Thinking Trees

Time for more cute trees. I love them! I stamped the trees from Trendy Trees in So Saffron, Ruby Red, and Chocolate Chip on Whisper White. I then stamped the "hills" in Certainly Celery. I layered it on a piece of Chocolate Chip. I then took a piece of So Saffron Prints DSP and added a strip of Ruby Red. I then adhered my layer with the trees. I took a Certainly Celery card and wrapped some So Saffron 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (SAB ribbon) around it. I then adhered my So Saffron piece to the card. Lastly I stamped my sentiment on my card in Ruby Red. Oh, so cute!!!

All my stamps are packed.....

I'm ready to go...... I'll save you from my wonderful singing voice. I packed up all the stamps, ink, paper, and accessories that I brought down to Florida with me because tomorrow we are heading back to Ohio. I'm reflecting on how I felt about leaving my stamping supplies and how I debated for weeks about what to bring with me. It was so hard to narrow it down. In the end I did a horrible job! I printed a bunch of pictures with the intent to scrapbook them, but so many times I sat down to start the pages and thought of what I had at home that I could use on the page. Those pictures didn't get scrapbooked. Like the Martha Stewart pictures. She's wearing an argyle sweater in the pictures, but I didn't bring Classic Backgrounds with me, so I didn't scrapbook those pages. And I feel bad about some of the stuff I did bring and didn't use. I didn't use the HPH I brought, or the Flower Fusion felt flowers, or some colors of ink or cardstock. Oh, and I brought Jumbo Eyelets, but didn't bring my Crop-a-dile so those didn't get used either! And what was I thinking not bringing a sentiment stamp set? I knew I had 5 birthdays to make cards for while we were down here!

I can't wait until Sunday, which is probably when I'll head down to my stamping studio and unpack what I brought and look at all those wonderful items that I sadly left behind. Yay! for going home!!!!!!!!

Now if someone will talk to Mother Nature about the weather........I don't want any snow upon my arrival!!!!

Clean and Simple Challenge

Over on Splitcoast Stampers there is a new weekly challenge. The clean and simple challenge. And if you've been following this blog you know that I'm a clean and simple stamper, so you know I was excited about this new challenge. This week's challenge was a sketch. And here is what I came up with based on the sketch. I started with a piece of Whisper White cardstock and stamped the dog from Man's Best Friend in Close to Cocoa and the fire hydrant in More Mustard. I then adhered a strip of Old Olive along the bottom edge. I punched the Old Olive piece with my Spiral Punch. I took a piece of More Mustard 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon and made a knot in it and wrapped the edges around the corner of my Whisper White piece. I then tied a piece of Hemp Twine around the ribbon. I adhered the image to my Close to Cocoa card and I'm done. Clean and Simple.

Stampin' Up! News

If you haven't heard, yet, Stampin' Up! is going back to one catalog a year. It was just announced on a demonstrator teleconference call that starting with the July catalog it will go back to one year, so it will be good through June 2010. So, the current catalog ends June 30 of this year and then July 1 a new catalog will begin and will stick around until June 30 of the next year.

Also, there will be 3 mini catalogs, each lasting 4 months, so there will always be a mini. Right now we only have two minis and they run for 3 months each. The new minis will have new products as well as new hostess options in addition to those in the main catalog. There will also be 2 Decor Elements catalogs per year.

Personally I'm excited about this change as I just felt that there wasn't enough time to get everything you wanted out of the catalog before it was gone! And an additional mini will ensure that we get to see some new stuff throughout the year.

I hope you are as excited, too!

Recessed Window

This is the card my hubby got for his birthday yesterday! I had to try the recessed window technique and I thought it would be a good time to make a tutorial as well, so here it is! I used the stamp set, Man's Best Friend. The cardstock is Real Red, Basic Black, Basic Gray, and Whisper White. Ink is Jet Black StazOn, Real Red, and Basic Black marker. I also used the Photo Corner Punch.

