I am so proud of my sister!

This is the card that was one of the make and takes. It is made with so saffron and certainly celery and uses the subtles designer paper pack. Note the paper piecing for the tea kettle.

My sister Joyce from KC, Mo area signed up to be a demonstrator and had her kickoff party on Sat. She had 15 people attend and probably 6-10 people who weren't able to come, but want to be invited next time. She didn't get any firm bookings, but has several interested and about 5 so far interested in starting a club! We had 2 fun projects and everyone had a great time!!!

Mini top note scrapbook

I get a monthly magazine from Stampin'Up! with lots of ideas and info. Recently someone made a mini album using this die and it got me to thinking. So here is mine complete with pictures. I used the Tags till Christmas set for most of it, but also used the tree from Paisley Prints and the snowflake single stamp and punch. The front is embossed with the northern frost embossing folder as is another inside page. This was so fun, I can't wait to try it again with a more generic floral one. How fun though to make one for baby or school pics! Call me to schedule a get together with your friends to make your own mini album.

Occasions Mini Sneak Peek

Here are several cards made using the Build A Blossom stamp set and coordinating punch. There are 4 different sizes of flower petals and 2 sizes of leaves as well as 2 centers.The NEW Framed Tulip embossing folder is used to add a border all the way around this card. Colors used are melon mambo, certainly celery, and so saffron.

I stacked the 6 petals and punched a hole through all of them and added a brad, then was able to easily fan them out to shape this flower. I used melon mambo on pink pirouette card stock. The petals are shaped and a dimensional is used to add height. The card base is luscious Cherry Cobbler.

This card uses rich razzleberry and NEW pear pizazz. I layered 3 punches for the sentiment. The designer paper is from the occasions mini and is called Springtime Vintage. It has lots of colors and beautiful patterns.

This yellow is not SU cardstock, it was some I had and used for my first try. The ink is SU daffodil delight though. I used the scallop border punch on several layers to complete this card.

Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas at our daughter and son-in-law's new home. We were able to have everyone there, but the granddaughters had to leave early for another family Christmas on their dad's side. I've included a picture of the whole family as well as one of my husband and myself. The 4 girls belong to #1 daughter in the front, Dylan's mom is #2 daughter (she is holding him) and Cooper the cat belongs to #3 daughter in the back.

BIG SALE-DON'T MISS IT!!

*Mark this date on your calendars-Sat Jan 22nd. I am trying to clear some space in my stamp room and am sorting through 8 1/2 yrs of retired Stampin'Up! "stuff".

Here's the deal: purchase the retired items at full price (minus tax and shipping) and receive 1/2 of your retired product total FREE from the current idea book and catalog. EX: buy $50 retired product, get $25 free new stuff. You only pay tax and shipping on the current products ordered. This is a great way to stock up on paper, ink, ribbons, etc. Not to mention those Bigshot dies and embossing folders you NEED!

I am combining this sale with my annual hostess appreciation party for my 2010 stamp club members and hostesses. They get first chance at the sale from 9a-11a, and anyone may shop from 11a-2p. I will have food, make and take projects, and door prizes. You will get an extra ticket in the drawing if you RSVP and if you bring a friend that is new to me.

And as an added bonus, I am holding the order to submit until 1/25 when Sale-A-Bration starts. So if your current product total is $50 or more, you get to choose one item FREE from the SAB mini catalog.

The sale will be at my home in Pleasant Hill, call or email for directions if you need them.

Missing in action

I have been terribly remiss about posting and have several (excuses), er reasons why.

#1 Our desktop computer died and my laptop does not accept my compact flash card from my camera and I haven't been able to even load pictures directly from my camera even though I tried to use the installation cd that came with the camera. I used to load pictures to the desktop, then to a flash drive, then to my laptop. REALLY!!

#2 I had surgery (again!!) Nov 8th for a torn meniscus in my right knee. We spent Nov 9th-16th in Branson without my computer access. I recovered well and am back to work, thanks for asking!

#3 My sister came to visist for 10 days and I just didn't have time to post. Of course she's been gone for 2 weeks, but duh what can I say?

New ribbon technique from Des Moines regional

I am posting pictures from the regional seminar that I went to 10/15. The presenter used the scallop trim border punch and then wove ribbon through. She used the 1/8" taffeta, the 3/8" taffeta, and the crochet trim. I tried it and it makes an incredible edge. I will have to take a pic of my card to add here, but these are all from the regional. Just make sure that the ends of the punched edge are all closed in, not part of a scallop. Want more info? leave a comment, give me a call, or email.

HOT NEWS FLASH Clearance Rack Blitz !!

