It's Hip to Be Square

It's hip to be square in a round challenge, right?   I like to be just a little different sometimes-well most times.  This week Krista came up with another great sketch challenge. I wanted to use the Take A Spin set that will be carried over into the new catalog, but I really liked the square stamp in the set for a birthday. 

Cards & Things are taking a summer break after this challenge and will return September 6 with all new sketch and color challenges....

Here's this week's sketch:

I love the spinner!!!! 

3 days...
I'm counting the days down until July 1st--when I can start ordering a few of the stamps from my 2 page wish list. Ahhhh! My sweet stampin' addiction! 

Red, White and Blue

This is going to be a crazy week!  Monday morning is here and I am off and running.  I will apologize now if I'm a little quieter than normal, but I'm working on setting up a garage sale, Riley's softball practices and games and Evan has an appointment to find out if Wisconsin Early Autism Program will accept him as a new patient.  Vacation??? 

Here's a quick MDS page I did for the Late Night Stampers challenge this week.  I couldn't think of a great title for the page.  Looking at it now, it's kinda dorky!  LOL  Oh well...nauti--nautical.  It's punny, right?!  :)



Why My Mother In Law is the BEST...

She sends me handmade Stampin' Up! cards stamped in my favorite colors. 
Isn't this a pretty card? Now I need to rethink selling the Pick A Petal set that is retiring June 30th after seeing what gorgeous cards can be made using it.  *sigh*  What's a girl to do?  I know--STAMP!  :)

Thank you, Caroline!  I love the card. 

Oh and the sentiment is from the Occasional Quotes set (Level 3 Hostess).  It is retiring at the end of June also.  If you want either of these sets visit my online store or email me.

Scallop Circle Easel Card Tutorial

My inbox had several emails with questions about my scallop circle easel card that I posted this week.  I am a visual person and I like to see step by step pictures.  So I got up early this morning and took some pictures of how to cut and essemble this card for you. :)

 First of all, can you guess what retired cardstock color I used for this tutorial?  Yep, you guessed it green galore.  I wanted a bright color that would show up well in my step by step. 

Step 1: Cut two pieces of cardstock  1- 5" x 5" and 1- 10" x 5"

Step 2: Fold your 10" x 5" piece in half making it 5" x 5".

 Step 3: Run it through your Big Shot making sure to not cut through all of your folded edge.  This will make your card base.

Here's your two pieces.

Step 4: Score one of the scallop circles on your card base in half and bend down.

Step 6: Add adhesive to the half of the circle you just stored down.

Step 7:  Position your other scallop circle on top.

How I made my layers:
I used a 3 1/2" Circle Die for my dsp and  the Circle Scissors Plus to make my mats (about 3 3/4"). 

These are quick easy cards to make.

Happy Stamping!

** While I never charge for my step by steps, I do appreciate tips. 

The Return of Mr. Owl

Mr. Owl has finished congratulating the Graduates and is now sending Happy Birthday wishes to those who are celebrating their special day.  I  made several of these little owls to give to little boys.  I think he is a perfect boy card. 

 

Did you notice his fancy bow?  It's one of the new punches in the summer mini--check it out!  You will love it!

First Day of Summer Christmas Card

It's so humid today in Wisconsin that my hair is just frizzy.  They are forecasting storms this afternoon.  I should be out mowing the yard quick (and by quick I mean about 2 1/2-3 hours). Instead I wanted to STAMP! 

Each month, Stampin Up! Demonstrators receive a magazine from Stampin' Up! It showcases some of the new products coming out in July and some cards made with them.  This card is a CASE from the magazine.

This is a cute little 6" x 3" card showcasing the Pennant Parade stamp set and the new pennant punch. I love the little 'trees'.  :)

Bold Butterfly

Can you believe we are over halfway through June already?  I have been busy busy since Dani's graduation.  Oh good news, she got her student ID for Carthage College.  She's officially going!  I'm so excited for her.  (In September, please refer me back to this post).

Riley Kate's doing well in softball.  I love to go to the games, but need to find a repellent for GNATS!  If you have something--anything that will repell them, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email.  Evan and I spend the whole game swatting, smacking and complaining about gnats.  Okay Evan really doesn't complain much, but I am mentally hating on them the entire game. 

