It's time.

Here's the thing.  I began decorating and baking in November, and everyone kept asking, isn't this all a bit early?  And now it's 2 weeks before Christmas, and everyone is saying, "you're not done your wrapping yet?" 
Where was the transition period between those two thoughts?
I have been keeping busy.  We started a tradition 2 years ago with our oldest daughter, now 4, to do something Christmas-sy every day.   So we've been very, very busy, but I feel like it gives us time to enjoy the season, instead of rush through it, you know?
Anyway, here are 3 projects we're making tonight at Club.  This first is one of my favorites, although I think I will make the circle around the penguin a little bigger of a circle, with the larger scallop circle.

  I used the new shaker frames on page 38 of the mini catalogue with the mika flakes.  I think these are ingenious!  And I just love the color combo.  The DSP is the letters to Santa paper.  Did you know it had pink in it?!  That's pink pirouette, with wild wasabi and basic grey.

This is a classic card:

When I saw this stocking set in the mini, I knew that I wanted it... but then I was always really underwhelmed by the cards that were made.  I just love this fireplace, and all of the texture.  A great card to give a guy, which is hard to find.  Classic color combo: Soft Suede, Real Red, Chocolate Chip and Old Olive.

Lastly, I wanted to use the mini cellophane bags in the Mini Catalogue as well... the sample they did was Halloween, but obviously I wanted Christmas, so here's what I came up with (please excuse the terrible background!):

 Simple, and cute, right?

Anyway, this will likely be my last post before Christmas I would imagine, so Merry Christmas!

christmas cards galore!

It's only obvious that since I love Christmas so much, my projects as of late have all been Christmas-sy! 
Here's a bunch of cards I've made:
This was for my November Club this month.  It's Always artichoke, Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla.  The stamp is the medallion... why have I never thought to make it a wreath before?

 This is a gift card holder, which I think is super cute, and super easy!

 Mr. Snowman may just be my favorite mini card of all time.  Cute, and stunning, easy too.  He's from the button buddies class I just had a few weeks ago.  I used the decorative label punch, to make the black matte, you just punch out 2 pieces, then cut one horizontally in half, and the other vertically in half, and piece them together to make a matte!

 This is the first of 3 stamp-a-stack cards, using real red, chocolate chip and crumb cake, a classic combination.  The glitter is the new glitter paper in the mini, I just love it!!! "Merry Christmas" is from "4 the holidays".

 This is another classic Christmas card, using the new stamp set "merry and type", using old olive and cherry cobbler (I went through 4 packages of cherry cobbler in a week!!!!)

 I'm a sucker for blue and white Christmas cards... I added some basic grey to "ground it".  It's from "Merry Winter", which is just adorable!

I thank you for stopping by my blog this season... .MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Button Buddies Class...

Here's the cards I ended up making for the button buddies class, they turned out SO great!  I love this set, I can't believe how much you can do with it!

Cute, right?  I can never decide which is my favorite.
Well, I'm gearing up for Christmas Season... my Christmas Stamp-a-Stack is coming in a little over a week, so I'm pretty stocked about that! (pictures coming soon).

Day of Gratititude

Apple cidar.  Curling up with a book.  Scrapbooking.  These are all things I love about the fall.  I don't have to feel guilty about staying inside with a cup of tea and spending my afternoons scrapbooking.   I just love it. 
These are the cards that I made with my monthly club.  I had a feeling that we all had a very busy month, so I kept them simple, but I think they are both super sweet.   I used the stamp set, "Day of Gratitude"... that I must be honest about, I didn't like at all when it came out last year in the mini, but it was given to me in the Regionals in Oregon.  So I figured I would try again, and I simply LOVE these two cards!

This first one I tried to use a vintage flair, I used the beautiful vintage ribbon, and then the antique brads.   I just love how it turned out.

