Debbie's Addiction

Penguins and Snowflakes

2010-12-15T09:18:00.000-05:00

The "Every Little Bit" stamp set featured here offers 25 little stamps for almost any occasion. I used the penguin and snowflake randomly stamped to make this cute little card. The dots connecting the images were made by simply dotting a Sharpie marker. The colors are Whisper White and Bashful Blue. The penguins are stamped in Basic Black, and their beaks and feet are colored with a Tangering Tango marker. "Be Merry" is from the retired "Warm Words" stamp set, stamped in Real Red. Notice the rhinstone bling in the corners and on the snowflakes. I added score lines about 3/4" in on each side to create the border. Such a fun little card!

Jolly Bingo Bits

2010-12-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

The Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set includes 24 tiny Christmas images perfect for whimsical cards such as this. Stampin' Up! also offers a coordinating Bingo Card stamp so you can make a Christmas-themed bingo game for the kids. How fun is that! I also used the Candy Cane designer paper on Real Red Cardstock. And because I emboss something on almost every card, you'll see the Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder was used on the Whisper White cardstock. 5/8" Grosgrain Real Red ribbon was used around the middle.

Peace on Earth

2010-12-12T22:48:00.001-05:00

So simple, yet so pretty! This is the "Northern Flurry" embossing folder from the Holiday mini catalog. Notice the rhinestone bling in the center of some snowflakes. "Peace on Earth" is from the stamp set "Four the Holidays" which is a must-have of holiday sentiments.The Whisper White cardstock is adhered to a Marina Mist card, and it's that simple.

Bells and Boughs

2010-12-12T22:44:00.001-05:00

Regal Rose, Wild Wasabi and Early Espresso combined to make a very contemporary Christmas color combination. The poinsettia from "Bells and Boughs" was stamped with Stazon Ink on watercolor paper and colored with blender pens. It's a lot easier to color than it looks! After coloring, I stamped the entire sheet of watercolor paper with Versamark and heat embossed with Iridesdent Ice embossing powder, although it doesn't show up too well in this photo. The Wasabi cardstock is embossed with the "Petals A Plenty" folder. In person, this card has a very big "wow" factor!

Jolly Old St. Nick

2010-12-10T08:42:00.000-05:00

I combined a couple of stamp sets for this card. Santa is stamped and cut from the "Jolly Old St. Nick" set which is featured in the current holiday mini. The sentiment, "some things have to be believed to be seen" is from "Just Believe" which is available in the big catalog. That saying goes so well with Santa, I just had to put them together! The sentiment is stamped and punched with the circle scallop and placed on one of the tags from the "Two Tags" Sizzix Die. Colors used are Baja Breeze, Real Red and Whisper White. The white is embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

Jolliest Time of the Year

2010-12-10T08:34:00.000-05:00

This was a favorite at our recent Stamp-A-Stack. This card features the oldie but goodie stamp set "Jolliest Time of the Year." The colors I used are Cherry Cobbler (can't live without that one!), Always Artichoke and Very vanilla. This is the first time I used the Victoria Crochet Trim ribbon. Isn't it pretty! The artichoke snowflakes on the top are in the hostess set "Northern Hearts" from the current holiday mini catalog. Hope you like it!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

I've been busy making Christmas cards and will post a couple a day for the next couple of weeks. This card was inspired by something I saw in a magazine and I loved its simplicity. I used Real Red, Old Olive and Whisper White card stock. The white is embossed with the Finial Press embossing folder. "Merry Christmas" is stamped in Old Olive and it's finished with a big red bow. Hope you like it!

Snow Swirled

2010-12-09T21:47:00.000-05:00

This might be my favorite Christmas stamp set, Snow Swirled, because it is so elegant and beautiful. The cardstock colors I used are Night of Navy and Brushed Silver. I stamped the images using Versamark and embossed with silver powder. It's hard to see in the photo, but I added some rhinestone "bling" on the tree. Love it!!

