Weekend Stamper is On Vacation

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that for the next two weeks, there will be no updates to this blog. I will be cruising around the Med with my family. This is our last trip while in Europe, and I promised them that I would not spend the entire time doing blog finds or working on my blog.....so, I hope you all have a great last few days of January and I'll see you in early Feb!

Charming Inspiration

Ok, I admit it. When Stampin' Up! came out with these amazing charms, I had to have one. I bought one of the small round ones, and a bracelet. Then, you know what I did with it? NOTHING! It has sat on my craft table for over a year now. I just pick it up and move it from one side to the other. Now, thanks to Mary over at Kreates Kards, once I get it unpacked I know exactly what I'm going to do....Make this awesome purse charm!

Animals for Inspiration

Today's inspiration comes from Regina Andari over at Workin Out the Inks. To make this adorable lion card, she uses the big shot scallop circle die. What in the world did we ever do before the Big Shot? Did we really cut out all those shapes by hand? Crazy isn't it. Well now that I've seen this lion, I have all kinds of plans for other animals using this die. Can you think of some other's that would work well?

Punch art and 3D What more can I ask for?

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a 3D paper crafter. Don't get me wrong, I make cards (lots of them actually!) but my favorite things to make are the 3D items. Well today's inspiration comes from Kim over at Paper Punch Addiction. She made this adorable Valentine Bear Tin. The best part? If you take a moment to visit her blog, you can download the tutorial for free! Now is that inspiring or what? :)

Oh, and in case you were wondering where I was yesterday....well I hate to admit it but I completely forgot to post. I guess my brain fell victim to the long weekend. Sorry about that!

Another MDS page by me

I think one of the reasons that scrapbooking, even digitally, takes me so long is because I spend the time reminiscing. This one especially took me into la la land. Last March, before Matt deployed, he and Katie attended a Father Daughter Valentine Dance. They both looked so great, and she looks so grown up. I think this was the first time either Matt or myself had any idea she was no longer a little girl, but growing up into a young woman. Awww, it's going to make me cry.

Not exactly a blog find.....

Ok, I don't know if this counts or not, but this isn't off of Blog finds for today. Instead it was sent to me through the Late Night Stampers Demo group by Melissa Johnson. I don't know if Melissa has a blog or not, but these were too cool not to share. She hosted a game night, and made up trophies for everyone. What a great use of her supplies!

Monochromatic- What could be more inspiring

There is nothing as much fun as watercoloring. Whether you are using the watercolor crayons, the blender pens, or the Aquapainter, it feels just like it did when as a child you sat down with a brand new box of crayons and a coloring book. Now, I am no expert when it comes to watercoloring, but there are many out there who are. Today's card is an example from one of these amazing watercolorers, Ann Craig. She took her watercoloring one step further and made it monochromatic. Now being able to force that many shades of color out of one shade always amazes me. Make sure you stop by her blog and check it out for yourself!

My Favorite color, what more inspiration could you need?

My favorite color in the whole world is orange. Don't ask me why, I just know that when I have something important going on in my life (a job interview, a test, a big move) and I need to make myself feel less stressed, I wear orange. It works every time. Orange just makes me happy! But orange isn't a color that I use in my stamping very often. Oh, I bring it out in October and November, but the rest of the year it sits in my paper holder getting dusty. And we have such great oranges too....Pumpkin Pie and Tangerine Tango. So, when I found this card on Glenda Mollet's blog, I had to have it for my inspiration for today. Maybe now, when I get my stuff unpacked I have a reason to break out my oranges anytime of year!

Scrapbooking Inspiration

Today's inspiration comes from an unusual place.....well, at least an unusual one for me. You all know I am not a scrapbook person. I have scrapbooks (almost up to date ones actually), but they are all digital. Way back when my tween was a baby, I did the whole paper and glue and embellishments, but now, in today's busy times, I only use my computer. That's why when I saw this layout by Tracy Raymond I was so surprised at how much it inspired me. I love the way the page looks of course, but I think it was her sentiment that got me that most. I love the thought that we can spend the entire year thinking of it as a clean slate. I can't re-create her exact page, but I can do what I do and make it on MDS. I'll have to show you what it looks like when I'm finished!

Baby Blossoms Inspiration

Today's "ripped from the blog finds" inspiration is Krista Fenton's Baby Blossoms Card. I don't own this stamp set......YET, but I think it may be on top of my list. I keep seeing such gorgeous cards being made with it. It was so hard this mini not buying everything I saw, but buying a house and moving is going to take up most of our spare cash. Oh well......I'm hoping I'll get a chance to get this set though. I really like it! Maybe you could use your set to make more cards, and then I can show my hubby how important this stamp set really is.......:)

Valentine Robot- Chocolate Inspiration

Ok, I admit it. I love Chocolate. I was so afraid that my surgery would hinder my chocolate addiction, but I can still tolerate it. Just not as much :) Anyway, when I saw this adorable chocolate robot from Patty over at Patty Creates, I fell in love. Who could resist this technological marvel? Not me! Add another Must Do to my ever growing list! For directions, make sure you check out Patty's post!

A Project- Done By Me!!!

