by Susan Itell | Jul 8, 2017 | Simple Saturday, Uncategorized |
Good Morning! I have a treat for you this weekend….(and the next several while I am away) – I have some team members that are sharing their talent with you! At the end of the post I will share with you some fun facts about the guest designer!
Today’s fun is from Ramsey Alexander, a SUD from Annapolis, Maryland! Ramsey is a super talented stamper loving a clean and classic style of design and I think that you can see her style showing through with this sweet card!
Ramsey does not have a blog but she has a Pinterest Board with her personal work . I know that you will have fun looking at her designs! I was so excited when Ramsey wanted to do a card for the weekend post….please give her some good old fashion blog lovin’ love for sharing her work in the comments!
This bundle, the Daisy Delight has been a super popular choice for us all! To me, I think that there is something super special about the simple shape of this flower and with this bundle…there is a punch and we all know that we love our punches! Let’s face it – it the name DAISY comes up…..I’m in cause’ I love my swine lovin’ Daisy!
You can see in the following pictures that this is a super easy card to makes and the other thing that is for sure…you will be smiling! So clean, so crisp, so classic!
To create this layered look it literally takes seconds…a stamp of the flower…and stamp (2) on the daffodil delight and POP with the punch – stand back and smile!
The sentiment for this card came from the carried over stamp set, Sunshine Sayings…a super popular one from the previous catalog that you will surely find the appropriate sentiment to “fit the bill”
This stamp is chocked filled with great sentiments and ones that you can fit together to make a “custom one” to fit the theme of your card!
The simple BLING to this sweet card is the gold faceted gem in the middle – you all know, I am not a big “glam and glitz” kind of gal but these gems…they get the job done! Great accent Ramsey!
Here you can easily see how this card would brighten anyones day! Ramsey has that characteristic about her….you instantly smile! We share some late night fun as we road tripped it to Richmond earlier this year and WOW – was it fun….so much fun we are going to do it again in November but this time Salt Lake City!
This is what is great about Stampin’ Up! The relationships you develop along the way that in turn develop into friendships! When Ramsey is in the house, there is a FUN TIME in store!
Now here is a picture of my sweet Daisy-Mae…she just LOVES to be scratched on top of her precious head! (It makes her hair stand up and she squeals) While we are gone….Harry is Daisy’s human care giver. Daisy has a thing about men and I knew that Harry would love to have the honor of being the “pig sitter” while we are away.
His job….easy but oh so important…she likes to come inside to the air-conditioning during the day and out at night to do the town….(well hang out with Arnold and the dumb donkey) Harry comes to the house each morning super early to bring his girl in and give her some love! (I am sure that he tells all of his retired friends his important job!!!)
I hope that you will pop back tomorrow to see the stepped up version for this sweet card! How can we go wrong with this amazing and classic bundle – when you think of it….you can clearly see that was no wonder why it sold out on the first day but I am super glad that it is back in stock!
Still no luggage…good thing that we will never see any of these people again….where we are now is soooooo remote, not a bunch to do but “take it all in” – I was teasing John….heck – if someone ever went here and didn’t tell anyone where they were going….you would never be found! The people are so gracious and appreciative – it truly makes you feel so blessed. They live by simplistic values…and are truly honored to make you feel at home!
As promised….here are some fun facts about Ramsey that I thought that you would enjoy! Ramsey plays on an Ice Hockey League….a gal after my own heart in taking a challenge “later in life” and she also sails each week!
This one is great – one weekend Jeanie and I wanted to do something with her and Ramsey said – “shoot…I am going to a miniature convention”….I said WHAT THE HECK????? Yep, she has had a true love and passion for miniature things…houses etc…..(maybe she will leave a comment explaining) – I just thought that was great!
Until tomorrow…..Jeanie will be in the house! Many thanks Ramsey for being a guest designer this weekend…..let’s give her some love!!!!
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by Susan Itell | Jul 7, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Good Morning and I bet you have been saying…Where in the heck is Susan? Well, if I could give you a laundry list of the “life happens” than you would “get it” but for now…here I am – coming to you from Phuket, Thailand! The wonderful Mr. Itell made it but it was an are we going…are we not to get here!
I am totally confused with my body clock and that trip the past 24 hours has thrown John and I into a blank stare at each other saying….what time is it? At the end of this post I will share with you the 1st – “you can’t make this stuff up” on day #1 of our adventure!
We have a new week of FUN with the Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge and this is another great game to look at the board and then say – I’m gonna play! Today’s game board was designed by Rosanne Mulhern – a super talented SUD that just became a proud Grandmother for the 1st! Come on out and play!