Rusty Mustard Tree Flower

When I saw Kristina's color challenge this week I knew I had to participate! I love these colors. The colors are More Mustard, Really Rust, Kiwi Kiss (I used Old Olive) and Whisper White. The hardest part was deciding what stamp set I wanted to use. I wanted a flower card, but wasn't in the mood for Garden Whimsy. So I improvised.
I decided to use the tall tree from Trendy Trees as a flower petal. I stamped 4 Really Rust and 4 More Mustard "tree tops" on Whisper White and cut them out. I then stamped the swirly tree top in More Mustard and punched it out with my 1" Circle Punch. I found a scrap of More Mustard cardstock and adhered a strip of Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon to it with glue dots. including the "leaves." I then adhered the More Mustard "tree tops" and the Really Rust "tree tops" on top. I then added my flower center using Stampin' Dimensionals. I adhered a strip of Old Olive cardstock to the bottom of my card and adhered my piece of More Mustard on top. So there you have it, a Rusty Mustard Tree Flower. Enjoy!

And again........

I made the Showcase again! Two days in a row. Talk about a surprise. This card is a simple one, but I love it. I started with a piece of Whisper White and stamped the ladybug from Garden Whimsy in Real Red. I then stamped the sentiment in Basic Black. I layered the Whisper White piece on Basic Black and using Stampin' Dimensionals I adhered it to a Basic Gray card. Lastly I tied a piece of Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon around the card. This might be the end of my Stamper's Showcase run as I don't think I have any more submitted cards. I guess I should get working on some!

Ego Boost

Yesterday was a great day! I got such an ego boost from the wonderful ladies on SCS and from Stampin' Up! Another one of my cards was featured on Stamper's Showcase and two wonderful ladies listed me in the favorites thread on SCS.

Here's my card from Stamper's Showcase. I used Inspired by Nature and colored the flower stamp with my Old Olive, Rose Red, and Chocolate Chip markers. I stamped the sentiment in Certainly Celery. I layered it on a piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock and punched a slot in it to thread through my Certainly Celery 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. I then stamped the grass image in Certainly Celery on a Certainly Celery card and adhered my flower layers. It's pretty simple, but I love the way these flowers look when they're colored in. But I'm sure you've noticed that since this is the third card that I've used this color combo on this stamp.

Stamp-a-ma-jig Tutorial

I actually made a SAMJ tutorial probably over a year ago, but I was having computer issues and unable to process the video. So, I taped a new tutorial, used a new video editing program, and have finally managed to make a SAMJ tutorial for you! I hope you enjoy the video.....and I hope you'll start using those SAMJs!!!!!!

Trendy Trees!

My new stamps arrived yesterday and I had to play right away. I fell in love with Trendy Trees the minute I laid eyes on it in the catalog, but it's so much better than I though. Seeing the images in color confirms why I love this set! This card is super simple, but I was just so excited to play! I stamped the tree trunks with Close to Cocoa on Whisper White. Then using my Stamp-a-ma-jig I stamped the leaves in Old Olive. I used the swirly image to create clouds along the top of the piece of Whisper White using Bashful Blue that I stamped off. I adhered my Whisper White cardstock to a piece of Bashful Blue and stamped the sentiment in Close to Cocoa. I adhered a strip of Close to Cocoa across an Old Olive card and adhered the Bashful Blue piece on top. Simple, but cute.

And there will be plenty more to come!

Swap Card

While down here in Miami I met a lovely, fellow demo named Karen Riska who lives in Ft. Lauderdale. She was so kind as to meet me half way to give me one of her extra catalogs since I was unable to receive mail at the condo. My hubby thought it was funny that I brought her a card I made as a thank you for being so kind. That was until she gave me a swap. He apparently didn't know how us stampers think! So here is the beautiful card that she gave me.

Allow me to try to describe the card. I believe the card is Brushed Gold cardstock, punched with the Scallop Edge. The middle layer is Brushed Silver cardstock that has been run through the Big Shot with a Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texture Plate. The heart is from A Happy Heart. It was stamped and embossed with Gold Embossing Powder, cut out and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals. The word Love was cut out with the Big Shot using Stampin' Up! Join in the Cheer. And the small heart was stamped with a "u" I believe from Ticker Tape Alphabet and embossed in Silver. It was punched out the the Heart to Heart punch and adhered using Stampin' Dimensionals. Isn't it pretty? It's making me really want the Big Shot!!!!!!!!!!

