Shoebox Swap

OK first can I say that we just switched over to Fios. My hubby has been pacing the floors practically, waiting for it to arrive in our township, and we had it installed yesterday. I was unimpressed until about 30 seconds ago! I no sooner hit upload picture when a screen popped up and said the picture was loaded. OK I am officially impressed! It used to take FOREVER to upload! Don't tell him I said so though! :)
OK so anyway, I made this card the otherday for a shoebox swap that I went to last night with some of the PhillyInkers. At first I was going to make a Christmas card, but I decided that maybe it was a bit too early for Christmas (although I did make some others that I have to upload) so I took a nap, and when I woke up this is the idea that had come to me! (See naps are for grown ups too! LOL) I used Rich Razzleberry for this card, along with Very Vanilla cardstock. and Rich Razzleberry Ribbon. This may be a card I offer in an upcoming card class if anyone is interested in learning how to make it, please let me know! The design was made using on of Stampin Up's Texturz Plates, and the BigShot.

If you are on the wall about purchasing the BigShot, please know that there are so many other things that you can do with it other then just cut things! There are all sorts of ideas out there, so if you are unsure, look around! I am hoping to build onto my Dies library so that I can continue to make more creations with it.

I do have a few other cards to upload, however Inky, our cat, did not appreciate me interrupting her afternoon nap and sunning in our front window so that I could take pictures. She all but pushed me out of the way! So I had to take this one out on the front step, and I wasn't impressed with the results, so the other pictures will have to wait for now. Maybe if I am good, she will allow me to take them tomorrow....?

Fall Fest 2009

Ok first let me say that Fall Fest was AWESOME!!! It was so cool meeting lots of Demonstrators from all around our area!
So let me tell you I was swapping out card fronts that I had made and Karen Barber asked if I would like to swap with me. I was so honored!!!! I turned to my friend Heather (and fellow PhillyInker) and said "I got a Karen Barber card!!!" I was so excited. Then a little while later I was swapping and a very nice lady handed me a swap and I am looking at it thinking that it looked like a Michele Zindorf. I looked up and there standing before me was Michele!!! Can I tell you it was like meeting royalty meeting the two of them! Later they both joined the PhillyInkers that were in attendance for lunch. It was a little unnerving sitting at the table with two extremely talented ladies! But they both were super nice and very sweet!
While at Fall Fest we had a chance to sit with both ladies and create cards that they were teaching. So I came home with a Karen and a Michele card that I swapped AND a card that each of them had taught me to make.
So here are some pictures I'd like to share:

That's Michele getting ready to teach us our card. Trust me it was awesome! You will surely be seeing it soon!

And that is Karen getting ready to teach us the Black Magic technique! I am working on perfecting that one and you'll be seeing it soon as well.




Just a little side note. If you are looking for a group of ladies that you would like to join as a Demonstrator for Stampin Up, can I suggest you seek out the PhillyInkers? You don't have to contact me, if you don't want, there are many other great ladies, and a Gentleman in our group. There are quite a few of us from PA, NJ, DE all the way to Ill, and NM. After spending the day with the ladies at Fall Fest, I came to realize what a great group of ladies they really are. I already knew that they were supportive and all very nice, but I came to realize this past weekend that it is more then that. In Stampin Up we say that the person we sign up under is our Mother, And the person she signed under is our Grandmother (which by the way Karen is our Grandmother) and there are sisters, etc. Last weekend I came to realize that it is more then just a great group of ladies, but the group really IS a family. And I am so proud and honored to be a part of it!


And now my friends I am off to a class with my AWESOME Upline, (and mother) Claire! I have more to post about Fall Fest, but I have to be on my way for tonight!

Until then, Happy Creating!

Card Club is under way!!!!!

Here is my kitchen table, all set up for my Card Club that was here last night! We have a great group of ladies that come out once a month to make cards, and socialize also! Last night we made two different card designs, a Quilted card, adn a Brayer card.