For today’s card I chose to go for the center…Pearls. Die-cut & Butterfly. I think that we all can see how clean & simple this is…just the way that I like it.
This Butterfly Die has been around for a while but then again, you just cannot go wrong with a classic like this! The real star of the show and the real – “MAKE MY LIFE EASIER” was using the new product we have, the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets. They get the job done with total ease, again..just the way that I like it!
When you use this product all you do is adhere it to the paper you are going to be cutting with, today I am using the Color Theory DSP as I loved the subtle look and feel of the “yellow” for the challenge. Place your die on top…run it through Mr Big and presto – you have adhesive on the die!
I did something that many of you might think is silly….but then again I think you will “get it” – I cut out (2) of these butterflies and adhered them together as I wanted the underside of the wings to look the same when you hold the card in your hand. With the ease and precision of this product, it can be accomplished in a short amount of time!
I have blogged in the past about the stamp set that the sentiment came from – Pieces & Patterns and YEP, it’s a keeper as I admit…from a glance you might say – “This stamp set is just ok” but you know how I feel about small little images, they are great “fills in” for a project.
Here is a great picture to pin…clean, crisp and a classic! I used the simple technique of scoring some lines into the white cardstock to add a bit of texture when it is matted onto the black.
Just look at the detail of this butterfly…WOW! You can see how this beautiful image is all that is needed to create the simple focal point and backdrop to this card with the little icing on the cake – the pearls! Pearls are a girls best friend!!!
There you go! I hope that this little fluttering has brought you a smile. It was a super easy one to whip up and this is a great example of looking at the playing card and going for it works! One day I will attempt to use all of the options on the board but for today I am doing just what works!
Please go and have fun creating your own take of the sketch and then pop over to the Tic Tac Toe site and share…remember, everyone is a winner as you did the challenge! This IS the best way to find your style in cardmaking….we all have different comfort zones and there is not a right or wrong way….it is YOUR WAY!
Now to some….LIFE the past week….YIKES – where do I begin! Honestly, John and I were really not sure if we were going to be able to make it as it seemed like it wasn’t in the cards but we rallied together and we are here!
BAD NEWS….Oscar pulled his stitches out and I had a bit of a panic….GOOD NEWS…the biopsy of the mass came back and it was ok
BAD NEWS….One of our animal sitters fell through on Tuesday….GOOD NEWS….we had family friends that rallied together to help (I have stick it notes all over the barn) 😀 and I am just thankful for their help!
REALLY NEWS???….Mr Perfect – aka Milo somehow on 3 legs managed to tear a gapping hole on his tummy….vet said that he must have been caught on something (like a fence wire etc….)…GOOD NEWS…stitches and having a retreat at John’s Moms will keep him happy!
BAD NEWS…John was hooking up the truck to the trailer and thought that it was in park….nope – the truck backed into the gooseneck trailer and BOOM onto my truck…..GOOD NEWS…he was safe and no one was hurt (except my dear truck) and we were blessed to have a horse friend offer her truck and trailer for me to take Oscar to Virginia while we are gone!
BAD NEWS…John was not feeling well (which is super unusual for him) and went to the Doctors about a week ago…he had shingles….we really thought that this was going to keep us from going but he is over the worse…GOOD NEWS…we are here and he feels sooooooo much better!
BAD NEWS…after over 23 + hours of travel to get here….we are here but our luggage is not! I was sooooo tired and thought….REALLY??? We arrived at 1:30 a.m. their time but it took up until 3:00 to leave the airport…so you can see that our time-clock is out of whack! GOOD NEWS….our fingers will be crossed that it will get here but until then….shopping we will go!
My sincere apologies for being MIA this week. I simply had to do what I needed to do. I am back and I am super thankful to be in your inbox and also to be able to be here in Thailand. Needless to say….this is a trip of a lifetime for us and without your support to my Simple Stampin’ fun, this would not have been possible!
I will be back tomorrow and I have some Simple Saturday fun for you…Ramsey style….pop back to see the fun!
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by Susan Itell | Jul 1, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Good Morning – can you believe that it is July 1st – YIKES….we have a winner…winner…Chicken Dinner!
My coffee was wonderful this morning reading through the comments! There were many of you that guessed it….the answer was Bakers Twine! There are 6 rolls/spools of Bakers Twine in that adorable bag and it is going to…….Beth Mills!!!
Ok Beth….put the lap top down….get up and DO IT….DO THAT DANCE and then when you sit down, email me with your address and I will send you the adorable bag and the 6 spools of Bakers Twine to get you in the Christmas in July mood!
In the Spirit of Christmas in July I will be having Blog Candy for you through the month to celebrate this theme! It will be fun to see your comments and also fun for me to be Santa to YOU!
