another Clean & Simple inspiration!

Hi! Here is another card that I created based on a card that I saw here on the Clean & Simple blog.
Supplies:
Stamps: A Little Birthday Cheer
Ink: Regal Rose
Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Georgia Peach DSP (retired)
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Paper Piercing Tools, Dimensionals

Hope you are having a fabulous week!
Karen

Flower out of Circles!

Hi! While I was scrapbooking this past weekend, the consultant had some display boards up for us to get ideas & inspiration. One particular board had some great ideas on things to make with punches. This flower was one that really caught my eye. I kept thinking how cute would that be on a card!!!! Then when I got home on Sunday, my fabulous Stampin' Success (publication for SU! Demonstrators) was waiting for me in the mail! There is a really cute sketch in it, so I used the sketch for my inspiration to create this card.

I loved how it turned out! Thanks Cheryl for the idea!

Supplies:
Stamps: Sincere Salutations
Ink: Lavender Lace (pad & marker)
Paper: Confetti White, Lavender Lace, Pixie Pink, Gable Green
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, 1-1/4" & 1" Circle Punches, Whisper White Satin Ribbon (love it!...in the new Occasions Mini Catalog), Dimensionals, Crystal Effects

Have a great day!
Karen

Clean & Simple cards and a scrappin' good time!

Hi! I didn't get a chance to stamp last week, but I made sure I started my week with a little bit of stampin'! Here are a couple of very simple cards that I wanted to share with you. I was inspired by this blog post on the Clean & Simple Blog.

Supplies:
Stamps: Holidays & Wishes
Ink: Perfect Plum
Paper: Whisper White, Barely Banana, Perfect Plum
Accessories: Texturz Plates with Big Shot, Soft Subtles Buttons, Thread, Corner Rounder, Dimensionals

Supplies:
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Florals (love this set!!), Hugs & Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip, White Craft
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral
Accessories: Paper Piercing Tools, Paper Snips, Dimensionals

I had a great time this past weekend! I went away with my friend Kelly for a scrappin' weekend! We didn't go very far (only about 20-25 minutes from home), but we got to spend 2 nights in scrappin' heaven!!! There were about 20 of us at the retreat center. We had a great time and I got alot of things done with my scrapbooking. One of the albums that I worked on was for our Dallas trip that we went to in November 2007. We went to Dallas with our friends, Greg & Kelly, to see a Dallas Cowboys game! It was a blast! The guys were in heaven. We hope to go back in September for the opening game at the new stadium. We have a deposit down for this game, but if the economy doesn't turn around soon, I might be the one staying at home this year. :( So say a little prayer that things get better! :) If you want to see the Dallas Cowboys new home, go here. It is absolutely incredible!! When we were in Dallas in 2007, Joe & Greg took a drive-by tour of the new stadium construction site. Words can't even describe the construction going into building this structure! You can fit the Statue of Liberty inside and it will not touch the top. It just gives me goosebumps when I think about going to opening game in this new stadium. Can you imagine the energy and atmosphere that day? And I thought the excitement and energy at the old stadium was incredible! The entire town is painted in blue and silver!

Here is a picture of a couple of pages that I scrapped this weekend, but I can't take credit for the football field. I wanted some paper that had a football field on it. I didn't have any, so Kelly said, "why don't you make one?". I said,"Brilliant!" So thanks Kelly for the idea! I love it! Ok, here is are the pages...please excuse the tired eyes! We were the very last ones to bed both nights!
Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you visit again!!

Karen

Inspired by Simple & Sincere

Hi! I'm back again! Here is the last card that we stamped at my Friday night stamp club. I loved how this card turned out. Even if I didn't have the Oval All set from the Occasions Mini Catalog!! Check out this card on Jen's Blog. Her cards are just beautiful, so I wanted to recreate my version using different DSP and colors. But she used the Oval All set that I am referring to. It's so pretty! Isn't the Oval Scallop Punch beautiful? And don't forget about the promotion going on until the end of April. Check it out here!

Supplies:
Stamps: Sincere Salutations
Ink: Baja Breeze
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP
Accessories: Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Trio Flower Punch, Silver Brads, Texturz Plates with Big Shot, Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Elegant Fifth Avenue Floral

Hi! Here is the second card that we stamped at my stamp club tonight. It's so simple, but yet so elegant. I have seen so many ideas with this stamp set, Fifth Avenue Floral, that I just had to order it! This layout was inspired by many that I saw on SCS and on Stamper's Showcase (for demos only). The colors are Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Real Red, and Whisper White. Great color combo!
Supplies:
Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Real Red, Sahara Sand, Basic Black
Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Real Red
Accessories: Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots

Thanks to my wonderful stamp club ladies for a fun night! And thanks Kelly for the extra cardstock! I appreciate it!

