Me

I'm always the one behind the camera, so there isn't even much photographic evidence that I exist!

CraftyMomof2 took this photo for me last night. A group of us went out for drinks here in town. What a wonderful treat. (Snacks and drinks with friends that is, not the picture of me!)

Shopping Days

I've loved the "Say Charge" set from My Favorite Things for a while.... and finally I've added it to my collection. My husband gave me a gift certificate to Eclectic Paperie for Mother's Day, and I picked this little beauty, and of course a few other **trinkets**




I miss the days of going out for a leisurely shopping adventure with the girls. But, with my little dynamic duo here, I rarely get the chance. Little Man seems to just know when a store has only things for ME and nothing for HIM. And as soon as we go in he starts with the "NOOOO OUT" as if I'm breaking his arm or something. I only used to be able to get all dressed up and go out shopping for the day. I feel so totally out of the loop fashion wise, and revert to the "same old things" out of my closet all the time.


So, making this card was a bit of nostalgia, and of course a little envy too! I did add a row of paper piercing on the card before I popped it into the mail to Kim VanDer Sanden, but of course, forgot to take a photo of that. Whoops. Be sure to drop by My Favorite Things to take a look at all the wonderful clear stamp sets she has for sale. She has a design team loaded with some of my favorite stampers... lots of goodies to see.


Have a wonderful day!

How we're alike (and different)

Little Man is like me in that he loves his crafts. His favorite thing lately has been sidewalk chalk. Gets coated in it head to toe, tries to color the driveway, the trees, the stairs, everything has his little mark on it.

Today we used watercolor paints, and of course, he loved it. Was so proud of himself "Paint. Paint. PAINTING! GREEN! BLUE. PAINT!" Then, he noticed that he was covered in a green paint. His hands, his toes, his clothes.

So yes, we both love to create. But me, I don't burst into tears and roll around on the floor sobbing and kicking when my hands get all inky...

What a good boy.

We have the Big Boy signed up for the Kids PMC challenge this coming weekend. Since he's only 4, he's in the Trikes and Bikes course at the local high school. While mostly he'll pedal around the parking lot and hang out with his friends, we thought it was a good opportunity to introduce him to charitable causes.

This weekend, we visited the website to show him photos of other kids doing the event last year, and we discussed that this bike ride would be raising money to help sick children. Without any prompting, he asked if he could give the money out of his piggy bank to the sick children to help pay for their hospital visits. How sweet is that?

For being especially helpful to his dad this morning with yard work and washing the cars, I gave him some money to put in his piggy bank and a little extra for the sick children. He was so pleased to be doing something helpful for someone else.

You can learn more about the Pan Mass Challenge and the Kids PMC here.

Mail them out!

This morning, I put together a card for Kyla's Maestas' Card Contest for the troops. I know she's going to receive some totally mind blowing creations from so many of my stamping idols, I can't wait to see the winners. But, I really wanted to contribute to the cause.

This uses the "Mish Closure" designed Michelle Wooderson and my new favorite set, Big Blooms. Mish Mash, her blog just always amazes me. She's so clever! Beate told me about this fold, with directions found on Cambria's blog Stamp a Little Love Baby and I just had to try it out.

What a great way to incorporate your designer paper without having to dig too deeply into the stash. I had some scraps left that were the perfect size for this from my workshop the other night!

**As I look back at this card, and as I was hooking up the links to Cambria's instructions. My card is just WAY too close to Cambria's design. So.....I'll be sending this card to Kyla with a note to please include it in the package for the troops, but to please not include it in the package for the judges.**

Kyla is hoping to collect 400 cards, and indicated on a recent post that she was only about halfway there.... Please check out her blog Sweetwater Designs for details on this contest. Cards are due to Kyla by this Friday, so come on, its just one card!!! Head on over to your stamping space and pop one in the mail tomorrow!!

details: Au Chocolat and Palette O Prints Designer paper, Choc Chip, So Saffron ink and paper, Whisper white cardstock and Big Blooms all from Stampin Up. "Miss You" sentiment from Paper Trey.

