A Baja Christmas

Hello Stampin' Peeps!  Welcome to Wednesday at The Classic Card!

Despite the title of this post, I must admit that no, I'm not going to Baja for Christmas this year.  I'll be staying right here in Sherwood, up to my neck in decorating the house, cooking, cleaning, baking, wrapping, and entertaining family and friends.  And I'll be enjoying every minute of it!   The only thing tenuously connecting Christmas to Baja is the pretty Christmas card I have for you today, done in Baja Breeze.  Take a look and tell me what you think...



 

I received this card in a swap at the Stampin'Up! convention this summer.  Isn't the combination of Baja Breeze, Whisper White, and silver just so crisp and fresh and cool?  It reminds me of freshly fallen snow.  This beautiful card was created by Jessica Budacki. I think she did a great job of creating a cohesive card where all of the elements are well-balanced, don't you?

 

Here's a quick list of the supplies Jessica used, just in case you'd like to re-create her card:

 

Stamps:  Star Tree (single stamp, shown on page 19 of the Annual Catalog)

               Sentiment is from More Merry Messages, page 15 of the Annual Catalog

Ink:        Versamark stamp pad, embossed with Pewter Embossing Powder (both on page 159 of the 

               Annual Catalog)

Paper:     Whisper White and Baja Breeze card stock

                 Silver Glimmer Paper, page 160, Annual Catalog

Accessories:  Delicate Designs Embossing Folders, page 188, Annual Catalog

                      Basic Rhinestones, page 175, Annual Catalog

                      

Don't forget, you can shop with me 24/7 at my business web site www.susanrodgers.stampinup.net

 

Before I sign off today, I just want to say that I'm sure we're all thinking of the thousands upon thousands of people without homes, power, or the basic necessities of life.  Stampin'Up! always steps up when tragedy strikes and they have done so again this time, with a donation to the American Red Cross.  I'm thankful to be associated with such a caring and generous company.  My heart hurts when I contemplate the magnitude of the destruction and the lives lost. 

 

Well, that's about all for today, stampers!  I'm so appreciative of those of my customers who faithfully stop by each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to read my ramblings.  You are the best and I'm grateful to have you as customers and friends! 

See you on Friday!

Susan

 

 



Today's the Spooktacular Sale!

Hello to all of you soggy stampers and happy Monday!
Looks like it's going to be another wet week, but at least we aren't preparing for a mega-storm, so that is a blessing!

Wasn't it just a spectacularly wet weekend?  To tell you the truth, I was so busy that the weather didn't really register.  The weekend was full of fun with the grandchildren and fun with stamping customers, so it was great even though the weather wasn't the best.  Friday night my customer Amy held her party here and then Sunday was my annual Think Pink event.  And let me say... it was PINK!  We had raspberry lemonade, strawberry cupcakes with pink icing and pink sprinkles, and even some rolled sandwiches that were pink (well, ham is pink).  We made 2 fun-fold cards (both were pink, of course) and almost everyone who attended wore pink. Even the door prizes were pink!  It was a pinkalicious day indeed! 

But let's get to today's news... the Sell-a-stamp Spooktacular Sale... where for one day (today, Monday October 29th), you'll get 15% off all stamp sets, single stamps, personalized stamps, and cookie stamps. (The fine print...   bundled products are not included, nor are hostess sets or digital stamp brush sets that are used with My Digital Studio).

If you would like to order a stamp set or two, contact me by phone or email to place your order if you'd like to save on the $6.95 minimum shipping charge.  I will be placing an order this afternoon, so get your order to me by noon today.  That way, you'll only pay 10% for shipping.  I will take your credit card number over the phone, or you can send me a check.... whatever you prefer works for me.

Since today is the Spooktacular Sale, I thought I'd show you a spooktacular card.  Check it out...

