Three Cards One Stamp Set

Last week I shared with you 3 cards I made for a swap that was to include 3 different cards made from one stamp set. Well, the cards above are what I received from my dear friend, Margarita! For these cards she used the March kit from Simon Says! I love the yellow, black and gray!

Since I photographed the group with their plastic sleeves on, I thought I would give you an up-close-and-personal look without the plastic! May I say gorgeous?!!!

Look at those beautiful yellow blossoms!

And this one is my favorite! Thank you Margarita for these beautiful cards! Love them!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kat

Painted Blooms and Butterflies

I was looking on Pinterest for a third card for my 3 Card Swap using the Butterfly Basics stamp set and came across this beauty uploaded by Faith Welch! I didn't find a website or tutorial for you but it is pretty straight forward! Thank you Faith for this simply elegant design! 

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

• Paper: Midnight Muse (retired), Whisper White and Old Olive cardstock; Painted Blooms designer series paper
• Stamps: Butterfly Basics and A Dozen Thoughts
• Ink: Midnight Muse and Tuxedo Black Memento
• Big Shot with Butterfly Thinlits
• Other: Glue dots and Basic Rhinestones

This card will need a bigger than normal envelope because of the Butterfly but that's easy to solve with the Envelope Punch Board:)

I will be back on Sunday with something...just not sure what, yet! Have a great weekend!

Kat

Quick and Easy Butterfly Basics Card

The card today is the second one in a 3 Card Swap I just participated in. We were to send 3 cards all using the same stamp set. Of course I picked Butterfly Basics because, well, it's my favorite!!! 

Card Front

I think this is the last time I use pink as a background to my photos:( This card was super quick and easy. In fact it was totally CASEd (copy and share everything) from Brandy Cox at Brandy's Cards. She did a video tutorial on this card called 10 in 20 where she makes 10 of these cards in 20 minutes! Well, I made 5 cards while she was making 10 but hey, I was totally happy with it! 

Card Inside

Are you loving it?!!!

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! supplies...

• Whisper White card stock...that's it for the paper! Can you believe it!
• Butterfly Basics Stamp Set
• Ink: Old Olive, Island Indigo, Crushed Curry and Early Espresso
• Big Shot with Butterfly Thinlits
• Other: Glue Dots and Basic Rhinestones

WOW! That has to be the shortest list of ingredients for a card yet (for me that is)!

I hope you enjoyed this card today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for one more in this 3 Card Swap! It is truly amazing! LOVE IT! 

To purchase Stampin' Up! products just click the shopping cart on the right and it will take you right to my Stampin' Up! website! To receive a catalog please email me if you don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!

Kat

Butterfly Basics Screen Card

I am totally in love with the Butterfly Basics stamp set by Stampin' Up! along with the Butterfly Thinlits! I am having a problem right now because I want to use the Butterfly Basics for every card! I was inspired in the making of this card by Connie Stewart at Simply Simple Stamping. She used a different stamp set but I got great ideas from her for this card. If you haven't checked out Connie's Flash Cards and Flash Cards 2.0, you are missing a lot! Plus Connie has a 2 Minute Tip each Tuesday that is helpful...like how to fold your card stock! Can you tell I'm a fan?!!!

This card is part of a three card Swap and I will show the other two cards over the next couple of days! All three cards were supposed to use the same stamp set which, of course, was not hard for me!

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

• Paper: Whisper White and Island Indigo cardstock; Something Borrowed Designer Series Paper
• Butterfly Basics stamp set
• Ink: Soft Suede, Island Indigo, Old Olive and Early Espresso; colored with Blendabilities (discontinued)
• Big Shot with Butterfly Thinlits
• Decorative Label Punch 
• Other: Glue Dots and Basic Pearls

Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you liked the card I had to share today.

Kat

Happy I Do Swap

It's really heating up here! It looks like we are in for triple digit temperatures all next week. Our apricots are starting to ripen...yumm! Today I made a salad for lunch with lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, onions and tomatoes from our garden! The flavor in everything was intense compared to store-bought! It is a struggle with the heat to make sure everything gets enough water. With the extra heat, the raspberries are taking a bit of a rest but they will be back in August for another run!

