Family Reunion Projects

So, the real reason I haven't been around blogging, or even stamping for that matter, is that I have spent 2019 planning for and prepping a family reunion. And since it was this weekend, I can finally show off my projects!
This side of the family is scattered, currently we have people in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California and Hawaii, but we've had people all over the country, and many in other countries at different times. We've held a reunion in 1981, 1993, 1995 and 2009, so it was time. It was also in honor of what would be my grandmother's 100th birthday if she was still around. My parents coordinated the entire thing, so I was in charge of "entertainment".

Obviously, after all that time and distance, we were going to need a get-to-know-you activity. Most of us are introverts and are likely to sit quietly talking to one person, and it's likely that one person is going to be a parent or sibling they live with instead of another relative. I really wanted people to mingle, haha, so I came up with a variation of an ice breaker game that would guarantee we found out something new about each other. You're probably familiar with the game I've played many times on the first day of a new class, where you have to find someone with nail polish on or someone born the same month as you or someone who went to Disneyland over the summer...? That same idea, but customized so that you would find THESE relatives. I asked each person who MIGHT come to send me 3-5 facts about themselves. Initially I thought I'd pick the most unique fact, but then I decided to use as much as possible so that not only would we learn more about each other, but we were also more likely to discover something randomly in common with each other, and therefore be more inclined to have a conversation with someone "new". My son actually made the grid for me, and typed in the facts. It covered both sides of the paper, plus a few bonus questions. Also, we only included those ages 4 and up.
When it came time to play, I said it was totally fine to add names of the people you knew for sure- spouses, children, siblings, whatever, but that the point was to get everyone talking to each other. I didn't know how it would actually go, but it was so much fun to see that yes- almost everyone got up and talked to each other trying to fill in their sheet and actually get to know each other. I had a time limit of 30 minutes, which ended up perfect for one person, haha. Only one person filled the whole sheet AND got it right. I gave out a prize (candy bar) for that, and for completing one whole side, and I also got a lot of comments that it wasn't enough time, which was fine with me! It ended up a hit and highlight of the day, and I am glad of that.

Since we were focused on my grandmother, and on ancestors, we wanted to give people a chance to get to know the people they come from. I created a BINGO game for that. Our family is a little bit complicated, due to my grandmother being widowed twice, so I used three lines of genealogy for the BINGO boards. I also included my uncle and cousin that have passed away- otherwise they would have attended the reunion. Then instead of a traditional BINGO game, where, for example, I would have called out "B-1", I created some fact cards about each of these ancestors. I used their picture, their name, their birth and death years, and a few facts I could find or come up with on each of them. I created it all in my loved-but-long-retired MDS. Each BINGO board took almost an hour to create, so I stopped at 15. Not to mention the time it took researching all the facts...on 27 ancestors!
This was kind of geared more to the children, so I bought a bunch of small party favors as prizes, pencils, slinkys, jolly ranchers, stampers and even a few toy cars. This didn't get played a whole lot, but, I laminated it all and will keep it for Thanksgivings and future family gatherings when we need something to do, hahaha!

Finally, I continued my photo project, where we've been scanning in all the pictures that belonged to my grandmother (or of previous family events) and adding captions. Names, dates, locations, any other details we could come up with. Over the last year, I have gotten 758 photos scanned and captioned for my dad's family. 166 of them last week alone! They look like this now:

And then, in addition to all that, I found items to display, again with a focus on my grandmother. Everything on this table is her work- the toys, the pillow, the bags, she wrote the story in the magazine, and behind that is a little binder including letters and postcards she sent me, a few times she re-wrote songs for things she needed, and the last page was some tidbit memories from my dad and I. The front binder is pictures that were completed, that my aunt already had on scrapbook pages for people to thumb thru. And two quilts she made me below. As the day went on, my brother, my mom and my cousin added some quilts and a Raggedy Andy doll- all the boys got Andy, all the girls got Ann.

