Happy 4th of July!!!! Here is a card that we made in Club! I used straws as I could not find Pixie Sticks anywhere. While I was in Las Vegas I went to a Candy Store and found some red and blue Sticks. We used them for the last class as I forgot them for one of my clubs. This set is stamped with the Star Set that is in the Occasions Mini until June 30th. It is a fun set as you can use it for so many different occasions. Inside the card I punched with the large oval so you could even put a gift card in there. I saw this on Dawn's blog. I wrapped wire for the top of the stars to be a little festive!

Peonies

I had a beautiful day yesterday. We had Stamp Club at Sandie's house. What a great hostess! Again we had a fun time--laughing and visiting! Sandie's yard is so full of beautiful flowers and we enjoyed her tour of her house. What interesting hobbies she has! As we were about to leave she handed us each a homemade small cheesecake! Chocolate swirl inside-yum! My girls and I enjoyed it! (Still have some left!) After Club I went and visited my daughter's house and took some pictures of their beautiful peonies! Wow! They are so full and beautiful. I just kept thinking I need to cut one of these to take home and put on my table in a vase. I was putting them up as some were on the ground and one broke off! That was the one! It now looks so pretty in my house!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red Bloomin' Beautiful

Can you tell that I love this Bloomin' Beautiful Stamp Set? I made this card with Real Red card stock and tied some Black Organdy Ribbon around it. I used Ruby Red and Real Red inkers with the aqua painter to color in my flower. The DSP is from the Level I hostess set of 6 x 6 paper. I made about 10 different cards today with this set. Some of them I added Sympathy images to and others I just left blank to add as I need them.
It was hot out today so this afternoon I spent my time inside stamping. I got my mowing done tonight when it was cooler out. It is still so beautiful out with the green grass and all of the trees are looking so nice.

Stationary Portfolio

This is a picture of the Stationary Portifolio we will be making in class on June 30th. It is made with the Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set and Afternoon Tea DSP. This is the outside of the box and can be decorated with any of the Afternoon Tea DS papers.
This is the inside of the box and the top of the cards. You can put a message on the left or right side or add another image. You also add Jumbo brads and 5/8 inch grosgrain ribbon for the handle.
This is what the inside of the box looks like. There are 2 compartments for your cards and envelopes. This was a beautiful project to make. It is so awesome to just sit and watercolor these beautiful flowers. A special thank you to Andrea for sharing this project.

Another Card of Patti's

Here is another card from Patti. She used the Bloomin' Beautiful set with the watercolor technique. She added glittering beads in the petals for some embellishment. This is such a gorgeous set and will only be on the market until June 30th.

Western Baby Book

Today I made a 6 x 6 Brag Book. It was for a little girl but we also wanted some of the pages western which presented quite a challenge. I used a combination of stamps, adhesives, and rub ons.

This page was made with DSP from Stampin' Up! and the retired Sellabration set. I also added the Pomogranate ribbon and paper.

Here I added some adhesives on some Caramel paper. There isn't much out there for kid's western ideas. I would mow awhile and then come in and scrap a few pages.

I used a western frame stamp and then typed the information on the computer.

This is the outside of the Beige 6 x 6 Book. I added hemp around the book and then put adhesives on the hemp. I also added some beige and light pink ribbon.

Retirement Stamps for Sale

Here is a list of stamp sets I have for sell. After August 10th I will be offering more sets for sale. You may stop by my house at any time or email me.

Stinkin Cute 15.00
Perfect Presentation 15.00
Too Terrific Tags 8.00
Creative Corners 10.00
Sidekick Sayings 15.00
Letter Patterns 12.00
Mon Ami 7.50
All the Best 12.00
Smitten 9.00
Polk-a-Dot Poisies 11.00
Fresh Flowers 12.50
Surprise 7.50
Bold Check Frame 8.00
Just Jeans 8.00
You Make Me Happy 15.00
Around & About 6.00
Sassy Sayings 1 10.00
Business Memos 11.00
Figures of Speech 15.00
Small Script 8.00
Warmest Regards 12.00
Collage Alphabet 20.00
Happy Da 8.00
Glad Tidings 15.00
Three Thoughts 8.00
Friendship Shapes 8.00
Tags For All 18.00
Holiday Tag Team 19.00
It's a Date (unmounted ) 10.00
Alphabits 10.00
Autumn Fest 15.00
Both Way Blossoms 15.00
Oh So Lovely 15.00
Stampin Around Vine (wheel) 3.00
Sidekick Sayings 15.00
Lexicon of Love 7.50
It's A Date 10.00
Birthday Whimsy (new) 15.00
Lots of Thoughts (new) 15.00
So Many Scallops (new) 15.00
Merci 9.00
Monogrammed Capital F (new) 14.00
Friendship Blooms 15.00
Love & Joy 15.00
Spunky Number 10.00
Word On Word (new) 20.00Aall About U 18.00
DP Pines 18.00
Basket Full of Fun 18.00
Journaling Fun 12.00

