Stampin' Seasons

Summer Friends - FMS36

2012-05-23T04:00:00.000-04:00

Early summer weather here has put me in the mood for Summer Smooches Designer Paper and some Bright Blossoms. (Gotta love these new bright graphic designs!) Early summer weather also means we've already been able to spend time at the lake with the summer people! It's fun to reconnect every year with our warm weather friends. And only in the summer does there seem to be time to play Scrabble on the porch in the middle of the afternoon or to sit and chat by the fire in the evening. Hmm maybe that's because I have turned the cooking over to the grillmaster.............I think he's cooking.........

Tui designed a great sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

Showing Off..........PPA135

2012-05-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

I am showing off today - showing off the new in colors from Stampin' Up that is! Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green and Primrose Petals - such rich pretty colors! And the new inks are just as rich! I even snuck in one of the classy new wooden buttons. All of this richness is going to leave me broke :)

Pals Paper Arts has a sweet sketch to play with this week!

Baby Thanks - FMS 35

2012-05-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

My daughter is expecting a baby girl in September and has already received some sweet baby gifts. She asked me to make some thank you cards that weren't too baby-ish or pink. I am delighted to report this passed inspection. Next up - designing the shower invites. Her request for those went something like this:

Hmmm how about bunnies? I love bunnies. (I dug out all my bunny images.) No wait I think lambs - yes let's do lambs. (I borrowed some lamb images.) Oh buttons are cute too. (I started sorting buttons into baby colors) No pink - I like purple - and bedazzlers.

I don't know where to start! But if you get an invite with a bedazzled purple lamb leaping over a buttoned down bunny you know the party's at my house!

I followed this week's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches for my card.

Fabulous Friends - FMS34

2012-05-09T04:00:00.000-04:00

Upsy Daisy and Inspired by Nature are two of my favorite SU stamp sets ever! They both made the retirement list this year but I won't be parting with them for sure. They get a permanent place on the shelf marked "retired but still fabulous!" Now that I think of it I have a lot of friends like that - retired but still fabulous!

And there is a fabulous sketch this week to try at Freshly Made Sketches!

Happy Birthday - to Me!

2012-05-03T04:00:00.000-04:00

No it's not really my birthday but it felt like it this week when I received an e-mail saying I was the Featured Stamper for Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper Challenge! Me? Really? I was stunned! It was a wonderful surprise - and certainly made me want to celebrate! Any excuse for cake and ice cream :) Stampers participating in the challenge are asked to case (while changing 2 or more elements) one of the cards from my gallery on Splitcoast. It has been wonderful seeing all of the creations and I thought I'd enter the challenge as well. My festive birthday card today was made casing the Halloween card below and using colors from the challenge at PPA this week.

Welcome - to the 21st Century!

2012-05-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

I used the Freshly Made Sketch to create this card for my mother who just returned from wintering in Florida. Closing up one apartment and opening another requires a lot of planning and attention to detail. My mother still handles all of her own affairs and does really well but we had one minor glitch - the phone in her apartment here wasn't turned back on. She called me tonight and said:

"You have to call the phone company in the morning. My phone still doesn't work. I'm 87 years old and anything could happen. I shouldn't be here alone without a telephone!"

I totally agreed and told my daughter that I was going to worry all night because Gram had no phone. To which she replied: "Well what did Gram just call you on?"

Yep - Gram called me on my cell phone from her cell phone and it never dawned on either one of us that she certainly did have a phone. I called her right back to tell her - "Hey you do have a phone!" She replied "I do?" I'll be calling the phone company in the morning.........

Friendship - FMS32 - and Blog Candy Winner!

2012-04-25T04:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who left such wonderful comments - and name suggestions - on my pink post! I never thought when I started this blog I would be making so many friends along the way. It really is amazing! You all rock and I so appreciate your taking the time to visit me here :)

The winner of the pinkilicious blog candy is Marge W - whose comment was randomly picked by my daughter. Marge said:

Congratulations Linda !! I love being a grandma and great grandma. It's such an honor. I have many, some of the names are Leah, Eliana, Corey, Carly,Christina, Rachael, Olivia, Ava,Kimberly Laura, Susan, Hailey,Bethany, Emily, and that's just the girls. Many boys too. Can't wait to hear what your new granddaughter;s name will be. It's so exciting. Pink Is Precious.

Congrats Marge! E-mail your address to jcallahan1@nycap.rr.com and I will send out your pink stamping bundle right away!

My card today was based on this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. Hope you play along!

A New Little Someone - and Blog Candy!

2012-04-22T16:38:00.000-04:00

My daughter is half way through her pregnancy and had that all important ultrasound this week. All is well and now we know if it is a boy or a girl! Can you guess? I thought I would share our exciting news with you by offering some pinkilicious blog candy. Your bundle will include two stamps: Packed for Baby and Packed for Mom as well as some pink buttons and 4 yards of pink ribbon. There is also a bundle of 50 6x6 Designer Paper Squares in all shades of Stampin' Up pinks from Pretty in Pink to Rose Red. And now the name game begins for our little bundle!

