Paper Expressions Rubber Stamping & Video Tutorials

Round Cards?

These will post while I am at convention. I won't be able to post photos from convention as I will be using the SU computers to check email and post written reports here on my blog!

Of course round cards!  I have been playing around with the idea for a few months now and finally decided to "JUST DO IT"! lol   Here are a couple I made in my "lets see how this looks"stage-  yes, the flower has ink on it- as Kay and I prepare for convention swaps, somehow the pp ink pad bumped the flower and it sure does take the ink fast! ARGH!  oh well, this is your DON'T DO THIS tip!  Don't have to many things on your work table at the same time!

and yes, I did SEW the 2 rounds together and you can open it on the right just like a rectangle card!

They are pretty cute in person and definately different!

Hope this inspires you to "JUST DO IT" too!

At Convention!

Here are a couple of the card fronts I made to swap today during the Stamp Camp by Joanne Tofte and associates. We will be making 7 projects that we can teach at home! hooray! Ideas, I love more ideas, I never have enough ideas!

Here is the same card using another paper from the same packet. Having to make 60 cards using designer paper is tough but do-able if they don't all have to be EXACTLY alike! lol

The paper is  called "flowers for you" and next to the cowboy papers, it's my favorite!

The stamp set is the Ronald McDonald house set "Just like you". I am loving this set, it's so versatile, fun and easy to use! And they coordinate so well! Yippee! The inks are pretty in pink, regal rose and wild wasabi. Cardstocks, whisper white, regal rose and wild wasabi. I used our new scallop punch, the 1 1/2" in round punch and the white gel pen. Some pretty in pink ribbon and a dimensional finish out this project!

Here is my personal tip:  I take about 10 packs of whisper white cardstock to kinkos and I have them cut them into 4x5 1/4" sizes all at once.  That way I have a mass amount already prepared when I need them for classes, swaps etc...  I also do this with very vanilla, shimmer white, glossy white and the naturals.  Any cardstock that I use for card fronts. I have several packs cut at one time to "save ME time". It is so worth the cost and the cost is minimal and depending on your rate of use, they last quite a while! 160 card fronts from 1 pk of paper is awesome and I only have to drop them off and come back later to pick them up!

Tonight is the pajama make and take party- when I get back home I will post photos of Jen and I in our matching jammies! I can't believe I am going out in public in my pajamas and slippers-  my worst nightmare as a kid was getting caught at school in my nightie and slippers- OH MY PLease DON'T tell my daughter I am doing this! She will harass me forever! I always make fun of people in public in their jamas or slippers, I think it looks tacky ( I am now going to have to eat my own words- anyone have any chocolate and diet pepsi to wash then down with?

However: I am not walking from the hotel to the convention center this way tho, I will take my new SU bag with my change of clothes!) Stay tuned for written reports of the happenings at convention!!

From my Garden

Dahlias from the garden

And Queen Anne's Lace

It makes me nuts that the rain here makes my tall plants lay down, next year I have to stake everything up using chicken wire and posts, I will put the wire horizontal to the plants and they grow up through it. I also plan to buy metal cattle panels to stand beside my sunflowers and tie them to it and keep the fox scent in the garden to keep them critters out. The squirrels are RUINING my tomatos and my sunflowers- the little .... varmints (insert VERY mad face here) You see, bugs I can deal with because I have experience with those,(Spray spray spray) but the rain laying my plants over and the squirrels are 2 new things I have to learn to battle. ARGH!

Cucumbers..... yummy!

Kay finished the wall around my herbs and it turned out pretty nice! This fall we will be adding dirt, compost etc to the right side of the inside of the bed in the photo to bring the ground level even. We will start on the raised beds this fall after school starts Aug 23rd. It isnt round its acutally octagon shaped and its beautiful and larger in real life than it looks here! The very tall plants on the left are Amaranth.

How does your garden grow this summer?

Motivational afternoon

I have to brag, I received a phone call today from my husband's nephew Mike Schlappi. He was calling from the bass pro shop in Springfield, I was able to rush to the store and spend a few hours chatting with Mike.  I had the BEST afternoon! What an incredible man! We took the museum tour and I was able to get a few photos to share with family back home. You know brothers- "no way! That bear wasn't that big"! Well yes it was guys, and I have the photos to prove it! nee-ner!

Anyhow, I want to share a couple photos and mention to all of you that if you or an organization are looking for a motivational speaker, then click on Mike's name above, check out his website and request his demo cd and have him speak at your function. There is NO way you will be disappointed! I am totally surprised that SU hasn't asked him to speak at convention or leadership yet!

I hope the next time he comes to town he spends a couple extra days, so we can see Fantastic Caverns, Laura Ingalls Wilder museum, the bass pro shop in detail, a couple Branson Shows, and Lamberts!! We have to get you to Lambert's, Mike!

