Was that a glitch or a hiccup?

Hello stamping friends and happy Wednesday!

I don't usually check The Classic Card after I hit the "publish" button, but I did yesterday and was not happy when I saw that the card I selected to show you did not post for some strange reason.  So, my apologies and here's the card....

I got the idea for this card from Dawn Olchefske's blog.  Of course I changed the colors, but essentially this is her card so I want to give her proper credit!  I used the butterfly from the Backyard Basics Framelits to cut the butterfly.  Some Designer Paper from the Gingham Garden collection is adhered behind the hole.  That's Rose Red seam binding ( alas, no longer in the catalog) and Rose Red card stock as well.  The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake (page 14 of the annual catalog).

"Family Week" is finally here.  Katie, Tim, and Allie arrived last night and the Seattle gang will arrive on Friday morning.  It will be a wild and crazy weekend and Oma (that's me) will be the breakfast, lunch, and dinner chef.  Needless to say, The Classic Card will be on hold for a few days while I concentrate on cooking, cleaning up, reading stories, and wrangling toddlers.  I will try my best not to throw a "toddler tantrum" of my own.

I will miss you on Friday, but hopefully will be back again on Monday morning with some stamping fun for you!  Oh... how could I forget?  The day I've been waiting for is almost here.... August 1st, when we can start ordering from the Holiday catalog!!!  My list is long.... how about yours???  There's so much fun stuff that I almost don't know where to begin!

Have a great Friday, a relaxing weekend (unlike mine!) and I'll look forward to checking in with you again on Monday!
Susan

Playing "Catch Up"

Hello and Happy Monday to all of my friends out there in Stampin' Land!

I've been home from the Stampin'Up! convention for a week now, and I'm still trying to catch up!  I wish the science of cloning was more advanced, because I seriously need to clone myself so I can get twice as much done.  Today I'm working fast and furiously on putting together all of the stamp sets that have been sitting on my desk for weeks.  It is frustrating when you want to use a new set and then discover that it hasn't been put together.  I'm happy to say that I did get all my display boards put together in time for my Big Birthday Bash that took place on Saturday, July 27th.  Thank you to all who attended!  We had fun making birthday cards, chatting, eating cake and ice cream, and just generally relaxing.  Oh, and I was so happy that Rhonda brought me a tiara so now I can be the Stampin' Princess!  Thanks, Rhonda!

Here's a fun shot of half of the stampers... the ones who were sitting at the kitchen table.  Sorry, but I got sidetracked and neglected the others who were in the dining room.  Actually, they might be relieved that their photos aren't on my blog today.

I would love to have YOU come to my house for some creative "me" time.  We all need a little time for ourselves now and then.  It is refreshing to break out of your normal routine, so why not plan to attend my next class, my Sketch-of-the-Month class on Tuesday August 6th at 6:30?  I'll serve you a delicious taco salad dinner and you'll make 3 great cards using a sketch (or layout) from Mojo Monday.  It'll be both fun and relaxing.  

Here's one of the cards we made at the Birthday Bash on Saturday.  

Regarding Dahlias

Hello stamping friends!

And a happy, hot Friday to all!  Yes, it is definitely summer, isn't it?  Even if the heat isn't your favorite thing, the sunshine sure is nice, isn't it??

Now, about those dahlias... have you ever tried growing them?  I once made a pilgrimage to the renowned Swan Island Dahlias (which isn't on Swan Island by the way, but somewhere down near Canby).  I was amazed at the incredible variety of dahlias they offered--- everything from petite little blossoms to dahlias the size of dinner plates.  Of course I couldn't go home empty-handed, so I placed an order which was shipped to me at the correct time for planting.  I dutifully planted the little tubers just the way they said and sure enough, I was rewarded with some gorgeous blossoms.  Then summer turned to fall, which turned to winter and that's where everything went wrong.  I was supposed to dig up the tubers and store them in a newspaper-lined box, then plant them again the following spring.  I didn't forget about them, I just didn't have the time or energy to dig them up, so I've since concluded that dahlias aren't for me, unless they are stamped on a card.  That I can do!  So when I saw the new "Regarding Dahlias" stamp set in the new catalog, I thought to myself  "now I can redeem myself and have success with dahlias."

