by Susan Itell | May 9, 2019 | Blog Candy, Product Shares |
Hello….hello…..HELLO!!!
I am trying to get back in the swing of things as I have been a busy Mom….but I can share this with you – THIS MOM’S JOY TANK is FILLED to the TOP!!! Our son James….was married over the weekend down on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where my Dad lives!
It was just fabulous and to me…the best part was having the peeps and their loved ones all together in one place!!! Seeing relatives…people that you have not seen in years…and one of the highlights for me, seeing James’ friends from High School and College…growing up to be ADULTS! It was just the best….
The older I get…the more I cherish that special feeling inside knowing that we are all once again – sharing the same roof over our heads! I know one thing I will hear from many is…..we want pictures!!! Ok – I promise that I will share pictures with you but for right now…I need to do some communicating as my IN BOX has a ton of….
ARE YOU DOING PRODUCT SHARES?
Well…the answer is YES – I am doing them and my intention is to blog about the offering tomorrow. I returned home Monday evening to find a Stampin’ Up! pre-order waiting for me and the thing that you all want to get your paws on….THE CATALOG!!!
We are not able to order everything/anything (just a limited amount) but I think that I have been doing these shares long enough to tell what makes ME happy….so therefore it will make YOU happy as well!
I have to say….my sweet Milo loves product share time as he knows that I will be in my work area and will have me to himself!
For newbies…..WHAT IS A PRODUCT SHARE?
Easy-peasy….a Product Share is when I take a group of offerings that are from the NEW Catalog and break them down into smaller quantities so you can…
HAVE A TASTE of the NEW KIDS on the BLOCK
without feeling like your Piggy Bank is going to EXPLODE!
I LOVE doing Product Shares and if I must say so for myself…I think that I do them very well! I am extremely fair with my pricing as remember, I also use to purchase product shares before but to me the biggest internal happy dance I have in offering these to you is….my turn around time is LICKITY SPLIT!!!
Now most you you know I ADORE animals and I think that you will giggle with my analogy of getting a puppy and offering a Stampin’ Up! Product Share…..ready for this one…..
I CLEAR THE DECKS!!!
Are you thinking to yourself….WHAT IN THE WORD IS SHE TALKING ABOUT? Well, this is exactly what I do when I have a Product Share offering…I clear the decks so I can but my energy and time into doing the one thing that you all look for and appreciate…and that is…
GETTING THE SHARES OUT THE DOOR FAST!
I take great pride in turning around my Product Shares within a week of the offering date that the Catalog goes live. We are IN LUCK with this catalog as it goes LIVE on a Tuesday this year (June 4th) and that means….I will be able to order on the 4th and will get the “GOODS” before the weekend so I can turn it right around to YOU!!!!
My motto is…when you get a puppy and/or rescue an animal – you need to CLEAR THE DECKS as they need your front and centered attention and that is exactly what I do with my Product Shares.
Being on the East Coast…I always seem to have to order expedited to get my products in a timely fashion…but again, I GET IT as I too was super excited for HAPPY MAIL of a PRODUCT SHARE to arrive!
I am out the door this morning to be of “moral marital support” to my sweet John as he has an appointment at Hopkins today with a shoulder specialist….do me a favor….for not only his sake…but for mine as well….think about him as I am hoping and praying that the forbidden word of surgery is not going to be heard…
The work that we have is endless at our home and I really cannot imagine not having him “intact” as his weed-wacker would miss him! (ha – I am really bad)…seriously – he has been suffering with shoulder issues so I feel fortunate that he is seeing a specialist
That’s it for me….I know – LOTS of READING and if you have hang in there…here is a surprise…..leave me a comment with what you are looking most forward to in a new catalog….if you have ever participated in one of my shares….or heck – just say HI!!!
When I post the exact offerings….I am going to give away a set of the DSP Swatch Books that I make up….here is a picture of what I am talking about (from an OLD catalog) I call these – LIFESAVERS as they take all of the guess work out of pulling out a TON of PAPER seeing what works with a project! They are a LABOR of LOVE to make…but SOOOOO WORTH IT!
Fortunately I was able to pre-order (8) of the 11 NEW DSP offerings…and these DSP Swatch Books are the BIGGEST TIME CHALLENGE for me in Product Shares…so please know – that I will have a BUNCH OF THESE ready to go from the 8 that I have and once I get my paws on the rest…they will be made up fast!
Have a GREAT DAY and please feel free to leave a comment….who knows….YOU MIGHT WIN….and if there are a BUNCH of COMMENTS….maybe I will give away more than one!
I have missed you all…but please know – this stamper is beaming with happiness! See you later…alligator!
p.s. – YES…I will also be offering the NEW 5 IN COLORS for your SWATCH BOOK RINGS if you have purchased them in the past from me….I need to talk with the printer to get the exact price but please know that YES – they will be available!
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by Susan Itell | Feb 6, 2019 | Blog Candy, Product Shares, Uncategorized |
Happy HUMP Day and I hope that we all are going to have a GREAT day!