Stampin' Up's! Big Announcement

Stampin' Up made their big announcement today. They will be selling Decor Elements! It is a vinyl image that can be used to decorate your home and walls, tiles, glassware and more. The first 100 images will be launched on July 1st and will come in large and small sizes and in 2 colors-white and chocolate. The line will include Alphabet, phrases and art work and some with coordinating stamp sets. I will try and get the information to you as soon as possible. Demos can begin ordering tomorrow, June 18th, and customers can order on July 1st. This is so exciting!

Bloomin' Beautiful Class

This is the Stationary Portfolio and 2 of the Bloomin' Beautiful Cards that I will be offering in a class on Monday, June 30th. I will have 2 classes 10 am-1pm and 6-9pm. If you would like to take the class and these times do not work for me call or email me and we will figure out a time. If you would like to participate please send $18.00 to Peg by Friday, June 20th so I can get the materials ordered. If you would just like the materials and directions I can also send them to you. These cards use the Afternoon Tea DSP that will be discontinued after June 30th. You can also email me at bireland@msn.com

Retired Set Sale

Retired Stamps for Sale!!!!

I have many retired stamps I will be selling soon! Watch my email and this blog for the sets I have to offer. I will offer some sets now and then another group after the new Catalog comes out (After August 11th) Stay tuned!

Another Bloomin' Beautiful Card

This is another beautiful card using the Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set. This set will only be offered through June 30th. If you would like this set email me and I will order it for you. I have also used Afternoon Tea DSP which will also only be available through June 30th. I made a Faux Bow with Chocolate Brown 5/8 grosgrain ribbon and added some brads. The flower has a 3-D effect as I watercolored 3 flowers and just stacked them on top of each other with dimensionals. I got this idea from Andrea. I stamped the flower with Black Staz On onto Whisper White card stock and then mounted it on Chocolate Chip card stock.

Bloomin' Beautiful

This card is made from the Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set from Stampin' Up! I made the card from Groovy Guava 4 1/4 by 11 and added some Afternoon Tea DSP across the bottom. I stamped with Staze On and then used the aqua painters and blender pen with Groovy Guava and Wild Wasabi ink pads. I colored the vase with Caramel Wonder Colors and highlighted it with Close to Cocoa. The corners of the white card stock were punched and mounted on Close to Cocoa card stock. I also added a Faux Bow with 5/8 inch Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon. This card is for a 60th Wedding Anniversary that we are attending tonight. 60 years!!!
Be watching for a class that I will be teaching soon using the Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set. This set can be used for many occasions.
It is so beautiful outside and I was out this morning taking care of my garden, flowers, and horses but I am so far behind on my cards, thank yous and gift giving so I have to stay inside this afternoon and get caught up!

Patti's card

Here is another card from my friend, Patti! She is so creative and loves to stamp!

Retired Stamp List

Be sure and check back here on Sunday, June 15th, Father's Day for the Retired Stamp List. You can also check on the SU website. They will be listing the retired accessories in July. On June 17th we will learn about a new line of products that SU will be carrying. Stay tuned to all of the new announcements!!!!

Square Chipboard Clip

I am back from Vegas and ready to get back to the real world. We attended a beautiful wedding while we were there. We had a great time relaxing in the sun by the pool and I even got a pedicure and manicure. My first! I decided to do that instead of gambling with the slots. It was fun but way too many people for me! The traffic is unreal and it is hot! Patti made this in our May Club Meeting. We used a piece of 6 x 6 chip board and covered it with a piece of DSP of Jersey Shore. A white rub on was put on Brilliant Blue card stock that was punched with the Scallop Punch. She added a piece of orange and white striped ribbon and a white clip. You can use this to hold a note pad or set it on the counter to hold pictures.

Bloomin' Beautiful

This is a card from Patti. I apologize for the printed image as I just couldn't to get it to print correctly. She has used some Crystal Effects on the flower and paper tore around the white card stock. She also added a unique finish with the white gel pen. Patti watercolored this flower.

