Happy Halloween & Free MDS Downloads!

Ever thought about trying My Digital Studio?
Now's a great time! Not only can you try out the program for free for 30 days...

Stampin' Up! is giving away FREE My Digital Studio downloads - click here to check them out now!

Along with that they are offering their digital kits at 50% off through November 5th. It's a great time to shop!

Did you know that when you click on my Stampin' Up! website you will have immediate access to hundreds of great Stampin' Up! ideas - for cards, 3-D projects and scrapbook pages! Click here for new inspiration!

Now here's a little last minute Halloween project for you to enjoy today!
There's still time to make bunches of these.
Just use the Petite Purse Die, trim off the flap, punch out different size circles from all your Halloween scraps and adhere them on. Cute, cute!

Merry Christmas!

Combining evergreen boughs and snowflakes as a backdrop for a beautiful ornament. Stamp first and then emboss.

Don't you love these ornaments with their coordinating Framelits? And I just figured out how to make the sweetest, perfect tiny bows! Use a fork! I'll try to get a tutorial posted soon.

Or.... would you like to get together with a few friends and learn how to make this card? Contact me @ stampsnsmiles@gmail.com

Merry Christmas - a beautiful script framed in silver.

Click here to shop online 24/7 - delivered to your door!

Ornament Keepsake Bundle
129949w

129950c

Greetings of the Season

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Silver Glimmer Paper
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It's An Amazing Stamp Sale!

                                One Day Stamp Sale October 29th!

                 October 29th is the one-day Sell-A-Stamp Spooktacular at Stampin’ Up!

Here are the details:
Starting at 12:00 AM (MT) and ending at 11:50 PM (MT), almost every stamp we sell will be 15% off.
This means all stamps in the current catalogs including
                   Background stamps
                   Personalized name stamps
                   Incentive stamp sets from the supply list
                   Cookie press stamps
                   Single stamps
It DOES NOT include
                   Hostess sets
                   Bundled stamp sets
                   Digital stamp brush sets

There is no minimum purchase, and no limit to the number of stamps you can order.

• EMAIL me your order: stampsnsmiles@gmail.com
• Call me with your order: 208-440-6205
• Order online 24/7 on Oct. 29th:  Cllick HERE.
• Message me on Facebook with your order.

Start making your wish list today!!! 
Tell your husband and family what you want for Christmas!

In addition to the Stamp Sale we're also having a weeklong celebration for Digital Scrapbooking Day.
What this means is you'll get FREE downloads .. and 50% off Digital Kits.

