I'm really, really tempted....

Another card from Sue.

Do you recognize the hat????

I'm really tempted to do a series of Owls with all of the Sock Monkey accessories.... but I think Judy would shoot me.

Just think:
- Owl Birthday
- Owl Baby
- Owl Graduate

What a HOOT!

The owl is one of our new punches! The punch creates all of the little pieces you need to create your cute little owl!

Always

Here's another card from Sue. Color combo - pretty in pink, crumb cake (the color formerly known as Kraft - yes that was a Prince reference), and bravo burgundy.

It's orange and pretty and NOT a Sock Monkey....

Another card from my friend Sue's trip. I love it when my friends go on stamping vacations!

This card uses the Greenhouse Garden stamp set (113824, $25.95 wood-mount only), Peach Parfait and Daffodil Delight.

Love it!

Can you tell what punch this was made from?

My friend, Sue, spent a good part of the summer in Wisconsin and being the awesome stamper that she is, she went to several Stampin' Up workshops. She let me take pictures. Here is the first project.

Did you figure it out yet?

Scroll down for the answer....

















Butterfly punch!

Monkey Money????

What do you use to buy Sock Monkey stamps? Why, monkey money, of course!

My friend Judy left me an envelope titled, "Monkey Money". What a hoot!

Thanks a bunch, Jude! (ha! ha!)

Sockey Monkey - Card Collection

The whole collection...

Sock Monkey - Easter Bunny! (my favorite)

Color Combo - Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake
Technique - Markers
Ribbon - Pear Pizzazz Poly Twill Ribbon

This is my favorite Sock Monkey. What's yours?

Sock Monkey - Thanks a Bunch!

Color Combo - Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler
Technique - Markers
Punches - Designer Label Large, 1" Circle Medium, Eyelet Border
Embossing Folder - Square Lattice

Sock Monkey - Pumpkin

Color Combo - Soft Suede, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie
Technique - Markers, Wheel
Ribbon - It's NOT a ribbon, it's a punch! How cute is that?
Wheel - Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel

Sock Monkey - Graduate

Color Combo - Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze
Technique - Markers, Blender Pens
Ribbon - Poppy Parade Poly Twill

Sock Monkey - Birthday

Color Combo - Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Technique - Paper piecing

Sock Monkey - Santa

Color Combo - Cherry Cobbler, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake
Technique - Paper piecing
Ribbon - Early Espresso 1/8" Tafetta

Cleo hiking in the woods...

Cleo doesn't like to miss out on much, especially if Tom is involved. Here's a picture of Cleo geocaching in the woods!

Sock Monkey - Baby

Color Combo - Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight
Technique - Paper piecing
Designer Paper (on monkey) - Greenhouse Gala

Summer Stamp-a-stack - Clean and simple stamping!

Come make 12 cards for $15 at the end of the summer Stamp-a-stack! We will make 4 cards of three different designs. These cards are quick and easy with no cutting and only a teensy, weensy bit of coloring.

These cards are perfect for any occasion. Customize the inside with the greeting of your choice.

Email me to reserve your spot! Friday, August 27th. Register for the early start time, 6:00 pm, or the later start time, 8:00 pm.

Sock Monkey Card Box!

Stamps
Sock Monkey ($26.95, 111550)

Ink
Basic Black Classic Ink ($5.95, 111179)
Early Espresso Classic Ink ($5.95, 119670)
Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink ($5.95, 119669)

Paper
Cherry Cobbler Card Stock($6.95, 119685),
Early Espresso Card Stock($6.95, 119686),
Whisper White Card Stock ($8.50, 100730)
Crumb Cake Card Stock ($6.95, 120953)

Sizzix
Embossed with Square Lattice Embossing Folder( $7.95, 119976),
Sizzix Top Note Die ($21.95, 113463)
Big Shot ($99.95, 113439)

Accessories
Antique Brads($5.95, 117273)
1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Early Espresso ($9.95, 119961)
1/8" inch Tafetta Ribbon - Daffodil Delight ($5.95, 119254)
Blender Pens ($9.95, 102845)
Brayer ($12.50, 102395)
Stampin' Write Marker - Daffodil Delight ($3.50, 119677)
Stampin' Write Marker - Pear Pizzazz ($14.95, 119801 - full set of In Color markers)
Stampin' Write Marker - Cherry Cobbler ($3.50, 119681)

To create the texture on Monkey, brayer Early Espresso Ink onto the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. Emboss using the Big Shot!