And this was a display of pictures of my grandmother and her husbands and their parents and families. My aunt added a picture later, but I didn't take pictures of these tables as the day went on... 

Anyway, THAT is where my brain has been for a while now.
It ended up going better than I expected and we had a wonderful turn out. We only missed 8 people! It was a fun day and we got such great feedback too. I think every person learned more than they expected (haha!) and everyone definitely got to know one another better and that was the whole point!

But maybe I'll get some stamping done soon and get back to my regular classes.... that would be fun too! hahaha!!

Summer Woods

Here is a set that I am so glad stuck around in the new catalog! I've used these trees so far for winter, fall, winter, spring and spring, so here's my first summer version! This is also for my upcoming class- great for a guy, (Father's Day is almost here!) or for anything else you might need. Personally, I used this greeting from the A Good Man set, and it still could be sent to pretty much anyone!

I started with the latest sketch from the Inspire.Create. blog, tho I kind of added a bit. I wanted to mat the main image with copper foil DP but I didn't have enough for a class, so a strip of foil has to work! I also heat embossed the trees- a technique I haven't shown in years!

Supplies:

Stamps: Winter Woods, A Good Man

Ink: Versamark, Old Olive, Cajun Craze

Paper: Old Olive & Very Vanilla card stock, Copper Foil DP

Accessories: Copper Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stamping Sponge

However, heat embossed images, and foil paper can be pretty tricky to photograph, so let's try that again...

Hmm...still tricky. But trust me, it looks neat with the definition to the branches and the sponged on "leaves". And really, I love that these trees work for all seasons.

New Catalog!!

Happy New Catalog Day to you! A new catalog is always so exciting- new colors, new stamps, new accessories, new tools!

I got lots of stamping done yesterday in preparation for my upcoming classes, (yeay!! finally!!!) and I get to show off a couple of brand new catalog products for you today!

This is one of my favorite new sets in the catalog, altho, if we're honest here, there are maaany. These images, especially the ones with the children, look like actual photos of my husband and my own father. I know I can get a lot of use out of this set! For my class however, I am offering a few cards that will work for Father's Day (it's coming up- are you ready?) or a man's birthday, or really whoever. Since I don't know what image my customers will like the best, I thought I'd give them a choice of images and greetings. I have a few stamping friends that even when given choices, will still copy my card exactly, even if they might get more use out of a variation. So I made all three options! I also chose to color them in different ways, showing the versatility of our tools, but also giving them a chance to try something new, or stick with something easy if they'd prefer that! It doesn't matter how you like to color your images, we've got something you'll like. And I love that part!

So here is my full set- and it shows my favorite new In Color, Seaside Spray!
The set qualifies for the latest TGIF challenge which is to make a set! Handy! Also, it totally qualifies for the latest SUO Challenge to make something masculine!

For all three cards, I used the same sketch, found at the Sketch Saturday blog. The color combo came from a very old stamp kit, back when our DP was one sided, haha. But I love the shades of blue with the orange, (even if the kit I'm thinking of used More Mustard) and it's nice and masculine too.

This first card is the most simple. The image was stamped in that great new Seaside Spray, I really do love it!

Supplies:

Stamps: A Good Man

Ink: Pacific Point, Seaside Spray

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Seaside Spray, Whisper White

Accessories: Dimensionals

This second card is colored with Watercolor Pencils and Blender Pens- one of the first techniques I learned with Stampin' Up! I used the slightest hint of Calypso Coral pencil for the skin and the Blender Pens didn't even make him look sunburned, haha! Also, I am pretty sure I know just who this card is going to...

Supplies:
Stamps: A Good Man
Ink: Pacific Point, Stazon Black
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Seaside Spray, Whisper White
Accessories: Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pens, Dimensionals

And my final card is going to be a Father's Day card, even if I haven't figured out yet for whom...! I SO love this image!! I used the Stampin' Blends on this card, except the water. I don't have a light blue shade of Blends yet, so for this I used the Seaside Spray ink pad and a Blender Pen.