I have been kickin’ my heels with gratitude that these past 2 days have been BEE-utiful but we all know, it will not last but heck – I will take it when I can!
My animals are so happy….blankets are off the horses and I think now there is no mud in the fields as it is all over them! The work never ends but they feel great!
In reading the comments on the Birthday Post using the Paper Pumpkin Kit…..there are a BUNCH of you that are like me….I love to make multiple cards of the same ….Here is a tip of what works for me!
I am odd that I seem to like to make even #’s of cards and I usually do 4 cards…
I do like to keep on of them for reference in case I want to make it again, but what I do is use a pencil and write on the back of that card that I keep….who I sent it to – this way if I want to send that last one…..I know whom I have sent it to….simply erase the names and in the mail it goes!
One thing that I think we all seem to do is…..
CREATE…and then have a STACK OF UN-SENT CARDS!
I know personally I am totally guilty of that and last Fall I did a HUGE PURGE of donating them to a variety of places so they will get used!
For me, I simply have to do this as I get so overwhelmed and frustrated with myself.
If they are GONE….I not only feel better but I know that they will get used and bring a smile to someone that is in need of a PICK ME UP! (I get that, we all need that!)
I just checked and that Paper Pumpkin Full Kit is still available and remember, IF you want it….you need to be a current Paper Pumpkin Subscriber and what I would do is just get a 1 month subscription as I do think that the kit this month will be a good one (fingers crossed) as the sneak peek video was great….and then you can simply turn around and unsubscribe – it is as simple as that!
OK….HERE IS THE WINNER!!!! Way to go Alyece and please send me your address so I know where to send the cards and Birthday Bags to! WOOT-WOOT….get up and DO THAT DANCE!!!! SHAKE IT!!!!
One thing that I did forget to blog about is……what I do is CIRCLE the day of the month that the Birthday recipients special day is on or you could also use a small heart stamp and stamp over the date so it will POP out!
I did order another kit as this was so easy and fun to do! I will do another blog post about the other examples that I did as I have had emails about other DSP combinations!
Many thanks to all that left comments as I know that it is super fun to read what others do…as a I a FIRM BELIEVER….by sharing and getting other ideas and inputs is how we learn, grow and let’s face it – stick our heads out and give it a try!
Let’s move on…. the LAST DSP PRODUCT SHARE for the Occasions Catalog! Please EMAIL ME ASAP if you want to snag one of these as I will not be offering them again. They will be mailed out on Friday so be the early bird and get that share!
I have had several emails of people wanting more Occasion Catalog Product Shares! Well….this IS your last chance and I only have (2 to offer to you.)
Are you asking – “WHY JUST 2 ????” well…..truth be told that Stampin’ Up! has several of the ribbons on backorder and there is just no use in trying to offer them when it will be up in the air as to when they come in (and actually fill back orders first) so……with that said – this is what I have for you!
Share #1 – Designer Series Paper – $19.00 ( I ONLY HAVE 3 of these available)
You will get a 1/2 Sheet of Paper (6″ X 12″) in the offerings that are 12″ X 12″ Papers….(there are 5 of them) and then 6″ X 6″ paper in the other (2) DSP’s as they are just a 6″ X 6″ offering. (see *** below)
I take great pride in cutting these papers for you and carefully put them between sturdy cardboard to prevent damage from shipping!
- All My Love
- Floral Romance
- How Sweet It Is
- Happiness Blooms
- Gingham Gala *** 6″ X 6″
- Needlepoint Nook
- Classic Garage *** 6″ X 6″
Product Share #2 – Embellishments – $18.00 (please disregard the #4 on the picture below….that image was from when I did my 1st offerings for a Product Share.) ( I ONLY HAVE 4 of these available)
This is one area that always seems to put that smile on our faces. Little accents add that special touch to a project and I know….I know – we love to get the blings….but we never use a whole pack! Let me help you out! Just like I do in all of my shares….I cut, sort and package so you will have some from the buffet without getting stuffed!
- Heart Epoxy Droplets – 24 in total
- Frosted Flowers – 10 in total….these usually are not my thing but I ADORE THESE sweet and simple flowers!
- Floral Romance Seals – these remind me so much of my Mom as she had a wax seal with her stationery – 4 in total
- Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots – Say no more…we ALL know that these will be a huge hit – 75 dots in total
- Gingham Gala Sequins – These already have adhesive on the back (yippee) and they are round and also in a flower shape! Super cute and you will get 100 sequins in total
- Mini Buttons – Just adorable and will be the PERFECT accent to a card! 6 in total.
- Garage Keys – Another hit for this catalog….great for Valentines as you “are the key to my heart” 4 in total
Have a FAB-O HUMP day and I have a super sweet gingham card that will make you smile…the next time I blog! I was super happy with the end result that I went ahead and did that (4) thing that I shared that I do….and made it in different color combos!