Stampdate Beauty

You may remember that a few days ago I showed a photo of a card for my upcoming "Stampdate on June 1st." This is a sample of one of the girls birthday cards we'll be making that morning.

This card uses the Birthday Beauty set which is retiring at the end of next month. A shame because she's SO cute! I "dressed" her in a scrap of the Spring Designer paper from SU and covered her Regal Rose sash in lots of Dazzling Diamonds.

If you live in the Boston Surrounds and would be interested in joining us for Stampdate, please email me at basilefamily at comcast.net to reserve your space! Attendees can make cards for $2 each with no purchase required, or can make cards at $1 each with a minimum purchase of $25 in Stampin Up product. Babysitting is also available for $3 per child per hour. I have only four spaces left for my AM session (beginning at 8:30 am running till 11am) and one space left for my PM session (beginning at 3:30 and running till 5pm.)

If you can't make the event in person, but would like supplies kitted up for you, please email me and we can set it up.

Mailed Out! And Unclaimed Loot Redrawn!

To all those that claimed their fundraiser prizes this past week, I finally made it to the shipping place today and your prizes are en route. For many of you, the donations are being drop shipped from the various vendors, so I'll be checking back in with you to make sure everything arrived as promised!

Two prize packages went unclaimed this week, so I redrew the numbers this morning. The lucky numbers were 283 and 541 as selected by random.org.

Anne Noble and SME Elliot were the lucky winners of prize packages

Prize Package C: Anne Noble
Favorite Things Hearts Galore
Starlit Studio Assorted Goodies
Taylor’s Card
Scissor charms
Assorted pink ribbons from Crafty Mom of2


Package E: SME Elliot
Custom Watermark from Freckled Fun Designs
Pink Ensemble from Julie Ebersole
Julie’s Gratefulness journal
Scissor charms

Anne and Sue, please email me at basilefamily at comcast.net to claim your prize packages!

Thanks again everyone!!

Another First!

So, I had so much fun at last night's meeting. We made a really super cute make and take featuring one of my favorite sets. "Bugs and Kisses" Certainly Celery and Garden Green with a touch of dazzling diamonds. Easy peasy, but adorable.

Tonight, is my first workshop, its actually the first month of a Project Six Month Club, and I've got three confirmed in "the club" I'm running this first session partially as an open house trying to fill the remaining spots. We'll have a mystery hostess tonight and some door prizes too. Most of all, I'm looking forward to a glass of wine and snacks with friends. Little Man has been a piece of work (to say the least!) the last few days, and I need a night OFF!

We'll be making this Au Chocolat covered composition notebook and if we have time, a giant clippie and matching pen. Is it 7:30 yet? I'm ready to stamp.

My First Demo Meeting

Tonight I'm off to my first meeting as a Demonstrator for Stampin Up. I created some swaps featuring my Palette O Prints.

We had to use stamps that are not retiring at the end of this month. Can I just say how HARD that was for me? I always binge on the stamps from the mini catalogues... so I don't have a lot that will be current at the end of this month. Eesh.

Luckily, I remembered that I have Double Line Doodle! That is the stamp set I got for attending Regionals last fall in Providence. It will finally be available to SU customers in the upcoming catty! This card is Almost Amethyst with A.A. ink. The flower was stamped with Stazon, then aquapainted, coated in dazzling diamonds.

I also created a Genie Bag (created by Jen Del Muro - please click on the link on the bottom right column to visit her amazing blog I {heart} 2 stamp.) for the Creative Challenge this month. The theme was a summer gift bag. These are so easy to make and an inexpensive way to do goodie bags. You'll be seeing these again for my son's fifth birthday this summer! This bag uses my new corner rounder punch to create the scalloped edging and the Big Blooms set from the Spring Mini Catalogue (see I told you, I have a problem with the minis!) Tempting turquoise and Real Red for this summer theme!

I did also decorate a tin from Eclectic Paperie this afternoon for that challenge, but I'm not **quite** done with it, so I'll post photos hopefully tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I have my first ever Stamp Camp at my home tomorrow night! I'm so excited, but I've been so busy getting Swaps, Creative Challenge Pieces and cards for my Stamptdate next Friday all put together. Thank goodness its a long weekend. I'm BEAT!

