LSC197 Peaceful Snow – We sold our house!!!

I know it’s been awhile since I posted and I have missed all of you.  We’ve been pretty busy, but a good busy.  We closed on our home in Nashville last week- what a blessing!  God is so good.  Now we can try and get back on our retirement budget without the expenses of a second home.  I have also been making card sets for my nieces and aunt for Christmas so that has kept me busy.  They are really turning out nicely and I will post photos when I finish the six sets.  Three down, three to go!

My day two card for PCP’s 12 Days of Christmas (see below) was the random winner and I received a wonderful prize package from The Cat’s Pajamas.  I used the terrific and beautiful Elegant Christmas set for my card today.  Please visit Alma at The Cat’s Pajamas and check out their fantastic products.  These clear stamps are just awesome- great quality and impression.

I am a few days behind on Splitcoaststampers challenges but really wanted to participate in Friday’s Limited Supplies Challenge and use the snowflake and sentiment image from this new set.  There’s lots of blue and white but it really did turn out pretty.  I heat embossed the snowflake background with White Opaque, then brayered Bashful Blue on top of it (emboss resist).  Then sponged the blue heavy in the corners and filled in the snowflakes.  The sentiment is clear embossed in Brocade Blue.

Supplies:

Stamps:  The Cat’s Pajamas Elegant Christmas; Paper:  PTI White, Bashful Blue; Ink: Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue; Accessories:  Brayer, Blue satin ribbon (Wal-Mart), White and Clear embossing powder, heat tool, Spray Adhesive, Dimensionals, Crystal glitter Versamark, Sponges.

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Blessings,

Diane

12 Days to Christmas – Day Two – Christmas Wishes

It’s Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas challenge on Paper Craft Planet and today we were to use a dove/turtle in our design.  Second day of Christmas- two turtle doves…..

Well, I really didn’t want to use a turtle immage and my dove stamp is a $1 Michaels stamp from a few years ago….but it’s kinda cute.  So I created a little scene and IRL this is so pretty.  However, it didn’t photo well- I thnk it’s the glitter.  I used my brand spankin’ new Fences set from The Salt Box and I know I’m gonna love the whole set.

Here are the supplies I used:

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree, PTI Believe, The Salt Box Fences, Michael’s $1 dove stamp; Paper:  Baja Breeze, PTI White; Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Old Olive, Summer Sun; Accessories: Rhinestone brads from the Pretties kit, CB Swiss Dots EF, Ultrafine glitter, Dimensionals.

Be sure to visit Paper Craft Planet- it’s a fun new site!

Hope your Saturday is peaceful….Blessings,

Diane

12 Days to Christmas – Day 1 – Paper Craft Planet/SCS IC156 Whimsy

This is Day One for the 12 Days to Christmas contest at Paper Craft Planet, a new hip and fast growing site for paper lovers.  Today our PCP creations were to include a bird or a tree- partridge in a pear tree, get it?  And the SCS IC challenge included some wonderful papers at Whimsy Press that complimented the sketch.  So I did a sorta rerun of a favorite sketch using one of my fave SU! sets- Always and created another unique Christmas card.  My bird looks like another recent card, but I loved it so I just had to use it again.

I took the day off today to rest up from the holiday.  Cooking, cleaning and visiting- it was wonderful and I hope to be back tomorrow with patter and pix.

Supplies:  Stamps:  SU! Always, PTI Believe; Paper:  Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy, River Rock, SU! Bella Rose DSP; Ink: Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy; Accessories: Cuttlebug EF, White Embossing Powder, Versamark, Filigree brads, Red brad, Riding Hood Red GG ribbon, Dimensionals.

Blessings,

Diane

Krafty Basic Red – CC193

The SCS Color Challenge for this week is one of my all time favorites- Kraft, Basic Black and Real Red.  My card is fairly simple and I was determined to use the Old World Santa from PTI’s fantastic Believe set that was introduced last year.  I just love all the different images in this versatile set.  Also, I was excited to use my new Nesties again.

I just got a call from my dear friend Lisa – she’s coming to Jackson on business and will be stopping by to visit this afternoon.  What a great treat!  Can’t wait to catch up on all things Stampin’.  I’m also making my shopping list for Thanksgiving lunch here at my house next week.  My family – some 40 strong – will be coming over and I have a lot of cooking and baking to do- and just can’t wait!   I love having folks over and now that I have time, really enjoy cooking again.  I pulled out some old recipes and found a couple I’m going to try, plus I’m going to attempt Southern Living’s famous Hummingbird cake- my all time favorite.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Supplies used: Stamps:  PTI Believe; Paper: Kraft, Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White; Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Garden Green, Mellow Moss, Blush Blossom; Accessories:  Nestabilities, CB Swiss Dots EF, Red/Black ribbon from Hobby Lobby, Ticket Corner Punch, Ultra Fine Glitter, SU! Markers.

Many Blessings,

Diane

Peaceful Pacific Gray, Certainly – CC192

Today’s color challenge was a puzzle to me and I didn’t know if I would be able to pull it together.  I have worked on it all morning and I must say, I am quite pleased with the results.  I used one of my SU! favorites, Always, and stamped the bird on Pacific Point with Versamark, then embossed in White opaque embossing powder.  Clear embossed the heart image on Certainly Celery.  Added some silver hardware and a computer generated sentiment to turn it into a holiday card.  I hope you like it.

