Looking for a new blog reader?

Hi all!  Well, today is July 1st, which means that if you were using Google reader to check out your fave blogs, you'll now have to move to a new reader, since it's now no longer available {RIP}.  If you haven't migrated your RSS feeds, don't you fret!  There are many options for you out there that you can check out on the interweb {heehee, just making jokes}.  The one I chose was Feedly, because they gave a quick and simple way to port over all the blogs I follow in one quick step!  Plus, I like that there's also a nice mobile app where I can keep up to date with my blogs there, too.

Here's a blog post from the Feedly blog that you can check out if you'd like to find out more about Feedly.

Ultimately, the choice is yours, but make sure you make one if you so you can catch up on all your blurfing all at once. :)  Good luck!  And of course, my dear bloggie friends, you can feel free to email me if you have any questions - my addy's in the side bar.

R2D2 birthday card!

Hi all!  Hope you guys had a great weekend!  I've got a quick post today - a fun birthday card I made for my Godson's birthday.  He had a Star Wars themed birthday, so I did some research on Pinterest and the web in general on some characters I could create that would be fun for a card and decided to create a version of R2D2.  Here's a full view of the card:

Here are the supplies I used:

*Word Window punch
*1 3/4" circle punch, for the gray semi-circle at the top.
*Circles from the Owl builder punch
*Hexagon punch to create the ends of my happy birthday banner
*Deco labels framelits
*Honeycomb embossing folder
*Cardstock: Basic Black, Midnight Muse, Basic Gray, Whisper White
*I Am Me DSP for the "Ethan" letters, which I die cut using the retired Timeless Type sizzlits

Hope you like it!  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Father's Day!

Hi there, blog friends!  How are you?  I know I've been MIA for quite a while.  Everything is all good though...just very busy!  Today, I've got a couple Father's Day cards to share - just in the nick of time!

Here's a closer view of the card with my hubby and son. This pic was actually taken on our vacation last week to Mammoth.  We had quite a blast!

I even made a quick 12x12 page in MDS2:

My goal is to make an album of the trip, so I'll keep you posted on how that goes. :)

I also wanted to share that the new catalog is out!  I know I'm a bit late, but here's the link for you to check it out.  You won't be disappointed!! I've also updated the left rail of my blog with the new catty, too!

Hope you have a great day and will try and post again, soon!

New Stampin'Up! In Color Sneak Peek!

Hi all! Just popping in with a quick on-the-go mobile post from the handy dandy iPhone. I have a sneak peek for you from the Stampin'Up! new catty that showcases the new 2013-2015 In Color palette. I had an itch to craft once my goodies came in, so I was determined to squeeze in some stamping this past weekend. Don't these colors look so yummy? It was pretty hard to resist taking them out of the packaging! I love the pretty embossing folder, too. It definitely adds that extra little something that makes these cards look so fancy, yet so simple to put together. I had a lot of fun making this project! I also decorated some clothes pins using the new washi tape from the new catty as well. I made the little flowers in the same palette using the 3/4" scallop circle punch, the itty bitty punch for the flower center and topped it off with the basic pearls. So, what do you think? Excited to play with these new colors and pretty products? Just less than a month away and you'll be able to see it all!

Here's the list of colors for you:
Strawberry Slush
Brown Sugar
Coastal Cabana
Pistachio Pudding
Cantaloupe Crisp

Hope you have a great one!

Stampin'Up!'s retired list is here + a sneak peek for you

Hi all!  How are you?  Hope all is going well.  Can you believe it's already that time of year that Stampin'Up! has released it's retiring stamp sets and accessories?  They are available until June 3rd, so take a look and snap up your favorites before they're gone!  Here's the full list.  Remember, these products are only going to be available while supplies last.  You can shop on my online store anytime here.

Now, are you ready to see a sneak peek of the products that will be in the NEW catalog?  I have to say, it is a gorgeous new catalog and I think you'll LOVE it.  This will be coming in June.  I've ordered some sneak peek products and am so excited they'll be coming soon. In the meantime, here's a sneak project:

Doesn't that embossing folder look so FUN!?  Well, more to come when my goodies get here!  Hope you all have a great day!

Woot woot! It's Free Shipping time and a card share!

