Cherry Christmas Joy

Earlier in November, I was designing potential projects for my parties and came across a beautiful card on my friend Penny Thomas' blog. Click here to see her original idea. Well, I loved it so much that I decided to create my own version but incorporating the Glitter Window technique into it.
Here is my card:

I love the combination of Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White together - just so crisp and clean!

Even on a more 'vintage' feel card like this one.

My focal image was stamped with the Christmas Collage background stamp from the Holiday Mini - love this stamp! I used my 1 3/4" Circle Punch to punch out the "25" from the stamped image and set it aside.

To make the Glitter Window, I flipped the stamped cardstock over on my plastic worktable. Then I used a piece of regular clear packing tape and taped it over the punched hole with the sticky side facing the stamped side of the cardstock. I then flipped it back over and covered the sticky side with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, tapping off the excess. This is the 'Glitter Window' of the technique. So fun! And really, super easy to do!
Once I had the window made, I put SNAIL adhesive along the bottom back of that cardstock piece and positioned it on the Cherry Cobbler mat piece. This allowed me to lift it up and position and adhere the "25" behind it in the right spot. Then I just added more SNAIL along the edges and top to finish adhering it to the mat piece. Make sense?
I did do the torn edges prior to adhering everything down.

The Whisper White piece that has the Cherry Cobbler ribbon wrap and bow was Spritzed with the Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write marker and the Color Spritzer tool. All of the White cardstock was sponged lightly with Crumb Cake ink on the edges. The Antique Brad on the bow center was attached by opening up the wings of the brad all the way and folding them around the center of the bow. I attached the whole thing to the card with Mini Glue Dots.

Lastly, I finished off the inside:

Very simple - just the Bells and Boughs stamp set and Cherry Cobbler ink on Whisper White.
I loved how it turned out - in fact, this may be one of my favorite cards of this season!

Thanks for stopping by today - I'd love to hear from you in the comment box!
I have an incredibly busy week this week - Emma's skating team competes in Connecticut this weekend so we have a long travel trip ahead of us. Plus I have appointments and meetings for the next three days! Yikes! It all happens at once doesn't it?
I do have posts planned for the rest of the week - and trust me, you won't want to miss them! I was having FUN in the studio!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

A Banner of Hope

When I think of the word 'Cancer', it brings out many emotions in me. Anger, fear, sadness - all those are adjectives that have lived in my heart when I consider the lives of those close to me that it's affected. There is not a day that goes by that I don't feel the loss of my lifelong best friend Missy. She was that friend who knew everything about me and loved me anyway and I miss her every day. I think about my Aunt Jo, taken too early by breast cancer. And I think of Mark's step-mom, Peg, who thankfully fought the disease and won. There are many others like my friend Angela at church, who is going through her own battle now - and still sings like an angel each Sunday in the choir. So, in a way, this post is for ALL of them, but most of all at this moment, this post is for my friend Dawn. Dawn has been a dear friend for many years. She and I met while I was still on the Police Department here and have remained friends through many life changes. Well, Dawn was recently diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She is currently going through Chemotherapy after having her lumpectomy completed. In fact, today is her third of eight chemo treatments. She has lost all her hair and is currently sporting a really cool pageboy pink and blond wig. And if you knew Dawn, you'd know that reflects her personality to a "T"! She is full of spunk and life and is determined to not let this disease get the best of her!
Dawn embodies the next word in my Cancer vocabulary -
"HOPE".
And because she does so, I was moved to create this banner to encourage her in her battle.

My friend Jan Wakeland created the original of this banner and shared it with us on her blog in October for her Breast Cancer event. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make my own version for Dawn, but with lots of Purple! That's her favorite color!

There are so many different products and goodies used in the creation of this banner, I won't try and list them all here for you, but here is a close up of each letter.

I made each section with the Pennant Die on my Big Shot and each letter was done with the Chunky Pink Glitter. All the supplies I used are Stampin' Up!, although, some are now retired.

All of the Perfect Plum cardstock accents were glitzed with Smooch Spray so they would sparkle like Dawn does. And of course I had to use Glimmer Brads too.

Lots of Pretty in Pink ribbons, buttons and Antique Brads added some special touches.

And even more glitter on the stamped phrases.

Dawn and her family loved the banner and have hung it in their living room so all that come to visit her can share in the hope she feels. She is determined to beat this disease and if I know her like I think I do, she will succeed! Her husband, Tom will be walking in the 2011 Avon walk in her honor and has started his fundraising page. Here is the link so you can read her story, see her photo - pre cancer- and donate if you are so inclined.
The Thin Pink Line

Above all, I know they covet your prayers. As a family of faith, they know that God is in control - and His hand is evident in every aspect of her story.
Thanks for visiting today and for sharing in this story of HOPE!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Well, our long weekend is almost over - for us, it's alternated between completely relaxed and completely crazy, but I think maybe that's a reflection of my life most of the time anyway. HA!
This year on Thanksgiving day I was determined to keep it easy and relaxed for my family. Since Mark had signed up for Black Friday overtime, he had to get up to be at work at 4 am on Friday. He does most of the cooking, so in order to help him not stress over a big meal, we bought it pre-made from the Super Target! And you know what? Not only was it a great deal, it was delicious! And we still have leftovers from the abundance of food that was in that meal!

