A Great Day for Coffee

Hello Stampers and thanks for stopping by The Classic Card today!

Well, it's Monday once again... a day that is probably not the favorite of working people and school children.  The best way to get through a Monday is just to plunge in and get it over with.  Oh, and a little coffee can definitely help, although I'm not advocating that school children be given coffee.  From what I remember, they're already hyped-up enough... no coffee needed for them!  The rest of us, though, could certainly benefit from a little caffeine jolt to get us launched into a new week.

As you might have guessed I have a caffeine-themed card for you today.  And it just so happens that today is also our SOS (Stamp Out Stress) meeting at Symposium Coffee in Old Town Sherwood.  If you've never attended SOS before, I encourage you to try it!  We meet at 1 o'clock in the afternoon for cards, coffee, and camaraderie on the last Monday of every month.  It's a great way to spend an afternoon and we have lots of fun.  The cost is just $5 for two cards and envelopes and I don't expect you to purchase anything, although if you want to place an order I would never turn you down!

Let me show you the fun card we're going to make...

The stamp set is called The Perfect Blend (page 37 of the annual catalog).  I used Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla card stock.  The DSP is from the Season of Style collection of DSP on page 23 of the holiday catalog.  I stamped the coffee cup three times... once on Crumb Cake for the cup, once on Very Vanilla for the lid, and once on the DSP for the coffee sleeve. Then I just cut out each element and glued on the lid and the sleeve... easy peasy!  The sentiment was stamped on Crumb Cake, then punched out with the 1 3/8 inch circle punch and then placed on a larger circle punched from Early Espresso card stock with the 1 3/4 inch circle punch.  The fun coffee drips were stamped with the splotches in the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, page 109 of the annual catalog.  The stitched grosgrain ribbon in Early Espresso accents the horizontal band of Cherry Cobbler card stock which has been embossed with the Chevron embossing folder to echo the chevrons on the coffee sleeve.  The sentiment, just in case you can't read it, says "Given enough coffee, I could rule the world, temporarily. The second sentiment in this set says "Coffee and friends are the perfect blend."

Thanks again for reading my post today!  I'll be back on Wednesday with another card for your stamping inspiration!
Susan

A Fun Card for a Friday...

Hello there stampers and thanks for stopping by to visit with me at The Classic Card!

I'm happy the weekend is almost here, because for me that means stamping!  Kelsey is having her party on Saturday at 1 o'clock at my house and I've got some cute cards planned.  In fact, I'm going to show you one of them today, but first I need to announce a change of date for my "Head Start on the Holidays" class. I mentioned in an earlier post that it was going to be on Sunday, October 13th, but I've decided to hold it on Sunday, October 20th instead.  It is just a better day for me... hope that won't cause anyone any trouble.  I've got the 5 cards all designed and I love them!  I think you'll love them too!  Five cards with envelopes, hot cider, carols, and Christmas cookies will jump-start your holiday spirit!  The cost for the class is $15 or free with a $40 purchase.  Email me to save your spot.  This class is very popular, so spots will go quickly.  

Check out this cute card we're going to make on Saturday at Kelsey's party.  Since it's her birthday, I thought we'd make a birthday card...

Here's the front of the card, and then when you open it, a little panel is pulled up from inside a pocket, revealing the sentiment, which on this card is "Carbs, schmarbs!  Eat the cake!"  Here's a photo of the inside...

The panel that moves up and down when the card is opened and closed is super easy to create.  Of course you'll go home with a sheet of directions so you can make more cards like this on your own.  

It looks like the weekend is shaping up to be a wet one, so it is perfect stamping weather!  I've got room for a few more stampers on Saturday, so if you'd like to learn how to make this fun card, just send me a quick email to sjrstamps@gmail.com and I'll add your name to the list.

Happy almost-the-weekend everyone!
Susan

Tape It!

Hello stampers, and welcome to Wednesday at The Classic Card!

This post is going to be later than you are accustomed to, as I was creative mode last night.... busily working on cards, cards, cards.  So I'm actually writing this on Wednesday morning, instead of Tuesday night!  As I write, the sun is trying to burn through the clouds and I'm cheering it on.... I've seen enough rain for now.

