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I’ve gotten some emails asking about the puppies. They will be three weeks old tomorrow. Their eyes are open, they are toddling around (from what I’ve read, they will reach their regular gait by four weeks old). A couple of them are starting to imitate mom at the food bowl (though they are no where near ready for solid foods…they don’t have teeth yet!) They are so stinkin’ cute. However, with their toddling around, they are already getting into trouble. Yesterday, I went downstairs to check on them and five of them were out of the box, walking around (well, in their shaky, stiff-legged way)! We did buy one of those octagonal pens (you can actually make it into almost any shape, since each panel is hinged) – and we set that up around the box. Anyway – here are some pics, taken over the past few days…CUTENESS OVERLOAD WARNING! 
If that looks like a really fancy whelping box rug, it’s because it is…that *was* myvery expensive hand-tufted wool rug that used to sit in front of our fireplace hearth. However, about a week after purchasing it, a puppy that shall remain nameless (**coughSadiecough**) chewed one corner and edge to bits. So, while I did keep the rug in front of the fireplace for a while (I didn’t want to risk getting a new one that would get chewed up, too!) – it has been relegated to the to puppy box, where it keeps them warm and snuggy, with a definitive decorative flair! lol
Enjoy!
Here is a preview of this awesome new Level 3 Hostess Set, called Goody-Goody Gumdrops…
Isn’t this darling? This *19* piece stamp set can be yours with a qualifying workshop/order, starting on January 19th! This is really an all-occasion set…love it! (Watch for more previews of this set – there are SO many possibilities!) Scroll down to see the whole set – you’ll see – you are going to want this one!
For this card, I used Baja Breeze, Apricot Appeal, Rose Red, and Whisper White. I used Basic Black ink for the images and sentiment. The sundae and cherries were colored with Stampin’ Up! Blender Pen, using ink from Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, and Going Gray. The “whipped cream” was done with white gel pen, before getting a sprinkling of Dazzling Diamonds Glitter. The backgrounds were done with stamps from Itty Bitty Backgrounds. There is also quite a bit of sponging on this – around the sundae, the cherriess, the Whisper White layer and the “thanks” panel. A sliver brad and Rose Red grosgrain are the “cherry” on top!
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Stamps: Goody-Goody Gumdrops (Level 3 Hostess Set, available with qualifying workshop/purchase starting 1/19/09), Itty Bitty Backgrounds
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Apricot Appeal, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Going Gray, Versamark
Card Stock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Rose Red, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds glitter, silver brad, dimensionals, blender pen, sponging, ticket corner punch
Echoes of Kindness is a FABULOUS new Level 2 Hostess Set! I just love the quote!!
This card is actually a prototype for a swap I’m participating in. It’s one of those cards that took on a life of its own after I started. It was never supposed to have Chocolate Chip in it (at least when I started…lol) Funny how that happens!
This card includes about as much product and technique as I could fit onto a card this size. The Pretty in Pink base was stamped with another stamp from this set, in Versamark. The sentiment was stamped twice, once in Chocolate Chip and once in Kiwi Kiss. The Kiwi Kiss words were then cut out and glued over the top of the Chocolate Chip words. It is double-matted with Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip. The flower is colored in pastels, then has a hint of Dazzling Diamonds accenting the petals. It is framed with small photo corners (love my punches!) It was supposed to be double-matted with Kiwi and Chocolate Chip, but it looks like, in my excitement, I left off a layer (it doesn’t help that now that my daughter is home from college, I am temporarily kicked out of my stampin’ room – which is also the spare bedroom…I have a pile of stuff on the computer desk, where I’m working from now. I think the keyboard has glitter on it! lol) Anyway – after it was colored with pastels, it was given a sweet accent with some Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon (I think the taffeta ribbon is my favorite out of all the SU! ribbon…it is so easy to work with and is always beautiful!) Finally, the bottom portion is decorated with strips of Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Kiss, with three gold brads (yes, they are crooked…again, hard to work over a keyboard…my excuse and I’m sticking to it!)
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks! These are so fun to do!