Supplies:

Stamps: A Good Man

Ink: Pacific Point, Memento Black, Seaside Spray, Bronze Stampin' Blends, Ivory Stampin' Blends, Dark Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends, Light Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends, Dark Night of Navy Stampin' Blends, Color Lifter Pen

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Seaside Spray, Whisper White

Accessories: White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

So! There's a new stamp set, and a new In Color. What do you think?
If you don't have a copy of the catalog yet, it is right there on my sidebar for your convenience! You can also contact me to get a hardcopy if you'd rather. There are SO many things I am looking forward to in the new catalog! Tell me your favorite! 

We Create Basics Blog Hop

Hello! Here we are, already to June!
This is a good thing at my house- we definitely needed a break from school. Also our family reunion is later this month, and as soon as that is over I can focus on my business once again, haha! But today we have a blog hop for you!

We stuck with the most basic of colors this month. 

I was a little bit stumped at first and then I had a plan. Happily- it turned out just as nicely as it was in my head! While the colors stayed basic and simple, the card did not. 

All of these items are carrying over to the brand new catalog which is released in just a few days! I love new products, but I also love things sticking around, haha! 

Supplies:
Stamps: Well Said
Ink: Memento Black
Paper: Whisper White & Basic Black card stock
Accessories: Basic Pearls, Well Written framelits, Circle dies, Tin Tile embossing folder, Big Shot

What do you think of our simple color combo?
Hop on over to see how Cheryl made it work, then hop on thru and leave us your thoughts! It's a quick hop around back to me, and everyone loves feedback!
Happy June!

April Paper Pumpkin Plus!

Mother's Day is this Sunday- are your cards made?? Mine were not so I hurried and put some together today! The April Paper Pumpkin kit was absolutely beautiful and I think just right for Mother's Day cards.

However, I first used the kit for an anniversary card for my parents! They recently celebrated 40 years of marriage and I thought this was perfect- even if the picture isn't! This is one of the pre-designs, other than I sponged on some pink where the flower was going to be. The yellow and green are printed on the DP sheet!

Then today I made up the second design, almost exactly. There are three designs, but I really love the print so I might change things up and not cover quite so much.

Then, I decided to make my own creations using the stamp set. That is one of my favorite parts of these kits! First I used the latest Mojo Monday sketch combined with the color challenge from Inky Friends. I liked the rich Mossy Meadow with these pretty flowers! The Mint Macaron is harder to see- I added a little 'watercoloring' with an aquapainter and the ink pad, in between the stamping.

Supplies:

Stamps: April 2019 Paper Pumpkin Sentimental Rose

Ink: Calypso Coral, Petal Pink, Mossy Meadow, Mint Macaron

Paper: Whisper White, Mossy Meadow card stocks, April 2019 Paper Pumpkin

Accessories: Metallic Sequins, Glue Dots, Take Your Pick Tool

This final card is a really lousy picture, but we keep have huge thunderstorms that come and go all day long so I took pics while there was some sun, and this will just have to do. This time I used the latest Freshly Made Sketch and the colors from the latest TGIF challenge!

Supplies:
Stamps: April 2019 Paper Pumpkin Sentimental Rose
Ink: Petal Pink, Crumb Cake and Pool Party
Paper: Petal Pink, Whisper White card stocks
Accessories: Dimensionals

What do you think? Get your Mother's Day cards made soon too! And remember, you can send Mother's Day cards to any mother you know, even mother figures like aunts or helpful neighbors!

We Create In Color 2018-2020 Blog Hop

It doesn't make sense how quickly the years have started flying by, but here we are at May of 2019 already, and while that is crazy to me, that means a fun and inspiring blog hop for you!

This month our Blog Hop is focusing on the 2018-2020 In Colors that are sticking around! I wanted to play with a set that is retiring at the end of the month (well, June 3) that I loved as soon as I saw it, and haven't got to play with yet! 

