WILLIE WONKIE'S BIRDHOUSE

Okay, so this is not really Willie's birdhouse.  The card just looks "wonkie" in this picture for some reason.  It's slightly open and I've mini glue-dotted a gift card to the inside.  So, I'm guessing it was setting strangely in my light box.  I made this card for a wonderful neighbor of mine.  He cleared my driveway after every snow this past winter.  He's retired and he clears all the neighbors' driveways each winter.  Do you know what a blessing it is to come home after a day's work to find your driveway all cleared off?  Let me tell you, it is WONDERFUL!  He's just an all around great neighbor.  He's always ready to lend a helping hand just when you need it.  Do you have a great neighbor like that?

Okay, enough small talk.  On to the card........I've seen birdhouse cards and boxes all over blogland.  Ever since then, I've been itching to make a birdhouse card myself.  This card measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and will fit in a medium size Stampin' Up! envelope.  I used the Woodgrain Background stamp on the front panel to mimic the look of tree bark and then stamped my sentiment from the Bella's Bloom stamp set.  I thought the sentiment was fitting.  The redbird was a snap to assemble.  I just punched him out in Real Red card stock with my Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch and then punched the stem out again with a scrap piece of Old Olive card stock.  The "hole" was punched out in Basic Black card stock with my 1 1/4" circle punch.  The top of my birdhouse was assembled with 1 1/2" pieces of Chocolate Chip card stock.  I punched each strip using my Scallop Edge punch and then sponged each strip for dimension.  (Let me just say that this was "mucho" time consuming.  Wow!)  I trimmed a piece of Whisper White card stock to cover the inside panel of my card and used a sponge dauber with Bashful Blue Classic Ink and a piece of scrap card stock punched with the Scallop Circle punch to make my clouds.  Whew!  Are you still with me?  I think that about covers everything. 

If you are still reading this after my windy post, bless your soul.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!  I'm heading off to Wednesday night church service.  I'm not sure if I'll have any more posts this week.  I need to pack up my supplies for a scrapbook retreat I'm attending this weekend in Wheelersburg.  I'm looking forward to getting caught up on my scrapbook.  I attended the retreat last year and had a ball!  I'm hoping this year will be just as fun!

Summer Mini Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek of the Elements of Style stamp set in the upcoming Stampin' Up! Summer Mini that makes it debut on May 1st.  This set is uber vintage.  You're going to love it - especially if you like to color in your images!  Personally, I'm not the greatest at watercoloring, but I took my best stab at it on this card.  And you know what they say, "Practice makes perfect."  It may be hard to see, but after I colored in my flowers using my Classic ink pads and a bender pen, I added Crystal Effects to the flowers.  I also used a Basic Black marker and my color spritzer to add a more vintage feel to my card.  The Pumpkin Pie panel directly behind my stamped image has been embossed with the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds 1 Textures Plate and my Big Shot.  I used a sponge dauber and some Pumpkin Pie Classic ink to the embossed panel to help it stand out a little.  I also added some paper piercing and the thick black stripeded ribbon to finish off my card.

Sorry for the short post tonight and no list of supplies, but I need to go make a fruit pizza to take to my sister's house tonight.  My dear husband and I are going to visit with my nephew while my 8th grader attends a junior high dance.  Oh, the life of a teenage parent.  Sigh!  : )

Thanks for peeking in on me today.  Have a great weekend!

PPA38 & OCC Beautiful Butterflies Challenge

Today's card is a result of two challenges.  I decided to play along with Pals Paper Arts PPA38 sketch challenge and Our Creative Corner's Beautiful Butterflies challenge.  I love the simple layout of this sketch and using Stampin' Up!'s square punches make it a breeze to assemble a card such as this one.  When I saw Our Creative Corner's challenge this week, I automatically thought of the Beautiful Wings Embosslits die in the Occassions Mini Catalog.  (You still have until April 30th to purchase Occassions Mini products.  Wink!  Wink!) 

I actually thought I had an original thought this time combining the butterflies with this sketch challenge.  (You that follow my blog know that original ideas from me are sadly few and far between.  I'm a CASEr.  It's sad, but true!)  Imagine my despair when I popped over to Nancy Riley's blog ISTAMP only to find she had the same idea too!  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not overly upset about it.  I actually admire the great and wonderful Nancy and to think that I actually was thinking like her was a pure BLISS moment for me!  Although, I have to admit her card is much more wonderful than mine : )

Well, I must get back to the drawing board.  I'm working on a birdhouse card.  I've seen them everywhere and I'm trying to come up with my own pattern for one.  I hope to post it later this week.  Thanks for peeking in on me!  Hope your weekend was a great one!

Supplies:  (All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless noted.)  Stamps - Thank You Kindly; Paper - Sending Love Specialty Paper -  Very Vanilla, Real Red, Chocolate Chip; Ink, - Chocolate Chip Craft Ink, Real Red Classic Ink; Accessories - Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die, Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Big Shot Machine, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Real Red Corduroy Brad,  Sponge Dauber, Pop Up Glue Dots, Mini Glue Dots, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack; Punches - 1 1/4" Square, 1 3/8" Square

VERY VINTAGE

Okay, so one day I AM going to have an original idea in my head.  Guess what?  Today is not that day.  My card today was inspired by this card created by Ann Schach.  I love the Vintage Vogue stamp set in the Stampin' Up! Occassions Mini.  The best part is, is that this set is going to be in the new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog.  Hooray!!!  I love, love, love vintage.  You just can't go wrong with it - know what I mean?

