Apr 3, 2016 | 2016 Occasions catalog, Cards, Rock 'n Roll |
You are the apple of my eye! The phrase apple of my eye refers to something or someone that one cherishes above all others. And I cherish all of you. Thank you for supporting me in my Stampin’ Up! business. January through March are always busy because of our Sale-A-Bration promotion. I was working to reach some goals during that time and then in the last few days realized I was not that far from achieving another goal – one I never really thought I could reach so I never paid much attention to it. It’s a performance goal based on sales for the quarter. With 2 days left in the quarter I was still $500 away. I tried to casually post on FB, and then send out reminder emails and I was doing the countdown here on my blog. I didn’t want anyone to miss out on getting their free sets during Sale-A-Bration. Well as it turned out I had enough orders to reach that performance bonus for the quarter!! Thank you so much! It also ended up being my highest sales month ever – that’s over the last 10years. So I cherish all of you that ordered and cheered me on and supported me in any way. 2016 is off to a great start so far!!
So enough chit chat – here is my card for you today.

This is a fun set with all the fruit – you can make apples, peaches, pears, cherries, lemons, limes and I’m sure there are more. I used the apple on this card and on the coordinating envelope. I wanted the apple to have some variation in colors so I did a version of the old Rock-n-Roll technique. It doesn’t seem to work quite the same with the Photopolymer stamps and the new ink pads so I had to play a little. I inked the apple and stamped it off and then added more ink by rolling the edges and not letting all of it touch the pad again. Each one was different but it was fun playing with the variations.
Here is the supply list:
Product List
Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com
Thanks for stopping in today!

Nov 6, 2013 | Big Shot, Cards, Holiday Catalog 2013, Rock 'n Roll, Thank You, Thinlits |
With Thanksgiving creeping up on us later this month it is always a time to thank those around us. Thank you for visiting my blog and supporting my Stampin’ Up! business! I want to share this fun Thank You card today using the Circle Card Thinlits die.

One of my favorite thing to do right now is to use the strips of the cut Cotton Ribbon – I love the natural look that the fraying adds. Here are some notes on how I made this card:
- I used Chocolate Chip card stock – cut to the size of the die (its in the instructions that come with the die) – I think it was 5-1/2″ x 6″
- Cut a piece of Sweater Weather Designer paper and glue to the right side of the card. If you add the paper before you cut the card then the edge of the circle will cut out of the paper at the same time and in the right place.
- Then line up the card stock in the die and cut it with the Big Shot – I use the Magnetic Platform for this die.
- I used Gorgeous Grunge to add some interest to the front panel.
- Tie the cotton ribbon strip around the edge of the card through the cut circle – I just tied it in a knot.
- I used the 2-1/2″ Circle punch for two Sahara Sand Circles that will go on either side of the flipping circle.
- Ink the Magnificent Maple leaf with Tangerine Tango ink and then roll the edges in Chocolate Chip ink (called the Rock & Roll technique). NOTE THIS – I do have a tip for you here – the old style ink pads work much better for this technique. The new ink pad brings too much ink to the edges of the stamp and there isn’t a soft change in color. If you only have the new ink pads I would suggest using a sponge to add the darker color around the edge of the stamp.
- I added some dots from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp to the leaves and also rolled the edge of the circle in the Chocolate Chip ink.
- Stamp the Thank You (from Sassy Salutations) on the designer paper using the Chocolate Chip ink.
Thank you for visiting today!

