A Happy Birthday Quilted Pinwheel/ End of the Week Technique #26

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Hey y'all. Happy Friday. I hope you've had a great week and are looking forward to an amazing weekend. Sorry I missed you yesterday. I was running around all day and by the time I got home and settled down it was late. :(

I have this week's EWT for you though and I'm sure it's going to be one you want to try and will find yourself using to make beautiful cards.

Here's today's card-

I've been wanting to try this for some time now, and last week I got the perfect opportunity. (Or a at least what I thought was the perfect opportunity)

We had our monthly team meeting and the theme for swaps was to use at least 2 current sheets of DSP. This was a great idea since our new catalog comes out in 2 months and most of us still have plenty of DSP to use up. I actually got to use 3 different patterns. I was so excited!

Note the use of the past-tense there. This is a great technique for individual cards. However.... not so much fun when you have 8 to make. LOL! Oh well, you live and you learn. My consolation prize was that everyone really seemed to like their cards.

I used the Big Top Birthday DSP and I think it's just sooo bright and cheery. What do you think? Wouldn't you smile if you relieved this in the mail or on your desk at work?

Here's the inside, because you know I like to have pretty insides too-

I used a strip of the background DSP from the front to tie the theme together. I think the stamp set for the greeting is called Hand-Penned. I used my friend April's stamp set for this because it's one I didn't own and I thought the bold sentiment went with the bold colors and feel of the card.

So this is a pretty easy technique, here's the down and dirty version. I'm going to include a video, that shows you how to do it as well, from the fabulous "Frenchie" France Martin.

1- You're going to need two squares of cardstock in a color that will go with the other colors on your card. For mine I used 2 3x3 squares of Real Red c/s. In the video, the measurements are a little different, but I couldn't find the video when I was trying to figure my card out.

2 - You need 2 different coordinating DSP's. For mine, I used 4 squares each that measured 1 1/4. I used a punch to punch them all out. Much quicker and easier if you have the punch, but of course you could always use your paper cutter.

3 - Next I used 8 pieces of coordinating solid c/s that measured 1 3/8 each. Here again I used a punch, but you could use your paper cutter. Also, this step is optional as you will already have a background from your 2 squares of c/s if you wanted to just use that.

4 - You adhere your 2 pieces of cardstock together so that it makes an 8 pointed star. Then you simply adhere your squares to that base alternating the patterns. Make sure you don't secure the first one down completely, because you're going to have to tuck the edge of the last one under the edge of the first one. If you're confused the video will make it totally easy to do as you follow along with it.

5 - Once you've adhered all of your pieces you'll find you have an open spot in the middle. Find something cute to decorate this void and you're done. I used a cute button, from the Brights pack that I got Free during Sale-A-Bration. You could also use a little punched flower or a brad depending on how big your opening is and what coordinates best with your design.

Here's the video to show you how easy this is. Make sure to check out her other videos as well on her You-Tube channel. She does amazing projects and posts video's twice a week.

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked today's card/technique and I hope I've inspired you to try something new.

As always, if you liked today's project, please feel free to leave me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Don't forget Sale-A-Bration is only here for today and tomorrow. You don't want to miss this amazing opportunity and have to wait until next year to participate. You can find out more or place an order to get your free merchandise HERE.

I hope you have a great weekend, filled with plenty of time for family, friends and of course creating beautiful projects. I've got a full weekend planned, but I'll be back next Monday with all new projects for you.

Till next time-

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

You're An 11, Embossed Card

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Hey y'all. Happy humpday. :) I hope you're having a great week. I'm enjoying getting to spend time with my friend Jason. Speaking of friends, I have a sweet little card that's perfect for that special friend in your life.

Here's today's card-

I just love how this card turned out!

I started with a base of Calypso Coral, such a yummy color. Next I took a piece of Very Vanilla cut just a tad smaller to give a narrow border. I sponged it all around the edge with Calypso Coral just to give it some depth, but I love how when I matted it behind my main focal piece it gave the cardstock the appearance of being a light peachy color. Unexpected Bonus!

For my focal piece I used the "raindrop" image from the My Friend stamp set and stamped it multiple times using VersaMark onto another piece of Calypso Coral cut just a tad smaller than my Very Vanilla layer. I also stamped the sentiment from the same set in the same manner. Next I applied Gold Embossing Powder and used my Heat Tool to make the card come to life. Don't you just love heat embossing? It's just so magical! I love watching as my card magically transforms in front of my eyes. I sponged the edges of this piece of c/s as well and then Tombowed it to my Very Vanilla layer. These two layers were then adhered to my base using dimensionals.

Here's a close up of the focal layers -

 I just love the embossed detail and the way the Very Vanilla layer looks.

Here's the inside-

Sorry it's a little blurry. Didn't realize that when I took the picture

What a great sentiment! I also stamped a sweet little flower in the bottom corner, you know how I like my inside to be pretty-

I used the Bordering on Romance stamp set and just colored one of the flowers with my Stampin Write Markers. I stamped off once to lighten the image a little. Some more sponging around the edges and a little Tombow to adhere this layer and my card was done.

I hope you liked today's card and I hope it inspires you to make a little something special for that friend in your life who's an 11 to you.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I hope to see you back tomorrow for this week's End of the Week Technique. It's a really special card and I'm sure it's a technique you're going to want to try.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan

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Party This Way Birthday Card

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday! I hope you're having a great day. I have a little birthday card for you today that I made last week, while preparing for my 2 weeks off with my Friend Jason.

I have to say I was really excited to be able to get so many projects completed head of time, but I am missing my stamping time. Oh well, I haven't seen Jas in over a year and who knows when I'll get to see him again, so I am really enjoying every minute I get to spend with him.

Here's today's card-

Isn't it cute!?! I have to admit the main stamp set is one I hadn't really planned on buying, but since I got it for Free during Sale-A-Bration I decided to give it some love and ink it up.

I started with a base of Peach Parfait. If you love the 2010-2012 In-Color Collection don't put off buying any pieces of the collection you don't yet have, because it will be retiring at the end of May. Next I used some DSP from Just Add Cake and used some So Saffron as a mat.

