Banana Bread, anyone?

My favorite bread recipe in the whole world is my banana bread recipe, and usually disappears very quickly. I typically make it in my bundt pan, and even though it makes an awful lot of banana bread, when I take it to work, it is usually gone by 10!


So, I needed a couple of hostess gifts this week and saw these disposable loaf pans at Wal-Mart and thought if I split the batter up, would make great hostess gifts. With a little help from my kitchen gu-ru, I was able to adjust the cooking time for the 3 loafs.


I put some Cardstock, Designer Paper and ribbon around it with a little embellisment, and wa-la....a perfect hostess gift!


Recipe:
Cardstock: Old Olive, Chocolate chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamp Set: Winter Post
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Felt Ribbon, Naturals Twine, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" punch, 1 1/4" punch

Post-it Note Gift

Well, I have finally finished the gifts for all the 'girls' at work. Last year I made them scarves (which some of them actually still wear....warms my heart!), and I really had a hard time coming up with something to make them this year. What could I make that I would be able to duplicate (times 12) that was relatively easy to do, and I could do so without spending a lot of money? I found these little post-it holders online, and just knew that they would be the perfect gift!!

The base of the post-it holder are 2 3.5" square coasters. Where would I find such an item, you ask? I found them online 'somewhere'....I'm sure I could do it again if requested. :) The paper that I used is all the retired stuff from last year Afternoon Tea, Wild Wasabi and Groovy Guava. I cut out the flowers using my Cricuit which is a great little (okay, not so little) tool that Duane bought me. Funny story around that....we were snowmobiling in West Yellowstone, saw an infomercial on tv about the Cricuit and ended up picking one up in Bozeman on the way back home.

I digress.....Here is the photo of the inside of the holder. Did I do a good job of matching the post-it notes with the paper? I don't think Groovy Guava is quite the same as the bright orange, but it works!! They were very simple to make, but I do have a word of advice if you are thinking of making them yourselves....the designer paper doesn't like to stick very well folded around the edge of the coaster, and I will reccomend Sticky Strip to make sure the job gets done. Otherwise, the paper seems to 'jump' off the coaster, and you will find yourself with a strangely non-functioning accordian. Trust me, I speak from experience!

Hope none of you work girls happen upon this before I had them out next week at work....

Recipe:
Stamps: None!
Ink: None!
CardStock: Groovy Guava
Accessories: Afternoon Tea DSP, Wild Wasabi Ribbon, Rub-ons, Dimensionals, non-SU brad

December Stamp Club

Can you believe 2 posts in one day?! I am on a roll, I tell you! I'm trying to be better about posting, I promise.

Tonight is December's Stamp Club, and we are making some fantastic Christmas items. If you are interested in joining my Stamp Club, contact me. We would love to have you. We meet once a month at my house, make 3 make and takes, place an order and have a great time. Here are the great things are are making tonight.

The first one is a gift card holder. What is an easier gift that giving someone a gift card? And this is super easy to whip up if you are in a crunch or great to have on hand for those last minute parties! The great thing about this card is that it is made from an envelope folded in half, and then embellished as you desire. The envelope forms a pocket for your card!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Set: (retired)

Ink: Real Red
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White
Accessories: Dimensionals, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4" punc, 1 3/8" punch, Alpine ribbon, Ski Slope Designer Paper, Naturals Ivory Standard Envelope

The next card we will be making is a spinner card! Have you ever made a spinner card? They are super fun, and I would love to show you how! The "spinner" part in this one is the snowflake, which is covered in dazzling diamonds glitter, of course! By using dimensionals and a few pennies, this makes quite the "action" card!

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set: Snow Burst and (retired)

Ink: Basic Black, Bashful Blue

Cardstock: Whisper White, Bashful Blue

Accessories: Dimensionals, Word Window Punch, DSP (retired)

The last card we will be making is a great pocket card. The pocket makes a great place to put a photo, a note, a newspaper clipping, money, whatever it suits your fancy! I just love the Winter Post set that is in the Holiday Mini this year. I can't get enough, which is probably why I use it for the majority of the holiday cards I have made. I also just love the Felt Flurries cuz they bring an extra level of fun to the card!

Here is a shot of the inside "postcard". You could easily adhere a photo to the back of this and treat it like a true postcard for your holiday card. How fun would that be? We decided that with as little as we did this year because of being busy with work and building the new house, we have very few pictures of the two of us. So, no picture this year!

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Winter Post

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Baja Breeze

CardStock: Kraft, Real Red, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Real Red Ribbon, Felt Flurries, Baja Breeze Ribbon, Jumbo Eyelet, Dimensionals, Round Tab Punch, Designer Label Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch, Natural Hemp Twine

Techniques: Sponging

Sorry that I can't think of the names of the 2 retired sets I used (sorry about using retired sets too!). I am at work and since I can't remember them from my head and don't have access to the stamp sets, I will add these later!

Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to make these tonight!

T

Stampin' Up!'s Current specials

Could you think of anything better than getting your shipping for free? Well, that is one of Stampin' Up!'s Christmas gifts to us! Its like getting a 10% discount on everything you order. So, between now and December 23, there is free shipping on all orders over $70!! FREE SHIPPING!! What a perfect reason to buy those last minute gifts, as well as a little something for yourself!

