lots to share today...

I had a really productive afternoon today. Not only did I clean my office, I completely trashed it all over again. Doesn't that sound like fun? The cleaning wasn't really that much fun and now I need to do it all over again but at least I had fun making a mess right? I needed a little me stamping time because I have had sick kids for the last week or so. Some weird fever bug is working its way through all my children and they can't seem to be nice to their mother and all be sick at once they are taking turns instead, just when one gets health and back to school the next one gets sick, wouldn't be that big of a deal if I didn't have 5 kids for it to go through. Lots of Stampin' Up! excitement in the last couple of days. The retirement list is out, if you need a copy you can view it on the Stampin' Up! website or email me and I will send it to you. Also there was a big announcement about SU!'s new Decor Elements collection. Self-adhesive vinyl wall decorations that use SU!'s exclusive images. I ordered one for my office wall this morning and I will post pictures just as soon as I receive it and put it up. If you want more information contact me and I will send you a brochure. They will be available to purchase starting July 1st. Now I suppose you want to hear all about my stamping. The first project is sort of a goodbye to Weathered, my favorite background stamp. I love it, I use it all the time and I will miss it. I won't give it up though so don't ask. If you don't already have, you better get it because come August 10th they are gone for good. I used the wet watercolor technique to do the main image. Basically what that consists of is stamping the image then misting it with water to blur the image, give it a kind of a Monet look. Everything is overstamped with Weathered and all the edges are sponged.

What I used:
Pretty Peony stamp set, Weathered and Canvas background stamps
Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Confetti White card stock
Regal Rose, Rose Red, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip classic ink pads
Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon
Designer Label punch, 1 3/8 circle punch
sponge, water mister bottle
stamp-a-m-jig
This card I made for a friend of mine who has been so supportive of me in the past, she is a little stressed out right now so I thought I would send it her way. I used the Mojo Monday Sketch from Julee Tilman's blog.
What I used on this one:
God's Blessings and Bugs & Kisses stamp sets
Basic Black, Kraft, Soft Sky card stock
Soft Sky prints designer paper
Basic Black, Soft Sky classic ink pads
vintage brads, Soft Sky double stitched grosgrain ribbon
I saw a card a while ago that my friend Shelly (papermoon04) made. This card was inspired by hers. The big flower (Which I Rocked and Rolled) and "Dare to be Fabulous" are on vellum, the words from Friend by Definition are behind the vellum. Everything is once again overstamped with Weathered and sponged with close to cocoa.
What I used:
Fabulous Flowers and Friend by Defination stamps sets, Weathered background stamp
Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Very Vanilla card stock
Vellum
Basic Black, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa classic ink pads
Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain ribbon, Chocolate Chip poly twill ribbon
sponge