Stampin' Addicts - Join the Fun!

I've found a new place for fun and inspiration. Stampin Addicts is an online community of stampers crazy for Stampin’ Up. Started last February, SA now has some 3000+ members and a growing SU-focused gallery.

To push the gallery to the 10,000 mark and beyond, SA is hosting a Great Gallery Gussy Up and Giveaway.

Upload your Stampin Up projects (current or retired) to the SA gallery by November 8. One lucky uploader will be randomly selected to win Sweet Season, a So Shelli favorite on page 29 of the IBC. (Run get your catalog right now check out the set. What?! You don't have a catalog? Geez Louise, email me and I'll get one to you right away!)

Not a member of SA yet? Signing up is easy and free. Tell them Heather (hcarnes) sent you! You won't believe the crafty wonderfulness you'll see and the great people you'll meet.

Need a quick card?

Last night (as she was going to bed), Eliza told me that she and some of her friends wanted to give everyone in the class a Halloween card. Could I make cards for her? This was in addition to the crafts I still had to come up with, design, make, and pack for her party today. I needed something quick! So I pulled out a die that is quickly becoming a new staple in my crafting arsenal. The other supplies you probably have. Play around with those layers and make them fit what you need.



I used these supplies:
Only Orange cardstock (#102837, $5.50)
Old Olive cardstock (#100702, $5.50)
Very Vanilla cardstock (#101650, $7.50)
Scallop circle punch (#109043, $15.95)
1 3/8" circle punch (#104401, $15.95)
1 1/4" circle punch (#104403, $15.95)
1" circle punch (#109046, 10.95)
Stampin' Up! Exclusive Die - Two Tags (#115954, $21.95)
I used a retired stamp from the Tiny Tags set because my first choice - Batty For You - was missing in action.
Batty For You (#116576, $23.95)

Keep your eyes peeled - I'm going to do a blog blitz in November. You'll see a lot of gift ideas, scrapbooking, and new cards. I will also do another Black Friday sales blitz where you can get amazing deals and FREE stuff! I'm so excited about that, I can hardly wait!

Last Deal of the Week - Best one yet!

The last October Deal of the Week has been announced and it is the adorable Pirate and Princess party kits shown on pages 74-75 and 174-175! Until October 31st, you can get these kits—no limits—for just $9.99 instead of $15.95 each. These are an awesome option to throw together a great party in a snap!

And they’re not just for kids and birthdays—think bridal showers or baby showers, girl’s night out, guy’s game night, or even a fun theme for your next home party group meeting.

Oh, and what about a “birthday in a box” for your favorite college student away from home?

Each kit includes a clever craft for eight, party favors, cupcake toppers, banners, invitations and envelopes. The only thing you need is adhesive—everything else including ribbon for the banners, elastic cord for the pirate eye patches, even toothpicks, comes included in the kit!

Imagine a fabulous party with no hassle—just pure enjoyment. Call me today and order a couple of kits to have on hand or to give as gifts. I’m stocking up! I'm picturing a baby shower for someone having their first girl soon!

Are your Christmas cards ready to mail yet?

Well, mine aren't addressed and stamped, but they are designed and I have some made. How about you?

It's about time to get your Christmas cards ready for mailing! This year you can create beautiful handmade cards that will make your friends and family positively glow knowing how much you care. This class will use the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrapping Kit. You will make 30 cards and 2 6x6 scrapbook pages (family portraits, you Christmas tree, your children or grandchildren opening gifts - what pictures will you use?) using 1/2 the kit. If you'd like to make more you can purchase another kit and get double the supplies.

I will provide you with all of the supplies to make the cards and the envelopes. You will need to bring your own adhesive and paper trimmer. You will have 1/4 sheet of card stock, 1/2 sheet patterned paper and a couple of die cuts left over to use on other projects.

The cost of the class is $35 (30 cards and 2 6x6 scrapbook pages plus all of your leftover supplies). I will place the order for all of the supplies on Wednesday, November 11. Your reservation is your payment for the class. If you are unable to attend the class, you can still make the cards! I will give you the kit with all supplies cut and pictures of the assembled cards.

I'm really looking forward to this class - the cards are so cute! Won't you join me?

Stampin Up! Deal of the Week!

If you know me, you know that I'm a sucker for anything metal! I'm still hoarding some of the aged bronze Hodgepodge Hardware that retired - what was that? - two years ago? So what is the deal of the week now? METAL!!! Woo hoo! Remember that there is no limit to the number of items you can order and NO minimum purchase. The easiest way to order the deal of the week is through my personal Stampin' Up! website.