Some of the cards I'm working on will be offered at my  Christmas card class on Sunday, October 13th at 1:30, so I won't be showing them on the blog just yet.  There have to be a few surprises!   So while I've got lots of new cards, I'm keeping them under wraps for now.

The fun card I have for you today was a make-and-take at last month's demonstrator meeting.  It was designed by Kathy Milano, one of the talented demonstrators in my group and uses a fun technique with painter's tape.  I've seen quite a few of these cards recently and I'll be playing with this technique more in the days to come.  Here's the card...

To create the white blocks of color, you just take a piece of painter's tape (it looks like masking tape, but it is less sticky and it's usually blue) and gently lay it on a white craft (pigment ink) pad.  Lightly run a finger over the tape, then lift it and apply to the card.  Repeat for the number of stripes you desire.  This technique is also fun to do with regular stamp pads on white card stock.  Pastel colors such as So Saffron, Blushing Bride and other light colors work best with this technique.

Here's a quick list of the supplies:
Stamps:  Tags 4 You, page 37 of the holiday catalog
Ink:  Black Staz-On, Whisper White Craft Pad, both on page 165 of the annual catalog
Paper:  Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black card stock, Witches' Brew Designer Series Paper, page 21 of the holiday catalog

Hope your Wednesday is off to a great start!  Thanks for stopping by today and be sure and come back on Friday when I'll have more stamping inspiration for you.
Hugs,
Susan

Happy Fall, Y'all!

A happy hello on this stormy Monday!

As I'm sure you're aware, we reached the Autumn Equinox yesterday and it is now officially fall.  And right on cue, the rain arrived.  Funny how that happens!  I don't know what it was like at your house on Sunday, but here in Sherwood, we enjoyed (I'm not sure that's the right word) a drenching rain along with lashing wind.  The trees were getting a real workout, but I'm told that the wind actually strengthens their roots.  So while the wind was howling and the rain was falling and the trees were swaying, inside it was all warmth and bright lights, and the happy sounds of stampers creating.  If you missed my annual "First Day of Fall" celebration, be sure to attend next year.  We had a great afternoon of creativity!  In fact, the card I'm going to show you today is one of four that we made on Sunday.  Take a peek...

I really need a better system for keeping track of the cards I've shown here.  I did a quick check back through the recent blog posts and didn't see this one, so I think it's OK to show you.  Of course if you were here yesterday, then you have one of these ready to send to a friend or relative....someone you're thankful for... or more correctly... "someone for whom you're thankful."  

Let me give you a quick list of the stamps and supplies, just in case you'd like to create a leafy card like this.

Stamps:  Magnificent Maple  (page 18 of the holiday catalog).  This is a single stamp and it only comes in wood mount.  The price is a very reasonable 9.95.  You could easily use this stamp for all sorts of projects, from cards to gift tags to wine bottle tags, to place cards for Thanksgiving dinner.  It would look great stamped on a gift bag and then you could stamp matching tissue as well.
              Banner Greetings (page 202 of the annual catalog).  This is one of the stamp sets that only hostesses can get and what a versatile set it is.  These little banners are so easy to cut out with scissors (all straight cuts) and they fit on just about any card.  Best of all, this set only uses $8 in hostess dollars.
Ink:  Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Chevron ribbon in Crushed Curry, Stitched Grosgrain ribbon in Rich Razzleberry, Very Vintage Designer Buttons (love those!  page 169 of the annual catalog), and Linen Thread (page 173) to tie it all together.

Now that the season has changed, do you have any changes planned to give yourself a little "lift" for fall?
These things may sound silly to you, but since I'm one of those domestic types, stuff like this really floats my boat.  So... here's what I've done so far... \cleaned my closet and took a bunch of stuff to Goodwill, put my everyday dishes away and got out a different set for fall, washed all the glasses in my cupboards and rearranged them so I can use ones that I don't usually use,  and together the Mr. and I are working on window washing to get rid of all the dust of summer. Of course I've stowed the chairs that were on the porch, and I've got the fall pumpkins and Halloween decorations out.  I know you're thinking I'm nuts, but it's just the "Martha" in me coming out!  OK... enough rambling.  I've got to run... I've got lots of stamping to do today!  Please come back on Wednesday for another fall card.
Happy Fall!
Susan

Just Goofing Off....

