August Creative Crew Challenges

August is my last month for the Creative Crew.  I have enjoyed creating my projects each month.  This month we were to focus on friendships.  We also had to use the paper piercing tool on our projects.  Well, at least two of the project challenges called for it so I just used it on all of them.  HA!
This is a really long post so if you want to see all of the projects, make sure you scroll all the way down.  To see a larger closeup of any picture, just click on the picture.

A few weeks ago my daughter Erin was telling me she wanted a strip of cork for her girls to hang their artwork in their room.  I told her I would  figure out something.  WELL, my dear friend Emma meanwhile made a cork/magnet/whiteboard for another friend of ours.  GENIUS!!!  I was making it way too hard.    Thank you sooo much Emma for the inspiration.  Emma did not take a picture of hers, but she has wonderful projects on her blog.  http://ladynthestamp.blogspot.com/

This is for the Catalog Focus.  Paper Piercing Tool.  I made one for each of the girls.  I bought whiteboards and added Stampin' Up! cork to them.  The Daffodil Delight Pennant Punch piece is paper pierced.  The girls are sisters and good friends.  They play and do schoolwork together every day.  I thought this fit in very well for a friendship/sister project.

The next two projects are for the DSP/Color Focus.  The Designer Series Paper is Pocketful of Posies.  I don't have this paper so I just used some of the colors in the paper for my projects.

These coasters are glass and have a slide in for paper or a picture.  I stamped the image from Charming.  The colors I used are Poppy Parade, So Saffron and Pear Pizzazz.  I stamped on Whisper White.  The word "Friend" is stamped in Early Espresso and is from the set You're a Gem.  The frame is from the new set Frame It, stamped in Early Espresso and then daubered with Soft Suede. The background is the new background stamp Parlor Prints and it is stamped with Baja Breeze.  A nice gift for a friend or sister, wouldn't you say?

This card is another project for the Color Focus.  The colors here are Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz and Whisper White.  The tag piece is a bookmark.  I have seen these everywhere and they are sooo easy to make.  And fun!   The stamp set I used is Raining Flowers.  The words are from the set Field Flowers and it says "My thoughts are happiest when you're in them".  I paper pierced the Soft Suede piece as well as the scalloped pieces on the bookmark.  The flower on the bookmark is inked in Baja Breeze.  The same flower is used on the background and is inked in Craft White.  A smaller flower is also stamped on the background in Baja Breeze.

Here is a close-up of the bookmark itself.

Here is the inside of the bookmark.  When you use the Two-Tags Die for this piece you just run it through the Big Shot with a fold.  Then just cut a couple pieces of Stampin' Up! Magnet Sheets.

The next project is for the Holiday Focus.  Friendship Day, Family Day or Sisters Day.  They are all celebrated in August and we had to pick one.  We also had to use a sketch.  AND paper piercing.  AND the colors in the Pocketful of Posies Designer Series Paper.  This one is my favorite project this month.  I have 2 sisters.  So they were my focus.  And they are both my favorite.  So I had to make 2 of these.  I could have made them different but I decided to make them the same.  I used my favorite new set from the catalog.  Creative Elements.  Love, love, love it!  The other sets used are Teeny Tiny Wishes, Fabulous Phrases and the retired set Wonderful Favorites.   My sisters and I have this thing going that each of us is the favorite.   We address "to my favorite sister" and sign "from your favorite sister".   And we do the same with our brother and our parents.  It actually all started when I started it with my dad.   We have a lot of fun

with it.

This is the inserted piece.

And you all KNOW that I really am the favorite.  HA!

These challenges will be up on SCS August 1st at 1pm ET.  I will post a link to them when they are up.  The Creative Crew Gallery is here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=CreativeCrew and all of the August Creative Crew will have their projects up August 1 at 1pm ET.

Love Stampin' Up!?

If you love ©Stampin' Up! you should come along with me and be a part!  There is a special until the end of July.  So only a couple more days.