Thanks for the phone call! You rock!

My swaps are ready!

Here is a photo of my swap carrier. I made it before the Reno regional about 3 years ago.  Kay is bummed that he isn't going because he loves to stand in one place and hold it up and swap with everyone. You may have seen him at an event doing this in the past! It was funny last night, I layed it out on the downstairs couch where we were working and watching tv, and he pulled a face and said " you can't go- I won't be there to hold this up for you, that really sucks."  Hee hee what a guy!

I love it when he goes, he is the pack horse! Well, I also love his company. It is so funny to see all the women asking him questions like: do you stamp? His reply- yes and I create too as well as teach classes! They are simply shocked! Yes, I have the world's best hubby! Did you all know he signed up as my supporting demonstrator when I signed up?

This carrier is made with black twill fabric, and the clear acrylic you buy at the fabric store for covering tables. I measured it out cut it, sewed the pockets a bit big to allow for several swaps in a pocket and pinked the edges after sewing because my serger died that year.  I have been asked to make them to sell, but I just have not done it.  I am sure when I sit down to make another one I will have revisions for it (like a handle at one end!) I have also found that its not big enough this time and I have my business card swaps in a 2gallon zip lock and my stamp camp swaps in a baggie of their own as well.  I am getting very excited to go and have all these swaps done. 

Right now I am off to hang strips of muslin on the tomatoes, sunflowers etc and spray with fox urine from the bass pro shop to keep the nasty little creeps from ruining what's left before I get back home! grrrrrrr

have a marvelous day!

Ribbon Colors!

Wondering what the color of our new ribbon collections are? Here is the list so that you can plan your projects!

Ribbons Originals Page 191

BEACHFRONT: White, Sahara Sand, River Rock, Vanilla, Basic Gray

DISTRICT: Pumpkin Pie, White with Celery, Basic Gray, Blue Bayou with Sage, Sage Shadow

FAIRY TALE: So Saffron, Rose Red, Celery, Regal Rose, Almost Amethyst

JERSEY: Black & White, Real Red, More Mustard & Wild Wasabi, Brocade Blue, Wild Wasabi

SHERBET: So Saffron, Groovy Guava, Purely Pomegranate, Mellow Moss, Soft Sky & Vanilla

THEATER: Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive & River Rock, Old Olive and Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

OH, I love Onions, la la la

Do you remember that song as a kid?

Well it's a song I sing with each harvest!

Check out my harvest this morning!!

A HUGE basket full of lovely onions and one lonely cuc!

My sunflowers have been literally dessimated by the raunchy squirrels ( I am now an official squirrel hater, and bass pro shop loves me for buying fox scent... grrrrrrr)

Mama loves her cowboy!

I have got to take photography classes so that posting photos when I cannot scan them is easier! I had to lay this page out on the picnic table on the deck to take this photo because inside I needed the flash- but it kept glaring & ruining the photo..... Some day I will have this mastered! (roflolol)

This is a 12x12 page of my Son Ray at age 8 (1991)

And yes, that is me on the fence behind screaming my guts out!  See, I told you we were raised a cowboy family! Now you know why I am so very excited about our cowboy stamps and papers this year!

Taken at the Glenwood Jr Rodeo,Glenwood Wa.July '91

I personally don't live on a ranch anymore (I sold it and remarried) but my sons live on small ranches of their own. The story with this photo..  this is the day Ray got whipped by the calf and decided he had had enough and would rather ride motorcycles because he could have full control of them! I am so very proud of the wonderful man he has become = he is now 25 and still single and looking!!

Anyhow here is my cherished photo. I used the Round Up simply scrappin kit . I layered the photo on river rock to frame it and then layered that on choc chip then onto the designer paper and onto a 12x12 choc chip to give it the finish framed look. I used our layering tool for this. I added only one embellishment because I don't want to distract from the photo. This page will go into Ray's photo album he will one day get. I know he will laugh when he sees it and have good memories of a loving mom who has always been and will always be...his best cheerleader and #1 fan!! 

Who’s Watching?

We never know who is watching us. Nor do we know the example we are being to those who quietly watch and learn. On the other hand, who are we watching? And what may we have misinterpreted because we did not have all the facts?

Read the entire article Here.

another excerpt:

Similarly, we may want to re-check ourselves, making sure that we are worth emulating.

Who is watching when we are at school? At work? At home? At the grocery store or at the skating rink? In the library or at the gas station? What are they learning, from us, by example?

In the business mindset:

May I add, what are they learning during your workshop presentation or your phone conversation?

Thought for today

Every one wants to leave a legacy.

For some, it will be a butt imprint.

Because they didn't get up and do anything!