Well Worn Dad Card

Yesterday we had our first Strawberry Shortcake of the season from our own berries--so yummy! The plants are doing great and the berries are ripening daily:)


Today I want to share with you the third card we made at our Happy Stampers meeting last week. This was a really fun card to make. Unfortunately, many of the supplies are retired or retiring. But you have to admit it's a great card!


I totally CASEd this card from Heather Summers at Stamp with Heather. She has a great blog and I enjoy her fun projects. 


For this card I used:

• Card Stock: Marina Mist, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla
• Well Worn Designer Series Paper (retiring May 31)
• Stamps: Packed for Dad and Loved Ones (both retired the end of last month)
• Ink: Not Quite Navy Classic Stampin' Pad and Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad
• Decorative Label Punch; Clips Assortment (retiring May 31); Antique Brass Brad; Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon

I am looking forward to sending this card to my dad for Father's Day:)

Have a great weekend and I hope to be back on Sunday night with the Sunday Night Chit Chat. Check out last week's Chit Chat. If you have a blog, I invite you to play along! Kat

Keep Calm & Stop Spending!

I saw this on a blog but now can't remember which one. However, I have been reading a lot about budget control on My 1/2 Dozen Daily. It got me to thinking about what I do to save my family money. When I was working, I spent freely but since retiring I have had to curtail my spending drastically.


My husband is the keeper of the budget and he does an amazing job with the amount of money we have. If it wasn't for his budgeting skills I wouldn't have been able to quit work two years ago. What a blessing! He also does all the grocery shopping and does an incredible job. He reads labels and brings home only the best produce. He is great about bringing home what is on my list. Plus he calls me from the store to tell me about great deals he finds to make sure I will have a use for it before making the purchase. Our income situation is a little bit unique in that my husband works on commission (no salary) so there are months of feast and months of famine. We just have to make the feast months last through the famine ones.


So, what do I do to help with our monthly budget... 

1. I make homemade bread weekly.
2. I hang laundry out to dry when it's not raining.
3. Purchase books at my daughter's library "book nook" for $1 for hardback and 50 cents for paperback! I don't remember when I last purchased a new book. It's really hard to pay the price for a new one after enjoying all the nearly free books.
4. I give handmade gifts when I appropriate.
5. I am a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator to support my habit:) I don't purchase more than I make in commission.
6. I enjoy thrift store shopping for clothes (and other things). I often find new or gently used name brand clothing for $5 or less. One of my favorite finds was a Tupperware Salad Spinner for $1.50 (I think they are $40 in the Tupperware catalog). Recently I purchased 8 summer tops for $7.25!
7. I make our cards! Since I'm going to get the supplies anyway, might as well make it pay! This year I am planning to make ALL our Christmas cards as well as birthday, thank you, thinking of you, get well, graduation, etc.
8. I learned how to cook beans in a pressure cooker instead of always using canned beans. We eat a lot of beans around here--love them!
9. I can fruit from our fruit trees--apricots, cherries, peaches, pears, plums, apples.
10. I don't have a credit card and don't want one. It's too easy for me to get into trouble without meaning to with a credit card.

I know there are other things I do but can't think of them at the moment. If you are trying to think of ways to help your family budget maybe some of my suggestions will help. You can also check out Carla's blog at My 1/2 Dozen Daily for more great ideas for saving money and living on a budget.

What did you get a really good deal on recently? I love to save money!!! Kat

Join Stampin' Up! for $99!

Now is a GREAT time to become a 

Stampin' Up! Demonstrator! 

• For $99, you can pick out $125 of ANY products in any current catalog.
• It is FREE shipping (a 10% savings).
• You also receive 8 catalogs which you can share with family, friends or potential customers, plus business supplies.
• You get to "test drive" demonstrator benefits for at least three months with no obligation to purchase anything further. (Anyone who signs up now actually has benefits until the end of September.)
• There is no penalty to drop.
• There is no obligation to hold parties or sell anything, however...
• If you reach $300 in sales during a quarter, you will RENEW your demonstrator status and discounts for 3 more months.

Here are some of the perks available to demos:

• 30% off your first $150 order if placed within 45 days after you sign up
• 20% off all other orders
• A monthly magazine for demos called "Stampin' Success"
• Access to the demonstrator web site called "Stampin' Connection"
• Ability to pre-order

Sooo, if the above information has you salivating and thinking "Why Not?!" then email me. I will be happy to answer any of your questions. And would love to have you as a member of my team:) Kat

Happy Stampers Flip Card

A very happy Wednesday to you. I am hoping for some sunshine today but doesn't look like we'll get any till Friday. Does that mean we have hopes of nice weather for the weekend?!!!