My card for you today (I still have a few I haven't posted yet) is one I made for Margarita's Wedding Card Swap last month. I love black and white--looks so elegant! As often happens, I totally CASEd this card from one I saw on Pinterest by Wanda at My Creative Corner. I couldn't even think of how to make this card better so remade it just as Wanda had.

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

• Paper: Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Word Play stamp set
• Big Shot with Perfect Polka Dots and Designer Frames Embossing Folders
• Other: Extra Large Oval Punch, 1/4" Black Grosgrain Ribbon (not SU!), Basic Pearls, Basic Rhinestones and Dimensionals

Thank you for stopping by today! Have a great day and try to stay cool! I will see you tomorrow for 5 Things Friday!

Kat

Sweet Sorbet Window Slider Card

I have been waiting to share this card with you till my friend Margarita received it so am hoping it reached it's destination in Japan by now. This was my oh so late swap card last month! 

I CASEd this card from one of my favorite stampers, Dawn Griffith at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. Her video tutorials are so easy to follow!

When you pull the tab you get to see the other side. I should have turned these pictures around because it actually pulls up and down; not side to side. Oh well, you get the idea!

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

• Whisper White and Basic Black card stock; Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper
• Stamp Sets: Happy Watercolor and Petal Parade
• Punches: 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle and Crop-a-dile
• Other: Dimensionals, white uni-ball Signo Pen and Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim

Thanks for stopping in today! I love sharing my creations with you:)

Kat

Valentine Sampler--Take Two

It is bitterly cold here--8 degrees (F) this morning! We still have snow on the ground because it's too cold to melt. The wind drives the cold right through you!  

This was a super busy day! It seems like I hit the floor running at 6:00 this morning and didn't stop until just a few minutes ago! For this retired lady that's pretty rare because most days for me are quiet and calm!

Do you ever think you have a great idea and then in the middle of it BAM! you realize it wasn't such a good idea after all? Well, that was me today! I decided to offer my customers a paper/ribbon share and had 5 people interested! This is a great way for customers to get a sampling of what's available without having to purchase a full package of each item. Great idea, right?!!! Well, it took me THREE HOURS to cut and package everything for FOUR people--not cost effective...for me. So, lesson learned! 

I promised to show you my finished Valentine Sampler...

Please forgive the shadow in the bottom right corner:(

Isn't it fun to see how all the squares came together?! What is more fun is to see how each person put theirs together; all so different. The little ladybug square at the top helped me decide on my background color--Pool Party. 

Remember, I was trying to decide whether to make two more squares or fill in the spaces with something else. So, I used the flags from Banner Blast, one of the items available for free during Sale-a-bration when you order $50! I also used the new Petite Petal Punch from Stampin' Up!'s Occasions Catalog with the Pansy Punch! 

This month Margarita's swap is for Spring Sampler Squares. It's fun to get the squares in the mail and see the creativity of the talented paper crafters.

Till tomorrow!

Kat

Valentine Sampler

Last month I participated in Margarita's Valentine Sampler swap. We had five of us involved in the swap and the 2 1/4" squares I received are so fun! We were supposed to use the colors Real Red, Melon Mambo and Pink Pirouette. I will share those with you today! 

My first set of squares came from Charina. I love her little macaroons although I have to admit, I thought they were sliders! Once I was told they were macaroons I said, "of course"! 

My second set of squares came from Jaime! Love her shiny red hearts and the googly eyed owl:)

The third set of squares came from Mieka. Love the glittery butterfly.

These two cuties were made by Margarita! I love how she used the Washi Tape on the butterfly square and how she matted her squares with black.

Last, but not least, are the ones I made. I call the one "Butterfly Kisses" and love the glitter.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these fun squares. I will be back tomorrow to show you how I mounted them.

Happy Stamping!

Kat

Okay, I Lied!

On January 8 I showed you some Christmas cards I received and said that was it till July! Well, I lied, though unintentionally! I have one more beautiful Christmas card to show you!