Hello stampers and happy Friday to all!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Wasn't yesterday the most gorgeous almost-fall day?  Or did it seem more like summer to you?  There's definitely a hint of fall in the air and soon it will officially be here.  I made my annual pumpkin-purchasing trek to Al's Garden Center on Wednesday, so my porch is all ready for the fall season with pumpkins and chrysanthemums.  Are you pulling out your fall decor too?  Fall is definitely a busy time of year, as thoughts are turning to gearing up for the holidays ahead.

Speaking of being busy, I don't usually have too much time to just play around with stamping.  Usually when I go to my stamp room, I have a definite purpose in mind, such as " I need to design two cards for class next week" or "I need to come up with cards for Midge's party."  Very seldom do I have time to just goof off... trying different things and seeing what I come up with.  The card I'm going to show you today was the result of some rare "play time." Quite a while ago I printed a copy of a card that I saw on the web site of another company... not Stampin'Up!  I thought I would tweak that card, of course using all Stampin'Up! supplies and stamps.  Here's what I came up with...

There is just a vague resemblance between the two cards, due to the fact that I was using totally different stamps and of course the colors aren't the same either.  I love the way this turned out, though.  Let me give you a quick list of what I used.
Stamps:  Everything Eleanor (for the background swirl)
              Field Flowers, for the white embossed flowers and the sentiment
              Papillon Potpourri
Ink:  Versamark
        Marina Mist
        Basic Black
Paper:  Marina Mist, Whisper White, So Saffron
Accessories:  Basic Pearls, Elegant Butterfly Punch, white embossing powder,  1 3/4 inch circle punch, dimensionals

I stamped the swirls from Everything Eleanor in Marina Mist ink on Marina Mist card stock.  Then I stamped the flowers in Versamark ink and heat embossed them with white embossing powder.  Then it was quick to punch the hole, stamp the sentiment, and add the butterfly and pearls.  I think this card would be pretty done in other colors too.  Maybe you'd like to goof off a bit and try some other color combinations.  I think an Old Olive background might look great with the butterfly in Tangerine Tango or even Bermuda Bay.
Goofing off is very relaxing and you have my permission to goof off as much as you want!

I hope your Friday is a good one and that it leads right into a great weekend!
Hugs,
Susan
        

Drawing the line, one more time

Hi there stampers and happy Wednesday!

It seems like fall is really here.  Even though it doesn't officially arrive until Sunday, today I noticed the very first red maple leaves on our driveway.  Although our trees are still 90% green, the leaves at the very top are most definitely red and beginning to fall.  Yikes! I guess I'd better prepare for "raking season!"

 Did you try making a card like the one I showed you on Monday?  How did you do?  I hope you didn't find it too terribly frustrating!  Or perhaps you filed that idea away for another time.  Whatever the case, I've got another one of those cards for you today, but I promise this will be the last one using this design.  If you like the look, but want to make it a whole lot easier, you can just use a neutral panel with a colored panel behind it for your sentiment.

Take a look at today's card...

This time, I used the thick end of the Early Espresso marker, to better match the thicker script I used for the sentiment.  Here's a quick list of the supplies I used...

Stamps:  Magnificent Maple (page 18 of the Holiday catalog)
              Four You (sentiment, page 22 of the annual catalog)
Ink:  Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Early Espresso
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Accessories:  Early Espresso Marker, post-it paper for masking

Even though there are clouds and rain in the forecast this week, I'm still stubbornly hanging on to my capris and sandals.  I'm just not ready to give them up yet.  Are you one of the summer people like me?  Or are you busily unpacking your favorite sweaters, jackets, and boots in preparation for fall?  Even if we don't share the same views on our favorite season, there is one thing we can agree on, and that's our love of stamping!  I hope you'll find some time this week to get out your stamps and stamp something pretty!

You've got 2 opportunities to stamp this coming weekend.  First, there's Connie's party on Saturday at 1 pm at my house. We'll be making two cards that have moving parts. One card has a panel that flips over when the card is opened and the second card has a panel that pulls up out of a pocket, revealing the sentiment, when the card is opened.  Come and learn a couple of new tricks to kick your cards up a notch or two. There is no cost to attend Connie's party on Saturday, but of course orders are encouraged and greatly appreciated. If you'd like to attend, please let me know by emailing me at sjrstamps@gmail.com

Then on Sunday, you can join me for my "Fall in Love with Stamping" class which starts at 1:30.  You'll make four cards plus a journal, all for $15 or free with a $40 purchase.  There will be some yummy fall treats and door prizes too.  I've got just a few spots left, so be sure to email me asap to save a spot at the stamping table.