For my focal layer I used a base of Wild Wasabi and Whisper White c/s. I used the top part of the cupcake stamp to make the clouds. I just took my Stampin Write Marker and traced over the edge of the stamp with Bashful Blue and then stamped on my c/s. I love that the Cupcake stamp set is so versatile. Doesn't it make Great clouds? I stamped my balloons in Marina Mist, Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait and then cut them out. I layered them on top of pieces of White Bakers Twine and adhered them with Tombow. The Marina Mist Balloon is popped up on dimensionals for a little added height. I then tied a bow with my Calypso Coral Bakers Twine around my White Bakers Twine to "hold my strings together." This entire layer was also pooped up using dimensionals.

Here's the inside-

I stamped the sentiment and the candle from the Party This Way set on a piece of Whisper White c/s that I sponged around the edges to give some extra depth. Isn't that font cute?

Here's a close up of the candle-

You know I like to add a little something extra to the inside of my cards. I like how this image mirrors the DSP on the front of the card. I used my Stampin Write Markers to color in the flame and the dots.

Don't forget Sale-A-Bration ends on the 31st, so you only have 4 days left to get Free Merchandise like this stamp set. Don't wait too long!

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked today's card and I hope I've inspired you to have some fun and make something of your own today!

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I hope you'll come back tomorrow to see what I  have for you.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan

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Celebration Magnetic Bookmark

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Hey y'all. Happy Monday, I hope you're having a great day and that your weekend was Amazing! Friday night I got to spend time and have dinner with a friend of mine who I haven't seen in way too long. I had a great time and hopefully we're are going to start doing stuff more often. (Hey Bren!) I spent Saturday afternoon stamping with my friend April and my daughter J. Then we went out for burgers and ice-cream. What a good day! Yesterday my buddy Jason got into town and we had dinner and spent hours just catching up. Hope your weekend was half as good as mine. :)

Since I was so busy, there's no MDS Monday today. Hopefully I will get a few spare minutes to whip up something to post later this week and something for next week too. As many of you know, I have no time scheduled for stamping for the next two weeks so I can spend some Primo-Time with Jas. :)

I did however manage to get plenty of projects completed and on film to post during my down time.

Here's today's project-

This is just a sweet little, Quick & Easy, bookmark I made using the Two-Tags Die. I started with Lucky Limeade folded and placed just inside the flat edge of the die so the cardstock would open up. Then I ran a piece of Whisper White through the Big Shot with the same die. This die has a little perforated edge all around the border and I used it as a guide to trim down my Whisper White piece. I then stamped my sentiment from the SAB Outlined Occasions stamp set, colored it in using my Stampin Write Markers and then Tombowed it to my Lucky Limeade piece.

Here's a picture of how I did the inside, so it would stay in my book-

I got a roll of Magnetic Tape from my local Big Box Craft Store and used my Rubber Craft Scissors to cut two small pieces. I cut one piece and then used it as a template to guide my cut for the second piece. I simply removed the backing strip and attached the magnets to my cardstock and my bookmark was done.

How easy is that? Wouldn't this make a great gift for that special reader in your life? It would be especially nice already tucked into the next book you give them.

The magnets just cling to each other over a book page and your spot is held-

Oh WoW! Just realized how bad my manicure looks. Sorry for the icky fingers in the picture :)

Well, that's all I have for you today. Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration is winding down Q-U-I-C-K. Only 5 more days left to get awesome free products and to get your starter kit at a great discount. Contact me if you have questions or you can go to my Website to get started with your order.

I hope you liked today's project and I hope it inspires you to make something fabulous of your own today. If you liked today's project, please feel free to leave me a comment. Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I'll see you back here tomorrow with another project. 

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe, 

Shan

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End of The Week Technique #25 Color Wash / RHSSC #28 / My Challenge #15

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Hey y'all. Happy Thursday! Just one more day till the weekend.Woo-Hoo!

3 more days till my best friend arrives from Yuma for 2 weeks of class. I can't wait to see him! I have been a busy little bee in my stampin studio, getting lots of new cards and projects ready to go for you, because I don't imagine I'm going to have much time to stamp after Saturday.

Today's card is not the one I had originally planned to do for this weeks EWT. I was going to do my team swap card that I'm swapping tonight. However, I still needed to do a challenge card and when I saw this challenge over at Red Hot Stampers, I knew the technique I wanted to do.....Best Laid Plans and all that. So, next week you will get my swap card for the EWT. But, for today you get a Two-Fer. LOL! :)

Here's today's card-

This is way outside of my comfort zone, and it took quite a few tries to get a card I was happy with, But I have no doubt that was more me than technique driven.

Here's the sketch I was going by-

As you can see I stuck pretty close to the basic sketch. I simply moved the ribbon section over and added a stamped image. I think the concept with the sketch's "flags" was to use DSP and there would have been no need for an image, but as I used straight color instead, I felt I needed to put something else there.

I really struggle with Clean & Simple cards. No, wait, let's try that again...

I really Struggle with Clean & Simple cards!


In fact, I posted my first one layer card, just last week. This one has two layers, so I could wrap my Bakers Twine. I'm trying to do these a little more often especially since they are so hard for me.

*I'm not sure what this technique is really called, I'm calling it Color Wash, for obvious reasons. I saw it one day when I was trolling the blogs on my reader feed and thought "that's pretty cool!" I think it worked out well with this sketch. I don't remember who's blog I saw it on, but if it was yours or you know who's it is, please let me know so I can give credit.

I used Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, and Wisteria Wonder for my colors and sponged them onto my Whisper White c/s. I first masked off the edge with 2 sticky-notes using my grid paper to make sure it was straight. This gave me a crisp border. Then starting on the sticky-notes and sponging towards the other side, I sponged back and forth until I got the desired depth of color. I think this would probably be a little easier to control with daubers and you could control the lines a little bit easier too. I guess I could have used some sticky-notes to make clean edges in-between the 3 colors and make them all the same width, and maybe I will try that on another card, but I have to say that I actually kind of like the "raw" feel to this look. I wish I had bigger image to stamp so it fit more in all three colors...oh, well maybe next time.