Lots of Day of Gratitude!

2010-11-27T00:45:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems as if Blogger has changed their format and now I can't figure out how to show multiple pictures on a post. I can't believe I have to do a separate post for each photo, but for now, that's the deal. Anyway, here are several posts showing the cards I made for our local Hospice organization for Thanksgiving. I used the Day of Gratitude stamp set and Autumn Spice designer series paper. I also used a sentiment or two from Grateful Greetings. Hope you enjoy these cards. Thanks for stopping by today and hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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A little blurry...sorry!

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Day of Gratitude

2010-11-27T00:28:00.000-05:00

Day of Gratitude

2010-11-27T00:25:00.000-05:00

I made several cards for our local Hospice. They gave the cards to families and staff at Thanksgiving. I used the Day of Gratitude stamp set and the Autumn Spice designer paper. The base cardstock colors are Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Early Espresso and More Mustard. My favorite accessory on these cards is the Leaves #2 Sizzix Die which I used to make several types of leaves. I ran the leaves through various embossing folders to give them dimension, but my favorite was the Spider Web folder. The leaves look like they have actual veins! Love it! I also got a lot of use out of the regal buttons and hemp twine. To make these round scallop cards, I used the Scallop Circle Die and the designer paper is cut from the Clear Circle die. I was so happy to find they layer together perfectly! Hope you like all the different cards I made using this stamp set and designer paper. Ther were fun to make!

Hello Again

2010-10-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

I love the bright colors on this card! I used Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Poppy Parade and Whisper White. The stamp set is called "Hello Again" and it is just cute and simple. I used the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder on the poppy strip. If you haven't noticed, I'm an emboss-a-holic....there's something embossed on almost every card I make.

It Matched the Bag!

2010-10-24T14:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I can't say this is my most favorite card ever, but it matched a gift bag I bought at Target perfectly! I should have photographed the card with the bag, but too late for that! Anyway, the card is made from Crumb Cake cardstock and the flowers are an array of choices from various stamp sets and die cuts. It was pretty fun to make, and like I said, it matched the bag!

Butterfly Prints

2010-10-22T07:05:00.002-04:00

This is kind of a wild color combo, even for me! The Daffodil Delight looks very bright against the Early Espresso. The butterfly is stamped with "Butterfly Prints" and punched with the butterfly punch...of course they coordinate perfectly! The sentiment is from "Perfect Punches." I emobssed the daffodil paper with the "Final Press" folder, and the scallop rectangle is a die cut from a new Clearlit. Notice the taffeta ribbon and brad in the center of the butterfly. Too cute!

Cards from Sonia

2010-10-21T08:16:00.002-04:00

My dear friend and fellow demonstrator, Sonia, made these two adorable cards and shared them with me. I love the way she used Stampin' Up! punches to make the purses. The sentiment is from one of my favorite sets, "Oval All." The next card features tulips made from the wings of the 2-step bird punch. So cute! Thanks, Sonia!

Awash with Flowers

2010-10-20T06:49:00.002-04:00

This card was CASEd from one of the blogs I regularly follow, and I'm sorry I don't remember who originally created this card. I promise to get better about keeping track of that and giving credit where credit is due, but I'm still fairly new at this blogging stuff so thanks for cutting me some slack! The stamp sets used are "Awash With Flowers" and "God's Blessings." The colors are Rich Razzleberry, Baja Breeze, So Saffron and Whisper White. I think this color combination is striking. Love it! I don't typically like 2-step stamping, but this set is one of those that doesn't have to be matched perfectly. Plus, clear stamps help so much with alignment!

Card from a Friend

2010-10-20T06:43:00.002-04:00

Isn't this a beautiful card? It was made and sent to me by my friend Venice. I love all of the careful detail she put into this card: the shading, the border punch, but mostly the creativity. This is not a Stampin' Up! stamp set, and I'm sorry I don't know what it is, but I love this card so much I just had to share it with you. Thank you so much, Venice!

