Come to Bethlehem

Hi stampers! Today's card is made with Cherry Cobbler Cardstock, Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink, and uses the set, "Come to Bethlehem". The ribbon is 3/8" Very Vanilla Taffetta ribbon. This is a very simple, quick and easy card. I scored my cardstock and tore the top part to make it look like the top of a present. Then put the ribbon around that part. I cut a piece of cardstock 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" of Cherry cobbler. Then I stamped the scene from "Come to Bethlehem" on it and glued it up under the Present flap. Easy Peasy. Thanks for stopping by. Brenda

Card Gone Wrong!

Good morning stampers! Today's Christmas card used a technqiue called "Inlaid Embossing" . However, it didn't work out as planned, so I just added stamped cutouts to improve the looks of the card. When I stamped my tree, cut it out, and glued it to my white cardstock, I then ran it through my Petals Aplenty folder on the Big Shot. My stamped tree was Wild Wasabi,a nd it wasn't enough contrast to the white, so it just sort of faded into the background. Since inlaid embossing was the technique I was planning on teaching that day, I tossed this asside and went on to find something else that would work. Later I came back and stamped the tree in Garden Green on a piece of Whisper White Cardstock, cut it out and put it on with Stakmpin Deminsionals, as I did with the 3 red presents. now I like the card. It didn't meet my original critieria for the card, but it turned out fine as just a Christmas card. Don't give up on your "failures"--they are just opportunities for further creativity! Have a great day. Brenda

3 Christmas Cards

These are 3 of the cards that my daughter is making to send out for Christmas this year. The top one used the Merry Crittermas Stamp Set. The DSP is from a previous year, but I like that our new merchandise still looks good with some from the past! (Use it up, wear it out, Make do or do without!--We are both greatly influenced by my Depression era mother! lol) The second card used "Under the Stars" - the bear, and the hat is from another Golden Oldie, "Crab and Company" Aren't they perfect together? The third card uses the Top Not die and the Delightful Ornament Stamp Set. I appreciate her willingness to share with us today. Happy Stamping! Brenda

Ornament Thank You Card

I love this little Thank You card. The base is textured Wild Wasabi Cardstock. The ornament is REal Red and the rickrack trim and the "string" is Brushed Silver Cardstock. I used one of the teeny tiny pearls from our halfback Pearl Collection. The Silver Rick Rack is one of the 4 on the Tasteful Trim Bigz XL Die (#120893) which is in the Holidy Mini Catalog. Love that die! It makes such great Scrapbook borders, as well as cool trim on cards.

I have been adding Thank You notes in my customer's bags every since July. It has been such fun to come up with different ones each month--and even more different ones for customers who order more than once a month! This is one of my favorites!

Thanks for stopping by. Brenda

Furever Friends 2

As promised, this is another card that we made in the "Furever Friends" Stamping class. We used the Square Lattice Folder to make the background for this card. (I have a friend who calls this the Paper Towel folder!) It adds such great texture to a card. The tree is from "Nature Silhouttes". The sky was sponged in with Pumpkin Pie and Marina Mist inks. The grass was sponged in with Old Olive. The Scotty dog was stamped on Chocolate Chip cardstock and then cut out. The dog collar is a very thin piece of real red cardstock. Thanks for stopping by! Brenda

Furever Friends 1

This was one of the cards that we made last week in my "Furever Friends" stamping class. I just love the cute little dogs in this set. The cutting was fun! It is nice to find a stamp set that lends itself to both masculine and kids cards. Come back tomorrow and see another card that we made in this class! Thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Christmas Scrapbook Pages

These are the pages that we made tonight in my Scrapbook Class. Love the Candy Cane Designer Paper! The tree is my favorite. It was made with the large scalloped circle die and the Big Shot. The white on the edges of the tree is White Craft ink. You can't see it well, but I used the pearls and red punches to decorate the tree. Next month's scrapbook class is to be on Monday, December 27th at 6:30. We will be making Winter Scene pages. Email to register. Cost is $10.00 Halfwittstamps@aol.com

Thanks for stopping by.

Brenda

Great new Special!