Fresh Cut Card Special

Here are some samples of the Fresh Cut Stamp Set that is the special for June in Stampin' UP! You can punch out the flowers on these white notecards and then add a piece of colored card stock on the back. I also stamped the thinking of you on the front with River Rock and then added a felt flower and brad. I added the design on the Pumpkin Pie card and added a felt flower on the top and one on the bottom.

This card used Bashful Blue for a punched out flower behind the white flower and then I stamped the background with Bashful Blue and a hue of Pumpkin Pie.

I stamped the background with River Rock and used the Polka Dotted DSP for the background. I also added a brad with an Olive Felt flower. These are so fast to make. The stamp set sells for $21.95 and the Note Cards are $5.00 for the June special. You may also look at the special on the Stampin' Up website.

Water, Water Everywhere

Here is a picture of our log down by our road after this evening's rain. We have been in drought for 7 years and now it just seems like it rains everyday. The water was going over the road and fences tonight.

This is a picture of our dam and now it has water in it. It has been dry for 4 years. This rain has been unreal. We have not seen green grass like this for a long time.

Wax Paper Cards

This is a card we made at Carol's workshop on Saturday. Carol demonstrated this wax paper technique that she had got from Vel. You can run a piece of wax paper through the Cuttle Bug and then lay a partial piece on a piece of glossy card stock. Lay another piece of typing paper over the wax paper and iron it with your iron. Lift off and ta doo! What an awesome background.Then you take your brayer and go over the wax paper section. The stamp set used was Bloomin Beautiful.

This background was created by just crumpling up a piece of wax paper and ironing over it. I used Brilliant Blue with the brayer.

Here is another card I made for Father's Day! Be careful not to touch it when wet as you can see I got a few smudges on it! You may want to take a paper towel and wipe over it after you are done braying. I think it helps with the drying technique! I used Blue Bayou ink and Chocolate Brown and Caramel card stock. I had seen a card like this on the internet but can't remember who to give credit to. She used a different background. You can also use the star punches and the Hodgepodge Kit. It is kind of messy but interesting!

Mini Scrapbooks

Yes, I am finally back to stamping again! Here are some mini scrapbooks that are so easy to make and using only one sheet of DSP.You can use these for pictures, gift cards, money, etc.
Directions:
Score a 12 x 12 DSP on 2", 6" and 10" . Turn 1/4 turn and score on 3", 6" and 9". Fold on the score lines and then cut with scissors or cutter on the 6" line. Adhesive the strips together back to back. Use your Bind It machine with 1/2 inch coils and first punch the one you adhesived together and then punch the rest. It is too thick to punch them all together. You can view a tutorial on Vicki's blog http://angelstamper2.blogspot.com. She has excellent instructions.

Wedding Card

This wedding card was made with River Rock DSP, Black card stock, River Rock card stock, and Shimmery White card stock. I scored a 11 x 5 1/2 piece of card stock in half and then scored the half in half. The black was mounted on the River Rock and the DSP was adhesived to the black card stock. I used Stampin' Write markers to color the facial features and used a little glitter on the bride. A piece of black Grosgrain ribbon was wrapped around the Shimmery White and Black card stock.

Kristina's Desk Organizer

Isn't this just darling? Kristina sent me a picture of this project that she made. She bought the materials for the desk organizer in Sioux Falls. She spray painted it and then just added Designer Series Paper and lots of embellishments. She said she had a hard time stopping with the embellishments. What a cute idea! Thanks for sharing Kristina!

Our Yard

This is a picture of our Pear Tree in the Orchard. All of the trees in the orchard are so beautiful right now. In the background you can see some sticks where I put my garden in. We finally have water so this is my first garden in about 10-15 years.

This is a picture that Bud took of our front yard. It is the tree that Dakota Junior High gave Bud in memory of his sister's death a few years back. This year it has the most blossoms we have ever had. The grass is so green and all of the dams and stock ponds are full of water. What a blessing!

Beings I am unable to stamp for another week I am trying to get my outside work done. I still have another rock garden to plant with perennials and some annuals to put in. I know this week we will probably be getting in over another 100 trees to plant. I am sure with this nice weather everyone is anxious to get their yards in. Isn't it amazing what water can do for our country!

New Craft Room

This is my stamping desk that I have had for a long time. It has a thick piece of glass on the top and so it is just the best for stamping. We bought this for $15.00 at a rummage sale about 13 years ago when Kami was going to college. She used it for college and then of course all of the furniture comes back home.