**I will be posting directions for that card box I posted the other day. I've loaned them out, but will be posting them here in the next few days.**

Prima share gets put to use!

My friend Erica gave me the instructions to make this cute little box using a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. I've had this gorgeous paper, part of my little binge on Crate Paper from Eclectic Paperie last month! This particular pattern was just so pretty I didn't want to cover it up. Doesn't it make a pretty little box?

This is filled with four matching notecards, with envelopes and will soon be on its way to my aunt who recently ordered a refill of notecards. I hope she likes them!

Sad to say, no stamping at all on these, but the primas coordinated just so well, I thought they looked really nice with this paper.

Have a wonderful day! I've got a few new things in the works, and hope to be back soon with more photos!

Have a great day!

Its a Stampdate!

As I'd mentioned a few weeks ago, I've signed on as a Stampin Up demonstrator. I'm starting a new stamping club for the summer called "Stampdate" it will be a playdate for kids, and their mom's too!

Each time, I'll hire babysitters to keep the kids occupied so that the mom's can have a cup of coffee, chat and make some cards. This month, the assortment will be juvenile birthday cards. I'm featuring some amazing retiring sets from Stampin' Up this month. This card is the first sneak peek of what we'll be making...

The class will be held June 1st from 8:30 to 11 and again from 3:30 to 5pm. If you'd like to join us, please contact me for further details!

Congratulations and Thank You!

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone that helped to raise money for Sarah's walk. Through donations to this contest, we raised over $1,300 and I am just awestruck by everyone's generosity. In total, she has raised a total of $4,000 for this very worthy cause!

Please help me to wish her luck on her journey both tomorrow and Sunday. Personally, I'll be saying a little prayer for the rain to lighten up.

So, without any further ado the winners are as follows:

Package A: Inspired by Ink (Bobbie)
Stamping Bella Causeabella
Kendra and Kirsten’s cards
Scissor charms
Pink May Arts ribbon from Confessions of a Ribbon Addict
One bakers dozen Whoopie Pies from Makin’ Whoopies

Package B: Sandra Lew Moll
One mel’s bracelet
Paper Trey Ink's May New Release - Little Lady (its on backorder till May 30th, but they have on on reserve for the winner of this contest!!!)
$10 gc to Eclectic Paperie
Beate’s bookPackage

C: Beth Rue
My Favorite Things Hearts Galore
Starlit Studio Assorted Goodies
Taylor’s Card
Scissor charms
Assorted pink ribbons from Crafty Mom of2

Package D: Lois Michael
$25 stampin up gift certificate redeemable through my friend Sarah D.
Stampin Technique DVD’s from Gina K
Emily’s pink tin and goodies
One mel’s bracelet

Package E: Joei Tribble
Custom Watermark from Freckled Fun Designs
Pink Ensemble from Julie Ebersole
Julie’s Gratefulness journal
Scissor charms

Winners, please email me with your snail mail address to basilefamily at comcast dot net (pardon me writing it all out, trying to avoid spammers!) by next Friday, May 25th so that I can get your goodies into the mail! At that time, any unclaimed prizes will be redrawn.

Thank you again everyone for your extremely generous contributions!

Announcing the Prize Packages for Friday Nights Giveaway!

Have you seen Kirsten's Card for my upcoming Blog Candy giveway extravaganza?? This card is beyond gorgeous! I literally sat in my kitchen studying it up close last night. I can simply NOT believe she pieced together these stripes! Its perfect. Kirsten, thank you so much!

So, I'm announcing the final prize packages for the drawing. There will be a total of five prize packages! And, they are ALL quite amazing.