This is yet another swap card, so I can't take credit for the great layout and choice of stamps.  This card is the work of an anonymous demonstrator who was on the Hilton Head Getaway trip with me.  I'm not sure why anyone would go to all the trouble of participating in an organized swap and not bother putting their name on the card, but there is nothing on the back to identify the creator.  So, while I would like to give the proper credit, I cannot. 
I'm not a big fan of scary, gory, or creepy Halloween cards and decorations, but I think this card has just the right mix of gothic-looking elements (the gate, the raven, and the ornate pattern stamped in Basic Black on the Tangerine Tango strip) and a Halloween-y color scheme.  Let's go over what Ms. Anonymous used:

Stamps:  Toxic Treats (p. 25 of the Holiday catalog)
               Etruscan Elegance Jumbo Wheel (also on page 25)
Ink:        Basic Black, Tangerine Tango
Paper:    Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Tangerine Tango, Basic Gray
Accessories: Lacy Brocade embossing folder ( p. 6 of the Holiday catalog)
               Label Collection Framelits ( p. 191 of the Annual catalog)
               Dotted Ribbon Scallop Border punch (p. 183 of the Annual catalog)

Speaking of Halloween... do you have your candy yet?  I have a giant bag of Tootsie Roll pops... my "go to" candy for Halloween for many years.  There are two big reasons I keep buying these year after year.  First and most importantly, I do not like Tootsie Roll pops.  I'm not the least bit tempted to even open the bag, let alone eat one.  The same cannot be said for yummy goodies like Twix bars
(love those!) or the dark chocolate mint 3 Musketeers bars (addictive!) or any kind of Milky Way bars (dark or regular... I don't discriminate!).  The second big reason I buy the Tootsie Roll pops is that they come 300 to a bag, which I find very reassuring, as I don't want to run out of Halloween candy just when the high-schoolers show up with their king-sized pillowcases.  That would be truly scary!  And the thought of my house draped in toilet paper is not at all appealing, so I want to make sure I have plenty of candy!

Hope everyone has a great Monday!  Don't forget to come back for a visit on Wednesday when I'll have another card that I hope you'll find inspiring.
Susan
  

Bare Branches

Hello Stampers!

Wow... how did it get to be Friday again already?  When I look at the calendar, I wonder what happened to October.  Of course I thought the same thing about September.  If only there was a way to slow things down!  Wasn't it summer just a few days ago? 

A glance out my stamp room window confirms that summer is long gone.  The birch trees are almost bare and this morning there was a little bird perched on one of the bare braches, which reminded me of this card that I made during the summer for one of my technique classes.  Although I showed this card at the class, we didn't actually make this one, so I'll describe the technique a bit so you can try it yourself. 

First, here's the card...

 The colors I used here are Cajun Craze for the card base, then So Saffron ( Stampin'Up!'s lightest yellow).  The flagged "ribbon" is Early Espresso which was run through the Big Shot with the new  woodgrain embossing folder ( page 33 of the Holiday catalog). The button is one of the new Naturals Designer Buttons ( page 176 of the Annual catalog).  They're not really wood, but they sure look like it! For the focal panel, I started with a piece of Glossy White card stock, ( page 160 of the annual catalog).  I used a brayer and brayered an even layer of So Saffron ink over the entire panel.  Next I stamped the branches and birds ( from the set Serene Silhouettes, page 75 of the Annual catalog) in Early Espresso ink.  I dried it with my heat gun so it wouldn't smear during the next step, which was to sponge on some Cajun Craze ink, being careful not to cover the whole panel.  I also edged the panel with Cajun Craze sponging, but if you want more of a sunrise or sunset look, sponge just about 2/3 of the panel, leaving 1/3 un-sponged. 

This would make a nice card for almost any occasion... a fall birthday, a Thanksgiving card, a thank-you note, a sympathy card, and I think it would work for a man as well as a woman.  Why not get out your stamps and try making a card like this?  I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy that more than just about anything else you have planned for today, unless you're jetting off to a tropical island for a vacation.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you'll have a wonderful Friday and an even more wonderful weekend.  I'll see you on Monday for another classic card!
Susan

Criss-Cross Card

Hello again!  Thanks for coming back this wintry Wednesday!

We are now in the thick of leaf season here on Pinehurst Drive.  They are coming down faster than the rain and of course the wind is giving them a big assist.  Have I mentioned that we will never buy another house on a corner lot?  Corner lots are just way too much work, especially when they are bordered on three sides with deciduous trees.  To make things easier for my yard man (aka John), I bought him a new leaf blower as an early birthday present, and I must say he's enjoying it so much he can barely put it down ( hahaha... he's out there for hours and still the leaves keep coming).  Soon leaf season will be over and John can go back to reading and playing Solitaire... I'm sure he's looking forward to that!

