Thursday, November 29, 2018

Stampin' Up! Humming Along for the Happy Inkin' Thursday Blog Hop




It seems like forever since I have participated in the Happy Inkin' Thursday Blog Hop. It's good to be back. My inspiration came from Nancy Gleason as my brain is only working on 6 cylinders. Tomorrow is the military service at Sarasota National Cemetery for my husband. Perhaps after that I will function on all 8 cylinders...he was a Corvette man and he would prefer me to be an LT4 V8!

Today we have a color challenge ... 

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and here's what I made for it ...


The stamp set will be in the 2019 Occasions Catalog available to customers January 3, 2019. Demonstrators attending OnStage in Orlando this month received the set as a gift. There will be dies that coordinate with it as well.

I also thought it captured the essence of the colors in the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments, excluding the blue. Although it is not Christmas themed, it easily could be if I had used a poinsettia stamp!

My card base is Shaded Spruce Cardstock and I embossed it with the Petal Burst Embossing Folder. I cut a mat from Crumb Cake Cardstock, as well as a scalloped circle. The sentiment circle is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on a scrap of Whisper White Cardstock. I used the Layering Circles Framelits Dies to cut both circles.

The art panel is a piece of Whisper White cardstock. The flower outline is stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Stampin' Up! Red Light and Dark Blends. I used the Color Lifter Blend to add a bit of highlighting. The stamen is colored with my Crumb Cake Light Blend. The stem is colored with my Shaded Spruce Stampin' Write marker which, at the moment, is only available within the Regals set. (They are beta testing selling the markers individually and I hope it is a success.) I sponged the panel with Shaded Spruce Ink to give it a marbled look.

For the inside, I kept it simple because I will be writing a note. I used the Detailed Trio Punch to punch one corner and in the other corner I used the leaf from the stamp set stamping off once to make it lighter. I used Shaded Spruce for that.

There you have it! If you have any questions, let me know in a comment. Before you leave my site, I hope you will visit the other bloggers listed below and have a great hop. Clicking on the "Next" button will take you directly to Amy Koenders, our talented team leader.



Karen Finkle - you are here!


Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Stampin' Up! Star of Light

My last post was the Pink Heals ceremony for my husband on November 14. Perry's journey on earth was completed November 17, 2018. He is now where he wanted to be for so long...with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts during our battle against the Agent Orange cancer that ravaged his body. I have not been able to do anything in my craft room until now. I decided to get back into the swing of things slowly as there is much to do after the death of a spouse so I will just be posting today and Thursday of this week.

As You See It and my upline, are my inspiration and motivation for today's card.



My card base is Fresh Fig, with a mat of Gray Granite, a mat of Joyous Noel DSP, another mat of Gray Granite and strips of DSP from Joyous Noel, Tranquil Textures and Country Home. I cut the mat for the sentiment in Copper Foil using the Layering Oval Thinlits Dies. The sentiment itself is stamped in Fresh Fig on Gray Granite and die cut with the Stitched Shapes Thinlits. The swirly doo dads and snowflakes are from the Swirly Snowflakes Thinlits (appropriate name, eh?) and are cut from the Joyous Noel Copper Glimmer paper.

For the inside, I kept it simple...a mat from Joyous Noel and the sentiment mat from Star of Light. Again, it is stamped in Fresh Fig. The star is a die from the Starlight Thinlits done in Copper Glimmer paper. I punched the corners with the Detailed Trio punch.

Thank you for stopping by today and I'll see you again Thursday.

Measurements and Partial Product List: 

Fresh Fig 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", scored and folded at 4 1/4"
Gray Granite 4" x 5 1/4" and 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" for front; 3 3/4" x 5" for inner mat; scrap for front sentiment
Joyous Noel 3 7/8" x 5 1/8" for front; 4" x 5 1/4" for inner mat
Strips of DSP: 1" x 3 1/4" (4 different patterns)
Copper Foil and Copper Glimmer scraps large enough to accommodate die cuts

The Star of Light is no longer available as a bundle, but it can be purchased separately.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Hope Hospice Honor Guard and Pink Heals


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I thought I would be making cards and blogging after the 13th, but the Lord had other plans. Perry has still not been taken "home" even though that has been his desire for a week or more.

He has had the wonderful experience of an Honor Guard recognition ceremony at the house surrounded by family and friends. They honored Perry for his service in the Army. Here are some pics...











Then our Godson's mother arranged for Pink Heals to come to the house for another ceremony honoring him for his service as a firefighter. He is a life member of the Castleton Fire Company, which is a volunteer company where he was born and raised. He served as Chief from 1989 - 1999. I was a firehouse widow and should have known about Stampin' Up then! What a beautiful presentation it was. We all got to sign the fire truck. Here are some pics from that celebration...




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That's all folks. The next time I post, it will be because my husband has been set free from this temporary body and will have a perfect eternal one.

Thanks for stopping by and for all your prayers, support and thoughts.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Stampin' Up! Seasonal Chums for the Inkin' Krew Blog Hop

If it's your first time here, welcome! Once a month members of our team create cards for a particular theme. The theme this month is "Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays". We can interpret that any way that we like (Christmas, Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, etc.) We can use any products that we want for our projects. I have chosen to use all Stampin' Up products.

