As soon as I saw this stamp set in the new catty, I knew that I had to have it! Once I got it, I struggled with cards worthy of the blog hop, so I played all weekend with them. I wanted to showcase each herb at least once, so here is what I came up with.

The first card is Lavender which stands for devotion. I used an oval punch, scalloped oval punch and the modern label punch, I also used a scalloped border punch on the bottom. I totally love the Razzelberry Lemonade DSP and the Rich Razzelberry paper and polka dotted ribbon.

The herbs came with the names on the stamps and their meaning, but when I started to stamp, I didnt like the sayings on the cards for some reason, so, I cut them off and mounted them separately!


The second card uses Rosemary which symbolizes remembrance, I struggled with this one for a little while and then decided En Francais was the perfect touchfor the back ground. The sentiment is from teeny tiny wishes and the color is Rich Razzelberry, one of the new in Colors, isnt it gorgeous?

I haven't been able to get enough of purple and green together lately. Basil (blessings) is actually one of my favorite herbs, I love the smell of it. I know I colored all of my herbs purple, but I was having too much fun with the razzleberry! I also love the distressed look, with the torn papers, it adds to the natural look of the card, dont ya think?

Finally, my last card is Thyme for happiness, more torn kraft paper with purples and greens, I just cant get enough of these colors together!


Now, if you made it this far, I hope you will sign up to get my newsletter or subsribe to my blog by email and come back later this week for a super-fabulous blog candy give away. I will wait until all the super give-aways for the blog hop are over, so be sure to come back next week! I am getting ready to move into a new house, and I am cleaning out my scrapbook stuff, this is sure to be a great giveaway!

Zen and embracing Life

“There is nothing either good or bad,but thinking makes it so.”

- William Shakespeare, “Hamlet”

Adapted from a Post written by Leo Babauta.

One of the greatest sources of unhappiness, is the difficulty we have in accepting things as they are.

Without judgment, without wishing for otherwise.

When we see something we don’t like, we wish it could be different —

The root of the unhappiness, according to Buddhists, is Desire. Desire to have things different, desire for something we dont have, desire for something the way it was.....

This means accepting it as the way the world works — as the way things actually are. And try to understand why that is, and embrace it. As it is. Embrace Life, as it is!

This can be applied to whatever you do: whether it be how other people act at work, how your mate acts or reacts to situations, the way the weather is, politics or the way your dinner turned out.

Accept these things as they are, and try to understand why they’re that way.

It’ll save you a lot of grief, because you’ll no longer say, “Oh, I wish things were better"

Does it mean you can never change things? Not at all. But change things not because you can’t accept things as they are, but because you enjoy the process of change, of learning and growing.

Can we make this world a better place? Again, that’s assuming that it’s a bad place right now. But instead, you could say the world is just what it is — and that’s neither good nor bad. You can say that you’ll continue to try to do things to help others, to grow as a person, to make a difference in this world — not because you’re such a bad person now, or the world sucks, but because that’s the path you choose to take, because you enjoy that path.

As you catch yourself judging, and wishing for different — and we all do it — try a different approach: accept, and understand. It might lead to some interesting results.

“Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” - Lao Tzu

I thought the embrace life set was perfect for this concept. Accept things the way they are, embrace them as they are right now at this very moment....

The first card uses Ruby Red, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and Dusty Durango. I embossed the plants first, used the brayer to color the card and stamped the sentiment with staz on, last.

The second card, I stamped and embossed the flowers in the background, I used my brayer and Rich Razzleberry (dont you love that color?) on top of the embossed flowers, stamped in clear embossing ink. I then stamped and embossed the flower outlines, sponged on the color, added some white ink and some crystal effects, added the pearl after cutting them out and adhering them to the card. I used the Scallop Oval sizzix die to add something to the center (as much as I love razzelberry, it was too much), I water colored the scalloped part of the oval with razzelberry and glued the flowers to the frame. I also distressed teh oval a little bit. Eh, I am not really happy with how it came out, its not the look I was going for, but, It is what it is, I embrace it ;)

Want a good laugh?

