Smile for Dynamic Duos!

Dynamic Duos always manages to challenge me with colours I don't normally use and, except for Christmas, I don't use Gumball Green very often. I had to smile because the Design Team chose Gumball Green (Does anyone else always end up typing "Bumball Green"?) for this week's challenge, but thankfully let us pick the second half of the Duo.

I checked the Colour Coach, which is normally very useful, but the colour trios suggested were all way too much for me.  Then, as I perused my stock of DSP, Modern Medley caught my eye!  Yes! Black and Gumball Green would work perfectly, and Very Vanilla as a neutral, because it's the background colour in all the Modern Medley designs.  Here's how it turned out, and it made me Smile!

• I love the bold font and the awesome medallion in the Happy Day Stamp Set!  It was perfect for this challenge because it takes up the empty space on the card, but it's so simple and clean-looking.
• I used up lots of Modern Medley scraps for the banners.  I die cut them using the two smallest Banners Framelits.  I added them to the front panel before adhering it to the card base.  Here's why. The large flags were all the same length, as were the small flags, but I wanted them different lengths.  I wasn't sure how I wanted them arranged until I played with it a bit, so I didn't have any idea how much to cut off each one.  Instead I arranged them until I was satisfied with how it looked, then I adhered them to the panel and trimmed the ends even with the edge of the panel. Easy peasy!

I'm so glad I challenged myself with this colour.  Next up:  Rich Razzleberry or Rose Red!

Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today!

Product List

130294	130297	126926	121045	126840	101650
126861	101406	132173	103579

Smile!

Well, it was a weekend to smile! The Olympics in Sochi, Russia wrapped up and, as a Canadian, I couldn't be more proud of my country!  Under the slogan, #WE ARE WINTER!, Canadian athletes did very well, ranking third overall behind Russia and Norway, with 10 gold medals. This was not quite as good as the results from Vancouver 2010 Olympics, but because both of our hockey teams, men's and women's won Gold, we are all very happy!  Here's a quick montage of some memorable Canadian moments of the Winter Games:

                                                                           

The last photo is of Jennifer Jones, the skip of the Canadian Women's Curling Team who became the first women's team to go through to Olympic gold undefeated!

In honour of the games today, I created a card for Pals Paper Arts Challenge #192.  Here's the sketch:

And here's the card I came up with:

• I guess I should have made it red and black, but Crisp Cantaloupe is such a favourite of mine that it's hard to resist.  I'm also enamoured with Sweet Sorbet DSP and Sweet Sorbet accessories.  I'm always reaching for them and they really make me smile!
• The sketch is a simple one and I thought that the Happy Day stamp set would give a perfect but simple message for the design.
• Not sure about the cork stickers from the Sweet Sorbet Accessories Pack, but once on, they won't come off, so there it is!  No, seriously, they are very cute and add a great touch to the card!

• I used the Banners Framelits to cut the Basic Black flag.  I had originally layered a Summer Starfruit banner on top of it, but removed it because it competed with the main image due to it's brightness.
• I picked up the Coastal Cabana in the DSP with a little Coastal Cabana coloured twine from the Sweet Sorbet Accessories Pack.
• Both the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper, and the Sweet Sorbet Accessories Pack can be earned free during Sale-A-Bration.  When you place a minimum $60 order (before tax and shipping), you can choose one item from the Sale-A-Bration brochure free!

How did your country do in the Winter Olympics?  Did you enjoy watching the athletes compete?  Let me know with a comment below.  I'd love to hear from you!

Product List

130294	130297	133521	131298
121045	100730	131176	101406
132173	133522

Summer Reading

When I was a kid, summertime heaven meant a comfortable chair in a shady spot and a stack of books to keep me happy!

From there I would be transported to lands unknown or just down the street. I would encounter magic, danger, friendship, and adventure with just the turn of a page.

Although I truly appreciate the convenience and the ecological advantages of an ebook,  the smell and feel of a stack of books fresh from the library shelves is one I will always remember with a special fondness.

My favourite books were The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and my lifelong love of mysteries started with Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew.  I also read almost every book written by Enid Blyton, and she had me convinced that I had to move to England and go to boarding school, just like her characters did.

Later, as a teacher, I would look forward to being able to read all summer.  I did not dare pick up a book during the school year, because I was never able to put them down at night, and I couldn't afford the lack of sleep if I was to do my joy properly!!
Anyway, I hope you are able to pick up a book and get some reading time in this summer, and here's a bookmark to help you keep your place:

• Okay, okay, I know.  I have to stop using this colour combo of Smoky Slate and Strawberry Slush so much.  I can't help loving it, but I am almost out of Smoky Slate card stock so you'll have a break for awhile, until my new order arrives!
• Check out the cool embossing on the Strawberry Slush panel!  It comes from the new Alphabet Press embossing folder.  I thought it was appropriate for a bookmark!