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Special Price
114348	179	Basic jumbo grommets	$6.95	$4.49
109857	179	Mini Library clips	$12.95	$8.99
112571	179	Circle Designer brads	$5.95	$3.99
112581	179	½” Library clips	$6.95	$3.99

Bring a Friend Stamping Night

I really love these cards! These are the cards from my October Bring a Friend Stamping night. What, you weren't here? Then you need to bring one of your friends next time! We'd love to have new stamping friends join us.

The first card showcases a new (at least to my stamping group) technique. I used household bleach to stamp the flourish from Baroque Motifs onto chocolate chip cardstock. It bleached the cardstock out and looks almost like kraft in those areas. I had a lot of fun with this one.

Stamps: autumn harvest, baroque motifs

Paper: chocolate chip, dusty durango, very vanilla

Ink: chocolate chip craft, pumpkin pie, dusty durango, more mustard, summer sun, old olive, garden green

Accessories: clear embossing powder, heat gun, blender pens, 5/8" chocolate chip grosgrain, distressing tool

Techniques: bleaching, distressing, heat embossing

The second card is my take on the popular quilted top note card. It's a bit trickier than it looks. I had to use my 2 way glue pen to re-attach tiny slivers of paper from the edges.

Stamps: holiday best

Paper: autumn meadows, rich razzleberry, very vanilla, soft suede

Ink: rich razzleberry

Accessories: big shot, top note die, wide oval punch, sponges, rich razzleberry polka dot ribbon, brads

The last card is one I absolutely LOVE! I very rarely make a clean and simple card, but I would put this one into that category. I adore that flocked paper! It is gorgeous!!!

Stamps: delightful decorations

Paper: whisper white, real red, christmas cocoa dsp

Ink: white craft

Accessories: white embossing powder, white taffeta ribbon, ornament punch

Techniques: heat embossing

Cover Tyler Pink

Eliza was able to go to the Cover Tyler Pink on the square yesterday. They had pink fire trucks and the firemen were wearing pink gear! They even made the fountain downtown pink! She had tons of fun.

Have you tried digital creating?

Starting today, seven new My Digital Downloads are available for purchase and use with your My Digital Studio software or other design applications. Several of these images are just in time for Halloween! If you want to see My Digital Studio, be sure to contact me. I'll even let you try out my copy - have laptop, will travel! (No surprise to those who know me!) Once you try it, you will be hooked. It's not just for scrapbooking! If you already own a software program and are not in the market to buy another one, these downloads will work with other programs!

The easiest way to shop is at http://www.heathercarnes.stampinup.net/

Item # -- Product Name -- Price
118114 -- Cast A Spell Designer Series paper - digital download -- $4.95
118115 -- Night & Day Designer Series paper - digital download -- $4.95
118124 -- Medallion stamp brush set - digital download -- $1.95
118126 -- Circle Circus stamp brush set - digital download -- $5.95
118116 -- School Days II stamp brush set - digital download -- $9.95
118121 -- Great Moments II stamp brush set - digital download -- $9.95
118122 -- Pumpkin Patch stamp brush set - digital download -- $5.95

Scripture Book

My mother has a friend who will be leaving the country tomorrow to go to work in the middle east for a couple of weeks. She wanted a small gift for him to take so I decided to make a tiny chipboard book filled with scriptures. I knew the day was coming quickly, but so many other things crowded out my crafting time. I ended up staying up until about 1:45 this morning finishing the book. I could have added more verses, but overall, I'm pleased with the outcome. Personally, I would add more ribbon and hardware, but I tried to walk a fine line of embellished and masculine.

Supplies for the entire project:
Paper: Autumn Meadows DSP, very vanilla, bermuda bay, crushed curry, close to cocoa
Ink: basic brown, bermuda bay, crushed curry, versamark
Stamps: SU Strength and Refuge, Our Daily Bread Designs
Ribbon: chocolate chip taffeta, crushed curry polka dot
Big Shot accessories: Big Shot, top note die, scalloped circles #2, scalloped envelope, birds & blooms, sweetest stem, texturz perfect details, texturz kit #4, texturz backgrounds 1
Accessories: 2 way glue pen, sticky strip, dazzling diamonds, glassy glaze, pastels, crystal effects, hodgepodge hardware, photo corner punch, 1/16" punch, Bind It All
Techniques: cracked glass, sanding, sponging

Album cover

First page

Sweetest stem and top note peek-a-boo page (there is a sentiment hidden behind the flap!).

