by Susan Itell | Nov 26, 2016 | Christmas, Simple Saturday |
Before we get going on this super card…here is a run down of our Turkey Day…we are kinda boring….kinda silly that we do weird things….but one thing that is for sure – we have fun. I just love having everyone home!
I am still STUFFED from the feast…how about you? We had an absolutely fabulous day on Thursday…starting off with all of us running/walking the 5 K Turkey Trot~ I must say, I was super proud of all of us and I am glad that we did it….just in time to come home and gobble homemade gooey, yummy sticky buns and a wonderful Strata while taking the the remainder of the Macy’s Day Parade.
After the parade…everyone in my family know not to ask me to do anything while the dog show is on…I get such a HOOT out of watching it and every year I say, “There should be a Dog show for rescues” as our beautiful misfits would strut the runway!
Then…out the door we go and Hannah and I went down to the barn and yep, I received the lecture….”Mom….Oscar is just too fat….you really need to cut back his food” and then my response is…..”He sure is cute, isn’t he” He is my little “Teletubbie”!!!
Then to Football…a puzzle (and YEP, we completed a 1,000 piece puzzle together)…and then we get ready to eat – it is a L O N G day but once we finally sit…WE SIT…we yack away and eat way too much and then there is no room for dessert. That is what Friday is for!!! 🙂
O.k – ENOUGH….we need to get to this super cute card! This is going to be a fun 2-day post for you as today I am doing “Simple Saturday” but tomorrow I will be showcasing a card that I received at a swap in Atlanta that will be the “Stepped up version” of today’s card!
I can honestly say that I sure have used this stamp set to the MAX and I do not think that any of us would disagree that it is a keeper!
This stamp is also 25% off with the Stitched from the Heart Sale and remember, these stamps that are in this sale are only until November 30th…which YIKES – that is Wednesday ~ The clear mount is just $15.00! Remember to click on the image in the Stitched from the Heart to get that wonderful sale price!
I have a confession…a confession of an honest Demonstrator ~ I totally overlooked these beautiful Acetate Papers. They are in the Annual Catalog and is called Fabulous Foil Designer Acetate.
They are simply beautiful and you get (6) sheets in a pack. The one side looks gold (like I am showing you today) and the other side is silver – I say BRILLIANT! Where have I been? These are so beautiful and I love the different patterns!
I am sure that many of you are saying….”Susan, this does not look SIMPLE” – well…you are wrong. This is a super simple card to whip up and it has an impressive WOW factor.
Think about this…you will get (6) cards of decorative acetate from one sheet of paper (cutting it at 4” X 5 ¼”)…therefore you would be able to make 36 cards from one pack of this paper.
We all know that heat embossing gives you a double whammy….(1) an instant gratification from within as we all love the “feel good” of heat embossing and (2) the lucky recipient is going to think that you are AMAZING (well, you are) because of the sheer WOW factor of this card.
Remember, the key to success with heat embossing is:
- Use the Stampin’ Buddy as this will take off any static or oils that you might have on your hand to insure that you get a good, clean & crisp image.
- Have an inexpensive paintbrush handy so if you see some “stray pieces” – you can flick them off.
- Have your heat tool GOOD AND HOT before you start your setting of the embossed image.
The rest is very straightforward ~ using good old speed tools that get the job done. I used the Oval Framelits and then the trimmer to cut the banner.
The acetate paper seems to cling right to the card stock but I did use a strip of fast fuse down the center of the banner to hold it in place.
Here is another tip….I think that when you heat emboss…you often get a bit of warping. Do not let this stress you as you can do things to make it POOF – go away! I mounted it on a larger scalloped oval and you can never tell that there was any warping!
I am really lovin’ my gold “loops” – I think that this is the 3rd card that I have down this to. I put a generous amount of Fast fuse to the back of my oval and then simply make fun loops…easy peasy!
You can see that I POPPED up the sentiment. I chose to use fun foam to give it a super firm feel but you could easily use stampin’ dimensionals. I purchase fun foam in sheets wherever I can find it the best bargain and yep – you can run it through the Big Shot with a die with no worries.
Well, there you go! One SIMPLE card that you could EASILY MASS PRODUCE!
Remember the tip I shared with you with the swap card that I made for Atlanta – when you are heat embossing…do not take the time to stamp – sprinkle the embossing powder – then heat set it ~ DO IT IN BATCHES as it saves a BUNCH of time!
