A {Happy Birthday} Card...

Hello there!  Today I'm sharing a fun birthday card with you, and it just happens to be my birthday.  For my card I used a really cool stamp for the background, it's from Squares Plus and is a Mondrian-inspired design.  I have since learned what Mondrian is and I actually saw the design in action on one of my favorite shows, HGTV's Design Star.  Did any of you see it?  I spent the last hour looking for a pic from the episode, but none really showed the whole design, but Hilari painted a rug with the design and it looked like this, but with different colors, you get the idea, right?

Cool, huh?  I can't wait to use that stamp again but with bright colors.

Here's a close up of the popped up panel.  I simply die cut a small square of True Blue Fan card stock using a Shapes: Squares die, lined up my Uppercase Alpha letter dies (H & B) and ran it though my machine.  You have to be careful not to lose the inside of the letter B.  I attached that panel to a piece of Glamazon Green card stock with foam dots, the green card stock had been stamped with even more squares using From an Anonymous Source watermark ink.   I applied the inside of the letter B with foam dots as well.  


Have a great day!

{HB}

Stamps: Squares Plus (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Trendsetter Blue, Glamazon Green, True Blue Fan (CSS)

Ink: Simply Blue-tiful, From an Anonymous Source (CSS)

Dies: Uppercase Alpha, Shapes: Squares (CSS) 

Accessories: Foam Dots

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Blogher Book Club...

Hello!  It's been a while since I've been asked to review a book for Blogher's Book Club.  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this book, The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns.  The book was written by Margaret Dilloway, the same author as a previous Blogher Book Club Selection, How to Be an American Housewife.    This book will be released on August 2nd.  


Gal, the main character lives a busy life as a teacher, wife, and also a kidney disease patient.  She gardens in her free time and spends most of that time attending to her roses, she is trying to breed a new type of rose that will hopefully win her a prize in a major competition.  Then, her niece shows up unannounced and that's when things get crazy!  You'll have to read the book to see how it all plays out.


Margaret Dilloway wrote a post on Blogher about how roses are like life, complete with thorns.  We are also discussing how men give red roses when they are seeking forgiveness.  That's going to get interesting.    


Have a great day!

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A {HB2U} Card...

Hey there!  I hope you are all having  a good summer.  I've been busy spending as much time with the kiddos as I can before I send them back to school.  I've been really making an effort to get out and do things and keep them active.  It's been busy, but fun!  One of our new favorite activities is riding bikes. All four of us have a bike and the kids are riding on their own.  It's so fun riding as a family.

So, I have a fun card for you today.  This card came together quickly due to the large background I created with a stamp from Background Basics 2.  I just love graphic images, they pack so much punch.

After the background was finished, I added a flag sentiment strip topped with a flower from the same Background Basics 2 set.  I love the pop of yellow and green!


Have a great day!

{HB2U}

Stamps: Background Basics 2, Trendy Tags 2 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Such a Gray-cious Host, A Blanc Check (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Glamazon Green, Say Yellow to All Your Fans (CSS)

Accessories: Hole Punch, Foam Dots (CSS)

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CSS Group Project: Xmas in July!!!

Hey there!  Today the Clear & Simple Stamps Design Team and I are celebrating Christmas in July!  About this time of year is when most scrappers and card makers start to work on their annual holiday cards.

Using the new stamp sets that were just released, I wracked my brain to somehow come up with a Christmas card even though none of the sets I chose had anything remotely Christmas-y.  Somehow this idea of taking an image from Background Basics 2 popped into my head and it was perfect!  I used the criss-cross image that has five crosses, I stamped it in green five times, and cut out the appropriate amount of crosses and then a brown one for the tree stump.  I love how this turned out, especially after adding the yellow sunburst behind the tree instead of a star on top of the tree.

 Here's the card by itself...

 And here is a cute treat bag I made with tags using the same stamps, just in a different way.

I can't wait to check out what the rest of the design team created!  You can check them out here:

• Lori Tecler  
• Jaclyn Miller
• Kim Duran
• Tracy Schultz
• Laurie Willison
• Jennifer Rzasa
• Elena Roussakis
• Amber Kemp-Gerstel
• Laura Bassen
• Suzanne Dahlberg <----guest designer
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Merry Christmas}

Stamps: Background Basics 2, Trendy Tags 2, Holly Jolly, Sunburst (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar, Glamazon Green, A Blanc Check (CSS)

Ink: Glamazon Green, Say Yellow to All Your Fans, Dish All the Dirt Brown, Dare to Be a Diva Red (CSS), White

Dies:  Tags 2, Party Favor 1 (CSS)

Accessories: Red/Green/White Twine, Foam Dots, Edge Distresser

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CSS Release Day! Rag Dolls!!!

Today Clear & Simple Stamps is releasing a group of stamps that Stephany Zerbe designed called Rag Dolls.  It's a bunch of really cute rag dolls (obviously) and their are also a few "houses" that coordinate with the rag dolls as well.  I chose a set called Rag Doll House: Stand, which is like a farmer's market stand.  Could it be anymore more perfect for me?