This card uses the paper piecing technique. I stamped the monkey once on Whisper White card stock and again on Crumb Cake card stock. Then I brayered Early Espresso ink onto the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and embossed using the Big Shot! I cut out the monkey from the Crumb Cake and pieced it on top of the monkey stamped on the Whisper White card stock. Time consuming, but a really cool effect!

I colored the flower with Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Cherry Cobbler markers, and cut the flower very carefully. :) The monkey's mouth is colored with Cherry Cobbler Classic ink and a blender pen.

This was TONS of fun! Wait until you see the cards that fit inside!

Stay tuned....

It can only mean one thing....

when I wake up in the morning with Dimensionals stuck to my jammies......

my creative mo-jo-jo-j0 is starting to JIVE!

It's been a crazy, busy summer. This weekend was the first weekend I had time to play in a LONG time! I earned 6 free stamp sets this spring and after a lengthy debate I got the sock monkey stamp set and sock monkey accessories as two of my freebies. I made 8 sock monkey cards AND a sock monkey gift box to hold all of the cards. They are my FAV types of cards -- lots of cutting, coloring and layers. This weekend my FAV colors were Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso. I'm not usually much of a red girl (after all, who needs red when pink and green exist?), BUT this Cherry Cobbler color is very cool.

So, now that I've actually posted again, and I've pre-ordered some very fun things from the HOLIDAY MINI!!, now it's off to bed so I have a chance of getting up when my alarm goes off at its ungodly hour...

sooooo pictures of my sock monkeys will need to wait for another day.

Bargain Hunter Alert

Are you a bargain hunter, always looking for a good deal? During the month of June you can join Stampin' Up for only $99. For $99 you get....
- over $180 in retail value including 2 stamp sets and 1 single stamp (your choice at same/equal value as the ones in the kit), Clear Block C, two packs of card stock, 4 classic stamp pads, taffeta ribbon, NEW color coach, snail adhesive, 8 catalogs, and all the forms needed to get your business up and going!
- 30% off your first order
- 20% off all future orders
- opportunities to earn FREE stamp sets and other products
- opportunities to attend Convention each year
- opportunities to attend local Regional seminars (i.e. mini conventions)
- opportunities to earn FREE trips (e.g. Alaskan Cruise)
- a monthly magazine filled with LOTS of great ideas and fun projects
- access to a website filled with TONS of creative and business ideas
- membership on my team, Doodlers, Ink., a group of fun, inspired, stamping addicts who get together every other month to talk, play and share creative ideas. :)

If you decide you no longer want to be a demonstrator, you can stop any time.
There is NO time period commitment and NO obligation. To be an active demonstrator, you only need to meet a small quarterly minimum of $300, which includes any money you spend on products! If you join in June, your first $300 in sales/purchases isn't due until the end of September!

My goal is to help my team achieve the creative and/or business goals that THEY want to achieve. It is low pressure. If you just want to be a hobbyist, that's fine. If you want to build a business, that's fine too. You don't have to do what I do -- you can do what you can/want to do.

Whether you are are a hobbyist, looking to make a little extra money or looking to start a business, joining Stampin' Up may be just what you are looking for!

Feel free to email or call me. There's no pressure, just information. :) Ready to join? Log onto my website, click JOIN NOW, and enter the password, "doodles". You can log in just to get the information without committing to anything. :)

Elements of Style

From my friend, Cindy, a glittery card using our fine Cosmo glitter and Elements of Style. The scallop oval is also a Sizzix die!

King of the Grill!

With the nice weather FINALLY here, it's time to barbeque! For Memorial Day, we had a picnic with family on Sunday and a picnic with friends on Monday.