Sep 7, 2012 | Big Shot, Cards, Core'dinations Card stock, Holiday catalog 2012, Masculine, Rock 'n Roll, Thank You |
Just a quick post for today showing this pretty fall card using the French Foliage stamp set and the new Core’dinations card stock.
This card was not my idea – but right this minute I can’t find where I got it from. I’m pretty sure I copied it pretty close to the original one that I saw. I thought Pinterest would help me find where I get ideas from but this one I didn’t see on my boards so I’m not sure where it came from now. The card base is Crumb Cake and then a layer of the new Core’dinations card stock in Early Espresso – it was embossed with the new Woodgrain Embossing folder! And then I sanded it just a bit more – it really looks like wood! The stamped piece used French Foliage and I used the Rock ‘n’ Roll technique on the leaves – so ink in one color and then roll the edges in another – so on here I have More Mustard with Cherry Cobbler, and then Cherry Cobbler with Early Espresso.
Lots to do today – tonight Cindy and I are having an intro class for My Digital Studio 2! It’s going to be fun. I’m making little cupcakes and picks to go in them like I had at my Getaway Party. Oh speaking of which I got a UPS notice that I have a package coming from the company that organizes the Stampin’ Up! incentive trips. That must mean something is coming for the Getaway Trip that I get to go at the end of this month! Now to patiently wait until UPS delivers it on Monday! I wonder what it will be? And if you happen to know – don’t tell me I want to be surprised!

Jul 27, 2011 | Big Shot, Cards, Rock 'n Roll, Stampin' Up! Convention, Tutorial |
On our first night in Salt Lake City my roommates and I attended a Shoebox Swap – I already wrote one post about it – Click Here – and shared the card. But I wanted to give you the instructions on how I made this card. I call it a peek-a-boo card – because the inside of the card peeks through to the front. Here is the finished card again –

And now some instructions on how to actually make it –
1. Cut the base of the card which is So Saffron to 4-1/4″ by 10″ and score at 5-1/2″ so you have a card that opens on the right side with a short front.
2. Use the 2-1/2″ Circle Punch and push it all the way in from the end of the short card front to punch the circle. Here is a picture.
So you end of with this. Basically I cut down the front so that I could get the punched hole close to the center then I build the front of the card back up.
3. I stamped the front with the Creative Elements stamp set and spritzed the front of the card using a Color Spritzer and my Stampin’ Write Markers – So Saffron and Soft Suede.
4. To build up the front of the card I used a strip of Cherry Cobbler that was stamped with the border image, and a strip of Soft Suede that was punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. Glue the two strips together and then glue them to the front of the card lining up with the back to make the front of the card be even.
5. To finish the front I cut a Scallop Circle using the Big Shot Die Cut machine and the Scallop Circle #2 die – the larger circle is the one I used. This was cut from Soft Suede card stock. Then insert the scallop circle into the 2-1/2″ Circle punch – push it all the way in and then center it to punch the circle. I centered it by having about 3 scallops show out on either side of my punch.
6. Then glue the scallop circle to the front of the card matching it up with the circle that you punched out of the front. This creates the frame.
7. To create the flower I used the Rock ‘n Roll technique – ink the flower first in So Saffron ink and then roll the edges in Soft Suede ink. Stamp on Whisper White and cut out. 
8. To finish the inside of the card I cut a Whisper White circle using the Big Shot Die Cut machine and the 3″ Circle punch. Stamp this piece with the vine image in So Saffron, the create image in Soft Suede, add spritzing with the Stampin’ Write markers, and sponging around the edges. Glue the cut flower to the circle.

9. Finally cut some butterflies with the Big Shot Die Cut machine and the Beautiful Wings Embosslit – the tiny one is glued to the inside circle and the large one has Linen Thread wrapped around the center and then attached to the front of the card on the frame using a Stampin’ Dimensional.
Hopefully all that makes sense and the pictures help you understand.
And how about some pictures of us at the actual shoebox swap –

Tuesday night Shoebox Swap

Dawn and Cindy at the Shoebox Swap

Monika and Michele at the Shoebox Swap

Sherri the swap organizer at the end of the night resting her feet
We had a lot of fun! And got a lot of great cards in the process. The room is divided into two sections so we stamp all the cards on one half of the room and we get finished cards for the other half of the room. Sherri has snacks for us and gives away prizes! I won a package of the Big Top Designer Series paper.
Thanks for visiting!