As long as the embossing powder is on paper, you can then heat set a bunch at a time. I am all about saving time!
I hope to see you back here tomorrow as I have a beauty for you and then I think that you will see that this version is truly “Simple” I am always in awe with the amazing talent out there.
I felt blessed to get this swap card and I knew that the minute I saw it, I was going to CASE it.
Enjoy the day, hopefully find some time to make some “me time” to create. I am one that simply will not deal with the crazy crowds…home works just fine for me!
Also…you know what today is ~ Small Business Saturday, so……I am a small business…and I would LOVE for you to shop with me!!! (just saying!!!!!) Whatever you do today, be safe, have fun, make memories and do not sweat the small stuff!
Stampin’ hugs!
p.s. – I ADORED the comments about Millie and Alyece, I am so glad that they brought “joy” to you…because my JOY TANK is full full from them….and I will do a search for that shirt that Millie had on…I have had lots of emails! I loved their spirit and true love of life!
by Susan Itell | Nov 24, 2016 | Uncategorized |
Happy Thanksgiving to each and everyone of you. I hope that you have a fabulous day wherever you are…whomever you are with…and I have a story to share with you that was truly a “Thanksgiving” in my life this year.
This is a time of the year that I think we all enjoy the family and friends but to me, it is also a time that I like to take some “me time” and write down the “high’s and lows” of the year…the “smiles and tears” of the year, the special things that have just happened to me as I find that if I do not find “that space” to allow me to remember, I am afraid that I will forget.
I am super big on journaling. I am the very first one that does not like their own handwriting but I have learned to accept it (after all, at 53 – it is not going to change) 😀 and that I realize that when I see the handwriting of my Mom, if it is on a recipe, a card that she wrote to me or the peeps….I feel an instant connection and comfort.
If there is one thing that I encourage you to do, it is to write down your thoughts, your travels and adventures, the good, the bad, the funny…..the whole darn thing because not only is a “feel good” for you to go down memory lane…but it is a legacy for those that know and love you.
If you follow my blog, you know that I was gone for 3 weeks in October (and I am STILL trying to get caught up with being away) but it was a great time but also a super important time for me because of 2 very special ladies.
When I found out that Lydia’s retreat was outside of Austin, Texas in a little town called Temple….I immediately looked up how far it was to Brenham, TX. It was about 96 miles away. I smiled as I knew that I could do it.
By now you all know that my hubby is simply the best – I shared with him my plan, my concerns of being away and how I was actually going to make everything work because I had 2 days to be in “limo-land” before I flew to Atlanta for On Stage.
He said….”DO IT – just stay and go see Millie and Alyece ~ I know your heart is telling you to do it and I know that it will be a life changer for you”. Let me back up and say who these ladies are. I think I knew Alyece before Millie but they have purchased my monthly Class in the Mail from me.
There was something different about these ladies, I knew it right off the bat! First, Millie was the name of one of Hannah’s horses that I adored….I adored her soooooo much and she was injured and I worked with her for over a 18 months rehabbing her ~ so naturally you can see the bond we had. The minute I hear “Millie” I feel like a puppy with its ears perked up…..as it is a happy feeling!
I get cards from these ladies and they ALWAYS sign it, A big old Texas hug to you! I ask you, and I hope that you are smiling – it doesn’t get better than that!?!?
Fast forwarding….my travel plans were set and I called Alyece to see if it was going to work to meet. She wasn’t 100% sure because she was going to a Stampin’ Retreat herself over that weekend that I was having fun with Lydia but then I said, what about Tuesday? She said Tuesday would be perfect!
Tuesday morning came and I packed my bags….said good-bye to my friends that I met at Lydia’s (WOWZERS – that is another amazing story in itself) and I headed to Brenham,Texas. I knew that it was going to be a special time but I honestly can say that I did not know that it would have touched me like it did.
We met for lunch at a super fun place called Funky Art Cafe’ – it was the best of both worlds, a great place to eat and a place to shop! We talked, laughed, talked…it was simply the best.
Meet Millie. Millie is a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and one special person. I wish that you could have all been with us for our “get together” I feel so honored and blessed that through something that I love so much and something that I am so passionate about that I was able to connect, touch and meet in person these great ladies!
There is something else super special about Millie…you will have to read on to find out, (trust me, it is worth it) Millie is a hoot, Millie is a survivor, Millie is kind & gracious, Millie is special…and LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS SHIRT – when she opened up her blue shirt and showed me this – I burst out laughing!