My Mom and Dad came up for the day and as I was looking at this picture, I noticed one thing that keeps my Dad entertained and relaxed - most of the time - the football game on the tv in the background! If you read my blog on a regular basis, you read about my football thing with my Dad back in September and I have to say that we enjoyed watching Dallas lose on Thanksgiving. Yep - one more thing to be thankful for!
Here's a photo of me with my parents and Emma:

This year our celebration of the day was so relaxed, we didn't even get out the good dishes or eat in the dining room. We just used our everyday stuff and hung out at the kitchen table. Well, it is easier to keep up with the football action that way! I also have to add that Emma and I didn't plan to match our outfits, I did get dressed first, but isn't it cool that our shirts match and her headband matches my sweater? Yeah, I'm a Mom like that! :)

So, here is my plate of yummylicious Thanksgiving feast before I dug in. (Tiffany, this picture is for you!) The only thing we added that was homemade was the Macaroni and Cheese which is my Grandmother's recipe and the sweet iced tea. We are southerners, even here in Northern Virginia and you just can't have a decent meal without sweet iced tea!

I just realized how brown my plate looks, but I passed on the Green Bean Casserole. Apparently Target doesn't realize that you don't make it with mushrooms! Yuck!
And wanna hear something really funny? There was so much food packed into the meal package we bought, we totally forgot to warm up the rolls and didn't even miss them!
As you can see, we had plenty of gravy - Mark enjoyed it immensely - but no rolls for sopping up the drips.

Don't let the smiles fool you, they just wanted me to hurry up and take the picture so they could EAT!

All in all we had a wonderful day together - I don't get nearly enough time with my family and I treasure every moment when we are all together. This year, Mark's Mom couldn't be with us because of her job and his Dad and Peg had a houseful of company, and we missed them all. But I'm thankful for what we did have - a warm, wonderful, easy day.

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge - Rockin' Birthday!

Hmmm.....It seems that I am a bit late in getting my post up here for this week's Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch Challenge........
I can't really blame it on turkey coma because I was up early on Friday for Black Friday shopping with Emma. We came home, napped a bit and went out for a second round last night. Some would call us gluttons for punishment, but we really had a great time. Apparently such a good time that I completely forgot to finish my post last night! Oh, I thought about it - at 5 am this morning, but then I just rolled over and went back to sleep! Until about 8 am this morning when I was rudely confronted with the fact that Emma's skating team practice was not at 6 pm this evening in Laurel, MD, but at 9:30 am this MORNING in Bowie, MD! Sheesh! Yeah, that's about an hour and a half from our house, so we were a bit late for that one! HA! A girl just can't catch a break around here!
I guess it's a good thing that I actually had my card done early this week - or I might not have anything to show you today! Hopefully, it's worth all the life drama you just read about!
Here is my interpretation of the sketch:

I did take a few liberties with the size, but I'd just gotten this stamp set - Grunge Rock and the guitar image was perfect for the panels!

My card is done with all Whisper White cardstock and it measures 5" x 5" square finished size.
I wanted something fun and bright, but sophisticated too, so I pulled out Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry and Black Staz-On for my ink colors. The guitars were stamped with Craft Ink Spots and heat embossed with Clear embossing powder and my Heat Tool. I matted them with more white cardstock and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals on the stamped cardfront.
I'd stamped the background with random images in those same colors in Classic Ink.

The greeting was stamped on a strip of white cardstock and then I added the Raven black lace trim with some Sticky Strip across the bottom. I stamped the crown image with Rich Razzleberry on a white scrap and trimmed it out, mounting it with more dimensionals next to the greeting. For a final touch, I added some Rhinestone Jewels accents - ya gotta have bling!

So, there you go - a bit late, but I hope you find it worth the wait!
Oh, I just rhymed - man, maybe I do need that turkey coma after all!

Be sure to stop by the Stamping 411 Blog and see what the other operators did with the sketch. I've seen their projects and they are sure to inspire you!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge - Gratitude Quilt

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I'm so glad you stopped by my blog today just so I could wish you a wonderful day filled with warmth, family and food! :)
Actually, I was telling Mark on Wednesday that I love how everything seems to slow down this week as we approach the holiday season. Thanksgiving is for me, a quiet day to be spent with the ones I love most in the world. We don't really do much outside of just spend the day together. We watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while we eat breakfast and after my parents arrive, we alternate between watching football or movies, reading the paper and looking over the sale ads for Black Friday and fixing and eating all that yummy food! It's wonderful just to have a low pressure, no stress, restful day. This year will be especially restful for my chef (Mark) as we purchased the bulk of our Thanksgiving dinner already prepared at our local Target! LOL! Yes, and it looks awesome, I'll let you know how it tastes later!

