Welcome to the Neighborhood!

So here is another sample of a Kathy Card. We put this together for her visit to her sister and brother-in-law in AZ. So I dug out an old cowboy kids set and we mixed 'em with the All in the Family set and the Neighborhood jumbo wheel. Came out cute!! Doncha' think?

Look Who...

So my girlfriend Chatty (hey girl!) came last night with my other pal Candy and we were stamping away...and I remembered I did not share the beauts that we made the last time she was over. So here is a Kathy Card....with just a lil input from me!! It's just wonderful to go into my craft room and create...don't have to bring anything but SNAIL!! LOL If you wanna play, just give me a call and I can set you up! This card was for her nephew who is toooooooo adorable!! I'll have the other cards later...cuz they are just as FAB!! Enjoy!

Carol, This One's For You!!!

So my girlfriend Carol moved to the Denver area from Pennsylvania, and recently they had a tornado watch and I think an actual tornado. Now my lovely pal doesn't ever turn her cell on unless she needs it, so she's out bee-bopping around town, and her hubby is FRANTIC trying to get hold of her. She sees all this destruction on her way home and calls her hubby to comment on it...I do believe she got yelled at! ;-) Anyhoo...once I knew she was safe and sound, the thought for this card popped into my head, and I laughed all through the creation of it and in the mailing...and it made me chuckle on and off until it reached her. I knew she would love it and scream right out loud when she saw it! I was right!! So - here's my lil smart-a** card for my beloved, and thankfully safe, girlfriend....hope you like it! Oh - by the way...my downline Tammy sent me a picture of a card with a proto (or TOTO) type for the doggie since she knows I could do it like Scruffy - but I don't know who to thank for the idea. If its you, please let me know and I will give you credit for my dawg. ENJOY!! (muwhahahahahahaha!!)

TEEE HEEEE!!!

Check out Chatty's Card!

So here is Chatty's birthday card. She is my soul sistah....as we often times think and say the same thing at the same time...And she loves drinking "Tai Chi" with me - LOL....oops, Chai Tea....So this beautiful creation is a CASE from the talented Lynn Put...but I knew Kathy would love it....and it was ON TIME! (yes - my best-est stampin' buddies often have to wait for their creations....). I'll pop back later to upload the recipe for this gorgeous card!

A CASE of Beauty for the Birthday girl

I think you may need to click on this picture to see how beautiful it is with dazzling diamonds...it doesn't "read" as pretty as it is IRL...I made this for my daughter-in-law Monique and I hope she liked it as much as I liked putting it together. This card was a CASE from the talented Gretchen Barron, another demonstrator who does beautiful work. Remember, those of you who feel that they can't make these cards, all you need to do is recognize the beauty and CASE. Cope And Share Everything. As long as you are using a card for personal use, or if you give credit where it is due, no demo minds you CASE-ing her (or him - and yes there are some hims).

On a sad note, I wanted to share that the world lost a very kind, giving and great man last week. He was a father figure to me in high school and beyond, he and his wife were a constant demonstration of what a marriage is supposed to be like (53 years), his house was a haven for his children and their friends, me being one of those friends. I loved him and his wife so much, I asked them to be the God-parents of my precious daughter, and that was 24 years ago. He was taken from us by the dreaded disease of Alzheimer's. His disease was different from my mother's, but the ravages are the same. While his passing is sad, I am happy that he is with his son George, in the arms of our Lord, finally free from pain and memory loss. George, you will be missed but never forgotten. RIP.

Dream Night with Shelli...{sigh}

Oh there are no words to describe a stampin' event, let alone one with the Queen of Stampin' Up!, Shelli Gardner. This is what every CEO needs to be like...if they were we would be out of this recession in a snap!! One of my INKredible sisters won a Dream of a Lifetime workshop to be done by Shelli as well as a session with other demo's. I wasn't sure I could make this or not, but obviously, the stars were aligned, and off I went to Short Hills NJ with about 150 other demo's. So Dream Night was to be a jammie night, but since I was driving through two states, there and back since I wasn't staying over at the Hilton, I thought, hmmmm, better not possibly scare two sets of state police, LOL. So I just wore comfy clothes, the regular attire at any stampin' event. So, in a room of only about 150, it was like a wedding with Shelli the Bride AND Groom, and she was just loose in the room chatting us up like an ol' pal. Goodness gracious, she is "da bomb", I tell ya!!! So - Dawn is a whirlwind and had a lovely evening for us (she ran it all and Shelli just graced us with her presence). During the night of festivities, one of Dawn's down-line had a birthday, and so Dawn created a birthday cake made of these little bags - done in the pink fabric she had the p.j.'s she and Shelli and her workers had on, as well as some of the work aprons. This was based off of a diaper cake I have seen by Shelli before. The BEST part though, was everyone at the party got "a piece of cake" or namely, one of these cutie-patootie bags.