This one is obviously very simple, but what surprised me the most was the color combination.  It's tangerine tango, more mustard, old olive and chocolate chip.  I have had more mustard for over 2 years and never used it (literally... the stamp pad was still wrapped!)  But I love how it mellows out this card!
Here's the front view:

Pretty, right?
Here's something i found online with the same stamp set, so I thought I would share it with you:

Created by Christine K. 
Thanks for looking!

Button Buddies Class!

As soon as I saw this set, I just knew that I had to have a class using it.  This is by far the cutest set I've ever seen!

  I am excited to announce that my BUTTON BUDDIES class is coming at the end of this month!  It will include making 8 mini cards, including envelopes. 
Here are some pictures of cards made with this set... They will not look exactly like this, but you'll get the idea:

cute, right?  And for every occasion, so it's the perfect class to make some cards for anything you need.
There are 3 options for this class:
Option #1: Cards only $12.00 (make all 8 cards and matching envelopes)
Option #2: Includes CLEAR stamp set, and a mixture of 72bold and subtle buttons (valued at over $60) for $45.00
Option #3: Includes WOOD stamp set, and a mixture of 72 bold and subtle buttons (valued at over $70) for $55.00

Limited Space available, let me know if you're interested ASAP!

fall is in full swing

It always amazes me how fast time can seem to go.  I mean, it's not like it speeds up or anything, but it certainly felt like September was just a blink.  We had something literally every single night of this month, so that kept us busy.
I have been working on lots of little projects, and I'm hoping to have the time to share them with you!
My dad is the senior Pastor at our church, and he called me up last week and asked if I could make a poster size card for the administration assistant from our church who has been full time for 25 years.  I said yes before I really had the chance to think about it, and then when I was looking at the size, I thought that I kind of spoke too soon.
So I used some of her favorite colors, old olive, peach parfait, chocolate chip and calypso coral.  I used the circle die from my Big Shot for some big circles for the background.  I then printed the words I wanted to use, and then once I cut them out, started embellishing.  I used a glitter brad on the 25, dazzling diamonds on the word "Celebrating" and a library clip on YOU.  I was pleased with the outcome, it seemed fun, but not cheesy, and interesting, but not boring.  
Here's how it turned out:

Thanks for looking!

home and getting ready for my "hello blossoms" class

Wow, does a week in Disneyland ever go fast! What a wonderful time we had.  Our girls were so amazing to watch and experience everything with... and our oldest, Audrey, who is 4 now, finally got to go on the "big girl rides" like Space Mountain and Splash Mountain and Big Thunder and Soarin' Over California.
The unfortunate thing is all the work that you have to do when you get home!
But I am really looking forward to my last class this summer, "hello blossoms".  This is an adorable single set available in the summer mini, and it's only $9.95... I just think it's fabulous, and you can use it for birthdays, thank yous, anniversaries, or whatever.
The class will be $10 to make these 3 cards (they may vairy slightly from the following pictures.
The class is on Thursday, August 25th from 7pm to 9pm... and there are 8 spots in the class (only 4 spots left)

I hope you consider coming for a night of fun!

I'm going to Disneyland!!!

Well, I wanted to get one more post in before I leave, because tomorrow, we're taking our girls to Disneyland!  If you've been following me for a while, this may not strike you as new news.... we actually took them 7 months ago!
But we love it.  There is no place that allows better family memories, in my opinion, than Disneyland.  
This time we are flying, which is different, because we usually take 3 days to drive down... so we will see how that will be!
Needless to say, I haven't had much time for stamping this week, but I did want to share with you a card my upline, Stacey Rose, made for Audrey's 4th birthday.  I just love how she used a window sheet.  Audrey loves it!

Isn't it so great? Her blog is www.srosecreative.com... check it out! She makes really spectacular projects... very detailed and fabulous.
Well, I'm off to pack!

patterned party swing card!

