Happy Birthday Lydia

Today is Lydia's birthday (AKA Understandblue)! In my usual fashion, her birfday card will be late (remember I put the PRO in procrastination)! But I wanted to acknowledge her today so here's a peek at her card! Haha
It's ok because even if I had mailed it on time, she probably wouldn't have checked her mailbox until next week anyway. Bwahahaaa!!
I used the Dolled Up Birthday card kit (offered last year from Stampin Up!)--but embossed the papers (dots on the dress form and scripted on Very Vanilla rectangle). Then I stamped a different sentiment (from a retired set) in Soft Suede ink, and splattered ink from a Real Red marker.

Anywho--here's to Lydia! Happy birthday my friend!! I'll eat some bacon and have some migas in your honor today!!

I love a Challenge!

I love a challenge....and this week is Splitcoaststampers' (SCS) Dare To Get Dirty (DTGD) week of Challenges!! The "Dirty Girls" of SCS are the best of the best papercrafters....so it's fun to play along as a fan club member! My friend Lydia gave us a challenge to make an all white card...sentiment optional...I opted for no sentiment:

Paper: SU Whisper White cardstock; Accessories: Big Shot, SU Butterfly Punch, SU Dots and Fancy Fans embossing folders, SU Embosslit Beautiful Wings

I'm having a stamp class on August 11th (with option to attend Monday night 8/13!) Details for the class and for upcoming STAMP CLUB (squeeeeee!!!) is on my Stampin' Up site www.darthsunshine.stampinup.net so take a look and then RSVP!
Hope to see you soon! Thanks for stopping by here!

I'll pardon THIS turkey!

Last weekend I went to the biggest craft show EVAH...The "CHRISTMAS SHOWCASE" of crafts...which I have attended every year for the last several years.  It's the kind of craft show where you must wear comfortable shoes, bring your own tote bags to carry the stuff you buy...and really should NOT bring small children to since they don't have the stamina to walk the 27 miles across the 3 huge buildings to see all the wonderful handmade goods. (Well, not ALL of them are handmade...there are many booths with bulk buy-made-in-China "crafts"...I just walk on by.) Anyway, while at the craft show I saw a booth with handmade kids clothes/dresses, baby burp cloths, etc...and saw the cutest little turkey on a shirt...made of ribbon. I wish I'd taken a photo of it...but I immediately typed myself a note in my iphone so I wouldn't forget...because it was my inspiration to make...

THIS!! 

Stamps: Thankful for... (retired); Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Dots embossing folder, Grograin ribbon-Choc Chip, Real Red, Tangerine Tango polka dot (reitred), Crushed Curry polka dot (retired), Circle punches.

 Isn't he cute!?!? I don't make a lot of punch art cards...but I just had to make this little guy!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
XOXO

Convention Swap-Double Embossing!!

So here is what I was working on until 1 am before I had to leave for SLC. my WOW swap for our dinner last night--I actually had several variations of this swap since I had several colors I was working with from the Beyond the Garden DSP. Stamps are Fabulous Florets and Grateful Greetings...

Double Embossing--use an embossing folder AND embossing powder! Isn't it awesome! I totally SQUEEE'd!!!

You'll notice the bottom card looks a little "over sprayed" ...it was my husband's favorite. He said "that one is awesome, it looks like it was shot with a shotgun." Bwahahahahaa!!! I thought it would be the last to get chosen last night...but the ladies loved it! I have more pics on my camera I need to upload on my laptop (archaic...I know! HA!)

xoxo
Dana

Happy Mother's Day! and the winner....

First of all....congrats to Babe O'Mara for winning my blog candy in my previous post!
Random.org generated the number 35....and she was the lucky winner! She'll be receiving an email from me shortly!

Hope all of you who have loved a creature had a wonderful day today.  My girls made me breakfast in bed (which included BACON! nom nom nom!), created a foot bath of sea salts and green tea, and made me a HUGE card that included this awesome phrase "You are our wise Yoda, awesome Wonder Woman and will Live Long and Prosper"...now have I raised my (geeky) children right or WHAT?!? SO CUTE!
We then saw Thor at IMAX in 3D!