We're Good Together

2010-10-19T09:22:00.002-04:00

I never outgrew my love of coloring! This card was so much fun to make. The stamp set is "The Nicest Things" and the sentiment is from a new Valentine set called "Filled With Love." I used "Sunny Garden" designer paper (so pretty!) and the ink colors are Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait. I used Crumb Cake for the basket, and a little Blushing Bride for skin tones (I miss Blush Blossom!) Hope you like!

Cheap Talk

2010-10-19T09:18:00.002-04:00

Here's another updated version of a Paper Creations magazine card. The designer paper is Sunny Garden, the colors are Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz and Whisper White. I colored the ribbon by sponging it on the Pear Pizzazz ink pad. I love these colors!

God's Blessings

2010-10-19T09:08:00.002-04:00

I saw this card in Paper Creations magazine made with retired colors, so I updated it with current papers and will call it my own. The designer paper is "Sunny Garden" and features Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait. I used the Flower Burst and Little Leaves Sizzlets, and stamped the sentiment on Whisper White.

Day of Gratitude

2010-10-18T12:50:00.002-04:00

This is one of the cards we made at the recent SU Regional here in Columbia. I also used it as a stamp-a-stack card and my guests loved it. The big medallion makes a great background, or it's beautiful stamped as the main focal point. Colors used are Cajun Craze, Old Olive and Whisper White. I will soon post many cards from this "Day of Gratitude" stamp set as I am going to make many cards for local businesses who want to show appreciation to their customers and volunteers.

Greenhouse Garden

2010-10-15T09:24:00.002-04:00

This was a favorite at a recent stamp-a-stack. We used the Greenhouse Garden stamp set which is a beautiful 2-step set. Even though we cut out a couple of the flowers, these don't take long at all. The colors used are Soft Suede, So Saffron, Very Vanilla and Regal Rose. The sentiment is from "All Holidays."

Flower Burst

2010-10-15T09:16:00.002-04:00

If you like purple, this card is for you! I copied this design from Diana Gibbs, one of my favorite SU demonstrators. The card base is made from Concord Crush cardstock, and the Flower Burst sizzlet was used in the same color to give this card an embossed look. Perfect Plum designer paper was used as well as the in-color poly-stitched ribbon. The stamp is from "Cute by the Inch" which coordinates perfectly with the Flower Burst sizzlet. This card is prettier in person...my photograph does not do it justice!

2010-10-14T06:49:00.002-04:00

My friend and fellow stamper, Sonia, demonstrated these pastel techniques at a recent hostess club. We all have our box of chalk and we're always looking for new ways to use it. These cards were so easy and fun to make and the results were so pretty. Thanks, Sonia!

Punched Posies

2010-10-13T09:26:00.002-04:00

Here's a retired SU set that I will keep forever. I love sets that coordinate with our punches, especially the 5-petal flower. You can see that one flower is stamped on the Whisper White cardstock, while another was stamped and punched out. It was attached with a brad, so the flower petals actually spin like a pinwheel. That is such a cute look. The card base is Riding Hood Red, layered with So Saffron and Wild Wasabi. I used a Sizzix folder to emboss the little squiggle line near the bottom. You'll find embossing somewhere on almost all of my cards.

Just Believe

2010-10-13T09:17:00.002-04:00

"Just Believe" is another one of my favorite stamp sets from the newest catalog. I paired it with our new in-colors to make this pretty card. The card base is Concord Crush, followed by Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz. The concord strip is embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder and the green strip is our new 1/2" stitched poly ribbon. You get 15 yards of this for $8.95...what a bargain! I'll have many more cards coming soon using this set.

Life is a matter of moments.

2010-10-12T10:31:00.002-04:00

This elegant card uses the "Elements of Style" stamp set. The flower image is stamped on Whisper White cardstock in black Staz-On and colored with Bashful Blue and Old Olive markers. The pretty swirls on the left are stamped in Bashful Blue and it's finished with a Night of Navy satin ribbon. I've seen this card on so many blogs I don't know who the original artist was, but she did a great job!

