Some Card "Eye Candy"

I just had a busy and fun weekend...mostly stamping with friends!  We had our 2nd Christmas Stamp A Stack both Friday night and Sunday afternoon.  Sunday was the first time I've ever had men join us (so yes, we had the football games on in the background~no problem!)  We had such a fun time!  I hope they had fun and come and stamp with me again!!!

I have a very special friend's birthday today and I've wanted to play with the Flip Card Framelits and of course, I love tea as does my friend, so here is her special card...

I love how we can now coordinate the inside lining of our envelopes with our cards too!  What do you think?

Then I needed a quick and simple card to send out to a friend...I don't use my fall stamps nearly enough (as we seem to jump from summer to Christmas these days) and I have lots (!) of buttons:

I have to work on my photography skills but I wanted to share it because it literally took me 5 minutes to make.  Clean and simple is fabulous!!!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by....

Blessings, Shirley

remember you can order any of the Stampin Up supplies you need 24/7 from my website:  specialteastamping.stampinup.net

13 Weeks til Christmas!!!

     Ok, I can hear you all snarling at me saying "thanks ALOT for putting even more pressure on my already full calendar!" No worries!  13 is a pretty big number actually.  Besides, everything is relative.

     Do you love the fall season?   I do!  We are a football family and I love decorating the house with all of the gorgeous fall colors...the pumpkins, mums, dried leaves...But, (confession time) I don't have anything but a pathetic little flag hung outdoors  at this point.  I usually pride myself  try to set the pace for the decorating in the neighborhood...and I especially love decorating our porch...tons of potential and places to decorate.   Well, let me tell you, I am waaaayyyy behind this year!  But that's OK...we start where we are.  Some years we have more time, others, not so much.  The important part is to not miss the joy that you can put in or find in... THIS day.  You are breathing right? and reading this right? Two gifts God has given you right there!  An attitude of gratitude...it can be very humbling.  Our youngest daughter specifically tries to write something in her Gratitude Journal every day. Check her blog out here:  http://staceyanndesigns.blogspot.com/2013/08/attitude-of-gratitude-july.html  I keep saying I'm going to start a journal like that.  For now, as I plop into bed at the end of the day, lights out, getting my pillow "just right" ... I close my eyes (sometimes I don't close my eyes, cuz then I fall asleep in the middle) praying and thanking God for all that he's done and for all the ways he's blessed me/us in the last 24 hrs.  (A journal would be soooo much better though, because then when you have those "down" days or feel like you've just. had. it!, you can look back and remind yourself of all that God has done!. . .  Gotta start that journal...)

This attitude "thing" has been especially on my mind and heart as we have said goodbye to a dear family friend, Patsy Pittinger, two weeks ago.

"Grandma Patsy" adopted we Harburns (and even our dog Oreo ~ and she's definitely NOT a dog lover) into her heart and her family... (our "in" was that one of our daughters, Stacey, fell in love with~and married~ her youngest grandson, Michael ;). She was almost 85 years old and still unbelievably independent (sometimes to a fault her daughters will say) and always ready for the next "adventure" or event.  Her attitude always seemed to be "I can do it!  Let's go!"  I want to be like that when I'm 85!  Thank you Grandma Patsy for making a difference and for blessing our lives.  Thank you also for reminding me that it's the little things that can make a HUGE difference.  Thank you Lord for Patsy and the reminders each day...

One of the things that Grandma Patsy always seemed to enjoy were the handmade cards I would make and send/give to her.  When she would thank me, I would always just shrug off the compliments from her (no big deal right?)  but honestly...I was so tickled that she loved them!  So let's keep making those cards and touching lives. . .

The new date is set for our Christmas Stamp A Stack II class!!!!  (Friday, Oct. 4, 6-10 pm or Sunday, Oct. 6, 2-6 pm)  Location:  My house  Cost:  $30 and includes 16 ready to send Christmas Cards (4 designs, 4 of ea.) a package of Vellum Cardstock  and the Season of Style Designer Series Paper Stack. That's a great deal!!!  Place an order the day of the class and receive a $5 rebate on the cost of the class!    NOTE:  you must rsvp and Prepay by this Sunday, Sept. 23rd ~slharburn@gmail.com...sorry for the short notice...time is flying by!)  Here is a sneak peak at 3 of the 4 designs we will be making!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to be able to stamp with you soon!  

