Wow! I think I’ve finally recouperated from Stampin’ Up!’s convention! I’ve posted my photos in my Splitcoaststampers gallery…lots of awesome projects on display. I went to convention with seven fabulous ladies and over half of us won door prizes! SU went all out this year and we had a blast.

I’m busy this weekend cleaning out my stamp room and getting ready for my upcoming open house. I also need to make lots of room for new stamps! We received the new Fall/Winter catalog at convention and I have a huge wish list!

I’ll try to get a project created and posted soon…stay tuned!

Here is one of the cards we did at club today:

Stamps: Simply Said
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty In Pink, Certainly Celery, So Saffron
Ink: Pretty In Pink, So Saffon, Old Olive
Accessories: 1 3/8 square punch, Soft Subtles Buttons, Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen, Crafters Tool Kit, Mini Glue Dots

It’s kinda hard to see but there are two thin strips of Pretty In Pink cardstock at the bottom. I used the 1 3/8 square punch to create the banner, just stick the right edge of the celery cardstock into the corner of the square punch.

I saw this card on Robin Spinner’s blog and just had to case it. Isn’t it adorable?! I wanted to try it with Stem Sayings and love how it turned out. The words look like they’re blowing along in the wind right along with the flowers.

Stamps: Time For You, Stem Sayings
Paper: Pretty In Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Gray, Going Gray, Pixie Pink, Creamy Caramel, Brocade Blue
Accessories: Brocade Blue 5/8 Grosgrain Ribbon

I wanted to teach my club and my downline the emerging color technique. Here is the card I had them make:

Stamps: Fabulous Flowers
Paper: Whisper White, River Rock, Bravo Burgundy, Ginger Blossom DSP
Ink: Ruby Red, Groovy Guava, So Saffron, Bravo Burgundy, Versamark
Accessories: Brayer, Clear EP, Bravo Burgundy 5/8 Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals
Techniques: Emerging Color

I absolutely love the Tart & Tangy set that was in the Occasions mini catalog. I’m really hoping it will be in an upcoming catalog along with the summer picnic paper. My theory is they didn’t use any incolors with the paper and the set goes perfectly with the paper so maybe we’ll see both again.

Here are two really simple cards I made with that set:

Stamps: Tart & Tangy, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Only Orange, Old Olive, Whisper White, Summer Picnic DSP
Ink: Only Orange Craft Ink, Old Olive Classic Ink
Accessories: Clear EP mixed with kool-aid, Crafters Tool Kit, Dimensionals, scallop & circle punches
Technique: Scratch -n- Sniff

Stamps: Tart & Tangy, Sincere Salutations
Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White, Summer Picnic DSP
Ink: Real Red, Basic Black and Old Olive Classic Ink
Accessories: Dimensionals, scallop & circle punches

I’ve had a very sad week. My cat, Q, had been having breathing difficulties for the past month and we had been to the vet at least 5 times with each treatment failing to get a response. The vet thought he had a severe upper respiratory infection and we had him on all kinds of antibiotics and steroids. His breathing became so labored that on Wednesday evening we took him to the emergency vet hospital and had him in an oxygen tent all night. The next day (yesterday) we took him to a specialist to get a scope done of his throat and found out that he had cancer of the larynx. This type of cancer is fast growing and untreatable. Apparently white cats are genetically predisposed for this and there would have been nothing we could have done to prevent it. I wish we had known sooner and he wouldn’t have suffered so much at the end.

At the specialist, my family gathered around and held Q while he was euthanized. We adopted him from the shelter when he was 3 weeks old and he would have been 16 next month. He was the most loving and sweet cat I have ever had.

Sorry I’ve been gone so long. I’ve been super busy but I’m back! Here is a card that we did at last month’s club using the faux silk technique.

Stamps: Touch of Nature
Paper: Whisper White, Garden Green, Rose Red, Rose Red DSP
Ink: Basic Brown, Garden Green, Barely Banana & Creamy Caramel
Accessories: White Tissue Paper, Photo Corners Punch, Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Black Brads

My DH and I were standing on our deck planning where we were going to plant new trees and noticed that a Mourning Dove had made a nest in one of our hayrack planters. She was sitting there keeping her two babies warm. Aren’t they adorable?!

Here is one of the cards I did at club today. I used the Reflection technique but instead of acetate I used a clear envelope and brayer.

Stamps: Noble Deer, Circle of Friendship
Paper: Really Rust, Afternoon Tea DSP, Always Artichoke, Ivory Naturals, Very Vanilla
Ink: Really Rust, Basic Brown
Accessories: Always Artichoke 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Close To Cocoa, Always Artichoke & Bordering Blue WW Crayons; brayer; clear envelope; scallop & circle punches

We have over a foot of snow here! I’ve been snowed in all weekend and actually got a lot of stamping done. Here’s one of the cards I stamped…

Stamps: Infinite Goodness
Paper: Ruby Red, Certainly Celery, Shimmery White, Ginger Blossom DSP
Ink: Ruby Red, Basic Brown
Accessories: Certainly Celery 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon, WW Crayons, Aquapainter

You can’t see the sparkle in the photo but the pear is stamped on shimmery white paper.

Now for snow pictures! Here is my elkhound, Hermes, playing in the snow: