Sylvia's Stamping Corner

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN SOUTHERN COLORADO

It was the last day of January, and I can not believe we were in the 60's. I do not recall it ever being this nice. I spent my day doing all the things I had to do. I went back to the post office and the grocery store. Then I spent the morning cooking, potato salad and a carrot cake. I discovered I had forgot to mail some bills so I was off to the post office again. Before going, I thought I would start the very full dishwasher. I heard some funny noises and low and behold it was not working. Very annoyed I unloaded the top rack into the sink to soak.

After returning from the post office, I washed the sink full of dishes. I then unloaded the bottom rack to soak while the dishes dried on my towels. I finally got all the dishes done, my lunch and my husband lunch for tomorrow made in time to take a short break before starting supper. Sometimes I think I am on a lazy susan going round and round!

It was late evening, when I felt good enough to sit at the table and work on a card. I had pulled out these colors yesterday and kind of had a plan. I used my new Daisy die and cut some Almost Amethyst daisies. I used one of my sizzlits to emboss and cut the flowers that match the beautiful designer paper. I made this card out of Barely Banana card stock, the piece left from last nights card. Then I just had to find a saying I wanted to put on the card. I also used a Summer Sun corduroy button as the flower center.  This was an easy, quick, beautiful card. I will have to get more stamping done tomorrow if I want to be ready for next Sunday!

STAMPING, STAMPING, WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO SPEND THE DAY!

I get up every morning with new ideas. The most exciting thing is creating something I never new I could. It's really bad when someone like me, who spent a whole lifetime liking a clean house, has suddenly decided to sit down and stamp instead of keep house. Tonight, my daughter and I were doing a role reversal. We were on the phone, she was cleaning and I was making a card. She actually made me want to get up and clean up my mess! Of course I had to laugh.

My sales on Etsy have finally picked up. With each new sale, I get really excited. I went to the post office again today to mail cards I sold. I am happy to say I have another trip tomorrow. With every card I sell, I make one more. I spent the day making cards, taking time out for the post office trip and to eat a sandwich. I did eat supper tonight until I finished my card for tonight. After this post, I will return upstairs to do some cleaning. I have a party next weekend and I can not do all that is required in a day or two.

I am using some more new paper for the card I stamped tonight. It is a birthday card. It is very spring, again another butterfly. The butterfly is only attached to the card on the body. The rose is water colored to look like my tree rose which has it's first blooms of the winter. I bring my tree roses inside, as we are too cold for them to be outside. I also put the blue piece of card stock through the Big Shot with a new embossing plate. I did get to play a little with a few new toys.

STAMPING ORDERS, ARE YOU READY FOR SALE-A-BRATION?

I spent the morning finishing up hand stamped invitations for our first party of the year. With Christmas and the cold, cold weather, I have not had much time to do a party. Since Sale-A-Bration is upon us once again, it is time to get in the party mood. I started last night with some new paper and Kiwi Kiss card stock. Don't you just love this color. At first I was not too keen on it, but after I used it, I discovered how well the color went with a lot of other colors. I got the invitations finished, delivered some, and mailed others along with two catalogs to friends. It seems I visit the post office every other day! I am posting front and back of the invitations. Please excuse my handwriting, I was trying to hurry. They are bright and cheery! I love this new paper!!!!!!! 

I checked my e-mail this afternoon and had sold two more cards on my Etsy site. So I spent the night replacing those cards. I am excited to finally be selling to other people than just my family, although I really appreciate my family buying cards as well. I checked ebay today. Did you know a Soft Sky stampin pad, used sold for $9.00? Considering you can not buy ink any more, I thought that was a little much, but who am I to question the power of ebay.I wanted to play with my embossing plates, maybe tomorrow. I have a project all ready to start. But I do have to get retired stamps on ebay tomorrow!

A BUSY STAMPING DAY, SWAP CARDS FOR JANUARY!

Although I have been anxious to just play with all of my new stuff, I am trying to complete one project at a time, clean up then begin again. Yesterday, I delivered orders and because it was so very cold outside, I ended up feeling really sick and did not get any thing else done, nor did I post. I had started some cards the night before, of which I posted the pink one. Today, I managed to finish the other 8 cards and am posting the red one.

It is the end of the month and so I have our swap cards to post as well. One of our swap partners, Natalie, went in for minor surgery,(although I am sure she would not consider her pain, minor) s our challenge was to make a get well card. Brenda chose bright, cheery colors in her card. Notice the needle punch on the XOXO. Very nice touch, Brenda.

Christina, chose two of the new and my favorite colors for her Thinking of you card. She also used one of the retiring sets that I wish I had gotten. Your card is also very cheery, Christina. 

Natalie, felt good enough to do the challenge. I was not sure she would so I was prepared with two cards. She also did not know we were doing them for her. Her card is done in Red, Black and white. My favorite color combo for football games. Go Red Raiders! Sorry, just had to get that in. Natalie did some beautiful embossing. I am not sure, but I think she used her Big hot and an embossing plate. Beautiful card, Natalie. 

My card was already posted, but I am posting it again with the others. Tonight, I have been working on invitations for our next party. I am using new paper, Kiwi Kiss, Summer Sun, and Chocolate Chip are the colors in the paper. Can you guess which paper? It is go to be one of my favorites for this spring. It is bright. However, you will have to wait until tomorrow to see the card!

IT'S REALLY COLD OUTSIDE! BUSY WORKING ON NEW CARDS

I had the nicest surprise this afternoon, my new catalog items arrived. I spent the rest of the afternoon putting together stamps, looking at all the new items, and planning what to do tonight. By the way, I love the new corduroy buttons. I cannot wait to use them.

