Salud! OCL Style

YEP - another *sneak peek* at a fantastic new stamp set by OUR CRAFT LOUNGE!! You are just going to LOVE what they have in store for the stamping world!!

This set is called "Going Gourmet". Very classy - and PERFECT for so many uses. Invitations, gifts, menus, recipe cards - it goes on and on. I *heart* the saying "Salud!" - meaning "to health". If you watched The Sopranos, you've heard it many times.

Here I made a wine ensemble. Forgive the photos - they are not the best, but I was so excited to get the pics taken, I overlooked the lighting a bit.



The card I created as an invitation. The background I stamped with a wonderful "swirl" line stamp that is part of the set. And the best part - THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL SWIRL - I used it around the "You're Invited" sentiment. :) It's the small things that make me smile!



The tag above is the same as the focal point on the card. I masked the word "Salud!" so that I could create a "label" on the wine bottle. ACK - CUTE!
I haven't worked with Polyshrink in a LONG time - so this was TONS of fun! Who doesn't love SHRINKY DINKS?! I had to run out and buy some red/burgundy colored beads to match my project - ANY excuse to go shopping. *snort*


You can find some other FABULOUS sneak peeks here:


Cambria Turnbow at http://www.cambriaturnbow.blogspot.com/
Kisa Peters at http://www.kisaspapercuts.blogspot.com/
Kendra Wietstock at http://kendrawietstock.blogspot.com/
Pam Hooten at http://www.pamhooten.blogspot.com/
Carol Halvorson at http://www.happinessblooms.blogspot.com/
Bev Barton at http://bevbarton.blogspot.com/
Lila Holgate at http://lilascreativecorner.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Lisa Zappa at http://shabbychickjunk.blogspot.com/


Our Craft Lounge is going LIVE - TOMORROW! You won't want to miss it! Check in tomorrow morning for a link - and you can get these FUN-TASTIC stamps for yourself. :)

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!! Don't miss out on the Grand Opening Prize Drawings!! If you make a purchase the grand opening weekend of Our Craft Lounge (Friday, Saturday and Sunday ~ November 14, 15 & 16th), you will get one pink ticket included in your order for each stamp set you purchase! Hold on to these tickets because OCL will start choosing winners the following weekend (November 21st to 23rd), and every weekend until December 1st. You never know when a new ticket number winner will show up on the front page of our site so check in to see what the prizes are, but trust me, you won't be disappointed!

Stamps - Going Gourmet by Our Craft Lounge
Ink - Black Soot Distress Ink by Ranger
Cardstock - Bravo Burgundy, Certainly Celery, Whisper White - Stampin' Up!
Accessories - Copic Markers, AtYou Spica Glitter Pens, Celery Organdy Ribbon, Gold Cord, Celery Brads (SU!), Ticket Corner Punch (SU!), Polyshrink, Swarovski Crystal Beads, Darice Gold Jump Rings and Wire Rings

Meet Li'l Peanut

Isn't she CUTE?!?! I'm in love with an elephant!! Not something I ever expected to hear myself say . . .

This A-DORABLE little ellie is BRAND NEW - from a BRAND NEW STAMP COMPANY!!! The stamp set is called Li'l Peanut. The company is Our Craft Lounge!! What? NEW??? Yup - BRAND SPANKIN' NEW!! I've got some fun sneak peeks for you coming the rest of this week.

FRIDAY, FRIDAY, FRIDAY! Yes - that is the day you are waiting for. On Friday, I will post a link to Our Craft Lounge - and you can buy this Stinkin' Sweet Li'l Peanut - along with many other FANTASTIC new stamps!! They will "blow" your mind. Seriously - I love them all!!! Gotta have 'em.

Here are some other Sneak Peeks that you won't want to miss out on:

Cambria Turnbow at http://www.cambriaturnbow.blogspot.com/

Kisa Peters at http://www.kisaspapercuts.blogspot.com/

Kendra Wietstock at http://kendrawietstock.blogspot.com/

Pam Hooten at http://www.pamhooten.blogspot.com/

Carol Halvorson at http://www.happinessblooms.blogspot.com/

Bev Barton at http://bevbarton.blogspot.com/

Lila Holgate at http://lilascreativecorner.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/

Lisa Zappa at http://shabbychickjunk.blogspot.com/

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE!! Don't miss out on the Grand Opening Prize Drawings!! If you make a purchase the grand opening weekend of Our Craft Lounge (Friday, Saturday and Sunday ~ November 14, 15 & 16th), you will get one pink ticket included in your order for each stamp set you purchase! Hold on to these tickets because OCL will start choosing winners the following weekend (November 21st to 23rd), and every weekend until December 1st. You never know when a new ticket number winner will show up on the front page of our site so check in to see what the prizes are, but trust me, you won't be disappointed!

Supplies
Stamps: Li'l Peanut (Our Craft Lounge), Polka Dots (SU); Cardstock: SU (Pretty In Pink, Going Grey, Basic Black, Whisper White); Ink: Ranger Distress Ink Black Soot, Going Grey (SU); Markers: Copic; Accessories: Velvet Ribbon (May Arts), Black Brads (SU), Crystal Effects (SU), Spica AtYou Glitter pens, Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Count Cupcake

Hi there! I am SO EXCITED about Halloween!! I love the fact that there are more and more fun stamps, accessories, papers, and decorations in general every year for this fun Holiday! Yesterday I did my Inspiration Station (thanks Mish) - so here's another card using my fun stuff!!