Take a peek at my card today----

This is one of the cards I swapped at convention and everyone who saw it wanted one.  I'm thinking that's because the card has a nice, clean, contemporary look and also features some of the new chevron ribbon.
Of course that big, beautiful dahlia doesn't hurt either.

Here's a quick rundown of the supplies:

Stamps:  Regarding Dahlias, page 91  In addition to the dahlia, you also get 4 greetings, so that makes it a very versatile set, plus it is only $14.95 in clear-mount.
Ink:  Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie
Paper:  Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories:  Chevron Ribbon in Pumpkin Pie, page 173
                     1 1/4 inch circle punch and 1 3/8 inch circle punch, page 182
                     Chevron Embossing Folder, page 191

I'm hoping that you'll have a wonderfully relaxing weekend, with maybe some time to sit in the shade and read a good book, while sipping something cool and refreshing.  Enjoy these warm and sunny days while they last, because soon Summer 2013 will be just a memory!

Thanks for stopping by today and please join me again on Monday, when I'll show you another classic card.
Hugs to all,
Susan

Rest and Idleness...

Hello Stampers and a happy sunny Wednesday to all of you!

Since returning from Salt Lake City, I've felt like a rat on one of those wheels.... running, running, running.  Then yesterday I picked up a copy of one of my favorite magazines, Victoria.  And just inside the cover I found this quotation which I plan to take to heart:

            "Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer's day listening to the
          murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
                                                                                                    John Lubbock

My version of this quote would probably go something like this:
           "Rest is not idleness, and to sit in an Adirondack chair on the front porch on a summer's evening, listening to the breeze ruffle the leaves and eating an ice cream cone, is by no means a waste of time."
                                                                                                        Susan Rodgers

And that's just what I did!  What would your version of this quote be??  Feel free to write your own and send it to me.

So last night, I decided to take a break from my Stampin'Up! business and do something different.  I probably should have been working on my display boards, as I have tons of cards to adhere, but instead I chose to get outside and do some gardening.  I trimmed several lavender plants, dead-headed the marigolds, and trimmed back some overgrown hydrangeas.  Even though I was still working, it was a refreshing change from my usual routine.  Sometimes a small change of routine is all it takes to give your spirit a boost!  Oh, and the ice cream cone eaten on the front porch definitely helped too.

OK, OK... enough philosophizing!  I know you're here for a card, so let me show you one...

Isn't this the most girly birthday card ever?  This is one of the cards we'll be making at the Big Birthday Bash on Saturday.  I'm sorry you can't see it, but the cake is covered in Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.  It's so very sparkly and I'm sure I am too!  No doubt I have glitter in my hair, eyebrows, and on on my nose as well.
The sentiment (in case you can't read it) says "Today calls for something pink with sprinkles on top."
What little girl (or the little girl in every woman) wouldn't love this pretty sparkly card?  I love using the Washi tape!  If you get it a bit crooked, just lift it up and reposition it.  It is very forgiving stuff and adds a great burst of color and pattern to your cards.  You can see the two assortments of Washi Tape on page 171 of the annual catalog and when we can order from the Holiday Catalog on August 1st, there's a Halloween assortment and a Christmas assortment as well.

Here's a very quick list of what I used:

Stamps:  Birthday Cake (single stamp) page 16
              Remembering Your Birthday (sentiment), page 16
              A Fitting Occasion, page 86
Ink:  Melon Mambo, stamped off once
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Accessories:   1 " circle punch, 1 1/4 inch scallop circle punch, page 182
                      Gingham Garden Washi Tape, page 171

Thanks for stopping by today!  I will look for you again on Friday, when I'll have another classic card for you!  Stay cool!
Susan

So long, Salt Lake City

Hello stamping friends and happy Monday!

