Happy Birthday Dear Friend

Good Morning,

Today's post is a birthday card.  It does not have a cupcake or candles or bright birthday colors, but it is a birthday card.  I made this card for a dear friend.  Her birthday fell right in the middle of our big ice/snowstorm, therefore we were a little late celebrating with her.  However, last Saturday night we got together with a bunch of old friends for the celebration.  Of course, I got to the party, and then realized I had left her gift and card at home.  That is pretty much how life goes on at my house, but oh well---we will get together later this week or next and her birthday will be celebrated yet again.

Soooo, here's the non-traditional birthday card!  As you can tell I am really into the embossing folders and my Big Shot.  I simply love my Big Shot.  I could not live without it.

RECIPE:
             Paper:  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, &
                          Pink Pirouette Card Stock
             Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede, &
                    Versamark
             Stamp Sets:  Notably Ornate &
                                  Tiny Tags
             Embossing:  Black Stampin' Emboss
                                   Powder, Embossing
                                   Buddy, & Heat Tool
             Ribbon:  Victoria Crochet Trim &
                             11/4 inch Pink Piroutette
                             Grossgrain (retired, but
                             still on the clearance rack)
             Tools:  Big Shot & Vintage Wallpaper
                          Embossing Folder
             Adhesives:  Snail & Stampin' Dimensionals

I hope you find some inspiration from this card.  Don't forget to call me if you have any questions or would like to place an order.

Happy Stampin',

Janice

TUESDAY TIP

I have been thinking for a long time that I would do a "Tuesday Tip".  This tip could be anything from organizing your stampin' space to layout/design ideas.  I am not sure I will have a tip each and every Tuesday, but I will try very hard to do so.

This tip comes from fellow SU demonstrator Patty Bennett, you can find her blog here:  http://www.pattystamps.com/.  Patty is an award winning SU demonstrator, and her blog always has great ideas.

Today's Tuesday Tip concerns storage.  If you are like me, you are always looking for a better way to store and organize your things.  My little area of the utility room is overflowing, so this was a great idea that I plan to use.

Since my Christmas Card Class in November I have had partial packages of the beautiful Basic Pearls lying around on my desk.  I am afraid to put them anywhere as I don't want the pearls to come off and get lost.  In the clean-up after the class all of the little cellophane sleeves they came in got thrown away.  Also, I absolutely hate trying to get them back in the sleeves due to the adhesive on the flap where you open and close the sleeve, you all know what I mean.  Anyway, Patty came up with, what I consider, a brilliant solution.  Store them in the Clear Mount Stamp Cases,  These are found of page 192 of the IBC.  The cost is $4.95 for 4 cases.  Rest assured, these will be on my next order.

Below is a picture I borrowed from Patty's Blog,  Be sure to visit her blog for some great ideas!

See what I mean?  Isn't this the best idea ever.  These cases are slim and stand up on the end.  I can't wait to get all my little pearls and rhinestones organized and off the top of my desk.


Ta Ta for now & check back tomorrow for a different sort of birthday card!

Janice

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TIMES 2

I hope each of you have had a wonderful day, and have been able to share it with your family and friends.  To our family, Valentine's Day is not just a time for lovey dovey, but also a day to show our children how much they are loved too.  Every year we get them candy and a special card.  This is the same thing my mom did for my sister, brother, and I.  It is a great family tradition, and one I hope my children will continue with their families one day.

Today is also a day to remember how much our Lord loves us too.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave us His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life"  John 3:16.  He gave His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins.  That is the true definition of love--the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Now on to the Valentine's Day cards I finally got around to making this afternoon.  They are similar in layout, yet very different.

The first is a card I made for my son to give his sweet girlfriend, Shelby.  She is a sweet girl, and she loves purple.  I chose Concord Crush for her card.  The new Stampin' Up! Color Coach suggested I pair Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz with the Concord Crush.  I did so, and then found out that orange is another of Shelby's favorite colors.  I hope she liked her card!

RECIPE:  Paper-Concord Crush, Peach Parfait,
                         Pear Pizzazz,
                         Whisper White Card stock
               Ink-Concord Crush & Pear Pizzazz Pads
               Stamps-Be My Valentine
               Tools-Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots &
                         Framed Tulips Embossing Folders
               Embellishments-Whisper White Organza
                                         Ribbon, Regals Buttons,
                                         Sherbet Buttons(retired)
               Adhesives-Snail & Stampin' Dimensionals

The next card is the one I made for my dear husband.  Last August we celebrated 30 years of marriage.  WOO HOO!!!  I can't believe we have been married that long.  His card is turned to go up and down, where Shelby's goes side to side.  They are not the same layout, but I definitely used hers as a prototype for his.  ENJOY!

RECIPE:  Paper-Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, &
                         Very Vanilla Card stock
                Ink-Cherry Cobbler
                Stamps-Be My Valentine &
                           Wonderful Words (retired)
                Tools-Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots &
                         Framed Tulips Embossing Folders

It is good to be back to the blogging world!!! Hold me accountable to continue posting several times each week.


Happy Valentine's Day,

Janice

COMING SOON

I know, I know; I have been away for months now.  I think that everyday I am going to get some pictures made and posted, but it just does not seem to happen.  However, it is a well into a new year, and I plan to be more aggressive in posting to my SU blog. 