It was nice to be outside. My niece and nephew call me Aunt Kiki. What's cooler than that?!?

Our friend, Dan, is the TRUE king of the grill. When he's grilling for a party, he'll be outside by 6 AM! We had the pleasure of his efforts on Monday.

This stamp set, King of the Grill, is perfect for Father's Day, a masculine birthday or any occasion for your favorite guy!

On creativity...

When you create, do you feel that it is WRONG to copy? Do you feel a sense of guilt that you didn't come up with the idea all on your own?

Well, my friends, there is nothing wrong with copying an idea (as long as you don't promote it as your own). Through my glorious experience as a demo, I've had the opportunity to meet and be-friend women from all over the country... even several women in the top echelon of Stampin' Up demos. EVERY demonstrator that I know gets inspiration from other demos! In fact, we have a website FULL of ideas just for demos from which to copy ideas from. :)

Creativity requires time, which we don't always have a lot of to spare, so if you COPY an idea, embrace it, enjoy it and have FUN! It just feels good to make something with your own two hands, look at it and say, "I made that". Now tell the whispers in your head to shut up, so what if it wasn't your idea!

Happy Stampin'!

Love this card!

Here's another swap I received from my mail-in swap. I LOVE THIS CARD! When you pull the tab, the card folds up revealing a party invitation!

What a great idea for a summer party!

Want to learn how? Let me know!

Totally Tool and a simple technique

This card uses a technique called "Grounding". See the shading under the hammer? Ot's what grounds the hammer so it's not floating in air. This technique is often used under the wheels of a bike or car, or under a person or object. See p. 59 (the vehicles), p. 82 (the robot), p. 89 (the dog), p. 92 (the animals), p. 103 (the chair, flowerpot and basket) from the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog for other examples.

All it takes is a little soft suede or basic gray ink and a blender pen and you'll be "grounding" like a pro. Give it a try and post your comments!

On a Pedestal

Another swap from my trip to Phoenix. (I told you it was a good trip!)...

Color combo - Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay

Don't you love how the cherry is tipped on the side? When we create, we often try to line things up perfectly. Next time you make a card, try something a little "tipsy" and let me know how it works out!

Do you remember the book about the Kangaroo with no pockets?

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was Katy No Pocket (I think that was the name). It was about a mother kangaroo who didn't have a pocket to carry her baby kangaroo. She wandered into the city, met a carpenter who gave her his carpenter apron, and then she had pockets galore to hold her baby and other little animals.

This kangaroo has a great pocket with lots of fun things to put in her pocket, including a baby kangaroo! I might need to break down and buy this set, Build-a-Roo ($25.96, set of 10), it brings back good memories. :) It's versatile enough to be used for many occasions - birthday, Valentine's Day, new baby, thank you, general love and friendship..... hmmm.... so many stamp sets, so little time. :)

Thoughts and Prayers

Here's another swap from my Leadership Convention in Phoenix. The stamp set, Thoughts and Prayers ($25.95, set of 8), is focused on comforting friends in time of sickness and loss, but the tree and flower stamps can be used for many occasions.

The layout of this card could be used with lots of stamp sets.

Wanted

My downline, Jenny, made this cute card for our demonstrator team swap.

A little bit of magic...

This stamp set, A Little Bit of Magic, reminds me of the fairies I painted on Sarah's wall when she was little, whimsical and cute. I love the textured background made by the square lattice embossing folder ($7.95).

This is from a mail in swap. All products are from the Summer Mini.

On creativity....

Do you ever find that your expectations of yourself are a little too high? Do you expect that every time you sit down you should be able to create a masterpiece? I was browsing blogs of some very talented demonstrators and I found that I had idea overload. When I sat down to design cards for some upcoming classes, nothing I made seemed good enough. I was in a creativity drought!

What to do? I asked myself what it was that I liked about the projects I had just seen. Layers, layers and more layers, unconventional sizes, layouts and texture.... So I started playing. The first card I made looked a lot like this one except instead of old olive, it was turquoise. I liked it for a day or so and then ripped off all of the layers and re-made the card on Old Olive card stock. I kept playing for a while longer and ended up with the cool butterfly card that is featured in my June 4th stamp-a-stack class!

