This quick and easy card uses the Morning Cup stamp set and Elegant Soiree DSP to achieve a winning look.  Today's Saturday Sample is a swap I received, made by Cathy Somody.  I love its simplicity and style!  With its neutrals color scheme and trim embellishments, it can easily be given to a man or woman.  The greeting:  "caffeine isn't a drug, it's a vitamin" is guaranteed to bring a smile!  This hand stamped card would be a great "pick me up" kind of card, bringing humor and cheer along with great style. 

Stamps:  Morning Cup stamp set

Ink:  Basic Black, Early Espresso

Paper:  Early Espresso, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Elegant Soiree DSP

Accessories:  Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Early Espresso 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Big Shot, Lots of Tags Sizzlits, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, 1-1/4" and 1-3/8" Circle Punches

To purchase any of these supplies and more, visit my 24/7 online store, candystamps.stampinup.net:  stamping and scrapbooking supplies and more at your fingertips!

Learn to make quick and easy cards like my Saturday Sample and more in one of my monthly clubs.  Full details are here.  They are great way to learn to stamp, get free stamp classes, and build your supplies with thoughtfulness and ease that fit your budget.  I can't wait to stamp with you!

Yesterday I shared with you the Artistic Etchings scrapbook pages we made in this month's scrapbook club.  As a follow-up to that share, I wanted to show you what one of the pages looks like with some photos popped in.  I had some black and white photos in a shoebox of my daughter Tiffany's wedding during the father-daughter dance.  They look perfect on this page!  I haven't filled it in yet, but the little "Take Note" oval is a perfect place to put the date or a bit of journaling. (This is the left side of a 12 x 12 layout.  Scroll down one post to see the other side.)

This is a super-easy scrapbook page to put together.  The Love Letter DSP and coordinating stamp set, Artistic Etchings, do all the work!  I used the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet letters (die cut with the Big Shot) for my title.  They make quick work of a title and are also a perfect size for scrapbooking.  I sponged them just a bit with Soft Suede Classic Ink to bring some aging.  I wanted them to look...well, timeless!  The Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon brings some softness as well as depth of color (did you know that Cherry Cobbler is the darker counterpart to Riding Hood Red--check it out on the Color Coach).

Supplies:

Stamps:  Artistic Etchings, Notably Ornate

Ink:  Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pads

Paper:  Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla Basic Black Card Stocks, Love Letter Designer Series Paper

Accessories:  Big Shot Die Cutting Machine, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Sizzlits, Stamping Sponges, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Linen Thread, Pearls Basic Jewels, SNAIL Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals

Do you scrapbook?  Have you not started but would like to?  Come to my FREE Open Crop in San Antonio on Saturday, May 7th.  Bring what you are working on and spend some time in my Studio.  You will not have the distractions of home, and you are welcome to use my Big Shot, stamp sets, and ink pads.  If you have never scrapbooked before, I will show you how to make easy scrapbook pages that are a delight to make and will beautifully showcase your treasured photos.  Scrapbooking can be fun and is the ideal way to showcase and preserve those special memories.  Get in on the scrapbooking craze!  I'll show you how!  Full information of this event is here on my blog.  Although it's a free event, you must rsvp so I can prepare for you.   I can't wait to scrap with you!

In this month's Scrapbooking Hostess Club, we made this great layout of two 12 x 12 scrapbook pages.  They have lots of "Wow!" factor but are really easy to make in very little time.  The Love Letter DSP (designer series paper) and coordinating Artistic Etchings stamp set do all the work!  The Seam Binding Ribbon adds great texture and softness.  We had so much fun making these pages!  (Click on the photo to get a larger view.)

The Real Red, Basic Black, and Very Vanilla color scheme is classic and timeless just like our title.  You could go in many different directions in choosing photos for this layout.  One of my club members just took a trip to Paris, so she is using this as the beginning and springboard for her trip photos.  Any black and white photos, recent or old, would look great in this layout.  I have some black and white photos from my daughter's wedding that look great in here.  Anything that is timeless in nature fits the bill, here.

May is National Scrapbooking Month.  Join me for my free Open Crop in San Antonio.  Full details are here.  It's free, it's fun, and you will go home with completed projects!  Get in on the fun of scrapbooking.  If you haven't yet started, come to my Open Crop and I'll show you how.

To purchase the Love Letter DSP, Artistic Etchings stamp set and more, visit my online store:  candystamps.stampinup.net.