If you haven't read my other blog yet, and you want a good laugh, be sure to check it out.... My kids always do something to make me laugh!~http://angi-mylifewiththreeboys.blogspot.com

Watering Can SVG

Cathy from Cathy's corner created this fantastic file and allows free sharing, click on the can to download and be sure to check out Cathy's corner for more great files!

Unmounting your Stampin Up Wheels

I found this post on one of my favorite blogs today. Michelle Zindorf is the best brayer artist I have ever seen.

If you have ever seen her work, she has a style that is undeniably hers and is easily recognizable!
Michelle is extremely generous with sharing her work and tutorials and travels the country to do brayer workshops that sell out across the country.

Michelle doesnt like to use the wheels (kind of funny since she uses the brayer all the time, they kind of do the same thing, he he) So, she unmounts them and uses acrylic blocks to use them as regular stamps.... Hmm, what a concept that is, dont ya think?

Here is how it is done. First, take an Exacto Knife and cut right through the seam of the stamp when it is on the wheel. Next peel the stamp off of the wheel. (they come off very easily, accordint to Michelle) If there is glue stuck to the back of the stamp, peel it off. Michellle reports that she just rolled the glue off with her finger.

Next, she took a permanent marker “Sharpie” and wrote the name on the back of the stamp.

Next, she applied a thin coat of Aleene’s Tack it Over & Over Glue on the back of the stamp with a small paint brush, right over the name she wrote on. The glue dries clear so you can still see the name.

Let this glue dry for about 1 hour, at least. The Glue stays tacky so your stamps will now stick to an acrylic block (I use a 4.5″ x 7″ block) and you can take them on and off. You will not have to apply this tacky glue to the stamp again until you have used this stamp about 50 times.

She stores them in a large zip lock baggie. They stick right to the inside of the bag. You can clearly see the name of the stamp through the baggie. She also puts a reference sheet in the bag with them and a reference sheet in her stamp binder.

If you unmount a bunch at one time you can stamp a few at one time on plain paper to make your reference sheets.

this is photo of her Current Stampin’ Up Stamp binder. This binder holds a reference sheet for all of her Stampin’ Up stamps. When she gets a new set of Stampin’ Up stamps I copy the sticker sheet before I assemble my stamps to the blocks and the copy gets put in my binder. Takes very little time. The binder is so nice to have to flip through to see what she has. (this is a great idea that I have seen several demos use. Since I didnt start out that way, I took the old catalog and tore out the pages to put inside the lid of the stamp sets to easily see what stamps go in what case, you could just as easily put another sheet in a binder for easy reference of all your stamps without having to dig through them all!

I hope you have found this tool time tip helpful. I certainly have! I am not sure yet, if I will unmount my wheels....... but I am thinking about it, it really is a good idea if you dont like the wheels. Also, if you dont have a stamp a ma jig, it probably makes it a lot easier to keep a straight line with these long images, rather than wheeling a crooked image....

Thanks Michelle for sharing this awesome idea!

Here is a link to all of Michelle's Tool Time posts: http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/category/tools/

Finding Happiness in nature

I have started exploring a new way of looking at the world and thinking (or not thinking)
I am exploring Buddhism and I find it fascinating! Many people think Buddhism
is a religion, when in fact, it is simply a way of life, a different way of seeing things
finding that all things have a beginning and an end.

I am learning to just be still and feel the moment at hand. Memories of the past
do not serve me in this moment, right here. Worries of the future also do not
have any impact on this part of my life, right here, today, right, now.

One of my favorite lessons so far: To the catterpillar it is the end, to the butterfly, it is just the beggining.

It really shows us that the death of something brings about the life of something else and if we just be still and let the world unfold, life will be so much easier.

So, I have been on a lil butterfly kick lately and I am trying to use up my retired DSP. The stamps are from the Simple Friendship set and happen to be some of my favorites at this junction in life.

As my life changes so much recently, it is hard not to concentrate on the end of things. My relationship recently ended, I am moving and I am changing positionsat work. Its a lot of change...... Buddha teaches us that the death that occurs in
the fall, is the mulch that makes way for the beauty of spring. Again, the death
of the flowers and leaves on the trees and the frozen earth make way for the new life that Spring brings to us.