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by Susan Itell | Feb 2, 2019 | Birthday, Blog Candy, Paper Pumpkin |
Are you ready for some BLOG CANDY…
Wanna Win (2) Birthday Bags and (2) Birthday Cards…
Hello and Happy (Friday!)Saturday morning! As promised, I have the card that I created to go with yesterdays fun with the Birthday in a Bag post! One thing that happens to me and I bet you will agree…is that we always have great intentions to have a “stash of B-day Cards” on hand…just in case – and then life happens and we fall short!
Todays post is all about how I had to have an “Attitude Switch” in my simple stampin’ mind….basically, how I set out to make Lemonade out of Lemons…and guess what – the last laugh was on me!
Are you thinking to yourself….“What the heck is she talking about”...well, grab a cup of coffee and have an open mind and let me shed the light! In the end I think that you will see where I am coming from and also you will see that with a couple of changes…and a fresh and positive set of eyes – you can smile and in turn make someone else smile!
In my “simple stampin’ opinion” there are months of the Paper Pumpkin that are HIGHS…and then there are months that are Lows (in my eyes)…and when I opened up the December 2018 Paper Pumpkin….I wasn’t feelin’ the love. I let it sit for quite some time and then as I was cleaning my work area after the holidays…I thought – just use it up!
Lets’ get to it!
In the above picture you can see the kit and then what I did! I basically used the 18 calendar cards that are preprinted…and made 18 Birthday Cards with the kit….and I AM THRILLED as now I have 18 Birthday Cards ready to go to use over the span of 18 months!
The “calendar” itself is already preprinted and has a great gold foil detail on the Month and then a color that accents it. In the kit there are (4) different color schemes and for todays card I used this fun dot paper to go with the months that had the Coastal Cabana trim! (hopefully this makes sense)
You can see the the one above that I have not cut yet is a soft yellow…and for that…I used a totally different DSP to accent it so I can use all sorts of DSP and USE IT UP!!! (let me know if you want me to share the other cards that I did with the other color combos) as I can do that in another post!
I checked this morning and this kit is still available….as sometimes SU offers extras for sale under the Paper Pumpkin Past Kits….but remember, you need to be a current Paper Pumpkin Subscriber to take advantage of past kits!
If you are not a Paper Pumpkin Subscriber and you are curious and like this post – this is what I would do….. HEAR ME OUT…..as trust me – I have been a subscriber and then I have stopped….I have restarted it and stopped……yada – yada!
I would sign up/resign for just one month as there is never any obligation to commit for a long timeframe…
That would be $19.00 and then I would get the Calendar Kit for $18.00 + The super cute Halloween one for $15.30 = a total of $52.30 and that would get you a FREEBIE from SALE-A-BRATION!!! (don’t you love how my simple brain works!)
A little snip off the sides on the calendar element and also across the top….a quick mat of cardstock to help make it POP and a simple addition of a fun sentiment and that ADORABLE little card and PRESTO…..one SUPER FUN card that works PERFECTLY with my Birthday in a Bag!
Below you will see images of the other stamps/DSP that I used for this project, they are all newbies from the Occasions Catalog. In my simple eyes, they are both KEEPERS and you will see me blogging about them more in the future as I think that they are both Blue Ribbon Winners!
Because I have become so super selective in which Stampin’ Up! products I wish to purchase, I look at them and ask myself – do you see yourself making MANY cards/projects with them….is it one that you will reach for this time next year….and if you say yes – to those questions…chances are it is a good investment and it needs to find a home with you!
You can easily see that this is such a SIMPLE card but it carries a fun PUNCH to it because of the colors, clean lines and the sweet little addition of the cake and sentiment!
I guess what I am trying to convey to you is…keep it simple, make it doable…make is simply special! I am just thrilled with these cards and the others one that I did as well……(I used the butterfly SAB paper on one set….and it is just great!)
All you need to do is circle the “special day” of the recipients Birthday on the actual calendar or use a light color of ink and stamp a heart over the date and WOW – you have one special card for someone and I bet you can already see the smile on their face!
***PLEASE NOTE**** If you click the link for the Piece of Cake Bundle in the line up below….you will see that it is NOT available to purchase right now as a BUNDLE because they have sold out of the punch that coordinates with it… (urgh….I know – I get it) BUT the GREAT NEWS IS….that it will carry over INTO THE NEW CATALOG so you can have piece of mind that you will be able to get the punch when it comes back in stock!
The Stamp Set, Piece of Cake IS available and the image is not a hard one to fussy cut out until you are able to get the punch! Again, just trying to make Lemonade out of a Lemon situation! 🙂
Ok….I think you “get it” for the background of the why’s and how’s that I made this card and now are you ready to win some BLOG CANDY?
Leave me a comment and share in how you make someones Birthday special.….or perhaps leave a comment and let us know do you make multiple of cards and have them stock-piled? It is just fun to read how we all do things….again, a way that gets our creative juices flowing!
I will randomly pick a winner and they will win (2) Birthday Bags from yesterdays post and (2) of these cards……I will be back on Monday with the winner so you have 2 days to leave a comment!
I can’t wait to read the hows/whys you make a B-day special!
Have a GREAT day…and tomorrow is the SUPER BOWL….I have a bunch of things already stamped out so I can sit and color while I watch the game! The commercials are always my favorite to see and I saw a sneak peak of the M&M’s commercial….priceless!!!!