Well, stampers, it's downhill from here to the weekend.  Hope the rest of your week goes well!
Hugs,
Susan

Drawing a straight line....

Hello my stamping friends!  Happy Monday to all and thanks for stopping in today at The Classic Card!

How skilled are you when it comes to drawing?  I hate to admit it, but I'm horrible at it!  I have no artistic skill whatsoever when it comes to drawing.  Even when I'm drawing stick figures, they look "off" somehow.  I think most four-year-olds can draw more skillfully than I do.  I guess that's why I love stamping so much.  I can create something pretty with my own two hands, something I could never do with a pencil and a piece of paper.

Today's card starts out with a daunting task... drawing not one straight line, but two!  When I first saw this type of card online, I thought to myself "oh what an easy card idea."  Well, I was wrong, wrong, wrong about that!  With the help of a metal ruler (wooden ones tend to get little indentations along them, which makes for a wiggly line) and a marker, you should be able to pull this off in a few ( maybe two or three) tries.  Or,if you're like me, maybe five or six tries!

OK, let me show you the card.  I love how it turned out, by the way!

So, as I said, you start out by drawing two straight lines.  I used the thin point on an Early Espresso marker to draw my lines.  It is necessary to wipe the ruler with a tissue or paper towel after each line... otherwise you'll end up with an ugly smear. (Ask me how I know that.)  After you've done that, it is time to stamp the sentiment.  Of course once I'd successfully drawn the two lines, I messed up the sentiment a couple of times.... crooked, smeared, etc.
Then, using post it paper, carefully mask off the lines and sentiment and stamp the flowers on the top portion of the card.  Reposition the post-it paper and stamp the flowers on the bottom.  Really, it's a very simple concept... just a little harder to pull off than I originally thought.  Ever notice that a lot of life is like that???
The stamp set I used is Summer Silhouettes and the colors are Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry, and Tangerine Tango.  I used Early Espresso for the lines, the sentiment, and the centers on the flowers. The back panel is Tangerine Tango.

Here's a little hint that will help you.  When you are stamping the flowers, sometimes you don't get a complete "print" with the stamp as it bumps up against the post-it paper.  So you might end up with a bare spot on a leaf or a flower.  To fill in the bare area, use the thin point on the matching marker to make tiny little dots of color very close together.  That will fill in the missing color much better than using the thicker tip to just color in the missing ink.  For some reason, when you do that, the ink is too dark and it draws attention to the mistake.

I hope you'll take some time in the next few days to try a card like this.  It's definitely a challenge, but the results are impressive when you've been successful.  Thanks so much for being my readers!
May today be the start of a great week for you!
Hugs,
Susan

A Summery Card for a Summery Friday....

Hello there stampers!  How are you this beautiful Friday morning?

I think all of us can agree that there's much to appreciate about a beautiful morning and the start of another weekend.  I'm so grateful for this super weather and I'm sure hoping that Mr. Sun will continue to grace us with his golden presence!

I know you came here to see an inspiring card and I certainly have one for you today, but before we get to that, I need to let you know the exciting news that Stampin'Up! has re-stocked the Clearance Rack!!  There are all sorts of new goodies on the rack, from card stock to DSP to brads, ribbon, and even some stamp sets and single stamps.  Also added are some dies for the Big Shot and even a couple of embossing folders.  Go check it out.  To see the clearance rack, click on the "shop now" button on my blog header or you can go to www.susanrodgers.stampinup.net ( my demonstrator business web site).  You will be absolutely amazed at the prices!

OK, let's now return to our regularly scheduled program.  Here's the summery card I promised...

Isn't this gorgeous?  I can go on and on about how pretty this is and how fabulous I think it is because I didn't make this card.  I'm not one to blow my own horn...at least not very loudly, but I'm more than happy to tell you that this card was made by Gloria Atwood, one of the talented demonstrators in my downline.
This doesn't look like a quick and easy card, but I think it could be made in 10-15 minutes, depending on how quick you are with a pair of paper snips.  Let me give you a quick list of the supplies that Gloria used to create this beauty:

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor
Ink:  Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Gumball Green
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, and Calypso Coral card stock
Accessories:  Honeycomb embossing folder, Basic Pearls, and Dimensionals.