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Karen

Quilt Card!

Hi! It's a beautiful day here in St. Louis!! I'm looking forward to soaking up some Vitamin D this afternoon for a few minutes or so! I love the warmth of the sun when the temperature is not too hot.

Here is a card that we will be creating tonight at my stamp club. My stamp club meets every month to get together and stamp. At first, we were going to take this month off, but then I decided to plan on a fun evening just for my stamp club members. I appreciate their friendship and loyalty so much! We will be stamping 3 different cards. Here is the first one. I will post the other 2 this weekend. So be sure to stop by for more inspiration!

I have seen so many cards using this "quilt" design, that I wanted to create one for myself. And I love how it turned out! I love the colors! Unfortunately the DSP that I used is retired. Bummer! But I have an entire pack still! It's a shame that I didn't use it while it was current. I know, it's a disease. I guess I'm afraid to use it in case I run out! LOL! Anyway, back to the card...I used a 5-1/2"x4-1/4" sheet of Whisper White. After punching my squares, I used my Glue Stick to adhere the squares to the WW. Then I ran it through my Big Shot and presto! Isn't it cute?

Supplies:
Stamps: Think Happy Thoughts
Ink: Regal Rose, So Saffron
Paper: So Saffron, Regal Rose, Whisper White, Georgia Peach DSP (retired)
Accessories: Top Note Die with Big Shot, 1-3/8" Square Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8", 1-1/4" & 3/4" Circle Punches, Soft Subtle Brads, Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Glue Stick

Hope you are having a great Friday! TGIF! Have a great weekend!

As always, please contact me if you have any questions or need more explanation.

Karen

Free Stamps!!!!

Hi! Have you seen Stampin' Up's new Occasions Mini Catalog? This is a great supplement to Stampin' Up's Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog. I wanted to let you in on a great promotion that Stampin' Up! has going on right now until the end of April. Here are the details:

Customers:

Spend $40 on Occasions Mini Catalog products and choose any one item from the "Under $10" page (on page 210) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog for free.

Hostesses:

Hold a workshop of $150 or more and choose any one item from the "Under $10" page in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog for free. For every $150 spent at the workshop, the hostess will receive another "Under $10" item.

If you would like to be your own hostess, and place an order of $150 which includes $40 from the Occasions Mini Catalog, you will receive 2 free "under $10" products!!! Plus you will receive $15 in free products and a Level 1 Hostess set.

Contact me to place your order! Or you can shop 24/7 on-line at my Business Website. If you place an on-line order, just make sure you enter the "under $10" products AFTER you have entered the $40 in Occasions Mini Catalog products. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Have a great day!

Karen

Recipe for Pork Chops!

Hi! Here is the recipe for Kelly's awesome Pork Chops! Thanks Kelly for sending it to me!

SWANSON

PORK WITH ROASTED PEPPERS & POTATOES

Prep/Cook Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:
4 Boneless or Bone-in Pork Chops, 1/2" thick (Kelly used Hormel Smoked Pork Chops)
1 T. Olive Oil
4 Medium Red Potatoes, cut up
1 Medium Onion, sliced
1 t. Dried Oregano Leaves, crushed
1 c. Swanson Chicken Broth
1/2 c. Diced Roasted Red Peppers

1. SEASON chops with black pepper.
2. HEAT oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and cook 10 min. or until well browned. Remove chops.
3. ADD potatoes, onion, and oregano. Cook 5 min. or until browned, stirring occasionally.
4. ADD chops, broth, and peppers. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serves 4.

For Step #4, I believe Kelly added the broth and pepper, then stirred. Then she placed the chops on top of the potatoes/peppers, then covered and cooked. And she made 6 chops.

So what's for dinner tonight? Please leave me a comment if you gave this recipe a try. Would love to hear from you!