Pinwheel Card

2010-10-11T09:42:00.002-04:00

I had seen samples of pinwheel cards, but didn't know how to make them. My friends Kimberly and Dana had seen them too, and they took the initative to figure out how to do this! Dana made this card for me, taught me how to make it, and now I'm hooked! It's my favorite design to make and I can't wait to show my hostess club gals how to make this card this week. Dana used the Sizzlets Button #5 die for the center embellishment. So of course, I had to buy that! A tutorial follows this post and I hope you give this technique a try. Thank you Kimberly and Dana for sharing this card!

Pinwheel Tutorial

2010-10-11T09:16:00.009-04:00

This was my swap card for the recent SU Regional Convention here in Columbia, SC. Once I learned how to make this pinwheel, it quickly became my favorite type of card to make. Plus, it's a good use for all of your designer paper scraps. I had a lot of questions regarding how I made the pinwheel, so here is my attempt at a tutorial. Hope it is helpful!

Begin with 8 squares of dsp at 1 5/16". Then cut two squares of vanilla or white (whatever color coordinates with your dsp) at 2 7/8".

Glue the two large squares together to form this pattern. I've found it helps keep everything lined correctly if you use the bold lines in the center of your grid paper as I have shown. Match your points on the bold lines and you'll have the perfect pattern.

Begin by gluing your first square on one of the corners. Be sure to put adhesive only in one corner, because you will need to put your last square underneath this one, as you'll see later.

Glue your second piece on the next corner. This piece should have adhesive all over the back. Continue sticking your squares in each corner of your pattern until you have gone all the way around.

Your last square will have to be partially placed underneath your first piece. This is why you don't glue the entire first piece. (Sorry for the blurry photo. Someone's had a lot of coffee this morning!)

Add embellishments to your finished pinwheel. I love the antique brads, or the two larger buttons from the Buttons #5 Sizzlits Die, actual buttons, or almost any of the flowers from sizzlits would work. I'll make lots of Christmas cards with the pattern with snowflakes in the center. Hope you have fun making pinwheel cards!

Artistic Etchings

2010-10-10T19:27:00.002-04:00

When I first saw this new stamp set I thought, "what am I going to do with that?" Well, this is what I did, and it turned out to be one of my favorite cards. We made this at a recent stamp-a-stack, and it received many compliments. I used Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake and Basic Black cardstock, and the same ink colors plus Old Olive. The stripes across the middle are made with the new 1/8" taffeta ribbon which I absolutely love.

Awash with Princesses!

2010-10-10T17:48:00.002-04:00

How cute is this?! I copied this card from someone, and I would give her credit if I remembered who she was....but anyway, here's my card. I took the stamp set "Awash with Flowers" and stamped the flowers upside down...those are the gowns. I used faces, arms and legs from "All in the Family," and crowns are from "Tiny Tags." Colors used are Daffodil Delight (one of my new favorites!), Melon Mambo, and Tempting Turquoise. The sentiment "Don't treat me any differently than you would a queen," is from the retired stamp set "Favorite Thoughts."

Birthday Bakery

2010-10-10T12:39:00.002-04:00

These were my September birthday cards. The stamp set is called "Birthday Bakery" and it is a current Level 1 Hostess Set. I used Real Red and Wild Wasabi card stock, along with "Celebrations" designer series paper. I used an extra large scallop circle die and dug out the Circle Scissors Plus to make the Whisper White circle. The icing was colored with blender pens. In case you can't read the sentiment at the bottom, it says "This is no day for just a sliver!" Too cute! I copied this card from Chat, aka "nitestamper." When I saw this colorful card, I knew I had to make some!!

