Check this out!

I brought my SU! 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog to Staples this week and had them remove the spine and put a spiral spine in its place.  V-e-r-y easy to look through it when it is able to lie flat (or is that lay flat?!)

Contact me if you would like to get your own copy of the IB&C for only $5.00!!  Customers can begin ordering from the new catalog on July 1st.

                         nice 'n flat when open...

    The front cover

The 2011-2012 catalog is here!

The new catalog is here!  The new catalog is here!

I received my copy of the Stampin' Up! 2011-2012 catalog with my order yesterday.  There are lots of new stamps, papers, punches, accessories, etc., etc. that, of course, I will "have to" have!  Be on the lookout for some things made with products from the new catalog.

In the meantime, here is my latest creation.  It was designed after a card I saw on the demonstrator side of the Stampin' Up! website and it uses the set "Strength & Hope."  For every set sold, SU! is donating $2.00 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  The stamp set is available in the Summer Mini catalog and is available until 8/31/11.

(a close-up of the butterfly design.  Sorry about the shadowing.)

What a beautiful shower!

Alicia's shower was on the 21st of May and it was absolutely beautiful!  My family hosted a "tea" that included three courses: appetizers, scones, and desserts.  Everything was homemade and simply wonderful!  To make it extra special we used china, no paper products.  Decorations included violas in teacups on the tables, and a pitcher of fresh lilacs on the food table.  Alicia opened gifts between courses to spread out the time involved in opening them.  She received many beautiful, useful gifts.

The picture below shows a teapot, shoes and pansy favors that I made for the tables.  I came home with one of the violas, too.

SCORE!

I went shopping in Latham yesterday.  Stamping/Scrapbooking shopping that is.  Checked out the new Hobby Lobby.   It seemed there was more stuff for one's "lobby" rather than their "hobby" - a lot of home decor.  It was very nice, don't get me wrong.  I will definately go back for their papers and stickers selection as it was HUGE.

My big SCORE however, came from A.C. Moore which is right next door to H.L.  How convenient for all us stampers/scrappers, huh?  Would you believe I paid a total of $14.70 for everything in the pic(s) below???  The five rubber stamps were $7.50.  The cardboard heart shape scrapbook was $1.20.  The brads were $2 and the paper....well, the paper!!   What I am showing in the picture is only 2 packs of the 4 I bought at .....$1.00 each!!  There are about 40-50 sheets in each pack (8 1/2 x 11)and they include cardstock, vellum, embossed heavyweight paper, textured papers, and Christmas papers.  I can hardly believe my luck!!  I should've been stingy and taken all that was there!!  Everything was on the 90% off table.



After I hauled everything out to the car I made a quick stop at the Michael's craft store on the other side of Rte.9.   It seemed to be smaller than their store in Albany I thought, but as always, a good selection of crafts.

Well, it's absolutely a gorgeous day.  Need to get outside with Buster.  He will be happy as Craig & Daniel return from their band trip to Myrtle Beach tonight.

~Annette

Hubby's birthday was today and we spent a good portion of it shopping for clothes for him to take on his trip to Myrtle Beach with the h.s. band.  He's looking forward to going, but is already dreading the trip back because by that time he's really sore from sitting in the rumble seat of the rental truck.  Told him to pack a pillow! Hee hee.

Went to my first official scrapbooking weekend with the Scrapbooking Divas.  They meet each month at a local church on Friday evenings and then again on Saturdays.   The best part is you're able to leave all your "stuff" there on Friday night. I went both days but only stayed until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.  Had to come home to start packing stuff up for the painters that are coming this week.  Ick.  I had a very successful weekend finishing off 4 12x12 scrapbook pages.  I averaged 2 pages per 3 hours. Holy cow!  Doesn't sound like much for that amount of time, does it?  I hope to have some time later in the week to post them on here.  In the meantime, here is a card I made my sister-in-law's father last year when he retired.  The sentiment inside wished him congratulations on his retirement.

~Annette

Penny Spinner Card

Here is a birthday card I will be sending to my cousin's little girl for her birthday.  She will be 3 years old and I think she will have a lot of fun with it. 

It is called a penny spinner card because 2 pennies are adhered together with a dimensional and each penny is placed on either side of the "track."  The design (in this case the cupcake layers) is then adhered with a dimensional to the penny.  When the card is tipped side to side, the cupcake will spin it's way back and forth down the track.

Supplies:
Stamps: Cottage Garden, Got Treats
Paper: DSP - Ice Cream Parlor; CS-Regal Rose, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: Regal Rose
Accessories: Dimensionals, 2 pennies, Ribbon: So Saffron  Punches: Word Window, 1", 1 1/4", 1 3/8"


~Annette

Easter Bunny punch art

Hi!  Wanted to share a cute little Easter basket I made.  I actually made three of them - for my nephew and two nieces.  I CASE'd (Copy And Share Everything) it with a few changes from Renee at the website link below.

The basket is made with 6x6 Blushing Bride DSP (Designer Series Paper)
The bunny is made using the following: 
Cardstock: Whisper White and Regal Rose. 
Punches: 3/16" corner rounder, 1 3/4" scallop circle (for the body -I trimmed off the scallops), 1 3/8 circle punch (head), 1 3/4 x 7/8 oval large (ears/feet) 1/2" circle small ("hands") and the Heart to Heart Extra large (pink ears/feet, nose, and red heart)
Accessories: metallic brads, black stampin' write marker, retired DSP (red heart), glue dots

You can find the link to Renee's website and bunny at: http://www.jdvhousecardart.com/2011/03/punch-art-bunny-and-basket-1-of-3-in-1.html.  Just copy and paste the address in your browser.  Still trying to figure out how to "link" stuff!

Any questions or comments, please contact me.

~Annette

I should have used a longer strip than 6" for the handle.  Also, cardstock (stamped with some Easter images, of course) would be a better choice than the DSP as it is more sturdy.