Great Pumpkin Hunt

Every year, my mom and dad have this great tradition to include my kids in their "Great Pumpkin Hunt". They spend the summer months growing squash, decorative gourds, pumpkins and decorative corn in their huge garden, to display at Thanksgiving. Then, in October, they gather the kids, a tractor and some barn clothes, and get picking! Here they are enjoying some of their annual "Hunt"....

(I am not sure where Michael is in this photo, maybe he's helping Grandpa!)

And here they are enjoying their winnings. They then set all the veggies out, along with fresh picked apples, nuts, and decorative baskets, at the door to greet guests as they arrive for a visit. 

 

My mom and dad have been doing this for years, and we always look forward to seeing how the display changes from year to year. Here's the final product for 2008.....

Happy Fall!

Red Hat Christmas Cards!

In the past week, I have had two card classes here with the Red Hat Ladies. My mom is in both groups, and hosted these classes.

There are Red Hat groups in communities all over the place, and chances are, you've seen them around town. They are a fun bunch, who dress up in beautiful, flamboyant, red hats with purple accents, and purple outfits, and get together regularily for social events. Here they are stamping at my place.

 

 

I have four more sets of the following cards pre-cut, if you'd like to make your own for a Red Hatter in your life. $13 per set of 3 pre-cut cards, (not stamped) with pictures and instruction included. Add $5 if you need it mailed. Contact me via email if you are interested.

And here are the cards that I custom designed for their event......

 

This one's made using the Snow Jumbo Wheel, and the Scallop Edge Punch (p189 $19.95 #112091). I used Ruby Red and Perfect Plum, and had them add some Silver Elastic Cord, now available in the Holiday Mini Catalogue. The Red Hat was made using the Small Oval Punch, and the 3/4" inch circle punch. I just glued the circle behind the oval, and added two skinny strips of Perfect Plum to make a hat band. Then we punched a silver flower, using the Trio Flower Punch (pg 189 $19.95 #109183) and some Brushed Silver cardstock (p 166 $9.50 #100712), and popped that up with a dimentional. 

   

The above card is made with Mellow Moss, Real Red, and Lovely Lilac cardstock. We wheeled the Twinkle wheel (now retired) in Versamark, and embossed with white embossing powder. The front is stamped in Mellow Moss with Canvas background, and again with the Merry Christmas stamp from Loads of Love (p53 $24.95 #104606), with Versamark. We heat embossed this with white embossing powder as well. The hat is from a retired stamp set I own, called Going Out in Style. I stamped it in black ink, colored it with markers, and cut it out. Add a little Red Grosgrain ribbon, and Voila! 

 

Here's the last one we did. The colors are Lavendar Lace and Whisper White cardstock, Bella Rose paper, and black gingham ribbon.

We cut out the Top Note Die with the Big Shot Die Cutting System ($117.95 Holiday Mini Catalogue) onto white cardstock and Bella Rose paper (p168 $11.75 #112041). We cut off the perforated edge of the finished piece only on the gingham, and mounted it onto the white to get this cute white backing. The snowman is from Punch Pals, and the sentiment is from the Punches Three hostess stamp set.

Hope you like our Red Hat Cards!

Color Combinations

Hi everyone, Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to pass along this fabulous website that is a great resource for looking up Stampin' Up color combinations. You can make your own, or browse some of the popular ones. Try it, and let me know what you think, by posting a comment! Click on the link below.....

SU color combos

Christmas Stamp-A-Stack coming!

Join us for a great time of stamping Christmas cards, so you are ready when it's time to mail them out! Here's a sneak peek at one of the cards we'll be making at my Mystery Hostess Christmas Stack-A-Stack on Saturday, Nov 1st..... 

We'll be making 4 each of 4 designs (16 total), and everything will be pre-cut for you! Register and pre-pay by Oct 14th,2008.... $30 per person via cash, cheque or Paypal. Email me if you are interested. We will be listening to Christmas music, munching on Christmas goodies, and enjoying holiday cheer! You will also get a draw ticket for every $30 you order while here, and I will be drawing for all the Hostess Stamp Sets, and Hostess Credits from the day's orders. Come join us on November 1st 9:30am......

Family Name Frame Class

I am offering a class for this cute project on Oct 21st at 7:00pm.....

You will be able to make your own family name and little characters to match your family members! Sign up NOW If this class interests you. Email me by Oct 11th to register, limited spaces available.

1) $25 per person or

2) $5 class if you order the stamp set "All in the Family" (#109339 pg78 $43.95) by Oct 11th to be used at the class. I will even assemble it for you before the class!

This even makes a nice gift for someone else!

Poppin' Pastels - doin' the 3-step!

Using Stampin' Pastels and a Versarmark stamp pad, you can create beautiful layered images like this:

 

I showed this Poppin' Pastels technique at all my Stamp Club get-togethers this week, and it is so soft and pretty, I wanted to share it with you.

(If you want more info about my stamp clubs, email  me or click here.)

Here's what I did:

Using the Fresh Cuts stamp set (#111634 pg98 $25.95) I inked it in Versamark ink (#102283 pg193 $9.50), and stamped it on the left side of the white cardstock. I took a cotton ball, and rubbed it on my Stampin' Pastels (#105542 p163 $30.95) Pale Plum chalk color, and gently brushed it over the image. Then, I inked the leaves in versamark, and stamped them over top. I brushed Mellow Moss chalk over those. I stamped the flowers last, again with Versamark, and brushed Perfect Plum on those.  You can keep adding more and more layers of images, as you like, but I have done this one as a 3-step.

Let me know what you think.....

(And....If you order online NOW, get a hand-stamped card from me in the mail! To place an online order for any of the above products, go to my website, and click on "Shop Now"-it will be shipped right to your door!)