From 10/5 to 10/18, Stampin'Up! will be adding 200+ new items to the Clearance Rack to make room in the distribution center. All items are retired merchandise and will be UP TO 80% off. Some items have come from overseas markets and may have been sold out here earlier, but are available now. The only way to get them is to order online directly from my SU website: kathyloves2stamp.stampinup.net. Go to order online then clearance rack from the left hand column. Items are available while supplies last, so hurry!! All sales are final.

Embossing Folder Inset technique

This is a new technique that Lyssa Z (songofmyheartstampers.typepad.com) came up with and shared. It looks just like the images are inset into the cardstock. You just punch several images or cut out/use the bigshot dies, then attach firmly to cardstock and run through Bigshot with embossing folder. The square lattice one seems to work the best since it is an all over pattern.
For this card I used the "heart to heart punch" with pink pirouette, melon mambo, and real red cardstock and glued them to regal rose cardstock. I used the "pinking hearts border punch" and real red cardstock along the bottom. The stamped heart is from a level 1 hostess set called "Punch Potpourri". I stamped it on pink pirouette with melon mambo ink and used torn real red cardstock behind it. The heart button is a "bitty button" with a melon mambo heart (the samllest from the heart to heart punch) behind it and white thread. The sentiment is from "Three Little Words" and I cut it apart to make it fit the area.

The leaves were cut with the "Leaves #2" die from very vanilla cardstock and I used direct to paper with stamp pads to color them. Each leaf uses 2 colors: riding hood red and soft suede, old olive and river rock, cajun craze and tangerine tango, and more mustard and crumb cake. They are attached to early espresso and layered onto cajun craze with more mustard as the card base. The finishing touch is a round "bitty button" with a cajun craze circle from the "itty bitty shapes punch pack" and linen thread.

Cards in the mail

A topic of discussion at convention was touching people's lives with a card so I had this great idea. I challenged my club members to send a card to someone else in club. It was instead of a card swap at club. I'm posting the one I received and the one I made. I don't have pics of the others.

This isn't a very clear picture, but is a beautiful card by Melba. She does a wonderful job with watercoloring. She didn't sign the inside so I can reuse it.

This is the card that I made to send to Cindy. I don't have the new Sunny Garden DSP that is the same as Cottage Wall from last catalog, but with different colors, so I made some of my own with the Cottage Garden stamp set.

Special Folds Card Class

I will be teaching a class to make these 5 cards (some have 2 views) sometime in Nov. The cards will not be exactly the same colors or stamps sets, but will be made using these folds. You will get written instructions to take home with you as well as make the cards. Cost for this class will be $15 and I must have an RSVP and money by Oct 31. You can leave a comment here, email me, or call to reserve your spot, but I need the money before I commit to prepping for you to attend.

Lovely as a Tree Easal card

I made 3 of these easal cards for our 3 pastors who all have birthdays within 1 week. It is the tall tree from Lovely as a Tree stamped on cork with Always Artichoke craft ink and embossed with Iridescent Ice ep. I used the new decorative label punch. The curly label punch layers nicely on it (front).

Same stamp set and layout, two different looks

I love this new stamp set -Just Believe-and wanted to play. I had seen another blog where she used the same stamp set, but just different colors, so wanted to try that idea. I really like the card with marina mist and crumb cake, but the cherry cobbler and basic black really pops. I used torn paper sponging and used the same colors on both images-old olive, so saffron, and marina mist. The only difference is that I used two different border punches. I challenge you to give this a try.

Convention roommate shoebox swaps

. I made this card and CASED it directly from the idea book and catalog, but turned the layout to horizontal instead of vertical. The flower uses the reinker spread technique.

This was created by Laura from Texas. She has a teenaged son, so provided the "male" card

This card is by Roberta from Texas. It uses the daisies from the bigshot die and lots of sponging.

Audrey from Vermont brought this fun scallop circle card with fish made from the ornament punch.

Peggy from Arizona used vintage vogue with black and daffodil. She added the new 1/8" taffeta ribbon and bitty buttons.

Barbara, also from Texas, created this card using Sense of time and Artistic etchings. This would also be a great male card.

Just believe Card

This is another card we made at club on Sat. It uses stamps from the set Just Believe. The more mustard base was stamped and sponged with more mustard ink. We embossed the main image in white on Play Date DSP that I got for free from convention. It was then sponged and edges distressed. A bravo burgandy panel was cut with the top note die and embossed with the square lattice folder. We used markers to make the sentiment panel which was popped up with dimensionals. A button and ribbon provided the finishing touches.

