StampingChallenges -- SC5 (You're Swell Card)

Today I'm excited to share my latest sketch challenge for Stamping Challenges  (SC5 -- February 1, 2013).  

As I mentioned previously -- It's made up of a lively group of avid stampers, so I'm very proud to get to stamp alongside them. (Even if not physically next to them, in spirit!)

Each week they create a sketch for you to try, and the challenge is for you to interpret it the way you see those elements used -- make substitutions with your creativity!

It's open to everyone, so start stamping with us today.

I needed a bit of a pick me up, life has been a little sadder lately... Luckily I have family and friends who love me and are there for me through tough times. I'll just take it one day at a time, time will pass and the hurt will heal. :)

Here was the sketch to work from:

Here is the card I designed:

Get the materials to make this card here:

http://cecile.stampinup.net

For this card I used

Cardstock:

- Crumb Cake (base)

-  Whisper White
Designers Series Paper:

- Sycamore Street
Stamp Sets:

- Ciao Baby 

StampingChallenges -- SC3 (Valentine's Card)

Today I'm excited to share my third sketch challenge for Stamping Challenges  (SC3 -- January 18, 2013).  

As I mentioned previously -- It's made up of a lively group of avid stampers, so I'm very proud to get to stamp alongside them. (Even if not physically next to them, in spirit!)

Each week they create a sketch for you to try, and the challenge is for you to interpret it the way you see those elements used -- make substitutions with your creativity!

It's open to everyone, so start stamping with us today.

I absolutely love making Valentine's cards. I have three big card pushes each year: Christmas, Valentine's and Mother's Day. Those are the cards I sell the most of, birthday cards are always in demand too but never all at once like these events. 

When asked if Valentine's is my favorite holiday, I always reply that I love ANY reason to celebrate. So it's not specifically any one day that I like more. I think it's fun, but I also think that if you're fortunate enough to have a very special someone that you love them every day, not just Valentine's. But there is something nice about making someone feel very special (and having them make you feel so, too!)

Here was the sketch to work from:

Here is the card I designed:

Get the materials to make this card here:

http://cecile.stampinup.net

For this card I used

Cardstock:

- Crumb Cake (base)

-  Whisper White

- Primrose Petals
- Pool Party

Designers Series Paper:

- More Amore

Stamp Sets:

- Pretty Petites

- Ciao Baby 

StampingChallenges -- SC2 (Birthday Card)

Today I'm excited to share my second sketch challenge for Stamping Challenges  (SC2 -- January 11, 2013).  

As I mentioned last week -- It's made up of a lively group of avid stampers, so I'm very proud to get to stamp alongside them. (Even if not physically next to them, in spirit!)

Each week they create a sketch for you to try, and the challenge is for you to interpret it the way you see those elements used -- make substitutions with your creativity!

It's open to everyone, so start stamping with us today.

Here was the sketch to work from:

Here is the card I designed:

Get the materials to make this card here:

http://cecile.stampinup.net

For this card I used

Cardstock:

- Crumb Cake (base)

-  Whisper White

Designers Series Paper:

- Sycamore Street

Stamp Set:

- Pretty Petites 

I am low on birthday cards, and I just got this great set, so I tried it out. :)

StampingChallenges -- SC1 (Anniversary Card)

Today I'm excited to share my first sketch challenge for Stamping Challenges  (SC1 -- January 4, 2013).  

It's been a very fun process getting to be a part of the Design Team. It's made up of a lively group of avid stampers, so I'm very proud to get to stamp alongside them. (Even if not physically next to them, in spirit!)

Each week they create a sketch for you to try, and the challenge is for you to interpret it the way you see those elements used -- make substitutions with your creativity!

It's open to everyone, so start stamping with us today.

Here was the sketch to work from:

Here is the card I designed:

Get the materials to make this card here:

http://cecile.stampinup.net

For this card I used

Cardstock:

- Whisper White (base)

-  Pirouette Pink

- Raspberry Ripple

Stamp Sets: 

You Are Loved

En Francais

I made this card for my anniversary to a very sweet and wonderful man. :)

He's incredibly kind, funny, handsome and super smart. I feel so lucky and happy that we treat each other with such love and respect. That doesn't always happen in life so it makes me extremely grateful. Well... so much for that.

I hope for an excellent 2013 for everyone!

Happy Bird-Day

I love punny things, so I just felt the need to make a fun card with one of my favorite sets. Plus I had to use a really Spring-y palette... I'm so glad that winter is just about over! (Austin has relatively mild winters, I don't know how you folks with all that snow do it!) Anyways, I thought it came out kind of cute, so I thought I'd post it. I originally was going to enter it for a contest for Papercrafts magazine, although this one ended up not making it into the bag. I'm really proud of the other cards that my best friend and I made, so wish us luck! :)

For this card I used:
Stamps - Pun Fun (SU!), Occasional Quotes (SU!)
Card stock - Crumb Cake (Base), Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and Whisper White
DSP - Delightful Dots (SU!) -- Retired from Sale-a-Bration 2009

I {Heart} Sharing

"To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments. . . in this we make a difference!"

I think this is an amazing motto for a company to have, but more than anything, I think it's amazing for a company to be able to live up to that standard every day.

Crafting for me has been an extremely joyous experience, not only for motivating me to be creative and take some "me time" but also for giving me a chance to share it with friends in family, be it when I give gifts, send cards or sitting down to craft and chat together.

For those who don't know, Shelli Gardner is kind of a rock star in the stamping world. She is the one of the founders of Stampin' Up! and today she posted a video about what Stampin' Up! is all about. I know it sounds cheesy, but just watching that video really made me feel warm and fuzzy about getting to be part of that company. I felt that she was very sincere in her delivery, and best of all, everything they showed was really inspiring. (OMG all those beautiful looking craft rooms! I wish I was at home crafting right now!)

This is essentially... crack, but for geeked out stampers like me.

I just thought I'd share so other people can go "ooooh ahhhh" about some of the cute things displayed, too. :)

Sunday on Congress

My best friend, Nicole, and I decided to try out a craft fair. We made a ton of cards to sell on Congress on Sunday. It was a beautiful day, albeit a little windy.

We shared a tent with her cousin Becky who was selling one of a kind feather accessories. (Visit her at Foxy Flight)

Here we are in our tent:

We met alot of nice people and had a fun time. It wasn't super busy... I think alot of people weren't walking around because they were prepping for their SuperBowl parties. But we did get alot of nice feedback from people who thought we did a great job.

Nicole and I really liked pushing ourselves to create alot of different designs. We crafted together weekly, and when we weren't crafting together we were sending photos back and forth of what all we came up with.

I also liked how we used many of the same stamps but came out with really unique end products. It just goes to show you how you can really add your own flair to things.

I had friends visit and show support, too, which I thought was really sweet.

All in all, we'll definitely be doing it again this Sunday (February 13th). We hope to see a ton more folks come out! And for those who can't come out to Austin, I'll be posting a video tutorial to make one of the Valentine's cards that I especially liked making.

Don't forget that Sale-a-Bration is still going on -- from now until the end of March, you can earn lots of free stamp sets, ribbons, paper, buttons and digital downloads. Check out my website to see the Sale-a-Bration specials.