Yesterday we bid a fond farewell to Salt Lake City and the Stampin'Up! convention.  It was great fun to be in SLC for the annual Stampin'Up! convention and it is also great to be back at home in Portland.  Since our flight didn't leave until 6 pm (it actually left later, as a valve in one of the engines needed to be replaced, so we got to sit at the gate for 45 minutes while the repair was made), we decided to attend a performance of "Music and the Spoken Word" at Temple Square.  The performance was held in the Conference Center, which is across the street from the Tabernacle.  It was a beautiful setting and of course the music was beautiful as well.

I'm sorry you can't see the choir members very well. They are just below the large organ pipes, the women are on the left in red robes, the men are on the right in black suits.The full orchestra is seated below the choir. The performance only lasted about 30 minutes.  We arrived in the middle of their practice session,  then they took a break and the broadcast started at 9:30, so we got to hear them sing some of the songs twice.  If I'm ever in Salt Lake City again on a Sunday, I would definitely attend again!

Now that I'm back in Portland, I will be working on my display boards.  After convention was over, my friend Mary came over to my room to view my swaps.  This photo shows just part of them, so I think you'll have enough ideas to keep you stamping cards for a long, long time!

I will be working hard the next couple of days to make sure that I have at least one new display board completed before the Big Birthday Bash, which is coming up this Saturday, July 27th at 1 o'clock at my house.  I've got 4 spots left, so if you'd like to attend, please let me know.

Hope your Monday is off to a smooth start!

Hugs,
Susan

Home Office Tour highlights

Hello Stamper and welcome back to The Classic Card!

It's Saturday and the last day of convention.   I've got lots more photos to share with you, but today I thought I'd show you some of the amazing displays we saw at the Stampin'Up! offices.  There's a whole series of little rooms and alcoves that you walk through and each one has a different theme. 

Check out these photos for some fun ideas. 

 

 

I know I'm off my regular schedule of blogging and I'll get back to the Monday-Wednesday-Friday routine soon.  But before I do that, I've got quite a few photos to share.

Hope you'll all have a great weekend and I'll look forward to sharing more photos with you soon!
Susan

All tuckered out!

Hello my stampin' friends!

It is 10:10 pm in Salt Lake City and I'm going to take a shower and tuck myself in bed soon!  It has been a very full day, starting with my wakeup call at 6:45.  Mary and I have walked miles and miles today!  Now I'm sorry I didn't bring my pedometer, but my feet are telling me that I've walked more today than I have in a long, long time.  I should have been in training for this convention, as it is physically challenging.  Most of the day was spent either walking or standing... very little sitting was done by anyone.  Because of the large number of demonstrators here (nearly 6,000) the lines for everything are long. 

Before I go off to bed, I want to show you the pretty convention bag we received at the opening session, along with three great stamp sets we received.  It is soooo very fun to be a demonstrator when they start passing out the goodies! 

The bag is white with silver accents and of course it is prettier when you see it up close! 

Goodnight all!
Susan

Where it all starts...

Hello stampers!

It is Thursday now and Mary and I got up early to take the earliest tour of the Stampin'Up! home office.  I've got a few photos for you, so you can see where your orders are filled.  It all starts right here, where a machine spits out a compute-generated label for the order.

 Depending on the size of the order, the right size of box is selected, the label applied, and then the box begins its trek down to the picking floor.  As the box rolls along, the label on the side trigger a light when the box passes by an item.

The picking floor is divided into zones and depending on what is in the order, the box may or may not pass through all of the zones.  This next photo shows a view down one of the picking aisles.  If you look carefully, you can see the people who are putting items in the boxes as they pass by.

The distribution center was built for the long term...there is more capacity than is being used right now, but it is good to know that they will be able to handle more orders as the business expands.

This photo shows just a small portion of the Distribution Center... it's really a big place!  Here's a photo of Mary and me in front of the huge water feature that takes up the center portion of the ground floor.  Above and behind us the the main level.

 

 

 

After our tour we walked from the Salt Palace over to the new City Creek Center and had a fabulous lunch at a bakery and cafe called Kneader's.  We both had the most delicious turkey, bacon, and avocado salad... just fresh and delicious and then of course we had to try something decadent.  We both had a German Chocolate Brownie... to die for.  I will try to recreate these at one of my stamping events in the near future, as I think you would LOVE them! 

