Paper & Paws

I Stamped Something!

2010-03-21T11:56:00.003-05:00

It's a miracle! I was in the stampy kind of mood today.. finally! Maybe my mojo has returned! as you can tell from my lengthy disappearance from my blog, I have not been stamping much! I have scrapped a little since then, but not even much of that..

So here is my beautimous creation...

Inspired by a card I saw done by Mary Fish over at Stampin' Pretty. It was from awhile ago, but it stuck with me. I really love the SAB sets from this year. So cute and versatile! Hope my mojo sticks around for awhile, but no guarantees.. so I better get back to stampin!

As my good friend Brandi would say... Ske-Doosh!

Third Christmas SAS card

2009-09-24T19:00:00.002-05:00

I am SO looking forward to getting together with my downline and my friends for this SAS. I haven't seen some of them since I was at my last job.. which I left last year! YAY for old friends!

But onto my card... This card uses the Big shot in a BIG way.. It is using the movers and shapers die with the holiday windows (from the Holiday mini). The ornament window along with the gold embossing gives this card a little elegance.

Enjoy! I hope to create another card tomorrow and post! see you then!

Second Card for Christmas SAS

2009-09-23T20:25:00.001-05:00

Here is the second card for the Christmas SAS on October 23rd in Gurnee, Illinois. This card features one of the "single" stamps (and one of the best selling!) Dasher. Isn't he a lovely Reindeer?

Also on this card is the new shimmer paint Champagne Mist. It just adds a special touch to this simple card.

The card uses the Christmas Cocoa Designer paper. It has a light shimmer with the pretty white snowflakes. All of this on a Soft Suede base.

Come back tomorrow for another Christmas card from the SAS! :)

October 23rd- Christmas SAS

2009-09-22T20:11:00.004-05:00

Hi! A coming up event for my customers is a Christmas Stamp-A-Stack. For $30 you will make 20 cards and a pack of Christmas tags (envelopes included). This event is in Gurnee Illinois. So drop me an email if you are interested in coming!

The first card is uses my new favorite accessory- the pretty petals embossing folder for the Big Shot. A little ribbon, some ink, paper and punches.. and Voila! a cute card for Christmas! It's a little elegant too.. which I like for the Holidays.

Stay Tuned! I'll post the second card tomorrow.. Til then!

Stampin' Up Big Shot Die Pack Giveaway!

2009-07-08T14:02:00.002-05:00

Stampin' Up just released it's latest catalog.. as you can see on the side of my blog! It has SO many new and cute items! Particularly in the Big Shot Die section! woo hoo! I am a HUGE Big shot fan. I love mine!

Stampin' Addicts is giving away a Big Shot Die pack as part of the Stampin' Up Summer Celebration. Just click here: Stampin' Addicts Big Shot Die Giveaway and you can enter to win!

Happy Stampin & Die Cutting :)

Recipe Swap 2

2009-05-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

So here is my second swap from the SA Recipe Swap that we did back in March:

This was a fun page to create. I played with the shaving cream technique to make the "fluff". The recipe is tucked behind the cup of fluff with a ribbon pullout tab. I used the Raspberry Tart paper to create the bowl and coordinating cardstock to make the page.

Back soon! L

Recipe Swap

2009-05-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

So glad that SO MANY of you enjoyed our recent blog hop! I enjoyed making all those lovely projects. The planner has been such a big help for me.. especially for helping me keep my convention swaps organized!!

Speaking of swaps... back in March, I hosted a 6x6 Recipe Swap. This was so much fun to see how creative my demo friends could be. Here's what I came up with:

I had just gotten back from a week in Arizona- 3 days of which were in the Red Rocks of Sedona.. so I think you see my inspiration. We had also gone on a Pink Jeep Tour so to have the dog driving a jeep in my page was "Perfect!" to me!

This was such fun to me.. lots of tearing! The second picture shows the recipe card that is tucked in behind the red rock plateau in my pic!

I'll post again tomorrow with the other page that I did for this swap! so much fun that I had to do two pages!

later!

Parade of Papers Blog Hop!