After lunch we went to go get some Ice Cream as Brenham is know for Blue Bell Ice Cream. Millie was so proud to point out to me that there was a scare crow contest and I grabbed some pictures of the FUN that this town was decorated with.
Alyece was the perfect tour guide as well with pointing out to me the scarecrows to look for and also giving me the “scoop” of Blue Bell Ice Cream…it IS a BIG DEAL in this town. Enjoy the images below…it just makes my heart happy to see a little town in out wonderful country get it all “jazzed up” with good old fashion fun!
This was painted on the side of the ice cream store. Who doesn’t love ice cream…and when you walked into the parlor, you felt an instant home town warmth, a place that locals are proud of and a place where visitors love to go. Look at the lower left picture in the collage – this is the local couple that are ALWAYS sitting in the parlor!
Inside the Ice Cream Shop there was this couple, as Millie and Alyece said, they have been here for years!!!! Here are these “stuffed husband and wife” sitting at a table sharing a sundae. Naturally we had to snuggle up to the Gentleman and have out picture taken.
I know that this is a LONG post but I also know that it is a story, a “life happening” that I just had to share. When we said our good-byes we had a BIG OLD TEXAS HUG together. I know that I had already shared this picture…but this is sooooo darn cute that I had to share it again.
Do you remember above I said that I had something special to tell you about Millie? Well….when we sat down for lunch Alyece said to me, how old do you think Millie is? I had no clue…and then Millie with that beautiful twinkle said, I am 90! I thought that I would FALL OFF OF THE CHAIR. To think that she is 90 years old and a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator….going strong – going to homes to do projects – I say WOW!!!!!
I was so glad that I made the trek this day as I learned so much from them, about me….and it has continued to be a part in my heart that I say…I am blessed. When I got in my little rental car to head back to Austin, I sat there and had tears of joy running down my face. It was a great afternoon, an afternoon that I am THANKFUL for…and I said to myself, I will be back to Brenham, Texas.
As I zoomed down the road about 5 minutes after leaving….I hit a BIG DOWN POUR…and then as soon as it came and left – I looked into my rear view mirror and saw this amazing rainbow. I knew that I had to pull over and take a picture as whenever I see a Rainbow I feel my Moms presence.
I know that I did the right thing that day, not only for ME but for MILLIE and ALYECE. This rainbow is super special to me as it was a sign…of THANKS – I hope that where ever you are today, there is a rainbow of love and joy always with you.
Have a blessed day….Happy Thanksgiving!
by Susan Itell | Nov 23, 2016 | Uncategorized |
Happy Hump day before the feast! I am sure if you are like me, you have been cooking up a storm and also getting ready to have your home be invaded by friends and family! My Dad arrived yesterday and he brought us a bushel of Oysters!
I am not a fan of them but the rest of my family – they go BONKERS over them! We set up a table in the garage and the guys take turns shucking them and then we have them all different ways – my Mom was the queen of making them a “very special way”...and I have tried my best to make them for my family!
NEWS FLASH FOR YOU.…(as I told you that I would give you “heads up”)
The November Paper Pumpkin Refills are now available! If you are a subscriber you can click here and go ahead and stock up on these adorable offerings. If you are not a subscriber, you can click here and subscribe…and then you will be able to order this refill.
Remember, if you wish to cancel your subscription….no worries, just log in and cancel it. (make sure you do it before the 10th of the month). This is a great kit and I am super happy that the refills are available!
When I returned home on Sunday…..my box was there (and I smiled and popped up the steps to put it together) and then I was hoping that the refills would come…and they did!!!! Please click here to see more inspiration from the Home Office – this is just an adorable kit!
Fun week….Sale week….Food week….Thanksgiving week!
We all have so much to be grateful for…and I am getting super excited to have the PEEPS in the house!
So much going on…so much fun….. (click on the IMAGES to see the SALE OFFERINGS)
Here is that PAW PRINT to HIT….and shop away….until tomorrow – I have a special Thanksgiving Story for you….I know that your heart will go pitter patter…..enjoy the day….be safe!
by Susan Itell | Nov 22, 2016 | Christmas, Uncategorized |
Good Tuesday! I have a card that I think will make you smile as it is my kind of card, Clean and Simple! This card was inspired to be when I attended the World Card Making Day in Atlanta and I knew that I needed to give it a whirl with my touches!
I do not know about you…but a Christmas Stocking is a HUGE smile factor to me as I remember that waking up on Christmas Morning ~ seeing my stocking was the highlight of this special day.