To me creativity is about trying new things, persevering when you doubt yourself, the courage to make things you aren't sure are going to turnout, keeping your expectations reasonable and just PLAYING. :)

More Sweet Scoops!

The colors look as yummy as the ice cream. A cute combo of crushed curry, melon mambo and chocolate chip this card is sure to please!

I received this card in a mail-in swap coordinated by a demo friend in PA.

Watercolor Trio

It's amazing what a few markers can do....

This beautiful card is another I received from my mail-in swap! I love the colors: Melon Mambo, So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive and Basic Black!

I may have to buy this stamp set just to make this card! This beautiful set of 7 stamps includes 3 floral images, three greetings and the cute little butterfly. Starting at $16.95 for clear-mount stamps, it's a bargain you won't want to miss!

Sweet Scoops

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Put together your own ice cream social with our Two-Step Stampin’ Sweet Scoops set. Complete with hard or soft serve options, your choice of a cake cone or sugar cone, and some tasty toppings, you’ll be able to create a different ice cream delight for each of your projects. Get scoopin’ with this set on your next scrapbook page, birthday card, or party invitation. Available in wood-mount and clear-mount. Also available in French.

Set Quantity: 8

Sweet Scoops	117078
Price: $18.95 wood-mount, $14.95 clear-mount

This stamp set is perfect for summer birthday cards and invitations!

On this card, the ice cream is stamped in So Saffron, Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery. The ripples of the ice cream were stamped off in More Mustard, Not Quite Navy and Garden Green. The cone is stamped in Soft Suede on Kraft. Quick and easy!

June 4th Stamp-a-stack!

I just finished planning my June Stamp-a-stack! This group of cards was designed with NO water coloring, very limited hand-cutting and cards generic enough to apply to ANY occasion. Choose your own greeting to customize the cards for your upcoming celebrations.

Join us on June 4th at 7 PM to make 12 quick and easy cards! Class fee: $15. RSVP now to save your spot!

And the winner of the free stamp set is.....

Karen Sladden!

Karen - Thanks so much for posting comments. You've won the Hostess Level 1 Stamp set: Holiday Best!

Congrats!

Congrats, Grad!

Here's another Summer Mini Swap that I received. I love the layout of this card!

Elements of Style - Summer Mini

Here's one of the cards I received from my Summer Mini swap. It was made by my friend, Karen Burke. I like her color combo: Kraft, Bravo Burgundy, Regal Rose and Bashful Blue. Her ribbon technique is really cool too.

6x6 Technique Scrap book

I love this scrap book from the Summer Mini. I love polka dots and old olive, so what's not to love. The cover is a very durable vinyl, perfect for a technique book. Since I will be teaching more technique classes over the next few months, so I wanted to make a nice book to display them in. I was able to adhere design right to the front of the album. The techniques will be on 6x6 scrapbook pages so it will be a perfect fit.

I used the Scallop Oval Die, the Flower Fusion Sizzlit, the leaf from the Flower Layers Die and the smaller leaves from the XL Bird Punch.

Technique Tuesday - It's a piece of cake!

I hope you will join us on Tuesday, May 18th for Technique Tuesday. This class is a piece of cake!

Learn how to:
- make a GORGEOUS 3-D flower using one of my favorite punches
- make a goodie box shaped like a piece of cake
- use baby wipes(???) as a stamp pad
- dry emboss using the Sizzix!

I promise you will be inspired and have fun!

Materials to bring:
- adhesive (SNAIL/Tombow)
- Sticky strip tape (red tape)
- bone folder (if you have one)
- paper piercing tool (if you have one)

The class is from 6:30-9:00 PM at my house in Webster. Kindly RSVP by Sunday, May 16th. Class fee: $15 or FREE with a $50 purchase. See you then!

Happy Mother's Day! (Mom - don't open until Monday)

One of my mom's charming characteristics is that blue is her favorite color. Well, it's more than that, blue is the only color.... I love to tease her about it. Everything in her house matches, because, well, it's blue. My mom's home is beautiful; she has a knack for decorating. So, for Mother's Day I had to make her some blue decorative things for her house.