Jan 18, 2011 | Cards, Rock 'n Roll, UDI Color Challenge |
I was so tired when I returned from the Stampin’ Up! Leadership Conference that I did not get to work on my Utah Diva’s Color Challenge card until late last night. That was the first time I had made it back to my craft room. Most of yesterday I was on the computer and cleaning up around the house (I still have plenty more of that to do today). Finally my boys are back in school. It is January 18 and until today they had only had 4 days of school this month and one of those counted towards last semester because they missed a day of exams right before the Christmas break. The last note we saw said they have to only make up 2 of the days that they have missed so far – there were 4 “extra” days built into the schedule.
We are on #19 of the Utah Diva’s Color Challenge. Click on this link to go to the Utah Diva’s Color Challenge blog. This is the inspiration that Gretchen gave us this week –

I did get to see Gretchen at the Leadership conference – only for a few minutes Friday night during our make&takes. I can’t wait for you to see those – I’m trying to get pictures of all that kind of stuff today. I always love to see in real life the people that I know from Stampin’ Up! through blogs, yahoo groups and from reading about them in the Stampin’ Up! magazine and website. It’s like talking to celebrities!
Gretchen is definitely giving us challenges with these colors each week. And here was another set that I thought – what am I going to do with that? And since I was really late I needed to come up with something really quick. Garden Green, Peach Parfait, Real Red and Basic Black – vivid colors and our inspiration piece involved food so my thoughts turned to a little old stamp set that I haven’t used in a while – Tart & Tangy. Remember that one? It is a set that I really liked to use in the summer time. So I pulled it out and tried to put the challenge colors with it – the Strawberry, Apple and Cherries could all use the Garden Green and Real Red, Black could be my accent so for this card the citrus fruit was going to be a Peach Parfait colored orange slice (I have also used it as a lemon or lime). I wasn’t sure I was going to like this card but in the end I do like it.
The card base is the Garden Green – which seems to be the common color between most of the fruit and what I used on my “HELLO”. Then I added a layer of Basic Black – I thought about embossing it with one of the folders but then it occurred to me that I could also use my Crimper and give it a corrugated look like a card board box – perhaps that is what the fruit came in…. If you want to add some texture and you don’t have a Big Shot and Texture Impressions folders try using a crimper instead. I tied some Real Red Grosgrain ribbon around the card.
The best part is the fruit.
And making it look juicy using Crystal Effects. The strawberry and the apple were colored with Stampin’ Write markers and stamped on Whisper White card stock. I used the Black marker to add the seeds. The orange slice is inked with the Peach Parfait ink and then Rock ‘n Rolled in Real Red – that is why the edges have some red in them. The other little trick I did was for the Hello tag – it is a short Word Window. You do this by punching out the Word Window and then stick it back in the side of the punch, line it up and punch again to create a short piece.
Cut the pieces out and then carefully cover with Crystal Effects – and let it dry. If you touch it before it is dry you will put a finger print in your shiny fruit and you don’t want that. I attached all the fruit with Stampin’ Dimensionals and also the hello – I actually added the Crystal Effects to the Hello after I put it on the card – and I used a straight pin to pull it all the way out to the ends. You do have to punch first – the Crystal Effects is just enough that you’ll have trouble getting the card stock in the punch later if you do it after wards. I hope you learned a few little fun tips with this card.
Now it is your turn to play with these colors – then go to the UDI blog and add your creation to the linky section.
Stampin’ Up! Supplies:
- Card stock: Garden Green, Basic Black, Whisper White
- Ink: Peach Parfait, Real Red, Garden Green, Stampin’ Write Markers: Real Red, Garden Green, Basic Black
- Stamp sets: Tart & Tangy, Fundamental Phrases
- Accessories: Real Red wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Crimper, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Word Window punch, Crystal Effects
To order Stampin’ Up! Supplies to make this project click here.