Fabulous Florets is one of the new stamp sets in the Summer Mini Catalog.  Its part of a suite of products including coordinating Beyond the Garden DSP and the Flower Garden Textured Impressions Folder.  It's a great "team" of products designed to work together in producing fabulous looking handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and more.  The flowers in this suite are just gorgeous!  My sample today uses just the stamp set, and my sample from Saturday uses just the Beyond the Garden DSP (click to see the sample).  This shows how the suite of products work together but can also stand alone.

This is a quick and easy card you can make in just minutes with a short supply list.  I love the richness the Rich Razzleberry brings to this card. I used just a bit of Dazzling Diamonds in the center of the poppies for a little sparkle.  Another small detail is the use of the Versamark Pen to fill in the word "friend."  It adds just a little emphasis, a small detail that makes a big difference.

Stamps:  Fabulous Florets, Perfect Punches (greeting)

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pads, Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Marker, Versamark Pen

Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Peach Parfait, Old Olive, Whisper White card stocks

Accessories:  Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Two Way Glue Pen, Rich Razzleberry 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Round Tab Punch, Pearls Basic Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive

Although you cannot order the stamp set yet (available for purchase on May 1st from my online store), I have already mailed dozens of Summer Mini Catalogs to customers.  If you have not yet received a Summer Mini and would like one, just email me at candy@sweetstamper.com (or just click the Email Candy button on your left) and I will get one to you.  You can browse the summer mini, get lots of ideas and inspiration, and be ready for summer stamping!

Have you been to the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack lately?  It's a great place for online shopping with incredible savings.  In addition to a newly-stocked Clearance Rack, there are just 4 days left to purchase Stampin' Up! Grab Bags.  These are "mystery bags" with all kinds of discontinued Stampin' Up! products.  Grab bags can include any of the following:

• chip board
• ribbons
• accents and elements
• designer series papers
• Simply Sent kit components (Simply Sent Kits are card kits)

The Grab Bags come in $15, $10, and $5 options, but the $15 option sold out early this month.  This is an April Only special.  $5 Grab Bags contain at least $20 in product; $10 Grab Bags contain at least $40 in product.  This is an incredible deal!  Some of my customers have already purchased Grab Bags and are thrilled with the great array of fun, easy-to-use products and the great savings! 

What are you waiting for?  Purchase your Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack and Stampin' Up! Grab Bag items today.  You will save money while shopping from home (saving you on gas as well!)  Just click on the Order Now button to your right, and you will arrive at my 24/7 online store.  Here are the Grab Bag numbers for your convenience.  I encourage you to browse the rest of my store while you are there.  It's great fun!

Shop today and save on the best paper crafting products available:  Stampin' Up! 

I'm having an Open Crop in San Antonio for National Scrapbooking month.  What is an Open Crop?  It's a free scrapbooking/card-making session.  Just bring what you are working on/need to work on, and let's scrap together in my Studio.  It's much-needed time away from your own home and distractions to concentrate on your projects.  You can even use my stamps, Big Shot, dies, and punches.  Just think of the creative choices you will have!  We will spend the afternoon being creative AND finishing projects!  Come for the full session or just part.  Make it fit YOUR schedule.

National Scrapbooking Month

Open Crop

Saturday, May 7th

1:00-5:00

rsvp by May 5th

FREE EVENT!

Please note that this event immediately follows my Summer Mini Catalog Open House (11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.).  So you can come to my open house, see all the new stuff, make free cards, win some door prizes (!), and then move into scrapping and/or card-making.  It's a full day of creative fun resulting in a relaxed you and finished projects!  Although it's a free event, you must rsvp for the Open Crop in San Antonio so I can set up the table.  Call me at 210-355-5729 or email me at candy@sweetstamper.com (you can just click the Email Candy button on your left).  Let's get some scrapping and stamping done early in May in celebration of National Scrapbooking Month.   I can't wait to stamp/scrap with you!

The Summer Mini Catalog (releases May 1st!) has a gorgeous designer series paper, Beyond the Garden.  My Saturday Sample features one of the lovely designs as a main focal point of this card.  It's another of my quick and easy cards, fun to make and delightful to receive!  I like its bright and cheery color scheme and simple design.  Of course, the DSP does much of the work for you on this card.  And the Thanks Embosslit die-cut sentiment gives lots of texture, and having it in Tangerine Tango card stock gives a lovely, bright pop of color.  Beyond the Garden coordinates with the Fabulous Florets stamp set and Flower Garden Textured Impressions Folder, forming an entire suite of coordinating products.  Stay tuned for more samples in the days and weeks ahead using this great suite!