I also have a “HEADS UP” for you as you can purchase this (the stamp set + the framelits) for $9.00 LESS than buying it as a bundle!!!
YEP, that’s right as BOTH of these are on sale…
Hang You Stocking Photopolymer is just $15.75 (25% off from the Stitched from the Heart Sale)
The matching Framelits are just $21.00 (30% off from the Online Extravaganza)
So….the moral of the story is both of these are $36.75 and if you were to but them as a BUNDLE – it would have been $45.75 (Hang Your Stocking Bundle) and GUESS WHAT???? It looks like this is not going to be retired….yippee!
This is SOOOOOOO unusual that this happens this way but when I discovered it….I was super happy and I wanted to make sure that you HEARD THE NEWS LOUD AND CLEAR!
Just remember, before you check out make sure that your numbers and the prices are reflective to what I just shared with you! Saving $9.00 makes me smile, and I am sure that you feel the same.
I want to share with you the dimensions as I do hope that you will purchase this set and that you will CASE this card, as it is a keeper!
- The Card Base is Cherry Cobbler, Vertical A-2 – 4 ¼” X 5 ½”
- The white piece with the stocking is 2 ¼” X 3 ¾”
- The DSP from Warmth and Cheer 2 ½” X 4”
- The Horizontal Piece across the middle is just cut to make the pattern even.
- I used (3) pieces of Baker’s Twine to make my bow ( I adore the look of multiple strands) and then used a glue dot to hold it in place!
- The sentiment is from the Santa Sleigh Photopolymer Set – LOVE this one and YEP, this one I would purchase as a bundle as the details are over the top
Here is the pin picture for you!!!! As I like to say, the 411 ~ Directory Assistance picture for you! Just think of how easy it is to make this card in the “masses” but more importantly, how perfect it is for “the season” – it is truly a great card that would make anyone smile!
With our EXTRAVAGANZA being in FULL SWING this week…have FUN taking advantage of the deals and do not forget about the STITCHED FROM THE HEART Sale of a selected grouping of stamps at 25% off!
You can Click the below image and it will take you directly to my online store and you can see the deep discounts being offered!
Have a great day….and pace yourself for the FUN of the week. Let’s all remember that it is FUN……it can be very stressful but if we all just take a deep breath and remember the FUN and the THANKFULNESS of the season….our heart will smile!
Bet you couldn’t guess what I am doing this morning!?!?….I am taking the truck and trailer to get hay….For years I have bought my hay from the kindness man that lives about 1 1/2 hours away ~ my horses love it and my “joy tank” gets filled going to see him and his great family. (There is a method to my thinking about this….with the PEEPS home for Turkey Day….they can unload it for me!!!)
True…I could buy hay from someone that lives a bunch closer but there is something special about taking that drive into the country and pulling up to his farm and being with amazing people…even if it is just for a short time – you can see that it doesn’t take much to make me happy! 🙂
by Susan Itell | Nov 21, 2016 | Christmas, Uncategorized |
This is a SUPER BUSY week for everyone and also a week that is filled with family, friends and GREAT FOOD!!!! YUM 🙂 Today is the start of Stampin’ Ups! Week long sale and today there is a 24 HOUR sale on the below items!
After you “gander at the FLASH SALE” that is just for today…you will see one of my all time favorite cards that I made using Embellished Ornaments and Delicate Ornament Bundle. Remember that this is ON SALE JUST TODAY and make sure that you use the correct item numbers – YOU WILL SEE THEM LISTED ON THE BELOW FLYER.
Last year I made this card in Very Vanilla but you will see the change up that I did this year and I love it as much as I loved it last year! You just cannot go wrong with the classics!
I hope that you are smiling as this to me is one beautiful card. I would be proud to send this to anyone and I hope that you also see the DSP that I used….it is ON SALE this whole week and it is the Fancy Frost Specialty DSP. (page 37 in the Holiday Catalog) and it is a sleeper in my opinion) and I love the texture it gives, so classic.
Below if you click the image below, you will be able to see the items that are on sale until next Monday, November 28th. If you CLICK HERE you will be able to go directly to the online store to take advantage of this sale!
Here is the PAW PRINT that you can give a big “HIGH FIVE” and have fun shopping away! Make sure that you use the correct numbers for sale items from the flyer of the Extravaganza. Feel free to email me as I will be home bound as I have lots to get cut up with 😎