Looking for a Few Good Women (or Men)!!!

If you've ever thought about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator now is the perfect time! During Sale-a-bration you can receive 15% off the regular price of the starter kit AND you can pick an additional stamp set for FREE (up to $47.95 value)!!! This offer is good through the end of March, but don't delay as SAB is also a good time to get your business off the ground. If you sign up now you can have your starter kit in time to hold workshops in March!!! As a demonstrator you can earn additional free products during the SAB promotion. AND you get an additional 10% off your first workshop order during the first 45 days of your demonstratorship!!! Contact me today to learn more!!!!

Dibs!!!!!

After being in Miami for two months, hubby and me decided to move out of the condo we were renting and into a Marriott. There were several deciding factors. The condo was great because it was on the beach, but it also had flaws. The bed was uncomfortable, there was no internet, and there wasn't much space. So we decided not to renew our lease there and give the Marriott a try. It is closer to hubby's work, has internet, and we were able to get a one-bedroom suite. As soon as we got into the unit I called dibs on the big work station. There are two tables. One small and one big. I was happy as a clam!!! This is me calling dibs on the table............And I unpacked quickly!!! Something I was not able to do in the condo. I think this will suffice for the next three weeks until we head back home!!! Oh, and another bonus of the Marriott...we can get mail!! So I have two new stamp sets heading my way. They should be here Wednesday and I know I won't be able to resist them!!!!!!!!! I'll have something new to share!!!!

Congrats Butterfly

Butterflies seem to be the theme for every occasion for me these days. This time it’s congratulations! I stamped the large butterfly from Garden Whimsy in Taken with Teal on Whisper White. I then stamped the sentiment in Rose Red. Then I used my Mono Multi to dot some of the dots on the butterfly and adhered some Rose glitter. Nothing says "congratulations and happy and all that fun stuff" like glitter, right? I adhered a piece of So Saffron to my Taken with Teal card and adhered a strip of Rose Red down the side, overlapping the So Saffron piece. I adhered my butterfly image to my card. As a finishing touch I added a Pewter brad to the Rose Red strip.

Stamper's Showcase

I've mentioned before that on the demonstrator side of Stampin' Up!'s website there is a Stamper's Showcase that features cards that have been submitted by demonstrators. Today one of my cards is featured!!! This is a card I submitted for a spring theme contest. Although I didn't win the contest it's still pretty exciting to have my card featured on the Showcase as there are thousands of cards to choose from.

I took the flower stamp from Garden Whimsy and inked up the flower head with Pretty in Pink and then used my Old Olive marker to ink up the stem. I stamped the image 3 times across my piece of Whisper White. I then stamped the butterfly using Rose Red. And I was thinking that spring needed some bling, so I spread some Mono Multi on the flower heads and butterfly and drenched them in Dazzling Diamonds. I then stamped my sentiment in Rose Red on Pretty in Pink and punched it out with the Large Oval punch and adhered it to my Very Vanilla Piece. I found a scrap of Rose Red and trimmed it to size and then tore the top edge of the layer. I adhered it to a Pretty in Pink card and tied a piece of Old Olive 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon around the card. Once my Dazzling Diamonds dried I adhered my Very Vanilla piece of cardstock to my card.

Although the prize (free stamps!) for winning the contest would've been great a shout on the Showcase is pretty exciting, too!

Sale-a-bration is HERE!!!!!!!!

Sale-a-bration is officially here! Click on the catalog image to the right to view the wonderful offerings that you can earn for free!!! As explained here, you can earn a free item for every $50 you spend or for every $300 in workshop totals between Feb 1 and March 31. This offer is available through online ordering on my website at heatherhawkins.stampinup.net. In addition starting Feb 1 if you order online you can receive a free Spring/Summer IB&C! Catalogs are limited so be sure to get your order in ASAP!


ETA: Just announced - in addition to the free stamp set for signing up to become a demonstrator you can also receive 15% off the starter kit during the SAB period. That's $335 worth of product for only $169!!!!