2009-05-08T04:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Stop #23 in the Stampin' Addicts Parade of Papers Blog Hop! I am showcasing my absolute favorite paper of this catalog- Juntos!

Haven't seen it? Well that's because it's been hiding in Celebrando Creatividad- The Spanish Catalog! I saw it in the catalog at convention last summer and it was on my first order! I love the fall colors and the simple elegance of the paper. It features Ruby Red, Really Rust, More Mustard and Always Artichoke.. it's autumn-licious! Yes, I know that's not a word.. but hey, it's my blog! I can make up words if I want right?? :)

My first two projects are very simple cards. The both feature the stamp sets Thoughts & Prayers and Full of Life. I also used the Photo Corner Punch and the Key Tag Punch. The Many Marvellous Markers were used to color the tree and branches with several colors:

I also created a 8 1/2 by 8 1/2 scrapbook page featuring my pretty girl, Nina, taking a rest in the leaves. We had played pretty hard, but I think a squirrel caught her eye! On this page I used the Sissix letters- Serif Essentials and also the Leaves #2 dies. My favorite parts of this page are the three strips of "scraps" (other than my Nina girl) running under the picture. I was going to toss them, but thought they were too pretty to throw away.. glad I didn't!

And my final project with Juntos is my Daily Planner. I worked on this for quite awhile, but it is now a finished product! It features the same stamp sets as the cards and also the Scallop Oval Sissix Die and the Serif Essential letters.

I made individual tabs with the Round Tab Punch for all my different categories. I also used the Calendar Stamp and It's a Plan stamp set to finish all the pages in my planner. I use this planner every day... although somehow.. I am still not organized.. well, at least I have somewhere to write my disorganized thoughts!

Hope you enjoyed the Juntos stop on the tour at Paper and Paws!

Be On the Lookout

2009-05-05T14:53:00.002-05:00

Stampin' Up has a FANTASTIC special this month on their Designer Papers for National Scrapbooking month.. Buy Three, get one FREE!! woo hoo! To showcase all these wonderful papers, 24 demonstrators, including myself, are doing a Blog Hop! The Stampin' Addicts Parade of Papers Blog Hop!

We have all chosen a different packet of designer paper to showcase in 3 to 5 projects. I am excited about the paper I have chosen- Juntos. It is from the Spanish Catalog. The paper is so beautiful and it is in my favorite autumn colors! Well check back in here on Friday to see all the goodies I have made for you!

In addition to the paper special, you can join Stampin' Up this month for $75. This special showcases the best of scrapbooking that Stampin' Up offers. All in honor of National Scrapbooking Month. So drop me a note today if you want to join during this special. It's never been this low before.. and may never be again!

Hello! It's been awhile!

2009-03-31T21:10:00.003-05:00

Well life has been a little hectic.. I've been in NY, NJ and the Netherlands in the last month AND on vacation in Arizona- which was like heaven! :) Just a few too many airplane rides for my liking! But now I am back at home and back in the stamp room...

So for some reason, I wanted to try crackled glass.. just thought it would be fun! lookie:

Here is a close up of the crackled glass:

I watercolored the flowers with a blender pen and ink in the top of the stamp pad, covered the paper in versamark and embossed it twice this way.
Enjoy!

Supplies: Stamps- Fifth Avenue Flowers, Much Appreciated
Paper- Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy
Ink- Not Quite Navy, Versamark
Other- Silver Hodgepodge, Designer Paper Punch, Satin Stripe Ribbon, Clear embossing powder, Glassy Glaze embossing powder

2008-12-24T08:30:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas all! Below are some gift card/money holder nugget tins that I did for my nieces and nephews. I am so pleased with how cute they came out. I LOVE those felt flurries. Hope to see more of these fun things in future catalogs. I like doing these nugget tins. It just makes giving a gift card or money a little more fun!

Supplies: All SU except large scallop square. Stamps: Holiday Collection stamp set, Say it with Scallops, Snow Wheel; Paper: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy; Other: Felt Flurries, rhinestone brads, silver cord, address labels.

Have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!

Secret Elf- Days 11 and 12!

