I was so excited to get the mail the other day, because I received this great card made by my friend Jami!

I love how she made this a non-traditional shape – the circle rocks! And I love her black fiber tying the tag onto the card – continues the look of the spider web. Not sure if that was her intention, but it's a cool effect either way.

The back of the card is where she placed her greeting, which says – Hope your Halloween is bewitching and spooktacular! How fun is that?!

Thanks, Jami. Love your card and I hope your Halloween is extra spooktacular as well!

Okay, not really – just trying to be cute (did it work?). I hope you enjoy creating this adorable framed artwork, perfect for the kitchen, craft/hobby room, kids' room and more!

Instructions

1. Stamp cupcakes image in Jet Black StazOn ink on both pieces of watercolor paper. 
2. Watercolor all cupcake images on one piece and one cupcake image from the second piece using Classic Stampin' Pads and Aqua Painter. You will need six total watercolored cupcakes for this project. 
3. Punch out watercolored cupcake images using 1" Circle punch. Adhere Pink beads and glitter to cupcake tops as desired.
4. Stamp "Sweetest ever" in Chocolate Chip ink on watercolor paper scrap, cut out, notching ends, and set aside.
5. Punch circles from Chocolate Chip and Rose Red textured card stock (1-1/2" x 1-1/2" each)
6. Loop crochet thread through holes in Pretty in Pink flower button, and adhere to Chocolate Chip circle.
7. Punch hearts from Pretty in Pink and Rose Red textured card stock (3" x 3" each).
8. Ink small piece of crochet thread using Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad. Adhere vertically to Rose Red circle. Adhere Pretty in Pink heart to circle, over top end of dyed crochet thread to create heart flower.
9. Slide end of 1" Circle punch over edge of Certainly Celery textured card stock, and punch out piece with one rounded edge. Snip flat edge using Paper Snips to create grass. Adhere to Rose Red circle, over bottom edge of crochet thread (heart flower stem).
10. Adhere all circles to Old Olive textured card stock in 3 x 3 grid pattern, leaving space at top center.
11. Adhere wide Rose Red heart in top-center position. Adhere "Sweetest ever" piece over bottom of heart so that middle of piece pops up in center.
12. Insert into frame without glass.

Stamps: The More the Merrier(hostess level 3)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise, Jet Black StazOn pad

Paper:

• Certainly Celery textured card stock: 1" x 1"
• Chocolate Chip textured card stock: 1-1/2" x 1-1/2"
• Old Olive textured card stock: 4" x 4"
• Pretty in Pink textured card stock: 3" x 3"
• Rose Red textured card stock: 1-1/2" x 1-1/2"; 3" x 3"
• Watercolor paper: two at 5" x 1-1/2"

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter, Pink Bead Duo, Sherbet Designer buttons, Aqua Painter, Heart to Heart punch, 1" Circle punch, Crochet thread, Frame without glass

Project created by Stampin' Up!

We're back from convention and had a fabulous time (as usual)! One of my favorite things to look at during convention is the 4 vignettes they create while we are there. They create these themed rooms from 4 "wall" in the shape of a plus sign (+), and have different themes in each room.

I really enjoy Halloween, and while I know this holiday isn't for everyone, but I think you can get some great decorating ideas from this room (remember that you can click on the pictures for a larger view):

On the left wall they used the Definitely Decorative Décor Stencils, specifically the Brocade Flourish. On the lamp shade –on the right - they used the Kind Thoughts Brocade stencil. And they used the Definitely Decorative Toil & Trouble vinyl wall art (which comes in 4 different colors and 2 sizes!).

It was fun watching them create the cupcakes with their cute little skirts and the coordinating tree and treat holders:

And this banner was a lot of fun (sorry the picture isn't more clear):

Doesn't this give you all sorts of ideas for decorating your home? How do you decorate for the holidays? Please leave me a comment or email me here.

One of my customers created these adorable cards using her new Big Shot and the Circles #2 and Flowers #2 dies. She also used Whisper White and Bold Brights card stock along with the Seeing Spots stamp set. Didn't she do a fabulous job?!

Be sure to click on the picture to bring up a larger view.

The Designer Desk Set is one of my upcoming classes this month and I held this class for my downline last month. Here is the desk set that Sheri created using the Raspberry Tart designer series paper. I love how she used Basic Black to make the colors pop!

There are only a few days left to register, so be sure to sign up soon. You can see more pictures and register online here.

I apologize for being MIA again. For those of you who know us, our 12 yr old greyhound has not been doing well physically these past couple of weeks. We finally found out that he has a bulging disc in his back, and that has been causing him so much pain that he cannot sleep for very long. (And our greyhound typically sleeps 20 hours a day!). So, he's not sleeping, and neither are we. My poor husband is averaging only about 4 hours/night. Ugh!

Anyway, this isn't why you stopped by, so on to the fun stuff! We had a great time at our team meeting last week and had some fantastic swaps that I just have to share with you. (Remember that you can click on any picture to bring up a larger view.)

The first card is from Karlene and she spoiled us with full cards where she used the Three Little Words stamp set. And she used the Top Note die with thin cork – love it! Here's the front:

And here is the inside (check out the cork oval under the flower image – nice way to tie things together!):

Shari made the cutest Father's Day cards using the Waterfall technique – these are so much more fun in person, because you get to play with them! I love all of the coloring she did on these cards, and they are just addicting to pull and watch them move. Hmm, I might have to bring back my Movers & Shakers stamp camp because these types of projects are just so much fun!

