It's been awhile since I've posted anything craft-y or chocolate-y. Well this isn't really one either :). I just wanted to tell you about what I'm thankful for this year and about a little giveaway over at Grammarly.

So what am I thankful for? I'm thankful for my friends and family and that Lisa over at Sharp Solutions shared this giveaway opportunity with me.

Write a post on your own blog between now and January 31 about something or someone that you are thankful for. Link back to this post and to Grammarly, the world’s best grammar checker. Why you might ask, Because you can win an Amazon.com gift card. Currently it is valued at $130 but the value increases by $10 for every thankful blogger that enters the contest!

. The Random Number Generator will pick one lucky winner on February 1.

WOW! Not papercrafting BUT.....

You have to come check out this site! I was so enchanted reading the posts here! She is also having a Kindle giveaway. Come check it out now!

Stampin' Up on You Tube

I am so excited that Shelli has done this You Tube video! Check it out and let me know what you think!

This is a card I started to do for a little girls first Communion. I really liked how this card turned out but decided I wanted to do it in reverse so the card she actually received was a little different but I didn't have time to scan it. I will try to make another one soon. In the mean time, I hope this inspires you.

Stamp Set: Special Blessings

Ink: Craft White

Paper: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

Accessories: White Satin Ribbon, White EP, heat gun, ticket corner punch

Easter a little late

Like I said when I started posting again last week, I have been stamping some but not posting. Here is the card my hostess club made for March. I loved the colors together and the simple elegance. Again, I love the texture plates for my Big Shot and of course the new Eyelet border punch! I have openings for my new hostess clubs coming up so if your in the Minneapolis/St. Paul MN area, see my calendar for details. If your outside this area, I do offer a virtual hostess option. Email me for details.

Stamps: Special Blessings

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Paper: Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron, Whisper White

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, White organze/satin ribbon, ticket corner punch

Minneapolis Regionals Swap

This is a hinge card that I designed as my swap for the Minneapolis Regionals. I love the hinge part (although I know you can't see it very well) it flips the Grad and the basic black up from the right. I also really like the new texture plates for my big shot! I think every plain piece of paper needs a little texture now! What do you think? If you don't already have the Big Shot, you NEED to get one and I just happen to know someone who can help you out with that. Give me a call or order it from my site on the right. It can be at your house by next week. Or, you can come to one of my open "play" nights and see if you would like to have your own (see my calendar for details)

Stamp Set: Great Grads

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black marker

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Basic Black

Accessories: Sizzix Texture plate (SU! exclusive, Large Oval punch, silver brad, mat pack, crafters tool kit, black gingham ribbon.

SAS Card #4

This layout was taken from a card that I had purchased from Andrea Walfords Demo to Demo site (see link on right hand sidebar). I switched up the stamp set, and colors a little and viola!

Stamp Set: Crazy for Cupcakes

Ink: Basic Brown

Paper: Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze, Parisan Breeze, Whisper White

Accessories: Chocolate Chip double stitched ribbon, mini glue dots

This card was a CASE that I found on splitcoast but for the life of me, I can't find it again to give credit to the creative person who first made it. If it is your original design, thank you very much and please email me so that I may give you proper credit.

Stamp Set: Thoughts and Prayers, All Year Cheer? (I know the set is retired but not sure which one)
Ink: Garden Green, Chocolate Chip
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Stitched felt ribbon (from holiday mini), silver brads, Mat Pack, Crafters tool kit

Thank you for looking!

Mini Stamp-A-Stack Card 2

For those of you just joining me, here is the second card we made for the WOFAL (Women of Faith and Love) mini stamp-a-stack this past Saturday. I love the simple elegance of the card and the embossed rose image from the Manhattan Floral embossing folder.

Stamps: Only Ovals

Ink: Close to Cocoa

Paper: Sahara Sand, cardstock vellum

Accessories: Whisper White satin ribbon, scallop oval punch, small oval punch, dazzling diamonds glitter

I know there are several cards out there like this. I really like the versitility of the sahara sand...oh the possibilities

Thanks for looking!

Mini Stamp-A-Stack

First, I need to apologize for not blogging in the last 6 months or more. Life took over. The good news is, that I have at least 5 cards ready to post over the next week and more to come!

Here is the first card that we made in the mini Stamp-A-Stack that I did for our church Women of Faith and Love group. Thank you ladies for a great time!

Stamp Set: Simple Friendship, All Holidays

Ink: Baja Breeze

Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Parisan Breeze DSP

Accessories: Whisper White Organza Ribbon, Rhinestone Brads, paper piercer

I love love love the Parisian Breeze Designer Paper. The texture (that I know you can't see) gives the card dimension and elegance.

Thank you for looking!

HALLELUJAH!!!!!

Finally figured out what I did to this blog!!!! Would you believe all it took was deleting a post! Not sure how that happened but whatever I posted, blogger didn't like.

Anyway, back up and running and I will be posting soon!

Not able to view blog

Hi everyone, for some reason, I am having trouble viewing my blog. Are you all having this same problem? Can you view my blog? Please let me know in an email. Debdezignz@comcast.net. Thank you so much!