2008-12-23T08:17:00.003-06:00

Well Today is the last day of the SA secret elf swap and the day of the big reveal! Here is my day 11 giftie. a little purse made out of an SU small box with yummy chipboard and other goodies inside! LOVE IT!

Here's my stash from day 12 from my elf- Lisa from Minnesota! Thank you so much my friend! I have truly enjoyed all of your handmade treasures! thank you!

I got a refillable water bottle from Minnesota, wild rice from Minnesota (who knew!), SU clips, yummy gingerbread AND an adorable ornament note! LOVE IT ALL!

Hope you ALL have a very merry day today!!!

Secret Elf- Days 8, 9 & 10

2008-12-21T10:23:00.002-06:00

My secret elf has given me so many wonderful little gifts. I love them all. Here are the goodies from the past few days.

Day 8 was some fun chipboard and some very cutely decorated chocolate! Day 9 was a very pretty coaster ornament. And today was a lovely decorated tin with chocolate stirrers in it! I can't wait to take it to work to hold other goodies in it! My desk at work is so pretty with all these little goodies. Thanks secret elf!

Secret Elf gifts.. Day 7!

2008-12-18T08:05:00.003-06:00

What a cute banner I got today!And a little card to go with it! I love it. Thank you secret elf! This is so much fun.. and we are half way through now. Can't wait to find out for sure who my elf is.. I have a guess who it is.. but I am not positive!

Have a great day all!

Secret Elf Day 4 & some cute pups!

2008-12-15T10:54:00.003-06:00

Morning all! today is Day 4 of the secret elf swap.. and my elfie did not disappoint! A very cute card box with two lovely cards inside.. and a cute 3x3 note on the outside. love it!

So I was making my bed with clean covers and I look over and my dogs are sharing a bed. They haven't done that since Bailey was little. I didn't catch 'em while they were cuddled up together.. but they are still in the bed together.. how cute are they! aah. I love having dogs.

have a great day all! thanks again Secret elf! :)

Secret Elf gift day 3!!

2008-12-14T10:52:00.002-06:00

What a cute gift I got today! Yummy cocoa in a very cute decorated tin! I have LOTS of these tins.. never thought to put cocoa in them! so cute! thank you elf!

Secret Elf Goodies Day 2!!

2008-12-13T10:31:00.005-06:00

Day 2 of secret elf goodies from my swap group on SCS! Isn't this just the cutest little calendar. I love the always set! so glad it didn't retire with the list out last week!

Thanks Secret Elf!! :)

Secret Elf goodies!!

2008-12-11T20:32:00.004-06:00

I have secret elf goodies... lookie!!! I am part of a fabulous group of women on Splitcoaststampers. We chat in our thread about our ups and downs and celebrate our joys and sorrows together. I'm so grateful to have met these women at convention and have a friendship with them. We decided to do a secret elf for the 12 days of Christmas amongst our group. These are my goodies!! I don't have any idea who sent them since I took the USPS label off before I could see where it was from.

I am so excited to open the first one.. the second picture is the first one!! I get to open it tomorrow. Check back tomorrow to see what it is! so fun! I love my Swapper's anonymous sisters! have a good evening!

Happy Birthday Nick!!

2008-06-17T21:59:00.005-05:00

Hiya.. just a quick card that I did for my nephew's birthday! Thanks for looking! Enjoy!

Supplies: All SU- Big Birthday candle stamp set, Paper: glorious green, only orange, whisper white. Ink: only orange, glorious green, summer sun. Buttons: misc.

Shaving Cream

2008-06-09T20:33:00.005-05:00

I LOVE doing the shaving cream technique. You get all inky and messy! so fun. For those of you unfamiliar with the shaving cream technique.. here are the basics:

1. cover a paper plate with shaving cream (make it about an inch thick)

2. Using two or three reinkers- drop five or six drops of ink randomly into the cream

3. mix with a stick (I like a bamboo skewer) into an interesting pattern.. but before the colors blend

4. push your cardstock- whisper white or glossy are best- or shimmer for added pizazz!- into the cream

5. pull up the cardstock, clean it off and see your creation!!

This is one of my favorites! SO simple.. but so cool.. at least I think.. :) Enjoy!