Package A:
Stamping Bella Causeabella
Kendra and Kirsten’s cards
Scissor charms
Pink May Arts ribbon from Confessions of a Ribbon Addict
One bakers dozen Whoopie Pies from Makin’ Whoopies

Package B:
One mel’s bracelet
Paper Trey Ink's May New Release - Little Lady (its on backorder till May 30th, but they have on on reserve for the winner of this contest!!!)
$10 gc to Eclectic Paperie
Beate’s book

Package C:
My Favorite Things Hearts Galore
Starlit Studio Assorted Goodies
Taylor’s Card
Scissor charms
Assorted pink ribbons from Crafty Mom of2

Package D:
$25 stampin up gift certificate redeemable through my friend Sarah D.
Stampin Technique DVD’s from Gina K
Emily’s pink tin and goodies
One mel’s bracelet

Package E:
Custom Watermark from Freckled Fun Designs
Pink Ensemble from Julie Ebersole
Julie’s Gratefulness journal
Scissor charms

www.random.org will be used to select five numbers at 8pm EST. I will post the winners here on my blog immediately following. I do have many of the items here to be shipped out, others will arrive separatley from the individuals who have donated.

Thanks to everyone that provided items for the fundraiser, and to all of you that have donated to the cause. If you haven't done so yet, you can visit my original post Fundraising Blog Candy to read all the details and join in for a chance to win.

Happy Birthday!

Please join me in wishing CraftyMomof2 at PaperCanteen a happy birthday! We've been the closest of friends since our sophomore year of college, in each others weddings, and now have children close in age, and live only one town away. I consider myself so blessed to have such an amazing woman in my life. I feel badly though, I'm a crazy enabler and I've gotten her so hooked on stamping. I get a good laugh that her tastes have changed from expensive purses and shoes, to expensive paper and stamps! Love you babe!!

And, her husband is my computer genius hero! My computer arrived safe and restored this evening. Hooray! I.C.W. you are the best. My husband informs me that as he was over there tonight (picking up said computer....) he was overwhelmed by her "spice rack of scissors" she's set up over her desk. My dear husband thinks we're all a bit nuts, but then again, I guess we are....

SO Saffron!

As I started to type this post, I realized that this is my 101st post. Wow, I'm even chattier than I thought I guess! I'm also closing in on 10K posts. I guess I'll have to put together a little blog candy to celebrate that milestone. Stay tuned.....

I'm really loving my Pallette O' Prints, and I'm going to have to stock up before the end of the month and the promotion ends.

This card is almost entirely So Saffron. The base card is just plain old So Saffron, then the intermediate layer is the small dotted print from the Pallette. The paisley is so saffron stamped on very vanilla then the dragonfly is stazon black acquapainted with So Saffron (the actual body of the dragonfly is certainly celery).

I'm going to be swapping next week at my first ever demo meeting. I'd like to try to find a way to simplify this to swap it... its just a lot of layers and I don't have enough of that dotted paper from the pallette to make any more of these. That, and I'll have to switch the sentiment since it is non SU. I found it at AC Moore from a company called "My Sentiments Exactly."

Done stamping for the night, and going to bed early for a change. Hmmm is 10:30 early? I didn't to think so till recently, but lately its been midnight stamping marathons for a while. I'm beat!

Hungry for Brunch?

I just love the way Taylor uses designer paper. I'm so inspired by her talent. In fact, Taylor's blog was the first blog I had ever read, and now... I have so many on my subscription list. Even so, I always have to drop by to see what she's been working on.

So, here's my pretty lame, wanna be, attempt at her style, and her brave use of designer paper. As I've mentioned before, I tend to hoard it. But, this delicious paper isn't doing me any good sitting securely in envelopes, is it?

Brunch Collection Crate Paper from Eclectic Paperie, SU So Saffron and Mellow Moss. Happy Everything, Much Appreciated, Happy Harmony stamps from SU. Primas from one of Jodi's amazing prima shares.

Pallette O' Prints

I think I've mentioned before, but my aunt is a mortgage broker, and purchases cards "congratulations on your new home" cards from me monthly. I just always feel badly that I only have two stamp sets that fit the bill. So I rotate!

This month, Right At Home from SU was up in the rotation, and tonight, I had the idea to dig into my new assorted Palette O' Prints paper.