Wax paper resist technique

This is the technique card we made at club on Sat. I had never done wax paper resist before and it is really very easy and makes quite a nice background. Just crumple up a piece of wax paper slightly larger than the card stock. Smooth it out and sandwich it between 2 pieces of glossy cardstock, then iron with low to med heat, non steam iron. After that apply color with a brayer, sponge, or sponge dauber. I used new in colors concord crush and pear pizazz. The stamp is from a level 1 hostess set- because I care.

Chest of drawers

This pattern is from the immensely talented Jackie Topa. She made a card similar to this as a convention swap. I was not fortunate enough to get one, but found it with the directions on her blog here: www. jackietopa.typepad.com. She has a tutorial on her blog on how to make these all the way to getting the brads evenly on the drawers. Thanks Jackie!!! I got to sit by her on the plane home from convention and enjoyed our visit.

If I were to do this again, I would put the aluminum foil on a sticky sheet then punch out. I just used tombow multiadhesive and it is a bit "bubbly" looking. I found a leftover bear from when we made a different card which was just perfect.

More Convention Pics

A swap from Jackie Topa, I got to sit by her on the plane coming home from convention. She has such fun ideas. If you made the stationery box at stamp camp nearly 2 yrs ago, that was also her creation. She has another card that she made that I am going to recreate, you will love it!!!

This swap is from Lynn Pratt. She also made the template for the one sheet wonder that we used in June.

Definitely over the top, not something I will ever do, but wanted you to see this gorgeous creation. It was made by an "Artisan Award Winner", I'm thinking it may be Jodie Oliver.

My roommate participated in a masculine card swap and this is one she received. I love the crystal effects on the motorcycle. We saw a lot of metal (metal flashing and/or heavy duty foil) used with the bigshot and embossing folders or texture plates.

This is another example of punch art. Love the idea of using 2 punches this way!

I finally have some time today to play with my new goodies from convention, but haven't posted in awhile, so will give you somethings to look at until I post some of my own work

Iowa Floods

I so want to play with some new things, but we have been battling water in our basement. Things are under control now, but I have a lot of cleanup to do. It rained cats and dogs with much thunder and lightening Sun, Mon, and Tues nights. Our daughter found some water in the finished side Mon am. When we got home from work I called every cleanup company in the book and all were busy, so we ripped up the carpet and used the shop vac to cleanup. We then bought a dehumidifier and heavy duty fan thinking that was the end of it. Tues am we had 2 more inches of water. My husband and I both stayed home from work and used the shop vac for 2 1/2 hrs with minimal change in the water level. So we went and bought an 18 gal shop vac with a hose attchment to pump it outdoors. It occurred to us that we hadn't heard the sump pump working, so we bought a new one as well. We got the water out and the sump pump installed, but still had water on Wed am :( I jiggled the pipe connection to the pump and it started working. We quickly used the shop vac and were able to go to work. Wed afternoon we made some minor adjustments to the sump pump and it is working just fine. Thur evening we did some more cleanup in the basement.
Lest I sound like I am complaining, we are blessed to have been able to get most of our items moved before they got ruined, and we still have a home to live in. Many people have it much worse than we do!!! Now we get to paint and recarpet. Might be awhile till we get it all done, but we have our basement back.

Mini Iowa Vacation with the grandchildren

We couldn't fit a week away with the girls, so decided to take a few days and do some things here in Iowa. I asked Taylor, the oldest granddaughter, to help me choose. We went to Adventureland all day Thur. The waterpark area is huge. We spent about 1 1/2 hrs in the lazy river, which was full of people, but it is unlike any lazy river I've ever been to in that it's huge!!! Fri we went to Tanger outlet to shop, then to a Cubs game complete with a win (11-6) and fireworks. Their mom, Angela went shopping with us and then the whole family went to the ball game. The younger crew was more interested in playing in the water fountain than watching the game, but Taylor enjoyed watching. Dylan thought he was going to play ball, not watch someone else play. Today we might do a bit more shopping-tennis shoes for school- then off to America's Incredible Pizza. Little Dylan will spend the night tonight and tomorrow will be church with all the grandkids as usual. Grandpa and I will need a few days to recuperate. I took my camera last night and the battery was dead. Grandpa took his camera to Adventureland, so I will post some pics later.

Hostess Special

Now through the end of August Stampin'Up! is giving an extra $25 for any workshop $350 or more. That means you get $65 instead of $40 FREE. Plus you still get your free hostess only stamp set and I give you the new idea book and catalog for FREE.

What are you waiting for? Get your guest list ready and I'll come to your home or you can come to mine. We all need some "girl time" and who doesn't love a hand stamped card? I can also focus on scrapbooking if you would prefer.

Call or email me to get your date in August!