July Final Friday Winner!!

Hi all!  Happy Friday to you!  I can't believe how fast this week went.  As soon as we got back from vacation, it was back to the fast paced mainland schedule.  Oh, how I wish I could be back on island time!  Well, thankfully, it's Friday!  And, it's time to announce the winner of this month's Freebie.  You ready?  Here's a look at the freebie again...

The lucky winner of this stamp set is...

Lucky # 15, who happens to be Wanda G!  Congratulations, Wanda!!!

Thanks everyone for playing!  I liked reading everyone's comments.  There's a lot of ribbon girls out there.  Also flowers and jewels as favorite embellies for cards.  So fun!  As I've gotten a chance to play with some more new toys from the new Stampin'Up! catalog, I think I'm getting addicted to the cute pearls and rhinestone embellies pretty quickly..they are so fun and add such a nice touch to cards!

Tomorrow is my New SU! Catalogopen house workshop, so I'm looking forward to that...I can't wait to share all the cool new products!  I'll let you all know how it goes.  And for those of you that can make it in person, looking forward to seeing you!

Bye for now.

Blog update - new My Stampin' Specials page!

Hi there blog peeps!  Just got a quick post for you.  I'm still a little bit jet lagged, but already went back to work today!  Anyway, my update is that I have a new My Stampin' Specials page where I'll be offering monthly specials. I've combined July and August and you can check out that special here.

These specials are only available for my US customers (sorry, international readers!)

That's all for now...gotta get to bed!  G'night!

Sunsets in Kauai

Aloha!  I can't believe our glorious vacation in paradise is already coming to an end.  Back to work tomorrow...boo hoo.  We had a great time celebrating our 10 year anniversary {a few weeks early}!  To cap off our week, I'm gonna share a couple pics of the sunsets in Kauai - one from the north side and the other from the south.  Both are just gorgeous...enjoy!

Sunset at the St. Regis in Princeville

Sunset at Brennecke's Beach in Poipu

And here are a couple pics of me and my handsome hubby...

Here we are on our first day, in our hotel room at Princeville.  We honeymooned here 10 years ago and we had another awesome stay. I'm blessed with having such a wonderful husband! :)

And here we are on our last night at Brennecke's on the Beach in Poipu....we had a wonderful vacation!  Thank you Kauai :)

See you guys back on the mainland!

scenes from my morning run

Hi there blog friends! Just got back from my run and thought I would share a few highlights. Of course, it down poured on me in the last quarter mile or so, but I did enjoy the scenery nonetheless!


This was taken near the start of my run at Poipu Beach Park.



There are lots of chickens on the island! Here's a mama hen with her cute little chickies!



Gorgeous hibiscus flowers are everywhere!



Here's a view of Shipwreck Beach from the Hyatt.



...and this is along the Makahuena Point on the way back to our little cottage.

Now, I'm typically happy on Fridays, but today, I'm a little sad because that means our vacation is almost over!! Boo :(

Gotta maximize our last few days! Have a great one! Catch up with you guys later!

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

a day at the {botanical gardens}

Aloha friends!  Today I'm sharing a few snaps of our trip to the McBryde Botanical Gardens, which is in Kauai's Lawai valley.  Some fun facts we just learned was that they just completed filming Pirates of the Carribean a week ago in parts of the garden, so we just missed seeing Johnny Depp {bummer!}.  Sidenote - we did have a star sighting though - we saw Pierce Brosnan on the beach when we were up in Princeville!  Ok - back to our trip to the gardens...it was beautiful and lush as you can imagine. Here's a look at the beach that they may have filmed in the movie:

And lastly, I put together a little collage of the exotic plants we saw in the gardens.  if you click on the picture below, you'll get to see a larger view.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by today!

sun and {fun!}

Hello there blog peeps!  How are you?  I have to say I am enjoying every minute of my vacation so far.  Kauai is just amazing as always.  Definitely my favorite place to recharge my batteries!  I've got a card share for you, believe it or not.  I brought this card with me from home with the intent of writing our note of thanks to the owners of our fun beach cottage you'll see at the end of this post.  Isn't this the cutest little surfer bear?  In the background is the view of the beach from our front porch.  It's truly a breathtaking view!