130861Afternoon Daydream Kit$9.95$4.97
129928Afternoon Tea II Kit$9.95$4.97
119839Always Elegant Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
129358Attic Boutique Kit$9.95$4.97
122175Autumn Spice Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
127600Autumn Traditions Kit$9.95$4.97
130969Bandstand Kit$7.95$3.97
130970Be of Good Cheer Kit$7.95$3.97
123728Celebrations Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
130982Chevron Punch Kit$7.95$3.97
123956Christmas Cheer Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
120880Christmas Cocoa II Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
127362Convention 2011 Digital Photo Kit$9.95$4.97
128876Day in the Life Kit$14.95$7.47
130059Fifty Nifty Kit$9.95$4.97
130062File it Fun Kit$7.95$3.97
131228Friendship Preserves Kit$3.95$1.97
128875Frosty Days II Kit$9.95$4.97
129924Get it Done Kit$5.95$2.97
129870Good Times II Kit$7.95$3.97
118465Happy Birthday Digital Kit$14.95$7.47
128872Holiday Harmony Kit$7.95$3.97
127773Holly Berry Bouquet$9.95$4.97
118466Hoppy Memories Digital Kit$14.95$7.47
128999It's all Me Kit$9.95$4.97
130850Joyful Times Kit$9.95$4.97
124230Just Add Cake Digital Kit$14.95$7.47
124446Leadership 2011 Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
124568Leadership 2011 Digital Photo Kit$9.95$4.97
124443Love Birds Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
131231Lovely Little Labels Kit$7.95$3.97
129359Mixed Bunch Kit$7.95$3.97
119978My Sweet Pea Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
132264Neon Notes Kit$9.95$4.97
129898New Heights Kit$7.95$3.97
122174Nite Owl Digital Kit$7.95$3.97
129340Number One Kit$9.95$4.97
129360On the Go Kit$9.95$4.97
124463One Great Year Kit$9.95$4.97
131360Ornament Keepsakes Kit$6.95$3.47
127599Party Animal Kit$9.95$4.97
131226Picture This Kit$4.95$2.47
130851Pinwheels on Parade Kit$7.95$3.97
126027Playful Polka Dots Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
131227Providences of Provinces Kit$7.95$3.97
130983Raspberry Splash Kit$7.95$3.97
118869Recipes By Design Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
127163Red, White, and Blue Digital Kit$5.95$2.97
130060Season By Season Kit$9.95$4.97
127587Sending Glad Tidings Designer Tags Kit$7.95$3.97
129605Special Delivery Bright Kit$7.95$3.97
129606Special Delivery Subtle Kit$7.95$3.97
127759Spice Cake Kit$5.95$2.97
130852Spring Break II Kit $9.95$4.97
129608Spring Fever Kit$7.95$3.97
130076Summer Happiness Kit$9.95$4.97
118464Summer Home Digital Kit$14.95$7.47
129601Summer Smooches Kit$9.95$4.97
124229Sunset Serenade Digital Kit$5.95$2.97
129339Sweet Shop Kit$9.95$4.97
129882Tea Time II Digital Kit$7.95$3.97
132190That's a Wrap Kit$7.95$3.97
127431Tickets & Tags Kit$9.95$4.97
125757Tickets & Tokens II Digital Kit$7.95$3.97
131217Topsy-Turvey Celebration Kit$9.95$4.97
121071Travel Journal Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
126022Travel Log Kit$9.95$4.97
129332Twitterpated Kit$9.95$4.97
129607Walk in the Park Kit$9.95$4.97
132567Winter Wonders Kit $9.95$4.97
127609Wicked Fun Kit$9.95$4.97
131218Wonderfall Kit$7.95$3.97
120881Write Stuff II Digital Kit$9.95$4.97
128883You're My Sunshine Kit$7.95$3.97

  Click HERE to order Stampin’ Up! products online and have them shipped directly to your
  home.

Happy Birthday, BFF!

"and eat a cupcake!"

Happy Birthday Best Friend!

Once in a lifetime a friend comes along and they walk through your life with you. Through the ups and downs, the laughs (many of them!) and the tears (a few), you can live at a distance and see each other not near enough, and still they're always there for you - that's a BFF!

Thanks, Michelle, for being that kind of a friend!

You really are the Queen of eveything!

Oops! Just realized I forgot to take a picture of the inside of the card before it was posted... but it does say "and eat a cupcake!" Love that saying for a birthday card!

Added later: I've had so many requests for how I made this card so here it is in a nutshell.
Stamp the clear domed lid onto Window Sheet #114323 using Stazon White Ink #106960. Cut out around the edges using Paper Snips. Attach it at the top with a Glue Dot and then adorn with a Pearl.

The cupcake frosting is stamped on Pink Piroutte card stock with Versamark and then embossed with Clear Embossing Powder.

I actually used three stamp sets for this card - two of them are hostess sets: A Cherry on Top and Carry On. The third is Create a Cupcake which has a coordinating punch.

This card is made using a two wonderful hostess sets: Carry On and a Cherry on Top. See pages 201 and 203 in your Stampin' Up! Catalog.  Book a party today and receive them and other merchandise for free with $150  in sales. Need more info? Contact me @ stampsnsmiles@gmail.com.

          A Perfect Sale - but for one day only!Can it get much better than this? On Monday, October 29, 2012, almost every  Stampin' Up! stamp is 15% off!


So put your list together today so it's ready and on Monday click here to order!