PS: Any help fixing this would be greatly appreciated.

Always Thinking of You

Okay, so I changed my mind and posted a card today. SURPRISE! I had to do some cards for a swap I'm in Tuesday so I sat in Burger King today and stamped away while Bethany played! We both win!



Stamp Set: Always, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Basic Gray, Bordering Blue
Paper: Basic Gray, Bordering Blue, Whisper White, Prestwick DSP
Accessories: Large Oval Punch

I really like this card, but I think it is missing something. Any ideas? I just keep thinking it is a sympathy card so I can't add glitter.......

5047!!!!

Just a fun fact that I thought I would post because I haven't posted much this past week. My stamp studio has been under construction this past week and is finally coming together. It will be back up for Hostess Club on Sunday!

I will be back with cards next week! Planning my Christmas Card Crank Cards so I have been stamping but can't show you yet :o)~

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 5,047 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles: HeeHaw Blog Candy!

Okay, so I usually post all SU! cards but today I saw these adorable donkey stamps from Alota Rubber Stamps and they were so cute. I didn't buy them yet, because I have a chance to win some and so can you with this great Blog Candy on Michelle's site.....so go on over, check them out, and possibly get some great blog candy!
Stamps, Paper, Scissors and Donkey Smiles: HeeHaw Blog Candy!

Faux Alligator Instructions

I've had a couple of people ask for the instuctions for the faux alligator card found here. So here are the insturctions that were shared at the last stamp share I went to.

Supplies needed:
Cardstock: whatever size and color you would like (I used black)
VersaMark Pad
Bone Folder
Embossing Powder (I used black)
Heat tool

Directions:
1. Stamp VersaMark direct to paper all over the entire area you want to look like alligator skin
2. Cover entire area with Embossing powder.
DO NOT EMBOSS YET!
3. Using your bone folder, draw squiggly lines diagonally across your entire cardstock area.
4. Now turn your paper and draw squiggly lines across the opposite diagonal. (This will pull embossing powder off of your cardstock)
5. Using your heat tool, Emboss entire area.
6. VIOLA.....faux alligator.

It is super easy, but if I didn't explain it well enough, please email me or post another comment and I will try to explain it better.

Thank you for your sweet comments!

So the header doesn't quite work

But I have to figure out how to change it.......Hmmmmm.......it could be like this for a little while.

Have a great day!

Weddings and Chocolate

This is the card I made for the wedding Cam is at this weekend in Arizona (Yes, he is in AZ without me) Their invitations were chocolate and gold and very simple and elegant. This is the card I envisioned when we got their invite. I even did a vanilla envelope with Chocolate baroque swirls on it and gold flowers. I love the way it turned out (which is unusual for me). If only I could figure out how to get these pictures to turn out as well as the card did.

Stamp Set: Baroque Motifs

Ink: Encore Gold

Paper: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Chocolate Satin Ribbon - Retired SU!, Gold EP

This is the second one - to keep here, I wasn't sure which one I liked better but Cam picked the first one.

Which one do you like?

Hostess club folders

So every year, I make a folder for my hostesses when they start a new club year. In the past, I took a white folder and stamped the front. This year, Kim showed us a great thing that she did for her hostesses (I wish I could show you hers It was GOJUS! thanks Kim for sharing the idea and pattern). I took it and made it match yesterdays alligator purse in that I used the same stamp set and Black, Red, and White. Kim put in paper, ink, marker and punch inventory sheets in her last pockets and a wish list in the 3rd pocket. I added a Ribbon Inventory sheet to the 4th pocket and a catalog index to the back of my wishlist. The first pocket had names of people in my hostess club, with the month they are hostess along with phone numbers so they call and remind each other that we are meeting each month. They take the phone number list, but otherwise the folder stays at my house so they know each month what they already have at home and don't duplicate. I then use the first 2 pockets to put supplies for our monthly meeting and monthly special flyers in. I hope you enjoy and thank you again Kim for the fabulous idea! Oh and that is a tailored bow!

Stamp Sets: Eastern Blooms
Ink: Real Red, Basic Black
Paper: Real Red, Basic Black, WW
Accessories: 5/8" Red Grosgrain, Small and Large oval punch. White 2 pocket folder (found cheap at staples)

Let me know what you think! PS: the photos didn't really turn out great but you get the gist.

ALLIGATOR!!!!!!

Faux that is....

Cherie showed us how to do faux alligator at the stamp share on Saturday and it was so ding dang cute I had to try it. She even gave us the dimensions for this bag. I just added the red ribbon and I think a different stamped image on the inside. I loved it....Thanks Cherie

Other than the edge of my stamp appeared next to friends, I really like how this turned out. I used it as a "learn from my mistake" and cut your rubbah closer or wipe off the edge before stamping....or, embellish!

Tune in tomorrow for the folders for my hostess club. I did it a little different this year!

Stamp set: Eastern Blooms, Best Yet (level 1 hostess)

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black

Accessories: 5/8" Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Designer Brads (circle assortment), Black EP, Heat Tool