I stamped the image from Bordering on Romance in Black Stayz-On because I wanted a crisper, cleaner image and I think that turned out to be a good move. I stamped the image a second time on one of my "Ooops" attempts to use as my little punched flower.

I "fussy-cut" it out, punched a hole with my Crop-A-Dile and then let Tink have at it. I secured it to my card with some Calypso Coral Bakers Twine that I wrapped a couple of times around my card and knotted off. I frayed the ends (something I never do) to give the look of more fullness to the ribbon layer, since I didn't add a bow.

Here's the inside-

 I used the greeting from Everyday Elegance, one of our Sale-A-Bration sets. I love the font, so elegant! Don't forget to get your set while you can. SAB ends in just 9 days so don't delay!

The border of flowers along the bottom is also from Bordering on Romance. I used my Stampin Write Markers to color it, in the same colors I used on the front.

Well, that's my card for today.  I hope you liked both the card and the technique, I know I sure enjoyed making it, once I got over my usual it has to be perfect and the oops I forgot the challenge "flags" weren't all the same length...DUUUUUHHHHH! *headdesk*

I hope I've inspired you to try something new today. As always if you do I would love to see what you create. If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

Helpful Tips- Re-Purposing Empty Framelet Holders

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Hey y'all. Happy Tuesday. I hope you're having a great day! It's a gloomy sort of day here in the DMV, all rainy and overcast, but the birds are chirping so it can't be all that bad, right?

I don't have a card for you today, I've got a helpful tip. Or at least, I hope you'll think it's a helpful tip. :)

I like to be able to organize things. It may have something to do with my OCD. :) Sometimes it takes me a little while to get things organized but, I like to have a plan and I like to have the tools to be able to put those plans into action when the time comes.

Are you ever out somewhere with time to waste and wish you had a small project, or a card to work on but don't want to carry a big scrap kit with you? I've got a solution for you.

Go Green


Ok, technically, it's clear, but you know what I mean. Recycle, re-use, be kind to the environment. Here's an example-

Here's a preview of a card that I'm working on. You'll see it here soon. All the pieces fit in perfectly and I can take it with me to assemble it whenever I have a few minutes. If I have a multiples of a card to work on, say for a swap, they will fit in here as well.

Remember when I did these a few weeks ago?

 

Well they left me with 4 of these-

I didn't want to toss them, because I figured they might come in handy, so I put them in one of my storage drawers and waited and sure enough the time came when I found a use for them (last weekend).

They are just the right size to put cards and card pieces in. Like these, for my upcoming swap this Thursday night-

When I took that packet and this packet -

I had everything I needed to finish assembling my swaps. Last night I was able to add a little "bling" and they were done. These little packets made carrying my supplies so much easier than a traditional "Scrap-Carry". They took up far less space in my "Commuter-Bag/Purse", and had more structure and support than say a plastic "zip-type" baggie.

Oh, BTW- I had 8 finished "Swap- Fronts" each one had at least 3 layers of cardstock and 1 layer of DSP and it fit easily in the holder.

Well, that's my tip for today. I hope you found it somewhat helpful. I know I'll be using it again in the future, for sure. If you liked today's tip, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked it, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Remember there's only 11 days left to get Free merchandise and to get your starter kit at a special price during Sale-A-Bration. Go to my Website or contact me for more information.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

MDS Monday -Flowers Flowers Everywhere

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Hey y'all. Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend full of family, friends and creative time. I know I sure did!

I was able to get lots of projects done yesterday and plan on getting even more done this afternoon, including some OOOOPS! and some Tips which I hope you will find helpful.

I don't know what the weather is like where you're at but as I walked out the door this morning there was recent rain marks on the sidewalk, (which considering I put a Keratin Straightener on my hair last night didn't make me very happy) and I as I write this I am lucky enough to sit listening to the sweet sweet sound of a group of birds just a chatting away outside my window. It would seem Spring is trying in earnest to arrive in the DMV. The Cherry Blossoms are blooming early, Darn It! (Jas is going to miss them!)

I took my inspiration for this weeks card from the UDI challenge that they gave a heads up to last week. And, the Utah Diva's MDS Challenge for this week was for Flowers and Butterfly's. However, when I did my MDS last night I was going by memory from last week of what they had said it was going to be so I have plenty of flowers, but sadly no butterfly's.

Here's this weeks card-

I was inspired by one of the cards I helped kids make at a St. Baldrick's fundraiser this weekend where we randomly stamped flowers on a white back ground. This is a Designer Kit that came with my MDS starter kit. I think it's called Summer Home.

Here's the inside-

You guys know I like the inside to be pretty too. I added a different strip of the DSP across the bottom and then added a few of the flower embellishments. I love how you're able to change the size of each one to make it fit just like you want it, and then rotate it to position it you like you want to. I also used the layering function to make sure everything was situated just right. :)

Well, that's it for today. Short and sweet. I hope you liked today's card and I hope I have inspired you to try your hand at digital crafting. I have to tell you, I am definitely one of the most technologically challenged people you will ever meet, ask anyone who knows me. If I can do it, anyone can.

Well, I'm off to try and finish putting together the pieces for my swap cards so I can finish assembling them tonight or tomorrow night. I can't wait to show them to you on Friday. I have to say, I think they are pretty darn cute.

I also have a post coming up at some point in the next few weeks where you're just going to go Really?!?!, Seriously Shan!?! SMH!!!! That was just fair warning. :)

So, if you liked today's post, I hope you 'll consider leaving me a comment. I would love to hear from you. Also, friends and followers are always welcome.

Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration is almost over. Just 12 More Days to get FREE and Exclusive Items and to get your Starter Kit at an AMAZING Price. You can shop in my ONLINE STORE or contact me for more information. I would hate for you to miss out on this Amazing opportunity.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

It's Still St. Patrick's Day On the West Coast :)

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Hey y'all. Really quick and short post as it's 12:47am here in the DMV. Technically no longer St. Patrick's Day here but as I'm still chatting with my Best Friend Jason who is on the West Coast and still celebrating, I'm going with West Coast time. LOL!