This has got to be a short post, because it is too cold in my atrium where the computer is to be typing. I worked on another set of eight cards. I had more trouble than last night deciding what exactly I wanted to do. I do have one ready to post. This is another set of valentine 3"x3" note cards. I sold one set of last nights cards on Etsy this afternoon. I used a different stamp set but the same colors. The card is much prettier than the scan. The glitter really makes the card. I also love the new birds and th new lace punch!

Since it is already January 27, I want to wish my daughter-in-law a happy birthday today. It is icy in Oklahoma. I hope she gets to celebrate her birthday like she wants, but safely! 

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, BUT THE BUTTERFLIES ARE FLYING INSIDE

Yesterday was a nice day, then last night it got very cold. Today's high was 34, but it felt colder. My husband started a nice fire before leaving, so I kept it going all day and was toasty warm. It is still going and I will get a cup of something hot, sit and watch a little tennis before I go to bed.

After making a banner yesterday, I was ready to make another, but I decided to work on some 3"x3" cards for Valentines Day. I go for weeks making  3" cards, then 4" cards, then regular sized cards. I had an idea and the 3" size just fit what I wanted to do. Being the last week in January, I don't have much time to finish up on my cards for Valentines. If you plan on mailing them, a week is needed because of the mail service, not to mention the weather.

I used my Big Shot to die cut the big hearts, and hand stamped the hearts and leaves then cut them out. I used the butterfly stamp and cut it out. I wanted to use the elephant stamp from this set as well, but it did not fit my card. I will come up with a card so I can use him. This set is in the new catalog although we had it last year. I think of valentine cards we punched out, when I  was in grade school. With all the butterflies I cut out tonight, they were literally flying, I kept dropping them.

BIG SHOT, L-O-V-E BANNER

I did not post my card last night. I planned a second card for the challenge, but had so much to get done and in the mail, by the time I actually got to sit down and do the card, I was too tired. I went to bed at 2:30, after fixing breakfast for my husband, who had to be at work at 3 am. So by 5pm yesterday, I was worn out. I did start and finish the card. I kept making mistakes and in the end I was not happy with the way the card looked.

My husband was off again for a second straight Saturday. It is nice when the weekend seems like a weekend. Anyway, we potted some geraniums that I rooted and some tomato seeds in peat pots. I cleaned off my table from 3 days of stamping. Sorted my designer paper, got spaces ready for the new paper, and put away the retired paper. 

Next,I planned a small banner. It simply says LOVE. This is my shortest banner.I am going to start custom making banners, so I have had several requests to put them on Etsy. This banner will be the first to go on my site! I am really excited. My card selling has started to pick up, with orders from people other than my children. I hope you like it. It was a lot quicker than my last one which was 18 pennants long. Have a wonderful Sunday. I have more new projects coming.

KRISTINA WERNER'S COLOR INSPIRATION #39

The challenge for this week used some very bright colors. The colors were Basic Black, Real Red, Green Galore, So Saffron, and Whisper White. I had two cards in mind. I am posting this one first, in case I can not get the second one done in time. These colors were a little more difficult because of the intensity of the colors.

My choice for a stamp set was Stampin'Up! Hostess set Rustic Rooster. Card stock used was Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black, and a small piece of So Saffron, for the beak. Inks used were Basic Black, So Saffron, Real Red, and Green Galore. I very carefully  blended the So Saffron and Green Galore to tone down the green color. I embossed a frame within the card, then embossed around the frame, My elements were stamped then cut out and glued to my card.  I had fun making this card. I have looked forward to using this set since I got it. I have just waited for the right time to use it.  Enjoy looking and have a good day tomorrow.

IT'S BEEN A HONEY OF A DAY!

My day started much earlier than usual. I had an early appointment to get my hair cut. The salon is at a local hotel. It was nice to get out and visit for awhile as well. When I got home, I started sorting and labeling my stamps again. After lunch, I had the food to make, that I do once a week for my husband's lunch. I took time out to post new cards on my Etsy site. Check out my Etsy store listed in m favorites. I took a break, then fixed supper. I make a good Chicken Marsala. I ate early as my husband showed no signs of being home.

I started sorting and labeling after supper. I got a call from my husband saying it would be close to 11pm when he would be home, so I continued working. I started my card for tonight around 10pm. I finished awhile ago, but had to let the crystal effects dry, so I am really late posting!  I used Just Buzzing By stamp set again. This time I made a Valentine card. It could also be sent wishing someone a good day. Either way, I like this card. I really enjoy using this set. Have a great day tomorrow.

WHAT A DAY! A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN COLORADO

Not only did I not get any sleep last night, but all the projects I had planned for today,went array. I spent three hours on the computer, after deleting my files I needed for my scanner. I had help trying to clean up my c drive and deleted the files and drivers. I got those back finally, but still did not have enough space to download acrobat 9 so I could open the dormant list. It took a little more time, but with my son's help, he made me some more room.

However, by the time that was done it was after 9pm and I still had not eaten my supper, which was cold by that time. I do have my grandson's Mickey Mouse scrapbook pages show, if any one wants to see them. The will be in the section to the left labeled Mickey Mouse. This is an 8"x 8" scrapbook, without pictures. His mom will help him put them in. He got a digital camera for his birthday. He loves taking pictures and takes really good ones. He has been taking them with my camera for over a year. He is good with electronics at the age of four! I promise I will have my stamps sorted and a new prject to post tomorrow night. I am just too cold to sit up tonight.