Life Is Good--Decor Elements

Here's a dilemma--I love SU!'s new interior decor line but how do you "demonstrate" vinyl wall decorations? Answer: frame one & make it mobile! Actually, I really wanted this "Life is Good" saying for our new screen porch (still in process since what seems like forever!) & it works better framed for that anyway. I don't think you can put rub-ons on a screen. Anyway, now I can take it to workshops, etc. to show people how cool they look in person.

I really had fun decorating this float frame. The vinyl rub-on is on the top of the glass & the paper (the Bella Rose designer paper coming out in the new catalog--the colors are the new in-colors Kiwi Kiss & Riding Hood Red) is between the two glass panes. Then, I also used some of the "Anchored" rub-ons. So, just in case you were wondering if you can put a regular rub-on on the wall rub-ons--there you go!

Oh, & the best thing? I found a "conversation set" of a love seat, two chairs & coffee table on clearance for the porch (whenever it's finished) & the cushions match this frame! Yeah, I decorate around Stampin' Up! colors. You know you're an addict when....

Life Is Good--Decor Elements

Ta-da! Like My New Blog Design?

How 'bout this new blog design, eh? I'd like to thank Jen at The Art of Living Designs for giving my fledgling blog a makeover this week! I met Jen at a craft fair this past December & made her a name frame. As fate would have it, when I announced my blog, she was in need of another name frame & a bartering relationship was formed :) I think I got the better end of that deal! She was (& is) super attentive & great at explaining html--my basic html class ten years ago (before children & lost brain cells) only goes so far!

So, here's the frame I made for her. The call was for a sports theme but I didn't have any sports stamps. Luckily, I'm also an embellishment addict so I compensated with some sports brads & ribbon. The baseball brads are actually flat white brads by Queen & Co. with DCWV black circle rub-on stitches on them (I cut the circles in half & reversed the halves). Stampin' Up!'s "Starstruck" stamp set & coordinating Large & Small Star Punches also worked well for a sports theme. The background papers are from the Simply Scrappin' Kit "Creative License" which retired Fall '07. Man, I'm going to miss the Wild Wasabi Green when it retires soon!! Sigh.

Ta-da! Like My New Blog Design?

Updated Retiring Accessories List

Ack! Some items are already sold out!