Yup!  You heard me right!  Starting on Sat, April 6 at 12:00 AM Mountain Time (MT), Stampin'Up! is offering free standard shipping on any order of any amount (for residents in the US)!  How cool is that!  So, if you've been saving up on an order, or have had your eye out on a cute stamp set, die cut or any of the super cute products in the catalogs, then now's the time to splurge and go for it since shipping is FREE!  This promotion lasts til 11:50 PM MT on Monday, April 8, so I'd definitely encourage you all to take advantage while you can!  You can shop anytime this weekend at my online store here.

Sorry for my long silence on the blog, dear friends.  I know it's been almost a month since I've posted.  All is going well so far in my neck of the woods, just busy as always with the day job and my little family :)  

I've been prepping some pics for a blog post for a couple of weeks now, but had not gotten around to it, so I suppose now is as good a time as any, right?  As you all know, I've been really into the dress form framelits, so I have yet another one to share.  This is a card I made for my Mom's birthday in March.  I had fun modifying the dresses and making my own outfit {hee!}.  

I made the cardi out of the short-sleeved dress and just cut the skirt off, then cut the blouse piece in half and added the pearl "buttons."  I love the dahlia flower in Primrose Petal that I had to incorporate it as an embellie for the card.  I also fell in love with the butterfly print paper from the Patio Party DSP.  Such a cute fluttery dress, no?  Here's the full picture below.  I even made a little balloon, too!  I cut a very narrow piece of DSP scrap using Stampin'Up!'s awesome new paper cutter and then I curled it using the paper snips.  Fun fun!

Hope you like it!  Here's some product info for you - enjoy!

Dress Up Framelits Dies 130101 Price: $24.95 Easily cut stamped dress images from the All Dressed Up Stamp Set. Largest design: 1-1/2" x 4-1/4". 3 dies. Cuts a single sheet of paper using your Big Shot, Standard Cutting Pads, and Multipurpose Platform. Designed by Karen Burniston

Patio Party Designer Series Paper 126916 Price: $10.95 12 sheets: 2 ea. of 6 double-sided designs. 12" x 12". Acid- and lignin- free. Coordinates with the Patio Party suite. Baja Breeze, Midnight Muse, Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit, Whisper White.

In Color Dahlias 127556 Price: $7.95 Bright little wonders! Detailed petals add touches of dimension and texture. Adhere with Mini Glue Dots. 20 flowers: 4 ea. in five 2012–2014 In Colors; 3/8". Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit.

Basic Pearls Jewel Accents 119247 Price: $4.95 Jewels are just as magical in papercrafting as in fashion. Add a pearl here, a rhinestone there, and your projects take a subtle step up. With our pearl basic jewels, it’s easy to add a touch of class to your projects in an instant. • Small, self-adhesive pearls • 150 pearls per package; 50 each of 3 sizes (2 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm) • Each package also includes three 2-5/8" strips of connected pearls perfect for borders

Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies 127003 Price: $24.95 See what you're cutting with Framelits dies. Use with the Big Shot, Standard Cutting Pads, and the Multipurpose Platform. Apothecary Accents Framelits Dies are designed to cut images from World Treasures Stamp Set and Layered Labels Stamp Set. 4 dies (largest: 4-7/8" x 2-3/4"). Cuts a single sheet of paper.

New Photopolymer stamps!

Hi there blog friends!  Happy Friday!  How are you all? Hope you're doing well.  I know I've been quiet for a little while and I can't believe it's already almost mid-March!  I did want to pop in here real quick to share Stampin'Up!'s new Photopolymer stamps.  It's an awesome clear stamp option for those of you that like to see EXACTLY where you're stamping!  I am very excited that Stampin'Up! is offering this new stamp option.  I'd encourage you guys to try and give me some feedback of what you think.  I'm hoping to post some samples by next week, when I get my hands on my own set! :)

So now, I wanted to leave you with a fun little tidbit from my day.  On the start of my yucky commute  home from work, I got the best serendipitous surprise on the 405 Fwy.  Can you guess what it was?  No, it's not even traffic related!  I actually got to see a Double Rainbow!  Let me just say that it's not very common over here.  For one, it doesn't rain that often, so when it does, it's rare that you see a rainbow, let alone 2!  So, I'm taking this little sighting of mine as a sign for good things to come :)  Here's a snapshot I took.  I wasn't "technically" driving at the time since my car was stopped in traffic.  Heehee.