This week I primed it and then painted it black and spray painted the knobs. Kami sanded the edges to give it that antique look. It looks like a new desk and will look great in my new painted room.

This is the color we painted the craft room after the water damage. It is black on the bottom and Silver Metallic on the top. The metallic was very challenging but I decided to do a little dry brushing with the suggestion from Sarah. It worked really well. Now to add the carpet next week and then get moved back in. I plan to add some Uppercase Living words on the wall.

True Friend Card

We made a card similar to this at our May Clubs. I used 1/2 sheet of Wild Wasabi and scored in middle. There are 4 pieces of 2 1/2 squares of Afternoon Tea DSP adhesived to the Wild Wasabi.
I stamped the flower from True Friend in Wild Wasabi (at class we used the Blossom stamp and stamped the flower in Soft Sky and the stem and leaves in Wild Wasabi ) on white card stock and then mounted it on Soft Sky cardstock. I added a little ribbon of blue taffeta (or you could use gingham, grosgrain or stitched Soft Sky) It was attached with glue dots.

Blossoms Scrapbook Page

This is a 12 x 12 Almost Amythyst scrapbook page. It has a one inch strip of Bashful Blue across the page with a Certainly Celery brad on each end and the word "Bloom" written across it four times. At the top I stamped the definition of "blossom" in Chocolate Chip on white card stock and framed it in Bashful Blue. I distressed the edges of the blue card stock. At the very top a Mini Clip was added. In the left bottom corner I stamped the pot of flowers with Staz-On Black ink and then watercolored it with an aqua painter. The paper was paper torn and than framed on Certainly Celery cardstock. This set is in the Spring Mini catalog.

Scrapbook Kit Class

Here are the ladies working so hard on their new 6 x 6 scrapbooks. They were each making a different book and wishing they would have got their neighbor's choice. We had so much fun laughing and working and surprisingly they did get a book completed with all of the comotion.

It is great to talk and laugh and enjoy all of the ideas each person would come up with. The gals had half of a Scrapbook Kit and a 6 x 6 Brag Book to complete their project.

This was a great afternoon! The pages must have really been flipping as this picture got a little blurry on the table. It is always so much fun to get together with this nice group of ladies.

12 Card Organizers

Here are some more 12 card organizers that I made for gifts. This one was made with the retired paper and using a red coil.

This Cutie Pie Designer Series Paper worked really well for the Organizers. I ran out of paper to make the cover but also showing you some inside pages.

These are so much fun to make! We all loved the Bind It machine. Just be sure and open the side door every once in awhile and clean out the little punches. If not it will clog the machine and you cannot make the punches go through. The covers (front and back) are made from the piece of cardboard that comes with the packet of paper. You need to cut it 6 x 8 and then cover the front with a piece of 6 x 8 DPS. It is so hard to choose a cover as the paper is so awesome!

This is the Western Sky Designer Series Paper. I also have put each month on the front of each pocket. I used 1 inch coils to make the organizer.

Becky's Retirement Card

A friend called and asked me if I would make a Retirement Card for a teacher that is retiring in a few weeks. I used Afternoon Tea Designer Series Paper and covered Groovy Guava card stock. I added a piece of chip board and covered it with Wild Wasabi textured paper and poked holes in it. Then stamped a flower with Embrace Life on Groovey Guava paper and ink. I used glue dots to put it on the Wild Wasabi card stock. I added a half pearl and some little centers from the Flower Embellishments. Groovy Guava ribbon was added on the side. I just typed Happy Retirement, Becky on a piece of paper so it would wave. I hope this works for them!

Blizzard

Here are some pictures of the blizzard we just had on May 2nd in western South Dakota. Some tree damage! But look at the snow. I-90 was closed from Wall to the Wyoming border. We did keep our electricity through it all. It had rained over an inch before the snow came. It snowed and the wind blew for about 20 hours.

Our neighbor's pickup and trailer was in our yard. I am sure it will all be melted before she gets back from Minnesota.

Bud out in the corrals on a drift. Just had to climb to the top to show how big some of the drifts are. We haven't had any snow like this for years. Hopefully, we will get some running water in the pastures. We have had a drought for 7 years so maybe this will be the beginning of some moisture.

Bud is trying to get some heifers over the snowbanks so they can get to feed. Some had water and the others had feed. There is a big metal gate under that snowbank.