This adorable paper is available as a sneak peek of the upcoming catalogue to SU customers! Lucky me, I won one of the paper packs from my upline last week. I was so excited tonight to have some time to play with it!

A Card for me!

Big Boy woke me up first thing this morning, holding his "secret present" for me. Apparently at library story hour this week, they made Mother's Day cards. He apparently came home from the library with the card tucked inside his shirt and had squirreled it away in his nightstand to keep it a surprise. So cute!

Little Man has been working on saying "I love you." this week. It started out as - no lie - "Yabba Dabba Doo!" which of course I loved. Last night, when I tucked him into bed it was "I love me!" and I cracked right up and I responded "I love you too." The kid kills me.

Happy Mother's Day!!

So, I can finally show you my secret stamp project. I went to visit my mother today with the boys to deliver her mother's day gift. I created this tag card based on a design by the lovely and talented Valerie Stangle. If you'd like the instructions as to how to make one yourself, you'll have to join the Splitcoast Fan Club!

I also decorated one of the Stampendous tins from Eclectic Paperie with paper from the Just Delightful Sell-A-Bration Simply Scrappin Kit from Stampin' Up. I also used the Paper Trey sentiment "love you forever" and placed it on a slider from my Cuttlebug. This pail is filled with with some sunscreen that I bought at Beauty and Main, a new nail polish, and a belt and headband from Kaleidoscope Designs. I have a few bags and belts from Kaleidoscope my mother has QUITE the collection. She's the lady that quite literally has everything, so it was fun to try to put together a collection of a few trinkets she didn't already own!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Simple Joys

I bought this piece of Crate Paper from those fantabulous girls over at Eclectic Paperie a few weeks ago, and it was finally time to dig in.

I just love the sentiments from PaperTrey Ink. So pretty. The oval was looking a little empty there though, so a perfect opportunity to dig into my stash of Primas from Jodi!

The solid paper here SU! So Saffron and Bashful Blue. Bashful Blue is also used for the sentiment. So Saffron layer is stamped with So Saffron with the linen background stamp.

Hey, if you love SU!, Eclectic Paperie, PapterTrey Ink and treasures from Jodi, then you'll want to sign up for my fundraiser. Featuring goodies from all these places, and even more!!! In order to be eligible, just visit my original post Fundraiser Blog Candy. The drawing will be one week from tomorrow, Friday May 18th!

Mmmm. The smell of new rubber!

Little Man finally took a nice long nap today, allowing me to trim up, and stamp a project with one of my new sets! With my vacation last week, I'm WAY behind in client orders.

Grad cards are on the list, so I combined my "need" to use the new stamps with a project I needed to get done. I also used directions from a project I've been wanting to do since I saw it at my upline Erica's house.




Initially the directions call for this to be an album, with pockets for photos. But, today, I needed to make a card... so I just left off the pockets and stamped right on each panel. The card reads "Congratulations Grad" and the last panel is blank for a personalized message to the recipient.


Closes up neatly with the bellyband which is where I got to use the pretty dragonfly in this set.

This was really fun, but time consuming. I've got a lot of cards to make tonight, so I'm going to have to think "cute but simple" for the rest of the night.

I won! I Won!

Before I went on vacation, I had posted pictures of some scrapbook layouts of my older son playing in the snow. My husband wondered why I was frantically trying to get snow pictures done before our vacation. But, it was for a contest and I couldn't help myself!

My demo (ha she's now my upline!) was doing a contest and I found out tonight that my pages got picked! I'll have that new Palette O Prints in my hot little hands on Thursday. I'm jumping I'm so excited!

Helps that the Big Boy is only a super ham, and a cutie pie beyond belief. Even with his head glued up! (Derma bond has still not fallen off the forehead...I'm wondering if it will EVER fall off.)

RAK!

I'm so late in posting this note! When we got home from Florida, how excited was I that I got RAK'd (Random Act of Kindness.) How nice to get just happy mail!

The first is from the Blogger RAK Club featuring a stamp set that I want so badly, but I'm trying hard to hold out. Big Blooms. Be sure to check out Care Ins Place . She's running a contest right now to help her come up with a new blog name. Thanks for your super cute card Karen! I love it.