Supplies: Stamp by Endless Creations; Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip; Ink: Chocolate Chip Craft

Stampy Nation Swap Card

2008-05-21T20:00:00.003-05:00

My upline has a monthly swap with our little group of stampers. This month's theme was Father's day. My card has a bit of a fall feel to it.. but I will admit it.. I LOVE Really Rust. Given the opportunity I would use Really Rust every chance I get.

Why do I love this color? Maybe because I am a child of the 70s.. possibly. Maybe because the curtains in my bedroom when I was a child were this color as well.. possibly. But I really believe it's because I love the fall season.

so enjoy this little bit of fall in the spring.. although the weather around here has been rather fall like lately! enjoy!

Supplies: Stamps- Lovely as a tree, wonderful favorites; Paper- really rust, sahara sand, chocolate chip; Ink- markers- RR, Old Olive, CC, Close to Cocoa; Other- hodgepodge- pewter, olive twill, sahara sand eyelets

Happy Birthday Nan!!

2008-05-20T21:05:00.004-05:00

I made it down into the stamp room and stamped this little beauty! Yes! I do LOVE this card! It's in Nan's favorite colors.. MICHIGAN colors! Blue and Maize. And she loved it so yippee! And it's her birthday today. Happy Birthday Nan!!! Enjoy the card!

Supplies- Stamps: Birthday Whimsey SU; Paper: Ballet Blue, Whisper White, So Saffron; Ink: Brilliant Blue, Ballet Blue, So Saffron; Other: Scissors, Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

I've been SCRAPPIN!!!

2008-03-31T21:28:00.004-05:00

and it has been so fun! I spent the weekend with friends in Delavan Wisconsin. We took over a meeting room and scrapped from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. I am hoping to organize one of these scrappin weekends in the summer. So if you are in the Chicagoland area and are interested, drop me a note!

Here are some of the fruits of my labor. I was working on my most recent Arizona vacation.

No time to post details.. if you would like details, let me know!

Until next time! Liz

Open House

2008-03-09T21:23:00.009-05:00

It's the perfect time to place an order with Stampin' Up! For every $50 order, you get a FREE sale-a-bration set. So today I had an Sale-A-Bration Open House. And I offered the following door prizes (and discounts) to sweeten the deal!

1. Every $50 order receives an entry for three fabulous door prizes-
· The “Two Cute” stamp set on pg 93 of the catalog- $12.95 value
· Your choice of any ONE Simply Scrappin’ Kit- $19.95 value
· GRAND PRIZE- Level 3 Hostess Set- Time Well Spent- $36.95 value

2. Every workshop booked before Wednesday gets an additional entry in the door prize drawing.

3. ALL PURCHASES OVER $50 will be 10% off!!!
4. ALL Purchases made from the Occasions mini will qualify for an additional door prize entry!

So what could be better than that! You get free stuff AND a discount! You don’t need to be at my house for the Open House (although I wish you could!) to place an order. Email and phone work too! Just get the order to me by March 11th!! I will be putting in the order on Wednesday, March 12th! so drop me a note at ececsystamper@yahoo.com.

If you had been able to come to my Open House, you would have seen my stamp room. I have posted these on Splitcoast, but it's been awhile.

This is a picture of my stamp room in full. The blue cabinets on the end (from IKEA) hold all my stamp sets and the white drawers hold all my scrap papers. My wonderful Nan mounted a TV with cable and a DVD player in my stamp room. I could be down there all day.

I specifically painted the walls almost amethyst! am I a nut or what!

Hope you have a great Monday! Don't forget that only one week until Sale-A-Bration is over!

Liz

It's been awhile...

2008-02-25T23:45:00.006-06:00

since I blogged! sorry! Apparently I have to go on vacation in order to have some free time to blog! I hope that changes in the future.

I am currently in sunny Arizona. We spent today at the zoo and golfing. It was a perfect day 73 and sunny... same tomorrow. (sorry.. don't mean to rub it in.... ok.. I admit it.. I am. tee hee!)