 

In a couple of hours, the opening session of convention will start, so I'm going to rest my weary feet until then.  I'm getting some fun swaps that I'll put on some boards for your stamping inspiration.

 

I'll write more soon!

Susan

 

 

 





 

I'm here in Salt Lake City!

Hello stampers!

It is Wednesday evening, and before I head for bed, I'm going to show you some photos of my pretty room at the Hotel Monaco.  Tonight my friend Mary and I went to a happy hour sponsored by Lydia Fiedler, one of the moderators on Splitcoast Stampers.  There were a few "famous" stampers there, including Jan Tinklenberg (JanTink), Wendy Weixler, and Mindy Bakes (Minders).  If you spend any time on Splitcoast forums, you might recognize these names.  Oh, and we ran into the famous Mary Fish this afternoon while walking up to the new City Creek shopping mall to have some lunch at The Cheesecake Factory.  Just a side note... even thought it was my birthday,  I skipped the dessert and had a very healthy salad from the "Skinny Menu."  Does that earn me a brownie point or two??

Tomorrow (Thursday) I will be getting up early (for me) so that I can be ready to get on a bus at 8 am for a tour of the Stampin'Up! home office in Riverton, UT, which is about 30 minutes from the Salt Palace.  I'll try to take a few photos there as well, so you can see how pretty the Stampin'Up! offices are.  Unfortunately, I don't think I'm allowed to take photos of the distribution center, where your orders are picked and packed. 

Here's my room...

 

 

 

 

OK, my friends, that's all for today!  I'll try to check in with you tomorrow evening! 
Susan

Up, up, and away!

Hello stampers and happy Wednesday!

By the time you're reading this, I'm probably either in the air or on the ground in Salt Lake City for Stampin'Up!'s 25th Anniversary Celebration Convention.  "Wheels up" is 10 am and we arrive in SLC at 12:50 Mountain Time.  What a great way to spend my birthday!

I will do my best to post a few pictures from convention, but mostly I plan to just enjoy myself and get a lot of good stamping ideas to bring home to you.  I know you'd probably like to see a card today, so check out this pretty color combination... one that I've used before.

Stampin'Up! makes it so easy to come up with great color combinations!  Just pick one of their gorgeous collections of Designer Paper and pull colors from it.  Today I'm showing you the fabulous Eastern Elegance DSP ( p. 154) in Crushed Curry and Coastal Cabana.  I used the new embossing folder that coordinates with this paper, called Beautifully Baroque (p. 191).  I stamped some Crushed Curry scraps with the medallion from the new Happy Day stamp set (p. 112), then punched it out with the Blossom punch ( p. 183).  I stamped the medallion again in Coastal Cabana on a Coastal Cabana scrap, then punched it out with the 7/8 inch Scallop Circle punch p. 182).  The gorgeous new 3/4 " Chevron Ribbon in Crushed Curry provides a nice anchor for the flower.  To give the flower a bit more dimension, I punched out an additional flower (unstamped) and adhered it behind the stamped flower.  I cut between each petal and fluffed the petals. The layers of the flower are adhered with dimensionals. A flat flower is just not that appealing! Here's another hint that will help... When adhering an embellishment like this flower to a card, use dimensionals that will hit above and below the ribbon (if you are using a ribbon).  If you adhere your dimensional to the ribbon, I can almost guarantee that your flower will be floppy, and that's not pretty either.

I'm still not completely packed (I'm writing this on Tuesday evening), so I must run now.  Hope you'll all have a great Wednesday (try to keep cool!) and I'll look forward to sharing a bit with you on Friday.
Hugs to all!
Susan

Tea Time

Hello there stamping friends!
Here we are, back at Monday again.  Are you ready for a new week of sunshine and summery weather?
I'm back home now from my California trip and I'm as busy as a little beaver getting everything lined up for my departure on Wednesday.  Yes, Stampin'Up!'s 25th Anniversary Convention is just a couple of days away and I've got my suitcases out and I've even started loading them up.  Convention only lasts 4 days, but if you have an international reputation for spilling everything on your shirt like I do, then it takes a lot of clothes to present a professional appearance.  Sometimes it isn't even my fault, like the year they had a chocolate fountain for dessert and someone brushed the side of my blouse with their loaded plate, depositing a huge swath of melted chocolate.  It was not a pretty sight.  Then there was the year I was squeezing a lemon into my iced tea and a bunch of seeds squirted out, covering my shirt with pulp and juice that made a stain.  OK... enough about me!  Let's see... I think the subject today is tea, so let's get to the card, shall we?

