Stamp Some Smiles

Tropical Party Collection, we are on our way!

We are on our way to sunny Florida to fix up our little cottage!  Before I leave I wanted to post this Tropical collection.The coconut has flower soft on it, Cute huh?  I promised I would think about entering the palm tree card, either to a magazine or to Stampin' Up!  My stamp camp ladies liked them all THAT much.   

We made the little beach purse with the Hershey's Treasures inside and the beautiful palm tree card at Stamp Camp today.  They were a big hit.  I just want to jump into that palm tree card and sit under the trees.

I know you can't see it but there is even real sand with dazzling diamonds sprinkled here and there...so pretty.  I am no artist and I don't know a speck about light sources or shading but I love how this came out.  We used sponges for the sun set effect and torn paper for the sand on the shore.  This collection would be a great way to invite some of your friends over for a girls night out, and have a little goody for them and then a beautiful thank you card.  I look forward to my get away this weekend, although we won't be resting under any trees!

Important Supply Update! I also want to share my Mother's day cards

IMPORTANT SUPPLY NOTICE!!!!!!!

I wanted to let you know about an important update I just received

 from Stampin' Up!  The demand for the retiring colors has been

 MUCH higher than they expected and supplies are running low.

  Stampin' Up! is doing everything possible to try to fulfill the orders.

Some colors are on back order, others are out and they are filling

 orders with textured paper at no extra charge (YUMMMM).

On my demo site they said:

"Because the demand for each color varies, we are unable to provide

 a list of what colors of card stock will be substituted with textured, or

at what point that will happen. However, if you receive a package of

card stock that is textured instead of smooth, there will be a sticker

on the package indicating that change. There will be no change in

item code or price for these substitutions."

 

However, if you were planning to order some reinkers or cardstock

in your favorite colors, you may want to do so now rather than wait!

 

You can place your order online through my website by

clicking here.  You may also call or e-mail me with an order

if you prefer. 

 

Thanks!

- Lori Stevenson

 also wanted to wanted to share my cards:

This is one I got from my daughter with flowers from my son, I also got flowers and herbs to plant from Rob and the kids and a charm for my bracelet, and I got a new flag with cute birds on it for the porch.  I spent the day cooking and cleaning in preparation for our mom's to arrive.  When my parents and Rob's mom were here we had a fabulous dinner and the most awesome Italian cake with peaches and strawberries and barvarian cream frosting, yummmm!  It was a such a nice visit.  Here are the cards I made for our moms:

Click on any of the images for a larger view.  This one is my mom's:

This one is Rob's mom's:

Close up of my mom's humming bird:

Close up of Rob's mom's humming bird, they both had lots of sparkle!

I hope you all enjoyed the day!

  

Prayers for Jenna and Party in a Box

Today is the Prayers for Jenna Event, I hope you are able to attend.  Please visit the site to see how you can also send a donation without attending.  Jenna is the sweetest little sister of Jillian's good friend Sarah.  We spent the morning making a basket for the basket raffle which will be held during the event.  Well, it was actually a box, a party in a box to be exact!

click on photo for a larger image.

Inside are cups, plates, napkins, a table cloth, straws, tropical mood music, and hand stamped invitations and envelopes.  I think this would be perfect for having "the girls" over for some frosty tropical drinks and some yummy finger food.  Of course it would work great for any kind of party - from a kids birthday party to an adult theme party (*coconut bra not included!  LOL) Here is a shot of the cards in progress.  Jillian and Amber helped me with every step of the card making.  I am so glad they were here, it was lots of fun!  We did make a mess, so I am only showing you part of the table. 

 Click for a larger image

Here is a close up shot of the card, don't you love it?  The texture effect on the background piece is a new textured impressions embossing folder found in the Summer Mini called SQUARE LATTICE.  I am in LOVE with this one, we will be using it and the Tropical Party set at my stamp camp next Saturday. 