 
Supplies:

Stamps:  Punch Potpourri (hostess Level 1)

Ink:  Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad

Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango card stocks, Beyond the Garden DSP

Accessories:  Big Shot die cutting machine, Thanks Embosslit, Daffodil Delight 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Gold Brads, 1/16" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive

This card is bright and cheery, guaranteed to bring some sunshine along with your thanks to the recipient!   Would you like to make quick and easy cards like this?  Simply book a workshop (a free mini class for you and your guests at my place or yours) and you, too, will be making beautiful cards that people ooh and aah over.  Email me by clicking on the Email Candy to your left, or call me at 210-355-5729.  I have a few dates in May left and am booking workshops into the summer.  Let's set a date and time to make beautiful cards.  It's fun, it's creative,and it feeds your soul:)

The Summer Mini Catalog is already being mailed out and will go live on May 1st.  That is less than 2 weeks away!  I thought a little sneak peek was in order:)

I've been working on swaps so I'll be ready for you to see plenty of samples using items from the Summer Mini Catalog.  Those samples will, of course, be on my Mini Catalog display board in my Stamping Studio.  But I will also be featuring many of them right here on my blog. 

This card features the new stamp set Fabulous Florets as well as the new Embossing Powder in Melon Mambo.  How fun is that--colored embossing powder?!!   The Summer Mini offers 3 custom colors:  Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, and Tangerine Tango.  They are sure to add texture, brightness, dimension, and fun to your projects! 

You will also notice the gorgeous new Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper.  It is designed to specifically coordinate with the Fabulous Florets stamp set.  I love the way Stampin' Up! makes it easy for us to make fantastic looking cards and scrapbooks with custom-coordinated products.  Any of the products stand alone and look great, but put them all together and you have sophisticated design that won't quit!  Using the coordinated products allows me to put together handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and more that make people think I went to art school! 

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks and information about the soon-to-be-released Summer Mini Catalog.  It's chock-full of great things to stamp and scrap your summer and more.  Call me at 210-355-5729 or email me by clicking on the Email Candy button to your left, and I'll make sure you receive your own free copy of the Summer Mini.

Saturday, May 7

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

rsvp by May 5th

The Summer Mini Catalog is just ahead, and I'm having an Open House for its unveiling!  Come on in for this exciting event!  You won't want to miss out on the great Open House I have in store for you:

Display board with 50 fresh handmade card samples using items from the Summer Mini Catalog

Door prize drawings with great prizes including

• Sweet Stamper coupons
• free Stampin' Up! products
• handmade gifts

2 Make & Take stations with free projects for you to make and take home

Door prize tickets given out:

• 1 ticket for attending the Open House
• 1 ticket for bringing a non-perishable food item for my church food pantry
• 3 tickets for bringing a friend (new to me)
• 10 tickets for booking a workshop in May or June
• 1 ticket for every $10 purchased in orders

My Stamping Studio is at 13246 Trentwood, San Antonio, 78231.  I'm near Castle Hills and Shavano Park in north central San Antonio.  Email me by clicking on the Email Candy button to your left if you have any questions at all. Although this is a FREE event, you must rsvp so I can prepare for you!  210-355-5729 or candy@sweetstamper.com.

So mark your calendars and save the date!

For todays inspirational Sunday post, I want to share an Easter card with you.  Can you believe that today is Palm Sunday!  The time has flown and Easter is almost here!

I received this very pretty Easter card as part of a swap.  It features the gorgeous Easter Blossoms stamp set and the Vintage Flower Adornments from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I love this silhouette image of a young girl with her Easter basket skipping along, totally carefree.

She beautifully embodies the life that Christ gives us as we choose to follow Him.  Is our life all carefree and easy once we are born again and following the Lord Jesus with strength, passion, and purpose?    Absolutely not.  But this image does portray what happens in our heart.  It becomes free!  Easter is a great celebration of that freedom that only comes through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ being applied to individuals. 

We spent 9 years in the UK and used to sing a great song that conveys this truth.  Here are the lyrics:

Jesus, we celebrate Your victory
Jesus, we revel in Your love
Jesus, we rejoice, You've set us free
Jesus, Your death has brought us life

It was for freedom that Christ has set us free
No longer to be subject to a yoke of slavery
So we're rejoicing in God's victory
Our hearts responding to His love

His Spirit in us releases us from fear
The way to Him is open, with boldness we draw near
And in His presence our problems disappear
Our hearts responding to His love


I can't wait for Easter!  I hope you, too, are eagerly anticipating it 
and that this sweet Easter card featuring the Easter Blossoms stamp set 
makes you think of freedom!