Morning Cup

2010-10-10T12:33:00.002-04:00

I LOVE this set called "Morning Cup!" Well, who am I kidding? I love them all! This was a recent stamp-a-stack card and a favorite among my guests. The card base is Pacific Pointe. Other colors are Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry and Pumpkin Pie. We used an aquapainter to color in the images. Took a little time, but it's so cute!

CASED from Dawn Griffith

2010-10-10T12:26:00.002-04:00

Isn't this a great technique? It's called "Embossed Negative" (I think!). Basically, you stamp the image twice with Versamark, one on black paper embossed in white, the other on white paper embossed in black. You cut the image in half, and stick it together. It's a little trickier than it sounds, but you can do it! Visit Dawn's Stampin' Thoughts for complete instructions and a video tutorial.

Cards from MaryAnn

2010-10-10T11:36:00.006-04:00

MaryAnn and I frequently swap cards and these are the most recent I have received from her. Aren't they all fabulous!! Love them all!!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-10-07T22:21:00.007-04:00

Here are some beautiful cards my wonderful stampin' friends made and gave me for my birthday last month....yes, I'm a little slow to post! I have more to post, but I still need to photograph them, so I'll post more soon. This first card is from Agnes.

From Laura

From Sonia

From Lisa

From MaryAnn

From Dana

Operation Write Home

2010-09-15T23:10:00.008-04:00

Some of my stampin' friends and I are participating in a project called "Operation Write Home." We make handmade greeting cards which are sent to our troops overseas. They use these cards to send to their loved ones back home. There are no Hallmark stores in Afghanistan, so there is a real need for this! We have a blast designing our cards and getting together to make these as a group for such a good cause. Here are the cards we made this month.

MaryAnn's Cards

2010-08-10T17:19:00.006-04:00

These two cards were made by my stampin' friend and fellow demonstrator, MaryAnn Sansonetti. Aren't these cute!? Thanks MaryAnn!

Not my favorite stamp set, but the card didn't turn out too bad. I used markers to color him on watercolor paper.

Western Flair

2009-03-12T08:39:00.002-04:00

"Manchester" is the featured designer paper on this card. The muted colors of Kraft, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze and Always Artichoke, and the plaid designs, give it a more masculine feel than a lot of other SU papers. I inked the edges of everything with Creamy Caramel. The circles are stamped with stamps from "Wanted," "Priceless," and "Be Happy" is from the "Darling Dots" hostess set. I used a Vintage Brad and a silver brad from the Hodgepodge Hardware set. I used lots of circle punches and this card was a lot of fun to make!

Hey There!

2009-03-12T08:27:00.002-04:00

Aren't these colors striking together - Real Red cardstock and So Saffron designer paper from the Sale-A-Bration Delicate Dots collection. The giraffe and bird are from "Wild About You." "Hey There" is from "Really Retro" and stamped on the tab using the Round Tab Punch. It's attached with a red button and thread. The Flower Ribbon Slide on the Real Red Ribbon is a piece included in the Hodgepodge Hardware set.

Funky Flowers

2009-03-12T08:16:00.002-04:00

The black flowers were made using a SU Sizzlits Die called Flower Blossom. (The Sizzlits single dies are only $4.95!) The flowers are attached to Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion and Green Galore dots punched from the 1 1/4" circle punch, with coordinating Bold Brights Brads. I embossed the Whisper White background with a Cuttlebug folder and added a strip of Basic Gray Designer Paper from the current Hostess Pack. I love all the dots!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-11T13:21:00.002-04:00

This cute little guy made the rounds last year - I cased him from someone but I have no idea who. He's made completely from Stampin' Up! punches - Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" circle, 3/4" circle, Word Window, and Large Tag. The brim of his hat is made by punching two ovals side-by-side about 1/4" apart. Using the oval punch, punch out the part in between the two ovals. The cardstock colors are Garden Green, Summer Sun, Black, Confetti White, Really Rust and Blush Blossom. A Blush Blossom Marker was used to highlight around the face and nose, and to make rosy cheeks. I used SU black gingham ribbon, and the google eyes and shamrock are from Michael's. He was so fun to make!