It has been a while since I bought a hostess-only stamp set, but this was one of those that I really had to have. Are you familiar with the idea of the "shoemaker's children having to go barefoot"? That totally applies at my house. I used to be great about sticking little notes in my kids' lunch boxes for the holidays or just when they needed an extra hug, but it has been quite some time since I did that... like years. And this set was PERFECT for the kinds of notes my kids need now. 

My projects today definitely qualify as #simplestamping. I only got out the one stamp set, the 2018-2020 In Color markers, 2018-2020 In Color card stock pack, Whisper White card stock and Memento black ink. That's it! But, with these shades, these cards are still happy and cute and get the motivational thought across, haha! 

The sunshine stamp...

the growing stamp...

and the believe stamp! 

And all of them lined up together! Do you have a favorite? 

I think these will be a nice surprise over these last few weeks of school, don't you? These cards are 4x4 size, with a 3x3 panel of Whisper White, which are great for lunch boxes, by the way. 

Now hop on over to Cheryl's blog to see what she's created for you! Then keep hopping around til you get back to me- it isn't a long hop, but it will be full of these same happy colors and a lot of great inspiration! And let us know what you think of our work! 

March Paper Pumpkin

I really am a fan of Paper Pumpkin kits. I love that they have everything designed, ready to go. You can easily make the designed project, or you can do your own thing and adjust it to something else you want.

March's Paper Pumpkin was their 6th anniversary kit, so they went with a fun birthday theme. I happened to need some birthday cards right that second, haha, so I put one of each style together. I stuck them in the mail that same day and just realized I never shared it here!

 The insides of each card is fun too!

This particular kit came with the supplies to make four of each card and they are standard sized. There are coordinating lined envelopes too. But because it was Paper Pumpkin's birthday, they included a free bonus stamp set as a birthday gift or party favor, haha. It was a set of polka dot numbers that match the die cut "4" on the front of the second card. That's great for me- perfect for scrapbooking, as well as birthday cards where you want to include the age! 

I haven't had a chance to get back to this kit yet, but I definitely need to! We always need birthday cards on hand! And I can already tell you, in addition to the cute stamps and the ink spot we get to keep forever from all the kits, there will be die cuts left over for other projects. I love that! 

Summer Scrapping!

I haven't stamped very much in recent weeks, I have been really busy with a lot of things, most of which are in fact for other people. Not that I mind, it's just that sometimes you need a minute to yourself. So today, after an unexpectedly crazy morning, I decided I was going to stamp. Then I decided that even better- I was going to scrapbook!

I pulled out the printed pics intended for my baby's book, looked at the events I had and figured I'd do the whichever theme matched the first thing I found and loved that fit, haha! This long retired DP was perfect for her first time in the wading pool last summer, with the high waves and swirls. I knew exactly which stamp image I wanted to use after that, and I just made it fit, HA. I don't even love the placement of the stamp or the journaling, because I really wanted to show off the DP, but there it is, and hey, she's got two more pages done! That puts her up to .... eight whole pages! YIKES!

Supplies:
Stamps: Lively Little Ones, Skinny Mini Alphabet (both retired)
Ink: Pacific Point, Memento Black, Calypso Coral marker
Paper: Whisper White card stock, High Tide DP (retired)
Accessories: Watercolor Pencils, Glue Dots, sequins from a retired embellishment kit

This is why I keep what I buy. Many demonstrators sell off their retired products, and I do sell some, to make more room, but. I start by buying what I love, then I find ways to use it in my scrapbooks. Lively Little Ones came out in 2005. Skinny Mini Alphabet came out in 2014. And the DP is from at least 2015, maybe earlier. I love having a variety of alphabet stamps. I love having a nice stash of DP for any occasion. And I love the variety of stamps that come and go!

Upcoming Paper Pumpkin!

Here's a sneaky peek to May's Paper Pumpkin kit!