If you were at Judy's party in Hillsboro on Saturday, you made this pretty card.  But since only a few people have seen this, I thought I'd show it to you today.  I think a glass of iced tea might go down better today than a cup of hot tea, and I think you should sit in the shade or maybe in front of a fan while you drink it.

This card shows off the new Tea Party set  (p. 35).  I stamped in Wisteria Wonder on Very Vanilla, then cut the image out with one of the Oval Framelits.  A slightly larger oval was cut from some Pear Pizzazz card stock to make a nice mat.  I embossed the Wisteria Wonder layer with the Honeycomb embossing folder and notice how the hexagon shapes in the Afternoon Picnic DSP (p. 151) repeat the hexagons in the Honeycomb folder.  The fun flower was made with three different scallop punches (p. 182) --- the  1  1/4 inch scallop circle, the 7./8 inch scallop circle, and the smallest scallop circle is found on page 180 in the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  The flower has multiple layers, as there is vellum card stock layered over the Wisteria Wonder card stock.  The layers of the flower are held together with dimensionals (you need to snip them into small pieces) and a pearl finishes the flower off perfectly.  Some Pear Pizzazz Taffeta Ribbon ( p. 173) provides a nice horizontal element to the composition.  Even though there are 6 layers to this card, it is still pretty quick and easy to put together.  The magnetic platform for the Big Shot makes it so easy to cut out a perfect shape... no post-it notes required!

I hope you all have a lovely Monday.  In fact, I'm hoping you'll all have a lovely week.  I may try to blog a bit from convention, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have.  They've lopped off one day, so convention is shorter and more packed with activity and content than ever before, but I'll do my best to share a little of the fun and excitement.
Hugs,
Susan

Happy Birthday...

Hello Stampers!
Happy Friday!

 Today, July 12th, is the birthday of my daughter Amy.  I can still vividly recall that hot summer day at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California where a sweet baby girl came into my life, making me a mom and changing the course of my life forever.  Motherhood is not for the faint of heart.  It takes a lot of strength and courage to raise children and I'm so thankful for my two daughters.  Happy birthday, dearest Amy!

Today's card was made by a very talented member of my downline, Janet Jones, who is also celebrating her birthday today.  Happy Birthday Janet!  Check out her refreshing card...

Have I convinced you that you NEED this set yet?  Again, I can almost hear the seagulls and feel the cool wet sand between my toes!  I love how she water-colored just a suggestion of sun, sea, and sand, simply by using an aqua painter and some ink from a stamp pad.  The sand pipers were stamped first with Jet Black Staz-On ink, and then the colors were added.  The card stock colors are Whisper White, Baked Brown Sugar, Pool Party, and Island Indigo. The sentiment is from the Best of Greetings set, part of the Best of 25 year collection. I love this font! This set is on my wish list for sure! Just the thought of "going coastal" helps me relax.  If I didn't have so much to do today, you'd find me at the beach!

Hope your weekend is relaxing and that you are enjoying all that summer has to offer!
Hugs,
Susan                                                    

Happy x 3= a fun card

Hello Stampers and Happy Wednesday!

July is just whizzing by... can't believe it is already the 10th!  Only 7 more days until I wing my way to Salt Lake City for Stampin'Up!'s big 25th anniversary celebration/convention.  I'm so happy that I've finished all of my swap cards.  That is a huge relief!