In addition to this great offer of FREE SHIPPING, I have another great offer to share with you! Stampin' Up! has also released the list of retiring stamps. Where do they go when they retire, do you ask? Well, I like to think they go to the Carribbean, but it looks as if this year they are all going golfing...? See what I mean....

Click here to view the retired list in alphabetical list order by stamp name.


Click here to view the retired list in numerical order by page number.

See something you like on the retired lists? The great news is that between now and December 23, you can get 10% off all the retiring stamp sets. See the sale prices here. That is like getting 20% off those stamp sets! You simply MUST check them out!!!

The last sale that I have to tell you about is the last promotion from the Winter Sampler. Spend $20 in regular merchandise, and receive any stamp set in the Sampler for 20% off!

Contact me if you have questions or place an order. You can also visit my SU webiste here.

Christmas Stamp-a-Stack

First let me aplologize for not being a more faithful blogger. My intentions were good and I just found that I wasn't making the time for it. So here goes again. Probably not the best timing now that it is December - what the heck.

It is the first snowfall of the year today - if you don't count the crazy 21 inches we got in October. So here I sit - at 6:52 STILL sitting in traffic on my way home from work. I can only hope that the snowy commute will be better in the new house. So I am blogging on my blackberry - don't you just love technology?

Well tomorrow is my first stamp-a-stack and it is for Christmas. Of course - that is the most fun holiday to make and send cards for. And it my most favorite holiday. We are making 4 cards of each of 4 designs. 16 is a great start to anyone's list of Christmas card list right? It will be a small turnout for my first stamp-a-stack but that's okay.

The first card is using my favorite color - pink. I know that may come as a surprise to some. :). Just wait until you see my new crafting room in the new house. I LOVE to emboss (thanks Lyns)!! The base of the card is in Basic Gray which I think looks great with the pinks!

Card Recipe:
Stamp Set: Christmas Chatter Wheel

Ink: VersaMark
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate (retired), Pink Pirouette
Accessories: Dimensionals, Pink Pirouette Ribbon, Silver Embossing Powder
Tools: Embossing

The next one is using the Big on Christmas set which is a great and versatile set! Check out the other sentiments for great Christmas cards - this is a must have set!

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set: Big on Christmas
Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive marker, Real Red marker

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive, Real Red, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Dimensionals, Old Olive Ribbon, Silver Brad, Silver Eyelet, Photo corner punch, Ski Slope Designer Paper

The third card uses the super duper cute reindeer from the Winter Post set that can be found in the holiday mini. I think this set is wonderful and classic, and I just can't get enough of the reindeer. The snowflake that is stamped in VersaMark is also from the same set, and I think is my favorite snowflake! The Designer paper is again from the Ski Slope pack, topped off with Real Red Ribbon. The sentiment on the bottom is from the Hostess set, Best Yet. A little paper piercing (how therapeutic!!) and sponging (one of my favorite techniques) and you have a great card!

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set: Best Yet (Hostess), Winter Post (Holiday mini)

Ink: VersaMark, Chocolate Chip

Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Dimensionals, Real Red Ribbon, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Punch

Tools: Sponging

And lastly, but certainly not least - this is my favorite one to make! Take an entire piece of the Whisper White cardstock and stamp your snowflakes on it - go crazy! Then cut the paper into the size you need for the front of your card - makes it seem more 'random' that way. Then a piece of vellum cut to the same size goes over the top of the stamped cardstock to mute the colors a bit. Secure with the brads and ribbon at top - easy peasy!!

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set: Best Yet (hostess), Snow Burst
Ink: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Basic Black

Cardstock: Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Vellum

Accessories: Baja Breeze Ribbon, Silver Brad

So - there ya have it. If you are wondering if I am still in my car typing this on my blackberry - breathe a sigh of relief! I typed up everything for the first 2 cards, then came home, uploaded the pictures, and finished the post. It was 7:30 by the time I got to Wal-Mart, though. A ridiculous amount of time, if you ask me! I'm off to bed. Thanks for coming by!

T

Welcome!

Hello all! I am going to try this blogging thing. I am fortunate enough to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, and want to be able to share my business with you. Stampin' Up! offers their own website (which I am now trying free for 2 months), but can't see spending money to show you my samples when I can show them to you for free here!

So, here goes. Come back as often as you would like, I will try to post items a few times a week as inspiration - that will be my goal.
My first post is my Halloween card that I sent to my family, which I think turned out really well! I used a retired set (sorry!), but just love the mummy!

Hope you enjoy the mummy, "I love my Mummy" hehe - that's what I put on the inside of my mom's card. Note: if you send cards in the clear envelopes, they will charge your recipient an extra 20 cents....so you might want to add that on! :) (Sorry Sherry and Jody)

Thanks for stopping by!

T

Card Recipe:

Stamp Set: Booglie Eyes

Ink: Basic Black, Creamy Carmel

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Creamy Carmel

Accessories: Dimensionals, Googlie Eyes

Tools: Sponging, tearing