Today, I thought I'd share some pictures of our hike to the Hanakapiai Falls, which is part of the Kalalau Trail, located where the road ends in Hanalei.  We've done this hike now 4 times out of our 6 times here in Kauai.  And every time, the hike is a little different.  A huge part of it is due to the weather conditions, but this time, it was both weather conditions and some trail modifications.  It was also probably the most treacherous yet, since it rained on us a lot and the ground was really muddy and slushy.  You won't be able to tell so much in the pictures, because most of the time we took our camera out was when the rain stopped and the sun came up!  Anyway, here's a little snapshot of our hiking journey.

This picture was taken on our way to the hike, right off the road in Hanalei.  The rainbow ends in some taro fields!

Here I am - we've just started the hike and already, you can see the muddy path in the background.  Imagine this for 8 miles. The view was to die for though, so it made every bit worth it!

Did I tell you that there was quite a bit of uphill on this hike?  The elevation changes were pretty dramatic at some parts.  How cute is my hubby though?  Heehee.  He was a trooper carrying that backpack filled with water and snacks.

Here's one of the many gorgeous vistas that kept us going.  The cliffs in the background are part of the Napali Coast.

We even got to see kayakers in the ocean!  Their brightly colored kayaks looked so pretty against the gorgeous blue ocean.

Ahhh!  How gorgeous is this beach?  This pristine stretch of sand and beach is the Hanakapiai Beach, 2 miles into our hike.  Since we got an early start, there weren't too many people that had made it here yet.  It was quite a treat for us!

Here's a quick peek at the big payoff...the waterfall at the end of the hike! This is the Hanakapiai Falls.  We were probably a quarter mile away.  So pretty!  We took some flip videos at the falls, so hopefully, I can share them with you when I get back (after editing and all that good stuff!)

This picture was taken on our way back...the little peek a boo view is of the pristine beach.  Isn't this so amazing?  I really love this hike!  It's worth all the soreness I'm still feeling in my legs!

And lastly, here's a pic of our adorable beach cottage - our home in Poipu for the remainder of the week.

That's all for now.  Hope you enjoyed the photos!  Time for me to go and run before heading to the water.  Have a fantastic day!

Happy Monday!

Hey there!  Happy Monday!  For this week's 2S4Y sketch, we got another "free" week to use any products we wanted to for the sketch, so I opted to use more fun new toys from the new Stampin'Up! catty.  How do you like those lanterns?  I think they are just adorable!  They're from a set called Kimono Kids, which is super cute, too.  Before I show you the full card, how about a look at the sketch?

When I first saw the sketch, I was envisioning an ocean/water theme, but then I really wanted to play with the lanterns, so I had to rework my idea.  I think it turned out ok.  I am really into this color palette lately, so I guess I'm just drawn to these happy summer colors!  Sidenote - I actually had lanterns at my birthday in the pink and orange motif, so the idea I came up with wasn't really that big of a stretch!  Once you get to the bottom of the post, you'll see what I mean.  Let's take a look-see at the full card, shall we?

I can't get enough of these colors!  They put me in a happy place.  Hope you like it! Here's the recipe for you:

{Lantern Thanks}

All supplies Stampin'Up!

*Stamp Set: Kimono Kids, Just Believe

*Cardstock: Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Whisper White

*Inks: Basic Black and Regal Rose Classic Ink Pad, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron Markers

*Acessories: White Gel Pen, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, 1 3/8" Circle punch

Now, here's the source of my inspiration - the lanterns from my birthday shindig.  You can see them in the background in the pic below with my dear hubby.  {I wish the picture was clearer!!}...oh well.  It captures a fun memory for me from that evening and that picture of us makes me smile.  I'm a lucky girl!

Anyways, cheers to you!  Have a great day!  Now, don't forget to head over to 2S4Y and play along with this week's sketch challenge!

Greetings from Kauai!

Hello there blog friends! Hope your weekend is off to a great start! I have to say mine has been fantastic so far. We woke up to a gorgeous view, I went for a run and saw a couple of rainbows (and yes, it did rain on me on and off on my four mile run!) and now I'm sitting on the beach. Yet it's only a little past 8:30 am. How about that for a productive day so far? Gonna lounge on the beach for a bit now.



View of the beach from our hotel.