I Sing for Joy page with pastel bird on flower branch (I've never done my pastels with Versamark before. I know, I was doing it the hard way! I love, love, love the look of this - especially with the thick layer of crystal effects over it! It really does deepen the colors and provide a nice finish.)

Cracked glass

Resist emboss and scallop envelope page with hidden card

Everything beautiful page with pastel flowers (covered in crystal effects and very pretty, IMO)

Birds & Blooms dove

Last page

Super cute notes and matching box and Ellie

I have been in the mood to make something all week long but I didn't have time. I took some time tonight to make a little 3x3 box. I filled it with six tiny note cards that coordinate with the box.

Stamps: Best Yet

Paper: rich razzleberry, crushed curry, melon mambo, whisper white, razzleberry lemonade

Ink: rich razzleberry, crushed curry, melon mambo

Accessories: big shot, birds & blooms, two tags, crushed curry corduroy buttons, linen thread, 1" circle punch, wide oval punch, texturz plates, in color markers, crushed curry polka dot ribbon, melon mambo polka dot ribbon, pretties

Techniques: big shot, dry embossing

Finally, this has nothing to do with crafting, but we got a new puppy yesterday. I actually brought this one home. EG named her Ellie so we'd have three E girls. She has a crate where I plan to keep her while we are at school and work. She is supposed to sleep there at night, too. I went to my room earlier tonight and found Gracie and Ellie on my bed asleep.

Happy Birthday, Gracie

Today is Gracie's third birthday. Unfortunately, I'm sick so we didn't get to do as much as we had planned. However, we had Heath, Robin, Andrew, Thomas, Isabelle, David, and Kate for lunch. After lunch we had a little cake and opened a couple of gifts. We'll have the real party next Saturday - which is actually Heath's birthday.

I made Gracie's birthday invitations this year. We will have a small party at our house next week. I really struggled over what her invites should look like. I don't really have a theme picked out. She loves princesses, so I thought I'd pull out the old Perfect Princess stamp set and use that. For colors, I had to go with pink and purple. Gracie will put her hands on her hips, and tell you that "pink and puh-pull" are her favorite colors. Imagine her swinging her hips with each syllable. :)

Stamps: perfect princess

Paper: rich razzleberry, crushed curry, razzleberry lemonade, whisper white

Ink: rich razzleberry

Accessories: crushed curry polka dot grosgrain, top note die, 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, dimensionals

Techniques: big shot

Sunday night stamping

I went downstairs tonight to make some of the cards for my Bring-a-Friend stamping night this week. I ended up making one card that will work and one that won't.

This card will be one we make at the class later in the week. It uses two of the new in-colors (dusty durango and crushed curry) as well as chocolate chip and old olive. The stamp set is Trendy Trees. I also used the scallop punch, the stampamajig, and chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon. The technique I applied to this card is masking so that the trees would not blend together.

This card just sort of happened. I was looking through all of my stamp sets and pulled this one out. The colors had been ringing through my mind and I wanted a card that made me feel late-summery. This is a retired hostess set - one that I always loved but never used very much - called Garden Silhouettes. The colors are certainly celery, mambo mango, chocolate chip, and whisper white. I stamped in chocolate chip, then again in mambo mango. I cut out the mambo mango flowers, covered them in dazzling diamonds (with the help of a 2-way glue pen), and popped them up with dimensionals. I added a little scrap of chocolate chip ribbon. It made a very simple and clean card.

I'll post more cards as the week goes on. Hopefully more for my class so I can get those finished and ready!

Got inspiration?

I rely heavily on "borrowing", whether it's a color combination, a scrapbook sketch, or just generally a mood, I love looking at other people's art and seeing how I can make it my own. I found a blog of a fellow SU demo who has a lot of SUO (Stampin' Up! only) projects. Her blog is called Stamp Journey and is sure to give you some inspiration along the way!

Autumn Days Birthday MM103

I was super-productive today so I decided to reward myself with a little time downstairs in the scrapbook room. I found the Mojo Monday Sketch 103 and fell in love with it! I made a card that opens at the top and combined a lot of things I don't use very often.

