Faux Pearls

Hi Stampers!  

Today I want to show you how to make faux pearls in case you are ever in a bind for pearls. I used  Hot Glue, hot glue gun, sil pat, parchment paper and Pearl colored nail polish. 

First, I heated the glue gun and then held it vertically over the sil pat. I oozed a little glue out and tried to come straight up with the gun, not leaving any of those little stringy glue thingies. After the dots were completely dry, I transferred them onto a piece of parchment paper and polished them with two coats of Pearl nail polish from the dollar store. Easy fix to pearl-lessness.

Rose Box

 Hi Stampers! 

Here is a peek at one of the boxes we will be making in the Boxes, Boxes, Bags and Tags class on April 7th. Send me an email to sign up for the class.  Class fee is $15 or a minimum $30 purchase.

See you soon! Till then...

Happy Stampin'! 

Judy 

Military Thank you card

Hi Stampers!
I was invited by Rhea Anderson to send a military card to a soldier currently serving. This is the card I sent.
It was surprisingly easy to do. Stampin' Up!'s stamp set named Courage (115330) made this card a breeze. I used the Service & Sacrifice set (115992) for the sentiment both inside and out.

How to:
Ink up soldier image with Versamark and stamp onto Whisper White card stock (100730).
Dust with Black embossing powder (109133) and heat(100005) (embossed areas resist ink).
Using the large tip of the Stampin' Write Markers, color as desired. I used Real Red, Brilliant Blue,
Always Artichoke and Blush Blossum. (see earlier post if you want to get into the Marker club)
Once the image is complete, tear around the edges and distress with tool (106958). Then sponge with Real Red ink (103133).
Layer onto a slightly larger, distressed Brilliant Blue (100721) layer and finally onto the card front. Stamp your sentiment in Basic Black (101179) and VOILA...It is finished.

Happy Stampin'!
Judy

Finishing the counter top

OK, I am SOOOOOOOOOO excited about this post!!! This photo is how the concrete counter top looked when the form work was removed and a "slurry" mix had been applied (for the second or third time) to fill a few imperfections.

 My husband, Pablo, helps Michael put the hand crafted splash guards on the side of the table.

This is Michael in the process of sanding (for the umpteen time) to expose the aggregate and make it very smooth.  After a few weeks and SEVERAL trips from Houston to Victoria, he finished the project this weekend. So, see the next post...VOILA!

VOILA!!

Here it is!!! All Installed!! Phase One DONE! WooHoo~~
Following are some up close and personal photos of it.
THANK YOU to EVERYONE who helped make this happen!!
Michael, Tracey, Pablo A. and  Pablo Garza, Mark Atchinson and Tommy Rung
YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!

I have to keep pinching myself to see if I am awake and this is all real!
THANKS AGAIN! 

SERIF ESSENTIALS ALPHABET DIES

Hi Stampers!
So, you already HAVE the Big Shot but you still want to get in on the Big Shot Classes FREE?

Join the Serif Essentials Alphabet Hostess-share Club. 

This is a GREAT alphabet set (page 199) for making 

banners

monogrammed scrapbook "candy"

and posters. 

Break up the cost by paying just $45/month for four months and get FOUR BIG SHOT CLASSES FREE 

PLUS

a FREE hostess stamp set and $15.00 in FREE merchandise the month YOU are the hostess.

The price includes shipping, handling and tax.
This hostess-share club fills up fast so, email me today if you want to be included!
Happy Stampin',
Judy

Big Shot PLUS

Forming now, a Big Shot PLUS hostess-share club. There will need to be four people sign up to participate for four months at $55.00/month.

WHAT YOU GET: 

BIG SHOT

Decorative Strip Spacer Platform and Cutting Pads

Texturz Impressions Pad and Silicone Rubber

PERFECT DETAILS TEXTURZ PLATE

MANHATTAN FLOWER EMBOSSING FOLDER

BILLBOARD LETTERS

THE TOP NOTE DIE.

