Spring Sampler

This is the Spring Sampler I made as an example for our Happy Stampers Club this month. We met last night and worked with a frenzy to get all 12 squares finished! I really enjoyed designing all these squares:) I still haven't decided if I want to leave the white background blank or if I want to do a subtle design on it. What do you think?

I made the sampler to fit an 8" x 10" background. The squares are:

• Top square: 2" x 2"
• 2nd square: 2 1/8" x 2 1/8"
• Bottom square: 2 1/4" x 2 1/4"

For this Spring Sampler I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Pistachio Pudding, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit and Crisp Cantaloupe card stock; Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper (free with $50 order)
• Stamp Sets: Strength and Hope (retired); Happy Watercolor; Simply Sketched (Hostess); Petite Petals; Flower Shop; Petal Parade (free with $50 order); Banner Blast (also free with $50 order); Gorgeous Grunge
• Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Summer Starfruit, Pool Party by Stampin' Up! and Tuxedo Black by Memento
• Big Shot with the following Embossing Folders: Delicate Designs, Lacy Brocade (retired) and Decorative Dots (free with $50 order)
• Punches: 1 3/4" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly, Pansy and Petite Petals
• Other: Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim, Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Basic Rhinestones, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Water Color Wonder Washi Tape, Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine (retired)

That's quite a list and I think I have everything but if you have any questions, please let me know.

I hope you enjoyed this project. Tomorrow I have another version of my Shadow Box Card to share with you.

Kat

March Design Team Project

Sorry I have been MIA for a couple of days. I had my Happy Stampers Club on Wednesday and then Thursday I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me...no.energy.at.all! Guess I pushed my self a little too much after being sick last week:( Feeling a little better today but have that headache I had when I first got sick so hoping it's not starting all over again!

The Cupboard Trilogy Challenges DT project for March

It seems that most everyone I talk to is glad February is over for one reason or another and I agree. February did not turn out to be a real winner for me either! I was sick for a week; did not accomplish even half of my goals for the month--more on that another day; and I have been itching the last few days (gotta figure out what that's about).

But now that March is here I have a clean slate...I can make a new list of goals, try to stay well and figure out which food is making me itch again. I can also finally share with you the Design Team project I did for The Cupboard Trilogy Challenge this month! The theme is Mother's Love! They swear me to secrecy until they post the new month's challenge. I am so NOT good at keeping secrets! PLEASE don't tell me secrets!!! Be sure to check out The Cupboard Trilogy Challenges to see what the other Design Team members did with this theme AND what the challengers are coming up:)

Closeup of corner detail

This card had me stumped at first. I knew I wanted to use purple because varying shades of it are my mother's favorite color. And I knew which stamp set I wanted to use--the retired Messages for Mom stamp set from Stampin' Up! But from there I just started building; a little this and a little that. I got the card "finished" but it was till missing something so I left it overnight to see how I felt about it the next morning (great idea by the way). The next morning I was thinking about some butterflies that I had stamped so cut one out and placed it on the card. Tada! Just was I needed!

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! products:

• Whisper White and Concord Crush (retired) card stock; Vellum
• Messages for Mom stamp set (retired); Strength and Hope (also retired)
• Concord Crush Classic Stampin' Pad (retired)
• Big Shot with Honeycomb Embossing Folder
• Other: Basic Pearls (lots of them); Paper Doilies; 5/8" Whisper White Organza Ribbon (this ribbon makes any project look pretty)

I have a few more Mother's Day cards to make but only have one MOM so this one will go to her:) 

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend!

Kat

Apricots and a Card

Apricots ready for the canner

Oh dear! I have been MIA for a couple of days but have been keeping myself busy! People are forever asking me what I do with my time since I retired. Finding things that need to be done or I want to do has never been a problem.

Last year I was trying to can like I had a family still helping me and by the end of a canning day I would be dead on my feet and in pain for several days. This year I have decided to pace myself a little better.

Bottom two trays of apricots in our new Food PANtrie

Yesterday I canned 14 quarts of apricots from our tree:) A couple of days ago I put 10 trays of apricots in our new food dryers. We have a really nice electric food dryer we bought several years ago but it doesn't work well with our off-grid electrical system. So this year hubby purchased two Food PANtries! When we discussed outdoor food dryers before I always balked at having my food exposed to the flies and bugs but this handy, dandy Food PANtrie takes care of that issue. Plus it has special trays you can use to grow sprouts and wheat grass!

One of the Food PANtries hanging out of the
reach of the animals:)

We are thrilled to be able to dry food again and hubby is especially anxious to try the apricots. I have 14 more quarts of apricots to can again today but then hopefully will be finished with those. 

I really want to make some salsa again this year and we should have enough tomatoes for that. The salsa I made two years ago was sooo yummy! Not quite as good as fresh salsa but in the middle of the winter it was GREAT!!!


Now, for the card I promised! As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator I try to show you cards made with what's new and currently available. However, for this card I dug out one of my favorite retired stamp sets Strength & Hope. The person I made the card for likes blue so made it with Baja Breeze...just for her.

This triple-fold card design is one I used for Stamping Club in June. I really like this design and will likely be using it a lot in the future. The layout for this card is from a design I saw on Linda Gutierrez's blog, Stamping Year Round.

The Stampin' Up! products I used for this card are:

• Paper: Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and Whisper White card stock; Floral District Designer Series Paper
• Strength & Hope stamp set (retired)
• Classic Stampin' Pads: Baja Breeze and Rich Razzleberry
• Other: Dimensionals, Basic Pearls, Glue Dots

I have a wish for Stampin' Up! and that is to have a cancer stamp set in the catalog at all times. By changing the color this one could be used for any type of cancer. One of the websites that lists the colors representing various types of cancer is Trinity London. And YES I will let Stampin' Up! know of my wish:)

Have a wonderful day! Remember to hug the ones you love today and pray for those you don't! Kat