Nov 9, 2010 | Bingo, Cards, Rock 'n Roll, Techniques, UDI Color Challenge |
Did you come by for the Royal Blog Tour? There were six different tours with lots of castles on each tour. Lots of different stamp sets and stamping styles. I hope you had a chance to browse and that you saw something you liked. I finally got through all the tours and saw lots of new ideas. Thanks to everyone that came by my blog and left me a nice comment! They were so nice to read. Normally I try to reply individually to them all but this time I have a busy week so I don’t intend to do that. I will be posting more details about each project and will try to answer any questions in those posts.
But today is Tuesday and it is time for another Utah Diva’s Color Challenge. Here is our inspiration for this week:

This week was tough for me. I pulled out the colors and looked at them for a long time trying to figure out how to get them to work together. With two different greens (Always Artichoke and Old Olive) and two different reds (Poppy Parade and Riding Hood Red) – I just didn’t think I could get it to work. I finally came up with the idea that different shades of red and green along with yellow reminded me of apples! Apples come in those colors so I needed an idea using apples.
I looked through my stamp sets to see what had apples – and guess what there is a Hostess Set called Apple Blossoms – perfect – I’ll go with that one.
My thought was to use the Rock ‘n Roll technique on the apples with different combination’s of the colors for the color challenge. Apples have different colors so this should be the perfect technique and a good way to incorporate all the colors.
Then what to do with all my Rock ‘n Rolled apples…..
I decided to use the idea from the catalog and make note cards – mine are post card style. And then I tied the whole stack together with Poppy Parade ribbon – like you might tie a stack of books together. And I added an apple tag with some Linen thread.

To do the Rock ‘n Roll technique you ink your stamp in one color of ink (typically the lighter color) and then roll the edges in another color of ink pad. Since I wanted all my leaves to be green – I did take off the ink on the stem and leaf when it wasn’t green and colored it back in with my Old Olive Stampin’ Write Marker before I stamped.
So try some of these combinations:
Old Olive rolled in Always Artichoke
So Saffron rolled in Poppy Parade
So Saffron rolled in Riding Hood Red
So Saffron rolled in Always Artichoke
Poppy Parade rolled in Always Artichoke
So Saffron rolled in Old Olive
Always Artichoke rolled in Old Olive
Old Olive rolled in Poppy parade
Poppy Parade rolled in Riding Hood Red
Riding Hood Red rolled in Poppy Parade
There are more combinations that you could try. For each post card I layered the Whisper White card stock using the same two colors that I Rock ‘n Rolled in. I hope you like this idea….
Now it is your turn to play with these colors – then go to the UDI blog and add your creation to the linky section. I can’t wait to see what you come up with it was a struggle for me!
Stampin’ Up! Supplies:
- Card stock: Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Poppy Parade, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, Whisper White
- Ink: Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Poppy Parade, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron
- Stamp sets: Apple Blossoms
- Accessories: Poppy Parade Ribbon, 1-3/4″ circle punch, 1-3/8″ circle punch, Linen Thread, 1/16″ circle punch
To order Stampin’ Up! Supplies to make this project click here.
Are you ready to get back to Blog Bingo? Thanks for being patient during the Royal Blog Tour. Since it has been a few days I wanted to go back and recap the pieces that were already called and then I’ll show you the new piece for today.
It’s BINGO TIME! We are playing Round 6 of Monika’s Blog Bingo. I have now filled group 7 and won’t be taking any more names right now – I”ll be taking a Bingo break after group 7 plays – I may play again in the future so I hope you will continue to visit my blog. See this POST for more details on how to play and the previous winners.
Pieces for Round 6 called so far:
#1 – the crown from Tiny Tags stamp set (stamped in Poppy Parade)
#2 – the flower from Because I Care stamp set (stamped in Concord Crush)
#3 – the Heart from Cute by the Inch stamp set (stamped in Poppy Parade).
#4 -the snowflake from Season of Friendship stamp set (stamped in Concord Crush)
#5 – the teddy bear from Family Accessories stamp set (stamped in Chocolate Chip)
#6 – the tiny cupcake from Itty Bitty Bits stamp set (stamped in Poppy Parade).
And now for today’s piece – Here is piece #7 –the word CREATE from the Charming stamp set (stamped in Peach Parfait).
If you have Bingo – 5 in a row – make sure to email me.