I had a really busy today. I hope your weekend is going as good as mine is. I spent my morning with my SU Leader, Robin, and team-mate and favorite stamping buddy April at a St. Baldrick's fundraising event and we helped some really nice people, most of them kids, make some really Amazing cards for some really special kids. Then I spent almost the last 6 hours, Yes, I said almost 6 hours getting my team swaps done for this months team meeting. They are almost done. They are going to be great. I had no idea they would be as involved as they ended up being though. Look for them at the end of this next week as the End of the Week Technique, you won't want to miss it.

So, as it's late and I'm tired, and I owe you guys one last St. Patrick's Day card, here it is-

I've seen this style lots lately and thought I'd give it a try. I started with a base of Pear Pizzaz . I layered a piece of DSP from the In-Color Pack on top of that and adhered a piece of our White Organza Ribbon to that. I love that ribbon. It's so versatile! I made a bow from it and stuck it on with a Mini-Glue Dot. The center panel is a piece of Whisper White layered over Pear Pizzaz. This is layered on top of the DSP with Stampin Dimensionals. I used my Large Heart Punch to punch 6 hearts out of the In-Color DSP pack. I scored each heart down the center and folded it in half. I placed the two halves together and then stuck the bottom side to the Whisper White c/s with a Mini-Glue Dot. I cut the stem Free-hand from Pear Pizzaz c/s and adhered it with Tombow.

Here's the inside-

The stamp is from our Occasions Mini and is stamped in Pear Pizzaz. Because I didn't have any other shamrock stamps and I've already made shamrocks from heart punches for my other cards, I thought I would just add a little personal touch and free-hand a little shamrock to the inside of this card.

While I was writing this, I texted this card to Jas and he liked his St. Patrick's day card. He said, well, I won't say what he said, but he liked it. :) I hope you like it to and I hope you had a safe enjoyable day or are still enjoying it! If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

Embedded/Embossed St Patrick's Day Card With A Blessing For You

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Hey y'all. Happy Friday! Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am. I'm also ready for 4pm cuz that's when I get to head down to Verizon to pick up my New I-Pad.

I'm so excited! *Happy-Dance* I have waited so long for one and now I'm getting the Big-Daddy of 'em. It's especially exciting since I seemed to have killed yet another computer. I do believe my Net-Book is D.E.A.D. I have had my I-Touch for years now & my I-Pod as well, hopefully this will bode well for me & Apple products. Sadly, Target didn't have the one I wanted so I couldn't use my Red Debit to save $40 (you have one of those and are saving money right?) so I have to go give Verizon more, but it is what it is.

This card however, makes me Very Happy and I hope it makes you happy too. It's the paper version of this weeks MDS card. I have to say it took me almost as long to punch out all those little hearts and cut the stems & position them just right as it did to create them on the computer.

Here's my card-

I started with a base of Garden Green. I then used a layer of Whisper White and sponged the edges with Garden Green. I used my Small Heart Punch to make the "leaves" of my Shamrocks and I simply free-hand cut the stems out of more Garden Green c/s. I laid them out in what I tried to make appear a random (I hate trying to do that!) pattern around my Lucky 4-Leaf Clover in the center. I wanted the effect to be as if they had been thrown up in the air and scattered around the center clover. Not quite sure I succeeded. To me, they still look to be almost in a straight line down the center. AUGH!

After lightly securing them I put them in my Square Lattice Embossing Folder and ran it through my Big Shot and you get this beautiful Embedded/Embossed Effect. I love it! I used Tombow to secure it to the card base. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and is stamped on Whisper White in Garden Green, Punched out with the Designer Label and then sponged lightly.I backed it with more Garden Green c/s and popped it up with dimensionals.

A sweet little rhinestone in the center of my 4-Leaf Clover finishes off the front of my card.

Here's the inside-

I used my MDS to print the sentiment and because I was afraid my colors wouldn't match just right to do the shamrock in the corner I simply punched one out and put it there myself. I miscalculated a little on the sizing so the border's not quite even, so I fudged it a little by sponging the edge. :)

Not sure if you can read the sentiment so I got a closer picture. It's one of my favorite blessings and I only just found out that it's attributed to St. Patrick. Pretty appropriate to add it to today's card.

This is my wish for all of you my friends who may read this. I hope you have not only a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day but this is my wish for you Always!

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you liked today's card and I hope you'll come back tomorrow. I know I don't normally post on Saturday's but I have one more St. Patrick's Day card for you, so I hope to see you then.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, It's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

CAS Sprinkled Expressions Shamrock

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Hey y'all. Just a quick post here as it's already after 9pm. Silly me I was working on the card I originally had planned to post today, last night but forgot to take pictures so obviously couldn't post earlier today. Then I came home today and got busy making more cards and mounting stamps and the time just got away from me.

This card is really a step out of the box for me. Which all things considered is kind of funny when you see the card. It's a one layer, Clean and Simple card and it's the first card of it's kind on this blog and the first card I truthfully think I've ever made on my own. Just really not my style.

I know you've probably seen this shamrock done before with this stamp set, but I think I did it just a little differently.

Here's my card-

I started with a base of Whisper White. I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to position the heart from the Sprinkled Expression Stamp set and stamped it 4 times in Garden Green. I then used my Stampin Write Marker in Garden Green to freehand the stem and I sponged the edges of the c/s in the same color.

I used my Two-Way Glue Pen and some Dazzling Diamonds to outline the hearts and to fill in all of the white hearts "negative space" and the front of my card was done. I rocked my stamp ever-so-slightly on my last stamp and left a tiny mark and truthfully wouldn't have kept this card for my blog except my paper-cutter is dull from cutting my magnet sheets and isn't cutting cleanly and it was less stressful for me to leave that mark than to cut more paper. LOL! No, really, you have no idea how unhappy I am that that mark is there. :'(

Here's the inside-

A simple greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes in Garden Green and the edges sponged in the same color and I thought I was done. At least I tried to be, went to take the picture and everything. But, you know how I like to have the inside be as pretty as the outside, so it was back to the design table (today known as the dining room table) Three little left over hearts and a left over scrap of c/s, some Tombow and voila a pretty little shamrock to make my inside pretty too.

