Stamping with Kim

Beautiful Autumn Days

I hope you love this time of year as much as I do!  Even though it's been rainy most of the week here, the autumn colors are popping out everywhere & it's absolutely gorgeous everywhere you look.  Let's enjoy it now because I know the snowman is just around the corner!

Yesterday I did some shopping with my mom.  That doesn't happen often.  First of all, we live 500 miles apart.  Even when I'm back home, we are on opposite sides of the city - and most of that time I don't have transportation!  But yesterday Steve "had" to play golf and I had the car.  So I picked up my mom for some shopping.  It was fun - but I realized that I can't shop as long as I used to!  LOL!!  What did she want to shop for??  STAMPS!!  Lucky for her - I had tucked in a couple of extra stamp sets as a little gift...but I didn't bring extra paper.  She would LOVE this paper because it looks like the mountains here!!

This is a card that I made for the last Stampers 10 meeting.  Not only are the papers beautiful, but the girls got to "enhance" them by spritzing the new SHIMMERY PAINTS!!  It's so easy to do.  Just use a little spray bottle with a couple of ounces of regular rubbing alcohol, and add 1 to 2 DROPS of the new SHIMMERY PAINTS that are in the Mini Catalog.  Then spray the paper until you get as much shimmer as you like.  Set that aside to dry while you finish your card.

For this card, we stamped the pheasant from "Autumn Days" in Soft Suede ink, and then spritzed some color from markers (I think Ruby Red and Only Orange - but it doesn't matter!).  Now, for the circles that are along the side of the card - get out your SLIT PUNCH!!  Make 5 punches along the side of the card, and then fold the edge back.  What you're left with is the opposite side of the paper showing through.  How cool!!!  This paper is "Autumn Traditions", which you can find in the big catty.

This is a technique that I promised to show right after Founders' Circle - actually this AND the Shimmery Paints spray - and I have had this card ready to post ever since then.  It just got lost in the shuffle - and I'm sorry about that!!

So - there are a couple of new techniques for you to try this weekend.  I hope it's a beautiful weekend where you are!!  I plan on seeing a few more relatives today, and stop by the hospital to wish Steve's brother a speedy recovery - he's doing fantastic by the way!!  And I'll check back in with you soon!!!

Take care, my friends!!

Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip to Hawaii

I've finally "officially" started to scrap our pictures from the trip to Hawaii this past spring.  That is...digitally scrap our pictures!!

All of this is new to me, so I've decided to do lots of experimenting.  For this album, I'm using an 8 X 8 designer album that is one of the designer templates in the MDS - "My Digital Studio" -  software.  I started out with a cover and several pages already laid out for me.  

This is going to be the album cover.  Pretty cool, huh??  It started as a Kiwi Kiss background, with the flower & leaves, and a "suggestion" box for title and picture.  I made several alterations.  First of all, the medallion across the top & in the background.  That is a STAMP from "Frames with a Flourish".  I "stamped" it in white, and changed the opacity AND size so that it seems to float in the background.

Next, I added a layer of Always Artichoke background paper on top of the Kiwi Kiss, and behind the picture.  Then I added the text, changing the font size & type, and changing it from black to white.  Next came the picture.  All I had to do was hover over the block and the software re-sized it for me.  Insert huge smiley face here!!

Since I had altered the text boxes and picture box, I also changed the size and colors of the flowers.  Sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it??  Well, I created this album cover in less than 10 minutes!  And best of all, my desk stayed clean!!

Here is another page in my album.  I'm very pleased with this one.  I made very little alteration to this page.  Actually, the only thing I did - other than add the picture and the journaling - was to move the flourish over on the top so you see a little more of it!!

I love the templates in the software!  They make scrapbooking so much easier than doing it with actual paper & stamps.  Don't get me wrong - I won't give up on "3-D" scrapping!  In fact, one of the things that I love most about the new SU! MDS software is that all of the colors are SU! exclusive colors, and all of the stamped items are ACTUAL SIZE.  That means that when I have these pages printed, I can put a button, or a brad on the page where I have "marked" it with my digital software - and not only will the color match perfectly, but the size & shape will be the same.

