Missing Camera~~

My camera went to Disneyland this week with my darling daughters. To say I am jealous of their fun is an understatement. I am excited for them and their first road trip together, but it is a weird feeling to have my children take off to California without me.....really weird.

Anyway, the point of that musing was that I can't take new photos. So I went fishing in my file folder in the computer and came across a few great cards that I did before I had a blog!

This was done at a 10 for $10 class I taught once. Simple coloring on the stamp itself makes this two color image possible. Of course I used my SU markers. I adore them! Thanks to my mom for getting me the original set for Christmas one year! After two color renovations, I have had to redo them but the case and a few of the markers are original. They really do last a long long time!

Have a great weekend! See you back on Monday (unless I get especially motivated when my camera returns!)

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

A walk in the hood~~~

So on my frequent (tho not frequent enough) walks in my neighborhood, I keep seeing flowers. Flowers like the images in the SS, Herb Expressions. And when I see them, I think "I should make a card like those flowers" and then my ADD kicks in and the card is long forgotten when I get home! Well, one day I finally remembered!

The lined paper you see behind the image really adds a lot, such a difference over just a white background. It is from the Eat Cake DSP pack. I used Cherry Cobbler CS and ran it first though the Cuttlebug with the Top Note die, and cut part of it off. Then I re-ran it though with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder for some interest. I used the notebook edge punch on the Daffodil CS and mounted the image on Chocolate Chip CS. The fun little ribbon holder is from an old box of Hodgepodge Hardware in the antique brass finish with a sliver if Daffodil ribbon pulled though. I like the result very much! No CASeing here.......just a great idea (finally)~!

I hope that when you stamp, you also share. Share the great cards you make with others. Everyone wants to get something in the mail besides bills and ads.......share your creativity!

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

Eeny Meeny~~

Howdy doody and happy Wednesday to you!

I was inspired by the layout for today's card on a blog that I can no longer locate since I didn't post this card fast enough! If it's you, please tell me! I will credit you for sure!

I started with Daffodil Delight CS, and added DSP which is from Sale A Bration this year. I made each strip 1 inch wide, then I used the large oval punch to round the ends!

The fun flower image is ancient, from a set called Tags and More! I enjoy the images from this set because the whimsical style is fun to color in and they fit nicely in the circle punches! The greeting is the $1 bin again, and I added some Pear Pizzazz Stitched ribbon across the front to finish it off...ta-da!

Catching Air~~

When I need a boy (not man) card, I revert to Extreme Elements! Works every time. I am sad we no longer carry the surfer, skateboarder, guitar guy and so on. They were wonderful additions. I will never part with the two I have!

Extreme Elements is still current, and so easy to work with! Whatever colors you are working with can be pulled together with this set. Not a whole lot extra needed either!

I started with Cajun Craze CS. Added Old Olive, Baja Breeze, and a touch of Black. Same for the inks. I ran the Olive piece through the Cuttlebug to add interest, and the rest is history! I like the way it came out very much!

Do some stamping this week, at least two cards! Consider it home work. Then the next thing is to mail them! I dare you!

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

This little piggy~~

This little piggy went to Tess' house! I used my new Button Buddy set to create this cute little guy......fun huh? I totally CAS'ed Julie here! Totally----

I used retired DSP from a hostess pack, the pinking hearts border punch, my Marvy 3 inch circle punch and a button from my stash! I inked up the piggy with Pretty In Pink and then markered on just his (or hers) ears with Regal Rose. The sentiment is from the $1 bin at my LCS! Easy peasy!

It's Mail-A-Card-Monday! Just do it!

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

All Aboard~~

It's been a while since I pulled this beloved set out of its box! It's a great set for guys, and easy to work with!

My Son-In-Love just built a table to hold the Thomas Train set my grandson acquired. I was thinking how cool it is that he got to work on that so fast, and how much fun the little guy will have with it. I often mail cards to my grandson, but i haven't told my Son-In-Love that I appreciate him in a while, so I hope he likes it and feels loved!

The DSP is Newsprint (ret) by SU. I used black ink for the train image and sponged around it with Crumb Cake ink to distress is some, and make it seem more vintage. I crimped some Crumb Cake CS and added a narrow strip of black CS across the top. The rest is pretty plain to see!

I get a little smile each time I see my lovely new blog! It's so pretty! Thanks again to Gretchen for your "help"!

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

A Thank You Is In Order~~

Yesterday was my Blog-O-Versary! The two year mark of when I began my stamping blog! Hard to believe two years has gone by, so much of my life has changed..........

I owe a huge thank you to my pal Gretchen Clark (http://gretchenclark.blogspot.com/) for her beautiful makeover of my blog! It started off with her helping me, and ended with her doing it all! She works "magic"! Thank you thank you Gretchen!

Blogging is a fun way to kind of show off really. I show off stuff I have made and my adorable family (especially my granbaby who is quickly turning toddler). I enjoy the outlet very much! I hope you enjoy the inspiration and thank you for adoring my family with me!

Here's to two more years!

~~Blessings~~

Shelli

CAS Blog!