Karen

Baby Card

Hi! I tried to take a nap this afternoon, but just couldn't. Too much going through my head right now. So I went to my Stampin' Area to do some stampin'. I saw a card here on Jackie's blog that I really liked. Her card is adorable, so I thought I would recreate it using my stampin' stuff. I didn't have a cute little teddy bear like hers, but I thought the giraffe from Wild About You would be a great substitute. I really like how it turned out! For the button, I used a Clear Button with some Designer Series Paper behind it. The sentiment "baby" is from one of the retired All Year Cheers sets.
Supplies:
Stamps: Wild About You, All Year Cheer II (retired)
Ink: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip
Paper: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Certainly Celery DSP from a 6x6 Prints Pack
Accessories: Corner Rounder, Clear Buttons, 1" & 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Dimensionals, 1/8" & 1/16" Handheld Circle Punches, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, White Grosgrain Ribbon, Mini Glue Dots

It's been a whirlwind of a week around here. RJ's 3rd Birthday was last Wednesday, with the big family party on Saturday. Then Easter was Sunday with a big family gathering! It was fun, but I was kind of glad it was Monday today! I will have some personal pictures to share with you soon.

Have a great week!
Karen

Occasions Mini Catalog Swap!

Here are the cards I received in our local Occasions Mini Catalog Swap. The Occasions Mini Catalog can be seen here. It runs from April 1st through June 30th. There are some adorable stamps and accessories in this catalog! Make sure you get your hands on the new Scalloped Oval Punch. It is a must-have!!! Layers great with Stampin' Up's Large Oval Punch. Contact me at stampwithkaren@aol.com or shop 24/7 at my website to place your order from this catalog!

Sarah K. (below)

Sally N. (below)

Emiko W. (Emiko's Scrapbook Nook) (below)
Linda G. (MamaDog Memories) (below)

Here's mine (see this post) (below)

Aren't these great?! It's a great Mini Catalog! You must go take a look!

Hope you are having a great week!

Karen

Thanks Greg & Kelly!

Hi! RJ is turning 3 on Wednesday and we are having a small party for him on Saturday. Our friends, Greg & Kelly will not be in town then, so they invited us over for dinner on Sunday because they wanted to give RJ a little something for his birthday. We are very fortunate to have great friends who are so sincere and thoughtful! Kelly cooked a wonderful dinner and it was heavenly! She thought of everything!

Here is the main course (Pork Chops!!)...

Here is my plate minus the biscuit. They were still in the oven when I took this picture.

Oooooh! Can you just smell it?? Doesn't this look great! It was absolutely delicious! I'll ask Kelly to give me the recipe and have it posted here soon. I was there while she was cooking and it looked really easy! That's my kind of cooking!

Greg & Kelly also gave RJ a very nice gift, which he just loved...A Little Einsteins DVD! RJ has been hooked on Little Einsteins for the past several weeks. We have a few shows taped on our DVR, and he requests them several times a day! We sing the song all day long! He knows every word! Here are a few pictures of RJ, Greg & Kelly...

Thanks again Greg & Kelly for a very nice evening! We had a great time and appreciate your thoughtfulness! We are lucky to have you as friends!

Karen

Birthday card for Danny!

Hi! I wanted to share a card with you that I created for my nephew Danny who celebrated his 13th birthday!!! Can't believe it! Where does the time go? Happy Birthday Danny!


I had the Chocolate Chip cardstock with the soccer balls created for some time (probably several years!). But this piece went into a basket of unfinished work. So I pulled it out and finished the card based on a card from Stampin' Up's Sporting Goods Inspiration Sheet. I did add the texture on the Night of Navy cardstock using my Big Shot.

Here is Danny!...

Supplies:
Stamps: Sporting Goods, It's Your Birthday
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Kraft, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Square Punch, Linen Thread, Dimensionals, Texturz Plates with Big Shot

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Very simple...clean and simple!

Hi! Thanks to all my stampin' friends who were able to make it to my Spring Cleaning Sale this morning. I appreciate it more than you know. I still have alot for sale that I will hopefully be posting to my blog soon. I just need to figure out how to post it. So be on the lookout for some great bargains!

Here is the card that I created for everyone who attended my sale this morning. It is very simple...clean and simple. I don't think it even took 5 minutes to stamp! I love the look of Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip! I will be very sad when Baja Breeze goes away at the end of June! But I'm sure I will fall in love with the next set of In-Colors! Can't wait to see what Stampin' Up! has in store for us!
Supplies:
Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, All Holidays
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Paper: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Parisian Breeze Specialty DSP (love it!)
Accessories: Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon (retired), Dimensionals

I will be posting the swaps that I received in a small local swap for the new Occasions Mini Catalog soon. Just need to snap some pictures!

Going to my sister's house tonight to celebrate my nephew's birthdaytonight! He is 13!!! Can't believe it!! Happy Birthday Danny!

See you later,
Karen