One other wonderful thing about having the software is that I can use my computer for the layout - and make all the color choice variations that you can dream of - without wasting a single piece of paper!  When I get the one that I totally love - then I can pull out my "real" papers & stamps and create the project on my desk.

Now just how cool is that???!!!!

I love it!  And if you haven't ordered your MDS yet - you should!

Hope you have a great evening, and thanks for visiting!!

More Autumn Holidays

I had some more fun last week with SU!'s rub-ons.  Do you know how quick & easy you can make cards with these little goodies?!!  I made a whole stack of cards in no time at all!!

One thing I found that helped me a lot was to decide on a color scheme ahead of time & run with it.  Since these cards were going in a brown & white gift bag - the color scheme was chosen for me!!

Oh, one more tip - don't throw away those small pieces of designer papers, either.  I used to do that when SU! would retire certain papers & I thought if a piece wasn't at least as large as a card front that I wouldn't use it.  But now I find that I like to mix & match some of those small pieces.

So don't throw away!!  Just get a little more creative with your scraps.  You never know what you'll come up with!!

Now...you're probably wondering why I haven't listed all of the supplies used here.  Well...confession time!!  Not only did I forget my camera cord on this trip - I FORGOT MY STAMPIN' UP CATALOG!!  LOL!!!  So unless I go online & look up all the names of all these items - and some of them are retired now! - I can't remember their names!!!

Boy, it's been a busy few days!  Now you understand even more when I said "I'm so far behind!!!!"  We'll be home soon, though, and it'll all work out just fine!  :-)

Happy Stamping!!

Taste of Tuesdays!!

I absolutely LOVE this time of year, and being at the foot of the Smokey Mountains right now makes me realize how much I miss being "home" this time of year.  It's stunning here!!  I'm even enjoying doing some cooking for my family while here. 

Yesterday I made a casserole using TS's "Creamy Wild Rice Soup" mix - and it was sooo yummy!!  It's a recipe that I posted here last fall called "Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole" and is now one of my favorites.  But now I've run across this recipe & plan on trying it later this week.  I think this looks so yummy!!!

Cheesy Chive Chicken
Submitted by Jan Cox (MI)

Ingredients
1 packet Cheesy Chive Warm Dip Mix
10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
16 oz. sour cream
16 oz. pkg. egg noodles

Directions
Combine first 2 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir to blend. Layer chicken breasts and soup mixture in a greased slow cooker. Cover, cook on low for 8 hours. During last hour of cooking, stir in sour cream. Prepare noodles as directed on the package. Serve chicken and sauce over hot noodles. Makes about 6 servings.

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out!!!

 

Big Shot Monday

My apologies for not getting a picture posted today!!!  The third part of our visit to Chattanooga (#1 SU! Regionals, #2 Steve working here, #3 Steve's brother) was to be with Steve's brother today.  His younger brother was diagnosed with bladder cancer a couple of weeks ago, and was having surgery today.

We've been at the hospital here since 7:00 this morning - and I'm happy to report that the surgery is over, and the outlook may be a little brighter than first thought.  His bladder was removed, also removed his prostate and part of his colon, along with all the lymph nodes in the area.  We won't know the severity of the cancer spread until the pathology reports come back....BUT...the doctor did say that the lymph nodes didn't look as bad as he had first suspected.  So please keep "Butch" (James, Jr) in your prayers!!

Now...for Big Shot Monday....please visit SARAH'S WEBSITE for the most adorable project all month!!!  It's entirely her creation - so please leave her a comment, too!!!  :-)

Thanks so much for visiting!  I'll have a new recipe to share tomorrow, and some other projects later in the week.  I have sooo much catching up to do!!!  LOL!!!

See you later!