Gloria first stamped the Very Vanilla panel with the swirls from Everything Eleanor in Blushing Bride ink.  Then she stamped the label image from the same set in Gumball Green, right over the swirls. After that, she ran the panel through her Big Shot with the Honeycomb embossing folder.  Then she stamped 3 of the flowers from Everything Eleanor in Calypso Coral and then cut each one out.  Each flower is popped up on a dimensional and a pearl was added to the center of each flower for the perfect finishing touch.

Wouldn't you love to make a card like this at your very own stamping party, where YOU will get all the hostess freebies???  You can have your party at my house, so there'll be no cleaning, organizing, and setting up for a party for you.  Just bring your friends to my house, along with some snacks.  I'll do the rest!
There's nothing more fun than sitting down with the Stampin'Up! catalog at the end of your party and picking out all of the free items you've earned.

I hope that all of you will have a wonderfully relaxing weekend!  May you find a few minutes to stamp something pretty! Oh, and please come back on Monday for more stamping ideas and inspiration.  I've been busy creating new cards for your enjoyment!
Happy weekend, everyone!
Susan

Cool and Frosty

Hello Stampers and welcome back to The Classic Card!

I'm thinking we all need to concentrate on cool thoughts on this very warm and sunny Wednesday.  I'm not complaining one bit, though, just remarking on our summery temperature today.  And why shouldn't it be nice?  As I've noted before, it's still summer until Sept. 21st.  Then on the 22nd, suddenly it's officially fall.  I'm loving sitting on the front porch, eating dinner on the back patio, and pretending the summer weather will last forever.  I might have to run down to Starbucks this afternoon and get a cool frosty Decaf Coffee Frappucino, my favorite warm-weather drink.

And to go along with my cool and frosty coffee, I've got a cool and frosty card that I think you'll love!
Take a peek and let me know what you think...

Just looking at this gives me a cool little shiver!  I wish I could take credit for this beautiful creation, but I cannot.  This is the work of Shannon Carrier, one of the talented demonstrators in our Stamp2gether group which meets monthly for dinner, swapping, and stamping.  Shannon used tons of new products in creating this beauty, so let me quickly list them.

Stamps:  Festive Flurry (snowflake stamp), page 30 of the holiday catalog
Ink:  Pool Party
Paper:  Winter Frost Designer Series Paper Stack, page 29 of the holiday catalog
            Pool Party Card Stock, Whisper White Card Stock
Accessories:  Festive Flurry Framelit Dies, page 30 of the holiday catalog
                     Silver Foil Sheets, page 28 of the holiday catalog (for the "Merry"
                     Frosted Finishes Embellishments, also on page 28
                     Expressions Thinlit Dies (you get "Merry," "Thankful," and "Love") page 36 of the holiday
                      catalog)

Everything she used just comes together so nicely in this great card!

Hope your week is going smoothly and if you're spending your week at work, I hope you'll be able to take a few minutes to go outside and enjoy the sunshine.  Thanks for stopping in for a visit!  I appreciate my readers very much and I'd love it if you'd refer other card-makers to my blog.  Don't forget to check in with me on Friday, when I'll show you another classic card!
Hugs,
Susan

Can You Can?

Hello there stampin' peeps!

Wow... it's Monday again already!  I don't know where last week went.   I guess that's what happens when you're "retired" and also very busy.  The days just become a blur sometimes.  Maybe I need to get a full-time job again so I can rest from being retired!

Once again, it's canning season, which begins mid-summer and goes for a few more weeks as people can their tomatoes, make tomato sauce and salsa, can pickles, and all that good stuff.  My mom and my aunts were big canners, but I never caught the canning bug, probably because it's just so easy to go to the store.  But I do remember how delicious home-made pickles can be, not to mention jams and jellies.  Even if you aren't one of those caught up in canning fever, a cute canning jar can make a great gift container.  Check this out...