As I was creating my project for this week's UDI Blog Inspiration challenge, I reflected on not only the photo we had, but how this particular holiday makes me feel. And I came up with this:

I love the warm wonderfulness of our cozy Thanksgivings and it made me think of a quilt, wrapping me up in it's folds.
Here is the inspiration photo:

It too makes me feel warm as it reflects the bounty of the season.

As we look ahead to the busy, fun-filled days of the holiday season, I hope you find time today to wrap up in the warm quilt of the love of family and friends. We all have so much to be thankful for each day and I feel completely blessed by the bounty of my life. Thank you for being part of that - I appreciate you and am thankful that I have the chance to touch your life through my artwork here.
Have a beautiful, thankful Thanksgiving and may God bless you richly!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Sweet Treats for my Stampin' Fools!

Good morning stampers!
Ya know, I had every intention of posting yesterday, but my phone started ringing before I even got in the shower and by the time we sat down to dinner last night, I figured I'd only been off the phone for about an hour and a half all day! Now that's just crazy!
But, it's been very fun chaos around here the last week or so - because of the truly 'Simply Amazing' Half-Price deal on the Stampin' Up! Starter Kit, I've had the joy of welcoming seven new stampers to my team of demonstrators! I LOVE it! And the best part is that anyone can join, and the Half-Price Kit offer is good until the 30th of November.

My friend April was one of those who chose to join my team - she is one of my Stampin' Fools party group and has only been stamping for about 3 months! Yeah, we all know it's hard to resist! :)
Speaking of the Stampin' Fools, they were here last week for our monthly stampin' party and I made a little something special for them. I just love this group of ladies!

Here's a photo of a bunch of the little gifts:

They turned out so stinkin' cute! I used the Bitty Box Die with my Big Shot and the Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series Paper to make these. That gorgeous paper is beautifully textured and thick enough to stand on it's own like cardstock.
The little tags were made with the Scallop Squares Big Shot Die that is in the Holiday Mini Catalog. I simply folded a piece of 2" x 4" dsp in half and placed the fold just inside the cut line on one side of the small scallop to make a cute little card.
Here's a close up:

The message was stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock with Early Espresso and I added the little acorn stamped off one time to the lower left. It was punched out with the Scallop Square punch and attached to the front - easy, peasy!
Each little box was filled with a couple of Ghiradelli Squares and I tied them each up with Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon.

These were so simple and fun to make - they would make great little favors for your Thanksgiving table, or wouldn't it be fun to make a bunch with Christmas themed dsp and hang them as ornaments from the tree? So cute!! Hmmm....maybe I have to try that!

Have a wonderful day today folks! I'm gonna be stamping this morning then going to go get my hair cut and my wisdom covered! :)
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 Saturday Sketch - Parisian Moment

Hello stampers!
I've got another Clean and Simple card for you this week for the Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge. The sketch this week so lent itself to minimalism and I just had to run with my gut feeling!
Here is my card:

And here is the sketch:

My card was a breeze to create and took me about 15 minutes total.
The card base is Whisper White and measures 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" folded.
I stamped the medallion from Artistic Etchings with Versamark ink and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder for a very subtle, textured background.

Next, I cut a Whisper White 2" square and stamped the medallion again with Cherry Cobbler ink. This layered on a 2 1/8" square of Basic Black. I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals over the Basic Black Satin Ribbon that is wrapped all the way around the card front and tied in a knot on the right side.

Next, I stamped the Eiffel Tower with Basic Black Craft ink and embossed it as well, trimming it out afterwards. I then popped it up with more Stampin' Dimensionals and layered it on the squares.

The greeting is from Elements of Style and was simply stamped with Cherry Cobbler ink in the lower right corner of the card.
Voila! Tres elegant! And oh, so simple!

I hope you like the card today - I love piling it on as much as the next stamper, but sometimes clean and simple just says it all!
Be sure to stop by the Stamping 411 blog and see what the other Operators have come up with - I know they will have beautiful designs to share with you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge - Leafing Thru My Scrapbook

Oh, I'm SO PUNNY!!
Get it - LEAFing?!
No? Well, ok, here's a peek at my page:

See?! Leaves! I'm LEAFing through my scrapbook!
Yeah, I know, I won't give up my day job!
And it's a good thing too because then I couldn't look at a photo like this:

And create a project like this:

As soon as I saw this week's Inspiration photo for the UDI Inspiration Challenge, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this photo of my family from our recent trip up to the apple orchard and I knew it would be perfect to use on a scrapbook page.
I'd had a class here on Tuesday and we used quite a bit of that gorgeous Autumn Spice Designer Series Paper for our projects and the package of full sheets was still laying out on one of my tables. I remember pulling out this particular full sheet and telling my friend Lin that I'd been hoarding that pattern because it was just too beautiful to cut up!
And isn't it cool that I didn't have to?!
Yep, that whole 12 x 12 background is the designer paper - I didn't do a thing to it! Gotta love that!
My 5 x 7 photo is matted with EarlyEspresso cardstock first, then two more layers of the Autumn Spice DSP. I popped up the espresso layer on Stampin' Dimensionals which not only gave it depth, but provided a place for the Pear Pizazz Poly Twill Ribbon to slip through.