Item Number
Page # Product Description Availability
109200 177 Accents & Elements Build A Flower Not Available
110718 177 Accents & Elements Lucky Star
110719 177 Accents & Elements Messenger
103158 184 Acrylic Graph & Grid
108638 163 Card Stock 12 X 12 In Color
108642 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Blue Bayou
108643 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Groovy Guava
108637 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 In Color
108640 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 River Rock
108639 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Soft Sky
108641 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Wild Wasabi Not Available
108644 163 Card Stock 8-1/2 X 11 Purely Pomegranate Not Available
103975 166 Card Stock Brushed Copper Not Available
108694 163 Card Stock Textured 12 X 12 In Color
107312 167 Cards & Envelopes Gift Whisper White
107292 167 Cards & Envelopes Greeting Whisper White
109116 167 Notes & Envelopes Long Notes
109118 167 Notes & Envelopes Love Notes
109117 167 Notes & Envelopes Pocket Notes* Not Available
110729 167 Notes & Envelopes Scallop Notes
109119 167 Notes & Envelopes Gift Notes
109018 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Blue Bayou Not Available
109019 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Groovy Guava
109017 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Purely Pomegranate Not Available
109016 163 Classic Stampin' Ink River Rock Not Available
109015 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Soft Sky
109020 163 Classic Stampin' Ink Wild Wasabi Not Available
109013 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Blue Bayou
109012 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Groovy Guava
109011 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Purely Pomegranate
109010 163 Classic Stampin' Pad River Rock
109009 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Soft Sky
109014 163 Classic Stampin' Pad Wild Wasabi
110751 171 Designer Series Paper Azure*
110696 169 Designer Series Paper Bali Breeze
110749 169 Designer Series Paper Berry Bliss
109154 169 Designer Series Paper Cutie Pie
110699 168 Designer Series Paper East Coast Prep* Not Available
109160 170 Designer Series Paper Fall Flowers Not Available
109159 169 Designer Series Paper Flowers For You*
110697 169 Designer Series Paper Ginger Blossom
110479 168 Designer Series Paper Jersey Shore*
109151 170 Designer Series Paper Le Jardin
110748 170 Designer Series Paper Notebook*
110750 171 Designer Series Paper Olive Press
109153 170 Designer Series Paper Porcelain Prints* Not Available
109175 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Almost Amethyst* Not Available
109177 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Always Artichoke
109173 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Blue Bayou Not Available
109174 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Brilliant Blue
109178 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Certainly Celery
109169 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Close to Cocoa* Not Available
109168 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Groovy Guava* Not Available
109171 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Lovely Lilac
109172 171 Designer Series Paper Prints More Mustard Not Available
109176 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Old Olive
109170 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Pumpkin Pie Not Available
109164 171 Designer Series Paper Prints River Rock*
109167 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Rose Red
109166 171 Designer Series Paper Prints So Saffron
109165 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Soft Sky Not Available
109163 171 Designer Series Paper Prints Tempting Turquoise Not Available
110698 168 Designer Series Paper Spring Break
110273 169 Designer Series Paper Spring Fling* Not Available
110271 170 Designer Series Paper Spring Silhouettes
110272 170 Designer Series Paper Western Sky
107299 167 Envelope Confetti Cream Medium
105320 189 Eyelets Basic Not Available
100375 189 Eyelets Bold Brights Not Available
100381 189 Eyelets Earth Elements Not Available
107233 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites I
107234 189 Eyelets Fresh Favorites II
105316 189 Eyelets Rich Regals
100378 189 Eyelets Soft Subtles Not Available
105515 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter Not Available
105531 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Antique Brass Not Available
105532 188 Hodgepodge Hardware Aged Copper Not Available
101120 183 Metallic Art Pencils
107307 179 On Board Accents
109181 178 On Board Blossoms & Basic
109179 178 On Board Ginormous Pieces
107306 179 On Board Simon Lower
102678 166 Mulberry Paper White Not Available
109227 181 Punch Box Three For You Not Available
102686 180 Punch Handheld Rectangle
100271 183 Pure Color Pencils
109060 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Blue Bayou Not Available
109063 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Groovy Guava Not Available
109061 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Purely Pomegranate Not Available
109062 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched River Rock*
109059 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Soft Sky Not Available
109058 191 Ribbon Double-Stitched Wild Wasabi Not Available
109189 190 Ribbon Originals Beachfront*
109187 190 Ribbon Originals District*
109188 190 Ribbon Originals Fairy Tale
109185 190 Ribbon Originals Jersey*
109184 190 Ribbon Originals Sherbert
109186 190 Ribbon Originals Theater
110716 191 Ribbon Striped Grosgrain Wild Wasabi*
110281 182 Rub-Ons Cherished Memories* Not Available
110284 182 Rub-Ons Eastern Elegance*
110285 182 Rub-Ons Urban West*
110557 174 Simply Scrappin' Boho Blend
109610 174 Simply Scrappin' Confetti Not Available
110572 172 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Boy
110567 173 Simply Scrappin' Crew Kids Girl
109597 175 Simply Scrappin' Home Again
110562 174 Simply Scrappin' Rose Cottage
109648 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Boy
109627 173 Simply Scrappin' Special Delivery Girl Not Available
110587 175 Simply Scrappin' Summer Days
110577 175 Simply Scrappin' Tie The Knot
111184 15 Simply Sent Friendly Notes
109228 16 Simply Sent Simple Delights Not Available
109229 16 Simply Sent Three Thoughts Not Available
106662 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Daisy Field
107561 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Garden Annuals
109681 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Good Dog
109678 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Kisses
107482 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Lily Pad Not Available
109680 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Meow
109677 197 Stampin'Around Wheel Mistletoe Not Available
106610 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Basics Outline
107467 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Birthday
109571 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Baby
109570 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Friends
109569 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Dilly Dally Party
108423 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Leaves A La Carte Not Available
107468 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Nature Hike
108980 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Petals
107464 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Rough Texture Not Available
111261 196 Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel Spunky Spots
109554 193 Stampin' Color Index Labels Not Available
106694 194 Stampin' Kids Markers
101399 185 Stipple Brushes Not Available
102673 183 Zig Painty
*Items are 25% off and part of our discounted retiring accessories promotion.