Isn't this just the cutest?  I received this from Birgit Schreiber, one of the talented stampers in our local group of demonstrators.  We meet once a month for dinner, swapping, and exchanging business and stamping ideas.  This was her swap for the evening.  I'll give you a quick list of the products she used in a minute, but first let's talk about what could go in a jar like this besides the obvious jam, jelly, etc.    I don't know if you're a fan of Pinterest, but there are canning jars all over that site.  You can package all sorts of gifts in a jar, from
home-made spice rubs for BBQ,  to baking mixes (Brownies in a Jar), to soup mixes, to candies of all kinds.  A Halloween themed jar with candy corn would be fun, or you could fill a Christmas jar with peppermints, mini candy canes, or other Christmas candy.  An interesting loose tea blend or a special variety of coffee beans would also make a nice jar-filler, but the contents don't have to be edible.  I've seen jars of rolled-up ribbon, buttons, and other crafting supplies. The possibilities are endless!

Let's talk about what Birgit used on her fun jar...
 
The "yum" tag was stamped with the Friendship Preserves set (page 117 of the annual catalog) in Midnight Muse.  It was cut with the Window Frames Framelits (page 186) and then adhered to a mat of Midnight Muse cut with a Window Framelit one size larger.  The lid of the jar is wrapped with a band of Polka Dot Parade DSP in Real Red.  The little oval labels on the top of the lid are stamped with sayings from the Creatively Yours stamp set (page 26 of the annual catalog).  One tag says "made just for you," one says
"deliciously made for you," and the third one says "from the kitchen of..."   The ribbon is the beautiful stitched satin in Midnight Muse (page 173 of the annual catalog).  The "yum" tag is tied on with some Cherry Cobbler baker's twine.  I hope I've inspired you to check your cupboards for some jars that you can decorate and fill with something yummy for a friend.

Thanks for stopping by this sunny summery Monday!  Let's not forget that it is still officially summer, and will be until Sept. 21st.  I give you official permission to keep wearing your capris and sandals.  I won't be surrendering to the fall/winter wardrobe until I'm forced into it by cold and rain!  Don't forget to come back on Wednesday for more stamping ideas.
Hugs,
Susan

Feeling Grateful...

Happy Friday, Stampers!

I'm excited for the weekend ahead, as I'm going to be getting together with some of my fun customers for my "Trick or Treat, Fun and Sweet" class on Saturday at 1 o'clock at my house.  There's still room for you if you'd like to attend!  You'll enjoy cute projects,  yummy Halloween-y treats, and some creative time just for you!

I'm happy to say that I've finished designing the projects for my "Fall in Love With Stamping" event that will take place on the first day of fall, Sunday September 22nd at 1:30 at my house.  At this class, you'll make a journal, plus 4 beautiful cards in the gorgeous shades of autumn.  Today I'm going to show you the journal that you can create.  However, this is just one option.  We'll talk about the other options later, but first let's take a look...

This is a simple composition book which has been covered with DSP and stamped with fall leaves
(Magnificent Maple, page 18 of the Holiday catalog).  The acorn is from the Truly Grateful stamp set (page 19 of the Holiday catalog).  The title is from the Truly Grateful set as well.. The colors I used are Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, and Early Espresso.  I used the label collection framelits to create the title.
As you can see, the title on this journal is Thankful for...  This is what is known as a gratitude journal.  You might be wondering why you'd want to bother keeping a gratitude journal.  Well, let me fill you in.

Dr. Robert A. Emmons, a University of California, Davis professor conducted eight years of intensive research on gratitude and found that people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an "attitude of gratitude" will experience multiple advantages, as outlined in his best-selling book, Thanks!  How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make you Happier.

When you practice gratitude, you become more optimistic.  That, in turn, makes you healthier and happier, boosting you personal and professional life. He found that grateful people felt 25% happier, more optimistic, and more confident.  Here are four ways to increase your gratitude quota:

1.  Keep a gratitude journal.  At the end of the day, write down three to five things from the day for which you feel grateful.  Even the most negative situation has a positive somewhere.

2. Express your gratitude.  Never pass up an opportunity to say "thank you."

3.  Look for what is right about a situation, not what's wrong.

4.  Practice gratitude with your family and friends.  Encourage each family member to report one thing that happened that day for which they feel grateful.

