting for easy image positioning.
* Large clear blocks can be used to create collages or spell words with alphabet sets.
* Stamps store easily in standard, DVD-type cases with artwork on front and spine, making organization easy.

I am so excited about these new stamps, look for them on January 5, 2010. I will post some stamped samples made with them as soon as my order comes in.

Just Buzzin' By

Today's post is a really cute card made with the Just Buzzin' By stamp set. I made this for a customer to put a gift card inside, and she was very happy with it. This stamp set is so much fun
and so cute. I used my Big Shot and Stampin' Up's exclusive Scallop Envelope Die to cut a vellum envelope to hold the gift card on the inside. Lots of pop dots and fussy cutting on this one. Watercolored bees and beehive, and glitter for the wings on the popped up bees.



Thanks for buzzing by today, please come again, and don't forget to check out the soon to be retired stamp sets from the dormant list on the post below. Have a great day.

Discontinued Stamp Sets from Dormant List

Dormant Stamp Sets Discontinued on January 4, 2010

December 2, 2009

As promised, many of the stamp sets currently on our dormant list have been available for a year and now it is time to say goodbye. The following stamp sets will be discontinued on January 4, 2010. Most of these stamps are in the Spring Summer Catalog that ended in July.

Item Number	Stamp Set
113407	Back Woods
114492	Beautiful Baby
114486	Birthday Wish
113200	Branch Out
114496	Celebrations
113732	Central Park
113206	Classic Sketches
113226	Classy & Fabulous
114498	Flowers in Silhouette
113405	Font of You
113216	For the Bride
114494	Forever
109425	Friend by Definition
114488	Fun Flowers
113716	Garden Greetings
114490	Glad Friends
111580	Grand Soiree
113242	Hit the Road
113710	Lexicon of Leaves
113236	Man's Best Friend
114423	Ocean Commotion
113728	Playful Petals
109276	Polka Dot
111544	Putt Putt
113240	Quilt Quips
113754	Really Retro
113403	Sip by Sip
113726	Sweet Stems
113250	That's Funny
113688	Wonderful Watercolors
114028	Para la novia
114032	Acuarelas Maravillosas

If any of these stamp sets are on your wish list, make sure to purchase them before they are gone forever. Email or call me today to place your order.

Another Delightful Decoration

Hello everyone, hope your day is going good. I want to share another card made with Delightful
Decorations. This is such an awesome set, and with the matching punch, it is so easy to make a great card. If you haven't purchased this yet, get it before it's gone. The Holiday Mini ends on January 4th, and wouldn't this be a great set for next years cards? Plus, the punch can be used in so many other ways. The Petals a Plenty embossing folder is also used on this card and it is also in the Holiday Mini, so don't miss out. Contact me to order. Here is the card:



This card was cased from Splitcoaststampers, I did used different colors and changed the sizes on a couple of pieces, but pretty much it was a complete case. I don't remember the one name of the maker, so if it's you, please remind me so I can give you credit.

I used Very Vanilla, Old Olive and Bravo Burgundy Cardstock, Bravo Burgundy Ink. Ornament and Slit Punches, too. Great card, don't you think?

Thanks for dropping in. Don't forget to leave a comment, I love to hear from you.

Frosty

Well, here it the Sunshine State we have had a little cooler weather, so in honor of that, here is a snowman card. Now, by no means was it even cool enough for frost, but we will take any cooler weather we can get, so here is Frosty.




Frosty was made with the Pick A Petal stamp set. Just another way to show how versatile Stampin' Up's stamps are. Real Red and Whisper White Card Stock, Basic Black, Only Orange and Versamark Inks, Black Gingham Ribbon and Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. What a
cutie! Thanks for coming by today. See ya tomorrow.

O' Christmas Tree

Oh my gosh! Do you realize there are only 24 days until Christmas? WOW! Hope you are finished with your shopping, and taking time now to enjoy the season.

Today's card uses the technique I learned from Patty Bennett. This is one talented lady! What a cool technique and even cooler result!



Don't you just love it? Colors used are Summer Sun, Real Red and Whisper White card stock. Glorious Green, Real Red and Champagne Mist Shimmer Inks. Small Star, Large Oval, and Scalloped Oval punches finish off this easy and fun card.

Thanks for looking today. Have a great Monday!
punches.