So while "yard man" is busily engaged with leaf collection, "stampin' girl" is laboring away in her upstairs room, getting ready for many upcoming events that are planned for your entertainment and enlightenment.  In fact, the card I'm showing you today is one that we'll be making on Sunday at my annual Think Pink party, where all of my profits will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  This style of card is known in card-making circles as a criss-cross card because (guess what), one side of the card crisses (there's really no such word!) while the other side crosses over it, creating a cute little envelope that holds an insert card.  Of course you can also stuff it with things like gift cards, "folding money," or diamond earrings... just whatever strikes your fancy.  Maybe the earrings would be a bit too much.  You could also give one of these to a stamping friend with a Stampin'Up! gift certificate in it.  And since I sell those, I can help you with that.  Just let me know who it's for and how much and I can take care of that for you!
OK... enough blathering... let's get to the card!

Again, sorry for the pesky date that is showing in the corner.  I will eventually fix this, but probably not anytime soon.  Yard man is too busy with leaves to look for the instruction manual for his camera. 

If you are one of the lucky folks who was able to get a spot at the stamping table for Sunday's Think Pink event, you will receive an instruction sheet with all of the measurements and directions for making this cute card.  Unfortunately, I cannot take any more reservations now... I'll be squeezing people in as it is.  The colors I used are Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Island Indigo, Riding Hood Red, and the Designer Paper is from the Twitterpated collection.  If you'd like to have the instruction sheet, please send me a quick email and I'll send you one.  The fun thing about these cards is that, while they are so easy to make, they are quite impressive-looking, so you can wow your friends and relatives with your advanced card-making skills!

OK, stamping people, that's it for today!  I can't promise you that I'll be back on Friday, as we are having a visit from the Seattle tribe, beginning this Thursday.  I'll try to write something Thursday night for publication on Friday, but I can't guarantee it.  So if I miss you on Friday, I'll be back on Monday with another classic card for your inspiration and enjoyment.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy stamping everyone!
Susan

An Apple a Day...

Hello My Stamping Buddies and Happy Monday!

Goodness!  That was one busy weekend!  It all started off on Friday night with the super-fun Bunco get-together!   Several stampers won hostess dollars to spend and others went home with some fun merchandise as well. Everyone had a great time.  We also made two fall-ish cards, ate pizza and salad, and then had Pumpkin Bars for dessert.  We'll be playing Bunco for prizes again during Sale-a-bration, so be looking for that announcement.

Whatever you did this weekend, I hope that it was a refreshing change from your usual routine and that you are now feeling relaxed and ready for the challenges of a new week.  To start your week out on a healthy note, I've got a fun apple card for you.  You know what they say about apples... "stamping an apple a day keeps depression away" so go ahead and stamp all the apples you can!

Here's the card...

I just love this fun "Perfectly Preserved" stamp set ( page 29 of the Holiday catalog).  It is so much fun to stamp the jar, lid, apple, and leaf and them cover them with the matching framelits, and then cut by cranking the paper through the big shot.  I'm not sure how we got along without these handy tools for so long.  I guess we did a lot of cutting my hand.

Here's a quick list of what I used for this card:

Stamps:  Perfectly Preserved, page 29 of Holiday catalog
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Early espresso
Paper:  Orchard Harvest Designer Series paper, p. 28 of Holiday catalog
             Very Vanilla ( for card base and jar)
             Early Espresso
             Lucky Limeaid ( for Label shape behind the jar)
Extras:  Early Espresso Baker's Twine, dimensionals
             Cannery Set Framelit Dies (page 29 of the Holiday catalog)
             Label Framelit Dies (also on page 29)
             Square Lattice Embossing folder
             Dimensionals

I want to apologize for the date that shows up on my photos.   As you know, my camera was lost on the Hilton Head trip, so now I'm using John's camera and we aren't sure how to turn off the date feature.  Hopefully John will be able to locate the instruction manual that came with the camera and we can turn this feature off. 

Thank you for stopping by today!  May the week ahead be a good one for all! 
Oh, and one more thing... don't forget to shop the Clearance Rack. Go to my business web site
www.susanrodgers.stampinup.net
 More goodies were added on Friday and there are some amazing deals!

Happy stamping!
Susan

Brown is Beautiful!