Here, what do you think of my fun journaling 'sign'?

I used more of the Autumn Spice DSP and cut it with my Big Shot and the Two Tags Die. After adding a layer of Very Vanilla for writing on, I turned the tag upside down and made a sign out of it. It's attached to the ribbon with two punches of Early Espresso from the Modern Label Punch. I folded them in half to make hinges and added them to the sign with Button Brads from the Vintage Trinkets. I used a Neutral Button at the bottom with a bit of Linen Thread knotted through it.

For a simple finishing touch, I added leaves cut with the same DSP and my Leaves Die for the Big Shot. Some were put in the upper left corner:

And some in the lower right corner:

I was so happy with the way this page turned out! It was super simple to create, but really focuses on the photo and has a ton of texture simply because of that amazing Designer Paper. I'd love to know what you think of it too, so leave me a comment and say hi!
And be sure to visit the UDI Blog and check out what the other design team members were moved to create. I know they will inspire you!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Parisian Collage - Another One Layer Card!

I have a really good friend - Angie - who has been sitting next to me in choir for years now. She's the one I told you all about a little while back that reads my blog, but doesn't stamp - not a bit! But, she says she DOES love my cards and projects, so you know that I never give her a store bought card. (Although I have to admit that she finds me some pretty darn funny ones!)

Anyway, Angie had a birthday back in August and in true good friend style, I finally got her gift and card to her last month. Don't snicker - you know exactly what I mean!
Now Angie loves Paris and anything to do with Paris so naturally, I turned to my Artistic Impressions stamp set to create her card way back when. Yes, at least I had the card done!

This was so simple to create and I love how delicate it feels - very Parisian, light and airy. I started with a piece of Naturals White cardstock. Starting with the Eiffel Tower in Early Espresso, I stamped the images from the set in collage style. Bashful Blue for the medallion, Old Olive for the bracket and So Saffron for the crown. The greeting, from Occasional Quotes, was stamped in Early Espresso. The best part was not having to use my Stamp-a-ma-jig to line it up because I have that set in Clear Mount! :)
I then tore a bit off of the right edge and sponged it with So Saffron ink. I cut a piece of Early Espresso Waffle Paper and pleated it along the torn edge to make a paper ruffle.

Before I added the ribbon, I used some Log Cabin Smooch Spray to add texture and depth, plus a little shimmer. The ribbon is the Very Vanilla Seam Binding and I simply tied it around the card front, frayed the edges and added a copper safety pin from the Vintage Trinkets.

I love making a card especially FOR someone, knowing in advance that they are really going to love it - and she did! I hope you love it too - I'd love to hear what you think!

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone! I'm headed to a groundbreaking ceremony for the NEW Prince William Ice Center this morning - I want to be there to see it happen so I believe that we are really and truly getting our ice rink back!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Clean and Simple Ornate Blossoms

I've been on a bit of a clean and simple style kick lately. Maybe it's because the rest of my life is so stinkin' busy all the time, I like to sit down and create projects that give my eyes a clear place to rest. Yes, white space can be beautiful!
The cards I'm showing you here today are ones that I created back in July for a special event that I demonstrated for. I've been showing these and stamping these for my classes and parties from time to time since then because not only are they lovely, but they are simple and cost effective!

All the cards shown here use the Whisper White Note Cards with Envelopes that come 20 to a package in the Stampin' Up! catalog. These are a fantastic bargain at only $5.95 a package.
The greeting shown is from the Curly Cute stamp set - I have mine in Clear Mount. Again a great value at just $14.95 for the set of 5 greetings and the best part? You only need one clear block to use with all 5 greetings. (Clear Block "H" - $8.50)

The focal image on each card was stamped with the Ornate Blossom A La Carte stamp (single stamp) which is just $9.95. I've stamped each image with one color, then cleaned my stamp and stamped it again in a different color on a Whisper White scrap piece of cardstock. The center is then trimmed out with my Paper Snips and I popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. Believe it or not, that's the only adhesive on the card. Did you know that you get 300 dimensionals in one package? For just $3.95? Yep, another bargain!

So, one last thing - the colors I used were all from the Getting Started Collection of Stampin' Spots. The spots are 1" square ink pads that come in a color collection. The Getting Started Collection is a cross-sampling from all four of SU!'s great color families, so you get a little bit from each one. I love this color collection and how all the colors mix and match so easily.
Now if these cards are a bit plain for you, just add some of the new Rhinestone or Pearl Self-Adhesive Jewels. You guessed it - another bargain at just $4.95 for a package of 150!