My project was a bear for me...I know you will think it's a snowman, but it really was a bear. If your language is not English, you may not get the slang meaning :-)

I can't begin to tell you how many mock ups I did of this and it still didn't come out properly so I jerry-rigged it. I wonder from where that expression came? I could Google it, but I really want to show you my project.

I CAN tell you this...it's called a "Magic Card" I'll get you as far as I can, however.




Did you see the magic?

The Shaded Spruce card stock is cut to 8 1/2" x 8 1/2". Score at 4 1/4", turn and score at 2 3/4" and 5 3/4"; reinforce the folds. Cut off 1/4" from the bottom of one side. Cut off the 2 end pieces from the side you just made shorter. Cut inside the scored line so that when the middle piece is folded up, it doesn't catch as you magic pieces will need to slide in and out (or up and down, depending what part of the country you are from!)

Cut a different colored scrap piece of cardstock 2" x 3" and center it in the middle section of the top portion and adhere it temporarily so you can cut an opening. Then using a 1" circle punch, cut a 1/2" notch at the top. It is clear in this pic.



While you've got the punch out, punch a circle in the color you want for your pull tab.

Now it gets tricky. Using the Stamparatus will make it easier for you. First cut a piece of window sheet at 2 3/4" x 4" and a piece of card stock for the insert 2 3/4" x 4". Position your image on a window sheet that has been cut to 2 3/4" x 4" and the sentiment as well, making sure when you are preparing the magic part, that the image and sentiment display properly. Use Staz-On to stamp them on the window sheet. Clean your stamps and position the insert paper in the same place as you had the window sheet and stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black. Color the image with Blends. I used my Call Me Clover and Cherry Cobbler Blends to color the snowman and light Crumb Cake for the rabbit. Lay the window sheet on the colored image and make sure it lines up perfectly. If you haven't moved your stamps, it should.

Add a little strip of SNAIL at the top between the insert and the window sheet, making sure you are still lined up! Put SNAIL on the back of the 1" circle that you punched and fold it in half over the top of the pieces you snailed together. Take a 1/8" circle punch and make a hole in it. Run your Baker's Twine through it and tie a knot.

Okay, you ready to run here with me? This is where I had the problem. If you make one and it turns out perfect, let me know! Place the piece of card stock on the side that the two panels were removed and place it between the window sheet and insert. Fold up the back to be sure everything slides perfectly. If it does, put tear and tape on one edge of the back to seal it. added the snowflakes and ribbon from Santa's Workshop Enamel Elements.

I hope you will try to make a magic card. I am going to try it again following Dawn Griffith's or Frenchie's videos as they do it with a different styles and measurements but it's still magic! Wish me luck.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will enjoy the rest of the hop. Clicking on the next button will take you to Linda and clicking on the previous will take you to Shirley.





  1. Shirley Gentry
  2. Karen Finkle - you are here!
  3. Linda Richenberg
  4. Connie Troyer -
  5. Karen Ksenzakovic
  6. Aurora Lopez
  7. Mary Deatherage
  8. Sue Prather -
  9. Amy Koenders


Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Stampin' Up! Waterfront

I didn't deliver as promised yesterday, but I know you'll be forgiving and I thank you for it. Tini is my alarm clock for giving Perry his 6 AM meds. I usually have a cup of coffee after I get him all set up but today I decided to post first. 

This card uses the "black ice" technique and it's my first attempt. If you would like instructions, just leave a comment. There are many You Tube videos out there that will show you how.

I used the Waterfront stamp set, copper foil, Sunshine Wishes dies and Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

I've decided to play at Global Design Project - 163 - Theme Challenge this morning.

This year is Stampin' Up!'s 30th anniversary and I would like to congratulate them. This coming weekend is what they call OnStage in Orlando. It would have been my first time to attend but, alas, it was not in the stars. However, I have many team members/friends who will be attending and I know they'll post lots of pics that will make me feel like I'm there.

I'm also playing at TSOT, going diagonally with foil, trees and stamping.


Thank you for stopping by today and I'll see you on November 13. I do not have time to make any cards unless something changes. So, mark your calendars to return for our Inkin' Krew Blog Hop. I so appreciate my followers and commenters. Til we meet again, keep stamping, live life and go have that cup of coffee!


Sunday, November 4, 2018

If I Could Put Time in a Bottle


I'm playing at Sunday Stamps - SSC91




I love the sentiments on this card. It's another kit that Sue put together for us. All we had to do was sponge the already embossed card, adhere the sayings and embellishments. She really spoiled us! So, my card group cards are done for awhile.

Our daughter and granddaughter are here until the 13th. If I can get them to join me in making a card, I will be posting. I have to take a hiatus from the weekly card group because I take care of my husband 24/7. His sister will be arriving today. We are making memories.

I need to share the words from my Sarah Young, Jesus Always..."Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Perry is waiting for his crown. We are hoping he doesn't have to suffer too much longer. Thank you all who continue to pray for us and thanks for stopping by. 

See you tomorrow...I have a card made :-) and I'll definitely see you on the 13th as it is our Blog Hop. Til then, live life and make memories.



Friday, November 2, 2018

Stampin' Up! - Another non-one!

My card today is another one Sue had prepared a kit for last Thursday. I was unable to go to card group today and I was not able to make a card.

All we had to do for this one was stamp and glue the die cut! I added the pearls. The inside was plain as I wrote a note and mailed it out today! That's unusual for me!!


Thank you for stopping by today.

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