            LITTLE LEAVES SIZZLET (FREE from me)

All this along with FOUR BIG SHOT CLASSES on how to use your new Big Shot! 

PLUS

YOU will be the hostess one of the four months at which time you will earn a minimum of one FREE stamp set AND $15.00 of FREE merchandise.

This club usually fills up quickly so, let me know as soon as possible.

Marker Club

Sign up is now underway for the first four people who want to get all the markers, AND the marker case, without having to purchase the whole set at once ($125).  This works like a hostess club where it will run for four consecutive months, each member taking a turn at receiving the hostess benefits one month. The cost of this club is $46.00/month 

Included:

all shipping and handling and tax.  

FREE Marker Instructions Class

Each month you will receive

One "family" of markers 

same "family" of cardstock.

The month you are the hostess

you will get  the Carrying Case

One FREE stamp set

Minimum of $15.00 FREE merchandise.  

Please let me know if you have any questions. Email me or leave a comment on this blog if you want to be a part of the club.
Happy Stampin'!
Judy

Ribbon Shares

I have openings in RIBBON SHARES from the Occasions Mini Catalog. For $20 you will receive 3 YARDS of EACH of the nine colors of the beautiful 5/8" satin ribbon. Please send me an email or leave a comment here if you want to be part of this share. Thanks!
Happy Stampin'!
Judy

My APOLOGIES!!

Hi Stampers!!
I bet ya'll are wondering where in the world I have been.  Not blogging, right?!? Right. I have been re-doing my stamping space. It will be done a little at a time. My son drew up plans for a custom made cabinet to house my new style punches, rollers, paper, supplies, Big Shot, Circle Scissor Plus and dies. That cabinet was built and installed about two weeks ago.

Two weekends ago, my son Michael and his wife, Tracey, came down to Victoria from Houston to make the counter top for this cabinet. It is sort of an experimental counter top. You see, it is going to be a Cobalt Blue concrete countertop. It ended up to be a TOTAL FAMILY AFFAIR. Here are some photos of us on the day we poured the counter top.

                          Michael and I are putting small blue glass stones into the framework he built.

 Then, we added some small glass aggregate.  These will (hopefully) show on the top of the counter once it is finished.

This is a sideways view of him adding the Cobalt blue die to the concrete.

It took "all hands on deck" when it was time to actually pour the concrete. Here are my husband and my oldest son Pablo helping get the concrete from the mixer.

Here I am getting instructions to work the concrete around the suspended rebar. Then, (below) my daughter-in-law, Tracey, and I are working the concrete in, trying to eliminate air pockets while my oldest son, Pablo is getting ready to vibrate the air bubbles out of it.

The excess concrete was poured into some small square frames to make paving stones. My husband, Pablo and I are working on smoothing out the surface and vibrating air bubbles out of the concrete.

This past weekend, while I was with my daughter in Chicago, IL and Iowa visiting family, Michael and Tracey were back and broke the form work away and sanded the top. After sanding, a "slurry" mix was applied. This will have to be sanded and perhaps more applied until, finally, a sealer will be put on and buffed to a shine. I will post the finished product as soon as it is finished. I am SO EXCITED about this!! Thanks for being patient with me, not blogging cards for a week or more. Will try to get something posted later this week.

Happy Stampin'!
Judy

Bird Wing Flower All Occasion Card

Hi Stampers!
This card was inspired by Loretta Howard. Apparently she saw someone use these little bird wings to make a flower somewhere on the internet. There is no stamping on this card right now because I think it is so versatile that it could be stamped with "thank you", "thinking of you", "happy birthday", etc. I will stamp it as a need arises, using Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370 pg 145).

To make this card use a piece of 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" Kraft card stock (102125 pg 159), scored at 4-1/4". Using the Circle Scissor Plus tool (112530 pg 191) with the PENCIL feature (instead of the cutting blade), make about a 3" circle on the card front. Using scrap paper (for this card from "To the Nines"[114038 pg 163], So Saffron [105118 pg 157], Soft Suede [115318 pg 155]  and Apricot Appeal [105124 pg 157]) punch JUST THE WING of the Extra Large Two-Step Bird punch (117191, pg 11 Occasions Mini). Then, starting on the circle, glue the little bird wings all around, layering as you come closer to the center. The center is created with a Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (114339 pg 181).