I am much better today but still gonna take it easy.  It’s chilly outside so I’m staying in, but I am looking forward to Bible Study in the morning.  Hope all is well with all of you.

Supplies:  Stamps:  Always; Paper:  Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Certainly Celery, PTI White; Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark; Accessories:  Scallop edge punch, PTI Spring Moss ribbon, Silver HPH, Cuttlebug embossing folders, Dimensionals, Computer generated sentiment.

Blessings,

Diane

A Wish for Peace – CC191 Pretty Red Kisses

It is so beautiful here in West Tennessee- the trees are gorgeous and our street looks like a picture!  And I have the flu- so not fair.  I was going to get a flu shot after we voted on Tuesday but had a sore throat and decided it wouldn’t be a good idea.  Well, since then it has blossomed into a deep cough and achy bones and a little fever.  I don’t feel awful but am looking forward to getting rid of this stuff.

Anyway, I am trying to get back in the swing of things and work on some SCS challenges.  Monday I spent all day practicing the brayer color technique, so for Tuesday’s color challenge I decided to give it a try.  I layered Pretty in Pink and Riding Hood Red for the sky, then sponged some pink and Kiwi Kiss on the bottom edge of the sky.  Used three stamp sets and then added a little kiwi kiss Cuttlebug corner diecut to the bottom corner.  I like the color combo and love the new A Wish for Peace set from Stampin’ Up. 

Supplies used:  Stamps:  A Wish for Peace, Lovely as a Tree, PTI Believe; Paper: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, PTI White, Basic Black; Ink: Riding Hood Red, Pretty in Pink, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black; Accessories:  Black brads, CB dies and embossing folder, Dimensionals;

Blessings,

Diane

Peace on Earth – CC183

Everything continues to go well with the sale of our house and I want to thank you for your encourgement and prayers.  The inspection is next and we are hopeful that it is soon and successful.

Today’s colors are very interesting- Going Gray, Riding Hood Red and Green Galore.  I really wasn’t sure how to make these work since Green Galore isn’t my favorite-unless- you think Christmas!  It’s never too early to work on holiday cards, so I pulled out a lot of brand spankin’ new stuff and got to work.  I used my very favorite sketch and am quite pleased with the result.

Supplies:  Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Inspired by Nature, Papertrey Ink Believe; Paper:  Going Gray, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, SU! Bella Rose DSP; Ink: Going Gray, Riding Hood Red, Green Galore; Accessories:  CB Forest Branches EF, Green gingham ribbon, Designer brads-Filigree, Basic Grey brad, Dimensionals.

Blessings,

Diane

Pomegrante Peace – CC178

I didn’t know that retirement could be so busy!  But, I am enjoying every minute of it.  The wedding is just over two weeks away and my sister and I are staying pretty busy with last minute details.  I am hosting a bridal shower this week for my niece Jill and working on the music for the ceremony and reception.   Hubby got fitted for his tux last week and I’ve got to find time to shop for my outfit.  I am also trying to get the boxes unpacked and pictures on the wall for the shower, so I haven’t had the time to do much stampin’.

The new Stampin’ Up catalog is on the way and I can’t wait to see all the new stuff.  So for the past few weeks we have been saying “goodbye” to the current In Colors since they won’t be available anymore.  I am looking forward to the new set of colors, but I did love these old ones and will miss working with them everyday.

Today the color challenge was another In Color farewell.  We could use any Neutral and any one or more of the six retiring colors.  I chose three of the colors to make this pretty Christmas card.

I sure hope your week is going well- we are trying to stay cool here in the South with temps every day in the mid-high nineties.

Supplies: Stamps: Penny Black Berry Branch, PTI Believe; Paper:  PTI White, Purely Pomegrante, Groovy Guava; Ink: Purely Pomegrante, Wild Wasabi; Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Versamark, Heat Tool, Paper Piercer and Dimensionals.

Blessings,

Diane

The Art of Julia – FS77 ArtyStamper – ssnotime45 Christmas in July

I know I’ve been AWOL for awhile and it’s good to be back, even if for just a few hours today.  We made our almost final move from Nashville to Jackson over the weekend so the house, once again, is full of boxes to unpack.  I am also hosting a bridal shower for my niece in two weeks- so there is a real reason to get most of the unpacking done quickly and put the house in order.  But,

I just had to participate in the Featured Stamper challenge this week.  Julia, aka artystamper, has long been one of my favorites.  Her gallery is awesome and she has been so supportive of me and always leaves such encouraging comments.  Here is the card I chose to case.  I changed the image and colors and used my Cuttlebug instead of the awesome scoring she has on her card.  I also decided to start on my Christmas cards and want to keep them simple so I won’t get overwhelmed, so this card also fits with Sharon’s (notimetostamp) Stamp Simply challenge last week.  Take a minute and browse through Julia’s gallery and Sharon’s blog- you will really be inspired.

Supplies:  Paper- PTI White, Real Red, Certainly Celery; Stamps- Petal Prints, PTI Believe; Ink- Real Red, Certainly Celery; Accessories- Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF, SU! Markers, Making Memories green grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals.

Blessings to you,  Diane