Hello Stampers and happy Friday!

The day that all working people look forward to is finally here.... yay for Fridays!  I remember how happy I was to see Fridays arrive, back in the days when I was working at a job with defined hours.    The only thing I looked forward to more than a Friday was a Friday that was also a pay day.  Now that I'm supposedly retired, I find that I can work more hours here at home than I ever have in my life!

I'm excited for my first ever Stampin'Up! Bunco Night tonight.  I've got some nice prizes wrapped up and some lucky stampers will be winning hostess dollars to spend.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  If Bunco Night is a big success, I will repeat it once during Sale-a-bration, which starts mid-January.

As many of you know, I'm a big fan of the color brown.  "Brown is the new black" they say and I have to admit that it is my favorite neutral at the moment.  I love the way it looks with almost any color you can name... Pink Pirouette, Bashful Blue, and So Saffron look amazing with it, as does Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeaid, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, and on and on.  In fact, I'm hard-pressed to think of a color that doesn't look great with my favorite brown... Early Espresso.  It adds a touch of sophistication wherever it goes and this card shows that perfectly.

This fabulous card was stamped by fellow demo Cheryl Brown, using the "believe" sentiment from the Snowflake Soiree stamp set (page 5 of the Holiday catalog).  The Designer Series Paper she used is found in the Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack that is at the top of page 20 in the Holiday catalog.  This thick pad of 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 paper is the perfect size for cards and there are so many pretty prints to choose from!  At only $6.95, I can't think of a better way to get a great assortment of prints for card-making! 

Cheryl paired the richness of Early Espresso with the refreshing blue of Baja Breeze, which yields a beautiful, if unconventional, color scheme for a holiday card.  There's no reason I can think of why Christmas cards have to feature either red or green or both.  Oh, I know.... the holly and the ivy and all that Northern European lore that so much of Christmas is built upon.   Sometimes it's nice to go for the unexpected--- shake things up a bit, get out of the rut. 

I love the way she "quilted" the whole card front by sending it through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.  It gives such great texture and a real quilted look.  The golden snowflake in the center of the card was cut from Champagne Glitter paper ( page 18 of the Holiday catalog) with the new Snow Flurry Bigz Die on page 14 of the Holiday catalog.  Thanks, Cheryl, for a great card!

Well, my friends, I'm off to set up the tables for the fun cards we'll be making tonight, right after we eat some hot and cheesy pizza!  After the cards are done, it'll be time to "roll 'em" (as in dice, not the cards, silly!)    Have a wonderful weekend everyone and please come back on Monday for more stamping inspiration.

Susan

A Little Fall Color

Hello Stamping Friends!

Welcome to Wednesday and thanks for stopping by for a visit to The Classic Card!

Yesterday was such a treat!  I just loved the break from the rain, the bright blue sky, and the gorgeous trees in our neighborhood.  It was our day to babysit Allie and we all enjoyed our sunny walk to the park where Allie spent a long time in the baby swing.  She loves being outside in the fresh air.  Fall is such a pretty time of year here in Oregon, at least when the sun is out. 

Today I've got a fall card for you, made by clever demonstrator Elizabeth Hurst.  I received this one during a swap I participated in while on the trip to Hilton Head Island.  I hope you aren't getting tired of these swaps, because I've still got a LOT to show you.  Of course, I'm only showing you the best of the best.  Check out this pretty fall color...



 

I love the colors she used!  The golden color of the focal image is a very close match to the leaves on the birch tree outside my stamp room window.    The stamp set is Day of Gratitude and the colors are More Mustard, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Tangerine Tango, and Soft Suede.  Look at the cute little corrugated top on the acorn.   That was cut from a Starbucks coffee sleeve with the Autumn Accents Bigz Die (p. 33 of the Holiday catalog).  See?  I told you she was clever!  I wouldn't have thought of that, but I'm certainly going to copy her idea.  She sponged it with some Chocolate Chip ink to give it a little extra dimension. 

Well, friends, that's it for today!  I'm busily preparing for Bunco Night this Friday.  I've got some fun prizes to give away,and all the hostess dollars will be given away as well.  It should be a hoot!

Please come back on Friday, when I'll have another card to show you.  Meanwhile, make the world a prettier place--- stamp!
Susan

Hot Cocoa, anyone???

