Stamp With Marilyn

Swap Cards!

I recently participated in a swap with my upline's group, Imaginestampers, and got some amazing swaps back!  I wanted to share some of these awesome swaps with you today.  There are about 30 all together, and I'll be posting 15 today for you to drool over :)

This first one was created by Rosie Hughes. I just love all the elements she used on this card, and her ribbon bow is perfect!

 

This beauty of a card was made by Jennifer Halter.  I love the color combo she used and isn't her use of the brad and ribbon unique - I've gotta try that out soon!

 

This next card made me smile - and so pretty too - I don't have any of that wide chocolate ribbon, but now I've gotta get it.  This card was made by Hallie Gainer.      

This card was by Pat Vilbaum - love the 3D dimension of the flowers and leaves!

This card was made by Marlene Dunn - simple and sweet! Love those embossed flowers too!

Next card up was made by Sara Nell Langland - a really talented lady - I've been in swaps with her before, and always love her stuff.  She decorated the inside of her card too.

Next card up is by Audrey Romonosky - a great birthday card!

This card is by Kim Haynes - love that sundae!

Pat Stivers - this set is so versatile, and I love how Pat showcased the new die cut tags too.

Barb Brimhall... can't wait to get this awesome texture plate -

Melissa Sauls - there are always outstanding swaps from her - she has amazing attention to detail - I love the touch of glitter along the edges of the card and the butterfly is just gorgeous with the pearl in the center.

Next card up is by Rebecca Villabaum... great showcase of the set Darling Dots!

Joye Qualls created this awesome card - now I've not thought to use CORKBOARD on a card, but this is just amazing - and I love the bits of ribbon peeking out the top of the card too!

 

This card was made by Valeria Sequeira - love that raspberry tart paper she used.

Karen Monnich created this darling card for a friend.

Brenna Kadjar used one of my fav sets in the book Fifth Avenue Floral.

And I think that's enough for one day - I'll try to post the other 15 cards I received tomorrow - aren't these cards inspiring!!  I wish I had time to stamp today but I don't - my transcription work is piling up while I'm typing this, and my  husband is also home today which means... after my work is done, we'll probably spend some time together cleaning out the garage - yuck!  It needs done though before it gets too hot around here to do it - and spring/summer is coming quick - I'm getting spoiled already by these 70-80 degree weather days!  Woohoo and my azalea bush is about to bloom, and I can't wait!

Have a wonderful day everyone and TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday!)

Three Little Words ...

   

Well, this turned out to be the final product in my quest to produce a "swap-worthy" card.  If you've read my previous post, I was trying to produce a card for a swap, and it just wasn't working for me, however I was pretty happy with this end result.   I used the Build-A-Brad along with some of the Parisan Breeze Specialty paper, and the brad truly creates that 3D dimension I love in this card. 

I also held a hostess workshop this weekend and had a wonderful time there!! We made this card below using one of the Sale-A-Bration sets, Polka Dot Punches.

 

Sale-A-Bration is my favorite time of year with Stampin Up!  It is so much fun to get these awesome free sets with any $50.00 order.  All of the six choices this year are fabulous too - if you haven't checked them out  yet, you need to stop by my Stampin Up website for a peek! 

Hope everyone is off to a great start to the week! Can't believe it is already the last week in February and spring is right around the corner - yippee! Although it doesn't feel like spring here - I think it got down in the low 30s here last night, the trees and plants are already starting to bud out! 

One night last week, we went to a local park and went for a walk.  It was nice spending some quality time with my husband and kids.

 

 

It was kind of chilly out, about 45 degrees, but there was no wind, so it actually felt wonderful - if you can believe me saying that. I seem to stay cold all the time LOL!  Anyway, Dan and I sat at the park bench well after dark and watched the stars and talked, while the kids and our dog, Cosmo played on the playscape - Cosmo took his first ride down a slide, it was pretty hilarious.  He actually thought it was fun and had as much fun as the kids coming down the slide. I wish I would have thought to take a picture, but oh well.. .  These are the moments in life that you live for...