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Stamps: Echoes of Kindness (Hostess Level 2 set – available with qualifying workshop/order January 19th, 2009)
Card Stock: Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Versamark
Accessories: Stampin’ Up Pastels, Dazzling Diamonds, glue dots, Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon, gold brads
Jackpot! This is great for all those that love to play cards or host other game nights…
This set is another that’s coming up in the new 2009 Spring Idea Book & Catalog. It’s appropriately called “Game Night”. Is this a fun set or what? I just had to get out my black chunky glitter to decorate the chess piece.I’ve added a close-up of the chess piece, so you can see the sparkle – the above picture does not do it ANY justice!
Love that Chunky Glitter!
The small suits are all from one stamp. In a clever design feature, both the spade and club are on one side, the heart and diamond on the other. So, with a little bit of care, I was able to ink one side of my stamp in Basic Black and the other in Real Red, with no masking! They are punched out with the 1/2 inch circle punch, mounted on 3/4″ circles, then mounted on dimensionals. I went very traditional with this one, using Real Red, Basic Black, Going Gray, and Whisper White. Real Red ribbon accent.
With the economy in such a crunch, going out is becoming WAY too expensive. So – you may want to think about hosting a game night for your family and friends to save money – perfect excuse to order this set!
Watch for more sneak peeks!
Enjoy,
Ingredients:
Stamps: Game Night (available 1/19/09)
CS: Real Red, Whisper White, Going Gray, Basic Black
Ink: Real Red, Basic Black, Going Grey
Accessories: Real Red grosgrain, black Chunky Glitter, dimensionals
Sweet Stems is one of the brand NEW sets that will appear in the 2009 Spring Idea Book and Catalog. However today, you get a sneak peek at this darling new set!
I think we can all agree that this set is versatile and fun! Notice the bright colors? Be prepared to see Kiwi Kiss pair up with some classic faves. TRENDWATCH: Rose Red gets a BIG boost this spring thanks to the upcoming Raspberry Tart DSP, along with Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and So Saffron…they are all mixed to make up hot, Hot, HOT color combos that are all over the catalog sneak peeks!
This simple, but sweet little card starts on a base of Rose Red, which was stamped with the featured flower in Rose Red. The Kiwi Kiss strip gets inked in Kiwi with another flower from the set. The scallop-edge punched So Saffron piece has the sentiment (from “Heard from the Heart”), in Rose Red. Rose Red grosgrain gives a nice little accent. The Whisper White piece was stamped with the larger flower from Sweet Stems, and then colored using a blender pen and ink from my Rose Red, So Saffron, Kiwi Kiss, and Apricot Appeal ink pads. Two-Way Glue was used to add some Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the circles and the edge of the 1 3/4″ circle was sponged withi more Rose Red and popped up on dimensionals.
SUPER CUTE!!
Oh – there is a coordinating Embosslit you can use with your Big Shot coming out with this new catalog that exactly matches the stamp on the Whisper White circle! This set has SO much potential and SU! has given us this fun addition to coordinate with a stamp set! Love it!!
Enjoy (and watch for MORE sneak peeks this week!),
Sweet Stems (available 1/19/09!)
Ingredients:
Stamps: Sweet Stems (will be in ‘Stampin’ Up!’s 09 Spring Catalog), Heard from the Heart
CS: Rose Red, So Saffron, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, Apricot Appeal, So Saffron
Accessories: Rose Red grosgrain, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, dimensionals
Tuesday is a GREAT opportunity – starting then, you can order this BRAND new set , coordinating paper, and punch- before the new catalog comes out! Even better – you can order it for 20% off!! If that’s not enough, Tuesday only, you can combine it with the FREE shipping on any $70 order special that runs through 12/23. Tuesday is also the LAST day to get those retiring sets for 10% off…think of all the money you can save by combining all these offers! I will also add a FREE 2008 Idea Book and Catalog to every order on Tuesday over $70 (it will arrive separately, not from Stampin’ Up!, but from me) – another $10 value!
