Grandson Number Five!

Yep - another grandbaby on the way!

It's a boy - number five for us! So here' a card in honor of him -

and little man, know that we love you to the moon and back already!

Here's big brother, Cody  - cutie, patootie that he is!

And now... for the other five most amazing grandchildren in the world!

 Love you sweet kiddos!

 

Beau

Kaylee

                                                                             Hope

Brittyn

   Isaiah   

                                         

Sorry, didn't mean to make you jealous! But they are the best! Full of personality, sweetness and fun!

And a close up of the card

I love tying the ribbon behind the button - maybe it's because of my quest to simplify, simplify! The delightful little boat stamp is from Moving Forward - the Ronald McDonald Charities stamp. Check it out on the last page of your catalog - it's a must have!

Convention 2012!

Here's what arrived in my mail yesterday! Woohoo! Convention is only a few weeks away.

I hope you've received your convention tags also!

Didn't get signed up as a guest?  I'd love to help you go next year!

Check back next week for more info on that!

Hello, Dear Friend

This card just makes me happy!

It's the wonderful stamp set, Moving Forward, found on the very last page of your catalog. 

Besides being over the top cute... each time this stamp set is purchased Stampin' Up! donates $3.00 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities! So you get to make oh, such incredible cards and help support an amazing charity at the same time. Doesn't get much better than that.

And what about the embossed background - it's the Fancy Fan Embossing Folder. I think it's my new favorite! I love how crisp and defined it looks.

Daffodil Delight card stock accented with Whisper White and Polka Dot Parade DSP (I love polka dots!) creates a sunny, happy feeling card. A perfect workshop project!

Moving Forward  Stamp Set 126320 w 126322 c

Fancy Fan Folder 127751

  

Storytime!

Storytime!

Does this ever happen to you too? You're late with a birthday card, or an anniversary card,

or a ... card? How does that work? I mean for those kind of special happenings, we have a year's notice, don't we?

I'm right there with you on this one! So, starting today I've determined it's going to be different! It's true I'm doing them a bit out of order - but I love this paper and Isaiah, our grandson, will be five in August - so that's where I've started!

It doesn't look like a birthday card, but you definitely get the message regarding "five"! Time for kindergarten and this paper just seemed right.

It has the greatest old-fashioned children's designs - oh, the projects I am going to make with this!

Storytime Designer Series Paper

126907

And look at this great stamp set that coordinates with it!

 I love the Suites that Stampin' Up! has put together in their

Annual Catalog - check it out here!

Storybook Friends

126735 w  126737 c

I had no clue....

                I just had to post this today! I found it on Pinterest and just had to pass it on!

So, what to add to it?

How about a pic of my scraps - which I keep in a basket on the floor so I can just toss them in! Yes, one tiny rubber stamp does lead to this!

And to this...  Yep - only current ones and only one wooden stamp set... a promotion from last year   But, it is in the Annual Catalog! And I used it today - Christmas in July, remember?

And to this...  a line up of punches!

And the mess at the end of a very busy day! Seriously, tho', I do clean up between each project! This will be spotless momentarily, I promise!

So, now that you're this far - how about a contest? If you can tell me what my favorite color ink is for stamping sentiments (almost exclusively!), I will choose one of the correct entries to receive a free Stampin' Up! ink pad of their choice!

Hint, I posted it on my blog awhile back and it is so not Basic Black.

email me @ stampsnsmiles@gmail.com

Winner will be posted Monday, July 2nd - include your blog info if you have one and I'll link you!

Everything Eleanor

                Everything Eleanor

Here's a different kind of post - a card I'm not very pleased with! Ever have those? Well, this is one of them!

I liked the idea but not the embossing... wish it had a bit of ribbon or something. So I'll be right back with an updated version that's more to my liking. (scroll down)

Here's the stamp set - lots of beautiful elements!

Everything Eleanor

124162w  124164c

And here it is! I have to tell you this card was a struggle for me!  It took me a while to decide just how I would introduce the ribbon. I decided on little "knot centers"...

I used the new Delicate Designs Folder and embossed diagonally across the card after stamping the swirly-do. Adds a lacy feel, doesn't it?

3/8" Stitched Satin ribbon in Raspberry Ripple became the flower centers, along with a pearl or two.

Stamped with Gumball Green, Raspberry Ripple and Primrose Petals.

Whew! I'm happier now!

It's For the Birds!

It's For the Birds!

What a great new set this is. If you want a nice variety of stamps for all occasions and you adore birds - this stamp set is for you! (Scroll down to see them all)

Simple, with some extra touches - notice the paper piercing, the nice wide scallop trim and the embossed hearts! All great Stampin' Up! products available now. Shop 24/7 online!

