Praying Hands and Trust God

Here's a sample that I created using the new Praying Hands and Trust God stamp sets:

I used the Simply Scored tool to create a pattern on the card front.  I punched  the sentiment out with the extra large oval punch, then mounted it on top of the smallest Labels Framelits.

A few nights ago while we were getting ready for bed Clarice told me that she wants to go to heaven.  I asked her why and she said, "Because I want to see Jesus!"  What an imagination and curiosity my little girl has.  I told her that I need her to be here on Earth with me right now, but when it's time for her to go to heaven, she'll be my angel.

Stamps: Praying Hands, Trust God
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Big Shot, Labels Framelits, Extra Large Oval punch, Simply Scored

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Freshly Made Sketches #39

Here's my interpretation of this week's Freshly Made Sketches.  

I chose my ink colors from a pattern in the Floral District designer series paper and punched all five possible layers in the Quintessential Flower stamp.  Each layer is popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. Other new items on this card are the Large Scallop Edgelits, the Delicate Designs embossing folder, and the Bitty Banners Framelits along with the Itty Bitty Banners sentiment.

Stamps: Quintessential Flower, Itty Bitty Banners
Paper: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Floral District dsp
Ink: Rose Red, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Big Shot, Large Scallops Edgelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Delicate Designs embossing Folder, 2 3/8" and 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punches, 1", 3/4" and 1/2" Circle punches

Dide is still holding onto her top front baby tooth. It's kinda creepy looking!

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Freshly Made Sketches #38

Here's the card I created for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

I chose the Bright Blossoms stamp set along with the Summer Smooches designer series paper.  I colored the images with markers and used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to perfectly position the top flower.  It's a pretty simple card.

Busy day today, so I've got to make this post short.  Post a comment and let me know what you think of this card.

Stamps: Bright Blossoms
Paper: Island Indigo, Whisper White, Summer Smooches dsp
Ink: markers - Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals, Daffodil Delight 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Dynamic Duos #6 - Regal Rose and Basic Gray

Today was a lazy day at the Carlson house, so I decided to take on a challenge, Dynamic Duos. 

I started to combine this challenge with the Freshly Made Sketches one, but the frame image got me way off base.  Maybe I'll try that one another time. 

This was my first inking of the Papaya Collage stamp set.   I stamped the frame image in Basic Gray, then cut it out.  I used a punch to remove a lot of card stock inside the frame, then finished the job with my paper snips.  After that, I edged the outside of the frame with a Basic Gray marker. I stamped the butterfly twice, then stamped off one time creating three exact images, then I cut all three and stacked them together with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I inked up the flower image with Regal Rose and Old Olive markers and stamped off the top image, cutting off the leaf.  Those images are also stacked with Stampin' Dimensionals.  (I couldn't help add that little touch of Old Olive to the leaf. Not sure if that disqualifies me from the challenge or not.)

I stamped off the Ginkgo leaves with Basic Gray on Whisper White card stock and stacked the frame on top of that piece with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The layer under that one is Regal Rose Patterned dsp, and under that is a print from the Twitterpated dsp.  I finished the card off by adding Basic Gray Glimmer Brads, some Basic Pearls and organza ribbon custom sponged with Regal Rose to match the challenge.

I really like the set, although I'm not sure that I want to put a hat on a bird.  And where is the butterfly's body???

Stamps: Papaya Collage
Paper: Regal Rose, Whisper White, Brights Patterned Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Gray, Regal Rose; Basic Gray, Regal Rose and Old Olive markers
Accessories: Basic Pearls, Stampin' Dimensionals, White Organza Ribbon, Sponge, Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, Neutrals Glimmer brads

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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Open House Make-n-Take

Whew!  Two days ago I held my New Catalog Open House.  Can you believe - I was SO busy that I forgot to take photos!  I had lots of samples available for my customers to see, a New Catalog Scavenger Hunt, a customer questionnaire, and, of course, yummy food and the 2012 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog! At one point, you could've heard a pin drop because all my guests were closely studying the catalog.

Here is the make-n-take that I had available for the ladies to create.  The idea came from Stampin' Connection, an online community for demonstrators.

