25th Anniversary Blog Tour: July - Best of Greetings Stamp Set

Welcome to my blog! 

You've arrived from the talented Anne Matasci's blog, Maui Stamper. 

Well, it took me a bit longer to get back here and fill in the details of my projects for this month's hop - thanks for being patient with me! 
I love BOTH of these cards so much and they are BOTH super simple to create - it's just layers, and I know you can do it!

I used the color scheme of Blushing Bride, Baked Brown Sugar, Strawberry Slush and Very Vanilla to co-ordinate with the Soho Subway designer paper that I pulled for this project. 
All of the edges on all of the paper and cardstock are lightly sponged with Blushing Bride ink. 
I used the Floral Framelits and the new Circles Framelits for the stamped circle element - the stamp set is Daydream Medallions. 

The focal image is done with the Extra Large Oval Punch, the Large Oval Punch and the Modern Label Punch. To apply the Ruffled Stretch Trim Ribbon, I added SNAIL to the back edge of the largest punched piece and simply wrapped around, adhering as I went. This new ribbon is beautiful to work with - I wish it came in ALL our colors!
The button accent is from the Very Vintage Designer Buttons and is threaded with a snip of Linen Thread - the perfect final touch!

Here's my next project:

A very simple, but meaningful sympathy card. We all hate to make them, but we all need them from time to time and I'm so glad this Best of Greetings stamp set included this sympathy image. 
For my project, I used a color scheme of Pistachio Pudding and Baked Brown Sugar with Very Vanilla. 

The brown background piece is dry embossed with my Big Shot and the Modern Mosaic embossing folder. 
For the focal layers, I cut my pieces at 1/8" inches instead of the normal 1/4" for a more formal look. The top layer is stamped with the egg image from Backyard Basics in Pistachio Pudding. I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line them up perfectly. 

All of the layers were popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals and I wrapped a piece of Natural Trim Ribbon around them and tied it off with a piece of Linen Thread through a Naturals Designer Button. 
Simple, elegant and appropriate. 

I hope you've enjoyed your stop here at my blog on the tour, you've still got lots of great ideas ahead of you so be sure to keep going! Just click on this icon to go to the next blog, you're headed for Andi Potler's blog - Absolute Kreations next.

Have a wonderful Sunday and Happy Stampin'!
~~Robin

July Stamp of the Month Blog Tour - Chalk Talk

Welcome to your next stop on the RemARKables Blog Tour! 

If you are taking the stops in order, you've arrived from Anne Matasci's blog - http://www.mauistamper.wordpress.com/

Our stamp set this month is one of my favorites out of the new catalog, but I'm feeling a little sad because I've only had time to stamp one project with it. Life has been a little more than crazy lately...

Anyway, here's my card:

I love the chalkboard look that's so popular in stamping right now - and this seemed like the perfect stamp to combine with the new ABC-123 Sketch Alphabet stamp set for a teacher thank you card.

My card base is Melon Mambo and the "chalkboard frame" layer is with Baked Brown Sugar. I used the Framed Tulips embossing folder to create the faux wood frame. 

The chalkboard layer is Basic Black and I mounted the letters and number on one block, stamping them with Whisper White Craft ink. 

The thank you image is stamped and embossed with White embossing powder. 

I made the little garland with the new Artisan Label Punch, punching the pieces out of the Gingham Garden Designer Paper. These were simply folded in half over a piece of White Baker's Twine that was adhered to the back of the Baked Brown Sugar cardstock.
The butterfly was punched out of Daffodil Delight cardstock with the Bitty Butterfly punch and adhered with a glue dot. 

All in all, a very simple, yet very sweet card. 

Thanks for stopping by today and enjoy the rest of the tour by clicking on the tour icon below. You'll be arriving at Audra Monk's blog - The Crafty Yogi

Have a great Sunday!
~~Robin

Here's the list of all the tour participants:

Nancy Amato   http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com
Melissa Bolinger   www.stampinup.net/blog/2089191
Jackie Bottomley   jackiebottomley.blogspot.com
Susan Carlson  http://stampinmomoffour.blogspot.com 

Tamra Davis    www.thecardladies.com
Connie Deibler   www.conniestamps.com

Crystal Kondo   www.card-ed.com
Deb Lehigh   http://thestampinhut.typepad.com/
Anne Matasci   www.MauiStamper.wordpress.com
Robin Merriman   http://www.trinitydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Audra Monk   www.thecraftyyogi.blogspot.com
Maria Pane    http://www.stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com
Andi Potler   http://www.absolutekreations.com
Michele Reynolds    http://www.inspirationink.typepad.com
Vicki Soni   Www.paperinkle.com
Jeannette Swain   http://www.stampsnwhatnot.com/
Janet Wakeland   www.remarkablycreated.com

Sneak Peek! RemARKabkes Best of 25 Blog Tour!