From November 15 through November 30, 2010 your new recruits can purchase the Standard or Digital+ Starter Kits for only $87.50--that is 50 percent off the regular price of $175 for over $310 worth of paper or digital crafting and business supplies! From November 15 through November 30, 2010, when you join my team you can purchase the Standard or Digital+ Starter Kits for only $87.50--that is 50 percent off the regular price of $175 for over $310 worth of paper or digital crafting and business supplies!

This is the best price I have ever seen Stampin Up give - you get the whole kit, and not a scaled down kit. if you have ever considered doing what I do, now is the time to do it!

Even if you just want to sign so that you can have lots of cool new stamping supplies, it is still the time to do it! lol

If you don't have a stamping demonstrator, I would love to have you sign up under me. My website is: http://www.brendawitt.stampinup.net/

My demonstrator sign up password is: Danielle2001

Sign up during this special and you will be ready to come to our Downline Stamp and Play Meeting on November 29th!

Happy Stamping! Brenda

These are the scrapbook pages that we made in October. I love the new die that cuts the tiny Rickrack border. The scarecrow was a combination of scarecrows that i found online, plus my own twist to it. We had such fun making these pages. The pumpkins are made using the Oval Punches. This month we are going to be making Christmas pages. The class is Monday, November 29th at 6:30 p.m. email me if you are interested in attending. Halfwittstamps@aol.com

Happy Stamping!

Brenda

Thank You Notes

These are some of the thank you notes that I have been including in each person's order in October. They were such fun to create. I was using up, (trying to that is) my fall desginer paper and some fall colored scraps. did you know that it just can't be done? I think that I would have had to make 3256 thank you notes to begin to use it all up! I love the Autumn Splendor stamp set.

Happy Stamping!

Brenda

Birthday Scrapbook Pages

These are the Scrapbook pages that we made in the September Scrapbook Class. I finally found where I had "hidden" them on the computer! I have such trouble with things disappering! As usual, I found them while looking for something else on here that I can't find! I love the cupcake! It is made using the large Simple Birthday Thanks stamp. I inked the outline of the stamp and stamped the cupcake top on a piece of Elegant Soiree Designer Paper and the bottom on a piece of the dark brown piece of designer paper, also from Elegant Soiree! I finished it off with pearls from our Basic Pearls (#119247). The candle flames? Made from the bird's wing on our Bird Punch!! Hope you enjoyed these pages as much as i enjoyed creating them!

Happy Stamping! Brenda

Round Scallopped Easel Card

Hello! This is one of the prettiest cards that I have made in a very long time. I saw it on someone else's blog, or on Stamping Connection, maybe. It is changed a little bit, because I didn't have the circle scissors cutting to make the white layer. I still think it turned out just fine! Hope you enjoy it too!

This card uses the 4 1/2" Scalloped circle die, the 4" clear round circle die for the Big Shot, and lots of punches: Large bird punch, heart punch, Bo Ho Blossom Punch,large scallop punch, oval scallop punch, and the Butterfly punch. The stamp set is the Hostess set, Punch Potpouri. I have added some different size pearls from our Basic Pearls (#119247, $4.95) Colors of Cardstock are Marina Mist and Bashful Blue.

Happy Stamping!

Happy August

Yes, I know, Augsut isn't really just beginning, but I am just now catching up to it! lol Have had lots of fun selling retired items at my Stamping Garage Sale. Now I am ready to start playing with the new items from the Catalog. The wreath is an example of the kind of thing that can be done with fabric. And yes, we are getting fabric in the new Holiday mini catalog!!! My favorite is Candy Cane! Can't wait for that to be available. i have preordered your Holiday Minis and you should receive them the last week of August. If you don't, let me know so that I can get you another one! Thanks for stopping by today. Brenda

Home again, Home again !

We got home on Sunday at 11 a.m, after a red-eye flight from Salt Lake City to Charleston, WV. We were tired puppies. And as I thought, there was the garden awaiting me. Instead of going to bed for a nap, I helped can 14 quarts of green beans, and we froze 28 pints of corn. More needs freezing tomorrow too! But I love the corn, so not too big of a deal. (I had good help with the beans--my granddaughters and their mother. ) My husband was the biggest help of all--in fact we were all helping HIM! lol He picked all the beans, we just helped string, break and stuff the jars. He even watched the timer on the canner and kept adjusting the heat. He also picked, shucked, and cut the corn off the cob. All I did was cook it and put it in the bags.