Please continue to pop back and enjoy the good old fashion fun we have with my blog and if you ever need a “pick-me-up” take a moment to read comments that my wonderful followers leave as they will make you laugh…they will lift you up and you will learn a tip or trick! I truly feel blessed with the “community” that we have!
Let’s get to the month Stampin’ Up! Business. There is a bunch going on and I hope that you are a sponge and are ready to soak it up! I have all of this scoop in a drop down tab on my Blog Header for you to easily revisit through the month for a quick reference!
When you have a great thing going….why not do it again!?!? Stampin’ Up! is bringing back Bonus Days in July! What does that mean???
With every $50 you spend during July, you’ll receive a $5 coupon to be redeemed in August. Get ready to stand up and do that dance….the Happy Stampin’ Dance! I look at it like this…Jammie shopping is the best and when you get a $5.00 coupon for every $50 you spend…that’s even better!
Have more questions??? CLICK HERE to read all of the Q & A’s about the program!
Now in the spirit of this fun theme…Stampin’ Up! is also offering a great opportunity for you to to be able to get a discount each and every-time you order. It is as easy as that!
When I say it’s a no brainer…I mean that – the best analogy that I can give you is….it is like going to Bed Bath & Beyond- when I go there I take one of those blue 20% off coupons because WHY NOT? I will take a 20% off discount on something that I need to purchase.
Whether you are a hobbiest (and do you realize that over 94% of SUD’s are hobbiest) or if you want to start a fun business for yourself….the opportunity is yours to take a test drive and if it is not for you….no worries…..just park your car!
I am a prime example of the reason I joined was to get a discount when the new catalog came out….and then I was leaving – (well we know….that didn’t happen). Look at the AMAZING incentive of super PRACTICAL products that Stampin’ Up! is throwing in with this Christmas in July promotion.
During July, you can join my team with a special Starter Kit offer. Not only can you purchase the Starter Kit ($125 of YOUR CHOICE of product for only $99 and FREE SHIPPING), but you’ll also receive an Essentials Gift Pack:
To save you the trouble of “doing the math” the practical products that are in the Essentials Gift Pack are a value of $52.00 and the stamp is a $20.00 value.I look at it this way – how can you go wrong!?!?! Having someone give you a $72.00 value of practical goodies….yep, time to do that dance again!
- 114845 – D Block (two of them!)
- 130148 – Grid Paper
- 103579 – Paper Snips
- 104332 – SNAIL Adhesive
- 102300 – Bone Folder
- 144804 – Carols of Christmas Stamp Set (a newbie from the upcoming Holiday Catalog)
The whole concept of Christmas in July is all over the place in marketing but for us….we know what is next….YEP – THE HOLIDAY CATALOG! I have a secret….I will see the new catalog and ideas while I am in Thailand and yep, I am giddy about that!
As a SUD you will be able to preview the Holiday Catalog later this month but then you will be able to preorder items from that catalog starting August 1st. To me, that is a HUGE PERK as we all love to get our hands on it ASAP! This IS a great reason to take advantage of this promotion! CLICK HERE to get started!
Here is a peek of the Carols of Christmas Stamp Set that is in the Essentials Gift Pack! I just watched a video that was for SUD’s and I was amazed at the versatility of this….it is part of a bundle and you just wait until you see the framelits – all I can say is WOW!!!!
Seriously…..when I first saw this image I thought….ok – I like the sentiments…as they will make a fun statement but then the framelits….I did it – the happy dance and the dogs looked at me like I was nuts! (look below and you will see….yippee!!!!)
Whew…that’s it for today – I know a lot to take in but it is ALL GOOD STUFF!!!! I am thrilled that the Bonus Day Bucks are back….I feel like I am at Kohls when they do the $5.00 coupons for a purchase….YIPPEE-SKIPPEE…..shop away!
I hope that you have some fun things planned for the Holiday Weekend and I hope that you will pop back tomorrow as I will have my 1st Christmas Card for you….YIKES….really?!?!? I think that you are going to like it a WATT!!! (our local Hobby Lobby already has Halloween and some Christmas stuff…just sayin’)
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by Susan Itell | Jun 29, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Happy Thursday to you….YIKES – is it really Thursday? This week is going way to fast for me! I am excited for today as we have a new Tic Tac Toe Card to play with! I am sooooooo proud of many of you that have been playing with the challenge – it is FUN….right!
Please pop over to the Tic Tac Toe Challenge and see what the other designers came up with! I am just giddy with this challenge as it is super fun to look at the board and then have fun! Todays board was designed by the one and only Jeanie and true to her form and style…..look at the board – it is about A,B,C’s – the teacher in her comes out!