Have a blessed day and stop by again soon....

Shirley

slharburn@gmail.com

Can't come to a class but want to order?  You can always order Stampin' Up! products 24/7 from my website www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net!

p.s. I'd love to hear your comments...

Toys! Toys! Toys!

I feel like I am opening Pandora's box or walking into a wonderful toy room ...I'm that little girl with my eyes open wide, not knowing what to play with first.  Do you remember that feeling as a kid?  That sense of wonder and excitement?   Well, Stampin' Up! has done it again...they are constantly coming out with such fun things to create with!  I told you about the flip card thinlets...and you don't just get the card die, you get 7-8 additional dies with it!

The order information is:
 

Item	Description	Price
133479	Label Card Thinlits Die	$32.95
133480	Circle Card Thinlits Die	$32.9

Then they came out with the envelope punch board...

you can now make ANY SIZE envelope you want! and just think about how adorably coordinated your projects can be...card sets as gifts, invitations, thank you cards, wedding invitations... and you can think of lots more too I'm sure!  Here's the ordering information:

Item	Description	Price
133774	Envelope Punch Board	$19.95

Do you love butterflies?  I thought I would be satisfied with just the large butterfly punch (which by the way perfectly punches out the large butterfly in this stamp set) but then Stampin' Up came out with this special at 15% off... the stamp set alone is so pretty but then with the little punch you can create beautiful layered butterflies...

Dates: August 29-September 30, 2013

Offer: Get 15 percent off when you buy this bundled butterfly stamp set and punch!

Bundle Item	Page in Catalog	Description	Retail Price	15% Savings Price	Amount Saved!
135311	90 183	Butterfly Bundle (Clear-Mount) Papillion Potpourri Clear-Mount Stamp Set Bitty Butterfly Punch	$30.90	$26.27	$4.63
135312	90 183	Butterfly Bundle (Wood-Mount)  Papillion Potpourri Wood-Mount Stamp Set Bitty Butterfly Punch	$34.90	$29.67	$5.23

This offer is only good until the end of the month so don't miss out!

And you KNOW I'm going to ask....Have you started your Christmas Cards yet?  Well RSVP by Saturday 9/7 for this super fun class...Christmas Stamp A Stack II!

  

  It is Sept 20th 6-10 or Sept 22nd 2-6 p.m.  Cost:  $30 and includes at least $15 in free product to take home with you along with 16 cards/envelopes (4 designs, 4 cards each)  This is a prepay class since I have to order supplies for you.  RSVP is  this Saturday 9/7.  You can let me know you want to come and drop a check in the mail.  You will love the techniques and ideas that you will learn!  Friday night's class has a few spots left and I still have availability on Sunday afternoon. Here are 3 of the 4 cards we will be making:

Well, that's all for today...creativity is contagious! (or you can be like me...I CASE (copy and share everything~really well!)...come play and see how easy it is to make something pretty and brighten someone's day.  

You can always order Stampin' Up! products 24/7 from my website www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net!

Have a blessed day!

Thank you, Lord, for giving us Fridays!

I thought I'd share a fun picture of our (sometimes) stubborn "furboy"...

This is our dog Oreo refusing to get out of the van when we returned home from a quick weekend at the cottage last Sunday.  It took a good 10 minutes until he realized that we really were staying home (he loves it up at Mackinaw as much as we do!)