My color combination consists of Basic Gray, Kraft, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry.  I used  a Basic Gray corduroy brad  and some silver brads to jazz things up a bit.  (I'm also trying to quit hoarding and start using all these great products.)  If you look closely you might notice I used the Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch for the leaves of my flower.  The bird's wing in this punch makes excellent leaves.  Gotta love that!  I also pulled out my sponges to give the card a more vintage feel.

I'm glad to see that Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo will be returning as part of Stampin' Up!'s color collection in July.  I have to admit that the idea of retiring some of the current Stampin' Up! colors terrified me at first, but I am embracing the change.  I may be embracing the change slowly, but I am embracing it.  I actually think I'm going to be excited about it after I absorb it.

Well, that's it for me today.  I'm heading to Bible Study in a couple hours.  We're studying about the role of a family and the component that every individual plays in a family.  It's good stuff and really makes you think about your role in the family.  Well, that and it makes me realize that I need to step up to the plate a little more and try harder to keep my family a spiritual family.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!  Have a beautiful evening blogging friends!

IT'S TIME TO RENOVATE!

Stampin' Up! just announced the all new Color Renovation with the release of the new 2010 - 2011 Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog beginning July 1st.  So what's all the hoopla?  Stampin' Up! is reorganizing and renaming the color families - getting rid of some of the old, bringing back oldies but goodies and bringing on a few brand new colors.  You can see the updated Color Renovation Chart below.  Please feel free to click on the charts to enlarge them for better viewing. 

So what changes will you see?  Well, let me tell you.  Stampin' Up! is changing the names of the collections from "color families" to "color collections".  There will be four new core color collections with ten core colors in each collection.  You will also see the return of core colors you have come to love along with some current and older "In Color" core colors.  Some colors will be retiring altogether.  You can view the Farewell Color Chart below.  These colors will be retiring with the current 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog in June, 2010.

The new Color Renovation consists of four different color collections:  Brights, Subtles, Regals and Neutrals.  Five new core colors will be introduced:  Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Cajun Craze and Cherry Cobbler.  You will also notice the name change from Kraft to Crumb Cake - same color, different name.  These new color kits will be availabe to customers beginning on July 1st.  You will not need to purchase all new Stampin' Write markers, Water Color Wonder Crayons or Stampin' Pastels.  Stampin' Up! will offer color kits, including card stock, classic ink pads, Stampin' Write markers, Watercolor Wonder crayons and Stampin' Pastels to help make this new transition.

Honestly, it was probably time Stampin' Up! revamped their color collections, but I don't do change well.  I love the all new core colors, but I'm going to miss some of the retiring colors.  I guarantee I will make the transition and will most likey fall in love with the new collections.  I just need to breathe and tell myself, "It's all good!"  Do you know what I mean? 

That's it for me today.  Thanks for peeking in on me.  I would love to know what you think about Stampin' Up!'s new color renovation.  Will you go down kicking and screaming or will you embrace the colors with all your love?  (Insert smile here.  LOL!)

"TWEET" WISHES TO YOU

I know! I know!  I hear you loud and clear.  You're thinking, "What in the world is with that corny title?"  I say, "Hey, if you have something more catchy, by all means be my guest."  (Smile!)  Sometimes snazzy titles don't fall into my lap.  As you can clearly see today is no exception!  Oh well, you'll have that sometimes.  Anyway.............I loved the design of Chat's card shown here, but I wanted to change the colors up a little bit.  I love the color combination of Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive together.  I tend to lean toward earthy and jewel tone colors, so this color combo speaks to me.  This card actually has very little stamping on it.  It's mostly comprised of punched images but the the finished project is stunning.

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but the Southern Ohio weather is absolutely gorgeous today.  It sure beats the hail we had last night. I think I'll get off here and go outside and soak up the sunshine while I can.  Thanks for peeking in on me today!

Hoppy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone!  Hope you are enjoying it surrounded by family and friends.  This year my family and I decided to escape over Easter break.  As you are reading this, I am hopefully returning from a wonderful weekend in the Tennessee mountains.  I say hopefully because I am actually typing this post on Thursday evening before I even head out on my trip.  The weather forecast looks great for Tennessee this weekend and I'm hoping to get some hiking done.  Anyway, you did not come to here me ramble on, so on with the card.  Shall we?

Oh, how I love this cute little Chocolate Bunny stamp from Stampin' Up!  It looks good enough to eat!  Now I know this may come as a shock, but this card layout was not my original design.  Shocking, I know!  I got the idea from the oh so talented Becky Roberts at Inking Idaho.  I decided to change up the grass a little and I used my paper snips to relic the look of real grass.  It is amazing how the wide oval punch looks just like Easter eggs.  I wish I was talented enough to think of that, but alas, not so.  Well, that's all for me today.  Thanks for peeking in on me!