Hello my friends!
And a blustery, rainy Monday it is!

If you are a crazed stamper like me, you might look out your window this morning and say "Yep, it's stamping weather!"  Stamping addicts look forward to this, as they no longer have to feel guilty for staying inside.  Everyone knows you can't garden much in the rain, nor can you pull weeds (well, I guess you could), but rain is the perfect excuse to leave the gardening and weed-pulling and leaf-raking for another day.  So once the beds are made and the house is tidied, you can sit down and stamp without guilt!  Oh, and before you get started on a stamping marathon, put something in the crock pot... pot roast, soup, or stew... and then you truly can stamp the day away!

The card I have for you today is a perfect match for the weather!  Take a peek and let me know what you think...

I received this yummy card in a swap and the minute I laid eyes on it, I was suddenly craving a cup of hot cocoa!  Now that we are experiencing the perfect weather for such things, I'll be stirring up a cup very soon!  Brandy Cox, one of the demonstrators on the Hilton Head trip made this cozy card.  The card stock colors are Very Vanilla and Early Espresso and the ink color is Chocolate Chip.  The cute little cup is part of the Scentsational Season stamp set (page 16 of the Holiday catalog) and it is cut out with the matching Holiday Collection Franelit (also on page 16 of  the Holiday catalog)  The lovely Fancy Fan embossing folder adds the perfet touch, as does the sparkly rhinestone in the center of the snowflake. 

I've got lots of stamping to do today, so I'll be up in my stamp room with a nice supply of Swiss Miss sugar-free cocoa mix and a handy microwave nearby.   If you aren't a big chocolate fan like me, there's always coffee, tea, or hot cider!

Have a great Monday everyone and enjoy our "stamping weather!"
Thanks for stopping in today and I'll look forward to chatting with you again on Wednesday!
Susan

One last summery card

Hello Stamping People!

Wasn't Thursday just another gorgeous day?  After the morning fog burned off, it was such a lovely afternoon!  The Seattle tribe is arriving today, so yesterday afternoon we did the Winco/Costco run and we remarked on how sunny and perfect the weather was.  We made a mental note to store the memory of coming out of Winco into sunshine and warmth, because soon we'll be wearing raincoats and dodging the raindrops.

If the Oregonian is correct in its forecasting, we are in for some heavy rain in the next few days.  Oh joy!  But before we completely turn the page on summer, here's one last summery card for you.

I received this card at a swap I participated in during the Getaway trip to Hilton Head Island from fellow demonstrator Sara Cimbaro of Colchester, Connecticut.   Doesn't this card just say "summer?"  I love the lemon/lime/orange citrusy color scheme and love the new Chevron embossing folder as well.  The stamp set Summer Silhouettes is also one of my new favorites from the annual catalog.  This great stamp isn't just for summer. It can be used all year... whenever a flowery, girly card is needed.  I'm not sure where the sentiment came from, but you can find the same "I'm here for you" sentiment on page 87 of the annual catalog.  It is part of the Blooming with Kindness set.  The colors Sara used on this card are Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeaid, Tangerine Tango, and Melon Mambo.  Thanks, Sara, for a great card!

Keep this card in mind for a cold rainy day.  Its warm, bright colors will bring back a bit of summer!
You could also change this up a bit by using an autumn color scheme.  With a quick change of the sentiment, it would make a great card for a friend with a fall birthday

Well, stampers, I'm going to shift into "Bed and Breakfast" mode now and start making up the upstairs beds with fresh sheets and stocking the bathroom with all the necessities.  As we are celebrating two birthdays, I've got some baking to do as well.  It will be a jam-packed weekend... a little crazy but fun too!

Hope your weekend will be great!
Don't forget.... make the world a prettier place... stamp!
Please come back and visit again on Monday.
Susan

 

Sparkle Plenty

Hello there stampin' people! 
Thanks for stopping by The Classic Card today!

I hate to mention it, but the weather report is starting to look like our extended Indian Summer is coming to an abrupt halt.  I wish the sunny days could go on forever, but I grudgingly admit that we need the rain.  If nothing else, it will provide an end to our astronomical water bills.  That green lawn out front takes a lot of "green" to keep it looking that way!  The patio furniture is now stowed safely in the garage, along with the outdoor umbrellas and the grill.  Sigh!  It was a great summer, wasn't it?