Details here

http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/debradaam/jointhefun

Interesting at my house this morning!

Earlier this morning I was mixing cookies in the kitchenaid.  All of the sudden there was a HUGE crash, cracking and booming sounds.  Yes, sounds.  It went on for it seemed awhile.  I thought my house was crashing in it was so loud!  I had a really sick feeling in my stomach and went to look out the front before heading up the stairs to see what was going on.  I didn't have to go upstairs.  This is what I saw.

Above view from my driveway.

The above picture is in the street facing east.

In the picture above you can tell how massive this branch is by the mailbox and that is a city truck in the background.  This is in the street facing west.

In the picture above you can see where the limb came from.  Not the lower broken limb part.  The one above that.  The lower one fell a couple of weeks ago.

Fortunately no one was driving by at that time.  Scary!  At the moment I cannot get a vehicle out of the driveway.  So we are stuck at home it appears.  If you click on the pictures, you can see a larger view.

Beyond excited!!!

When I first made these roses this is the original card that I made.

I made it for a challenge over on SCS.  Here is my original post.

 http://debrasstamplife.blogspot.com/2011/06/pool-party-and-old-world-challenge.html  

I submitted to Shelli's Birthday Card Frenzy Challenge.  She chose me as one of the winners!!!  I cannot even tell you how excited I am!  And honored.  WOOHOOOO!!!  Thank you so much Shelli!  Here is a list of all of the winners.
http://www.soshelli.com/contest/2011/7/20/birthday-card-frenzy-challenge-winners.html?lastPage=true#comment13960198

Framed Creative Elements

Holy cow!  I just LOVE these 2 new sets!  I know, I say I love blah blah blah a LOT.  HA!  These two sets were on my must have list right away.  And the designer series paper is just gorgeous.  I used the Designer Frames Embossing Folder over the frame.  I sponged that part with Soft Suede.  Oh that just looks so very cool!  The butterfly is rock n rolled and then cut out.

Sets:  Frame It, Creative Elements

Cardstock:  Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Naturals Ivory, Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink:  Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Vanilla and Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Victoria Crochet Trim, Designer Frames Embossing Folder

Tool Shed

Nope, I am not taking anyone there.  HA!  That is the name of a new ©Stampin' Up! background stamp!  I just love that!  And I love this stamp.  I mostly enjoy realistic image stamps.  When I saw this one in the new catalog, it was one of the first ones on my list.  What do you think?

Sets:  Tool Shed, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Cardstock:  Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze

Accessories:  Stampin' Pastels, Linen Thread, Sponge, Distressing Essentials, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Decorative Label Punch

LOVE it.

BFF Name Frame

Another name frame!  This isn't my bff.  In fact I had never met her before.  But we know the groom's family from our church and I went to the shower.  I love the new set Best Friends Forever.  Although I have to admit I don't like the saying bff.  I must be an old fuddy-duddy!

Sets:  Best Friends Forever, Elegant Inspirations (retired), Broadsheet Alphabet

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla

Ink:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Baja Breeze

Accessories:  Designer Frames Embossing Folder, Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon, Victoria Crochet Trim

Have a great day!

Wedding Card and Name Frame

Yesterday was my niece Mindy's wedding.  This is the card that I made her and James and the name frame was for her shower a couple of weeks ago.

The inspiration for this card came from the July issue of Stampin' Success.

Sets:  Artistic Etchings and Always Elegant

Cardstock:  Shimmery White, Crumb Cake, Marina Mist

Ink:  Marina Mist, Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Marina Mist Taffeta Ribbon, Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon, Victoria Crochet Trim, Basic Pearls, Scallop Circle Punch, 2-1/2 Circle Punch, 3" Circle Original Die, Boho Blossoms Punch

Sets:  Broadsheet Alphabet, Elements of Style, Baroque Motifs

Cardstock:  Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Ink:  Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Accessories:  Timeless Type Sizzlit Dies, Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die, Antique Brad, Marina Mist Satin Ribbon, Victoria Crochet Trim, Marina Mist striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Lace Ribbon Border Punch

Creative Crew July - Part 2 - Independence Day!