This was a really fun project using the Stampin' Up! Framelits. I had to get the card made before my Sneak Peeks got here from Stampin' Up! so used an old (but loved) stamp set called Because I Care (hostess set-retired). The Happy Stampers actually used the new stamp set called Betsy's Blossoms (in the NEW Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog which will debut June 1). 


For this card I used:

• Card Stock: Wisteria Wonder and Whisper White
• 2011-2013 In Colors Designer Series Paper
• Stamp Sets: Because I Care (retired); Loved Ones (Occasions Mini-retired end of last month); Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess set retiring the end of this month)
• Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits Dies, Patience

This card was almost totally CASEd from Dawn Griffith at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. The link will take you right to her video tutorial. All the ladies were super impressed with this card as was I. It is so much fun to make cards that DO something! I think my mom just might like this card for her birthday, don't you? 

I am constantly amazed by the paper crafting talent out there in blog land. I am going to practice designing but for now am still CASing (Copy & Share)! After all, I do it sooo well!!!

The picture at left is the card opened showing the flip on the inside. Just can't believe how cool this card is!

Hope you have a great day and that it sunny and warm where you are:) Kat

Giveaway at My 1/2 Dozen Daily

I have mentioned my new favorite blog several times recently and will be doing so again today. Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily is giving away a Checkbook/Coupon Keeper in your favorite color. 

The one pictured she made for her sister--so cute! My sister would like one in frogs! I think I would like mine in Purple and Green. What color would you choose?




Carla does a lot of custom orders:

• whimsical wallets
• cell phone covers
• iPad/Kindle covers
• tote bags

Just to name a few! You can view samples of her work here. I like her Zippy Wallets with the strap--so cute...and washable!

The inside of the Checkbook/Coupon Keeper (right) has a pocket for your checkbook; one for your coupons (or receipts) and a loop to hold your pen. The velcro closure will keep everything neat and tidy. 

So, if you would like to enter to win Carla's Checkbook/Coupon Keeper in your favorite color, then hop on over to My 1/2 Dozen Daily! 

Happy Birthday Barb & Sneak Peek

I was blog surfing on Wednesday and saw inspiration for this card posted on Mary Fish's blog Stampin' Pretty--almost totally CASEd it! I knew I wanted to make this for my friend Barb. Fortunately, the man in brown would be bringing my Sneak Peek products that afternoon. I am really going to enjoy this new stamp set and Designer Series Paper!


For this card I used:

• Card Stock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade
• Floral District Designer Series Paper (in the NEW Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog)
• Stamp Sets: Betsy's Blossoms (in the NEW Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalog to debut on June 1); Happiest Birthday Wishes (hostess set till the end of this month)
• Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain ribbon; Designer Printed Brads

You will be seeing more of Betsy's Blossoms because we will be using it for one of our projects for the June Happy Stampers Stamping Club!

Have a wonderful Tuesday! Kat

What's for Breakfast

I don't have a recipe for you today but had to share my bowl (about a quart) of luscious strawberries fresh picked from my strawberry patch! Don't they look yummy?!!! And yes, I ate some of them for breakfast! 


The large strawberries are Albion. We learned about these from The Costco Connection. Costco contracts with farmers to grow Albion strawberries for them to sell in their stores. The smaller strawberries are called Tristar. I don't remember how we found out about them but have been growing them for a few years now.

We purchased our strawberry plants from Sakuma Market Stand from Burlington, WA. The catalog describes the strawberries:

• Albion--A new release from UC Davis. Fruit is long, conical, symmetrical; firm with excellent flavor. Resists verticillum wilt, phytophthora crown rot and some resistance to anthracnose crown rot. Susceptible to root rot and must be planted in well-drained soil, with crown set at soil level. Yield under the best of conditions is about one basket per plant per season. June bearers generally produce a single large crop in spring to early summer (as early as March in warmer regions such as Southern California and Florida) and are prolific producers for 3 to 4 weeks. Are especially suitable for growers who wish to harvest a constant supply of berries throughout the summer.
• Tristar--Everbearing, similar to Tribute, but noticeably sweeter and more aromatic. Medium size, symmetrical, short conic fruit. Firm, glossy, deep red skin. Solid, medium red flesh. Excellent for fresh eating and freezing. Medium size plants; moderate number of runner which bloom and bear fruit before rooted; good for hanging baskets. Fall crop is heaviest. Cool fall weather brings larger, more elongated fruit. 

I love this time of year when the fruit starts and the garden is looking fresh with new baby plants:) The raspberry bushes are loaded with green berries so it won't be long before we are eating raspberries as well. Strawberry Shortcake, fresh Strawberry and/or Raspberry Lemonade--my mouth is watering already!!!

Enjoy today! Kat