No more Summer Classes

I will not be having anymore summer classes. I'm canceling all the ones I currently scheduled. My dad is sick and for the next few months I will need to focus my attention on his needs and my family. I know you will all understand.

thanks, Mandy

Occasions Mini Stamp-a-stack

Here are the cards we are making at tonight's stamp-a-stack. All of the cards use something from the Occasions Mini. The original ending date for that mini catalog was May 31st, but Stampin' UP! extended it to June 30th so you still have time to order.

This is a very simple card, the stamp set is "so much". I used the coluzzle to cut the circle around the flower and adhered the glitter using sticky tape (I love that stuff). Simple but not boring.

This card uses the rub-ons, die cut blooms and summer picnic designer paper. The die cut bloom are really fun to use with rub-ons or layering, makes quick and easy cards.
This card uses the afternoon tea designer paper and the "live your dream" stamp set, and of course my favorite punch the scalloped circle punch.

Another card using "live your dream"stamp set and afternoon tea designer paper. This time it's paired with kraft paper and ribbon and a piece of the carousel notes.
This card is fun, I used markers to color the words in different colors, and cut the main image an irregular shape just to add a little something interesting. the paper is from summer picnic and the brads are from the silver hodgepodge hardware. the stamp is from the set "full of life" it has a lot of great sentiments in it.

Father's day cards

Here are a couple of cards that I made for Father's day.

I used a chipboard star and covered it with real red prints paper. I don't use chipboard a lot but I do like the look of it. I stamped DAD using school house serif and cut out the letters. To add a little more texture I covered the letters with crystal effects to give it a smooth glossy texture.
This card is one we will be making at the "It's raining men" class. The image is colored using our stampin' pastels.

I still struggle with "man" cards. But I'm making myself make more of them so they become more natural. I just instinctively go for ribbon and flowers.

Scrapbooking Accomplishment!!

I don't but a lot about scrapbooking on my blog because I just don't do it enough. I tell people that I scrapbook because I'm a mom and the guilt of not scrapbooking would consume me. So I'm a pretty simple scrapper. I figure there are three important components to scrapbook pages; pictures, journaling and embellishments. Pictures are most certainly the most important part, and the journaling continues the story of the pictures but the embellishments well they are just eye candy. So why is it we (I) stress so much about the embellishments that sometimes I go for months with out scrapbooking??
Last month I decided to overcome the worry of embellishments and layouts. I went to the library and got a great book of all different scrapbook layouts, the best part was that it was organized not by theme or season but how many pictures you had per page. I thought it was genius. After I sorted my pictures of the Zoo (above) I counted how many pictures I had then looked for a layout that would work with that many pictures. How easy!
Everybody scraps a little differently. Some people have a topic for your scrapbook that is on going like "The Holidays" or one of your children and you add to that scrapbook every year. Or maybe you scrapbook events like vacations or weddings, where there is a definite end. I tend to scrapbook chronologically. I have a scrapbook for every year (actually one year usually take two albums so I have vol 1 and vol 2). Of course both my kids have a baby book, although I wasn't scrapbooking then so it is just a normal baby book. And I do occasionally do a album that is and event (I'm starting our Disney Vacation Album).
Anyway last month was National Scrapbooking Month (did you know there was such a thing?) so I decided that I need to do some serious catching up on my scrapbook. I was up to June 2006 (nearly two years behind). So I cleared off my work table, got out my 12 x12 paper (stopped myself from making a quick card) and started working. I wanted to finish 2006 by the end of May 2008. In order to do that I did not use a lot of embellishments. I did a few titles but focused mainly on the great pictures and had fun jounaling.
I'm proud to say that I did in fact finish 2006 and it is a great feeling. I've decided to attack the Disney vacation pictures (June 2007) before I start on the actual album for 2007.

I hope you will be inspired to do some scrapbooking, remember focus on pictures and journaling, that's what is going to wow your loved ones years down the road not the layout or the buttons, ribbon and brads.