WOW! I think that's just about the quickest  post with pics and everything, that I've ever done!

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Ok, I hope to see you back tomorrow. I've got a really pretty card for you. Pics are all taken and everything, I promise!

Till next time-

Remember, Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

End of the Week Technique # 24- A Paisley Petal Make & Take "De-Construct"

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Hey y'all. Happy Humpday! I missed you guys yesterday! But I was non-stop literally from 8:30am until 10:30pm.

I have a new card for you today and a question.

Do you ever look at other designers cards (or sites) and think "I wonder how long it took them to make that card" or "I wonder how many attempts it took to get that just right?"

Maybe I'm alone in thinking I'm the only one who doesn't make a card "Blog Perfect" on the first try, but I doubt it. I'm sure I'm not the only Scaredy Cat who has failed to produce the "Perfect" card on the first go round. In fact I have 2 cards at home that took multiple tries to turn out "right". In working and re-working the first one, I came up with the initial design for this card which then evolved into the final design.

I will show the other cards evolution on another post. I will also start keeping track of these "evolutions" so I can show them in future posts. Sometimes people say "I got my inspiration from X" but it's hard to know how they got form X to Y to Z. I'll show you how I got there. Then you can let me know if you think it's helpful, or interesting or not.

Here's today's finished card-

Paisley Petal, Mixed Bunch Punch Make and Take

I did this card recently, as a Make & Take, for a team meeting. I have to admit I was a little nervous because it was the first Make & Take I had done for my team, but it was well received. I really love that Paisley Petal DSP and I couldn't believe when I went to use it that I hadn't even opened the pack yet. I'm one of those people that Loves their DSP but just doesn't use it enough. SMH! And this card uses my ALL-Time Favorite Color Island Indigo! Love it!

So- By now (if you've read any of my posts at all) you know I've got a little OCD problem when it comes to stamping. And also, I hate to throw out usable scraps of cardstock or DSP. After all, You just never know when you might be able to use them for punches or making those cards where you use strips of cardstock to make patterns you know.... I just can't. So I keep the scraps in a folder with the packet of c/s so they're all together and there you go. But if it weren't for keeping scraps, well we wouldn't have this pretty little card.

In the process of making my swap card, which underwent multiple changes, I ended up using an Edgelet in the final design here-

This made this weeks EWT So Very Easy! 

You see that big open cut-away space formed by using the Edgelet? It gives you a nice piece with beautiful decorative edges....

Of course, I couldn't just throw away that "Huge" scrap of c/s. Oh No! And as I looked at it and turned it, I began to think that the decorative edges might look good on a card, framing some DSP... and so it turns out they did.

I cut a piece of Paisley Petals DSP (I think it's 7 x 2 1/2 it was a month ago), Tombowed it down and then Tombowed the two Island Indigo pieces down on top of it. I then simply flipped it over and trimmed the DSP over-hang with my paper-snips. It needed more. So, back to the drawing board or in this case the Big Shot-

I repeated the process this time running my scraps through the Big Shot with the Adorning Accents folder that coordinated with the Edgelet. Now we were cooking with Crisco! Love that combo!

***For the EWT-After a little playing around I discovered you could, depending on how much DSP you wanted to show, change the size of your borders. For the size I have, I cut squares that I believe were 6x4 to go with my DSP of 7 x 2 1/2. Use a piece of grid paper and lay it out on an old card front to check your sizes. You can make it any size you'd like. It's your card, Personalize it to make it uniquely yours!***

Then, I punched two flowers with the Mixed Bunch Punch, one with Island Indigo and one from a coordinating DSP. I sponged the edges of both with Island Indigo and then ran them through the Big Shot with the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder. I used my Bone Folder to curl the edges up to give the edges some dimension and staggered the petals when I layered them so you could see both layers. I used Mini-Glue Dots to adhere them to each other and to the Island Indigo layer.

I stamped the sentiment from Petite Pairs, what a great set, in Island Indigo on Whisper White and used the Modern Label Punch to Punch it out. I then sponged it with Island Indigo, gave it a little dimension by curving it with the edge of my paper snips and tucked the edge under the flower and secured it with a Mini-Glue Dot and the Front was done.

Here's the inside-

Very simple- Whisper White edged with Island Indigo. The sentiment is the rest of the one from the front. The flower is from Fabulous Florets. I thought it coordinated well with the flowers on the front.

So that's how my card evolved... from a Swap Card Scrap, to a card that had potential that is now in the "it's got to be fixed-up pile" (cause you know I couldn't just throw it away, right?) to the finished product that went with me to the team meeting for people to see as they made their cards.

What do you think? About the card? About the idea for this as a blog topic? Yea, Nea, Maybea? :) LOLOL

At any rate, I hope I have inspired you to try something new today, maybe with some old scraps.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

If you need supplies to make your own cards, you can shop in my ONLINE STORE 24/7.
Today's Card Recipe-
Cardstock- Island Indigo, Whisper White, Paisley Petals DSP
Ink-Island Indigo Classic Ink
Stamps- Petite Pairs, Fabulous Florets
Big Shot-Edgelet, Adorning Accent Embossing Folder, Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder
Punches- Mixed Bunch, Modern Label
Accessories- Mini-Glue Dots, Sponges, Tombow

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you have a great day. I hope to see you back tomorrow.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain

Be Safe,
Shan

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MDS Monday - St Patrick's Day - Utah Diva's MDS Challenge/My Challenge #14

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Hey y'all. Happy Monday! I hope you all had a Fabulous weekend! I got to spend the weekend with my Amazing BF so my weekend was beyond compare! Hope yours was half as good!

