Life has been crazy lately!

I haven't been making many cards lately; it seems that "life" has gotten in the way. :-)

My Dad was rushed to the hospital last week and he is still there. I'll find out more this morning, but the hope is that he will be able to go home today.

He went to his doctor because he thought he was coming down with pneumonia again. It turns out he was suffering from congestive heart failure; his doctor sent him immediately to the emergency room. I am very thankful that he didn't wait to see his doctor and that he is getting very good care from the doctors and nurses at the hospital. I've been spending most of my non-working hours at the hospital since he got there.

My Dad is an active 74 YO man and he loves his race car! There was a small article at www.daara.com (you have to scroll down on the home page to see hs pic and the note) which is the racing associaton he belongs to.

If all goes well and he goes home today, I will be able to post something new in the next few days. My Stampin' Up! order will be delivered today and I will have new toys to play with!

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge and Blog Candy!

Wowsers! Go check out this site, pricillastyles, for an awesome blog candy giveaway! She is giving away a SU! Big Shot, doctor's bag, and embossing folders!

Oh my! I would faint dead away if I won that.

Be sure to leave a comment on her blog for your chance to win.

This is my card for today's Limited Supply Challenge at Splitcoaststampers. the challenge was to use either digi stamps or die cuts. I don't have any die cuts, so I used a digi stamp that I got a few months back from Mel Stampz
This was my first attempt at coloring a digi stamp; it's OK, I guess, but I sure do need practice with my copics!


Recipe:

Stamp: digi stamp from Mel Stampz

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, LeJardin dsp (retired)

Accessories: ribbon, Martha Steart flad back pearsl, copics

Become a SU! Demonstrator

Holy cow! Look at this sign-up special that Stampin' Up! is running this month! THIS is a fabulous deal!

From the Customer Page at stampinup.com :

While anytime is a great time to join the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator, joining during July and August is especially sweet!

Starting your own Stampin' Up! business means free and discounted products, plus a little extra cash--and who couldn't use that? Plus, from July 15 - August 31, you can become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for only $85!

The special, limited-time Mini Starter Kit contains many of the items you need to get started in your new business, including

*For All You Do stamp set
*In Color Classic Stampin' Pads (6)
*Whisper White card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
*In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")
*Business forms and tools


Or if you want to buy the standard $199 Starter Kit, in addition to the supplies listed below, you'll get all six of the new In Color Classic Stampin' Pads and one pack of In Color assorted card stock (8-1/2" x 11")--a $43 value! The standard Starter Kit includes

*Four stamp sets
*A Stampin' Around wheel, handle, and ink cartridge
*Stampin' Pastels
*Card stock
*Eastern Blooms Décor Elements and applicator tool
*Five Classic Stampin' Pads
*VersaMark Pad
*Stampin' Scrub and Mist
*Blender pens
*Business forms and tools

These special offers--the Mini Starter Kit and the In Color add-on to the standard Starter Kit--are only available for a limited time, so you must act fast! Benefits of Becoming a Demonstrator whether you just love to stamp, or you want to grow a successful, thriving business, the Stampin' Up! opportunity is the right fit for you. Stampin' Up! demonstrators enjoy many benefits, with just a few listed below:

Product discount. Demonstrators get a 20 percent discount on all Stampin' Up! products, including stamp sets, paper, and accessories. It's a great way to support your love of stamping and paper crafting.

Extra income. You'll earn extra income based on your sales and recruiting--how much extra income is up to you. Maybe you just want enough income to pay the electric bill every month, or maybe your goal is bigger--the monthly payment for your new car--it's your decision! See the Compensation Table for more information.

Flexible schedule. This is your business, so you can put in as much (or as little) time as you'd like.

Support from Stampin' Up! We love our demonstrators and it shows through our demonstrator support materials, including a monthly magazine, workshop ideas, and audio and video trainings on all kinds of topics available on our Demonstrator Web Site.



Email me if you would like to take advantage of this special promotion. I would love to have you on my team!

New Catalog Today!

The 2009-2010 Stampin' Up! catalog goes live online today at noon (Mountain Time). As soon as it is available, I will out a link on my sidebar.

Get ready ..... get set .....

Sympathy Card

Sympathy cards are not fun to make and it's hard to get excited about one. But unfortunately, there are times when a sympathy card is needed.

I used mostly retired Stampin' Up cardstock and designer paper.