So you can't have a cake without a cake topper, right?!!?!? Look at this one done with our big shot die cuts!



And then here I am, my sister INK-er Dale took this pic while I was chatting with Shelli. How cool was that?!?!?!



And again, Dawn and Shelli were just on the loose the whole evening. Available for anyone to talk to, and Shelli signed autographs and took pictures with all. What a wonderful, gracious, special lady. And she stamps to boot!! Woo Hoo!

While I am still on this Dream Night high, I am off to play in my craft room. I have to finish the eight projects we had to do for the evening. Then, I'll be back with pictures of those projects as well as some of the lovely swap cards I got. Ahhhhhh, I love a stampin' night........
Thanks Dawn!!!

Teddy and Trains

I love this set...and will need to take a better picture...I always take pics at night...and I guess I need some more light...as in, the light of day, LOL. But I will share it anyway - cuz the card IRL is so darn cute!! I made this for Kaite (Hi Kaite!!) - for her baby shower...and I loved it so much I made another few...they are 5 X 5 square and the colors are pretty in pink and certainly celery as well as working with whisper white as the background - and watercolor paper... again, sorry about the pic being dark...I even lightened it on my photoshop...will have to read up on whether or not I can do some more editing with the programming...ok - off to stamp some more...I owe a ton of peeps cards!!! You know the old saying....the shoemakers children... ta ta for now!!!

Thank you Tina!

The fearless leader of our overall group of demonstrators is Tina Rosenkrans. She is a doll. Really...When she heard of my troubles, she said, "girl - you need to stamp...just get over here and do my class!!" AHHHH....just what the doctor ordered....and yes I felt so much better! Tina even told me she redid one of the cards especially for me - the saying on this card says"Every day holds the possibility of a miracle"...and sometimes, I think the miracle are all the wonderful people I have met through Stampin' Up! I have made some wonderful new friends - and friends all around the country. Then - I started blogging for my business and wallah!! New friends appeared from all over the world...all due to stamping...who knew?!?!? LOL So - enjoy this card with the new set from the catalog called Peace Within. I LOVE It...and THANK YOU TINA! LUV YA!

We get by with a little help from our friends...

Here is one of the most beautiful cards I have ever received. Its from my uber talented up-line Tracy Altemose....you know...Diana Gibbs BFF!! LOL Anyway...I had to share this with you. While yes it was my one-on-one swap...Tracy made it special since I've been going through a rough patch these days...and one way I definitely make it through all this fal-de-rol - is because of friends...and Tracy is a great one! Enjoy!

Wings of Friendship

So I just love this hostess set (level 2) in the new catalog called Wings of Friendship...so - since I was inspired by my own card in the previous post - I based my card on that layout. However, I decided I was in a monochromatic mood, and this Bermuda Bay color just calls my name (can you hear it, too? LOL) So - I went with the flow and lookie what I found! Sue's birthday card!! I hope you enjoy it as much as she did!

Kris' Christmas Card

Remember this cutie? Well Kris got the same stamp...and from that stamp she and her DH created a fab card of their precious pooches....Check it out below!!

Too bad I am not as good a photographer as Kris' husband!!! LOL I have GOT to get this blurring thing under control...ughhh!! But really....blurry and all....how dang cute is this?

My watermark is on the picture of Kris' card for copyright protection...