I did manage to squeeze in just a little time (ok a couple of hours if I'm being totally honest) for the Utah Divas MDS Monday Challenge for something "St. Patrick's Day" or "Going Green". I went with St. Patrick's Day. Now, normally I wouldn't count this as my challenge for the week since I do a MDS Monday every week anyway, but this card was pretty involved with the punch work, so I'm going to count it as this weeks challenge card. I may still do another one, in fact there's one I'm looking at doing, but for now this one is "the one". I hope you like it. :)

Here's today's card-

AUGH! I just noticed as I posted this that somehow during all my manipulating I had dropped my white layer down and it's not even! DOUBLE AUGH! OK, so you guys are my friends and will just pretend like you don't really notice that right, and I'll go home tonight and adjust it. So Sorry. SMH!

Anyways, other than that do you love it? I love how it turned out! My daughter was looking at it while I was making it and I had all the oval punches out on the white background (for the stems) and she said I don't see any shamrocks! LOL

I thought it would be nice to have a bunch of regular shamrocks and one 4-leaf clover thrown in there just for luck.

Just in case you're wondering how I made the stems, here's what you need to do-
1- Make 2 oval punches. Take the first one down to the size you would like the length of your stem to be.
2- Fill it in with color you would like your "stem" to be. I used Garden Green.
3- Take your next punch and fill it in with the color of the layer your "stem" is on. Here I used Whisper White.
4 - Take that oval down in size so that it's close to the same size as your "stem" oval. Use the "Bring Forward" function so that you will be able to place it on front of the "stem" piece. Move it into place and rotate it until you have just the portion showing that you want. Voila! Instant stem! :)
Hope this helps.

I then punched out 19 small hearts 3 each for the regular shamrocks and one for the 4 leaf-clover, re-sized them so each clover's hearts were at least similar in size to the ones next to it and then filled it in with Garden Green color.

Here's the inside of the card-

I always loved this saying, but never knew it was attributed to St. Patrick until last night. I just knew it had to go on my card.

You know I like a little pretty on the inside of my card but I have to say I was so tired of adding punches and re-sizing and re-positioning that I actually considered (for a Hot-Minute!) not making another one for the inside, but then I thought, "How could I not make one for the inside to go with that beautiful saying?". So, back to the punch, re-size, re-position, fill. Then I lightened the opacity to 60% and my card was done.

So, you see, that's why, with all the planning and everything I'm calling this my challenge card of the week. :)

Well, that's all I have for today. I hope I've inspired you to try something new today. If you'd like to play with MDS and create something fun too, remember we're offering a FREE 30day trial of our Fabulous MDS at No-Risk to you. You can check it out at my ONLINE STORE where you can shop 24/7.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

End of the Week Technique 23 - Adorning Accent/Edgelets Holder

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Hey y'all. Happy Thursday! One more day to go till the weekend. Woo-Hoo! Are you as excited as I am? I've got two shipments that Mr. Ups is supposed to bring tomorrow (I had a fail when it came to order placing, but if all goes just right I may not even get to play with them, and I will be all right with that. What! Say it's not so! I know, right! How can that possibly be? Well, I may actually get to spend the weekend with my BF for some long overdue quality time. Due to his schedule (why does that word just not look right) and mine, and the fact that I've been so sick we have just not had time to spend good QT together recently. I will give up up stamping time for good quality face and snuggle time, I have to admit it. I'mma sucker for him. He makes me a big ole pile of mush. :)

Are you ready for today's project? I know I posted a DVD case project yesterday, and there may be something out like this, but I haven't seen it. Of course I haven't been on Pinterest in A Hot Minute! No, Seriously! I think it's been about 3 weeks since they changed the settings at work. :( But when I get my "New" I-Pad next week (what a silly name, why are they calling it that, what happens next when they get a new one, will it be the "Newer I-Pad", Seriously) At least I'll be able to access it while I'm commuting and on the go and what-not. :) Any-ways, it may be out there, but I don't believe I've seen it anywhere.

So, I had somewhere to keep my Framelets and I wanted somewhere to keep my Edgelets and Adorning Accents and keep them together. So, I decided to use one of Clear Mount Cases for this. Here's what I came up with-

I mounted the Edgelets the same way as the Framelets except instead of cutting the Magnet sheet at 6.5 x 5, I cut it ant 6.5 x 4 7/8. This made it so much easier to center it without worrying about getting too close to the edges. Perfect fit! I put them on the left hand side.

Here's a close-up of my Adorning Accent Pocket-

Isn't it sweet? I used our All-New Summer Smooches DSP. It's a little Sneak-Peek from our upcoming 2012-2013 Catalog, but you can get it now along with a cute stamp set, coordinating, fabric, seam binding and more. Don't wait too long though it's only available this month, and then you have to wait like everyone else. You don't want to have to do that do you?, No, of course not, so shoot me an e-mail or go to my website already, but after you finish here of course. :) I took a piece of DSP that was 10 x 5 initially. I say initially, because I decided that I needed a little more for the fold-over so I added about another 1 1/2 inches to it, scored of course on my Simply Scored. You can make your pocket as deep as you'd like. When I first laid all my folders out they looked like they'd lie side by side with no problem but in the end that didn't happen. However, even with the center one stacked like it is, it's not tight and there is no pull or tension on the pocket at all.

I secured the sides with Sticky Strip. I was concerned about there being enough room for the 3 folders to lie next to each other side by side with it full width even though it looked like it was possible on the grid paper during planning, so I trimmed it down just a wee bit.

*TIP* - Whenever you are doing any project where you expect there might be tension, use Sticky Strip, not SNAIL, or Tombow. This will ensure the longevity of your project.

I tied a length of Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon around the fold-over flap and tied in a bow and then secured the edge of the flap down as well with Sticky Strip. I used a Mini-Glue Dot behind the center of my bow to help keep it from flopping over. To secure my pocket inside my case I used 4 Mini-Glue Dots strategically placed in the pattern of my DSP. It's barely noticeable. See-

I've enlarged this shot really big so you can see them. There are 2. One on the Purple flower in the Orange Vase in the upper left hand corner and one on the Orange flower in the Turquoise Vase in the upper right hand corner.

