Stamps for Sale and update on resolutions

Hi All.

I have listed a few retired stampsets for sale on Splitcoast Stampers. You can see the list here:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12949138#post12949138

As for my resolutions, I have to admit that I have slipped a bit on the exercising. I was not as motivated last week. It has been crazy at work, and that unfortunately affects my mood. I am trying to play wii sports with my son a few times a week though. This weekend it is hard because he is studying for a big test, and we have spent all day reviewing. He has 20 pages of review work!

But I still believe in taking it one day at a time. I have been trying to cook at home more often. And since I am off of my thyroid medicines I have felt better. I have to go in next week for another blood test. Right now I am in the normal range...and hoping to stay there.

Keep me in your prayers!

Teresa

Stamp to Spend

Hello All,

I wanted to share with you a challenge I have joined. It is called Stamp to Spend.

The way it works is that you earn money towards more Stamping and Scrapbooking supplies by using what you already have.

This is a great way to go through that current stash BEFORE purchasing more. Here is how it works.

You get a credit for doing things like, creating a card or layout, or any other thing you want to do more of in 2009. Some other ideas are getting credit for exercising or mailing a card.

You set a dollar amount for each item, and then track it to see how much you can spend on new supplies.

Here are my items:

Making a Card = $1.00
Making a Scrapbook page = $5.00
Altered project = $2.50
Mailing a card = $0.50
exercise = $5.00/per 10 minutes

I started this Sunday, and have already earned $8.50. I have added my tracking to my splitcoast signature, but if you don't feel comfortable doing that you can just track yours on a calendar.

Come join the fun and get to Stamping/Scrapping!

Teresa

Embossing with Small Cuttlebug Folders

Hi All,

Before I share the tutorial for today, I wanted to show you a card my new Big Sister sent me. Isn't this beautiful, I still want this stamp set. It is so elegent!

So for today's tutorial, I have created a video on how emboss with the small Cuttlebug Folders without getting those Folder lines.

Here it is:

Here is the finished Card.
This is the card open.

And here with the card closed.

Enjoy!

Jazzy Challenge IV

Hi all,

Today's Jazzy Challenge was to make a card based on this Herbie Hancock Album Cover, which is Basic Grey and Kiwi Kiss.

Here is the card I came up with. I knew I wanted to use the Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, and I am really trying to use the accessories I have been hording! So I added a Kiwi Kiss button as well.

Why don't you come and play along. Who knows you may be the next Jazzy Cat of the Week.
Stop by Jazzy Inspirations to check out the cards created by the other Design team members and post your Basic Grey and Kiwi Kiss Card.

New Catty now LIVE

It's finally here! The spring Summer Stampin up Catalog. Click Here: NEW CATTY to download the catalog in pdf format.

If you would like your own hard copy you can either:

a) Order a copy from me for $5.00 if you live in the Chicagoland area or,

b) Place an on-line order on Feb 1st or after and you will receive a copy in your order. P.S. if you order after Feb 1st, you may qualify for free SALE-A-Bration product!

Here is my on-line store address: http://www.mylifesart.stampinup.net/

Here are a few samples from the new catalog.

Enjoy

Ruffled Ribbon and new Catty

Hi all,

I am so excited! Tomorrow we can order from the new Stampin up Spring-summer Catalogue. There are sooooo many things I want from it. Here is part of my wish list:

Sizzix
Bag w/ scallops,
Movers and Shapers Curly label
Beautiful Butterflies
Backgrounds I Texturz plates

Punches:
Full Heart
Eyelet Border

Embellishments:
Jumbo Neutral brads
Corduroy buttons
Fleurettes
Valet Ribbon Originals

and I haven't even listed the brand new Designer paper, or the new stamp sets!

I am trying to be good and wait until Feb 1st to place an order so I can qualify for the Sale-a-bration benefits in addition to the normal Hostess benefits. BUT IT IS SO HARD!

Well enough of me whining. On to today's cards and tutorial.