Looking out to Hanalei.



Lastly, here's one of the rainbows I saw on my run this morning. It was gorgeous!

Have a great day!

simple {thanks}

Hey there!  How do you like the previews so far of some of the new catalog products?  Hope you've been enjoying seeing some new stuff!  Today I've got a quick share of another simple and easy card.  The butterfly came from a Mojo card idea I had a few weeks back, but wanted to create a quick set of thank you cards for a friend, and this is the card I came up with.  I love using the new 1/8" ribbon for the butterfly antenna - it's a quick and easy way to dress up the already cute embossed butterfly!

I love the Perfect Punches stamp set - it's got great greetings with a touch of flair, as you can see with this Thanks stamp!  It adds a nice dimension to a simple card!  Hope you like it! 

It's another hot day here in Southern CA.  Good thing I'm working from home today - it's much cooler on the coast than it is in the valley :)  Anyway, hope you all have a fantastic day!

friends never fade

Hey there!  How are you guys doing so far this week?  Well, in Southern CA, summer finally decided to show up yesterday.  It got to 92 degrees in Burbank, where I work, and it was a balmy 80 degrees by the beach.  We're gettting such a late start here with the warm weather...very strange!  Anyway, today, I have a card I created for a swap that showcases more fun new products.  I am having such a great time playing with my new stamps and accessories - I just wish I had more time to create!  How do you like the little snippet of the card up top?  Notice those pretty little pearls?  I LOVE these embellies.  They come in a variety of sizes - from teenie tiny to about a quarter inch in diameter.  They're very cool and you get 150 of these in an assortment of sizes.  Wanna see my full card?

I have to say I think this DSP pack is just gorgeous.  It's called Greenhouse Gala and all the prints are beautiful.  These colors also scream summertime to me too, and it makes me smile :)  I also decided to create a circle card, which I think is a fun alternative to the standard sized card.  I used the Scallop Circle Bigz die and the Clear Circle Bigz die for the center.  The Big Shot makes these types of cards so easy to put together!  Here's the card recipe for you:

{Friends Never Fade}

*Stamp Set: Friends Never Fade

*Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Greenhouse Gala DSP

*Inks: Pumpkin Pie

*Accessories: Scallop Circle and Clear Circle Bigz dies, Basic Pearls, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon

Hope you have a fantastic day!

{apple blossoms} Thank You

Hi there blog peeps!  I've got a quick, clean and simple card for you guys today, using the Apple Blossom Hostess Level 2 Stamp Set...the images are just soo cute, you'll want to host a party to earn it!  I stamped the envelope flap, too, to carry the theme through.  These 3 1/2" x 5" Notecards and envelopes come in a package of 20 and are a great staple to have on hand.  Not to mention, they're easy to dress up in a jiffy!  Here's a closer look at the card - so easy to create a pretty pattern with these apple blossoms!  And of course, the Thank You Kindly stamp set makes creating thank you cards a snap!

Just so you can check out all the stamps in this adorable set, here's a quick look for you:

Soo cute, don't you think?  Well, if you'd like to earn it, you can contact me to host a workshop, OR you can place a qualifying order on my Demonstrator Online store!  (Just click on the Shop Now button in the upper right).  And, yes - you can earn Stampin' Rewards (free product and hostess sets) with qualifying online orders...pretty cool, huh?  Just want to make sure you're aware of all your options! Now, here's the card recipe for you:

{Apple Blossom Thanks!}

All supplies Stampin'Up!

*Stamp Set: Apple Blossoms, Thank You Kindly

*Cardstock: Whisper White Notecards and Envelopes {pack of 20}

*Inks: Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie

 Thanks for popping in today!  Have a great day!

2S4Y Sketch with some of my new toys!

Hi all!  Happy Monday!  I am so excited to share some new goodies from the brand spankin' new Stampin'Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalog.  How adorable is this little owl?  He's a cute new punch that I had lots of fun playing with this past weekend.  I was actually away for most of the weekend but, Sunday night was filled with stamping and playing with my new toys.  This is the card I created for this week's 2S4Y Sketch Challenge.  Here's a look at the sketch:

I was intrigued with the circle element, and after much deliberation, I decided to incorporate the new owl punch.  Here's a look at my full card:

Now, wouldn't you say that this is such a happy summer looking card?  I love the colors and paper - I used the new whimsical Play Date DSP, and then I created that fun ribbon border with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch...it is too cute!!  For the sentiment, I used the Perfect Punches stamp set - and as you can imagine, all the sentiments correspond to a punch!  Here's the recipe for you:

{Happy Birthday Owl}

All supplies Stampin'Up!

