Purple is the new pink!

I just realized, after a bit of poking around on Etsy, that two of my products were featured in the "Purple is the new pink" treasury by Lisa Morton (LittleLadyLux)!!  Thanks, Lisa!

Which ones were my creations?

Elegant Purple Flower Flourish Italian Tile Coasters

Purple Flowers Birthday Card

Both of these handmade pieces (and many more) are available in the Avidly Stamping shop on Etsy!

Christmas Thank You Notes

I know I'm running a wee bit behind, but today I am catching up! (or at least attempting).  One of the things that has been sitting on my to-do list for weeks is making and sending thank-you notes for the wonderful gifts I received at Christmas.  I received gifts from several family members who don't live nearby and thus I wasn't able to thank them in person - they absolutely deserve a note letting them know I appreciate them and the gift that they thoughtfully sent.

I searched around a bit online for inspiration and came across the Clean & Simple blog's layout challenge #125.  Here is what I started with:

 

 

And here is what I came up with:

I'm glad I had a chance to pull out at least a couple of Christmas stamps.  With our move, and all of my supplies being packed, I never got a chance to make Christmas cards or do any Christmas crafting.  Now, not only am I checking something very important off of my to-do list, I got to do a bit of Christmas crafting, too!

When you don't have the right stamp...

One of the cards in the custom order I'm working on is a housewarming card for my customer's son.  She wanted brown and yellow, masculine, something with a house, and a specific greeting: "good times, noodle salad".  She said it is from a movie and that it is a common phrase she and her son use.

Well, I don't have a stamp that says "good times, noodle salad" so I had to improvise.  I opened up my word processor, typed it up, picked a color close to the soft suede ink that I was using, and stuck a piece of card stock in the printer.  I then used the curly label punch to cut out the words, distressed the edges a bit, and voila!  I think it turned out really cute!

What do you think?  Next time you need a specific greeting and can't find the right stamp, improvise!  Computers come in so handy, don't you think?

I love custom orders!

Today I have been crafting like crazy!  A friend ordered several custom cards and I've been having a blast putting everything together.

Part 1 of the custom order is done - a set of five notecards using the Morning Cup stamp set. Each one is a little bit different, but the inspiration came from a card I made awhile back.  The original is also available for purchase in the Avidly Stamping shop on Etsy.

Here are a few pics of the card set:

 Each card has a matching envelope and the greeting on the inside reads "caffeine isn't a drug, it's a vitamin!"

I absolutely love the Morning Cup stamp set! Anyone who knows me knows that I am a coffee fiend, so for me, its perfect!

Getting back to crafting

Its been months, literally, since I've sat down to craft and I've missed it desperately! Moving across an ocean has been a challenge, but I am finally getting settled in my new house and starting to organize my crafting space.

Today I decided that in spite of the mess that is still my workspace it was high time I made something, anything!  Over the past couple of weeks I've sat down with the intention of crafting just to get overwhelmed by the lack of organization in my workspace and walk away.  No more! To motivate myself I scoured the web for some inspiration and landed on Stamping 411, one of the many crafty blogs I follow.

I decided to play along with their Saturday Sketch Challenge #186:

And here is what I came up with:

inside: Love begins in a moment, grows over time, and lasts an eternity.

Card Recipe (All Stampin' Up!) 

Stamps: Broadsheet Alphabet, En Francais, Occasional Quotes
Inks: Real Red, Pretty in Pink
Papers: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Sending Love DSP, Real Red Textured Card Stock, Pretty In Pink Textured Card Stock,
Accessories: Heart to Heart Punch, Pretty in Pink Corduroy Buttons

I hope to start crafting (and posting) more often so check back soon for new, fun projects!!

The New 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog is here!

Get all-new, exclusive products for every occasion in the new 2011 Occasions Mini Catalog! Available January 4–April 30, 2011. Download your copy today and if you see something you love, order it!  These products are only available for a limited time.

Filled With Love Promotion

This Valentine’s Day, give your loved ones a beautiful handmade gift using products from Stampin’ Up!

December 17–January 24, get a FREE package of Bitty Buttons when you purchase a Filled with Love Bundle, including the Filled with Love Stamp Set and exclusive Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack—only available through this special promotion!

For more information on the Filled with Love promotion visit my website or email me at anglouise@gmail.com.