Here's something that I am not hating on.....  Krista's new sketch!  I love it!  It always excites me when I have to think outside the A2.  If you want to play along this week, here's the link to Cards & Things Challenges.

 

 I decided to stop hoarding my Love Letter dsp.  It's retiring in a couple weeks and I wanted to pull it out and use some before all the new dsp comes out.  There's a lot of beautiful dsp on the way and I think Love Letter is too pretty to get dusty on my shelf.
Plus I LOVE polka dots!

I went a little further than the sketch and made my card into an easel card.

I wanted a card that would catch your eye.  I think a BIG BOLD Cherry Cobbler Butterfly popping off the front of the card might help. 

Simply for the Birds

Tomorrow is the big day, I meet with the school district about Evan going for a few hours a week.  I am having the worst time thinking that I have to send my baby to school at 3 years old.  *sigh*  Hopefully all goes well tomorrow and some of my fears are put to rest.

I decided tonight to make a bright cheery card to offset my glum mood.  I love this dsp, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is!  It was in a mini w/ a tropical set. 

It's bright and definitely a summer card.  :)

Here's a close up of the image--aren't they so cute?



Kristin & Stefan's Wedding Card

Congratulations, Kristin and Stefan!

My niece, Kristin finally got married yesterday.  I say finally because she and Stefan have been together forever.  They compliment each other so well and seem to be one of those "Happily Ever After" couples.  I pray that they will be.

I made them a very simple card (Kristin really likes simple)  using Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum and  a MojoMonday sketch. I really liked the sketch and thought it would make a perfect wedding card. 

I will be lost when Occasion Quotes retires at the end of the month.  I have loved this hostess set and used it a lot over the last year. It really has been my go to set.

The flowers and brad are not Stampin' Up!

I needed vanilla (ivory) to match the card.

The corners of my embossed cardstock were rounded w/ my corner rounder punch--nothing fancy JUST QUICK.  :)

Look Whoooos 2...

Little Owl has flown from yesterday's card to today's scrapbook page.  I have to admit--I'm quite fond of this little punch.  I thought he would be just the embellishment to perch on Evan's scrapbook page.    

This was a scrapbook sketch challenge from Sudsol.  I absolutely loved the sketch with all the circles! 



Whooos Playing....

Whooos playing with MDS instead of cleaning her house today.  Hmmmmm...LOL!  Okay, I spent a little of my day playing, but it was so much fun. 

I made a birthday card using the owl punch download.  It's so easy to get his eyes on straight when using MDS.  I think rather than stamping him in the future, I will print him already assembled off of MDS.  Just another reason to buy My Digital Studio.

Here's my card:

Oh and here's a tip: To make a perfectly pointy birthday hat in My Digital Studio, the arrow punch works great.  ;)

Watering Can Quilt

This month, Mary Jo Price-Williams asked me to be a guest designer on the Late Night Stampers group.  Well to say I was honored would be a bit of an understatement.    What a great group of stampers! 

Mary Jo sent me a list of the month's challenges and this week we are focusing on water.   The first place my mind went when I thought of a water project was that I would like to do a watering can quilt card. 

I don't know where these ideas come from, but here it is:

Next time, I plan on "stitching my quilt" BEFORE I emboss it! I am guessing it wil be A LOT easier.  *giggle*

A Vacation from Summer Vacation

Summer vacation?  I'm not sure if that really applies to stay at home moms.  I think I am going to pack up my stamping supplies for a couple days later on in August and enjoy a little mom retreat.  I'm pretty sure they can make it a few days without me--I'm just not sure about the house. LOL

Today, I escaped to the basement and made a card for Krista's Cards & Things Challenge.  Krista really knows how to make me think and again with the color purple.  :)  Try this challenge and let's see how creative you are!!

Here's my card:

I used the Level 2 hostess set, Love & Care  from the Summer Mini.  I love this set.

I distressed, tore, crumpled, rolled and added butterflies.  This is so unlike me!  What do you think?

Sail Away Double Flap Cards

It's time to start thinking about Father's Day. I have Terry's card made, but now for the present.  Hmmmm?  I don't have a clue what to give him this year. He hasn't mentioned anything.  I know that he loves it when the kids get him a big bag of peanut M&Ms, but I would like to do a little better than that.  Terry is such a great dad.