First up is a card I made for a friends birthday. I used the sketch from http://www.papercraftplanet.com/. I love the word Friend from the A Little Somethin' Hostess set.
Now on to the tutorial. Today I did a tutorial on how to make Taffeta ribbon Ruffled. Check it out:

Here is a picture of the finished project. I found the tutorial on how to make the Heart basket from the Petals Card die from Stampin up here: http://www.barbstamps.com/my_weblog/2009/01/big-shot-petal-card-heart-pouch.html

Here is the card that goes with this pouch.

Enjoy!

Ugh Snow and cold weather

Hi all,

Well we got a lot of snow in the chicago land area earlier this week. This is a picture of my house, check out the snow by the mailbox. I tried to shovel up until Tuesday, then I gave up! Every time I shovel the snow plows come by and push it back in my driveway. Thank God I have a truck! My son's school has been out for the last two days because of the cold weather. It was
-13 yesterday but felt more like -35. today was a little warmer, -4 felt like -22. Brrrr.

My sister had purchased a chipboard cookbook awhile back. And she wanted me to cover it for her. She already had the decorative paper from archivers, so I just attached it to the chipboard and added a title with my Sizzix Boys will be Boys alphabet in Chocolate Chip. I also added a lot of Stampin up ribbon. Love the colors!

I also created dividers for her with the From the Kitchen Of Stampin up set.
Check it out here:

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=111087Here is a close-up of the labels

I have been awarded a Blog Award

Hi All,

Tenia Nelson awarded me the "One Lovely Blog Award"! Click on her name to visit her blog. She is a very talented stamper and jazzy musician!

Now I have to keep it going. So here are my seven picks!

Latoya
Diana Gibbs
Jill
Nancy Morgan
Jenn D
Kelly Jean
Erin Blair

Be sure to click on their names to check out their blogs. You won't be disappointed!

Back to my swaps...9 done, 5 more to go!

Teresa

Tudor Answers

I wanted to respond to a few comments left on my blog yesterday:

First: The Tudors is the same show that is airing on BBC.

And to the comment about how did the Tudors become the Windsors, I found this bit of British History.

I think what you're asking me is why did the Windsors succeed the Tudors, which is not the case. The Tudors were succeeded by their cousins the Stuarts. King James VI of Scotland was the first cousin twice removed of Elizabeth I, whom he succeeded to the throne in 1603 as King James I. The Stuarts reigned until 1714, when Queen Anne died and was succeeded by her distant cousins the Hanovers. George I, the first Hanover king of England, was the grandson of King James I's youngest daughter, Elizabeth. The Hanovers reigned until Victoria's eldest son came to the throne in 1901 as King Edward VII. He was the first king of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, because that is the duchy of which his father, Albert, was a prince. Edward VII was succeeded by his son as George V. Anti-German feeling was running very high in England because of World War I, so in 1917 the name of the royal house was changed to that of Windsor. The granddaughter of George V is today's Queen Elizabeth II, head of the House of Windsor.

Interestingly, Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of the first Tudor, Henry VII, the first Stuart, James I, the first Hanover, George I, and the first Windsor, George V. Here we see that though the name of the royal house may change, the succession has its own integrity.

Here is the original source:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/British-History-3243/Windsor.htm

It is interesting that they changed their name...never knew that!

Enjoy

I Love "The Tudors"

Hi All,

No crafting for me tonight. I am trying to get caught up on one of my favorite shows: The Tudors on Showtime! I am so addicted. I just started following the show so I am only half way through season 1. I am checking it out on the web through tvshack.

I have read all the books by Philippa Gregory (except the Other Queen):

• The Other Boleyn Girl
• The Boleyn Inheritance
• The Queen's fool
• The Constant Princess
• The Virgin's Lover

I can't seem to get enough of Henry the VIII and his wives!

If you haven't read Philippa's books or checked out the show... you should!

Thanks a Bunch Sunday

Hi all,

Before we get to the tutorial, I wanted to show you another card I made. I got so into the Blue challenge from Jazzy inspirations, that I chose to make another.