{The above information was taken from an article by Irene Ross titled "A Consistent Gratitude Practice Makes You Happier and Healthier" on the Wellness Today web site, February 19, 2013.}

Just in case I haven't convinced you, here are some other ways you could use a book like this.  It could be an inspiration journal where you stash pictures cut from magazines and catalogs that show great color combinations for cards.  I find the best color combinations in clothing and home catalogs.  Pillows, bedspreads, lamps, dishes... all can serve as great taking-off points for cards.  You can turn your book into a "Recipes to Try" book, where you corral all of those recipes that you rip out of magazines and newspapers.
Your book could become a place to jot your "To-Do" Lists.   You'll never misplace your list (written on the back of a piece of junk mail) again.  And if you date your lists, I guarantee that you'll enjoy looking back over them in a couple of years.  I've got several other options for you as well.

I didn't mean to write a book today, so I think it's time to wind this up!  In the next few posts I'll show you some of the cards we'll be making at the "Fall in Love with Stamping" event.  Hope you'll join me!
 Have a great weekend and I hope you'll find some time to stamp something pretty!
Hugs,
Susan

Not Too Creepy...

Hello there stampers!  Welcome to Wednesday at The Classic Card!

How did your holiday weekend turn out??  I sincerely hope that it was a pleasant one... filled with things you love about summer.  And if it didn't turn out so great... well, it's over now and we can all move on to happier times ahead.

I've got one last project to show you that we'll be making this Saturday at my "Trick or Treat, Fun and Sweet" class at 1 pm at my house.  This fun gift bag would be great to hold some candy, some cash, or even a gift card.  It is a tad more grown-up that some of the other projects, as the sentiment is "Celebrate a creepy crawly Halloween."  But there's no scary skeleton or evil-looking witch... just a harmless-looking tiny little spider, so I don't think this would terrify a small child.  Check it out...

I used a plain kraft paper bag and stamped it in Tangerine Tango with the Positively Chevron background stamp (page 126 of the annual catalog).  Next I cut out the label shape using the largest Apothecary Accent  framelit (page 187) and some of the Modern Medley DSP  (page 154).  I stamped the sentiment in Basic Black ink on Very Vanilla card stock, sponged the edges of the panel in Tangerine Tango and used some white baker's twine (page 173) to tie it closed.  Who wouldn't love to get this on Halloween with their favorite candy bar inside??  Or maybe a gift card to a favorite restaurant?  Concert tickets?  You get the idea.  The contents are limited only by your imagination and your budget!

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!  Only a couple of days and we'll be back at the weekend already!
Please come back on Friday for more stamping inspiration!
Hugs to all,
Susan

No laboring for me today....

Hello Stampers and Happy Labor Day!

I've always thought of this day as the official end of summer and if you're a student or a teacher, that's pretty much true for you.  I take comfort in the fact that summer does not actually end until September 22nd, when I'm forced by the Autumn Equinox to finally admit that yes, summer is over for another year.  I'm hoping for some gloriously sunny fall days before the rains arrive in earnest.

So what, if any, fun things do you have planned for this nice Monday holiday?  A barbecue with friends?  A trip to the beach?  A round of golf?  Whatever it is, I hope that it is fun and does not involve a lot of work on your part.  I'm actually going to try to take a day off and just relax... read the paper... drink coffee.

I've been busy working on getting all of my ducks in a row for my upcoming Halloween class, coming up this Saturday, Sept. 7th at 1pm at my house.  I would love it if you would join me for this class that focuses on the fun and sweetness of Halloween, not on the scary stuff.  This fun little treat box is just one of the five projects you'll be making.  Of course I'm going to give you the directions and even a template so that you can make more of this cute little box when you get home.  The fun tag says "It's all about the candy," a sentiment from the Halloween Hello set on page 21 of the holiday catalog.  This box is small, which is a happy thing, as it won't take a ton of candy to fill it.  But it still makes a nice treat for those special kiddos in your life... the neighbor kids, the grandchildren, etc.  And once you see how easy it is to make this cute little box, you can make them for other occasions like Valentine's Day, Christmas, and Easter.

Well, that's it for today, stampin' peeps!  I'm going off to sit on the porch and read, or maybe I'll take a walk.  But you won't find me doing any ironing today and I won't be mopping any floors either.  That can wait until tomorrow!  Have a great relaxing day and don't forget to come back and visit again on Wednesday, when I'll have more stamping inspiration for you!

Susan