I love July, because that is the one time a year I splurge on new stamp sets! And splurge I did!
I got the new patterned party stamp set, as well as the happiest birthday wishes hostess set, and also up, up and away.
My monthly technique club is tonight, and I just HAD to use my new sets.
I wanted to do a swing card (or flip flop card), which I learned from splitcoaststampers.  Here's the link: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/swing_flip_flop_card/
to learn how to make it, and here's my card:

this is the front.  I used daffodil delight, calypso coral (I LOVE this new color!), rich razzleberry, lucky limeade and tempting turquoise.  The balloons have crystal effects on them, and the brad is one of the new in color polka dot brads!
And then it flips open to this:

So cute, right? The stamp set is patterned party, but the little presents on the inside is from the new hostess set "happy birthday wishes".
Love it!
And then I really wanted to use my new "up, up and away" set, so I actually cased a card right out of the new catalogue on page 5 (the catalogue is such a great way to also get ideas... you can change colors and ideas based on what products you have....)
Here's what i came up with:

Fun, fun, fun.  These colors are chocolate chip, rich razzleberry, tango tangerine, and pacific point.  Easy peasy, too.... I used one of the little trio punches, and then the ribbon punch, which is so great when you don't actually have any ribbon to match! I have a feeling I am going to be using this set over and over....

Don't Worry, Be Happy...

We had so much fun last night at my open house!  It was a great get together... and we all drooled over the newest catalogue... so fun!  Did you want to come but missed it? Don't worry, be happy!
I have the list of the remaining products, as promised... I recommend google image searching the stamp set, to see the cute projects people have made with them.
here they are:
Whimsical Alphabet (set of 28 stamps) $30

 Birthday Bliss (set of 4 stamps) $12

 Big Blossom (set of 1) $12

I had to include a card made with this stamp set:

forest friends (set of 4) $10 SOLD

Bliss (new) (set of 5) $15 (I really shouldn't have looked at the beautiful cards made with this one!)

Pick a Petal (set of 11) $22

Polka Dot Punches (set of 4) * this set goes with 4 of the punches that we sell

Forever In My Heart (set of 8) $18

Party Hearty (set of 9) $18 SOLD
This is the stamp set I used the most last year by far... it's so versatile for guys and girls, and kids... (another one I wish I hadn't google image searched before I placed it for sale)

Live Your Dream (set of 8) $22

Spring Solitude (set of 6) $15 (also has a matching wheel $3)

and lastly Nice and Narrow (set of 9) $18

please email me @ yummy_starbucks@yahoo.ca to purchase (pick up in Surrey, B.C. or shipped directly to you for standard shipping fees)

Also for sale:
Ruby Red pad, pen, 1/2 pack of 8 1/2 x 11 paper $6
Only Orange pad, pen, almost full 8 1/2 x11 paper $8
Summer Sun pad, pen, full 8 1/2 x 11 paper $8
Dusty Durango pad, ink refill, and 1 and a 1/2 full paper packs $10
Kiwi Kiss pad and 1/3 paper pack $4
crushed curry pad $4
blue bayou pad $4
really rust pen $2
gable green pen $2
yoyo yellow pen $2
tins $1 each

Saying Goodbye to say Hello

It's that event again.  You know, where you can't sleep, and you're making lists, and you've got a perma grin on your face.  NEW CATALOGUE TIME! Oh, is that just me? I hope not!  I love the new catalogue... they constantly outdo themselves... there are a few stamp sets that I can't wait to get my hands on! Like up, up and away and button buddies...
anyway, here's a picture of everything I'm going to sell off tonight...

I hope you can make it! Stamp sets start at $10 and go to $30, and there are some paper packs and stamp pads of retired colors... and here's a sneak peak of the card you're going to make!

aren't those new in colors delicious?!

wise owl grad card and colored embossing mini

Well, seeing as how our summer has been less than existent, I have gotten a lot of card making done!
I used my FAVORITE owl punch  yet again to make this adorable Graduation Card:

It was super simple... and fun! I used "hello again" for the stamped background, and then a graduation stamp that was from the summer mini last year... I love the tassel on his hat! (I just cut the hat out with scissors.... I made a square, and then just tucked it into his head).
I also wanted to play around with my new colored embossing powder... I've had it for a month or so, I wasn't totally sure how to use it... so I came up with a simple second project for my club tonight!
I love using a color family, and what is more appropriate than using the BRIGHTS collection for a summer card?