*Stamp Set: Perfect Punches

*Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, So Saffron, Old Olive, Play Date DSP

*Inks: Real Red Classic Stamp Pad

*Accessories: Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Polka Dot embossing folder, Extra Large Scallop Circle Punch, Two-Step Owl Extra Large Punch, Two-Step Bird Extra Large, Wide Oval punch, Poppy Parade Stitched ribbon, Brights Designer Buttons, Circle Cutter, Linen Thread

Whaddaya think?  Hope you like it!  Now, go check out all the fab creations from the Design Team at 2S4Y and come play along!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Announcing July's Final Friday Giveaway!

Hi all!  This month's Final Friday Giveaway is...

The lucky winner this month will receive this "Of the Earth" stamp set! 

Here are the rules to play in my Monthly Final Friday Giveaways {only enforced by the "Honor System"}:

1. Leave me a comment on this post by midnight Pacific Time, Wed, July 28th, 2010.
2. On your comment, please make sure to include a valid email address or a blog URL (where I can leave a comment or have a way of contacting you). For those of you that are uncomfortable with leaving an email in a post, you can write your info like this: yourname at emailaccount dot com.
3. One comment per person please. :)
4. Anyone can play - international visitors welcome!

You can leave me a comment about anything or you can answer this question:  What non-paper embellishment do you use most on your cards?  You can give me your top 2 embellishments if you like.  I'll tell you what I love to use - it's hands down ribbon and buttons.  I would say probably 90+% of my cards have ribbons or buttons on them.  They're an easy way to dress up a card and add so much character!

I would love for you to play and leave me a comment!  I look forward to reading about your favorite non-paper embellishment :)

{New Colors} + {New Starter Kits} = WOW!

Image copyright 2010 StampinUp!

Hi again!  I love the start of a new catalog year at Stampin'Up!  So many cool things I want to share.  In my  previous post, I shared a special offer for former demos, so in this post, I'm gonna focus on the new starter kits!  It's an awesome time to join the Stampin'Up! family and become part of my team :)
Our Starter Kits, created exclusively for new demonstrators, contain Stampin' Up! essentials you'll need to get started in your new business. You can choose between the standard Starter Kit and the Digital+ Starter Kit. Both Starter Kits are customizable allowing you to choose products that you want to run your business your way.

The Standard Starter Kit
includes

•Four complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
•A Stampin' Around wheel, handle, and ink cartridge
•Assortment of Designer Series paper and card stock
•Four Classic Stampin' Pads
•Two Stampin' Write markers
•VersaMark Pad
•Whisper White 5/8" satin ribbon
•Songbird Décor Elements and applicator
•Adhesives
•Blender pen
•Stamping sponge
•Stampin' Scrub and Mist
•Box of Idea Book & Catalogs
•Business forms and tools

The Digital+ Starter Kit
includes:

•My Digital Studio software suite
•Three complete stamp sets (including a clear-mount set and clear-mount block)
•Assortment of card stock
•Four Classic Stampin' Pads
•Two Stampin' Write markers
•Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
•Brights Designer buttons
•Songbird Décor Elements and applicator
•Adhesives
•Stampin' Scrub and Mist
•Box of Idea Book & Catalogs
•Business forms and tools

Choose the Starter Kit that best matches your stamping and paper-crafting interests, and get over $330 of Stampin' Up!'s high-quality products for just $175.

In addition, there are great Color Renovation kits available so you can update your Stampin'Up! color stash!

Contact me to learn more about these great new starter kits or color renovation kits. You can also visit my Online Store by clicking SHOP NOW on my Demonstrator home page!

Enjoy!

{special offer} for former Stampin'Up! demos!