 I've had some changes to my calendar lately and it has caused me to think about my priorities...about how God only gives us 24 hrs at a time.  We really can't control tomorrow and we certainly can't go back and change yesterday.  That's how He designed it.  It is part of His plan. I want to be wise and obedient with the use of those hours.  I  want to be open the needs of family and friends, (I tend to get captured by the "tyranny of the urgent" way too often!!)  And, I'll admit, in my mind I'm still in my early 40's (reality check here...that was at least 15 years ago!) but of course, I think I should have the same amount of energy now as I did then. Maybe His plan for this summer (in which I didn't get a fraction of what I had hoped to accomplish, accomplished) was to stretch my trust in Him and test my flexibility...I am a planner!  This summer I think He just smiled, shook His head and said "not today Shirley!  I've got something else in store for you!"  Sooo many things to be thankful for, please do not think I'm complaining, cuz I'm not...I'm a firm believer in the sovereignty of God and that each day He places us where He wants us...and I am thankful for that.  (I'm just wishing He'd give me more of a "heads up!" sometimes)

  Last night I had the opportunity to "putz" in my craftroom (is "putz" really a word or did my mother just make that up?  She used it all the time,  I use it all the time...and it's comforting)  I decided it was time to follow the advice of a  friend who reminded me that it's not good to hoard pretty paper...waiting for just "the right time" to use it, that we need to "bless other people with it's prettiness...and use it!"  I had no agenda and no set layout but I knew I needed several thank you notes to send out and so I came up with this:

I used Stampin' Up!'s Tea Party set (#129138 in clear mount) and Strawberry Slush (#131178) and Old Olive (#126953) inks.  I like how it turned out, especially because the inside is side #2 of the double sided paper.  Sooo pretty!  I'm excited to get them in the mail!  I'm going to be using my Designer Series Paper much more often now!  This was super quick and easy!!!

***REMINDER~  this Monday, August 12th is the last day to register for our Celebrating the Holiday Catalog event on Monday , August 26th!  For more information see my previous post!  We will have such a fun time and the things you will make to take home are darling!!  You can register by emailing me at slharburn@gmail.com or go to my website (where you can also shop 24/7) www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net

Have a GREAT weekend!!!!

Remember I told you that I liked "pretty" things?

Well, these new thinlits from Stampin' Up! are pretty sweet!

Can you imagine the fun we can have with these?!!!  I cannot wait to get mine to play with!  If you would like your own set too, just go to my Stampin' Up! store at www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net where you can order 24/7 and have them shipped directly to your house!  No waiting! Mine are getting ordered today! 

As soon as I get them I'll be sure to  post my creations!

It's Already August!!!

Hope you were able to enjoy your July this year.  Ours was jam-packed and just blew by!  We had 3 weddings, some out of town traveling, our son-in-law got a new job in Grand Rapids...which means I lose my Administrative Assistant  (our daughter) at Todd's office (my face is happy for them, sad for me~cuz I'm back in the office full time)...changes...exciting and a little frightening at the same time...but in and through it all we are so grateful for God's guidance and wisdom and comfort in knowing He has the road map...our job is to just get on the road and follow.

Thank goodness I have my stamping studio!  It is my "sanctuary", my "feel good room"...when life gets stressful, I just head down there and a sense of calm and peace set in.  I just love it!  I'll have to share some pictures of it with you soon.

In the meantime I thought I'd share some cute cards I made recently.  I made this super simple but elegant card for our most recent wedding:

I just love how Stampin' Up!'s stamps and framelits coordinate...you have to check out the bundles in the catalog (15% savings!)...they are soooo easy to use and make the final product look so gorgeous!

I also did these:

 

This was fun because I just took heavy duty alumninum foil, folded it a few times and ran it through my Big Shot with an embossing folder!  I love the look!  I'll definitely be playing with this technique for Christmas cards!

I also wanted to be sure to let you know about some exciting events I have coming up:

We're having a Party!!! 

Monday, August 26^th…is my Celebrate the Holiday Catalog Event!!!

Theme:  Welcoming in the Holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas)

Time:  6:30-9:30 p.m. at my home.  You must RSVP by August 12^th.  We will be making 4 super cute items!  Cost is $10 or free with a $25 order placed that night.  You will NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EVENT!  It’s definitely going to be a party!  If you bring a friend who has not stamped with me before you will both receive a gift from me!!! 

This next new event  is going to be happening every month...super fun and will definitely get those creative juices flowing...