This card was made by Ella and accompanied a beautiful brown scarf that goes so perfect with my hat and coat. 

Isn't the deer cute? I love the green rhinestones on the antlers. Thank you Ella for this super adorable card.

Margarita's swap this month is to make 2 1/4" squares with a Valentine theme. We are to send two different squares to each person in the swap. When we receive all the squares we will be able to put them together in a frame for a collage. I received the first two squares yesterday from Charina...

Aren't the little macaroons cute? These are so adorable! I am so looking forward to getting the rest of the squares:) 

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.

Kat

A Few More Christmas Cards

I have just a few more Christmas cards to show you and then I'm done with Christmas cards...till July anyway!

The card below was made by my darling daughter and sent as part of our December Card Swap! It turned out so cute! Can you tell she's using her new Big Shot (birthday gift from moi)? I love the addition of the little pearls.

This card was sent to me by Marie, one of my wonderful customers! I love how she used the Silver Glimmer Paper on her stockings to give them pizzazz! Can you see how she scored the paper to give it some texture? Love this card! I still don't understand how Stampin' Up! could retire the Stocking Punch!!! It can be used for Christmas or for baby cards--so cute!

This next card was also by my darling daughter--also using the Stocking Punch!

She got the snowflake embossing folder at Craft Mart and had so much fun using it for her Christmas cards! 

This last card is from my upline Vicki and it is elegant in it's simplicity! I am still kicking myself for not purchasing the star punch when Stampin' Up! had it on the Clearance Rack! I will just have to get one from another company because I really think I need one after seeing this card! I love how Vicki layered the Silver Glimmer Paper star over the Red Glimmer Paper. The Baker's Twine bow adds the perfect finishing touch!

Thank you, ladies, for these beautiful cards! I love getting handmade Christmas cards...or any handmade cards in the mail! There are two types of cards I keep--picture cards and handmade cards so know if you send me a handmade card, I will keep it forever!!!

Thank you for stopping in today and I hope you enjoyed seeing these beautiful cards!

Stay warm!

Kat

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

It has been a quiet weekend for me and that's good! Last night I spent a couple hours making cards. I have been putting it off because there isn't a regular source of heat in my craft room and it was really cold up there! However, the last few days we've had a fire going in the wood stove downstairs so the upstairs has heated as well. One thing I've learned...my stamps don't like cold! They don't stick to the Clear Blocks very well when they are cold. I don't work well when I'm cold either! So a few hours crafting in a heated craft area was good:)

It's time for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat hosted each week by the uber talented Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily. She has had a snow-dump in the last 24 hours! So glad it's not me!

I wasn't sure anything would show up in this photo I took last evening of the oh so beautiful sunset! My little point and shoot amazes me sometimes. That little pointy thing in the center of the horizon of this photo is Mount Hood. The colors were absolutely stunning!

Okay, let's get started!

I am...

• Reading: The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe; 
• Listening to: True Love by Jude Devereaux (while working on my cards)
• Watching: Hoping to be able to watch The Paradise tonight on PBS (hubby is reading a book on my iPad so this just might be possible:)
• Cooking/Baking: We are having Mizidra today for dinner; it's been a few weeks since we last had it.
• Happy you accomplished this week: I got the six swap cards ready to mail--been on my "to list" for weeks! Hoping to get a few more cards finished today yet.
• Looking forward to next week: Thanksgiving is this Thursday. Look forward to spending it with family and friends. I also enjoy a nice big piece of pumpkin pie and will be eating more than my share of bread dressing. I am making it this year with Sprouted Wheat Bread so will see how it turns out.
• Thankful for today: So many things! I am especially thankful today for good food to eat; a winter's supply of wood to heat our house; my wonderful family! I am truly blessed!
• *Bonus Question* When do our Christmas decorations got up? The few that I plan to put up will go up the first week of December!

Okay, that's it for me this cold November evening!

Kat

November Swap Cards #2

The weather outside is frightfully cold but the sun is shining. The sun is a good thing any time of year when you run your house on solar power:) While it has been dipping down into the teens here...brrr...my heart has been warmed by the beautiful swap cards I have been receiving in the mail! What a great group of talented ladies! 