Here's a faux fabric card for today...

 
All cardstock was run through my Big Shot with embossing folders.  That stamp is from Stampin' Up! Easter Blossoms. :)

Have a fabulous week! Hubby and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary later this week (the 13th...best number EVAH!) and I've got to make some Star Wars cards!

Stampin' Up!, Cupcakes and valentines

First off I need to share I am a STAMPIN' UP DEMONSTRATOR again!! SQUEEEEEEE!!!! Again I'll be holding classes and will start my Stamp Club back up beginning in March!! SQUEEEE!!! You can shop online, get project ideas and view my calendar at my Stampin' Up Website 24/7!!

My oldest daughter (age 16) has been nagging (haha) me for weeks to stamp some cards with her....so finally this weekend we got to hang out together in the studio!! She is totally hooked. (WIN!)
My youngest "daughter" decided she wanted to help as well:

HA! This is Chibi, my Bichon Frise, who has to be wherever I am. Soooo cute!!

One of my best friends has a birthday this week and for ONCE I'm actually sending a birthday card BEFORE the actual birthday.

I got to play with Stampin' Up's Create a Cupcake stamp set and the Build A Cupcake punch. I love cupcakes. I mean LOOOOVE cupcakes.  Lydia and I both frequent Sugar Mamas in Austin...serious NOM NOM NOMs.  Here in San Antonio the closest version of them is Saweet Cupcakes....but alas they're not very convenient...but we did get to pick up some Strawberry Mango, PB Chocolate and Coconut nom noms yesterday. YAY Stamping AND CUPCAKES in the same weekend!!!

Maddie made some cute cards for her boyfriend using Lawnfawn stamps and some Stampin' Up, too. She worked completely independently of me and designed her own cards. These cards are seriously better than anything I did my first year of stamping!

I'm so proud! Look:

Maddie used Lawnfawn's My Silly Valentine clear stamp sets for both of these cards. Soooo cute!!

Thanks for stopping by!

a true friend....

Last weekend I got to spend some time with my bestest friend from high school EVAH! Stephanie and I hadn't seen each other in 13 years and it was like no time whatsoever had passed....the minute I walked in the door of her GORGEOUS home (at 11 pm!) we just started catching up....until almost 4 am!


She and I met way back in 1984..... my family moved from San Diego, California to Waco, Texas. I began my freshman year in high school in Waco, Texas after living several years in California. I was a girl with short-short hair, did NOT carry a purse, didn't wear jeans, or ropers or listen to country music. In Central Texas. Freshman Year. Yeah, it was awkward. Culture shock.


I share all this to say...awkward, weirdo me then met Stephanie...who made my few years in Central Texas the best EVAH. We consistently had more fun than should be allowed--getting in trouble for laughing in Physical Science, and volleyball practice...and youth group lunches....(until I moved to Corpus Christi halfway through my junior year in high school.)  And we've stayed good friends all this time.

She's one of the funniest people I know. So, knowing me and my crazy laugh....I laugh a LOT when I'm with her.

So much fun. And I'm so grateful to have had last weekend with her! THANK YOU STEPH!!

One of the things I got to do last weekend was attend the Stamp, Scrap and Art Tour in Mesquite--and Steph came with me so I could show her a bit of my obession--stamping! I bought some new Nestabilities, and irreverant stamps that I'll show off in future stampy goodness.  But for now...here are a couple of cards...

First, from one of Stampin' Up's Simply Sent Card Kits:

I love that glitter...and these kits are great when you just want a quick card...all the elements are there, you don't really have to think about it and the kits even include a stampin' spot (mini stamp pad) along with all the embellishments! Awesomeness.

This card was fun to make. Well....I can say that now that it's done and super cute....but WHILE I was making it I was thinking "another step? more cutting? ugh" because this card takes some time...embossing the background, softening and wrinkling cardstock so you can peel apart the layers for the "suede" look, cutting by hand tiny flowers, brads, ribbon etc etc etc...you get the picture. However, once it's all in place it totally made me SQUEEEE!!!!

(All supplies from Stampin' Up)

Thanks for stopping by...come back again soon!

XOXO