This means all stamps in the current catalogs including

• Background stamps
• Personalized name stamps
• Cookie press stamps
• Single-image stamps

This DOES NOT include

• Hostess sets
• Bundled stamp sets
• Digital stamp brush sets

There is no minimum purchase, and no limit to the number of stamps you can order.

Sale ends at 11:50 PM (MT) October 29, 2012!

Greetings of the Season

I love this unique shaped Apothecary Label that serves as a backdrop for the label. And I think this might be the first time I've used the label without cutting off one of the tabs!

The background is from the Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack - whew, long name! It's a great little pack of paper, tho', forty eight sheets of double-sided 4-1/2" x 6-1/2". Perfect for lots of projects.

A simple fir bough enhances the "Greetings of the Season" sentiment and is all tied up with Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding - love, love it!

Greetings of the Season
128030w
128033c

Apothecary Framelits
127003

Ornament Keepsakes

One simple little ornament - perfect!

Ornament Keepsakes Bundle!
128048w
128051c

Mixed Medley - Hostess Set!
128054w
128057c

Designer Frames Embossing Folder
123130

Winner, Winner - everyone loves to be a winner. So here's a great card for the winners in your life!

And to help keep you organized this holiday season -
 a brand new MDS download available here!

Holiday List of Lists
132561

Blue Ribbon

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125981c

Watercolor Winter Gift Tags

Oh, my.... well here it is!

 Has anyone else done this? I've worked all day on projects, finished bunches but nothing touched my heart until I made these extremely simple pine bough (fir bough?) gift tags. Very Vanilla card stock lightly sponged with Crumb Cake ink on all edges and simply stamped. They're perfect! 

No words, no bling - just a bit of cotton ribbon tied with strands that came off my burlap table runner while I made it last week, lol! Now that was a fun project also!

Okay, the guilt has set in - here's a card to go with the tags. You knew it would be simple - but isn't it sweet? 

I think I like cards best that don't have any words on the front of it.... just an image and let the handwritten words inside be the conversation.

And here's the skinny on firs, spruces and pines - thanks to Dave's Gardening. Still not sure what the stamp set is, but....

"If you are unsure of the difference between firs, spruces and pines, there is a good rule of thumb:  If the needles are carried in groups of two or more, your suspect is surely a pine.  If the needles are carried in singles, it is either a fir or a spruce.  Spruces can be identified from firs by rolling a solitary needle between your fingers.  A spruce's needle will roll easily between your fingers because it has four sides to each leaf, while a fir's needles have only two sides, so they will not roll easily between your fingers.

Botanically speaking, a spruce is any specimen in the genus Picea (pronounced PY-see-uh) and a fir is of the genus Abies (pronounced A-bees).  Firs and spruces seem to be lesser known than pines but are just as beautiful and majestic. Here is a mere sampling of the varieties available of spruces and firs. "

Watercolor Winter

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Happy Saturday! And 100,000 Hits!

Oh my! 100,000 hits!

An enormous thank you to each of you who have found enjoyment from my blog! Sometime late last night it had it's 100,000th hit!  (Well, actually I know exactly when, because it was so close I had to stay up and watch for it to click over!) Beyond what my little mind can comprehend, but I'm so grateful and humbled that what I enjoy has connected with so many of you. 

And the winner is.... Alicia Graham. Your comment was randomly selected. Your prize will be on it's way as soon as it knows where to go.... contact me here.

Don't you just love paper and stamps? Well, and ink and ribbon and buttons and ..... just everything about creating! I do!  And I especially love the days I am able to play and play (or create and create!).

If you would enjoy connecting with other creative people - come join my team! Share what you love for a hobby or a business. Remember, this wonderful Stampin' Up! business is all about doing it "your way". 

I'd love to help you create an online business that reaches people all over the world 24/7. We live in an incredible age and there are so many people out there just waiting to see what you have to share!

Join the fun here or click here to contact me

Click here to check out the current Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack!

The Gingerbread Men

Here's a quick card for you today. A great little Gingerbread Man who smells like home made cookies! I always loved the story of the Gingerbread Man and he's just as great as a stamp.

