Card Tote

As a full time working mom of three with a Stampin' Up business on the side, my life is consumed with calculating dilutions, emptying backpacks, or cutting out 20 stamp club projects. Rarely do I ever get a chance to make things for me. So this past weekend was devoted to making projects that I have found online (I am so NOT creative enough to come up with these things) that are uber-cute and incredibly frilly and most importantly, make me smile. I hope they make you smile too.

This is a card tote by Becky Roberts. It is designed to hold several standard sized (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") cards. Wouldn't this make a great thank you gift? Sadly, the Parisian Breeze DSP that was used has retired, along with Baja Breeze which, as it turns out, I, and others (Tamara), are still mourning the loss of. RIP Baja Breeze. RIP.

Crafting is good for my soul

I am back from an INCREDIBLE weekend of uninterrupted crafting. Marilyn and her crew from Scrapbookers Anonymous put on a fantastic retreat up at the Lakeview Resort in Gimli, MB. We were showered with lovely goody bags, cute prizes, yummy buffet meals and most importantly, uninterrupted time to: chat with, giggle with, ask advice from, bond with, borrow supplies from, and become inspired by other talented crafters. It really was the ultimate girls weekend.

Not only that but we were EXTREMELY productive.
Tricia = 47 cards








Tamara = 12 scrapbook pages, 8 cards, 2 mini books






Gerry = 114 photos matted and adhered to pages




Renelle = 20 pages, 16 cards





Cheryl = 2 calendars, 1 purse, 1 matchbox dresser, 1 card tote, 2 alligator wallets, 4 cards, 4 sesame street magnets

****Tonight I have a date with my camera and projects (yes, a threesome! ;P) so stay tuned for upcoming posts****

For now, here are some photos of our weekend together.

My extremely organized work area:


Once you completed a project/page/card etc you could take the incentive cone from whomever had it last. If the prize patrol came into the room and you were in possession of the cone, you won a prize! Renelle, Tricia, and Tamara were big winners at our table. In the picture below, I barely made it back to my seat and it was stolen by somebody else.


Our table working hard. Ok so we staged this. Whatever. We still looked good.


One of the buffets that the Lakeview spoiled us with. The food was delicious and the service was amazing.


Gotta love a girl who loves her bacon. See all the fun you missed?


Me 'n my peeps...I {heart} them alot. :)


As I crafted on Sunday, feeling sad that my crafting time was coming to an end, I was washed over with gratitude that I had great friends who love crafting as much as I do, who were willing to leave their families for a weekend to play with paper, scissors and glue. So thank you to Tamara, Tricia, Renelle and Gerry for a wonderful weekend...here's to many more retreats and weekends crafting together.

*sigh* Crafting really IS good for my soul.

Ms. VanDiepen

This quick, 5 minute card is completely CASEd by the fabulous Kim VanDiepen. I stalk visit her blog hourly daily. She has no idea who I am but I adore her projects and would love to be her BFF. Seriously. She is crazy talented.



Paper: soft suede, WW
Ink: soft suede
Stamps: Circle Circus
Accessories: Button latte, hemp twine, rub ons, scallop trim edge punch, finial press embossing folder, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, 3/4" circle punch

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?

Here is the perfect card for such a gloomy day...I bet you smiled when you saw it. And I also bet that you will be humming the Sesame Street theme song all day long!

Don't forget...only 20 more sleeps until Sale-A-Bration is over! Be sure to click the catalogue on the left to see what you can get for FREE.





Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: real red, brilliant blue, yoyo yellow, glorious green, basic black, only orange, WW
Punches: scallop circle, large oval, small oval, modern label, designer label, 3/4" circle, 1/2" circle, 1/16" circle

A Card for Eloise

With the Olympics over, I need to get over my Olympic withdrawal with some stamping! That or listen to "I Believe" all day at work and imagine the Olympic montages in my head...not that I did that yesterday...a little...maybe for 6 hours...

Regardless, this is a card I made for my friend Nikki who gave birth to a beauty of a girl named Eloise. Congrats again Nikki...she is gorgeous!




Stamps: something sweet,
Paper:choc chip CS, pretty in pink CS, sending love DSP
Ink: choc chip
Accessories: sweet treat cup, 5/8" choc chip satin ribbon, pretty in pink grosgrain ribbon, scallop trim border punch