I know, are you totally amazed? I actually created! How you ask? Why using My Digital Studio. I've decided that MDS is the perfect wa

y to get my creative fix without my stamps and ink. Don't you agree?

Anyway, don't ask what this is all about. A couple adult men, behaving like children! Surfing down the road on a chair! At least no one got hurt. Ahhh, good memories :)

Today's Inspiration- A ribbon blossom

Ok, I admit it. I'm a ribbon hoarder. I hate to use up my ribbon. It's not like SU! is going to run out or anything, so why I am so hesitant? Well, now I have a good reason to use some up (when I get my stuff unpacked in the states that is!). This Ribbon Blossom card, designed by Lynn Pratt of Stamp-n-Design really spoke to me. It said, "quit being such a ribbon hoarder!" So, now number 5 on my list of Must do's when I get settled in my new house is make a ribbon blossom! Luckily, the tutorial is on Split Coast here. Why don't you all do me a favor.......give it a try for me and let me know how it goes!

Inspiration from NZ!!!

Today's inspiration comes all the way from New Zealand in the form of a card from Bron Heslop. I was lucky enough to become friends with Bron during Operation Hero watch, and I've been privileged to continue that friendship via the internet. Isn't stamping wonderful? Not only does it provide a creative outlet, but now I have a reason to go to NZ (and maybe even have a place to stay :) ). I promise our friendship has nothing to do with me selecting Bron's card for today's inspiration though. I saw it and absolutely fell in love. I think it is the paper beads running down the side of the card. I haven't had a chance to play with Paper Beads yet, but it's now on my to do list. I better be careful.....My to do list (for when I finally get to unpack my stamps) is getting really long! Enjoy Bron's card, and please let me know if it inspires you to create!

Today's Inspiration.....My Digital Studio

Some of you may remember that before the mad holiday rush Stampin' Up! was hosting a My Digital Studio contest. Well, my MDS skills aren't quite up to par, but as I was doing the blog finds, I happened to run across the blog of one of the winners. She definitely thought outside the box, and I loved her Christmas tree made from stamped images in My Digital Studio. Connie Collins, from Constantly Stamping walked away with $400 worth of MDS downloads. I for one can't wait to see what she does with them!

Today's Inspirational Find- Valentine Defined

Ok, somewhere buried in my box of goodies I actually have this stamp set. Of course it is completely unmounted and never played with. It kind of bums me out that I bought all this great Valentine's stuff, and now I can't use it. Oh well........There is always next year :)

This card is from Morgan over at Stamp Cravings. I love the fact that she chose to use more subtle colors than the typical Real Red for her Valentine. I think I will be using this color combination as soon as I possibly can!

NO MORE STAMPING FOR ME!

Yes, you read that right...I'm done, finished, finito with stamping.....well at least temporarily. We still don't have our orders, but as most of you know we are suppose to be moving to Scott AFB sometime in late February or early March. Do you realize that is in about 6 weeks?? Anyway, to prepare, we have started sorting and rearranging and purging stuff. This weekend my hubby screwed up his back, so emptying the Attic was out of the question (wimpy movers won't bring the stuff down, we have to do it) so I decided to tackle my stamp room. Thanks to a couple great friends it only took us an afternoon. Now that my stamps and inks and everything else is all packed away I realized that today would have been the perfect day to stamp. Just in case you want to see what my stamp room looks like now......here's a picture. Oh and in case you are wondering....that really tall box on the floor.....Yeah, it has nothing but stamps in it. I might have a slight addiction!

So, what does that mean for this blog? Well I'm not going to be posting as much. I'm hoping every once in a while my downline or my upline or one of my customers will allow me to come play with their stamps, but for the most part I will be inkless until at least April. I will try not to leave you totally inspirationless though. My plan is to pick my favorite Blog Find of the Day and feature it here. Today's find is this adorable robot box from Kim over at Paper Punch Addiction. I'll see you tomorrow with another great inspirational blog find. Oh, and do me a favor will you? Stamp twice as much as normal....that way I can get my stamping in vicariously through you!

Luminaires aren't just for Christmas

Every year I see all these amazing ideas to decorate for Christmas. Unfortunately, I always run out of time trying to make them. So this year I figured, why not see if I could use some of those great ideas for the rest of the year. I know you all have seen the adorable paper luminaries made out of card stock and vellum. Well I figured I could make one that would work any time of the year. I think this one will go in my daughter's bedroom. Now I'm off to see what other Christmas gifts I can use year round :)

Playing with Shrink Plastic

Before the holiday I showed you a couple of projects we made with Shrink plastic. Since then I have had a ton of people ask me what exactly Shrink Plastic is.....well it's just a sheet of polymer that when heated shrinks down to about 1/4 of it's original size. Most people know it as Shrinky Dinks! You can use Sharpies or Staz-On ink to color them. Jay and I were playing around with it one day, and he made this bag pull for his backpack. We used Staz-on for the image, and then wrote his name with Permanent Marker. Can you tell my boy is a little rocker?

It's time for those Resolutions.....

So why not do what this little dog is doing and Wish Big!!! Hope you all had a wonderful New Years!