• Do you see the little button on the Happy Day medallion image on the left?  I made it using Simply Pressed Clay and the Buttons and Blossoms Simply Pressed Clay molds!  The clay comes only in white, but you can colour it in many ways.  This time I added a couple of drops of Strawberry Slush reinker to a small amount of the clay and kneaded the clay until the colour was evenly distributed.  I will show you a Crafty Clues by Heather video on this product in the near future.
• The gray flag is a piece of Smoky Slate Chevron Ribbon clipped using the chevrons as a guide to make a flagged end.
• The medallion can be punched with a 1 3/4" Circle Punch, or you can cut it by hand.  There are no Scallop Circle punches that coordinate with it.
• I used a snippet of Strawberry Slush 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim for the bit of ribbon on the top.

If this doesn't get you to read, nothing will!

Stampin' Up released some new My Digital Studio downloads yesterday that I thought you might be interested in:

Hooray for Today Stamp Brush Set

Everybody's Business Designer Series Paper

Memory Milestones Baby Photo Book

Lovely Romance Stamp Brush Set ( one of my favourites)

Chores and More Designer Template

(Useful for summer chores organization with all the kids at home!)

Check these and more out at my online store under digital downloads.

Please leave me a comment about your summer reading experiences now or as a child!  I'd love to share memories with you.  Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Happy Day (w130294; c130297)

Paper:  Smoky Slate (131202) and Strawberry Slush (131295) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Smoky Slate (131179) and Strawberry Slush (131178); Strawberry Slush Ink Refill (131167)

Embellishments:  3/4" Chevron Ribbon in Smoky Slate (131152); 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim in Strawberry Slush (130023); Simply Pressed Clay (130685) button

Tools:  Alphabet Press Embossing Folder (130916); Blossoms and Buttons Simply Pressed Clay molds (131272), 

1 3/4" Circle Punch (119850)

Alphabet Press Embossing Folder

1 3/4" Chevron Ribbon in Smoky Slate

3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim in Strawberry Slush

Classic Stampin' Pad in Strawberry Slush

Simply Pressed Clay and Buttons and Blossoms Molds

It's Friday, May 31!

Wow!  For the first time ever, THREE CATALOGUES will be current for a few hours only.  Yes, today is the last day to order from the Spring Mini Catalogue.  The 2012/13 Idea Book and Catalogue is good until June 3, for accessories, only while supplies last.  The 2013/14 Idea Book and Catalogue is going live one day earlier than usual, so that it doesn't fall on a weekend when Stampin' Up offices are closed.  How cool is that?

Here is the link for the new 2013/14 Idea Book and Catalogue:  (Just click on the Catalogue Cover.)

There are some seriously amazing new stamp sets and accessories in there!  Go ahead and drool!  I know you will be!

My first priority when I order?  The Big Shot Magnetic platform that holds your framelits and edgelits in place!  How cool is that?

Here's a card design made from new products!  I think I'm in love with Strawberry Slush and Smoky Slate as a colour palette!  Tell me what you think! (I'm overdosing on exclamation marks in this post!!! Can't help it, I'm so stoked!!)

• The new stamp set, Happy Day, just makes you want to smile doesn't it?
• The Chevron embossing folder never looked better than teamed up with this delicious colour duo.
• I had to hand cut the medallion from Happy Day, because I couldn't get it to line up with any Scallop Circle punches, but it wasn't that hard to do!
• We will be doing this card as a Make and Take at my Catalogue Launch Party tomorrow afternoon.
• Check out those Very Vintage Designer Buttons - two great designs.

AND, in other news, the Winner of the Mystery Hostess Last Chance Party is Teri Coady!  Teri wins $90 in free Stampin' Up products and one item at 50% off!  Thanks for all your entries, and we'll have another Mystery Hostess before long.

If you want those free Hostess benefits for yourself, it's as easy as calling together 5 or 6 friends for a Private Class!  You can even have it at my house and I'll do the cleaning and baking so you don't have to!  What have you got to lose?  Give me a call to book one.  June is rapidly filling up!

Stamps:  Happy Day (w130294; c130297); Hearts a Flutter (w131922; c129252)

Paper: Strawberry Slush (131295), Smoky Slate (131202) and Whisper White (100730) card stock

Ink: Classic Stampin' Pads in Strawberry Slush (131178) and Smoky Slate (131179)

Accessories:  Very Vintage Designer Buttons (129327); Whisper White Baker's Twine (124262)

Tools:  Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (127749); Hearts a Flutter Framelits (130159)