Recipe:

• Stamps: MSE
• Cardstock: River Rock, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, LeJardin DSP
• Ink: Chocolate Chip
• Accessories: ribbon, Marvy punches, Sizzix dies

Sneak Peak Set - Autumn Days

This is my project for next week's getogether for the FL Stamping Sisters group (a demo-only group)

We are having a shoe box swap using new items from Stampin' Up! I decided to do something other than a card this time. This is a cover for a 3x5 tablet.

Cut your base card stock at 5-1/4" x 7-5/8" Fold the cardstock in half (longways), then score at 3/8" on both sides of the center fold.

Fold the cardstock along the c enter fold and make two cuts about 1" from the top & bottom; stop cutting at the score lines. Fold the top and bottom sections in (valley fold) and the center section out (mountain fold). This will hold your pen.

Secure your tablet inside; I used multi-mono glue. Decorate the front as desired. The layer of DSP was cut at 3-1/8" x 5"

Recipe:

• Stampset: Autumn Days
• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Lovely Flowers DSP (from Hostess Level 3)
• Ink: Chocolate Chip
• Accessories: brads, scalloped border punch

Stampin 411 Sketch Challenge

This card is my entry for the Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge.

This was a fun sketch and I'm sure I'll be using it again. The floral image was stamped then colored with markers. I put some Crystal Effects over the flowers to make them pop.

I like this card, but it is rather bland and the 1" strips of DSP are "lost." If I use So Saffron again, I'll use Chocolate Chip as the base and add a layer of Chocolate Chip under the 1" strips of DSP.





Recipe:

• Stamps: Sweet Stems, Oval All
• CS: So Saffron, Whisper White
• DSP - Tea Party, SAB paper
• Ink: Basic Black, So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery
• Accessories: Crystal Effects, large and scalloped oval punches

Late Night Stampers designers

Check out these great blogs for some wonderful card and rubberstamping projects! These ladies design for the Late Night Stampers yahoo group.

1.Gretchen Barron gbarron56@comcast.net http://gretchenbarron.typepad.com/
2. Barbara Dondero barbaradondero@gmail.com http://BarbsStampingSpot.blogspot.com
3. Tammy Fite stampinmama@comcast.net www.stampwithtammy.com
4 Judy Jackson JudyStamper@verizon.net
5. Mary Brown mary@stampercamper.com http://stampercamper.com/
6.Sarah Wills sarahwills@austin.rr.com http://sarahsinkspot.blogspot.com/
7.Selene Kempton e.selene@verizon.net http://stampinfunwithselene.blogspot.com/
8.Virginia Killmore vkillmore@gmail.com http://virginias-website.blogspot.com/
9. Elizabeth Sloman sloman4100@bellsouth.net www.mamastamper.com
10.Marisol Gutierrez atouchof_sol@yahoo.com http://atouchofsol.blogspot.com/
11. Dawn Bullock Dbullock28@comcast.net www.stampincreations.blogspot.com
12.Sandi MacIver sandi_maciver@comcast.net http://www.sandimaciver.com/sandi_maciver/
13.Stephanie Sullins stephenandsteph@earthlink.net http://owlwhimsy.blogspot.com
14.Susan Shields blestmomof6@cox.net http://createdwithlovebysusan.blogspot.com/
15. Rebekah "Becky" Jens en www.stampthat.com
16. Heidi Michel heartfeltblessings@gmail.com www.heartfeltblessings.blogspot.com
17. Barb Slaughter stamper0910@yahoo.com
18. Lisa Milliron uniquedesignsbylisa@windstream.net http://www.uniquedesignsbylisa.typepad.com/
19 Connie Babbert iluvstamping@columbus.rr.com http://inkspiredtreasures.com/
20 Nancy Dawson nancy@centralva.net http://creativewishes.blogspot.com
21 Bethany Keeney bethanykeeney@hotmail.com http://keeneyfarm.blogspot.com/
22 Kirsten Brown stampinsilly@gmail.com http://imstampinsilly.blogspot.com/
23. Mary Jo Price-Williams technostamper@roadrunner.com http://technostamper.blogspot.com/
24. Elizabeth Hurst stampwithelizabeth@gmail.com www.animalscraps.blogspot.com
25. Vivian Swain florida_scrapper@earthlink.net http://floridastampinwithvivian.blogspot.com/

Home from vacation

We returned home last night from vacationing in Tennessee. My husband's family lives there and it was nice to visit with them again.

Now it's time to relax for a while and get caught up around the house with such chores as laundry and mowing the yard. Apparently there was quite a bit of rain while we were away and the grass has grown a LOT!