Hello friend!

Do you like our wonderful markers as much as I do?   In the 2013-2014 annual catalog, you can purchase a New Color Kit of the Stampin' Write Markers (item #130034 on page 163).   For a limited time, you can purchase the new markers individually.  This is a great way to complete your collection!

ITEM	PRICE	DESCRIPTION
130034	$28.95	Stampin' Write Marker New Color Kit Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Island Indigo, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Wisteria Wonder
131899	$3.50	Bermuda Bay Stampin' Write Marker
131265	$3.50	Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker
131902	$3.50	Calypso Coral Stampin' Write Marker
131901	$3.50	Crushed Curry Stampin' Write Marker
131905	$3.50	Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker
131266	$3.50	Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker
131904	$3.50	Pool Party Stampin' Write Marker
131898	$3.50	Smoky Slate Stampin' Write Marker
131900	$3.50	Soft Sky Stampin' Write Marker
131903	$3.50	Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Marker

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Thinlits!

Hello friend!

Sometimes there are products that you have to see before you realize just how great they are.  Thinlits are one of them!

These new card dies come with extra pieces that have versatile designs so you can use them on other projects, not just flip cards.  (The Circle Card Thinlits Die comes with 10 total pieces; the Label Card Thinlits Die comes with nine total pieces.)

Item	Description	Price
133479	Label Card Thinlits Die	$32.95
133480	Circle Card Thinlits Die	$32.95

Check this out:

Isn't that fun?  I can't wait to make a card like this with you!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Undefined--Stamp Carving Kit

Hello friend!

This is a new product that looks very interesting--you can carve your own stamps.  There are refill kits for both wood and clear mount stamps available.  This could be fun!

And don't forget to let me know what you think.

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

A "Marvel"ous Quilt!

Hello friend!

This was the last quilt I entered in our quilt show--and boy was it fun to make!

The idea for this quilt came from this paper airplane quilt that I found on Pinterest.  (Have I ever talked about my Pinterest addiction here?)  The first kite I made had bright, fun fabric--but I realized that you rarely see kites like that any more.  I remembered seeing this Marvel fabric as I walked through the Wal-Mart craft aisle a couple days before, so  I went right out and bought it.  

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Eight Square "Quilt" Card!

Hello friend!

Here's another one of the cards we're going to make tonight at Expressions of Faith:

Have I shown you cards with this design before?   Over the years I have made quite a few with this pattern.

It uses 8 squares--four each of 2 patterns.  Our beautiful, double-sided Designer Series Papers are perfect for this, and it doesn't take much so this is a good card to make with scraps. (I'm using a 6 x 6 piece, and it was more than enough to make 2 cards.)

 You could cut the squares with a Paper Cutter, but I prefer using a punch so you know they are absolutely the same size.  This punch is 1 1/4 inches.  I also like to use two designs with high contrast.  If the papers are too similar, they just blend together and you'll lose the impact.












Layer four of the squares on a 3 inch piece of coordinating cardstock.  Be sure to leave a very small gap between the squares and only adhere them to the card stock in one corner.  And it must be consistently the SAME corner all around.  This leaves room to put the second layer of squares underneath, like this:

I rotate the cardstock as I glue the second layer of squares in place.  As you can see, when placed correctly  it appears the four squares create a larger square at an angle.







You can either layer this on another 3 inch square of card stock at an angle, or you can get the same effect by punching a square and cutting it into four pieces to attach to the back of the white corners.

My final card.  I thought it would be nice to trim the blue background, which would leave some of the white card showing on the right edge.  Would have worked better if I opened up the card and ONLY cut the Night of Navy... well, I still like it.  :)

And then I had another idea.  What if the squares were layered on thinner paper (like printer paper) and run through the Big Shot to emboss it? Would it look like fabric?  (since this is a quilt-y type of look?)

You can barely see it here, but I did cut a small square of copy paper to test the theory.

All four squares are attached--no background shows:

After the eight squares were together, I ran them through the Big Shot.  You can see the texture better at this angle.  It seems softer, definitely more "fabric-like."








The final card!   Ta-Da!