I embossed the big flower, and the leaves... isn't it fun?!  Well, that's all for now, I plan to get some cleaning down while my girls are sleeping!

Flower Pot Card

I have this terrible habit of buying things from the catalogue, and then never using them... one example of that is I bought the item blossom party for the big shot... and then never used it.  In fact, I had no idea HOW to use it!
Here's the die:

Well, in an earlier post, I did a simple card, using only my scraps, and I used this die for the big shot.
Today, I made a flower pot card, that I cased from online... and here's what I came up with:

I love it! I used the sunny garden paper, because I'm super sad that it's retiring... and then used the colors that went with the paper:
Pear Pizzazz
Poppy Parade
Dafodil Delight
Peach Parfait
I especially love that the flowers pull out as an insert!  In fact, my sister and I just made another of the same card, but added a flap on the insert to fit a gift card! Super cute. Here's the same card pulled out:

Super, super easy and cute.  Here's the website for all of the instructions on how to make it.  This video was made by Elaine Schader.

Enjoy!

Say it isn't so!

June 1st.  Bittersweet.
Today is the day Stampin' Up! releases their retired lists... I say it's bittersweet, because I see all of the stamp sets that I love retire, and some of the products I can't live without... but then I know that just around the corner is a new catalogue!
If you'd like to see a complete listing of the hundreds of retiring products, you can go to my website . 
Some of my favorite sets are retiring, like party hearty, priceless and hello again. It's so hard.  *sigh.
But, the good news is, I have a list of products at a deep discount... from 25% off to 40% off!  Now remember, these are the products that go super fast, so email me @ yummy_starbucks@yahoo.ca to get everything that you want!