The Love You Much set comes with six adorable stamps (LOVE those lovebirds!). The coordinating punch is specially designed to punch out the coordinating stamp from the set (but would also work well with any card stock or DSP). The Candy Lane Designer Series paper is scrumptious, too!
| Description | Retail Value |
|
Love You Much stamp set |
$25.95 |
|
Candy Lane Designer Series paper (Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla) |
$9.95 |
|
Heart To Heart punch |
$15.95 |
|
Bundle Retail Value |
$51.85 |
|
Love You Much Bundle (20% off; item 115405) |
$41.48 |
While the pre-order is available at this amazing price through 1/31/09 – the opportunity to combine it with FREE shipping will only last one day.
Follow this link to order (click “shop now” in the upper right corner)
Enjoy – and Happy Holidays! See you after Christmas (with LOTS of new preview items to show you!!)
YES! We actually had another snow day today! Actually – more of an ice day. It warmed up a little this afternoon, so I was able to get out. We have a freezing rain advisory for tonight, but the forecasters are saying we should get up to about 40 tomorrow, so back to school/work for me! The nice thing is, I’ll go back for 2 days, have the weekend off, go back for a day and a half, then have a week and a half off. 
So – aside from working on cleaning our home office (it was so messy!) – I snuck in a little stampin’ room time.
The first offering is a gift card holder, inspired by Angie, over at Chic ‘n Scratch’s Stampin’ Academy (her reindeer is too stinkin’ cute!!)
(I almost used my Costco card again, until I remembered I have a Macy’s gift card from hub’s work…lol)
This was SO ridiculously easy! My orientation is a little different than Angie’s, but I found this made for a little less cutting and fit the gift card (and my Costco card) well.
I cut the Kraft card stock with the Top Note Bigz die on my Big Shot. Then, I cut a single panel in Chocolate Chip. I cut that in half across the short side and adhered it with sticky strip. The outside was stamped with the snowflake from Winter Post in Riding Hood Red. I then stamped the sentiment in Old Olive on Very Vanilla, using the Merry Christmas from hostess set Punches Three. I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch a hole, close to the bottom, at or below the sticky strip. I then threaded some Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon through. I still haven’t decorated the inside, I was too excited to post this!
My other “project” was inspired by a box of unused ornaments I found from my bargain shopping last year (I LOVE Target’s 90% off sales!). These are the unbreakable type that they sold for $1.99 for a box of 18 (a good deal – but paying 20 cents was even better…lol)
I got out my Crystal Effects and randomly freehanded some swirls around the entire ornament. I then gave it a liberal dusting of Dazzling Diamonds. I didn’t want to tap it off too hard, since I the Crystal Effects was wet and I didn’t want it to smear or run. So, it left quite a bit of glitter on the body of the ornament. My solution? Once it dried, I simply rinsed the ornament off. The nice thing is the unbreakable ornaments are plastic, so I wasn’t worried about rust or having things chip off.
Voila! I can possibly have 18 ornament accents to tie off onto packages for teachers, hostess gifts, my manicurist, our housekeeper, the groomer, etc, etc. To make them more festive, I will probably thread them onto some ribbon or elastic cording!
Enjoy!
Just when I thought I had all the cards figured out and was on the way to being done, hubs gave me some card requests, to people not on our normal list. He even recommended *GASP* that I might just want to buy a box of cards for this task! (I know, the horror!!) So, I sat down in my stampin’ room and came up with this:
Some chunky glitter and silver elastic cord gave this some “bling” – but it was an amazingly quick card to make. To make it even better – I use some leftover pre-cut card stock from my last stamp-a-stack. No cutting – just stamp, stamp, stamp. Two-way glue, glitter, glitter. Corner punch, two punches with my 1/8th hole punch (used my Crop-A-Dile – kept the holes even), thread and tie. I made 10 of these in less than an hour!
Ingredients:
Stamps: Snow Swirled
CS: Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla
Ink: Old Olive, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: chunky glitter in silver, silver elastic cord, corner rounder
A big ::raspberry:: to hubs who mentioned the “S” word (storebought, that is).
P.S. We are on snow day #2 – I can’t say I’m complaining! More cookie baking, card making, and playing with puppies for me today…life is good!
Enjoy!
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