Just look at him - cute as can be!
The coordinating Framelit die created the background cutouts and did you notice they are filled in with ribbon? Just a fun way of dressing up the card.

The Gingerbread Man is stamped in Early Espresso and then re-stamped using Sugar & Spice Stampin' Emboss Powder. That's why he smells delicious! You'll have to try it!  He can also be directly embossed with Versamark onto your choice of a good gingerbread color - think Soft Suede. Sprinkle with Sugar & Spice and he'll smell as good as he is cute.

Keep tuned in for more fun projects with this little guy.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to have him delivered to your door -
click here for 24/7 shopping!

This is the week (and isn't today Friday?) for 100,000 hits! Click here for more info!

Scentsational Season Bundle
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129946c

Sugar & Spice Stampin' Emboss Powder
127829

Simply Thankful....

A few more thank you's for extra nice happenings from extra nice people this week... so much to be grateful for!

Keeping it simple, because sometimes that's just what feels right and sometimes its what time allows. Either way, I love simple!

So, a simple statement of gratitude, a sweet border and three little heart tags accented with pearls is all that's needed to complete this card.
Baja Breeze with a touch of Very Vanilla and Rose Red (it's been forever that I've used that color!)

Added late: Oops! Have you ever done what I just did? Wrote out my thank yous and then put them in the wrong envelopes! So last night I handed out two of my thank yous and later received a text from our oldest son..... "Silly, u gave us Shirley's card!"  So then left a message for Shirley letting her know what had happened.  I guess I just involved them in a card exchange!  Oh, well, room for improvement!

Did you know that you can visit my Stampin' Up! web page and browse through hundreds of additional great ideas?

Click here to go there now.

Fabulous Phrases
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Jewelry Tag Punch
117190

Thank You!

It's always fun to come up with a card for someone who is very artistic.... and a guy..... and someone very special. That would be our son, Chris. I received the greatest hand-drawn card from him for my birthday. I loved the artwork, but more than that I loved what he wrote inside. No..... can't share it, but, it would mean something very special to any Mom that received it. So glad I was that person!

So, here's my thank you to him. Had to add the heart (cause we've loved him since we set eyes on him!) and the rest - well, just kind of reminded me of him.

Did you recognize the Halloween paper? Don't let Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP fool you. It's going to be a hit all year long (even though it's only available until the end of the year). I love the Basic Grey, Very Vanilla and a touch of Tangerine Tango that allows you to take it from a spooky holiday to a birthday card, thank you, or even a sympathy card.

The diamond shape border is also from a stamp set with Halloween sayings, but I love the feel of it and thought it suited this card.

The tag is from the Apothecary Framelits and because I always love to speed up the process when possible here's how I ran it through the Big Shot!

I didn't want the half circle tab on the bottom so just lined my paper up with the straight edge and then cut the heart out at the same time. Easy, easy!

And the Chevron Folder - I just embossed the lower portion of the card for a little extra detail. Remember this folder is part of the prize - see below!

Click here to see this week's new MDS downloads. I've also added a link on the sidebar so you can quickly see what's new in the digital design world.

Looks like this is the week to hit 100,000 hits!!! Very cool beans! See contest here!

Snow Festival!

Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags

For simple and sweet, there isn't anything simpler than using this wonderful collection of 25 double-sided tags as the focal point on your Christmas cards. All for only $3.95!

Choose your favorite sentiment (or not), add a strip of Designer Series Paper, perhaps a bit of embossing or a button and ribbon. Each one can be unique or set up production and complete 25 cards in an hour! 

 For these two cards I used the other wonderful holiday helper - Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack.
It comes with 48 sheets of double-sided 4-1/2" x 6-1/2" paper.  Price: $6.95

Paired with card stock it will easily complete 100 stunning cards! And you will be giving homemade cards this year!

Purchase them online now!

And, oh, the 100,000 hits! It's so, so close!! You're almost a winner - click here for contest details!

Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags
128152

Festival of Prints Designer Stack
126904

Greetings of the Season
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128033c