Can a color be described as "happy?"  If so, I think today's card uses three of Stampin'Up!'s happiest colors:
Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, and Strawberry Slush.  I just love the carefree, informal look of this card.  Take a look and let me know if you like these colors together too---

Let me go through the quick and simple steps to create this card.  First, cut a background piece of Coastal Cabana card stock ( 5 1/2 by 4 1/4) Then cut a smaller piece of Whisper White ( 5 1/4 by 4).  Stamp the flower (from the darling new Flower Shop stamp set on page 94) in Strawberry Slush, Crushed Curry, and Coastal Cabana and then send the stamped panel through the Big Shot with the new Hexagon embossing folder.  Next, stamp a couple of flowers on a scrap, along with the sentiment (from the Really Good Greetings set on page 38).  Then punch it out with the 2 3/8 Scallop Circle punch and adhere it to a circle of Coastal Cabana card stock punched with the 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch (page 182). Some of the gorgeous new Chevron ribbon in Crushed Curry provides a nice strong horizontal element to the design and anchors the punched circles so they aren't just floating in space.  If you've got some basic pearls lying around, why not add one to the center of the flower to bling it up a bit.  What a bright and cheerful card!  I think just about anyone would be thrilled to find a card like this in their mailbox! It is so rare to get personal mail these days and when it is a hand-stamped card it is even more special.  So go ahead and spread a little happiness today.  Stamp a flowery greeting and give someone a lift!

Hope your Wednesday is off to a smooth start and that the rest of your week will slide smoothly into the weekend!  Don't forget to come back on Friday for another Classic Card!
Susan

Oops! Another Bird!

Hello Stampin' Friends and welcome back to The Classic Card!

Thanks for stopping in this fine Monday morning for a visit.  I know that not long ago I promised I was done with bird cards.  I guess I should have qualified that statement by saying I was finished with the cards from my bird-themed technique class.  I'm absolutely going to continue showing you cards with birds, as the Stampin'Up! catalog is full of them.

Today's card features a very easy technique called shadow stamping.  When I first started with Stampin'Up! back in 2001, we had stamps in geometric shapes (circle, rectangle, triangle, square) that we used to create a colored shape on a card.  Then we overstamped with an image.  Stampin'Up! discontinued those stamps long ago, but you can still achieve the same effect by simply inking up one of your clear blocks and then using it just like a stamp.  Take a look at the card and you'll see what I mean

The colors I used for my shadows are So Saffron, Soft Sky and Pear Pizzazz.  The pear shape has been stamped off once, so that the color is lighter.  Then the images are stamped over the shadows in Baked Brown Sugar.  (Time for true confessions.... every time I type Baked Brown Sugar, my mind travels down the path toward baking something naughty... peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, any kind of cookie that includes brown sugar).  I can think of plenty of descriptive names for this color that aren't nearly as yummy-sounding as Baked Brown Sugar.  Oh well!  Back to the card.  The bird, butterfly and tulip are from the beautiful new stamp set called Backyard Basics (page 79).  The fun thing about this stamp set is that it has its own matching framelits ( page 187), so that you can quickly and effortlessly cut out these images.  In addition to the tulip, butterfly, and bird, there's an egg, a bee, and a flowering branch (could it be an orchid?).

I used some Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon ( page 173) and accented it with one of the pretty new Very Vintage Designer  Buttons ( page 169) tied on with some linen thread (page 173).
If you need the supplies to make this card, don't forget that my Stampin'Up! store is open 24/7 for your shopping convenience.  Just go to www.susanrodgers.stampinup.net or click on the button at the top of my blog... so easy and the goodies come straight to your door via the dude in the big brown truck.

Have a great Monday!
Hugs,
Susan

Just Peachy!

Hello Stampers!
Happy Friday!  Hope you are enjoying a long holiday weekend with family and friends!
I survived another 4th of July "war zone" and hope you (and your pets) did too!  Todays' post will be a quick one, but I did want to share this peachy card with you.  It reminds me of a summer peach... sweet and just dripping with goodness!  Check it out...