Be safe, stay warm and please go and make someone smile! It is still bitter cold here…the horse have been in the barn and yep…Daisy is still grumpy with the cold – she comes out of her condo and her hair stands up like spikes….and then she makes this little noise that makes me laugh….let’s see what the Ground Hogs says today!
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by Susan Itell | Sep 17, 2018 | Blog Candy |
Good Monday morning…..surprisingly we had a pretty good weekend on the weather front but it just started raining about an hour ago so I think that Hurricane Florence will be settling herself over us with rain for the next several days!
Hopefully the states that were impacted heavily can get a bit of relief from the rains to continue to help those in need. It is just amazing the amount of rain they have received.
I am so glad that you all like the blog post from Friday showcasing the 1/4″ strips using Stampin’ Ups! amazing colors and many of you guessed it and YES….I have all of these scraps from having our Cardstock cut for the cardstock on a ring that I created and sell.!I have plenty on hand so if you do not have one….I would recommend that you get one as it will be the best $10.00 you will spend for this Stampin’ Addiction that we both seem to have!
Simply email me and I can see that one will come to you and I know that there will be a HUGE smile on your face when you pull it out of the Happy Mail package! It also makes a SUPER and practical gift!
Because the cardstock on a ring swatches are 5 1/2″ X 2″….I had a leftover 1/2″ left over. The local Print Shop that printed the names of the colors/family group on them was so sweet accommodating me to have both 1/4″ & 1/2″ scraps! Don’t forget, these are PERFECT and is what I always use for the backs of my envelopes!
I encourage you to pop back on Wednesday as I will show you another way to use strips of scraps but this time…with small amounts of Designer Series Paper! I admit that scraps can be a total pain to have around, but when you are exposed to how they can be used effectively in a clever and simple way….I say HOME RUN!!!
DRUMROLL…..DRUMROLL….
Push that CHAIR BACK and get up and SHAKE IT…SHAKE IT HARD
if your name is…..BETH ANN!!! YOU WON!
OK Beth Ann – you can sit down but please keep smiling and then email me and I will send you a BUNCH of scraps all perfectly cut for you to have fun with! Also….your comment of the Purples…..I think that that 2 new purples are on the tops of popularity!
Now to another happening that will make you PERK UP….we all love this when it happens but remember, you need to peek in FAST as the items will sell out!
The Clearance Rank has been re-stocked
with over 90 NEW ITEMS
You can just click on the adorable Jack Russell Image below and it will take you right to the clearance rack….I peeked quickly and I see some Bakers Twine that to me is always a MUST HAVE….and I was WOWED that there is FAST FUSE!!!! If you love that adhesive as much as I do….here is your chance to stock up on it!!!
There are also several Holiday items in there…so I would suggest it is well worth taking a peek!
Have a great day and lets all have a super week! Be safe and be smart if you are still be affected by the Hurricane. I did a 2 day training over the weekend and went to this sweet coffee shop and this quote made me smile and it touched my heart….I am sure that it will do the same to you! We all have the ability…so lets be kind and positive!
Stampin’ Hugs…….see you on HUMP DAY!
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by Susan Itell | Sep 15, 2018 | Blog Candy, Bundles, Fall Cards |
Hi all and happy, HAPPY Friday..Saturday! (truth be told….my day ran away from me yesterday) Before I get to this FUN and oh so EASY card that I have for you…a big reach out to all that are being affected but the Hurricane. We all know, “mother nature” is nothing to mess with and my thoughts and prayers are with those being affected – be safe! Fortunately…it has been downgraded but there still is so much damage and rain still to come!
I have a FUN ONE for you today and I hope that this sweet card will bring a smile to your face and then also you can put your THINKING CAPS on and share a comment with your thoughts about the designs….perhaps some color combos that you would think would be fun…or some design layouts that would be fun with the 1/4″ strips of paper!
I am going to be offering some BLOG CANDY of a BUNCH of 1/4″ strips of Stampin’ Up! Cardstock! I have plenty to share and I know that there are going to be many of you that will be thinking….I could make this…..what a fun look! I love a simple technique like this and I hope that this post will inspire you to give it a try…it is also a SUPER way to use up scraps!
I told you I had a BUNCH already cut…can you guess WHY?
By now you know that obviously I love Stampin’ Up! but you also know that I love and use many other products for my crafting addiction that I have. I have learned so much from Stampin’ Up!, from Videos, going to classes…from YOU and just experimenting on my own but there are a “grouping of amazing You Tube followers” both SUD’s and others that just love to craft that I follow!
Keep reading and you will understand….promise!
I know that I bring this subject up quite often….the subject of CASEing….and why I am sharing this with you is that this morning Yesterday 🙂 I had a notification that one of my ALL TIME favorites uploaded a new video….well, let me tell you – when Laura Bassen shares a new video…I just about stop everything and watch!