This first card is from Liann. What a sweet card!

But wait, this is not just an ordinary card...

Turn it over and it's an envelope closed with velcro.

When you open it up there is a place for your message or maybe a gift card!  I am not sure but I think Liann might have used the Envelope Punch Board to make this card! Great card, Liann! Thanks so much!

Since I didn't post yesterday, I will share one more of the November Swap Cards with you. 

This card was made by Mieka. It looks like she used the Boho Blossom Punch to make the wreath. I like the traditional colors although I seem to be using a lot of Island Indigo and Pool Party to make holiday cards this year. My die-hard blog readers will remember that Mieka showed my daughter and me how to make a super cute Halloween Card. Thank you Mieka!

I have three more cards to share with you next week and I just may have saved the best for last but you decide:)

Have a great weekend!

Kat

November Swap Card #1

Yesterday was a busy day shopping in Portland! Costco, Trader Joe's and The Barn! We got a lot of shopping done but ran out of energy before we got everything on the list. Hopefully we will be able to make one more shopping trip before Christmas!

It seems like I have been promising you a card for a week now and I will not disappoint today:)

This card was sent to me by Charina! It is a real WOW card for sure!

Check out this adorable fireplace! 

Plus Charina included this little calendar card with her swap card...

Isn't this amazing!

She may have used her Cricut for this card!

Thank you Charina for these great cards!!!

Kat

Christmas Wishes

Yesterday kinda got away from me and I didn't get a post up! That's what I get for blogging "in the moment" instead of having some scheduled and ready to go. Someday, maybe!

Today it is foggy and cold:( At 1:00 in the afternoon it is still only 42 degrees (F)! The fog makes everything look dark and dreary.

I am participating in two monthly card swaps: the Happy Stampers Swap that I coordinate and another swap my Stampin' Up! team member, Margarita, coordinates. Margarita's swap has us sending to ALL the participants making that six cards this month. I recently received my swap from Ella and it is AMAZING!!!

This is what this awesome card looks like closed. check out the coffee packet attached in a very unique way using a Scallop Circle Punch and a Circle Punch! I love the Mosaic punched out of sparkly paper and topped with Candy Dots!

The card opened shows all kinds of wonderful elements! Do you see the retired Stampin' Up! Ornament Punch? 

This is a great card and a big THANKS to Ella for sending it!

Have a great day!

Kat

Wonderfall Frame Swap Card

Last week I received my swap card from my friend and downline, Margarita. Please forgive that it is a little smooshed! She is living in Japan and sent it with a protective wrapper plus in a padded envelope but it still got smooshed! I love this card and what she did with it! Check out the Wood Grain embossing on Core'dinations paper for the background! Simply stunning!

You can find an instructional video for making this card on Dawn Griffith's blog Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. 

For this card she used the following Stampin' Up! supplies:

• Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Cajun Craze cardstock; Early Espresso Core'dinations Sandable Cardstock
• Stamp sets: Wonderfall and Feel Goods
• Ink: Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Summer Starfruit, More Mustard and Pumpkin Pie
• Big Shot with Autumn Accents Bigz Die, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Ovals Framelits
• Other: Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Basic Rhinestones

She even prettied up the inside! Thank you Margarita for this very pretty and fancy card! I am looking forward to seeing your Christmas Swap Card!

I will be back a little later with Happy Homemaker Monday!

Kat

BOO

My Stampin' Up team member and very good friend, Margarita, sent me this card! Oh. How. Cute!!! This is a side-step card. I don't know all the supplies she used on this card but will tell you what I know...

• Paper: Basic Gray, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Crumb Cake and Old Olive card stock; gold glitter paper
• Googly Ghouls stamp set (retired); not sure about the sentiment
• Punches: Bat (retired); Owl Builder Punch (for ghost); leaves on pumpkin from the Bird Builder Punch; 1 3/8" Circle Punch
• Looks like the pumpkin might have been made using the Ovals Collection Framelits and the BOO is from the Typeset Alphabet Bigz Dies (on my Christmas list)
• Dimensionals; Googly Eyes; Plastic Mesh (behind the BOO); maybe a Glue Dot or two:)

Check out her cute little tombstones!