This Round's On Me!

2009-03-11T13:10:00.002-04:00

I should be preparing for my Hostess Club which meets Friday, but I had this idea in my head and had to put it on paper! The green beer stamp is from "Cheers To You," colored with Stampin' Pastels, and coated in Crystal Effects (which I've stuck my thumb in twice now!) "Time to Celebrate" is from the "Celebrate Everything" set and stamped in Glorious Green. I used small and medium oval punches, and the background is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder - it sort of reminded me of beer bubbles! The cardstock is Glorious Green, Gable Green and Whisper White - colors you'll probably see together only on a St. Patrick's card!

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

2009-03-11T13:02:00.002-04:00

This card was sort of copied from Stampin' Success magazine, a publication given to SU demonstrators. I punched Green Galore designer paper from the current hostess pack with the Full Heart Punch and attached with Stampin' Dimensionals. The Certainly Celery ribbon is a Sale-A-Bration freebie. Since I don't have any St. Pat's stamps (gasp!) I used a "Kiss Me" button I found at Michael's. The heart brad and shamrocks are also from Michaels. Cardstock colors are Certainly Celery, Green Galore and Whisper White.

We Grow Great By Dreams

2009-03-09T22:03:00.002-04:00

We made this card at one of my Stamp-A-Stacks a few months ago and it was a customer favorite. The cardstock is Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip. The Bella Rose designer paper is so elegant and pretty, and I trimmed it with a scalloped edge punch. The "Dreams du Jour" stamp is water colored with Pink and Celery. The Flower Fusion felt flowers, attached with a vintage brad and Stampin' Dimensional add the perfect finishing touch. Using a Corner Rounder punch on the base cardstock helps give the card a softer look. I made lots of these to use as my personal "thank you" cards and gave many as gifts.

Pretty Petals

2009-03-09T21:50:00.003-04:00

This card was inspired by something I saw on the SU Demonstrator Website. The background stamp is "Pretty Petals" and was applied with a brayer and So Saffron ink. The flower is made by snipping the "petals" of the scallop circle punch. The clear button in the center was applied with Crystal Effects as it was the only adhesive I found to be invisible. Under the clear button is stamped "kindness" from the "Define Your Life" stamp set - hard to see, but it's there! The sentiment is from "Heard from the Heart," stamped with Old Olive on Very Vanilla cardstock. I used the scalloped edge punch on the vanilla, and the stem and leaf are made from Old Olive cardstock.

Here's the photo!

2009-03-05T09:50:00.002-05:00

Oops! No picture! Sorry for the extra post! I'll get this figured out one of these days!

2009-03-05T09:36:00.002-05:00

This is Apricot Appeal designer paper from last catalog's hostess pack. I also used Almost Amethyst, Cameo Coral and Whisper White. The flowers are from Petal Pizzazz. I stamped them on white cardstock using Cameo Coral ink, cut them out and attached with Stampin' Dimensionals. The Certainly Celery flower stems are also from Petal Pizzazz. The phrase "warm wishes" comes from the Hugs & Wishes stamp set. The flower vase was made by punching cardstock with the large oval, and cutting the ends. And there's that Eyelet Border Punch that I love so much!

Priceless Butterfly

2009-03-05T09:21:00.003-05:00

The inspiration for this card came from an old Paper Crafts magazine. I used Certainly Celery, Taken with Teal, Apricot Appeal and Whisper White cardstocks. The "Priceless" set has some of my favorite swirls which I used on the teal and white. Can you see the Crystal Effects on the butterfly? It gives it sort of a 3D effect. I used my favorite new punch, "Eyelet Border" on the white strip and layered Certainly Celery and Apricot Appeal ribbon. "Wonderful" is from the "Warm Words" stamp set - a must have! I used the Ticket Corner Punch and added some green rhinestones on the centerpiece.