My gift from Judy

My girlfriend Judy is a former history teacher, and took a trip to Israel recently. Kindly, she brought back souvenirs for her friends, and I was lucky enough to be a recipient. She brought us necklaces made from shells from the Sea of Galilea. So, since the necklace was strung on a rough string, I (after a suggestion from Judy herself!) made the shell into a bookmark. I used my Big Shot to cut out two larger scallop circles from chipboard (and it cut "like butta") and sandwiched the ribbon in between the scallops. I then tied the Baja Breeze ribbon onto the shell charm Judy gave me. Its hard to see unless you double click on the pic, but the inside part of the shell has a dove charm that says "peace", and then is filled in with a clear substance. I used the new Designer Series Paper called Parisian Breeze to decorate the scallop circles. Then I had a flower with a clear gemstone brad in it from something else I had been working on, and I added that as well. So now I have a beautiful religious bookmark with the soft muted color of the sea as an accent. It is truly a very special gift.

Judy is so kind to me....she's like my spiritual cheerleader. She just sent me a note (using one of the note cards I had made her for her birthday) about having faith through a rough time we are having right now ...She reminded me of the story of Esther and sent me a copy of the reading to encourage me. She and the gang of my other friends (the doll club) are all a gift from God as it is...and they have been a wealth of support to me these last several weeks...and I am sure in the upcoming ones as well....I even get a pep call every morning from Kathy....so while times are tough.....things are good.....and friends are golden....

The last of my Christmas Cards from Friends...

Here are the rest of my Christmas Cards - the one's I received anyway...I have some more holiday things to post since I just got them off my camera...I was having a hard time with that...you really have to KNOW where you put the camera cord!!!! (Hey Wendy - OTD!!! lol)

This card is all Stampin' Up! from one of my SBS9 sisters...

This very cool spinner card was from my SBS9 sister Deb...

And this card was from my gal-pal Chatty Kathy!! LOL This card, too, is all Stampin' Up!

Two holiday cards from my SBS9 sistahs...

Wanted to share with you some of the lovely cards my sisters as well as some friends sent me for Christmas...and I will be adding them over the next several days for your enjoyment as well...Thank you all...they were wonderfully appreciated!

Edited to add: the above card made by sistah Natalie and the card below made by Lizzy!!

Judy's Birthday gift

This is the gift I gave to Judy for her end of the year birthday. I LOVE the Bella Rose paper and so knew it would be perfect to create a folder and note cards for my girlfriend. She is always sending out little notes and so I thought this would be perfect for her...and she loved them!

More Non Su Front & Center!!!

Thank goodness this is my blog and I can make exceptions when I want!! TEE HEE! AND since I am still celebrating....here are four more birthday cards I received from my SBS9 sistahs!! Are they not gorgeous and ain't I lucky!!??!! Yes I know I am lucky...So - share with me my happiness...Many Thanks Sistahs!!! ENJOY!

From Katie (L) and Manna (R) ...and this IS SU!

From Gina (L) and Louise as in LuLu (R)

Kathy Kreations!!

So - here are the two twinnie birthday cards I almost posted before their birthday!! Kathy came over and played last week and I helped her with the design of these cards...I used inspiration from my pal Rhonda in AZ - she is an INKredible girl so her blog is listed on the left if you want to check out her original...(thanks Rhonda!) Aren't they cute! This was one of the first sets I got...hmmmm...what does that tell ya!! LOL Anyway - enjoy how well they came out! Kathy is da bomb!! Point her in a direction and consider it DONE! You go girl!! Oh - and by the way...Happy Birthday Candy and Carol!! LOL

Recipe:

Stamps: Cheers to You
Paper: certainly celery, tempting turquoise, watercolor paper and retired DSP
Ink: certainly celery, tempting turquoise, black stazon, basic black
Access: blender pen, 1/4 grosgrain ribbon: certainly celery, tempting turquoise, whisper white

Uh Oh!!

I almost blew it!! I was gonna post pictures of two cards my girlfriend emailed me that she made in my studio last week for our twinnie friends' birthday - and I realized - DUH! THEY READ MY BLOG!!! WHEW! Caught it before I posted...but I will post it the day AFTER their birthdy - which is Sunday - so hope the postman delivered the cards on time! LOL

HOWEVER - I do want to remind you all that GNO (girls' night out) is a'coming up! Friday the 26th...and I will also post samples of what we will be doing to tempt you! Just email me or give me a call to let me know you are coming and can have the right amount of supplies cut and ready to go! Hope to see you there!