Stamping doesn't have to be expensive, difficult or overwhelming.
It can be simple, elegant and cost effective and best of all, it can put a smile on your face as you create something special that is destined to put a smile on someone elses'!

Enjoy your day stamping friend! Go stamp something simple and fun!
Blessings,
~~Robin

Allow Me to "WELCOME" You to my Team!

With this "Simply AMAZING" Offer from Stampin' Up!

16 DAYS ONLY - Stampin' Up!'s FULL SIZE Starter Kit is HALF-PRICE!
Just $87.50 with FREE Shipping!

Merry Christmas Early - WOW.. that is no typo in the headline!
You can join my team NOVEMBER 15-30th for just $87.50 - that's the full, usual $175 kit for just $87.50.
This special is for anyone and everyone and includes previous demonstrators.
As a regular reader of my blog - you know that I LOVE what I do and LOVE being part of Stampin' Up! I would love to share with you about how I can help you have as much fun as I do.

SO WHY JOIN NOW??
Here is just a short list of the many reasons:

1. 50% savings - AMAZING!

2. 2 Kits to pick from - Standard or Digital (software plus stamps!)

3. On December 1st - all demonstrators get to pre-order from our Occasions Mini and Sale-A-Bration Catalogs. Save 30% or more on new stamps, ribbon flowers, pom pom trim, red glitter paper, new designer paper, new fabric, new dies, new punches and more. (Not only save but purchase weeks before your family and friends).

4. Be on board to offer Sale-a-Bration to your family & Friends - It begins January 25th and did you know that with each $50 purchase ANYONE gets FREE product during that promotion.

5. Changes are coming - SU will be announcing some wonderful, beneficial changes at our Leadership training in January - I KNOW great things are coming! And you'll be ready!

6. Access Stampin' Connection, our exclusive demonstrator community with over 120,000 searchable samples, hundreds of technique videos, discussion threads and more.

7. WHY NOT? - there are no required starter parties - you can simply take advantage of a great deal and walk away.

And if you decide to stay, SU only asks that you submit $300 in sales per quarter - AND, did you know? - ALL of your personal purchases count.

8. You can be your own Hostess and earn Hostess benefits and extra income as well.

9. Join my team - I would be honored to be your upline! I have a large and growing team of wonderful demonstrators - Trinity Design Stampers - and support them with a Team Yahoo Group, Monthly Meeting for Stampin', Sharing and Recognition, frequent samples and creative ideas and goal setting for those who desire to grow a business. I love my team and would love to have you be a part of it!

10. Chance to earn up to 9 additional FREE stamp sets as part of Stampin' Start!

11. Chance to earn many FREE stamps during Sale-a-bration.

12. Do you want or need the opportunity to earn a side income? I am living proof that Stampin' Up! is a viable option for you. Did you know that I paid off my car payment solely with Stampin' Up! income? Did you know that I purchased my daughter's bedroom furniture with a bonus I earned from Stampin' Up!? And there are so many other stories I could share with you - but just know that it's possible!

13. THE BEST PART - Your Starter Kit is Fully Customizable! You choose the stamp sets, ink pads, cardstock, markers, ribbon, designer paper that YOU want!

What's on your Wish List right now?

Is it long and do you keep adding to it?

This is the best way to make your WISH List a REALITY!

Here is a list of the Standard Starter Kit Items.
Remember - you can select it as is, OR choose your own favorites!

113500 Fun and Fast Notes Stamp Set Wood
118571 I {Heart} Hearts Stamp Set Clear
115360 For All You Do Stamp Set Wood
120173 So Many Thanks Single Stamp Wood
109679 Fast Flowers Standard Wheel
118486 Clear Block "C"
117155 Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack - Brights
120954 Assorted Color Smooth Cardstock 8 1/2" x 11" - Getting Started Collection
100730 Whisper White 8 1/2" x 11" Cardstock
114616 Whisper White Satin Ribbon
102283 Versamark Ink Pad
101179 Basic Black Ink Pad
102277 Old Olive Ink Pad
105216 Pumpkin Pie Ink Pad
103133 Real Red Ink Pad
119677 Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Marker
119679 Marina Mist Stampin' Write Marker
119787 Marina Mist Classic Ink Refill
104332 SNAIL Adhesive
102394 Stampin' Mist Spray
119525 Decor Elements Small Songbird Tile

You can choose any or all of those great stampin' products or select others of equal or lesser value! It's Truly Customizable!

These Items come with every starter kit and are Stampin' Necessities!
102971 Stampin' Around Wheel Handle
101529 Standard Uninked Cartridge
102642 Stampin' Scrub
104430 Stampin' Dimensionals
Blender Pen (single)
Stampin' Sponge (single)
Decor Elements Applicator Tool

PLUS - You receive a Basic Package of Business Supplies that includes 8 Idea Book/Catalogs that are valued at 9.95 each!