Tonight's scrapbook class was really fun. I had one page ready when they got here, but not the second. I had the idea and a poorly put together second page, but the ladies loved it. We did paper tearing technique to make the mountains for our MOUNTAIN themed scrapbook pages this month.

Convention was so much fun this year. So many good card samples, and lots of new ideas to try. One class was on recruiting and getting bookings. I came home and one of my scrapbookers booked a party for August! Woo Hoo! I am so excited. Love the special for August hostesses - $25 extra hostess dollars with a $350 party merchandise total!

Thanks for stopping by. Brenda

Convention 2010 - Friday

I want to also show you one of the cards that I brought for trade. It surprised me that it was one of the fastest to go, as it is so simple, and I designed it myself! Yes, I know - not words you often here from me! It uses the deer from Winter Post, the new large scallop punch, and the stripe paper is in Sentimental Journey DSP, which is in the Summer Mini catalog. Love the new 1/8" Marina Mist ribbon!

Today was a totally awesome day!!! My downline and I, Bev Joplin, got to have breakfast with Shelli Gardner, founder and owner of Stampin Up! We received this honor because we were members of The Recruit Crew, and had one or more recruits from March to June. It was very nice. And then we were taken to the Gathering Place and we got to sit in the front rows!

Then during General session, I won one of the Prize Patrol Packages. I got the Halloween bundle--the stamp set, Wicked Cool, the Wicked Fun DSP, plus another item that will be in the new Holiday Mini that will be available September 1st. (PS - this holiday mini is the very best ever. Even the things I wasn't sure about, I NOW want, because of the samples, demonstrations, etc that I have seen here at convention!)

My friends, and fellow Dreambuilders, Kathy Hamrick and Jill Hilliard marching across the main stage in the Sales March.

Tomorrow is the last day of convention, and Bev and I will be on the red-eye home tomorrow night. When I get there the garden will be awaiting me - green beans to can and corn to freeze. Class on Monday night and my big Stamping Garage sale the 30th (for my stamp club members 6:30 - 8:30) and on Saturday for anyone who wants to come (8 a.m. - noon)

Thanks for stopping by! Brenda

Convention 2010 Thursday

What a day it has been! Bev and I both were part of the Recruit Crew on Stampin Up, and we just found out today that we get to have breakfast with Shelli for signing a recruit between March and June! Woo Hoo! What an honor! We were treated to great demonstrations on the Main Stage, and were greatly entertained by Corporate office staff, Jill K and Bonnie Thurber. They did a wonderful rendition of "Me and My Sister". There were more prize patrols, but none of our group won today. Kathy Hamrick won a stamp set last night. We got to eat lunch today with the head of Product Control and he asked us for our opinions on how they were doing. We had the opportunity to complement and voice our concerns. It was an awesome lunch. Tonight was the Awards Ceremony, and our upline Jan Wakeland was chosen as an Advisory Board Member! She was also one of the top 100 demonstrators in the company, as was fellow team members, Jill Hilliard, and Laurie Krauss. I hope to get to the display boards tomorrow to get pictures to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! Brenda

More Pictures from Convention

Here are some more pictures from Convention. Love the many differnt styles of cardmaking! Happy stamping, and thanks for stopping by. Brenda

Convention Day 1

Here is one of the cards that I brought to trade. It is a smaller version of a card that Gretchen Barron made. We saw so many great card samples today, and I traded for several of them. The high point of our day, besides spending time with the great friends we have made through stamping and SU, was the visit to the Stampin Up headquarters in Riverton, Utah. We got to see tons of sample cards, where Demonstrator support is, and the pickline, where they box up our orders before sending them on to UPS!

Salt Lake City

Today we had pleasant weather for our flights - no rain storms this year! And beautiful sunny weather here--not like the flooding at my house today!

It has taken me 4 years of being at Convention in Salt Lake City to get to Temple Square. I was so impressed with all there is to see there. Bev and I had a wonderful time. Gorgeous artwork, beautiful buildings and awe-inspiring views. Wanted you to see a few pictures. Tomorrow will be the first day of convention and we are so excited. Our hotel is right beside the Convention Center! We took a short cut through there today on the way to lunch. I have never seen it empty before, Wow. it is huge! Hope to post pictures and news tomorrow! Enjoy our pictures of SLC! Thanks for stopping by. Brenda

Journey

Life is a journey, and I felt like the car from Sentimental Journey should move on a card. Although the road should be twisting and turning, I settled for a straight road. I also used the tree from Forest Friends. The punches are the Word Window, the Scallop Oval and Small Oval punches.