Every year, dont you feel as though Spring comes and there is a new day. The frozen, hazy days of winter turn into warmth and renewed beauty. I chose Spring Song to signify, that not only are certain phases of my life ending, but these changes are fertilizing and making way for something new and beautiful.

I didnt write down where I got the sentiment from and I just cant seem to remember where it came from, but, I just thought it was appropriate....

When life gets tough..... Just take a deep breath...... and its all good.

While Studying the life of Buddha, I have been reading a lot of Eastern history and learning how Buddhism found its way to China and Japan from India and transformed into the Zen movement many associate with Buddhism, which is actually one school of Buddhism thought..... As I was contemplating the Eastern Influence on Buddhism and thinking of the fresh renewal of spring, I thought the set Eastern Influence would be appropriate. This card is for no occassion in particular, but I thought of the Buddhist thinking of compassion and the sadness that comes from the death of something, be it a relationship, a good day, a life, the day, the night, a star, a tree, a flower..... With Sympathy from Teeny Tiny Wishes seemed appropriate.

Happy Stamping!

Stampin’ Up Deal of the Week!

What a great deal! You save $5 on this cool punch! Call or email me today to order yours!

Another Free SVG from Free SVGs

As usual, Free SVGs has done it again, with this super baseball cut file. be sure to check out all their other sports files for purchase!

Hodgepodge Hardware and Stampin' Up! Punches

I've been receiving questions about which Stampin' Up! punches fit the Hodgepodge Hardware. So here's a display a fellow demo made up last year for customers showing which punches work with which label holder (Shown is is the Styled Silver. PLEASE NOTE: The Styled Vanilla is on sale. Same shapes and sizes, different finish as shown here)

Here it shows the Designer Label , 1" Circle & Small Oval punches:

One week only (ending July 26th!) - Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware #112454. Regular price $29.95, now ONlY $18.99. THAT'S 36% off . Purchase online at: http://angi.stampinup.net

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO GRAB THIS GREAT SPECIAL!

Eastern Influence and Simple Friendship

I have always loved the eastern influences set and I finally purchased it!
I really love the way this card came out. I am usually not a fan of orange, but I really do enjoy this one, with the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper

Stamp: Eastern Influence
Paper: Kaleidoscope
Cardstock: Dusty Durango, Very Vanilla
Colors: Copics, Distress Ink





Of course, I had to make one on the other side, so I had to get a little used to the orange colors. This time, I used Dusty Durango and Tangerine Tango, more butterflies, just trying to think of setting loved ones free.....

Stamps: True Friend, Hard to say
DSP: Kaleidoscope
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Dusty Durango
Colors: Dusty Durango, Tangerine tango













Have you tried the water colored roses yet? I just cant stop making these, they look so beautiful, dont they?

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, True Friend, Kind and Caring Thoughts
DSP: Cottage Wall
Colors: Rich Razzelberry
Misc: Designer label punch, aqua painter, embossing powder
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Rich Razzelberry

I only used Rich Razzelberry on the roses, I just colored some petals darker than others to give it some dimension.

Finally, I used more of the Eastern Influence flowers to add some decor to this great phrase from teh Hard to Say Set!

Stamps: Eastern Influence, Hard to say
DSP: Cottage Wall
Card Stock: Rich Razzelberry
Misc: Sizzix Oval Frame
Ink: Rich Razzelberry

Blog Candy, Blog Candy, and more Blog Candy. Over 50% of the blogs on this tour are offering Blog Candy. Check the Princess list on launch day. Every name with an asterisk next to it is offering blog candy.

That's not all! The Royal Blog Tour Home Page is offering their own Blog Candy. And it is -- a Big Shot Die Cut Machine!!!!

You'll have to work a bit for it as there are 20 clues that will be scattered among the 80 blogs. But won't it be worth it if you come away with a brand new Big Shot?

This drawing is open to all countries represented by Princesses in this tour, including Canada and Australia!

Good luck to you and enjoy the ride! Remember to start on the Royal Blog homepage.