The actual VALUE of the Starter Kit is over $310!!

And you get it ALL for Just $87.50!

But, only between November 15th - 30th, so don't wait too long and miss out!
You can visit my Stampin' Up! website at this link: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/robinstamps4u/startyourownbusiness

There is much information there for you to read through and consider. But if you want to look at the Starter Kit Order Form and play with your choices, simply click the JOIN NOW button on the left hand side.
You can go through all the screens there, completing all your information, choosing your own kit selections and just check it out - no obligation at all!
My Recruiter Authorization Password is Trinitydesigns.

If you do decide to try it out, simply complete the payment required and you're all set! I'll receive an e-mail letting me know that you've joined my team and will follow up with you to welcome you!

Now, you've read all the way through and maybe even played around with the kit options on my website. Do you still have questions? Can I talk with you to answer them and find out - truly - if this will be a benefit to you?
As a demonstrator of over 5 years with Stampin' Up! I have no greater joy as a leader to welcome new teammates. The majority of my team members joined me because they wanted to save money on the Stampin' supplies they love and they've stayed because they love being part of Stampin' Up! It's as simple as that.

You have nothing to lose by taking advantage of this special opportunity and try it out. The invitation is here for you and the price is amazing!
I'm looking forward to saying "Welcome to my Team!"

Stamped Blessings!
~~Robin

The Season Begins......

The last time I dedicated space on my blog to our other life - ice skating - I think it was sharing the tragedy of losing our rink when the roof collapsed in February.
Well, a lot has happened since then. Our home rink is going to be rebuilt - the groundbreaking ceremony is being held this week - and considering the nomadic life we've been living in these months since we lost it, that comes as an oh, so welcome relief!

Emma has continued to skate, working on her skills and level testing, and for the 5th year in a row, she is part of the National Blades Synchronized Skating Team. Our team's last skate last season was just a week after the collapse at our rink - and they took SECOND! That my friends is a triumph of skill and will! What an amazing way to finish well after what could have totally undone us. I wish I could find the photo to show you here, because it so totally describes how the skating community has rallied around us in these days. But I'll just describe it to you - the Richmond Twizzlers took a large white bedsheet and spray painted on it the following:

"KEEP SKATING
NATIONAL BLADES"

They all signed it and hung it from the side of the arena across from the stands for all to see.
Can I tell you that I just cried?
I've never been so touched by so small a gesture.

And so we have kept skating - at whatever area rink can give us ice time.
We've been to Laurel, MD, Bowie, MD, Reston, VA, Fairfax, VA, Mt. Vernon, VA and last night at the makeshift new rink in Haymarket, VA built by the Prince William Hockey Club - that oh yeah, was also homeless after our rink collapsed.
They have kept skating too - all because they love their chosen sport.

So, as we head off today for our first official event of the season -
The Critique at Kettler in Ballston Commons - here are a few photos of our team practicing a few weeks ago in Laurel, Md.

The blurry girl on the end of the line in front is Emma. Have I ever told you how hard it is to get good photos of skaters in action?!

Here is her team working their moving circle:
If you count heads, Emma is fourth from the left.

And their backwards lunge line:
Here she is fifth from the right.

And the other day they tried on their dresses for the first time:

They are skating to an Italian song medley this year and honestly in the 5 years we've been a synchro family, I love this program and dress the most!
I can't wait to see them in action for real today - I am so proud of my daughter and the other girls on her team.
So, let's GO NATIONAL BLADES!
KEEP SKATING!

~~Robin

Stamping 411 - A Clean and Simple Thanksgiving

Happy Weekend stampers!
I can honestly say that it's been a long time since I've been this glad that we've reached the weekend! It's been a fantastic week in so many ways, but there have been a few rough patches too and MAN, am I glad I can put those calendar pages behind me!
Usually I can manage to get my card for the Stamping 411 challenge done at least by Thursday (when it's due!), but this week, I was stamping in my pajamas as soon as I got Emma off to school this morning. Definitely the right time for Clean and Simple!

Here's my card:

And here's the sketch:

Now ya'll know that I like to change things up a bit from time to time with the sketch, but not today! And all things considered - I am really happy with my finished card!
I used Crumb Cake for the base, stamping it across the bottom edge with the single leaf stamp from the Days of Gratitude stamp set using Crumb Cake ink for a tone on tone look.
I then wrapped a piece of Early Espresso Satin Ribbon around the card. The ribbon ends are hidden under the focal image. On top of the ribbon, I placed a thin strip of Autumn Spice Designer Series Paper over the ribbon. Isn't that a cool look? and a great way to use up some scrap pieces too!

The greeting was stamped with Cajun Craze ink just above the ribbon and I added the little acorn next to it with Crumb Cake ink.