I adore her..truly just about everything about her as she is not only super talented…she is SUPER FUNNY….and I feel like I know her and her family from following her channel. I have also leaned soooooooo much from her videos! I had something else planned for today but then I thought….this is a WIN-WIN….as I really wanted to showcase another project with the same Bundle I used on Wednesday!
I am trying to do more of that as trust me, I get it. There is practically no way we can (or really should) purchase everything when a new catalog comes out…..actually for several reasons….there would never be the time to use them all…and also, many probably do not fit your style!
If you are here at my Blog (thank you!) you know that I love clean and simple cards. I only purchase the Stampin’ Up! products that I know that I will love and use for my use so therefore….that’s what I share on my blog! I do like to share how a product can be used for many different projects so this CASE from Laura was a GRAND SLAM in my eyes!
There is NOTHING WRONG WHAT SO EVER in “caseing” and guess what, I do it as well. When I see something that perks me up and also gets me to utilize things that I have in a different way than I intended to do with it….I say, GO FOR IT! I hope that you will watch Laura’s video….she always does a great job and I just adore her style!
Let’s see this simple card and break it down…
I hope that you can see…how darn tootin’ simple this is and to me…so darn tootin’ effective! Paper and colors are all we need today to create this simple and festive card. You can make the focal area of color and width/size you need to get the concept to “set the stage” and I just build my “strips” from a base of cardstock.
The BEST TIP that I can give to you when you try this method of “stripping” (as Laura giggled about) is to USE THE MULTIPURPOSE ADHESIVE SHEETS! This product is a total sleeper with so many of you and I highly suggest you adding it to your next order.
Once you get use to it…you will say, why did I not use these earlier!!!
I have gobs of adhesives….just like you probably do and I will say that we tend to use different types of adhesives for different techniques. I do like and use an adhesive spray for delicate dies….but I find using these sheets to be easier over all with no odor or having to spray in a box……again, we try a bunch but in the end…we use what works for us!
In the pictures below you can see how I used this adhesive for this fun and festive card. I used it on the leaves….as I actually layered 5 on top of each other to have dimension. With this product…it makes it super easy to layer one over the other….with no sticky fingers!
For the card….(if you counted the strips) you can see that the center fun is 2″ wide…the real deal is…you can make it whatever your little heart desires! It also does not matter what color your “base” is….(a great time to use up colors that you do not use often) as in the end, it will all be covered up with the 1/4″ strips of cardstock!
This product DOES allow you to move it it you did not get it lined up “just right” but after you give it a good press….(I recommend using your bone folder) it is STUCK!!! This in itself is another reason that I love this product!
Below you will see a close up of the fabulous leave from the Falling for Leaves Bundle. It truly is a beauty and I encourage you to google and/or go to Pinterest to see other ideas that people have create with this bundle and especially with this classic leaf. I knew that I wanted to keep this card rather simple and flat but I also knew that I wanted to add a bit of “oomph” to the leave and it would be next to impossible to add dimensions behind.
By just cutting several of the leaves out WITH the Multipurpose Sheet on the Whisper White Cardstock before going through Mr. Big…it made the stacking process super easy…without stick! Using the design on the leaf…I simply threaded a piece of good old Linen Thread to make a simple and sweet bow!
Also, I stamped the sweet sentiment with Old Olive Ink and then sprinkle clear embossing powder over it to heat set it. This is not necessary to do but I think you can image how that extra special touch of taking the time to emboss would looks so classic and just amazing! We all know the inner magic and satisfaction we receive when we heat emboss!
Below you will see images of how I build on a base. The example to the left showcases the backdrop that I used to create the magic for the back flap of my envelope love and the one to the right shows the “release papers” from the leaf after being die cut. Again, the bone folder and also the piercing tool are fantastic to have around when working with the adhesive sheets.
Remember, it is temporary until you give it a good and firm pressing down and then you are good to go! The piecing tool makes it easy to start to get “hold of” the release paper…..heck, I would not want to hurt my nails! 😐
How about this envelope? I was super happy with the end result and trust me, at first I did something totally different. I will use the first envelope I created on a future post but after getting some advice from some dear and sweet friends….I decided to make something different!
In keeping with the 1/4″ strips…I thought – why not? The adhesive sheets are 6″ X 12″ so why not just go ahead and cover a piece of card stock…cut off the extra 1″ and go to town with my strips!
Many of you know from following my blog that when I create a card I usually go ahead and make a couple up at the same time. The way that I look at it is…I like it (or I wouldn’t have created it or blogged about it) so why not….I have the stamps and supplies out and for this envelope…this would allow me to make 5 envelopes from doing this!
Are you following me with my thoughts? I use a 1/4″ strip across the top (which is Mossy Meadow) and then the fun colorful part is roughly 2″ …so by covering the envelope….I can get 5 cuts of fun!!!
WHEW, it happened again, another long post but darn….it is hard to get it all across to you in words! (another reason that there needs to be a “Stampin’ City) for all of us to vacation to!
So…..How about some FUN Blog Candy?