Free Lipstick cut file

Here is the latest freebie from free SVG files!

Blog Candy, Blog Candy, and more Blog Candy. Over 50% of the blogs on this tour are offering Blog Candy. Check the Princess list on launch day. Every name with an asterisk next to it is offering blog candy.

That's not all! The Royal Blog Tour Home Page is offering their own Blog Candy. And it is -- a Big Shot Die Cut Machine!!!!

You'll have to work a bit for it as there are 20 clues that will be scattered among the 80 blogs. But won't it be worth it if you come away with a brand new Big Shot?

This drawing is open to all countries represented by Princesses in this tour, including Canada and Australia!

Good luck to you and enjoy the ride! Remember to start on the Royal Blog homepage.

GO TO THE ROYAL BLOG TOUR HOME PAGE ON SUNDAY, JULY 26TH TO START THE ROYAL BLOG TOUR AND ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A BIG SHOT DIE CUT MACHINE! The Ro

The Royal Blog Tour is three days long, and you'll be happy it is! There are four tours - a total of 80 fabulous blogs!

But wait - there's more!

Blog Candy, Blog Candy, and more Blog Candy. Over 50% of the blogs on this tour are offering Blog Candy.

Check the Princess list on launch day. Every name with an asterisk next to it is offering

blog candy.

That's not all! The Royal Blog Tour Home Page is offering their own Blog Candy. And it is -- a Big Shot Die Cut Machine!!!! Honestly - you don't want to miss this tour!

This drawing is open to all countries represented by Princesses in this tour, including Canada and Australia!

Great News!!! New and Even Better Version of Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) software!

Sure Cuts A Lot software (SCAL) has released a 2.0 version that promises to be bigger and better than ever! For those who haven't heard, SCAL is a third party software that you load onto your computer and it will let you cut any true type font that is on your computer with the Cricut via a USB cord. It can also cut dingbats and other files that you can purchase online or create.

What's New (Windows only)

New ways to maniuplate ond organize objects including Select All, Group and Ungrouping
Add multiple pages
Use layers to organize objects within a page
Modify text more easily
Auto tracing feature to automatically convert images
Show rulers using inches or centimeters

A couple of details: It has been reported that if you purchased Version 1 software since June 22, you can receive the upgrade for free. Head over to Craft Edge to contact them if you fall into that category. Also, for a limited time, the upgrade currently sells for $30. To get more details and your copy, go to Craft Edge by clicking HERE!

Trying to give my readers what they want....

I would like to try and add some structure to my website, in doing that, I wanted to give you what you want to see!

I was thinking along the lines of:

Monday - Mojo Monday (sketch or color combo) or Music Monday (using lyrics as inspiration)
Tuesday - Technique Tuesday
Wednesday - Wheel Wednesday (showcasing one of SU wheels)
Thursday - Template Thursday (featuring a new template, I might run out of these quick)
Friday - Favorites Friday or Friendship Friday or Feature Friday (featuring projects by other stampers)
Saturday - Scrapbook Saturday
Sunday - Sayings Sunday (maybe providing new phrases for your cards and scrapbooks)

Other ideas:
Cricut day or maybe Sure Cuts A lot (saturday or sunday)
3D projects
Color of the week
Stamp set of the week
Sizzix Saturday or Sunday - featuring a new sizzix die
Sketch day
Sketch of the week

What would you like to see, the last survey I did asked for more samples and I have diligently been trying to provide them to you, please tell me your ideas, help me structure my blog posts a little bit, tell me what you want to see!

Beach Pail SVG

The frugal Scrapper has done it again and created this fantastic, pail for your SCAL software on your cricut! Check it out! She also has a printable file that you can use!

Provocraft to release 6 new Cricut Cartridges

In the latest Design Studio font update, a mysterious SIX cartridges appeared: From My Kitchen, Winter Woodland, Sweethearts, Serenade, Everyday Paper Dolls and Picturesque.

Sweethearts is a perfect cartridge for Weddings and Valentines day while Serenade could be used for decorating your home, dressing up an album, as well as cardmaking. these are both solutions cartridges, which means they will be less expensive and carry fewer images.