Stamps: Autumn Days, Upsy Daisy
Inks: rich razzleberry, soft suede
Papers: soft suede, rich razzleberry, taste of textiles, very vanilla
Accessories: clear button, natural hemp, glassy glaze

I have a card party coming up!

Happy Labor Day! I hope you've had a nice and relaxing day. We've had a good day with family. We made slaw burgers, home-baked beans, and homemade custard ice cream. It was all so yummy! I'll post the recipe below.

I will be hosting a Bring-a-Friend Stampin' Night at my house on Thursday, September 17. I've altered the format a bit. Rather than making 12 cards (2 each of 6 designs), we will make 6 cards (2 each of 3 designs). This will allow us to get off work, stamp a few fun cards, and get home early enough to relax! The cost is $9. If you place a $20 order, your class is free. If you can't place an order or don't need anything right now, just make sure you come for the class! Your friends will love getting your creations in the mail! Call me or e-mail me to RSVP.

Vanilla Custard (I quadruple this recipe to fill a 5 qt ice cream maker)

3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten (12 large egg yolks, slightly beaten)
1/2 cup sugar (2 cups sugar)
1 cup milk (4 cups milk)
1/4 teaspoon salt (4 teaspoons salt)
2 cups heavy whipping cream (8 cups heavy whipping cream)
1 tablespoon vanilla (1/4 cup vanilla)

Mix egg yolks, sugar, milk, whipping cream, and salt. Heat VERY slowly (this took me over an hour to do) until it is almost boiling stirring constantly. Do NOT boil! The mixture will become very thick and will begin to coat your spoon. Pour into a chilled bowl and refrigerate 2-3 hours until the mixture is at room temperature. Stir occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.

Enjoy!

School and Scrapping Updates

Wow. I've been absolutely swamped during the past month! I defended my proposal on August 12 and it passed! Woo hoo!!! I'm so excited. Now on to all the other things that will lead to the next step. :/

School started back almost immediately after my defense. Actually, I went to work the day after. School is hectic, but I think we are starting to get into a groove. I have a lot to do. I'm adjuncting at TJC (did I mention that?) and it's very busy trying to keep up with my school and my work, and that too.

On the other hand, I scrapbooked last week. I was actually a hostess on SCS for the August 09 VSBN. I completed my page as well as a few others. It was so much fun. I remjmbered why I love doing it so much.

I've never hosted a VSBN before and I've really had a good time preparing for it. It was so hard to come up with a sample because I rely on all of you so much to cheat!

I used (more than!) three of my favorite things:
* a sketch (I used Pencil Lines #126 for this and made a coordinating facing page)
* metal (brads, in this case)
* ribbon
* Pretties kit
* chipboard
The technique I don't use enough is heat embossing. I love it but just don't do it as often as I should!

I sponge-dyed the pretties flower with crushed curry and then sponged the tips with melon mambo for dimension and gradation.

Stamps: baroque motifs, circle circus

Paper: whisper white, razzleberry lemonade dsp

Ink: versamark, rich razzleberry, melon mambo, crushed curry, soft suede

Accessories: crushed curry polka dot ribbon, melon mambo polka dot ribbon, flower designer brads, another SU designer brad that wasn't in the correct container so I don't remember which it is offhand!, embossing powder,on board batch of blooms chipboard

Techniques: sanding, heat embossing, sponging

This page is for Jennifer's challenge in the August 09 VSBN. My name acrostic is:
H - hectic
E - encouraging
A - attitude
T - thankful
H - honest
E - enigma
R - ready to graduate
I got finished and realized that I forgot to do any kissing! Durn. :) Well, other than the first picture. Let's agree there is no STAMP kissing!

Paper: kraft, bermuda bay, soft suede, textured white, Tiding/Winterming, Fruitcake, Basic Grey

Ink: bermuda bay, soft suede

Accessories: pretties kit, big shot, serif essentials, assorted buttons

These pages are for the August 2009 VSBM. I used the Pencil Lines sketch 150. There is a flower on the right page that is a little hard to see. I made it with the You make Me Happy set and used "you make the world special just by being in it" as the stem. The journaling says: Two baby brothers. Pesky, Always in my business. Warts. "Dogging" me. Successful. Honorable. I wouldn't trade them for the world!

Stamps: jumble alphabet, you make me happy

Paper: bashful blue, whisper white, to the nines specialty designer paper

Ink: close to cocoa, bashful blue

Accessories: dimensionals, two way glue pen, dazzling diamonds

These pages are for the August 2009 VSBN, "Color My World". I used one of my favorite colors, ruby red, and some paper I've been hoarding for too long.