Now, let's talk about the focal point:

The layers are Early Espresso, Autumn Spice Designer Paper, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla. To stamp my focal image, I inked up the leaves with More Mustard and used the Rock-n-Roll technique and added Cajun Craze ink to the edges. But......I wasn't done!
I then cleaned my stamp and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, lined up the image and stamped it again in Versamark ink. That allowed me to heat emboss it with Clear Embossing Powder and give it a raised, shiny look. I know you can't see it in the photo, but it's there!
I did use 8 dimensionals on the focal layers - but hey, what's a Robin card without some dimensionals? Well, most of the time!

So, that's it for this sketch challenge! I hope you'll leave me a comment and then go visit the Stamping 411 blog and check out what the other Operators created for you - I know they will inspire you!
Have a great weekend everyone and be sure to take time not only for the ones you love, but take some time for YOU! You deserve it!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

UDI Inspiration Challenge - Cocoa and Friendship!

You know, sometimes there is a rubber stamp that says it way better than you ever could yourself:

Yep, I love my friends, but I REALLY love them when they have chocolate - and share it with me!

When I saw this week's Inspiration Photo from our challenge on the UDI Blog, I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use - even if it is retired - some things just endure the test of time. Here is the inspiration photo. Does that not look just yummy delicious?!! Can you guess what stamp set I pulled out of my secret stash?

Well, if you guessed Like it a Latte, you guessed right! I have one shelf in my stamping supply closet where I keep stamp sets that I most likely will never part with and this one is truly a keeper. I don't often show projects here on the blog with retired products, but I know quite a few of you still have this wonderful set and it really was perfect for this challenge.

I do apologize for the poor quality of this photo. My camera has been acting up lately and I might have to ask Santa for a new one under the tree this year. Ya'll just pray that Santa can afford to bring that particular gift, kwim?

Anyway, my card is pretty clean and simple - more focus on the hot chocolate, right?!

I used Whisper White cardstock and Real Red DSP from the Brights Stack.
The images were stamped with Early Espresso ink on the focal panel and I stamped the cup again on a scrap, trimmed it out and mounted it with Stampin' Dimensionals over the one I stamped on the card front. I love how this gives depth and dimension to a card.

I know it may be hard to see, but I heat embossed the whipped cream and marshmallows with White Embossing Powder. After I stamped them, I colored them in a bit with the Versamarker and that made it easy to add the embossing powder and heat it up. The cocoa cup has Crystal Effects on it to add more dimension and to make it shine!

I paper pierced a row of holes under the cup and then stamped my greeting in the bottom right corner. The three peppermint sticks were stamped on scrap and trimmed out, then mounted with 2 Way Glue Pen. The entire focal panel is popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals and that, friends is pretty much it for this card. I love it's simplicity and it's just a sweet, fun card. Kind of like drinking a cup of hot chocolate on a cold day with a friend. It doesn't get much better than that!

I'm glad you stopped by to visit today - be sure to visit the UDI Blog to see what the other designer came up with - I'll bet they are yummy projects! I'll be spending the day at the ice rink with Emma and her skating team - no day off for this crowd! Then I get to stamp with my friends tonight at the Manassas Volunteer Fire Company!
Maybe we'll have some hot chocolate, eh?
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Playing Hooky Today!

Well, not really since Wednesday is normally my day off in the studio, but lately I've been working through it. NOT today! I am unplugging for the day and spending it with a friend. I usually have to have my arm twisted to leave work behind, but even though I have a pile to do - I'm walking away today.
I'll be back tomorrow hopefully feeling refreshed and ready to get back at it!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Santa's Beard - Ho, Ho, Ho!

Hey ya'll! I'm popping in here this morning to share one of the cards we made at WoW! Christmas Cards class last month. I was so excited to see the idea for Santa's beard on our demonstrator only site - Stampin' Connection. It was originally posted by Kris Lynch. SU! has so many super talented demos out there, it's really a fantastic perk to have access to this site for great, out of the box ideas like this one. I don't know Kris personally, so without this great resource, I probably wouldn't have seen her great idea!

So, here is my version of Santa's Beard:

If you are a demonstrator, you can see the original version that I cased at this link here.

To create my beard, I used a piece of Naturals White cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot with the Perfect Details Texturz plate. Next, I used Sahara Sand ink and sponged it lightly to bring out the swirls a bit so it would give the beard depth. Then I used my Full Heart punch and punched out 7 hearts. The swirls were dabbed with a bit of 2 Way Glue pen and I added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

My card base is simply Whisper White and I layered it with a piece of Real Red. To create the look of texture or furry warmth, I took my Real Red ink pad and simply dragged it lightly across the cardstock several times to bring out the natural texture in the cardstock itself. It's called 'direct to paper' and is a super easy, but awesome effect!

