Travel or Scrapbooking Blog Hop

July 18, 2018July 18, 20189 Comments

I hope you are enjoying our Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators Blog Hop featuring projects that are travel or scrapbooking related. Fellow demonstrators from all over the globe are participating so we have a wide array of fun projects to share with you! You may have arrived from Melanie’s blog. She had a fabulous project!

I have lots of scrapbooking ideas floating around in my head with memorabilia and photos to make layouts complete. But with a busy last week which included a tragedy in my town blogged about here, I went with my second project idea; a pillow gift.

I have a weekend retreat in August I can use these for or roomie gifts for Onstage in Orlando in November. That follows our travel related theme since they will be traveling to a fun destination. My project is a wooden crate pillow gift with matching hand stamped tissue paper and a coordinating lemon stamped and punched gift note for a personal message.

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Side view to show these really do look like old fashioned wooden crates!

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Create 1 crate as shown from a 6×6 inch patterned paper from the Wood Textures dsp stack. The corner with the missing dsp will be ok since it will be covered by the full bottom piece from the opposite side. You will know what I mean when you start creating your crates:)

The Wood Textures Designer Series Paper is part of the buy 3, get 1 free sale going on through July 31st. Full details about the sale are in this blog post.

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Here are all the supplies used plus the Big Shot. The sentiment stickers are from the Memories and More Delightfully Detailed card pack. I just happen to pick the sticker that color coordinated with the colors of the wood paper and treats:)

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I was awaiting the July Paper Pumpkin kit so I could have snagged the blue tissue paper to line the crate with and also color coordinated the candy to the blue tissue paper. But the mailbox did not have my kit today. So I needed to use white tissue paper from my wrapping paper stash and decided to stamp lemons on it. Neat trick for when you really want your gift to be coordinated!

Please add a comment and let me know what you liked about my design.

Thanks for hopping with us. Now click on the next image to zoom to Sandra Robert’s blog

to see what fun ideas she designed.

All the supplies used in my design can be ordered through my online store here.

If you don’t already have a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, I would be happy to have you join

my Super Awesome Stampers team. Click Contact above to get the conversation started.

Thanks!

Here is a list of hoppers in case you get off the trail…

Sue McDonald, UK

Melanie Coverston, USA

Shirley Merker, USA YOU ARE HERE!

Sandra Roberts, UK

Anastasia Radloff, USA

Ginger Rabesa, USA

Here is a bonus blog that missed deadlines but has a great project to share!

Stefanie Seaver

Fun Mail for Me

February 23, 2018February 20, 2018Leave a comment

The logo drink mug and 30th Stampin’ Up! anniversary pin were delivered within a day of each other. Both are gifts from Stampin’ Up! The 30th anniversary pin celebrates Stampin’ Up!’s 30 years as a business. I have been a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for 15 of the last years’. My anniversary is in August.

My family and I have been with Stampin’ Up! for longer than my 15 years as a demonstrator. We made a few of my previous demonstrators happy with our family orders. I decided to sign up to enjoy the demonstrator discount after we moved into our house with an extra room that needed a hobby to fill it.

The pin is attached to my lanyard along with my 5 and 10 year pin. I am looking forward to adding my 15 year pin in the fall. I first used the drink mug at a crop so it has good paper crafting vibes.

Stampin on my friends, Stamp On!

Super Awesome Stamper Shirley

Pile o’ Christmas Cheer

December 2, 2017December 2, 20172 Comments

It always starts with someone in mind. A person may need cheering up or wishing birthday greetings. This time, I had my senior living communities to design for. What would I gift them for a little Christmas cheer when I visit in December?

The package needs to be easily opened and can be reusable. I let people know they can enjoy the treat inside, refill it and re-gift it. It needs to be festive and fun and easy to assemble since I have many to make.

So I started gathering piles of supplies I had on hand, designed the favor and then ordered the supplies needed to make about 300. Each resident and staff will receive one. They were a big hit with the first communities I visited yesterday.

If we cross paths in December, I’ll gift you one too. In case we don’t, here is a Youtube video showing how to assemble plus a few other ideas at the end of the video.

Happy Holidays!

Super Awesome Party Favor Maker Shirley

On Our Way to Celebrate

August 31, 2017August 30, 2017Leave a comment

We are on our way to celebrate at my cousin’s bridal shower. My sister snagged the doggy gifts on their registry so Mom thought a doggy card was appropriate. I just happen to have a swap card similar to this one in my card tree so Mom copied that design to come up with this one.

While still in Milwaukee, this car was also getting gas. I told Mom she had 30 seconds for a photo op so out she hopped. Mom got the story and his business card and the photo op all in the 30 seconds, ok, maybe 2 minutes. His story is that he thought we all need encouragement and this is how he is sharing his encouragement energy.

And then off we went to the bridal shower!

Super Awesome Stamper Shirley

The cat, the cukes and the chickens

August 30, 2017August 30, 20172 Comments

It’s a lock-in at my Mom and Dad’s house while I cat sit Mr. Kitty, can the cukes and make chicken broth. Here is Mr. Kitty ready to pounce on my lap. He seems to decide to lap sit just when I get my rug hooking started.

We are surrounded by the trees, bees and a burnt orange butterfly that visited while I was plucking the cucumbers yesterday. Bunnies hop away quick since they are not use to seeing someone in their yard so early in the morning.

Cukes needs to be scrubbed and graded before they can be processed. Add a little pepper, garlic, bay leaf, dill seed to the jar for a zippy flavor. The brine is flavored with Penzey’s Pickling Spice which smells oh so good to me. I decided that the clove scent is what I like most about this mix.

I have not gotten the opportunity to water bath process cukes since my garden only produces enough for fresh eating or refrigerator pickles. Since this canner holds 8 jars, I thought I would process a pint and open it right away to evaluate flavor and crunch versus refrigerating only.

I follow the kosher dill pickle recipe from the Ball Blue Book of Canning that my sister-in-law Mary gave to me as a gift. I make notes so that I can replicate the recipe in following years.

I almost forgot about the chickens part of this post since I could gush about my pickles at length. Just know that if I share a pickle with you, you are a chosen one. haha! Seriously, I will be pacing opening the jars throughout the winter. Right now, I can enjoy a little more than a jar a month since I have 14 jars canned.

My nephew has egg laying chickens but they have reduced their output so off to the butcher some went. They made nourishing chicken stock when combined with surplus produce from my parents’ garden. I follow the Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz recipe which includes 2 secret ingredients, leeks and allspice berries that elevate the flavor to the best stock ever! I’ll freeze these and use to make rice, quinoa, crock pot beans and hearty winter soup. Broth is also very good sipped on super cold days or when my fingers are freezing!

It’s a circle of life and we can’t all eat plants. Interestingly, I was reminded of that in the middle of the night. I heard screeching so paths were crossed in the forest. Nature circles are kept in balance so I take comfort in this philosophy. Now if nature would only take care of those asian beetles attacking my Linden and apple trees, I would be thankful for that too!

What does Mr. Kitty do while I am in the kitchen? A little napping, a little playing with a favorite toy from Aunt Cheryl, a little zoomies and then back to napping. Oh, and can I have some more crunchies please? My tummy is empty…all…the…time…

from Super Awesome Canner Shirley and Mr. Kitty