Updated Retiring Accessories List

What Makes Us Happy

Ran across this article on www.msn.com this morning, "The Things That Make Us Happy"--#8 stuck out to me: "Well-spent leisure time can lead to great leaps in happiness: Activities that combine socializing and physical activity and require some moderate skills are the best (think salsa!)." When I first started stamping, it wasn't for the social aspects but now it's become probably the thing I enjoy most about it. Having a fun girls' night out creating is like a modern-day quilting bee :) (Sigh, I do miss going out dancing though--but I live vicariously through "So You Think You Can Dance?")

And for good measure, here's a pretty, pretty card my technique club made this spring. I wanted to show all the fun ways we can use rub-ons: on dies-cuts (used one from "Die-Cut Blooms"), ribbon, combining different colored ones. The "Pretty Petals" background would be pretty all by itself for a card (that's on the dormant list so you won't see it in the new catty but you can still order it). The other set "Friendship Blooms" & coordinating rub-ons were earned free from Sale-A-Bration (don't miss out next year!). The pretty brad in the middle of the die-cut is from the Silver Hodgepodge --which I think stands a pretty good chance of being in the new catalog coming out Aug. 11.

What Makes Us Happy

Stamping For Life

When choosing the name "Stamp 4 Life" almost two years ago, I did so with the intention of using my new hobby/business to somehow support my favorite charity, Divine Mercy Care (DMC), a pro-life nonprofit Catholic healthcare organization.

We made this card at a marathon card-making session a couple of weeks ago for the "Cards of Caring" program to benefit Tepeyac Family Center (TFC), an OB/GYN under the DMC umbrella. About a quarter of the women they help come from crisis pregnancy centers or don't have insurance. We would make either "congrats" cardfronts for new moms or "sympathy" cardfronts for moms who have suffered a loss (luckily, the sympathy cards are very much the minority of cards we make). In one night we made 272 cardfronts in 4 designs! Not too shabby. The cardfronts are then adhered onto pre-printed cards with a message from TFC & signed personally by a staff member.

The good news is that TFC recently doubled the number of their doctors, which also doubled their patient capacity. The bad news? Well, that was our last Cards of Caring session since we just can't keep up with the growth; they'll go through those 272 cards in just two months. A happy reason to discontinue the program.

So, this particular congrats card was designed with simplicity in mind since I had to prepare a lot of them. It uses Stampin' Up!'s "I'm Here" set (retired) & the sentiment from "Embrace Life." I love using tone on tone for sentiments when the focus is the image so I used Sahara Sand ink on the Sahara Sand cardstock.

Stamping For Life

The Inaugural Post: Name Frame

So, I got the idea for starting a blog in the shower this morning (the only place I seem to be able to think these days!) And voila! I've decided to join the blogging ranks of fellow crafters :) My wish is to provide an easy way to share project ideas, upcoming Stamp 4 Life events & in general help show that it IS possible to find the time to do what you love & you DON'T have to be an "artiste" to create something that is worthy of appreciation.


I'm an ENFJ on the Myer's Briggs test (barely an Extrovert though--think I've been trained for that over the years). The "J" stands for Judging & what I love about making a card or making a scrapbook page is that I get my "got it done, cross it off the list" fix that's so hard to do when you have little kids undoing everything you just did around the house.

So here's my first project--a name frame that I completed to order while the kids were out with Dad watching fireworks in the neighborhood & my toddler was in bed. Got it done!




I used my fav alphabet set: Jumbo Outline Alpha with Black Staz-On ink. Then I watercolored inside the letters with WaterColor Wonder Crayons & embossed with Iridescent Ice for a girly glittery feel. Maddie (my 4 yr. old) wanted to keep it (even though I made her a similar one months ago). That's high praise, my friend.


Oh, & most of the things I end up loving are me trying to correct a mistake or something I just don't like. For ex., I thought the little princess was too far over & something was missing. So, I tied a knot around a ribbon slide & used a glue dot to adhere it to the white grosgrain ribbon "seam".

The Inaugural Post: Name Frame