The inspiration for this one was the strip of rub ons. I placed bling in the middle of the flowers and then ran the Baja Breeze panel through my Big shot using the Swiss dots Cuttlebug folder. (PSST want to know a secret? Stampin up is coming out with Texture plates for the big Shot! They will be in the new catalogue coming out on Jan 19th! I can't wait to get my hands on them. and will do a tutorial as soon as I get them.)

The Thank you is also a rub on from a retired Stampin up rub on set.
Here is a close up.

On to today's tutorial. Today I will show you how to get two colors on one stamp. I will be using a blender pen to remove some of the ink and a marker to reapply a new color. Check it out:


Here is a picture of the finished card. Hope you enjoy it!

Jazzy Inspiratins Challenge III

Hi All,

Check out the latest Jazzy Inspiration Challenge at: http://jazzyinspirations.blogspot.com/

This weeks challenge was all about the color blue!

Check out my card for the challenge below.Update on Resolutions:

I've been really trying to be good. I worked out on the Treadmill last night, and today I did a FIRM video workout. So for it feels like I may have lost a little in my thighs. But what I really want is to lose in my waist! But isn't that how it always works.

Another part of my resolution was to eat better and cook at home more. So today I Cooked Veal Parmesan for dinner.

Here is the Receipe I used.

Veal Parmesan

• 4 Veal Cutlets
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs beaten
• 8 ounces shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Olive Oil
• 1 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs
• Tomato Sauce ( you can make your own or use one of the jars)

Preparations

Heat oil in fry pan. Add salt and pepper to eggs, set aside.

Mix flour and bread crumbs together.

Dip cutlets into egg mixture, then dip the cutlets into the flour mixture.

Pan fry the cutlets for about 2 minutes on each side.

Place fried cutlets in baking dish, spoon tomato sauce over them then sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake cutlets at 350 in oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti.

My son loves it!

Enjoy

I wish part two

Hi All,

Well I worked on another two pages last night. I am 2/3 of the way done with my Christmas pages. YEAH!!

Below are the two pages side by side. Once again I am using the I Wish simply scrappin kit.

Here is a close up of one of the pages. See my cat opening his Christmas gifts!

And here is the page on the right. It highlights my son's Christmas morning. Can you find my journaling? Here it is, it is a tag hidden behind the main picture. I used some of the circle die cuts as a tab so you can pull it in and out.

Here are some close-up of embellishments.

Well back to work!

Teresa

SIMPLY SCRAPPIN I WISH

Hi All

The I wish Simply scrappin kit is part of the retired accessories, so hurry up and order yours!

Want to see what you can do with it?

I started working on my Christmas Scrapbook pages last night. It me no time to put together the following two pages.

I am using my cricut for the title and some of the embellishments. On the first page I used the Cricut Base Font to create my title. I am using one of the decorative papers to spell out "X-MAS 08" The borders, stars and scallop punch are die cuts from the I Wish kit. And of course all of the papers are from the kit.

On this page, I used one of my Cricut Christmas cartridges to create the house and the tree. The stars on the tree and the ornaments on the top of the page are die cuts from the kit, as are all the papers I used. The white label in the center of the page will be used for journaling.

Where you wondering where my journaling was for the first page? Its in the pocket! I used the mat for the picture to make a pocket to hold the kids wish lists. I used the square die cuts as tabs. All I had to do was add sticky strip to only the sides and bottom of the mat, and I have a pocket.

here are some of the embellishments up close.

Start scrappin your Christmas memories by ordering your I Wish kit today! These kits will sell out. The SIMPLY SCRAPPIN SUMMER HOME and SIMPLY SCRAPPIN WINTER RETREAT are already sold out. So don't delay! Order your kit on line at: www.mylifesart.stampinup.net

Teresa

Cricut Design Page

Hi All,

Over the New years Holiday, I got a little scrappin done. Here is one of the pages I worked on. I had bough the Cricut Design Studio software as a Christmas gift to myself, and couldn't wait to try it out.