So, for this particular card (I have a few more to show you later this month) I chose to dress up the stand as a lemonade stand and it was super fun!  I also packed a basket with lemons and added a cute tag.

The pitcher and lemons are colored with watercolor pencils, cut out and then popped up on foam dots.  The image is grounded by using a Word Window die cut.  

The lemonade stand was first cut using the Rag Doll House die and then stamped with the stand image from the Rag Doll House: Stand set.  I stamped the word "lemonade" and sign that is hanging from the roof + the words on the sign and the glasses of lemonade.  Parts of the stand were colored using watercolor pencils.

 The glasses were stamped on white card stock first and then paper pieced onto the stand.

The basket of lemons was stamped on white card stock first and then colored with watercolor pencils.  I stamped the image again on brown card stock and cut out the basket and paper pieced it to the other lemon basket.  Then I applied it to the card with foam dots.

I can't wait to see all the Rag Doll creations!  You won't want to miss them either.  You can click on the links below to see all the posts today:

• Elena Roussakis
• Denise January
• Laurie Willison
• Kim Duran
• Tracy Schultz
• Lori Tecler
• Laura Bassen
• Stephany Zerbe
• Amber Kemp-Gerstel
• Suzanne Dahlberg <--- guest designer 
• Ryann Salamon <--- guest designer
• Virginia Lu <--- guest designer
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Fresh Squeezed Lemonade}

Stamps: Rag Doll House: Stand (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Glamazon Green, Trendsetter Blue, Kraft Like a Rock Star, Dish All the Dirt Brown (CSS) 

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown (CSS)

Dies: Word Window,  Rag Doll House, Tags 2 Combo (CSS)

Accessories: Watercolor Pencils, Aqua-Painter, Foam Dots, Yellow/White Twine (CSS)

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CSS Release Day! Shapes!

Clear and Simple Stamps is releasing even more stamp sets today!!! Today they are all revolving around the theme of shapes and backgrounds.  My project today uses the new set Mini Squares with new Shapes: Square Combo (Stamps & Dies) and the sets Trendy Tags 2 and Tags 2 Combo that was released yesterday.  I created a get well card along with a can of No Chicken Noodle Soup, perfect for someone feeling under the weather.

The gray/light blue/orange color combo came from a baby nursery I saw on Pinterest.  For my card I simply die cut 9 squares using the new Shapes: Squares Combo Dies, stamped 8 of them using 4 patterns from Mini Squares and the 9th square I stamped with an open image from the same set.  Then I used the sentiment "feel better soon" from the Trendy Tags 2.

For the tag, I die cut the large and small tags from Tags 2 Combo and stamped one with a sentiment and the other with a pattern from Trendy Tags 2.  I just LOVE that chevron tag stamp.  Of course I had to attach is to the soup can with some matching twine, the perfect touch!

We have a lot of designers showing off their fabulous creations today using the new shapes and backgrounds sets.  You won't want to miss this inspiration:

• Jaclyn Miller
• Elena Roussakis
• Kim Duran
• Laurie Willison
• Laura Bassen
• Jennifer Rzasa
• Amber KG
• Virginia Lu <-- guest designer
• Suzanne Dahlberg <-- guest designer
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Feel Better Soon Ensemble}

Stamps: Mini Squares, Trendy Tags 2 (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: Perfect Little Black Dress, Trendsetter Blue, Orange You Fabulous, Such a Gray-cious Host (CSS)

Ink: Perfect Little Black Dress, Orange You Fabulous (CSS)

Dies: Shapes:Squares Combo, Tags 2 Combo (CSS) 

Accessories: Orange/White Twine, Bright Blue/White Twine, Foam Dots

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CSS Release Day! Tags!

Hello!  It's the 3rd day of releases at Clear & Simple Stamps and I'm showcasing the new Trendy Tags 2 set.  I wanted to show how these tags can be used for more than just tags.

I die cut the tags on VIP Purple card stock four times using the new Tags 2 Combo dies, stamped them each with a different pattern using Purplicious ink, sponged the edges and then applied them to the Purplicious card stock panel.  You'll notice one of those patterns isn't released today, you'll have to wait for tomorrow for the link to work ;) --it's one of my favs from this release!

Onto the place cards!  These came together so quickly with the use of the Combo 2 Tags dies.  I was making 4 place cards, so I cut 8 tags (4 fronts, 4 backs).  I stamped on the 4 fronts and then scored the 4 backs about .5" from the top.  Apply adhesive just above the score line and then press the front and back together.  Easy peasy!

I hope you are keeping up with all the exciting things happening with Clear & Simple Stamps!  You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter so you won't miss a thing!

Check out these fantastic ladies that are showcasing Tags, Edgers, and Borders:

• Laurie Willison
• Amber Kemp-Gerstel
• Suzanne Dahlberg <--- Awesome guest designer that I had the privilege to meet last year!
• Clear & Simple Stamps Blog

Have a great day!