Here's his card:

I made a mask for the moon using the 1 3/8" circle punch, then I sponged baja breeze and not quite navy in the background.

Here's the flaps opened:

Stamp: Sail Away (123013)

Dsp: Nautical Expedition (122343)
Ink:
   Baja Breeze
   Staz On-Black
   Not Quite Navy
Cardstock:
   Not Quite Navy
   Cherry Cobbler
   Whisper White
Accessories:

Baker's Twine (123125)
1 3/8" circle punch
sponge

Here's Grandpa's card:

Stamp: Sail Away (123013)
Dsp: Nautical Expedition (122343)
Ink:
       Early Expresso
       So Saffron
       Daffodil Delight
Cardstock:
      Early Expresso
      Whisper White
      Cherry Cobbler
Accessories:
       Baker's Twine (123125)
       1 3/8" circle punch
       sponge

I had to alter the dimensions of these cards.  The sail boat was just a little bit big for the dimensions that I got from Dawn's Stamping Thoughts a couple years ago.  I added 1/8" onto the the flaps and the piece of whisper white that I stamped the image on.

Here's my dimensions (bottom to top of card)
base: 5 1/2 x 4 1/4
whisper white: 4 x 5 1/4
dsp: 4 x 1/2 (2)
big flap: 4 1/8 x 3 3/8 (score on the 4 1/8 side at 1/2" ending dimensions 3 5/8 x 3 3/8)
small flap: 3 5/8 x 3 1/8 (score on the 3 5/8 at 1/2" ending dimensions 3 1/8 x 3 1/8)
whisper white for image: 2 7/8 x 2 7/8

Happy Stamping!

Graduation Season

I can honestly say that I have never been invited to so many graduations.  They invites just keep coming.  We are receiving invites for July parties!  I thought graduation parties where right around Memorial Day not after the 4th of July! It's crazy, but I'm thankful that I have MDS! Just a few clicks of the mouse and you can change an Argyle orange card to a Milton red card.  LOL

Orange and Black

I love Halloween.  It is probably my favorite of all the holidays.  I loved stamping Halloween cards.  Yes, I said loved in the past tense. I have been working on Dani's graduation thank you's for a couple days now.  I have decided that between the invites and the thank you's, I am very glad that Halloween is months away.  LOL  Who makes there school colors orange and black?  The Argyle Orioles that's who!  :)

 These are relatively simple cards.  I used the thank you from the hostess set, Because I Care.  I did a little punching, paper piercing and viola! 

Inside the card, I gave Dani lots of room to write.  I'm sure she'll appreciate that.  I don't think I have ever met a kid that likes to write thank you's, but it's good practice.  In the 'real world' she'll get to do all kinds of things she doesn't like.  LOL  Oh and she's already tired of this 'real world' that everyone keeps telling her about.

Here's half of the stack of thank you's.  This should keep her busy for a couple minutes.

Your Future's So Bright...

...ya gotta wear shades! Or at least you are going to need shades when you see the card that I made to play along with Krista's Cards & Things Challenges and Late Night Stampers graduation challenge....

Here's Krista's sketch...

 I hope you are wearing some protective eye gear, because this puppy is bright!  :)

LOL.. I told you it was bright!

Just a Little...

Just a little hot!  Oh my gosh, Wisconsin forgot all about spring this year and went straight to summer. It's been humid and low to mid 90s.   I thought after the long drawn out winter and no spring that it may never be warm again.  I was wrong.  It's back to sweating, shorts, bugs and ballgames. Riley Kate is playing softball two evenings a week and I'm loving being outside, but need to adjust my personal thermostat.  I'm running a bit warm.  And I must be VERY SWEET--the bugs love me.

I am enjoying being down in the basement where it's cool.  The stamping room is the nicest room in the house right now. :)  WELL--I think it's pretty great year round, but it is particularly pleasant especially with no a/c yet.

This week there is a ~CooL~ new sketch challenge over at Krista's Cards & Things.  I like this one.  It was just what I was needing to get more scrapbooking done.  I opted to do the 'things' this week rather than the cards.  LOL

I had this photo of Evan that was taken last month that I just had to do something with.  My girls laughed right out loud when they saw it.  He looks so mischievous and perhaps just a little naughty. He isn't of course.  He is just a perfect little angel.  *cough*  Yeah, right!!!