So now it is time to leave summer behind and focus on the upcoming holidays.  And today's card, with its holiday bling is designed to help you do just that.   Take a peek at some holiday sparkle...

Of course this photo doesn't do justice to the super-sparkly snowflake, but if you've seen Stampin'Up!'s Silver Glimmer paper, then you know how pretty this is in reality.  This pretty card was made by fellow demo Kory Keller.  I love her work and thought you would too.  Here's a very quick list of what Kory used to make this beauty:

Card stock:   Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Crumb Cake
Ink:    Cherry Cobbler, White Craft Ink ( for the smaller snowflakes stamped on the Cherry Cobbler)
Stamps:   "Merry" is from Snowflake Soiree ( page 5 of the Holiday Catalog)
Accessories:  Snow Flurry Die (page 14 of the Holiday Catalog), Decorative Label Punch, Woodgrain embossing folder (page 33 of the Holiday Catalog).

All of the elements come together nicely in her design, don't they?  You could use this layout for lots of other cards by changing up the colors and the sentiment and then substituting a flower for the snowflake. There are several options to choose from when a flower is just what you need.  The new Floral Frames Framelits ( page 191 of the Annual Catalog) make a great flower, as do the Blossom Party Originals Die (page 193) and the Fun Flowers Bigz L Die (also on page 193).

I hope I've inspired you in some way today... either in bringing in your outdoor furniture or in pulling out your stamps to make this pretty card!  Have a great Wednesday and I'll see you back here on Friday for more stamping fun!

Make the world a prettier place... stamp!
Susan

Happy Scrappy Halloween

Hello Stamping Friends and Happy Monday!

Wasn't yesterday a glorious fall day?  After several days of hosting our daughter Katie and granddaughter Allie while husband/daddy Tim was out of town for a conference,  we decided to take the day off and get out into the sunshine.  We enjoyed a nice sunny drive to McMinnville and had a yummy lunch at the rooftop bar of McMenamins Hotel Oregon.  We had a beautiful view of pretty fall trees against a blue, blue sky!  I wish this fabulous weather could go on forever, but I guess what makes it so special is that it is so rare to be having a fall like this.

The October days are zipping by and soon it will be Halloween, so today I've got a fun Halloween card for you.... one that uses an easy technique.  One of my demonstrator friends, Shannon Carrier, brought this to one of our demonstrator meetings to showcase this "herringbone" technique. 
Check it out...

 

 

This is a great way to use up small scraps of designer paper and create an interesting background for a card.  First, cut strips of designer paper about 3/8 inch wide. Cut a piece of neutral cardstock for your base (I used white but it doesn't really matter, as it will be completely covered when you are finished).  Next, apply glue stick over the entire base.

Then start adding the strips of paper.  The first one you add will go across part of the base diagonally and the second strip is added at a right angle to the first strip.  Butt each strip up against its neighbor, so that none of the base card stock shows.  Just keep adding strips, letting the ends hang over the base. 

When the whole piece is covered, take it to your paper cutter, turn it over, and trim all of the excess strips off.  Then go ahead and finish the card with a stamped focal image.  Here I used the cute Halloween set called Tricky Treats on page 28 of the annual catalog.  I punched out the little ghost using the Curly Label punch, then adhered it to a scalloped circle punched from Tangerine Tango card stock with the 2 3/8 inch Scallop Circle Punch ( page 184 of the annual catalog).  To make the Tangerine Tango circle "pop" against that busy background, I adhered it to a larger Basic Black circle cut with the 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch (page 185 of the annual catalog). 

The Designer Series Paper I used is called Howlstooth and Scaringbone and you can find it on page 24 of the Holiday catalog, but this technique will work with just about any of Stampin'Up!'s Designer Series Paper.  For added texture, you can even run the whole base through your Big Shot, using the Square Lattice Embossing Folder, which will give it a quilted look. 
I'm planning on being back to my regular Monday-Wednesday-Friday blogging schedule, so please come back and visit again on Wednesday!

Make the world a prettier place... stamp!
Susan

A Little Batty

A wonderful Wednesday morning to all my stamping friends!
Thanks for stopping by today.