{Thanks For Being Here}

Stamps: Trendy Tags 2, Sunburst (Clear & Simple Stamps)

Card Stock: A Blanc Check, Purplicious, VIP Purple (CSS)

Ink: Purplicious (CSS)

Dies: Tags 2 Combo (CSS) 

Accessories: Stamping Sponge

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{Happy 10th Anniversary} Sweetie

Hello!  Happy 10 year anniversary to me and my husband!!!  Technically we celebrated it when we were in Toronto, but we couldn't let the official day pass without acknowledging it somehow.  So, we are going to the jewelry store (it's been 10 years, I think it's time I get a wedding band to go with my engagement ring), and then dinner and a movie.  I can't wait!

So, here's the card I made for my hubby.  It's a one layer card and there is a wood-grain panel in the center that is really hard to see, but it's there.  I used stamps from 4 sets on this card!

I just love those swirly stamps from the Taglines: Critters set, they are so easy to manipulate.  I tried to keep the girly-ness to a minimum, but I did have to throw in that cupid.

Here's a close-up of the wood-grain I was telling you about.  It's slightly darker than the card base.  


I'll be back bright and early tomorrow (and the day after) for some Clear & Simple Stamps releases.  You won't want to miss it.

Have a great day!

{Happy 10th Anniversary}

Stamps: Trendy Tags, Taglines: Critters, Number Blocks, Background Basics 1 (Clear & Simple Stamps) 

Card Stock: Kraft Like a Rockstar (CSS)

Ink: Dish All the Dirt Brown, Glamazon Green, Dare to Be a Diva Red, Brown Leather Satchel (CSS)

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What's been going on...TORONTO!

Hi there!  This little blogging break was completely unintentional. I really didn't mean to be gone for so long.  I thought I would bring you up to speed on what I've been up to.

Last week my husband and I went to Toronto.  It was my first trip out of the country and therefore the first stamp in my passport.  My husband went there for work and I just tagged along.  Our 10 year anniversary is this Friday so we made the trip an anniversary trip of sorts.

Some of the pics are crappy because they are from my phone (I can't wait to get an iPhone!).

One of my favorite meals was a veggie pizza at a place called Jack Astor's.  The waitress looked at me a bit funny when I ordered it without cheese, but it was sooo good.  I had the leftovers for lunch the next day.

With the pizza a tried a new beer that we don't have in the states yet, at least not in my area.  It was a Coors Light Iced T!  Beer + Iced Tea = Totally Delicious.

On one of my daily adventures walking the city, I found this restaurant in an urban eatery (aka, food court) called Urban Herbivore. 

I knew it just had to be all vegan, and it was.  I ordered a BLT and it was amazing.  The "bacon" was actually tempeh and they made a sort of salad with a soy mayo dressing for the lettuce and tomato part, it was fantastic.  

The best thing we did all week was going to Second City, Toronto.  If you don't know what it's all about, it's a comedy club that specializes in improv.  They have a location in Chicago and LA as well.   Most of the cast of Saturday Night Live over the years was discovered performing at Second City.  The tickets were only $14, and I laughed the entire time, actually I laughed so hard I cried most of the time.  My cheeks hurt when the show was over.  If you ever get a chance to see Second City (I know they have a tour as well), do it!  Trust me, you won't regret it.

Before the show we had drinks on a roof-top bar.  Very neat!

Another awesome thing we did was have dinner in the CN Tower.  It is the second tallest building in the world, 114 stories high!  This was the night we celebrated our anniversary since this restaurant was super fancy.  Dinner was in the 360* Restaurant, which is a revolving restaurant.  It makes one revolution every 72 minutes.  After dinner we went to the observation deck where they had a glass floor you could walk across, totally freaky, but I did it.

The city itself is really cool.  There are bikes everywhere.  There are even automated bike rental kiosks where you can rent a bike for an hour or for a day.

This is St. Lawrence Market, which was quite the walk from the hotel, but I just had to go there.  It was an open air market with a ton of fresh produce, it was so pretty to see all the vibrant colors.  They also had a ton of meat and cheese booths, which didn't interest me at all.  I had a few samples but couldn't really buy anything since I couldn't take it over the border into the US and had no way to prepare it at the hotel.  But it was really cool to see.

On our last night in town we went to a Toronto Blue Jays game.  My husband wants to visit all the MLB stadiums so this was a must.  I have to say that I wasn't very impressed.  I've been to some cool stadiums and our own Great American Ballpark is pretty amazing.  The one thing that was neat was that they sang the American and Canadian national anthem.  Oh, and they had a retractable dome, the first time I'd seen one of those.  I was able to watch them close it from our hotel window that night.  

Here's a random park I came across on my daily walking adventures.  They have parks sprinkled thoughout the city with people laying on blankets and having lunch, reading a book, napping.

I have no idea what this building is, but it's really pretty with some really cool landscaping.

And when we came home, after loving on our kids a ton, I went out to my garden and was surprised how many veggies were ready to be picked.  I canned the tomatoes already and have frozen most of the squash.  I made a terrible zucchini bread, and we ate some of the summer squash and zucchini with some pasta.

Okay, so I'll be back on Thursday for the Clear & Simple Stamps release!  Prepare to be blown away, this is the best release yet!

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