I chose to take the diagonal path this week…Accent – Embossing & In Color. The stamp set that I focused with is Sorry for Everything – a newbie and its a goodie! Years ago Stampin’ Up! had a similar Stamp Set and I think there was a void with its absence but this new updated one is the perfect solution to those kinda tricky cards to send…
The large “Sorry” with that beautiful script font is stunning in itself but when you pair up one of the sub sentiments….you have a keeper!
Here is a great close up for you to see not only the beautiful font but also the stunning detail in the Garden Trellis Embossing Folder. WOW….right? Embossing folders are the best bang for your buck as the instant POP and TEXTURE is done with a simple crank of Mr. Big!
Here is a confession….when we get a new catalog, the embossing folders are a product that go on right away…why??? EASY – they are the icing on the cake when you are trying to have a POP with little effort. Also…they are super affordable and take little space – a win-win all around.
I know that it is super hard to tell in the picture so you will have to trust me on this one – I heat embossed the navy “Sorry” – after stamping it with the Night of Navy I quickly added clear embossing powder and heat set it – when you hold it in your hand and see that shine and then touch it – here comes a smile!
I hope that you all try this with any of our ink – if you are fast….you can get the job accomplished without using versa mark as the powder will stick to the freshly stamped sentiment! The sub-sentiment was stamped in versa mark….heat set with white embossing powder!
To fulfill the accent part of the challenge, the new Glitter Enamel Dots were the super easy choice. Many of you know that I am not a fan of glitter….but these – YEP….I can handle as no mess and a perfect subtle bit of bling!
Now lets chat about the envelope with the card…..I say – one stunning duo! These 2 colors together are stunning and then throw in the white….I rest my case – a total Susan kinda card!
Now you have some fun to take part in…..how about taking another look at the game board this week and then have FUN! It always is amazing at how many ideas there are from a simple Tic Tac Toe Board – this is a fun challenge and I am just so happy that many are joining in with the fun!
I can’t wait to see your project in the gallery….not only will I be smiling seeing your project and your name but I know that you will also have a sense of “I DID IT” when you play with the challenge.
In closing here is a funny…..when I first started making cards and caught the “bug” with Stampin’ Up! I can remember that I thought….I will do a challenge. Well…..it took me weeks and weeks to build up the nerve to try it. I now laugh at that as I just should of followed my guy instinct and just DID IT….but I was a turtle….
Well….once I took the plunge I was sooooooo tickled with myself that I told all of the peeps and hyperlinked it to their emails so they could see. I kept saying…..did you see….did you see – I actually figured out how to do this with no help. They were so proud of me and I was so proud of myself as well….The peeps actually get a kick out of me when I go out of the Mom box and try something different.
I guess you could say that it is a great example of “just trying”….that in itself makes a difference to the most important person in the world….YOU!
Now go take this summer day and make it YOURS!
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by Susan Itell | Jun 28, 2017 | Paper Pumpkin, Thank You, Uncategorized |
Happy HUMP day! Today I have a “sweet & fruity” thank you that I created using the June Paper Pumpkin! It is so funny to me….when it is time for the Paper Pumpkins to arrive (around the 12th of the month) there seems to be a buzz going around…..“Did you get your Paper Pumpkin yet….What is the kit” – the fun is the mystery each month!
Here is the video of the kit and on Friday I will share with you another take that I did using another part of the kit. For me…it is fun to try to use them in a different way than what was intended but truth be told there are months that I just like to sit and have some “me time” and put it together while watching the video!
You can see that the kit is soooooo festive and fun for Summer! I always LOVE the stampin’ spots and this month there were 2….I say – WOOT-WOOT!!! These little gems come in handy and are great to have if traveling! (you can re-ink them just like the big ones)
You can see that I cut the DSP of the fruit and made it into a simple square and then matted it to make a fun square card! One thing that I want to touch on…can you see how distinct the melon mambo sentiment is?
That comes from “conditioning the stamp” – I have blogged about this many, many times and this card is a great example of why I believe that taking the time is totally WORTH IT because your end result will be a great clean and crisp stamp!
The stamp set is Thankful Thoughts. It was carried over this year which made me happy as it is a clean stamp that covers many cards that we will make when a simple “thanks” is in need! Aren’t the fonts great?
I wasn’t sure what to do today so all I did was STAMP….get the scissors out and GO TO TOWN and cut it randomly and then a quick mat. I say, when in doubt…..pull those scissors out! It’s a fun look and take seconds….just do it!