Hey there! Are you a former Stampin'Up! demo?  Well, if you were, and you separated from Stampin'Up! on or before March 31, 2010, then this offer might be of interest for you.  You can rejoin in July for only $35 (US) and $45 (CAN)!  Here are the deets of the offer:

To rejoin Stampin' Up!, former demonstrators only need to purchase the Rejoin Starter Kit and sign and complete a new Independent Demonstrator Application and Agreement. 

The Rejoin Starter Kit Contains:

•2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog (8)
•2010 Summer Mini Catalog (8)
•Guest invitation postcards (100)
•Customer order forms (50)
•2010-2011 Definitely Decorative catalog (1)
•Celebrando Creatividad (1)
•Two months free Demonstrator Business Web Services (DBWS) subscription

I would love for you to be part of my team.  There's a lot to be excited about - first, there's the brand new Idea Book and Catalog, and then there's the upcoming Holiday Mini that is just {chock full} of cool new products and stamp sets that would get any stamper and paper crafter excited!

If you're interested and you're a US resident, please send me an email and I'll be happy to email you the forms you'll need to complete.  {If you're in Canada, I would encourage you to contact your former upline or contact a Canadian Demonstrator that you're interested in having as your upline.}  Please note that the rejoin promotion has to be submitted in the mail and must be received by Stampin'Up! by July 31, 2010. 

Former demos - hope you consider it...there's truly lots of cool products in store that will be revealed over the next few months.  And, if you're passionate about crafting like I am, I know you'll be thrilled!

Hope you have a great day!  Thanks for taking a peek and popping by! :)

Summer fun with 2S4Y

Hey there!  Are you guys enjoying the long 4th of July weekend?  Hope so!  I still can't believe it's already July!  Today's card share is this week's fun sketch from 2S4Y.  The stamp I used is called Hang Ten Hanna, which is a digi stamp from our sponsor of the week, Sassy Studio. It's a perfect image for summertime and is also getting me primed for my upcoming Hawaiian vacation!!  WooHoo!  It'll be here before I know it! Here's a look at the full sketch:

And here's a look at my full card:

Isn't that such a fun image?  My hubby was telling me that he thought the surfer girl looked like Scarlet Johanson in caricature form.  The more I look at it, the more I think so, too!  I had fun coloring the entire scene in, and even paper piecing my surfer girl's bathing suit.  For the sky, I actually sponged the background and I cut out a mask of Hanna so that she wouldn't get colored in.  Here's the recipe for you:

{summer Surfer Girl}

*Stamps: Hang Ten Hanna {digi stamp}

*Inks: Copic markers, SU! Melon Mambo and Pumpkin Pie

*Cardstock: Early Espresso, Island Oasis DSP, Whisper White

*Accessories: Pinking Hearts Boarder punch, twine, coconut button, sponge {for the background}

Thanks for stopping by!  Now, make sure to check out the rest of the cards at 2S4Y and come play along! Have a great day!

{happy} 4th!

Hi there blog peeps!  I hope you're having a fantastic day so far.  I'm enjoying a relaxing day at home, catching up and taking a breath from this past week and my whirlwind birthday weekend.  I can't believe it went by so fast!  I had a lot of fun seeing a lot of friends and family last weekend that I wish the time didn't speed by so fast.  I think my last birthday is my favorite so far, believe it or not!  Anyway, today, I have a 4th of July card to share with you!  And, what's great about it is that I got my inspiration from 2 challenges...woohoo!  The sketch it from the Stamping 411 challenge and the theme is from this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge!  Here's what the sketch looks like:

And here's my interpretation with the 4th of July theme:

I love this newly retired DSP called Pink Flamingo.  I am such a hoarder that I still have lots of this paper pack left!  I was searching for a DSP with Real Red in it, and was happy to have rediscovered this paper! I thought the hibiscus flowers in Real Red would make a great non-traditional looking background for my 4th of July card.  What do you think?  Hope you like my "island" spin :)  Here's the recipe for you:

{happy 4th!}

All supplies Stampin'Up!

*Stamp set: All Holidays

*Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Night of Navy, Pink Flamingo DSP

*Inks: Night of Navy marker

*Accessories: Scallop Trim Border, Billboard Sizzlits Decorative Strip, Alphabet Simple Bigz die, Real Red double stitched grosgrain ribbon, Star punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

Hope you enjoy your 4th of July festivities!  Thanks for visiting :)