Each month we make 6 cards. The dates vary by month depending on my hubby's days off. Check out my website for the upcoming dates!
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/gina_thornton/

Hope to see you soon!!!!!

Fall Fest 2009 here I come!!!

I am headed to Fall Fest tomorrow and I have to say I am excited! I made these cards for the swaps that will be happening amongst the Demonstrators that will be attending. Fall Fest is a gathering of the Downlines of Tina Rosenkratz. She would be like my Great Grandmother (I think) in my Stampin Up family. I have never met her, so it will be nice to finally meet her also! Aunt Karen (Barber) will also be there, and Michele Zindorf! Yeah it will be like Hollywood! LOL!

Anyway I planned on making 75 cards fronts for the swap, but had to stop at 58 as I ran out of Dusty Durango cardstock (gasp!) I colored the image with my new Dusty Durango Stampin Write Marker highlighted areas with my Really Rust marker and the stems are Old Olive. Luckily last weekend my daughter had a busy social calendar, and I was able to color most of the images while she was attending birthday parties. :)

These cards are a perfect example of not judging without giving a chance. When I first got the Dusty Durango, I wasn't too sure about it. Then I made the Card for Heather, and then these, and I have to say that I am glad I gave it a second chance!

The pumpkin is from Autumn Harvest.

Cardstock Dusty Durango, Very Vanilla and Soft Suede, Dusty Durango Designer series Paper.

Asian Artistry revisited

I have a confession to make. Often times I look at a stamp set in the catalog and I just am not sure what I would use it for. I always love getting in orders for my stamp clubs so that when they order sets I can see what they look like in "real life". My friend Albert was always costing me money when I would see his orders!! LOL. He would order sets that i wasn't really sure if I "needed" and they would arrive and then I would HAVE to have it! But since I enabled (this is a term we fondly use on my favorite Message Board. Someone shows us a project, or a tool etc and we in turn HAVE to have it. There are a lot of enablers on that MB! :)) him into Stampin' UP I guess it is only fair right? Well this time my friend and Downline Michelle enabled me to get this set.

This card was made using the new In Colors. Melon Mambo, and Soft Suede, and paired with Very Vanilla cardstock. The inks are the classic inks also in Melon Mambo and Soft Suede. I stamped the sentiment on the Scallop oval punch and matted it with the Wide Oval punch. I gave it a little pop with Dimensionals. The stamp set I used was the Level 2 hostess set Asian Artistry. The little bird (I choose to make him to be a Bluebird) is colored with my Brilliant Blue watercolor crayon using my blender pen.



We made a variation of this card in my card class last month. I made a few samples, and I found it really neat that the ladies that attended made the design their own by switching out te main image, sentiments, adding and taking away elements. It was cool to see how they came up with new versions of my samples.

A room with a View

This is one of the views from my craft room/office window. Actually this is the window that is right above the computer desk. I love the Spring and summer when I can get lost in thought staring out the window at all of the little visitors to my butterfly bush. I've seen all sorts of butterflies, and bees and birds flitting from branch to branch. Its nice because I could literally reach out and touch each one of them, but they either don't see me, or don't think I am going to cause them any harm. On this particular day I just happened to have my camera within reach and snapped these photos of a Tiger Swallow perched on one of the flowers. These pictures are shot from my room looking out.

Has it been that long????

Ok so my goal of posting to this blog once a week isn't going so well. August has been such a whirlwind of events, running here, running there, you know, life. We had birthday parties, and preparations for yard sales, and another birthday party, and trips to the zoo, and being sick.

I DID however make a few things and as soon as I can find my camera to take pictures I will post some of them.

Don't give up on me yet, I will try harder I promise!

7 days until I got back to work. For some reason summers just don't last long enough! Three months fly by so quickly! Sadly the weather put a damper on so many things I had planned on doing. The pool, camping, fishing etc.

So anyway, I just wanted to come and let you know that yes I am still alive and I will try harder at getting back here to post!

Keep Creating!