Just a quick post this afternoon! I used the CAS Blog sketch #152 for this one, and I wanted to share it with you!

This card went through many changes and re-do's to get here.....they don't all come out looking as good as I have them in my head when I get started!

The SS is Style Beautiful by SU! The Chocolate Chip piece is die cut using Spellbinders. The scallops are from an EK Success punch I purchased at my LCS. I added red rhinestones for some pop! The ribbon is SU Daffodil Delight taffeta.....love that stuff!

I hope you enjoy and stop back often for more ideas!

Leave a comment or email me.....I'd love to hear from you!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Just Believe~~

I always try to give credit to whom it belongs when the original idea is not mine. Today's credit goes to Christina. Great card, great blog!

I started with the SS, Just Believe. I added an old Hero Arts BG stamp for the script you see over the main image. I colored directly on the flower stamp with my SU markers and lightly stamped over it with the script. I didn't really plan for it to not show up on top of the flower image that way, but it sure worked out nicely!

The ribbon is SU Bashful Blue taffeta, ad let me tell you, the taffeta ribbon is great! Worth the $$ in my opinion!

I also used the Pinking Hearts border punch there with Wild Wasabi CS. Pop it all up with Dimensionals and Ta-Da!

Some back tomorrow for a new blog header designed by none other than the wonderful Gretchen Clark! Stay tuned!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Inside Out~~

Or Outside In.....either way!

Another fun club project for you today! The original idea came from Julie @ THIS POST!

Her tutorial is awesome! Make your own with her directions! I have long neglected this poor bear from Under The Stars!

So I started with Espresso CS, added Riding Hood Red and More Mustard. I colored him with colored pencils (a cheap and easy medium).

The small stamps in this set lend themselves nicely to the inside f the card!

The receiver will smile for sure when they open this little surprise!

Lastly I added the 1 3/4 inch white circle so I could add a greeting easily! Ta-Da!

I hope you'll be back tomorrow for another idea!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Two-Fer-Tuesday~~

For today's Two-Fer day, I used a just retired set, that didn't get enough ink time while it was current!

This is one of those sets with little stamps that can be a challenge to figure out how to use, and that's where SU punches come in handy! The sketch is, once again, from the CAS blog, #113.

I pulled the color combo from the Color Coach card with Regal Rose. It also has So Saffronand Chocolate Chip. You gotta have a Color Coach if you stamp with SU! I used the

1 1 /4 inch square punch and the Pinking Hearts border punch here.

The inside of the card needs decorated too! I slapped a strip of DSP in So Saffron across the bottom to pull all the colors together.

The second in the Two-Fer set today, as you can see, is the same as before with color changes. I used Lucky Limeade, Perfect Plum and Riding Hood Red here. I also heat embossed the images with clear powder to try to give them more pop. It looks better IRL!

The color combo also came from The Color Coach on the Lucky Limeade card. I also added Early Espresso for the chocolate piece. Chocolate has to be brown right?

I hope you're inspired to spend some time stamping today! Encourage a friend.....I dare ya!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Two-Fer-Monday!

If you weren't able to make stamp club, this is what you missed!

We used Button Buddies (new) to make the two cards in today's post! Depending on what table you sat at, you would have made one or the other.

The first one uses Calypso Coral CS (new!) and Daffodil, Baja and Calypso ink.

The next one uses Wisteria Wonder CS (new!) as well as Celery, Eggplant and Wisteria ink!

You can see it is the same layout for both cards, just the stamp and colors have been changed!

Both cards have a greeting from Tiny Tags~~

The flower card has a fun button for an accent, and the baby card used a 3/4 inch circle punch and a Dimensional with glitter for bling! (to bad the glitter glue photographed so terribly!)

I have a couple more Two-Fer days for you this week, so come back SOOOOOOON!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

I Dig You~~

As soon as I saw this set in the new catalog I KNEW I had to buy it to make cards for my adorable Grandson! (Happy 17 month "bday" Logan!)

When I make cards for him I don't add a lot of bling or glitter because he is so little, and the cards are his to do as he likes, and he likes to wrinkle and love on them!

You can likely tell that I used markers to color directly on the stamp to create the dump truck. The other option would be to stamp it all solid but in different colors and piece them together to create the truck. But, I know how Logan likes to "love" on his cards so I opted out of that much work! I just want him to know his Mima' loves him and sends him little reminders!

The layout is right from the good old CAS blog again, #149! Thank you CAS!

The colors are Tangerine Tang, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point CS. Daffodil Delight, Tangerine and Chocolate Chip markers were used on the Truck!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli

Who's ready for Christmas?

Certainly not me!

The new Pennant Parade makes a mean Christmas tree though, so I had to share!

I started with Old Olive CS and DSP. I used my Spellbinders to make the rectangle shape in Chocolate and popped up the tree after I punched it out! The buttons are PTI wooden ones (smile) and the greeting is from the good ole $1 bin again!

Ta-da! It wouldn't hurt to make a few Christmas cards each month now to get a head start on it!

~~Stamping Smiles~~

Shelli