Wow was today a long day!  First, let me say a huge thank you to soooooo many of you that lifted my dad  up in prayer today.  The gratitude that I feel for so many of my stamping sisters, friends and family is just overwhelming.  I am so excited to tell you that my dads surgery was a huge success.  In fact, they went in and there is NO cancer.  I actually felt weak at the knees when my mom called today.  I know I asked her to repeat what she said 5 times.  I was just in disbelief.  It was truly amazing.  My dad’s response in the oh so groggy state was, "Hot Diggity Dog!"  He quickly fell asleep after that.  In fact, so asleep they had to give him a medicine called Narcan that reverses pain medication to make him wake up.  Of course he did not like that and clearly woke up!  This was good. 

I heard from so many of you today of personal situations that you have experienced and please hear me when I say Thank You.  I just cannot express how overcome I was by the kindest words expressed to me.  I’ve always said I was the LUCKEST girl around for the greatest friends in the world and it stands true even more today.  I am lucky to have YOU! 

I am mentally worn out today but had a club tonight with my dear friends and laughed.  It felt so good.   

Not much personal stamping happened today, but I do have something I will share that we did a little over a week ago at a stamp camp. 

This tin was a blast to make and I used the Great Friend stamp set along with the Blooms & Bulbs wheel. 

Above you can see I just made an accordian album inside that held seed packets.  Wouldn’t this be a fun gift to give to a friend? 

They were fun to make and not really difficult.  My friend Janet made me one ver similiar that held gift cards.  You can see in the

 pic below you could either use seed packets or gift cards to insert into the pockets. 

It’s time for me to rest this little pea brain of mine.  I think it’s been on overload most of the day.  Again, I thank you for all

your support today.  What an amazing group of people you are!

Today I worked on a card for a special group of women that are so kind to me.  They are all spanish speaking and I only had a few spanish sets to work with when making the card.  I just wanted to let them know I think they are great women!  Here is the card I came up with!

After seeing a few of Stampin’ Up!’s Co-Founder Shelli Gardner’s cards and all the beautiful layers she throws on her cards, it’s been my new thing the last couple of days.  You know how it is.  You find a technique or tool or even a stamp set that you love and all of a sudden you use it on the next 10 design projects you come up with.  I love looking through my scrapbooks to see my "trends".  There was the chipboard trend, chalk trend, draw my own title trend.  These all make me smile because it really defines me as a paper crafter.  I must admit the products get used during that time frame when I am in the TREND zone.  I loved all the layers this card has and giving it to the special ladies was even more joy.   Luckly it didn’t have to go through the mail or the butterfly would have never made it. 

It’s rare that I  air my family life on this little blog of mine, however I need your help.  I need  prayers thrown my direction for my dear Dad.  He goes in for surgery tomorrow to remove a mass in his colon which they suspect is cancer.  I hate that word cancer.  Such an unsettling word.  I have literally just felt helpless being here in Colorado and my family in Florida.  This is when being a military wife quite honestly SUCKS.  Not being there to support either of my parents tomorrow makes my heart ache. Tomorrow  I will be saying lots of prayers that the surgery goes well, there is no other cancer around the mass and that the recovery goes smooth.  My friends, I don’t ask many favors but this I do…  Just say a prayer.  Tomorrow I will keep myself busy as I wait to hear how the surgery goes.  My kids have their last day of school tomorrow and then the evening will be filled with some of my dear stamping friends.  Prayer is good and I know it’s in Gods hands!

Time for me to go to bed. 

Yes, finally!  I pulled out the beautiful Clearly Thanks Printed Window Sheets that have been on my desk forever and chopped them up to make a few cards.  I must admit the first chop on the paper cutter was a little crazy for me. I am not the hoarding type so much anymore but these little beauties were hard to chop up.  The were clearly beautiful in the package and quite honestly I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them.  I knew right away I wanted to try my Sewing machine out on them and I wanted to use Real Red and Basic Black cardstock.  That was my starting point and my challenge to myself.  Here is what I came up!

WOW!  Three projects completed with the Clearly Thanks Printed Window Sheets.  If you didn’t know already, these can be found in the Occassions Mini Catalog that is current until June 30th.  This has become a new love.  I already knew I loved the Window Sheets!  Now adding the print on them it made my designing so easy.  Below you will find the products I used.  Challenge yourself to open your package if you have them and start chopping.  Really, it isn’t hard.  I do love how the Black and Red design made these cards elegant.  Yummy! 

By the way!  Are you on my mailing list?  If not, sign up today.  You will see the sign up box in my sidebar!  Get the latest news from my stamp room and beautiful samples you will want to recreate! 

All Materials Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted!

Stamp Sets: Three Little Words, Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel

Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, VersaMark

Accessories: Clearly Thanks Printed Window Sheets, Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Three Flower Punch, Heart Punch, Chit Chat Rub ons, Scallop Edge Punch, Vintage Brads, Sewing Machine, Cutter Kit, Dimensionals, Sponge. 

That’s exactly how I felt this weekend when I spent just an itty bitty time in my stamp room to get creative with a scrapbook page.  This happens to be one of my favorite pics of my son on the beach and I have scrapbooked it a number of ways.  Do you ever find yourself scrapbooking a certain picture you love a few dozen times? 

With National Scrapbook Month almost coming to an end, I wanted to get creative with a scrapbook page.  This layout was easy and came with ease.  Of course when I use Stampin’ Up! products to scrapbook thats how it always! 

A closer Look:

I can’t help but love the stamp set Friends 24-7.  I have used it more than a dozen times and the rubbah looks it as well.  This is by far a stamp set I can’t part with!  On the closer look you can see I used the flourish stamp with VersaMark on the NAKED chipboard.  I just sponged the edges ever so slightly with Chocolate Chip ink to pop the letters a little more. I’m also trying to get as much use of the In Colors as I can!  Oh how I will cry a RIVER when they leave, but the excitement of the new makes the tears go away. 

There are just a FEW days left of the $75 Scrapbooking Starter Kit.  This has been such an exciting promotion for my team.  We have added fabulous ladies to our Stampers by the Sea group!  Ask me today some of the benefits of being part of this amazing group of women.  I must say quite talented too!  *wink* 

Materials:

All Materials Stampin’ Up!

Stamp Sets: Friends 24-7, Three Little Words

Inks: VersaMark, Chocolate Chip

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Vellum

Accessories: Spritzer Tool, Paper Piercer, Cutter Kit, Baja Breeze Designer Series Paper, Chipboard, 1 3/8 Circle Punch, 1 3/4 Circle Punch, Sponge

Lots of little die cuts are on this card.  This past Saturday I held my Open Stamp and I love this time as I get to create and stamp just for little me.  Here is one of the cards that I made.  Quite a few products on this card, but it was fun creating it. 

Hope your week is fabulous.  Don’t forget about the awesome Special Stampin’ Up! has going for becoming a demonstrator.  Only $75 to start your own business or get a GREAT discount.  Check out the Join My Team at the top of my blog.  If you have more questions or just want to know how I support my team please contact me through email!  There is no time like RIGHT NOW to become a demonstrator!

Here are the materials for the card above!

Stamps: Upsy Daisy, Great Friend

Ink: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss

Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red

Accessories: Leaf sizzlet, Lots of Tags sizzlets, Button Bouquet, Kiwi Kiss Striped Ribbon, Bella Rose DSP, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds Linen Thread