I enjoyed reading the comments on yesterdays post so I kept the party rolling. It truly is fun to add the extra pizzazz to the envelope. Remember, there are no rules other than to have FUN!
I love the bright and bold elements of this card and I think that the square size looks super with the fruit! I am excited for you to see Fridays project…..(heck – I would love it if Stampin’ Up! added this) to our product line…it was super fun and fresh!
I know that Paper Pumpkin is not for everyone but the element that is always true…you can make it work for you. I admit that there are months that I am not over the moon about but I will say they always can be put to use! That what creativity is….making it work for your needs!
Guess what tomorrow is….YEP – TIC TAC TOE day! I hope that you will pop back tomorrow and see the card that when with yesterdays post….it’s a keeper!
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by Susan Itell | Jun 24, 2017 | Simple Saturday, Uncategorized |
Good Saturday to all! I have a super fast and elegant card for you today! I admit, this is my kinda card and it just came together in a matter of minutes! I sure do love when it happens like this.
Pop back tomorrow to see how I made some changes and stepped it up! I am being honest….I have not created the card for tomorrow yet….and I really and thinking that I might be stumped….as I love it just the way it is!
There are (2) elements of this card that you might have a learning curve with and I highly suggest that you grab that extra cup of coffee to watch them….I know that when we see a set of framelits and an embossing folder we immediately think……I know how to use them but these 2 products have some unique characteristics about them so I highly suggestion to take another look.
- Eastern Beauty Photopolymer Bundle – This is a very unique and detailed stamp set and framelits. At first glance it looks rather straight forward but the unique element of this is the framelits…..the amount of different ways to use these framelits are remarkable…making this so fun and special.
For today’s card…I allowed the simplistic beauty of the die to be my focal point and then used the amazing clean & simple sentiment, “You’ve got this.” to make a statement! I admit…I have not played and used these framelits to their best ability and I truly think that if you have a “play date” with it….your paper and Mr. Big…you can come up with some amazing unique shapes!
This sentiment is from the You’ve Got This Stamp Set that was carried over from last years catalog. This was a huge hit last year….filled with not only 3 great sentiments but the font…..oh, so classic!
Here is the other product that has the learning curve….if you turn to page 211 in your catalog you will see that we have (5) of these special dynamic folders and this video will be a HUGE help in making this product work for you! I am just giddy about these as the end result is this deep…rich and 3D looking image!
In the video Donna referenced to using a Stampin’ Spritzer to help with the papers fibers…and yep – I would recommend that. This makes a difference with the deep impression – have you ever ran an embossing folder through Mr Big to see areas that there are “cracks” – will this will help soften the fibers of the paper to help prevent that! (just a little tip!!!)
Whew…..we are over the technical part….let look at some pictures of the project up-close! I am really tickled with this and I am still amazed at the ease.
It truly is like I say over and over…..when you have the “basics”…..(like – Mr. Big….layering framelits – circles, squares etc…) then you can add the “specialty items”….(like this bundle and embossing folders) to create an amazing classic card you just cannot go wrong!
I chose a square card for today as I thought that it lent itself to the shape of the die…and heck – you know I adore a square card. Here is a funny for you – I am a “stamp nut” – what is a STAMP NUT???? Easy – I like to have fun and complementary stamps to go along with the card that I make….call me silly but I do love my stamp collection.
When I made this card I knew that the “LOVE” stamp would be a perfect compliment to the card. When I see a stamp that comes out that I love….I buy many sheets of it to have on hand!
Tomorrow I will share with you tips and tricks on ow to make this card “safe to mail” to protect this delicate and beautiful die. As I said in the beginning of the post….I really don’t know what I can do to step it up….any suggestions?????
I am in my “motherhood glory” as all 3 of the peeps are “in the house” and we are having the time of our lives….we have many to do’s today and I really am not sure if they will be completed….as we were having dinner last night we all shared what we wanted to do….here is a sample and then I think you will agree – GOOD LUCK as there are only so many hours!
I feel very blessed that they all surround us being together….and that is the element that makes my heart pitter-patter…..pick blueberries, power wash the aisle-way in the barn, have a family tennis tournament, have a family corn-hole tournament, give Oscar & Arnold a bath, set off fireworks, make a fire in the fire pit, have a dessert throw-down in the kitchen, go for a long run,play Scrabble & Backgammon, wash the car…..
YIKES – if everyone gets their wishes….we are going to be one productive family! (I bet you can tell which ones are my suggestions) Anyway, have a great day….make some memories and I hope to see you back tomorrow!
Remember, the Daisy Punch is back…and I am sure that you saw from many blogs that SUD are super happy about that so please do not miss the opportunity to grab yours…..it is AMAZING of the popularity!
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