Baby Steps ~ Boy card and SNEAK PEEK

Good Evening Friends!

Tonight I have a quick and cute card share for you. I have been CRAZY busy trying to earn enough for the first tuition payment of the year, and I did pretty good. I came to within $25 of what I need for this coming Friday (the July 1st payment). Thanks to all of you and my local customers who came out for the $2 card event last week and to a few friends who placed orders and/or asked me to make them some cards to participate long distance.

So here I have something old, something new, and of course something blue! On Friday, my friend Michelle, who was the last one here for the $2 card event, asked me about other uses for her sanding blocks. She purchased them last month so that she could condition her stamps, meaning taking the film off the stamps that comes from the manufacturing process. If you've ever had a bold stamp set that doesn't seem to be accepting your ink, you may need to condition your stamps and you can check out the tutorial at the link above.

Anyway, I showed Michelle how after embossing polka dots on designer paper, that a sanding block will make those dots pop! :D So, just run the paper through your big shot with your favorite embossing folder, then gently take a sanding block to the top. Note: if you try this with regular Stampin' Up cardstock, the paper will not show white as the SU! cardstock is dyed all the way through. However, it will appear to be slightly lighter due to distressing that layer or roughing it up! :D

So that piece of designer paper was sitting on the table looking at me in my eye on Friday. :D I did have one hole in the card selection last week, and that was baby boy. I promised my good friend Barbie that I would make her a baby boy card... well here it is! I just ran out of time around the event last week. There were 10 different designs that featured retiring stamp sets, with cool embellishments that may or may not still be current. The cards were gorgeous!

I'll try and share some more this week. This stamp, which is a stamp that is sold by itself is called Babysteps and will no longer be available for purchase after THIS Thursday. Gosh ~ I love how the polkadots in the elephant's ear tie right into the ribbon and sanded embossing. I went through my stamps tonight and there are SO many of my sets retiring, I want to say at least 60 sets this time!

So how about some measurements:
Base: So saffron 8 1/2 x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: 5 1/8" x 3 7/8" (note: this is only 1/8" larger on two sides than layer 3.
Layer 3: 5 x 3 3/4", DSP, embossed and lightly sanded.
Layer 4: Chocolate chip polka dot ribbon.. here is the sneak peek! Isn't that ribbon GORGEOUS??
Layer 5 3 1/8" x 2 1/8" chocolate
Layer 5: 3x2" whisper white, inked and stamped with markers in turquoise, chocolate and real red.

Pretty easy and straight forward... just my speed.

Being the end of the year, I just want to thank those of you who continually do business with me. I know that you have choices of who you do business with. For those of you who made me your "stamp girl," I want you to know that I really appreciate your business. My stamping business is currently my only source of income to help out my family and I feel completely blessed to have made so many life long friends as a result of my little business. If you do not already have a demonstrator and would like to place an order through me, you may do so at my online store anytime.

In addition, I will mail a brand new FREE catalog to anyone who places an order that is $75 (before tax and shipping).


Thanks for visiting today and every day.

Rubbah hugs,
Selene Kempton