I sure wish I had some photos of our trip to Hilton Head Island to show you.  I took plenty, that's for sure!  Unfortunately, my camera was lost, so I have no photos of the trip at all.  Sad, I know, but in the grand scheme of life, it isn't that important.  It just seems like it now, but will it matter next year?  Probably not. 

Meanwhile, I'm moving forward with preparations for World Card-Making Day on Saturday, October 6th.  If you're not already signed up, you can send me a quick email to sjrstamps@gmail.com and I'll add your name to the list for either morning (10-12:30) or afternoon (1-3:30).   Haven't you been good lately? And haven't you been working hard?  Then of course you need to reward yourself!  Come on over and I'll pamper you with yummy snacks, great cards, and some fun prizes.  There's no cost for this event, but of course orders are appreciated very much!

Today's card is a little 3 by 3 inch gift enclosure.  Sometimes you don't need a large card and this size is perfect in that case.  This would be cute tied on a loaf of pumpkin bread as a neighborly gift, or you could add it to a cello bag of Hershey's Nuggets or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  I think most of your co-workers would enjoy a treat like that on the holiday that celebrates all things chocolate! 
Check it out...

This little cutie was made with the Googly Ghouls set on page 27 of the Holiday catalog.  The sentiment is from the hostess set Wacky Wishes (page 204 of the annual catalog).  The ink colors are Basic Black and Old Olive and the Designer Series paper is Polka Dot Parade (page 164 of the annual catalog).  Did you know that Stampin'Up! has some sweet little envelopes for your 3 by 3 inch cards?
You can find them on page 160 of the annual catalog.  Of course, this size card is too small to mail.
I received this little card in a recent Holiday catalog swap, but since there is no name on the back of the card, I cannot give the creator proper credit. 

Well friends, I'm off to cut paper and get all my ducks in a row for Saturday.  Make the world a prettier place... stamp!
Susan

Elegant and Easy

Hello stampers!
Happy Tuesday and thanks for stopping by for a visit!

I'm back from my trip and back to blogging again, and since I really didn't show you anything yesterday, I decided I needed to make that up to you by blogging and showing you a pretty card today.  So now I'm a bit off schedule, but I plan to post again on Wednesday and then again on Friday, which will get me back on schedule. 

I'm wondering where the month of September went.  I don't think I remember it ever passing so quickly!  There is much to love about October, though, so let me remind you of a few of my favorite things: 
             pumpkins piled outside of grocery stores, making a beautiful autumn display
             chrysanthemums in bloom... love their spicy scent
             gourds in all shapes, sizes and colors... so fun to decorate with
             sunny days with a bright blue sky
             red and gold leaves drifting down
            decorating the house for Halloween
            buying Halloween candy for the little ghosts and goblins (and making sure it is something I
               don't like so I won't eat it all before Halloween!)
            answering the door on Halloween night
            making homemade soup
            drinking hot spiced cider
                            
What are your favorite things about October???
Now that Halloween is just around the corner, that can only mean one thing... Christmas is coming and we'd better get ready!

Today's card is super simple, yet elegant.  Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Your friends and relatives would love getting this beautiful Christmas card from you and they'll be so impressed with your stamping abilities!  Here's a quick list of what I used to create this simply elegant card:
                    Ornament Keepsake stamp set, page 3 of the Holiday catalog
                    Holiday Ornaments Framelit Dies, also on page 3
                    3/4 inch Circle punch
                    Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler card stock
                    Cherry Cobbler and Lucky Limeaid stamp pads
                    Cherry Cobbler baker's twine
                    Basic Pearls
                    Greetings of the Season stamp set, page 8 of the Holiday catalog
                    Dimensionals
             
Well, dear friends, that's it for today!  I'm busily working on some great cards for World Card-Making Day on Saturday, October 6th.  I have room in both the morning session (10 am- 12:30 pm) and the afternoon session (1- 3:30), so if you'd like to sign up, please send me a quick email and I'll get your name on the list.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for another classic card.
Susan 
           

            

Hilton Head Was GREAT!

Hello stampers!
Can't believe it's Monday already and the trip to Hilton Head Island has come and gone.  We had a great time.  I'll write more about it on Tuesday, as I have a ton of things to accomplish today. The most important job is to get the orders from my Fall Into Stamping class delivered  (not to mention a mountain of laundry that needs my attention).  I'll be back on Tuesday!
Susan