My oldest daughter Annika helped arrange the retired stamps table.  And all my girls did a great job helping my guests feel welcomed in our home.  I was really proud of them.  And Bradley pretty much stayed out of the way all day.

From those who completed my customer survey, I chose two winners.  One got the new 2012-2014 In Color markers and the other got the new 2012-2014 In Color card stock.

I had also planned to choose one mystery hostess from everyone who bought merchandise from the new catalog.  However, the sales were so phenomenal that I am going to divide the benefits among several customers.  It's all because of the we {heart} our hostesses promotion.  Gotta love it!!!

After taking yesterday to "recover" from my Open House, I felt motivated today to create another card like the above except I used colors recommended by the Color Coach.

The colors are Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo and More Mustard. I stamped off before stamping the small flower trio stamp.

On another note, I took Annika and Dide to get their hair cut today.  While I was paying, I went ahead and re-scheduled their next appointments.  Exactly six weeks from now, I will be in Salt Lake City for the Stampin' Up! convention!!!  So, my poor girls will have to wait and extra week to get their hair trimmed.  (In my absence, I didn't want to overburden my dear husband with a hair appointment.)  I'd better get started making my swaps soon! 

Here's a photo of Dide taken last week with one less top tooth. 

The remaining tooth looks like it's growing down from the center of her gums.  Too cute!

Stamps: Betsy's Blossoms, Itty Bitty Banners
Paper: Gumball Green, Whisper White / Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, More Mustard
Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse / Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, More Mustard
Accessories: Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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June Blog Hop, a Sketch Challenge

Welcome to the June edition of the Hoppers' Blog Hop.  This month we're been tasked to use a sketch challenge.  Tina Davis, one of the Hoppers designed the sketch.  She's also got some blog candy: a pack of the Everyday Elegance cards!  Those cards are so handy to have when you need to make a quick card.

Here's my card:

I decided to use the new stamp set called Make a Cake along with some designer series paper called Patio Party.  I earned both of them for recruiting a new team member during Sale-a-Bration.  Stampin' Up! does a great job at rewarding its demonstrators.

Here's the original sketch:

Of course, I couldn't stop at one card!  I punched four flowers using the Blossom punch using Daffodil Delight card stock, then I separated each flower to get two layers,  It takes a little time to soften the card stock with a bone folders, but it is so worth the time.  (Fellow demonstrator Cathy Parlitsis has a video on her blog on how to make these Blossom flowers.)  The only ink I used on this card was to sponge the edges of the petals in Tangerine Tango.

Stamps: Make a Cake, Itty Bitty Banners/ none
Paper: Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse, Whisper White, Patio Party designer series paper/ Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Daffodil Delight, Floral District dsp,
Ink: Midnight Muse, Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit/ Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Dimensionals/ Blossoms punch,  Stampin' Dimensionals

Here is a link to everyone's blogs.  Happy Hopping!



Happy Stamping!

Susan

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A Girl's Gotta Do What a Girl's Gotta Do!

My New Catalog Open House is Thursday afternoon.  Bradley had a ball game last night, tonight and he's got one tomorrow night.  This mean that I should be at his games (or the Mom guilt in me tells me I must be there).   Of course, being at his games mean that I can't do too much preparation for my event.  But I'm not going to let it stop me!  I took my Big Shot, some embossing folders and 48 cocktail napkins to the game.

Bradley is on first base in this photo - he's in the black jersey.

My brother took these photos with his Droid and I haven't a clue how to edit them and add my watermark.  (I'm sure there's a way, but I'm too tired to concentrate and figure it out.)  I used the Manhattan Flower embossing folder on the green napkins and the Petals-a-Plenty on the pink ones. 

It was windy and cold, so I embossed at the front seat of my van . In a "perfect" world, I would've been sitting on the bleachers talking with other parents about Stampin' Up!  No networking occurred at this game ; ) 

Bradley's team lost.  They were tied 3-3, then the other team got TWO home runs.  The final score was 9-3.  My score was 24-24.  Get it?!?

Stamps: none
Paper: cocktail napkins
Ink: none
Accessories: Big Shot, Manhattan Flower and Petals-a-Plenty embossing folders.

Happy Stamping!

Susan

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