I will most likely try and do a MDS DVD Case Cover in this print and then it won't be an issue but until I manage that I think this is a pretty good fix.

Some of you may have noticed I had an extra scalloped Edgetlet that was shorter than the normal edgelets in the first picture. If you're wondering, that was an Oooops! :) I mounted my Edgelets on cutting mats early on, due to my OCD need for everything being centered and perfectly aligned etc. and my Edgelet came somehow cut just a wee bit long and the edge was just slightly off the mat. Once when I ran it through my Big Shot it hit the edge as it went through and it bent. Totally my bad. At any rate, not really fixable. But by that time I was seeing a lot of demonstrators doing cute cards with their other edgelet going down the side of cards and what not so I was excited about having another one of those anyways. There was no way I wanted to unstick my perfectly mounted one from it's board as it was working so well. So that's why there are 3 edgelets in the case instead of 2.

Well, I hope you liked today's project. I hope it inspired you to try something new. This was a really Quick and Easy project and it's a really useful one too. It's great for organizing, and really can't we all use a bit of organizing? After all, if we can condense our stamping supplies into a smaller space, that then means we have more room for more stamping supplies. Am I right or AM I RIGHT!?!

I won't be back tomorrow as I'm going to a stampcamp tonight with my DD. So, I hope to see you back here next Monday with a new MDS Monday project.

If you need supplies to make your own cards or projects- You can shop 24/7 in my ONLINE STORE.

If you liked today's project, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's project, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I hope you have a fabulous weekend full of Family, Friends and of course time for stamping and creativity.

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.
Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

Framelet Holder OOOPS & Tips

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Hey y'all. Happy Humpday! I hope y'all are having a great week. I'm looking forward to a beautiful day and the news release this afternoon about the new I-Pad 3. Since I'm not getting an I-phone till the 5 comes out in the fall I really hope the rumors are true and Siri's on this. How stinking cute is she? Anyway, I'll find out at 1. So excited!

Well, no card for you today. I went home yesterday and was dealing with computer issues again. :( They are mostly resolved, I think. But it didn't leave me much time to sit down and make cards. However at around 10 as I was straightening up I saw my magnets and CD cases and thought I could at least put those together real quick. So I did. Kinda-Sorta-Mostly-No, I did.

Look closely at the inside Left edge towards the center

Now I know, that statistically, most of the people that read these blogs are, sadly, other demonstrators and you have seen this many times but I'm posting it here for a couple of reasons.

1- For those few people that may not be demonstrators, I hope you're out there and maybe just maybe, I'm lucky enough that you've stumbled across my humble little blog. Or, even for those demonstrators that have seen it but haven't yet tried this, maybe this will save you some frustration.

2 - You'll find the following TIPS helpful. I know it would have been helpful for me and would have saved me a magnet sheet and a CD case.

Our Magnet strips come 14" x 5" and they are EXTREMELY STICKY!!!!!! I used a piece of grid paper to measure the inside of my case and to be honest as I'm not at home right now I can't remember, it's either 6 or 6.5". I think it's 6.5". I used my regular paper cutter to cut the magnet sheets however I had to flip it over and cut it from the back to cut through the backing paper. Don't worry about the 5" side it fits just fine. If you're real worried about your centering abilities you could trim an extra 1/8 inch off but that's all I would trim.

*Post-Publish Edit - The Magnet sheets are 13 x 6 I cut mine at 6.5 x 5 so that leaves you a 1 inch strip of magnet from the side to use in another project later. In a project I did the next night, I made my sheets 6.5 x 4 7/8 and the fit was PERFECT no worries about hitting either side. This is the size I highly recommend. :)

*TIP 1* - Position your Magnet strip carefully, center it at the bottom of the case with the backing on. Remove the backing by pulling it up and laying the magnet down, similar to the way you would lay down one of our Decor Elements or a Rub On, smoothing the magnet as you go. Trust me on this. If you just lay the magnet down and it's not in the right place you are not going to get it back up.

If you look at the magnet sheet on the left side, the one with Label Framelts, you can see that it's all the way up against the edge in the center. Ask me how well it closes? Barely, and with much forcing and it will be getting re-done at some point. (Not the magnet the whole case)  Luckily, neither the magnet sheets or CD cases are very expensive, but if you know me and my OCD, and my unwilling-ness to spend money where I don't have to I will force it to close until it breaks which I'm sure will not take long because I messed up. :( So please learn from my mistakes.

By the same token- if you place it too far to the outside it will catch on the curved lip of the case. Ask me how I know. That time I was lucky enough to be able to "muscle" it up off the case. Yes, I felt like Hercules.

*TIP 2* - Although I have seen some cases with smaller widths of magnets in their cases, presumably to save money, or resources, I chose to use the whole width. I still had 2 strips of magnets left over from this original piece of magnet and more in the original purchase pack. Here's why I chose to do so. Our Framelets are very thin pieces of metal and they are new so we don't have any history with them to go by. My concern is that if I put just a strip in the middle and have no support on the edges I could potentially subject them to warping. While I believe Sizzix materials to be of very High Quality and that SU would stand behind my purchases, why would I want to be without them for any length of time if they were in fact to become damaged in any way?

*TIP 3* - When placing your Framelets on your magnet sheets, remember to place them cutting edges down. Our magnet sheets are very strong and if you place them flat side down you will find it very hard to get them back up. :) When you place them cutting side down the cutting edge will give you a little raised area to get your finger under and you will be able to lift them off without any difficulty at all.

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you have found this information helpful in some small way. If you liked today's project, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's project, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

I have something new for you tomorrow, so I hope to see you back then.

Till next time,

Remember, Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

A Small Summer Smooches Sneak Peak - SFF 030212- My Challenge #13

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Hey y'all.Happy Tuesday. I hope your day is going good. It's so cold here in the DMV and I have to say I'm looking forward to the near 70's they say is coming in the next few days. However they say another cold front is following for the weekend. I wish the weather would make up it's mind!