Yesterday was an equally fantastic day. We spent it at a course outside of Tuscon watching Tiger Woods win the Match Play Championship. Fantastic! It inspired my sister so much.. she played like a champion herself today! Here is a picture of the sunrise on the way to Tuscon. It's a bit blurry.. but you get the idea.. beautiful!

The Arizona Wildlife Zoo was quite interesting as well. Lots of animals and birds that I had never seen before. AND Nancy got to feed the giraffes! How uber COOL is that!

Tomorrow there are massages on the agenda.. and a little shopping for my sister and I! woo hoo. I mapped a few scrap and stamp stores in the area so I can't wait to check them out and get cool papers to scrap this vacation. I'll report back with my finds!

sorry.. no paper or paws in this post.. but I promise. You'll see some soon!

Liz

It's a SNOW DAY!

2008-02-01T09:23:00.001-06:00

Woo hoo! lucky me! It only took 10 inches of snow to close the office so we can stay home! So the dogs and I are enjoying the day at home. We shoveled a bit this morning (along with Nan). Once we were all snow covered, we headed back inside for some treats.. hazelnut coffee for me, a cookie for them. Now they are all about the naps and I am ready to stamp! I’ll try to post my stamping results later.

But for now, here are the girls playing out in the snow. The first picture is Bailey getting ready to tackle ME in the snow. She's in her.. "I'm ready to pounce" pose. The second is Nina and Bailey wrestling. It's their favorite thing to do in the snow. Have a good day! Liz

Faux Silk Sample

2008-01-23T20:19:00.001-06:00

This was the technique of the week on SCS last week and I thought it would be great for the stamp-a-stack on Saturday. It's super easy, and really looks like silk!

Here's the quick and dirty tutorial (for full instructions, see Splitcoaststampers.com)

1. Stamped the small flower on tissue paper.
2. Crumple the tissue paper up
3. Smear glue stick all over a piece of vanilla
4. Smooth the tissue paper onto the vanilla
5. Trim and finish card

How about you try this technique? Email me your results! I would love to see 'em!

Have a great night! Liz

Supplies: Stamps- heartfelt thanks; Ink- rose red, chocolate chip and creamy caramel; Paper- white tissue paper, very vanilla, rose red, chocolate chip, creamy caramel

Another Stamp-A-Stack Sample

2008-01-21T21:37:00.001-06:00

I had a lot of fun over the weekend figuring out the final designs for Saturday's Stamp-A-Stack. And I had new paper to play with! Lucky Me!! Last week I placed an order for a customer and snuck in an extra Berry Bliss DSP for my stash. It's SO Yummy! Who knew that pink and brown would look so luscious together. I used to think that that color combo was SOOO 70's. Now it's fabulous!

Anyway.. enough gabbing.. here's are the deets..

Paper: Berry Bliss DSP, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White; Stamps: Much Appreciated; Accessories: 5 petal punch, 1/4" chocolate grosgrain ribbon.

The card layout, I am sorry to say, is not mine. It's a case of a fellow demo Laura Barto. My upline had it in her swap pile. I love it. It's so simple yet lovely. It shows off SU's double sided paper so well.

Hope you enjoyed the card! And if you are in the Chicago area, what are YOU doing Saturday?

January Stamp-A-Stack Sample

2008-01-16T20:58:00.001-06:00

This is one of the cards we will be doing at my January 26th Fondue Stamp-A-Stack. We will be making 20 cards and having yummy fondue snacks!

I have been trying to expand my stamping to include more masculine cards. And this set from Stampin' Up is perfect for this. I don't know why it is so difficult to do masculine cards.. maybe because I like flowers and girly stuff so much!

Thanks for looking!

Stampin' Supplies: Stamps- Winds of Grace, So Many Sayings, Sanded; Ink- Chocolate chip; Paper- Brocade Blue, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand

Welcome to my blog!

2008-01-16T16:56:00.000-06:00

This is my blog about rubberstamping, cardmaking, papercrafting, and anything crafty. There will also be random musings about my dogs, family, friends, my job & life in general. I hope to post cards and other crafty things regularly to inspire myself and others to be creative. So check back often! I hope to have interesting reading material!