Just leave a comment with your thoughts about the designs….perhaps some color combos that you would think would be fun…or some design layouts that would be fun with the 1/4″ strips of paper…or just to say HI 🙂 ….I don’t care – I just love to see the comments to get ideas and also to see how you can continue to TEACH ME….in ways to use something!
I am curious to see if anyone will leave a comment on how and why I have all of these strips of our cardstock! Put your simple thinking caps on!!! The colors that I used for the project are all listed below….in the product line up!
Let’s all have a great weekend and go and share some simple kindness!
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by Susan Itell | Aug 10, 2018 | Blog Candy |
WOOT-WOOT…it is Friday and I know to many, that makes you super happy! Well I guess I am happy but let’s face it….it is what it is!!! (as the saying goes).
On Wednesday I had shared with you that I would be back to share some photos of my time away and YEP….I will do so but before we get to that…let’s talk about the BLOG CANDY for one lucky winner! (I realize that many do not wish to be bored with things other than Stamping…but heck, I am what I am and I do use my blog as an extension of “me”)
I feel very blessed to have a community of Blog followers that love to share a bit about themselves and I thought – let’s do a super simple BLOG CANDY that we all can see a community of talent from all over this beautiful country! (If you live outside the USA….please chime in as well….it makes it even more special!).
While I was away I saw beauties that I have never seen before. John felt the same way as both of us have been born and raised on the East Coast….it was just amazing and the weather – I LOVED IT….not having humidity as we do on the East.
WHAT IS THE BLOG CANDY? YUM….something super practical!
Let’s face it…we all love to make things with our hands…and I am just like YOU! With a new catalog coming I will be hosting another Product Share (NO, you did not miss it – and I will post on that next week…but these DSP Swatch gems make this wonderful thing that we do (stamping) sooooooo much easier!)
The DSP Swatch Books make life easier, it is as simple as that!
No need to flip through a bunch of paper and all of the info is right on the back of each offering… I cannot begin to tell you how many of these gems I have made up…but I will do so again and again with every catalog as they are lifesavers! (It’s like reading the “above the crease” on the front page of a newspaper))
Leave a comment answering these simple 3 ?’s…
- What State are you from…
- How long have you been stamping…
- What is your favorite type or style of card to make…
Here’s my answer…
I live in Maryland, I have been stamping for 8+ years and my style of card making is to make clean and simple cards with lots of basic layers
OK folks – time to switch gears!…Grab a cup of whatever (somewhere in the world it’s 5 o’clock)….if you want to hear about our time away….if not…please leave a comment and I will see you Monday with a card that will make you BEAM!
Good luck and it will be fun to see the answers and especially where everyone is from! Again, I honestly had NO IDEA WHAT SO EVER that the Pacific Northwest part of our country was as beautiful as it was!!!
It was just amazing and it truly made me feel like a little East Coast Bumpkin having a pair of new glasses on! It is just spectacular and I can hardly wait to go back!
I did earn the Alaska Incentive Trip from Stampin’ Up! (it was wonderful) and naturally that was the reason of our “going to this part of the country” but John and I added 2 days to the front and then a week after making it an ultimate time away!
When I started to go through my pictures I clearly realized that there were WAY TOO MANY THINGS to communicate to you all about…..but here are some of the things that totally stood put in my memory bank! Some will make you smile and laugh….some will make you look and say….WOW – it is beautiful….and then there are some that will inspire you.
For me, the inside feeling from this trip is…
If you can….travel and see things before time slips by!
When we arrived back to Seattle after the cruise…we rented a car and drove with no agendas….nothing booked or planned, (this is a 1st for us) we just knew that we needed to end up at the end of the week in Portland to fly home! After we got off the boat, we picked up the rental car and went to “Highway 101” and drove the Oregon Coastline!
Usually I go by a set of “to do’s” and agendas….and I love to make plans in advance, especially for restaurants as I do love my food and I do love to cook! John and I are both pooped (having some busy past months) and vowed to each other – let’s just get away and relax. We said, We are going to a place we have never been to….so let’s just do it! (Funny thing is……Hannah is getting ready to move to Seattle so she was THRILLED that we liked the area so much…..as she said to me, now I do not need to worry if you will come and visit!!!!)
As I was going through my pictures just to share with you some…..I went to export them and there were 97 (that was just picking some “keepers” from the 100’s and 100’s that I took) YIKES!!!! I know that there is NO WAY that I could edit, communicate the photo but trust me….there might not be 97…..but there are pretty darn close to it!
Here you go….snippets from the travels of John and Susan….
We were about 15 from the house leaving to the airport and I remember that I forgot my backpack/camera….naturally I said a few verbal words and John just looked at me and said NO…we are not going back! (I had a hunch that was what he was going to say)
This is one of those differences about us…..he is one of those die-hards that makes sure that he is WELL OVER 2+ hours ahead to the airport……so – keep in mind – all of these pictures from our time away were taken with my I pad! (and I must say….it did GREAT!)
Next….I left my cell phone on the plane going out to Seattle. WHAT???? YEP, I did. I do have a legitimate reason though…(ha-ha) – after we got all settled in our seat and John took a deep breath and said to me, now I am ok – we are here….we are settled and I am fine (I think that was his way of telling me that I could talk now)….Well….you know me – I spotted a dog on the plane 2 seats back.