I also got the cricut Sports Mania cartridge for myself. Having a boy, I figured I would get a lot of use from this cartridge.

This page is about my husband taking our son to his first professional basketball game. They went to see the Chicago Bulls! The boys had a blast, and I got a chance to go out with some friend alone.

All the papers used on the page are stampin up. And the font is Cricut's Base Camp and the basketball, and basketball player images are from Sports Mania.

Here is a close-up of the title. I used the Cricut Design Studio to Weld my letter together and I slanted the Base Font letters. I like how it came out, and can't wait to play some more.

Enjoy!

Teresa

Stampin up Retired Accessories and Inventory Blow out

Hi All,

I just wanted to make a quick post about the Retiring Accessories List that came out today, and let you know that Stampin up is having an Inventory Blow out sale!

Stampin up is retiring many of its current accessories, such as the buttons, a few punches and many of the current designer papers and simply scrappin kits.

Click on RETIRED to see the current list.

To see the Retired Stamp list click here.
These items are first come first served! So order your items immediately.

Stampin up also has a sale going on! An inventory Blow out sale. And guess what, not only can you get some current items at discounted prices, but also some previously retired items, like last year in colors double stiched ribbon!!!

Check out the list of items below:

Inventory Blowout 109US

Publish at

Don't miss out on these items. e-mail me today at girl_stamper@yahoo.com to place an order OR place an order directly through my webstore at : http://www.mylifesart.stampinup.net/

Shading Tutorial

Hi All,

Well I finally got enough time to do a video tutorial. Now that it has quieted down from the holidays, I have been able to get back to stamping for me!

You can check out the video here:



Here is the finished card. Isn't this set the cutest! It is called Just Buzzin By, and will be available in the new spring/summer Stampinup Idea book. The Book will be available starting Jan 19th. I can't wait to see what else is in the new catty!


Here is a close-up of the bee hive so you can see the shading.

And here is a close-up of the little bee. I made him into a little tag. You can't see it but he has glitter on his wings and antennas.

In the tutorial I mention shading with markers. below is an image I used that technique on. I used pretty in pink marker and then went over the lines with the regal rose marker.

And here is the Valentine's day class that I will be doing this Wednesday. Let me know if you are interested in having me teach this class to you and your friends.

Happy Sunday!

New Decor Elements!

Can you believe it! Stampin up has come out with it's Third Decor Elements offering!

I love the tree on the front of the catty. But I have a lot more favorites! I love the Filigree set and of course I still need the Always bird! Click on the picture to access the catty.

If you host a party, or order more than $150 in product, you can opt for the decor elements hostess offerings, instead of the hostess sets in the Idea catalog.

The Decor Element, " Home is built of Love and Dreams" that I have in my living room is the Level 2 offering.

You can order the new offerings starting Jan 19th.

Happy New Year

Hi All,
Well we are now into 2009, and I have been trying to exercise more! Today I did Dance Revolution with my son...you can get a good sweat going with that, and I did some sit ups!

I still need to work on my eating habits though...but one thing at a time right

I worked on my other resolution as well. I did some scrapbooking yesterday. I'll share some photos of them later. I played with my new Cricut Design Studio software and made a welded title. I'll take pictures of it tomorrow to share.

I also worked on my January calendar for work. I have had these picutres for a year.

Here is a close up.


I used my new Quickutz font "Chemstry", and my Sizzix font "Boys will be boys". I used both in my Big Shot. I am also using up the rest of my designer paper from the current Level three Hostess set, and my small flurries.

Now a bit about the pictures. My son had a snow day last year, so I worked from home. Well while I was on a conference call I looked up and found that he had taken some of my old stickers and decorated himself to look like Ang fro the Avatar: Last Airbender. One of our Favorite shows! He was really proud of himself, so of course I had to get the camera and take pictures. I can't wait until he is 18 so I can show his girlfriend some of his pictures!