Happy Birthday!

My mother is turning 95 this week!  Quite a milestone, but what's even more impressive is that about a 1-1/2 years ago, she picked up and moved from NJ and FL to Denver, Colorado to be near my two sisters and their families.  It was hard for me to see her leave, but I was also happy knowing that my sisters would now have an opportunity to spend some real quality time with her -- something that I had been fortunate to experience for many years.  

She has a beautiful apartment that overlooks the majestic mountains of Colorado. In the 18 months that she has been living there, she has made numerous friends and enjoyed playing bridge, lectures and movies.  She is definitely my role model! 

One of her favorite things to do is "High Tea", so what a better way to celebrate her than to host a Tea in her honor.  I am planning to fly out to Denver and surprise her, but I also wanted to do a little something for the Tea.  I created these table favors (credit to SplitCoast Stampers for the design): 

Using my stash of 6 x 6 DSP, I made 45 of these little treat holders.  The embellishment is

from Flourish thinlets, mounted on a scallop punch and topped off with a little pearl.  I punched a hole in the top and tied a little bow to hold it all together.

Each favor will hold a teabag on one side and a chocolate on the other.  I also stamped a sentiment on a little label from the Waterfront stamp set:  "Friends make the good times better" that will be inserted into one of the little "pockets".

Please join me in wishing my mom a VERY HAPPY & JOYFUL 95th BIRTHDAY!

Hello Cupcake!

I've really enjoyed playing and creating with the Hello Cupcake stamp set which is one of the Sale-a-Bration offerings that is free with a $50 order now through March 31, 2019.

I plan to make a set of these notecards for someone very special ~ my mother! 

Using the stamparatus, I stamped the images first - using colors that coordinate with the Gingham Gala 6 x 6 DSP.  The stamparatus made the task a snap, using both sides of the two plates!  I decided to go with the stitched rectangle for the die cut of the image.  

Since I am using notecards, I cut a piece of the DSP (2"x 5") and snailed it the card.  Popped some dimensionals on the rectangular image and adhered it to the card. A few embellishments finished it off!   I was able to make 4 of these cards in just a half hour.  

What are some projects you've created with this fun stamp set? 

Stampin'  UP!Items used in this project
Paper:  
WW Notecards
Gingham Gala DSP

Ink:
Balmy Blue
Blueberry Bushel
Crumb Cake
Smoky Slate
Mango Melody
Poppy Parade

Thinlets:
Stitched Rectangles

Miscellaneous:  
Enamel Dots

Thanks for Reaching Out ~ Paper Craft Crew Challenge (PCC321)

My entry for this week's PCC Challenge (PCC 321) was created using the Sea of Textures stamp set and coordinating Under the Sea framelits.

 

Using my faithful Stamparatus, I stamped the octopus in Fresh Fig and used the Big Shot to die cut the octopus, netting, sea grass and shells.  The sentiment from the same set was stamped in Tranquil Tide and cut with the smallest stitched oval and glued onto a layering oval cut in Tranquil Tide.  The sea grass needed a base to "grow on", so I cut a piece of Crumb Cake CS and stamped it with ink of the same color and then cut it look like the bottom of the ocean -- thus giving the sea grass an place to put down some roots!

The CS is Balmy Blue with a mat of Tranquil Tide and a mat from the Tranquil Textures DSP.  This pattern reminded me of blowing bubbles underwater!  The sentiment is a little "tongue in cheek" - 'Thanks for reaching out' - since Mr. Octopus has 8 arms ~ all the better to reach out to you! 

Stampin' Up! supplies used in this challenge:

Stamps: Sea of Textures

Dies:  Under the Sea Framelits

Stitched Circle

Stitched Labels

Ink: Fresh Fig, Tranquil Tide, Crumb Cake

Paper: Balmy Blue, Tranquil Tide, Crumb Cake, Whisper White & Tranquil Textures DSP

Accessories:  Metal Pearls

Thanks for stopping by!  

It's a Sale-a-Bration!

The more you buy,  the more you get!

Spend $50 (before tax and shipping), choose a FREE product from this brochure!  

There is no limit -- for every $50 you spend, choose another FREE product!  

Check out the $50 and $100 reward icons throughout the brochure. Click the picture above to download the brochure.

Who doesn't love FREE stuff?  Sale-a-Bration is the best time to join Stampin' UP! as a demonstrator.  There are two options during this period which runs through March 31, 2019:
OPTION 1 - Get $175* worth of Stampin' Up! products for just $99!  *This is $50 more in free products than usual!

OPTION 2 - Get $175* worth of Stampin' Up! products, PLUS the exclusive Craft & Carry Tote (a $50 value) for just $129!

 
And mark your calendar for February 15th with the announcement of another set of exclusive FREE items.

Interested? Need more details?  Contact me at createdbyrona@gmail.com today!

December Paper Pumpkin

Today I am working on alternatives for the December Paper Pumpkin which is an 18-month desk calendar.   Since I rely almost exclusively on my iPhone and computer to keep me up-to-date;  I am sorry to report that it really didn't thrill me when I opened my little orange box!  So, I set about  looking for other uses for the monthly pages.  The Facebook group, Paper Pumpkin Fan Club is a great resource when the monthly offerings come out.  Some view it as a challenge to create from the materials and resources that are hidden in that little box with the Tiffany blue tissue paper! What really caught my eye was using each month as the focal point for the card - making it a holiday, special occasion or birthday card.  So today I set to work to start on my calendar cards, using  DSP, stamps and embellishments for each.  Here is a sampling of my first four months:

Would you like to receive Paper Pumpkin's monthly offerings?  Please contact me for details.

Paper Craft Crew Challenge (PCC320)

To encourage my creative side, I am going to participate in the Paper Craft Crew Challenges (PCC320) - a Sketch Challenge which is the first of the new year. The sentiment on my card is to remind me to continue to step out of my comfort zone and reach for the stars! 

 

Here is my card:

I masked part of the "water" on the Lily Pad Lake stamp and stamped it in Tranquil Tide on Whisper White stock.  I next stamped the Frog in Garden Green.  Using the Soft Seafoam blends I colored in the water and frog using the Garden Green markers along with the Daffodil Delight blends; added the Crown (from So Happy) and colored in Daffodil Delight blends.  I used the Stitched Circle to cut out the focal point. I die cut the marsh grass in Tranquil Tide and the lily pad which I colored using the Soft Seafoam & Flirty Flamingo blends.  For the three embellishments I stamped the little bugs from So Hoppy in Tranquil Tide and added the enamel dots.  The sentiment is stamped in Tranquil Tide and separated by the marsh grass.

Stampin' UP! Supplies:

Stamps: So Hoppy (Sale-a-Bration)
Lily Pad Lake

Dies:  Lakeside Framelits

Stitched Circle

Stitched Labels

Ink: Balmy Blue, Tranquil Tide, Garden Green, Memento

Paper: Tranquil Tide, Daffodil Delight , Whisper White & Tranquil Textures DSP

Accessories:  Light and Dark Stampin' Blends:  Flirty Flamingo, Soft Seafoam, 

 Daffodil Delight; Stampin' Write Markers:  Garden Green, Lovely Lipstick, Tranquil Tide.  Metallic Pearls and Happiness Blooms Enamel Dots