This May, you’re in for a treat. Paper Pumpkin has teamed up with Shelli Gardner, board chair and cofounder of Stampin’ Up!, to bring you a very special Paper Pumpkin kit. Shelli herself helped conceptualize and design the projects from start to finish. You’ll love the adorable floral box and the elegant, spring-themed vibe. So don’t wait to subscribe (US|CA). This is the kit everyone is going to be talking about!

Bright, Flowery Birthday

Today's card is really bright, haha... But that is okay because it keeps trying to snow at my house, so maybe here's some sunshine? I need a number of birthday cards this week, so that's what I finally played with!

I love this new How Sweet It Is DP from the Occasions Mini, but I think it has to be used in small doses, haha! I wanted to use some of it today, and I thought the latest Mojo Monday sketch was just right! Also, since I picked these rainbow-y stripes, it fits the current Retro Rubber challenge perfectly- and the Jar of Love stamp set is from at least 2016, if not earlier. I picked the flower colors from the DP (and it sounds like a fruit salad on my desk, haha) I've been wanting to play with this pretty ribbon too.

It's not the simplest card, but overall I like it. I don't love the way the jar and the greeting panel line up a little too well, but I'd already done all the stamping and everything before I realized that, so here it is anyway. And I'm pretty sure the recipient won't mind.

Supplies:
Stamps: Jar of Love, Well Said
Ink: Memento Black, Pineapple Punch, Melon Mambo, Gorgeous Grape, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White card stocks, How Sweet It Is DP
Accessories: Coastal Cabana/Granny Apple Green Reversible Ribbon, Everyday Jars dies, Well Written dies, Big Shot, Dimensionals

Spring Trees Take Two...

Today's card is very similar to the last thing I posted, but this time I used a sketch (Freshly Made Sketches) and color challenge (Just Add Ink -I picked the pink and green and the gray sign) ...and it happens to fit two other challenges too! (SUO Challenges of anything made with Stampin' Up! products, and Global Design Project's "day at the park". Trees are definitely in our parks.)

I needed a sympathy card and I wanted it to brighten the day of the recipient instead of keep them feeling down... I really wanted to use these trees in the main panel of the sketch, and I wanted to use the gorgeous leafy print from the Occasions Mini. I also really love this sentiment that 'today a friend is thinking of you'...

Supplies:
Stamps: Winter Woods, Part of My Story (now retired)
Ink: Gray Granite, Pear Pizazz, Powder Pink
Paper: Pear Pizazz, Whisper White card stock, Floral Romance DP
Accessories: Stamping Sponge

And almost as soon as I photographed it, I sent it on its way to brighten someone's day!

We Create In Color 2017-2019 Blog Hop

Annnd another month has come and gone! But that means a new blog hop, full of inspiration for you, so let's get to it!

This month we're focusing on the In Colors that are going to be gone soon! I bought all the ink pads and card stocks as soon as these colors were released and I have really loved them. I will especially miss Fresh Fig, but since I've used it the most, I wanted to focus on other colors this time, haha. I picked Powder Pink, Berry Burst and Lemon Lime Twist. 

I also chose to focus on spring, which is coming...I'm sure of it! even if it has snowed here a couple times this past week... I love this Winter Woods set from the Holiday Mini and I'm so glad it's carried over, at least this far. This time I used it to make some pretty spring-green trees with some pink blossoms sponged over them! I added some sequins for a little something and as I'm typing, it strikes me they have kind of a late season icicle look? hahaha.... And I have to add- the sequins are so much easier to use with the Take Your Pick tool!! SO much easier!

The latest Freshly Made Sketch worked perfectly for these trees and for adding that pop of Berry Burst, so that's what I used for the layout.

Supplies:

Stamps: Winter Wood

Ink: Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink, Berry Burst

Paper: Powder Pink, Berry Burst & Whisper White card stocks

Accessories: Metallic Sequins, Glue Dots, Stamping Sponges, Take Your Pick Tool

Now click the NEXT button to hop on over to see what Cheryl has created for you, then hop on thru to see the rest of our creations. And leave us your thoughts- everyone loves feedback on their work!