Simple Elegance

2009-03-05T09:12:00.002-05:00

I made this card for friends of mine who just got married. I actually help get them together, so I'm very happy this worked out!! Congratulations Steve & Jessica!

I used Whisper White and Black cardstock. The front was embossed with the Cuttlebug heart embossing folder. The heart and "mr. & mrs." are from "Chit Chat Rub-ons" and placed inside a piece of silver Hodge Podge Hardware. It's tied together with some organza ribbon.

A BIG BUNCH OF THANKS!!

2009-02-28T21:47:00.008-05:00

Welcome to my brand new blog! I hope you enjoy what I share and are inspired to create something of your own. I will try to post new things every day, so check often to see what's new. Become a "follower" to be notified when new posts are made. Thanks for taking a look at my addiction, and I hope you visit often.

My blog would not have been possible without the help of my dear friend MaryAnn Sansonetti, self-proclaimed "Technology Dork!" MaryAnn has spent countless hours showing me the ropes of this blogging stuff, and although there's still much to learn, I can at least post a pretty good picture now. MaryAnn, thanks so much for everything - especially the close friendship that I truly treasure. This hobby took on a whole new life when you joined me. Thanks for helping to make this so much fun every day!

Beth Feverston this is all your fault! I had never heard of Stampin' Up! until I met you. Not only were you my earliest inspiration, but I consider you my greatest mentor in the SU business. I learned so much by observing how you conducted your workshops and I strive to conduct my business "just like Beth." You might recognize some card designs from time to time as I still frequently refer to my big box of "Beth cards!' Thanks so much!

Tanjalee Vance, you helped "kick-start" my business by introducing me to so many of your friends who later became my customers (and my friends too!) Thanks for helping me grow a sizable business in a not-so-sizable town! For this I will be forever grateful. You are so awesome!

Lori Gladders - Thanks for helping me get started with the business end of SU and for your continued techniques coaching.

Hope you enjoy.....

Sweet Stems

2009-02-28T21:13:00.002-05:00

Don't you just love the spring flowers in the new Sweet Stems set?! I used Naturals White as the card base, and made the Top Note with Pretty in Pink cardstock. The flowers are colored with markers and finished with 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon. The phrase "because nice matters" is from the new hostess set "Sweet Little Sentiments."

Raspberry Tart and Lovely Labels

2009-02-28T20:53:00.003-05:00

These might have been the favorite cards from February's Stamp-A-Stack. The Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper is beautiful against Rose Red and Kiwi Kiss cardstock. Laura suggested the paper has a "Vera Bradley" look to it, and I have to agree! The centerpiece is stamped from Lovely Labels, and the Signo white gel pens really make the scallop circle "pop."

Botanical Blooms

2009-02-28T20:27:00.004-05:00

Botanical Blooms is one of the free sets offered in this year's Sale-A-Bration promotion. I used baja breeze and mellow moss and very vanilla cardstock. The new Eyelet Border Punch adds a delicate touch to any card and is very easy to use. Baja Breeze Designer Series Paper is used on the bottom, and an open leaf is stamped with Versamark to make a subtle background.

Sale-A-Bration Goodies!

2009-02-28T20:16:00.003-05:00

These cards feature three of the free gift choices from the current Sale-A-Bration promotion. The Polka Dot Punches stamp set was used to create the hearts and scallops, which fit perfectly into the Full Heart and Scallop Circle punches. Delicate Dots Designer Paper and the So Saffron and Certainly Celery Ribbon Bundle finish the design. The stamped phrases on the bottom are from Really Retro. For more info regarding Sale-A-Bration, click on the catalog on the left!

My New Craft Room!

2009-02-26T19:07:00.002-05:00

I am so proud of the craft room that my wonderful husband, John, built for me last Christmas (I love you, Santa!), and I wanted to share it with you. These beautiful storage cabinets are actually custom closet organizers from Home Depot. The four vertical sections are sold with a few shelves and clothing rods, and you add doors and drawers to customize any way you want. I love the way it turned out and I now have so much room to organize all my stuff....with room to grow!