                                                                      For the Birds
                                                                 126405 w 126407 c

Essentials Paper Piercing Pack 126187

Okay, how cool is this! All these wonderful paper piercing designs in one package. I used two of them in the card shown above. The wide scallop (which matches the die) and the circle. Love, love them!

Inking Everything with Becky!

There's still time to get enrolled! An exclusive site for members to receive daily projects, tips, challenges and prizes! Now, how fun does that sound?

Today is day seven - but you can still catch up! See what I have created for you on

Inking Everything with Becky

Look, no stamping! Just embossing, a bit of stitching and a few buttons to complete this heart shaped card with it's own tri-fold envelope.

Created using Flirtatious and Floral District DSP!

French Foliage

I love this stamp set! Simple, with some very nice elements included in it. For this one I used just a leaf. Stamped on Whisper White with Tangerine Tango ink - directly on the card front. Then stamped again, embossed with Clear Embossing powder, cut out and placed over the original stamp. It gets a little lift from a Stampin' Dimensional.

A little extra interest with diagonal scoring - love the Diagonal Score Plate! This just may be my Annual Fall Card!

French Foliage stamp set

120845w 121166c

Take Care

Take Care - a nice saying and a nice stamp set!

I wanted to do a very simple, yet fun, tree this time. Have you used the Polka Dot Parade DSP yet? It's wonderful! It comes in great colors like Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Old Olive (used in this card), Pumpkin Pie, Real Red and Rich Razzleberry.

The background layer of the tree was created with the Perfect Pennants Bigz L - it has two nice doilies in the set. The top layer from the Circles #2 Original Die.

A couple of leaves using the - you guessed it! - Bird Builder Punch, topped off with three Brights Designer Designer Buttons. It can't get much simpler than this!

Order Online 24/7!

Take Care Stamp Set

126310w 126312 c

Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper

126902  12 sheets  $10.95

My Digital Studio - free 30-day trial!

So, did you know that Stampin' Up! is still offering a free 30-day trial of their My Digital Studio? That's right! You can try it for free - for 30 days! Click here to get started.

They also have some wonderful products - calendars, books and recipe books! All kinds of fun projects, that they will print for you.

They also have brand new downloads every Tuesday! You're not going to miss a one of them.

Razzleberry Bow Purse Tutorial (or a kit!)

Have you wondered why I haven't posted the last couple of days? Well, here's part of the reason... I've been working on a brand new tutorial for you!

May I present - the Razzleberry Bow Purse Ensemble! It's crisp, it's clean and full of wonderful Razzleberry flowers accented with Lucky Limeade. The purse is delightful with a fantastic bow (wouldn't you love a real-life one?) It holds the six cards with matching envelopes that are part of the tutorial.

The cards are each 3-1/2" x 5" - small enough to be sweet and large enough to post. They come from the Note Cards and Envelopes set from Stampin' Up! I have used this size almost exclusively lately - love it, love it!

Your tutorial includes 26 pages of step by step instructions, along with photos, so you can relax and stamp - I've done all the figuring for you!

 

Make a Wish!

Delicate embossing accented with flowers and rhinestones.

 

Bordering on Flowers

Simple yet bursting with flowers - who will you send this one to?

Razzleberry Bow Purse Tutorial

  3.95

  immediate download 

       

 

                   

                                                                                    

Remembering Uncle Laurie...

I've been wanting to write this post for a few weeks now and finally found the card I wanted to go with it. You may recognize it - page 92 of the new Stampin' Up! catalog (my own version, of course!)

This card is inspired by my Uncle Laurie - remember the trip I took to Canada recently? Well, I did visit family. But, the real reason behind it was to attend my Uncle Laurie's funeral. So, today, it's time to tell you a little about how he inspired me....

My Uncle Laurie was a very simple man (hence the card). He never married, but was a best friend to everyone. He never had children, but remembered all his nieces and nephews with phone calls and cards on their birthdays. He never owned his own home, but was welcome in everyone's. He was the one that kept in touch with each of us and let us know when someone wasn't feeling well (unless it was himself!) He never complained, never gossiped and he sent cards! He was always sending cards.... Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays - a holiday never went by without us receiving a card from his address. Sometimes the cards didn't quite match the holiday and one time our 18 year old, Chris (as in Christopher) received a "To My Favorite Niece" card - but nevertheless, there were always cards.

So, here I am.... one of the card makers in the family. I make at least a card a day. But how many of them get sent? How many people get remembered? That's changing this year, Uncle Laurie .... thank you for your inspiration!    Love, Penny