I used the Dracula cupcake from Taylor Van Bruggen's new stamp set Trick or Sweet. I ADORE this set!! Does it GET any cuter?!?! A wonderful friend sent me this set for my birthday - YAHOOO!!!!!

The cardstock is all Stampin' Up! The black ink I used is Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in Black Soot. The ribbon is Stampin' Up! I used my Copic Markers to color this cute little vampire in.

It's Saturday - I hope that you are having a great day and enjoy your weekend!!!!!!!!!!

Inspiration from all over

My sweet friend Mish inspires me regularly. Well, today she issued a challenge and I accepted. Put together a Halloween Inspiration Station. Mish has been doing this for a while - and I just haven't gotten around to it. Well, today I decided to just DO IT - no excuses!!

So I went around and collected Halloween-related products. Oh yes - I have much more than you see here. But there was only so much room to put it all together - LOL (I bet you can relate).

My two new favorite Halloween products that I picked up this year are both punches from the Martha Stewart line. I got the Bat punch and the GOO PUNCH (I just love saying that - *snort*)! I picked them up at Michael's.

Thank you, Mish. You inspired me to pull out all my Halloween stuff, get stamping, and get blogging again!















I am teaching a Kids Halloween class tomorrow. This card is one of the 5 we'll be making. I was INSPIRED by my friend Otter for this card. At our retreat in August, Otter made an ADORABLE little basket using the GOO punch and this cauldron stamp (SU!). So I took inspiration from her and turned it in to a 4.25x4.25 card. Thanks Otter!

Thanks for looking!

I hope that you find inspiration in lots of places!! Keep stampin' and smiling!

Rustic Branches fun!!!

Greetings and salutations!

My friend Pine (Heather Nichols) just debuted her brand new and first ever STAMP SET, Rustic Branches, via Papertrey Ink!!! I was lucky enough to be with Pine at a retreat on the night of the big reveal - HOW EXCITING! She was so happy, as were all of us there to celebrate this amazing occasion with her! I was also lucky enough to GET THE SET!!!

So I sat down last night and had to play with it for the first time. I didn't do the set justice - it is truly a beautiful, elegant, and versatile set. I used Papertrey white cardstock - I love working with it! The rest of the cardstock colors are Stampin' Up! - Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, and Ruby Red. I stamped the sentiment on twill. I also used a spica glitter pen that you can get from Eclectic Paperie.

It's been a lazy weekend so far! Tomorrow is the holiday and we are planning on going to a pond that has been made to resemble a beach, has a playground, etc., with some friends. Looking forward to some time out and a nice picnic lunch!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

I LOVE Changito!!!!! He just makes me smile!! I got this guy at Archiver's - he was in a set (by Stampendous) that is exclusive to Archiver's.

I was in a swap involving my girlfriends from the Retreat I went to. So - being that I am the world's WORST procrastinator, I made this card while at the Retreat. I had inspiration from the super talented Anna Wight, as well as from my fantastically talented friend Bethie!

All cardstock, ribbon, and brads are Stampin' Up! I embossed the Rose Red layer using the Cuttlebug and the Houndstooth folder - you can get your Cuttlebug supplies at the FANTASTIC store ECLECTIC PAPERIE!!!! That is one of my MOST FAVE places to - um - do damage! ;)

And I can't tell you how excited I am to have received THIS!!

My beautiful friend Pam Hooten (Piris) sent me this award! Thanks Piris!!!!

Here are the rules:

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls or boys you’ve nominated.

So here we go:

1. Cambria Turnbow
2. Bevie Barton

3. Katrina Kopp (Kookie)

4. Jennifer Hollett (Otter)

5. Suzanne Henrich

6. Joy Kennedy

7. Avril Miller

Have fun checking out their blogs - I know I do!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all have a FANTASTIC FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School Daze!!

Hi!!!! Yep - I'm alive and kicking!! LOL

The last 2 months have been CA-RAZY! Along with regular life, my husband was laid off from his job due to company downsizing, my biggest little man turned 6, and I went away to a FANTASTIC retreat!!!!!! I hung out with 21 of my best friends, my true SISTERS! What a BLAST!!!! My friends Pine and HB planned the entire thing- I can't thank them enough for the memories, the classes, the food, the friendship!!!!!!!

My 6-year-old Tyler also started FIRST GRADE today! ACK - he is growing WAY too fast (remind me to find a way to stop that)!

So I decided to make a "note card" for his teacher to say hi and offer to volunteer. It was quick and easy. I would love to do some days in the classroom, helping with projects or reading to the kids. I thought it would be fun to send a cute little note card - especially since her friend (and co-conspirator when it comes to big projects at school) is one of my stamping friends!!!!!

The images are A*Muse Art Stamps - oh how I LOOOOOVE A*Muse!!!! The white cardstock is PaperTrey Ink - the quality is wonderful! The rest of the cardstock is Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Wild Wasabi, and So Saffron). I did a super quick coloring job using the SU! markers (same colors as cardstock). The ovals are Spellbinders Nestabilities that I purchased from Ellen Hutson. I also used (though you probably can't see it) the Copic atyou Spica glitter pens that you can get from eclectic Paperie - I used the gold glitter pen on the bell on the school house.

Sorry about the lousy photo. I had to write it up last night - and of course the lighting at night isn't so great. I'll work on my skillz.

Here's Tyler on his first day of 1st Grade! I love that little stinker!

Hope you are having a GREAT day!