Second Monday of the Month Club…Monthly Card/Scrapbook class … September 9^th from 6:30-9:30 p.m.….  Come make 3 cards (duplicates of each) or 2~2 page 12x12 scrapbook layouts.  We will be having a Mystery Hostess for this event…the cost of the class is a minimum order of $25 (before tax and shipping) placed that night.  For each $25 purchased, a raffle ticket with your name on it will go into a drawing.  At the end of the evening we will pull a raffle ticket and that person will win the hostess benefits for that evenings’ order (total order must reach a minimum of $150 to earn hostess benefits). When you RSVP by Friday, August 23^rd just let me know if you will be wanting to make the cards or the scrapbook layouts…a minimum order of $25 for each will let you do both!!! 

Did you come to the Christmas in July event?  Did you miss it?  Well, here's your chance at "round 2".....

CHRISTMAS STAMP A STACK #2!!!...two time choices…Friday, Sept. 20^th from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. or Sunday, Sept. 22^nd from 2-6 p.m. Cost:  $30 which includes surprise free product to take home.  Place a minimum $25 order that night (before tax and shipping) and you will receive a $5 coupon off the cost of the class to be used toward your order!!!  Prepayment and RSVP: Sept 5^th. You will make 4 different cards~4 of each including decorated envelopes and special insides ~ for a total of 16 complete cards ready to be addressed and mailed come December 1^st!      (My Christmas cards are not typically “quick and simple”…I try to go for the “Oh my goodness!  They are soooo pretty!”)  I’ve discovered that a lot of people keep the handmade cards they receive from year to year and I figure that I better make it “worthy of being saved”…and I really do love pretty things! 

This is also a class that I will do on a private reservation basis.  You invite a minimum of 3 friends to join you and you all can come to my stamping “studio” for a private party!  You bring the guests and the party is all ready for you!  Call me for available dates!!!

MOM AND ME PUNCH CLASS…Monday, September 30^th from 6-8 p.m.  Cost: $25 (for both adult and child) which includes the adorable Owl Builder punch for you to take home ($16.95 value).  Place a minimum order of $25 (before tax and shipping) that night and receive a $5 coupon off the cost of the class to be used toward your order!!! Prepayment and RSVP by Monday, Sept. 16^th.  I have wanted to do one of these classes for a long time.  There are so many fun animals, etc. that we can make with the fabulous punches from Stampin’ Up!   So bring your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, special neighbor child (they have to be at least 6 years old) and come share creative time with your special little (or not so little) someone.  We’ll be making some fun Halloween treats too!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!   Remember, if you don't have a Stampin' Up! big catalog or the Holiday catalog...let me know and I'll get one out to you right away,  (they are also available online through my SU website, but I know that I like to bend page corners and plaster on the sticky notes...so I like the "real thing"!!)  You can also order 24/7 from my online catalog at www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net

Don't forget to register for the events that you want...they tend to fill up fast!

Hope to see you soon!

Christmas in July Event

What a fun time we had on Monday!  If you weren't here, you missed out on a very fun time!  And boy did we get a jump on our Christmas card making!  To get everyone in the "Christmas Spirit" (despite the 90+ degrees outside) I decorated our stamping room with a Christmas tree, snowflakes and we hummed along to Christmas carols playing in the background.  (Since my stamping room is in the basement the coolness down there helped too!)   ...and as you can see, my husband and I "share" his football/family room.  (Makes for interesting decor but hey, it was available space and he was willing so I just work around his keepsakes ;)

Here are the cards we made...not really quick and simple, but very pretty!

I always make sure that the insides and the envelopes are pretty too!  (I just think that the envelope sets the stage...it gets the recipient excited about what is inside...silly maybe, but that's just me!)  These cards were all cased from other wonderful stampers, I just "tweeked" them!  If you are interested in what products we used (all Stampin' Up!) just contact me.  You can always order any supplies 24/7 from my website:  www.specialteastamping.stampinup.net

If you would like to join us for any of the upcoming classes (the next one is August 5th) contact me and I can send you more information. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed day...and remember the little things you do/make can make a huge difference in someone's day (and you may not ever even know it!)  Be a blessing to someone today!