I have attached the retiring stamp sets with pictures. These are only available until June 30th.
Buy 3 sets of retiring stamp sets and get a $5.00 off coupon on your first order from the new catalog.
Brenda

It's Wedding Season

Since June is about to start and it is wedding season, I was inspired by a card with a sun dress on it to turn it into a bride. The pieces for the bride use the Scallop Circles #2 Sizzix (both the dress and the veil, the small and large oval punches, the largest flower from the Boho Blossoms punch and also the Trio Flower punch. Her dress and flowers are punched from the Bride Specialty paper and the bouquet is dusted with Dazzling Diamonds. I used the Bashful Blue designer series paper to match the color of the wedding I was scrapbooking. The background on the paper is stamped using the wedding cake from Fun and Fast Notes.

Big Shot - with a new Twist!

Right now fabric is all the rage with the Big Shot. I have seen some gorgeous purses and quilts made using Big Shot dies to cut the pieces. My project is using 2 of the dies and the Big Shot, but on a much smaller scale! My granddaughter is making yarn dolls for a project at school. We got the dolls made and she wanted it to have clothes. (We we made them before, we just used different colors of yarn) This time, I thought, why not make them with fabric and the Big Shot? I used the Top Note die to make the doll's blouse. Yes, those are staples--this is just the prototype, we can actually find a needle and thread for the ones she uses at school! The skirt was made using the 4" scalloped circle die. Danielle had such fun going through my fabric stash to pick out the fabrics for each doll! The instructions for the yarn doll came from her Brownie Try It book! What fun. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Stamping and Big Shotting! lol

Easter Weekend at my House

This was the nicest Easter I can remember in a very long time - maybe even ever! My family was all here, and it was full of all kinds of activities - garden planting, Easter dinner, Easter Egg Hunt, basketball, (both on TV and in our driveway!), church, and my littlest grandaughter learning to ride her bike! Oh, forgot to mention the frogs! I have seen nature shows on tv for years that show the frog making that sound (mating call, screeching, ???), and the picture always shows the sac on his neck expanding to look like a bubblegum bubble. I thought that just happened to frogs in some exotic place. Not. I saw it in my own backyard! I had gone out to watch the planting of the garden, and heard the shrill sound of the frogs. Sure enough, I looked and there was one sitting there with that "bubble" I nearly fell in the little pond trying to get a picture. Just had to share it with you! There were at least 4 frogs in there on Saturday. 2 or 3 were screeching and 2 others were otherwise occupied.

No cards today, just wanted to share my Easter with you.

Thanks for stopping by. Next time I will do cards, or a Big Shot item. I promise.

Happy stamping.

Wanted to share with you today the card that my daughter made me for Mother's Day! She brought it home to me at Easter so that I could use it to display in my classes, and also use as a pattern if I want. Of course I want! I love the flower. She used the small oval punch to do the flower petals, and the 5 petal punch to do the leaves. The center set of petals was done by punching the Curly Label punch, folding it and snipping! Wala! you have a flower. The desginer paper used is Cottage Wall, and the stamp set is Messages for Mom. I love it! I am so lucky - Mary Ann is not only my daughter, she is also a fellow demonstrator! (And she is the one who makes it possible for me to have a blog - it certainly isn't my ability! lol) Thanks for stopping by. Happy Stamping!

Easter Treat Bag

This cute little bunny treat bag was a case from a trade that I got at Leadership last year or Convention last summer. I changed it a little bit, using the scalloped oval punch. I forgot to give the little fellow some whiskers! I love to use the topnote die as a topper for treat bags. This was a super easy and fast project. My little granddaughters love it. Thanks for stopping by and happy stamping.

Big Shot Flower

Today's card uses the Daisy Flower die for the Big Shot.

I cased this from my downline's swap card for February. The background is also a dots embossing folder - which I dearly love. I used Elegant Eggplant and Lavender lace Cardstock. This was a quick and easy card - and a great excuse to buy the Big Shot!!! Thanks for stopping by, and happy stamping!