One of the challenges for the Creative Crew each month is Holiday focus.   This month we are to show our national spirit and we are asked the question: What does your country mean to you?

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day that we celebrate with picnics and patriotic parades.  At night there are concerts and fireworks.  Many fly the American flag.  It also brings to mind that our freedom isn't free. 

I am thankful for all of the branches of our military.  The military fights to keep us free every day.  I am particularly thankful for the United States Marine Corps.  Marines are uniquely trained, equipped and organized to maintain a constant state of global readiness.  Marines are warriors of the highest order, committed to purpose, honor and each other.  The motto of the Marine Corps is Semper Fidelis.  Always Faithful.  The core values are honor, courage and commitment.  They are what define a Marine.  Most of you know that my son David is a Marine.  This post is dedicated to him.  Thank you for your service David.  I am proud of you and thankful for you.

This uses the set Courage and the wheel Hero.  I stamped with Crumb Cake on Crumb Cake and the quote by Winston Churchill is stamped in Early Espresso.  Other colors used here in the cardstock is Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy.  Linen Thread and Cherry Cobbler Ribbon are also used.

I have to add here that while I think of David and other Marines as heroes, they do not define themselves that way.  David says he is not a hero.  He is doing his job.

This flag is in the Summer Mini Catalog.  It is called Land of the Free.  Very appropriate for this post.  The words of the National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner are stamped in Cherry Cobbler.  The stars are stamped in Not Quite Navy.  The background is both of those colors using the Tasteful Trim Die and is wrapped with White Baker's Twine.

The Star-Spangled Banner

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July!  Enjoy your freedom and celebrate it because our freedom isn't free.

Everything is ©Stampin' Up!

July Creative Crew - In WithThe New! Part 1

The focus for the Creative Crew over on Split Coast Stampers this month is new stuff.  The 2011-2012 ©Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog goes live today!  WOOOOHOOOOO!!!  I am very excited. 

For the Color Focus we are to use the In Colors.  They are fabulous.  We have 5 In Colors that are staying and 5 brand new to add.  Those are the ones I am focusing on.  They are Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder and Island Indigo. 

This card uses three of the In Colors.  Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo.  The stamp sets are Pennant Parade and Happiest Birthday Wishes (a new hostess set).  The pennants are punched out with the new Petite Pennants Builder Punch.  LOVE that.  

This card uses the new Wisteria Wonder.  It is a wonderful shade.  I just love it.  The stamp set is Delicate Doilies.  The sentiment is from the set Curly Cute.  I am happy that set didn't retire.  The Designer Series Paper is Flirtatious.  The stamping was done on Shimmery White.  I also used Basic Pearls.  I did not use any ribbon!  Shocking, I know.

This uses all of the new In Colors.  Isn't this fun?!  Wooohooo!!!  I just stamped all of the colors on Whisper White.  Stamped the sentiment on Pool Party with Chocolate Chip.  I punched each piece of the colors with the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  The fabulous ribbon is the new Scallop Dots Ribbon in Chocolate Chip.  I cannot wait to get more colors of that.  YUM.

This is for the new catalog focus.  We could choose any item that is new.  I chose the stamp set Simply Soft.  It is a hostess set.  Isn't it just gorgeous?  Pool Party is my favorite color right now.  (Calypso Coral is a close 2nd)  I stamped on Naturals Ivory and used the spritzer tool with Pool Party and Crumb Cake markers.  The background piece is Crumb Cake stamped with Wonderfully Worn and both that piece and the floral piece were sponged. 

The rest is coming.  I just want to put the next 2 cards in a separate post.

Everything is ©Stampin' Up!