171	111882	Fresh Cut Notes	25%	$8.21
172	117175	Presto Patterns Specialty Designer Series Paper	25%	$11.21
172	117400	Wicked Fun Specialty Designer Series Paper	40%	$8.97
174	120436	Lap of Luxury Designer Series Paper	25%	$9.38
175	117163	Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper	25%	$9.38
175	117168	Play Date Designer Series Paper	40%	$7.50
175	117396	Build-a-Bear Workshop Pawsitively Prints II Designer Series Paper	25%	$9.38
205	114324	Thick Window Sheets	40%	$5.10
166	119749	Pumpkin Pie 5/8" Satin Ribbon	25%	$9.19
166	119763	Real Red 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon	25%	$7.13
167	119762	Marina Mist 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon	25%	$7.13
168	119258	Night of Navy 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon	25%	$6.19
169	119964	Early Espresso 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon	25%	$7.13
176	117172	Play Date Quick Accents	40%	$6.57
188	111325	Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware	40%	$22.77
188	112454	Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware	40%	$22.77
189	116853	Simply Adorned Chain 34"	40%	$10.50
182	118711	Elegant Engravings Simply Sent	25%	$11.96
180	119812	Old Olive Leaves 12" x 12" Designer Printed Album	25%	$18.71
180	117170	Play Date File Folders	25%	$10.13
180	120434	Play Date Gusseted Envelopes	25%	$5.63
184	118760	Play Date Rub-Ons	25%	$5.85
184	119249	Holly & Jolly Rub-Ons	25%	$5.85
184	119250	Bday Party Rub-Ons	25%	$7.31
184	119975	Vintage Type Rub-Ons	40%	$5.10
201	119279	Bitty Bat Punch	40%	$13.77
202	118873	Cogs Double Punch	25%	$18.71
207	114523	Decorative Accents Bigz Die	25%	$20.21
207	114532	Card, Telephone & Address Bigz Clear Die	25%	$21.96
207	114534	Flower Bigz Clear Die	25%	$20.21
208	113483	Pennant Bigz XL Die	40%	$40.46
208	116819	Table Setting Bigz XL Die	25%	$34.77
209	113484	Baskets & Blooms Bigz XL Die	25%	$43.96
209	115961	Perfect Setting Bigz XL Die	40%	$40.77
209	115966	Pop-Up Look Here Bigz XL Die	40%	$34.77
209	116760	Pop-Up Three Tier Cake Bigz XL Die	40%	$32.37
209	116822	O Christmas Tree Pop-Up Bigz XL Die	40%	$34.77
210	115973	Joyful Sizzlits Die	40%	$4.50
210	115974	Curves Ahead Sizzlits Die	25%	$5.63
210	116823	Merry Details Sizzlits Die	25%	$5.63
210	118140	Tree Decorations Sizzlits Die	40%	$4.50
211	113485	Birds & Blooms Sizzlits Die Pack	40%	$21.17
212	113450	Go Go Boots Alphabet Medium Sizzlits Dies	25%	$76.75
212	113452	Join in the Cheer Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die	40%	$17.97
215	114514	Simple Flower Embosslits Die	40%	$11.17
215	114516	Cherry Blossom Embosslits Die	40%	$9.57
215	115952	Hi Embosslits Die	40%	$9.57
215	115957	Thanks Embosslits Die	40%	$11.17
215	116820	Merry Embosslits Die	25%	$11.96
217	117327	Beary Hoppy Sizzlits Die	25%	$5.96
217	117979	Kooky Spooky Originals Die	25%	$21.21
217	117982	Beary Girl Sizzlits Die	25%	$5.96
217	117987	Beary Lovely Sizzlits Die	25%	$5.96
218	111255	Daisy Dash Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel	40%	$6.30
Online	120949	Watercolor Wonder Crayons New Color Kit	25%	$38.96
Online	120963	Stampin' Pastels New Color Kit	25%	$14.21

A mountain of paper scraps

I have to tell you, I used to be the worst about paper scraps.  They would pile up in a big heap, and I said that I would "get to it" when I had time.
So finally, one day I was fed up of buying the same colors over and over, so I came up with a system...
I have them organized by color family (regals, brights, neutrals, subtles, in colors, retired, and patterned paper) in large zip lock bags.  So when I'm done with a project, I simply put them in the piles for each bag, then put them in there.
If you don't have a lot of the colors, my suggestion would be to organize them by colors, instead.  This is also a good idea to inventory what you need for stamp pads and papers... everyone needs at least one brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple (yes, I used ROY G. BIV)... and this would allow you to quickly grab the colors you need.
So, anyway, I needed to make 15 thank you cards, for some volunteers at our church... and I was able to make all 15 with JUST scraps!
Here are a couple of them:

I used the same idea for all of them, but changed the color palate depending on the DSP I used.
The formula is:
3 x 6 card stock, bone fold in half
2 3/4" card stock, for background
2 1/2" DSP (this is a hodgepodge of retired from Stampin' Up!)
Ribbon (I have a bag of scrap ribbon, too!)
Punches (1 3-8" circle, 1 1/4" circle)
Big Shot
Blossom Party Original Dies for Big Shot

and that's it!
I love having scraps that are organized... you are able to do so much more!

Stampin' Up's Owl Punch

I am OBSESSED with my new owl punch.  I can't even tell you why.  It just makes me so happy inside! I have been using it non stop.  I love how versitle it is.  I've made cards for:

a new baby

and for graduation (this picture is by LeeAnn Greff)

and for an anniversary

 and a valentine treat for your love

and even for Christmas! (picture is by LeAnne Pugliese)

This punch is my favorite! And it's only $23.95! I highly recommend it.  It's called the two-step Owl Extra-Large (click to go directly to my website to see it!)
I hope you love this punch as much as I do!