Picturesque is a full size cartridge, packed with swirls, paisley, birds, butterflies, card and tag creative feature keys, as well as gorgeous ornate corner feature key.

Want to make recipe albums for gift giving this year? Well, From My Kitchen is the cart for you! It's jam packed with all the word art remotely associated with cooking, as well as cooking type icons such as stove, blender, mixer, oven, aprons, salt and pepper shakers, and pigs, cows, sheep and roosters. I am so very glad that I waited to start my family recipe album!! Now what will I do with all of those stickers I have been collecting?

Winter Woodland is the "go to" cartridge for this Christmas, as it's filled with even more gorgeous animals (the reindeers are amazing!), snowflakes, rabbit, bird, houses, and loads of word art. Not only that, there's a full size alphabet with shadow feature. Also includes a card feature and frames! Folks on the boards are chirping about this one!

And finally, Everyday Paper Dolls is being released. Lots of hair choices will be available!

The rumor on the cricut boards is that these might be released in Spetember some time, but I cant confirm that!

Butterflies are free to fly

 

You know that old saying, "if you love someone, let them go.... blah blah blah" I have been trying to do this very thing for the last month or so, pretty unsuccsessfully, I might add and trying to be creative at the same time. I decided butterflies are the perfect symbol of setting free the ones we love....

This also brings to mind, if nothing ever changed, their would be no butterflies (I think I have this on a stamp somewhere) I know that when one door closes, blah blah but give me something that will make me feel better today!!!

So, here are my butterflies, free to fly away!

A couple of pink and black

 
This week's challenge on LNS was to create a pink and black card, I am not thrilled with either of these, but I had to try the first technique (geez now I forget what its called, something stone) I fell in love with it when another blogger used it.
 
Fifth Avenue Floral is still one of my favs! I dont think I will ever get tired of these water-colored roses!!

Deal of the Week

Deal of the Week: Our Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware adds class to any project. Get them for just $18.99 (over 30% off the regular price of $29.95) - only July 20-26!

A few shameless cases

I went over to splitcoast to check out a few cards and get some inspiration for the Razzle Dazzle set. I mean I preordered it and never used it yet, I just couldnt think. For some reason, the primary stamp reminds me of corningware, Can't you just picture this on your casserole dish? Anyway, I went over to splitcoast and WOW is all I can say, I think I favorited almost every single image. WOW, I really did find some inspiration!
I shamelessly cased both of these cards, I found so many that inspired me, but these two I whipped up real quick, I just love how easy they were! You know, I don't ever put any of my stuff on splitcoast, I really should post more often!

Now what??????????

I love my electic sizzix, but, I was just trying to case a card from splitcoast and used the embossing die, I am not sure what I did, but, It is stuck, I tried everything! I thought I made the right sandwhich, but, it wont budge now, it is 3/4 of the way through the machine and its stuck! What am I going to do now? Of course, I dont use the thing for days and now that it is jammed, every card I want to make needs me to cut something! Dang it!

The Next Thinking Inking Video

Jennifer mcGuire has posted her next thinking inking video, be sure to check it out!

Finding Strength in my craft

I am trying to find strength today by creating. It's good to dream about better
days. I wish I had a few more inspirational phrases to use. When I am feeling down, I find
solace in nature and the simple beauty, like the beautiful sky, the beach, the trees and flowers.
I wanted to use this Martin Luther phrase today, so of course, I used Le Jardin Botanique, the
set that it comes with. For some reason, I was thinking green, so I went with a monotone card

The second card uses the new Razzleberry lemonade DSP, I just cannot get enough of this stuff. I love all the rich colors and I love how they come together so bodly, I just wanted to dream of happier days, Its okay to dream, right?

Youve got a friend in me

I was actually able to play along with the Stampin 411 challenge this week. I don't know why
but when I saw the sketch, I immediately thought of the birds from Cheep talk with the
heart in the middle, once I started though, it just didn't seem right without the branch.
So, it kind of took on its own look, a little different from the sketch, but I still think its kinda
cute. I'm off to do my weekly cleaning and hopefully, I will have time to come back tonight
and create another one.