**OOPS! 
It's pretty obvious that I've been on a completely different calendar these days - I am so confused as to what day it is that I didn't realize that this Blog Tour isn't until the 21st! LOL! 

Oh, well. At least I am ahead for once - but you can't see these projects in full until the 21st! Sorry about that. :) 
Look at it this way - you now have something else to look forward to! 

Good morning!

Just popping in for a minute to tempt your creative taste buds a bit.

Tomorrow July 21st! is the RemARKables Best of 25 Blog Hop, and we're showcasing the Best of Greetings stamp set.

Take a peek at snippets of my two projects:

Like what you see? 

I hope so! Be sure to check back here as early as midnight est tonight on the 21st! You'll find lots of inspiration for this fan stamp set. 

See you later!

~~Robin

Epic Day Scrapbook Pages

Howdy friends and fans! 
I know I've been pretty silent on the ol' blog this past month. When we got back from the Stampin' Up! incentive trip to Fiji, my Mom had been hospitalized and diagnosed with Leukemia. 
So for the past two months, we've been packing up her house and getting her moved into rehab until she's able to come live with us. It's been a little busy and a lot emotional. 

I have been doing my best to keep up with my classes and events - and I've done really well at keeping up my business Facebook Page - Trinity Design Studios - Paper Crafting and Fun. 
If you're on Facebook, be sure to "Like" my page and you'll still get great creative ideas and SU! news you can use on a regular basis. 

Today's post here is of the scrapbook layout I designed for June's Oh Scrap! It's Tuesday class. 
Here's a few photos for you: 

I

I love the new Epic Day Designer Series Paper. It has beautiful color combinations and it's easy to create fresh, clean pages with it. This layout made me so happy that I redesigned the title page for a single page swap at Convention! I can't wait to swap these!

Here's a few of the supplies I used on these pages:

Off the Grid stamp
One in a Million Stamp Set
Gumball Green Ink Pad
Epic Day Designer Series Paper
Pansy Punch
Scalloped Border Punch
Honeycomb Embossing Folder
Naturals Buttons
Apothecary Accents Framelits
Chalk Talk Framelits
Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon
Basic Rhinestones
Doilies
Pool Party Co'ordinations Cardstock
Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight and Whisper White cardstock

To purchase any of these supplies and more, visit the Online Store on my website at this link:
Robin's Online Crafting Store

Thanks so much for stopping by today, hope to see you again soon!
~~Robin
 

Freedom Isn't Free

I received an e-mail from a newsletter I subscribe to this morning. It contained the words of the full Declaration of Independence penned in 1776.
The last time I read through it in it's entirety was in high school, and I have to admit, I didn't pay much attention to it except for what I had to memorize for the test.

Today, as I read through the opening paragraphs, I thought of those courageous men, and their families, who literally put their lives on the line to gain our independence from tyranny.
Amazing stuff, don't you think?
It took a lot of courage to stand up and shake their collective fists at the nation that birthed them. But as I read these words, composed with conviction, it really hit me how deeply they understood what they must do:

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.......But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. "

British rule was all they had ever known, much like our system of government - that they wisely established  - is all we've ever known. 
But for the sake of future generations of Americans, they stepped out on faith and trusted Almighty God to guide their cause.

America was, and still is the greatest nation on the face of the earth.
I am a proud patriot and forever will be.
No question, I love my country, in all it's strengths and all it's failings.

No thing, no nation is perfect.
But in America, mistakes are lessons learned and failures are open doors to opportunity. 
I, for one, am grateful to live in a land made free by the blood, sweat and tears of patriot generations before me. 
My prayer is that future generations of Americans will continue to know the freedom that makes us great. 

God Bless America!
~~Robin

(Scrapbook page created in MDS - My Digital Studio software. For more information on MDS Software and digital downloads, visit my website at www.robinstamps4u.stampinup.net)