My maternal and doggie instincts kicked in…..(John rolled his eyes and then smiled…I know what this means) I naturally asked this sweet gal about her dog and the moral of the story is that her dog is a companion dog to her as she has severe anxiety with flying! Yep….I bet you know what I did – I offered for John and I to move back to sit with her.
We did….and it ends up that she is 29 yrs old – a school teacher and her buddy…Jimmy, flys with her everywhere! (He is a rescue and the story made me melt) They were simply adorable and guess what, my phone was left in the seat back of where we 1st sat….(turned off) and I totally forgot about it when the plane landed!
With the wonders of technology…..we saw from FIND MY IPHONE….that my trusty phone flew all over the country…for many days…..making it’s ultimate stop in Denver – Southwest shipped it to our house and after a 2 1/2+ week journey…..it is back home on Randall Lane.
Ok – I promise that I will STOP…..(I am sure that I will have many people unsubscribe from my blog because of all of the pictures etc….) but as I have said and will say again. I love to Stamp….I love my Stampin’ Up! friends and family….I never EVER dreamed that I would ever have a Blog or heck – be a SUD this long….but I share all of this as this is what makes me tick, this is what makes me roll and this is a passion that I have ….to share and inspire.
I truly, truly feel that we are are all sooooooo darn hard on ourselves. Trust me, I am guilty as well. We all need to take a deep breath and remember that there are truly so many things to be grateful for. When I do not blog, I feel guilty. When I do not create, I feel guilty. Why do we do this?
I am having to come home to 100’s of emails and to-do’s but what is the best feeling is…to have people that I have never ever met before…reach out and care…reach out and ask – everything ok….now that’s what I call is a gift! I am taking a deep breath and it will get done…
Taking time for yourself is super important. I find it much more of a joy to give and give and do and do rather than take care of myself….Am I hitting a cord with any of you? I sometimes think is a habit we get ourselves into….but what happens is – you run yourself down and you lose your belief in yourself!
Many of you know that I love to make up kits…..last year was the PITS for me with kits…..did I plan to break my wrist….NO…..did I plan for my Dad to become ill……NO…..Did I know that I might have to deal with severe bone loss...NO….but these things did happen and guess what – I just kept going forward but now I am going forward with intention.
I am planning to start a “kit like program” in September (it will be different than before)….as I do miss them. It is a passion and love to me to make up sample cards for my kits as we all seems to be our worse enemies ….saying WE CAN’T DO IT….but I have learned…when we have positive energy…WE ALL CAN ACHIEVE GOALS….it is just that we need to see that we are the ones holding ourselves back!
Yesterday I shared in a group text to some special ladies in my life….you are being too hard on yourself – there is no judging here….whatever YOU make with YOUR hands is a gift….it is as simple as that! I am really starting to embrace that motto of getting wiser as you get older!
Creating, Stampin’, laughing, sharing my love for my family, sharing my crazy passion for animals….I guess the highs and the lows is a way to express who I am. I am blessed but guess what – WE ALL ARE BLESSED….I truly love this creative thing that I do!
Darn, I just wish that there was “STAMPIN’ TOWN, USA” that only people that were fun, creative, positive could go to…..this is how I feel when the group of us get together to do some crazy fun weekend adventures together – We call ourselves the Sisters of the Traveling Stamps! We have a BLAST and we are all soooo different….that’s what makes us roll….
Enjoy these pictures of the fun….and if any of you live in Eugene or Florence Oregon….YOU ARE MY NEW BEST FRIEND and YES – I would love to come and meet you. (nothing like inviting yourself) We adored those areas! We loved the coast line so much that we only made it in Eugene the night before we headed to Portland!
The great news is….we will be back. It was truly magical and loosing my phone….being unplugged was FABULOUS….we hiked and hiked….we ate and ate (I am a BIG FOODIE)….we laughed and laughed….and we drove and drove saying mile after mile – WOW, LOOK AT THAT! (I’m sure we were being total tourists)
I have become a big yoga lover and I am very dedicated to practicing on a daily basis. I feel better than I ever have and after being diagnosed with aggressive osteoporosis I make sure that I take care of myself. John too has learn to love and appreciate the benefits of Yoga and while were were away we practiced at any studio we could find…..and you will see we hikes and hiked our legs off! This area is the BEST for all of this…..
The peeps are thinking that their Mom and Dad are having “what-ever you want to call it crisis” but we laughed and laughed as there were actually days that went by that we did not check in with them.
James had the best comment……he sent John a text and said……“Everything ok?…reason being the last time we communicated with you all…..Mom was getting ready to get on a Helicopter to a glazier to play with Husky Dogs and go sledding and you were leaving with some men to go Halibut fishing”
We arrived home last Thursday to have all of the peeps come home on Friday and we celebrated Christmas over the weekend.YEP…that’s right….Christmas in August. We have not been together as a whole family since Thanksgiving and even with a delayed plane coming home and the time difference…..I rallied and made it a special weekend.