Since I have posted lots of things have gone on in my life.  The most important thing for my blog is that I did get a new computer.  The new computer will make it so much easier to upload photos as it has a place to simply "plug in" my camera memory card.  I purchased a card just for taking pictures of my creations, so I can fast and easily sort through my pics and post the one I want. 

It is supposed to be a wonderful weather weekend here in North Texas, so I hope to get outside and take shots of all of my cards.  Believe me, I have plenty of cards to fill up several weeks of posts. 

Check back next week for lots of new cards and some Valentine ideas.  In the meantime, spend time with the ones you love and cherish!!

Janice

Shower Invitations

Today's post is a very simple, yet elegant, shower invitation I was hired to do last week.  My dear friend, Pam, was in charge of getting shower invitations out for a wedding shower she is helping host.  The day she was going to work on the invitations, she woke up with terrible vertigo.  She has never had vertigo, and has no idea what caused this problem, but she had a terrible bout with it last week.  Thankfully, she is fine now. 

We had talked a few weeks ago about the shower invitations, and I was just going to help her with them.  Once she became so ill, I told her I would take care of them for her.  I had to work fast, and use only the supplies I had on hand, but the reward was worth the effort. 

The wedding is not until sometime this winter, and it is in Mexico, but the bride lives in California and Labor Day weekend is going to be her only visit to her home state of Texas before the wedding.  YIKES!!!!  The shower committee has once chance to bless her, and hopefully they will. 

The only thing she told the hostesses was that she was using the blue and orange colors in a Bird of Paradise flower.  I searched the Internet to be sure I knew what those colors were, and then the search through my stacks of card stock was on.  I was happy with what I came up with, as was Pam, but not all of the invitations are exactly alike.  There were two versions, and I like both, but now my Poppy Parade, Baja Breeze, and Pacific Point card stock is virtually gone.  I also had to use some retired Cameo Coral, but thankfully I loved that color and had stocked up before it was gone forever. 

RECIPE FOR CARD ON THE LEFT:

Card stock:  Baja Breeze,  Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Poppy Parade
Stamp:  Noteworthy (retired)

RECIPE FOR CARD ON THE RIGHT:
Card stock:  Pacific Point and Cameo Coral (retired), Very Vanilla
Ink:  Poppy Parade (stamped off and then applied to the card)
Stamp:  Noteworthy (retired)

This is the same format I used for my daughter's wedding invitation last fall.  Her colors were chocolate chip and ruby red.  The invitation was a 6X6 piece of chocolate chip, layered on top of that were the ruby red and very vanilla.  I stamped the little Noteworthy swirl in ruby red. 

Have a great Hump Day tomorrow,

Janice

Many things. . . .

Today has been very busy.  I had to drive Jonathan, my youngest non-driving teen, to and from several places this afternoon.  I had no errands to run, so it was just the back and forth sort of time killing kind of driving.  I live just far enough out of town for this to be a pain, but at least I got some quality time talking with Jon. 

I was busy over the weekend making 80 little mini-clipboards.  They are so cute.  I saw this idea on Angie Juda's blog http://chicnscratch.typepad.com/  a couple of years ago.  I have made many of these in the last couple of years.  I have used them as stocking stuffers at Christmas, to go in a gift basket full of goodies, as a little thank you gift for a workshop hostess, a little "just because" gift to many friends, and as a Make-n-Take at my most recent workshop.

The 80 clipboards I made this weekend will be used as little gifts at a women's retreat I will be attending in September.  I made them in different colors, since the ladies will be divided into smaller groups at the retreat.  I think they make the perfect little something for that special someone.  I have even made them with masculine paper for the guys in my life. 

RECIPE:  4-inch rectangular coasters:  I found these on the Internet, but can't remember where
                 Sticky notes and clips:  Wal Mart
                Paper:  Stampin' Up!:  Retired
                Ribbon:  Stampin' Up!:  Retired, but you could use any of the current ribbons that match your choice of current paper
                Stamp:  Refuge and Strength
               Ink:  SU Concord Crush

My summer is winding quickly to an end as school begins on Monday.  Actually, Jon is a manager for the football team, so our summer ended 2 weeks ago when football practice began.  It ended with a big bang as Jon had to be at the school at 5:45 A.M. for the last 2 weeks.  The coaches are trying to beat this August heat in Texas by practicing early in the morning.   This week practice is in the afternoon, since the teachers have workshops all week.  What a blessing to be able to grab one more week of sleeping in a little. 

Happy Stampin' and see you tomorrow with a shower invitation I made last week,

Janice

Busy days!

I don't have a picture of a project to post today, but I do have some things I will be sharing over the next few days.  I just haven't had time to photograph them yet.

The weekend flew by at our house.  I was in a meeting all day Saturday, and exhausted on Sunday.  Monday was spent at the doctor's office with my oldest son.  We thought he had broken his ankle, but it was just a bad sprain. The doctor has him take off work until Friday night, and it is already better.  By the time I got him to the doctor, went to Wal Mart twice to get his pain meds (the first time I forgot his prescription card), went to the pharmacy and got his boot, and took care of all the other numerous mommy things; my day was over. 

Today, I had a stamping job to take care.  A friend hired me to make the invitations for a wedding shower she is helping to host.  I will share those with you tomorrow.  I also hope to share pics of my stampin' space with you in the coming days.  It is a small area in my utility room, which I claimed about a year ago, but I love having my own space.  It is all green and pink and pretty, and I love it.  I just wish it was a little bit bigger.

Have a great rest of the week,

Janice