And this adorable pumpkin!

Thank you, Margarita for sending me this card! I love it!!! Margarita reads my blog so be sure to leave a comment telling her what you think of her card!

As my regular readers know, I do a monthly one-to-one card swap with my Happy Stampers and some of Margarita's customers as well. But what you don't know is that Margarita has her own swap with her customers and many times they swap with everybody meaning you make a card for each person in the group. This is great because then you get several different cards! I signed up this month to be a part of Margarita's group and am so anxious to see what cards I get. There are seven of us swapping this month so need to make six of one kind of card! I think I will be using the Festive Flurry stamp set and framelits for my card! 

Have a great day! I will be in my craft room stamping up a storm today...with a huge smile on my face!!!

Kat

Happy Homemaker Monday

Well, it is 4:30 in the afternoon and I still don't have a card for you so decided to take a break from my cardmaking and do the Happy Homemaker Monday started each week by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. I haven't participated for a few weeks but so happy to do so now:)

The Weather...Sunny and hot! It was over 80 degrees (F) when I got up at 6:00 this morning. It is currently 100 degrees with a very slight breeze blowing. So happy my hubby bought the small air conditioner (even though I didn't think we needed it)--it makes the house bearable!

On my reading pile...Magazines and a cookbook at the moment:

• Homemade Bread from the editors of Hobby Farm Home Magazine
• Vegetarian Times Magazine--my absolute must have favorite
• Love of Knitting Magazine to get inspired to knit some winter goodies--I know, in 100 degree weather how can I think about knitting caps, scarves and gloves?!!!

On my tv...Nothing! Since they took Dogs in the City off, there isn't much I want to watch:( 

On the menu for the week...

Until it cools down, we will be eating sandwiches. Fortunately we have tomatoes, cucumber, onions and bell peppers in the garden to make great sandwiches. I am hoping to make some Danish Rye Bread tomorrow but will have to wait till evening to bake it so as not to heat up the house.

On my to do list...

• Finish getting ready for Stamping Club (Wednesday)--2 projects down, one to go.
• Get swaps finished and ready to mail
• Make applesauce out of sweet crab apples hubby picked the other day.
• Make the banana bread and zucchini bread I put off baking yesterday
• Try my hand at a couple loaves of Danish Rye Bread

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or crafting...

• Projects for Stamping Club
• Swaps
• Doily I need to finish but haven't had the motivation. 
• Does reading about projects count?!!!

Homemaking Tips...

I like to use a sponge in the kitchen but it easily gets a sour smell. Sooo, I started putting it in the top rack of the dishwasher when I run the dishes. Tada...fresh sponge. Also, I was forgetting to change the sponge until it was old and grungy so now I change my sponge on the first of every month (if not before). 

Looking around the house...Dogs everywhere since it's too hot for them to be outside--our miniature dachshund, Petey; our Great Dane, Beau; and last but not least my son's English Bulldog, Rocky! Also have the coffee table littered with my magazines and catalogs. Other than that it looks pretty good.

From the camera... 

Picture is of our second drying project in our new Food PANtrie food dryers. We sliced the sweet crab apples with the Pampered Chef Mandolin and put them out to dry.

There are five racks in each Food PANtrie and we have two of them. This next picture is of the bag of apricots we dried last week (minus the ones we have been munching on)

I could get addicted to drying food:)

On my prayer list...

Two friends with cancer and their families.

Bible verse, Devotional...

"Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him." Then why ask? The idea of prayer is not in order to get answers from God; prayer is perfect and complete oneness with God. If we pray because we want answers, we will get huffed with God. The answers come every time, but not always in the way we expect, and our spiritual huff shows a refusal to identify ourselves with Our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove God answers prayers; we are here to be living monuments of God's grace." --from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Well, that's it for my Monday. I will try really hard to have a card for you tomorrow! 

Kat