I've recently began a love affair with taking photos of nature. I think there are so many beautiful things around us that I take for granted too often. You are going to think I'm weird, but I even like dead trees - I think they are full of grace and character.

So I pulled out my nature photos and combined them with all the beautiful colors I could pull in. The layout for the left page is sketch #14 from Pencil Lines. The right page is a fairly generic layout I've used before with some tying elements to the sketch.

There are two hidden journaling tabs on the left and one on the right. Each journaling tab is secured with a rhinestone brad. From left to right they read:

(with a hidden photo I couldn't fit on the page!) I have recently become enamored with taking nature photos. I love the colors and amazing intricacies found in nature, clean and unblemished, pure and holy.

I think this is a fabulous picture. Eva Grace and I were at the Children's Park in Tyler. The photo was not staged, but it is reminiscent of Picasso's Hand with Flowers.

The final journaling tab is a Stampabilities stamp with the Bible verse: "For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. Psalm 96:4"

Stamps: Stampabilities, Psalm 96:4

Paper: ruby red, very vanilla, so saffron, bashful blue, mellow moss, MME tan/red stripes, wild asparagus maroon floral

Ink: mellow moss, bashful blue, soft suede

Accessories: pretties kit, so saffron grosgrain ribbon, bazzill flowers

Techniques: hidden journaling

Getting stressed

I am getting more and more stressed. I am scheduled to defend my dissertation prospectus/proposal on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. A few days ago I thought, Well, I either know it or I don't. I've done a million presentations and this one is no different. But it is. Now I don't know if my powerpoint outline is too much or too little. Did I even put the right points in it? What should I expect?

My mother thinks I should drive down today and spend the night so I can work and rest and relax beforehand. I probably don't need to spend the extra money but the getting away doesn't sound so bad. Especially as stressed as I am now. I don't need to be ugly and I'm afraid I going to get that way later today.

As for post 10 a.m. tomorrow - I plan to reward myself. Some may choose to engage in illegal activity or to get drunk. I plan to hit the scrapbook room and play for quite a few hours. It will be nice to get a few pages done and lose myself in creative ventures rather than technical. After all, I have pictures of an event I'd love to get recorded from last weekend.

Almost done!

I spent around seven hours in the scrapbook room yesterday. It is almost done. I sent Roy to buy a shelf system for above the paper storage. I thought it sounded like a good idea in my mind, but when he started installing the shelves, I realized that it wasn't going to suit my needs. So I had him return the shelves and buy plexiglass. He had it custom cut and created a solid shelf on top of my paper racks. It now holds my two SU ink racks. I also have space between them for some storage cubicles when I get everything finished up. It's looking good! I'll be posting a picture as soon as I get it all finished.

Another day, a little more progress

I took yesterday off because it was my birthday. I'm 36 now. Just another day. Roy took me to Kiepersol last night and we had a good time. The last time we went I really didn't think it tasted very good. Last night it was sublime. I saw that they are going to do a Shakespeare in the Vineyard at the end of the month. I bought tickets for us today. I can't wait to go. It will be lots of fun.

I spent another four hours down in the scrapbook room today. I threw away a bunch of stuff - probably 4 or 5 boxes - that wasn't worth keeping. I also gave away another 3 or 4 boxes to someone who will put it to good use. I rearranged the room and am down to the point where I just need to put away things and organize more. I've outgrown my wall of stamps and need to start using another shelving unit. I hope to get a lot accomplished tomorrow. I'd really like to scrap soon. I hope to have a new piece of art posted on here soon. Check out the scrapbooking challenges on SCS. There are some amazing artists that donate a lot of time and talent. That's where I'll get my inspiration for the next pages.

Some Progress

I feel like I made some good progress. I spent almost 3 hours in my scrapbook room cleaning, reorganizing, and generally getting things back into shape. I hope to be able to scrapbook within the next couple of weeks. I really miss it!

On the other hand, I got quite a bit done this morning. I have gotten into the routine of going to The Diner to write since they have free internet and they let me sit and write without bothering me. Unfortunately, this morning the internet was very sketchy. Sometimes it wouldn't work and when it did, it was almost as if it were on dial-up. Veeerrrrryyyyyy slow. I ended up leaving earlier than I had expected. I hope I can make up some time later tonight.