Must run and get the rest of my laundry done and catch up  on all the cleaning left over from a busy weekend - have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Which do you like?

 

 

 

I've participated in my upline's new catalog swap, and trying to decide which of these cards I like the best - or maybe not at all... I really like the first one with the brad, but the greeting doesn't seem to work and on the second card I think I need some ribbon.  The third card seems to work for me, but maybe needs something else.  Any ideas?  Nothing like leaving things to the last minute - swap has to be mailed today or tomorrow at the latest! HELP! Since all the Valentine's Day craziness all my "mojo" has just disappeared! So if you don't mind, let me know which one you like, or what I could do to really make this card a winner - THANKS!

You know, I read in a magazine somewhere, I think it was Simple Scrapbooks, that this "creativity" thing is something that can come and go at will, and not to stress when it goes - but WHY does it have to leave when you need it the most - like when a swap is due, or a class is coming up? LOL!!! 

 Anyway, hope you are all having a great day - it is Thursday and thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Magazine Holder Box

 

This has been such a busy and crazy week and I can't believe it has been over a week since I've posted!  It's not that I haven't been just sitting around and twiddling my thumbs ya know! I had 4 - that's right FOUR Valentine party/banquets that I was involved with preparing food for or games etc!  It was all fun though! Let's just say I'm glad today was President's Day though - a holiday - and a day to sleep in!

I made the above magazine holder a few weeks ago and I can't remember where I found the directions to make this cute little box, but I think it was somewhere on splitcoast.  It is made out of just one sheet of 8.5 x 11 c/s and with a few simple folds, it makes this darling magazine holder. I gave this away at one of my workshops a couple of weeks ago, and realized that I never did show post it here on my blog.

 

These are the valentines Ryan and I made for his class.  Very simple little 3x3 cards with Sweet Tarts inside.  You can see the mess of my desk - it was a crazy day!

Well, now that Valentine's Day has passed, I guess we are moving onto spring! Woohoo! I hope to get busy in the next few days making some cards to show you with a more spring-y theme!  I'm off to finish off the last of my laundry for the day - whew! See you around soon!

One Sheet Wonder Box!

 

This amazing little box is crafted out of one sheet of 8.5x11 c/s with no cutting!! It really is simple, amazing and fun! I found inspiration for this box from Erin's site and you can find the directions to  make this box here.  I have a workshop planned for this Saturday.  My hostess, who is having the party, just got engaged this past weekend, and she is so excited, and wanting to design invitations also  - so this party should be lots of fun! 

 

Top Note Valentine Box

 

I found the directions to make this super cute Valentine Box on Kimberly Van Diepen's site - it is so fun and easy to make! I added a few of my own touches, including embossing the top note with the new SU embossing plates! 

 

Here is a better view closeup of the little box.  I just love this little owl holding the heart too!  I also embossed the scallop circle too - embossing is so much fun and easy to boot!  You know I really can't imagine NOT having my Big Shot - it is something I reach for almost everything I make something now!

 

Here is another card I created out of an"oops".  This was a scrap piece of c/s and I had  punched out the hearts, and also a 1-3/8 circle out of the corner.  Then I picked the c/s up and thought - how could I turn this into a card.  So I put Pink Pirouette c/s behind the punched out hearts, and covered up the punched out circle with the larger scallop circle and embossed punched out heart!  I was actually pretty pleased with how this "oops" piece of paper turned into a cute card!

 

This card was simple!  I just cut out the birds from the Candy Lane DS paper!  I punched out the heart and the two oval shapes and stamped Friends Forever - that was it!! 

 I've had a lot of fun playing with the Love You Much stamp set!  I've got a couple of projects to show you tomorrow with this set, and then I'll have to get busy and move on to the SALE-A-RATION excitement! I am waiting for my SAB stamp sets to come and as soon as they get here, I'll have some exciting projects to show you with those too!  Hard to believe Valentine's is just a little over a week away - time just keeps rolling along faster than I can keep up!  

We are enjoying spring-like temperatures here, and that makes me HAPPY! The days are getting longer and I think spring is on its way! Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!