Want to know what not in doubt? My plans for this card. Yep. Love it when that happens. And as so rarely happenes lately, no one on the design team had come up with this idea. I was so excited! YEA!!!!!

Here's my card-

Here's the Sketch Frenzy Friday sketch-

I started with a base of Early Espresso. Next came a layer of DSP from the Everyday Enchantment from our Sale-A-Bration line. This is only the second time I've used it. Up until last week it was my least favorite design but now I'm really kind of liking it. Too bad it's only around until the end of the month. :(

For my flower vase I used one of the vases from a new stamp set in the Summer Smooches Set (I'm having a moment right now and can't remember the name... something blooms). I inked it up with my Pool Party Stampin Write Marker and Stamped it on my piece of Very Vanilla c/s. The stem and leaves are actually from one of the other vases in the same set but I liked them better for the flower I was going to use. I stamped them with Wild Wasabi Stampin Write Markers. The Flower is from the Fresh Vintage set and was colored with Poppy Parade and Calypso Coral Stampin Write Markers. I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to ensure precise placement. I love that thing and really couldn't stamp without it. You have one in your stamping tool-kit right? I sure hope so. It's a must have! I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake and mounted it on a piece of Early Espresso c/s that was also sponged for a little dimension. These two pieces were then popped up with dimensionals.

For my little banner I inked up the first part of the sentiment from the stamp set For All You Do, with my Early Espresso Stampin Write Marker and stamped it on a scrap piece of Very Vanilla c/s which I then cut into a little flag. I then sponged the edges and using the edge of my paper snips gave the strip a little wave. A few Mini-Glue Dots is all it took to hold it firmly in place. But, I think my pretty embossed butterfly's look so much prettier so I used another Mini-Glue Dot to sit them right down on top of it so it looks like they're holding it down. :)

My only variance from the sketch is up in the corner. Instead of just putting a strip of lace across the corner I added a bow too. When I imagined the card that's how I saw it. I tried it without the bow, but it just seemed to be missing something so I had to stick it on there, so once again, Mini-Glue Dots to the rescue.

Here's the inside-

A very Clean and Simple inside. A little strange for me.

Want to know a little secret? I actually went to take this picture and realized that I had forgotten to put my little signature something pretty on the inside. " I was in a hurry to finish up... it was late and I was trying to spend a little quality time with my daughter before I went to bed (it was 10:30). Luckily, I remembered that when you use your Handy-Dandy Embosslets you got not 1 Butterfly but 5, so I ran back and got 1 of the unused butterflies, slapped some Tombow on him and Voila, instant little pretty!

The sentiment is the rest of the sentiment from For All You Do in Early Espresso, stamped on Very Vanilla. The edges are all sponged in Crumb Cake and my card is done.

What do you think? I hope you like it. I hope I have inspired you to try something new, whether it's trying a new challenge or using some DSP that's not necessarily your favorite.

If you need supplies to make your own cards you can shop in my ONLINE STORE 24/7.

Don't forget Sale-A-Bration ends at the end of this month. You still have time to get your FREE items. This is a great time to stock up on not only exclusive items but awesome catalog items as well.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

MDS Monday- Happy Birthday Momma! - My Challenge 12

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Hey y'all. Happy Monday. I hope you all had a great weekend. I got a huge box from sweet Mr. Ups and had every intention of stamping the weekend away. And then life happened as it has a tendency to do, and I spent it, spending quality time with my daughter who just moved back home. We saw the Lorax (go see it, it's Amazing!), did some shopping, did some cleaning and organizing and then it came time to work on my MDS.

I think I have lamented plenty of times here that I am not the most computer savvy person. In fact me and technology, not a good mix in general, unless it's the medical kind or Lexus-Nexus, I did pretty good with the Law library. How I managed to get an A in my computer class was sheer determination, hard work and the fact that the professor gave us the majority of the answers on the first 2 tests. God Bless that man! I have in fact now killed 2 lap-tops, a net-book and 2 desk tops. At any rate, I had some issues with finding some of my downloaded material and updates (totally my issue) and spent the better part of about 4-5 hours over 2 evening dealing with this all in an effort to come up with today's post.

Toady's post is a very special post! It's my momma's 65th birthday.

Happy Birthday Momma! :)


I talked to her late last week and told her I was afraid I had waited to long and was trying to figure out how I was going to manage to get her card in her hand by today. I was thinking I was going to have to Priority Mail or Express Mail it to her. She said all she wanted was for me to make her a card and put it on my blog for everyone to see. She follows my blog and she thought that would be cool.

Well, I think she's the best, so I thought I'd surprise her and do her one better and give her two cards instead of one. So, I made two cards that I'm posting here, and then I'm e-mailing her the cards with a special message inside just for her.

Also, I told you guys last week I'm doing 2 challenges early since my best friend Jason will be here at the end of the month and I won't be stamping and won't be able to do my challenges those weeks. Both of these cards fit the Utah Diva's MDS Monday Challenge for last week of Anything Birthday or Use A Piece of Cake CD from Sale-A-Bration, so I submitted both of them to their site last night to qualify. Now my 2 challenges are caught up and I'm back to just my one challenge a week. :)Yea me!

Ok, so are you ready to see my momma's first card? Here it is-

I used Elements of Style and Messages for Mom. My Mom loves Humming Birds so I knew she would love this sweet little guy.

You know I have to have a pretty inside-

Another little Humming Bird this one getting a little sip from one of the flowers on the flower from the Element of Style flourish. The sentiment is from Messages for Mom.

Here's card #2-

The first card was more serious, so I wanted to give momma a fun card too. This one is from the Piece of Cake CD in the Sale-A-Bration Catalog. You can get it Free. Lots of Fun Stuff in it.

Here's the inside-

Those little pieces down the sides are "pieces of cake" how fun is that?

Well, what do you think? I hope she loves them as much as I loved designing them for her, but more importantly.... as much as I love her!

I hope I inspired you to try creating with MDS today. If you decide to try I would love to see what you make.

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)


Thanks for stopping by!
Till next time-

Remember- Life is not about Waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It