Wow, you stuck with me through this looooong post.  Well done, brave stamper!

Wendy

Ta-Da! Our Girl's Snowball Quilt!

Hello friend!

In January I helped to plan my quilt guild's "Snowball Party."  We asked members to bring a snowball block made with bright, child-friendly fabric. We got enough of them to make two quilts--one for a boy and one for a girl.  This is our girl quilt. I forgot to take a photo of the boy quilt--which is so sad because it was so cute and had this blue fish fabric...  Oh well.










After the blocks were sewn together (thanks, Kay) and borders added, I gave it to one of our long-arm quilters (thanks, Melva).  It is so nice to see it finished.  And best of all?  Both quilts have been donated to either Safe Haven or ACCESS to warm up a child in need.



Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Summer Cards

Hello friend!

Well, it has been quite a day.  It started with a walk.  My longest walk since I started "training" for a 5K.  Today I actually walked 3.2 miles!  My time is not fast (21-minute miles) so I won't break any records, but I did it!!!!!

Then I learned that two of the quilts I entered in the quilt show, my ugly fabric challenge quilt (see June 28)  and my kite quilt (see May 10), both won Viewer's Choice Awards for their category!

I spent a couple hours this afternoon stamping.  Needed card samples for Expressions of Faith next week.  Here are a couple of the cards:

 Remember this set?  I loved it, and it was fun to pull it back out.  Its fun because the flowers, leaves and grass are cut out. Love it.

This is my day for pulling our retired sets, I guess.  Here's another "oldie but goodie."  It needs words along the bottom--but I couldn't decide what greeting to use, so I'll leave it blank until I need to use it.

And then to end the day we went to Natalie's softball game.  Her team won the tournament!

What happy girls--a trophy for winning the tournament and a trophy for winning the regular season!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

Quilt Show!

Hello friend!

I'm enjoying a quiet evening at home.  Yesterday we set up our guild's quilt show, and today was the first day.  You've still got one more chance to attend the show--tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Park Street Brethren Church, Ashland. You'll be glad you stopped by!

Let me show you some photos I took today.  It is our guild's 25th anniversary....

This Christmas table runner was my entry in a guild challenge:

Hannah made this flag quilt:

This is my entry in the "ugly fabric challenge" and Natalie calls it my "ugly quilt."  (I purchased an assortment of blocks at our guild's auction last year, and managed to put them together into a mass of craziness!)

Happy Quilting!
Wendy

Hostess Appreciation Brunch

Hello friend!

Today was my Hostess Appreciation Brunch!  Each year I plan a fun morning of stamping, prizes, food, and fun for my wonderful hostesses. We start the morning "under wraps" and while we have our brunch, no one can see what we'll be doing.

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As the morning progresses, more of the table gets exposed...  let me show you some of what they saw and received!


My top hostess receives a gift certificate for Stampin' Up products and the top three receive a gift.  This year I made them these boxes of supplies:



Each box contained ribbons, stamped images, embellishments, and die cuts. All they need are the base cards and some adhesive!

My happy hostesses.... if only they could all attend!  

I always have two projects for them to make.  One was this card:

It uses several new colors to our line:  Smoky Slate and (returning) Crushed Curry. Also part of our 2013-2015 In Color line is Strawberry Slush.

This purse box was made with one sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 card stock--also in one of our new In Colors, Baked Brown Sugar. The Designer Series Paper is Venetian Romance--page 153-- and I love it!  (actually, you cannot see much of it here--trust me, it is gorgeous)  The accent colors are Tangerine Tango and Soft Suede,and the flower stamped on the front was done with Crisp Cantaloupe.  You guessed it, another 2013-2015 In Color color!

Happy Stamping!
Wendy

So much is going on!

Hello friend!

No time for photos today--too much is going on--but I wanted to remind those of you who are qualified for my Hostess Appreciation Brunch on the 22nd that registration is due by tomorrow!  Fun things planned, you do not want to miss out.

Stay tuned and I'll get photos of new cards and quilts and fun stuff on here next week.

Have a great weekend!   
Wendy