 

Sale-A-Bration is here!

 

SALE-A-BRATION IS HERE!

It's Sale-A-Bration time again at Stampin' Up! and free product is what it's all about!

Every year Stampin' Up! gives customers, hostesses, and new demonstrators the opportunity to earn fantastic, FREE, limited-edition products they'll enjoy for years to come.

Here's how Sale-A-Bration works:

Customers
When you spend $50 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward! There's no limit—for every $50 you spend, you can select another free Sale-A-Bration reward.

Hostesses
When you host a workshop of at least $300 (before tax and shipping), you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward, in addition to all of the regular hostess benefits!

Recruits
During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set—a value of up to $47.95—from the current Idea Book & Catalog! Plus, new recruits get 15% off the Starter Kit—over $350 of Stampin’ Up! products and business supplies for only $169!

The Sale-A-Bration promotion starts on February 1 and runs through March 31, so don't miss your chance to earn free products! Contact me today to book your workshop or learn more about this promotion.

   

Free Idea Book with Online Purchase

From February 1-April 30, 2009, Stampin Up! is giving away our award-winning Idea Book & Catalog with every online purchase. To receive a free idea book, simply:

1. Place an online order through my website at www.marilynm.stampinup.net  during the promotional period
2. There is no minimum order required, and you can combine this offer with any of our other current offers.
   
   Stampin' Up! will be offering free idea books with the first 22,000 orders or until April 30, 2009, whichever comes first. So don't delay, place your online order TODAY and take advantage of the Sale-A-Bration going on too!

Address File Box

 

I found the directions for this little address book somewhere in blog land, and have searched trying to find where I got it - so if it is yours, please let me know - it was so fun to make!!  I used the AMAZING new textured DS paper, Parisian Breeze - ooh this paper is so beautiful that I can hardly stand to cut it up! However, I persevered through this "hoarding" habit of mine, and decided to make this darling little address file box with it.

 

Here is a better closeup picture of the Pretties flower and hatpin I used.  I sponged the larger flower lightly with Baha Breeze and then really inked up the smaller flower with the ink. 

 

Here is a picture of the box with the lid off.  I am going to label the files "ABC", DCF, etc and include a 3x5"card with their name, address, email, and birthday information on it.  I plan to keep this box on my desk (surprise surprise as I usually give most of my projects away!) so that I can have all the information I need about my customers, friends, and family in one place.  I have to tell you that working with this paper is just pure joy - if you haven't gotten some yet - you need to!!  It will make your "ordinary" projects become "EXTRAordinary!!" 

On another note - I had a wonderful weekend visiting with my friend whom I hadn't seen for over ten years.  We have kept in close touch over the years, but it was so wonderful to see her again!  I'm still feeling sleep deprived, because we sat up late and talked every night she was here.  You see, she  lives in China.  She went to China as an English teacher to teach English to the Chinese.  While over there, she met and married a Chinese man, and has made China her adopted home.  She now has THREE children - which is unheard of in Chinese culture. The first and second ones were planned, and they thought their family was complete, but an "oops" happened, and the third came along, which caused all kinds of problems for her - as you know in China there is a law where you can only have one child, and very seldom under special circumstances two - but THREE - well that is unheard of.  However, because she was a "foreigner" she was allowed to have the baby, but had to have permanent contraception before she could leave the hospital. It was wonderful to hear all of her stories of how life is in China, and I could certainly go on for days with all of the things she told us.  But time doesn't permit me to do that, but here are a couple of pictures of us taken this weekend.

   

 

Actually we were so busy talking and catching up that I forgot to take any pictures,(for those of you who know me - that is SOO unlike me!) and so these pictures were taken at 4:30 in the morning before I left to take her back to the airport!  She was flying back to Florida to be with her family before flying back to China this Saturday - so we both looked a little tired! LOL! We had a wonderful time together!  Oh, and just one more tidbit of information - did you know that there is no public school in China - parents have to PAY for their children to go to school, and if you don't have the money - your children don't go to school. So many things made us realize how grateful we are to live in the great country that we do.  Anyway - have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!