For my part, I finally had a chance to play with my Matchbox die and created these little boxes for the ladies:  

I wanted to show a different way to use the matchbox die, well, then just a matchbox, so I purposely didn't put a sleeve on the Pink Pirouette box. Instead of folding the sides of the box inward, I pulled them towards the outside of the box and punched them using my Eyelet Border punch. I added a strip of Whisper White card stock that was punched the same way, to add some more interest. I cut a piece of Kiwi Kiss DSP for a liner for the bottom of the box and then filled it with tags in different colors from the Matchbox die (these tags are actually on the die itself along with the box). I expect the gals can put this on their desk and pull out a tag as the need arises.

Here's a close up of the other little box, which uses the Bella Bleu DSP – believe it or not! The paper and the Sahara Sand card stock seemed so pale that I spiced it up with some Riding Hood Red. I really liked the way it turned out. I used the die to cut the red sleeve and then just took a piece of the Bella Bleu DSP that was the same length as the sleeve, tore the edges, and wrapped it around the box (I didn't cut it with the die). The paper folds so easily that I didn't need the score lines at all. I used Sahara Sand to ink up the 'thanks' stamp from Matchbox Messages (coordinated to go with the Matchbox die – don't you just love Stampin' Up!), and then used my Ruby Red marker to color the flowers. I punched it out with the 1 3/8" circle punch and layered it on one of the tags from the matchbox die. Add a little Kraft ribbon and voila! An adorable little thank you gift for someone you care about.

Do you like seeing projects made by members of my downline?  Please email me or leave me a comment letting me know what you think.

Amanda has been busy crafting again and she graciously allowed me to share her wonderful cards with all of you. Check them out:

This card used Stampin' Up! rub-ons with a purchased paper quilled dragonfly. I love the clean and simple lines!

She made the following for her nephew's 7^th birthday:

And check out these gorgeous cards she made for Mother's Day:

Thanks again for sharing, Amanda!

If you'd like to be featured as a guest artist on my site, please send me an email with a picture of the project(s) that you'd like to share. I love featuring all of you talented stampers!

Lee Conrey is an incredibly talented demonstrator and she shared these adorable Easter chicks that she sent to her grandchildren. They were just so cute I had to share them with all of you, and Lee was gracious enough to give me permission. Aren't they too cute?!

I believe she used the Big Shot to cut the large scallop circles, then used a number of circle punches for the eyes and the 5-petal flower punch for the feet and top knot. She used a sponge dauber with some pink ink to color the cheeks.

I'm not exactly sure how large they are, but she said she mailed them, so obviously fit into an envelope (probably a large or square envelope). I like how she used the pink and blue grosgrain ribbon so the kids could easily tell whose is whose.  Thanks again for sharing, Lee!

  I have a wonderful group of ladies in my downline (these are ladies who signed up to become Stampin' Up! demonstrators in my group) and I learn from them constantly. I have a new recruit, Karlene, who signed up and already hosted her first party and I couldn't be more proud of her!

She was kind enough to bring over the projects she had her stampers make at this first party and she was gracious enough to let me share them all with you. So without further ado, check out her creative work!

This card is very clever and I am going to have to CASE it. It's actually a buckle card, but that is difficult to see in this picture. The Old Olive DSP wraps from the front of the card around to the back, and then slides into the front again underneath the scallop edge punch – how cool is that?! I tried to fan out the words she used on the tags, but unfortunately didn't catch anything more than the front one (isn't that the way it typically goes?!), but she has all sorts of words punched from the So Saffron card stock using the Wonderful Favorites stamp set. She also used the flower pot from the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set that is available in the Occasions Mini Catalog.

This bucket is just too cute! It uses the Under the Stars stamp set: and a cute little bucket. She filled the buckets with a small cello bag and jelly beans. Adorable!

Last, but not least, is another card made with the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set and our new scallop oval punch (this punch rocks!) – both are available in the Occasions Mini Catalog (available April 1^st). That duck is so cute. Karlene also showed me one more card she made with this set, and it is beyond cute. I didn't take a picture of it, so I'll have to share it at a later date.

So what do you think? Didn't she do a great job for her first work shop (or even her 100^th)! Way to go, Karlene!

- Kari

My friend, Jami, sent me this beautiful Christmas card she made using the (retired) Beautiful Batik set and a Christmas wishes stamp in Hawaiian (Mele Kalikimaka). Isn't it beautiful?!

Unfortunately the picture doesn't do justice to this card. I wish you could see the textured Purely Pomegranate card stock she used, in a square shape. This is the second card I've received this year that was square – I love it! I'm going to have to play with that more. She also used Gable Green for a nice contrast to the pomegranate – lovely! I also like the ticket corner punch she used in the corners of the Gable Green card stock.

I wish I would have thought to get a picture of the back. She used the cutest stamp that says, "Hand Made with ALOHA" and it has a little palm tree and waves! Thanks, Jami!

I know I've been MIA lately, but I hope that regardless of your religion that you and your families have been blessed and have spent some quality time together this past year.

- Kari