My next RAK was a welcome to the RAK club card from Vivian. SCS VivLyn. I love all the details on this card, the ribbon, the scalloped accents, the word window used with the brad, so cute. This was a set that I wanted to get in my starter kit, but I went with the Its your Birthday Set. Well, guess what I'm ordering with my first Demo Order. Simply Said! Thanks for pushing me over the edge Vivian!

Then, the next RAK was a whole goodie assortment! A tag reading "Thoughts of U" and a giant sunflower paperclip to match! How cute is that? And, to boot, a white piece of cuttlebug swirled paper. Thanks so much Phyllis!

Thank you so much ladies for sharing! Once I get caught up on these client cards, I'm going to "pay it forward!"

Got some stamp time!

I got some time to stamp tonight! Hooray! What I really wanted to do was play with all my new goodies in my starter kit which arrived today, but I have some client card orders that are due!

I picked up a little set at AC Moore a few weeks ago from My Sentiments Exactly. I also used my Doodle This set and of course, my Sakura Stardust Pen. Watercoloring with the Aquapainter is really so relaxing. Really. I've got to design a masculine graduation card, but I'm finding that much harder to do.

Tomorrow night, my plan is to use one of the new hostess sets which are exclusive to new SU demos. It was like Christmas going through that box today. So much fun stuff!

A sinkfull of dishes is awaiting me. I chose to ignore them till I got some "creative time" but I can't start the day tomorrow with a sink full of dirty dishes.

No time for Stampin!

I don't have any photos of stamping to share because I had a crazy weekend. So, instead, here's a photo of all of us at Disney. My boys are huge fans of Toy Story, so they were so excited to meet Buzz Lightyear in person!

My mom, sister and I went bridal shopping on Saturday and she bought a dress! It is the absolutely most perfect dress for her. So beautiful. We moved so quickly, we had time to select bridesmaids dresses and go out to lunch! How nice to have a meal where I didn't have to cut up anyone else's food for them!

Yesterday was Little Man's second birthday. What a laugh. He wouldn't pick up the cupcake, he only wanted to try to eat it directly off the table. What a goof! We all had a good laugh.

Don't get me wrong, I did squeeze in some stamping both Saturday and Sunday nights. But its a top secret stamping project, so no photos till Sunday night!

In other news, I signed on as a Demonstrator just before we left for Florida (whoop whoop!) and I'm now anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Starter Kit and soliciting people to join my Six Month Project Club. So exciting!

I'll be back with new stamped goods soon... promise!

I'm Back! And itchy to stamp!

We just got back last night from Disney with the two boys. Many thanks to CraftyMomof2 for uploading posts in my absence! You're the best.

We had a wonderful time, full of adventures with the boys, and of course a few misadventures as well... many stories to tell. But first, a house to clean, wedding dress shopping with my sister and a birthday party for Little Man tomorrow. I can not believe he will be two tomorrow. Time flies.

In other big news, I'm now a SU! Demo! Hooray. I was hoping my starter kit would have beat me home from Florida, but no luck. I sighed a big sigh last night looking at the Retiring List. So many great sets on the block. But, I can't WAIT to see what the new catty looks like!

Back soon with vacation photos and stories... stamping tomorrow night!

My brothers birthday was last week, and I had so many things going on, I nearly drove to Hallmark to buy a birthday card for him. Although, that is strictly against "house rules" when you consider I have a small fortune in stamps, paper and ink in my basement. CraftyMomof2 said "Don't you dare!!" and promptly sent me back down to the basement to gather the supplies.

So, I pulled out my handy new Cowboy Collection paper made by Crate Paper and purchased from Eclectic Paperie. I opened up my brandy new ink pad of Buckaroo Blue (what took me so long? Its almost the end of these "In Colors!!" ) and I used my much loved, but rarely used twill tape and hodgepodge.

I love my brother dearly, but he's one tough customer and I was nervous giving him the card. However, I really do think he liked it. Oh, he still thinks I'm a big dork, but well...I he's right.....but these days I revel in my “dork-hood!”