I was delighted to be able to use some of my scraps in making this versatile card.

Happy Stampin'!
Judy

South Texas Big Shot's Group Gathering - March 4th

Hi Stampers!
This month's Group Gathering was the biggest gathering yet! As I promised in an earlier post, here are the details of our night.

Card Contest WINNER!

Sara Teague's turtle card won this month's card contest.
Stamp set: Nature's Nest

Meet, Greet and EAT!










No Group Gathering is complete without a cake made by our very own Loretta Howard. Loretta used the stamp set Garden from the Heart from the Occasions Mini as her inspiration.




Sharon Lempa WINS the Royalty Pot Drawing!









Recruitment Award...inside a Stampin Up! card tree.



Join the South Texas Big Shot's and we will see you at next month's Group Gathering!
Happy Stampin!
Judy

South Texas Big Shot March 2010 Rising Star!

Congratulations Janell Belcher!! Janell continues to be the reigning Rising Star of the South Texas Big Shots!! I had fallen behind in my duties and did not have her "traveling trophy" finished for the Group Gathering on the 2nd but, it is ready now!! It is a pin that Janell will be able to keep and wear proudly for one month.

Want to be the STBS Rising Star of the month? The title comes with this pin and BRAGGIN' RIGHTS for a FULL MONTH! Points are earned by RECRUITING, SALES, downline promotions and EVENTS. Ask for more details if you are the competitive type.

Watch for more news from our recent South Texas Big Shots Group Gathering...
Till then,
Happy Stampin'!
Judy

Sweet Pea Baby Buggy

Hi Stampers!
Did I EVER have FUN doing THIS!!!! Oh MY!! A gentleman called me to say his first granddaughter was due this week. Asked me to make an extra special card for her BIRTHday. Well, as I was looking on different websites for ideas, I came across this little buggy! There is nothing I could do to make it any better!! So, I copied it exactly as done by Diana Ball. You can click HERE to go to her blog.

Paper: Sweet Pea DSP, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White.

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Sweet Pea Felt Flowers, Epoxy Chocolate Chip Brads, Hand-held 1/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Trim SAB FREE Punch, Sticky Strip & Stampin' Dimensionals.

On the inside of the card I made a scalloped circle message. I printed "Happy BIRTHday from your grandparents" in Brown ink onto Pretty in Pink CS. Punched it with a 1-1/4" circle punch. Layered onto 1-3/8" circle punched from Choc. Chip CS. Finally, all layered onto a scalloped circle from the same Sweet Pea DSP.

All I can say...'I have had SO much fun with the paper in that Sweet Pea DSP pack." If you have not ordered it, take another look at it.

Happy Stampin'!!
Judy

Sponge Bob

Hi Stampers!!
Just have to share the card I cased from Kim Jenkin's blog. I used this for a 3 year old's birthday card today. An unusual thing for me...to post a card that is not completely and totally done exclusively with Stampin' Up! products. However, I had this old Cuttlebug embossing folder that gave me the look I wanted. So, pardon me for reneging this one time. I DID have to run it through the Big Shot though!

The ingredients: Stamps: none. Card Stock: Tempting Turquoise, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, YoYo Yellow, Real Red and Basic Black. Punches: 1-1/4", 3/4" and 1/2" round punches, Double rectangle punch. I used the flap from the Petal Card Bigz die to trace the curve for his smile. (got it a little too low but...no time for re-do's) The eyelashes, teeth and tie were all cut freehand.

Then, it just so happened that his brother had his second birthday this month too. So...here is his Cookie Monster Card. I cased this from a fellow demonstrator, Sandra Ackley.


Till later...
Happy Stampin'!
Judy