Leave me a comment if you are interested in this pink bundle :)

I will announce the winner on Wednesday, April 25th!

Party This Way! PPA133

2012-04-19T04:00:00.000-04:00

Combining Concord Crush and Daffodil Delight results in one loud Happy Birthday for sure! But the best birthdays are not always the noisiest ones. My husband brought our newborn daughter and me home from the hospital on my birthday. It was freezing cold, snowing and almost Christmas. There was cake, a Christmas tree and that beautiful baby girl. Best birthday ever!

Play at Pals Paper Arts this week using Margaret Moody's terrific sketch!

The Sky's the Limit - FMS 30

2012-04-18T04:00:00.000-04:00

Rita designed a great sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches! Hope you join us - let your imagination soar! The sky's the limit :)

Two Sweet

2012-04-12T21:08:00.000-04:00

This card is being sent to a wonderful couple who just welcomed beautiful twin boys into their family. They arrived home Easter Sunday just in time for a photo shoot in their Easter bonnets! Two sweet!

The colors used were from the challenge at Create with Connie and Mary. The SU-Only Challenge this week was the create a congratulations card.

The Truth Shall Set You Free!

2012-04-11T04:00:00.000-04:00

It takes me way too long to make a card! Just last night.............

I sat down with a Freshly Made Sketch on my desk and Bones on TV. I pulled out Summer Smooches DSP, Whisper White and started my design. I attempted a rosette out of Lucky Limeade but it did not go well. Soon my plans for a rosette and a Daffodil seam binding bow were tossed - literally. Onward to Field Flowers and into an episode of House! I stamped and snipped flowers in Rich Razzleberry - didn't like them. Next Island Indigo - mmm nope. Tangerine Tango, Real Red - nope, nope! Finally - Daffodil Delight! I kept those flowers and tossed the rest. Then I spied that seam binding again.

But it was also time for Smash! I edged the half circle with sticky strip and ruffled the seam binding as I watched those Broadway babies. Good thing I had red plastic strips to throw away because there on the floor was a scored piece of Lucky Limeade that had missed the wastebasket! Perfect for my middle panel! I edged it with the Pinking Hearts Border - didn't like it. Trimmed the edge and punched again with the Scalloped Trim Border - much better!

Smash ended so I turned off the TV and studied my unfinished card. Nothing was adhered and there were no embellishments. But suddenly things began to come together quickly! Pearls, flower brads, linen thread, dimensionals - I was on a roll! The white card base no longer worked for me so I switched to Lucky Limeade and rounded corners. Done!

Maybe I should have turned that TV off sooner!

How long does it take you to make a card? Faster than me I am sure! Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

What's In A Name? PPA132

2012-04-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

This card is headed west to wish my 86 year old aunt a Happy Easter. I told you the story of her two sisters with the same name in this post and thought you might like to hear about her name. Aunt Nell is the youngest of my father's family and was born in America after the family came over from Holland. She was christened Petronella and my grandparents called her Nellie. Nellie hated the name and took a stand at an early age and insisted on Nell. At the age of 20 she left upstate NY behind and headed west to LA. The first thing she did when she got there was to tell everyone her name was Pat. And just like that she was Pat to everyone - except for the family! When I visited her recently in California, she said I was the only person left on the planet who still called her Nell. I told her that Aunt Pat just didn't sound right to me even after all of these years. To which she replied: "I know what you mean. I always regretted not telling people when I got here that my name was Christine." Say what???

Pals Paper Arts has a wonderful spring color challenge this week!

Make Way For Ducklings!

2012-04-04T04:00:00.000-04:00

I wonder if Momma Duck has noticed yet that her ducklings have been fooling around with the Easter egg dye? I totally understand Momma Duck - it's not easy keeping your ducks in a row!

The Paper Players are looking for cards that make you smile this week so I incorporated that idea in my Freshly Made Sketch. I kept the card simple because it was going in the mail. It is off to to my mother in Florida - hope it makes her smile!

Just Slightly Askew......FMS28

2012-03-28T04:00:00.000-04:00

I took Lesley's wonderful sketch this week and made it slightly askew. That's how my life has been lately - just a bit askew. I had a run-in with a chair leg and lost. Nice clean break but slightly askew said the physician's assistant as she checked the x-ray of that swollen pinky toe - and she referred me onward. Yep it's broken but slightly askew said the orthopedic assistant and sent me home with a roll of tape to tape my toes together and suggested a foot doctor. Oh most definitely askew said the foot doctor who fashioned a splint out of foam and wrapping stuff - and sent me home with more foam and wrapping stuff to keep it splinted for another 4 weeks. I haven't been able to wear shoes in over a month now and wearing flip flops in upstate NY during February and March is not easy! I am sure people have looked at me and thought hmmmmm........she's slightly askew........

Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

Enjoy! CCMC194

2012-03-25T19:27:00.000-04:00

I am enjoying a new box of Stampin' Up! goodies that arrived this week! The sketch from Create with Connie and Mary was perfect to showcase some of the new arrivals. The Summer Smooches DSP and flowers from Bright Blossoms provide a sneak peek of things to come in the new SU! catalog this June. Hope you enjoy the sneak peek too!

Good Friends..........FMS27

2012-03-21T04:00:00.000-04:00

I loved Lesley's graphic design this week at Freshly Made Sketches and I love polka dots! When I introduced those dots to that design, they were instant friends! Calypso Coral, Early Espresso and Pear Pizzazz get along pretty well too! Nothing better than good friends..........

Buttoned Up Pocket - Paper Players #87

2012-03-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

This baby shower invitation was designed to match the decor of the new arrival's nursery. It's a Winnie the Pooh theme so Pooh floating along with his balloons was the perfect image for the invite. Pooh looks right at home with Nursery Nest DSP, thin taffeta ribbon and sweet little buttons. The pocket style card worked perfectly to tuck in the invite and registry cards. I found the pocket design here on Ann Clemmer's blog and changed it up using a baby theme. And since the invite is CAS with buttons it also works perfectly for this week's Paper Player's challenge!

'Tis a Fine Day! HSSSTC109

2012-03-16T23:53:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Roy G. Biv and me!

The theme at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week is rainbows so partner up with Roy and join in! You may find a pot of gold :)

Weather - or not.......PPA131

2012-03-15T04:00:00.000-04:00

The weather is always a popular topic of conversation around here. Last year at this time I was posting pictures of record snowfalls in upstate NY. We were buried in snow! This year I have 3 lovely words for you: Mildest! Winter! Ever! Hope I didn't just jinx myself.......

Also hope you join us at Pals Paper Arts this week!

A Simple Hello............FMS26

2012-03-14T04:30:00.000-04:00

There is a lot going on in this card - embossing, stamping, buttons, ribbon, thread.......and yet.......it's all about the tiny tag. Everything else is lovely but that tiny tag makes me smile. I just returned from a trip to Florida to visit my mom. Two days driving down, five days there and two days driving back. The seaside condo was lovely, the beach was gorgeous and Disney World was terrific.......and yet.......it was all about those 4 days I spent in the car traveling with my grown-up "kids". Everything else was lovely but it's those four days that make me smile.....we had a great time........

Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

It's Not Easy Being Green! FMS 25

2012-03-07T04:30:00.000-05:00

Time for the annual green St. Patrick's Day card. Poor old Garden Green just sits in his folder all year long and waits for March. I never use him - he just doesn't seem to play well with others. Wild Wasabi is dashing and Lucky Limeade is so hip! Always Artichoke has such elegance and Certainly Celery is all sweetness. Old Olive is just the reliable workhorse of the greens. So once a year Mr. Garden Green gets his very own card - no fuss, no frills - just green! Funny thing is that in real life I have never met a Wasabi and I don't like artichokes, celery, limes or olives..........but I adore garden greens............

Hope you join us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

Wild About Saffron....PPA130

2012-03-01T04:30:00.000-05:00

My daughter has already received a few sweet baby gifts from friends so I have been working on some thank you cards. The Pals Paper Arts challenge this week is to use Lucky Limeade, Always Artichoke and any other color. I finally settled on So Saffron. I thought it toned down the Limeade and brightened up the Artichoke.

Now I am off to Florida. My daughter, my son, his girlfriend and I will be driving to Florida to visit my mother in Cocoa Beach. My daughter's husband is away for 6 weeks of flight school so this trip should be a good diversion for her. As for my son and his girlfriend - every day is an adventure for those two! They never sit still and love to travel. And me? I'm Saffron..........

Birth Days - FMS24

2012-02-29T00:32:00.000-05:00

Rita Wright designed a sweet sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches - perfect for my birthday card today! Rita is looking forward to a birth day of her own soon as she is expecting a daughter this summer. I am delighted to announce that my daughter is also expecting! We are all looking forward to that birth day as well! Her due date? Labor Day.......of course........

Note to self........FMS 23

2012-02-22T04:30:00.000-05:00

I couldn't wait to work with Tui's sketch this week but I kept putting it off because I wasn't feeling well. As the Freshly Made Sketches deadline approached my cold was in full swing - sneezing, coughing, runny nose - you know the feeling! I finally sat down at my desk with a glass of orange juice and a box of tissues and hoped for the best. My cards are often in the mail by the time they are posted here because I usually make them with someone in mind. This one however has not been mailed - I am afraid if I sent it to anyone it could be considered germ warfare..............