To prove his point, Evan just came up and hit something on the keyboard and the paragraph above disappeared so I got to retype it. *sigh*  2 year olds are such fun! ♥

  

 

Wise Owl Graduation Money Holder

Okay-so my mother-in-law and I had the same great idea.  She also saw Jackie Topa's graduation cap and gown cards.  She and I are invited to at least 4 of the same graduations this year!  LOL  I know that there are a couple graduates that opened their cards and thought, "Wow! Those Hawkinson's must all think alike." I know it's normal to get two Hallmark cards the same for graduation.  But two handmade cards???  Since she had all of her cards made  and I had seen these little owls fluttering around online and decided I would try to make one as a graduation money/gift card holder instead. 

 I couldn't help myself--I thought he needed little legs.  I thought about exchanging one oval for a word window, giving him an eye patch and calling him "Peg Leg the Owl".  LOL

 The little wings were the most challenging for me.  I used the scallop circle punch to make the wings and a 1 3/4" circle punch to clip them.  I slide my scallop circle into the bigger punch and clipped one side of his wings off.  I left 7 scallops on his wings.  :)

 I made the base of the card a pocket to keep the money/gift card securely in place and embellished it w/ a little strip of Real Red punched w/ the eyelet border.

Stamps
Happy Greetings (Summer Mini)

Cardstock

Soft Suede
Pumpkin Pie
Bashful Blue
White
River Rock
Real Red

Ink
Pumpkin Pie
Soft Suede
Staz-On Black
Punches, Embossing Folders & Dies
Top Note Die
¾” circle punch
1” circle punch
1 3/8” circle punch
1 3/4" circle punch--clipping the wings
Scallop circle punch
Large oval punch
Square Lattice Embossing Folder
Eyelet Border Punch

Accessories
Ribbon
Dimensionals
Sponge
Snail
Sticky Strip (optional)
Glue dots

Dimensions:
Diploma: 2” x 2” Whisper White rolled around skinny pencil tied w/ ribbon
Base: 3” x 11” scored at 4 ¾” and 9 ½”

Last Chance Lists Are Here

Hey hey hey....goodbye!!!

It's time for SU! to do their annual spring cleaning to get ready for the new idea book and catalog coming out July 1st.  This means that this will be your last chance to buy 100s of SU! products while supplies last. If you have your heart set on certain products, do your shopping soon. You can do it quickly and easily on my online store. These last chance items are only available June 1-30, so get your favorites before they’re gone.

•Shop last-chance Wood-Mount Stamps

•Shop last-chance Clear-Mount Stamps

•Download the last-chance stamps PDF

•Shop last-chance Accessories

•Shop last-chance Definitely Decorative®

•Download the last-chance Definitely Decorative PDF

•Shop all discounted last-chance items

There has been a lot of chatter about all the 12 x 12 cardstock being on the last chance list.  No worries!  It isn't going anywhere.  It is going to be packaged differently in the upcoming catalog.


Make sure to look at the Last Chance Accessories because many of them are on SALE up to 40% off!



Wendy's Spring into Summer Sale...


Place an order on my website between June 1-21, 2011
and I will automatically send you the
NEW 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog for FREE at the end of June!

Also I'll send you a gift certificate along with your new catalog to use on your first order.

**June 1-21 Order over $50, gift certificate = 10% of your order total

**June 1-21 Order over $100, gift certificate= 15% of your order total

**June 1-21 Order over $150, gift certificate = 20% of your order total

**total before shipping and tax

This offer is only available through me, Wendy Hawkinson, Independent SU! Demonstrator and my online store.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at stampiepoo@gmail.com or (608)558-8715.

Printed Pages

I used SU! professional printing service for the first time when I had 6 pages printed for Dani's graduation.  I have never been so happy with a service!  The pages were crystal clear and true to color.  I was literally bouncing when I pulled the pages out of the box from SU! with delight.  I framed the pages in 12 x 12 frames and frame stands (Hobby Lobby framing department) to display the pages around the room. They received a lot of attention. So if you have been holding off on getting your pages printed--DON'T.  I promise you won't be sorry.  They are gorgeous!