Ribbon and Punches Galore!

2009-02-26T18:52:00.002-05:00

Other crafters have posted pics of this creative peg-board storage idea so I had John make one for me. The bars for the punches are actually the clothing bars from the closet units in the photo above. My ribbon is stored in spice racks. Other little pantry containers are used to store my Stampin' Mist, StazOn Cleaner and Crystal Effects, and scissors hang from various hooks. The floor lamp was $25 from Target. (I saved room for the new scallop oval punch coming soon!)

Creative Domain

2009-02-26T18:40:00.002-05:00

I found this kitchen table at Big Lots for $99 and it's the perfect size for crafting. The tall storage drawers fit perfectly underneath. My adhesives, pastels, pencils, projects-in-progress and miscellaneous supplies are at a very convenient arm's reach.

Organized paper!

2009-02-26T18:33:00.002-05:00

These shelves were also part of the Home Depot closet collection. The adjustable and very sturdy shelves makes paper organization a breeze. I can tell at a glance what paper is running low....hmmm....not much of anything at the moment! My computer stand is new too - only $40 from Staples.

Did you notice the curtains?

2009-02-26T18:25:00.002-05:00

My mom had this great idea that I should STAMP my curtains, and the minute she suggested it, I knew I had to do it! The curtains are plain white muslin from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I bought sponge stamps and paint at Michaels. Mom made the lavender bow tie-backs (I don't sew!) and that's all there was to it. Very whimsical and cute!

Simply Pretty!

2009-02-25T17:18:00.001-05:00

The simplicity and bright colors in this card makes it one of my favorites. I used Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White cardstock. The flowers are from various sets: Priceless, Eastern Blooms and Seeing Spots. The greeting is from Sincere Salutations.

MaryAnn's Pocket Silhouettes

2009-02-25T17:13:00.001-05:00

This is a case from my dear friend MaryAnn using Pocket Silhouettes and Much Appreciated. The background ferns are from Organic Grace in our last catalog. The cardstock is Really Rust, Sage Shadow and Very Vanilla.

Say it with Scallops

2009-02-25T17:09:00.001-05:00

Baja Breeze and Old Olive cardstock were used to coordinate with our retired Green Tea designer paper. "Say it with Scallops" fits perfectly in the scallop square punch....imagine that.....and the card is finished with baja breeze 5/8" striped grosgrain ribbon.

Doodle This

2009-02-25T16:57:00.001-05:00

"Doodle This" is one of my favorite sets and I'll miss it when it retires. I love the swirls! The big flower was made by stamping one on Whisper White cardstock, stamping a second on scrap paper to cut out and attach with a jeweled brad. The cardstock colors are Lavender Lace and Bashful Blue and the sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations."

Tweet Birthday Card

2009-02-25T16:53:00.001-05:00

This bright and cheery birthday card highlights our "A Little Birdie Told Me" set and one of last year's Sale-A-Bration sets, "Lots of Thoughts." I used Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White paper and the retired "Bali Breeze" designer paper. My favorite scallop circle punch was used along with 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon.

To Thine Own Self Be Kind

2009-02-25T14:50:00.002-05:00

I saw this card on SCS by Regina Cornelius and couldn't wait to copy it! I changed some colors, but Regina gets all the credit here. Really Rust, Old Olive, More Mustard and Very Vanilla cardstock are used. It's hard to see in the photo, but I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder on the rust background. The stamp set is Botanical Blooms from the current Sale-A-Bration catalog. I stamped some blooms and leaves in the background on the vanilla paper. Three blooms are cut out and attached with Stampin' Dimensionals. The flower pot was made with the large oval punch and cutting off the ends. The pot is made with More Mustard paper, and rubbed in Really Rust ink.