February Resolution

New Year's Resolutions? What? I've never been good at those. Since this is my first post of 2012, I could write about how I'm going to post more (and I mean to, really), but I also tell myself I'm going to do my bookkeeping every month, and I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen.

I don't often view the new year as the time to make a fresh start. I believe you should take the opportunity to improve yourself, your life, your situation, your anything...when the time is right. If that's January 1, good for you! If it's February, great! If it's June, go for it! So, I'm not writing that I'm going to post more as a new year's resolution. But, I will tell you I'm going to do better because I want to post more. I want to share more cards, crafts and scrapbook pages here, which means I have to spend more time being crafty in my craft room. So, here's to it!

This is a Valentine card I made for several family members this year. As an English major and PR professional, I love writing. I'm sure glad we don't use manual typewriters anymore, but I love the nostalgia of the typewriter. This set, "You're Just My Type," went on my "must purchase" list right away. I used black embossing powder with VersaMark ink to add texture and shine to the typewriter. The sprinkled hearts are from the "Confetti" set in the Idea Book & Catalog. I colored Basic Jewels - Rhinestones with a red Bic permanent marker. How cool is that?

Paper colors used are Pink Pirouette, Real Red, Very Vanilla. Classic ink in Real Red.

So, this is my first post in 2012. I'm back on the wagon! What are your February resolutions?

Color variation on a wedding card

A quick post tonight to show you another colorway with a card I showed back on October 2 - this one with Elegant Eggplant, Basic Black, Brushed Silver and White. A texturz plate, used with the Big Shot, gives a great fondant-like texture to the cake, and Basic Jewels - Pearls make beautiful decorations! I have to confess, the ribbon is 3/8" grosgain in retired Eggplant, but I just had to use it. All us Stampin' Up! demonstrators have a stash of those fave retired items, right?

This card was for my sister and her new husband. It was a lovely ceremony in mid-October. For some photos, check out the sample album on the photographer's Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping!
Julie

Gently Falling Trees

There's a beautiful stamp set in the Holiday Mini Catalog called Gently Falling (check it out to the right). It's a Two-Step Stampin' set, which means it has a background shape and an outline that work together to create dimensional images. Well, one of the images looks like a tree if you only do the first step! How quick and easy, and technically, half the work!

In the photo above, I used it to make evergreen-type trees in the fall color combo of More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy and Old Olive.

In this photo, I used Always Artichoke and Cherry Cobbler for a traditional Christmas card design. Clean and simple - my favorite kind. The beautiful ribbon is also new in the holiday mini catalog - it's quilted satin ribbon in Cherry Cobbler!

Thanks for reading! Have a great November!

Julie

Come to the Holiday Expo November 19!

Hi Everyone! Just a quick note to invite you all to the Zumbrota Holiday Expo at the VFW on November 19! More than 20 local vendors for all your holiday shopping needs (including gifts for yourself!).


See you there!

Julie

Best things come in twos!

Gently Falling is a beautiful new set from Stampin' Up! that features several different leaf shapes, and "Two-Step Stampin'!" The leaf below is actually done with two stamps - a general leaf shape that's the lighter orange (Tangerine Tango in SU! terms) and the darker rust color (Cajun Craze) is a line drawing that makes the outline on top of it.

I also used Early Espresso card stock, Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper, linen thread and buttons from the designer buttons "brights" assortment. This card was inspired by page 16 in the Holiday Mini catalog (click icon to the right to check it all out!).

And the discussion of "two-step stamping" led me to share this photo, snapped about a week ago around 7:30 a.m. when we had a brief rain shower while it was still sunny out. Look at the beautiful double rainbow! (The second rainbow is to the right of the first one.)


Thanks for stopping! Let me know if you want to learn more about two-step stamping, either in a girls' night out workshop at your home (you can earn free stuff!) or in a class at my house.

Julie

Red Hats and a Wedding Card

Recently, my husband's cousin got hitched! It was a beautiful wedding, but what I'm sharing here is from the shower. All guests at this wedding shower got to choose a hat from Grandma's collection to wear for the festivities.


For the lovely couple, I made this wedding card, for which I've seen inspiration around the web. It's simple, using Stampin' Up!'s Whisper White card stock, cut into small rectangles with the corners rounded off. I used a texturz impressions plate to make the subtle pattern, and then used Basic Jewels - Pearls as accents. A little Real Red grosgrain ribbon "ties" it all together.


Card stock is Basic Black, Real Red and Brushed Silver. A tip when using the silver paper...it's kind of slick, so use a strong adhesive, like Stampin' Up!'s sticky strip, so the layers don't peel apart. (This is a lesson learned while making about 10 prototypes for my sister's wedding invitations...we used sticky strip in the end so that no one's invitation arrived in pieces!).

I'll show that wedding invitation after the wedding...which is is 13 days!

Thanks for stopping by,
Julie

Birthday Card(ed) in Vegas

Hey all! So, I'm trying to stick with the Wheel of Fortune "Before and After" theme. We'll see how long it goes/how clever I am. Today, I've got a birthday card to show you, and then a few pictures from Vegas...where yes, I was carded. But it was at the airport. For my boarding pass.

For the card-making part of the presentation, here's a summery greeting using some brand-new items in the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog.

The stamp sets are Pennant Parade, from the Idea Book & Catalog, and Swirls & Curls Verses, the hostess set from the 2011 Summer Mini catalog (see the link on the right--only available through August 31!).

The colors are Calypso Coral and Wisteria Wonder--new 2011-2012 "In Colors"--and Certainly Celery and So Saffron from the core colors in the big book. Some designer series patterned paper, baker's twine and basic jewels-pearls round out the look. I made this at a recent workshop, and it was a hit! If you'd like to make something like this in your home with your friends, let me know!

And now...here's some of what my DH and I (okay, and my BFF and her hubs) call "The Vegas." I tagged along on a work trip for DH...all the fun of The Vegas and no work! What's not to love? Except the slot machines, most of which didn't love me, even though I kept going back for more!



Love the water show at Bellagio! I was playing with the "guide" mode on my Nikon D3100, which set itself to take "moving water" pictures. I think it did an awesome job!

Here is DH, looking all official on the phone. If you remember the post about winter activities, yes, this is the same man who smokes meat when it's below zero in Minnesota in the winter!

And a final, parting shot. Oh, The Vegas, I love you...even though you take all my money in slot machines and shopping!

Thanks for stopping,
Julie

PS: I was not compensated for mentioning the D3100...I just really love it!