Center Step Card

Here's a couple of examples I made of a Center Step Card. They are fun and easy to make

and give such a cute 3-D effect. Let's see if I can remember the dimensions:

10 1/2 X 5 1/4" cardstock

Cut a slit 1" in on either side of the cardstock from 1"-6 1/4"

Turn the cardstock 90 degrees and score from the edge down to the slit at 1", 2",and 6 1/4"

Do the same on the other side.

Score between the slits at 5 1/4"

Fold at the score lines and ta da, you've got a center step card.

This fits into Stampin' Up's square envelopes.

Just a reminder that these are the last few days to get the retiring items. Kimono kids and Just Buzzin By and a couple of the stamp sets going into retirement at the end of this month.

Appreciation Night Fun

I was so happy last night. It was the little things that made me happy. I had planned to cook this chicken dish for everyone but realized as I was making it that preparing it for 30 people took a lot longer than for my family of five. (duh) and then when I stuck it in the oven I worried that since there was so much jammed in the pot it would probably take a lot longer to bake (duh) so I jacked up the heat and hoped everything would turn out okay before all my hostess and club girls walked through the door...and it did! Yea! The food turned out okay and there was enough. I was also happy that everyone fit in my home. (I was kind of worried about that). I was also happy that I had managed to finish making a little treat for everyone. It's the sort of project that once you start, you have to finish because it's not like I could only give half my guests a thank you treat. This was made using the petal cone die that I received as a birthday gift. I've already put it to good use.

Most of all I was happy to be with friends. Here's some pictures from the evening. Here's Marianne and Louise stamping. Great smiles girls!

One of the major highlights of the evening were these cupcakes that I commissioned one of my club girls, Nicole, to make. What's special about them is that they are iced in the soon to be released 2011-2012 in colours: pool party, calypso coral, lucky limeade, wisteria wonder and island indigo. She also made little toppers using a new stamp set called pennent parade cut out with the co-ordinating punch.

I even dreamed about these cupcakes last night. I knew going to bed that left over cupcakes is what I wanted for breakfast. I could only do that because Kevin and the kids were away for the weekend so no one would see me pigging out on cupcakes at 8:00 am in the morning!

Here's the cards the girls stamped:

A simple card made elegant with the tulip embossing folder. We used the retiring Eastern Blooms set (not too late to order it!) and the colours are certainly celery and perfect plum.

A thank you card for the summer season. The cardbase is regal rose and the dsp is from the brights paper stack. The stamp set is the sunny fun set coloured in with my many marvelous markers (of course)

And my personal favourite:

Isn't this just the perfect little birthday card for kids? I CASE'd it from Jacque Craig a demonstrator from Hawaii. It's using the celebrations dsp and the party this way and fox and friends stamp set.

So, I'm hoping a good time was had by all at my annual hostess appreciation night. I know I had a great time. I loved ending the evening by giving everyone a free stamp set. Who doesn't love free stamps? My shameless plug is this: if you don't want to miss it next year, make sure you book a workshop with me. Why not earn some beautiful things from the new idea book and catalogue, have fun with friends while learning stamping tricks AND reserve your spot for my next annual hostess appreciation night? Email me now to set a date!

Birthday Parties with Lil Explorers!

I am entering an exciting frontier...I will be doing craft birthday parties for children. These parties are all inclusive parties which include everything. Parents don't have to worry about anything except sending out invites and arriving at the party. More details will be coming but any queries or date bookings can be directed to Carina at Lil Explorers. Here's a couple of possible projects that the birthday child and guests will be making. ( I love the pencil holder. I think I might have to teach that for my next club meeting!) We just decided to go ahead with this amazing idea so it might be a bit premature to put it on my blog but I'm just so excited! There will be two choice options: one using the pawsitively prints dsp and sweet birthday stamp and the other will be using the celebrations dsp and For You Flower. Kids will go home with finished craft projects and lots of extra paper and the stamp. Stay tuned for further details.