Click for a larger image and a close up view!
We brought Jill to the event at one, and she will be there until seven.  We are heading over at around 5:30 and bringing brownies with us.  Amber and I made them and they are so moist and fudgy and warm....want one?  Well then all you need to do is drop in for a visit!  A $20 donation is being collected at the door.  There is Music, a basket raffle, cash bar and buffet dinner.  They are searching for a miracle and I hope you can be part of helping that miracle come true.  Just click on the link above to find out where it is held and how to make a donation if you are unable to attend.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Paper Punch Rose and baby ducklings

Did I ever show you the beautiful rose I made at Jan's house?  Here it is, using my Stampin' Up! paper and a flower punch, and a bit of red line tape and some glue dots...I was able to create this beauty:

Go ahead, OOooh and Ahhhh!  Isn't it Pretty?  I sponged some Cameo Coral around the edges of the blush blossom cardstock.   Oh how will I go on without these colors when they retire?  You can click on the pic for a closer view.  I love this Rose and will most likely never be able to put it on a card or a bag or anything. I will just keep it and make more to actually use, but because this one is my first one I am keeping it for myself.  Are you interested in making some too?  Did you know you can book a class with me for you and your friends and we can make all kinds of paper flower projects?  Contact me today for more information.

  

I also wanted to share a mama picture or two of mama duck and her babies.  I took these pics from about 125 - 150 feet away, so they are kind of grainy, but you can still see them:

 


I am trying to focus on these babies because my squirrel babies are missing!  I don't know where they are but they didn't sleep in the birdhouse last night and I wasn't home much today but I didn't see them at all.  booo hooo!  I will keep you posted with more projects cards and nature from my quiet corner of Connecticut, so stay tuned!  LOL

Mother's Day Stampin' Up! Gift Certificates, and an update on the baby squirrels.

Mom’s play such an important role in our lives that we want to go above and beyond to thank them with a special gift. It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you give your mother a handmade gift she will treasure it. Consider a special and meaningful gift of jewelry from our Simply Adorned line, a scrapbook, or a monogrammed card set. Any of these items will fill a mother’s eyes with joy! 

Not enough time to create the gift?  How about a promise to scrapbook together, or take a class/stamp camp together with me?  I made some gift certificates for the moms in my life today, and they are available for all of those special people in your life too!  Just email me and send a check and we will put a smile on their face for sure.  They can purchase their own favorite supplies, or pay for a class or camp with the gift certificate, what could be better?

Aren't they pretty?  I know I would be happy to get one...hint hint honey.  I worked on these today and I also worked on my ideas for stamp camp held on May 15th.  We are going to have some Awesome cards and you won't want to miss it...I hope to hear from you soon because the cut off date is Wednesday.  I will start cutting kits this week and will finish over the weekend so please let me know you are coming so that I can have a kit for you.  I most likely will not be cutting any extras this time. 
Now for a little update on the baby squirrels!  I am very worried about these two because their mama seems to be missing.  I didn't notice that the first day I saw them, but I have heard them crying for her and she isn't coming.  Are they old enough to eat solid food only? Do they know how to find their own food?  Are they warm enough?  Safe?  They are certainly taking crazy chances and can't climb well yet or jump at all.  Any ideas on what I should do...if anything...about this?

Really, how can you resist these faces?  Any ideas will be appreciated. 

Faux Tin Ceiling card using Elements of style and a bonus, bird house babies!

 Here is a photo of some tin ceiling panels.  You know, like in the old beautiful and ornate houses?  Well Jan taught us a faux tile stamping technique at our last meeting and I made this card:

click for a larger view.  I used the Elements of style flowers, they seem to go perfectly with this technique.  Jan's card was awesome and used bashful blue and a beautiful flower stamp, I wish now that I had taken a picture of it.  I brought my pieces home so I could stamp with a set that I owned (don't have the flower she used) but ended up having to change the color out to make mine work.  Isn't it beautiful? 

I had fun cleaning up (I know, that doesn't sound right, but I did) the stamping stuff I dragged out along with other stuff that was out for other projects, I even stamped a little (and made this card too).  While I was in the sun room I had two baby visitors.  The are the new guests in the top hole of the bird house on the deck.

You may notice that the hole is chewed to a rather large size. Well take a close look at who is coming down the pole:

I can't begin to describe just how tiny these two, (a brother and sister) squirrels are.  He has cracker on his little nose, check out how long her tail is, longer than her body!

It was their first walk around and they were a bit unsteady and kept stopping to grip the railing, it was so cute.

These are about the size of a mouse, they weren't even afraid...they let me go out on the deck to take pictures of them.  I have a great zoom lens so I wasn't all that close but I love these photos, don't you?  I hope you are having a fabulous Saturday, and I hope you get some stamping done this weekend too!