Happy Mother's Day, mom, I love you!

I'm giving away a free stamp set!!!!

Post a comment on my blog by 5 PM on Sunday and you may win a FREE stamp set!

Are you excited about the new Mini Catalog?????

One of my goals is to work hard to always bring you fresh, current ideas. This weekend I made 25 cards out of the new stamp set, Itty Bitty Bits, from the Summer Mini. I'll be mailing them off to my friend in PA who is organizing a swap. In early May, I'll get back 25 cards. Each card will feature a stamp set from the Summer Mini! I will have LOTS of fresh ideas to share with you so you can see the new stamps in action! If you saw my post on Monday, you saw "Sweet Scoops" (I earned that stamp set for FREE!).

Here's the card I made for the swap. The flowers are stamped in So Saffron and punch with the mini flower punch from the punch pack. The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. The leaves are from the two step bird punch.

Enjoy!

Did you know.....

Did you know that when you shop online, you can order from the Clearance Rack and get products up to 60% off??? How cool is that? Designer paper is only $3.99! Corduroy buttons $3.99. (The corduroy buttons can be found in Baja Breeze and Pacific Point, two colors that are returning as core colors in July. What a bargain!)

Stampin' Up! just announced that the following items from the Occasions catalog will be carried over. You can order them online and they will also appear in upcoming catalogs.

Yeah - the Butterfly embosslit is carrying over!

STMP = stamp set, WM = wood mount, CM = clear mount

Item #	Description	Price
116519	Charming STMP	$19.95
117690	Vintage Vogue WM	$23.95
118598	Vintage Vogue CM	$17.95
118882	Vague vinatge WM	$23.95
119109	Vague vinatge CM	$17.95
118091	Tiny Tags WM	$22.95
118592	Tiny Tags CM	$16.95
117535	DÉCOR ELEMENTS F IS FOR FOX CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117536	DÉCOR ELEMENTS G IS FOR GIRAFFE CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117529	DÉCOR ELEMENTS IS FOR BLACK	$1.95
117541	DÉCOR ELEMENTS L IS FOR LION CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117542	DÉCOR ELEMENTS M IS FOR MONKEY CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117544	DÉCOR ELEMENTS O IS FOR OWL CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117528	DÉCOR ELEMENTS SCALLOP FRAME BLACK	$6.95
117549	DÉCOR ELEMENTS T IS FOR TURTLE CHOCOLATE	$4.95
117552	DÉCOR ELEMENTS W IS FOR WHALE CHOCOLATE	$4.95
118072	PNCH CRNR PINKING HEARTS	$9.95
118870	PNCH CRNR SCALLOP TRIM	$9.95
117191	PNCH LG 2 STEP BIRD	$15.95
118073	PNCH LG FANCY FLOWER	$15.95
117649	PNCH MD BRDR PINKING HEARTS	$15.95
117190	PNCH MD JEWELRY TAG	$10.95
117193	PNCH SM SMALL HEART	$5.95
117310	SZX BIGZ L MINI MILK CARTON	$32.95
118138	SZX EMBSLTS BEAUTIFUL WINGS	$11.95
117332	SZX EMBSLTS SCALLOPED HEART OF HEARTS	$11.95
117335	SZX TI PERFECT POLKA DOTS	$7.95
120435	HEART TREAT CUPS	$2.95

The following products will not be featured in upcoming catalogs.

116772	RECIPES BY DESIGN	$24.95
118139	DS FOLK FLOWERS -SHELLI SIGNATURE COLLECTION	$12.95
117597	DS PAISLEY PATTERNS 2-STEP	$14.95

Shhhh..... don't tell!

Tonight is my downline meeting. The Doodlers, Ink. team is coming over and I have some surprises for them!

I'm unveiling my recognition program. I like to give presents, so this should be lots of fun. I'll be telling my team how they can earn more presents and more free stuff from me!

We always stamp at our meetings. Here's the card we are making together. Fun!


Oh, and I have another surprise for them too!