The white center of Santa's suit was made with a piece of 5/8" Whisper White Satin ribbon and Santa's belt was made with a piece of 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon. Both pieces were wrapped around the Real Red cardstock piece before it was adhered to the white card base. The buckle on Santa's belt is a piece of Brushed Silver cardstock punched out with the Decorative Label Punch. I added two Silver Brads and a Real Red button from Candy Cane Lane Big Buttons in the Mini Catalog. Once I had his suit all constructed, I simply added his beard pieces with SNAIL adhesive, starting at the bottom and working my way up to the top of the card. The top pieces overhung the top edge a little bit, so I used my Paper Snips to trim them off even.

To do the greeting on the inside, I briefly considered purchasing a personalized stamp that said what I wanted, but, with a little help from my Stamp-a-ma-jig and some sticky notes, I was able to use the greeting from Many Merry Messages!
I love how it turned out!
The little Santa suit tag comes from the Tags Til' Christmas stamp set. I added it to the envelope too for a little accent.

I think this was one of the favorites from our card class those two days - it's just fun!
So, how are your Christmas cards coming along? Have you even started yet?!! I have a lot made because of classes and camps, but not any in bulk yet. But, really, we still have lots of time! I'll be posting my class schedule for the rest of the holiday season today - and I do have one more card class headed your way, so be sure to look out for it, ok?

Have a great day stampers and go stamp something fun!
~~Robin

Monogram Note Card Set - New Class Offering!

Hey there stampers!

It's been a very busy family day around here today and I'm just now getting around to posting for you! Sorry about that!
But, when you see what I have for you, you might just forgive me. AND you have a chance to make some in my new Monogram Note Card Class!

Do you not just LOVE these?!!
Last month I attended a Stampin' Up! meeting and my upline shared a terrific idea for monogrammed note cards. So, since I loved it that much, I designed my own set, bought special clear cover boxes and decided to offer it as a class for YOU!

Mark your calendars NOW!

Saturday, November 20th

Two times available:
10 am - 11:30 am OR
12 noon - 1:30 pm

Sign up for just one session or both!

Each session will include all the materials to complete TWO sets of 6 monogrammed notecards, with envelopes in the decorated box! All for just $18! And in only an hour and a half!
Here, take another look:

I love how elegant these are; they are perfect gifts! And best yet, you will even be able to choose from several different colors! This class is just what you need for beautiful, personal, handmade gifts for anyone on your gift list. You can even keep a set for yourself!

To rsvp for the class, send an e-mail to me at stampwithrobin@yahoo.com to hold your spot in the class. Each class is limited to just 10 attendees. You can then send me your 50% deposit once you are on the list.

I'm so excited to be able to offer you this great gift as a class this year! I can't wait to make these with you!
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

Stamping 411 - Saturday Sketch Challenge

Well, the scrapbooking bug has bitten me again! I've created more layouts in the past 3 weeks than I have in the past year! WooHoo!! Maybe I'll actually get an album done one of these days. Now THAT would be something!

This week's card sketch for the Stamping 411 blog just spoke scrapbook page to me:

So, I made one, but it's not going in a book - look, I framed it!!

I took an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of Crumb Cake cardstock and stamped snowflakes in opposite corners using my Whisper White Craft ink and the Northern Flurries stamp set. Then I heat embossed them with Iridescent Ice embossing powder so they would sparkle. Next, I cut my photo at 5" x 7" and matted it with a piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock cut at 5 1/8" x 7 1/8" and another cardstock piece of Basic Gray cut at 5 1/4" x 7 1/4".
I wrapped the length of the Crumb Cake cardstock background with a piece of Rich Razzleberry 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon and then mounted the photo over it with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Then I turned my attention to the snowflakes:

I took a piece of Rich Razzleberry and a piece of Basic Gray cardstock and covered them with Versamark ink, then heat embossed them with Iridescent Ice. Next, I used my Big Shot and the Northern Frost die to cut out some sparkly snowflakes! And I cut a few more with some Crumb Cake cardstock - unglittered. Each snowflake had a sparkly or shiny center added to it with Rhinestones, Rhinestone Brads or Silver Brads and then they each were added to the left side of the photo with Stampin' Dimensionals. I have to say that I really love how this turned out!

The final touches were done on the lower right corner of the layout:

I added a bow of Rich Razzleberry Ribbon which was jazzed up with more glittery snowflakes and a Rhinestone Brad. The journaling tag was done with the Top Note Die on my Big Shot with Crumb Cake cardstock. I stamped the greeting from the Hope Happens stamp set with Rich Razzleberry ink and added Dazzling Diamonds glitter to the edge with my 2 Way Glue pen. It's simply attached to the back of the photo with SNAIL adhesive.

Once I finished it, I popped the glass out of a document frame that I'd picked up at the big blue box store and voila - instant wall art!

Be sure to visit the Stamping 411 blog and see what the other operators did with the sketch for you this week, I know you'll be inkspired! :)
Stamped blessings,
~~Robin