We pulled out Christmas decorations and had our traditional dinner one night (it was probably 90 outside) and we just laughed as ….only us!!! The other night….we did the yummy Maryland thing…..picked Crabs and then James did his annual firework show!
As we were all outside eating in between storms there was this beautiful rainbow….and I just smiled as I knew it…..I did the right thing….I had a great time away and really vacationed and enjoyed myself….and then came home to the best group of people…..my family!
Every time I see a rainbow my heart skips a beat and my eyes get a tear…as my Mom loved rainbows and the icing on the cake was Hannah looked at me and said, “Look Mom…..Gigi’s with us!”
Have a great weekend….and please leave a comment for the Blog Candy!
Monday I will announce the winner!
ENJOY THE PICTURES…..
Here they are…she was so sweet and her dog Jimmy is the best!!! She said that when she puts the bandana on his neck, he knows that they are going to an airport. It is amazing how service dogs can be trained.
If you are ever in Florence Oregon – you HAVE TO take a ride on the sand dunes…we did the slow tourist one….and then the super thrilled crazy one – I admit, even I was a bit scared – over 60 mph in the sand and it was sooooo hard to see the dips etc….a super fun time!
I sure do wish that the State Parks in our area would take after the Oregon ones….they were simply amazing!
FAB-O tiny restaurant in Florence…..
Eugene Oregon stole my heart – we were only there for a short time but certainly long enough to realize that we will be back! Clean…great weather….fun things to do….lots of beautiful countryside and lots of Vineyards!
Did someone say vineyards??? Oregon has some AMAZING Ones!
John doing a little retail wine therapy at King’s Estate….
Yep…we saw Sea Lions…..they are just adorable and I love the noise that they make. We also did see Whales….not in Alaska….but in Oregon – John was thrilled!
We went to heaven…..Cannon Beach Oregon….(If I am ever missing and the weather is good….I am probably there) – This was spectacular and there was a HUGE CORGI DOG FESTIVAL going on as we walked up the beach – there were 100’s of dogs having the BEST TIME and me…..I was melting missing my pups!
Look at the man below…using his sweet Lab as a foot rest!
Does this make you smile! This little guys was a happy as the rest….playing and having a BIG OLD TIME!
As we walked down the beach I could sense something over my shoulder….YIPPEE – HORSES…..is this the BEST or what!
I view like this does wonders to your soul…..simply beautiful!
Ok….John and I are THE WORST at selfies…..we laugh and laugh every time…..one day we’ll get it!
Look at this amazing water….just breath-taking!
After hiking and hiking…WE FOUND IT….now this is ONE BIG TREE!!!
BEST food truck ever…..look at the flowers on the roof – it is actually a cargo carrier and we stood in line for over an hour!
We were up really high and we were so scared that we would fall trying to do a silly selfie for the peeps!
Recognize this? It was where the Goonies Movie was filmed!
The water in Alaska was always so crystal clear….I had NO IDEA that Alaska was soooooo green and lush – I think that this is a place everyone needs to see to appreciate….WOW!
We took a super fun train ride up a HUGE Mountain…..breathtaking! A great history tour!
We went to a glacier while on the cruise and you would see these massive pieces of ice in the water. The color of the ice was amazing
Every night when we would come back to the cabin…we had a new animal made out of towels….I admit, when we walked in….he scared me!
In Victoria we toured an amazing garden….these flowers were unreal….and to think – this was from my I Pad
The sequence of pictures are all out of order but here in Seattle at the market….now how could I NOT take a picture of a pig! Oh, by the way….Daisy did great while we were away and Hannah even groomed her and put cream on her every day – She looks BEAUTIFUL!
If we lived in Seattle, I think sweet John might need to know these flower ladies….just amazing!
Darn I love food, look at this beautiful bounty that summer brings!
How can you not love a city with a Piano playing on the corner!
I had no clue that Seattle was soooooo hilly – what a fabulous place!
Get ready to moan with this cuteness….this guy was in our hotel – and YEP….he was there for an Instagram following….
LOVED this sign at the yoga studio in Seattle…..it was a great place and the coffee in Seattle….PERFECT!
I know you can’t tell….but I was DRENCHED…..we were very true to our Yoga on our ventures….
The view of Seattle as the boat left the dock.
I was sitting reading a book and looked up…..this plane just gliding in!
Anyone else like fried pickles? You just have to have pickles and cheese with hard shell Crabs!I mastered a new recipe that was a hit with the peeps……(notice the Christmas Tree) – I will say…I heard, “Oh Mom….I can’t believe you did that” (I just asked John if we could just keep the decorations upstairs as heck, Christmas will be here sooner than we think)
Here is the rainbow when we were doing our family crab feast!
I hope that you will find your own rainbow this weekend….
thanks for letting me share……xoxo….susan!
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I am trying to get back in the swing of things as I have been a busy Mom….but I can share this with you – THIS MOM’S JOY TANK is FILLED to the TOP!!! Our son James….was married over the weekend down on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where my Dad lives!