The elegant designer paper is from the new Venetian Romance collection (page 153).  I paired it with Tangerine Tango and Crisp Cantaloupe card stock.  The strip of Very Vanilla card stock is stamped in Baked Brown Sugar with the new Background Builders stamp set (page 119).  This is a great set of three long strips that you can use horizontally or vertically on your projects.  I added some Baked Brown Sugar ruffled trim along the lower edge for an elegant accent.   I stamped a Crisp Cantaloupe scrap with the medallion image from the Happy Day stamp set (page 112) in Tangerine Tango, then punched it out with the Blossom punch (page183).  I punched an extra  blossom to adhere underneath the stamped blossom, just to give a little more "oomph" to the flower.  I stamped that same medallion image once again in Baked Brown sugar on Very Vanilla card stock and punched it out with the 7/8 inch scalloped circle.  I stacked all the layers of the flower together with dimensionals and added the pearl to finish it off.

Despite its fancy look, this card went together really quickly.  There's really not much to it and I think you could re-create this card in ten minutes or so.  If you haven't already noticed, this is one of my favorite layouts--- one I tend to use again and again.

Hope your Friday will go smoothly and lead into a relaxing summer weekend!
Hugs,
Susan

Keeping it Clean and Simple

Hello stampers and Happy Wednesday!

One more day to the Big Bam Boom!  I'm not sure what it is about people in Oregon, but they seem to be firework crazy!  It doesn't matter how many times law enforcement types stress the dangers of fireworks.  When the 4th of July arrives, it sounds like a war zone around here.  And I don't think it's just in Sherwood, either.  Of course the testosterone-crazed rednecks in Sher-weird go all out with the illegal variety of fireworks that they buy in Vancouver.  I just don't get it!

Well, enough ranting about the nut-cases here in our little town.  I guess you probably didn't need or want to hear about it, as you probably have the same type of nut-cases in your very own neighborhood.  So let's just set all that aside and talk about stamping, card-making, and other gentle pursuits that have nothing to do with explosions.

Every once in a while I think it is good to make a clean and simple card, just to see if you can pull it off without ruffles, buttons, lace, doilies, bottle caps, glitter, pearls, rhinestones, and other embellishments.  The card I'm going to show you today was made for a recent demonstrator swap.  The theme was clean and simple, so I went to one of my favorite inspiration blogs www.cleanandsimplestamping.blogspot.com. I found this very simple layout there.

The colors are the new Strawberry Slush, Whisper White, and Gumball Green.
The stamp set is a great new hostess set called Happy Flowers (page 202).  The sentiment is from Chalk Talk, (page 12).  I embossed the colored layers with the Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder and added some stitched satin ribbon in Gumball Green.  It was tough, but I successfully resisted the impulse to add pearls to the flower.

Why not challenge yourself to make a clean and simple card?  I think you'll enjoy how quickly a clean and simple card comes together!  A side benefit is that you can mail cards like this without fear that the envelope will rip or that your card will be mangled.
Have a great (and safe!) day tomorrow!
Susan

Just Another Manic Monday!

Hello Stampers! Happy July to all!

I just love July for a number of reasons... good weather, being outside, wearing capris and sandals, my birthday (well, not the getting older part,  but the party part is good!), going to the beach, and all those other fun things that summer brings.  I think I detailed a lot of them in an earlier post, so we don't need to go through them again.

How is your Monday going?  Not too crazy, I hope!  Got some fun plans for the 4th?  We'll be getting together with our younger daughter and her family for some Fourth of July fun.  I hope you'll have a great celebration as well.  The card I'm showing you today is not red, white, and blue, but it does have red on it.  Does that count?   Here it is...

Despite the lack of blue, this card says "summer" to me.  I just love this new set called Polka Dot Pieces.
You can see it on page 85.  The card stock is Whisper White, Real Red, and Old Olive (for the solid green layer behind the stamped flower).  I stamped the flower three times in three different colors (Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, and Old Olive and punched each layer out to create the flower.  The butterfly is stamped in Old Olive and punched out with the Elegant Butterfly punch.  The greeting is from the new set Really Good Greetings ( page 38).  I stamped it on a white scrap in Old Olive and then punched it out with the 2 1/2 inch circle punch.  The Real Red background is textured with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and some Real Red Stitched Grosgrain ribbon adds the finishing touch.

Hope your Monday goes by smoothly and uneventfully!  Don't forget to come back on Wednesday for another classic card.
Hugs,
Susan